I’m trying to catch up again. Just when I think I’m there, real life kicks me in the ass again. This time, Dad’s back in the hospital. Kidney failure. We’re hoping for the best. That it’s just a temporary glitch in his recovery from triple bypass surgery.

So, let’s see where I am today.

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I finished Stone’s Embrace and shipped it to my editor (have you seen the cover?). I’m crossing my fingers that she doesn’t throw up all over my very strange little tale. If she does, I hope to be in a better place mentally to deal with it.

I’m still revising the last Dark Realm book. It’s due Wednesday, so that’s my major push for the next few days. I reach a point after I’ve written a story that I want to scream if I have to look at it one more time—and I’m there. My editor loved what she’s seen so far, but wants some tweaks. But I read through it and wonder what the hell was I thinking?

All this week I’m trying to make lists getting ready for the Romantic Times convention. I leave next Tuesday, but still have to box stuff up. I don’t know what the heck I’m going to wear, and unless I can talk Daughter into going shopping with me, I may be in blue jeans because I am sooooo not a clothes horse and would just as soon be comfy.

But I did get a hair cut. The long locks are gone. The hairdresser talked me into throwing away the straightner and letting my curls go. Ack. I don’t know me when I look in the mirror. If you wonder how I’m coping, check out the pic I took of myself: New Do

I know, I look kinda intense. 😉

I’m blogging at Selena Illyria’s Let Me Seduce You blog about menages. Check it out!

See the reflection of the lightbulb on my screen? I broke the globe on my overhead fanlight and left it like that when I saw the way the light reflects on my black screen. It’s what I see every morning when I start work.

And today, I’m waiting for that “lightbulb” moment. I’d love the next new idea (preferably something with two naked cowboys) to pop into my head. I have a slew of lovely title ideas from the creative ladies on my loop, but no story to go along with them. Where has my easy imagination flown?

Or maybe I just need to power through these revisions and be done with it. I’m so easily distracted when I’m doing something I really, really don’t wanna do. I’m such a baby. Just eat those green beans! Four of them in one great big gulp rather than mincing them into micro bits to choke them down! Blech.

Yeah, I knew you’d have to stop and read a message with that title. 😆

My webmistress and I have given my website a much needed update. If you haven’t perused the pages in a while, you’ll want to check out the “Books/Coming Soon” and “For Readers” pages in particular. If you’d like bookmarks or signed bookplates, you can take a peek at what I have there.

I’ve spent the past two days thinking about writing, preparing to write, talking about writing—but guess what? No pages!!! And this morning I have to do the bills, so you know I’m going to lollygag around with that until I’ve frittered away the whole day. Why do I hate revisions so much?

Progress on Stone’s Embrace

I’m this close to being done with this book—if I can figure out how to wrap it up. I usually have an ending in mind when I reach this point, but not this time! I hope this isn’t going to be one of those days when I write a scene, scrap a scene, and then try to rewrite it again because it sucked.

The book is decidedly strange, even for me. And I don’t understand this fascination with Hell I have. I won’t give away the story, but I will say that the Hades was so much fun to write that I might have to give him his own HEA.

What’s next? I have the fourth Dark Realm story to revise. Should take me about a week. Then, finally, I can start something shiny and new. Got any suggestions what you might like to see next?

On another note, I want to say thank you to everyone who’s sent me a note regarding Saddled. I’m thrilled my debut book with Samhain was so well-recieved. I’ve gotten more letters from readers for this book than any other in a long, long time.

Guess I should write more sexy cowboys. 😀

I’ll be talking about my current guilty pleasure (hint: he’s an American Idol contestant). Stop by and share your favorite to win.

Writing went well today. I surpassed my planned page count and turned in copy edits for HAVE SEX WILL TRAVEL. And I started getting the pool ready for warm weather. Ever have to skim pollen scum off water?

Anyway, so my brain’s a bit fried and I’m ready for bed, but I thought I’d let you know what’s coming for those of you who like to track that sort of thing.

Here’s the list of all the releases I have scheduled for the rest of the year. There might be one or two more, but it depends on how quickly I get those stories out the door.

04/24/09 – UNLEASHING THE TIGER, Altered States series (Ellora’s Cave)
06/10/09 – LOCKDOWN (Ellora’s Cave)
06/23/09 – STONE’S EMBRACE, Captive Souls series (Samhain)
06/23/09 – DARKNESS BURNING (Avon Red)
06/30/09 – HOTBLOODED, Tempted by a Cowboy anthology (Kensington Aphrodisia)
08/??/09 – HAVE SEX WILL TRAVEL, Sexy Little Numbers anthology (Black Lace)
09/01/09 – THE HIRED HAND, Lesbian Cowboy anthology (Cleis)
10/??/09 – FRANNIE & THE PRIVATE DICK (Ellora’s Cave)
11/10/09 – RIDE A COWBOY, To Serve and Protect anthology (Ellora’s Cave and Pocket Books)

A couple of those are retreads. Frannie appeared in the NIBBLES ‘N’ BITS anthology. RIDE A COWBOY was released last year in A HOT MAN IS THE BEST REVENGE. But if you haven’t read either, you get another shot!