Wish List by Deborah Coonts

When I was approached about being a featured writer at Hot Mojave Knights this October in Vegas, well, I needed convincing. Just coming off a grueling book tour, I was toast and had no intention of signing up to do more book stuff. I needed a break. No more talking about books. No more talking romance. No more Vegas.

And then I saw the men.

And a trip to Hunk Mansion.

I was in.  I am sooo easy….but don’t tell anyone.

Who could resist the chance to vote on Mr. Mojave Knight? I’m assuming there is pre-judging and all that implies, right? I’m really looking forward to that part.

Anyway, much like you I love my men and my novels hot.

And, if you want romance that sizzles, where else should you be in October but Vegas at Hot Mojave Knights?

The chance to mingle with similarly afflicted story lovers. The chance to pick writers’ brains. A trip to Vegas in October where the weather is sublime, and the air like wine. The chance to see hunky guys without their shirts. All this a legit business deduction to boot? What’s not to like?

As a writer I’m looking forward to chatting with readers too because, even though I write for a living (actually I just write for a living so I can explain all those write-offs for evenings at male strip clubs to the IRS) I am at heart a reader. And I love to hear from other readers about what books they are enjoying, what types of stories they would like to see more of, and what they think is being overdone…if there is such a thing.

And, then there’s the costume ball. I come from a long line of adults who loved to play dress-up. Don’t ask, but suffice it to say my grandmother went to a party once dressed as Carmen Miranda with about forty pounds of bananas on her head. The next party she went in full Geisha regalia and she couldn’t take a stride longer than six inches—I would’ve loved to see her dance in that get up. My 6’4” grandfather was not amused. Anyway, I don’t know what I’ll wear for a costume…. it could be anything. Hey, I live in Vegas where a g-string, pasties and some Saran Wrap qualifies. But don’t hold your breath....

And Vegas is the perfect venue to talk romance, whatever your concept of it might be—trysts measured in hours, or a relationship spanning decades. Hot or not. And that’s what I want to do at Hot Mojave Knights. I want to hear what your concept of romance is.

Of course, I also want to talk about humor in romance novels—I mean sex is pretty funny after all. What? You say it’s not? Hmmm…well, it certainly is in my household. Anyway, I need to get that straightened out—perhaps you can help me.

And I want to ogle the romance novel cover models in the flesh.

Don’t you?

Then join me, sign up, and come on in…the drinks will be cold, the men, hot, and the conversation…stimulating.

Deb

About Deborah Coonts

My mother tells me I was born a very long time ago, but I’m not so sure—my mother can’t be trusted.  These things I do know:  I was raised in Texas on barbeque, Mexican food and beer.  I currently reside in Las Vegas, where my friends assure me I cannot get into too much trouble.  Silly people. I am the author of WANNA GET LUCKY? (A NY Times Notable Crime Novel for 2010 and double RITA™ Finalist), LUCKY STIFF, SO DAMN LUCKY and four digital novellas, LUCKY IN LOVE, LUCKY BANG and LUCKY NOW AND THEN, Parts One and Two.  The fourth Lucky novel, LUCKY BASTARD was just released May 14^th in hardcover. I can usually be found at the bar, but also at www.deborahcoonts.com.

Vegas and Authors and Knights, Oh My! by Emerald

Hot Mojave Knights (HMK), scheduled to take place October 18-20, is an event devoted to readers, writers, Las Vegas, and hot men. That’s pretty much enough to get me there (or almost anywhere) all on its own. Incidentally, if you feel the same way, by all means stop reading this and register now to join us there in just a couple short months!

If you’re already signed up (yay!!) or want to hear a bit more about the multitude of additional plans that make this event one I’ve been looking forward to all year, I’m happy to share a little more about it.

I was (and still am) honored and flattered to be asked to be one of the Authors of the Court for the inaugural Hot Mojave Knights romance reader event. My invitation came from the ever-so-lovely SiobhanMuir (one of the HMK organizers whom I met at the Erotic Authors Association conference in Las Vegas in 2011). Though I was thrilled when she asked me, I felt some apprehension that I might seem a bit out of place. I have the impression that the work of most of my fellow Authors of the Court differs from mine in that 1) they all have at least one book of their own (you know, with their own name on the actual cover :) ), and 2) the work they’ll be featuring at HMK has no trouble falling into the romance genre.

My work is a bit outside of these lines; for one thing, I work in the short form currently, so I do not (alas, yet!) have a book of my own to feature. Rather, I’ve written stories that have been included in a number of anthologies alongside many of my venerable colleagues in the erotica genre. Which leads to the second slight contrast between my work and that of most of my HMK colleagues: I don’t really write romance. While some of my work has been categorized and published as erotic romance, I generally consider myself an author of erotica.

That being said, my plan is to stick to featuring and speaking about my stories that have been published as erotic romance at HMK. It is, after all, an event for romance readers! And I will say that in the face of the obvious excitement building among my fellow authors and the attendees, as well as the plans and events the extraordinary HMK coordinators have come up with, my enthusiasm about the weekend soon trumped any initial concerns I experienced about my inclusion.

In short—I am so excited! Las Vegas is one of my favorite places. I love dressing up, and I can hardly wait for the chance to at the Masquerade Ball, which takes place on Saturday night. As both a writer and a reader, I love being surrounded by writers, and the opportunity to meet readers is of course something I invariably look forward to. In addition, for me a stay in Las Vegas isn’t complete without a trip to see strippers (of the male persuasion, of course), and HMK has this covered, too! Friday night will include a trip to Hunk Mansion for a male review.

Seriously, does this weekend not sound like a dream in the making?? I can hardly wait! And you don’t even have to plan any of it for yourself—the amazing Hot Mojave Knights organizers have taken care of it all. (See the schedule for the weekend here, and book your hotel room at the conference site here.) All you have to do is show up!

I very much hope you will, and if so, I look forward to meeting you. I, the acclaimed group of authors I am alongside on the Court, and a number of hot, lovely men will be eagerly awaiting your arrival! ;)

Love,

Emerald

About Emerald:

Emerald is an erotic fiction author and general advocate for human sexuality as informed by her deep appreciation of the beauty, value, and intrinsic nature of sexuality and its holistic relation to life. Her work has been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust, and she serves as an assistant newsletter editor for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW).

Website: http://www.thegreenlightdistrict.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Emerald_theGLD (@Emerald_theGLD)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmeraldAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/652859.Emerald

A (K)Night in Vegas by Sir Scott Nova

Well, it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I just got back from the gym, my son is napping upstairs and I’m on the PC trying to catch up with all my duties here. Don’t get me wrong though, I honestly love how busy I am and how in-demand I’ve become in a short period of time. Speaking of...

A few months ago Siobhan Muir messages me on facebook to ask me if I’d be interested in joining their inaugural romance oriented convention that they are hosting in Las Vegas. I was immediately intrigued because I’ve never been to Vegas. It’s just never presented itself to me as an option and so I haven’t made it there yet. Needless to say though, I’m going in October, 2013.

They are hosting a cover model contest and it’s called The Hot Mojave Knights cover model contest and it will showcase 4 of us guys who all have some experience in modeling and/or fitness. Some of the guys are aspiring cover models, some are vets. I’m incredibly excited to be going as I will undoubtedly make some new connections, and life long friends. I’m rooming with one of my original boys of romance, DeLonn Donovan and we can be found on the dance floor each and every night, ladies, so bring your dancing shoes.

I am extra excited about HMK convention because Siobhan has been so accepting of suggestions and questions. I KNOW this convention will be for and by the readers/authors. NOT to make a dime. The making of money is an after-thought for Siobhan on the convention. And I appreciate that greatly.

I myself am incredibly excited to sit and talk with some of my good friends at this event; Jade Lee, Kelly Oaks, Wendy Maples, and Jodi Redford to only name a few. Jodi will possibly be debuting a new release with yours truly on the cover. :) Jade Lee doesn’t love me enough for a cover. LOL I’m just kidding.

The events all take place at the Sunset Station Casino in Henderson, NV and go from Oct. 18th - 20th. Us guys will be on “display” the entire convention and will also be escorting all of you at the night time events, and especially the Masquerade Ball on the 19th. There, we all will be vying for your attention as we try to complete certain tasks to quality for the grand prize given out later that night. So ladies, pay attention to the guys who are opening doors, pulling out chairs and fighting evil at every turn.

Want to take a gander at the models attending ladies? Follow this link below:

http://www.hotmojaveknights.com/the-knights-of-the-mojave.html

Well, I got so much to do today, I better get a move on. I’ve got an interview to write for BTS Magazine and also a shoot to organize for Horny Devil Publishing as I’m now the face of their brand, so I gotta make good on my shoot.

Take care ya’ll!

Scott

About Scott:

Scott has a 17yr background in IT, that has found a passion in modeling/acting which is enhanced by his love for fitness. He's represented by The Talent Group of Pittsburgh. He is also a freelance cover model/physique model; he has an level of energy that allows him to work diligently to get the shot you need. Martial arts has been a part of his life in some form since he was roughly 9 years old. So you can expect nothing less than total professionalism, and positive energy.

You can find Scott on Facebook.

The Wild West Way with C.R. Moss & RM Sotera

Hi all! Get excited! The Hot Mojave Knights Readers’ Conference is coming up quick! :)

Today I’m here to talk about co-authoring the Double D Ranch Tales series and the special event my writing partner, RM Sotera, and I will be hosting at the conference.

During an interview, we were once asked about co-authoring and what drew us to write a Contemporary Erotic Western Romance. The following are our answers.

C.R.: I thought it'd be fun…sexy cowboys, rugged terrain, hot nights… ;)

RM: I agree. I mean, who doesn't like a man who can tie you up, lay you down, and basically keep you in any position he sees fit. :)

C.R.: What also drew us into writing the first and subsequent stories and dipping our feet into the genre(s) was a trip I went on where I stayed on a working ranch. There were ranchers/cowboys who actually wore the hats and chaps. There were horses, trail rides, campfires, cattle and food cooked outside. My muse started asking, "What if?" When I returned home with a handful of ideas, I went to RM and said, "Guess what we're going to write about."

RM: Yeah, that was an interesting conversation. I was a bit worried about writing it since I hadn’t been there in person, but C.R. had taken lots of pictures and shared them with me. We'd written another set of books together, and co-authoring this project just seemed like the logical thing to do once we did a lot of brainstorming and started verbally laying down the first story. We had a blast dreaming up the Dougan brothers, and then, adding two heroines that could bring the men to their knees or kick some ass, was an awesome feeling. And, it’s just grown from there.

C.R.: Speaking of co-authoring… It’s amazing when something clicks and our teaming up together did just that. RM defines our partnership best…

RM: Many people have asked me what it's like to work with a co-author. I do believe my answer surprises many. One would think that two authors, both striving for creative freedom, would find it difficult to work together. I am happy to say that I've found the opposite to be true. The creative relationship that I share with CR Moss is what I believe to be a once in a lifetime occurrence. As soon as we are in a room together or on the phone and we start brainstorming ideas for stories, the creative sparks fly hard and fast. Sometimes, I'm unable to process as fast as we spit out the ideas for stories. We just have that connection. We respect each other, and when an idea doesn't work, we file it for another time. Value and respect, commitment and willingness to accept change - this is our mantra. When the idea of Wild West Weekend (the first story in the Double D Ranch Tales series) came about, excitement drove us to pump the story out. It went through many revisions before we both knew it was ready. We had a blast dreaming up the awesome characters and the magical place they call home. I know we are extremely humbled and happy by the positive reviews and comments that have come our way - both about the book and our writing styles. I know, and I believe I speak for both of us, we have so much more planned for our readers and the Wild West/Double D Ranch Tales series.

And that brings me to our special event: The Wild West Way

RM & I are developing a sub-series for the Double D Tales, and we’re inviting the HMK attendees in on it! You’ll get to meet us and learn about us in a more intimate setting. There will be an interactive section of the event where you’ll help us write another Wild West story, and there will also be music and prizes. For more information, please visit: http://doubledranchtales.blogspot.com/p/hmk.html

We hope to see you there!

C.R.
Love & Lust in the Wild West ~ http://crmoss.com

About CR Moss:

C.R. writes stories from the light and sweet to the dark and deadly with varying degrees of sexual heat. Writing as C.R. Moss gives her and her muses the freedom to explore worlds of possibilities when it comes to love. And where does the tag line “Love & Lust in the Wild West” fit in? Well, for one, she lives in NV. Two, her stories take place, either in part or in full, in and around the Las Vegas area. In fact, even this website sports “a look of home.” The background picture was taken in an area just a few miles west of Las Vegas and happens to be the inspiration for the setting of the Double D Ranch Tales saga.

Midwestern Writer Tries Vegas by Lexi Ryan

I was born and raised in Indiana, and I’m raising my kids here. In fact, I now live in the house right across the little cul de sac from the house I grew up in. I’m a Midwestern girl in so many ways, and 90% of the time, I’d just as soon set my books in the Midwest. It’s comfortable to me, and I like exploring my home and its intricacies in my writing. When I wrote Text Appeal, however, I knew I needed to leave my comfort zone and set the book in Vegas—even though I have never been there (but—yay!—we’ll remedy that in October).

The hero of Text Appeal is a professional poker player, but I knew I wanted to set the book in Las Vegas before I even knew much about Charlie. My reason was simple: I feel like there’s this misconception that people who live in “exciting places” have lives very much different than the rest of us. As if geography might change how we fall in love or deal with heartbreak (or might save us from mundane chores like grocery shopping). Same thing with people who live privileged lives—it’s easy to think the money that makes their lives financially easier makes the rest of the issues in their lives easier too—as if an heiress doesn’t have to come into her own and find herself the same way the rest of us do. With Text Appeal I wanted to play with both ideas and show that someone who should ostensibly have an “easy” and “exciting” life doesn’t necessarily have either. So I set my book in Vegas and made my heroine a hotel heiress who is trying desperately to do all the right things and be the perfect daughter.

Vegas was the perfect backdrop for Riley because it symbolized everything she denied herself and was missing in her life—fun, excitement, reckless abandon.

***

“What’d he buy you?” Lacey’s gaze shot to the nondescript, eco-friendly canvas shopping bag on the couch. “Is it in there?”

But before Riley could respond, Lacey was pulling out sexy, sexy leather and Riley’s Inner Naughty Girl was squirming impatiently, saying, Let me try it on. Now!

Lacey’s jaw dropped. “Oh. My. God. This is so hot.” She laid it out on the back of the couch and looked at Riley. “Do I even want to know why my brother bought this for you?” She smiled. “Charlie’s always been sweet on you. If he weren’t my brother, I’d tell you to go act like the young woman you are and have a wild affair.”

Riley thumped her friend’s arm. “I’m with Chaz.”

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” Lacey said with a shrug.

“Yeah, but I have to live here.”

***

Riley denied herself all the fun things we people who don’t live there think Vegas is all about. And in Text Appeal, she experiences those things not because of where she is but because of who she’s with. Romance doesn’t need a fancy backdrop. It just needs the right guy.

And you know what? I loved writing about Vegas. I spent way too much time online looking at pictures and going to the websites of the hotels and restaurants in the area. I spent a ton of time researching casino security (SO COOL!), drooled over menus and read reviews. It was an amazing secondary experience. I can’t wait to try it first-hand!

Hope to see you there! J

~Lexi

Bio:

NewYork Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Ryan writes adult and new adult romances with humor, heat, and heart. A former college English professor, Lexi now writes full time. A proud member of Romance Writers of America, she lives in rural Indiana with her husband and two children.

Find Lexi Online:

http://lexiryan.com

Facebook: facebook.com/lexiryanauthor

Twitter: @writerlexiryan

Hot Mojave Knights – Nights to Remember by RM Sotera

As the days and months pass I get more excited about the upcoming HotMojave Knights Reader Convention. Before I share my thoughts about the upcoming event with you, let me go back a few years – to a small hotel room where several authors, attending a reader convention, sat and brainstormed an event in Las Vegas. There are several reader events that have come before us, and we are thankful for everyone we’ve attended and continue to attend because through these events we’ve learned a great deal. And that is it takes a ton of hard work and dedication to pull off an event that readers are going to remember. Our hats go off to all of the reader convention committees that have navigated these waters. With that said, back to that night a few years back when we sat in a circle with author Shannan Albright, and listened as she shared an idea she’d been harboring about a reader convention in Las Vegas. Her vision was exciting, and one that we wanted to implement in Vegas. Fast forward to now and here we are realizing the dream of bringing a romance reader convention to Las Vegas!

One of our number one goals in designing this convention was the cost factor. We’ve always wanted to make it affordable to our attendees. Through inexpensive room rates, many complimentary meals, and other perks, we’ve been able to keep it affordable. If attendees chose to share a room with another attendee the price of the room is cut in half bringing the rate down to around $55.00. The only cost that will take some work to find the best deal is airfare. But, trips to Vegas usually are pretty reasonable since so many people vacation here. 

So what can you expect when you’re here? Besides the perks that Las Vegas has to offer, the Hot Mojave Knights Committee, Authors, and Sponsors have great events planned for you. The idea is a weekend of getting to know romance-minded people like you. And having fun! Our author pool is diverse, our sponsors are phenomenal, and our knights, well they are going to be gentleman in every sense of the word. They do not only fill the role of man-candy, nope, they encompass chivalry and every connotation of the word.

One of the events that I will be a chaperoning with Joanna Riley and our head blogger, Kelly Oaks is the Hunk Mansion Field Trip on Friday night. The sexy men are very inspiring, so much so, my first book (Dirty Dancer) was written from their inspiration. I’m looking forward to having fun on the party bus with those attending, and making the trip to see the Hunks one to put into the memory books. Who knows…a story might spin from the trip!

Another event I’m personally looking forward to is the special event that I will be co-hosting with author CR Moss in celebration of our Double D Ranch Tales Saga. One of the events we have planned is for our readers to help us outline the fourth book in the saga. We want to know what our readers want to see happen to the characters in book four. Also, there will be some country cookin’ snacks, music, and probably a cowboy somewhere in the mix. It’s a time for our readers to mingle with the Dougan gals, Cassie and Bristol, and have a good ole’ time.

Finally, I do hope if you’ve been sitting on the fence about attending the convention this post finds you jumping over ready to book a trip to Vegas to enjoy a weekend with Hot Mojave Knights. And if you can’t make it this year, perhaps consider attending next year. This will be the first of many. 

And for those of you attending this year, I can’t wait to meet you all and spend the weekend talking romance and everything that comes with it!

All the best.  Four and one-half months and counting down!

Hot Mojave Knights will truly be many nights to remember!

RM Sotera

R.M. Sotera is a romance vixen stuck in the body of a prim and proper woman. A transplant to Las Vegas, by day she is a wife, mom, taxi driver, counselor, and psychologist to her wild and, at times, crazy friends. But when the family goes to bed and the house is dark, she seeks refuge in her office where her deepest desires take hold.

And…ultimately a story is born.

http://rmsotera.com