Major Savings on e-Books! ARe and Fictionwise ...

With the recent issues with Amazon, All Romance eBooks has kicked things into high gear this weekend, letting readers know that they have other options.

So, ready for the details? You will receive 50% off on all titles purchased on AllRomanceeBooks.com and OmniLit.com through this weekend if you use the code SBTBARe1 at checkout. That's it!

The discount will only appear once the code is entered in the shopping cart and the “Calculate Discount” button is selected. This offer expires at midnight 31 January 2010, 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time.

And to show how generous they are truly being ... ARe "will be paying publishers based on the Full Retail price for this promotion, so the discount will not affect Publisher commissions or author royalties.”

That means you get a great sale ... and I will still get royalties, which will allow me to work on future books.

How cool is that?

Remember thought, you only have until 11:59 on Sunday to take advantage of this sale.

The direct link to my titles is:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Michelle+Houston

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From now until Valentine's Day, Romance, Erotica, Fantasy and Dark Fantasy eBooks at Fictionwise are 45% off for multiformat and 45% micropay rebated for secure formats.

Which makes my newest release - Caging the Tiger - a whopping $1.10

In fact all four titles in my Animal Attraction series, as well as many of my other ebooks, are only $1.10 each right now.

You can find them all at: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/MichelleHoustoneBooks.htm

A new way to buy E-Books

I love Barnes and Noble, have for a long time. When I lived in Kansas City, I used to love going down to the plaza with my husband (when we were dating), and walking along the river or just meandering our way through the plaza itself.

One of the things we always did though, was visit the B&N on the plaza.

So I was tickled, yet I admit worried, when B&N bought Fictionwise. I didn't know what their plans were, and how it would affect me and the thousands of other e-pubbed authors like me.

Luckily, it seems to be for the better. Because they now offer my titles on the B&N website. Whoohoo!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=Michelle+Houston

Websites will never completely replace the feel of being in a bookstore for me, but I am glad to see B&N embracing e-books. I am hoping to see the day were every bookstore has a computer terminal where you can select e-books and burn then onto a disc in the store, and be able to pay at the checkout for your paperbacks and ebooks.

Up The Chimney He Rose ...

As a way to thank our many readers, Phaze Books authors have contributed stories to a great free collection called "Up The Chimney He Rose..."

This sexy holiday collection includes stories from Leigh Ellwood, Bridget Midway, Jae Knight, D. Musgrave, Michelle Houston, Jane Leopold Quinn, Jude Mason, Jamie Hill, Victoria Blisse and Lisabet Sarai!

Happy holidays!
from Phaze Books
www.phaze.com/PhazeHolidayShorts.pdf
---

My contribution is WRITING OF LOVE, which follows Diggin' Up Bones with Alisa and Zach's first Christmas together.

New Acceptance!

Got the news late last night that HER BEST MAN has been accepted by Phaze.

It's tentatively scheduled to come out in January of '09.

Here's the tentative blurb: Rick has always been a part of Katherine's life, including being best man at her wedding to his friend. When her marriage falls apart, she finds out that her previous unrequited feelings for Rick aren't so unrequited.

It's part of the Second Chances theme, alongside DIGGIN' UP BONES and A CHANGE OF PACE.

EXTRA! EXTRA! A Change of Pace has been released!

Doing the happy dance. A Change of Pace is now available.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=A+Change+of+Pace/exact_match=exact

After the flip-flopping of release dates the last few months I started to wonder if today would ever arrive, but it has and A Change of Pace is up and ready to be purchased.

I really like this title since it is a bit shorter than what I have been writing lately, so it goes back a little bit to my erotic short story beginnings, while still delivering a hot little story. Plus at the price of $2.00 I am hoping that readers who have been interested in my books, but maybe not wanting to do a mjor investment, will give me a try.

Enough about me though ... how about something about the book. LOL

Nicole is frustrated with the emptiness of her life and when a chance meeting with Alan, an object of her affection from the past, ends with an invitation to his house for dinner, and whatever may come, she decides to take a chance and live a little.

There's an excerpt available on my website.

New Cover Art

Just got new cover art today - this one for my April release Enslaving Heaven which will be coming from Phaze.

Lyssa is disgusted by the whole sale of slaves, but finds herself drawn to one of the ladies on the selling block. After impulsively purchasing her, Lyssa now has to decide what to do with Alya – she can't just keep her. But the former prostitute, now slave, has other plans for her new mistress, including convincing her to let her stay.

As if Lyssa doesn't have enough to deal with, her pilot and best friend Nita is having problems adjusting to the newest member of their crew, and how it makes her feel. Nita had once found what Lyssa has, but lost it thanks to her. When an accident gives Nita a second chance with the woman she loves, she risks Lyssa's wrath to be with her.

REB goes Amazon Kindle

A while back, Amazon used to sell a whole lot of e-books and documents, much to my delight. Then one day they stopped.

Thankfully, now they are starting to carry them again, in a Kindle Store. I am guessing that a Kindle is a particular type of reader, that only uses a certain format of e-book.

I don't know much about it, because I am still a more old fashioned ebook reader. I read the pdfs ony my computer. LOL

All of my Renassance E Books titles are now live in the Kindle Store. A quick link is:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=digital-text&field-author=Michelle%20Houston

I am hoping that soon other titles of mine (with other publishers) will also be available there.

Michelle

Available Now: Celtic Love Knots volume 8

2008 is here! Whoohoo!

That means that Celtic Love Knots volume 8 is also here.


The two stories in Celtic Love Knots volume 8 are a bit of a different type of paranormal for me. With both fo them I dipped a bit into Celtic folklore - and I admit I took a lot of liberties. LOL

CLKv8 is now available on the Whiskey Creek Press - Torrid website and will soon be available on fictionwise.

WCPT: http://whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/authors/Michelle_Houston.shtml

An excerpt can be read on my website at:
http://www.michellehouston.com/


Sands of Time: After being diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Nicole can feel what time she has slipping away. Like many, she has told herself she would do the things she has always dreamed of "later". Pressed for time, later has come: she's going to see the world.
She planned to start with Scotland, and go on from there, but once she arrives she meets a man she can't resist. Ciarnan offers her a hope for the future she had given up on having, but it comes with a price. For Ciarnan is not what he appears to be, and his race can't risk anyone finding out they exist.

Turning Back Time: Devastated at the news of her friend's supposed death, Julie rushes to Scotland to find some answers. What she finds instead is Roarke. Unwilling to let go of her search, Julie winds up finding what happened to Nicole, and finding her own chance at happiness, if she can accept that Roarke isn't human.

Available Now: Fated To Be

Whoohoo! It's New Year's Eve and FATED TO BE is now available.

Buy from Phaze:

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Fated+to+Be+by+Michelle+Houston

Or from Fictionwise:

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook54293.htm?cache

Excerpt available on http://www.michellehouston.com/

I'm also the Author of the Week at Candice Gilmer's blog with Fated To Be.

http://candicegilmer.blogspot.com/2007/12/author-of-week-michelle-houston_31.html

Finding Justice is the story of a judge who is trying to decide what is the right punishment in a capital case; and Thea, the women whom he meets at the least convenient time in his life. What he doesn't know is that Thea is actually the Goddess Themis, and she has seen a dire consequence for him, if he allows his emotions to sway him from what he knows is right. A future that she isn't willing to let come to pass.

Embracing Destiny is Apollo's story. After helping Thea find happiness, he is reunited with the soul of Daphne/Cassandra, two of his lost loves. He has to come to terms with the changes in her, as well as his rapidly growing attraction to her.

Two New Releases Coming Soon

I'm so excited. For the first time (and probably only time this will happen), I have releases to end the year and begin the new year.

Coming December 31st from Phaze is FATED TO BE, a duet of Greco-Roman myth stories.

Finding Justice is the story of a judge who is trying to decide what is the right punishment in a capital case; and Thea, the women whom he meets at the least convenient time in his life. What he doesn't know is that Thea is actually the Goddess Themis, and she has seen a dire consequence for him, if he allows his emotions to sway him from what he knows is right. A future that she isn't willing to let come to pass.

Embracing Destiny is Apollo's story. After helping Thea find happiness, he is reunited with the soul of Daphne/Cassandra, two of his lost loves. He has to come to terms with the changes in her, as well as his rapidly growing attraction to her.

http://www.phaze.com/

~ * ~

Then coming on January 1st from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid is another duet of stories, this time dealing with celtic folklore, called CELTIC LOVE KNOTS volume 8.

Sands of Time: After being diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Nicole can feel what time she has slipping away. Like many, she has told herself she would do the things she has always dreamed of "later". Pressed for time, later has come: she's going to see the world.

She planned to start with Scotland, and go on from there, but once she arrives she meets a man she can't resist. Ciarnan offers her a hope for the future she had given up on having, but it comes with a price. For Ciarnan is not what he appears to be, and his race can't risk anyone finding out they exist.

Turning Back Time: Devastated at the news of her friend's supposed death, Julie rushes to Scotland to find some answers. What she finds instead is Roarke. Unwilling to let go of her search, Julie winds up finding what happened to Nicole, and finding her own chance at happiness, if she can accept that Roarke isn't human.

http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/

~ * ~

Excerpts available on my website at http://www.michellehouston.com/

Michelle Houston

413 Remembrance Lane author Jude Mason

Jude Mason

1. Tell us a little bit about your characters in "_Of Death and Desire_", your story in 413 Remembrance Lane.

- Philip is the dominate one of the relationship, which might have surprised anyone who knew Jonathan well. Philip dislikes women because of a horrendous upbringing, but is kind to fems as long as he doesn't have to be close to them. When he was well, he was very much in control of his life, and adored Jonathan. Of the two, he was much more level headed.

~

2. How did you come up with the idea for your story?

- This is a tough one. When we first started talking about doing this antho, we'd decided to begin it in some historical past, and each successive story was to bring it closer to the present day. Two of our authors were very comfortable writing historical, thank heaven; the rest of us seemed to normally write in contemporary. At the time, I was contemplating writing a gay 'something' so I had the genre already in mind. The plot came in a flash. One man dying, the other in such mourning he'd do anything to bring his lover back. And voila, I saw it all. I just had to write it then. Oh, and make sure I didn't mess up with a few details that came from the previous story, and leave enough info for the next. It really was a fun juggling act.

~

3. What was your initial reaction to doing a story based around a diary and a house?

- I was interested. I loved the idea of doing the diary, a book written by several people through the years. I thought that was a great idea. The house, well that was a little more difficult. We each seemed to have an idea of what the house looked like, and sometimes our pictures didn't quite match up… LOL

~


4. What was the most fun part about doing this in depth of collaboration?

- For me, I had a huge amount of fun just trying to meld my story in with the others. I've never done anything like this before, and I wanted to make it as perfect as I could. The fun was when it was done and then reading it all, seeing how the stories flowed from one to the next.

~

5. Now that the anthology is out and hindsight has had a chance to kick in - is there anything about your story or characters you would change?

- Nope, not one thing. I loved Jonathan, he cared so much and even though he might have been the strength of the pair, he was so vulnerable in his loss. Philip was amazing. I wanted to comfort him, even though he hated women.

~

6. What else do you have coming out soon?

- From Phaze I have several, Aug. 27th, Amber's Toy, a BDSM tale that gives revenge a whole new meaning. October 8th, Cat's Claw, a pair of changelings find each other and learn how to live together, while hunting a poacher. December, I have a short story in Fantasy VI, called Sam, the Man, also a BDSM story, but this time with a twist. The characters are gay and the dominant isn't the big brawny dude.

~

7. What are you working on right now?

- A story I've tentatively titled 'The New Order'. A sci fi, alternate future, femdom something that's taken hold of me and run like crazy. Think what would happen if pollution causes mankind to become close to infertile? Think about what might happen if women take over and it's up to a man to both win a place 'under' a woman's control and pray he's fertile in order to keep it?

You can always visit Jude’s website at http://www.my-haven2001.com/ for up-to-date information.

~ * ~

413 Remembrance Lane: Diary of a House is now available for purchase from Phaze

New Release - 413 Remembrance Lane: Dairy of a House

The Diary is out!

Whoohoo!

Two centuries, many owners, and the question has been asked--is it blessed, or cursed? There is a certain house in New Orleans at 413 Remembrance Lane. Within the walls lives end and begin, myths and superstition blend with reality, erotic fantasies are realized, and always love has held the upper hand.

Is the house, steeped in history and the emotions of those who have lived there? Or perhaps the legend goes a little deeper. Visit and find out for yourself. Seven stories, seven authors, seven incredible romances.

Length: 87K

Paranormal romance/erotic romance with various sexualities, Heterosexual/Lesbian/Threesome/Gay

Does the legend go deeper? Visit and find out for yourself at ... http://tinyurl.com/2vengg

Michelle Houston

The Story Behind The Story ...

The Story Behind The Story: 413 Remembrance Lane

There are a few statements that come out of my mouth that make my friends want to scurry for cover. “I have an idea” is one of them.

Mid last year, I joined a group of writers called the Sexy Authors With Attitude. We had a lot of fun together.

Some of us even decided to start critiquing for each other. Which allowed me the chance to announce to about 4 other people, “So I had this idea for a set of stories.” And everything rolled downhill from there.

They all liked the idea of having a diary in a house, and each owner along the way writing their own entry. But to make it more fun, we decided to have each of the stories have a paranormal aspect to them too.

Then one of the authors dropped out. We invited two others to join us, and the ideas started flying.

We had a vampire and ghosts, a werewolf and a succubus. The Diary demanded a price for its use, something you didn’t know you were giving up until it was done.

As each of the stories were written, we also decided to keep the sexualities of the characters varied.

Then, when it was all written and edited to hell and back, we had to decide where to submit it. Phaze was at the top of our list of three, and we decided to go there, since a few of us were already published there and a couple wanted to be.

So we submitted the anthology, and waited. When we got the good news back, we were ecstatic. We worked together and hammered out the cover image we wanted, we all wrote out short blurbs and some did some extra work to create other promo items.

And now, what stated with words to strike fear into the hearts of my friends, is going to be available in two days. 413 Remembrance Lane: Diary of a House … all stated with the words “I have an idea.”

Yes, when I say those words now, the others know to run for cover. LOL And often do. Several authors have been known to lament that there isn’t enough time to write all their own ideas, let alone the ones they get from me too.

LOL

Michelle Houston

Phoenix Rising Authors contest ...

Don't forget, the Phoenix Rising Authors contest ends in just a few days.

The prize is a pdf copy of the first anthology to have all four PRA authors together in it, the anthology 413 Remembrance Lane: Diary of a House coming August 6th from Phaze.

Check out our website for more details.
www.isleofphoenix.com

Michelle Houston

New release - Kinky Girls Do

It's OUT! Kinky Girls Do is available from Phaze.
www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Kinky+Girls+Do+by+Michelle+Houston

Kinky Girls Do is a collection of four stories about women who like their sex with a little spice. Angela likes to be watched, Lydia craves domination, Yvette wants to be tied up, and Melissa needs to submit.

Bad girls dream . . . kinky girls do.

And I've gotten the first review in - and it is WONDERFUL!

Amanda Haffery of Romance Junkies had this to say: “KINKY GIRLS DO is an excellent collection of short stories all about dominance and submission. Ms. Houston does an excellent job in portraying her women. I was so worried when I started reading that the girls would come across cheap and easy, however, it was quite the opposite. These women were amazing, each of them going after exactly what they wanted in a relationship.” … “This is one of the rare books that I’ve read that I had hoped could go on forever. All of the female characters were strong and it was great to see them in a submissive role. The men were very powerful and I sure wouldn’t say no to their every want. Each storyline was incredibly riveting and I just devoured this book.”

Read the full review at: www.romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/contemporary/Kinky_Girls_Do.shtml

I just have to say, one line of the whole review just got to me ... "I just devoured this book." There have been many times I have said the same thing about a book I have read. To have it said about my book ... words simply cannot do what I am feeling at this moment justice.

Michelle Houston
http://www.eroticpen.net/

Just released - Unleashed

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

My WCPTorrid Post

For those that didn't get a chance to swing by the WCP Torrid myspace page to read my post, here it is. : )

Enjoy!

~ * ~ * ~

Hello everyone. It's my turn to share a little bit about myself, and my story for the Summer Solstice Scorchers anthology.

Like many writers I know, I can't image my life with books, and without writing. Some people I know think I am weird, since I would rather curl up with a book than watch TV – unless it's Law & Order. I've even heard some people say they haven't read a book since school, and I find that completely beyond my grasp. For me, books have always been, and will always be, part of my life.

I started writing, because when I would have trouble sleeping, I would lie in bed and tell myself stories until I would drift away. I would read a book, and think "that's not how it was supposed to end." I started writing to keep myself sane in an insane world.

I've often heard romances and erotic romances called "escapism fiction" with a snotty tone. But there is nothing wrong with escaping for a little while. We lose ourselves in TV shows, in sports games, and in the lives of the 'stars'. Why is it so wrong to lose oneself in a good book?
I write escapism fiction, I read it, and I love it. I try to lose myself in another writer's world at least once a week, if not more often. I try to create a world for others to lose themselves in, as often as I can find the time and inspiration.

In doing so, I don't hold myself to any one sub genre within the erotic romance/erotica realm. I write as the mood takes me, one day telling the story of a woman who is willing to go to great lengths to do what she knows to be right, to save a vampire from being tortured – even at cost to herself. Another day, there's the tale of a woman who finds love in the most unexpected place – with her next door neighbor - at the oddest of time.

Still another day, the mood to write about a woman who realizes too late that she has let life pass her by, and done nothing she really wanted to do, might take me. Luckily, she finds magic in the world and a second chance at living. And thanks to her taking a chance, her best friend is also touched by magic and finds that there is more to life than she had ever dreamed of.

The woman who goes to great length to do what is right is Kali, my heroine in Unnatural Bonds, my story for the Summer Solstice Scorchers anthology. The woman who finds love next door is Shaylee, the spunky shape-shifter heroine of the indirect companion story to Unnatural Bonds, called Laws of Nature, which has been accepted for the Samhain Scorchers anthology, coming in October.

The two friends who find that magic does exist, are the heroines of Sands of Time & Turning Back Time, the two stories that make up the Celtic Love Knots volume 8, which is coming in January 2008.

There have been other moods, and other stories written. I try my best to share them with others, when I can find a publisher who finds them worth sharing. And I try to keep my website (http://www.eroticpen.net/) updated with where they can be found.

In turn, I have a monthly website visit run that I do, hitting all of the authors on my auto-buy list, to see if they have anything new coming out soon.

I hope that you enjoy my story in the Summer Solstice Scorchers anthology, and that you have enjoyed this little visit.

Have a great summer … and keep reading, keep being swept away. I know that I will.

Michelle Houston
http://www.eroticpen.net/
http://eroticpen.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michellehouston/

The Cover Art has arrived!

The cover for Diggin' Up Bones arrived in my email this morning.


Check it out!




Michelle
http://www.eroticpen.net/

SSS Antho on YouTube

Lynn Crain, one of my fellow Summer Solstice Scorchers authors, has created a video for the anthology, and it is up on YouTube.

Check it out ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sws1nqlKkWE

Just a wee bit longer and the anthology will be out. LOL I can't wait!

Michelle
www.eroticpen.net

New Acceptance from Whiskey Creek Press - Torrid!

Whiskey Creek Press Torrid has accepted my short story 'Laws of Nature' for the Samhain Scorchers anthology, coming out in October.

'Laws of Nature' is an indirect sequel to my story in the Summer Solstice Scorchers anthology, Unnatural Bonds, which is coming out in just a few days.

I will be updating my website soon with an excerpt. In the meantime, here's a brief blurbie about 'Laws of Nature'.

When Shaylee escapes from a kidnapping attempt, she manages to get to safety and the shelter of her neighbor's arms. Unfortunately, her body has awakened to Garrett's, demanding she mate with him. But will he be able to handle the fact that she is a were-creature?

I am really excited about this, that the two indirectly linked stories are going to be in companion anthologies.

Michelle
www.eroticpen.net