Saturday, September 28, 2013

Celebrating One Year With The Dream Job: A Reflection (And Such)

Today marks the one year publishing anniversary of "DAISUKI." my first ever published work. One year ago today I was nothing but a fledgling publisher, who had no idea what to expect or what would happen a few months from then. I was confident in my writing abilities, but nervous about how they would be received - after all, it isn't every day that someone goes out determined to write a series about polyamorous lesbians.

The support I had from friends and family was what was able to get me off the ground. I will always be grateful for the support many of you showed me then, and since then. Thanks to your efforts, my stories were able to get in front of many strangers. Some off them were not my target audience, but many of them were. Many of them took a chance on me. Some of you reading this right now are some of those strangers who decided to take a chance on my unconventional romances. Many of you have contacted me over this past year and have expressed many wonderful sentiments that have helped me keep going in this little venture of mine.

Since I was a little kid I've always known that I wanted to be a writer. Back in those days, my only chance was scoring a lucrative deal with a trade publisher - since we pretty much all know that actually making a living writing for a trade publisher is a lot harder than the public thinks. But as I was growing up, I met a lot of roadblocks. Namely, people in authority telling me that I needed to "think realistically." This of course meant going to college to get a super expensive degree in something that had nothing to do with writing. And as it turned out, had nothing to do with my life in general other than putting me into crazy debt. But this post isn't about university mistakes and coulda woulda shoulda. It's about what actually happened that was pretty amazing.

The five REN'AI RENSAI novels I published this past year.


Most of you (who have asked over the months) know that I don't give out hard numbers. Many authors do, but I'm not comfortable with that. What I will say about my sales and earnings this past year is this: I am very happy. I am paying my bills that threatened to bankrupt me just a year ago. I am not quite where I want to be yet, but I am okay with that. The tradeoff, especially in this economy, is that I get to do my dream job every day of my life - which doesn't feel like a job, because I would be doing this anyway! - and still get by, with a little room to spare. I'm still learning a lot about running my own business, especially on the tax side, but it will all fall into place with more experience... eventually.

Over a year ago I took a chance on a fantasy.  Now it's a reality.

It was quite the coincidence that I would technically start a new series just a day before Daisuki's one year anniversary. But really, it's a pretty poetic coincidence, especially since the titles are a bit similar in the Roman alphabet. One year ago I would have never guessed this would be the state of my career. It both amazes me and makes me extremely proud of the work I have put out.

This is far from the end. It's barely the beginning. This is only the first year in what I hope will be many, many years of me writing and publishing. This time next year I hope to be in the serious publishing stages of my first fantasy novel (which yes, will include many sexy lesbians... just now with more galactic-ness~) and can't wait to share it with you.

Thank you again for helping to make this past year possible!

Friday, September 27, 2013

OUT NOW! "Daite.' Book 1 Of JIAI JOUWA

Woo! After a two month delay, I am finally ready to  unleash the first book in the JIAI JOUWA spinoff series! And from what I've been hearing from a lot of people, you're ready for it too! ; )

Born into an elite family, Jun has spent her life cultivating the professional qualities needed to claim her inheritance, the Nippon Royal Hotel empire. Just when she thinks her dream is about to come true, however, Jun’s uncle ships her from her homeland of Hokkaido to the city of Nagoya to become the new local general manager.

Enter Saya, a twenty-something who invades Jun’s life with a bang and leaves just as swiftly. It’s the hope of seeing Saya again that keeps Jun grounded in her goal of taking over the family empire one day… and the more she encounters the enigmatic Saya, the more she realizes she’s falling for her.

Under the scrutiny of her uncle, Jun must prove that she can become the head of the family. But she also must prove to herself that she is capable of sustaining a romantic relationship, even if her intended has an insatiable wanderlust. Her family’s judgment, Saya’s crippling demons, and the needs of the people she meets along the way will all conspire to make Jun say, “daite,” or “hold me,” never again.


"DAITE." takes place from February - August, 2013.

Amazon - Kobo

SPECIAL PREVIEW BELOW!



After finishing her wine and one more haiku, she put her phone away and told the server she was returning to her room. That was a bit disingenuous. First she went back into her office to make sure everything was organized for Monday, and then she went to the front desk to check on Mimi. The night auditor expressed her gratitude when a sudden late party of twenty people, each pair with their own room, came to check-in and Jun jumped up to take care of it alongside Mimi. When they were processed and on their way upstairs, Jun bowed out of work one last time and finally retreated to her corner of the hotel.
            The staff area of the hotel was emptier than Jun had yet to see it. Without even so much as a custodian pushing his way through the back hallways, Jun felt like she was walking through an abandoned building as opposed to a bustling hotel on a weekend. At least this means it’ll be quiet tonight. A full night’s sleep was what she needed.
            She had her keycard out already as she turned the corner and skipped up the staircase to her room. The shadows on the top landing stirred, but she paid them no mind. No one else was ever up there.
            Until that night.
            Jun nearly had a heart attack as she stepped off the stairs and saw a figure lingering in the far corner.
            “What are you doing here?” she asked, hand clasped over her chest. Saya glided across the floor, face illuminated by the shallow lights. Jun only recognized her from her stature and black jacket. “How did you get here?”
            “Does it matter?” Saya’s voice was gentler than Jun anticipated.
            “Yes!”
            A grin graced that young appearance. “No, it doesn’t.”
            “I beg to –”
            Before she could finish her sentence, a finger pressed against her lips, silencing her. Jun went cross-eyed staring at Saya’s hand touching her in an intimate way… again. Who is she? Even for someone her age, Saya was more brazen than the average person. What does she want? Money? This was a bizarre way to get it. Jun was one phone call away from summoning security.
            And yet…
            Between that touch and that look searing into her, she couldn’t bring herself to demand that Saya leave her alone. Jun knew that look. She had seen it a hundred times before, on women who knew what they wanted. It was the universal expression of suggestive desire.
            Saya plucked the card key out of Jun’s hand and turned to the door. Jun watched as the young woman unlocked and opened the door. Her body was halfway through it when she glanced over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows.
            Chills flurried inside Jun’s chest. What is going on? It’s what her brain wanted to know. Her intuition, however? It knew. It had known from the moment Saya came to her at dinner.
            Saya let her hand linger on the doorknob before disappearing. Jun shook her head and grabbed the edge of the open door. “Chotto matte,” she said, following, “this is a private room.”
            The door latched shut behind her. A single light was on in the main room of the Isoya Suite, but it was dim, glowing. Saya stood at the end of the bed, fingers caressing the cream colored comforter. The key card lay on the dresser. Is she…
            Saya waited for Jun to come near her before spinning around, chin up and eyes narrow. She bore a scalding look into Jun’s face, making her tremble without touching her. It reminded her of the type of look she liked from a certain friend in Tokyo, who dominated her better than anyone she knew. I like that. Women usually wanted to be submissive in Jun’s bed.
            Silently, Saya picked the front edges of Jun’s blazer and pulled her closer, until their bodies were as close as they had been in the hotel lobby earlier that afternoon. But this was different. Back then Jun reacted on instinct, adrenaline pumping and increasing her strength. Now she functioned on uncertainty, although her heart raced for untold reasons. One of Saya’s hands meandered down Jun’s hip and interlocked with her fingers. The more Saya touched her, the more she…
            The more she…
            It took her into a trance, the kind that sucked her down further, further into the floor, where she was a slave to the woman gazing upon her with serene desire. Jun couldn’t move unless Saya touched her. Then she could only move away from her, afraid to be too caught up in those hypnotic eyes. But the only way to go was to the bed, and so Jun sat on its edge, hand still in Saya’s. Her feet were anchored to the floor for as long as the trance lasted.
            Although she said not a word, Saya’s demeanor spoke volumes. She looked upon Jun with a knowing so assured that it was inhuman; she moved her limbs with the fluidity of a graceful dancer. I don’t even know who she is. Saya slipped her leg between Jun’s, leaning forward as she wrapped her arms around the back of a hot, shivering head. I don’t know where she’s from or where she’s going. Jun picked up many one night stands before in bars, clubs, even conferences, but she had never done something like this…whatever this was.
            A rasping, heavy breath chattered in Saya’s chest. I’m that close to her. Saya took Jun’s hand and placed it on her stomach, fingers instinctively curling around her thick belt. She’s so thin. Jun had no preference in that regard, but she couldn’t stop staring at the inward navel poking out from beneath a T-shirt. The trance inside her intensified.
            Her hand was guided beneath the soft cotton of Saya’s shirt, cruising up her abdomen and stopping beneath her breasts. Oh, God. Jun didn’t believe in any deities, but she couldn’t help but call upon them when on the brink of madness.
            Saya pushed her over the edge when she bent down and kissed Jun on the forehead.
 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

FREE ALERT: "Jihaku."

FREE FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS!

"JIHAKU."

Approximately 14,500 words

A large crowd of spectators await Reina and Aiko at the local cafe, where the “Couples’ Quiz Show” is going on that night. A Newlywed Game-style affair, Reina has only agreed to do it because she knows her wife really wants the prize: a romantic getaway for two. What she didn’t know, however, was that the opposing team would be the one couple she never wanted to go up against. Will Reina be able to follow her own advice by giving the “jihaku,” or intimate confession, of her life? Or will her wife have to settle for a different kind of “romantic getaway?” Either way, Reina probably can’t win.

"JIHAKU." takes place on June 22nd, 2013

Amazon

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Official Cover Reveal And Launch Date For "DAITE!"

A couple of weeks ago I had a preview on another site of what you would be able to expect from the "DAITE." cover, and now I am happy to reveal the final cover to all of you! I've gotten GREAT feedback on it, and it seems to be a hit already! :D

Also, assuming nothing goes to pot, "DAITE." will be available to purchase on Amazon and B&N this Friday, September 27th! Almost a year to the day of "DAISUKI." Could not have planned it better myself. *ahem*

But enough about that. Here's the cover!


Monday, September 23, 2013

Blurb Reveal For "DAITE."!


As we count down the final days to the release of "DAITE." at the end of this month, it's time to start unveiling some things! First up is the blurb!

"Born into an elite family, Jun has spent her life cultivating the professional qualities needed to claim her inheritance,  the Nippon Royal Hotel empire. Just when she thinks her dream is about to come true, however,, Jun’s uncle ships her from her homeland of Hokkaido to the city of Nagoya to become the new local general manager.


Enter Saya, a twenty-something who invades Jun’s life with a bang and leaves just as swiftly. It’s the hope of seeing Saya again that keeps Jun grounded in her goal of taking over the family empire one day… and the more she encounters the enigmatic Saya, the more she realizes she’s falling for her.

Under the scrutiny of her uncle, Jun must prove that she can become the head of the family. But she also must prove to herself that she is capable of sustaining a romantic relationship, even if her intended has an insatiable wanderlust. Her family’s judgment, Saya’s crippling demons, and the needs of the people she meets along the way will all conspire to make Jun say, “daite,” or “hold me,” never again."

Come back in a couple of days for the official cover reveal and preview! And some other things too. ;)

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The REN'AI RENSAI One Year Anniversary Paperback Giveaway!

Can you believe it's almost been one whole year since the release of "DAISUKI.", the first book in the REN'AI RENSAI series? It doesn't seem that long ago! But to celebrate, I'm throwing a one year anniversary paperback giveaway! It's exactly what it sounds like! Behold! You can win a copy of every paperback currently available in the REN'AI RENSAI series!

Those are some good looking books!
Entering is very simple! Below you will find a Rafflecopter sign up, with five chances to win! The only mandatory entry is that you must comment on this entry to qualify. Other than that, you have a nice choice of Tweeting, Tumblring, or even Pinning the giveaway for more chances to win!

I also ask two other things of you in order to win:

- You must be at least 18 years of age to win. Some places require this as law in order for you to enter a giveaway. Also, technically what I am giving away could be interpreted as "porn" (grumble) in some jurisdictions and I ain't even going there with minors.

- You must have a USA mailing address in order to win. This does not mean that international people cannot enter. However, you must either have a friend in the US or use a US based mail forwarding service in order to receive your prize. As it is, international shipping costs are too much to handle at the moment, so I can only mail five books within the United States.

Other than that, there's nothing to it! Take a look at these wonderful books available to win and try your luck!

The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM, PST, on October 18th! (My birthday! ;))

Oh look, they are just as pretty from the side! Imagine them on your bookshelf!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

JIAI JOUWA Character Profile 2: Saya Nemoto

Riding on the coattail's of Jun's profile, we now bring you her main love interest and second main character of the JIAI JOUWA series, Saya. Unlike Jun, who has appeared in various other stories, "Daite." will mark Saya's first official appearance in the canon. I have been promoting her for almost a year now though, so she should look at least a little familiar! (If you've ever taken the character matchmaker quiz at the interactive site and gotten Saya as your match, well, now you'll know who you've been matched with!)

Here we go!


----------------------------------------------------
BASICS:
  
Name: Sayaka "Saya" Nemoto  (根本紗華) (She often writes her first name in hiragana: さやか)
Birthday: February 4th, 1987
Zodiac (Western): Aquarius
Zodiac (Eastern): Rabbit
Nationality: Japanese
Birthplace: Shimane Prefecture
Height: 5'0
Weight: 92 lbs. 
Voice: Medium
Speech Patterns: Neutral

LIKES/DISLIKES: 

Fave Color: Blues and Greens
Fave Food:  Breakfast foods
Fave Drink: Tea
Fave Music: Whatever is playing anywhere
Clothing Style:  Shorts (or pants if it's really cold) with a T-shirt or sweater.
Hobbies: Traveling, meeting new people, going outdoors

CHARACTER:

Family:  Mother, Father, Grandfather, Grandmother, Younger brother
 
Sexuality: Lesbian
Partner: None
Best Friend: Has acquaintances scattered throughout the country
Occupation(s): Professional WWOOFer, Temp worker
Comes Off As: Hardworking, quiet, analytical
Sub/Dom: Switch, but often initiates things.

PARAGRAPHS OF BIOGRAPHY STUFF:


Sayaka, who prefers to go by "Saya" as it isn't as feminine, was born in the southwestern prefecture of Shimane, the second least populated prefecture in Japan. Although technically not too far from the metro area of Hiroshima, Saya grew up on the far side of a mountain range and only ever knew her own intimate world growing up, full of farmland, traditional houses, and close-knit communities and families. She also only ever knew the small town, conservative mindset growing up. Her family struggled to support itself with odd jobs and community assistance, fostering an attitude to do little with material things in Saya's early life. During high school, something happened that caused her to drop out and eventually leave her tiny rural town. 

Fed up with the life her community tried to feed her, Saya decided to see the rest of Japan and modern society on her own terms. She quickly became a professional "WWOOFER," or someone who does odd jobs around the country in exchange for room and board - and in Saya's case, a very modest payment that covers her costs to get around. Her forte is working on rural farms like the ones she grew up around. Basically, anything that lets her do some physical labor outdoors is something she loves. 

Saya does not typically cultivate close relationships. She learned from an early age that most people and their ideologies are not to be trusted, so she keeps her friendly acquaintances at a safe distance  and does not let them know her too well. Therefore she has many "friends" she can visit and crash with across Japan, but no one she would call a true confidant. 

When she's not WWOOFing in the mountains of Hokkaido, the seasides of Kyushu, or the fertile plains of Chubu and Shikoku mikan groves in between, Saya bides her time in metro areas like Nagoya, Osaka, and sometimes Tokyo, where she stays with acquaintances and does temp jobs if she's staying for more than a month. 

Saya may not have many long-term goals or ambitions, but she does have one thing: the fact that she lives for no one but herself, an idea that never occurred to her while growing up in Shimane. However, she is not opposed to leaving some roots in one place for a little while - as in maybe once every other month "a little while." Traveling is in her blood, and the thought of settling down anywhere for more than a few weeks is near traumatizing. Saya is not the type of woman to give up her freedom to be on her own and discover the world at her leisure. Not even for love.

...MAYBE

Friday, September 6, 2013

KATAOMOI and KOIBUMI Paperbacks now available! Also, grab a five book bundle!

Look what’s out now!

The KATAOMOI and KOIBUMI paperbacks are finally available for purchase! They are absolutely gorgeous. :)
You can get them direct from the manufacturer, on Amazon for a slight discount, or straight from me with a signature and message for no extra charge.

If you look at the ME ME ME page, yo ucan also see that you can get ALL FIVE paperbacks for a bundled price of $50, which is a $20 savings.

Yay!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

JIAI JOUWA Character Profile 1: Jun Isoya

"There comes a time in every marketing ploy UH I MEAN campaign I do that I feel compelled to expose everyone to my ~super secret~ character profile stash, complete with illustrations from the Sims 3! Congrats, readers, you're about the fall in that hole again."

...Were my infamous words almost EXACTLY a year ago (Sept 5th, 2012) when I was launching the initial campaign for "DAISUKI." (Remember that book? Oh, so long ago.)  Back then was the very first peek into the profiles and lives of Reina and Aiko, now my most famous characters. As I gear up for the spinoff release JIAI JOUWA later this month, it's time to start over again!

I'm leading off with the main character of the first novel, Jun. You know Jun (probably) from REN'AI RENSAI. She had a prominent role in the NANPAKAI / CHINSEKI duo and appeared a couple of times in KOIBUMI. Oh look she has her own novel now wooo!

HERE COMES MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HER:

----------------------------------------------------

BASICS:
Name: Junri "Jun" Isoya  (磯谷純理)
Birthday: October 9th, 1975

Zodiac (Western): Libra
Zodiac (Eastern): Rabbit
Nationality: Japanese
Birthplace: Sapporo (Hokkaido)
Height: 5'9
Weight: 120 lbs. 
Voice: Medium
Speech Patterns: Neutral


LIKES/DISLIKES: 

Fave Color: Red
Fave Food:  Italian
Fave Drink: Tea, coffee, caffeine and alcohol in general.
Fave Music: Rock bands from the 1990s.
Clothing Style:  Tailored business suits both at work and at home. Sometimes jeans and a T-shirt or the rogue skirt wind up in there too.
Hobbies: Studying kanji, collecting old texts and woodblock prints, calligraphy, reading poetry (haiku,) going to bars.



Hokkaido kids love their snowboarding and skiing.
CHARACTER:

Family:  Mother (Deceased,) Father (Deceased,) Uncle, Aunt, Cousin
Sexuality: Lesbian
Partner: None
Best Friend: Yuna Miyazaki and Ayami Itou
Occupation(s): General manager for family's hotel empire.
Comes Off As: Friendly, Polite, Professional
Sub/Dom: Switch, with preference for sub.

PARAGRAPHS OF BIOGRAPHY STUFF:

Jun was born into the Isoya hospitality empire, established by her great-great-grandfather. Growing up her father was chairman of the company, affording his immediate family a very comfortable lifestyle. However, when Jun was still in elementary school, her parents died in an airplane crash over the sea, leaving her an orphan and her family's empire on the brink.

Her uncle took over the company and Jun's upbringing. While technically a ward of her uncle, Jun had her own money from inheritance and mostly took care of herself, including cooking and cleaning the condo she also inherited. (She lived by herself from the age of 16, under her uncle's supervision.) This fostered in her an independent lifestyle that carried on into her adult life.

There's something poetic about ice cream in front of recycling bins.
Jun always knew that she wanted to go into the family business. She went to one of the top high schools in Sapporo that focused on leadership abilities and careers. While there she piccked up some less than desirable habits such as drinking and smoking, but the one habit she never thought of as dirty was becoming sexually active. Although she went to a co-ed school, she discovered she only had eyes for her female classmates. She had a few flings with some before graduating and attending the top hospitality school in Hokkaido.

A busy study and interning life forced her to reevaluate her private needs, the core one being her physical desires. Unable to dedicate the time necessary to find lesbian relationships in an underground society, Jun experimented with men and ended up with five casual-to-serious boyfriends throughout her college career. A return to lesbianism occurred when the last one proposed to her, and she realized a man would never make her happy.

After completing her degrees and internships, Jun was officially hired by her family's empire. She quickly rose the ranks until she was made the general manager of a smaller hotel shortly after her thirtieth birthday. However, Jun is not the type to be content with the bare minimum. She sees herself as the true heir to her family's empire and makes it her goal every day to prove that she should be made chairwoman one day. But given her sex and her androgynous style, her uncle feels that the investors of the company would be too put off to allow him to make anything official.

Sometimes you just have to put on a skirt and pose.
As Jun is a busy woman running hotels all day and constantly attending conferences across the continent, she has little time for relationships. Although she doesn't like to admit it, she has never had a real girlfriend. She has friends with benefits, but no one she would ever say she loves. This hurts her deeply as she considers herself a romantic who would like to spend at least part of her life with someone. She doesn't believe she should have to sacrifice any part of her career, though, so finding a woman who is willing to put up with her hours is a constant hindrance.

When she's not pining about love and sex, Jun enjoys solitary hobbies such as collecting and reading. Due to the nature of her family's empire (a Western hotel chain,) her everyday life is very Western, especially for Japanese society. This has led to her becoming interested in traditional Japanese culture, particularly in pre-Meiji eras. She collects old texts, woodblock prints, and studies archaic kanji that no one uses anymore. When she was in high school she achieved a high-ranking calligraphy level, and occasionally indulges when needing to blow off some steam.

When in want of a real sunset, sit beneath a picture of one.