Hop Against Homphobia, Bi- and Transphobia

Hi & welcome! I'm thrilled to take part in this year's Hop in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, May 17th. The blog hop and giveaway will run until May 24th. Details and prizes for hoppers are at the end of this post. Let's all join the conversation.

To me, the key to fight homophobia, biphobia and transphobia is representation, and communication. You can’t make your point if you’re not safe, and when you’re not being heard, others will try to define who you are. This is especially important when it comes to crafting laws and passing bills for equal protection, but also in the everyday life.

 This is why I’m thrilled to take part in this event where we come together to name the problem and discuss solutions from various perspectives in the context of storytelling.

Media matters when it comes to creating a safe space for this conversation, so I’m grateful for publishers and reviewers who welcome every letter of LGBTQ, because it takes many stories to build the whole picture.

LGBTQ characters in mainstream media count, because it’s harder to understand what you can’t see or imagine.

 The more, the better.

In my little corner of the LGBTQ book world, I write lesbian erotica and erotic romance. A Perfect Dream, the first in a series about a sensual getaway for women, follows the story of a woman who keeps many secrets and can’t imagine her life any other way, is confronted with the ultimate alternative.

I will give away three e-copies—to enter, you just have to leave a comment here on this post. Please add your contact information (email address). Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you on July 22^nd for the cover reveal of my erotic romance Surrender Your Heart.

 

Love,

Raven

Visit all the blogs participating in the hop, see you around!

Misunderstandings with labels and genres...

Recently, I did a free promotion for An Intimate Case, #5 in the A Perfect Dream series. I call my stories sensual erotica, and the main characters are and will always be women-loving women. There is a bit of mislabeling going on in terms of lesbian romance and erotica. We often see titles that, by the very definition, don’t belong into the lesbian genre (involving straight couples or men). While I don’t want to call the existence of these titles into question (each to their own), it creates a problem for both readers and authors who might not come together as intended (you can choose whether or not this pun was intended).

 In the A Perfect Dream series, all erotic scenes are between women. Period. These are stories about women pushing boundaries. There might be more than two. Depending on which character we visit, it might be ultimately a lesbian romance with the heat cranked up, or a story about a woman who struggles to find and define her identity.

A Perfect Dream is a fictional place where these women can be themselves without society’s scrutiny and slut-shaming, and most important when you label your fiction “lesbian”, they are romantically and intimately involved with women and that’s what they want most.

Regan (An Intimate Case) prefers meeting women within the community of the local bar scene, but investigates at A Perfect Dream as a favor to a friend.

Beatrice (A Perfect Dream) has been hiding in the closet for all of her adult life, but one encounter makes her question the secrets.

Kendall (A Sweet Deal) has to see through the lies told to her by her married lover and her family before she can truly acknowledge that nothing about her, or the women she meets, is evil.

Piper (A Second Chance) has an agreement with her husband which includes no sex between the two of them, ever. She won’t adopt any labels. Lesbian or not, her tastes are out of the ordinary, and therefore, a safe and discreet place like the A Perfect Dream parties is her choice.

Autumn and Jasmine (Off Screen) work for the A Perfect Dream franchise, in a setting we’d wish the porn industry could be like.

Erotica is not everyone’s favorite genre, no matter who the protagonists and their desires are. After reading this blog, A Perfect Dream still might not be for you—that’s okay. What matters to me is that you know what it’s all about. I’ll continue to do free promotions over time and will give you a chance to find out. Meanwhile, you can read all my titles for free via Kindle Unlimited.

 Thank you for trying!

 

 

 

Blog hops ending, sales continue for a bit!

Wow, two blog hops, and all the winners are drawn and notified! Thanks to all who visited Fever Dreams, and if you weren't among the lucky ones, you can still try my works for 99cts (until Dec 31st).

Merry, sexy Christmas... #MistletoeHop

Romance Beckons Blog

This Christmas is sexier than ever…

 

Between the years, there’s always a time to look back and reflect on the past year. I am happy to say that I did something I didn’t expect to do early in 2014: I started publishing erotica.

 

It all began with A Perfect Dream, the story idea about an unhappily married woman who escapes her rather dull life in order to experience colourful sexual escapades. Those parties, called A Perfect Dream, are secret, discreet and held at regular intervals—and there are the seasonal parties, like Halloween (A Second Chance) or Christmas. You will find recurring characters in each volume.

 

I also managed to sell an older book, an erotic thriller, to a publisher, and then wrote some more, developed new ideas outside of the A Perfect Dream universe… when it all slows down around the Holidays, I’ll be happy about the new developments, some that I couldn’t even imagine last year at the same time. I had no idea writing erotica and discovering my voice in this particular genre could be so much fun!

 

Besides, writing about women who put pleasure first, regardless of conventions or restraining concepts of society, can be incredibly empowering.

 

…So if you like to curl up with something hot, other than cocoa, while the snow is falling outside, maybe you’d like to follow these ladies on their adventures. Kisses under the mistletoe are only the beginning.

 

I wish you sensual, happy Holidays…enjoy.

 

Best,

Raven J. Spencer.

PS: Wait, there's more! If you'd like to enter the giveaway here on my blog, please leave a comment. I'll give away two copies of my latest erotic novelette, Off Screen.

 

Winter Warm-up Blog Hop (Romance blog hops)

Hops With Heart Site

Baby, it’s cold outside—perfect time to write (and read) a hot story!

There are a million ways to use the theme of winter and the holidays in erotica writing…A sexy scene in front of the fireplace, while the snow is coming down, the billionaire’s (guy or gal) cabin hidden away somewhere, Christmas markets and treats, romantic walks...While it’s cold outside, you need something to turn on the heat on the inside…

Like a steamy movie, maybe… Off Screen, my latest title, can be read as standalone. However, it’s A Perfect Dream universe where women can book unforgettable erotic getaways, ladies only, for a price. Part of the experience are movies that can be rented or bought. Jasmine and Autumn, the main characters in Off Screen, star in these movies.

Winter is a dreamy time, where you curl up under a blanket, maybe a hot chocolate by your side and escape into another universe…A Perfect Dream is a contemporary series, but realism is not the first priority. I wanted to create a universe in which women have absolute control over their erotic adventures, and the same goes for the women who provide part of this adventure via these movies.

 

 

Aside from the imagery, I love the coziness of winter, the seclusion and the quiet that comes with the cold and the weather—it’s good for the writing and the imagination.

What is your favourite winter activity?

Leave a comment here on my blog, and you can enter to win A Perfect Dream in e-book format, PDF or mobi for Kindle. I'll give away two copies.

Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shut The Front Door...A Perfect Dream is real. Not really. Kind of.

...or so I thought when I was reading this article about a women-only club, sex parties for the curious, mostly straight women.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2875795/Inside-Skirt-Club-Britain-s-elite-sex-club-straight-women.html

At a second glance, there are some problematic aspects for sure:

It's "a place for them to have a wild night playing with other like-minded girls before going back to their grown-up lives" one of the members is quoted, and that kind of statement grates, because being LGBT, being a lesbian, single or with a partner, is as grown-up as your straight life.

Still, the similarities to my series of novelettes is fascinating: The regular parties, the inquiries into the members lives, what's--according to the article--going on behind the scenes.

I had the idea for A Perfect Dream last summer while watching a couple visit a house that had some interesting features (if you want someone to have insights into your bedroom, that is). Most women who attend the parties don't do it in the hope of finding their soul mate either (Piper, A Second Chance), but I love romance, after all, and so the story of Beatrice and Sage has an unexpected ending. Hey, it's fiction. It also mattered to me to make a statement that hopefully comes across--many, not all women in those stories identify as lesbians, bi or come out in the process. This is not simply bending to the rules of society and patriarchy--it means the women have a safe space to find out who they really are, and what they want. In some cases, that might mean to try it, or meet someone, and never return.

For others, it's a place where they can live their preferences, watch others or be watched, menages, etc. without being judged.

I don't know if the club mentioned in the article offers all of that. It's reality. My works are fiction, and in them, I have the last word in everything.

If you're a little curious, come back tomorrow for a chance to win free e-books as I'm taking part in two separate blog hops. See you there!

Best,
Raven

99 cts sale on all titles!

If you're in the mood for something hot: http://www.amazon.com/Raven-J.-Spencer/e/B00L93WZ3C/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1