Time flies when you are having fun...
It looks like October will be a month of endings and beginnings here at Mocha Memoirs. First of all, if you haven't gotten your story in to Alexandra Christian for the latest Sherlock Holmes anthology call, submissions END on October 14th. Time is running out--so if you have been procrastinating...get a move on!
It will also be the BEGINNING of availability for Ghosts, Gears, and Grimoires, the Steampunk Horror anthology that debuts on October 27th. I can't wait to see the book in print. There are some wickedly awesome stories in it.
Of course, Halloween is also coming--that is the END of October (and my personal favorite holiday) and marks the BEGINNING of National Novel Writing Month. If you have never participated in NaNoWriMo, give it a shot! What have you got to lose? Even if you don't finish, you will have more words than you started with. :)
The goal is 50,000 words in a month, which is a bit daunting, I know--but that works out to only 1667 words a day to make the goal. That isn't so bad. After all, this post has over 200 words, and look how short it is... It is a lot of fun, and I've gotten at least five or six completed manuscripts from the rough first drafts of November. Who knows? You might be the next discovery for us!
Showing posts with label Alexandra Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexandra Christian. Show all posts
Monday, October 3, 2016
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
MMP Celebrates Women in Horror Month: Alexandra Christian
Alexandra Christian (@LexxxChristian), the Southern Belle from Hell, has been a writer for as long as she can remember.
Here are her thoughts on horror and its importance to her.
"When I began writing horror, I'd never really considered the fact that I was a woman. I'd been reading Anne Rice and Poppy Z. Brite for so long that it never occurred to me how special it was for a woman to be writing in this genre. 'As an author, I’d rather be seen as a person who writes great stories, not necessarily a WOMAN who writes great stories.
My hope for the future is that someday there won't be consideration of whether the writer is male or female, but whether the writer is producing great work.
Check out Alexandra Christian's amazing paranormal, horror romance series, STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.
Welcome to The Oubliette.
Cali Barrows has had it with love. After wasting three years with the man she thought was the love of her life, she finds out that he’s been sleeping with his boss. Broken-hearted and bored, Cali’s life had become a string of TV dinners and tawdry romance novels. She wondered where her life was going until she followed the mysterious stranger through the red door and enters a world that few would ever know existed.
The Oubliette is a safe haven for all those creatures that go bump in the night. They cater to a very particular clientele and only those who seek it out may find the red door leading into a dark paradise of otherworldly delights. Together with her vampire hosts, André and Leo, Cali becomes a matchmaker for the undead and unwittingly gets herself into all sorts of mischief, all the while slipping into a decadent world where every sensual desire is fulfilled.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Happy Birthday to Us and U.S. too!
If you've been a part of Mocha Memoirs for the last four years, you know that July is our BIRTHDAY Month! Not only is this the month of the United States' birth, but also ours.
Mocha Memoirs Press began in 2001,
but reopened our doors in July 2010 with the hope of spotlighting fantastic
fiction in the genres of science fiction, horror, fantasy, and romance. Since we’re giving gifts, it’s Christmas in July! What’s in
our holiday sack?
Gift #1-New fiction! Four
new titles will launch our TOIL, TROUBLE, AND TEMPTATION line.
Gift #2- MMP
GIFT bag. It will include the
following:
1.
A sample of our books (both horror
anthologies, a science fiction title, two erotic romance titles, and a fantasy
title).
2.
A MMP tee-shirt.
3.
A MMP journal to write down your own
inspiring ideas.
4.
Starbucks® coffee
5.
Other surprise goodies.
6.
All will be contained in a MMP cloth
bag or be spilling out of it.
(You
have to sign up for the MMP Newsletter at http://eepurl.com/Yjas1).
Gift #3-Black Friday sale in the summer-All Christmas and holiday stories are .99!
Gift #4-Sizzling Deals for HOT summer nights-All erotic
romance titles are $2.99 or LESS! With many below $2.00!
Gift #5-Select science fiction, fantasy, and horror
titles are $1.00 or 0.99.
- Drink My Soul by Rie Sheridan Rose
- Descent into Madness by Michael LaRocca
- Still Another Day by Janet Eckford
- Dragon’s Champion by Wynelda Ann Deaver
- Huntress by Siobhan Kinkade
- The Soul Cages by Nicole Givens Kurtz
So, join us in the fun!
Nicole Givens Kurtz
Owner
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Seven Questions with SJ: Alexandra Christian
Welcome back with another round of seven questions with Selah Janel! This month my victim is the lovely Alexandra Christian. I've known Lexxx for a while and am always in awe of how well she mixes romance with horror, erotica with smart characters, and sassy humor with everything. Here's what she had to say...
SJ: What author, living or dead, do you just want to punch in
the face and take their place? Who has so much talent that you just can't stand
it?
AC:Most definitely
Stephen King. If there was a demonic
force that would allow me to switch evil genius brains with him, I would be
hard pressed not to take him up on the offer.
King’s gift for description and characterization is something that I
both envy and strive for. He’s what I measure myself and other authors by. …but no pressure…
SJ: It’s your funeral, and the only thing people are talking
about is your writing. What kind of creative legacy do you hope you leave
behind?
AC: I would hope that
people would say that I brought legitimacy to the erotic romance genre. That my stories were not only sensual, but
also smart, funny and well-crafted.
SJ: Since you focus on erotica writers, do you think they're
perceived as being really down-and-dirty, or all y'all just human like the rest
of us?
AC: I think that there’s
this fantasy that all erotic writers are one of two things. Either we’re all these smoldering sexpots
that write fictionalized versions of our own sexual escapades OR that we’re all
crazy cat-ladies writing dirty books on our lunch breaks from our jobs at the
local library. I like to think that most
of us are like me: somewhere in
between. I am highly imaginative, sexy,
flirty, smart, classy, goofy and generally a nice girl. I think that if you write erotic romance or
erotica, it’s kind of your responsibility to act like an intelligent, classy
and talented author so that all of us will be taken seriously. I have witnessed an awful lot of authors who
put this “down and dirty” image out there and then get upset when they 1—get treated
like a bimbette who is writing garbage and 2—get disgusting propositions from
creepers on social media sites. If you
want to be taken seriously as an author then you have to project an image of
being a serious author.
SJ: If you were stranded on a desert island with three
characters you've written, who would you: 1. want around to help you survive 2.
want around to populate the island with 3. want around in case you need to
resort to cannibalism.
AC: Hmmm…. I think I’d
want Sascha from Beast of Burden to help me survive. She’s such a strong and ingenuous person that
I think she could help us slaughter animals for food and build a bamboo
hut. When I got ready to repopulate, I’m
not sure who I’d pick. I’ve written so
many sexy heroes that I’d be hard pressed to choose. Andre from the Strange Bedfellows
series and Seth from Sanguine Kiss are amazing lovers with their vampire
stamina, but of course, they wouldn’t be much good for repopulation. And then Jack Leannan from Second Skin
could help me spawn a race of Selkies that would take over the island. As for
resorting to cannibalism, Saraqael from my first novel, Hellsong, would
be the best choice. Duh—he’s an
angel. He’s got wings. He could fly us right outta there….
SJ:What genre do you really want to write in that you
haven't gotten a chance to yet?
AC: I’d really like a high
fantasy. Something straight out of Lord
of the Rings with elves and dwarves. I
think the world-building would be so much fun.
Of course, for me the hardest part would be keeping the romance out of
it…
SJ: What author do you feel is the hidden gem in the world
today?
AC: You, of course, Selah!
Seriously, I think that all of my writer friends are amazing talents that
haven’t been fully realized by the world just yet. I always gravitate toward people that are
incredibly talented storytellers. Tally
Johnson, Susan H. Roddey, Crymsyn Hart, Selah Janel, Stephen Zimmer and Lucy
Blue are among my favorite “unknowns.”
SJ: Why MMP? What's your favorite part about working with
them?
AC: I met the publisher at
MMP, Nicole Kurtz, at a convention a few years ago. She had such a clear vision about where she
wanted MMP to go and the types of authors she was looking for that I
immediately wanted to help her on the path to world domination. She had a great business plan that was about
being profitable for everyone, but also helping to nurture good authors. My favorite part about working with MMP so
far has been all of the wonderful people I’ve met who are so helpful and
supportive.
To learn more about Lexxx's different titles, check out her blog!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
An Interview with Andre deBeaumanoir, vampire.
*******
Andre, thanks for coming with me to the Mocha Memoirs blog.
We have a couple questions we’d like you to share with our readers:
1.
It’s a big rumor that vampires don’t like summer. Is that true?
Well as
any Goth kid could tell you, wearing all black in the summertime is pretty
uncomfortable. Over the years I’ve
learned to cope: linen shirts rather than cotton, midnight skinny dipping in
the pool, and of course sunglasses are always most fashionable during the
summer months.
2.
Tell us
about your most current adventure.
I’m a
star of the Strange Bedfellows series written by Alexandra Christian. In the last adventure, our damsel in distress
took us into the afterlife to rescue the spirit of her dead husband. We ended up contracting the services of a
rather dubious necromancer, a Grim Reaper and a golem. The story ended on quite a cliffhanger, but
no worries—the next installment is due out this year. I’ll be going into Hell to rescue my human
lover from the clutches of the afore mentioned sexy necromancer.
I’m
afraid that my favorite thing to do is something I’m not sure I can discuss on
a public blog (wiggling eyebrows), but I’m quite certain you could guess. I suppose that could also be counted among my
super powers…
a quick, one or two word answer. Ready?
I’m
always ready.
·
Favorite
color: Maroon. It goes with everything.
·
Favorite song:
Moondance, Van Morrison
·
Favorite meal:
Busty redheads.
·
Favorite movie:
The Bride of Frankenstein
·
Boxers or briefs? Neither. Vampires don’t wear underwear.
·
Mountains or beach? They
both look the same at night.
·
Comedy or tragedy? Tragedy,
of course. I’m a vampire.
*******
Blurb from "Three to Tango."
A truer statement had never been uttered, but when Cali stumbled upon The Oubliette, she began to realize the wisdom in those words. Broken-hearted and bored, Cali’s life had become a string of TV dinners and romance novels. She wondered where her life was going until she followed the mysterious stranger through the red door and entered a world that few would ever know existed. A world of vampires, werewolves and pleasure beyond imagination. Within the walls of The Oubliette, Cali will embark on a dangerous and sensual journey of discovery that will change her life forever.
CLICK ME to get your very own copy of "Three to Tango."
Alright kids, if I've piqued your interest even a little, here's my social media links. Come join the madness....
Blog: http://lexxxchristian.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.christian.12
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexxx-Christian-The-Southern-Belle-from-Hell/245839382102904
Twitter: @LexxxChristian
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4684601.Alexandra_Christian
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lexxxchristian/
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Art Imitating Life
Here we are once again, friends. The start of another new month as we charge
bravely toward the summer. And what an
exciting month April was! I don’t know
about the rest of you, but I’ve been glued to all the coverage of those tragic
bombings in Boston, MA. I was, like
everyone else, horrified by the initial story.
Not since Sept. 11, 2001 have I felt that overwhelming sense of mass
panic. The little town where I live is
hundreds of miles away from Boston, but I had heard rumors that the bombings
were not isolated and everyone seemed to be on edge, waiting to see which city
would be hit next. Then, later in the
week, I was intrigued by the manhunt and capture of the surviving bomb
suspect. It really was like something
out of a movie. Coming soon to theatres: Taken 3:
Marathon of Terror.
Which brings me to the topic of my rambling today. Does art imitate life?
As a writer, I ate up all the gory details of the Tsarnev
brothers’ lives and exploits, looking for two things. One, how could human beings commit such a
violent act against other human beings?
I think during something like this, we all have that need to make sense
of a senseless act, but I think that as a writer, that need is even more
intense. Like most of us, I can’t
imagine staring into the smiling face of an eight- year old boy as I place a
bomb at his feet, knowing that it will likely kill the child instantly. The writer in me wants to know how a person
could become so jaded, or crazed or “radicalized” that that would seem ok. What was going through the mind of those
bombers? Did they justify it to themselves?
Did either one ever feel the slightest pang of remorse or even think for
a second about turning back? What about
the victims? Did they have a premonition
that might have warned them? It’s said
that we all have guardian angels that remain hidden except in times of extreme
distress or at the hour of our deaths. I
find myself wondering if maybe that little boy saw his angel and was
unafraid. I hope so.
My point is—each person involved in such a horrible event is
a character, or as Stephen King might say, “a bag of bones.” Observing the players in this gruesome drama
has inspired me in a way I hadn’t thought of before. I find myself filing them away for future
use: victims, police officers, FBI investigators,
firefighters, doctors, concerned citizens that rushed in to help, and yes—even
the bombers themselves. A stockpile of
characters that I can pull out at will.
Heroes in the top drawer, villains in the bottom. And always keeping in mind that no one is the
villain of their own story.
Art in all its forms, is not just a monument of the world we
live in. It is how we understand
it. It gives us empathy and bolsters our
faith. I hope that someday, perhaps through
writing, I’ll able to understand, but I’m not holding out much hope. I suppose I’ll just have to settle for faith.
******
If you’re interested in making a donation to the victims of
the Boston Bombings, check out The One Fund here: https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate9.html
*******
My books
can be found at Amazon, Barnes and
Noble, All Romance eBooks and anywhere quality eBooks are sold.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Feeling Peevish
1. Poor grammar. If you're an author who gets paid for what you write, then you should have a good grasp of the English language (or whatever tongue you happen to write in). An editor should not have to remind you about capital letters, punctuation, it's/ its or using an apostrophe s for a plural. Oh, and nothing gets my back up worse than a disregard for subject/ verb agreement. I've found myself participating in conversations on writer mailing lists detailing lessons on basic grammar. Here's a news flash, publishers-- if the author doing the submission is making glaring grammatical errors, then they aren't ready to publish. If the story is so good that grammar doesn't matter, that's what the "revise and resubmit" letters are for. That's not to say that we all don't make mistakes, but a disregard for grammar diminishes us all.
2. Ignoring plot points in favor of more sex. I've been writing in the romance genre for a while now and I've noticed that in a lot of instances, romance writers get slammed for writing "fluff." We get accused of having weak plots that center on sex and lovey-dovey drivel. For the most part, this is a slippery-slope arguement that has no basis in reality (i.e.-- bullshit). However, I have been the "victim" of a PWP-- a porn without plot. And if that's what you're looking for, that's great. More power to you, but that's just not my thing. I like romance novels that center on the relationship between the lovers, but that also have an intricate, interesting plot woven into it. After all, there's only so many ways that the characters can get it on. After a while, there has to be something more if it's to hold my interest.
3. Insulting the intelligence of the reader. Romance readers often get a bad rap. Actually, genre-readers often get a bad rap. It is as if the world thinks that anyone who reads horror, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. are adorable little morons. I can't tell you how many times I've had complicated sentence structure or vocabulary edited out of a story. One of my biggest peeves is the myth of "head hopping." Writers are often not allowed to write in third-person omniscient POV nowadays because we're all so scared of confusing the reader. I, for one, would like to think that my readers are intelligent folk who have no trouble following the points of view of the characters. As a reader, I enjoy varied and complex sentence structure and vocabulary that ignites the senses. That's not to say it should be pretentious, but you know what I mean...
Now comes the part where I give the shameless plug. If you're reading this blog, chances are, you're a Mocha Memoirs reader. CONGRATULATIONS! Mocha Memoirs writers are among the best in the business. I've read lots of books from the MMP authors and I've never been disappointed. Writers like Selah Janel, Siobhan Kincade, Nikki Prince, Nikki Winter, Drea Riley, Billy London and so many others grace the MMP store with their amazing abilities. If you haven't checked out the MMP team, I urge you to do it now. You won't be disappointed.
*************
If I’ve piqued your interest or if you just want to come point and laugh, I can be found at the following locales:
My books can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks and anywhere quality eBooks are sold.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Is there room for erotic horror?
Hey kids! It's yer old pal Alexandra Christian, taking over the blog on the 2nd day of each month. Yes, it's frightening. The staff over at Mocha Memoirs have seen fit to give me free reign for the day. I know... what were they smokin'? In case you aren't familiar with me and my exploits, I write the Strange Bedfellows series for MMP. In that series, and in other books I'm currently pimpin' out--- I've become known as the "erotic horror girl." Strangely, I wasn't actually aware that it was a genre. I just thought I was a weirdo, but evidently there are others that think like me. Erotic horror, as defined by me, is a subgenre of romance in which the hero and heroine are put into extreme situations and their love triumphs all despite blood, violence and death. That's a loose definition of course. Think Freddy Kruger and his girlfriend rampaging down Elm Street with sex stops at each of the houses of their victims. Now some of you might be thinking, "How is this different from paranormal romance?" Well... paranormal romance still has that emphasis on ROMANCE. There has to be a lovey-dovey happily ever after ending. With erotic horror, its all about the visceral experience. The author wants you to be scared and turned on simultaneously. Its not so explicit as splatterpunk, though it can be. And strangely enough, this particular subgenre is comin' out screamin'. Lots of publishers have decided to give erotic horror a chance and there are some great books just on the verge. So keep a lookout.
On that note, my Strange Bedfellows series is an example of erotic horror, though its pretty light. But there's people rising from the dead, explicit descriptions of zombies and necromantic rituals, human marionettes.... it can get pretty dark. But I promise there's also healthy doses of comedy and sex. The first installment, "Three to Tango" is a m/m/f menage piece that introduces the series and the new installment (dropping on March 2nd) adds a few more characters and is quite a bit darker. But... the blurb below will give you a better idea than I can....
What would you give for one more night?
Rhys and Elizabeth Grayson had a charmed life. A beautiful house, a passionate marriage and a bright future ahead, until one day, their dreams were shattered when Rhys suddenly died. Alone and drowning in grief, Elizabeth has nowhere to turn until she stumbles across Cali Barrows and The Oubliette. The otherworldly talents of Cali and her vampire lovers, André and Leo, are Elizabeth’s only hope for being reunited with her beloved. But the journey into the ethereal is a dangerous one and lost souls are not easily found. How far is Elizabeth willing to go to say goodbye? How far to feel the warmth of his phantom caress?
Doesn't that just sound deliciously sexy and sinister? Or maybe it's just me....
*****************
If I’ve piqued your interest or if you just want to come point and laugh, I can be found at the following locales:
My books can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks and anywhere quality eBooks are sold.
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