That awkward moment when you realize it's Wednesday and you don't have a blog post planned...

At least it was only ten o'clock when I remembered what day it was. Otherwise, I would have been really embarrassed.

I have had a busy week, friends. Saturday I was offered a contract on a proposal I subbed on Friday. Really. That fast (more details to follow when the ink is dry, friends). I got the chance to sub a Jennifer Armintrout book at a new house. I have edits on my next Naughtily Ever After book. And oh, the Christmas presents I have to make...

Why is it that the holidays are the busiest time of the year? I'm not complaining about how busy I am, in general. Busy with work means things are looking up. But why December? Is this the spirit of giving, giving me more work?

Oddly, for me, I consider this busy time a vacation. Seriously. Okay, so I have to do my edits, and work on my next scheduled release. But it's very rare that I get to spend a whole night sewing. Now that I have a good excuse to do so, I embrace it. Oh, what was that, kids? You want to watch The Grinch? Well, I'd be a terrible mom if I didn't watch it with you. Rather than turn these edits around in a day and half, Whoville here I come. That proposal? I can work on it a little. But no one in New York publishing reads subs from Thanksgiving to January 2nd, and we all know it. At least, we knew it ten years ago, and I'm clinging to it, not out of procrastination, but to give myself permission to enjoy the holidays.

I think we get so caught up in the business of the busyness of the holidays, we don't stop to actually enjoy all the hard work we're doing to spend time with our families. I realize I'm coming at this from a purely Christian perspective, I know not everyone reading this blog will sympathize with my Christmas focused post here. But even if you don't celebrate any holiday at all, you can't deny that December is always uncommonly busy.

So, if you do nothing else this season, give yourself permission to relax. This year is almost over. If you screwed it up, well, good news, it's almost time for a fresh start. And if your year was awesome, way to go, champ, put it on the shelf and take a siesta so you're all rested up to make next year better.

Christmas Sleepface

NOTE: This post will also appear at Romfan Reviews today as part of their Christmas Blog Hop. Please follow this link and leave a comment (do it here too) to win something from my backlist.

http://www.romfanreviews.com/


Aw, so you’re wondering where the word ‘sleepyface’ comes from. HA. Well, that was my husband and I during the early years of our marriage and our first attempts at playing “SANTA” for our two little ones. Naturally, I have tons of Christmas memories but the one that stands out in my mind and gives me plenty of eyerolling moments is the year my son wanted lots of Ghostbusters stuff from the Big Guy. Yes, I realize I’m seriously dating myself. As an empty-nester, I soooo miss those early years of setting out cookies and hot chocolate for Santa, sneaking around hiding presents, and the eventual assembly thing.
Well, maybe I’m not missing the ‘assembly thing’ so much.
That particular Christmas Eve, after family had left and our kiddos were in bed we mentally rub our hands together and get down to the business of playing Santa. Our little girl was easy that year. No assembly required. Then we get to our son. Whew boy! The Ghostbusters ‘hearse’, action figures, etc. were a snap. Everything was rockin’ and rollin’ until we got to the damn Ghostbusters firehouse. Don’t know if you remember it from the movie but it was a renovated firehouse (two stories) complete with a pole so the Ghostbusters guys could rush out to nab the paranormal critters. We knew we were in big, big trouble when we open the box and find not only a gazillion plastic pieces but a roll of stickers that could lead all the way to China AND BACK. Lordy! I think there were probably 500 stickers that had co-ordinating numbers to show you where to apply them on the house. Our eyes got HUGE. We were already exhausted of course because like a couple of dumbasses, we’d saved this for last. As I recall, sticker number 289 was an itsy bitsy doorknob that wouldn’t fit on the paw of a mouse. Before all was said and done, we were snapping at each other, positively freaked at the sheer time-consuming nature of this project.

So finally we get the damn thing done. It looked cute. The stickers were all in place and it was just a bit after 2:30 am. I apologized for being bitchy. He apologizes for being an irrational grumpy-head and we stumble off to bed only to be awakened at four am by our wide-eyed sprites. Four AM???? Seriously??? What could we do in the face of all this excitement? I stumbled out of bed and put on a pot of very strong coffee while our urchins played with the stuff. My husband and I were troopers and not about to spoil Christmas morning by sending them back to bed where they belonged. Nope. We stumbled through the rest of that day and I recall now that we took long naps the second our company headed out the door after Christmas dinner. Kind of reminded me of finals week in college. Yeah, that bad!

The moral of this little Christmas tale? When ToysRUs offers a $25 assembly fee, don’t be proud. Don’t say…aww, I can do THIS. Believe me. You are only fooling yourself. Pay the bucks. Save yourself some grief. Get a good nights’ sleep knowing that the price of a pleasant Christmas is a mere pittance in comparison to an all-night assembly fest.
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Where to find me on the web!
http://www.reginacarlysle.com/
http://threewickedwriters.blogspot.com/
http://www.reginacarlysle.blogspot.com/
Facebook and Twitter as Regina Carlysle
Look for my titles at Ellora’s Cave, ARE, Amazon Kindle and many other ebook retailers.

Hey baby, come here often?

I've been just dying for today to come around, because I want to talk at you!

My name is Abigail Barnette. No, I'm a liar. My name is Jennifer Armintrout. Under my real name, I've written a bunch of books. The Blood Ties series, the Lightworld/Darkworld novels, and American Vampire, which was recently named one of the top 10 horror novels of 2011 by Booklist magazine online. But my passion lately has been romance, so I began writing erotic romance as Abigail Barnette. Some of Abigail's books are traditional, with a twist– Bride of The Wolf is a historical romance with werewolves; the Naughtily Ever After series are retellings of classic fairytales. Others, are just twisted– if the idea of a Victorian-era BDSM club with steam powered sex machines intrigues you, All Steamed Up is definitely the series for you.

I'm so pleased to have been asked to contribute to this awesome blog. I think it's super fitting that I'm supposed to blog on Wednesdays. Wednesday is my daughter's name (no matter how often embarrassed relatives introduce her as Wendy). Also, it's hump day. And that makes me laugh. Ha. Hump.

And in the interest of transparency in this introduction, I must tell you all, I look nothing like my avatar. I look more like... well...

You know what, just keep imagining me as that slender redhead in the banner.

YAY I'M OFFICIAL!

Independent Publishing...What Do You Think?

These days there are so many options for writers. Many, I know, see major print publishers as the only way go. New authors are rejected time after time for years on end (despite the fact their work is stellar) and just keep at it, refusing to try alternative means of becoming published. Others of us saw the benefits of e-publishing years ago and are now on the fast track of a burgeoning industry that has given rise to some of the best authors to be found anywhere.

I remember how it all went down many years ago. Computers weren't in every household despite interest being very high. Readers back then would never have imagined they'd one day read books on small electronic devices that were lighter than a paperback book. It all seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie and folks had a hard time visualizing such a thing. But with the passage of time, e-book readers, tablets and smart phones have become commonplace while the cost of paper books have exploded. For the price of a big bag of paperback books, you can now pick up an e-book reader and store over a thousand books that cost much less than their paper brothers. Portable, efficient and fun. What a world!

With the e-publishing explosion, more and more authors are looking at self (or indie) publishing rather than going the more traditional routes. My friends and I have been looking at this too. Yes, we all are with reputable publishers who provide content editing, covers, distribution, etc but there's nothing wrong with looking at other avenues. From what I gather in my research, authors must find a good editor to make sure the work sparkles and shines and they must find someone to do their cover work and then they are responsible for promotion (which we all do, as a rule, anyway). I believe there is money to be made out there and a little investigation and careful study is in order to see if this might be worthwhile. Hey, I don't know why not! I have no intention of leaving my current publisher but throwing out a book or two on my own might be a pretty cool venture. Still studying the in's and out's of this whole thing. What do you think and what have you heard? There are plenty of 'boards' out there where writers are discussing this and I believe there's a wealth of information for someone who is prepared to do some checking.

If you are indi-pubbed or considering it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Welcome Guest Blogger Alyssa Fox

I’ve come to talk about heartache today. We’ve all been there at one time or another. All of us girls have helped each other through it. No two women handle it the same way; some have a girl’s night out, watch a movie, eat ice cream or chocolate. It’s never a fun thing to go through, but it’s a part of life. Sometimes you have to go through a lot of hurt to find the right man for you. This is one of my favorite quotes about men when you’re still searching for Mr. Right: "Men are like roses, watch out for the pricks!" It’s true you have to weed through all the wrong ones before getting to Mr. Right.

One reason I love writing is I can torment my characters as much as needed to break them down, which of course is something you have to do to get them to their happily ever after. As an author, you can’t make their journey an easy one. For one, that would make for a crappy read. And for number two, that’s not how it happens in real life. That’s what both Erin and Kyle are learning in my debut book, Road to Recovery. Erin has given up on finding that one person until her five year plan is in place. She was burned in a bad way. Kyle has lost his wife and daughter; he’s not looking to fall in love ever again. Short flings will do him just fine…better than getting his heart into the mix. Things get complicated when a mentorship with the Chief Pediatric Surgeon becomes available.

Dr. Erin Miller and Dr. Kyle Reynolds are competing for a coveted mentoring position at Maple Forge Memorial Hospital; they plan on pulling out all the stops. But their careers and their desires collide, tangling their past with their future and giving them a chance for love.
So, tell me, what you do when someone breaks your heart? If you’ve already found that one person for you, then tell me what you used to do, or how you help friends get through that hard time?
I can be found at my website http://www.alyssa-fox.com/. Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/AlyssaFox99 Faceboook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Alyssa-Fox/149547855112826

Blurb
Dr. Erin Miller’s life was going great; for the most part, anyway. She was single, had a career she loved, and a cherished circle of friends, but something was missing. When a mentorship with the Chief Pediatric Surgeon becomes available, she couldn’t be more thrilled. Maybe this is just what the doctor ordered! That is, until the handsome and charismatic Dr. Kyle Reynolds decides he wants the mentorship as well.
Kyle Reynolds has lost everything including his wife and daughter. With nothing left in his life except for his job, he sets his sights on the new mentorship position with single-minded determination. The only obstacle he faces is the sexy Dr. Erin Miller.

Excerpt

"Can I cut in?"
She jerked her head in his direction and shot him a dirty look. Kyle’s pulse raced as he glanced over her body. She wore a short skirt and halter-top. Her clothes flattered all the right places on her. She'd finished the look off with some sexy heels.
“No.”
The other man’s hands slid to her hips, pulling her closer. Kyle couldn’t miss the surprised expression that appeared on her face. Or how he wanted to rip the man’s hands from her hips at that moment.
“I believe it’s her choice who she dances with.”
“Listen, you had your chance before I asked her,” Dave barked back.
“Hello, I’m right here and can speak for myself. I’m not some toy.”
The other guy walked off in a huff, spitting something about jealous boyfriends. Kyle pulled her close. She flattened her palms against his chest. The heat from her hands seared him, as if there wasn’t a shirt as a barrier between her touch and his bare flesh.
"I never said I wanted to dance with you."
"Too bad. You’re going to."
"The hell I will." She took her hands off him and turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
Kyle placed her arms around his neck and molded her body to his. Like a switch, the arousal he’d seen in her eyes earlier flared to life. A sensual voice echoed around them as it blared from the speakers. She took a ragged breath before she moved with him.
She rolled her hips into him, and he pulled her closer, allowing no space between them.
His right hand trailed a slow path down her arm; goose bumps rose on her satiny skin. Kyle looked at Erin as his hand trailed down to her hips, her gaze on his mouth. He could tell what had happened earlier had affected her as much as it had him. He planned to kiss her before the night ended, but for now, he'd enjoy having her in his arms, keeping her wondering when it would happen.
She drew her focus to his eyes. “You're arrogant."
"Yes, and now we have that out of the way, let's move on, because it's not going to change."He bent closer to her and inhaled the cinnamon-orange scent that was only her. "Je tu vous embrasserai, donc à fond que vous oublierez votre nom, votre sucre.”
"Stop, doing that! I haven't a clue what you said."
He moved closer to where only she could hear him. “I said I'm going to kiss you, so thoroughly you'll forget your name, Sugar.” Kyle moved back and watched her cheeks flush pink as she contemplated what he'd said.

Deep Thoughts

I’m often asked why I write and lately I have to say, I’ve been in a quandary about that. We write for many and varied reasons. Some are quick to say they simply love writing. Not a thing wrong with that. You love something, you do it. Right? That’s a no-brainer. Others write for a bit of extra income and some pen stories to be a part of ‘the writing world’ of authors, readers, publishers etc. These are all valid and sound reasons for wanting the life of an author.

Lately though I’ve been wondering exactly why I do what I do and each time I’ve asked myself that question I can’t think of an answer. Sad isn't it? Once upon a time I loved to write and craft a story that ate away at me until I could do nothing else but get it down. I was passionate about learning my craft. Driven. Ambitious. Dying to ‘get there’. When I became published and had reached that ultimate goal, I loved the world…meeting other authors and developing friendships with women who were like me yet, each very different from me, too. They are women who have enriched my life and I simply can’t imagine a day not talking with them.
So why the funk? Maybe I needed to have a little chat in the mirror with Jack Handey from the old Saturday Night Live sketch “Deep Thoughts” but in the end, a simple conversation with my daughter started me thinking and suddenly I KNEW why I wrote and why I’ve chosen to live this life.

Last night I had an epiphany.

My twenty-year old picked up a beautiful notebook I’d been given as a gift from an author friend. You know the kind…lovely and filled with blank pages just waiting to be filled. She said…Mom, I need one of these. Did you keep a journal? Yes, I told her, I wrote my deepest thoughts for years. Even when I was your age. She said…can we go tomorrow and get one for me? Sure, I said, not a problem. It’s good to write out your feelings. Sometimes it makes things more clear, ya know?

So as she sat near me while I worked at my desk, I noticed the intense look of concentration on her face as she typed into her own laptop. Of course, I knew what she was doing and in a moment of clarity I remembered again why I actually DO love to write. Even though a fictional story is, well…fictional…there is always a grain of truth to be found, isn’t there? I realized in that rare moment that I am constantly searching for answers to why people (even fictional ones) behave the way they do, say the things they say, and how they learn to accept and love. Yeah, it might sound kind of goofy to say that I am a truth seeker but I really believe that’s what motivates me to write a story.

What a relief to finally know.

Multi-tasking FAILURE

For years I've read about writers who bounce back and forth between current works in progress. Never, never have I been able to figure out how that do it. I'm jealous, too! I would love to take a morning to work on a shifter and then switch gears to my hot, little cowboy story in the afternoon. You know, I figured I must be missing something or just flat not doing something right. So several weeks ago I tackled this. How hard could it be? Take a short break between the two stories and dig in. Riiiiight. That folk saying about teaching  old dogs new tricks definitely applies readily to ME. I just couldn't do it. Not exactly sure why but skipping between stories messes with my WAH, my ZEN, my HAPPY PLACE. Could NOT find my happy place while working on several things at once. It screws with my head and I've now decided I'm just not a multi tasker. I sooo envy women who do many things at once, do a perfect job at each and manage it with every hair in place and hell, they do it in heels.

Most of my friends know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love it because it's not about gifts. Just a great meal shared with family and loved ones. As I thought today about my super duper multi-tasking failure I wondered about my love of this holiday considering all that cooking. Yes, I do it all from planning the meal, grocery shopping and all preparations (not to mention fancifying everything). Had a conversation with my son the other day about my failure and he laughed...Mom, I can't do it either. I suck at it but hey, you do Thanksgiving, don't you? It's great every year and it's a lot of work.

Yes, son, it is.

 I've been thinking today that maybe I'm not so great at this holiday. I've been fooling myself since I'm not a multi-tasker. I do great until The Mothers show up. I work away, totally in control and in my element but then they arrive and all my calm and cool flies right out the window.

Mom: Honey, can I do something?
Me (putting together a last minute dish): No Mom. Thanks, just sit over there and look pretty.
Mom: Are you sure?
Me (looking up as sweat begins to bead on my forehead): Uh uh. Yeah. Uh. Yes. I'm good. You just sit.
MIL (who can't hear and talks very loudly...bless her heart): Honey, can I do something?
Me (shaking head, trying to smile): Nope. No, you just sit there and look pretty. Sit with Mom. You can look pretty together.
MIL (moving closer, very close, oh about three inches from my face): ARE YOU SURE? Can I set the table?
Me: okay. okay. Sure. (I begin to look frantically for an ingredient only to find it is right in front of me)
MIL: Where are the placemats? Oh can I pour tea?
Mom (jumping up and tired of looking pretty): I can do that. Oh, the tea needs sugar. Where's the sugar? Is it in here? (She then proceeds to open and shut every damn cabinet. In the background Mr. Reg is yelling from his post in front of the game...dinner almost ready? Do you need anything?)
Me (stirring, stirring, forgetting an ingredient, cussing a blue streak before remembering it's Thanksgiving and I'm supposed to be sweet and cheerful): No, not that one Mom. Here wait. It'll be easier if I get it.
Darling Husband (walking in, seeing me wilting and harried): Hey ladies! Lets watch the parade.
MIL and Mom: Ohhhh noooooo. She needs help.
Mom: Honey, you're sweating. Are you okay?
Daughter: (who is quietly watching the chaos) Here you go, Mom. (as she drops two tylenol into my hand)

In the end it all works out as it has for the past twenty-five years but each time, the conversations are the same. For me? Too much info to process coming straight at my head. So I figure I'm not as good at multitasking as I thought.

Talk on the phone and drive? Not happening (nor should it). Walk and chew gum (doubtful). Write two books at once? Nope. Not ever.

Gifts that Keep on Giving...

There's just something about a series. It's the gift that keeps on giving. I mean, let's face it, another new book in a continuing saga keeps readers coming back for more. But why do we love them so much? That's easy. In book one we fall in love with the hero and heroine and want more of them, even if it's just an eensy taste. We want to know if they got married, had kids, and if they are still saying 'I Love You' as subsequent stories unfold. It's hard to give them up. Nothing keeps an avid reader on the edge of her seat more than the anticipation of the arrival of another installment in a favored series. I got hooked on them years ago when I began reading Nora Roberts. I loved how she would introduce three characters and make us anticipate that next installment, weaving in everyone from prior books. JR Ward has done it quite successfully with her Black Dagger Brotherhood series as has Christine Feehan with several of her series.

You know how you'll read a book and see it become a movie? Often we are disappointed in those because two hours usually just isn't long enough to capture all the details that made the book so delicious. I suspect this is why the longer television series are a perfect medium for the telling of the book. We want more time with the main characters (and often want more time with the secondary characters as well). Would the Charlaine Harris stories that are the basis of the hit HBO series True Blood, have worked better as a movie? I don't think so. We want a rich...not a rushed...telling of our favorite stories.

For an author, writing series simply gives us more time and more opportunity to enrich our characters, giving them layer and depth that would be much harder to achieve with a single novel. Personally, I love writing them. There is something definitely satisfying about the inclusion of past characters mixing in with the new folks who populate the storyline. My first series for Ellora's Cave was the High Plains Shifters series about a small Texas town entirely populated by wolf shifters. It is a challenging project no doubt about it. Building a whole new world and filling it with interesting characters is a fulfilling as an author and keeps my creative energy high. Nothing like it.  

Tomorrow the fifth book of the High Plains Shifters series debuts at Ellora's Cave. Lawman was a bit long in coming but I hope fans of the series believe it to be worth the wait!

COMING SOON - May 4


Book 5 in the High Plains Shifters series.



In the deep of night she longs for him. Mate, lycan, lover. Her lawman. As Katalin Petrova struggles to control her wild and untamed “gift”, she yearns for the only man who can make her whole. His every touch burns, searing her with unimaginable pleasure. Only her strong, protective lover can tame the wild yearnings of her body and help her claim the power of her ancestors.


While Gabriel Dunham, lycan lieutenant of the Wolf Creek Pack, watches over his intended mate, his patience to claim her nears an end as savage need burns his body. Consumed by unbridled lust, he claims her, takes her, hoping it will be enough to protect Katalin from unseen forces determined to rip her from his arms

An Excerpt From: LAWMAN

Copyright © REGINA CARLYSLE, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Chapter One



Though it was midafternoon, weariness settled over Sheriff Gabriel Dunham like a shroud and he had only a serious lack of sleep to blame. Nights spent in his truck while watching over Katalin, his intended mate, had taken their toll on him. Every night, he stared toward her small, secluded house where a warm bed and a beautiful woman waited for him. But he was no fool. He didn’t dare go inside. Taking her now, making her his wasn’t an option at the moment.

She was too fragile, much too delicate and Gabe simply wasn’t strong enough to hold back from his determined need to stake his claim on her.

Kat needed more from him now than hot, frantic sex.

After all she’d been through, Katalin needed safety and he wasn’t quite sure that he could deliver considering the raw, savage need that clawed through his belly. It was like a prairie fire gone wild, alarming in its intensity.

Protecting others was in his nature and he’d face death rather than hurt her.

A lawman who’d lived more than two hundred years on this earth, he’d worked the docks in the great ports of St. Louis during American expansion to the West and then later, he’d followed covered wagons filled with hopeful adventurers. In those days, he’d been a lycan in search of a pack, a place and a people to call his own. He’d settled in rough, rowdy towns throughout the savage West selling his skills with a gun, sometimes in the name of law and order and sometimes not. Many had been the time Gabriel Dunham had accepted the job as “protector”, a bodyguard to the rich and powerful. That he was a giant of a man who stood well over six foot seven and appeared as intimidating as hell had kept him employed throughout the West during the many years of his life.

Gabe leaned back in the chair at his scarred desk and propped his booted feet atop it, crossing them at the ankle. His eyes burned like hellfire and he needed sleep in the worst way. Burning the candle at both ends wore at him.

As always, in quiet moments, he thought of Katalin Petrova.

Through the past centuries, he’d hoped and prayed for a mate, the woman destined to belong to him alone and he’d pretty much given up on ever finding her. But now, through an act of fate, she was here, a beautiful female who was too damn delicate to touch.

Breakable.

She’d just taken a job at the library at Cloverfield High School. The school year was brand new and suddenly the local streets were quiet since every teen lycan in town was currently parked at the school instead of dragging Main Street or partying out by the lake as kids were known to do. He knew that after her ordeal over the summer she was making baby steps toward re-entering society. Dr. Santos, a lycan psychiatrist from Dallas, had suggested this job would be a good thing for her so Katalin had bravely forged ahead with things.

Was she thinking of him as he thought of her, a quiet obsession born of desperation burning just below the surface of her skin? Scrubbing his palms over his face, Gabe finally closed his eyes and let her image swim to the surface of his mind. Damn but his mate was a pretty woman. The ache of his need wasn’t a sudden thing but a perpetual burning in his gut, a need to claim her, fuck her, and make her his.

For life.

Sighing deeply, the sound of the air conditioner a low hum in the room, he let himself drift off as memories of his first moments with her sifted through his brain and sleep took him away.

“I’ve got you now, Katalin. You’re safe.” Sitting at the side of her bed as shadows surrounded them, Gabe reached out his hand to brush back a pale reddish curl from her forehead. Someone had once told him this particular color was strawberry blonde but it sure looked like a Texas sunset to him. Katalin Petrova’s exotically tilted blue eyes looked back vacantly but he sensed the current of emotion that raced through her veins. Letting his mind meld with hers, he absorbed her desolation into his pores. A vast emptiness, fear, rage, guilt.

Guilt?

What the fuck? Why?

That he felt her emotions, even buried as deeply as they were, was no surprise to him. This was the way of mated couples. Instant recognition had swept him from the first moment he’d clapped eyes on her. “You don’t have to worry about anything now. Not even talking, honey. I know you can’t right now but that’s all right. Do you hear me? You are going to be fine and nothing is gonna pry my ass from your side. Do you believe me?”

Katalin blinked.

Guest Blogger Kaily Hart..You Read WHAT???

You Read WHAT!?
You wouldn’t believe some of things I’ve heard people say or those that have been said to me about women who read romance. Or perhaps you can J. Can you imagine what’s said about the women that actually WRITE it? With all the talk this week about Judy Mays and her situation this seemed like such a worthy topic to bring up. The disparaging way the romance genre is viewed overall still confuses and frustrates me and not much really ticks me. Actually, I don’t often get ticked off at all, but this really does it for me. Yes, it’s probably primarily from men, but I’ve heard a lot of very disparaging remarks from women as well, women who “wouldn’t lower themselves to read such trash”. LOL. Sure, not everything is for everyone. But when it comes to romance, it’s not just that some people choose not to read it, it’s almost like they have to belittle those that do as well. It doesn’t seem to be the case with other genres of popular fiction. In fact, quite the opposite, so what gives??



Here are some things I’ve come across and my thoughts on it:



Women who read romance are fat, ugly, unmarried women who can’t get a guy – Wow, generalize much? I know for a fact this is not true!



Women who read romance just need a good lay by a real guy - Ah, great defensive comeback, usually masking your own deficiency and every woman everywhere could do with a good lay now and again J, romance reader or not.



Romance is not serious fiction – Oh, and science fiction and urban fantasy are? And by the way, many, many books from other genres have an element of romance in them. Almost every blockbuster movie does as well. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but what genre outsells more than any other? Huh?



Erotic romance is basically porn – Oh, honey what kind of porn have you been watching LOL?



Romance is so predictable – I love this one. You mean when you read a mystery you don’t know by the end it’ll be solved and you’ll know who did it? That sounds pretty predictable, but that’s just me.



Romance encourages women to expect something that’s not real. It sets unrealistic expectations about love and marriage – OK, this is probably said by guys who don’t…er…shall we say, measure up? Why shouldn’t women or anyone for that matter, have high expectations when it comes to the person they’ll spend the rest of their life with?



Anyone can write a romance novel - Oh, really? I get this ALL the time. People think writing romance is so much easier than writing any other type of book. Couple meet and fall in love. They boink and declare their undying devotion to each other. The people don’t think they really have to come up with any ideas, that they just have to write it. Alrighty then. Have at it!



That’s not all of them. Not by a long shot, but it gives a flavor. Romance isn’t just the 50 pound gorilla in the publishing room. It’s more like the 1000 pound monolith that aint going anywhere anytime soon.



So…have you come across some of these asinine comments and thinking? Why do YOU read romance?





About Me:



Kaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream —to write. And romance at that! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance, one hot story at a time. Two years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? Well, you couldn’t pay her enough to do anything else.



Kaily’s books, PICTURE THIS, PAY UP & PLAY ME are all currently available from Ellora’s Cave and other ebook outlets.



If anyone would want to contact me (which I would love by the way) or just keep up with what I’m doing, you can find me all over:

Web – http://www.kailyhart.com/

Blog - http://kailyhart.blogspot.com/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/kaily.hart

Twitter - http://twitter.com/kailyhart

More Easter Update

Piggybacking on Tess's post from yesterday here but I couldn't resist talking about our Easter holiday. Maybe because it was a tad more memorable than most. Long ago we stopped with the whole dying-eggs thing, the baskets and fancy Easter outfits. Our kids are really not 'kids' anymore so we tend to have a nice dinner and that's about it. Fine with me. I've always thought the most important thing about holidays was having family together to celebrate the moment.

This year we had a double whammy with Easter and Mr. Regina's birthday. So along with the nice Easter meal we had birthday cake and gifts. The day started out nice enough. My son and daughter were home and the moms came over. The day began overcast but since no rain was in the forecast, I figured all the 'little egghunters' would have a pretty good time in backyards and parks all over town. That wasn't in the cards. The storm hit unexpectedly as the skies opened up and we were pelted with hail for the next three hours. I didn't think it would be all that bad at first but when the pea-sized stuff turned into baseball sized hail we knew we were in trouble. Me and Mr. Reg's cars were safely in the garage but we had four cars in the driveway that got serious damage. We lost the glass from a patio table and leaves were stripped from trees to litter the ground. We had some flooding too. Alarms went off everywhere at tornadoes touched down around us. Fairly scary way to spend our Easter Sunday but, in the end, everyone was fine and there wasn't any significant damage other than to cars. Yesterday we noticed signs for local roofing companies up in a number of yards and we heard the body shops and insurance companies stayed busy fielding claims for car damage. Odd way to see a boost to the local economy, isn't it? Well, life happens and it's best to be ready for anything. Just hoping we have less drama on our next holiday.

I've Got the Fever!

I woke up this morning with that old Peggy Lee song stuck in my head. Feverrrrr, when you kiss me, fever when you hooold me tight! FEVER! The big problem is I'm not suffering from any kind of romantic fever, believe me. Nope. Spring Fever and I swear it's contagious. My mind just isn't functioning right now. Lately, we've been piddling in the yard planting our flowers and it looks like today I'll be heading to my handy neighborhood Lowe's to pick up some more.But it doesn't end there.

The other day on our readers loop we were discussing home projects we've been tackling. I got the feeling lots of us were feeling the same and needing to freshen things up around our places. BTW...if you'd like to join a small, friendly and fun loop, we'd love to have you. Sign up HERE!

For the past week or so I've been jotting down things I want to do to the house. You know, accessory stuff. I need some new floral arrangements and I have some prints in rooms that don't really work anymore. I need a massive mirror to hang over a buffet table in the dining room. Just thinking about all the improvements I needed to tackle made my head spin so one night I sat down at the computer and went mentally from room to room taking note of things I need. Let me tell you it's a long, long list but I'm planning to get to work on it.

I don't really know what brings this on. Maybe it's the sudden change of weather from winter to spring but I can't seem to think of anything but fixing up the house, sprucing up here and there. So okay. My mind is focusing in that direction so I've decided to go from room to room and add little touches. My daughter is coming in this week for a little Easter break and we've already talked about this 'nesting' thing. Hey, the birds are doing it so why shouldn't we? We have plans to tackle accessories in a few of the bathrooms before digging into the bigger, more expensive things.

My office already got a slight sprucing up (although there is much more to go) when I took some money I'd gotten for my birthday and bought a pretty new print for one wall. I have problems in my office. It was once my son's bedroom but when he left years ago, I sorta took it over so that I could have my own office. Over the years, a number of things, including my promo material, have ended up in his big closet. They sit there in boxes among his assorted broken or seldom used gadgets and clothes he wore in high school. Umm. He is now 25 so I don't think he'll be wearing that junk anymore. Anyway, I walked in there the other day to shove another box of promo stuff into the space and realized the light bulb had burned out. I tried to step inside and thought...what the hell...I couldn't step into the room to change the bulb. That's how bad it is. I felt like one of those poor people from Hoarders. So tackling that damn closet has moved to the top of my list. How did I let things get so bad?

So now I'm figuring that once I tackle the projects that are screaming at me, I might be able to concentrate on other, more important things. I don't think I'm alone with this whole spring nesting thing. Am I? What project leaps to the top of your to-do list?

Welcome our Guest...Paige Tyler

I'm so excited to announce I have a new book out with Ellora's Cave! It's a paranormal romance called GHOST HUNTER, and it's got a hunky hero, a kick-ass heroine and a serial killing ghost that's scary as hell! Not to mention a smokin' hot cover!

I love when I come up with an idea for a book out of the blue, which is what happened with GHOST HUNTER. When I heard my local RWA chapter set up a lecture with a team of paranormal investigators, it got me thinking right away about writing a book about a ghost hunter. Because the chapter is far from where we live, though, we didn't actually go to the lecture. I was a little bummed about that, especially since they were giving out EMF detectors. On second thought, maybe it was better we didn't go. Ghosts freak me out, so having something that can detect them probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Enough about me, back to the story behind the story. While I knew the hero was a ghost hunter named Trace, I wasn't quite sure how the heroine fit into the story, or even who she was. So, my hubby and I played around with a few ideas at our local PF Chang's (we come up with a lot of story ideas there!) We both decided that having the heroine Cassidy need the hero's help because her house was haunted or something like that didn't seem original enough, so we made her a budding romance writer who tags along with the hero and his team to do some research. Like any good story, though, it had to have some conflict, which is why Trace and Cassidy completely rub each other the wrong way right from the beginning. Actually, he thinks he's a jerk. But don't worry, Cassidy discovers underneath that rough ghost hunter exterior, Trace is just the man she's been looking for. It doesn't hurt that he's hot!

Okay, so we had our hero and heroine. Now we needed a bad guy. That's where the ghost comes in. He's not your standard, everyday ghost, though. He's a serial killer who attacked Cassidy that comes back from the grrave to continue his string of grisly murders, and she's at the top of his list. To make things even more interesting, not only can he do all the regualar ghostly stuff like walk through walls and materialize out of thin air, he can also take solid form.

I'm not going to tell you any more than that, though. Don't want to give too much away, you know. I will add that my editor at Ellora's Cave told me she got so caught up in the story, she completely forgot she was reading a submission!

Now that you know the story behind the story, I think I'll tease you with an excerpt. Enjoy!


BLURB:


Almost getting murdered by a serial killer gives Cassidy Kincaide a new lease on life and convinces her to go ahead and tackle that ghost-hunter novel she's always wanted to write. So, she hooks up with a gorgeous paranormal investigator named Trace McCord to do some research.

Cassidy and Trace rub each other the wrong way right from the beginning, but they have to put aside their differences when the serial killer who attacked her comes back from the grave to continue his string of grisly murders, with her at the top of his list.



Trace has to keep Cassidy close to keep her safe, and as they try to stay one step ahead of the ghost while figuring out how to stop it, he and Cassidy end up in each other’s arms. While Trace has a whole list of reasons why he shouldn’t get involved with her, he finds himself falling in love with the beautiful blonde anyway. And even though Cassidy started out thinking he was a jerk, she learns that underneath the rough ghost hunter exterior, he’s just the man she’s always been looking for. Now, all they have to do, is live long enough to be together.





EXCERPT:



Trace was only a few miles from the address Robert had given him for Cassidy when his cell phone rang. At first he wasn’t going to answer it, but some sixth sense made him change his mind. Now he was glad he had.

He was about to disconnect the call when he heard a muffled scream on the other end of the line. It was quickly followed by a loud clatter, then nothing.

“Cassidy!”

No answer.

Trace felt his chest tighten. Swearing under his breath, he shoved his cell phone in the pocket of his jeans and floored the pedal on the Hummer, running a red light to get through the intersection. The other drivers honked their horns as they squealed to a stop, but he ignored them. There was no way he was going to let Cassidy die.



Five minutes later, he slid into the parking lot outside her apartment, running over an ornamental fence and a flower bed to come to a screeching halt a few feet from the front door. Jumping out of the Hummer, he ran around to the back and grabbed his duffel bag full of gear. Throwing it over his shoulder, he raced up the steps and charged through the door into the building, scaring the hell out of two women carrying laundry baskets.

“Where the hell are the stairs?” he demanded, not wanting to waste time with the elevator.

The women timidly pointed around the corner.

Trace didn’t thank them as he ran in that direction. He hit the steps hard, taking them hree at a time. Once on the fourth floor, he ran down the hall, checking the room numbers on he doors. When he came to the right one, he didn’t even bother to slow down. Instead, he kicked the door in as hard as he could, reaching into his bag for his shotgun as the frame splintered and the door flew open.

He looked left and right as he entered the apartment, but there was no sign of Cassidy or Del Vecchio. Trace’s blood ran cold at the scene that met his eyes. The living room looked as if a cyclone hit it. The couch and throw pillows were sliced to shreds, stuffing still floating hrough the air. The coffee table was lying on its side, as were the two end tables, and the lamps that had been on them were smashed to pieces along with practically everything else in the place. Even the walls had been slashed.



“Cassidy?” Trace called.

“In here.”

Trace followed the sound of her voice until he came to the kitchen. Cassidy was standing in the center of the room inside a wobbly drawn circle of salt, ready to throw a handful of something in his face. She sagged with relief at the sight of him, letting the stuff in her hand trickle out onto the floor. That was when he realized she was holding a big container of oregano.

“Is he gone?” she whispered.



Trace nodded. “Yeah, he’s gone. But I’m getting you the hell out of here anyway.”

He didn’t wait for an answer, but simply slung the shotgun over his shoulder by the strap, then walked into the kitchen and swung Cassidy up in his arms.

She put one of her own around his neck. “Is it safe for me to leave the circle?”

“Yes. I’ll keep you safe. Trust me.”

Apparently she must have believed him because she didn’t resist. She cuddled the container of oregano close to her body and leaned against his chest.


He frowned. “Cassidy, you did great with the salt circle. It saved your life without a doubt. But what are you doing with the oregano?”

She looked up at him with big, blue eyes. “Isn’t it what you used to get rid of ghosts?”



His mouth twitched. “That’s sage and garlic. You can ditch the spaghetti spice.”

“Oh,” was all she said. Resting her head on his shoulder, she let the container of oregano tumble to the floor, then put that arm around his neck, too.



Giving the place one more look to make sure Del Vecchio hadn’t come back, Trace carried her out of the apartment and right passed the alarmed neighbors who had come out into the hallway to see what the ruckus was all about. Trace imagined they got their money’s worth seeing a big guy with a shotgun and a duffel bag slung over his shoulder carrying a beautiful half-naked woman in his arms. He abruptly realized he probably should have taken a few minutes to let Cassidy grab some clothes. But then the lights in the hallway flickered and he decided he could get her clothes later. They were getting the hell out of there.



“Is she being kidnapped?” one elderly woman asked another in a low voice as he and Cassidy passed them.

“If she is,” said the other old woman, “then I want to want to be kidnapped next.”

Any other time, Trace would have laughed, but right now all he wanted to do was get Cassidy someplace safe. Fortunately, he knew exactly where to take her.



Watch the Trailer Here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7c6DgZ-fHs

Get your copy of GHOST HUNTER at Ellora's Cave!
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9148-ghost-hunter.aspx
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1335884635


*hugs*
Paige

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com/
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

Convention CRAZY!

I swear. It has been soooo fun trolling facebook and looking for pictures from sunny California site of this years Romantic Times Convention. I scour each pic looking for friends and being jealous as hell that I wasn't there. siiiigh.Maybe next year. Now that my buds are home I'm really anxious to hear all the gossip and stories about the things they did. Over the past couple of years, I've considered attending this convention but always the length of the conference holds me back. Let's face it...six days is a mighty long time to live out of a suitcase and considering all the elaborate costumes involved for the numerous parties, it looks like an awful lot of work and preparation for one convention.

Must admit though, now that I've seen the pictures and heard some of the chatter, it is something I must consider. Looks like convention season has kicked off in spectacular fashion which has me wondering if any of you are considering a conference for authors and readers this year. I know a number of great ones are coming up this summer and fall. As for me, I will once again (third year in a row) attend Ellora's Cave's Romanticon convention in Akron, Ohio. I've already started gathering up promotional items to give away at the Swag Zone and during the giant booksigning on Sunday. Seriously, this is a not be missed event. I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else come September. EC always gives the best parties and I know everyone at this years RT went on and on about the Bollywood event. From personal experience, I can tell you EC throws the best parties around and I have first hand experience when I say Romanticon is a non-stop party and you'll never meet a nicer, more fun group of people ANYWHERE.

You can read all about Romanticon HERE!

So are you thinking about it yet? Admittedly there are a few other conferences I might consider in the future and I'm constantly talking with other author friends which ones are worth the bucks. Things to look for? Easy. Great venue, friendly people, good food and lots of parties. So what are we waiting for? I can already think of several dozen folks I would loooove to meet in person and spend some serious face-to-face time with. Lets meet up!

In other news: Look what I just got from the Cover Gods at Ellora's Cave!!! This is the cover of my upcoming book Lawman. Lawman is book five of my High Plains Shifter series and if you are a fan of these stories, I think you might really like this! At least I hope so. It was one of my favorites to write, for sure. I'm expecting edits any day now and am keeping fingers and toes crossed that it releases soon. If you are unfamiliar with the series and want to check it out, head over to Ellora's Cave. The books in order are Highland Beast, Lone Star Lycan, Ringo's Ride and Edge of Nowhere. If you prefer your books in print, all four books are available in two print volumes, Lone Star Beasts and Riding the Edge.

Reviews:
In the past few days I've gotten some great review news. Panther Moon (book two of the Savage Sanctuary series, EC) was voted Book of the Month at Sizzling Hot Book Reviews! Many, many thanks and hugs to those who voted! MUAH!

Sizzling Hot Book Reviews also reviewed Feral Moon (book one of the Savage Sanctuary series). You can read the full review HERE.

Panther Moon was just reviewed by Siren Book Reviews and received a Best Book rating. YAY! So many thanks to Cia at Siren. You can read the review HERE.

Blowing The Lid Off: Bad Shenanigans In Author Land!

I’m floored. Just absolutely floored. And I think that may very well be a strictly Southern expression so basically what I’m saying is I’m just absolutely pissed off and it’s to the point of being so bad I’m lying on the floor with it!

We hear the old “authors behaving badly” all the time. But it’s usually in reference to something they have said or done publicly. Well, let me tell ya…it’s not just the public persona that needs to maintain professional standards…AND…remember exactly what friendship means.

No one ever talks much about what goes on behind the scenes, do they? It’s all whispered. It’s the truly DIRTY end of this business. No publisher selling your book and conveniently forgetting to send you your money, keeping the rights to your books long after your contract has expired can surpass some of the antics that go on behind closed doors. If you think that an author having a melt down on a blog is bad behavior, remind yourself of some of the downright mean-spirited things that go on in private.

We all know it happens, too. And if you didn’t know it, you suspected.

There are cliques in the publishing world, aren’t there? This group of authors hangs with this bunch. That group hangs with another bunch. You can tell exactly who are friends, can’t you? No problem. It’s great to have friends online. You need to bond with other authors. And oftentimes that bonding comes about through shared publishers, shared genres, or even shared battles you’ve won together—or lost. I know I have some dear friends due to a couple of publisher closings that left us with our jaws dropping. Bonds are forged, lifelong friendships are made. All good, right?

Not necessarily.

Don’t let friendship get in the way of good judgment. Don’t let that one friend talk you into something you should not do. Don’t let the pack mentality become so rabid that you attack when it is just plain damn wrong. Think!

I’ve recently become aware of an incident that involved that pack mentality. A group of author friends going to Amazon and giving one-star ratings to two other authors to be exact. Yep. How do I know this? Well, when you get ready to email someone, make sure you select exactly who you want that email to go out to when that drop down menu appears, okay? And you’d best check all recipient names before you hit send, too.

The authors who had planned this are very very lucky it wasn’t me they were going after. The two they had targeted want all of this to go away, but know I’m blogging about this, know I won’t use any names. Why? Because I promised them I wouldn’t use names. I gave my word. Something that the unholy alliance of authors who planned the Amazon sabotage probably wouldn’t understand. But if it were me? I’d publish their names and the email that was accidentally intercepted. Damn straight I would.

I’ve been around the block a whole lot of times, and there is no way in hell that I’d let that bunch go without public humiliation. I liken what they planned to do, what they have so obviously done before to other authors judging by what I read, to career murder. If an author can commit career suicide, surely sabotage should be viewed as murder.

Now, in another entirely unrelated situation, lots of authors have been complaining about getting bad ratings at Good Reads. A couple of M/M authors I talked to last night have had twos tossed up less than an hour after a book’s release—and the books would have taken much longer than that to even read. But it’s not just within the M/M genre this is happening. It’s happening to M/F authors, too. There is also the matter of Facebook taking down pages with no explanation whatsoever—to both M/M and M/F authors. The reason I am pointing out that it’s happening to both is because no one needs to think this is genre-based. It’s not. It’s about erotic content in general.

Several authors have said that the Facebook take downs occurred a few days after they had accepted friendship from someone they deemed to be of an ultra-conservative religion. Hmmm…when you get a friend request, make sure you take a look at that person’s page before you accept. If their profile is set to private and you can’t get any info? Well, I’ve accepted in the past and then deleted later on when I discovered the person was not a true reader and just a guy looking for women. Or when I’ve discovered pics and statements made on the page that are contrary to my beliefs. Lately? If a page is set to private, I just don’t accept. Period.

With the Good Reads ratings, some authors suspect it’s other authors giving the bad ratings. Why would they do that? Same reason they were going to do it to the authors above on Amazon. Jealousy. The author is good, getting too much attention, better sales, or just plain rubs them the wrong way. But there is something else to be considered here too. Put aside ultra-conservative fanatics. Put aside jealousy from other authors. What about authors who don’t write erotic romance and consider it porn?

Have you ever come across one of them? I have. And it wasn’t pretty.

As soon as they find out you write erotic romance—BAM—they don’t want to talk to you anymore. And if you are published with a digital publisher? Well, you don’t rate a simple howdy do! And no, not all authors who are published or aspire to be published with NY publishers only are like this. Not at all. I’m just giving you the different possibilities for these ratings that seem to be cropping up everywhere these days. Conspiracy theory? No. Shenanigans! And the not so funny kind at that!

And about those bad ratings showing up less than an hour after a book is released and it would take much much longer to read the book? Well, what about when the book releases and less than an hour later, it shows five-star ratings? Same thing—just the flip side. Hey! Rate your own book a five. That’s cool. Damn straight it is. You worked hard for it. But please wait until the day after it releases, will ya? LOL See, I consider that okay. But what isn’t okay is when an author registers with Amazon or even their publisher with several different email addresses and leaves all kinds of glowing comments for herself and that wonderful five star—occasional four-star rating (just to make it believable), now is it? Basically, if a book goes up today and I go back the next day and I see fifteen glowing comments? I’m going to read them. Yes, I am. And not everyone is good at hiding their writing style. You see, as an editor, I’ve learned to mimic various author styles of writing. I’m one of those who could vary my reviews on these sites and get away with it! LOL Joking, joking, joking. It’s just not something I’d do. I’d know I did it and it would bug the hell out of me. But not everyone does a good job of writing these reviews. So when I spot these hoards of readers going to a site and posting glowing reviews, it catches my attention, and I can almost always spot the reviews that were written by the same person. It’s not always the author doing this either. Sometimes it’s a well-intentioned friend.

But think about it. KNOW that someone is going to notice. And I’m not the only one who notices.

And here’s one more thing for you to think about:

This is something that happened a couple of months ago to a friend of mine. She had been a friend to two authors—online, of course. She chatted back and forth with both of them daily. She considered herself to be good friends with both and had been for almost two years. But the author/s confessed something to her that ruined both those relationships. It seems that these authors had been talking to this friend of mine but were one in the same. Just an author with two separate pen names, friending other authors as two individual people. Confused? Me too.

How the hell can you pretend to be two different friends to the same person for almost two years. My friend listened to this author/s problems. Talked to her through her marital breakup. They exchanged pics of their children for God’s sake. Oh…the author with the two pen names has four children. But she split them up in “ownership” between the two pen names. Now that’s just WHACKED! My friend was hurt by this. Deeply. She asked me just a couple of days ago if I used more than one pen name. My reply? “Hell no. I don’t have time, energy, or the intelligence needed!” LOL The only way I’d ever use a second pen name would be if I tried my hand at Young Adult. And then I’d keep that pen name a secret—but NOT from my friends. And I KNOW who they are, too! But you see? My author friend now suspects everyone is lying to her. Not good.

It breaks my heart that someone did this to her. Really does. It could be argued that when they struck up a friendship, revealing that pen name wasn’t necessary. But after three or four months? Definitely when you begin to reveal personal information, I’d say it would have been time to come clean, wouldn’t you?

If the shenanigans I’ve posted about today boggle your mind, well, you’re right on track. We should all be hearing a collective “HUH?” while reading. What happened to playing fair? Honor? Respect? For that matter, what happened to The Golden Rule. Remember that one?

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

And I don’t mean to bring religion into all of this. But don’t you think that living your life by the Golden Rule just plain works? Nothing religious about it. Just plain makes sense to me, at least.

To those of you who have engaged in some of these kinds of shenanigans, I say, back up. Take stock. Recommit yourself to maintaining a better level of professionalism. And if you choose to make friends online, then be respectful.

To those of you who have never crossed the line, I say, others can and will learn from the example you set. It’s through you that new authors learn—and not just about the writing craft.

In closing today, I want to issue a warning. The price of chocolate is going up! LOL…yeah, the price of everything is going up, but chocolate has me worried, lol

AND…for my weekly book trailer showcase, I’ve chosen Cindy Jacks! I love this video. Soooo sexy! It’s for her Ellora’s Cave Quickie entitled LEAP. You can find Cindy here: http://cindyjacks.com



http://tessmackall.com

Books available from Ellora's Cave and Pink Petal Books.

Self-Sabotage: Habits Writers Fall into and How to Conquer Them

Three Wicked Writers plus Two welcomes Author Stacy-Deanne

Writers are a funky bunch. We are the rulers of self-sabotage. We are always doing something to hinder ourselves in some kind of way and don’t even know it. People think we are whiners because we’re always going on about writing and how hard it is. Screw those people because writing is one of the hardest things in the world to do. Creativity is not something easily controlled and most writers do a damn good job of spawning thoughts into things that inspire and educate.
But we often ignore the education we need when it comes to our own habits. I love doing all I can to help other writers. Since we are so different from other people, we need to lean on each other. No one and I mean no one understands a writer like another writer does.
I’ve outlined some of the biggest self-sabotage habits and how we can conquer them. Check out the list. I bet you’ll find something on it that relates to you.

1) Stop Taking Every Critique You Hear Seriously!
Somewhere along the line writers got the impression that they were supposed to give every critique or review they receive clout. As if everything said about our work is important. Please. Do you know that only a small percentage of critiques you receive will actually help you? Do you realize that there are people in the world who try to get in your head and screw with you just to sabotage? Know your friends from your enemies. Stop listening to everyone! Not everyone is there to help. The main people who run to tell you what not to do don’t know anymore than you do. Too many cooks spoil the broth!

2) Stop Kidding Yourself, Ya’ Bum. It’s Procrastination Not Writers Block
Whoa this is a huge self sabotage habit for writers of all levels. There is a difference between procrastination and Writers Block. The block is when you make an effort at writing but can’t get your ideas to cooperate. Procrastination is laziness. It’s when you walk around saying you want to write something yet you never write anything. It’s when you start a million manuscripts and haven’t finished any of them. It’s when you sit down to write but end up playing on the Internet for an hour then whine claiming Writers Block. Beating procrastination takes discipline and BIC (butt in chair). As long as you give excuses to why you’re not writing, you never will. Start writing or take up something else. If you can’t commit to at least one project how the heck will you finish a book?

3) Thinking You’re Better Than You Are
There is nothing wrong with having pride or knowing you are a good writer. All writers should think this or they have no business writing for publication. But there are some writers who believe there is no room for improvement. Once again this happens with all levels of writers. The trick to staying a good writer is learning. You should always research and learn something new from project to project. Your work should improve not go backwards. Don’t become comfortable or satisfied. Always challenge yourself and input something new that you’ve learned into your latest work.

4) Knowing Your Weaknesses and Strengths
All writers are different. We all have different styles and different voices. We all have strengths and weaknesses. You know what, nothing’s wrong with weaknesses because we’re human. Writers strive too much for perfection and this is self sabotage in its biggest form. Sometimes it’s your weaknesses that make you, you. Sometimes your weakness can be your strength. Pick up some books from writers you enjoy. I bet you can list at least ten of their weaknesses and ten strengths. Being human doesn’t break a writer but striving for perfection your entire life will.

Well I had fun. I hope I helped the writers out there. Take this as a cyber hug. I want writers to succeed and I love to share my experiences to help. So don’t always be so hard on yourself. We’ve all been there and will be there once again.

Check out my brand new release: Giving up the Ghost (Book 1 in my Interracial Romantic Suspense series!)
Sample: http://www.stacydeanne.net/files/Giving_up_the_Ghost_Free_Sample.pdf

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Giving-Ghost-Publishing-Presents-ebook/dp/B004QZ9OXO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1299672324&sr=1-9

Nook: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Giving-Up-The-Ghost/Stacy-Deanne/e/2940012238443/?itm=22&USRI=peace+in+the+storm+publishing

Also available in print!
Read more about me, the series and my upcoming releases here: http://www.stacy-deanne.net/
Look me up on Facebook and other places around the net!
Best Wishes!

Promo That Shines

With all the talk about the upcoming Romantic Times Convention in L.A. my thoughts have turned to promotion. Well, they have also turned to the fact that I'm jealous. sniff sniff. I won't be going to this one and will be living vicariously through friends and hoping they post lots of pictures. As my buds have been preparing themselves for this big-time full-out party, they've also been gathering together promotional items to distribute to the many attendees.

There are a boatload of great conventions out there. One has only to look around, check locales and choose. For me, I always attend Ellora's Cave's Romanticon Convention in Ohio. It's a no-brainer considering it's the most fun conference around and EC is my publisher. So every fall, I head off to my own little bit of heaven, hang out with the girls, meet readers, EC staff and editors.

Most of us don't have a clue where to begin when it comes to promotional goodies but I figure we all have to start somewhere. I began my career by getting business cards and a website (with the website being A-Number One). This is your top promotional tool. But for reader conferences the waters get a bit murkier. I tend to be frugal so it only makes sense that I would want more bang for my buck.  Like many of you, I've made plenty of promo mistakes.

Paper goods. Yes they are shiny and pretty and I'll admit that yesterday I went to a popular promo site and ordered up 100 postcards featuring my Panther Moon cover. Since I'm a regular customer, I only paid shipping costs so this was a bargain. Quite frankly, just about all of these will eventually be tossed in the trash weeks after the conference is over. That's okay. Those picking up the postcards will look maybe three or four times before tossing and the price (ie, FREE) was right. This year, I will be doing some bookmarks for the first time. I'll pay a bit for these but I'm seriously wondering if it's a great investment since, they too, are paper and so many readers these days read on machines and have no real need for bookmarks. Still, I plan to order some because I they are relatively inexpensive. I'll be getting 1,000 for about $30. Not bad.

Gift Baskets. Now I love these. Last year at Romanticon I took part in building four different gift baskets that were given away as door prizes. Everyone wants to win one of these and if you do it jointly with a few other authors, it doesn't take a lot of money to add some neat goodies. Try doing a theme! It's fun and gets the creative energy flowing. Last year, I did a Sequins, Saddles, and Spurs basket with Desiree Holt and Ciana Stone. This was, of course, a cowboy themed collection of stuff meant to market the three-book series we did together. We included coffee cups, Texas coffee, recipe books, Christmas Tree ornaments, and lots of other Texas-y things. It was a big hit and of course we made sure to include lots of our person promo stuff...postcards, signed books, bookmarkers, etc. And since there was a group of us contributing, the cost wasn't bad at all.

Gadgets. At Romanticon authors display their goodies at the Swag Zone, where readers can stroll through and pick up all kinds of cool stuff. Sometimes I'm amazed at the imagination that goes into these items. Some of my favorites were pedicure files, sleeping masks, tiny bottles of hot sauce labeled with the authors name, pens (who doesn't like pens) and my favorite from last year...lip balm. I swear this was the best lip balm ever and I kept this tube next to my computer for months until the stuff was just GONE and I finally had to toss it.

I'm still mulling over what I'll be picking up to give away to readers. I've ordered magnets and the postcards and am having bookmarks made up. I know I'll participate in a number of group baskets and do one of my own. What else? What kind of items would you want to take home from a reader convention? I'm up for ideas that are clever and that WORK.

Distractions and Shiiiiiiny Things

First off, just another mention that our blog is currently 'under construction'. We're hoping to unveil the new look very soon and we can't wait to show it off. Sorry I'm so late posting today but I have been distracted these days. Don't know what's up with that. Spring Fever? Maybe. The grass is greening up and we've been having some pretty darn nice weather around here but I honestly don't think that's it. I've just had trouble focusing because I just think too much is going on. Over at the Three Wicked Writers loop (you should definitely sign up btw) we decided to do a little writing exercise. A number of us were stumped at various points in our wips so we started off by stating our goals and then checking in to 'report' every hour. Everyone who came out to play did great and I believe we all met our goals. Now I only need to polish up and tweak what I wrote so speedy quick and move on with the manuscript. So what's holding me back? Lots of stuff. I am planning a joint promotion thing with author and friend Mari Carr. We both have releases tomorrow at Ellora's Cave. YAY on that! We've been plotting and planning joint contests and such so be watching for contest information on our personal blogs, facebook, twitter, etc. Also, Mr. Reg and I have been looking at houses. Ummmm. What are we thinking???? We have a very nice house already but we've kind of got the bug so we've been checking out some local listings. I'm signed up to guest blog, dealing with a 'major' change with my daughter and hell, just so many things that my head is spinning. What do you do when focus is hard to come by? I've been trying to figure that out for years. Today I'm seriously considering sitting out on the patio and watching the rain come down (yes, it's a MIRACLE...rain in west Texas!). Maybe my brain will settle down and I'll be able to focus on one thing at a time. Maybe a nice hot bath with bubbles? I just don't know but if you have any ideas, I would be most grateful! As I mentioned, Mari Carr and I both have releases tomorrow. Inflamed and Return to Delight are in the Lawless line and Everything's Comin' Up Cowboys for us. Here's a bit about both books.

COMING March 30

Blurb:

Stuck in a rut in every way possible, Keri decides her first step in a bid for change is moving back to the Texas home she left years ago. The second step? Spicing up her sex life with the crazy-hot cowboys she left behind. Too responsible (and smart) to touch her way back when, Max and Shaw filled Keri’s hottest teen dreams. Now she’s older, wiser—and more than ready to make up for lost time. Max and Shaw were always fond of Keri, but the stunning woman strutting back into their lives is a far cry from the serious, studious teen they remember. She wants to take a walk on the racy side—with both of them—and the cowboys are only too happy to oblige. As they suspected, the sex is explosive, though Max and Shaw aren’t sure Keri can really handle everything they have to give. Nor do they know if she can handle the sexy secret they’ve yet to divulge.

Coming March 30

Blurb:

Harley June Baker left Delight thinking never to return, but when circumstances draw her back to this tiny town and straight into Cooper’s strong arms, she knows she’s in deep trouble. The man she’d loved and left behind is now one sexy devil-in-denim and hotter than a Texas summer night. With his every wicked touch throwing her senses into overdrive, how could any sane woman resist? Cooper Dobbs is a man on a mission. He let Harley get away once, but never again. Knowing it’s time to burn up some sheets with the delectable woman, Cooper plies her with a raw, savage passion that threatens to incinerate them both. It’s gonna take plenty of panty-drenching sex and a fair amount of sweet-talkin’ to make Harley his, but Cooper reckons he’s up to the challenge.

Welcome our Guest...Amber Skyze

For writer’s we need to not only write a great story we need to promote the book too. There’s Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Chat Loops, and Blog Tours just to get started. All these can be overwhelming for a writer. What happens when you’re spending all your time promoting and hanging out with other writers? The act of actual writing takes a back seat. I’m guilty of this – BIG TIME I tried to find a happy medium but it just doesn’t work. Once I get started making my rounds on the various blogs I follow I can’t stop. And I have to hope that the author doesn’t ask me to go visit another site, because of course I’ll get sucked in.

I could spend all day on chat loops taking about the craft of writing or the world news. These are all distractions. I’m not saying they’re not worth the time, just in moderation. How much is the right amount of time? I can’t answer that. The one thing I can say is don’t let it become your life, like I did. My problem used to be solved by writing in the wee hours of the morning – 4am. By the time I finished writing the regular workday started and I was free to hang out all I wanted, unless I had an article assignment. That’s changed recently and I’m sleeping until at least 6, sometimes later. My schedule is off and I’m readjusting. That shift in schedule means something had to go. I’m not on the loops as often and I visit blogs when I can. I feel terrible, but my writing has to come first. If there isn’t a book, there’s nothing to promote or talk about. Short of hiring someone to do all your promoting, how do you balance your writing and promoting?

Where to find Amber: 

http://www.amberskyze.com/ http://amberskyze.blogspot.com/
 
Buy it HERE!

Blurb:

Tired of their ho-hum sex life, Jack decides to spice things up by planning a surprise for his wife. After sending the children off for an overnight with their aunt, Jack handcuffs Beth to their bed. Beth awakes naked, blindfolded and at the mercy of her husband. The day starts off with being fed by Jack and quickly turns into hot and heavy sex. She soon learns that a slip of the tongue can lead to stinging ass cheeks. This rainy day will be spent pushing their sexual limits. Whether in bed or out, Jack will leave Beth begging for more—until she says something unforgiveable.


Adult Excerpt From:

JUST ANOTHER RAINY DAY

Copyright © AMBER SKYZE, 2011

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Chapter One

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”

Beth opened her eyes to total darkness. She attempted to move, but found her arms were pulled above her head. Around her wrists was soft fur. She tugged and the rattling sound of chains filled her ears. She was restrained. Fear spread throughout her body and into her throat.

“Why am I handcuffed?” As she tried to sit up she realized she was also blindfolded. Never in their fifteen years of marriage had she woken to find herself trussed like a slave or prisoner.

The smell of bacon wafted closer, assaulting her nostrils.

“I’m going to fuck that pussy all day long.”

Beth moved her head to the left where Jack’s voice echoed through the room. She shivered. The thought of him fucking her all day sent chills down her spine, until reality came crashing back.

“What about the kids? Surely they’ll want Mom to cook them breakfast and drive them all over God’s creation.”

“All taken care of. I just sent them packing with Auntie. They’ll be home tomorrow bright and early.”

How long had she’d slept? She knew she was exhausted when she fell into bed the night before, but to sleep through the kids waking and Jack shackling her to the bed wasn’t like her.

“Did you spike my drink last night, Jack?”

A full belly laugh filled the room. “I’d hardly do something so sinister.”

He had a point. In all their marriage he’d never even spoken an ill word against her. Why should she accuse him of something so hideous?

“How did you manage to handcuff me to the bed?”

“You were snoring peacefully. I moved your arms without getting a peep out of you. You barely stirred.”

Beth racked her brains trying to remember any feeling of being moved around, but nothing came to mind.

“Clever, Jack, now uncuff me please.”

“No can do.”

“Huh? Please, Jack. My arms can only take so much of being stretched like this. I’d like you to release me, now.”

“Remember your prisoner fantasy?”

How could she forget? She’d told him about the fantasy eons ago. They’d been enjoying a glass of white wine on a cold winter’s night. They’d nestled all cozy in front of the fireplace. As they gazed into the glowing embers, she had shared her deepest darkest desires. Beth had told him how she wanted to feel as if she’d been kidnapped, taken away and tortured in every delicious way imaginable. Jack had listened quietly and nodded at the appropriate times. She’d explained that she pictured herself in the shower after a long day. A stranger would appear and pull her soaking wet from the streaming water. He’d carry her to her bedroom where he’d take what he wanted. He’d ignore her pleas for him to stop. He’d fuck her until they were both sated.

She’d thought he’d forgotten by now. Obviously he had been biding his time.

“Is this what is happening today? You’re living out my fantasy?” A slight shiver passed through her body. Jack had listened. He’d taken her seriously and decided to give her what she needed.

“We are and I’m in control. You will do as I say or suffer the consequences.”

Beth shook as a chill of delight filled her. Jack’s voice was deep and demanding. He was using his dominant tone.

“Got it.” A secret smile filled her soul.