Tuesday 20 May 2014

Marketing Matters - Advertising on WTRAFSOG...

For the first 6 months of existence (as an author, of course) I kept my head down and wrote. I'd read widely that I shouldn't worry about marketing until I had 5 books written, and I followed that piece of advice*. 

My first real marketing thing was my free book giveaway, which was totally worth it, and made April my most profitable month yet as a writer. 

My second marketing thing was in early May. I did my first advertising buy; I bought a promoted post on the Facebook behemoth - WTRAFSOG, choosing to promote the House of Pain at the same time it was on a 99c special**. 

The results? Better than I could imagine. I'd hoped to break-even on the cost of advertising. I definitely did that. Also: 

- House of Pain was in the Top 100 BDSM books on Amazon all weekend. (The highest it got was 12, which was amazing and exciting and surreal.) Top 100 Paid BDSM books. That was awesome.
- For a very brief moment, I was in the Top 100 Erotic Authors listing as well. That didn't last for long, but hey, it was nice to see that it could happen. 

The one downside? No noticeable back-catalog lift. That being said, I'd definitely do another WTRAFSOG promotion - if you write erotica, it seems like a no-brainer for the amount of money you spend on the ad. 

* That advice is fucking gold. Follow it. I see so many authors churning their wheels on finding reviews and doing promo for their first book, when they should be writing book two. Not doing any marketing to speak of for the first few months, until I had 5 books under my belt was probably the wisest thing I ever did. 

**I do think the fact that my book was 99c mattered. 99c is an impulse buy. For a new-ish indie author with very little name recognition, anything more would have been a stretch. 

Saturday 17 May 2014

Saturday Spanks - Relapse


I'm so delighted that Relapse is now available for sale! Doctor Dom is among the hardest writing I've done, and I also think it's among my best work. (Possibly, these two things are somewhat related.) 



Here's a tiny excerpt: 


“You asked me to spank you that first night,” he mused. His voice was both amused and remembering. He was behind me.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure he could see me, positioned as I was, face-down, bent over the bed. “You seemed pretty happy to oblige,” I said into the bed covers. I really tried not to sound snide, but I failed miserably.


Smack. His palm came down on my ass, my red thong serving as no protection at all from the sting. I yelped. “Sorry, Dr. Anderson,” I said contritely. That spank had hurt. 

***

The Blurb: 

My name is Lisa Preston. 

A little more than a month ago, I met a gorgeous guy in a bar and went home with him. He spanked me. He put me on an examination table and made all my dark fantasies come true.

Now my relationship with Patrick continues to deepen. Every day is more amazing than the last. He has become my boyfriend. My lover. My Dominant.

But the wounds of the past run deep. When I do something that reminds him of the way his ex-wife betrayed him, can our relationship ever recover? Or will we remain haunted by the past forever?

Note: This novella includes medical play, spankings, domination, graphic sexual scenes, and more.

Buy Links: 


Visit my fellow authors here!



Thursday 15 May 2014

New Releases! Relapse (Doctor Dom Volume 4) & The Alien, the Virgin and the Warrior Queen (Adventures of Suzie and the Alien Book 3)



It's all very exciting! 

Relapse Blurb: 
My name is Lisa Preston.

A little more than a month ago, I met a gorgeous guy in a bar and went home with him. He spanked me. He put me on an examination table and made all my dark fantasies come true.
 
Now my relationship with Patrick continues to deepen. Every day is more amazing than the last. He has become my boyfriend. My lover. My Dominant.
 
But the wounds of the past run deep. When I do something that reminds him of the way his ex-wife betrayed him, can our relationship ever recover? Or will we remain haunted by the past forever?

Note: This novella includes medical play, spankings, domination, graphic sexual scenes, and more.

Buy Links: 
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA


The Alien, the Virgin and the Warrior Queen Blurb: 
Suzie and Bob the two-dicked alien travel to Erdem to get rid of Larry the Lizard, Suzie’s sadistic ex-boyfriend who had ordered Bob to kidnap and torture her.
 
But Erdem is ruled by Tamora, Warrior Queen, who has a price for taking Larry. She wants Suzie.
 
Now, Suzie finds herself dominated by both Bob and Tamora. And she finds it all strangely enjoyable…
 
Warning: This is a 10,000+ word short story that includes adult situations between a human female, a two-dicked alien and an alien Warrior Queen. It features explicit sex scenes (MFf, Mff, Mf and more!). For Mature Audiences Only!


Buy Links: 
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA


Wednesday 14 May 2014

RTK Dungeon Crawl - The Alien, the Virgin and the Warrior Queen



Another day, another 99c book! This one - The Alien, the Virgin and the Warrior Queen is the latest release of an erotic short series I'm writing called Adventures of Suzie and the Alien. It's a bit Doctor Who, and a bit Aliens, with a whole lot of sex tossed in. I quite enjoy writing these - they are fun and a bit quirky, and I've used this series as stress-relief in the middle of more complex projects. 



That's a lot of intro! Let's just get to the good bits, shall we?

An Excerpt: 


We walked through the long length of the hall. As we walked, the crowds lessened. At some point, there was a barrier, and two guards standing in front of it. And I got my first look at the Erdese warrior priestesses.

Bob had refused to describe them. “You’ll see,” he’d grinned. And looking, I did. They were humanoid, tall women with large breasts that hung uncovered. Their heads were covered with a fine, scarlet cloth, and they wore matching long skirts that were slit up the sides and up the back. The slits at the sides exposed their taut, muscled legs, and the slit at the back? That exposed a tail.

“They have tails,” I yelped to Bob. He laughed at my expression. “It’s an erogenous zone for them as well,” he winked. “You’ll see, most likely.”

“We seek audience with Tamora, Warrior Queen of Erdem,” he said to the guards. One of them nodded and went into the blocked section. The other stayed where she was. I could feel her eyes on me, and she said something to Bob, who laughed.

“What?” I asked him. I hadn’t heard her; she’d spoken low enough for only Bob to hear.

He grinned at me. “She wants to know if I’ve brought Tamora a pet,” he said, and I spluttered in indignation.

“I’m not a pet,” I said in outrage, and he laughed again. “What?”

“You are very pretty when you are annoyed, little human,” he said soothingly. His tone was infuriating. At any moment, I expected him to say ‘there, there’ to me, give me some candy, and pat my head like I was a child.

No bracelet. Crap. He could read my thoughts. I was getting used to that machine from hell a lot easier than I was getting used to the idea that he was always in my head. He looked amused at my earlier thought, and then his voice hardened. “Remember, Suzie. I expect you to behave yourself in front of Tamora.”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Yes, Master,” I said mockingly. I didn’t miss the flare of heat in his eyes as he absorbed the words.

***

“Tamora will see you now,” the guard who had walked away returned. “Follow me.”

I gaped openly at Tamora, when she came into view. Her hair wasn’t tucked away behind fabric. It hung, loose to her waist, in flowing red curls. She was as tall as Bob, and her breasts were perfect globes of pale alabaster. She was wearing a necklace of a finely filigreed metal that looked like gold, and her wrists were covered with golden bangles as well. The fine hair that covered her tail was red as well.

I wonder if the hair on her pussy is red as well, I thought, and then felt Bob shake with laughter besides me.

“Traveller,” she greeted Bob. Her voice was deep and melodious. “It has been too long since you visited us.”

“Tamora,” Bob greeted her with a smile. “You are looking well, Warrior Queen.”


“And who is this?” she practically purred, looking at me. “A pretty little plaything, traveller. Is it from that forbidden world that you so like to visit?”

***
Buy Links: 

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon DE

The Blurb:

Suzie and Bob the two-dicked alien travel to Erdem to get rid of Larry the Lizard, Suzie’s sadistic ex-boyfriend who had ordered Bob to kidnap and torture her.

But Erdem is ruled by Tamora, Warrior Queen, who has a price for taking Larry. She wants Suzie.

Now, Suzie finds herself dominated by both Bob and Tamora. And she finds it all strangely enjoyable…

Warning: This is a 10,000+ word short story that includes adult situations between a human female, a two-dicked alien and an alien Warrior Queen. It features explicit sex scenes (MFf, MFF, Mf and more!). For Mature Audiences Only! 

Here's the rest of the crawl! Go visit - there's always good stuff to be found! 



Saturday 10 May 2014

Saturday Spanks - The House of Pain



It's all House of Pain promo this week, since it is currently on sale. Just $0.99 in the Amazon US store - ending Monday. Go check it out! 



An excerpt:  Sara is preparing to receive her first spanking.  



John walks around, takes each of my arms, extends them, and buckles them into cuffs set in the sawhorse. Suddenly my arms are tied down; immobile. I can squirm around, but I can’t straighten. My pussy is wet now; rejoicing in my helplessness. I close my eyes, let the sensations run through me. I allow myself to just feel.

Now I can feel John bring his palm down on my still-covered ass. I feel the blow; he has not been gentle. I bite my lips to keep myself from crying out; feel the heat radiate through me. Every muscle of my body clenches in response.

“What do you think, gentlemen, I can spank her clothed, or I can spank her bare ass.” John asks the question, fully knowing the answer he’s going to get.

***

The Blurb: 

Sara White is outwardly a good girl; she follows the rules; works in a professional office; has a boyfriend who treats her with consideration. However, deep inside her, there’s a craving for pain, a desire to be spanked and whipped, to be submissive, to be controlled. 

One day, she walks into the House of Pain, a sex store in Toronto that also does shows in the back, where women are whipped and spanked in front of an audience. Transfixed by the idea, she signs up. 


Doug Patterson has met Sara at work, but discovers a whole new side of her when he sees her at the House of Pain. He approaches her and suggests Sara become his submissive. Sara is attracted to Doug; but afraid of complication. 

Will Sara surrender to Doug, and yield to her desire to be submissive? 

Contains BDSM, flogging, anal sex, and much more...  

Buy Links: 

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA

And here's everyone else on the crawl - go visit! 

Friday 9 May 2014

Relapse (Doctor Dom Volume 4) Cover Reveal!

I think my editors are almost satisfied. It's so close! And then, James came through with an awesome cover, as per usual.



Relapse should be available May 15!

Thursday 8 May 2014

This is surreal...

Every once in a while, you have a surreal moment. This was one.

And here's another surreal moment. This image? #20? Well, fuck! That's my book, right at the bottom of the page.

House of Pain. 99c until Sunday. Get it now!


Extreme Vertigo Alert

Once you get to a certain age, you know there are certain things in your life you would never do.

For instance - this one.

No. Fuck no. Not in a thousand years.




Wednesday 7 May 2014

RTK Dungeon Crawl - The House of Pain




It's all House of Pain promo this week, since it is currently on sale. Just $0.99 in the Amazon US store - ending Monday. Go check it out! 



An excerpt:  This is right from the start of the book, when Sara stumbles upon the House of Pain. 


It is an unobtrusive storefront in an ‘up-and-coming part’ of Toronto. The shop windows are tinted; the door is painted black. There is a discreet, hand-lettered sign tucked in a corner of the window. “Sex toys available.” It is lettered in sophisticated calligraphy, the elegance of the penmanship not matching the words on the sign. There is no other sign on the store front. Nothing else to indicate what the store sells.

I am fascinated. I bite my lip in slight nervous tension; do a hasty sweep of the street with my eyes. I don’t recognise anyone. It is a bright summer afternoon; everyone is going about their business with the usual bustle of a big city. I am trapped in the moment; a mote dancing in the sunlight. I am the cat that is about to get burned for my curiosity. I push the door and walk in.

Most sex stores are similar. They are seedy; there’s a booth in the back; there are men who shuffle around, carefully not making eye contact. This one? This is a temple.

Discreet spotlights highlight the sex toys on display, and these are not the dildos you find in Victoria’s Secret. The dildos are made of steel and wood, they are displayed on pedestals, and each one is huge. I feel like I’m in a museum; I look around for the ‘Do Not Touch’ signs, and inwardly giggle. A giggle of pure nervousness. I’m reacting to the atmosphere of this place, and it is turning me on.

My eyes are drawn to a huge steel fist. Surely that can’t go inside a person, I think in horror. It has to be at least fifteen inches long, and about three inches of thickness. I gulp. My pussy, on cue, begins to moisten.

I wander around the store in silence. There is a man in the corner who must work in the store. He looked up when I walked in; nodded in greeting, but he hasn’t said anything yet.

Another wall has whips. I can feel my pussy react to the possibility of pain; I am creaming in my panties, and I’m convinced I smell of arousal. Each whip is mounted on the wall; spotlights catching the leather; the leather sparkles under the light. My hand reaches out, mesmerized. I touch a flogger, imaging the leather strands being dragged over my skin, before it is cruelly brought down on my body. My entire face flushes; my lips part very slightly.

The man sitting in the corner eyes me expressionlessly. I can tell he knows how aroused I am. I want to flee. I find myself pulled towards him.

“Do you want to see the back?”

His voice is smooth, easy. Like a fine wine, with hints of depth. Warning bells start to ring in my mind; but that’s the good girl in me. Right now, I’m ignoring her. I am a moth drawn to the flame.

“Yes.” The merest whisper.

He moves out from behind the counter. Walks over to the back, opens a door. I walk in.

It is a small auditorium. Perhaps twenty seats. He flicks a couple of switches, and spotlights light the stage. The place feels intimate, dangerous.

“What happens here?” I ask in an undertone. “Sex shows?” I’m a little surprised; Toronto is an unlikely city for live sex shows.

“No. No sex. Just pain.” His words are direct.

He looks at me; his eyes wandering all over my body. They linger on my breasts. My nipples are erect, visible under the thin sundress I’m wearing.

“What’s your name?” he asks me.

“Sara.” Run, Sara, run, the warnings scream in my head. There is danger here; not in this man, or in this place, but in the way my body is responding to this place. I’m helpless here; this place fulfills some secret hidden longing in me, and I have a feeling that if the man standing in front of me orders me to sink to my knees and suck him off; I would obey. There’s something in the air; something that’s bringing out every secret erotic fantasy I’ve had.

He silently hands me a business card.

House of Pain.

There is a phone number underneath.

“What do you mean, just pain?” I whisper.

“People pay to watch,” he waves his arms towards the seat, “while I whip a girl.” He sees the look in my eyes. I’m mesmerized by the idea of being whipped under the spotlight by this man. He hands me a sheet. “These are the current rates. Call me if you are interested.”

There’s a dismissal in his voice. He’s made his pitch; it is now up to me to act.

I leave. My eyes squint in the bright sunlight outside; the interior of the shop had been dim. The traffic, the city noise, the pedestrians darting about, all feel strange after the feel of the shop. I walk along in a daze, walk into a nearby coffee shop. I need to sit down.

I realize I’m still clutching the sheet he handed me. I don’t even know his name. It isn’t the guy that’s causing the reaction in me though; it’s the place. House of Pain. The words hold a world of promise.

Reading the contents of the sheet, I feel wetness trickle out of my pussy. The sheet reminds me of the slips of paper in most sushi places – you fill in what you want; and how many. This sheet lists acts –bare-bottom spanking, whipping (bottom), whipping (breasts and nipples), whipping (pussy), caning, electricity (breasts and nipples), electricity (pussy), and much more. I feel my face flush again; my forehead has a sheen of sweat on it.

There are also rates. Taking 20 bare-bottom swats will pay out $10. 10 strokes with the flogger on my breasts, and I’ll get paid $30. There’s a footnote at the bottom of the sheet. Minimum order $200. I gulp. That’s four hundred bare-bottom swats; a world of pain.

My coffee cools next to me, forgotten. My nipples brush against my sundress, sending licks of longing running through me. I can feel my pussy quiver, my orgasm faint, but definite. I have come just from the idea of being whipped.
I am on autopilot. I want to call; I hesitate. Doing a sex show in a sex store? This is not me.

“There will be no sex,” a voice in my head reminds me. I’m totally drawn to the idea of being whipped under spotlights.

“You have a real life. Don’t be ridiculous. What if you run into friends there? Or your family? What then, Sara?” Practical, good-girl Sara intervenes angrily. I sigh. This will have to remain fantasy.

Two days later, I pick up my phone and call the House of Pain.


***

The Blurb: 

Sara White is outwardly a good girl; she follows the rules; works in a professional office; has a boyfriend who treats her with consideration. However, deep inside her, there’s a craving for pain, a desire to be spanked and whipped, to be submissive, to be controlled. 

One day, she walks into the House of Pain, a sex store in Toronto that also does shows in the back, where women are whipped and spanked in front of an audience. Transfixed by the idea, she signs up. 


Doug Patterson has met Sara at work, but discovers a whole new side of her when he sees her at the House of Pain. He approaches her and suggests Sara become his submissive. Sara is attracted to Doug; but afraid of complication. 

Will Sara surrender to Doug, and yield to her desire to be submissive? 

Contains BDSM, flogging, anal sex, and much more...  

Buy Links: 

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA

And here's everyone else on the crawl - go visit! 


Thursday 1 May 2014

The final April numbers + What's your return rate?

You know, it isn't as easy to calculate April numbers as I think. For starters, there were 31 days in March, compared to 30 days in April. Then, I released Diagnosis in the middle of March, so if I compare April and March, it wouldn't be apples-to-apples. 

But, stripping out Diagnosis, and accounting for the 30/31 day thing, and ignoring the sales of all 99c books (because, honestly, it ain't much - I need to sell thousands of those for any real monetary impact), I'm up 12%. 

Is that great? Meh. It's not bad. And, honestly, there's no guarantee in this business that sales will actually increase month-over-month, so I'll take the increase with gratitude. 

Now, return rates. Erotica authors bitch about return rates all the time, but I can't find any hard numbers, so I'll tell you mine. 

My overall return rate in April was 4.91%, which isn't bad at all, from what I hear. The books that see the highest returns are Triage and The Alien, the Doctor and the Virgin. I've tried to figure out why, and the best that I can think is that the moment I say Medical Play, there's some people that buy it for wanking off, and aren't finding it quite what they wanted. (The percentage of people who buy Triage and then buy the next book is quite high, so I don't think it's the quality of the work, per se - just that it isn't all things to all people.)

In the state of the writing - Relapse is almost done. Yay! One final scene, then it's off to my editors.