Okay so it looks like I fell off the planet. Promise - I'm still here. The last four years have been ... hard. There's no other word for it. Everything is fine. I'm fine, but I've been the caregiver of my mom who has Dementia. Between her needs, work, etc I seem to have lost control of my time. I am still writing and am trying hard to get back to my blog.

In case you weren't aware Phaze and HSWF which where under the Mundania Umbrella have closed. I was smart enough to get my titles back before all this happened. I'm happy to say the three books I sold to HSWF have been picked up by Melange Books and are available through their Satin Books imprint. I have even sold a new title to them called Magical Quest due out in 2022

I have also been lucky enough to find a publisher for my Vespian Way series. I'm now with Blushing Books under the name of Bethany Drake. I have five titles out with them right now and am close to submitting two more. There's Desire's Destiny, Desire's Duty and Desire's Promise. Then there is two in my werewolf series, Tears of the Queen and Legend of the Tears. I have just finished the rough draft of the third book in the series and have plans for a fourth one the moment I submit it.

I'll probably still be sporadic here on the blog. Unless I win the lottery and can hire someone to help me I can't avoid it, but know I'm still here still working hard in the background and am hoping to do better at keeping my blog alive.

Barb:)



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

New Release: Suz deMello's Sherlock's Scandal #RHACafe #MFRWAuthor

Why do people love Holmes? by Suz deMello
(tags: #sherlock #erotica #victoriana @AllRomance)

I will readily admit that I am a Sherlock Holmes fan. No, a fanatic.

Taken the Goodreads quiz on Holmes? Try it—I got 100% (grinning). I thought it was (ahem) elementary.

But why do people love Holmes?



The character wasn’t initially popular. According to Wikipedia, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four (its first title) didn’t sell well. The short stories, initially published by The Strand Magazine, were the works that ignited the public’s imagination. The first, A Scandal in Bohemia, was published in 1891.

I know why I love Holmes—I’m a sapiensexual. I’m turned on by brains. I’m literally repelled by men who mix up well and good or who don’t hold their cutlery correctly. (A great face, cute smile and buffed bod are also important, along with a sweet soul).

These days, we love hot heroes with brains as well as flaws. Sherlock is complex. He has a lightning-fast wit but the emotional I.Q. of a boulder. He’s interesting. The reigning Holmes, BBC’s Sherlock, describes himself as a “high-functioning sociopath.” I’d add, with a touch of Asperger’s.

Upon publication, however, Sherlock appeared in a very different world.

In 1888, a serial killer started a rampage in an area of London still called Whitechapel. We do not know the number of murders committed by Jack the Ripper. Five brutal killings are apparently linked, but as many as six more could have been the work of the same slayer.

The number, frequency, and brutality of the homicides terrorized London even after they ended in 1891. Unhappy with official efforts to catch the killer, citizens formed the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee and walked the streets searching for suspects.  Police received hundreds of letters purporting to contain leads, most of which were useless. Though serial killers have appeared throughout human history, the Ripper was the first to ignite a media frenzy (Wikipedia).

People cling to certainty in an uncertain world. To a city gripped by dread, the cool, calm, logical Holmes, a detective who unerringly solved every case, was an inspirational hero bringing comfort in a frightening world.

My version of Holmes, from Sherlock’s Scandal, isn’t so cool, calm, and logical. Here’s a snippet to pique your interest:




After the performance, I purchased a bouquet of red roses from one of Covent Garden’s ever-present flower-sellers and posted myself at the stage door to see if I could meet the lady. When she finally emerged, she had cleaned her face of stage makeup and changed out of her costume into a stunning gown of midnight velvet. I am no connoisseur of women’s fashions, but I will never forget the sight. Her décolletage was fetchingly displayed by a lace-trimmed bodice cut so low it exposed her admirable bosom almost all the way down to the nipples, which I promised myself I’d lick that night. She must have bound her breasts for the role, I realized hazily, trying not to stare.
I cleared my throat. “Good evening, Miss Adler.” I offered her the flowers.
She took them and buried her face in the petals to inhale their scent.  I hoped her open enjoyment of the fragrance betokened a sensual nature. She looked up, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Holmes.”
I lifted my brows, fixing on her full lips and large, sparkling eyes in order to avoid crudely ogling her breasts.
“Of course I know who you are.” Off-stage, her American accent was pronounced but not unpleasant.
“I am most flattered.” I offered her my arm. She took it, and we strolled to the kerb, where a hansom waited.
In the intimate interior of the cab, I could scent her perfume, a flowery aroma that blended delightfully with the roses she still clasped. “May I invite you to a late supper?”
“Thank you.” She daintily arranged her skirts, favoring me with a glimpse of one neat ankle.
My member hardened, and I blessed my dinner suit’s loose, comfortable trousers. I drew a deep breath, hoping to calm my hot blood and racing pulse. “Uh, uhm, Sampson’s?”
“Beefsteaks? A fortifying meal for so late in the evening. Will I be in need of fortification, Mr. Holmes?” she asked. Her eyes were partially shadowed by lowered lids.
“Yes,” I said. “You will.”
She raised her gaze, boldly meeting mine. I leaned closer and put a finger beneath her chin. Her skin was soft over a strong jaw, testimony of a determined character.
My chest clenched in a most peculiar manner. Had I met my match?
It was rude, and crude, and forward, but I could not resist. I had to taste her mouth.

All Romance Ebooks has the best price for this short story—here’s a link:

Hope you enjoy it! I truly loved writing it.

Here’s a little about me:

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Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.

Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.

A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.


find Suzie’s books here:


http://www.tinyurl.com/SuzDeMello (publisher’s site)


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