Tuesday, November 23, 2010

AVAILABLE NOW! Feels Like Home from Marteeka Karland and Beautiful Trouble Publishing



Wild Creek, Texas is home to one Abigail Dupree. This feisty librarian can take on anyone, anywhere, anytime, but Jayce has her completely tied in knots. He always has. Fortunately for Abigail, she's got him just as bumfuzzled.

The one woman Jayce could never get out of his head has always seemed unattainable. Not because he couldn't get her, but because he was seriously afraid her mother would take his manhood if he tried.

What happe
ns when Jayce gets the blessing of Mama Dupree—and the perfect setting to act out his desires?



Read an excerpt on the "Feels Like Home" page of this blog. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Got A Question For You...

If McDonald's sold hot dogs, could you order a McWeiner with a straight face then ask them to super size it?

What? It was just a question!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Do You Have Too Many Irons in the Fire?

Marteeka is sitting in her den trying to do her edits.  She's had a long day with working full time in addition to being a mommy, a wife, and the official CGI artist of the Empire (um, Beautiful Trouble Publishing), and author, which means that she basically listens to a barrage of demands. Thinking back on the movie Multiplicity she considers cloning herself, but knowing the people in her life they’d wear the clones out too.  The ding of the IM awakes her just as she nods off.

BTP: Teeka? Are you busy?
MK: I’ve been talking about myself in the third person, of course I’m busy.
BTP: Real busy or only kinda busy.
MK: I will kill you.
BTP: Yeah but before or after you hear what we want?
MK: Seriously. Death…
BTP: We know you went to work, took your son to soccer, and pulled two double shifts last week...but could you please pretty please do a cover for us? It needs a T-Rex and a dragon, a hot BBW woman, a smoking hot naked man. Fire. Smoke. And we need it tomorrow. Also, when are we getting another submission from you?

Before she can answer, a little voice says, "Mommy? Can I have a snack? I just want a Poptart. I can take it out of the package, but will you put it in the toaster? It's hard to get out without burning my fingers."

Husband. "No, son, Mom's about to fix supper, aren't you, Mom."

Another ding on IM.

KK (editor from Changeling Press): Teeka? Do you have any idea how late your book is? M's gonna kill us both if you don't get it in! Where are you and when can you get it to me? I love you to death, but you really suck and it takes me a while to edit you.

Another ding on IM.

BK (cover art director from Changeling Press): Hey. Cover for ya. It's not officially a rush job, but it IS slated out for two weeks and the author really needs the cover for promotional art.

Another…. Oh, you get the point.

AA (anonymous author from above): I really hate to rush you, and I'm so sorry (she really IS a sweetheart) but I've got to get something up on my website to promote with. Please???

Marteeka shuts her laptop, not answering any more IM's because her sanity is in serious question at this point. She stumbles off to the bathroom because it's the only place in the house where someone else ISN'T. She shuts the door. Locks it. Turns up the CD player… some loud, blaring, screamy stuff because she knows that will drive away even cockroaches. She fills the bath with hot water and bubble bath and sinks gratefully to her neck.

She closes her eyes…

Only to have the door open, close, and a solid, muscled, hair roughened body sinks into the bath behind her. She sighs happily.

"What took you so long?"

"Had to fix Poptarts for the boy," he replies as he gently takes one peaked nipple between his fingers and rolls it between the pads. "He'll be occupied for a few minutes…"

"And what did you have in mind for those few minutes?" Marteeka purrs. He knows just how to touch her, just how to make her want more of his caresses.

"Oh, I thought we'd…"

There's a pounding at the door.

"Mommy? Daddy? What's going on in there?"

He grinds his teeth in frustration. Marteeka has to stifle a giggle.

"We're saving water and taking a bath together. We'll be out in a minute."

"But, I need a bath too. It would save even more water if we had family bath time. Then we could have family cuddle time and all go to sleep TOGETHER."

Sigh.

Just like everything else.

NOTHING FINISHED!

Know Your Roll!

As a writer, I tend to create stories that appeal to me. Which is great. IF I'm buying my own books. The trick is, to find an audience who loves the same stuff I do. How does one do that? Picking the right publisher is a great start. Pick a publisher that sells books you like to read. Buy some of their books in different genres to get a feel for what they sell.

BE AWARE!!

The first book you write for that publisher will be what your audience expects. ESPECIALLY if you write something with a speciality audiance. Menage. Slash. Manga. Shunga. Fem dom. It's much easer to cross genre if you start simple. M/F audiences will cross over easier than say ménage readers will cross to straight M/F books. Likewise, if your publisher specializes in a genere like science fiction or paranormal, you're much more likely to be able to cross over more than if your publisher specializes in say historical or sweet romance. That's an extreme, but you see what I mean.

Likewise, IR publishers will publish ménage, but it's not necessarily what their readers expect. You may contract the book, but don't expect to set any sales records.

Bottom line? Write what you love -- its what makes a good writer a great one -- but research the market. Find a publisher that suits you and has a good track record of selling books in your preferred genre. Once you're in, you'll be on your way to building a dedicated readership.

Shifter's Coven: Hunter

AVAILABLE FRIDAY!
Simon is the lead hunter of the pack and most trusted confidant and advisor to the Alpha. He's also one of the most feared wolves in pack history, and no one has ever known his equal. Now he must hunt the most powerful enemy he's ever encountered before she destroys the one most precious to him.


Adopted daughter of the Alpha, Sasha is a powerful shifter in her own right. She's only now coming into her heritage as a witch, but her power rivals that of Simon's prey, Deloris. She knows Simon's hunt is important to the pack, but never suspects it might all be a trap to draw her into Deloris's deceitful web of malice.

Marteeka's Dreams

Welcome to my author blog! Yes, I've been dragged kicking and screaming into the whole blog thing. Now, I've actually got to post stuff. :D