Carla Swafford, Author

Brothers of Mayhem series, Conference, Full Heat, Giveaways, Hidden Heat, My Books, Naked Heat

FULL HEAT coming July 5

Posted on February 6, 2016February 6, 2016 by Carla Swafford, Author

Full Heat_Swafford

Forget shining armor. Motorcycle shop owner Mary Jane Parker could use a knight in black leather right about now. A local gang has been extorting her for protection money, and standing her ground would be a lot easier with the Brothers of Mayhem at her back. She just needs to convince the club’s new president to take the job. The powerful, brooding biker claims he’s not interested-but if his version of tough love is supposed to be punishment, Mary Jane would gladly misbehave for the rest of her life.

Storm Ryder has no interest in rescuing anyone but himself. He spent three agonizing years in prison, and there’s no way in hell he’s going back, not over a spoiled rich girl who’s flirting with trouble. So why does he find himself craving Mary Jane’s lips-and holding her close when he should be pushing her away? Deep down in his tortured soul, Storm knows she’ll be there for him. And when Mary Jane needs him most, he’ll find the courage to give her everything he’s got.

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He kinda makes you think of this photo.

keanu_Reeves

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Author Meda White and myself are having an Angel and Demon Party with lots of giveaways. Come by and say you’ll be there on February 16, 2016. That’s the day HIDDEN HEAT will be released. YAY!

We will be giving away gift cards, books, and swag. A few of these for example.

The red oval is a jar opener/coaster. I’m sure you can guess what the other two items are. HA!

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Staring Feb. 8 on Goodreads is Romance Week. Be sure to stop by my profile and ask me questions. By the way, here’s my choice for most romantic quote.

Swafford_Gone With the Wind_Mitchell

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I will be signing at several places this year.
April 7, 2016: The Novel Experience, Atlanta GA
June 11, 2016: Heart of Dixie Romance Readers Luncheon, Huntsville, AL
October 1, 2016: Moonlight and Magnolias Conference, Peachtree Corners, GA
November 5, 2016: Southern Magic Romance Readers Luncheon, Birmingham, AL

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5c0e4973-dfa0-4ebc-b511-bc9a5a7b26e7_39301_CUSTOM

If you’ve been following me on Facebook, you know that I love hockey. If you’re in Nashville on February 20, I’ll be at the Predators’ game against LA Kings. Let me know if you’ll be there, and I’ll meet up with you and give you some swag. Hope to see you there.

Whew! That’s it for now. Time for me to get back to working on NAKED HEAT (after the game tonight). That’s Wolf’s story. He’s kidnapped the love of his life, and he’s in deep do-do. LOL!

My Romance Magicians' post, Odd Observation, Thoughts

Head Explodes

Posted on January 14, 2016January 14, 2016 by Carla Swafford, Author

Yep. Some days I feel my head will explode from all that I have to do and remember. I’m sure you’re the same way. So much information is thrown our way each day. Heck! Each second! I think all the information we receive in some ways makes us aware but not really smarter. So we have to decide what is important and what isn’t. So over the years I’ve narrowed down what I watch and read.

I’m looking forward to retiring from my day job. Then I can empty my head of all the useless (will be after I leave) information and make room for what I love. Reading and writing romance. Improving my craft, learning new ways to promote my books (if you don’t know they exist, how would you know to read them?), and so many interesting facets to being a published author.

One of my big drawbacks is my self-confidence. I believe a lot of authors have that problem. So something I read today I have to share with you. It got me to thinking. (HA!)

From Wizard of Oz
Wizard: Not having fear isn’t brave, it’s foolhardy. Any real hero knows fear.
Cowardly Lion: I’ll tell you one thing though, so does a real coward.
Wizard: The difference is a hero masters his fear.

So here’s to mastering my fears.

On January 15, I will be at the Romance Magicians’ blog. Come by and see me!

Full Heat, Hidden Heat, Men, My Books, Naked Heat, Reading, Writing

A Growth of a Series

Posted on December 30, 2015December 31, 2015 by Carla Swafford, Author

First, I love reading books with bad boy heroes. Hell, I married one. If you’ve ever read my Circle series, you’ll know how much I love writing about dangerous, ill-tempered (HA!) men.

When I began writing the Brothers of Mayhem series, I had already read a couple MC (romance/fiction) books and watched all of the Sons of Anarchy. Click here to read my post about researching the series.

So I thought readers of MC books would be interested to know that the first book (HIDDEN HEAT) of the Brothers of Mayhem is not the typical MC story. The majority of the bikers in that story are not good guys. But you will see a shift in book two (FULL HEAT – Storm’s story). It has a mixture of good and bad. New blood.

By book three (NAKED HEAT – Wolf’s story) you’ll see more of the brotherhood that you come to expect in a MC romance. And in the fourth book (RAW HEAT – Cutter’s story), the club heals and the brotherhood tightens.

It’s like this, throughout the series, each book can be read separately as stand-alones, but like the romance in each story, the club has a path to take with all of the ups and downs. The growth of the club as an unit will ensure its survival. In the end, it will have the right guy in place and everyone will be happy. *sniff* I do love for my people to have a happy ending.

And you could say each story has something for everyone, from the unique MC story to the hard core.

Writing

It’s The Small Things

Posted on December 28, 2015December 28, 2015 by Carla Swafford, Author

Beautiful Woman Enjoys Coffee I can’t help but laugh at the title. Being a romance author, I can imagine what some people may be thinking of what I’m about to post. Not THAT!

Over the years of writing (a lot) and the few years published, I learned a few minor things I would like to pass on.

Avoid naming your hero or heroine with initials, such as J.T., J.R., L.B., M.J., etc. In one of my unpublished books, I had a big strapping sheriff referred to as J.T. I got so tired of fighting with the software wanting to capitalize after every time I typed his “name.” Yes. I could’ve turned off the autocorrect, but really, that would be a hassle too. (And note how I ended the sentence above with J.T. and started the next with I. Looked odd, didn’t it?)

Continuing on about names, there are certain ones you’ll want to avoid. Of course, most authors know not to name the heroine and heroine (and other characters, if at all possible) with the same first initial. Such as John and Jane, or Mark and Mary, etc. Readers often scan over names and this may cause confusion along the way.

But this one is a little different. During my usual break each evening, I was reading a contemporary romance — even when I’m under deadline, I make myself take one hour each night to read — and the hero’s name was Woolf.

Oddly, I’m writing a hero with the same name but different spelling, Wolf as in Wolfgang (NAKED HEAT). Anyway, the other author’s heroine would say his name during sex. Common enough, but when I hear it in my mind as I read, it sounds like the heroine is barking. Think about . . . Woolf, Woolf, oh, Woolf. Yeah. You hear it too. So this is probably the last hero I’ll have with that name and my heroine is most likely to scream “Who’s my daddy?” before I’ll let her bark. (Just teasing.)

Avoid heroes with one eye, unless you’re writing a tear jerker. (No pun intended.) Oh, this one happened in my second book, CIRCLE OF DANGER. The hero had been badly burned when he was ten. He lost one eye. Do you have any idea how often eyes are mentioned in romances? Cliché warning: They are the windows to the soul. So in this book, I avoided saying, “His beautiful blue eye looked at her,” or anything like that. Too scary sounding. (Don’t come at me about being insensitive; this has to do with the flow of the story along with setting up the mood. The hero was very sexy even with one eye and scars.)

The next one I mentioned on Facebook the other day.

Authors, please do not place the heroine’s name directly after the hero’s dialogue and vice versa. Example only.

“You look beautiful today,” he said as he pulled Mary into a hug. After a long kiss, he looked deep into her eyes. He wanted her more every day.
“And yesterday?” John smiled as Mary stepped away.
“Do you want a drink?”
“Yes. A beer will be fine,”

*This is a better way (my opinion).*
“You look beautiful today,” he said as he pulled Mary into a hug. After a long kiss, he looked deep into her eyes. He wanted her more every day.
“And yesterday?” Mary teased.
John smiled. He loved her sense of humor.
“Do you want a drink?” He nodded toward the bar.
“Yes. A beer will be fine.”

Can you tell in the first example who is saying what after the first line? I have to read a bit more to get it straight in my mind.

That’s it for now. I’ll probably think of ten other small details (and make a few boo-boos myself.) HA!

Men, Reading, Thoughts, Writing

What Model Of Alpha Do You Want?

Posted on December 26, 2015December 25, 2015 by Carla Swafford, Author

Reviews are a double edge sword. Authors want and need them to get the word out about their books, but reviews with low ratings and pure hate for a book are not helpful in my opinion. The reason I say it that way is that I had a well-known blogger tell me even horrible reviews can help sell a book. You know, everyone wanting to see if a book is really as terrible as everyone is saying. Heaven forbid, if that ever happens to me. I’m all for the positive hook.

Anyway, reviews per se is not what this post is about.

Occasionally, I read reviews from some of my favorite authors. Why you ask? Whenever I’m feeling down about my writing (what the fuck am I doing?) and need to see even my favorite NYT bestselling authors have a handful of disparagers among their hundreds of five star reviews. Yesterday, I was looking at an author whose publisher had released her backlist in ebook. So thrilling because now I can get copies for my iPad and the paperbacks can stay on my shelves in good condition.

On one hand, I was surprised by the many one stars (and anger) for books I love of hers. As I read the reviews, the main theme appeared to be the way the heroes treated the heroines.

See, from 1970s to 1990s, it had been popular for the heroes to be what I call supreme alphas. It started with the bodice rippers (literally, and by the way, I freaking hate that term for current day romance in general). Yes. Historical romances were queen in the beginning and the heroes thought nothing of ripping the bodice off the heroines. It was so different from what women had been reading before then. I can get into the dynamics of the sexual revolution and birth control and woman finding out they loved sex when there was little fear of pregnancy (only 2% to 9% fear as pills are 91% to 98% effective), but that is still not what this post is about.

In my dear favorite author’s earlier books, the heroes bossed and took over the heroines’ lives as if the women had no sense at all. At the time, and to a point nowadays, I love reading books with those types of heroes. But from what I’ve read in other articles, reviews and in general conversations with twenty- to thirty-something readers, they do not want a hero to act that way. In real life, I wouldn’t either, but, folks, this is fantasy. Anyway, onward and upward…

I thought that was interesting considering how many readers love kinky doms (BDSM), demanding billionaires, and dangerous bikers (MCs). So I compared the differences and realized in most cases, the older romances with dominating males, the heroes came across as cold and unfeeling at least until the end. While the new wave alphas show tenderness and often sweet talk their heroines, they are the same type of heroes, but they have smoother edges.

Both have pluses and minuses. I have found that sometimes when I’m reading a new author’s male point of view, the guys sound a little girlish. More of how the author wished a male would be. From what I know of most men, they are straightforward in speech and action and rarely think about how so-and-so feels about something. They believe they do what must be done and not worry overmuch about it. They have gut feelings and realizations. Not all of that touchy, feely, (I’m not talking about sex) I-have-to-talk-it-out stuff. Of course, there are the exceptions, but they are usually the villains. HA!

Oh, if you’re reading an old romance, be sure to keep all of this mind. Hopefully the publisher (or author, if self-published) will show the original published date. It would be best in the end. Fewer rants by readers. Geez!