Ova Veugh Does it Again! Come take a look.

Hello everyone! Ova Veugh here and welcome to the debut episode of Claret Conversations.

Usually, when you think of December, you envision cold weather. Select holidays. The savoring of good home-cooked meals. The exchange of presents. The gathering of people, singing, laughing and expressing what they are thankful for.

However, people also desire warmth.

I am excited to introduce two people who I deem Connoisseurs of Sensual Heat. One is known for his Syncopation of Ravishing Intensity. The other is well-known for her contemporary views on relationships and sexuality. Please give a warm welcome to Authors Adonis Mann and Synful Desire.

Adonis and Desire, it is fantastic to have you as my first guests on Claret Conversations. Before we talk turkey about your latest joint project, I would like to offer you a choice of wine.

Adonis: White, if you please.

Desire: White, please.

I will have a bit of hot apple cider myself. I never conduct interviews while tipsy.

Okay, now that I have handed out refreshments, let’s get the show on the road.

My first question is for Adonis.

How did you come up with your preliminary catchphrase “Syncopation of Ravishing Intensity”, and why did that same phrase fit your first short story collection?

Adonis: Well, the “Syncopation of Ravishing Intensity” catchphrase was the brainchild of Author Queen of Spades. You see, many months before the birth of S.O.R.I. I was searching for a catchphrase that would encompass my sapient style of writing as well as the flow of my prose. One day, as we had an Author Mentoring Meeting, we brainstormed several variations of a catchphrase that might serve the purpose. A few words thrown around were “Ravishing” and “Intensity” followed by someone saying “But Adonis there is a certain syncopation in your words.” At that very moment Author Queen of Spades said, “That’s it! Syncopation of Ravishing Intensity! That totally describes you, Adonis.” and there you had it.

As it pertains to “Syncopation of Ravishing Intensity”, a.k.a. S.O.R.I., which story is your favorite as it pertains to the following categories:

a. Readability

b. Characters

c. Intensity

d. Resonance

Adonis: My personal favorite story in S.O.R.I. was “Tyronian Rapture”. Apart from being among the very first stories I wrote for the collection, it somehow took with it a piece of my heart. I find that it has all of the aforementioned variables; readability, characters, intensity and resonance. Although the setting is historical, the way the story is told is very relatable and captivating.

Now, Desire, a question for you.

Since you arrived on the scene, you’ve always touted that “Surrender is Liberation”. What has that meant to you? Is the meaning the same from its conception until now? As your writing evolves, have you ever felt pressured to change it?

Desire: To me, although I apply “Surrender is Liberation” to writing, it is actually a concept that is applicable to all walks of life. In order to function as a physically healthy individual, one must surrender to the process of health, to find liberation in the benefit the process provides. This can also work for the mental, emotional, and spiritual in humanity.

I do not want to digress, so I will stick to speaking about me. I was adamant that I did not want to be constrained by what others defined as my writing style.

Although I burst on the scene writing erotica, I never wanted to be known as the “standard” erotica writer or just to be an author who delved into erotica. Erotica is more than just intensity. It involves sensual intelligence, emotional architecture, anatomical symmetry, along with what to say and when to say it. I swear, to hear someone brag that “anyone can write erotica” makes my skin itch. Sure, one can string obscene words together, but that doesn’t exude erotica or sexiness. It is the other components surrounding the words.

Even though I’ve explored a myriad of genres, “Surrender is Liberation” still applies and means the same. I feel no pressure to change it because it still fits my vision of how I see myself and live my life, both as an author and as a person.

As it pertains to your flash fiction anthology “Amoresels”, which story is your favorite as it pertains to the following categories:

a. Readability

b. Characters

c. Intensity

d. Resonance

Desire:

a. In my opinion, readability goes to “Taste on the Move”. I won’t give much away, except food and hunger.

b. For characters, it would have to be the title story “Amoresels”. The interactions between the hosts Maeve and Dawood along with their invited guests were highly entertaining.

c. For intensity … this is a tough one … but I have to say “Full Circle”. Primarily because of the emotional backstory that drove the action.

d. As it pertains to resonance … another difficult decision … I pick “House of Mirrors”. The way the story came together still leaves me in awe.

Now, a question for you both.

Do you take time to read each other's stories? If so, which one is your personal favorite and why?

Adonis: I absolutely do read Desire’s works. As a matter of fact, she is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. There is a fanciful groundedness about her style that appeals to me quite a bit. All of Desire’s stories are charismatic and enthralling in their own rights no matter what she writes. I personally have a soft spot for her newer collections called Amoresels. So much so, in fact, that I wrote the Foreword for that collection of micro-shorts. There is a “fetish” for every personal preference and a savoriness for all taste buds. I highly recommend it. It’s a super fun read.

Desire: I do take time to read Adonis' stories. There is a unique melody to his story writing that soothes me. One of my personal favorites is one of his newer selections "Twin Flame Duplicity". Although it is a free offering, there is a level of intensity and intrigue which packs quite a punch.

What made you two decide to collaborate for the first Simmer book?

Adonis: It was Desire that came up with the concept of the first Simmer collaborative based on the original story called “Simmer Sweet” which was a short story she wrote that was initially being given for free to readers. One day she decided that she would make an extended edition of the story and that was when she invited me to be a part of it. I think that her reason to have me collaborate was because I did not have many publications at the time. But, in all actuality, she tells the story much better than I could ever. Thus, I will let her expand now ….

Desire: Donny, I think you actually covered it fully. Adonis was newer than I, and I believed it would give him great exposure.

Okay, back to you Adonis.

How did you segue from your original tagline to your current one? Was the transition gradual or all of a sudden?

Adonis: It was indeed gradual but had more to do with what was going on around me at the time.

You see, the All Authors Authors seemed to all be growing out of their taglines, if you will. The transcendence that had become our collective storytelling styles seemed to beckon a transitioning of taglines—something that explained where we stood now in our writing careers.

It took me longer than most of my brethren to make the transition as I was having difficulty finding something that truly fit.

One day I decided to call a meeting. The focal point was to come up with a tagline that better suited my growth.

We all went back and forth pitching various lines.

Funny enough it took a collective attempt to come up with just the right string of words. Some people felt that “Whimsical” was a great fit for my style, whereas others thought that I was a “Wordsmith”. Others still believed that my writing style took you from earth to something like a Nirvana. Hence the word “Oasis” was selected. The final product was “Wordsmith of Whimsical Oases”.

I find it fitting. 😃 

How did the idea blossom to do a continuation of Simmer? Would anyone reading Simmer: Sensual & Spicy have to read Simmer: Smoothe & Sweet to avoid being confused or lost?

Desire: Well, our publisher came up with an updated cover concept and interior design for Simmer: Smoothe & Sweet. This gave me a chance to go through the book. I found myself not only back in Kesha and Teresa's world but also Tommy and Spencer's, imaging what was next for all of them. I suggested the idea to Adonis, and well, here we are! Donny, do you have anything to add, as far as origins?

Adonis: Not at all actually, Desire. I think you pretty much covered it. 😀

Desire: I am speaking in reference to my story "The Simmer of Spicy". Since Kesha does a bit of flashback during her narrative, the reading of "Simmer Sweet" is not necessary, but for the full simmering, if you will, I would recommend reading both Simmer books.

Adonis: In my telling of Sensual and Smoothe, it is very important to read the first story in order to understand the second.

Why do you think Whimsical Liberation fit you as a duo?

Desire: I think it encompasses the best of us both: Adonis' way with words and the liberties I take to make the audience "see the emotions".

Adonis: Agreed. The bonus being that it sounded incredibly smooth together, if you would excuse the pun.

Will there be any future projects by Whimsical Liberation as well as any solo ventures? If so, please share.

Desire: We do have a project in the works called “Blinks of Passion”, which will feature works by Donny, works by me, and a fusion of words by us both.

Individually, I have a new story entitled “Rome’s Debris” that is to appear in Concordant Vibrancy 5. I will also be participating in the next installments of Divergent Ink.

The concept of Convoluted Prism has been reimagined, which is why I have not spoken much about it lately, but with the restructure, I am satisfied that it will produce a better product. I am also thinking about expanding the world of Delectable Things as well.

I also have a couple of future writings planned with my contemporary sister-in-write C. Desert Rose, which I am over the moon excited about.

All in all, I will be incredibly busy, but that’s no surprise. With me, there’s never a dull moment.

Adonis: Yes, “Blinks of Passion” is not due to come out just yet, but it is certainly in the works and I am excited to see where that will take us.

As far as any individual projects, I do have the newest contribution to Concordant Vibrancy 5: Extancy completed and submitted. This will most certainly be available when the book is available.

I also have a few things up my sleeve, although, I am not altogether certain when they will be completed. One will be a novel, the others will probably be a combination of short story collections and collaborative works.

I’ve been asked by some fans to create a S.O.R.I. 2 but that won’t be happening. S.O.R.I. was a once in a lifetime book and making a second installment would be doing it an injustice.

Okay, that wraps up this premiere episode of Claret Conversations. Thanks again to Authors Adonis Mann and Synful Desire for carving time out of their hectic schedules.

Alright folks … Ova and out!

Its a Fate's Endeavor Blog Tour

Hey there y'all!

So, today I am helping spread the word about "Demoness Enchanted" by C. Desert Rose. In the attempt to help out, I asked Rose to tell me a bit about the history of the story. That is to say, how it came about.

Here is what we discussed.

What was your inspiration behind the Fate's Endeavor Series and how that led into the creation of "Demoness Enchanted"?

The Fate's Endeavor Series was inspired by the desire to read a book that I couldn't find. So, I wrote it.

I'll explain. When I started writing the Fate's Endeavor Series, "Twilight" was all the rage. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Twilight Hater by any means, I actually enjoyed that series. However, immediately after reading that collection I was eager to find something that dealt with angels and demons but was also fused with romance, multicultural aspects and rich mythology. It seemed like I could always find one at a time, but never all together, which is what I really wanted.

So, what did I do? Pick up Twilight again. Then one day, upon completing the entire saga again, I was in need of a nap. I laid down, and while I was in that "half asleep, half awake" stage, the opening scene of the Fate's Endeavor collection came to me.

By all accounts, THAT was the story that I was yearning to read. So, I wrote it instead.

One night, when I was at about the halfway point of writing "If Death Should Love Me", I had a dream. My dream was Zita. It was then that "Demoness Enchanted" came to life. Each story in the series has come about in a similar fashion.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AyMMNJ0boE[/embed]

Excerpt:

“I propose that we form an alliance. We have a mutual problem that needs fixing. I believe that our work together would be beneficial for both parties involved.” Tievel’s words were as poisonous as any venom, yet the smoothness therein was highly persuading. This was his nature—toxicity absolute. Tievel was a brainwashing and deceiving creature, and he did it well, “What say you to my proposition, Uriel?”

Uriel was no fool. He was as old and astute as time itself, yet time had no effect on him. Uriel had fought alongside the likes of Gabriel and Michael, a deity of massive virtue, clout and wisdom. Uriel was The Bearer of Light, Fire and Wisdom. Not remotely the simpleton that Tievel suggested he was.

Uriel was ravishing! All muscle, hair the color of the sun and fire which fell to his shoulders in spirals. A chiseled and strong face that made him look like an ancient Greece sculpture. Well-kempt facial hair. Ruby red eyes, strong and fiery, which resembled a comet entering the atmosphere. He dressed in robes and jewelry, most of which were purple, red and gold.

Uriel was a reactionary, only speaking when completely necessary and when he did speak, his words surged with power.

Uriel considered the proposal, then finally gave his answer. “Yes.” His voice, tenor and authoritative.

“Well, that is grand. Quite the news it is indeed.” Tievel replied, “Shall we expedite our plan, then?”

“First, tell me why.”

Tievel responded, “Some years ago, my only son fell in love … with a human. As you know, this is not licit for our kind. This ‘love’ produced a child. She is not like our kind. She in neither human nor preternatural. She is something else entirely; a creature! An abomination!” Unwillingly, Tievel’s lips twitched and his voice rose with the last sentence. Tempering himself he went on “... One which can bring harm to mortals and immortals alike. This is why I ask for your allegiance. Our combined strengths are sure to end this threat. Do you understand?”

Uriel nodded. “What can she do?” he asked simply, not knowing for sure if she had abilities or anything of the sort.

“She can live among humans with no difficulty; blend in like a chameleon. She also bares the powers of my kind. Furthermore, in being half human it is hard to determine what she might truly be capable of. You know how chaotic these humans can be …!”

“Very well.”

“Now, shall we ...?” extending a hand, Tievel invited Uriel into the hall to look through his cauldron. Together, they walked through the doorway, side by side.

Suddenly, Uriel summoned his sword, and like a flash his fiery sword was pressed against Tievel’s throat, the blaze purposefully extinguishing in the instant it touched skin. “If you are lying to me Encantado, I will kill you.”

Slowly, Tievel lifted a hand to the sword and carefully moved it down. “I will assure you that this is nothing but the truth.”

In his quarters Tievel kept a speculum which reflected the goings on in other realms—a mystical cauldron. Momentarily, they were both looking into the magical cauldron.

Cool, well now that you have an idea of what "Demoness Enchanted" is all about, don't miss out on the upcoming release. It is due out on February 26th, 2016.

BOOM!

H.E.R. & Simmer: Sweet & Smoothe Blog Tour

Hiya! Today I am happy to bring you all a double interview with authors Synful Desire and Adonis Mann. They are both highly talented and incredibly amazing LGBTQIA authors and today they are here to talk about their upcoming releases, "H.E.R.: Handy Extended Release" and "Simmer: Smoothe & Sweet".

Let's here it for Adonis Mann & Synful Desire!

I asked both of these authors some questions in regards to their works and here is what they said. First up ...

H.E.R.

1. Ms. Desire, inside of H.E.R. there are two short story extras, why were they included? Do they tie into the main story? If so, in what way?

Well, there is a bit more than just two extra short stories. H.E.R. also has an epilogue and some speak from the main character of "Handy" herself. The two extra stories, although they don't directly tie into "Handy", do tie into the different traits that I feel make for long lasting intimacy--being erotic, daring to be experimental, and permitting yourself to be entertained.

2. From the story Handy, who is your favorite character outside of the main character and why?

For me, it is Boyde. He didn't get a whole lot of play but the way I described the man left a lasting impression. Just the thought of that sexy chocolate makes me blush! :D

3. Who and/or what was the inspiration behind the story?

I will assume you are talking about the main story "Handy" so that is what I will address. I wanted to paint out a somewhat realistic landscape of what the modern dating landscape looks like. The Internet is relied on so heavily for connectivity, and romance isn't excluded. Plus, more often than not, women have had these particular experiences so putting a few twists on the search for love made for a comical tale.

Simmer Sweet

1. Do you find that Simmer Sweet represents modern day relationships in any way? If so, how?

This is a tricky question for me to answer because I'm an advocate for the whole happily ever after. Yet, I'm also realistic that not all blueprints for relationships are the same. There are people who use that type of bond as simple experimentation while others make it a staple in their relationship, or even include additional people. Simmer Sweet, if anything, represents one becoming aligned with what she really wants. Now whether it is a keeper or a fling, I leave to the reader. 😎

2. Is Simmer Sweet anything like your LGBT novelette Delectable Things?

Simmer Sweet is different from Delectable Things in that I aimed for the whole two best friends finding love, as opposed to just creating the backdrop for multiple experiences. In addition, Simmer Sweet is strictly same sex, while Delectable Things did go into detail about some heterosexual dealings prior to Sabrina's trip to Miami.

3. Does the conflict in the story mirror similar things that you've lived in your life?

I have been in the situation where a best friend has confessed her feelings for me and it go nowhere. I've been in spots where a relationship blossomed. I used the feelings associated with the best of times to showcase the connection between Teresa and Kesha.

Outstanding! Thank you Ms. Desire. Now onto Mr. Mann. Here is what I asked and what he answered.

1. Why is "Smoothe" misspelled?

In my story "Simmer Smoothe" the word smooth is spelled incorrectly because it is a name. Think of the surname Greene for example. It may read like the color green, but since it is a name, it is spelled differently. This by no means implies that it is incorrect, however.  :)  That is to say that Smoothe is a homophone to smooth.

2. Are any of your characters like you in any way?

Yes, actually. I like to think that Tommy is a bit like me. As a matter of fact, I did mold him after myself is some regards, except that he is a bit more emotional than I am. Nevertheless, Tommy has a semblance of me.

3. Who was your favorite character in the story apart from the main character?

I would have to say Rene, Tommy's best friend. He reminds me so much of the "crazy friend" that everyone has. He's over the top, fun and interesting. The sort of person that everyone wants to be around because he could lighten up their day. So, without a doubt, it is Rene. ;)

With that said, y'all should check out these book trailers of the aforementioned works. They're the bomb!

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW0_L0z23Bs[/embed]

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgS7C3uehRU[/embed]

Waves To Light: Book Blog Tour

Hello and Welcome to the Waves To Light Blog Tour!

Today my special guests are Author/Poet MJ Holman and Author/Poet Queen of Spades.

In celebration of this amazing poetry collection, its release and blog tour, I asked the authors 2 questions. They were:

If there was 1 (one) important message you could deliver through the prose and poetry of Waves ToLight, what would that be and why?

Do you think a person not battling with mental illness could connect to the significance of this collection? If not, please explain. If so, please elaborate.

To Question 1:

Queen of Spades Said:

The most important message is that one is not alone. Since there are so many images that paint mental illness negatively, it is important for others to know that a sufferer could have the look or what society considers a "normal" person. With my particular classification (clinical depression or major depressive disorder), one also has different levels of functionality. Some individuals are low functioning, meaning that at the lowest of their depression, it can impact one's day-to-day activities. It can impact job performance, even the ability to keep a job, along with being fully present in the lives of friends and others. However, there are also people who are medium to high functioning, even to the point where the closest of friends may not realize when they are in the midst of a depressive episode.

Speaking for myself, I am more towards the high functioning spectrum. When I am in a depressive state, I tend to internalize and isolate yet because I'm hypersensitive to external perception, I can give the illusion that I'm "just fine" or "okay". The danger with being on this end is when I finally remove the mask (aka playing the role for the public), the feelings associated with my depression are intense. It is not uncommon for my intensity to manifest via physical ailments, like migraines, loss of appetite, and muscle aches and spasms, particularly around my shoulder area and the small of my back, where my stress tends to reside.

MJ Holman Said:

I will echo Queen of Spades and say the message is one does not suffer alone. The condition may be relative and we may all experience different aspects of it, have different symptoms and causes, but at the nub, all things are equal.

It is important that the language of depression and hypomania can be shared. This is our way of communicating to each other the extent of the illness, the depth of feeling, and giving a voice to all those who cannot express themselves when faced with these conditions.

To Question 2:

Queen of Spades Said:

I think another person definitely could. There might be moments when one is feeling very sad, confused, or lost, and every person has felt that at some time or another. In addition, for those friends or loved ones who know a person suffering from a mental illness, this could give some type of clarity and understanding into that person's battle. Usually, one from the outside looking in tends to blame himself. Even worse, there are quite a few individuals that just wants the sufferer to simply "snap out of it". I hope through this collection, that realization sets in. For a loved one who cares, it is not his or her fault. For the critic, mental illness is not a thing one "snaps out of".

For me, I don't see this as something that miraculously gets cured. I live with it and just pray I see more darkness thatlight, along with hoping others will achieve that as well.

 MJ Holman Said:

I would like to think so. We all suffer the same emotional duress from time to time, mostly associated with grief. At its very limit, grief will follow the same pattern as an episode of depression and there will be lines of poetry in this collection that may illustrate those feelings exactly.

Individuals who spend their time with sufferers, whether they are friends or loved ones will recognise them in this poetry. They will see the depths we plummet or the elation we cannot control and it will bring to them a greater understanding of the illness. My mother only recently read The Sea of Conscience, afterwards she came to me and said, 'I had no idea you felt this way.' That's what we're aiming for with Waves to Light.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-JZzWDyJSA[/embed]

Did you know that you can Pre-Order Wave To Light on Amazon Kindle?