Masturbatory Writing

Each time I sit down to write more of Chris’ book, I find myself captivated by her character. She was a strong presence throughout the entire L&J series as her friendship with Elle is unbreakable. As I get the opportunity to craft a story just about her and her background, I find myself so excited to not only be back in the MM world, but to write it through Chris’ eyes.

She is the queen of secrets, so I can promise you that you will not see what I’ve got coming at you. Her past is a like a rubber band ball where each band is a piece of her past that has shaped her into the woman she is today. Little by little you learn her secrets and discover why she keeps most people (even Elle at times) at arm’s length. She’s fucking fascinating!!

Things are being pieced together with the MC, but this time we are seeing it though Link’s POV which is also exciting to write. He is a delectable man who makes me cream my pants just writing about him. Then I stop and realize that he is a piece of my imagination and think I just might be masturbatory writing. (Is that a phrase?)

Anyhoo, I am so excited to share this with ya’ll, but it will be late summer probably before its ready. I might post some excerpts here on my blog, so keep an eye out.

Deuces-

E

Why Kendrick Lamar Continues To Not Suck

This is my official what the fuck is up with the shitty music videos post.

Example one: Beyoncé’s Drunk In Love. Great song. Makes you wanna dance and then fuck. The lyrics are explicit and erotic. Jay Z rhymes about doing it against the wall and being in such a frenzy to be inside her that he doesn't have time to take her panties off and instead merely slips them to the side. She compares riding him to riding the waves on a surfboard. Specifically "grindin' on that wood, grindin grindin' on that wood, I'm swervin' on that,  swervin' swervin' on that big body, deserving all of this, surfin' all of this good good."

When she sang deserving all of this and I was dancing in my living room, my hands were motioning to my body as I assumed she would be doing with hers. It might have been sexy... what I did in my living room… or not, but that's what I expected to see in the video. And, maybe I expected her and Jay Z get a little freaky. At the very least, I expected to see someone getting freaky, even if it was actors.

The song is about being drunk at the club with the man you love and having the time of your life, then heading home to have awesome sex that's so off the chain you're willing to fuck up your million dollar Warhol print. (Probably one that Jay Z and Beyoncé have in their foyer for real.)

Doesn't that sound hot??? And like the makings for a great video??

I thought so too, but nope. The video sucks.

It's Beyoncé dancing on the beach (better than my living room dancing, but just randomly dancing nonetheless), then Jay Z comes on the sand to wrap while holding a snifter of liquor. Her and ole boy barely touch.

So not hot. Not erotic or explicit.

Just, blah.

Next up—How Many Drinks by Miguel.

Let me start by saying that I looooove Miguel. His songs make me want to dance, grind, and find someone to get warm and comfy with.

How Many Drinks, like Drunk In Love, has hot lyrics that basically ask how many drinks do you need before you'll go home with me so I can do dirty, dirty things to you?

Uh, one. If he sang that song to me while we got it on I could be ready after a sip of water. So I'm thinking it's going to be a hot video with him (or an actor) pursuing a woman in the club. Maybe there would be some dirty dancing and flirty chats before they roll out in the limo to his pad that where they have sweaty, passionate sex—and he sings the song the whole time.

ERRRRRR. Giant red X's from the Family Feud.

It's him and a shotty band performing with a few close ups of his face. You can't even see his face for most of it cuz it's all shadowed out. There are some lame side dancers who look like they should be in a Peter Gabriel video and give the saddest wannabe-lesbian performance I've ever seen.

WTF.

Total. Let down.

So, on the search for a video that was made with some thought put into it, that told a story along with the song, and that visually as well as auditorally stimulated me I went to my main man who has yet to do me wrong—Kendrick Lamar.

He apparently has a new song out that I hadn't heard cuz it came up first on YouTube. It's unreleased as far as I know on LP, but the song, simply titled I, tells one hell of a story. It's not erotic or dirty, but a story of the ghetto trying to tear you down and rising above it to love yourself. He rhymes about the city (or society) making promises that it never follows through on so he makes the promise to love himself—the one promise he knows can come to fruition because he himself, holds the reins to its success.

Heavy shit right. Yep, and the video rocks. It's a tour of Compton, his hometown and a place where some sad, sad shit happens. He takes you around the hood, all the while leading and being followed by a crew of dancers. It follows the story of the song AND when you thought it couldn't get any better, it does.

Mr. Big is in it! He got Ron Isley to do a little ditty on the video. Hello, that's cool as fuck.

I realize the production cost of a video is high and I'm not asking for every artist to recreate the Thriller video, but I searched some more of Lamar's videos and they all tell a story visually while he raps the plot to you. None of them were shitty. So the rest of ya'll artists need to man the fuck up, maybe get with Dre, and make a video I want to watch—especially the dirty songs! Hello! We're in the era of 50 Shades. Show me some skin!

OK. Rant done. Thanks for tuning in.

I'm out-

E

Chris And A Court Appointed Shrink

~Chris~

"Let me just get this straight," she slowly said as if I were mentally challenged. Bitch. "Your best friend is part of some motorcycle club and something about a drug cartel being involved? Am I correct so far?"

I nod to the bitch, thinking that not talking is the best idea ever at this particular moment.

She continues. "You were in a house where a man was killed because he kidnapped you, and he is an associate of a man named Burns, who." She pauses to flip some papers for dramatic effect before resuming her speech, "It appears was a less than clean leader of said motorcycle club. He got shot in the process and you ended up in St. Louis where this all started? And now you are here seeing me?"

"That about sums it up," I inform her, cuz she got the facts straight. Cue the judgment.

"Christine." Bitch is using my fucking full name. Shoot me now. "That's quite a story. And it's only a part of your story I'm guessing."

"Patient something confidentiality, right?" Just double checking before I let some drug shit slip.

"Of course, everything that is said in this room is confidential unless you express the desire to harm yourself or someone else."

Yeah, yeah. Heard that before. I cross my leg and lean back against the couch, arms spread wide across the back.

"You got the facts. I was locked in a room with my best friend, who I'd kill for by the way but that doesn't mean I'm homicidal so don't go scribbling on your notepad." Just making sure. "Shit was handled somehow or another. Dirty cops would be my guess. That doesn't mean shit's all honkey mother fucking dory though. My girl is struggling with her man, and how she fits in to it all. Plus she's all guilty and shit. And I got this hot guy who is so fucking perfect, but I'm scared as fuck to get near him cuz bastard isn't exactly always in the safest situations. Oh, and how could I forget?"

I throw my head back against the couch and smacked myself in the face, letting my hand rest over my eyes for a moment. "I thought I found one of the good ones—a university dude—and he turned out by pure luck to be in bed with the fuckers who were dirtying up the MC. His ass bailed as soon as his boss, Burns, got shot. Now I got another MC motha fucka up in my shit. Oh," I pause to let her know I'm about to change back to a previous topic, "we're back to the perfect guy I keep fucking up with. He's sex. Sex on a stick. Damn."

I shake my head, remembering the shit Link did with his tongue and that dick piercing. Shame going all these years without experiencing that. Such an awesome orgasm. Too bad he wants more. Shit I just ain't got to give.

"Toss in my family drama and it's a wrap, yo." Bitch wants to hear my drama? Well, there ya go.

I sit up so I can throw my hands in the air nice and dramatic--Aaron style. I look around at bitch's plaques on the wall, laughing at the thought of my own beauty school certificate in a black, plastic, Wal-Mart frame.

"Let's talk about your family."
God, her voice. It's like Meryl Streep should be sitting in this chair making up one of her great impressionist voices cuz this bitch sounds like a shrink off the mother fuckin TV. Too bad she's old-ish, fat-ish, and bound by law to listen to my bullshit.

"The family. The family. What can I tell you about them?"
"Are you close with them?"
I almost choke on a laugh. "God, no. The opposite. Where they are, I'm not. It's better that way."

"And why's that."

"It's more zen like that." I smile at her, but I lace my voice with sarcasm and pure fucking annoyance.
"So you don't talk to them?"

Is she not getting the hint? "Not until recently. Not until some of them decided to tango with the fucking Delmarcos of all families." I shake my head at my fucking luck. "Look, they all get along better when I'm not around. No one to cause fights or get mo fos locked up." I trail off those last few words, the weight of what Kendrick did for me still lingering in the back of my soul, never really going away. He's the one I miss the most. The brother who saved me even if I couldn't save him.

"Why do you think that is?"

"Huh?" Shit, what is she asking me?

"Why are they better off without you?"

I just done told this bitch why. Did she not listen? Should I write a mother fucking memo?

"It's just—fuck. It's just better when my mom doesn't have to look at me and I don't have to look at her. We love each other better like that."

God, that sounded fucked the hell up even to me. It is what it is. But ole girl is gonna have some shitty little comment coming. I know it. She taps the stylus to her tablet against her lips. I want to shove it down her throat.

"That's an interesting thing to say."

There it is. I laugh at her and her blindness.

"I look good, right?" Ole bitch tilts her head, surprised I'm sure by my sudden change of topic. Throw ya off ya game, hooker.

"Well, yes, you are a very attractive young lady." Young Lady. Nice one. Two points, biotch.

"I've been told I could easily do catalog work as a model, maybe some high fashion shit if I really hustled. It's a pretty shell," I motion to my body, "whatever God gave me." I lean back into the couch, resuming my position of one ankle laying on the other knee, and hands resting casually on the back boards of the sofa. "But I'll let you in on a little secret." I inch forward slightly. Sweet ole girl does too. "I'm trash. My momma was white trash who spawned four mixed boys and one white girl. She did her best I suppose, but the hood'll eat ya up and spit ya out."

Worse if you gotta take care of your white sister. If I were ugly, they woulda all left me alone and Kendrick wouldn't of had to rip motha fucka's nuts off, even if he did deserve it. Bastard wannabe rapist. Stupid mother fucker tried to fuck with the white girl on the block who had four giant brothers of varying shades of brown ready to throw down at a moments notice. Kendrick was always the one defending me, from the time I was born until the moment they took him away in handcuffs for saving me from violation.

My heart grows heavy. Black and heavy.

I look out the tiny window the court appointed shrink is rocking in her office. It look out onto nothing. Yep, nothing, but it looks like she's hung a hummingbird feeder. How nice.

Fuck, how many more sessions was I gonna have to go to.

"That's all for today Christine, I'll see you next week?" She lifts her voice up at the end like it was a question, like I had a choice.

I nod and mumble, "Ain't got a choice."

I stand up from the couch that was actually quite comfortable and shoot her the peace sign, but horizontally instead of vertically, changing it's meaning greatly.

"Deuces," I call as I exit her office, adding biotch  in my head.

Free at last.

Blissful Valentine by Amy L. Gale

Title: Blissful Valentine

Author: Amy L. Gale

Genre: Romance

Hosted By: Beautiful Promotions

Straight-laced 19-year-old Brooke Powers has two goals: First, avoid the party scene and all the drama and disaster that go along with it. Second, focus on attaining her Marketing and Business degrees. When her roommate begs her to attend a fraternity party she reluctantly obliges, but gets more than she bargained for when she meets enticingly charismatic fraternity brother, Dean Parker. After a mishap causes her to wake up in the worst possible place she can imagine, she vows to stay away from anything or anyone fraternity related. Staying away from Dean is a daily battle, one she's slowly losing. When her feelings conjure up old demons from the past, her strategically planned future turns into chaos. Brooke is desperate to keep herself on track. Will Dean be her downfall or is he exactly what she needs? 

Valentine’s Day isn't always complete bliss.

BLISSFUL VALENTINE WILL BE ON SALE FOR $0.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY.

GET YOUR COPY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

BLISSFUL VALENTINE EXCERPT :

He stops and meets my gaze, then bends down and grabs a mound of snow, packing into a tight ball. He takes a step back and winds his arm, throwing the snowball straight and fast. It smacks against the metal sign on the far end of the small pond near a cluster of benches, breaking off into a multitude of pieces.

He wipes his hands off on his pants. “Give it a try.”

I shake my head. “No way, I throw like a girl.”

His picks up a mound of snow and packs it together, forming a perfect sphere. He hands me the snowball and stands behind me, pressing his body against mine. My heartbeats thump against my chest, causing a surge of adrenaline to rush through my veins. I tremble, holding the snowball in my right hand. At least I can blame the cold for my shaky arm. He runs his hand down to my wrist and pulls it back, up toward my shoulder.

He rests his head on my shoulder and talks softly into my ear. “Pull your arm back to here and step forward at the same time you throw.” He moves to the side.

Goosebumps form on my neck from his warm breath gliding against my cool skin. My stomach flutters. Here goes nothing. I stare at the metal No Parking sign and pull my arm back, throwing the snowball as I step forward. Tiny fragments of snow fly through the air. A direct hit.

I clap my hands and bounce up and down on my toes. “Holy crap, I actually did it. I didn’t think I could hit the broad side of a barn.” Dean comes over and raises his hand to give me a high five. I lunge forward and pull him into a hug, before I realize what I’m doing. My chest tightens and heat creeps across my cheek.

He wraps his arms around my waist and presses his body against mine. I step back and ease away, dropping my arms to my sides. “We better head back, I’ve still got lots of physics studying to do if I plan on passing the semester.”

He rubs the back of his neck and nods.

I slide my frozen hands into my pockets and hold them in tight fists. Note to self: when I think I’m finished embarrassing myself I’m usually wrong.

The perfect untouched blanket of snow moves into an array of chaos as we turn the corner to my apartment. My heart beats faster with each step I take forward. This walk is taking forever. If I don’t get away from Dean soon, I may end up doing something else I shouldn’t. I mean, we’re just friends. I take a deep breath and slowly exhale as we approach my driveway.

I dig in my purse and pull out my keys. “Thanks for my victory celebration.”

He places his hand in the small of my back on our way toward my steps. “First of many.” His hand moves to my waist.

Summersaults take over my stomach. I step onto the first step. My boot slips along the rim of the concrete edge covered in a thin layer of ice and instantly it knocks me off balance. My hands flail through the air, desperately trying to grab onto anything.

Dean jumps into action, catching me before my head smacks against the hard sidewalk. I grab onto his sculpted bicep and pull myself to my feet.

Fire burns through my cheeks, which are no doubt fire-engine red. I drop my chin to my chest and hunch my shoulders. He lifts my chin and gazes into my eyes. My heart pounds against the walls of my chest. Electric shockwaves flows through my veins. He leans in closer. My lips part and lava flows through my body. He tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I knew you’d fall for me sooner or later.” He places a soft kiss on my cheek and takes a step back, turning and walking away.

 Author Amy Gale

Romance author by night, pharmacist by day, Amy Gale loves rock music and the feel of sand between her toes.  She attended Wilkes University where she graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. In addition to writing, she enjoys baking, scary movies, rock concerts, and reading books at the beach.  She lives in the lush forest of Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, six cats, and golden retriever.  

Contact Amy L. Gale:

 

1. Can you tell us a bit about the main characters.

Brooke Powers is goal-oriented freshman who wants to focus on her studies and avoid the party scene along with all the trouble that goes along with it.

Dean Parker is an enticingly charismatic fraternity brother and star player on Lakeview U's baseball team.

When Brooke's roommate drags her to a fraternity party, an unexpected mishap causes her wake up in Dean's bed throwing her strategically planned future into complete chaos.

2. How did you think of this story? What inspired you?

Since Dean and Brooke were already a couple in Blissful Tragedy, I wanted to elaborate on their awesome relationship. I decided to go back in time to the girls college years and tell the story. I have to be honest, I was inspired by some of my great college memories.

3. Is there anything special you would like your readers to know about Blissful Valentine?

Valentine's Day isn't always complete bliss.

4. Do you get writers block? How do you cure it?

I think every writer gets writers block at some point or another. I try and look to other sources to cure it, like music or re-watching some of my favorite movies for inspiration.

5. Top 5 Favorite Books

1. Beautiful Disaster

2. The Notebook

3. Fifty Shades of Grey

4. Dark Love

5. Thoughtless

6. I know you are a huge music fan AND Led Zeppelin fan. What songs help you write?

I usually come up with a play list based on the book I'm writing. When I wrote Blissful Valentine, I listened to Thank You by Led Zeppelin, Love Song by Tesla, Lay it on the Line by Triumph, Caught up in you by 38 Special, I Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore by REO Speedwagon, My Kinda Lover by Billy Squire, and Talk Dirty to Me by Poison.

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Him & Her & Chris

God forbid I focus on one thing at at time...

I was watching a movie the other night (Crash. It's old, but awesome.) and I had this whole conversation play out in my head for Chris' book. It will pick up where Us left off and we will still be in Elle and J's world, but I am going to write it so you don't need to have read the L&J series to get it.

We will find out who was feeding info to Burns, what's up with Link (hottie!), why Chris hates St. Louis so much, a little more on Jose, Son, and Isabel, and how the two MCs will rebuild. On top of that, we will get to know Chris better. And let me tell you, she has one hell of a story to tell. If there were too many F bombs from Elle, Chris may be a bit much for you!

She's under a 72 hour psych detention when the book opens because she may or may not have gone Medieval on someone. (She did.)

And that's all I'm saying.

Him & Her is about to be in the hands of the editors and I'm still gallivanting around Mexico. Other than that...

Deuces!!
E

Jennifer Armentrout and Stock Photos

Hello all. If you follow me on Goodreads, you will see that I am currently obsessed with Jennifer Armentrout. I read the Lux series and looooved it. Recently I read White Hot Kiss and went into a frenzy.

It is sooooo good! I read the 0.5 and now am on book 2, Stone Cold Touch.

It's the super shit as well. I tend to read all over the place, like not one genre necessarily. I was bored with Contemporary Romance and needed to switch it up. This was just what I needed. I like PA, but it can't be too out there. As well, I need to be able to follow along, so the world building needs to be pretty clear for me. I don't do dystopian where there are 200 pages of world creation. So the YA stuff is right up my alley. 

Thanks to Armentrout, I am currently cougaring out over an 18 year old demon prince--that's fictional! Here's her GR link:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4476934.Jennifer_L_Armentrout

Anyhoo, on a diff note, I'm looking for a cover for Him & Her. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24360751-him-her?from_search=true

It's not going well. I realized today as I sifted through tons of premade covers and then moved on to stock photos, that this search for a cover is representative of the book. It's a fucking struggle! Just like my characters are having to deal with the difficulties of being an interracial couple, I'm having difficulties finding a damn cover that is hot, represents the book, and isn't lame. (Seriously, there are some really lame pics that come up if you search 'interracial' anything on iStock.) 

 How is this interracial???

So, if anyone has suggestions, send them my way so I don't end up with white people brushing their teeth on my book cover.  :)

Hope you all are having a great 2015 and things are lookin' up.

Until laters-

E

New Book In The Works!

I've never been one to do the "easy" thing or the "conventional" thing. I tend to follow my gut and roll with the punches. I started writing a book that has been gnawing at me for over a year. I had the first few chapters already written. Despite the fact that I know you all want Chris' book in the L&J series, Denise and Michael were yelling louder in my head to have their story told. (Though Chris cussed me out quite a few times and I promise her book is next.)

Anyhoo, it is possible not many people will want to read Him & Her. It's an interracial romance set in Milwaukee, WI. It's not 'unicorns and rainbows' as a friend put it. He's not a billionaire and she isn't a virginal heroine who gets swept off her feet. As with all my books, these are real people who could be your next door neighbors. They've lived tough lives and find a piece of heaven in each other.

I've also taken a risk in the book as some of the things I've written aren't necessarily PC. They're the truth-- the ugly truth that we don't want to look at, but the truth nonetheless.

I might piss some people off, maybe no one will buy the book, or you may love it. Who knows?

What I do know is that I feel this is the best I've written so far. The characters are the most compelling. The sex is off the charts! And the story is real. Here is the GRs link for ya'll: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24360751-him-her

So as I navigate my way through central Mexico, I'm writing a story that is pure America. I miss diversity. You'd think when you leave your home country you'd miss the food and your family. I miss my family, but oddly, I've found I miss the diversity of the USA more than I ever imagined possible. In writing this book, I've also looked at the problems the vast diversity of the United States creates. That is the heart of this book. Being a melting pot is a blessing and a curse. As an American girl bred in the heartland, I'll take the problems diversity creates, because I believe the positives it offers outweigh the negatives by a long shot.

So that's what I'm working on. No cover yet, but I'm on the look out.

Hope you all had fantastic holidays and are pursuing your 2015 dreams.

Peace out folks-
E

Charles Sheehan Miles Rocks Hard Core

I am in the middle of a blog tour for my new book Fighting Words, but couldn't resist posting about a trilogy I am currently reading that has blown my mind.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23253491-thompson-sisters-boxed-set-volume-2

This is the 2nd part of a series. The first part of the series is:


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18343631-thompson-sisters-boxed-set

The Thompson Sister series by Charles Miles Sheehan has left me speechless. I read the first set of books a year or so ago. I had the 2nd set (Rachel's Peril) on my Kindle for a while and just now got to them.

Damn. I wish I hadn't waited so long. I have been obsessively reading Rachel's Peril, racing home from work so I can get back to reading them.

That's all I'm going to write because I want to get back to reading, but if you haven't read these I strongly encourage you to do so. I am writing this post without CSM knowing. He didn't put me up to this. I don't even know him outside of an author event I met him at. The books are just so damn amazing I had to share with ya'll. Here is his website if you want to know more about a MAN who can actually write good romance novels. (Crazy, right?!) http://www.sheehanmiles.com/

OK, back to international espionage and romance that keeps making me cry.
-E

Fighting Words is LIVE!!

Hello all. I am stealing some of the HTML from the fantastic Carol at www.starangelsreviews.com to create this lovely blog post for you. You can thank her for the graphics and what not. 

Yeay me, Fighting Words is live!!! Here are the purchase links (compliments of Carol). 

Purchase Links

Amazon

    US - http://tiny.cc/rgjvqx

     UK - http://tiny.cc/0jjvqx

     CA - http://tiny.cc/zmjvqx

Barnes & Noble - http://tiny.cc/cpjvqx

Kobo - http://tiny.cc/lqjvqx

Smashwords - http://tiny.cc/qrjvqx

Don't those look nice :)  Yep, can't take credit for that. 

I currently have a blog tour going on where you can win a bunch of books by myself and other authors who graciously donated. Here is the link to sign up for the raffle. (Click where it says 'rafflecopter giveaway')

Giveaway

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If you forgot what it's about, here is a synopsis. 

 Synopsis

**This is a standalone novel.**

Sara has lived most of her life in silence, her only outlet being family BBQs where she sings like an angel. When her wild, guitar playing cousin talks her into singing at a club, her world is turned upside down. She is forced to face a world she has spent most of her life avoiding and is crippled with fear.

One set of dark, brooding eyes at a show in Cincinnati changes everything. Gio breaks Sara so he can rebuild her. He makes her feel alive in a way she's never experienced. Unfortunately, he's not what he seems and Sara isn't sure she can forgive him. Though his intentions are good, she knows a relationship cannot be built on lies so she retreats back to her silent world.

When Hollywood comes knocking on Sara's door, he's the only one who stands a chance at convincing her to leave her silent life and move to LA. Gio is determined to make Sara trust and love him, but Sara is stubborn and scared, a combination that no one is sure she can overcome.

*Warning* This book contains sex, backstage debauchery, and a good amount of barf bags. Recommended for readers over 18.

And finally, if you want to chat, I'm all ears!! Find me on the social media sites below. 

  

Social Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-Eck/1448076818747715

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadEmilyEck
Blog: http://reademilyeck.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7768338.Emily_Eck

Instagram: http://instagram.com/reademilyeck

Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who are participating in this tour. You can find a list of them here. (You  have to scroll all the way to the bottom.) 

http://www.starangelsreviews.com/2014/12/blog-tour-fighting-words-by-emily-eck.html

I appreciate all the support from the deepest part of my heart. This was an emotional book for me to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it. 

Thanks everyone!

Emily

Love, In Spanish (and a lot more)

So, I want to start with a disclaimer that I may or may not have just cried due to a single line in a book, and it may or may not have sparked this blog. I also want whoever is reading this to know that I'm about to bare myself to the world through this post, something I rarely do. Even if you've read all of my blog entries, you really don't know me at all. I'm a private person, only letting you see what I want you to see. The only glimpse into the Real Emily is through the L&J books I wrote. If you read those, then you know one side of me.

The other side of me is the woman who feels like a girl, and is floating through North America trying to figure out which way is up. This Emily is emotional, willing to endure the pain of losing a finger, but terrified of the ache brought on by a broke heart. It could be broken by a lover, a friend, a coworker, a demon boss (not mentioning names), or a casual acquaintance. They all hurt. This Emily is also a closet crier.  Please don't tell anyone.

In the book world, it's totally acceptable to cry over a story. It could be due to exquisite writing, a compelling story, a sad ending, a happy ending, or a combination of any of the aforementioned sob-worthy book elements. Sometimes though, an author writes a line that isn't all that moving for the general public. It's a line that is merely taking us from one sentence to the next, from one scene to another, or in my case is a line of dialogue that is merely moving the story along.

So let's take a pause here, because I'm obviously reading something, right? Have you ever had a line or a paragraph hit so close to home with you that it overwhelms you with emotion? I'm not talking about those "perfect" lines in Kristen Ashley books. No, I'm talking about a line that speaks to you personally because it feels as if the writer is living your life and detailing it on your e-reader.

I'll cut to the chase. Love, in Spanish by Karina Halle. If you read my blog regularly then you already know how I felt about Love, in English, the first book in the series. I write Goodreads reviews all the time, but taking the time to write a blog about a book means it meant something to me and probably is going into my 'favs' file in GRs.

Anyhoo, Karina Halle just happened to write a book about a Canadian woman who spends a month in Spain and falls in love. In the sequel, we get the hero, Mateo's, POV. It is not a retelling, but a continuation of their love story. Before I move on, let me say that Halle is one of those writers that I can only hope to one day be. She has a gift with words, pulling you (or me) into her stories to the point I can see them playing out as a movie in my head. Surprisingly, I haven't read her Experiment in Terror series, which she is best known for. She got me with the Artists Trilogy, a super gritty romance that had all the elements I crave in a good romance: action, adventure, shoot outs, hot sex, hot hero, hot heroine, danger, passion, car chases, and exquisitely compelling characters. Shit, I digress.

Back to Love, in Spanish and why I may or may not be dabbing my eyes with a towel. This line:

"I don't belong in Vancouver, and yet I don't feel like I belong here either."

And then this one:

"I'm just afraid that Spain doesn't want me."

Nice lines but not monumental, right? So why am I bawling? (Fuck the may or may not shit. I'm bawling. There I said it.)

I'm an American (a Midwestern Girl) living in Central Mexico. I had these grand ideas of the adventure I'd have and the love I'd find. I thought it would be where I met my future husband and perfected my Spanish. In truth, it has been seven months of 25% bliss and 75% misery. I am struggling, like Vera, to get a work visa, I've been burned by people and have sequestered myself in my apartment, filling my time with writing and reading. If you don't leave the house, no one can hurt you, right?

Like Vera, I don't want to go back to the United States. It's not that I don't love my country. In fact, being in Mexico has made me love my country even more. I miss my music, going to clubs and dancing to hip hop, a place with (mostly) functioning break lights on the car in front of you, and perfume free products. I rue that I'm missing the last years of Obama's term. I miss my mom.

...Yet, I'm not ready to come back. I don't know why. I can't put words to it. I left for a reason. I wanted to live as Thoreau said:

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."

I don't think I've accomplished this. I will likely spend my life attempting to achieve this, and THAT will be why I do not die feeling as though I haven't lived. Maybe I'm supposed to go someplace else, though, because it feels like Mexico doesn't want me, just like Spain doesn't want Vera. I've shed more tears south of the border than I've cried in the last five years (book tears not included because those don't count, right?). Mexico is ripping me apart, but there has to be a reason. I can't see it now, but I have faith there is a reason. Waiting it out is killing me slowly, though. I don't wait well.

So as you can see (read), Halle had managed to write words I've thought, but only said out loud to my mother. Coincidence that she wrote them? Yes. Coincidence that of the myriad of books on my Kindle, I chose to read this one tonight? Nope.

Now that I've written a weepy blog and told you a couple of my fears, let me close with a few words about the actual book. It fucking rocks. I read something Halle wrote about how she wasn't sure she could write a contemporary romance after writing horror and super gritty romance. Well, she nailed it with Love, in English and again (so far) with Love, in Spanish. I'm in love with Mateo and Vera. I desperately want them to get their HEA, though I have a feeling I won't get it without being put through the emotional wringer.

Both are such well developed characters that it feels as if I could reach through the Kindle and touch them. Halle's writing is flawless as she uses words to purge the feelings of two fictional characters onto our e-reader screens. There's no confusing sentences, fucked up time lines, or embarrassing typos. (Things I may or may not be in the process of fixing in my next book that will be releasing December 15^th. Thank you, Melinda, editor extraordinaire.)

Damn. I think I'm done. I've told you Mexico doesn't want me, I don't want to return to the States, I'm a little broken over here, Love, in Spanish is just as good (so far) as Love, in English, and that I have a book about to come out.  Whew, crammed quite a bit in there. I'm at 38% in Love, in Spanish and you will most likely be able to find a review on GRs in the next day or two for it. It's already five stars, I can tell you that.

And now you all know a little bit more about me. I'm not as tough as I might appear, but damnit, I'm a fighter and a believer. Things will work out. Even if they don't, it's OK because I'm already working on a new book for your reading pleasure. Now, if I magically find my Mateo and fall madly in love, you may have to wait a little bit for the book I have in progress. Fighting Words releases December 15^th, so that one is in the bag. 

Here's the cover, and I'll let you know when it goes live.

Thanks for reading my overly personal blog that I most definitely bawled while writing.

Peace ya'll-

Emily

Fighting Words Cover Reveal

Hello all my wonderful book lovers (and the friends and family who read my blog just to be nice).  I appreciate ya'll way more than I could ever express. I am going to keep this short as I am at in internet cafe in Mexico and if you didn't know, their keyboards are different than ours and it is a pain in the ass.  There is also no English spell check so forgive me if  there are typos.  

Anyhoo, today is the grand unveiling of the cover for Fighting Words. This book has a sassy heroine cuz that's how I roll, but is less violent than the L&J series.  The cover (hopefully) reflects that.  I wouldn't leave you with out a few good one liners, so I'll close with this one from the book.

"I'm a little bit speechless over here. I gotta go down on a guy just to get a damn Big Mac, and you're kissing super hotties that get multiple hotel rooms for you. Really, I don't know what to say."

Adios people!!

E

Fighting Words Blog Tour

Hello all. I finished the first draft of Fighting Words. It is in the hands of some wonderful ladies who are kind enough to edit it for me. (Thank you, Melinda!!) My goal is to release by December 15th. There will be a blog tour beginning that day so I HAVE to be ready!!  Below is the link to the sign up sheet for bloggers.

http://www.promostarservices.com/2014/11/invite-blog-tour-fighting-words-by.html

You can check out the synopsis on Goodreads here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23590023-fighting-words?ac=1

Cover reveal coming soon. 

If you don't feel like clicking the link (not hating) I'll make it easy for ya. Here is the synopsis. If it appeals to you, add it to your TBR shelf. 

**This is a standalone novel.**

Sara has lived most of her life in silence, her only outlet being family BBQs where she sings like an angel. When her wild, guitar playing cousin talks her into singing at a club, her world is turned upside down. She is forced to face a world she has spent most of her life avoiding and is crippled with fear.

One set of dark, brooding eyes at a show in Cincinnati changes everything. Gio breaks Sara so he can rebuild her. He makes her feel alive in a way she's never experienced. Unfortunately, he's not what he seems and Sara isn't sure she can forgive him. Though his intentions are good, she knows a relationship cannot be built on lies so she retreats back to her silent world.

When Hollywood comes knocking on Sara's door, he's the only one who stands a chance at convincing her to leave her silent life and move to LA. Gio is determined to make Sara trust and love him, but Sara is stubborn and scared, a combination that no one is sure she can overcome.

*Warning* This book contains sex, backstage debauchery, and a good amount of barf bags. Recommended for readers over 18.

And finally, I'll leave you with a few teasers I made. Now, I don't profess to be the teaser queen, but it's a nice way to pass a Sunday afternoon when you may or may not be nursing a hangover. When Fighting Words goes live, I'll hook ya'll up will the 411. Until then, adios and happy holidays.
E

The Will & The Fetal Position

So, my Kindle broke. I know, cue the waterworks and me in the fetal position. I think I cried more over my broken Kindle than my most recent break-up. I wasn't sure if I wanted to sob or drink. I'm in Mexico and didn't have high hopes I'd be getting a new Kindle shipped here. It was a sad sad day.

Part Two - I broke out the iPhone and although I don't have wifi at the house, I could access it at work (today). But that left me with the whole weekend and no books. No books!! Luckily, by the grace of some God, I had one book on it: The Will by KA, something that's on my giant TBR list. I heard that The Will was KA's grand return to epic storytelling. It got great reviews after Kaleidoscope didn't. I haven't read Kaleidoscope, but it was all over GRs that it wasn't "epic" in good KA fashion. I can't comment on that, but so far I've sobbed my eyes out while reading The Will on my phone.

It is epic.

Part Three - I was able to chat online with someone from Amazon (while on the clock) and my Kindle was still under warranty. (I knew it!) They're shipping me a new one! Cue the applause and confetti. AND they are shipping it to Mexico for free. Cue me jumping up and down in the English class I'm teaching. (The kids seemed a little confused.)

So thumbs up to Amazon. They were hella cool with me and more than happy to ship the Kindle. Right the fuck on.

That's it. Read The Will. It's epic. And if you have a Kindle, get the warranty.

On that note, deuces.
E

Nerd Girl Rocks and Something You Don't Expect

Hello all. After moving into new digs, I've finally found my mojo and started back on Fighting Words. A new job, visa drama, and moving all my shit to a new place (yet again) can really put a damper on one's inspiration. But fear not, I hope to have Fighting Words done by the end of the month. In the meantime...

Someone wanted to interview me again, AND this time they let me blog about whatever I wanted. So here is what I had to say. I'll let you know when it goes live on:  http://nerdgirlofficial.com/  and  https://www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG

I get to write about whatever I want. Or at least, I think I do. So I'm going to take a leap of faith here and hope I don't piss anyone off with my topic: undocumented youth in the United States. You thought you were going to get some fluffy romance piece? Me too!!

I started out writing one book, Steel & Ice. By the end of the book, I knew there was going to be a sequel. There was just so much that still needed to happen and I didn't want a 750 page book.

But that wasn't the only unplanned aspect of the L&J series. Again, I started out writing one smutty novel with a little bit of Motorcycle Club romance thrown in. So how did undocumented youth, an incredibly sensitive immigration topic sneak into my smut? In order to answer this, I need to take us back a bit.

Picture it, Sicilly, 1947....

OK, it was, like, 2003 in the Midwest, and I was studying Spanish in college. I saw a sign looking for volunteers at a Latino Youth Center and decided to give it a shot. I wanted to improve my Spanish and thought it would be a good opportunity to do so. While in college, I was working as a cook at Applebee's. (Yep, just like my heroine, Elle, in the L&J series.) Like Elle, I began by cooking dinner for the kids each night. Unlike Elle, I eventually was hired on as staff and began teaching my own after school youth program twice a week. It would become my life for the next five years, and the kids would become my world.

I can't tell you the exact moment I realized most of my kids were undocumented. All I know is that by the time I put the pieces together, I'd become not only their confidant, but they'd become my cubs. It was after the first year that the stories started to emerge.

Like the typical American, I didn't know exactly how people crossed the Mexican/American border other than wading through the river. The kids taught me most people found other ways to cross, many of them dangerous. Mothers were determined to offer their kids a life their hometown south of the border couldn't provide. It was heartbreaking when one of my students came to class beaming with pride as she showed me her report card with straight A+s. Not straight A's. Nope. A+s. Realizing she would never be able to go to college in America and use that amazing brain of hers to find the cure for AIDS just about killed me.

My youth group kids didn't make the choice to come to the United States. They were brought to the country by well intending parents who thought they were doing what was best for their children, a sentiment that transcends culture. It is my opinion, that every mother, who is not on drugs, wants the best for her children, and will go to great lengths to provide the life she believes will achieve this.

One of my kids was brought to the United States as a baby and had few ties to his home country. He'd never visited the town he was born in, his Spanish was shotty, and being the intelligent teen he was, he realized his options were limited. Having a sixteen year old boy tell you, the adult, that he has no options besides selling drugs is a sobering experience. Being the fixer I am, I wracked my brain trying to come up with a less dangerous and illegal option.

I couldn't come up with one.

My kids are adults now, and I'm finding new gray hairs everyday. As they age, so do I. Unlike them, my options as an American citizen are limitless. Some of my kids have returned to their home country, some are doing their best to build a decent life for themselves by working in a variety of manners. Some are paying into a social security system they will never see a dime of. Others are in the wind, leading me to pray to the universe each night that they are safe and alive.

Do I have the great immigration solution? No.

Regardless, my kids are not "undocumented youth" to me, but people just like you and me trying to make a life and find happiness. We get so caught up in the rhetoric of the political situation surrounding immigration that I believe we forget we are dealing with real people, not numbers or statistics on a bill presented to the Senate or the House.

When I wrote Steel & Ice and realized how much of my life I was pouring into it, the kids had to be a part of the story. They are a part of my story and how I found a better life for myself than selling drugs and cooking riblets. (Though the cooks in American restaurants hustle harder than you could ever imagine.) At some point, the L&J series became pure fiction, but the stories you'll read involving Elle's youth group kids are all true. Some I lived through, and others are stories my families or other immigrants I've met in my life told me.

The L&J series was an opportunity for me to share stories that usually go unheard about kids you pass by everyday, yet have no idea what life is like for them. It was a chance for me to tell my story as well as theirs, and it was an honor to do so.

Thank you to all the youth and families who have changed my life. I couldn't be the person I am today if the universe hadn't put these people into my life, and shown me that there is a whole world out there I know nothing about. I'm me because I was afforded the great pleasure of seeing and experiencing what life is like for someone who is not a white, American woman. And for that, I will always be grateful from the bottom of my heart.

In reading this, I hope you too can look at undocumented youth not as merely a political situation, but as a group of young people trying to make the best out of a situation they had no say in.

And by the way, go read my books!

Here are the links to Steel & Ice, the first book in the L&J series, on all platforms where it's available. It is 99 cents and will stay at that price until the end of the year.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Ice-L-Emily-Eck-ebook/dp/B00I33VP1Y/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steel-Ice-L-Emily-Eck-ebook/dp/B00I33VP1Y/
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Steel-Ice-L-Emily-Eck-ebook/dp/B00I33VP1Y/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Steel-Ice-L-Emily-Eck-ebook/dp/B00I33VP1Y/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steel-ice-emily-eck/1118427898?ean=2940045613064
iStore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/steel-ice/id808499900?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/steel-ice
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/402043

*****Q&A*****

Q. When and why did you begin writing? What inspired you to write your first book?

I received a journal for my 8th birthday, so I suppose I started writing then. I hold a bachelor's in Anthropology, a discipline that is writing heavy. With regards to writing fiction, smutty romance at that, I began working on my first book, Steel & Ice, in 2013. I'd been reading a lot of indie romance and found myself drawn to the grittier side of the genre. After a handful of mafia, cartel, and MC romances, I had a "what if" idea. What if this woman, who was a product of the streets herself, was trying to get her life in order and this too-good-to-be-true man walked in, disrupting the stability she had managed to create? What would that look like? How would he manage to break down her walls? From that what-if that lingered in my head for weeks was born Steel & Ice, and the rest of the L&J series.

Q. What book(s) / author(s) have influenced your life and writing?

V. J. Chambers was my Sensei when it came to the actual process of writing. She helped me with soooo many of the finer details of publishing. I am pretty sure I asked her at least one question a day for a year, all of which she graciously answered.

I don't think I can pinpoint any one author who has influenced my writing. I think there are authors out there that I admire and aspire to reach their level of writing: CD Reiss, Kristen Ashley (of course), Tijan, Amy Harmon, Andrea Randall, Lili St. Germain, Charles Sheehan Miles, Karina Halle, to name just a few.

Q. Tell us about your characters and how they came to be? Have they been in your head for a long time?

My heroine, Elle, is me at 23. The kids she works with are a mash up of kids I've worked with over the last decade (shit, did I just give away my age?), and Chris and Aaron are based on real people. All the characters started similar to someone, but quickly took on a life of their own. Elle is the only character that remains most like her true representative. (Me, of course!) The series starts off based in the reality of my past. At some point though, we move into pure fiction. Even then, when Elle needs to make a decision or I needed to decide how she would react to something, I asked myself how I would react and wrote as such.

Chris is based on a woman I used to know who was hella hardcore. Aaron is also based on a real person, though the two never actually intersected in my life. They come from two different time periods and never met one another. Writing the scenes with the three of them was a blast as they have such great banter between the three of them. I often read dialogue out loud to make sure it was authentic. Some people didn't like the way Elle and Chris talked and thought it was fake. I laugh because when I go to my hometown and get with my girls, that's exactly how we talk. There is a diverse cast of characters from a variety of cultural backgrounds in the book. This is reflected in my circle of friends in real life, and therefore the dialogue reflects this as well.

Fernie is based on two young men I worked with in my past. They both had a profound influence on me and my life. There is a scene at County Lock-Up in which a conversation takes place between Elle and Fernie. The conversation didn't happen in jail, but it did happen. It was a frustrating conversation that would forever change my life. Getting to write it for the world to read was an honor as it offered me the opportunity to share with readers the lives of people they probably know nothing about. Fernie's story may be fiction, but the things he goes through in the book are not. His story is reality for many youth in America.

Q. What motivates you to write?

Sleep. I need sleep! I see scenes in my head and they keep me up at night.
Q. What is the hardest part of writing?

Most indie authors have lives outside writing. The have jobs, kids, husbands, and other regular life obligations. For me, finding time to put all that aside and get in the zone can be challenging. If I am worried about paying the electric bill, I can't write. If I am hung-over (god forbid), I can't write. So carving out time and finding peace of mind can be a challenge for me. I don't have kids, and all those women who are doing the mommy thing AND writing impress the hell out of me. Hats off to them!

Another challenge is writing sex scenes when I'm feeling not-so-sexy. You know, you're on your period, you haven't been on a date in ages, and you've sorta forgotten what sex is like. Those times! I have to dig deep and possibly beg my friends with men in their lives for some good material. Thankfully, they usually oblige.

Q. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I cuss a lot!! My mom read the books and asked if I REALLY needed to use the F word so much. I work at a professional job where I speak properly each day, but when I'm with my friends—whew, I have a sailor's mouth. I think it's from my seven years working in the kitchen with all men where the F word was used every other sentence—or sometimes every sentence.

I also learned that you can't please everyone. Those first few weeks, I scoured Amazon and Goodreads everyday looking at reviews. A bad review or low star rating would crush me, and I'd spend my whole day wallowing. I finally had to stop looking at reviews. You'd think the good reviews and five star ratings would cancel out the bad ones—nope! I had more positive reviews than negative, yet that one negative comment would be like a knife in my side. I'd start to reevaluate if I should be writing at all, and think "maybe I just suck and should give this up." Now that the whole series is out, I'm less stressed by reviews. I don't look at them too much, maybe once a month, and I find this offers me the opportunity to keep writing without the haters deterring me.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?

I'm writing a new book titled Fighting Words. It is still based on my life, but unlike the L&J series that was very much me, Fighting Words is based on a very small facet of my life. I have other books in my head, one of which I have the first three chapters written, and all draw from my life and personality. In Fighting Words, the heroine shares an obstacle with me. (No, I'm not telling you what it is!) It is something I deal with everyday and had to learn to manage, as does the heroine. It could be debilitating, but I refuse to allow it to be. The heroine, Sara, has not yet reached the point where she is ready to fight. During the book, we see her highs and lows as we follow her on a journey to overcome this obstacle. (Is it driving you crazy that you don't know what it is??!!) Of course, there's sex and a nice tall hottie for ya'll. It wouldn't be romance without that, right?

For Fighting Words, I had to create a new hero, and I knew I couldn't recreate J from the L&J series. J is my dream man, so naturally I wanted to make him all over again. I was mindful of this and had to think about what other qualities I could put into a man that would make him different from J, but still hot enough that I could write good sex scenes, because if I'm not in love with my hero I can't write good sex that readers will connect with. How can they connect if I can't? So I drew on my love of the outdoors and outdoor activities to create Gio, Sara's hero.

In the other book I started, Him and Her, the hero is based on a real person so it is easier to craft his character. The book is based on a relationship I had in Milwaukee. It was an "interracial" relationship, but we both hated that label. We were just two people in love. The focus of the book is about two foster kids, who despite their different skin colors, are more similar than different. Unfortunately, it's the outside world that can't seem to see past their different skin colors. I used to hear "Aw look, Emily has jungle fever." For him and me, we were just two people trying to make a relationship work, but the rest of the world was focused on the fact that he's black and I'm white.

What am I trying to say after all this rambling? All my books have some of me or my life. I write what I know. Yes, I do research to add parts that are not similar to me, but you will find a piece of my life in every book I write. As well, I'm an aggressive, Aries woman who takes risks and lives life like everyday is her last. I don't take the road less traveled; I pave my road where there was once a cornfield. I don't think I could write a weak, virginal heroine. All of my leading ladies will have a piece of me, even if it is just one small piece like Sara in Fighting Words.

Q. What does your family think of your writing?

Ha! My mom read all my books, but told my dad not to. Fighting Words is less gritty than the L&J series and my mom asked me, "So I'll be able to let my friends read it?" For the most part, they are supportive, but really it's my mom who matters most. I know reading the L&J series was hard for her because she was never sure what was real and what was made up. As well, Elle's mom is a real bitch. I made the mom in Fighting Words a great mom, so hopefully my own mom will enjoy that more.

Q. What is the best advice you would give to inspiring authors?

Fuck the haters. Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't write, but be ready for those one star reviews. Thick skin is necessary unless you are Kristen Ashley and everything you write is golden! As well, find a Sensei, another author who is willing to help you along. You will have numerous questions about writing, publishing, promotion, and other things that just pop up. Find someone or a tool to help you navigate the waters of indie publishing. At the same time, be cautious for scammers. Unfortunately, there are many out there.

Q. What book are you reading now?

I just finished Two Roads by Lili St. Germain. I'm so deep into the Gypsy Brothers series it's not even funny. I'm like a little kid kicking my feet on the ground because I want the last book NOW!! Before that I read the Songs of Perdition and Corruption series by CD Reiss. I already read Songs of Submission. That woman truly has a gift for crafting a sentence. It's like musical notes reading from one word to the next. I'm in awe.

Next up is Fallen Fourth Down by Tijan. I rarely read YA romance, but Tijan writes YA romance unlike anyone else I've come across. Her high school characters party like rock stars, plus there is just something about Mason that makes me all cougar-ed out. :)

I anxiously awaiting the next book in the Fae Chronicles by Amelia Hutchins.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-Eck/1448076818747715

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadEmilyEck

Blog: http://reademilyeck.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7768338.Emily_Eck

Instagram: http://instagram.com/reademilyeck

Bio

Emily is a Midwestern Gal hailing from the United States, but could be anywhere as you read this. Currently residing in Mexico, adventure feeds her soul, and offers great writing material. She loves kids and working with kids, but can only handle caring for four-legged furry friends. A crazy dog and laid back cat have trained her to be their partner in life. After coming from a snowy climate, Emily and the animals are loving the sun Mexico has to offer each and every day. Vices include Swedish Fish, ignoring chores in favor of reading, and caring too much for people in her life.

She chose to write this bio in third person as she is an Aries, and found writing in first person ended up with her writing an excessively long life story. Aries like to talk about themselves. It is something Emily is working on being more mindful of. You can contact her on any of the social media platforms below and she will respond, as her mom gave her the gift of gab.