Newsletter ~ October - November 2008

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Happy Halloween! Next thing you know, it'll be Thanksgiving... then Christmas... then 2009. In the day-to-day drudgery, time seems so stagnant. Then, you look up and wonder how you got from point A to point B and what happened along the way. It's going to be a very different holiday season at my house this year. Traditions have to begin somewhere, right? They don't just spring into existence, fully-formed. So, as Casa de Brio becomes Casa de Brio y Belegon, I hope to lay the foundations for some wonderful new traditions involving both our families, and I hope to appreciate the journey instead of just focusing on the destination.

We'll start with the first annual GobbleFest. Will & I are going to entertain a few dear friends for Thanksgiving. We'll get some specially-labeled wine from the winery down the street, and we'll make a drool-worthy feast. I'm really looking forward to it. It may grow into a big bash in future years, or it may remain a small gathering of dear friends. Either way, it will be ours.

Since my last newsletter, I began taekwondo class. I'm really enjoying it because of its focus on solid ethical principles (discipline, honor, integrity), balance, fitness, and self-reliance. I hope to have the means to continue training for my black belt. I test for orange in a couple weeks, along with my younger two children. (Y'all need to buy my books and the books for which I do cover art so that I can afford the classes! *wink*)

Speaking of writing, I finished & submitted my novella, "Double Decker," for Sapphistocated (see below for cover & details). I re-read it a couple days ago and didn't cringe, so it must not suck. Will & I also finished our short story for Coming Together: At Last. It's entitled "At First" and it involves the meeting of Vivian & Eddie from ArtiFactual. It will also be released as a single title from Phaze in December as part of the Urban Phaze line.

The EPPIEs are now closed for entries. I entered five books: two of mine & Will's [Spring Training (in the Contemporary Erotic Romance category) and Double Header (in the Erotica category)] and three volumes of Coming Together [Coming Together: For Gabrielle (in the Poetry category) and Coming Together: With Pride & Coming Together: Under Fire (in the Anthology: Erotica category)].  Cross your fingers that they each make the finals! Next week, the ARIANAs will open for cover art entries, and I have a holy slew of those to enter.

I'm in the homestretch on edits for both volumes of Coming Together: At Last. They'll be off my desk by Halloween. I just received the manuscript for Coming Together: For Her, Laurence Doyen's collection to benefit NOW. As soon as I can get that edited, it will be released in ebook (through eXcessica) and print (on Amazon). There's lots in the works for Coming Together. I'm excited with the way the endeavor has grown!

In early November, I'm off to San Diego for my third year attending the La Jolla Writers Conference. I'll be flying one-way and driving back across the country with my partner, a first for me! Things will be a bit chaotic for a while as he settles in and we adjust to life together in meat space instead of in cyber space. Then, we're headlong into the holiday season.

December, it's back to work on my Pittsburgh-based, Urban Phaze novella (Succorae), the next book in the Erotique series (Missing Pieces), and my long-neglected 2005 NaNoWriMo book (Zane). Plus, I'll be editing Piers Anthony's next Phaze release (Relationships III).

Until next time (which, looking at my schedule, won't be 'til 2009)...

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

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New Releases & Coming Soon [TOP]

COMING in DECEMBER from PHAZE:
At First
ISBN pending (ebook)

By popular demand, the story behind the story of ArtiFactual. On a historic day in DC, meet Erotique's eccentric curator--Señor Eduardo "Eddie" Rojas Aguilar--as a young archeology student and his dear departed Vivian Long long before she left this realm.

COMING in EARLY 2009 from PHAZE:
Sapphistocated: Tales of Mirror Geography
ISBN pending (print)

In The PowerBook, Jeannette Winterson writes:

"Sex between women is mirror geography. The subtlety of its secret--utterly the same, utterly different. You are a looking-glass world. You are the hidden place that opens to me on the other side of the glass. I touch your smooth surface and then my fingers sink through to the other side. You are what the mirror reflects and invents. I see myself, I see you, two, one, none. I don't know. Maybe I don't need to know."

Sapphistocated features four tales of mirror geography by four renowned authors of lesbian erotic fiction: Beth Wylde, Yeva Wiest, Jolie du Pré, and yours truly.

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Interviews & Appearances [TOP]

In September, I did the Crucible's Leather Fleamarket and Play #17 in Washington, DC and the Baltimore Book Festival. The former rocked. The latter was all wet--literally. I'll give that one another try next year, hoping for better weather. I also hope to do the next Crucible event in March, if the rush of EPICon and Romantic Times don't make it impossible (both physically and financially).  The Philly book fair, unfortunately, conflicts with RT, so I won't be doing that one in 2009.

As I mentioned above, I'll be attending the La Jolla Writers Conference in November. It'll be our 3rd consecutive year in attendance. Great conference! Will & I also plan to participate in a multi-author book signing at the MacArthur Center Barnes & Noble in Norfolk, Virginia from 1pm to 4pm on December 20th.  (Just how many prepositional phrases can one sentence contain?) If you're in the area, please stop & see us!

On the poetry blog, nada. Zip. Zilch. No time to emote. *sigh* Too busy being... well, busy.

Featured Backlist Title [TOP]

Squeeze Play
ISBN 978-1-60659-053-9 (print) & 978-1-60659-092-8 (ebook)

A collection of two e-novellas...
DOUBLE HEADER: Andrea Spring doesn't love baseball, but she sure loves baseball players. When her carefully-crafted casual sex life gets rocked by unexpected forces, she meets the challenge with her unique style. There's nothing conventional about this woman. When Andi plays, everybody wins.

SPRING TRAINING: Last season, Andrea Spring had the ride--or, rather, rides--or her life with a pair of pitchers in Double Header. As the new season rolls around, Andi's focus has shifted from players to coach. Does Mark Hamilton have what it takes to earn Andi's trust and complete Spring Training?