Category Archives: writing

Update 10/30/13

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I’ll do a larger post tomorrow. I just wanted to briefly do a small status update today. Mostly because the blog hop is closing tonight. If you want a chance to win my latest release, go the Halloween Hop post and leave me a comment. I kinda think of these hops like trick-or-treating as adults go from one blog to another gathering chances for treats. lol

I will announce the winner of my giveaway tomorrow. Probably on the home page where I do most announcements. I might do more than one giveaway. It is Halloween after all and you never know what the spirit will move me to do. 😉

I think I might do nano. Although the work I’ll be working on is longer than 50k. So maybe I will use any 50k within the 92k-ish the novel will be as the barometer of whether I win at nano. I win. lol I like the sound of that. So if I can set shit up to make that happen more often than not, well, don’t shoot me if I do it. lol I should get one of those nifty word/progress bars to put in the side bar menu to track if I’m on target. But I am not doing this as part of the big nano. It’ll be a personal one. Just for me.

Cripes. November is almost upon us. I can’t believe how fast this year has gone. Halloween tomorrow. Then All Saints Day the day after. Should be a blast. Not.

 

Snippet Saturday- Homecoming

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holidayspice_smallHere’s a little treat from my upcoming soon-to-be released short story, HOMECOMING, put together by the good folks at Foreword Literary. It’s being released in a holiday anthology called HOLIDAY SPICE. I hear plans are in the works to have this out and in your grubby little hands by early November if possible.

I’ve seen the lineup of writers listed in the table of contents for this one and it’s a goodie. Should be some hot, hot, hot stories in there to help warm you up on a cold fall-ish/winter-y night. I’m pretty sure this is their first Holiday anthology. I’m betting it won’t be their last. It would be a good thing to get in on the ground floor and get the very first one and then each one every year after to make yourself a little collection. Plus, you might discover the next up and coming hot author in one of the anthologies. If my experience with past anthologies is any indication, then several of the authors you find in current anthologies will be the next Sylvia Day or something.

Anyway, here’s my story with blurb and snippet below.

Blurb:

Tessa’s known Nathan for most of her life. She should. He’s her younger brother’s best friend. Which means she’s also his elder by two years as well. They’re both home for the Christmas holidays. And for the first time, they’re together.

Tessa knows her brother isn’t going to react well. She doesn’t know how everyone else is going to react. What she does know is that she wants Nathan more than she’s ever wanted anything or anyone. This homecoming for the holidays could be the worst in the history of holidays, or it could be the best and the start of more yet to come.

 

Snippet:

“Babe, you look beautiful,” Nathan whispered from behind her.

She hadn’t heard him come up behind her.

Hearing his voice gave her an unexpected thrill. A fluttery feeling that began in the pit of her stomach and radiated out. God, she had missed him. Which was so funny. Nathan had been around her, her brother and in their home constantly when they were all growing up. Sure, she’d noticed he was hot and growing up hotter. But he was Rick’s best friend. So while she noted him in a vague sort of way because he was her brother’s friend, she hadn’t noticed. Not really

When he’d come and stayed with her for some job interviews in DC, she hadn’t seen him for several years. They kept missing each other at holidays. Not only had he grown up but he had become beyond hot. They’d gotten a little tipsy that first night and then everything had changed. She was pretty sure they hadn’t dressed or left her apartment the entire he’d been there. Ordering food in and staying in bed when they weren’t eating or showering. Or the few times he left for an interview.

Now he was moving to DC. He wanted to move in with her. And she wanted that too. She was just unsure of how their parents would react. And she was pretty sure that Rick would go ballistic.

Rick and Nathan had been best friends since grade school. She so did not want to get in the middle of that friendship. Not at all. But she refused to give up Nathan. Which meant that this Christmas was going to get tense.

“Hey, Nate.”

“I grabbed some mistletoe. Come with me. Let’s find a secluded place so I can put it over your head and you can kiss me senseless,” he said, his lips tipping up as he teased her.

“Nathan,” she admonished. “We can’t make out in my parent’s house.”

“Yes, we can,” he disagreed. “Either come with me and find a hidey-hole or I’m going to kiss you senseless right here.”

Wicked Warriors Halloween Hop 10/23/13-10/30/13

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I figured since I just had a release a couple of days ago, I’d join this hop to give away a copy. It is a Halloween Hop and my book is part of the Wanton Witches Collection by TEB. FarSeen has witches and magic and menage. With two wicked warriors, a girl’s Halloween is all about the treat.

I don’t know about you, but Halloween is one of my all time favorite holidays. I not only like getting tons of candy, but I like the whole dress up aspect of the the festivities. There is just something about it.

The Grand Prize for this hop is 5 autographed copies of Unbound AND a Kindle Paperwhite. This rocks. I’ve been lusting after a Paperwhite for quite some time now. So I am envious of whoever is gonna win the Grand Prize. Much envy.

My prize isn’t so fancy. It’s just my ebook, FarSeen, in whatever format you specify. I put the blurb below. So if you’re interested in winning a copy, leave me a comment. Any comment will do, but I would totally get a kick out of it if you’d tell me about your most memorable Halloween. Funny, Scary, Weird. Whatever.

If you’ve got some time, check out some of the other participants in the Hop and see if they have any themed prizes as well. Just because we’re grown ups doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to have a few treats show up in our bags as well. Halloween didn’t used to be all about the kids. And it shouldn’t be all about the adults. Let the kids have the candy this year as the adults collect delicious reading treats. And maybe a new Paperwhite to read them on.

The rafflecopter and link list to other blogs is at the end of this post. Have fun. Less tricks. More treats! 🙂

 

FarSeenBlurb:

Taking a break from finding the cure for a magic sickness killing witches, Evangeline (Evie) Parker picks up Drew for a night of hot sex. One night is not enough, however. In strange twist of fate, Trent, Drew’s partner also comes into Evie’s life. One night is definitely not enough when two becomes three. As they come together, they realize while separately they are good, together they are great.

All Hallows Eve is the time when the cure to the magic sickness is predicted to make itself known. Combining magic and sex on that special night cures more than the magic sickness afflicting the witch community, it also cures three lonely hearts.

FARSEEN is hot and sweet in a small tasty bite. It is filled with sex magic, lit up chakras and hearts slowly opening up to each other.

** Snippets can be found here, here, here and here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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FarSeen Release Day & Snippet

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Today is the day that FarSeen releases at all venues. It is part 1 of a 2 part prequel leading into my OtherKind series. March/April 2014 is looking like when Part 2, Night Blind, will release.

FarSeenFarSeen had been available through TEB’s website for pre-release download. But today is the general release date. I will update buy links as I get them. Sometimes they are slow rolling in. ** Link to Amazon **

In a few days, I’ll be doing a Halloween-y Blog Hop. I’m giving away a copy of FarSeen to a lucky commenter. So stay tuned if you want to try and win a copy. Although, it’d be cool if you bought a copy and tried to win a copy. It’s like a two-fer. Who doesn’t like a two-fer? Everyone likes a two-fer. So try it, you’ll like it.

This will be my fourth and final snippet in the FarSeen snippet saga. Too much more and the whole story will be available snippet by snippet. lol Anyway, I’m sticking in the blurb again. The snippet follows the blurb. There are a few other snippets running around my blog. Both of today’s release and my other releases. You can either hit snippet in the category box or something to pull them all up. It’s small bite sized pieces of goodness.

 

Blurb:

Taking a break from finding the cure for a magic sickness killing witches, Evangeline (Evie) Parker picks up Drew for a night of hot sex. One night is not enough, however. In strange twist of fate, Trent, Drew’s partner also comes into Evie’s life. One night is definitely not enough when two becomes three. As they come together, they realize while separately they are good, together they are great.

All Hallows Eve is the time when the cure to the magic sickness is predicted to make itself known. Combining magic and sex on that special night cures more than the magic sickness afflicting the witch community, it also cures three lonely hearts.

FARSEEN is hot and sweet in a small tasty bite. It is filled with sex magic, lit up chakras and hearts slowly opening up to each other.

Snippet:

“You don’t think it’s just because you are hunting too much? Using too much magic or too often?”

“No, it’s more than that. I’ve drained my magic before. This feels off. I can’t quite describe it. Like a rapid discharge of magic instead of a slow trickle of loss. I’ve been doing my job long enough to be able to accurately estimate my capabilities and the level at which I perform. It’s off enough for me to not only notice, but it’s kinda scaring me as well. I want to sleep all the time,” Ellie said softly. “So I’m not just drained, I’m past drained. Which has never happened to me before I got this sickness. Never. Not once.”

This more than anything alarmed Evie. Ellie, for all her carefree attitude in other aspects of her life, was deadly serious about her work. Being the arm of justice for the goddess didn’t leave much room for joking. It didn’t leave much room for anything other than total dedication.

Evie fought down her alarm. Or at least, tried to prevent it from showing. If Ellie could put on a brave face, continue to do her work, it was the least Evie could do not to add to that burden by showing how upset she was.

“All right, sis, I need to get going as well. Grandma wants me to stop by before she brings in All Hallows Eve tonight,” Ellie told her.

“It was good to see you, Ellie. I’ll give you a ring tomorrow or the next day, ’kay?” Evie kissed her sister on the cheek and watched her leave.

She sighed. She needed to find a cure and save her sister.

 

 

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Mixed Bag w/a Snippet

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I’m feeling all free form today. I’ve got a lot of shit to do. Although I am ever grateful that I’ve gotten a lot of shit done. I seem to write and be productive in cycles. Whatever. i was going to do my usual snippet today seeing as it’s Saturday. But I thought I do a few different things today. So in no particular order…

1. Scrivener is working out well so far. I’ve got no cause for complaints. I think the more I get into it, the more I’ll like it.

2. Began writing the first full length book in Steel and Stilettos. It’s been kinda cool working on two different interweaving storylines. It should be fun. And it looks like I will meet my end of the year deadline for getting my writing goals finished.

3. Edits. The bane of my existence. I would rather poke my own eye out than edit. Some people are naturally handy at this skill. I am not one of them. It is excruciatingly painful for me. So of course, I am currently editing Hat Trick and still awaiting edits on Driven and Homecoming. I do not like the current edit to writing ratio. 3-1 the other way would be okay, but this way… not so much.

4. Here is a small snippet from something I am currently working on. Don’t tell anybody. Shh… keep it between us.

They both looked up, their faces only separated by inches. She couldn’t resist. Not anymore. She closed the distance between them slowly. Giving him time to move if this wasn’t what he wanted.

He didn’t move.

She licked his lower lip then took it between her teeth, gently sucking it into her mouth. He tasted divine. She could feel his breath as he exhaled softly. She licked along the seam of his mouth, asking to be allowed entrance. He opened slightly.

She could have moved her tongue in fast and hard. It was what she wanted to do. She was greedy for a more complete taste of him. But she held herself back and went gently, moving slowly in. Sipping when she wanted to gulp.

 

5. I got a new chest of drawers. And now I must rearrange my clothes. It’s a task. I’ve been assigned it. There isn’t any escape.

6. Two more blog hops planned before the end of the year. One for Halloween to support my Wanton Witches Collection story, FarSeen. The other to bump up Home Run as well as hype the next book in that series, Hat Trick.

7. Did I mention, TEB contracted Night Blind? It’s being released next year. There is a lot of excitement going on over there. It should be a fun ride. We’ll see. They are looking at two more books in that universe. Got my fingers crossed.

8. Geez, I didn’t know I had so much crap all jumbled together to make up a writing life. Who knew? If I remember more crap, I will edit it in.

 

Current Projects 2

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So I have a lot on my plate. Took almost a month and half off this summer. I had a few non-writerly things that needed doing. I got ‘er done. But it pushed back my schedule a bit. Which means, I have to race to the finish line now. I have several goals I want to meet before the end of the year. So instead of a full blog post, I thought I’d use the nifty little feature my post page is showing me and just do a brief status update on my current projects.

1. I’m trying to learn Scrivener. Many writerly types have told me that I will think writing is revolutionized by this program. So far so good. I’ve imported several manuscripts into it and I’ve been cruising right along.

2. I’m awaiting edits on the first book in a new series call LG Custom. It is a series with standalone novels. About some dudes who do custom body work and the women they end up meeting and falling in love with.

3. I am finishing up a novella in my OtherKind universe. Cat shifters, MFMM menage and romance all thrown in together. Giving a little depth and context to the world I am building. This series is gonna start out all paranormally, but by the end, it should have crossed over into Urban Fantasy.

4. I am about 1/3 done with Book 2 in the Name of the Game series. A soccer player, a secret baby from a one night stand between two people who don’t really like each other. It’s been fun so far.

5. I am outlining the first Book of the Steel & Stilettos. Zoe, Deke and Nathan are going to be getting into some trouble as they try to navigate their relationship. They get thrown some curveballs by bad guys who have nothing to do with skips and guard duties. The genre will be Romantic Suspense with some whodunits and whyfors and whatnots. All that stress can put pressure on any new relationship. But when there’s a triad minefield as well, it’s just complicated.

 

So that’s the bi-yearly wrap up for me. If I can get these things done before the end of the year, I’ll call it good. Cause next year is looking like it’s going to be even mo’ busy.

Winners Announced- Open Road

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I got so excited about this Blog Hop, I picked two winners for an ebook of Open Road.

By random drawing, the winners are:  strawberryrosered and Julianne

I’ve sent you both an email. Check your inboxes.

Thanks to everyone else who participated!!!

Six Pack Stud-A-Thon Blog Hop and Giveaway

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Six pack Stud-a-thon

Welcome to my Blog. And Thank You for participating in this blog hop. I hope you have a lot of fun and win some GREAT prizes!

I’ve always been an admirer of the male form. But it wasn’t until I started writing romances that I truly appreciated it in all its glory. I follow some great photographers on Facebook, both on my author page and on my personal page.Some do both fitness and fashion, while others focus on one or the other. What they have in common is the absolute clarity they bring to the human form. The male form, umm, cause I like dudes, yo.

I knew the human body was sensual and seductive. A veritable delight for the senses. But to see that shown with such skill is amazing. But skill alone doesn’t create all this goodness. Oh no. The owners of the bodies themselves are to given a LOT of credit. Because without these beautiful bodies as the foundation, incredible photographs that allow me to perv wouldn’t exist, couldn’t exist. And yes, women perv. Seriously. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. If they do, they’re lying. Totally lying. As a red-blooded heterosexual woman, I can attest that I like nothing better than a fit male body.

I was going to talk about a specific model or male body I though was fab-u-lous. But as I started trying to pick out just one, I couldn’t do it. I pick and choose the models I think are perfect for the story I’m currently working on. As a result, my choice in perv material changes– from day to day, minute to minute, story by story. Plus, if I chose just one, I felt bad about leaving out others. So instead, I picked up some pics without faces. Not because I think that all a man is good for is his… ummm… body… part… ummm… like his… *whistles as I think*… six-pack. Yeah, that’s the body part I’m thinking about. 😀 But really it’s that line on either side of the abs. You know–the V line– that leads to all things good in this world. Yum-frickin’-O. And let’s not forget the double veins that traverse that same direction right below the belly button. OMFG, I have this thing for veins. I must… MUST… lick them. Want to nibble compulsively. I think I have a vein issue or fetish or something because it drives me wild. Mad, even.

So in honor of all the male fitness and fashion models, who worked so hard to have such nice abs to look at, I’m giving away an ebook copy of OPEN ROAD. It first came out in the Hot Bods, Hot Rods anthology through Jupiter Gardens Press this past July. Come September 26, 2013, however, it will offered as a standalone novelette. It is a short story about three individuals who weren’t expecting each other. And it is the introduction to their lives together. Zoe starts out as a motocross racer and becomes a stunt woman. Deke and Nathan are bounty hunters. This story is about how they meet, with more stories to come. Because, one stunt woman and two hot bounty hunters in a menage as they hunt down criminals is too good to stop when they met. They story has to continue. And it will.

So… in addition to the grand prize you  are eligible for by clicking on the Rafflecopter link below, if you leave me a comment about your favorite male body part or anything else, you can get a ebook copy of OPEN ROAD and read as  Zoe, Deke and Nathan meet. I’ll announce a winner after the blog hop ends. Make sure to leave me you email addy and what format you want.

Also, don’t forget to check out the other blogs listed below for a chance to win other great prizes. Seriously, it should be fun for everyone. I mean, prizes and hot, hard men and their six pack abs at multiple sites? Come on now… it just doesn’t get any better than that!

Grand Prize

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Evolution

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I think that no matter what you do, if you do it a lot and consistently, you get better at it. I read some of my earlier stuff and some of it makes me cringe. Seriously. Cringe. Worthy. I can’t really even reread my stuff because I’m all like holy shit… what was I thinking? Obviously not a lot ’cause I put these words to a page. It’s not that it’s total crap. My early stories just aren’t as good as what I am writing today. I mean an editor/publisher decided they wanted some of those stories. So it’s not just my opinion that they’re not total shit, but worthy of being put out there. But…but… but… I can do so much better now.

I don’t think trying to measure my work then to my work now is really fair to myself. But what-the-hell-ever. It’s not about fairness. It’s about evaluating my evolution as a writer.

Am I glad I write better now? You bet. Otherwise, I’d be a stagnate tadpole all swimming in the same pond, using the same tricks, and writing at the same level.

And as much as I hate editing, I have to say having outside of just plain writing more–all the time, every day– editors have done me a world of frickin’ good. Evaluating my writing myself and having my writing be evaluated by others is a necessary part of growing as a fiction author. As a writer period. It has been too long since I’ve had another person redline my work, call me on my bullshit, and generally tell me when I am being a douche with the written word. It’s painful- sure. But NECESSARY. So.

You know, I haven’t been writing for very long. Well, fiction writing as a job, anyway. And it’s been steep learning curve from writing dry technical pieces to engaging fiction works. It’s not a switch I can flip quick. I don’t think it’s a switch anyone can toggle rapidly. It’s been a slow process. But I’m getting there.

A big part of my evolution in becoming, hopefully, a better writer has been attending conferences and workshops and stuff (and that’s in addition to having someone edit my pieces with a dark red pen). I can’t tell you how learning from those who have been there and done that has helped. Immeasurably. Seriously. So to all those who have taken the time to teach, to give… Thank You! I hope one day I’m in a position to return that favor. Until then though, I will keep plugging away at getting better. Making more compelling stories.

It is my fervent wish that those of you who read what I’ve written today, keep reading what I write later. Cause I am only getting better. With time. With age. With experience. It’s only been a year–almost a year exactly–since I started writing fiction for realz, yo. I can’t wait to see where I’m at when another year goes by. I hope you can’t either.