#MenageMonday and Cara Michaels

Hello! I'm happy to introduce you to another blogger with flash fiction content. Cara Michaels hosts Menage Monday every Monday and has also challenged her fellow writers to #WIP500. I was eager to ask her about these and other things happening on her site and blog. I started with the way I came to know about her and her site: Menage Monday.

What are the rules of Menage Monday?

#MenageMonday is a flash fiction challenge. Entries range between a minimum of 100 words to a max of 200 (with occasional special editions forays going a bit longer). There are three prompts that must be incorporated into the tale: a photo, a phrase, and a special judge’s prompt that changes wildly from week to week (we’ve had ‘a broken g-string’, Sherlock Holmes, a prehistoric dog, and lots of other cool stuff).

I’d already begun participating in a couple of challenges (#TuesdayTales and the now-defunct #HumpDayChallenge). One challenge used a word and picture, the other used 5 words. When I decided to start #MenageMonday, I decided I wanted a bit more length (both challenges I knew had a 100 word limit) and an extra special variable. To that end, I came up with the Judge’s Prompt. Each of my judge’s has come up with something unique to add to the challenge.

I never competed in the Hump Day Challenge, but I've interviewed Stevie McCoy about #TuesdayTales. Do you have many repeat visitors? How often does someone new join the ranks?

Naughty Nights Blog Hop

This is my first time participating in a blog hop, so go easy on me, being a virgin and all. I'm so virgin in fact that I don't have a book of my own to give away. My novella, Blue Moon House, is still going through its paces behind the scenes, so instead, I'm giving you a taste of the House and the vampires in it. For another, check out this Tantalizing Tuesday Teaser.

Tantalizing Tuesday Teasers - Naomi Shaw

If you follow the blog, you've already seen some my teasers posted for this weekly segment. Today I'm happy to host the originator of Tantalizing Tuesdays, Naomi Shaw. Where do the authors of Tantalizing Tuesdays meet?

I created a group on Facebooks where the members meet, sign up for the week and promote their stories.

And an interesting group it is! What else happens in the Facebook group?

Flash Fiction Friday - Inception

So, if you have been keeping track, the same players have appeared in all my Friday pieces this month. We started with John mourning Richard as the mysterious female appears. Next we have John sharing an intimate moment with Lara. Then we have the same Lara with her lover Therese. And now we have the event that caused Lara to kill Richard at the beginning, the Inception.

Lara’s grief consumed her. Her son, dead only moments after birth. She shouldn’t mourn him so, he would live with the men as soon as weaned, but she did. She hated that this tiny life had been stolen from her. Her lover and midwife, held her, stroked her, and Lara let the small pleasure from her touch build her magic back to life. As soon as it had, she called the crows to carry her son’s soul with them. As soon as the first caws were heard, she pushed Therese away. She would make sure the someone paid for this.

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Be sure to check out all the other Flash Fiction Friday authors and pieces:
Savannah Chase
Sherry M. Palmer
Naomi Shaw
Julez S Morbius
Venus Cahill
Davee Jones
Veronica Fredricks
Cyril J. Michael
S. J. Maylee
Yvonne Nicolas
Kendel Davi
Bonni Sansom

Stories of Life and Passion - Jean Joachim

So, Tuesday has come and gone and I thought I'd interview Jean about her personal blog. It's quite different from the Tuesday Tales, although, naturally, her contributions to that challenge appear on her blog. She also has regular postings for Free Chapter Friday. I'm curious about Friday, do you offer a different chapter each week? Is it always the first chapter? Do you repeat occasionally or only post when you have a new release?

I do post only the first chapter. That should be enough to tell a reader if they want to read the whole book. I won't post more than the first chapter. I change books each week. When I run out of my books, I will then post first chapters of other people's books alternating with repeats of my own.

That's a LOT of books! You post very regularly (every few days). Do you ever find keeping the blog overwhelming? Do you plan posts in advance so you can dig one out when you're stumped or too busy?

I do sometimes find blogging overwhelming. I've tried to organize a couple of days so I know what I'm doing and can plan in advance. I also leave blogs up longer than I used to. One day is not enough. So I've reduced 7 weekly blogs to about 3 or 4, which is much more manageable.

Yes, I started out recommending a blog everyday and found it more beneficial to cut that back and post every other day or so. Obviously, you participate in Tuesday Tales. Have any of the shorts you write for that feature turned into full length novels or novellas?

Tantalizing Tuesday Teaser

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming novella, Blue Moon House. I hope you enjoy it!

Harry picked her up and carried her to her rooms. “She won’t be available tonight, Nicholas. She has been too badly used.”

“Wait. Is he the last?” Julia asked. “The last vampire,” she clarified.

“I am,” Nicholas said.

“Then let me clean myself. Give me an hour.” She kicked her legs down from Harry’s arms and walked to the bathroom, wincing with each step.

Harry followed her. “You don’t have to do this. We have eternity, another week is nothing.”

Julia shook her head. “I might lose heart in another week. If I spend a week thinking about what just happened, I might believe more of it. I need something to come after that. Something else to think about.”

Harry hugged her, ignoring the horrible smell coming from her. “I’ll bring you an ointment. Apply it after you’ve washed.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

She ran the tub and lounged in it, soaking away the aches, the new bruises over the old, the burning in her pussy and ass. Not long after she’d settled in, the door to the bathroom opened and Nicholas came to sit on the toilet lid.

Julia sighed. An eternity, but this vampire couldn’t wait an hour.

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Now be sure to check out all the other teasers from these fabulous authors:
Naomi Shaw
Bonni Sansom
Cg Brumby
Don Abdul
Molly Synthia
Sherry M. Palmer
Cyril J. Michael
Dianne Hartsock
Venus Cahill
Veronica Fredricks
Lee Brazil
Havan Fellows
Julez S Morbius
Gemma Parkes
ER Pierce

Tuesday Tales - Jean Joachim

Tuesday Tales is hosted by Jean Joachim. I thought to find out a little more about the group and the fiction they write. What are the rules? 

Not too many rules. I must have the link and opening sentences by Monday 7pm. No promoting on our Facebook page except for new book covers. No word limits except for the picture prompts. Those must be 300 words. No rating rules. Just include the rating and genre with links. Continuing stories are welcome as are one-shots. All participants are expected to promote the Tuesday Tales site, not their own site. Opening sentences are limited to 2 or 3 only. No stories from published works. I think that's it.

That a decent list of rules. Certainly not constricting ones. Do any of the stories overlap (week to week) or have you found any authors using their WIP to make a Tuesday Tale?