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EricaBeale.com

New Book Incoming! Inner Beasts

Crimson is Back, BABY! Just Two Years Later…

That’s right. Crimson has never been far from my heart and mind. I’ve spent most of my time working on The Last Son of Danu, but other stories have been calling out to me lately. Case in point: Inner Beasts. Yes, it is done and will be released on 7/23/2024. You can preorder it today if that pleases your fancy.

In the heart of Crimson, where the lines between the mundane and the mythical blur, Dr. Kevin Loweman, a shape-shifter, grapples with his primal nature.

After a lavish costume party thrown by Kain Knightstone, Kevin’s control slips, unleashing a monstrous Roc within him. His desperate struggle against this transformation puts him on a collision course with Dr. Oriana Gamal—a sassy and mysterious cat goddess. Their night spirals into a deadly game of predator and prey, with Oriana’s quick thinking and divine powers barely taming the beast inside him.

As the dawn breaks, their encounter ignites an unexpected spark. Oriana offers Kevin a chance to explore a relationship, but no strings attached, just comfort after a harrowing night. Yet, the tension between them hints at deeper connections and untapped passions.

I hope you decide to check out this new piece of the Crimson tale. Of course, don’t forget to catch up on the rest of the series. Want a free sample? Check out Lady Olubayo’s Bordello, which is tied into the Crimson world.

Want even more EricaB? Need some steamy reading suggestions? Well, be sure to join the Celestial Seductions newsletter. Get a list of delicious fantasy/horror/sci-fi erotic romance and erotica stories right to your email once every month.

Until next time,

Keep Your Mind in the Gutter

Fingers on Fire! A Girl Has Stories

When the Writing Won’t Stop

I have been on fire lately. I’ve managed to write almost every day for the last month or so, and it’s been absolutely amazing. Honestly, I wish I could devote more of my day to writing, but I do have a day job. Hey, maybe someday I’ll hit the lotto and can just spend my days creating new works.

It would help if I actually played the lottery…

Anyway, here are all the new things I’ve been working on.

Cosmic Cons for Love and Profit

Cosmic Cons is up to 6 episodes. Not a lot of reads yet, but I’m not expecting a whole lot from that one except my own enjoyment. Don’t forget to check it out on Amazon Vella. The first 3 episodes are free, you know!

Lady Olubayo’s Bordello

Ah, my smutty one-off in the Crimson series. It was my first Vella, which I had abandoned after 5 episodes. However, it bothered me to leave it undone, so I freaking finished it. That’s right, by 3/12/2023, all 8 episodes will be available on Vella. After a month or so, I’ll combine the story and put it on Amazon KDP.

Crimson Series

Hell-Bent is coming on Tuesday! If you haven’t checked it out, I posted a preview on the blog the other day. The story will be available on both Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99.

In celebration of both eBook Week and the new release, The Crimson Series stories are available for either free or half-price on Smashwords. Currently, only Bait is free. That one’s my baby, so I hope you check it out. The promo is good until 3/11/23

In the meantime, enjoy the trailer for Hell-Bent!

Powering Through WORKS!

It’s been rough finally finding a routine that works for me. It’s not perfect by any means, but giving my all to my stories has been a very fulfilling experience. That being said, don’t forget to check back every Monday for a new blog. Next week, I’ll probably write a review of The Queen’s Price by Anne Bishop. I’m praying it makes me less mad than The Queen’s Weapons!

Until next time, my friends. Keep Your Mind in the Gutter!

Giving You a Little Bit of Hell

A Preview of the Next Part of The Tales Dripping in Crimson Series

It took a bit, but I’ve finally completed Hell-Bent, the next short story in the Crimson series. I plan to publish it early next month.

….I just realized that’s next week.

Anyway, here is a preview of the story. I hope you enjoy it!

Hell-Bent: Tales Dripping in Crimson 4

I am Mammon, King of the Second Circle of Hell, and as I sit in this godforsaken room, I seethe with anger. How dare Na’ahmeh do this to me? How dare she drain me of my power, nearly killing me in the process? I am the one who should be in control, not her.

I look around the room, taking in the drab green furniture and the smell of old cigarettes and cheap whiskey. This is a far cry from the luxury I’m used to. How could I have let myself be put in this situation? How could I have been such an idiot? I should have known better than to trust that psychotic succubus.

But I did trust her, and now I’m stuck in this hideous place, barely able to move because of the half-transformation she caused in me. My once handsome face is now half twisted into a demonic form, with leathery red skin, jet black hair, and large sharp teeth. My body is too large for this room, and I can feel my foot turning into a hoof.

I am the King of Greed and a leader of a legion of Hell, and I am not used to being in this kind of situation. I am used to being in control, making deals, and getting what I want. But now, I’m trapped in a seedy motel on the edge of town.

A growl of frustration escapes me as I imagine what I would do to Na’ahmeh if could ever get my hands on her again. But for now, I can only try to hold on to what’s left of my power and my sanity.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

A Prince and his Dragon: In Progress

My Current Project

I’ve been working on a story off and on for the last few years. For the longest time, I called it “Dragon’s Bond,” but at the advice of someone smarter than I am, I have been trying to think up a better name. I can’t say I’m 100% set on this particular title. It is starting to grow on me.

So, what’s it about?

The kingdoms of Ostea and cKustreiland have been at war for 100 years. Now that both kingdoms are on a decline and each has something the other needs for their society, they’ve called a truce. To solidify the peace, the heir of Ostea is set to marry the princess from Kustreiland. As a show of good faith, the countries bring their courts to a central location for the largest festival ever seen.

Armen is the younger of the two Ostean princes.  He, like the rest of the court, is excited about this massive meeting. With him is his own betrothed, Demma. Until his brother is wed, he is not able to join in his own union, much to both of their disappointment.

The royal houses go on a hunt during the festival, where they are ambushed by malicious fairies. During tight, Armen finds a woman unconscious in the woods.

She is a dragini, a dragon cursed into human form. He attempts to save her as well as himself from the rogue pixies, however, he is wounded. The dragini woman comes to quickly enough to protect him, but in the process their blood mingles, bonding them in ways they could never imagine.

It’s an intensely intimate connection neither of them can shake off, causing a great deal of friction in relationships around them.

There’s more. A lot more. But this is the gist of how it gets started.

Tidbits of artwork

I was lucky enough to get to play with Dalle 2. I’m not saying how good AI is getting is scary, but…

Here are some images Dalle and I came up with for important characters.

Prince Armen of Ostea

This isn’t totally accurate as to the way I imagine him, but it’s not bad

Differences:

  • He has steel gray eyes
  • He only has a goatee, not a beard
  • His hair is a lighter shade and is in braids

Armen is very close to his brother, Heygan. Since he’s the spare, he never had as many responsibilities as his older brother. This led to Armen spending a fair bit of time with Demma growing up. Eentually the pair fell in love.

He is a sensitive soul with a kind heart. And he is very inexperienced with lifie beyond the castle walls.

Lady Demma

Lady Demma is Armen’s childhood best friends. Since she is the daughter of the high general, Gloin, she spent a great deal of time with the royal family.

She and Armen are deeply in love with each other and can’t wait to get married.

Since she is the daughter of the best general, she’s pretty good in a fight herself.

The picture is pretty accurate, actually. I was really impressed.

Iserri the Dragini

Half transformed between a human and a dragon, Iserri winds up being magically bonded with Prince Armen. It’s against both of their wills and they both hate being bonded together.

I’ll tell you more about the Dragini at a later date. It’s…involved.

Her look isn’t quite right.

Differences:

  • Her hair is more like strips of scaled skin
  • Green skin coated in soft, shimmery scales
  • Golden serpent eyes.
  • Probably doesn’t have horns, but after looking at this picture, she very well might going forward.

Pividi, the Dragon Queen

She’s not actually a main character for the story, but I loved how this image turned out, so I wanted to include it.

Pividi is an ancient dragon queen who crowned the warrior Ostea as the king to lead her people. As you may guess, he is one of Armen’s ancestors.

This comes into play during the story.

Writing it all down

I started this for NaNo 2017. Yeah…I should have finished it y now, but I haven’t. It’s being worked on. Luckily, I have a couple of chapters ready to go. I’ll be posting Armen and Iserri’s meeting next time. After that, we’ll see!

In the meantime, you can catch up on my other works. Or, you could explore my absolutely tragic back story.

Until next time. Keep your mind in the gutter.

The Best Laid Plans

Sidetracked. AGAIN.

Well, I had this whole thing written up about the next “big” project I would be working on for a few months. But then, I got sidetracked by the world of Crimson. That world is like a weed. Just when I think I have it under control, it just finds a spot in my brain and starts to grow.


I’m going to have to blame the good dark fantasy stuff that has come out recently. Between The Sandman and House of the Dragon, I’ve been in a very happy place. I mean, both have given me a mega creativity boost and I’m loving it. I’m not sure how much my husband has been enjoying it, though! I don’t mean to neglect you, Nate!


(On the note of HotD: I was super worried I wouldn’t be into Matt Smith playing Daemon Targaryen, but dude is just Slay-All-Day! He’s no longer just my beloved 11th Doctor and I ain’t mad about it.)


Both Bait and Delighted Bite are available on Amazon and Smashwords. Cursed will be dropping next Tuesday, so I’m excited about that. This is the first time I’ve given Xan a real backstory. Hell, I didn’t even know why he was cursed to begin with. I know now, though. It’s not pretty.


On top of that, I’ve decided to give Amazon Vella a shot. Something about writing in a series kind of feels good. It’s about the brothel that Dena’s aunt owned. So far three episodes are up and the next one is due to drop on the 8th. Episodes 1-3 are free. Amazon gives you 200 free tokens upfront. You could use them to read the 4th episode when it releases hint hint.


I have to say, Vella writers are really friggin’ nice. I joined up on a couple of Facebook pages and everyone is really quick to share and like links. I went from no reads to almost 20 reads in less than an hour. It warmed my heart.
I’ll be getting back to my dragon story eventually. Hey, maybe that could be my next Vella project. We’ll have to see.

In the meantime, I’ll be neck-deep into my Crimson stories. Up next will be Hell-Bent which will feature everyone’s favorite blonde devil, Mammon. I have to say, it’s hard getting in the mind of an asshole. WISH ME LUCK!e

Until next time. Keep Your Mind in the Gutter!

An Erica in the Writing Wilds

Creativity Flowing like the Spice Melange

For real, though, I don’t know where this creative burst has come from. It’s been friggin’ insane in my brain for the last couple of weeks. I’m talking about writing, editing, making ebooks…My entire days have been filled with words. I hope they’re decent ones!

By the time you read this, I’ll be back at my day job. I’m expecting my energy to get zapped out of existence. I’m hoping not, but historically, that’s what has happened. But, with any amount of luck, my muse will stay with me.

But these last couple of weeks has been amazing. Even with the pain of my hidradenitis, I’ve been feeling spiritually fulfilled. I’ve loved every second of it, even the times when what I worked on frustrated the hell out of me.

(Ugh, don’t even get me started on the story I’ve been working on for the last three days. It’s done, just not edited.)

So, what have I been up to

I’ve been building my ebook catalog. Some of them were already available, but I wanted to go back in and get some editing done. Plus, they needed updated covers desperately.

If you’d like to purchase any of these books, most of them are available on both Amazon and Smashwords. Tools of his Trade is only available on Kindle Unlimited.

Also, I’ve joined Literotica and Medium for posting a few freebies now and again. So far what I have on Literotica is doing very well. Medium, it’s too soon to tell.

Imparting Knowledge (hopefully)

In addition to writing, I’ve been making videos about things I’ve learned since delving into these projects. So far there are two: Canva vs Snappa for free covers and a quick rundown of getting Premium status on Smashwords (that’s coming tomorrow at 10 AM. Check it out!)

Here is the Canva/Snappa video for your viewing pleasure.

Check out both my YouTube Channels:

I also have a Twitch channel where I stream Fridays at 9PM EST.

Making a more educational video was a struggle at first, but after I got used to recording myself speaking, it wasn’t too bad. The editing of the video took nearly a lifetime. Still, in the end, if it helps someone, it’s well worth the work.

Keeping up with my Mind

I doubt I’ll keep going at my current pace once real life starts kicking in again. Also, I never know when my body is going to be a total jerk and take me down for the count (AGAIN). With any amount of luck, I’ll still feel the creative buzz through me because it truly makes me happy. Writing brings me a lot of joy.

Come back and see me soon! Next week I’ll have another Hidradenitis post for you unless something changes the topic.

Until next time. Keep your Mind in the Gutter!

Here I Go Again on my Blog

That’s Right, I’m Back!

I know, I know…

I’ve been away a lot longer than I wanted to be. But, it’s not totally my fault, per se. There are three big reasons why I haven’t been around for the last few months:

  1. I got a promotion at work, so I was busier than normal
  2. I’ve been in a lot of pain thanks to a chronic condition I have (more on that later, though)
  3. Between these two things, my creativity and my energy have been totally wiped out

To be honest, I just couldn’t do it. Hell, I couldn’t do much of anything at all. Luckily, after being on medical leave and getting treatment, I’m feeling a little more like myself and I’ve been wanting to get back into some things I’d lost interest in temporarily. So, here I am, asking for forgiveness for being away so long. I’m back now. Hopefully for good! Unfortunately, I get flares from time to time, so it might not last as long as I like. Right now, though, I have a few weeks’ worths of content in my brain that I’m now working on.

Living with Hidradenitis Supprativa

I’ve dealt with this damn condition since I was nine years old. I didn’t know what it was until I was twenty-one, however. It’s a pain in the ass (lately, this is quite literal). A lot of people have never heard of it, including I doctor I saw recently for pain. I’m not mad at him. It’s rarely talked about.

My plan is to help change that. I want to start a series centered around understanding and living with HS. I’ve had a lot of experience in that area, plus it’s easier to point at my blog and say “This is what I’m going through” instead of having to explain over and over again.

Check back soon. The first post is already brewing.

If you need support right now for HS, check out the HS Foundation. It’s a great resource for information and help!

My Next Novel

The Last Fae needs a lot of editing, and so does its sequel, A Demon in her Skin (I love that title!). But, I need a break from that particular world. Lately, I’ve been really into another old story of mine. The tentative title is A Prince and his Dragon. It’s about a prince who is magically tied to a dragon trapped in human form. He has to go on the run from his kingdom after his family is betrayed by a foreign country. The bond between them is intensely sexual, though they both have mates and absolutely must resist. I’ll tell you more about it soon. I promise!

Your Smut Writer Plays Games

A girl needs something to get her going. I’ve always been a fan of games. Admittedly, I lean more towards things like Stardew Valley and House Flipper. But, a smut writer needs more! I’m perusing Steam to find free/cheap erotic games to play. I’m going to be Live streaming on Twitch on Fridays at 9 PM EST. I’ll also post videos to my two Youtube Channels: Erica B Writes Smut for a kind of review situation and Smut Writer Plays Games for the raw streams. They’ll be updated as I can.

Um….it’s not all going to be smut. I will also play whatever game strikes my fancy. House Flipper has become and addiction, and somehow the catalyst for getting me back into my creativity. Here’s a video for one of my oldest flips:

I’ve come a long way since then. I’ll update newer ones soon.

I’ll update my blog when I drop a video. Here’s my planned schedule as of right now:

  • Mondays for blog posts
  • Tuesdays for Erica B Writes Smut videos
  • Friday streaming on Twitch
  • Sunday uploading the raw streams to SW Plays Games

Of course, I may post things in between. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date!

That’s where I’ve been and here is where I’m going. I’m going to keep moving forward as best I can. I hope you’ll take this journey with me.

Until next time!

Book Review: Signs of Cupidity

Foreplay for your Brain

Today’s offering is Signs of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy.

About the book

Summary via Amazon:

You’d think that basically being in charge of love would be an epic job, right? Wrong. Sure, I can blow some Lust into people’s faces and watch the show, but I can’t actually participate. It gets old, trust me. Same goes for love. I can pass it out like sugar-free lollipops at a dentist’s office, but I can’t get any love for myself. It totally sucks.

I used to consider myself a hopeless romantic, so why wouldn’t I choose to become a cupid? Sounds like a good idea, right? Wrong again. They don’t call us stupid cupids for nothing. I’m stuck in this never-ending afterlife where I’m invisible, lonely, and bitter as hell. And yeah, I’m probably responsible for some terrible matchmaking out there. Sorry, not sorry.

All my bad cupid’ing might be why I was exiled from the human realm. You can only do so much before the cupid bosses get all huffy. Unfortunately, my bitterness carried over into the new realm, and then I attacked a fae prince with Love Arrows. Accidentally. Okay, not accidentally. But hey, he deserved it. What I didn’t expect was for him to retaliate and hit my ass with some crazy magic mojo strong enough to push me into the physical realm. Whoa.

That’s right. This cupid just got a real body. And you know what that means…Now, it’s my turn to get some. Love, I mean. Get your head out of the gutter. Wink, wink bitches.

Author’s Note: This is a medium-burn reverse harem story. It includes explicit language and sexual situations. Intended for audiences 18 years and older. As this is a series, there will be a cliffhanger.

Available on Amazon (Kindle) for $3.99 or for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Smut Rating: (Dirty)

Pleasure Score: (5 out of 5)


The Vibe

Have you ever seen The Good Place? Well, if you haven’t, you definitely should. I ask because Tales of Cupidity gives me the same kind of energy as that show. I know that might sound like a weird explanation, but I honestly can’t think of a better way to put it. It’s smart, well thought out, and vibrant. I found myself laughing out loud more than once, but sometimes it tugged at my heartstrings. Just like TGP.

I went into the story thinking it was just going to be all porn and no plot. Don’t get me wrong, that can be a good thing. In this case, though, the author gives a lot of good foreplay. Like REALLY good. And it leaves you wanting more.

The story is about a Cupid. Yes. Wings, bows and arrows, powers of love and lust. All those things. The downside to being a love-wielding being? She’s invisible to everyone. EVEN TO HERSELF. Our girl, Cupid 1050, is a sassy, rambunctious woman, but with no one to experience her wittiness. For decades, she’s been dolling out the love to humans without so much as a thank you.

Then one day, she gets called into the office. Turns out, she is getting a bit of a promotion. No more human world for her. Now she gets to experience the world of the Fae.

Unfortunately, it’s not all it’s hyped up to be.

Without going into too much detail, due to some wayward magic, she is turned into a corporeal being. Hell yeah, girl, time to experience some living! She winds up on an island of hunky males. And, well….you can imagine the rest. In fact, don’t! Give it a read to find out for yourself.

It’s actually a very adorable story about building trust with those around you and how that trust can slowly drift into love with the right bit of magic.

I’m obsessed with this book and I can’t wait to read the next part.


Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Funny–ML is channeling her inner Anna Kendrick the entire time. Okay, that’s just who I hear in my head as I read the character. Your brain may vary.
  • Smart–The Fae world is interesting and dynamic. Leaves you wanting to know more about the realm and what it holds. Plus the ties that bind the characters together make a lot of sense.
  • Well-written–That’s it. Just damn good writing. Kept me engaged! It took no time at all to breeze through.
  • Great characters–All the characters leave you wanting to know more about them. They felt like real people (or as real as Cupids and Fairy-folk can be).

Cons:

  • Short–Well, I did say it was a breeze to get through. It left me wanting more. Luckily, it’s part of a whole series. This first book took me about 3 hrs or less to read in all.
  • Smutless–That’s not to say it’s not erotic. I just was ready for a sex scene or two. That’s ok. I can wait. I’m patient!

EDBeale Thoughts

I haven’t read a reverse-harem book since my Anita Blake and Merry Gentry days, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I found was a wonderful new series to dive into. I’m definitely a fan! You should check this one out for sure. Total home run.

Did you read this one? Let me know what you thought about it. Did you also hear Anna Kendrick in your head? I can’t be the only one!

….Right?

A Bit of E.D.Beale History

Old Blog Stuff Getting a Second Go

Image by anncapictures from Pixabay

I mentioned before I’ve been blogging off-and-on for YEARS now. A lot of it has been forgotten. Some things I almost want to bring back. I used to do this thing where I’d write a Letter to a Hot Guy on Sundays that part of me wouldn’t mind bringing back.

Anyway, while poking around on my OneDrive, I found an archive of some of my old works. I think I’ll post one of those every so often.

And Today is THE DAY

Let me start off by saying I’m a huge Star Trek geek. My one and only tattoo (so far) is of the Starfleet insignia on my upper back. It was part of my whole “might as well have a mid-life crisis” phase. It looks great, though I’m told I overspent on it. Ah well. In these hard times, I’m okay with dishing out a little extra while I have it. People gotta eat.

Anyway, I was beyond excited for the 2009 Star Trek when it came out.

Told you, been blogging for a minute, now. Still, having fun when I do it, so why the hell not?

After the movie, this happened. Remember, this is 2009 Erica, not 2022 Erica. There is Star Trek fanny fiction included. Please forgive the errors!

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Book Reviews Are Coming

I Can Read Good (Sometimes)

Image by Jo-B from Pixabay

You know how it is when you’re writing something. You get in your head with all the world-building and character-creating.

It gets crazy.

But, in order to be a better writer, you have to explore many other worlds. That way you can get a feel for your own sense of storytelling style.

Since I’m in the process of starting a leap into reverse-harem tales, I’m going to start reading a few. I’m thinking one a month right now. And when I’m done, I’ll post a review. I’m hoping it helps me in my endeavors.

Plus, smut is awesome. The more the merrier!

Upcoming Reviews

Signs of Cupidity: Book 1 by Raven Kennedy

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