Monday, May 11, 2009

SUBMISSION REVEALED is now out in print! I know several of you have asked me, "When? When? WHEN????" and my answer today is, "Now, Now, NOW!!!!"

If you've forgotten, this book continues the tale of Sarah and Phillip from SECRET
SUBMISSION and deals with the question, "What happens when a very private kink suddenly becomes very public?" When Sarah's submissive role is exposed, Phillip finds himself in court defending himself against the charge of domestic abuse as the details of their sex lives are pushed into the spotlight.

So head on over to the publisher's site (please note: NONE of my links here go to Amazon, although the book will probably be available there soon. I'm still mad at them) and pick up a print copy today.

PS. If you're at the Book Expo America, stop by the Ellora's Cave booth between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 30th. I'll be signing and would love to meet you!

Play safe!
Diana

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Okay, beating a dying horse here. #amazonfail is now officially (because I declare it to be) #apologyfail.

Too many people are referring to Amazon's brief and only statement on this weekend's debacle as an "apology" when in truth, it is nothing more than an explanation of what went wrong. Some even go so far as to say WE should be apologizing to Amazon! This is kowtowing to corporate elitism of the highest magnitude. Yes, Amazon screwed up and had explained how it happened. But no, Amazon has not yet apologized for their mistake.

For me, it is too early to post a "post-mortem" on the entire affair. It isn't finished. Not till the apology comes.

Randy Pausch says a good apology consists of three things: 1) I'm sorry, 2) It was my fault, and 3) What can I do to make it better? Amazon has done only the second of those two, although they do imply they will make it better by not doing it again.

I'm a writer -- language is important to me. I want the words. I need to hear the words, "I'm sorry" come out of Jeff Bezos' mouth as he accepts that his company did 1) a lousy job of responding to this publically (they can learn from Dominos) and tells us what the company will do in the future to assure us such a thing won't happen again (and I don't mean giving away trade secrets as to the arcane world of coding, but the safeguards they will put in place so one person cannot hold so much power to wreak so much havoc).

Come on, Amazon -- an apology is what we're truly missing here. We've all learned from this episode. But before I can even entertain the thought of ever using your company again, I need to know I'm important to you.

Diana

Monday, April 13, 2009

By now I'm sure most of you are aware of the story of the Giant Bookseller Who Didn't Give a Rat's Ass. Yesteday I spent much of my evening watching the twits come in, hundreds at a time, as Twitter kept pounding against Amazon like relentless waves against the sea cliffs.

The metaphor is apt. Over and over people have asked for explanations, being given only two explanations that are far from similar: "it's policy" / "it's a glitch". The waves kept pounding, the rock of Amazon kept ignoring. In a world where information travels at nearly the speed of thought, this company that runs it's business at those same incredibly fast speeds -- just closed it's collective ears and turned it's behemoth back on authors, publishers, journalists, readers. This is never a good business decision. In fact, Kelley Eskridge has a great post explaining just why this is Bad Business Practice on so many levels.

In the meantime, the blogosphere has erupted with the same vehemence as the Twitter posts (#amazonfail is the hashtag to follow, although #glitchmyass is addictive as well). All day long people have hollered at the cliffs, first asking, then demanding, then pleading for some sort of answer as to the largest question of them all: Why?

Amazon has finally answered and truth to tell, the answer is sadly lacking. The reply is a bare three paragraphs with little information. The whole thing was an "accident" -- no one should take anything personally, or seriously for that matter. Just a little mistake. Go away and everything will be fine. Why do I think the White Cliffs of Dover just turned into the Wizard of Oz and we're all citizens of Munchkinland?

As of last night, all Amazon links have been removed from my website and will not return. While some Twitterers have wondered (sarcastically) what will happen to the brouhaha once Amazon apologizes (sorry, would link the tweets, but they are already lost in the waves of new tweets), the reality is, I will not go back. The trust is broken -- I cannot count on them to take care of matters in a timely matter, nor can I trust them to be honest with their clientele. While I think it's premature to predict this will lead to their downfall, the entire episode has lessons for us all about doing business in this instant-message age (again, see Kelly's post).

Join the conversation -- everyone else is! And btw, no...the rankings are not yet back for any of my books.

Play safe,
Diana

(edited to fix link)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

I don't always agree with the Smart Bitches, in fact, sometimes they tick me off. But that's okay, 'cause that's their purpose in life and on the web: to keep the rest of us from becoming complacent -- about anything.

But when the gals are right, they're right. And so I provide this link to support their effort to add a phrase to the lexicon. In case you haven't heard...

Amazon has recently (yesterday) stripped all gay, lesbian, transgendered, erotica, romance and other "adult" content of their rankings, making all such books in these genre difficult to find on their site. No longer will such works containing any of the above be allowed to be on any bestseller list for Amazon. And yes, that means SECRET SUBMISSION is no longer on the Bestselling Erotica list -- because Amazon no longer has a Bestselling Erotica list. If they don't list it, it doesn't exist, you see.

And that's the worst of it. If you go to Amazon and type my name into the search bar? Only one of my books comes up (Getting What She Wants) and that's because they haven't realized Pocket books also published some erotica titles yet. Give it time. EVERY SINGLE OTHER BOOK OF MINE NO LONGER EXISTS AS FAR AS AMAZON IS CONCERNED.

So my website will be changing links as soon as my webmistress can get to them and will send people directly to the publisher for all print AND ebook copies. I will no longer support a business that doesn't want to acknowledge my work.

Be warned, Amazon is setting itself up as the morality police and censoring the search results. Please spread the word...if you're on Twitter #amazonfail is the tag. Link to the lexicon change and let's get this news out there!

Play safe,
a fuming Diana

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Hello A/all!
After nearly a year of writing and a little tweaking, STRESS RELIEF is ready for release. Mark your calendars for April 17th to get my newest ebook from Ellora's Cave. Want a sneak peek? You can see the cover here and let me say, you're going to LOVE the colors! A big change from the dark past :). You want more? Okay, here's the blurb:
Meg Turner needs to relax. Between her job, her mother and the loss of a good Dom, she’s all wound up and needs a good flogging to relieve her tensions.
Rand Arthur is a busy man with a company to run. He doesn’t need commitments, but when his friend asks him to take Meg on as a new sub, he agrees, knowing there’s nothing that relieves stress like flogging a willing back.

But by the end of their first session, both see something in the other neither expected. And neither wants to change the rules of their relationship and risk losing it all.

Don't forget to vote for me as Best Writer at the Bondage Awards . You can vote once a day till Saturday, midnight. Thank you!

Oh! Did you know SECRET SUBMISSION has been on the Bestselling Erotica list at Amazon for nearly two months? I'm thrilled! If you're one of the one's responsible, thank you! And if you want the sequel, SUBMISSION REVEALED , you can check it out here.

More? You want more of my newest? If you insist...Here's a brief excerpt from STRESS RELIEF to help you through your day...

Prologue
The whip fell across soft white shoulders that had never done hard lifting or heavy labor. These were shoulders used by friends to cry on, shoulders that pushed nothing stronger than a pen, shoulders that carried little more weight than a heavy wool coat in winter.
But now the whip cracked across their whiteness, leaving a trail of raised skin behind, forcing a cry of pain from the woman who hung from chains by her wrists. The woman who gave her shoulders to another to abuse—and excite.
Her head see-sawed back and forth as second crack raised another welt across her shoulder blades. The penis-gag in her mouth gave her the freedom to scream as loudly as she wanted and she gave into the urge, channeling the pain out of her body through the use of her voice. Her muffled cries came out as moans as a third stroke left its mark on her unblemished skin.
With her legs cuffed to a spreader bar that, in turn, fastened to the floor, keeping her balance was out of the question. So was keeping her sanity. When a fourth and fifth blow followed in quick succession, she threw her head back and howled, the pain forcing a catharsis of all her pent-up stresses. Tears that never came easily coursed down her cheeks as her cries turned to sobs and the bottom of existence came up to hit her in the face.
All the troubles her friends had laid on her shoulders, all the issues with money, her parents’ divorce, all the problems facing the world came pouring out of her soul. Barely aware that her legs were released, Meg’s heart poured out all the poison she’d held inside for far too long in salt tears that striped her cheeks in sympathy with the stripes borne by her shoulders. Each crack of the rawhide whip pulled the pressures from her, and when Jack released her wrists, she collapsed into the strength of his arms as he lowered her to the floor and held her tight.


Remember, this book releases April 17th! Only a week to go (and a day, but whose counting? Okay, so I AM!!!)

Play safe,
Diana

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Wow! I never expected the wonderful response I got, but THANK YOU! I sent out over 50 copies of STITCHES IN TIME to those who emailed me. The offer is now closed as the week is done, but now I know people DO read the newsletter (and follow me on Twitter -- and read newsletter!).

A reader wrote that she enjoyed the opportunity to revist Maggie and Liam and I have a confession to make. My favorite character is in this book, and neither of them are it. I really, really enjoy Seamus O'Brien, the leprechaun in the tapestry. I had a lot of fun writing him -- in fact, he has no current published equal among my characters, although Mr. Underwood in STRESS RELIEF (my upcoming release) just might run him a very close second.

What about you-all? Any favorite characters of mine? Who would you like to meet in a dark alley or on a cold winter's night?

Play safe -- and thanks!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Did you know this week is READ AN EBOOK WEEK? What a wonderful way to go green and help save a tree...read an ebook!

The blogosphere has been filled with discussions of the Kindle 2 and new IPhone apps that allow you to download and read ebooks in comfort. Some say ebooks are popular because of the ease of use, others because reading a novel electronically keeps nosy neighbors from judging you by your book choice. Whatever your reason or your device, the reality is that ebooks are taking off as a medium of reading.

To celebrate the mainstream finally catching up with what a lot of us already knew, and to honor Mother Nature (the original International Woman) by letting her keep a few of her trees, I am offering a free download of one of my novellas to anyone who emails me this week. What novella you ask? Since it's March and we soon will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day, what better story to celebrate with than STITCHES IN TIME, a tale that includes a romantic hero and a sexy heroine (of course!), the city of Dublin at this most festive time (appropriate, don't you think?) and one very nefarious leprechaun who is determined to get our hero and heroine together if it's the last thing he does (and it very well might be!).

So celebrate READ AN EBOOK WEEK with me and send an email to diana@dianahunter.net. Put "Free ebook" in the subject line so your email doesn't get lost and I'll send along a copy of STITCHES IN TIME -- on me!

Play safe -- and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Diana

Sunday, March 08, 2009

It's hard to self promote, I've decided. We're taught right from the beginning that bragging just isn't done. It's okay to be proud of your accomplishments, but one should never brag about them. And yet, isn't that what a lot of promotion is? It's saying, "Here! Look at me! Look at how wonderful I am! Buy me! Buy my books!"

And now The Bondage Awards are accepting nominations and I find myself putting the word out there and asking for people to go nominate me. And if, by some outside chance I actually end up in the running, I will be going back to my readers and asking them to vote again -- taking time out of their busy days to put in a vote for me as Best Bondage Writer.

LOL...Best Bondage Writer? See what I mean? Talk about chutzpah! And yet, that's exactly the award I'd love to win. And if I just keep quiet and don't tell people about it, then nothing happens. And when I DO tell people, I sound like an egotistical, promotion-hungry author who doesn't have anything better to do but troll for votes (sighing).

So maybe I should just face facts: if I want to get nominated, I need to be the publicity whore and beg for votes. Hmmm..."beg for votes"....perhaps the better metaphor is a submissive begging to come?

I will end this rambling post with one last thought:

GO TO THE BONDAGE AWARDS AND NOMINATE ME!

Play safe,
Diana

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Good news! My editor has accepted my newest manuscript, tentatively titled Stress Relief. She's done her first read-through and is now going through it paragraph-by-paragraph and making her notes; she'll send it to me when she's done. Then I go full-blast into rewrite/edit mode and with any luck, we'll have a finished piece by the end of Februrary. After that, it's in the publisher's hands and comes out in their first available release slot. So keep your fingers crossed and maybe it will be published by this summer :) .

This is a newsy post, I guess -- since I have many plates in the air right now. Remember those plate-jugglers on the Ed Sullivan show (yes, I know. I've just dated myself)? That's what I feel like right now. I have a Second Life Valentine's Tour of readings, I've already begun a new manuscript, I'm recording some short stories for audio release, and am reworking an older set of stories for retelling in a brand-new way. You know me -- always keeping busy! Read on for details.

While finishing Stress Relief, I bowed out of Second Life for a while. Needed to concentrate on getting that puppy finished. But I'm back now, giving occasional readings in two sims for January. Come February, I have a five-stop tour planned to read my Lovestories -- a collection of short pieces (some erotic, some sweet romance). As a part of this I'm writing a new piece to add to the body of work. At the moment I have five in the rotation; this will give me six.

Connected to that is the audio recording. Since these stories exist nowhere for publication and several people have asked for copies, I've decided to keep them "in the air" as Taylor Mali would say and offer them as audio stories. I recorded a few over the summer and am now finishing them up. My wonderful songwriter husband is creating music for the opening and closing tags and is working as my producer on the project. Won't be fancy -- my "recording studio" is my study and our "mixing board" is the computer. But it's amazing what a home system can produce nowadays! My goal is to have them finished and available by Valentine's day.

Yes, you did read that I already have another work in progress. This is a shorter piece (novella length) that will be offered under a different name to a different publisher. Ellora's Cave does not publish hardcore stories and this will be my second venture into some of the VERY dark undertones of BDSM. Since it isn't a "typical" Diana Hunter book, I write with a different psuedonym. Endings aren't necessarily Happily Ever After and the sex isn't always consensual in these books, so beware! That should be finished by the end of February and off for consideration to a strictly BDSM publisher.

And then there's the last project, which will take the longest to see light, I suspect -- simply because of its complicated nature. Two years ago I started a serial in SL called As the SL World Turns. The theory behind it was to present a series of stories with different leading characters in each thread. The threads would interweave and separate as the characters wandered around SL meeting new people, seeing new sims, having new adventures. At first, I bit off more than I could chew and planned for a new adventure every two weeks. But RL has a way of saying, "What are you thinking? You have other responsibilites, you know!" So I went down to one new adventure a month. And then one every two months...and you get the picture.

If I didn't have a full-time job on top of all the writing ideas/projects I have, I think it would have worked. But I just couldn't devote all the time to it that I wanted and so it has died a slow death. This week I pulled it out of SL, taking down all the episodes while I thought it through.

Another way of telling the story has come to me, you see. A more interactive way. I've always been intrigued by the hypercard idea, ever since I first worked with a Mac back in the late 1980's. Telling a non-linear story definitely intrigued me. Then I played Myst...and got hooked on the idea. But until now, I couldn't figure out the right medium. I'm not a visual artist (at all!) and I can't write code (there's a reason people refer to it as a foreign language!). I only have words and like it or not, words are read in linear form. So how to break out of that?

I think I've got it now. I'm starting with the threads of As the SL World Turns, renaming it As SL Turns (I think), and going interactive with it. There will be a central starting spot (in SL) but several "colors" one can choose from. Each color is a different character. Won't matter which one you pick or what order you go in. At the end of the notecard is a link -- a place to teleport to for the next episode. Or perhaps several links, depending on what you, the reader, want to do next. Think the "choose your own adventure" books. Only here you can actually wander through the places where the story takes place.

Okay, I'm rambling now :). Lots of plates in the air -- let's hope I can keep them all spinning!

Play safe,
Diana

Monday, January 12, 2009

I made the mistake of reading some blogs this past week I shouldn't have read and I'm afraid that put me off writing for a while. Sort of like getting the taste of sour milk in your mouth and then not being able to eat anything 'cause it all tastes bad. I won't link to the blogs I read as I don't want to perpetuate the flaming and overall bad manners on display.

But it did get me to thinking about professional behavior, blogging and trolls. Trolls by their very nature are "gotcha" kind of people. For whatever reasons, they get their jollies from poking and prodding and finding one's sensitivities, then blowing them wide open. While I don't understand their motives, their actions are clear, as are their results. Far too often they succeed in making someone show their vulnerable side so they can then rip it apart. Paparazzi and blog trolls are cut from the same cloth.

Professionals, of course, rise above the fray and don't get involved. Ha! Easy to type, not so easy to do. I pride myself on my professionalism in my day job and like to think I bring a lot of that to my writing career as well. Was I sore tempted to jump in and make a soothing comment or two this past week? Of course I was. But I didn't. My cooler, professional side prevailed and I closed the window I'd opened before I could post a reply.

There's no point, you see. The trolls will circle and taunt and wait for one to break from the herd, then pounce. So any sane and sensible words I might have offered would only have succeeded in giving them more opportunity to try and lure someone out. Maybe even me.

Do I sound snobbish with this post? I suppose so. Because while I firmly believe in everyone's right to their own opinion, I also believe that where their civility ends, my rights begin. No one should have to put up with rudeness, no matter how much I might disagree with their comments. So I will be polite to the trolls, not because I think I'll change their behavior, but because I will not sink to their level of vicious behavior.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Good morning. I'm afraid this isn't going to be one of those cheery, let's-make-this-the-best-year-ever New Year's posts. While I'd love to sound the trumpet of optimism (I really am a glass half-full kinda gal, honest), this article has had me steaming for the past few days.

It seems Britian is considering a bill that would regulate pornographic images and ban those deemed too "extreme." They go on to define "extreme" as: "grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character" -- words so general as to mean nearly anything. I've seen some pretty obscene pictures of carrots in my time -- would those be banned along with pictures of naked humans? In order to make sure this won't be the case (your carrot pictures will remain safe to keep), the bill further stipulates that the regulation covers pictures of any acts that are life-threatening, or acts that appear likely to result in harm to a person's genitals or breasts.

Getting the picture? The BDSM community in Britian is outraged and with good reason. The article details much of the controversy and I won't insult your intelligence by repeating it all here. But there is another aspect of this bill the Huff Post article doesn't take into account: the written word.

Once censorship begins, it rarely stops at the first bill to pass legislation. The people who want to remove choice from our lives only look around for the next target after the first one is passed. The leap from banning images that detail BDSM activities to banning books that contain BDSM activities is not a large leap at all. And from there? Would those who want the ban go so far as to try and outlaw all BDSM activity as well? The steps are precariously small from photography to stories to activity.

As avid readers of my books already know, I'm fascinated by the D/s dynamic, especially as it relates to male Doms and female subs. Every one of my stories explores some aspect of BDSM and most include some sort of bondage. EVERY bondage activity can result in potential harm, EVERY D/s activity can lead to physical danger, EVERY sado-masochistic activity can result in trips to the emergency room. That's why I'm always touting the TPE (Total Power Exchange) mantra of "Play safe, sane and consensual" both in my books and in life. The BDSM community as a whole understands responsibility -- and if people want to swap pictures about what they do, I just do not understand why others find it necessary to care.

To be fair, the couple behind this push in Britain lost their daughter to a careless decision on the daughter's part. She chose to play with a man who was neither safe nor sane. I truly am sorry for their loss and my heart goes out to them. But please do not color an entire community by the actions of one individual. Censoring is never the answer.

Have a happy New Year -- and PLAY SAFE!
Diana

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Silly me. I looked at my two weeks off from my day job for the holidays as two solid weeks of writing time. Figured I'd have tons of time between the visiting, the cleaning for guests, the cheer and the fun. By this point I expected to be half-way done with a first draft for a new piece.

Yeah. And the North Pole's not melting, too.

I spent the first week throwing spaghetti at the wall.

What? You don't know that metaphor? Let me 'splain. No, that takes too long. Let me sum up: My mother read somewhere that, in order to tell whether the spaghetti was cooked enough or not, you could take a piece and throw it at the wall. If it stuck, it's ready. If it doesn't stick, it needs to cook longer. Behind our stove there was a scrubbed spot on the wall from where my mother always tossed the piece of spaghetti. It was fun watching her fling it and taking guesses as to whether it would stick or bounce or slide.

When I start stories, I'm always reminded of my mother flinging those strings of spaghetti at that spot on the wall. I start writing fast and furiously, letting the story form on the page, getting to know the characters, discovering their troubles and, in general, just immersing myself for a few minutes in their world. If everything goes along smoothly, I keep writing, not coming up for air until I'm well over a thousand words in. That's a story that's ready to be told. It's a keeper and will get written right away.

Sometimes, however, the spaghetti doesn't stick. I'll write a few hundred words (if I'm lucky) or a few thousand (if I get suckered) before the story dries up and either the characters stop talking or the plot won't reveal itself or I just get bored with it. I have files and files of these not-done story starts and whenever it's time to start a new book, I rifle through them to see if any of them are done yet. I'll pull up each file, write a little more on it and either a) keep going 'cause it's ready to be written or b) throw it back into the pot to simmer a little longer. New York Moment and Kara's Captain both took more than one throw at the wall before they stuck, same with Submission Revealed. So I've learned never to throw out any un-cooked piece of spaghetti -- sometimes the story just needs a little more time before it's ready to reveal itself.

So I've spent the entire week throwing spaghetti. Not until Monday did a piece stick and now I'm 2000 words into it and still going. I'm aiming for novella length with this one -- a bit darker than I usually write, though. Keep your fingers crossed and your eye on the spaghetti water!

Sidenote: you'll see I added Steve Duprey's blog to my blogroll -- be sure you check out his work if you haven't done so already. He's got another post up with a tribute to his sister that's incredible.

Play safe!
Diana

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Thought I'd share my favorite Christmas song with everyone. Managed to talk the composer into making a recording of it today -- Merry Christmas!

Diana

Sunday, December 21, 2008

I need to point this blog to another today. Cait Miller blogged over at Sizzling Scribes' and her point is a good one: we far too often forget those who have to work on holidays. I know I've needed emergency care on a day when everyone else has off and I'm sure some of you have, too. Cait, besides being an amazing erotica author, works as a delivery nurse in the UK and her suggestions are good ones. I know I'll be gathering a plate of cookies for the local emergency personnel this Christmas, and I encourage you to do the same. What a great way to say "thanks" to those who keep us safe when we forget to take care of ourselves.

And to all for whom tonight is a special night -- Happy Hanukkah! :)

Play SAFE!

Diana

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

An interesting article here about how romantic comedies affect our perceptions of our real, everyday relationships. As I read through the article, I was reminded of the wife of a friend of mine who complained that her husband, "didn't sweep her off her feet" anymore after ten years of marriage. When I tried to explain to her that marriage didn't work that way, that the "being swept off one's feet" emotion existed only in the early stages of a relationship, she got mad at me and yelled into the phone, "He just needs to read a good romance and he'll understand!"

That conversation has stayed with me for years. The woman ended up leaving her husband for someone new -- someone who ignited that longing to be "swept" along and I spent a great deal of time wondering if the books I wrote were somehow to blame for her poor understanding of the ups and downs of a long-term relationship.

But then I remembered that most romance books end at the altar. Those heady moments of first love, the joyous discovery of each other's foibles, each one overlooking the other's small imperfections and seeing only the greater good -- that's the part of the relationship we find exciting. That's what we want to read about. Over and over and over.

Are we, however, doing a disservice to couples everywhere? The article and study are being done in Britain (although anyone can participate in the study. I think I'm in -- I answered all 14 screens of questions only to have my Internet hang up when I tried to enter my email addy. Not sure it went through or not), but no matter where you are, the romance genre will find you. And once it does, the question remains -- when you pine after Mr. Darcy or Phillip Townsend, are you ruined for all the real men and the real work of real relationships?

Play safe,
Diana

Monday, December 15, 2008

Oh, what the heck, I'll give this a go one more time.

Give what a go? Blogging. You see, I've pretty much decided people fall into one of four categories: Those Who Blog, Those Who Comment on Blogs, Those who Barely Notice Blogs, and Those Who Don't Know What a Blog is. There might be a few middlin' categories in there, but those four cover it for me and I know I'm firmly in the second category.

Reading blogs and joining in the discussion is, for me, a great way of expressing my opinions. In Real Life (RL) I tend to be the quiet one in the corner who listens, but who, by the time she's got her sentences straight in her head, the topic's moved on. And so I remain the quiet one in the corner, keeping my opinions to myself.

But online, I can take my time -- think through my answer (and even spell check it!) before I join in. Sometimes I'll write and close the window without sending because I decide what I have to say doesn't really further the topic, but at least that's my option. I'm not cut out simply because I want the time to think before I speak. I can read the post at hand, go away and think about it for a while and then come back and express myself clearly. Definitely a plus.

So why not be One Who Blogs? Time, mostly. Blogging well takes time. And time always seems to be at a premium lately. I work full-time, write erotic novels part time (and have a straight fantasy as well as a historical that keep clamoring for my attention), I have a family I love to spend time with -- and blogging just adds one more thing to do into an already busy life.

I know, I know -- others find the time, why can't you, Diana? I have no good answer to that one. Which is why I'm giving this a go again. I'll do my best to write at least one new post a week. And if no one reads it, well, that's okay, too. It's good exercise for my mind. And if you DO read it -- leave a comment now and again? So that I know you're there? In fact, which category do YOU fall into?

Play safe,
Diana

Sunday, July 13, 2008

My turn to blog at the Scribes this week. Tough subject...but one I hold as important.

Play safe,
Diana

Thursday, July 03, 2008



I couldn't resist...and had to do Submission Revealed as well. The font I used was "Loved by the King"...and it sure shows who is king in this story! Make your own at Wordle!


I've just discovered Wordle...what a wonderful little program! Okay, so it's not so little. What you see above is the cloud tag that came out of the entire text of Secret Submission. I copied the entire text of the novel into Wordle, it picked out the most-used 75 words (discounting common words like "I" and "is") and created the above. Cool! Just click on the picture to see it in its entirety.