Isabelle Drake

  Fairly sure these twins are discussing what to do with Santa's face. Books, This N’ That, and a cocktail Sassy, classy, and a bit smart-assy You like pin-ups? Me too. Find them in my newsletter, together with book news and more good stuff. Sign me up

  If I'm ever on TikTok this is what you'll see...  Not so glam or funny, but its how it gets done.

Last month, I had a great time in Chicago at Spring Fling 2022, I had the absolute treat of sitting down with Shay Baby from Brown Book Series .  We talked about books, what the world was like when I first started writing, and my advice to my 15-year-old self.

hit here for the March newsletter As a writer, I know lots of other writers and book industry people, so I often forget that being an erotic romance writer is a bit unusual. I wouldn’t say people are shocked when they find out what I write but they are often curious. Do they ask questions? Sure, all kinds. Serious questions, How do you handle your taxes? Flirty questions, Do you need help with research? Naughty questions, Are the stories based on your life? Inspirational questions, How did you get started? How I got started can be broken up into two parts. How I got started writing and how I got started writing erotic romance. I started writing because I love stories. I know that isn’t a flashy answer but it’s the truth. I bought a book on how to write and wrote my first short story. I decided to start with a short story because the thought of writing an entire novel was intimidating. A 7,000 word story sounded manageable. I used what I learned in the book, wrote a story and sent i...

summer color was brown tones with blonde highlights color is on...just waiting fall color, brown tones with copper highlights

Hit  here for the June newsletter Rock & Roll Fantasy , my book of the month, is one of my all time best-selling stories. The idea came to me after a conversation about when I met Henry Rollins, who at the time I met him was not famous and the lead singer for the band Black Flag.  The conversation went something like this. Two people talking about Henry Rollins' comedy show and how great it was and how funny he is.   Wanting to be sure I wasn't left out of the convo, because I was (am) a good decade or more older than the young folks having the convo, one asked: "Do you know what show we're talking about? Have you ever heard of Henry Rollins?"  No, the resulting story has nothing to do with Henry Rollins. But the guys in it do has tattoos and do play rock music.  grab your copy

Hit here to g et your copy . Busted families, broken hearts, secrets and corruption are the lifeblood of The CW’s gothic horror series Riverdale . The show is based on the original Archie comics, but this sinister town is a far cry from the wholesome, anyplace USA depicted in 80 years of the teen adventures featuring Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and the rest of the gang. This Riverdale is an other-worldly, ominous place where enigmatic parents and cunning town leaders hide wicked secrets while teens struggle to survive. The Riverdale gang face the definitive dilemma: good vs. evil. They fight ghouls, a cult leader, a serial killer, and each other—all while sporting inspiring outfits and photo-ready hair. Great music, the occasional Vixens cheer dance-off, and too-steamy-for-high-school sex scenes add an undeniable layer of watchability to the fan-favorite show. This Binge Watcher’s Guide will get you through the first four seasons. Keep the book beside you while binge; the tr...

Mission Impossible: Fallout, I saw it too. I know many of you did, because those box office figures don’t lie. Apparently, we all loved it too. Lots of action (believable and not) some bombs, bad guys who want to end the world--the usual action stuff. The plot was so straightforward, I had plenty of time to wonder about Tom Cruise…is he sexy? It didn’t seem to me he was trying to be sexy. Ridiculous with his over the top action, sort of romantic with his lost love, kind of smart with the way he figures things out, and very determined--especially when he was hanging from the cliff, everything looking really, really bad, but he kept trying until he saved everyone. But sexy? I didn’t think so. It didn’t seem to me ‘they’ were trying to make him appear sexy in Fallout . I liked that. There weren’t any shirtless scenes, no long tough-guy stares. It was only later that I had second thoughts. Maybe he was supposed to be sexy and I just didn’t notice. I spent about an hour l...

Who truly loves Valentine’s Day? Who wakes up on February 14, sure that the entire day will be wonderful, romantic, and filled with happiness? Not most of us. There are too many pit falls. Too many possibilities to feel emotions other than pure bliss. Like what, you ask? Non-bliss emotions caused by gifts: ·         Disillusionment: No gift from your SO. (SO = significant other). ·         Irritation: Wrong gift from your SO. You clearly said you wanted sparkly jewelry. Not an itchy brown turtleneck sweater. ·         Exasperation: Last minute gift from your SO. The orange price tag from gas station ruins the moment. ·         Unworthiness: Much, much too nice gift from your SO. You expected a bag of Hersey Kisses and got a new BMW. Now what? ·         Puzzlement: Unidentified gift. You have two o...

1. He's not a hipster (...yet). The first time you met him he was drinking a Pabst Blue Ribbon and wearing a flannel shirt, a Carhartt beanie, and a pair of Red Wing boots. It was only until you got close enough to hear what he was saying that you realized he was talking about how he was all-conference middle line-backer his senior year, and not discussing how Paul Thomas Anderson is America's "most important" filmmaker. 2. He won't get your Mean Girls quotes. The cable company didn't have service all the way out where he lived. In fact he barely got enough reception with the comically-sized rabbit ears bolted to the side of his house to watch the State game on Saturdays. The closest cinema was thirty miles from his house so he's only ever seen three movies: The Notebook, Forest Gump, and Remember the Titans. 3. His Confederate Flag belt buckle doesn't make him a racist (probably). That's not actually even the confederate fl...

...and hang out with your boyfriend and all of his friends. You can be one of the guys too, right? You show up with pizzas and a 12-pack. Most of the food gets devoured seconds after it’s placed on the living room table. Your guy says, “Play Mario Kart with us” and thrusts a wii-mote at you. All the guys look at you with anticipation and for that split second you are the center of attention. It’s fabulous. Ready to seize that moment, you take a seat on the Doritos-dust covered couch and try not to think about the fact that the hideous plaid thing was probably garbage picked from a frat house that got condemned by the CDC. You’re given a hasty tutorial on what the buttons do. The guys deliver it with such enthusiasm and look super cute but the info only confuses. Still, you’re committed so you choose Princess Peach and before you know it the race starts. Your previously slug-like, couch-potato guy friends are suddenly filled with life. They spring off the couch, onto their fee...

The worst job ever? A terrible boss? We’ve all had one or the other. Lucky me, I’ve had both and at the same time. It sure didn’t feel lucky at the time. It was darn awful. The luck came later. A while ago, I had a temporary job at a call center. The work was okay, just making calls and reading a script. The problem was that whenever I had a question I was told to look in the training manual. So I did that and I did whatever the training manual told me to do or say. Here’s where I have to tell you something you might not know about call centers. The management folks listen in on calls. This makes sense. They have to check up on the employees to make sure everyone is doing the right thing. Apparently, I wasn’t doing the right things. I found that out on a couple occasions when my supervisor would stop by for a chat. She’d tell me I was “off script” or “following the wrong process.” Then she’d ask me why I was doing whatever it was that I was doing. And, for some crazy reason, s...

If I were snooping around your kitchen and looked in your refrigerator right now, what would I find? •Three containers of leftovers: eight hot wings, chicken stir-fry and half a turkey sandwich. I always order too much food when I go out then feel guilty if I leave it behind. •Four bottles of Founders Red’s Rye IPA - one of my favorites. •Whole milk, for my lattes. •Lettuce that is too old to eat. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? I’m tempted to say invisibility but I think that might get me into trouble. How about the ability to imagine something and have it transcribed into words while I sleep….is that a superpower? If you could sequester yourself for a week somewhere and just focus on your writing, where would you go and what would the environment be like? I’d go to Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island, Florida and stay in cottage 101. The screened-in porch has a view of the Gulf of Mexico and the beach is about twent...

I grew up in the suburbs outside Detroit but have lived in the country for a while. At the start of my country life, I made the mistakes city people make when they move to the country. Most of these errors were pointed out to me by experienced country folks but I did what most city people do when they’re given advice by country people—I ignored it. The errors were most obvious when I started raising chickens. The up side to these blunders is that they make for good stories at parties and added a lot of humor to my latest novel, Unfinished Business . Free range eggs! Organic, fresh chicken for dinners! How great does that sound? To someone who’d moved from the city and has no idea what’s involved in raising chickens that sounds fantastic and like a whole lot of fun. After deciding I wanted to raise chickens, I bought some books, went online, and talked to people. Things I learned: how much space each chicken needs, what type of heat lamps are best to keep chicks warm, and the best ...

As a writer, I want to be sure my male characters talk and act like real men so I often do research--talk to men, watch men, think about men. You know, the basic stuff. Sometimes even that isn’t enough. Sometimes I have to be direct, like a guy. For me that means asking questions. I was talking to a guy friend of mine about how to make sure my male characters sound like real men and our conversation turned to the stuff guys says to girls when they want to say something nice but don’t want to come across as a rude jerk who’s only interested in her body. Here’s what he told me. If a guy says: that’s a pretty sweater He means:  you have pretty breasts If he says: those are awesome boots/shoes He means: you have awesome legs If he says: those are great jeans He means: you have a great ass Ok. That’s not the whole list. There were others including potential compliments including her jacket, blouse, skirt, turtleneck, tank top, khakis, gloves,...

She ran away from the town that wouldn’t forget, to a city that doesn’t forgive, right into the arms of the guy who insists she set things right. Less than a year ago, Hayley Jones made a scandalous decision that sent her packing. She left her country hometown, moved to the city and made a new life for herself. But it’s hard being someone else when the real you has some unfinished business. Hayley knows taking care of the unresolved piece of her past could stir up more trouble and humiliation, so she dodges the truth and puts her energy into her new friends and job. That strategy works for a short while but people from her past start showing up in her present. Life gets even more complicated when she realizes she’s falling for Nick Noel, a guy who knows she’s running from something, and continually challenges her to be herself. But Hayley is afraid of what will happen if Nick finds out who she really is and what she did back home. Unfinished Business now from Tot...

You are an avid traveller, so which is your favourite destination? My favourites are walkable cities or cities with good public transportation: Boston, New Orleans, Washington, DC are some places I love. I like to start in one spot, wander, and see where I end up.  About a week ago I was hanging out with a friend in Boston. We started our day at the Boston Public Library. That library has a gorgeous courtyard. It’s a great place to read, write, or people watch, so go there if you ever have a chance. We spent a couple hours there, then started walking toward The Commons. After we sat on a hill near the carousel, we headed toward Newbury Street. My friend bought a couple pairs of sandals, I read a funny book about cats, and then we ate lunch at an Irish Pub. I love that kind of day, just wandering around, seeing whatever there is to see. Also, I like museums. It might sound strange, but I like to go by myself. That way I can stay as long as I want. Last time I was in New Yor...

Is there any better combination than a sexy guy and the perfect martini? Even better if that guy is handsome, charming, fictional and creates a martini and names it after you. Bonus? You aren't a good girl who does everything right. You're a double agent who gets to travel the world, do naughty things and look great while doing them. James Bond's famous “ shaken not stirred” martini, The Vesper Martini, is named after Vesper Lynd, a character first introduced in Ian Fleming's 1953 novel  Casino Royale . Despite her poor treatment of him, coming in the form of her being a double agent who assisted in his kidnapping, he continues to think about her. Super-secret badass spies have a weakness for smart, tricky women. If you’re a up for a good time, watch Casino Royale and its sequel, Quantum of Solace, back to back. While you are watching, you’ll need a Vesper in hand.

This list was first featured in the UK' s awesome online celebrity magazine, Female First . If you haven't already checked it out, after reading this, head straight over.  1. Use social media before you leave. You might be surprised to find a friend who lives there or will be visiting at the same time. 2. Find the used and rare books bookstore. Supporting independent booksellers. 3. Visit historical sites. Learn! 4. Ask the locals where to get the best lunch. Best food, best price. 5. Take that lunch to a local park. People watching is always the best entertainment. 6. Takes snaps of random things. You’ll best surprised how fun they are to show friends. 7. Hunt down resale shops. Better than a tourist shops, you’ll get unique items that reflect the city. 8. Check the newspaper for free festivals or concerts. 9. Check the library for events. A great way to meet authors and hear them read. 10. Check museums for films. Many museums run film festivals...