Status Update

Because I don't update my website often enough... (this weekend, swear to god, it'll happen)

What the heck am I doing lately? When are my new releases coming out? What are they, even, and why am I so terrible at promo?

We'll just disregard that last question and move right along.

What I'm working on currently: Redstone, and am having to resist the temptation to jump ahead to the next story in the Bonded universe, which will go back to Cody and Ten and everyone, with a heavy side focus on Jonah. Make of that what you will.

Also, my NaNo project this year is the beginning of my next Samhain project, which is a complicated contemporary that I'm grappling with like the Nemean Lion. Fear not, I will skin this bitch and hang it's wordy carcass on my wall before deadline.

Upcoming releases: I've got a coauthored short story with Caitlin Ricci called Worth the Wait in this year's Dreamspinner Advent Calendar, available in December: Advent Calendar

The whole collection is on sale right now, so if you're interested, it's a good time to jump on it. Our story is sweet and feel-good and involves freezing your ass off in line in front of a bookstore to get what you want, a feeling I know I'm not alone in.

On January 13th my novella Dangerous Territory will be re-released through Less Than Three Press: Dangerous Territory

It's an m/m, alt history, shapeshifting adventure story that was originally published in Storm Moon Press' Forgotten Menagerie anthology, but has since been re-edited and given a beautiful new cover. I want to be up front: this is a re-release, folks, so if you read it in the original antho, don't expect anything drastically new here.

In February I've got Shadows and Light coming out with Pride Publishing, formerly Totally Bound. This is one that I first published on Literotica years ago, and has been edited to within an inch of its life, is getting beautiful cover art I can't show off yet, and released as a 70k novel. I'm pretty sure if you've read my stuff for years (which some of you have--crazy, I love you) you've read this one, but I'm pleased to be releasing it as a real, grown-up book. I mean, magical pseudo-vampires and BDSM. What's not to love?

In April Tempest comes out with Samhain, which is ridiculously exciting because they're an amazing company and this, honestly, is a pretty epic book. My longest publication to date, a dark fantasy that nevertheless pulls it out at the end, I'm so excited for this one. Cover soon! I also get to go to the Romantic Times conference in Vegas in April, so this is looking to be a good month.

Last thing I know for sure: Panopolis #3 will come out with Riptide in May. No cover or link yet (I'm still doing edits, pray for my soul) but I'm really, really happy with how this one came out. I think it'll surprise people. More info for you when I have it.

That's all I know, on the writing front. Personally, my honey and I are going to travel to Cambodia at some point next year to visit my darling MIL, who is working with the Peace Corps there. Japan this year, Cambodia next year: I know a lot of fucking awesome, travelsome people. I'm lucky to be able to go and visit them on their adventures.

So! My calendar for the forseeable future. ;)

Riptide's 4th Anniversary!

Hi guys,

So, this month is Riptide Publishing's 4th Anniversary, and they've got sales going and various blog posts with giveaways going and all sorts of stuff happening. So if you want to enter to win free books for a year, or get the link for the playlist I put together for the first two Panopolis books (which are now a bundle, and discounted, and awesome) then visit me on the Bookaholics blog here: http://www.bookaholism.net/2015/10/author-spotlight-cari-z-panopolis-series.html

It's a particularly nice time to introduce you to Panopolis, city of Heroes and Villains and everything in between, because I just finished the third book in the series. It's a full novel, not a novella like the others, and will be coming out next year. I think it turned out pretty damn well, honestly :) We'll see what my betas and editors think.

Lets see, other news...well, by this time next week I might be a homeowner! I'll let you know if everything goes well. As for upcoming releases, I've got a coauthored short story called Worth the Wait coming out with Dreamspinner this December, a republication/reworking of my western/shifter novella Dangerous Territory coming out in January from LT3, and then novels in February, April and May, which I'll talk more about soon. Busy times! I hope your own October is on a trajectory that makes you happy, too.

New Release: Where There's Fire and Blog Tour

It's HERE!

The second story in my Panopolis series is here! POW! SNAP! WHAM!

Yes, I am actually that excited about it! This one picks up six months after the first left off, following the continuing adventures of Edward Dinges, Villain name yet-undetermined, and his lover Raul, aka The Mad Bombardier. Edward's trying to make a name for himself, Raul is trying to fend off rival Villains and a new big bad is causing problems for everybody.

The fun continues! You can find it here at Riptide: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/where-theres-fire

And here at Amazon: Where There's Fire

One more link, this one for the blog tour. Why bother? Guys, guys, guys...the prize. The PRIZE! Follow along, leave a comment, and the winner gets to name someone in the next book. Villain, Hero, innocent bystander, somebody's dog--we'll talk about it when you win! Come and visit with me along the way. Tour stops: http://riptidepublishing.com/events/tours/where-theres-fire-blog-tour-cari-z

Ooh, I'm A Feature!

Hi guys!

Sooo, this month I'm very pleased to be Riptide Publishing's featured author! (insert loud woohoo-ing here)

I have a new release coming out on the 13th, Where There's Fire, and the blog tour for this one--guys. GUYS. The prize is, not to pat my own back too hard, awesome. You need to check this out. I'm giving the winner the chance to name a character in my next Panopolis book. We're talking Heroes and Villains here, which basically means you get nearly carte blanche to go crazy. So go crazy! You can order Where There's Fire here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/where-theres-fire

Being featured means that my other titles with them, the Rules To Live By anthology and Where There's Smoke are 50% and 25% off respectively. Which is good timing, since you can read the first in the Panopolis series for a discount and then check out the sequel with no waiting! All the info can be found on Riptide's website: http://riptidepublishing.com/authors/cari-z


It's going to be a crazy busy week, I've got Redstone tomorrow and a different new release on Wednesday...hang on tight, darlins' :)

New Release: Where There's Smoke

Hi guys!

I'm super excited today, way more excited than I should be on a Monday, because my supervillain novella Where There's Smoke comes out today! You can find it on Riptide's site here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/where-theres-smoke or on Amazon here: Where There's Smoke. I'm really happy with how it came out, and of course the cover is awesome.

There's a blog tour going on for it this week, and if you comment and enter you could win a paperback copy of Rules To Live By, an M/M BDSM anthology with my last story for Riptide in it.

Today: supervillains, tomorrow: Academy vignette! You can't lose here, people ;)

Panopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob.

But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over heels in love with Raul.

Falling in love with the guy dubbed the Mad Bombardier isn’t without its downsides, though. I’ve had to deal with near-death encounters with other villains, awkwardly flirtatious heroes who won’t take no for an answer, and a lover I’m not sure I can trust. It’s getting to the point where I know I’ll have to make a choice: side with the heroes, or stand fast by my villain.

Either way, I think my days as a normal guy are over.

- See more at: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/where-theres-smoke#sthash.MkRcnwzd.dpuf

Where There's Smoke is up for pre-order!

Hi guys!

Okay, this is a lot of info all at once, no nice slow cover reveal in advance, no cute teaser blurb, just all the information coming right at you, whoosh. It's okay, we got this.

My super villain novella Where There's Smoke is available for pre-order at Riptide Publishing! You can find it here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/where-theres-smoke

Look at it! Isn't it beautiful? *swoon* Where There's Smoke officially comes out on April 27th! I'm so excited about this story, I'm finishing the sequel up as we speak. Yep, it's turned into a series, which is...just...whoa, what? So amazing. I hope you guys like it.

Want a blurb? I've got one for you, darlins.

***

Panopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob.

But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over heels in love with Raul.

Falling in love with the guy dubbed the Mad Bombardier isn’t without its downsides, though. I’ve had to deal with near-death encounters with other villains, awkwardly flirtatious heroes who won’t take no for an answer, and a lover I’m not sure I can trust. It’s getting to the point where I know I’ll have to make a choice: side with the heroes, or stand fast by my villain.

Either way, I think my days as a normal guy are over.

New Release: Rules To Live By

Hi guys!

Wait, I know what you're thinking, you're thinking, "Hey, no, you're supposed to be posting a vignette today." And I will! It's written, ready to go, and I will give it to you today. But first...first. I have a new release out today, my first story with Riptide Publishing, an amazing anthology of kinky goodness. Yes, there are other authors, and they are fantastic. Blurb? Sure!

Four intimate tales of power exchange, discipline, risks taken, and pleasures earned.

A list of rules to live by.
In Cari Z’s House Rules, jealousy leads Jonathan to break the rules his lover has established. He can’t decide which he enjoys more: his punishment, or the reward afterward. Good thing he gets both.

A lesson in humility.
In The Harder They Fall by Heidi Belleau and Lisa Henry, spoiled college boy Tad hires a prostitute, but “Daddy” couldn’t care less about what Tad wants. Instead, he’s going to give his spoiled little boy exactly what he deserves.

A cage that means freedom.
In Master Key by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox, Marquis offers Navin the key to the most intimate of locks, hoping it will help them to prioritize their relationship. And it does—until work and insecurities threaten to drive them apart again.

A spool of rope and a desire to be bound.
In CTRL Me by Anna Zabo, a night out between friends turns hot and tempting when Gabe deliberately pushes Tom’s submissive buttons. Then Tom discovers rope in Gabe’s glove box—and not the type for securing luggage.

 There's a blog hop as well, with giveaways and exclusive content and all sorts of fun. I'll be tweeting all the stops, but if you want to follow along (which, unless you're Blaine and have already won a copy of this book, why not?) here's the link to the list of stops! Rules To Live By.

Or if you're already digging it and want to check it out, first, Thank You Very Much, You Awesome Person! And second, here it is at Riptide: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/rules-to-live-by, and here it is at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Live-Heidi-Belleau-ebook/.

Okay, I think that's that. I'm really excited about this anthology and my story in it! My first release of 2015, could it be any better? Only if there wasn't a foot of snow outside right now.

Happy Valentine's Day! + movie reviews

Hi guys!

Yay, it's that day of love and sex and abject consumerism. Hey, I'm not objecting; this day is also my anniversary, because you know who forgets Valentine's Day? Nobody, that's who, including my man. Only this Valentine's Day he's stuck working on homework after a morning out and about, so I got him some flowers and chocolates and he promised to take me out later this week. Win-win!

And because it's Valentine's Day, and because the perfect new movie for the day just premiered, naturally we went and saw...Kingsman!

Of course we went and saw Kingsman--you couldn't pay me to sit through 50 Shades. Kingsman was exactly the sort of movie I love: irreverent, funny, clever, and full of badass men and women (I appreciated that the women were more than props, both the main ladies rocked completely as far as I was concerned). The fight scenes, especially Colin Firth's in the church--yes, fighting in the church, this isn't exactly a spoiler but it is probably the best part of the movie--were both ridiculously over the top and completely awesome. This is a cheesy, delightful, sexy, fantastic movie. And did I mention it has Colin Firth looking goddamn incredible?

My honey and I also went and saw Jupiter Ascending the other day...which...hmmkay, you know how some movies are so awful that they swing around and become good? This movie is not quite that. It's not good, there are plot holes you could pilot a spaceship through (literally, they do this several times, oh those plot holes, so convenient) and the acting is...well, just goddamn. They could have done better. It feels like they should have done better, except how could they when the script was so bewilderingly awkward? The best thing about Jupiter Ascending was, honest to god, the fact that Sean Bean's character survived. That and the visual effects, which were genuinely stunning.

LIVE, SEAN! LIIIIIVE!!!

At any rate...so! I've got a new release on Monday that I'll chat up later (but if you want to know more now, go here for some really excellent BDSM stories, and I'm not just saying that): http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/rules-to-live-by. I've got a vignette to write this weekend, a few other stories to look at (yes, Bath, I'm looking at you;) and friends from Tennessee in for a few days, so life is busy. 

Happy V-Day, darlins :)

Parents, Contracts and Booze

Hi guys

Sooo, it's been a while since I've been on, still got the Academy update scheduled for tomorrow but how about a quick rundown of things here? As you know, my folks are visiting from Germany. Been here for a few days now. Things are...

Well, actually really good. They're obviously trying very hard to not take over absolutely everything, and our fridge is so stuffed with food that it's bulging at the seams. I'm cooking with my mother, which is an education. When I was younger she didn't let us into the kitchen while she was making dinner other than to make the salad, because she always knew exactly what she wanted, where it was and how much she needed, and we slowed the process down. Now that we're adults and only semi-competent cooks, she's changed her tune and insists that we all act as her sous-chefs when she's preparing something. We've made Moroccan-style lamb with fresh hummus, roasted red pepper dip, crab cakes with mango aioli, cauliflower au gratin, flourless chocolate cake, lemon ricotta souffle--and that's just in two evenings. My dad, bless his heart, does all the dishes. I'm just...stuffed. And impressed.

The other side effect of my parents being home is that my alcohol consumption has gone up by about 1000%, and not because I'm drinking to forget. No, my folks like wine and beer with dinner--every night. I drink maybe once a week on my own, at most. Now we've got French wine in the fridge, German beer in the cooler, and caramel vodka from Portugal in the freezer. So basically, things are merry as hell. I'll need to detox for a month after they're gone.

Last thing: contracts! This is the best thing, omigosh, and I can finally talk about it because it's official: I signed a contract with Riptide Books for a short story due out in February. The short story itself is m/m, slightly BDSM-y and also contemporary, which--not my usual cup of tea, but it was a call for submission that I had to answer. The best part? Now I can submit other stuff to them without waiting for an open call, which is excellent because I've wanted to be published with them for years. My fantasy epic that I'm editing now? I wrote that for them, tried to get it done by their last open call and failed utterly. Now I can sub it without time pressure. So, yay! New doors are opening. They're a seriously professional company, and I'm very glad to be working with them.

Okay, Academy tomorrow, we're getting really close, then prepping for Soothsayer, then...stuff. Happy Monday!