Progress on Lockdown

Now that my latest is making its way to the bookstore shelves, I have to dig in again and finish what’s on my plate. Lockdown is my current priority. I want it done before NaNoWriMo starts on Saturday. I’ve cleaned up the first few chapters and have a critique partner looking it over to make sure it works, but I have to keep moving forward. I’ll be doing timed sprints with anyone and everyone I know who wants to join me just to stay motivated. I need that competitive spark sometimes.

Thanks to everyone who kept me company and posted such wonderful comments during my countdown to the release of Down in Texas. The countdown was a promotional thing, sure, but it also kept me positive, happy, and excited about the book. I write these things and sometimes wonder if anyone really enjoys them, and your notes reassured me. I have a purpose on this earth—it’s to inspire lustful thoughts about strong, sexy men.

I have one last prize to award for the countdown. It’s a signed copy of Down in Texas, with a handmade, beaded bookmark, plus any other promo items I can manage to stuff into the padded envelope…and it’s going to Margie! Margie, you have to email me with your address! My email!

Stay tuned to my blog. In the next few days, I’ll be posting some sexy excerpts from my current works in progress to get your opinions on whether I’m doing it right. And if you haven’t already bought your copy of Down in Texas, what’s holding you back? I can’t wait to hear what you have to say! *hugs* ~DD

Just a quick note to remind you that tomorrow will be the start of the “15 Days/15 Reasons” countdown and contest, so be sure to check back!

I know, I know—the Readers Appreciation Weekend was last month and it’s taken me this long to get the photos up?! Can I use the excuse that I’ve been a little busy? Or how about I say that I delayed putting them up since everyone elses’ pics went up already and I didn’t want mine lost among the crowd. Okay, whatever.

Suffice it to say, the pictures say it all. Lora Leigh’s big party rocked! I’m horrible at names, so if you see someone in a picture that I’ve mislabeled, please let me know!

That’s me flanked by Cindy, who shared the drive from Arkansas to West Virginia and back, and Thumper, who’s a long-time online buddy I never met until that weekend!

Natch, the best thing about the weekend was friends—new and old. Meet Lorie O’Clare and Ilke (spelling?), from Stuttgart, Germany.

There’s always one crazy-ass woman who makes the party—her name’s U-vonne (Gawd, I know I misspelled that!).

There was definitely a booksigning, and this was my view of the event.

And there were stars for me to play fangirl to:

Lorie O’Clare and Nalini Singh

Sylvia Day/S.J. Day and her friend Chris (who’s a ringer for Pink!)

Jackie Frank

My work schedule for the rest of the month is about to explode. I spent all day yesterday cleaning house, organizing my research and my office, just to get ready for the next big push. A couple of things will have me pretty busy.

First, I decided to mix things up with my writing this month to keep me from getting bored. I’m going to try to work on three things at the same time, dividing up my days into morning, afternoon and evening shifts.

First priority is the next Dark Realm book, as yet untitled. And just to keep me honest about my productivity, here’s my first progress wordmeter:

As you can see, I have a ways to go!

Afternoons, I’ll be working on something more fun, and something I plan to be done with by the end of the month—the next in my Shadowlands series for EC, Lockdown. It should go fast because I’ve been itching to use some of the stories and insights my daughter gave me while working as a corrections officer inside a prison. Not sure how I’m going to slip the sex in there in a non-icky way, but you know I’ll figure it out—got to have me some spankin’s!!

This is where I’m at with Lockdown:

My evening shift work is going to be spent finishing up some new proposals, short spurt kind of stuff. Things not as urgent as the hard deadline DR book, or nearly as much fun as the EC book, but work that needs to get done all the same. So it gets relegated to evenings when I can blow it off if I’m already tired for the day. But before I get to the proposals, I will spend a few days finishing up the next installment of Knight Dreams.

So, that’s what’s happening with me writing-wise. So far as promotion goes, I have two contests running through the end of the month. The first one you’ve already seen. It’s the Allure Author’s 30 Days of Giveaways. Then starting on Monday, I will be counting down the days until the release of my next cowboy book, Down in Texas. There will be many prizes, lots of sexy excerpts—be sure to check in every day so you don’t miss a chance at something cool!

What do you think? Is that enough to keep me busy and out of trouble for the rest of the month? Did I mention I miss swimming in the pool so much that I ordered a thermal wetsuit?! Yeah, the family thinks I’ve finally lost it with that one.

I’m heading to the doctor for a round of appointments this morning, so won’t be around until later, but I’ve already posted something over at Access Romance’s All-A-Blog. I’d love for you to join me there. I’m doing some major bragging! 😆

And don’t forget to find the next website for the Book-A-Day Giveaway from the Allure Authors!

Join me today at the Aphrodisia author’s blog!

Psst!
And don’t forget to check out the Book-A-Day giveaway from the Allure Authors!

My girlpal has a new book out…one you don’t want to miss. And once you’ve read it, you’ll be scrambling for her backlist. The lady can write her ass off! ~DD

Kensington Aphrodisia ♦ September 30, 2008
ISBN-10: 0758222505 ♦ ISBN-13: 978-0758222503
Genre: Contemporary ♦ Interracial

Tell Me What You Want…
The men crowd in and howl for more when Sin’s on stage—she knows just how to work it, wrapping her lithe body around the pole to dance down and dirty. But Sin doesn’t see them, lost in a world of her own…until sexy private investigator “Mac” Garret McAllister steps into the club.

…What you really really want
In one night of erotic passion, the man turns her inside out and her world upside down. Mac pays homage to her beautiful body with delicious, carnal ferocity. When the sun comes up, she cuts out. She can’t let him get too close to her heart…But two years later, they reunite. Still on fire for her, Mac is ready to do whatever it takes to ensure his woman stays right where she belongs–in his arms and his bed. Forever this time.

“Terry has written another delicious tale of erotic interracial romance and suspenseful conflict. The sex scenes are scorching, sensual and leave nothing to the imagination. With a vivacious heroine and a true-to-life alpha hero, this believable story hooks readers from the first page and keeps their attention until the end.”
— 4 1/2 STARS, Romantic Times BOOKreviews on GET YOUR SEXY ON

Read an excerpt!

Today, I’ll be hosting the Ellora’s Cave chat loop, along with Myla Jackson and Shayla Kersten.

All day, we’ll be posting sexy excerpts, running scavenger hunts for prizes and holding one live chat at around 11 AM CST. Be sure to stop by for the fun.

I spent last weekend at Lora Leigh’s RAW. I’ll be posting pics this week, now that I have the suckers loaded. Thought I’d share a couple with the Cavegirls.

For all the years I’ve been hosting list days, I never knew what my lovely moderator looked like, but here’s Renee’ and her husband Joe. I loved them both! I ate a meal with them and watched the way she looks at him from under her eyelashes. I could see the color creep under his cheeks and how eagerly he responded. Wow.

Also for the EC crowd, here’s Lorie O’Clare and myself. Lorie and Jess were the hardest working ladies a the conference. I hadn’t seen her since I guess 2004 when we were at a booksigning together in Dallas, and I didn’t spend a lot of time with her because she was flitting around like a madwoman trying to keep things running smoothly and stomping out fires.