And for a look at how I am handling the question, I’ve put up an (unedited) excerpt for “Here There Be Monsters,” from the BURNING UP anthology out in August. THE IRON DUKE is up for pre-order as well at Amazon (it’s a trade sized novel, which is why it’s $15 — and I don’t know yet if it will be re-issued in mass-market. I suspect that is something the pub decides after they see how well (or not) the book does.) As soon as I see it for pre-order at other locations, I’ll add those links in, as well.

For those of you wondering about how The Iron Seas fits together as a series — all of the novels are lightly connected with some recurring characters, but each romance and plot stands alone.

kthxbai,
Meljean

P.S. *sob sob* Okay, I wouldn’t shut it in your cute wittle face. It’s true: I’m totally pussy-whipped.

And I usually don’t post these, but one search term that brought someone to my site was

fuck against wall: romance novels

Dear searcher, you might like these:

Just click on a cover! Although, okay — DEMON ANGEL was against a closet door, DEMON NIGHT was while standing in the middle of a room, and DEMON BOUND was against a tree. Still. They were upright.

And in case you missed it, I put up an excerpt for Demon Blood (it does include spoilers for Demon Forged, so if you haven’t read that yet, be warned.)

Here’s a snippet from the Burning Up novella (I am LOVING the steampunk, but it’s also why I’m not posting here often.):

Her heart pounding, Ivy held still as Mad Machen crossed the distance between them. His dark face lowered, stopping with his lips a breath from hers. He murmured, “Here in front of my men, or in my cabin. That is your choice.”

“Your cabin.” Frustration shook through her whisper. “And damn you to a kraken’s belly.”

His brows rose, and a surprised laugh broke from him before his mouth suddenly covered hers, his long fingers cupping her jaw. Not a hard kiss, and not tender—it was a statement, she realized, for the men watching them. A claim, pure and simple.

A claim that went on until Ivy had to employ all of her willpower to refrain from biting him.

He finally lifted his head, and turned to the boy. “Duckie, escort Ivy Blacksmith to my cabin. See that she wants for nothing.”

“Yes, sir.” The boy gathered her satchel from the captain, and looked expectantly to Ivy.

Plastering on a smile, she pulled at her trouser legs and curtsied to Mad Machen. His laugh followed her to the stairs—and Ivy decided she could make a statement, too. A brass finial shaped like an egg decorated the end of the banister. Ivy closed her gray hand around it. Metal shrieked as she crushed the finial between her fingers.

His laughter stopped.

She released the mangled brass, and called over her shoulder, “I await your mighty prick, sir!”

Here is the TV news report and the article. If you are in the area, please take a look.

…and to relate this post to romance novels, that metaphorically resembles the decision that an emotionally stunted hero must make at the book’s climax. It also explains why dogs like to hump my leg — they are channeling their inner stunted alpha.

I think that makes me a doormat by default, though.

***

Also, I’m starting to plan the website update in preparation for the new steampunk series. Is there anything on this site that you’d like to see that isn’t currently available? Anything about the current site that you wish wasn’t there, or that you wish was done differently?