Christine Rains - Writer

Tundra 37 Review

2012-02-27T02:00:00.005-08:00

Aboard the Expedition, the Lifers carry on with their every day tasks as the deep space vessel speeds along to a new paradise. The regular calm order is destroyed when the ship is damaged by a comet. Unable to complete the mission, they land on Tundra 37 with the hope of settling on the frozen planet.

Gemme is the ship's Match-maker. Her life is quiet and full of numbers. When her name pops up on the screen along with the gorgeous Lieutenant Miles Brentwood's, she panics and deletes it. Yet it seems fate won't be denied. Gemme is assigned to be on Miles' team to search Tundra 37 for a fuel source the ship desperately needs. Out in the numbing cold, they face monsters, a greedy teammate, and each other.

This story is wonderfully deep and complex. Talking about Gemme and Miles' romance alone won't do it justice. Their romance is sweet and amazing. It flowed naturally with the story and tugged on my heartstrings. I cheered on Gemme against her rival and uttered dreamy sighs with Miles' tender thoughts. I adored Gemme's character. She's different from the usual warrior-like sci-fi heroine, but she's strong in her own way.

The secondary plots pulled me in just as much. I will forever have the image of the ancient Seers - the pilots of the Expedition - strung up in the ship burned into my mind. The little details Aubrie gives us are fascinating and horrifying at the same time. The glimpses of their memories of an Earth falling apart had me on the edge of my seat. (I can't wait to read A Hero Rising next!) My heart ached for them, but I loved how I couldn't figure out what they'd do next. They had their secrets just like various Lifers on the ship. Secrets passed from one generation to the next which could either save or destroy them.

You can buy Aubrie Dionne's Tundra 37 on Amazon and B&N.

A Hero Rising is now available too, on Amazon and B&N.

Aubrie is giving away a copy of A Hero Rising. Please read Saturday's interview with her right here on my blog and enter to win!

Also, please visit A Twist of Noir. My short story, "Lady Blood" is featured today. I'd love to know what you think.

First short story acceptance of 2012

2012-02-26T02:00:00.001-08:00

My first short story acceptance of the year!

My noir story, "Lady Blood" will be on A Twist of Noir tomorrow.

It's a great site with quality dark and oneiric stories.

Please pop over and comment.

I'd love to hear what you think about my story.

Do I win some cool points for writing a noir story?

Interview and giveaway with science-fiction romance writer Aubrie Dionne

2012-02-25T02:00:00.007-08:00

Please give a warm welcome to the wonderfully talented Aubrie Dionne.

She's celebrating the release of her newest novel, Tundra 37.

(Isn't that a spectacular cover?!)

I'm happy to have this chance to help promote her books on her blog tour and ask her a few questions.

I know you write both fantasy and sci-fi romance. What does sci-fi allow you to do that fantasy does not?

Wow, what a great question. I've never thought about this before. For me, it's the opposite: fantasy has no boundaries, but science fiction needs to be rooted in real life in some way. It's more challenging for me to write, and for some reason, more fresh. Although, I love fantasy, and when this series and the spin offs are finished, I'm going back to the dragons and the elves!

I absolutely agree. Sci-fi is more challenging to write. Do you feel compelled to follow any of the tropes and stereotypes that are prevalent in science-fiction?

Sometimes I pay homage to them: Like the sandworms in Paradise 21 are a reference to the ones in Dune. The ice world of Tundra 37 is inspired, in part, by the planet Hoth in Star Wars. I try not to copy, but invent my own worlds with hints of the past tropes in them.

Your worlds are definitely unique. Have you gotten any grief over being a sci-fi and romance author? Have you felt any pressure because of your gender in the male dominated sci-fi genre?

I've made sure to advertise my books as soft science-fiction with romantic elements, so I think the hard core sci-fi fans looking for technical explanations stay away! One male reader said something like "If this is the way women think, than that explains a lot of things..." which I thought was hilarious. Maybe it will draw the male readers into romance? Teach them a little something? Hehe.

I like the way you think! Do you think humans will travel to new worlds?

I hope so, but I don't want to be one of them! I'm so afraid of space. I think I've watched too many movies where someone rips their helmet off and their eyes bug out and explode. *shivers* Space travel = not for me.

You have such great adventures in your mind, though! Do you believe modern day humans are ready to meet aliens?

No. I think we'd torture them and have our own prejudices. That's if they didn't kill us first on the spot, or make us slaves. I used to want to be the generation that gets to meet aliens, but after watching too many of those Ancient Alien episodes on the History Channel, I'm not so sure anymore! I actually went to a talk with a man who says he's been abducted several times, and his stories creeped me out!

I feel the same way. Do you think science-fiction literature can affect social change?

I certainly hope so! We need to start thinking about our resources, wildlife preservation, and the world's population. These are reoccurring themes in The New Dawn series, and the reason why everyone has to leave Earth. I tried to make it realistic in some ways but not be too preachy.

Do you think the science-fiction industry is changing?

I'd like to think that sci-fi romance will take off in the next few years with the sequel to Avatar coming out. I think it's a great genre to explore!

I'm a big fan of the genre myself. Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring authors?

You have to be persistent and write a whole truck load of novels to be successful in today's publishing world. It took me four novels to get an agent, and I'm still counting to see how many it will take to make a decent income and turn my writing into a part time job for good.

Thank you, Aubrie! It's been so much fun having you here. Good luck with your books. I know I'll be reading.

Keep on reading. The giveaway information is at the end of the post!

Please check out Aubrie's website and blog. Join me on Monday for a review of Tundra 37!

Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications, A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications. Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school.

Tundra 37

A New Dawn, #2

Author: Aubrie Dionne

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Length: 288 pages

ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-49-7

Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-51-0

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/tundra-37/

Tundra 37 Book Trailer:

http://youtu.be/3XcwFtmeTcM

A New Dawn Novel, Book Two

Gemme is a hi-tech matchmaker who pairs the next generation of Lifers aboard the Expedition, a deep space transport vessel destined for Paradise 18. When the identity of her lifemate pops up on her screen, she’s shocked that he’s the achingly gorgeous and highly sought after Lieutenant Miles Brentwood—a man oblivious to her existence. Believing everyone will think she contrived the match, she erases it from the computer’s memory.

Just as comets pummel the ship and destroy the pairing system forever. With the Expedition disabled, the colonists must crash land on the barren ice world of Tundra 37 where Gemme is reassigned to an exploratory mission, led by Lieutenant Brentwood. Only in the frozen tundra does she understand the shape of his heart and why the computer has entwined their destinies.

A Hero Rising

A New Dawn, #3

Author: Aubrie Dionne

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Length: novella

ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-83-1

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/a-hero-rising/

Prequel to A New Dawn - Book Three

After watching his love leave on a colony ship, James Wilfred must save those left behind from a planetary apocalypse. Their salvation lies in an unfinished ship tucked away in a secret government base, and only James can break in and pilot him and his people to freedom on a nearby space station.

Skye O’Connor’s boyfriend never returns after his gang attempts an assassination of the Governor, and the State Building is destroyed. Worse, crazed moonshiners addicted to the chemical Morpheus have stormed the city, and she must find a safe place for her and her boyfriend’s daughter. When a heroic man saves her, Skye asks to accompany him on his quest to find the last colony ship left on Earth.

As the city falls around them, James and Skye must work together to build a new future, all the while rediscovering their ability to love, before the apocalypse claims them both.

Now for the giveaway!

Aubrie is generously offering one lucky commenter a free copy of A Hero Rising on either the Kindle or Nook. All you have to do is leave your name and email address in the comments section. The giveaway will run until next Friday (March 2nd). The winner will be chosen by Random.org.

Tagged!

2012-02-24T02:00:00.004-08:00

I've been tagged by Ruth at Ruth + Writing. I've never been a very fast runner. I'm a good hider, though! So here we go with the tag questions.

The Tag rules:
1. You must post the rules!
2. Answer the questions and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3. Tag eleven (or how ever many you can think of who haven't been tagged) people and link to them.
4. Let them know you’ve tagged them.

Ruth's questions:

1. Would you rather eat ice cream or popcorn? ICE CREAM! That's a no-brainer for me.

2. Who is the biggest influence in your life right now? My son. Our kids influence us in ways beyond what we can ever imagine.

3. What do you do to relieve your frustrations? Write and clean.

4. Can you keep a secret? Yes. Do you have one to tell me?

5. When it comes to books, what is your biggest pet peeve? Whiny protagonists.

6. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Closed. No closet monster is ever going to sneak up on me.

7. Do you have a theme song? Please share. Maybe the Wordgirl theme song.

8. Where would you bury treasure if you found some? In the most obvious spot. Disguise it as something ordinary and out in the open. No one would suspect it was treasure!

9. What book and/or movie could you read and/or watch over and over? The Harry Potter series for both the books and movies.

10. Have you ever done anything illegal? Yes. I jaywalked this week.

11. Is it okay for guys to wear pink? Yes. If it suits their skin tone.

I'm not going to tag anyone. It seems like everyone has been tagged recently. Yet if you want to answer a couple or all of my questions in the comments below, please feel free to do so and entertain me!

1. If you were a character from a TV series, which one would you be?

2. What's the strangest thing in your refrigerator right now?

3. If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?

4. Can you describe an atom?

5. What is the worst job you've ever had?

6. If you couldn't be a writer, what career would you choose?

7. Name five people you would most like to meet.

8. Is Elvis really dead?

9. Crayons, pencil crayons, or markers?

10. What's your favorite amusement park ride?

11. What is your ideal home? (It can be fantasy!)

The A to Z Blogging Challenge Sign-up Blast

2012-02-23T12:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't signed up for April's A to Z Challenge,

get over there right now!

They're aiming for 1000 participants by March 1st.

They've almost reached 700.

You could bring them one blogger closer to their goal.

Learn Your Craft Giveaway Winners

2012-02-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway. If only I could afford to give you all prizes. Every one of you is deserving.

Here are the winners chosen by Random.org:

1. Laura Josephsen

2. Pk Hrezo

3. Jessica G.

Congratulations! I will be in contact with you all shortly.

Speaking of Laura Josephsen, her new ebook

Rising Book 1: Resistance

is now available on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.

Don't forget that Cherie Reich's new sci-fi novelette

Defying Gravity

is available on Amazon.

Goodreads is giving away a free copy of Aubrie Dionne's Tundra 37.

Enter here!

Aubrie will be stopping by my blog this Saturday for a chat.

Please mark it on your calendars and join us.

On Tuesday, it's the Catch Fire! Blog Party celebrating the

release of Alex J. Cavanaugh's newest book

CassaFire.

Wicked Wednesday - adult vs. young adult

2012-02-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

I write paranormal romances for adults. I sometimes read YA books, but most of the time, I don't relate to the teen voices. I didn't relate to them even when I was a teen. I just have a different mindset. There have been YA books that I've loved. Yet there have also been adult books I've read that should have been YA with the immaturity of the protagonist.

It's vital to know your audience. YA books are geared toward 12 to 18 year olds, and the protagonists in the books are typically between 16 and 24. Just because you're writing about someone in their early twenties doesn't automatically make the book an adult one. Sometimes adult books have young protagonists too, but the difference between the two is important to recognize.

Both YA and adult paranormal romances:

Supernatural elements. (Obvious!)

A conflict that might require the protagonist to save the world or a piece of it.

Growth in character. (The protagonist has to learn from her mistakes and become better for it.)

A romance central to the plot.

YA paranormal romances:

They're typically written in first person. (Teen readers like to get inside the protagonist's head. The world of a teen is all-consuming for them. They are the central characters.)

Though the central conflict might be to save the world, the secondary conflicts revolve around school, popularity/fitting in, pop culture, friends, and family. (Typical teen day-to-day dramas.)

They usually involve the "coming of age" story. (The protagonist doesn't have a solid identity at the beginning of the book and learns who she is. Most of the conflicts are internal.)

Romance is most often awkward and embarrassing as they fumble through the motions, and just a kiss can be a major event. (YA romance does not need to end in sexual gratification and typically does not.)

Adult paranormal romances:

They're typically written in the third person. (Adult readers tend to like a wider view of the world.)

The secondary conflicts revolve around work, finances, politics, friends, relationships, and stuff from the past coming back to haunt them. (The protagonists have a better idea of who they are and thus their identities are more inflexible. More of the conflicts are external.)

Romance covers all types. (The protagonists can be inexperienced or very experienced. Yet usually her love interest is experienced. Adult romance does not have to end in sexual gratification, but it typically does.)

What other elements are key to YA paranormal romances? To adult paranormal romances?

You have one more day to enter my Learn Your Craft Giveaway!

Teaser Tuesday with Deep Kiss of Winter

2012-02-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Deep Kiss of Winter is a great story collection from two of my favorite paranormal romance writers: Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter. It's a good book to keep you warm on a cold winter's night. *wink wink nudge nudge*

Here's your teaser:
"I understand you had a reputation for being popular with women," Kristoff said as he collected Nickolai's bloody shirt from the table. "You'd better recognize that a Valkyrie is not exactly your typical woman." (page 88)

Don't forget my Learn Your Craft Giveaway! You still have a few days to enter.

Surviving Monday

2012-02-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the week just looms over you and you can't see the light in its dark shadow. Monday can seem like a very long day. It's important to keep the madness at bay. Well, as writers, we need to be a little bit crazy, but we can't let the darkness overwhelm us. Here's a few tips to keep your writing focus and sanity.

1. Write every day. Even if it's just a blog post or a letter. Write something. One small productive thing is still doing something productive.
2. Don't compare yourself to others. No one has the same path. None of us have the same style. Some of us thrive in critique groups while others do not. Discover your strengths and work with them.
3. Read. Read authors you love and read out of your genre. Read for fun and read for research.
4. Connect. There's a wonderful writing community out there. You're not alone. Reach out and make connections. They'll help extinguish the Monday blahs.

Don't forget my Learn Your Craft Giveaway! There's still a few days left to enter.

Saturday Snapshot for February 18th

2012-02-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books

We had a bit of snow and we took full advantage of it.

That's his stop-taking-pictures-mama-and-push-me expression!

I would also like to apologize for the fact I had the word verification on for my comments. I'm so embarrassed. I had no idea it was on because when I comment on my own blog, I don't have to deal with it. I feel horrible because I complained about the new word verification on other people's blogs. I turned it off in my settings, so hopefully it really is gone. Please let me know.

Finally Friday update

2012-02-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week. The Origins blogfest was so much fun. We need to start our own League of ~~Justice~~ Writers. I'm following a bunch of a new blogs. Welcome to my new followers too!

In case you missed the post yesterday, I'm celebrating reaching 200 followers with the Learn Your Craft Giveaway! Free books. I don't care where you live in the world. Free books because I adore you all.

I revised two and a half chapters of my current WIP this week. I'm at the point that I need to rewrite a foretelling/prophecy. I'm horrible at doing those things. Why can't mystics or oracles just bluntly say what they mean? I feel my protagonist's frustration in trying to figure out what the vague references and strange symbolism mean.

I critiqued three stories for my writers' group. We meet tomorrow. I submitted my Steampunk Cthulhu story to be critiqued. I wonder if any of them are familiar with the Cthulhu Mythos. Once I have their critiques, I will edit and revise again, send to my CPs, and then revise again before submitting it to the anthology.

I also revised a short noir story I wrote a while ago and submitted it to a site that features stories of that flavor. One extra submission for me this month!

I cut my son's bangs today. Toddlers don't sit still. You can imagine what it looks like. I think I ought to consider not cutting his bangs myself any more. At least he's happy not to have his bangs in his pretty long eyelashes any more.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Learn Your Craft Giveaway

2012-02-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

200 followers!

Woo-hoo!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'm excited to celebrate with my new and old followers alike. You're the ones that make blogging worthwhile. This past year has been a good one for me in terms of writing. I didn't write as much as I would've liked, but I've learned a lot about the craft of writing. As my thanks to you, I'm going to give away three books about the craft.

On Writing by Stephen King. (hardcover) The best book on the craft of writing. No need to say any more.

How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card. (hardcover) Another genius.

The Art of the Book Proposal by Eric Maisel, Ph.D. (paperback) One of the hardest parts for me is creating a proposal. This book helps break it all down.

But wait! Reading books about the craft will help you, but you have to read fiction too.

My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Marianne Mancusi, and Lisa Cach. (paperback) A great collection of paranormal romance stories. Picked just because love is in the air this month!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. (paperback) For those of you who love the classics with a twist.

Tuf Voyaging by George R.R. Martin. (paperback) A great sci-fi adventure. Martin is brilliant. He's one of my idols.

There will be three winners chosen by Random.org. Each winner will get a book on the craft and a fiction book. Winner number one will get first choice.

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment with your email address and your two preferences.

The winners will be picked in one week. Thank you all so much!

Wicked Wednesday - paranormal mysteries

2012-02-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Mystery is always somehow woven into a paranormal romance. The protagonist needs to find something out whether it be who this strange man is, shed light on a murky family history, or find out who committed a horrific crime. Sometimes all of those things. Mysteries are trickier in this genre because they usually have a paranormal twist.

Here are a few tips to writing a believable and intriguing paranormal mystery:

1. Plot is key. The reader is playing detective as they're reading. Each plot point must be plausible within the world you've created. The action must be kept going forward too. Don't go off on tangents as it will only confuse and/or bore the reader.

2. Use red herrings. There should be at least one crucial clue in the story, but you don't want the reader to figure it out right away. Red herrings will lead them off in different directions and put their suspicions on other suspects. YET don't let them continue on for too long or become too frustrating.

3. Suspense. Strange footsteps and an unanswered question. Use time constraints and keep the stakes high.

4. The protagonist should be clever enough to keep the reader intrigued, or at least, have very smart friends. *coughsHermioneGrangercoughs* A mystery requires the protagonist to investigate and that requires a certain level of skill and intelligence. The protagonist can't stumble across every answer.

5. The reader must have access to all the clues available to the protagonist and, even though it shouldn't be readily apparent, the answer to the mystery should be there before the end.

Do you have any tips on how to write a good mystery?

Also, please join me tomorrow for my 200 followers giveaway!

Defying Gravity now available

2012-02-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

Defying Gravity by Cherie Reich is now available on Amazon!

Congratulations to Cherie on her newest release. It's an awesome story.

I'll be having Cherie here on March 8th as part of her book tour.

You can read my review of Defying Gravity here.

Teaser Tuesday with Anna Dressed In Blood

2012-02-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I really like Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake so far. It has a definite Supernatural feel. I could almost see Cas as one of the Winchester brothers. Sometimes when a book is similar to another book or show I love, it doesn't work well for me. Yet this book is so compelling. I can't stop reading.

Here's your teaser:
She turns her head at the noise and I can see, even from here, that she doesn't have any eyes. Just a set of gray stones where her eyes used to be, and yet we stare at each other, unblinking. (page 48)

The ORIGINS Blogfest

2012-02-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

This awesome blogfest is hosted by DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0. He's a comic book fan. Hey, I'm a comic book fan too! I love reading about the origins of heroes and even the villains. The mythology behind it all, the dark pasts, and the freaky nuclear accidents.

Here's what DL Hammons writes about the blogfest: On Monday, February 13^th, you should post your own origin story. Tell us all where your writing dreams began. It could be anything from how you started making up stories as a child, or writing for the school newspaper, or even what prompted you to start a blog. How about stories about the first time somebody took an interest in your writing, or the teacher/mentor that helped nudge you along and mold your passion, or maybe the singular moment when you first started calling yourself a writer. It all started somewhere and we want you to tell us your own, unique, beginnings.

CHRISTINE RAINS - THE BEGINNING

I grew up in a small Canadian town with a troubled history. The only claims to fame we had were the great flour mill fire of '64 and the villains who clawed their way up to bigger crimes in the province's capital city. And by clawed, I mean they used their claws. Werebadgers like to live out in the country hills.

I lived on the poor side of town right beside a cemetery. The cemetery was our playground. I loved that place. It fueled my imagination for all sorts of scary stories. Sometimes the stories I wrote came true.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. All my stories weren't scary.

I wrote a poem about the moon when I was five years old. It informed the reader there were holes on the moon, but no trees or cars. It won a prize at the local fall fair. My infamous short story series about The Kingham Kids was my real beginning as a writer. I was seven and the first stories were only a few pages long in my childish handwriting. The first one was about a tornado. My brother, our two neighbors, and I managed to out-ride it on our bicycles. My stories began to grow in length, and I added in more of the kids in the neighborhood. We were a gang. A gang that went on adventures, saved babies and puppies, and banished the bad guys. All the kids would wait impatiently as I wrote the stories and then sit eagerly while I read it to them.

I always loved reading and writing. Yet it was through The Kingham Kids that I really fell in love with being a writer. It was an indescribable joy to write the stories and have my audience captivated by them. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to write books. No, I didn't just want to do it, I needed to do it.

My mutant power erupted when I hit puberty and I lost all confidence in myself. I could only turn my limbs invisible. It wasn't enough to impress Bad Horse. The werebadgers sucked out my power in one universe, and, in another, it was the secret government ray guys zapping mutant genes when they cross land borders. Or it could have been when I was battling zombie Trudeau. (Comic books. Yeah, so many different universes and reboots. Can't keep them straight.)

I still feel that joy when I write. Some stories take more work than others, but it goes with being a writer. I still feel the need to write, and though I have always been writing, it's only in these past few years that I've gained the confidence and knowledge of how to make my dream of being a published author come true.

Hm. Perhaps something good did come out of that little town.

I want a cape and cowl now.

Please join me on Thursday for a great giveaway celebrating over 200 followers!

Auntie Tara's Short Story Prompt for February

2012-02-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

Auntie Tara gave us a prompt fit for St. Valentine's Day this month. Write 250 to 500 words about a secret admirer.

Last month's short was great Greek fun. I'm going to go a bit silly and paranormal this time around. Enjoy!

HOPELESSLY DEVOTED

Reanna ripped off the lid of the heart-shaped box and tossed it behind her. Her eyes went wide. "Chocolates filled with blood! However did he manage to do it?"

"I'm sure I have no idea, mistress." Wallace was an old man and his back cracked as he bent over to retrieve the lid. He straightened up with a groan and shuffled over to lay it on the table.

"Oh, virgin blood. These are divine." Reanna sucked the liquid middle from one candy and let the chocolate melt in her mouth. She licked her fingers slow enough to savor the taste and ran her tongue over her fangs to collect any morsels that might have been left behind.

"Your secret admirer knows you well." Wallace straightened his black jacket and coughed a few times. His body rattled painfully with it, reminding him he had only a few days left to live.

"And are those roses?" She ignored him as she skipped over to where a great bouquet was arranged in a vase. "I don't smell...." Reanna fondled the petals and gasped before laughing with delight. "Flowers made from the soft skin of his victims. How brilliant!" She scooped up the flowers and hugged them to her. "I'm in love with a vampire I don't even know."

Wallace's jaw hardened, but he said nothing. He merely watched her with his one good eye.

"I wonder if he'll reveal himself to me this year." Reanna heaved a great dreamy sigh and danced over to pluck another candy out of the box. "It's been twenty years. A good show for anonymous romance, but I need someone with which to share my coffin."

Popping yet another chocolate into her mouth, she strode by her manservant without a single glance. "Prepare a hot bath and an evening snack. My true love will come for me tonight."

"Yes, mistress. He'll be here." Wallace turned to let his love for her show upon his wrinkled face. She always adored his gifts, but never believed they could possibly be from him. She never even looked his way unless she was displeased.

Reanna fell to the floor in an elegant heap. He had served her since he was a young man. He had loved her from the moment he set eyes upon her, but she never considered him worthy. He thought the gifts might change her mind, but only another vampire would do for her and she never offered him the dark gift.

The poison he had secreted into the candies would keep her unconscious for at least fifteen hours. Long enough to prepare her to watch the sunrise with him. He couldn't have a life with her, but they could die together.

Saturday Snapshot for February 11th

2012-02-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books

My little dragon.

There's a great place in town where parents can take their kids to play and it's free.

It's a giant room filled with toys. There's also a box full of dress-up clothes.

Yesterday was the first day my son wanted to dress up as something.

There was another cute little boy dressed as a princess,

but I didn't think his mother would appreciate a stranger taking his photo!

200 followers!

Yay! Thank you all for your encouragement and support.

I'll be having a giveaway some time within the next week.

Stay tuned!

I'll tumble 4 ya Blogfest

2012-02-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely a child of the '80's. I still have my Pound Puppy and Cabbage Patch doll. I still own a cassette player. I even have a box of mixed tapes I recorded off the radio. Including ones of the Dr. Demento show.

I was also one of those girls who plastered her walls (and ceiling) with cute teenage heart throbs... and monsters from Fangoria magazine. My favorite movie was The Lost Boys. I watched it daily. I knew every line.

I had a huge crush on Corey Haim.

And Corey Feldman.

In my fantasy world, I could have both Coreys.

It's a very good thing it was only fantasy and I grew out of my Coreys phase. They didn't handle fame very well. Just like another one of my crushes at the time: River Phoenix. Rest in peace, guys. (Yes, I know Feldman didn't die, but his career did!)

Tundra 37 released, blogfests and such

2012-02-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Aubrie Dionne's newest science-fiction romance novel, Tundra 37 is now available. It's the second book in the New Dawn series. The first one was spectacular. I can't wait to read this on my Nook! You can buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I'll be having an interview with Aubrie on the 25th. Please come join us.

There's a bunch of great blogfests going on right now:
I'll tumble 4 ya blogfest is this Friday. Tell us who you have a crush on in the '80's!
The Origins blogfest is this coming Monday. How did you become a writer?
The Critique Partner blogfest starts this Friday and goes through to Monday. If you're looking for a critique partner or beta readers, this is the place for you.
The Hook, Line & Sinker blogfest is this Monday too. Post a 500 - 1000 word hook to be critiqued and critique other participants' entries.

Don't forget the Fourth Writers' Platform Building Campaign has begun. Click now to sign up! It's an amazing experience. I did it last fall and I'll do it again this fall.

I finished the first draft of my Steampunk Cthulhu short story. I'm letting it sit a few days before I edit it. It's with my CP's already and then it will go to my writers' group to be critiqued. My short stories are really getting a workout this year.

Wicked Wednesday - paranormal romance cliches

2012-02-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

Paranormal romance is a genre with infinite possibilities. Yet we seem to see the same situations and ideas played over and over again. I've heard a lot that the market is over-saturated, but it is still doing good business. Publishers are looking for original ideas. If you're writing a new book, here's a few tips on what to avoid.

1. Predestined soulmates. We want to be loved for our intelligence, charm, and personality. Do we honestly want love to be based on some supernatural and irresistible compulsion? Apparently many people do. This is one of the most popular cliches in paranormal romance. I'm guilty of using this one on a few occasions.

2. I hate you/I love you! Yes, the extreme emotional conflict. The protagonist hates everything about that arrogant man, yet falls in love with him at the same time. It might have to do with the aforementioned compulsion, or maybe with the fact that some of the women don't seem to know their own minds. There has to be something for the protagonist to fall in love with, something for the reader to sympathize with, or else it's silly supernatural nonsense.

3. The hot man that makes the heroine speechless. It seems that too many otherwise strong women are made into drooling schoolgirls in the presence of a gorgeous guy. You would think that all the paranormal romance worlds are filled with such awe-inspiring men.

4. Vampires, werewolves, and angels/demons, oh my! There are other paranormal creatures out there. I'm a sucker for this cliche, though. Overdone as they might be, I still love a good story with any of these creatures.

5. The virgin or the whore. We usually see one extreme or the other with the protagonists. What's wrong with a woman who's had a few boyfriends over the years? She's experienced enough, but not slutty by any means.

What cliches do you hate in paranormal romance? Which ones do you love?

Teaser Tuesday with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2012-02-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin is another of those great YA books that had a lot of hype. With the last two big YA titles I've read, one has been a hit and the other a miss. So here's hoping that this one will leave me in awe as it has so many other readers.

Here's your teaser:
The dog needed a vet. I had no money. My parents weren't animal people. I'd stolen something from a crime scene. (page 87)

Good start to February

2012-02-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

February is starting off well. I'm nearly done my Steampunk Cthulhu story. It's a little longer than I anticipated, but I'm not surprised. I usually end up writing more than I plan. That's okay. I have a character named Zedock who pilots an airship and he has a wicked handlebar mustache. Just the image of him in my head is worth the extra words.

I have all my Tuesday and Wednesday blog posts done for the month.

I wrote up my posts for the two great blogfests I'm participating in: I'll tumble 4 ya and Origins.

I'll have an interview with sci-fi romance author Aubrie Dionne on the 25th and the Catch Fire event for Alex J. Cavanaugh's new book, CassaFire on the 28th.

I've done my first four posts for the A to Z Challenge and I'm having so much fun with it. It's distracting me from my other writing.

I made an appointment for my son's first dentist visit on the 21st. He has another new tooth. Finally a molar!

I haven't done any more revisions on my WIP, but I'm okay with that. It's only the beginning of the month. With everything else done, I'll be able to concentrate on it alone after my short story is finished.

Time for an ice cream reward. Mm-mmm!

How's your February going so far?

Saturday Snapshot for February 4th

2012-02-04T02:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books

Last weekend, we went to the local lake to see the bald eagles who flock there every year

as they're migrating. We didn't see any eagles, but my son had a lot of fun throwing rocks into

the water. It will be much more fun in the summer where there's no chilly winds!

New anthologies looking for submissions

2012-02-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

To help inspire me for this month's short story, I went to Ralan.com and collected some links to anthologies that are looking for submissions. I hope a couple might interest you too. The first one really popped out at me!

STEAMPUNK CTHULHU - 1-time print (Chaosium); any genre (fic). Pay: 3¢/word +3 copies & discounts. Words: 2k-8k. RT: after DL. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Brian M Sammons, Editor or, Glynn Owen Barrass, Editor. Deadline: July 31, 2012.

HORROR LIBRARY, VOL. 5 - annual print (Cutting Block Press); h (fic). Pay: from 1½¢/word to pro rates for established authors (negotiated). Words: <6k (prefers 3-4k). RT: 4-6 months. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. R.J. Cavender, Editor. Deadline: when filled.

FADING LIGHT: An Anthology of the Monstrous - 1-time POD/eAntho (Damnation Books); h/df (fic). Pay: shared 25%/40% royalty. Words: 3k-5k. RT: 3-5 weeks. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Tim Marquitz, Editor. Deadline: May 15, 2012.

THE GRUFF VARIATIONS - 1-time eAntho (Writing for Charity), all proceeds go to charity; most genres (no erotica) (fic). Pay: exposure. Words: <7½k. RT: by 17Mar12. Reprints: yes. E-subs: ONLY. Eric James Stone, Editor. Deadline: February 19, 2012.

10 REASONS TO CROSS THE MOAT - 1-time print (Sam's Dot Publishing); sf/f (fic/poem). Pay: fic=$20; poem=$5. Words: fic=2k-9k; poem=<100 lines. RT: reject/holdover=1-2 months; final=after DL. Reprints: no. E-subs: ONLY. Katie Hartlove & Sylvan Bree Baker, Editors. Deadline: May 1, 2012.

Wicked Wednesday - emotional conflict

2012-02-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt that one of the key aspects of a paranormal romance is emotional conflict. A story can't be built around that alone, but without it, there would be no love story. Emotional conflict arises from something within a person which sometimes seems irrational and utterly insane. Okay, maybe not sometimes, but most of the time!

To create emotional conflict for the protagonist and their love interest, it must arise out of something apart from the plot. It must be something inside of each of them that would create the same conflict no matter where or how they met. Of course, it is intensified by the situation and the only way to resolve it is by working together.

Do not confuse emotional conflict with intellectual conflict. Intellectual conflict always starts in the mind. It's a conflict of ideas. A character might try to reason out their emotional conflict and make it intellectual, but it doesn't make it so. An intellectual conflict can be argued and the character can be persuaded to change their mind. Emotions aren't so reasonable. They simply are. There's no logic to them. Remember in a paranormal romance, the goal is to win the heart of one's love not the mind.

Do not confuse emotional conflict with external conflict. External conflicts arises outside of the character through plot and circumstance. Emotions make up internal conflicts and they arise within the characters themselves. Where emotional conflict make-up the heart of the novel, external conflict drives the plot. You can't have one without the other.

The key to writing a great paranormal romance is to meld the intense emotional conflict with an equally as exciting external one. If either aspect is lacking, the story will flop.

Who are your favorite authors in terms of emotional conflict?

Teaser Tuesday with The Magicians

2012-01-31T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I know, I know. I should have read this one a long time ago. How can I not love a story involving an elite, secret college of magic? The Magicians by Lev Grossman is a contemporary fantasy held in high acclaim by many writers out there. The first line made me laugh knowing what the book's about.

Here's your teaser:
"Try the library." Profession Brzezinski closed his eyes again, like an old walrus settling down on a sunny rock. "There are so many old seek-and-finds on that room, you can't find a Goddamned thing." (page 127)

Review of Defying Gravity by Cherie Reich

2012-01-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

This post is in anticipation of my wonderful CP, Cherie Reich's book release. She's taking the path of self-publishing with her sci-fi romance, Defying Gravity. She's intelligent and brave. I have no doubt she can do this. Hopefully it will be released mid-February.

Here's the blurb:

Homesick upon the SS Perseid, Linia, a young linguist, thinks she signed up for a mission of peace, but her crew members have another plan: attack the planet Medusa.

Bored with his dying planet, Alezandros, a space cruiser pilot, joins the Medusan army in his quest for adventure.

When the SS Perseid clashes with the Medusans’ army, Alezandros and Linia’s lives intertwine. Sucked through a wormhole, they crash upon a post-apocalyptic Earth and are captured by cannibals. In adjacent cells, Alezandros and Linia cast their differences aside for a common bond: escape. But when romantic feelings emerged between them, they might do the unthinkable because for a Medusan and a Persean to fall in love, it would defy gravity.

Of course as Cherie's CP, I've been lucky enough to have read her novelette already. This is her best work yet. She's planning a blog tour and looking for people to help get the word out. If you're interested, head over to her blog and contact her. I'll be having her here in March. Don't worry. You'll get lots of warning.

Here's my review:

Defying Gravity by Cherie Reich is a rare gem in the vast sci-fi universe. It nabbed me from the beginning with two fascinating characters starting great adventures themselves. Linia is a sweet young alien with a high intelligence yet little experience outside of her lovely and safe home world of Persea. Alezandros comes from a hard life on Medusa and seeks something better for himself and his family. Linia and Alezandros are suddenly thrown together when their peoples battle and a wormhole swallows them, causing them to crash into a post-apocalyptic earth. Captured by humans, they must work together to escape, and only by reading the story will you get to find out the explosive conclusion!

Reich writes compelling characters, drawing me in further with their vivid emotions and internal conflicts. Linia and Alezandros are rich in differences, but when their romance starts to bloom, I felt that they might be able to conquer anything. The story has wonderful details of other worlds: one full of color and life, and one dreary and dying. I was kept on the edge of my seat with the intense battles and each little twist thrown my way. This story has a little something for everyone: thrilling space adventure for sci-fi fans, a horrific post-apocalyptic earth for fantasy fans, and an against-all-odds love story for romance fans. Not only would I recommend Defying Gravity to everyone, but it's one of those awesome stories I will re-read again and again.

Saturday Snapshot for January 28th

2012-01-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books

Bubbles are such fascinating things.

Our local children's science museum has a bubble room, and my son loves to spend

time in there because he's encouraged to get wet and messy!

Happy writing week

2012-01-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

It took a little longer this month to start on my revisions, but I had a good week with two awesome pantser moments.

The first was with the short story I did for Auntie Tara's short story prompt. I wanted to do something Greek and something with pirates. I think I spent too much time reading about ancient Greek pirates than I should have, but research has always been one of my favorite things. I had no idea where I was headed with the story until near the end. I love when my stories surprise me. It means it's likely to have the same effect on my readers.

My second great moment was with the new first chapter I wrote for one of my WIPs. I needed a first chapter with action rather than the conversation that originally started it. I had a vague idea of how to begin it, but after about 400 words, it all became clear. Dramatic magical attack in public and the frantic scramble to defend without letting the public see. A cool introduction to the protagonist and her sidekick, and a way to let the reader see how magic works in that world. It's a rough chapter, but it has the essentials I need. The rest of the novel has been plotted. So it should be a good steady pace from here on to the end.

To top that off, I have my idea for the A to Z Challenge. I'm really excited about it!

It's almost February. I need to think of another short story idea for next month. I would really love for it to be a shorter short this time around so I have more time to revise my novel. We've an extra writing day next month with it being a Leap Year!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Auntie Tara's Short Story Prompt for January

2012-01-26T02:00:00.000-08:00

Auntie Tara has provided us with a challenging prompt this month. I've been thinking a lot on it. Perhaps too much. I've decided to just let my imagination have free reign, allow it use of my fingers to type, and see what comes up on the screen.

The challenge is to write a short story of 750 words or less with the following four words: evil, crowd, harp, waterfall.

I have a craving for Greek today. Here's my entry.

SING WITH YOUR HEART

Ligeia's wrists were rubbed raw with her attempts to free herself. It was not for herself she tried so desperately to escape, but for her younger brother Anatolius who was out there laughing with the pirates.

The flap flipped up and a huge man entered. Despite the laughter on deck, he wore a grim expression.

“Your brother has a keen eye. A sailor he will be.” The archpirate's beard was ratty but his voice cultured.

“He'll never be one of yours. I won't-” He cut off her sharp reply by drawing a wicked blade from a sheath. She scooted back with a cry, trapping herself against the wall.

“Anatolius will stand watch as you entertain my men.” He snatched her by the arm and jerked her up. The knife cut through the rope, but his grip didn't loosen.

“No! Please, no.” Ligeia shook her head. The midnight waterfall of her hair hung limp, sticking to the sides of her face.

Ignoring her pleas, the archpirate yanked her forward and bent to retrieve something by the door. He thrust the harp at her.

“You will play. And you won't stop until I tell you.”

Ligeia hugged her father's harp to her chest and choked back a sob. These evil men hadn't thrown it into the sea.

Sunlight blinded her as she was led on deck. She heard a boy's joyful hoot and squinted her eyes to see Anatolius bouncing toward her.

“I'm going to be a proper sailor, Ligeia.” He was proud, overflowing with youthful excitement.

She managed a small smile. He was happy and unharmed. She hadn't seen him like this since her parents had passed on.

“Nikandros taught me how to watch for reefs and the flow of the tide.” Anatolius grinned up at the archpirate.

“You're too young for such a thing, little brother.” Ligeia chided.

“He's old enough.” Nikandros shooed the child. “Back up top, boy. Remember, your full attention on your job lest you sacrifice us all to Poseidon.”

Anatolius stuck his tongue out at his sister and hurried back up to take his position.

It was only then that Ligeia realized the entire crew was below. They were forced to crowd together. Only Nikandros remained on deck. He pushed her onto a stool.

“It'll be your death and ours if you stop playing.” His growl made her tremble. A hint of wine scented his breath. Nikandros' hold on her loosened and he moved as if he might leave her. He paused and lowered his voice. “Is it true? Have the gods blessed your voice?”

Ligeia stared at him, trying to understand. She felt the weight of the situation and held her harp tighter yet.

“I sing songs of family and lost love. My own heart knows these things intimately. If the gods have blessed me, it's only because they have taken so much away.”

“Sing with your heart then, woman.” With that, Nikandros jumped down and went to the main mast. He picked up a slave's chain and snapped it around his ankle. The clink of metal seemed loud over the waves.

Ligeia noticed then the entire crew had bound themselves to the ship. A moment of panic swept through her. What was going on?

She looked up at her brother. Her heart beat faster. They could escape now. There were nearing a set of islands.

“Play.” Nikandros commanded.

There were no other boats about. The tide carried them swiftly as the oarsmen sat idle. And afraid.

Ligeia recognized the fear in their faces. She swallowed hard and plucked a few of the strings. The sound reverberated strangely in the air.

“Play now.” Nikandros roared. His hands clenched in fists.

Her fingers began a familiar tune. Ligeia's sweet voice was soft at first, but she let the music take her to rise above the noise of the sea.

Another voice rang over the water. It carried a song without words and made the men below groan as if they might be ill.

Ligeia turned to the tiny islands as they drew near, singing about family lost and the ache of the heart.

A second voice joined the first and then a third. All females.

Ligeia's fingers faltered upon the strings. Glancing back up at her brother, she began to sing with every bit of her heart and soul.

The pirates had pitted her against the Sirens.

Wicked Wednesday - sexual tension

2012-01-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

One of the key elements to a good paranormal romance is creating sexual tension. This doesn't mean the act of "making love" itself. In fact, sexual tension may never lead up to that point. This is about feeling a spark of something, that irrational pull to someone, the sizzling energy that makes your stomach flip. Sometimes it feels there are no words to describe this. Yet as writers, we have to find those words.

Tip #1: Use the senses. Make it subtle. A faint whiff of spicy cologne or the twitch of a dimple in his left cheek. Her voice might sound a little hoarse when she's aroused or her lips might taste like cherry lip gloss with that first brief kiss. Sometimes a brush of her hand against his can create a great jolt of sensation. In paranormal romances, you have the possibility of using other senses as well. A flaming up of his aura or reading his mind to know he thinks she's sexy in that dress.

Tip #2: Strong internal conflict. Use a lot of emotions here. She recently lost someone she loves and can't open her heart again for fear of getting hurt, but she can't deny her powerful attraction to him. He loves his job reaping souls and has seen too many people in love torn apart, but he can't stop thinking about her.

Tip #3: The internal conflict is made worse with the external conflict. Someone is trying to hunt her down and kill her. They're on different sides of the apocalyptic battle.

Tip #4: Put the characters in situations that require them to spend a lot of time together and a lot of time close together. Fighting, spying, exploring the ducts of an evil corporation's headquarters. These situations will fire up the internal conflicts and give you ample opportunity to torment, I mean, let your characters flirt with their hidden desires.

Tip#5: Delay gratification. Okay, yes, here you're tormenting them!

Do you have any tricks you use in creating sexual tension?

Teaser Tuesday with Paranormalcy

2012-01-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This is another book I've seen so many people rave about. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White mixes all the supernatural creatures together. I love the blurb and the title, another gorgeous cover. So far Evie annoys me a little, but I love the story itself.

Here's your teaser:
"Hey." I giggled.
"Hey?" He raised one eyebrow. Dang that one eyebrow! (page 87)

Favorite Character Blogfest

2012-01-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Laura Josephsen for hosting this great blogfest. It's so much fun! Here are the rules:

1. Decide which of your characters you'd like to introduce everyone to, and choose a snippet about this character (preferably no more than 200 words) to share about this character.

2. Between January 23-25, tell us who your favorite character you've written is and why, and post your snippet.

3. Hop around to other participants to check out their favorite characters and a bit of their story.

The lovely Melanie Billings, Acquisitions Editor at Whiskey Creek Press, has graciously offered to supply critiques as prizes! Winners will be drawn from the list of active participants after midnight on the 25th and announced on my blog on the 26th.

1st Prize: critique of first 15 pages of your manuscript, an e-book copy of my book, Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School) and an ARC e-copy of my next book, Rising Book 1: Resistance (upcoming publication in February 2012).

2nd Prize: critique of first 10 pages of your manuscript and an e-book copy of Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School).

3rd Prize: critique of first 5 pages of your manuscript.

Here's my entry:

My favorite character is Magena Silver, celebrity therapist and witch. She's the protagonist in Witch' s First Rule (the first book in a paranormal romance trilogy). Magena is intelligent, sexy, and career-minded. Imagine a 30-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones in professional clothes tailored to hug her lovely curves. She gives her clients love potions to re-ignite their passion and boost her success rating. Nothing is going to get in the way of getting what she wants. Not even love. Well, nothing gets in the way until she gives a love potion to the wrong people, her life is threatened, and she meets a gorgeous man who can feel her powerful emotions behind her cool therapist mask.

I don't want to hurt the feelings of my other characters, but Magena's been with me for a long time. I love to write strong women. Not just physical or supernatural strength, but ones with an iron will and clear mind. Magena knows what she wants and how to achieve her goals. She is determined and aggressive in all areas of her life. Underneath that strength, she's hiding herself from love. She's afraid of being seen as weak. I like writing a protagonist who seemingly has her act together, but her hidden flaws are massive. Part of the challenge for me is coming up with a story that can unveil those flaws and make her face them.

Here's a snippet from Witch's First Rule:

“Yes, I have-” Nathan cut himself off and looked at her. “He sent you blood? Whose blood?”

“You're just here to supervise. If Mr. Knox didn't tell you, you don't need to know.” Magena kept her eyes upon the road. A smirk played over her lips.

“What are you using it for? I know you're a witch. He did mention that much.”

“I'm making a potion,” she replied with a small shrug.

Nathan reached into one of his pockets and took out a tiny red vial. He held it up and asked his question again. “Whose blood is it and what sort of potion are you making?”

She smirked and made a left turn into her neighborhood. “Are you worried it's your blood?”

“F*ck, yes!” He opened the window and stuck his hand out with the vial in it. “Tell me whose blood it is or I'll drop it.”

“No, you won't.”

He shook the vial, letting it dangle from his fingers. “I'll drop it.”

Magena glanced at him, wearing the calm expression she put on her for clients. “You won't drop it because then you'll have to explain to Mr. Knox what happened to the most important component of the elixir. I don't know how easy it was for him to obtain it, but I'm sure he would not be pleased at all.”

Heartfelt thanks

2012-01-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Thinking Through Our Fingers for passing on to me

the Liebster Blog award.

Thank you and welcome to my new followers.

I'm at 180.

I hope to meet some wonderful new people during the upcoming blogfests.

I will hold to my promise of another giveaway at 200.

A big thank you to every one of my followers for all your support and encouragement.

I look forward to my blog time every day and it's because of you.

Best feeling in the world

2012-01-21T05:18:00.000-08:00

My little guy turned 21 months old yesterday.

Soon I'll have a two-year-old!

I'm afraid to blink lest he be gone off to university.

Yesterday, when I was feeling particularly awful, I had a coughing fit.

I was holding my son in one arm and rubbing my head and neck with my free hand.

He gave me a hug and said, "Is okay, mama. I love you."

The first time your child says "I love you" to you uncoached is the best feeling in the world.

Venturing into plotter territory

2012-01-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

I finished my first short story of the year and submitted it. It shines... as much as a supernatural story with a gory crime scene can shine. I'm happy to be on track with one thing this month.

With that out of the way, I'm concentrating on starting the revisions for Witch's First Rule (WFR). I've been re-reading it and I don't like the way it's written. Once upon a time, I thought it was genius. Oh, how naive was I. It's amazing to think that just in a matter of a few years, my writing style and standards have changed so much. It's going to take a lot of rewriting, but I have faith in the story itself.

To clear out all the clutter, I made a plot points list. Yes, you read correctly. I made a list. I actually made a couple of lists. I'm not saying I'm abandoning my pantser nature, but this plotter technique is helping me see the story in a different light. I can organize the plot, making sure there's enough action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

I'm a pantser with first drafts, but I've grown into a plotter when it comes to revisions. Perhaps I've found my true writer's path. It's only taken *mumblemumble* years.

In other news, my son is doing better. His mood is good and his cough is going away. Hooray! Yet we had to go into the clinic this morning for me. I have strep throat. I'm a good sick person, though. I will be spending the weekend reading and playing Dragon Warrior 3 on the DS. Hope you have a good weekend!

Free book! Free book!

2012-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

Raven and The Writing Desk is a collection of short stories and poetry by three talented authors: Cherie Reich, Aubrie Dionne, and Lisa Rusczyk. They will amaze and inspire you. Plus, until the 21st, it's free on Amazon. Oh yes, you read correctly. Free!

Wicked Wednesday - I love you but I can't touch you

2012-01-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

It's always fun to have a physical obstacle between the protagonist and her love interest. Paranormal romance gives you the opportunity to be as creative as you want with what this might be.

We have the common themes: Vampire can't be with the person she loves because, in moments of passion, she loses her will power and feeds upon them. Werewolf can't bed his love because, in the heat of things, he loses control, transforms, and will bite or ravage her.

I like the more unusual obstacles. In Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series, Georgina as a succubus can't get intimate with the man she loves because she'll steal his life force. Then there's Anton Strout's Simon Canderous who has the psychic talent of psychometry, and he can't sleep with any women because he sees their whole sexual history flash in his mind's eye when he touches them.

I love digging around on the internet and reading about supernatural creatures and various psychic and otherworldly powers. There's a lot of inspiration for a great hook for a paranormal romance.

A pyrokenetic who loses control of her powers when things heat up with her love interest.
A Fury who cannot touch any man intimately or she will lose her immortal life.
A Harpy (originally they were beautiful) falls in love with a man whose soul she must carry away to the Underworld, and if she touches him, he will die.

The trick is to find a creative way to give the hero and heroine the Happily Ever After ending. Find that key whether it be a person, object or something else.

The pyrokenetic falls in love with a fire resistant demon. (Supernatural creatures)
The Fury gives in and touches the man she loves, and becomes human. She loses her immortal life, but not her mortal one. (Play on words)
The Harpy helps her love interest win a challenge to reclaim the fate of his own soul from her boss, Zeus. (Seemingly impossible challenge)

What other physical obstacles can you think of? Any good books with this theme you can recommend?

Teaser Tuesday with Fallen

2012-01-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I know I'm a little late catching up with all the great books of last year. There's just so many to read and so little time! Fallen by Lauren Kate turned up on many people's Favorites of 2011 list. The cover itself has drawn me in, but I haven't fallen for the story yet.

Here's your teaser:
She would not cry in front of any of these horrible people. She swallowed hard, got to her feet, and took off. (page 56)

The Uncanny Valley

2012-01-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Have any of you heard about the uncanny valley? Just look at that photo. That's Dirtgirl. A character from a children's program. When I watch Dirtgirlworld, I'm immediately transported to the uncanny valley.

It's a fascinating theory. The uncanny valley is a feeling of revulsion people get when they look upon robotic or animated human replicas that don't quite look or act human. The replicas fail to evoke an empathic response. It makes you cringe and want to burn them with fire!

I have to use this in a story somewhere.

In short story news, my writers' group meeting went well. They liked my story and had some very good suggestions for me. I hope to have my first short story to my CPs tonight and submitted to an anthology by the end of this week.

Mutant immune system

2012-01-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

There's my little guy intensely concentrating on a Curious George counting game. He can count to twenty and that's his favorite number right now. He's occupied most of my week because he's sick again. I swear, I think he's going for a record for most viruses caught in one winter. I've been puked on every day for two weeks. I must have a mutant immune system, because I don't even have a sniffle. *knocks on wood* Took him to the doctor today and the prognosis: ear infection and possible chest cold. My son is very particular about his ears and has not been a happy boy these past few days. He hasn't been taking any naps and he's been waking up in the middle of the night. That's something that hasn't happened since he was an infant. So no writing time for Mama. I did manage to get the stories for today's writers' group meeting critiqued, though. At least I did something productive.

Booking Through Thursday Interview

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read? I usually read at night after my son has gone to bed.

2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.) No. I usually eat cereal and watch the news before I have to get the menfolk up.

3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.) I eat cereal. Fruit Loops, most of the time. My stomach can't handle anything heavier in the mornings.

4. How many hours a day would you say you read? I try to get in one, but sometimes I don't make it.

5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago? I read less than I did ten years ago. It's hard when you have a toddler running about!

6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader? I'm a fast reader, but I don't think I speed over the text.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation. It would make doing errands and visiting family and friends so much easier.

8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go? Most of the time I remember to slip one into the diaper bag.

9. What KIND of book? Depends on what I'm reading at the time. I read a lot of paranormal romance.

10. How old were you when you got your first library card? Five. I'm not including school. The tiny town library was right next to my elementary school.

11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?) Oldest copy: Sophocles - The Theban Plays. Oldest copyright: John Stuart Mill's On Liberty. (I was a Philosophy major and I have a bunch of old texts that I bought from used book stores back in my university days.) Longest in my collection: my Stephen King books. Can't remember which one came first.

12. Do you read in bed? Yes. I love reading in bed!

13. Do you write in your books? Never.

14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be? Read everything. Don't stick to one genre. You'll surprise yourself at the gems you'll find.

Wicked Wednesday - covers

2012-01-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

A book's cover can inspire a reader to pick it up. I know better than to judge a book by its cover, but I will pick up a book to see what the story is about if I like the cover art. I will also avoid a book if it has a cover I don't like. Oh, the power one page of a book that isn't even part of the story!

Covers of paranormal romances tend to have a particular look. Usually it's a woman - human or not - in a ready to fight pose with weapon in hand. Sometimes the hero is lurking in the background, his gaze dark and/or smoldering. Example: the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Kate has her sword and is ready to fight, and Curran, in lion form, with his golden eyes burning into you.

There are the sexy ones. A woman in a lazy, come hither pose. Sometimes still holding a weapon or magic is sparkling from her fingertips. Not all of the woman's body is usually featured. Sometimes just the legs or everything by her head. Maybe even a silhouette. (Example: Poison Kissed by Erica Hayes.) It's common to have the hero on these types of covers locked in a passionate moment with the heroine. (Example: Play of Passion by Nalini Singh.) Or it could be the hero himself. Tall, muscular and dangerous. These men always look like they're flexing but relaxed at the same time. (Example: Vampire in Atlantis by Alyssa Day.)

There are the covers with symbols: torn hearts, spread wings, fragile flowers, splashes of blood, full moons. I'm sure you could name off another dozen yourself. These ones can be very stylized. (Example: Crushed Seraphim by Debra Anastasia.)

I'm not a fan of actual photographs or something that is photoshopped on covers. I like paintings, something dark and surreal. I can be attracted by any of the types of covers I listed, but I can also be repelled by the bad ones. I wish that authors could have more control over their covers if published by a big press. One of the things I love about self-publishing is that you get to create your own. Also, I hate the pressure of having to create something so important on your own!

What are some of your favorite paranormal romance covers? What sort of covers attract you to a book?

Teaser Tuesday with Touch of Frost

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Jennifer Estep is one of my favorite urban fantasy writers. Her Elemental Assassin series is unique and is on my top five favorite urban fantasies list. Touch of Frost is the first book in her YA Mythos Academy series. I've heard great things about it. I've only read the first page so far. Secrets always draw me in!

Here's your teaser:
But I was still cautious, still careful, around other people, just the way that my mom had taught me to be. Despite the fact that part of me really liked my gift and the power it gave me to know other people's secrets. (page 38)

Take a deep breath

2012-01-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all we can do is take a deep breath and push on.

I had a bad weekend. We all have our not-so-great moments. Yet I'm trying very hard to focus on the good.

I revised my newest short story and sent it in to my writers' group to be critiqued.

I braved the crowd at the post office with a sick toddler and husband, and we processed my son's passport application without a fuss.

I received two more of our new switchplates in the mail. Doing little things around the house really helps to make it our own.

My son now sings, "Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, Batman." And he adds in his own words in place of Batman. His favorite today being milk.

Now it's Monday. Everyone take a deep breath and sing: "Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, milk!"

One down

2012-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

I finished the first draft of my first short story of the year last night. I cheered myself and hugged my muse. I was exhausted after taking care of my husband and son, but I pushed myself to get the story finished. It's those times when you really work that you feel the best about having finished something.

I didn't know how the story would end, but it all made sense when I finally got there. Ooh, that's what happened! Now I have to go through and add in the subtle clues, hints for the reader and my protagonist. I hope the twist is as surprising for my readers as it was for me. I always worry about plot twists. Am I clever as my muse? I hope I'm doing her justice.

I have two days to revise it and send it in to be critiqued at my next writers' group meeting on the 14th. The anthology I want to send it to doesn't have a deadline, but I have to take my chances that it doesn't fill up within the next few weeks while I polish it up.

I have discovered that since I posted my goals for the world to see, I push myself more. I have an audience and I don't like to disappoint. I think I'll create a gadget for the sidebar that keeps a tally of what I've written, submitted, revised, and queried this year. Just a little extra kick for me to get everything done. Do you push yourself harder knowing you have people watching your progress?

Pink stains and supernatural crime

2012-01-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

A good and not so good start to the new year. My son has been sick. Once again, I'm thankful for our new rug steam cleaner. Just so you know, watermelon stains carpets and nothing gets out that faint pink splotch. Poor little guy has such a sensitive stomach.

He didn't sleep much at all yesterday, but today he made up for it. I have over 3000 words done on my first short story of the year. A supernatural crime story. My writers' group is meeting a week early this month, so I have to have it done by Sunday to send it in on time to be critiqued. It won't be over 6000 words. I think I can do it if my son does two more good naps this week.

I've been fussing with a blurb for one of my novels too. It's a blurb the wonderful Nicole Zoltack has critiqued for me. She mentioned something in it and totally opened up a big hole in my plot. I sat for a long while thinking about why I never thought of it. Then I realized why it never happened. It was something my protagonist would refuse to do. Whew. So while it did make sense to me, and I was thinking too much like myself at that moment, it didn't make sense in terms of the way my protagonist thinks. Making this blurb the best blurb it can be has me one step closer querying.

i can has cute kitty and donuts?

Wicked Wednesday - new releases for 2012

2012-01-04T02:00:00.000-08:00

Anticipation is the act of feeling excited, enthusiastic or anxious about an upcoming event. I'm feeling it for this year's paranormal normal releases. Here's a list of some of the ones I'm particularly looking forward to:

By A Thread by Jennifer Estep. (Feb. 28) The next book in the Elemental Assassin series. If you love dark urban fantasy with a bit of romance, you need to read these books.

Fair Game (Alpha and Omega) by Patricia Briggs. (March 6) I'm a big fan of her Mercy Thompson series, but this one has grown on me too. Great for werewolf fans.

Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane. (March 27) The fourth installment of the Downside Ghosts series. This is a dark, dark series. Even the romance is dark, but I love it just the same. There's nothing else like it out there.

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris. (May 1) Sookie Stackhouse book #12. Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! I love the wit and southern charm and, mmm, Eric Northman.

Embrace of the Damned by Anya Bast. (May 1) This is a new series called the Brotherhood of the Damned. I've heard great things already and Anya is a spectacular writer.

Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews. (July?) I love the Kate Daniels series. Curran is one of my favorite heroes. I love the title to this book, though I haven't heard a thing about it yet.

Into the Dreaming (April 24), Fever Moon - The Fear Dorcha (July 10) and ICED: A Dani O'Malley Novel (October 30) by Karen Marie Moning. All related to my favorite paranormal romance series, the Fever series.

What releases are you looking forward to this year?

Teaser Tuesday with Downpour

2012-01-03T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I'm a big fan of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series. It's a dark and creepy urban fantasy with a little bit of romance. If you like books with a noir feel, this series is for you. Downpour is the sixth installment of Harper Blaine's supernatural adventures as a PI walking the border between two worlds.

Here's your teaser:
"All the people in the valley drowned and the lakes formed over their corpses. That's what this is, a valley full of blood, a lake full of death." (page 106)

A couple of anthologies to think about

2012-01-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this year is to write a short story every month. No time like the present to get started. I have a few new ideas for some sci-fi stories, but right now, they're just story hooks. No plots yet. Sometimes it helps when you have a prompt to spark your imagination.

My favorite site for links to anthologies accepting submissions is Ralan.com. I've been using this site for years. It's easy to navigate, reliable, and gives you a lot of choices. Here are a few anthologies that caught my attention:

DARK FAITH 2 - 1-time print (Apex Publications). Horror/dark blended with faith. Pay: 5¢/word. Words: <4k. RT: unknown. Reprints: no. Deadline: January 31. E-subs: ONLY. Maurice Broaddus & Jerry Gordon, Editors

EXTREME PLANETS - 1-time print/Kindle (Chaosium Inc.); sf (fic). Pay: 3¢/word +3 copies. Words: 4k-10k (<20k for pros). RT: after DL. Reprints: pros query only. Deadline: June 30. E-subs: ONLY. David Conyers, David Kernot, & Jeff Harris, Editors

FUNGI - 1-time print/eAntho (Innsmouth Free Press); all SpecFic; key element: fungus (fic). Pay: 1¢/word. Words: <5k. RT: Spring 2012. Reprints: yes. Opens: January 15 (Do not submit before!) Deadline: February 15. E-subs: ONLY. Silvia Moreno-Garcia & Orrin Grey, Editors

MORTIS OPERANDI - 1-time POD (The Harrow Press); supernatural crime (fic/art). Pay: $50 +copy. Words: 3k-6k. RT: <3 months. Reprints: no. Deadline: when filled. E-subs: ONLY. Kfir Luzzatto & Druann Pagliassotti, Editors

BUGS! - 1-time print (Pill Hill Press); all genres (fic). Pay: $10. Words: 4k-10k. RT: <3 months. Reprints: no. Deadline: when filled. E-subs: ONLINE FORM ONLY. Gerald Costlow, Editor

10 REASONS TO CROSS THE MOAT - 1-time print (Sam's Dot Publishing); sf/f (fic/poem). Pay: fic=$20; poem=$5. Words: fic=2k-9k; poem=<100 lines. RT: reject/holdover=1-2 months; final=after DL. Reprints: no. Deadline: May 1. E-subs: ONLY. Katie Hartlove & Sylvan Bree Baker, Editors

This list is as much for me as it is for you. I like to share, and I realized in my annual desk cleaning, I had too many little pieces of paper with various anthologies written on them that were lost in the jumble. I now have a clean workspace and I'm ready to write. Hm, but which one to start with?

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning." ~ T.S. Eliot

May 2012 be joyful and productive for us all.

Cheers!

Holiday Snapshots - week five

2011-12-31T02:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments about my Holiday Snapshots series.

It's been a lot of fun.

Here's a few from Christmas this year.

My son loved decorating his gingerbread train.

And yes, he licked the whole thing.

A new and upcoming photographer.

The camera actually takes digital photos.

Enjoying Christmas morning breakfast and talking to Granny on the phone.

Our little living room after all the present opening was done.

Happy Holidays!

Bring on 2012!

2012 Writing Goals

2011-12-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't do nearly as much writing as I wanted to this year, but I learned a lot about the craft, networking, and critiquing. Learning how to tear apart someone else's story makes me a better writer in the end when I do the same for myself. Connecting with other writers has also helped encourage me and taught me so much. You guys are the greatest!

Goal #1: I want to get back to writing one short story a month and submitting it. I did this for a few years before my son was born, but I lost a lot of momentum when I had a newborn to care for. This will also mean I will have one new short story to present to my CPs and writers' group every month. My lessons in critiquing will continue.

Goal #2: Try to get one short story polished to such a degree that it is published in a SFWA approved publication. This is a very difficult thing to do. I want it, though. I want it so much. It will take work, work, and more work, and whole load of originality and great storytelling.

Goal #3: Revise and submit three of my paranormal romances: Witch's First Rule (mainstream adult paranormal romance), A Lion's Heart (erotic paranormal romance), and Sorrow Phage (urban fantasy with a romantic subplot). It's going to take a lot of time. Revising is one of my least favorite things to do. Yet marketing it properly when I submit a novel is something I like even less. I will take my lessons learn and apply them, and hopefully *knock on wood* I'll have a novel with a wonderful press next year.

Goal #4: Complete the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April. I'm very excited about this challenge. I think I might do a story that covers all 26 days. The tricky part will be making it apply to each letter. I also realized that April will be a hectic month for me. My son's and husband's birthdays, and we'll be visiting my family in Canada for a week. I'll have to make sure my blog posts are written beforehand.

Goal #5: Complete the NaNoWriMo challenge in November. It might be my only chance next year to write a new novel.

Whew. That sounds like a lot, but I have the whole year. I can do it... right?

What are your writing goals for 2012?

Great Comments Award and Nicole Zoltack's Generosity

2011-12-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

Thank you to The Golden Eagle for this awesome award:

I try my best to make time to comment on all the blogs I follow.

I'm also very thankful to all of you who follow my blog and comment.

You make the whole blogging experience worthwhile.

I am happy to pass on this award to my 20 most recent commenters:

The generous Nicole Zoltack has put out the offer of critiques. All you have to do is follow her blog!

You can choose a query, synopsis or first page critique.

Just email her one of the above. First come, first serve!

Thank you, Nicole!

Wicked Wednesday on Thursday - virgin heroines

2011-12-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

With paranormal romance, we come across the strong and independent heroine. She knows what she wants and how to get it. Well, in some things.

It's not typical in adult paranormal romances, but sometimes we do come across the virgin heroine. She might be successful at everything else in her life, but love has always eluded her and she's not one to just sleep around. It allows an innocence and newness to the romance, drawing the reader along as she meets a mysterious and gorgeous individual whom she can't stop hungering for.

I prefer an experienced heroine, but I don't mind a virgin as long as she is well written. No one knows exactly what to do the first time around. No one has multiple orgasms the first time, nor after a minute or two in bed with her lover. Be realistic. The loss of her virginity would be a big emotional scene, a turning point in her identity. Not only in how she sees herself, but how others see her. The hero's realization that she's a virgin can also be a pivotal point. And the villain's if it is important to their evil plot!

I've heard the argument that an inexperienced heroine and a very experienced hero creates inequality in romance novels. Sometimes women do fantasize about being taken by a lover who knows exactly what to do. It's about surrendering, giving yourself, and all the emotions that go with it. It's becoming less common to find a virgin heroine and a promiscuous hero falling for one another, but the fantasy still attracts readers. Also, there is a rise in promiscuous heroines who are more experienced than the men. A few times, more so in YA than in adult books, the heroine and hero will both be virgins.

Do you like to read romances with virgin heroines? Do you think an inexperienced heroine and a promiscuous hero creates inequality in romance novels?

Interview with James Dorr

2011-12-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Please join me in welcoming short story writer and poet, James Dorr to my blog. He contacted me after we both got a short horror story accepted into the Indiana Horror Anthology 2011 and extended an invitation to me to join his writers' group, S.C.I.F.I. - South Central Indiana Fiction Interface. He's tough with his critiques, but I prefer it that way. I've learned a lot from him in the group.

Christine: I understand you've just published a book of poetry about vampires. Vampires seem to hold a lot of fascination for other people too. What do you think the fascination is based on?

James: Yes, Vamps (A Retrospective) was published by Sam’s Dot Publishing (http://sdpbookstore.com/poetrybooks.htm#vamps) this August. The fascination with vampires seems to be universal, stories go back to at least ancient Rome, and most cultures seem to have some variation on the myth. But why shouldn’t it be? Vampires represent the nexus between sex and death, birth and rebirth, or in Freudian terms eros and thanatos. And who of us can say that these aren’t our favorite subjects, at least at times?

Last year you had a Christmas story, "The Christmas Vulture," in the ezine Untied Shoelaces of the Mind (reprinted this September in their 2011 Anthology). Do you write a holiday story every Christmas and, if so, what can we expect this year?

Another favorite subject, at least in Western societies, though Christmas is celebrated these days to some degree the world over. This also makes for powerful icons, ones begging (to a horror writer) to be cast down, or at least messed with some. My first, simply called "A Christmas Story," appeared in the Winter 1991-92 issue of Cemetery Dance and I’ve written one or sometimes more nearly every year since. That one was about a boy who poisons Santa’s snack in retaliation for crummy presents the year before (Santa’s snack is always a good subject) while two stories just out this year, "Naughty or Nice" in Daily Science Fiction (archived on www.dailysciencefiction.com as of Dec. 28) and I’m Dreaming Of A. . . as a short story e-book by Untreed Reads Publishing (store.untreedreads.com), are about, respectively, a Parisian vampiress’s letter to St. Nick and snow that eats meat. "The Christmas Vulture," incidentally, is still available in issue 3 of Untied Shoelaces at www.untiedshoelacesofthemind.com.

You write poetry too. Do you think that has an effect on your fiction writing?

Absolutely, and in several ways, if only because writing poetry helps instill a love of words –- and the way they sound -- as well as practicing compact expression within set rules (even free verse has rules, though you may have to figure them out for yourself –- for this reason I recommend burgeoning poets start out writing formal verse, learning those rules before attempting to modify them). Poetry also allows expression of ideas that might not be amenable to treatment in story form (pure image, for instance, without plot or characters), though occasionally a poem will become itself an idea for a story. As an example, "Naughty or Nice," above, came out of a poem I’d written a few years before called "The List." "The List," I should add, is one of the poems in Vamps (A Retrospective).

Are there any writers you'd like to cite as especially influencing your work?

This one’s easy, though the answer can vary from time to time, depending perhaps on what I’m working on at a given moment. Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, Allen Ginsberg (less so now, perhaps, but especially in my longer poetry), Bertolt Brecht (social motivations and intentional distancing -– his notion of "epic theatre" –- in certain stories).

Going back to the first question, what is your fascination with

vampires? Is there anything else you bring to the subject?

Two things perhaps, one being music. Somehow vampires seem to me to go well with jazz and jazz themes (this may be from the Ginsbergian influence cited above, though in this case affecting shorter poems too. You’ll see it in Vamps.) Then the other, for want of a better term, might be domesticity. Vampires are great as distant, mysterious, and, yes, sexy figures, but what if you dated or married one. Do you take turns washing the blood-stained coffee cups piling up in the sink?

What has been the toughest criticism you've received? Your biggest compliment?

Not naming names, I just remembered what might be the toughest. In graduate school, I wrote a weekly column for an alternate student newspaper as well as doing utility writing as needed, film and theatre reviews, etc. One year one professor marked my first paper for him with words to the effect that "you need to learn how to write a good, clear English sentence," to which my first thought was "Wow, I hope my editor hasn’t noticed!" (Not to worry, much of my column work was done under pen names, in part not to let it interfere with academics, but also, in fairness, there are certain stories I deliberately write in a florid style that have evoked occasional comments about "convoluted sentences." When an editor complains about one, I usually just break it up into two parts.)

As for the best, I’m still amazed that editors actually buy my work and pay money for it, so in a way almost any sale is a compliment. Two that stand out, though, were a phone call received from Charles Grant accepting the story "Victorians" for the anthology Gothic Ghosts (Tor Books, 1997 –- also reprinted in my collection Strange Mistresses: Tales of Wonder and Romance and, more recently, in Innsmouth Free Press’s Candle in the Attic Window) to the effect that this was the only story both he and his co-editor Wendy Webb gave an immediate "yes" to, and a similarly effusive phone acceptance from Forrest J. Ackerman for a story, "Flute and Harp" (originally in the anthology Whispers and Shadows, Prime Books, 2001), for his planned but unfortunately never published Sci-Fi Lesbianthology.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Persevere, persevere, persevere. And learn from your failures. Writing is hard and I wonder sometimes, if I had known how hard, I would have kept it up, but in retrospect it’s been more than worth it –- at least to me.

Do you find yourself drawn to poetry or fiction writing the most? And what drew you to feeling a need to express yourself in a poetic manner?

I’ve put these together because the answer to both is the same: I really don’t know. I know that I’d want to have some kind of creative outlet, but I also play music and I used to draw (I still do very crude cartoons sometimes). Perhaps I could say that poetry (as well as creative prose) should evoke images much like visual art and I’ve already mentioned that poetry (add to that prose, too) also involves sound, so maybe I’m getting the best of all worlds. As to which I’m drawn to the most, it depends on the project. Short poetry is faster, at least in first draft, if only because it’s short, often requiring only the germ of an idea to bring out, though as for longer poems they require as much pre-planning –- for structure, for instance, as much as a story relies on plot; for mood perhaps as a replacement for characters –- as a piece of fiction.

Your writing's quirky and always manages to surprise me which is a difficult thing to do. Where do you get your inspiration? How do you stay original?

First off, I’m flattered by your question, not the least because I consider lack of imagination one of my greatest flaws. I have to go out and wrestle with the muse –- no sitting around for me waiting for "creative juices" to flow (I keep seeing that phrase in writers’ magazines and it’s always seemed vaguely obscene to me. Perhaps that could be an idea for a story). I like themed anthologies because they give a hint from the start about what to write about, the game then being finding some other idea or ideas to graft to it. And that, I think, is the answer to inspiration, that it involves the creative combining of ideas. A vampire and a saint combined with a childlike writing letters to Santa. Me and others combing the shelves of the CVS store the day after Christmas searching for marked-down candy combined with my sudden thought that we were like vultures. I usually carry a pen and some paper, so that got jotted down. As for the other part, staying original, maybe it’s just that I steal with grace, because I do steal too –- I don’t mind saying it. Much of my work is based on such things as fairytales and myth, not to mention an entire book on the notion of vampires. But the art comes in thinking of multiple things, as unlike as possible, that can be juxtaposed with the first idea.

To wrap things up, do you have other books that you haven’t mentioned, and what new projects are you working on now? Where can one look to find more about you?

We’ve mentioned Vamps and the Untreed Reads e-book I’m Dreaming of A. . ., as well as, in passing, my first general collection Strange Mistresses: Tales of Wonder and Romance. Strange Mistresses was published in 2001 by Dark Regions Press (www.darkregions.com) and has a companion volume, Darker Loves: Tales of Mystery and Regret, that came out in 2007. Both these books are primarily prose, but with a short section of poems at the end. Then I have one short story chapbook, The Garden, in both print and e-book form from Damnation Books (www.damnationbooks.com) which has gotten good reviews but poor sales (and isn’t that the story for us all?) and another e-book from Untreed Reads, Vanitas, which originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and is also in print in Strange Mistresses (and has also gotten good reviews, but hasn’t been out as an e-book long enough for me to have a royalty statement yet). As for the future, I’ve been working on a series of far-future, dying Earth stories set in and around a vast necropolis called "The Tombs," just over a dozen of which have been published in various places (including one that appears in Strange Mistresses and three in Darker Loves). "Flute and Harp," mentioned above, is one of these and, if all goes well, I’ve been talking off and on with a publisher about a novel composed of Tombs stories linked by a common theme, tentatively under the rubric Tombs: A Chronicle of Latter-Day Times of Earth. In the shorter term, I’ve been writing a number of flash fiction pieces -- which in some respects may serve as the fiction equivalent of short poems, as described above -- in part to follow electronic markets which often run to shorter stories, but I’ve also been making a concerted effort to get earlier stories back into print, such as "Victorians" mentioned above. And then I’m also looking at electronic publishers, Untreed Reads right now in particular, as possible ongoing markets for reprints that haven’t appeared in electronic form before.

For more information about these and other projects, including a handy "click the picture of the cover" display to get to publishers’ sites for my books, I invite readers to check out my blog, http://jamesdorrwriter.wordpress.com, which also includes occasional sample poems and stories or links to get to them, up-to-date bibliographies of fiction and poetry, reviews now and then of DVDs I’ve watched, and a link to my cat Wednesday’s personal web page. And should the spirit move, don’t be shy about leaving comments.

James Dorr is a short story writer and poet with two collections, STRANGE MISTRESSES: TALES OF WONDER AND ROMANCE and DARKER LOVES: TALES OF MYSTERY AND REGRET, published by Dark Regions Press and an illustrated all-poetry collection, VAMPS (A RETROSPECTIVE), from Sam's Dot Publishing. He also has a novella, THE GARDEN, available in electronic and print chapbook form from Damnation Books; electronic chapbooks VANITAS and I'M DREAMING OF A . . . from Untreed Reads Publishing; and nearly four hundred individual appearances in magazines and anthologies in the US, Canada, Britain, France, Australia, Holland, and Brazil, ranging from ABORIGINAL SCIENCE FICTION and ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE to XENOPHILIA and THE YELLOW BAT REVIEW. Dorr has worked a number of jobs including technical writer, city editor on a regional magazine, full time non-fiction freelancer, and semi-professional musician, and now resides in southern Indiana with current cat, Wednesday, named for Wednesday Addams in the original TV series THE ADDAMS FAMILY.

Thank you for the interview, James! I hope to have a new short story ready for you to critique next month.

A nice quiet Christmas

2011-12-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

It was a quiet Christmas for us this year, but very nice. Our son opened two presents, grew bored, and demanded we clean up. He loves the easel we bought him and the LeapPad from his Gramma. He's such a gadget freak like his father!

It was such a mild day, we spent the afternoon at one of the local parks. We had so much fun, we didn't leave until the sun had set. Surprisingly, the park was pretty busy. Lots of people enjoying the day out with their families.

Today we ran a bunch of errands and picked out glasses for our son. He looks adorable!

We have some snow now. Maybe we can take the sled out to the backyard and go down the little hill.

I hope everyone had a great holiday. Don't forget to stop by tomorrow when I interview short story writer and poet, James Dorr.

Teaser Tuesday with Succubus Blues

2011-12-27T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I love Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. Succubus Blues is the first book in the Georgina Kincaid series, adult paranormal romance. The first page made me laugh. Great start. You have to love a reluctant succubus!

Here's your teaser:
Sleep with Seth Mortensen? Good grief. It was the most preposterous thing I'd ever heard. It was appalling. If I absorbed his life force, there was no telling how long it'd be until his next book came out. (page 25)

Happy Christmas

2011-12-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

Whatever you're celebrating, I hope you have a fantastic holiday season and a wonderful new year.

Happy Christmas!

(Side note: when searching for a photo to put up for Christmas on your blog with a paranormal romance or vintage theme, make sure to have the safe search on.

Oh, what holiday "gifts" I have seen!)

Holiday Snapshots - week four

2011-12-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas Eve! Here's another edition of Holiday Snapshots for your viewing pleasure.

My brother, my cousins on my mom's side, and I on Christmas.

We always had Christmas day dinner at my grandparents' house.

I miss it.

My son sat on Santa's lap this year, but he wasn't exactly happy about it.

He didn't think too much of the candy cane either.

Yet when he see the photo on the cabinet, he says: "Santa. Lap. Sit. Candy."

Please join me next Wednesday when I interview short story writer and poet, James Dorr.

A little Christmas story

2011-12-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

This is my entry for Heather's holiday story contest. Here's the details:

It's very simple. I want to read your most original, scary or uplifting holiday story (I like both, so since this is my contest - I figure I'll make you write what I like to read!). Now, notice I didn't say "Christmas"; it can be ANY holiday you celebrate! It does NOT have to be a holiday that occurs in winter months. The entry can be no more than 500 words.

I do not know how to do the wonderful "Linky Lists" like Rachel Harrie over at Rach Writes did during the Campaigner Challenge, so here are the requirements:

1. Post your story on your blog
2. Mention my blog and this contest within that post
3. Comment here that you have posted and link back to the SPECIFIC post
4. "Follow" my blog! :)

That's it! What you can win is some pretty cool stuff.

First place: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Second place: A beautiful E-Reader cozy (that I will purchase from the fantabulous ZiziRho Designs, your choice!)
Third place: A leather writing journal

All entries MUST be posted by Saturday, December 31, 2011. I will have the three winners posted on my blog by Thursday, January 5, 2011.

I decided to go with something sweet. I hope you enjoy it!

THE OFFICE PARTY SANTA

“I think I'm going to cry.”

“What?” Barb shot me a glance. “Shush and stop being so melodramatic.” She returned her attention to the CEO as he finished his Christmas toast. Everyone raised their glasses and shouted, “Cheers!”

I didn't pick up my glass. There was nothing for me to toast. Victor didn't show for our first date. My stomach was hard and heavy, and there wasn't a sympathetic shoulder to lean on.

Barb downed her drink and let out a whoop.

“Bring in Santa!” Her exclamation was met with several hoots and cheers.

“I can't believe they're still doing this stupid Santa thing.” I grumped, flopping into the nearest empty chair.

A chant of “Santa, Santa, Santa” pounded into my head. Bells jingled and someone flipped on Christmas music. A man in a red suit and horribly fake beard strode into the room, playing up to the crowd. He danced with the girls and gave high fives to the guys.

I couldn't take any more of this ridiculous merriment. I thought Victor was different. I thought he could have been the one.

“I'm going home.” I stood up and was nabbed by Barb before I could walk two feet.

“Oh come on, hon. So what? Some jerk stood you up. I'm single and you don't see me getting all depressed.” She hooked her arm through mine and yanked me forward. “It's two days until Christmas. It's an open bar. And have you seen how good you look tonight? Santa's going to drool into your cleavage.”

“That's exactly what I want for Christmas.” I rolled my eyes, but I let her drag me into the line. I knew Barb was right, but it was still hard to feel festive when all I could imagine was Victor's gorgeous smile and the sparkle in his eyes.

Lost to my own dreary thoughts, I hadn't realized we were at the front of the line until Barb shoved me forward. I stumbled, half-sitting on Santa's leg and using the arm of the chair to balance myself. I felt silly sitting on his lap, but it was a company tradition.

“And what do you want for Christmas, pretty girl?”

I didn't look up at him. I could feel his eyes on me. I bet the perverts lined up for this gig.

“Nothing.”

“There has to be something you want.” His voice softened and he patted my knee.

That was it. I wasn't going to pretend to put up with this crap any more.

I raised my head, looking into his eyes, ready to sock him in his padded gut. His dreamy eyes.

He smiled. The same smile that always made my knees weak.

“I think Santa brought me exactly what I need.” I kissed him on the cheek.

“Later.” Victor winked at me.

“Later.” I agreed and rose from his lap with my Christmas spirit renewed.

Chunks

2011-12-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

Sound asleep. The sweet little guy. He's so adorable. Then when he was awake today, EWWWWWW! My son has a rotavirus. I won't describe it. You can click on the link and that will be enough said. I'm happy we got a carpet steam cleaner as an early Christmas present.

Aside from all my cleaning and comforting today, I managed to get a nice chunk of writing done. I'm that much closer to the big climax of my current novel. I won't get it done before Christmas like I hoped, but maybe the end of December. *knocks on wood*

Wicked Wednesday - write spooky

2011-12-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

There are paranormal romances that are light-hearted and silly. They don't have a dark atmosphere, but most of the books in this genre try to create a spooky feeling at some point in the story. It's a tough thing to do. There's only one Stephen King. As for the rest of us, we have to use all the tricks at our disposal.

When I think creepy atmosphere, I think setting. Graveyards, haunted houses, empty streets. Just placing your characters in an ill-lit room will help immensely. Yet it doesn't have to be a horror stereotype. If you're good, you can make any setting spooky. The reader is going to expect something out of the ordinary even if you place the scene in the ladies' restroom or a wig shop.

It's in the details. Don't over do it with lavish descriptions of dusty cobwebs, the wind blowing the drapes, and something lurking in the shadows. Drop a chilly detail here and there. Something that might be normal but isn't quite. Something that will make the reader wonder. A writer's best tool in creating a spooky scene is the reader's imagination. The reader will always imagine something horrible and help to give themselves goosebumps.

Part of the creepiness of a story is in creating suspense and tension. You want the reader on the edge of their seat. An effective way of doing this is through the characters' reactions. Don't let your text be filled with too much thinking. Describe what they're seeing, hearing, smelling. Use all the senses. Write their physical reactions. Spooky stories are about showing rather than telling.

Even with paranormal romance where things are out of the ordinary, try to keep things as realistic as possible. What scares people the most is if they start thinking something like that is possible. Hit on the things that frighten people the most and use them to help build up the tension. Vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures can fear the same things as humans do.

What tricks do you use for creating a spooky atmosphere in your stories?

Side note: Wicked Wednesday will be on Thursday next week as I'm having a special guest interview on Wednesday.

Teaser Tuesday with CassaStar

2011-12-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Alex J. Cavanaugh's CassaStar is a great break from the books I usually read. It's space opera that reminds me of Battlestar Galactica in a way. I hear drums when the battles start. I usually watch more sci-fi than read it, but sometimes the written word can be as vivid as a film and Alex manages to do it. I'm halfway through and it's getting even better. Though, I don't dare have my Nook out when little toddler hands can grab it!

Here's your teaser:
He caught his breath, a moment of doubt grasping at his throat. They were about to shoot down real people. (page 172)

Update: Alex is having a giveaway! Win a free copy of CassaStar as a great gift to yourself.

Winners of the David Salnave Giveaway

2011-12-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

WINNERS! WINNERS! WINNERS!

Thank you to everyone who commented and entered in the giveaway.

And thank you, David, for doing the interview and giveaway. You were great!

David is excited to give away some holiday prizes.

Random.org, please give us the lucky numbers!

The winner of the signed copy of To Kids From One to Ninety Two is:

Amy at The Ramblings of Amy

The winner of an e-copy of To Kids From One to Ninety Two is:

Shannon Lawrence at The Warrior Muse

The winners of the video Christmas cards are:

Farawayeyes

C D Meetens

Tania Walsh

Congratulations to all the winners!

David will be in contact with you shortly.

I am Neo

2011-12-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

I've always been able to remember my dreams. And, oh, what dreams I have! Lots of monsters, haunted houses, flying, and walking out of the house without pants. My dreams inspire me to write a lot of stories.

I've a lot of control over my dreams too. I know I'm dreaming, and if I'm unhappy with the way a dream is going, I can change it or wake up. I am Neo of the dream world.

I had a fun one the other night. I woke up at six to pee, and knowing that I only had another hour or so of sleep ahead of me, I went back to bed. In the dream, I had to save a mermaid girl from two evil brothers. (They were like the evil versions of the Kratts Brothers.) The mermaid was the key to ridding the world of pollution and saving life on the planet itself. I got held up in a house with friends. We were surrounded by the Brothers' goons. I knew I only had a few more minutes of sleep ahead of me. I needed the action to go quicker. I walked outside and giant mutant dogs lunged at me. I held up a hand and said, "Sit." They sat. The goons aimed guns at me. I said, "No bullets." The guns were all empty. I ran down the road. I had to get to the beach, but it was across town. Nope, not acceptable. I created a road right there that lead to the beach. There was a huge line of people waiting to get in through the military checkpoint-like entrance. I jumped up to the top of a cliff and ran off, flying out over the water. The Atlantic Ocean. How was I going to find the mermaid? Well, I sent the Pez Army to track the Brothers. It was easy to spot the Pez Army since it was so large. Yes, I said Pez Army. Those little sugar candies are powerful as they are yummy. I flew out and was about to rescue the mermaid when my alarm went off. Maybe the brothers planned that too. Hmm.

Today is the last day to enter the David Salnave holiday book giveaway! Give yourself the warm Christmas fuzzies with For Kids From One to Ninety Two.

Holiday Snapshots - week three

2011-12-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

This is the continuation of my Holiday Snapshots series. Every Saturday this month, I'm posting holiday themed photos. My cards are out and my shopping's done. Up with the tree today and a holiday party later this evening!

That's me in the middle on the top row.

These are the kids I grew up with: The Kingham Kids.

We loved Christmas Eve because we'd get to stay up late playing while all our folks sat around drinking.

My son wasn't interested in opening presents last year.

Eating the tissue paper, well, that's a whole other matter!

Giveaways, contests, and more giveaways

2011-12-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

You still have a few days to enter the David Salnave holiday book giveaway on my blog. He'll make you laugh and he'll make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Perfect holiday gift.

We all love giveaways. Free stuff! It's even better during the holidays when we're spending too much money as it is. Here's a list of fantastic contests and giveaways. Click, enter and be merry!

Cherie Reich is giving away six critiques on her writing blog and three books she's reviewed on her book review blog. She's an editor and an awesome critique partner. A critique by her is a fabulous gift to yourself. Plus, books. Need I say more?

Heather at My Demon Spirits is having a holiday short story contest. Stories can be funny, uplifting or scary, and must be no longer than 500 words. First place winner gets a $25 Amazon gift card. Second place wins an e-reader cozy and third place a leather writing journal. Great prizes!

It's Melissa Bradley's birthday at Melissa's Imaginarium. Leave a comment on her birthday post to win a copy of any of her stories. I'm in the mood for cake right now.

inkPageant is giving away a ten page critique by Eschler Editing. Again, what better gift could you give yourself than helping to improve your craft.

All Things Urban Fantasy is giving away a free eARC of Thea Harrison's True Colors. Awesome paranormal romance.

The magnificent and hilarious author Gini Koch is having a contest with several gift packs. Just tell her which ones you'd like, your favorite holiday tradition, and how she's the bestest author out there!

J.C. Martin is giving away a copy of Kathleen S. Allen's Witch Hunter. More wonderful paranormal fun!

Paranormal romance author Yasmine Galenorn is giving away an ARC copy of Shaded Vision, the next book in her Otherworld series. Excellent series.

Win a Kindle Fire or a $200 Amazon gift card HERE!

Allison Pang offers you a chance to win a Nook as part of the Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop Part 2. All you have to do is write a hedgehog haiku. Here's the link to all the contests in the Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop.

If there's any you want to include, please leave a link in the comments section. I'll appreciate it as much as everyone else. Happy Friday!

The Bah Humbug Blahg Fest

2011-12-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

This made me laugh. I couldn't resist participating in Grumpy Bulldog's Blahg Fest. I've been known to be a bit of a humbug now and then. Less so now that I have a child, but the humbug still creeps out on those dark December nights.

The rules are simple. Answer this question:

What are the 12 things I hate most about the holiday season?

1. Fruitcake. It's one of those things that make me inwardly cringe. It looks like... Well, I won't say. I don't want anyone else experiencing nausea when looking at those things. Blech.
2. The commercialism. Yes, I know we all hate it. It should go unsaid, but, well, I'm saying it anyway.
3. Family guilt trips. My family lives in Canada. My husband's parents are divorced. We have to decide between three different places to spend Christmas. Those we aren't with at Christmas give guilt trips. This year, we're staying home and not traveling. The guilt trips are coming in like a blinding blizzard.
4. Mothers should not buy their adult daughters Christmas panties. Every year it happens. Socks, please. Socks are a much better option. I never want my mom thinking about something only my husband and I will ever see.
5. The awkward moment when someone unexpected gives you a gift and you haven't bought anything for them. You try to be gracious and apologetic. But they know there's nothing you can say to make up for the fact they got you something and you didn't get them a thing. I've seen the Facebook updates. I know what they say after the fact.
6. Mistletoe. The perfect excuse for a drunken neighbor or a creepy uncle to let his lips linger too long.
7. The Elf on the Shelf. My brother and his wife gave us one last year. My son loves it. The thing gives me the willies.
8. Shopping. I don't like shopping to begin with. I tried to do all my shopping online this year. I didn't succeed. People are so much ruder and aggressive this time of year at the stores. My sympathy to those of you who work retail.
9. Christmas cards. I like to send out cards and I like to receive them. I make sure they're all addressed and ready to go before December. I send out about 60 of them. On average, I get about 15 back. It makes me pout.
10. Advent Calendars. Only one chocolate a day? Oh no, I don't think so. At least a dozen would make it more worthwhile.
11. Early Christmas hype. At least wait until after Halloween!
12. The idea that Christmas is just for children. The rest of us want to enjoy it too!

Don't forget to enter David Salnave's holiday giveaway! No humbugging from him.

Wicked Wednesday - the nice guy

2011-12-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

Almost every woman says she wants a nice, funny guy. No matter what the media tells you, it's true. Real stories of women seeking out the bad boys are exaggerated. Nice guys don't finish last.

We don't see that many nice guys in romance novels, though. Why is that? Women want to read about the bad boy with the hidden heart of gold. Women of every social class, of every age. Again, you ask why? For the fantasy of it, for an escape from reality. If you ask the same women if they want a man in real life like the arrogant and possessive heroes in the books, they'll say no. They want the nice guys.

Nice guys are almost impossible to find in paranormal romance. The dark supernatural worlds with all those monsters to fight tend to produce hardened men. Or the men that the heroines fall for are the monsters. I love all the layers this adds to the romance aspect of the story. Ah, the complexities of being a vampire's life-mate or falling for a gorgeous ghost that you can't even touch.

Not that paranormal romance is void of nice guys. Usually they're family or friends. Not the love interest.

I find nice guys are more common in YA than adult. I'm glad for that. The most popular example I can think of is the Harry Potter series. I love that Harry and Ron were nice guys. They prove you can have a fantastic story with nice guys. They each got the girl at the end too.

My heroes are usually the sarcastic, arrogant type. They're just so much fun to write. Of course, they can be highly moral and have good hearts, but they have flaws that would make them highly annoying in real life. I should take up the challenge and write a story with a nice guy as the hero.

Do you prefer reading romances with the bad boy or the nice guy? Can you name any paranormal romances with a nice guy as the love interest?

Teaser Tuesday with Thirteen Reasons Why

2011-12-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I would have never picked up this book on my own. I browse the YA section more often these days, but a book about suicide wouldn't draw me in. I've heard a lot of great things about Jay Asher's book and they're all true. I'm blown away. I won't say it's the best thing I've ever read, but the teen inside of me reacted to it. The little things do affect all of us.

Here's your teaser:

For Jessica, it was easier to think of me as Bad Hannah than as the Hannah she got to know at Monet's. It was easier to accept. Easier to understand. (page 66)

Holiday Interview and Giveaway with David Salnave

2011-12-12T04:13:00.000-08:00

The fire is crackling merrily and the smell of freshly baked cookies fills the house. The room is large but cozy, and filled with happy friends and family. Everyone is smiling and a few people have eggnog mustaches. There's a big tree in the corner with presents piled high underneath. I think the elf on the shelf just winked at you.

Come on in and take a seat by the fire. I want to introduce you to an old friend of mine. Someone who would always make me laugh in the mornings so I could get through the cold winter days. Please welcome David Salnave, comedian and author of To Kids From One to Ninety Two.

Put on your favorite Christmas album and grab a cup of hot cocoa, To Kids From One to Ninety Two is just what you need to get into the spirit of the season. A collection of Christmas cheer with just the right amount of cheese, these stories are a reminder to ADULTS of all ages that we should never get too old, or busy, or cool to enjoy the holidays with childlike wonder.

Christine: I'm excited to have you here. I'm even more excited that you've published a wonderful book that makes me giggle, and feel warm and fuzzy too. What inspired you to write this book?

David: There were many inspirations behind this book. From my family and friends, to the fond Christmas memories and great Christmas stories I grew up on. I have a lot of Christmas Spirit that has been passed on to me, and I have always been eager to share it with others.

C: Publishing the book was a great way to share your cheer with others. What's your favorite thing about the holidays?

D: My favorite thing about the holidays is that it gives people an excuse to set everything else aside and enjoy the things that matter most to them. Family, friends, charity, taking a break from the grind. Sometimes we lose sight of what we need most in life.

C: That's so true. I've heard a lot of stories about your family. What do they think about the book?

D: Well, once they figured out that it wasn't a joke, they were very happy for me. That reminds me, I need to give out some guilt trips to those who have not yet bought their copy!

C: I've already bought mine! What's your favorite part of the book?

D: I think I had the most fun writing the introduction. That is where I really spoke person to person with the reader the most. The intro really gives the reader a clear picture of what the thought process behind this book was.

C: What affected your decision to self publish? And do you have any advice for writers wanting to do so?

D: I think time and inexperience were the biggest factors. I do not regret self publishing, but there is a lot that you have to be careful of. As for advice, check and recheck your work. Trust me, there will be something you missed. Better you catch it then someone else.

C: And there always seems like something we miss. Do you have any projects in the works?

D: I will be writing a new Christmas story for next year called the Christmas Consultant. Its about a man who makes a living making Christmas dreams come true for others, but never really took the time to focus on his own happiness. It's sort of like Hitch meets White Christmas.

C: Awesome! I can't wait to read it. Thank you so much for stopping by. Feel free to mingle and help yourself to the cookies.

David has some fantastic gifts for all of you. He's giving away a signed paperback copy of his book, an e-copy of his book, and three video Christmas cards. To enter, leave a comment below along with your email address. In one week, the winners will be chosen by Random.org.

Bio: David Salnave is a born and bred New Yorker who has been writing and doing standup comedy for the past four years. He prides himself on being a pretty tough guy, but has always had a big soft spot in his heart for the Christmas season. It's the only time of year when he allows himself to be as sappy and childlike as he can be. He's a firm believer that we all need to make time in our lives to just focus on being happy, and that Christmas provides us with the perfect opportunity to do so. David hopes his writing helps people to remember this, and to maintain perspective on what is most important in life.

Check out David's spotlight here!

You can buy a copy of To Kids From One To Ninety Two on Lulu.

151 Followers and Holiday Giveaway

2011-12-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

I'm watching Snowmageddon on Syfy as I type this. Oh, how I love to laugh at these wonderfully horrible movies. The fun of cursed snow globes. Is it a rule of Syfy movies that no one is allowed to use common sense?

I have 151 followers. Yay! Welcome to my little corner of Blogger. It's wonderful to meet you all. When I hit 200, I'll have another giveaway.

Yet wait! I'll be having a holiday giveaway this week. Jingle your bells and do happy Snoopy dance. I have a special guest coming to visit and he's feeling the Christmas spirit. Don't miss your chance to win some cool prizes.

In writing news, well, there is none. I've still not been feeling the greatest. Instead of writing when my son has been napping, I've been napping too. I've lost a lot of writing and blogging time. Back to the doctor's on Wednesday. Hopefully my body will experience some holiday magic and be reinvigorated.

Holiday Snapshots - week two

2011-12-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

If you didn't see last week, I'm doing a series of holiday photos every Saturday this month. I thought about decorating my blog, but I still haven't gotten to decorating my house. The cards have to go out first and then I need to get my shopping done. It's that time of year!

In grade three, I was Suzy Snowflake for our school's Christmas festival play.

I really, really hated it.

I was a tomboy and I never wore pink. I think the music teacher choose me to punish me for some reason!

My two favorite people in the world on Christmas morning 2010.

I love this picture.

Cherie Reich's holiday giveaways

2011-12-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

My generous friend and critique partner, Cherie Reich is having two holiday giveaways.

She's giving away SIX critiques on her author blog!

Yes, you read correctly. SIX critiques!

1 - 25 page, 2 - 10 page, 3 - 1 page

She's also giving away books on her review site.

Any book from those she reviewed.

Awesome.

I'll be having a special guest and a holiday giveaway here very soon.

(Hopefully we'll have things sorted out and ready by Monday! *knocks on wood*)

Wicked Wednesday - Witch's First Rule

2011-12-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

I've talked about a lot about the different aspects of how to market paranormal romances. I've been asked a few times to use examples from my own work. Here we go. It's time to put all those tips and research to work.

I'm going to use a novel that has gotten a lot of attention from agents and publishers, but somehow, I never make the sale. Why? I've been marketing it all wrong.

It's taken me a long time to realize why I couldn't sell it. I was too close to the story. I took a break from it to work on a few other manuscripts and now I see it with fresh eyes. It surprises me how much I've changed and how I've grown as a writer. How could I have thought what I was doing was the right way? I have a particular love-hate relationship with the protagonist, Magena Silver. She's been with me for a number of years. We know each other well. Perhaps too well. She likes to get her way and knows how to manipulate me, but her way isn't always the right way.

The first issue: the title. The book was originally called Alchemy. I was very attached to the title, but it doesn't speak to a paranormal romance audience. It's plain. It doesn't have any character. It could be a "How To" book for what anyone could guess from the title alone.

The new title: Witch's First Rule. This says a lot more. Saying "witch" allows the potential reader to know what they're dealing with. It's a paranormal. It has something to do with rules. The twist is it's not rules of magic, but Magena's rules of dating. It'll make the potential reader curious to find out what this first rule is. It's also a play on the title of a famous fantasy novel by Terry Goodkind.

I sent a query letter out to several agents and publishers. One in seven responded with interest and asked to see the full manuscript. Each time it was rejected. It wasn't what they were looking for. So what did they see in my query letter - particularly the blurb - that led them to believe it was something else?

Here's the old blurb: Magena Silver is a professional celebrity and a witch. She's the most successful marriage therapist in America because she secretly slips love potions to her clients. In Alchemy, she helps one couple and it turns out to be a grave mistake. The father of the wife is a powerful witch – a Master - and he wants Magena to make an antidote or else he will kill her. Magena fails to make one and must discover another way to defeat the Master with the help of her companions. She is caught up in an ancient battle between two powerful families and must deal with a lovesick gypsy as well as her attraction to the handsome empath the Master has sent to watch her.

Not hot. Not quirky. None of Magena's personality in it. It attracted attention, though. Were they hoping for a lot of magic? Witch fights? Alchemist details? There isn't a lot of magic. There's fighting, but it's not the focus of the story. There's very little details about alchemy. It's about people and relationships. It's a paranormal, but the romance drama trumps it all.

It has the main character and the conflict, but not in a way that best markets them. It has a hook, but it's not as powerful as it could be. It needs to show just how unique this book is compared to other paranormal romances. It's fast-paced and hot, but the blurb definitely doesn't mirror this. There's mounting tension, but even I'm not drawn in by that part and I love the story.

I'm trying to compose a new blurb, but I can't get it right.

The new hook: Magena Silver's first rule of dating: don't get emotionally attached.
OR The first rule of dating Magena Silver: don't get emotionally attached.

Yes, she breaks her rules. I think this hook works more efficiently than the previous one. Yet I'd still like to say she's a professional celebrity and a witch. I need to set up the paranormal feel and the conflict. This is tricky.

Slipping her clients potent love potions has brought Magena great success as a celebrity therapist and a witch until now.

Hm, that needs work. Yet it has what I want in it. Should I go the romance route first?

As a celebrity therapist and a witch, Magena's career comes first until Nathan Linwood saunters into her office.

Mmm, I do like imagining that man do anything.

What do you think? Paranormal conflict first or the romantic conflict?

Teaser Tuesday with Vamparazzi

2011-12-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

During the holidays when things get busy and sometimes things get stressful, I need a funny and light read. Laura Resnick definitely provides it with Vamparazzi. It's a novel in her Esther Diamond series. A hilarious supernatural read. It's a little silly and a little naughty, and great for bringing on holiday visits when you need a few minutes to get away from things.

Here's your teaser:
I frowned in confusion. "But you just said..."
"She was exsanguinated, Esther," he said. "Not bitten by an immortal creature of the night." (page 102)

Monday Moments

2011-12-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

I still haven't gotten back to writing. This isn't good! Today was just so busy. Hopefully tomorrow I'll enjoy a quiet nap time and get back to my story.

I have my writers' group this coming Saturday. I submitted the blurb for Sorrow Phage to be critiqued. My CP, Cherie Reich, helped me already with it. I still need to think of a new title for the novel. Why did Vampires in a Mortuary suddenly pop into my head? Darn Snakes on a Plane. I can have my protagonist screaming, "Enough is enough! I've had it with these demon killing vampires in this brother-father mortuary!"

My Christmas shopping is done. I mailed out the packages to my family in Canada today. I also received packages from my mom today. She told me to open one gift early. A new digital camera! She just wants her daily photo of my son.

My doctor's appointment went well today. All my tests came back clean. Surprisingly, with all the treats I've had lately, my blood sugar was excellent. I have one more test next week just to clear out the final possibility. I'm starting a new medication, but everything is good. High blood pressure is nothing to ignore or mess around with.

Holiday Snapshots - week one

2011-12-03T02:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a little while since I participated in Saturday Snapshot, and I don't want to officially do it since I don't know if I'll have the time to look at other people's pictures this weekend. So much to do! I'm scared to go shopping. Very scared.

I'm going to post holiday photos every Saturday this month. My bit of holiday fun here. Hopefully they'll make you go "awww!" or laugh hysterically.

My brother and I way back in 1980.

Yes, disco was dead, but I didn't know it!

My son's first photo with Santa last year.

He didn't know what to make of Santa, but he loved the cute elves!

(He's always been a ladies' man.)

Strangely, this year, my son calls him "Claus." No Santa.

Under the Stairs now available

2011-12-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

A collection of frightening stories that will have you hiding under the covers. They will have you shaking and wondering what lurks under the stairs!

My good friend and critique partner, Cherie Reich and I have short stories in this anthology. It's always great to get published, but so much more fun when you have a friend in the anthology with you.

It's a great gift for horror fans. You can buy your copy at Pill Hill Press Book Shoppe, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Health update: No word from the lab yet, but I've been feeling better the past few days. Hopefully the medication they have me on is doing the trick. I've got lots to do this weekend, so I won't get much relaxing done. I need some energy to brave the stores!

Slow start to December

2011-12-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't gotten back to my NaNo novel yet. It's been over a week. I haven't even thought about it. I've been trying to catch up on email and blogs, but I've been a little slow at that. Plus, I have some stories I need to critique. Not how I imagined starting off December.

The reason for this is I've had some health issues come up. Hopefully it can all be helped by a regular dose of medication, but I'm still waiting on the test results. I'll be back to see my doctor on Monday.

I need to do up a will. Has anyone out there done theirs? I'm curious if it would be better to do it with a lawyer or do it myself. I don't think anyone would disrespect my wishes if it wasn't witnessed and signed by a lawyer, but if something happened to both my husband and I, I want the guardianship for my son very clear.

Wicked Wednesday - trends

2011-11-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

Ignore the rumors that paranormal romance is a trend going out of style. It's far from the truth. If you research various publishers, sales are still going strong. This is not a genre that will be drowned in an oversaturated market.

Vampires are getting harder to sell. If you're writing a vampire story, you need to make it unique. There's certain series like Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books that are still going strong. A lot of readers have a particular image of vampires in their minds and it's hard to sell something new. I think vampire stories will always be popular, but right now, we're feeling a bit of fatigue. It will pass and something great will come along again to sweep us away.

Shifters - werewolves in particular - are in high demand. There's more room to play around with various animals, magic, and myth origins. The animal nature appeals to readers both in the paranormal and romance sides of this genre.

Ghosts/spirits are growing in popularity. It's another area of the paranormal where there is a lot of different superstitions and myths to use as inspiration. If you're trying to break into the market, this is a good way to go.

Yet, as always, it's the unique voices that publishers are looking for. Something that engages the reader in a way that most other books cannot. They want a strong hook to pull in readers. Don't be afraid to take that extra step over the line. If you think you shouldn't do something with you story, that it might sound ridiculous, go for it. Over the top can take you to publication. (Of course, get your critique partners' and beta readers' opinions first just to make sure it isn't completely silly!)

There will always be trends. Books will come and go. Yet paranormal romance is here to stay.

Do you think paranormal romance is a trend? What do you think is rising in popularity and what is falling?

Teaser Tuesday with Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas

2011-11-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

If you've never read any Tom Robbins, you're missing out on one of the funniest and most inventive writers today. This isn't romance, fantasy or science-fiction. It's satire and all of the above. It's hard to describe his style, but be prepared to have your mind blown if you pick up any book by Robbins.

Here's your teaser:

"Oh? You're personally acquainted with the gentleman?" Under the fingernails of his voice, there can be detected the green cheese of suspicion. (page 100)

NaNoWriMo 2011 Winner

2011-11-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Woo-hoo! I'm still doing a happy dance even after the NaNoWriMo word verification tool didn't match the word count my word processor - Open Office - told me. In fact, it was over 1100 word difference. I went to verify my win earlier tonight and it came up a few hundred words short. I have over 51300 words written. It was frustrating, but I wrote just over 200 words and it was enough. NaNo told me I wrote -1100 words today, but I still have my win.

I see a few other winners out there. Congratulations to you! The rest of you warriors, keep going. There's still a few days left of the month. Push yourself. You'll be surprised at what you can accomplish. I believe in you.

I hope to finish the novel in a few weeks. Before Christmas at the latest. Then I'll let it sit for a while. I have two other novels I want to go through more revisions and submit before I start any editing with my NaNo novel. Revise, revise, revise. That will be my motto for the next four or more months.

Sunday tidbits

2011-11-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

Whew. Back from my long weekend away. I'm glad to be home. I like to travel, but I love my cozy house and comfy bed. I never sleep well in another bed. And traveling with a small child isn't fun. Thank goodness for chocolate. For me!

I haven't done any more writing yet. I haven't done any reading except a few magazine articles here and there. Here's a few things I picked up I thought I'd share with you.

I learned there are three types of YA books: YA (teens), Upper YA (late teens to early twenties), and New Adult (early twenties to twenty-five). The growth in the YA genre is phenomenal and not just amongst young people either. I know a lot of you write in this genre and that's great.

There's a genre called "Gentle Fiction." Usually set in small towns with strong bonds between family and neighbors. The plots center around home, family, and true love. All told in a heartwarming and sweet manner.

I discovered there's such a thing as a personal writing coach. Teacher? Critique partner? Cheerleader? Could be a good thing or could be a scam. Sort of like a life coach.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Happy American Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!

I can't help but see that photo as a great prompt for a macabre short story!

Feel free to leave me a little teaser of the story you'd write to go with that photo.

Wicked Wednesday - holiday themed books

2011-11-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

With the American Thanksgiving here and Christmas not too far away, I'm thinking about holiday themed books. Yes, there are holiday themed paranormal romances. The genre has not escaped that trend. Obviously the publishers believe readers want them when all the holiday themed books are released around this time of year.

I once thought the holiday themed books were silly. Having read a dozen or so, I like them a bit more. They can be a bit cheesy, but sometimes cheese is good. Sometimes you want your book to share in the Christmas warmth or Halloween chills.

Paranormal romance gives you a lot of freedom to choose different holidays and to create some of your own. Inspiration is all around you. Everyone has experiences from the holidays to put into their writing. Goodness knows that my holidays never go smoothly. There's always some drama or excitement.

The holidays evoke certain emotions in people. You can mirror that with your characters. It's a good way to get your readers to relate to your characters and draw them further into your story.

Do you like holiday themed books? If you do, what are some of your favorites?

Teaser Tuesday with Black Sun Rising

2011-11-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman is the first in the Coldfire trilogy. This is an amazing trilogy. It's somewhere between dark fantasy and science-fiction. Friedman has created a magnificent world and cast of characters. It's a series I keep meaning to reread, but I never manage to find the time. Plus, it has a gorgeous cover.

Here's your teaser:
Sick at heart, Damian nodded.
What good is it to play at Healing, if you can't save the ones you care about? (page 90)

NaNoWriMo 2011 Victory (day 21)

2011-11-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

Word count: 50436

I did it! I did it! I'm so happy, I'm sharing my stash of cookies with you all.

I wasn't a hundred percent certain I could do this at the beginning of the month. I don't know why I doubted myself. Self doubt is the enemy of every writer. Don't let it keep you away from your goals. It might look big and scary, but it's easy to squash once you take those first few steps.

And Alex, I did use the idea of an explosion. Weep for the winery that was burned to the ground.

I'm not done the novel. I've still a while to go. I haven't even had my big philosophical discussion yet. But the blocks are in place for the final battle. My protagonist has pushed past a big hurdle.

Keep writing, my fellow warriors. If I can do it with a cranky toddler, you can do it too!

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 20

2011-11-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

Word count: 47015

So close to the word count goal. Not very close to the end yet. One more big thing has to happen and I'm not sure what it is yet. Oh, the fun of being a pantser!

I'm going to push myself tomorrow and write the next 3000 words... IF I can come up with that next big thing.

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 19

2011-11-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

Word court: 43293

I haven't written anything yet today. The morning was busy and then I had my writers' meeting. I'm happy that everyone in the group liked chapter one of Sorrow Phage. (They agreed the title needs to be changed, but I was thinking the same thing when I started the book.) It's a difficult thing to please everyone in the group. They loved the action, the fast pace, the intrigue, and the world I set up. It reminded one of the members of Angel and Buffy. I felt a little giddy.

I killed off two more important characters. The cast is being whittled down. BWUHAHAHAHA!

I don't think I can kill any others off, though. Not until the final battle.

I'm also getting to a point where I'm about to head into a philosophical discussion about sorrow. I hope I don't rattle on too much.

I'm seeing some fantastic word counts out there. My fellow NaNo warriors are doing awesome! Keep writing. You can do it!

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 17

2011-11-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Word count: 39480

It's not actually day 17 yet. I'm scheduling this post to appear tomorrow morning.

Things are going well. Another critical moment and a big reveal about the protagonist's past. Highly emotional. It's hard to find different words for sorrow. I'm thankful for my thesaurus. I also used the word "Brobdingnagian." Such an awesome word. If one word alone could make a great manuscript, that word would be it.

I'm getting ready to kill off more characters. I feel like Joss Whedon. If only I were that witty and clever!

I had intended this to be a paranormal romance, but I'm almost at 40000 words and there's only been a few kisses. It's more a dark urban fantasy with an element of romance. I'm not complaining, it just surprises me with the novels I've written in the past few years. Hey, it's a good thing to surprise yourself in such a way, right?

I'll be losing some writing time on Saturday with my monthly writers' group. I sent in the first chapter of Sorrow Phage for them to critique. I'm nervous about it. It hasn't been edited at all.

Wicked Wednesday - blurbs

2011-11-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

A great blurb will sell your book. It's the hook that draws in the agent, publisher and readers. It's also the bump in the road that gives me a lot of trouble. As a writer, you have to be half-writer and half-salesperson. Protest that if you wish, but it's the truth. My marketing skills aren't superb, but I've learned a lot over the years about how to write a great blurb.

A blurb is a 100 to 250 word synopsis of your novel that doesn't give away the ending. You see them on the back cover or inner flap of books. You include them in your query letters to agents and publishers. You use them to promote your book everywhere. This means it has to be able to reach out and grab people.

Be sure to include the main character(s) and the conflict. Don't dance around the plot. These are the basics, but find what makes your story different. How does it stand out from all the others?

Paranormal romances have a particular atmosphere. When writing your blurb, make sure you capture the mood of the story. Is it dark or light-hearted? Is it a fast-paced scary tale or a leisurely magical journey? Is it hot and sexy or shyly romantic? Don't exaggerate it. Let it represent the true soul of your novel.

As with any story, the blurb should have mounting tension. The beginning hints at the conflict, but the end shows that it's imminent.

The best way to learn how to write a great blurb is to read other writers' blurbs. What catches your attention? Why does that work? How can you make it work for you?

I'm constantly rewriting my blurbs. They're always evolving and that's a good thing.

How are you at writing blurbs? Do you have any tips to add?

Teaser Tuesday with Sunshine

2011-11-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I'm a fan of Robin McKinley. She writes such beautiful fairy tales. Sunshine is something different from the rest. Something different from even the normal vampire stories and from romances. Different in a very good way, though.

Here's your teaser:
Slowly I moved, to pull the knife-key out of my bra. The vampire knelt, holding me in his lap. (page 83)

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 14

2011-11-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

Word count: 34012

I've been writing one very long scene these past few days. Once I'm done it, I'm at the point in my story where I know how it's going to climax, but I need a bit more meat before I get to it. This is where I have to hope I dream about it tonight or randomly find something that works.

We're nearly at the halfway point. Everyone keep writing. GO! GO! GO!

Campaign Challenges 2011 eBook is now available

2011-11-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Katharina Gerlach who put together this wonderful collection of short stories from Rachael Harrie's 2011 Writer's Platform Building Campaign. Both Katharina and Rachael are awesome! It was so much fun and a great success. This ebook will also hopefully be a success in helping raise funds for cancer research. All proceeds go to Harry Moseley's charity, "Help Harry Help Others". Harry single-handedly raised over 85,000GBP (roughly 137,000USD) for cancer research. He died October 8th aged 11.

The ebook is available at Amazon and Smashwords. It's only three bucks. A great price. Every single one of us can afford that much. And if we all do, imagine how much we can raise for charity!