VOICES FROM THE HEART

MINING PHOTOS FOR INFO

2012-03-04T01:10:00.000-05:00

People from gone by eras weren’t the fiends we are at capturing every moment with a snapshot. Maybe because they didn’t have the ability to Photo Shop and clear up a spotty complexion or under eye circles. Before digital cameras, I cut off heads, feet, people standing beside another person. I didn’t know until I got the film developed much, much later, which would account for a lack of photos from significant events up to about twelve years ago when I went digital.

My grandmother once showed me an article about Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance explaining we needed to pray for our cousin. Cousin, I didn’t remember him. She, then, pulled out some poorly focused black and white photos of the last Feiock reunion he attended. She pointed out a solid looking, middle aged man in a dark suit. That pretty much described one third of the people in the photo. Nope, didn’t remember him. As news reports came out about his questionable connections to the Mafia, I stared at the photo. Did he have sinister ties? He looked like most of the other German Irish immigrant offspring in my family photo. Sometimes photos lie, other times they scream their message.

Candid photos can tell us so much. COSMO magazine feature shows pictures of famous couples and explains how their relationship is going by their body language in snapshots. I have to admit I initially decided to take chance on my fiancé based on a couple of casual photos. Not ones featuring his athletic ability, sports car, or beautiful hazel eyes, but ones with his children. The ones that grabbed me were the laughing, goofy, and having a good time photos. It told me this was a man who I could be at ease with as opposed to being stiffly formal and ever so proper. Photos reveal facets of our personality we don’t share with the general public.

My mother who is a conservative Christian woman once had a wild side. We have the photos to prove it. She denies the dark haired woman in two piece bathing suit posing in the snow is her, but rather her sister, despite the fact her sister is blond.

Photographs remind us how much our lives have changed too. Sometimes I look back at pictures of my children when they were young. It amazes me that they were ever so small, but what I find more shocking is the browbeaten young mother standing beside them. A woman not even out of her twenties exhausted from living with an abusive husband. Pictures really do tell a story, often one you don’t want to remember.

Yesterday, on our search for an elusive mouse, my daughter and I moved the fridge and found an old Christmas photo with my oldest son with his ex-wife. They are divorced now, emphasizing how life changes. The photo, tattered and dirty, captured a moment when we were all happy or at least I think we were. Maybe my son knew then there were cracks in his marriage. Maybe now, he can look back and see the splintering since he now knows what to look for.

Once you know what to look for you can sometimes find it in the photos. My grandmother confided that her mother was taller than her father. At six feet tall more than a hundred years ago my great grandmother stood head and shoulders above other women, and a few men, including my great grandfather. They never stood side by side in any pictures. Apparently, men had the height issue thing back then too.

I can’t say I was ever fond of having my picture taken. The fact I looked too much like me as opposed to a model or movie star upset me. I’m not sure what miracle I thought would take place in the split second of the camera shutter closing that would transform me into someone else. Once my daughter received a camera as a gift, I became an impromptu model as I did laundry, made breakfast, or gave the dog a bath.

Years later, I have become as bad as my daughter taking my camera with me to snap photos, especially of me and my sweetie as we embark on our joined lives together. We often ask total strangers to take our photos. Some are better photographers than others. I no longer wish I was someone else in the photos. Instead, my smile is wide and bright because I cannot imagine being happier than I am right now.

Maybe I will have grandchildren, who will look at the photos and remark how in love we look. I’m betting they will be more like their parents and will ridicule our hairstyles and clothes.

Why do you like looking at photos? Do you think photos depict an accurate image? Tell me why you think the above picture is significant. Winner gets free copy of PUPPY LOVE, my newest book. There might be more than one winner.

Writing Where You've Never Been

2012-03-02T00:38:00.001-05:00

My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, is holding its annual writers’ retreat at a Dude Ranch in Banderas, Texas, this October. Our friends laugh when we tell them we're going. I mean, Calvin and me on a ranch? Too funny if you knew us. Is there a hydrolic lift to put me in the saddle?

This will be my first time in Texas, first time on a ranch and first time on a horse. Yet my debut book is set on a ranch in Texas. Ah, the value of good research. How many writers of stories set in Alaska, Scotland, Mozambique or lands of fairies and shapeshifters have physically been there? Some, but not all.

As I was writing my story, I researched the weather in the Texas hill country, geology, plants, wildlife and history. I searched through newspapers online for the hill country. What I also found invaluable were real estate sites. This gave me a view of homes typical to the area as well as local scenery and vegetation. I’d find addresses and look them up on www.vpike.com. This gave me real-time insights and a feel for little nuances of this part of Texas.

If you were going to write a story set in Lynchburg, Virginia, where we live you’d have to know this is known as the Hill City. Our town is set on seven hills. There are places downtown where streets were never built. Steps, yes. An elevator, yes. But no street connect parts of Church and Court Streets.

Wide steps from Church Street to the Lynchburg Museum, once the Court House.

So, imagine my surprise when a reviewer for Storm’s Interlude said I’d described Texas so well, she now wanted to go there. I laughed and remarked to myself, “Well, so do I.” And in October, when we attend TWRP writers’ retreat, I will.

Rachel finished the yogurt and threw away the container. That’s when she noticed the back door was open. Stepping into the mudroom, she saw Storm through the screen door. He was leaning against a post, obviously staring off into the wide Texas horizon and sipping coffee.

His one hand was shoved into the pocket of his jeans; jeans that looked buttery soft with age. His dark, straight hair hung over the collar of his faded red t-shirt. Broad shoulders stretched the material. She yearned to reach out and rub her hand over his strong back.

What was it about him that attracted her? After all, she’d met many handsome men in her life. Phillip, for one. Matt, the guy she’d dated in college was another. She smiled; Dr. Isaacs at Kings Daughters Hospital, back home, was drop-dead gorgeous, but then he was openly gay.

Still, what was it about Storm? He was arrogant and opinionated. Bossy. Yet, he could be incredibly caring and gentle. Evidently, he was prone to giving little gifts. He was devoted to his sister. His love for his nephew was very touching. She imagined he’d make a great father.

What was she going to do about her attraction to him? What was behind the attraction? Could his magnetic pull on her simply come from his ability to kiss her into sensual overload? If they were to kiss again, would his effect be just as potent? God help her, but she’d love to find out.

“You might as well come out and join me.” His deep voice caressed her senses and beckoned. How did he know she was watching him? She wiped her hands over her shorts in a nervous gesture. Did he know how long she’d been standing there, staring, dreaming…yearning?

Embarrassed, Rachel stepped out onto the porch and stood next to the man who had moved into her mind—lock, stock and saddle. “Good morning.”

He saluted her with his mug. “Mornin’.”

His eyes were so intent on her that, for an instant, her mind went blank. Her attraction to this man had to be channeled into friendship—merely friendship. “Thank you for burning me that CD. I can’t wait to play it.”

“You’re welcome.” A faint blush crept up his neck.

She took pleasure in his discomfort. If she felt uneasy around him, she was glad he was obviously suffering from the same feeling. “How long have you been up?”

“An hour, give or take. Did you have your yogurt?” He drained his coffee and set the mug on the porch railing.

“Yes.”

“Good. I don’t want any low-sugar episodes like yesterday morning.” He jerked his head toward the horizon. “This is the best place to watch the sun come up. Our best views of sunsets are on the patio, but here, right here is the spot you get a great view of the sunrise. Nothin’ like a hill country sunrise.”

The curve of the golden sun peeped above the mountains in the distance. Shimmers of apricots and reds undulated like dancing rays celebrating the birth of a new day. Birds began singing as if to welcome the sun. “Oh, you’re right. It’s beautiful. I guess you do this every morning? Drink your coffee and watch the sun come up.” She looked up at him.

He never spared her a glance. “Yup.”

His freshly-shaved face was relaxed. The smell of his soap and aftershave filled her nostrils. She wanted to bury her nose in his neck and inhale his masculine scent for hours.

She smiled again. “You always so talkative in the morning?”

“Yup.”

BUY LINK: http://amzn.to/wWibTe

Spring has sprung

2012-03-01T03:30:00.000-05:00

At least here in Northern California. The trees all have blossoms and the plants are starting to bloom. My Bird of Paradise plant has the most awesome bird-like, orange flower on it. The cherry trees are all covered in pink and white blossoms.

I find that my writing blooms when springtime comes. I look out my office window and see the cherry tree, all fuzzy with white and pink. The sky is a clear blue with puffy little white clouds and I don't need my desk lamp to start the day.

I suffer from seasonal affective disorder and my writing suffers too. I am all blah when it is gray, windy, and dark outside. I don't want to write a thing. I am a spring and summer child and love when it warms up and the seasons change.

Do you have different levels of writing progress due to the season at hand?

Jill James

Roller Coaster Writer

2012-02-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Get an idea for your next book from an everyday event that you really look at for the first time.

Read a craft book. Figure out why your last scene sucked.

Write 2k words on your Work-in-Progress in one day.

Plan out the next scene to write tomorrow.

Send out five queries. Get one form rejection within the hour.

Read a blog and write a great comment. Get an appreciative response from the blogger.

Write another 2k words.

Go to a chapter meeting. Afterwards, go for drinks and chat with other writers.

Get a critique from your most trusted partner saying she hates your heroine.

Judge a dismal contest entry, then spend hours trying to be nice.

Get another form rejection.

Write 12k words in three days. Battle with a family member over time spent at the computer.

Get a request for partial. Reply promptly. Wait, wait, wait, and wait some more. And give up.

Celebrate a friend's sale. Hope her good luck will rub off.

Get a request for a full. Reply promptly. Get a form rejection within three days.

Write a blog and get more comments than ever before.

Get a phone call from your favorite agent. Dream big.

Who needs a roller coaster when you're a writer?

x-posted at Joan Leacott

photo credit: anat_tikker

Hunky WOLF SEALs by Terry Spear

2012-02-26T20:12:00.000-05:00

US Navy SEALs are hot! Just as Rangers and Special Forces men I met in the Army were. But what happens when they're also a lot WOLF?

Hunter Greymere's SEAL team comes to mind.

When I wrote that Hunter was a US Navy SEAL in book 3, To Tempt the Wolf, I hadn't thought of him as being a part of a whole wolfish SEAL team. That was our editor, Deb Werksman's gem of an idea! And that was the beginning of my thinking of how I could come back to the pack someday and write another story about another member of the wolf SEAL team.

Now fans also helped because many wanted me to write Hunter's sister's story. In the original Oregon coast wolf pack story, Meara was looking for a mate. And fans wanted her to find one!!!

So in A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing, book 9, she's at it again.

The she-wolf will play when the alpha male is away. That's Hunter, the pack leader, not her mate. Wolves mate for life, so she's just thrilled he's off on a honeymoon with his mate Tessa, and Meara's got free reign of the cabin resort rentals. So what does she do? Packs them with alpha males, one of which might just be the mate for her.

Until Finn Emerson comes along and spoils her whole plan! He's one of Hunter's SEAL team members and there to protect Hunter and Meara from a threat. But the threat is to the team, not her! So, to her way of thinking, Finn is bringing the trouble to her doorstep, not keeping her safe. But most of all he is NOT on her list of prospective mates and is totally in the way.

Finn Emerson is way over qualified to babysit one sexy she-wolf, but protect her he will. It's either that, or she stays with her brother on his honeymoon, and she's not about to do that. But first, her planned mate-hunting show is over and she's not happy about it at all.

When a shooter fires into her house and Finn tackles her to the floor to protect that sexy body of hers, he loses the towel he's wearing, and why he's "dressed" like that is a whole other story.

He really isn't interested in settling down right now, though Meara's definitely making him rethink his lifestyle. Maybe it's the notion he doesn't believe ANY alpha male would be right for her. Not that he's on the mate mart. But still...

Here's what one reviewer said:
Why Readers Will Love A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing

The Humor - Terry Spear has a unique talent for infusing her novels with wit and humor that is all her own. Specific scenes could cause a rare laugh-out-loud moment and if they don't do that they will at least put a grin right on your face. I personally loved the scene in which Finn is checking Meara over for listening 'bugs' and the two begin playing out a love scene for anyone who 'may' be listening. There is also the fantastic scene in which Meara comes home to find a very unexpected naked SEAL in her bedroom, the reactions are priceless.
Pack Loyalty - I am one of those readers who gets all gooey inside when a group of people come together for the sake of one. Werewolves, in most books, are usually like that but throw in a team of SEAL's and you have people literally willing to face a bullet for one another. That kind of loyalty always makes for some dramatic, heartfelt scenes, but in this crew that sort of connection also provides a strong base for a lot of the humorous moments.
An Exciting Storyline - The book begins with Finn bugging Meara's place because an unknown assassin is after her brother's SEAL team. He seeks to protect her while Hunter is away, doing whatever it takes, even going so far as to pretend to be her lover. Hilarity ensues, which is expected when you put such larger than life characters together and high-action drama follows the two as they avoid killers and their own emotions.
Love, Lust and Everything in Between - Meara and Finn are beautiful together; their chemistry is sizzling and their reactions to one another are instant and explosive. The automatic physical attraction between the two is intense right from the beginning and their animosity only a sign of their hidden feelings. The characters really play upon each others personality, bringing out the softer side of their hard-edged persona. The author writes sensual scenes for the characters to explore their emotions in, without taking them too far too soon, making that climactic moment all the more anticipated. Read more at Suite101: Book Review of A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing | Suite101.com http://jessicahastings.suite101.com/book-review-of-a-seal-in-wolfs-clothing-a402755#ixzz1lkVOwsgJ

~~Romance Fiction, Suite 101, Jennifer Hastings

So you see, A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing definitely could be a mate, even if he doesn't think so.

I have to say that when I edit my books, I do have particular favorite scenes I LOVE to edit a lot. I mean, I'm not really editing as much as REREADING them a lot. :) One is the opening where, like Ms. Hastings said, Meara finds Finn naked in her bedroom, which is his plan to let a renter/prospective mate know he's a little too late in arriving, and the scene where Finn is checking Meara over for bugs. Not that I didn't have fun revising to make the scenes all that more memorable while I reread them, but I have to admit, I reread them a lot more than I revised them.

There's also a scene between the first renter and Finn where he shows him just what he thinks of the "renter," who breaks into the safe house and makes himself a cup of coffee while Finn and Meara are sleeping. And the scene where Anna, an undercover operative, takes Finn to task over his dealings with Meara. He tells her to not say a word about his relationship with Meara, but does she listen?

I have to say that I just had plain fun writing the book. The humor was just there between the characters from the get-go. Mystery, adventure, hot and sexy alpha males and females and prerequisite getting rid of bad guys are all part of the story. But returning to the Oregon coast wolf pack was a lot of fun!

Next up is a hunky jaguar shifter in Savage Hunger. And Howling for the Highlander, the next in the Highland wolf series, this one about Duncan, who is off to get their money back in the Grand Cayman Islands. His name means dark warrior, and that's his whole persona...

But when he arrives at the island and sees a lone she-wolf at the airport, he's more than a little distracted in his mission. Going to the island wasn't meant to be fun. But all that changes when the man who's stolen the clan's money hits on the female wolf, and Duncan is all wolfish warrior and more.

I'm currently working on his older brother, Cearnach's story as readers will get to return to the Highland wolf pack again in their native Scotland, in A Highland Wolf Wedding.

But back to this month's release!!!

All month long Sourcebooks will be giving away 2 copies of A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing. Here's the schedule!

Guest Blog Schedule for A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing for March and Beyond

3/1 You Gotta Read Reviews & Love Romance Passion
3/2 Book Savvy Babe

3/3 Weekend No Blogs--Teaching Workshops New Orleans

3/4 No Blogs/book signing New Orleans

3/5 No Blogs

3/6 Rom Fan Reviews
3/7 Sia McKye’s Thoughts Over Coffee
3/8 Night Owl Reviews & Literal Addiction

3/9 Urban Girl Reader

3/10 Weekend

3/11
3/12 SOS Aloha
3/13 SciFiGuy
3/14 Sizzling Hot Books
3/15 Speculative Salon

3/16 Fresh Fiction & 7 Scribes

3/17 Weekend

3/18

3/19 Reading Between the Wines
3/20 Cindy Loves to Read
3/21 Open
3/22 Reviews by Molly
3/23 Book Boost

3/24 Weekend

3/25

3/26 Star-Crossed Romance
3/27 Open

3/28 Mrs Papillion's Bookworm Reviews
3/29 Long and Short Reviews
3/30Paranormal Addicts

3/31 Weekend

Additional Dates:

April: ARRA
July 4: Petit Fours and Hot Tamales

I have to say that when I mentioned the title of this book, I had people raising their brows. She's flipped out! She's writing about seal shifters that mate with wolf shifters?

Shocking!

Until I explain I'm writing about US NAVY SEALs, who are wolf shifters. LOL

What about you? Are you ready for a wolfish kind of SEAL?

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality."
www.terryspear.com

www.facebook.com/terry.spear

www.myspace.com/terryspear

http://terry-spear.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/TerrySpear

A rare thank-you to RWA

2012-02-25T08:02:00.000-05:00

I don't mean to diss RWA, but I haven't gotten much out of it in late years other than the ability to join up with other writers (like those in FTHRW and my local chapter). If I didn't need membership in RWA to be in those groups, I'd drop it like a hot potato for many reasons.

But I have to thank them for one thing that has been useful to me lately: I seldom read the RWR, usually batching them to read in clumps when on trips, etc. I pulled out an article from one that looked interesting and finally got around to reading it last night.

O.M.G. This might just save my sanity. It was an article by Jo Beverley about using WikiSpaces to organize the data she has about the characters in her series of novels. I'm working on a multi-generational series of books, and I've tried just about every way to organize it that I can think of. I got to WikiSpaces and I knew I Found It. I'll spend the next few days organizing what I have then I can update it whenever I need.

The one downside is that it isn't portable, in a sense. I must have an Internet connection to access the information. But I soon realized that I am seldom away from an Internet connection, I can print the info if I need to, and the online-method is really the way I think of that data anyway: as a series of interconnected links, etc.

I can also use this method for my other series, which will interlink with my multiple-generations series as well. I can create a separate Wiki for it and link that to the current Wiki, then I can easily find the information that references ... well, it's mind-boggling how easy it will be ONCE I get it set up (I have visions of happy evenings getting everything organized to my satisfaction).

So thank you, RWA, for the RWR, which 90% of the time I just skim and toss. This one article may be worth the price of admission this year for me.

I Prefer Perseverance

2012-02-23T21:37:00.000-05:00

When I announced that I'd sold five books after writing for twenty-two years, my friends called me stubborn, but I prefer to call it having perseverance. Actually, it has always been a labor of love and never work to spend time with my muse. I suppose you have to choose your priorities and I've found writing on the top of my list most of the time. I do like to pull out my sewing machine and stitch up a quilt or two just to take a break from the keyboard, though.

One of my writing goals has been to get my hero bear. My Writers Playground friends have always given support to a first publication by presenting a teddy bear dressed like the hero in the story. They found the perfect bear for me - a Scottish cowboy. I fell in love with him the moment he arrived and we've already become great friends. His name is Gerry Bear - his namesake and my inspiration for this character being Gerard Butler. I'd like to introduce my sweetheart to you.

He is easy to talk to, soft to cuddle, and adorable enough to just sit and stare at. Yes, he is a distraction at times, but he can sure stimulate my imagination.

opening scenes

2012-02-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

I am still not sure I'm satisfied with the opening scene of my WIP. I’ve left it alone for a few weeks, and yesterday came across a chapter in Hooked, by Les Edgerton, that offers a priority list of where exactly to start, and what information needs to be excluded.

I’ve already trimmed a chapter and a half of backstory. Edgerton writes:
Unless a book is part of an already established series, it opens on a blank world. A reader knows nothing about the situation or the characters. This is why it is tempting to write backstory, feeling the need to bring the reader up to date with a set up.

He says the most essential components of an opening scene are:
1. Inciting incident—the event that creates the lead’s initial surface problem and sets the stage for the story-worthy problem. This is the “action” part of the story, the part that is plot-based.
2. Story-worthy problem—the deep, inner life changing issue or character trait the lead will resolve by the end of the book.
3. The Initial Surface problem—the first, outer problem the main character has to solve as a result of the inciting incident. It propels the lead to take action.
4. The Set-up—the first few words that orient the reader in the opening scene. Who and where and what’s happening.

Secondary components:
5. Backstory—anything and everything that has happened up to the time of the inciting incident.
6. Opening Line
7. Language—avoid adverbs. Limit adjectives.
8. Character introduction—by showing their reactions to the inciting incident.
9. Setting
10. Foreshadowing.

The reader doesn’t need to understand what led to the opening situation in order to fully realize the significance of what’s happening when trouble begins. Trust the reader.

I forgot to post

2012-02-19T20:40:00.003-05:00

Can you imagine I forgot to post yesterday?!
I'm the one who always reminds bloggers they shouldn't forget to post on their day, yet I forgot. No excuses. Unless stress is an acceptable excuse. Two days at the hospital for chest pain, immediately followed by relatives visiting for ten days. A new book uploaded at amazon.com. Promoting my books while cooking and entertaining my guests. I also forgot to call my doctor and schedule the next appointment. I'm just stressing right now because I didn't prepare a post.

Forgive me for unloading my stress on you. I will now share some good news.

My ebooks are doing great at amazon. com. Crossing my fingers in order not to jinx myself.

NO MORE LIES (formerly Rx For Trust) EPICON finalist, has been on the bestseller list for four weeks. Tag line: a lie that brings a smile or a truth drawing tears? It's a romance novel about white lies, second chances, abuse, mother/daughter's problems, all mixed with a good dose of humor, for 99 cents, bestseller at amazon http://tinyurl.com/79r88wp

RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN- What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms? The name of the French doctor she loved three years ago. Hot, romantic and humorous, an international romance, set in France, 99 cents bestseller at amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/85o4wg7

BABIES in the BARGAIN, 2009 Best Romance Novel at Preditors & Editors; 2010 Best Contemporary Romance at Readers Favorite; bestseller at amazon.com for 99cents http://tinyurl.com/6mcd6e3

When an accident transforms the carefree playboy into a dedicated father to his nephew, Holly turns her life upside down for the baby. But can she learn to trust Marc again?

YOU HAVE TO LAUGH

2012-02-15T10:55:00.004-05:00

Ever have that sinking feeling…like you’re inover your head? As a newly publishedauthor, fumbling for the perfect marketing strategy, that quicksand sensibilityis my constant companion. In fact, itreminds me of my first month as a high school principal, hired on when my newhigh school was still under construction. Everett, Washington. Rain. A muddy site. Yup, one day, on my way to the construction portable, I got stuck in themud. The site supervisor happened to bewalking by and helped me pull my boots and body out of the sucking mud. You have to laugh, or you’ll cry!

To make an inexpensive promo item, 1000 of them,I had to bustle around three towns finding bargain material and cloth-cuttingequipment (You’re saying ‘ka-ching’right now, aren’t you?) Cutting bladesgo dull quickly, I can’t cut straight lines, the plan for stamping materialrequires heating 1000 pieces of material…you get the picture. More money and way more time consumed than Iplanned. You have to laugh.

QR codes. Some of you read my blog entry about how I learned the value of QR codesas a promotional resource. See theadventure here: http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/

I’ve got those squares on everything: banners,business cards, post cards. Yes, evenemblazoned on a tee-shirt. On atee-shirt? Did I think ahead about howpeople would be pointing their droids at my chest, trying to scan my QR code sothey could download website? Did Icontemplate the problem that my curves might prevent a ‘good scan?’ Will I have to walk around with my shirtfrontpulled taut so the population has a proper reading of my chest?

Really, you have to laugh about all the risks we’retaking and pickles we get ourselves into…or we WILL cry. Yes, indeed, there’s a lot of laughter in myhouse, these days. How about yours? Rolynn

SUSPENSE SPIKED WITH ROMANCE

LAST RESORT on sale now, print &download

Wild Rose Press: http://tinyurl.com/682vwgv

Web: http://www.rolynnanderson.com

Blog: http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/

FB: http://tinyurl.com/63vsnmt

And the subject is Editors

2012-02-14T05:00:00.006-05:00

It is Valentine’s Day and I get to demonstrate my love for some of the best people in my writing life... My editors!

I love editors. Maybe it is because I’ve had the privilege of working with some really great editors, and maybe it is because I know what happens when you don’t have an editor working with you, but the fact remains, I love editors.

An editor is often the first person to read something I’ve written. I don’t have critique buddies anymore, and when I submit something to one of my usual publishing houses, that is often the first time I get feedback on something I’ve been working my butt off on. So when they say they really like my work, I get that validation I’ve been looking for.

The other reason I love editors is that editors make my work better. I’m a better storyteller than I am a grammarian. I think I know where the commas go but I don’t always get them in the right place. Editors frequently do know these mysterious things. They also can point out things like your hero has neglected to tell the heroine how he feels about her anywhere in the book. Or in chapter five the heroine tells the hero she loves him, and then two chapters later is still questioning her feelings. Editors catch the boo-boos I tend to make.

Now don’t get me wrong. A good knowledgeable critique buddy can do the same thing, but it is the editor’s job to make your work as good as possible.

Also editors can advise on covers and on titles. Here we have the cover for my upcoming Gaian book, Beloved Stranger. This is the third version of the cover because while I liked the first version, there were changes my editor and I felt were needed. I love how they even got the wristbands my characters wear when they are married into the cover.

I have another editor who I just sold a new Hollywood After Dark book to, and she’s advised me to shorten the title to make it snappier. In thinking about it, that’s a good idea so I went with it.

By the time Beloved Stranger is out the door it will be a well-edited book with a great cover and should find an appreciative audience. And it will be because I had an editor on my side.

How about the rest of you? Can I get some more love for editors here? What do you love about editors?

Vote for Out of the Shadows!

2012-02-11T04:56:00.006-05:00

Curtains up! Light the Lights! The SAMMIES are coming, all right!

That's right, it's time to vote for your Samhain Publishing favorites for 2011. The SAMMIE Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2012, starting at 2 p.m. EST in the Samhain Publishing Cafe. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/samhaincafe/)

VOTE for OUT OF THE SHADOWS, pretty please! Of course, you can vote for all the other fine authors and books from Samhain, too. :-)

The categories that require your vote are these:

Reader's Choice Best Cover Art ebooks 2011 (Out of the Shadows)

Reader's Choice Best Cover Art Print Books 2011

Reader's Choice Best ebook 2011 (Out of the Shadows)

Reader's Choice Best Print Book 2012

Please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BQG585R to cast your vote. Voters are permitted three choices per category. Voting begins today and runs through March 19, 2012.

The survey allows each participant to vote once. The blue links for each book/cover are hot and will take you to Samhain Publishing site so that you can look at the cover or read the blurb for each book listed. Cast your choice for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category. Then scroll to the NEXT button at the bottom of the page. This will take you to the next category. Repeat until you get to the last category. When you have voted for your choices, be sure to click on the DONE button at the bottom of the last page so your vote will count. Remember, each reader gets to vote once for the poll.

We're asking everyone to participate by casting your vote. After all, these are the Reader's Choice categories! Your opinion counts!

Everyone, mark your calendars, shop for your dazzling Red Carpet outfit and get ready to celebrate our SAMMIE winners! We can hardly wait to announce the winners. Party! Party! Par-tay!

Joanne---Dave Barry and Valentine's Day

2012-02-08T08:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
Please share a chuckle with me.
For this month, I'm sharing Dave Barry's brief opinion on Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

WHAT WOMEN WANT: To be loved, to be listened to, to be desired, to be respected, to be needed, to be trusted, and sometimes, just to be held.

WHAT MEN WANT: Tickets for the World Series

Me again: OK, is he right? :)

Countdown to Valentine's Day

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's in full swing. It being the proliferation ofadvertising for the lover's holiday.

Stores are full of hearts and chocolates and sexy redlingerie. The internet is popping up ads for gift ideas. Notably, most of theads are gifts for women. I even saw an ad for Love Heels. Cute twist on loveheals.

Of course, Valentine's Day is a holiday for the ladies.Right?

When I was younger and working in an office, I dreadedValentine's Day. Oh the pressure! Didn't boyfriends know they should sendflowers to the office so you wouldn't appear to be among the have-nots?

And when I wasn't dating anyone, I hated restaurants were socrowded with lovebirds; the wait for a table was overlong. Once seated, couplessurrounded you, reminding you of what you lacked.

Don't get me wrong. During February, my house is decoratedwith hearts. A heart-shaped candle sits on the shelf over my desk. Heart clingscover the window. Tiny glass hearts fill a clear vase. And I enjoy using heart-shapedbaking pans and a serving dish.

I'm older now. Settled in a loving marriage. Now the holidayis about spending private time with my personal hero.

What is your take on the Valentine's Day holiday?

~ Dawn Marie Hamilton

My Confession ( and it's a doozy)

2012-02-04T01:00:00.002-05:00

Ladies, I have a confession to make. One I thought I’d never make. It’s hard to admit too because I once was one of those. You know the type, one of the people who looked down upon someone with my affliction. In fact, going back to my very first blog, I bragged I’d never be like that, but you see I am.

Yes, I’m an addict. I used to be only guilty of now and then partaking, a few times a month, maybe once a week, but not that much, not really. Maybe it was a bit of a hobby, not an addiction, besides it didn’t cost me too much either. But now, I can hardly get out of bed without indulging…and sometimes I don’t even bother getting out of bed.

You guessed it. I am now sleeping with the laptop by my bed. Who knows when I might get the urge to change a plot twist, or develop a clever secondary character? Maybe I need to check my email to see if a certain publisher has emailed me back or I need to vote on a friend’s book cover. I carry my addiction with me everywhere. Only a few days ago I managed to edit three chapters while having my roots done.

Sometimes I try to get around things like cleaning, cooking, even exercising to find more time to write. Unfortunately, I have a day job that demands I show up five days out of seven. I have managed to write at work on break, during lunch, even after work because it is so quiet there after everyone goes home. Okay, I will admit when I’ve had a pressing deadline I’ve written on work hours glad that all my fellow workers need reading glasses to read what I am typing in 8 count font and glad that they’re vain enough not to wear them.

Writing has taken over my life. My thoughts dwell on how to promote CUB IN BLUE, my newest book, who to submit pitches to, and agents. Day trips and vacations center around writing workshops and conferences. Don’t get me started on the money I’ve spent.

As for my love life, I am very lucky to have a fiancé who entertains himself while I type. He smiles indulgently at me above his book. He doesn’t call me an addict, or a fool, or tell me I am wasting my time. Instead he tells me I am the best writer he knows. (Everyone should “ahh” about now.)

So yes ladies, I have only one more thing to say. My name is Morgan…and I am a writer.

How about you? Tell me your stories of obsession and addiction.

Confusion can be a Good Thing

2012-02-02T11:23:00.003-05:00

As we age, some of us become more confused. Medical experts say this is a natural part of the aging process and NOT early signs of Alzheimer's. Mercy, I hope they're right.

I've long held that confusion is the sign of a busy mind. Our neurons and synapses are working overtime on problems, ideas, tasks and dreams. I know mine is. Since I've started writing full time, it's as if the story lines and characters won't let me alone. I read a small article in the paper and I think wouldn't that make a great story. I hear a snippet of a newscast and my mind is twisting the news into a "what-if" situation. I'm nearing the point where I wish there was an off switch.

In the past 19 months, I've written 3 books and 2 novellas. One book, Storm's Interlude, is out. Another, Mona Lisa's Room, is under contract and in the galley stage. The third, Rain is a Love Song, is being emailed by my agent this week to an editor who's been asking for it (No, I'm not that great of a writer editors are clamoring for my work, Rain is merely book two of a series). As for the novellas, I'm waiting on a release date for Those Violet Eyes. The second, Tumbleweed Letters, is with an editor. Let the nail-biting begin.

So is it any wonder when I wrote the synopsis for Tumbleweed Letters that I used the wrong heroine's name? That's normal, right? RIGHT??? Imagine my embarrassment when my agent emailed asking why I sent her a synopsis about Evie when the character in the manuscript was Sophie. Ah......

At that point I decided I needed a few weeks away from writing. My brain needs to rest and recycle.

Ben woke me in the middle of the night, which might be all well and good, but my husband's name is Calvin. Ben is a World War II soldier. "Doll," he whispered in my ear, his breath fluttering those dastardly white hairs growing at my temple. "When are you going to write about my Pearl? You see, Pearl and me have something special going on." I glared at him, replying that I had some serious sleep going on before he woke me. He extended his hands in that universal helpless gesture, shrugged and smiled, his deep dimples drawing my attention. Darn, he just had to have dimples. I told him he'd have to wait a couple weeks. And he laughed, deep, rich, sexy--and I sighed. I think he knows I'm a sucker for dimples and deep laughter. Darn him, anyhow.

Can't a confused mind catch a break?

Storm's Interlude available at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.

Wow, I absolutely loved Storm's Interlude! If I ever thought to write a romance book, I'd only hope that this would be my style of writing. Storm's Interlude has sweet romance, heartfelt feelings, a whole lot of sexual tension, and its own share of on-edge suspense. -- Night Owl Reviews

Release date to be announced by The Wild Rose Press --

Evie Caldwell hates her life. Five years ago, she gave up college and her dream of teaching to care for her ailing mother. Now, she’s trapped taking care of her worthless brother and the family ranch. Waiting tables to earn her way out of Texas, the last thing she wants is a muscleman with a macho Marine attitude complicating her life. But, oh, how that man makes her insides melt.

Wounded vet Win Fairchild returns to Texas to heal, find a piece of his soul, and open a ranch for amputee children. Finding someone to love is not on his agenda. But when he starts work at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, a spitfire with violet eyes and a major attitude instantly captures his heart.

Evie just wants to escape, but now that Win knows what he wants, can he convince Evie to stay in Texas—and his bed?

Leap Year

2012-02-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

There is a saying to help school children remember how many days are in the different months.

Thirty days hath September,April, June and November; February has twenty eight aloneAll the rest have thirty-oneExcept in Leap Year, that's the timeWhen February's Days are twenty-nine.

2012 is a Leap Year, which means this month has 29 days. It also means on February 29th ladies can ask men to marry them, instead of the other way around. I'm supposing that meant something back in the days before equal rights. Although, I've noticed that some traditional things stay traditional. Weddings, fashion, and etiquette seem to be the last bastions of old-fashioned tradition. Even romance novels no longer have damsels in distress. Now they are kickbutt heroines able to not only save themselves, but the hero too.

Back to Leap Year and that women asking thing. According to www.urbanlegends.about.com In keeping with the theme of nature gone awry, a whimsical tradition dating back at least four centuries (and still trotted out at four-year intervals by newspaper feature writers) holds that leap years confer upon women the "privilege" of proposing marriage to men instead of the other way around. The convention was (in literature, if not in reality) that any man who refused such a proposal owed his spurned suitor a silk gown and a kiss — provided she was wearing a red petticoat at the moment she popped the question.

So we'll add an extra day to 2012, babies born on the 29th will have a birthday only every four years, and ladies will need to get out that red petticoat to ask the man of their hearts that eternal question. Will you marry me?

Jill James

Plotting with Ripples and Waves

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not a psychotherapist in any way. I'm more of an observer and thinker. A recent post from Alicia Rasley at Edittorrent got me thinking about a theory I cooked up for myself to explain the impact of change in my life.

I call it The Ripple Effect.

The Little Version

Visualize a pebble dropped in still water. Plip. Ripples radiate out from the strike zone. Eventually the ripples dissipate and the water smooths out.

Small change, small impact.

The Big Version

Visualize a big granite boulder dropped in still water. SPLOOSH! A coronet rises around the strike zone. Big waves roll over the water's surface. A long time goes by before the water settles.

Big change, big impact.

The Messy Version

Visualize both the pebble and the boulder dropped into the water at the same time. Plip. SPLOOSH! Ripples and waves spread in all directions. Crests and troughs are amplified and diminished.

That's real life. Sigh.

The Story Version

How useful is my Ripple Effect theory?

For me, the natural extension of observing and thinking is writing. So I use my theory to plot stories. Here's how.

The initial conflict in a book is the first pebble thrown in the still waters of a character's ordinary life. It's not necessarily a huge conflict, but it doesn't go unnoticed.

Before the story waters have stilled, toss in a stone. What is the interplay of this slightly larger conflict with the first conflict? How does it cross and alter the first conflict?

Before the story waters have stilled, toss in more pebbles and larger stones.

Watch for unexpected collisions in the intersection of waves and ripples, dips and troughs. Watch how the crest of a wave is increased by a ripple. Watch how the dip of a ripple diminishes the crest of wave.

Surprise your characters and your reader, and maybe yourself, with unusual results of the intersecting conflicts--the Ripple Effect.

Let the story waters still. Just a bit. Let your reader catch her breath.

In goes the boulder.

SPLOOSH!!!

Chaos. Conflict. Bwahahaha!

Then comes a rainstorm. Hundreds of thousands of drops fall. All the waves and ripples are beaten down. Conflicts are resolved. Order and peace return. The story waters return to a smooth glassy surface.

So what do you think? Does The Ripple Effect appeal to you?

© Joan Leacott 2012, x-posted at Joan's blog

What is fear?

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

I recently wrote a blog post titled "Conquering your fears", in that post, I focused on a fear that I've had for years. Progressively, over the last few years, it seems to have worsened. Almost to a paralyzing degree. And only when there was no other option, did I face my fear, and as I explained in the post, I may not have conquered it, but I am definitely not afraid to charge it...head on!

After that post, I began discussing fears with some of my friends, and it made me remember the initial fears I had with my writing:
-feared others to reading it (critique it)
-feared publishers/agents rejecting it

I remember when I first read the rules for PRO membership. I had to send in a manuscript or rejection letter. That felt so humiliating to send in a rejection letter. But, it seemed even more humiliating to send in the manuscript that was rejected.

To this day, I still have the slightest amount of anxiety every time I receive a critique or send a query letter.

But, it isn't the fear of not receiving a contract or seeing strikeouts from critique partners. No, it's this indescribable sense of maybe the story isn't done. Could I tell more? Should I tell more? Would that just be over-telling the story?

I'm not a plotter. I'm a pantser. I write until my characters stop talking, but is that it? Should I keep writing? Should I keep writing until I hit that 100,000 word count?

Ughh!!! What is it about fear? Does it just continue to reshape or does it ever go away?

What do you fear?

A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing Blog Tour Coming Up

2012-01-26T08:58:00.005-05:00

Guest Blog Schedule for A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing for March and Beyond

3/1 You Gotta Read Reviews & Love Romance Passion
3/2 Book Savvy Babe
3/3 Weekend No Blogs--Teaching Workshops
3/4 No Blogs
3/5 Open
3/6 Rom Fan Reviews
3/7 Sia McKye’s Thoughts Over Coffee
3/8 Night Owl Reviews
3/9 Open
3/10 Weekend
3/11
3/12 SOS Aloha
3/13 SciFiGuy
3/14 Sizzling Hot Books
3/15 Open
3/16 Fresh Fiction & 7 Scribes
3/17 Weekend
3/18
3/19 Reading Between the Wines
3/20 Cindy Loves to Read
3/21 Open
3/22 Reviews by Molly
3/23 Open
3/24 Weekend
3/25
3/26 Star-Crossed Romance
3/27 Open
3/28 Mrs Papillion's Bookworm Reviews
3/29 Long and Short Reviews
3/30
3/31 Weekend

Additional Dates:
March: Paranormal Addicts, Literal Addiction
April: ARRA
July 4: Petit Fours and Hot Tamales

So if anyone wants me to post on their review site, just email me for the open days. I can also do weekends.

Have a super day! Terry

New day, new muse

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

I hit a slump in my writing last year. I know, you're saying, "Hunh? You had 11 books release in 2011 and that's a slump?"

Well, keep in mind all of those books were written prior to 2011. In fact, I turned in 4 of them to my editor at least a year earlier. 3 of those books were re-releases, written way back in 2006, 07, 08. And 3 of them were digital and print releases. That left one "new" book that released last year, and I wrote that one very early in the year.

I haven't been slacking off. I wrote 2 more books last year (which haven't released yet) and I'm working on my big series that I anticipate will take years to see the light of day. And I'm in the midst of two more books in progress and I have one waiting for me to edit.

But I'm starting to realize that I need to go back and promote all of those previous 20-some books that I have out. Those books are still for sale and still viable. They're still out there, waiting for someone to buy them. So it's not just about the new books. It's about the old ones as well.

That's caused me to re-juggle some of my precious free time so I'm focusing on promotion as well as writing. I've always done a little bit of promo here and there, but I'm trying to get consistent about it now, trying to make it a part of my daily activities. I'm trying to find the muse -- the excitement, the fun -- call it what you will -- in promotion that I have felt when I'm writing.

It's tough. The muse just isn't there a lot of the times. Sometimes I have to grit my teeth and force myself to make a post, do a blog, or do some activity that takes away from my writing time. I have faith that it's worth my effort, but that doesn't mean I have to embrace it. I just gotta do it.

You know, that's sort of a metaphor for a lot of things in life, isn't it? You gotta go to the dentist, you gotta shovel the drive when it snows, you gotta pet the kitty when she jumps up on your lap (as she just did). At the end of the day, a lot of our day is taken up with the gottas. Let's try to make the best of it, okay? Because it's a new day and maybe a new muse is just around the corner ...

How to Get Your Hero and Heroine to the Happily Ever After

2012-01-24T00:11:00.000-05:00

I started a new story this week and had an epiphany when I brought the hero and heroine together for the first time. It is difficult for me because I love my characters and I know that I have to do terrible things to them to keep them apart, and then there is that black moment. I naturally hate conflict of any kind. I want everyone to be happy, especially those who are near and dear to me. What usually happens is my critique partner tells me I don't have anything bad happening. Stubbing your toe and having it hurt is not the "c" word. It's not a story without conflict. "But, but," I say. It doesn't help. With my last story I had to rewrite it and add a lot of problems. One reader told me I might have overdone it a wee bit. :) Hey, I'm workin' on it.

Here I am with my new characters. I barely know them and I am plotting against their happiness. I started to giggle when I realized that once I conflict them, I rush to finish my story so I can bring them back together in joy.

Do I stand alone in this problem, or do you have trouble being mean? Maybe you like taking your frustration out on your characters. Just askin'.

Life throws curves

2012-01-22T07:30:00.002-05:00

I’m in the final lap of fine tuning my manuscript. I’m busting my tush to get it off by month end. I didn’t pick the timeframe on a whim. After a brief overview sweep I knew what areas required my attention. You see, on January 2 an editor requested my full manuscript (Yippee!) – with a few suggested changes. Nothing major but enough to require a chunk of time.

I believe setting a deadline keeps me focused. In the past I’ve whizzed down the ‘wrong turn’ road when revising manuscripts. Today I have my own system. It might feel clunky to another writer but it fits me. This wouldn’t be near as difficult if the rest of my life was in normal mode.

After Christmas we decided to take a once in a lifetime trip. With the manuscript request the road stretched upward. I can do this, I told myself. On January 5 our email provider notified us they would start charging us for their premium email. Scotch that! I refuse to pay for email service.

Meanwhile, I’m researching for our overseas trip, communicating with family there and revising my manuscript. Switching to a new email service was another hill to climb. I put on my roller blades and shoved off.

My husband and I decided on the new email service and we began the transition. After many hours of learning how it works and what it offers I made the switch. I still need to sync my new email with my Netbook. Otherwise, all is good. Our upcoming trip looms on the horizon and two books about the region, which I wanted to read, sit unread.

What I’ve learned this month is this. Multiple challenges stretch us to reach farther, to go forward not faster but smarter. I’ll soon give myself a little pat on the back as I approach the top of the hill. With the priority tasks close to complete I will soon get to coast a bit, sit down and read, at the least, one of those travel books.

I’m sure my troubles while revising a manuscript don’t reach the category of worst ever. What’s been your most difficult outside challenge while revising a manuscript for submission?

Story Transitions

2012-01-18T20:44:00.006-05:00

"The Artist" won at the Golden Globe Awards last Sunday. A retro silent film, I wouldn't be surprised if it had script frames. Silent films were influenced by literature, and literature had always had detailed descriptions of changes in character POV, time or setting. In silent westerns, for example, you'd read placards like: "MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH."

When talkies were invented, a voice-over, or a voice over and text pronouncement, identified each time or setting transition.

The first film to use a jump cut--a transition where the narrative simply jumps to the next scene--was Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless." Godard had shot 8,000 meters of film, and the producers had a maximum limit of 5,000 meters. Godard had to cut the film down or it would be unsellable. According to Godard, he and his editor flipped a coin at each scene in a sequence and let fate determine which footage to cut. Necessity invented the jump cut.

Now screenwriters write the next scene without any labeling, regardless of its placement in the narrative, chronological or not. Film and television are training readers to fill in the gaps between scenes, and to jump between character's POV's.

Super authors head hop. Their characters change setting without overt trails. Their readers seem to follow the story.

I'm not a super author. But can I use super storyteller techniques?

Love Scenes

2012-01-18T11:07:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I spent a whole day working on a major love scene in my work in progress. Laboring, sweating, deleting, rewriting while sighing, huffing and pulling my hair. Do you get the picture? No, I don’t think you can yet.

I usually start my love (or sex) scene with enthusiasm. Hey, everyone loves to watch Hero and Heroine gaze into each other’s eyes, trail a determined look down each other’s noses and linger to study each other’s lips. Should we go for it? Is it going to taste as good as it looks? Once they overcome an initial hesitation—so to speak because my alpha hero and assertive heroine always know what they want—they melt into each other’s arms, play, taste, devour. They have fun and like what they are doing. So why stop now? More exploration is in order.

In the old historical novels I used to love years ago, HE would take the lead in the next phase of the game. Now-a-days, SHE likes to show she is a woman of her time. During phase two, hands run from throat to waist and linger in between, and lips soon follow, without discrimination. Things get hot. To cool down, they open a few buttons and lower a couple of zippers. Often enough, the undressing has the opposite effect. They get warmer, even blazing hot, and they start a few moves to help each other cope with the situation, until they reach a mutually explosive satisfaction. Unless someone, or something, interrupts them, and then they will try again in the next chapter.

This is the basic plot of my love scene.

Since I usually layer my writing, I go back to check if Hero and Heroine display their emotions. After all, they are flesh and blood characters who live, love and suffer. They need to share their feelings with us. If not, I torture them until they do.

I forgot to mention I always try to choose an interesting setting that would put Hero and Heroine in the right mood. I also add a few sensorial details. The ocean breeze carrying the scent of her perfume. The taste of vodka on his lips. The callousness of his palm against the softness of her skin. Characters have to smell, taste, and feel to be real.

In theory it sounds easy enough. So why did I suffer so much to create my characters’ love scene?

Do you have difficulty writing a love scene? What do you think is essential to bring your love scenes to life?

Available at amazon.com
http://tinyurl.com/85o4wg7

What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms?

When forbidden dreams about the sexy French Dr. Yves Malroux assail her at every turn, Mary-Beth puts her wedding plans on hold. The man would probably not even remember the plump nerd she was three years ago before she lost her illusions faster than her pounds. Regardless, to be able to marry her fiancé without reservations, Mary-Beth needs to confront her past and flies to France for a summer training program in surgery with Yves.

But Yves never forgets an organ he removed from a patient or a woman he dated. And he never forgot the pretty student of Harvard Medical School who has turned into a stunning beauty and seems in serious need of coaching about spicing her serious life with some fun and passion.

While too many questions still swirled in her mind, her jealous fiancé summons her back home.

Will Mary-Beth let her heart decide who’s her right man? Will Yves break his no-strings-attached rule to offer love and commitment?

2012-01-15T00:25:00.000-05:00

Target Audience – Truth orFiction? By Rolynn Anderson

I am new to the business ofmarketing a novel. LAST RESORT, athriller/romance, released in the summer of 2011, is my first book to bepublished, so I have a lot to learn about how to punch up my sales. I’m conversing in loops, blogging, tweetingand face-booking, but not as much as I should, largely because the big questionof how to find my readers has me in ‘stand-by’ mode. I want to focus my energy on writing my nextbook, but I’m willing to devote a calculated measure of time and gusto to reachmy so-called target audience.

You see, I’m beginning towonder if my book has a specific target audience. Men seem to enjoy my story, as do women. I had the odd experience of watching a 16year old boy dive into my novel on a day when my husband and I moored our boatat his family dock. Conservatives get akick out of my fun fiction as do liberals. A 93 year old friend (who rarely reads at all any more), zipped throughmy book in two days and pronounced it wonderful (even though it had ‘curse’words).

So I ask you, how much timeshould I spend searching for my audience? What methods have you used to identify your reader? How are you reaching him/her? Those of you with a broader-than-normalreadership, like mine…what have you learned about how and where to sell yourbooks?

As always, thanks ahead oftime to all my author friends for sharing their wealth of knowledge. I am where I am today because of yourencouragement and your expertise! Rolynn

SUSPENSE SPIKED WITH ROMANCE

LAST RESORT on sale now, print &download

Wild Rose Press: http://tinyurl.com/682vwgv

Web: http://www.rolynnanderson.com

Blog: http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/

FB: http://tinyurl.com/63vsnmt

Insanity is thy login name...

2012-01-14T12:39:00.001-05:00

Today's blog post is late for a very good reason. I couldn't log into blogger due to having forgotten my login and my password. Only the work of my very tech-savvy husband managed to get me back on.

To put it mildly this made for a frustrating morning.

In my day job I also deal with logins and passwords on a near hourly basis. I'm a support engineer and part of my job is logging onto a customer's system and checking their code. To do this I need an open connection to the system, a valid login name, and a password that is both accurate and hasn't expired. I spend about half my time trying to get onto a system only to have one of the above fail on me. So you would think I would be pretty immune to the crazies when it comes to not being able to access an account.

You would be wrong. I was definitely losing it this morning.

The problem is that Blogger was bought by Google and since I was using the same email address for both when the companies merged I had to pick a new email for Blogger or risk losing access to my existing blogs. This was done but then I forgot which email address I was using for Blogger and the password. Fortunately hubby managed to work through the system to recover that information after trying my various emails. Oh, and finding the reset password emails in my spam filter.

The root cause of all this is too many logins, too many passwords, and too much info for any even remotely sane person to keep track of. I bet I have logins on at least fifty-plus accounts, each with their own unique password. There is no way to track that number of accounts other than keeping a record somewhere.

I know I can't be the only person feeling frustrated by all this. There has to be a better way to keep track of logins and the like. Anyone have any good ideas?

And if you do, make sure you patent it because you'd make a billion off it.

Oh and just to keep this writing related, Promises To Keep is still selling at a crazy rate on Amazon for $2.99. SF Romance Rules!

Cheers,
Janet/Cricket

Crashing Hearts Release

2012-01-13T00:01:00.003-05:00

Crashing Hearts is now released. Here's a little tease with the first few pages.

Chapter 1

Kira Nichols pushed back her hair as the crisp salt air blew it across her face. She walked up the path—her sneakers leaving small impressions in the soft sand—to the cul-de-sac. At the empty lot across from her house, the foundation had been capped over and abandoned for about a year now.

She sprang into a run at the rumble of a sports car arriv- ing at a fast clip. She arrived at the cul-de-sac at the same time the vehicle skidded to a stop. She caught her breath as the lean, ruggedly handsome man exited his vehicle. The smile he flashed her was one she imagined had many women melting at his feet.

Kira squared her shoulders and approached him. Her five foot two inch frame seemed minute compared to his at least six foot stature. She willed herself to appear calm and not give away that her senses had completely left her at the sight of him.

“Grant Rutledge.” He extended his hand to her. His deep voice, like a shot of brandy, was warm and soothing. She swallowed hard, her anger forgotten for a brief second. Then it flared back and she ignored his hand. “Do you have any idea that there are children in this area?” she demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

“My apologies if you felt I was going too fast.” He gave an exaggerated glance around. “There aren’t any children about now.” He smiled that smile again and in spite of her anger, her heart melted. She started with the realization he still had his hand extended in introduction. She tentatively shook his calloused fingers. Tingles shot up her arm and she struggled with not yanking her hand away. Heat flooded her face. She prayed he couldn’t tell.

“Again, I apologize. I hope you wouldn’t think I have no regard for children.”

Kira turned to go. “I just know the type.” She gestured absently at the car. She forced herself to walk slowly towards her house, feeling his eyes on her back. Her mind whirled. She had practically melted at the sound of his voice. Her cheeks reddened at the thought of him watching her walk away—thankful she had stayed in shape.

The solitude of the cul-de-sac was the reason she origi- nally loved this spot. Her house had been the only one in this two-lot area for six years. She hoped the new construction company would be considerate and not disrupt the serenity, and keep working hours to normal business hours, hours when Jared was in preschool.

She thought back to the long hours they kept when they put in the foundation. Jared had been unable to sleep due to the noise and disruption of his routine. Hopefully this time around the noise wouldn’t disturb him. He was just beginning to sleep through the night.

If only she could.

* * * *

Jared ran up the walkway to meet Kira, signing furiously: “Who is that man?”

“That is Grant Rutledge,” she signed back. “He is going to be building the new house, so you will need to stay away from the construction site.”

Jared’s hands and fingers flew in his excitement to know about the new house, and the fast car he saw. “Jared, use your words.” Kira ushered him into the house.

“Car, red.”

“Yes, the car was red, and it’s very fast, so you must stay away from there.” Kira found Barbara’s eyes over Jared’s head, and gave her the “I have so much to tell you” look.

“Time to get ready for the day, Jared,” Barbara interjected.

Jared skipped off to the bedroom happily, and Barbara handed Kira a cup of coffee. “Spill. I saw him. It wasn’t the fast car that made you come into this house so quick.”

Kira, glaring at Barbara over the coffee, walked slowly to the sliding doors overlooking the ocean. “What happened to the quietness of our lives? Why do I feel like it is gone?”

“Is it gone?” Barbara asked. “Or just stirred up a little? I think maybe you’ve been holding onto grief and bitterness for so long that you don’t have any idea how to look objectively at life. Before you say it, I’m heading for the kitchen and not saying another word. Nevertheless, before I go, let me just say out of love for you, Kira, darling, Patrick’s been gone for four years now. You’ve built your life around Jared, and that’s great because Jared needs you. However, there comes a time when you need someone also, someone besides Jared and an old lady like myself.”

“Barb, it’s not like that.”

“Honey, you’ve been holding on for so long, and don’t tell me you’re not angry with Patrick for the way he left the night of the accident. Kira, I’m angry with him. He never should’ve left that way. You had it just as tough as him, if not more, with the crying. He was the father. He should have been here right beside you.”

“Stop! We are not going to rehash that night and we certainly aren’t going to blame Patrick. He’s gone and nothing is going to change that.” Kira looked toward the ocean and for- got about her coffee and Barbara. For a moment she lost track of the here and now and drifted off into the peace of the ocean.

Something caught Kira’s eye, and she turned to see Grant taking measurements, preparing for the construction. Feelings she hadn’t felt in so long flooded her as she watched his dark, wavy hair blow in the breeze. Half sighing, half growling to herself, she turned from the window. Distractions were not what she needed now. There was a routine to follow. For Jared’s sake.

***

Preorders for your signed print copy of CRASHING HEARTS can be ordered via paypal here for $12.00 each or contact me directly to arrange payment. Ebook is available on Amazon. Hope you enjoy the preview.

Do Your Kids Have Ereaders?

2012-01-11T02:52:00.003-05:00

The other day, my daughter brought home a note from school. It said this:

Good Evening,

At the start of the school year several families asked if their child can bring in a Nook or Kindle for reading. At that time the answer was no. Over the last week Mr. F and the AR team have revisited that rule. Attached is the eReader policy that XXX Elementary will follow going forward. If you are interested in having your child bring their eReader to school please read over the attached policy, sign and have your child bring in the signed form to me. Once I have the form in hand, I will e-mail you confirmation that I have received the form. After you received that e-mail you may send in the eReader with your son or daughter. Please DO NOT send in the eReader until I have confirmed receipt of your signed policy form.

I wonder if this is happening across the country, if schools are revisiting their policies and if we will see more and more children bringing ereaders to school. I don't want to get into issues of equality and what this means for children who can't afford such devices, though I think it's a worthy topic of discussion. What I want to focus on is the implications this has on young readers and the future of the digital market.

Today's children are very quick to pick up new technology and to adapt it to their needs. I know there are readers out there who don't have an ereader or who feel that nothing can substitute for the feel of a paperback in their hand. Don't expect the next generation to feel the same. Moreover, the popularity of ereaders is likely to encourage more reading which is good news for authors.

According to an August 2011 article in The Atlantic 3,000 young adult novels were published in 1997. By 2009 that number had jumped to 30,000 with sales surpassing $3 billion. The point of this article is that young adult is not simply read by young people anymore. That's true, but consider that this increase also likely reflects growth in the number of young readers. Kids will no longer be carrying one book to school, they'll be carrying an ereader loaded with all their favorites. Expect books and authors to become a hot topic of discussion as they compare favorites and explore new stories.

It's an exciting time to be an author, scary too. But there are more and more opportunities out there to tell a great story. The popularity of ereaders with young people is a positive sign that demand for books will stay strong into the future.

So what do you think will be the effect of ereaders on children and teens? Do your kids or grandkids have ereaders?

A slip of the tongue

2012-01-09T16:43:00.001-05:00

A slip of a tongue can provide a funny moment or...it can change your life

RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN
A sensual and romantic comedy novel set in France:

What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms?

When forbidden dreams about the sexy French Dr. Yves Malroux assail her at every turn, Mary-Beth puts her wedding plans on hold. The man would probably not even remember the plump nerd she was three years ago before she lost her illusions faster than her pounds. Regardless, to be able to marry her fiancé without reservations, Mary-Beth needs to confront her past and flies to France for a summer training program in surgery with Yves.

But Yves never forgets an organ he removed from a patient or a woman he dated. And he never forgot the pretty student of Harvard Medical School who has turned into a stunning beauty and seems in serious need of coaching about spicing her serious life with some fun and passion.

While too many questions still swirled in her mind, her jealous fiancé summons her back home.

Will Mary-Beth let her heart decide who’s her right man? Will Yves break his no-strings-attached rule to offer love and commitment?
****

Reviews:

*****Satisfying RomanceBy H. M. Taylor "silvarie" - (England)

This contemporary romance has it all: a strong likeable heroine who has overcome problems that will resonate with many readers, a to-die-for hero, the perfect alpha male, and a fantastic setting in the beautiful French countryside... The secondary characters add depth to the story as they are so well developed and believable. A very satisfying read and perfect to chill out with during the coming holiday season.

*****Unforgettable, By Seniorcitizen - This is a five star plus from Mona Risk. Pulled me in within the first chapter and kept me hooked. And oh, that night in Paris in a heavy rainstorm - I just had to re- read it several times for the sheer pleasure of it. I couldn't have imagined it any better.

*****Be safe or take a chance? By Margaret W. Toussaint - We're all come to this particular crossroads before. Right Name, Wrong Man takes us on a journey through surgeries, clinics, wineries, French chateaus, and Paris. Mary-Beth questions whether duty and obligation are enough for her; sexy Yves wonders if he can truly love again. Emotionally satisfying and great scenery to boot.

****Great Reading, By A. Jardine "Nancy Jardine" (Scotland) - A very enjoyable read. It was a heartwarming story-the separation and then meeting up again of the lovers not a conflagration- more of a slow burn. Mona Risk takes the reader into the environment of the hero, Yves the French Count. What more could Mary-Beth want?

*****I fell in love with Yves, By Linda B. Nightingale The doctor and French count is to-die-for. Couple this with the author's engaging voice and a heroine as well crafted as the hero, and you've got a book that will stay with you. From the first line, this book grabs and keeps your attention. I will re-read Right Name, Wrong Man.

*****A love story fit for the holidays! By Patrice Wilton "Author" (Florida) - I picked up this book recently, and found that I couldn't put it down. It was a sweet, satisfying romance with strong characters and a well written plot. The descriptions are eloquent and make you want to jump on the next plane to France.

*****When you whisper sweet nothings, you gotta use the right name! By Mary M. Barfield "Mary Marvella" Let's say you're in bed with the man you plan to marry and he calls you the wrong name. In this story the heroine does the oops! Talk about her subconscious at work! Ms Risk shares her wonderful characters (a French count) and takes us to exotic places. (Vive la Francais).You won't be able to put this book down and you won't want this one to end.

****
About the author:
In a past life, Mona Risk was a chemist who mixed solutions, dipped her gloved fingers in dirty waste, and ran complicated equipment in order to declare drinking water safe for consumption.

When her Ph.D. and work in chemistry landed her international contracts to refurbish laboratories, she traveled to more than sixty countries on business or vacation. To relax from her hectic schedule, she avidly read romance novels and mentally plotted her own books. Eventually she left her scientific career to share with her readers the many stories brewing in her head. M. Risk likes to set her stories in the fascinating places she visited— from exotic Belarus, and historical France, to the beaches of Greece, the monuments of Egypt and the mysterious Islands of Seychelles.

“Mona Risk writes heroes with heart, heroines with spunk, in stories and settings that are simply unforgettable.” Roxanne St. Claire, NY Best Selling author.

“Mona Risk knows how to pull a reader into the minds of her well-crafted characters. Her work takes us on a journey be it local or overseas.” Night Owl Reviews.

Links: http://www.monarisk.com/
http://www.monarisk.blogspot.com/

Books by Mona Risk:
RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN, 99cents http://tinyurl.com/85o4wg7
NO MORE LIES 99cents, http://tinyurl.com/3lenmfd

TO LOVE A HERO, 99cents, http://www.jasminejade.com/p-4094-to-love-a-hero.aspx
FRENCH PERIL, 99cents, http://www.jasminejade.com/p-4514-french-peril.aspx
Rx in RUSSIAN: http://tinyurl.com/6boox95
BABIES IN THE BARGAIN,
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/babies-in-the-bargain-p-1298.html
OSIRIS’ MISSING PART: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9394-osiris-missing-part.aspx

Joanne--Dave Barry's gift guide

2012-01-08T17:29:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,
It's the 8th of the month, and I wanted to share another very funny classic Dave Barry. While visions of the holiday still float in our heads, this is his take on holiday gifts. Enjoy!

"Men, typically, who are busy during the holiday season with responsibilities such as watching the playoffs, manage to get their wives an average total of one gift, which they wrap hastily at the last minute, which is why they do not notice that the wrapping paper says "Happy Birthday!" Sometimes a husband, trying to make his gift output look larger, will wrap the batteries separately. (I have done this.)"

So, is anyone's husband/boyfriend guilty of this?

Dare to Dream!

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Photo by Frank Wolzein

I thought this photo perfect for new beginnings. The new year is full of possibilities. Take advantage. Dare to dream!

Happy New Year!

---------------

Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream. She is a pre-published writer who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. DawnMarieHamilton.com

You can also visit Dawn Marie at Castles & Guns on January 17 and January 31. And at Celtic Hearts on February 6.

Twitter: @DawnM_Hamilton

The Reluctant Cougar and Self Promotion

2012-01-04T06:36:00.000-05:00

The epitome of being a successful author is having your book in the grocery store, especially if it is in a cardboard display in front of the checkout aisles. Everyone who goes to the grocery will see your book. Next time you shop, check out the display. It is only the very well known authors who rate this type of promotion; the rest must self-promote. In fact, it is even in the contract of many small presses that failure to self-promote will result in termination of contract.

Social media, new releases, contests, blogs, interviews, book signings, and a booth at appropriate venues are venues for self-promotion. My first taste was with my book, RELUCTANT COUGAR by Secret Cravings Publishing that came out in November. I did the news releases, social media, website and the book went to two dozen reviewers without a ripple being made in the literary world. Time to try different tactics; I entered RELUCTANT COUGAR in cover contest at http://yougottareadcovers.blogspot.com.

Of course, the contest fell on Christmas week. I begged friends, associates and friends of friends to vote. My daughter, future stepdaughter, and betrothed all begged for votes on their social media pages. I went back and re-asked friends who hadn't voted to vote to garner a third place banner and a free month of advertising.
It is work, but it is far from over. I must get Reluctant Cougar running, before my second book, CUB IN BLUE, comes out in January. To this end, I have a contest for a wonderful 18" strand of pearls, plus Godiva chocolate. Surf over to morgankwyatt.com to enter.

One lucky commenter will win the book. Here’s a short excerpt.

Char considered Ashlee’s words for all of five seconds. “Nope, he wants you. Young guys are going out with older women all the time. Don’t you watch television? Read magazines?” Char surveyed the break room. Spotting the east sector security guard, she motioned him over to the table.

When Ashlee left, she usually made a point of saying goodbye to Darius, the guard, who seemed to be on the shy side. She feared for him since you could never tell what Char might do.

“Darius,” Char started, “we need a younger man’s opinion and thought you’d do. By the way, how old are you?”
“Twenty-eight,” Darius answered, fiddling with the radio on his belt.

“Good.” Char chortled. “Here’s the deal—”

“Char,” Ashlee said, trying to stop her.

Not dissuaded, Char pulled him back into the conversation. “Darius, our friend, Ashlee,” she waved off-handedly at Ashlee as if Darius hasn’t wished her goodnight for the last sixteen months , “has an admirer who is constantly sending her emails, cards, jokes, and such. He does this twice a week. Ashlee thinks he can’t be interested in her because he’s considerably younger. We need your younger man opinion since you’re roughly in the same age range as her possible beau.”

Just hearing Nick called her beau made Ashlee blush, but she stayed quiet, curious to see what Darius thought.

He asked, “How long has he been sending you stuff?

Drawing her brows together, she considered the time. “Six months.”

“Six months. Wow, have to admire the dude. He has tenacity. Any average guy would have given up by now. I bet you’ve done enough to give him hope.” Darius nodded, agreeing with himself.

“You think he’s really interested in me?” Ashlee found the whole concept shocking. No one would mistake her for a Botox-filled Hollywood star chasing younger men.

“Way past interested, I’d almost say obsessed. There’s no reason a guy would keep contacting you if he wasn’t interested in seeing more of you,” Darius explained as if she were a particularly dense child.

“I thought he was being nice,” she explained, ignoring the group stare confirming her dim-wittedness.

“No guy is that nice. He wants to go out with you. Has he ever asked you out?” Darius continued, suddenly a part of the group.

“No, well…” She thought about the awkward phone call they had when she went to help Daniel’s sisters with a yard sale featuring his possessions. “Last time I traveled through his area, he did mention going out for drinks, but as a friend deal.”

Interested in reading more? Cougar is available in ebook form at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Bookstrand and Secret Cravings, here's their link: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=5&products_id=181 If you read this far, then you deserve the answer to the contest. The move is 9 ½ Weeks. Surf on over to morgankwyatt.com and enter. I extended the contest to February 15th. Good Luck.

BEFORE YOU LIST YOUR 2012 GOALS...

2012-01-02T00:08:00.000-05:00

Allow yourself to take stock of what you were able to accomplish in 2011. Did you get a contract or have strong sales or conquer a writing flaw? Yay you!

As writers, we'd all like to make a big sale with a fantastic advance and find oursleves on the Best Seller list. Is that goal achievable? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

But to prepare ourselves, I think we need to see how we've grown as writers in 2011. Then evaluate how we can grow stronger as writers in 2012. How can we improve at our craft?

I'm going through the first round of edits with my agent, so improving is at the forefront of my mind right now. Gee, and I thought I'd licked that bad habit of using passive language. I can't seem to get it through my head that to write "was smiling" is passive. I've got my characters "was ______ing" all over the place. Oy! So before I can dream about a big sale and making any kind of best seller list, I've got a lot of work to do.

Obviously, as a new writer, I need to take stock of areas of craft in which I need to improve. I need to keep growing. Someone once said the learning curve of a writer is continual. So true. To be easy on myself, I'm tackling two weak areas this year: passive language use and character development.

That's not to say I won't also make goals. I loved Jill's list from yesterday. We need goals--realistic goals--to keep our writing careers on track. I want to get a contract for the book I'm editing now. I also want to write at least two more books and a novella/short story. Then there's the social media to utilize more effectively. Boy, do I need someone to hold my hand through that fast-moving maze.

Reflect a little before you make your goals' list for 2012. And good luck to you all in achieving them.

2012 and you

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Whether you call them resolutions or goals doesn't matter. It is still what you want to accomplish in the new year. At the end of 2012, assuming the Mayans were wrong and we are still here, what do you want to have achieved?

I started out with a goal of wanting four books published in 2012. One (fingers crossed) to The Wild Rose Press, two more self-published to finish the trilogy of Second Chances, and my zombie romance. But when I looked at the calendar I realized with how much I have finished on each of those stories I was probably only looking at April or May.

Last time I looked, a year had more months then that. LOL So I reset my goals to six books in 2012. For me, that is an ambitious task, but I'm determined that 2012 is the year I take writing seriously and devote hours a day, each day, to the job.

I have other goals, not writing-related that I want to see through in the new year. I want to read more and different genres and to leave reviews for every book I read.

I want to exercise more and get healthy to see many more books published by myself and my friends. I want to eat better and make my husband eat better too. (this may be impossible goal. LOL)

I want to write more letters and send them to our military family members. Mail from home is a gift they love.

I want to be stronger in my convictions and state what I feel without second and third guessing myself with if it is too opinionated.

At the end of 2012, what do you want to look back on and see as your accomplishments?

Jill James
Tempting Adam, now available
Divorce, Interrupted, now available
Someone To Trust, available soon

The H in my DH

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

In preparation for the Christmas rush of visitors to our humble home, I spent hours and hours in the kitchen; devising menus, finding recipes, doing advance prep when possible. More hours were spent cleaning said humble home. And still more in decking the halls inside and out.

You get the hair-frazzling frenzy.

Through it all, I had unflagging assistance with the scheming, cleaning, and decorating from my dear husband (DH).

That’s right, He of the Lost Recipe, knows how to help in more ways than creative filing.

Well, he's not that handy around the stove. But everywhere else, he was elbow-deep in holiday preparations. The man can wield a vacuum cleaner with the best of them. Not to mention a snow shovel. Or, bliss, a body massager.

So now all the guests have come and gone; fed, watered, and gifted. I sit at the table with my book and my mid-morning coffee before me. Blessed peace reigns over the sunny day.

The DH thanks me for all the hard work I’ve done to make another wonderful holiday. Just as he leans over to follow his lovely words with a kiss, the birds in the yard break into mad song.

“Listen to that,” says the DH, his brown eyes twinkling. “The birds want to kiss you, too.”

Sometimes, the H in DH stands for more than husband.

photo credit: Stuart Miles

A New Beginning!!

2011-12-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

The end of the year always makes me think of the yearpassed, and the year ahead. I’ve neverbeen a big “resolution” maker. Mainly,because if you don’t accomplish them…that can make the new year suck.

But, I do try to set goals. For me, there’s a slight difference in the two. One puts me closer to where I want to be inlife, and the other makes me feel like crap when I don’t accomplish it. I know subtle, but it’s there J One of those goals wasthat by a certain age, I’d return to my hometown, and open my ownbusiness. I’m here! (I’ll have to keep you posted on the rest.)

This year, I spent the first Christmas with my family andfriends in TN that I’ve spent in over 10 years! Having lived outside of TN for over twenty years, I normally switchedoff the holidays with my ex, which is probably why Thanksgiving became such animportant time of year for me.

Being only inches away from my niece and nephews as theyopened their gifts, instead of mailing them and hearing from my brother oftheir excitement can’t be explained. Spendingmonths in my hometown, becoming a part of my family and the community I’d movedaway from for so many years inspired a short story that I wrote for theholidays, Christmas’ Journey.

Christmas’ Journeyis one woman’s attempt at giving back something to the community sheloved. Maybe, along the way, she canfind a little holiday magic to help her, not only in giving back, but infinding a long-lasting love.

Blurb: Christmas Davis wanted to give something back to thecommunity she loved. But,that opportunity was lost to her. Althoughwon by another, would his ambitions allow him to help those in need?

PresleyMarino knew she might say no, but she was the only person he wanted. Together, they could change things inthe hometown they both loved. Thatpart would be easy, but convincing her and his brother wouldn’t.

Wouldthey allow an uneasy history to silence a need for change, or would they forcea new beginning?

I hope that y’all are enjoying your time with family andfriends! And I wish you all a Happy NewYear!

The Wolf Pack Has Come Home!

2011-12-26T01:35:00.023-05:00

Family is so important and I'm thrilled to be off from work to visit with my son and daughter and their significant others all week long!

The wolf pack has expanded and come home. :)

I'm giving more copies of Dreaming of the Wolf away this week...OH, OH, OH...Dreaming of the Wolf was nominated for the CAPA! Cupid and Psyche Awards! :)

Though I didn't get a chance to say so before Christmas, hope everyone's holidays are the greatest!

Take a wolf home with you and unstress a bit! :)

I'm talking about Life without Fantasy at All things Urban Fantasy for another giveaway. I loved Abigail's introduction: Terry is here celebrating the release of DREAMING OF THE WOLF (available now from Sourcebooks Casablanca), the eight book in her Heart of the Wolf paranormal romance series about alpha werewolves and the women who tame them.

http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/12/guest-blog-giveaway-terry-spear-on-life.html

and

Paranormal Haven

I'm also at Paranormal Addicts and You Gotta Read Reviews today, and Larissa's Life tomorrow and Fangtastic Books Reviews, Book Lovers and Procrastinators, Thoughts in Progress, United by Books, Lori Devoti's special vampire blog after that. So lots more Christmas wolves for under the tree!

And here you thought I was just lounging around with a wolf! :)

This is me with all the bright eyed kids home. Note, one kid is a bit sleepy. They were too! LOL

My son has an impacted wisdom tooth that's been killing him. His wife came down with a cold. My son in law is allergic to my house. And my daughter and I are doing fine. Fingers crossed.

So I'm off to work this morning for a short while, then I have to get a new monitor because???? Mine is going out on me. That was the verdict from all 5 of us computer whizzes. No loose connections. No computer malfunctions. Just one dying monitor. :(

And that's the news from here. We've had wonderful feasts. Terrific game playing company. I haven't won one of the games yet, but I'm just giving everyone a false sense of superiority, and then...yeah, like the poker player who is really a card shark, I'll show them all what I've got.

In my dreams/stories. LOL I died during one of the games 4 times yesterday. That has to be an all time record. And twice my daughter instigated everyone to gang up on me to kill me off. But she didn't win anyway. Karma. You know. LOL

Today I'm at You Gotta Reviews Guest Blog talking about before you gotta read this, the writer's gotta write it. And a free giveaway is yours for one commenter!

I'm also here with free giveaways!
Paranormal Addicts

Larissa's Bookish Life

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas!! I've got to get to work! So I can get off work...and play.
Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality."
www.terryspear.com

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing much else to say today -- I'm off enjoying the day with family and friends, and I hope you're doing the same!

J L W

Reindeer as Pets by Paisley Kirkpatrick

2011-12-24T00:57:00.000-05:00

This time of year, images of Santa’s reindeer appear in movies and TV shows shaping your children’s view of where they live and how they act. Sure, Santa’s reindeer are special – they can fly – but impress your kids by telling them there are more than just the ones living at the North Pole. A herd of reindeer can reach the thousands.

Most live in the forests and tundras of Northern Asia, Scandinavia, Siberia and Greenland. In some regions of Finland, Norway and Russia reindeer are kept as pets. They pull sleighs and can run up to 40 miles per hour.
These reindeer play games, too. They participate in races by pulling kids on sleds or skis around a track.

In Norwegian communities, reindeer are given as wedding gifts. They are strong swimmers, weigh between 200 and 700 pounds and eat 12 pounds of grass, lichens and plants a day. While they don’t have the glamorous job of pulling Santa’s sleigh your children should agree reindeer are pretty cool even if they can’t talk like they do on TV.

The year that my husband and I visited our exchange daughter in Sweden, she took us to Stockholm, Sweden. This unique city has a delightful place to visit with reindeer. I will never forget standing on the railing of the fence and petting the antlers of a huge reindeer. They were in the velvet stage and so soft. It almost felt like magic even to me as an adult. Every year at this time, I can vividly remember the day I met a reindeer.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

I’m a Santaholic

2011-12-22T07:30:00.004-05:00

Christmas is only three days away and I cannot focus on my writing. Every December I fall in love with Santa Claus. I’m unable to help myself. We romance writers recognize the ultimate happily ever after. My addiction to everything Santa began decades ago when I married my husband and moved into his home. You see, our street is special. I know everyone reading this will say the same about theirs.

However, we not only decorate our homes we go a couple steps further with a tradition established long before I joined my husband. In December our block long street transforms into Candlestick Lane. In the daytime you can appreciate the long-ago artist neighbor who created the signage that invites you in.

Each house comes with two candy cane candles which miraculously pop up the first Sunday of every December. When you buy a house on our street you join a long line of neighbors who honor the past. A different neighbor hosts our Christmas party where we celebrate the season with young and old alike. We are known throughout our community. Cars motor up and down at night while children press their noses to the window glass.

It’s easy to understand their reason. We all yearn for traditions, familiar links that united us as human beings. I’m proud our street, with its shifting population of seniors replaced by young families, holds this faith close.

I’ve acquired a Santa ornament collection over the years which will ultimately pass on to our sons and their families. So I begin another tradition. I believe that’s the true meaning of this holiday. Pass on the love, the cherished memories and the fellowship.

What special tradition makes this time of year special to you?

A Gift

2011-12-19T19:50:00.001-05:00

Nice things often come in small packages at this time of year. Here is a gift I found recently. I hope you like it.

F-A-D.

This is Evan Marshall’s memory aid for writing action or reaction sequences so your writing is logical and smooth. F-A-D stands for feelings/thoughts, action, dialogue.

A heroine’s feelings or thoughts come first. This may need a paragraph or a page, or she may have a split second flash.

The she reacts to what she has felt (or thought) with a physical action. She freezes. She smiles. She looks around frantically. She throws her arms around her lover’s neck. The action is justified by her just-stated inner state.

Finally she speaks. What she says will advance the story because it will invite a response reaction from whoever is in the scene with her.

Here’s a non- F-A-D sequence:
“I’m sorry, Brad,” Amy said. “I’m just not ready.” Her hand trembled as she stared down at the small, black jeweler’s box. Her mind raced through her now familiar list of marriage pros and cons.

Here’s the same sequence using F-A-D:
As she stared down at the small, black jeweler’s box, Amy’s mind raced through her now familiar list of marriage pros and cons. Her hand trembled. “I’m sorry, Brad. I’m just not ready.”

Which sounds more logical? Which sounds smoother and more polished?

I think F-A-D. It’s a gift that will keep on giving to me.

FRIENDS

2011-12-18T08:28:00.001-05:00

Today I was tired and for a change watched old shows on the TV. In fact, four old episodes of FRIENDS. Particularly the one where Ross goes to London to marry his British fiancée, Emily. Joey, Chandler and Monica fly with him. Phoebe stays home because she’s pregnant and big. Rachel stays with her because she can’t stand to see Ross getting married. But she changes her mind and follows them, wanting to tell Ross she’s still in love with him, before it’s too late.

When she arrives at the hotel, she finds him kissing Emily, and just hugs him saying, “Congratulations.”
When the pastor tells Ross, "Repeat after me, I, Ross, take you, Emily, to be my wedded wife…”
Ross says, “ I, Ross, take you Rachel to be my wedded wife…”

Emily didn’t take it well at all! And I couldn’t stop laughing at Ross’ predicament.

Oops, wrong name blurted at the worst possible time. I couldn’t believe my eyes, because my new story starts with Mary-Beth blurting the wrong name while making love to her fiancé. Nothing like saying the wrong name to put the kibosh on wedding plans!

But what if the wrong name turns out to be the right one?

RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN is a sexy romantic comedy set in France.
What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms?

When forbidden dreams about the sexy French Dr. Yves Malroux assail her at every turn, Mary-Beth puts her wedding plans on hold. She signs up for a summer training program in surgery with Yves, and flies to France to confront her past and the man who broke her heart years ago.

But she never expected the French doctor--who’s also a count-- to insist on his trainees staying at his historical chateau. Sleeping under his roof, next door to his bedroom, is more temptation than Mary-Beth anticipated. Desire for Yves burns as hot as ever, especially when he focuses all his charm on Mary-Beth to convince her she needs passion in her life. While too many questions still swirled in her mind, her jealous fiancé summons her back home.

Will Mary-Beth let her heart decide who’s her right man? Will Yves break his no-strings-attached rule to offer love and commitment?

Excerpt:Chapter One

“Love you, Yves.” Marie-Beth Drake purred and cuddled deeper against her lover’s broad chest.

Already half-asleep, Steve squeezed her to his side, with a faint “Hmm”. Soon, his light snores filled the air. Sated and relaxed, she stroked his silvery hair. “Love you—”

She froze.

What had she called him?

Oh God, oh God. Had she said Steve or… Yves?

Her fiancé grumbled in his sleep. She immediately yanked her hand away from his head. Her fingers flew to her lips and her stomach somersaulted. She couldn’t have whispered the loathsome name? She’d buried it long ago and forgotten the sexy French doctor and his charismatic smile.

Had Steve noticed the slip of her tongue?

MYTHS ABOUT WRITING

2011-12-15T01:21:00.000-05:00

Myths about Writing Novels

I’m working on my second novel with Laura Kelly, my eagle-eyed andtalented editor from The Wild Rose Press. I’ve been a serious author for ten years, but daily, my suppositionsabout writing and publishing get blown to smithereens.

Myth #1 Stories pop out of awriter’s head, like Venus from the clamshell, fully formed.

So not true. Stories mightpop out of my experiences and my imagination in mysterious ways, but they arerarely fully formed. No. It’s up to me to sculpt the story myself,then grab an assorted group of critics to give me a feel for how my plot andcharacters play out for them. More rewritingafter that. More critics. More rewriting. One final critique, then I’m ready forsubmission.

Myth #2 Once the novel issubmitted, it is ‘fully formed.’

Don’t you wish! From what Iunderstand, publishers expect a novel to be 85% to 95% complete. Makes sense to me. Still, the editing of that 5% to 15% of thenovel is a challenging, complex process, guided by an astute editor and awilling writer. I have never worked sohard as I have on my story under the tutelage of my editor. This is the nuance stage, the chance toperfect a novel. Think word by word,sentence by sentence, scene by scene. Myeditor and I rethink the whole book, making sure that the whole is truly thebest sum of its parts.

Myth #3 Revision is painful…editor as dentist, writer as patient,book as a pesky root canal.

Definitely not true. I loverevising my novels under the watchful eye of my editor. This is the ultimate experience of an artist…thebig league, the BIG show. As much as Iadore my cadre of armchair critics, it’s in the capable hands of my editor thatI feel the Venus of my story rising to perfection. My editor knows my market, she gets my bookand after years of editing, she also understands how to help a writer like memanage the tough job of revision.

Any thoughts about my myths? Do you have more to add? Am Inuts that I love revision so much?

My Latest Obsession

2011-12-14T04:00:00.005-05:00

Not quite a month ago I got an email from one of my older publishers asking me what kind of promotion I was doing. Promotion? Not much at the moment. Why? I asked.

Well, because some of my old titles over at Amazon were selling quite a few more copies than they’d expected given how old the titles were.

I said, okay, that’s interesting and I checked it out and sure enough Promises To Keep, my first book in the Gaian series, was ranked around 1,200 over at Amazon. Even more, I was on a couple of best seller lists, including at number 11 on the Space Opera, just under one of Orson Scott Card’s Ender books, and above the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Okay, that’s just plain weird because I had no idea why a book I wrote in 2004 would be burning up the charts like that. It had good reviews, it had finaled in a published author’s contest but at its peak it never sold that well.

So I investigated a little more. First of all, it is the entry book to a series of four titles about a future time when a colony of Earth has gained its independence. Some of the titles take place during the war, some just after it ended. The premise is that some of the men from Gaia, the former colony, are desperate for wives so they start kidnapping women from Earth. You see unless a Gaian man finds a woman he matches he can’t have sex with anyone, so being guys they are pretty motivated to make that happen.

Add to it that Gaia has a shortage of women due to the destruction of one of their girl’s schools at the beginning of the war, so they have to look to Earth, even if the Earth’s military was responsible for the destruction.

This provides me with goals, motivations, and a lot of conflict for my characters since it is usually a guy from Gaia falling for a woman from Earth he might not otherwise want to be involved with. Also the guys tend to get very hot and bothered as soon as they meet the women, so it isn’t hard to add a sexual component, although I don’t write these books as sex romps the way I do some of my other books.

But these books have been out there for quite a while. The book Promises To Keep was published in 2004. Even with good, albeit older reviews on Amazon, it shouldn’t be outselling Hitchhiker’s guide.
So I have to make some guesses as to why that might be.

First there is the price of the first book: $2.99. That’s an interesting price point. Cheap enough so that people are tempted into looking at the book. The premise is interesting. Since most of the action takes place on the Gaian flagship “The Promise” I’ve sometimes referred to the book as “Mars Needs Women meets the Love Boat”. The cover is pretty good, a nice blue color and a half-naked hunk on the front. I think people are picking it up because there isn’t a lot of science fiction romance out there, the price is right, and the book shows as a recommendation when someone buys a similar book.

Which brings me to my latest obsession: Novelrank. Novelrank is a website that takes Amazon data and tracks it for different books, translating the data into approximate sales. If you are selling more than one book an hour, then their algorithm can miss some sales, but for books like mine, they claim to be pretty accurate. They update the data hourly as it comes in from the Amazon sales sites.

I’ve been following Promises To Keep for the past couple of weeks using Novelrank: http://www.novelrank.com/asin/B003XYEVIW as well as the other books in the Gaian world. Sales of the other books aren’t as good as the first book but for older titles they are respectable. Some of that might be that they are a dollar or two more than $2.99 and also some people will read the first book of a series and then not bother picking up the second or third or even fourth book.

But then there are the times I’ll see that there was a sale of all four titles in the same hour, and I just wonder. Did someone like my world so much they bought all four at the same time?

This makes me smile. You see, it isn’t really the money although when I get my next check I expect I’ll smile then as well. It is the thought that somewhere someone is reading my words and enjoying the world I built out of my head.

Next week on Wednesday I have chat to discuss the Gaian world on the NCP Network at 7PM EST. I'm looking forward to talking to people about my books.

RWA wants to know what I consider success? That’s success.

Janet Miller/Cricket Starr
http://www.cricketstarr.com

Christmas

2011-12-13T06:33:00.000-05:00

Christmas was my favorite time of the year when I was a child. Isn't it everyone's? Even as my kids were little, I loved Christmas. Seeing their faces when they opened their presents, the joy they had as they got older and buying gifts for people less fortunate then themselves. It was a great time.

As time goes by, Christmas tends to stress me out more and more and I just don't enjoy it like I used to. Trees are hard to find. We always cut our own, but I have developed an allergy to all Christmas trees except Scotch Pines. They are becoming increasingly difficult to find and how I fight against having to get a fake tree. Everything is so expensive.

This year as I sit in my living room looking at the bare tree, yet to be decorated, I remember the peace that comes with Christmas also. The evenings of sitting with the lights off, except for the lights on the tree, and just enjoying it. It really doesn't matter the amount of gifts around the tree, its the joy of always having my family close. This year will be no exception as my oldest daughter travels from North Caroline to be home for the holidays.

The family grows this year with the addition of our first grandson who is just fascinated with the tree. One of my fondest memories is of my kids being very little and sitting in front of the Christmas tree with just the lights on as we sang Christmas songs. The simple things of being with family and just enjoying each other is really all I need for Christmas. What's your wish for the Christmas season?

"Our Own Stuff"

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it." ~David Sedaris

I found that quote this morning and it made me stop and go, "Huh. How true is that? Each of us does bring "our own stuff" into what we read."

Don't agree? How many times have you started writing something and had to scrap it because the characters just weren't speaking to you? How many times have you started reading a story and put it down because you just couldn't relate to the character?

We DO bring "our own stuff" into what we're reading or what we're writing. As writers, when something interesting happens around us, we frequently stop to think, "how can I use that in a story?" We see something, hear something, and BOOM! We HAVE to use that.

Then, when we're reading something someone else has written, we tend to identify with one particular character. If something bad happens to that character or they do soemthing that we think is 'out of the norm' for them, we can get angry with the creator of that character.

We've all heard stories of authors getting letters from 'fans' angry with them for having a character do or say something that they feel is 'not right' for that character. Even though that character sprang from the author's imaginaion, not the reader's, the reader feels they "own" that character. One of our readers swatted Cai with the second book in our Lusting Wild series because the hero of that book was the villain of book one. She was angry that we made her love him. The first book in that series is Changing Times and the second is Changing Hearts. Luckily, the hero in Changing Focus was never a villain, so we didn't get bruised for writing his story.

We agonize over our stories. We strive for perfection. We work our tails off to get everything right in our work. We hope people will become invested in our characters, our plots, our little worlds. We wait anxiously for that first review, the first time someone says, "Oh, I read your book!" We obsessively check our email for fan mail.

What we don't do is stop to think about others bringing their "own stuff" into our world. And quite possibly, we shouldn't. If we stopped to try to please everyone else, we'd never be able to please ourselves. We need to embrace our characters, give them life, and then turn them loose into the world to see what life they take on for themselves in the minds of our readers.

So what do you think about this issue of control? How does it affect your writing?

Dessert for that After Dinner Hour

2011-12-11T06:23:00.007-05:00

When Christmas season rolls around, I get all warm and fuzzy. I put up the Christmas tree with my boys and we make a big occasion of it. I wrap all my presents on Christmas Eve, meaning I get to bed at some ridiculous hour. My husband usually gives up and goes before me. ( : I also do a lot of cooking in preparation. This year I figure to have roast beef and a pasta dish as well as a big salad and lots of sides.

And then there's dessert. I've got a sweet tooth and on Christmas Day I don't mind indulging. This year, I've decided to try a cheesecake recipe that I'm going to share with you.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake

24 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa
1 pint whipping cream
5 jumbo eggs separated
2 envelopes gelatin
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream (or St. Brendan's)

Soften the gelatin in the water in a small saucepan. Stir the egg yolks into 1 cup sugar. Add mixture to the gelatin and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Let cool. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa and beat again. Add the Bailey's and beat some more. Slowly add the gelatin mixture in and blend well. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar to the egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cheese mixture. Pour over a ready-made crust or a crust of your making, and refrigerate for several hours or let set overnight.

For some crumb crust recipes, check out these tutorials:
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/how-to-make-a-pie3.htm
http://allrecipes.com/howto/making-crumb-crusts/

For my Blueberry Crumble or Bailey's Co-Co Bay recipes click on the links.

Want more holiday recipes? Get a free gift from Gabriella today. A free eBook download of HOT IN THE KITCHEN featuring today’s hottest romance authors and sizzling recipes. http://www.gabriellahewitt.com/free-reads/

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2012!

Joanne--Dave Barry's guide to Holiday gift-giving

2011-12-08T13:50:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
It's the 8th of the month, and I'm sharing a post from Dave Barry regarding holiday gift-giving and what men are thinking: (hint, they're not)

"Your standard man, at this point in the Christmas season, has purchased zero gifts. He has not yet gotten around to purchasing an acceptable gift for his wife for LAST Christmas. He did give her something for last year, but he could tell by her reaction to it that she had not been dreaming of getting an auto emergency kit, even though it was the deluxe model with booster cables AND an air compressor. Clearly this gift violated an important rule, but the man had no idea what this rule was, and his wife was too upset to tell him."

Me again: What is the worst Christmas gift that your husband/boyfriend ever gave you for Christmas? Mine was a vacuum cleaner. (Yes, really!)

Christmas Memories

2011-12-07T06:00:00.007-05:00

with:
Irving
"the unemployed horse"

by Richard Condon
narrated by Allan Melvin
from MGM Records

I did my pre-holiday house cleaning the other day while listening to Christmas CDs. (Okay, maybe I'm dating myself here.) One in particular, Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs, provoked a twang of nostalgia. Listening to the voices of Burl Ives, Jimmy Durante, Fred Astaire and others from classic holiday TV specials, especially Frosty the Snowman, brought on a rush of childhood memories.

One recollection came from when I was about four years old, and involved a Christmas gift from my aunt and uncle. My very first audio book—Irving "the unemployed horse."

Irving is a talking horse, who gallops from New York to the North Pole to save a snowflake named Gus. All ends happily-ever-after when Gus arrives safely and Irving gets a job with Santa. The inside and outside covers illustrate the story. I listened to those 78RPM records over and over again, driving my two older siblings crazy.

The nostalgia has stayed with me, teasing me, haunting me. So I jumped onto the internet and fired up that wonderful invention of a search engine. And what do you know? I found several sites referencing Irving, including, to my utmost joy, available downloads and an audio stream from kiddierecords.com.

I found reviews in Billboard and Life magazines from 1947. (No, I wasn't alive in 1947. Not even close.) Life wrote, "A delightful fable about a horse that rescues a snowflake from a fate worse than death." Sounds like a pitch to me, and in only sixteen words.

C. H. Miller Hardware Co. placed an ad in the Daily News, Huntington and Mount Union, PA on Friday, September 26, 1947, advertising a Christmas lay-away plan, including several children's records. Irving was listed for $1.45, tax included, alongside Tubby the tuba, Herman the littlest locomotive, and the Bear that wasn't.

The story of Irving and Gus by Richard Condon is narrated by Allan Melvin. If you're old enough, you might remember Allan as the voice of Magilla Gorilla and as Alice's boyfriend, Sam the butcher, from the Brady Bunch.

Listening to the download of Irving "the unemployed horse" has brought a huge smile to my face.

What holiday memories make you grin?

I wish you all a happy and blessed holiday season!

-----------

Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream. She is a pre-published writer who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. DawnMarieHamilton.com You can also visit Dawn Marie at Castles & Guns on Tuesday December 20. Twitter: @DawnM_Hamilton

Mouse Wars

2011-12-04T05:00:00.002-05:00

It is fall and winter is slipping around the corner with a vengeance. No wonder a black field mouse crept in probably when we left the door open for our cautious Boxer. He likes the door opened very wide. Once when he was young one of the children allowed the door to touch him, more likely slam on him. Now I have to stand at the door and urge him to go out. Most of the family isn't that patient and simply prop the door open, thus in came Fernando.

My daughter texted me while I was at work and informed me that Fernando, yes, she named him, and friend were peering at her while she was watching Fellowship of the Ring for the umpteenth time. I urged her to chase them out by opening the sliding glass door and run screaming at them (a time honored family tradition), which she did try. They appeared not to want to go out despite her effort to herd them in the right direction.

It wasn't the right direction for them. Some primitive instinct informed them that since old man winter was breathing down their necks they needed to find a warm, safe burrow. Unfortunately, they thought they found it underneath my skirted loveseat in the family room. Were they unaware that I just steam cleaned the carpet and the furniture?

This was really testing my ability to live in peace with nature. The last time this was tested was when a pair of mating Mallards tried to make the backyard swimming pool their new home. The Mallards' desire was strong, but perhaps not as strong as my voice or throwing arm. I tried the peaceful solutions first, which included chimes, pin wheels, blow up alligator floats to no avail. Finally, I resorted to running laps around the pool, yelling insults, which had to make the neighbors wonder if they were directed at them.In absolute frustration, I threw a scrub brush in the air and the bird flew into it. No kidding, despite the fact he flew into it, he took it as a not welcome sign and moved on, taking his mate with him.

I've tried the peaceful solutions with Fernando. My daughter wants him to live because he is so cute and small. Fernando is just a rodent-sized frat boy hoping to get by on his good looks and questionable charm. Even now, I can hear him by the fridge. Soon he will invite all his frat brothers to my house, of course he'll call it his house. All his mice friends will munch down on dog food since my dog doesn't seem to particularly like it. They'll dine on any tasty cheddar nibble left in the traps.

"She does put out the best cheese for me," Fernando will brag to his furry friends as he plucks a another piece from the trap. He aggravates me so with his bold ways parading across the kitchen while I type. My ninety-pound Boxer looks at the mouse, then me, as if saying, "Aren't you going to do something about that?" Since my daughter was gone at school, it was time to put an end to Fernando. I pulled out all the appliances and chased him around with a spatula. Quite the nimble, and resourceful fellow. When it looked like certain death he ran up my pants leg. Argh, talk about distracting me.

This is war, Fernando. I pulled out the bottle of bleach. When besieged by mice or ants, I wash everything down with bleach. I can endure the stink, and I am also gone ten hours of the day. My little unwelcome visitors are very close to the smell. I also believe that I am wiping away all the mice germs.

Fernando has to go. You know what mice bring, don't you? Friends, lots of them, while I was hoping for company for the holdiays I wanted the two legged kind. I need help, tell me fellow warriors your tricks of relocating the little critters, be it fair or foul.

Breaking News: Since orginally writing this post two weeks ago, Fernando and NINE of his friends bit the dust because of my Mouse Warrior fiancee. This just shows an engineer can outsmart a tiny rodent any day.Because my sweetie did the trapping, I decided that I am still in harmony with nature.:)

THE ART OF COLLABERATION

2011-12-01T23:32:00.002-05:00

Someone once asked if my husband and I ever thought of collaborating on a book.

“Are you kidding?” I gasped. Visions of screaming, scratching and foot stomping charged through my mind—and that’s only the cat’s reaction. Think of my reaction while my husband furrows his eyebrows, purses his lips and starts crossing out my carefully crafted paragraphs with his number two pencil.

Nope. Vonnie doesn’t run with scissors, nor does she collaborate when writing.

Calvin writes in a more literary style with beautiful imagery. He throws in a dash of the supernatural. He adores an ending that hangs out there, blowing in the wind for the reader to decide what really happened. I like my endings tied into a neat bow, dripping with happiness.

So when the Roses of Prose, another blog on which I contribute, decided to write a progressive story for the holiday season, my mouth kinda went dry. Me collaborate on a story with thirteen other writers? Just the thought made my teeth itch.

As it turned out, a few couldn’t contribute. One was moving, another taking care of an ailing mother and two knee-deep in edits. That left ten of us.

Frankly, it didn’t take long for me to realize ten women can’t all agree on anything. Granted all nine of the other writers are sweet, intelligent, creative women. Yet we all have our ways of thinking through things.

There were so many details to decide. Like what was the premise of our story? Character names? Back story? Time frame? Was this a Christmas story or a politically correct holiday story? Would the bedroom door be closed or open? Well, you get the picture. The emails with "what-if" questions were adding up in my mailbox like ants on a piece of dropped cake.

The project turned out to be a growing experience for me. I learned to pick my battles and mostly to keep my big mouth shut—or my fingers off the send button, as it were.

One lady wrote the first chapter and posted it to our group’s files. The next lady in line took over, adding her own flair in the second chapter, and so on. I ended up writing four chapters to make up for those unable to participate. And wouldn’t you JUST know it, every time it was my turn to take over, the heroine and hero were headed to the bedroom. I think it was a conspiracy.

We’re offering it in December as a FREE read. Thirty chapters (1200-1400 words each) of romance. Why not stop by The Roses of Prose every day this month and read the next installment of A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER?

http://www.rosesofprose.blogspot.com.

Book Blurb: Candy Wright didn’t become a high-powered Manhattan business executive by letting men walk all over her. She watched her mother work herself to death to give her daughter a better life and is determined to make her proud. If that means not risking her heart, not letting any man get too close, then so be it.

Mitch Johnson lives a simple life in rural Georgia. Holding his secrets close. Hiding from the life he left behind. The last thing he wants—or needs—is a woman to remind him of his past.

When the two are thrown together in a freak snowstorm, sparks fly. Mitch is everything she’s worked to escape. Candy is a reminder of his painful past. But the attraction between them won’t be denied. Will love thaw their frozen hearts, or will secrets tear them apart? One thing is certain; it will be a holiday to remember…

2011 - What a year!

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is my time of year to look back and see how I did with my goals I set at the beginning of the year. Sometimes I surprise myself and sometimes I fall a little short.

When I signed a contract with The Wild Rose Press for Tempting Adam in 2010 I knew 2011 would be an exciting year. It has more than lived up to my expectations.

Tempting Adam came out in February. My first Indie book came out in October and I will have another Indie book out before the new year kicks off with champagne and fireworks. I started a newsletter and actually have real people who signed up for it. LOL

Just this week I had two sales in the UK. The UK!! In my wildest dreams I could not have imagined how I would feel to see people all the way on the other side of the world buying my book. I thought that happened when you hit bestsellers lists, when you did great for your publishing house.

I'm paraphrasing here, but I believe the saying goes something like this. When you shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you still land among the stars. That is the thought I'm taking into 2012. I might not have hit the moon but I am definitely floating among the stars.

Wish upon a star. Shoot for the moon. May all your dreams come true in 2012.

Changed My Life

2011-11-29T12:01:00.016-05:00

In my opinion, books have more power than people in this modern age give its credit. Books can still change your life in a way, I think movies and other forms of entertainment can't quiet accomplish. As with you, I have read tons of books. Some I hated, most I liked and a few I loved. And it's those few that changed my life.

The first book to do that was Little Women. Much like every other girl. I know most girls swear they are Jo. Me, I'm Beth. I wanted to be Jo. Strong and sure and fearless even if I burn the back of my dress. I have an older brother and no sisters and as an Air Force Brat, I never stayed in one place for very long. All I had was my family and a father who did and could go off to war at a moments notice. That wasn't the only lesson, Alcott taught me. I learned about the difference of women, of the differences in one female. Me at different parts of my life, I think I've been an Amy, Meg or Jo. As I've grow older, I realized that in different parts I'm all those girls but still mostly, Beth.

The second book that changed my life was The End of the Affair. Growing up, church was attended on Sunday then Sunday school and when we moved to New York City, it was Catholic school. For me being religious was just a part of me. I believed in God even when I didn't bother with Him much. When I picked up that book, I discovered that my faith has never faltered though I'm not the greatest of followers. I guess that's why my faith hasn't faltered, it never had to be tested.

Another book to change my life too was See Jane Score (SJS) by Rachel Gibson. When I was younger, I always wrote but in college, I choose a major I could find employment after graduation and writing wasn't going to be it. Well, since I'm a PRO member of RWA you know how that turned out. Well, anyway, I was reading SJS and having so much fun that I never wanted the book to end. When I closed it, I knew I had to write. I wanted to give that fun, magical whirling sensation I had to others and to experience every sensation of writing such an exciting jaunt. Now here I am. Plugging away even when I'm ready to stab myself in the eye with my pen. (would never do that but I'm sure you understand the feeling)

That's the power of books, to influence your life's path, make you discover who you are, or a trait about yourself you might have lost or never even questioned. Don't think for a minute that only these books changed me. No each word I've ever read whether an Edith Wharton, a Sandra Brown, or Christina Dodd or Terry Spear and everyone in between have each changed my life. So, thank you.

Now tell me which book changed your life?

True Wedding Story

2011-11-28T06:00:00.003-05:00

“Dearly beloved...”

The radiant bride and nervous groom stand before the altar. The minister intones the marriage service. A congregation of family and friends witness the solemn, lifelong vows.

“If anyone shall have any reason why this man and this woman should not join in holy wedlock, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.”

The expected silence to the mere formality reverberates to the rafters of the old church.

A small hesitant voice rises from the hushed congregation.

“Dada?”

I wonder if the baby in the third row will be a comedian when he grows up. Because he sure brought the house down at the wedding my son attended.

Do you have a funny wedding story to share? I’d love to hear it.

x-posted at joanleacott.ca

My favorite time of year!

2011-11-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, is over. I love getting together with friends andfamily, cooking too much, eating too much, and just simply being surrounded bypeople that I love and that love me. Andnow everyone is moving on…preparing for the Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

In the past we’ve discussed Fairy Tales, and the fascinationwith re-telling them. Now, we even haveGrimm and Once Upon a Time to add to that list. But, what about the holiday season, and the stories told at this time ofyear?

I have to admit, by now, I’m sure all of you know, I am aholiday junkie, and love all things Santa related! But, what makes a great holiday movie. I’ve written my first holiday short story, which will be available as part of a special holiday promotion with Red Rose Publishing. In developing the story idea the elements I wanted included were: Christmas magic, giving/charity, HFN/HEA, alittle holiday love, and of course there had to be a little snow J

But, as I sit watching this season’s run of holiday shows,the same questions came to mind as when we’d discussed fairy tales. Are there fresh ideas? Every movie I’ve watched this season seemedto have an It’s a Wonderful Life meetsA Christmas Carol meets “Here Comes Santa Claus”theme. Nothing is wrong with that, butare we afraid of new ideas? Do we stickwith traditions so fiercely that if someone has a different view of theholidays, they can’t break through? Isthis why someone produced Jason X?

The creators of the stories of my childhood and my parents’ childhoodwere great, but isn’t it our time to begin to create those same wonderfullywritten imagined places for the next generation?

What are the must have items for a great holiday story? How many remakes of an old classic have youseen this holiday season?

Blog Tour for Dreaming of the Wolf--free copies of the book!

2011-11-26T01:04:00.002-05:00

This is what I'm working on now, in edition to everything else. Blogs. Guest blogs. Interviews. And writing. And editing! Somewhere in there I've got to do some Christmas shopping!

Thanks to everyone for hosting me! And ahem, Jake Silver of course, because he's really the star of the show. And thanks to Sourcebooks and Danielle for setting these up and providing the free books for the contests, and to reviewers who had the opportunity to review the book. It's going to be a very busy month...before December!

So here's the schedule!

12-1 Preternatura
12-2 Over the Edge
12-5 Night Owl Reviews
Casablanca
12-6 Rom Fan Reviews
12-7 SOS Aloha
12-8 Fresh Fiction
12-9 Literary Escapism
12-10
12-11
12-12 Cindy’s Love of Books
Bitten by Paranormal Romance
USA TODAY'S Review and Interview: Happy Ever After
12-13 Love Romance Passion
12-14 The Long and Short of It
12-15
12-16 Debbie’s Book Bag
Paranormal Haven
12-17
12-18
12-19 Sia McKye's Thoughts over Coffee
12-20 Thoughts in Progress
12-21 Star-Crossed Romance
12-22
12-23
12-24
12-25
12-26
12-27
12-28 Fang-tastic Books
12-29 Book Lover and Procrastinator
12-30

I'm off to update my website, and even get a guest blog done before it's time to run to work. So have a super great Thursday!!

A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing edits are done!!! Finn's just too sexy for his own good. :)

Terry
"Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality."
www.terryspear.com

Yum!

2011-11-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

Why are you reading this? Why aren't you eating more pie, more turkey, more ... whatever! If you're in the States, I'll bet you're either full of food or getting ready to be full of food.

Let's just take one small moment and truly give thanks. I blogged about this elsewhere so I won't repeat myself TOO much, but let's just say "thanks" that we live in this country. That we have food on our tables. That we are literate and have a chance to learn. That we are safe. It's not that way for so many people, so pause and thank Whoever for that.

Then heck, go ahead and have that second piece of pie. Everybody knows there are no calories on Thanksgiving day! And any that sneak on your thighs will be worked off on Black Friday when you tussle with the crowds.

So enjoy!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

I can pinpoint the moment I started my writing journey - my real writing journey. I'd been writing for years but until I joined RWA I had no idea what putting words to a page to create a story really meant.

I ran a fan club for country singing artist, Kevin Sharp. One of his fans wrote him a letter thanking him for helping her through the painful times with his beautiful voice and songs. I answered her letter and told her I was a writer and asked for advice. BOY oh boy did I get it - she told me to join RWA and get into a local chapter, attend national conferences and take all the classes I could. That was twelve years ago and we are now best of friends. I consider her my mentor and am so thankful for that letter she wrote to Kevin. He loves that I am writing, too, and when he wrote a story of his remarkable life surviving cancer, he asked me to write the introduction.

This proves to me that we can find gifts everywhere. I consider Karen Rose Smith to be one of my gifts and thank her for bringing me here to this place where I've found the greatest friendships, support, learned to write and become part of a great network. As far as I am concerned, writers are the best kind of friends to have. I am thankful for each of you!

Discovered characters

2011-11-22T07:30:00.003-05:00

Writers are always on the lookout for new material, whether a new premise or an unusual type of career. Here are two examples which piqued this romance writer’s imagination. One is remarkable line of work, the other one is what most of us would consider a fairly ordinary job.

I took my extended family to the Ojai Raptor Center. Working with birds of prey is definitely an extraordinary occupation. The staff rehabilitates rescued birds so they can be released back into the wild. However, some of these magnificent creatures cannot be set free.

I was enthralled watching a bald eagle perch on a skilled handler’s gloved arm. The man said it took a year to get this particular bird’s trust. Found on an Arkansas road, he ended up in California. Hitch’s injuries prevent him from surviving in the wild.

Other birds have been humanly imprinted. All raptors have sharp talons, not something you want to experience firsthand. A pair of young kestrels who fell from a nest were later released by some foolish people. One landed on a shocked shopper’s shoulder. I learned that even a few days in captivity, fed by humans, can disrupt a bird of prey’s ability to hunt for itself––or to fear humans.

As you see I’m fascinated with this line of work. Who wouldn’t be? The wheels are probably turning inside your head. Raptor handler as a protagonist? Definitely a strong character. One who would capture the reader’s empathy. Everyone admires those who lend a hand to the creatures in our world.

A few days later work trucks invaded our street. We’d received notification of a planned electrical shutdown. That morning three power poles were replaced along with extensive rewiring. Men at work. Gotta love them!

Women admire physically competent men, and one who works in a dangerous field—high up in a cherry picker or attached by his belt to a forty-foot pole¬––grabs your imagination. I developed a few scenarios around a team, multiple stories of their lives and the women who ultimately fall in love with each of them.

Story ideas and imaginary characters pummel us everywhere we look. I have a difficult time keeping them inside a folder once I jot down the initial idea. They resurface again and again. Staying focused on the hard work of completing my current story is a true challenge. It’s always easier to start a new one, isn’t it?

Happy Thanksgiving to our FTH members in the USA!

Entering a Contest

2011-11-18T20:07:00.006-05:00

I just submitted the first chapter of my WIP to a contest, something I haven't felt brave enough to do in five years. Back then, the most helpful comments came from a judge who was encouraging. She said she could hear my voice, said my many technical flaws could be corrected.

Since then I've studied the craft of writing. I've presented my WIP to a critique loop and to a solo CP. I've judged contests, and read entries that run the gamut of storytelling skill.

I know contests are not the be-all and end-all of life. My entry may not resonate with one or more of the judges. But I'm hoping I'll score better than five years ago.

My New Contemporary Romance

2011-11-17T23:55:00.001-05:00

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Right Name, Wrong Man
What’s a future bride to do when she utters another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms–– a name she thought she had erased from her heart after one blissful night, years ago? Before setting a wedding date, Mary-Beth Drake must reassure herself she has outgrown her youthful infatuation for handsome surgeon Yves Malroux.

A trip to France and training with Yves would convince her she’s in control of her emotions. Except that sparks fly between them.

Will Mary-Beth ever realize who’s her right man?

Excerpt:
“Love you, Yves.” Marie-Beth Drake purred and cuddled deeper against her lover’s broad chest.

Already half-asleep, Steve squeezed her to his side, with a faint “Hmm”. Soon, his light snores filled the air. Sated and relaxed, she stroked his silvery hair. “Love you—”

She froze.

What had she called him?

Oh God, oh God. Had she said Steve or… Yves?

Her fiancé grumbled in his sleep. She immediately yanked her hand away from his head. Her fingers flew to her lips and her stomach somersaulted. She couldn’t have whispered the loathsome name? She’d buried it long ago and forgotten the sexy French doctor and his charismatic smile.

Had Steve noticed the slip of her tongue?

Heart pounding, she studied his closed eyes and slightly gaping mouth. Not to worry. Her fiancé slept as peacefully as a man content with life—as he did every night.

Shivering with mortification, she slid out of his arms. Her throat ached with sudden dryness as she covered herself with a robe and rushed downstairs.

In the living room, she grabbed a bottle of Merlot from the bar, filled a glass and swallowed it, and poured a second one. Her mind in shambles, she settled on the sofa to organize her thoughts.

Hanging over the fireplace, her fiancé’s portrait focused a serious look at her. She blinked. “I don’t know how it happened. Honestly,” she groaned with an apologetic grimace.

Sultry images of the French surgeon obscured her vision. Yves smiling, his knuckles caressing her cheeks, his face reaching closer to hers. She snatched her head back and touched her lips, swollen from Steve’s kisses. And remembered Yves’s passionate embrace. “No, please.” Her world tilted on its axis.

Weary and confused, she emptied her glass. “You’re history. Gone, Dr. Malroux.” To think he’d left Boston the next day after the blissful night she’d spent in his arms, and never came back, never called the chubby medical student she’d been then. “No more crazy dreams or heartaches,” she scolded in a strangled groan.

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2011-11-15T09:08:00.001-05:00

You allknow that I had a big book-signing venture on 11.11.11. Despite the rainy weather, my golf friendsand neighbors came to my Writing and Art event…and I sold 40 books. I was pleased with the event and want torecreate it (without the rain) next year.

Booksigning is more difficult than I thought. I’m trying to make conversation with the book buyer and attempting towrite something special on the title page at the same time. What’s more, I’m hoping I spell all the words(especially the name of the buyer!) correctly and use fairly legible handwriting. Most important, I want to personalize mycomment. Is this all too much to attemptat a book signing? Should I write aboilerplate comment?

I’m dyingto know how you all handle book signings. To start off the conversation, I’ll give you one ‘signature’ I’ve beenusing in hopes you’ll share one of yours.

____________(namegoes here)

I hopethis thriller keeps you up all night…in a good way! Happy reading, Rolynn

Writers Helping Writers

2011-11-14T06:27:00.000-05:00

I must start off by apologizing, as I missed posting my blog last month. We had a bit of an upheaval late September with my husband having a stroke. He is just about fully recovered, but needless to say my writing was put on a hold for a bit.

With that said, I am excited about CRASHING HEARTS coming out in January. As I have been looking into different ways of promoting this, it come up time and time again how writers help writers.

I have recently just started putting together a blog tour to promote CRASHING HEARTS. In the process I have opened up my blog for guest bloggers to promote their own works. It’s an exciting process to reach out to other writers and invite them to guest on my blog. It’s open a whole new way to meet new authors.

So starting December 30th, my blog tour kicks off as a guest of Cynthia Woolf. Keep posted for other dates as they are filling in.

NaNoWriMo - Status report

2011-11-14T04:00:00.010-05:00

And so once more my friends I have delved headfirst into the writing insanity known as NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. In thirty days I intend to write 50K words of a new novel, starting November 1st and ending on November 30. This includes the four days usually devoted to Thanksgiving, also known as the great black hole of not writing. In short, I am a complete loon for dedicating myself to this task but I have a good reason.

This is the one month when I actually get a lot of writing done and it is all because it is expected of me to write this month. I say "I'm doing NaNo" and my friends and family tend to stay out of the way of my getting to my keyboard.

It is marvelous.

So anyway here is my current progress:

As you can see there were some good days, some okay days, and one very bad RED day where I went whale watching without taking Dramamine first and spent the rest of the day feeling really, really sick.

However I see some whales before I threw up so it wasn't all bad.

So I'm going to be brief in this update because I have very nearly made up for that red Sunday and I hope by the time you all see this I will be very, very close if not over the 25K words I need to have by the 15th of the month to stay on target.

Happy writing everyone, particularly those also doing NaNo.

Cheers,
Janet

Why Writing A Novel Is Like Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-12T07:30:00.027-05:00

Have you ever thought about the similarities between writing a novel and Thanksgiving dinner? No? Well, stop and think for a moment. I think we can draw a lot of correlations between the two.

Let's start with our hero – the one who perfectly carves a turkey without tearing a single piece apart. Right. Who likes a perfect hero? Let's give him a few flaws. He can carve the turkey, but he routinely forgets to charge the electric knife.

Our heroine can set a perfect table but she is usually too busy yelling at the game to remember to get everything out on time so you have to wait for halftime to eat.

Conflict is what happens when your hero's family and heroine's family meet for the first time. In your book, this is the reason they want to stay apart. The holiday is the reason they can't. Great conflict occurs when you put them into a pushmi/pullyu situation.

You can add external conflict as well. What family gathering is complete without at least one uninvited relative who is always cheering on the wrong team?

The whole family relates to your cast of secondary characters. Uncle Joe who eats the last piece of pie while his wife criticizes the use of new china instead of Great Aunt Nonnie's best.

There’s the big black moment when you realize that nothing you do will ever be enough for some family members while others wouldn't have noticed if you'd bought a rotisserie chicken at the market. Your story comes crashing down around your hero and heroine at this point.

Then, just like at Thanksgiving, you realize that the whole reason for writing the book and making the dinner was to feed yourself. Your dreams of writing are what are important and not the criticisms of others. As with every good story, or meal, there’s triumph and tears and everything in-between.

Yep, writing a novel is a lot like Thanksgiving dinner. When it goes well, there’s a happy ending. Your team wins, your pie crust doesn’t burn and your turkey is a gorgeous golden brown. All of your side dishes are perfect, made from old family recipes. Everyone gets along for the duration of the meal and a little while afterwards. There’s a happy ending for dinner and for your novel.

So, at this time of year, let’s give thanks for novels and for our traditions. Even if your family isn’t perfect or your turkey gets burned or if you forget the cranberry sauce in the fridge. There’s always room for a happy ending.

From our families to yours, happy holidays! Cai and Arwen aka Marilu Mann.