NEWS FROM FAWN

Hello everyone!

Molly's Surrender has debuted at Extasy Books!

Molly ran away from Mike once--now she's stranded with him on a mountain, and at his mercy. She needs his rugged ability to survive in the wilderness and Mike realizes fate has given him another chance to prove his love to Molly. When they are forced together during the cold nights, they soon heat up the makeshift shelter and rekindle romantic sparks that Molly admits she cannot deny.

BRANDI WHYNE lives again!

For those two or three of you who may be wondering--Brandi Whyne and her Incredibly Erotic Adventures lives again!

Chapter Two--Lashed at the Mast! Has been edited and should be released soon. Keep your appendages crossed that it is sooner rather than later. The first chapter was released in late April, and the second installment should have been out in May. Of course, there were "publisher's problems" and it was delayed. Hopefully the serialized novel is back on track with Chapter Three--Bound for Adventure! following in a reasonable amount of time.

That is, if I finish up the edits on it this weekend. Don't worry--I'll be good and work on it. I swear. After I watch my bootleg Doctor Who episodes... I promise.

(For those of you in the vast majority who have no earthly idea what I'm going on about, please go to http://www.celinechatillon.com/brandi.html and you'll see. You must be 18 or older to enter. Or else you get the wet noodle lashing... I know you like it, but there!)

Allegra's Seduction: Immortality's Caress 1 ~ Every scene is rich in detail as well as sensuality. I could not put this book down.

Review from Romance Junkies

Allegra’s Seduction: Immortality’s Caress book 1

Available now at eXtasy Books http://www.extasybooks.com/

Allegra is very much her own woman, strong and independent. The characterizations of her friends, Sophia and Eloise are also well developed and likeable. Gabriele is a delicious rake and I found him very endearing. I also loved the vivid descriptions of the costumes, parties, the language and mannerisms of that time. I really felt as if I were there.I have not read this author before, but plan to remedy that.

Romance Junkies Reviewer: Michelle

Read entire review here: http://www.romancejunkies.com/artman/publish/historical.shtml

Read excerpt & blurb here: http://www.monicammartin.com/allegrasseduction.html

Buy here: http://tinyurl.com/kcj29

Thank you Michelle!

Eloise's awakening:Immortality's Caress book 2 coming to eXtasy Books http://www.extasybooks.com/ this month!

Monica M. Martin: http://www.monicammartin.com/ ~Blog: http://monicammartin.blogspot.com/News: Monica_M_Martin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ~ Amorous Authors: http://www.amorousauthors.com/

Crimson Destiny Receives 5 hearts from TRS

Crimson Destiny
Monica M. Martin
Paranormal erotic romance
Available from Extasy Books
Buy link: http://tinyurl.com/gp9ue
ISBN: 1-55410-666-4 February 2006
Note: this book is Abstinence, from the Seven Sins and Virtues Series

Overall rating: 5
Sensuality rating: Explicit
Reviewer: Glenda K. Bauerle ~TRS June 6, 2006

A Must Have for any dedicated vampire fans!
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/k53t8

Thank you Glenda!

Excerpt link here: http://www.monicammartin.com/Crimson_Destiny.html

The Results of my “Romance Survey”

I’m slow but here they are—the results of my “readers’ romance survey” that I posted online several places (including my Cynthianna Appel blog at Amazon.com.

My favorite romantic hunk is…

A. Tall, dark and ruggedly, “bad-boy” handsome. He’s dangerous and mysterious, but the heroine eventually tames him and makes him her own.

B. Fair, brawny, Navy SEAL-ish or cowboy-ish, possessing the physical strength of Superman on steroids. He takes no prisoners and leaves no hearts unbroken, but the heroine manages to capture his in due course.

C. Average looking, nerdy, but with a heart of gold. Although outwardly not quite as appealing as other romantic heroes, the heroine sees through this guy’s shy exterior and ultimately discovers that he’s a diamond in the rough. True love and happiness soon blossom.

D. An alien—either from outer space or from an exotic, distant land and/or time. He could be a combination of archetypes, but his alien nature pervades how he woos and makes love to the heroine. “The Sheikh meets Star Wars” would be a likely title I’d pick up.

Well, the romance readers have made their opinions very clear. There’s no hard and fast consensus on every topic, but I can safetly say that those “Bad Boy” alpha male heroes are here to stay. The most interesting thing about it is how readers love a “mix” of character traits. The stereotypical alpha male bad boy just isn’t enough:

May I have a mix of A, B and D, please? So, Tall, dark and ruggedly, “bad-boy” handsome. He’s dangerous and mysterious plus, brawny, possessing the physical strength of Superman on steroids and An alien—either from outer space or from an exotic, distant land and/or time. He could be a combination of archetypes, but his alien nature pervades how he woos and makes love to the heroine. –Melanie

I love those heros that are strong, a beauty, protective of his heroine, quiet type when it comes to revealing himself (but it comes out eventually) and who's a good talker during love making, etc. –Cathie

Believe it or not, “C” the average, guy next door hero came in second place. Yeah for those nerds with a heart of gold! Love surveys show that these lovable geeks also rank high on “happily ever after” endings in the real world, too.

My favorite romantic heroine is…

A. Drop-dead, fashion model gorgeous. Her figure is perfect, her hair is perfect, her teeth are perfect and she leads the most perfect life with oodles of cash and a credit card with no limit. The hero finds her shallow and materialistic at first, but he digs deeper and uncovers her true beauty underneath all the glamour and glitz.

B. An “older woman” (over 35 years of age) who has been around the block a few time and isn’t looking for love this time out. The hero has a different idea, however, and chases this self-assured, independent gal until she succumbs to his sexy charm—both in and out of the bedroom.

C. A modern day “Cinderella”. She may possess physical beauty and intelligence, but it’s been buried beneath emotional scars of indifference or outright abuse. The hero gently woos her and brings out her inner strengths, including her latent sexuality, so at last that she becomes the woman she was meant to be.

D. A “bigger is beautiful” heroine who’s proud of her body and her sexuality. She doesn’t starve herself to look like the magazine covers, and the hero appreciates her honesty, her gusto for life and her screaming orgasms.

E. Something completely different than anything listed above

Heroine preferences were al over the map. About the only thing I can say is that readers are more particular about their heroes in romance than their heroines. “C” (Modern Day Cinderella) and “E” (“other”) were the leaders by a slight edge.

(I like) a heroine who is tough and independent. She knows the world isn’t safe and cuddly and can handle it just fine. She thinks she doesn’t need anyone and survival-wise she is right but emotionally she is wrong. She’s a woman who needs love just like anyone else and in some cases, much more then anyone else. –Bonnie

My favorite romantic plot is…

The hero and heroine are thrown together under unusual circumstances and have to make the best of things—which ultimately leads them to discover their mutual attraction in the bedroom among other places.

Hands down, the “hero/heroine thrown together under unusual circumstances” plot took the prize. In fact, it was the most consistently voted for item in the entire survey. I guess when it comes to romantic plotting, readers love those tried and true formulas after all?

My favorite romantic setting is…

A. Nowadays in the good ol’ U.S. of A. (or at least Canada, Great Britain or Australia). It’s a setting I’m familiar with, be it a small town or a mega-metropolis.

B. Long ago in a mysterious and exotic foreign land. It’s the “princess in the castle fantasy” to the extreme.

It’s either here at home or some place in a galaxy long, long ago for most romance readers of this survey, with contemporary settings boasting a slight edge over fantasy settings. So, toss a princess into a cornfield with an alpha hero and you’ve got a winner of a romance novel I take it?

My favorite level of sensuality in romantic fiction is…

B. Simmering sensuality with some consummated love scenes as the hero and heroine get to know each other better. A wedding ring makes the sex even better.

C. Sexy and sassy right out of the chute. They can’t wait to rip each other’s clothes off and get it on right then and there on the desk. Handcuffs and vibrators work, too.

Here’s the biggest surprise to yours truly… Although most romantic fiction is getting hotter and hotter in the bedroom, there is still a desire for a “mutually exclusive” relationship with the hero and heroine. Group sex isn’t quite wanted in a romance novel. That’s not to say erotic stories aren’t selling well—they are—but at least when a reader sits down to read a romance, she wants one guy and one gal getting it on. And even if the hero and heroine don’t wind up at the altar by story’s end, the handcuffs are still definitely okay.

My favorite length of romantic fiction read is…

C. Somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I enjoy reading a longer story and sometimes I enjoy reading something shorter. It depends on my mood, the story and/or the author.

Another point of consensus was reach here—readers are very flexible in their favorite length of romantic fiction. It depends more on the mood, story or author than it does on any preconceived notion that a longer book is better or worse over a short story.

Most readers who commented to the survey questions said they felt “different” in regards to what they like in romantic fiction. Their tastes didn’t quite fall along the preconceived notions of the mass market romance industry:

I have to say...almost always different. That's why I love e-books! I love to be surprised. I love heroes who aren't "Alpha" but know who they are and make no excuses. I love heroines who may be struggling with their perceived strengths or lack of them, but find them when needed. I like settings I can identify with, yet when the author adds a touch of paranormal it peaks my interest. So...there you are. Different. But that's what I like. –Cyndi

Thanks to all the readers out there that answered my questions. Your insights are invaluable and are certainly… different. ;-)

Celine @-->@-->@-->
http://www.celinechatillon.com
BRANDI WHYNE AND HER INCREDIBLY EROTIC ADVENTURES