I've been incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to write short stories for Ravenous Romance's anthologies.  One of the things I love about short stories and the ebook market in general is the quick turn around time from turning in the story to when it goes into electronic print.  As I reflect that I began writing shorts for publication in November of 2008 and I already have stories in Power Plays, Experimental, Ambrosia, and Sweaty Sex and have received acceptance into the upcoming Rekindled, DILF, and Women of the Bite anthologies, I can't help but have warm fuzzies.  RR was the first publisher to which I submitted.

I'm still plugging away at some longer works.

All of my reflection has caused me to realize how important studying the craft of writing is to success.  As writers, we're all told that writing is only one piece of the puzzle to success.  There are marketing, blogging, freebies, queries, proposals, building a fan base, social networking, commenting on other people's blogs, building a platform, and endless other tasks to complete.

I agree that all those things are important, but experimentation, writing, rewriting, and paying attention to my mistakes couldn't be more important.  Sure, I write a dud every now and again.  Nobody receives acceptances 100% of the time.  My duds are fermenting into other pieces altogether.  Dud wine can be perfectly sweet after the pieces morph into something else altogether!

On a side note, I recently searched google blog search (www.blogsearch.google.com) using the world "erotica."  My personal blog today showed up on the first page as the 8th result out of 766,414 hits for the word erotica.  I'm thrilled that jenbluekissederotica.blogspot.com is doing well.  You all must be googling me!

Tags: google blog search | revision | writing | Sweaty Sex | Women of the Bite | Rekindled | Power Plays | Experimental | DILF | anthology | Jen Bluekissed

Hits: 482 | Read more...

Some of my close friends, when they found out I was writing erotica, were dumbstruck.  This was especially true of those people who had known me as a child.  The fun I've had while delivering the news has been a quiet joy for me because, until I was sixteen years old, I thought my purpose on this earth was to be a Roman Catholic nun.  Actually, not just a nun: a cloistered nun, the kind that vows never to leave a convent and also takes the vow of silence.

Needless to say, somewhere around puberty I changed my mind.  Now, it's my husband who is part of my drive to write erotic romance.  He didn't know me until I was in my twenties, so he has never seen that side of my personality.  

Oh, how the pendulum swings, eh?

I'm having a ton of fun writing for Ravenous Romance.  When Power Plays was released on Inauguration day, it only heightened the emotions I felt that day.  I also have upcoming short stories that will be released later, but soon, in various anthologies.  More details to come!

Tags: innocence | Power Plays | Jen Bluekissed | anthology

Comments 2 | Hits: 486 | Read more...

Hey Jamaica Layne Fans!

First of all a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make POWER PLAYS a bestseller!  The overwhelming response to this anthology of sex and politics just goes to show what a powerful (literally) combination sex and politics makes.

In keeping with the POWER PLAYS theme of sex and politics, be sure to check out my novel A CAPITOL AFFAIR, which is today's Book Of The Day!  This novel explores scandal, power, and kinky sex in Washington DC's political underworld.  Buy this book today to see how heroine Jasmine Rand navigates the seamy underbelly of Washington politics and comes out on top!  (Again, literally!)

Always keep things sexy!

JAMAICA LAYNE

Tags: A CAPITOL AFFAIR | Power Plays | SEX & POLITICS | Jamaica Layne

Comments 1 | Hits: 446 | Read more...

It's only fitting that my story, "The Definition of Is," be included in RR's latest anthology Power Plays.  I wrote this piece specifically for a live reading I'd been invited to.  When the organizers told me that year's theme was "Sex & Politics," I wasn't sure how I was going to pull off something on that theme.  Then it occured to me that a certain former philandering President hadn't been in the news much lately.  When I started to wonder what it might take to change his ways, the notion of the First Lady putting him in his place came to mind.

I have read the piece a couple of times over the years and have to say that this story always gets a good reaction from the crowd.  I don't know what's more shocking...the First Lady's plan or the fact that I read it out loud...LOL!

I hope you enjoy reading it, even if it does make you blush ;)

Brandi

Tags: Politics | Power Plays | BDSM

Comments 3 | Hits: 463 | Read more...