My guest today is the wonderful and very prolific Sierra Dafoe. She writes steamy tales for Changeling Press, Siren Publishing and Ellora’s Cave. Watch this space because I’m sure you’re going to see more of this talented lady!
Today Sierra is talking about both holidays and epublishing and the connection between the two. One lucky person will win a PDF download of her latest release, The Mighty Flynn. All you need to do to go into the draw is have your say and comment on Sierra’s post. (Don’t forget to check back on the following day to see if you’re the winner!)
The Same Thing, Only Different
Hi everyone! I’m so thrilled that Shelley invited me to play today – happy birthday, Shelley! And happy Solstice to us all 
Oddly enough, I got ruminating on two different things this morning – winter celebrations and the advantages, or disadvantages, of publishing with multiple e-houses (to be honest, if there ARE any disadvantages, I haven’t found them yet!) And in the weird way my brain has of viewing things, I kinda saw a connection. Tenuous, maybe, but there.
See, here’s the thing. It’s almost Christmas. Some years, it’s also Chanukah (which is already over this year). Today is also the shortest day of the year, the day when the Earth reaches the limit of its tilt and reverses direction, bringing those of us in the northern hemisphere steadily back closer to the sun (c’mon, sunshine!) And Christmas or no, Chanukah or no, every single civilization I know of has celebrated some sort of festival near or on the winter solstice (of course, for the southern hemisphere this would be in June).
Which suggests strongly, to me at least, that we humans have some fundamental need to celebrate this moment, this turning of the axis when the world starts moving back toward warmth and light. Whether religiously or more secularly, simply enjoying the feeling of being secure against the oncoming months of cold, with plenty of food stored away and surrounded by friends and loved ones and the hearthfires of home. Wherever we are, whatever our religion, on some deep, primitive level it’s the same thing, only different.
Which brings me to e-publishers, and my question for you today. I’m lucky enough to be with three different (and wonderful) publishers: Ellora’s Cave, Changeling, and now with my release this past Monday of The Mighty Flynn, with Siren. (I have to pause to brag on my first review for The Mighty Flynn, which may be just about my favorite review quote ever – “Not just a daayum mind you – but Hoooot Daaaayum! Sierra Dafoe slapped the sexy into this one!” 5 Flags from Melisa at Euro Reviews – woo-hoo!)
They are different, no doubt about it. Each is in its own way special and unique, just as Christmas and Chanukah and Dong zhi and Modranecht are all very different and special – but they all, on some fundamental level, also serve to mark and celebrate that change in the seasons. And all three publishers serve to bring the readers the best erotic romance they possibly can.
Told ya there was a connection! 
Now here’s my question for you, the reader (actually, it’s a multi-part question): Are there publishing houses you consider your favorites? What do you like best about them – what draws you back consistently to those publishers? And (here’s the important part for me!) when you find a writer whose work you really like, will you pick up books from them that are published at a house you might not have visited before?
Obviously, for me as a multi-published writer, it’s a question I’m really interested in hearing your answers to! So discuss. And stay warm! (I can’t believe it’s snowing again…) And a very, very happy holiday to you, whichever it may be!
Sierra
Sexy. Sassy. Seductive. Sierra.
http://www.sierradafoe.com
Related posts:
I definitely do gravitate towards certain publishers. Basically I’m just following where my favorite authors are being published. Most of my books are from Avon and Avon Red, Brava and Berkley. I think Avon Red and Brava offer more erotic reads than the standard romances. I just started reading ebooks, so Ellora’s Cave and Samhain are still fairly new to me but I know they offer many genres. If I like an author, I will absolutely check out their book even though the publisher is unfamiliar to me.
by Jane December 21st, 2007 at 2:46 amI love Ellorascave. They are easy, have clear blurbs, and if you have a problem they are prompt about fixing it. They were the first ebook place I tried and have been loyal ever since. Also might sound weird but the quality of the books have been better over there for me.
by Tina brunelle December 21st, 2007 at 4:14 amI am extremely author loyal. If I like one of your books, I will DEFINATELY want more and i might explore a gendre I might not have tried more so from a author i am loyal too, i know its gonna be a good book no matter what. it is the way it is written and the emotion it invokes for me. I just read one from a author i am loyal tooo, was a differnt thing for her, but i wasnt disappoint the emotion was there and the connection.
kinda of a safer bet.. okay will stop now before i start a book not a blog comment lol
Just wanted to say love your work, thanks
by fiona December 21st, 2007 at 4:26 amfiona
Hello Sierra:
First off…I absolutely adore your books so I’d follow you to whatever publisher you went to. And I’m not just kissing up. It started with “The Devarian Series” and went from there. LOL
As far as publishers I read from Elloras Cave, Samhain, Changeling Press, New Concepts Publishing, Amber Quill, Loose Id and have recently started reading some Siren, Cobblestone, Red Rose and a couple other I can’t remember offhand. Those aren’t even including the mainstream paperback publishers I haunt. LOL But I wound up at most of the publishers via authors that I followed around. *g*
by Ayreann December 21st, 2007 at 4:40 amHi, Sierra- Here are my favorites- Samhain because I think their overall quality is the best/authors rock as well, Elloras Cave- who can forget the mother of all epublishing/depends on the author, but a lot of my favorites are still at that house- love Siren, thought their move to buy rights from Triskelion(?) was classy and reverted them to the original owners, PLUS I haven’t read a book yet that I didn’t like- I think this is the house, in my opinion, to watch. They are growing smartly, only publishing one or two books per week until readership picks up. I find Loose ID a hit or miss proposition- some titles/authors are worth buying, but others I pass on.
by Laura K December 21st, 2007 at 5:28 amI’m definitely coming back later to see if others feel the same way I do. Happy Holidays from L!!
Fiona and Ayreann, thank you so much for your kind words! Tina, Jane, and Laura, this is an absolutely fascinating conversation — it’s great to be able to hear from readers what they think and how they look at the whole e-publishing industry!
I also had to stop in a squee real quick before going off to write for the day — The Mighty Flynn just hit the 30 day bestseller list at Siren! I am seriously stoked. #5 on the list — but hey, it just came out Monday!
http://www.sirenpublishing.com/catalog/bestsellers.htm
WHEE!!!
I’ll check in later, everybody — thank you for stopping by! And Shelley, thank you for having me!
— Sierra
by Sierra Dafoe December 21st, 2007 at 5:42 amI will buy from which ever publishing house my favorite authors write for.
by Estella December 21st, 2007 at 6:14 amYour books are great!
I guess I am partial to Ellora’s Cave since they were the first publishing company I dealt with in regards to erotic romances and ebooks. I love their customer service, very fast response, and their site is easy to navigate and overall appearance is fantastic. I do like the other publishing house too. And yes, once I find an author I really like (like Sierra) I will follow that author to whatever publishing house in order to buy their books. I am very author loyal.
by Kara December 21st, 2007 at 6:45 amHi Sierra,
I will buy your books from any publisher. I love your dragon series! Congrats on the new releases!
Happy Holidays!
Blessings,
by Rhonda Barnes December 21st, 2007 at 6:57 amRhonda
I stick to the big guns EC, Cerridwen, Samhain, but I’ve been venturing to Loose Id and Liquid Silver, Wild Rose Press I have yet to try Siren though … I want to there’s a few authors I want to read there.
by Amy Ruttan December 21st, 2007 at 7:25 amBefore I was a writer, I NEVER paid attention to the pub houses — just authors. I’m a little more conscious now, but I still tend to follow my fave authors.
Hey Si – hilarious dayuum review!!
Happy Holidays,
by Wylie December 21st, 2007 at 9:08 amWylie Kinson
There’s not really any preference for publishers that I have. I go by the authors and not the publishers.
by Glenna Day December 21st, 2007 at 9:10 amObviously I’d buy books from any publisher if I absolutely wanted it, but I must say that I prefer Ellora’s Cave and Samhain publishing. I follow the authors but it happens that most of my favorite authors write for those two publishers.
by Sarah Piché-Choquette December 21st, 2007 at 10:31 amI really don’t look at the publisher. I select books by the authors and the storyline.
by Joye December 21st, 2007 at 11:04 amI enjoy reading your books.
I tend to go where ever my favorite authors are. That then usually leads me to other authors through my favorite authors’ differant publishers. (Make sense?) Which in turns makes my poor tbr pile larger and larger!
by Laura J December 21st, 2007 at 11:13 amI will buy from any publisher my favorite authors write for, but I do have favorites. I buy more books from Ellora’s Cave and Changeling Press than any of the others. I like a site that looks professional, is easy to navigate and easy to buy from. I remember once trying to buy a book I really wanted to read from a new publisher (can’t remember which one now) and eventually giving up because it was so complicated.
by Cynthya December 21st, 2007 at 11:31 amI am a big EC fan too, they got me totally hooked on erotic romance. Lots of my favorite authors got their start at EC, and then moved on to other publishers, and as long as they write the kind of stories I love to read, I will follow them where ever they end up.
by Lee M December 21st, 2007 at 11:51 amI have visited and bought from many different epublishers, but yes, there are some I go back to more than other… Elloras Cave and Samhain top my list. As for following my favorite authors, of course I do
I’d follow you to any publisher, Sie 
by Ali December 21st, 2007 at 12:23 pmLOL – Sierra! Hoooot Daaaayum…that’s some quote
*putting my reading hat on*
Ellora’s Cave was my first ebook purchase and I found the purchasing process easy for a nervous beginner who had no idea what she was doing. I’ve since purchased books from Samhain, NCP, Loose Id and Liquid Silver and a few other companies, if the books look interesting. Oh, and Torquere Press. I quite like them for m/m.
I look at the order process closely. Some of the above are better than others! I need to be able to search by author and by genre and I want an easy, secure order process. I also want good customer service in case something goes wrong. A bookshelf is also a great facility, especially if my computer decides to through a hissy fit, as they sometimes do. (I do backup, but a bookshelf is an added security feature) Fictionwise has a bookshelf. I order from them sometimes, but I tend to order directly from the publisher, if I can, because I know the author gets more money this way. I also buy quite a few books from ereader.com. The ones I buy here are single title published in NY mass market. I can get my reading fix here as soon as the books are released in the US. If I wait for the print version to arrive down here in NZ another six months might have passed.
by Shelley Munro December 21st, 2007 at 1:46 pmThe publishers I consider my favorites are Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, Changeling Press, & Extasy Books. I consider them my favorites because they have great selections and my favorite authors use them alot for thier books. I will go to other publishers to get books if they are by a favorite author or if they sound interesting. Happy Holidays!
by caitlin hoy December 21st, 2007 at 1:47 pmCaitlin
I forgot to add, I like ereader.com because they give me 10% discount for being a newsletter member. Discount is always good because I can buy more books! They often give away free books. Harlequin are doing the twelve days of promotion through them now and I’ve scored some great free reads over the last week.
by Shelley Munro December 21st, 2007 at 1:48 pmAs a reader, publishing houses are broadly irrelevant, except that they carry the authors and genres I enjoy, or are prompt and efficient in disatching the books I buy.
by Amy Gallow December 21st, 2007 at 1:48 pmAs a writer, albeit a “makkee-learnee” one, I judge them by how much I can learn from their editors and this changes, both with my development and theirs.
By the by, I loved your terracentric view of the tilt changing. It can’t, except for a minor wobble or two, our position relative to the sun does. It was not until the Dark Ages that the ancients lost sight of this.
Amy
I love EC and samhain the most. They are easy to buy from and haven’t had any problems with formats or getting my books. Only problem is Ec doesn’t have a GC which would be great. But have bought books from ncp and changling. I do follow authors across to different pubs but have noticed that some authors publish different stuff under one pub than they do another not sure why. So that being said If I like the author I will try the stuff from the other publisher as long as it is a genre I like.
by Pamk December 21st, 2007 at 1:56 pmLOL, Amy! No, it doesn’t, of course — but I still love the poetry of that image
Ali and Rhonda and Kara — thank you so much! An everybody, this is just great — fantastic food for thought. Shelley, I’ve never checked out ereader.com — I’m gonna have to do that!
I’m (OMG) going out tonight so probably won’t get to stop back in till tomorrow — good luck, everyone, in the drawing!
— Sierra
by Sierra Dafoe December 21st, 2007 at 2:00 pmI really have a favorite publisher. When I find an author I like, I tend to buy their books where ever I can get them
by Ashley A December 21st, 2007 at 3:51 pmHappy Holidays to all, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SHELLEY!!!
Hey Shelley and Sierra,
I’m an author, but as with most other writers, I’m also a reader. And I read alot! I have to in order to clear out my head between manuscripts.
I tend to follow my favorite authors. For example, I write for EC but I haven’t purchased an EC book in awhile because I’ve found books by some of my favs at Changeling, Loose id and Liquid Silver.
And yes, I think the solstice is a turning point in the seasons, but in life as well. For example – MY SON VACUUMED THE LIVING ROOM TODAY! That’s a miracle in itself!
by TJ Michaels December 21st, 2007 at 4:24 pmOoh good question! I’m partial to EC and Samhain, though I’ve bought from Loose ID and Cobblestone Press too. Basically, if the site is easy to navigate then I’m willing to buy from it. And of course I follow my favorite authors where they happen to go.
by Christine d'Abo December 21st, 2007 at 8:21 pmIf I like a certain author, it does not matter which publishing company has their books.
There is a certain author that I really wanted to get another book of hers and the co. went out of business, so now I will wait until another co. picks up her book.
Happy B-day to you Shelley.
Hope everyone has a FANTASTIC HOLIDAY – WHATEVER ONE YOU CELEBRATE.!!!!!!!!!
by Ruth Chesick December 21st, 2007 at 8:45 pmWhen I want to read a book I WANT TO READ THE BOOK
Doesn’t matter WHERE it comes from.
by Joan Ferrey December 21st, 2007 at 8:54 pmThanks for the birthday wishes, Ashley. It’s been quite a party!
TJ – send your son over to me – quick-smart while he’s in the vacuuming mood. Tell him I’ll take him sightseeing before I send him back home
Christine – I’d forgotten Cobblestone. I’ve bought a few books from them as well. As everyone says, if a favorite author writes for a particular house I’m likely to follow them.
Ruth – thanks for the birthday wishes. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Joan – LOL. A good book is a good book, right?
by Shelley Munro December 21st, 2007 at 9:47 pmTo me, it doesn’t matter who publishes it, I just go with the authors I’m interested in.
by Amelia December 21st, 2007 at 10:38 pmI always gravitate toward Ellora’s Cave first. They were my first introduction to erotica and always seem to find the finest new authors out there. when I really like am author I try to buy all of their works– that was how I diacovered other publishers. Once there, I always end up buying more than I anticipated. I’m grateful to multi-publisger authors for being my gateway to other books I wouldn’t have found otherwise!
by Jennifer Li December 22nd, 2007 at 12:14 amAnd the winner is:
Sarah Piché-Choquette
Congratulations, Sarah. Email me at shelley munro @gmail.com and I’ll send you your prize!
Happy holidays!
by Shelley Munro December 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 pm