Saturday, December 29, 2012

New Release!!

I hope yall had a great Xmas and got everything on your wishlist! I love the holidays but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy that Santa has come and gone.

Things have been pretty crazy in my neck of the woods so I had to push the next installment in the His Dark Lessons series back a day or two, but color me surprised...Amazon approved The Teacher in record time!



Cassandra Woods is in trouble. Now that her ex, Dr. Chance Crawford, is back in town, holding onto her anger over his betrayal is becoming increasingly difficult--and keeping her hands to herself impossible.

But even though sparks fly whenever they're near, Chance wants more than her body...he wants her forgiveness. Can Cassandra truly forgive him for what he did or are the sins of the past impossible to overcome? 

Part Two was hella fun to write...you really get a sense of Cassandra struggling with whether she should start over with Chance. While this series it totes different from His Submissive, the steamy bits are just as titillating and the emotions just as visceral. When I began plotting out the story, I started with a question:
What would you do if your SO came home and told you they thought they were dominant?

Sure, bdsm seems hella sexy in a post 50SOG world, but I think in reality it would be a lot more complicated and I'm trying to explore that in this series.

You can swipe your copy of The Teacher at the following online retailers:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

xoxo!

Monday, December 24, 2012

And the paperback winners are....


Becs (entry number 67) and Samantha (entry number 80)!!!

Please email your address to avaclairewrites[at]gmail[dot]com so I can fill your mailbox with a shiny autographed copy of the His Submissive Paperback! (and if you want me to sign it something specific and/or just my name, let me know that in the email as well)

A huge thanks to everyone that participated. Your comments, tweets/RT, and general awesomeness is the best darn xmas gift an author could hope for. And that's why I also have a bit of news...

I am working on a sequel to Jacob and Leila's story!


I had some serious Stephenie Meyer action going on...I just couldn't get Jacob and Leila out of my head. They were haunting my dreams with their what if's and desire to bring readers back into their world, so I figured it was time to sit back down and consider a sequel. Well I came, I considered, and I decided that a sequel *needed* to happen.

As far as the His Dark Lessons series goes, I'm releasing part two in the next week or so but I'm tabling part 3 until after I release the first installment in the Jacob/Leila sequel....and I'm estimating that part one will be released late January/early Feb.

Xmas, writing, and proofing=radio silence for a little longer than usual, just so you guys know--but I will update as soon and as often possible!

Merry Xmas and a happy new year, yall!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

It's here! It's here!

Someone at Createspace must have been feeling the x-mas spirit because my copies of His Submissive came five days earlier than they were supposed to!! :D

I am a bucket full of SQUEEEE!!!!!:






Don't forget to check out the details for my giveaway here for a chance to win an autographed copy!

His Submissive Paperback Giveaway!

In honor of Xmas and my kick ass fans, TWO lucky readers will get an autographed copy of the His Submissive paperback! :)

Check out the Rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

So basically, you can enter up to 6 times a day by either:
1. Answering one of the questions indicated in the Rafflecopter (worth 2 entries)
2. Follow me on Twitter (worth 1 entry)
3. Tweet about the giveaway (worth 2 entries)
4. Leave a comment on my blog (worth 1 entry)

You can enter via the Rafflecopter 12/12/2012 thru 12/23/2012. I'll announce the winner on Xmas Eve.

Good luck and if you have any questions, just ask!

Can't wait to see Leila and Jacob's story in print... :D


Friday, December 7, 2012

His Submissive Paperback

So if you follow my sparse ramblings on Twitter, you've already heard that the wheels are turning and all that jazz--the proof for the His Submissive paperback, containing parts 1-4 of Leila and Jacob's story, was approved! It should be live on Amazon.com in 5-7 business days!
(If you can't wait to touch the book in all of its shiny glory, it's up in the Createspace store and can be found here.)

Here's a peek at the cover:



Can't wait to get mine in the mail so I can take some pics...and give out some autographed copies! :D Stay tuned for more deets and all that jazz!

Hope yall are having a lovely holiday season so far...I finished all of my Xmas shopping which is kind of a big deal for me since I'm the world's biggest procrastinator when Santa time rolls around. Like Christmas Eve status.


Anyway, just wanted to pop in and give an update about the paperback! xoxo

Monday, November 26, 2012

New Release!

Starting a new series is always nerve-racking, especially coming off of one that so many people connected with...but it's also thrilling. The His Dark Lessons series is full of new characters with obstacles to face and I hope that you guys root for Cassandra and Chance to conquer them all!

Here is the cover, description, and excerpt from The Student:



Still reeling from the loss of her father, Cassandra Woods thought her biggest hurdle would be facing friends and professors she's been avoiding all summer--until she finds out her new British lit teacher is her ex-boyfriend.

It's been three years since Dr. Chance Crawford broke her heart but the wounds are still fresh. Cassandra decides to show him how it feels to be hurt by the person you love, but she wasn't counting on falling for him all over again... 

Excerpt:


I inhaled deep and moved forward, peering into the classroom window as I reached for the doorknob. I shrank back when I saw a man perched on the edge of the desk at the front of the room. I could count all the male professors in the English department on one hand and none of them were below the age of 50. The guy who was staring out at the class couldn’t be more than 30.
I could only make out his side profile, but it was more than enough to make me blush in approval. Chestnut colored hair hung in shaggy waves around his angular jaw. Tanned skin was accentuated by a black button down shirt that he had rolled up to the elbow, paired with midnight colored jeans. There was something familiar about the way he carried himself. He exuded confidence and sex appeal, turning something as effortless as leaning into something that made me wish I’d taken a little longer getting ready this morning. When I saw the dark flash of a tattoo peek from beneath his arm cuff, a gasp shot from my lips like a bullet.
It couldn’t be.
His hair should have been longer and unruly. The guy I knew wouldn’t have a tan because he spent his days indoors with his nose stuck in a book. He was twenty-seven and a doctoral candidate when we met at Royal Bean, bonding over bone dry cappuccinos with a sprinkle of raw sugar on top. We gushed over Tolstoy and Dickens and I swooned over someone who studied English and didn’t care that my father was Rhyder Woods.
I stared at the mystery man, desperate for some tell-tale sign that it wasn’t him. The guy I knew wouldn’t teach at Thomas College since he always talked about living abroad after he finished his dissertation. And he’d have to be crazy to stick around after I told him that if I ever saw him again I would personally tear his head off.
But when his head whipped to the door and his eyes met mine, I covered my mouth in horror. His golden flecked eyes still stripped me to my bare bones.
Chance Crawford. The only heartbreak that could still take my breath away.
I turned on my heels and walked in the opposite direction. I could put one foot in front of the other and grin and bear it through my senior year, but I wasn’t going to sit through a semester with him at the front of the class.
“Cassandra, wait!”
I slowed, then gave myself an internal shake. Why the hell was I slowing down? By the time I’d picked up speed it didn’t matter because he’d caught up with me.
“Cassie.” He gripped my arm tight and wheeled me to face him. “Where are you going?”
I wrenched my arm away, trying to see past the fact that he was more handsome than I remembered. “Where is Dr. Madison?”
“She had a family emergency,” he explained. “She’s taking a semester of personal leave.”
Guilt formed knots in my throat when I remembered how tired Dr. Madison looked when she stopped by to see me. She’d cared enough about me to be there when she was going through her own drama?
“I’m her substitute.” His voice washed over me, bringing me back to the fresh crisis before me. “I’ll be teaching her British literature course this semester.”
I hated to admit it, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off him. His new haircut was undeniably sexy. The choppy brown layers accentuated his strong jaw line, giving him a playfulness that he lacked before. My eyes trailed down to the tight muscles of his chest. It was obvious he was still running regularly from the fit of his button down shirt. And then there were the jeans. It was like God himself had crafted them, making sure they hit him at all the right angles, taunting me with the delicious, solid part of him I still remembered well.
I’d hoped the years would mar his attractiveness, that he’d go to Europe and do to some other poor girl what he did to me and get beaten to a pulp. Or fall off the Eiffel tower. Something, anything, to justify the fact that he made it impossible to ever trust another guy with my heart.
He raked a hand through his hair and the layers fell effortlessly back into place. “It’s really good to see you, Cass.”
I crossed my arms, biting back the memory of how he loved it when I ran my fingers through his hair, grabbing tuffs of it while we were...indisposed. “You’re teaching British Lit?”
He stood a little taller. “That’s right.” His voice took on an authoritative, grating edge. “And you’re late.”
“Since when do you teach at Thomas?” I said acidly, ignoring the jab about me being late.
“When this position became available, I knew it was an opportunity and I’d be a fool to pass it up.” A student hustled past and he lowered his voice. “I knew it was an opportunity to see you. To explain and-”
“Save it,” I snapped, holding up a hand. I’d be a fool if I stood there and listened to a word he said about that day. A bigger fool than I had been to fall for him in the first place. “I didn’t care to hear your half assed explanation then and I have even less interest in hearing it now.”
“Cassandra-”
“You know what?” I gripped my backpack tight, finding strength in myself that I hadn’t felt in months. “I don’t need British Lit anyway.”
He let out a low laugh and moved to block me from passing. “You’re unbelievable. You’re going to drop the class just because I’m teaching it?”
“Yep.”
“Even though it’s highly unlikely you’ll find an elective to take its place?”
“That’s right.”
His jaw tightened. “I see you’re just as ridiculous as I remember.”
I balled my hands into fists at my side, entertaining the idea of physically removing him from my path. “And I see you’re just as self-involved.”
“Self-involved?” he repeated with a snort.
“Yes, self-involved.” I flung an arm in the direction of the classroom. “You just waltzed out of there, running after me-”
“I told them to read the syllabus,” he cut in matter-of-factly.
“Whatever,” I said bitingly. “You think that you can just come out here and I’m just going to finally give you what you want?”
It all came rushing back--images and feelings, raw and suffocating. I’d said yes back then, yes when I thought I was losing him and it still didn’t stop him from breaking my heart into a million pieces. I promised myself I’d never give him another chance; never speak another word to him.
“What I want?” He closed his eyes and let out a grunt of frustration. “It’s been three years, Cassandra. I’m not going to make reparations for all eternity.” His voice deepened. “I apologized. You didn’t accept it.”
“Yes, but-”
“Look, I know how much this class means to you.” His eyes went dark and I knew he was using things I’d told him. About me. About Dad. “And after losing your father-”
“You don’t know anything about me,” I said bitingly. “Not anymore.” I pushed past him, storming in the direction of the exit. I didn’t know what hurt worse--that he didn’t come after me…or that I wanted him to.
****

The Student is available at the following retailers:


Sunday, November 18, 2012

Update

Just wanted to pop in and let you know what I've been working on and what's coming out soon/coming up:

-My new serial, His Dark Lessons, is about a student and her dominant professor. I'm really looking forward to yall meeting Cassandra Woods and Dr. Chance Crawford. :D

Here's a *tentative* schedule for the serial release:
--The Student (His Dark Lessons, #1): November 26
--The Teacher (His Dark Lessons, #2): December 28
--The Test (His Dark Lessons, #3): January 18

And your eyes aren't deceiving you...part one should be out this Friday! Release has been moved to Monday, November 26, after the holiday weekend.

-I'm pulling together all the parts of the His Submissive serial and publishing it as a single book in paperback format. I'm getting it professionally formatted then publishing it through Createspace so it's going to take a couple of weeks, but I hope to have it ready before Christmas. :) I'm also planning on giving away a couple of autographed copies to followers of the blog. More updates on that in the weeks to come.

-And for the fans of the His Submissive serial, I'm definitely not done with brooding billionaires. My next serial after His Dark Lessons will go back to the boardroom and jetset life.


So many exciting things going on! Hope you guys have been doing well and thank you for all of your awesome reviews, comments, tweets, and emails. Best. fans. ever!!!


Friday, November 9, 2012

Giveaway Winner Announced and Billionaire's Heart Release!

Sorry this post is coming so late in the day...I've been having technical difficulties so trying to edit on a tablet/hunting for a new laptop made for a hectic Friday! But as promised, the book is being released today! :)

But first, free stuff!!!!
The winner of the Billionaire's Heart Giveaway is....
Amanda De La Rosa!!

I choose the winner by putting the entries in order by date/time received and assigning each entry a number and then I used Random.org's Random Sequence Generator. As you can see in the image below, the first number is 4, which was one of Amanda's entries!



Amanda, please email me at avaclairewrites[at]gmail[dot]com so I can send you your $25 Amazon gift card. Congratulations!!!

And now, without further ado, here's the cover and description for The Billionaire's Heart!



Leila Montgomery is finally ready to admit that she loves Jacob Whitmore, just in time for his ex, actress Rachel Laraby, to slither back onto the scene. When Rachel reveals that she knows about the contracts, Leila makes a deal with her to protect Jacob.

When Jacob learns about Leila's deception, he fires her, putting an end to their blossoming romance. But Leila won't give up without a fight...

Writing this final part of Jacob and Leila's romance was such an emotional journey for me. I felt like I was literally the one being faced with an impossible situation and making mistakes and being so terrified to say those 3 words. All in all, I hope you guys have enjoyed taking this journey with me and will love the ending. Thank you for letting me share their romance with you and rooting for their happily ever after!

It's currently only available at Smashwords, but I will update other retailers links as they become available. Enjoy and come back and tell me what you think!

Pick up The Billionaire's Heart at:

Smashwords
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


P.s. I'm hard at work on my next series with the first book being available late Nov. I'm taking a break from the boardroom and private jets and going back to uni where a student falls hard for her professors dominating lessons. :D Will post more about it soon!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

My Faves!

So today is a double post because my laptop decided to take a vacation. :/ Thank god for flash drives or...*shudders*

Anyway, onward to happier things!!!

Below are some images that embody/make me think about different characters and locales for the series:














Looking through my bookmarks and glossy images, I'm getting all teary because this will be the last installment. :( :( Happy tears, though. Pinky swears.

E.L. James opened a whole new world of possibilities and stoked the minds of millions of writers all over with Fifty Shades (including yours truly!). Here are my favorite billionaire themed erotic romances:

"At His Service" by Delilah Fawkes


"Anything He Wants" by Sara Fawkes


"Her Russian Billionaire" by Theodora Taylor


"Maid for the Billionaire" by Ruth Cardello


If you haven't devoured these books yet, they get Ava's stamp of approval. Ample brooding-ness and steamy-ness!

Today is the last day of my giveaway, so don't forget to comment/tweet for a chance to win an AZ gift card! Thanks to everyone that has shared and commented...it means a lot!

Tomorrow is release day....stay tuned to the blog for buy links! :D :D :D


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Tech difficulties


Having tech difficulties with my computer...so tomorrow will be a double post. 

Please stand by :/

P.s. The Billionaire's Passion is still set to go live on Friday!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The His Submissive Soundtrack

When I sit down to tell Jacob and Leila's steamy story, I pull up Pandora. The right tunes can put me in the thick of the action, personifying just the right emotions. Just the right song can help me lose myself.

Here's the His Submissive Soundtrack!

Margo and the Nuclear So and So's- "Broadripple is Burning"


Angus and Julia Stone- "Big Jet Plane"



The Yeah Yeah Yeahs- "Runaway"



Florence + the Machine- "Heavy in Your Arms" (is it Nov 16 yet?!)




Ingrid Michaelson- "You and I"




Michael Dulin- "Clair De Lune"




The Dixie Chicks- "Lullaby"




Norah Jones- "The Nearness of You"




Hem- "Not California"



Rachel Yamagata- "The Reason Why"



Hope yall are having a good week so far and don't forget to check out the details for the giveaway!

Monday, November 5, 2012

The Billionaire's Heart Excerpt!

Happy Monday!!

Below is an excerpt from The Billionaire's Heart (available November 9!).

Gallivanting around Venice, ignoring cell phones, swooning, and a surprise addition to the museum tour...

Hope yall enjoy the snippet! :D



The Billionaire’s Heart Excerpt
Copyright 2012 Ava Claire

Colors swirled and weaved across the ancient canvas, telling a story as powerful today as when it was first created.
A man in a busy Hawaiian shirt stepped up beside me, snapping a picture. “Wow, huh?” He hustled away without another word, off to fall in love with another painting.
I turned back to the vibrant strokes, nodding my head in silent agreement. Wow was right. Wow that I was in Galleria dell'Accademia, surrounded by art spanning centuries.  Wow that I'd spent the morning with Jacob Whitmore, the billionaire CEO of PR firm Whitmore and Creighton, playing the gawking tourist. And it was even more surprising that I was able to walk when everything seemed so surreal, so perfect, that I felt like I was floating.
With his hand in mine, it was impossible to deny that he did a number on me. It was doubly hard to cage the butterflies when he'd ignored his buzzing cell phone, instead, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we took in the sights. But after whoever was intent on raining on my parade spent three hours blowing up his cell, I insisted he answer it. I needed the break anyway. When he was close he occupied every part of me, leaving nothing but a single truth.
I love him.
I cleared my throat and turned from the painting. There was something about the red that was visceral, evoking emotions that would do nothing but complicate things. Guys like Jacob Whitmore didn't say those words. To love was to show weakness and Jacob had to be anything but.
I glanced down at the museum map and when my eyes shot back up, a woman stood firmly in my path. My brain formed the words ‘excuse me’ but nothing came out when I recognized familiar green eyes. Ripe with contempt.
"Rachel?" I said, peering at her with surprise. The sound of her name garnered a scowl as she pulled the visor of her hat down a few inches.
Decked in a non-descript white tee, jeans, and floral flats, she was a long way from the glamorous Rachel Laraby that had the rest of the world enamored. Unfortunately, even dressed down, she was breathtaking. Eyes glittered in the shadow of her baseball cap; round, plump lips sang even without the sheen of lipstick; curves taunted—she was a stunner even playing incognito. I found myself trying to stand a little taller, pangs of self-consciousness ringing even though I knew the summer dress I wore flattered my curves and the high bun on top of my head elongated my neck.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, regretting it as soon as it came out. What a dumb question. Why else would she be here? "Rachel, if this is about Jacob-"
"Shh," she hissed, glancing about nervously. She slouched futilely, her droopy shoulders molding her into a model-esque pose. "I need to talk to you. Privately."
I raised a brow. "Say what?"
She put a hand on her hip and gave me a look of urgency. Impatience. "Do you have a minute?"
"You gotta be kidding me," I scoffed. “No, Rachel. I don’t have a minute.”
 “I’m wearing a ball cap for Christ’s sake,” she glowered. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be dressed like this, talking to you, unless it was really important.” She saw that I was seconds from just plowing past, so she gave it another shot. “Please, Leila.”
"After you've given me hell since the minute we met, what could we possibly have to say to one another?" I said, not wavering. Well, not until I saw the muscles in her face tighten and she snapped her mouth shut. Whoa. Was she actually holding back a quip?
She took a step closer. "What I have to say needs to be said. I'm trying to do you a favor, Leila."
I looked at her incredulously, remembering our last exchange. She called me fat a rainbow of ways and admitted to setting me up with the paparazzi. "Yeahhh...no thanks."
I moved around her, pausing only when she gripped my elbow. I let my gaze drop to her hand then slowly creep back up until I had her in my sights. When our eyes met, she released me immediately.
"Wise choice," I said, fighting to keep my cool. "Now, if this has to do with the junction, if Jacob is no longer involved with the event, then neither am I."
"This isn't about the junction," she said, frustration lacing every word. "This is about Jacob."
“Of course it is.”
“Not about me and Jacob,” she snapped.
“Uh huh.” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t believe you. Or want to spend one more second talking to you.”
I was all but ready to leave her in the dust until she jutted her chin out defiantly. I watched as the odd nervousness melted away like someone was standing just out of sight and suddenly screeched “Cut!” She rolled her shoulders back and her stance went from unsure to confident. Her bright eyes took on the self-righteous glint that I knew all too well.
"You'll want to give me a few minutes of your time, dear,” she said with her trademark condescension. “If you think having ass shots all over the internet was bad, just you wait until the world finds out about Jacob's bdsm arrangements with his assistants."
My jaw dropped open. The tourists and museum goers around us chirped and bustled, but the only thing I heard was ‘bdsm’ echoing over and over in my ears. She knew.
I should say something. Act like I don’t know what she’s talking about. Refute it. But I was frozen. Worried a single word, a single movement would set her off.
"Good." Her features were like chiseled stone. Cold as the grave. "Thank you for not insulting me by playing stupid."
I glanced over her shoulder, looking for my lifeline. I saw Jacob near a marble statue in the far corner, head bowed in concentration. If he only knew this psychotic woman was armed with information that could ruin him…
I returned my attention to Rachel, searching for some tell-tale sign that she was bluffing. I rushed over the vindictive curve of her lips, the stubborn set of her jaw--all of that was old news. Someone so full of anger would always wear disgust like an outfit. But her eyes would hold the truth.
My heart leapt to my throat.
She'd do it. Without hesitation.
"Bathroom," she said, a victorious smile slicing across her face. "Now."

****

Don't forget to comment/tweet for your chance to win the AZ gift card!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Billionaire's Heart Giveaway Event Details

Hi yall! I wanted to send out a blast with the full details for the blog event that starts tomorrow, celebrating the release of the final part of the His Submissive series, The Billionaire's Heart!

Here's a breakdown of what I have planned for next week (November 5-9)

November 5: Posting Excerpt from The Billionaire's Heart
November 6: The His Submissive Series 'Soundtrack'
November 7: Images that Inspired the series
November 8: Ava's Favorite Billionaire Stories
November 9: The Billionaire's Heart released! Winner of $25 gift card Announced!

Now about the giveaway...

Because you guys are awesome sauce and have helped this series soar since it first began in July, I wanted to do a little giveaway for my readers/followers. The prize will be a $25 Amazon gift card!

Here's how you can win the gift card:

-Comment on blog posts. You don't have to say it's for the contest unless you want...I'm just going to count all comments received from Nov 4-8 as entries.

-Tweet/RT about this event and the His Submissive series. Be sure to DM me for every eligible tweet (@avaclairewrites) so they will be counted!

Every comment you leave and tweet sent from November 4 through November 8 will give you an entry to win the gift card. I'll choose the winner by assigning every entry a number, then use a random number generator to pick the winner!
The more you comment and share, the more chances you have to win. :D

So excited about my first giveaway. If you have any questions, leave it in the comment area. And yes, questions count as entries. ;)

Good luck!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Back...with News!

Hey! So I've been kinda incognito since the release of The Billionaire's Passion. Had a bit of a family emergency so I had to fly back to the East coast.

Things I learned during my trip:
-I need to quit Delta. There's always some sort of drama like me giving them a brand new piece of luggage and me getting it back like someone literally chewed it up and spit it out, delays until kingdom come, and just general tomfoolery.
Some mechanical malfunction that they strangely waited until my plane was about to take off to address cost me a whole day with my family. Long story short, Delta is like that ex-bf that you keep texting even though you know they're no good, meeting up to 'talk' but your clothes always end up off, and then you hate yourself in the AM.
On the bright side, I did snap a picture of this awesome 50SOG t-shirt:

-It's impossible to be productive around my family. Probably because I have the cutest niece in the WORLD.
-I have the best fans ever.
I know I've said the fans bit over and over, but it's because you guys keep finding awesome ways of making my day. From sending me emails, tweets/DMs, to talking to your friends about my books. I even had a follower who told me she was going to try and get her book club to read my serial! Seriously...straight up amazing.

Which brings me to my news...

I'm going to try to have a big awesome-palooza the week of the release of the final part of the His Submissive series, The Billionaire's Heart. It will last from November 5-9, culminating in the release of part 4! I'm still trying to nail down the details and prizes, but I'm planning on giving away a $50 amazon gift card, a naughty gift card, and even an e-copy of Part 4!

So stay tuned for that.

In other news, I wanted to let yall know what my tentative schedule before/after the conclusion of this series is:

--Finishing touches on Part 4 (The Billionaire's Heart)
--Putting together release week from November 5-9
--Releasing Part 4 November 9
--Releasing new D/s novella in progress in late November.

I'm really reallyyy excited about the new series. I don't want to give away too much just yet, but it's going to be more in the 'new adult' arena, featuring a college student and her dominant professor. Writing it has been an interesting experience, especially pulling from crushes I've had on a teacher or two. :)

Anyway, that's it for now...stay tuned for more updates about the release event and other juicy tidbits!

Friday, October 5, 2012

The Billionaire's Passion is Out!!!!


Release days are always the awesomest days :D

You can pick up your copy at the following e-retailers:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing and *ahem* researching it. :D
Don't forget to swing by and tell me what you think of it in the comments!!




Thursday, October 4, 2012

Research and Billionaire's Passion Description

I've been crazy busy the last couple of weeks. Here's a recap of what's been going on in Ava's world:

I've been finishing up The Billionaire's Passion!

I am so so so excited about release day tomorrow! The Billionaire's Passion (Part 3) is by FAR the sexiest book of the series IMO and writing it definitely had me blushing and glad that bystanders at Starbucks couldn't read my mind (or my computer screen). I wanted to go ahead and share the description of part 3 with you guys first because you're awesome sauce:

Venice, a closet full of designer clothing, and a handsome billionaire in her bed: Leila Montgomery can hardly believe her life isn't a dream. But being attached to Jacob Whitmore doesn't come without its risks--like making powerful enemies intent on ensuring Jacob and Leila's arrangement is a short lived one.

Leila must decide if Jacob's passion and their undeniable attraction is worth it when tested outside the bedroom...and if she's ready to truly submit to his dark desires.

I got goosebumps just typing it! :) I will of course update the blog tomorrow with buy links as they become available. The last minute touches are being put on the cover, so that'll have to be a surprise.

I've been researching!

While I can't quite pick up and jet to Venice for hands on stuff, I do spend a huge chunk of time researching locales and stuff to try to help transport my readers to Jacob and Leila's world.

But for the Billionaire's Passion, I got to do something even cooler than looking at pretty pictures of the Italian countryside. I found what I have affectionately coined 'The BDSM Bed'.



(image from: The Stock Room)

It's like thousands of dollars, but it's so naughty and impressive, right? When I saw it, I was like that is THE bed. The perfect bed for Jacob's playroom. :)

I've been catching up on my shows!

This is my fave time of the year when all my shows come back from excruciatingly long hiatus'.

Outlaws. Bikes. Maggie Siff. Sons of Anarchy def isn't for the faint of heart and I love every second of it. (Well except for the part where Clay is still alive and other people bit it, but that's a talk for another day...)

Loved Mindy Kaling in The Office and when I saw she was getting her on show, I knew it would be awesome sauce. And then I watched it and to say I'm hooked is a bit of an understatement.



Lifestyles of the rich and the famous. I love the soap opera-ness of Revenge and I'm on the edge of my seat every episode.


And the list kinda goes on, because I have a TV addiction. It's pretty serious.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. Hope you guys have been misbehavin'! Stay tuned for more updates and such about The Billionaire's Passion!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

A Quickie.

So this is gonna be a whambamthankyouma'am kinda post. I just wanted to let yall know I'm officially on Twitter! My ID is avaclairewrites: http://twitter.com/avaclairewrites

Follow me! Like, for reals--because I have one follower lol. Well technically I had three...but two were scantily clad spambots. I'm still getting a handle on it and trying to find people to follow, so feel free to leave twitter IDs in the comment section and I'll swing by and follow you!

The last thing I wanted to do was something that I put up in my last post, but because of all the indie review drama, I worried it was in bad taste, but after having a few days think on it, I don't think I'm being sketchy asking people to leave a review for The Billionaire's Touch unless I was like, "You guys!!! Please leave me five star reviews if you loved the book!"

So...if you loved it, hated it, or are somewhere in between, I'd love it if you could leave a review for The Billionaire's Touch. Reviews can sometimes be the deciding factor on whether a new customer decides to give a book a try and they also help writers pick up on things to change and ways to improve. All in all, good for everyone. :D (And thank you to those of you that have left reviews for Billionaire's Contract!!!)

So that's it. Have a good weekend!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A surprise!

So, I pretty much have the best fans in the world. Y'all send me the sweetest emails, leave the awesome-st comments and keep me on my toes. :) So I decided that I'd give you a little teaser from the first chapter of The Billionaire's Passion part 3 of the His Submissive series!!!!

Excerpt from The Billionaire's Passion (His Submissive Series, Part Three)
Copyright 2012 Ava Claire
Please do not republish/copy/distribute without express permission from the author!

****


I was in that fuzzy place between dream and awake, where unicorns flapped their glittered wings and Jacob and I floated down the Grand Canal, our toes grazing the surface of the turquoise water. Before, I would have held tight to that place where he was mine and anything was possible, but I forced my eyes open with a smile on my face. I breathed in the warmth of his cologne then ran my fingertips along the dark hair that lined his forearm. Jacob Whitmore had not only given me the best sex I'd ever had, but he hadn't disappeared in the night.
Reality was finally better than any dream I could conjure up.
I let my eyes glaze over his sleeping form. The sprinkle of light streaming in from the window turned his golden skin a kaleidoscope of brown, each shade more luscious than the last. I moved my hand up to his muscled bicep, the firmness of it making my body clench with want. Half his face was in shadow, but the part of it I could make out was beautiful in the morning light. The strong jawline, sharp nose, high forehead--all of it was perfection, like Michelangelo himself had chiseled him from marble. I let my fingers run through his mahogany locks, playing with the soft waves that fell perfectly back into place. He looked amazing and I-
I went rigid. He looked perfect, like he had a group of makeup artists waiting in the wings, but I knew I looked anything but. I didn't need a mirror to know that my curly hair was a knotted mess. I was betting that I had sleep caked around my eyes and a healthy dose of dried up drool around my mouth. And my breath--oh God morning breath...
This won't do, I said in a silent panic, almost leaping up until I realized any sudden movement might wake him. And then he'd see me looking like the Bride of Frankenstein.
I sucked in air between clenched teeth and tried to calm the nerves that were making me shake. I just had to take it slow. Nice and slow.
I shuffled my hips to the right, stopping when I heard him stir. I laid there for a moment, faking sleep before I tried moving again, wiggling until I felt the edge of the bed. Now I just had to swing my feet over and I could duck into the bathroom.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I gripped the cover, his question gluing me in place.
Shit shit shit. "H-hey! Just running to the bathroom." I brought myself up, making sure he couldn't see my face. "I'll be right back."
"Not so fast." His voice was thick with sleep but the authoritative tone was crisp and awake.  "I want you."
Three words and I couldn't help but look back at him, wondering if he was still conked out. But his eyes were hardened obsidian and when he licked his lips and reached for my arm, I just about melted into him. He wasn’t asleep. He wanted me. Crazy hair, drool, and all. It excited me--and made me even more self conscious.
"I'm just gonna take a shower."
"No." Anger gripped the word so tight it sent a pang of fear through me. "You're going to lay back down."
"B-But-"
I wasn't sure how a man of his height and width launched from the bed and towered over me in a blink of an eye, but he pulled it off and I found myself sliding back onto the mattress. His gaze was terse and domineering. "For once, you're going to shut your mouth and do exactly as I say."
I should have told him that it was too early for him to be pulling this bdsm stuff, but instead, his coarse order made me hot. Hot enough to forget that I wasn’t looking my best. Hot enough that I opened my mouth, but not to say something snarky.
“What do you want me to do?” I swallowed, remembering the brief reading I’d done on the plane about being a good submissive. “What do you want me to do, Sir?”

****

Part 3 is coming along and I'm having so. much. fun. writing it. This one's gonna have a lot more bdsm elements and I can't wait for you guys to see Jacob's dungeon. :D

That's all for now...hope you guys enjoyed the excerpt!


P.S. I haven't forgotten about setting up a Twitter account...still trying to think up a good handle. Any ideas?

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Billionaire's Touch is Out!!!!

SO happy to announce that part 2 of the His Submissive series is officially out and available for purchase!

Here's the description:


When Leila Montgomery said yes to being billionaire Jacob Whitmore's assistant and submissive, she had no idea she was in for a whole new wardrobe worth thousands of dollars, private jets, and a first assignment in Venice, Italy.

She barely has time to catch her breath, especially when he's near, making her heart race and her temperature rise. Still, she can't help but think about his track record and wonder if he'll tire of her like all the rest.

But when an old flame of Jacob's comes back into the picture, Leila will have to face the fact that she's fallen hard for her dominating boss.

This book is a lot meatier than the first (12k+ words instead of 8kish) and I really felt like I could flesh out Leila and Jacob and really bring out the colors of their characters in this book. Super nervous about having this story 'out in the wild' since I worked so hard on it, but I can't wait until you guys read it and tell me what you think!

You can pick up The Billionaire's Touch at the following retailers:

All Romance Ebooks
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

!!!



Friday, August 31, 2012

Running a smidge late...

So I got the finished draft of The Billionaire's Touch, the second part of the His Submissive series, to the editor a little late...so the release date has been pushed back a little. I'd like to say it will be back and the final version approved and up by tomorrow or Sunday, but I don't want to further disappoint, so I'll refrain from doing that.

I'm sorry :( :(...it is on the way and hopefully it'll be worth the wait. It's full of brooding-ness, steaminess, private jet-ness, and even a trip to Venice! I had so much fun researching and stuff and I can't wait until it comes back from the editor so I can share it!

I can, however, share a special treat. Here's the cover for The Billionaire's Touch:

What do y'all think? I'm kinda loving the red. :)

I also have some more news as far as the His Submissive series is concerned...I've decided that there will be 4 parts and you guys get to hear the next two titles first!
Part 1: The Billionaire's Contract
Part 2: The Billionaire's Touch
Part 3: The Billionaire's Passion
Part 4: The Billionaire's Heart

While saying goodbye to Leila and Jacob is gonna suck hardcore, I like the idea of having a set narrative and  I think it'll make for a better read. I don't want to drag my readers on with craziness like The Billionaire's Whips, Part 9. Not trying to milk as much money as possible from my fans and I'm not trying to cliffhanger you to death either. ;)

Stay tuned to the blog for a possible sneak peek of the description and the release announcement for part 2!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Updates and Apologies

So I wanted to clear up some things and also give you guys an update.

Apparently when I published the first book of the His Submissive Series, titled The Billionaire's Contract, there was already a book called The Billionaire's Contract. It is totally my bad and from a few comments here and an email or two, super confusing for those that want more of Leila and Jacob's story.

I apologize for any confusion...I don't think a title change will happen unless you guys feel strongly about it.  There are a few key differences/things to look for:

1. My books are part of the His Submissive Series. You will always see that as part of the title, and if you don't, it's not part of Leila and Jacob's story.

2. My books will have Ava Claire as the author. I'm the only author for the series so if you don't see my name, it's not part of the His Submissive Series.

3. Be sure the product description mentions Leila and Jacob.

Again, super sorry if this has been frustrating for anyone. If I get any more complaints, I might throw up a poll on the blog and if enough people tell me it was a deterrent/really annoying, I'll consider changing the title. Even though I share the book title with another series, I believe The Billionaire's Contract fits the first book because it's when Jacob offers Leila an opportunity to join his glitzy glam life as his submissive...if she signs on the dotted line.

Hopefully a lot of the confusion will be cleared up when book 2/part 2 comes out...it's going to be titled The Billionaire's Touch, and I actually researched this and no one has this title, so yay! :)

Speaking of book 2, I'm sorry it's taken a little time to get the next part out...real life stuff has been a little hectic. But there's good news! The book should be live by August 31 (give or take a day or two depending on how quickly online retailers pass it through, any hangups on covers etc). I'm really excited about the next chapter in Leila and Jacob's story and can't wait to share it with you guys.

Thanks for reading and as always, if you have any problems/concerns/gripes, feel free to comment or shoot me an email (avaclairewrites[at]gmail[dot]com)!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Ava's Favorite Things

So since I'm new 'round these parts, I figured I'd put together a post so you guys can get to know me better.
Twilight Saga Eclipse, Movie

Twilight

Twilight is one of those things that you either love hardcore-ly or you're up in arms and ready to right a thesis about how detrimental it is to young girls and blah blah blah. I'm squarely in camp Twilight is Awesome because for me, it provides an escape. Who doesn't love a yummy love triangle with vampires and werewolves?
p.s. If you've read my His Submissive Series, you'll catch that I named my Alpha after my fave werewolf. That's pretty much all they have in common besides their tenacity. So far anyway. :)







Vintage/Retro Fashion

I'm not nearly as glamorous in real life to pull any of it off, mind you...but I love looking at it. A girl can dream...











TV!

I work from home, so TV-ness is a pretty big part of my day while I'm plucking away around the web. Just like I said with Twi, it's all about good stories that give you a break from reality.



Road Trip

There's nothing like riding down the highway with Rilo Kiley screaming from the speakers and the wind rushing through your hair. Nothing like it in the whole 'verse.

So that's just a snippet. Feel free to share your fave things in the comments!

If you've stumbled upon this page...

This blog is under construction!
The first short story in my billionaire serial is going live in the very near future and I'm ecstatic! Keep your eyes peeled for more info.
-Ava