Newsletter ~ December 2009 - January 2010

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Hard to believe it's already the end of January. I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season. Mine was okay. It was a rough year, and I was rather glad to see it end. The best part of the holidays was my kids' enjoyment of their gifts. They are wonderful Imp-spawn growing into (I hope) conscientious, compassionate adults. Although sometimes a challenge, I appreciate their individuality more each day.

Speaking of challenges, winter has been more of an annoyance than usual this year. It is typically mid/late February before I begin to ache for spring. I hit that point around the 10th of January. It's naive to think that the worst is over, too. I'm going to have to start planning an annual mid-winter mental health retreat.

I had a trip to New Orleans scheduled for EPICon in early March, but that was sabotaged by my middle spawn's stage debut in his high school musical. New Orleans isn't going anywhere, and EPICon happens every year. A stage debut is a once-in-a-lifetime event. In terms of priorities, this was a no-brainer. I will, however, be following the tweets from EPICon's awards banquet on my phone that Saturday night. I have three titles to cheer for, after all. (None of the covers I entered this year received awards. However, I am consoled somewhat by the quality of the competition. There's some damned good work in those entries!)

I still plan to be at RT in April. I've been asked to be on some epublishing panel. I'm trying to summon enthusiasm for the networking, but... meh. Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe I'm growing away from a genre I never really fit into in the first place. Whatever. I'll continue to attend, but it's become more of a chore than an event to which I look forward. Only the chance to see friends I rarely see otherwise makes it worth my while any more. I don't want an agent or a New York contract, which is all anyone seems to care about at RT (or RWA). Neither has a damned thing to do with my definition of success.

I've also been invited back to BaltiCon at the end of May, although I don't yet know what sessions I'll be assigned. (I'm far to lazy busy to develop my own proposals. I'll just do what they tell me. It's uncharacteristically submissive of me, isn't it?)

Okay, on to my real news. In mid-January, I broke up with my publisher. I really hadn't intended it to be as comprehensive a break up, but *shrug* so be it. Ultimately, it's for the best. I stepped down as art director and got the rights back to all my work. I'm in the process of getting everything re-released through either Purple Prosaic (my self-publishing label) or Coming Together. It's tedious--all the accounts and formatting and metadata and uploading--but I totally enjoy being able to check my own sales. Those sales are, incidentally, far better than they ever were while in that other relationship. Self-publishing can certainly be considered masturbatory, but it's also wicked satisfying. Sure as hell better than faking that orgasm for the past 5 years. Apparently, voyeurs--erm, readers--don't give a flying fart about the "stamp of legitimacy" bestowed by a publisher. Go figure.

I'm still doing cover art, both for my own publications and as art director for Torquere Press. I'd like to pick up another freelance contract or two, but there's no hurry. I have plenty to keep me busy. Plenty.

Until next time...

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

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New Releases & Coming Soon [TOP]

More new releases than I can list here due to the transition of all my Phaze titles to Purple Prosaic and Coming Together.

AVAILABLE NOW in ebook & print from Purple Prosaic, LLC:
Double Decker
Tess is determined to win the big karaoke contest at the Double Decker bar... and the heart of the woman organizing it. Will her evening end on a high note?

AVAILABLE NOW in ebook & print from Coming Together:
Coming Together: Into the Light
ISBN 978-1-450-54100-8 (PAPERBACK)
A collection of erotic fiction by some of the hottest names in the genre. The theme of this volume is the revelation of secrets, and it features a moving Introduction penned by the one and only Candida Royalle! ALL royalties from the sale of this volume will benefit V-Day, which works to end violence against women and children.

AVAILABLE NOW in ebook & print from Purple Prosaic, LLC:
¡Pura Vida!
When Stormy Delgado traveled to Costa Rica in Wetter Has Never Been Better, little did she know that the country would become such an integral part of her life. ¡Pura Vida! takes Stormy and Charlie back to their beginnings... and adds Pietro to the mix for what one reviewer termed "incendiary" sex scenes.

CAUTION: Contains F/M/M ménage in several delightful settings, ice & wax play, dueling blow jobs, and virgin buttsex.

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Interviews & Appearances [TOP]

As noted above, I'll be at RT (Romantic Times) in Columbus at the end of April and BaltiCon in Baltimore at the end of May. There are also tentative plans to go to Comic-Con in San Diego again this year, and I'm booked for Dragon*Con over Labor Day weekend (although my guest application was denied). I'll find some way of pimping myself there, though!

Here are the many places I can be found online. I appreciate all friends-fans-followers, especially for Coming Together projects. Currently, I'm most active on Twitter and Facebook... but I swim with the tides of social networking.