Annmarie and I will slip into Joey-mode sometimes when we get on the phone… hey, how you doin’? LOL

AM is going to be at a booksigning in Joliet, Illinois on Saturday. I really wish I was there to meet her special admirer. heh heh

Can I fast forward a few days? I mean, seriously? Ugh.

The kids are home from school on Friday and Monday. Teacher work days. What, they don’t work when the kids are AT school? I’m just sayin’. Top it off they had an early release today from school. Four and a half days of kidlets running amuck in the house.

Shoot me now.

I have work to do…rewrites and reading submissions for Passion In Print. I have several submissions I need to read through and evaluate.

How do I read submissions? I convert the files for Mobipocket and upload to my iPaq pocket pc. I like it because I have the expansion pack for it, so it has lots of memory. I also take notes as I read. If I reject something, I want to tell the author why. And if I accept something, I get a jump on my content editing.

No, I don’t line edit. I’m reading for content. I expect manuscripts to come to me polished needing minimal line edits. I will evaluate that in the acquisitions process. If a manuscript needs grammar work, I will let the author know so they can fix the problem and resubmit. (For more on Passion In Print and submissions, check out my editor blog at http://editormari.blogspot.com

I anticipate doing a push for submissions once the publisher website is up, however I will take email queries at editormari @ hotmail.com On my editor blog I do list the submissions email if authors wish to go ahead and send a partial, synopsis and cover letter. Please, paste your cover letter in your email.

I would love to see some paranormal erotic romances come through submissions. Dark and dangerous heroes. I love shifters in particular, but I’m open to all dark fantasy romance like vampires, demons, etc. I’d also love to get more historical erotic romances. Vikings, pirates, knights, gladiators, cowboys, etc. Make me fall in love with your hero, and I’ll ask for more.

Writing in first person. It takes a talented author to pull it off. I generally don’t like reading first person but there are times that I don’t even notice. It is those times when you know the author has talent for first person POV. I’ve been told in reviews over and over that I am one of those authors who can pull it off successfully. If it isn’t conceited to say, but yes, I think I can write first person well.

The great thing about first person is you don’t have to worry about other POVs. It’s just one, and generally in a woman’s POV in romance.The author can put themselves in the shoes of their heroine and watch through their eyes the unfolding action. In Beast in My Bed, the heroine picks up a man at a bar and goes back to his hotel room for sex. Simple enough, but in first person POV, readers get a more intimate look at her mind’s workings.

Last night I pulled out a story I’ve written in first person. I hadn’t written 1st person in a while, since the Beast in My Bed and Bridesmaid and the Beast books. The short was written last summer for Spice Briefs as all the Briefs I read were in first person. Many of the full length ones were too–in the beginning. I am still waiting back for word on my hot little story. I figure if I don’t by the summer, I may add 5K and sub it to EC as a Quickie. No, I know–I’ll sub it for one of the EC Caveman anthos. By then will give the Spice folks time to decide. Yeah, it may be short, but it’s hot.

Beast in My Bed is available in ebook at Ellora’s Cave.

Excerpt from Beast in My Bed

Both of us naked, he lifted me into his arms and leaned my back against the wall by the door of his room. I wrapped my legs about him as he plunged into me in a frenzied pace. He slammed me against the wall and I shrieked in delight. His lips moved from my mouth to feast upon my breasts. Taking a hardened tip into his mouth, he sucked on my nipple, working his tongue over the puckered surface, and I nearly died from pleasure. I climaxed, a rainbow of colors streaking across my vision.

I clawed his back as I held on for dear life when my muscles convulsed. He pumped wildly into me but denied himself completion. He stopped short of his climax and I groaned in frustration.

Then he made a request.

“Sophia, I want you to do something for me.”

“Yes?” I asked breathlessly.

“Promise me you won’t be frightened. I would never hurt you, no matter what.”

Okay, did he revel in freaking me out? “You like trying to scare me?”

“Don’t be scared.”

“How about freaked out?”

“No.”

“All right, what is it you want me to do?”

“Tie me to the bed and give me a blowjob.”

Nothing like being direct. Hey, I have to give a man credit for actually telling me what he wants. Most just guide my head to their crotch in the hopes I can read their minds…in their penis heads.

But a BJ wasn’t all he wanted. “Tied down?” I mused aloud.

“Tied down,” he repeated.

Somehow this was not the dominating act I wanted. I wanted him to exert his manly control over me, not the other way around. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this.

“Trust me, Sophia.” He lowered my feet to the floor and led me to the bed. Then from the nightstand drawer, he pulled out leather straps. “Use these. Secure me to the bed.”

Run, you idiot, run!

I took the straps and just stared at them. What the hell? I was beginning to get uncomfortable again. Talk about a roller coaster ride. I wanted to taste his skin, to feel him quiver at my tongue gliding across his body, but I wasn’t too keen on tying him down. And I said so.

“Greg, I don’t like this.”

“Trust me. I want you to do this.”

Five minutes later, I had him strapped down to the king-sized bed. Let me clarify, strapped down completely naked. Damn, what a sight. His cock was rock hard and erect, straining in anticipation. My mouth watered just looking at the solid length capped with a purplish head.

God, he looked so helpless. At my mercy.

Okay, maybe this wasn’t too bad after all.

Standing at his feet, I marveled at his legs first. They were covered in dark hair—not too much, but enough to be manly without seeming furry. I touched him, his muscles moving beneath my fingertips, straining at the straps that secured him. I felt like a dominatrix in control over her pet.

His skin was warm, and as I let my hand wander slowly over his shin and up his thigh, he moaned. Glancing at his face, I saw that his eyes were closed, his mouth open slightly. His breathing was ragged in his growing ecstasy.

I crawled onto the bed between his splayed legs. Power over the moment flowed through me. My cunt was aching for his touch, but I would deny it for now. I figured if I prolonged my momentary satisfaction, this could be drawn out longer.

Oh yeah, I liked this. Surprisingly, I did. I liked the power.

I worked my fingers over his thighs and eased upward, never touching his cock. It frustrated him, judging from the groans. As I touched him, I mapped his body.

He pulled at his restrained wrists and I chuckled. “Ah, ah, ah.”

“For a woman not crazy about tying me down, you seem to be enjoying it an awful lot.”

I moved over him to caress his chest. In doing so, his cock nestled between my breasts. I teased the hard penis by swinging my breasts back and forth.

“Wicked woman…”

It has been a long day for me. Tired for some reason. Went through the normal stuff today–gym, check email, rewrites, etc.–but very tired. Damn cold. It’s hanging on. I will say one thing, I am so looking forward to next weekend in Pensacola Beach. I need a weekend with the girls. Nice thing to know, the book will have the final draft completed. It’s a bright beam of light for me. Then I can rid myself of this book…the book from hell. Yeah yeah, I have to sell it, but that will come. I know it will sell, call it a feeling I have. I just don’t know where.

I love the movie Titanic and in thinking about the movie, it is giving me new ideas for a future project. No, not a Titanic story. (Hasn’t that been done enough?) Just getting ideas right now…that’s all. I am so ready to move on…in more ways than one.

Love the song and I’m feeling…romantic tonight watching all those kisses. My favorite out of the bunch is Keanu from The Lake House. The kiss at the end of that movie…such longing. *dreamy sigh*

I’m about 1/3 way through the rewrites on my book. A lot of work ahead. Luckily the cold I had seems to have lessened. I took a chance and got some Mucinex today, and it worked. Should be fine to knock out some more rewrites tomorrow…after the gym.

So, how do you like the new look to the site? Quicker loading? It’s minimalist, huh? I love the rotating images at the top. Those are paintings of women writing or reading along with a pirate, a paranormal investigator, and one or two nice paintings. I’m still going through making sure the stuff I changed works properly though.

I wanted to add another painting but it’s kind of racy, even by today’s standards. It’s the Venus of Urbino by Titian. I’ll post it here, but I won’t as a banner. Don’t want to give some unsuspecting visitor an MI. LOL

For a larger version, click here.

I’m off to Walmart to pick up my meds and then home again to work on rewrites. Skipped the gym yesterday and today, I have a cold. (Pretty sure I got it from the kids hacking on ME.) I don’t want to hack all over the equipment or anyone else. I figure I’d be okay to go back tomorrow. Okay, okay, I lifted some weights this morning, working on my arms. So I wasn’t completely lazy.

Today I am home working on edits for my ghost hunter novel. This weekend the book took a turn for the better. Saturday I had an epiphany. My heroine was too serious for my hero. He’s serious and it fits his character, but she needed to loosen up with a some more humor. When they are together, the banter is just so fun because she brings out his more relaxed and flirtatious side. I’m racing to keep up with the changes and the tone is definitely better.

In doing the rewrites, I am wondering if I was trying to adapt my style to the other books in the Blaze line, thus making it harder for me to write. I shouldn’t try to adapt my style, and instead I should let my style come through. All in all, I am liking this more. The story was good, but now it is better.

Here’s a snippet of what I mean:

In riding with Daniel she’d made a serious tactical error. The entire situation reminded her of a bully on a playground calling her a chicken. In the attempt to prove herself, she made a mistake costing her hours alone with Daniel–long, grueling hours of smelling his damn fine aftershave which seemed to be enhanced by his body’s chemistry. No man had the right to smell so delicious.

Brooke bit her bottom lip and suppressed the urge to yell at him. Screaming wouldn’t solve anything. She’d fallen into his trap, her tormented I-need-to-come-now-now-now condition her own fault.

Infuriating man. Who would have guessed Daniel could be so…so…manipulative? He tricked her into the long drive from Tallahassee to Andersonville by issuing a challenge, and she accepted without really thinking out the consequences.

Okay, note to self: beware quiet, sexy analytical type paranormal investigators issuing challenges.

Okay, did you giggle once or twice while reading that?

I had a ball writing this pirate adventure. I would listen to the soundtracks to all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies as I imagined Captain Jason Flint strutting the deck of his pirate vessel, The Sea Hawk. In the scene below is a duel on the beach between Jason and Captain Lorenzo Mendoza, Spanish pirate who took Jason’s mistress, Shelley, in payment for stolen goods–namely The Sea Hawk.

I remember when I got the cover for Sea Hawk’s Mistress. I did a happy dance. Jason is exactly how I pictured in my head. This is still my favorite cover.

See more about Sea Hawk’s Mistress (included in the trade paperback Pirate’s Mistress)

EXCERPT from Sea Hawk’s Mistress

Out of the green foliage walked a group of men—led by Jason!

His face was hard, his mouth drawn in a grim line. His eyes were like stone and he walked past her without a glimmer of recognition.

“Mendoza, I believe you have something of mine,” Jason said commandingly.

Lorenzo laughed and waved Jason to come and sit outside his tent, where there sat a few chairs and a small table set for morning refreshments.

“I do not recall having anything belonging to you, Capitán,” Lorenzo said as he sat. “You had stolen my ship and I collected on that debt. We are even.”

Errol Flynn in "The Sea Hawk"

Jason refused to sit and stood glaring at the Spaniard. “We are not even.”

Lorenzo thought for a moment. “Yes, perhaps it was not an even trade. She is worth much more to me than any ship.”

“The girl is mine. I’m here to take her back.”

Lorenzo clucked his tongue. “No, Capitán, she is mine. You have a fine ship and I have a beautiful woman. My hunt for revenge is over. Now leave this island before I grow angry and teach you another lesson.”

Shelley stood stunned, watching the exchange. Jason acted as though she was invisible, yet he demanded her return. A shiver of anticipation skittered down her spine at the thought of his naked body sliding along hers. She almost moaned at the mental image of being tied to his bed, ass in the air, ripe for a paddling. Cream gathered between her legs and her cunt clenched in want for his touch.

Her reaction to Jason was so much deeper than that to Mendoza. She was attracted to Lorenzo, but she was in love with Jason. Her pirate lover awakened the woman inside who yearned to emerge and experience sexual pleasure—and love.

“Careful, Captain, I am not feeling forgiving this morning.”

Lorenzo leaned forward in his chair. “Don’t threaten me, Capitán. The senorita remains as my lovely hostage.”

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribean

Jason laid a hand upon the hilt of his sword. “She comes with me. The woman is my slave, and as such, she is my property.” He drew his sword and pointed the tip at Lorenzo. Jason’s command faltered for a split second before he fought down the outward sign of weakness.

Shelley took note of the painful wince upon Jason’s face. She wanted to go to his side and help him. But his countenance was firm—his heart was ice. He wouldn’t even spare a glance in her direction.

“I fear you take your life into your own hands. You are not well enough to face my blade.”

“Afraid to find out, Mendoza?”

Lorenzo’s face turned angry. “You are a fool, Capitán.” He stood and pulled his blade from the sheath at his side. “You see her as only a slave. I see her as my future wife. I will fight for what I claim as mine.”

Wife? Shelley glanced from Lorenzo to Jason as they stripped away their side arms and began to circle each other on the beach.

Lorenzo wanted to marry her. Jason wanted to possess her. What did she want?

When Jason pealed away his coat, the strips of a bandage shone beneath his white linen shirt. Her breath caught as the men faced each other—anger, resentment and revenge filling the air with a thick aura of negativity.

Someone was not going to walk away from this confrontation. Someone was going to die. Could she live with the consequences of this battle?

It was like watching a scene from a movie as the two powerful men faced off with their sword skills as their only defense.

“Perhaps we should end this feud today,” Lorenzo quipped as he slashed his sword through the air. “To the winner go the lady and the ship.”

Shelley’s heart beat wildly as Jason swung his sword at his foe.

“So be it!” The crash of metal against metal filled the air as the two pirate captains battled upon the beach—fighting for their very lives.

Her chest tightened as her breath came quicker, anxiety pumping through her veins with each beat of her heart. How could she stand here watching Jason and Lorenzo fight over her like wild beasts over a mate? To the winner go her body—and all the rights of a male over his woman.

Lorenzo cut and slashed and Jason parried each attack. However, strain etched Jason’s face with each cut of his sword. His prior wound was draining his strength quickly and Lorenzo used it to his advantage. Instinctively, she moved forward when Jason fell backward onto the sand. She was promptly grabbed by Jason’s first mate, held back from interfering in the battle.

“It is between them now,” he whispered.

Lorenzo motioned to Jason to rise before continuing the fight.

“This is insane!” She pulled her arm from the man’s grasp. “Jason is injured. He can’t last much longer against Lorenzo.”

“He knew that before he even challenged Mendoza.” He paused then said as they watched Jason attack Mendoza once again with his sword, “He loves you more than his own life.”

“What good will that do me if he gets himself killed?” She turned to the pirate and pleaded with him. “Let me go. I must stop this.”

“Do you love him?”

Tears streaked down her face as her heart’s longing ate at her soul. “More than anything.”

They turned back to the men fighting for the right to own her, and when Mendoza slashed open a wound on Jason’s right arm, Shelley screamed.

She broke away from her captor and ran across the soft sand, yelling, “Stop!”

Jason grabbed at the wound with his left hand, pausing a moment to stanch the blood. Lorenzo lowered his sword at her approach. She ran to Jason’s side and threw herself at him. She clung to his body crying and he wrapped his right forearm about her waist weakly.

“Jason…please stop. I can’t take anymore,” she wept.

“Shh, luv.” Jason nuzzled her hair and her tears flowed harder.

From behind her, Lorenzo breathed heavily. “Go. Take her. And the Sea Hawk.”

She turned in Jason’s arms. “You’re letting me go?”

He closed the distance between them. Touching her face with gentle fingertips, he said in a low voice, “I stole a few moments with you, querdia. You will always carry with you a part of my heart…but I see your heart belongs to him.” He looked up and gazed at Jason. “Gold and jewels buy a warm companion for your bed, but there is no treasure as precious as the love and devotion of a true lady.”

Booked my flight to Chicago for next month. I can hardly wait! Spending a week in Chicago with Annmarie. She’s making a list with her friend Misia of things to do, places to go, and where to eat. LOL Don’t worry, I bought a new camera so there will be lots of pictures.

Oh yeah, I need to go over that handout. We are doing a workshop for the Spring Fling conference, and Kim (AM’s cousin) made up a handout. I started adding a lot to it…I need to finish that.

Before Chicago I have Pensacola Beach. The weekend after next I’ll be driving buds Dana and Tracy across Florida to the Silken Sands conference. I’m not pitching but I plan on networking. I am planning on talking to an editor there about my ghost hunters.

Speaking of which, I’m working on rewrites, of course. Cracking myself up as I go along. Its close to when I wrote Beast in My Bed, funny moments that develop characterization. Okay, moments that make me laugh with evil delight. Hey, got to get those moments in amid the grammar tediousness.

Don’t worry, it is all going well.

Oh and the depression… I’m fine with that too. The medication I’m taking has really helped. I’m laughing more and I feel good. Of course getting on the treadmill to work out my frustrations through activity helps too. I have more energy. I mean, I was up at midnight the other night dancing in the kitchen to tunes on my iPod because I couldn’t sleep.

The only real complaint I have with the med is that I am not sleeping well at night. I don’t stay asleep. Tired but not sleepy, know what I mean?

Okay, got 60 pages edited/rewritten.

190 to go.

Uh yeah, I made that lolcats pic.

Edited to add:

hooman=human

It’s the lolcats speak…

Get it now, Blondie?

LOL