Rachel Lynne

Visiting an Era Woman's Fiction All Too Often Ignores

2012-01-08T10:46:00.004-05:00

I had the privilege of reading author Calisa Rhose's debut novel, Home, several months before its release. I was asked to withhold my review until it became available, but I must tell you it was hard to curb my enthusiasm!
Home, part of the Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll series released by The Wild Rose Press, is an exciting and mysterious ride through a time period often ignored in today's romances. Set in Vietnam era Oklahoma, Home follows the lives of returning army medic Sam Callahan, the town outcast Poppy Tippen, and a doll with a mysterious and supernatural past.
I loved this novel for more reasons than I can list, but what has stayed with me all of these months is its hero, Sam Callahan. Ms. Rhose captured the essence of an American soldier that is timeless. She took the reader inside the tortured soul of a man haunted by what he had seen and experienced in a savage war and let us feel Sam's conflict over serving his country when the cost was putting his life on hold and silencing his conscious.
I could not help but be reminded of how much our soldiers, then and now, need the support of their countrymen; support that goes much deeper than sticking a magnetic yellow ribbon onto the back of their minivan.
Through the eyes of Sam, we see a man struggling to adapt to normalcy when all he can see is the demons of violence he lived with for so many years. We see it when Poppy Tippen, a high school mate that has loved Sam silently for years, reaches out to him and attempts to express her love only to be pushed away. We see it when Sam deals with his mother's unrealistic expectations, and in how Sam deals with the death of his father while he was overseas.
In short, Ms. Rhose lets us all walk a mile in the shoes of a soldier and shows us that war isn't all guns and glory. Home may have been set in the 1970's but it's message is timeless and especially relevant to us today. As a friend of many returning soldiers, as one who has witnessed the struggles our men and women face upon their return to 'normal' life, and as one who has watched families disintegrate because of the stress inflicted on a spouse, I thank Calisa for penning such an honest portrayal of those whom we as a nation ask to wage war.
Home isn't just about a soldier struggling with PTSD, however. Home is a sweet journey of blossoming romance, family conflict, and a mystery surrounding a gypsy's doll. I loved Home and am excited to know that the journey of the Scrimshaw doll will continue. The Wild Rose Press' Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll is similar to the premise of movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The doll's history and exploits will be explored by several authors; I am eagerly awaiting the next one!

Home, by Calisa Rhose

What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?

Silvertown's outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam "The Force" Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he's home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of "that damn war." Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she's ever truly loved?

Sam Callahan's only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He's known Poppy his entire life, but there's something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she's the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?

Excerpt:

"I’ll always want you, Poppy.”

Her head shook in automatic denial. “You’ll want a girl who fits your life. Not some gypsy with no family lineage to brag about. Your momma won’t accept that, either. She’ll make you choose someone like Connie, someone who fits into your world. Not the girl everyone avoids and whispers about behind her back. You’re gonna be the town’s doctor. You need an uppity wife who will make you proud.”

When Sam laughed, his chest shuddered against her back. Deep, husky, real. He turned her in his arms and looked down at her, smiling. “Poppy, do you honestly think I give a damn what people think? Look at me! I’m the town outcast, the survivor who should have died saving the others, not be here planning a future that includes a wife, a medical practice.

“I shimmy under park benches, run from my mother’s lipstick, for God’s sake. I wake up screaming and crying over nothing in the middle of the night, crawl under my bed and hide, shaking, until morning. Hell, I can’t even be a doctor because I haven’t finished school yet.”

“I didn’t know. It must be awful for you.” No matter how it hurt Poppy to know he used her, it felt much worse to know how he hurt alone.

“The only time it isn’t awful is when I’m with you. When I think of you.”

Conclusion to The Hag That Rides You

2011-07-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Read the conclusion to The Hag That Rides You at Digital Digest.

Barry Loomis gets more than he bargained for after a night on the town in historic Savannah, Georgia!

The Hag That Rides You

2011-07-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

My latest short story, The Hag That Rides You, is up at Digital Digest. Stop by and see what happens when a tom-catting attorney tangles with the wrong woman and discovers the legends and lore of Savannah are more than superstition.

Much Ado About ...

2011-06-22T11:20:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Facebook's new 'rules' I can't offer contests via my author page any more so, the only solution I've come up with is to use my newsletter. While not the most consistent newsletter publisher, lol I haven't managed one yet!, I am trying to put the first one out in early July.
So, if you haven't already, how about clicking the link above and joining the newsletter list? I'll be offering goodies from time to time and maybe a preview of stories I'm working on, aside from that, I've no idea what to tell you the content will be, but I'm sure they won't be flooding your inbox!

Rachel

Hello Out There!

2011-06-14T13:14:00.004-04:00

Checking on my blog I see that I neglected to say that I wasn't blogging much any more! If you want to see what is happening in my world please sign up for my newsletter; I swear I have all intentions of sending one out ... soon!

If you feel like chatting about nothing at all, drooling over my latest adventures in baking, or seeing what crazy new thing my kid says or does, drop by my author page on Facebook; that's pretty much were I'm hanging these days!

I've started a new venture with a talented group of authors over at Digital Digest. Each month I'll be posting a new short story and, should you miss it, the story will be available as an e-book the month following its appearance on Digital Digest.

Looking forward to hearing from you!
Rachel

I Told The Witch Dr. ....

2011-04-27T23:47:00.002-04:00

We've reached the final installment of Spectral Savannah. Paige and I are visiting Laurie @ Black Velvet Seductions' Readers Blog today and tomorrow; and I've come bearing gifts! Stop by and see how Paige deals with the conjureman, Dr. Turtle. Leave a comment and be entered to win some great Savannah themed prizes. A Savannah Cookbook, Savannah Themed Stationary, Palm Roses, and a few surprises :)
Hope to see ya'll there!

"Chasin Down a Hoodoo there"

2011-04-21T14:02:00.004-04:00

I'm finishing up the last installment of Spectral Savannah Stories today. The final story, Paige and the Root Dr. of Daufuskie Island will be at Black Velvet Seductions as part of a blog party April 28th and 29th. To keep me in the mood, I've programmed a list of hoodoo/voodoo themed songs and am sharin' today on my fan page. Stop by and get your 'groove' on!

Victorian Voodoo at The Bayou

2011-04-13T10:51:00.002-04:00

Another Paige Stewart adventure! Join me and Paige at Liana Laverentz and see Paige face her biggest fear ...

Hope to see you there!
Rach

Black Friday Comes ... to Paige Stewart

2011-04-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

When Black Friday comes
I'll stand down by the door
And catch the grey men when they
Dive from the fourteenth floor
Apologies to Steely Dan ;)
The next installment of Spectral Savannah stories is up at Southern Fried Gothic. Check out Paige's story and see why you might want to cross the street when walking by the building at 24 Drayton Street!

Paige Stewart's Tea Party at the House on St. Julian St.

2011-03-29T09:01:00.003-04:00

Paige Stewart is at it again! Visit Greater Fort Worth Writers Blog, As We Were Saying, and see what happens to Paige at the famed Hamilton-Lilibridge House. Jim Williams, of Midnight in the Garden of Evil fame, restored this house and is the only home in Savannah known to have required an exorcism!

Stop by for tea and stay for spooks! Leave a comment and you could win a copy of my Savannah based romantic suspense, Ring of Lies.

Hope to see you there!

Free Read: Paige Stewart and the Haunted Pub Crawl

2011-03-19T02:09:00.004-04:00

The next installment of Spectral Savannah stories featuring Paige Stewart is up at Barbara Edwards' Blog. Stop by and see how Paige spends St. Patrick's Day!

And so it ends ... And the DRINKING Begins!

2011-03-17T13:58:00.003-04:00

The family portion of Savannah's St. Paddy's Day has drawn to a close. The Irish families who participated in the parade will gather for family B*B*Q's and the tourists will go get wasted. which is why I'm missing my favorite and playing tomorrow night; NO WAY I venture downtown this weekend ;)

Green Goat & Giant Pig? Strange Southern Customs!

2011-03-17T13:22:00.003-04:00

I have NO idea what this is meant to represent ...

But this? Why it's the Piggly Wiggly Float :)

Oh, not to be a kiljoy but I probably should have mentioned that I can't ship any of the tangible gifts out of the continental US. BUT, Ring of Lies is available :)

Rock of the Marne, Savannah's 3rd ID

2011-03-17T12:35:00.001-04:00

The Clydesdales Are Stomping By!

2011-03-17T12:13:00.003-04:00

2011 Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade Has Begun!

2011-03-17T10:47:00.003-04:00

We kick off with the Barrack Street band from County Cork followed by the Grand Marshall receiving the blessing from the bishop. Now we get to wave at all the families of the parade commissioners, lol.

We Pull Out All The Stops on St. Pat's, Do The Irish?

2011-03-17T09:35:00.005-04:00

Happy St. Pat's: One Hour 'til the fun begins!

It's a beautiful morning here in Savannah; a cool 54 degrees but the sun is shining so I'll bet we see high 70's today! Propped up in bed ready to watch the parade with the sick kiddo who is determined to spread her germs by laying as close as is humanly possible :).
I have several friends braving the crowds today so I should have some great pics when the fun starts. Question, why do Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day in such an exuberant style? I've been told by friends from Ireland that their celebrations aren't like ours, at all! So, Irish or been to Ireland around March 17th? Give me the scoop; inquiring minds want to know!

REMEMBER! Contest all day in honor of St. Patrick's Day. I'm blogging throughout the day with updates on Savannah's festivities and ensuing mayhem :)
Best way to insure you win prizes? Check in and leave comments after the posts and pics. Mention that you Retweeted/Fb share and you'll get extra entries!

Bring on the Guinness and Grits!

2011-03-16T10:54:00.011-04:00

Everything is in high gear here in Savannah. All the hotels in the historic district are at capacity and the hotels in surrounding suburbs are near No Vacancy status. The city has granted numerous new restaurant and bar permits and crowds are filling the streets: St. Patrick's Day Weekend is upon us and it looks like we'll have record crowds. Since numbers are usually in the 150k range I'm afraid to ask what 'record' means!

I had all intentions of attending the parade tomorrow; but then I read the paper and saw that 'record' forecast. I might have still braved the hordes, a sacrifice I was willing to make for my followers :), but this morning, my nine year old daughter woke up with a fever so ... no three hour parade watch for us!

But take heart, I can still blog about the parade because joy of joy, our local TV station will cover the whole darn thing! Yeah, no need for me to suffer the crush of bodies and grid lock traffic.

Starting tomorrow at 10:30, I'll be posting updates and pictures of the parade (how? why TV screen captures :) and I have some friends who are braver than I!) and telling ya'll a bit about the history of the Irish in Savannah; might air of bit o' dirty laundry too!

To celebrate St. Pat's, I'll also be giving out some pretty cool gifts.

A Copy of Ring of Lies is up for grabs,
of course ;)

Recipes of Savannah ...
Two people will win Palm Roses

Savannah Scenes beverage coasters and notepad

Five gifts to celebrate Ireland's patron Saint! So, don your green and grab a Guinness and hang out with me!

How Fairy Tales Really End!

2011-03-12T10:20:00.006-05:00

My friend Angie has come through again. I have no idea where she gets these emails but I hope she has a never ending source because they always brighten my day!

Note: I am not quite this cynical ;)

Cinderella

Snow White

Little Red Riding Hood

Sleeping Beauty

Jasmine
(Aladdin)

Belle
(Beauty and the Beast)

Ariel
(The Little Mermaid)

Barbi's 50th Birthday Party

The Ophelia of Bonaventure Cemetery

2011-03-11T09:53:00.005-05:00

My fictional paranormal reporter, Paige Stewart, is visiting Suzanne Johnson today at Preternatura. I love Suzanne's blog and am honored to have Paige telling her story there! This week Paige meets the Ophelia of Bonaventure Cemetery and ... I'm giving away a copy of Ring of Lies so come by and say 'hey'! If you can tell me where Corinne appears on my blog I'll give you an extra entry :)

Mars and Venus in a Nutshell

2011-03-08T14:27:00.005-05:00

Her Diary

Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving.

I can't explain his behavior I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.' When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed.

About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. To my surprise, he responded to my caress, and we made love. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

His Diary

Boat wouldn't start, can't figure it out, at least I got laid.

Hooray for Hollywood ... and Tempting Adam!

2011-03-06T23:33:00.009-05:00

Jill James is visiting today and she's brought her very first book, Tempting Adam! When I read the blurb and excerpt I just had to invite Jill over to chat. Tempting Adam is set in Los Angeles and more specifically a movie studio in Hollywood. I assumed Jill had worked in the film industry since Tempting Adam pulls the reader into the behind the scenes world of movie making and makes it look effortless. Imagine my surprise when the answer was no! I can't imagine how she captured such detail and authenticity in Tempting Adam without years of first hand experience; I'm very impressed!
Jill lives in California and has visited L.A. many times. Here is what she said about the city.
"I've visited L.A. many times. I love the vibe there. Everything is so go go go! I shopped on Rodeo Drive and visited NBC studios to watch them film Days of our Lives. I also walked down Sunset Blvd. and stopped at Grauman's Chinese Theatre to see the hand prints and footprints; If you tour Universal Studios you can still get the feeling for what it was like in its heyday. Tempting Adam takes place at a movie studio in Hollywood, California. I loved the idea of showing the age-old battle of man vs. woman to see who comes out on top. The biggest thing in the book was making sure I said 'The 10 or The 210', that is what Angelinos call the freeways down there! This book was a challenge to myself to see how hot I could write. I enjoyed how the story turned out and I hope readers do too.

I'm thinking Jill is being modest because there are a lot more details that make Hollywood and L.A. appear authentic in Tempting Adam than the mention of a highway! I would never pull something like that off but Jill makes it look like a walk in the park. As to how the book turns out ... I haven't finished Tempting Adam yet so if you turn the last page before I do; don't tell me how it ends!

Check out this book; promise you'll love it! Thanks for hanging out with me today, Jill!
Rach

They both want the same thing – St. Eden Studios.

Corporate raider Yvette Giardino intends to bring St. Eden Studios to its knees. It’s a job. One her grandmother’s health depends on. That Adam St. Eden will suffer isn’t personal. Until he awakens her sympathy and stirs her body in ways she can’t explain.

Adam wants one thing and one thing only – to protect the dream his grandfather began. But when the board demands he work with stunning Yvette, a woman he’d mistakenly indulged with in a little after-hours play, his world turns upside down. Missed meetings, unhappy clients, and nights of intense pleasure – he can blame one person. Yvette.

With his corporation crumbling around him, can Adam rise above the fallout and see his sexy temptress for what she really is – a victim of manipulation and a woman who desperately needs his love?

Excerpt: Yvette pulled herself together with a jolt. It’s a job. It’s a job.

She repeated the mantra in her head in an endless loop, gazing into deep, blue eyes. This close, she noticed the subtle lines near his eyes from his outdoor living. If he had grown up in Hollywood, he would have had a facelift or two by now, instead of the natural look he pulled off quite well.

Adam helped her rise, his warm hand cupping her elbow. A tingle shot from her arm, to her chest, and to regions much farther south. A sexual moan almost escaped her lips. Yvette shook her head to clear the mental images of her and him and the hotel room. It didn’t help. Memories of that night still had the power to stir her senses. They hit Yvette in a place she didn’t think existed—her emotions.

His eyes darkened to indigo, and he leaned nearer. His fresh, evergreen scent enveloped her. Her head swam, and she tilted on the heels of her shoes. She berated herself for her juvenile behavior, unable to believe the She-shark of business might have met her match. At least in the sexual arena.

Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, led her to the bench outside the door, and sat beside her. “I hope you’re doing okay. I would’ve found you a seat inside, but they were getting back to work. I didn’t want anything else to delay the work schedule.”

Disbelief flooded Yvette while she replayed what had just happened. She needed to get a grip on herself and this job. Adam was nice enough overall, and was great—make that fantastic—in bed. However, he was no ruthless businessman and knew next to nothing about Hollywood. He wasn’t the first CEO she’d taken down, and he wouldn’t be the last.

It wasn’t personal.

Watch the Trailer.

BuyTempting Adam, available at The Wild Rose Press

Jill's Website

Free Books?

2011-03-06T12:33:00.004-05:00

Ever heard of Freado? It's a really cool site featuring games like hangman and concentration that you can play and earn points. The points can be 'spent' on books offered from the authors that participate in Freado. Lots of books to choose from and you can also win big prizes like Kindles!

Book Lovers should check it out! I created a Hangman Game featuring Savannah's Most Haunted sites.
See how many you can guess; hint, several locations were featured in the Paige Stewart stories ;).

Help! Inmates Running the Asylum!

2011-03-03T08:42:00.006-05:00

I'm a plotter. I chart, graph, outline, and generally obsess over every scene in a proposed story. My current work in progress, Broken Chords, is outlined chapter by chapter and sub-divided into various scenes within the chapters. I even have snippets of dialog on the plot line. When I showed this chart to a writing friend she laughed and said what I really had was a rough draft; in all truth, she was right.

Having this 'rough draft' hasn't actually helped me write the book. I'm two chapters in and haven't touched it in a month. I will, I swear, but I went off on a tangent and now my mind is otherwise occupied. It all started when I decided to promote Ring of Lies by blogging about various attractions in and around Savannah. My mind kicked in to overdrive and I ended up creating a fictional reporter to investigate the paranormal lore associated with Savannah. I'm referring, of course, to Paige Stewart and the Paranormal Post short stories that run on different authors' blogs each week.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like Paige and the stories, perhaps too much! See, I find myself with a plot hole. Yes, I know I said I'm a plotter extraordinaire, an obsessed with minutia author who must know her way from point A to point B and every tiny detail that occurs in between. That is what I am; but not this time.

This time, I didn't plot. I had character names, several locations I wanted to cover, and a teeny, tiny bit of backstory for Paige. I really thought these short stories would be mini history lessons sprinkled with some ghosts. NOT! Paige has taken over. She is screaming for her story, all of her story to be told. As Hywela Lyn pointed out in her post here last week, characters assert themselves and we authors are theirs to command; hence this post's title.

I'm listening to Paige shout at me, (no, I don't require psychotropics; not yet anyway, I'll let you know ;), and it's good. The tale she is chattering on about is riveting me to my, well, my mind at the moment but I'm dying to open a new doc. and dive in. The problem is an unforeseen plot hole. Yep, that's why I like, no need, to plot!

I was all set to write this novella of Paige's, I even had a possible home for it with The Wild Rose Press' new submission call for their Black Rose line. All systems were go. But then that nasty plot hole reared its head and squelched the idea. Frustrated, I strapped duct tape over Paige's mouth and started adjusting my inner communication apparatus, (or whatever it is that let's me talk to the people in my head!), so I could get back in tune with Tina, my heroine in Broken Chords.

Just before I opened the Broken Chords file I sent an email to an author friend I hadn't heard from in a few days. Maeve Greyson's first book, Beyond a Highland Whisper, released February 18th. She's a busy bee, making the rounds to assorted blogs and reader's loops promoting Whisper so I hadn't seen much of her on the author loops. I checked-in with her, just a quick "hey, how are ya", and her reply flipped the switch that saved Paige's story.

She asked me how Paige's stories were going and mentioned, again, that I should publish them. I, again, said no they are free reads, but, there is this idea. I started typing away, telling her my tale of whining heroines and really deep plot holes when, out of nowhere, a shovel arrived. Through 'talking' it out and prompts from Maeve, I found the way out of my plot hole! Hallelujah! Bells are ringing, birds are singing, all is well in the land! :)

I'm out most of today and tomorrow and when I sit back down in front of this keyboard my first priority is writing Paige's Party at Bonaventure Cemetery, which appears on Suzanne Johnson's blog, Preternatura, Friday, the 11th. But then, then I get to jerk the duct tape off of Paige's mouth and listen to her prattle while I write her tale: sorry, no title yet but the story revolves around her experiences while investigating the Crucifixion on Cumberland Island for the 'true crime novel' she wrote before coming to work for Clayton and the Paranormal Post. I stink at titles so maybe, once I get the rough draft down, I'll post a blurb and hold a 'naming' contest!

Oops, clock's ticking and I'm running late, as usual, so: how do you dig your way out of a plot hole, or are you a plotter that doesn't fall into one in the first place?

A Date from Hell

2011-03-01T00:08:00.006-05:00

The next installment of Paranormal Post stories is visiting Vonnie Davis' blog today. Paige Stewart finally gets that date with her editor. Too bad an uninvited guest tagged along! Drop in at Vonnie's and see how Paige deals with the unexplained at The Olde Pink House.
Oh! Be sure and vote. I'm leaving Paige's next destination up to you!

Paige and the Lost Soul of Reynolds Square

2011-02-25T08:19:00.003-05:00

Hey ya'll! I, er Paige is over at Ciara Knight's blog sharing her adventure in Reynolds Square. She was supposed to be dining at The Olde Pink House with Clay but something has held them up; but I'll let her tell you about that!

If you stop by today and leave a comment you'll be entered to win one of 'Paige's' palm roses -- what's that? Well, you'll have to stop by ... :)

Hope to see ya there!

Rach

Ready for a Little Fantasy Romance?

2011-02-23T00:44:00.009-05:00

I'm so thrilled to have Hywela Lyn on my blog today! I've had her fantasy/futuristic romance, Starquest, on my reader for weeks but my eyes have not been cooperating to let me read :( I'm hoping to get some new glasses so I can start it this weekend! In the meantime, check out what Lyn has to say about writing a series!

One Thing Leads to Another…

My first published novel ‘Starquest’ (I know it’s a cliche, but it really is ‘the book of my heart’.) started out as a short story for a magazine contest. It didn’t win, but the story stayed with me, and the heroine nagged me to write more. When I wrote ‘The End ‘, it didn’t take long for Jess, my flame haired heroine, to sit beside me and whisper in my ear “Well, what about the rest of it – it didn’t end there!”
“What ‘rest of it?’ I asked, “That’s it, finito! It’s finished!
“But it’s a sad ending, you can’t leave it like that.”
“Yes I can, it’s my story, I wrote it. There are plenty of stories with sad endings ‘Romeo And Juliet’, ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Gone With The Wind’ – ”
“That’s as may be” (Jess is nothing, if not persistent) “but there’s a lot more about my story you don’t know, and a lot of characters you haven’t met yet.”
Truth to tell, by now I was rather fond of all my characters and quite happy to find out more about them, and be introduced to a few more. So, the short story lengthened and became the first four chapters of what was to be a full length novel. Because Jess kindly dictated the story to me in my mind, the middle is in the form of a journal, and the end is normal third person narrative to balance the first chapters. (There is a reason why it couldn’t all be written in journal form.) However, I’d no sooner typed ‘The End’, with a flourish, for the second time, when I heard that sweet, husky voice again.
“I’m sorry, but it didn’t really end like that!”
“Yes it did,” I argued, “this whole story has been working towards that very ending. Sorry.”
“Well let me tell you what really happened.”
“*Sigh* All right then, but it won’t make any difference.”
As I said, Jess is nothing if not persistent. Then Dahll, who was only supposed to be a secondary character, but for whom I’d developed a certain fondness, stepped in and gave his side of the argument. He, too, can be rather persistent. I stubbornly resisted. After all, when all’s said and done, I’m the author, I dictate what happens, don’t I? Not the characters!
Wrong!
“It may not be what you planned for us, but it’s the way it really happened. Why don’t you just try writing it our way, just to see how it looks.”
“Oh, all right then, if it means you’ll leave me in peace. But only to show you that it won’t work, and then we’ll go back to my original ending.”
Of course, after I’d rewritten the ending, I could see it really DID happen that way, I’d just contrived the original ending to suit what I thought was the logical course of the story, but now it seemed just that – contrived. *Another sigh* – how come my characters are always right?
(Shameless plug) If none of the above seems to make sense to you, all is revealed if you read ‘Starquest’.
After I’d finished ‘STARQUEST’ I heard that pleasant though persistent soft voice again.
“Isn’t it time you told Tamarith’s story?”
“Hmm, I suppose it would be nice to know what happened to her,” I mused.
“And I’m sure you’d like to go back to Niflheim and all that snow – you know how much you like snow -- and there must be some questions about the planet you’d like to have answered.”

There were – and that’s how ‘CHILDREN OF THE MIST’ came to be written. It was nice to meet up with Tamarith and her family again, and a new character appeared on the scene. His name was Vidarh (Most of the inhabitants of Niflheim are named after places or gods in the original Niflheim of Norse legend.) Vidarh had a few surprises of his own, and I learnt a lot more about the planet and its origins as the story progressed. Jess and Dahll played their part too, and while things weren’t easy for any of them during most of the story, I’m happy to say it all turned out happily in the end.
So my short story turned into a novel and its sequel. That was it. Job done!
“I sincerely hope you have not forgotten about me.” Who was that? I recognized the slow, deliberate way of speaking, the rich timbre – Kerry Marchant!
“You ‘short-changed’ me in Starquest. Don’t you think it is about time you remedied the matter?”
I sighed. It was difficult to resist his request, especially when he looked at me with those deep blue eyes, and that devastating, rare smile.
So, gentle reader, that’s why I’m now writing ‘Starquest III’ tentatively entitled ‘BELOVED ENEMY.’ As I said at the beginning, one thing leads to another, and sometimes one can become so fond of ones’ characters (and they become so demanding) that a story snowballs and becomes two – or three!
I love to hear from readers and fellow writers and you can contact me at Lyn@hywelalyn.co.uk

My website is www.hywelalyn.co.uk and my Blog is www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com

I also run a ‘fun’ Blog ‘The Author Roast and Toast, with my two dear friends and sister hostesses Sharon Donovan and Mary Ricksen. We meet every Friday and torture (I mean host) an unsuspecting author. It’s very interactive and casual and our guest is encouraged to promote her book during the fun and mayhem that ensues. Pop in and join the fun at http://www.authorroastandtoast.blogspot.com/

STARQUEST
Futuristic/Fantasy romantic adventure Available in e-book and print from the Wild Rose Press (where you can also download my short medieval fantasy ‘A Bargain WSith Death’ for free.)

BLURB:
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen.
Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…
You can see a trailer, here at Blazing Tr ailers:

CHILDREN OF THE MIST:

BLURB:
Two minds united against a common foe. Two hearts afraid to show their love: Long ago Tamarith fell in love with a man she can never have, and is convinced she will never love another. However, she cannot help but be intrigued by a handsome stranger whose psychic powers exceed even her own. Vidarh seeks only to find his true purpose in life and to win the regard of his father, who eschews his son’s psychic abilities.
Thrown together by a common threat to their planet, then torn apart by an evil greater than any they could have imagined, can Vidarh save the lovely Nifl woman who has captivated him, before it is too late? Will Tamarith and Vidarh overcome the deadly enemy who threatens to destroy all they know and love? Will they find the happiness they both seek? Or are they fated to live their lives alone?
Watch the Trailer!

BIO

Hywela Lyn most of her life in Wales and the beautiful countryside and legends inspired her to write. Although she now lives in a small village in England, she is very proud of her Welsh heritage and background. She enjoys weaving romantic tales of the future, and distant, mysterious worlds. Her pen name is a combination of her first two names.'Hywela’ is Welsh and her first name but it was never used and she has always been called by her second Christian name, Lyn.

One thing remains constant in her writing: The power of love. Love, not only between her hero and heroine, but between friends and siblings, and for their particular world and the creatures that share it.

She is crazy about all animals, especially horses. She lives with her long suffering husband, Dave, and has two horses, two ferrel cats and an adopted Jack Russell terrier called Bouncer.

Thanks so much for stopping by Lyn! I am so glad to hear that other authors have characters that pester. I found that the best friend of my heroine in Ring of Lies wants her story told too! After reading your journey through a series I'm wondering who else from Ring of Lies will chime in!

So, I'm nosy, (we've discussed my lamentable trait before ;)). Do you love Futuristic stories that let you enter another world? What fantasy world would you like to travel to?

And the Winner Is ....

2011-02-19T11:32:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Calisa! She is the winner of Beyond a Highland Whisper by Maeve Greyson! Congrats and happy reading, Calisa!

Release Day!!

2011-02-18T08:45:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to my friend, Maeve Greyson!!

Her first novel, Beyond a Highland Whisper, releases today.

The last time Latharn MacKay walked among his kinsman was in Scotland of 1410. Sensuous and charismatic, all the women wanted him, but none could capture his heart. Latharn's charm became his curse when a dark sorceress didn’t take rejection well. She snared his soul into a crystal globe until the one woman destined to be his love whispered his release. Now all Latharn has to do is find her and guide her to him without speaking a word.

One of the youngest archeologists in St. Louis of 2010, Nessa credits one thing for this achievement: the recurring dream of a heart-stopping Highlander since the summer she turned eighteen years old. Little does she know, he's not some fantasy cooked up by her subconscious. He’s a trapped soul determined for Nessa to end his six centuries in hell. Can love prevail over the dark magic of a woman scorned?

Excerpt:

Tonight Latharn was different.

He didn’t go any further than the hungry possession of her mouth or the desperate, crushing embrace. Nessa sensed he needed this night to be different. His body tensed beneath her touch, he restrained his caress as if he wanted her to reason rather than just shatter into mindless bliss.

He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. Nessa flinched at the depths of pain and frustration etched in his face. He struggled, trying to communicate, to connect with her deepest emotions without the use of words. He took his palm, flattened it against his heart then placed it upon her chest. His brows drawn together in a questioning frown, he tilted his head and waited for a sign that she understood.

Her lower lip quivered at the very obvious gesture. Nessa whispered and covered his hand with hers. “Are you telling me you love me?” Her whisper caught in her throat.

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a relieved smile as Latharn nodded and brushed his lips across hers. He took a deep breath as though steeling himself against his own deepest fears. He took her hand and repeated the heart touching gesture from her chest to his. Then he raised a brow and awaited her answer, anxiety filling his eyes.

A lone tear escaped down her cheek as Nessa stared at her hand splayed upon his broad chest. “You know I love you,” she murmured with a moan. “I just wish that you were real.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Holding her close, he stroked her hair as she gave way to tears.

His arms tightened around her and he gently swayed as she softly wept in his arms.

Available at The Wild Rose Press

Don't forget, Maeve is offering a free e-copy! Here's how you enter ...
If you email the correct answer to the following question:

Who is Maeve's writing partner?

You’ll be entered into a drawing to win a digital copy of BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. If you follow one of the links below, you’ll easily find the answer. Also, if you’ll friend her on Facebook, “Like” her author’s page, follow her blog, or follow her on Twitter, you’re name will be entered an additional time for each action.

Email your answer to maevegreyson@gmail.com

I will post the winner’s name on this blog February 19th.
Don’t forget to check back then to see if you’ve won.
Here’s the links:
Website Blog Facebook Facebook Fanpage

Twitter Goodreads Youtube

Paige Stewart's Midnight Visitor

2011-02-17T10:24:00.001-05:00

The next installment of the Paranormal Post is up at Calisa Lewis' blog! Stop by and see what happens to Paige Stewart at the Kehoe House!

Mother's Little Helper

2011-02-15T23:01:00.003-05:00

If you are female, chances are you bear the brunt of household responsibilities, and we won't even get into the parenting duties resting on our shoulders! If, like me, you are trying to juggle a thousand and one things, figuring out what to put on the table every night is beyond a pain in the rear. I love to cook, however, now that I'm writing full time I find myself longing for the food of the future a la the Jetson's cartoon. You know, Jane pushes a series of buttons and out pop a plethora of food pills ... sigh, a girl can dream, can't I?

OK, back to the real world. I've devised a system; not the greatest, and it still doesn't take all the pressure of "what's to eat?" away, but I thought I'd share.
My biggest time and stress saver? Cook once, eat twice, or more! Here's what I mean. Let's say I go to the grocery store and lean ground beef is on sale. Instead of buying one or two pounds, I buy maybe six pounds (or whatever I can afford that particular week:) and then I buy ingredients to turn that six pounds of hamburger into meals.
For my family those hamburger meals will probably be:
Chili
Spaghetti sauce
Meatloaf
Hamburger patties
Taco Meat
Now, here's the thing. I go home with my ingredients and I cook those meals. I used to just package the meat into one pound packages and freeze, but then I had to remember to thaw that meat and then I had to cook it. My freezer was full of meat but I was still relying on take-out!
By cooking the meat into dishes that freeze well, I have "TV" dinners ready to go.
I do this with chicken too. Whole chickens are on sale here quite often. If you freeze bone-on chicken, it tends to turn the meat black. But, if you roast the chickens, two at a time (saves on electricity), you can pick the meat off the bone and freeze for chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice, soups, and pot pie.
I also have a dry erase calendar hanging on the fridge. Every day has a meal assigned to it so I know at a glance what to pull from the freezer. Life is so much easier when I don't have to worry about what to feed the family! The only problem I've found is that I forget what is in the freezer. My next organizing project will be hanging a dry erase board in the laundry room above the freezer so I can keep a running inventory: I've been buying way too many items lately only to find they are already in the freezer!
Oh! I almost forgot. I make double batches of things like chili, meatloaf, spaghetti sauce and I freeze leftovers like rice and vegetables: pull out cooked rice and veggies, add a can of cream of chicken soup and some cheddar cheese and you've got a quick and tasty casserole!

Below are a few websites devoted to cooking for the month. They tell you what freezes well, how long it will keep, how to reheat, and suggest recipes.
1. Frugal Mom : this site gives a great overview of how to cook for the month.
2. Organized Home: this site has lots of great tips on more than just Feeding the Freezer!
3. Busy Cooks: lots of tips and recipes

Let me know if you decide to try my less stress method and definitely share your secrets to "buying more time"!

Most Romantic Date?

2011-02-15T09:11:00.007-05:00

Valentine's Day: the flowers, the candy, the lingerie, the Date night.
I've already confessed that I don't "do" Valentine's Day. I fully acknowledge that I'm a strange breed of romance writer that doesn't like or need the societal trappings of romance, but I didn't tell ya'll that my husband kind of does.
Yesterday, our home school group held a Valentine's party for the kids at a friend's home on Tybee Island. It was a glorious day here in Savannah. The temperature topped out in the low seventies, the sun was shining, the skies were blue, the breeze off of the ocean was balmy; in short, a perfect day.
I took the kiddo out to the island, coveted my friend's residence four houses from the beach, and enjoyed a few hours of adult conversation surrounded by gently swaying palms before heading back across town. I'd already told my husband not to spend money on overpriced flowers, though I LOVE roses, my daughter had told Daddy she had no more room for giant teddy bears, and no one in the house needed to consume any more chocolate. He was miffed; he always buys us roses, candy, and stuffed animals. Since his nose was out of joint, I compromised and suggested we, all three of us, visit a new favorite Mexican restaurant in Bluffton, SC. for a family Valentine's Day date.
He left work early, all ready to make the 45 minute drive to Fiesta Fresh; he actually beat us home. The problem was, Punkin' and I were exhausted from our trip to Tybee. she fell asleep in the car and I just managed not to! I pulled in the drive and zombie walked into the house, informed him someone, other than me, would have to carry the Punk to her bed, and made a beeline for my PJ drawer. He grumbled that we were supposed to be leaving for our dinner date a little and then plopped the Punk down on my bed and decided he'd take a nap too; you know I didn't argue, I was already in my PJ's!
Our family Valentine's Day dinner date turned into a family nap punctuated with brief moments of conscious viewing of old westerns. I woke up long enough to make a homemade pizza which was consumed picnic style on the bed whilst watching Have Gun Will Travel. Along about 8pm my husband "whispered" to my daughter that Mommy had, once again, not provided any dessert; have I mentioned the fact that my husband ALWAYS whines that I have nothing for dessert? I'm forty pounds lighter, that's why there is nothing sweet in the house!
Punkin', being a healthy and normal nine year old, also joined in the 'whining', so I relented and made the suggestion that we turn the aborted family dinner date into a family dessert date. Punkin' immediately yelled, "Leopold's!": I think it was a set up!
We threw on some clothes and headed to Leopold's Ice Cream shop, (you can find out about the famous Leopold's here), and enjoyed our flavors of choice: chocolate raspberry for my husband, vanilla waffle cone for Punkin', (which always manages to end up on her lap), and caramel swirl for me.
In the end, Valentine's Day was spent with the people I love most, doing nothing at all: you can't beat that!

Sooo, what did you do for Valentine's Day?

*Oh! Leopold's is right around the corner from The Olde Pink House restaurant and Paige Stewart's story on the 25th of February will be set there, so I grabbed the camera and started snapping pics of the exterior. On the side of the house is a glassed in bar and I asked a server standing near the door if it was the bar reputed to be haunted. He said no, and took me around front to another door and ushered me into the "haunted" one. I'm excited to report that The Olde Pink House staff are wonderful and they let me snap pics of assorted haunted areas, one of which isn't in a public area, so Paige's story will be accompanied by some great pics!

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?

2011-02-12T01:45:00.004-05:00

Very happy to have my friend Maeve Greyson visiting today and super excited for her too; her very first book will be released February 18th!

Depending upon the individual, Valentine’s Day is almost right up there with Christmas. A day highlighting love and romance –what more could a romance writer want? Looking back over my married life, I’ve discovered my appreciation of Valentine’s Day, as well as my definition of romance has changed.
Before I go any further, I feel I should preface this post with the confession that my husband and I only knew each other about three months before we married. Everyone accused of being crazy. We were –crazy about each other. They said it would never last but after thirty-one years, I think we’ve proven them wrong. I now return you to the intended post.
In the early years of our relationship, I yearned for the traditional trappings of Valentine’s Day as proof that my growly bear truly loved me. Hubby’s the strong, gruff type. If he likes you, it might take a while to realize it. If he doesn’t like you, he’s apt to tell you to head straight to hell. We’ve been working on that last part. *sigh* Gotta love a man who speaks his mind when he’s irked.
Sorry to get side-tracked but you’ll need this information. Anyway, in my naive years, I felt I needed the syrupy cards, heart-shaped boxes of candies, or vases overflowing with sweet-smelling flowers as testament to his love. Some years, he remembered. Some years –he didn’t. The “didn’t” years were usually lean years where we were trying our best to cover all the bills. In my silliness, I scolded him, saying he could’ve at least written me a sweet note to let me know how much he cared.
I’m happy to say, I’ve outgrown those years. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the gifts or the lovely notes. Believe me; I’ve never turned one of his presents down. But we’ve reached the stage in our relationship where our love is comfortable…and understood. One of the greatest gifts he gave to me didn’t cost a cent.
I have a bit of a heart condition, most of the time it behaves. But at one point, the contrary thing decided to give us a little scare. The ambulance rushed me to the hospital. Hubby followed behind in the car. They preferred he didn’t ride with us since they had to work on me during the ride. When we arrived at the hospital and they lowered the gurney out of the back of the ambulance, I’ll never forget the look on his face. My grumpy old bear, the one who rarely shows any emotion, stood on the sidewalk waiting for me, tears streaming down his face. He trotted along beside the gurney, his blue eyes over-flowing. Those tears meant more to me than any material possession ever could. They were priceless.
What about you? Do you like Valentine’s Day? Do you have something lovely planned for that special person in your life?

By the way, did I mention I’m a romance writer? My debut book with The Wild Rose Press, BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER, releases on February 18th. A beguiling Scot from the 1400’s, Latharn Mackay is cursed into a crystal orb when a seductive witch rages against his withheld love. But there’s hope. The woman destined for him can break the curse by whispering her love aloud. There’s just a few minor problems to overcome. Nessa is six hundred years in the future and Latharn can only visit her dreams with a silent presence. If he speaks, the curse will shatter his soul into bits. And then there’s still the matter of the sorceress. You know an enraged woman is going to have the final say…unless love proves more powerful.

In honor of my upcoming release, Rachel and I thought we’d run a little contest. If you email the correct answer to the following question:
Who is my writing partner?
You’ll be entered into a drawing to win a digital copy of BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. If you follow one of the links below, you’ll easily find the answer. Also, if you’ll friend me on Facebook, “Like” my author’s page, follow my blog, or follow me on Twitter, you’re name will be entered an additional time for each action.
Email your answer to maevegreyson@gmail.com
Rachel will post the winner’s name on this blog in one week (February 19th). Don’t forget to check back then to see if you’ve won.
Here’s the links:
Website Blog Facebook Facebook Fanpage

Twitter Goodreads Youtube

Now, I’d like to end my rant by thanking Rachel so very much for inviting me into her “cyber” home. You’re the best, Rachel. I appreciate your hospitality!

You are so very welcome Maeve! Now, I'd like to know what does Valentine's Day Mean to ya'll? I will confess that I don't "do" Valentine's Day, (I know, a romance writer, it's sacrilege!)

Paige Stewart and the Children of Columbia Square

2011-02-11T09:59:00.002-05:00

The third installment of Spectral Savannah stories, featuring Paige Stewart, is here! Stop by Riley Quinn's Blog and see how Paige deals with a snippy docent, a sexy editor, and a feline with more than nine lives!

Searching for Ghosts ... and time!

2011-02-10T10:03:00.004-05:00

I've been quiet on the blog this week because I've been ghost hunting with Paige Stewart! I'm happy to report that we found some at the Davenport House Museum in Columbia Square; and one is a most unusual ghost. You can read Paige Stewart and the Children of Columbia Square tomorrow at Riley Quinn's.
If the stories of Savannah have sparked your interest you won't want to miss the blog tour at Long and Short Reviews this weekend; we're giving away a nook or $ 150.00 gift certificate!

I'll be blogging over the course of Saturday, the 12th, along with Maeve Greyson and several other authors. Maeve is funny so be sure and check in on her posts if you need a laugh and I'll be giving ya'll a virtual tour of Savannah, complete with pictures. I'll be spotlighting places that were featured in Ring of Lies as well as my favorite places to shop and hang out. I'm also chatting with some locals. I hope you'll stop by and experience what makes Savannah great!

Happy Birthday!

2011-02-07T13:36:00.003-05:00

February 7th is a special day ... My mother, my aunt Evelyn, (who was the inspiration for my heroine in Ring of Lies' eccentric aunt), and my friend, author Maeve Greyson!

In honor of so many birthdays I'm simply asking everyone a question. What is the best or most memorable birthday you've ever had? Or remember anyway!

I would like to start things off by telling a fabulous story of personal birthdays past, however ... soooo many birthdays to remember for one so old :)
Off hand, one that comes to mind is my 23rd? Somewhere around that time! I was living far from home, with a guy that I had no business being with and who couldn't have cared less about anyone but himself, (yes, I know. You're wondering why I was with such a jerk. What can I say? Young, female brains often short circuit when it comes to men!)
Anyway ... I was working as an executive assistant at a small construction company. Because of the afore mentioned jerk, I had very little disposable income and, when I moved away from home he had convinced me to have a yard sale, (with my things), to give us some extra money. One of the biggest sellers was my book collection. I had hundreds of books, mostly my historical romances that had earned a spot on the keeper shelf. I must have mentioned my longing for those books during a lunch break with my co-workers because on my birthday they surprised me with a stack of new releases from my favorite authors!
That meant so much to me. Not only had they bought me my beloved books but it showed that they'd actually been listening to me, a wonderful feeling when your life is being spent with a self-centered idiot.

So, there's my tale, what's yours?
PS. I wised up not long after that birthday and ditched the fool. About a year later I found the one I was supposed to be with and my happily ever after (most of the time!) has continued for 14 years :).

Most Embarrassing First Date Ever!!

2011-02-04T00:28:00.002-05:00

Ok, it's Friday and I'm out all day running my daughter to art class and then teaching creative writing. Since my brain is on school things, I have nothing to give a blog topic, my loss but your gain because I'm sharing an email my mother sent to me. Too funny!

Before I get to the good stuff, let me plug, (just one more time, I promise!) my second installment of the Spectral Savannah stories, Paige Stewart meets Anna Powers at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn is up at Maeve Greyson's blog. Let me know how you like it!

Commercials now over: Worst and Most Embarrassing First Date: Read this lady's experience and then feel free to share your misadventures in the dating world!

Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter...Snowing and quite cold... And the guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City , Utah . It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and had never met before.
The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon.

They were driving back down the mountain, when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte. They were about an hour away from anywhere with a rest room and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for awhile. Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road, or it would be the front seat of his car.

They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt, despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation.

Upon finishing however, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem, due to the extreme cold.

Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about' what is taking so long' with a reply that indeed, she was 'freezing her butt off' and in need of some assistance! He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too, got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma.

Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem. Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal! Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free.
So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.

As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down.

Or perhaps that should be 'pants down. ' And you thought your first date was embarrassing!
Jay Leno's comment...'This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off.'

Oh, and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was sitting next to her on the Leno show.

Paige Stewart meets Anna Powers at The 1790 Inn

2011-02-03T10:35:00.003-05:00

Paige Stewart, intrepid reporter for the Paranormal Post, is back in Savannah and staying at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn. Stop by Maeve Greyson's blog to see how Paige and the other occupant of Room 204 handle being roommates!
Leave a comment and you could win a copy of Ring of Lies! Earn extra entries by Likeing my Facebook Page and Signing up for my Newsletter!

World's Funniest, or not, Hotel Experiences

2011-02-01T23:58:00.003-05:00

Ever had an "OMG" moment while staying at a hotel? My fictional reporter Paige Stewart has one heck of a story to tell the grand kids someday ... but I'll let her tell ya'll about that tomorrow! You can catch Paige's adventure at the 17 Hundred 90 Inn of Savannah at Maeve Greyson's blog, Thursday, February 3rd!

I, too had an OMG moment while vacationing, though my experience was humorous rather than ... inexplicable. When I was about ten, my parents and I visited Toronto, Canada. My mother's sister and her two kids went with us. Now, my aunt Evelyn is, hmmm, she describes herself as eccentric so I'll go with that! Aunt Evelyn has never been overly concerned with appearances and nothing, and I do mean nothing, embarrasses her. My mother cannot claim the same!
Aunt Evelyn's husband was an up and coming business man at the time and their family lived in above average style; we were blue collar :). But Aunt Ev never really cottoned to the "upwardly mobile" lifestyle and there's that whole, "I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude too.
Anyway, we drive to Canada, without hotel reservations or even a plan. We were letting Aunt Ev's greater experience be our guide. Oh my, what a mistake!
Aunt Evelyn is chea, er frugal. Her Lincoln town car was packed with brown paper bags filled to overflowing with crackers, chips, and cookies. Her trunk held a cooler with drinks.
My aunt was used to staying in nice hotels, but she wasn't used to paying the bill so when she stopped at a hotel and inquired about a room she was shocked that they charged extra for people staying in the room over the standard two. She didn't agree with that policy so she decided that we'd rent one large suite, (for my parents), and she and we three kids would sneak in through the back door.
This was not a hotel one sneaks into. The lobby was three stories, the staircase was straight out of Gone with the Wind. We're talking marble and crystal everywhere. It was evening, and people were milling about in formal attire. There were no "back" doors.
On to plan B. (Did I mention that Aunt Ev always has a "plan B"? Well, she does and they don't usually go over any better than Plans A or even C! My aunt decided that we'd enter in pairs, and "blend in". The problem with that was we'd been traveling all day and we were dressed in, well traveling clothes. Think shorts, sweats, and T's.
when she announced this plan, her son, a hormonal and very appearance conscious teenager, threw up his hands in disgust and declared he was sleeping in the car. We convinced him to relent, (my Dad couldn't carry all of that stuff upstairs by himself!), and let him go in as one of the "paying" lodgers. My aunt's daughter and I were kids so we were already free so it was decided that we would go with my cousin and my Dad to help haul the piles of mismatched luggage to the room. That left my mom and Aunt Evelyn.
They were supposed to follow right behind us but after several minutes I pointed out that they hadn't come up. Dad sent me to find them. I found them in the lobby just outside of the elevators. My mother was sitting on the cooler, that the men had somehow forgotten, with tears streaming down her face. She was overcome with a very bad case of the giggles, (traveling with aunt Evelyn can do that to a person.). Aunt Evelyn was also incapacitated as giggles are contagious.
There they were, perched on a battered cooler, in this very posh hotel, surrounded by boxes of generic snack foods because brown paper bags are known to rip when overfilled!
I, being the smart little kid I was ;), ran to get Dad.
Once in the room, the story was told. You see, we only had one key. Furthermore, Aunt Evelyn couldn't remember the room number. So there the sisters were, lugging a full cooler and juggling grocery sacks up and down the halls and elevators with the tuxedo wearing men and ball gown clad women.
My mother was mortified but her sense of the ridiculous tumbled out when the groceries did. That is where I entered the picture. This story has been laughed at and retold more times than I can count and each time someone in the family remarks, "Well, what did you expect? You were with Evelyn!" (Does every family have an "evelyn" or are we the only ones so graced?)
Oh, if you've read Ring of Lies, you might be interested to know that Aunt Evelyn's middle name is Fay ;)
The spelling was changed to protect the not so innocent!

You know? I just might have to start a blog series of Aunt Ev stories ...

So, you know what I'm going to say, don't you? What is your OMG experience at a hotel?

New Additions to the To Be Read Pile

2011-01-30T00:18:00.005-05:00

Ok, I mentioned a while back that I planned on starting a Sunday post of the previous week's new releases or books I'm just hearing about that I thought looked interesting. Here is the list of books I came across over the last few weeks. (So I'm slow .... sue me! :)

In No Particular Order ...

Paramour by Margaret Ethridge

Camellia Stafford has never been alone in her room. For twenty years, she’s been engaged in a fierce power struggle with her bedroom’s previous tenant, Frank DeLuca, the ghost trapped in the light fixture above her bed. Caustic and cranky, Frank has one soft spot—Cam. Over the years, their feelings for one another have evolved from grudging friendship to an enduring love that burns white-hot until Frank puts his feelings for Cam on ice. When she suffers the loss of her beloved father, Cam returns home to say good-bye, and confront her feelings for Frank. She finds an unexpected shoulder to lean on in neighbor, Bradley Mitchum. Cam falls hard and fast for the handsome ad man’s charming smile and passionate nature, but Brad’s easy-going exterior masks a steely backbone tempered by adversity. Two men: one living, one dead, and both vying for her love. Now Cam must determine if her heart is strong enough to choose which dream could lead to a love that will last a lifetime.

My interest in Paramour was piqued when I read the blurb: that's what put it on my list. When I went to the site to snag the buy link I read the excerpt. Nothing to say but OMG! Go read the excerpt!!! Margaret's writing is filled with heart-wrenching emotion and the reader is sucked into the story with the first paragraph; trust me, Margaret Ethridge is an author to watch!
Buy Link

Now, at the opposite end of the spectrum :)

The Texan's Irish Bride by Caroline Clemmons
This book is on my list because I read the excerpt and Caroline Clemmons writes a very hot western. I don't read very many western romances so I'm not sure if that is now the norm but it took me by surprise! I also fell in love with the heroine as soon as I read the description of her performing a private and highly sensual dance for her new husband. A must read for me!

Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas, but she agrees to wed the handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the bully Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom Williams.

Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s wagon to be tended. He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything—even when her eccentric family drives him to distraction. Buy Link

I stumbled upon a new blog yesterday; You Gotta Read Reviews. So glad I did because they were reviewing a book I probably would never have heard of. The premise is scary and all too realistic but with all of the emails warning us about XYZ cyber virus I think he's sounding a warning we all should heed. And he works for Microsoft so I'm thinking he knows whereof he speaks! I'll definitely be buying this book.

Zero Day by Mark Russinovich

An airliner’s controls abruptly fail mid-flight over the Atlantic. An oil tanker runs aground in Japan when its navigational system suddenly stops dead. Hospitals everywhere have to abandon their computer databases when patients die after being administered incorrect dosages of their medicine. In the Midwest, a nuclear power plant nearly becomes the next Chernobyl when its cooling systems malfunction.

At first, these random computer failures seem like unrelated events. But Jeff Aiken, a former government analyst who quit in disgust after witnessing the gross errors that led up to 9/11, thinks otherwise. Jeff fears a more serious attack targeting the United States computer infrastructure is already under way. And as other menacing computer malfunctions pop up around the world, some with deadly results, he realizes that there isn’t much time if he hopes to prevent an international catastrophe.

Written by a global authority on cyber security, Zero Day presents a chilling “what if” scenario that, in a world completely reliant on technology, is more than possible today—it’s a cataclysmic disaster just waiting to happen. (Releases in March 2011) Buy Link

Don't Poot In Bed!

2011-01-28T00:07:00.002-05:00

If this story doesn't make you cry from laughing so hard, let me know and I'll pray for you.

This is a story about a couple who had been happily married for years.

The only friction in their marriage was the husband's habit of pooting loudly every morning when he awoke. The noise would wake his wife and the smell would cause her to gasp for breath and make her eyes water.
Every morning she would plead with him to stop ripping them off because it was making her sick. He told her he couldn't stop it and that it was perfectly natural.

She told him to see a doctor; she was concerned that one day he would blow his guts out.
The years went by and he continued to blast them out!

Then one Thanksgiving morning as she was preparing the turkey for dinner and he was upstairs sound asleep, she looked at the bowl where she had put the turkey innards; neck, gizzard, liver and all the spare parts. A malicious thought came to her.
She took the bowl and went upstairs where her husband soundly slept and, gently pulling back the bed covers, she peeled back the elastic waistband of his underpants and emptied the bowl of turkey guts into his shorts.
Some time later she heard her husband awaken with his usual trumpeting, followed by a blood curdling scream and the sound of frantic footsteps as he ran into the bathroom.

The wife could hardly control herself as she rolled on the floor laughing, tears in her eyes! After years of torture, she reckoned she had got him back pretty good.

About twenty minutes later, her husband came downstairs in his bloodstained underpants with a look of horror on his face. She bit her lip as she asked him what was the matter.
He said, 'Honey, you were right. All these years you've warned me and I didn't listen to you.'

'What do you mean?' asked his wife.

'Well, you always told me that one day I would end up pooting my guts out, and today it finally happened! But, by the grace of God, some Vaseline, and two fingers, I think I got most of them back in."

Enjoy your day :)!

Chatting with author, Rhonda Lee Carver

2011-01-27T00:52:00.002-05:00

Rhonda Lee Carver is visiting me today. She's the author of that great story, Second Chance Cowboy. The one I wrote about on Fb? The one that kept me up until 3 am? Yeah, that book! I should so send her a frowny face email, but I'll forgive her because, man did I love that story!

Hi Rhonda! I'm so glad you were able to join me today. I've just finished Second Chance Cowboy. I remember when I first met you in the Rose Colored Glasses critique group, you were working on Carly and Chance's story, and though I only received fifteen pages, I knew the story would be compelling, and I wasn't wrong, at all! In fact, those fifteen pages of Second Chance Cowboy stayed with me for over a year and I watched your Facebook posts for a release date. Yesterday on my blog I talked about western romances and posed the question, what is it about a cowboy that captures the imagination of Americans. Though we're primarily talking about western romance novels one look at the lasting love affair America has with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood makes it safe to say love for cowboy stories crosses gender lines.

I was looking through your website and noticed you write in contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and romantic suspense genres. Did you set out to write in all of the genres or do you flow with your muse? Do you have a favorite genre?

What happens is I am overcome with a thought that builds into a bigger idea. It could have started with a word someone said, a food I ate, a movie I had watched…but it just grows until I can't ignore it. I don't plan any of my stories; the words seem to flow from brain to fingers across the keyboard, and onto the screen. I never know exactly what my characters will say or do until the final draft.

In Second Chance Cowboy, it started as an erotica but went on a completely different course. Chance is a hero among all heroes. He is head-over-heels in love with Carly…so much that he is willing to fight for their love. His heart was very tender. Double Dare, my first contracted book, wasn't even headed into the direction of erotica, but as I began to mold his character, he was without a doubt a bad-ass Airmen who liked a bit of kink. But just a bit.

My fave genre. Hmm…well, I am writing my second paranormal romance right now, Dream House, and I am enjoying all of the different elements wrapped into one. Intrigue, spook, heat, love, sex, suspense. And my hero is a jerk, but what the reader will uncover as they move along in the story is, he isn't a bad guy after all. In fact, he's one of the best. And he has an awesome job—Ghost Hunter.

Oh cool! You know I'll have to read it. Sigh, I will never get my own stories done surrounded by all of you great story tellers! Speaking of which, Second Chance Cowboy is an awesome story. I love the way you have the characters dealing with real life issues, like divorce and the loss of a child. Having children, did you find it hard to write such emotional scenes?

I knew there had to be something happen in my couple's life that was very traumatic, enough to break them up even when they still love each other deeply. I had several ideas flash through my mind, but I always came back to the loss of a child. I was apprehensive in including such an emotional, heartbreaking concept into the storyline because I wasn't sure how readers would accept it. I found it difficult because I enveloped myself so completely in these two characters that I felt their loss. I felt their pain.

I hear ya; it was an emotional roller coaster of a read, but sooo worth it! You're a prolific writer. How do you balance family and writing life?

I'm not sure I would say that I balance my personal and professional life. I call it "juggling." On some days, my family tips the scales and other days my writing tips the scales. Last year was a difficult one for me. Newly divorced and learning a new way of existing, I found myself feeling overwhelmed many days. Interestingly, we are stronger than we believe, and because I love to write it helped tremendously. I don't allow myself to feel guilty if I haven't accomplished everything I've set out to do in a day's time. It's impossible to achieve every goal, as long as we accomplish happiness.

Those are good ideas to live by, I need to get off the guilt trip!

Your heroes are strong, alpha men. What Alpha quality do you most enjoy giving your heroes? Are they the same qualities you want in a real man?

All of my heroes have an edginess to them, some more edgy than others. I do like my bad-ass heroes, but they must always have a kind heart. These men would kick ass in a fight, scare away the bravest men, but be sensitive enough to wrap his arms around the heroine when she's feeling sad and change a baby's diaper. Yes, I guess I do like these same qualities in a real man.

Do you write full-time or is there an evil day job? If you do write full-time, what did you do before?

Currently, I'm lucky not to have an evil day job. I write full-time and I also am a freelance editor. Three years ago I quit a ten-year profession working in a child advocacy center and took up the keyboard full-time. I haven't regretted it once. I love this writing job. It feels like home…

You asked me this question so … all's fair J What was your most embarrassing moment?

Oh hell, I've had so many I could keep you laughing for days. My most embarrassing moment professionally is a piece of work I sent into a publishing company. I look back now at that horrible, shameful display of writing and I cringe. What's embarrassing is that I really thought I was good. LOL. We all grow and learn, and thank goodness, I did.

Tells us about your upcoming releases, Delaney's Sunrise and Castle's Fortress.

Delaney's Sunrise is a contemporary based here in my home state, Ohio. Ohio is known for its farmland. My hero, Abe, is a rich, successful corporate suit turned down-home country-boy. The heroine is a blast from the past…and not a good one as far as Abe is concerned. Dee was engaged to be married to his brother, John, when tragedy struck and John was killed in a car accident. Years later she shows up to claim her stake in the Delaney's Farm and they realize immediately that the old feelings, the secret attraction they'd had long ago, still existed. Someone in the small town wants Dee gone. There is someone who believes she knows too much involving the past. Will Abe allow the stalker to drive Dee away or will he protect her?

Castle's Fortress is a paranormal romance also set in Ohio. It's based on a deep connection that Jake and Fall have as children. It begins in a haunted house that changes their lives forever. Fall has an eerie sixth sense about her but it isn't as strong without Jake. When her sister goes missing, and Fall fears she is dead, she knows the only way she can use her keen instincts is to find Jake. It's been years since Jake had seen Fall and when she shows up at his office and demands he help her, he shrugs her off as a batty woman. Yet he can't deny that the connection still remains. When guilt consumes him, he goes back to his hometown and offers to help Fall find her sister. Together they battle evil spirits and solve the mystery…where did Fall's sister disappear to? There is a twist in this story that will leave readers with their jaws dropping and eyes wide. Watch for it releasing with Lyrical Press later this year.

If you believe that two people were born to be together as one, then you'll love this story. If there is such a thing as soul mates, then my characters Fall and Jake are the perfect example. My idea in this story was to show that together a couple are stronger, but divided they are weaker.

Castle's Fortress releases with Lyrical later this year.

You can be sure I will be watching for both of these! I grew up outside of Akron, Ohio so I gotta see how you depict the home state!

Any upcoming blog tours or book signings we should know about?

Please stay tuned by Facebook, twitter, and my website for my guest appearances on blogs. I have a handful scheduled over the next few months and I will announce them as they come.

How can readers contact you?

My Website
Facebook
Author Page
Twitter And please jump over to my blog, 30 Days to Discovery. I talk about love, dating, emotions as a single parent.

I can attest to Rhonda being on FB! She is always posting these great quotes or words of wisdom … or something funny her kids did!

Enjoy the excerpt for Second Chance Cowboy: this is an awesome scene!

Second Chance Cowboy:

Carly squeezed her hands into fists. "My poor husband. How difficult it is for him to manage his inflated ego and keep his zipper closed."

"We're divorced, remember?" His voice reeked of sarcasm.

She groaned in irritation. Her pulse pounded in her ears like the beating of a drum. Her claws were showing.

Chance didn't blink an eye as he gazed at her across the room. "Honey, I can keep my pants zipped just fine. Problem is, you can't keep your fingers off my zipper."

Carly's palm itched to slap him. "We live in a small town, Chance. How do you think it's possible we haven't run into each other more than three times in the last two years?" She cocked her chin. "Let me fill you in. I've done everything in my power to keep from bumping into you. Do you realize how difficult it is to plan my schedule weeks in advance so I don't have to see you? Is that a description of a woman who can't keep her fingers off your zipper?"

"No, more like a woman who's afraid she'll forget what screwed up our marriage in the first place, realize she's made a huge mistake and get her ass back home."

"Humph, fat chance that'll ever happen." She fumbled with the sheet in irritation and gave her hair a toss over one shoulder.

Damn, he did have a point, although she'd never admit it to him.

"Yeah, right, Carly, because you can't ever forgive and forget, can you? You think you're the only one who has lost, don't you?" His eyes became steely pools of green. His voice turned low and controlled. "I lost Devon, too. He was my son--our son. How long are you going to keep blaming me for his death?"

Carly swallowed the painful lump in her constricted throat. "I don't blame you."

"Could have fooled me."

"We both know why I left."

"We do?" His bitter laugh split the air with its razor-sharp intensity. "I know you want to hold on to the belief that I am the bad guy who drove you away, but isn't it time you took half the responsibility for the failure of our marriage?" A trace of compassion softened his expression. He tugged on his shirt and finger-combed his hair.

"It wasn't my fault you cheated." Once she said it, she wanted to yank the words back. Too late, just like their relationship.

"You're a broken record, sweetheart. It's not worth denying the accusation any longer. Maybe eventually you'll believe your words and feel justified in leaving. Devon died, Carly. He's gone and we can't change the truth. One of us needed to make the decision to let him go and I made it. I held out hope you'd eventually find a sliver of forgiveness in your cold heart. I guess I was wrong."

The old wound broke open and her lungs emptied of oxygen. She wanted to lash out at him, tell him to go to hell, but the words didn't come. Instead, she whispered, "I'm going to the bathroom. When I get back I want you gone."

"Carly, you've become an expert at sucking all the joy out of your life and pushing away anyone who reaches out to you. You're living in a self-made prison, founded on guilt and pain, and there is no key to unlock the cell door."

Second Chance Cowboy, Lyrical Press

America’s Love affair with the Cowboy

2011-01-26T01:28:00.003-05:00

I'm reading Rhonda Lee Carver's Second Chance Cowboy this week, (and yes, it is very, very good—though I knew it would be!), and last week I had the pleasure of helping Jeannene Walker polish the first chapter of her historical western, To Tame a Filly which also promises to be a very good read! (To Tame a Filly is entered in the Passionate Reads Pitch Contest! Check out Jeannene's first chapter here!). Surrounded by Western themes I couldn't help but ponder America's love affair with cowboys.

When someone mentions westerns my mind immediately turns to movies. Back in the days of one TV households and a total of three channels to choose from, I pretty much watched whatever my Dad was watching, or stuck my nose in a book! Dad is a Clint Eastwood fan. I've watched The Outlaw Josie Wales, Hang 'em High, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, etc. more times than I can count. I liked them well enough but it wasn't until I married my husband that I really became a fan of westerns. My husband is a Louis L'amour fan, we have two shelves of leather bound L'amour's, and his favorite movie cowboy is The Duke. He has gotten my nine year old daughter hooked on John Wayne movies so a usual Saturday scene at our house is the three of us, plus at least one cat and the dog, piled up on my bed watching AMC's John Wayne marathon, (we have a TV room upstairs with a big screen and surround sound yet we always end up in my room—don't ask me why.)

Since AMC's features have begun, I've really gotten hooked on John Wayne movies. My favorite is Rio Bravo, probably because I LOVE Dean Martin; when Dean and Ricky Nelson sing, I crank up the sound! But for overall plot, it's a toss-up: The Cowboys, The Shootist, or True Grit, I can't decide but then again, McClintock could probably go in that list as well … ah, heck I'll just say I love them all and be done with it! But why do I, and so many others, love those westerns? What makes the cowboy such an enduring figure in fiction?

I think cowboys are so appealing today because they are the embodiment of the Alpha male; tough, independent, maybe even stubborn to a fault, but woe unto the man or woman who threatens those he loves; the perfect hero for a romance novel. So what do you think makes American's love the cowboy? Do you have a favorite western movie or book?

I mentioned Second Chance Cowboy by Rhonda Lee Carver: you should definitely check it out. The hero, Chance, is all cowboy and watching him deal with the powerful emotions his wrecked marriage brings makes for a powerful read!

Blurb: After the loss of a child tears her marriage apart, Carly vows she'll never speak to her soon-to-be ex-husband Chance again. On the eve of their divorce however, Carly takes a stroll down memory lane and calls Chance. A passionate one night stand between the two is shattered by the cruel light of morning. Reality sets in and Carly admits to Chance she made a mistake, forcing him to come to grips with the fact that there is no hope left for their marriage.
But fate has other plans …

Carly tumbles down a flight of stairs and awakens with amnesia…but that's only the start of it.
Can deception bring a second chance at love or will it forever destroy an already broken marriage?

Be sure to stop by tomorrow because I'm talking about Second Chance Cowboy with Rhonda!

Spooky Savannah Blog Tour Starts Today!

2011-01-25T10:38:00.002-05:00

My blog tour starts today! Don't miss the first installment of the Savannah's Spectral side with fictional reporter Paige Stewart. She's at Rachel Brimble's blog today. Hope to see you there!

The Paranormal Post: Savannah’s Spectral Side

2011-01-24T00:24:00.003-05:00

I'm in the author's spotlight at Rhonda Carver's blog today, please stop by and say "hey"! But before you go, the editor for the Paranormal Post has a big announcement!

Back in December I visited Savannah, Georgia to uncover the reason for the city's title, America's Most Haunted City. While I did manage to do a little fact finding, my biggest discovery occurred while having drinks at The Bayou Café on River Street. I was lured into the bar by the soulful voice of Thomas Claxton. I listened in amazement as the man played Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody on acoustic guitar and sang all of the vocal parts; in a word, amazing. But I digress.

During Mr. Claxton's break, I struck up a conversation with a beautiful woman sitting to my left. To my surprise, she was none other than Paige Stewart, the author of Crucifixion on Cumberland Island. Readers may remember my review of the true crime novel in October's issue; to say that I enjoyed the book would be the world's greatest understatement. Ms. Stewart revealed that she was taking a hiatus from both her position as investigative reporter for the Brunswick Sentinel and her writing career and spending time in Savannah and her childhood home on nearby St. Stewarts Island.

It took some convincing but I'm happy to announce that Paige Stewart has agreed to investigate the paranormal and historical lore of Savannah and the Georgia coastal areas she has called home. Her articles will appear weekly through February and March.

Once again, we at the Paranormal Post are thrilled to have Paige Stewart joining our team,

Welcome Aboard, Paige!

Clayton Moore

Editor-in-Chief

Thank you for announcing Paige's new assignment, Clayton! As the Paranormal Post's editor said, the accounts of Paige Stewart's experiences while researching the spooky side of Savannah and the Georgia Coastal areas will begin tomorrow and run through April. Paige's adventures will be featured here and will also travel to several other authors' blogs. Each week in the sidebar, I'll post the location and link so you won't miss an issue! From time to time copies of my romantic suspense, Ring of Lies will be up for grabs as well as some prizes that reflect the best of Savannah. Hope to see you there!

Rachel

Can Historical Fiction Turn You Into Dr. Who?

2011-01-21T02:24:00.007-05:00

I finished Release by Nicole Hadaway last night. Please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The setting and period details are amazing, the prose is elegant, and the heroine, vampire Miranda Dandridge, is classy and complex; the most unusual vampire I think I've ever encountered in a novel. Hey Hollywood, this would make a great movie!

Release

Please help me welcome author Nicole Hadaway ...

I was so thrilled Rachel asked me to blog during Historical Fiction week (hmmm, maybe it will take off and be huge, like Shark Week on Discovery Channel?;-). Without even realizing it, I’ve been an historical fiction fan for years. I didn’t mean to be, I just found my tastes and interests wanting something more in the murder mysteries I was reading. I’d graduated from Agatha Christie to Ruth Rendell, then moved on to the cozy tales of Rita Mae Brown (as told by her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown. If you like cozy mysteries and haven’t tried the Sneaky Pie series, I highly recommend the first 5 or 6 books. The animals talk to each other -- it sounds corny, but Ms. Brown makes it work very well in the storyline).

Okay, sorry, got off on a tangent there. But that’s what’s so great, to me, about historical fiction -- you can go off on tangents and learn the details of another time, what life was like back in Ancient Rome, or Victorian England, without leaving the modern-day comforts. Reading historical fiction is like taking a vacation, traveling through time, and you get to come back to your iPhone and antibiotics (seriously, whenever I think it might be nice to live in a time-gone-by, I stop and think of what my sinus infections would be like back then!).

I also love to learn. And through reading historical fiction, you get to do just that, although you’re not sitting in a classroom listening to a professor drone on and on about this battle or that plague. Interested in the nursing techniques used in 1860’s England? Read Anne Perry’s William Monk series. Hey, did you know women in 600 AD Ireland could be lawyers? It’s true, as that’s what Sister Fidelma is in Peter Tremayne’s series. And brushing up on the punishments meted out in Dante’s Inferno is very easy if you read Matthew Pearl’s The Dante Club. Of course, some things you might not want to know, like the fact that ancient Roman cleaners used urine to wash stains out of clothes -- they kept community pots outside their door so anyone needing to relieve themselves could contribute to the business (yeah, you’ll be thankful for your dry cleaner next time you read Lyndsey Davis’s Falco series).

I’ve read so much historical fiction that it might seem natural for me to write in that genre, but believe it or not, I really didn’t mean to write about history from a fictional standpoint. Release is all about my character, Miranda Dandridge. She’d been in my mind for 20+ years before I finally thought of an original story in which to set her, and that happened to be during World War II. Writing a believable story in that time period had its challenges -- I was never really drawn to read or study WWII, so I had a lot of research to perform. If anyone wants to see what true courage is like, I suggest you read the stories of those who served in the Resistance movements in Europe. Their tales of bravery, how they risked their own lives, day after day, to save people of a different culture and religion - persons they didn’t even know -- would often bring me to tears. As well as disappointment -- google Irena Sendlerova and you won’t look at the Noble Peace Prize process in the same manner. Nothing against who won that year she was nominated, but the sacrifices made, I just don’t think can compare to hers.

(Sorry -- another part of me likes to educate, too. I’ll step away from the chalkboard now ;-)

While the bulk of historical fiction focuses on the setting as much as the characters and story therein, Release is more like a section of time in Miranda’s life, which just happens to be during WWII. Writing about vampires who live a long time allows for that, as those of you who read Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s series know. The sequel to Release, entitled Return, is set in New York City during the fall of 2001, and the final novel in the series, Redeem, will be in present-day.

In the end, whether it’s the history of a character or the time period for an entire series of novels, historical fiction is an often underrated way of learning -- and time-traveling -- you can be Doctor Who, every time you pick up an historical fiction book!

Thank you for the laughs and lesson, Nicole. I always enjoy reading your take on things! If you find Nicole as amusing and informative as I do, may I recommend you visit her blogs?

The Dandridge Estate

Write In The Shadows (a group blog with several great authors; Nicole keeps good company ;)

Other Titles by Nicole

New Orleans, 1842

Egypt 1906

My Road To Publishing ... and How It Made Me Crazier than Usual!

2011-01-20T00:58:00.011-05:00

My very dear friend, and awesome author of the Civil War Brides Series, Tracey Jackson is here today. She's going to tell us all how she bucked the establishment and is now blazing a trail! :) So happy to have you here, Kiwi!

Thanks for having me, Rachel. As you know, I'm a huge fan of yours, so this is a real treat :)

While I'm not sure about that trail blazing, I will say that publishing has changed. The writing’s been on the wall for a while now, but I didn’t put on my reading glasses until I started the process a year or so ago.

A little back-story. I have been surrounded by writers most of my life. My grandmother wrote for the local newspaper, my mother runs a magazine, and the woman I call, Mama, is a multi-million dollar author in the Christian market.
Mama has been bugging me for years to write a book, and I’ve resisted. I’ve written articles, and even had some of my photography published, but the thought of writing a novel was daunting and I procrastinated…in a big way.

Until June 2008.

I read a bad romance novel. This was the second one in a row, and I thought, “I can do better than this.” I had a little story in my head that I’d had for a while, so decided to write it down.
I opened up my laptop, stared at the screen…and then stared at the screen some more. Finally, I started to write. After several stops and starts, I called Mama and asked her how many words should I shoot for and what do I do about editing.

She laughed the laugh that sounds like a bird singing…and then gave me the best advice I’ve had to date. “Just write. Vomit onto the page. Don’t think about it, just put the words down. Don’t edit until you’re done. Oh, and 80,000 words is the average for a novel.”

80,000 words?? What? That’s a lot! The most I’d ever written before was 250. I pushed away the voice that told me I’ll never make it, and began to write. Long story short, I wrote six novels in eight months and a time-travel series was born. I wrote my little heart out, joined critique groups and RWA National, entered contests, and started to research agents and publishers. Several agents I contacted said thanks, but no thanks…oh, and by the way, you need to add 10,000 words to your ms. 90,000 is the standard in your genre.

While 80,000 words is standard in CBA, I didn’t want to write for the Christian market, because I’m not writing books that have a heavy spiritual theme to them. I’m writing clean, time-travel romance, which CBA won’t touch, so I had to work within the parameters of ABA and the mainstream market.

I began the process of editing Book #1 in 2009 (after I added 10,000 words). Mama hooked me up with Susan May Warren, also an amazing, award-winning author. She does something called “Book Therapy,” (www.mybooktherapy.com) working with authors on story arc and ripping it to shreds (in a good way) to get you moving in the right direction. Needless to say, Book #1’s entire premise changed, which meant, I had to essentially rewrite it. I dove in headfirst, utilizing the skills I’d picked up from some of my wonderful critique partners (including Rachel Lynne) and everything Susie suggested.

Once The Bride Price (Book #1) was done, I sent a chapter to Mama and she called me with another great suggestion. “Get thee to an editor.”

Wait. Are you saying it’s not ready? After all the work I’ve done, the rewrites, the hours spent staring at a computer screen, the money I’ve spent learning how to do this?

The answer was no…and, yes.

Mama set me up with several agents, who all came back (over the course of late 2009 and early 2010), and the same theme trickled in…your writing is really good, even better than a lot of the authors who I currently represent, your voice is excellent, however, I have no place to sell you. You see, CBA isn’t accepting unknown authors, and ABA requires something really mind-blowing. They want the next Twilight or Harry Potter, YA is big at the moment.

I'm writing historical romance with a time travel theme, not YA, so I had a hurdle to jump there. In further talks with Mama, she stressed the need for a good content editor and line editor (yes, they are different—who knew—not me). She emailed a couple of people for me and the waiting began. In the meantime, I reached out to Susie again and she hooked me up with her editor. Guess what? She does both content and line editing, and she loved my book! My confidence was bolstered and a relationship was formed.

So, that brings me to today. I have made the decision to self-publish. Crazy, I know, and not without some stigmas attached, but the alternative is to write and toil for years waiting for an agent or a publisher to pick me up. In this day and age of Amazon, it’s not necessary. For me, it’s about getting my stories out there. I believe in them, and the people reading them are enjoying them. I’m writing what I have always wanted to read (time travel to the Civil War – not a lot of it out there), and it seems to be resonating. I’m not able to live off my art yet, but I can see the potential.

I do have a few things going for me in my favor that other authors may not. For example, I am a photographer and I have thousands of images at my disposal that I can use for covers. My husband is a graphic artist, so I have access to free cover art. We also own a recording studio (we are musicians), so next year, I’m putting my books on CD – for free.

These are huge expenses that I would imagine make authors pause on the journey to self-publishing. But do it anyway! Just make sure your books shine with excellence. I’m not saying everyone has to love them (art is subjective), and I’m not talking perfection, but make sure your grammar is correct, your content flows and your spelling is impeccable. This is where I need the biggest help, so I’m spending my money on an editor who knows a lot and isn’t afraid to tell me if something is…well…just awful.

I also have someone read them (before they go off to editing) who is not a romance reader. I have a gentleman who is retired, living in New Zealand, and a tech geek. He brings up questions that both frustrate me and make me think. Some I can dismiss, because, let’s be honest, I’m not writing sci-fi, but others make me go back and take a look at the story from a different angle. My critique partners help me with the historical pacing (Susan Barr shout out here www.whereromancelies.com - she kicks my butt if it’s not working). My strength is my dialogue, so that’s easy for me. My editor catches everything else.

Self-Publishing – is it for you?

Over the last year, I’ve had two publishing offers and I turned them down. I guess I could compare the experience to being asked to the prom by the A/V geek and then by the really nice young man your mom met at the grocery store. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with either of them, and what a wonderful feeling to be asked, but I’m holding out for the lead guitarist in that cool high school band…you know, the one with the long hair and crooked smile?

The publishing offers were genuine, and very complimentary, but they cannot offer me shelf space, so I declined. People might say that’s a bad move, but let me tell you why it’s not. CreateSpace (the POD company partnering with Amazon) will put your titles (for a small fee $39) in all of their distribution channels (including libraries), and Amazon sells approximately 88% of all books sold in the mainstream industry, so they make it really easy for you. Publishing to Kindle is a breeze (for the most part) through Amazon, and you get 70% of the profits. With a traditional publisher, it’s about 20% (if you’re lucky…usually less), plus you have to give up your rights. With Amazon, you give up nothing.

Smashwords is a site getting more and more popular. Through them you can get onto Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, etc. They offer the ability for consumers to download in multiple formats, and they remember that you bought the book, so if you lose it, or your computer crashes, Smashwords will still have it for you. You don’t have to repurchase.

Self-publishing also guarantees your royalties are paid EVERY month. With a traditional publisher, you may get royalties twice a year. Amazon and CreateSpace have reports you can run to see how many books you’ve sold, and when. Smashwords offers the option to email you every time you sell a book. It’s a little boon to see a note in your email that you’ve sold another one.
What I need is shelf space, but apparently, unless you’re with Simon & Schuster—or your name is Danielle Steel—Walmart, Target and other large booksellers aren’t buying. Even the larger publishers are going electronic, just to see if you’ll sell before they’ll even put your book in print. But what if your readers are like me? I won’t buy an e-copy of a book. I want to touch the paper, smell the ink, and stare at the cover to feel transported into the story. If you go with a publisher who doesn’t offer that, then you have given your rights up and can’t even self-print it.

Authors are having to do more and more for themselves as the climate changes, so if we are out there pumping out books, partnering with other authors, why should a publisher benefit from my hard work, unless they can offer me something more than I can do for myself.

Is the dream still alive?

Yes! I want a publishing deal with a big NYC house and the potential to be on the NY Times Best Selling list. We all do. In the meantime, however, I’m going to keep plugging away and work, work, work to get my books out there.
So, buckle up…the change of the publishing world is gassing up…and I’m holding on for dear life.

Tracey Jane Jackson’s fourth book in her Civil War Brides Series, The Bride Ransom, releases next month. She has a contest running through the end of the week that will give you the chance to win a signed book of your choice from her series (including The Bride Ransom as soon as it’s released). Just visit her website and sign the guestbook to be entered to win. Be sure to leave your email address!

Visit Tracey's website – for details on how to order books and read excerpts.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Tracey at kiwi44@comcast.net.

Historical Fiction "They" Say Nobody Wants to Read

2011-01-18T23:18:00.004-05:00

I think the title of this post says it all, but you know I'm going to expound on another of my pet peeves, don't you? Of course you do!
I've read historical fiction and historical romance for as long as I can remember. My memory has always been questionable, and now that I've turned forty, (or is it having a child?), whatever memory I had is definitely gone but I think the first historical I ever read was in middle school. I can't recall the title, (my lamentable memory, don't you know.), but I know that it was about William the Conqueror and his wife, Matilda of Flanders. That book started my love affair with all things English. I love historicals set in England and my favorite time period is Regency. There isn't a Georgette Heyer I haven't read and my goal is to own them all!
But, though I love English historicals, I am always excited to see an historical set in an unusual time period, make it to publication.
It irritates me to read articles by New York publishing people that say non-English historicals don't sell so it must mean the public doesn't want to read them. I think it is more likely that readers can't find anything but English/Scots historicals so that is what they read by default.
The market is overrun with regency and celtic romances. What about Italy? Are you telling me an author can't find a great story from the history of the Roman Emporers? Not enough conflict surrounding Nero or Caligula? Please.
How about China? My daughter and I went to the High Museum in Atlanta a few years ago and toured the Terracotta Warriors exhibit. Oh. My. God. That was one of the highlights of my life. Seriously. The warriors are amazing. The detail is incredible. Did you know that each face is different? There were something like ten thousand warriors and associated statues unearthed and the facial expressions, hair, clothing-- none are exactly alike. They were made by hand!! Amazing.
Did you also know that the first Emporer wanted to live forever? He had people search all over China for the elixir of life. He drank tonics that contained mercury and jade; needless to say he died young! He also had a temple built filled with things for his enjoyment in the afterlife, much like the Egyptian pharoahs--similarities in religion with no mass communication; that's fascinating all by itself. But, I'm going off on one of my tangents :), I really do love history and I'll talk about it for hours if no one hollers for me to shut up!
I refuse to believe I'm the only reader on this planet that feels this way about the history and culture of other countries. So why are non-British Isles historicals so hard to get published? Probably because publishing is a business and they want to make a profit; it's easier and safer to just go with the sure thing.
If you look for historicals on Amazon, Smashwords, etc. you'll find an amazing array of unusual setting/time period historicals; Thank God for the internet and small print presses. These small houses are willing to take the risk and many authors are even taking advantage of Amazon, et al. and going the self published route. Yay! More great books for all of us historical fiction readers!
When I joined a critique group last year, I met an author with a great series of time travel historicals set during the Civil War. Now, that's not such an unusual time period but the premise is. The Civil War Brides series by Tracey Jane Jackson follows the lives of a group of friends as one by one they get transported back in time to 1860's Pennsylvania. Each book chronicles the love story of one of the friends and continues to show the reasons why this particular group has been sent back.
I'm not going to say too much about these books because I'll give the secrets away. They are really good books though, the circumstances surrounding the time travel and other aspects about why they are time traveling are almost sci/fi but the main story is one of love and history. The history and culture of the time is woven seamlessly through the stories. Finish one of the books and see if you don't blink, surprised that you aren't dressed in a hoop skirt and taking tea in the parlor!
Tracey will be stopping by tomorrow and she is going to tell us how she started her writing journey and why she decided to go the self-publishing route. She also has a contest ... :)
I am currently reading the first book in another historical series. Nicole Hadaway's, Release, is set in Poland during World War II. I love the 1940's, it was a romantic time, movie stars were glamourous, heck, even everyday women on the street were glamourous with their line down the back stockings, hats, and gloves. I grew up watching old movies and still love them so I had to pick up Nicole's book. I'm so glad I did! Release would not be considered your typical historical, regardless of its setting. Why? Because the main character is a vampire and she has a twin brother. She also has friends; demon and werewolf friends.
At first glance, you might think Release is just another paranormal. You'd be so very wrong! There is an elegance to Nicole's writing: it reminds me of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayres. The book is told in multiple points of view, which usually bothers me but Nicole handles it so effortlessly and with such grace ... nothing is intrusive with this book. The story sucks you in and you have to keep reading; even when your eyes are crossing from lack of sleep!
I'm enjoying Release. It's unique, in characters, setting, and writing style. What I particularly like is the way Nicole shows the inner torment of the characters. They stuggle with their natures even while they embrace them. They also assist the Polish resistance in their fight against the Nazi SS. I told you this was an entirely different kind of book!
Nicole will be here on Friday and I hope you'll stop in. She has an incredible depth of knowledge on ancient myths and various religions and she uses it in her books, to great advantage. I have read several of her blog posts at other authors' sites and she never fails to enthrall me; she is a fascinating person and her personality shines through in her writing. I guess you'd say that's her 'voice' :). Whatever you want to call it, Release is a great read. It is something out of the ordinary and well worth reading.

I'm curious, (yes, you know I have a problem with that!), do you like historical fiction? What time period would you like to see offered? What is it about your non-traditional setting preference that draws you?

2011-01-18T00:50:00.004-05:00

Marissa Farrar is here! I loved, Alone and Where The Dead Live and after reading Marissa's post I'm looking forward to reading The Dark Road. If it runs true to her style, (and I'm betting it will!), The Dark Road's spooky stuff will tie in with some deeper life issues: that's what makes her characters so awesome; they're totally real, even the supernatural ones have "issues"! Ok, I'll shut up now ...

First of all I would just like to say thank you to Rachel for having me here today, and for her wonderful review of my debut novel, Alone. Her positive words and encouragement since I first met her have been wonderful, and I’m so happy to be here today.
When Rachel first introduced me it was under the header, ‘romantic horror’.
I find it difficult to pigeon hole my writing into one genre, except to say that I write what I love. The problem is that I read vicariously and love so many different types of books.
I grew up on a diet of Stephen King, James Herbert, Dean Koontz and Anne Rice. It was to these authors I turned, and was ultimately influenced by, when I started to write my own stuff.
I loved horror from a ridiculously young age. I remember sneaking downstairs and reading my mother’s horror novels by the light of the fish tank in the front room. Some stories particularly stayed with me; one about a bunch of puppets coming to life and sticking needles into their victims which shrunk them until they too, turned into puppets, particularly stays in my mind, though I’ve no idea who wrote it or what it was called!
But as I grew older and my reading developed, I turned to authors such as Jodi Picoult and Emily Barr, authors who dealt with real life issues, and I know these authors have influenced me now.
It has only just dawned on me, but though I write horror and some fantasy, ultimately I write women’s fiction. The people in my books are normal, real life people. They deal with real life issues; relationships, abuse, even cancer. But running along side those issues is a paranormal world I hope to plunge my reader into. Whatever difficulties and struggles they are trying to overcome will ultimately run parallel to the paranormal dangers they find themselves in.
In The Dark Road, my main character Sasha, has put her life on hold, waiting, while her fiancé ‘finds himself’ in Cambodia. He refuses to come home, so she decides to go out and meet him there. When she gets on the bus to take her from Bangkok, Thailand, to Siem Reap in Cambodia, she meets Josh, a man who is wandering without a home, lost, because of a past he is trying to escape. The bus trip starts well enough, but then, just after crossing the Cambodian border, a lightning storm starts. Shortly after, one of the backpackers goes missing off the side of the road and it doesn’t take long for the group to realize something is after them.
I often get asked if I’ve ever been to Cambodia, and the answer is a definite, ‘yes’. I spent three months backpacking around South East Asia and I actually did the same trip as the characters in my novel. My travelling experiences have influenced my writing hugely, and allow me to make each novel very different from the next.
I’d like to give away a copy (ebook) of The Dark Road today, so please, leave me a comment for a chance to win.
If you haven’t already downloaded Alone, it is currently available for free, for a limited time only, at Smashwords.com And, as if that wasn’t enough, if you go and ‘like’ my facebook page, you will also get an exclusive code which will allow you to download the short story collection Rachel mentioned yesterday!

Thanks for having me Rachel!

Thank you for being here, Marissa. Seriously love your work.

So, have you read any of Marissa's books? What did you think? What about Picoult and Barr, have you read them? I haven't but I'd heard of them. Guess I've a few more TBR's to add to that massive pile!

Oh, one more question, 'cuz ya know I'm nosy, do you like books that make you think? Books that cause you to look within yourself or cause you to question your assumptions?

I'll start. I like them, a lot, but not all the time. I need my 'purely entertainment books' to let my brain rest from all of the thinking! Your Turn!

Defining Women's Fiction

2011-01-17T01:27:00.009-05:00

Real Life Horror ... as much as you can bear.

Sounds creepy, huh? Maybe even a bit thought provoking? That's the signature line author Marissa Farrar uses on her emails and, until she sent me a message last night, I'd never given the line much thought. But, when you're in need of a prompt for the ol' blog post, well ... any port in the storm!

On January 5th I wrote a post about the romantic horror genre and gave a review of Marissa's book, Alone. I said I thought it had elements of horror and paranormal genres but to me, it felt like Women's Fiction. The funny thing is, I didn't really know what the industry definition of Women's Fiction was until I looked it up a few minutes ago. When I made the statement about Alone, I was going on my 'gut' reaction, which was that Alone is primarily about a woman's journey to find herself. While scouring the web for a definition I came across this: ' women's fiction is anything a man wouldn't read.'

A cute definition but I'm not in to cute today. Women's fiction is real. It's life; warts and all. There might be humor amidst the angst or, as in Marissa's work, horror; but the underlying theme, plot, storyline, is the issues confronting today's women and the emotions those issues stir. I don't read women's fiction as a rule, in fact, I can count on one hand how many books I've read that fall into that category: Two ... and one third.

The first book I remember reading that could be called Women's Fiction was Jude Deveraux's novel, The Summer House. This book, picked up on a whim at the library, changed my life. I was in my early thirties. My daughter was about three, and a holy terror. I'd wanted her more than anything in the world yet I found myself pondering the same question several times a week; "what the hell was I thinking?"

I'm an only child. I lived a very solitary life for a lot of years. I love to meet people. I love to talk and laugh, sing and dance; partying is great, but then I want to return to the peace and quiet of my home. At home, where I'm in think, create, or work mode, a lot of noise or fidgety activity makes me nervous. I should have considered that before having a child! (by the way, I've adapted to a child underfoot; we rub along very well. And Punkin' has grown out of the hellion toddler years, thank a very good God!) Anyway, back to Jude! The Summerhouse entered my life just as I was realizing I had none; life that is. I was thirty-four and had accomplished nothing. I'd let more opportunities pass me by than I could count and the very worst thing about it was I had no one to blame but myself. The choices I made during my late teens and early twenties had put me in that situation and, in the end, that is exactly what life is about: Choices.

The Summerhouse is three forty-something friends meeting again after years of no contact. They vacation at a Summerhouse, a visit to a fortune teller and they find themselves with a unique gift. For thirty days they can go back in time and choose the road not taken. They can live that alternate life for a month and then choose which life path they continue. Another book I think all women would be wise to read: preferably before they graduate high school! To me, that is the definition of women's fiction; Thought provoking, sometimes even life changing. Marissa's ,Alone, could be that catalyst for some, which is why I liked it so much; the potential to spark change.

I recently started her collection of short stories, which is where the one-third comes in!

Where Th e Dead Live is, so far, amazing. I finished the first story, Cutting, and have to say it has much more of a horror element than Alone. However, the horror serves a purpose. I can't tell you what because I'll ruin the story for you, but I will say that Cutting is about a woman who cuts herself because she can't live with something she did in her past. Again, that meets my definition of women's fiction because we all have things in our past that have the potential to haunt us. Marissa's signature line is apt on two levels: She writes Horror and she writes about the life issues that can cause horror.

Marissa Farrar is my guest tomorrow. The more of her work I read -- I'm at a loss for words really but I guess I'd say this: She has a knack for giving a reader food for thought; and a bad case of the heebie jeebies! Not a bad combo AT ALL!

Ok, off with my serious hat! I want to know what ya'll think. What defines Women's Fiction for you? Ever read a book that changed your life?

Diary of a Snow Shoveler

2011-01-16T03:02:00.005-05:00

This is for all my snowbound friends and for those of us who've lived with the white sh*t at some point in our lives. I have not laughed so hard in quite some time! I wish I knew who wrote this, they deserve a byline!
Enjoy ya'll!

DIARY OF A SNOW SHOVELER

December 8 - 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I
took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge
soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses
Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every
inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more
lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've
ever had! Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did
both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplough came along
and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again.
What a perfect life!

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment! My
neighbour tells me not to worry- we'll definitely have a white
Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have
so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow
again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man, I'm
glad he's our neighbour.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to
-20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath
away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This
is the life! The snowplough came back this afternoon and buried
everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much
shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I
wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow
tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer.
The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think
that's silly. We aren't in Alaska , after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my a** on the ice in the driveway
putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour,
which I think was very cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere.
Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to
stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to
irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit
it to her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm
freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20
Electricity's back on, but had another 14 inches of the d*mn stuff
last night. More shoveling! Took all day. The d*mn snowplough came
by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said
they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the
only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and
they're out. Might have another shipment in March... I think they're
lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and
bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the
white sh*t fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till
August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel
and then I had to p*ss. By the time I got undressed, p*ssed and
dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a
plough on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too
busy. I think the *sshole is lying.

December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted
me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she,
nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she
did but I think she's lying.

December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplough, I broke the shovel.
Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son of a
b*tch who drives that snow plough, I'll drag him through the snow by
his b*lls and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he
hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then
he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all
over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing
Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy
watching for the d*mn snowplough.

December 25
Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the d*mn slop tonight -
Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate
the snow! Then the snowplough driver came by asking for a donation
and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a
bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch
"It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the
microwave.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the h*ll did I ever move here? It was
all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber
came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to
replace all my pipes.

December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The B*TCH is driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave
in... That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think
I am?

December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plough driver, and now he is suing
me for a million dollars, not only for the beating I gave him, but also
for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his a**. The wife went
home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted.

December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving
me. Why am I tied to the bed?

Back to Work

2011-01-15T13:47:00.004-05:00

Congratulations Kelly M, I hope you love Riley Quinn's Blood Diamond as much as I did!

I've been blogging a lot lately, pretty sure I haven't missed a day since the new site went up! However, that has taken more time than I anticipated and ... I'm not getting any writing done!

The characters in my head are hollerin' that I've ignored them so I'm taking the weekend off to spend some 'quality' time with the spoiled bra--er, charming fictitious friends!
I've got a great line up of guests next week: Marissa Farrar, Tracey Jackson, and Nicole Hadaway!
I'm going to address the genre of Women's Fiction on Monday so if you read this genre please stop by and give me your thoughts. My experience with it is limited but I'm always looking for new reads!
I'm also going to talk about Historical Fiction. Tracey and Nicole both write in that genre though their time periods and styles are completely different! Historicals are one of my favorite genres and I've made a few observations about the state of the market ... looking forward to hearing what ya'll think!

I had a great time at the Author Roast and Toast Blog: if you didn't go, I missed you! Please check out this blog on Fridays -- it is always good for a laugh, or two, or three!!

Well, I'm chatting too much, again, and time's awastin'! I'm off to finish chapter 2 of Broken Chords -- when I left, my heroine, Tina, had just spilled a drink on herself and someone made a smart*ss remark; Not sure if Tina will flay her with words or laugh her butt off. Guess it depends on my, er her mood!

Cheers ya'll! Oh! I almost forgot, (yes, I know I'm supposed to be working! Don't nag!) My mother sent me a funny email a few days ago and since so many of my friends are snowed in I'm going to share it tomorrow; maybe it'll help!

Bye, for real this time :).
Rach

Savannah and Ring of Lies

2011-01-13T23:31:00.006-05:00

Warning! Shameless promo ahead!!
Well, not really, but I'd love for ya'll to read Ring of Lies and tell me what you think!

I've spotlighted the Jewel of the Night series from The Wild Rose Press all week and of course I wrote one too so it's only natural that I take one day and showcase my book; My Very First Book ;)

Now, before I gush over my work I have to say a huge thank you to Lori Graham, my editor at The Wild Rose Press. I turned in a decent story; she brought out the things that made it worth publishing, in my humble opinion! I really enjoyed this whole process; submission, editing, cover art suggestions, more editing :). For that I have to say the credit goes to the wonderful publishing house that is The Wild Rose Press.
If you are an aspiring author in the romance genre, do yourself a favor and take a look at TWRP's submission guidelines. They are a really great company to work with and the support and feedback they offer to newbie authors is becoming legendary on the author cyber circuit. Even if they don't think your work meets their criteria I've heard their rejection letters can't be beat! Seriously, I'm told the letter is personal and tells you what specific areas of your manuscript need work. No form letters here!

The authors, known as Roses, are a wonderful and supportive group as well. I feel like I'm in a sorority, with tons of sisters at all levels of experience ready and willing to give a helping hand up to the newbies and the cover artists are phenomenal: Rae Monet Design, Inc. did mine with one of her freelance designers, Pickyme contributing. I couldn't have asked for a better cover and it truly depicts the heart of Ring of Lies!

Ok, now that I've done my 'academy non-award acceptance speech' :), let me say a few words about St. Patrick's Day in Savannah. I can hear you muttering, "what the heck does that have to do with her book?" :). It does, it does! Because ..., Ring of Lies is set in Savannah around the time of our St. Pat's festivities and the "culminating events" take place during and amidst the parade.

It isn't widely known, (at least I didn't know, before we moved here!), but Savannah hosts the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the US. From what I'm told, the city goes a little crazy in the days leading up to St. Patrick's Day. I will confess that I haven't ventured downtown for any of the activities.

Why? Well, there are two versions of St. Pat's in Savannah. The first is family friendly and centers around the Irish heritage; you'll see Celtic dancers, Irish festivals with traditional food, that sort of thing. The other version? Think Mardi Gras meets Spring Break. I don't think it is quite that wild but there is lots and lots of beer, green beer I believe, and it flows rather freely.

I wouldn't mind being downtown to watch the antics if it was just some inebriated folks making fools of themselves, but did I mention how many people our St. Pat's draws? No? Well, Savannah's events are the second largest attended in the US. Yes, we beat out Chicago and Boston. Only New York City has greater numbers. I've read that we see as many as 150,000 people here in March. I can't deal with that; crowds and I don't mix, it’s a claustrophobia kind of thing.

While I may or may not head downtown for the St. Pat's partying, (I'm thinking of sacrificing myself for the sake of ya'll-pictures for the blog, don't you know ;), there is one party I'm dying to attend and I've heard a rumor that the theme will be of an Irish bent!

As it happens, this party is a cyber affair and you are all cordially invited to follow me over to the Author Roast and Toast blog to see what Sharon Donovan, Hywela Lyn, Mary Ricksen, and of course Sharon's butler extraordinaire, Oliver, have dreamed up for my 'roast'.

I understand that the Author Roast and Toast blog site has gone retro for the occasion. So, throw on your Kiss Me, I'm Irish' T-shirt, some bell bottoms, and perhaps a pair of 'granny' glasses, and follow me over to the A.R. & T for a down home Southern party with a bit o' the Irish flare!
Oh! I almost forgot!! I'm giving away a copy of Ring of Lies ..., but you have to come to my party!

Resolute? Who Has Your Back?

2011-01-12T08:23:00.002-05:00

Blood Diamond: Dodging an angry warlord and running through the rain forest in Congo Brazzaville was not what Jillian St. James expected when she signed up with Doctors Without Borders. Yet that’s exactly what she gets after a mysterious visit from her brother.

Mercenary Mack Nichols doesn’t have much faith in humanity these days. When a beautiful young doctor denies being part of the theft of a blue diamond from his client, he doesn’t put much stock in her story.
Neither have reason to trust the other and their mutual attraction is an inconvenience to both. A betrayal and the reveal of an evil plan pit these two against an army. Can they put aside their doubts and work together to bring down a corrupt, power-hungry overlord or will their chance at love be over before it ever starts?

I'm so happy to welcome my friend Riley Quinn to my humble cyber abode. Riley has given my a "hostess gift" that I'm passing on to you; one lucky commenter will win a copy of Blood Diamond!
Now, I'm going to help you increase your odds. For every one of the following actions, give yourself one point: Retweet/Tweet this post, Follow Riley's and my blogs, Like Riley's and my FB pages, this link on FB, or any announcement on an email loop you belong to. So, that is five possible ways you can increase your odds of winning! When you comment, just put the + and the number you 'earned'.
(And lest you think me odd, I got the idea from Suzanne Johnson's wonderful blog, Preternatura! :)

Hi Rach, thanks for having me today!
Every January, most people start out the new year by listing goals they want to accomplish or things they want to change. Of course, I’m talking about resolutions. Other people choose to NOT make resolutions, stating they’re temporary, ineffective, etc.
The important thing, to me at least, is the setting of goals. Working towards goals gives us a sense of purpose. When we achieve them, we feel accomplishment. When we set new ones, we feel excitement and the wealth of possibilities.
So here we are again, the beginning of January. Are you one of those people that makes resolutions or that doesn’t? How’s that working for you so far?
I’m kind of in the middle. I set goals, but I don’t call them resolutions. I know, I’m a rebel.
Last year, I set a goal to finish a romantic suspense novella for The Wild Rose Press as part of their Jewel of the Night series. I had just recently come up with an idea after stewing for a couple of months. I’d even written the first chapter. It was a goal I wanted to complete, but I found myself faltering.
Then I sent in the beginning pages to a critique group run by Roses Colored Glasses. In return, I received the pages for another story that I just knew was for that same call. So when I returned the critique, I asked the author. She responded that yes, she was writing for it and over the course of several emails, we decided to work together.
We emailed each other about plot ideas. We did writing sprints with each other over AIM. When I had trouble connecting with my characters at one point, she helped me figure out my problem. Over the course of three months, we both helped each other write our stories.
Who was this, you ask? Why, our own Rachel Lynne. Both of our stories were contracted. Mine – Blood Diamond came out December 1. Hers – Ring of Lies came out December 22.
I bet by now you’re probably wondering what the point of this story is. Well, here it is.
Goals, resolutions, whatever you want to call them, can be achieved if you have a good support system. We don’t have to tackle them all alone to be considered accomplished. We also don’t realize how just the right word or action at just the right moment might help someone on their own journey. So don’t be afraid to encourage someone. I’m a firm believer in karma or pay it forward, or whatever you want to call it.
We’re all on this journey of life together. It’s much more pleasant if we travel together in harmony than fight each other along the way. The Universe is full of abundance. There’s plenty of good stuff to go around!

LOL, thanks Riley! And speaking of 'Good Stuff', one lucky commenter will win a copy of your book, Blood Diamond and, they have Five ways to increase their odds!

Here's an excerpt of Blood Diamond:

“Are you all right, Jillian?” The husky timber of his voice sent another shiver through her, this time having nothing to do with fear.

How could she be aroused after being scared so bad? Especially with a man like this one, a man who worked for the General. She was one sick puppy.

“Jillian?” A hand came down on her shoulder and she jumped.

Finally lifting her head, she ignored Mack and trained her attention on the log where she’d been sitting. As recognition set in, her entire body began to shake and her heart pounded so hard, she feared cracking a rib. Dear God. There where she’d just been sitting lay a yellow-green snake with ridged scales and green eyes that matched its body staring sightlessly ahead.

She swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat. “Is that—”

“An African bush viper? Yep. I think in the firelight, your hand must have looked like dinner.” Though the snake now lay dead, Mack’s voice still sounded strained.

She stood on shaky legs. “I didn’t even see it there.”

“I’m not surprised. It had coiled its tail around the branch overhead and dropped from there.”
If he hadn’t seen the highly poisonous snake, she’d be dead right now. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his throat. She heard a thud and then his arms were around her, surrounding her in a blanket of safety. For the first time, she thought maybe he really would keep his promise.

Find Riley at her Website Blog Facebook Twitter

Blood Diamond is available at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.com

Blood Diamond

2011-01-10T23:35:00.007-05:00

Blood Diamond has a special place in my heart; for two reasons.
One, I was there when it took its first steps, and two, its "mother", Riley Quinn, is the reason I managed to plot and write Ring of Lies.

Since Riley is visiting tomorrow I'm going to let her tell that particular tale and spend my time telling all of you what a great read Blood Diamond is, and, if I do my job correctly and stir your interest in Blood Diamond be sure to come back tomorrow because Riley is giving away a free download to one lucky reader ... will it be you? Maybe, if you leave a comment ;)

So, enough of that promo stuff, let's talk books! Blood Diamond is ...
Action-packed
Emotionally Charged
Timely ...
Ok, I'll stop :).

Here's the review I gave Blood Diamond on Amazon-I think it says it all!

Diamonds Aren't Always A Girl's Best Friend!

Jillian St. James, a doctor working with Doctors Without Borders in the Congo, becomes the unwitting accomplice in a diamond theft and learns the true definition of "blood diamonds".
An angry warlord sends Mack, a mercenary, to track Jillian down but nights in a steamy jungle with a beautiful doctor can do strange things to a man and Mack finds his commitment to the job wavering. The sex is explosive but can Mack trust Jillian?

Jillian could ask Mack the same question, but the middle of the Congo with a maniacal warlord on the rampage is probably not the best time to ponder the intricacies of a new relationship!

Divided loyalties, dangerous secrets, and deadly despots convene in the Congo and might give Jillian and Mack one heck of a story to tell the grand kids ... if they survive!

I highly recommend Blood Diamond. It is a fast paced, thrilling read filled with danger and desire amidst an exotic, tropical landscape. A perfect way to add some heat on a cold winter night!

Aren't ya just dyin' to read Blood Diamond?
Remember, Riley will be here tomorrow to share how Blood Diamond came into existence AND she'll be giving away a FREE copy!

Submission Calls and the Jewel of the Night Series

2011-01-10T00:56:00.002-05:00

In December of last year I decided to write my first book for a submission call. That decision changed my life and started me on a new writing path. The submission call, The Jewel of the Night Series from The Wild Rose Press, was for their Crimson Rose line and I had never entertained the notion of writing in the romantic suspense genre, because up until that fateful day, my chosen genre was Contemporary and Historical Paranormals. Ring of Lies became my first published novel and for that, I'm forever grateful to the editors of The Wild Rose Press; had they not decided to place a submission call I'd still be unpublished.

Submission calls intrigue me, though I have a dearth of original ideas for novels. Far from being restrictive, submission calls simply focus an author's creativity to one main theme or, as in the case of the Jewel of the Night series, a blue diamond. Glancing through the Jewel of the Night catalog is proof that creativity thrives in a submission call. While all are romantic suspense and involve a blue diamond, the plots range from Neo-Nazis to slimy politicians trying to hide past sins! Working with The Wild Rose Press and meeting the other authors in the series has been a great experience. I've learned so much and been overwhelmed with the generosity of spirit expressed by my fellow "Roses".

I thought I'd show my appreciation by spotlighting the Jewel of the Night catalog and as an added treat, fellow Jewel of the Night Rose, Riley Quinn will be visiting me on Wednesday!

Throughout the week, I'll be posting blurbs, covers, and links of each released, or soon to be released, Jewel of the Night book. Let me know if you have read or plan to read any of this series.

A few I've already read and will give my reviews,but I'm waaay behind on my To Be Read list; so help a girl out!

Guardi an of the Jewel by LaVerne Clark

After coming to terms with the brutal death of her husband by unknown thugs half a w orld away from New Zealand, Amy Hamblin concentrates on bringing up their son alone, struggling to make their dream of an action-adventure tourism venture a success. When a dark, dangerous-looking man knocks on her door late at night claiming to be a guest, the safe, quiet life she'd created is suddenly anything but...

Gabriel Ryan's task of finding the priceless blue diamond Amy's husband stole from an organized crime ring, is made all the more difficult by the attraction that sizzles between them. Playing a role had never been so hard, and now, with a ruthless killer on t he trail of the missing jewel as well, he needed all his wits about him to keep them all alive.
I had Guardian of the Jewel downloaded and ready to read this weekend but work kept me busy. We are expecting bad weather throughout Georgia today so, if I ha d a 'normal' job, I'd have to stay home; which means I coul d read all day long. Unfortunately, we all know where my office residesL.

LaVerne's Blog! Novel Natterings

Lazuli Moon by Christine DePetrillo

Three people search for the legendary Lazuli Moon in the Valdivian Rainforest.
Two of them will find a treasure they never expected.
One won't live to see another day.

Archaeologist and professor Dr. Nivia Charu can't let the Lazuli Moon remain hidden forever. With her teaching position threatened and no funds for an expedition, Nivia fears the blue diamond fabled to have healing powers will never be unearthed.

Physician Dr. Benjamin Forrester wants to cure his uncle's cancer. His attempts at manufacturing a remedy, however, have failed. Desperate and out of options, Ben needs a miracle, and Nivia may just hold the key.

Up against a crazed boat captain and ancient curses, Ben and Nivia join forces to seek the Lazuli Moon. What waits for them in the depths of the rainforest will either make them famous or kill them.

Christine's blog

I'm planning on reading this book very soon; though soon right now looks like February! I am so drawn to the unusual setting and the whole 'searching for a cure' thing is just awesome! Let me know if you get to this one before I do!

Dazzled by Jennifer Schmidlin

Magic? Death by fornication?

Josie Melbourne is not a superstitious woman, but when she is given a blue, heart-shaped hunk of glass from an eighty-two-year-old woman, her life drastically changes. Is it coincidental that moments after she receives the gift, she seduces the elderly woman's son? And in a bathroom of all places?

Travis Bramble has loved Josie for months, but she barely tolerates his presence. A prudish demeanor often accompanied her to the rest home during visiting hours, but the evening she rubs her cute little behind against his groin, things begin changing…for his benefit.

Jennifer's website

Does this sound good or what? Just after high school I worked in a nursing home. Nothing this exciting ever happened to me! L

Fifty-Eight Faces by Kat Duncan

Chief of surgery at a small children's hospital, Caroline's last hope to save it from financial ruin evaporates when she loses the Blue Diamond case to greedy Evan Quinn. When Evan buys the hospital property for high profit condo conversion, Caroline's hatred shifts into full red-alert.

But Evan is not her real enemy. Rolf, the hospital's chief administrator, has had his eye on the blue diamond since he learned of it from his Nazi grandfather. To be the 58th face to possess the Blue Diamond, one for each of its facets, grants the owner unlimited power. Rolf plans to kill the current owners and use the diamond to build his Neo-Nazi regime. Can Caroline give up her hatred and Evan his greed before Rolf kills them both?

Kat's website

Neo-Nazis running amok and messing up a Dr.'s plans? Talk about original! Definitely on the TBR!

Remember, if you read any of these I want to hear your review!

Too Much Info!

2011-01-09T12:06:00.003-05:00

I've been kicking around an idea for a new story with free reads through my visits to other blogs so I'm a little bleary eyed this morning. (Yes, it was another up until 4 am night, er morning, er ... you know what I mean!) So I wake up this morning, (at the thoroughly uncivilized hour of 9am!), and find an email from my new friend, author Nicole Hadaway. She had nominated me for a Stylish Blogger Award! As you can imagine, I perked right up!

Now, before I play along and nominate 10 blogs and reveal 7 things about myself, (run for a cup of coffee now! You'll need a caffeine fix before the ugly truths start!), I have to say that if I could, I'd nominate Nicole's blog, The Dandridge Estate, right back. It is such a beautiful and evocative design and coordinates with her books perfectly; that's what I call stylish! I'm not going to rave too much about the Dandridge Twins' novels now, except to say, "think sibling vampire stories written with all the elegance of Dorothy Sayres or Elizabeth Peters". If you are intrigued, be sure to hang out here because Nicole will be stopping by January 21st.

Speaking of guests, I'm talking about The Wild Rose Press' Jewel of the Night series this week and Blood Diamond author, Riley Quinn will be dropping in on Wednesday, you don't want to miss it. Riley's posts, like her novels, are always adventurous and action packed!
The following week is a big line up of guests; Marissa Farrar, Tracey Jackson, and Nicole Hadaway. Wow, that's a lot of star power for one week :).

Ok, I've put off the inevitable long enough ... here's 7 things about me you probably never needed to know.
1. I've dyed my hair for so long my husband can't remember what the original color was.
2. I told my nine year old to get me a bullhorn for Christmas: indecisive drivers annoy me!
3. I love Spongebob!
4. Regency is my favorite time period to write about but I'd of preferred to live in the 1940's.
5. Old movie fanatic! (see preferred time period above)
6. If I were to win the lottery tomorrow my family would have to restrain me from spending it all on opening a no kill animal shelter: One can never have too many cats!! I love dogs too, but I only want one at a time.
7. I love to cook and try gourmet recipes ... but I rarely eat the results: I'm a picky eater!

Now for my nominations for Stylish Blogger: Check out who I follow because I'm sure I'll miss someone!
1. Gale Stanley
2. Maeve Greyson
3. Marissa Farrar
4. Riley Quinn
5. Write in the Shadows
6. Pen of the Dreamer
7. Terry's Place
8. Roses of Prose
9. Author Roast and Toast
10. Novel Natterings

Oh, my mother is visiting this weekend and, since she is always asking me who she should read next, I'm going to devote Sunday's post, (at least part of the Sunday post-I am terrible at committing :), to my top ten, (or maybe 20-there's that commitment issue again!), list of Not To Be Missed Books. Now, I'm not going to say that I've read all of these books and highly recommend them, (can't do that because if I were to read that much each week I'd never get anything done), but what I will say is I've seen promo/trailers, read excerpts, etc. and have them on my list of To Be Reads.

Happy Release Day, Gale Stanley!

2011-01-08T00:38:00.002-05:00

Gale's book, Point of Beginning, releases today! It is the first in a new erotic romance series called The Gentlemen's Club.

Jack Monroe is bi-curious but after he falls for a certain curly-haired surveyor, he's ready to admit he's gay. Too bad Alex James is straight and has a girlfriend who keeps him on a short leash.

When Jack has a chance to act out his fantasy at The Gentlemen's Club with an Alex lookalike, he grabs it. But is Jack setting himself up for deep disappointment or will he figure out that there is no perfect romance until you create it.

Here's an excerpt: Enjoy!

Surrounded by the intoxicating scent of sweat, testosterone, and Old Spice; Jack threw a clean towel on the bench and planted his bare ass on top of it.

The gym had gone downhill since his last visit. Half-empty water bottles, wet towels, and funky drawers were lying everywhere. It looked more like the locker room at the YMCA than an expensive fitness club. If he hadn't let his membership lapse, he'd complain to the management and suggest they bring in a biohazard cleanup team.

It had been a mistake to accept Kyle's free pass and come tonight. He would take a minute to rest, grab a shower, and get out ASAP.

How did Kyle and Alex do it? They were still out there doing leg presses while he tried to catch his breath in the locker room. Of course, his coworkers didn't sit in front of a computer all day like he did.

"Good workout?"

The locker room appeared to be empty. Startled, he looked over his shoulder and came face to groin with a forest of gray pubic hair.

A big empty room and this old geezer has to take off his skivvies right in my face.

Putting a lid on his quick temper, he looked up and answered curtly. "Yeah."

Shit. It was the lurker, the lone wolf who'd been following him around the gym and ogling him. Every time he looked in the mirror he saw this creep leering back in the reflection.

Whatever happened to personal space? He despised locker rooms. They always brought back bad memories of the awkwardness and anxiety of puberty. He'd been a late bloomer and the inevitable comparing of body parts, followed by towel snapping and ridicule, was forever etched on his brain.

His package had developed late but large and naked-stalker guy was checking it out. It wouldn't surprise him if the man pulled out a cell phone and snapped his picture.

He could end up on the internet. Someone might get the wrong idea about him. Mentioning his fears to Kyle had been a big mistake. His coworker called him an uptight asshole. Some friend. The man was a prick, a player who saw himself as God's gift to women. He'd probably welcome the attention if someone posted a picture of his junk on the internet. He might even do it himself.

Not long after that, he let his membership lapse and he bought his own exercise equipment. His two bedroom condo was more like one bedroom and a den, but the smaller room now housed a weight bench and a treadmill with no problem. He preferred to exercise in the privacy of his own home and he sure didn't miss Kyle's lewd and crude comments. He should have stayed home tonight.

When the free passes had been waved under his nose he hadn't been tempted at all. At the risk of being called antisocial, he'd been on the verge of saying no thanks. Then Alex was called over.

"Hey Stud," Kyle had yelled across the room.

He had cringed but Alex had waved good-naturedly and walked over. The butterflies in his stomach migrated to his chest.

Alexander James made his heart race the way no woman ever had.

POINT OF BEGINNING is available at Silver Publishing:

Not My Mother’s Romance

2011-01-07T10:36:00.002-05:00

Gale Stanley has dropped by today to continue our discussion on erotic romance. Gale is the author of wonderful erotic romances like Call of the Wilds and Silent Knights and her latest, Point of Beginning releases tomorrow. To celebrate, Gale is offering a free copy of Silent Knights to one lucky commenter so be sure and say hey!

Hello Rachel. Thanks for the invite. I'm thrilled to be a guest blogger today. Let me introduce myself. I'm Gale Stanley and I write erotic romance – the emphasis is on romance for a reason. My stories may have explicit sexual scenes but at heart, they are love stories, with all the emotion and conflict readers want.

I've been asked why I write smut, porn, etc. Well first of all, I don't. The terms beg to be defined. Stay tuned.

My reading preferences, the ones that influenced what I love to read and write today, go way back. When I was a kid, some of my favorite reading materials were my mother's True Story and True Confession magazines. Mom thought they were pretty risqué with their dramas that ran the gamut of adultery, unwed pregnancy, disease and even rape. And they were – for the times. Once I found her stash, I read them when I was supposed to be sleeping; under the covers with a flashlight. But those tales of sex and sin pale in comparison to today's romance novels. The times they are a-changing and so are the books we're reading.

One thing remains the same, readers like their stories to focus on the relationship between the characters. They want to see the romance develop and the conflicts resolved so the characters have their emotionally satisfying happily ever after.

The biggest difference between then and now is that in today's erotic romance the walls come tumbling down and readers are allowed in the bedroom to share the physical connection as well as the emotional.

Erotic romance, an uninhibited blend of romance and erotica, takes the sexual heat to a whole new level. Some people tend to confuse erotic romance with porn. Nothing could be further from the truth. Where porn is written strictly for titillation, an erotic romance is first and foremost a love story. It has a good plot and well-developed characters that go through hell. Somehow, they overcome the conflict and obstacles and it all ends happily for them.

An erotic romance differs from a traditional romance because there's a greater emphasis on the sex scenes. Erotic romance differs from erotica because there's a greater emphasis on the love story. In an erotic romance, the reader gets the whole package.

Whether it's contemporary or paranormal, M/F or M/M, I love writing the sex scenes as much as I love reading them. The biggest challenge is to keep them unique so the story doesn't start to sound like a how-to book. I try to focus on the characters and their personalities. Their emotional response and sexual chemistry add a whole new dimension to each scene.

We've come a long way. I think it's great that the barriers have come down and writers can deal frankly with social and sexual mores and give readers what they want. Of course, some people still ask me "have you written anything that I can read?' And if my mother were still here, I'm sure I'd still be hiding my books under the mattress.

Point of Beginning is available at Silver Publishing:

My links:

http://galestanley.net/

http://galestanley.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/gale.stanley.author

Talk Dirty To Me

2011-01-06T01:21:00.003-05:00

A week talking about genres wouldn't be complete without mentioning the ever growing market of erotic romance. Now, I like erotic romances, in fact, that was the first type of book I read in e-format, but when I went to RWA nationals this past year I met a lot of established authors who were dismissive of the genre. I was shocked to hear them disparagingly call it porn.

I will admit that some of it is pure erotica masquerading as erotic romance but there are many authors that do a dang find job of merging a romantic plot with the hallmark of an erotic; hot, steamy sex. If you're reading this and have never read an erotic romance you're probably thinking, "Most mainstream romances have sex scenes, so what's the difference with an erotic romance?" Well, the answer is euphemisms.

In erotic romances, the language is frank. No flowery words. It's the f-word, the c-word for male parts, and generally the p-word for female. It might also mention some non-standard, a-hem partnerings and, or accessoriesJ. I generally read straight male/female erotic romances but I've ventured into reading some ménage, bdsm, m/m, and more than ménage stories while supporting friends who write them. I will say I prefer the standard male/female stories. It isn't because I'm a prude or anything; it is just that I find that, more often than not, the romance element gets less attention than the sex with more than two people relationship stories, even when done by some very talented authors. I don't seek out m/m either but, I've read a couple that were just plain awesome: we are talking Brokeback Mountain kind of moving and heartwarming.

My friend Gale Stanley has written just such a tale with Silent Nights. I haven't finished it yet so I'm not going to review it other than to say it holds up to her m/f Lycan story, Call of the Wilds in the romance department. I think that is just her voice coming through, no matter what the subject matter, she has a fantastic grip on depicting sensuality and really has a lock on what makes people fall in love. I am drawn to her characters because of what they think and feel. It is real, and imminently relatable, whether in the male or female point of view. Gale truly knows how to write from a male perspective. There is a scene in Call of the Wilds were the local good ol' boys are attempting to intimidate the heroine, a veterinarian turned wild life conservation ranger who is protecting a captured and injured wolf from the idiot townsmen who want to shoot it. The scene is tense, and as an animal lover I was spitting mad, but it was also funny. I grinned at the descriptions of the "pack" of men and the heroine's internal thoughts about them.

I also think Call of the Wilds is a great book for someone to read who has never read an erotic romance. The romance is strong in this story and yes, the sex is hot, but the internal conflicts of the hero and heroine are believable and draw you into the story making you care about these people. There is also a villain, well a couple of them actually, that ratchets up the suspense-I guess you could say this book has it all: romance, erotic sex, and suspense, and an element of paranormal. Check it out, you won't be sorry! Oh, and Gale will be here tomorrow to give her perspective on erotic romance; promise it will be interesting!

I know I said my erotic romances of choice are m/f but I have to give a shout out to my friend Tara Lain and her new book, Genetic Attraction. It released yesterday, and I read it in one sitting: a m/m/f ménage, Tara perfectly captures the interpersonal conflicts that are bound to occur in such a situation. She also creates 3-D characters that you just have to like and it makes you wish them a happy ending. I particularly like Em, a scientist that is risking a lot for love. Her book trailer is awesome and really makes you want to read the book: Watch the trailer then see if you don't want to pick up Genetic Attraction!

I cannot close this post without mentioning the author that led me to read erotic romance, the fabulous Delilah Devlin. I "met" her when I took her Plotting Bootcamp workshop. She uses snippets of her books to illustrate a point and that drove me to check out her books. The Pleasure Bot was my first erotic romance and I couldn't have picked a better one to start with; this book is sooo darn funny and it features an Irish hero-I love my Irishmen! She is also at her humorous best in Bad, Bad Girlfriend; you have got to read this book, if only for the scene between the heroine and the female stripper. OMG I tell all my friends about that scene, you will laugh yourself silly and, if you are anything like me, you can see yourself getting into just such a ridiculous situation: think a modern day Lucy and Ethel! DD, as we in her critique group call her, also has a new book out.

Ravished by a Viking. I am not finished with it either: I am getting old and don't read as fast as I used to! But, I was privileged to critique parts of this book a while back and I have to tell you, if you like fantasy novels with some heat (ok, with DD, there is a lot of heat!), you will love this book. The romance is compelling: people from different worlds that should be enemies. The conflicts are compelling, not just between the hero and heroine but the situation they are in, the world building is fantastic … it is just damn good stuff!

Besides her humor, DD's trademark, at least for me, is deeply drawn characters with real and powerful emotions. She makes you feel what the characters feel and even better, you can understand why they do what they do, even when the situation is completely foreign to you. For instance in Fun with Dick and Jane: the story is about a married couple who want to add their male neighbor to their household, not for some quick fun, but forever. Watching this straight-laced, by the book cop deal with his emotions, doubt, fighting his attraction and then love for Jane is just, WOW! I can't relate to his situation but I can definitely understand his inner turmoil. Delilah writes some very, very good books, trust me!

Ok, confession time. Do you readily admit to reading erotic romance or are you in the closet? LOL, do you find that the anonymity of e-books encourages you to buy and read books you'd never buy if you had to venture into a store or library? (I do!) Have a favorite erotic romance?

How about the other end of the spectrum? Do you hold with the opinion that I encountered at RWA nationals, that erotic romance is just porn?

Come on, defend your position! J

Romantic Horror, an Oxymoron?

2011-01-05T00:56:00.001-05:00

Well, depending on your experiences in the realm of relationships, maybe not! I stumbled across this term for a Romance sub-genre when I visited the blog, Preternatura, and read an interview with author Marissa Farrar. She was talking about how the genre, at least in her case, picked the writer. She'd been drawn to scary stuff since her teens and she said she never felt she had a choice but to write horror. Even when she wrote something with leanings toward another genre the horror found its way in; hence her coining the term Romantic Horror.

I would define Romantic Horror as a strong romance plot combined with an equally strong horror plot; think Stephen King meets any Harlequin! Now, I am not a fan of horror movies. The tension tends to make me jumpy. I enjoy the plots though. Take the movie 1408 with John Cusack. I was so into that plot but man, when the crazy stuff started happening … I had to get up and leave the room. My husband laughed at me but I was so on edge, I couldn't stand it any longer. I went in my office and Googled the movie. I read the Wikipedia synopsis so I could find out how it ended!

But a book is different. The music isn't heightening the suspense and things aren't going to jump out at me every five seconds. Whatever occurs in a novel is limited to my imagination as far as visual impact goes-I can tone it downJ. So when I read Marissa's post and the blurb for her book I was intrigued rather than apprehensive. I am so glad that I pushed past any "fear"!

Alone is not, in my opinion, a "horror" novel, not like a Stephen King or Dean Koontz anyway. Alone is sooo much more than mere spooky stuff or gore and it is precisely because there is a strong thread of romance. The novel is the story of Serenity, a woman caught in an abusive marriage. She is walking down a crowded street in LA and suffers a panic attack. She takes off running through the crowds on the sidewalk and turns into an alley to try and calm herself. A man follows her and asks if she is all right; that is the start of a truly touching relationship.

The man is handsome beyond belief but it is the compassion and sensitivity Serenity sees in him that draws her. The initial meeting is brief but the memory of him lingers as she makes her way home and is confronted with the A-hole husband. I'm not going to go into too much detail here except to say that Sebastian, the man from the street, rescues Serenity from another round of abuse and their relationship blossoms from there.

Since it is on the blurb I'll go ahead and say that Sebastian is a vampire. The desperation he sees in her eyes at their first meeting draws him to her and over the course of the novel we learn that Sebastian, like Serenity, is afraid and tired of being alone. That is the focus of this remarkable book; a woman who clings to a horrid life because she thinks it is better than being alone and a vampire weary of his solitary "life" and longing for what he lost when he was made a vampire yet reluctant to bring the woman he loves into that life.

There is horror. Scenes that show how a vampire must feed are fairly graphic and the abuse scenes are visceral. That is what takes the novel toward the Horror genre, but to me this is women's fiction, romance, and I'd say it borders on pure literary fiction. It really is that good; thought provoking. This novel has lingered in my mind for over a week and I highly recommend it.

I think it is sticking with me because it touches on a theme that I have pontificated on for years; the idea that women tend to identify who they are by the man they are with. I see so many young women, teens through twenties that focus their energies on finding and keeping a man. It is as if they won't be complete without one. Then they get one, marry, and have kids. Their thirties are filled with being the perfect wife and mother. They let it consume them and subjugate their personal passions for it. Then they hit their forties and all too often discover that they resent all of the things they didn't do for themselves; Career, travel, whatever was their dream. They also tend to find that with an empty nest comes a husband they don't really know or like. This may not be the norm, but for me personally I know many women in their late forties who are divorced and finally pursuing their dreams. They are business owners, singers, writers, artists; and they are happy! While not 'man haters', they have found that they don't need a man in their lives to be content. In other words, they are comfortable being … Alone.

If you find yourself as intrigued as I was by the themes of Alone, you can get this book FREE for a limited time at Smashwords and, January 18^th the author, Marissa Farrar will be joining me here! She hasn't settled on a blog topic yet so I thought if any of you want to grab a copy of Alone now, you could submit questions you might have and I will pass them along for Marissa to answer as part of her January 18^th post.

So, how 'bout it? Going to read Alone? I promise it is a great read-dark, sensual, heartbreaking, poignant … I could go on but I'll restrain myself!

I'm also wondering if anyone has encountered other books that fit into the romantic horror genre. Oh, and feel free to comment on my "theory" J.

Welcome to Sunnydale: Home of the Hellmouth

2011-01-03T23:02:00.005-05:00

OK, I'm probably dating myself a bit with that title but I made a startling realization when I sat down to write a post on paranormal romance: I have never read one!

I know, I know, where the heck have I been?! I don't really have an excuse so I should creep to the back of the "room" and let y'all tell me what I've been missing. Should, but won't :).

I have an opinion about most everything, (if you've ever chatted with me you'll recognize the truth of that statement!), and this genre is no exception. Researching for this article led me to several e-bookstores. I perused the titles and read quite a few blurbs. My, admittedly brief, research seems to have revealed two very popular themes in the paranormal romance genre right now: vampires and werewolves. That couldn't possibly have anything to do with those Twilight books/movies, could it ;)? I saw a fair amount of shapeshifter novels out there as well.

The vampire thing I understand. As a child I ran home from school to catch the end of Dark Shadows and I'm thinking the secret is out that I'm a HUGE Buffy fan. I also loved 'sweet' witches/magic with shows like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie. It is apparent that I really like paranormal themes so I'm not sure why I've not read any paranormal romances.

I probably shouldn't reveal this about myself but ... I can be perverse. If everyone else is on the bandwagon that is the one place I won't be; but I realize that can lead to the loss of my nose so I'm admitting I have a 'problem' and am asking for your help :).

What books should I have not missed? Keep in mind I really loved Buffy; Angel not so much-too much angst! I mentioned my infatuation with Dark Shadows, but I was also raised on a family tradition of the Friday night late show so I enjoy those English "B" movies from the 70's-The Wicker Man ... really cool, ooh and American Gothic, anyone remember that show? Gosh that was good, never understood its cancellation.

So, paranormal romance readers, give me your suggestions for additions to my TBR pile and tell me what you love about paranormal romance. What elements have to be present for you to put a book on your keeper shelf?

Defining Romantic Suspense

2011-01-03T00:22:00.003-05:00

I'm blogging this week on some of the sub genres that inhabit the world of Romance books and since I write romantic suspense I thought it a good place to start. I assumed this would be an easy post to write, I mean I do write the stuff and it is my chosen genre to read, however I found the old 'assume' quip proved accurate!

I'm not an expert on any genre much less my chosen one. I'm also not a varied reader of romantic suspense. I tend to stick with a few authors and read all of their books. I also gravitate toward what I call 'cozy romantic suspense'. I'm not really into cop/military/CIA heroine/hero books where the hero and heroine are out of their ordinary world almost from the beginning of the story and only return to it with the conclusion. I think of those books as "dark" romantic suspense because they put me in mind of suspense movies like Kiss the Girls or The Skeleton Key. I like those movies and I've enjoyed those types of books when I stumble upon one but my very favorite books, the ones I actively seek, are the accidental sleuth romantic suspense.

The, bookstore owner who stumbles upon a dead body in the A-E aisle, the wedding planner that finds a corpse face down in the wedding cake, or the cafe owner who inherits a blue diamond ring and a mess of trouble ;). So, I started pondering exactly what it is that I like about this type of romantic suspense and that is where my troubles began. For the life of me I couldn't put into words what draws me to the genre or differentiates my favorite styled plot from the "dark" ones. But then I started thinking about some of my favorite books and things became clearer.

My favorite types of romance books used to be historicals-preferably Regency period and I usually didn't venture far from it. Until I picked up an Amanda Quick book. My first was Rendezvous and I was hooked from the get-go. I loved her voice-the humor that she infuses into the dialog and scenes was refreshing and made her heroine's charming. Her books are wonderful romps through the Regency world with enough detail to set the "stage" without the limiting adherence to strictly accurate period details that is found in 'true' Regencies. I enjoyed these books for their lightheartedness but it wasn't until I read Surrender that I realized what I really loved about her books was the mystery that surrounds every hero/heroine relationship.

Until I'd read Amanda Quick I'd never encountered a romance plot with an equally strong mystery plot but the equal strength of these two plot lines isn't even what came to define my definition of romantic suspense. Using Amanda Quick's works as my standard, I've come to define romantic suspense, the good ones anyway, as a romance with a mystery that totally merges with the developing relationship. There is no definable beginning and ending of romance/mystery plot lines throughout the story.

That concept is best exemplified in Quick's book, Surrender. In this book, the heroine's feminist beliefs and keen interest in herbal medicines are not just devices to make the heroine a believable and 3-D character. They directly play into the mystery and danger she finds herself in as well as adding enormous amounts of humor to the story. Every scene meant to depict the rising romantic relationship in some way ties into the developing mystery. In "writer speak" every scene moves both plots forward at the same time. In Surrender, this is done seamlessly; the reader isn't even aware of it until the mystery is solved and the villain is unmasked. Then we think back to things that happened and realize how each incident, tied into the mystery.

Andrew Carnagie paid Napoleon Hill to study him and write a book on how Carnagie had achieved success. That book became Think and Grow Rich. A core idea in the book is the belief that success can be obtained by studying and modeling oneself after someone they admire who has achieved that success. I believe and try to follow those principles so when I wrote Ring of Lies I went back and analyzed what made Surrender such a great book. I used sticky notes to mark pages and I mapped out how each scene meshed with the romance or mystery plot. I basically broke the book down by scenes/chapters and laid them out on a plotline map like I do for my own works. Doing that made me see how a master author achieved a great story and I tried to transfer that to my own book.

So, what elements need to be in a book for you to call them a great romantic suspense? Do you have an all time favorite that you read again and again? On another note, have you read Hill's Think and Grow Rich?

Ring of Lies Book Trailer is FINISHED!

2010-12-31T08:53:00.004-05:00

Check it out and tell me what you think!

(click the picture to watch the video)

PS: If you really want to be nice you can give me thumbs up and subscribe to my channel on YouTube :)

Snowbound? Here's a Laugh

2010-12-29T14:51:00.013-05:00

Yes, I'm frazzled and brain fried when it comes to blog posts today! Still, these were too funny not to share. After reading this email I realize my nine year old daughter is a Calvin in the making!

Enjoy!

Are You Organized?

2010-12-28T11:01:00.007-05:00

The week between Christmas and New Year's is time I traditionally spend getting organized. That whole, 'out with the old, in with the new,' thing.

To that end, I've organized cupboards while finding a home for all the new stuff and have turned out my office; that has been the biggest project.

My '"office" is actually a corner of the dining room which also doubles as a school room for my daughter. It's a huge room, 15x15 at least, so the desk, bookcases, and bins are not in the way but, since the room technically is for eating, (though we rarely use it for that!), I like to keep all of the books, papers, and art supplies tidy. All the books are turned the right way and the shelves are all dusted but what to do with all my 'stuff'?

For someone who makes their living by using a computer, you'd think there wouldn't be a ton of paper ... you'd think wrong! I have no idea what is on the white stuff or why I keep it but, there it is, staring me in the face every time I sit down to work. I can't function in chaos so yesterday was spent at an office supply store. I bought two of those cardboard magazine holders, in a perky lime green stripe, (a girl has to have pretties!), and a cool chrome mesh desktop bulletin board. That helped contain some of the clutter but then I took a look at my online calendar-and panicked!

My email messenger software has a great calendar/task feature and I've filled it with color coded reminders of events, guest bloggers, promo events, etc. but it is SO FULL that I go cross-eyed looking at it. I realized the master calendar method was simply a confusing rainbow on my screen. That led me to the realization that I am old school; I require paper and ink to keep myself straight. So I went looking for an organizer.

I spent over two hours, (or should I say wasted two hours?), at the office supply store pondering which "system" would work best for me. An hour in I came to the conclusion that I am in the wrong profession; I should seriously consider designing organizer stationary. There are aisles overflowing with assorted sizes of calendars, weekly/daily ledgers, contact lists, and planning journals and they come in some really pretty designs; but they are useless to women, at least this one! I can't possibly be the only woman running around like a chicken with her head cut off while juggling three and sometimes four different full time jobs. Yet I must be because there is no system, (that I could find anyway), that lets a person keep track of four different and completely dissimilar occupations in one organizer.

I decided to "make something work" and determined that I need a large organizer; the 8.5x11 sized inserts fit the bill. I also refused to pay upwards of $50.00 for a fancy three ring binder so 8.5x11 papers could be stored in a much cheaper three ring binder found in the school supplies-I could also 'doctor' it up with my scrapbook supplies, (gotta have that pretty!). So, I'm all set, I've got a plan, then I see that the store doesn't have 8.5x11 monthly calendar inserts. They also didn't have weekly/daily planning pages; they did have some expensive glorified notebook paper though!

By this time I was thoroughly disgusted with the amount of time I had spent dithering over something that was supposed to help me use my time more effectively. My nine year old was also long past ready to go! That is when I decided to make my own inserts. You see, in order to keep track of writing deadlines, guest blog spots, guests on my blog, submission opportunities, critique groups, promo loops, workshops-well, you get the picture. I was planning to use one calendar and daily/weekly planner insert per "job" I have but the store didn't even have one pack of inserts. Talk about frustration!

When I decided to make my own inserts I came up with the bright idea to use different colored paper for each job; blue for writing, green for home school, yellow for our family business, and pink for personal/household. Alas, colored paper was going to cost me around $ 20.00 and my cart was already full so I scrapped that plan-for now. But I have made my own calendars and weekly/daily planning pages-on white copy paper. I did indulge myself and buy a lime green fabric covered three ring binder and a black wooden magazine holder as a home for the binder on my desk, (there's that pretty, again:).

I went home with and did what I do best-internet research. There are a plethora of free printables websites out there; I didn't have to open excel or word, once! The monthly calendars came from Calendar Labs. This is a very useful site! You can design a multitude of calendars, picking what day of the week they start on, eliminate weekends, or anything else you might find necessary.

The weekly/daily planner pages came from Printable Planners. I LOVE this site. They have planner pages for everything, even food logs and pet pages (no idea why someone would need to plan for a pet!), and they are available in all the sizes from mini to executive!

I printed out the twelve months of 2011 and about three weeks worth of daily/weekly planner pages; I still want to do the color coded thing but I'm going to wait a few weeks and splurge on some colored paper-Christmas combined with marketing for Ring of Lies has tapped me right now, and we won't even mention that fact that about ten extra people will be here this weekend! For now, I'm using my collection of colored ink pens, (yeah, I've a collection and stamps, ink, stickers, paper-I did say I used to scrapbook!), to differentiate between jobs. Not ideal but ... it works.

It is a good thing I'm OCD about organizing all of my commitments because, last night my computer decided to freeze. I tried everything to quit the program I was in; the trusty 'Control, Alt, Delete failed me! Frustration set in and I hit the Restart button. After what seemed like a year, the computer rebooted (or whatever it does) and started to load my desktop; only it wasn't my desktop!

The picture was the standard Microsoft screen that comes up when you buy a new pc. I didn't think anything of it (or much of it anyway) until I tried to pull up Microsoft Word. It prompted me to register the program. I was irritated by that point and clicked the X but when I looked in my documents-NOTHING! Gone, all gone. All of my drafts, blog posts, letters, nothing was there. Panic set in. I mean it. We are talking heart palpitations and dots in front of my eyes!

I frantically checked all of my other folders: One Note-gone, Pictures-gone, Email messenger AND the calendar-gone. After much clicking I managed to find the files under Owner but I couldn't get them back into the software programs. It was a mess, a total freakin' mess.

When I realized my calendar was gone I had to walk away from my desk-I'd reached the end of my, admittedly limited, patience. Resigned to setting up the email messenger all over again and thanking God for my foresight in purchasing Carbonite, I started to restore files; that is when I discovered the Restore Settings button.

Now, I wasn't sure what would happen if I clicked that Restore button. It kept warning me and asking if I really wanted to do it-I'm thinking, "uh, yeah! What the heck else can I do my email and calendars are all gone!" So, I closed my eyes, held my breath, and clicked.

The stars were aligned for me after all because I'm happy to report, (happy is such a mild word for what I am feeling!), that after restarting, again, my beautiful autumn picture of an English field popped back onto the screen, and more importantly, ALL of my files are right back were they belong! They are also now backed up on CD's as well as Carbonite :) and, my life is also written on good old fashioned paper, too. Technology is great ... until it fails!

So, am I obsessive with all of this organizing and scheduling? Do you feel the need to have everything in your life written down and planned out? How do you maintain control?

Blogging at E.H. On Books and More

2010-12-27T12:38:00.002-05:00

I'm blogging at E.H. On Books and More ... stop in and say "hey"!

Easy Christmas Recipes

2010-12-24T00:35:00.005-05:00

It will only be the three of us for Christmas Eve this year but my family always had big parties with tables loaded with appetizers and I can't break the tradition! I'm scaling back the amounts, no need to feed the fifth army, but a variety is as necessary as the Christmas tree.

Christmas Eve Menu
New York Style Cheesecake (can't bring myself to make mini cheesecakes; I need HUGE pieces to satisfy the sweet tooth :)
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Shrimp Cocktail
Pigs-n-blankets
EggNog (sorry, I bought it this year!)
Deviled Eggs
Sausage Balls
Ok, I'm thinking I need to stop myself by chanting: it is only three people and one is a vegetarian child, it is only three people ...

I'm assuming Pigs-n-blankets and deviled eggs are pretty standard items so I'll just post the Cheesecake and Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts recipes; and in case you're wondering what the secret to great Shrimp Cocktail is-boil in Old Bay Seasoning just until they turn pink: perfect!

New York Style Cheesecake
Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker or gingersnap crumbs
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
4- 8 oz packages of cream cheese @ room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325F. To make crust: Mix crumbs and butter and press evenly along bottom and half-way up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. To make filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, egg whites, vanilla and lemon rind. beat on medium, scraping sides of the bowl for about 5 minutes or until creamy. Pour into crust. Bake 1 hour, then cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
3. While cake cools, make topping. Mix the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla then spread on top of cake. Return cake to oven and bake 10 minutes more or until topping is set.
4. Turn off the oven, leaving door ajar (stick a wooden spoon handle in the door)and let the cake stand in the oven for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Makes 16 servings

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
1 can whole water chestnuts
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 Teaspoon ground ginger
dash of Allspice
Bacon-strips cut in half
Toothpicks (pre-soaked in water about 5 minutes)

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and allspice: add drained water chestnuts. Toss to coat and let stand about 30 minutes. (add more soy sauce and some water if there isn't enough liquid to cover the water chestnuts)
Assemble:
1. Take a half strip of bacon, lay a water chestnut on it, roll it up, and secure with toothpick. Lay on parchment covered sheet pan.
2. Bake at 425F for about 10 minutes or until bacon is cooked.
Note: This recipe works equally well if you substitute dried apricots for the water chestnuts!

Bonus:
Christmas Day my parents will be here and we are having Tuscan Pot Roast. Sooo good and really easy; here's how.

Pot Roast-whatever size you need to feed the crowd (I'm cooking about 4.5 lb)
1-3 Tablespoons of grainy mustard
2-4 Tablespoons flour
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dry red wine
small red potatoes (I'll use about 1/2 pound for 4 adults)

1. Spread the meat with the mustard, then sprinkle all over with flour; set aside.
2. In a large flameproof casserole, Dutch oven, or heavy stock pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. (note, my Dutch oven bit the dust so I'm doing this step in a large skillet then transferring everything to the stock pot)
3. Add roast and cook, turning occasionally until meat is browned, 10-15 minutes should do it.
4. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the wine is reduced by half. Add water, salt, and pepper (to taste).
5. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, turning the roast occasionally, for about 2-1/2 hours. checking water level and adding as needed to prevent burning.
6. After 2-1/2 hours, add potatoes and more water if needed. Cover and continue to cook until the meat is fork tender and the potatoes are done, 30-40 minutes.
7. Let Roast stand about 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with a green salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and a loaf of warm, crusty bread: yummy!

So, if you're not swamped with preparations, tell me what ya'll are having!

Welcome to the World!

2010-12-22T03:35:00.008-05:00

It's Ring of Lies' Birthday!

I'm blogging over at LaVerne Clark's and offering a free copy of Ring of Lies to one lucky commenter ... will it be you?

Visit The Romance Studio and enter the Book-A-Day Giveaway for another chance to win!

Magical Moon

2010-12-21T12:11:00.002-05:00

Another late start today but for a once in a "blue moon" opportunity? I couldn't resist! I worked all evening and into the wee hours of the morning on Ring of Lies' book trailer. Interspersed with my incessant search for inexpensive images to portray Ivy and Dom's story were quick, (and I do mean quick-it was flippin' cold!), jaunts outside to watch the progress of the lunar eclipse.
The weather here in Savannah was perfect for viewing the moon's journey, albeit shockingly cold.
There is something magical about the moon at any time but during an eclipse that mystique is magnified a hundredfold. Adding to that mysterious and magical feeling was the sense that my daughter and I were the only two people on Earth-don't know about on Earth but we were certainly the only two fools outside at 2:00 am in our neighborhood!

Of course, watching the eclipse to its completion came at a price; don't fall into bed until 3:00am, don't get up until noon!

So, did you stay up and watch? Anyone get any good story ideas from it? I did :)

Getting Things Done

2010-12-20T15:03:00.003-05:00

I'm getting a late start this morning, or should I say afternoon? I had a list of things that needed my attention over the weekend but they were all put on hold because my husband brought home a nasty little virus known as 'flu!

Since two of my priority items were interviews I thought it prudent to leave them undone until my mind was , umm less muddled :)! I have made a startling amount of progress this morning though. Both of my interviews are complete and winging their ways through cyberspace and I've managed to create some semblance of order out of the ever growing "to do" list.

I've been researching organizational systems and I stumbled upon David Allen's Get Things Done technique. The system is based on the idea that getting all the things we have to do out of our heads and onto paper frees our minds to create and accomplish. I have to say that premise resonates with me because I've found myself increasingly paralyzed by the dearth of 'stuff' requiring my attention. The mountain of minutiae floating around in my head was threatening to overwhelm me until I read GTD. I can't say I'm completely fluent on all the principles of Mr. Allen's techniques but the ones I've tried have helped me tremendously.

First I poured onto paper all of the things I want to get done. Then I assigned actions to those items. That is the secret to GTD. It isn't just making a list of tons of stuff but determining what steps are needed to see those tasks completed. By mentally walking through the task I can visualize it done and that has given me the motivation to actually finish all the projects!

Speaking of projects. I've added another one to my long list of Get It Done! I'm trying to make a book trailer for Ring of Lies. I'm still in the research and development stage but I've high hopes of having it completed before Wednesday's release. Wish me luck!

Sweet Tea and a Comfortable Coze: With Author Rachel Brimble

2010-12-17T00:12:00.002-05:00

If you read my post yesterday you already know how much I love The Arrival of Lily Curtis and why I think Lily is an awesome heroine. Well, now you get to hear how Lily was "born"; straight from her creator, Rachel Brimble!
I think of an author's appearance here like a visit to my home so, like all good Southern hostesses I've set out a pitcher of Sweet Tea (yes, that is a proper noun here in the South!) and a plate of Savannah's renowned Key Lime cookies. Y'all make yourselves at home!

Why I love writing historical romance…

For years, I only wrote contemporary romance because the idea of writing historicals terrified me! I have always read historical romance by the bucket load, but knew how much more involved they could be, the potential for mistakes and inaccuracies could abound…everything about it worried me. But then a friend treated me to two free places to take afternoon tea at the stately home of Lucknam Park in a small village called Colerne, near Bath and the indecision was soon completely taken out of my hands.

I called up my mum and off we went. I am lucky enough to live in the beautiful English countryside, just half an hours drive from the famous Georgian City of Bath. We drove up the tree-lined avenue until the magnificent house came into view. It was like a scene from Pride & Prejudice, absolutely wonderful.

As beautiful as the house itself was from the outside and how picturesque and breathtaking the views on that sunny May afternoon, it wasn't until we were shown into the drawing room, did I know I had walked into the home of my next hero, Viscount Westrop. After my mum and I enjoyed a gorgeous array of cucumber and salmon sandwiches, followed by too many cream and chocolate cakes to mention, followed by scones with thick coverings of jam and cream, followed by … oh, it was a lovely, lovely afternoon, sigh!

Anyway, once I arrived back home, I rushed straight to the laptop, opened a Word document and started feverishly writing notes on what six months later would become my first historical romance, The Arrival of Lily Curtis. Here's the blurb & buy link (if you feel so inclined!)…

At the mention of an arranged marriage, Elizabeth Caughley feels her life is over at the age of three and twenty….so she hatches an escape plan. She will reinvent herself as a housemaid. Overnight, Elizabeth becomes Lily…

Viscount Westrop wants nothing more than his legacy to be passed to his own son one day. Even though he feels insurmountable pity for the unborn child already, he knows how much pain a broken promise can cause and will do what is right. But with the arrival of his new housemaid, his plans are thrown into disarray. Lily is funny, feisty and the most beautiful creature on earth – Andrew is thunderstruck. But if anyone suspects how much he wants to ravish her and endlessly love her, Andrew's lineage will be in peril. And he cannot let that happen…

The book was the hardest I have written, more due to self-doubt and worry than the lack of inspiration. I LOVE the characters in this book, right down to the cook and the butler, they all make up what I hope is a fun, sexy and thoroughly enjoyable read. Sure, the doubt about my accuracy and authenticity is still there but the reviews have been great so I truly hope I've done okay!

I still enjoy writing contemporary novels though and would love a career doing both. My next book is due out in January with Lyrical Press which is a contemporary called Getting It Right This Time about a woman returning home with her child after her husband's untimely death.

And next? Well, it's another historical set in Bath, yay!

More news to follow. Keep up to date with what I am doing at my website http://www.rachelbrimble.com/ and blog http://www.rachelbrimble.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for having me here today, Rachel – I can't wait to answer every one's questions or comments!

A Review of The Arrival of Lily Curtis

2010-12-16T08:24:00.003-05:00

Last night I started reading Rachel Brimble's historical romance, The Arrival of Lily Curtis. The novel takes place during the mid Victorian period in and around the English city of Bath. I'm enjoying this book immensely and can't wait for tomorrow's blog because Rachel Brimble will be here discussing The Arrival of Lily Curtis and what sparked her imagination to write it!

I enjoy historical fiction, and most particularly those set in England, so it is no surprise that I'm loving Rachel's story but what draws me into this book is Lily. She is ... words won't do her justice. In a nutshell? I'd say she is independent, spirited, intelligent, articulate - the list could go on and on but I think you get the picture.

Rachel's writing abilities are obvious. The dialog sparkles, (and sometimes singes!), the countryside and manor are so well described I feel like I'm walking across the floors Lily's supposed to scrub, and the sexual tension between Lily and the Viscount is palpable. All of that is wonderful of course, (music to an author's ears!) but what really makes me love this story is the fact that I can relate to Lily, and that is the hallmark of a great story teller!

Lily has lived a life of privilege. She is surrounded by luxury, cossetted, pampered, and adored. She moves in the finest circles of Society and, according to her parents, she should be content, no delighted, to follow the well worn path taken by all of the other women of her class: contract a prestigious marriage, produce heirs and spares, turn a blind eye to spousal peccadilloes, then fritter life away with fashion, soirees, and gossip.

Goodness, her family thinks, a woman must be mad to balk at such a life! Well, if that's true then bring on Lily's straitjacket! It isn't that Lily rejects the trappings of her birth so much as she questions them. Is that all there is? Does life, and my life in particular, have so little meaning? Am I nothing more than an object that serves it's function then passes away? Lily questions all of that and more. She challenges the established opinions of her society, not in a "women's rights" sort of way, but on a personal level. She isn't necessarily out to change the world, just her little corner of it. It's that search for the meaning of an individual's life that sucks me into this book. I can relate-shoot, who hasn't been where Lily is at one point or another?

I love this book, can you tell? Come back tomorrow to hear how Rachel Brimble "met" Lily and the Viscount.

My Very First Interview!

2010-12-15T09:39:00.003-05:00

I'm over at the NovelSisterhood today; it's my very first interview! Stop by and say, "hey!" (yeah, that's a southern thing :) .

Congratulations ... and Questions

2010-12-14T01:19:00.007-05:00

Before I ramble on in my usual fashion I want to shout a

"Congratulations, Maeve!"

across the world wide web.
Author, Maeve Greyson entered her Paranormal Romance, Eternity's Mark, in RT Book Reviews' "Writing With The Stars" contest. Maeve has made it to round 3! Only two more rounds to go. Let's all vote so Maeve can sail across that finish line!
*BTW: Maeve will be dropping by in the new year to tell us all about her new book, Beyond A Highland Whisper. Witches, brawny men, and Scotland; what's not to love?

In my constant quest for organization, (which would mean my return to some semblance of sanity!), I'm trying to come up with topics for each day of the week. Can't really report any progress, but I'm trying!

One of the topic ideas I'm toying with is a Question of the Day. I'm also looking at making the Question of the Day more of a group effort. I'm thinking of having some of my friends, both authors and the more, hmmm, shall I say "normal" friends. (Though I think the term normal is relative, I am, amazingly enough, aware that most of the population doesn't talk to imaginary people-at least not after taking their meds!)
I have a couple of ideas on how to make the quasi "round table" discussion work but for now I'd like to know if anyone actually wants to read what a bunch of women think! One topic I'd like to address is: Twitter or Facebook. Learning to promote my work over the Internet has led me to use both and I've formed definite opinions ... but I'm not sharing; yet.

We could also take suggestions for future topics and they wouldn't have to be book or publishing industry related. I should probably stop right here and explain ... er, confess, something about myself. I like to talk. I like to talk, a lot! I also am curious about how others view the world around us; probably what led me to writing :0)
Along those same lines I confess to wasting inordinate amounts of time reading the comments people leave on blogs and at the end of news articles; that dratted curiosity again!

So, what do you think? Does my "coffee klatch" appeal to you? What would you have us discuss? Want to kill some time, er ... participate?

Searching for the Secret of the Spinning Dinnerware

2010-12-13T09:41:00.004-05:00

Since the launch of my new website and blog last week I've tried to be consistent with my posts. Aside from racking my brain for topics worthy of distribution to the world wide web, Ring of Lies will be released on December 22nd which means I have spent inordinate amounts of time looking for ways to promote my book and it's Christmas time! (could somebody please tell my daughter her Mama doesn't need a daily update on the number of days left until Christmas? Rest assured that particular clock is pounding through my head.)

Scouring the Internet for promotional opportunities, keeping up with scheduled guest blogging commitments and offering to return the favor, striving to write something of interest on my blog everyday, and maintaining some type of presence on Facebook, Twitter, and the various e-mail loops and forums, (not mentioning all of the personal life commitments. Nope, not going there!), has raised a mental image of a guy on the Tonight Show racing around the stage struggling to keep a bunch of plates spinning on the tips of long, skinny poles.

Comparing myself to the plate balancing guy makes me wonder, how the heck do authors manage to write more than one book? I know it is possible. I see it with my own eyes! Yet, how they do this remains a mystery to me. Writing a book is a creative journey into a land of make believe. It's a solitary trip inside the author's mind and, at least for me, success is only attained by shutting off the "real world". But promoting a novel and building a reader base clearly requires contact with living, breathing humans. How then do authors juggle two groups of plates that spin in opposite directions?

If you're thinking I'm about to shed enlightenment please think again! I have no clue. I write out a daily "to do" list before going to bed every night. I arise, optimistic that everything will be accomplished and crossed off of the list by lunch time allowing me to divide the rest of my day between family obligations and writing my next book. So far, the numbers in the lower right hand corner of my computer screen have consistently read 2:00 am before the last item on the "to do" list is marked off-which means I never did get to those "afternoon" items :).

So, am I whining? No, (my husband says yes, but who listens to him?!), I'm not complaining. I'm grateful to even be in this position because I know what the alternative is!
I follow a lot of successful authors' blogs, tweets, and facebook pages-they don't seem to be surrounded by broken china so I'm asking: what is their secret?