Blue Ruin 4 coming this Fall!

Loose Id has accepted Blue Ruin 4: Need You Tonight and given me a tentative release date around October/November. Now that I'm not afraid of jinxing things, here's the blurb for those of you who've asked what's next, not to mention all of you who've inquired as to a certain grocery store extra:

*****
Blue’s summer is heating up in more ways than one. When he befriends Dusty Sterling, he sees the opportunity to give his master Derek their first true threesome. But first, Blue must meet a requirement issued by Derek.

Derek is content with Blue as his exclusive lover, but when offered the chance to bring the beautiful Dusty into their bedroom, Derek can’t resist. He agrees to Blue’s idea under one condition -- it’s Blue who must seduce Dusty.

Blind since birth, Dusty is proud, independent, and knows what he wants. In need of temporary shelter, he accepts an offer to stay with Derek and Blue. The fact that he finds them both attractive doesn’t hurt, but Dusty must let his hosts in on a secret – his unique and sometimes frightening way of “seeing.”

When Dusty’s nightmares reflect a pair of real life murders, Blue uses his connections with the police to bring Dusty in on the case. The friends grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, but their bond will truly be tested by the evil that lurks in plain sight.
*****

Yes, as you can see, Derek and Blue are due for their first truly cooperative threesome, and with a pretty uke at that. Funny how that works when Derek's the only seme or Dominant in the picture, eh? I think he deserves it, and I hope readers will agree. As for Dusty, I hoped to portray a blind person sympathetically yet without being overly-sympathetic to the point of exploitative. Researching and writing his character certainly made for writer growth. And while I won't give too much away, I'll say that resolution with Cameron is achieved once and for all, but you'll have to read the book to see how. ;)

I'll announce an official release date for BR4 as soon as I have one. In the meantime, I hope readers will enjoy my latest m/m offering, Off the Beaten Path, which just released yesterday!

Off the Beaten Path is out today!

Available today from Loose Id:

Off the Beaten Path
Hot M/M Summer Romance from Katrina Strauss!

ISBN: 978-1-59632-982-9
Length: Novel (40,000 words)
Genre: M/M, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Heat Level: Spicy

Read an excerpt:
http://www.loose-id.com/KSOTBPex.aspx

Buy the book:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Off_the_Beaten_Path-982.aspx



Gay athlete Travis Bell doesn't hide his sexuality, but he won't be defined by it, either. When he covers for a friend’s misdeed, he’s forced to negotiate his future without losing his lacrosse scholarship.

The last thing he plans on is a wilderness vacation with Omega Beta Pi, aka Off the Beaten Path, a fraternity devoted to gay rights and environmental causes. Worse, Travis must share a tent with Kyle, an opinionated activist who also happens to be the hottest guy Travis has ever met.

A proud activist, Kyle Schafer disapproves of Travis’s indifference toward issues affecting the environment and gay community. To his greater annoyance, Kyle finds himself attracted to his shallow tentmate on a purely physical level. Travis goes against everything Kyle believes in, but that doesn’t dampen the chemistry that sparks between them.

In a battle of wits and libido, Travis and Kyle venture into the uncharted territory of their deepest desires... and learn the path less traveled can lead straight to the heart.

Available now from Loose Id at:
http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Off_the_Beaten_Path-982.aspx

Guest blogging today at Jet Mykles's ComputErotika

I'm guest blogging today over at Jet Mykles's place! I even brought along an excerpt from next week's m/m release, Off the Beaten Path. Get the scoop, and feel free to comment, at:

http://www.jetmykles.com/2009/07/guest-blogger-katrina-strauss/

Many thanks to Jet for letting me play at her blog today. ;)

New profiles and book listings

My Amazon author page is now live at:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002HVSXE0

Since I've been taking a break from writing the past week, I found time to fix up my page at GLBT Bookshelf:
http://bookworld.editme.com/KatrinaStrauss

And... e-books are now available at Barnes & Noble! See Derek and Blue at their snazzy new digs:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=Katrina+Strauss

Music video du jour

I freely admit to my love for Lady Gaga's "Poker Face", so it is with no qualms that I post this awesome Chris Daughtry tribute:

Windswept available today!

Windswept is available today in e-book format at:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lovesimmortalpantheonvol2windswept-18404-144.html


ISBN: 978-1-60767-065-0
Length: Novella (20,000 words)
Genre: M/F, Paranormal, Erotic Romance
Heat Level: Spicy

Get your copy today!

But wait, there's more! Coming this August: Pantheon Vol. 2 anthology in print! Featuring Windwept by Katrina Strauss, along with stories by Cara North, Selena Illyria, Dagmar Avery, and Cat Johnson. More details coming soon!
 

BLURB:

When Tempest Rayne receives an invitation to the annual Gala of the Gods, she thinks it’s too good to be true. Allowed to meet one Greek god of her choice, the awkward meteorology student requests to meet Aeolus, legendary Keeper of the Winds -- to talk about the weather, of course.

Granted eternal custodianship over the Four Winds, the once-mortal Aeolus quietly watches the world pass by from his remote island home. When he learns of the young woman who has asked to meet him, the lonely wind keeper is intrigued and agrees to honor Tempest’s request.

Neither mortal nor god is prepared for the encounter that follows. When the meddling Olympians brew up a little Mediterranean squall, Tempest and Aeolus must ride out the storm together, plunging them into a whirlwind of passion, leaving them both… Windswept.
 

EXCERPT:

The loud gong of the doorbell sounded. His treadmill workout unimpeded, Aeolus scanned the weather and satellite reports displayed on three giant screens. That bastard El Niño was kicking his ass over in the Pacific again, and his vigilance was required.

Several minutes later, his steward entered the console room, followed by a third party. “Signore,” the elder gentleman addressed Aeolus in Italian, “the goddess Hera to see you.”

Aeolus halted mid step, nearly tripping as the tread carried his foot back. He turned off the machine and stepped to the floor. Shaking the damp from his curls, he grabbed a towel from where it hung on the nearby weight rack. He wiped the sweat from his smoothly-shaved face, his features permanently chiseled in the guise of a man in his late twenties. His face dry, he twisted the towel behind his neck and draped his biceps.

“Hera,” he greeted with both surprise and suspicion. “It’s been what, a few millennia since your last visit? To what do I owe this honor?”

Wistfully, his eyes roamed her form. At six feet tall, and in stiletto heels at that, the statuesque Hera drew eye level with him. In modern fashion, her chocolate tresses cascaded freely down her back. The last time he’d seen her, she’d worn her lovely mane woven in a diadem. Gone was her toga, replaced with a sassy Chanel suit in silk and leather. And while he’d once found her golden sandals to be alluring, those heels certainly suited her better. As he took her hands, he inhaled her intoxicating scent. Pressed against her, he found himself pondering how long it had been since he’d enjoyed the charms of the fairer sex.

Hera smiled knowingly as she kissed him on one cheek, then the other. “When I made you immortal, I offered you any mate of your choosing, even my fairest nymph, Deiopea, but you refused.”

“I would not wish this seclusion on any woman unless she chose it,” Aeolus reminded her.

“Are you still moping?” Hera sighed with a quick roll of her eyes and a slight twist of her lips. Still holding his hands, she stepped back and surveyed the room with a hint of disapproval. “It’s a wonder you don’t sleep in here.”

Aeolus smiled. “At times, I do.” With a flourish, he kissed the back of her hand, knowing the neglected wife of gallivant Zeus found the attention flattering. “And I am ever grateful for your gift and honored by the responsibility with which the gods have entrusted me. But my obligation lends little in the way of a social life, and yes, at times, I am lonely.”

Hera batted her eyes. “You could host parties like we do each year on Arcadia. You have what mortals consider prime location here. Why, you’d be the rage of the scandal sheets!”

“After that fiasco with Odysseus and his crew, I’ve been reluctant to play host to guests again.”

“You’re still upset about that?” teased Hera.

“Considering it went down in the books? Yes.”

It was more than that, however. The fact was, every few centuries, the human-born immortal suffered a crisis as he stared at his reflection and fathomed, all over again, that he would never age—his skin would never wrinkle, his hair never thin or gray, and his bones never grow brittle. With this realization, the same staggering truth never ceased to amaze Aeolus. He would never die.

If that weren’t enough to keep his mind teetering on the brink of madness, his custodianship over the Anemoi proved a most taxing chore. While he loved his four charges, his duty toward them kept him secluded to the Aeolians, his grand palace atop his island more a fortress than a home. True, the recent advent of television, radio, and computers kept him more in touch with the outside world. And between NASA, NOAA, and The Weather Channel, his job had certainly eased in recent decades. Yet at times, the enormity of his situation still weighed heavily on him.

Aeolus offered Hera a seat, then took his place in his leather executive chair at the main terminal. The steward poured and served coffee, then took leave with a quick bow and a crisp turn of the heel.

Hera blew lightly at her cup and took a dainty sip, her littlest manicured finger extended. “I came here regarding our annual gathering at Arcadia, actually. It seems a complication has arisen."

“Oh?” He blew carefully on his own drink—very carefully, as he held the power of the wind in his lungs.

-- Excerpt from Windswept
Copyright 2007 by Katrina Strauss
Available in ebook at:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lovesimmortalpantheonvol2windswept-18404-144.html

Mentions, reviews, and a shiny new trailer

Wise words of advice, perhaps, from My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way. But hey, I don't Google myself... Google does it for me with update alerts! I didn't find all of these via Google, anyway. :P Here are some recent mentions, reviews, and a lovely book trailer courtesy of a gracious reader.


Author Selah March shares interesting insight on the role of the antagonist in romantic fiction with her blog post, If He Ties You to the Railroad Tracks, He’s Probably Not the Hero. She includes examples from various titles, including one certain Lord Master Sasha. Let's hope this does not go to his pretty head:
http://www.bookwenches.com/gblogselahmarch.htm


While we're on the subject of character types, Val of Obsidian Bookshelf talks shop on the role of the Innocent and references Edwin from Sleight of Hand as one such example:
http://obsidianbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/05/reviewer-perspective-themes-innocent.html


Madame Butterfly has nice things to say about A Roof for the Rain:
http://madamebutterfly90.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-roof-for-rain-by-katrina-strauss.html


Author Silapa Jarun offers praise for Sleight of Hand at her Yaoi and Yuri blog, YAY! for short:
http://yaoiandyuri.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/get-your-hands-on/


One of the challenges in promoting a reprinted title is that the usual suspects already reviewed it the first time around. I'm pleased to have received a new review on Eldritch Legacy 1: Secrets Revealed from Heather of Fallen Angel Reviews:
http://fallenangelreviews.com/2009/May/heather-eldritchlegacy1_secretsrevealed.htm


Last but not least, many thanks to reader Tiffany for gifting me with this lovely book trailer:






My deepest appreciation to all linked above for their kind words and kudos. Okay, back to Google writing! ;)

Blue Ruin 4, Eldritch Legacy 2, and... oh my, print!

I've completed the manuscript for Blue Ruin 4: Need You Tonight and submitted it to my editor for her approval and, hopefully, acceptance. I now await her response as I bite what's left of my nails!

As for the Eldritch Legacy reprints, I've been given a tentative September release on book two, Lessons Learned. Yes, Master Stefan is returning in all his rakehell glory!

Don't forget, I have two new releases coming up in July -- m/m contemporary novel Off the Beaten Path and m/f paranormal novella Windswept. The latter, Windswept, will be released as both a stand-alone e-book and as part of the Pantheon vol. 2 anthology in paperback. Yes, I will finally have something available in good old-fashioned print.

So as always, stay tuned!