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Monday, May 30, 2011

Tara Lain: How Do You Choose What You Read?


How Do You Choose What You Read?

I am delighted to celebrate the release day of my new novel, The Scientist and the Supermodel, here with Belinda because it gives me a chance to tell you what a peach she is (in case you didn’t already know.) I am a huge admirer and fan.

So I have a question for Belinda’s readers and my readers and perhaps someone who stumbled on the site by accident and has never read either of us. How do you determine what you read? If you read Belinda’s books, is it because she writes scifi BDSM, because she creates great action and adventure, because there is such depth to her characters, because a lot of her books are male/male, or some combination of the list? And my readers, did you pick up Genetic Attraction, my first book, because it was a ménage or had strong male/male elements, or a powerful heroine, or was considered “HOT!” or something else?

I’ve noticed that when scifi authors or writers of paranormal come to my blog, my readers react enthusiastically, even though they seem to love my contemporary stories. My books have men in love but I know many of my readers also like M/F books. So, the question is – where do you start? When buying a new book, what are the first criteria?

A key criteria for me as I expect it is for you is the author. If I like one book by an author, I’ll try more by the same writer. But how far does that go? If Belinda switches to Regency romance, will you read her anyway? If I turn to “sweet”romances, will you still try my books? In my case, one of my favorite writers is Jet Mykles. I was first introduced to Jet’s paranormal M/F books many years ago. After reading through that whole series, I ordered something called Heaven which turned out to be M/M contemporary. Yikes. That was a departure for me. But I loved the way Jet tells a story, so I read it. Heaven turned out to be heaven for me. I had never read a M/M book and this was a perfect introduction. I loved the dynamic, the flexibility of gender roles, the peek into a man’s vulnerability. At that moment, one of my key criteria became M/M. To this day, I will tend to favor books with at least some M/M elements, although I still read and enjoy M/F.

What about you? I’ve had readers say “I’ve never read M/M before, but you made me a believer.” Chances are if you’re here you like M/M too, but is it a priority in your choices? What about BDSM? Is that where you go first when choosing a book? Belinda likes to build scifi worlds and express in them. I love contemporary formats. I will admit I’m currently writing my first paranormal – but it’s contemporary paranormal. LOL. Do you start with scifi? Paranormal? Contemporary? Is that a first choice? The first time I tried one of Belinda’s books I was choosing to read something by an author I didn’t know in scifi which isn’t my top genre. So why did I choose it? First, it was M/M, a top criteria, AND I saw from the terrific cover that one of the heroes was androgynous – a favorite attraction of mine. Plus, it had an irresistible title. Of course, I’m talking about An Uncommon Whore.
Tell us please, what do you read and how do you choose? It’s a wonderful mystery all writers try to solve. And when you comment you’ll be entered in my contest. Here are the rules:

Comment on this blog and leave your email address. I will copy it and enter it in the drawing for the 2 books being given away during this week. One copy of The Scientist and the Supermodel and One copy of Genetic Attraction. You’ll be notified by email if you win. Comment and email, simple.

Here’s MORE CHANCES TO WIN! (more complicated so read closely LOL)

• After you comment here, go to my Book blog http://beautifulboysbooks.blogspot.com. Leave a comment and follow the blog (if you already do follow, it counts). You will be entered in EVERY drawing until the end of the month. Two books will be given away every week and you’ll be entered in all those drawings. (you only have to do this once)

• Go to every blog on my blog tour and leave a comment on the day of the post (or at least in the same week) and you will be entered again during the week in which the post is made.

• The entire blog tour is listed on my website http://www.taralain.com/blog_tour_schedule.html and updates will be posted regularly so check it out. There will also be Yahoo Group chats where I will be giving away other books so watch for those!

Whew!! Remember, you can take each one of these steps and have a bunch of chances to WIN! (You just have to enter, the logistics are my nightmare! LOL) Got it? Leave a comment here. : )


Excerpt R: Tara Lain The Scientist and the Supermodel M/M Erotic Romance

This excerpt occurs when Jake and Roan have both unexpectedly shown up at the same fundraising event and both escorting women. Jake is wildly jealous and is dancing with Roan’s date.

BLURB:

Jake has a mad hidden passion for his older boss, Emmaline Silvay, so why is he getting all hot and bothered when he sees this gorgeous man in a bar? Though Jake thinks of himself as straight, he's been having a lot of trouble getting excited about any of the girls he's dated. He doesn't have any such trouble with the supermodel, which throws his whole world into confusion. Roan Black knows better than to fall for some straight guy, especially a PhD scientist who couldn't possibly be interested in a high school dropout, could he? Well, maybe they can just have sex ....

EXCERPT:

Taking the redhead’s hand, he walked to the dance floor.

Jake was a decent dancer, but his recent dancing experience had only included a six-foot alpha male whose cock stabbed into his abdomen. Alexandra wasn’t all that different -- except for the cock part. About six feet tall in her heels, her body under the slip of a gown was strong and lean with only a hint of the soft roundness Jake associated with femininity. She also smelled heavenly. No perfume, just some sweet almondy scent that wafted around Jake like a cloud.

Even with that tall body pressed tight against him, Jake still had a couple inches on her.

She tilted her head up and whispered in his ear, “So you’re my lover’s lover.”

Torn. Should he strangle her or throw her on the ground and fuck her? She had a powerful magnetism; he’d give her that. “In what way is he your lover?” He could hear the anger in his own voice.

“Jealous, lover?”

“Should I be?”

She gave him a steady stare with those ice blue eyes. “Actually, no.”

“Does that mean you’re not his lover?”

“No, it doesn’t mean that. It simply means that the boy is crazy about you.”

Jake felt himself tense. Of course, she felt it too and gave him a cool stare. “I hope you can handle that, lover boy, because nobody gets to hurt Roan with me around.”

He stared her down for a minute, but she didn’t waver, and he was the first to look away. “I’m trying, really, but this is all new to me.”

“He said you’ve always been straight.”

“Yeah.”

She nodded her head to where they’d left Laney with his parents. “Who’s the little ingénue?”

“Just a friend.”

“You fucking her?”

“No!”

She laughed. “A little defensive, are we? You using her for cover?”

“No! I just needed a date for this shindig, and I thought of her. What about you? Aren’t you with Roan to promulgate the fiction that he’s straight?”

“Partly. But I was in town, and we always get together when I’m here or he’s in Paris. My trip just happened to coincide with this event he was committed to attend, so I came with him.”

Jake gritted his teeth. “You always get together? Why? To fuck?” He could feel his hands tightening on her.

She pressed her body tight against him and whispered in his ear. “Yes, to fuck. And to suck, and to do everything a man and a woman can do together. Do you hate it that your boyfriend likes girls too, just like you do?”

“Yes. I…hate…it.”

She pulled back and looked at him. “Wow, you really are jealous, aren’t you? My beautiful boy really gets you going.” She ground her hips against him. “I can feel how hard you are.”

She was right. He wanted to hate her, but she was so damned sexy, and the fact that she loved and defended Roan jumbled them together in his hormone-clouded mind.

“Yeah.”

She leaned into him again. “Don’t you love that gorgeous, huge cock of Roan’s?”

Jake could barely breathe. “Yeah.”

She was whispering directly into his ear, the breath sending goose bumps down his arms and shocks to his balls. “It doesn’t hurt you when he pushes that huge dick into your ass?”

Jake tensed at the question. Alex leaned back to look at his face. “I see. You’re a top.” Then she snuggled back against him and resumed her breathy whisper. “That makes sense, I guess. You’re mostly straight, and he’s really submissive. He loves to take it in the ass.” Her hips pressed into his. “But don’t forget, pretty boy, he still loves to fuck. You gotta let him do it to you some, or he won’t be satisfied. Let him stick that cock in. I can tell you firsthand, Jake, it’s a treat you just can’t miss.”

Too much. Jake’s breath was ragged, and he was about to ruin his tux trousers with a gallon of cum.

She pressed harder so she was practically riding his erection, and he was too far gone to care who was watching. “You love that idea, don’t you, baby? Or is it me turning you on? C’mon, Jake. Tell me the truth. Is it just the idea of Roan fucking you making you rock hard, or does little Alex get your juices flowing too?”

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0glXEW3_fM

Tara Lain never met a beautiful boy she didn’t love – at least on paper. A writer of erotic romance, mostly ménage and male/male, Tara loves all her characters, but especially her handsome heroes. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara only fell in love with EROM in 2009 and, through perseverance and lots of workshops, had the first novel she ever wrote accepted for publication in 2010. She’s now on book six. After an exotic life of travel all over the world and work in television, education and advertising, Tara settled in Southern California with her soul-mate husband and opened her own small marketing business. She paints, collages, and started practicing yoga “way before it was fashionable”. Passionate about diversity, justice, inclusion and new ideas she says on her tombstone it will read, “Yes”.

For more information about Tara, her books and social networks, visit her at:

E-mail: tara@taralain.com

Website: http://www.taralain.com

Author blog: http://taralain.blogspot.com


17 comments:

Pia Veleno said...

For both Genetic Atraction and for Uncommon Whore it was the cover art. Yes, I'm visually weak in the pocketbook.

Okay, really though, while the art drew me in, if it's an author I haven't read yet, I'll browse GoodReads reviews before deciding, but if it's an author I've read and enjoyed, then you have me almost for life.

Oh, and Heaven Sent? Loved that series. It's one I recommend to the curious. A great start. I'm glad you accidentally discovered M/M that way. There is no going back.

Pia Veleno said...

yeah... forgot the email part. Too busy gabbing, and not paying attention to the contest part. Not that I suspect I'll be able to wait until the drawing... but maybe.

piathewriter (at) gmail.com

Anonymous said...

If it's paperback, I read the blurb. I usually go for paranormal/historical/mystery romance or urban fantasy these days.
For ebooks, my criteria are either:
some M/M
paranormal
an author I know (usually via twitter)
Tara's book fits two of those, and now I'm checking "An uncommon whore" as well.

Tara, that excerpt was evil. Really. And hot.

(mariebwolf(at)laposte(dot)net)

Tara Lain said...

Hi Pia, Hi Marie -- You guys are great! So interesting to know about your cover weakness, Pia. I'm the same way. And Marie, when we get to Golden Dancer (Sept 27) i'll be in three categories since its romantic suspense. And i LOVE being evil. LOL. : )

Belinda M. said...

Hi guys! Thanks for being here Tara! I tend to be drawn in by cover art too, but I've had to teach myself to read both the blurb and excerpt. I've bought too many stinkers based on amazing art! LOL!

That said, I can't tell you how many people bought An Uncommon Whore based on the cover art. They collect PL Nunn art and they bought the book to get it in large format. :) The good thing is that they read the book too! LOL!

Tara Lain said...

In the case of Uncommon Whore, they are making a good move! That's what made me a Belinda fan for life. : )

Sherry said...

I choose my books different ways it can be because I love the author and they are auto buys, lots of times it's the blurb and some books I've read and loved were some that I won in a contest. The winning a book in a contest is how I got hooked on m/m I won a Carol Lynne book and had to have all of the series (Cattle Valley). I've also bought books because friends and people that I work with talked about how good they were.

sstrode at scrtc dot com

Tara Lain said...

Thanks so much for visiting, Sherry! : )

booklover0226 said...

Hello, All.

I'm a big M/M fan; I can't get enough of that genre. And I'm not picky on the setting either. The story can take place on Mars or Oklahoma!

I'm always willing to try new authors. If I like one or two works by that author, you can bet I'll continue buying their books; especially if there is a series.

If I'm drawn to a cover, I'll take the time to read the book blurb. I will also take the time to read a book blurb if I'm familiar witht he author or it it's a suggested read based on the genre I like.

OK, I've rambled far too long....

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com

Tara Lain said...

Hi Tracey -- Thanks so much for coming by. It's so interesting finding out why people select certain books. You're entered to win! : )

Monica Stoner said...

For me, it's the characters. I enjoy great plot twists and world building fascinates me but I'm all about the people. If I enjoy meeting the people, I enjoy the story, and will go back to that author no matter what they write.

Tara Lain said...

Monica, i totally agree. Characters are it for me. Gotta have a plot to have a story, but without great characters, i put it down. : )

Cathy M said...

I am a recent convert to m/m romances, but now I am totally hooked. I tend to gravitate to paranormal romances, and really enjoy a sexy m/m story with a wee bit of bdsm thrown in just for fun.

When I find an author with great storytelling, I tend to haunt their book list, and can be tempted to try out a new genre.

caity_mack at yahoo dot com

Tara Lain said...

Thank you, Cathy. We will try to provide you with new book lists to haunt! : )

JoAnna said...

I generally read paranormal romance, all kinds. Occasionally I read great blurbs or excerpts on yahoo groups or blogs that turn me on to new authors or books in a different genre (which is how I found Genetic Attraction). Once I have read an author and like the book, I will pick up their other books even if the book is a different genre.

beckerjo at verizon dot net

Tara Lain said...

Thank you so much for visiting, JoAnna. I'm glad to know all my excerpt posting works! : )

Di said...

Mostly I'll read romance; historical, contemporary, adventure, humor. Just looking for good writing. Once I do, I follow that author. Would love to try one of these books.

sallans d at yahoo dot com