Official cover of The Discipline by Jade A Waters

New Year, Fun News!

Happy 2017, everyone!

It’s a new year, which means all sorts of fun new things are happening. Woo hoo! As you may have heard, my debut erotic romance novel, The Assignment, released back in December—it’s been very exciting! But, thankfully, the wild release ride isn’t over yet. I’m thrilled to share not only that Lessons in Control book two, The Discipline, is out in a couple short months on March 13th and ready to pre-order now, but that we have an official back cover blurb to go with its sexy ass front cover. Score!Official cover of The Discipline by Jade A Waters

In just a moment, you’ll find some enticing information about what’s ahead in book two for dear Maya Clery and her romantic lead, Dean Sova…but don’t forget to read on after, since I have some nifty events to remind you of, too.

For now, let me introduce you to The Discipline…

How far would you go to fulfill a fantasy? 

Maya Clery has taken risks before. Her relationship with Dean Sova started out as a risk—a series of sexual assignments, each hotter, wilder, more intense than the last. Exploring her submissive side with a powerful, trustworthy Dominant has been everything she hoped for, everything she needed.

Dean pushes Maya to her limits—it’s one of the things she loves most about him. But as they push the boundaries outside their sex life, meeting friends and family members, Maya realizes there’s still much she doesn’t know about the man with whom she’s sharing her bed.

And when a fantasy simmering between them becomes their latest challenge, past secrets begin to reveal weaknesses in their relationship that neither is ready to face.

Book two of Lessons in Control  

This book is approximately 78,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise

Oh, man-o. Are you excited? I’m excited. I have had so much fun writing Maya and Dean’s journey, so I can’t wait for the second installment of their story to make its way into your hands. And, though you can preorder the book now, there’s still a little time to kill before you’ll have it delivered. Fortunately, I have two sexy and free reading events I hope you’ll join me at this month to tide you over!

The first is just around the corner on January 24th, in Oakland, California. It’s the Dirty Old Women Read Erotica event at Octopus Literary Salon at 2101 Webster Street (at 22nd). I’m delighted to be one of the two featured readers there that night! The event starts at 7:30 p.m. with an open mic, and then both Zoe Kat and I will be reading some sexiness to you from 8 to 9. I’ll be reading a smoking hot excerpt from The Assignment, and I’ll also have some swag from the book for those who attend. I sure hope you join us!

Swag for The Assignment

I’ve got swag!

Then, one week later on January 31st, I’ll be down in L.A. with the fabulous Rachel Kramer Bussel as well as authors Jocelyn Bringas and Melina Greenport to celebrate the just released Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 2. We’ll be reading at Skylight Books L.A. at 1818 N. Vermont Avenue starting at 7:30 pm, with excerpts from both volumes out so far. I’ll be taking you on an erotic, romantic, Shakespearean inspired journey with a snippet from my contribution to Volume 1, “Ophelia the Second.” This story is one that’s still quite dear to me, so I do hope you’ll make it out to visit and enjoy the free reading. And if you miss the earlier Dirty Old Women reading, don’t worry—I’ll have some swag from The Assignment for you to grab there, as well. I look forward to seeing you at both events, so please come out, hear some sexy words, and say hi!

Until these awesome readings, please be sure to pick up your copy of The Assignment if you haven’t already done so, and also pre-order your copy of The Discipline today. The final book, The Reward, will be out not all that far away in June…so you’ll want to be read up and ready for when that time arrives!

Please check out the Lessons In Control page for all buy links and info for The Assignment, and you can pre-order your copy of The Discipline at:

Amazon US   Amazon UK   Carina Press   Barnes & Noble   Google Play   iBooks   Kobo

Thanks so much for joining in and reading, and I look forward to seeing you in Oakland and L.A. soon!

XX,
Jade

A Recipe, An Excerpt, and A Giveaway!

It’s that time of year—and Christmas is nearly here! Can everybody feel it? I don’t know how it is for other people, but living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we don’t get what one tends to call “winter weather.” I know many a Californian who will tell you it’s damn cold up here this time of year, however, having spent the first 13 years of my life in Nevada—Sparks, Reno, Gardnerville, and Tahoe, to be precise—I have experienced some actual winter weather. I was even quite the young snow bunny in my day (yes 21st place out of 250 kids is bad ass in my mind, thank you very much). But, since I’ve been here in California, I have to say I definitely don’t get that winter feeling at Christmas time anymore.

Truth, though? I don’t miss it. Not one bit! I’m a fair weather kind of gal, so I appreciate the sun and a little warmth outside making chestnuts not roasting on an open fire not a problem for me. Part of it is that I don’t connect winter weather to Christmas cheer. In fact, reflecting on what actually makes it feel like Christmas for me is a very specific and short list: time with those I love and cherish, the smiles on my niece and nephew’s faces during gift time, and, without a doubt, baking.

Yes—to me, Christmas translates into mad baking!

I’m going to go ahead and blame this one on my dad—he’s a brilliant cook and also the crafter of some wickedly delicious cookies, and I can’t tell you how many holidays I’d watch him take over a kitchen to bake cookies for a bunch of people at his work…and wouldn’t you know it? Somewhere in my twenties, this became a thing for me, too. Whenever Christmas time came, my brain automatically reprogrammed for a kitchen takeover in the form of insane baking sprees. And since I’ve always been an overachiever, I couldn’t just make one batch for each recipient. No, no, no, that would never do. I’d make at least five types of cookies (hitting as many as ten one year, I’m not even kidding) and then go and spread that love to upwards of two dozen people. I loved it…all the way through the entire weekend I’d spend living in an apron and considering eating nothing but cookie dough at every meal.

That is, until, I messed up a wrist and wasn’t able to bake one year. That was a funny experience—because all of a sudden, I learned out how calm my life got when I wasn’t making 8,000,000 cookies around the holidays. Go figure.

Still, on occasion, and for super special people, I’ll make a batch (or four). Today, in honor of Blissemas at my place, I thought that since I can’t exactly make a batch for you, I could at least pass along one of my favorite recipes. I got this easy one off the back of a butterscotch chip bag once upon a time, and have been using it ever since. Brace yourself. This is a good one!

Heaven Help Us We’re Going to Pay For It Devil’s Food Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies
(Aptly renamed years ago by me.)

Ingredients:

One boxed package devil’s food cake mix
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
One package of butterscotch chips

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cake mix, eggs, and oil. Add chips.
Plop those babies in tablespoon sized dollops onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.
Enjoy.

Yum. Oh, I should make those right now. So easy, and so good!

Speaking of right now, the holiday is a fine time for some new reading and book buying, in my opinion. While my new release, The Assignment, doesn’t take place during Christmas, I can tell you that you’ll find some holiday cheer in the next installment of the Lessons in Control series, The Discipline. For now, though, I thought I’d leave you with a spicy excerpt to complement the sweet recipe above, and after, a chance to win your own copy of the book. How’s that for Christmas spirit? 🙂

Let’s start with an excerpt from The Assignment:

I fetched two glasses and the pitcher of water I kept in the fridge, and Dean followed. He remained quiet as I poured the water and replaced the pitcher on the shelf, but when the fridge door shut, he sidled behind me. It took less than a second, the heat of his chest jolting my core.

Dean hooked his hands on my hips and rested his chin on my shoulder, then he pressed his lips to my cheek and inhaled. “You smell like pussy. Musky and sexy.”Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

He wrapped his hands around me, bearing against my stomach and pulling me back into him. The thick bar of his crotch nudged high on my ass. Most of the near-orgasmic haze I’d felt in the restaurant bathroom had subsided in our ride, but Dean roamed his hands up my belly and over the silk covering my chest until my body filled with need. He cupped my breasts, and after pinching my nipples through the fabric, he wedged me against the fridge.

“Your reward has two parts.” The words came out a rumble through the strands of my hair, and he yanked the skirt of my dress up around my ass. The stainless steel of my fridge fogged with my breath, and I shuddered when he guided his hand between my thighs. Having handed over my panties, I had no barrier to stop the greedy search of his fingers. Dean slid his fingertips along my crevice, and I gasped. “Christ, you’re wet.”

I bowed my head, the thrum of excitement pounding through me. He took away his fingers and left me empty. “Dean—”

He whipped me around and slammed me back against the fridge. I cried out in surprise, but he dropped to his knees. He hitched my dress up with both of his hands, his eyes glazing as he buried his face in my cleft.

I moaned, my pleasure racing back with the hungry licks Dean made at my folds. I dropped my hands to his head and closed my eyes while he licked at me then sucked hard. My legs began to shake. It was impossible to stand in my heels and I sank down, desperate for his tongue all the way in.

Dean responded. His fingers slipped deep to reach the bundle of nerves inside me. He stroked in and up, his tongue wild and skilled, bringing me ever closer.

“I’m going to come,” I growled. Dean pummeled me with his fingers, lapping at my juices. “Oh, God!”

I fisted his hair when release tore through me. He groaned as my spine bowed, his mouth latched on to me no matter how vigorously I bucked against his face. I shrieked, my legs threatening to give, but Dean didn’t cease. He swiped at my clit with his tongue, his fingers working through the contractions inside me.

“Stop, please.” I peeled open my eyes, my body heaving. The denial at the restaurant, the tense hold on the dance floor—all of it had brought such intensity over me that I started to collapse.

Dean shook his head, his tongue gliding back and forth. “That was part one,” he said.

I tried to scoot away but he nibbled on my clit. I shoved back his head. “Stop!”

“Feisty girl.” Dean leaned away, his face bright with amusement. “Too much sass for one girl.”

My breathing wavered. I squinted to clear my vision, my body too overstimulated for him to continue. “I need a break, please. I can’t.”

Dean planted one last kiss on my mound, then tongued the crease. The moment I thought he’d pull away, he sucked my clit back between his teeth and murmured, “Your break is as long as it takes me to set up part two.”

*

Mmmm. Feeling your naughty and nice yet? I sure hope so!

To pair with an extraordinarily easy cookie baking recipe I am naturally providing an easy way for you to win a copy of The Assignment for the holiday. You’ll simply need to comment below with your favorite type of holiday treat by the end of the day (December 16, 2016, 11:59 pm PST), being sure to leave your email when you register the comment. Do that, and boom! You’ll be entered to win. I’ll put the email addresses of all comments received in a hat (Santa hat, even?) and draw one winner for a mobi file copy over the weekend. It could be you!

So, after scribbling down the recipe above that I know you’re going to try for yourself, please be sure to comment below with your favorite holiday treat. I will announce winners in the comments after the contest has closed and will be notifying this person as soon as I draw.

However, if you’re itching to get your hands on The Assignment today, please do so at any of the following locations:

Amazon US     Amazon UK      Barnes & Noble      Google Play      iBooks      Kobo

Until then, thanks so much for stopping by my site for Blissemas, and please keep on following the fun right here.

XX,
Jade

Rachel Kramer Bussel is Over to Visit!

Hi everyone! Today is a special day—it’s the release day for Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 2…a fantastic anthology edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel! I have been fortunate to work with Rachel on a number of occasions, which is why I couldn’t be happier to have her over for an exclusive interview today. Yes!

Since I’ve long admired Rachel’s work in both editing and writing, I had a lot of fun picking her brain on the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year series and much, much more. The anthology itself is bound to be another hit, so you’ll definitely want to grab your copy on Amazon in either print or ebook form. You can also find out more about it on the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year site. And, bonus, we’ll be doing a reading to celebrate its release on January 31, 2017 at Skylight Books in L.A. I’ll be reading an excerpt from my story in BWE Volume 1 alongside some wonderful authors with stories in Volume 2—you won’t want to miss that, so be sure to check out the events page and mark your calendars!

For now, I hope you enjoy all the details I got from Rachel about her work, her books, and her style. I know I did!

Welcome Rachel! I’m so excited to have you here today, and to get to ask you a bunch of questions about your work. Thank you for joining me! I hope it’s okay—I’m going to dive right in with my first question…

What would you say is the main thing you look for when selecting stories for an anthology?

Variety. I consider each story individually and gravitate toward the ones that grab me, the ones that are different from others I’ve read, that I think my readers will like, and then I make sure they all work together to create a diverse, varied whole. Something I tell my erotica writing students is that I want to know why the people in the story are having sex, and why now. I want to feel that immediacy and urgency in every story. I never want to feel like the characters are just going through the motions; I want to get to know them, not just their sexual desires, but them as people and how their history informs their sexuality.

So it’s tough to point to any one aspect, but I like having a mix of settings, eras, writing styles and of course a wide range of characters when it comes to sexuality, sexual orientation, race, age, country of origin, location (I appreciate stories that aren’t all set in big cities, and where the action doesn’t always take place in a bedroom) etc. I also look for different points of views and tenses, because I think that makes for a more pleasant reading experience. So that’s a lot to balance and not something I can always control for as an editor, but I try my best. I’m planning a slight twist for the call for submissions for Volume 4, which I’ll be posting in 2017, which will have some sub-themes that I think could make for really interesting plotlines.

Ooh, that’s interesting. I can’t wait to hear more on that! Speaking of…now that you are editor of the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year series, what would you say is different about working on this series than other anthologies? How?

Knowing that I have several volumes behind me and right now two more ahead of me (Volumes 3 and 4) is a wonderful gift, because I know that each time I have the opportunity to reach more readers and more writers from around the world. Picking up a series that’s been edited incredibly well by two previous editors is a challenge but one I am honored to get to play a role in. I try to build a sense of community among all the BWE authors and also try to keep the books different so that readers who enjoyed one will also enjoy the others and never be bored. In general, I try to push myself with each anthology I edit to find new ways of reaching audiences and seeking out new writers, and I’ve been doing my best to do that with this series. I hope to publish work by authors from countries that haven’t previously been represented going forward. Otherwise, as an editor I often have to simply wait and see what kinds of stories arrive in my inbox and that helps dictate what kind of tone each anthology will have. I also can incorporate feedback from readers into how I shape and craft future volumes, which I can’t do with one-off anthologies.

You know, I love reading your stories in the anthologies you’ve curated. Do you usually write your piece at the time of posting the call, or after you see the selection of stories you have for the anthology?

In the past, I’ve done it both ways. Sometimes if I found I didn’t get a certain type of element, I would try to fill it in. Or in the case of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, where I wanted each story’s sex toy to be different, I wrote about a set of metal claws, since they have always fascinated me and nobody else had covered it. One thing I’ve changed with the Best Women’s Erotica of the Year series I’m editing is in order to make room for more authors’ voices, I’ve kept each book limited to those who weren’t published in the previous BWE of the Year books, which includes me, so Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 is the first anthology I’ve edited that doesn’t include my own fiction. I think that’s fitting and am very proud to be moving into more of a curatorial role. Any plotlines and scenarios I had wanted to include in a given volume but didn’t get to due to space or lack of story submissions, I try to make up for in the next volume.

That’s a clever approach. What is your favorite step or part of being an editor? Why?

For me the best part of being an editor is getting to work with hundreds of authors from around the world, all of whom are writing the kinds of pieces I could sit in front of my computer for thousands of hours and never come up with. I especially publishing writing by authors who are new to the genre because that’s where I was not that long ago and an editor taking a chance on my work was such a wonderful opportunity and I’m thrilled to be able to pay that forward.

And what about the hardest part?

Sending rejections. When I finally quit editing anthologies, it will be a huge relief to no longer have to send rejection letters, which, even though they are part of the job, always make me feel like a horrible monstrous person. I know I’m not and I know by the numbers, there simply isn’t any way to include all the stories that are submitted to any given anthology even if I loved each and every one, but it still is an awful feeling because I know everyone worked diligently on their stories. I’m heartened though by the fact that a writer who believes in their work will take a rejection as an opportunity to find another home for their words and so far I’ve been lucky enough to always have a new anthology to edit. I try to point to a new call for submissions of mine when I do send rejections to encourage authors to keep submitting.

That’s fair. And authors should keep submitting, too—rejection is just part of the deal. I’m curious about another thing I imagine is an editor woe: what is your least favorite grammatical error (or the most annoying one to you) to catch and/or fix in stories? Has this changed for you over time, aka are there grammatical things that have stopped “bugging” you over the years? 

Probably the most challenging to fix is when the tense changes throughout the story. I’ve done it so I know how annoying it is to redo, and I also know that sometimes an author can see a story existing in multiple tenses, and eventually you just have to pick one.

Eek. I’ve done that myself in the past! Okay, another question—what is your most favorite story that you’ve put in an anthology, of all time? (Or, if you’d rather not specify a story, how about a theme or subject that came up in an anthology?)

It’s hard to say because I have so many to choose from but I especially love stories that surprise me. One story I have read at numerous readings and truly adore for its ingenuity is “Remote Control” by Logan Zachary from The Big Book of Orgasms. It’s the perfect combination of sexy and funny and makes any reader wonder just what they would do if they were handed the title object. That’s a lot to do in less than 1,200 words but he somehow did it. You can listen to it on The Kiss Me Quick’s Podcast, read by Rose Caraway, who narrated the audiobook. I also have a soft spot for “Daddy’s Girl” by Teresa Noelle Roberts in Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica. It’s such a vivid and hot story about role-playing, and what I especially love is that it makes it perfectly clear that they are indeed engaging in beloved roles that turn them on. She manages to mix the fantasy and reality elements of the story so it doesn’t lose any of its hotness but makes that delineation clear. I’d love to publish more edgy stories like that in my anthologies.

One of the things I’ve long admired about you is your desire to include as many new authors as possible in your anthologies. (Heck, this is how my first published piece, “The Flogger,” happened in The Big Book of Orgasms, and I can’t say thank you enough!) What is something you’re looking for in a new author for future anthologies?

Mainly I’m just looking for fresh ideas or new insights into sexual desire, passion, love and lust, and how those all fit in with the rest of our lives and what’s going on in the world. There really isn’t any one specific thing, though I am always pleased when authors approach a subject, even if it’s one that’s been written about plenty, and finds a way to make it feel as if it’s brand new. I’m often far more interested in the psychological twists and turns sex can take than a recitation of the physical machinations of sex, so that’s something I’m always interested in. Beyond that, I just look for pieces I think my readers will marvel over and want to reread again and again.

That’s a good plan. Now, when you’re writing, do you find that your editor side kicks in and causes you to edit while you draft? Or, are you able to separate your two roles and write freely before you edit?

Usually if my editor side kicks in when I’m writing, it’s a sign that I’m approaching a given piece incorrectly. I do my best to let go and simply write until I feel I’m at a natural stopping point, and then go back and edit later.

Smart. Okay, here’s an off the cuff one: you are given the choice of editing or writing, for the rest of your life. Only one. Which do you choose? Why?

I’d have to say writer because I started writing (outside of erotica) far before I ever considered being an editor. But I would certainly miss the joy of working with other writers if I couldn’t do it anymore.

We would miss that, too! I wonder…some writers revisit themes, or particular scenes that keep coming back in their work. Do you have such a repeated element in yours (that you recognize)?

I’m probably the opposite in that the part of writing I like the most is creating a new piece, whether that’s fiction or non-fiction.

So then, would you ever write a sequel to one of your stories, and if so, which one? Why would you like to bring it back?

I’ve long wanted to write a sequel to my oral sex restaurant story “Secret Service” from Best Women’s Erotica 2010 edited by Violet Blue, looking at the fellatio equivalent to my cunnilingus restaurant. I think it would be a fun twist on a story that already took its origin from a real-life Brooklyn restaurant that sold cocaine in the back.

Sexy. I am looking forward to this sequel! But let’s say you weren’t in the word industry. What would your next career be?

Maybe a bingo caller, because I love playing bingo, but I’m not sure if that would ruin the fun for me.

I like it. That’s fun. 🙂 Which leads to a fun last question…you can go anywhere, free of charge, for as long as you want. What would be the most romantic and/or dream place for you to write?

I love hotels, so probably any really luxurious hotel where I could get anything I needed at the press of a button.

Fabulous. Thank you so much for being here, Rachel!

And there you have it! A peek inside the brilliant mind of Rachel Kramer Bussel. Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 on Amazon, and we hope to see you at the reading on January 31st!

A giant thank you to Rachel for joining me today!

Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

It’s Nearly Release Day—And Deal Time!

It’s almost here! Tomorrow is the official release day of my debut novel, The Assignment—and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

As you may have cCover of The Assignment by Jade A. Watersaught on, there have been a lot of events leading up to today. The blog tour kicked off about a week ago, and it will continue for almost two weeks more. Yes! You’ll have plenty of opportunities to find out about the book through guest posts, behind-the-scenes reveals, interviews, and other ditties along the way. Tomorrow, in fact, I’m scheduled to be stopping at not one but THREE fabulous sites! That’s right, you’ll be able to find a smokin’ hot excerpt of The Assignment at Rachel Kramer Bussel’s Lusty Lady blog, a guest post I’ve written about BDSM over at Underneath the covers, and also a review of The Assignment at Books Reviews Etc. Whoa! Will that be triple the fun, or what?

Speaking of extra fun…in celebration of the release of The Assignment, I’m offering a special deal. Anyone who purchases my debut novel within the first three days it’s available (so by 11:59 pm EST December 15, 2016), will get a free, never before published short story of mine. Hurray! I’m super excited to share it with you, too…all you need to do to get your hands on it is…

1. Buy your copy of The Assignment (by the above deadline) and

2. Email a copy of your receipt to me at jade@jadeawaters.com.

It’s that easy! You can find the book at the following locations:

Amazon US     Amazon UK      Barnes & Noble      Google Play      iBooks      Kobo

Once you grab it, don’t forget to email me your receipt. I’ll be sending the story out to you by the end of the week.

Have you already pre-ordered the book? You are awesome—and it’s no problem. Just email along your receipt showing you’ve made the purchase, and ta-da! This short story will be available to you, too. It’s a thank you for your support!

In the meantime, please keep an eye on the Official Tour Post so you can follow along and check out all the stops. Don’t forget to visit past stops, either—my favorite so far was a super fun interview with Rose Caraway (which included a sexy snippet read by me in-studio!). Good times! But there’s definitely more to come…you won’t want to miss a thing. 🙂

For now, thank you so much for joining me on this fantastic journey, and in advance for picking up your copy of The Assignment.

Happy reading to all!

XX,
Jade

PS Want my “autograph” for your ebook? Be sure to request one on Authorgraph if you do! 🙂

Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

The Assignment Blog Tour Begins—In an Interview with Rose Caraway!

Oh my goodness, everyone, I’m so excited. Today it begins—the official blog tour for The Assignment! Yessss! I could not be more thrilled not only for this tour to start, but for The Assignment to be in your hands in eight short days when it’s released on December 12th. Woo hoo!

And, on top of that, I am over the moon to get to launch the tour in such a marvelous way today: with one of my favorite people, the incredible Rose Caraway!Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

You may recall Rose Caraway interviewing me on The Sexy Librarian’s Podcast before, and she’s even narrated some of my short stories…but now, she’s paid me the honor of launching the tour with an interview in her studio! We shared such a fun time at her place yesterday, starting with Rose surprising me with treats and wine to celebrate the book’s forthcoming release—such a sweetheart!—and then moving us into our in-studio interview. Rose asked all sorts of questions about The Assignment and the Lessons in Control series as a whole, and I am so glad you get to listen in on it. Plus, Rose’s stop is extra special because she gave me the opportunity to record a sexy snippet of The Assignment, right there in-studio! That’s right—you’ll get to hear our interview as well as me reading a scene from the book. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed participating!

To listen, please hop on over to The Sexy Librarian’s Podcast. And, as we continue the tour through December 23rd, filled with back info and details on the book, interviews, guest posts, excerpts, reviews, and giveaways, please keep checking back to the Official Tour Page to find each stop along the way.

For now, enjoy stop one—an interview between the fabulous Rose Caraway and me about The Assignment! I hope you enjoy it!

Be sure to pick up your copy of The Assignment, available for pre-order at…

Amazon US     Amazon UK      Barnes & Noble      Google Play      iBooks      Kobo

Happy reading!

XX,

Jade

Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

The Assignment Blog Tour!

***UPDATED: All tour stops noted below, and will be updated as the dates arrive with links and specifics! Thanks for joining the fun!***

Hi everyone!

It’s a super exciting time over here, because I’m gearing up for the release of The Assignment in less than three weeks and putting all the final wheels into motion for the big day on December 12th. Woo hoo! I can’t tell you how over the moon I am for my debut novel—the first installment in the Lessons in Control series—to be coming into your hands in such a short amount of time. Yesssss!Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

That’s why today, I’m even more pumped to tell you about The Assignment Blog Tour! It’s a huge event filled with interviews, excerpts, reviews, giveaways, and a bunch of posts connected to and inspired by the book. Extra fun is that this will be a two prong tour, part of which I’m fortunate to have had arranged via Carina Press and Kismet Tours (thanks, guys!) and the other part of which will be hosted by some fabulous author friends of mine.

All right, all right. You probably want to know where to go when it’s on, right? Then consider this your official Blog Tour post, where you can come back throughout the duration of the tour (and heck, even after, if you’d like) to be able to catch all the stops along the way…

Thanks so much in advance for joining the fun!

The Assignment Official Blog Tour Schedule:

Sunday, December 4th: Interview and Sexy Snippet read over at The Sexy Librarian’s Blog-Cast with Rose Caraway
Monday, December 5th: Guest Post and Giveaway at The Book Cellar
Monday, December 12th: Release day blitz with an excerpt at Rachel Kramer Bussel‘s and a review at Alpha Book Club!
Tuesday, December 13th: Guest Post and Giveaway at Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, December 14th: Bewitched Bookworms, Take Two—Guest Post and Giveaway!
Thursday, December 15th: Guest Post with Horny Geek Girl and home (here) for Blissemas
Friday, December 16th: A Few Thoughts On Asking For What You Want in Bed at Carina Press, and The Assignment visits Parajunkee, Book Briefs and Alpha Book Club with Guest Posts!
Saturday, December 17th: Interview at Kink Praxis
Sunday, December 18th: Guest Post with F. Leonora Solomon
Monday, December 19th: Guest Post at The Brit Babes
Tuesday, December 20th: Interview with Malin James
Wednesday, December 21st: Exclusive Excerpt on Sugarbutch via Sinclair Sexsmith
Thursday, December 22nd: I Write Smutty Things with A. M. Hartnett
Friday, December 23rd: Final stop right here!

The Assignment Blog Tour is brought to you December 5th through 16th by Kismet Tours…

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And on the remainder of the tour by wonderful author pals Rose Caraway, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Xan West, Horny Geek Girl, F. Leonora Solomon, the Brit Babes, Malin James, Sinclair Sexsmith, and A. M. Hartnett! A giant thank you to all involved!

Can’t wait to see you lovely readers on the tour. And be sure to pick up your copy of The Assignment, available at…

Amazon US     Amazon UK      Barnes & Noble      Google Play      iBooks      Kobo

Happy reading to all!

XX,
Jade

Cover of For the Men

“73A” — Out Now in For the Men!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Today is a fabulous day—it’s the official release of Rose Caraway‘s super sexy For the Men: And the Women Who Love Them anthology, and I’ve got a story in this one!

My story, “73A,” is one that’s particularly dear to me. It’s an older piece that definitely has some early Jadeisms all over it—it’s pure sass and ultra playful—and while at one point it was destined for another anthology, I couldn’t be more thrilled that it ended up in Rose Caraway’s hands. For one, she’s a joy to work with, time and time again. Two, the story is in second person—a form I don’t get to write in enough, but that I rather enjoy (especially since my start in erotica was sexy letters to special someones)—so I’m tickled to get it out into the world. And finally, the concept of this anthology is goddamn hot, hot, hot. It’s meant for you fellas, and of course, all of us ladies who love reading stories “meant” for the men. I happen to be one of these ladies, and this story is one I hope both the men and their lady loves will enjoy.Cover of For the Men

Now, I can blather on about the girl from 73A (her name, as you’ll see when you dive into the full story) and her sassy, sexual liberated self that leads her to entrance the painter on her patio, but instead, I’m going to share a snippet with you. The first line of this story popped into my head, and, well, I had to run with it. I hope you enjoy…

Excerpt from “73A”:

You’re working on my fence right now, and all I can think about is sucking your cock.

It’s a startling urge, seeing as how I’ve known you as long as you’ve been working on my patio fence—two days, plus the last three hours you’ve been squatting and bending, rolling that brush over the slats as deliberately as I want you to spread your hands over my body—but once you turn and smile at me through the glass door, it’s settled.

I check out your buddies, confirming both of them are hard at work, huffing and grunting on the far end of the enclosure. You gave one of them grief yesterday for not making enough love to his wife. Your logic was sound, and exactly the reason I called in sick today.

Well, it’s only half the reason. The rest is that I’ve realized watching you and thinking all these thoughts has left a wet spot on my couch.

I get up to change and you notice. You pause midway through your roller stroke, a coat of white over the top of the slat but a dejected shade of primer on the bottom. You peer through the glass like you’re probably not supposed to do on the job, but I don’t mind. Your eyebrows weave together, curious, so I dip my shoulder and wave with only my fingers. Once out of view I strip off my clothes, swapping my bra for one with little coverage and extra lace, then I cover it with a half-buttoned blouse. My damp yoga pants are replaced with a short skirt, and I decide panties are useless before heading back to my seat on the couch.

The wet spot there is somehow exhilarating, and I add to it a pussy already drenched in longing for what you might do if I invite you in.

You’ve gotten distracted by the other two men in my absence, but I’m ready now. I slide my legs apart a few inches, providing you a clear view should you turn around and pay attention again. I lower my hand, caressing the short fuzz that covers my outer folds before circling my clit with my fingertips.

You laugh at your partners, then check on me. The smile you had when you turned falters—not in any sort of frown, but in a definite state of confusion. This makes me excited, and I nudge my legs farther apart so you can watch.

You’re caught; you look back at them to check if they can see this, but the boys are preoccupied. Immediately, your eyes are on me. I sink into the couch, guiding my fingers over the pool of wetness between my thighs. I’m breathing heavy already, exhaling ragged sighs that I want you to amplify with your touch, but you can’t hear me with the door closed. You can only watch as I flick my index finger over my clit a few times, ratcheting the quivering of my pussy up to a tremendous ache. With my other hand, I slip inside, fucking myself with one finger as I imagine what you’d feel like plunging into me…

*

Oh, yeah. I had so much fun writing this little story…and I hope you enjoyed the snippet! Our girl manages quite an adventure with the painter on the patio, and I do hope you’ll check it out. For the Men is now available on Amazon, Smashwords, and Itunes, and will be coming to you on Audible very soon. You won’t want to miss it—order your copy today!

Happy reading!

XX,
Jade

P.S. Have you joined my newsletter? The first edition is coming in just a few days, and subscribers have access to all the latest news and exclusives for books coming soon, too! Please join the fun. 🙂

Cover for Jade A. Waters's The Assignment, Book One in Lessons in Control

The Assignment—Cover Reveal!

Hi everybody! I’ve been super quiet for a while, working away on my forthcoming Lessons in Control series—but today, I’m so enthralled to share all sorts of good stuff with you about my debut novel and the first book in the series, The Assignment. I’ve got news, excitement, and perhaps most importantly,

A COVER!

—and—

BACK COVER COPY!

Wowsa! Yes, that’s right! I do! So, let’s start with the cover…

Cover of The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

OMG. I can’t even tell you how pumped I am over this cover! First, there’s the super snazzy lettering that I love. Then there’s the hot ass couple the design team picked to represent the book’s heroine, Maya Clery, and the entrancing hero Dean Sova, who leads her out into a world of all sorts of sexy fun. On top of that, Carina Press rocked my world by managing to capture a touch of the Bay Area water scenery in that glorious pier in the background. Why is this so awesome? The Assignment and all sequential books are set in this very area, where coastal views are everywhere—and since in real life I’m rather fond of these views, I wanted that love of the area to transfer into the books. I’m just so ecstatic you can catch a glimpse of that on the cover. Hurray!

Speaking of the Carina Press team, I need to say they’ve been phenomenal in every stage of working on this series, from editing to all the ins and outs of setting up for press time. I’m tickled to be working with them, and of course, as we get closer to the December release date (currently listed as December 12th, but these things sometimes fluctuate), I’ll have tons more news and info for you.

Okay. Before I get to the blurb (I know, I know, delayed gratification!), I wanted to let you know a few things. First, you can pre-order The Assignment on Amazon Kindle or at various other e-tailers linked below. I’d also love for you to mark it as “Want to Read” on Goodreads or add the book to your shelves over on Booklikes if you’re a member there. And, while I will be posting news about the series here on my blog, I’ll be sending out more info about various events and other exclusive ditties through my currently quarterly newsletter, which will launch at the end of September. Not a subscriber? I’d love for you to join the fun, and as a special incentive, I’m offering all those who have subscribed by September 15th, 2016 a free, never before published flash story (about 1100 words) by me. That’s right—free story for you if you subscribe by 9/15/16! I do hope you will, and those of you who are already subscribed will be able to get this freebie after the deadline, too. 🙂 Thanks so much for subscribing!

All right. I think it’s time for something that tells you about the story, hmm? Ready? Without further ado, I’m delighted to share the official blurb for book one in Lessons in Control, The Assignment:

What would you do if someone offered to fulfill your wildest fantasies?

Seductive.

Charming.

Dominant.

Dean Sova is everything Maya Clery craves. From the first touch, their connection is intense. After leaving her troubled past behind, Maya thought she was happy—she is happy—but meeting Dean forces her to acknowledge dark needs she longs to explore yet has never had the courage to face.

Her perfect match, Dean encourages Maya to set loose the submissive urges inside her in a series of assignments intended to open her mind and test the limits of pleasure…but Maya isn’t sure she can fully let go of her inhibitions.

What would you do if someone offered to fulfill your wildest fantasies?

The answer seems obvious. You take the offer and hope the price isn’t too high.

Book one of Lessons in Control

This book is approximately 81,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise.

*

Wow. I am way damn excited. Are you? I sure hope so! I promise I have more info to come, but in the meantime, if you’re intrigued and needing something to tide you over until the official release of The Assignment, please check out my Free Reads page to enjoy some of my work. And if you’re a visual person, feel free to hop on over to my Pinterest boards for some Maya and Dean visuals that inspired me as I worked. Also, make sure you’re following me on Twitter if you aren’t already since I’ll be posting lots of info there, too, and please subscribe to the newsletter—don’t forget, a free flash story awaits for anyone subscribed by September 15!

Finally, I hope you’ll pre-order The Assignment at any of the links below. Thanks so much for reading and joining me on this exciting journey, because—in case it’s at all unclear—I’m bouncing off the walls for the release of this series! Yippee!!

Pre-order book one, The Assignment, today:

(eISBN: 9781459293588)

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kobo-logo-16C600E386-seeklogo.com

XX,
Jade

P.S. We are planning a blog tour for The Assignment starting somewhere around late November and running through late December-ish. Interested in taking part? I’d love it so much! Please send me an email at jade@jadeawaters.com with your name and website address if this intrigues you, and I’ll get you info once I have it!

 

Cover of Rachel Kramer Bussel's Begging for It Anthology

About Those “Apple Thighs”

Like many women, I’ve long harbored nagging body hang-ups. I’ve heard we all have at least one thing we wish we could change—weight, breast size, hip width, nose length, belly roll, ass curve, etc., etc. I’ve certainly had my fair share of these “one things,” things I either wished to vanquish or worked ridiculously hard to at least adjust somehow. I remember a multi-year stint as a child convinced I would get a nose job when I was 18, but it turns out, I was destined to grow into the full-sized nose I had from birth. I hated my hips for the longest time because I was born with those, too (really), and I spent a lot of my teen years with bruises on them from bumping into things since I somehow didn’t grasp how wide they were. Both these features have since balanced out, and while they’re no longer issues, certain “one things” have persisted over the years. The big one, no matter how fit I am or what I do, is the hereditary trait most of the women in my family share: the “dreaded apple thighs.”

Apple thighs, I’m sure you’re thinking. What in the hell are those?

Apple thighs, you see, are very distinct in shape. They’re not quite like their oft-dwelled upon cousin, thunder thighs, but a round, fleshy version that tapers at the knee. This taper is what resembles—in some odd way that my mother explained to me when I was a wee little girl—an apple. And we of the women in my family are doomed (yes, doomed) to have these cursed apple thighs, no matter if we are thick or thin, short or tall, curvy or straight. Those fuckers just happen, and despite this, in my family, they get a lot of negative attention and commentary. As I have learned, apple thighs are bemoaned and bad, and as beautiful as one of us may be, we’ve still missed out somehow by having these big ass curvy thighs.

Now, I’m going to be extremely straight with you today: I’ve worked with some real body image issues over the years, which ebb and flow and for which I’ve even sought a little counseling to better deal on occasion. I’m all over the #allbodiesarebeautiful movement because I believe in it through and through, and though I have my wavers in spells, deep in my heart, I know these apple thighs are part of me and something that, most of the time, I’m okay with. But when I have my doubts—about them, or any other part—I have to think about the whole picture. I have to come to terms with who I am and love me just as I am.

That’s why, of all the stories I’ve released into the world, “Apple Thighs” is one of my most cherished pieces. It’s out now in Rachel Kramer Bussel’s Begging For It: Erotic Fantasies for Women. I wrote it one night after a particularly grueling day having heard another family member snigger at those “pesky apple thighs”; I’d come home and taken a peek at them in passing, and I thought the poor things needed a break, once and for all. I’d already had a few years in the circus, where I loved to dress up wearing leotards, tights, and thigh-high stockings—which I intentionally used to flash my thighs—so I’d had a good wave of embracing them. I’d even discovered how handy they were in my pole classes (because grip, hello). Still, I felt like this positive acknowledgement of their existence needed to be more drastic.Cover of Rachel Kramer Bussel's Begging for It Anthology

I needed to write a character who recognized her body for what it was and not only accepted it, but learned to love it, right there in the course of the story.

From that, Cassie and her post-counseling bus ride was born…and I went one step further, too, not dooming her with my apple thighs—but giving them to her as a gift.

Cassie is a bit down on her luck when we meet her, but on her bus ride—with the perfect co-passenger—she has that moment I think all women with that “one thing” need: the epiphany in which we realize that yes, we are who we are, and yes, we are just perfect as is.

So without further adieu, I’m delighted to share an excerpt of “Apple Thighs” with you:

Cassie pressed her palms onto her thighs. She’d been blessed with smooth, unblemished skin most of her life, so even stocky as they were, her thighs had the consistent, unmarred fair coloring that covered the rest of her body. As the bus continued its roll down the city streets, the flesh of her thighs shook. She had thin calves and narrow knees, but above them her legs curved out to a substantial width. In truth, she had a lot of muscle in those thighs from years of dancing and running, but they were definitely the outliers from the rest of her body.

She pursed her lips and ran her hands back and forth, grazing her skin. She could rest on her tiptoes to keep her legs up so that her thighs didn’t appear so wide, like two sturdy pancakes smashed out on the seat. But she kind of liked the way they looked. They carried her. They made her womanly. Plus, she was able to outrun all the women in her former running group—big, strong apple thighs and all.

Cassie fanned her fingers over her thighs and rubbed her palms along their length again, sighing. Her skirt caught on her wrists as she glided her hands up, crumpling it at the top of her thighs. She peeked at the seat across from her. Two older women sat there, the one by the window staring out and the one on the aisle reading a book. They didn’t notice her. No one in front of her would see what she was doing, either. She turned her head, checking out the seat behind her at a diagonal. No one there.

But the man behind her cleared his throat.

Cassie flattened her skirt and shoved her hands to her knees, her face burning as she whipped it forward.

Oh, fuck.

Had he seen what she was doing, mindlessly stroking her thighs?

More importantly, was she insane, rubbing her thighs like that in public?

As if in answer, the man lifted himself in his seat. Cassie held her breath. The entire bus was frozen in time, the driver watching the road, and the other occupants reading books, listening to iPods, or chattering about the news. But this man slid around the seat and sat beside her, not a word coming from his mouth as he peered forward.

She turned her head slightly, examining him from the corner of her eye and realizing she’d seen this guy before. She’d even smiled at him once, the last time she’d been stuck on this bus. He was handsome, his face peppered with the tiny hairs of one who didn’t shave everyday, and he had hazel eyes that shimmered thanks to the sun streaming through the window beside her. When she saw him a few days ago, he’d been wearing a baseball cap—but now his sandy blond hair was loose around his ears, making him look a tad older than he once had. Mid-thirty, late thirties…Cassie couldn’t tell. But she could tell that he was some sort of painter, his tee shirt and jeans always speckled with dried paint. Today he wore a spot of fuchsia on his right thumb and a streak of red along his left wrist.

She straightened her head again, her nerves on high. Had he seen what she was doing?

She felt his scrutiny on her then, and a chill fogged her body. When he spoke, his voice came out a deep bass that prickled her skin.

“Do you mind if I sit here?”

Cassie shook her head, her fingers latched around her knees. Her legs suddenly felt hugely exposed, though she did choose to wear this skirt in public, and apparently had no problem touching her thighs a minute before.

Idiot.

“It’s a better view,” he said.

Cassie bit down on her tongue.

Maybe he meant the window. Or being one seat closer to the front of the bus.

Or maybe she really was an idiot.

“Yeah,” she said, her heart racing. “Sunny outside today, isn’t it?”

The man raised an eyebrow and smiled. Cassie broke out in goose bumps. She hadn’t made an ass of herself on this bus, had she?

She willed herself to look back at him, wondering if her thighs had turned as crimson as her face—because wow, was she blushing, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. The sensation ran the entire length of her body in under a second.

“It is. But that’s not what I was talking about.” He gazed directly at her thighs, then back to her face. “Please don’t stop on my account.”

Cassie didn’t move.

The man kept grinning at her. She was surprised she didn’t find it uncomfortable, or awkward. In fact, she shifted slightly on the bench, keenly aware of how hot it was at the apex of her apple thighs.

“I…uh…”

Cassie pinched her lips together. Great, now she sounded like an idiot, too.

The man scooted forward in the seat, enough to block her from the view of any other passengers. He was tall, and with the muscles in his arms alone, it was clear he was strong beneath his jeans and tee shirt. She could do whatever she wanted right here in this seat, and no one would be the wiser.

Cassie shook herself. Was she actually thinking about this?

The man put both hands on his thighs, then tilted his head toward her legs before dragging his hands in an upward motion.

He was modeling what he wanted from her.

Her stomach knotted but her heart thumped in her ears. His smile was so sweet, so warm. So encouraging.

She slid her hands up her legs, halting them mid-thigh. Her fingers were shaking.

Now the man cupped his thighs, and Cassie did the same.

Beneath her panties, her groin swelled with heat. The flush running through her body was like a teasing caress, and she gripped her thighs again. He met her eyes and nodded.

“May I?” he asked.

***

I hope you enjoyed that teaser of “Apple Thighs,” included in Begging For It, Erotic Fantasies for Women. You can find out more about this anthology from Cleis Press on its Tumblr Page. It’s edited by the fabulous Rachel Kramer Bussel, and is available now in paperback and in a few more days on Kindle. I hope you’ll please check it out!

Happy reading, and may you love your apple thighs, too. 🙂

XX,
Jade

Cover for Ophelia the Second by Dayv Caraway

“Ophelia the Second” – Featured on the Kiss Me Quick’s!

Cover for Ophelia the Second by Dayv Caraway

Cover art by Dayv Caraway

There is something extraordinary about hearing one’s own stories read aloud. It’s an opportunity not just to know that your story has been read and heard, but to understand how a reader might translate what you’ve written. In grasping that—for just a second—you can almost relax into your words, listening to them as though they’re not your own, potentially savoring them in a different way than what was experienced when you had the pleasure of writing them.

That’s why today, I’m tickled to share that the fabulous Rose Caraway has once again honored me with a narration of one of my stories. This time, she’s featured “Ophelia the Second” on The Kiss Me Quick’s Erotica Podcast, and she does a tremendous job of it, too. This particular story is part of Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 1—and while I had the opportunity to read it live myself back in January, hearing it performed by the incredible Rose has made it twice as special for me. Extra bonus: Big Daddy’s sexy ass intro totally made me blush. 🙂

So, I invite you to please hop on over to The Kiss Me Quick’s to listen to “Ophelia the Second” with your own ears. It’s a sweet little erotic romance that’s got a lot of my theatre background worked in, and it still makes me smile. If you’d like to know more about the spark that ignited “Ophelia the Second,” please feel free to check out my Q&A with our incredibly talented editor, Rachel Kramer Bussel. You can also grab your copy of Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 right here.

Cover of Best Women's Erotica of the YearAnd finally—since I know you’ll love Rose’s rendition of this story—please indulge yourself in more of her fantastic readings of my work. Rose has honored me with previous readings of “The Doll,” “The Flogger,” and “Soundscapes”—an exclusive for The Kiss Me Quick’s Podcast.

Oh, and that delicious podcast? It’s something you should regularly indulge yourself in, too. 😉

Happy listening!

XX,
Jade