A Sad State of Affairs

First of all this will be the first time I have publicly stated that I have resigned from Aphrodite's Apples and am no longer their Editor-in-Chief. There was absolutely no animosity in my decision. Being in law school full time, as well as trying to manage a writing career of my own and battling increasing health problems has prompted me to step down from the position and allow someone to take over who can dedicate more time and attention to the job than I am able to give right now. I do enjoy being busy 24 hours of every day, but there comes a point where one is forced to, as they say, slow down.

I am well aware of my reputation for being opinionated, outspoken, and perhaps even a bit bitchy. What you may not realize is that I have showed restraint on many issues over the last year, so as to avoid any negative associations with Aphrodite's Apples as a result of my opinions. Well, folks, the leash is off now. And you ain't seen nothin' yet.

My first target: the rather dismal state of the epublishing industry at the moment, in the wake of so many publishers closing up shop or simply...fading away. Given the relative ease with which a person can launch their own publishing company (and I'm not talking run it successfully, that's no cake walk, but just open one), it's to be expected that publishers will come and go with some amount of frequency. And perhaps in a way that's good, because it allows for the truly quality houses to stay open, and to shine.

But any time a house closes, it impacts at least a few authors - in the case of Triskelion, many more than that. And in some ways I'm inclined to say that's okay too. Publishers come and publishers go, just like hairstyles and boy bands. Don't misunderstand me, what the Trisk authors are going through right now is awful. I don't wish it on anyone. They have a right to be upset, and they have a right to get back what is theirs and what they are owed.

Yet another publisher seems to have hit the skids this month. No books have been released this month at all (which hey, shit happens), and apparently neither has the publisher made any contact with her authors to let them know what's going on. Word on the street - yes, those rumors all of you have heard and probably passed on - is that certified letters are being returned unopened, phone calls and emails are being ignored, and authors are generally confused, angry, and quite honestly, frightened. What is going on with their lovingly crafted work, they wonder? The books continue to be for sale through the publisher's website, and through third party distributors such as fictionwise. Will they ever see those royalties? Will they ever hear from their publisher again? Is the house closing? What is going on?

Camille Anthony recently went public with her troubles at another small press. Not only does my heart go out to her because she is an enormously talented author whose work I enjoy in my spare time, but I was proud of her for standing up. For broadcasting her cautionary tale to other authors so that they can better avoid falling into a similar trap. And I can't help but wonder, why don't more authors stand up and spread the word? Because let's face it, as long as there continue to be fresh-faced uninformed aspiring authors out there, and there always will be, these houses will continue to pull in contracts.

Yes, there are some very helpful resources out there, WriterBeware, Preditors and Editors, Piers Anthony's personal site, but the complaints lodged there are usually anonymous. And for every negative report Piers provides, there is almost always a positive one in rebuttal. Perhaps what these authors need is real faces and names to put with the experiences, to better give them credibility.

My challenge to you, then, is this: talk about your bad experiences. Don't let others fall into the same traps that you did. Will you gain some enemies from publicly speaking out against certain publishers? Yes, you probably will. I expect at least one or two new adversaries as a result of this post. I couldn't care less. Whisperings and hushed discussions don't change things. And this sad state of affairs definitely needs some changing.

-KJ

Updating on the Updates

Dear Readers,

Are you wondering why I've not updated my website when I've had a new release last month? Where are the excerpts, you grumble irritably. I'm no more pleased, I promise you! I had a computer crash in July and lost close to everything. The year and a half old laptop, which has broken three times already, may be savable, but tech support has yet to offer any, well, support. (Yes, my "Death to Dell" campaign will be starting up soon) Even better, the external hard drive I'd been using to back up my laptop crashed within days of the computer fiasco. If Dell doesn't come through, I really will have lost a great deal, including 10,000 words of Woman of the Forest, my retelling of the Ancient Roman legend of Rhea Silvia.

But in other news, you heard right, "Eyes Like Yours" is now available from Red Rose Publishing! Curious as to how my chops fare with contemporary romance? Well, at $0.99, you've no excuse to not check it out. Hurry on over to http://www.redrosepublishing.com and grab your copy.

I'm hard at work on Reckless Liasons, book one of my new Scandalous Situations series, exploring my favorite type of hero, the Regency rake. I promise you'll like Sebastian Cade just as much as you enjoy Trevor and Vere. But wait, you haven't met Vere Fane, Earl of Westmorland, yet, have you? Not to worry, "A Scandalous Arrangement" will be released later this month in A Rose Of Any Colour from Freya's Bower. What are your naughtiest fantasies? Vere knows them, and can carry them out all without wrinkling his cravat.

More news soon, darlings.

Eyes Like Yours Now Available for Only $0.99!

EYES LIKE YOURS

Bound Souls Series

Kayleigh Jamison

Red Rose Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60435-000-5

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=29

What happens when your dream become a reality - or does it?

Each night is the same. A handsome, mysterious stranger visits Catherine in her dreams, never allowing her to see his face, and leaving her body satisfied, but her heart wanting more. With a chance encounter in the smoky confines of a night club puts Catherine face to face with a man whose eyes seem eerily familiar, dreams and reality colliding in a way that frightens and inflames her. Are her dreams real? Is Blake the key to her future – and her past?

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=29

Fabulous!

God bless that Stella Price, she's done it again. http://doubledarkness.blogspot.com/

The All-Important HEA

Happily Ever After...love it or hate it, it's a traditional staple of the romance genre. Some review sites will not even read a book that lacks an HEA. To write a romance novel that doesn't end with the hero and heroine riding off into the sunset is considered blasphemy by some. (Technically, books without HEAs are love stories, not romances. But that's a can I don't plan on opening in this post.)

I have been writing nearly all my life. For as long as I can remember, I've told stories. Most of the ones I wrote before the age of 24 will never, ever see the light of day if I have anything to do with it, but I have kept most of them, for amusement, shame, or nostalgia I don't know. In my angst-filled, goth-influenced teenage years I never wrote happy endings. Ever. If anyone was left alive at the end of the story, they were mutilated or incarcerated.

In my early twenties, during which I suffered crippling depression, I didn't write HEAs either. I had started leaning towards romance and erotica then, but things never ended well between my hero and heroine. I believed that real life never ended happily, and so, my stories should not either.

I don't know exactly when I made the transition to being an HEA advocate, but I suppose it was after writing Svetkavista, which has a happy ending for the most part. I had invested so much sweat and tears into my characters that I had to leave them happy. I couldn't stand doing anything else. And from then on I've been an HEA queen. I don't even like reading other people's books if they don't have HEAs any more. To journey with these characters through all their pain and their shit only to walk away knowing they still suffer? Hard to take.

And so now I find myself faced with a dilemma. My current WIP is a piece for Tease's Tarot Series, based on The Empress card. Woman of the Forest is a retelling of the myth of Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin who is seduced by Mars, god of war, and bears his sons. Those sons, Romulus and Remus, go on to become great warriors and, eventually, the founders of Rome. I am taking some minor creative liberties with the story, but I am, on the whole, staying true to the myth. My problem?

The myth doesn't exactly have a happy ending. Depending upon which version you subscribe to, the story is either bittersweet at its close, or downright tragic. And already I am having trouble swallowing that.

So, your thoughts? Is an HEA a must? What about a HFN ("happy for now")? Or a "happy, sorta"?

REC Interview

The lovely Kendra from REC interviewed me last week, and the interview is now live on their site. It's one of the best interviews I've done, I had a lot of fun with it.

http://www.freewebs.com/romanceconnection/interviews.htm

-KJ

It's quite easy to get discouraged in this business. It really is. The publishing world is dog eat dog at the best of times. That ever-present need for recognition and success is what drive us - and what breaks us down.

The catch-22 of it all is that to be a good writer, you have to have passion and, dare I say, a bit of insanity. All of the great writers of history have been a little weird, if not downright off their rockers. We are able to tell stories because we see and feel them in everything, because we view the world differently than anybody else. It's the curse, and the blessing, of all creative persons. We're sensitive to the world.

And that means we're sensitive people. We take to heart criticism that others wouldn't. We let things eat away at us that would be best brushed aside. But without that intense connection to the vast array of human emotion, how could we write them down? How could we tell stories where our characters experience pain and loss, love and happiness, without understanding them in our own hearts?

Stella Price blogged today, quite eloquently, about one of the more unsavory aspects of the author community - fakeness. She said it better than I could have, and hit the nail on the head. So I thought that I would try to highlight one of the good things about being an author - some of the amazing friends I have made. There are good people out there, and I'm going to name some of the ones who have had a positive influence on my career and my life. An homage to the crazy people who are brave enough to withstand this crazy person.

There's no way I could list everyone and not forget someone, so I'll just leave it at: you know who you are. I may not express my gratitude every day, but I am thankful for each of you on a daily basis. I look forward to our continuing collective success, as I have no doubt that we will all continue to push forward and follow our dreams.

-KJ

Guidance At Long Last...

Today the Vatican released a document detailing the "Driver's Ten Commandments." I could say so much more on this, but honestly, they speak for themselves.

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_road_rage

5 Hearts for Regency Romp

http://www.loveromancesandmore.com/reviews/June2007/regencyromps_dawn.htm

Another great review for my baby, Regency Romp Volume One. Dawn says:

"This is one of the best Regency anthologies this reviewer has read in a long time. Full of captivating characters, sinfully passionate sex and a love that will transcend the pages. Each story is a true gem in this anthology and each author delivers her own spin on this time period. Be swept away into the regency period with these fine authors in REGENCY ROMP VOLUME 1, you won't be disappointed!"

And about "Unspeakable":

" Ms. Jamison captures the characters perfectly and delivers a spellbinding story in this anthology. Wickedly witty, hauntingly passionate, be prepared to turn on the cold air for this hot story that shows love needs no words to convey its meaning."

Coming Soon: Eyes Like Yours

EYES LIKE YOURS

Soulmates Series: Book One

Kayleigh Jamison

Red Rose Publishing

Coming July, 2007

http://www.redrosepublishing.com

Each night is the same. A handsome, mysterious stranger visits Catherine in her dreams, never allowing her to see his face, and leaving her body satisfied, but her heart wanting more. When a chance encounter in the smoky confines of a night club puts Catherine face to face with a man whose eyes seem eerily familiar, dreams and reality collide in a way that frightens and inflames her. Are her dreams real? Is Blake the key to her future – and her past?

The atmosphere in the club is intoxicating. Dark and smoky, with the only source of light an occasional multicolored flash from the strobes recessed high in the vaulted ceiling. The aroma is a violating assault of smoke, booze, sweat, and sex. The music pounding through the speakers is hard core hip hop, a rhythmic cadence of words and beats, the bass cranked so loud that I feel, rather than hear, the pulses reverberating through my body and vibrating into my bones. Here, now, beneath the haze of intoxication and desire, anyone can be sexy. Anyone can be the one.

I grab a drink from the bartender – vodka martini on the rocks, double olives – and make my way back out onto the dance floor to find my friends. Halfway across the sea of people throbbing in time to the music, I feel strong hands grasp my waist, halting my progress.

"What's the rush, baby?" a voice murmurs in my ear. I'm amazed that I can hear him above the heavy beat pumping out of the speakers, but his words are clear and vibrant within my mind.

Why the hell not? I shrug, falling back against the assailing hands to find them accompanied by a hard, lean chest. He's tall, my 5'5 frame doesn't even reach his shoulders.

His hands circle my front and press into the exposed midriff of my stomach, pulling me closer. My free hand floats up behind me to caress his neck.

"Let's see how you move, sweets," he whispers.

Obediently, I let my hips sway to the music, pushing my ass into his groin with a suggestive tease. In response his hands pull me tighter against him, and I feel the telltale sign of his arousal through the clothes that separate us.

My head falls against his chest and I close my eyes, swept away by the music. His lips trail up my neck and I shiver. I've played this erotic game half a dozen times tonight alone, but this time…it's different. I'm as turned on as he is, without even seeing his face. The way his hands sweep along the curves of my hips, the hot puff of his breath against my ear, it's all strangely familiar.

The music ends, far too soon for my tastes, and reluctantly I begin to withdraw; this is how it's done – a dance, a tease, perhaps a drunken, slobbering kiss, but never anything more. It's the art of 21^st century flirtation, and the anonymity of it all is what makes it exciting.

His hands don't let me go, so I rotate my body in his arms, prepared to explain the rules to him, with a swift kick between the legs if necessary.

"I don't like rules," he says with a grin, and again his voice is eerily clear in my head, almost as if he is speaking inside my mind.

http://www.redrosepublishing.com

I'm the Featured Author at Tease!

Hey ya'll, I am the featured author this week over at Tease Publishing. Check me out!

Chat live tonight with the authors of Aphrodite's Apples at The Romance Studio!

Monday, June 4
9 PM EST
Aphrodite's Apples @ The Romance Studio
http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php

See you there! ;)

Make a Difference!

Today's the last day of Brenda Novak's Auction for Juvenile Diabetes. It's your last chance to help make a difference and scoop up some great eBooks while you're at it! Check out our the Aphrodite's Apples eBook packet -- It includes includes titles by Nikki Watson, Katrina Strauss, Kayleigh Jamison, HS Kinn, Yolanda Sfetsos, Candice Gilmer, LA Taylor, Alisha Steele, Ivana Peters and many more!

Hope to see you there, and happy bidding!

It's a Two-for!

Two great reviews in one day.

TRS gives Leading Her to Heaven Five Hearts and says " I absolutely loved it! I highly recommend this story to all the readers."

Erotic Escapades gives Svetkavista Four stars. PJ says, "Ms. Jamison pens a solid but enthralling plot with vibrant characters. This story is a definite keeper in my ebook collection for future reading, again."

You scored as Fall, You are FALL. You appreciate all that you have, and are willing to share with others. You are a friend in the truest sense of the word, and can easily focus your attention on those who need you, placing yourself on the back burner. You make sure your responsibilites are met before you allow yourself \'free time\'. Fall 90% Winter 70% Summer 55% Spring 25% What Season Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

Habitat for Humanity Rebuilds the Gulf Coast

Hello everyone!

What has Kayleigh been up to for the last week? Read on for a long, detailed description.

A little background: In 2000, I traveled with 9 other students from Gettysburg College to Cajamarca, Peru for two weeks. We lived with families in a small village and started construction on what is now a free health care clinic. When I returned, I encouraged my family to do something similar. Dreambuilders is an interfaith organization started by my father in 2001 at a tiny church in Maryland as a way to get their youth to give back to the community. That first year, ten teenagers and three adults spent a week in West Virginia working with Habitat for Humanity. The following year, they returned to West Virginia with 40 people, and the year after that with 50. In 2004, 50 people from St. Marks Episcopal Church, 80% of them high school students, spent a week in Albuquerque New Mexico with Habitat. Last year, the number was up to 75, and included people from two other churches, and from the Jewish community of Temple Isaiah. Dreambuilders focuses on what is called "blitz builds," where an entire house is built in a week to two weeks, from foundation to finished product.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian organization that helps build homes for low-income families throughout the world. Habitat homeowners are selected on a needs-basis, and pay only for the cost of materials, all labor is volunteer donations. The homeowners are given a 30 year, interest free mortgage through Habitat, and are also required to give 350 "sweat equity" hours, meaning they work with the volunteers in the construction of their homes. All appliances are donated by Whirlpool. The Gulf Coast Habitat for Humanity has added an additional requirement to qualifying for a home: you must have been affected by Katrina in some way. Prior to September 2005, Mississippi Habitat was building 2 homes per year. They are now building more than 20 homes per month.

This year, Dreambuilders will be working with Habitat in three different locations - a house was gutted and renovated in Howard County, Maryland, this past April. 120 volunteers will be spending two weeks in Albuquerque next month blitz building three houses. And last week 48 of us worked on two dozen houses in Biloxi, Mississippi with Habitat for Humanity, Gulf Coast. Again, participants included people from three episcopal churches, one synagogue, and one...me. I am agnostic with pagan tendencies on an optimistic day, and completely athiest the rest of the time. While Habitat is a Christian organization, you don't have to be a Christian to volunteer. Next year, Dreambuilders will be returning to the Gulf Coast, to New Mexico, and traveling to Panama City. We will be adding to our ranks a group of Muslim volunteers from a community in Washington, DC. Our goal is to have 500 people ready, willing, and able to go anywhere in the world at any time.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, Dreambuilders wanted to go and help. But it wasn't until this year that they had the infrastructure to support a group of our size. Before houses could be built, the debris had to be cleared away, and only now, 21 months after the storm, are they at the point where that is possible.

Four days before Katrina, the Salvation Army purchased an old high school football stadium in downtown Biloxi, with the intention of transforming it into a youth sports camp/program. After the storm, it was first a shelter for victims, and now serves as "base camp" for volunteers working with both the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. Bunk houses were constructed on the field, and the bleachers enclosed and air conditioned. The picture below is of my sister, Kelly, in front of our bunk house, which housed 20 female volunteers, with two toilets and two showers. Dreambuilders weren't the only volunteers there. I had the opportunity this past week to work with Chip Carter, the son of former president Jimmy Carter. Keep in mind I was born after Jimmy Carter left office, so I am not too hip on his political history, but Chip was extremely nice (albeit a bit strange), and a lot of fun.







So many things have happened since September of 2005 that the world seems to have forgotten the Gulf. Things are not back to normal there. Thousands of people are still without houses. While the debris has been cleared away, the destruction remains, and the devastation is indescribable. I'm not sure I can adequately put into words what it's like to walk and drive through miles of abandoned buildings, crumbling walls, empty lots...but, being a writer, I have to try.

Wednesday evening, we drove to New Orleans. We passed miles and miles of devastation. An abandoned Walmart building stood like an eerie sentinel at the outskirts of the city, an empty shell where people once were, and now, simply...aren't. A house, with jagged tears in the brick walls, and "HELP US" written in bold white letters on the roof, where people were stranded in the rising water for god only knows how long. An Olive Garden restaurant sign, hanging crooked from a bent metal pole in front of a slab of concrete where the restaurant once was, and is no longer. The swell from the gulf in Biloxi was 30 feet high, with waves 15 feet tall on top of that. "When we evacuated, I took three changes of clothes and a book," one woman told me. "I expected to come home to a debris filled yard, and perhaps some roof damage. Maybe I'd lose the top floor of my house. I came home to a slab of concrete, and nothing else. My entire house was gone. Everything was gone."





I spoke with a man in a small shop on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. "I was living in a three bedroom apartment with my wife and three daughters. We were evacuated, and lost everything. I spent the next year living in a one bedroom apartment in Mississippi with a friend of mine, his wife and two children." When I told him I was there with Habitat, he wanted to give me my purchases for free. I wouldn't let him; he lost everything, I had lost nothing.

Once you get into downtown New Orleans, it's business as usual. Bourbon street is as crazy and alive as it's always been. But go three blocks off the beaten path, and you find entire streets of boarded up buildings, piles of brick, fractured buildings.

Tolouse Street

Decatur Street in the French Quarter

This one is for Katrina Strauss; I thought of her when I saw it!

Jackson Square

Our group was divided into three work teams, and each team was sent to a different area of the Biloxi region to work. My father, mother, sister, aunt, and I were part of a 15-person team working in the town of Gautier, in a neighborhood called Hickory Hills. Habitat currently has 12 homes in construction in Hickory Hills in various stages of construction. Each home has three bedrooms, one full and one half bath. We did not blitz build this trip. Six of the homes were nearly completed and required "punch list" items, such as painting, laying trim, installing closets and doorknobs, etc. to prepare for inspection. Throughout the course of the week, we obtained Certifications of Occupancy for all six homes. We closed and locked their doors on Friday afternoon; the next people to open them will be their owners.

We also worked on the other houses, which were less finished. We installed insulation, installed doors, and installed roofs. Yes, I was on a roof laying shingles. There are pictures of it out there, and I will post them as proof as soon as they've been sent to me. For now, you can see the houses we worked on. Hickory Hills is not in the flood plain, which is another goal of Habitat's: to not only provide homes for the victims, but to place them in locations where they won't be destroyed again.

4 Lips for Svetkavista

This review just in from TwoLips Reviews for Svetkavista.

Julianne says, "...the more I read, the more fascinating the story became. ...This is a riveting story; I couldn't stop reading it and really didn't want it to end. I am so glad that I read this book by Kayleigh Jamison. She definitely knows how to write hot and steamy sex scenes that will make you turn the air conditioner up a notch or two! I would gladly recommend Svetkavista to anyone."

Read the whole review here.

The Viewer's Choice Award voting is live for the Romance Galleria's Cameo Awards and the trailer for Leading Her to Heaven is one of the nominees! I expect you to vote. For me.

Also, you can enter to win crap if you do.

http://www.theromancegalleria.com/cameoawards/

Fight for a Good Cause, and Win Hot Reads!

Join Brenda Novak and Aphrodite's Apples Press in the search for a cure for diabetes! Brenda's Third Annual On-line Auction for Diabetes Research is on now, and Aphrodite's Apples has an eBook packet, worth $50 up for sale! It includes includes titles by Nikki Watson, Katrina Strauss, Kayleigh Jamison, HS Kinn, Yolanda Sfetsos, Candice Gilmer, LA Taylor, Alisha Steele, Ivana Peters and many more! Bidding is open now at http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=815257&_UserReference=D1D0771246B6E52DD2A5BD883CFD4638CAAA !

I also urge you to check out the rest of Brenda's auction, she has some simply amazing goodies! http://www.brendanovak.com/auction_index.php

Diabetes affects over 20 million people in the United States alone, and someone you know and love is affected by this disease. I'll be bidding for my mother-in-law, who has diabetes. Do it for someone you love, and do it now!

Genre Definitions? Easy!

One of my publishers has asked the authors to come up with definitions for the various subgenres of romance. Here's my list. Feel free to add what you like:

historical: past sex
contempo: present sex
sci-fi: space sex
paranormal: creepy sex
shifter: furry sex
vampire: bloody sex
inspirational: religious sex
BDSM: blasphemous sex...with whips.
f/f: spermless sex.
m/m: extra spermy sex

(caveat: No, I'm not being serious :P)

The Dark Side of RT

Last week, as many of you know, was Romantic Times' annual convention, this year set in Houston, Texas. I wish I could have attended, but with final exams (which I am now in the thick of) it wasn't feasible. Many friends were there - Stella and Audra Price, Adra Steia, Skyler Grey, Wendi Felter, and more. They seem to have had a fantastic experience, only increasing my jealousy at being stuck in sweaty Florida studying Civil Procedure and Property law.

Not so for Laura Baumbach, an award winning author of m/m erotic romance. She was subjected to a rather nauseating series of discriminatory events that makes my blood boil.

Read her experience here: http://sensualwriter.blogspot.com/ and join me in the dignified wtfery.

I don't write m/m, nor do I have any interest in it. But that does not mean I don't support people who do. In retrospect, it's a damn good thing I wasn't there, because if I'd caught wind of this, my big mouth would have raised a stink the likes of which they've never encountered before.

Contest!

In celebration of the launch of their new group, the Sultry Sirens are having a huge contest! The rules are simple:

The first One Hundred (100) people to join the Sultry Sirens Yahoo! Group will be entered into a drawing to win a virtual book basket with titles by the Sirens, including:

Your Choice of any title by Kayleigh Jamison

Your Choice of any title by Emma Wildes

Your Choice of any title by Cheri Valmont

Your Choice of any title by Katrina Strauss

Your Choice of Crimson Ambrosia or Crimson Heart by Sabrina Luna

Immortal Reveries by HS Kinn

The Summoner by Alisha Steele

The Wrong Man by Bonnie Clarke

Apocalypse Woman by Tyree Kimber

And More!

Join today and you're automatically entered for your chance to win!

I woke up earlier than desireable this morning with a raging headache, and apparently, the urge to wax philosophical in my blog. It's slightly refreshing, as I've not felt that pull for quite some time, but as usual, it comes at an inopportune time. Doesn't it always?

Various statistics and such have shown that authors generate readers from their blogs. Even if no one is commenting (and no one ever is), they are reading. Aphrodite's Apples website traces a large portion of its incoming traffic back to our blogs. And, I guiltily acknowledged at 6am this morning when a raging migraine tore my brain out of sleep, I hardly ever post anything of substance in my blog aside from news. But folks, here's why:

Law school.

Some of you know a great deal about my tribulations as a law student. Others don't. So, if you listen to me bitch and moan on a daily basis, feel free to skip the rest of this diatribe. It's going to be a doozy.

I am about three weeks away from finishing my first year of law school, and quite successfully I might add. Last semester I ranked in the top 30% of my class (that's all first year students), and got the highest grade in one of my classes, which we fondly refer to as "booking a class." That's quite an accomplishment if I say so myself - and I freely admit my ego is huge. I know what I'm good at and what I'm not, and I try to stick to those things with which I can shine. Who doesn't?

So how do I manage law school, editing, and writing? I honestly have no idea, other than the fact that I rarely sleep more than 5 hours a night. I spend a lot less time studying than I should. If I studying more, I could probably be in the top 5% of my class, or even the #1 big cheese. But I am just as dedicated to this persona, to being Kayleigh, as I am to being the next big thing in the legal world. Call me ambitious. I certainly am.

There are more romance authors in the legal profession than I realized when I first started this venture and that gives me hope that it's doable. But law school is not an easy task. It is, quite simply, hell. Three hundred or so pages of reading per week, plus attending class (which is required, if you miss more than a certain percentage you automatically fail), plus studying, plus out of class assignments, like the oral argument I have tonight at 7pm, which is a "mock trial," of sorts, where I argue against a classmate on a motion we've presented for a fictitious case.

First came the case assignment: a man and woman, unmarried, lived as a couple for several years. In the fictitious state where the case is being tried, there is no recognition of "common law" marriage, but think of it in those terms if it helps. After unsuccessful attempts at getting pregnant, the couple sought in vitro fertilization treatment, and learned that the woman suffers from a genetic condition which makes traditional conception nearly impossible. They underwent a round of IVF treatment and signed an agreement stating that any unused "preembryos" would be frozen and stored for five years; and tht if the couple separated the preembryos became the property of the woman. A daughter was born. Shortly thereafter, the couple did end their relationship. Now, the woman is 37 years old and wants to have a second child. She would like to use the frozen preembryos to do so. The man doesn't want another child. He has sued her, seeking a court order for destruction of the preembryos. She wants permission to implant them. I represent the woman.

Here's where it gets tricky. The 14th Amendment of the Constitution deals with the right to privacy. The Supreme Court has ruled this covers a person's right to procreate, or right not to procreate, decided in a little case called Roe v. Wade. I myself am vehemently pro-choice, and yet, here I am arguing that this man should be forced into fatherhood against his will. It's a slippery slope, to say the least.

Opposing counsel for this argument - another student from my class that I've been paired to argue against, who represents the man - is a friend of mine. I like her quite a bit, but the truth of the matter is that I'm going to rip her to shreds tonight. She frequently quotes Ghandi and preaches a "love and be loved" attitude whenever confronted by the competitive and somewhat immature atmosphere of law school life (yes, it's like being back in the 10th grade). That's all well and good. It keeps her sane, I'm sure. But I don't plan on going into this hearing tonight with a chai and a stick of incense chanting "ohm" and working everything out peacefully. I plan to win.

I'm going to win.

Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not going to insult her, to raise my voice, none of that. But I am going to be subtly ruthless. It's how I won my last argument - the first I've ever done. It's how most battles are won in the courtroom. Come in with your claws sharpened, and hide them in your lap. Smile just enough to set them at ease, but don't let your fangs show. Attack their logic in polite, subtle ways so that you've got them backed into a proverbial corner before they even realize what you've done, and watch them sputter and squirm as they search for a way out - when they realize you are firmly planted between them and the only exit, they deflate like a day old balloon and it's at that moment that you smile just a little bit wider, fangs displayed this time, and think to yourself, "gotcha."

Success in this profession requires quite a bit of ruthlessness, in one form or another. Is that why lawyers have such bad reputations? Possibly. But we're not the only ones to dance this dance.

And the writing field is not much different. In fact, I'd say it's worse. For all the comraderie, there's a damn lot of backstabbing and maneuvering to get to the top. It's a tiered system, like anything else, with thousands of writers pining for that coveted status of "published author," and thousands of "authors" seeking that ellusive status of "bestseller."

Publication is not the top of the food chain; it's not even half-way up. And there's no way to avoid the fact that you will, at some point, climb on someone else to get to the top. But there are ways to go about this quest for fame that are better than others. Keep your claws in your lap. Smile without showing your fangs. And don't backstab your friends.

The nature of this business is one of rabid incest, unending gossip, and fire-fueling secret fodder. My business moves for my writing career are just that - business moves, people. Don't read into it any more than is there. Don't interpret my signing a contract with one publisher or another as a way to involve myself in ongoing controversies. It isn't. I was not lured, seduced, or solicited in any way by any publisher. I am not now, nor have I ever been, embroiled in said controversy.

I'm just here to write.

And to win. I like to win.

With a smile.

More Exciting News!

Eyes Like Yours, a contemporary paranormal piece has been accepted by Red Rose Publishing and will be released this summer.

I have been extended an invitation to join the ranks of Tease Publishing! Tease is an invitation only publisher, who will not have more than 20 authors when all is said and done. So far I'm the only historical author they have invited, and I'm thrilled!

You're Invited!

Aphrodite's Apples Press is sponsoring a Marketing and Promotion Workshop, open to all who wish to attend!

Stella and Audra Price are a powerhouse sister team who write dark fantasy erotic romance. They have books published with Mardi Gras Publishing, PHAZE, and Forbidden Publications, and upcoming releases with Tease Publishing and more. They've got 8 books out now, and will have 10 by May. All of their books explore the Eververse - their self-constructed, gritty world with creatures from humans to demons, weresnakes to vampires, unicorns to fallen angels. Sugar & Sin: A Tale of the Eververse was LRC's Best Erotica of the Year and Best Book of the Year for 2006. Personally, I've read everything they've put out and love it all.

The sisters are also highly successful at promotion. When I purchased their most recent release, Fire in His Eyes, they sent me a promo packet, which contained magnets, book marks, book thongs, business cards, buttons, stickers (which say "I do it demon style"! i now have that clipped to my laptop bag and i cart it around law school) and more. Not only does Stella know what works and what doesn't, she knows where to get materials for her promo, and where to get it cheap, if not free. You do not have to spend a thousand dollars to promote yourself.

Stella has agreed to come and talk to us about how to promote effectively. Mark your calendars for Saturday May 5th on our Yahoo! Chat Group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aphroditesapples_chat/

Feel free to invite other authors you are friends with, and come ready to ask away.

-Kayleigh

Interactive Chat!

The authors of Aphrodite's Apples will be participating in a live 3-D chat at The Romance Galleria on April 30th at 9PM EST. This is a new venue, and it's kind of like chatting on WoW or Evercrack. *laugh* We are announcing this chat a few weeks ahead of time, because participants will need to download the site's special interface software. You will need to visit the site in advance at http://www.theromancegalleria.com/download.html for the download link and instructions. Once it's downloaded, you will be taken to a registration screen to choose your chat handle and create your 3-D avatar.

If you plan/hope to attend, please RSVP to our chat coordinator at kstrauss AT aphroditesapples DOT com and we will send you a reminder around the 27th. The more, the merrier! :)

Two Big Announcements!

First, my work is now availabe through FictionWise!

Your favorite Aphrodite's Apples titles are up for sale now at Fictionwise.com!

See what the buzz is about at http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/AphroditesApplesPresseBooks.htm and don't be afraid to take a bite!

Second, my short story, A Scandalous Arrangement, has been accepted for publication with Freya's Bower!

Lady Anna Boscawen has long known that her brother, the Viscount Falmoth, was squandering away the family fortune on gambling and women. She didn't realize his situation was so desperate that he was willing to sell her into the service of Madame Girou, owner of the most notorious brothel in London, to settle his debts. Furious and frightened, Anna finds herself catapulted into the scandalous seedy underbelly of the Ton. Like all of Madame Girou's girls, she is given a new name, and then auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Vere Fane, Earl of Westmorland, is no stranger to Madame Girou's establishment. Rich, powerful, and devilishly handsome, he visits the brothel often to indulge his carnal inclinations, inflicting both pleasure and pain upon the women he alternately ravages and worships. Vere is instantly drawn to Madame Girou's new girl, Rose. Most intriguing is the barely-restrained passion he senses in her, hidden beneath her well-mannered facade. And it seems the earl has a few secrets of his own.

Throughout the story, Vere leads Anna through a whirlwind of emotion, teaching her to find the ultimate freedom, in submission.

Regency Romp Out Today!

Available today from Aphrodite's Apples Press with including a work by 2007 EPPIE winner and best-selling author, Emma Wildes!

Romance. Intrigue. Corsets.

Rakes and ladies, midnight trysts.

They say gossip is cheap, but the Ton knows better...Come explore its secretive, seductive world!

Rose Among the Heather

When Duke Edward Sinclair returned home from war with Napoleon he found his mother had a ball planned with the castle filled to the rafters with guests for at least two weeks. All Edward wanted to do was forget war without being forced to be nice to a bunch of people he didn't know. Without even a place to sit at the table of his own castle a Rose among the Scottish heather offers him space next to her. With her own husband dead from the same war, Rose knows how bad things were, she's not about to let Edward go without comfort in a house where no one understands. And some comfort only a woman can give.

About the author: Jennifer Mueller
As a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya a few years back I traveled quite a bit and now I just wish I was. A lot of the places I've written about I've been to, a lot of them I haven't. Rafting on the Nile in Uganda, living in a Montana ghost town, African safaris, European youth hostels, the Black Hills of South Dakota all fill my scrapbooks. Now a daughter takes up most of those pages, but I still travel in my head every time I write..

Laudanum

Frederick Barrington has it pretty easy. He's a regular patron at Madam Moon's establishment, as well as an opium dealer, which keeps him in with the amounts money he is accustomed to. Only one problem arises when at Madam Moon's establishment: Selina.

Juliana Williams has run away from her home, after her father's untimely death. Finding solace in the most unlikely of places, she agrees to go home with Mr Barrington when he pays Moon her asking price for a single weekend only.

About the author: Nikki Watson spends her time in candle lit, incense burning rooms where she sits in front of her laptop lifeline, writing away with a mad intensity that often has her forgetting to eat, sleep or remember what time it is she's supposed to leave for school.

She is currently in the middle of two diplomas; one in Professional Writing and Editing, which she will finish this year, and a second in Visual Arts, majoring in Photography.

Of Licorice and Decadence

Klauss von Alstyne is the most celebrated composer of the Empire – and recently, the most uninspired. Upon meeting stage beauty Nicolette Neville, he is soon caught in the wild rush of exhilarating pursuit. In chasing Nicolette, will Klauss also find his elusive mistress, the Muse? Of Licorice and Decadence explores the primitive lust of man simmering beneath a refined show of civility.

About the author: Katrina Strauss grew up on sneak-peeks at her grandmother's forbidden romance novels. As she matured, Katrina fell sway to the underground goth and fetish scenes where she was introduced to more scintillating erotica. Inspired to pen her own erotic twist on the timeless genre of romance, Katrina's resulting works explore the darker side of love. The characters from Of Licorice and Decadence also appear in Katrina's novel Lessons Learned, the Regency installment of her Eldritch Legacy series.

Unspeakable

Trevor Caufield has always prided himself on being a consummate rake…until a clandestine meeting with a mysterious, strangely silent woman in a darkened hallway. Setting out to pursue Emma Hatton with purely selfish intentions, he discovers emotions that transcend his formerly uncomplicated existence and teach him that true love has no need for words.

About the author: With a Bachelors degree in English and Philosophy and a Certification in Paralegal Studies, Kayleigh Jamison spends her days attending law school, and her nights immersed in the rich fantasy worlds of her imagination. Though some would consider her two chosen professions at odds with each other, Kayleigh wholeheartedly disagrees, citing the importance of both the written word and human interaction involved in both fiction and the law. She currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her two precocious felines, Angel and Jack.

At the Lady's Discretion

The Duke of Hartley is jaded, sophisticated, and fascinated by his new mistress. The lady in question is beautiful, but there is an edge to her that he has to admit is new to his experience. Louisa Drury experienced a less than perfect marriage. If she going to give herself to the wickedly dashing Duke, it will be on her own terms. Exclusively. Yes, the affair has to be entirely at her discretion...

Emma Wildes is the author of over twenty novels, most of them set in the Regency period. She loves history, and she loves to hear from her readers. Please visit her at www.emmawildes.com.

The Sultry Sirens

The Sultry Sirens is a new author group dedicated to celebration of quality romance and erotic fiction. The Sultry Sirens are:

Bonnie Clarke
Eliza Gayle
Skyler Grey
Kayleigh Jamison
Savannah Jordan
HS Kinn
Sabrina Luna
Katrina Strauss
Cheri Valmont
Emma Wildes


Stay in touch with some great authors, read hot excerpts, learn about new releases in advance, interact with other readers...and just plain have fun!

The first One Hundred (100) members to join will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes including your choice of titles by Sabrina Luna, Emma Wildes, Kayleigh Jamison, Katrina Strauss, and more!

Sign up now! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sultrysirens/

Join Me In The Romance Room!

Hey everyone,

For the next two weeks, I will be a featured author at The Romance Room, along with fellow Sexy historical author Emma Wildes. We'll be posting excerpts, answering questions, and giving away some goodies. The festivities are all part of gearing up for the big event, a visit from New York Times Bestselling Author, Teresa Medeiros. (If you dont' know her, she's one of Sherrilyn Kenyon's favorite authors. 'Nuff said.)

I hope to see you all there!

-Kayleigh

Joyfully Reviewed loves Leading Her to Heaven!

That's right, Leading Her to Heaven gets another kick-ass review from Joyfully Reviewed. Talia says:

"Leading Her To Heaven was marvelous. Fully caught up in the political unrest of the time period in which this novel is set, I found myself cheering for both Blair and Susanna from the sidelines. Their mutual love and caring for each other set me aflame in its intensity. I thought they were well suited and I loved watching Blair fall under the essence that was Susanna. Having never read Kayleigh Jamison before, I wasn't sure what to expect. I can honestly say that Leading Her To Heaven is sensual, well written, and as a historical romance, one of the best books I have read in a long time."

4 Hearts for Leading Her to Heaven!

4 Hearts for Leading Her to Heaven

Susan of Loves Romance & More says: "This reader would highly recommend LEADING HER TO HEAVEN for those who enjoy their romances set in Scotland. The author pulls the reader into her story from the get-go. With a charming lead couple, great supporting characters, and an action-packed storyline – this was an all-around winner!"

JERR Gives Leading Her to Heaven 4 Stars

Title: Leading Her To Heaven
Author: Kayleigh Jamison
Publisher: Aphrodite’s Apples Press
Publisher URL: www.aphroditesapples.com
ISBN: N/A
Reviewer: Ginny Kon
Rating: 4 Stars
Heat level: O

Just when Lady Susanna Cavendish thought that she was safe from Court intrigue by rusticating in the country, King Henry, to forge a political union with Scotland, went and married her off to a barbarian Scot! Blair Ruthven had the advantage, however, of at least knowing that his bride is of fine face, rather than an old crone like the rest of his clan is expecting. Overcoming ages-old prejudices and their failure to communicate with each other are the least of their problems. There is someone with a decades-old grudge, and another with vengeance in his mind, against the seemingly star-crossed lovers.

Lady Susanna is mercurial in temperament. One minute she is the shy bluestocking innocent, the next minute a spitfire who can curse like a salty tongued sailor. Although Susanna was sheltered from Henry VIII’s immoral court, she was not completely ignorant of it. Well-read, beautiful, and can hold her own with the rest of them are always admirable traits in a heroine. However, in this case, she was a bit too feisty in certain parts that I wanted to avert my eyes from Susanna’s disastrous decisions. But she’s still splendid in all her spirited glory. And Blair complements her very well. A hardened and very noble warrior/assassin, he even avoids casual sex because his playboy brother more than makes up for it by siring sons all over the village! Put Susanna and Blair together, and there is the expected combustible sex – a little BDSM doesn’t hurt either! The sex was great, and there are even some surprises in store for the average historical fan. The story was well paced to keep me interested, with one development after another. The scenes flowed well despite the fact that (or maybe because) there were multiple villains. Even Blair’s brother was likeable in his promiscuity. I can see another story with this redeemable playboy! I only hope Ms Jamison will oblige her new fan.

Ebook Piracy - Just Say No!

It's a shame, folks, that my first post of substance in a long while has to be on such an unpleasant subject. But I think it important enough to come out of my hibernation (induced by much studying for finals) and drop a few words.

Copying, redistributing, or reselling ebooks in any way, shape, or form, is illegal. It is a violation of copyright no different than sharing MP3s, dvds, or movies. It was brought to the attention of EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection, of which I am a member) that there are a number of sites on the Internet proclaiming to sell "used" copies of ebooks. There's no such thing as a "used" ebook, my friends. If you want the book, buy it from the publisher or an authorized seller such as Fictionwise or Mobipocket. If you're looking to buy a used book, go to a book store and pick up a used print copy.

These "resellers" are appearing, for the most part, in the form of WordPress blogs, which post a list of books and a PayPal link for payment. If you're unsure as to the validity of a seller, go directly to the publisher's website, and purchase from them, or contact them and ask if that person is an authorized distributor of the book.

Several months ago I blogged about people selling ARCs on Ebay. This is basically the same thing. Authors will get no royalties from the sale of a "used" ebook. This isn't even the free sharing of pirated work, this is one person making money off another's work. You may think, oh, who cares? Well, I care. I'm not making thousands of dollars from my writing. I'm not even making hundreds of dollars. Don't mistinterpret: I don't write for the money. If I never make another dime from my work, I'll still write. It's as much as necessity for me as breathing. But to see someone else profit from my blood, sweat, and tears is absolutely infuriating.

Please do your part to stop ebook piracy. If you come across a "reseller", contact the author and let them know or, if you're so inclined, contact the site administrator (such as WordPress) and inform them of what you've found. Since this information broke just this morning, two sites have been shut down by WordPress. Your watchful eye can and will make a difference.

Twelve Sexy Days of Christmas!

Sexy Author's Twelve Sexy Days of Christmas Contest
We all know about the 12 days of Christmas song, but really how much fun can a partridge in a pear tree be? Although there is something to be said for lords a leaping and ladies dancing.
So we SAWA's thought that we'd have our own 12 days of Christmas, with a naughty twist. On each of the days listed below, send an email before midnight CST with your answer to the question listed for the day. The names of those who correctly answer that day's question will go into a special sexy hat and one lucky winner will be drawn. Now, your answers don't have to be true – but they do have to be sexy! Be careful to pay attention to the date for each question, naughty boys and girls who enter on the wrong day will be disqualified. Also, because of the weekends being BIG shopping days, the contest only runs on weekdays.

You can enter one day, or you can enter every day, or just enter the ones that catch your fancy. Just play nice and send in only ONE entry per day, and it must be to the question of that day. : )

Make sure your subject line shows which day you are sending the answer in for, like this: Tuesday, December 5th. And if you would, copy and paste the question before answering it. We'd hate to get mixed up and not know which question you were answering.

Each day someone will win! And who knows, you might inspire a story idea or two. : )

As a bonus, everyone who enters will be included in a special drawing closer to Christmas. The more times you play, the better the chance you'll have of winning this fabulous prize!

Have fun crafting your answers, and send them to
sexyauthors @ yahoo.com
(no spaces!)

Week 1: Days 1 - 5

Monday, December 4th: On the first day of the sexy contest, your true love gave to you what favored genre of erotic romance?
Winner will receive: Masquerade vol. 1 – with stories by Kayleigh Jamison and Jamie Hill

Tuesday, December 5th: On the second day of the sexy contest, your true love gave you what favorite lingerie outfit?
Winner will receive: Bedtime Tales by Michelle Houston

Wednesday, December 6th: On the third day of the sexy contest, you asked your true love for what naughty toy(s)?
Winner will receive: Secret Santa by Jamie Hill

Thursday, December 7th: On the fourth day of the sexy contest, your true love took you to what romantic place to make love?
Winner will receive: Erotic Fantasy - with stories by Jude Mason, D Musgrave & Michelle Houston

Friday, December 8th: On the fifth day of the sexy contest, your true love bound you with what item?
Winner will receive: Foxy! By D Musgrave

Aphrodite's Apples Holiday Contest!

Aphrodite's Apples' Holiday Giveaway!
Stuff your stocking with homemadegoodies by our own fabulous authors!

Handmade Bath Salts by Sabrina Luna
Czech glass jewelry set made by HS Kinn
Herbal tea blended by Kayleigh Jamison
Money Doll handsewn by Katrina Strauss
Aphrodite's Apples gift certificates
And much, much more!

Just buy any two Aphrodite's Apples titlesduring the month of December and forward your receipt to:contest @ aphroditesapples.com and you're eligible to win!Pics coming soon!For more information visit:http://www.aphroditesapples.com/

Chat Tonight!

Aphrodite's Apples Live Chat
Date: Monday, December 4th
Time: 9 PM EST
Where: The Romance Studio
URL: http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php

As always, we'll be discussing our latest projects and giving away a few goodies!Hope to see you there! :)

Another Great Review for Svetkavista

AORAAG has given Svetkavista 4.43/5, which they tell me is the highest score any novel has received on their site thus far. Here's what the reviewer had to say:

"Rarely does a novel come along with the ability to capture passion and pain, honesty and love so comlpletely. Sensuous, heartfelt and truly beautiful, Svetkavista is one of the best romance reads of the year.

Ms Jamison has managed to create the world of the Romanian Gypsy tribes in brilliant, loving detail. Peppered liberally with the language of the Rom, the storyline is well developed and intriguing, leaving the reader emotionally connected at all times.

Her characters are strong and easy to identify with. Each one is unique and startlingly real.
Breshin with his bravado and haunted past, Papusza, tragic in her longing for the son she has lost, and love she cannot have, and Karina, innocent yet hopeful… all of them endeared themselves to me from the first few pages.

A member of the more rigid Argentari tribe, Karina answers her hearts longing and secretly dances with her lifelong friend Papusza, a member of the lively and funloving Lăutari tribe. Uwittingly, she also catches the eye of the handsome and roguish Breshin, their gifted violinist.
Twenty-three, and unwed because of her obvious mixed heritage, Karina despairs of ever finding a husband. Ultimately, love does find her and fulfils her beyond her wildest dreams, though nearly to her destruction.

The love scenes are romantic and passionate, but the reader should note that there are some f/f and f/m/f elements. Overall, the sex is pleasingly hot and varied.

Svetkavista is so sublime, I found myself wishing it would continue on and on. It is most definitely a must read, not only for the historical romance fan, but for anyone who enjoys an intoxicatingly good story."

CONTEST: Win a Celtic Posey Ring

Win a Celtic posey ring, similar to the one Susanna receives in Leading Her to Heaven ! The ring is engraved with the words "cuirle mo choide", Gaelic for "pulse of my heart".


To be entered in the contest, all you have to do is buy one electronic copy of Leading Her to Heaven, and email me a copy of the receipt ( kayleigh.jamison AT gmail DOT com). One winner will be drawn, at random, at the end of the month.

If you purchased the novel already, and entered my last contest, you are automatically entered into this one as well, no need to email me again.


As the eldest daughter of an English earl, Lady Susanna Cavendish has led a sheltered life of privilege and leisure. Growing up in the shadow of Henry VIII, a ruler infamous for his political and romantic machinations, Susanna is content to stay in the countryside with her books and imagination, hoping to avoid the notice of the lecherous King. She has been taught that her northern cousins, the Scots, are barbaric heathens with no regard for culture or civilization.

Notorious warrior Blair Ruthven is laird of the fiercest clan in Scotland Born into a society rife with blood feuds and an engrained hatred for the English, Blair learns at an early age that trust and love do little more than damn and disappoint. When he agrees to marry Susanna at the behest of his own sovereign, he never expects to be attracted to her, much less fall into a passionate love affair.
Forced into marriage by feuding kings in order to forge a political union between their countries, Blair and Susanna must learn to find peace between themselves as they battle ages-old prejudices—and vie for one another's hearts.

Chat With Me All Week!

A Week Loop Chat with the Authors of Aphrodite's Apples Press!
This Coming Week - October 30th thru November 5th
At the Weekly Author Spotlight Yahoo! Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Weekly_Author_Spotlight_Group/

Excerpts & Special Giveaways All Week Long!

Includes a SPELLBOUND and Paranormal Excerpt Chat on Halloween Day
and MASQUERADE Authors Loop Chat on Friday, November 3rd!

Thriving Love Stories! Genre Busting Romances! This is NOT your mother's romance novel...So if you're ready, TAKE A BITE!

Aphrodite's Apples Authors Include:Adrianne Brennan, CJ England, Candice Gilmer, Skyler Grey, Jamie Hill, Michelle Houston, H.S. Kinn, Kayleigh Jamison, Savannah Jordon, Sabrina Luna, Jude Mason, Ivana Peters, Angela Skaggs, Alisha Steele, Katrina Strauss, L.A. Taylor, Nikki Watson and Emma Wildes

So come join the authors of Aphrodite's Apples!
October 30th thru November 5th
Weekly Author Spotlight Yahoo! Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Weekly_Author_Spotlight_Group/

Another Review for Svetkavista

"Svetkavista by Kayleigh Jamison is a wonderful novel of love and revenge. Ms. Jamison’s beautifully written and researched tale grabbed me at the start and wouldn’t let go. The characters are brilliantly written and their reactions to situations are very real and emotional.
I highly recommend Svetkavista to lovers of historical novels."
-Amelia, Joyfully Reviewed

Full Review.

Supplicant

Lifted up
held down,
locked in oblivion,
elusive release to seek the
Ties that bind,
abrade the skin
Free the mind.

Cold steel and warm breath
That erotic glide,
parting flesh
Rolling heat
down soft thighs, released
Fueling the inner beast
Mutual satisfaction
hunger satisfied.

Razor wire strung
Through barren streets
displayed, perfected.
Crafted for your private collection
Wings spread wide
your prized possession.
submissive
Sublime.

In darkness you found me,
And in surrender I died
Longing to become
your sacrosanct angel,
my heart was lost,
my broken soul not restored
but instead - crucified.

Did you come to me
or did I lure you here?
I fear to want to know.
Before I get lost again
I'll cling to your warmth,
let desire grow.
Tear me up,
Tease me purple, while we hide.
I'll bite my tongue
and with crimsoned lips
paint you red inside.
I'll spread you atop me
Onyx across Porcelain
We'll crash together
`till we become marble,
and when it's over?
We're left Alone
Again.

Another Rave Review for Leading Her to Heaven

This review made me cry. I love this chick!!

"...I first learned of Leading Her to Heaven when the author, Kayleigh Jamison, posted an excerpt to a Yahoo Group I am a member of. The excerpt she posted that day captured my interest immediately and I began counting the days until the book’s release date. When that day finally came, I bought it and read the entire book in on evening, reluctant to put it down until the end. The excerpt I had read was fantastic, but the whole book was phenomenal!
The author has created an almost perfect role model in heroine Susanna, a woman who is very progressive and learned for her time. In addition, she is strong, caring, and just with a delicious wit. That said, Susanna makes some questionable choices at times, which serves to keep her character believable rather than iconic. After all, who of us always makes the right choices? These flaws ensure Susanna is a woman we can readily identify with.
Blair makes his share of mistakes as well, but all along we are allowed omniscience to each of the lead characters thoughts, and see that his mistakes were made with the purest of motivations. Knowing his heart makes him absolutely endearing and our heart breaks with his as he searches for a way to make his intended bride, Susanna, fall in love with him as deeply as he has for her.
Jamison carries us through a range of emotions throughout the story, at times inciting laughter and other bringing us to tears with the depth of these characters commitment and sacrifice. While there is some non-sexual violence in the story, it is never gratuitous, and serves to further the story appropriately.
I will remember Blair and Susanna for a long time, and re-read their story time and time again..."

A Five Cup Review for Leading Her to Heaven

Coffee Time Romance has given Leading Her to Heaven 5 Cups!


"This book is a hot and exciting ride! While Susanna is the epitome of a young lady, her rebellious parts, the parts that like to cuss and enjoy sex, make her very endearing. Blair is the typical man without a clue when it comes to women. I loved reading about his reactions to her more rebellious parts, which it turns out is one of the reasons he falls in love with her. The sex is blistering hot! The secondary characters provide a great foil for this couple and make the story that much more fun as they increase the emotional tension. I highly recommend this book!"

Regina Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books

Join the authors of Aphrodite's Apples tonight at The Romance Studio! We'll be discussing our upcoming Halloween anthology, Spellbound - Tales of Mischief & Mayhem!

October 9th, Monday9 PM EST
The Romance Studio
http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php

From here on out, Aphrodite's Apples is scheduled at 9 pm EST on the first Monday of every month at TRS. So mark November 6th, December 4th, etc at same time, same place! ;)

Leading Her to Heaven Now Available!

As the eldest daughter of an English earl, Lady Susanna Cavendish has led a sheltered life of privilege and leisure. She has been taught that her northern cousins, the Scots, are barbaric heathens with no regard for culture or civilization.

Notorious warrior Blair Ruthven is laird of the fiercest clan in Scotland Born into a society rife with blood feuds and an engrained hatred for the English, Blair learns at an early age that trust and love do little more than damn and disappoint. When he agrees to marry Susanna at the behest of his own sovereign, he never expects to be attracted to her, much less fall into a passionate love affair.

Forced into marriage by feuding kings in order to forge a political union between their countries, Blair and Susanna must learn to find peace between themselves as they battle ages-old prejudices—and vie for one another's hearts.
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Masquerade Volume One, Available!

One day to indulge your most decadent fantasies
Once a year, Arcadia Island hosts the Masquerade Ball. A few select are invited by the Gods to fulfill their their wildest dreams...

The Golden Lioness
Trista Vine's has been invited to the infamous Masquerade Ball hosted by the greek gods on Mt. Olympus. After choosing her favorite god to bring her fantasy to life, will Trista find herself wanting to remain behind or will she realize that reality can be a much better place?

About the Author: Skyler Grey is a fourth generation Floridian who loves to share her endless imagination of fantasies with her readers who, like herself, love to escape if only for a little while into a world of love, danger and adventure!

Caging Kat
An infamous art thief, Kaitlin has grown bored with her low-profile, high-income lifestyle. Ares, Greek God of War, has had his eye on the feisty Kat for some time. Can he win her over with only one night to tame her wild heart? Can he get what he's always wanted by fulfilling her deepest desires?

About the Author: A writer and musician at an early age, Ms. Jamison wrote her first novella at the age of seven, and first picked up a violin at eight. With a Bachelors degree in English and Philosophy and a Certification in Legal Studies, Ms. Jamison spends her days attending law school and her nights immersed in the rich fantasy worlds of her imagination. Her debut novel, Svetkavista, is available now from Aphrodite's Apples Press.

Water Lily
Lillian Worth isn't familiar with the god Poseidon, but to her amazement, he knows plenty about her. He's been keeping an eye on her for some time before inviting her to the Masquerade Ball at Plantation House on Arcadia Island. There, her wildest fantasies can come true, and Lillian discovers all about Poseidon and a life she never imagined possible.

About the Author: Jamie Hill was born and raised in the Midwest, where she still lives with her husband and two sons. An avid reader, she grew up with Nancy Drew and graduated to mysteries with a touch of romance. She enjoys writing romantic suspense and short stories with erotic and paranormal elements. Please visit Jamie's website at http://www.jamiehill.biz/ for more information.

Stay With Me
Dionysos, the Greek God of Decadence is feeling dissatisfied, edgy...bored. After 3000 years he's seen it all and done it all. Stay With Me is a tale of new love, and new beginnings, for even the most jaded of immortals.

About the Author: Where the prairies meet the Rockies, in beautiful Alberta, Canada, is where you’ll find Ms. Steele; along with her patient husband, and her two attention deprived sons. “When the writing muse calls,” Alisha explains, “she simply must be heeded.” Ms. Steele's novel, The Summoner, is coming in 2007 from Aphrodite's Apples.