Blog Tour Coming Soon

I’m gearing up for a blog tour. This is a way for indie authors to get the word out about their work. You prey on the generosity of book bloggers, those dedicated readers and reviewers to whom many of us owe our success.

A blog tour involves getting the attention of bloggers to gain greater exposure through their sites. Hopefully, those bloggers specialize in the genre in which you write. A writer or publisher will also offer giveaways during the blog tour. Any writer can set up a blog tour on her own by doing a little research of blogs relevant to her work. You can also hire a company that specializes in this type of PR.

A blog tour for Sylvie and the Spark will take place in March or April. If you have an erotic blog and would like a review copy, please email me at giannadaybooks@gmail.com.

Happy blogging, happy reading. 

10 Surprising Facts About Orgasms by Sarah Jio

I love this article by Sarah Jio in Woman's Day. It's titled 10 Surprising Facts About Orgasms. My favorite is #9, in which she discussed a woman who had an orgasm every time she used the treadmill. That would take my love of running to a whole new level.

Though now I'm always going to wonder about the women next to me on the treadmills at the gym. Does she just really enjoy working out or did she just...

The Argument for Erotica

I think that if a person wants to read a story that has sex in it, they should be permitted to do so. (I'm not going to weigh in on the porn industry because I don't work in film, I work in words). But there are those who have suggested that this is bad, implies a flaw of character or lack of moral integrity. I'm completely at a loss when confronted with this mentality.

Sex is a healthy normal part of being human. So are fantasy and imagination. I'm an adult writing for other adults. My job does not expose me to diseases or drugs. I do not force my work on other people and if they seek it out and don't like it, they are free to post an unfavorable review with an expression of their opinion.

So what's the big deal?

It's been suggested in the argument against porn, that porn creates an unrealistic and unattainable image of what sex really is or should be (again, just stating how some feel, not offering my own opinion). This thinking has been transferred to erotica, with the implication that reading erotic stories creates in women the same false image. If that's true, why stop there? Let's ban all romance writing and certainly in film we must do away with romantic comedies. We don't want people pining for the storybook ending that will never happen. We might as well take away anything that glorifies anything. The underdog team that wins the championship, the lone crusader for justice who defeats the bad guys.

This thinking becomes so muddled and illogical that I get to a point where I can't even take the naysayers seriously. I might be able to understand an argument against words on a page if those words promote hatred or bigotry. But when it comes to erotica, the goal is pleasure. A healthy and happy person can also be a sexual and imaginative one. There's nothing wrong with that.

Don't take away Grandma's erotica, it helps her sleep. 

Hot Yoga Man

I think this guy is hot. And it has nothing to do with his age, race, or muscles. It has everything to do with humor and health.

Laughter is sexy. Laughter brings balance into the otherwise serious and often heartbreaking world. I love a man who can laugh at himself and bring joy to those around him. It implies a self-assurance and innate peace that attracts one human to another.

The physicality is equally sexy, but it's not about the muscles. Sure, muscles can be a turn on, but hotter than chiseled abs is a man who works hard to take care of his body. Who invests in feeling good through movement and hard work. I find the same qualities sexy in women. It's not about the dress size, it's about honoring the amazing human form and treating it right.

There's something about this picture and the elements it combines that I find undeniably pleasing. I look at his face and wonder what he's thinking, whether it's Hurry up and take the picture or Hey, look, I'm doing it! So many yoga photos show people practicing with serious faces, because the face is supposed to be relaxed. Maybe that's why this one caught my eye. It's almost as if instead of smiling for the camera, he couldn't help but smile, even though he wasn't supposed to. Dear yoga man: in the spirit of joy and health, I salute you.

Also, here's a picture of me writing today's blog:

Just kidding. I'm not quite there. Yet. 

Sylvie and the Spark - Sneak Peek

SYLVIE

and the

SPARK

Book one in the Sylvie Series

Gianna Day

Chapter 1

“You’re just so…” Dave looks into my eyes and runs his finger down my cheek.

Please don’t say pretty. Anything but pretty.

“You’re so…”

If you call me pretty for the thousandth time I’m going to try to gnaw my own face off just to ensure that I am no longer pretty.

“You’re so… pretty.”

“I am not pretty, Dave.” My voice is loud and edgy as I jump from the couch.

“But Sylvie, you’re so pretty.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, pacing back and forth in front of him. “I mean, thank you. Thank you for thinking I’m pretty. And I know this is our foreplay, that you tell me I’m pretty and touch my face, which truthfully has always struck me as just a little bit creepy. I mean, it’s almost a tickle, like you’re tickling my cheek and I think that’s weird. Is that weird? Is this just me?” I stop pacing and look at him for an answer.

“I could touch your arm first, would that be better?”

Resume pacing.

“No, Dave. Look, I have to be honest. We need to try something different.”

“Gosh, Sylvie. What if I called you beautiful?”

Don’t pull your hair out in front of him, he’ll be scarred for life.

“Dave.” I sit back down on the couch and hold his hands.

“Yes, Sylvie?” He looks like a second grader hoping someone will pick him for their kickball team.

“Could you just try to be less of a puppy?”

“Less of a puppy?”

He flashes his puppy dog eyes.

“Yes.”

“You want me to be a kitty?”

“No, Dave. I don’t want you to be a kitty. I want you to be a tiger, Dave.”

“A tiger?”

“A tiger!” I stand back up. “I want you to be my big strong tiger and I want you to roar for me.”

“You want me to roar?”

I take off my shirt and bra, unbutton my jeans, stand before him, and cup my breasts.

“Show me what a tiger you can be, Dave.”

He stands up from the couch and speaks in a tone I’ve never heard before. It is deep and guttural and almost a growl. “I’ll show you what a tiger I can be.” He pulls my hips roughly into his. Then he slides one hand into my jeans and a finger inside me. With the other hand he cups my neck and puts his lips to my ear. And he whispers: “Roar.”

I actually whimper in response. He takes off my jeans and panties and then quickly removes his own clothes. This tiger thing is actually working, and if need be I will role play through an entire zoo of wild animals if that’s what it takes to get us out of our rut and into some hard core rutting.

“I’m going to fuck you like a tiger,” he says, and literally throws me down on the couch. I ignore the pain of what will later be a nasty bruise on my shin, because I don’t want to break what we have going.

“That’s right, Dave,” I whisper. “Give it to me.” I’m more excited than I’ve been in a long time. He comes to me on the couch, hovering over me as I wrap my legs around him. He leans down until his cock barely grazes me, but then pulls back. I’m aching and arching up for him. He does this again and I claw at his back.

I’m both fearful and hopeful that he’s going to keep up the tease. He leans his head down next to mine, whispers, “I’m a tiger,” and enters me with startling force.

I’m ready to settle in for a good long screw, but Dave has new life in him, which is a good thing for his sake. He uses one arm to brace himself against the couch and the other to scoop me up from under my waist. He’s still inside me as he pivots until he’s sitting upright on the couch and I’m straddled on top of him. With my hands on his shoulders I push myself slightly up and then sit down hard on his cock, grinding in with all I have. He moans, kneading my buttocks. I come down on him again and he leans forward to suck on my right nipple, before moving to the left, so as not to play favorites. My hips slow but move with the same force; I’m savoring every second of riding him. I should have asked him to be a tiger years ago.

He spreads his fingers wide and puts his hands on my sides, high at my ribcage. He uses his hands to guide me up and down and we begin to move faster. And for the love of all things naughty, I detect an orgasm in my future, that long departed but fondly remembered friend who lessened in frequency the longer Dave and I kept up this boyfriend-girlfriend thing. But I’m not dwelling on the past now. I’m rising up and coming down hard on Dave, who still has his I’m-a-tiger face firmly in place. When I come down on him I linger for a second and press hard before rising up again. I throw my head back and he reaches up, trailing his fingers along my neck and down my chest. I place my hands on his forearms; they are muscled and taut and suddenly sexy.

“Fuck me,” he says. And I do.

“Fuck me,” I say. And he does.

I ride him for only another minute before I feel a lightness in my toes. It rises up through my ankles and calves and knees and thighs. Sensation explodes through my cunt as Dave grits his teeth, moans and bucks up into me. He pulses inside me. We rock for a few more seconds before coming to rest. I want us to be here forever. I’m about to tell him that we should do this again, that I can’t believe we’ve broken new ground, that I want to laugh with him and love him and screw until we’re too sore to keep going. And then he looks up at me and raises his arm.

Don’t do it.

His finger trails my cheek.

Stay with me, Tiger. Come on, don’t turn puppy on me now!

“You’re so… pretty.”

Selena Kitt on the Pornocalypse

I've long been a fan of Selena Kitt. I've enjoyed some of her erotica, but also her voice on the industry in general. She went up an added notch in my book for her recent blog post on erotica and the treatment of erotica writers. Specifically, how writers of erotic fiction are often kicked to the curb by Amazon, despite the fact that their work might make Amazon a chunk of change.

Read her full article here: Survival Tips for the Pornocalypse

Kudos to Ms. Kitt. Long may she write.

10 Habits of Happy Couples

I love this list of 10 habits of happy couples and felt compelled to share it. Courtesy of Psychology Today, this list includes some things that we already know, but sometimes need to be reminded of. Personally, I love the one about doing a "weather check".

Read the full article here and remember to put more love in your life.

Book Trailer for The Sylvie Series

It's 28 seconds, so go ahead and hit play. Check it out this short book trailer for The Sylvie Series, now available at Amazon.

Here's the description of Book 1, Sylvie and the Spark: One night of phenomenal sex isn’t enough to convince Sylvie that she should stay with Dave, her long-time boyfriend who borders on dull when not in the bedroom. When a set of twins moves in across the hall, Sylvie’s horizons broaden, though this pair might not turn out to be exactly what they seem. With a backdrop of inappropriate coworkers, a humping-addicted mutt, and a set of sexy suitors, SYLVIE AND THE SPARK is sure to please, in more ways than one.

There's Room for Laughter in the Bedroom

I'm happy to say that the first two books of The Sylvie Series are now live on Amazon. The genre of this series is erotic comedy. When I mentioned to friends, a hetero couple, a few months back that this was what I was working on, they looked perplexed. Erotic comedy? That's a strange mix.

I didn't think so. I see erotic comedy as the evolution of romantic comedy. It also speaks to a group of consumers who enjoy erotica, but can't stand the melodramatic. Sexy doesn't always have to be serious.

I found my friends' reactions interesting and we talked about it a little more, eventually agreeing that women are perhaps more open to laughter in the bedroom than men. Of course, that's a sweeping generalization, but take it with a grain of salt.

Men just want it dirty, my male friend said. We don't want to laugh about it.

Sometimes women do, I countered. Sometimes the idea, the topic, and the act of sex all feel so serious that we just want to lighten things up. The female half of the couple agreed.

Laughter, like sex, can be a release. And many women instinctively gravitate to anything that relieves the pressure of a thousand different commands that bounce around in our brains, including: be sexy, look pretty, lose weight. These are unfortunate and unrealistic voices that we hear, and we often relate them to sex. I don't think it has to be that way. I vote to turn off those voices and permit ourselves to giggle.