Escape is nominated!

You can see the whole list of nominees here. The awards will be handed out at the Australian Romance Readers Convention in Canberra in March. We hope to see you there!

ARRA Nominees – Ros Baxter

Okay, so this wee erotic sci-fi Christmas romance of mine (phew, that’s a mouthful), White Christmas, has been nominated in the Australian Romance Readers awards Favourite Sci Fi, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance.

And you know why you need to vote for this one?

Because this is seriously – seriously – the hottest thing I’ve ever written. I mean, I’m talking hot.

But why should that make you vote for it?

Well, you see, I don’t normally do hot. My books aren’t exactly…

But maybe a little…

So, one might say I’m dipping my toe into the steamy waters of HOT. And while I’m liking how those waters feel, lapping said toe with their silky, wanton tongues –

– pause to fan self –

I may still need a little encouragement.

So. Here’s the thing. A vote for White Christmas, and all its filthy ice-cave fellatio glory, is actually really a vote for unleashing the inner wanton in all of us. Especially, you know…me.

But, really, it’s less about me, and more about the glory of the kind of boys who fly spaceships, fight bad ass aliens, and push you against a frozen wall so your nipples can feel the painfully sweet bite of the ice while he takes his great big…

Oops, sorry, getting carried away again.

Where was I?

Oh that’s right. A vote for White Christmas is less a vote against ‘shut the door and let’s imagine’ and more a vote for kiss-me-fuck-me-take-me-shake-me-make-me-COMEscreaminglikeabanshee.

If you get my drift.

That’s it really.

I’m sure there are other reasons. I mean, you know, there’s a lovely story. And the characters are sweet and layered as well as obsessively focused on getting their rocks off. And the Christmas thing is…you know…all Christmasy and feelgood and it really, really helps with managing the afterglow.

But what I really need right now is a little:

You go, girl, with your smexy alien ice cave hotness.

Wave good-bye to the blink-and-you’ll miss it love scenes that readers have to read twice to check they actually ‘did it’.

Don’t vote for me. Vote for Asha and his great big intergalactic…appetite.

Thank you!
Ros is also nominated for Fish Out of Water for Favourite Paranormal Romance.

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominees – Jennifer Brassel

Why I’d like to win the ARRA Award … Jennifer Brassel

What do you get four-year-old for her birthday – a little girl who is spoiled absolutely rotten and rules the entire house? Who has my hubby totally at her mercy? Toys? She’s got lots of those (more than is probably good for her). And a cake? Well, that goes without saying.

What she needs is a surprise … something unique. Something inspiring. Something no other four-year-old could boast.

My little girl turns four a couple of days before the ARRA awards are announced and I really must credit her for helping Secret Reflection become a finalist. She has this habit of distracting me with games when I get the dreaded ‘writer’s block’ and for the most part she’s very patient while I get on a roll … even forgiving me if I’m a bit late for her dinnertime.

So even though she’s too young to appreciate it, I’d be tickled pink to bring that ARRA trophy home to her!

Meet my little girl, Cordy:

Jennifer is nominated for Favourite Paranormal Romance.

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominee – Alyssa J Montgomery

WARNING: HIGH VOLTAGE HERO

Alex

• blisteringly hot heart-throb hero of Mistaken Identity and love of Leah’s life…(Make sure you have your airconditioner is on full blast!)
• Nominated in the ARRA Awards as the ‘Sexiest Hero of 2013’
• The ultimate tall, dark, handsome Greek: Apollo come to life and every female over eighteen’s dream.
• Not only does he ooze confidence and possess that take-charge aura that made Leah swoon, but he has anatomical assets that would make ancient Olympians envious! (Sigh)

Leah’s thinks it’s great her husband’s a finalist in this award, but her twin sister Susie is anxious about the nomination.

‘Alyssa J. Montgomery is guilty of building Alex up and placing his bedroom skills on par with Casanova, Don Juan and Rasputin all rolled into one,’ Susie told the Escapades Blog earlier this month. ‘I’m not sure how Alex will cope if he doesn’t win the ARRA. Quite frankly, Leah has him on a pedestal, so I’m urging readers to vote for him — if not for his sake, then unite in sisterhood and do it for Leah. After all, think of the catastrophic ramifications that could occur for Leah if Alex doesn’t win the title…

What if Alex loses and suffers performance anxiety? Can you imagine Leah’s grief if he sinks into depression and spends his days more down than up? And…What if he resorts to comfort eating? Then instead of his abdomen rippling…it will be tripling!’

 

But Leah had another take on it…

 

‘Susie has it all wrong. While Alex may be secretly chuffed at the nomination, his ego isn’t invested in this title. Susie doesn’t get that what’s ‘sexy’ about Alex isn’t just his lethally good looks and his heart-flipping smile (although they certainly rate!).

‘Alex will always be sexy to me because he’s so self-assured, so confident, and I know I can completely depend on him (except to go shoe shopping with me!). He’s fiercely loyal to me and his family and he can admit when he’s wrong and has made mistakes (not a common male trait). He definitely has a sense of humour and no matter what,’ <a blush suffuses her cheeks with colour> ‘he’s a man who can always rise to the occasion!’

I must say that although Alex isn’t quite sure what all the fuss is about, he is certainly my pick for “Sexiest Hero for 2013″…and 2014 and…well, let’s face it, win or lose the final, he’ll always be my sexiest hero!’

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominees – Rebekah Turner

FIVE REASONS TO VOTE FOR CHAOS BOUND

So, Chaos Bound got nominated for a 2013 Australian Romance Reader Award in the SF, Fantasy or Futuristic Romance category. Woot! Below are the reasons why it should win in its category.

 

1. I would DESERVE to buy these shoes.

 

2. I would accept the award with grace and style.

 

3. My husband promised to bake me a congratulations cake.

 

4. My kids would think I’m awesome.

 

5. And … Michael Fassbender … just because he’s Fass-bulous.

 

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

Hang Out with Escape’s ARRA Nominees

Last week, our ARRA Nominees for Favourite New Australian Romance Author sat down with some of our Favourite Australian Book Bloggers. For about 20 minutes, we talked books, romance, laughter, and torturing characters.

ARRA Nominee – Nicola E Sheridan

If my book, A Warlord’s Lady, was a food product I’d urge you to buy it…

A Warlord’s Lady

100% Pure Entertainment

With No Added Nonsense

A guilt free treat, guaranteed not to land on your hips!

Ingredients:

100% entertainment

100% Australian made

1 loveable, slightly chubby, heroine

1 hot, sexy, Laotian Magician Warlord

Drama

Lust

Romance

Action

Adventure

*Includes some imported mythological creatures (aufhocker, shadowmen, thriae, werewolf and demons.)

Nutritional Information	Per serve (RDI%)*
Action	80%
Romance	100%
**Sex	60%
Humour	20%
Intrigue	70%
Surprise	90%
Magic	50%

*RDI% – Recommended Daily Intake

**Excess consumption may cause severe distraction and daydreaming. Motor vehicles should not be operated within two hours of reading.

A Warlord’s Lady is a proudly Australian made product by Nicola E. Sheridan, wife, mother, cat enthusiast, and mythological creature aficionado.

Nicola E. Sheridan prides herself on the inclusion of truly unique romance combined with heart stopping action. All products by Nicola E. Sheridan are backed by personal guarantee.

No boring parts

No confusing names with apostrophes and hyphens

No unexplainable parts

No sex behind closed doors

No miserable endings.

 For all customer enquiries visit: http://www.nicolasheridan.com

Nicola is nominated for Favourite Paranormal Romance.

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominees – Viveka Portman

Confessions of an Erotic Romance writer….

My name is Viveka Portman – I write Erotic Romance, and my book The Secret Diary of Lady Catherine Bexley is up for Best Erotic Romance in the ARR Awards.

The Most Common Question I get asked as an “erotic romance writer” is ‘How do you do your research?’

In response I usually look at my interviewer wink and say ‘you really don’t want to know…’ and in many ways it’s true –

But today, I’m going to let you in on a little confession.

The sex acts I write about aren’t always what titillate me personally, but I do I try to think of things that will titillate other people.

Wow – that sounds bad.

Allow me to elaborate. In the world of sex there is so much more out there than just ordinary, missionary action. Of course we all know that, but keeping the sex in your book fresh and exciting without compromising your computer security by visiting porn sites can be a challenge. Imagination can only get you so far….

So, last year, a friend and I set out to do some research at an expo about sex.

Sorry to disappoint but frankly there was very little sexy about this expo apart from the name.

We entered the venue – after being handed a ‘goodie bag’ (these aren’t goodies like those at ARRA conventions that you put on your bedside table TBR pile for later. Oh no – these are the goodies you lock in a drawer in your bedside table for later!)

We were then confronted with a gentleman painting portraits with his penis. Yes, he had a very stretchy appendage, let me tell you. It was a fascinatingly HORRIBLE spectacle. My eyeballs are beginning to bleed, just remembering it. See how I suffer for my art?

However, to be fair, his portraits were remarkably good.

Next there was a burlesque show. The costumes were nice. Really that’s all I can say, because I was so distracted by the enormous breast implants of the dancer everything else faded into the background.

Then there was the ‘ladies’ room’ in which we watched a number of ‘full monty’ male strippers. These gentleman really did have the balls to bare it all – it was just a shame about their members – unfortunately rather diminutive to the erotic romance writer’s eye.

*note to self… not all men have big wingwangs, especially, it seems, strippers.

I feel I must mention my disturbing conversation with a male submissive who had a blood play fetish, just in case I ever choose to write a paranormal of that genre. Did you know there is a difference between blood play and needle play? No? I do now. Suffice to say, the video footage that accompanied the gentleman was something I’d rather not have witnessed – though it created a convenient opening for an interesting discussion about the pleasure receptors being heightened by the stimulation of pain receptors. Now where can I fit that in a book?

What came next? Oh yes… the ‘toy’ stalls.

I don’t know what comes into your mind when you hear the word ‘toy’… but I can bet it wasn’t urethral stretchers or butt-plugs the size of butternut pumpkins.

OMG.

The range of ‘toys’ was phenomenal, really it was, and, yes, I did ask the girl at the stall if she actually sold any of the rather bizarre numbers. She said ‘yes’, she most certainly had.

We took some time dissecting and studying the toy stalls, with the kind of horrified fascination you have when you watch ‘Embarrassing Bodies’. Then I found a homemade soap stall – and brought some cake-shaped soaps for home – my only purchase at the entire expo.

It’s true!

When I got home my husband cheekily asked, ‘how was the expo?’ What could I say? Really? Had it changed or enhanced my own sexuality? Probably not. Had it scarred my brain with images of needle play, fake breasts and urethral stretching? Yes indeed it had.

My reply, in short, was ‘What has been seen cannot be unseen’.

Needless to say, my eyes have been opened wide (perhaps by some strange apparatus someone with an eyeball fetish may like to use) to the extraordinary breadth and depth of human sexuality that I may (in some degree) use to entertain my readers in the years to come.

Happy voting!

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominees – Alissa Callen

The Twelve Days of ARRA Voting

What Love Sounds Like is a sweet story filled with self-discovery, romance and sugar-loaded foods. Mia Windsor, an outback speech pathologist, uses food as a fun way for orphaned four-year-old Tilly to practice her clear ‘c’ talking. Whether it be eating popcorn to discover where the back of the throat ‘c’ sound comes from or using fruit loops to make the sound correctly, food is a vital ingredient of Tilly’s speech therapy. Food also links corporate-cynic Kade Reid to the childhood he’d never had.

It seems fitting that any canvassing for ARRA votes involves the food featured in What Love Sounds Like. It also seems fitting, as my daughter is still singing her favourite Christmas song, I use the following format.

On the twelfth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me twelve chocolate chip cookies.

On the eleventh day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me eleven lemonade scones.

On the tenth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me ten fancy cupcakes.

On the ninth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me nine cups of caramel popcorn.

On the eighth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me eight birthday cakes.

On the seventh day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me seven sprinkle sandwiches.

On the sixth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me six cones of ice-cream.

On the fifth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me five glasses of pirate punch.

On the fourth day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me four bowls of fruit loops.

On the third day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me three scoops of gelato.

On the second day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me two characters – a hero in need of fun and laughter and a heroine in need of acceptance.

On the first day of ARRA voting my Escape author sent to me one little girl desperate for the loving warmth of a new family.

Thanks so much to all the readers who made it possible to final in four ARRA categories and wishing all the very best to all the other finalists.

Happy voting eating.

Alissa is nominated for Best Short Category Romance and Favourite New Australian Author for What Love Sounds Like. List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

ARRA Nominees – Kendall Talbot

To honour my exciting three nominations in the ARRA Awards the characters of my book Lost In Kakadu are taking me to dinner. But I’m a little nervous. No, that’s an understatement. I’m extremely nervous. I can be a little tough on my characters. Some would call me a sadist. But it’s for a good cause. A couple of good causes actually. Not only do my characters truly discover who they are, my readers also have a jolly good time following their journey.

So where would my character Abigail take me? It would be a highly pretentious, swanky joint with a million dollar view, where they serve the best ingredients and most expensive wine. Just because I threw her into the jungle with nothing but a few cans of beans and sack or two of flour, doesn’t mean she’d forget the life of luxury she had before the plane crash. Right?

How about my character Mackenzie? He’d take me to his own restaurant, wouldn’t he? I know I gave him a troubled life, full of tragedy and triumph. I guess he also suffered near starvation and I tortured him with the chore of catching his own food with nothing but a sling shot made from Abigail’s fancy lace bra. I admit I took him to hell and back in Lost In Kakadu, but he did get to tantalise his chef’s pallet with some good old fashioned Aussie tucker. Eating witchetty grubs, frogs and snails will make him appreciate perfectly cooked lobster.

Surely they’ll remember that sensual waterfall scene? How about the breathtaking scenery?

But when Mackenzie wraps a black tie around my eyes, the knot in my stomach turns into a giant slab of cement. I guess it’s his way of showing me how dark it can be in the jungle. I remember I wrote, “The blackness around him was like swimming in a tar pit.” I’m experiencing that now. But wait, where are they taking me? And why do I need to take my shoes off? The rocks under my feet are sharp and the branches snapping against my arms are rough, against my cheeks, brutal. Was that a spider web?

Abigail instructs me to sit, the snigger in her voice is not good. I reach out expecting to feel a chair, but no, a craggy log will do. And given that I made my characters rough it out without any luxuries, I shouldn’t be surprised.

A plate is positioned on my lap. “Eat.” Abigail seems a little cranky. Doesn’t she remember her path of self-discovery? What about their unexpected romance?

“Do I get cutlery?” But I already know the answer.

Help me people. These characters are mean. Mean I tell you. Please vote for me, so they understand that sometimes crashing down to earth is exactly what people need.

Lost In Kakadu is nominated for Best Romantic Suspense and Best Book Cover, and I’m nominated for Best New Author.

List of finalists: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/2013-arr-awards-finalists-announced/

Join ARRA to vote: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html