...about lack of time to do online promotions for my books, I got an email from Teagan at Bookwenches.com that they'd reviewed Ripping the Bodice.  Just the pick-me-up I needed for the day!  Here's a brief excerpt:

"If you’re looking for a big dose of fun to go along with your romance, look no farther than Inara Lavey’s novel Ripping the Bodice. This story positively sparkles with wit and humor that will keep the reader laughing all the way through and wondering what on earth could possibly happen next."

Click here to read the rest, and join me in my happy dance!  :-)

Tags: ripping the bodice | reviews | happy dance | bookwenches | ravenous romance | inara lavey

Comments 5 | Hits: 581 | Read more...

And Dana/Inara do (does?) a happy dance!

First, an excerpt from Nixy Valentine:

"The book is peppered with dreams and daydreams in which our romance-loving protagonist perpetually indulges.  Each one more silly than the last, and they get downright funny when Cassandra’s “real life” begins to intrude upon her fantasies. The story is one of personal growth and the conflict between fantasy and reality, and is cleverly written with wit."

Click here for the full review.

And from Moira with The Girls on Books:

"As my first introduction to Ms Lavey’s writing, I am impressed. The story was lighthearted and fun, full of witty comments and charm. "

Click here for the full review.

Please leave comments at these blogs.  I really appreciate the time and thought that went into both interviews and want to send traffic their way.

And now back to work on Champagne...

Tags: inara lavey | ripping the bodice | nixy valentine | the girls on books

Comments 4 | Hits: 499 | Read more...

The Title Caught My Eye, February 28, 2009

I haven't read anything else by this author, but the title caught my eye and I decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did. The writing is excellent, the story kept me interested at all times, and I was not disappointed at all. It was perfect entertainment for a snowy weekend in the end of February, and it was a great way to escape from all of life's little problems.

In other news, I just bought myself a gift certificate from Ravenous to take advantage of the 'buy one, get the same amount free' deal.  Now I can start to make my way through all the luscious titles I've been drooling over by my fellow Ravenous authors.  There's a certain food related anthology I've been eyeing, just to start...

Tags: Ryan Field | ripping the bodice | reviews

Comments 8 | Hits: 519 | Read more...

Ripping the Bodice made it to the Top 10 list today!  The above picture pretty much portrays my current mood.   Thank you, everyone who bought it!  I hope you enjoy it and if you did (or didn't, but aren't really mean) please feel free to leave a review or let me know what you thought of it.  Nothing can harsh my mellow about now.  :-)

Tags: ripping the bodice | good moods!

Comments 10 | Hits: 954 | Read more...

My sister likes to remind me of back in the days when I used to read nothing but horror novels and bodice rippers.  And yes, this was when it was not considered politically incorrect/heresy to refer to historical romances as 'bodice rippers.' The days of Rosemary Rogers (Ah, Sweet, Savage Love and Wicked Loving Lies...how you warped my idea of romance at an early age...) and Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (The Flame and the Flower, The Wolf and the Dove), et al.

I was a bathroom reader (I like baths, what can I say?) and always had at least one, sometimes two, books waiting for me on the top of the toilet tank.  Stephen King's The Shining and Woodiwiss's Shanna, for instance, was a typical combo.  Lisa (and our mom) would try to read some of romances, but generally didn't much further than 'his throbbing WHAT?' before stopping.  Although Mom did read all of Shanna amidst much giggling over the hero's perpetually bare chest and cut-off breeches. 

My point here is I read a ton of historical romances (and Regency romances, Harlequins, and...yes...EVEN Barbara Cartland, whose propensity for having her heroines...speak with...frequent...pauses... was rather like the dialogue equivalent of a strobe light) and, like many females, was quite taken with the idea of a handsome, ruthless, yet eventually loving and devoted man, who would swordfight, ride horses, and clasp me to him in a ruthless, yet impossible to resist embrace. 

Bodice rippers. 

Use that term now at your peril.  I used it on a well-known romance reader/writer chat forum and was promptly ripped (heh) a new one.  I apologized, pled shoddy upbringing, and slunk away to lick my wounds (drink a glass of wine) off line.  The incident, while bringing me up to date on what you don't call historical romances, also inspired me.  I'd been trying to think of another title for what was then called Passion's Purple Prose, my (then) current WIP for Ravenous, about a female Walter Mitty type, obsessed with vintage romances and more interested in her fantasies than the real world.  Ripping the Bodice just seemed...well, perfect.  And so you have it. 

There's more to the RtB background...but I'll save it for my next post.  I'm about to piss Zin (my muse) off and get back to work on the non-fiction project, due a week from Sunday.  In the meantime, if you enjoy humor and a bit of satire mixed with a loving homage with your erotic romance, I hope you'll give Ripping the Bodice a try!  

Tags: ripping the bodice | bodice rippers | rosemary rogers | kathleen E. woodiwiss | harelequin romance | regency romance | barbara cartland

Comments 12 | Hits: 819 | Read more...

'Squee,' btw, is sister to 'Woot!'  Both are expressions indicating extreme happiness, usually generated by something really good happening.  Well, I got the cover for my new book RIPPING THE BODICE today...and the marvelous Michelle has put it up on the Ravenous site for me so now, instead of my pink SUCCUBUSTED cover (not that I wasn't fond of it, mind you!), I have my RtB cover, which should be right next to this post. 

Yup.  There it is.  Note the cover of the book the heroine is reading.  Anyone recognize it? I hope Keta does...  :-) 

I am doing a happy dance about now...I am, however, doing it at work, so I'd better make this post brief.  More on Ripping the Bodice this evening!  I promised you sordid details and I will keep that promise!  I will just mention that it's up on RR tomorrow! 

This is me...doing the happy dance.  SQUEEEE!!!!

Tags: ripping the bodice | happy dance | book covers | keta diablo | land of falling stars

Comments 21 | Hits: 546 | Read more...

I was going to post something about my upcoming book, Ripping the Bodice, and the sordid history behind it, but after an evening of working on a non-fiction project and feeling distinctly cranky about it (Zin, my notorious Muse, is NOT happy about being pulled away from the fiction erotica AT all, crabby creature), I thought I'd share another part of my life that's always added inspiration when I've needed it the most! 

I love all animals (even the ugly ones), but I’ve always had a special affinity for felines. Like many other kids, I used to fantasize about having a pet tiger or lion. The heck with owning a horse; I wanted a black leopard named Sheba as my companion. I knew on some level this was an impractical dream, but not until I hit my mid-thirties and started volunteering at the Exotic Feline Breeding Facility/Feline Conservation Center (otherwise known as The Cathouse) did I fully understand just why exotic felines do not make good pets.

This is me and Paco, a jaguar cub born at EFBC/FCC.  While it isn't the sort of cathouse where women sell sexual favors, there is a lot of sex going on at EFBC!  Rough, wild, and very brief bouts of feline love-making.  A satisfied female leopard rolls on the ground...the males just look kind of smug. 

Volunteering at EFBC-FCC has been a life-changing experience (click here to read about my experiences) and I would urge anyone in the L.A. area (or willing to put in a bit of a commute) to check out the site. 

And next post will be about Ripping the Bodice and writing!  I just have to get Zin to cooperate. 

Tags: efbc-fcc | cathouse | felines | ripping the bodice | writing | muse

Comments 15 | Hits: 505 | Read more...