Cover And Blurb Reveal For "IKIGAI.", Our October 31st!

After a month's worth of delays, we finally have an official release date, cover, and blurb for "IKIGAI.", the final (for at least a really long time) book in the REN'AI RENSAI series.

This book is a bit of a monster in the sense that it's the longest book I have yet to release, clocking in at just a little over 100k. (For reference, most full-length RR releases are between 70-90k, standard novel lengths.) And with a long book we also get the longest blurb yet. Usually we try to keep it down to a certain amount, but for the last book we decided to just go for it.

Below is the cover and blurb for "IKIGAI.", coming out October 31st! (Spooky.)

“People say that we change as we get older. My biggest fear was that I would wake up one day and no longer be in love with Reina. Instead I woke up one day with urges that took me to the very kind of people she couldn’t even think about.”

Aiko almost has the perfect life. A strong marriage, a fun part-time job teaching English, and a healthy social life that keeps her stimulated in more ways than one. But she’s changing. For the first time in years, there is someone she is falling for… and it’s not someone her spouse would approve of. 

How can she truly be happy if she’s repressing a part of what makes her tick?

“I haven’t changed in over twenty-five years. This includes most of my opinions. Except I don’t have popular opinions about anything. Take gender for example. I know I’m messed up, but it could be worse. I could really hate my body to the point I can’t live in it anymore. Not even my wife understand thats. But somebody else does.”

Reina has come far in her therapy, but nothing can change the fact sometimes she can’t face the way the world treats her because of her body. When she searches for someone who understands her, she meets another woman dealing with gender dysphoria.  A woman whose dysphoria has taken her to a place Reina is still afraid to traverse. 

It’s taken twenty years for Reina and Aiko to seal their relationship. Now the years have caught up to them and they must decide what their “ikigai,” or their reason for living is. Friends come and go; lovers can be finicky; family is what they make of it. 

Their final hurdle in life, love, and sexuality will determine now and forever who they will spend the rest of their lives with. And they want so badly for it to be each other.

"JOSHOKU." Cover and Blurb Reveal!

"One year into their relationship, Reina and Aiko embark on a journey into the world of academia. For Reina it’s about changing her situation in life, even it means returning to a world ran by a foreign religion and young women who claim to be both her best friends and worst enemies. For Aiko it’s proving to her mother, to the world, and to herself that there is more to life than husband hunting. For them both it’s late nights finding unconventional ways to study for tests and as they find new reasons to love each other.

Adulthood lurks in every shadow, from coming to terms with mortality and straining against the shackles that threaten to keep their lives stagnant. Reina wants to find direction in her life; Aiko wants to control her own destiny. Together they want what will become the foundation of their relationship – love, safety, and the exploration of their burning joshoku, or the passion that leads one to women again and again. Even if one of them is an imposter herself."

"JOSHOKU." takes place between March, 1994 and Summer, 1996.

The sixth installment of REN'AI RENSAI will be coming out this Friday, June 27th! To celebrate, I will be posting a video every day this week showcasing some of my favorite Japanese songs to come out between 1994-1997... undoubtedly songs that Aiko and Reina listened to extensively in their youths. (And let's face it, today as well.) Please look forward to it!

"NIGOU." Cover And Blurb Reveal!

After a short delay in release, "NIGOU." has been given the official release date of May 9th. Below the cover and the blurb are revealed!

For two years Jun and Reina have had an agreeable arrangement: when it’s convenient, they’ll meet up and have a good time together. “Good time,” however, has changed over the past few months. Beaten with stress from her job and the dilemmas of her primary relationship, Jun has decided she wants Reina to be more than someone she meets for hours of passion between the sheets. To be more than a “nigou,” or the dirty mistress on the side.

Emotional commitment isn’t exactly something Reina can subscribe to. She’s used up her intimacy tokens with her wife Aiko, and now the idea of bringing another serious woman into her love life isn’t exactly her idea of fun! Not to mention Jun’s younger girlfriend Saya, who is less than keen on the idea of multiple partners, but willing to make it work.

As they tiptoe on the edge of polyamory, both Reina and Jun have to decide what they want from each other – and from their primary partners.  What they discover is the give and take that can happen beyond the scope of a casual relationship. How two women can find the therapy missing from their lives in the arms of a nigou.

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. ;)

OUT NOW: "KATAOMOI." Book 4 of the REN'AI RENSAI erotic romance series!

Phew! A day late with this (we won't talk about what Amazon has put me through this week...okay, we will, TOMORROW.) But yes! "KATAOMOI." is officially out now! Below is the blurb and a small excerpt. Enjoy!

The day Aiko and Reina move into their own home together is supposed to be a joyous occasion. However, with Reina working five to six days a week, Aiko the budding housewife finds solitude tough to handle. She jumps headlong into making friends at the nearest lesbian get-together but meets one person not interested: Reina’s bitter ex-girlfriend, who fills her emotional void with activism and her love for all-female musicals.

While Aiko establishes herself as the queen of domesticity, Reina is nominated for a promotion at work. She soon discovers that being a woman in the professional world is rife with injustice, and begins to resent her gender and the way society treats it. With her ex-girlfriend now hanging around, it is a cold reminder as to what happens when Reina becomes a thorn in other women’s families.

Living together will give Aiko and Reina challenges never dreamed of before, yet it gives them the chance to build a life together, other women notwithstanding. Their first trial is to navigate the first few months of coming out, disappointment, glamorous show tunes, and a dark cloud of kataomoi, or “unrequited love,” hanging over the city.
“KATAOMOI.” takes place from July - Oct. 1997.

Amazon - Amazon UK - B&N

           “You know, I’ve been thinking.” Seeing the tenderness on her girlfriend’s visage made Reina weak like this. “About what you said the other day…wanting to stay home to take care of the house…” She nuzzled Aiko’s cheek. “If I get this promotion, which I should, I’ll be making enough money to support us both and save on the side. Maybe it won’t be so hard on us if you don’t get a part-time job.”

            Eyes glittering, Aiko bit her bottom lip to contain her elation. “Truly?” Her voice fluctuated between an awed whisper and a loving tone. “Oh! Thank you!” She clobbered into Reina’s body, squeezing the breath out of her and crushing her ribs. “I will do my best to be a productive person here at home! I’ll make our favorite foods every day and make sure you have everything you need to do well at work!”

            Reina scoffed – and yet, looking at Aiko’s frivolity gave her pride. “You make it sound like you are a housewife now…”

            “Well, I am! In a way.” Aiko released her death grip. “Nee, why is it so different just because we’re both women?”

            “I suppose it’s not, really.” And with that, Reina kissed her.

            The ache in her muscles melted away, only to be replaced with a new ache: the throbbing torture of yearning. When she slipped her tongue into Aiko’s mouth, her girlfriend responded with a smack to the rear. “You naughty girl! My mother will be here soon!”

            That was almost enough to kill Reina’s libido. But she had tasted Aiko’s lips, smelled her skin, and rubbed her face against her hair. Sex was inevitable now. “There’s time for a quickie.” She licked Aiko’s cheek as if it were ice cream.

            “Maybe…” The skin beneath Reina’s tongue turned as pink as Aiko’s T-shirt. “If we’re really quick…”

            Give me five minutes, my tongue and my fingers, and I’ll have you screaming into your pillow again. Quickies weren’t the most fun, but they got the job done. At the very least, Reina would be tranquil enough to get through a visit from Junko.

            She attempted to lift Aiko off the floor – that only resulted in lifting her T-shirt, and soon they fell into each other’s arms, kissing, biting, and clawing one another like rabid wolves. The best part about the oncoming lovemaking was that their union couldn’t produce the child Reina swore she still heard screeching at the train station a ten minute walk away.

            Ai-chan.

            She swore her girlfriend’s sigh had her name on it.

            Lips curled together; tongues ducked into each other’s mouths. Hands roamed where they willed, including beneath the hem of Aiko’s skirt and the cusp of Reina’s shirt. Soon. In a second they could pry apart long enough to ascend the stairs and roll together in bed until…

            A shout, not from a toddler, dumped upon their heated embrace.

            Reina’s first thought as she and Aiko disengaged was that the little girl on the bicycle had been in an accident. But after she finished pulling down her T-shirt she saw the horror on Aiko’s face and followed her gape out the wide front window.

            Where she met Junko’s equally horrified mien.

 

"KATAOMOI." Cover and Blurb Reveal!

They're here! Time to unveil the cover and blurb for "KATAOMOI.", book 4 in the REN'AI RENSAI erotic romance series! Look at that cover. Isn't it gorgeous? Now check out the blurb!

The day Aiko and Reina move into their own home together is supposed to be a joyous occasion. However, with Reina working five to six days a week, Aiko the budding housewife finds solitude tough to handle. She jumps headlong into making friends at the nearest lesbian get-together but meeets one person not interested: Reina’s bitter ex-girlfriend, who fills her emotional void with activism and her love for all-female musicals.

While Aiko establishes herself as the queen of domesticity, Reina is nominated for a promotion at work. She soon discovers that being a woman in the professional world is rife with injustice, and begins to resent her gender and the way society treats it. With her ex-girlfriend now hanging around, it is a cold reminder as to what happens when Reina becomes a thorn in other women’s families.

Living together will give Aiko and Reina challenges never dreamed of before, yet it gives them the chance to build a life together, other women notwithstanding. Their first trial is to navigate the first few months of coming out, disappointment, glamorous show tunes, and a dark cloud of kataomoi, or “unrequited love,” hanging over the city.

"Kataomoi." takes place between July and October, 1997.

"KATAOMOI."will be out this FRIDAY, March 29th! Check back in every day this week for more pre-release posting fun!

Weekly Writing Check-In: Oops Forgot Another One!

Look at me. I forgot to do a check-in last week. Oops.

Well, not much to talk about. (Wow I'm tired of saying that.) I am currently in the process of uploading story #5 for my pen name. I've decided that my least favorite part of publishing, out of writing/editing/designing,marketing etc, is definitely the blurb. Hate writing blurbs. Haaate. And I always forget to write the blurb until I'm staring at KDP going "....oh." Every week. Without fail. (Please note how I am not running off to write my blurb right now. Oops!)

I will hear back this week on a possible day job. If I get it, it may slightly change my writing schedule. But hopefully not too much. The hours match up right with me and would let me still write at night, which is when I am my happiest. But it may mean a slower update schedule for the pen name so I can continue to put as much energy as possible toward REN'AI RENSAI.

(Does anybody even care about that? =P)

As usual, my check-ins are boring. Tell me something super awesome that happened to you last week. Please. Make this post interesting~

"SEIKOU." Book 3 of REN'AI RENSAI cover and blurb reveal!

Are you excited for book 3 of REN'AI RENSAI, coming out January 31st? I am excited. I am so excited that I can't wait to share with you the beautiful new cover and hot new blurb!

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 For over twenty years Reina has sexually celebrated the women around her with a reverence only tolerated by her wife, Aiko. But when Reina misinterprets the fluidity of their open relationship, she’s backed into a corner where her gender dysphoria reigns supreme. In order to salvage her marriage, she may have to reanalyze the way she views the world, her life, and her experiences.

Just when she thinks she’s figured her spouse out, Aiko faces an unexpected transgression. Can she forgive her? Or will love finally give way to the fatigue that accompanies being with someone like Reina? A sick mother and unsympathetic sister are not helping Aiko’s dilemma.

Even the most passionate relationships sometimes fall asunder to “seikou,” the sexual character at the core of one’s identity. Will Reina and Aiko reunite with stronger hearts, or is it finally time to go their separate ways? And if they do split up, who will help them pick up the pieces – the stoic therapist, the desperate socialite, or the young couple who initiated this mess to begin with?

"SEIKOU.", a full length novel, will be released by January 31st!

"DAISUKI." Blurb Released!

Today marks the official first day of promotional rounds for my debut novella, "DAISUKI."! First day is the promotional blurb for this romance about lesbian love in Japan.

Aiko and Reina have been together for almost 20 years, yet one thing remains unsaid between them: "Daisuki", or, "I love you". As they approach their anniversary, their relationship comes to an impasse as Aiko the Japanese housewife begins demanding "I love you" with a side of marriage and romance.

But Reina doesn't understand complex concepts like "love" or other heavy emotions. She's spent years supporting her girlfriend via a soul-sucking salary job and tending to their mutual needs in the bedroom. Isn’t that sufficient? In a culture demanding Reina choose between the "feminine" and the "masculine" worlds, it's bad enough she's trying to find her role without Aiko adding extra pressure.

Some words need not saying, but "I love you" is about to destroy a relationship already surviving strange side-lovers and even stranger exploits.

I can't believe it's the first day already! Next day of promotions will be the cover reveal on September 1st! But you may be getting a preview sooner than that...

Actually, soon it'll be September 28th, and I'll realize I have yet to do final edits / convert crap into mobi and epub. Let's be real, this is my life.