Pam Gadsden and Bianca D'Arc

 

All Romance eBooks recently had an opportunity to travel to New York City for the 20^th Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair where we sponsored a booth for authors. During the two day event, authors Allie Boniface, Tilly Greene, Stella Price, Samantha Sommersby, Cat Johnson, Philippa Grey-Gerou, Laura Henion, Gracie McKeever, Tara Scott, Shawn M. Casey, C.H. Admirand, Serena Knight, VeronicaTowers, Tara Nina, Bianca D'Arc and Rayna Vause chatted up fans, signed books, and promoted reading eBooks! We also had model/actors John Antorino and Bill Freda there on Sunday looking very much the heroes, wearing our "Looking for a Hero" t-shirts.

 

We'd like to thank the New York Center for Independent Publishing for hosting the event. We'd also like to thank the authors and all the attendees for coming out, despite the mountains of snow.

 

Another highlight was getting to meet Pam Gadsden, CEO of NAEB, which stands for not another eBook. Now…brace yourself. This is something to get excited about!

 

Pam trudged through the snow to meet Lori James at her hotel the night she arrived in NY. The two of them had a small window of opportunity to connect due to conflicting schedules. What was the highlight of the meeting? Lori got to play with one of the newest eBook readers to hit the market, the Cybook Gen3! She's been talking about it non-stop since. The device itself is made in Paris. NAEB is essentially acting as a buyers club and importing them into the U.S. at a discount.

 

 

 

We have a brief interview with Pam that we wanted to share along with links to the manufacturers website and NAEB's site.

 

Lori: Pam, tell me how you personally became involved in this project?

 

Pam: Back in the spring of 2006 I started a thread on the Baen site, Baen's Bar, asking Jim Baen about an ereading device for Bar Flies. The Sony DRM made their device a non-starter but eInk itself looked to be the answer to an eBook buyer's prayers. There was a lot of interest and Jim said he'd begin spec-ing out a reader as soon as he had the extra cash. Well, we had no idea how ill he was but one of the last things he said on the Bar was that if we wanted to get together and do it ourselves we could have the Bar to organize it on.

 

 

Lori: What were NAEB's goals at the outset and do you feel that they've been realized with the Gen3 edition?

 

Pam: At the outset it looked as if we'd be having to work with the manufacturer (Prime View) to create a reader for ourselves and do programming for it. We actually got as far as designing it and lining up programmers from the Bar members. We were thinking we'd have to turn into an investor's group and I was more than a little daunted; then, thank god, we found out about Bookeen.

 

Our real goal is no DRM, the policy Baen follows with its eBooks, but Bookeen's commitment to supporting as many formats as possible and not adding any further barriers is an excellent compromise.

 

Lori: So, what file types can be read using the Gen3?

 

Pam: It uses Mobipocket PRC (protected and unprotected so you can buy at the store of your choice), PalmDoc (though not eReader), HTML, TXT, and PDF (non DRM). Bookeen intends to keep expanding the formats the Cybook supports so your choice will be greater in the future.

 

Lori: Wow, that's fantastic! What's the file transfer process like? And, being a MAC user myself, I have to ask, is it both PC and MAC compatible?

 

Pam: The reader and its SD card are recognized as usb drives, just drag and drop so MACs won't have any problems. The Cybook has built-in support for Mobipocket which means you don't have to install any software unless you want to.

 

Lori: How many books can it hold?

 

Pam: On the reader itself you can store up to 300 books in standard format. Add in a 2 GB SD card and the number goes up to 10,000.

 

Lori: Seriously?

 

Pam: Yes, you can tote a full library with you.

 

Lori: It's so thin. How much does it weigh?

 

Pam: Just over 6 ounces, 6.13.

 

Lori: And I can see the screen fine in this low lighting. Is it backlit for reading in the dark?

 

Pam: No that would take too much power.

 

Lori: What about reading outside in the daylight?

 

Pam: It's perfect for that, unlike a backlit screen.

 

Lori: Now that I've had a chance to see this up close and play with it, I want one. Can you explain what the buying options are at this point? As I understand it, I can buy direct from Bookeen or through NAEB?

 

Pam: Yes, that's it for now. One of the problems with eBook readers is that they're not widely available. If we hadn't contacted Bookeen the Cybook would be limited to Europe, unless you were a member of a forum like Mobileread or the Bar had heard about it that way.

 

Lori: Well, I know that you have to make it to the Fedex by 6:00 pm because there's someone waiting in Houston to see it. Thanks so much for taking the time to run over here. It's been great meeting you. And…thanks for working so hard on this project. You've really managed to convey to the technical team what readers want and need in an eBook reader. Fantastic job! Are there any other names you'd like to mention? Maybe some of the other key players that worked on the project?

 

Pam: For NAEB myself, Derek Benner, James Franks and Robert Mitchell. But the whole of Baen's Bar is also part of this. They gave us constant support and, when they thought we needed it, the occasional thump on the head.

 

 

Wildfire would like to welcome author Bianca D'Arc.

 

Bianca D'Arc

Julie: When a new book comes out, are you nervous about how readers will react to it?

Bianca: Nervous is too subtle a word to describe that nauseous/anxious feeling that persists right around the time of a new release. After spending so long writing, editing, and proofing the book, I've lost all objectivity and begin to wonder whether it's really as good as I think it is, or if I'm just fooling myself. It takes a few days for things to settle down before people I know get a chance to read it and let me know what they truly think. Until I hear back from them though, it's pins and needles all the way!

Julie: What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants, or a combination of both?

Bianca: I start with a scene or two. It could be something from the middle of the book, it could be the beginning. It doesn't really matter. The initial scene is the inspiration around which I build the rest of the book. I let myself fly free for the first few thousand words and then, if I like what I've got, I begin to build the rest of the book around it. I don't really outline in the strict sense of the word, but it is an outline of sorts. I leave myself notes—little one-sentence ideas of what I want to happen where, then go back and fill it in. It's a weird process, I know, but it works for me.

Julie: When you write, is atmosphere important? For example, do you use mood music or candles? Do you need complete quiet to concentrate?

Bianca: Quiet is nice, but not necessary. Mood music might be fun and I always love candles, but honestly, when I'm in the zone, I don't really need any of that. I might turn to that kind of setting if I'm stuck or want to indulge a bit, but ninety-nine percent of the time I just write whenever and wherever I happen to be. I write a lot on my laptop, so I could be sitting on the couch, curled up by the fire, doing a last few words before I go to sleep or traveling. The setting doesn't matter all that much.

Julie: The editing process is so critical. In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of the editor/author relationship?

Bianca: The editor's job is basically to pick apart your work, so doing it with tact is important. Some editors can give you a ton of edits, yet still leave you feeling like your book is good and will do well. Others can give you light edits and make you feel like a complete idiot who can't string more than two words together without making some kind of glaring error. So it's really all about personality and building a good working relationship.

Julie: What's next for you?

Bianca: My next eBook release is Davin's Quest (Resonance Mates Book 2) in February. That will be followed by a very busy March with Hara's Legacy (Resonance Mates Book 1), I Dream of Dragons, and my Sons of AmberDragon Knights novel, FireDrake, will be out in eBook formats in May, with another installment of the Resonance Mates series, called Jaci's Experiment, set for later in the year. stories coming out in print. After that, my next

Julie: Do you work with an agent?

Bianca: No, I don't have an agent yet, but I'm on the lookout for one I feel comfortable with, who likes my kind of book.

Julie: Do you ever experience writer's block? If you do, how do you cope with it?

Bianca: I go out and read! Reading is what inspired me to write in the first place, so getting lost in someone else's story for a little while is a great remedy for me. It re-inspires me to want to write my own stories and allows me to relax and not think about every little comma or word choice.

Julie: Describe the space where you write.

Bianca: It varies. I have an "office" of sorts where my desktop resides. The desk is covered in paper, pens, promo items, a few stuffed animals, two printers, and all kinds of clutter. I write there from time to time, but I also write a lot on my laptop all around the house. I sit on the couch by the fire and type. I sit in the family room and type. My family jokes that I take that darn laptop everywhere! And with a few important exceptions, I do! It's an addiction. Truly.

Julie: Out of all of the characters that you've written, who is your favorite and why?

Bianca: Right now, I'd have to say Tor, the Ice Dragon. He's just so darn cute and powerful. I have big plans for that boy. If you're talking human characters, I'd have to say Matt Redstone in Sweeter Than Wine. I also have future plans for him and his brothers, so his story hasn't ended yet. He's a bad boy with a kind heart—one of my favorite kinds of characters to write and read.

Julie: Are there any absolutely-must-have characteristics for your heroes or heroines?

Bianca: Heroes have to be honest and have all the intangible qualities like honor, loyalty, steadfastness, and humor that I find important in a man. Heroines have to be smart, but not mean. I find a lot of snarky heroines lately that just turn me off. She has to be someone I'd want to be friends with, not someone I'd avoid if I knew them in real life.

A life-long martial arts enthusiast, Bianca enjoys a number of hobbies and interests that keep her busy and entertained such as playing the guitar, shopping, painting, shopping, skiing, shopping, road trips, and did we say…um…shopping? A bargain hunter through and through, Bianca loves the thrill of the hunt for that excellent price on quality items, though she's hardly a fashionista. She likes nothing better than curling up by the fire with a good book, or better yet, by the computer, writing a good book.

Backlist:

Maiden Flight, Samhain

Border Lair, Samhain

The Ice Dragon, Samhain

Prince of Spies, Samhain

Wings of Change, Samhain

Hara's Legacy, Samhain

Lords of the Were, Samhain

Forever Valentine, Samhain

Sweeter Than Wine, Samhain

Sons of Amber: Ezekiel, Phaze

Sons of Amber: Michael, Phaze

Fortune's Fool anthology, Phaze

Solstice Dreams, Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

 

Coming soon:

Davin's Quest, Samhain

FireDrake, Samhain

Jaci's Experiment, Samhain

 

Links:

Website

Blog

Myspace

Discussion group

Newsletter group

 

If you would like to request an interview, please send a query to info@allromanceebooks.com

 

Until next time!

Julie Cummings

Wildfire Interview Coordinator

All Romance eBooks

The Merriest of Men by J. M. Snyder

Originally published online at Ruthie's Club (http://www.ruthiesclub.com) in July 2007.

A lusty cheer rose from a clearing deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest. The archery tournament was a way for Robin Hood's band of outlaws to practice their aim and work off nervous energy as they waited for the Sheriff of Nottingham to make his next move.

Robin's was the score to beat—each shot from his bow struck true. But then young Will Scarlett stepped forward to challenge him. The pitch went silent, men craning their necks to watch the exchange. Will's deep blue eyes pinned Robin in place; a slow smile played around the youth's wide lips like a promise. From the crowd, a drunken voice jeered, "No one bests Locksley!"

Will's low voice didn't carry beyond Robin's hearing. "No one but me."

The arrogance in that remark, despite its ring of truth, made Robin step up behind Will as he aimed his bow for the far target. Every eye watched them, every breath held in check. Robin waited, so close to Will that his breath stirred the reddish gold curls that brushed the younger man's nape. Studiously ignoring him, Will drew back his bowstring, arrow held steady, bow taut—

Will's arrow shot from the bow with an audible plunk!, sailing over the heads of the now laughing crowd. As he spun around, furious, Robin shrugged. "You missed."

Anger blotched Will's pale skin. His mouth worked around bitter words that failed him, and the laughter changed to taunts. From the sidelines Little John called out, "Mayhap the bow was not the only thing set off at Robin's touch."

Someone else jeered, "Tell us of Locksley's firm grip, Will."

A muscle in Will's jaw clenched. With a disarming grin, Robin lowered his voice to an intimate level. "Will, I—"

Before he could finish, Will shoved him, hard. Robin staggered, lost his footing, and fell in a drying puddle of mud. Then Will stormed off, pushing through the crowd. Rising, Robin watched him disappear into the forest, red hair like flames setting the trees ablaze.

For the briefest moment Robin considered following, an apology already on his lips, but he knew from experience that the hot-blooded youth would brush him off and sulk until he was ready to forgive. Instead he left Little John in charge of the archers and slipped into a nearby copse, where a small stream gurgled in the shade. The cool water lapped at his ankles as he stripped off his soiled tunic and dropped it into the stream. Then he untied his hosen. As he was bent over, stepping out of the hosen, a stinging slap smacked across his buttocks.

He turned to find Will standing behind him, a clean pair of hosen stretched between his hands like a whip. Another tunic lay folded at his feet. Robin smiled. "You did not need to bring me a change of clothes—"

"They were in my tent." Will's stony face betrayed no emotion, but Robin could hear anger lingering in his words. "I ought to return them, as you'll not sleep there again."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Will, I apologize—"

But Will ignored him. "Groping me in front of that crowd. Now I shall have to fight the lot of them to win back their respect."

"I will explain—" Robin started.

"Explain what?" Will's temper flared; his eyes flashed like the storm-tossed sea, and his cheeks flushed the color of his hair. "That you crawl into my tent to lie beside me every night when the others are asleep? That you, Robin of Locksley, you beg for my touch? That you squeal like a pig when I take you?"

Suddenly the water swirling around Robin's ankles felt like ice. "I do not squeal."

Will's voice raised in an eerie imitation of Robin's lusty cries during sex. "Oh William, my Lord, oh please, oh please. Yes, God yes, a thousand times, yes."

Dredging his tunic from the stream, Robin fisted it into a tight ball and flung it at Will. There was a definite chill to his words when he said, "Thank you for the return of my clothes. You are quite right—I shall not be frequenting your tent again." As he stepped from the stream, he snagged the hosen stretched between Will's hands and tugged it free. "You'll sleep much better without me in your arms, I imagine."

The harsh mask on Will's face slipped, allowing Robin a glimpse of the insecure youth beneath, the man he had fallen in love with long ago. But Will was proud, and not the merriest of men; perhaps Robin had gone too far. As each stared the other down, anger and lust warred across Will's features, giving him a strained, tortured look. Robin wished it were night, and the two of them alone; he would have dropped his guard and held the boy, murmuring whatever was needed to see that rare smile again.

When Will reached for him, Robin shut his eyes, steeled for a blow. Instead a strong hand gripped his arm, then a warm, firm mouth closed over his in a fierce kiss. An insistent tongue forced between his lips, tasting him, claiming him. Will's intensity caused Robin to stumble—he found himself caught in Will's embrace as the youth pressed his advantage.

Robin gave into the kiss, but when Will dropped a hand to tug at the drawstring on Robin's braies, he pulled away. "Not here. The others may see."

"That did not bother you moments ago," Will replied.

Robin opened his mouth to speak but found himself silenced with another kiss, as demanding, as ardent as the last. The hand on his waist untied his braies and nimble fingers eased into his codpiece to cup the erection that rose beneath them. Will dropped to his knees and pressed his face to Robin's crotch, hands smoothing around Locksley's hips to knead his buttocks. Will's tongue licked out to trace the contours of Robin's cock through the linen.

The sound of his men's laughter, the archery contest, even the babbling brook behind them, everything disappeared beneath Will's hot mouth, his heated breath. That tongue teased through the flap in the front of Robin's braies, tickled along the length of foreskin to taste his balls, then retraced the saliva-slicked route before Will took the bulbous tip of Robin's cock into his mouth.

Closing his fist around Robin's thick length to stroke it, Will eased back the foreskin to take more of him in. It was surreal, standing in the copse with Will suckling him, while not a stone's throw away Robin could hear Little John's deep laugh. The proximity of his friends and the risk of getting caught heightened the moment. As his lover licked down his length, Robin bucked his hips and Will took him in, sucking his cock while his fingers strummed over Robin's arse, along puckered skin that quivered for his touch.

A low, guttural moan escaped Robin. He grasped both hands in Will's thick red hair, shoving deeper into his lover. "Yes," he gasped. He tried to keep his voice down but Will's tongue did such marvelous things to him that he found his lover was right—he did squeal. Then he came in a heady rush that shot through him like an arrow flying free, and the woods rang with his cries. "Yes. God, yes, yes!"

Robin dropped to his knees, spent, only to find himself in Will's arms. Had he really thought he could sleep without this man holding him? "Not one of those men out there," he mused, "would laugh if they knew you topped me between the sheets, I assure you."

A dull blush crept in Will's cheeks, pinking his face. He looked away from Robin, who chucked a thumb under Will's chin and turned that blue gaze back on him. "Shall I wax poetic on your manhood now?" he teased. Will's face blazed, matching his surname, and Robin ran a gentle finger down his cheek. "Or would you have me wait until this evening to show just how apologetic I can be?"

The hand on Will's face trailed down his neck, over the front of his tunic, to toy with the bulge at his crotch. This time when Robin gave the pillowy thickness a loving squeeze, Will's mouth parted in lust. Robin kissed his lower lip, then purred low in Will's ear. "Tell me what you want, dear William, and I shall bend over to give you your heart's desire."

The voice that escaped Will's throat was unusually gruff. "My tent," he conceded. "Tonight."

With a grin, Robin Hood rose and helped Will Scarlet to his feet. He could not wait.

THE END

An author of gay erotic/romantic fiction, J. M. Snyder began self-publishing gay erotic fiction in 2002 and released several books in trade paperback format. Recently, Snyder has moved into the world of e-publishing, working with Aspen Mountain Press, Amber Quill Press, and Torquere Press. Snyder's short gay fiction has been published online at Ruthie's Club, Tit-Elation, and Amazon Shorts, as well as in anthologies by Aspen Mountain Press, Cleis Press, and Alyson Books. A full bibliography, as well as free fiction, book excerpts, purchasing information, and exclusive contests, can be found online at http://jmsnyder.net.

Backlist:
Crushed, Amber Quill Press
Scarred, Aspen Mountain Press
Matching Tats, Amber Quill Press
The Positions of Love: Book 1, Amber Quill Press
Working Man: Pleasure Cruise, Aspen Mountain Press
Beneath A Yankee Sky, Amber Quill Press
The Powers Of Love, Amber Quill Press
Trin, Aspen Mountain Press
Persistence Of Memory, Amber Quill Press
Under A Confederate Moon, Amber Quill Press
No Apologies, Aspen Mountain Press
Just What The Doctor Ordered, Aspen Mountain Press
Working Man: Easily Addicted, Aspen Mountain Press

Coming Soon:
Two Pillars Position, Amber Quill Press
The Bonds Of Love, Amber Quill Press
Clasping Position, Amber Quill Press
Working Man: On The Job, Aspen Mountain Press

Submissions to The Weekly Sizzle should be sent to Sizzle@allromanceebooks.com. We are looking for original short stories, 1-5 flames, 200-2000 words.

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