Friday, April 6, 2012

Welcome Tina Donahue

I'd like to welcome back Tina. It's always such a pleasure to have her on my blog.



Sex Sells


We hear it all the time. We see it constantly in ads, TV programs, magazine and news stories. Sex sells. Big time. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be such a big presence in popular culture.

So why then is it a source of contention for some when it comes to erotic romances? I read a post recently where another author asked the same question and some readers responded by saying they skipped love scenes in books. They just couldn’t read them.

I had to wonder – was it because the scenes weren’t written well? The characters hadn’t been portrayed with enough emotional depth? Or could it be that the scenes were gratuitous rather than stemming from the characters’ hearts and what was happening in the plot?

Trust me, as a writer of erotic romance nothing is more challenging to write than a great sex scene. And it’s not because I have to describe body parts or whether the characters are sighing, groaning, moaning or bellowing in satisfaction.

It’s the emotional build that’s difficult. During love scenes writers have to convey what’s in the characters’ minds and hearts. That—not what they’re doing—is what makes the story exciting and satisfying.

In the hands of a great erotic author like Emma Holly the scenes are magic. You’re with the heroine every step of the way. Hell, you want to be the heroine! Skipping that would be tragic.

With each new book I write, I push the envelope a bit more to give my fans the stories they deserve. Ones filled with desire, romance, love, conflict and an HEA that has them sighing and crying.

I pushed my own boundaries with my last book SiNN, my first ménage. And now my newest contemporary ménage Sinfully Wicked is available, also from Ellora’s Cave.

The story of Nikki, Connor and Mitch is even hotter than what I penned in SiNN, and like all of my other erotic romances, the love story, the emotional connection between the characters is to die for.



Here’s the blurb. Enjoy. :o)



Two brothers—one woman—unforgettable passion…
Years before Nikki fell in love with Mitch and Connor, betraying them as only a high school girl could. Now, she’s back and needs their help.

Powerful and commanding, Mitch has never stopped craving Nikki. Connor hungers for her as badly, but isn’t ready to forgive. If she needs some fast cash by working at their gentlemen’s club, she’ll have to audition by stripping for them.

Aroused by their shameless scrutiny, Nikki’s willing to do whatever it takes to be near them again…even being punished in the BDSM room or starring in one of Connor’s erotic films. Mitch won’t have it, unless he and Connor are the ones mounting and enjoying her.

On a sultry weekend, Nikki surrenders to their lust, dominance and exquisite discipline, reawakening their timeless bond and the beginning of forgiveness.



Buy Link (with excerpt): http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9983-sinfully-wicked.aspx


Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work; she has reached finals and/or placed in numerous RWA–sponsored contests. Three of her erotic novels were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. Sensual Stranger, her erotic romance, was chosen Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category) at the French review site, Blue Moon reviews. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for her erotic romance Lush Velvet Nights; and Deep, Dark, Delicious (erotic romance) recently received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.



Email: tina@tinadonahue.com

Website/blog: http://www.tinadonahue.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097




*** CONTEST ***



To celebrate the release of Sinfully Wicked, I’m offering a contest. One lucky commenter on this blog will have her choice of one of my following ebooks**:



1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT

2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit

3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award

4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT

5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT

6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller

7. Take Me Away - #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books

8. Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR

** Winner chosen at random. Winner chosen April 10.

33 comments:

  1. Just stopped by to say hello and Congratulations on the new release!

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  2. Congrats on the new release. Another book to be added to my TBR list. I have to gush that Lush Velvet Nights is one of my favorite books. I go back and reread it every once and a while!

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    1. Hey, Marie - wow, so glad you liked LVN - I really enjoyed that book, especially the part in the mountain cabin. :)

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  3. Tina you write Sinfully Wicked love scenes, I hope no one is silly enough to skip them!
    Isn't Emma Holly wonderful? I bought one of her books in 2005 and fell in love with her.
    XXOO Kat

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    1. Oh me, too - I loved her Top of Her Game - the love story in it was great and the end - wow. :)

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  4. Congrats on the release. I have seen your book on other blogs but did not post.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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    1. Hey, Debby - thanks for stopping by today!! :)

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  5. Sinfully Wicked sounds like a good one! Congrats. I agree, it's the buildup that is the hardest to write but the part I always like to read the most!

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    1. Me, too, Linda - it makes my blood race and my heart pound. Then, when the payoff comes - wow - thanks so much for stopping by today! :)

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  6. Dear Tina and Amber
    Thanks Amber for receiving Tina on you block and I want to congrats you Tina on the new release. And I wish you all and Tina and Amber a nice and sunny Friday very nice color and loved the flowers
    Cheers

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    1. Hey, Mannouchka - thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  7. I have to agree with you sex sells. Have a wonderful Easter Tina and Amber. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me. Tore923@aol.com

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    1. Hey, Tore - I hope you have a wonderful Easter too - and you are entered!! :)

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  8. Very hot cover and naughty, naughty blurb. Wishing you many, many sales.

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  9. Happy early Easter. Love the blurb and putting it on my tbb list.:) Off to your site to check out your stories love finding new authors.

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    1. Hey, Sheila - Happy Easter to you too - thanks so much for dropping by!! :)

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  10. Hey Tina, & Amber - Happy Friday!!
    I'm indulging myself in a reading weekend, and books from both of you are next on my list!!

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    1. Hey, Tessie!! Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

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  11. Of course sex sells. We're brought up not to think about it but everybody does anyway. We certainly wouldn't be overpopulating if we didn't think about it. We wouldn't watch half the movies and read half the books if we didn't think about it. It also helps to spice up the sex life.

    Happy Easter,
    Lynn
    lareynolds0316@gmail.com

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    1. So true, Lynn - hope you had a great Easter. :)

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  12. Hello Tina & Amber,

    WooHoo Tina you brought your Fans to another HOT Author today, my eReader knows her well. ;) LOL Thank you Amber for hosting Tina's Loyal Fans on your Blog today, both you Ladies are such Great Authors!

    Tina, are you tried of seeing me Following you on your "Sinfully Wicked" Tour yet?? LOL But you should be proud of yourself, that just means you have Fans that enjoy your writing that much, they enjoy telling everyone about it. :)

    I really enjoyed your Guest Post, "Sex Sells". I remember that recent post from another Authors where I felt a rather large number of comment readers responded by saying they skipped love scenes in books. They just couldn’t read them. I was really FLOORED!!! I couldn't believe it. I was shakin' my head as I was reading each comment. I think by know you have read enough of my comments LOL to know that I am not behind the door to voice my opinion on topics. :) My Mom always says ya can't shut an Italian Woman Up!! LOL & I represent that. LMAO
    OMG skip an Erotic Love Scene, No Way....not in any of the Authors I read, especially not yours Tina.

    In a previous Post I remember commenting that You are a Master, I should say Mistress ;) LOL, at writing Romance, Passion & the Sensual Building of Erotic Emotions between the hero(s)/heroine in your Books, it's not just Sex!

    Your Erotic Romances & Ménages *Swoony Sighs* are so heat-producing (in all the right places, Ohhhh I'm soooo Bad!!! LOL), Drool-Worthy connections that build from the VERY first sentence & leave Us WANTING for MORE as we reach that last page!

    Tina your sex scenes ARE are the Icing on the Cake & the Cherry on top of the Sundae...& Your Fans get to Live out our Wildest, Ultimate Fantasies through your writing & OMG you sure know what makes Us HOTTTTTT & I know I THANK YOU sooooo MUCH!!!

    When I read “SiNN” it was soooo Scorching HAWT (& I didn't even talk about the Sizzlin’ Cover Art WooHoo), from the first page you had Me, I was so captivated, I couldn’t stop reading until the very last page.

    But then came "Wickedly Sinful", Tina you COMPLETELY out did yourself. Your new Ménage sounds sooooo Scorchin’ HOT, I soooo want to be Nikki!!! OMG To have 2 HOT Fraternal Twin Alpha Males pleasurinng Her in every way!!!! SIGN ME UP!!!! ;) LOL

    Your Cover Art is so Sensually Eye-Catching, it draws the Reader in where you can almost feel their Passion & Need for each other jump right off front page! Definitely the BEST Cover Art yet & I’m sure "Sinfully Wicked" will be the Best, Hottest, most Sensually Naughty Romance you have written to date!!!! I can’t wait to read your new release Tina.

    I would very much appreciate the opportunity to be considered in your very generous giveaway. Thank You & Happy Easter!

    Take Care Ladies & Stay Naughty ;)
    PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
    paranormalromancefan@yahoo.com
    http://paparanormalfan.wordpress.com

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    1. Hey, Renee - I know what you mean about readers skipping the sex scenes in erotic romances. What's up with that? I'm touched that you've followed me through this blog tour - your comments always make my day!!

      Hope you had a happy Easter. :)

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  13. I hear you about pushing boundaries to write something different. I pushed myself to write an erotic book! Definitely out of my comfort zone, but something I wanted to try.
    Sex sells. Yes. For sure. But there are readers who skim over sex scenes. And, that's fine. The emotional part of a romance books, and not just the descriptions of a sexual act, have to gain a reader's attention.
    Your books are wonderful...keep writing!

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    1. Thanks, Marianne - glad you pushed yourself. We all have to do that to keep the readers engaged. :)

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  14. I agree with you that the sex scenes in the erotic novels are important to portraying the way the characters feel about each other, to how well they connect and what is the glue that keeps them coming back to each other. I would never skip a sex scene in a erotic romance novel. it's part of why I choose the book. Sex does sell. Judy King

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    1. So true, Judy. If someone doesn't like sex scenes, there are tons of awesome 'sweet' romances out there. In this biz, there's room for every taste, thank goodness.

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  15. Hi, Tina,

    I've been writing and publishing erotica for more than a decade, but I really hate the way "sex sells". Hotter and naughtier is NOT necessarily better - it really depends on the story - but I think that authors are under pressure these days to ramp up the heat even if the characters and the premise don't necessarily require it. The result is sex scenes that feel "wrong", scenes that exist only to increase the "flames" rating without contributing to the heart of the tale. (Maybe that's why readers skip them...)

    Because of the popularity of "kinky" sex, I also read many woefully inaccurate and misleading stories about BDSM practices. I've had some personal BDSM experience; some of what I read makes me cringe, the authors have got it so wrong!

    Warmly,
    Lisabet

    "Imagination is the ultimate aphrodisiac."

    Visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory
    http://www.lisabetsarai.com
    Venture Beyond Romance
    http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com
    Join Lisabet's List
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lisabets_list

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    1. You have a very valid point, Lisabet, about sex scenes being thrown in just for the 'shock' value. I've read those books myself.

      I try very hard to make the sex make sense in my books - 'heat with heart' - if there's no reason for it to be there, I don't include it just for the sake of titillation. Sex begins in the mind. That's where I like to start. It's also an extension of the deep feelings the characters have or are beginning to have for each other. That's when it's special.

      To ease into my sex scenes, I like witty banter between the hero/heroine. Loosens things up. Gets the readers to like them. I also play with fantasies a lot. They're fantasizing about being with that person, which brings in the sex w/o it actually happening before they're ready.

      Romance is hard to write since it's all about feelings. Erotic romance is really tough. It has to be provocative while also being fulfilling emotionally and it must make sense. That's very hard to do as I'm sure you're agree. :)

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  16. Wow! You are a new to me author I look forward to reading. I love finding stories I didn't even know I wanted.
    Thank you.

    Mel
    bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

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    1. Hey, Mel - glad you found me!! Thanks so much for stopping by!! :)

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  17. I want to thank everyone who came by and offered such kind comments and their take on 'sex sells'.

    I've now chosen my winner (at random) and it's (drum roll please) - Sheila - yay Sheila!!

    To claim your prize, Sheila, please contact me at tina@tinadonahue.com

    Thanks!

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