Another of my Texas friends! ~DD

Hi, all, I’m Meg Benjamin, and I write about South Texas where I lived for twenty-plus years, mostly about a mythical Hill Country town called Konigsburg. However, my DH and I recently moved northwest of Denver. Just before moving, I retired from twenty years of teaching writing, Web design, and desktop publishing.

Be My Baby, released by Samhain on December 8, is the third book in my Konigsburg series. The hero is another Toleffson brother, Lars, an accountant who broke up with his vicious wife Sherice in Wedding Bell Blues. My heroine, Jess, is the babysitter for Lars’s two-year-old daughter, but she has problems of her own in the form of some nasty, kidnapping former in-laws. In the excerpt, Lars and Jess have both been awakened by noises outside her house (where Lars is staying as a live-in bodyguard). As you’ll see, there’s a lot of unacknowledged sexual tension between them that finally comes to a head (so to speak). Hope you all enjoy it!

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There’s no room in her life for love. Love has other ideas…

Konigsburg, Texas, Book 3

If Jessamyn Carroll had only herself to consider, staying in Pennsylvania after her husband’s death would have been a no-brainer. Her vindictive in-laws’ efforts to get their hooks into her infant son, however, force her to flee to a new home. Konigsburg, Texas.

Peace…at least for now. She’s even found a way to make some extra money, looking after sexy accountant Lars Toleffson’s precocious two-year-old daughter. She finds it easy—too easy—to let his protective presence lull her into thinking she and her son are safe at last.

Lars, still wounded from enduring a nasty divorce from his cheating ex-wife, tries to fight his attraction to the mysterious, beautiful widow. But when an intruder breaks into her place, and Jess comes clean about her past, all bets are off. Someone wants her baby—and wants Jess out of the picture. Permanently.

Now Jess has a live-in bodyguard, whether she wants him or not. Except she does want him—and he wants her. Yet negotiating a future together will have to overcome a lot of roadblocks: babies, puppies, the entire, meddling Toleffson family—and a kidnapper.

Warning: Contains Konigsburg craziness, creepy in-laws, a conniving two-year-old, a lovelorn accountant, a sleep-deprived Web developer, and lots of hot holiday sex.

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Jess stood next to the sink, her bathrobe pulled tight across her chest. She was leaning forward, trying to see out the kitchen window.

“Jess!” he whispered.

She whirled toward him, her hands over her mouth.

“Sorry.” He stepped beside her. “What do you see?”

“N-nothing,” she stammered. “I don’t know what’s making the noise.”

He put his hand on her shoulder, moving her gently to the side. Beneath his fingers, her skin felt like ice.
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Welcome my old friend, Masha Holl. We’re buddies from my days in San Antonio. ~DD

Delilah and I share a passion…and it’s not what you think. Sure, I’m as, um, seduced by her stories as any reader, but I get a particular enjoyment out of the mythical dimension she gives them.

Writers of paranormal, fantasy and science fiction must learn quickly that when they create a hero that is more-than, or other-than human, they must also create a villain, or at least obstacles, that will adequately challenge the hero. But what adds to Delilah’s stories is that she creates a whole world that fits her characters. A whole new structure, a whole new set of rules, beliefs, a whole new reality.

And why would that please me particularly?

Because I’m a folklorist.

I don’t just read and know folk tales and songs. I don’t just collect traditional recipes and study articles on the theoretical relationship between African spider stories and the Norse trickster god Loki. I look at how people lived with all these tales and beliefs.

It does help when I have to take myself into the heart of the story-world I am creating.

But you have to wrap your mind around concepts that are as alien to a modern person as particle physics are to a sixth-grader, to put yourself in the shoes of a medieval peasant.

At the core of traditional, non-scientific thinking we have the opposite kind of perception: magical thinking.

How does this work?

Modern man believes in science. I mean, we all know science, and we know that science works. From the simplest things like boiling water to sterilize it, or wiping surfaces with alcohol or bleach to disinfect them, to more complex concepts like computers and phones, which we may not be able to fix, but we know someone knows, they’re just objects made of other objects, and not constructs working on the mystical power of spells.

We don’t need to perform arcane rituals in order to propitiate some power before we turn on the TV, or else it might blow up in our faces. We just hit a button.

That’s science.

We only read about magic. In Delilah’s books, maybe.

The world centered on magical thinking works differently.
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Welcome my friend, Marley Delarose! ~DD

Whether you’re a newbie to writing or a published author I’m sure you’ve been frustrated a time or two with word processors like Word, wondering if there isn’t something out there just for writers.

There are!—Many software packages to choose from, some fairly inexpensive, some free. So many, in fact, that knowing which one is right for you can be a bit overwhelming.

Some of the issues to take into consideration include:
Your expertise with computers in general
Your operating system—Windows XP or Vista, Windows7, or Mac OS
How you work. Are you a pantser, a plotter, or a planner?
What genre do you write in; do you build an extensive fantasy world?
Would you like helpers like timelines, name generators, character creators included?
Do you want to track POV, conflict, revision status?
Want to place all your research including pictures in the program with your manuscript?
Would you like the program to offer a storyboard.
Expense.

Recently, I reviewed five software packages and a few tools on my blog—link to Marley’s reviews

Here’s a list of the packages I covered:
For writing:
PC only and entirely free of charge—Ywriter 5
MAC only—Scrivener
MAC AND PC (this means you can use the same file on your pc and your son’s MAC)—WriteItNow4, Writer’s Café

(There are more packages than these which I’ll review later. My overall recommendation for most writers would be WriteItNow4 for its ease of use and the multitude of built-in writer tools.)

For brainstorming and organizing your scenes or your life:
Freemind—Mindmapping software
Bubbl.US—online flowchart or mindmapping
Both are free to download and use.

For word production:
Write or Die from Dr. Wicked—many writers are familiar with this little online sprint helper but did you know there’s a new inexpensive desktop version? Try a word war today with a partner.

Go to my blog and click on the label ‘Software for Writers’ or on any of the links for the programs themselves at the bottom of the page. On each blog you’ll find a link to the software developer’s site where you can download a DEMO good for thirty days or click on an image to view it larger in a window of its own.

Happy Writing,
Marley

Marley Delarose is an RWA PRO, a member of DSRA, Nola Stars, and a former manager and computer teacher who is pursuing her goal of becoming a published author with her current paranormal mystery.

Welcome my high school friend, Shayla Kersten! ~DD

Hiya, all! I’m Shayla Kersten, author of gay romances filled with hot manlove! *cackle* I’ve known Delilah Devlin for more years than either of us will admit. I could tell you tales! Woo howdy! But then, so could she so we pledge to remain silent in mutual self-defense. I’m totally jealous of her vacation. I can imagine her sunning herself on the ship’s deck as I freeze my posterior off in frigid Arkansas!

FOR OLYMPUS’ SAKE is my first foray into time travel. Why I haven’t dabbled in science fiction before, I don’t know. I’ve been a scifi geek since I was a kid. So while I’ve written gay vampires and lots of gay cops, FOR OLYMPUS’ SAKE is the first—but not the last—scifi story! I have the first book in a new scifi series coming out after the first of the year. Enjoy this excerpt from FOR OLYMPUS’ SAKE and be on the look out for ANGEL MOON—space cowboys with fangs! (Special thanks to Brandy W for the ANGEL MOON prompt! *cackle*)

FOR OLYMPUS’ SAKE
By Shayla Kersten
Copyright © SHAYLA KERSTEN, 2009

Stephen Liatos’ career as an archeologist hit a brick wall a long time ago. His love life crashed and burned right behind it. When a young, golden intern claims to have the key to the illusive artifact known as Aphrodite’s Necklace, Stephen’s life takes a strange turn. Suddenly, he’s in the middle of the hottest wet dream he’s ever had. Until all hell breaks loose. Literally.

Alex’s mission was to retrieve his mistress’s necklace. He didn’t need a passenger along for the ride, although Stephen’s overactive libido makes for an interesting trip. Nor did he expect to end up in Hades instead of Olympus. Now he has to get the necklace and Stephen out of the Underworld before they both become permanent residents.

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Stephen Liatos looked up when his office door opened. His body tightened as the new intern Alex stepped into the room. His brain reminded his cock of the trouble young interns and assistants could be. Stephen’s punishment for screwing one of his students led to exile at a completely excavated ruin. Nothing new had been discovered at Knossos in years.

Alex stood a couple of inches taller than Stephen and had a body that looked like he was a Greek god come down from Olympus. And he had a profound effect on Stephen’s libido in spite of the danger—or maybe because of it.

“Can I help you?” Stephen winced at the slight crack in his voice. Grabbing a bottle of water, he hid his embarrassment behind a long drink as the desk hid his physical reaction.

“I found the site of Aphrodite’s necklace!” Alex’s enthusiasm filled his tone and brightened his face.

“What do you mean?” Stephen scowled across the desk. A flush of heat crawled up his neck. Surely, he knew about Stephen’s history of tilting at windmills. “The necklace is a legend, not a real artifact.” He’d once believed a lot of things…

“No, it is real. And I know where to find it.” Alex was practically dancing with excitement. “Would you drive?”

Stephen ran his hand through his hair. To be young and so naïve again. He was tempted to tell Alex to get back to the job he was assigned, but the young man needed to learn from his own mistakes. “Okay. Let’s go.” Maybe getting away from worrying about the museum’s budget would make the world look less gray today.

Pushing away from his desk, Stephen stood then grabbed his jacket against the blustery winter day. Situated between the Mediterranean and the Aegean Seas, Crete didn’t get very cold weather but the damp wind could be chilling. “Lead the way.”

Stephen lagged behind Alex for the short walk down the corridor to the parking lot. A small trowel, a ruler and a couple of brushes in Alex’s right back pocket raised his wrinkled T-shirt enough to reveal the contours of his denim-covered ass.

The view from behind both raised and lowered Stephen’s mood. His body reminded him of how long it had been since he’d been up close and personal with something other than his hand. Too bad his personal rules now made the staff off-limits. Especially the young hardbodies also known as grad students and interns.

Alex scurried across the parking lot to Stephen’s truck. He swayed from one foot to the other, waiting on Stephen to catch up.

Lowering his head, Stephen hid the small smile forming. Once upon a time, he’d had been as enthusiastic as Alex about archaeology. Now at nearly forty, Stephen understood that the find of a lifetime was usually in someone else’s life. Instead of putting a damper on the young man’s mood, Stephen unlocked the car and climbed in.

“So where to?” Stephen asked as he started the car.

Alex stuffed his tall frame into the seat next to him. “The Minoan ruins.”

“But they—” Explaining how many times the palace of Knossos had been searched—by Stephen and others—wouldn’t do any good. Stephen started the car. “Knossos it is.”
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Welcome Bonnie Dodge, whom I’ve just met! ~DD

When I worked for a commercial bank, I thought writing would be the perfect job for me. I loved words. I loved to write. Doing something I loved to do had to be easier than driving to a job I dreaded every day, right? Then I left my (paying) job to write full time and discovered that I had a lot to learn about writing. I have been writing professionally for several years now and here are a few of the things I have learned.

1) Like all jobs, there is a learning curve. Just because my English teacher gave me A’s and said I showed promise doesn’t mean I am the next Ernest Hemingway. In order to become a successful writer, I still have to do the time. I have to read voraciously. I have to attend seminars, workshops, and conferences and hone my craft. I have to network. I have to study people and be alert. I have to write, write, write until my fingers ache. I have to read, read, read until the words on the pages blur. Then I have to work and work and work until my story starts to resemble something someone besides my grandmother is willing to read.

2) Even when I have been over a draft a zillion times, I will still miss an error. It doesn’t matter how many times I or my critique partners have read my manuscript, the minute I submit it the errors will pop out like zits.

3) Perfection belongs in the dictionary, not in my office. Yes, I would like my copy to be perfect. Yes, I want every query letter and synopsis to shine. But striving for the perfect query letter or the perfect story blocks my progress. It’s admirable to strive for perfection, but it isn’t realistic. On good days my words sing. On bad days my work sucks. In the name of progress, it is better that I have an attainable goal—I will write 300 words today. Tomorrow I can worry about making them perfect.

4) I’d better love the story I’m telling because it creeps into my bedroom and becomes more intimate than my lover. It follows me to the grocery store and into the bathroom. It talks back to me while I’m waiting in line at the Post Office, and in some very real ways drives me crazy. So the time I spend with it better be worth it.

5) It never gets any easier. No matter how many stories I have finished, won contests with or had published, the process is still the same. When it comes time to create something new, all the same doubts are there to great me—this idea sucks, there isn’t enough conflict. My characters won’t do what I tell them to do. My hero is wimpy. The only way to climb the hill is to just start writing the story. I can always revise tomorrow.

6) The pay sucks, but there is joy in the journey.

Submitted by Bonnie Dodge, author of Miracles in the Desert: Essays celebrating Twin Falls, Idaho, and 100 years on a high desert plain, and co-author of Voices from the Snake River Plain

Welcome my first guest and “Alluring” friend, Vivi Anna! ~DD

December is always a month of reflection. What did I do this year? What didn’t I do this year? Did I reach my goals? Am I happy doing what I’m doing?

And my favorite…what awesome books did I read this year.

It’s also a time to prepare for the new year and make new goals. My goal for 2010 is change. I have aspirations to change physically, mentally and spiritually. It’s time to let go of some things and try to get others back.

I plan on going in new directions in my career and in my personal life. I’m optimistic about 2010. Can’t wait for it to come at last.

There are also a ton of new books I can’t wait to read in 2010.

Here is a list of my fave reads in 2009:

Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
Street Magic – Caitlin Kittredge
Possessions – Nancy Holder
Unwind – Neal Shusterman
Norse Code – Greg van Eekhout
Cape Storm – Rachel Caine
Destined for an Early Grave – Jeaniene Frost
Skin Deep – Mark Del Franco
Undone – Rachel Caine
Unclean Spirits – MLN Hanover
Agents of Light and Darkness – Simon Green
White Witch, Black Curse – Kim Harrison

Reads I can’t wait for in 2010:

Demon Bound – Caitlin Kittredge
Unperfect Souls – Mark Del Franco
The Good, the Bad and the Uncanny – Simon Green
Ghost and the Goth – Stacey Kade
Glimmerglass – Jenna Black
Hunger Games book 3 – Suzanne Collins
Black Magic Seduction – Kim Harrison

What were your favorite reads in 2009? Books you can’t wait for in 2010?
~ Vivi

Be sure to check out Vivi’s latest!

Valorian Chronicles
The Bewitching Hour
Silhouette Nocturne Bites
eISBN 9781426845291
Available December 1, 2009

Witch Fiona Woodland hopes fate brought her and sexy crime scene investigator Hector Morales together at her cousin’s wedding in the Otherworld city of Necropolis. In his arms she feels graceful and beautiful, and the promise of his kiss takes her breath away. Then everything around them starts going wrong, making Fiona think it’s a sign their union isn’t meant to be….

But the burning desire between Fiona and Hector cannot be refused. And before the night is out, Hector will show how he feels with a night of pleasure that will leave them both bewitched….

Welcome my first guest, Rachel Lynne, aspiring romance author and sprinting partner! ~DD

Reasons for romance…books that is!

High on the accomplishment of 50K in 30 days for the NaNoWriMo challenge, I ushered in December with a list of things left undone during November. A deadline for an as yet unfinished manuscript loomed and a request for submission prompted a brainstorming session and an exciting new plot I was dying to write. On top of writing commitments, there were holiday decorations to bring out, gifts to buy, parties to plan—you get the picture. All the balls were in the air I was juggling like a pro and patting myself on the back for a job well done when…the bottom fell out. My eight year old rounds the corner into my office, er dining room, with the bridge of her glasses held together with packing tape. The dog begins to bark with a ferocity usually reserved for things that go bump in the night, and my cell phone rings—it’s a business call I’ve been waiting on.

What’s a superwoman to do? Huddled in the bathroom farthest from the epicenter, I took the call then phoned the eye Doc to inform them we’d be in for another pair of glasses. Did I forget to mention this is the second pair sat on in the last three months? Oh, and the dog was in attack mode at the front door because she had managed to find and corner a lizard the cat brought in a week ago and then promptly lost. Really, no big deal just another crazy day in our household.

I shooed the lizard out the front door, gave my blind-as-a-bat-without-her-specs kid my reading glasses and best wishes until her new ones arrived, gave the dog a treat for a job well done and plopped back into my chair, intent on getting all those balls back into the air. But the words wouldn’t come. I was too keyed up and hacked off. I began to wish for a Calgon moment (for those of you not old enough to remember, Calgon is bubble bath and their commercial used to be a woman surrounded by household mayhem shouting, “Calgon, take me away!”).

I started to fantasize about what it would be like to be a svelte and sexy brunette draped in the latest couture, boarding a Gulf Stream G650 with Mr. Tall, Dark, Handsome, and mega wealthy CEO for a jaunt to Paris. Or maybe a rock star, with six pack abs and, uhum an interesting bulge displayed to perfection by tight leather pants, straddles a Victory Kingpin and beckons me to take a ride on the wild side. Caribbean vacation flings, or perhaps a futuristic space pirate and one or two of his crew! The pictures in my mind were endless until the guilt set in and I jerked myself back to the tasks at hand. Yet, my brief trip to fantasy land got me thinking. Why do we women love romances?

Whatever the fantasy, it can be found between the pages of a romance novel. For years, our industry has been the red-headed step child that no one wanted to acknowledge, but in a year that’s seen our economy circle the drain, the publishing world has been forced to acknowledge the bright spot on the sales reports. Romance is selling like the proverbial hotcakes and no wonder. Just like Hollywood pictures during the Depression Era, so the romance genre is for today’s women. A little escape. A little journey into the grown-up version of fairytale land is just what the doctor ordered before we dash out the door to get little Suzy to soccer practice or Johnny to band. And we shouldn’t feel guilty. The daily grind gets us down, to do lists overwhelm, relationships get complicated—that’s life warts and all.

But the next time a Calgon moment starts to rear its ugly head, remember a sexy shapeshifter, a badass cowboy, a pair of flirtatious firemen, or a devilishly handsome duke are only a page away.

Check out Rachel’s brand new blog!