Unless there are just no females left on the planet, it is kinda hard not to include at least one or two once your standalone blossoms into a series. But as author Jambrea Jo Jones points out, not all m/m readers like their m/m with a side of f. Here she is to talk about how she included an important character without losing any steam. She had me at “Bad-Guy sex.”
The start of a series.
So…you write the first book and think—woohoo! Done. But are you really? Hmmm… you start to think about the secondary characters and you kind of like the world you just built…should you…then one person says they want to know more and that’s the clincher. You have to write another one. How can you not. People are requesting it. (ummm because in your mind one person is actually millions all clamoring for your story because you totally rock and must get that masterpiece done – oh, wait—is that just me? heehee)
For me that happened with my Alliance series. I wrote the first book never intending to write more. But I introduced a character that intrigued me. His name was Rock. I also had a female character I thought was kick ass that I wanted to know more about. But the first book was m/m and Rock and Se where both head strong warriors. What was a writer to do? I’ll tell you, write my first ménage. Lol Talk about interesting. For me, it was the perfect answer. I know not everyone will read a female character in an m/m series so I was trying to come up with a way to make it so m/m readers would like it. I told the story in three different points of views and none of them were Se’s. I mean—she is TOTALLY there and you get the girl bits, but you only see her through Rock and Zander’s eyes. The other point of view was the bad guy. I love a good bad guy and bad guy sex rocks!
So, was I done after book two? Nope, I introduced more characters than I thought of an idea for a prequel and that is why I am getting ready to write book six in the Alliance series. Lol
The stories in order:
Retribution – Characters: Rave and Kain
Salvation – Characters: Rock, Se and Zander
Freedom – Characters: Voss and Maverick
Reward – Characters: James and Al
Annihilation – Characters: Gill and Rico
Avenger – the one I’m currently writing. Characters: Angel and ????
Now all of the stories in my Alliance universe are m/m with the exception of book two being m/m/f. I plan on keeping the series m/m from here on out. And I did say…planning on keeping because…well…this universe is big. There are so many stories that could be told. I’m not sure if there will be more after Avenger. I guess it just depends on who shows up.
For more information you can go to my website: www.jambrea.com
The Alliance series is at Total e Bound and you can get all, but Annihilation at Amazon and other third party sites. This series is also in print. Retribution and Salvation are in the print version together and Freedom and Reward are as well. Alliance Vol. 1 & Alliance Vol. 2. The last two will also go to print. WOOHOO!
Jambrea Jo Jones can be found: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TOTAL-E-BOUND
Jambrea Jo Jones is offering up a pdf copy of Unconventional At Best, a new Anthology with Total-e-bound. To enter, comment below about girl bits in M/M and/or bad-guy sex. ( Personally, I like it when the characters aren’t exactly squeaky clean. 🙂 )
Open until Friday, August 10th at 11:59 pm (PST). Winner will be randomly selected and notified on Saturday.
Jambrea has added a print copy of the Unconventional At Best anthology to our GRL Reading Challenge Grand Prize. Remember to post your list for your chance to enter.
Won’t have my camera until later today … and the names were all written on very thin napkins … but I didn’t want to make you guys wait till tonight to know the winner.
Congratulations Linda C.
MANtastic Fiction 
Ha! Girl bits in m/m fiction…love it! I don’t mind a m/m/f menage every once in a while…it’s not my preference but there are times that I like to see the best friend (who happens to be a girl) or the sister find her love interest, and of course I want to know their story because I’m curious like that. I prefer m/m and even m/m/m but within a series if there is a m/m/f I’ll read it because I don’t want to miss that part of the story line
I know exactly what you’re talking about, Jam. When I wrote a M/M/F menage into my Cattle Valley series, some people were absolutely outraged. It’s a slippery slope, but in the end, I actually liked that story. LOL And I’m glad I included my sarcastic alter ego Carol into the series.
Hey! Great blog and I think if the characters are meant to be together, then it doesn’t matter if there’s an f in the m/m…oh and yeah, I loved this series, but you knew that LOL!
I’m with you Crissy, I just hve to know especially if the charcter is interesting.
Carol…that is one of my favorites of the CV series! She is a BIG part of the town and she deserves to be happy and I love that you have a Carol in your books. heehee
Thanks, Kim!!! 🙂
I don’t mind the f in a menage or M/M as long as the M/M are also together.
Yvette
yratpatrol@aol.com
I am very picky about my girl bits in m/m but I do like it. Case in point carol Lynne has a mm/f series I love. And who doesn’t love a bad boy!
I think writing girly bits in a m/m series can be successful if the writing is good and it makes sense. To me, what doesn’t make sense is having a successful m/m relationship, then tossing a female in the mix just because.
I’ve always shied away from girlie bits in my MM. I think it’s because I started reading MM for bdsm stories – I don’t care for M/f bdsm – and never have wanted to let them mix. After reading about your Alliance series though, I’m feeling adventurous and think I’ll give it a go.
Bobbejean
You know I just went there in a big way with The Bacchi! LOL! I’m so feeling this topic!
I think the story and characters are the priority. I’m looking at female characters in the Uncommon books, and you know, Carlotta and Dierdre both will have stories. I’m not sure if it’ll be a companion series or within the same story arc but they are both powerful, compelling characters. Same with Arcada, that’s not a m/m series, the first two stories were m/f. I’ll eventually get back to m/f in that universe.
Readers are smart, they can read blurbs and avoid what they don’t like. 🙂
My preference is to have the main couple as m/m, but I don’t mind if a secondary couple is m/f or m/m/f. There are interesting female side characters that need love too. 🙂
strive4bst at yahoo dot com
Personally I don’t have a problem with m/m/f, it’s not a preference for me, but I am well aware that women exist in the world and that there are bisexual people out there. Being bisexual isn’t wrong or disgusting at all. I’m looking forward to having the Alliance series read to me, girl bits and all.
And btw, bad guy sex is extremely hot sometimes. I mean it’s not like bad guys are celibate you know? And it’s not like they can’t find people who -want- to have sex with them, so that’s sexy as well. Yay Jambrea! Looking forward to getting all of the books in the series soonish.
I just Love the Title of this Guest Post, “Jambrea Jo Jones talks Girl Bits and Bad-Guy sex”….Jam You ROCK!!! 🙂 & so does your Alliance Series, I LOVE this Series & your Cover Art is always soooo Eye-Catching Hot!!!
As for adding Girly Bits in Smokin’ Hot ManLove, a M/M/F Ménage….well all the Fantastic, Incredibly Creative, Impressive Imaginative Minds of the M/M Authors I Read & am Loyal, Ohhh yesss Jam you are included in that GREAT List 😉 , they can pull off M/M/F Sex Scene & keep their M/M Readers Extremely Happy. 😉 It’s all it the way the Authors write the scene. I don’t mind when the Girlie Bits are occassionally there because the Authors write those Sizzlin’ Scenes through the eyes of the HOT Men!!!
…..& Jam I’m with you….Ohhhh I realllyyy LOVE a Down-n-Dirty Read with a Good Bad Guy because Bad Guy Sex Realllyyyy does Rocks!!!!!!!! Mmmm give me a Flawed, Dominant, Tattooed & Ripped Well-Muscled, Smokin’ HAWT, Alpha Male having Bad Guy ManLove Sex!!!! Whewwww fanning myself just thinking about it. 😉 LOL Now I have to LQQk on my eReader for one or re-read one. LOL I know, I’m sooooo Bad! 😉
I would very much appreciate the opportunity to be considered in your very generous giveaway of the a new Anthology with Total-e-bound, a pdf copy of “Unconventional At Best”. Thank You.
Take Care Jam & Stay Naughty,
PaParanormalFan (Renee’ S.)
paranormalromancefan at yahoo dot com
Well the first book I read with MM was a MMF book so I don’t have any issue with it, but I don’t really read it unless it would be part of a series I have already read. It really depends on the author and the subject. Sometimes I feel like the girl becomes a random side insert in a book that could be MM just to give a little drama, or worse it is a MF with a random insert of MM to add drama! If it is done well I have no problem!
When it comes to bad boys I am all for it! Back when I still read historical MF it was all about the reformed rake so I really love that sort of element in MM. It is even better when two “reformed rakes” get together in manly goodness! I think reading about a bad boy has all the fun but none of the danger of a real relationship!
Thanks for the post and the giveaway!
OceanAkers @ aol.com
I don’t mind M/M/F in my M/M reads as long as the M/M still exists! My main disappointment would be if I didn’t expect it, but then, I read everything, so it still wouldn’t bother me. If I like the book, I like the book, regardless of the number and gender of the romantic characters. 🙂
You are one of the few who could pull it off and still have us coming back for more 🙂
Please don’t Enter me in the contest.
I am picky sometimes, but if there is a girl that I adore in a series, I usually want to see her have a happy ending too. I love when there is more than one guy with a girl, more love to go around. But I do love when an author creates a universe with just guys, thats fun too!!!
Thanks for all the comments! 🙂 I don’t like a girl thrown in just to be thrown in. Same with if it’s m/m/m. There has to be a good reason and they have to work as a Triad. 🙂 And Thanks Theresa. 🙂 I like to think all of my characters are strong and my tag is–Love is Love, No Matter the Gender. I just love romance.
Carol’s Cattle Valley series is one of my favorites. Yum. Love all of those men. 🙂 I want to live there. lol
Girl bits in a mm universe is okay. I don’t mind a menage as long as it’s m/m/f. M/F/M is sometimes written with brothers and whatnot. That creeps me out. So girly parts are okay as long as it’s a true menage.
I don’t mind m/m/f. In fact that is how I was first introduced to m/m. Bad guys are hot. They are a little more masculine & a little rough around the edges.
kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com
I dont care if its – M/F, M/M, or M/M/F, or even M/F/M. I like menage stories, its how I too sort of got into M/M. As long as I like the characters, doesnt matter to me. I know what I’m getting from the blurb and variety is good.
As for bad guy sex, it can be hot – I used to read the M/F historicals with the reformed rake too – it just depends on the situation. Sometimes in series, the bad guy ends up being not so bad and gets his own happy ending in a later book, that can be fun too.
I primarily choose m/m, but m/m/f is okay as long as everybody’s into each other (especially the men–nothing worse than when the men get squicked out and refuse to touch or show tenderness to each other). And as for bad-guy sex, it depends on the bad guy, of course.
I primarily read m/m and don’t mind if there is a f thrown in every now and then. As long as everyone’s in agreement and no one is going to get hurt, the more the merrier.
I’m the type that once I like an author then I stalk them and try to read whatever they ever write. I prefer to read m/m, m/m/m, but I don’t mind m/m/f, m/f/m once a while. Just don’t give me m/f. I never find it in me to finish it unless the story really hook me or I really like the author. Oh yes to bad guy sex as long as it’s consensual and happy ending.
I don’t like girl bits in my m/m fiction. That’s why I read m/m fiction. If I want girl bits I’ll find a good m/f book. I’ve been known not to read books from my favorite authors just because of that so I personally hate it when my favorite authors do so. But that is just my personal opinion. But I do love me some good bad guy m/m lovin’!
Now – I love villain bad boy smexing…*swoons and purrs*…I know – I know…I’m not looking for the villain to win and turn all heroic…and I don’t want forced at all…though sometimes dubcon is plausible—but when the author knows their stuff and can slip in a villainous hot sex scene…well I tend to slip into things too…*blushes*
And btw—I freaking love Love LOVE your series Alliance…really awesome! ❤
Well, now that I’ve finally gotten my wi-fi back… I’m primarily a m/m reader, but if the story is interesting and good enough, I’ll read m/m/f (for example, Tara Lain’s newest Genetic book). However, I hate when you have an m/m/f book where there’s not that much m/m interaction. Just having the two guys give each other handjobs does NOT count (and yes, I have read books where that’s about the extent of the m/m). So long as the f doesn’t take over and become the main focus, I can read an m/m/f. However, like I said, I’m primarily a m/m reader.
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thank you for ALL the comments! For me…m/m/f HAS to have all the people involved. It has to be love for all of them and there has to be a REASON they are all together. That is one of the reasons m/f/m isn’t a favorite of mine because there is too much room for jealousy. You know? And you can’t just throw a person it to throw them in. It is also one of the reasons I’ve only written two menages. lol One m/m/f & one m/m/m. I have to have the right characters where a triad makes sense. 🙂 And yes the m/m HAS to have more interaction than a hand job. lol and the f has to love the fact that her boys touch and have sex and love each other just as much as they love her.
As for bad guy sex…yeah…some of my bad guys can NOT be redeemed and there has been some force involved in ….one of my stories I think, but there was a warning so people would know. With Salvation…it even had a horror warning. lol I do like some of the bad boy sex everyone was talking about…but when I was talking bad guy…I was talking villain. lol
Congratulations Linda C … you won a pdf of Unconventional At Best. I will be contacting you directly about claiming your prize.