Today’s excerpt is from Ravenstar’s Bride, my science fiction romance due this summer from Amber Quill Press. In this scene, the heroine, Ra’Nara, meets Bren, the hero, for the first time. The word ‘doxie’ refers to the ‘dock side prostitutes’ that frequent most spaceports in this universe. Feha, is a term of endearment meaning ‘precious jewel.’
Blurb:
To escape her dark destiny, Princess Ra’Nara must find a man willing to make her his wife. Captain Ravenstar Bren is more than willing to oblige the beautiful stowaway, but can he convince the proud people of his nomadic nation to accept a ‘land-born’ as the wife of their sovereign?
RAVENSTAR’S BRIDE
Ra’Nara stifled a gasp when the captain of the merchant ship leveled his stormy gaze at her. She felt as though her carefully crafted disguise had been ripped away, leaving her terribly exposed. It seemed as if he could see through her battered body and into the depths of her soul.
While the commander had been formidable, and handsome with his light hair and dark eyes, the captain was an even more breathtaking example of fortunate genetics.
Even drawn to her full height, which was slightly above average for a Cadeian female, he towered over her. She found that she had to look up at him. And he looked down on her, his dark brows knit together over those lustrous eyes.
His face was angular and long, with high cheekbones that were accentuated by a shadow of growth on his cheeks and chin. His lips were compressed into a thin line at the moment, but showed hints of sensual fullness. Wavy midnight black hair reached down to his brow.
Like the commander’s, his uniform was a rich shade of blue that contrasted with the burnished bronze of his skin. His eyes picked up the deep hue and seemed to darken as he appraised her.
Ra’Nara’s gaze was drawn to his bare arms, where his own tattoo stretched over corded muscle. Though she could not read the fine Istrian script, she was certain the embellishments to the design proclaimed him a ruler of men. He certainly looked the part.
She’d spent her life among royalty and had never met a man, including her own father, with such a commanding presence. For a moment, she fought the urge to bow to him, as she might have a prince of Cadeia. In that same instant she forgot who she was, or rather what she had become, and despite her trembling, drew herself up in front of him and embarrassed herself with a clumsy attempt at seduction. By the look in his eyes, it was obvious he found her offer distasteful. Such a man as this would have no interest in a common doxie.
She couldn’t take it back though, and the shift in his expression from benign but authoritative curiosity to annoyance, told her she probably shouldn’t waste breath on an apology.
She moved back involuntarily as one of his hands shot out and grasped the shoulder of her cloak. With a lightning fast movement he tore it from her body, exposing not only the pitiful dress beneath, but the purple bruises that marred the delicate skin of her upper arms.
“I suspect this foul garment is to blame for the unfortunate odor in here, feha,” he said as he cast the fabric to the floor. The term of endearment he’d tacked onto his statement gave her pause. There were many things he could have called her, but “precious jewel” was not one she would have expected.
Ra’Nara made no answer at first, though her mind worked furiously. Should she beg his forgiveness for her insolence? Or merely resign herself to the fact that she had most likely garnered herself nothing more than an expedited trip to a Cadeian prison?
“Do you have a name? Or shall I continue to call you feha?” he prompted.
“I...” Ra’Nara paused to swallow some of her ire. She realized she would have to come up with something. “Nara,” she said finally and hoped he would not press for anything more specific.
“Nara…” he said, rolling the name on his tongue. “If I recall, it means ‘gift,’ doesn’t it?”
She nodded.
“I’m told you were interrogated by Commander Kree, my first officer, and you told him nothing of interest.”
“I told him what was pertinent. He threatened to send me to jail.”
The captain leaned back, crossed his arms over his broad chest and grinned at her. “That was no threat.”
“Captain Ravenstar...” Nara said in her best diplomatic voice. “I...apologize, for stowing away on your shuttle. I was desperate. I don’t ask for special treatment, only passage to your next port of call. I will work for my keep...I’ll do...anything.” This time she was careful to keep her request devoid of any innuendo. Offering her body to this man was degrading enough. Having him reject her twice would be unbearable.
In response, his eyes swept over her and again she felt stripped of her defenses. The paper-thin tunic, soiled from hiding in the livestock stalls at the bazaar, might as well have been nonexistent.
“You’d best be careful when making such a statement, feha. A promise like that to the wrong person could land you in hell.”
“I’ve been there, Captain,” she responded soberly, all trace of regal arrogance gone from her expression. “Believe me when I say I’m willing to do anything to escape it.”
* * *
To find out more about Ravenstar’s Bride stay tuned…
Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Time for a Rant
I’m fed-up with the medical profession. It seems like more and more, doctors and other medical professionals are treating patients and their families like crap. Thanks to medical insurance, which has practically destroyed the medical profession and reduced the quality of patient care to near nothing, we have to deal with doctors who refuse to admit mistakes, made ridiculous judgment calls and drag us from specialist to specialist when there’s nothing wrong with us in order to cover their butts from a medical insurance standpoint.
It’s getting to be disgusting.
This week, case in point. I took my children for their physicals on Monday and their blood work on Tuesday. On Wednesday I received a message from the doctor’s office saying there was an abnormality in my daughter’s blood work and I needed to call the office. Enter parent panic mode. I was out all day Wednesday and didn’t get the message until late at night, so I called first thing this morning to ask about the blood work. Of course no one could speak to me at the moment so I had to wait for a call back, which came of course while I was out at another appointment. The doctor left a nasty message telling me my daughter’s blood work was perfectly normal and there was no reason for me to call [EXCEPT THAT ONE OF HIS NURSES TOLD ME TO CALL.] I was livid at the tone of his message. As though I was some kind of nuisance. He repeated twice that I didn’t need to call, and that if something was wrong, they would call me. Well, duh. They DID CALL ME!
I called back and told the nurse I expected someone to inform the doctor that I was only following instructions and someone had called me in error. Do you think they even apologized for making an error? No. Never admit your mistakes, I suppose, is the credo of the medical profession these days. Being a writer, I fired off a two page letter of complaint and I don’t really care if they kick us out of the practice. I expect better treatment from a medical professional.
That said, this isn’t the first time we’ve been given the runaround. In addition to this mess, they also told me Monday that my daughter’s vision was a problem. She had a complete eye exam in October and everything was fine so when they told me her vision was 20/70 I got concerned, made another appointment with the eye doc who said not only is her vision 20/25, it’s better than it was in October.
I’m tired of hearing people get the runaround from their doctors, false information, bad medical advice. A friend of a friend was recently told her child had leukemia only to find out [and gladly so] the diagnosis was something much less serious. Another friend was sent to three different specialists to diagnose her son’s sinusitis because the original doctor couldn’t be 100% that was the problem. My husband’s doctor recently suspected he’d had a silent heart attack. He had to go to a cardiologist to be told his heart was perfectly healthy. I understand it’s better to be safe than sorry, but when someone’s medical condition is the issue, isn’t it better to be right than wrong? What happened to pride and efficiency?
It seems like doctors today are afraid to make a diagnosis. They can’t use their intuition anymore, so they need every diagnosis to be backed up by a specialist who invariably disagrees with their assessment. Who can you trust? The doctor who tells you you’d better go right to a specialist because you have a serious problem, or the doctor who tells you you’re fine and you have nothing to worry about?
Now I’m left wondering who is the patient with the abnormal blood work? Is there a child with a name similar to my daughter’s whose parents SHOULD have been notified but weren’t? Was the nurse who called wrong, or was the doctor? They said my son’s blood work was fine. Could they have been wrong about that, too?
I’m not a worrier – well, I’m the least worrisome of my family and friends who tell me I’m very calm in an emergency. I try to reduce stress by not fretting over things since I’ve learned that panic, worry, hysteria don’t help any situation. But now I have to keep in the back of my mind that doctors do make mistakes, far too often, and can we really be sure of anything they tell us?
End of rant.
It’s getting to be disgusting.
This week, case in point. I took my children for their physicals on Monday and their blood work on Tuesday. On Wednesday I received a message from the doctor’s office saying there was an abnormality in my daughter’s blood work and I needed to call the office. Enter parent panic mode. I was out all day Wednesday and didn’t get the message until late at night, so I called first thing this morning to ask about the blood work. Of course no one could speak to me at the moment so I had to wait for a call back, which came of course while I was out at another appointment. The doctor left a nasty message telling me my daughter’s blood work was perfectly normal and there was no reason for me to call [EXCEPT THAT ONE OF HIS NURSES TOLD ME TO CALL.] I was livid at the tone of his message. As though I was some kind of nuisance. He repeated twice that I didn’t need to call, and that if something was wrong, they would call me. Well, duh. They DID CALL ME!
I called back and told the nurse I expected someone to inform the doctor that I was only following instructions and someone had called me in error. Do you think they even apologized for making an error? No. Never admit your mistakes, I suppose, is the credo of the medical profession these days. Being a writer, I fired off a two page letter of complaint and I don’t really care if they kick us out of the practice. I expect better treatment from a medical professional.
That said, this isn’t the first time we’ve been given the runaround. In addition to this mess, they also told me Monday that my daughter’s vision was a problem. She had a complete eye exam in October and everything was fine so when they told me her vision was 20/70 I got concerned, made another appointment with the eye doc who said not only is her vision 20/25, it’s better than it was in October.
I’m tired of hearing people get the runaround from their doctors, false information, bad medical advice. A friend of a friend was recently told her child had leukemia only to find out [and gladly so] the diagnosis was something much less serious. Another friend was sent to three different specialists to diagnose her son’s sinusitis because the original doctor couldn’t be 100% that was the problem. My husband’s doctor recently suspected he’d had a silent heart attack. He had to go to a cardiologist to be told his heart was perfectly healthy. I understand it’s better to be safe than sorry, but when someone’s medical condition is the issue, isn’t it better to be right than wrong? What happened to pride and efficiency?
It seems like doctors today are afraid to make a diagnosis. They can’t use their intuition anymore, so they need every diagnosis to be backed up by a specialist who invariably disagrees with their assessment. Who can you trust? The doctor who tells you you’d better go right to a specialist because you have a serious problem, or the doctor who tells you you’re fine and you have nothing to worry about?
Now I’m left wondering who is the patient with the abnormal blood work? Is there a child with a name similar to my daughter’s whose parents SHOULD have been notified but weren’t? Was the nurse who called wrong, or was the doctor? They said my son’s blood work was fine. Could they have been wrong about that, too?
I’m not a worrier – well, I’m the least worrisome of my family and friends who tell me I’m very calm in an emergency. I try to reduce stress by not fretting over things since I’ve learned that panic, worry, hysteria don’t help any situation. But now I have to keep in the back of my mind that doctors do make mistakes, far too often, and can we really be sure of anything they tell us?
End of rant.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Books I've read and why
I’ve been thinking about what makes a reader pick up a book, whether it’s a print book in a brick and mortar bookstore, or an e-book from an on-line publisher. What draws a reader in?
I was a reader before I was a writer, not much before since I started writing in grammar school, but still…the first books I read were those given to me by teachers and parents. I bought Nancy Drew mysteries by the armload because I loved them and since there were so many, I was in heaven. Then I moved on to Star Trek novels and again, there were more of those published every month until I couldn’t keep up anymore. I also read science fiction and romance and wished someone would one day combine the two.
Today I read a little bit of everything. In the side bar you’ll see I have Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian listed. I’m in a holding pattern on it. It’s very well written, an interesting story, and SOOOOO long, that I just can’t fathom sticking to it until the end. How did I get it? I heard all the hype about it and borrowed it from a friend who also said she had a hard time getting through it.
I’m also reading the angel book by Terry Lynn Taylor, which is great for inspiration though I don’t agree with everything she says about angels. I picked this book up while looking for more spiritual reading material. I haven’t read a lot of inspirational books in a while and I miss that uplifting feeling of reading philosophical stuff. I have a bunch of books in my TBR pile, but I still buy new things.
I recently finished Gena Showalter’s Jewel of Atlantis. A fast read which I needed to counteract The Historian. I picked that up because everyone at Romance Divas was talking about it.
Before that I read You’ve Got Male by Elizabeth Bevarly. I got that from the Harlequin Reader Service. Now I’m reading Vigil by Robert Masello, which I picked up at the supermarket because of the cover – [fossils in an underwater cave hooked me immediately].
In my TBR pile I also have The Time Traveler’s Wife, borrowed from my mother who thinks I will like it and Heather Graham’s Ghost Walk which I received at the NJRW Conference in October.
Whew. That only scratches the surface. It’s interesting that for someone who buys books all the time, most of what I read are books that other people have given to me. But the ones I choose myself are usually chosen based on interesting covers or word of mouth from other readers and writers whose opinions I respect.
What makes you choose a book?
I was a reader before I was a writer, not much before since I started writing in grammar school, but still…the first books I read were those given to me by teachers and parents. I bought Nancy Drew mysteries by the armload because I loved them and since there were so many, I was in heaven. Then I moved on to Star Trek novels and again, there were more of those published every month until I couldn’t keep up anymore. I also read science fiction and romance and wished someone would one day combine the two.
Today I read a little bit of everything. In the side bar you’ll see I have Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian listed. I’m in a holding pattern on it. It’s very well written, an interesting story, and SOOOOO long, that I just can’t fathom sticking to it until the end. How did I get it? I heard all the hype about it and borrowed it from a friend who also said she had a hard time getting through it.
I’m also reading the angel book by Terry Lynn Taylor, which is great for inspiration though I don’t agree with everything she says about angels. I picked this book up while looking for more spiritual reading material. I haven’t read a lot of inspirational books in a while and I miss that uplifting feeling of reading philosophical stuff. I have a bunch of books in my TBR pile, but I still buy new things.
I recently finished Gena Showalter’s Jewel of Atlantis. A fast read which I needed to counteract The Historian. I picked that up because everyone at Romance Divas was talking about it.
Before that I read You’ve Got Male by Elizabeth Bevarly. I got that from the Harlequin Reader Service. Now I’m reading Vigil by Robert Masello, which I picked up at the supermarket because of the cover – [fossils in an underwater cave hooked me immediately].
In my TBR pile I also have The Time Traveler’s Wife, borrowed from my mother who thinks I will like it and Heather Graham’s Ghost Walk which I received at the NJRW Conference in October.
Whew. That only scratches the surface. It’s interesting that for someone who buys books all the time, most of what I read are books that other people have given to me. But the ones I choose myself are usually chosen based on interesting covers or word of mouth from other readers and writers whose opinions I respect.
What makes you choose a book?
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Special Excerpt Friday!
Today’s excerpt is an unedited scene from The Soul Jar, my action/adventure romance with a paranormal twist. The Soul Jar was originally going to be released as part of New Concept Publishing’s RELIC II anthology, but is now going to be released as a standalone story. Look for The Soul Jar coming in June, 2006.
Blurb:
When Bree Sennett’s search for the fabled Soul Jar of Ammonptah brings her face to face with Mason “Chance” MacKenzie, the pain of his previous betrayal mixes with the joy of finding him alive. When she discovers Chance is after the Soul Jar as well, she’s drawn back into his dangerous world and into his arms again.
Chance MacKenzie left Bree two years ago, faking his own death to save her life, and his own. Now the woman who stole his heart is about to steal the Soul Jar, but a life he promised to protect hangs in the balance.
Chance can’t expect Bree to forgive him, or to still love him after what he had to do, but can he trust her to help him complete his mission before he loses her forever?
THE SOUL JAR [unedited]
The fine hairs on the nape of Bree’s neck rose and her skin tingled when she saw the jar. Her chest felt tight and the corners of her eyes burned with more unshed tears, but these, at least didn’t embarrass her. To find the mythical Soul Jar – to stand within reach of something that, if all the legends were true, held the life essences of two lovers, punished for an eternity for the sin of wanting each other – was a cause well worth shedding a tear or two. Meeting Chance MacKenzie again, finding out the man she’d once loved more than life itself had returned from the grave, should have paled in comparison.
Or maybe it was the prospect of having to split her profits with him that made her misty eyed. As if she’d make a profit on this mission to begin with.
She blinked to clear her suddenly blurry vision and turned on him. “Well? Did you find what you came for?”
The path of his smoky gaze told her he had.
“If you want it, you’re going to have to shoot me.” Boldly, she turned her back on him again and reached for the jar, but her throat burned with the cavalier threat. She remembered that fateful morning and the tearing pain in the center of her chest when she’d realized her lover had a gun pointed at her heart.
Don’t make me shoot you, luv, he’d said with that charming smile she’d come to adore. Get out of bed nice and slow. Get dressed and get lost. Our little dalliance is over now.
She shoved the vile memory to the back of her mind and reached for the jar. It slid into her hand as though it belonged there. Cool and smooth as an egg, it fit perfectly in her palm. Overcome with the urge to cradle it against her and protect it, Bree glowered at Chance over her shoulder.
He held her daring gaze as she liberated a folded knapsack from under her voluminous sweatshirt and slipped the jar inside.
“What’s the matter, MacKenzie? Don’t have it in you to kill me?” Again, she wanted to add. Her heart had withered and died two years ago. She’d been functioning on autopilot ever since. She’d thought too often afterwards that perhaps she should have called his bluff back then and forced him to shoot her. At least then her pain would have ended swiftly.
“I’m not armed,” he replied, tracking her movements as she edged toward the narrow aisle between the shelves.
“I don’t believe you.” He hadn’t gotten his nickname by being unprepared.
He shrugged. “Try me. If you want to carry the jar out of here, I won’t stop you. But I promise you, luv, you won’t be the one who ends up with it.”
* * *
To find out more about The Soul Jar stay tuned…
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Immortal Lovers
I just got the cover flat for Immortal Lovers! The official release date is April 15th but there’s already a page up at Amazon for it.
I love the front cover blurb: One kiss is all it takes to fall under their immortal seduction…
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Can plot dreams become dream plots?
I love it when my dreams have a plot.
The best plot dream I ever had ended up being the inspiration for my novel Conjured in Flames. The final story turned out a little different from the dream, but overall the important kernel of the story was there.
Conjured started out as a dream about a fire in a strip mall. In the dream, I was a real estate agent, showing strip mall to a prospective buyer. When the fire began, we went into the basement [probably not a good place to go if the mall is on fire in real life] and when the flames finally died down, we emerged in a different place. Where the town had been in the distance before, now stood a castle.
The dream didn’t go on much farther than that, but it was enough to build a story on. The story took on a life of its own and the details changed a lot, but the idea of fire as a catalyst for change remained the same.
It’s interesting how the brain works. Last night I had a plot dream. Technically it was a fan-fiction dream. I love those, too.
I was only a passing fan of the TV series JAG, but being a die-hard shipper, I had a soft spot for the relationship between Sara MacKenzie and Harmon Rabb. In the dream I had, Mac and Harm were in a car driving to a naval hospital. They were arguing about the transfer Harm had requested. Mac didn’t want him to leave but she didn’t want to admit how she felt about him. [Unresolved sexual tension, even in a dream!] They arrived at the hospital and Harm went off to a meeting and Mac went off to one of the wards to investigate and an epidemic broke out. Mac was trapped in the isolation ward with the sick patients and Harm was on the outside, unable to get in because of the lock down.
I never get to sleep long enough to finish these really cool dreams, so I don’t know what happened. But I’d love to find out. This certainly isn’t a unique plot, but it made for a great dream and who knows, it might even provide an ‘adventure seed’ for a future story. Not that I need any more seeds. What I really need is a bigger garden to grow them in.
Ah well. Off to sleep, perchance to dream…
The best plot dream I ever had ended up being the inspiration for my novel Conjured in Flames. The final story turned out a little different from the dream, but overall the important kernel of the story was there.
Conjured started out as a dream about a fire in a strip mall. In the dream, I was a real estate agent, showing strip mall to a prospective buyer. When the fire began, we went into the basement [probably not a good place to go if the mall is on fire in real life] and when the flames finally died down, we emerged in a different place. Where the town had been in the distance before, now stood a castle.
The dream didn’t go on much farther than that, but it was enough to build a story on. The story took on a life of its own and the details changed a lot, but the idea of fire as a catalyst for change remained the same.
It’s interesting how the brain works. Last night I had a plot dream. Technically it was a fan-fiction dream. I love those, too.
I was only a passing fan of the TV series JAG, but being a die-hard shipper, I had a soft spot for the relationship between Sara MacKenzie and Harmon Rabb. In the dream I had, Mac and Harm were in a car driving to a naval hospital. They were arguing about the transfer Harm had requested. Mac didn’t want him to leave but she didn’t want to admit how she felt about him. [Unresolved sexual tension, even in a dream!] They arrived at the hospital and Harm went off to a meeting and Mac went off to one of the wards to investigate and an epidemic broke out. Mac was trapped in the isolation ward with the sick patients and Harm was on the outside, unable to get in because of the lock down.
I never get to sleep long enough to finish these really cool dreams, so I don’t know what happened. But I’d love to find out. This certainly isn’t a unique plot, but it made for a great dream and who knows, it might even provide an ‘adventure seed’ for a future story. Not that I need any more seeds. What I really need is a bigger garden to grow them in.
Ah well. Off to sleep, perchance to dream…
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Diva Blogs
I've finally visited all the Diva blogs listed in the side bar. Now I'm going to try to visit them all again and leave a comment if possible.
Monday, April 10, 2006
And the winners are...
The Winner of Jennifer’s Birthday Bonanza is:
Jennybrat
Who requested a copy of Fresh Blood
Please e-mail me at jcolgan@newoa.com and let me know your file preference
.html, .pdf or .lit
Congratulations!!
The winner of Bernadette’s Birthday Bonanza is
Shuck Ying
Who requested a copy of Hunter’s Moon
Please e-mail me at bgardner@newoa.com and let me know your file preference
.html, .pdf or .lit
Jennybrat
Who requested a copy of Fresh Blood
Please e-mail me at jcolgan@newoa.com and let me know your file preference
.html, .pdf or .lit
Congratulations!!
The winner of Bernadette’s Birthday Bonanza is
Shuck Ying
Who requested a copy of Hunter’s Moon
Please e-mail me at bgardner@newoa.com and let me know your file preference
.html, .pdf or .lit
Congratulations!!
Thank you everyone who participated. There will be more contests in the future so stay tuned.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Tomorrow is. . .
1. My birthday and the day I announce the winners of my Birthday Bonanza Contest! Good luck to everyone and thank you again to everyone who entered and wished me a happy Birth-aversary! I will also post the winners on my website contest pages. You still have time to enter: So click here to read the rules.
2. My blog day at Amber Quill Press Authors Blog. I haven’t written my blog post yet, so it will be as much a surprise to me as to everyone else.
3. Futuristic and Sci-Fi Day at New Concepts Publishing Readers Group. This is the last day of the Backlist Blitz so hop on over and check out some sizzling excerpts from the wonderful authors at NCP!
4. Monday. Nuff said.
2. My blog day at Amber Quill Press Authors Blog. I haven’t written my blog post yet, so it will be as much a surprise to me as to everyone else.
3. Futuristic and Sci-Fi Day at New Concepts Publishing Readers Group. This is the last day of the Backlist Blitz so hop on over and check out some sizzling excerpts from the wonderful authors at NCP!
4. Monday. Nuff said.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Strange Behavior
Ever watch a dog dream? I get a kick out of watching my dog sleep. He used to sleep curled on his back with all four paws in the air. For a while he slept with his nose buried in the cushions of the love seat. Now that his bed is on the floor, he sleeps with his body on the cushions and his head on the floor [and I know he does that just to make me feel bad for him].
No matter what position he’s in, though usually mid-afternoon during his power nap, he has a dream. I know he’s dreaming because his feet usually move as if he’s running. Sometimes he whimpers or even barks in his sleep and paws at things like maybe in his dream he’s digging a hole or something.
I usually stop working and watch for a while and just wonder what he might be doing in his furry little mind. Is he chasing a squirrel or finding a steak someone accidentally left buried in the yard? Is he running after a ball or a cat or just taking a stroll through dog heaven where everything is edible and nobody makes him wipe his feet after playing in the mud?
When he wakes up from his dream, he usually looks a little dazed like he’s temporarily forgotten where he is. He blinks a few times and looks around to get his bearings, then he usually expects a treat and a trip outside. I guess maybe he’s looking for that steak.
PS:
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th. You can respond to any current post on my blog as well as the original contest post!
Friday, April 07, 2006
Best Seller Excerpt!
I just found out that Ken’Ja is #1 on the Amber Quill Press 1st Quarter Best Seller List!
I’d planned on vampires today to go along with NCP’s Back List Blitz Paranormal Day, but I figured Ken’Ja warranted a short, and hopefully enticing excerpt. Next week – something brand new. . .maybe from The Soul Jar.
5 ANGELS! Bernadette Gardner instantly grabs the reader’s attention… Ken’Ja has earned 5 Angels for its imaginative story, passion, and touching romance! – Shayley, Fallen Angel Reviews
KEN’JA
The Ken'Ja scoured his body in fevered waves and he awoke screaming. Where was his woman? He needed her now! He needed to sate his desires before the pain became unbearable.
He rolled onto his stomach and pulled himself up on his hands and knees. Crouching low like an animal, he scanned the cave for any sign of her.
Her scent came to him from the spot where she'd rested that afternoon. He pawed at the damp earth and brought the essence of her to his nose.
He'd find her.
Tige raced from the cave, incoherent and directionless.
Find her! Take her!
The Ken'Ja ruled his thoughts now and his tepir ruled his body. By daybreak, he swore to himself with a groan, his body would rule hers or one of them would die.
* * *
To find out more about Ken’Ja, go to:
http://amberquill.com/Kenja.html
PS:
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th. You can respond to any current post on my blog as well as the original contest post!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
More on Taking Chances
I'd wanted to be a full-time novelist ever since I was ten years old… - novelist Nikki Gemmell
This article could have been written by me [except for the BBC part]. I stumbled across this first thing this morning in between checking my e-mail and my message boards. I saw a little image on my home page that lead me to the International Museum of Women on Yahoo Health.
So, even though I'd always wanted to be a writer, when I went to university I thought, "I can't just be a poet sobbing in a garret because I can't make a living out of that."
I never usually click on things that look like advertisements but this one caught my attention and in keeping with the angel theme from yesterday, I had to wonder why I made my way to this article. After blogging about guilt and responsibility, it certainly helped my state of mind to find another writer in the same boat.
...that the most satisfying life is a life doing what you really want to do.
I can’t agree more.
Here’s the link to the homepage. Lot’s of interesting articles.
http://blogs.health.yahoo.com/intlwomen/
PS:
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th. You can respond to any current post on my blog as well as the original contest post!
This article could have been written by me [except for the BBC part]. I stumbled across this first thing this morning in between checking my e-mail and my message boards. I saw a little image on my home page that lead me to the International Museum of Women on Yahoo Health.
So, even though I'd always wanted to be a writer, when I went to university I thought, "I can't just be a poet sobbing in a garret because I can't make a living out of that."
I never usually click on things that look like advertisements but this one caught my attention and in keeping with the angel theme from yesterday, I had to wonder why I made my way to this article. After blogging about guilt and responsibility, it certainly helped my state of mind to find another writer in the same boat.
...that the most satisfying life is a life doing what you really want to do.
I can’t agree more.
Here’s the link to the homepage. Lot’s of interesting articles.
http://blogs.health.yahoo.com/intlwomen/
PS:
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th. You can respond to any current post on my blog as well as the original contest post!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Risks and Rewards
To know and follow our deepest aspirations may require taking a risk or two.
Terry Lynn Taylor, Messengers of Love, Light and Grace
I’m reading another book about angels. The above quote hit me square in the eye yesterday as kind of a little reminder [maybe one of those messages from an angel?] that we can’t accomplish much in this life without taking risks. I still struggle with doubt and worst of all, guilt, every day for wanting to pursue my writing career. No one is heaping the guilt on me but me. My husband is completely supportive; I know my kids are benefiting from having a mom who is home 90% of the time, and even my mother has said I have nothing to feel guilty about. Yet I still feel sort of like a thief, stealing this time I’ve taken to work on my dream as if I don’t deserve it.
I feel like I have to produce every day or else I’m not justifying my decision. That, in itself sucks some of the joy from this endeavor. There’s no one ticking off marks on a calendar or tallying my royalty checks to see if they measure up to what my yearly salary might have been at a full time job. Nevertheless, I hover around my computer even when I’m too tired to think creatively, figuring if I put in another hour I’ll be that much closer to my goal.
This quote reminded me that even though I’m taking a risk by pursuing my dream, I still need to treat it as a dream, not a chore. I think I’m going to knock off early today and read a little more about angels.
PS:
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th. You can respond to any current post on my blog as well as the original contest post!
Angel Image
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Synopsis...killing...me...
Today was one of those utterly non-productive days. I sat here at the computer a lot starting at pages with words on them and trying to make something sensical come out on the screen in front of me and all that came out was gar-bage.
It's a mental block. I've written synopses before. I can do it. But this one is killing me. I'm getting nowhere. I polished my query letter, did some research on agents and even wrote a brief pre-story synopsis for a short anthology story I'm planning for Amber Quill. No problems there.
I'm sure I'm worrying too much about it and I should just do it and not get so uptight, but I feel like this synopsis is what's going to sell the book. Not the query, not the chapters, but the synopsis. Right or wrong, it's making me insane. I need to take a break and gain some perspective. Aaaaaaagh!
Don’t forget, my contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th.
It's a mental block. I've written synopses before. I can do it. But this one is killing me. I'm getting nowhere. I polished my query letter, did some research on agents and even wrote a brief pre-story synopsis for a short anthology story I'm planning for Amber Quill. No problems there.
I'm sure I'm worrying too much about it and I should just do it and not get so uptight, but I feel like this synopsis is what's going to sell the book. Not the query, not the chapters, but the synopsis. Right or wrong, it's making me insane. I need to take a break and gain some perspective. Aaaaaaagh!
Don’t forget, my contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Thank you!
Thank you to everybody who has entered my contest so far, either here or by e-mail. I’m thrilled to see which books everyone is interested in.
Don’t forget, the contest continues until April 9th and I will announce the winners on the 10th.
Between now and then I hope to complete the synopsis of my contemporary romantic fantasy and start querying agents. I’m trying not to be nervous about it. Hey, it’s just another part of the process, right? I can’t chicken out now.
In other news...
Fresh Blood just received a 5-Heart review from Suite Magazine!
5 Hearts The night heats up …with this intoxicating quick read ~Lysa Demorest SUITE Magazine
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Two Voices, Two Winners Birthday Bonanza!
To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday I’ll be announcing the winners of my Birthday Bonanza contest on April 10th. Anyone who posts to my blog with the name of the book they’d like to read, between now and April 9th will be eligible to win their choice of any one of my available electronic titles. Or e-mail me the name of the book you’d like to win at jcolgan@newoa.com or bgardner@newoa.com
All you have to do is tell me which Bernadette Gardner or Jennifer Colgan title you’d like to win. I’ll pick two winners at random on April 10th and announce your names here! One will win their choice of Jennifer’s titles and one will win their choice of Bernadette’s titles.
[Winners will receive the download of their choice of electronic title in .pdf, .html or .lit format. Winner must be 18 years or older]
All you have to do is tell me which Bernadette Gardner or Jennifer Colgan title you’d like to win. I’ll pick two winners at random on April 10th and announce your names here! One will win their choice of Jennifer’s titles and one will win their choice of Bernadette’s titles.
[Winners will receive the download of their choice of electronic title in .pdf, .html or .lit format. Winner must be 18 years or older]
Friday, March 31, 2006
Exclusive Excerpt!
Today’s excerpt is from my upcoming New Concepts release, FLIGHT OF THE VALKYRIE. FLIGHT was the second novel I ever wrote [the first one is the one I will keep in a drawer forever]. I’m thrilled that it’s going to have a home with NCP. Look for FLIGHT OF THE VALKYRIE in April 2006.
Blurb:
Arrested for the murder of thirty members of the High Council of the planet Carnelia, Sienna McCade could face a hundred years in cryogenic suspension, the maximum punishment allowable by Galactic law. Jordan Dane is the Courier assigned to transport Sienna’s cryo-stasis tube to a prison ship, where she will remain until her trial.
When his ship crashes and Jordan is injured, he finds himself at the mercy of the beautiful assassin. He knows he owes her a debt of gratitude for saving his life, but he can’t ignore his mission. Should he deny his growing feelings for her and turn her over to the authorities, or risk everything to help her prove her innocence and spare her a hundred years in cryo sleep?
FLIGHT OF THE VALKYRIE
The journey out of cryo sleep took a lot longer than the journey in, but the process was no less unpleasant. Sienna exhaled the breath she’d been holding forever and gasped convulsively on the intake of the next. She smelled and tasted the cryogen gases but the sweet aroma was fading. How long had she slept?
Sienna wasn’t sure if what she saw was real. A green haze surrounded her and the world had a glassy, liquid appearance. Wires and panels of telltale lights flickered at the periphery of her vision. She couldn’t move her eyes or her head, so her whole world consisted of what she saw through the small rectangle of glass inches in front of her face. After a moment, the images began to blur and Sienna realized her own breath was fogging the window.
I’m trapped, she thought, and bit back a scream. Her lungs could not have complied anyway. They were still thick with the remnants of the gas. Someone had turned off the cryogen agents, but had not yet opened the stasis tube. It seemed she had been awakened only to slowly suffocate in her metal prison.
Sienna tried to control her breathing as feeling returned to the muscles around her lungs. Each breath she drew was deeper but more labored than the last. She wouldn’t last long in the tube, and as far as she knew there was no way to open one from the inside. When she was able to move her arms again, she brought her hands up to the glass and pushed. Her muscles felt like rubber. Even if she could open the tube, she didn’t have the strength to lift the lid.
“Help me!” she called, but her voice sounded distant even to her own ears. With almost no air to carry it and thick layers of protective glass and metal around her, no one would hear her anyway.
She kicked her legs and heard a dull metallic thud. At least her legs worked now. The tingling in her limbs faded rapidly as the paralysis drained downward. Just as the cold snake had wound its way through her system when the technicians put her under, it slithered away now and left an empty feeling in its wake. A dull ache began at the back of her neck, but she didn’t have time to wonder what caused it. Blackness descended for an instant and in that brief moment when the nothingness returned, Sienna panicked.
She kicked as hard as she could and pounded on the glass in front of her to no avail. She hauled shuddering breaths of stale air into her tortured lungs. It was pointless to try to breathe carbon monoxide. She might as well have been breathing in a vacuum. Points of light pinged against her eyelids like fireworks. She realized that if she blacked out now, there would be no one to revive her.
“Please!” she cried with her last full breath. “I’m awake in here…”
* * *
To find out more about Flight of the Valkyrie stay tuned…
In Other news:
Come back tomorrow to enter MY FIRST CONTEST!
And check out the NCP Readers Loop at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new_concepts_pub/
Starting tomorrow for the BACKLIST BLITZ! Read exciting excerpts of NCP books published in 2005!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Loose Ends
I just spent a nerve wracking day going through a manuscript in edits trying to figure out how to tie up a loose end. It’s hard to believe how a single character [a nasty character whom I was happy to put to rest when the book was done] could cause me so much trouble. Of course, I created her as the villain, so I should have known she'd give me grief eventually.
It took me most of the day, but I finally decided to how to deal with her, or rather have the other characters in the book deal with her. I wrote the needed scene – 355 words – and breathed a sigh of relief. It’s hard to pick up the narrative of a story I originally wrote over a year and a half ago. Slipping back into the heads of characters I haven’t visited with in months was a real challenge.
On the up side, it got me thinking about the sequel, which had been put on a far back burner a long time ago in favor of other projects. I realized I missed these characters. I liked living with them, and I’d love to visit them again soon. Time to think about sliding them to a front burner and turning up the heat.
It took me most of the day, but I finally decided to how to deal with her, or rather have the other characters in the book deal with her. I wrote the needed scene – 355 words – and breathed a sigh of relief. It’s hard to pick up the narrative of a story I originally wrote over a year and a half ago. Slipping back into the heads of characters I haven’t visited with in months was a real challenge.
On the up side, it got me thinking about the sequel, which had been put on a far back burner a long time ago in favor of other projects. I realized I missed these characters. I liked living with them, and I’d love to visit them again soon. Time to think about sliding them to a front burner and turning up the heat.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Wolfsbane is a keeper!
I just received this phenomenal review from The Road to Romance! Here's a snippet:
Wolfsbane: Aspect of the Wolf was a true joy to read. The story was fast paced and so well written that I read it in one sitting….This novella was a pure joy to read and one I highly recommend. Jennifer Colgan has incorporated a touch of humor, a threat of danger and such compelling characters that this book will remain on my keeper shelf. With an unexpected twist to the old werewolf legends, Daniel and Emilie will keep you entertained till the very end. Unexpected detours combined with the sexual tension, makes this book not only a fantastic read but a smashing hit. Stacey Brutger for The Road to Romance
I'm just floored. The Road to Romance doesn't give points, like kisses or ribbons or hearts, but I'd say this definitely constitutes a Five-Star Review. Thank you, Stacey! You brightened a particularly grueling day of editing and laundry and reminded me why I do this writing thing.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
New Release!
When Mara Zander’s dream man walks out of the pounding surf to claim her, she discovers he’s much more than just a fantasy.
More Than A Fantasy by Bernadette Gardner
ISBN: 1-59279-513-7 (Electronic)
Cover by Trace Edward Zaber
Copyright ©2006
Genres: Fantasy/Shapeshifter
Heat Level: 2
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (17k words)
Available Today! [See the buy link in my side bar]
More Than a Fantasy is also part of an anthology:
Forbidden An AmberPax™ Collection of Erotic Romance
by Various Authors ISBN: 1-59279-510-2 (Electronic Set)
Genre: Erotic Romance Copyright ©2006
Includes:
Desirable Enemy by Kelsey Lewis
Forbidden Fruit by Caitlyn Willows
More Than a Fantasy by Bernadette Gardner
Sequestered Passion by Adrianna Dane
Take it on Faith by M.L. Rhodes
Save 25% off the cover price of five sizzling stories when you purchase the PAX!
Friday, March 24, 2006
Excerpt Alert!
It's Friday again! Today’s excerpt is from my February Amber Quill release, KEN’JA, which is part of the Starlight Serenade, Vol. II AmberPax™ Collection. I chose this scene for the symbolism.
4 CUPS! KEN’JA is an enchanting tale that captivates from the first page to the last….Bernadette Gardner gives her characters great emotional contact and leaves the reader chanting for more. Do not miss this one. –Cherokee, Coffee Time Romance
4 ½ Kisses! KEN’JA …is action-packed and sexy. A fantastic afternoon read! – Loribelle Hunt, Romance Divas
* * *
KEN’JA
Another night together. The thought sent a stab of uncustomary panic through him. Could he make it through another night with her lying in his arms before the Ken'Ja turned him into a beast? More than a year had passed since he'd taken any of the herb his people used to control their cursed mating cycle.
"Let's keep moving upstream. The water looks deeper. It will attract larger animals and more fish. We'll find a place to camp and collect some items I can use to make a spear."
She shrugged, then craned her neck to look into the trees. Tige's eyes crept toward the torn neckline of her uniform and the pale, supple skin of her partially exposed breast. She pushed a lock of curly brown hair away from her face and he hungrily followed her movement.
"That sounds like a great plan, but I was thinking we could pick some of those first." She pointed upward to where bunches of small, red-skinned fruits hung from bowed branches.
His fevered senses hadn't noticed them before and he berated himself for missing something so obvious.
"They look like apples," she said.
He gave her a quizzical glance. He wasn't familiar with that word.
"The Terraformer Corps seeded a lot of worlds with plants and animals from Earth in the early days before the Alliance...to prepare for future colonization. Then the Ketomir came."
Tige nodded and glanced at the fruit. "They'll be difficult to reach."
"Hmm." She rose and walked in a tight circle beneath one laden branch. "Lift me."
The fever spiked at the thought of touching her.
She raised one gently arching brow at him. "Come on, I'm lighter than I look."
He crossed to where she stood and placed his hands on her waist. The feel of her soft curves beneath his hands set his hearts pounding.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm preparing to lift you."
"Not like that. Get down on one knee and put your hands together like this." She laced her fingers together in a loose weave. Skeptical, he obeyed and found himself looking up the curve of her thigh as she placed her foot in his hands. "Now, boost me up. I'll grab that branch and jump down."
The intoxicating scent of her damp skin teased him unmercifully as she rested her hands on the tense muscles of his shoulders. He wanted to tell her to run as she had last night, to get as far away from him as possible before he hurt her, before he lost his mind to the Thalian curse. The biological urge to mate would consume him and drive him mad until he sated it--or died.
He bit the inside of his cheek and obeyed her command to give her a boost. She flung herself upward and grabbed the lowest hanging branch. Then, with a practiced movement, she sailed back to the ground, the branch clutched in her hand.
He watched with feral appreciation and a Warrior's pride as she stripped the handful of fruit from the branch and let go. The green limb rebounded upward, scattering an indignant flock of birds.
With a seductive grin, she offered him two of the four fruits she'd picked. "They're small, but they're definitely apples. Try one."
* * *
To find out more about Ken’Ja go to:
http://www.amberquill.com/Kenja.html
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The next baby step
This weekend I rearranged my home office a little bit. The dog's half chewed up couch finally had to go, so I saved the cushions and made a slipcover for them. We hauled the couch away and put the cushions on the floor by the wall. Saber was not thrilled about this arrangement, but he seems to be adjusting.
Since I was now able to put another small book shelf in the corner I cleaned out my shelves and rearranged things to make it look neater. I also realized I'm all out of copies of my own books to put on my shelf! So I'll have to order more. I think I'll wait until the end of the month though, since that's when Immortal Lovers is now scheduled to come out in print.
I decided to part with the unique little coffee table I had in the center of the room. I put it downstairs for now. I'd never get rid of the thing because I love it, but I thought the room looked so much bigger without it, plus it was nothing more than a repository for piles of stuff that should have been dealt with and put away.
With the table gone and all that empty carpet space I decided it was finally time to take the next step and move the exercise bike from the basement to my office.
Now, when I take my breaks from staring at the computer screen, I will jump on the bike and pedal like mad for a few minutes rather than wander into the kitchen to get a snack. We'll see how long this lasts. It may help, it may just wear me out.
On the up side, I finished official edits for Flight of the Valkyrie today! I have an April release date and I can't wait. I also have a relase date of June for The Soul Jar. Stay tuned for more info on these stories!
Don't forget, tomorrow is excerpt Friday!
Since I was now able to put another small book shelf in the corner I cleaned out my shelves and rearranged things to make it look neater. I also realized I'm all out of copies of my own books to put on my shelf! So I'll have to order more. I think I'll wait until the end of the month though, since that's when Immortal Lovers is now scheduled to come out in print.
I decided to part with the unique little coffee table I had in the center of the room. I put it downstairs for now. I'd never get rid of the thing because I love it, but I thought the room looked so much bigger without it, plus it was nothing more than a repository for piles of stuff that should have been dealt with and put away.
With the table gone and all that empty carpet space I decided it was finally time to take the next step and move the exercise bike from the basement to my office.
Now, when I take my breaks from staring at the computer screen, I will jump on the bike and pedal like mad for a few minutes rather than wander into the kitchen to get a snack. We'll see how long this lasts. It may help, it may just wear me out.
On the up side, I finished official edits for Flight of the Valkyrie today! I have an April release date and I can't wait. I also have a relase date of June for The Soul Jar. Stay tuned for more info on these stories!
Don't forget, tomorrow is excerpt Friday!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Style and Voice
What is style? What is voice?
Authors are told all the time to ‘have a unique voice,’ ‘find your voice,’ ‘develop a style.’ It’s about as difficult as catching sunlight in a jar.
My take on ‘style’ or ‘unique voice’ is, if you stripped away the cover of a book and all the identifying marks, and let someone read it, would they know instinctively that it was yours? Think of your favorite author. Would you know her words anywhere? Her unique style? Of course you’d recognize pages from a beloved book, but what about something new? Does an author have a unique way of crafting words that makes her ‘voice’ stand out?
I don’t know if I have that. I hope I do, but I think it’s really too elusive an idea to hit it dead on. Good writing is good writing. In my opinion, the words should fade into the background and only the story should really stick in your mind [except for a particularly good quote here and there.] When I’m finished reading a book, it should be the plot and characters that I remember, not necessarily the style of the narrative.
I’ve read several books lately where the ‘style’ of the author is apparent, and not in a good way. Quirky grammar and overused phrases don’t make style or voice, they just make a story difficult to read. This only confuses me more as to how to develop that elusive ‘voice’ that publishers want. Perhaps it’s something we can’t see in our own work-sort of like watching your kids grow up. You see them every day so the changes aren’t readily apparent to you, but when your great aunt from Winnebago, Wisconsin drops by, she can’t believe how much the kids have changed since her last visit. I can’t hear my ‘voice’ or see my ‘style’ because it’s just me, the same image I see in the mirror every day. But can my readers pick me out of a crowd?
What are your thoughts on voice and style? How do you develop them?
Authors are told all the time to ‘have a unique voice,’ ‘find your voice,’ ‘develop a style.’ It’s about as difficult as catching sunlight in a jar.
My take on ‘style’ or ‘unique voice’ is, if you stripped away the cover of a book and all the identifying marks, and let someone read it, would they know instinctively that it was yours? Think of your favorite author. Would you know her words anywhere? Her unique style? Of course you’d recognize pages from a beloved book, but what about something new? Does an author have a unique way of crafting words that makes her ‘voice’ stand out?
I don’t know if I have that. I hope I do, but I think it’s really too elusive an idea to hit it dead on. Good writing is good writing. In my opinion, the words should fade into the background and only the story should really stick in your mind [except for a particularly good quote here and there.] When I’m finished reading a book, it should be the plot and characters that I remember, not necessarily the style of the narrative.
I’ve read several books lately where the ‘style’ of the author is apparent, and not in a good way. Quirky grammar and overused phrases don’t make style or voice, they just make a story difficult to read. This only confuses me more as to how to develop that elusive ‘voice’ that publishers want. Perhaps it’s something we can’t see in our own work-sort of like watching your kids grow up. You see them every day so the changes aren’t readily apparent to you, but when your great aunt from Winnebago, Wisconsin drops by, she can’t believe how much the kids have changed since her last visit. I can’t hear my ‘voice’ or see my ‘style’ because it’s just me, the same image I see in the mirror every day. But can my readers pick me out of a crowd?
What are your thoughts on voice and style? How do you develop them?
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Skinny Feet
I dropped a shoe size.
In the battle of the bulge I’ve been fighting for. . .ever, that’s an interesting development. I found this out yesterday when we made an emergency trip to the shoe store to get new sneakers for my son. [When I picked him up from school on Thursday I noticed, to my utter mortification, that his toes were coming out of the bottom of his sneakers. The sole was half torn off and he never mentioned it. I guess it didn’t bother him. Kids.] Anyway, we ran over to the shoe store to get new ones, [and for my daughter as well who purchased the latest thing – sneakers without laces that look like they were sewn inside out with frayed seams. I used to wear my sneakers without laces when I was a kid and I was called a rebel. Now they sell them that way, along with the holey jeans she loves to wear. Kids.
Anyway, I figured since I was there, and since my DH, who likes to call me Imelda [he has no idea how many pairs of shoes a normal woman owns, btw – I have very few pairs compared to most of the women I know] since I was there I decided to buy myself a new pair of sneakers and a nice pair of flats to wear to the office. My regular size was floating on me!
Eleven years ago when I got pregnant with my daughter, my feet went up a size practically overnight and that’s where they’ve been since then. Now I had to go back down a size to get a decent fit.
I suppose that means my weight loss efforts [sporadic and half-hearted as they often are] have begun to work starting at the bottom. Hey, every little bit counts I suppose. I’ll take what I can get.
Now, I think I’ll go show off my skinny new sneakers at the supermarket! Woohoo- such is the glamorous life of a writer.
In the battle of the bulge I’ve been fighting for. . .ever, that’s an interesting development. I found this out yesterday when we made an emergency trip to the shoe store to get new sneakers for my son. [When I picked him up from school on Thursday I noticed, to my utter mortification, that his toes were coming out of the bottom of his sneakers. The sole was half torn off and he never mentioned it. I guess it didn’t bother him. Kids.] Anyway, we ran over to the shoe store to get new ones, [and for my daughter as well who purchased the latest thing – sneakers without laces that look like they were sewn inside out with frayed seams. I used to wear my sneakers without laces when I was a kid and I was called a rebel. Now they sell them that way, along with the holey jeans she loves to wear. Kids.
Anyway, I figured since I was there, and since my DH, who likes to call me Imelda [he has no idea how many pairs of shoes a normal woman owns, btw – I have very few pairs compared to most of the women I know] since I was there I decided to buy myself a new pair of sneakers and a nice pair of flats to wear to the office. My regular size was floating on me!
Eleven years ago when I got pregnant with my daughter, my feet went up a size practically overnight and that’s where they’ve been since then. Now I had to go back down a size to get a decent fit.
I suppose that means my weight loss efforts [sporadic and half-hearted as they often are] have begun to work starting at the bottom. Hey, every little bit counts I suppose. I’ll take what I can get.
Now, I think I’ll go show off my skinny new sneakers at the supermarket! Woohoo- such is the glamorous life of a writer.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Double Exerpt Day!
In Honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the CAPA Awards today is a Double Excerpt Friday!
Today’s excerpts are from two stories in the upcoming NCP Anthology Immortal Lovers. This vampire trilogy contains Fresh Blood, second in my own vampire series, Never A Sunset, by Annalee Blysse and Eternity, by Marie Morin.
Never A Sunset is a 4-cupper at Coffee Time Romance "Victrina and Michael are wonderful characters. He is a sexy vampire who really tripped my trigger. She is a strong woman who knows what she wants. Their relationship progresses at a believable pace. The sex scenes are hot and steamy... Ms. Blysse has penned a story of vampires, lust, and love that I am sure many will enjoy. Never a Sunset is a keeper."
~ Susan White, Coffee Time Romance
Fresh Blood is a Recommended Read at Fallen Angel Reviews
5 Angels for FRESH BLOOD! … The sex scenes are sizzling with just the right touch of romance. … Another perfect addition to the New Concepts Publishing Catalogue. – Anita, Fallen Angel Reviews
* * *
NEVER A SUNSET
The haze of twilight lit the clouds. The rain had just stopped, so the air was heavy with moisture. Victrina took a deep breath as she stepped out of her apartment, thinking how much she’d miss this place when she left.
The truth was, Victrina loved all seasons in Boston, simply because they existed. The city was wrapped up in a long, drawn out spring that made an impression. A far cry from Barrow, Alaska. On the northern tundra, spring passed in the blink of an eye and summer dragged on for months on end. Where she’d grown up, the environment wasn’t conducive to going for a walk any time of year. Boston was almost always perfect.
Noting the quiet streets, she smiled as she started walking. Then again, most Bostonians hadn’t grown up on the North Slope. What was perfect to her was considered a miserable day down here.
New York City wouldn’t be that different. Hopefully. In less than one month, she’d be moving. She’d already accepted a job offer on Wall Street and she was in for years of hard work. But she wanted to prove that a girl from the village could make good. More than that, she wanted to prove to her father that her scholarship to Harvard had been well deserved, and not just money thrown at an Eskimo so they could make their quotas. She wanted to earn insane amounts of money and show him what she was really made of.
If asked, she told people why she wanted to live so differently from her life back home. A town that small couldn’t keep her happy. There was no way she was ever going to settle down and become a brood mare for a man who didn’t respect her, who didn’t think she was good enough, who didn’t feel her goals and accomplishments amounted to anything. What she kept private was the violence that had been part of her childhood home. She didn’t want anyone to pity her.
She heard boots clicking on the cement behind her, heard distinct splashes through puddles that she’d avoided. Victrina turned, her eyes met with a tall man dressed all in black.
He nodded slightly, “Victrina Mechnikoff?”
Confused that he knew her name, Victrina confronted him, “What do you want?”
He grinned at her. His long hair was as dark as her own, and it shone beneath the streetlights. “You,” he said, his voice low and husky and very seductive.
His black shirt hugged his chest, outlining sculpted muscles and sharply delineated abs. His jeans were fresh-from-the-rack black, and molded to his incredible legs and cock.
Electric blue eyes captured her senses, digging into her soul. Any anger she felt was replaced by a desire that consumed her body and mind. Her mouth watered and moisture pooled between her thighs. Her senses rang with excitement over the unknown. His clothes. His hair. The whole effect was very sexual, yet very dark. Foreboding.
And you can have me. But fear made her hesitate.
He waved his hand at a coffee shop on a nearby corner. “Can I buy you an espresso?”
Victrina was immediately relieved. Her body might be crying out for him to take her to the nearest hotel and make good on the sensual promise in his eyes, in his voice. She might want him to make love to him all night. But, the offer of an espresso was much easier to deal with.
She took him up on his offer and was soon seated across from him, sipping hot mocha, thinking ... who are you?
“Michael Levine,” he said, staring deeply into her, as if he could see right through her.
“Pleased to meet you,” she replied.
She couldn’t understand the hold he had over her senses. She was as progressive as the next woman, but she’d never fantasized about jumping into the sack with a complete stranger. And she was having a difficult time keeping her mind off anything but sex around this man.
“I know,” he said, angling his head slightly, licking his lower lip.
Victrina couldn’t take her eyes off his face. His response was honest more than arrogant. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. Her whole body vibrated with the sensuality of the moment. Michael’s facial features were strong, yet as photogenically perfect as James Dean. You are the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.
“How do you know who I am?” she asked. “We haven’t met before.”
“I keep my eyes open. You have a promising career ahead of you.” He waited for a moment, and when she didn’t respond he continued, “I am looking for someone with your ... abilities. I’m here to offer you a position working for me.”
Strange. The way he said “abilities” made it seem as if he alluded to something other than the fact that she was one of the top students in her class. Yet he had slightly toned down his flirting. Employers had been recruiting around the campus, so it was conceivable that he was really going to offer a position working for a company. A damn shame. She was still thinking of positions in the Kama Sutra.
“Work for you? Doing what?”
“I need a personal assistant.”
Victrina thought for a moment. “In what capacity?”
“In every capacity....”
* * *
FRESH BLOOD
“Max!” Standing before the bathroom door, she yelled once as loudly as possible, which only made the throbbing pain in her head resume with a vengeance. When Max didn’t answer, she pounded on the door. “Get out here, now!”
She waited a beat and stepped back when the bathroom door flew open. He wore only a towel, draped around his neck.
Their eyes locked for a moment, and Erica managed to hold her comments in check while he slid the towel off his shoulders and wrapped it around his waist.
“I see you’re up.” He greeted her with a raised eyebrow.
“You, too.” She smirked and for a moment, the self-conscious look on his face made her forget her anger. Only for a moment. “What the hell did you do to me last night?”
His eyes darkened and he tilted his head. “Not half as much as I wanted to.”
Erica swallowed. She felt flushed and she was suddenly aware of the fact that she wore nothing beneath her thin cotton robe.
“What was in my drink last night?” she demanded stepping back as he left the bathroom. He headed for the living room and she followed him, clutching her robe around her.
“Some vampires use a combination of herbs to relax their feeders. Normally it isn’t that potent but you must have gotten an extra large dose. You’re lucky I got back to you when I did.”
“You shouldn’t have left me alone.”
“I didn’t have a choice. Benton Carlisle is a powerful vampire. I had to go with him. And while I was gone you were supposed to be following the other rules.”
“Well, I tried.”
“Not very hard by the looks of it.”
Erica crossed her arms over her breasts and watched him while he rooted around her living room gathering his clothes. A blanket from her linen closet lay over the couch attesting to where he’d spent the night.
“You wandered off and left me alone at a vampire orgy, where I got drugged and groped by another woman and--”
“And kissed. Don’t forget kissed.” He leveled a sardonic gaze at her.
Erica gaped. That memory came back, too. It hadn’t been a dream. Vera had been all over her. “And I’m to blame?”
“You were supposed to be obedient.”
“You told me to be disobedient. Didn’t you? Or did I misinterpret one of your many mixed signals?”
“What mixed signals?” He spread his arms wide leaving his towel unattended and hanging precariously.
“Oh let’s see--every one. I don’t know what to make of you, Max. Before we left here, you were acting like you wanted to ...”
“Like I wanted to what?”
Erica flushed hot. She couldn’t say the words. “Then you apparently brought me home, undressed me, and dumped me in bed ... alone.”
To find out more about Never a Sunset and Fresh Blood go to:
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/paranormalvampires.htm
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Get Ready for the Blitz!
You’re Invited
To Celebrate New Concepts Publishing’s
10th anniversary in business
The NCP Authors are holding a
10 day extravaganza!
Backlist
Book Blitz
Beginning Saturday, April 1st (April Fools Day) and ending Monday, April 10th. From 9A.M. to 9 P.M each day, NCP authors will be dropping into the NCP Readers Loop to chat a bit, post excerpts of their backlist books, offer random prizes to participating readers, and best of all … help you discover some of the treasures you might have missed.
For your convenience, each day will feature a specific category to fit your individual reading preferences.
April 1st Anthologies, Special Collections
April 2nd Contemporary Romance
April 3rd Fantasy and Fantasy Romance
April 4th Historicals: Medieval, Westerns, Regency, and Georgian
April 5th Historicals: Other Time Periods and Unusual Locales
April 6th Love Bites™ Short Stories (Sensual to Carnal), including
Short Story Themes and Holiday Themes
April 7th Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Werewolves and Shifters
April 8th Time Travel
April 9th Thrillers, Mysteries, and Romantic Suspense
April 10th Science Fiction and Futuristic Romance
Feel free to join us each day, on the days featuring your favorite category, or just pop in to read the excerpts at leisure. But, don’t miss out on the opportunity not only for prizes, but the opportunity to discover those special books that have been waiting for you to find them. So you don’t forget which category will be featured each day, check the group calendar. Each day’s category is listed there as well.
If you have friends you've been attempting to bring over to the ebook side, this is a good opportunity to get them hooked.
If you are not already a member of NCP’s reader group, join now and
discover what you’ve been missing.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new_concepts_pub/
To Celebrate New Concepts Publishing’s
10th anniversary in business
The NCP Authors are holding a
10 day extravaganza!
Backlist
Book Blitz
Beginning Saturday, April 1st (April Fools Day) and ending Monday, April 10th. From 9A.M. to 9 P.M each day, NCP authors will be dropping into the NCP Readers Loop to chat a bit, post excerpts of their backlist books, offer random prizes to participating readers, and best of all … help you discover some of the treasures you might have missed.
For your convenience, each day will feature a specific category to fit your individual reading preferences.
April 1st Anthologies, Special Collections
April 2nd Contemporary Romance
April 3rd Fantasy and Fantasy Romance
April 4th Historicals: Medieval, Westerns, Regency, and Georgian
April 5th Historicals: Other Time Periods and Unusual Locales
April 6th Love Bites™ Short Stories (Sensual to Carnal), including
Short Story Themes and Holiday Themes
April 7th Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Werewolves and Shifters
April 8th Time Travel
April 9th Thrillers, Mysteries, and Romantic Suspense
April 10th Science Fiction and Futuristic Romance
Feel free to join us each day, on the days featuring your favorite category, or just pop in to read the excerpts at leisure. But, don’t miss out on the opportunity not only for prizes, but the opportunity to discover those special books that have been waiting for you to find them. So you don’t forget which category will be featured each day, check the group calendar. Each day’s category is listed there as well.
If you have friends you've been attempting to bring over to the ebook side, this is a good opportunity to get them hooked.
If you are not already a member of NCP’s reader group, join now and
discover what you’ve been missing.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/new_concepts_pub/
PS: Don't forget tomorrow is a Double Excerpt Friday!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Kickin' the Cold
I'm finally starting to feel normal again. This cold really made up for all those months that I didn't get sick at all. It seems to be going around-neighbors and friends are all sick, too. Part of the problem in northern NJ is the weather here was designed by a mad scientist. Within the space of a week we can go from no-jacket weather to a foot of snow and back again. The germs don't know which end is up and they don't know when to die.
I finally got back to the office and caught up on my meeting schedule. Now I have a week to work on writing. I just polished up a 25,000-word novella that may be going to the NCP Anniversary Anthology and I'm working on another short that may go to EC. My paranormal WIP needs some major work and I have another kicking around in my head that I'd like to start getting on paper.
Over the weekend I made another stride in cleaning up the basement. I dismantled the two dollhouses I made several years ago. As much fun [and work] as they were, they were doing nothing but collecting dust. I can't bear to part with anything miniature so I packed away all the furnishings and someday when I have nothing else to do, maybe I'll build myself another one.
I thought of making a miniature garden with all the little plants and gardening tools I have. . .oh, wait. . .I DON'T NEED anymore hobbies! I really, really don't.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Diva Blogs
I uploaded what appears to be the complete list of Romance Divas blogs to my side bar [scroll down]. I haven't visited all these blogs yet, but I plan to. The Divas are an amazing group of writers, over 1000 members stong and growing. It's amazing to see how many of us have completed a manuscript, sent out our first queries or submissions, or contracted with agents or publishers in the short time we've all been together on the web.
If you get a chance, surf some of the sites for this talented group of authors and if you're not already a member, go check out Romance Divas. It really is the best place for writers on the web.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Excerpt Alert!
Today’s excerpt is from Hunter’s Moon my first published novella. Hunter’s Moon received 4 Ribbons from Romance Junkies and has been on the Fictionwise 6-month best seller list since January 2006.HUNTER’S MOON
When an inhuman scream silences the night creatures in a Pennsylvania woodland, Alliana Cambridge isn’t afraid. She’s angry. When she goes in search of the source of that tortured sound she expects to find another drunken hunter injured by his own gun.
Instead she finds something indescribable. He’s six feet of sensuous panther-black skin stretched over taut muscle. His green eyes glow with feral intelligence and though she can’t speak his language, Alli knows he’s asking for her help. She watches as his magnificent body heals itself of a vicious gunshot wound and she wonders if he’s come to enslave humans, starting with her.
Of course, she’s probably dreaming. After all, magnificent feline aliens don’t normally roam the woods behind Alli’s home. If he’s still there, in her bed, in the morning...well, she’ll worry about it then.
* * *
Excerpt
A mound of scrambled eggs and a stack of buttered toast teetered on the bed tray along with glasses of orange juice, water and milk. Alli surveyed the feast as she climbed the stairs and wondered if he would be interested in eating any of it. He looked more like the raw steak type, but she wasn’t about to break her food budget for him yet. This would have to do. She’d made enough for an army figuring he’d need an awful lot of fuel for all those muscles.
She thought about the full-length view she’d gotten as he had retreated up the stairs. His hands were huge, twice the span of hers, and his thighs were like tree trunks. She thought of his jewels--the jewels on his belt. They looked like emeralds and rubies. The leather was pale in contrast to the rich blue-black of his skin. She remembered the soft feel of the fine fur under her hands and wondered what it would feel like everywhere on her body.
She rolled her eyes. Get over it, now Alli. He’s an alien. Just remember, he’s an alien. Her plan was simple and she had to stick to it. Give him something to eat and gently, but firmly explain to him, using sign language if necessary, that it was time to go back to whatever galaxy he came from, then hope he didn’t plan to take her along as cheap labor. Mr. Frye didn’t know the half of it. And here I am cooking for him! What’s wrong with me?
He had stretched out on the bed again and was surrounded by pieces of brown chocolate bar wrapper and silver foil. He hissed something at her when she maneuvered the wide bed tray through the door and rolled gracefully to a sitting position. She saw him wince and one hand went to his wound, which was still raw and pink but had begun to close up now that the bullet had come out.
The aroma of the eggs and toast drew his attention as she set the tray next to him on the bed. He looked at the food and nudged the quivering mountain of eggs with one claw.
“Watch,” she said. She scooped up some eggs on a fork and put them in her mouth. “Mmmm.”
Needs salt, she thought but kept her tight smile in place.
He picked up the other fork and mimicked her movements, right down to the loopy grin. Alli wasn’t sure whether to be shocked or relieved. She watched as he wolfed down the rest of the eggs with a vengeance and decided on relief. If he can eat eggs, he won’t need to eat ... me. . .
* * *
To find out more about Hunter’s Moon go to
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/huntersmoon.htm
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Max Headcold
I finished the galleys for More Than a Fantasy [the short ones are easy!] and got them back to Trace at Amber Quill. To my complete surprise, the release date for the Forbidden Amber Pax collection will be March 19th. I’m looking forward to seeing what other tantalizing tales the Forbidden Pax authors have in store.
I’m glad I got that done yesterday because I got hit with a major head cold last night. Partly due to the fact that I had just been thinking not long ago that I haven’t had a major cold in a long time. When will I learn? Today, I may curl up on the couch with a bunch of editing and just rest. Tomorrow is a busy day at my office so I really hope I’m well enough to go and get my meeting prep taken care of. Since I’m only there one day a week, I hate to call out. Dear husband is out getting me some extra-strength Sudafed. I hope he gets back soon. …
I’m glad I got that done yesterday because I got hit with a major head cold last night. Partly due to the fact that I had just been thinking not long ago that I haven’t had a major cold in a long time. When will I learn? Today, I may curl up on the couch with a bunch of editing and just rest. Tomorrow is a busy day at my office so I really hope I’m well enough to go and get my meeting prep taken care of. Since I’m only there one day a week, I hate to call out. Dear husband is out getting me some extra-strength Sudafed. I hope he gets back soon. …
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Excerpt Fridays!
Starting this Friday, March 10, 2006, I’m going to begin my excerpt Friday program. Every Friday I’ll post a short, and hopefully titillating excerpt from one of my available or upcoming titles, or on special occasions, from the available or upcoming titles of fellow authors. Over time, I’ll incorporate some trivia questions and maybe some contests so that if anyone’s paying close attention, you may wind up with a cool prize!
Be sure to drop by on Friday for my first excerpt. I’m starting at the beginning with a favorite scene from my first published work, Hunter’s Moon. Stay tuned!
In other news. . .
I got my galleys today for More Than a Fantasy coming soon from Amber Quill. Ever fantasize about an Atlantean prince? I have. LOL.
Be sure to drop by on Friday for my first excerpt. I’m starting at the beginning with a favorite scene from my first published work, Hunter’s Moon. Stay tuned!
In other news. . .
I got my galleys today for More Than a Fantasy coming soon from Amber Quill. Ever fantasize about an Atlantean prince? I have. LOL.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Some changes
I've renamed my blog to reflect the fact that it belongs to both of my alter egos. You may find it will begin to look a little different. I hope it remains entertaining.
Today I got confirmation that my submission for the 2007 Ellora's Cavemen Anthology was recieved. No final decisions will be made until December 2006, but at least I know my story made it to the right in-box. Ten months is a long time to wait, but at least it's a finite period. I can live with that. I may even submit something else between now and September just to hedge my bets a little.
Today I got confirmation that my submission for the 2007 Ellora's Cavemen Anthology was recieved. No final decisions will be made until December 2006, but at least I know my story made it to the right in-box. Ten months is a long time to wait, but at least it's a finite period. I can live with that. I may even submit something else between now and September just to hedge my bets a little.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
I'm bloggin' at AQP!
I’m blogging over at the Amber Quill Press Author’s Blog today. Check it out!
And when you’re done stop by Amber Quill and check out Wolfsbane, which is on sale today!
[For some reason Blogger isn't letting me upload my coverart today.]
And when you’re done stop by Amber Quill and check out Wolfsbane, which is on sale today!
[For some reason Blogger isn't letting me upload my coverart today.]
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Heat Wave!
This morning's in-box contained some good news...
5 Angels for FRESH BLOOD! … The sex scenes are sizzling with just the right touch of romance. … Another perfect addition to the New Concepts Publishing Catalogue. – Anita, Fallen Angel Reviews
In Other News. . .
The winners of the 2006 Amber Quill Heat Wave were announced today! I'm thrilled to see several of my fellow Passionate Inkers and Romance Divas on the short list of 11 winning entries of over 200 manuscripts received by Amber Quill editors. For more info on the contest check out the Amber Quill Press Authors Blog.
Here's a list of the winners:
The Claiming - Sherrill Quinn
Cup Of Fate - Cassandra Curtis
Darkson's Forfeit - Marie Harte
Diary Of A Dirty Cowboy - Jade Rivers
Family Jewels - Kelly Maher
Her Black Little Heart - Selah March
Poker Brat - Barrie Abalard
Santa's Helper - Cassidy Kent
The Streets Of Florence - Pepper Espinoza
Tales of the Pride: Awakening - Larissa Lyons
Unloved - Nina Merrill
Congratulations, Ladies!!
Monday, February 27, 2006
She Did it Again!
Jodici outdid herself once again. Check this out.http://www.newoa.com/jcolgan/
It's good to get back to work. Though my weekend away wasn't entirely stress free it was a nice break from the constant call of the computer, the laundry, the dishes and the endless stream of household tasks. Even 24 hours away from responsibilities can be revitalizing.
This week will revolve around edits, critiques, contest scoring, and work on some short stories for upcoming anthologies. It seems like there's never enough hours in the day.
At least I had time to pose for this picture. LOL.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Some Good News!
First off, I have a new website! My fellow NCP Author and Romance Diva Jodici Belle redesigned my website for me and she did a phenomenal job! I'd been really needing a professional looking site and Jodici went above and beyond the call to make something extraordinary for me.Click here or on the link on the sidebar to take a look.
http://www.newoa.com/bgardner/
Jodici will also be redesigning Jennifer Colgan's website as well, so stay tuned for even more amazing stuff!
In other news I wrote my two favorite words today. THE END! I finally finished the first draft of my paranormal WIP. When I say FIRST draft, I mean it. It still needs a lot of work but I have to give it a short rest to cool off before I dive in and start more edits. It's still a long way from completion and since I plan to submit it to agents, I'm terribly nervous about it.
It worked out well that this weekend DH and I going on a mini-vacation. We're just staying at a nice hotel, going to dinner and maybe a movie and doing some shopping, but it will be a pleasant break. It worked out as sort of a celebratory weekend off after finishing my story - though I'm packing a notebook so I can start working on my NEXT book, just in case some ideas strike me while I'm away.
I've got lots of hosework in preparation for my mother staying over with the kids, so I've got to get back to work.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Thank you!
Thank you to all the readers and authors who participated in my Author Day at the Amber Heat Readers Group yesterday. I had a wonderful time.
Don’t forget, Starlight Serenade Week is still going on, so if you love sexy sci-fi stories, drop in and say hello to a group of wonderful authors.
Don’t forget, Starlight Serenade Week is still going on, so if you love sexy sci-fi stories, drop in and say hello to a group of wonderful authors.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Reminder!
Don’t forget to drop by the Amber Heat Readers group tomorrow, Tuesday February 21, for my Author Day. I’ll be discussing my new release, Ken’ja and hosting what I hope will be a fun contest.
If you can’t make it tomorrow, stop by any day this week to hear from other authors in the Amber Pax: Starlight Serenade Vol. II collection. I’ll be dropping by as often as I can to chat with fellow authors:
Laura Bacchi
Grace Draven
Caitlyn Willows
Brit Blaise
We’ll be having a blast all week!
If you can’t make it tomorrow, stop by any day this week to hear from other authors in the Amber Pax: Starlight Serenade Vol. II collection. I’ll be dropping by as often as I can to chat with fellow authors:
Laura Bacchi
Grace Draven
Caitlyn Willows
Brit Blaise
We’ll be having a blast all week!
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Tagged by Annalee
Five Guilty Pleasures
{Annalee picked chocolate, but the general consensus is we should not feel guilty about loving chocolate because it’s good for us so…}
1. Books. I spend a lot of money on books and right now I have more books to read than I will get to in a year or more. Because I write, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like to so my TBR pile is pretty huge and I just placed an order at Amazon.com. Can’t help myself.
2. Writing. Like Annalee, I list writing as a guilty pleasure because even though I consider it my career now, I still feel guilty about it. Who am I to get paid for doing something I love? Writing consumes me sometimes and I feel guilty for not being maniacal about the housework and not being a gourmet cook and not wanting to go outside and do yard work. Maybe we need to start a ‘guilt support’ group for writers.
3. Cheesy TV shows. I love sappy romantic adventures. I bought the entire series of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World on DVD and devoured every episode, I just got the first disc of Remington Steele season 1 from Netflix, I was a sap for Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Tales of the Gold Monkey, The Tomorrow People, Blakes 7…anything with a little suspense, a lot of romantic tension and junky special effects.
4. Petit Fours. Okay, this is sort of in the candy and chocolate category, but the flavor doesn’t even matter. Every Christmas I buy myself a huge box of assorted petit fours and I sneak two or three every time I go in the kitchen until they’re all gone. I like Marzipan too, though I don’t buy it as often.
5. Craft Stores. Let me loose in Rag Shop, AC Moore, Michael’s …anyplace that sells fabrics, candles, beads, etc, and I’m dangerous. I’m always interested in starting a new hobby and I don’t need much of an excuse to go and buy supplies. Yesterday, my friend Jessie gave me a crochet kit and taught me the basic stitches. Bad news. I’m already thinking about making some projects and wondering if I should stock up on yarn…
{Annalee picked chocolate, but the general consensus is we should not feel guilty about loving chocolate because it’s good for us so…}
1. Books. I spend a lot of money on books and right now I have more books to read than I will get to in a year or more. Because I write, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like to so my TBR pile is pretty huge and I just placed an order at Amazon.com. Can’t help myself.
2. Writing. Like Annalee, I list writing as a guilty pleasure because even though I consider it my career now, I still feel guilty about it. Who am I to get paid for doing something I love? Writing consumes me sometimes and I feel guilty for not being maniacal about the housework and not being a gourmet cook and not wanting to go outside and do yard work. Maybe we need to start a ‘guilt support’ group for writers.
3. Cheesy TV shows. I love sappy romantic adventures. I bought the entire series of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World on DVD and devoured every episode, I just got the first disc of Remington Steele season 1 from Netflix, I was a sap for Scarecrow and Mrs. King and Tales of the Gold Monkey, The Tomorrow People, Blakes 7…anything with a little suspense, a lot of romantic tension and junky special effects.
4. Petit Fours. Okay, this is sort of in the candy and chocolate category, but the flavor doesn’t even matter. Every Christmas I buy myself a huge box of assorted petit fours and I sneak two or three every time I go in the kitchen until they’re all gone. I like Marzipan too, though I don’t buy it as often.
5. Craft Stores. Let me loose in Rag Shop, AC Moore, Michael’s …anyplace that sells fabrics, candles, beads, etc, and I’m dangerous. I’m always interested in starting a new hobby and I don’t need much of an excuse to go and buy supplies. Yesterday, my friend Jessie gave me a crochet kit and taught me the basic stitches. Bad news. I’m already thinking about making some projects and wondering if I should stock up on yarn…
Saturday, February 18, 2006
New Release!
Ken’Ja released last night as part of the Amber Pax Starlight Serenade Vol. 2 It's hot, hot, hot!Here's a very short excerpt. . .
“What’s wrong?”
She followed him a few steps up the bank and touched his broad back. He shivered at the contact and his flesh rippled. Lightning fast, he had her wrist in a vice-grip. His touch burned, sending an electric stab of awareness through her body. She wanted more.
“It’s not safe,” he said, looking at her from under lowered brows. “We should eat what we have and move on. The farther we travel, the less likely a collection team will find us.”
“What about a rescue ship? If an Allied patrol was following the prison ship—”
“The Ketomir will arrive first. When the danger has passed, we can return to this place.”
He released her wrist, leaving her feeling cold and needy. Her body tensed when he hesitated a moment, his eyes lingering.
Suddenly bold, she took a chance and threw herself against him. He caught her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, reveling in the warmth of his sun-warmed skin against her breasts.
His arms tightened around her. He groaned, a lost sound, feral and raw. She felt the iron-hard shaft of his sex against her thigh and wondered if Thalians’ resemblance to humans extended to their sex organs. He certainly felt human…
Friday, February 17, 2006
One of Those Days
Yesterday was one of those days, when being a writer is just as difficult as being anything else.
I’m nearing the end of my WIP, and being a pantser, my ending is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I know how the characters will end up, but exactly how they get there is still fuzzy. That being said, every line I wrote yesterday took me forever. The day was full of false starts, second guessing and a lot of self-made interruptions. When my writing time was finally over – and I did stick to it until the bitter end – I discovered I’d managed to write 10 pages. That’s not a record by any means, but considering those pages were written one painstaking sentence at a time, not too shabby. Today I wrote even less, but I’m still plugging along. I’ll get to the end eventually, even if I have to do it one letter at a time.
I’m nearing the end of my WIP, and being a pantser, my ending is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I know how the characters will end up, but exactly how they get there is still fuzzy. That being said, every line I wrote yesterday took me forever. The day was full of false starts, second guessing and a lot of self-made interruptions. When my writing time was finally over – and I did stick to it until the bitter end – I discovered I’d managed to write 10 pages. That’s not a record by any means, but considering those pages were written one painstaking sentence at a time, not too shabby. Today I wrote even less, but I’m still plugging along. I’ll get to the end eventually, even if I have to do it one letter at a time.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
More Good Stuff!
Yesterday was one of those rare days when stuff actually goes well. In addition to finding Conjured in Flames on the CAPA nominee list, I found Fresh Blood listed on the Fictionwise Best Seller List at #17 and on the NCP Best Seller List at Fictionwise at #10.
Over at Romance Divas, The Rebound Guy, my short contemporary erotic-romance, finaled in the Best First Meeting Contest along with some fabulous Diva authors.
To cap the day off, my hubby sent me 18 long-stemmed roses in shades of pink and yellow and salmon.
My steamy sci-fi short story, Ken'Ja will be released at Amber Quill with the Starlight Serenade Amber Pax on February 19th and I'll be having an Author day over at the Amber Heat Readers Group on February 21st! Come over and join me for excerpts and prizes!
Over at Romance Divas, The Rebound Guy, my short contemporary erotic-romance, finaled in the Best First Meeting Contest along with some fabulous Diva authors.
To cap the day off, my hubby sent me 18 long-stemmed roses in shades of pink and yellow and salmon.
My steamy sci-fi short story, Ken'Ja will be released at Amber Quill with the Starlight Serenade Amber Pax on February 19th and I'll be having an Author day over at the Amber Heat Readers Group on February 21st! Come over and join me for excerpts and prizes!
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
A Valentine's Gift!
I came across this exciting tidbit today:Conjured in Flames has been nominated for a CAPA award at The Romance Studio in the Fantasy Romance Category!
http://theromancestudio.com/capa.php
The final awards will be posted on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th! Congratulations to all the nominees. There are tons of fabulous authors from New Concepts, Amber Quill Press and members of Romance Divas, including Annalee Blysee for Starlit Destiny!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
The View from My Front Door
For once the hype was not exaggerated. We got over a foot of snow in less than 10 hours and it’s still snowing. Good thing I’ve got plenty to read. Galleys for Wolfsbane, a couple of critiques, some editing of a short story for EC and if I get bored, I can always go out and shovel some more. NOT.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Tagged Again!
Karen tagged me with this:
Currently. . .
current clothing: gray sweats, lavender unicorn t-shirt.
current hair: almost back to my natural mouse color, new haircut, short layers, needs some highlights
current mood: pensive – will we get that blizzard their predicting?
current refreshment: Sprite
current annoyance: that the housework never seems to go away
current avoidance: cleaning out the dresser drawerscurrent smell: strawberry VO5 shampoo
current thing you ought to be doing: rewrites
current thing or things on your wall: calendar, my cork board with my 5 ANGELS/recommended read from Fallen Angels prominently displayed
current IM/person you're talking to: I don’t have IM
current jewelry: 10-year anniversary ring
current book: You’ve Got Male, by Elizabeth Bevarly
current worry: DS has a bad cold and feels miserable. I hope he gets some rest tonight.
current favorite celebrity: Josh Holloway of LOST
current obsession: getting several manuscripts completed and submitted
current love: vanilla cappuccino with a peppermint twist
current longing: my royalty check showing up in the mail ;)
current disappointment: the new dishwasher left me some spotted plates this morning
current lyric in your head: The first cut is the deepest. . .
current music: Nada
current favorite book: The Matchmakers [my current WIP] ;)
current favorite movie: Love Actually
current wish: finding an agentcurrent happy thing: Hershey’s kisses
current undergarments: ?? Clean and relatively un-holey thank you!
current desktop picture: the shot I took in Disney World of the new mountain that’s going to be an attraction at Blizzard Beach
current plans for tonight/weekend: maybe watching Zorro and waiting for the snow to start
So what are you currently doing?
Currently. . .
current clothing: gray sweats, lavender unicorn t-shirt.
current hair: almost back to my natural mouse color, new haircut, short layers, needs some highlights
current mood: pensive – will we get that blizzard their predicting?
current refreshment: Sprite
current annoyance: that the housework never seems to go away
current avoidance: cleaning out the dresser drawerscurrent smell: strawberry VO5 shampoo
current thing you ought to be doing: rewrites
current thing or things on your wall: calendar, my cork board with my 5 ANGELS/recommended read from Fallen Angels prominently displayed
current IM/person you're talking to: I don’t have IM
current jewelry: 10-year anniversary ring
current book: You’ve Got Male, by Elizabeth Bevarly
current worry: DS has a bad cold and feels miserable. I hope he gets some rest tonight.
current favorite celebrity: Josh Holloway of LOST
current obsession: getting several manuscripts completed and submitted
current love: vanilla cappuccino with a peppermint twist
current longing: my royalty check showing up in the mail ;)
current disappointment: the new dishwasher left me some spotted plates this morning
current lyric in your head: The first cut is the deepest. . .
current music: Nada
current favorite book: The Matchmakers [my current WIP] ;)
current favorite movie: Love Actually
current wish: finding an agentcurrent happy thing: Hershey’s kisses
current undergarments: ?? Clean and relatively un-holey thank you!
current desktop picture: the shot I took in Disney World of the new mountain that’s going to be an attraction at Blizzard Beach
current plans for tonight/weekend: maybe watching Zorro and waiting for the snow to start
So what are you currently doing?
Friday, February 10, 2006
Word Clouds
One of the Divas posted a link to this site today http://www.snapshirts.com/preview.php
If you put in your blog address, the site creates a word cloud for you like the one above. Cool huh? You have the option to change out some words after the cloud has been created. I thought of removing ‘laundry’ from mine, but hey – laundry is a big part of my life so I suppose it would be wrong to exclude it.
In other news, did I mention the other day that I was doing really well on my WIP? Well, I’ve got to stop doing that. I jinxed myself and hit a wall at 325 pages. My plan for the next few days is to go back and reread from the beginning, work out my time line [which is the root of the problem] and see about laying in some secondary POV. I also found out that Ellora’s Cave is accepting submissions for the 2007 Ellora’s Cavemen anthology so my next project is to polish up a couple of stories to submit to them. Then I’ll be ready to move on to my next full length novel.
I suppose I’m actually accomplishing quite a bit, though I often feel like I’m swimming through molasses. Slow and steady wins the race as they say, but my natural impatience gets in my way a lot.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Cool new gadget
I just got the coolest gizmo. It’s a drawing tablet that comes with a cordless mouse and a ‘pen’ that allows you to write on the tablet and translate what you write onto the screen in Notepad or into Word.
The amazing thing is you can write in script on the pad and have it translated into TYPE on the screen. I thought this was phenomenal. You don’t even have to write perfectly neatly, it’s incredibly accurate. My DH picked it up for me at a computer show this weekend after I told him I was playing around with the Write Pad feature on my computer at work and I was wondering if there was a way that I could actually hand write something and have it be typed onto the screen.
Since I write faster than I type, and then I have spend a lot of time transcribing my handwritten work into the computer, I thought something like this would replace sliced bread as the greatest innovation of the millennium [or any millennium]. Ta da!
It takes a little bit of practice, and so far I can write faster than the tablet can translate, but it’s great for making notes and even critiquing or editing. I can use a ‘red pen’ right on the screen and print out a marked up copy on my color printer. Definitely cool. It may not replace Track Changes for a clean crit, but for a quick and dirty mark up it’s awesome.
On that note, I wrote a good twenty pages today [not using the tablet], but I’ll work up to it. Things are flowing so well with my WIP I don’t want to mess around. The next story will probably be the experimental one. I can’t wait.
Friday, February 03, 2006
The Unique Title
The Unique Title seems to be one of those impossible, elusive things that only comes along once in a great while.
Not long ago in a blog post over at Romance Divas, I lamented the fact that the title Hunter’s Moon belonged to more than half a dozen other published works when my novella hit the electronic shelves. Oh well. Titles can’t be copyrighted, so it’s not as though having the same title as an existing work is amoral in some way, it’s just not ideal.
Sometimes titles come to me, like flashes of inspiration and I think, “Oh Wow! I’m an absolute genius!” Then I hurry to my web browser to look them up just to make sure no one has already taken them and 9 times out of 10, I’m crushed to find that my genius isn’t all that unique.
This happened with my second manuscript – a still unfinished historical I titled, The Baron’s Bride. It sounded so good, since the story is essentially about a young girl who becomes the bride of – you guessed it, a Baron! Of course, it’s been done. The book of the same title is quite old by publishing standards so a new book with the same title surely would not have rocked the boat, but nevertheless, to me that means, try again for something better.
A few weeks ago I was toying with titles and came up with a great medieval/historical title, Only for a Knight. Now there’s a title that begs for a great story. Well guess what? It’s already been done. Sigh.
The other morning round about 3:00 AM a brilliant flash of inspiration gave me Betty and the Beast. I even got out of bed to write that one down and then discovered it’s already a title at Ellora’s Cave. The plot idea I had was way different, but nevertheless, the title’s been used. Another deep sigh.
Oh well. I suppose I should be amused that my brain works well enough to come up with these little gems. I must be just as clever and smart as these other authors, I’m just a little bit slower on the uptake.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
So here I am
What's harder than writing a blurb or a 12-word one-liner? Finding a decent photo to put on the blog.
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