Home Run Release Day Snippet

So the release day for Home Run was yesterday. I had planned to post a snippet when the book released. But for some reason, my brain told me Home Run was releasing today. I was totally off by a day. lol Go figure. I think my dates got all mixed up because I was at the Nora Roberts Writing Conference and for some reason, my brain juxtaposed the dates. So for whatever reason, the snippet didn’t go out yesterday. Instead, it is being posted today.

The snippet is racy- so BE WARE!

Chapter One

“Put your hands on the wall,” he told her. “Don’t turn around.”

At first she was startled. No one had been in the hallway. No one had been in the room. She was alone. At least she thought she was.

“And if I don’t?” she asked.

“Saucy,” he said. “Well, you know what happens to bad girls, don’t you?”

“Maybe. Tell me and I’ll decide if I want to be good or bad.” He couldn’t see the small smile that played on her face.

“Oh, you’ll want to be good. I have a feeling you’ll like what good girls get.” He punctuated his words with a brief touch of his groin against her ass.

She shivered. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” his voice was close to her ear, the breath whispering by, igniting her sense of want. He bit down gently. Her ear was delicate like everything
about her. His hands slide down the sides of her body, capturing her skirt then his hands slid up. Only this time, his hands held her skirt.

Just the nearness of him and she was ready to explode. She’d been dripping from his first words, his first touch.

She didn’t know it could be like this.

One hand rose to capture her breast over her clothes. It was frustrating. So very frustrating when what she really wanted was his hands on her bare flesh.

That thought disappeared the moment his other hand slipped into her panties.

He purred his approval when he felt how much she wanted him. If she wasn’t with him, she was thinking about him. Plotting when they could be together again. It scared her how much she anticipated when they could be together again.

Home Run Release

Home Run released today from Rebel Ink Press. Woohoo!! The blurb and buy links are pasted below. Enjoy.

HomeRun_Cover

Rebel Ink Press
Release date: 8/3/13
Amazon
ARe
Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

Daniela Sinclair is a trust fund baby who believes she can make a difference in the world by making the wishes of sick children come true. Noah Barker is a major league baseball player from a common background who agrees to fulfill a sick child’s wish. Together they burn up the sheets. Unfortunately, they also cause a family member to burn in anger. In a stunning case of betrayal, the home run ending they both envisioned is threatened and they teeter on the brink of striking out.

Websites for Self- Publishers

There are lot of choices in publishing today. The landscape is changing. One of the myriad of options is self-publishing your work. But don’t cut corners. Can’t stress this enough. If you self-publish, please hire an editor to edit your work. There is nothing worse than reading a good story and tripping over misspelled words and improper syntax. Just because you are doing it yourself doesn’t mean that you should do it sloppy. Like my dad always said, if you’re gonna do something, do it right the first time. Hire an editor. You’ll be glad you did. But more importantly, your readers will be glad you did.

Here is a list of several editors that you can hire to edit your work. The cost varies depending on the level of editing you wish to contract. Fade into Fantasy is editing services by Teresa, an Entangled editor. Between the Line Edits has three editors of varying levels of experience. Alphabet Editing is owned by Sarah Frantz, a Riptide editor. There are many more good editors out there. Search for them. Ask for references. Ask which other books they’ve edited. Ask your questions before you  hire them. Going the independent route necessarily costs more upfront. However, there is no reason that the cost outlay should be worthless. Due diligence on your part should help ferret out the worthless editors. Cause there’s nothing worse than spending good money on shitty service.

Lillie’s Literary Services offers proofreading services. Which is slightly different than editing services and the cost level is different as well. Erin Lark Designs offers stock and custom book cover designs to help round out the professional look and feel of your book. Take the time to search out a variety of different service to make your book the best it can be. Seriously. Google is your friend. Word of mouth is your friend.

Home Run- Snippet 2

Gonna do a snippet a week until my August 3rd release date. Here is number 2. Enjoy!

 

HomeRun_Cover

She blasted Rihanna from the car stereo, pumping out the bass to get her groove going as she belted out the lyrics. Music helped her reset and she wasn’t going to let the other drivers’ stares stop her from enjoying the upgraded stereo she’d chosen for her sporty little Beemer. Her hair was whipping around because she’d rolled down windows and she probably looked ridiculous singing at the top of her lungs. She didn’t care. It made her happy.

She made it to Noah’s netting only a few uptight looks from his closest neighbors. Surely they were skeptical seeing so many women come and go. But Dani had grown up around uptight and she knew the look well. If she had her way, uptight would be a thing of the past for everybody.

Thinking of uptight people always made her think of her parents, the epitome of uptight, snobby and unwelcoming. She wasn’t sure how she had ever grown up in a house so cold, so devoid of laughter, love and joy. Then she thought of spending time with Betty in the kitchen and the answer was right there. Betty was how she had survived. Thank God for Betty.

She wanted to keep Noah and her parents in different spheres so those two worlds didn’t collide or even intersect. Noah was too precious and her parents too relentless. A shudder went through her at what would happen if they ever met. Dani would prevent that for as long as possible even though she knew if she kept dating Noah, a confrontation with her parents would be inevitable.

Her car glided to a stop and as she reached Noah’s front door, he opened it, grabbed her and hustled her inside as fast as her feet allowed.

Guess someone missed me.

Music Monday 7/15/13

Thought I’d do a broad range of musical styles… in acoustic. Sometimes too many instruments get in the way of hearing the purity of the voice and the lyrics. Sometimes, simple is just better.

You might wonder why I include so much music on this website. It is an author’s site, after all. However, I listen to music all the time when I write. And I choose different music for writing different things. Having a little background noise helps to focus my brain and my attention on what I am writing. It just works out that way for me. Which is why there is music on my site.

Too Close by Alex Clare

Ellie Goulding- Lights as performed on the Ryan Seacrest show

Sweet Child of Mine with Slash and Myles Kennedy

Writerly Web Sites

So the last time, I focused on sites that helped with the craft of writing, namely editing. Today, I am going to give you a few sites to help with some other things.

First up is David P. Vandagriff‘s Contract Counsel page. He also writes the Passive Voice blog and tweets as Passive guy. Passive guy has breaking news on the business and legal aspects of the writerly life. Both pages that he maintains has a wealth of information about the business of writing. Because, like me, I am assuming that writing is not something being done for the fun of it or as a when I think about it kind of hobby. But rather, because writing AND making some money is the goal. So while I know that it might be more pleasant to focus on the art aspect of writing, don’t do that at the expense of the business of writing. Stay abreast of current happenings. You’ll be glad you did. Plus, if you are unagented and get a big 6 5 publishing contract, he has rates for having a professional look it over for you. Always a good thing.

Next up is Stephie Smith‘s contest chart. Yes, that’s right- contests. At some point, you will need or want or be encouraged to enter your writing in a contest to pitch it in battle against other writerly types. Seriously. Even if you don’t like competition, writing as a business is ALL about competing. When you submit to an agent, you are competing. When an agent or you submits to a publisher, you are competing. When your books get released into the world wide marketplace, you are competing. So take this shit seriously. And along the way, enter a few contests. Not only does this help develop you as a writer- it really does, it also gets your writing much needed exposure. Maybe a few of the judges in the competition see your work. Never hurts. Especially if you are unagented and the judge is from a house that only accepts agented work. This gets your writing which would have never crossed their desk in front of them. And if you win? Sheesh, accolades are never a bad thing.

Last but not least, boys and girls, are writer conferences, retreats and workshops. Stacey O’Neale has a list on her site. It is by no means a comprehensive list. Locus has a conference list and there are several other sites that list lots of these go and learn some crap events. Going to these events serves several purposes. First, there is the networking aspect. You get to meet a lot of people you normally wouldn’t have ever met if you’d stayed in your writing bat cave. Second, you might actually learn some new shit about writing. No one knows everything about how to be a great writer. No one. You can always learn something whether it is an advanced class or a beginners class. Even if you think you already do it correctly, go take an entry level class to reaffirm you are the shit. Or it might show you a new way of doing old shit. And last, writing is about what’s happening IN THE WORLD. Get out from behind your computer and/or desk and go experience some shit so you can incorporate that shit into some new writing. Seriously.

Southern Recipes

I decided to post some Southern recipes. Getting in the program with where I am living now. Plus, I added a mint iced tea at the end to help cool you off on hot summer days. Now the spicy shrimp and grits might seem counter-intuitive on a hot day, but heat actually cools you down by forcing your body to turn on its own air-conditioner. Fried green tomatoes can be eaten hot or cold and are just plain yummy.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2 large unripe tomatoes (about 1½ pounds), cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
Salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 cup panko (or other fine breadcrumbs)
Black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (½ stick) butter or bacon fat

1. Put the tomato slices in a large colander and toss with a large pinch of salt. Put the colander in the sink and let the tomatoes sit for 20 minutes, then gently pat dry with a paper towel. I like to rinse off the salt and then pat dry but YMMV.

2. Meanwhile, put the flour, the egg, and the panko in three separate shallow bowls; season each with salt and pepper. Beat the egg.

3. Put the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each tomato slice first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the panko, letting any excess coating drip off. Transfer half of the tomato slices to the skillet. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes, then turn and cook until lightly browned on the other side, another 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices, flour, egg, and panko. Serve hot.

Makes about 4 servings.

Spicy Shrimp and Grits

Grits:
1 cup grits
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup extra sharp Cheddar cheese (white)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
Hot Sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Shrimp:
2 cups chopped smoked bacon or spicy tasso, andouille sausage, etc.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds (20- to 30-count) shrimp, peeled (note: I like my shrimp big U15 or so)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups sliced scallions

Directions:

1. Cook grits according to package instructions; as they are finishing, whisk in butter, cheeses, cayenne, paprika and hot sauce to taste.

2. To prepare shrimp, cook bacon or tasso or sausage until it begins to brown; remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and set aside. Strain drippings and set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet until very hot; add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. As oil begins to smoke, toss in shrimp to cover bottom of pan. Before stirring, season with salt and pepper. Stir until shrimp begin to turn pink; let pan return to original hot temperature.

4. Stir in minced garlic and bacon bits, being careful not to burn garlic. Toss in mushrooms and coat with oil briefly. Add lemon juice and wine, and stir for 30 seconds or so until everything is well coated and incorporated.

4. When ready to serve, stir in sliced scallions and cook about 20 seconds. Serve immediately over the aforementioned, patiently waiting cheese grits.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Mint Iced Tea

12 bags single serving tea
2 quarts boiling water
10 sprigs mint
1 cup sugar (or to taste)
optional- 2 lemons, sliced, mint sprigs

Directions:

1. In large tea pot (or two small tea pots) pour boiling water over tea bags and mint and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
2. Place sugar in 2-quart pitcher (that will tolerate some heat).
3. Pour freshly brewed tea (minus mint and tea bags) into sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
5. To serve, pour into tall glasses over ice.

Serve with lemon slices and/or sprigs of mint.
Serves about 8.

Home Run- Snippet 1

Here is a snippet from Home Run. It’ll be released from Rebel Ink Press August 3, 2013.

HomeRun_Cover

 

Noah was amazingly magnetic. She fully understood why women stood in line for a night with him. In addition to his personality, he was ruggedly handsome. But it was his mouth that set him apart from most other handsome men. It was surprisingly lush and full, almost but not quite feminine. His good looks combined with his soft heart for sick kids were a lethal combination and Dani wasn’t immune.

That same care he showed Juan then was how he took care of her now. He remembered the big things but he paid special attention to the small things and that set him apart from other men she’d dated. It was the beginning of the steamiest, yet sweetest, relationship she’d ever had.

He was addictive. But he was a complication. Her parents would surely hate him.

Open Road Release

HotRodsHotBods_200

Open Road Release on Jupiter Gardens Press today.
AllRomance
Coffee Time Romance
Amazon

 

Here’s the blurb:

Zoe Akio is a professional dirt bike racer who decides to ride her motorcycle across the country and think about a future post motocross racing. Her manager hires two bodyguards, Deke and Nathan, to travel with her. The three weeks with the three of them in close quarters changes all of their lives as a new, unexpected road opens up.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Malcolm, I don’t need anyone to go with me. I’ve got three weeks between races, and I just want to ride. I can make it from Cali to the East Coast in that time with no problem.” Zoe knew she was whining, but she really didn’t care. It didn’t matter that she was talking so loud people on the other side of the bar could hear her. But, Mal wasn’t listening to what she was saying. Typical.

“It’s not safe for you to be on the road by yourself, Zoe. I need you to get to the next races on time and in one piece. I’m sending some riders with you. And that’s final.” Mal’s tone brooked no argument.

She grunted at him and took a long pull off her beer. She was tired of listening to him yap. Soon she’d be on the road riding her bike for fun. Not for work. God, when had her passion turned into work?

If she didn’t argue with him, maybe he would just shut up and go away. Being her manager didn’t give him license to constantly tell her what to do, where to go or how to live . He was worse than owning a little yappy dog, always dogging her heels.

She could see the disgusted look on Mal’s face and the tightening of his mouth as he looked around the rundown bar. She didn’t care about his discomfort at being in a place like this. The bar was old, dirty, and smelly. But she’d been coming here since she could legally drink. She was comfortable here, and the bartenders knew her name.

Plus she was surrounded by other bikers. They gave her respect and space. Being a motocross rider had some pull with the patrons in this bar.

Dressed in faded Levis that looked almost broken down and her motorcycle boots, all scuffed and worn, she fit right in. At least in the way she dressed she fit in with the guys. Most of the girls were biker sluts, wearing short skirts and too much makeup. Zoe kept her face relatively free of face paint, and her hair was all teased out but hanging in soft curls down her back.

At Mama’s, she was more like a guy than a girl. She liked that. She liked that most of the people in this bar liked to ride for fun. She needed that energy now more than ever. She was just so damn tired of competing. It had become all about the money and not about the ride.

“Look Mal, you get my rigs to Pennsylvania and I’ll show up to ride,” she declared. “You send people with me, it’ll take planning and shit, and I’m trying to avoid that. I need this ride.”

“I’m not telling you not to make the drive, Zoe,” he spoke slowly. “I’m just asking you not to ride alone. In fact, I won’t let you.”

Enough with the Hating

I was informed that m/f sex in m/m books was offensive, disrespectful, yada, yada, yada. And all I have to say is Fuck You JesseWave.

Read what you want. Write what you want. Review what you want. But don’t couch your misogyny in terms of choice and needing warnings that a vagina is about to be used for sex. Warnings on books should be and traditionally has been about rape, incest, excess violence and the like. Not about vaginas being fucked. Ain’t nothing disrespectful about vaginas being used for their intended purpose. Not at all.

And trying to play off your vagina hating rant as anything but HATING is a lie. Don’t want to play in my sandbox? Fine. Don’t want me to play in your sandbox? Fine. But don’t call me, the toys I bring to the sandbox or anything about me names. Derogatory names and tell me I’m being disrespectful. Apologizing for calling my vagina and vaginas around the world as being cootie filled is full of hate. Cause you shouldn’t have said it in the first place. Now I know how you really feel about vaginas.

And I don’t normally write m/m stuff. I do write menage stuff. I read a whole lot of shit though.

This whole issue pisses me off.

Not long ago, just WRITING about m/m romances and sex could get you tarred and feathered. So the m/f community excluded it from ALL writing and pairings regardless of the reality of the situation. Then someone got a clue, smacked the shit out of the m/f community with a two-by-four of common sense, and viola, we get some m/m action. Then m/m took the fuck off. Which I applaud. Seriously. Love having some diversity in my ability to read some different stuff. But now, to be told that women writers of m/m are clueless and/or having women having sex in m/m stories is denigrating in some fashion pisses me the fuck off.

Don’t we have enough hang ups about fucking in this society without the m/m community- which, by the way, should be MORE tolerant, having hang ups about some people having sex. I don’t have girl cooties. None of my gay friends have fag cooties. None of my multi-gendered friends have freak cooties. I don’t care who’s catching or pitching. Nor do I care what instrument they are using. What I care about is the derogatory terms with which they are being described.

Fuck you. It is hard enough in this puritanical society to be free to express ourselves sexually. To be labeled as having girl cooties makes me feel about the same as being referenced as a breeder. I won’t stand for it in RL. I won’t stand for it in my writerly life. Just like I wouldn’t stand for nasty shit being said about others who have sex not in conformance with the “norm.”

It is beyond time to have m/m sex portrayed in mainstream fiction of all genres. Just as it is beyond time to have m/f sex portrayed in m/m fiction of all genres. M/m should be leading the way, not crying that there are vaginas in the m/m world. No m/m couple lives in a vacuum. Surprisingly, there are lots of vaginas in the world- yes, even in the m/m world. And sometimes, they even get used.

I don’t write off-scene sex often. So if the peeps in my books are fucking, you’re seeing it. I’m sure there are authors that write off-scene sex. I’m sure there are authors that write explicit sex scenes. I bet the heat level has nothing to do with sexual orientation or preference. It’s just the way they write about sex in their books.

So here’s your fucking warning: People in my books like to fuck. Some have dicks. Some have pussies.

That is all.