News roundup

Some bits and pieces to share this week...

First of all, Pepper and I have new contracts with Samhain! We wrote a trilogy of novellas - she wrote one on her own, I wrote one on my own, and then we wrote one together - that Samhain has accepted for publication. Together, they're called A Calling of Souls, and they are all gay erotic romances with one of the leads with a tie to the priesthood. Pepper's is called If All the Sand Were Pearl, a fantasy erotic romance about a young man who was going to enter into service to their Goddess, only to be married off to an older man. Our collaborative story is No Fear in Love, a contemporary erotic romance about an Anglican priest whose longtime best friend comes back to town with specific plans in mind. My story is called Walk Among Us, and is a paranormal erotic romance about an ex-priest who sees demons. So a wide variety of stuff! These will be released individually in August and September, and then collected into a paperback anthology for release in 2009.

We've also got some reviews this week...

Sabella from Joyfully Reviewed reviews Mosaic Moon

...a wonderful book that skillfully weaves in magic, vampires, love and intrigue while plunging us back into the hectic lives of Gideon and Jesse. In this new adventure Gideon and Jesse continue to explore the boundaries of their relationship while continuing to play their games in the bedroom with the added spice of including Emma in their lives. The dynamics of Gideon and Jesse are interesting and fun to read about as we get to know them better and realize that the bondage games that they play reflect some of their needs but do not necessarily encompass the entirety of what they feel and need from one another. Emma, on the other hand, as an empath is a great window into the feelings of both men and serves to balance their relationship while adding the softer touch that Jesse craves. When Gideon, Jesse and Emma come together they will set fire to your screen and have you sweating in no time.

Indy from Joyfully Reviewed reviews Trinity Broken

...readers who enjoy emotionally heavy storylines and are patient enough to understand the trials and tribulations that need to be conquered first will be pleased with Trinity Broken.

And finally, I had my very first story come out with Ellora's Cave on Friday! It's a short het erotic romance, as part of their Emerald line, called As It Should Be...

For fifty years, Nora Ensley has mourned the premature death of her husband. Now, on the day of what would have been their fifty-fifth wedding anniversary, she receives a surprise gift from her best friend. When Nora falls asleep wearing the emerald pendant, she isn't all that surprised to slip into the most realistic dreams of her life. The day Marshall died.

Nora takes charge and changes circumstances, forcing him to stay home so the fatal crash never happens. But dreams can't last forever. Eventually, she is going to wake up...

For more information and an excerpt, visit Ellora's Cave.

News roundup

Bad Vivien! I got so bogged down in work late last week and on the weekend that I totally forgot about Flashback Friday until Pepper mentioned yesterday needing something to blog about. So the fact that our flashback showed up on Sunday is totally my fault. Hopefully, this week will be better.

We have a new cover to brag about! Our upcoming release for Liquid Silver, Fortune's Return, is about a man who returns to his childhood home after a bad break-up, only to fall for his brother's new ranch hand. Pepper asked that we request David, who did all her solo titles there, because he creates original canvases that then get scanned in rather than using stock photography. The end result is quite evocative, we think:


On the review front, it's been good.

At Romance Junkies, Robin Snodgrass reviewed Chasing Silver and gave it 5 blue ribbons:

Jamie Craig has penned a thrilling adventure in CHASING SILVER. This time-travel romance is filled to the brim with non-stop action, sexy dialogue, and sensual love scenes. Remy is a sassy, street-smart heroine who refuses to give up, no matter what the obstacles. In my opinion, Nathan is the perfect hero for her. He is strong and protective toward Remy even though she is a strong woman who does not need coddling. They work exceptionally well together whether tracking leads, dodging bullets, or just having fun in the bedroom. CHASING SILVER is an inventive and exhilarating adventure that you do not want to miss. The explosive conclusion left me breathless! I cannot wait to see what Craig has in store for these remarkable characters in the future.

Natasha Smith at the same site reviewed Trinity Broken and gave it 4.5 blue ribbons:

TRINITY BROKEN by Jamie Craig took me on a rollercoaster ride like none other. I could not stop reading this book and while I winced, cried, and even got angry at the turn of events in the storyline, I relished and cherished the end result which was a truly magnificent story of love, forgiveness and the ability to overcome horrendous odds to find true love. Quite simply, it was glorious. Sara and Cameron are mates and while they love each other, their ability to love and accept Josh into their lives is very beautiful. Josh had never experienced anything as profound as Sara and Cam’s love and his ability to accept them as well is realistic and often times steamy! The trinity that is Cam, Sara, and Josh is written in such a way that unconditional love is endless – and to me, that is the way it should be.

We've also gotten an early review for our new release tomorrow at Samhain, A Hidden Beauty. Mrs. Giggles gave it an 83 and called it a "romantic gay story." She especially liked Jefferson: Jefferson has that nice tortured artist vibe about him that is most attractive. He doesn't overdo his whining or self-pity, in fact, he's an adorable woobie who is hurt and in need of some TLC.

Last but not least, we have a new contract with Samhain! The story we were working on last week, actually, at our editor's request. Querida is a May/December het novella and is scheduled for a July 22 release.

News roundup

No new releases today, which means you get week's news instead. We got a new cover last week for our April Calendar Boys story, but since that's coming out this coming weekend, we figured we won't inundate our blog two weeks running with it. We did, however, finish our het song pax, Time in a Bottle, and totally messed up our upcoming writing schedule with a new bunny. We're just pathetic. But it's not our fault. We're blaming Macaulay and Wendy from the pax.

There were two new reviews, too, both from Romance Junkies. The first is for Chasing Silver. Robin Snodgrass gave it 5 ribbons, and said:

Jamie Craig has penned a thrilling adventure in CHASING SILVER. This time-travel romance is filled to the brim with non-stop action, sexy dialogue, and sensual love scenes. Remy is a sassy, street-smart heroine who refuses to give up, no matter what the obstacles. In my opinion, Nathan is the perfect hero for her. He is strong and protective toward Remy even though she is a strong woman who does not need coddling. They work exceptionally well together whether tracking leads, dodging bullets, or just having fun in the bedroom. CHASING SILVER is an inventive and exhilarating adventure that you do not want to miss. The explosive conclusion left me breathless! I cannot wait to see what Craig has in store for these remarkable characters in the future.

The second is for Trinity Broken. Natasha Smith gave it 4.5 ribbons and said:

TRINITY BROKEN by Jamie Craig took me on a rollercoaster ride like none other. I could not stop reading this book and while I winced, cried, and even got angry at the turn of events in the storyline, I relished and cherished the end result which was a truly magnificent story of love, forgiveness and the ability to overcome horrendous odds to find true love. Quite simply, it was glorious. Sara and Cameron are mates and while they love each other, their ability to love and accept Josh into their lives is very beautiful. Josh had never experienced anything as profound as Sara and Cam’s love and his ability to accept them as well is realistic and often times steamy! The trinity that is Cam, Sara, and Josh is written in such a way that unconditional love is endless – and to me, that is the way it should be.

Saturday's News Roundup

ETA: Amber Quill's best sellers for February were posted today. Calendar Boys--February: Mine was number 6 for the month, and A Little Bit Bewitched was number 3! WOO!

Some good reviews this week. It's an embarrassment of riches.

First, Ms. Vivien got a 4 Angel review from FAR for her Ruby Red Rebels.

Ruby Red Rebels by Vivian (sic) Dean has two of my favorite things, vampires and cowboys! Max is both and he is a sexy and charming hero. He proves that vampires don’t need to be dark and brooding. Every scene with him makes me smile and wish I had him all for myself. Serena is a plus to the story as well. She is a strong character who doesn’t wait around to be rescued. She dives right in to help out, and once she gets over her distrust of vampires, she takes what she wants with Max. These are two characters I would love to learn more about, and I definitely want to explore the world Vivian (sic) Dean has created.

Speaking of vampires, At the Advent of Dusk got a 4 Star review from JERR.

Reviewer: Suni Farrar
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Heat level: H

The year was 1952 and a vampire by the name of Gideon Keel ran Chicago. Humans and vampires alike quaked in his presence, all except for one. Mary Straugh was a charismatic and rebellious young woman. She needed help finding the vampires that killed two young girls who belonged to her church. If she had the get that help from another vampire, then so be it. She was not afraid of Gideon and one night with him would not kill her . . . at least she hoped it did not.

I had the honor of reviewing the first novel in this great series, Master of Obsidian, and I must say that At The Advent of Dusk lived up to the high standards set by the original. I would venture to say that At The Advent of Dusk was not as dark as its predecessor was, but it did have its moments. Take for instance the opening line of the novel. I have read nothing more powerful and depraved. Gideon remained a contradiction throughout the tale. One instance he was a blood hungry vampire without many morals. The next moment he would care and protect Mary with his whole heart.

It was something about her that brought out the gentleness in Gideon. She was one human that he did not see as food. It could have had something to do with her gumption but Mary was not a fragile woman. She fought for what she believed in and Gideon respected her for that. The magnetism between the lead characters combined with the dark plot sent the sexual tension soaring. I read the story straight through and then headed upstairs. Luckily, for me the pages went by quickly. I adored At The Advent of Dusk. Brava, Ms. Craig.

Trinity Broken got some love from RRTErotic

A provocative tale about being true to yourself, and the ones you love, TRINITY BROKEN is an intense and complex romance. The characters are written with such depth that at times I felt like I was intruding on their most intimate moments as all three struggle to become the loving, happy family they were before all this madness entered their lives. They all suffer from their fractured relationship, and Jamie Craig's book is a journey of rediscovery as Cam, Sara and Josh search not only for those who mutilated Sara, but for the one thing that can bring them back together. The only quibble I had is that this story starts off in the present, with flashbacks to much more carefree times sprinkled within chapters, which became a bit confusing at times.

There are parts of the story that are pretty graphic, not only with violence, but with the sex scenes as well, which involved all three parties, or just Cam and Josh. But if you're looking for something a bit darker, a bit more raw, then TRINITY BROKEN is perfect.

Courtney Michelle

And last, but not least, Fresh Fiction reviewed Chasing Silver.

Jamie Craig has written a heart thumping tale with evil villains and a time travel romance where the sex between Nathan and Remy is beyond hot. These two are attracted to each other right away and that doesn't stop them from acting on their feelings for each other. Even though a future between them may not be possible, they grab what happiness whenever they can. CHASING SILVER has excellent written chase scenes along with mind numbing fights. Nathan is one incredible and sexy hero who won't back down from getting what he wants and protecting those around him. Remy in turn may act tough, but she is soft when she needs to be, and that means when she is with Nathan.

Kristen is the worst kind of villain, a very amoral character who will kill without any reason. Remy is the total opposite of her but she has a sharp mind and will try her best to come on top. Isaac also rounds out the good guys with his wit and observations. For anyone who likes stories that will keep them on the edge of their seat, CHASING SILVER is the one to read.

We also finished up the fifth book in our Calendar Boys series. May's Corazón. Corazón is Spanish for heart, and I think this might be our most complex novella yet for the series. It's certainly the longest, at over 30K.

Next up, our novella Time In a Bottle. I'm excited about this one. It's an insert for the Master Chronicles. Jesse is hopping dimensions again, but with a much different purpose!

The Big Roundup

Seven days since the last roundup, seven new things to share.

1. Trinity Broken has hit #2 at Samhain! Thank you to everybody who has bought it; this was the best way to start out a brand new year. :)


2. Trinity Broken has also gotten a great review already. Kimberly Spinney at eCataromance Sensual gave it 4.5 stars and said:

Jamie Craig’s world of shapeshifters is not to be missed. This book was not only immensely intriguing but it had new idea that kept this from being just another paranormal romance. The sensuality and emotional depth that flowed from the pages make this a must read, must have novel. I look forward to seeing what else this author has to offer.

The whole review is here.

3. February's Calendar Boy story, Mine, got its cover this week:


4. Another Amber Quill story, Double Down, got its cover this week, too:


5. I got some excellent news this week. Ellora's Cave offered me a contract for the short story I submitted as part of their jewel-themed months in 2008. As It Should Be by Vivien Dean will come out in May as part of their Emerald month.

6. Pepper finished and submitted another story to Amber Allure. (Just Like) Starting Over will come out in July.

7. And last, but not least, a winner for our weekly giveaway! Our first winner is...

Cathy!!!

E-mail us at jamiecraigbooks (at) gmail.com in order to collect your prize. Today's post marks the beginning of a new drawing, so don't be shy!

Saturday's News Roundup

We have some good stuff this week! A blurb, a contest, a new website, a progress report, and some squeeing over sales figures. Not necessarily in that order.

Trinity Broken is doing very well at Samhain. It's been released for one week, and it already hit #5 on the best selling list. But it's not our only best seller this month. Seduction in Black and White was the second best seller of the month at Amber Quill Allure.

We also have a bright and shiny new blurb (and release date) for our historical gay romance, A Hidden Beauty.

A student of letters, Micah Yardley wants one thing: To meet Jefferson Dering, a poet he’s long admired from afar. After hearing his idol speak at Harvard, Micah travels to Jefferson’s home in Wroxham, entertaining visions of discussing poetry over dinner and drinks. What he experiences exceeds anything he ever anticipated.

Jefferson finds Micah mesmerizing, passionate, everything he has ever wanted. But ten years earlier, caught in a compromising position with another young man, he exiled himself from Boston and proper society. Now Jefferson represses his desire out of respect for Micah, but his tumultuous emotions stir the restless ghost of Wroxham church—with deadly consequences.

Amid denial, desire, and the villagers rising panic, a single kiss is enough to change the course of their lives…and ignite the flame that could fulfill a generations-old promise.

Look for it April 1, 2008!

I just finished the coding for The Pepperverse 3.0. April Martinez designed it. It's based on the template for the Jamie Craig website, but like the Vivien Dean website reflects Vivien's style and personality, Pepperverse 3.0 reflects mine.

This week, we finished our gay novella Nowhere Man. Look for it in July from Amber Allure.

Finally, and most important, we have a new contest for Writing In Tandem! The rules are simple:

As part of our new blogging schedule, we’ve decided to do a weekly giveaway for people who read our blog. It’s very easy.

1. Comment on any post that week, from the previous Saturday through Friday.
2. Every Saturday, we will take the name of everybody who commented the previous week and put them into a hat. Your name gets entered for each time you comment.
3. We’ll randomly draw a name to win a free copy of one of our books. It could be a Jamie Craig title, a Pepper Espinoza title, or a Vivien Dean title.
4. We’ll announce the winner and the book they win.
5. Limit 3 books per person.

Our first drawing will be on Saturday, January 12th. We’re going to include everybody who commented since the 1st. Now isn’t that simple?

New Cover: Trinity Broken

We received our cover for Trinity Broken today. I love it so much. It is so gorgeous.

Their love knew no shape, no limit, no boundary. Until someone destroyed their trust.

Scientist Joshua Ames committed the unforgivable sin. He fell in love with his research subjects, shapeshifters Cameron and Sara. Despite the taboo against humans mingling with shifters, Josh left his life behind and moved into theirs without regret.

Then Sara disappeared.

When Josh and Cam finally find her, she is unconscious, emaciated and shackled. They thought the hard part was living without her. But as soon as Sara wakes, they realize the hard part will be putting their lives back together.

Sara barely remembers life with Cam and Josh. All she remembers is a monster, a shifter who wore Cam’s face, who tortured and tested her for two long years. Without a home, conditioned to fear her own abilities, Sara struggles to start over.

Solving the mystery behind Sara’s kidnapping is the key to her recovery, because whoever destroyed their relationship is hunting her, intent on getting her back.

The truth could bring the three lovers peace—or send them spiraling apart.

Release date: Trinity Broken

Well, our first novel with Samhain was pushed back about six weeks. Disappointing, but hardly the end of the world. But now, we have another schedule change. Trinity Broken is getting moved up from April 22, 2008 to December 25, 2007.

Our editor called it the "most original" romance she ever read. And we are so freaking proud of this book. It'll be really great to see it published before the end of the year.

Sold: Trinity Broken

We love all our stories and characters, but we really, really adore the three in Trinity Broken. We submitted it to Samhain at the beginning of June for consideration, and our editor, Sasha, officially offered a contrast last week! It also has a tentative release date: April 22, 2008. Mark your calenders!

Scientist Joshua Ames committed the unforgivable sin. He fell in love with his research subjects, shapeshifters Cameron and Sara. Despite the taboo, Josh moved into their home and lives without regret. Then Sara disappeared.

It takes two years to find her. When they do, she is unconscious, emaciated, and shackled. They thought the hard part was living without her. But as soon as Sara wakes, they realize the hard part is putting their lives back together.

Sara barely remembers life with Cam and Josh. All she remembers is a monster, a shifter who wore Cam’s face, torturing and testing her for two long years. Without a home, conditioned to fear her own abilities, Sara struggles to start over. Because whoever stole two years of her life is searching for her, intent on getting her back.

The three struggle to rebuild their relationship and the trust that’s been destroyed. Solving the mystery behind Sara’s kidnapping is the key to ultimately giving all of them peace. Just when they need each other the most, however, the truth behind her disappearance sends the three of them spiraling apart. Again.