You do know I’m going to make you wait until the end
to name the winners, so read on!
Thanks, everyone, for your enthusiastic response to the Cat Tails polls. Several of you went even farther and offered suggestions regarding the stories that are helpful. I can plot the first one now. I may come back after I’ve started to get your suggestions for possible titles, so be looking for another contest!
What did we wind up with? Setting: Louisiana Bayou Scenario: Innocent stranger enters a small, secretive town where shifters rule Hero #1: Local sheriff in Louisiana parish who protects the secret of his pride’s existence Hero #2: Bad boy shifter whose job it is to “distract” the human who entered their midst Heroine: Reclusive author who inherits property from a distant relative and wrecks her car before getting to town
What did I accomplish writing-related this week?
1) I completed first round edits of Raw Silk.
2) I wrote the blurb for Raw Silk and completed the cover art sheet.
3) I completed first round edits of Unbridled.
4) I worked on website updates.
That last one reminds me, you have to go to my Coming Soon page. I have new entries there with links to excerpts for the books that are coming this month as well as blurbs for those coming very soon after that! You’ll want to sample them. And could anything be sexier than the cover for my upcoming release Unforgiven?
They’re nekkid, he hasn’t shaved—can’t you already feel the scrape of those bristles? And they look dirty, don’t they? Makes me think they’ve already been doing it for a while. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve been mulling around the idea of a new free series to offer through my website and newsletter. One with individual stories rather than series installments—although some of these short stories might span a couple of months. I’d like them to be related by place and have some of the same characters appear throughout these sexy little reads.
And the best part will be that the stories will be centered around a family of feline shifters. I love furry heroes!
I want your help narrowing down the focus for the stories. Let me know what your preferences are. The first question I have for you is where you want these stories to take place. Be sure to vote then post a comment so I know who voted! You’ll be entered to win a $10 gift certificate from Amazon.com!
What would you like to see offered as a contest prize for the next round?
A signed and autographed book, reader's choice? (38%, 10 Votes)
A grab-bag of things from Memphis, including Elvis memorabilia? (27%, 7 Votes)
A pretty fairy journal? (27%, 7 Votes)
A fairy ornament to hang on a holiday tree? (8%, 2 Votes)
A power outage yesterday morning brought home just how dependent I am on technology. Not just my computer and Internet service. Without power, I had to light candles because the day was overcast and rainy. I couldn’t bathe or flush a toilet because the pump that draws water from the well didn’t operate. It was too dark to read, too cool and nasty to be outside, the heat didn’t run and I couldn’t open the fridge for fear of warming up the food stored there.
My daughter lives in a rural area—even more isolated than my own home. And when her power goes out, it can last for days. Last year during an ice storm, it took the power company nine days to restore electricity. By then she’d had to toss out all the food in the fridge and freezer. She and her husband had to cook on camp stoves, use a camp toilet, and heat water for “bird” baths over the Coleman. Thank goodness yesterday’s outage lasted only five hours.
My home in South Texas was rural as well, but power lines were strung on tall steel poles far above any trees. In nine years, we only had two power outages that lasted a few hours. Here in Arkansas, the trees loom over the treetrunk power poles, and it takes only one tall, spindly pine snapping and folding over a line to take you out. No way could they afford to replace those old poles with something stronger. I think of the years I lived in Europe. There everything was protected in conduits underground.
I’m rambling again. My EC editor sent me the first round edits of Raw Silk last night. She loved the story and had minimal nits for me to fix (mostly commas!). I should have dates soon for the releases of Knight of My Dreams and Raw Silk.
I’m trying to get my mind in gear for November 1st. Anyone ever do NaNoWriMo? It’s National Novel Writing Month, and the folks who run the site host an annual challenge for writers to complete 50,000 words on a novel during the month of November. I met the challenge last year. I like having to post my progress daily on the site and commiserate with other writers whose fingers are bleeding all over their keyboards. Let me know if you’re taking the challenge and I’ll add you to my list of friends on the site. Maybe we can spur each other on with a “word war”!
This was a sad, sad week. I didn’t accomplish one darn thing. And it’s not going to get better until the middle of this week. I came home Friday, played catchup with email and bills, and now, I’m getting ready to head back to babysit.
One thing I did get done yesterday was book my flight for my cruise trip in December. If I didn’t mention it before, I’m heading to the Caribbean with Sasha White in December. I spent last night going through my closet to see what I might pack. I don’t know how warm it will be. I remember grilling steaks in my shorts in December when I lived in South Florida, so I’m wondering if I should pack shorts, capris, and t-shirts or slacks and sweaters. Does anybody out there know?
I’ve already applied for my passport. Couldn’t find my old one, although I know it has expired. I should have it in about three weeks. I’m calling my doctor on Monday. I need a checkup but I want to see about vaccinations too—whether I need any, that is.
I’m very excited about the trip. This will be the first non-conference vacation I’ve taken in years. Not that the trip won’t be all about writing. We’re bringing our laptops and journals and planning to interview crew members. I do have a self-imposed deadline for a story I want to complete while I’m on the ship. Sasha’s not a morning person, so I’ll steal away and write until she moves out of bed.
I don’t much like the song, but I’m very happy to get my Glambert fix! I love a great voice—Robert Plant, Freddie Mercury, Steve Tyler, Chris Cornell—and I’d love to add Adam L, but he has a long way to go to prove himself worthy.
For me, Time for Miracles took forever to build, but did finish with a nice bit of Adam doing what he does best—singing his heart and lungs out. And yeah, I live in Arkansas and probably shouldn’t say it out loud, but HE WAS ROBBED! Can’t wait for the new album coming out next month. Let me know your take on the song. Am I too harsh? Is it one of those songs that will grow on me?
Yesterday’s winner, by random number generator, is…Sara Ulfers!
Nothing exciting going on in my life or my mind at the moment. The past few days have been spent taking care of sick little ones. Had to take the 5-year-old to the doctor because she had 104 degree fever and flu symptoms. The test was nonconclusive, but still, she’s on Tamiflu. The little one didn’t like being left out of the coddling so she developed a slight fever, not nearly as concerning. Anyway, the worst is past. Got one on the schoolbus this morning, and the light at the end of the tunnel is that I get to go home tomorrow. Then maybe I can think about writing.
It’s raining again. This has to be the wettest year EVER. Since I have to walk dogs, big damn dogs, I’m not too happy. Oh and did I mention the chickens? Yeah, the red-headed hellion, who always hated living in the country, has chickens!! And since she’s under the weather too, I have to coax the buzzards into the pen and feed them. I’m just glad no one I knows is here with a camera. Earth mommy, I am not. I’m whining again, aren’t I? Better stop now before I go into full whine mode. I hope you are all healthy and happy, and that the flu bug passes blissfully by you and yours!
I’ve never traveled in a starship, never lived in a castle in 12th century England, and I’ve certainly never cast a spell that turned a bunch of crushed herbs into a murder of crows, but that hasn’t stopped me from writing about them. However, meticulous research can only take me so far. There’s nothing like walking in the dirt I’m going to write about to add that touch of realism to a story…
Loading ...
