Today started out like any other day...
Scratch that. It's a lie. Most days don't start out with three wake-up calls and exploding at my children because they won't stop fighting. (Thank goodness.) But really, nothing really wonky happened this morning.
Except after calming down and talking to the kids, I decided to clean.
Don't laugh. This is a big deal. I hate cleaning. Like with the burning hate of a thousand suns. So for me to voluntarily get out of the shower and immediately move to "all right, kiddos, let's bust ass on your rooms is a huge thing. For two hours we cleaned and sorted and otherwise got me into "OMG, we have way too much stuff" mode.
Which means today is also donation day. Assuming, of course, I can remember the login for It's Deductible :P
When I finally made it downstairs, it was to find another housekeeping task on my desk. Or, more specifically, in my computer. The contract for Clockwork Mafia has arrived! This is a huge yay! Except for the whole "print and return" part. See, my background in law consists of having dated a guy during his last year of pre-law and his first year of law school (the second long-distance). Supposedly I have a bit of a natural inclination toward the way of thinking necessary to be a lawyer, but not the patience (or the poker face), but that doesn't help at all when it comes to contract reading.
Fortunately, this one should be just about the same as my last Carina contract. So I'm going to yank out the one from Badlands and lay them side-by-side just to make sure I'm cool with any differences between the two. But I want to get it signed and in the mail today. Otherwise, there's a decent chance I'll be sending it back with an original story by my seven-year-old on the back.
Showing posts with label Badlands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Badlands. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
In Case You Haven't Heard
So, a couple years ago, I sold my first story. It wasn't the first to release, but Badlands was the first piece I sold. I blogged a long time ago about the twisty road that story took before coming into being and finding a home at Carina Press.Honestly, as much as I loved it, I had no idea how well it would do. After all, Ever isn't your stereotypical romance heroine. But, it ended up that even if people didn't love Ever, they were intrigued by the Badlands and by the strength of the female characters in the story. I will admit, Ever is the one who speaks to me loudest. (More like holds a knife to my throat while she whispers in my ear, but really with that going on, I don't hear anyone else.) When it came time to look at a sequel though, I knew I couldn't just keep following her and Spencer around.
As much as I hated it, I knew whose story needed to come next. When I say "hated it," I don't mean because I hate the character (for the record, I don't). It's more that while Ever's method of passing on her story is a little scary, this next leading lady is more... cagey. She doesn't want to share. In fact, as much as she didn't want to share in Badlands, the events of that story made her guard herself even more closely. She's angry at the world in a way that echoes Ever but is so very different that it made tapping into her rather difficult for me.
But, Henrietta Mason needed her own story. Truly, moving forward with the series, she was the only option since so many of the events in Badlands had the marks of her fingernails embedded deep. To skip her and move onto someone else would have been... cowardly on my part. If there is one thing I learned writing these stories, it's that there's no room for cowards in the Badlands.
So I wrote Henri's story, agonized over it in fact (some of you may recall me cursing her quite a lot near the end of last summer over Twitter). Even when I was finished though, it wasn't done. To make a long story short, the road to selling her story wasn't as quick or straight-forward as selling Ever's. There was more bumps and bruises and cursing involved.
I am very pleased to announce that in the end, Henri found a home alongside Ever. As so many people requested, this second book is quite a bit longer (over 50% longer if memory serves). It links together the events in Badlands with the over-arching big-bad that will permeate through the rest of the series.As of right now, the tentative release date for Clockwork Mafia (title subject to change until I find out otherwise) is March 2013. I apologize for the delay between releases (I'll try not to let it happen again.), and I plan to start work on book 3 as soon as I know for certain that nothing huge will change during content edits of this one.
Thank you for your patience while waiting for this book, and I hope you'll stick around. I think it's going to be a fun ride.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sometimes Hot Just Ain't Enough
So, Angela James's post over at the Carina Press blog got me to thinking about music, and for whatever reason, the Patty Smyth song, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough," came to mind. Now, I'm not going to break down the song and the tragically beautiful story it tells. Because, really, where's the fun in that?
Instead, thinking of the song started me thinking about beautiful people. Now, I don't mean lovely people--the ones who are attractive and funny with great personalities who donate time and money to charities. I'm talking the beautiful people. They are, naturally, attractive and might even be funny, but that's where the disconnect starts to happen. When I talk about "the beautiful people," I'm either talking famous, attractive people who I don't know but only look at from afar, or I'm talking about people who think they are on a level playing field with those Hollywood hotties.
Sometimes they are models (that's the most obvious example), but you see beautiful people on reality TV all the time, and you even see them at church and the local grocery store (yes, even beautiful people need to shop.) They're the ones who expect everything to fall in line for them just because of their looks (see also "rich people").
Now, when I write the heroes in my books, I definitely want them to be attractive people. But I don't want them to be the kind of person who not only knows they are beautiful, but thinks everyone else should treat them differently because of it. That's a character trait I reserve for antagonists. So beyond my heroes being hot, they have to be more. They have to have families and history and things they care about in the world beyond their own interests (even if they don't know it yet).
That's the kind of hero I like, and it's the kind I strive to write--those who are more than just a pretty package. In short, I want them to be lovely people, because sometimes hot just ain't enough.
And just for those of you who would like to enjoy the song that prompted this post...
Monday, June 20, 2011
Putting in the Work
So, a few weeks ago, I was getting a story ready to submit. I told my editor that she'd have it as soon as I'd finished with revisions. At that moment, it was out with my wonderful betas for a read-through so I could fix any glaring issues before I sent it in. She said (paraphrased), "You don't revise until after I edit it."
Then, at a totally separate time, I was talking to a fellow author (who shall remain unnamed) about one of her shorter works. She basically said that she didn't put as much time into it since it was just supposed to be a quickie--a break from her novels.
Needless to say, I was...confused.
You see, I have a process I go through before I send anything in for publication. I write. I revise. Maybe twice. For longer pieces, I might post part in my online writing group and wait for critiques (to revise again). I send to my betas. I wait for their comments. I revise. Then, if the revisions were big, I send it back to them to make sure it's solid. If not, I revise again. Then...sometime after that, I send it in.
I do this for my novel-length stories. I do this for my novellas. I do this for my short stories. Hell, if I'm worried about it, I do something similar for my flash fiction before I post it on the blog. I cannot imagine sending my rough drafts to my editors. Even thinking about it has me breaking out in a cold sweat right now. You see, as much as I love my editors and think they're awesome, I want as many eyes as I can reasonably get on my manuscript before it goes out. And I feel that way about all my stories; I don't differentiate by length (though, I will say that just because they are longer and therefore have more room for "issues", novel-length stories tend to go through more revisions than shorts).
Based on similar comments from both an editor and another author, however, I'm starting to think I might be in the minority with regard to these habits. I know in digital publishing, output is important. If you can't churn out stories fast enough, you can be forgotten as new authors pop up. But the idea of putting anything out there that is less than the best I can make it bothers me...a lot. This isn't to say that other people don't write crazy-good first drafts with no inconsistencies or weak spots or grammar issues because I'm sure some people do, but I'm not at the point yet where I can delude myself into thinking I'm one of them.
So, if you've been waiting on Badlands 2 or the next Blood Kissed story, consider this my apology for the delay. I want to get those stories to you. I just don't want to cut corners to do it, and for me it would be cutting corners (believe me, my betas are phenomenal and not at all afraid to tell me when I suck). Please forgive the delay, and hopefully I can work on that whole prolific thing in the meantime.
Then, at a totally separate time, I was talking to a fellow author (who shall remain unnamed) about one of her shorter works. She basically said that she didn't put as much time into it since it was just supposed to be a quickie--a break from her novels.
Needless to say, I was...confused.
You see, I have a process I go through before I send anything in for publication. I write. I revise. Maybe twice. For longer pieces, I might post part in my online writing group and wait for critiques (to revise again). I send to my betas. I wait for their comments. I revise. Then, if the revisions were big, I send it back to them to make sure it's solid. If not, I revise again. Then...sometime after that, I send it in.
I do this for my novel-length stories. I do this for my novellas. I do this for my short stories. Hell, if I'm worried about it, I do something similar for my flash fiction before I post it on the blog. I cannot imagine sending my rough drafts to my editors. Even thinking about it has me breaking out in a cold sweat right now. You see, as much as I love my editors and think they're awesome, I want as many eyes as I can reasonably get on my manuscript before it goes out. And I feel that way about all my stories; I don't differentiate by length (though, I will say that just because they are longer and therefore have more room for "issues", novel-length stories tend to go through more revisions than shorts).
Based on similar comments from both an editor and another author, however, I'm starting to think I might be in the minority with regard to these habits. I know in digital publishing, output is important. If you can't churn out stories fast enough, you can be forgotten as new authors pop up. But the idea of putting anything out there that is less than the best I can make it bothers me...a lot. This isn't to say that other people don't write crazy-good first drafts with no inconsistencies or weak spots or grammar issues because I'm sure some people do, but I'm not at the point yet where I can delude myself into thinking I'm one of them.
So, if you've been waiting on Badlands 2 or the next Blood Kissed story, consider this my apology for the delay. I want to get those stories to you. I just don't want to cut corners to do it, and for me it would be cutting corners (believe me, my betas are phenomenal and not at all afraid to tell me when I suck). Please forgive the delay, and hopefully I can work on that whole prolific thing in the meantime.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Name That Band!
First and foremost, I'm starting a new feature on Mondays. Sometimes it'll be more in depth than others, so please stop by and check it out (Hint: ManCandy).
Anyway, the heroine of Badlands 2 is being obstinate about telling me her tale, so I took a short break to work on (appropriately enough) a short story. It's going pretty well, but the hero is a member of a rock band and I need to give the band a name. Bantering around on FB and Twitter has gotten me several suggestions, but I can't decide. So, I decided to have a nice little poll here. I'm going to list the options that I liked for the band name, and I want you to vote on your favorite. Easy-peasy! (If it helps, think of the band as kind of Shinedown-like in nature. If you don't know them, I'll even provide you a video to help give you a feel of the kind of music they play.)
Band name options are:
Poets & Pornstars (Added after 3 votes and Psynde telling me not to skip it :P)
Taboo Coalition
Targets and Taboos (TnT)
Targets and Triggers (TnT)
Triggerhappy
Just mention your favorite in your comment, and thanks for voting :)
Anyway, the heroine of Badlands 2 is being obstinate about telling me her tale, so I took a short break to work on (appropriately enough) a short story. It's going pretty well, but the hero is a member of a rock band and I need to give the band a name. Bantering around on FB and Twitter has gotten me several suggestions, but I can't decide. So, I decided to have a nice little poll here. I'm going to list the options that I liked for the band name, and I want you to vote on your favorite. Easy-peasy! (If it helps, think of the band as kind of Shinedown-like in nature. If you don't know them, I'll even provide you a video to help give you a feel of the kind of music they play.)
Band name options are:
Poets & Pornstars (Added after 3 votes and Psynde telling me not to skip it :P)
Taboo Coalition
Targets and Taboos (TnT)
Targets and Triggers (TnT)
Triggerhappy
Just mention your favorite in your comment, and thanks for voting :)
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Asking for a Little Help for Badlands, Diabetes, and the South
Today's blog post has a three-fold purpose. I'm here to talk about Badlands 2 and the Brenda Novak Auction for diabetes research and the Help Write Now campaign. Basically, what today boils down to is me asking for your help in a variety of ways.
We'll start with the one that is on my mind right now. I've started work on Badlands 2--Henri's story--for Carina Press, but right now that is the title, and it kind of sucks. So, yeah, I'm begging for title help here. Now those of you who've read Badlands (and if you haven't you should...or you should maybe skip this paragraph, but I'd rather you read the book), know Henrietta. She's a scientist with an attitude, but you also know how Badlands ended. She hasn't lost her fire, but that's kind of messed with her a bit. She's trying to deal with the mess left behind by her father and becomes the unwitting pawn in a game between the United States government and the New York mafia...and somewhere in there, she might just stumble on love, if she lets herself. Contrary to what it sounds like, much of this novella will take place in the Badlands (I have plans for a few scenes that are just Henri and Ever). So...anyone have any brilliant title ideas? (Or series title ideas for that matter?)
Now...onto my more philanthropic requests:
We'll start with the one that is on my mind right now. I've started work on Badlands 2--Henri's story--for Carina Press, but right now that is the title, and it kind of sucks. So, yeah, I'm begging for title help here. Now those of you who've read Badlands (and if you haven't you should...or you should maybe skip this paragraph, but I'd rather you read the book), know Henrietta. She's a scientist with an attitude, but you also know how Badlands ended. She hasn't lost her fire, but that's kind of messed with her a bit. She's trying to deal with the mess left behind by her father and becomes the unwitting pawn in a game between the United States government and the New York mafia...and somewhere in there, she might just stumble on love, if she lets herself. Contrary to what it sounds like, much of this novella will take place in the Badlands (I have plans for a few scenes that are just Henri and Ever). So...anyone have any brilliant title ideas? (Or series title ideas for that matter?)
Now...onto my more philanthropic requests:
A while back, a bunch of Carina Press authors got together (led by the wonderful Julie Rowe) to donate to the Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research. There's a loaded Kindle and a loaded Nook on our auction page as well as an RWA lunch, a mentoring package, and a bunch of critiques (including one from me). We're off in our own little section, so some people are missing the opportunity to bid on crits there. In addition to the Carina Press section, there are a TON of fabulous offerings in the auction. Please, take the time to look around the auction site and see if there's anything there you might want to bid on.
In addition to my critique donation there, I've also donated one to the Help Write Now campaign to benefit southern storm relief. My critique is not up yet (I'm not sure when it will go live as they are doing 14-15 items per day), but again, there are a lot of great donations there. Please check it out, and when I do show up, please bid! LOL
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Is This Thing On?
Hey all, I'm back from RT. Sadly I came back sick (whoever got me sick...I'm not very happy with you). So, I'm not doing a big blog post here this week. Today I'm at From the Shadows doing an interview about Badlands, and tomorrow I'll have my RT roundup go live at Wicked Lil Pixie's. Hopefully next week I'll be back to my old self and have something mind-alteringly brilliant to post here :P In the meantime, please visit my other haunts this week.
<3
<3
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Who is Spencer Pierce?
When I set out to create my characters, I usually have a pretty good idea of the type of person they are and what they look like. Backstory and quirks and that sort of thing are where the real work comes in. But the basics usually fall into my head fully formed. That was definitely the case with Spencer Pierce, captain of the Dark Hawk in Badlands.
The first thing about Spence is that he isn’t a big guy: muscular and strong sure, but more on the skinny side (wiry is the nice way of putting it). And then there are his eyes. Spencer’s eyes are one of his most telling features. No matter what kind of front he puts on for anyone, his eyes are haunted and speak of a past he’d rather forget. Right around the time I was “casting” Spencer, White Collar came on TV. Matt Bomer fit in a lot of ways, but he just didn’t have that dark edge I wanted for Spencer—he was too “cute”. It didn’t take long to realize the guy I kept seeing when I pictured Spencer wasn’t playing a nice guy on TV. He was playing one of the most deliciously sarcastic and bloodthirsty vampires on TV. Ian Somerhalder is very much the physical embodiment of Spencer Pierce. Of course, if they ever made a movie of Badlands, he’d have to bring a haunted past to the character of a really nice guy. Is he that good of an actor? Hmm…
But as for the character, that’s all Spencer. The closest thing in most of my TV/movie watching to a dirigible captain are from science fiction, in particular spaceship captains give the best parallel. But if you look at most of them, you’ll see some trends.
- Star Trek
- Star Wars
Sigh. Spencer’s his own breed of guy. But then I thought, what about someone who’s close? Surely one of those captains would be able to sit down and have a drink with Spence without trying to rob him, kill him, or take his woman. Not really. The only ones who wouldn’t probably wouldn’t have a drink with him in the first place.
I could think of one guy who would though. Sure, he’s a smuggler and he’s got attitude to spare. However, he’s not the kind to start off with aggression nor is he the kind to shit on a fair deal. So, if you recognize a little bit of Malcolm Reynolds in Spencer, there’s a reason for it. They aren’t the same character by a long stretch, but I like to think they’d get each other and maybe even be friends.
In addition to the contest that is going on with this post as part of the treasure hunt for The Romance Studio, I'm also offering a digital copy of either of my Blood Kissed stories to a random commenter here (winner's choice of Of Course I Try or The Ghost of Vampire Present).
The first thing about Spence is that he isn’t a big guy: muscular and strong sure, but more on the skinny side (wiry is the nice way of putting it). And then there are his eyes. Spencer’s eyes are one of his most telling features. No matter what kind of front he puts on for anyone, his eyes are haunted and speak of a past he’d rather forget. Right around the time I was “casting” Spencer, White Collar came on TV. Matt Bomer fit in a lot of ways, but he just didn’t have that dark edge I wanted for Spencer—he was too “cute”. It didn’t take long to realize the guy I kept seeing when I pictured Spencer wasn’t playing a nice guy on TV. He was playing one of the most deliciously sarcastic and bloodthirsty vampires on TV. Ian Somerhalder is very much the physical embodiment of Spencer Pierce. Of course, if they ever made a movie of Badlands, he’d have to bring a haunted past to the character of a really nice guy. Is he that good of an actor? Hmm…
But as for the character, that’s all Spencer. The closest thing in most of my TV/movie watching to a dirigible captain are from science fiction, in particular spaceship captains give the best parallel. But if you look at most of them, you’ll see some trends.
- Star Trek
- Kirk is a devil-may-care ladies’ man. (So very not Spencer)
- Picard is straight-arrow, proper and…yeah (Love him, but not Spencer)
- Janeway’s uh…a girl (honestly, this is when I got bored with Star Trek and stopped watching)
- Star Wars
- Han Solo is a smuggler and a cad. Sure he turns into a great guy, but he starts out as kind of a jerk (Not Spencer)
- Lando Calrissian takes us right back to Kirk.
Sigh. Spencer’s his own breed of guy. But then I thought, what about someone who’s close? Surely one of those captains would be able to sit down and have a drink with Spence without trying to rob him, kill him, or take his woman. Not really. The only ones who wouldn’t probably wouldn’t have a drink with him in the first place.
I could think of one guy who would though. Sure, he’s a smuggler and he’s got attitude to spare. However, he’s not the kind to start off with aggression nor is he the kind to shit on a fair deal. So, if you recognize a little bit of Malcolm Reynolds in Spencer, there’s a reason for it. They aren’t the same character by a long stretch, but I like to think they’d get each other and maybe even be friends.
In addition to the contest that is going on with this post as part of the treasure hunt for The Romance Studio, I'm also offering a digital copy of either of my Blood Kissed stories to a random commenter here (winner's choice of Of Course I Try or The Ghost of Vampire Present).
Thursday, March 10, 2011
HELP!!!
First, I'm on a #FridayFlash hiatus. I owe people comments from last week still. Things are just too busy this month for me to commit to doing anything extra, so the flash has to go for now. I'll be back with some in April after RT is over :)
For now though...
Con season is basically here (EEP!), and I'm doing some last-minute scrambling. I have magnets and a few t-shirts and stuff for the Blood Kissed series, but because of some rather inconvenient (but understandable) rules, I don't have much promo material for Badlands. So, I'm planning/hoping to do some romance trading cards. The thing is I'm not sure what all to get.
Here's the deal. I'm asking a friend of mine to do some art for them, and I don't want to put her under too much pressure. Plus, I can only afford to do so many at a time. So, I'm looking to limit it to four cards. Obviously I want to do Ever and Spencer, but I'm not 100% sure what else. My first instinct was to go with Zeke and Henrietta, but then I thought "Oooo the Dark Hawk is kind of a character in her own right." Lots of things came up in a quickie, impromptu Twitter poll, but it was suggested I ask here.
I need a decision quickly (probably by the end of the weekend), so what I need from you is this: other than Ever and Spencer, give me two more Badlands trading cards you'd like to see. (If it matters, I will probably add to the collection when I sell the next story, so this isn't the "end" of the cards, just the beginning.)
THANKS!
For now though...
Con season is basically here (EEP!), and I'm doing some last-minute scrambling. I have magnets and a few t-shirts and stuff for the Blood Kissed series, but because of some rather inconvenient (but understandable) rules, I don't have much promo material for Badlands. So, I'm planning/hoping to do some romance trading cards. The thing is I'm not sure what all to get.
Here's the deal. I'm asking a friend of mine to do some art for them, and I don't want to put her under too much pressure. Plus, I can only afford to do so many at a time. So, I'm looking to limit it to four cards. Obviously I want to do Ever and Spencer, but I'm not 100% sure what else. My first instinct was to go with Zeke and Henrietta, but then I thought "Oooo the Dark Hawk is kind of a character in her own right." Lots of things came up in a quickie, impromptu Twitter poll, but it was suggested I ask here.
I need a decision quickly (probably by the end of the weekend), so what I need from you is this: other than Ever and Spencer, give me two more Badlands trading cards you'd like to see. (If it matters, I will probably add to the collection when I sell the next story, so this isn't the "end" of the cards, just the beginning.)
THANKS!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Badlands Release Party!
For those of you who didn't know, Badlands was actually the first story I sold (way back in June :P). At the time publication seemed so incredibly far off, but then it was February and the date just kind of snuck up on me. So here we are on release day, and I hope all of you will rush out to Carina Press and buy a copy this week (assuming you didn't already pre-order).
And considering I'm all over the blogosphere this week with guest spots and such, I'm not going to do a huge post here. Instead, I'm going to ask that you stop by one of the other places I've been in recent days. There's a huge list on my last post, but I'll narrow it down for you...
Feb. 25 - Manic Readers with a guest spot about the inspiration behind Badlands
Feb 27 - Para-Posse for Six Sentence Sunday
***Feb 27 - Katie Reus's blog with a guest spot about danger and secrets***
***Feb 28-Bea's Book Nook for an interview.***
***March 1-Featured at the Carina Press blog talking about strong female characters***
***March 2- Tia Nevitt's blog with a post on how I developed the matriarchal monarchy of the Badlands***
However, before you go chasing me down, you should know that the ***s next to some of those posts are important. In celebration of release day, I'm offering up not one, but two digital copies of Badlands. Here's the twist. You can enter at any of the starred blogs and/or here. If I remember correctly, on the other blogs, you need to tell me about a strong woman in your real life (Double check on the blogs though because I may have done something different on one or two :P)
With that in mind, what I want to talk about very briefly here is inspiration. If you went to Manic Readers, you'll get the low-down on where all the seeds for the story came from, but first and foremost was the piece of artwork that inspired the character of Ever. Without seeing that picture, this story would never have happened.
So to enter contest HERE, I want you to tell me about something specific that has inspired you in some way (this doesn't have to be writing inspiration, it could be just an inspiration to do with life). The key is to be specific--I want to be able to bask in your stories for a few minutes :)
And considering I'm all over the blogosphere this week with guest spots and such, I'm not going to do a huge post here. Instead, I'm going to ask that you stop by one of the other places I've been in recent days. There's a huge list on my last post, but I'll narrow it down for you...
Feb. 25 - Manic Readers with a guest spot about the inspiration behind Badlands
Feb 27 - Para-Posse for Six Sentence Sunday
***Feb 27 - Katie Reus's blog with a guest spot about danger and secrets***
***Feb 28-Bea's Book Nook for an interview.***
***March 1-Featured at the Carina Press blog talking about strong female characters***
***March 2- Tia Nevitt's blog with a post on how I developed the matriarchal monarchy of the Badlands***
However, before you go chasing me down, you should know that the ***s next to some of those posts are important. In celebration of release day, I'm offering up not one, but two digital copies of Badlands. Here's the twist. You can enter at any of the starred blogs and/or here. If I remember correctly, on the other blogs, you need to tell me about a strong woman in your real life (Double check on the blogs though because I may have done something different on one or two :P)
With that in mind, what I want to talk about very briefly here is inspiration. If you went to Manic Readers, you'll get the low-down on where all the seeds for the story came from, but first and foremost was the piece of artwork that inspired the character of Ever. Without seeing that picture, this story would never have happened.
So to enter contest HERE, I want you to tell me about something specific that has inspired you in some way (this doesn't have to be writing inspiration, it could be just an inspiration to do with life). The key is to be specific--I want to be able to bask in your stories for a few minutes :)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Blog Hopping Across the Universe...
Okay, so maybe not the universe, but a lot of places. With the release of Badlands quickly approaching, I'm going to be doing a lot of guest blogging and interviews. What that means is at least for this week (and last, but I was away last weekend, so that was a different issue) there will be no #FridayFlash. Instead, I'm going to fill you in on all the wonderful places I've been or will be in the upcoming weeks. Where I know what I'm blogging about, I'll let you know.
Feb.7 - AD Blackburn's blog for an interview
Feb. 18 - Sarah-Jane Lehoux's blog for an interview
Feb. 25 - Manic Readers with a guest spot about the inspiration behind Badlands
Feb 27 - Para-Posse for Six Sentence Sunday
Feb 27 - Katie Reus's blog with a guest spot about danger and secrets
Feb 28-Blogging HERE for release day with a giveaway! (UPDATE: This giveaway will include commenters from a few places, so I'm upping the number of copies to two. :) )
Feb 28-Bea's Book Nook for an interview.
March 1-Featured at the Carina Press blog talking about strong female characters
March 2- Tia Nevitt's blog with a post on how I developed the matriarchal monarchy of the Badlands
March 4- Julia Knight's blog with a post on the trials and tribulations of promotion
March 9- Para-Posse with my regular monthly post, this one is on writing and drinking
March 11- Julie Campbell's blog with a post on what it's like to write both adult and YA
March 16- Alexandra O'Hurley's blog with a post on sex between the heroine and someone other than the hero
March 18- Fierce Romance with a post about... (I don't know what yet LOL)
March 25- Here Be Magic with my regular post (TBD)
March 31- Daily Dose of Decadence for Three-way Thursday (Thinking, Thankful & Thirsting)
April 4 - Emma Shortt's blog post (unknown topic for now)
April 8- The Book Boost post on either writing stresses or book titles
April 13- Para-Posse with my regular monthly post
April 19- JoJo's Book Corner with a reading from Badlands and maybe a little bit of other stuff.
After that, I think I'm going to try to breathe for a little while. Because breathing is, you know, healthy...or something.
Feb.7 - AD Blackburn's blog for an interview
Feb. 18 - Sarah-Jane Lehoux's blog for an interview
Feb. 25 - Manic Readers with a guest spot about the inspiration behind Badlands
Feb 27 - Para-Posse for Six Sentence Sunday
Feb 27 - Katie Reus's blog with a guest spot about danger and secrets
Feb 28-Blogging HERE for release day with a giveaway! (UPDATE: This giveaway will include commenters from a few places, so I'm upping the number of copies to two. :) )
Feb 28-Bea's Book Nook for an interview.
March 1-Featured at the Carina Press blog talking about strong female characters
March 2- Tia Nevitt's blog with a post on how I developed the matriarchal monarchy of the Badlands
March 4- Julia Knight's blog with a post on the trials and tribulations of promotion
March 9- Para-Posse with my regular monthly post, this one is on writing and drinking
March 11- Julie Campbell's blog with a post on what it's like to write both adult and YA
March 16- Alexandra O'Hurley's blog with a post on sex between the heroine and someone other than the hero
March 18- Fierce Romance with a post about... (I don't know what yet LOL)
March 25- Here Be Magic with my regular post (TBD)
March 31- Daily Dose of Decadence for Three-way Thursday (Thinking, Thankful & Thirsting)
April 4 - Emma Shortt's blog post (unknown topic for now)
April 8- The Book Boost post on either writing stresses or book titles
April 13- Para-Posse with my regular monthly post
April 19- JoJo's Book Corner with a reading from Badlands and maybe a little bit of other stuff.
After that, I think I'm going to try to breathe for a little while. Because breathing is, you know, healthy...or something.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Eek! No Flash
I'm traveling this weekend, so without the time to pimp a #FridayFlash post or read other people's work, I'm skipping a flash fiction post.
So, instead, I'm leaving you with a video. Last week, I introduced you to Ever, the heroine of my upcoming novella, Badlands. This song was one of many on my playlist for the story, and is one that fits the characters in the story in many ways. Plus, a little Winchester-brother-time is never a bad thing ;-)
Thanks to MillerQueen72 for the fabulous video :)
So, instead, I'm leaving you with a video. Last week, I introduced you to Ever, the heroine of my upcoming novella, Badlands. This song was one of many on my playlist for the story, and is one that fits the characters in the story in many ways. Plus, a little Winchester-brother-time is never a bad thing ;-)
Thanks to MillerQueen72 for the fabulous video :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Acceptance: Just a Man
This week marks the last in my series on grief. The timing on this is perfect for me, and oddly enough, the character I chose (weeks ago) for this installment is one whose general attitude about life is one I aspire to. She’s Ever, the heroine of my upcoming steampunk/alt-history romance novella Badlands.
.
.
Acceptance: Just a Man
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Ever paced the length of her mother’s rooms, a faint cloud of dust from her clothes following in her wake. Her eyes flicked to the window, judging the length of the shadows outside, and she clenched her jaw. She had work to do. Whatever this was about, it had better be important.
At last, her mother swept into the room in a swirl of sheer skirts, her face a stoic mask. “Everette, your clothes. Could you not--"
“I was on duty, Mother.”
A sigh shuddered from her mother’s mouth and she laid her palms on her dresser and leaned against it. “Close the door, please.”
Ever sucked in a deep breath to hold back the irritated retort threatening to escape her lips as she strode over and sealed the room. “All right, Mother, what is it that requires such secrecy?”
“Not secrecy, dear,” she said, her voice tired and quiet. “Privacy.” She squared her shoulders and crossed the room to take Ever’s hands.
Ever stared at their entwined fingers, hers rough and callused from years hunting on the borders, her mothers soft…beautiful.
“It’s about your father.”
Jerking her hands back, Ever narrowed her eyes as rage bubbled up inside her. “He’s back?”
“Do not make that face. Your father is…was a good man.” Her mother raised a trembling hand to brush Ever’s long waves back from her face. “He’s dead.”
“Tell me what information we have on his murderer.” She strode toward the door. This at least made sense. She hunted criminals every day. One more would be no different. “I’ll get one of my squads on it immediately.”
Gentle pressure on her shoulder stopped her before she opened the heavy door. “Child, he was not murdered. His horse threw him. He hit his head on a rock and…” The words were strangled by a sob.
Ever shook her head, confused. “And you wish me to…kill the horse?”
Her mother stepped in front of her, blue eyes searching hers. For what, Ever didn’t know. “He died, Everette. I want you to stay with me. To mourn with me.”
“Men die in the Badlands every day, Mother. Many of them by my hand. Why should I mourn this one?”
“He was your father!”
“And still just a man. One I barely knew. He was never part of my life.” Not a complaint, merely a statement of fact. Like other men not residing within the confines of prison cells, her father had worked in the fields or the mines, or…somewhere. Ever didn’t care. She hadn’t wanted anything from him since he left.
Her mother’s hand caressed her cheek. “But he is part of you. Isn’t that reason enough to mourn his passing?”
Pain rose in Ever’s skull as she frowned and stepped toward the door. “You may do what you wish with his memory, Mother, but I am still here and whole. I have lost nothing with his passing.” Wood scraped on wood, protesting as she yanked the door open. “I have work to do.”
As she rode her horse over the rough, desert terrain, Ever’s mind drifted back to her childhood.
She was playing with a pair of wooden horses when a shadow darkened the doorway and drew her gaze. “Papa!
Her father opened his arms wide, and Ever raced to him, throwing herself against his broad chest. His arms wrapped around her, warm and strong as he kissed her hair. “I cannot stay anymore, child.”
Ever’s face scrunched. “What do you mean?”
His voice whispered like a breeze through her hair. “I told you one day I would have to leave, that I couldn’t stay with you and your mother forever. It is not the way things are done.”
Balling her hands into fists, Ever shoved against him. “No”
“I am sorry, Ever. I didn’t want to go without saying goodbye.” He leaned down to kiss her again.
“No!” She raced back into the room, certain if she didn’t say goodbye, he wouldn’t leave.
Sadness darkened his face as he backed out of the doorway.
Ever tried to shake off the memory, but her head began to throb. She pressed the heel of one hand against it; she needed her wits about her. One of the criminals sent across the border had been terrorizing a group of settlements. Her troops had been searching for him for two days, and he was far more likely to kill her than surrender. At last, a familiar shape caught her attention and she swung from the horse, urging it toward the others with a swat on its hindquarters.
The curvy brunette she had spotted stepped from between the boulders and strode forward. “Commander.”
Ever nodded at Catherine, her second-in-command. “Has he been captured?”
Catherine shook her head, tendrils of hair catching in the desert breeze. “No, but we are closing in on him. The women should have him flushed out of hiding by nightfall.”
“Good. We have wasted too much time on this one already.”
Before the last word had left her mouth, Ever caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Bulk, moving fast, with something raised overhead. Without thought, she pulled her pistol, whipped around and fired.
The man’s eyes were wide as the axe tumbled from his fingers and he fell backward, blood pouring from the hole in his face.
Ever crossed the ground between them and kicked at the fallen man’s body. “This is him?”
From the other side of the dead man, Catherine said, “He matches the description. I will fetch someone to confirm.” With that, the brunette was lost in a swirl of dust.
Her head throbbing, Ever examined the man. Perhaps fifty, with hair graying at the temples, tall, muscular build—much like her father would have had by now. He stared back at her with pale green eyes that mocked her darker ones.
Hands pressed to her temples, she backed away as something wet formed a path down her cheek. She glanced at the bright, clear sky, blinking against the sunshine.
Another wet trail blazed down her skin and she wiped the teardrop away, staring as it evaporated in the heat. The pain in her skull abated slightly as another tear fell. She glanced at the body lying in front of her, seeing not a criminal…just a man.
She squared her shoulders, the ache in her head abating. “Goodbye, Father.”
Then she turned to await Catherine’s return. Her heart at peace.
.
.
Acceptance: Just a Man
.
Ever paced the length of her mother’s rooms, a faint cloud of dust from her clothes following in her wake. Her eyes flicked to the window, judging the length of the shadows outside, and she clenched her jaw. She had work to do. Whatever this was about, it had better be important.
At last, her mother swept into the room in a swirl of sheer skirts, her face a stoic mask. “Everette, your clothes. Could you not--"
“I was on duty, Mother.”
A sigh shuddered from her mother’s mouth and she laid her palms on her dresser and leaned against it. “Close the door, please.”
Ever sucked in a deep breath to hold back the irritated retort threatening to escape her lips as she strode over and sealed the room. “All right, Mother, what is it that requires such secrecy?”
“Not secrecy, dear,” she said, her voice tired and quiet. “Privacy.” She squared her shoulders and crossed the room to take Ever’s hands.
Ever stared at their entwined fingers, hers rough and callused from years hunting on the borders, her mothers soft…beautiful.
“It’s about your father.”
Jerking her hands back, Ever narrowed her eyes as rage bubbled up inside her. “He’s back?”
“Do not make that face. Your father is…was a good man.” Her mother raised a trembling hand to brush Ever’s long waves back from her face. “He’s dead.”
“Tell me what information we have on his murderer.” She strode toward the door. This at least made sense. She hunted criminals every day. One more would be no different. “I’ll get one of my squads on it immediately.”
Gentle pressure on her shoulder stopped her before she opened the heavy door. “Child, he was not murdered. His horse threw him. He hit his head on a rock and…” The words were strangled by a sob.
Ever shook her head, confused. “And you wish me to…kill the horse?”
Her mother stepped in front of her, blue eyes searching hers. For what, Ever didn’t know. “He died, Everette. I want you to stay with me. To mourn with me.”
“Men die in the Badlands every day, Mother. Many of them by my hand. Why should I mourn this one?”
“He was your father!”
“And still just a man. One I barely knew. He was never part of my life.” Not a complaint, merely a statement of fact. Like other men not residing within the confines of prison cells, her father had worked in the fields or the mines, or…somewhere. Ever didn’t care. She hadn’t wanted anything from him since he left.
Her mother’s hand caressed her cheek. “But he is part of you. Isn’t that reason enough to mourn his passing?”
Pain rose in Ever’s skull as she frowned and stepped toward the door. “You may do what you wish with his memory, Mother, but I am still here and whole. I have lost nothing with his passing.” Wood scraped on wood, protesting as she yanked the door open. “I have work to do.”
As she rode her horse over the rough, desert terrain, Ever’s mind drifted back to her childhood.
She was playing with a pair of wooden horses when a shadow darkened the doorway and drew her gaze. “Papa!
Her father opened his arms wide, and Ever raced to him, throwing herself against his broad chest. His arms wrapped around her, warm and strong as he kissed her hair. “I cannot stay anymore, child.”
Ever’s face scrunched. “What do you mean?”
His voice whispered like a breeze through her hair. “I told you one day I would have to leave, that I couldn’t stay with you and your mother forever. It is not the way things are done.”
Balling her hands into fists, Ever shoved against him. “No”
“I am sorry, Ever. I didn’t want to go without saying goodbye.” He leaned down to kiss her again.
“No!” She raced back into the room, certain if she didn’t say goodbye, he wouldn’t leave.
Sadness darkened his face as he backed out of the doorway.
Ever tried to shake off the memory, but her head began to throb. She pressed the heel of one hand against it; she needed her wits about her. One of the criminals sent across the border had been terrorizing a group of settlements. Her troops had been searching for him for two days, and he was far more likely to kill her than surrender. At last, a familiar shape caught her attention and she swung from the horse, urging it toward the others with a swat on its hindquarters.
The curvy brunette she had spotted stepped from between the boulders and strode forward. “Commander.”
Ever nodded at Catherine, her second-in-command. “Has he been captured?”
Catherine shook her head, tendrils of hair catching in the desert breeze. “No, but we are closing in on him. The women should have him flushed out of hiding by nightfall.”
“Good. We have wasted too much time on this one already.”
Before the last word had left her mouth, Ever caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Bulk, moving fast, with something raised overhead. Without thought, she pulled her pistol, whipped around and fired.
The man’s eyes were wide as the axe tumbled from his fingers and he fell backward, blood pouring from the hole in his face.
Ever crossed the ground between them and kicked at the fallen man’s body. “This is him?”
From the other side of the dead man, Catherine said, “He matches the description. I will fetch someone to confirm.” With that, the brunette was lost in a swirl of dust.
Her head throbbing, Ever examined the man. Perhaps fifty, with hair graying at the temples, tall, muscular build—much like her father would have had by now. He stared back at her with pale green eyes that mocked her darker ones.
Hands pressed to her temples, she backed away as something wet formed a path down her cheek. She glanced at the bright, clear sky, blinking against the sunshine.
Another wet trail blazed down her skin and she wiped the teardrop away, staring as it evaporated in the heat. The pain in her skull abated slightly as another tear fell. She glanced at the body lying in front of her, seeing not a criminal…just a man.
She squared her shoulders, the ache in her head abating. “Goodbye, Father.”
Then she turned to await Catherine’s return. Her heart at peace.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
This Week's Schedule...
Today (Sunday): I have a post up at 30 Days of Decadence about some of my favorite off-beat holiday things. Come check it out, I'm giving away a copy of The Ghost of Vampire Present and something special for one Max fan.
Monday: Day off unless something changes (woohoo!) However, Holiday Story Time starts today at Robert's place.
Tuesday: Interview at the blog of the wonderful and funny Deanna Wadsworth(POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT WEEK!). We'll be drinking and laughing and having a good old time. Join us! AND Deanna is also doing her Holiday Story Time today!
Wednesday: I'm going to be at the Harlequin author post-party chat. I'll be popping on periodically from midnight until 10 pm so stop in and say hi :) Also today, PJ is up for Holiday Story Time!
Thursday: It's my day up for Holiday Story Time! There'll be a video of me reading an excerpt from The Ghost of Vampire Present and giving away a copy to one lucky commenter!
Friday: I'm at the Daily Dose of Decadence with ten interesting things about the Blood Kissed series. Also posting my next Friday flash in here (psstt..... it's a Max story, don't miss it!) And, Clarissa is up for the last of the Holiday Story Time videos.
Saturday: I'm on video again and babbling about the holidays over at 13 Wicked Days of Christmas. (Have I mentioned I hate being on camera? I'll probably hide under a rock again until next year LOL.) Another giveaway here of digital copy of either The Ghost of Vampire Present or 'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas.
Huge and busy week. I hope you are all willing to stick with me and check out all the posts and giveaways! I promise to tone it down for the rest of December ;-)
Monday: Day off unless something changes (woohoo!) However, Holiday Story Time starts today at Robert's place.
Tuesday: Interview at the blog of the wonderful and funny Deanna Wadsworth(POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT WEEK!). We'll be drinking and laughing and having a good old time. Join us! AND Deanna is also doing her Holiday Story Time today!
Wednesday: I'm going to be at the Harlequin author post-party chat. I'll be popping on periodically from midnight until 10 pm so stop in and say hi :) Also today, PJ is up for Holiday Story Time!
Thursday: It's my day up for Holiday Story Time! There'll be a video of me reading an excerpt from The Ghost of Vampire Present and giving away a copy to one lucky commenter!
Friday: I'm at the Daily Dose of Decadence with ten interesting things about the Blood Kissed series. Also posting my next Friday flash in here (psstt..... it's a Max story, don't miss it!) And, Clarissa is up for the last of the Holiday Story Time videos.
Saturday: I'm on video again and babbling about the holidays over at 13 Wicked Days of Christmas. (Have I mentioned I hate being on camera? I'll probably hide under a rock again until next year LOL.) Another giveaway here of digital copy of either The Ghost of Vampire Present or 'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas.
Huge and busy week. I hope you are all willing to stick with me and check out all the posts and giveaways! I promise to tone it down for the rest of December ;-)
Friday, December 3, 2010
17 Weeks to RT!
Okay, okay, I know 17 weeks is kind of a long time, but with everything coming up, I have to start wrapping my head around this stuff in advance. You see, last year when I went to RT it was just for the con experience and pitching opportunities...and I still wasn't prepared.
This year? Now I'm a published author and I need to look at the convention in terms of promo as well as fun and opportunity. I'm slowly gathering some promo items to take with me, but I need more. The thing about promo is everyone's doing it, so I want my stuff to stand out. This is proving more difficult than anticipated since I also need to factor in cost and weight since I'll have to take it all on the plane with me or ship it in advance. So, with that in mind, I'm actually running out of time depending on what I go with.
But I also still need to prepare for pitches, and that means finishing novels not intended for my current publishers. This is harder than it sounds because in my mind I should be on the next Badlands story and doing something else for Evernight and plotting the next Blood Kissed, and that doesn't even take into account my young adult stuff. It's more than a little mind boggling. But I'm hoping to have stuff finished, polished and ready to pitch (especially since I have the experience from last year under my belt).
It's looking like I might be part of a panel this year too, which is huge. It also involves another set of stuff to prep. I'm incredibly geeked about it, so I hope like hell it pans out.
Then there's the fun and games portion of things. Hello? Outfits! Faery Ball, Vampire Ball... I love the madness. I'm on the lookout for bits and pieces to my costumes (still hunting for the perfect corset for the Vampire Ball).
Soooooo much to do and think about, and that's not even taking into account the little things like remembering to bring a power strip so my roommate, PJ Schnyder, and I can both get ready for events at the same time.
Basically what this post boils down to is a heads-up if you plan to attend an event like this. Yes, you can prep for it really quick if you need to, but I recommend putting some thought into things beforehand if you can. Now though? I need to get back to my novel-writing :)
This year? Now I'm a published author and I need to look at the convention in terms of promo as well as fun and opportunity. I'm slowly gathering some promo items to take with me, but I need more. The thing about promo is everyone's doing it, so I want my stuff to stand out. This is proving more difficult than anticipated since I also need to factor in cost and weight since I'll have to take it all on the plane with me or ship it in advance. So, with that in mind, I'm actually running out of time depending on what I go with.
But I also still need to prepare for pitches, and that means finishing novels not intended for my current publishers. This is harder than it sounds because in my mind I should be on the next Badlands story and doing something else for Evernight and plotting the next Blood Kissed, and that doesn't even take into account my young adult stuff. It's more than a little mind boggling. But I'm hoping to have stuff finished, polished and ready to pitch (especially since I have the experience from last year under my belt).
It's looking like I might be part of a panel this year too, which is huge. It also involves another set of stuff to prep. I'm incredibly geeked about it, so I hope like hell it pans out.
Then there's the fun and games portion of things. Hello? Outfits! Faery Ball, Vampire Ball... I love the madness. I'm on the lookout for bits and pieces to my costumes (still hunting for the perfect corset for the Vampire Ball).
Soooooo much to do and think about, and that's not even taking into account the little things like remembering to bring a power strip so my roommate, PJ Schnyder, and I can both get ready for events at the same time.
Basically what this post boils down to is a heads-up if you plan to attend an event like this. Yes, you can prep for it really quick if you need to, but I recommend putting some thought into things beforehand if you can. Now though? I need to get back to my novel-writing :)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Manuscript, Interrupted
One of the rules I live by as a writer is when one project is done, I start another one. Especially in e-publishing, authors are expected to be prolific, so there's no time to rest on one's laurels. That means after I signed my contracts, I got back to work.
When I was in Myrtle Beach, I started a new paranormal romance. For a while it went really well. Unfortunately, I was pantsing the story, and I reached about 10k and kind of stalled. Pantsing never has really worked for me though, and I proceeded to take a day and plot the rest of the story. Got back to work and cranked out about another 10-15k.
Then, about a week before I left for Toronto (yes, it's been a busy couple months for travel), I received the first round of edits for Badlands. Obviously, I dropped the new story to take care of edits. Then I left for Toronto. So I was away from the new story for about two weeks.
Once I got home, I tried to work on it again, but the momentum I'd had disappeared. I still made progress, but it was much slower going. I finally broke the 30k mark a few days before leaving on my next trip, and then the line edits on Badlands showed up in my inbox.
I knew once I stopped working on it so I could do edits, I'd be starting all over with regard to forward momentum. Considering I have a holiday story I need to get to as well, I finally made the decision to set aside the new manuscript until I'm back from this trip. Instead, I'm taking the week to focus on the line edits, some critiquing and the holiday story.
For those who are wondering, it's a Jocelyn holiday story, and part of the reason I'm willing to sideline other things for it is that people seem to like and want more of her story. This is me doing my best to give it to them. Hopefully the Powers that Be like it.
By the next post, I should be home, and hopefully that will mean Jocelyn's new story is done and I will get back to the sidelined manuscript until it's finished. But as long as the story is working at all, I won't quit on it. I hope it finds a home and that my fans and friends will get to see another side of my writing.
So what's derailed your writing lately?
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
When I was in Myrtle Beach, I started a new paranormal romance. For a while it went really well. Unfortunately, I was pantsing the story, and I reached about 10k and kind of stalled. Pantsing never has really worked for me though, and I proceeded to take a day and plot the rest of the story. Got back to work and cranked out about another 10-15k.
Then, about a week before I left for Toronto (yes, it's been a busy couple months for travel), I received the first round of edits for Badlands. Obviously, I dropped the new story to take care of edits. Then I left for Toronto. So I was away from the new story for about two weeks.
Once I got home, I tried to work on it again, but the momentum I'd had disappeared. I still made progress, but it was much slower going. I finally broke the 30k mark a few days before leaving on my next trip, and then the line edits on Badlands showed up in my inbox.
I knew once I stopped working on it so I could do edits, I'd be starting all over with regard to forward momentum. Considering I have a holiday story I need to get to as well, I finally made the decision to set aside the new manuscript until I'm back from this trip. Instead, I'm taking the week to focus on the line edits, some critiquing and the holiday story.
For those who are wondering, it's a Jocelyn holiday story, and part of the reason I'm willing to sideline other things for it is that people seem to like and want more of her story. This is me doing my best to give it to them. Hopefully the Powers that Be like it.
By the next post, I should be home, and hopefully that will mean Jocelyn's new story is done and I will get back to the sidelined manuscript until it's finished. But as long as the story is working at all, I won't quit on it. I hope it finds a home and that my fans and friends will get to see another side of my writing.
So what's derailed your writing lately?
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
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