on Apr 9th, 2012 
Characterization has never been a problem for me. In fact I spend more time beating possibilities off with a stapler than I do looking for characters to people my erotic romances.
Plots have a way of sorting themselves out which is a good thing because the more I write, the more I do it seat of the pants trusting that eventually I’ll spy The End.
Setting is vital to me. I can’t write word one until I had a vivid image of the world my characters live in, particularly if I make up the world. Most of the time pictures of landscapes & houses clutter my desk acting like safety nets.
But titles? Just tell me to stick one on whatever I’m writing and I head downstairs for the wine. I’ve lucked out a handful of times in the close to sixty titles I’ve written but usually not. Erotic romance readers have certain expectations, and one of those is that their interest will be snagged by an intriguing/sexy title. That’s all fine and dandy but with thousands of erotic romance fiction available many trigger words have been done to death, and they tend to all run together.
More than that, publishers go to great lengths insuring that they don’t have any duplicate titles. When I was working on my latest Samhain release, I knew I’d garner extra Brownie points if I came to my editor with something unique and yet not insane. Pressure you might think. For once not. STUDS is a shape-shifting ménage about, you guessed it, two hunky/sexy men who can and often do become stallions. (Oh, come to think of it, Stallions would have been a great title!) For those who don’t know, breeding stallions are referred to as studs. You can’t get more macho than that. My concern was it was highly likely the title had been used before. But it hadn’t and now it’s mine, all mine!
So is a story set on Hopi reservation land, an independent Hopi woman, two determined and courageous men/horses, and a large handful of danger. Oh and sex. Lots of sex.
Excerpt:
Alone. Her lean yet womanly body gliding around the equipment, her full breasts straining against the ridiculous bras women insisted on wearing. Her inner thighs would brush together, perhaps stimulating the magical part of her.
To the casual observer, she might appear to be deeply tanned, but because his human skin held the same hues, he knew she had Native American blood in her. Her cheekbones were high, her dark eyes almost as deep-set as his while her midnight hair trailed halfway down her back. She’d braided two slender strands near her temples to, he guessed, keep her hair out of her eyes. If her body lay under his with his cock buried in her soft, wet channel, he’d brush glistening hair off her neck, gathering up her sweat as he did.
Hands rammed in his back pockets, he tracked her. His cock fought the prison he’d reluctantly forced it into today. He might never understand clothing and not fucking simply because he wanted to, but he was trying. He had no choice.
Teeth clenched as defense against the future he was still reluctantly accepting, he pulled Terena’s smell deep into him. He hadn’t had sex with many human females, not because they hadn’t offered themselves to him, but because he didn’t trust his self-control. Keeping distance between himself and a woman was easier than keeping his wits about him once he touched one. On its own, sex was good and right, tension followed by delicious release, but human females wanted to talk. They expected to hear certain words from him.
Forget the half dozen or so females he’d had sex with before today. There was only this one now—and her relationship with the man he wanted to kill.
Suddenly, a sensation like hot water seared him from cheeks to feet. Stopping, he lifted his head and sniffed. He became, not a predator, but more than a man.
Scenting a woman.
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Interesting! I have never read a book in this setting.
by DebraG April 9th, 2012 at 2:57 amdebby236 at hotmail dot com
Just loved the backstory about characterization. I’m very surprised that no one has titled a book Studs before, but how lucky for you! I’m really looking forward to reading Studs, it sounds right up my alley. Best wishes on your success!
by Liz April 9th, 2012 at 7:25 amYay, so glad you stopped in today, Vonna!
by Crystal Jordan April 9th, 2012 at 9:17 amThat sounds like a really great read. And Vonna is an amazing writer so even more points there!
by Ana Ovi April 9th, 2012 at 9:19 amLove the sound of this book & the name is awesome. You definitely hit the jackpot with that one.
by Lisa April 9th, 2012 at 9:31 amTHis one sounds great! I love the idea of stallion shifters (and hung like a horse does come to mind! LOL)
by Susan R April 9th, 2012 at 9:46 amI have this and let me say I loved it!!! The setting was beautiful and the characters were compelling. And the men/stallions were beyond hot!! (And an experience this weekend at, of all places, an Easter Egg hunt, brought the story back to mind for me in a big way) Great story, Vonna!!
by Nancy Gilliland April 9th, 2012 at 1:08 pmOh. What an intriguing title to go with such an interesting sounding book. I love shapeshifters! I would love to win this book.
Ursula
by Ursula April 9th, 2012 at 3:08 pmI have not read your books before, but I find I like your style. Thank you for sharing!
himnhernow(at)yahoo(dot)com
by Beach Love Melody April 9th, 2012 at 3:12 pmLove love love the title of this book. Gotta go check it out, I don’t think I ever read about horse shifters — very interesting.
by Melissa P. April 9th, 2012 at 3:17 pmThis sounds awesome! I cant wait to read it! Loving the cover too! Thanks! Congrats!
by Shadow April 9th, 2012 at 5:12 pmshadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
I love the name Studs! It’s bold and easy to remember.
by Jen B. April 9th, 2012 at 6:09 pmHello Vonna & The Smutketeers,
WooooHoooo “STUDS”, Men & Stallion Shifters, I can definitely see this Scorchin’ HOT Read coming from Vonna, she writes some Smokin’ Books!!!! I just Love the name of this Book, “Studs”, it perfect! & the Cover Art is soooo Eye-Catching, this is a MUST Read. Thank you for sharing it with Us Vonna.
I would very much appreciate the opportunity to be considered in your very generous giveaway of a copy of Vonna’s Samhain ebook PREDATOR! Thank You!
Take Care Ladies & Stay Naughty ;)
by PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.) April 10th, 2012 at 12:36 amPaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
paranormalromancefan@yahoo.com
This sounds very good, I’m definitely adding it to the top of my TBR list!! Congratulations!!!!
crystal.hynds@yahoo.com
by Crystal H April 10th, 2012 at 6:16 amHmm…don’t normally think of horses when I think of shifters…I imagine that broken legs would be much more serious! Thank you for sharing.
by ELF April 11th, 2012 at 1:26 pm