Dos Lunas is a Top Pick at TRR!

Dos Lunas just picked up its first review....and its a doozie! Its a Top Pick at The Romance Reviews! Thank you to Rho for this exceptional review:



This little gem was so much more than I ever expected.

Diego Lobos is the middle of three brothers and he's always felt not quite good enough when compared to his brothers. So, when he sees Victoria Talbot, although he's extremely attracted to her, he knows the sophisticated ice queen is out of his league.

Victoria Talbot is a journalist, researching a story about werewolves in the sleepy Texas town where she's living. She never expected to find Diego at the center of her story or her desires. But after a glimpse inside his hidden nature, she knows that she's got something that he needs.

The story starts off with Diego and Victoria having some sexually charged banter, and you know that they are it for each other. The chemistry and underlying naughtiness between them is absolutely delicious. Then, the story just turned me on my ear when the author drops the hint that Diego is sexually submissive. YES, this hunky, totally yummy werewolf is a sub. And lo and behold, Victoria is a Domme.

From there, that was all she wrote, folks. I was totally hooked. The story revolved around their relationship, the Domme/sub interaction was there, but there were also secrets that Victoria was holding onto. Not to mention the fact that she was trying to expose Diego and his pack.

I loved that the growth of both Diego and Victoria was so wonderfully written. Diego grew more comfortable in his skin with the acceptance of his submissive nature, and Victoria found that she wants to be with someone more than just playing. Put that together with the whole werewolf, mating, paranormal twist aspect of the book, and I was totally entranced.

This is a short story. It's actually part of a print anthology, but what the author did in a little over100 pages was build a world around Sleeping Dog, Texas--complete with visits to a Dallas dungeon, characters like the elderly Domme Rosa, and plot filled with romance, suspense, and shifter action.

And don't let me forget the hot sex. I'm usually not a fan of FemDom, but let me tell you...Whew! There's this one scene in the dungeon where she has all of these feathers and Diego is bound and blindfolded. YUMMY! Wow, I just don't even know what to say. Sex wasn't the focus of the story, but the author certainly made it a memorable aspect to say the least.

I could probably go on and on about this story, but I think you get the gist. It's hot, it's romantic, it's intriguing and suspenseful. It so much more than I expected, I felt like I unearthed a secret treasure.

Belinda McBride really has a unique way of blending different romantic sub-genres in a voice that I can really identify with. I can't wait to read more of her work, I've loved everything I've read from her so far.

Now Available! Doms of Dark Haven 2: Western Night!

Its now live at the Loose Id website! And if you have a reader, most formats are available, so there's no need to wait! Yay!

So run on over and rope a copy for yourself!

http://www.loose-id.com/Doms-of-Dark-Haven-2-Western-Night.aspx

Where in the World…

(this blog post first appeared over at Heroines With Hearts...)

So you’ve decided to write a science fiction romance. Or a fantasy…or paranormal. Whatever the case,you’re about to step into a world where the rules are about to change. More importantly, you’re about to make the rules. All by yourself…

World building can be a daunting undertaking, but there are a few simple tricks you can try to simplify the process. Whether you’re writing about a pod of vampires in New Hampshire or a reptilian alien society in outer space, you need to outline the basic rules of existence, not only of the culture and characters, but of the basic environment in which they live.

Some writers start with a map. They look at the big picture, creating continents, islands, sites and streets. From there, they move to culture and personality. While this sounds like overkill, environment can affect the personality and physical characteristics of a society. What do the people look like? Do they have physical features that differ from that of humans? What caused them to develop that way? That same question relates to the environment. If the sky is rainbow colored or flowers are true black, be prepared with an explanation. How does their world and environment affect their personalities as a species?

In the Belle Starr science fiction universe, I developed several alien species that were featured in minor roles in the story. Each species is the product of their society and world and a lot went into their creation. For example, the Somians are a sensual twin species. They are born in same sex pairs, grow up together, and in adulthood, mate another twin pair. Every twin pair is essentially one person split into two bodies. Somians are frequently sex workers and take pride in that profession. Their planet is lush and fragrant; they love beautiful colors, fabrics and delicious food. Since their culture is all about happiness, they have advanced studies in mental health beyond any other known species.

The Valorans are their polar opposite. The Valoran species comes from a dry, less tropical environment. The entire species are intersexed, but have fallen into a natural division of those who consider themselves male, and those who consider themselves female. They are prudish, not given to emotional display and specialize in sciences based in mathematics. There is a minority of the population who consider themselves gender neutral, and they suffer some discrimination from other Valorans.

Somians think that Valorans are in denial of their innate sensual and dual nature. Valorans think Somians are frivolous and foolish. When a Somian and a Valoran come together romantically…the results are intriguing!

As you can see, a lot of work went into developing two alien cultures that really don’t take center stage in the stories they appear in. But since they’re so well developed, they enhance any story they appear in.

Back to rules. Be careful if you decide to outline a set of rules for your culture. A popular author created a species that by nature could not produce homosexuality. She put those rules into writing in a glossary and locked herself in. Imagine how interesting it was when homoerotic elements began to emerge in her stories! So know your rules, and know how to break them.

It’s a big job, wrangling an entire universe. I generally keep a page open on my computer to take notes as I write. I jot down names, places, even sounds. All this gets transferred into a ‘bible’ for that universe. Since the Belle Starr and the Uncommon Whore series share a universe, they also share a bible. I make sure to note what character originated where, as some do cross over. There are also software programs that you can use to take notes and collect photos, music and videos that influence you in the creation of your world. You can also use an external method, such as white boards (which I use) and sticky notes.

So, are you ready? Or are you lost? Best of luck on your journey, and Happy Tails!