Coming Soon

I am pleased to give just a little tease to a new series coming out soon. Here's the concept for the first story, A Feast of Fools.

Keisha Sims has been a very bad girl. So bad, in fact, that she's left a trail of bodies and broken hearts all the way from Montana to Atlanta, Georgia. Leonidas, the pack leader in Ellijay, Georgia, suspects she's on her way to to settle a score.

He calls on Lexi and Joe to track her down and apprehend, or kill the rogue werewolf if they must. They are not too happy about the task being given to them before they even have time to consummate their union, but it is the job they signed up for as part of the bargain to allow Joe, a feral, to join the pack.

Will Joe and Lexi be able to track her down before she makes it to Ellijay and exacts her revenge? Will they even bother when they find out why she seeks revenge--and that her anger is directed toward Leonidas?

Stay tuned for a sneak peek at the next book in the series, A feast of Passions.

Help Make It Free

 

Okay, so I don't normally like to ask favors, but this favor will benefit many.

As many know, I offer about half my catalog for free. Trouble is, Amazon is being excruciatingly slow at price-matching one of my titles in order to make it free like at all the other channels.

So, I'm getting on the bull horn, making the call, putting on the bat signal, and asking for your help.

The title in question is Surrogate, and I would much appreciate it you might consider going to the link to the book's amazon page here, and doing that "report a lower price" thing located about midway through the page.

If this will help, here are links to the title at other locations:

Barnes and Noble
All Romance ebooks
Smashwords

Please feel free to also use pricing from KOBO, Diesel, or ibooks if you would like.

Thanks in advance for helping me make this short piece of erotic fiction available to the masses at the greatest price ever-free!

Many Loves

Source: Wikipedia

 

Many cannot imagine being so lucky as to have a secure relationship with a thoughtful, caring, significant other. I, for one, know that this kind of relationship is not a given, and when found, must be nurtured and held on to through individual growth and disagreement.

Now imagine, if you can, having this kind of relationship with two or more thoughtful, caring, significant others. I've thought about this kind of relationship and pondered the possibilities and pitfalls of such an endeavor. Although my personal nature and personality would not bode well in this type of relationship, I know many who feel they would be right at home, and completely satisfied loving more than one and being loved by more than one, in a committed relationship.

What I'm talking about here is a lifestyle prescribed to by about five percent of our American population -- I'm talking about Polyamory.

Polyamory is a lifestyle choice involving numerous (or endless) loving relationships intertwined within a closed group. This could be just three individuals or more. It can involve any combination of lifestyles including: gay, straight, bi, or even BDSM.

I know what you're thinking. "But, what does this have to do with erotica?"

Well, it is something that intrigues me as a writer of erotica because of the dynamics of such a relationship. Whether we want to admit it or not, sex, love, and relationships are all intertwined. One often affects another. Yes, I understand that sometimes sex is just about sex but, as many of my readers know, I like to add these elements to my stories for exploration. Okay, so maybe I also like to add shape shifters and other supernatural beings, along with religious twists but hey, it"s all good.

Many, many years ago, I had a friend that confided in me her greatest sexual fantasy. She told me that this act was something she had always wished for, and would bring her sexual fulfillment, but she was afraid to actually make it happen. She thought that once this fantasy came to fruition, she would be left with no other fantasy in her mind. I assured her that, by the time this fantasy was fulfilled, she would already be craving another.

Her fantasy involved multiple partners. I think five was her number -- all men, and all at once.

Anyway, my story idea involves a woman with two men. I want to bring out the element of sexual fulfillment my main character finds in this relationship but also want to express why the character might find personal fulfillment beyond sexual in this style of relationship.

What are your thoughts on this type of relationship?

In researching this article, I found that most erotica seems to revolve around threesomes with one man and two women. I guess that is the belief held by the populace, or maybe the fantasy held by those reading erotic stories.

What about a woman involved with two men? I know this is the formulaic 'love triangle' but I would want the relationship to be open. I would imagine though, in real life, there might be conflict arising from such an arrangement.

Source: openexchange.org

 

If you would like to research this lifestyle, here are a couple of links to get you started:
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyamory

http://www.livescience.com/27128-polyamory-myths-debunked.html

http://www.examiner.com/article/polyamory-the-news
 
What are your thoughts on this? Would you read a story based on this type of relationship, or a story of the formation of this type of relationship? Please tell me your thoughts by commenting below.

How Do You Like It?

When you are reading a story, do you ever notice (on a conscious level) who is talking? If the story is written well, most readers don't even notice who is doing the narrating or telling of the story. If you do notice these things, who do you prefer tells the story.

I know that most of the time, the story is told through the main character--either through the eyes of that character or a narrator that pulls you into the head of the main character. I've noticed that many stories nowadays are told in first-person with the use the "I" with all events filtered through that person. I've also noticed a trend toward telling the story this way and moving from one character's viewpoint to another at some point in the book. Use of the first-person seems very common in erotica.

Funny thing, very few of my stories are written in the first-person. If I recall, my Wendy Parker, Sex in Pubic series is the only thing written this way. Of course, for whatever reason, this series remains most popular among my readers.

I've written another story, Lexi's Run using multiple viewpoints and it seems (through sales, anyway) this the least favorite among my readers. Although this is one of the stories I personally enjoy the most. Of course, this stories lack of popularity could be because this story is not erotic, and it considered romantic suspense with the main character a virgin throughout. But hey, it is paranormal and the main character does end up with a mate of her choosing for life.

I personally think the reason for the popularity in the use of first-person in erotica is two-fold.

First, I believe it brings the reader into the main character's head--the reader sees what the character sees and feels what the character feels. Essentially, the reader becomes the main character through intimate identification.

Second, the nature of much of the erotic story is confessional. Confessional is best read through the person doing the confessing. Think about the popularity of the Shades of Grey series.

I've come to believe that the popularity of this series is due partly because of the confessional nature of the story. I mean, let's be honest, how many readers actually believe that this virginal college student just happens to meet a billionaire in a hardware store and then almost immediately agrees (by contract, no less) to his odd terms. I know it is a very romantic notion but I suppose, for me, anyway, I cannot be made to believe that this virgin's first time is the best she ever had (well, duh) and that her lover's appendage is now the biggest she's ever seen. Really? How many has she seen at this point? and how does she suddenly come into all this sexual knowledge to become such a sex kitten?

But I digress.

How do you prefer a story be told. Are your preferences different between say erotica and fantasy? Paranormal or suspense?

Or, does it depend entirely on the story being told? What say you?

Still in the World

Has it really been that long? Well, I may have disappeared for a time  but just wanted all my readers to know I am still here. For the last several months writing has taken a back seat to home repairs and a flurry of summertime activities.

A storm in spring tore half the roof from my house so that had to be replaced. We are still in the process of having our windows replaced. Our home has a rock face (not a façade, but real rock) so window replacement has taken three visits so far and there will be more after the rain passes.

Fear not, for I am currently working diligently on my next story. This one promises to be more fantasy and less erotic that what some might have grown familiar with from me. This is a story of love, hate, chance, rescue, faults, and redemption between a 1920's air mail flyer, a forest nymph, and an ogre. Surely not your typical high fantasy but, in true Ellison James fashion, full of paranormal wonder and history in a world made believable on a base of fact.

So, stay tuned, and for those reading this blog article in America, happy Independence Day!

Delightful Words

 

A short poem from a good friend of mine, I thought would be nice to share:

 

It starts with a look, a word, a kiss
The slightest brush of skin.
Desire awakens and surfaces
Grows from deep within

Stirring of mood and quickening of pulse
She quietly whispers my name.
Deep and guttural needs arise
I struggle now to tame.

As we plan our brave escape
to this secret; most sacred place
I find my heart within her now
I live within her space.

Something that she gives me
No one other can
Arousal at her every touch
My heart within her hand.

 

 

All hope for your enjoyment.



Release Day

It's finaly here - Release Day.

It's official.

Center Stage is now available everywhere (almost.) Find it on:
Amazon,

Barnes and Noble,

Smashwords,

or at All Romance eBooks. (Shh, still free here for the day, maybe longer.)

May be few weeks before it is available at ibooks, Diesel, Kobo, and others.

Torrent Downloading

Credit: searchcopy.blogspot.com

A few days ago I received an email from google alerts with the keywords "Ellison + James" in the search criteria.

Upon opening the email to view the stats, I learned something new - there is a place where one can download material offered free or otherwise, called Torrent.

Now, it just so happens, the story of mine listed on this site is one I already offer free, so it was no big deal.

And now for the really weird part -- I wouldn't probably not care if I saw all of my work on this site. Sure, I want to be properly compensated for the work I perform in creating a story, the cost of covers, editing, or whatever other items I must pay for in order to sell my work on the open market, but am unaffected by someone coming into possession of my material unlawfully.

In fact, the way I look at it, I want to get my books into as many hands as possible. There is always the chance that just a few of those scammers will actually read my material. Still fewer might actually like what they read and want more. If this process gains me just one more fan, I'm happy.

Even if that one fan continues to obtain my work illegally, they might tell one of their friends about my work, and that friend may actually decide to purchase something with real money. So, in the end, a gain for me

So, if you've come across my work under whatever means, please do not hesitate to email me and give me your thoughts. Consider my free work payment in advance for the word of mouth advertising you will give me in the future.

Of course, like any other author working hard to protect their intellectual property, I loathe those that take my work and try to resell it, passing it off as their own. Fortunately, I have not personally had such an experience but know some that have.

One last thing. Okay maybe two. I love to hear from readers, even if they are not completely satisfied with a story (Praise makes me happy but criticism can make me a better writer) so write away. Also, I love to get my stories out there, so if you have purchased something of mine in the past, I would be more than happy to work with you in obtaining (free, if necessary) the rest of my library.

One last thing. I will post here on 26 February to make the announcement of the official release of my latest story, Center Stage, along with links for purchase everywhere. But, if you look for it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords, or All Romance eBooks, you might find it now, as they are processing the book as of now.

Thank you

Shh, It's a Secret

I would like to reveal a secret to those few subscribing and/or following my website; I am offering a beta-reader copy of my latest erotic story FREE!

Just follow this link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/288165 

All I ask in return is that you might consider leaving a review if you liked the story. If you find need for changes that you would like to suggest, please email me.

This story is not offered for public sale yet so those visiting my page get the first crack at a new 17K word story. Soon, I will add this story together with Window Treatment and All the Right Places to make a trilogy of sorts.

Enjoy.

Tonight



On Valentine's day she thinks  to herself as she runs the washcloth across the evening dishes. The late sun streams into the window at a low angle, stinging her sore and tired eyes. She thinks of what she might have said, what she might have written if she'd just taken the time to think things through before slamming the door in his face.

If we could just start over tonight

Without the arguments, without the fights.

 

I'd be yours and you, mine

Our love stretching beyond the end of time.

 

I know that your out there now, somewhere all alone

Is there some way you'd just sense my thoughts and come home?

 

Oh how I long to feel you again, with me, on me and in me.

I remember we were good together, weren't we?

 

Please come back to me and spend the night

If you give me the chance, I'll make things right.

 

If we could just start over tonight

Without the arguments, without the fights.

 

The sound of the door latch startled her and she turned. He was there, on his knees, flowers in his hand and tears in his eyes. He stood and they embraced. Her body became light, as if she was suddenly free of a great weight. In that embrace, she knew she was forgiven, and she was loved unconditionally.

How Sexy is That

It seems these days that the lines of demarcation between romance and porn are blurring. Since I write across the board, not paying attention specifically to what level of intimacy my stories will express, I have the advantage of tiptoeing back and forth across these lines.

This is one of the aspects of being an independent author that I enjoy most. Sure, I must forfeit some sales and notoriety, but I get to experience the freedom to write what I like - and what I like changes from time to time.

But, you might ask, where are the clear distinctions between romance, romantica, erotic romance, and erotica?

Truth is, I don't personally think there are clear distinctions ... anymore.

A great recent example of this can be found in the recent phenomenon called Fifty Shades of Grey.

I remember clearly, the first headlines about this best-selling series. They said things like: Bringing the erotic genre to the mainstream, The newest mommy porn.

There were many more, I'm sure, but none of them stand out in my memory.

But, a strange thing happened as this series gained popularity with the general buying public ... it moved from the erotic category at Amazon to the romance category. Strange how popularity affects what genre a story falls into. This series, once seen as an underground success, is now sold in places that state they abhor erotica like Target stores. Why? Because there is money to be made in an otherwise starving platform.

Some of the romance stories on the market today would have been labeled as erotica or even pornography just a few years ago. On the other hand, there have been some works seen as literary art, such as the Vladimir Nobokov classic, Lolita. I've written about this story before and still believe that, if put before a publisher today, would be seen as bordering on the sanctioning of statutory rape and rejected. Instead, it was listed by Time magazine as one of the 100 greatest literary works in history.

I personally feel that a story could fall into all of these genres within the span of romance at one time. Of course, it should be clear that one cannot have erotic romance or erotica without the sexual element being the main thrust (pun intended) of the story.

I also understand that there are those that simply do not want sex in their romance story, or do want to buy erotica for the sexual element only to find out it is mostly some mushy romance. While I do not personally pay any attention to, or even care about genre when I am writing a story, I do try hard to properly classify the story after it is complete. So in order to explain this method of classification (kind of) I'll use my own body of work, which, by the way, is for sale at all major retailers.

I'll start with my most recent work, Lexi's Run. I would classify this story as purely romance, albeit paranormal romantic suspense. This story is all about the development of the relationship between Alexis and Joseph. Sure, this story runs along the backdrop of hiding from a powerful man hellbent on making Alexis pay for rejecting him, running from, and then, taking down a major crime ring, and, of course, turning your love interest into a werewolf so you can be together (although this is not done on purpose) all without expressing, overtly, the sexual relationship between the two main characters. Was there sexual tension? I certainly hope so, but when all the problems are solved and the main characters finally have the chance to fully develop their relationship, Lexi is still a virgin. How's that for romance without the sexual element.

Now, going back to the novel that took place before this one, Lovestruck Succubus, it's all about the sex, at least at first. Hey what can I say, Azra, the main character of this story, must have sex to survive. Sure, she'd love to have a relationship like all those mortals do, but her demon physiology just can't handle it. That is, until she has a run in with Raif, then the story takes a turn toward romance. I would classify this story as romantica or erotic romance. My full description is: paranormal erotic romantic suspense.

Next is the sex in public series, Window Treatment and All the Right Places. This storyline follows our main character, Wendy Parker through self discovery. From a simple mistaken peek into someone elses apartment, she is brought into the world of voyeurism and exhibitionism. So, this series is themed on sexual discovery, but running right behind the main theme is her relationship with Rick, her boyfriend. First she simply draws into her new discovery but at all times, running in the background, is their growing relationship, which culminates in a marriage proposal in the second story. In the upcoming story, Center Stage, Wendy takes a step into uncharted territory and promises to amaze all the readers of the first two stories with just how far she's willing to go.
Believe it or not, this story was hard to classify. I list it as erotica, but I think it could fit reasonably well in erotic romance.

I think, in the end though, one must decide on their own, just what type of stories they are comfortable reading, and never judge an author by just one story because they may be, like me, an author that writes among more than one genre.

A Little Taste

I wanted to start the new year with a taste of what's to come in the near future.

For those of you waiting patiently for the next installment in the Immortal Desires series, Demon Among Wolves, I'm currently working on this story and the next. I've struggled with this next story because it will prove to be a turning point in which the entire focus of the story will change. Some Characters will die while others are introduced, and the real main character to the series will be introduced.

Anyway, I continue to write short, fun stories full of intrigue and sensual naughtiness. Soon I will be finishing  the next installment in the popular storyline of Wendy Parker -- exhibitionist, voyeur, and fiance' to Rick. Here's an excerpt from the story. This is an excerpt from the upcoming story, Center Stage. Enjoy:

Trip and Fiona led us to our seats. I felt like we were in a grand processional with Trip in front of us and Fiona pushing us along from behind. Aside from the ushering, our seats were wonderful--right up in the front row and center stage. The theater buzzed with a kind of hushed expectancy as if all the patrons knew that something exciting was about to begin. I wondered if all the couples were given special invitations, or if there was some other means of gaining access to whatever event was going to take place here tonight.

The event started with all the fanfare and hoopla of a circus. A tall muscular man moved forward as the curtain opened. He wore an elaborate mask with long feathers curling over the top of his head, and a long beak nose extending in front. Other than his mask, he wore no clothing except for a small g-string that looked like it was made for a woman. The small pouch in front barely covered an enormous bulge. It could have been the minuscule amount of fabric covering him but he appeared extremely well-endowed--more than extreme--his size was such that he might have been best suited for a carnival, or side show. It suddenly occurred to me that this was going to be a grand exhibition, and I settled into my seat for something I knew I was going to enjoy.

The first act was a woman contortionist. She bent and stretched in unnatural but sensual ways that seemed to defy the limits of the human body. Another woman joined her, performing some kind of sensual Eastern style dance as the contortionist moved into the background and disappeared behind the curtain. Shortly thereafter, a man joined the woman in her dance. She was wearing a dress made of loose-fitting satin and sheer material, while the man wore loose pants and a vest. Their costumes made them appear almost like an Eastern Indian prince and princess. The couple joined in an embrace, and as they spun away, the man held a piece of the woman's dress. It unraveled as she turned until the remaining fabric fell from her body, leaving her completely naked on the stage. They danced around each other in a kind of mating dance one might see from birds, and on the next pass, the woman pulled the vest from the man's shoulders. When they again embraced and broke away, the woman carried with her, the man's pants. They must have been held to him with Velcro. Their dance continued, both of them now naked, until it evolved into a series of embraces and movements in which the man lifted the woman or she slid around him in some provocative manner.

Just as the act was ending, Trip and Fiona got up from their seats in unison. Trip whispered, "we'll be right back" as he passed in front of us. I wondered where they were going, hoping they weren't leaving us alone in this theater full of strangers. I looked around and saw most of the other couples getting very comfortable with each other. Although I would never admit it out loud, I'd secretly wished I was one of those acts up on the stage. Rick and I could sure find a way to entertain the audience.

Rick whispered, "look, the next act is starting," and caught my attention by placing his hand on my knee and moving it ever-so-cautiously upwards until he reached the hem of my short skirt.

A little shiver climbed up my spine and I mentally dared him to continue moving his hand up my thigh. Sadly, he didn't bite. He was preoccupied with the stage. A series of long ropes of fabric were lowering from the ceiling, and music began pumping through unseen speakers. It was the kind of music one might expect to hear in a strip club while men threw money at a woman climbing seductively up and down a brass pole. After the fabric stopped moving, falling into place a mere foot or two above the floor, a woman appeared through the curtains at the back of the stage. The woman was completely naked except for ballet shoes and a ribbon to hold her hair up. Her body was sleek and toned, and she moved onto the stage with a grace found only in well-seasoned dancers. I was drawn to the fluid motion of her tight muscular body as she wrapped her arms around both lengths of fabric and easily hoisted herself off the floor.

I felt Rick's hand slowly inching up my thigh as the truly talented woman on stage managed to get her legs wrapped around the sheets of fabric and perform the splits, exposing the entire audience to all her frontal assets. Although I would never admit it if asked, I found her not only talented in a physical sense, but quite sensual and artistic in her fluid movements along those threads of fabric. She slid slowly down the long sheets of fabric as the lights in the theater dimmed. Darkness enveloped the entire space as she touched the floor, and after she left the stage, a spotlight turned onto the curtains. I am still to this day not sure, but I think that when the curtain opened, my jaw actually dropped.

For those that may not have read the previous exploits of Wendy Parker, I will tell you that her adventure started not so long ago with a mistaken peek into someone else's apartment. Her decisions and actions led her into the exhibitionist and voyeuristic lifestyle. She soon drew her boyfriend, Rick into her activities. In her second story, Wendy continues her practices on a business trip to Seoul, South Korea, bringing Rick along, where her trip ends with a proposal of marriage.

Center Stage may be the last in this short series but fear not, there are others in the works.