Samhain Publishing

Wow, that’s such a great feeling to get to write “award-winning” in front of a book I’ve written. That award-winning statement is for the 2009 EPPIE Mirage won for Best Historical/Western Erotic Romance. And Mirage has received quite a bit of critical acclaim. I’m very proud to have been one of the first ePublished authors to receive a Top Pick from RT BOOKreviews. A Top Pick is pretty darn close to a contest win. It means that out of all the books the reviewer read for the month, this particular book was in their opinion, the best of the best.

Mirage, which is now in print, holds a special place in my heart because it was a RWA Golden Heart finalist and it landed me my wonderful agent, Deidre Knight. I also fell in love with Altair my hero. I’ve been a huge fan of The Mummy movies with Brendan Frasier and Oded Fehr. In fact, Altair’s looks are fashioned after Oded as he appeared in The Mummy. Now THAT is one sexy man, so you can imagine how much fun I had thinking of Oded as Altair.

Check out this blurb for what the book’s about.

An ancient prophecy and a sheikh’s passion. One woman will ignite the flame that fulfills them both.

A man without a country…
Half Bedouin, half English, the Viscount Blakeney has always been Sheikh Altair Mazir in his heart. A victim of prejudice from both cultures, he’s learned to trust no one. But a feisty American archeologist and the heat she ignites in him is about to change all that. And more.

An independent woman hunting for a Pharaoh’s treasure…
Alexandra Talbot is used to men questioning her intelligence simply because of her sex. But the mysterious Viscount isn’t like other men. He never questions her ability to find the lost city of Ramesses II, only her resistance to the sinful pleasure of his touch.

An ancient prophecy…
Bound by a Pharaoh’s prophecy, desire flares between them beneath the desert stars. But murder and betrayal turn their quest into a deadly game, pushing their fragile trust to the breaking point. Their survival hinges on rebuilding that trust.

As you can see from the blurb, Mirage is an action-packed romance, but don’t be fooled by that. It’s sizzling hot too. eCataromance says, “No one sets fire to a page like Monica Burns,” and it gets pretty darn fiery in the desert.

Mirage also highlights my fascination with Egypt. I’m terrified of snakes, so I doubt I’ll ever get to see the great Pyramids or actually go on a real archeological dig, but Mirage was the next best thing to being there. As long as I can remember Egypt has held me mesmerized, and I wanted to write a book that would be just as enthralling for readers. I hope I’ve succeeded, as you can see from a couple of these reviews, I managed to please some people. I hope you’ll check Mirage out and try it on for a good read. Read an excerpt here

Critical Acclaim

2009 EPPIE Best Historical/Western Erotic Romance
2009 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award Nominee

Top Pick — 4.5 Stars
“A strong storyline, engaging characters and seductive love scenes make this a must-read.”
— Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“With sexual tension as scorching as the desert the novel is set in, MIRAGE is the kind of historical romantic adventure I cut my teeth on and have been missing for years. Ms. Burns has written a cinematic, compelling, and highly recommended treat!”
— Sylvia Day, nationally bestselling author

Recommended Read
The love scenes are emotion-filled and wonderfully erotic and Altair’s responses are enough to make your toes curl…her descriptions of the sight, sound and smell of Egypt transports the reader there, masterfully conveying the beauty of the culture and its people. I adored Mirage from beginning to end.
? Two Lips Reviews

“Mirage kept me up half the night as I raced to the finish of this action-adventure romance… If you’re a fan…[of] authors like Betina Krahn, you’ll enjoy Mirage.”
? Romance Reader At Heart

Yesterday, a report by the New York Times said romance books are selling like hot cakes even though there’s a recession. That’s not new news to us, is it? LOL Even though I’m an author, I still love to read. I just don’t get to read that much, something I wish things were different.

The article in the NY Times got me to thinking about why it is people read romance. In the article, it was pointed out that people want to read about happy endings during tough times. I totally agree. But I think it goes a little deeper than that. I believe romance readers understand there’s more to these great books than just that happy ending. It’s escapism. Reading has always been a form of escapism, just like the movies during the Great Depression. The difference is that with a book, you can keep going back without paying for those extra visits. grin

Another point about romance books is that they’re fantasies brought to life in our heads. More importantly, these fantasies deal with themes that are important to most, if not all, readers of romance. Themes like female empowerment, overcoming odds that seem insurmountable, feeding our psychological need for fantasy play in our heads, living vicariously through characters and enjoying actions we don’t subscribe to in reality, the theme of spiritual faith and many other ideas and explorations of love.

For example, a reader who loves vampire romances knows vampires aren’t real (okay, I’ll concede that there might actually be vampires in existence). However, there’s something incredibly sexy about someone nibbling at your neck, particularly if he’s an alpha hero. Then there’s that whole blood exchange. That’s total intimacy when you think about it.

Or what about ghosts and a 2DIE4 alpha hero who you want to see brought to his knees, or better yet, be the one who does the bringing down. evil grin

Fantasies, psychologists will tell you, are important to human beings. They’re necessary for good mental health. They promote healthy sex lives, they help us play out scenarios and work through problems, and best of all, fantasies are fun and they leave us feeling good.

Romance books do this in spades, and I love that I can write fantasy for my readers, while exploring the whole facet of that initial development of a relationship, the fireworks that go hand-in-hand with that first attraction and that incredible dance that comes when two people are trying to figure out what the hell is going on between them. It just appeals to this half-Italian woman’s soul I tell you!

See, just writing this blog has proven to me that romance is a spirit lifter. I was really depressed on the way home tonight. I was stressing about my writing, wondering where to find time to promo, how to pay for Oldest’s college tuition, what to do when it’s time to let her go, how many people are coming for her graduation party, preparing that DVD movie for the party, where to get money to pay for a trip I have to take for my books, wondering if my editor will like, let alone love, my newest book, wishing I could write full-time instead of working a full-time job, WOW!!! I really was thinking all of that on the way home, and DAMN! I write just a few paragraphs about my favorite topic and I’m perky again.

SEE, reading romance DOES make you feel better! So Bravo to the NY Times for noting that romance kicks butt. But then we knew it all along, didn’t we!

Monica writes historical and paranormal erotic romance. Dangerous, her current print release, earned 4.5 stars from Romantic Times BOOKreviews and was a 2009 EPPIE finalist. Monica’s June print release is Mirage, which was a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Top Pick (4.5 Stars), a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award nominee, a 2009 EPPIE winner for best historical erotic romance, and is a book that Sylvia Day calls “scorching.” For excerpts and a FREE download, visit Monica’s website at www.monicaburns.com

I was chatting with a co-worker the other day about working two jobs. The day job that brings in a steady paycheck, and my job writing books. I was sharing with her what the hardest part of writing a book is. She thought it would just writing in general. I said, nah, I don’t have any trouble just writing, you know I can’t keep my mouth shut as it is. No, the hardest thing for me to write is a sex scene.

Now my friend isn’t a huge reader, but she listens to me talk about my books, how can I not love her for that! LOL But when she heard me say sex scenes are hard, she was surprised. For some reason, a lot of people are surprised to hear that writing sex is difficult. I suppose that’s because most people assume that you just write what happens. You could write it that way, but in order to reveal more about the characters you have to show emotion in the scene. I tried to do that in Dangerous, and I think I succeeded fairly well. At least the reviews and fan mail I get makes me believe that.

So read on for an excerpt of Dangerous, where there isn’t any sex, just a lot of hot prelude, which is pretty much the same.

*Dangerous – a 2009 EPPIE finalist *- On Sale Now!

4.5 Stars “Jane Eyre meets The Mummy…[her] characters are so multidimensional that readers will swear they’re based on real people.” Romantic Times BOOKreviews

I find Dangerous is a pretty good read…” Mrs. Giggles.com

*EXCERPT *

God help him, but the woman was a siren. And all the more powerful because she had no idea how erotically sensual her body was. Returning to her side, he slowly wet her lips with the taste of the berry he held in his fingers.

“Open your mouth, yâ sab?ha,” he said as he slid the red fruit across her bottom lip.

Half of the berry entered her mouth and she bit into the dimpled temptation when he told her to. Even beneath her blindfold, he could see the look of pleasure the fruit gave her as she slowly relished its taste. Leaning into her, he breathed in the scent of strawberry as he popped the remainder of the berry past her lips.

“You have a touch of juice at the corner of your mouth,” he murmured before his tongue licked the droplet off her skin.

The touch made her entire body tremble, and he didn’t stop her as she reached up to explore his face with her fingers. He grew still at her caress. The tenderness in her soft touch tightened his throat, and he swallowed hard. A sudden longing for something he knew better than to even dream about rose up inside him. With a violent mental blow, he crushed the thought. Instead he lowered his head and captured her mouth in a teasing caress.

“You’re ripe and succulent, just like that strawberry,” he murmured as he enjoyed the sweetness of her lips.

The pulse at the side of her neck pounded a frantic beat beneath his fingers. Eager to taste the warmth of her skin, he pressed his mouth against the fluttering beat. A soft moan whispered out of her, and the sound sent elation shooting through him. Before the night was through he’d have her doing more than simply moaning. He wanted to hear the aching need in her voice when she pleaded with him for release.

Impatient for the sound of that husky plea, he trailed his mouth across her shoulder and down her arm. For a fraction of a second he paused at the stiff peak of her breast. The silk of her nightgown was stretched taut over the tight tip of her. It betrayed her heightened awareness, and instead of suckling her, he continued to blaze a fiery path down her arm. Her whimper of protest filled him with satisfaction.

“Sweet heaven, Lucien, surely you’re not going to tease me like this all night.” She blindly stretched out her hands to him.

“This is far less of a torment than what I’ve suffered these past several months, my sweet.” He fought to keep his tone light. Admitting the depth of his torment would only give her power over him. “Months of aching for you. Nights needing you, but the only release my c*ck had was my hand and images of you.”

She gasped at his words as a pink blush filled her cheeks. Coming upright, he rubbed his thumb across the plump fullness of her lower lip. “My words shock you.”

“A little,” she said. He saw her throat bob as she swallowed hard.

“Shall I describe the fantasies I had about you every time I grasped my hard rod?” Slowly, he traced his finger along the edge of her bodice where the lace met her jasmine-scented skin. “Fantasies of me licking the insides of your thighs then sucking on that tender little nub of yours. Sucking on you until you drench my tongue with your hot cream.”

The pink color in her cheeks darkened to a rosy hue as her mouth formed a wordless cry of shock. He watched her carefully as his finger slid down toward the shadowy valley between her breasts. She might have found his comments shocking, but they excited her as well. The slight flare of her nostrils and her shallow breathing were enough to tell him that. Reaching for the ribbons of her nightgown, he used the tips of the silk fasteners to tease her skin as he unlaced her bodice.

As the almost transparent garment slid off her shoulders, it floated downward to pool at her feet. The dark mauve hue of her rigid nipples made his mouth go dry as he lightly rubbed his thumb over one stiff peak. She jerked at the touch.

“Lucien—”

“Hush, sweetheart. Just let me look at you,” he rasped.

She was beautiful, and his groin tightened with an urgency that troubled him. Christ Almighty, was he going to be able to finish this seduction? His body grew taut with tension as he fought the need to take her without another word. No. He needed to resist the temptation—remain in control. It was the only way to manage this insatiable need she created in him.

2009 EPPIE Finalist
Behind the mask lies love-a dangerous and deadly emotion

Constance Athelson, Viscountess Westbury has a gift she can’t reveal. She sees things others can’t, including the dead. The only thing she can’t see is into the heart of Lucien Blakemore, Earl of Lyndham. After one blissful night in his arms, she knows if she’s ever to win his heart, she must free him from his tortured past.

Lucien Blakemore met the Egyptian goddess Isis at a masked ball, but she vanished into the night before he could learn her real name. It’s just as well, since the Blakemore Curse makes love a dangerous and deadly emotion for him. But the erotic night he spent with his mysterious lover makes him want to throw caution aside-if only for one more night with his masked goddess.

EXCERPT
“Turn around and look at me, Isis.” The hoarse command pulled the air from her lungs as her body went rigid against his.

He knew.

He knew who she was.

Unable to move, she trembled as his hand cupped the side of her neck then slid downward across her shoulder. It was a lover’s caress. She didn’t resist as he forced her to turn and face him. With her back pressed against the door, she looked up into his blue eyes. Desire flared in his gaze as he trailed the tip of his finger across her cheek before tracing the edge of her jaw.

“Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a beautiful widow in London?” There was just a hint of irritation in his voice as his penetrating gaze locked with hers. Her heart skipped a beat. He really had been looking for her. Her dreams had not lied about that. The knowledge filled her with a sense of delight. Instantly, she swatted the emotion aside. Why had he been looking for her? Wetting her dry lips, she shook her head.

“Since it’s not my habit to look for beautiful widows, I wouldn’t know.” She was pleased that her voice held just the right note of amusement so as to disguise her agitation.

“It’s damned difficult,” he bit out between clenched teeth. “But I find it interesting how you managed to find me so easily.”

“Find you so easily!” she sputtered. “I did no such thing, you arrogant beast.”

“No?” he sneered. “And I suppose you expect me to believe you don’t know Malcolm Standish either.”

Infuriated by his assumption that she found him so irresistible as to deliberately seek him out, she glared up at him. The blazing anger in his gaze made her try to push herself free from the way he had her pinned to the nursery room door. It was a futile effort.

“Frankly, my lord. I could care less what you believe,” she puffed angrily as her hands shoved at his unyielding chest. “I don’t know anyone named Standish, and I most certainly did not try to find you. I had no idea Lyndham Keep was yours. If I had, I wouldn’t—”

His eyes narrowed as she abruptly closed her mouth. “You wouldn’t what?”

“This conversation is ridiculous. I wish to return to my room to pack my belongings.” She flinched at the determination in his gaze. She’d said too much.

“Answer me.”

“I wouldn’t have come here,” she snapped.

“You wouldn’t have come here,” he murmured, almost as if he was speaking to himself.

She experienced a brief moment of relief as she realized he wasn’t curious about why she would have stayed away from Lyndham Keep. His hand cupped her chin while his thumb rubbed across her lower lip. The action sent a stream of lava coursing through her veins straight to her nether regions. Sweet heaven, it was happening all over again.

With just one touch he had stirred a fire inside her. His mouth beckoned to her, and she struggled not to lean into him like one of Pharaoh’s odalisques. Oh God, what was it about this man that made her respond to his touch so quickly?

“My lord, I—”

“Lucien. I want to hear you say my name again.” It was another command and she tried to stifle the thrill of it. She didn’t like anyone telling her what to do, but there was something about his dominating manner that excited her.

“Lucien, please. I must pack.”

“No, Isis. I want you to say it like you did before.” Desire darkened his blue eyes as his mouth hovered over hers. “I want to hear you cry out my name in the heat of passion.”

She shuddered as his hand curled around the back of her neck and pulled her head toward him. Powerless to resist, she molded herself to his hard, muscular body as her mouth parted beneath his. In that split second, fire engulfed every one of her senses. Passion flowed hot and heavy through her as she gave in to the need gripping her body.

Her tongue mated with his with a ferocity that stunned her, but she held nothing back as his large hand slid over her bare shoulders to trace the line of her bodice down to her breasts. God, how she wanted him to suckle her again. She craved him, hungered for him with the same intensity she’d experienced that night at the Clarendon.

The desire to feel his skin against hers spiraled through her, and her fingers quickly undid the buttons of his shirt. She splayed the material open so she could caress the warm steel of his chest. Touching him wasn’t enough. She wanted to taste him too. She broke away from their kiss, her mouth edging its way along the line of his jaw, then down his throat to where his heart pounded against his breastbone. Breathing in his delicious spicy scent, her tongue flicked out to taste him. He was hot and tangy.

Dear Lord, she wanted him more now than she had that night. What power did he wield over her to make her so willing to forget everything but the sensation of his touch?
_________________________
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
4.5 Stars “Jane Eyre meets The Mummy…[her] characters are so multidimensional that readers will swear they’re based on real people.” Romantic Times BOOKreviews

I find Dangerous is a pretty good read…” Mrs. Giggles.com

“…a powerful, sensually driven historical paranormal that is a testament to Ms. Burns’ gift of keeping her readers spell-bound. Highly Recommended Reading!”
ParaNormal Romance.org

Dangerous is On Sale Now! at Barnes and Noble, Borders and other fine bookstores.

Visit Monica’s website for a free download of the Epilogue to Dangerous!

Have you ever read a book you love so much you put it on a keeper shelf? I have a couple like that. They encompass about three shelves, and they include names like Ocrzy, Dickens, Bronte, Stephen King, Dan Brown, Jude Devereaux, Loretta Chase and Judith McNaught.

My keepers are special because they touched a part of my soul. They gave me pleasure for a few hours along with the knowledge that I could return to them again and again to experience that pleasure once more. While the old adage “there’s no time like the first time” is true, it’s so much fun to discover or rediscover the joys of an old friend nestled on my keeper bookshelf.

When a reader tells an author their book is so special it’s going on the reader’s keeper shelf, that’s a wonderful thrill. There’s this sense of “wow! I wrote a good book,” or at least in the mind of a reader. Still, that’s an incredible sensation to know you touched a reader’s heart enough to compel them to give your book a special spot on that coveted shelf.

That’s all an author really wants to do. We write because it’s a passion, we do it because we want to share a story with others. And if we execute the story well, it can go on a keeper shelf. I don’t know what more an author could ask for than that, because if an author winds up on a keeper shelf, odds are that the author is going to find success simply because it is a keeper.

My book Dangerous comes out in print this January. I’m excited about this book’s second release because I get to share the story again with readers. This book is a keeper for me because Lucien’s and Constance’s story was so close to my heart. I love these two characters so much. In the event you’ve not read Dangerous, check out my excerpts (here and here) and the free epilogue I have on my website. If after reading you decide you want the book in print, keep in mind that it’s available for pre-order at Barnes and Noble.

So tell me what books are on your keeper shelf and why you think they’re special. Is there something in particular that you find unique to them as a whole or are they just books you fell in love with?

I often wonder what makes a good romance book for a reader. There are numerous subgenres in the romance genre, and for me personally, I like most types of romance books as long as it’s a book I can’t put down. I do confess to having a preference for historial and paranormal romance, which is why I write in both.

For me, the qualities I look for in a book are pretty basic. I want to read about characters I find likeable. Characters I enjoy getting to know, sort of like enjoying the pleasure of discovering things about a new friend I’ve just met. A good character makes you feel something, whether it’s a strong or positive reaction. I’d rather have a reader say they hate or love my character, because it means I’ve elicited a reaction from the reader.

I also like intimacy in a romance. It doesn’t have to be full tilt, mind-blowing sex, it can be some great sexual tension that just rocks me to the point I’m wanting to scream, “JUST DO IT!” But I do want the Full Monty when the time is right. It can be on the first page or not until the end of the book. I just want the author to put me out of my misery so to speak. Of course, I always like to point out that women (and men) who read romance have healthier sex lives according to some studies (and don’t ask me which ones, I just remember hearing it somewhere. LOL)

Another quality I look for in a romance is action. I like things to be fast-paced. I like the book to pop with things happening, the more the better because my attention span is short due to my heavy schedule. If a book is plodding along with out any action, I tend to get bored and put the book down without picking it up again.

So while considering these qualities for this post, I had an epiphany. I write exactly what I like to read. My books are historical or paranormal. I write characters I like and would like to meet in real life, I write romantic sex, and I always have action of some type in my books.

So what do you like to read? Let me know what you think makes a great book for you. Tell me what you’re looking for, but aren’t finding in romance books you’ve read lately. And finally, if you’ve not read my books, check the blurbs. They might appeal to you if you like all the qualities in a book that I do.

Dangerous ( historical paranormal)
Dangerous, “…a pretty good read.” Mrs. Giggles | 4.5 Stars RT BOOKreviews

Mirage (historical with paranormal elements)
Top Pick – Romantic Times BOOKreviews | “…a must read.”

I’m often asked where I get my ideas from. I’m never sure how to answer that question because I really don’t know. Take this post for instance. I don’t have any clear cut idea of what I’m going to end up with here, but as a pantser (someone who writes by the seat of their pants) I just wing it.

What drives me nuts is when I stop being a pantser and I become a plotter (that’s a writer who plots out where they’re going). I become a plotter when I stop typing and reread what I’ve written to ensure I’m coherent with my words. I usually am, coherent that is (although my sanity is another story), but I don’t trust myself to get it right. Thus, I go back and try to edit. But when I do this, the worst happens.

Generally, I stop to edit when I come up with this wonderful line I want to use. I mean it’s sheer poetry, brilliant and worthy of Dickens, Bronte, you name it, it’s awesome. But I’m obsessively compulsive about going back to make sure the damn thing will work with what I’ve written already. I mean you can’t put brilliance on the page if the rest of it is mediocre. So what do I do? I hang onto that line in my head and go back to review my previous words. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, “Big mistake, Big, HUGE.” BAM I’ve hit a wall because the rest of the damn paragraph looks decent but the problem is, I’ve forgotten that brilliant line I stopped for, just to see if it would fit. ARRRGGGHHH!

Now you’d think I’d learn my lessons, but writers tend to be creatures of habit, and if you (or we) change something on them, we get completely out of sync. I mean we drop off the cliff with blood curdling screams of frustration the whole way down. But I’m determined to learn how to save those brilliant thoughts. Someday I’ll remember to type the damn line out BEFORE I go back and edit.

Of course that means I’ll have to start hiding the bodies of my family as they have this annoying, irritating habit of just walking into my office as if I’m not even involved in writing. Of course that’s the topic of another post. So will someone please remind me of that?

Tell me what drives you nuts?

Addendum that I FORGOT! – I’m thrilled to announce that Dangerous (available in eBook format) received a wonderful review from Romantic Times Magazine. The reviewer gave it 4.5 Stars and said, “Jane Eyre meets the Mummy…[her] characters are so multidimensional that readers will swear they’re based on real people.”

A safe life means boring to me. So I don’t shy away from danger. In fact, I often court it. Now the danger I seek doesn’t necessarily have to be life-threatening. For example, I wouldn’t try out for a Burmese priestess job where one has to kiss a cobra three times on the nose (AS IF!), but I do plan on jumping out of a plane on my 80th birthday. I’ll have lived a good life at that point. Besides, if the shute doesn’t open, well let’s just say that sudden impact is better than death by nursing home.

So what is it that makes me love danger? Is it genetics? Environment? I think it’s simply the explorer in me. I like learning new things and pushing the envelope. Since I’m a mom, I have responsibilities, so my living dangerously has eased up somewhat. I need to be there for my kids so my life-threatening risks have been scaled back. I mean how exciting is it to lug groceries into the house or attend PTA meetings. I do it because I love my kids, but it doesn’t generate a lot of excitement.

So I use my writing to vicariously act out my need for danger. I create situations in my books where I get to live out experiences in the lives of my characters. I get to have them face down the cobras (Mirage), overcome their fear of blood (Alex in Mirage) I get to talk to ghosts (Constance in Dangerous), I get to be the avenger when the villain is working to hurt someone I love (Altair in Mirage and Lucien in Dangerous). Then there are my villains. I get to explore the deepest of my dark side. I get to examine that terrible beast in me without hurting anyone, including myself. But best of all, I actually get PAID for it!! I feel like a stunt double in heaven.

I also think the need to live dangerously is something readers experience too. They love to read romance because it takes them away from the normal hum drum of life. They like it when a book carries them away to another time, place and even relationship. They like the excitement a good story offers, they love the hope romance gives them because they know they’re going to get that HEA. I’m like that too. I want to believe in the HEA, even though I know real life isn’t so rosy for a lot of people. I also want to believe in good triumphing over evil. So for me, while my living dangerously has been scaled back for a few years (I’ve got at least ten more years before I can nail that 112mph record on the open road out west) I live dangerously through my characters, which is almost as much fun, because I do it safely in my office. Of course, there’s that giant oak next to the side of the house. One big storm and it’s coming down—taking out my office and me with it. But then impaled by a tree limb would be like living out the end of a vamp’s life. Quick, yet dramatic! What an exquisite way to go.

Dangerous men have always fascinated me. By dangerous, I mean tortured bad boys. There’s just something about a scarred hero that appeals to my inner psyche. Lucien, my hero in Dangerous (on sale today), is scarred in a couple of ways. From the scar slashing down his cheek to the scar on his soul in thinking that he’s destined to go mad, he is determined to fight to his last breath not to give in to the demons that lurk deep inside him.

I can understand that type of battle as I fight demons everyday myself. I think most people do, it’s just a question of degrees and based on events in one’s environment. Then there’s the secondary battle Lucien fights. When Constance asks him to believe what he can’t see, he’s not sure he can. Leaps of faith aren’t something most people are comfortable taking, and Lucien is a good example of how uncomfortable many of us are at believing what we can’t see.

Like Lucien, Constance has her own battles to fight as well. She knows she can help people with her gift of the sight, but she’s also aware of people’s skepticism. No matter what she thinks about her own abilities, Constance is acutely aware of what others think about those who can see and talk to the dead. She knows talking about her gift has the potential to bring scorn, sarcasm and even hatred. This type of disapproval forces Constance to hide a part of herself deep inside, certain she’ll never find anyone to accept her as she is.

For me, Dangerous is about people accepting each other and themselves. Both of these characters have to overcome numerous obstacles in the face of lunacy and I’ve come to love them. This book would not be the book it is without the incredible editorial oversight of Imogene Howsen. Originally, the secondary character of Lucien’s niece was given a different name. The character’s name was the same as the daughter of an online friend. When the daughter died in a sudden, tragic accident, I knew I had to rename the character out of respect for my online friend. I was a bit stumped as for a new name. I tend to be a bit AR about picking just the right name for characters. Then it hit me, the name was staring me right in the face, and Imogene had a new name. So Dangerous now has a permanent tribute to my wonderful editor, although I’m not sure how she feels about Lucien and Jamie calling her “Gene.” LOL THANK YOU, Immi! You are the best!

Monica
| http://www.myspace.com/monicaburns
Mirage – Top Pick – Romantic Times BOOKreviews
Come Enjoy the Ahh…Sensation

On Michelle Buonfiglio’s blog at Lifetime TV’s website this past week, the Queen Bella (as she’s affectionately known by her following) has been hosting a veritable feast of erotic romance and erotica authors all week long. The discussions there have been open, honest and quite frank. Yesterday author Pam Rosenthal asked whether we thought erotic romance/erotica has changed and developed in the past few years.

The first thing off the top of my head was a resounding yes. Why? Because I see erotic romance/erotica as more mainstream in terms of acceptance by the reading public. I think the market could be topping off at the moment, but that’s okay. It simply means that the quality of the writing will continue to improve because there will be more submissions and only the cream of the crop will be published. Or at least that’s how it’s supposed to work, but if you don’t know it by now, this business is all about subjectivity.

While there’s still resistance from some quarters who want little to no sex in romance, that’s rather like trying to get the cat back into the bag (and what is it what that expression? I not a cat lover, but I sure as hell wouldn’t put one in a sack!). I’m of the opinion that sex in a book is a good thing. Sex isn’t something to be shoved into the dark and ignored. Being an ostrich blinds one to all the wondrous possibilities in life. More importantly, sex, when it’s well-written can be a glorious celebration between two (or more if that’s your fancy) characters in their exploration of their senses, their emotions and even their inner psyche.

I’m not suggesting every writer should have sex in all their books. I’m also not suggesting sex is necessary for every character’s development. I simply think that erotic romance/erotica is growing up, maturing if you will into a rose in full bloom. It’s about women being empowered by what they write and read. Fantasy is a healthy, psychological component of humankind, and erotic romance/erotica can give readers a healthy dose of it, while creating characters readers can care about and root for.

And if you’ve read this far, then might I suggest you visit Michelle’s blog too. Tell her Monica sent you. Oh, and did I mention that in addition to my Top Pick at Romantic Times BOOKreviews this month, my book Mirage is one of eight featured books under Michelle’s Hot Reads for a Chilly Night. I’m particularly proud to be Samhain’s representative among all these fine New York published authors.

Here’s the link with a word of warning. The link has been a hit and miss for some people as Lifetime.com is working on changes throughout their website.

http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/romance-b-u-y-book/hot-reads-chilly-nights

Monica
Monica Burns – http://www.monicaburns.com
Mirage, TOP PICK – Romantic Times BOOKreviews
Come Enjoy the Ahh…Sensation