The second issue of Lust Bites is all about Diversity in the publishing community, and getting to know some authors you may not even be aware are taking the charts by storm!
Edition 2
LUST
BITES
DIVERSITY ISSUE
FEB 19, 2016
Chatting with RebekahWeatherspoon
Diversity and
the challenges
authors face
How being an
author isn’t
so black and
white
Leila Lacey and Letters
To A Little Black Girl
LUST
BITES
DIVERSITY ISSUE
Table
of
Contents
Rebekah Weatherspoon...................................................................................3
Leila Lacey................................................................................................................5
Foxy Fitness............................................................................................................8
Savannah Morgan..............................................................................................9
The Nympho Reviews.........................................................................................12
Top 5 Diverse Indies..........................................................................................13
Anticipated Reads/Fashion..........................................................................15
Letters From Letty.............................................................................................17
If you missed the last edition, be sure to check it out! You don’t want to miss out on a thing with this hot new magazine
about the Indie world.
Find the magazine HERE.
And contact us with any comments, questions, concerns, or just to say hey...You might just end up in the next issue.
Chatting with
Rebekah Weatherspoon
3
So, because we know that with Rebekah Weatherspoon
comes the mouthwatering FIT Trilogy! (Keira and Daniel
RULE!) Tell me how it felt to have FIT win the RT
Award and SATED nominated for the 2015 RT Award?
It felt great, but I don’t think I’ve thoroughly taken
time to process it. When I won the RT Award last year
I was just excited to be in Dallas and praying that I
didn’t trip up the stairs on my way to the stage. After
I was just happy to see so many authors in person for
the first time. It was a great girls night out. As for the
nomination for SATED, I’m just happy that people like
it so much. Win or lose, I’m just happy to be recognized
for one of my favorite couples.
Tell me more about SO SWEET. That cover is absolutely
beautiful in its simplicity and colors.
SO SWEET was a blast to write. I’d just come back
from the 2015 RWA conference in NYC so I wasn’t
sure if my brain was up for another book so soon, but
Michael and Kayla were very cooperative.
How did you come up with the idea of using a online
dating site matching up women with sugar daddies?
I have no idea. HA! My cover artist who did the great
covers for the FIT books asked me to write something
for her. She gave me one prompt—younger black
woman, older white man— and I ran with it.
Okay, so I’ve been following your books, and I’m looking
forward to Soul to Keep. Lesbian Romance isn’t always
boosted up the way I believe it should be. What inspired
you to write this story?
Well Soul to Keep is book 3 in my vampire series. In
the previous books other characters dislike Jill and
Tokyo, independently and for very different reasons,
and they don’t even really talk to each other. I liked the
idea of two people who have no real friends finding
love with each other. And then there’s vampire stuff.
You did something this year that really caught our attention.
You created WOCInRomance, which promotes,
shares, and give love to Women in Color writing romance,
books, and the readers. Why did you start this?
I was seeing that white authors can write anything
and it’s fine. People started talking about diversity and
white women in romance were having no problem
getting their books with black or Asian characters to
print with major publishers, so I knew it wasn’t about
the characters, it was about the authors. I wanted to
create a place to promote our books. Make it easier for
readers to find us and make easier for us to find each
other.
Where can we learn more about WOCInRomance?
Right now twitter is the best place. @WocInromance,
books right at your fingertips. We’ll be launching a full
website later this month.
Why do you think it’s necessary for WOC Authors to
come together and support each other?
Well I think it’s important for all authors to support
each other really. None of us can supply the whole
world with books single handedly. Even the Nora’s and
the Brenda Jacksons of the world need a break. But
unfortunately discrimination is a very real thing and
you have to come together with like minded/situated
people to get over the rough spots.
Have you faced any struggles as an author of diversity?
Yes, but they’re same struggles I face every day as
a black woman. It bleeds into publishing just like it
bleeds into anything else.
What advice would you give to other authors who are
Indie?
Don’t give up. Pay attention. Research. Read, for the
love of god read. Get a copy editor, or pay your English
teacher sister in cookies to read your stuff. Get a
good cover artist. Don’t give up.
What events will you be going to this year?
For sure, I will be at the RT Convention in Las Vegas.
Any more WIPs or more series that you have in store for
us all?
SO RIGHT, Michael and Kayla’s next story should be
out by June. Fingers crossed.
4
Talking with
Leila Lacey
5
Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed for Lust Bites
Magazine!
Tell us about your most recent book!
Well the ones that are releasing in January and February
are I Remember Me and Chocolate Covered Valentine.
Chocolate covered valentine is of course a short story of
all types of naughtiness for Valentine’s Day. I Remember
Me is a Romance/Mystery/Suspense. IRM is the first
book of this type for me. I am always trying to push
myself and expand what I can offer the readers.
What inspired you to begin writing?
I have always loved to read. Romance books to be specific.
When I was young I wished that I could read
about a book with men and women that reminded me
of real people, not just me, but the variety of people I
know. As I got to be a teenager I realized I was going
to have to write that book if I wanted to read it. LOL! I
never imagined for a minute that I could self-publish.
The “publisher” route is so daunting. I just figured that
would be a bucket list kind of thing. Then some friends
of mine told me about NANO Wrimo, in 2012 and the
rest is history.
very wealthy husbands house… grocery stores are not
her hang out. LOL But she made me think of a character
I want to put in one of my books. So I guess you could
say anything can give me a story line. LOL
How do you think the market is changing for Indie Authors?
It’s opening up for the author to keep the money THEY
themselves worked hard for and put a lot of money into,
first of all. It is also opening up what we see on the book
shelves. Not every woman is a damsel in distress and
not every man is a good strong loving fella who is misunderstood.
There are strong take charge women in the
world that don’t NEED a man, they want one. There are
also asshole men that are just assholes, someone can
love that. I have a uncle that has 3 wives, and I am pretty
sure he is a professional asshole. So we all want something.
LOL There is a cookie cutter way of doing things
in all professions, but when the mavericks are given a
chance to break out society is forced to say “well that
may have been THE way but it isn’t the ONLY way” and
are required to make change or sink.
What recommendations do you give authors who are struggling
to get in market?
Do you have a favorite book couple?
In my books it would be Nya and Sal, from the Curvy
Goddess Series. They remind me of couples that I know.
While Nya tries to pretend she isn’t soft and lovey dovely
she is; only for one person, and that is her husband.
While Sal acts like he is devoted only to his penis, he
would fight the devil in hell for Nya! They are the type
of couple I love to read. . I don’t really have one for the
books I love. I mean I love them because of the book
as a whole. I even love the protagonist for being an ass
or bat crap crazy. It all just comes together to make me
love the story.
How do you come up with the ideas for your novels?
Life: Mine, my friends and family, T.V., internet, all over
really. I saw a lady walking around the grocery store
the other day she was taking orders on the phone from
someone and she seemed WAAAAY out of her element
in the $600 and up heels and the outfit that looked pricey
and was really skimpy. I remember thinking… that is
a spoiled little girl who went from daddies house to her
6
DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! You are not like anyone else.
There are people out there that want to read your story.
Also, another writer does not have to fail for you to
succeed! There is room for all of us so don’t attack other
hard working people in the vein of competition and
the so called take no prisoner’s attitude. Focus on your
STORY! Not theirs and you will be successful
What are some of the difficulties you’ve faced as a WOC
author?
Marketing, marketing, marketing. Did I say marketing?
LOL! It is so hard to find the right type of marketing
for your book and to get it in front of the right eyes.
There are so many people lying and saying they know
just what to do just give them $2600 and they will make
you triple that if not more. They actually make you $3!
So really that has been so hard. When I have marketing
in place my books FLY off the shelves so to speak when
I don’t they collect dust. The other thing is other back
biting authors who pretend to be presidents and CEO’s
on FB. Using FB as their platform to be bullies. That is
so annoying.
Speaking of powerful books for diverse readers, tell us
about Letters to a Little Black Girl. How did this come
about?
daughters, sister, mothers, friends all came out and
said…. I will! I am STILL so blown away! The call was
answered and I got busy! My husband would tell you
I’m never not busy! LOL
OH! THIS is the most important book in my life right
now. More than my very first published story. I was
raised to have respect for yourself and your family. My
grandmother use to say, when you are cutting up in the
street people aren’t just looking at you. They are looking
at me and your mother too. So I am and have always
been conscious of my behavior. Now am I perfect? NO.
But the thought is there. Fast forward to 35 years later
and we have women going to awards shows NAKED…
BUCK STARK RAVING NAKED…… in the words of
Bernie Mac “BUCKED NAKED! I can see your Public
hairs” LOL.
They are “dancing” and practically well some of them
are actually having sex on the dance floor. We have
young girls PLANNING to get pregnant so they can
get on reality TV. We have girls that can’t read, let alone
know how to handle themselves on the job and be professional.
Or 15 and 16 year old girls are in ABUSIVE
relationships! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Abusive?
NO! We have to do something, our society is going to
hell… FAST!
I had been thinking for years I want to right an advice
book about my experience as a single mother. I knew,
I’d made mistakes and corrected mistakes that other
females were and will be making. But I kept thinking
there is more, there is so much more! So I thought if I
could get a group of women to work with me. All of us
giving advice on various topics and put it all in a book
for young girls, their mothers, and grandmother. I mean
they may already know but haven’t thought to say the
words to their daughter or granddaughter, so this book
could start a crucial conversation in the lives of all three
generations. BUT I didn’t think people would want to
help, AND I was still so new to publishing I wanted to
wait a minute.
So I did, 2 years and then one day, my son was telling
me about this girl he was involved with and what a mess
she was, and I got a bug up my butt and I posted on FB
a request for the women that I am “friends” with on my
page to let me know if they would be willing to contribute
to the book. To be honest, I expected nothing.
But then these amazingly smart, talented, funny, wife,
7
What gave you the idea for LTALBG?
My mother was mentally and physically abusive to me.
For years I use to tell people I was never having kids! I
didn’t like kids. When I had them I realized that wasn’t
true. I was afraid of being like her, the type of mother
she was to me. Each time I have to discipline my children
or give them advice make a decisions pretty much
anything having to do with being there mom, I question
myself. A LOT! So much so it has kept me up at night. I
have often thought, how would someone other than me
with the mother I had, handle this? Is there a side to this
that I may be missing? I have prayed for someone to
bounce things off of or just something to read and help
me know I am making relatively good decisions. Books
have always been my thing so naturally when I thought
of helping that is what I thought of.
What authors did you get together for this project?
Not all of them are authors, some of them are just loving
women in the community but this is the list of women
that have contributed to the book. My hands down favorite
people in the world right now.
Amber Patton
Carla Knighton
Catrina Thomas-Jefferson
Danyell Williams
Ebony Simone McMillan
Leila Lacey
LeTeisha Newton
Linda I. Brown
LiSa Marie
Lydia Evette Ruff
Meka Harris
MidnightAce Scotty
Shawanna Coley
Shea Swain
Author Sherika Lewis
Shyla Colt
Stephanie Pittman
Tracye Osby
What was the message that you wanted to get across with
this project?
That what one person is doing does affect us all. That we all should care, and that we all MUST contribute something
positive to raising our children if we want things to get better.
I understand the proceeds are going to some pretty important charities. Could you tell us more about that?
YES!!! I am going to donate 70% of the proceeds to non-profit organizations that help girls. Not that I don’t think
the young men don’t need help. But I think we as the “mothers” of the community need to focus on our girls. So
I am going to donate evenly to 3 different girl oriented charities that I have in mind. You can see a list of them at
the website for the book HERE
FOXY FITNESS
Because there’s a FOX inside every reader...
Seducing Cinderella Cardio
Based on Seducing Cinderella by
Gina Maxwell
1 minute jog in place
60 jumping jacks
100 fake jump ropes
50 standing bicycle crunches
20 squat jumps
1 minute jog in place
Stretch
8
Savannah Morgan
Secrets: A Sapphire Springs Novel
Enter a world of danger, lust, intrigue and love. Enter the world of
Sapphire Springs, Montana, where the suspense will have you on
the edge of your seat and the sexy romances will have your panties
melting and your heart pounding.
There is a world of Secrets out there. A world where nothing is as
it seems. A world of the Italian Mafia, Eurasian Crime Organizations
and Government Black Ops. Will the Mafia Ice Princess melt for
the Native American Black Ops Agent?
Tia Mitchel has lived a dual life from a young age. Now, as an
adult, with desires and needs of her own, she fights for her right
to live the life she wants rather than the one mapped out for her
since birth.
Cole Lawson quit The Unit after being betrayed and left in enemy
hands. Now he is being pulled back in for one final mission. Destroy the woman he loves and he gains his freedom forever.
Come take a harrowing journey with Tia and Cole as they fight insurmountable odds against each other, two Mafia factions, the US Government,
and the lies and secrets that have kept them apart. Will trusting one another be more deadly than the secrets they keep?
Author’s Note: Although Secrets is a standalone book, I would highly recommend you read Dreams: A Sapphire Springs Novel, book 1, first. The
Sapphire Springs series is a connected series in that the characters are recurring and are connected through deep familial ties and friendships. The
Sapphire Springs Series is an Adult Contemporary Romance and is intended for audiences 18+
Amazon Smashwords
Dakota’s Autumn: A Deadly Flowers Story
Flowers can be beautiful,
For over twenty years Shane Black has been a man searching; searching for his missing twin brother, searching for the man who tore his family
apart, searching for a way to reclaim his identity, searching for a home. In the middle of a mission where his cover is blown, Shane awakens to
find himself in a shack in the middle of South America where the beautiful little flower who saved his life has left him and taken the formula
he was sent to recover. Now he must find his way home with the few items she has left for him and start a new search. For her.
Flowers can be deadly,
When Autumn is abducted by the man responsible for destroying Shane’s family, he must face his personal demons and join forces with
those he holds responsible for betraying Autumn. As Shane and the Deadly Flowers race to bring Autumn home safely, she stumbles onto
what Shane has searched most of his life for, but will they be too late to end the reign of terror of a madman.
Flowers can be healing.
Autumn Bennett is a woman of many talents and secrets. A top
rate trauma surgeon and a master of Dim Mak, she is as complicated
and deadly as the flower she is named after, the Autumn
Crocus, a flower known to have both healing and life-threatening
properties. Autumn’s professional life is turned upside down
when she is falsely accused of killing a patient. At odds as to
what she should do she turns to the family business, a private
security firm where her cousins have banded together to create
an all female covert ops team, the Deadly Flowers. Using her
skills as a healer, and her mastery of Dim-Mak, Autumn winds
her way in and out of her two careers searching for answers to
where she belongs, in her life, in her complicated family and the
man who fascinates her above anyone else.
Amazon
9
Winner’s Circle
Winner was
the awesome
kat relim!
Winner was the
amazing kristen
m. long!
Thanks so much ladies for hanging out with us and coming out for the
event!! We really love hearing from our readers and sharing the good
news with everyone! Make sure you’re following us (insert Stalking because
that’s cool too) and get your chance to get books, swag, gift cards
and more!
instagram
twitter
facebook
magazine
10
Enjoy a movie night with author
LeTeisha Newton as she watches
Pretty Woman live with her fellow
Tweeters and Lust Bites Magazine!
(Did we mention you can win exclusive
swag items, read some sexy
snippets no one else has seen, and
be entered into a chance to get a
signed copy of the book??)
Use hashtag #OHGMovieNight on
March 1st, 2016 at 7pm CST on
Twitter to join in the fun!
Oh, don’t have the movie? That’s
okay, you could win a free copy
during her FB Hop on release day!
But that’s not all. She will also be giving away PJ bottoms, jewelry and eCopies of the book at her FB Troubled
Heores Release Party on Feb 29th 2016 with USA Today bestselling author Michelle Monkou!
Don’t miss all the fun with us while we have great fun! Because
Lust Bites Magazine has a bunch in store for you and we don’t
want our Lustettes to miss out on a thing.
If you have any questions , want to know how to participate,
want invites, or in general want to tell us how awesome you
are, just contact us at:
lustbitesmagazine@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you all there! In PJs!
Becuse what’s a good movie night without pajama
selfies?
11
For those who
enjoy a bite
What if what you needed most in the world was so fucking
twisted that you couldn’t hope you’d ever really find it?
And what if, through that twisted act, you found a way to
forgive yourself, and find out how to love?
Let’s face it, romance isn’t always pretty flowers and sweet emotions erupting through you. It can be
dirty, can tear you up, spit you out, and then build you into a stronger person than you ever thought
possible. That’s what reading Dirty Ugly Toy was like for us. Braxton was a to-die-for hero who was
so messed up that you couldn’t help but wonder what hell he’d gone through. You knew that the
reason he put women through such hell was because he’d had to have a life that was like stomped on
dreams.
And you still wouldn’t exactly come close.
This book took us on a whirlwind for emotions, made us wonder why the hell JEssica (in the book,
not our Jessica :D ) didn’t like the color purple, and what had twisted her to become the very thing
that Braxton hated—and craved. There are so many small surprises throughout this novel that you
never feel like the story lags or doesn’t make since.
Each chapter builds on the last. Secrets get worst. Love grows stronger, but the darkness, that delicious,
dangerous edge of the end coming was so close it danced on your taste buds until the very
end. We were pissed when the books ended, personally. Why? Because we just didn’t want this book
to end. EVER.
So many things were satisfying at the end: the tie-ups of loose ends, clarifying backstory, happy endings
(yeah that’s plural!), and good old fashion comeuppance, that you just wanted more. Dirty Ugly
Toy was beautiful, heartbreaking, sexy, tragic, uplifting, and devastating in one amazing package.
That cover NAILED it, and you’ll understand what we mean when you read it.
All in all, we will be picking up many more of K Webster’s books, and Dirty Ugly Toy is a book you
do not want to miss.
Pick it up HERE
12
FIVE LUSTY LIPS
Dity Ugly Toy by
K, Webster
TOP 5 DIVERSE INDIE AUTHORS
J.J. McAvoy
Website
Eve Vaughn
Website
Brittainy Cherry
Website
Eve Langlais
Website
Minx Malone
Website
13
TOP 10 INDIE BOOKS
A sweet and steamy New Adult Romance
from Amazon bestselling author
of the Ruthless People series, J.J.
McAvoy…
Get it HERE
From USA Today Bestselling author
Chelle Bliss, Without Me is the sixth
book in her alpha male erotic romance
series, Men of Inked.
Get it HERE
“Unexpected ... a fairy-tale love story
to be savored.” --Romantic Times
Get it HERE
The law can’t touch me, but a life of
crime is a life of punishment without
handcuffs.
Get it HERE
“Marry me” were the last words
Luke thought he’d say to a perfect
stranger. Then again, Lissette never
dreamed she’d actually say “yes”.
You Don’t Find Love, It Finds You.
Get it HERE
Get it HERE
A talented singer loses her ability to
speak after a tragic accident, leading
her to a postcard-perfect seaside
town to find romance.
Get it HERE
There were three simple rules:
Be available.
Be discreet.
Don’t fall in love.
Get it HERE
A drastic personality change brought
on by a person’s upcoming twenty-fifth
birthday and the realization
that they have been EXISTING for a
quarter of a century but not LIVING.
Get it HERE
I was warned about Tristan Cole.
“Stay away from him,” people said.
“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”
Get it HERE
14
Jessica
and
LeTeisha’s
Anticipated Reads
and Must Have
Reader Fashion!
Jessica
March 14, 2016
Chloe Madison. That’s me. A former NYU princess
who just fell from grace, right off my pampered
Manhattan throne and onto the unforgiving
steps of Nicole Brantley, socialite and queen
bitch. Now, I walk her dog and mix her smoothies.
Try to navigate my own problems while fixing
all of hers. I want what every New York girl
wants. A career, an apartment, and true love,
preferably in a smoking hot package. It turns out
I’ll have to fight for all of it.
PRE-ORDER NOW
GET ONE
LeTeisha
PRE-ORDER NOW
March 1, 2016
GET ONE
“You Were Here is wrenchingly
beautiful in its honest and achingly
accurate portrayal of grief and how it
breaks us-and the way unconditional
friendship puts us back together.”-Jo
Knowles, award-winning author of
See You At Harry’s and Read Between
the Lines
15
Don’t foget to hang out with us and
show up in the magazine!
16
Letters from Letty
Advice for authors and readers who love them
Dear Author (and Reader on this one!)
How about we look at the numbers, eh?
Please understand how the $0.99 book isn’t always the best decision, and how
this hurts the market.
It’s a bit odd to say this, but it’s very true. Everyone loves a good deal, right?
And you’re right. It’s great for a first book, a special pre-order price, and a special
gift to readers (because truly, we wouldn’t be here if not for you guys!). But
that doesn’t mean that readers should then turn around and feel that all books
should be that price.
0.99 gets an author 35% royalty, that means 0.34.
Hey, if the book is less than 100 pages, then I’m all for that. More than that
though? Now, you’re coming into darker territory.
2.99 or more gives the author 70% royalty, that means 2.24 a book.
See the difference now?
From 2.98 to 2.98 that is the difference of dollars for an author. So please, understanding
that 0.99 can be great, wonderful, and amazing, but not all books
shouldn’t be at this price. You shouldn’t expect books over 100 pages to be that
rate, especially when many are willing to pay 6.99 for a Big Publisher author.
So, hey Indie Authors, stop hurting yourselves. Readers, support the Indie livelihood,
and make sure that you are loving the authors you can’t stop reading.
Until next time stay Fab, Fierce, and Geeky.
Letty
18
Meet the Co-Founders of Lust Bites
Magazine
LETEISHA NEWTON is an author, blogger, massive geek, and villain
lover. Professionally published since 2008, she really didn’t seem to
catch her stride until 2012. (You know how it is, life and all that jazz
takes over). Then she used her love of Anime, random trivia knowledge,
and excessive world building to create her paranormal romances.
Somewhere along the way she got a bunch of scrapes, bruises, and thick
skin. That probably has more to do with her mini-alpha in training then
writing, but we won’t tell her that. When she’s not tapping away at the
keys, she’s watching Anime, playing her Playstation, or arguing about
why female superhero poses are IMPOSSIBLE, albeit sexist. One day
she’ll have her own comic, and she’ll do it the right way (she just has to
learn how to draw!)
JESSICA ADKINS-CHARLES is a blogger, PA, and mom extraordinaire.
Owner of Bottles & Books Reviews and Anchored by Books Promotions,
she spends her days writing rocking reviews, wearing her Personal
Assistant tiara while promoting authors & sipping on champagne
in her pajamas (she only wishes!). The best part of her day though is
spent pretending to be a variety of Nick Jr. characters while chasing
after an over-active toddler boy. She dreams of skydiving out of a plane,
visiting the Eiffel tower and taking over the world one step at a time.
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