I’m taking over Delilah Devlin’s Blog today (bwahahaha)!
First the introductions:
I’m A. M. Griffin, a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies. She has multi-publications in other genres under a different pen name.
When I was trying to come up with topics for today’s blog, the first thing that popped into my head was girl-on-girl sex.
Why? *shrugs* Cause it just did.
I never set out to have girl-on-girl action included in my new EC debut release Dangerously Mine, but for some strange reason it just happened.
You’ve probably heard a lot of authors talk about their characters as if they were alive and somehow had a mind of their own. I can honestly say that it’s true.
My character Princess Sa’Mya was supposed to be my heroine’s nemesis. I needed someone privileged, bitchy and irritating. Princess Sa’Mya is all that and more.
During one of my favorite scenes, Princess Sa’Mya was making Eva wash her hair. Yea, the privileged bitch characteristic was in full effect. Anyway, Princess Sa’Mya wanted to know why her betrothed, King Taio was more interested in the human Eva, rather than herself.
I had intended for Sa’Mya to be curious about a species that she had never encountered before. They were going to go back and forth with bitchy banter. You know the normal girl catfight stuff.
It was going perfectly as I intended it to until Sa’Mya reached out and touched Eva’s clit. Once that happened, it was like I couldn’t stop my fingers from flying with lightning speed across the computer keyboard.
I kept saying things like “This girl is such a freak!” and “Why is she doing that?” and of course, “Is she about to do what I think she’s about to do?”
My poor husband who was sitting next to me had this look on his face. Much like the same look you would give someone before having them committed to the Looney Bin.
The end result is hot as hell. So much so that in the follow-up book (which is Princess Sa’Mya’s story) there’s another girl-on-girl scene.
Mind you, my stories are all M/F sci-fi romance, but for some reason there’s just a freaky twist. Maybe that’s why I ended up with Ellora’s Cave, where my freakiness can be supported.
Here’s an excerpt:
“I wonder what he sees in you,” Sa’Mya said.
She leisurely skimmed the water’s surface with her fingertips. Recognizing a rhetorical question when she heard one, Eva didn’t respond. “I am offering him all of this.” Sa’Mya ran her wet hands down her voluptuous body.
Her double-D breasts hung ripe and full. Her neatly tapered waist led to full-sized hips, a round ass and, of course, long, shapely legs.
“You have the body of a child.” Sa’Mya sneered.
I could apply a small amount of pressure to her windpipe.
Clearly the princess didn’t know anything about fighting. Talking smack while your back is to an opponent was a no-no. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Guest Blogger Posted in General|7 People Said|Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: ELF - Melissa Porter - Sharon Chalk - Belinda Baker - ronnie cornett -
How Many of us dreamed of one day marrying a prince, of being lifted out of our poor beginnings and transformed into a beautiful princess? As we matured into young women we gobbled up romances about women who fell in love with a Greek Tycoon or an Italian shipping magnate. We have a fascination with the rich, but being wealthy doesn’t necessarily guarantee happiness.
I worked that angle in the new series I started called the BILLIONAIRE ONLINE DATING SERVICE. My heroes have all made their fortunes and now find that they want love and marriage to a special someone, but the special someone is illusive when you have the fame of fortune. Most women are after them for their bank accounts, not their hearts. My heroes are stuck and can’t find dates with real women who aren’t looking to land a billionaire with a fat bankroll. BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND TEST is the 1st book in the series and tells the story of one billionaire who hasn’t forgotten his poor roots and wants a woman who isn’t after his money.
Ever wished you’d married a billionaire? How would your billionaire have made his billions? Comment for a chance to win a download of TARZAN & JANINE the first book in the TEXAS BILLIONAIRES CLUB Series by ELLE JAMES and DELILAH DEVLIN.
Billionaire Husband Test
Billionaire Online Dating Service Series
Dec 2012
Elle James aka Myla Jackson spent twenty years livin’ and lovin’ in South Texas, ranching horses, cattle, goats, ostriches and emus. A former IT professional, Elle is proud to be writing full-time, penning intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edge of their seats. She has 31 works with Harlequin, self published works under pen name Elle James, over 40 works with other publishers including Samhain, Elloras’ Cave, Kensington and Avon and 18 works self-published under pen name Myla Jackson. Now living in northwest Arkansas, she isn’t wrangling cattle, she’s wrangling her muses, a malti-poo and yorkie. When she’s not at her computer, she’s traveling, out snow-skiing, boating, or riding her ATV, dreaming up new stories.
As I sit here staring at a blank screen, I’m thinking about what I’ve done over the past year and all the things left unfinished. A brand new year is upon us, and I don’t want to fall into the same quagmire of partially-finished things of years past.
I always start the year with great intentions; plans to do more, do better and finish everything I start. That never-ending diet that goes off the rails faster than you can say “chocolate.” The gym membership to go along with said diet. The manuscript I promise myself will get finished, as soon as I’ve turned in my current WIP. Trust me, it never happens. I have so many books in various states of writing, I’m never sure which one to work on next—so I end up starting something new.
My paranormal novella, Second Chances, happened that way. I was writing a romantic suspense single title. Things were flowing, the plot and mystery worked. It’s not like I had writer’s block of anything. I just had a dream. A vivid, full color, complete to the last detail dream. A sensual love scene between two people who’d been together for a long time and loved each other to the depths of their souls. An explosive, sexual and out-and-out, over-the-top HOT dream! At the end of the dream there was a twist I wasn’t expecting (but isn’t that the way with dreams—they take on a life of their own).
I thought about that scene/dream all of the next day, playing it over and over in my head. After working the day job, when I finished, I sat down and started writing. Within a couple of hours, I had written the entire scene from my dream. It felt good. But it was really short, definitely not long enough to do anything with. So I sent it to my critique partner, just to see what she thought.
She loved it! She’s rarely surprised but said that the ending did just that—but in a good way. Then she asked, how did they get to this point? What brought these two people to this place?
We all know how a writer’s mind works; I had to figure out the “why.” Why these two? Why Destiny’s Desire Lodge? What did Ryan’s recurring dreams mean?
Before long, Second Chances was born, a paranormal romance novella, revolving around fulfilling second chances and dreams that are bigger that we can imagine.
My hope for you in the coming New Year is love, joy, laughter, and fulfilling all the Second Chances that come your way.
A firefighter in Denver, Ryan Jackson still grieves the loss of his brother who died almost two years earlier on Christmas Eve. He thought he’d gotten past the loss until he began having dreams about his dead brother. In the dreams his brother asks him for something–impossible.
Ryan’s wife, Rose, knows something’s wrong. For the last several months Ryan’s grown more withdrawn and distant. She loves him and knows he loves her, but doubts begin to creep in. She’s determined to find out why her husband is withdrawing from her and win him back–no matter the cost.
An early Christmas gift, an unexpected trip, and haunting dreams. Can the love shared between Ryan and Rose overcome grief and guilt and lend a little magic for a second chance at happiness?
EXCERPT FROM SECOND CHANCES:
Rose walked around the dining room, putting the final touches on the table. Flowers and candles, even a bottle of white wine. Long stem crystal glasses next to the good china. Dinner was ready. She’d stopped at Ryan’s favorite Italian place on the way home, picked up all the foods he loved. Though she was no slouch in the kitchen, the horrendous hours she had put in all week left little time or energy for cooking. And besides, she wanted everything to be extra special tonight.
Soft music played in the background, the strains of the classical piano concerto wafted from the speakers. Soothing and romantic music setting the stage for the evening to come. The lights were dimmed and tall taper candles cast a warm glow across the dining room. Perfect. She’d done her best to set up a long-needed romantic evening with her husband.
Something was bothering him, kept him on edge for the past few months. She hadn’t pressed. He’d tell her whatever it was when the time was right. Still she worried.
Is he unhappy? Am I not enough anymore? The insidious doubts niggled at the back of her mind, managed despite her best efforts to creep into her head each day. She tried to ignore them, push them away, but the fear still managed to insinuate itself into her thoughts.
I can’t lose him. He’s my life. I’ll do whatever it takes, fight whoever I have to fight. I’m not giving up on Ryan. On us. Read the rest of this entry »
Impressive if they’re done right, book trailers may be a valuable tool to grab attention for a new release. I’m not certain they translate directly into increased sales—but then I haven’t found a way to determine whether any of my promotional efforts directly affect my bottom line. Still, I like trailers.
They can be pricey, though—particularly if live video is done by skilled professionals. Purchased trailers using stock photos and inexpensive music tracks can still cost upward of $150—a lot upward depending on the graphic artist/promotion company that you use, as well as the cost of photos and music the artist chooses.
Recently I discovered Windows Live Movie Maker (free from Microsoft) and found how simple it is to produce simple videos using it, from start to upload. The only other software I use to size, crop and modify stock photos—and occasionally to create a fancy text sign or two—is Adobe Photoshop. (It’s certainly not free or inexpensive, but I already had it. If I had needed to buy something simply to do these functions, not to play with for my own amusement, I would get Photoshop Elements or use one of the many free software selections online to perform these functions.)
So I can make my own book trailers. What materials do I need to make them?
Book cover—the tone of the trailer needs to reflect the cover art since it’s generally included as the beginning and/or ending frame.
Some background music. I troll the web looking for free—or royalty-free—MP3s that reflect the tone of my books: dark, lively, romantic, etc. When I find free ones, I download them for possible future use.
The story I want to tell in the video. I usually follow the content of blurbs I’ve already written for the book, which saves time and effort that it takes to select the photos and write the text.
Some stock photos, either free (preferable) or royalty-free. (For a one-minute video, you’ll need the book cover and five to seven photos that illustrate the text on each frame. If you can’t find a suitable photo, you can write text on a blank screen and apply a text effect to it.)
A few hours (how many depends on how much you play with your story line and how much you decide to crop/modify your images—the sample above, for my upcoming book, WILD ONE, has three frames that I created in Photoshop to use more than one image on a frame and to add fancy text. It took a while!)
Over the course of eight or nine months, I’ve accumulated a bulging folder full of stock photos, most of which I’ve found for free. I’ve bought and stockpiled a few Jimmy Thomas RNC cover shots and cropped them for use in trailers. And I’ve taken and filed away a lot of photos that I’ve taken, but I won’t use those that include people or readily identifiable landmarks unless I have releases—I don’t care to get sued.
Making book trailers is fun, a nice break from writing words. Since I write mostly contemporaries, putting videos together for them isn’t too stressful because I’ve been able to find a lot of free material that works to illustrate particular frames of my books. I doubt it would be nearly as easy to locate trailer material for historicals because of costuming and so on. If I wanted to do a video for a futuristic or a shifter story, I’d probably have to create many of the frames from scratch—something that would require a lot more graphic art skill than I have.
One of the most challenging aspects of writing romantic suspense is that you basically have to split yourself into pieces to get it done. If you’ve read Alice in Wonderland lately, you probably have a good idea of how romance writers operate – we spend a lot of time arguing with the creative side of our personality, which is approximately one part reckless adventurer, one part sex-crazed nympho, one part dark and scary gremlin, and one part petulant teenager. Together, all these parts operate the fingers to get the words on the page, but most of the time, it’s like herding cats.
First and foremost, there’s the romance, which is the heart and soul, and in a lot of ways, the easy part of the story, for me at least. Giving characters serious, toe-curling chemistry and then dumping them in a messy, impossible situation is the best part of the process. I don’t know about other writers, but I take great glee in making things as obnoxious for my hero and heroine as possible – after all, you don’t want to make it too easy for them, do you? It’s more satisfying if they have to work for it!
The second part of the process is the suspense, and this is where the serious challenge comes in, because you’re trying to accomplish a bunch of different things at once. You want the audience to wonder what’s coming next, you want them to worry about the characters, and you want to avoid anyone figuring out the puzzle before you’re ready. So, you have to write the conflict with all of its intricate little pieces, and then you have to go back and hide all of those pieces to keep your characters in the dark. Then you have to rewrite the story backwards, or so it seems – do all the pieces fit? Does it all make sense, or does the villain just reveal himself/herself out of nowhere without enough evidence?
And then you still have to wind the romance story thread back into the suspense and make the two threads complement each other and work together to tell one complete story.
It’s exhausting. And exhilarating.
The best emails I get are from readers going, “OMG, I never would have guessed he was the villain! So scary!” Those are the emails that make me hop up and down with delight, but I’d be lying if I said that the whole process isn’t a hair-pulling, nail-biting, coffee-swilling nightmare of a writing exercise that takes loads of outlining, structure, shredding of notes and ideas and sanity, and something no sane writer should undertake. Ever. Which is why, of course, I have two sequels planned for the Bright’s Ferry series – SAFE FROM THE FIRE, for February, and SAFE FROM THE STORM, for next summer. LOL.
Why?
Because, when it comes down to it, the cheerful, loving, playful, flirty persona is really only happiest when the crazed, deranged, “let’s write a serial killer storyline” persona has dragged the characters through the muck to make sure that they really deserve their happily ever after.
Isn’t writing fun?
Nursing a broken heart and a couple of bullet wounds, no-nonsense Evie Asher leaves her career with the NYPD to move into her grandmother’s old house in a small New England town in the middle of nowhere. She wants nothing more than a new start and a chance to forget the mistakes of the past and get her life back on track, minus the shootouts. Her plans are shattered when her new neighbor, the town’s hunky young mayor, starts receiving death threats from a dangerous stalker. Evie is unwillingly drawn back into a world of peril, and while her bruised heart tries to resist the out-of-control sparks that zing between them, she is forced to stay close to keep him safe as the stalking quickly turns to murder…
Colin Daniels has his hands full running Bright’s Ferry as their popular and busy young mayor. He doesn’t have time for stalkers or threats, much less a lovely gray-eyed cop with control issues who insists that the stalker is a member of the community, someone he knows and loves. When the situation takes a deadly turn, Colin finds that he has no choice but to give up some control himself and rely on Evie to protect him until they can unmask the killer. Passion sizzles between two stubborn hearts as they clash over the best way to handle a dangerous situation, but can they keep each other safe as the dark closes in?
SHIVERING AND COMPLETELY DRENCHED, Evie dropped her backpack on the Daniels’ porch. It was a beautiful hundred-year-old farmhouse that was obviously in the process of being restored – scaffolding protected a new wing off the side of the two-story structure. Evie spared only a quick glance around – her teeth were starting to chatter.
Fingers tight with cold, Evie raised a hand to knock.
Groan. My coworker said that to me and giggled about it for the rest of the afternoon, but he was onto something. I’ve written before about crafts and their benefits, and it’s something we have to keep learning over and over. Crafts bring pleasure but, more importantly, they bring us into the moment. That class looming over me for the day reminded me that my life isn’t all about my day job.
I take weaving classes at the Chicago Weaving School with Natalie Boyett. An amazing teacher, Natalie understands the Zen of art. She knows how to be gentle and she knows how to inspire. More than that, I find weaving puts me in the moment and while I’m working on the simple back-and-forth or counting, my mind relaxes. From there, it’s an easy jump into my story. Weaving makes me a better writer. I’m sure it has that beneficial effect on other walks of life too; my classes are full of teachers, nurses, and professionals of all stripes. We come because weaving is fun. We stay because it’s a way of life.
Too melodramatic for you? To New Age? Let me share with you the magic and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
My project is a simple kimono. The ancient art of kimono, developed in Japan over centuries, is a way of making clothes that shows off hand-woven fabrics. From simple to ornate, they require little cutting or shaping and are a perfect way to use the product of our handweaving.
I decided to use a pattern from a classic weaving book. A variation on a twill, it requires you to thread the heddles (put the yarn on the loom) in a certain order. The process of doing so is mechanical and not very artistic: put this thread in 1, this one in 3, that one in 2, then 4-3-1, then 2-1-4, or some other order. It’s painstaking and detailed.
It is, though, one half of the process of weaving. Once you’ve dressed the loom, you’re halfway done. Magic.
Once the loom is dressed, we weave a header to even out the threads and set the stage for our pattern. I’m using a lovely but fussy rayon thread for my warp, which is the red/blue in the photograph. My weft, the yarn I use to weave, is a rich teal.
After the header, we start with the pattern. This, too, is done in a particular order. The difference is that now we begin to see the magic that is weaving.
It looks like the thread is almost beaded, as the rayon shines like fire in the light. I can’t wait to see more of the fabric as it appears. It’s meditative. I look forward to my Thursday night classes all week, because I know I’ll get to spend four hours away from the world, in my little magic bubble of fiber. When I emerge, butterfly-like, it’s with a renewed appreciation for the art of our ancestresses and not a few plot ideas. As I weave, so shall I write.
And that, my friends, is the magic of craft.
Happy holidays!
—
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings
Tagged: Guest Blogger Posted in General|12 People Said|Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: ronnie cornett - Melissa Porter - Mary Preston - ELF - Rachel Wilder -
I’m a believer that writers need a lot of support. The family- making sure the writer gets the time in to write, for some, maybe read what they wrote, if the writer wants to share. To rejoice in the milestones, to spread the word….and so on and so forth. I know not every writer has that. I’ve heard stories where the families don’t show that kind of support, and that startles me. I am surrounded by so many people that do show me support. My mom and dad have a copy of my book. In fact, my dad snatched my proof copy and wouldn’t give it back until he finished the story. My dad has always been an honest person, and he was touched by my book. He shares my excitement with all the milestones so far. He is the one that gave me the love of reading, and was never ashamed to admit that I’m a faster reader than he is. Lol.
My mom used to buy me tons of books, and it’s because I wanted them! Christmases, I got piles and piles of books! She bought me the spiral notebooks and pens so that I could write. I wrote my first poem at 12, after suffering the loss of a neighbor who was far too young to leave this world, and so I wrote about it. I stuck the poem in my headboard and I guess my mom came across it, and showed it to our neighbor, the grandmother of that sweet baby girl we lost.
My husband, who is also another honest person. Sometimes he’s blunt, even too blunt. But he supports my dream of writing, and he read through my now published book, edited it, formatted it, helped with the print copy process, and even shares it on his Facebook wall for his friends to see. He doesn’t read romance, he’s more of a fantasy reader (Terry Goodkind, David Farland) but he enjoyed my book.
My best friends, some of my writer buddies and partners….Where would I be without any of them? Could I write without the support of others? I think so, but it’s still really great to have those on my side, to share the ups and downs of this process.
Most of all, to bloggers/revewiers and readers. They are the driving force for me. Yes, I’d write just for the sake of writing, I always have, but it’s the response that I’ve gotten already that tells me I’m doing something right as a writer. I’ve gotten some great reviews that brought me to tears, and frankly, I’m still in the clouds. I may not come down for awhile.
If you’re a writer, I hope that you always follow your dreams, even if you do or don’t get the support, but know that there’s always someone that loves what you do.
I just wanted to share my thoughts on that today. Thank you for allowing me to do thank, thank you for reading, and thank you to my host today for sharing my words.
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The magic of Christmas has been lost to Jacob Winston. At the suggestion of his ill sister, Jacob takes a job as a Secret Santa at the mall, hoping to restore his Christmas spirit. Even that doesn’t seem to work, until a special little boy ambles up to make a very special wish…
Cheyenne Jensen is struggling to raise her two kids without the help of her ex-husband who refuses to acknowledge his daughter’s existence and doesn’t provide for the son he does. This Christmas is shaping up to be as heartbreaking as the last, until her son Ben’s kind actions lead a stranger to them.
Ah, but it’s Christmas time and the magic has begun.
When Jacob and Cheyenne meet, neither can deny their immediate attraction to one another. As situations arise that require they spend more time together, their feelings grow stronger and stronger.
With Christmas fast approaching, the pair learn what matters most in life. Now, if only they could ditch the ghost of Christmases past.
Maybe this holiday will bring some wishes come true- for everyone after all.
Excerpt from The Secret Santa Wishing Well:
Jacob wasn’t far from her mind even when they weren’t talking. Ben brought his name up constantly, admiration and love in his voice. He really liked Jacob. One night while tucking him into bed, Ben said something that melted Cheyenne’s heart.
“The wishing well with Santa worked. He brought Jacob to us. Jacob made sure my wish came true. He really does know Santa!” He’d said sleepily, closing his eyes with a big smile on his face. But the words he said rang in her ears. What was his wish? With everything going on lately, Ben’s wish had slipped her mind.
So when Jacob called that evening, she mentioned it to him. Asked him. “What was Ben’s wish that day, Jacob?”
“Hmm?” he asked, obviously startled. Distracted again.
“Ben said that the wishing well with Santa worked, that it brought you to us. I’m curious what his wish was.” Cheyenne leaned back into the couch, covering herself with the blanket. She wanted to turn up the heat, but debated against it. Ben and Desiree were warm enough, so why couldn’t she get warm? If she turned the heat up anymore, she’d suffocate. Not to mention the electric bill.
Jacob hesitated before answering. “He wished for you not to have to work so hard. That he could have a family, a daddy that loved him.” Oh, Ben. No wonder he thought Jacob was the answer. Jacob had been there ever since the wish, since Ben met him. He thought Jacob would be the daddy he always wanted? That’s why he was so happy when he saw Jacob and Cheyenne exchange a hug or a quick kiss.
He had his sights set high. Way too high. While she wanted the best for Ben, he couldn’t go on thinking that Jacob was going to be a dad to him. Jacob had his own life, though he’d been sharing time with them, it wouldn’t last long, would it? With whatever he was dealing with that kept him at a distance, she predicted it wouldn’t. Call it a fear, call it intuition, call it stupid, but when someone didn’t give their undivided attention and seemed to be shrouded in mystery, it couldn’t end well.
Cheyenne willed the tears not to fall. What a wish for a six year old. While her pride for her son was evident, the fact that a little boy had to wish for things like that tore her up.
“Cheyenne? You okay?” Jacob’s deep voice made her heart beat faster.
“I was just taken back. Wow. He shouldn’t have to wish for love from his father. That’s terrible.”
“It is. But you’re doing all you can. You can’t control what his dad does, Cheyenne. You have to know that. Ben looks up to you. He thinks the world of you.”
“He’s growing up too fast. Sometimes he’s so much wiser than six. I don’t always know how to react, or feel about that.” A chill ran down her spine, spouting goosebumps on her arm. She tried to shift positions, cover all of herself. “I wish you were here.” She blurted.
Oh God, why did I say that out loud? What was I thinking?
“I didn’t expect to hear that from you.” Jacob’s voice went low, raspy.
All About Nikki: Nikki Lynn Barrett lives in Arizona with her husband and son. She’s an avid reader, a dreamer, and loves everything about books. She runs a book blog, an online used bookstore, and writes various genres of romance. Nikki can also be found outside with her camera when a storm is near, snapping photo after photo. Her dreams of becoming a writer started when she was young, when she started writing books in one subject notebooks by the fifth grade. The Secret Santa Wishing Well is her debut book. You can visit Nikki’s site at: www.nikkilynnbarrett.blogspot.com for more information. She is working on her next book. Nikki would love to hear from readers. Email her at nikkilynnbarrett@yahoo.com
