I watch a lot of crime dramas on television. Tonight’s (11/18) episode of Law & Order: SVU featured a storyline revolving around DNA replication. The protagonists of the show, two cops, discovered that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence that can lead to wrongful convictions. The antagonist laughed and said, “It’s a whole new world. Guess your free ride is over.” and the camera panned away to show the horror on the main characters’ faces. I sympathized with their reaction to abandoning what was considered inviolable and facing an unknown future with…
Romance Novels
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Romancing the Blog
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Do you know where you’re going to?
19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am -
Going Rouge: Makeup and the Heroine (and Hero)
18 Nov 2009 | 2:43 amMy RtB bio says I started reading romance in 2007, but that’s not really true. I actually read a bunch of romance, at age 13, in 1982, when I had mono, and my harried mother brought home an unvetted pile of romance novels to help me get through a couple of weeks of bed rest (she’s not a romance reader). I remember two things really clearly from those books. In one of them, an antebellum romance, a Southern belle got splinters from being backed into a fence post and ravished by the hero. That sexual intercourse might cause splinters was a new and frightening idea. The second thing… -
Could we please stop hating the haters?
17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amHow I despise country music! Is anything more annoying than a smarmy Stetson-wearing “hunk” wailing about turning to drink because his woman stole his unemployment check and his dog and ran off with his best friend? I’ll never understand how the people who produce that garbage can hold their heads up. And don’t even get me started on the listeners. From what I can tell, the typical country music fan has the brains of a sweet potato. Before we go any further, I’m just kidding, okay? But just for a moment, let’s imagine that everyone reading this is a… -
Launch of Carina Press
16 Nov 2009 | 11:55 amI’m delighted to say that it was only one week ago today that Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. announced the launch of Carina Press. Please go to www.carinapress.com to learn about what we’re acquiring, to the blog to meet some of the key players behind Carina Press and to the FAQs and guideline submissions to find out what we’re publishing! I really do want to stress how excited we are about the potential of Carina Press. There are already a lot of submissions in our editdorial inbox and many from quite original genres! I’ll quote briefly from our press release that… -
HERO IS AS HERO DOES
15 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amWe are Angelica Hart and Zi and work full time as authors. The mundane and monotony are held at bay by one very practical quality. Whereas, we take our writing serious, we seldom take ourselves so. Back when we were going through the idiosyncratic process of creating the tone and texture of SNAKE DANCE, a fantasy piece, there were days that boredumb bit not out of any other reason but self-defense of our sanity. The genres we’ve chosen would include, contemporary romantic thrillers and romantic fantasy. Furthermore, we believe we do have a propensity for humor and have works that are…
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To Be Read
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Prize Announcement
22 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amIn between torrential rainfalls and wind warnings and threats of power outages, I’m pleased to announce that this week’s prize is a signed copy of BREATHLESS, my next release from Aphrodisia. I’m excited by this anthology because it contains another story of Perdition House, my haunted bordello. Then I took a chance on a more suspense-y story (To Die For) and a hero I could easily fall for, Stack Hamilton. (so named because when he played football, he stacked his opponents – silly I know, but he’s always been Stack to me) In the last novella (Body by Gibson) I… -
Making a list
18 Nov 2009 | 9:07 pmOne of the odd things about finishing a book is the vaguely bewildered feeling I have after I rejoin the real world. I’ve been so utterly immersed in what I’m doing, I don’t notice the march of time. I popped my head out Monday morning, a little like a dazed gopher, to discover the holiday season is upon us—at least according to the retailers. Where moments before grinning jack-o-lanterns had leered from every shelf, now Santa is menacing us with his reindeer. As I am in Canada, Thanksgiving is far behind us. There’s no pause for turkey; we’re right into the hard-core shopping… -
Merry Christmas, Cowboy! is on the shelves
18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amMy November, Silhouette Special Edition, Merry Christmas, Cowboy! is available this month. It seems to be selling well. For the first week in November it was #77 on BookScan! In case you’re not familiar with BookScan, it monitors sales from chain bookshops, internet book sites, discount outlets and independent bookshops in the leading English language markets. Merry Christmas, Cowboy is the third book in my Meet Me in Montana triology. I loved writing this book so I’m happy it appears to be doing well. Here’s a brief blurb about the book: Lauren Van Meveren came to Big Sky country… -
Spinning Plates
16 Nov 2009 | 6:02 amSometimes I feel like that guy in the circus who’s spinning all those plates atop long poles, trying to keep them all going at once. For me, life is a juggling act. I work a full-time day job which, thankfully, I love. My husband is away often for weeks at a time, so that leaves me to take care of everything—the house, the bills, a high maintenance dog, the family, driving my widowed mom and aunt to their doctor appointments. You name it, I do it. Have I left anything out? Oh yeah, writing books. It’s hard sometimes to be creative when you have to stuff your creativity into a few brief… -
Contest winner announcement
13 Nov 2009 | 11:02 pmCongratulations to Jane! She is this week’s contest winner and has won herself an autographed copy of MEN ON FIRE. Jane, email me at susan@susanlyons.ca with your snail mail, and I’ll send the book to you. Happy reading everyone!
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Marianne Arkins
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Saturday's Story on Sunday
22 Nov 2009 | 2:45 amAs the days grow short, some faces grow long. But not mine. Every autumn, when the wind turns cold and darkness comes early, I am suddenly happy. It's time to start making soup again. ~Leslie NewmanYesterday was a long day. I woke up and started cooking -- I made eggnog muffins for breakfast (our eggnog had expired, and at $4.99/half gallon, I wasn't throwing any away! LOL), then got to work on lunch because I knew we'd be working on the deer all day. So, cornbread went in the oven as soon as the muffins came out (I tried something new with the cornbread -- added some sour cream to it, and it… -
Thinking Things Through
21 Nov 2009 | 3:21 amInvest a few moments in thinking. It will pay good interest. ~Author UnknownSo, I'm not going to talk much about the Bru-hah-hah at Harlequin, other than to say it's clear they didn't think things through much. Most of you who are readers ONLY probably don't know what happened, but it's made quite a splash in the writing world. Harlequin has partnered with Author Solutions to open a vanity press. Again, I see no problem with this IF THEY KEEP THE TWO ENTITIES SEPARATE. Most people probably don't know that Random House own Xlibris, right? That's as it should be.What bothers me most about… -
A Shortie
20 Nov 2009 | 3:28 amProtect me from knowing what I don't need to know. Protect me from even knowing that there are things to know that I don't know. Protect me from knowing that I decided not to know about the things that I decided not to know about. Amen. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly HarmlessLord, lord, lord. Protect me from the consequences of the above prayer. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless Am struggling with my webhost to get the LASR/WC pages up for today --- GRRRR... So this will be a short blog.Was worried I was getting the flu last night. When I went to bed, I was nauseous and had chills/hot flashes. I had to… -
Stuff and Nonsense
19 Nov 2009 | 2:43 amIt is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. ~Ralph Waldo EmersonWe got some pix back from the agility competition and one included a pic of the score board.The very bottom scores are the run-off times between the highest ranking dogs. And Dakota blew them out of the water (that time -- wish she'd performed that well all day!).They also had a video of Dakota's last, best run -- BUT it's so close up you can all but see the freckles on DD's face, so I can't post. We had fun at agility last night. DD has made friends with the instructor's granddaughter… -
What, When, Where, Why, How with Sara Taney Humphreys
18 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amWelcome to Sara Taney Humphreys!What hero would you borrow from another authors series that would be perfect for one of your heroines?Hmmm... Sara, you didn't answer this one? Too many choices out there? Readers, who is your favorite fictional hero? Let's give Sara some help!When do you write?When ever I can squeeze in a few minutes to be honest. I have full time job, as most writers do, in addition to a husband, 4 little boys, 2 dogs, and a partridge in a pear tree. Ok....it's a cockatiel but you get the idea. I live in an insane house. It's phenomenally loud and never quiet unless the boys…
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Amanda Ashby
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Ridiculous
22 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pmLast week it was stomach bugs all around for our family, then on Friday I went and got food posioning, which wasn't pretty and NOW my son has got a cold. Seriously, I blame it all on the rubbish spring that we've been having in NZ, because I swear if it was warm, then none of this would be happening!!!!Still, it's not all doom and gloom. I'm pressing on with my Djinn book and have been watching lots of Zac Efron to make sure I get my Zac addicted character just right (yes, it's a sad trial since Zac is so darn hard to look at it!!!!). And speaking of ugly guys, has anyone seen New Moon yet? -
Nick Cave - Ship song
19 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pmIt's almost the weekend here in New Zealand and I thought I'd celebrate by chilling out to one of the most gorgeous songs ever written. Not much else to report. I'm blogging over at Teen Fiction Cafe and my second djinn book is finally starting to take shape. What's everyone else been up to?? -
GCC presents Laurie Faria Stolarz
15 Nov 2009 | 11:11 pmGoodness it seems like ages since I've done a GCC tour but consider the drought well and truly broken because today I've got Laurie Faria Stolarz, who has two books to talk about it!!!The first is BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS, which is a graphic novel (cute cover, yes?!) and it ties in with her amazing Blue is for Nightmare series, which has sold over 500,000 copies world wide!!! Want to know more? Of course you do, so here is the skinny:BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGSProphetic nightmares. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends. Stacey Brown knows that being a hereditary witch… -
The plague has struck
15 Nov 2009 | 8:18 amYup, we've been hit by a stomach bug. First my son got it and then I did. I'm pretty sure we're on the mend now though it hasn't been pretty. Anyway, as a result, not much writing was done this weekend, but hopefully I'll get back on track this week. I even (very reluctantly) got out all three High School Musical DVDs - honestly, the things I do for my characters - so I guess I'll have to watch this week. I just finished reading Catching Fire and despite the cliff-hanger, I still love, love, loved it. I'm now reading City of Ashes which is the second book by Cassandra Clare. These books have… -
And the winner of the last Zombie Survival Kit is...
9 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pmJulie Cohen!Julie if you can email your deets I'll get it sent out to - hopefully before the zombies hit the UK (because trust me, you don't want to be facing the undead without these little treasures!!!!!)As for me - my second Djinn book is finally starting to take shape, though, in final proof that I have no control over my characters whatsoever, my heroine's painfully annoying djinn guide has suddenly taken a liking to High School Musical. Nooo, say it ain't so. I mean last book he was hooked on American Idol which was fine because so was I, but HSM???? Still, I suppose it could be…
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Ann Aguirre
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RWA has stones!
18 Nov 2009 | 2:17 pmRomance Writers of America was informed of the new venture between Harlequin Enterprises and ASI Solutions to form Harlequin Horizons, a vanity/subsidy press. Many of you have asked the organization to state its position regarding this new development. As a matter of policy, we do not endorse any publisher’s business model. Our mission is the advancement of the professional interests of career-focused romance writers. One of your member benefits is the annual National Conference. RWA allocates select conference resources to non-subsidy/non-vanity presses that meet the eligibility… -
Unreasonable Expectations
17 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pmSo Harlequin Horizons. I debated on whether I should post about this. But sometimes I just can’t be silent. This is one of those times. I’m not with Harlequin. I have no dog in this fight. I’m not aspiring. I’m not interested in self-publishing or vanity publishers (this is an example of the latter). I’m not looking to sell anything at the moment. I have enough work to be going on with for quite a good while. That makes me pretty impartial, inasmuch as I can be. A traditional publisher going into vanity publishing bothers me. But here is why I am particularly… -
Get your Aztec gear!
16 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amMy fab assistant, Azteclady, has opened an Etsy shop. Make sure you stop by and check her out. -
Faq update q: Do you ever sleep?
12 Nov 2009 | 11:51 amNew FAQ: Do you ever sleep? I actually get this one pretty often. The answer is yes. I sleep, generally from midnight to eight a.m., unless I’m up later, giggling maniacally with Moira Rogers (Bree & Donna) in IM. This happens about once a week. I compensate by sleeping later. But since I suspect this question has its roots in speculation regarding my productivity, I will elaborate. Yes, I’m prolific. I work a lot, I’d say forty to fifty hours a week. Here’s what my schedule looks like: If I’m drafting a book, I write for three hours in the morning. I… -
Skin Tight excerpt
10 Nov 2009 | 11:37 amPeople have gladdened me with their reaction to Foster. He’s the toughest hero I’ve ever written (in the sense that he’s closed and difficult), mostly because he feels he has nothing to live for. It’s not angst; it’s blackest despair. He was tough as hell to write, and I was over halfway through the book before his inner landscape lightened even a little bit. He will break your heart, and then kiss it better. We don’t call him BatPunisherMan for nothing. This is a year after their first encounter in Vegas. Without further ado, one of my favorite scenes:…
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Jenifer Ashley
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Giving away Hot for the Holidays at Romance Crush Junkies
17 Nov 2009 | 6:45 amI'm being featured at Romance Crush Junkies this week: http://erjunkiesreviews.blogspot.com/, and giving away a copy of Hot for the Holidays. They've done an interview in which I talk about all kinds of things, like chocolate, guitarists, and what I'm writing under all my pseudonyms (and why). Stop by if you can! -
Madness of Lord Ian in Hardback
13 Nov 2009 | 7:07 pmThe Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is now available in hardback at the Rhapsody and Doubleday book clubs for about $13.Link:http://www.rhapsodybookclub.com/pages/nm/product/productDetail.jsp?skuId=1049535682 Doubleday link:http://www.doubledaybookclub.com/pages/nm/product/productDetail.jsp?skuId=1049535690I'm going to buy one for my mom so she can put it on her special shelf. (My mom's equivalent of hanging my stuff on the refrigerator. :-) -
Interviewing Nalini Singh
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amPlease join me over at The Chatelaines (http://www.thechatelaines.blogspot.com) for an interview with the incomparable Nalini Singh (we're giving away a book, of course). :-) -
Shopping Early for Book 2 in Lord Ian series
1 Nov 2009 | 9:53 amI saw this morning that Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage is up for pre-order on Amazon. It's out next July--I call that stocking up early! :-)No cover yet, but link is here:http://www.amazon.com/Isabellas-Scandalous-Marriage-Jennifer-Ashley/dp/0425235459/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257097942&sr=1-25Or click here if that doesn't workIt's also at Good Reads for Good Reads folks:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7070067-lady-isabella-s-scandalous-marriageExciting!! -
Updates
9 Oct 2009 | 3:03 pmI finished and submitted the manuscript of Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage, where it now awaits my editor's eyes. We're working on the cover, and I've seen the back blurb which I like (not the art yet; that will be a month or so).That book will be published by Berkley Sensation in July 2010. More (blurbs, cover, excerpts) as we go!I have added a bunch of information about the upcoming Pride Mates book, which introduces a new series (another one, can you stand it?), which will come out in Feb. 2010. Click here to go to the series page and read about Shifters, along with a message by my…
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Mechele Armstrong
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Friday Five
20 Nov 2009 | 5:03 am1. Edits are in on Settler's Mine 5: The Man. Whoo hooo. Getting closer!2. I'm up to 10 K on the new Settler's Mine. Had a hard time writing the past few days. Had a disappointment. But I'm bouncing back now!3. I have a Snoopy playing piano on my desk. It needs to move. LOL I keep hitting it to hear the songs.4. Anyone watching V? I'm intrigued. I hear the numbers are falling fast. I hope they don't leave me hanging.5. I'm so glad that the actors who were on Firefly and Serenity have been finding other work. Summer Glau aka River has been in Terminator and just joined Dollhouse. Adam Baldwin… -
Friday Five
12 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am1. I'm cruising on the new story. Hopefully will reach 6 K before the week is done. The heroine isn't talking enough, but McTavish, man he's loud. Now to bend them to my will. *muah hahahahahah*.2. So I've still been coughing. And again, it started worsening. Wed, I started feeling bad again. Wed night I took some allergy medicine. So Thur morning, the cough was noticeably better. I hardly coughed at all. But I felt like a zombie. I was sooooo sleepy. I cut the dose Thur night. I'm not so zombielike but am still coughing too. Hmm do I want to be coughing maniac or sleeping zombie? I dunno.3. -
On this Veterans Day
11 Nov 2009 | 5:01 amI salute all who have served. I keep singing, "The 8th of November" by Big and Rich. Appropriate song for today.Mechele -
Friday Five
6 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am1. Yes, I know I missed last week. *sigh* I think I mentioned the cold and flu season has hit hard here? I've been sick for what feels like forever. I finally started feeling better only to get knocked down again. I'm trying to dry my head out in the hopes I'll resume the living. LOL went to bed at 9:30 on Wed night and was probably asleep before kidlets and took an hour nap on Thursday. Between the head drying out meds and not feeling good, I'm wiped out.2. As you read this, I'm probably on a bus to Luray Caverns. Going on a field trip with oldest. Have to be at school at 7:15. It's going to… -
The introvert's view of the AADPW Conference
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amI heard a quote once that a writer's conference was where you had a bunch of introverts all pretending to be extroverts for the length of the conference.Oh yeah.I admit I'm an introvert. I'm quiet. I listen a lot. I can fake talking but I'm more content to find a corner somewhere and hide out.At big conferences with several hundred (or more) people, it's easy to do. You can get lost in big groups. I know, I'm an expert at doing it.Authors After Dark Paranormal Weekend was different. It was a small, intimate conference.No hiding allowed. There weren't really any good corners. I know, I looked.
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Meg Allison
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Fired up...again
11 Nov 2009 | 4:04 pmMany authors across the web are participating in what is termed NaNoWri ... National Novel Writing Month. The goal: to write 50k -- the size of a small book or the start of a longer one -- in one month. If you've ever written a novel, you can probably understand why some of us look at that goal and laugh nervously. Writing is not for sissies. Pushing yourself to write 50k in one month is somewhat masochistic. You can either fly or crash and burn. Hopefully most will at least wind up somewhere in between.While I haven't been officially participating, seeing others post their goals and… -
A dose of reality
6 Nov 2009 | 8:40 amWhat I can possibly say when most of us are still reeling and/or shaking our heads regarding the news this week? As of this morning, we've uncovered one 'new' serial killer -- not the anti-hero, Dexter type, I'm sad to say; a bizarre kidnapping plot; and have faced the fact that not even secure facilities are secure... and sometimes the craziest ones among us might be the ones trying to heal our pain. :\ My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the horrors in both Ohio and at Fort Hood.Yes, as you can probably deduce, I've had a bit too much reality this week. It reminds me not… -
Halloween '09
31 Oct 2009 | 1:53 pmToday is actually Halloween, but we had our church's trunk or treat last night. It was wonderful! So many people turned out and there were many cute costumes. Here's some pics of my own clan of spookies. We love Halloween ... the dressing up... the candy... the creepiness of it all. But I do NOT like slasher movies or gore, so we try to keep our costumes to the cute/pretty/creepy categories.Celtic ElfRed from www.forthewicked.netRock StarThe whole gangGreek PhilosopherEgyptian Servant'Headless' HorsemanHope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween! -
Birthday present!
30 Oct 2009 | 10:07 amIt's my birthday, but I'm giving away the gift! A wonderful conincidence came about when the editors at the Samhellion scheduled my own Halloween freebie to go live today! So I get to give all my readers -- and hopefully some new readers -- a small gift. :)Follow the link and then the instructions -- just one small hoop, but it's easy, I promise. Happy Halloween, everyone! -
Write what you know???
29 Oct 2009 | 11:29 amOne of the very first pieces of advice I ever heard regarding writing fiction was the simple statement: "Write what you know."Okay, sure, on the surface it seems simple. Logical. Then follows the assumption that the only way to truly know something is to have lived it. Ah, yeah... I really don't think anyone wants to read about a stay-at-home mom with five kids. Hey, I could be wrong, but my life is not that interesting. Happy, but rather dull -- just the way I like it. ;)So, does this mean if I haven't been an astronaut or a CIA agent, then I probably won't write a believable story about…
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Ally Blake
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i heart pikelets
20 Nov 2009 | 3:04 amMy little 'uns favourite kids' show this morning - the legendary Aussie Play School they made pikelets.Being that I am utterly kitchen-challenged, I am impressed with myself that pancakes are one thing I can make. So, in order to impress Toddler Girl, I slipped on my apron and went forth.Despite my culinary hopelessness, above most of my pikelets are surprisingly perfect. Round, brown, delicious.This heart-shaped pikelet was a complete accident. Fitting tho, dontcha think? -
cover genies
17 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmEven with 50,000 words of lovingly layered love story at their disposal, and the lists of infomation we authors are able to give to the art department, they can't possily see inside our heads to truly know how we imagine our heroes and heroines when designing a book cover.So you've met my fabulous Wynnie and my gorgeous Dylan (click on their names to find out more!), and without giving anything away I can let you know there is a scene in their book GETTING RED-HOT WITH THE ROGUE in which they get up close and personal several times at a charity event at the Brisbane Museum. That night he's in… -
chicklets 2009
16 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amAs we do every summer, we've gone and procured ourselves a bunch of fertiised eggs to put under our clucky chooks. They lay such deeeelicious eggs for us when not clucky, giving them some bubs to raise is the least we can do.Here are some piccies of our current batch of little beauties. Are they not the cutest things ever???!!!When they grow up they'll become a mix of pure bred Bantam chooks - Silkies (adorable fluffballs), Australorps (fabulous layers) & Light Sussex (stunning, white with black rimmed feather). Til then my littlies - and neighbourhood kids - will get to goo and gah and… -
the red-hot rogue himself
12 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pmThis here is Dylan Kelly.Okay, right, sorry. Again this is not Dylan Kelly, but is absolutely is a piccie that sucked me back into the writing of GETTING RED-HOT WITH THE ROGUE whenever I sat down to write it around this time last year!Every hero I've ever written has been tall dark and handsome. Never blonde. It's just not my personal thing. So even though I've had a stash of Brad Pitt piccies on file just in case, they've simply never been appropriate. But then, when writing my last Harlequin Romance, DATING THE REBEL TYCOON, the hero's brother Dylan popped up. Dark blonde hair, cheeky blue… -
getting red-hot with the rogue...'s heroine!
10 Nov 2009 | 3:04 amThis is Wynnie Devereaux.Okay, so it's not really her. Obviously it's the lovely Natalie Portman! But this is the picture that helped connect me to my current Harlequin Presents release, GETTING RED-HOT WITH THE ROGUE, at night after spending my days battling morning sickness and running around after a newly walking toddler.One of the beauties of "collaging" a character is that pictures I keep on file because they evoke some kind of emotioanl reaction in me - I find them pretty, or evocative, or uncomfortbale, or they have outfits I wish I owned ;) - can, further on down the line, inspire so…
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Carol Burge
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Submission Call From Wild Rose Press Crimson Rose Jewels of the Night
3 Nov 2009 | 6:18 pm*snipped from the Behind the Garden Gate blog*The Wild Rose Press Introduces a Special Submission Call from Crimson Rose Jewels of the Night… WHAT MAKES THIS SUBMISSION CALL SPECIAL?One submission will be chosen at random to launch the series. The selected contract will be given a premium publishing slot during Crimson month (November, 2010) as well as a featured review and interview with the review site Once Upon a Romance. The selected story will be showcased on the Crimson Rose Page of The Wild Rose Press website and the Behind the Garden Gate blog. The Wild Rose Press will… -
Blog Pitch Contest With Kensington Assistant Editor Peter Senftleben & Marcel Lyon Literary Agent Kevan Lyon
1 Nov 2009 | 6:20 pmHere's an AWESOME contest for those of you who are UNPUBLISHED and have a COMPLETED manuscript(s). On November 30th, Historical Romance Author Beverly Kendall will host a pitch contest on The Season blog. Judging will be by Beverly's own editor and agent, Peter Senftleben at Kensington and Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Lit Agency.THE SEASON PITCH CONTEST rules are as follows (snipped from the site): 1. Accepting only pitches for novel length manuscripts that are complete. And I mean complete as in polished and ready to go within a week of any possible… -
Candy Haven's Writing Game Starts Tomorrow
1 Nov 2009 | 11:23 amI know everyone is busy doing NaNo, but for those of you who aren't, here's something you can do to boost those pages and words. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Candy Haven's Fast Draft Challenge. If not, I blogged about it here. Well, in addition to Fast Draft, Candy now also host's another challenge called The Writing Game. What is The Writing Game, you ask? Okay, I'll tell you. The rules are simple. Here's is how it works... Each day for about a week, Candy will draw a number out of a hat and you write that many words that day. It could range from 250 words,… -
Happy Halloween!
31 Oct 2009 | 5:29 pm -
NOR Under The Mistletoe First Kiss Contest
30 Oct 2009 | 3:55 pmNOR (Night Owl Romance) Under the Mistletoe - Kiss Scene - Writing ContestPlease Carefully Read The Entry Information* Free To Enter - 400 Word Max - Romance Novel Kiss Scene - those submissions that are over 400 words will be cut down to meet our requirements* There Is Only Space For Up To 50 Entries. 1 Entry Only Per Person.* Published and Aspiring Authors Can Enter* Entrants Need To Promote The Contest To Readers & We Will Promote The Contest As Well* First Round Voting Will Start 11/12/2009 and end 11/30/2009 (The top 10 Entries will go onto the finals)- Readers Will Vote.* The Finals…
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Carol Burnside
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Isle of Palms
18 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pmIt's a beautiful place. Don't you agree? -
More inspiration
18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am -
Yesterday, I saw this...
16 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pmand was inspired. I love walks along the beach, the sounds of the ocean, and treasures found along the way. -
I'm here
15 Nov 2009 | 9:05 pmfor an all-writing week with a bunch of other authors. The sounds of the ocean create a natural, calm rhythm within me, and I write. Ahh, the bliss... -
Cutest Pudelpointer in the world
13 Nov 2009 | 8:36 amAt least I think so, because...--he's mine--he has cute wrinkles above his eyes when he's concentrating--he tries really, really hard to be a good boy--he has a soft, shiny coat and velvety ears--he's a snuggler and has a warm little bodyHubby took the dogs hunting for two weeks. I miss them.
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Elizabeth Boyle
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Countdown to T-Day
17 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pmIf you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you might be aware that I adore Thanksgiving. Any holiday dedicated to a week’s worth of cooking that is devoured in about 20 minutes makes my heart go pitter-pat with delight. I mean, come on, I have an entire Category on this blog dedicated to Thanksgiving. There is just something about the marathon aspect of Thanksgiving, the countdown to the big meal, the planning, the recipe sorting, the shopping, the secondary shopping, and the “oh, crap I forgot to get (insert item here)” shopping and then an entire day of being… -
Last Month’s Contest Winners
12 Nov 2009 | 7:04 amYes, here they are! Last month’s contest winners. They answered the question, “When does my next book, How I Met My Countess, come out?” correctly with December 29, 2009. It being a holiday yesterday, I made cajouled the older little hero into sorting bookmarks and goodies into 10 envelopes and they will go to the post office tomorrow headed to: Elle Z. of Marina, CA Liza G. of Triangle, VA Tonya of Taylor, MI Nancy H. of Sacramento, CA Barbara M. of Reynoldsburg, OH Judy S. of Richmond, IN Melinda Y. of Milwaukee, WI Desiree L. of Mokena, IL Lani M. of Tacoma, WA Judi B. of… -
Tagged: Honest Scrap
9 Nov 2009 | 3:59 amMy good friend, Melissa McClone, asked me if I minded if she could tag me. She’s one of my long distant friends that I never see enough of, but when we do get to see each other, I find that it doesn’t matter how much time has passed, we are already caught up. Does that make sense?. So for Melissa, I will endeavor to be Honest and thank you for asking. The rules are as follows: Thank the blogger who awarded you, and then list 10 honest things about yourself. Choose 7 other blogs to receive the award, and inform the bloggers that you’ve chosen them. I am going to just put it… -
The Excerpt is Up
3 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pmYes, that’s right. The excerpt for How I Met My Countess is up, which also means it won’t be that much longer before the book is hitting the shelves. If you read it and love it, will you do me a favor? Hit one of the social networking buttons at the bottom and share it with your Facebook and MySpace friends. You never know who amongst them might be starting to think about what to get you for Christmas. Just sayin’ it’s always nice to make it easy for them. And along with the excerpt, there is also a very special and very FREE downloadable on the site as well. Yes, this… -
An Open Letter to the Writers of All My Children
19 Oct 2009 | 7:49 amThis post should be subtitled, “It’s the romance, stupid!”. But that probably wouldn’t be polite. Apt, but impolite. Now I’ve watched All My Children (AMC for us junkies) for 30 years now. Basically since the last time I had pneumonia. I started watching when Erica had her disco. A disco, for goodness sakes. But this is why, for 30 years I’ve kept watching: the romance. Yes, writers of soap operas, it’s the romance. Tad & Dixie, Erica & Jack, Haley & Mateo, Kendall & Zach, Ryan & the Princess. Why do we watch the shows that keep us…
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Heidi Betts
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sexy fail Sunday
21 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmI don’t know about you, but it feels like a Sexy Fail Sunday to me. And don’t ask me why this one puts me in mind of Thanksgiving, but it does… -
sexy Saturday
20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmStill my birthday month, I can do whatever I want. -
a Friday funny
19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pmThis is not how Mistress Heidi recommends you do it… …but she does give lessons, if anyone is interested. -
more swine flu merriment
18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pm(thanks to Darling Hollie for this one… ) I’m not really too concerned about Swine Flu, but one has to wonder about this point: Three years ago was the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Cow, & we had…Mad Cow Disease. Two years ago was the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Bird, & we had…Avian Flu. This year is the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Pig, & we have…Swine Flu. And next year… Well, next year is the Year of the Cock… Be afraid. Be very afraid. -
question of the week
17 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmWord of the Week: Fall-back program —The show that you watch while your main show is at a commercial. It is usually not as good as your main show. Now that a winner has been drawn for the Animal Friends Book Bonanza Fundraiser, I’ve got a couple of questions for you. Basically, What did you think of this fundraiser/giveaway? Should we do something similar to this in the future? And Do you have any ideas/suggestions for how future fundraisers should be run, if we do? I’m curious to know if you thought this was fun…fair…a good cause…etc. If you contributed,…
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Jen Black
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Floods
22 Nov 2009 | 3:01 amWhile Cumbria drowns we on the east of the Pennines suffer no more than a few rainy days. I suppose the east had it last year, when several places like Morpeth and Rothbury were almost washed away. It beggars belief how complacent we have become, building so close to waterways and rivers. Fine maybe in drought years, but what about the wet years? And the UK is predominantly a wet country, strung with rivers and canals, with a climate that is temperate and given to generous rainfall.People talk of unprecedented levels of rain in 24 hours, but had there not been rain for days beforehand, the… -
The White Queen
19 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pmI'm still not enamoured of The White Queen, which is most odd, as I expected to like it. I buy very few books in hardback these days, but it was one of them. Nor can I say exactly why I'm not ripping through it at a rate of knots. There's something almost reported speechish, something quite passive about the voice in which the story is delivered, almost as if the main character is fatally pre-determined. Elizabeth and Edward share one of the most amazing love stories in history and yet there is no hot, fiery centre in the central figure of Elizabeth. She is cold, thinks herself related to the… -
17 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am
17 Nov 2009 | 6:39 amI'm doing a lot of work on my latest wip as I recuperate. There's not a lot of other things to cloud my attention, and my "straight historical" still flows easily enough to make me believe this is what I should be doing. Either that or I'm way, way off course!I'm still in two minds about letting my hero and heroine come together in an "encounter of the bedroom kind" or whether to keep them apart, but that will sort itself out further down the line. What's nice is that I'm not trying too hard to make any of my characters likeable. They either are or they aren't. If I keep them apart, them I… -
Die Hard 4
15 Nov 2009 | 2:44 amA wine cooler and a bucket have been pressed into service to hold the flowers that keep arriving. People are so kind!More than usually at the mercy of the tv schedules these days, I recorded Die Hard 4 and sat down with high expectations to watch it.It is hard to convey the growing sense of unease it gave me. The spirit of heroic adventure pervading the first John Maclean movie degenerated into a comic strip cartoon within the first few feet of film and I half expected the BIFF, BANG, KRUNCH explosions to litter the screen. I grow weary of 30-year old teenagers who rush into supposedly… -
Flower shop
13 Nov 2009 | 8:06 amI live in a flower shop at the moment. Because I've had an operation recently, friends have swamped me with flowers, which is wonderful and so very generous and thoughtful of them.However, typing on one's lap without resting a heavy laptop on one's legs turns out to be well nigh impossible. And I can tell you that while taking painkillers is easy, the effect of certain painkillers on the body's natural system is less than good. Now I have to take laxatives, too! But enough of these woes. Instead let me sing a hymn of praise to the UK's NHS, which has been absolutely wonderful. Let no one tell…
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Jenna Bayley
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Behind
20 Nov 2009 | 1:58 pmSo...I'm behind my wordcount goal for the NaNoWriMo book...which means far less internet time than I'd like. A few things to keep y'all busy while I'm gone...*if you belong to Librarything, I'm giving away 5 copies of Compromising Positions. Request it for a chance to win. (It's 1/3 of the way down, and don't ask me why it doesn't have a cover!)*SingleTitles put up an excerpt of Compromising Positions -
NaNoWriMo Adventures - Day 11
11 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmDELICIOUS. Every book has a word that gets repeated far too often in the rough draft. I'm only 1/3 of the way there, and already I know this book is delicious. Funny, because I've barely fed either of them!I have lots of excuses for why my wordcount sucks today. Want to hear them? Yeah, I didn't think so.SHATTERED EXPECTATIONS17312 / 50000 words. 35% done! -
NaNoWriMo Adventures - Day 10
10 Nov 2009 | 10:42 pmI almost don't want to record my writing results today, but it's part of the process I suppose. There wasn't any writing time to be had today. The baby didn't nap - all day - and BigBoy had Scouts...all I had was my bedtime write and...I was tired. TIRED. But, since it is NaNo I forced myself to write something. Hey, it's a page more than I had yesterday. Babysteps are forward motion...SHATTERED EXPECTATIONS16603 / 50000 words. 33% done! -
NaNoWriMo Adventures - Day 9
9 Nov 2009 | 10:48 pmI had a fantastic morning write where I did something I never do...I went back. I try to always write forward when I'm drafting a story. Going back usually stalls out my momentum. Well, it did, but the scene was completely necessary...well, not all of the scene. But I didn't know that until I was done with it, and the rule of NaNo is no deleting. So it adds to my word count, though most of it will wind up in a different book. But then, most of this draft won't see the light of day in its present incarnation. Tomorrow I'll be writing forward again, so hopefully I'll find a groove and post some… -
NaNoWriMo Adventures - Day 8
8 Nov 2009 | 11:01 pmI always have such high hopes for the weekends, but I don't seem to accomplish as much as it seems I should. The baby didn't nap today, and Hubba Bubba had the boy children at a history museum...so I didn't write until bedtime. My daily output isn't bad considering I only wrote for an hour and a half, but it's not what I was hoping for. Hopefully this week brings better writes.SHATTERED EXPECTATIONS 14473 / 50000 words. 29% done!
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Jessica Burkhart
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To clear up a little confusion
22 Nov 2009 | 9:15 amHi, guys!There have been a couple of e-mails and I wanted to address them here since I can't respond to every e-mail right away and write the Canterwood books. You guys wouldn't want them to come out, like, once a year would you? ;)Anyway:* Canterwood isn't a real school. It's completely made up.* No news yet on the TV option for the books. I PROMISE that I'll post it here the second I know something.* Yes! There are going to be 12 books and Little White Lies comes out on December 22, 2009. It'll prob start showing up a week or so early in stores. Rival Revenge comes out the very next… -
Chillin' on a Saturday
21 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pmWell, kind of. I'm playing with a couple of outlines, thinking about new ideas, cleaning and running errands. I went to my local B&N and signed stock. Check out my Tweets on my sidebar if you want to see a pic. They only had 1 copy of BEST ENEMIES, so that was cool.Now we must talk Twilight and New Moon. Be prepared for girly craziness. :DOn Thursday, my theater was cool enough to show Twilight first, at 9:15 and then to show New Moon at midnight. I was freaking out all day and even only drank 1 Diet Coke so I didn't make BFF crazy with my already hyper state. One of our convos that… -
New Moon and Twilight tonight!
19 Nov 2009 | 8:46 amI'm taking today off from work in girly fandom celebration of NEW MOON. I was sooo excited to learn this week that my theater is playing TWILIGHT first and then NEW MOON. I didn't see TWILIGHT when it was in theaters, so I'm insanely excited. I'm taking BFF and her boy (hopefully he'll make it) to the movies and I can't wait. Must call the theater when they open, so I can figure out what time I need to get in line to secure 3 seats together.Anyone else going at midnight? Team Edward or Team Jacob? -
Thanks, Dolbear6!
18 Nov 2009 | 10:44 amShe was the first to email me to say a NEW title for the #10th Canterwood Crest book has been released on Amazon.It is....ELITE AMBITIONYaaay! :)Can't wait for the CITY SECRETS cover to go up. I think you guys will heart it. -
Excerpt of Little White Lies
18 Nov 2009 | 8:46 amSoooo....can't wait till December 21 (says Amazon) when LITTLE WHITE LIES goes on sale? Well, you can read an excerpt of the book at Simon & Schuster's Website. Cool!Check it out here!
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Joely Sue Burkhart
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Friday Snippet: #Victor
20 Nov 2009 | 4:46 amI’m going to try and keep doing Friday Snippets, but they have to be shorter and may potentially skip around. In this snippet, Shiloh discovers a large portrait of Victor in the owner’s office at Silken, the BDSM club. First draft only, etc. He wore jeans, the pants’ legs tucked into his trademark boots, and a simple light-colored shirt unbuttoned to his waist so it hung open, baring the bulge of his pectorals sprinkled with dark hair. Long sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, giving her a good look at his muscled forearms. Even from ten feet away, she could see the… -
NaNoWriMo: Days 17, 18
18 Nov 2009 | 8:11 pmI can’t claim many words at all for today, but I have a very good reason. Last night on Twitter, I saw a recommendation from Smart Bitches that they’d love to see downloadable excerpts on author sites. Made total sense — after all, I’ve been a reading junkie now that I have my iPhone. So after work tonight, I set out to create pdf, rtf, and epub downloadable excerpts for all my novellas and novels. They’re centrally located here on a single page, or you can retrieve the files from each book’s page as well. I’ve got to admit, switching pdf to… -
Two New Reviews!
18 Nov 2009 | 4:27 amFirst up, Conn has made a new conquest for the dark side (or is that the poetry side?) of BDSM. KC from Smokin’ Hot Books writes: Dear Sir I’m Yours was a beautifully written exploration into what I find is one of my top 10 fantasies of the sexy professor and naïve/innocent student. I literally was swept away by her prose and sexy professor Conn who takes submissive Rae on an exploration of her own wants and desires. The W-2 comment made me snort coffee on my monitor (go read the full review to get the joke!). She also reviews Holly Summers’ (Victoria Dahl’s) The… -
NaNoWriMo: Day 16
17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amThe day started out really slow. I had a brief session semi-Dark & Early, and then after the Evil Day Job while waiting on dinner to cook (Princess Monster has guitar lessons on Monday so we eat pretty late). When I came downstairs to do the dishes, I only had a tad over 1K. I went back upstairs after dinner and proceeded to goof off on Twitter. Conn wanted to look up some poetry for some Twitter buddies, which is always fun and engrossing. I guess I should have shut down my internet, but I was smiling and happy when I finally sat down to write, instead of grim and determined. … -
Win a Kindle From Samhain Authors!
16 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amSeveral of us Samhain authors have united at Tera’s blog to give away a Kindle this holiday season, preloaded with 19 great Samhain books. The contest opened today, so take a look! Details.
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Lainey Bancroft
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If New Orleans Was Sinking...
21 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmWould you pay to swim?More... -
OFF THE MOON
16 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmWelcome LK Hunsaker!More... -
A Word or Two on Reviews
11 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmLove 'em? Hate em?More... -
New Week...
8 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmNew Publisher!More... -
Friday...
5 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmwith the Coffee Crew!More...
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Leeann Burke
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The Perfect Sunday!
22 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pmToday is the perfect lazy Sunday. Well it would be if I were able to sit down and be lazy. LOL Sunday is the day I get all my cleaning, washing and groceries for the week along with making the meals for the week. Yes I usually make one or two dishes and eat them during [...] -
Vampire books - like them or hate them
21 Nov 2009 | 12:29 pmSo many female readers are addicted to Vampire romances. No I’m not sure just talking about the Twilighters or twilight fans. If you were to look at what types of paranormal romance books that are out the majority of them feature vampires or the authors version of vampires (such as Hannah Howell’s and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s [...] -
REVIEW - Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
17 Nov 2009 | 5:28 pmI first bought my copy of LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold when it first came out in 2003. I know that is quite a long time to wait to read it. However I don’t think I was ready to read this book until now. It’s not my usual book, but I have been branching out of [...] -
I’m an EPIC FINALIST
16 Nov 2009 | 5:22 pmI can hardly believe it. I’m an EPIC FINALIST! This is so cool! It all started with an email from the contest coordinator with the following subject in her email “Congratulations” but the email is empty. I had to wait all day to see if this was for real, a mistake or spam. I’m happy to say [...] -
Get hooked in a book lately?
13 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amHave you ever picked up a book that you simply couldn’t put down? When I first started to read for pleasure years ago that used to happen to me a lot. My life was boring so what the characters did in a book always seemed more interesting than what was going on in my life. [...]
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Meljean Brook
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Book Trailers
19 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amI don’t love a lot of book trailers, but Jill Myles put hers up at Odd Shots today … and I love it. It’s fun (and her husband did all of the artwork, lucky girl) and I think really gives a great intro to the voice and style of her books. Ilona also recently sent me a link for Sherrilyn Kenyon’s quickie book trailers for her League series: Born of Night Born of Fire Born of Ice Awesome, but obviously produced at a higher level than most authors’ trailers. [tongue-in-cheek]Of course, you too can have a high-level, Hollywood trailer for the bargain price of… -
What is this?
12 Nov 2009 | 11:10 pm…the Demon Blood cover? I didn’t think I’d ever love any cover as much as Demon Forged, but Oh My God…holy WOW. The cover artist, Cliff Nielsen, is the same — and once again, I’m blown away. There are a few changes to the font that will be made, but otherwise, I think it’s perfect for Rosalia and the book. Also, today is Friday! Come give a shout-out to your favorite cover artists at Odd Shots. -
The Guardians series order
12 Nov 2009 | 12:10 pmWhen I wrote my web page for the Guardian series, I set up the numbering to include the novellas as well as the novels, to make the series order clear. But I’ve been 1) deliberately writing the last three novellas so that they aren’t part of the main story arc and 2) have been reading a few comments online from readers starting with Demon Angel that they didn’t need to read Hot Spell first (and in fact, the storyline worked better for them if they went back and read Falling for Anthony after Demon Angel.) So, here’s my question: Do you prefer the novellas to be… -
Woke up to a lovely DIK review of Demon Forged
9 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am…at AAR. Ms. Bishop, the reviewer, hadn’t read any of the Guardian series before Demon Forged, so the DIK surprised me (I know there is a LOT of backstory in this series) but I’ll take it And it strikes me again how much freaking work reviews are. On Twitter, Robin (Janet of Dear Author) had called her fantastic review “epic,” and I have to laugh and hang my head a little, because I know these books are a lot of work to get through, let alone try to sum up. So, because I probably don’t say it enough, THANK YOU to every reader who hangs in there. Also, for… -
V
3 Nov 2009 | 9:26 pmMy love for the original mini-series is pretty well-documented on this blog and elsewhere. I’m going to give the new series a few more weeks, mostly out of nostalgia (and because I like some of the actors). But, honestly, the first misstep to me was using the ‘V’ as a symbol for the aliens and calling them Vs. Anyone remember that moment in the original mini-series when that ‘V’ was spray-painted across the poster? It was meaningful and inspiring (to me, anyway). Heavy-handed, yes. But more than humans vs. aliens. ETA2: Aha! Found it (the 2nd video is actually…
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M.G. Braden
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Release Day – Love’s Blessings is out
5 Nov 2009 | 9:49 amLove’s Blessings is now available with Red Rose Publishing, please go check it out. They have a different excerpt on the site than I use on mine, so that will give you a little extra. Janelle Trent has been desperately trying to have a baby. Can she surrender to God when the treatments don’t work? Kevin [...] -
For Want of Books
28 Oct 2009 | 9:01 amI’m over at RTB today talking about how I keep adding books to my TBR pile. It’s not a small pile, yet I want more. Come over and visit. -
Competition
23 Oct 2009 | 8:29 amI’m over at Killer Fiction today talking about competing. Come and join me. It’ll be fun! PS: You could win a book! -
Page 99
8 Oct 2009 | 10:11 amEvery morning I go through my blog reader and read all of my subscriptions. This morning HelenKay Dimon wrote about another blogger that does the Page 99 Test to basically determine whether they will like the whole book or not. HelenKay did the test using one of her books, so I thought I’d try it [...] -
Coming Soon
29 Sep 2009 | 4:46 pmI have a new release coming out in November. Well, actually, it’s a re-release. Love’s Blessings will be released on November 5, 2009 by Red Rose Publishing. Here is it’s new cover (and if you click on the cover you will be taken to the buy page for the book – click, click, click [...]
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Beth Ciotta
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Exciting Updates!
7 Nov 2009 | 5:20 amOne of these days I'll get better about blogging on a more regular basis. Just not this month. *g*Finished and turned in the gallies for Out of Eden. Yay! The official release date is April 1, 2010, but the promotional efforts are already in motion. This past week I was invited to write an article for the magazine Simply Books. Having stopped by this blog (goes to show I really should update more!) they noticed I'm an animal lover and since their readers are animal lovers and since Out of Eden co-stars a dog, they thought I might be interested in writing an article about animals. My answer? -
When it Rains, It Pours... and other stuff
31 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amA couple of days ago, I received the AAs (author alterations aka gallies) for OUT OF EDEN, my April 2010 release from HQN. For those who don't know, it's the last phase before the story goes to print. My last chance to check for typos. The deadline, the date HQN needs my changes back--November 16. The same day my draft of INTO THE WILD--my September 2010 release is due.I had to laugh. It was that or cry. When it rains it pours.In other news, even though I'm here sporadically, I'm always at Sisters in Sync. Today we're discussing scary movies in honor of Halloween, but skim all of our posts. -
This and That
24 Oct 2009 | 2:49 pmYou can find me over at SIS today chatting books and movies with my sisters and whoever chimes in.In other news, I cooked today. No really. Okay. I used a crockpot, but I had to shop and then put all of the ingredients in the pot. It turned out really good. Some French low-fat recipe using Northern White Beans as the main ingredient. The end result reminded me just a tiny bit of the soup beans my mom used to make. Only I added escarole instead of ham. Oh, and sundried tomatoes and black olives. Also, it was creamier because of the two cheeses. Hmm. Actually, it was nothing like my mom's soup… -
Furry Angels
8 Oct 2009 | 5:18 amI was down with the flu for the past two days. The first day I couldn't even get out of bed. Well, except to let the dogs out to do their thing and to make some hot tea and chicken soup for me. Other than that, I was in bed, sleeping mostly, for 24 hours. My dogs, Nia and Cheyenne stayed with me the entire time. I was astonished. Mostly, they cuddled beside me and slept too. Or they took turns laying on the floor next to the bed chewing on the bones/toys they'd dragged upstairs. But they never left the bedroom. Nor did they wrestle at any point like they usually do. It was as if they sensed I… -
A Girl Can Dream
1 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amI want these clogs. Bad. Why-oh-why do they have to be $136.00?! I know they're hand painted and the artist should be compensated fairly for his or her work--but dang. I'm not cheap, I swear. Just . . . frugal. A woman who does the happy dance when she finds a cool pair of shoes for $25. Maybe I'll write a letter to Santa. Or... I could give up coloring/highlighting my hair for a couple of months. Yeah. Right. That does it. Tomorrow, I'm buying a lottery ticket.
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Dawn Chartier
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Author Robin Wells at Sola's November Meeting
20 Nov 2009 | 9:26 pmThis Saturday, author, Robin Wells presents: "Under The Skin and Straight to the Heart--Touch Your Readers' Emotions with Significant Detail." Here is Robin's Bio:When Robin Wells sold her first romance novel in 1995, her family celebrated at a Chinese restaurant. Robin’s fortune cookie read, “Romance moves you in a new direction.”And it certainly has! Robin has since written sixteen critically acclaimed romantic comedies that have been translated into seventeen languages. Her books have won the National Golden Heart Award, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Award of Excellence,… -
My favorite Louisiana TV commercial
9 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmI just wanted to share my favorite Louisiana cajun commercial. I love this man's voice.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyssygCAV90Hope it works.Enjoy!Dawn ChartierDawn Chartier Fantasy on the Rocks! -
Slinging? Something my character does in my book.
30 Oct 2009 | 7:28 amI wanted my character, Kira in my book NOT AN ANGEL to have a special ability, but nothing of the paranormal kind. Her love interest has enough of that. So, with the help of ideas from my critique group, I came up with "Slinging". Kira had lots of time on her hands growing up, while she hid from her cruel-drunk step-father. The woods became her second home, along with her friend, Todd.Todd taught Kira how to sling. He said it was in case she ever needed to protect herself. It took awhile to get the hang of it, but once she did, she was awesome. Slinging is bascially perjecting an object, such… -
Great Marketing Tips for Aspiring Authors!!
27 Oct 2009 | 11:38 amThis is a great tip from, Sara Megibow with the Nelson Agency....TIPS FROM THE SLUSH PILEThis is more of a marketing tip than a query letter tip, per se. Still, I find this to be an important step for all writers who take the business of publishing seriously. Before starting your submissions (whether to agents or directly to editors), make sure your web presence is polished and up-to-date.I know, I know — another thing to “polish” but believe me, it’s important. If I am reading sample pages that I like, the very first thing I do BEFORE asking for the full manuscript is a Google search… -
EPICon Conference in New Orleans March 2010
20 Oct 2009 | 7:20 pmWelcome to eLiberation! The annual conference for members of EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection, is the gathering place for authors, publishers and other industry professionals to celebrate the best of the best with the EPPIE Awards, to share newest information and ideas, to hone their writing skills and explore new markets. So put this wonderful event on your calendar next March 4-7th, 2010 at the beautiful Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, LA.Workshops will address the business of writing for the electronic market, promotion strategies, existing and coming technology…
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Dee Carney
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Shhh…
21 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pmThere’s a contest coming. (Stay tuned!) Mum’s the word, k? see more Lolcats and funny pictures -
Kicking NaNo Butt?
10 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pmSome good news and some bad news. Bad news first. These ten hour work days are wreaking havoc with NaNo. I was on target for a while there, keeping up my word count until I went back to work yesterday. Now I’m a full day behind. Gonna take some serious git ‘er done and digging deep to catch up before I’m left too far behind. Fortunately, most of my friends and writing buddies are kicking butts and taking names. Go you!! And for the good news. The super secret anthology project sold. Only now it’s a series instead of an antho. Since it’s not official-official,… -
Halloween Winners
1 Nov 2009 | 5:32 amBelow are the winners for yesterday’s Halloween comment contest. I waited until a full 25 hours (including DST) to close the thread for comments. If you didn’t win today, keep an eye on my blog during the month of November. I plan on doing another contest, but you’ll have to watch to see how to win! For those of you participating in #NaNoWriMo this year, good luck!! So, Debby, Audra and Gayle, please send an email with your book choice and format preference to deeATdeecarney.com and I’ll send you your book. Thanks everyone for participating! -
Happy Halloween
31 Oct 2009 | 5:02 amHave a pumpkin on me. -
Change of Plans
22 Oct 2009 | 7:30 amMy #NaNoWriMo plot has changed. For the past week or so, a wicked plot has been plaguing my thoughts, so I figure now is as good a time as any to start working on it. Face it, the story from last year, No Greater Joy, has *sat there* for literally a year now. If I couldn’t find the time to write it during the past 365 days, more than likely it doesn’t call to me. So, on to this new one. The working title is Dark Whispers, although I’m not in love with that name. I have a feeling a future post will inform you of a new title too. Here’s the blurb I came up with this…
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Diane Craver
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Focusing
20 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pmI’m trying to focus on wedding stuff, upcoming birthday celebration, and Thanksgiving. Bart and Lea’s wedding is getting close now. I ordered the food today for the rehearsal dinner. A friend, Angie, dropped off lovely table decorations to use for the dinner. I just need to buy candles and light blue gemstones for them. Emily thought of the idea of putting gemstones in the light blue bowls with the candles in the middle. My sister-in-law, Denise, has tablecloths for me to use. We will go early in the morning to decorate for it. I found some shoes I like to wear with my dress for… -
Free Cookbook!
18 Nov 2009 | 5:44 amSunday evening we were invited to dinner by Lea’s mom, Lony and her stepfather, Franz. We enjoyed delicious food fixed by Lony. She’s a wonderful cook and I need to get her recipes for her dishes. Franz made great tasting coffee. I want a coffee maker like theirs now. It’s a Cuisinant Grind ‘N Brew. Since I’m talking about food, Desert Breeze Publishing has a free cookbook for you to download! Cooking by the Book is a collection of recipes and excerpts inspired by some currently available and available soon novels published through Desert Breeze Publishing. -
Welcome, Guest Author Tracey Cramer-Kelly!
10 Nov 2009 | 8:35 pmToday I’m happy to introduce author Tracey Cramer-Kelly! You have such an interesting bio. Can you tell us a little about your background? I joined the Army National Guard to help pay for college; I was trained as a medic and then a paramedic. It was there I was exposed to the helicopter and set my personal goal to learn to fly one…which I accomplished at the age of 30 (I have now started on my fixed-wing rating). Although I originally wanted to study communications, I earned a degree in business management, which has served me well. I have owned and operated three businesses, the… -
Happy Monday!
9 Nov 2009 | 5:17 pmI’m posting late today because I worked on the first round of edits of MARRYING MALLORY this morning and early afternoon! I added a romantic scene that I like a lot and hope my editor does, too! I deleted some stuff that no longer should be in since I made changes in the story line. I can see now where the revisions requested by my editor is going to make the book better. So it’s been a happy day for me to get the first round off to her. When Amanda came home this afternoon, she wanted to get a birthday present for a friend in her class. I put meatloaf in the oven and we went to… -
November - Busy Month
6 Nov 2009 | 4:54 amI received my first round of edits this week for Marrying Mallory - I was shocked at the changes the editor has requested. I need to get busy and start revising. I am blessed that I have several friends praying for me to get this editing done -they know I need divine help! I still don’t have a dress for the wedding. I’ve gone shopping several times. There isn’t much for me to try on even. I shouldn’t have waited. I’m guessing women have bought their special occasion dresses for the holidays - there have been great sales. Now if I wore a small size it might be…
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jax Cassidy
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Live Life
20 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pmOnce again I'm packing up and moving temporarily to my second home in Florida. I know my girlfriends are excited about my return, and I am too! It also means there will be less time for myself with family buzzing around but I'm going to be way too busy job hunting. The biggest change for me will be getting back into Corporate life and interacting with real live people again! In a crazy sort of way, I'm happy about it. I was starting to feel like my only friends were figments of my imagination. Trust me, I'll miss living in my pajamas and sock monkey slippers but my bank account will thank me. -
Change is near
18 Nov 2009 | 7:54 amSometimes change happens. Change could be a good or a bad thing depending on how we interpret it. From changes to the publishing industry to changes in our own personal lives, it's either unexpected or planned. But one thing I know for sure, change happens to me more often than not and I think I've learned to adapt to it. How I see it, it's unavoidable and if I put up a fight it would only make things more complicated. I've had enough complications so I'm just going to ride change and hope that it'll lead me to a calmer place. -
Appreciating Your Muse
15 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pmSimply: I've been taking my muse for granted. She used to hang around, excitedly filling my head with all kinds of creative ideas, and providing countless sleepless nights. I thought that she would always be a part of my life and never considered a time when she would abandon me...well, that time came a few months ago. I woke up one morning and realized she was nowhere to be seen. For days I worried she had enough of my stubbornness and took a sabbatical. When the days turned into weeks, then months--I knew there was a possibility she would never return. So I begged and pleaded but she… -
Just thinking
12 Nov 2009 | 11:08 amYou know how much trouble I get into when I think... Well, it's not just about writing all the time....You see, I've always loved the entertainment industry and having the opportunity to work on movie sets with actors, producers, and directors...there are times I really really miss it. Sure I worked long hours but the fun was in pulling practical jokes on each other or finding silly things to do to stay awake. There was one Disney show where we tried to put a rubber duck in almost every scene...until we got caught and reprimanded. It was such a hoot. Or the time the Costumer renamed me… -
Warning signs
10 Nov 2009 | 9:21 amIf everyone was provided a warning sign about challenges lurking ahead, we would avoid those things that would have shaped our future, and potentially affect the person we are now. Lately, I've been seeing a common trend among folks: lack of motivation, depression, stress, anger, tension, etc. It's not just author friends but those outside of my writing circle, the stranger at the grocery store, the check-out clerk at the mall, the driver who is in a rush to get somewhere...and it's giving me a lot of food for thought.I'm normally an upbeat personality type and though there are moments when I…
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Megan Crane
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21 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm
21 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm08:08 @meganf Oh... I have to read that again. I haven't read it in far, far too long. # 08:10 Have recovered from New Moon night with about 11 hours of sleep. My reward? A long day of work on these revisions. Lucky me! # 08:18 Oh yes, and belated thanks for the #FF love. I was too cranky and exhausted and Jacob-addled yesterday. # 17:59 Oh, Martha Wainwright. You make everything better. # 18:06 True story: Eddie Vedder helped me write my senior thesis in college. He just didn't know it. Another true story: he can't help w/this edit. #Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter -
20 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm
20 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm09:37 So. I loved New Moon. You? # 10:22 Just gave away 10 new Caitlin Crews Presents on my blog! Did you win a copy? megancrane.livejournal.com/295863.html?view=910263 # 10:23 Also, I am having a slight Jacob hangover. # 13:35 Trying to revise like the wind, with wolf boys in my head... # 13:36 @myfriendamy I love it when people say that! :) # 17:49 I achieved about half of what I wanted to today. I blame New Moon and my beloved Jacob. I'm sure my editor will understand. #Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter -
19 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm
19 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm07:35 Why yes, I am indeed going to see #New Moon at 12:30am tonight. Team Jacob! Hooray! # 07:38 @SusanCrandall Lazy fairies. I haven't seen them yet-- and thus have to slog through the book on my own. Heads will roll. # 08:41 There's still time to win my new book (won't be out until February!): megancrane.livejournal.com/295863.html # 08:49 @michellerowen Already in a package and waiting to be mailed, of course! # 18:03 I'm sure the caffeine will help, but am depending on squeals of 12 yr olds (& @lizapalmer) to keep me awake at 12:30 showing of #New Moon. #Automatically shipped by… -
There's Still Time to Win My New Book!
19 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amI have a very long day today--revising my current work-for-hire manuscript, bemoaning the fact that I have done nothing for NaNo (and thus my next book--let's not talk about it) and preparing for my class tonight-- and then, naturally, heading out to see New Moon at 12:30am with Liza Palmer. Because that's how we roll. Well, no, not really. We don't roll like that at all--we're old. I have no idea how we will stay awake; I have been sound asleep at roughly 9:30 every night this week. Oh well! We sort of accidentally saw Twilight ten (yes, ten; that is not a typo) times in the movie theater. -
18 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm
18 Nov 2009 | 7:15 pm15:04 Apparently I am waiting for the revision fairies to appear and sort out this manuscript. Doubt my editor will be impressed with that story. #Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter
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Mina Carter
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D&D gets four ribbons!
22 Nov 2009 | 8:49 amCheck it out… http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/paranormal/Deception_Desire.shtml -
Faery Dust now at #4
21 Nov 2009 | 1:30 amand I’m hopping like a mad little bunny over it. It’s in the paranormal erotica section over at… http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/c43/Paranormal-Erotica. I’m very impressed about it (can’t you tell), so I’m gonna go away and squee someplace quiet so I don’t bore you all!! -
Blogging over at Amoketeers…
20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm…http://amoketeers.com/?p=160 -
Hawk’s Warden out now!!
19 Oct 2009 | 11:45 amWhat do you do when you’re magically inept in a world where your worth rests on your magical ability? This is the question that has haunted magic-less Warden Lyssa all her life. So when injured Warrior Hawk mistakes her for a full Warden and claims sanctuary she agrees, thinking she can hide the truth for just one night. Unfortunately it’s not so easy with a Warden execution squad on her tail and then a steamy encounter with her handsome warrior challenges everything Lyssa thought she knew about herself… Excerpt: Why are the hot ones always weird? Lyssa looked up from cleaning tables as… -
Art: A Fireman for Christmas Cover
19 Oct 2009 | 11:22 amA Fireman for Christmas Cover by ~Raven3071 on deviantART
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Rowena Cherry
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Writer's Evolution: e-Piracy...You CAN Do Something!
8 Nov 2009 | 4:52 amCheck out this blog for information on how to report e-book piracy to the Feds!Writer's Evolution: e-Piracy...You CAN Do Something! -
Immigration Reform (from a speculative romance writer's perspective)
5 Nov 2009 | 4:02 amDisclaimer.1. It is not my intention to offend anyone. 2. My thoughts are colored by what I went through in order to immigrate legally (including health checks to prove that I was free of disease and of certain pre-existing conditions, and also that I am a well behaved citizen). And also by all the studying of the Constitution and American History necessary to pass my exams.So, this morning I was watching CNN... not terribly attentively, I admit. The views that appear to be attributed to farmers, hoteliers, clothing manufacturers etc struck me as probably being very similar to the arguments… -
YouTube - Is Obama Poised to Cede US Sovereignty?
2 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pmYouTube - Is Obama Poised to Cede US Sovereignty? -
What if readers were offered more multi-author samplers?
1 Nov 2009 | 2:44 pmIt was my idea to put together sample chapters by Linnea Sinclair, Susan Kearney, Rowena Cherry, Susan Grant, Deborah Macgillivray, Jade Lee, Catherine Spangler, Charlee Compo, Nina Bangs, Joy Nash, C.L. Wilson, Robin T Popp, Dawn Thompson, Laurel Bradley, Cindy Spencer Pape and many more.One reason readers seem to love the file sharing sites is that they can use them (free, of course) to discover whether or not they like the way an unknown author writes. You cannot always tell from a review.So here are two samplers to do the same function without giving away the entire plot, and with the… -
For Those Who Could Not Stand In Line For 5 Hours (H1N1)
27 Oct 2009 | 6:00 amSwine Flu - Good Advice/H1N1 Preventive Methods The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know: The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps,…
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Laurie Laudanum
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WEEKEND PLANS? - and other miscellany!
20 Nov 2009 | 5:26 pmDo any of you have exciting plans this weekend? I really don't, and that's just fine with me. I've come to appreciate those quiet, relaxing weekends. They pass so quickly when we're busy, busy, busy!Did any of you happen to hear me on the Today Show with Dr. Nancy Snyderman on Thursday morning? I had posted a question about the swine flu vaccine/diabetes via a question link on MSNBC Health several weeks ago and when I didn't get an email back, I forgot about it. I was shocked to receive a phone call on Wednesday from a Today Show staffer indicating that they liked my question and wanted to… -
Lacey Alexander, undisputed Queen of Sizzle
11 Nov 2009 | 2:42 amLacey Alexander (aka Toni Blake) can pack more sizzle into a book than any other erotic author I've read. I'll be honest, I don't read that many erotic authors. Now before you start thinking I've got my granny panties in a twist, I'll admit that some erotic romance is just too "out there" for me. Ahem, no, I don't seriously wear granny panties. That said, I admit that Lacey's work often contains scenes that I buzz past. She knows this because I've told her - while we only see each other a couple of times a year, I consider her a friend and feel comfortable being honest with her. I think she… -
WITH EXTREME PLEASURE, coming soon from Alison Kent
9 Nov 2009 | 6:21 pmWITH EXTREME PLEASURE, the latest from Alison Kent will be releasing shortly, around Thanksgiving. This book tells the story of Kingdom Trahan who was introduced in NO LIMITS. King hails from the bayou and just as I suspected it would be, his story is heated and sultry. King was a strong character in NO LIMITS with an easy, laid back style, and Alison has yet again done a beautiful job of storytelling in sharing his story! WITH EXTREME PLEASURE IS available (at this writing, anyway) for pre-order at Amazon for just $9.45 - that's a steal for a trade.ONLY SOMETHING THIS DANGEROUS…After three… -
HOLIDAY READING - lots of choices!
7 Nov 2009 | 6:57 pmDo you like holiday reads? I do, but only before the holidays. Some readers enjoy them year-round, but not me. My mom loves Christmas movies and watches them over and over, all year long. Same thing - I only want them before Christmas. I haven't read any holiday romance yet this year, but have a short list of books I'm anxious to get my hands on. I'm going to list them here, with a little blurb for each. Here goes (in no particular order):TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT (mass market re-release - I've read this one, but it's too good to go without mention!)Donna Kauffman - UNLEASHEDWhen Emma Lafferty is… -
MAKE HER PAY winner is . . .
6 Nov 2009 | 7:55 pmMariee! Please contact me at ljodamron@gmail.com by Tuesday, Nov. 10 with your mailing info.Thanks to everyone who commented! If you weren't the winner, I hope you'll get a copy of MAKE HER PAY - you won't regret it, I promise!Review coming this weekend for Lacey Alexander's ADRIANNA'S UNDIES!Until then, enjoy the weekend!Laurie
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Lori Devoti
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Almost free…kids, deadlines, life. :)
15 Nov 2009 | 6:20 amI can hardly believe it but after tomorrow I will be free of deadlines and kids for a while. Now by kids I don’t mean I am sending mine off to boarding school or anything. Just regular ole school. Because of our fears of them catching H1N1 (both have cystic fibrosis, so high high risk) we pulled them out of school at the end of SEPTEMBER. At the time we thought no biggie the vaccine will be here in a week or so…uh, yeah. But last Wednesday it was here. Yay! My husband and I actually yelled when their doctor said they had got in some doses the night before. I think we scared her. -
What Harlequin/Silhouette Lines do you read?
18 Oct 2009 | 3:09 pmRecently I’ve been reading a number of category books. Ann Christopher kind of got me on this kick…or maybe it was Ann Voss Peterson…one of those Anns. :) Both are friends and I read a book by each of them (Kimani….Intrigue) then continued on with Desires. I’m on my second Desire right now. I used to LOVE Flipsides (remember them?) and Bombshell (mainly the paranormal ones, which I have said over and over were before their time since they totally fit into the urban fantasy trend). I’ve been thinking for a while of doing one of my monthly promotions (where I… -
The eReaders are coming…
11 Oct 2009 | 7:15 amSo, word is out that very soon Barnes and Noble will have their own eBook Reader available for purchase. No news that I’ve heard as to price but there are plenty of rumors of various cool things it might do (although none of them include finishing WRITING my current WIP, so for now I’m holding back my unbridled enthusiasm). Anyway, this news was of particular interest to me on the heels of Ninc last weekend where there was a LOT of talk about eBooks and what their growth means for authors. Right now, excuse me if I mentioned this already, people tossed out numbers of 1 to 5% of… -
Free eBook!
5 Oct 2009 | 7:49 pmAlways like to share. :) Here’s a free eBook. I have no experience with this author, but here is the blurb… Some believe Bedford, Maine, is cursed. Its bloody past, endless rain, and the decay of its downtown portend a hopeless future. With the death of its paper mill, Bedford’s unemployed residents soon find themselves with far too much time to dwell on thoughts of Susan Marley. Once the local beauty, she’s now the local whore. Silently prowling the muddy streets, she watches eerily from the shadows, waiting for . . . something. And haunting the sleep of everyone in… -
Dump, dump, dump, dump…
5 Oct 2009 | 1:45 pmYou probably don’t know it, but a dump is a great thing if you are an author. It means you got one of those special little cardboard display things just for you in some store (hopefully many stores). Well, guess what? Harlequin did one for the two Nocturne anthologies out right now…one of which is Midnight Cravings mass market release. Here is the picture compliments of Michele Hauf…
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Daisy Dexter Dobbs
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Are You in Danger of Sabotaging Your Diet?
16 Nov 2009 | 9:35 amIt’s here. This is it. You’ve arrived. The question is, will you survive? Will you make it out with a smile on your face or will you find yourself gripped by agony and despair?I’m talking about the holiday season. It’s upon us in case you hadn’t noticed. We’ll be bombarded with tempting in-your-face sights and smells of holiday treats for at least two full months.That’s hard. Damn hard.If you’re on a journey to a lean, fit, healthy body and don’t want to ring in the New Year fatter than you are right now, then, boy, have I got a blog post for you! :-DIt’s all here on my… -
The Wonderful Healing Effects of Laughter
1 Nov 2009 | 12:32 amWith Halloween finished, the holiday season is upon us. That means lip-licking, fat-soaked, sugar-drenched, calorific temptation galore for the next couple of months. It also means some of you will have a hell of a time keeping your eating and drinking sane and balanced during that time. Holidays can be wonderful and magical, but they can also be stressful, especially for dieters. They can also be extremely taxing for people who’ll be getting together with negative or toxic friends and family members. All that stress makes temptation much more difficult to resist. But resist we must! Lord… -
Daisy’s Sick, Twisted, Vile and Disgusting Halloween Post
30 Oct 2009 | 8:53 amHAPPY HALLOWEEN! It’s time to drag out my annual Halloween post and gross all of you out with my bone-shuddering lack of good taste.I wrote the first draft of this intentionally revolting Halloween poem in 1984 when I was the art director for a large Chicago-area library. I created a big colorful poster filled with pictures and posted it in a display case with Halloween-related books and decorations in the children’s department. The kids LOVED it. The staid library department heads? Eh, not so much. No, I didn’t corrupt the library’s wide-eyed, innocent youths. You see, the original… -
Breaking News: Daisy Found Alive and Still Kicking!
15 Oct 2009 | 12:01 amYes, in case you wondered, I’m still here! And I’m still writing!This has been one heck of a busy and eventful year. Aside from working diligently on my new women’s fiction manuscript (ooh, it’s turning out really well--so funny!), I’ve been battling serious health issues and, happily, making phenomenal progress. I’ve also been tackling my excess weight, again with fabulous progress (75-pounds so far). We’ve been hard at work completing long overdue tasks at our house, inside and out, too. Those tasks have two definite advantages. The house looks much spiffier, plus I lose… -
I Can Explain…Really I Can
25 Aug 2009 | 9:45 amAs many of you have probably noticed, I’ve been pretty much AWOL from this blog lately. When I do blog it’s mostly been at my other blog, The Crazy Woman Inside Me, which follows my personal ongoing journey to health and weight loss. Plus I’ve been lax in visiting your blogs and commenting on them. I’m sorry. I really feel bad about it. The reason I’ve been absent is because I’m currently rewriting a women’s fiction manuscript that I started in 2006. It’s downright amazing how much my writing has improved and changed in just three years, so I’m pretty much doing a complete…
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Delila Devlin
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Sunday Report Card
22 Nov 2009 | 5:22 amQuick NaNoWriMo Update: I’m at 36,632 words. Another productive week, even with all the travel. I finished chapters 1-3 of my erotic proposal, and I’m almost done editing it. I also finished the first chapters of an erotic novella and a paranormal novella. Bad, Bad Girlfriend was accepted, although I do have to go back for a final runthrough of edits before I return it to my editor. And that’s everything I accomplished for the week. This week, I’ll have the 5-year-old underfoot for the first couple of days, so I expect dismal progress. But since it’s been so long… -
A Random Excerpt
21 Nov 2009 | 4:22 amQuick NaNoWriMo update: I’m at 35971. Not a huge gain, but it could have been nothing, nada, zilch. Gotta see the bright side. Today will be challenging too because I’m heading back to Little Rock for the monthly Diamond State Romance Authors meeting. Since I’m in a rush to get a shower and get out the door, I hope you enjoy a peek at something I’m working on now. Please forgive any errors—I am not an editor, I just write these kinky little things. “A girl’s gotta do what girl’s gotta do,” Jolene Ledbetter muttered and cinched the belt of her silk robe… -
Just a note…
20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amQuick NaNoWriMo update: I’m at 35,202 words now!! And I finished the rough draft of the partial for LIT. It’s massively ugly at the moment, but I’ll work on editing it over the next few days because I want to get it into my agent’s hands next week. I’ll be out of pocket today. I’m going to see my doctor in Little Rock for my bi-annual checkup and to get any vaccinations needed, if any, for my cruise next month. The appointment’s in the morning, and then at noon I’ll be meeting Shayla Kersten at The Beanery for a “write-in”. So I… -
NaNo Progress, so far…and an excerpt
19 Nov 2009 | 6:36 amQuick NaNoWriMo update: I’m at 32,978 words! If you look at the list of my current progress meters—that’s what I’ve achieved so far for November. And that novella I finished last week, Bad, Bad Girlfriend, was accepted by Ellora’s Cave yesterday! I know, I’m cheating. NaNo is supposed to be about a writer completing a single 50k novel in a month, but it’s just not in me to work on one thing at a time. I’m working on three now. I’d wanted to keep it to just two, but yesterday this scene came to me, and I knew I had to get it down while it… -
A Peek inside Bad Moon Rising
18 Nov 2009 | 6:58 amQuick NaNoWriMo update: Yesterday, I hit 30,310 words. And I ironed out the issues with the start of the paranormal story I’m working on. No worries! I’m very close to releasing the first installment of Bad Moon Rising. If you haven’t already done it, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. I’m loving the story so far, and I think you will too. Here’s a little about the story to whet your appetite! It’s short, but I can’t give too much away. You only meet the first hero in this scene, but you know it gets hotter pretty damn quick! Here’s what the…
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Gail Dayton
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It's Been a While
18 Nov 2009 | 7:59 pmI've been out of town. I blogged about it here.I guess that's why it doesn't feel like it's been that long since I posted a blog. Because I did. Just not here. Oops. Sorry, y'all.And when I got home from coping with all of that, I had medical stuff, plus Ian at the newspaper wanted me to work extra last week, so I did. Then I had a thing Saturday, and... well, it was just really, really busy.So, anyway--I did have some pretty good news today, after weeks of running like a crazy person. Heart's Blood, the book that's coming out right before the new year, was given 4-1/2 stars from RT Book… -
Something to Talk About
4 Nov 2009 | 1:41 pmThat's what I need. A subject for my blog. The weekend was far busier than I wanted it to be. I really wanted a lazy weekend, but the fella wanted to Do Stuff. We went to the Wings Over Houston air show and saw the Blue Angels we missed in San Francisco. We hurried home to be there for trick-or-treaters, and got exactly four kids, in two families--two kids each. Then we went over to friends for drinks and snackies. It was fun, but I was ExHausTed.The week has flown by. I feel like I've been working all week, but I've only gone in two days. I have to go to the parents' house tomorrow to go… -
What is it About?, or, What I learned at the Retreat
29 Oct 2009 | 12:33 pmWhen I go to conferences or retreats or workshops, I believe that if I learn One Thing that will help me (even at cooking lessons or art classes) in the future, then the event was worth my time.So at the end of my wonderful weekend near Waco (Valley Mills is about 25 miles NW of Waco, but it's not alliterative), we had a session of "What did you learn at the retreat this weekend?" I honestly don't remember what everybody else said. Maybe by the time I get to the end of the blog, I will. There were only four of us left by Sunday morning--that's all that stayed the night, so it's not that much… -
Retreats for Writers
27 Oct 2009 | 10:18 amOr maybe it was a Treat for Writers.I went on my annual pilgrimage to Valley Mills with my writer friends for the Heart of Texas writers' retreat.The place we go isn't fancy. There are cobwebs in the rafters, and the floor slopes across the back room from the bathroom to the back door. There are 3 bunk beds, providing room for 6 to sleep, and a double bed at one end of the front room. (There's a kitchen at the other end.) There is no heat unless you light the propane heater--and we didn't light it. It got COLD that first night...but warmed up later. My friend Belinda and I went out a day… -
Worst Sky Rat: Seagull, Pigeon, Grackle??
20 Oct 2009 | 6:09 pmOkay. So, I went walking out by the water today. It was a rather surfy morning with lots of wind and birds (royal tern, snowy egret, cormorants, pelicans, willets, first ring-beaked gull of the season, as well as herds and flocks of laughing gulls), and I saw these ladies feeding the gulls.As I walked nearer, more gulls arrived. They were flying over from--from miles away, or it seemed like it. The gulls already present didn't seem to be making much noise. No cries other than the usual, from what I could tell, and not many of those. And I decided that seagulls must have telepathy.There must…
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HelenKay Dimon
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Big Freaking Sigh
20 Nov 2009 | 9:59 amI am crashing on a deadline. Must get this book done so I can enjoy Thanksgiving. In the meantime, some thoughts on the Harlequin Horizons debacle: The Harlequin Horizons venture, Harlequin’s escape into vanity publishing, is all over the internet. I’m a Harlequin author and love writing for Harlequin. Even though it’s against my professional interests in many ways, I totally support the stand taken by the professional writing groups, RWA, MWA and SFWA. I don’t have a problem with self-publishing. If you have a cookbook or a family memoir or a book you couldn’t… -
The Prequel
18 Nov 2009 | 9:46 amCandace Bushnell, the author of Sex and The City has written a prequel. It’s a YA (young adult) book about a teen Carrie Bradshaw called The Carrie Diaries (April 2010). I was reading about it at The Book Case Blog. Saw the cover and am not sure what I think about it. Here it is: I like the colors but it kind of lacks a punch. Thoughts? -
Saturday
17 Nov 2009 | 10:41 amHave I mentioned my weekend plans? Uh, yeah, I’m doing a booksigning with Linda Howard. THE Linda Howard. Actually, I’m in a group signing with an incredible line-up of talent: Linda Howard Beverly Barton Linda Winstead Jones Sylvia Day (aka SJ Day and Livia Dare) Judy Duarte Chris Green (aka Crystal Green) Jill Sorenson Barrie Summy Can I tell you how excited I am for this? To make it even better, we’ll be raising some money for READ San Diego, a literacy charity. Wahoo! So, if you’re near the Barnes & Noble in Oceanside at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, stop by. -
Early Santa
14 Nov 2009 | 9:09 amWant to win a copy of KISSING SANTA CLAUS? There’s a contest over at Bookin’ With Bingo. There’s also an interview with yours truly. Enjoy and good luck! -
Why Write Category Romance
13 Nov 2009 | 11:04 amEarlier this year I signed a contract to write for Harlequin Intrigue. I am absolutely thrilled to have six books scheduled and am hoping for even more…once I get these written. When I announced the deal, some folk, mostly fellow authors, asked why I was writing category romance (shorter romances with a limited time on the bookshelf) since I’ve been writing single titles for years. See, the theory - one I think is outdated and wrong - is that you start in category romance and then, hopefully, make the jump to single titles. Seems to me writing is writing and it makes more sense to…
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Kate Davies
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Happy Birthday, Igor! (And EKP)
21 Nov 2009 | 11:02 pmJust a quick note to wish Igor Dolgatschew, one of my fave actors, a very happy birthday. For those of you not familiar with him, Igor plays Deniz on Alles Was Zaehlt, a German soap, and is an incredibly talented actor. (More about Igor in future posts - I have a new "Current TV Crush" post percolating right now...)And a happy first anniversary to Eskimo Kiss Project, the YouTube channel devoted to Alles Was Zaehlt, and the three women behind this labor of love. If it wasn't for EKP, I would probably never have even heard of Igor, so it's pure serendipity that their YT channel launched on… -
NNN Excerpt Thursday - First Scene
18 Nov 2009 | 10:07 pmToday's excerpt is from Challenging Carter, the final novella in my Strip series. Hope you enjoy!"You have got to be kidding me."Carter looked up and smiled. "And good morning to you too, sunshine."Dani narrowed her gaze at him, jaw set. "Don’t try to sweet-talk me, you spendthrift."Ah, so that was the issue du jour. Carter leaned back in his ergonomic chair, fingers laced behind his head. He kicked one foot onto the desktop. "Spendthrift. I can never remember—does that mean stingy?""You know damn well what it means." She slapped a computer printout on the desk next to his foot. "Reckless… -
Fictionwise--Finally!
17 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amHuzzah! And woot!After many months of none of my Samhain books being available on Fictionwise, they are slowly starting to appear. Taking the Cake is now for sale at Fictionwise, with a 5% rebate to boot. So if you're a Fictionwise customer, and don't have TTC yet, now might be a good time to pick up a copy! It's been a very confusing situation, with some (not all) of my titles on the site, then disappearing, then reappearing, then disappearing again. I'm hopeful that this new update means the rest of the books will be available there soon, as well. Or, at the very least, that Taking the Cake… -
Scavenger Hunt with the Nine Naughty Novelists!
15 Nov 2009 | 11:05 pmLove Books? Love being Naughty?The Nine Naughty Novelists are having a Scavenger Hunt to help celebrate the launch of our new blog. If you’re up for discovering new authors, reading tantalizing excerpts and entering to win some great prizes then read on for all the details!How to play:Visit each of the participating authors’ websites to find the answers to their questions. There are nine authors, nine websites to visit, nine answers to find. Once you’ve found all the answers, just copy and paste the form below into your e-mail (being sure to include the answers) and send them to:… -
NNN Excerpt Thursday - First Kiss
11 Nov 2009 | 11:47 pmAnd now for something completely different! My new group blog, Nine Naughty Novelists, has started Excerpt Thursday, where each of us posts a snippet of a scene around the same theme, with links to a longer excerpt. So every Thursday I'll be posting the full excerpt here. This week the theme is "First Kiss". My excerpt is from The Devil Inside. Enjoy!Sam narrowed her eyes. "It’s two in the morning, Cody. I’m tired and cranky and not in the mood. So save the cheesy innuendo for a better occasion, buddy.""Yes, ma’am." He subsided on the pillow, allowing her to check his bandages and…
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Lynn Daniels
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Covering Saving Wonderland
1 Nov 2009 | 7:14 pmNaNoWriMo has officially begun, and I’ve managed to get a pretty good start. Of course, I got a good start last year, then tanked for the following two weeks. Then again, I did win… The good news is that over the past few days of playing ideas, my plot evolved and expanded, and I think I’ve got some great ideas that are going to be fun to write. Plus I finally settled on a name for my main character, which is a major weight lifted. I know the absence of a name doesn’t bother some people, but for me, it’s hard to hear a character who doesn’t have a name. -
The Madness Begins
19 Oct 2009 | 12:57 pmIt’s October. Do you know what that means? It means the madness of NaNoWriMo is beginning to ramp up. People are signing up, the forums have come alive, and the should I or shouldn’t I? discussion is everywhere. After my success with NaNoWriMo last year, I’ve decided to take the plunge yet again. Especially since my writing bone hasn’t been working much lately. This time, I’m not going completely off the chain like I did last year with a story written entirely for fun and nothing else (remember Chester & Rube?). I’m taking an idea I’d started and… -
Just Like Her … But Not
14 Oct 2009 | 10:49 amKids say funny things sometimes, without even trying to be funny. I’ve had the pleasure of my son’s company all week; he was diagnosed this past Friday with pneumonia, and today has (so far) been his first fever-free day. That means he could possibly go back to school on Friday! I think he’s ready, even though he won’t admit it. He’s acting like he’s got cabin fever, and I know he misses his friends. But I digress. On to the funny. Today, we were coming out of the grocery store. “What color is Philippines?” he asked. What color? Where? On a map? -
Brain Fart
25 Sep 2009 | 12:50 pmAn e-mail just came into the home computer’s inbox while I was processing pictures. I glanced over at the subject line. What it said: Vaccinations can produce brain damage in children What I saw: Vacations can produce brain damage in children -
Wow!
23 Sep 2009 | 4:07 amAnd I mean WOW! It’s only been forever since I’ve updated my blog. Funny how time flies. Both my summer and fall have been jam-packed, with my kids keeping me hopping. They’ve got me busy seven days a week, and that’s not just an expression. Between marching band, Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, soccer, and scouts, we are quite literally running seven days a week. It’s exhausting! This past weekend, I took MiniMe to her first rock concert. We saw Journey and Night Ranger here in Atlanta, and we had a ball. If I manage to get back online soon, I’ll give details.
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Margaret Daley
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Heroine Interview from Together for the Holidays by Margaret Daley
19 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThis week I'm hosting Lauralee Bliss with Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire and A Blue and Gray Christmas (winner picks one of those books) and Margaret Daley with Together for the Holidays. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you -
Interview with Lauralee Bliss
17 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThis week I'm hosting Lauralee Bliss with Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire and A Blue and Gray Christmas (winner picks one of those books) and Margaret Daley with Together for the Holidays. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you -
This week Lauralee Bliss and Margaret Daley
16 Nov 2009 | 6:49 amCongratulations to Deborah for winning Leah's Choice by Marta Perry and Jackie for winning A Forever Christmas by Missy Tippens.This week I'm hosting Lauralee Bliss with Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire and A Blue and Gray Christmas (winner picks one of those books) and Margaret Daley with Together for the Holidays. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment -
Where I spend my time
14 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amWhen I set up my office years ago, I put a lot of thought into its layout and furniture. I wanted something that inspired me and was comfortable. After all, I was going to spend hours and hours in that room. I spend more time in my office than any room in my house—even my bedroom. Okay, that may read that I’m a workaholic and I probably am but I have everything I need at my fingertips. My office -
Hero Interview for A Forever Christmas by Missy Tippens
12 Nov 2009 | 12:30 amThis week I'm hosting Marta Perry with Leah's Choice and Missy Tippens with A Forever Christmas. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at
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Michelle Diener
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Interview with author Terri DuLong
12 Nov 2009 | 6:15 amTerri DuLong’s women’s fiction novel Spinning Forward is out now. She’s answered a few questions about herself and her book below. 1. Tell me about SPINNING FORWARD. A New Englander born and bred, the last place Sydney Webster expects to find herself starting over is on an island off the west coast of Florida. Yet here she is in Cedar Key, trying to pull herself together after her husband’s untimely death—and the even more untimely revelation of his gambling addiction. Syd takes shelter at a college pal’s bed and breakfast, leading her to discover her true identity and… -
RWA’s new Women’s Fiction Chapter
3 Nov 2009 | 8:09 pmTherese Walsh has been the powerhouse behind creating the new women’s fiction chapter in RWA, RWA-WF. And I, for my sins, am the VP-Communications of said chapter, and am proud to say the website went up on November 3rd. Whew! Check it out at: http://www.rwa-wf.com. I had a fantastic team, as well as the amazing Alison Kent to help me with the tech and design issues, and a lot of people contributed copy. I think it rocks . I love it when something comes together, and not only do you learn a lot (which I really did) but you meet amazing people and get a real sense of accomplishment. -
Interview with Deb Stover on her new novel THE GIFT
1 Nov 2009 | 6:55 pmPlease welcome Deb Stover. Her latest novel, THE GIFT, is out now. 1. Tell me about THE GIFT. Certain members of the Dearborn Family are born with some variance of an empathic gift. Beth’s “gift” manifests in a particularly frightening manner, by enabling her to experience the final moments of those who’ve died violently. As an adult, she chooses a career as a homicide detective, and–obviously–is very successful. However, the experience of being “murdered” repeatedly takes a terrible toll and she turns to alcohol for solace. When she hits bottom… -
Hard Copy Edits
20 Oct 2009 | 4:02 amFor some reason I always wonder if I can skip this stage. Then I convince myself I can’t. I go ahead and print out my ms, and boy, am I embarrassed I ever thought I could skip the hard copy edits. My eye definitely picks up new things looking at print. It isn’t so much the fact that its on paper, I think, but that it is simply a different medium. Looking at the ms backwards on the computer, starting from THE END and working your way back, would also throw up a lot of nits to fix, but I like doing it chronologically and getting the same result, if I can, because chronologically… -
Bad Me
5 Oct 2009 | 8:15 amI haven’t posted in ages, and that’s bad. I’ve finished writing my book, though. Twice. And I’m the newly appointed Vice-President of Communications for the newly established Women’s Fiction Chapter of RWA. So I’ve been working with the amazing Alison Kent on the chapter’s website (well, she is doing most of the work, but I am helping), putting together a newsletter committee, and participating in meetings, loading software, doing stuff. I’m not sitting on my hands, in other words. But, I knew I needed to post, and Liz Kreger gave me the kick…
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Monique Devere
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Free ebook Cookbook
12 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pmDo you fancy a free cookbook packed with delicious recipes from several Wild Rose Press authors? Then pop over to TWRP for your copy: www.thewildrosepress.comI contributed a recipe to this years Garden Gourmet Cookbook, so keep an eye out for Michelle's-Lick-The-Ice-Cream-Right-Off-Him Sundae.If you get the chance to read Divorce Etiquette, you'll know what I mean. Only four days until Divorce etiquette is released. You can read an excerpt and view the trailer HEREHappy reading. -
Agents: What is the benefit? And who is Avon?
16 Oct 2009 | 12:39 pmToday, one of my friends asked this question and it made me think of new writers, and how much you don't know you don't know when you're starting out.I've been plugging away at the writing thing for twenty years, so I've picked up industry info as I went. Now I take it for granted that everyone knows all about this business. It isn't until a new writer asks a question that this is highlighted. I am in no way claiming to know a heaping load, but I do know one or two things. And I'm happy to share.Therefore, I've decided to blog my answer because I believe it will help other new writers. And… -
What a Saturday
3 Oct 2009 | 5:50 amWoke at six this morning with high hopes for my Saturday. Then discovered hackers are targeting author’s sites. Being paranoid...I mean sensible, I rushed over to my website to check that it was all right. As far as I can see, it’s fine, praise God!!Needless to say, my day has been totally derailed and to add a little extra irritation, I can’t get my Dragon Naturally Speaking software to work! It’s been months since I last used it and never seem to have the time to spend to sort it out.I sincerely hope your Saturday is sailing along smoother than mine. -
My Blog Made The Top Romance Novels Blog List
29 Sep 2009 | 9:09 amTop romance novels BlogsI’m rather pleased that my blog got onto the Daily Review’s Top 100 Romance Novels Blogs. How cool is that? I didn’t even know such a thing existed. But since it does, I’m proud to be a part of it. Especially since I get to have that nifty Award seal on my blog.I expect I’ll have to make more of an effort to keep up with my blog entries, now. Hmm, let me think of something worthwhile to blog...Think, think, think...I’m bound to come up with something soon. -
My New Story: Let's Pretend
25 Sep 2009 | 5:31 amBlurb:True love needs no pretenceWhen A&E trauma surgeon, Isobel, married sexy Irish firefighter, Lucas Delaney, she knew it was going to be forever. Unfortunately, she didn’t realise forever would only last five short years. Keeping her failed marriage from her family seems like a piece of cake, until her grandmother calls a family gathering and Belle suspects she’s about to break unpleasant news. Making excuses for Luc’s absence, she flies home to Connecticut.Then delicious Lucas arrives for the three-day get-together and Belle knows things are going to get dicey. Especially since…
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Natalie J. Damschroder
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Caring Too Much
21 Nov 2009 | 12:50 pmI've decided to trim my Supernatural fan exposure. This season it's driving me INSANE. When I fell in love with the show, I couldn't get enough of it. I searched for places I could get more of it, short of fanfic, and found some. Much of it I've dropped away from already, but I've held on to some that I felt offered fun, insightful, interesting commentary. Most of that is now gone.It's not that I love every episode unequivocally. And it's not that I want all of my "fan friends" to love it unequivocally. But far too often it's not a couple of complaints mixed with what they liked or loved,… -
Bunches of Stuff
19 Nov 2009 | 10:34 pmI really don't want to repeat what's been said all over the I-world about Harlequin Horizons. Might be that the Harlequin response to RWA's stance hasn't hit many places yet (I haven't seen it much), so I'll talk about that.RWA revoked Harlequin's eligibility in its entirety, which ONLY means, currently, that Harlequin cannot attend the national conference in an official capacity. Per a post at Pub Rants, Harlequin is saddened and dismayed by RWA's lack of foresight about the changing face of publishing today. Please excuse me while I projectile barf. Interestingly, because their authors are… -
Blogging is the Last Thing I Should Be Doing
16 Nov 2009 | 9:33 amBut come on! It's been...I don't even want to look to see how long it's been since I blogged. I'll spare you the apologies and excuses we all give when we go too long between posts. I know that's tedious, and honestly, you probably don't care.So.What SHOULD I be doing instead of blogging?1. Revising Full Fusion, my NaNoWriMo book, to fix the scene set at Gillette Stadium, where I stopped Saturday to do a little scene-setting research, and to fix the parts that are stupid, because her friends would really not accept the truth so easily, and stuff like that.2. Continuing writing Full Fusion,… -
SOOOO Embarrassing
5 Nov 2009 | 9:12 amBlogging is a great vehicle for revealing what a moron you are.I wanted the song from the V trailer, and went searching, and found that someone had asked on Yahoo Answers and someone had answered. At the top of the answer is this:Best Answer - Chosen by AskerSo I went looking for the song Chosen by the band Asker.*headdesk*In my defense, the answer had the name of the band, Muse, then the name of the song, Uprising, then the lyrics, all kind of run together with no spacing between lines, and I didn't read the lyrics because I skimmed to the chorus and knew it was what I was looking… -
Something's Wrong With Me
4 Nov 2009 | 10:24 amI have a pretty competitive nature. I first understood it in high school, though I can recognize that it goes back further. All the way to first grade, at least. My mother probably shouldn't have told me what Mrs. Nadeau said in my parent/teacher conference. But even way back then, I was driven to be the best, have the best grades. No one else had to know about it--only I had to know.Then in high school, I had a friend junior year who had comparable grades to me and did a lot of the same extracurriculars. We were neck-and-neck for a while with the fundraiser, but she has a much bigger family,…
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Nikki Duncan
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A Beautiful Reminder
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, ... -
Margie Lawson’s How-to Author Series
Margie Lawson has a gift of teaching authors how to improve their craft. She also offers a How-To series through her website, so be sure to check it out. She's awesome. Features Elizabeth Lyon, Wednesday, Nov. 18th MANUSCRIPT MAKEOVER "The Writer" magazine selected Manuscript Makeover as one of "10 ... -
Welcome Heather Long!
Chat it up! There could be goodies in store for you. ;) Okay, so I'll be having a drawing at the end of the day to give away a chocolate fondue pot. You have to drive further and further to escape the lights of the cities, to see the stars ... -
Thanks to the Armed Forces
I'm a day late for Veteran's Day, but the sentiment is no less sincere when I say that I'm thankful for the men and women who fought in years past, who fight today, and who will fight in years to come for our freedom. Others have said it more ... -
What’s Real in Romance?
Okay, so when people find out someone writes romance, there seem to be three camps of thought. Wanna know what they are? Come find out in my guest blog at Nine Naughty Novelists.
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Nell Dixon
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Friday - His darling Nurse weekend free for all
20 Nov 2009 | 8:35 amPost for your chance to win a free download of His Darling Nurse - I want to hear funny medical stories, jokes etc! I'll give out special prizes for really good/funny ones! -
First door prize winner!
19 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pmStep forward Josh Lockwood! Your name was picked by my eldest belle as the first of the door prize winners to get a free download of His Darling Nurse!More posts to come over the next few days and more chances to win so keep the comments coming as everyone gets entered for every draw! -
His Darling Nurse - Day 3
19 Nov 2009 | 12:44 amI'm back from London - very tired and with a blister on my heel from walking. I'll be drawing a name later for the first of the giveaways so leave a comment to be in with a chance of a prize!A few people have asked where I got the idea for the barbecue scene in the first excerpt. For that I have to thank my neighbour, Chris. Chris loves to barbecue and a few years ago when he first got the bug he had his barbecue too close to my other neighbour, Tracey's fence. I heard a shriek and went outside to see smoke pouring from the fence at the back of Tracey's shed while Chris was frantically… -
His Darling Nurse - day 2
18 Nov 2009 | 12:29 amI'll be out a lot today as I'm going to London to meet my agency and to attend the launch for the wonderful Loves Me, Loves Me Not anthology but the party is still on and tomorrow I'll draw the first door prize from all the comments posted up to now for a free download of His Darling Nurse - if you already have your copy then I'll send you something gorgeous instead!Here's another snippet to entertain you while I'm gone.Wake up, Mummy. Wake up!”Juliet groaned. Her bed dipped and sagged under Charlie’s weight as he bounced on her quilt. She squinted at the alarm clock, blinking in horror… -
His Darling Nurse Excerpt One!
17 Nov 2009 | 1:33 amHere's your first excerpt!http://www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=227“Could we have a barbeque this afternoon, Mum?” Charlie sat on the old bench, swinging his legs and slipping Scruffy a taste of his ice cream whenever he thought Juliet wasn’t looking.“Well….” She felt a little nervous about trying out the barbeque. It had been a leaving present from her last practice. Juliet’s previous home had been a second-floor flat and she and Charlie had never had the luxury of a garden before. Not that Martin would have allowed us to enjoy it even…
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S.J. Day
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Friends with Tractors
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amI’m writing this post from Nashville, where I’ve been since I left home in the wee hours of the morning on Friday. I’m here for the RWA Board of Directors’ meeting. Tomorrow will be Day 3 and another 10 hour day. Yes, I’m a bit tired, but it’s been a great trip in a lot of ways. There is so much to learn… bylaws, tax codes, policies and procedures… wow. The hotel is the Gaylord Opryland and it really defies description. It’s very Disneyesque, with an amusement park sort of unnatural perfection. The property covers 57 acres; there’s… -
Fright Night
2 Nov 2009 | 1:10 amThere’s candy all over my house. In bowls and bags, in the fridge and freezer, upstairs and downstairs. My kids carried their separate candy stashes around with them all day on Sunday, from room to room, inside and outside. I’m not sure why they do that. They really don’t eat the candy all day. Their Halloween stockpile takes weeks to get eaten and they often throw a lot of it out after a while because they get sick of it. I suspect it’s a way to hang on to the excitement of the night. The fun for them is in the actual trick or treating, more so than the sugar high. -
Off The Cuff
19 Oct 2009 | 2:09 amSo it’s nearly 1:30 AM on Monday and I’m coming off a 48-hour writing binge. I didn’t quite reach my goal, but I’m still happy with what I got done. I have a few more pages left to polish, but I edited most of the day today (Sunday) and I’m really happy with it. It’s solid work. I have to pack it in now, because this blog post is due and I’m tired enough to start making silly typo mistakes (if you find some in here, I hope you forgive them), but if I had more time and energy, I’d still be writing. There’s plenty more story waiting to get… -
One Year and Counting
5 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amIt’s been almost one year (short by just ONE day) since I posted my first blog here on MSW. Where has the year gone? An ENTIRE year? Despite my shock at the passing of time, it certainly feels like October today. It’s fifty degrees outside right now, which is pretty darn cold for Southern California. If I weren’t contaminated by the conference bug I picked up at Lora Leigh’s RAW last week, I’d welcome the change in temperature. As it is, though, being chilly while sick is no fun. Looking back on the past year, I have to say that things haven’t turned out at… -
Superstition
21 Sep 2009 | 3:00 amI’m superstitious. I’m not picky about where I get my superstitions; I mix and match them. I knock on wood, toss salt over my shoulder, rub Buddha’s belly, and utilize Feng Shui design in my office. I have lucky numbers, and have been known to wear stones for their reputed properties. I don’t walk under ladders. If a black cat dashes across my path, I wince and look for trouble coming. I love wishing fountains and good luck charms. Some superstitions I had to change because they worked backwards for me. That whole “see a penny, pick it up” thing for good…
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Cynthia Eden
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FREE Book!!!
21 Nov 2009 | 6:47 amYou can now get HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT free from Amazon Kindle (this free deal is good only from 11/21-11/23–so hurry and get the book now!). You can also get the HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT ebook free from Sony (Hurry! The free deal from Sony also ends on 11/23.) If you don’t have an ereader, no worries! You can download these books to your computer to read. The HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT ebook will also soon be free from Barnes and Noble–as soon as the deal appears on their site, I’ll be back to put up a link. Spread the word! Download the book! Read and relax before the… -
Thank You
19 Nov 2009 | 6:41 amSo it’s a week before Thanksgiving, and, yesterday, I started making up my list of all the things I’m thankful for in this big world of ours. And in response to the list I created, I realized I needed to send out a thank you note to my readers–because I am incredibly thankful for all of you. To all my readers–thank you. Thank you for reading my books. Thank you for writing to tell me when you enjoy my characters, when you want to see more of a certain character. Thank you for telling your friends about my books. Thank you for letting the laundry pile for a bit so you… -
HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT–free from Sony!
17 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amUpdate: The Sony link is all fixed now! You can download the free ebook (HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT) right here. For a limited time (11/17-11/21), you can get a free ebook download of HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT from Sony. An early Thanksgiving treat! (Note: for some reason, the description page didn’t load for me when I checked it out, but just click the “Want this ebook?” button and you can download the file, no problem.) Later this week, you’ll be able to get the free download from Kindle and Barnes and Noble (that download will be available on 11/21). I’ll post links… -
ETERNAL HUNTER Excerpt…
16 Nov 2009 | 4:10 amI’m in New Orleans today (New Orleans is one of my favorite places to visit), and, while I’m away, I thought I’d put up a new excerpt for you. Here’s the opening of ETERNAL HUNTER (available 12/29/09): Chapter One Jude Donovan was used to hunting killers—used to running them down like the damn dogs they were and caging the bastards. So when he followed his latest prey into the swamps of Louisiana, an area that looked like it had been home to nothing but beasts for the last few centuries, he wasn’t nervous. Until a bullet thudded into him. Sonofabitch.The fiery pain… -
Friday the 13th is Good For You!!!
13 Nov 2009 | 9:51 amWinners: I decided to pick three winners. And the winners (who will all receive both the mass market version of HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT and ETERNAL HUNTER) are: Jodie West, Veronica H, and Barb P! Congrats, ladies! And, please, stay tuned–I’ll have more giveaway soon. Enjoy your weekend! Fun news–I just received early copies of HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT (mass market re-release) and ETERNAL HUNTER (very early copies of this one–it doesn’t release until 12/29). Want one? Just tell me why Friday the 13th is good for you! I’ll be back tomorrow evening to…
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Karen Erickson
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Rebate at All Romance Ebooks!
21 Nov 2009 | 9:08 amThere’s a sale going on over at All Romance Ebooks. Now through November 24th, you can get a 25% ebook buck rebate on ALL Samhain titles. Oooh, like all of my Samhain titles, including the brand new Forbidden. I know, I know, shameless promotion… Happy Saturday! -
Dear Jerkwad(s)
19 Nov 2009 | 10:51 amYeah, I’m talking to you. Thanks for stopping off the side of the road and dumping your garbage along my fence line. I know what you’re doing. Are you so broke you can’t afford garbage pickup so you dump your trash on my property instead? So I can fill up said garbage in my own garbage can (and it filled it completely up)? Oh, and it was so much fun touching your trash! Eewww… Let me give you hint. Stop eating all of those Kirkland pizzas from Costco and Little Cesar’s pizzas too. Oh and all those crappy ding dongs that you bought in the super large… -
Giving Thanks Winner!
17 Nov 2009 | 10:06 pmFirst I want to thank everyone who left a comment for my contest. So many wonderful things to be thankful for, so many simple things. We all need to remember that. Now on to the winner. I went to random.org, it spit out a number and the lucky winner of the All is Well necklace is… Patsy Hagen! Here’s her comment: The list of what I am thankful for is so long, I could never type it out. For just a few…I am thankful to be living with my son and his family. I’m thankful for our health. I’m thankful for the food we can buy and thankful that we can pay our bills(there are too… -
Forbidden Now Available!
17 Nov 2009 | 6:37 amAnd you can find it here. He always wanted what he couldn’t have… Playing With Fire, Book 1 Forbidden desires, secret needs…that’s not what girls are made of. At least, that’s what Michaela’s past boyfriends told her when she revealed her darkest, dirtiest fantasies. She knows she’s better off without the exes, but she’s lonely—and horny. It doesn’t help that her roommate, Austin, is the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on. Too bad he’s bisexual…or so he says. There’s a reason Austin hasn’t been with a woman in a long time. The only one he wants is… -
Contests Galore!
16 Nov 2009 | 10:10 amFIRST: Did you know you could head over to MBAM and buy Forbidden NOW??!! That’s so freaking exciting I can hardly stand it. I haven’t felt this excited about a book coming out in a loooong time. Squee! The wonderful ladies over at the Smutketeers interviewed me today. And there’s a creative contest going on where you could win a copy of my short story Jesse’s Girl! Go check it out. Brande at Book Junkie still has the contest going on where you could win a copy of Forbidden. Oh yes, go check that interview out right now! And last but not least, my Giving Thanks contest…
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Bonnie Ferguson
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Hard To Hold Contest
16 Nov 2009 | 8:29 amLarissa Ione is having a contest to celebrate the November 24th release of Stephanie Tyler’s Hard To Hold. Go to Larissa’s blog for details on how to enter. -
Quote Day
10 Nov 2009 | 5:40 amThe subject for today is food: Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. ~Jim Davis As a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it. ~Buddy Hackett The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found. ~Calvin Trillin ~From The Quote Garden. -
A Pleasant Diversion
4 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pmAfter I noticed this quiz on the sidebar of Lori Brighton’s blog, I knew I wanted to post it here. Take the Quiz here! -
Happy Halloween!
30 Oct 2009 | 9:00 pmWishing everyone a magical and treat-filled Halloween! -
Under the Weather
23 Oct 2009 | 7:31 amI’ve been under the weather this week. I’ve been resting and reading a lot, armed with a pack of Halls cough drops and the remote control. Have a great weekend, everyone.
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Cathryn Fox
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WRAPPED IN SEDUCTION Available today!
3 Nov 2009 | 4:04 amNAL Trade (November 3, 2009) ISBN-10: 0451228154 ISBN-13: 978-0451228154 It’s that time of year when nights are longer, passions run hotter, and for three sisters, naughty wishes come true… Three sisters. Three wishes. And one hot Christmas in this sizzling collection of novellas from today’s most popular erotic authors… “Wrapped in Holly” by Lisa Renee Jones Holly’s come home for the [...] -
Sounds to Die by!
13 Oct 2009 | 7:11 amThe wonderful and talented Nikki Duncan has her first release today at Samhain. Get on over there and check it out. “Sounds to Die By” by Nikki Duncan Buy from MBaM! Read An Excerpt Online Genre: Romantic Suspense ISBN: 978-1-60504-677-8 Length: Category Price: 4.50 Publication Date: October 13, 2009 Cover art by Kanaxa Between her eyes and his ears, there’s a world of sensory overload… Sensory [...] -
INSTINCTIVE releases today!!
6 Oct 2009 | 5:01 amInstinctive: An Eternal Pleasure Novel NAL Trade (October 6, 2009) ISBN-10: 0451227948 ISBN-13: 978-0451227942 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | IndieBound Read an Excerpt “Fox’s tale of paranormal beings and primal exploration lurking under the surface of a quaint New England town is a winner! The strong heroine and hot panther hero are a combustible combination. This book is [...] -
Wrapped In Seduction Review!
21 Sep 2009 | 6:45 amTitle: Wrapped in Seduction Author: Lisa Renee Jones, Cathryn Fox, Jodi Lynn Copeland Publisher: NAL Heat Genre: Christmas stories Publication date: November 2009 ISBN: 978-0451228154 Pages: 330 Series: n/a Reviewer: Tina, TwoLipsReviews Rating: 5 star Unwrapping Holly by Lisa Renee Jones Holly Reddy has come home to Haven, New Hampshire a month before Christmas to get over her writer’s block. She is thirty years old and [...] -
I LOVE release day!
8 Sep 2009 | 6:33 amAvailable today from Samhain publishing. http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/dance-of-the-dragon DANCE OF THE DRAGON, Cathyrn Fox When you tempt a dragon, be prepared for the fire… Zoologist Chloe Stevens is certain she’s on a wild-goose chase. There are worse things than being forced to travel to a remote South Pacific island, but to search for a dragon? She’s sure the real reason [...]
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Liz Fielding
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21 Nov 2009 | 6:57 am
21 Nov 2009 | 6:57 amSNIFFLE, SNUFFLE, SNEEZE...Yes, everyone, I have a cold. One bad enough to keep me at home mainlining Lemsip while my colleagues were out partying at the launch of LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT.Here they are --The anthology, filled with stories by authors such an Joanna Trollope, Katie Fforde, Christina Jones, Sophie Weston, Joanna Maitland, Nicola Cornick, Rita Bradshaw, Anna Jacobs, Jan Jones, Carole -
15 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am
15 Nov 2009 | 7:52 amSANTA'S SECRET ELFNot much to report this week. Outside the weather has deteriorated to something pretty nasty in the way of rain and wind, which is keeping the painter at home beside the fire. (Maybe I should just mention that CHRISTMAS ANGEL FOR THE BILLIONAIRE is now retail in the States and available online from Mills & Boon in Australia since I imagine that it's book news that most of you -
12 Nov 2009 | 10:21 pm
12 Nov 2009 | 10:21 pmMORE GRAND-PETSThis is Bernard. He is a rescue cat and so cannot leave any opportunity for food to go untaken. This week he has been very, very bad. While the dd's back was turned, he ate half the broccoli soup.When the dd told me, my first reaction was not "bad Bernard!", but "broccoli soup?" Who would choose to eat broccoli soup? What can I say, I loathe all things brassica. Anyway, -
6 Nov 2009 | 2:14 am
6 Nov 2009 | 2:14 amCHRISTMAS BOOKSIt's time to stock up on Christmas reads -- the ones that smooth out the aches after shopping, baking, decorating the house! -- and Harlequin have put their whole collection onto one handy page for you to take your pick this year.Just click here to see all those gorgeous covers!THE GRAND-PETSWe don't have any animals of our own now and enjoy the vicarious pleasure of the grand-pets -
5 Nov 2009 | 3:17 am
5 Nov 2009 | 3:17 amBRIEF POST......to wish you all a wonderful and safe Bonfire Night. I'll be chained to my laptop because having delivered The Bachelor's Baby Proposal (working title) on Monday, I started SANTA'S SECRET ELF on Tuesday, which has to be in eds hand by mid January so that you can read it next December. Heroine Lucy BrightHero -- uh-uh. He hasn't appeared on page yet and I'm still struggling for
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Marie Sullivan Force
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SOLD!
31 Oct 2009 | 6:32 amHi everyone,Sorry it's been so long since I posted. I know I say that a lot, but you guys keep checking back and I appreciate that! Big news yesterday from my agent: we sold my book See You Next Time with an option for two more, again to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks. Here's some info about the book:See You Next TimeEverybody loves a hero. That's the problem.Hero pilot Cole Langston is learning to live with—and enjoy—his newfound fame and the rabid female attention that comes with it until a lucky punch knocks some sense into him and opens his eyes to true love.When his copilot suffers a… -
What's Up With Squeamish Men?
17 Oct 2009 | 8:58 amAs my cousin David would say, I "took" a surgery this week. After years of horrible monthly events that led to at least two days on the sofa and more Advil than any human should ingest on a regular basis, I finally let the doctor do something about it in an effort to prevent more drastic hysterectomy-like measures. The surgery itself was no big deal, but all the drugs made me really sick for a couple of days. Three days later, I'm still tired but on the mend. What I've found amusing since the surgery is the reaction of men who hear you had surgery to deal with "the girl parts." They'll start… -
Living La Vida Mediocre
13 Oct 2009 | 3:24 pmMy husband Dan and I have a running joke with my friend Dawn. She is one of my oldest and best friends, and during the time I dated Dan, she was my roommate. The two of them have always been buddies. A few years ago, in a moment of supreme misguidedness on her part Dawn told me—IN FRONT OF DAN—that I got one of the good ones. I'm sure some of you are saying, awwww, isn't that nice? Well, if that's your reaction, you aren't married to one of the good ones! If you are, you know what I know: he'll never let me FORGET that I'm married to one of the good ones once he's been TOLD by a WOMAN who… -
Is "I Love You" the Kiss of Death?
9 Oct 2009 | 6:25 pmDid I get your attention with that headline? Well, there was a great discussion about this very topic yesterday on Romancing the Blog in which the blogger used Line of Scrimmage as an example of a book she loved. What a lovely way to start the day for the author of Line of Scrimmage! The blogger, Laurie, posed an absolutely awesome question about what happens to a romance novel AFTER the hero says I love you. I enjoyed the comments and the conversation on this topic because it's something we wrestle with as authors. When exactly is the right time for the exchange of I love yous? In Line of… -
Getting Up and Getting Going
30 Sep 2009 | 4:18 pmI used to be a pretty decent runner. I could do three or four miles without too much trouble. But as life and work and kids happened, somewhere along the way I quit running. It's the only form of exercise that has ever truly worked for me, meaning it's the only thing that truly shaves off the pounds. Another thing that's kept me grounded is my writing career. Writing, editing, marketing and selling books is a time-consuming proposition. I've often thought that if I could only spend a quarter of the time I spend writing on the running trail, I'd be fit enough for my liking. So all these things…
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Megan Frampton
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Getting To Know You
22 Nov 2009 | 9:23 amSo the Son and Spouse are off for a day of Daddy and Me time, seeing The Fantastic Mr. Fox and then onto a Knicks game, leaving me alone to procrastinate. I am writing a bit, however, and am discovering things about my hero, which is cool; I kinda have a handle on my heroine, she’s insecure, loves bright colors, says the wrong things at time, and hates being told what to do (ahem. Like I said, I know her. Which is to say, I AM her). Here’s some of what I’ve written today: “How do you find London? Not society, we know what you think of that.” She ducked her head and… -
Happy Birthday, Dad.
20 Nov 2009 | 8:13 amToday is my dad’s birthday. Before he died, he’d spend his birthday–or as close to it as possible, given our schedules–here with us in Brooklyn. I’d make him something delicious, he’d have at least two helpings, and we’d talk. Instead of the rain, which was promised, today is lovely and bright. I headed to the library, since my dad and I definitely shared a love of books, although fiction was not his first choice. I meant only to get a few things, but of course, walked out with an armload. Later today I will find, and devour, a piece of chocolate,… -
Lemongrass In Da House!
18 Nov 2009 | 8:24 amLord, am I a downer lately, or what? The good news is that I am not *quite* so downtrodden; the bad news? Haven’t managed to write more than 300 words in the past few days. This morning I headed over to Sunset Park, the Asian section of Brooklyn. My purpose in going was to buy massive amounts of soy sauce for ridiculously low prices, since I am SO not into spending more than a few dollars for a dollop of Kikkoman soy sauce. I was the only Caucasian in the store for the entire time–not something I say to be all ‘aren’t I diverse,’ but because it is so shocking to… -
Bride Stripped Bare*
16 Nov 2009 | 6:23 amSo the past three days I’ve been wiped–absolutely wiped–by crazy sinus pain. Which definitely exacerbates the feeling of ‘huh?’ I’ve been experiencing, but doesn’t entirely explain it. But I digress. I’m in the awful ‘why do I even bother?’ phase of writing. That’s really hard, because I can’t imagine not writing, but I’m also not actively writing, at least not very much. It’s not because I am procrastinating, or lazy (although that charge could be legitimately levied at times), it’s because life… -
Pfft.
13 Nov 2009 | 9:58 amAt the Riskies, stewing about my dumb plot.
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Savannah J. Frierson
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Help Verb Noire
28 Oct 2009 | 2:50 amHelp Verb Noire, an independent publisher dedicated to providing a place for people of color to tell their own stories. -
2009 Lub-Dub Awards
22 Sep 2009 | 4:15 amWinner's Listbest bbw: "Trolling Nights" by Savannah J. Friersonauthor of the year: Savannah J. FriersonThank you for voting! Really appreciate it! -
Reminder: Lub-Dub Awards
14 Sep 2009 | 6:50 amI'd put a link up previously, but this one is more in depth. If you all would be so kind as to vote for me...that would be awesome! You can submit your votes via e-mail to dreamwild1985@gmail.com, and I bolded my name for easy finding. The deadline is today--I'd held off on purpose because it'll be fresh in your mind to do the voting today (that's how I operate anyway...)). Thanks in advance!Best Hero :Tim Capshaw in “Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson Dorian Christensen in “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini SinghTyson Kincade in “Kincade’s Rose” by Aliyah BurkeAdrian… -
Some News and Notes
26 Aug 2009 | 7:53 amIf you're going to be in Charleston on September 29, 2009 @ 7PM, why don't you stop on by the Moja Festival and...I dunno...meet me? And if not you, someone you know? Thanks. :)Also, if you can mosey on to The Lub-Dubs and maybe vote for the categories that feature me and then vote for...me...that would be much appreciated. And, thank you to those who even did! Didn't expect that, and that's quite awesome.This review of TROLLING NIGHTS is really kind of great. She almost makes me want to read my own book, and I RARELY do that after I finish one. I'm like an actor who can't watch a movie/show… -
A Letter from My Mama
24 Aug 2009 | 7:21 pmI got this letter back in 2005 when I graduated from college. It's dated August 24, 1989, and it's written by my mother commemorating my first day of first grade. And I can be honest and say I hadn't looked at that letter from that graduation day until March, when I moved back to SC and started this "new phase" of my life to be a writer, or at the very least a professional wordsmith. When I opened this letter, the first thing I noticed was my mother had beautiful handwriting. And then...the letter was twenty years old, and I wondered where the hell twenty years went. Then the fact I wanted to…
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Sonja Foust
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Your Elevator Pitch
17 Nov 2009 | 8:27 amIf you think just because you sold your book, you’re never going to have to pitch it again, you’re wrong. Go over to Promo-ho.com today and get some tips on your elevator pitch. My elevator pitch for the past 2 weeks wherein I have not been blogging would go something like: Sonja is going nuts. Really, really nuts. She is trying to write her NaNoWriMo novel but is pretty much made of fail right now. She admits that she will probably not get it done in November. And will not win. Again. She’s getting used to it though, so the sting of failure isn’t quite as harsh this… -
Promo-ho.com Relaunch
12 Nov 2009 | 12:25 pmI’ve been working for a few weeks on a redesign and reorganization of Promo-ho.com, and I’m pleased to announce today that it’s ready to go! Check it out, and if you have a moment, leave me some feedback. I’d love to hear about what you like, what you don’t like, what needs to be updated, and what kind of articles you’d like to see in the future. Proud to be a Promo Ho! Related posts:Your Elevator Pitch -
And they’re off!
30 Oct 2009 | 1:57 pmStoryboarding my NaNoWriMo novel NaNoWriMo starts October 31st at midnight, so if you don’t see me this weekend, you know what I’m doing. I have to plot almost the entire novel on Saturday as I have been procrastinating. (Well, does it really count as procrastinating if you really honestly just have not had time to do it? I mean, I have 3 loads of laundry sitting on the rocking chair in my bedroom– that’s how busy this week has been.) In any case, wish me luck, and join me if you are equally crazy and would like to write 50,000 words in 30 days (plus an extra hour… -
A Great State Fair
28 Oct 2009 | 6:00 amCheck out my first iMovie creation, a compilation of our pictures and videos from the NC State Fair! Can’t wait to work on some of the other videos in my collection! No related posts. -
Monster Dash Fun
26 Oct 2009 | 11:32 amYesterday was the Raleigh Monster Dash, and Jamie and I went for it, though woefully undertrained for the past few weeks. (Here we are– smile, Jamie!) I am proud to say that we both ruled, and I personally beat my goal time of under 40 minutes. I think it was about 38 minutes or so, although official times aren’t posted yet. I had some drama at the Mile 1 marker– the worst stomach cramp ever! So I had to walk for a half a mile and still managed to beat my goal. I’m really pleased, and already thinking about the next race and the next goal. 33 minutes or bust? (Hey, I…
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Candice Gilmer
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New Release -- Mission of Christmas
16 Nov 2009 | 7:26 amI'm so excited to announce the release of Mission of Christmas from Lyrical Press. This is my first Christmas story--while I've wanted to write Christmas stories before, I've never really had a good idea for one. When I got this particular story idea, I had my husband put a ton of Christmas music on my mp3 player so I can get the proper mood music while I wrote, and it worked.... I managed to turn out this story in record time. So I'm proud to announce that Mission of Christmas is available now.Here's the blurb and a short excerpt:Will one man’s Christmas cheer thaw Ms. Scrooge’s heart?To… -
More Cover Yumminess!
4 Nov 2009 | 10:21 amBROKEN SHINE!!! SQUEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!I'm so excited about this one, I can't tell you! It's probably my favorite book in the Moonlight and Shadows series at Lyrical Press and I cannot WAIT for the release in February. Gosh, that seems so far away, but I know it'll fly by. Here's an UNOFFICIAL blurb and tagline... (It'll probably change later, but it's what I got for now)Love will be the death of him.Immortal Knight Templar, Sir Liam has spent the last 700 years faithful to the Balance Mandate, protecting humans from vampires, werewolves and other mythical creatures. In the past 24 years, he’s… -
Broom Stick Bunny
25 Oct 2009 | 9:57 pmA friend had this posted on Face Book, and I decided it would be fun to share. ;) -
The Scavenger Hunt is still going on!
19 Oct 2009 | 10:46 amDon't forget about the Raven Scavenger Hunt! See The Raven Happy Hour for more details! You've got until the end of the month! Good Luck! -
Alpha
5 Oct 2009 | 6:17 pmOver at Scott Eagan's Blog, he's touching on the topic of Alphas verses Betas in heroes. This particular line made me pause:""The body language of the alpha male is very noticeable. While some are muscular, most men in this category are fit. He enters the room with an undisputable confidence and almost courage. His movements are slow and deliberate."I grew up around wrestlers, not professional wrestlers, but greco roman, freestyle and folkstyle wrestlers. My brother wrestled from the time he was 5, I think. He might have been 6. But I spent most of my young life around wrestlers, coaches, and…
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Colleen Gleason
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Feeling virtuous.
3 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amAfter learning from a friend of mine that her new MacBookPro’s hard drive crashed a few weeks ago, and fully aware that I never, never back up my brand new MacBookPro laptop (which is completely foolish as I do most/all of my new writing there), I made a trip to the Apple store today to get a portable hard drive for said laptop. (Which, I think, I’ve named Buffy, by the way. The laptop, not the hard-drive. Considering the fact, however, that the hard-drive plugs in to Buffy, perhaps I ought to name it….Spike. It’s sleek and red and very, very sexy.) Anyway. *cough*… -
Monday Morning Movie Roundup.
21 Sep 2009 | 7:50 amSo I went and saw 9, Tim Burton’s post-apocalyptic animated movie on Friday night. As is true for all Burton films, it was…interesting. I wouldn’t see it again. The story was meh. But what I loved about it was the visuals. There was so much to look at. Everything was so fascinating and detailed, from the puppet-like creatures that were “all that’s left of humanity” to the spider-like monster robots to the remnants of our world. (Or, more correctly, the world of the 1950s.) It was so very creative and full of visual depth. But for me, it didn’t save… -
OMG. I’m the mother of a teen.
18 Sep 2009 | 6:41 amAs of about 11:30 am today, I am the mother of a teen-ager. Holy crap. Does this mean my life is about to disintegrate into slamming bedroom doors, yelling matches about clothes, hair, boyfriends, friends, music, social engagements…etc? I was fortunate. My mother and I always had (and still do) a great relationship based on mutual respect and friendship. Yeah, she played The Mother Card often enough, but that was only when she had to. We had our fights, but I was never a teen who’d complain about my mom to my friends. Nor was my mother always trying to marry me off or tell me how… -
Nine or 9?
16 Sep 2009 | 7:02 amTwo very different movies coming out in the next few months (actually, one is already out) with the same name. Sorta. Which one are you jonesing to see? Nine, Rob Marshall’s all-star, amazingly cast film about a world-famous film director… Or 9, Tim Burton’s post-apocalyptic animated film about those trying to save what’s left of the world? (I can’t find an embeddable trailer, so here’s a link.) Me? Well, I’m dying to see both, but 9 sparks my interest in particular because of Joss Ware’s new series set in a world eerily reminiscent of… -
Can you do this?
10 Sep 2009 | 12:40 pmCheck this out. I’m totally impressed. In other news, I was trying to remember the name of the sitcom Al Franken was in a few years (eight?) ago. About a news anchorman or something. It’s called Nightline, I think. Anyone remember that? I really enjoyed it,although now I can see that Senator Franken’s talents were wasted there….
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Donna Grant
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Guest Blogger Lisa Renee Jones
20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amI’d like to welcome a spectacular author and a truly wonderful friend - Lisa Renee Jones. You can find her stories everywhere, and there’s a reason for that. If you haven’t read her, pick up a book now. You won’t be disappointed. Holidays, new releases, movies, and great food! What more could a girl want for the holiday? Ah – good people to share it with! Next week is Thanksgiving and I find myself looking forward to it more than usual. It is oddly, my first Christmas away from my kids, which I expected to feel quite sad. But they are both grown now, and while I miss… -
Week in Review
16 Nov 2009 | 5:12 amI finished the fourth Dark Sword book! I’m hoping to get titles to books 4, 5, & 6 soon. I’m pleased with how my first draft of the book came out. Now, its time for revisions. I’m getting lots of goodies ready for the coming month and the release of DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER. There’s lots to do, and as always, not a lot of time. We’ve got Thanksgiving coming up much faster than I realized while we’re trying to finish our remodel of our downstairs bathroom. I finished reading Lisa Kleypas’ TEMPT ME AT TWILIGHT. I love Lisa’s writing, and… -
Week in Review
9 Nov 2009 | 6:29 amLots of writing done last week. I’m getting closer and closer to the end of book 4 for the Dark Sword series. Which pretty much dominated the week. I did manage to get out and buy hubby’s bday presents. His birthday was yesterday, and though we did start deconstruction of our downstairs bath for the remodel, he did get to watch the Cowboys game last night. To top it off, they won, which just sealed what he called a “perfect day”. Characters are calling, so I must get to finishing the book! hugs, D -
Forbidden Highlander
5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amI got the gorgeous cover for FORBIDDEN HIGHLANDER yesterday. I love how they added the torc around his neck. Its perfect! A DANGEROUS SECRET… Fallon MacLeod has gifts any warrior would covet - fierce strength, unmatched skill, even immortality. But those gifts come at a price that puts everyone he loves at risk. Only when his brother, Quinn, is taken captive does Fallon leave the seclusion of his Highland home to seek the king’s aid. And though every women at court would gladly be his for the asking, one alone causes desire to roar to life within him: beautiful, mysterious Larena… -
Week in Review
2 Nov 2009 | 7:12 amToday is my anniversary - thirteen years. It wasn’t like we planned to get married on the Day of the Dead. It just kinda worked out that way. I’d like to say we’ve got something romantic planned, but when the anniversary falls during the week with young kiddos still in school, makes for a difficult time to do much of anything. However, the kids tell me we’re having dinner by candlelight tonight to make up for it. lol. In writing news, I was offered another contract last week to write three more Dark Sword books. I’m beyond thrilled! Book four is coming along…
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jess Granger
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Let's Talk Turkey
21 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amHi everyone,I'm feeling a bit brain-fried right now. So here's my question. Who fries their Thanksgiving turkey?I've always been a roasted turkey girl. While dipping a large bird into a vat of hot oil over an open flame sounds like loads of fun, stuffing the turkey and leaving it in the oven for hours so the house is warm and smells nice, like rosemary and onions, all day is the only way to go -
New Excerpt is Up!
17 Nov 2009 | 7:27 amJust a quick announcement to let you guys know the first chapter has been posted on my website for Beyond the Shadows coming this May!Let me know what you think!I'm excited about this one.Jess -
The Power of Positive
14 Nov 2009 | 8:10 amHi everyone,It's a good day. Why? Because it is.There's no reason for it. Perhaps I can define it as good because the sun is out. Perhaps it is better than most because we're all finally over the flu. Maybe it is extra good because I baked banana nut oatmeal cookies yesterday.But I don't think that's the reason. I think it is good because it is.Sometimes it is just great to be alive and you -
Special Guest, Savannah J. Foley
12 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amIt will be my pleasure from time to time to introduce some special guests to the Butterfly Blog. Look for special guest posts popping up on random Thursdays. If you would like to contribute a guest blog, send me an email through the contact page of my website, and we can chat about it. Several generous authors welcomed me last year when I was trying to get my name out there, and I'm happy to -
Getting Creative
7 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amI think writers, by default, are fairly creative people. I know some of my family teases me about my endless creative endeavors. You'd think I could stick to slightly productive things like making home videos, doing scrapbooks, or actually finishing sewing the last of the Christmas stockings, but no.This is what I do with too much creative energy.I play with Lincoln Logs.This was a pretty cool
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Paula Graves
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Free Fic Friday - Chapter 16 is up
20 Nov 2009 | 7:01 amWe're rolling toward the end, folks. Chapter 16 of Code Name: WILLOW is up! And oh my, things are getting hairy for our heroes!Don't forget to check back here and tell me what you thought of the chapter! -
"terrifyingly intense..."
17 Nov 2009 | 6:56 pmGreat 4-star review for CASE FILE: CANYON CREEK, WYOMING, my January 2010 Harlequin Intrigue, from Pat Cooper at Romantic Times Book Reviews:Riley Patterson has been an obsessed and solitary man since his wife was murdered three years before. Hannah Cooper was an Alabama fishing guide enjoying a vacation in the Wyoming wilderness when she was attacked -- probably by the same man who killed -
This is just wicked cool
14 Nov 2009 | 4:28 amh/t Stephen Fry -
Free Fic Friday - Chapter 15 is up
13 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pmSooooo sorry for how late this notification is. The file has actually been up since this morning, so I hope y'all thought to look for it today.Anyway, Chapter 15 is up. I hope y'all enjoy it! -
Free Fic Friday - Chapter 14 is up
6 Nov 2009 | 8:27 amHere's Chapter 14 of Code Name: WILLOW. You're about to find out what's really going on in the Big Easy, and it happens pretty quickly, so don't blink or you'll miss something important!
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Susan Grant
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Would you consider sending a "Box of Home" to some Marines?
21 Nov 2009 | 9:46 amSusan Grant here. One of the guys I fly with has a son who is a young Marine lieutenant embedded with his platoon in Afghanistan.I was appalled to hear how primitive their living conditions are, showering outside shivering in “solar showers,” running out of hot coffee on cold nights, and out of books and DVDs to keep their minds entertained when they aren’t out there being shot at.I also learned they’re given a “list of supplies” to BUY and bring with when they are deployed (to ease the US Gov’t bill, I suppose, but come on, many of these guys have young families and no $ to… -
New Covers!
14 Oct 2009 | 11:00 amHooray! Here are the new covers for the Star trilogy being re-released all at once in May 2010. If you click on the titles above each cover the links will take you to the place at my website, where you can read more about each of the books in the series.The Star KingThe Star PrinceThe Star Princess -
SUREBLOOD now has back cover copy
16 Sep 2009 | 5:04 pmThe epic plot of my 8/10 release SUREBLOOD: a Tale of the Borderlands...AKA Borderlands #3 has been squeezed into 2 publicly acceptable, hope people carry it home, back of the book cover paragraphs. Glad my editor is good at doing this because I sure ain't (eesh, I'm even talking like my space pirates now...) Without further ado, here it is (barring any more publisher tweaks): Torn apart by lies and deception...Five years ago, rival space pirate captains Val Blue and Dake Sureblood stole one incredible night together. But their brief, passionate history ends with the assasination of Val’s… -
A thank you and a sneak peek scene
26 Aug 2009 | 10:41 amAs a thank you for mom, blogger, pilot's wife, and author Kimber An and her great review of The Warlord's Daughter on her blog (Sabra the "commando nanny"-- loved that), I wanted to treat her and you to a scene from the upcoming SUREBLOOD, which I imagine will be one of the few Space Pirate single mom tales on the shelves. Enjoy! ###From the 8/10 release SUREBLOOD: A Tale of the Borderlands by Susan Grant (#3 in the Borderlands series)Back on Artoom, Val’s long strides made short work of the distance between the dock and the village. As she passed the practice fields, she stopped to watch… -
Next Book!
19 Aug 2009 | 3:03 pmFinally! My space pirate book has a title: SUREBLOOD: A Tale of the Borderlands! Stoked that it has "blood" in the title! Think of how many vampire fans will pick it up by mistake! :)Sureblood is the hero's last name
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Bernita Harris
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Landscaping
18 Nov 2009 | 3:18 amPontoise,Emilio SanchePerrier ( 1855-1907), oil on panel.Some comments on Monday's post, by Moonmouse, Sandra, and Written, in particular, made me think on how I view November.It seems that after the garden furniture is stored away (aka heaved in a tottering, avalanch-prone heap in the garage), after the leaves - with joyful help from the dogs - are raked and either composted or bagged, the roses mulched, the peonies and such cut back, and the fountain is drained and secured from ice, that I withdraw from boundaries of my property. I release my mental pickets from their vigil and position… -
Light and Shadows
16 Nov 2009 | 3:11 amMorning Light,William McGregor Paxton (1869-1941),oil on canvas.Sometime around the ides of August the light changes. From sharp, delineating clarity it softens to golden during the long, lazy afternoons. The first warning of the inexorable turn toward the last light of the sun's year. An ancient writer of romances named Essie Summers described it best. "The light is tender in August."While sorting through my accumulated g-mails, I came across a sad message from a friend of Erik Ivan James. You may remember Erik -- both for his explicit sex scenes and for his unfailing encouragement and… -
Much Is Left
13 Nov 2009 | 1:30 amWoodland InteriorHenri Harpignies (1819-1916)oil on panel, 1901. The leaves were rich and gold this autumn. I waded in a foam raking them, and their susurrous around my feet was like breaking waves upon a shore. I have begun to read the months of accumulated gmail. As I said Wednesday, blogging belonged to Before -- with all its joy and hope -- and I have been frozen in After. Thank you again and again for all your lovely messages of comfort and concern. I can assure you they have no time stamp. They mean even more to me now, to discover in humble gratitude that this House I thought was empty… -
Time Was, Time Is
11 Nov 2009 | 2:48 amI have written and discarded this post a hundred times.Because Blogging belonged to Before. And this is After.Because I had nothing to offer.Accounts of the dreary protocols surrounding death and intimations of personal anguish make for depressing reading. There is no singularity in sorrow -- so I could not see inflicting mine on you all.But for far too long I have not thanked you from the bottom of my heart for your messages of compassion and concern and loving kindness. They comforted me.Though some days are still very hard, I am well.It has been so long since I have visited blogland that I… -
An Undiscovered Country
4 Feb 2009 | 5:39 pmThey once called him "Cat" because he was a sprinter of Olympic standard.But like the cat of the proverb, his limit was nine.My husband died yesterday morning.And I must leave you again for a time.
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Cindy Holby
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Cover Bliss
18 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pmComing in June. Stayed tuned for more details. -
What's going on
2 Nov 2009 | 6:47 amYes I have been a blog slacker. I've taken a step back lately to re-evaluate my career. Which doesn't mean I've stopped writing. Its more like I'm trying to figure out what direction my writing is going in. Meanwhile I have written a couple of short stories. The first one is called Time Trails and is in the Mammoth Book of Time Travel which will be released in Dec. Its the story of a Texas Ranger and a Time cop from the future and has some Steampunk elements.The second is called Quicksilver and will come out in the Irish Book of Romance in January. This was a fascinating story to write as I… -
Whats it really like to be an author?
26 Oct 2009 | 1:09 pmI copied this from the New Yorker. Its funny but its also true. Let me introduce myself. My name is Gineen Klein, and I’ve been brought on as an intern to replace the promotion department here at Propensity Books. First, let me say that I absolutely love “Clancy the Doofus Beagle: A Love Story” and have some excellent ideas for promotion.To start: Do you blog? If not, get in touch with Kris and Christopher from our online department, although at this point I think only Christopher is left. I’ll be out of the office from tomorrow until Monday, but when I get back I’ll ask him if he… -
The Stars Are Empty
19 Oct 2009 | 11:10 amI'm taking part in a short story started by L.A. Banks. You can read it here It was a different experience for me but I really enjoyed it once I got into the flow. Can't wait to see what happens next. -
New Car
17 Sep 2009 | 1:45 pmI got a new car after nine years of driving the old one. I've downsized from a GMC Yukon (great car, I loved it) to an Infinity EX35.It might take a while to get used to the much smaller yet more fuel efficient car and I will most likely miss the Yukon when vacation time rolls around but I'm willing to try. So far I love it. Its got a lot of zip and is great when changing lanes. Best of all its got camera's all around. I'd been shopping for a month and I'm most happy with my final choice.
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Cynthia Harrison
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Desire is #1
21 Nov 2009 | 6:14 amJenna something, and ex-porn star, apparently very popular, was on Oprah the other day. I kept making disparaging comments while my husband sat in rapt attention, not something he usually does when Oprah is on. But Jenna did say one thing that resonated with me: the biggest turn-on for women is feeling that they are desired. I rushed upstairs and wrote that down for my romance novel. “Show ways he desires her,” I wrote in big letters so I’d remember it. Because if it rang true for me, it must be true for other women. -
Romantic Writing Ideas
20 Nov 2009 | 8:46 amReading December’s issue of Psychology Today, I came across an article by Darby Saxbe called “10 Ways to Perk Up Your Relationship.” Reading, I realized my husband Al and I already do a lot of those things. (We have 25 years of practice.) After I got done patting myself on the back for having a groovy relationship, I realized I could adapt Saxbe’s 10 Things for the hero and heroine of my NaNo novel. 1. Gratitude Start a scene with one of the main characters thanking the other. I just typed the words “Thank you” and the scene wrote itself from there. … -
Melissa Jeglinski
19 Nov 2009 | 7:16 amThat thingy on the sidebar is my NaNo progress. Word count as of this morning: 37,708. Heard the fabulous Melissa Jeglinski speak at our GDRWA meeting Tuesday. Melissa is an agent with the Knight agency and before that she worked as an editor with Harlequin for Silhouette Desire and other imprints for many years. Melissa’s talk was smart, insightful, funny and warm. She knows the business end of publishing inside and out. She answered every single question with insight and honesty. So inpsiring! -
Love, Love, Love
17 Nov 2009 | 5:41 amMy husband Al is the Gemini, but I have often felt split between two worlds. Even in my writing life. This past week, I’ve spent some time introducting my Romance Writer to my Literary Writer. The truth is my writing has never been either of these labels. They say you should write what you read, and I love reading literary and mainstream women’s fiction. (Plus some lad lit). Also poetry. Also short stories. Also Shakespeare. And memoir. And the occassional book about the latest developments in science, particularly physics. I read lots of Buddhist texts. Sometimes other… -
Back On
12 Nov 2009 | 6:13 amI had ideas for writing yesterday, which I got in the bookstore Tuesday where I had gone to pick up Mary Karr’s Lit –an amazing memoir. (I have already devoured it.) Anyway, back at the bookstore on Tuesday, I hurriedly wrote ideas into a tiny notebook I keep in my purse, intending to write scenes from them yesterday, but then I didn’t. I have excuses: I didn’t bring my new laptop to school, because I had papers to check during office hours. I didn’t get papers checked Tuesday because I spent the day reading. In between classes and paper checking, I…
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Heather Hiestand
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Even Naughtier Nuptials is now available!
21 Nov 2009 | 10:04 amFor those of you who aren't yet sold on ebooks, the anthology containing my Anh Leod tale "Lucky Number Seven" is now out in print, just in time for the holidays, and is currently on sale! Even Naughtier Nuptials - buy here!Even Naughtier NuptialsBy: Anh Leod, Anna J. Evans, Brynn Paulin, Eve Vaughn, Heather Holland, Margaret L. Carter, Marianne LaCroix Line: AnthologySeries: None Book Length: 350 pagesBook Type: Trade Paperback Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing ISBN: 9781419959226In Stock: YES Regular Price: $16.99On Sale For: $13.00 Wedding Jitters by Brynn PaulinDara is a fairy… -
Electronic books – the sanitary choice?
26 Oct 2009 | 12:43 pmThe flu hit my city a few weeks ago, and as of yesterday it is in my neighborhood, maybe even next door. Rumor has it the neighbors have the dreaded swine flu, though from what I hear no one really knows if that is the case. Either way, yuck! With a baby at home, and remembering my horrible triple-illness that knocked me flat for more than a month last year, I’m in a panic. I’m already mostly home-bound because of finances and baby, but what else can I do to keep germs at bay? When I leave the house, it’s mostly to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, coffee place or… -
Visit today to win a free book!
15 Oct 2009 | 2:02 pmI'm visiting Lia Slater's blog today. Join us to win a free copy of Ex Factor!Lia's Blog -
Sexy August sale!
3 Aug 2009 | 1:48 pmMy Playing Lycan Games and other erotic romance tales are on sale at the Scarlet Rose this month! See Playing Lycan Games. -
New Poem
13 Jul 2009 | 5:35 pmI just posted a fresh poem at http://rosecityromancewriters.blogspot.com/ And Andy is home again!
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Kate Hardy
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Kindness (aka what goes around, comes around)
20 Nov 2009 | 5:05 amCurrent work: slash and burn job on first three chaptersListening to: CorelliReading: (not concentrating enough to read and don’t want to waste Jane’s book as it’s so good – on hold for the time being)Kindness. I think it makes the world go round. And people were definitely kind to me yesterday. A friend sent me her new children’s books (nonfic). My daughter was invited to a friend’s for tea yesterday, and her friend’s mum gave me a doggie bag when I went to pick up daughter (she’s Indian so it was a PROPER biryani, and very nice too). Son shared his chocolate with me… -
Something to smile about
19 Nov 2009 | 4:16 amCurrent work: should be revisions on the first three chapters (can’t concentrate)Listening to: RadioheadReading: (not concentrating enough to read and don’t want to waste Jane’s book as it’s so good – on hold for the time being)What started as a nice week is rapidly turning pants. Not going into details (worrying about various family members and some work stuff) but I really could do with something to smile about.This is what I came up with today. (He knows he’s not allowed on there. Look at the twinkle in the eyes and the waggy tail. That expression says, ‘Awww, but I love you. -
The land of ice and snow…
17 Nov 2009 | 10:35 pmYesterday was a bit of a stressy day (not blogging about it, as it’s to do with Dad – dementia is so bloody cruel. And I came home to a savage review - well, I guess that makes the string of three, after some other news about one of my publishers, last week). Though the lovely Modern Heat girls cheered me up with a string of messages about a fabulous review. Er… what review would this be, then? My mate Heidi Rice was a superstar and told me the full story.And it was something that really pleased and relieved me (I'm a tad paranoid about this book, because I know I was pushing the… -
designing perfume
16 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pmCurrent work: research for French duo, book 2Listening to: RadioheadReading: Jane Jackson, Heart of Stone (enjoying this very much so far – Jane’s books are always a treat and her characterisation is superb – more on this later)The ‘design your own perfume’ session yesterday was utterly brilliant. Dale Evans was so nice and gave me lots of information that will be very useful in certain scenes. It was an amazing experience.I had eighteen blends to sniff (via little card sticks dipped into the scents), and the idea was to put them into three piles – ones I really liked, ones I… -
hide-and-seek, and the joys of research
15 Nov 2009 | 11:57 pmCurrent work: research for French duo, book 2Listening to: Green Day (latest album, pinched from son)Reading: Liz Fielding, His Desert Dream – excellent book. Gorgeous hero, very strong heroine – can’t say too much without plot spoilers, but it’s Liz’s trademark fabulous characterisation, wonderful dialogue, and a plot that really works. The bit where he teaches her to count in Arabic is wonderfully romantic, and the proposal scene had me in tears. This one’s a contender for my favourite Liz Fielding book (and yes, we all know that I think ‘Gentlemen Prefer… Brunettes’ is…
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Lisa Hendrix
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Huge Romance Bookfair in Seattle
I know, I know. I owe you a post about the glorious Minster at Sudwell and the Gate (Procession) that supported it for centuries, but the Swine Flu (not me, but *all* of my family) has stolen much of my time over the last two weeks, and what it didn’t steal I’ve been trying to [...] -
So long, Kate
I learned this morning that Kate Duffy, long-time Kensington editor and extraordinary friend to romance, has died. I met Kate the first time in 1993, and although I never had the opportunity to work with her, I learned a lot from her over the years. She will be missed. For those who never had the chance [...] -
Fresh excerpt – Immortal Outlaw
It’s excerpt month over at the Rose City Romance Writers blog, and to celebrate, I contributed a never-before-posted bit of Chapter 2. While you’re over there, take a few moments to read all the other excerpts. There are lots of talented ladies in the Portland chapter of RWA. And have a good Sunday. (I’m going [...] -
A stop at the Retford market
Sorry I’ve been so delinquent about continuing our travels through Nottinghamshire. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, what with driving Child1 to college nine hours away, then turning around 24 hours after I got home to make the ten hour round trip to a signing in Portland. I barely got back from that in [...] -
Get your signed books here…
Well, not here, but at Powell’s Books at Cedar hills Crossing. I’m one of a dozen members of the Rose City Romance Writers who’ll be autographing their books this evening (Friday, 9/18/09) at 7pm. Show up and you can get books signed by Meljean Brook, Margaret Mallory, Delilah Marvelle, Jean Johnson, Cathy Lamb, Minnette Meador, Elisabeth [...]
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Loribelle Hunt
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Pimpage!
17 Nov 2009 | 9:35 amMy friend Rowan Larke has written an incredible book that releases today! Go check it out! A Love Neverending By Rowan Larke Death took Jason from Clarissa, and she blames herself. Night after night, she throws herself into the arms of other men—men who abuse and pleasure her, but never take her far enough. She is waiting for the one who will take her over the edge and into death, so she can be reunited with Jason. Death didn’t take Jason far enough. Every night, Jason watches. His immortal self is trapped inside the club Clarissa owns, and he longs to be with her once more. Death is a… -
Series
13 Oct 2009 | 1:25 pmLove ‘em or hate ‘em? I’m blogging about just that at Michelle Lauren’s blog today. One of the commenters will win a book from my backlist. -
Hunter’s Moon
3 Oct 2009 | 7:57 amHunter’s Moon is now available! Gia Roberts is part of a secret organization of humans who hunt rogue shifters. When her group forms a tentative alliance with the werewolf Hunters her boss pairs her up with the Anthony. Working with him is torture. He’s irritating. He gets on her last nerve. While setting her body on fire. Gia tries desperately to ignore the wolf, but he gets harder to resist with each passing week. When her secret past comes back, will he be able to convince her he can keep her safe? Or will she run back to the safety of her world? -
Clearly, I am a masochist
6 Aug 2009 | 11:17 pmWhy? Oh, so many reasons. First, I’m writing two books. At once. In clear violation of Loribelle’s Rules of Writing which state quite forcefully, Do not feed the plot bunnies! AKA, Your ADD is bad enough, please don’t help it along. Book #1 is typical Loribelle fare in progress to submit to a lovely, wonderful, marvelous editor friend. (Enough sucking up? I can do more. ) Which brings us neatly to reason two why I am a masochist. Book#2 is a paranormal Southern women’s fiction novel. I’m going for the genre bending title of year. How’m I doing? Anyway, I… -
Lots of stuff…
31 Jul 2009 | 12:46 am…going on, but none much fun lol! I’m almost done with a new book for Cobblestone. It’s a new spin-off series of my Lunar Mates books. Hopefully, everyone will love it as much as me lol. Got back from Nationals, well, over a week ago now and I’m still not sure how I feel about the experience. I roomed with Shelli Stevens and Karen Erickson, whom I both love like crazy! They were just awesome. Shelli is a walking fiend and Karen put up with waaay more angst than she should have to lol. It was great to hang out with good friends. Other than that, I kinda wondered why I…
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Nancy Henderson
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Deadline
22 Nov 2009 | 2:46 amI just realized I have a blog post due to The Writers Vineyard tomorrow. I have no idea what I'm going to write about. Geez, I hate being unprepared. I could write about my attempt at Nanowrimo. Or maybe upcoming Thanksgiving plans (is Thanksgiving really next week?!?) or maybe my numerous attempts at knitting. I'm scrambling. Maybe blog surfing will give me some ideas. What's on the agenda for your Sunday? -
Misc randomness
21 Nov 2009 | 2:51 pmI listen to the news on my nightly commute home from work. Music is only good for morning. I’m strange like that. At night I’m tired, and I want to know what’s gone on in the world that day. No patience for music.So I’m listening to the hype on the government health care proposal. Mandates on health care, all pretty scary if you ask me.Anyway, since these blog posts rarely have purpose, I’ve been sitting here thinking why I don’t listen to music so much anymore. Call me old, I’m stuck in the 80s. Cindi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi (old, big hair stuff). They don’t play… -
Slogging through
18 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pmNanowrimo continues....sigh....like slogging through mud. Or waist-deep quicksand. Not pretty, my friends. Not pretty! I carry a totebag everywhere I go, writing at every spare moment. Said totebag is crammed with notes, Post-its, the Alphasmart. Desk looks even worse. And I have a booksigning this weekend. ARGH! -
Crazy times
14 Nov 2009 | 3:17 pmBoth feet in the fire lately. I’m juggling about four projects at once. All of them are up in the air, and I’m fighting to keep them from crashing to the floor. Up until now I’m been pretty quiet about them, but here’s what going on in my small world:1. Negotiating a paranormal romance with Champagne Books. The proposal has been sent in and awaiting their decision if they will offer a contract.2. Writing a historical romance, and must have completed by November 30th.3. Have submitted a full manuscript, a historical romance, to Harlequin. Awaiting their decision if they will offer a… -
Rankings
10 Nov 2009 | 3:38 pmI’ve been checking my number ranks on Fictionwise like a mad woman lately. Not sure why, new hobby, I guess. A sickness really. You can’t really predict or control how well your book will do. You can in the sense that you can promote. Building a buzz, advertising, hiring a publicist, all in your control. Sometimes. But if a reader will buy your book and certainly if they will like it…more out of an author’s control.So I noticed that my earlier historical romance, Belonging continues to get good reviews. I didn’t much care for that book, because, frankly, I couldn’t put much sex in…
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Michelle Houston
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Expressions For High Stress Days
22 Nov 2009 | 11:08 amD Musgrave shared this, and I couldn't resist. : ) My personal favs are in red.1. Well, this day was a total waste of makeup.2. Well, aren't we just a ray of fucking sunshine?3. Make yourself at home! Clean my kitchen.4. Not the brightest crayon in the box now, are we?5. A hard-on doesn't count as personal growth.6. Don't bother me. I'm living happily ever after.7. Do I look like a fucking -
I guest blogged ...
21 Nov 2009 | 10:51 amI guest blogged today at The Grip. : ) http://ohgetagrip.blogspot.com/ Feel free to swing by, leave a comment, and so on. If you can stay awahile, read through some of the back posts. They are rather interesting and very diverse for all being on a weekly topic. -
WHOOHOO! 50K Baby!!!
7 Nov 2009 | 7:10 pmI have surpased my word count goal for the year, with over a month and a half left to the year.I am so very tickled!!!Now if some of my labors will bear fruit and get accepted, I will be doubly thrilled. : ) But I just have to wait and see.Well, back to writing I go! -
New Review: Unleashing the Jaguar
2 Nov 2009 | 3:44 pmNight Owl Romances reviewed Unleashing the Jaguar."Unleashing the Jaguar: Animal Attraction is another shapeshifter love story that is a winner. It’s one of those I’ll enjoy rereading. The relationship between Danny and Michael is a bit broken, but they have potential. ... Animal Attraction is a keeper and I recommend it to those who like shapeshifter romances. I definitely liked this book."Read -
Heat Wave/Castle
31 Oct 2009 | 2:23 pmSo, I am a geek. Something I have never tried to hide or deny. Actually, I have proudly proclaimed it a time or two (like I am now LOL).I watch several shows on TV, including CASTLE, the new Nathan Fillion show. And I couldn't resist when I found out that ABC made the book Heat Wave by Richard Castle (the main character of the show) a reality.I am uncertain if it was written by the show's
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Cynthia Justlin
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Excerpt Monday: NASCAR and Romance
9 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amOnce a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You=2 0don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above. _________________________________________ Once upon a time I dashed off a first chapter to enter into a contest from Harlequin American Romance. The characters popped into my head and took on a life of their own. But after I mailed off my… -
Dark Secrets and Dead Bodies
20 Oct 2009 | 10:49 amI’m so excited! Romance Divas is hosting an awesome workshop in two days: If you write romantic suspense and love it, come on over! You do not want to miss such an awesome panel of authors! -
Excerpt Monday: In the mood for action
12 Oct 2009 | 2:00 amOnce a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You=2 0don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above. __________________________________ I feel in the mood to showcase a little action and danger (and cuss words! Oops!) this month. This excerpt is one of the new scenes I wrote when I completely revised, INTRUSION, my Golden Heart finaling… -
Breathless Inspiration
10 Oct 2009 | 3:56 pmI’ve mentioned this before, but it’s almost impossible for me to write without music. Oh, I can do it if I put my mind to it, but I love the way music brings out my emotions and really makes me feel the words pouring out of me. Just about any music will do, but sometimes I find the perfect song, the perfect album or musician, that captures the heart of my story so well that it leaves me breathless. I started writing my latest manuscript, THE CELL, to Eli Mattson’s Monsters CD, and as I get further into the story, I’m finding that his music only serves to draw me in… -
Introducing
21 Sep 2009 | 2:00 amIt’s launch day over at the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood–the 2009 class of Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalists! During the upcoming month we’ll be giving away fabulous ruby-slippered mugs and critiques. You don’t want to miss it! So, come on over and see what we’re up to. The yellow brick road to publication is never dull, especially when you get to share it with sisters.
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Sandie Hudson
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Mind over Matter
10 Nov 2009 | 10:48 pmI’ve hit the 25K mark for NaNoWriMo, YAY. Unfortunately I’ve also hit the midway stumbling block. I spent most of today doing anything I could on the computer except write. Well except for 581 words. Better than nothing, yes, but not near enough, or anywhere near what I have been doing.Here’s the thing, it happens every challenge. I get so far along, either in word count or in days/weeks and I hit the wall. Slow right down for a few days and then I’m right again, ready to write up a storm. Today I started thinking this is crazy, I expect it, I am convincing myself this is going to… -
A Cosy Mystery for NaNo
4 Nov 2009 | 11:51 pmSo here I am at day five of NaNoWriMo and all is going well. Maybe a little too well. The story is coming together even with a couple of added point of views. My original idea was to tell the story from just my granny sleuth, however when I sat down at my computer on day three a second point of view character arrived. That character was my young Detective; I could live with that I thought. Instead of slotting in his point of view scenes in the original work, I decided to open a new file for him, so now I’m working between two files and one has to play catch-up. I should also point out the… -
The Chorus sings ‘Get back to writing!’
29 Oct 2009 | 8:02 amMy Guest today is Eleni Konstantine. Welcome to my blog Eleni. Hey there, my name is Zoe and I open and close gateways to hell. Yes, I know you haven’t heard of me because my creator has neglected me since June. I mean come on, I know I look like Miss Average but this is a remarkable gift…curse…whatever you want to call what I have. Surely she should be concentrating on me? Hold on there a sec, Zoe. I’ve been around longer than you. I’m Alex and I’ve been around since June LAST year. Yep I started out great too with my story almost nutted out. You see I am a Dream Tamer. I don’t… -
Am I CRAZY????
15 Oct 2009 | 10:12 pmWell blogging each week didn’t last long did it. Not even one week! Well not on here anyway. So, what have I been doing that is so important that I can’t blog. Beside the fact I’ve been sick not much. Had some sort of stomach bug most of the week, which is not fun let me tell you.The RWAus ‘Cruisin’ the Blog’ is going well, some of our RWAus members are very busy promoting their new or soon to be released novels. Speaking of novels, I’m not getting very far with mine. Editing has come to a crawl, writing has stopped altogether and the planning for my November NaNo novel, yes… -
Finding Our Heroes
3 Oct 2009 | 12:32 amWhere do you find your hero material? Do you mould your fictional hero after someone you know? Or is he a mixture of a number of men or women you admire? Of course the last one is, is he completely made up? For me it depends on the hero I’m working on at the time. Most of my heroes are figments of my imagination. Not that I don’t have men in my life that would make great heroes to write about. I think for me anyway, I like to keep my men separate. The real flesh and blood from those that wander around in my head strutting their stuff. And believe me some of them strut.Just lately I’ve…
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Sara Hantz
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GCC Presents…….. Laurie Faria Stolarz
12 Nov 2009 | 6:08 pmI’m very excited to be touring Laurie Faria Stolarz with BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS and DEADLY LITTLE LIES Here’s what Laurie has to say about them: BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS is a companion book to the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series. When my editor approached me with the idea of writing a graphic novel, I was very intrigued because it gave me the opportunity to not only try something new, but to really picture the book as a movie. I have a background in screenwriting and wrote BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS in screenplay format, adding in ideas for illustrations and sidebars. It was an absolute… -
What’s an anti-social girl like me, doing in a job like this????
7 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amAnyone who knows me knows that apart from my friends (then I’m exceptionally vocal) I’m not one for engaging people I don’t know in conversation. I NEVER talk on planes, trains or buses. It’s quite easy for me to do the 24 hour flight to the UK without uttering a word (other than to the Air Steward when they ask what I want to eat!!). I sit in my seat, get out my book and that’s it. And I won’t even talk much to whoever I’m travelling with. I’m happy in my own little travelling world! Sooooooooooooooooo, how come I work in our motel and have to… -
Check it out…..
29 Oct 2009 | 1:05 pmThis week I’m posting on Teen Fiction Cafe about embarrassing tales. Other news, I”m very excited because we’ve booked a holiday to the Sunshine Coast in Australia next March. I know it’s a few months off but it’s something to look forward to. Apartment is booked, flights booked, car hired…. just got to sort out the travel insurance. Writing’s going really well at the moment, thanks to input from my fabulous crit partners – couldn’t do without them!!!! Hope you all have a great weekend. -
This is sooooooooooo cool!!!!
23 Oct 2009 | 10:10 pmCheck out this book trailer for my crit partner Amanda Ashby’s book Zombie Queen at Newbury High. It’s so funny….. And she’s running a contest to win her last Zombie Survival Kit. All you have to do is post the trailer, or a link to it on your blog, or on Twitter, or on your website and email Amanda the link amanda at amandaashby dot com (no spaces) -
Stop Press…………. Teen Read Week 2009
15 Oct 2009 | 1:38 pmNext week is YALSA Teen Read Week. This year’s theme is Read Beyond Reality at your library, and aims to encourage teens to read something out of this world, just for the fun of it. Teen Read Week is awesome, I wish there was something like it when I was a teen. I’ve always read loads, but it was solitary. I’d have loved somewhere to discuss my reading and swap book ideas. So, check it out. And also check out Readergirlz who are doing a tribute to Teen Read Week on the 23rd October.
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Stacy dawn
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20 Nov 2009 | 7:06 am
20 Nov 2009 | 7:06 amI'm over at Mamawriters.com today talking about Seasonal Writing. Come on over and join me!www.mamawriters.com -
Awesome Review!!!
22 Jul 2009 | 3:30 amReviews are coming in and they've been praising Finding Their Way Back--three brand new, never been read before stories of Wayback, Texas!! Including mine!!!!From Mistress Bella Reviews:I enjoyed all three of these stories. I love anthologies and the way they all tie together somehow, but tell a story all there own. The authors all did a great job with keeping a common theme. Under a Rodeo Moon was such a touching story. I loved the characters so much in this story. I was really happy with the ending that they got. After the Rodeo was another great read. I loved the overall plot with this… -
Mamawriters Fun Family Activity!
21 Jul 2009 | 9:57 amI'm over at www.mamawriters.com today telling about a hilariously fun family activity I did with my boys last week.They got to come into my storytelling world while I drove into their sports world LOL. Come on over and see!! -
Life is built on....
25 May 2009 | 6:03 am...good intentions. At least it could be LOL.Seriously, where does the time go? I remember summers as kids lasting a lifetime and now the months fly by like a minute. Join me for a brief glimpse at www.mamawriters.com today for more. -
11 May 2009 | 10:46 am
11 May 2009 | 10:46 amEvery have one of those weeks where EVERYTHING goes haywire?And the funny thing is, it's not big huge distressful haywires, it's the constant, little annoying ones. Things you thought were right that turn out to be wrong and ways of doing things you have always done that suddenly doesn't work.Yep, that's where I am right now LOL.Thank goodness I believe there is good in every situation, sometimes you just gotta really dig to find it--if I didn't, I'd be crying right now instead of sharing philosophy with you LOL.
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Stef Ann Holm
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Good-Bye All My Children
19 Nov 2009 | 8:48 amIt was the summer of 1970, I was 12. Flipping channels on the old Zenith, I stumbled across a show that caught my adolescent attention. It was juicy with gossip, pretty characters, and mystery. Suddenly, Dark Shadows, my all time favorite drama, had competition. The show in question was All My Children–a soap opera. I couldn’t watch the show regularly when I was in school, but vacation days or summer breaks, I caught right back up with the characters–it seemed like not a lot had really happened anyway. Then the invention of VHS came and I began to tape the show,… -
Foot Update
17 Nov 2009 | 8:32 amSurgery went well. I’m in a cast managing to get around. Can’t wait to get this hunk of plaster off. Was it the drugs, or did my anesthesiologist tell me he read my blog post-surgery? -
Go Broncos
17 Nov 2009 | 8:30 amI never followed football until the last five years or so. I’m a baseball person. People used to tell me baseball was boring. I used to say football was boring. Now I’m kind of a convert thanks to the Boise State Broncos. Dare I say it . . . watching them in action makes baseball seem really boring. I hope the Broncos go to a bowl game like they did with the Fiesta Bowl. I don’t understand how it all works and who picks what team to play. I think if you’ve won 10 and lost 0 like we have . . . that should count for something big. Last night I heard… -
My Left Foot
10 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pmToday when you walk to the fridge, the restroom, or to get the newspaper, think of how fortunate you are that you’re able to stand on your own two feet and get to where you need to go. Tomorrow I’ll be heading into the O.R. for surgery on my left foot and I dread the morning with a passion. I had this same surgery on my right foot over a year ago and I have put off doing so on my left. It’s not even a surgery that will make me feel fabulous afterwards. It’s one that’s necessary if I don’t want further complications, yet the end result leaves me… -
My Molly Dog
8 Nov 2009 | 7:42 pmHere’s a sweet picture of a fourteen year old girl who’s been a faithful and loving friend. She’s hanging in here, still chasing squirrels. But she’s going blind and she’s all but deaf. We still love her dearly.
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Amelia June
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Pleasure’s Power is Available Now!
16 Nov 2009 | 6:42 amHey there! There’s still time to enter my contest to celebrate the release of my new story, Pleasure’s Power: The High Priestess. Pleasure’s Power is a story I wrote to scratch an itch I had–what if the hero wasn’t as much a muscle bound fancy boy as a solid, loyal fellow who worshipped the ground my heroine walked on? From that idea came Peter and Jocasta, two very unique characters in a sea of alphas. I had a lot of fun writing the story As a bonus, I’m giving away a five dollar extasy gift certificate to anyone who comments on my blog through the end of… -
NaNo Progress and Release Day Acoming!
10 Nov 2009 | 9:06 amSo far, NaNo is going swimmingly. I’m at almost 17k and right on target for the month so far. My heroine is trapped in a man’s body, so you know, all is well. As for my new story, Pleasure’s Power, it is officially releasing on November 15th! I’m pleased to say that I think it is a fun story with some hawt scenes and a neat little killer bee ending. You’ll just have to see for yourself. Here is a blurb and excerpt for you (nsfw): Blurb: All great stories start with once upon a time… In this time there is a prince, Peter, who loves his kingdom but cannot… -
Cover Art and Release Date!
2 Nov 2009 | 8:33 amMy High Priestess story, Pleasure’s Power (new title!) has an official release date! The story will be available on November 15th–why do I always have releases right in the middle of NaNo? That’s just weird. Check out my cover art: Mm nekkid people. Good times. I need to get on my other computer and post a blurb and excerpt, hope to do that asap. Why are the documents I need always on the other computer?? WHY?! In other news, NaNoWriMo has started well, day two’s goal is met and I haven’t even written yet today. My day job has gone ahead and gotten busy, so… -
Edits, we have edits!
25 Sep 2009 | 11:27 amWoohoo, edits are back on Sun and Moon! Things I have learned from this round of edits: 1. I use the em dash way, way too much. 2. I have a comma addiction 3. The universal POV is not okay with my publisher. My poor editor had to fix a TON of head hopping as a result, she must think I’m an idiot! Doh! That last one is kind of a bummer. I work in third person limited all the time, and now I’m starting to feel that all the stories I read have it too. First person seems rare, and the universal “storyteller” type feel is pretty much out. I find myself longing for a change… -
My Own Little World
28 Aug 2009 | 7:04 amWhen I started writing about the guardians, I thought I would make things easy on myself. I set the main characters in the sonoran desert where I grew up. I set them in the modern day world, set it up so that everything would be basically research-free. That did make things easier in terms of setting, locations, descriptions. Then, I started adding magic. Shapeshifters, for one thing. That required all kinds of rules–do their clothes go with them, how does it look, what is the process? Not to mention the fact that not all my shifters live within the same rules, some have…
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Amarinda Jones
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Bizarro world…
22 Nov 2009 | 9:59 amSynchronicity is an ever present reality for those who have eyes to see ~ Carl JungIn the last two weeks, the strangest things have been happening in my life – people have turned up at the precise moment I needed them – even though I didn’t know I did, opportunities have thrust themselves in my face and an old friend has wandered back into my life to point out some bleeding obvious things to me as only he can.I’m a great believer in synchronicity. There are no coincidences and everything happens for a reason – and okay, yes, there are times when I’m stuffed if I know what the… -
Giving good back…
21 Nov 2009 | 12:17 pmI’ve seen this man’s back on so many book covers that I am beginning to wonder how he got paid. Is it a one shot sum of money for ‘back’ or is it back to back payment for every time his back gets used? Does he own his own back? If a book has copyright can he trademark/insure his back? How much would that cost? What does his face look like – yes, I know facial features are not important but I would like to look at the whole man…but then, is this just a simulated back made up in a studio somewhere? Maybe it’s not a real, live back at all. Does he smile and tell his friends every… -
Toe-cutters….
20 Nov 2009 | 10:44 amWe’ve been undergoing a shake up at work. There’s a toe-cutter in the building. What is a toe-cutter? A man who has the ability to see problems quickly, cut down those who are dead wood and institute policies that piss some people off left, right and centre – no, not me. Why not? I’ve met toe-cutters before. They’re charming, charismatic men – 95% of the time men – with eyes that see everything yet give nothing away until they’re ready to. They sound scary don’t they? Nah, never sweat the small stuff. Toe-cutters come and go and life still goes on for the experienced and the… -
Weird arsed week….
19 Nov 2009 | 10:53 amFirst up I must mention that Attitude Angel is out at Whiskey Creek Torrid. I forgot it was released – bad author-hand-slap-hanging-head-in-shame. I was supposed to promote the arse out of it until you were all sick to death of it and said ‘bugger off, we’ll frigging buy it if you shut already.’ Ok – so that’s done – click on the cover below to buy or read on MacDuff…It’s been a week out of the Twilight Zone. Weird things have happened left, right and centre and I’ve been left thinking ‘huh’ and ‘what the?’So, here’s the thing, suddenly I’m a manager with my… -
Rack off Lancelot….
18 Nov 2009 | 10:36 amSo, I had this man tell me today that he basically saved me. Uh huh... really? How so Lancelot? If you believe his dramatic take on events – which I don’t but I am thinking of using in a book – he fell on his sword for me. Oh honey, if you fall on your sword you’re just plain clumsy and don’t tell me it was in the name of gallantry. I never needed saving and frankly I was just doing fine without you.This man had his own agenda and for some reason he thought I would be all grateful to him for this piss weak venture into soap opera fiction on my behalf…hmmm…I don’t think so.
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Carolyn Jewel
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Oh. A Review of Indiscreet
21 Nov 2009 | 8:17 pmJust wanted to share this:Ms. Jewel has written a wonderfully emotional story. The characters are interesting and engaging. Their pasts have formed them as they are in this book. The story is packed with adventure and danger. Over every other emotion, the reader will experience the depth of the love between Edward and Sabine. This is one of the best books I've read all year. I would highly recommend it to others.Leanne Davis -- Fresh FictionRead the full review Leave a comment, too. If you feel like it.I try to bask in the good reviews because, well, it feels good and it makes up for the… -
When the You-Know-What hits the Fan
19 Nov 2009 | 10:35 amSo, whoa, Nelly! If you're a Romance author, things have been very interesting the last couple of days.Harlequin Enterprises, publisher of category and single title romances for 60 years is in the middle of a HUGE controversy . . . if you're an author or aspiring author.For a really good breakdown of who's saying what and what it means, check out author Jackie Kessler's postRead on for my rambling thoughts.The backgroundHarlequin has started two new ventures. The first, less controversial (but not without controversy) is Carina Press. This is the digital publishing arm of Harlequin. The… -
Interview with Melissa Senate
17 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amToday, author Melissa Senate stops by to tell us about her new book and answer a few questions. Check it out!About Melissa SenateMelissa Senate lives on the coast of Maine with her son and their menagerie of pets. She’s the author of eight novels (seven women’s fiction and one young adult) with two on the way. Visit her website melissasenate.com for more information and she’d love if you became her friend Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MelissaSenate) and followed her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/melissasenate). About the BookThe Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate(Pub Date: 11/17,… -
Random Stuff
16 Nov 2009 | 8:57 pmI do NOT like Mondays. This despite recognizing they are a necessary evil on the way to Friday. And paydays.I have started working on The Next Paranormal but have been interrupted by another project that I'm hoping to finish by the end of the month.Monica McCarty rocks because she sent me a screenshot of how she uses Scrivener. Oh. My. Gosh. She also explained how she uses it in general.I ate too much chocolate over the weekend. Ruh-ohCarolyn's Recession Savings Tip o' the Week: when I shop at this one particular grocery store *cough*Raley's*cough* that is horribly laid out and organized so… -
Are you a Winner??
15 Nov 2009 | 10:04 amThe winner of Jessica Brody's Under Cover is usignolc.I've sent you an email so keep an eye out.I've had to choose another winner for Nalini Singh's book, and that winner is...Commenter #1, Bella! You'll need to send me your mailing address etc, etc.
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Crystal Jordan
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Sunday Funnies
21 Nov 2009 | 11:43 pmYour Soul Is Connected to the Fall You are a somewhat sensitive soul with a tough exterior. You are street smart and wise about the world. You have the heart of a poet, but you’re not too eager to let anyone else see it. You are very creative and deeply talented. You are still looking for the perfect outlet for your expression. You embrace change and think the cycles of life are beautiful. You don’t shrink away from the darker elements of life. What Season is Your Soul Connected To? Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything Copyright © 2009 Crystal Jordan :: Blog. This… -
What I’m Reading
19 Nov 2009 | 11:42 pmSo, I’ve been reading a couple of things lately…well, I’m also rereading them because I liked them so well. I give my personal seal of awesome to these books. Soulless by Gail Carriger Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon… -
John Barrowman is Awe. Some.
18 Nov 2009 | 11:49 pmThe Mad Madam M sent this to me and I had to share. John Barrowman (aka Captain Jack Harkness–best character name of all time–of Doctor Who and Torchwood fame) manages to spoof Beyonce, Lord of the Dance, and who knows what else in under 60 seconds. Copyright © 2009 Crystal Jordan :: Blog. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.crystaljordan.com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana -
Rowan Larke’s First Time
17 Nov 2009 | 11:26 pmCome watch the Smutketeers devirginize Rowan Larke on her first ever interview and release. She’s giving away a copy of her new ebook from Loose Id, A Love Neverending! Copyright © 2009 Crystal Jordan :: Blog. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.crystaljordan.com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin by Taragana -
My Girls Came Out Together!
16 Nov 2009 | 11:38 pmOkay, the post title sounds way dirtier than it actually is. I just had two friend with new books out today. Here’s the deets! A Love Neverending By Rowan Larke Death took Jason from Clarissa, and she blames herself. Night after night, she throws herself into the arms of other men—men who abuse and pleasure her, but never take her far enough. She is waiting for the one who will take her over the edge and into death, so she can be reunited with Jason. Death didn’t take Jason far enough. Every night, Jason watches. His immortal self is trapped inside the club Clarissa owns, and he…
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Stephanie Julian
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New Moon in a minute
20 Nov 2009 | 10:34 amMy son went to see "New Moon" with his girlfriend. When I asked him how it was, this was his response. -
KISS OF MOONLIGHT reviews are in
11 Nov 2009 | 5:21 amI've already received a few reviews for KISS OF MOONLIGHT and I'm so thrilled. Reviewers like it! It's always a little nervewracking when you put that new baby out for display so having someone say, hey, I liked this, is such great validation.Erotic Horizon says: A wonderful first book in a series that I was very pleased to have read. There is an excitement to the pace that the book takes which I was very impressed with. The protags are easy on the eyes and on my nerves as well. I was not bored or tired of them in the least and I am looking forward to seeing them again in future books.The… -
Kyle and Rod: Uncensored After Dark
4 Nov 2009 | 9:01 pmJudi Fennell and Stephanie Julian with their heroes,Rod Tritone, left, and Kyle Rossini, at the Authors After Dark Book SigningScene: The overcrowded bar of a large hotel somewhere on the eastern seaboard. It's after midnight. There are mostly women talking, laughing and drinking. And drinking.Kyle Rossini walks in, takes a look around and wonders if he wants a drink badly enough to brave the crowd. He'd been getting scary looks from some of the women at the Authors After Dark Paranormal Weekend reader's event. His writer, Stephanie Julian, had begged him to come with her. He'd… -
Excerpt from KISS OF MOONLIGHT
31 Oct 2009 | 3:59 pmA Halloween Treat. Here's a little taste of Kyle, from Tam's point of view, in Kiss of Moonlight.Excerpt:Barely awake, Tam opened her eyes to hazy, dawn-pink light.And a wonderfully relaxed feeling in her body.“How’d you sleep?”Until that voice made every muscle in her body tense in expectation of pleasure.God, the man made her heart pound.Stretching her entire body like a cat, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. Kyle sat on the chair next to the bed in jeans and nothing else, elbows on his knees, staring at her.Starting at his waistband, her gaze traveled from the… -
Happy Halloween Reading
30 Oct 2009 | 6:21 amSo today's the day. KISS OF MOONLIGHT is released from Ellora's Cave, just in time for Halloween!I love werewolves. They were my first paranormal love, going all the way back to Lon Chaney Jr.'s "The Wolf Man," which I remember watching with my mom when I was five or six, huddled on the couch in front of the TV. The visuals in that black-and-white classic have stuck with me through the years, just as they have from "Night of the Living Dead," "Nosferatu" and "Cat People."It's those shades of gray, the light and dark and, most importantly, the shadows that call to…
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Beth Kery
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The Winner of Beths Friday Book Giveaway is Gloria! AND How to use Google Reader to follow your favorite blogs by Natasha A.
20 Nov 2009 | 12:48 pmIt’s Friday, and that means the announcement of Beth’s Weekly Book Giveaway. GLORIA, if you write me between now and Monday morning at bethkery@aol.com, I will send you a copy of BOTH Mistletoe and Moonlight and Dirty! You may have noticed that prizes go unclaimed occasionally at blogs. :) Luckily, Natasha is here to tell you how you can keep track of all your favorite blogs with a few clicks. My huge thanks to Natasha for putting together this easy to use article for using Google Reader. Hope you guys find it as helpful and informative as I did. Take it away Natasha…… -
Something About You!
18 Nov 2009 | 5:30 amTime to share something pretty. Check out Lea’s new sprout for friend Julie Jame’s upcoming book, Something About You. Very nice job, Lea, and Julie, splendid cover. I’m thinking the sprouts for Something About You and Release would look pretty together with all the gray and pink. :) Here’s a bit about Something About You FATE HAS THROWN TWO SWORN ENEMIES. . . Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends in bloodshed. -
A new cover and TWO books being given away this week!
16 Nov 2009 | 8:18 amHappy Monday! First off, I’m sad to say that last week’s book–Moonlight and Mistletoe–was not claimed by the winner. As a result, this week, one lucky commenter will win BOTH Moonlight and Mistletoe and Dirty. (Now that’s an interesting combination of books, and even more interesting when you consider they both come from Harlequin lines)!! Remember, all you have to do is comment on my blog at least once this week, one entry per person, although you can comment as often as you like. The winner will be announced on Friday afternoon. To claim your prize, you need to… -
Show me what touched you, and win a copy of Megan Harts Dirty.
13 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pmI’ve long respected a story that isn’t just enthralling, but that really pulls at your heartstrings and makes you think about the vistas of life and your own potential. This week, I’m going to try something different for the Beth’s Book of the Week Giveaway. I’ll give away a copy of talented author Megan Hart’s book, Dirty, to one person who comments along with a link to a video or short documentary to something that touched you. There’s no specifics here, it might be a music video, an old movie clip or a news documentary…anything, really, that… -
And the Winner of Moonlight and Mistletoe is
13 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pmTheresa W.! Congrats, Theresa! Write me at bethkery@aol.com with your addy to officially claim your book! Up next, give me the link to a video or short documentary that really touched you, and you’d like others to see. This will qualify you to win a copy of Megan Hart’s Dirty next Friday. Copyright © 2009 Beth Kery. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.bethkery.com so we can take legal action immediately.Plugin…
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Kristina Knight
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New Digs for the Blog!!!
18 Nov 2009 | 1:45 pmUpdate: I've got a new blog home, update your links and information as this one is officially shutting down. Here is the new blog link: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com/blog or just click here to copy it from the URL.Hey everyone, did you think I forgot about you? Nope, I did not, but fun things have been happening here at KristinaKnightAuthor, not the least of which is new writing! Yes, this summer I've been hard at work sunbathing writing fiction. Why refocused? Well, because over the past year Personal Life - in the form of an adoption and the on-going adoption-related stress and… -
Deep Breath - and JUMP!!
5 Oct 2009 | 11:42 amAs I was checking email this morning a new message arrived - from an editor with Mills & Boon. A few weeks ago I sent them a partial manuscript (three chapters) and they like it enough that they're asking for the full! Read the rest of this post here.And don't forget, this section of the blog will be shutting down soon - so update those links to the new blog address which is: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com/blog. -
How Weird - and Nice, too!!
30 Sep 2009 | 9:22 amSo I'm geeking around the internet and find out that my blog has been nominated and accepted as one of the Top 100 Romance Writing blogs by The Daily Reviewer. Nice! And a little bit strange...but I'll settle on nice! And, I'm blogging over at WordWranglers about influencers in our lives ... stop by and check it out!Finally, don't forget, I'll be moving the entire blog to my new site - www.kristinaknightauthor.com/blog - very soon so update your links...and thanks for stopping by!! -
More Alpha-Talk!
18 Sep 2009 | 1:35 pmMore Alphas! More Alphas! Talking more alphas - including the similarities between Charmers, Bad Boys and Swashbucklers - at the new home of Kristi's blog.And, remember, that this blogspot blog will be shutting down soon ... so update your links and blog feeds to the new address (http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com/blog) ... I don't want to lose touch with any of you! :) -
Remembering Patrick Swayze
15 Sep 2009 | 8:26 amI was going to delay the beginning of my blog series on Alpha Male Romance Heros this week after hearing about the death of Patrick Swayze. Why? Because I'd planned to use his roles in films such as Red Dawn, The Outsiders, Roadhouse and even Ghost as examples of the Alpha Male - Chief persona exemplified in our novels. So I was going to hold off and not start the series. And then I thought about it some more and decided to plunge on. Because remembering the roles in which Patrick touched our lives is a good way to remember the man, too.Read the rest of this post here and remember, this blog…
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Moira Keith
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Divided~
14 Nov 2009 | 6:04 pmThat is how I feel at the moment. Torn between two projects. As many of you know, the story formerly known as Chosen (which has yet to be renamed), has continually been the thorn in my side. I am in love with the characters, the story line…in fact there is very little I do not like about it. Well I digress, there is one thing. The fact that I can’t seem to finish it! So as I fight like the devil where that story is concerned, I put it to the side for fear of killing both it and my love for it. Meanwhile, I brainstorm an idea with a friend. Fall in love. Decide to plot. It is… -
Plotting is the Devil~
6 Nov 2009 | 4:33 pmOkay, I have never plotted one of my stories. I have said it once and will say it a thousand times over… I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl when it comes to writing. But it doesn’t always work to my benefit. So today I am trying to plot a story with a little help from my friends. Wanna know what that has landed me… Zombies. Oh yeah… interesting story in the making. Some conflicting ideas of course on where it should go, but ultimately I am the writer. I have the power…or my characters do. So with the ideas I am bouncing around, I decided to actually… -
If I Only Had a Brain~
30 Oct 2009 | 4:26 pmI would be freaking dangerous. Maybe genius level evil genius. Why are you shaking your head? I could so pull off EVIL on a diabolical level. No? Really? You don’t think so huh? Okay, you’re right. Maybe not because honestly, I am way too nice for that. Truth though? I could be dangerous on a less sinister level. I mean imagine if I could actually remember when I had interviews scheduled to post, blogged more regularly, wrote when I had a free moment instead of hanging out on Facebook… see where I am going with this? So getting to the point now! I have an interview up over… -
Ah, Let Me Count the Ways
23 Oct 2009 | 4:26 pmPeople find my blog. I am horrible about updating my blog, but it has not escaped my notice, that there are some very interesting search terms that lead people here. Would you like to see? Of course you would! Nice looking Irish men, the bad seed, male Scottish kilt and accessories, kilt, a man thousands have seen in their dream, man in kilt, irish kilts history, man kilt, moira comfort keith (don’t ask me where the comfort came from). Some of this doesn’t surprise me. Anyways… I am trying to get myself back on schedule here. Been sick which has totally sucked, baseball… -
Go Forth and…Vote?
4 Oct 2009 | 1:26 amYes, this is what I am asking of you. There is a fabulous contest put on by Stella Cameron every year called the Scarlett Boa. This year, the contest is for the best paranormal opening scene. My darling mother told me about this contest and after lots of discussion with some of my very PUSHY friends, I entered. So what I need from you is simple- go read the entries and vote for your favorite (Scene 15). No worries if you don’t vote for me. I think it is every writer for him or her self. (Although, you know what? If you don’t vote for me, the next time you see me, I may be huddled…
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Ryshia Kennie
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Ring of Desire - An Excerpt
21 Nov 2009 | 7:09 amI'm just taking a breath after yesterday. For those of you who missed it - take a look at the discussion that went on all day yesterday. Wow - great job Romance Studio! Thanks to everyone that showed up! My blog may never be the same again LOL!Today I realized as I updated my website that there is currently no excerpt available online for my new release "Ring of Desire". Not one I could find anyway. I know it will be available eventually but while I wait for that to happen I thought I'd speed up the process - here's a sneek peak at "Ring of Desire".Chapter OneSouthern England 1072I will not… -
The Romance Studio - Who's My Favorite Author?
20 Nov 2009 | 4:09 amSubject: Oh, I’m sorry. What did you say? Who’s my favorite author? Oh, you thought I was going to name a favorite author, didn’t you? That will never happen. LOL My reading tastes are just as eclectic as my musical tastes. I like everything from young adult to Stephen King at his goriest so to name a single favorite author is not possible. And I imagine most of you would agree to that. Unless you’re a fan of Stephenie Meyer, in which case you’re not reading this blog. You’re in line to see New Moon, again, somewhere right now. LOL I digress. While I do have a lot of favorite… -
19 Nov 2009 | 4:21 am
19 Nov 2009 | 4:21 amThe Romance Studio will be here all day tomorrow, Friday, November 20. Come on by and join the fun!Ryshiawww.ryshiakennie.com -
Simplistic - Think Again!
18 Nov 2009 | 5:19 pmMalfunctioning programs and oversized files have made what should be a simple mailout problematic. With a list of things to get done in the next few hours I find that I spent most of them reducing files. Something I should have done right off the hop - I know. Something I forgot. It's days like this when the list I began early on doesn't look much shorter, that I wish that life were as simple as it seems for this Burmese fisherman. Just the water, his boat and the day's quota. A day on a quiet lake with not an electronic gadget in sight sounds wonderful.I know, be careful what you wish for. -
Rules of the Road
15 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pmIn my travels I noticed that the rules of the road differ from country to country. Here's a sample of what I've experienced:Cambodia:Don't assume that the cab driver with perfect English that you hired to pick you up the next day is the cab driver you're going to get to take you cross country.Speed and the ability to understand English sometimes has an inverse reaction. The more you tell the driver to slow down, the faster he may drive.Your driver's continual horn honking does not actually ensure your safety nor get other vehicles out of your way.Saskatchewan:The cab driver you hire is the…
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Susan Gourley
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It's the Little Joys
21 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pmToday I made one of my favorite purchases for my writing business. I purchased my 2010 day planner. I have so much fun looking through the different styles, comparing covers, and checking out all the extras. So many choices. First of all, one must consider the size. The last few years I've gone with the smaller nine by six with a week on facing pages. I have to write small in those spaces though so this year I decided to go either with the bigger, full-sized model or the planner with one entire page for each date. It took me ten minutes to decide on the bigger one with a week on facing… -
First Review for 'Futhark Chronicles'
10 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pmWhat an exciting day for me. The Keepers of Futhark will be released in January but today I read the first review. Publisher's Weekly posted a review and said many kind things about my book. One little zinger about the start of the book and then everything was roses. I hope someone uses those reviews to make their must read lists.I know there's often discussions on blogs about whether or not people read reviews to determine their shopping lists for books. I often do just that. ROF used to have pages of book reviews though the space allowed for that in their new, recently rescued, magazine is… -
E-Book Break Through?
24 Oct 2009 | 4:34 pmOn page 17 of the December issue of RT Book reviews, Fan Forum, a few paragraphs posed the question of what 2010 might bring to the e-book market. Like many of you, I'm delighted when I see Sony advertising their readers on TV. A few weeks ago, my local Borders had a display only steps inside the door featuring the Sony reader. Apparently Best Buy will have e-readers in stock for the holiday rush. Hopefully many desperate or impulse buyers will have lots of bucks in their pockets.Even with the increased advertising, availability and variety of readers out there, the same problem exists for… -
Retirement Plans
27 Sep 2009 | 3:42 pmI'm not sure at what age I started looking for retirement from my day job. I'm a school teacher and I love the teenagers I teach but that doesn't mean I don't want to retire. I dream of being able to write all day long and not worry about money. Dream is the correct term.The Reality is I have four children. One has graduated from college and paying for his used up what we thought would be enough to pay for all of them. Reality is that my husband and I didn't research college costs when our children were little and then keep up with the dramatic and ridiculous increases in tuition fees. Who… -
The Spice of Variety
20 Sep 2009 | 2:10 pmMost writers are also voracious readers. We love the written word and not only when we're the one penning, I mean typing, it. Visit your favorite author's blog regularly and sooner or later you're going to read about her TBR pile. That means To Be Read for you lucky folks who read every book as soon as you get it. I have a small stack compared to some people I know. I glanced at it before starting this post, thinking about which book I might start next. Not that I'm ready to start another one.Currently I have two different fantasy novels started. The Wells of Ascension is the second book in…
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Bridget Locke
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
15 Nov 2009 | 8:42 pmSo, I finally tackled my room. *sigh* It was an endeavor and three quarters, let me tell ya. Why do I do this to myself? I'm serious; it's gotta stop.This week was insane. Busy, busy, busy and I felt like I was left scrambling. *shakes head* I can't believe tomorrow is Monday already. The weekends just fly by. Blech!As I was cleaning, I found a bunch of books. The sad thing? Most of them I haven't even read yet and were still in the B&N bags. Yes, I admit, I am pathetic. *eye roll*Now my allergies hate me and my nose is all snuffly. It doesn't help that I'm cleaning AND getting over a… -
I'm Tired
11 Nov 2009 | 7:57 pmThis week's been crazy busy. *sigh* I feel like I'm running in circles and doing nothing but exhausting myself. Blah!Looking forward to this weekend. I really, really, really need to clean. I can't begin to tell you how disgusting my room is. *sigh* Plus, I've been sick and I want to clean up all the ickies that have accumulated. I am so sick of blowing my nose I can hardly stand it. Ick!Not much going on otherwise. Got a text from my friend, R. She wanted rec's for romance. Me? Recommend books? Never! Bwa-ha-ha!I'm going to go to bed early tonight. I need the Zzzzz's. Ciao!This is my new… -
Short, But Sweet
10 Nov 2009 | 9:21 pmI'm still sick, though I'm feeling MUCH better than I was. Right now I'm just dealing with the crap in my head. Yuck!Got awesome, stupendous great news in regards to my BFF. So happy for her and feel a giant sigh of relief. Things have been crazy stressful for her lately, so am crazy happy things are finally looking up. Yay! *happy dance*I'm tired. Kind of cranky. I'm sleeping, but Nyquil makes me have bizarre dreams.Um...yeah, that's about it. Ciao! -
Wah! I'm Sick! :(
6 Nov 2009 | 8:08 pmSo I caught my nephews cold. They've both been sick over this last week and I thought I was doing what I should to avoid it, but obviously I didn't. Went to work yesterday and lasted until 1. I had a sore throat and was losing my voice. By the time I left I didn't have a voice anymore.And my boss is not the most compassionate person in the world. When I first got in yesterday, she stopped by, asked me how I was doing and then told me to rest my voice as much as possible...then proceeded to have me on both lines AND doing callbacks. My job is the phone. When you can't talk, you can't talk! -
life
4 Nov 2009 | 8:39 pmI sometimes think I live to torture myself. Ever since I made the decision to move out next year, i've been looking at apartments online. I really hoped that by this point in my life I would've made enough money to buy my own house...and maybe if I hadn't made some really stupid financial decisions when I was younger... Anyway, that's not where I meant to go. Since buying a house seems to not be a part of my immediate future, I'm looking at apartments. I'm trying to stay within a certain amount of miles from work; not so far that it's a pain to get there, but also not so close that my boss…
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Cait London
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Looking for Character Depth?
18 Nov 2009 | 5:28 pmCharacters are reflected in their actions and thoughts. But let's think around the box, the box being the inner workings of our character. Okay, let's dip into the box a little as we think about characterization.Here's some think-fodder:1. Clothing. Designer brands, thrift shop or frumpy. Colors--vibrant, prints, black. Shoes: Italian, hiking boots, worn joggers with knotted laces, flats, pumps, loafers, scuffed or highly polished, heels worn or not.2. Jewelry: None or some or fully decked. Why? Gift from a loved one, a trinket given as a personal award, or worn as protection (there are… -
Writers Gift Ideas
9 Nov 2009 | 10:16 amA friend has just gotten home from a FL retreat and I'm dying to hear her news. Meanwhile, let's pick up on the topic of Writers' Gift Ideas. The obvious is books, subscriptions, etc., but let's dig a little deeper into our Idea Bins.And let's stay away from Blah/Usual ideas. We're writers. We can be inventive. Pick up on some of my earlier posts about this topic. One comments suggested chocolate, coffee and teas. Magdalena liked her initialed cup with affirmations. (Boy, we need those, don't we?) Earlier, Supplies are my first thought. In hard economic times, pens and pads are… -
Why, Oh Why?
8 Nov 2009 | 9:42 amYesterday, I attended a local writers' meeting. Naturally, 'tis the season discussion of the annual Christmas party came up. Limit set on gifts, all important, also a silent auction. Suitable items were discussed.Well. To me, books are always good, used if the price isn't a match to the limit. Or something that writers could use, i.e. pens, paper and pads. Erasers, even. Magnifying glasses, sticky notes. All good necessary items that writers must have on supply.So when did these various auctions turn into yard sale goods that do not apply to the purpose of what writers are supposed to… -
Writers Network
29 Oct 2009 | 3:47 pmWhen writers choose an agent, is it whimsical? Are choices to query made by closing their eyes and pointing to a name on a list? Or choosing a rune stone with an agent's name on their lips?Nah. Writers network intensively, especially with each other and it's essential to have a good friend-system. Word does get around in writertown.Right now, there is a huge discussion blooming almost everywhere, probably due to the economy and publishing's tense mood, about agents. Agents Kristin Nelson and Janet Reid (FinePrintLit) have interesting blog posts, as do other agents. It's very interesting.More… -
A Robot Seeks Publication
21 Oct 2009 | 9:27 amIf you have a dark sense of humor, or not, you may enjoy the trail of Roland the Robot on his journey to publication. There will be more to this storyline, so please subscribe to it at YouTube.com Just search for Roland the Robot. Some fact, some fiction in Roland's experience. I just think it's funny and that the animation is super.
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Jenyfer Matthews
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Christmas Wishes and Dust
19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pmI hadn’t been out of the house a whole lot for any length of time while tending to the sick boy, so let me tell you it was a nice change of pace to go to my daughter’s tennis lesson Wednesday night. Only when I got home again I noticed a distinct smell. Not a rotten smell, just sort of musty. I am fairly sensitive to smells – I don’t like strong fragrances and avoid detergents and paper products with scents – so this smell, mild as it was, was disturbing to say the least. I had been parked in front of my computer working on various writing tasks for most of the… -
I did it Again
18 Nov 2009 | 8:06 pmI said I wasn’t going to take on any more quilt commissions for a while and I meant it – at the time. So when I got an unexpected call asking me about the possibility of making a queen sized quilt from the friend of a friend, I hedged. I told her that I had some other projects already in line and that it would take me at least six months to finish. When that didn’t put her off, I quoted a fair-but-on-the-high-side price. She accepted. I could have just said NO of course, but since I’ve already spent that money on my trip to Thailand, I guess I’m locked in. That… -
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
17 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pmI’m happy to report that the little man is on the mend. I am going to keep him home for a few more days just to ensure that no complications arise. He has a rather nasty sounding cough I’d just as soon not develop into anything else. Little did I know exactly how many children were out sick at their school. No one is talking about it and they certainly aren’t using the “f” word to describe the illness for fear of the government swooping down to whisk your child away to be quarantined in one of the local hospitals, a horrifying thought if ever there was one. What… -
Truer Words
17 Nov 2009 | 7:18 amI have always loved Twain, and this quote is particularly inspiring: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain Copyright © 2009 Jenyfer Matthews. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.jenyfermatthews.com so we can take… -
Done Deal
16 Nov 2009 | 12:22 amI made a decision and booked my next trip: I’m going to Thailand the second week in January. My husband and I took our daughter to Phuket, an island in the south, in 2001. It was truly a lovely spot but in the end I kind of regretted not going to see the north of the country, particularly after I went to Cambodia a few years later. Since I couldn’t lure anyone into joining me and I don’t like to travel alone, I booked myself on a tour. But not just any tour. This tour. First a look around Bangkok, then an overnight train to Chiang Mai, followed by three days of trekking…
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Jill Monroe
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New Book - New Excerpt
2 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amIt's November, and I have a new book out. SEALed and Delivered hit bookstands yesterday, and I couldn't be more excited. I have a contest in the works, which I'll announce later, but in the meantime, I'm posting an excerpt.SEALed and Delivered can be found at eharlequin.com, Borders, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million and a host of other places.Not even the sound of footsteps echoed in the Naval Special Warfare Center as Lieutenant Commander Na-thanial "Nate" Peterson led his trainees through the corridor. Each exercise had grown steadily more dangerous, and even though they'd gone… -
New Author Talk
4 Sep 2009 | 5:12 amI have sick kids, so this one is going up early - doctor calls! -
New Author Talk
28 Aug 2009 | 10:26 amSometimes authors just can't get enough of us they have to come back for seconds! -
Amazing New Contest!
21 Aug 2009 | 8:25 amThe wonderful people at Harl. Teen are hosting a contest to promote Intertwined by (the amazing) Gena Showalter. The grand prize? 10,000! They are also giving away other cool prizes throughout the next 3 months. For your chance to enter, follow the link:http://harlequin.promo.eprize.com/intertwinedsweepstakes/By the way, my daughter read this book and LOVED it. She had some very definite opinions about Aden and Mary Ann and can't wait to see where this series goes. -
New Author Talk
14 Aug 2009 | 11:00 amWe had some fun with this one - comic book style!
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Robin D. Owens
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Back from Retreat and Signing!
22 Nov 2009 | 4:43 amThe flying itself was tough, but I am home and pretending the cars going by on the street is the thunder of surf...but during the long quiet times it is REALLY quiet.I fell while climbing up a dune and got sand in the camera...so not many pics this year.Signing today!November 22nd, 2009, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PMSigning with Deb Stover at Broadway Book Mall/Who Else BooksBroadwayBookMall.comBroadway Book Mall200 S. BroadwayDenver, CO 80209Please drop by. I should be reading a bit, too....May you have a lovely day and enjoy wherever you are.Robin -
Retreat / WiFi Missing....
18 Nov 2009 | 6:46 pmYes, I know I haven't posted anything lately. The flight was a little delayed but all in all went well (ok, I missed lunch). Sat-Monday I didn't write, just listened to the surf and read and talked.Now, of course, I am WAY behind on my Nanowrimo word count so I need to write a lot the next 12 days. So far I've adopted a new schedule...like two hours on, a long break, 2 more hours, etc. It's been working better than 4-6 hours in the chair in the morning.So that's it. I'll try and get back here tomorrow night (writing in the evenings now, too). I'll be back in Denver on Saturday and SIGNING AT… -
Off to Retreat!
14 Nov 2009 | 2:15 amYes, it's my third annual retreat in South Carolina! This time I am doing Hermit Week 2. I am up early and packed and have new batteries and memory card for the camera, flash drives, and determination to write!There will be the tail end of Ida, some pretty days and some cooler ones, but here it is snowing.Mom or bro (or myself driving Mom's car) is taking me to the airport and I will be back next Saturday evening and SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, I HAVE A SIGNING AT BROADWAY BOOK MALL.I'll be meeting mostly new people for Hermit Week 2, so that will be interesting. I need to write, and I think I need… -
What a Brand New Writer Needs
12 Nov 2009 | 7:22 amThe most important thing that a brand new writer needs is FEEDBACK. They need to be affirmed that they know writing techniques or be told how to learn them.So I always recommend a writing organization (Romance Writers of America if you are writing romance) for in-person critique groups. There are online critique groups, too, but I don't know these, and make sure they don't charge per critique. There could be fees to keep the website going, or membership fees (reasonable, under 100/year).Or enter contests with good feedback, such as (for multi genre), Pikes Peak Writers, Southwest Writers,… -
Sometimes Life Gets in the Way
10 Nov 2009 | 8:20 amI am a big believer in writing no matter what, but the signing I went to happened to coincide with the Air Force - Army game (can we say TRAFFIC!) and took me all day. I've continued to mess with the insurance re: my minor accident, I had some family stuff, and I went down to put some summer fans away in the basement and found my hot water heater leaking yesterday am....So I went to Lowe's and was about to pay $700 for a heater and install when they said they wouldn't install because there is no drain in the basement floor. The house is coming up on 100 years old, so, like, OF COURSE no…
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Sri Pammi
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No excuse
10 Nov 2009 | 10:23 amCourtesy of our new house, I have a study (okay, not I but Smart Guy and I) that is away from the clutter of the house (Yes, with my housekeeping abilities, even the new house has clutter, I just didn't get that gene from my mom and have accepted it :-)), to write. I've always wanted a study because maybe then I would feel more writerly? My Dad who was also a writer had one and he would get really angry at all of us if we so much as touched a pen on his writing table. Even though I didn't understand what the fuss was back then, I do now. Having a space that you can call your own, something… -
Sent!
26 Oct 2009 | 12:57 pmI just hit send on my competition entry and I feel... nothing actually except for a certain detachment for the WIP. I loooove this story and even if I don't get a request for full, I think I will still be proud of how much I learnt with this one, the second one I ever finished.Life has been busy the last month with moving into our new house (our very first, YAY), unpacking( will go on for the next couple of months) and dealing with a major hot oil burn on my left wrist (which really hurts when I'm typing). Luckily, I finished writing this WIP last year and had it polished to submit when I… -
Starting trouble
1 Sep 2009 | 8:39 pmI'm still in the process of rewritig the first chapter of SBTH and it's not really going well.I have so much info dumped in the first version that I'm unable to think with an objective mind as to how much I put in there to indulge myself vs. how much the reader needs to know.But there's a lot that needs to go.The H and h have known each other forever, so there's a lot of backstory and they are both nursing old hurts which have to be revealed a little bit for their meeting in the first chapter to make sense. And it has to be done cleverly so that it doesn't sound like this:Xavier: You did… -
A new routine
31 Aug 2009 | 8:51 amI called the post 'A new routine', although I should probably just call it routine because I don't have one and I've always resisted one with all my might.After several false starts, I finally listened to Smart Guy's advice and decided to wake up early in the morning, and by early, I mean 6 AM to get a start on my writing.Now, if you have known me for a while, you know that I'm an insomniac who doesn't see the light of the day before 8 or 9AM. So the notion of setting an alarm clock when I didn't have to go to work was for me a radical idea.But for the past couple of days, thanks to Jetlag… -
Ready
26 Aug 2009 | 7:29 amI'm back at home after more than two months away. Have finished cleaning the house to get rid of all the wonderful smells that have made our house their own. Haven't worked on anything in so long and have been bursting with doubts and ideas regarding my writing.Have conquered most of the doubts and given wings to ideas.Have made a working plan as to what I want to tackle in the next three months after wonderful input from a smart lady.I'm jumping back into the field with all swords drawn.Hear me roar!Reading Alert: Just finished reading Linda Lael Miller's A Wanted Man and loved it. Haven't…
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Stella and Audra Price
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First Look: Entwined by Fate
21 Nov 2009 | 5:48 amSo heres the first chapter of Entwined by Fate, the new book we have dropping in January 2010. Hope you like! Ooh and Be on the look out for some awesome stuff coming up!Merrick sat back in his soft leather chair and tried to let Aiden’s words filter through his brain.“She’s gone, they all are. Karen, Sophia, Janice, Mary, Nita, Jess, Claire,” Merrick suppressed a groan as he listed five other names, all girls he was close to, had helped through their changes, helped survive. “And now Evelyn. Mer she’s nowhere.” He’d helped them all survive for nothing, all his hard work and… -
Wanna win a 50$ gift card?
7 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amOk so I have paired with Storycasting to prove that Small press authors do MORE for their work then a lot of the NY authors. If you look on the storycasting website, we have the first ever ad that wasnt put on a romance website and didnt cost me an arm and a leg (trust me, adverts are HELLA expensive)So this is my plea to you.The ad is for Masquerade, but we have other books on Storycasting as well. For every book you cast at Storycasting for us, Ill enter your name in a drawing for a 50$ gift card from the winners choice of either Amazon, BN.com, ARE or The Popcorn Factory, two print books,… -
AAD: Musings from a first time convention manager
5 Nov 2009 | 4:55 amAuthors After Dark was my first foray into the administrative world of convention planning. Before this, I had planned and executed a bunch of major US tours for bands, and used to run a club in NY where bands would play on the weekend. Let me tell you setting up a weekend convention is SO different.I guess it was my background that assured me I could do it, I mean I hadn't tried to set something like this up ever in my life, nothing this elaborate I mean. Setting up a tour for bands requires contact with the venue, the band, the venues administrative staff, and the bands record company. -
New cover!!!
2 Nov 2009 | 6:25 pmSo who wants to see Drake's new cover? LOL...Isn't it sexy? I know, drakes not on it, but I cant very well use my muse for it and not get in trouble. LOL. Expect this book out late 2010.Thoughts? -
REVIEWER TOP PICK!
2 Nov 2009 | 3:20 pmWe just got a reviewer top pick at NOR for of Crimson and Collars!Stella and Audra Price work together to bring us a stunning story of domination, submission, demons, satyrs, water nymphs, trickery and lust. The characters pull you into the story and have you feeling as if you are standing there watching them from the room they are in. I would definitely read anything else they write as this was a most enjoyable read.OOH thank you Zollyanna!We are so excited! this is the first review we have gotten for this book AND its been AGES since we got one of the reviews there! Very excited though!
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Farrah Rochon
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When life gets in the way of life
21 Nov 2009 | 7:29 pmYou ever found yourself wondering just where in the heck two weeks went? That's how I felt tonight when I checked my own blog and realized it had been several weeks since I updated. When I first started this blog I religiously posted every week. My blogging days were either Tuesday or Wednesday. Sometimes, I'd throw in a random post over the weekend, just to keep my readers on their toes. But over the past year, life (i.e. a full time job, two-book contract, tons of outside obligations) has gotten in the way of what was once my normal schedule. There is no such thing as a normal schedule… -
My Friend, the CIA Operative!
9 Nov 2009 | 2:38 pmOkay, so I know this will sound like something out of a fiction novel, but believe me, I can't make this stuff up.On September 20, 2009, I lost a very dear friend to breast cancer. I hate cancer. Despise it. Wish I could run it over with my car. But I digress...I met my friend Andrea via a message board nearly a decade ago. She, along with a group of the coolest women in the world, became some of my closest friends in the world.Several years ago Andrea moved from Texas to Washington D.C. and joined the State Department (or so everyone thought. The title of this post should tip you off to how… -
The Great NaNoWriMo Mistake
5 Nov 2009 | 5:10 amThis past Sunday I blogged about November being National Novel Writing Month, and my sudden desire to participate. After less than a week, I remembered why writing events such as NaNoWriMo are detrimental to my writing. I’ve been totally obsessed with word count!This constant checking of my word count after every paragraph is driving my crazy. I don’t want to be a slave to word count. And I don’t want to compare myself to others who are churning out 4000 words a day. That’s not my natural writing rhythm, and usually I’m fine with it. It’s not until I join something like NaNoWriMo… -
#NaNoWriMo
1 Nov 2009 | 5:11 amToday is November 1st. Being a Catholic, for most of my life this date has meant visiting cemeteries and placing flowers on grave sites. But ever since I stepped into the world of writing, the first of November has taken on a whole new meaning. Today is the start of National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo for short, or even NaNo for the really lazy people.I'm pretty sure my blog readers who are also writers have heard of this growing phenomenon, but for those of you who haven't, here's how it works: You write. That's it. From November 1st to the 31st, you write your butt off with the goal of… -
"The" Discussion Again
27 Oct 2009 | 7:15 pmBecause I've been super extremely busy these past few weeks (not just extremely busy, but super extremely busy), I'm taking the lazy blogger's way out and directing you to a very interesting post over at Dear Author. It's about "the" discussion: race and romance novels. I've only had a chance to skim many of the responses, but there's good dialogue going on over there. I sometimes grow weary of this debate, but the non-colorblindness in genre fiction--specifically in romance--is something I personally want to keep in the forefront of people's minds. In my own little rose-colored-glasses view,…
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Jess Riley
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GCC Presents: Marilyn Brant
17 Nov 2009 | 10:25 amI am so, so behind on my GCC posts! I have three new books to tell you about, and I'll kick things off with Marilyn Brant, whose debut novel ACCORDING TO JANE was released last month to great fanfare. A Family Circle reviewer called it "charming," and Barnes & Noble Review selected ACCORDING TO JANE for "The Long List" in mid-October, dubbing book "Fresh, original, and lots of fun." (And what a gorgeous cover!)About the book: It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of… -
One of Those Truly Weird Nights
12 Nov 2009 | 10:29 amIs it the cooler fall weather that's making me a sluggish blogger? Is my attention span that short? (Hey, look! A squirrel!) Well, I finally have some new blogworthy material to share with you.Last night J and I (and my parents) attended a stimulating debate hosted by UW-Oshkosh as part of their ongoing speaker series: The Great Porn Debate...Horny vs. Holy. Ron Jeremy vs. Craig Gross.I know.Turnout was incredible, with 200 kids stuffed into an overflow room to watch online. Now, if just the thought of attending such an event with your parents makes you break out in a cold sweat, imagine if… -
Tick or Teat!
3 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pmI threw a smallish Halloween party this weekend, which is partially why I have been so quiet lately. I had decorating! I had pumpkin carving! I had savory autumn leaf pies to make, bishes! And let me tell you. Those bastards sucked a chunk from my life that shall never be returned. (They were delicious, but their wee, sassy leaf shapes shall never grace my kitchen again. Because of the time suckage factor.)An hour before trick-or-treating (and three hours before the first guests were to arrive), Daisy peed on the back rug for the second time in 24 hours, so I had to make an emergency run to… -
Curiosity Killed The Annoying Bar Patron
19 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amI have some bad habits. For example, if someone shows the remotest interest (or if they make the mistake of being a polite listener), I will hold forth on subjects like:Farm subsidiesGM CornConfined Animal Feeding OperationsWhat a carbon analysis of our hair might revealWait, wait, wait. I need to set the stage for you. Did I mention we've been drinking? And we're at a cheerful bar on Saturday night--a birthday party, more specifically--while I'm delivering a sermon on what too much conventionally-produced dairy did to the participants in a controlled study in Sweden?Meanwhile, my husband is… -
The Giants Win the Penance!
12 Oct 2009 | 12:34 pmWhen I was a young girl, I attended Saturday morning CCD classes, all of which were punctuated by mass, and some of which were punctuated by confession. And in that musty, confined space, a sweaty me usually confessed the same laundry list of sins (fighting with my brother and sister, talking back to Mom & Dad, lying about something, putting a recyclable in the general refuse bin, murdering a homeless man and burying his body in the crawl space ...). And was assessed the same penance, nearly every time. One "Our Father," and a "Hail Mary" or two, depending on how honest / bored I was…
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Ericka Scott
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Sick and Tired
13 Nov 2009 | 9:24 amNot of anything in particular. Just literally sick with a head cold and tired. I've managed to sneak off for a lie-down every day this week thanks to the kindness of Mr. Scott and Drama Teen. Thank goodness is was a short week, what with Veterans Day plunked right in the middle of it. Winter seems to be right around the corner (finally) here in the high desert. We've been having a gorgeous Indian Summer, but I'm in the mood for some winter comfort in the form of lasagna, roasts, beef stew, etc. Hopefully, this upcoming weekend I can shove an angry pot roast (cross rib roast) into the oven and… -
Dipping my toe in the unknown....
9 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am(Insert big sigh here)I've always prided myself on trying out books by new-to-me authors, I've had especially good luck with finding audio books and e-books by new authors that I've particularly enjoyed (The Rule of Four, The Baker Street Letters (looking forward to the sequel), Anyone Out There?, and Dead of Winter, Haunts of the Heart and Redemption. However, the last three books by new-to-me authors that I've purchased at my local big-box bookstore have been bombshells. They sounded like what my dad would have called "humdingers" on the back. Great, compelling back cover blurbs about… -
I need more hours....
6 Nov 2009 | 11:20 pmThis week has been hectic, to say the least. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes there were a few more than 24 hours in a day so that they could get everything done. Foremost among those is Mr. Scott... Every November, he's involved with an intercollegiate programming contest. This year, they had to move the contest up a week. 7 full days that he and the other judges could have used. Needless to say, my husband's been a little sleepless for the last couple of days. I'm just looking forward to Monday when life will go back to normal...or at least what passes for normal here in the Scott… -
The maids are coming! The maids are coming!
2 Nov 2009 | 4:45 pmCan you tell I'm mega excited?Then, on the other hand, I feel a bit as if I've failed some strange test of being a stay-at-home mom. I quit work to take care of the kids and the house. Yet...the house is neglected, to say the least. And it's not that I can't clean house. I can. I just don't want to. There are things that I don't mind doing and things that I hate. And honestly, there just isn't any job satisfaction in cleaning. I've finally come to the decision that I could devote every hour of every day to the house, laundry, kids, etc. But what fun is that? I want to write and I want to make… -
Frightful Friday
30 Oct 2009 | 11:25 pmOverheard at the boys school Halloween carnival today: "Could you hold my eyeball?"I volunteered to help at the school today. As a result, I kept my eye on three little guys as they played games and acquired candy (lots of it, as though trick-or-treating tomorrow night won't be enough). The boys seemed to have fun and the school had the whole event well-organized. This week has gone by in a bit of a blur. Monday, I interviewed the last housekeeping candidate. Tuesday, I made my decision and hopefully by the end of this upcoming Tuesday, my house will be clean and sparkling.Tuesday, Drama Teen…
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Gena Showalter
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Good News Friday!
20 Nov 2009 | 12:16 pmPost your good news here! The whole tribe went to see New Moon today and we loved it! Lord above, Edward and Jacob are hot!And the amazing Kristen Painter is here talking about Vikings. Stop by and say hi! -
Updates
19 Nov 2009 | 6:11 amI think I've answered all the questions in the comments of different threads, but if I missed yours, ask it here and I'll answer!I'm doing my read-through of my novella rough draft. Up to chapter 7 (out of 10)Ginger (one of my doggies) has her second bladder infection in just a few months, sigh. So we've been dealing with that. My poor baby girl! I'm going to try a new latte with blueberry and white chocolate today. Heard about it -- and now have to have one. Will report back with details! -
Unraveled blurb!
17 Nov 2009 | 6:56 amAs promised, here's the blurb for Unraveled!For once, sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has everything he’s ever wanted:A home. Friends.The girl of his dreams.Too bad he’s going to die…Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he’s supposed to be crowned Vampire King – while still a human! Well, kind of.With four – oops, three now — human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been “different”… -
Winner!
16 Nov 2009 | 6:59 amThe winner of the Twice As Hot ARC is . . . Abby!Congrats! Just email us your contact info and we'll get that in the mail. And be sure to put contest winner in the subject line. I meant to do more contests last week, guys, but life got in the way. I'm sorry! Thank you for helping spread the word about the Intertwine contest. I can't wait to find out about the winner :)Tomorrow, I'll post the official blurb for Unraveled and perhaps we'll get another contest going for a TAH ARC. -
Beefcake Monday, Intertwined Sweepstakes, and book giveaway!
9 Nov 2009 | 6:40 amThis is the last week to enter the Intertwined Sweepstakes, with a $10,000 grand prize! Just go here for details and your chance to win! Help spread the word about the last week of this contest, and you'll be entered to win an ARC of Twice As Hot, the sequel to Playing With Fire. Post about it, link to it, talk about it, whatever, just come back to this blog, this thread, and tell me what you've done and you'll be entered! It's that easy!Working on chapter 7 of my novella, Dark. It's not part of any series, just a paranormal romance idea I had and was dying to write :) It'll be paired with…
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Camy Tang
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Excerpt - Love Finds You In Lonesome Prairie, Tricia Goyer & Ocieanna Fleiss
21 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amToday's Wild Card authors are: Tricia GoyerandOcieanna Fleissand the book: Love Finds You In Lonesome Prairie, MontanaSummerside Press (December 1, 2009)***Special thanks to Amy Lathrop of LitFUSE Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.***Julia Cavanaugh has never left New York City. But in 1890, the young woman must head west to ensure that the orphans under her care are settled into good families. After her final stop in Montana, she plans to head straight back east. But upon arriving in the remote town of Lonesome Prairie, Julia learns to her horror that she is also supposed to be… -
Excerpt - The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey
19 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amToday's Wild Card authors are: Tricia Goyer andMike Yorkeyand the book: The Swiss CourierRevell (October 1, 2009)***Special thanks to Amy Lathrop of the LitFUSE Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.***It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich. When Joseph Engel, a German physicist working on the atomic bomb, finds that he is actually a Jew, adopted by Christian parents, he must flee for his life to neutral Switzerland. Gabi Mueller is a young Swiss-American woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services… -
Vosges Haut Chocolat Collezione Italiana
18 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amCaptain's Log, Stardate 11.18.2009Yes, I have more chocolate! (In case you missed the last box, click here.) This one is their Collezione Italiana.Yes, I ~ahem~ ate one before remembering to take the picture.Rooster: Taleggio cheese + organic walnuts + Tahitian vanilla bean + bittersweet dark chocolateVery unique flavors in this one that I really liked. I expected to taste the cheese more, but maybe my palate just isn’t that sensitive. It’s sweeter than I expected it to be, also, considering it uses bittersweet chocolate. Very yummy!Sale del Mare: Sicilian sea salt caramel + milk… -
Excerpt - Thirsty by Tracey Bateman
17 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amCaptain's Log, SupplementalThirstybyTracey BatemanThere's no place like home, they say."Hello, I'm Nina Parker…and I'm an alcoholic."For Nina, it's not the weighty admission but the first steps toward recovery that prove most difficult. She must face her ex-husband, Hunt, with little hope of making amends, and try to rebuild a relationship with her angry teenage daughter, Meagan. Hardest of all, she is forced to return to Abbey Hills, Missouri, the hometown she abruptly abandoned nearly two decades earlier–and her unexpected arrival in the sleepy Ozark town catches the attention of… -
Excerpt - Touched by a Vampire: Discovering Hidden Messages in the Twilight Saga by Beth Felker Jones
17 Nov 2009 | 12:01 amCaptain's Log, Stardate 11.17.2009Touched by a Vampire: Discovering Hidden Messages in the Twilight SagabyBeth Felker JonesEXAMINING TWILIGHT THROUGH A BIBLICAL LENSPeople around the world are asking the same question, enraptured with Edward and Bella’s forbidden romance in the Twilight Saga, a four-book serial phenomenon written by Stephenie Meyer. The bestsellers tell the story of a regular girl’s relationship with a vampire who has chosen to follow his “good” side. But the Saga isn’t just another fantasy–it’s teaching girls about love, sex, and purpose. With 48 million copies…
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Jennifer Tiszai
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Humor as Procrastination
6 Nov 2009 | 3:14 pmI love humor. I love good comedians. It's hard to find ones that are clean, however. But we've found a few. YouTube has been wonderful in this regard.And since I'm procrastinating instead of writing (what is it about telling me I have to write 50k this month that makes me want to do anything but?) I followed Lynn Rush's link to Tim Hawkins and found this. Which I particularly appreciate having been a big fan of Dr. Demento, Weird Al, and parody in general.Enjoy. But don't expect to be able to sing in church again without suppressing a smirk. Some of the songs I think he actually improved. -
In case you've ever wondered...
5 Nov 2009 | 7:46 amWriters are funny and creative. Just check out this video and see if it doesn't make you want to get writing. And it just happens to include a few of my favorite authors: Kristin Billerbeck, Robin Lee Hatcher, Angela Hunt, Terri Blackstock.Oh yeah, I'm guilty of most of those procrastination behaviors. -
Movin' and Groovin'
31 Oct 2009 | 8:01 pmSo we've moved to Missouri, just south of St. Louis. There's several job opportunities here and some of my closest friends, so we're excited to be here. Excited to be near civilization again (read: malls, Target, Kohls, etc.). But already we're missing the friends we left behind and the rural landscape. Yet there are some amazing things to explore in St. Louis.Isn't that the way of this journey called life? Bittersweet; good-byes mixed with hellos.And hopefully I'll be grooving to my keyboard during NaNoWriMo. My progress should be showing up on the widget to the right. I've got some great… -
Saturday Funnies
17 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amA couple of things to make you laugh.I'm taking a time out from my crazy packing to peruse Facebook and share with you some of the fun stuff I've found there. If you're not on Facebook yet, what are you waiting for? It's the best way to connect with friends old and new.This first one is from my friend and writer buddy Diana Brandmeyer (who's also kind enough to let me and the kids crash at her place while we find a place of our own in St. Louis).I've actually pulled that on my kids--at home, not in the store. It's pretty effective.And this hysterical tidbit from the awesome writer's resource… -
Transformation
9 Oct 2009 | 4:25 amI liked the premise of this book because it was unusual and I'm fascinated by architecture. Unfortunately, it took me about 100 pages to really get into it. The multiple prologues made it hard to know who's story we should follow and most really weren't necessary.Also it seemed to me at first the characters felt and talked awkwardly, but after awhile, the story seemed to find its rhythm, and I enjoyed the book and the characters immensely. Terri Kraus handles some "typical church issues" in a new and fresh way and it ended up being a satisfying and unpredictable read.It is time for a FIRST…
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Jessica Tudor
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If I Loved You
19 Nov 2009 | 9:15 pmThere’s a Broadway song that goes something like this: “If I loved you, words wouldn’t come in any easy way, round in circles I’d go, longing to tell you but afraid and shy, I’d let my golden chances pass me by, soon you’d leave me, off you would go in the mist of day, never, never, to know - how I loved you! - IF I loved you.” This song kills me. So many Christians are singing it to God. They DO love him. But. But. But! It’s so hard to really ACT on it. To come clean. Problem being, that’s not good enough. I had this song and these… -
So, what DO you eat?
17 Nov 2009 | 9:37 pmThere’s been some confusion over what a vegetarian is, what a vegan is, and in general, what I eat now. So as I muse over all the things I’m thankful for, food is pretty high on the list. I thought I’d list some of the things that make me salivate. Nuts: Almonds Cashews Peanuts Pecans Pistachios Grains: Barley Brown rice Couscous Oats Wheat Fruits: Apples Bananas Berries Melon Pineapple Vegetables: Greens Onions (Sweet) Potatoes Squashes Tomatoes (I KNOW) Legumes: Black beans Canellini beans Kidney beans Lentils Soy Spices and herbs: Cinnamon Cumin Garlic Parsley Sage… -
A Sad Honest Story
16 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pmMy computer is infected and my use of it has been limited for the past few weeks - we are going to wipe it and go from there hopefully this week! Wanted to say thanks for all the support on my story’s debut! Here is what happened last month that sparked all the changes - some I’ve talked about already, like my transitioning to veganism, and some I haven’t. The source of all this has been kept hush-hush because it’s, well, uncomfortable. But it doesn’t have to be, which is why I’m choosing to share it. This past year, I was on a birth control that… -
Now Available!
10 Nov 2009 | 6:48 amAt long last, my short story, “The Blood Myth,” is available from Drollerie Press. It is part of an anthology of new tales of Little Red. In mine, Thea is a blood witch who returns home for her sister’s Choosing, a family ritual swirling with sacrifice and fatalism. But Thea has her own choice to make as everything she knows about love and power may be little more than myth. Intrigued? Find it here. -
Veg*n: Not a Dirty Word
9 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm(Sorry for the radio silence, my computer is infected and I am not on it much anymore, also it wouldn’t let me log in for a while.) I’ve always loved to eat, but the more I tried to control food, the more it controlled me - unable to resist goodies, flirting with anorexia as I restricted myself to NO MORE THAN 1000 calories a day, preferably 600-800, throwing whatever food was convenient and quick together for dinner . . . some love affair with food that is. While I wasn’t miserable by a long shot, I was ignorant. After last month’s adventure, which is a long, sad…
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Terry Odell
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Criminal Thinking
20 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amIf you follow writing, you're probably aware of the hoopla surrounding Harlequin's new vanity press and the responses from major writers' organizations, such as RWA and MWA. There's plenty of that to read elsewhere. But bottom line: in publishing, money is supposed to flow TO the author. Vanity publishing exists, and writers should be allowed to choose. However, the Harlequin approach of dangling -
Pulling Weeds, Smoking Guns
19 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amWhat I'm reading: An Echo in the Bone, by Diana GabaldonSo, the landscaping is finished. We did lose one nice sago palm along with the native shrubs, but a potential buyer won't know it's gone. It was a case of not pointing it out to the contractor when he took stock of what to do with our yard, so the crew simply looked at the overall result, not the specific individual pieces. Like our sago -
Does Your Manuscript Have Curb Appeal?
18 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amWhat I'm reading: Hothouse Orchid, by Stuart Woods. I'm also over at Pen to Paper. And, despite much resistance, Elizabeth's post guilted me into joining Twitter. I'm one of the "Women to Watch" in the Nov/Dec issue of Orange Appeal. Link on my website. And NOWHERE TO HIDE has a release date: August 20, 1020.Curb Appeal: As I mentioned on Monday, we'd had enough comments that our house lacked -
A Dog's Life
17 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amWelcome to this week's guest, EPIC Award nominee, Teri Wilson.I lost my friend’s dog this week.Not just any dog. Madeline is a Champion Toy Fox Terrier. She’s less than a year old and already boasts many fancy ribbons and has her own blog. And I’m not just any pet sitter. I have my own dogs, who I adore and show in conformation and obedience dog shows as well. One of my dogs is a therapy dog and -
The Other Side of Rejections
16 Nov 2009 | 4:30 amFirst, a Very Happy Birthday to the Hubster. And the answer is, "Yes."Having been the recipient of countless rejection letters, it was strange to have to be on the sending side. I can appreciate what agents and editors have to deal with.If you've been following this blog, you know we've been dealing with selling our house in a very slow market. It's very easy to draw parallels to selling
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Laurie J. Edwards
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Ready to Leap?
14 Nov 2009 | 7:44 pmLeap Books has posted badge #5. Snag it and let them know. You’ll be in the running for some great swag come January 1. Keep an eye out for each of the new ones. And if you’re wondering what you can win, check out the prizes they’re offering by clicking here. If you’re a reader, you’ll be looking forward to the January releases. Here are links to the booktrailers, if you haven’t seen them yet. Freaksville by Kitty Keswick Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr -
Last Chance to Win…
11 Nov 2009 | 10:23 pmAuthor Tracey Cramer Kelly, helicopter pilot and motorcycle chick, is offering a copy of her book, to one lucky commenter on her blog tour this month. Like action? danger? suspense? Last Chance Rescue is all of these and more. So don’t miss out on the free copy. Comment at one of her blog stops this month and you’ll have the opportunity to be a winner. Tracey’s appearing now at the Susquehanna Writers blog. Stop by and tell about your transportation woes or triumphs and you’ll have a chance to snag Tracy’s book. -
Gruesome Halloween Treats
31 Oct 2009 | 5:46 amNeed a last minute Halloween recipe? How ’bout Dead Witches Fingers? They’re suitably ghoulish. See the Wolfy Chicks blog. Author Judith Graves shows you how to make these delightfully gruesome treats. Pair them with Blood-flavored Ice Cream–a recipe by author Kitty Keswick. Two treats sure to make your guests howl. -
Trick or Treat?
31 Oct 2009 | 5:34 amAuthor Kimberlee Mendoza is giving away a free copy of her YA book, Trick to Treat. Find out more at the Climbing Rose website. Sarah Bradley has wanted to hang with the popular kids since her freshman year, and now she has the chance. All she has to do is survive a Halloween scavenger hunt with the “in” crowd. When the girls lock her in a haunted mansion, she feels the trick is on her. Then she meets Matt and begins to believe that maybe she got a treat after all. But what if “love” is part of the game? http://twrpclimbingrose.blogspot.com/ -
Guilty Pleasures
29 Oct 2009 | 12:21 pmOften writing is an opportunity to free yourself from the chains of the past. To loose the bonds holding you captive, preventing your spirit from soaring. But for me, that freedom always comes with a price tag—guilt. Writing is fun. Losing myself in another world, becoming brave and strong, fearless in the face of danger, is a guilty pleasure. I avoid writing because I enjoy it so much. When I indulge, my conscience whispers, “Anything that feels this good must be a sin.” So I put duty before pleasure and crowd out the siren call of the empty page. It’s easier to clean closets or…
