FREE THIS WEEK: "Umiiro."

Basking on an Okinawan beach isn’t enough for Aiko, who thinks there should be more interesting things to do on her tropical getaway with girlfriend Reina. But Reina’s idea of seaside fun is not exactly family friendly - she’d rather participate in the art of “umiiro,” or the naughty things that can happen on an open beach beneath the stars. Aiko won’t be convinced, however, until she feels properly groomed for the occasion!

AMAZON

(Part of my birthday week celebrations! ;) )

Giveaway Featuring "DAITE.", $50 Gift Card, And 25 Authors!

In case you haven't heard, I have recently joined a HUGE giveaway! It's your chance to win a free e-copy of "DAITE." as well as a FIFTY dollar gift card! There are over 25 romance authors in the giveaway including:

- Aphrodite Hunt
- Terry Towers
- Eliza Gayle
- Marina Maddox
- Starla Cole

And a whole slew more!

Head over to Starla's blog to see how you can enter via Raffle copter. There are over 100 chances to win! The giveaway will be running for about a month, so you've got a little time... but why would you wait, eh? ;)

Also, don't forget that you can still enter to win all five REN'AI RENSAI paperbacks here! You have until the 18th to enter!

Plan Of Action: Tokyo Trip!

Crazy thing? This makes total sense to me.

It's October, which means I am about twenty days away from leaving for Japan for my one month excursion! In case you're new or haven't been paying attention these past few months, the main purpose of this trip is to create a fun photo guide for the REN'AI RENSAI universe, focusing on neighborhoods, foods, objects, and other unique things found in the series that you can't find outside of Japan. Not all of my readers will ever visit Japan, let alone Tokyo, so I would LOVE to make sure I cover something that you would be interested in!

So as I am putting together my photographic itinerary, I want to make sure that I get what YOU would like to see! Comment below if there is any place or thing in particular you would like to see get a photo and a mention in the special book, and I will try my hardest to make it happen!

The following are the places I am DEFINITELY going to in the Tokyo area, so they're already covered!

• Kita, where Reina and Aiko live
• Shinjuku, particularly Ni-chome
• Minato, where Reina works
• Suginami, where Aiko grew up
• Adachi, where Reina grew up
• Nikko, where everyone and their mother vacations
• The schools that inspired Reina's places of education
• The school that inspired Aiko's university
• Shibuya
• Shrines and Temples
• General everyday life in Tokyo (something you want to see in particular?)
• TRAINS ALL THE TRAINS.
• f o o d

Sadly I can't go to Hokkaido or Nagoya this trip, guys! Maybe next time~

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!

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.

 

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

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!