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My Great Big Chicago RT 2012 Adventure

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

What happens at RT, stays at RT…except on Twitter, and cell phone pics, and Youtube, and blog posts–you get the picture!

So I won’t tell you that during my week at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Chicago I mixed shots with a few well-known authors, or that I had a brief but satisfying “Scottish Fling” which ended in a threesome (photo, at least) with two cover models, and witnessed a male striptease the next night, or drank some strange foreign liquor (washed down with chocolate TimTams) with some folks from down under, or that I got thongs as a gift from a reader (book thongs, that is), or that I flew to Chicago with an automatic weapon packed in my suitcase…but I will show you pictures!

 

  

 

For more of the expose’ in pictures (of the cowboy nature) check out my blog post at the Wild & Wicked Cowboys Blog

Blog Hop Link Correction

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

My bad. The link for the blog hop was incorrect. I learned something about wordpress. You can’t set up a blog in advance, copy the link, then change the date of publication after, because the link changes with the date. So sorry for the inconvenience, but if you use the URL below, you will get to the blog hop. Lesson learned. SORRY!

http://catjohnson.net/2012/04/05/blog-hop/

UPDATE APRIL 7th, 8:38am THE WINNER OF MY PORTION OF THE CARRIE ANN BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP IS reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Carrie Ann’s Blog Hop Contest!

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

>>>MY WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN<<<
UPDATE APRIL 7th, 8:38am THE WINNER OF MY PORTION OF THE CARRIE ANN BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP IS reneebennett35(at)yahoo(dot)com.
———————————————————————

I'm helping my fellow author to celebrate her birthday with a blog hop and the theme is, of course, birthdays! Favorite memories, traditions, etc… so here is mine…

The year my friends and I all turned 30 we began what has turned into a lifelong tradition–our annual girls' spa trip. We started at Gurney's Inn, in Montauk, NY on the tip of Long Island. We've been to the Sagamore at Bolton's Landing, the Inn & Spa at Norwich in Connecticut (just a stone's throw from where the PBR rides at Mohegan Sun) and also the Spa at the Hotel Hershey (see the hotel's signature Chocolate Martini recipe on the detail page for The EX-Files). Some years there have been 7 of us, all friends since we met in 5th grade, other years, there has been only 3, but every year we celebrate all of our collective annual birthdays on that one trip. No men. No kids. No stress! What we do have are a few martinis, a couple of bottles of red wine, and some male masseuses. Perfection.

Here we are at Norwich in our spawear

To celebrate Carrie Ann Ryan’s birthday blog hop, I’m featuring my hot cowboy menage UNRIDDEN. The heroine is having a tough time turning 35. Her life isn’t where she envisioned it would be. There are so many things she has yet to accomplish, professionally, and personally, so she turns to two sexy as sin professional bull riders to take her mind off it, and at the same time, she can cross “have a threesome” off her bucket list.

Here is the blurb and an excerpt from UNRIDDEN, but make sure to read down to the end of this post for the CONTEST and the link to the rest of the participating authors and bloggers also having contests for this blog hop.

UNRIDDEN Studs in Spurs, Book 1

When country boys meet a city girl, everyone is in for a wild ride.

Slade Bower and Mustang Jackson are living the high life on the professional bull-riding circuit. The prize money is big, the bulls are rank and the women are willing. But something is missing. For Slade, waking up in a different city with a different woman each morning is holding less and less appeal. Even Mustang’s creative attempts to shake things up don’t help. Then along comes a big-city author who’s like nothing they’ve ever encountered. Something about her makes Slade sit up and take notice—and Mustang is always up for anything.

Romance writer Jenna Block has a problem—her agent thinks a cowboy book will jump-start her career. A born New Yorker, Jenna doesn’t do cowboys, not on paper, and definitely not in real life. Luckily for her there are two cowboys ready, willing and able to take her out of her comfort zone in every way that counts…and some ways she hadn’t counted on.

Warning: This story contains two hot cowboys, one very lucky woman, hot ménage sex and lots of bull.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Unridden:

“Wow. This is nice.” Jenna had trouble diverting her eyes away from the large bed.

Her pulse raced. She was nervous, very nervous, and making conversation seemed the best way to postpone the inevitable—that being her and two cowboys she barely knew together in that big bed. But the moment she’d suggested they come back to the trailer, her decision had been made. After seeing the looks on both of their faces, she was pretty sure they knew it too.

There was no turning back now. Not that she wanted to. The internal do-I-or-don’t-I debate was done—she only hoped her bravado lasted long enough for her to actually go through with it without passing out from nerves.

“I like to try to stay at hotels during the competitions, but they were all booked,” Mustang explained apologetically. “On top of the bull-riding finals there’s some huge romance convention in town, or so I was told.”

As Mustang grinned pointedly at her, Jenna bit her lip and cringed. “Yeah, that would be the one I’m at. Sorry about that.”

Mustang laughed. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault. Besides, Slade actually likes the trailer better anyway.”

Jenna glanced at Slade, who was watching her and Mustang closely while not saying much. Actually, he wasn’t saying anything, as usual. “I don’t blame him for liking it. It’s a nice trailer.”

“Exactly how many trailers have you been in, darlin’?” Mustang raised a brow in challenge.

“Counting this one? Um, one.” Jenna felt her cheeks heat.

Mustang grinned. “That’s what I thought. Make yourself comfortable. I’m gonna hit the head, then get us those drinks.”

After Mustang closed himself into the tiny toilet room, Slade finally spoke. “What’s all this about, Jenna? Guzzling your drink at the bar. Asking to come back here to the trailer when last night you wanted nothing to do with it. You’ve done a total one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turnaround since yesterday. What’s up?”

She considered his question and her answer very carefully. “Today’s my birthday, Slade.”

His head dipped once in a nod. “Happy birthday.”

“It’s my thirty-fifth.” She tried not to wince.

Slade shrugged. “So what?”

“So what?” Jenna laughed. “Easy for you to say. What are you? Like twenty-five?”

“I’m turning twenty-seven next month actually. Mustang’s twenty-five, though.”

She rolled her eyes. “Great, that’s just great. Well, at least I’m not old enough to have birthed you both.”

Slade shook his head. “What does it matter? You’re only as old as you feel.”

“Maybe that’s my problem, Slade. I feel old. I’m thirty-five, have no boyfriend, and I’m starting to seriously doubt my career choice. I’m not where I thought I’d be at this point in my life.”

“First of all, you don’t look thirty-five.”

Jenna snorted. “Thanks.”

“As for the rest, I don’t know shit about writing or books or what plans you had for your life, but as far as the no boyfriend part… I can’t say I’m unhappy about that.”

She raised her gaze to meet his. “Really?”

That had been quite a revelation from the man of few words. For the first time since meeting him, Jenna really looked at Slade, without looking away this time. She stared deep into his dark eyes and saw the man beneath the stone-hard exterior.

He nodded. “Yeah. Really.”

Maybe it had been the vodka and her deepening gloom over her crappy cowboy book on top of being yet another year older that had prompted Jenna to suggest going back to the trailer in the first place. But right now, it was Slade and his sincerity that made Jenna not doubt her decision one bit. She wanted this.

Hell, she was pretty sure she needed this.

Jenna stepped forward and leaned toward him. There wasn’t much distance between them to begin with given the size of the trailer, and now Slade was right in front of her, their bodies almost touching.

Slade was still too tall for her to reach what she wanted, until, eyes never leaving hers, he lowered his head a few inches, meeting her halfway. Tipping her head up to close that last temptingly tiny space, she touched her lips to his. She heard the sharp breath he dragged in through his nose at the contact.

As Slade’s rough palms came up and cradled her face, his mouth pressed harder against hers…and then the latch on the trailer bathroom jiggled.

In the blink of an eye, Slade raised his head and took one giant step back, leaving Jenna alone with her raging hormones.

She and Slade maintained eye contact for what seemed like forever before Mustang came to stand next to them again. Jenna turned in time to see the interested look Mustang gave them both.

“Hi.” Jenna smiled at him.

Mustang raised a brow and drawled out a slow, low, “Hey, darlin’.” The sound sent a quiver straight through her.

Oh, boy, was she in trouble.

Want to enter to win a download of The EX-Files (my other contemporary romance where the heroine celebrates a birthday)? Comment below with what’s on your bucket list? Don’t forget to include your email so we can contact the winner.

To be fair to readers in all the different time zones, comment until 11:59 PM ET April 6th, I will announce my winner on April 7th (chosen using random.org).

Don’t forget to read the message from Carrie Ann BELOW to find out how to enter for the GRAND PRIZE

REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENT TO BE ENTERED FOR THE GRAND PRIZE FROM CARRIE ANN!

A MESSAGE FROM CARRIE ANN—

Hi All!

April 6th is my birthday. Watch out! LOL. And to celebrate, around 60 of my author and blogger friends are hosting a hop for two days!! Whoot!

Each author is going to talk about their favorite birthdays or why they love (or hate) them. Really its a free for all because I actually like birthdays.

What does that mean for you as a reader?

Well, each author is giving away a prize at their blog. AND we’re giving away TWO grand prizes.

1) A Kindle Touch

2) A $60 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card

Yep. You can comment on each blog and enter to win! How great is that? So on April 5th the hop begins and you have until 11:59PM on the 6th to participate!

Thanks so much and I hope to see you there!!

Carrie Ann Ryan

Paranormal Romance Author

http://www.carrieannryan.com/

Below are participating blogs…

Name Links
Carrie Ann Ryan http://www.carrieannryan.blogspot.com/
Lia Davis www.authorliadavis.com/
Beth-Ann Mason www.bethannmason.com/blog
Writer,Author,Husband,Dad jamieheppner.blogspot.com/
Natasha Blackthorne jamieheppner.blogspot.com/
Romance Book Club blog.romance-book-club.com
Daryl Devore myeroticnotions.blogspot.com
Eliza Gayle elizagayle.net/blog
Realmantic Moments http://realmanticmoments.blogspot.com/
Amber Kallyn amberkallyn.wordpress.com
Harlies Books harliebooks.blogspot.com
Wickedly Erotic by JL Oiler www.joiler.weebly.com
Kacey Hammel http://kaceyhammellkreations.blogspot.com/
I Love Shape-Shifters michelehart.blogspot.com/
Marie Dees mariedees.com
Victoria Adams victoriaadams.blogspot.com/
The World of Heaven Oshey http://theworldofheavenoshey.blogspot.com/
Lucy Francis www.lucyfrancis.net
Vickie Taylor www.vickietaylor.com
Tara Lain taralain.blogspot.com
Birthday Traditions www.steelestories.com
Wendi Zwaduk wendizwaduk.blogspot.com/
Megan Slayer http://theauthormeganslayer.blogspot.com/
Cari Quinn cariquinn.blogspot.com
Stephanie Haefner http://www.stephaniehaefnerthewriter.com/
Angelique Armae http://angeliquearmae.blogspot.com/
Cassandra Carr http://booksbycassandracarr.com/wordpress/
Kharisma Rhayne www.kharismarhayne.com
A Page in the Life http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogspot.com/
Wendy Elys Books www.wendyely.blogspot.com/
Jessica E. Subject jessicasubject.com
K.E. Saxon www.kesaxon.blogspot.com
Stacy Jubas Mysteries, Murder & More stacyjuba.com/blog/blog/
Jessie Kimmel-Freeman http://bellanottethebook.weebly.com/blog.html
Tracy Sumners Romance Site www.tracysumner.com
Shells Book Corner shellsbookcorner.blogspot.com/
Allison Merritt havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com
Suzzana C Ryan http://www.suzzanacryanromanceauthor.blogspt.com/
Lizzie Starr starrwords.blogspot.com
Diana Layne Blog blog.dianalayne.com/
Love is a Many Flavored Thing – DC Juris dcjuris.blogspot.com
Dianne Venetta www.diannevenetta.com
Sharon Gerlach sharongerlach.wordpress.com
Book Lovers Haven taiyouryu.blogspot.com
Romance you Can Sink Your Fangs into http://www.shannanalbright.blogspot.com/
Casey Crow (18+ Over) www.caseycrow.com/blog/
Writing with Kristine Cayne kristinecayne.blogspot.com/
Just a Readers Ramblings http://justareadersramblings.wordpress.com/
Angela Stone www.angelastone.ca/blog-3
Rawiya Erotica rawiyaerotica.wordpress.com
Conversations with Lisa Mondello www.lisamondello.blogspot.com
Passions Recalled and Celebrated christineleovlealand-author.blogspot.co.nz/
Bull Protettore http://bullprotettoremurdermysteries.blogspot.com/
Louisa Bacio – Love Knows No Bounds louisabacio.blogspot.com
Cat Johnson catjohnson.net/2012/04/06/blog-hop/
Cynthia Woolf www.cynthiawoolf.com/blog
Diane Alberts dianealberts.com
Patrica Green Books www.patriciagreenbooks.com
Discovering Nya Rayne http://discoveringnyarayne.blogspot.com/

Welcome BOBBY to the Red, Hot, & Blue Smalltown Heat trilogy!

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

BOBBY Red, Hot & Blue Series Book 6Happy release day!

Today marks the long awaited Samhain Publishing eRelease of BOBBY (Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 6). We first met the brooding, steely-eyed small town deputy sheriff in JACK (Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 2) when Jack Gordon is home at the Gordon family horse farm in Pigeon Hollow on a break from his Black Ops unit duties.

We get to enjoy Bobby Barton again in a larger role in JARED (Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 4) as Jared Gordon’s best friend during the trying time when a Hollywood film crew moves in to focus on their tiny town. We get more of Bobby, and his protective side, as heroine Lizzie Barton’s brother in COLE (Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 5).

Now Bobby gets his own tale, and his own girl, as we wrap up the continuing reality show sub-plot in Jared and Cole.

For the full Red, Hot, & Blue Series reading order go here.

On a side note, this past week I got notification that TEXAS TWO-STEP was up for Best  Erotic Western Romance in 2011. The voting is happening now through the end of March at The Romance Reviews. Long live cowboys! Now, back to Bobby…

BOBBY

When the reality TV cameras stop rolling, things really start to heat up. 

Deputy Sheriff Bobby Barton agrees to put up with a reality TV show in his town for two reasons: it’ll be good for local business, and the producers promise to keep out of his. Except the show keeps creeping into his personal life. Plus, against his better judgment, he finds himself hoping that the show’s assistant producer, Christy Dunne, will creep into his bed.

Christy never mixed business with pleasure, but Bobby has her breaking all her own rules. When she makes a decision that can cost her job, suddenly she’s scrambling to keep her career from crashing. Though landing in Bobby’s bed might make it worth all the uproar.

With cameras all over town, a meddling executive producer manipulating everyone’s lives, their own scruples getting in the way, and the show’s deadline looming, Bobby and Christy can’t think about love. Then again, how can they not?

This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release. 

Warning: Contains one sexy, brooding, overprotective officer of the law who uses his handcuffs for more than catching criminals.

 Enjoy this EXCERPT from BOBBY-

The sun was just making its presence known in the eastern sky when Christy and her cameraman, John Fletcher—Fletch for short—pulled up and parked on the road in front of the Barton house.

Christy spared a moment to take a second glance at the peachy glow on the horizon. She didn’t see the sun rise in L.A. often. There was that one night her girlfriends took her out for her birthday and then to a diner for breakfast after the dance club closed. But she didn’t remember noticing the sunrise. No surprise there.

Fletch yawned. “You have no mercy, dragging a man out to work before his first cup of coffee.” The video camera balanced tenuously on his shoulder, making Christy want to put her hand up to steady it.

She put one finger to her lips. “Shhh. I want to sneak in and get him as he’s waking up.”

Fletch managed to raise a sleepy but suggestive-looking eyebrow. “You’re just hoping he’s naked.”

Christy frowned at him and opened the back door stealthily, hoping he didn’t notice she hadn’t denied the accusation.

It still amazed her how everyone around Pigeon Hollow left their doors unlocked. Once Mrs. Barton had assured her she was welcome to let herself in at anytime, day or night, she had begun to plan how to best capture Bobby without his being on guard because of the camera. Today’s little fishing excursion was the perfect excuse to sneak in and find the man right where she wanted him, in more ways than one—in bed. Which was why she was sneaking in just before five, when he’d told her to arrive by five-thirty.

She crept through the silent kitchen and down the hall to where she knew Bobby’s bedroom was. Mrs. Barton, the quintessential southern hostess, had given her a tour of the house on the first day. Bobby, unhappy Mandy had named him as a main character for the show, had scowled the entire time.

At first Christy had assumed Bobby’s reaction to her being privy to his home life was caused by embarrassment. After all, he had to be thirty, but he still lived with his parents in spite of having what appeared to be a good job. That was before Christy gleaned the real situation. Bobby was there to help raise his sister’s fatherless son, or formerly fatherless son. But that was a whole other story, one she’d had on tape, the tape she’d turned over to Bobby. The decision that would likely cost her job.

When she had realized that the reason Bobby wanted that tape was because he didn’t want his nephew or his sister exposed to the entire world, and not to protect his own reputation, she’d finally given it up to him. But the bonus side, which made up for the crap she’d taken from Mandy over it, was that he now owed her. He owed her big and she intended to collect.

Her heart started to beat a little faster when she reached Bobby’s closed bedroom door. She turned the knob tentatively, not knowing if this was the one door in Pigeon Hollow that would actually be locked.

It opened and her heart pounded harder as she stepped into the room lit by only the soft glow of early morning light creeping through the half-raised blinds.

Bobby slept with the two windows open, a fan propped in one, blowing on him where he lay on the bed. It figured he didn’t have an air conditioner in his room, even in the summer. Mr. Tough Guy wasn’t the type.

He slept face up, on top of the sheets, totally exposed and clad in only dark- colored boxer briefs. In the dimly lit room, Christy’s eyes widened. There was a lot of man contained in those briefs—long, thick, hard. She swallowed at the sight.

In hindsight, this had probably been a risky idea. She’d never considered he slept on top of the covers. What if the man had slept in the nude? She swallowed and was very aware that Fletch had begun filming next to her. The tape was rolling. Too late now.

She glanced back to the underwear and the man within them. Privately, she’d been torn as to whether this staunch public servant would be a boxer or a brief man. This morning had answered her question. His garment was neither and both at the same time, much like the man himself. Yes, Deputy Bobby—as Mandy called him—was a paradox all right.

Bobby stirred in his sleep. With a groan, he reached down and rubbed his impressively thick length through his underwear before rolling over onto his stomach and showing her his other asset. That side was just as nice to look at as the other. This man was definitely a two-sided coin, and both sides were equally attractive.

The red glowing numbers on the bedside alarm clock changed to 5:00 and a deafening beeping filled the room. Christy jumped. Fletch cursed. Bobby rolled over and slapped the button. Then he made Christy fear for her life, no exaggeration, since it seemed the deputy slept with his weapon. Or at least with it right next to his bed on the nightstand.

Gun drawn and wearing a glare that could kill without bullets, Bobby growled, “This here is a good way to get yourselves shot.”

With another withering glance in her direction, but without any sign of self- consciousness, he stood. He grabbed a pair of jeans off the bedside chair and strode into the hall on his way to what Christy assumed would be the bathroom.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “You get all that, Fletch?”

Samhain Store

Barnes & Noble Nook 

Amazon Kindle

The hot military men you love are now in paperback!

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

You asked for it and you got it!

My three individual eBooks TREY, JACK & JIMMY are now officially available in the trade paperback compilation RED BLOODED.

Available for immediate order and delivery from all the big online paperback retailers.

Or support your local independent bookseller and ask them to order you a copy. Just give them this number: ISBN: 978-1-60928-446-6

RED BLOODED

~ a Red, Hot, & Blue Series Paperback

What’s hotter than a man in uniform? Getting him out of his uniform. Meet the red-blooded, true-blue men of Special Task Force Zeta!

TREY
The woman who’s posing as Trey’s wife on a special assignment is exactly the kind of distraction he can’t afford. Carly can’t believe she agreed to a dangerous mission with the one thing she swore never to have in her life again—a military man. It’s not long, though, before her body betrays her, followed closely by her heart.

JACK
Jack never wanted a forced vacation back home, but the new farm hand is rousing his interest. She’s hiding something—and he’s got the skills to find out what. The farm is the perfect place for Niccolina to hide…until Jack shows up. He strikes sparks that put both her body and her heart in danger. Especially when her secrets catch up to her.

JIMMY
Jimmy had one amazing night with the governor’s hot, redheaded daughter. Then an assignment pulled him away to the worst six months of his life. The only reason he’s alive—her memory. It figures that Lia’s one rebellious night ended when the man disappeared. When they meet again, the chemistry is stronger than ever. Tempting her to stop sacrificing happiness for the family dynasty.

Warning: Contains bad men with big…guns, special operatives looking for some action, and sex hot enough to melt your panties off.

ORDER PAPERBACK AT:

Samhain

Books A Million

Barnes & Noble

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

Amazon UK

Amazon France

Amazon Germany

Amazon Japan


Down the Rabbit Hole: Avoiding the Slippery Slope

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

It seems as if, like Alice, we’ve all slipped down the rabbit hole into a world that is less Wonderland and more WTF-land. In the year 2012, politicians are on TV actually discussing the legalities of birth control, even as banks are telling legal adults what we can and can’t sell and buy for our own personal use. It’s surreal. It’s frightening. It’s angering (if that is even a word).

It’s a slippery slope I don’t want to go down. So what can we do? Mark Coker, the owner of Smashwords, explains the situation better than I can in his email to indie publishers, which I have pasted below. He outlines steps we can all take to make sure we don’t go down that rabbit hole and find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be….

 

 

PAYPAL CENSORSHIP UPDATE
________________________________________

In case you haven't heard, about two weeks ago, PayPal contacted Smashwords and 
gave us a surprise ultimatum: Remove all titles containing bestiality, rape 
or incest, otherwise they threatened to deactivate our PayPal account. We engaged 
them in discussions and on Monday they gave us a temporary reprieve as we continue 
to work in good faith to find a suitable solution. 

PayPal tells us that their crackdown is necessary so that they can remain in 
compliance with the requirements of the banks and credit card associations (likely 
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, though they didn't mention them 
by name).

Last Friday, I sent the following email to our erotica authors and publishers: 
https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/27 Then on Monday, I issued an update, 
and announced we would delay enforcement of PayPal's guidelines so we and PayPal 
could continue our discussions: https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/28

THE PROBLEM:

PayPal is asking us to censor legal fiction. Regardless of how one views topics 
of rape, bestiality and incest, these topics are pervasive in mainstream fiction. 
We believe this crackdown is really targeting erotica writers. This is unfair, 
and it marks a slippery slope. We don't want credit card companies or financial 
institutions telling our authors what they can write and what readers can read. 
Fiction is fantasy. It's not real. It's legal. 


THE SOLUTION:

There's no easy solution. Legally, PayPal and the credit card companies probably 
have the right to decide how their services are used. Unfortunately, since they're 
the moneyrunners, they control the oxygen that feeds digital commerce.

Many Smashwords authors have suggested we find a different payment processor. 
That's not a good long term solution, because if credit card companies are behind 
this, they'll eventually force crackdowns elsewhere. PayPal works well for us. 
In addition to running all credit card processing at the Smashwords.com store, 
PayPal is how we pay all our authors outside the U.S. My conversations with 
PayPal are ongoing and have been productive, yet I have no illusion that the 
road ahead will be simple, or that the outcome will be favorable. 


BUILDING A COALITION OF SUPPORT:

Independent advocacy groups are considering taking on the PayPal censorship case. 
I'm supporting the development of this loose-knit coalition of like-minded groups 
who believe that censorship of legal fiction should not be allowed. We will grow 
the coalition. Each group will have its own voice and tactics I'm working with 
them because we share a common cause to protect books from censorship. Earlier 
today I had conversations with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), The 
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National 
Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). I briefed them on the Smashwords/PayPal 
situation, explained the adverse affect this crackdown will have on some of our 
authors and customers, and shared my intention to continue working with PayPal 
in a positive manner to move the discussion forward. 

The EFF blogged about the issue a few days ago: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/legal-censorship-paypal-makes-habit-deciding-what-users-can-read 
Today, ABFFE and NCAC issued a press release: http://www.scribd.com/doc/83549049/NCAC-ABFFE-Letter-To-PayPal-eBay-re-Ebook-Refusal-2012

I will not be on the streets with torch in hand calling for PayPal's head, but 
I will encourage interested parties to get involved and speak their piece. This 
is where you come in...


HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Although erotica authors are being targeted, this is an issue that should concern 
all indie authors. It affects indies disproportionately because indies are the 
ones pushing the boundaries of fiction. Indies are the ones out there publishing 
without the (fading) protective patina of a "traditional publisher" to lend them 
legitimacy. We indies only have each other.

Several Smashwords authors have contacted me to stress that this censorship affects 
women disproportionately. Women write a lot of the erotica, and they're also 
the primary consumers of erotica. They're also the primary consumers of mainstream 
romance, which could also come under threat if PayPal and the credit card companies 
were to overly enforce their too-broad and too-nebulous obsenity clauses (I think 
this is unlikely, but at the same time, why would dubious consent be okay in 
mainstream romance but not okay in erotica? If your write paranormal, can your 
were-creatures not get it on with one another, or is that bestiality? The insanity 
needs to stop here. These are not questions an author, publisher or distributor 
of legal fiction should have to answer.). 

All writers and their readers should stand up and voice their opposition to financial 
services companies censoring books. Authors should have the freedom to publish 
legal fiction, and readers should have the freedom to read what they want. 

These corporations need to hear from you. Pick up the phone and call them. 
Email them. Start petitions. Sign petitions. Blog your opposition to censorship. 
Encourage your readers to do the same. Pass the word among your social networks. 
Contact your favorite bloggers and encourage them to follow this story. Contact 
your local newspaper and offer to let them interview you so they can hear a local 
author's perspective on this story of international significance. If you have 
connections to mainstream media, encourage them to pick up on the story. Encourage 
them to call the credit card companies and pose this simple question, "PayPal 
says they're trying to enforce the policies of credit card companies. Why are 
you censoring legal fiction?"

Below are links to the companies waiting to hear from you. Click the link and 
you'll find their phone numbers, executive names and postal mailing addresses. 
Be polite, respectful and professional, and encourage your friends and followers 
to do the same. Let them know you want them out of the business of censoring 
legal fiction. 

Tell the credit card companies you want them to give PayPal permission to sell 
your ebooks without censorship or discrimination. Let them know that PayPal's 
policies are out of step with the major online ebook retailers who already accept 
your books as they are. Address your calls, emails (if you can find the email) 
and paper letters (yes paper!) to the executives. Post open letters to them 
on your blog, then tweet and Facebook hyperlinks to your letters. Force the 
credit card companies to join the discussion about censorship. And yes, express 
your feelings and opinions to PayPal as well. Don't scream at them. Ask them 
to work on your behalf to protect you and your readers from censorship. Tell 
them how their proposed censorship will harm you and your fellow writers.

Visa: 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=V+Profile

American Express: 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=AXP+Profile

MasterCard: 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=MA+Profile

Discover: 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=DFS+Profile

Ebay (owns PayPal): 
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ebay+Profile

_________

Starting Sunday, if our email systems can handle it, we will send out an email 
to several hundred thousand registered Smashwords members who are opted in to 
receive occasional Smashwords service updates. The email will combine Read an 
Ebook Week with the censorship call to action. Let's start a little fire, shall 
we?

Thank you for your continuing support of Smashwords. With your help, we can 
move mountains.

Best wishes,

Mark



Mark Coker
Founder
Smashwords
http://smashwords.com
blog: http://blog.smashwords.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/markcoker

Newly Rereleased: BENEATH THE SURFACE

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

 

A multiauthor anthology I was in recently went out of print so what did I do? I brushed up the story, gave it a shiny new cover and uploaded it to the sites I haven’t been shut out of (meaning all sites except Bookstrand).

It’s my pleasure to reintroduce you to BENEATH THE SURFACE, my contemporary short story set in Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Enjoy!

BENEATH THE SURFACE

Beneath the Surface by Cat Johnson

Rick Jones is on a mission and the answers he seeks may lie deep beneath the streets of New York within the secrets of Grand Central Terminal. While Rick goes both undercover and underground in search of clues, he encounters a woman he finds just as intriguing as the mystery he’s working to solve.

Beth Cooke’s job as a conservation expert at the landmark train station gives Rick just the in he needs to explore areas otherwise off-limits to the public. He only hope Beth isn’t equally off-limits. Rick’s determined to both satisfy his desire for her and find the answers to his questions, but will Beth believe him when the truth is finally revealed?

This story has been previously published. It has been reedited from the original version.

15,000 words $. 99

Download at:

Amazon (Kindle)

Barnes & Noble  (Nook)

Smashwords (multiple formats)

All Romance eBooks (multiple formats)

My Banned Books – Turning Lemons Into Lemonade (or maybe Lemon Martinis)

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

Now that my delicate author’s ego has calmed, the promo ho in me has awoken. So here are the self-published books that “crossed the line of good taste” (Siren/Bookstrand’s exact words in a letter to Jane at Dear Author) and got my indie publisher account shut down and my books banned from their site. They are all, at the time of this writing, still available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ARe and Smashwords but who knows for how long. Some are at Kobo and some at the iBookstore as well but you better go check them out now before panic infects all the retailers and it’s too late and they’re gone! Don’t be offended–they must be horribly scandalous!

OPPOSITES ATTRACT-a Romantic Comedy Trilogy 

TAKING A LEAP

Bradley Morgan is the quintessential computer geek and nice guy, through and through. The only problem is that in his opinion, nice guys almost always finish last when it comes to hot women like his sexy co-worker Alyssa Jones. But things change after Alyssa finds her boyfriend cheating. Suddenly, nice guys like Brad don’t look so bad. So when Brad agrees to ghostwrite the sex scenes for a romance novel as a favor for desperate client Maria White and asks for Alyssa’s help after hours, she agrees wholeheartedly and things really start to heat up. Brad and Alyssa learn you should never judge a book by its cover and that sometimes love requires a leap of faith.

LIGHT MY FIRE

Amy Gerald’s life is filled with whirlwind romance. Unfortunately, it’s all on the pages of the romance novels she publishes. That is until she volunteers to cat-sit for her friend Maria White and meets Troy O’Donnell, the hunky fireman who lives next door. The problem is, this commitment-phobic consummate bachelor is far more willing to run into a burning building than allow love into his life. Troy will grasp at any excuse, even the ridiculous assumption that Amy is a lesbian, just to avoid his growing feelings for her. Amid a comedy of errors and misunderstandings, which includes Troy’s first hilarious visit to a gay bar, Amy manages to light Troy’s fire, but can she also conquer his fears?

SECOND TIME AROUND

Antonio Sanchez thought that at 32 his life was all mapped out—wife, kids, career—until some major bumps in the road radically alter his course and send him careening right into the path of newly divorced Maddie Morgan. After being thrust back into single life, Antonio moves back in with his old-fashioned parents and has to learn to juggle being a part-time dad to his kids, his job at the firehouse and his role as Best Man for his newly engaged best friend Troy, all in addition to facing his unquenchable desire for Maddie. Throw in a slew of matchmaking friends and relatives, led by Maria whose apartment appears to be the Bermuda Triangle for floundering lovers and Antonio and Maddie discover just how complicated things can get. Can the pair prove that love really is better the second time around?

This book has been previously published by Linden Bay Romance. It has been reedited for rerelease.

Just Desserts Cat Johnson

JUST DESSERTS- a Romantic Comedy Trilogy

Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but these three tales are hot, hot, hot!

Private Investigations
Donna is the kind of person who never thinks twice when it comes to helping a friend in need. So when her co-worker suspects her boyfriend of cheating, Donna is right there in the stakeout car next to her. Little does she know that their brief foray in private investigation will lead to her own investigating of a sexy PI’s privates.

Between Love and Hate
Jade thought she’d found the one, until she finds proof her boyfriend has been secretly meeting someone else. What’s a girl to do? Get back at him, of course. However, sometimes things aren’t always as they seem.

Saving Grace
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Grace realizes all of her friends have found the loves of their lives while she is still alone and lonely. But when a secret admirer sweeps her off her feet, she discovers that Mr. Right may really be oh-so-wrong. With help from an unexpected ally, can she get free of him before she finds herself all tied up?

This work has been previously published by Linden Bay Romance. It has been reedited for rerelease.

Nice & Naughty

NICE & NAUGHTY- a Hot Holiday Trilogy

What’s better than a fireman? Twelve of them, naked, on the pages of your calendar.

The hot firemen you loved in Opposites Attract are back with their friends, but now they’re wearing a lot less clothing and heating up the holidays like never before. Be prepared for secret identities, a sizzling calendar shoot, smoldering bachelor firemen up for auction, sexy Santas and a whole lot more!

Secret Recipe: A famous lifestyle maven who secretly can’t cook? Good thing a sizzling hot fireman/calendar model knows his way around the kitchen and is there to rescue her and her charity event from certain disaster. If they detour to the bedroom on the way to the kitchen, even better.

Mr. December: When the real December calendar man gets sick, a rich department store owner has to step in for him and play Santa. Once he meets the pretty lady photographer sent to cover the event, things really start to heat up. The only problem is, she has no idea who he really is, and he’s not all that keen on telling her.

Can’t Buy Me Love: What do you get when you take one over-worked caterer on the brink of a nervous breakdown and add a hunky fireman for sale at the charity bachelor auction she’s catering? You get a woman who finally finds the one gift to buy herself that she’s never going to want to return.

This book was previously published by Linden Bay Romance. It has been reedited from the original version.

Gillian's Island

GILLIAN’S ISLAND – a romantic comedy

A beautiful bride, a handsome groom, and a private cruise. What could possibly go wrong? How about a hurricane, one stranded yacht, a few useless, scantily clad bridesmaids and an equal number of horny groomsmen?

In the midst of it all, maid of honor Gillian Marlboro wonders if Jamie Foster could be not only the groom’s best man, but also the man for her. Would the universe be so cruel as to hand her the perfect man and then let them both perish on an island that provides no fresh water and only Mother Nature’s aphrodisiacs for sustenance?

The eBook has been previously published by Sapphire Blue Publishing. It has been reedited and revised from the original version.

Crossing the Line by Cat Johnson

CROSSING THE LINE – a Military Romance

In this modern day tale of forbidden romance, can love conquer all?

Carrie Armstrong joined the Air Force seeking education, experience, and travel. What she didn’t expect to find was the one thing military rules clearly state she can’t have, Staff Sergeant Beau Adams.

Throughout the 14 years of his life that Beau has dedicated to the Marine Corps, he’s never had reason to regret his decision to make the military his career, until now, when loving Carrie, the only woman he can picture growing old with, could cost him his future.

As the tension between them increases to the breaking point, their ability to resist temptation weakens. Forced to make a choice, do they willingly risk everything they’ve worked so hard to gain by crossing the line?

This book has been previously published by Linden Bay Romance and has been revised from its original release.

Educating Ansley Cat Johnson RED

EDUCATING ANSLEY- a Cowboy M/F/M Menage

Gossip Girl meets the Dukes of Hazard with a whole lot of red hot sex thrown in–that’s Educating Ansley

Connecticut’s rich and beautiful summer at mansions in the Hamptons not on a ranch in Colorado, but that’s exactly where society girl Ansley Craig’s been banished by her grandmother just for having a little too much fun at a graduation party.

She expects to find cows and boredom at the Kane ranch. What she doesn’t count on are the Kane brothers. Ansley may have the college degree, but Jeremy and Ryan are two cowboys who can teach her a few things she didn’t learn in school.

Reader Advisory: Expect one spoiled rich girl engaging in frequent sexual acts including multiple partner situations, same sex play, anal sex and even a roll in the hay. A M/F/M HFN threesome.

THE EX-FILES- an erotic romance

As “Plain Jane” Dolan—what an ex once called her—makes her way through her little black book and the men from her past searching for the Mr. Right who got away, there’s another man who makes his way into her little black panties. She can’t deny he feels oh so right.

Gorgeous and much too young Damian serves up both tongue-tantalizing cocktails and mind-boggling orgasms and Jane finds her post-date sexual encounters with the tempting bartender completely irresistible.

But her soulmate is waiting and there are still more men from her past to re-date—or are there?

Reader Advisory: Contains smoking hot sex with no strings–but with toys!

CAT SNIPS- A Short Story Anthology 

Black Cat
Lar has existed as a cat for a thousand years, with all the discomforts and indignities that go along with it. But when he’s adopted by Belinda and wakes

Cat Snips ~ A short story anthologyup no longer a cat, but as a man and in her bed, can his curse finally be at an end? For more about the characters of Grace and Donna from Black Cat, look for Just Desserts by Cat Johnson.

Friends With Benefits
Meg thinks she’s getting the best of both worlds when she and her friend Jeff decide to start having sex with no strings attached, until Meg suddenly finds that, strings or not, she’s become attached to Jeff. The question is, does Jeff feel the same, or is there a new woman in his life?

Fireworks
The last thing Brad wants to do is attend leadership school over the 4th of July holiday. How could the Army think it was a good idea to schedule training in Georgia in July? When his roommate Joe suggests they go see the fireworks and they run into Mary Jo, Joe’s first love there, Brad soon realizes things are only going to get a whole lot hotter. Especially once he discovers that Joe likes to share.

The Soldier and the Siren
After having his heart torn out by a Dear John letter while deployed, David returns home without much hope of things getting better. Then he heard her voice and his whole world changed.

The Rookie (a Studs in Spurs series deleted scene)
This 2,500 word deleted scene from Bucked (Studs in Spurs, Book 2) features Mustang, Chase and one lucky woman who gets to know them better. It’s not a complete story, nor is it a happily-ever-after romance, but it is a smoking hot threesome scene fans of the series, and readers of Bucked will love.

Eight Second Ride (a Studs in Spurs series short story)
Young pro bull rider Chase Reese learns a lesson about women the hard way, but makes a friend in the process in this high energy, action packed 3,000 word single scene. Written as a “thank you” to the fans of the Studs in Spurs series who requested more of Chase. See more of Chase and his fellow bull riders in the Studs in Spurs series by Cat Johnson and don’t miss Chase’s book Ride (Studs in Spurs, Book 3).

Bookstrand no more…

Posted on by Author Cat Johnson

It’s ridiculous that I have to take time away from my full-time writing career to do this, but here it goes…

I just received the following email:

Dear Indie Author,
 
We have made a decision to no longer maintain most indie author accounts at BookStrand.com.  Therefore, we are deactivating all titles associated with your account and no new uploads will be accepted.  Your final distribution payment will be disbursed to you within 30 days and your account will be closed. During this time you will still be able to access your sales report from your account.
 
BookStrand will focus on its core business by servicing accounts of publishers with clear submission and publishing guidelines that best serve our targeted audience.  Our customer base was successfully built on this premise, and it’s time to go back to our roots.
 
While we understand you may be disappointed in losing a distribution outlet for your work, there are still several outlets that currently accept self-published titles. We wish you the best in your endeavors.
 
Sincerely,
Howie M.
BookStrand.com

No, I didn’t make a lot of money from my self-published titles on Bookstrand. In fact, hardly any at all. Seriously, like $100 a year total. It was barely worth taking the time to upload the books for that but I listed my titles there so my readers would have options. Why did Bookstrand deactivate my account? Because they were getting flack from PayPal about some of the self-published books on Bookstrand that contained things PayPal considered obsene, such as pseudo-incest (step-parents and step-children) and barely legal sex (18 year old teens having sex).

What books did I have there in my self-published account that is now inactive? I had my romantic comedies that were originally released by Linden Bay Romance in both eBook and print (OPPOSITES ATTRACT, NICE & NAUGHTY, JUST DESSERTS), one military book from Linden Bay Romance (CROSSING THE LINE), and my recently out-of-print eBook I got the rights back to when Sapphire Blue Publishing closed its doors (GILLIAN’S ISLAND). So I had a few books about computer geeks, and firemen, and a Marine, some of them barely containing any sex at all, and books that had been accepted, edited and published by actual publishers even if they were small press. Then I had my two self-published books EDUCATING ANSLEY and THE EX-FILES. Yes, these were erotic romance, but they also had a happy ever after ending, and safe, consensual sex between mature adults. I also had my Free Read CAT SNIPS, an anthology of short stories, one of which was also once published and I’d gotten the rights back. In one of those stories, there isn’t even actual sex, just a dream.

So like the tuna who gets caught in the commercial fishing nets, I got swept up and disposed of along with the other books they didn’t want listed because of the PayPal censorship and Bookstrands’ fear and laziness. Why take the time to look at my actual books when you can just delete “most” indie accounts? I believe they said MOST because there are a few self-pubbed authors there who make them a SHITLOAD of money (pardon my French)  so they are willing to take a risk with them.

It shouldn’t matter really, as I said I made crap there, but I’m pissed. This line really got me… “publishers with clear submission and publishing guidelines”. I’m a best seller at Samhain Publishing (who has an excellent reputation in the industry). Samhain routinely has books on the NY Times bestseller list so they are not churning out crap. I just signed a 3 book deal with Kensington Brava. I’ve been published in YA by Tor Books, Western Publishing (who owns Golden Books) and Sports Illustrated for Kids since the 1980s. Yet I’m being treated like I’m not  a professional, like someone who is putting out inappropriate content and inferior works because I chose to self-publish? Even if most of those books were previously published? Maybe I’m just having a diva moment. A “don’t you know who I am?” *foot stomp* type of moment. Then again maybe I’m just scared, because if Amazon KDP and Barnes and Noble Pubit follow Bookstrand’s lead, that will financially hurt me because self-publishing with those companies pays my mortgage.

I guess we’ll see…