Welcome, Lisabet Sarai

Superstitious Behavior

By Lisabet Sarai

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! When Ginger offered me this date, she was concerned that I might refuse because of being superstitious. Heck, no, I told her! That's a ready-made blog topic!

I've led a very lucky life. Not that I tend to win lotteries or anything, but I've enjoyed almost unadulterated good fortune:  a supportive family, a top-notch education, challenging and fulfilling work, an awesome husband, devoted friends, robust good health, the opportunity to travel―pretty much everything anyone might want, other than great wealth (and I'm not sure I'd want that anyway).

Anyway, I'm generally not what you'd call superstitious. I'd rather not walk under a ladder, but that's simply because I'd be worried that the ladder or some paint might fall on my poor head. I've got no problem with black cats; in fact, as you can see,  I'm the proud slave of one gorgeous jet-black puss. Breaking a mirror is obviously bad news simply because one has to clean up all the slivers of glass, but it doesn't make me expect bad luck.

The one area where I do tend to indulge in just a bit of superstitious behavior is in the realm of publishing.  I will not announce an acceptance until I've actually signed the contract. Somehow I feel that celebrating prematurely is tempting fate. I even have a bit of a problem talking about a book until it's actually available.

This is partly superstition, partly based on sad experience.  I had a publisher sit on one of my novels for nearly eighteen months once before canceling the contract (and, I have to admit, paying me the remainder of the advance as specified, so I couldn't complain too much). In another case, I had a story accepted for an anthology I was really enthusiastic about, only to have the publisher decide that they no longer wanted to print GLBT-themed books. (The book did finally come out from a different publisher, thanks to the efforts of the editor, but it took almost four years.)

So when I talk about an upcoming release, there's always this niggling doubt that just maybe it might not happen. And that maybe by talking about the book at all, I'm inviting the universe to step in and make trouble for me.

Needless to say, this superstition makes pre-publication promotion difficult for me. I find promotion  rather agonizing anyway―I just can't get used to constantly yelling “Me! Me! Me!”--and the fear that somehow I'll queer my release by talking about it ahead of time just makes things worse.

Now I'm a modern woman, scientifically trained, so I'm working to combat this silly fear. That's why I'm including the blurb, below, for my book Fire in the Blood  which is supposed to be released next Monday. The book is a vampire ménage (M/M/F) erotic romance set in Jamaica. It was originally intended as a Halloween release, so it has something of a gothic aura.

Maddy and Troy hope that a carefree vacation in tropical Jamaica will re-ignite the passion in their five year relationship. On a scenic mountain trail ride, Maddy's horse bolts and carries her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a seductive giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable lust. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far too late for her to escape.

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d'Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste taste human blood, but when slender, raven-haired Madeleine begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Troy is hugely relieved when Maddy makes her way back to their hotel after her ordeal in the mountains. But he finds her greatly changed―fiercely passionate in bed, restless and disturbed at other times. The tall, elegant stranger he meets on the beach holds the key to her transformation―and soon has seduced Troy as well.  Even Etienne's most potent magic can't extinguish the fire in Troy's and Madeleine's blood.

Assuming that the universe cooperates, you'll be able to buy the book on Monday the 16th of August from Total-E-Bound.  Meanwhile, you can read excerpts from this and all my other books, as well as nearly two dozen free stories, at my website, Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory. 

I want to thank Ginger for inviting me to be her guest. I'll be off now, with my rabbit's foot in my pocket. Don't step on any cracks in the pavement!