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Since the impending release of Ceremony of Seduction, is just a few weeks away, the topic of writing HOT is fresh in my mind.  As I stated in my monthly newsletter (which you can subscribe to by just popping me an email, or signing up on my Tina Gerow MySpace page (www.myspace.com/tinagerow), many people have been asking me about the reasons I took a different pen name for my Kensington Aphrodisia books.  Well, first, my agent suggested it.  Both Tina & Cassie write paranormal stories that have snarky humor, strong heroines who don’t wait around for the hero to save them, and fun quirky characters.  However, where the Tina Gerow books are steamy and sensual, the Cassie Ryan books are singe your panties HOT.  So, it was more for author branding.  

The example I usually give for this is, let’s say you pick up a can of Dr. Pepper and take a big drink…but when the liquid hits your tongue - it’s Sprite.  You are jarred and shocked - it’s not what you expected.  You may or may not like Sprite, but at that moment, you were expecting Dr. Pepper.  Readers going from a Tina book to a Cassie book would experience something similar.  Some will be pleasantly surprised and love it, and some won’t.  Nature of the beast, so to speak. 

Another common question I get is, “Aren’t you embarrassed about writing THAT type of book?”  In a word - No.  I’m not embarrassed about anything I’ve ever written - even that play I wrote in the sixth grade that our drama class actually performed for the school - “The Embarrassing Moments of Santa Clause”  LOL.  Totally cheesy, yes, but hey - I had my work performed at a very young age - talk about incentive to keep writing!!  The next most common question is, “Aren’t you worried about your son finding out what you write?”  Again - no. My son knows I write paranormal romance as Tina Gerow, and he’s not allowed to read those books until he’s at least sixteen or eighteen.  My son also knows I write erotic paranormal romance as Cassie Ryan, and that he’s not allowed to read those books until he moves out…LOL.  Not because I’m ashamed of my books, but it would be a very EWWW mother/son moment to walk by him reading my book in the living room - and we BOTH know what’s in there…LOL!  My son tells his friends and pretty much everyone he knows that his mom writes “those kissing books,” but he’s very proud of me that I’m a published author.  In fact, if we are at the store in the romance aisle, he often points out my books to people who are browsing, telling them it’s a great paranormal book with lots of romance. :)  They usually ask him if he’s read it and he tells them he’s not allowed until he’s older, but that his mom wrote it so he knows it’s good.  Ahhh, the PR! :)  But the little charmer has actually sold some books for me that way. 

Now, the fun and most popular question… “Do you write porn?”  LOL!  Well, I guess that depends on your definition of porn.  I’m sure you could sing the “Bow, chicka, bow wow” music in the background while you’re reading if you want that “porn” type feel, but, it doesn’t follow my definition of porn.  I do have author friends that jokingly call their work porn, smut etc, and that doesn’t really bother me either. My usual response to people is, “Do you like porn?”  If they say no, then I say, “Well, then you’ll like my book.  Unlike porn, it has a romance and explores the relationship between the hero and the heroine as well as having some steamy sex scenes.  Not to mention, it’s got a suspenseful/paranormal/creepy/fun/kick ass (fill in the blank) plot!”  If they say they do like porn, then I hand them the book and tell them to enjoy.  Why?  Everyone’s definitions are different.  

 I’ve had people read my books not knowing they were romance.  Men have read and enjoyed my Maiden series thinking they were sci fi or just paranormal action adventure with some sex in it.  (It’s easy for men to ignore that whole “icky” romance part when there’s sex and a suspenseful plot, not to mention some good battle scenes…lol)  While women have read the same books and told me what a touching romance it was, and that they really felt the emotional connection between the characters during the sex scenes.  Same exact book - two different definitions of what the book is.  Do I really care which definition is used?  Uh, no.  Did they buy the book?  Did they read the book?  Did they enjoy the book?  Yes for all three?  Then, Woo Hoo, I’m a happy camper. 

Let’s face it - sex is a hot topic in our society.  Most people aren’t comfortable with their own sexuality, let alone anyone else’s.  We are a society of people who love sex, but pretend we don’t.  It’s both “cool” and “not cool” to be comfortable with your sexuality in this country, so no wonder people are so conflicted. 

I don’t write my books - either as Cassie or Tina to thumb my nose at propriety or to make a statement about sexual mores.  It may happen out of the plot naturally, but I didn’t sit down to make a political commentary.  Why do I write?  I LOVE to write!  Why do I write sensual as Tina Gerow?  When I began writing, that was my natural heat level to write at.  It came naturally, and I enjoyed it.  Why do I also write HOT as Cassie Ryan?  In between Tina books, I was looking to write something different - even writers need variety.  I kept critiquing these great steamy Cave Creek Cowboy books for Brit Blaise and I loved them!  So, I tried my hand at writing erotic romance, and I love writing those too.  Both Tina and Cassie are just different parts of me, just as the same woman can be a savvy professional career woman, but when she’s on vacation, she can be that wild sex-kitten at the bar in Maui.  And do you know what else?  There are probably lots more people inside me :)  Just different faces and different parts of me. 

So, if you like paranormal romance that’s kick ass, snarky, with fun quirky characters and sensual steamy sex scenes - pick up a Tina Gerow book.  And if you like all of that, but with sex scenes that are highly erotic, give you a play by play, and put you IN the scene and describe what’s happening so well that you’ll be ready to attack your significant other when they come through the door tonight, or you’re ready to buy stock in Duracell, OR, you and the significant other can read the book together for a romantic date night! - then pick up a Cassie Ryan book.  And if both of those scenarios appeal to you - then pick up both and enjoy!  

And if neither of these appeal to you? Then I’d suggest not buying my books.  Plain and simple.  There are plenty of terrific authors out there - for all the myriad tastes of our readers.  Not everyone ‘gets’ my work, and I don’t expect them to.  But those who do ‘get’ me, those are the people who make the writing worthwhile for me.  Keep searching until you find one (or more) authors you love.  But remember, just because you may not like something doesn’t mean others don’t LOVE it! :)  To each their own - Amen! 

Tina/Cassie

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I’ve had tons of questions hitting my email box, so I figured I’d post here what is now up on the homepage of my website.  Here it is:

BREAKING NEWS:

 I have recently received my rights back on INTO A DANGEROUS MIND, STONE MAIDEN, FIRE MAIDEN & TAKE IT OFF.  What this means is that INTO A DANGEROUS MIND is currently not available for sale anywhere.  My agent is helping me shop for a new publisher for that book, so stay tuned for updates!  STONE MAIDEN & FIRE MAIDEN are no longer available in eBook, but are still available in print while supplies last with my last and can be found in any brick and mortar bookstore or through Amazon.  My agent is also helping me shop for a new home for the Maiden series.  As soon as I find a new happy home for the gargoyles – including the third book, ICE MAIDEN, which hasn’t been released yet, I’ll post the information here and on my journal. 

This may sound scary, and many of you have expressed concern that my gargoyles are going away.  But don’t worry – this is an exciting move and will hopefully make my books more easily and widely available to everyone.  Thank you to all my readers who have written to me, or talked to me in person at RT.  You guys are terrific – and than you so much for embracing my gargoyles, and my first book, INTO A DANGEROUS MIND.  Stay tuned here and on my blog for news as it happens! 

Tina 

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I can’t believe it’s Friday already.  Where the heck did this week go, let alone February?  I seriously feel like the universe is on fast forward.

I found out last week that CEREMONY OF SEDUCTION, my first book with Kensington is coming out this August instead of next year sometime, and so my dh and I are scrambling to get the Cassie Ryan website up.  Not to mention, I’m busting my rear to get some word count going on the 2nd book as well as my other WIP’s, as well as working up some high level story ideas for my agent, and waiting for edits on INTO A DANGEROUS MIND, (which goes to print in April,) CEREMONY OF SEDUCTION, and the SEDUCTION Anthology I did with Cheyenne McCray, Jennifer Ashley, Calista Fox and MacKenzie McKade.

I also had some rather irritating poor customer service experiences this week (check out my tinagerow.com blog for a full rant on that!), and things keep popping up that are keeping me from making good word count forward motion this week.

Oh, and let’s not forget that RT is looming quickly and I don’t have a dress for the Triskelion luncheon yet or my new ‘Got Gargoyles?’ buttons ordered yet!

Whew!  I’m making myself tired just thinking about it.  But as my new word count buddy is always reminding me - we have to find the positive in all things.  So….here’s my list of positives and what I’m grateful for. :)

1.  I’m grateful that not only do I have an agent, but I have one who I really like and who is willing to work with me on moving my career forward.

2.  I’m grateful that I do have writing deadlines and overlapping edits because that means I’m working in a field I love!

3.  I’m grateful for all my friends, critique partners, word count buddies and etc who love me even when I’m scraggly and writing in my dragon pajama bottoms, or when I use the word ‘lips’ eighty times in twenty pages :), and when I send them strange questions about strange things while I’m doing research for my stories.  What would I do without you guys?

4.  I’m grateful for my husband who gave me this chance to stay home and write full time and has stepped up his work schedule to try and bridge the income gap.

5.  I’m grateful to my terrific son for being proud of a mom who writes ‘those kissing books’ and who always points out my books loud enough for others to hear him every time we go to the bookstore.
6.  I’m grateful that my mind is warped enough to come up with all these story ideas and to actually get them down on paper.

7.  I’m grateful for all the readers who ‘get’ me and my writing and still want more.

8.  I’m grateful for a universe where someone as ‘off’ as me can find my niche and thrive and be happy.

9.  I’m grateful to my two orange tabby cats who always seem to know when I need some comfort, and then come and burrow on each side of me while I try to write.  I’m even grateful for Rusty who likes to flop sideways on my keyboard and sometimes accidentally sends emails before I was ready and who ALWAYS leaves little orange hairs in between my laptop keys!

10.  I’m grateful for Starbucks - who makes my current legal addiction - Venti, non fat, 7 pump Chai Latte with Whipped Cream!
Tina

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Good morning everyone.  I apologize for missing my regularly scheduled blog day on Friday.  I attended the Glendale Chocolate Affaire all weekend.  And by all weekend, I mean, 3-10pm on Friday, 8am-10pm on Saturday and 8am-5pm on Sunday and then went to dinner with the authors.  What’s my point?  I was a little tired and scattered.  And my only other excuse for not blogging Friday is that I attended a funeral that morning for one of my dh’s uncles and then scrambled off to the Chocolate Affaire with all my promo items in tow.  So….this is the first time I’m actually awake since then without the aid of Red Bull or a Monster Drink and a gallon of hot tea…lol.

For those of you not familiar with the Glendale Chocolate Affaire, let me just assure you that you are missing out if you don’t attend each and every year.  It’s an absolutely amazing event and I will be attending this thing until I die.  You’ll see me out there with my walker (or hopefully not) when I’m 100, and all the Butterscotch Martini Girls are still pointing out all the good looking men walking by…lol.  But I digress.  Check out the website, but the reader’s digest version is, there’s chocolate fudge, chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate covered bananas on a stick, candy apples of every flavor, home made root beer, lots of great food, TONS of cool crafts and neat things for your house and yard, horse drawn carriage rides, a climbing wall, music, cute bike cops and of course - the best part — 20-30 romance authors signing their books and giving free writing workshops all weekend long!

This shindig started for us on Friday.  Charles, our sole male member of the Valley of the Sun Romance Writers was good enough to climb up on the ladder and hang all he lights and signage that decorated our booth.  (Thanks Charles - you rock!)  Charles actually writes sci-fi, but hey, what guy can resist hanging out with bunches of women who talk about romance & sex as part of their jobs?

Our booth was in a new location this year, right across from the Trolley that gave free tours of Historic Downtown Glendale.  We had traffic around our booth as soon as the event opened.  It was easy for people to find us with the great signage this year and book sales and happy readers abounded.  

Now as with any event, there were a few snafus or should I say ‘more amusing events,’ and of course I have to relay a few of my ‘favorites.’ 

 1.  We had red and white helium balloons on ribbons tied around the booth and during setup a few of them had gone AWOL and had risen to the pointy top of our tent/booth.  Unfortunately, the strings of one of the balloons hung low enough that it sat against one of the lights.  So, yup, you guessed it, the odor of burning ribbon permeated the booth, and our brave Chocolate Affaire coordinator Kayla stood on one of the chairs with other people balancing her, while she held a bent and jury-rigged coat hanger with duct tape on the end trying to capture the crispy piece of ribbon and pull the balloon down.  Now I have to laugh, it was a little like a Saturday Night live skit there for a while.  And about ten minutes into it, I snuck back to my purse and got my camera.  Five tries later, I was able to get a picture of this without Kayla noticing…lol.  I’ll definitely have to download it from my camera and post it.  Anyway - the balloon was saved and our tent did NOT burn down.
2. Now you must remember, that we live in Arizona - the land of 120 degree summers, so when it dropped down into the high 30’s Friday and Saturday night - we thought we were freaking freezing.  And I admit - I WAS.  No matter what Judi McCoy from cold country says! :)  I don’t think any of us came prepared for the bone chilling cold we were up against Friday night except those few who had ventured from the East Coast.  It wasn’t this cold last year!!  So, on the way home, with my teeth still chattering - I stopped at the 24 hour Wal Mart and bought gloves for myself, my son and his friend (cheap labor who work for food…lol), for 93 cents each - because supposedly, cold season is over.  Apparently, whoever made that decision wasn’t outside at the Chocolate Affaire with us.  Then I was looking for the warm hand packs.  You know, the little things about the size of a business card you take camping?  You shake up the packs and the chemicals mix and they get warm/hot for 10 hours.  I used to use them in marching band to put in my shoes, my pockets - hell, even in my bra!  I couldn’t find them in camping gear, so had to ask.  The early 20’s clerk told me they were probably in the ’sex section.’  Now I admit - I do shop at Wal Mart regularly, and for the life of me - I’ve never seen a ’sex section’ and I said as much.  Skippy looks at me like I’m a little too slow to keep up and says “You know, by the feminine napkins and stuff.”  Now my light bulb flickers and I advise Skippy that I’m NOT looking for KY Warming jelly or anything - these things have nothing to do with sex (although a few stories ideas were definitely perking through my brain, I must admit).  So, Skippy enlists help - someone else who had actually heard of these and knew they were not the latest sex accoutrement for desperate looking women who frequent Wal Mart at 11pm on a Friday night.  He found them for me up by the register - a buck for a pack of 4 and I grabbed a large handful.  So the next night, I handed those around the tent and we were a much happier group - this time with hand warmers (that were definitely warming more than just hands), blankets, gloves, jackets and big cups of hot chocolate
3.  Our yearly stalker was back.  Yeah - he’s probably going to read this blog and come hunt me down, but I can’t help including him since he’s become a staple of the event.  We aren’t even sure who he is, but he attends every year and sort of stands in front of an author (different each time - in fact he moves every 10 min or so) and stares at them.  He does take a few promo items and will answer questions when spoken to, but other than that - it’s just the stare…  Now, as you can imagine, it’s a bit creepy.  I think he actually bought a book from someone last year, but other than that - he just hovers and stares.  Now after several years of seeing him, we as writers with fertile imaginations have of course given this anonymous guy a backstory.  And since we all write fiction - it of course includes several bodies buried in his basement and a severed head in his ever present backpack.  We didn’t see him till the last day this year, so we had conjectured that his parents had moved taking him and the head in his ever present backpack and the stockpile of bodies in the basement with him.  However, he make it Sunday, just when we were beginning to think he’d gone off to stare at the participants in a horror writer’s seminar and they concocted some painful end for him.  What can we say - it’s just not a complete year at the Chocolate Affaire without our resident stalker.

There are plenty more funny stories about the event, as there always are when you have this many creative people in one place, but I have to save those for another time and another blog.  (I do still have to write today!!)  But the event was terrific as usual.  I sold 48 books over the weekend (as opposed to my embarrassing 4 last year…lol) and I’m ecstatic!  Every author I talked to did extremely well and felt that this was truly a worthwhile endeavor, not only for their sales, but to get their author brand out there and to interact with readers - which is really the greatest part of what we do!

I have to give a big shout out to Kayla Janz, who did an absolutely amazing job coordinating the Chocolate Affaire this year for us.  You are truly a great lady!  Also special thanks for our new VOS pres - Kayce who was always there to help out (and has been for the past several years even before she was Pres - hey, how do you think I talked her into taking over as Pres so I could step down! :)  Two years is enough!)  Special thanks to Kayla’s daughter Heidi who helped out the entire time by getting food for the authors, setting up, tearing down and doing any errands we needed done.  Thanks to Bev Petrone and Isabella Clayton who weren’t signing, but came to help - it’s appreciated.  Thanks to Renee Bernard who is an absolutely wonderful woman who I got to know this weekend - and who fights off promo item thieves with deft hands and a sense of humor - Renee - you rock! :) And special thanks to my son and his best friend who came on Saturday to help and did for the most part.  I have to give them a small bit of understanding since they both instantly fell in love with Kayla’s daughter Heidi and spent the rest of the day trying to get her to notice them in the normal male way - by acting like hormone crazed teenagers.  (I’m sure that gives you a vivid enough picture).  Ahh, young love :)  Thank the Universe I’m looooong past puberty!!

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So my niece’s birthday party is tomorrow, and since my To Do list is longer than the list of diets I’ve tried over my lifetime, I’m just now getting around to figuring out what to get her.  This was one of those things I meant to do every day for the past two weeks and I just never quite got there.  So, first thing this morning, I’m out surfing Toys R Us online for toys for 2-year-olds and hoping like hell if I find a good one that it will actually be sitting in the store waiting for me when I get there.  A lot of people in my position would just run to the store, grab a present and be done with it.  But this little girl has a very special place in my heart and of course, I want her to love the present Aunt Tina & Uncle Jon got her!  (Yeah, yeah, I was just reminded that Cousin Darian as well as Rusty & Katie–our tabby cats–are giving this too.)  Too bad they aren’t all chipping in on the gift!

I call Roo the little miracle baby.  Her name is actually Megan, but she was born three months early and spent her first three months in an incubator at Phoenix Children’s Hospital (a place that definitely gets my donation dollars!!)  She was soooo tiny when she was born - in fact I have a picture of her next to a dollar bill - and she was no wider than the bill, and the bill went from her head to mid thigh.

I got to be there while my sister was in labor, and this little tiny red bundle was born, and then she stretched out her long skinny little kangaroo legs and I immediately dubbed her “Roo.”  (By the way, if you don’t know who Roo is, you really need to brush up on your Winnie the Pooh! :)  Then for the next three months and even after she was able to come home, she had several of the normal “preemie” problems.  But now, she’s a beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed two year old with a constant stream of energy and an even bigger streak of curiosity and creativity to enable her to get into mischief
Now my poor sister and brother in law are in the line of fire, so to speak, but I get to be the Auntie who spoils her, and I’ll most likely be the Auntie who tells her all the stuff her parents won’t when she gets older…lol.  (Shhh!  Don’t tell my sister!)

Anyway, I digress.  Not sure if you’ve looked at Toys R Us or even the toys on Amazon lately but there are enough choices that it makes your head swim.  Not to mention that this little cutie has lots of toys already, so creative gift buying in order.  And unlike her Auntie, she isn’t a hard core tomboy - she’s an equal opportunity girl.  She likes dolls and pink and high heels and dress up as much as she likes trucks and getting dirty.

So after an hour of surfing and reading reviews, I finally narrowed it down to My First Purse, which is a sturdy little purple and pink purse with fun plastic stuff inside like play lipstick and cell phone and keys etc.  and a GeoTrax:  Working Town Railway System which is a durable train and train track that can either be played manually or with a remote control, and makes cool noises that will probably get on my sister’s nerves - tee hee!  And best of all, there are several other sets that will hook into this one like an airport, a lifting barrel loader and other cool stuff.  I’m still wavering, but I guess it will come down to which one is sitting on the shelf when I get to Toys R Us, or worse - if neither is there, I have to start all over!!  Damn - me and my procrastination!
Anyway - once I figure this out - then the actual birthday party is tomorrow.  Party - no problem, throw in family from both sides and a few select friends…and I’m really looking forward to the male review Brit is taking us all to tomorrow night!
I know I should’ve asked this earlier, but does anyone know any great toys for a 2 year old cute & rambunctious girl?

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