Monday Heats Up with R.M. Sotera

We’re fortunate today to have the delightful R.M. Sotera as our guest.  Yes, she heats things up with not one, but two of her books and the chance for 2 lucky individuals to win.  If you like dark and lusty, you're going to love her books!

I met R.M. at a conference recently and we hit it off instantly.  Though her writing isn't an indicator, she’s funny in addtion to talented and has a zest for life that I love!  So learn about her work if you don’t already know it and make sure to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a PDF of one of the books she talks about here.   

R.M. Sotera and the journey into Cassadaga Moon and Vegas Moon 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Lizzie for spotlighting me on her blog today.    I would also like to share why I’m discussing two books.  Vegas Moon would not be possible without Cassadaga Moon, and in order to understand Vegas Moon understanding the premise of Cassadaga Moon is needed.

Cassadaga Moon -

How did this book come about:  I go through many different processes when I sit down to write, however, with Cassadaga Moon, I literally stepped into the world of ‘real vampires’, aka, sang and psy.  I began to research the lifestyle or as some say subculture seven years ago.  I was preparing to write my first romance novel, and wanted something different.  I needed a great hook.  I’d always heard about people, who’d believed they were vampiric, however, I thought it was a hoax that is until I started doing my research. I read every book I could get my hands on, specifically those written by Arlene Russo and Katherine Ramsland.  Then I started sniffing around online. The vampire community, specifically the Atlanta Vampire Alliance, helped me in understanding the subculture through several different interviews.  And then I was lucky enough to meet-up with a few sang vampires in the Las Vegas area who helped my understanding even further.  They are a very private group, which is totally understandable, so I let them choose the times and places of our meetings.

So, I took what I knew about the subculture and decided that I wanted to push the envelope further by bringing the fetish of bloodplay into my story.  I learned through my research that there is a fine line between the two, and that many people confuse vampirism with bloodplay.  They are not the same.  However, many people who are vampires delve into that fetish on occasion.

However, for my story, I wanted my hero to like blood play too.  I wanted to up the ante as much as possible.  So with a storyline that encompassed a good Catholic girl and a real vampire with a much darker side, I wrote the book.  After several re-writes I felt it was finished and I was ready to find an agent.  Not so easy.

Stop the press.  I mean I knew that the subject matter of this book was dark, however, I didn’t realize how dark until the rejection letters began to pile up in my office.  And most of them said the same thing, that the material was to dark, to the point I would most likely scare readers.  But, I kept pushing because the story wasn’t about the vampirism (that just happened to be a really kick-ass conflict) it was about the love between a jaded and broken man with a different belief system and a Catholic girl.

So, 351 rejection letters later, Siren Publishing picked up Cassadaga Moon.  They felt the story was intriguing and very unique, and thus they took a chance on the book and my story came to fruition.  Seven months later and the second book in the series, Vegas Moon, released.  Vegas Moon is the story of Mia’s best friend in Cassadaga Moon – Cindi Vera Cruz and another coven member Tristan Dane.  These two are one hot item in Cassadaga Moon and hit up the pages even more in Vegas Moon.

In closing I would like to say:  If you have a story that you truly believe in, don’t stop until it finds a home.  How many well-known authors have been rejected on stories that have turned out to be best-selling books?  Do the research, you will find out that there are a ton of authors out there who just kept believing in their stories and pushing forward.

Peace and Love your way. Keep on reading and writing. 

RM Sotera J

Cassadaga Moon Blurb:

In the quaint town of Cassadaga, Florida, life isn’t quite what it seems. For the strictly raised Catholic Mia Christini, life is nothing like it seems. There are only three things Mia is sure of—her best friend Cindi might just be crazy, her boss is losing control, and morals are overrated.

Weary of existing by a moral compass, she is ready and waiting for a one-night stand. She’s twentysomething, and it’s about time. When Jordan De L’croix sets his sights on her, she finds out that her integrity isn’t the only thing she needs to worry about, especially from a man who gets, or takes, what he wants with ease.

And what he craves isn’t just her virginity. He craves her blood, redemption, and true love.

Note: Hero and heroine involved in acts of vampirism.

Purchase Link : http://www.bookstrand.com/cassadaga-moon

Author Website: www.rmsotera.com


Vegas Moon Blurb:

Psychic vampire Cindi Vera Cruz has no intention of falling in love with sanguine vampire Tristan Dane. She makes that fact perfectly clear to Tristan every chance she gets. He’s twenty-one years old, ten years her junior, and as she sees it, definitely not in her cards as a forever type of man, only a lover. But when Tristan decides he’s tired of her games and demands she admit her feelings for him, all hell breaks loose.

Situations heat up when Tristan walks into the yearly Stiletto Sanction coven party only to find Cindi feeding on his energy without his consent. His shock turns into anger. And then anger turns into a game of battle of the wills. Tristan calls her bluff by raising the stakes in the blood play room. She has always been a willing participant in bleeding for him in the name of pleasure, but will she bleed to feed his need for pranic energy?

Note: Hero involved in acts of vampirism.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Purchase Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/vegas-moon

 My Giveaway:

A PDF of Cassadaga Moon and a PDF of Vegas Moon

How do they enter to win?  Leave me a comment on the blog – Lizzie will determine the winners.

When will you be announcing the winner? At the End of the Week