Tomorrow’s the day. At the butt-crack of dawn, I’ll be on the road to the airport in North Little Rock. Then many hours later, I’ll be stepping off the plane in Seattle, where hopefully, I’ll be met by my writer buddies who will have arranged a rental vehicle to get us to our retreat cottage.

And even though I’m the Queen of Focus, this past week has been a bust so far as writing is concerned. I can’t keep from thinking about what to pack, what I want to take to work on—and the many ways I can think of to dodge cooking duty. That’s not something I ever mastered. I burn Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.

Let me reflect on what I have managed to accomplish, and my setbacks, for the month. Then I’ll give into the urge to turn giddy with excitement about my working vacation.

On August 1st, my “Brief” Eye of the Storm was released by Harlequin Spice.

The first was also the day I received acceptance on The Out-of-Towner for an upcoming Cleis Press anthology, entitled Girl Crush.

From August 9 – 15, my sister and I conducted the annual Write 50 Books a Year free workshop at Rose’s Colored Glasses.

This month I wrote a short story entitled The Obedient Wife and submitted it on August 14th for the Cleis Press anthology Fairytale Lust.

On August 18th, I received a “reject, but would like to see revisions or something new” from an editor I’m targeting. After spending a day wallowing in disappointment, I brushed myself off, enlisted help from a friend, talked to my agent, and came up with a new plan of attack.

This month I wrote chapters 2-9 of my neverending story about two firemen and two best girlfriends. I submitted the story, tentatively titled Juicy, on August 21st.

The rest of this month, I finished a chapter on a futuristic, worked on revisions of a paranormal proposal and dabbled with new projects plotting, but nothing else is finished.

So, yes, an eventful month and a productive one, but I did come in two chapters shy of my goal for the last project. Which if I factor in the two EXTRA chapters I wrote on Juicy kinda evens out. So I could claim success, right?

Now that I’ve bored you to tears with my report card, I’ll sign off. I have clothes to iron, shampoo and conditioner to pour into travel bottles, and undies to find.

I’ve preposted blogs for the entire time I’ll be gone, along with several chances for you to win stuff, so be sure to stop by. I’ll be “live” again on September 10th.

Love ya! Adios!! ~DD

Today’s posting is just a quickie to let you know that Frannie ‘n’ The Private Dick is being re-released as a single novella on September 14th. So if you haven’t read it before, get ready!

5 Flames from Sizzling Romances: “…Frannie and Niall are a lusty couple that will make you laugh out loud. Niall’s patience is continually tested by Frannie’s outrageous actions. The author has created a wonderful couple that will not be forgotten…”

From Hoot Island: “Vampires can have love lives just as screwed up as anybody else’s, and here’s the proof.”

Bent on catching her cheating fiancé in the act, Frannie Valentine got sidetracked by a little thing like dying. When she awakens, Frannie learns her pampered “life” will never be the same, so she turns to the man responsible for her “undeadness” and demands he take on the responsibility of teaching her the biz-the PI biz.

Niall Keegan never intended to make himself a mate, but Frannie’s string of minor disasters, which ended with her dying in his arms, took the decision right out of his hands. While the mating part isn’t bad, making the disaster-prone Frannie a PI may just be the death of him.

Click on the cover to read an excerpt!

Yesterday when I was cleaning the pool, I rescued the biggest grasshopper I’ve ever seen in my life. And wouldn’t you know it? No camera. The thing had to be five inches long and had a body nearly as big around as a Snickers bar. Even I, who am normally not too freaked by bugs, was saying “Euw, Euw, Euw!” when I plucked it from the water because I didn’t want it jumping at me. Blech.

So yeah. Not a very exciting day. I worked my way slowly down my To Do list. And that’s about it.

Did dream that a Steven Segal look-alike was my boyfriend and I wanted to call him but couldn’t remember his name. Asked my daughter and she said she thought it was “Bond”. “As in James Bond?” I asked and picked up the phone book to look up the number. Never did get in touch with him.

I saw this offer on one of my loops and thought I’d pass it along. Rachel Caine is giving away a free book on her website. She’s asking for donations, but it’s not required. I opened the file, started reading, and have to say I’m completely hooked. Rachel Caine’s Free Download

Since I don’t have anything particularly interesting to say today, I’ll just pose a question to see what interesting things you can come up with!

If you could change the ending to any movie you have ever seen, what movie would it be and how would you alter the way it ends?

This is the first day this week that I haven’t had to get up early to head off on some errand or appointment. So I slept in. I had strange dreams thanks to the Dugard saga—you know, the woman who lived in her kidnapper’s back yard for 18 years.

I dreamed I was in a relationship with Dennis Hopper, and that he was very controlling. He’d choose my clothes, style my hair and he kept me in a closet. Whenever we went out, he had to hold my arm or hand because he feared I’d jump on the first young dude who walked by. Not that Dennis wasn’t completely horny and strangely hot when we were alone. Okay, so not Dugard-ish at all because I wanted to be there, even though subconciously I must have been wanting to jump young dudes otherwise why would Dennis have been afraid?

Where the hell is that dream dictionary when I need it? Although, I don’t think they’ll have a listing for Dennis Hopper.

Wierd dreams aside, I’m trying to get caught up. I don’t think I’ll meet all my goals for this month. I might be one chapter shy—but hey, not bad considering all the drama. Plus, I have to start thinking about what to pack for my trip to Seattle next Tuesday. Have to check the forecast and see what the weather will be like. Need to count undies and see if I should buy more.

Can’t wait for that trip. Trapped in a cabin with 5 other writers. Can you imagine the energy? The drama? The drunken binges? Hey, Sasha White is one of those writers and she knows how to mix a drink!

So, I spent yesterday morning playing “patient” to a Neuro-Opthamologist and his three interns. Bottom line is the great big honking blind spot in my vision was likely caused by a mini-stroke who knows when because I sure didn’t notice.

He says because of my deformed disks and skinny vessels leading into my eyes that there’s a 1 in 3 chances it will happen again. His advice? Lose 25 pounds (whew, I was sure he was going to say way more), keep excercising (got that covered for the summer, anyway) and stop smoking (say what?).

All right, I’m not completely stupid. I know I have to quit, but I’ve tried cold turkey and that lasts until noon. I’ve tried the patches, but they make my heart race. I’ve tried Wellbutrin, and it makes me happy, but it doesn’t make me want to quit smoking. I’ve asked my family care doctor for a prescription for Chantix, but she’s got this silly rule about not giving it to ex-soldiers. Something about us offing ourselves. So maybe she thinks I’d be happier blind?

I spent yesterday afternoon at The Coffee Beanery in Little Rock—not writing. Shayla Kersten, Cynthia D’Alba and Heather B were there, so it was a gabfest. Today, I wish I could say I was devoting it to getting another chapter of Captured out of the way, but I have an errand to take care of in the AM, and then I’m going to be hanging out at the Joyfully Reviewed chat loop talking about cowboys. If you’d like to join me, my sister Myla Jackson and Layla Chase for some sexy excerpts and no doubt some great prizes, be sure to stop by.

If you aren’t already on their loop, send a message to this address: Chatting_with_Joyfully_Reviewed-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

I’m blogging about the music that motivates me to write at Access Romance’s blog. I’d love you to join me there and offer suggestions for tunes I should add to my playlist! Access Romance link

Yesterday’s winner of the free download of JACQ’S WARLORD (by random number generator) is…Hales!

If you post a comment today, you’ll be in the running
for a free download of this book!

Co-written with my sister and released in April 2006, Jacq’s Warlord is a full-sized, steamy read. If you like your heroes tall, dark, and built and your heroines their perfect match for strength and attitude, you’ll love this story!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

5 Stars from Just Erotic Romances: “…Set in the time and in the battles fought as Henry takes the English throne, the combination of battle action and sexy romance makes this story a standout.”

From Erotic Escapades: “…if you are looking for a book full of action, adventure and lots of humor I recommend that you suspend your disbelief and find yourself drawn into the vibrantly portrayed world of JACQ’S WARLORD…”

With proportions that would make Xena weep, Jacqueline Frazier despairs of ever finding a lover she can’t intimidate. Until the day she ignores an itty-bitty warning regarding the use of a family heirloom, and finds herself swept off her feet by a knight in not so shining armor, back to the twelfth century. Forced to accept the protection and sexual attentions of the overbearing, beast of a man, Rufus of Rathburn, Jacq struggles to find her place in the past while searching for a way back to the future. In the meantime, she aids Rufus’s war cause with a little 21st century ingenuity. Nothing like shaking up the warlord with lessons in bomb-making, guerilla tactics, and the Joys of Sex.

At first unwilling, and downright ungrateful, Rufus begins to see merit in Jacq’s odd ways. Through Jacq’s eccentricities and willfulness, Rufus learns she is a woman to be reckoned with, not to mention she is a lusty handful in bed. Will his admiration of her cunning, strength and uninhibited sexuality grow into a love that breaks the barriers of time? And will their love be strong enough for Jacq to plot a different future in the past?

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“Damnation!”

Rufus landed on his rear at the entrance of his tent. He saw the silvery glint of stars for a moment before he realized the flashing metal was the water ewer bouncing away. Instinct saved him a second knot on his forehead as his arm came up to deflect the next object lobbed at his head. He rolled to his knees and lunged upwards to face his angry adversary.

His breath caught. She was magnificent! Her hair was in disarray around her shoulders and her chest heaved with fury. Bright blotches of color stained her cheeks, and the determined set of her chin and narrowed eyes warned him this would not be an easy conquest.

And she had prepared well. His two war chests were stacked one on top of the other, and he saw a number of objects on the ground beside her feet—ammunition for the battle to come. The chests stood as a shield between them.

“I take it you’re upset,” he said mildly.
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