Tory Michaels

Six Sentence Sunday (1/29/12) - #sixsunday

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

Good morning/afternoon/evening, for whenever you come by. This week's excerpt is from a now-defunct WIP, though I may try to salvage some of it because I (sometimes) like Marcelo (who does have a cameo in Blood-Mage Rising).

Set-up: They're in a night club. Half-breed incubus Marcelo has just been bragging about his bedroom prowess (his intended doesn't have a clue what he is). She's naturally a bit skeptical.

It took an enormous burst of will just to scoff, “Someone has a high opinion of their skills.”

Marcelo shrugged, the taut muscles in his back pulling his turtleneck tight across his shoulders. “You believe me,” he drawled against her throat. He drew in a deep breath, nuzzling her. “I smell your desire. It eats at me like I want to eat you, to devour you for hours until you can’t even walk.”

So, there you have it. Don't forget to look up the other entries that you can find at the official Six Sentence Sunday website!

While you're here, don't forget to check out Allison Gray's visit from last Monday. Tomorrow's the last day to comment for a chance to win one of two copies of her release, Half-Ling: The Discovery. Winner to be announced Tuesday morning. The contest to win either High Seas Deception or one of Loucinda McGary's back list is open through Thursday, with a winner announced on Friday.

I'm still trying to hit 100 "likes" on my Facebook Dream-Walker War series page before the end of January. If I make it, there'll be a random drawing for a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner's choice). As of preparing this post, I'm still 14 shy. C'mon by and like me, please!

Finally, hope you'll check out the excerpt I posted from the first chapter of Blood Rage. It's coming out on February 8th, and lordy I'm excited.

Have a great week, everyone!

Excerpt - Blood Rage

2012-01-27T03:33:00.000-05:00

Well, guys and gals, I've been toying with the idea of posting an excerpt and decided to finally go ahead and do it! So, hopefully this will entice you/excite you enough to add Blood Rage to your To Be Read (aka to buy when it's out) pile!

Chapter One

From the Bureau of Non-Human Affairs’ FAQ Page: Telepaths

Question: What should I do if I catch a telepath (species unimportant) using telepathy to read my mind and steal my personal information?
Answer: Call your local Bureau office immediately. The Privacy Act of 1974 makes it illegal for anyone to scan another person without a court order. Such orders may be granted to determine guilt or innocence of a crime, if requested by the accused.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Dara rolled her eyes at her assistant’s lazy inquiry as she paced in front of the elevator. “About three hours later than it is here, which means you’re probably in the middle of a date, Ronnie, not in bed.”

A delicate giggle escaped the other woman before she said, “Who says I’m not in bed in the middle of my date, darlin’?”

“Spare me. Just swear to me, one last time, he’s not on the guest list.”

Her assistant groaned loudly, likely for effect on whoever the lucky man was to emphasize her put-upon status. “Dara, you’re calling me at nearly eleven at night to bug me about that man again?”

The elevator doors “swooshed” open in invitation. Unwilling to risk losing her connection because she suspected Ronnie would ignore any subsequent call, Dara shook her head at the car’s occupants and spun to stalk down the hall toward her suite door. “Please, just tell me he’s not going to be here!” She heard the whine in her voice. How could she be so pathetic? Two hundred years of life experience should give me more dignity than this.

She could practically see the other woman’s eyes roll as she said, “According to the Society’s president’s secretary when I talked to her three hours ago in anticipation of this discussion, no. Anthony Caldwell declined his invitation three weeks ago and has made no attempt to reverse that decision.”

Dara’s shoulders slumped in relief. Everything would be fine then. No known child-killers in attendance at the Society’s 80^th Anniversary Bash made for a good evening. “All right, thanks,” she murmured in genuine appreciation.

“How’d the LeTourneau dress look when you put it on?”

She blinked at the abrupt change in topic, and her gaze dropped to her half-bared chest where fluorescent lights glinted off the pale, ropy scars that marred the surface. “I feel like an overstuffed sausage, Ronnie. I wore a corset when they were fashionable and hated them. I almost needed one today to get into this infernal outfit.” So she exaggerated, a little.

Ronnie snickered, and Dara heard a low male whisper in the background. “I don’t need my powers, or a picture, to know you’re lying to me. Sarah would never put you in anything that didn’t look spectacular. Go make your speech, darling. Tell me all about it when you get back to Tampa.”

Dara slowly pressed the disconnect button and wandered back toward the elevator with a sigh. Ronnie was right, knowing Dara’s insecurities about her appearance entirely too well. Sarah, the last descendant of her little sister, Caila, had exquisite fashion taste. The LeTourneau dress, the first and only one she’d ever bought from the exclusive werewolf designer, was a new purchase, bought specifically for this party.

Attending the Bash on behalf of the Bureau of Non-Human Affairs certainly hadn’t been Dara’s idea. But when invited as the honoree and keynote speaker, one must attend, especially when one’s boss said to go or be fired. Therefore, she’d allowed the Society to fly her out, put her up in the exclusive Bearings Hotel and Casino for three nights with Sarah, and had agreed to give a single speech and attend a ball afterward in exchange. Overall, it really was a good deal for her. The short, enforced vacation offered her an escape from the wet heat of Florida in late August.

She pressed the down-button on the elevator and tapped her foot with just the first hint of impatience. Less than thirty minutes remained before her speech. As the keynote speaker, she didn’t intend to show up until she had to, to avoid the inevitable attention that would be focused on her. At least Anthony’s absence was assured.

****
“Would you care for another drink, Mr. Caldwell?”

Anthony looked up from the blackjack table as the leggy blond waitress leaned over to ask her question. He gave her a lazy smile and finished the last of his blood and gin, noting the faint flush that spread across her cheeks. Another lifetime, perhaps he might have asked for her phone number, but not now. Not when his objective of so many years was almost at hand.

“No. Thank you just the same, madam.”

She flashed him a smile that revealed just a hint of fangs and sauntered off. He eyed the long legs for a moment more and repressed a scowl that he felt nothing at turning down what could have been a very pleasurable evening if he’d accepted the implied invitation. What was the world coming to?

“Ante up, gentlemen,” the dealer said.

After a glance at the rose-gold, Atlas watch around his right wrist, Anthony shook his head. “I’m out. Duty calls.”

Duty didn’t call, not yet anyway, but the time was close enough at hand that his conscience didn’t prick him for the slight inaccuracy. If he intended to track down his quarry before they met in the ballroom, he needed to go. His senses, on constant alert in the crowded casino, had yet to detect her, but she couldn’t be much longer. Even she wouldn’t be late to a ceremony intended to honor her.

Then again, when has Athdara Genevieve ever been on time for anything? he thought with faint amusement.

He closed his eyes for a moment to filter through the hundreds of minds pressing in around him from around the casino. For a younger vampire, it would have taken much longer. After more than twelve hundred years of practice, it didn’t present that great a challenge, regardless of the population density.

About to give up the current search, he paused when he recognized her presence. Anthony turned. With little effort, thanks to his height, he looked across the main room to see her just exiting the elevator.

The breath he didn’t need to draw in caught in his throat. It had been sixty years since their paths had crossed, a deliberate move on his part out of respect for the hatred, however well-deserved, she held for him. Sixty long, boring years.

Athdara looked the same of course, eternally twenty-six as a vampire. Unfashionably curvy, lush, and perfect. She’d pulled her long red hair back in an ugly braid. The coiffure failed to detract from the fragile face. So many hours spent brushing that hair. She wore a long, black satin ball gown, LeTourneau if he were any judge, that swished when she moved past a bank of bleeping and flashing slot machines.

Anthony allowed a trace of a smile to curve his mouth upward, and he turned toward the staircase leading to a landing that would give him an unimpeded view of the main room. Now to have some fun.

****

Dara spared a glance at the delicate diamond and emerald watch attached to her wrist. Twenty-six minutes, plenty of time for some blackjack before she went to the ballroom. Her best friend, Chris, who was attending with Sarah, would text if the speaker ahead of her moved more quickly than the program indicated. If nothing else, gambling would take her mind off the unpleasantness to come.

Her hand trembled a little as it fell back to her side, the first hint of nerves. God, why do I agree to these things? I detest public speaking.

As she approached the tables, something felt off. She saw nothing concrete, no sign of anyone acting out of place, but instinct guided her. After falling in love with a murderer, she always paid attention when she got that little tingle at the base of her neck. Other than a dapper human who seemed fascinated by the expansive view of her breasts that the low-cut gown offered, no one seemed to be looking in her direction.

Such realization didn’t alleviate the impression someone was watching.

The moment passed, and Dara shook her head in annoyance. “You’re paranoid, girl,” she said to herself. “Ronnie said he won’t be here.”

Her palms itched, and unease returned as she reached the tables. Her eyes narrowed warily. Someone was definitely watching her. But who? And from where?

She brushed her tongue against one of her razor-sharp fangs, took a deep breath, and brought her mental barriers down. Few other vampires her age would dare lower the protective barriers that blocked out the chaotic mishmash of thoughts from other beings when amongst a large gathering. She prided herself on her strength, the only gift from her unknown sire that she was grateful for.

The rush of hundreds of minds would have overwhelmed someone less well trained. So many poor souls around her believed the next roll of the dice or pull of the bandit arm would bring them great wealth, and so many were desperate for the money. It hurt, feeling their pain and knowing she couldn’t help any of them.

Dara forced herself to concentrate on the matter at hand, despite the whispers of mental voices seeping into her thoughts. The other races simply didn’t have the ability to keep their thoughts completely private.

She filtered out exterior distractions, such as noise and flashing lights, with painstaking care and then began sorting through the minds pressing in on her. Whoever watched wasn’t human; she could tell that much. Human scrutiny almost never bothered her.

“C’mon,” she said. “Where are you?”

After fruitless moments trying to find the guilty party, her temples throbbed. Dara built her barriers back up and felt her shoulders slump in relief at the abrupt silence in her head. The presence was gone again, but she knew it would return.

Lifting her chin in defiance, she nodded to herself. If, or when, they let their presence emerge again, she would find them. Per the Privacy Act of ’74, if someone used non-human gifts to spy on anyone without a warrant, much less a senior manager at a federal agency, they were guilty of a misdemeanor. It was her responsibility to find them and warn them to tread cautiously.

“Would you like a drink, ma’am?”

She glanced at a voluptuous auburn-haired waitress who stood several inches taller than she, even with her three-inch heels, and shook her head. As the woman swaggered away, she fished out her cell phone to make certain she hadn’t missed Chris’s warning text message. Still fifteen minutes remained before she needed to go.

Harry Myers, CEO of Savage Enterprises, the largest non-human run corporation in the world, was presenting her with an award for her part in the Great Awakening. She considered the whole presentation ridiculous, coming some eighty years after the non-humans made their presence known. If not for her boss’s order, and the need to drum up constant public support for the Bureau, she would be at home in Florida where she and Sarah belonged.

About to place her first wager, she felt fingers stroke her left palm. Dara’s fingers jerked, and she stared down at the rose-shaped scar that lay in the center. It was one of the more spectacular, and visible, “gifts” from the monsters that had raped and converted her in 1810. Since no one stood to her left, the caress indicated telekinesis, unusual in the extreme.

Telepathy came with the fangs and hunger for blood. Telekinesis did not. Telekinesis took decades of practice and a great deal of personal power to master. Few vampires less than seven centuries old possessed the skill. Her watcher was back, and they were very old.

She hissed and waved off the dealer. This game of cat and mouse ended right now. Her watcher needed to learn not to toy with the Bureau. The folds of her skirt swirled softly around her ankles as she squeezed through the crowd to find a solid wall to lean against. Dara wanted a solid surface to brace herself against while she lowered her barriers this time, to save more strength for her search.

The onslaught didn’t stun her as much this time. She honed in on the vampires around the casino, fifteen in all. The mage-born wouldn’t toy with a vampire, not out in the open, and the assorted were-creatures didn’t have the capacity for either telepathy or telekinesis. In less than thirty seconds, she found him.

Her barriers slammed back into place as she pushed off the wall and pivoted to her right. She lifted her gaze to sweep the staircase, finally settling on the balcony above. When she focused in on him, her mouth dropped open in an unattractive imitation of a trout gasping for air. She knew what the expression looked like, had ever since a photographer once caught her staring at someone.

Anthony Caldwell, unchanged by the passage of two hundred years, leaned on the glass and metal railing, looked down on her with a slight smirk. Clad in black and white formal wear, his dark blond hair just touching the collar of his jacket, he might be posing for GQ or some other gentleman’s magazine. Photographs and television appearances didn’t do the man justice. If one ignored the dark heart that beat in his chest, the packaging around it was spectacular.

Well, there you have it! Hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!

Thursday Word-Slingers - Guest Loucinda McGary

2012-01-26T04:18:00.000-05:00

Good morning, everyone. Thanks for stopping by the check out my interview with author Loucinda McGary, most recently published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, with upcoming self-pubbed work! Let's make her feel welcome!

1) How long have you been writing?

Since I was nine years old. Before that, I printed.
But seriously, I wrote off and on for many years. Finally, in 2003 I left my day job and made a concentrated effort to write and publish novels. It took me four years, almost to the day to sell my first novel (actually the third I'd written since quitting my job).

2) How many balls do you juggle on a daily basis, and how do you manage to keep them all in the air (usually), (ball = work, writing, family, etc.)

Not that many compared to a lot of writers. I don't have a day job, writing is it. I do love to travel and do that as often as possible, but I don't cook, I don't clean, and I don't apologize for not doing either. LOL!

3) When is your next release due out and can you tell the audience about it?

I'm working hard to release my first full-length romantic suspense novel, High Seas Deception on Amazon before Jan. 31st. Wish me luck with the conversion and uploading.

Here's a brief blurb about the story: In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a mysterious Irishman steals a passenger’s identification and slips aboard Adventure Cruise Lines’ Intrepid. His mission is to intercept a dangerous package before it can be delivered to Los Angeles. However, he is discovered by ACL’s security officer Skylar Davidson, formerly with LAPD.

Is he “one of the good guys” as he claims? Or the ruthless mercenary Skylar remembers from a bloody shoot-out at LAX airport? With the lives of over two thousand passengers and crew at stake, can Skylar trust her instincts? What about her heart?

4) What is it about the romantic suspense (with a hint of the paranormal/supernatural) genre that you like so much?

I grew up reading the great old Gothic romances of Victoria Holt, Phyllis A. Whitney and Mary Stewart. My mother read them, and as a bored teen, I picked up a couple of her paperbacks, read them and loved them. When I sat down to seriously pursue publication, I decided to write the kind of novels I always loved to read.

5) Do you think you’ll move to another genre, and if yes, what to and when?

I plan to keep writing romantic suspense for the foreseeable future. However, my first venture into self-publishing was a complete departure for me. It is a 14,000 word novelette, The Sidhe Princess. Since the heroine is sixteen, I suppose it is more of a Young Adult fantasy story. Plus, it is actually a prequel to my first published novel The Wild Sight. I'm not sure that I'll ever write anything quite like it again, but it was fun to experiment.

6) Random silliness 1: Sweet or sour?

Definitely sweet. I have a notorious sweet tooth -- candy, ice cream, any kind of baked goods and I'm there!

7) Random silliness 2: Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

What is this vanilla of which you speak? There is NOTHING but chocolate! Preferably dark chocolate. My favorite ice cream flavor is Rocky Road.

8) You’re making the switch from a traditional publisher to self-publishing. What is it about self-publishing that drew you in and away from the so-called traditional world?

I write to entertain people with my stories, and at the moment, self-publishing is the best option for me to do that. I had a less-than-positive experience with "traditional" publishing, and decided I would not enter into another "traditional" publishing contract without someone who knew the ins and outs negotiating the terms for me. Unfortunately, I have yet to find anyone, so I decided self-publishing would be a viable way to keep my work in front of my readers.

9) Do you have any thoughts about your experience, thus far, getting ready with your first self-pubbed book?

The good news is: you get to do everything yourself! The bad news is: you get to do everything yourself! Seriously, there is a lot more work involved than it appears, if you want to have a quality product. You need to invest time, money and effort for editors, proof readers, cover artists. And basically, the promotion never ends.
Self-publishing is definitely not for everyone and, contrary to what you may have heard, it is not "the easy way" to publish. As far as I know, there is no "easy way."

10) Do you have any thoughts/advice about the changing world of publishing, coming from your particular perspective?

Writers need to thoroughly educate themselves about the various publishing options. Before you make any decisions, do your homework! Be aware of the consequences of your decisions and how they might affect your long range career/goals.

FAN INFO

How can people contact you (email)?

I'm in the process of revamping my website but once it's done, you can find me at www.LoucindaMcgary.com

I also have a personal blog called Aunty Cindy Explains It All: www.auntycindy.blogspot.com

Of course I'm on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loucinda.mcgary

And Twitter: #!/LoucindaMcGary

I LOVE hearing from readers and other writers!

So how many of things do you juggle on a daily basis? And how do you manage it? I'd love some tips.

So, that's our interview with the fabulous Loucinda! Be sure to leave comments. Loucinda will be giving away a copy of either High Seas Deception OR a copy of one of her backlist - winner's choice! Winner announced next Friday!

She loves to hear from her fans. I've read Princess and Wild Irish Sea - fabulous books, both (yes, I even did reviews on Amazon for her).

Blogging at Wickedly Sex Writers today

2012-01-25T07:56:00.003-05:00

Hope you'll stop by and check it out here (http://wickedlysexywriters.wordpress.com). The link goes live at 8a, per my contact over there.

Have a great day, everyone!

Life Update

2012-01-24T05:00:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I've picked up a few new followers here and I'm very excited about that. Thank you for joining the fun and hope to keep increasing my numbers, especially given Rage's upcoming release. On that note:

I have a release date!

February 8, 2012

Yep, I'm pretty danged excited about that. I got the news Saturday, but there hadn't been a good spot for an official announcement on the blog until now (though I did mention it in passing in my Six Sentence Sunday entry).

Rage went through two full rounds of editing from my lovely editor Karyn, and then I got it back for one final read-through. There were some changes that came out of the edits, including a better justification for why Anthony lied to Dara for all those years. I also redid the scene where Dara descends into a blood rage, which I'd originally told from Jordan's POV because I wasn't sure it would work in hers. The editor felt the Jordan POV jarred too much since there were only two scenes from his perspective. When I rewrote it...WOW. It became (IMO) incredibly powerful. The ending changed and I'm really happy about the tweak. It definitely makes Rage (and Dara) come out stronger. Yay for the brilliance of Karyn.

Also been working on getting Rising to the point where Karyn won't reach through the computer and strangle me with ellipses and dialogue tags when she gets her little red pen (or Track Changes) on it.

I've been incredibly busy trying to set up blog posts (and actually writing them for the visits). I have a pretty comprehensive list on the Upcoming Visits Elsewhere tab, but just in case you're not looking at it, here's what I have in store over the next couple of weeks (through the day after Rage's release):

Wickedly Sexy Writers, where I talk about being a romance writer trapped in a prude's mind (tomorrow, 1/25).
Allison Grey's blog for an interview (1/30).
London St. James' blog for an interview (2/7).
Elizabeth Morgan's blog for an interview (2/8 - RELEASE DAY).
Lynnette Labelle's blog for an interview (2/9). There will be a short excerpt from Rage as well, plus a giveaway of a copy of Rage.

Life has been decent, though I got sick last week. Hubby is working a lot at the moment (beginning of the year is always busy for him because the banks get their new budgets and so they can do all the projects they were putting off in the latter part of the previous year). Unfortunately, he was starting to come down with the cold as of last night. Ugh.

So, that's what's new with me. How about you?

Word-Slingers - Guest Allison Grey

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome back for another edition of the Word-Slingers. This week I have another fellow author from Evernight Publishing, Allison Grey. Please give her a nice, warm welcome, and sit back to enjoy.

1) How long have you been writing?

I’ve been telling stories to my family since I could talk. My mother is a really creative person, and she would tell my brother and I original stories every night before bed. I immediately latched on, and I think I actually began to put them on paper when I was around four. After that, it was history. I believe I started writing full-length novels when I was around eleven. I have actually modeled most of my current characters and ideas around several of those books, but with a more mature outlook, of course. I kept writing novels until I was about twenty, when I lost a boxful of handwritten series I had been working on for years. That scarred me deeply and I didn’t write for some time. I eventually picked back up with short stories and some poetry when I was around twenty-three or twenty-four. I’m looking forward to bringing all the stories that died in that box back to the light. At the risk of sounding cliché, I think I was born to do this. I can’t be anything but a writer, no matter how hard I try.

2) How many balls do you juggle on a daily basis, and how do you manage to keep them all in the air (usually), (ball = work, writing, family, etc.)

I just earned my AA in English, so no classes have been a big break for me. I’m absolutely horrible at math, so I’ll have quite a few prep classes to tackle in the next year before I go in for my Bachelor’s. I plan to take the spare time to make writing my full-time career. It’s the only job I see myself actually enjoying, although I still want the degree for my own personal satisfaction. I might like to teach Creative Writing someday, but we will see. I have a son who just turned a year old, and it’s been difficult to write with my husband at work all day. I’m planning on seeking some daycare a few days a week to focus on my writing, and so that the time I spend with my son can be more fun and focused for both of us.

3) When is your next release due out and can you tell the audience about it? I know our books were originally scheduled to come out close to one another, but I think The Discovery has been bumped well ahead of mine. Will you still have a second one coming out in March?

Half-ling: The Discovery should be coming out in late January or early February. It looks like it’s really getting up there, so I’m just waiting on my “definitive” release date. So far, the second book is slated for a March release. I’m just finishing up my with the third installment, and I think it’s been my favorite so far. You can probably expect to see a spin-off in the future, as the third book sets the stage for that possibility. I’m sort of a spin-off addict, because I get really attached to my characters, and have trouble letting their stories go untold. After I finish this one, I have another series idea, and a stand-alone novel I’d like to get to work on. Here’s the blurb for my first book: “Reney Rose looks like a fashion model, but actually spends her days editing real models into the famous So Glam Magazine. With a slew of jealous co-workers ready to burn her at the stake, Reney’s not sure she can take another day in the cubicle. Until she gets news of an intern’s dream come true. Richard Rogan, the dark and striking senior editor of So Glam, has chosen Reney to accompany him to Hawaii! Mr. Rogan has never even spoken to Reney, but his mere presence makes her weak in the knees.

Things get even more heated when she meets Ahulani, a gorgeous Hawaiian whom she feels strangely drawn to. Only, Ahulani has news for Reney. They’re both half-vampires, and Richard is an evil full vampire determined to drain her potent half-ling blood. Reney is falling fast for Ahulani, but will she be able to resist Richard’s hypnotically wicked lust?”

4) What is it about the paranormal romance genre that you like so much?

I love the idea of alternate realities, since I so frequently find myself dissatisfied in our current one. I’m probably a little loopy, but I’ve yet to meet a (good) writer who isn’t a bit crazy! I also have an affinity towards dark creatures-especially vampires-and they have always fascinated me. I’m glad to see that the genre itself is steering away from the Twilight type vampires, and going for the more evil ones. To me, a vampire should be evil. End of story. It’s part of their appeal. Dracula didn’t get so damned sexy doing charity work.

5) Do you think you’ll move to another genre, and if yes, what to and when?

I actually write horror pieces under another name, though I haven’t found the success I have in the romance genre. I have a few things floating around, and I’ve been slowly pecking away at a gruesome historical horror novel. It’s been more than a bit neglected since I started writing for Evernight, but I believe like all things, it’s day will come. I used to think I’d like to write YA books, but we’ll see about that. Even though my erotic scenes are less frequent than some other books in the genre, they are still very graphic, so I might find personal trouble in composing “softer” sex scenes. There’s also the issue of language. I tend to write my horror in a very formal, old-fashioned type literary voice. I use a more mainstream voice in my romance work, with the exception of some of my vampires; since they are so old, I work their dialogue accordingly. My very first villain is around three hundred years old, so he speaks formally, but with a present day vocabulary. I have another vampire you will all see later that hasn’t strayed into the modern world, so his English speaking is more reflective of my “horror voice.” I find myself jumping back and forth as I write their dialogue(s), from one style to another. I think it’s all pretty sexy, and hope my readers will as well. However, I’ve found that I enjoy working in all voices with an equal passion, no matter the genre.

6) Silliness 1: Sweet or sour?

Oooo….well, honestly, there are days when all I want is a Twix bar. Like a million of them. I don’t even really like the sour flavor, but occasionally I get the urge to shove as many LemonHeads in my mouth as possible. I like to push my body to physical extremes, and LemonHeads were a gateway drug for me. And yes. I am strange.

7) Silliness 2: Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

Chocolate, if it’s partially melted. Vanilla if it’s fully frozen.

It's been great having you, today Allison. And thank you everyone for coming by. As a sign of her love for her fans (new and old), Allison has elected to give not just one, but TWO copies of her book, Half-Ling: The Discovery. Leave a comment below if you want to be entered. Winners to be chosen next Monday and announced on Tuesday (1/31/12).

Come back on Thursday (1/26/12) for our regularly scheduled Word-Slingers, with Loucinda McGary.

Six Sentence Sunday (1/22/12) - #sixsunday

2012-01-22T03:20:00.000-05:00

Welcome back, ladies and (I presume) gentlemen! For this week, and next week probably too, I am once again returning to Blood Rage (which now has a tentative release date of 2/8/12). Dara hates speaking in public, but she's been the de facto poster child for the non-humans since they first came out of the closet. She's getting ready for a speech in front of a bunch of people at the 80th Anniversary Bash of the Great Awakening and, as usual, having a panic attack. Chris is trying to calm her down through humor.

Chris crouched so their eyes were level and all levity vanished. "Just think: fifty years ago, you sat in front of several hundred piranhas in business suits to get Congress to fund the Bureau. They didn't want to hear you, but you did it anyway. The people here tonight - they want to hear from you, and they've paid a pretty penny for the privilege. And...," she said triumphantly, "They're probably half-blitzed on champagne already, so they won't care if you screw up."

"The, uh, so-called piranhas probably drank too."

Welp, there you have it! Hope you'll check out some of the other entries found at the official Six Sunday website, and have a fantastic week. :) I'll be posting at least one interview this week (tomorrow - Allison Grey from Evernight, who will be doing a give away of two copies of her book), with possibly a second one on Thursday.

Thursday Word-Slingers - Guest Ambrielle Kirk

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

Let's give a warm round of applause today for my guest, and fellow Evernight author, Ambrielle Kirk.

1. How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil. J I’ve been writing fiction stories since high school. My love for writing stems from my love of reading. One of my favorite places as a ten was at the local library, believe it or not.

2. How many balls do you juggle on a daily basis, and how do you manage to keep them all in the air (usually), (ball = work, writing, family, etc.)

The thing is, I don’t keep all my balls in the air. Sometimes they do tumble on my head and shoulders. I just pick them right back up and start back all over again. But yes, I juggle a full-time job, writing nearly full time to keep up in this industry, as well as a family life.

3. When is your next release due out and can you tell the audience about it?

I recently contracted two books Winter 2011. Unleash to Breathless Press for the second book in my Soul Bond series, and The Protector to Evernight Publishing for the first book in my Blood Legends series.

The Soul Bond series features demon heroes and the heroines who just can’t get enough of them. They also drive their heroes to do life-altering things unintentionally. A chance meeting in the first book, Liaison, will lead to an inter-connected chain of events to set off the series. Oh, and the heroes in these ones were my most favorite to write.

The Protector (Blood Legends Novel, 1) is a UF based on Mayan mythology. It is kind of bittersweet in that each main character has a goal, but must give up something they want most to help them achieve it. I’ve posted the final blurb on my website for this one here: http://www.ambriellekirk.com/urban-fantasyparanormal.html

4. You appear to have a wide variety of genres that you like to write in (contemporary, paranormal and erotic romance along with UF). Why such an assortment and do you think you’ll end up going primarily with one or the other, or continue the broad spectrum?

I’m all over the place in genres, I know. Lol! Actually I have a few WIPs in genres other than what I have published now. I’m a very eclectic reader, so try my best to be an eclectic writer. I never actually sit and down with a pre-determined genre in mind. I sit down, plot and write, and let the characters and plot go where they. I’ll most definitely continue with the broad spectrum. I would never be a happy writer if I just wrote in one genre, but that’s just me.

5. Sweet or sour?

The first thing that came to mind was Sweet and Sour Chicken. Lol! So is it okay to answer Both. I love Chinese food. Can’t you tell? I love how the sweet offsets the sour taste

6. Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

Vanilla. And most definitely Breyers. Natural Vanilla Bean ice cream to be exact. With a cherry on top!

7. Your upcoming release, The Protector, a Blood Legends Novel, looks to be paranormal romance. Can you give us a bit more about it? From the description, it doesn’t look to be your standard vampire, shifter or angel book.

Looks can be deceiving. The Protector is actually an Urban Fantasy. One difference between a paranormal and UF lies in the plot and in the book ending. In an UF, the girl doesn’t really need the male to achieve her goal, and the heroine in The Protector fits this bill. I don’t want to give too much away though ;) I can say that the romance in this book is a subplot. Maybe it is a mixture of both. Maybe Urban Fantasy, with a romance? I’d be interested in what readers have to say though. It’s definitely not your standard vamp book.

8. What led your decision to go to an e-press instead of trying for a “traditional” publisher? And why so many different presses, instead of just one?

As a reader, I love the variety that you can find with an e-publisher. E-pubs can stand to take risks that may result in greater rewards. With a traditional print only or print first pub, I don’t see that they are able to take too many risks. I sense this when I’m browsing books to read on Amazon or other online retailers. With E-pubs I can definitely find some variety, and diversity, in books.

CONTACT

Email: ambriellekirk(at)hotmail(dot)com

Twitter: @ambriellekirk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ambriellekirk

Website: www.ambriellekirk.com

Blog: www.ambriellekirk.wordpress.com & www.irmcbooks.com

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment on your way out and c'mon back next week for an interview with Sourcebooks Casablanca author "Aunty Cindy" Loucinda McGary.

Six Sentence Sunday (1/15/12) - #sixsunday

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Good morning (or afternoon), ladies and/or gents! Welcome back to the next round of Six Sentence Sunday. This is one of my favorite days of the week and I hope it is for you too. Don't forget, after reading here, to check out the other authors listed back at the Six Sentence Sunday website.

After the seriousness of the past few weeks with Dara & Anthony's angsty doubts and adoration, I wanted to go with something a little lighter. This week's excerpt comes from Chris & Jordan's story, Blood-Mage Rising. Now, these two have some issues to work out (mutual attempts at destruction fostering a decided lack of trust between them), but that has never exactly stopped them from jumping into bed on occasion. It just makes trust a bit of an issue. Early on, while they're discussing other matters, Chris's mind wanders.

Jordan was temptation incarnate, no denying that. Pity about the whole psychotic killer thing. Without that, she might, in some wild drunken stupor, entertain thoughts of experimenting with the whole kink thing that always seemed to linger in the back of her thoughts when he was around.

“Chrissy?”

The soft question yanked her out of a quick and surprisingly erotic explicit daydream that involved her, a pair of handcuffs, and him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the one wearing the cuffs.

Okay, that's it for this week. If you haven't yet, check out my interview with Doris O'Connor here and come back this coming Thursday when I have Ambrielle Kirk stop in, along with an excerpt from her upcoming Evernight release, The Protectors. Don't forget to check out the pages along the top to see who I've got coming in to visit and where you might find me in the months to come!

Adonis Devereux - We Have a Winner!

2012-01-12T21:43:00.002-05:00

The winner has been contacted and got the okay, so here we are!

The winner for a copy of Bride for the God-King is comment #3, Virg_Nelson. Congratulations, Virg. Enjoy your book.

Okay, that's it for this post. Not a lot at the moment, given Dara, Anthony and I are currently fighting over something, so I must go. Have a great weekend and don't forget to stop by for my Six Sentence Sunday entry on, um, Sunday. :)

Thursday Word-Slingers: Guest - Doris O'Connor

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Could I get a big welcome for today's guest, Doris O'Connor? Enjoy, everyone!

1. How long have you been writing?

I've always written and spun stories, literally from the minute I cuold pick up a pen. I was an only child, having to make my own entertainment, and I've always had an overactive imagination, lol. If you mean seriously writing with a view to publication, then the answer is since September 2010.

2. How many balls do you juggle on a daily basis, and how do you manage to keep them all in the air (usually), (ball=work, family, writing, etc.)

Hmm, who says I keep them all in the air ;) First and foremost I'm a wife and mother. We haev a brood of nine ranging in age from 21 years to 5 months, so there's never a dull moment. I fit writing round everything else in between school runs, tax serivces, endless rounds of laundry, dog walking, promo, teenage crises's, sibling squables, oh and more landry ;-) I even manage to sleep occasionally!

3. Your next release is...TODAY! I see the book's called Too Hot to Handle. Can you tell the audience about it?

Gladly, Too Hot To Handle was first born during NaNoWriMo 2010 and had several re-writes since then. It's the first book in a trilogy about the Giovanni, three drop dead gorgeous cousins from a very tight knit Italian family, which has its fair shares of secrets and drama. Too Hot To Handle is the story of Alex and Kitty, who have a passion filled night in Amsterdam, that sets a string of events in motion that changes their lives forever. I didn't set out to write a series, but I fell in love with the Giovanni family when I was writing this, so you never know, if readers like them as much as I do, there may be more stories.

4. Judging by your book descriptions, you alternate between straight contemporary (erotic) romance and paranormal romance. What is it about these two genres that you like so much?

In a nutshell it's what I like to read myself so when it came to writing it was natural to write in both genres. It had to be romance, because I'm a sucker for HEA, though I have sort of drifted into the erotic part. My writing just got hotter and hotter and I can never stop my characters from jumping each other ;-) So, now I'm not even trying to stop them and just let them enjoy those scenes!

I also sort of drifted into Paranormal. My Paranormal romance Lure Of The Blood started off as a short Erotic and then the mysterious man lurking in the shadows announced that he was a vampire and my heroine's boss decided he was a shifter and actually Marnie was his, thank you very much, and yeah… I had a 50K Paranormal romance on my hands. Not only that, but my jilted vamp needed his own story, so Lure Of Forever is almost done, and I hope to submit it soon. Fingers crossed and all that.

I do like to torture my characters on the way to their HEA and there is so much scope for torture in paranormal. *wicked grin* I am putting Lucas through the wringer a bit in this manuscript. In fact my Crit partner called me downright nasty, lol, but it needs to be done. I just love tortured heroes.

5. Do you think you'll settle into a single genre or continue alternating?

Hmmm, good question. All my latest ideas seem to be paranormal, so who knows. I just write what the characters tell me, so it's very much up to them. I tried arguing with them a few times. Yeah, not doing that again—the results weren't pretty! Though I'd like to think I will continue to write in both genres.

6. Silliness 1: Sweet or sour?

Sweet.

7. Silliness 2: Chocolate or vanilla ice ceram?

Chocolate naturally.

8. I see you have what looks to be an entry in an anthology coming out in a couple of months from Breathless Press. What can you tell the audience about that?

Ah, yes. The Blood Bar Chronicles started off as fun project in my critique group UCW. It was supposed to get us out of a writing slump and we were just chucking ideas around in chat. We came up with this challenge.

The ‘Wicked Ladies Of Fiction’ monthly meet up is always a time to remember, and this month the location is The Blood Bar in the dark streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. There is a new element amidst the shared laughter and catching up of news this time, and the ladies of WLF find themselves in a night filled with adventure, danger, and lust.

Every story starts and ends in the Blood Bar. Breathless Press heard about the project and expressed an interest in looking at it and the rest is history, as they say. I am incredibly excited about this Anthology. We had great fun writing it and are planning on more.

9. You’ve also gotten your work into Evernight’s upcoming Virgin Anthology. What’s it like, writing in response to a specific call for submissions for an anthology? Any hints/tricks to doing something like that?

Personally I find it helps to have some pointers. It seems to get my muse working. I don't think about it too much, just let it ferment. For the Virgin Anthology I was mulling for ages and had some ideas. Then one morning I woke up with an epiphany. I had a manuscript I had stalled on and it just came to me how I could make it work with a few simple changes. I subbed that evening and thankfully Evernight agreed it would fit.

10. What do you like to do in your spare (snort, yeah, like a mom has any such thing) time?

Well, most of my spare time is taken up by writing to be honest. If I'm not writing I'm reading. A long soak in the bath with a good book is my idea of bliss. Could only be beaten if I was laying on a beach somewhere, lol.

Blurb - Too Hot to Handle

When firefighter Alex Giovanni returns to his old neighbourhood to fulfill family obligations, he is reunited with the woman inhabiting his dreams. The sexy siren ran out on him after one explosive night many years ago. Hiding behind her sensible clothes she portrays the perfect image of Miss Prim and Proper and Alex vows to unlock the passionate woman he remembers. Mixing business with pleasure has never been so much fun.

Kitty Jenkins’ orderly life gets turned upside down when Alex walks into her school. Their passion filled night four years ago has left her with a secret that threatens to tear them apart. Giving into Alex is out of the question, regardless of how much her body craves his touch.

When secrets spill and disaster strikes, can their passion turn into love?

Except

Kitty’s heart beat a strange staccato against her breastbone. What had possessed her to slip back into her school girl outfit, she would never know. Yet here she was, dressed like some third-rate hooker, about to embark on a one night stand. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she knocked on the door of Alex’s hotel room. All was quiet on the other side, and she was just about to turn round when the door opened; and Kitty’s greeting stuck in her throat.

Dressed in nothing but low riding jeans, Alex smiled at her, and she hastily wrenched her eyes upwards from the incredible abs on display. Covered with a light dusting of chest hair that trailed down to his jeans, they would give any model a run for his money, and Kitty swallowed. Dressed he was bad enough, but like this he was breathtaking, and judging by that lazy smile he knew it, too.

“Room service around here just keeps on getting better.” Alex’s husky voice raised goose bumps on her exposed skin. “Coming in?”

He hooked one finger under her chin and tugged the end of her shirt tails with the other hand, forcing her to take a step toward him.

“I-I shouldn’t be here, really. I’m not sure why I’m even here.” Kitty mumbled the words, and heat spread into her cheeks.

Alex merely smiled and pulled her closer still. “Liar, we both know why you’re here. Question is, my naughty little girl, will you step through the door and expand your curriculum?” Alex’s heated whispers against her ear sent her heart into overdrive, and she leant into his warmth. His clean, male scent wrapped itself round her senses, and her stomach flip-flopped in delicious anticipation. It had been so long since any man had held her. That had to be the reason for her immediate reaction to this man.

“Well, Sir, that all depends what you have in mind, because I have been very naughty.”

Alex went very still at her breathy statement, and Kitty bit her lip. Has she read this wrong? Was he not up for a little role-play? She hesitantly raised her eyes to his face to read his expression, and the heat in his gaze scorched her skin.

“So, I’ve heard. Come here, and take your punishment.” His deep voice had dropped several octaves, and he grabbed her by the wrist and spun her into the room. The door clicked shut, the sound loud in the quiet room, and before she could even blink, he had her pinned against the wall. One jeans clad thigh spread her legs wide, and he raised her hands high above her head, whilst his other hand blazed a trail of heat along her exposed tummy. His mouth claimed hers in a bruising kiss, and she opened to his quiet demand automatically. His tongue found hers in an erotic dance that left her jelly-legged, breathless, and grateful for his big body holding her up against the wall.

He groaned his approval when she kissed him back, and he deepened the kiss, his fingers slowly slipping south, until they dipped under the elastic of her thong.

“My, you are a naughty girl. What have we here?”

He chuckled into her neck, and Kitty gasped when he thrust one finger into her wet core.

“So wet already, and we’ve only just started.” He flicked her clitoris once, and the slight pain caused a renewed burst of moisture to coat his fingers as he inserted another finger into her and found her g-spot. Kitty moaned into his shoulder as sensations built deep inside her core, and he licked himself down the column of her throat towards her breast. She screamed when he bit one nipple through the shirt and bra and thrust her hips at him, desperate to reach the release his talented fingers were driving her toward.

“Not so fast. You’re being punished, remember.”

Alex smiled and withdrew his fingers. He licked each digit in turn, murmuring his approval and then stepped back, his heated gaze roaming over her body. Kitty clenched her thighs together in a vain effort to relieve the hot ache in her pussy.

“Spread your legs, naughty girl.” Alex growled the demand, and Kitty’s eyes widened at the steely determination she saw in his face. “You will not come until I give you permission. Do you hear me?”

“Yes.” Good God, does that porn star voice really belong to me?

Alex’s eyes narrowed, and Kitty automatically dropped her gaze. She licked her lips, seeing the huge erection straining the flies of his jeans. Oh my. He was clearly as turned on as she by their little game. But how far would he take this? And did she trust him enough to find out?

“Yes, what?” His deep voice held an edge of steel, and she bit back her moan. That voice alone would send her over the edge. Who’d have thought a little role-play could be so erotic?

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl. Now strip – slowly.”

Alex’s voice brooked no argument, and Kitty hastened to comply. She fumbled with the tails of her blouse until Alex stepped forward and ripped the thing clean off her.

“Not that slowly.”

His eyes wicked, he unhooked her bra and sent that, too, flying. He whistled his approval as her breasts fell free. He cupped each mound in turn, and spun her around and toward the double bed, which took up one side of the hotel room. The slap on her ass took her by surprise, and she yelped. He soothed the sting with his large hand massaging her ass cheeks, and he chuckled into her neck.

His fingers once again dipped into her wet folds, and she froze when he inserted one digit, slick with her juices, into her anus. Heaven help her, that felt way too good. Heat spread across her skin, and Alex bit into her earlobe, as his fingers continued their erotic dance in and out of her forbidden passage, and her body betrayed her arousal by a renewed gush of moisture between her legs.

“That’s my naughty girl.” Alex’s erratic breathing into her neck pitched her own arousal sky high, and she put up no resistance when he urged her onto the bed, his naked, warm, torso heating her back.

“Get on all fours for me.”

Oh my! I need a fan now. In case you need more reason to check Doris out, here's the cover and blurb for her Breathless Press release:

Blurb - The Blood Bar Chronicles, Saving Hope

Noelle has only one thing on her mind — how to save her sick daughter from a mysterious illness. The night out with the girls ought to be a distraction, but it turns out to change her life forever.

Fate is not something Henri, a two thousand year old vampire, takes lightly. When he steps into the bar teeming with Supernaturals, there is only one scent he finds. Noelle was the one woman he’d never forgotten. She held a secret that could cause a war. With time finally ticking in his ear, there is only one decision he can make — he has to protect her or die trying.

FAN INFORMATION

Email: oconnor.doris9@gmail.com

Web http://www.dorisoconnor.com/

Blog http://thetardisscribbles.blogspot.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/mamaD8

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Doris-OConnor-Romance-Author/241366635885432

Thanks for coming by everyone. Be sure to check in tomorrow for the winner of the Adonis Devereux giveaway. Next Thursday, I will be hosting another Evernight author, Ambrielle Kirk, who will be talking about her upcoming release, The Protectors.

Wicked fun and Edits

2012-01-11T05:31:00.000-05:00

Last night was the night. I FINALLY got to see Wicked and man, oh man, was it worth the wait! It was funny, touching, exciting, and so much more than even I'd dreamed (and I'd expected a lot). The CD you can buy at the store (with the original Glinda/Elphaba) is, in a way, misleading with some of the songs, and that's just about all I'll say on the topic. It surprised me though.

Fyero was pretty. Sad when, about 2 minutes after he popped onto stage, the husband turned to me and said, 'I bet you think he's pretty.' Um, yeah. Hubby knows me. 'Nuff said on that. If I can find a decent photo of him, I think I finally found the image for the character of Donovan from Blood-Mage Rising. He just about fit.

Speaking of things to do with the Dream-Walker War (you had to know I'd work my way around to talking about the book(s), didn't you?)......There was a scene in Wicked between Fyero and Elphaba that my mind kept flitting back to Dara and Anthony. If you've read my most recent Six Sentence Sunday posts, you know she's got image problems and he thinks she's gorgeous. I think Fyero said it best when he said, "I'm not lying, just a different view of what beautiful is." Or something along those lines. It was quite a touching moment.

Currently hip-deep in edits on Rage that I mentioned last Friday. It's a challenge, but definitely getting some refinement to a few ideas, and finally came up with a place to make a couple points that I'd always wanted to make. A certain death scene will get a bit of a tweak which I didn't anticipate ever making. But it's just a matter of wading through and buckling down. Meanwhile Mr. Trevor Kyle just keeps reminding me he's there, waiting (see last Friday's post).

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, if you have time, please stop by and 'like' my freshly minted Dream-Walker War series Page and/or friend me at my personal page on Facebook.

Have a great hump day everyone!

Six Sentence Sunday (1/8/12) - #sixsunday

2012-01-08T05:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome back for another installment in Six Sentence Sunday. This week is the third in a series where the hero and heroine of Blood Rage are having a rather intimate moment (check out the first and second segments). After Dara explained what she saw in the mirror, Anthony gets his say:

     "I see a woman forever caught in her prime, so perfect not even those stick-figures that model for the lingerie companies can hope to compare to, no matter how many implants and hair extensions they purchase."
     Warmth infused her blood as she found herself unable to look away from his face in the mirror while he spoke.
     "Your hair reminds me of the sun as it rises just before a storm at sea, promises of the fire that you make me burn with. An emperor would give kis kingdom for emeralds the color of your eyes. Those eyes look at me when we're in bed together. I thank whatever gods you believe in that it's me with you, and not some other man."

All right, there you go. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for next week, when I have an encounter between Chris & Jordan from the newly contracted Blood-Mage Rising. ::happy dance:: In the mean time, check out the other Six Sentence Sunday entries found here and have a great week!

Exciting Times

2012-01-07T06:40:00.000-05:00

Wow, this has been a week for me.

Blood-Mage Rising has been accepted by Evernight and will be coming out (tentatively) in March. Two books in two months, yay! I will post the cover once it's in my (digital) hands!

I'm terrified.

I can say 'terrified' now because I just got the first round of edits on Blood Rage. OMG. I had no idea the number of times I used ellipses, em dashes, and certain (as they put it) "fancy" dialogue tags (growled, snarled, etc). Quite illuminating. The editor's awesome though and had some fantastic suggestions on how to strengthen the work. A bit of a surprise, she didn't care for the heroine as much as the hero, but when she explained her thoughts, I had to admit her points were all valid.

I've got 3 weeks and a LOT of work to do, because I'm going to try to tweak some of the issues with BMR as I go as well, now that I know some of the in-house requirements of Evernight. So, my presence online will probably decrease for a bit. And, based on the timing from contract to first round of edits, about the time I finish round 1 on Rage, round 1 on BMR should be close to due.

This does not mean good things when it comes to getting Book 3 started. Naturally, I now have a few ideas on what I want to do with it. I gotta work on my timing. Check out one of the (I suspect) characters from it and/or Book 4:

(Gerard Butler, swiped from the LondonTown page on FB)

I have a name for him: Trevor Kyle DuBois, IV. I know a few important facts, but beyond that, I'm not sure what he's going to be doing (I've got suggestions, but none of them WIP-related - heh).

What's on the agenda for you over the next few weeks?

Don't forget to check out and comment on my Thursday Word-Slinger guest, Adonis Devereux. You could win a copy of their book.

Thursday Word-Slingers - Guest Adonis Devereux

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the very first official Thursday Word-Slingers. I am very happy to introduce today's guest, Adonis Devereux.

1. Adonis Devereux is actually 2 people, if I understand correctly. What made you decide to do a joint writing effort?

Our minds run along the same creative path. We agree on what makes a good story and what is essential for good writing, so we're perfect team-mates. We found that our best ideas came when we worked together, better than anything we came up with individually.

2. How long have you been writing (together and separately)?

Together, we've been writing less than a year. Separately, we've been at it most of our lives, since childhood, through experiments with poetry in university, up to the prose we write now.

3. How many balls do you juggle on a daily basis, and how do you manage to keep them all in the air (usually), (ball = work, writing, family, etc.)?

Eleven balls: university teaching, professional editing with Evernight, a part-time Saturday job performing weddings, writing, homeschooling, and six daughters! How do we manage? We just take one day at a time, but we have to say – our three oldest are a great help with the three youngest, so that takes a lot of the pressure off.

4. Can you tell the audience about your December 26 release, Bride for the God-King (cover featured above)?

Sure! This is a story we've really been wanting to write for about three years, but it always got pushed to the back-burner. We could not hit on the right format. We tried journal entries, but that didn't work. So we set it aside and worked on Worth His Freedom. It was only after the release of our first book that Bride for the God-King came into focus. Even then, we wrote three chapters and then scrapped the whole thing, starting again from scratch. What we then wrote became our final manuscript.

Bride for the God-King is about a young telepathic woman who is something of an ugly duckling. Only the hero sees her beauty, inside and out, and is surprised that no one else does. Eventually, when the heroine is sought after as a bride, she trusts only the hero, for he alone loved her when no one else did.

5. Looking at the book’s page on the Evernight site, there are quite a few genres wrapped up in Bride – paranormal, historical, fantasy and of course it’s got some heat to it. What made you decide to hit on this particular combination?

Well, the book is set in the same fantasy world as Worth His Freedom, so the “fantasy” tag is understandable. We guess the “paranormal” tag comes from Elemia's telepathy. It was labeled “historical” because of the setting – swords, horses, bride-prices, etc. And the heat? We just leave their bedroom open!

6. Do you think you’ll solidify in a single genre, and if yes, which one and when?

We doubt it. Our stories always seem to encompass more than a single genre. Evernight called our manuscripts “complicated plots”.

7. Random silliness 1: Sweet or sour?

He: Sour.
She: Sweet.

8. Random silliness 2: Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

She: Chocolate! Vanilla is not a flavor.
He: Vanilla. Yes, it is.

9. What’s next for you, now that Bride’s out? I didn’t see another banner on the Evernight site. Got anything else in the works? Who with (if yes)?

Nothing under contract yet. We had two releases in two months. That was a bit much. We're working on our third novel now. It is a contemporary paranormal romance set in Scotland. We're kind of out of our element here, so we're picking our way through the manuscript, making sure we write the best story we can.

10. You mentioned a contest/give away when I approached you about coming to the site.

We'd like to give away a free copy of Bride for the God-King to one lucky person. Comment below, and leave your email address. We'll choose a winner one week after this interview goes live! - TM - I'll post the winner on 1/13/11 (Friday of that week)

Blurb

The telepath Elemia has spent her whole life training for her chance to marry the god-king in his far-away capital, but then she meets Abbas—and everything comes apart as they fall for each other.
As a half-breed, Abbas is barely tolerated by his own people, and Elemia is cast out of her order of novices for being with him. As punishment, Elemia is to be sold in marriage to Abbas' older brother, though her mind has already joined with Abbas'. The lovers would do anything to avoid this untenable situation, but even if they escape, they will still have to deal with the god-king.

Excerpt

            Abbas laid out the pieces of clothing: first a thin, white smock, then a tight, blue bodice with laces that he laid on top. He also showed her two skirts, one slightly longer than the other. They were woven in red and blue patterns. “And, of course, your riding boots. You will find yourself ahorse more often than on foot.” Abbas was thrilled that he could teach Elemia about his ways. “I'll step outside. When you've tried these on, call me back in.” He did not want to go. He wanted to stay and admire the lithe body she had hidden under her robes.

            “Thank you, Abbas. Yes, I will call you back in.” But she did not move toward the clothes. She simply stood and gazed at him.

            Abbas tore himself away, not trusting himself to study her body further, and his head spun as he closed the door behind him. Ahketh was standing there scowling at him, and Abbas's euphoria evaporated. The Ausir knight represented everything that separated him from Elemia: the Order and its absolute control over her life, and the enforced marriage to Cathal.

            “I hate you,” Abbas growled.

            Ahketh chuckled. “I am not too fond of you, either, half-breed. The sooner we are away from each other, the better.”

            Abbas brooded until he heard Elemia calling his name, more quickly than he had expected.

            “What's the matter?” he said through the door.

            “I need help. I am not sure what to do with this–this thing.”

            Abbas's gaze darted to Ahketh's face. What would the knight think of him helping Elemia with her clothes? But Ahketh did not seem to care. He was staring off into the space before him.

            Abbas re-entered the room, wondering if he might find Elemia half-naked. Instead, he found her fully dressed in the shift and skirts. In her hand, she held the bodice.

            “Not bad for a first try.” He laughed a little louder than he felt, trying to cover his surprise. Elemia's breasts were round and full, larger than he had anticipated. He could make out little else save the slim curves of her hips. He cleared his throat, approached, and took the bodice. “This goes on before the skirts, and part of it tucks under them. May I?”

            Elemia spread her arms out wide and looked wonderingly into Abbas's eyes. “Please.”

            Her innocence and trust both aroused Abbas to fever pitch and hardened his resolve to abuse neither. “Here, let me.” Abbas reached out and loosened Elemia's skirts, untying them and letting them fall to the floor. The shift went to her knees. He admired the shape of her leg, strong and lean, as it disappeared up into her smock. But then he saw the tattoo, and the creeping ivy across her ankle brought him up short.

            “The chieftain said my ivy will never bloom.” Elemia must have read his thoughts, or, more likely, his disappointment was plain on his face.

            Abbas took what comfort he could in that promise and continued his work. He clasped the bodice around Elemia's waist and laced it from the bottom up. He worked slowly. He wanted to take his time and enjoy the feel of her flesh beneath his hands. With each pull of the lace, Elemia's form became more defined, more visible to Abbas's appreciative eye. Elemia was slender and small, but the fullness of her breasts reminded him that she was not a child. The bodice stopped short under her bosom, leaving them covered only by the shift. As he tied off the lace at the top, his gaze traced the outline of her firm breasts. Her erect nipples were visible through the thin fabric.

            “Is it too tight?” Elemia asked. “I cannot really breathe.”

            Abbas knew that the bodice was not too tight. “It's fine. It just takes some getting used to. You've spent your life in a flowing robe.” It pleased Abbas to think that Elemia was becoming as aroused as he, for if anything was too tight, it was his breeches, straining to contain his erection. He slowly knelt and picked up the skirts, raising them around Elemia's hips, letting his hands brush against her buttocks.

            Elemia sighed and reached out to tuck a stray braid back behind Abbas's ear. As he wrapped the skirts around her waist, Abbas could feel Elemia moving against him. She was reacting the way her body wanted her to, but she was ignorant of the ways of sex. He realized had she known, she would have kept a tighter rein on her physical response. Abbas smiled to himself and tied the skirts in place, looping the belts through the bodice according to Rolador fashion. He stepped away from her then to appraise her, but he made sure he kept his hands folded in front of his straining breeches. “I have never seen a lovelier chieftainess.” He had never seen a lovelier woman. It still amazed him that others did not see Elemia's beauty.

            “You flatter me.” Elemia smoothed down the bodice. “It is kind of you to think so. You are the perfection of two races, more beautiful than either alone.”

            Abbas was glad to hear the voices of Volshaden and Jhaleed in the antechamber. He could not trust himself any longer in the room with Elemia, for he wished to seize her, rip the bodice from her breasts, and lick her rosy nipples. He wanted to throw her on the bed, tear off her skirts, and thrust his throbbing phallus into her. He knew that her body would accept him; surely it had already prepared itself. She would wrap her legs around his hips and pull him in deeper, all the while devouring his mouth with her own.

            “They are calling us.” Elemia brought Abbas back to reality.

Wow - your book sounds pretty danged good. I might jsut have to add it to my TBR list. As I'm sure I'm not the only one, please provide me with buy-links for all your newly minted fans!

Evernight: Worth His Freedom Bride for the God-King
All Romance E-Books: Worth His Freedom Bride for the God-King
Bookstrand: Link to both books
Amazon: Link to both books
Barnes & Noble: Worth His Freedom (Bride isn't yet on B&N as of prepping this post)

Thank you so much for your time, both of you. In leaving, do you have ways for your fans to contact you?

Blog – http://boundlessasthesea.blogspot.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/adonis.devereux
Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/AdonisDevereux
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Adonis-Devereux/e/B0067XK2CU
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/adonisdevereux
Email – adonis.devereux@gmail.com

Well, hope you enjjoyed my guests today, the writing team that makes up Adonis Devereux. Please come back next Friday to see if you've won!

Book Pricing - How high will you go?

2012-01-04T04:23:00.000-05:00

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Today's topic is about book pricing, or more specifically a bit of a pissy rant about said pricing.

There was a book I had been looking forward to for a year that FINALLY came out yesterday (felt like it took forever). It had been on my TBR pile since the moment I heard about it, simply because well..it sounded fantastic. And then I saw the price. $9.99 for the e-book. Not the paperback, the E-BOOK!

I'm all for supporting our friends and fellow authors, don't get me wrong, and I know this individual has no control over the pricing of her book. But the pricing of the book is beyond what I am willing to pay and that sickens me, after so long anticipating it. I fondly remember the days of a paperback being $4.99 or so and now generally, paperbacks (even at Walmart) run from $6.99 - $7.99. And for me, that's my cut-off point.

I don't mind (most of the time) paying the same price for an e-book that I would a physical book because the same effort went into producing it, as far as the author goes. But as of right now, I'm not willing to pay $10 for a paperback, let alone an e-book. I'm not in favor of constantly lowering the price, as so many do in this new era of self-publishing and offering books for $.99, though I can see the attraction in drawing in new readers that way. But I think prices can (and do occasionally) swing too far the other way as well.

This saddens me greatly because I'm sure I'll miss out on some great books that way, but everyone has a point they won't cross, and $10 for a paperback or e-book is, apparently, mine. I can't even go to the library to get it currently (though I may ask the local system to buy the hard-copy of it, since they don't carry it at the moment) as an e-book because, like so many publishers, this publisher doesn't offer its works through the Overdrive system.

No, I can't give the title/author of this book. I asked the author and they indicated a preference that I not do so and understand their reasons for it. Nor will I list the publisher because, frankly, I'm not into career suicide and I'd still like to be published in the traditional field some day.

So, I throw the question out to you, readers: do you have a breaking point for how much you're willing to pay for a paperback/e-book book? If so, what is it?

Thanks for sitting through my rant today. Please come back tomorrow when I will be pleased to have a guest blogger, Adonis Devereux, talking about a new release, Bride for the God-King, from Evernight Publishing.

New Year's Six Sentence Sunday (1/1/12) - #sixsunday

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's Day, everyone. Hope you're having fun (or had fun, depending on when you read this). Unfortunately I do not currently have a New Year's Eve scene, so I can't use that. But a couple weeks ago, I promised to do another snippet from Blood Rage as things get cozy between Dara and Anthony, so here goes. This takes place a few moments after my prior post (click here to refresh your memory), when he's dragged her into the bathroom to show her what he sees, not what she remembers seeing when the scars were fresh.

Dara hadn't spared herself more than the most cursory glance in the mirror since the night Xanthea let her see exactly what the monsters did to her, in all its vivid horror, and she didn't want to look now.

Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes to the mirror and stared at herself. It wasn't a particualrly attractive sight -- chubby, short woman with a gorgeous, long and lanky man. What an obscene mix. He deserves someone like Chris or Verissa.

"I see a dumpy little redhead and a golden ass standing behind her."

That's it. Hope you liked and will return next week when Anthony tells her what he sees when he looks at her. Check out other entries by visiting the official Six Sentence Sunday website.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

Here's hoping you all have a great (and safe) New Year's Eve! I wanted this post to check in on my resolutions for this year (2011) and list out my resolutions for 2012.

2011 Resolutions (as mentioned in this post):

Contract on one or more books - CHECK (Blood Rage)! Thank you, Evernight.
Move to Florida to be with husband - CHECK
No 3rd floor apartment any more - CHECK
Deliver healthy twins - CHECK
Get boy into kindergarten - CHECK

2012 Resolutions (clear cut this time rather than buried in rambling):

See Blood Rage in (digital) print.
Get a contract on Blood-Mage Rising and see it in (digital) print.
Finish Books 3 & 4 in the Dream-Walker War series.
Get contracts (if not into print) for Books 3 & 4 of the Dream-Walker War.
Become a healthier person (losing weight, hopefully 100 pounds or so. Follow my progress here.)

So, that's it, those are my goals. What about you? Got anything in mind for the new year? Leave a comment and share, please! :)

Have a happy and safe New Year's!

What Next?

2011-12-30T05:29:00.000-05:00

I've submitted Blood-Mage Rising (aka Blood War), and am currently in no-man's land, waiting to hear back on whether it'll be accepted. I honestly don't know what to expect. It's classified as UF.

So, while I wait (which if history holds, it shouldn't be too much longer before I hear back one way or the other) I'm trying to decide what to work on next. There's always book 3 in the Dream-Walker War series, but I don't know if Book 2 will be accepted, so do I really want to come up with something that might be dead on arrival?

There's also the futuristic spin-off series to plot/work on. That's rough because DWW's not finished yet, so I don't know precisely how the world went to hell.

I could always traipse back to paranormal romance. I'm considering a couple of shorter works set in the same alternate reality, not directly related to the DWW series. At least I'd know the setting.

So, in short, I'm adrift. I need a new project.

In the mean time, I've been busy setting up the new series of Word-Slinger interviews, sending the first couple of posters their interview questions. Look for the first in the series to pop up on January 19 and each Thursday thereafter (save one who's requested to go on Wednesday instead).

I've also started scheduling guest appearances for me on other blogs, which I'm nervous about. This promotion thing is hard! Yes, I like talking about myself, but actually asking people to let me come on their blogs? Eeeeep! Stay tuned for announcements for when I'm blogging elsewhere. That should be fun, right?

Have a great weekend and a safe and happy New Years. I'll be posting on the 2011/2012 goals issue tomorrow night! Also, Six Sentence Sunday returns. Must get the post ready for that too.

Guest Blogger - Jolyn Palliata

2011-12-27T04:37:00.035-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my very great pleasure to introduce my very first guest blogger, the lovely and talented Jolyn Palliata. Please make her feel welcome and enjoy the visit.

Did you ever get a song stuck in your head? Or part of one? How did you get it out? Did you avoid the song at all costs in the blind hope it would stop hammering you into submission? Or did you listen to the song over, and over, and over, until you were so obsessed that all you could think about was that delicious, devilish little laugh….er, what was I saying? (Right. Song stuck in my head. Ahh...I mean, your head.) Now, I know this has happened to every person reading this post, so I’m hoping you’ll relate to my little story here.

Let me give you some background. In October, I released Connected (Twists of Fate #1), and here’s a brief description of the story: A rock group’s rhythm guitarist, Rhys Alexander, dies and finds himself bound inside the body of a woman he’s never met. Can she help him move on to the other side, or will he end up finding the love of his life…after his has already ended?

For a time, I had this for free on Wattpad (where I posted as I wrote it). And several readers asked me how in the world I came up with the concept. The short answer was ‘By taking the longest route possible.’ The more involved answer is this…

It all started with a song—Imagine that, huh?—which began with a synthesized-sounding guitar and a sinful, maniacal laugh that made my gut quiver. (Yes, I do realize this may be an issue I need to fully address later.) It was Disturbed’s “Inside The Fire”. Add a little Framing Hanley (with that oh-so-sexy voice), and Tavion, lead singer of the band Persevere, was born. And what kind of woman would knock a strapping rock star to his knees? Why, a best-selling author, of course.

So here I had two people who worked in the entertainment industry, but were worlds apart. What could possibly bring them together? The answer seemed so simple, really: Fate. Then my next though was “What if Fate was a living, sometimes-breathing, entity? What an interesting point-of-view that would be!” And it spiraled from there. I dug deep into the protag, Devan (the name of the girl in Disturbed’s song), and put pieces of me and my personality into the mix. Naturally, then I had to mock myself and my works along the way. (i.e., Suddenly Impending Reprisals became Devan’s masterpiece, and guess what…it made it all the way to the NYT Bestsellers list! Way to go, Devan!!)

Now, the question was ‘What inspired me to write Connected’, and so far, I’m telling you how I started writing Twisted (Book 2). Yeah, well, I’m getting there. (Remember how I said it was the longest route possible?)

So there I was, writing Twisted and having a hell of a time. And then the unthinkable happened (insert suspenseful music here)…I got writer’s block. I’m talking a stint of writer’s block that could only have originated from the deepest, most vile and sulfuric, bowels of Hell. And, man, was it stubborn! Over a year went by before I picked it up again, and even then it wasn’t because I came up with a grand master plan, or that my head was swimming with ideas. No. It was simply because I missed my characters. So I started to reread/revise/edit the 30K words I had written, hoping it would shake something loose. Enter: two new inspirations.

The first was the Demonica series by Larissa Ione. In the series, paired up mates can sense each other’s emotions and I got to wondering “What would that be like?”

The next piece of inspiration came from Avenged Sevenfold (A7X). I was studying up on rock bands for Twisted (and can A7X ever ROCK!!), and checking out the band members (*drool*) and it inspired a new character—Rhys.

From Ione and A7X blossomed Connected (finally!) where Rhys’ spirit was stuck inside Addison (my protag), and they could sense each other’s emotions.

But I had one problem. I absolutely REFUSED to walk away from Twisted again. Soooo…how could I use this? Well, first of all, Rhys couldn’t be a lead singer since that’s what Tavion is. And secondly, I wanted this to be a fast-hitting novella used to compliment Twisted’s story. What I needed was a supporting member of the band... Hello, Rhys, my luscious rhythm guitarist!

But then I had another problem. (Because I needed more, right?) I couldn’t picture Rhys in Tavion’s band, Persevere, which is a more mature, established group. No, he belonged with some just-making-it-big band that wasn’t afraid to play with the formula, to take chances, and was just enjoying the ride and what life had to offer. He belonged with the guys of Black Codex.

Then problem #3: How did Black Codex and Persevere tie in to each other? I mean, if Connected leads into Twisted, they have to know each other somehow, right? Well, as luck would have it, they’re all friends. (Who knew?!) Eh, okay, so actually two members from Black Codex are brothers and they grew up with a guy from Persevere, so, by association, they became friends. (It’s all in the details, right?) ;)

All right. Now what? I didn’t want to introduce Fate (my sassy, capricious entity) in Connected even though he’s definitely hard at work behind the scenes. It would’ve been too distracting from the plot, and I had plenty to maneuver already! (Hello…dead rock star stuck in some chicks head!!) So what I did was plot Connected so it all occurs during the same timeframe as the first half of Twisted. Perfect! Then when people read Twisted, they’ll get all the behind-the-scenes-extras that were going on in Connected that either 1) I didn’t have time for, or 2) I couldn’t smoothly transition in.

At the end of my long-ass journey, not only did I have Connected, but I shook myself loose on Twisted…aaand came up with storylines for the other eight band members. (I’ll spare you the details on those. LOL) Thusly, the Twists of Fate series was born.

So, let me ask you again: Did you ever get a song stuck in your head…?

For more information on the Twists of Fate series:

Blog: Jolyn Palliata, Twists of Fate Series

Facebook: Twists of Fate series

To purchase Connected (Twists of Fate #1) on Amazon: Connected (Twists of Fate #1)

Looking for a Few Good Authors & Cover Reveal

2011-12-22T03:53:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Christmas came early for me this year in the form of Ms. Dara England's final cover for Blood Rage.

A Few Good Authors
But before we get to that I'd like to put out a call for authors. Starting next year (probably mid-to-late January to start), I'm going to have a weekly author interview session called Tuesday Word Slingers. I have a few lovely ~~guinea pigs~~ volunteers already, but to keep the feature going, I need more. So I turn to you, the audience.

If you're an author looking to promote yourself, or know someone who is, send me an email: torymichaels (at) live (dot) com. Please put "A Few Authors" in the subject line to help me stay organized.

Promotion
No, I'm not offering a give-away...yet! That will come soon. I just wanted to share my initial thoughts as I try to scramble and build some name recognition out there before Rage is launched. It's hard getting up the nerve to approach people about doing an interview, or guest spot. I read all about doing promotion for your stuff on blogs and what not, but now faced with the reality of it, YIKES!

But, I've got a few things lined up (or in the process of), including a potential chat through the lovely people at RomCon, Inc. out in Denver. I'm sooooooo excited about that. I attended the first RomCon in 2010 and had a blast. (see my posts on it here, here, and here). Thanks to babies and unemployment, I couldn't attend in 2011. I'm gonna see if I can talk my husband into letting me sneak away to next year's event (maybe pigs will fly too, but never hurts to ask, right?). Check it out by visiting there website: RomCon. They're doing an InterSpecies Peace Conference with would fit soooo well given the subject of Blood Rage.

Finally, the Reveal

I'm in love with this cover. No, Dara doesn't look exactly like I pictured her (no scars visible), but there's only so much a cover artist can do. And, my theory is, she wouldn't let a picture of her escape the attention of a good air-brush artist. We've got Dara and Anthony all comfortable and then Jordan looming in the background. I'm psyched that they included him AND didn't give me a bedroom/boudoir clinch.

So, hope you have a great day and wonderful weekend. Talk to you soon!

Happy Thursday

2011-12-21T04:27:00.001-05:00

Topic of the Day: Book Length
On my Facebook page, I have almost exclusively authors as friends and of course e-pubbing is a major topic of conversation, either through an e-pub like Evernight or self-publishing. Yesterday, one of my friends asked 'what is the proper length for an e-book'. The responses were varied, though many seemed to think 50k was a good length, primarily because any longer the e-pubs charge more than $4.99 which they thought was the price point for a romance novel. A second response offered also that the 50k mark was good because attention spans are getting shorter.

Those are all good points, but I of course had to chime in with my thoughts. I like reading long books and nothing sours me on an author I might want to try out, fork out my $5.99 (the same as many traditional publishers charge for authors who write the 400+ page books), and find out the book's only 200 or so pages.

It's hard to find book length with some of the e-pubs. I love the fact that Evernight actually shows the word count if you hover your mouse over a book's cover art on their website. I'm a heck of a lot more likely to buy a book if I know it'll be likely to give me 3-4 hours entertainment. The typical category book (like Harlequin Presents - yes, I blow through those like they're pringles) runs about 50k (approx. 189 pages as memory serves) and I can read those in 1.5 hours if I force myself to read really, REALLY slow (slow for me anyway). If I'm into the book, I can down one of them in 45-60 minutes.

So, question for you out in the audience: what sort of word count (or page count if that's easier for you) do you look for in your books, and why?

Blood Rage Update:
I have to give full props to Evernight. They're fast with getting cover art. I submitted my description last Thursday and I got a mock up last night! And of course, it's gorgeous. Made this whole thing feel really real. No reveal on it yet, because I had a couple of questions about it, but soon. Very soon, I promise.

The artist they use is incredible. Check out the incomparable Dara England's work.

Upcoming Features:
My posting of late has been spotty, at best, save for my Six Sentence Sunday entries. With the upcoming debut, I'm trying to add more structure. A feature that will be added starting in January some time will be author interviews. I've gotten several who've already agreed to take part.

Question for you: Is there a day of the week when you're more/less likely inclined to read such articles?

Have a great day, ladies and gentlemen!

Six Sentence Sunday (12/18/11) - #sixsunday

2011-12-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone. Hope you all had a great week and are enjoying all the wonderful entries that are posted for this week's merry-go-round ride. This week's selection comes from my debut novel, Blood Rage, due out in February 2012. (Yes, I just had to say that out loud...hehehe, I'm gettin' published, woot!)

Two hundred years ago, Dara and Anthony split and shortly thereafter she was brutally assaulted and scarred badly and would have died if not converted to a vampire. Anthony hasn't seen her naked since then and she's terrified he's going to turn away when he sees what they did to her. She's just turned to face him, after taking all her clothes off.

His breath caught in his throat but he said nothing. Dark eyes trailed over her torso, along the quadruple line of claw marks that ripped her from right shoulder to left hip, overlaid with a mishmash of knife cuts and claw gouges that left no more than an inch of undisturbed flesh anywhere over her chest and abdomen. The scars continued down her legs and even, though Anthony wouldn’t see them, onto the bottom of her feet.

“You are exquisite, Athdara Genevieve,” he whispered in reverent tones. Her gaze, centered on the plush carpet at his feet, shot up in disbelief. “How could you ever doubt that?”

Well, that's it for me for this week. I hope you enjoyed and will come back next week for more from this same scene. To check out more entries from the SSS wheel, please visit the official website.

I'm gonna be published!

2011-12-16T05:20:00.000-05:00

Wow - you wouldn't think that a blog post with that title would be hard to write, would you? And yet I dawdled over this for the past couple of hours (okay, 12 hours since it was official last night).

Blood Rage, the first in my Dream-Walker War series, is going to be published in February by Evernight Publishing. I turned in the contract and cover art questionnaire last night and have already been added to their authors group on Facebook. OMG - I got to answer a cover-art questionnaire. Wahoo! Evernight wasn't the only one who offered on Rage. I had a second possibility this year, but elected to go with EP. I adore the cover art the company uses.

Now finishing War is more important than ever because I'd like to get it out shortly after Rage, just to build up a little bit of momentum.

Do I have doubts? Of course, who doesn't? Should I have held out for an agent, gone the traditional route? Some would say yes, that I'm being too impatient and that's probably somewhat true. I certainly intend to keep up the agent hunt with subsequent works.

Still, for the moment, I'm going to bask in the glee. I'm gonna be published!

Life update

2011-12-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

On ChildrenWhew, it's been a bit since my last non-Six Sunday post and my apologies. Life got a bit crazy, as it is likely to do when you've got twins under 9 months old.

Jackie took her first steps this morning according to the husband. I was at Starbucks working on War, so I missed the occasion, but he says she let go of the couch and took two steps before plopping down again. Sam, on the other hand, refuses to even push herself into a sitting position or pull all the way up to a standing position most of the time. However, she doesn't really need to walk to get where she wants to go. Sam is a lil' speed demon. Jackie just chills and wanders around as she feels like it.

We got a play yard for them because I spent all of yesterday yanking them away from the Christmas tree. Whew, exhausting. I don't know how my sainted mother-in-law has survived them until now with them mobile and uncorralled.

Garrett, my adorable lil' boy (at the moment he's in my good graces heh), he's playing "fetch the Sammie". Sam hates the play yard, so we let her out. Garrett's being a saint and retrieving her whenever she gets too close to the tree. Jackie's quite content in the play yard playing with Buzz Lightyear.

On Writing
I've been trying to finish War. Got a draft done, sans a couple of scenes and went through for a pass at actual edits, rather than rewrite. That went quickly. Still missing said scenes and now the ending is being redone, but hopefully soon. I'd like to move onto a different project soon.

Once again I found myself on the fence about taking a particular action with respect to my writing. It will determine what happens to the entire Dream-Walker War series, so it's a rough decision. Hubby's encouraging toward it, others are cautioning, et cetera. I need to get off my Libra fence and make a choice. But what if it's the wrong choice? ARGH!

That's as specific as I want to be at the moment. I'll decide within the next week or so and then fill y'all in on the specifics.

Have you ever felt like you were standing at a crossroads? How did you make your decision and do you regret whatever you chose?