Roxy's Flog Blog

To Write Love on Her Arms Day - Friday, Nov 13th

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:02:27 PST

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform.

To Write Love On Her Arms Day is a day where anyone can write the words love on their arms, to support those who are fighting against depression and those who are trying to recovering. On this day, just write love on your arms, and show it off, other people will ask why you have love written on your arms, and you tell them you are supporting to write love on her arms day, and how its benefiting a non profit organization helping stop depression, and make love the movement ♥

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters.

We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.

We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.

You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption. We're seeing it happen. We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need. People sitting across from a counselor for the first time. People stepping into treatment. In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline. We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take. We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.

Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.

The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.

The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.

The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.

The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.

The vision is better endings. The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships. The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love. The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise. The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.

The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.

Feel free to upload pictures of love written on your arms on November 13th!

For more information go to their website

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:05:32 PST

This is my youngest daughter Kiya.
She is selling AVON to help pay for her college tuition.
If you love AVON buy something from her AVON Distributer page:)
Kiya's AVON Shop

Writing on ECHO OF REDEMPTION Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:01:21 PST

With the beginning of November came the start of NaNoWriMo... normally one participating would write 50,000 words from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30th but since I also need to get Echo of Redemption to my publisher, I've decided to complete it for NaNo.

One hundred thousand words...
Today I am barely and I do mean barely on schedule at 15,000 words.

Oh what fun I'm having!

I haven't talked to Kitten or Garrett or Thomas for over a year. It's like going to a family reunion the chatter I have going on in my head. Everyone talking at once and everyone thinking what they have to say is more important than anything anyone else has to say...

Unexpectedly, Eva has returned, crashing the party like a jilted bride's attendance at her past lover's bachelor party.

I did expect Thomas's brother. He was actually formally invited. For a man so outrageously exaggerated...he is turning out to be quite shy. Which should be disappointed but is rather endearing.

I am still waiting on Latisha, Thomas's wife, and children, to RSVP.

In the meantime...I have more than enough dictation to keep me busy.

I Have A Book Signing Scheduled!

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:29:30 PST

I know...if you've already been there and done that and had a horrible experience...you are thinking, "You poor dear."

I've already heard all the author horror stories where no one shows up...Or people are there but just don't stop by the author table...and the author is stuck sitting at the table pen in hand feeling like a dork.

I hope I am mentally prepared for the worst, but of course I'm hoping for the best.
If I sell a few copies of Sacred Secrets I'll be thrilled.

So if you live anywhere near West Chester, Ohio which means from Dayton to Cincinnati...please mark your calendar and come see me!

December 5th from 1pm to 3pm
Barnes and Nobel - The Streets of Westchester
9455 Civic Centre Blvd
West Chester, OH 45069

Sacred Secrets in Print

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:01:00 PST

You've been asking for it and Sacred Secrets is now available!

Buy in print from Amazon.com and save!!

Sacred Secrets TOP PICK of The Month

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:01:01 PST

Dark Diva's recommends Sacred Secrets as one of their Top Picks from October.

Here is a portion of their review:
Jen said: "There was a lot of action and emotion packed into Sacred Secrets. Roxy Harte took me on a roller coaster ride of new experiences and self-revelation. I truly enjoyed watching Celia’s transformation from fetish reporter to BDSM slave. It was insightful, descriptive and, at times, poignant. My heart went out to both of these characters and I felt vested in the outcome.

Without the underlying suspense storyline this book would have still been quite interesting and engaging; however, the suspense ratcheted up the anticipation of reading each page.

This book had a fantastic ending in and of itself, but also a cliffhanger for lack of a better work. I, for one, cannot wait for the second book in the Chronicles of Surrender Series to find out what happens to Garrett and Celia (oh, and we mustn’t forget Thomas!)."

Thank you Jen and Dark Diva's for reviewing Sacred Secrets!

Read an Excerpt or Buy Sacred Secrets now.

National Novel Writing Month Begins...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:01:06 PDT

Okay, so all your friends are talking about NaNoWriMo...and you may be scratching your head...
either you don't know how they do it and you admire them for their guts...
or you wish you had the guts to try but you always have something more important to do in November...
Or, you've tried and failed...
Or you did it once and you just don't know if you want to torture yourself again...

Me? I'm always so focused on whatever I'm writing I don't need something to tear me away from the current WIP. Until this year. This year coincides with a DEADLINE.

I need to say that again just to get it through my brain: DEADLINE!!!!!

Yes, I've delayed, procrastinated, blamed my muse, dwelt on my ideas, waited for my characters to tell me what happens next until I. Am. Out. Of. Time.

So, I am joining the foolhardy novel in a month aspirees to get the job done. Period.

Here is a really good post by someone who has done this many times and has lots of wonderful tidbits of wisdom, which I totally agree with, to inspire you should you decide to join me in this endeavor, or to remind myself what in the hell I'm doing should I forget.

For those of you still scratching your heads:

What is NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. You can actually register here and track your progress! Just go to the tab marked My NaNoWriMo.

If you are a teen or young adult...this site is slightly more cool...and includes workbooks...speaking of workbooks...

As a past homeschooling mom, if any of you are currently homeschooling a child of any age...the Young Novelest NaNoWriMo has great materials for elementary, intermediate, jr or senior high students. What a great opportunity. Makes me wish I still had a young child under roof to torture with literary fun...

Ok, so, if you don't see any great posts for the next...say, month...you will know my efforts are either going really, really, well, or really, really, badly...

I'll try to update on a more regular basis though...

WISH ME LUCK
and if you are NaNoWriMo-ing... GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Blessed Samhain! Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:12:55 PDT

So...
For me and my honey Samhain is our most important ritual day of the year and treated as a two day event...

From Wikipedia: "Samhain (pronounced /ˈsɑːwɪn/, /ˈsaʊ.ɪn/, or /ˈsaʊn/ in English; from Irish Samhain [ˈsˠaunʲ], cf. Scottish Gaelic Samhuinn [ˈsavɯɲ], Manx Gaelic Sauin and Old Irish Samain [ˈsaṽɨnʲ] — "summer's end", from sam meaning "summer" and fuin meaning "end") is a festival held on October 31–November 1 in Gaelic cultures. A harvest festival with ancient roots in Celtic paganism, it was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and continued to be celebrated in late medieval times.

Samhain marked the end of the harvest, the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". Many scholars believe that it was the beginning of the Celtic year. It has some elements of a festival of the dead. The Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhain. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities."

We treat the day as the end of our year and will finish up projects and goals set for the year...for example, last November 1st, the first day of our year, I set my personal goal to have twelve acceptances from publishers and succeeded...so tonight I will also be celebrating with gratitude that I was able to do so...

It's going to be a busy day!

We will mow the yard one last time...
Clear the garden beds and cover them so they will be ready for Spring...
Plant our garlic crop...
Put up our seed potatoes from this years crop...
Harvest the last of the carrots and onions...

We will carve pumpkin lanterns...
Feast on this year's harvest...
Drink the last of last year's home-brewed ale and meade...

We will walk a ritual circle around our home, remembering those we have shared the year with, those we have loved and lost...

We will rejoice and reflect beside a bonfire...

Whether you are celebrating Halloween or Samhain with your family, I wish you a blessed night!

Cowboy WIP Has a Title...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:47:49 PDT

Okay, so it HAD a title before I wrote word one... then it became the Cowboy WIP because it seemed the title just didn't fit anymore...

And now, finally, the Cowboy WIP is "Painted Lady"

No worries, there's still a super hot cowboy...
And a really, really wicked sheriff...

But the story is one of growth...and not to have any serious spoilers...but does center around one woman, a former slave, who embraces her own power by becoming a Painted Lady...

Want to read about some real painted ladies while you are waiting for my Painted Lady to release? Go HERE.

It Has Been Twelve Days ...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:21:55 PDT

I couldn't believe it...
When I opened up my blog and saw it had been almost two weeks since my last post, I was shocked. Where has the time went? What have I been doing?

Oh yeah...
The COWBOY WIP...
Whew, it's finished...before deadline. Life is good again. Now, all I have to do is compose a really great blurb...

I loved writing this book! For years I've been wanting to focus on a historical look at the woman's journey...east to west...on the wagon train.

A long time ago...twenty five years to be exact...I read Women's Diary of the Westward Journey and have wanted to write a story ever since and now that I have, I'm addicted! I'm ready to write the sequel...

LOL!

Well, maybe not yet. I cannot write the sequel until the first of the year, or until after I finish the 4th installment of the Chronicles of Surrender.

Writing begins on the 4th book: Echo of Redemption on Monday.

This week I am officially on vacation, which I suppose is why I actually have time to blog...

Working on final chapters of the Cowboy WIP

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:38:07 PDT

I keep getting strange notes asking me what a WIP is... I guess I thought everyone knew it was my current Work In Progress... I forget not everyone writes...it just seems that way.

Why just the other day I met at least four people who said the same thing after asking me what I "do"...

Their answers were...
"Oh! I write too."

"Oh. I should do that.I have so many great ideas. Or better yet...Maybe I could tell them to you and you could write them down. You know, be my ghost writer. You can do that, right?"

"I wrote a story once. I never did anything with it..."

"Oh, I wrote a great proposal a long time ago and had a New York publishing house interested and everything. Damn, I should write that book and send it to them..."

Sigh...
Yeah, that's why I thought everyone knew what a WIP was...

So, You Want A Job Releases Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:21:15 PDT

Thanks to Anne Cain for doing such an amazing job on my cover:)

Want to read an excerpt?

The ebook will be available here after midnight on Oct 13.

So You Want A Job Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:14:47 PDT

Yay! Another new cover to show off!

So You Want A Job will be released by Loose-Id October 13th, right in time for boss's day. Here's the rough-draft blurb:

Recession-stressed, out-of-work, recently evicted CEO Morgan James needs a job and has absolutely no chance of getting one after Wall Street uses her as their scapegoat when the market crashes.

Financial mogul Donathon Cannon has personal reasons to hate her but is more than willing to give her a job – if she wins the position by competing in a reality tv show for a chance to be his personal assistant.

Will his plan come tumbling down when he realizes they are more alike than he’d ever want to admit? And when he decides to humiliate and punish her in private, can he keep his dominant streak from crossing the line?

Soiled Doves Research...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:25:00 PDT

Writing and research go hand and hand...
Painted ladies, soiled doves, working girls...

Here are some real life women of the wild west I found interesting:

Dora DuFran

Irene Love

Pearl de Vere

The Latest WIP

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:14:00 PDT

Cowboys and Saloon Girls and...
BDSM?

Oh my...

Contemplating Burned Bridges

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:59:00 PDT

Following the full moon craziness, I've spent a few days inside my head... not talking to my characters (because that is my every day) but trying to figure out my real life thoughts and I came to some very unexpected conclusions.

Like...

Just because I feel like I am "supposed to do something" doesn't mean "I have to"... sometimes, it's okay to do what I think is right for me... just me... even if it goes across the grain of what someone else believes.

Just because someone else is fulfilling their obligatory 12-step program apologies, doesn't mean I have to be open to forgiveness or reconciliation. I have to do what is right for me... just me... first and foremost.

And the only answer I have to give for my own selfishness is "Just Because."

This week I have literally been visited by not one but three ghosts from my past... all wanting me to know they didn't mean it when they hurt me... or they want me to know they love me, even though their actions continue to say they hate me... or they want me to remember the good times the way they do with a more negative spin...

I am who I am.
I refuse to allow negativity in my life.

All three ghosts are filled with so much bitterness, anger, sadness, regret, addiction...

What is right for me is to not allow them to ever affect my life again.
Some bridges are best left burned.

Painful wisdom, but true.

Eye Candy for Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:59:27 PDT

Full Moon Weirdness...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:51:28 PDT

So is it just me or was this a very strange weekend?

Yes it was a full moon, maybe that explains it.

My horoscope for Saturday said: Take time to process thoughts on your own. For Sunday it said: Maintain your own balance.

It's all about me? What? Usually my horoscope addresses my needs to nurture, or a focus on creativity...

An unsettling phone call made me realize just how relevant Saturday's and Sunday's horoscopes were.

Anyone else feeling weird?

Sacred Secrets One Day Closer to Print!

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:28:41 PDT

I just received the print galley for Sacred Secrets, so its release is very close! December 1st as a matter of fact! So mark your calendars!

Two Contracts!

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:18:40 PDT

Yesterday Loose Id sent me two acceptances letters!

A Cowboy to Submit To ...
a historical plus BDSM, try to wrap your head around that! Thus a large chunk of my days have revolved around reading big, thick theme history books. So what am I researching? Black Cowboys, Soiled Doves, the California Gold Rush, and the Overland Trail... good thing I LOVE HISTORY... and especially reading the memoirs of people who lived in the past. It will be released in February right in time for black history month.

Survival Instinct...

will be my first M/M release :)

I'm not certain when it will be released but have to assume early 2010...

I am really looking forward to both of these releases and I will let you know more as I have info

Weekend Eyecandy

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:49:44 PDT

Since I'm at the RenFaire Saturday and Sunday, I thought I'd share some of my favorite eyecandy... a man and a kilt...

I also posted at Sexpressions blog about my upcoming release: Prodigal Slave

TRS Makes Stand Against Gay Hate

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:13:42 PDT

I received this note from TRS in my email and felt it should be seen by as many people as possible, so I am sharing it here.

As those of you who visit us at TRS know, we held a summer event that ran from July 20, 2009 through September 20, 2009. In conjunction with this event, we held a hero competition where our featured authors could enter their heroes and everyone who loves a sexy guy of any type could go and vote for their favorite. It was a popular competition and seemed to be in good fun. But between last night and this morning, apparently things took a turn for the ugly.

The staff at TRS was incredibly disappointed to learn that comments had apparently been made to one of the authors doing well in the competition because her hero was gay. We haven't spoken with this author, we really can't wait for that to make this statement, and we don't know what was said or by whom. All I know was that I discovered various messages across social networking sites (Twitter, etc) that TRS itself "did not think gay men could be heroes" and other negative comments to that effect. Apparently folks took issue to what was said by whatever third party to this author and posted that the comments came from TRS itself.

This is false.

I've been in contact with one of the posters of such comments to find out what happened and why. We've accepted their apology and understand why the comments made by whatever party made them would create such animosity even if it was misdirected.
What I would like to say this morning is this: TRS has always promoted GLBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) romance because we support ALL romance -- and we always will. If you'd like to read about some really spectacular GLBT romances, please check out the recent addition to our site -- The Rainbow Studio

http://theromancestudio.com/rainbow -- which showcases these romances by today's best authors.

TRS and its staff -- and those are the ones I can speak for -- has not and wouldn't make such comments that would offend anyone in any walk of life be it race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, music taste, planet origins, shoe size -- you name it. You're all welcome here.

For myself personally, I'm saddened about this because it all casts a very negative pall on the summer event and the competition for me. It reminds me that there is still a lack of acceptance out of there for what is considered different or out of the norm.

Well, it won't stop us from doing what we do best -- promoting the books we love and the authors who write them. My apologies for any upset or confusion for anyone who ran across any of these message and thought they were issued by TRS. They weren't. We'll continue to look into this matter.
Most sincerely,
Tina Pavlik
Owner of The Romance Studio

**Note From Roxy
I cannot believe there are still those out there who are gay-bashing ... I am disheartened and very sad today. I have written several novels with bisexual men and women, and have just recently been notified my lesbian erotica Heart of Change will be released by Samhain in 2010. I have also just completed my first gay erotica Survival which I hope will also see release in early 2010. I am glad to see TRS stand up to Gay Bashers.

Absinthe Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:49:13 PDT

We had a fun weekend with a friend and a bottle of absinthe...
Yes, the real absinthe not the bastardized absinte.

I'll just say a good time was had by all and leave it there:)

Crazy Writing Week...

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:25:58 PDT

Sorry I haven't had a lot of real me updates, seems like the last few weeks have been crazy hectic...in case your life has been as crazy as mine. Here's the official update:

Youngest Daughter started college, YAY
Ohio Renaissance Festival opened and I am ale wenching again this year!

Missed last two episodes of Trueblood, I'm an addict so that is a tragedy indeed. Hoped to catch a bit on You Tube but no such luck... I did however find a vid that combines clips from Trueblood and Marilyn Manson (another fav:) which is awesome, amazing:

And finally, in writing news...
Releases:
REAPER - August 31st
Sacred Secrets - September 7th

Coming Soon:
Prodigal Slave - cover art completed this week, still awaiting release date
So You Want A Job - no cover art yet - projected Oct 16
Sacred Revelations - cover art completed, still awaiting release date

WIP's in progress
Survival - m/m - submitted
Cowboy - wrote 20K last two days...

Reaper in Cover Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Roxy Harte) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:11:32 PDT

Please Vote for REAPER!

You have to agree it is a great cover!