Juicy Romance
Lucy Limón | Author | Beta Reader
About Me
Love is so squeezy.
Hi! Welcome to my site. I'm Lucy Limón, writer of juicy paranormal and fantasy romance. My characters are often sweeties with a pronounced salty or sour side.
If that sounds yummy to you, subscribe to my mailing list and follow me on Instagram for updates on my upcoming book releases.
FEBRUARY RELEASE
MY INDECENT VALENTINE
Spend one night with the black-horned demon, perform one sexual fantasy to his satisfaction, and our restaurant will be saved – if we both say yes.
‘My Indecent Valentine’ is a short novella follow-up to Holidays Ablaze in which Sofia and Samite first meet.
FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME! This short novella is being released in the free anthology 'My Monster Valentine'.
🔥 Available on all platforms through March 14, 2024.
DEBUT NOVELLA
HOLIDAYS ABLAZE
When an arrogant demon with a taste for the finer things meets a salty chef with an attraction to fire, sparks fly.
In Holidays Ablaze, indulge in the sizzling spice of Sofia and Samite's fiery encounter against the backdrop of a blissfully snowy mountain. Two opposites, plus snarky banter, grudging respect, and a sprinkling of 'yes, chef' add fuel to the fire.🔥 Download today and escape to Winter Bliss. Released: December 4, 2023.
Beta Reading
I'm a highly experienced advanced reader (alpha or beta) with extra flexibility and a willingness to read your earliest drafts.
I pride myself on giving encouraging and constructive feedback. What's more, I love doing it!If I have a project in the works, I might be open for a swap. If not, I'm available for hire as my workload permits. I'm open to any genre, but I gravitate towards romance and fantasy.
Release date: March 15, 2024
MY INDECENT VALENTINE
Spend one night with the black-horned demon, perform one sexual fantasy to his satisfaction, and our restaurant will be saved – if we both say yes.Sofia and Samite are the proud owners of Ollas Encendidas, Chicago’s only entirely open-flame restaurant, but beneath the surface, chaos simmers. A crucial element of their show-stopping kitchen falters, shutting them down and threatening to turn a profitable Valentine’s weekend into the disaster that’ll take them under.Just as they’re on the brink of closing forever, a mysterious demon appears at table sixty-six to make a quid pro quo offer that could save them. With the future of their restaurant hanging in the balance, they must decide. Do they accept his indecent proposal, or do they go down in flames along with their restaurant?
CONTENT NOTES
Skip to avoid spoilers.
Indecent Proposal: ‘My Indecent Valentine’ features a demon/human (M/F) married couple, an indecent proposal trope, explicit sex, foreplay ménage (M/F/M), and trading of sexual acts for financial gain.
Other notes: use of hallucinogens, mention of burn scars, and pyrophilia.
‘My Indecent Valentine’ is a short novella follow-up to Holidays Ablaze in which Sofia and Samite first meet. This short novella is being released in the free anthology 'My Monster Valentine' available on all platforms from Feb. 14 - Mar. 14, 2024.To be notified of future projects, subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram.
Advanced Reading
Hello, You Beautiful And Glorious Writer!Are you a passionate writer seeking constructive feedback to help you complete or refine your manuscript? Look no further, because you've found your ideal advanced reader (alpha or beta reader with extra flexibility and a willingness to read your earliest drafts).
About Me
I'm a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in the world of communications. Throughout my career, I've honed my skills and developed a keen eye for the nuances that make the written word resonate with an audience:
Word Choice: Selecting the perfect words to convey a message.
Flow: Ensuring a narrative flows smoothly from start to finish.
Clarity: Clarifying complex ideas and making them easy to follow.
Consistency: Maintaining uniformity in tone and style.
Readability: Crafting content that engages and captivates an audience.
Around a decade ago, I started dipping my toe into the world of fiction writing. As an active participant in various writing circles, I've had ten years practice applying my professional communications skills to alpha and beta reading. My experience spans an array of genres, but I gravitate towards romance and fantasy.
Reading Services
Feedback is KeyAs an author, you’re looking to connect with your audience. Good writing isn't merely about expressing yourself; it's about understanding how your readers will respond to your work. At some stages of writing, you're eager for critiques and edits, while at others, you simply need a boost of constructive positivity to keep your creative fire burning. Wherever you are in your creative process, I'm here to provide feedback tailored to your goals. Read below for some of the reading services I provide.
Big Picture Read
Are you deep in your creative flow, generating ideas and committing them to paper as fast as you can? At this stage of writing, you’re probably not looking for feedback on small-scale issues. You want to know if your ideas are working. You might be hesitant to engage a reader at this point, afraid that narrowly focused feedback will suck the air out of your creative sails. Fear not! I offer a Big Picture Read that focuses on the positives:
What's Working: Celebrating the strengths of your concepts.
Where's the Potential: Identifying opportunities to develop your story further.
What Stands Out: Recognizing the unique elements that make your story shine.
This approach includes lots of notes and perhaps some emojis to keep your creative spirits high. No cuts, corrections, or line edits – just pure encouragement to fuel your writing joy.
Developmental Read
Whether you're a "pantser" who's lost in the narrative wilderness or a meticulous "plotter" grappling with how to fix your saggy middle, I'm here to provide a well-trained second pair of eyes. My Developmental Read focuses on the foundational elements:
Plot: Untangling the threads of your narrative.
Character Development: Breathing life into your cast.
Story Arcs: Crafting compelling journeys.
World Building: Creating immersive settings that a reader won’t get lost in.
Expect plenty of notes, thought-provoking questions, and insights into the clarity of your storytelling. Optionally, I can offer video chat sessions to discuss your ideas and spark creativity. No cuts, corrections, or line edits – just the guidance you need to refine your story.FAQ: Do I need a reader or an editor?: While I'm confident in my ability to provide development notes that will help you over a hump, if you're really struggling to make your story work, consider hiring a development editor.
Traditional Beta Read
You're closing in on your final draft, and it's time to polish your work to perfection. Traditionally, this is when beta readers enter the picture. A great beta reader will offer you detailed and constructive feedback that will help you iron out the last of your wrinkles. This is the service I’ll most often swap for. Reach out to see if I'm open for swaps!
Custom Read
Writing is a beautiful mess, and sometimes, you don't fit neatly into predefined categories. If you have specific feedback requests, let's talk. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to write a book, just like there’s no right or wrong time to ask for feedback. Reach out, and we can discuss a reading and feedback option that meets your goals.
Beta Reader Prep
So, you’re ready for beta readers, but you’re not sure how to get the best and most useful feedback. Just as a marketer would test a new ad campaign with potential customers to refine and improve it, beta readers are a way to test your manuscript with your target audience. To get the most out of your beta readers, you'll need to be prepared with a few key items:
Introduction & Instructions: I’ll help you craft an introductory message along with a set of instructions for your beta readers to follow.
End of Chapter Questions: I’ll help you develop end-of-chapter questions that will focus your readers on the kind of feedback that will lead to meaningful revisions.
Manuscript Evaluation Survey: I’ll help you develop a survey to capture your readers’ last thoughts and overall impressions.
Note: To provide you with prep services, I will need to read your entire manuscript. If you’d like me to provide feedback while I'm reading, let me know. I’d be happy to bundle services for you.
What I don't Offer
Sensitivity Reading: I do not offer stand-alone sensitivity reading, but I will provide minor sensitivity notes upon request. I do so with the understanding that my perspective represents a single viewpoint. If I feel your work could benefit from a more comprehensive sensitivity read, I'll kindly and gently advise you accordingly.
Proofreading and Line Edits: If you’re in need of proofreading or line edits, your best bet is to engage an editor. As an advanced reader, I’ll provide minimal line edits (if something really jumps out at me) and little to no proofreading.
Let's Work Together
As an experienced advanced reader, my goal is to provide thoughtful and useful feedback that will help your story connect with its future readers. Wherever you are in your creative process, I can provide the right type of feedback to keep you motivated and help you reach your goals. Get in touch today!
Rates - My rates may increase depending on customization or the extent of development needed. It can be reduced by the bundling of services. (500 minimum word count.)
- Developmental or complex custom read: $3 per 1,000 words.
- Big picture, traditional, or beta prep read: $2 per 1,000 words.
Testimonials
As a new writer, I met Lucy at exactly the right time. Her help in both developmental edits and as an alpha reader have been invaluable to my stories.Instead of a red-lined document I wince at opening, I am eager to read her suggestions and notes. I know they'll be genuinely constructive and encouraging, and she won't take it personally if you go another direction.There is no one with a sharper eye for context, characterization, or readability. She can spot a continuity error a mile away! And her reword suggestions, peppered throughout, are always more extensive than I expect but in the best way.What Lucy provides is not a critique so much as collaboration, like having a coach by your side every step of the way. She can help you form the prose just so without sacrificing your authorial voice.I've grown so much in both writing quality and confidence from working with Lucy and hope you do as well!
Lucy was a SAVIOR when it came to my first book. I don't know if I would have finished it if I didn't have her support. This was the first book I've ever written, and in a lot of my reviews people said they couldn't believe this was my first book and they were so impressed by the story and the writing. I attribute this to Lucy and my other critique partners.When I was rambling my ideas over video, Lucy would listen patiently and some how would take my info-dump ideas and phrase it in a way, ask me questions, that really helped me form my ideas into something clear and concrete. She offered small line edits that were brilliant but didn't take away from my voice, only added to it.She loved my characters as much as I did, which made me more comfortable sharing that side of my writing with her and made me into a much more confident writer today.Seriously, if you're a new writer, or even if you have a book idea floating around in your head and you just want to talk out your crazy ideas with someone trustworthy, HIRE LUCY. She is worth it!
Since I was a kid, writing has always been one of my favorite hobbies. It wasn’t until recently that I started thinking to work towards getting something published. Lucy has played a big role in feeding me the confidence to do so.I’m a pretty shy writer, so I haven’t gotten much out into the world just yet. Having Lucy in my corner has greatly built my confidence. She is always eager to read my endless short stories and provides a great balance of encouragement and critique, to the point where I now feel very comfortable with sharing my novel ideas with her as well.Lucy not only gives critique from a reader’s standpoint, but as a writer herself, she is able to provide well rounded advice that enhances the writing experience and helps dive deeper into your own storytelling abilities.I’m very grateful to have Lucy in my corner on my own writing journey and I would encourage anyone who needs a fresh look at their work to reach out to her. You won’t regret it!
Holidays Ablaze
When an arrogant demon with a taste for the finer things meets a salty chef with an attraction to fire, sparks fly.Sofia, a talented chef whose culinary dreams have flamed out, is spending her holiday season hiding away in a cabin atop Mount Winter Bliss until her solo retreat is disrupted by the arrival of Samite, a maddeningly pretentious demon. Sofia is no stranger to facing down big egos in the kitchen. With plenty of salt and steely resolve, she sets the ground rules and strikes her first bargain with a demon.Samite, a demon whose business ambitions have been dashed, finds himself stranded atop Mount Winter Bliss at the mercy of an infuriatingly unhelpful human. He is hell-bent on escaping this mountain, and she would gladly whip him up a swift exit except for one major obstacle. An avalanche has buried the only road down the mountain, trapping them together. Their initial clash ignites a simmering tension, and as they navigate the close quarters of her tiny one-bedroom cabin, more bargains are struck, and the heat continues to rise.In Holidays Ablaze, indulge in the sizzling spice of Sofia and Samite's fiery encounter against the backdrop of a blissfully snowy mountain. Two opposites, plus snarky banter, grudging respect, and a sprinkling of 'yes, chef' add fuel to the fire.🔥Horned up for the Holidays is a series of three steamy, same-world, stand-alone novellas available on Kindle Unlimited. Purchase or download from Amazon today to escape to Winter Bliss.
Tropes
OPPOSITES - forced proximity, intense attraction, snark, and grudging respect.
FOODIE PROTAGONIST - sizzle in the kitchen with a sprinkling of 'yes, chef'.
DEMON LOVE INTEREST - love bites, banter, and bargains.
COZY CABIN - holiday vibes, contemporary world with fantasy elements.
Content warnings: explicit sex, fire attraction/pyrophilia, burn scars, and scar-related insecurity.
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Winter Bliss
ABOUT THE SERIES: The sleepy little town of Winter Bliss is waking up for the holiday season: Christmas followed by the Truthfire Carnival on New Year's Eve. It's the biggest demon holiday of the year. There's fire magic in the air as three locals set about their holiday plans. But the arrival of three out-of-towners plus an untimely avalanche upends those plans, leaving three couples stranded in tiny cabins with no way off the snowy, secluded, and hot-spring pocketed volcano known as Mount Winter Bliss.
"Bookish & Beastly" by Catrina Bell: Childhood friends to lovers, second chance, Beauty and the Beast vibes, bookish couple, opposites attract, coming back home.
"Holly’s Unjolly Christmas" by Lark Green: Sunshine/grumpy, size difference, lumberjack vibes, hurt/comfort, hero tragic past, loud brained heroine, emotionally wounded characters, gruff mountain (demon).
Holidays Ablaze by Lucy Limón: Opposites, grudging respect, bickering and banter, bites and bargains, ‘yes, chef’ heating up the kitchen.
🔥 Series released: December 4, 2023.
