I grew up Catholic, so you can guess how much sex was discussed in my household. Even though I came of age in the 70s, my girlfriends didn’t discuss it much either.

When my daughter became of age, she had no qualms about discussing it. Not the “Gee, mom, can I have some advice?” discussions. The concept that I might know more than she did would have made her laugh. No, we’re talking, “…and then he-” type conversations.

You remember how you hated to think about the fact your parents were having sex? It’s worse when it’s your kids. And then you meet the boyfriend in question. Don’t smile at me, dude, I know where that mouth has been!

Thankfully, my daughter has outgrown the need to tell, just in time for me to start writing steamier love scenes. We still talk sex, but now it’s in terms of my stories. She’ll call me after attending a “passion” party and list the games and toys I need to research to add to a story. She called just now on her lunch break to talk about those late night radio talk shows geared toward young people’s love lives. We now have the premise for another story.

She’s now the cool girl at those toy parties, when she announces to all “My mom writes erotic romance.” I’ve lived my life in such a way to make my kids proud. Who would have guessed that for one, that moment came when I sold my first erotic romance novella.

I have a release date for Celtic Rhythm! My novella will be included in Ellora’s Cavemen 2009: Flavors of Ecstasy II, which will be available in print and ebook on June 21, 2009

My novella, Celtic Rhythm, will be published by Ellora’s Cave in one of the 2009 Cavemen Anthologies! Here’s a taste:

Celtic Rhythm

Cait McLaird came to the Highland Games to help her business partner sell their hand-painted clothing, but watching young drummer Jake Ferguson, dressed in full Scottish regalia, play for the crowd has her imagining the kind of games she’s read about but has never dared explore.

She never dates men she meets while traveling, or she wouldn’t if they ever asked, so she is quick to relegate Jake to fantasy-lover status.

Jake sees a beautiful, mature blonde at the entertainment tent entrance and is immediately intrigued, but she vanishes before their set is finished. He slips away before the fans can catch him for autographs, and hunts Cait down in her booth. His innocent plan to ask her to join him later for dinner falls apart when he kisses her.

Cait convinces herself to experience all Jake has to offer, knowing she’ll never see him again once summer is over and she goes back to her teaching job. She can look back on this in her dotage as her Summer of Bone-melting Sex.

Jake is determined to keep the passion going into the fall and winter, and perhaps for years to come. First he has to convince Cait that his passion runs through his heart, not through his groin. Will she experience the rhythm of his love, or will she walk away?

Watch for news of the release date and snippets of more of my writing!

I needed the names of some fun-sounding drinks for a story-in-progress, so I went to my resident young person/alcohol expert, my daughter Andi. As it turns out, she has a bartending book she bought her fiance that lists a whole series of X-rated drinks. She began reading drink names and our minds took off wandering. Do you really want to put your mouth around something called a Fuzzy Nipple? Eewwww!
The ingredients sound yummy enough: vodka, peach schnapps, Triple Sec and OJ. I am sure I could toss a few back. Perhaps, after a few more, everything about my partner would become fuzzy, nipples and all. I’ve been on a few dates where that could be a good thing, sort of like how everyone looks good at closing time.
I just can’t help it, though. When I hear the name I think of those furry men in the old porn movies, like Ron Jeremy, and suddenly I have the feeling of a hair caught in my throat, and the gagging that follows…
Excuse me, I need to go rinse my mouth out. I’ll pass on the fuzzy nipples.