Valentine's To-Do List

You know, it seems like the days are moving in a time warp lately so I shouldn't be surprised that 2 seconds after New Years = Valentine's Day.

Nonetheless, my friends, I am ready.  I already have my to-do list in place.

Valentine's To-Do List

1) Cook one of the goodies on my Pinterest "Totally Lickable" board.  My Pinterest page is here.

2) Stop being obsessed with Pinterest so I can pay attention to my hubby.

3) New outfit, perhaps something a little sexay... like THIS

4) Reprogram my hubby's iphone so Siri will address him as "Big Poppa".  Why?  Um, why not?

So, what are your plans for the day of love?  I'm feeling lovey so I've decided to make things a little more interesting.  Leave me a comment by 2/14 about what you plan to do for V-day (even if it's stay in bed with the pillow over your head) and you can win a $25 Amazon giftcard!  If you tweet about it or post on FB about it, you get another contest entry.  Easy!


Even if you're not big on over-commercialized, secular holidays, you should still give your honey SOMETHING for Valentine's Day.


Even if it's just a kiss.



Stay Naughty!

Minx

New Year's Eve Interview with Author Ian Dalton!

This has been an exceptional year for all of us here at Naughty Girls. I was going to do a recap but that's a little boring so instead, I thought I'd end it with an interview with a new author. Enjoy!

INTERVIEW WITH IAN DALTON: AUTHOR OF THE VICTORIA WILDE SERIES

Naughty Girls - Tell us a little about Ian Dalton.

Ian - I've been writing for about six years and began by writing humorous fiction. I'm married, have a full time job, three kids and a new puppy who's currently driving us all crazy with his teething, rambunctiousness and incessant humping of pretty much anything and anyone. I'd love to write full time, but for now, it's just a hobby.

Naughty Girls - What the hell is a guy doing writing erotic contemporary romance?

Ian - Okay, so maybe I'm a little too in touch with my feminine side or maybe I just need some good professional help. At this point I'm not really sure…I can tell you that I have a loyal, but somewhat small group of female fans who really love this series. So I think I have some talent in this genre. All I ask is for readers to download a sample and give me a chance. I believe they'll be pleasantly surprised.

Naughty Girls - In your novels the sex scenes are smoking hot- where do you find the inspiration?

Ian - I enjoy occasional mind-blowing amazing sex with my incredible wife and channel those memories when I'm crafting scenes and then let my imagination take over from there. I say occasional because what guy really thinks he gets it enough… Plus the kids, puppy and just general life stuff can really cut into the amount of romance novel quality type sex a couple can actually have.

Naughty Girls - So why the switch from writing comedy novels to erotic contemporary romance?

Ian - When I wrote my first novel, this comedy about of all things, the subject of male enhancement, I found my sex scenes drifting into the 'a little too much information/erotic/explicit' zone. A friend who read an early draft alerted me to this. So I scaled back those scenes and released it as more of a straight comedy novel. I found that I really enjoyed writing the hot scenes, so I went back and included them in a new version of that story and plan on releasing it under the title ENHANCED very soon. I actually write under two pen names- one for my humorous less explicit work and another for my contemporary erotic romance. I plan to have a version of each book available under each pen name. Well, all except Desperate Thoughts. If I scaled back on the explicitness of that story, it would be just a few pages long…J

Naughty Girls - Where did you get the inspiration for Inappropriate Thoughts?

Ian - Where else…a past relationship. A girl that I won’t mention by name, actually broke my heart in college in pretty much the exact way outlined in the book. She was a ballet dancer and she could really do that thing with her leg (keeping one on the floor while pointing the other straight up to the ceiling) and when I saw her do it at a party, I was hooked. Okay, so I was a shallow pathetic inexperienced eighteen year-old loser… Anyway most of the beginning of the story is based on true events, with the names changed to protect the guilty…I thought my memories from my relationship with 'Miss Flexibility' would make a great start for a novel. From there I set out to write a story to capture the intense desire between a couple who are completely crazy about one another, but are desperately trying to squash those feelings. It's the story of a divorced woman who falls for a younger man who just happens to be the best friend of her son. I wanted to explore all the passionate thoughts floating around in their heads as they pined away, but for obvious reasons are prevented from acting on their desires.

Naughty Girls - So in the story, your romance plays out on a tennis court of all places, what the heck is that about?

Ian - I was looking for a common interest that my characters could share. One that would bring them together in a way that could almost seem sexual without being sexual, you know…In my novel, tennis becomes the sex replacement for this couple as they long for one another. I've always been drawn to tennis. I feel it's the only sport a man and woman can play competitively together and have it be intense and almost sexy. All the grunting and the rhythm that players can get into on the court as they blast the ball back to each other over the net can be incredibly sensual. Not to mention the shorts skirts and all that bending over…Anyway, what was the question again?

Naughty Girls - We love Victoria and are dying to know where you came up with her character?

Ian - She really started as a minor character in the story. I was looking to create a wild and crazy friend to contrast against Jillian Grayson's straight laced, much more proper and shy personality. From there Victoria was born and as I kept writing she became a bigger and bigger part of the story- especially in books two and three.

Naughty Girls - What can you tell us about the series prequel Desperate Thoughts?

Ian - I was so intrigued with the amazing and sexy Victoria, that as I was writing Inappropriate Thoughts, before I even finished the first draft, I decided I needed to write Victoria's back-story. So I put I.T. away for a while and wrote Desperate Thoughts. I was obsessed with figuring out how Victoria developed her mojo, her superfun, wild, strong, sexy personality and I as I crafted it I had a blast. Her story is a little tragic and certainly doesn't have the elements of humor found in the rest of the series, but it's steaming hot if I do say so myself. Let's just say I would love to be Ethan in that story as he got to know Victoria. I recommend that the prequel be read after the other books, but it really can be read at any time within the series.

Naughty Girls - Tell us what's planned for the VICTORIA WILDE series.

Ian - I would…except I don’t want to spoil it. I have an author's note at the end of Revealing Thoughts, which is book three, and there I reveal some things upcoming in book four.

Naughty Girls - So what are you working on now?

Ian - My marriage mainly…I'm taking a little break so my head doesn't explode. I wrote over 250,000 words in this series in 2011 and I need to spend some time with my wife so she doesn't leave me. Victoria has me exhausted, she's been known to do that to a guy…I invite readers to send me an email to help coax me off my ass to finish the fourth book sooner. But for now my brain just hurts and I think I'll have a beer or two and rub my wife's feet occasionally…

Naughty Girls - It seems to be an unusual strategy to offer each of your novels in two forms. Can you tell us more about your plan?

Ian - I'm an unusual guy and I tend to think of my books as something like a copy of a DVD movie that gives you a choice of "rated" and "unrated" versions. I enjoy writing the explicit scenes, but know that not all readers are looking for that much heat. I believe the comedy and characters are strong enough in all the books to let the stories stand on their own without all the explicitness. I wanted to give people a choice. So whether a reader likes their contemporary romance regular or extra spicy, I believe I have something for them. I'm trying to keep the pen names separate for now until I figure all this out. So if someone is interested in the "tamer" versions of my books, they can send me an email for more information.

Naughty Girls - And finally any New Year's resolutions for 2012?

Ian - Definitely floss more, a lot more… Oh, rub my wife's feet at least once a week (Please note this is much less than the twice a day she's looking for…) Figure out what the hell to do with the love triangle that surrounds Victoria in book four of my series and, oh yeah, come clean with my kids that I'm writing erotic contemporary romance novels…on second thought, I think I'll wait until 2014 for that one. That's when they'll finally be heading off to college where it's a lot harder to embarrass them…

~

Ian Dalton has released four books in the Victoria Wilde series, Desperate Thoughts the prequel (An Amazon exclusive) followed by Inappropriate Thoughts, Secret Thoughts and Revealing Thoughts. He plans to release book four, Second Thoughts early in 2012. If you'd like to help get Ian off his butt, want information on his "tamer" series or just want to send him a note, you can reach him at ianwdalton@gmail.com or follow him on twitter @sexywildesays.

Kindle Freebie from Ian Dalton!

Here's a Kindle freebie from author Ian Dalton. Ian will be joining us later this month to talk about the life of the male erotica author.  Enjoy!

The prequel to the Victoria Wilde series, Desperate Thoughts is a 40,000 word novella, which reveals the tragic yet steaming hot story of how Victoria got her mojo.






SUMMARY



On his deathbed, Victoria Wilde's husband David leaves her with a gift; a replica of the most intimate part of him and makes her promise to go on with her life and share her most cherished gifts with another. But even after fourteen months the young widow finds herself unable to enjoy his gift or share her own. When Victoria spots a man who could be her late husband's younger twin, she's reminded of a story David shared of him as an insecure college freshman, who was given the gift of self-confidence by a clandestine sexual encounter with a beautiful older woman, and Victoria relives the erotic experience with her Davidesque stranger. Afterward, she's re-awakened sexually and motivated to do the same for other deserving young men in a way that both honors her lost love's memory and satisfies her desperately unfulfilled desires. With each new encounter the risk grows along with the passion until events spiral out of control and she's forced to choose between continuing down a path of self-destruction or finally letting go of the past.

The Naughty Girls are Kindle Bestsellers!

The past 24 hours have been a roller coaster ride. Jinx and I both have freebies out on Amazon now :

Within a day of them becoming free, we both hit the Kindle 100 Bestseller list for Erotica with the below books:

Woot!  The Naughty Girls are Bestsellers! Woot!

We can't thank you all enough for your support in getting here. You guys don't know how much we appreciate the emails of support you send (and the emails demanding to know where the next book is, hint, hint, Jinx!)


So thank you!  And don't forget to tell your friends about us :)

Minx

The Book Lovers Buffet - 99c Ebook Sale!!!

I'm participating in the Book Lovers Buffet, an extravaganza of ebooks on sale for only 99c!

But you have to hurry - the sale is only until Dec 15th

Happy Reading!

Minx

P.S. You can follow the news on Twitter too with hashtag #bookloversbuffet

Taken by the Boss - New Release!

I didn't get much done last week other than my newest release :) Here's a sexy new short story about a little office love....

Summary
I thought it was just going to be another night of working late, on a Friday night no less. My boss, Mr. Grey, is out for the evening and I'm alone. He hates it when I call him that, Mr. Grey, as if he's an older man when he's not even thirty yet.

He can never know the real reason I don't call him by his first name. I'd die if he ever knew that's what I call him in my dreams at night.

All I have to do is drop off this report and I can leave. But as long as I'm in his office,what's the harm in trying out his chair? I have fantasies about him bending me over the back of it, splaying me across his desk as he asks me to call him Sebastian.

I never thought he'd come back and catch me...


READER ADVISORY:

This short story contains naughty kinkery between an assistant and her boss. If you have any objections to lascivious behavior in an office, on a desk chair, or bent over a desk then do not purchase this book.

3600 words - Short Story to wet your appetite


Happy Reading!!!

Jinx

Barnes & Noble gives DC Comics the finger!

Well the digital world is heating up a bit.  Last week DC Comics made an announcement that they would be offering 100 new comics exclusively to the Kindle Fire.  Apparently that hit a nerve with the nation's largest bookseller, Barnes & Noble, because they've retaliated by yanking all DC Comics from their brick & mortar locations and now it's on like Donkey Kong!

According to a Barnes & Noble executive, "To sell and promote the physical book in our store showrooms and not have the e-book available for sale would undermine our promise to Barnes & Noble customers to make available any book, anywhere, anytime."  Customers won’t even be allowed to special order the comics unless they have them delivered to their own homes.

Ouch!

Honestly, B&N's position sounds reasonable but this still feels like watching a particularly vicious game of dodge ball at recess.  Who’ll chicken out first?  Who knows but the consumers are the ones inconvenienced in the meantime.

Stay Naughty,

Minx

An Ode to Being Indie

It's been roughly seven months since I decided to publish a test novella as an indie. Most of what I've learned has been helpful with my traditionally e-published books, as well.  Things such as the importance of writing a good blurb, promoting responsibly (no spamming) and being reactive to the market.

 It hasn't all been roses though, so I figured I'd share in case anyone else is on the fence.

PROS

In indie publishing, you have a measure of control that is almost addictive. If my sales are lackluster I can change my cover (imagine asking for that at a traditional publisher!), tweak my blurb or even change the title. I recategorized Teasing Trent and it immediately hit some of the sub-category bestseller lists, something none of my other books have ever done. Win!

I've noticed a lot of epubs put their books in one big "Romance" or "Erotica" category which means the book will never trend on a sub-list (such as "Romance - Contemporary" or "Romance - Fantasy/Futuristic"). So, recently I sent emails asking some of my publishers to recategorize the books I have with them.

I was actually told by one that they can't place the book in anything other than a general category (but indie's can put them there? Huh?) and just flat out told by another that they don't want to change it.

o_O

Teasing Trent has been on several sub-lists and it's always an amazing boost for sales. The more lists your book is on, the more people see it = the more people buy it. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of that? It's the easiest way to get more visibility there is.  Just put the books in the right place!
 
Then there's the stats. The sweetly seductive publisher panel in Kindle's KDP portal and BN's PubIt!  Since I'm tracking sales in real time, I immediately know whether my above mentioned changes had an effect. Change the title, score!  Upload a new cover, score! Surely you see how this is addictive.  There should be medication for this, really.

Speaking of stats, that's the other thing that's interesting.  Sales have only gone up (From 53 sales in month one to 313 sales in month six).  Now, I'm not setting the world on fire but at my epubs, I got the majority of sales in month one and then very little after that. I have no idea how long it will last but I've already beaten what a longer (higher-priced) story made at a top epub.

I'm good with that.

The biggest PRO of all is that I can put out cool stuff for the fans.  Casey's Night In  was something I wrote just because so many people wrote me emails about The Mirage Agency series.  I wanted to put it on the major platforms so people don't have to hunt for it.  BN has already got it for free and hopefully Amazon will price match it soon. I wasn't able to do that with my epubs.

CONS

In the midst of all my glee I sometimes forget to track just how much WORK it all is.  Gone are the days when I just write something and turn it over to someone else. Now I have to troll stock art sites for cover photos, find a freelance editor, arrange advertising and most time consuming of all - FORMAT THE THING. Because I am a perfectionist, I actually strip the manuscript down to plain text and then add in the html formatting from there. I actually care if the cover displays nicely next to the book stats on my Kindle when I click on it. I keep seeing books with random pictures or photos that look like candids of the author in place of where the cover should be.  Egads!!!  Also the book needs a working Table of Contents and proper chapter headings (otherwise I can't skip ahead and back by chapter on my Kindle).

HTML and CSS are not for the faint of heart.

Also, there's no one to blame if you fail.  I can't point to the crappy cover (Um, yeah I chose it) or the blurb that was changed after you turned it in or the title that was your third choice because the one you wanted was taken.  There's an expression that I love - "The cavalry isn't coming".   It's incredibly pertinent to indie publishing because here, YOU are the cavalry. No one's saving you but yourself.

Which is, frankly, kind of scary. 

THE POINT

Based on the above, I feel there are valid reasons to publish both ways. There are going to be times when I just plain don't feel like doing all of the above.  It's a heck of a lot of work and it's not 9 to 5 type work, either.  It's all-day, all-night, chained-to-your-computer, hubby-is-jealous-of-my-laptop work.

I don't want to discourage anyone because clearly, I ADORE it. I just want people to be aware of what they're in for. It's exhausting but it's also incredibly gratifying and the fact that I keep 70% of the money goes a long way to making up for those long nights.

I can buy a lot of coffee with that 70%.


Here's to the cavalry,

Minx

Casey's Night In is FREE

As a gift to all the great fans who have supported Beg for It, I decided to put out a short interlude that links Book 1 and Book 2 in the The Mirage Agency series. Unfortunately, most sites don't allow you to put things for free but I'm happy to report that Casey's Night In (prequel to Asking for Andre) is now FREE on B&N!!! Go to the Amazon page and report the lower price and maybe Amazon will make it free too. Yay!!

Here's the BN page (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caseys-night-in-minx-malone/1105136995) where it's FREE

And here's the link to the Amazon page (http://www.amazon.com/Caseys-Night-Prequel-Asking-ebook/dp/B005JKO2PU)  so you can tell them it's free somewhere else (you have to scroll down to Product Details and the link to report a lower price is right below the bestseller's rank)

Happy Reading!

MINX

Casting Call for Asking for Andre

My "casting call" for Asking for Andre is up at Writer's Gone Wild. Come drool over the pictures of Andre Lavin (as played by McDreamy Patrick Dempsey) and Milo Hamilton (as played by Italian hottie Raoul Bova).  I went ahead and cast all the recurring characters too so if you've read Beg for It, come see if I did the characters justice.
 

Casting Call for Asking for Andre

In the meantime, since I cast the characters for Anya and James, I might be persuaded to reveal a few details about Book 3 which is their story. You never know...



Happy Reading,

MINX