Baring It All

Bared Essentials available HERE

By Denise McCray

Hi all!

Hope you’re having a great summer so far. The weather here in the Burgh has been pretty up and down. For the most part, it hasn’t been too hot and this week it’s actually going to be a little cool for early August. As a middle-aged female, cool temperatures in the midst of summer are good, no, fantastic.  It’s bad enough we’re dealing with hot flashes, and hot, humid weather only adds to our misery.

Last week I took my niece, sister-in-law and great nieces and nephews to a local amusement park, Kennywood. We had a ball, riding the rollercoasters, playing games and of course sampling all the goodies. The park was packed with visitors from all over the tri-state area. Families streamed in with giggling children and coolers full of food and drinks. Everyone appeared to be having a wonderful day.

What a few of them seemed to have forgotten though was the rest of their clothing. I mean, there were women and a few men with next to nothing on their bodies. One of my dearly departed mother’s favorite activities while in the park was sitting back and commenting on people’s state of undress. She’d shake her head and point them out, despite our requests she not do so.

Although walking around in public in a pair of skimpy shorts and a midriff baring top is not my thing, especially since I’m not as toned as I used to be (stop laughing), at least they wore something. Not like the characters in my novella, Bared Essentials, who let it all hang out on a tropical island. Of course, wearing no clothes saved time when they wanted to get it on ;-)

Till we meet again, stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Love,

Denise 

Summer Vacation Plans?

 

by Denise McCray

So, summer is just around the corner and I hope you have something fun planned. I’ll be hanging out at la casa until I head to a couple writing conferences. In July I’ll be attending the Romance Writers of America conference in Atlanta, Georgia (can you say hot!). Then at the end of August I’ll be in New York City for a BDSM writers gathering. I’m really looking forward to that one because in addition to the exciting workshops led by Dr. Charley Ferrer, I’ll be able to do some serious sightseeing and shopping.

Are any of you traveling to an exciting locale? Sometimes I wish I was brave enough to frequent a clothing-optional resort like the one I wrote about in my novella, Bared Essentials. And one day I might, after I lose sixty pounds, get a face lift, and oh nevermind! But it is fun to imagine going, right?

Wherever you go this summer, stay safe and have fun. 

Love, 

Denise

Bared Essentials

Attorney Carin Cross, better known as CC, has just emerged from the marriage from hell. After the divorce, her best friend tricks her into visiting a clothing-optional resort, aptly named Bared Essentials. CC is not happy and lets everyone around her know her feelings. She makes up her mind to stay behind closed doors until it’s time to go home, that is until she runs into the man she’s fantasized about, Stephon Hill.
Stephon is a hard-working attorney who treasures his secret forays to the island. The last person he expected to see at the resort is CC, the woman of his dreams. Acting upon mutual attraction, the pair begins a torrid affair on the island. Almost as soon as it starts though, CC has doubts about them. Why would a gorgeous man like him want her?
Stephon must act quickly to convince CC she’s more than an island fling to him. But can he overcome her seriously flawed self-esteem and show her they’re made for each other?

School Time!

by Denise McCray

          Aww! It’s school time again and I love it. Yeah, I was the nerd who looked forward to the first day of classes instead of the first day of summer vacation. The smell of a new book, the freshly sharpened pencils, and those blank notebook pages: Is there anything better?

          When my son was growing up, I loved going to the stores and buying his supplies. Truth be told, I probably bought more things for me than for him. My home is full of pens, folders and paper of all types. I could donate a year’s worth of supplies to a local classroom and still have a ton of stuff left.

          Now that my baby is a man and living on his own, I still love to stock up. Now I use these items for my writing business. What about my computer, Alphasmart and iPad? Yeah, I use them to write, but when I start a story, it’s pen to paper.

          So, what are your feelings about the first day of school? Leave a comment and let me know. While you’re on the computer, drop by my newly designed website at www.denisemccray.com. You can sign up for my newsletter there, too.

Love,

Denise

Confessions of a newly-published Author!

by Denise McCray

Hey everybody! Thanks for stopping by our blog and for your support of Decadent Publishing.

Okay, it’s been one week and a day since Decadent released my debut novella, BARED ESSENTIALS. I want to thank everyone who purchased it and I hope you enjoyed CC’s and Stephon’s story. And for everyone who wonders if I actually did research at a clothing-optional

resort, the answer is no. Heavens no!

In one way, I still can’t believe this is really happening. I’ve dreamed of becoming an author all my life, even writing my bio for the inside of a book jacket when I was a child! I drove my mother mad by using up all the paper in the house for my “books”. I even tried to sell some of my work to my little classmates. I’m so thankful for this opportunity.

But, on the other hand, I have to admit all this attention is a bit unnerving. Friends, acquaintances, co-workers and people I don’t know have downloaded my ‘baby’ and are reading it. What are they thinking? Will they love the characters as much as I do? Will they like the story? Is the sex hot enough? Worries, worries...

Fellow authors (I like saying that) tell me that this is normal. Self-doubt is part of our DNA. In my opinion, this makes us better writers. We polish our babies until they shine and then, and only then, do we feel comfortable letting the world see our work. And that’s the way it should be.

Love you,

Denise

Spotlight Sunday with Denise McCray

How did you start your writing career?   All my life, I've toyed with the idea of becoming a writer, but did not really become serious until 2008. That's when I attended my first Romantic Times Booklovers Convention and took Judi McCoy's beginner writers class. Boy, did I learn a lot! I'd like to share with you the advice she gave me: sit your butt in the chair and write everyday! Simple, huh? Although I didn't write everyday (sorry Judi), I did finish a novel which probably won't see the light of day. The next year, I won Bobbi Smith's writing contest with my manuscript "Making Time for Love".

Plotter or panster? Why?   A combination of both. I tend to go into too much detail with my plotting and get bored with the story halfway through the first draft. Then the panster in me takes over and I make a few changes.

What is the hardest part of writing your books?   For me, it's getting on a regular schedule. Which means I have to give myself a deadline. I tell myself the book or novella has to be done by a certain date, or I won't be able to go to an upcoming writers conference. That usually does the trick for me.

What did you want to be when you grew up?   I was one of those kids who flitted from one interest to the next. One day, I'd want to be a scientist and the next I dreamed of being a teacher. How I ended up as an attorney, I have no idea, especially since I hated public speaking. But I guess it worked out since I've been a member of my state's bar for over twenty-five years.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what?   I love listening to movie soundtracks. My favorites are Phantom of the Opera and Enchanted. Somehow, I find a couple thousand words on the page after the disc is finished playing.

 What would we find under your bed?   Other than the gigantic dust bunnies, you'd find plastic containers full of books. I truly believe in the old adage, "Whoever dies with the most books, wins!" 

    Tell us about your upcoming release.

        "Bared Essentials" is my first sale, so it has a special place in my heart. It's set on the beautiful island of St. Lucia at the fictional resort of Bared Essentials, a clothing-optional getaway. Writing what I know (another great piece of writing advice from the great L.A.Banks), my hero and heroine are a couple attorneys escaping their madcap existence at home. Although they're acquaintances at home, there's an attraction neither one has acted upon. The sights and sounds of the island act as a catalyst, and sets their torrid affair into motion. Soon, they can't get enough of one another. But real life rears its ugly head and threatens the happiness of the two lovers. Of course, there's a happily ever after, but I'm sure my readers will enjoy their trip to paradise.