Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Today’s theme for Snippet Saturday is heroine seduction (fail). My excerpt is from my Ellora’s Cave story, Fancy Free. It isn’t a failure exactly, but it’s not a success either.

As always, to read other snippets on the circuit follow the links below my excerpt.

Fancy Free by Shelley Munro

Alice hesitated for so long he thought he might have frightened her or pushed her too hard and fast. Finally she released her bottom lip and the pale column of her throat moved when she swallowed. “I want to explore your body,” she whispered. “I want to know what you like.” Her warm hand squeezed his ass again, the innocent touch a heated reverberation throughout his entire body.
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I was very excited to learn Fancy Free has been nominated as one of the best contemporary/suspense books over at Night Owl Romance. Here’s the link. There are lots of great books up for awards. Go over and vote – either for me or one of the other excellent books. I feel like a winner just being nominated!

A few years ago agent Donald Maass of the Donald Maass Literary Agency visited New Zealand to speak to us at our conference. He’s a wonderful speaker and I came away from his workshop feeling very inspired. At the moment he has a free download at his website of one of the books he’s written – The Career Novelist: A Literary Agent Offers Strategies for Success. I’ve already downloaded my copy. I like his book Writing the Breakout Novel. I have a copy, which I must read again because it’s full of excellent advice.

I’m about all things tea this week while I gear up for the 14 October release of Tea For Two, my first Samhain book. I noticed when I was over in the US recently that everyone drinks iced tea. We even had iced tea at the conference. I have to say it’s not something I enjoy drinking. Hot tea–yes, but not iced tea. Could someone tell me why they like iced tea because I can’t see the attraction.

I’ve received another wonderful review for Fancy Free. Fallen Angel Reviews has given Fancy Free 5 Angels and a Recommended Read award. Color me excited!

Rachel C said, “Ms. Munro gives us hot sex scenes that have your blood heating and your palms sweating. But that’s not all you get with Fancy Free, you also get laughter, emotion and suspense. Ms. Munro has you guessing the whole time, and with the curiosity of what might happen next riding you, you can’t help but turn the pages until you reach the end. This is the second book by Ms. Munro I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last. Fancy Free offers everything—steamy sex, at times slap stick laughter, nail biting suspense and of course let’s not forget the cast of supporting characters; they alone are worth the price on the cover. Don’t miss this great read.”

Read the full review here. Thanks so much for the great review, Rachel.

I’m still busy working on two Middlemarch stories. I’ve hit 32,000 words for one story and I’m working on final edits for the other story. All going well another Middlemarch story should travel the cyber highway to my editor’s inbox soon.

My March release, Fancy Free featured a heroine who inherits a condom company.

Some of you will already be familiar with the behind-the-scenes story about how the idea for Fancy Free came to me. My husband and I were flying home from San Francisco aboard an Air New Zealand flight. I browsed the in-flight magazine and a new product article caught my attention. One of the new products was a vibrating condom, and immediately my mind seized on the idea. My husband shushed me when I tried to discuss condoms and the possibilities, so I went into daydream mode and by the time we landed in Auckland had a plot all mapped out.

That brings me directly back to condoms. In our personal lives we’re told to practice safe sex. I have no problem with that, after all, who wants to pick up a nasty disease while doing a horizontal tango?

Safe sex and the surrounding issues is something that authors need to consider each time they write a love scene. Back at the start of the safe sex campaign a lot of people went on record as saying using a condom in a fictional love scene destroyed all the spontaneity. Personally I’ve never understood the problem because if the scene is written properly, a condom can add an extra dimension. It says I care enough about my health to use one. It says I care enough about my partner to protect him or her. To me, writing a condom into a love scene makes plain common sense.

Over my years of writing I’ve developed a set of rules for fictional condom use. I’ll also add here that this is my opinion and this is what I like to see. I’m not going to bash you over the head if you disagree.

Contemporary romance:

My hero and heroine always use a condom in each love scene. Sometimes more, since I write erotic romance! If they don’t use a condom I give the reader a good reason. Sometimes in the heat of the moment our hero and heroine might forget. Our hero and heroine might be in the middle of nowhere and desperate to the point of crazed, or they might know each other’s sexual history and oral contraception is enough. In Fancy Free, condoms are part of the plot. My characters James and Alice make full use of their products. In Summer in the City of Sails, I even have a condom scene where the hero tells the heroine her glow-in-the-dark condoms remind him of a green ogre.

Historical romance:

I know from my research a form of condoms has been around since Egyptian times. During Roman times after the gladiators fought, they scored big time with the noble ladies. These noble ladies didn’t want children from the gladiators, merely a night of pleasure so they used condoms.

If I’m writing a historical, my heroes and heroines usually don’t use condoms. This was an era where good girls remained virgins until marriage, especially the women of the nobility so the use of condoms isn’t an issue. I look at the social mores when deciding whether my characters use birth control. In my Georgian-set historical, The Second Seduction the plot was a marriage of convenience and a condom wasn’t necessary. In Unforgettable, my World War II romance the couple use condoms.

Paranormal/futuristic romance:

Sometimes my hero and heroine use condoms and sometimes they don’t. It depends on the set-up. Often in my futuristic stories I’ll make a point of saying sexually transmitted diseases are eradicated. I did this in Sex Idol and Fallen Idol.

In my Middlemarch Mates feline shifter series condoms are used in some books and not in others, with the readers learning why condoms are absent.

It is my opinion that responsible romantic heroes use condoms.

What do you think about condoms in fiction? Should our heroes and heroines use them? Does it jerk you out of a scene if condoms are absent? If you’re a writer what rules of use do you like to apply?

I was really thrilled to receive a recommended read for Fancy Free from Joyfully Reviewed. Jambrea said, “Fancy Free has it all: laughter, fear, heartbreak, and steamy hot sex. Ms. Munro wrote a wonderful story and that is why I am Joyfully Recommending Fancy Free.” Here’s the rest of the review here.

I’m guest over at Lillian Feisty’s blog today, talking about the use of condoms in fiction. What do you think about condoms and the fictional character?

I’d love to hear your opinion. Here’s the link.

Woohoo! Fancy Free is out today. I’m having a dreadful time posting anything on the internet tonight, so hopefully this post will work.

I’m a guest over at Danette’s blog today and I’m giving away a download from my backlist. Here’s the link.

Warning: Condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and playing nasty, trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

The testing turns personal. Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad-boy James to give up his fancy-free ways…

Buy your copy here.

EXCERPT:

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Mr Munro helped me draw the winners in my Fancy Free contests. Congratulations to:

Donna A – wins a download of Fancy Free

Danette – wins the prize for helping me promote Fancy Free

I’ve contacted both prizewinners.
Thanks to everyone for your interest in Fancy Free. It’s out tomorrow from Ellora’s Cave.

1. Condoms have been around since the time of the Egyptians.

2. During Roman times, a magic condom became popular. This condom supposedly protected the users from pregnancy and from evil spirits. To make a magic condom the woman collected a large handful of fur from a she-mule’s mane. During the foreplay stage, the man and woman wove a condom from the fur, which was then used during lovemaking.

3. Roman legions kept herds of goats for meat and milk. Some of the soldiers used the goat bladders or intestines for penis sheaths. Small pieces of leather or string held the condom in place around the top of the penis.

4. One size does not fit all. Correct condom use is critical in preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, yet an Indiana study found many men reported problems with the fit and feel of condoms. The range of condom sizes is limited yet men come in all shapes and sizes.

21% of men in the study reported the condoms were too tight.
18% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too short.
10% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too loose.
7% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too long.

5. Condoms are currently made from three materials: Latex, Polyurethane and Lamb Skins.

6. Latex condoms are produced from natural rubber latex, derived from trees in Africa and Southeast Asia. It’s a very elastic material and can stretch to fit any size. Condoms are stretched and inflated to several times their natural size and shape during the manufacture and product testing stage. During trials they are put under more stress than they receive in sexual intercourse.

7. Polyurethane is stronger and thinner and has no odor or taste. It has only recently been used in the manufacture of condoms and is recommended for latex-sensitive users.

8. Lamb Skins are made from the intestine of animals and were one of the first forms of birth control. They have a natural feeling and although effective for birth control, the bacteria and viruses which carry STDs and AIDs can pass through the porous walls of the natural membrane. Only one company continues to make Lamb Skin condoms.

9. Condoms can be weakened by exposure to heat or sunlight or by age.

10. Don’t store condoms in wallets, they could get damaged or worn out from the heat of the backside of a person or the pressure from being squished so much.

11. Always check the expiration date. Condoms should come with an expiration date.

12. Condoms are 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy when used consistently and correctly. Using a latex condom to prevent transmission of HIV is more than 10,000 times safer than not using a condom.

13. For a humorous look at condoms check out FANCY FREE, available tomorrow from Ellora’s Cave.

Blurb:

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant, Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and playing nasty, trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

The testing turns personal. Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad boy James to give up his fancy free ways.

Note: condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

Ideas – they come in the strangest places at the funniest times. A writer’s life is never dull that’s for sure!

Mr. Munro and I were catching an Air New Zealand flight from San Francisco to Auckland. We hadn’t been on the plane long and I was settled back with my inflight magazine. It’s always the first thing I read when I get on any plane since they have interesting travel articles. Air New Zealand have this new products section and one of the items shown was a vibrating condom.

“Oh,” I said to hubby in a loud voice. “Look!” (and I have to point out hubby is always growling at me for muttering. I don’t but that’s another story. Anyhow, I spoke rather loudly.)

“What?” he asked.

“It’s a vibrating condom. Hmmm, I wonder how they test them?”

“Shush!” he said glancing at our neighbors who WERE looking at us.

“But it’s a vibrating condom!” I said. “Let’s buy one. How do you think they test them? Do you think people test them?” I asked, full of questions. The muse was at a full gallop, considering all the possibilities.

“Shush,” hubby said again. “I’m trying to read.”

“Oh, but don’t you think it would make a great story?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“All right,” I said, a trifle grumpy now. “I’ll think to myself about how they test the vibrating condom.”

“Good idea,” hubby said.

So, I did. All the way back to New Zealand I thought about condoms and how they’d be tested. I thought about the possibilities of a girl inheriting a condom company and the rest, as they say, is history. I wrote Fancy Free, a story about a girl who inherits a condom company and is heavily involved in testing…

If you’d like to learn how my twisted mind works Fancy Free releases from Ellora’s Cave on 7 March 2008 – next Friday!! And meantime, if you’d like to read the blurb and excerpt go here.