Hey, it’s Lou Sylvre once again, glad to be hosted here on Love Bytes. (Thank you, lovely Love Bytes bloggers!) Today’s blog is asking you to help me with some perennial difficult questions. And then I’m going to tell you about a contest—yes, I’m at it again, but this time the prize is a little different. Read to the end to find out!
And, making for a convenient segue, the first thing I want your various and valued opinions about is… (wait for it)… prizes!
As an author, I like having raffles. It’s fun, I get a chance to promote my books (such as A Shot of J&B, due for release on March 16th 😉 ) and I get to make someone happy. I give away e-books, or I give away gift certificates, and with very few exceptions, that’s been the extent of my repertoire. For my current contest (see below), I decided to try something different, and offered two options for the winner. If the winner chooses option one, I’ll name a character after you in the next book in my Vasquez Security: the next generation series, A Cup O’ Kindness). Prize option two, the winner can have their dog, cat, or bird become a character in my book.
So here’s my first question for you: What are your favorite raffle prizes from authors? Books? Gift certificates? Themed cups, shirts, and doodads? One of a kind items? Intangibles (such as the prizes I described above)? Something else?
Okay, I know this is a boring topic for a blog post, but I really do want to hear your thoughts. And that brings me to my other question. Don’t you love a good segue? No, that’s not the question.
The question is this: what are your favorite kinds of blog posts from authors? Interviews with other authors? Updates on an author’s works-in-progress? Thought-provoking discussion of the state of the LGBT-Q world? The author’s personal struggles (writing related)? Writing tips? Character interviews? Scenes with the characters that aren’t in the books? Or… what?
Please, please please, take a moment to answer these questions—I’d really like to know. And, if you answer one question below, it’s a contest entry, If you answer both questions, your name goes in twice.
The contest here is joined with a contest I first posted on my own blog a while ago. If you go to that post and comment on the content (the excerpt from A Shot of J&B, the pictures, the blurb, the cover) your name goes in a third time. (I think you may like the pictures…) Here’s the link that will take you there. The excerpt there is pretty much rated G, so I thought I’d post a short, NSFW one here, so read on, comment, come back to click the link for the other post, comment, and maybe win!
A too-sweet dream of Brian woke him up with an erection and a hand already on his slender, curved penis, stroking slow and hard. Before he was fully awake, he saw Brian’s face hovering above like a rain cloud over a desert. He heard his voice too, and before it faded, he caught the words “Yes, Jackie.” Jackie moaned and pushed his covers back, raised his knees and let them fall open.
Moonlight angled through the slider that led to the apartment’s small balcony and molded Jackie’s cock in shadow and silver, smooth where precum leaked over the tight crown. Jackie circled over it with his palm and then tightened his grip and stroked, speeding things up. He ran his other hand down over his balls, twisted and pulled them, feeling them tighten in response. Continuing on then, he ran a wet index finger up between his ass cheeks and teased his hole. Tugging at his cock faster and harder, adding a twist every few strokes, he felt his orgasm building.
“Close, Brian,” he whispered. “So close.”
A cloud shadow hid Jackie’s cock from the moonlight just then, but in Jackie’s half-dreaming mind it was Brian that blocked it, hovering over his cock, his lips inches from the engorged, oh-so-ready slit. A few more hard, short, sharp strokes and Jackie moaned out Brian’s name. Just as hot cum spurted out and fell back over his hand, thighs, and belly, a rain shower broke outside, drumming relief to a parched night.
In the coming weeks, I hope to see a lot of you around the web—I’ve got a blog tour happening for the release of A Shot of J&B, and a release party, a facebook chat, and who knows. Meantime share your thoughts and enter my (slightly unusual) contest! And you may also want to visit this link at Dreamspinner Press.where you can preorder A Shot of J&B at a discount: 25% storewide sale now, or 20% off with checkout code SHOTOFJB.
As always thanks for reading!
I saw this book today on ARe and it’s already in my cart. I love Luki Vasquez and can hardly wait to read about Jackie. For your questions. The first, I like books, so that’s always good (esp for my book budget), but I won an ARC copy once and thought that was the coolest thing – so thrilling. But I also think the idea of being a name in a book, too cool! Second question – I really like the blog posts where you put in an extra bit from the book/series. Or an interview with the characters. I also like to know a bit about the authors – although, that’s quite snoopy of me.
I like to get books or GC to buy books. I like the interviews the excerpts for the book, they show some of what is written in the book it self
I like books, GCs, and intangibles mainly. Some doodads are good, but (since I tend to have a lot of stuff in my house) I like to know they’re things I’ll use, like bookmarks. I tend to think a writer’s blog is an extension of the muse, so whatever the person really wants to discuss is fine with me (though I like hearing about the writing process or insights into personality).
I like ebooks and gift cards for prizes. Theme ones can be fun too Rhys Ford has had some neat prizes and they are in the theme of the books so cute idea. I like updates on wip on blog posts.
In my cart as well (waiting for payday) and I love books as prizes. Gift card for books and then all kinds of other things.
I love GC’s and books, generally the more tangible prizes come with a “US only” tag that makes me ineligible to enter (also makes me sad), I love the idea of being a character (hey I’m versatile!! I can be male, female or have my name turned around to make a new male name.) Can’t say I’ve ever contemplated my cats as characters…but who knows? lol
My fave blogs have new scenes from books, character interviews (I love reading them!) and thoughts on what is happening in the LGBT-Q community. Unfortunately the rest is mostly just skimmed over…
Residing in the UK, the options are very limited to winning a ebook (usually the authors only offer a Amazon com gift card, which I cannot use from the UK) so for me, the chance of winning any kind of swag what-so-ever would be wonderful. Personally, I love reading excerpts from intended new books and also finding out what is going on in the authors own world – it makes it so much more personal. Also, if there is any issues that writers feel readers should know about, that is good too, ie piracy of books, trolling etc.
I love getting GC’s or ebooks! I love reading scenes with the characters that aren’t in the books and character interviews. Can’t wait for this book!
My favorite type of prize is an ebook or a gift card for a ebook retailer. It would be cool for my cats to be characters in a book, too. I enjoy many types of blog posts. I love character interviews and excerpts. I also enjoy hearing about what inspired a book or character. Thanks for the contest!
Blogs are how I find books I want to buy. I enjoy character interviews and interviews with the author and excerpts and reviews. I love anything you want to give me. Ebooks are great as are gcs, but naming a character or having my dog or cat in the book is special, something unique. For swag I like little things with the author’s name on it.
I love gift cards and ebooks. I love character interviews and deleted scenes.
My favorite type of prize is the ebook first and then a GC to Amazon. No pets but naming a character would be cool to. I like the character interviews or how the author came up with the idea for the book. For me I always read the blurb and the excerpt. Hate it when chapters are included, unless it is deleted scenes. I also really like the rafflecopters that give clues to the author or book. If that makes sense.
I live in the UK and I buy all my Kindle books from US Amazon so I love Amazon, ARe or Dreamspinner gift cards and I also like e-book prizes. I like to read excerpts, interviews or posts about how the book came about etc.
I like C.G’s and books and Intangables.
Very helpful, everyone, thank you for the comments. The contest winner is Heather Rawlins. Congrats Heather. You get your name in the next book in the series. I’ve already got your character in mind! I’ll get ahold of you privately to confirm. 😉
I am so freakin’ excited about this – I’ve bragged to people who will never in a million years read the books I do – but I’ll know my name is in a book! I can hardly wait to read about another Heather. Thank you so much!