This week brought about the close of my Box of Chocolates series, which dabbled in three specific fetishes, Latex, Eating, and Wrestling.

I did a lot of research to fill in the areas that I wasn't knowledgeable about - and I experimented with a few bits, too.  Frankly, during my research I looked into some seriously kinky stuff, and in some cases it was frightening.  It took me a little while longer than expected to create this series because it kept reading like an essay.  I finally got so frustrated I sent it to my editor so she could give me a different take.  She agreed, and gave me a few pointers that really helped me step into the mind of my characters. 

Only after I put the research away and started thinking about my characters as human did I start really bringing the pieces together.  Sure I incorporated my research, I brought in a few of the things I'd read about fetishes - like smells, textures, flavors.  But it wasn't all about that any more - it was about the feelings my characters went through as they experienced these fetishes.  


I hope I did it justice and lovers of these particular kinks feel respected and pleased. 

Wow three days without writing a blog!  That's borderline neglect!  :)  On Tuesday I threw my whole heart into the "business of Lesa" covering two books and getting them uploaded.  Then I spent the rest of the day on a new piece... Yesterday and half of I have dedicated to reading.

I have been told over and over again that if you want to write you need to read, I agree.  This particular 250 pages has inspired me to do a few things with my next piece, its also refreshed and rejuvenated my mind to be in someone else's for a bit.  

Its hard on days when you don't see big sales or heck sales in general to not get discouraged.  I keep thinking that I need to give it time, I keep promising myself that its only been a few days since my numbers dipped.  I just have never uploaded a new piece (let alone two or three) that didn't get at least one sale within 24-48 hours.  

I read a lot of blogs on running your writing business, on publishing, and advertising.  And I have read a lot of blogs saying they've never advertised in their life, they hired someone else to publish it (or went with an "in-house" publisher.) I guess the best advice I've learned is that there is not yet any set formula.  Everyone handles things a little differently and everyone takes a little bit of a different angle.  Thus we should all expect our businesses to grow and change and shift in different ways. 

The Internet is forever.  That has come up multiple times - once you have put things up its going to always be out there.  Sure the format may change.  Sure there will be bumps in the road, but just keep rolling.  Keep going.  Keep cuming.  Love it and write it and write about loving it.  

I have been pooling around forums today, despite the fact that I have a piece I'm wanting to write, and part of that is due to the Barnes and Noble versus Amazon "War" that is coming soon!

My lover and I have long been road warriors, the slightest excuse and we're off on an adventure. This weekend we happened to be celebrating a cousins 50th birthday, a big deal by anyone's standards.

It was a two hour drive.

I love riding in cars-my lover does most of the driving, but thats not why I love it. Sure, there is some level that has to do with the scenery and the music, but its the level of conversation that I love the most.

For two hours we're entirely dedicated to us, not distracted by jobs, houses, cleaning, fixing, adjusting. We have conversation, we engage in future plans, in ideas and theologies, in our family plan. Today's conversation was largely based on where I see this business in the next six months, the next year, the next five years. Its already prooving profitable.

So I thought I would express a few of my goals here, so my readers, friends, and fans can hold me to them!

Before July I want to have a total of 20 pieces up...completed with quality, with editing, and with beautiful covers I am proud of.

I would like to create a blog post at least every other day, and tweet every business day.

My business goal will be "Going In." Inspire, insight, and intrigue.

Leave a comment and tell me what are your goals for the year?

So this post has nada to do with erotica except that this artist is phenomenally sexy and what can be more erotic than that?  Plus its the weekend and great party music!!  

Today as I've been working on the website and covers I have been been pooling around youtube listening to some good music... And bumped into DJ Earworm.  Lets just say YOWZA! 

So far my favorite (and I've only heard 4 and they're all hits no miss music in my book) is the one below.  Pretty friggin' spectacular.

I'm also in love with the fact that he uses the artists original videos and pretty seamlessly integrates them all.  So beautiful.
  
I hope you have a fantastic weekend and Party on the Floor...or in the bed!! :D
                                 Kisses, 
                                      Lesa

One of the best things I can do for myself when I get in a funk, when I can't seem to focus on writing and can't seem to get in a sexually charged kind of mood is to write naked.  

Perhaps this is because I turn off all outside influences and go to my own little corner of my house, or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I'm alone with myself.  Maybe it has something to do with my skin breathing, or the sensations of my fingers running along my skin when i'm caught in the muck of writing that hits us all sometimes.

Whatever it is I come to focus, I center. 

Especially as an erotic author I find this process exhilarating.  When I write fantasy I like to handle things, whether its swords, or fabric, I like to enter a specific state of mind, and I'm discovering I am that way with Erotica, too.  Sometimes listening to music will help, but always it helps to strip off the jeans and t-shirt, kick off the undies and yank that restricting bra off and simply Write Naked.  

So I did it.  I did the exact thing that at least 3 different blogs warned me against doing!  I checked my sales daily.  

Sales have been steady - though slow.  Then this weekend they just boomed.  I felt like I was on top of the world, I was selling and I was selling well... Now nothing.  For two days NOTHING.  Which is only two days, and quite honestly my stats really aren't messed up at all by this because of the weekend sales being so good.

My lover warned me against the feelings of failure that I may feel if I checked daily - but honestly I was so darn excited I just couldn't NOT look!

It's true that I've done a fairly good job focusing on writing and production this week, I have two covers completed, I have finished two blogs, I have finished two stories - both are in editing.  I have been productive, and as my lover has told me every sale just makes my hourly wage go up, it doesn't matter if my numbers are small on occasion because I have already stopped the "production" of these pieces.  I just wonder if my stories will simply fall off the radar completely when they drop off the "New" category, or if I will be able to still reap the rewards when I take a few weeks of vacation time and they are simply setting on the bookshelf hoping someone will bump into them.

Some days are easy to focus, you wake up with a level of brilliance, your fingers just naturally are glued to the keyboard and you feel amazing as you pump out 8000 words and it all works beautifully.  

Some days aren't easy.  It seems like the world is against you.  Your focus is pulled between multiple projects, cleaning, work, family, friends. Over and over again you sit down to write a page and barely get a paragraph...if you get that far.

I feel fantastic for yesterday's focus - I finished one book and got it to my editor, and got three quarters of the way through the next before calling it and hitting the hay.  Today my focus has dwindled.  Honestly, I don't know what I'm thinking about, but erotica is really not it.

I have made some mild changes to my second story, but each I've hmmmed and huhhhhed about until I've almost cancelled them.  I've only been able to work it a few moments before my mind wanders yet again.  

I read an article on procrastination...but honestly it was ridiculous - I couldn't figure out if he was trying to make a joke or what.  He spoke about how you needed to sit down and have all your pencils sharpened have a clean desktop, have the curtains opened to let in the light, or closed to keep your focus, and have several snacks throughout the writing process.

It didn't help.  Nothing truly has helped.  I've read, I've written, I've attempted to think about covers... Honestly I just want to lay and zone.  So maybe today that's what I will do.  

So today was a really beautiful day, full of lots of fun and brief discussions about erotica.  :)  

We actually had multiple friends hosting so we swapped houses at half time - meaning I missed the Founding Queen of Erotic in the modern age Madonna - sad, but happy anyways. 

My new piece actually has been going a little slow ~ my lover stepped up today and has really helped me get portions of our house together, allowing me more freedom to write this week and less pulls to getting it in order on my own.  

I hope you all had a wonderful Superbowl Sunday! 

So I have just received my first review on Barnes and Noble.  5 Stars woot!...the writing accompanying it really doesn't make sense, hehe, but not everyone's a writer!  

I'm so excited that someone enjoyed it :)  I am really bubbling over, my lover is laughing at me I'm squealing so loudly!  Anyways, I just thought I'd share how completely exciting this is, and encourage my fellow writers out there.

It will come - someone will love it, and when they do you will feel sooooo awesome!!!! :D :D :D