Sunday Report Card

The last time I did a Sunday Report Card was back in 2013. I posted weekly updates about my work schedule and progress to keep me motivated to WORK. I’m going to try it again because, with all the planning I do, I am finding it really, really hard to stick to the plan. And I know it’s because I have front-loaded too much work, meaning I have too many items listed to accomplish, but I want to have a better first quarter than I had last year, where I didn’t publish a single book in January and February because I just didn’t feel like it.

So, this is my tough love for myself. I’m going to put it out there and, hopefully, shame myself into picking up the pace.

This snippet of my January calendar is very colorful—and jam-packed. I don’t expect you to understand what you’re seeing, although you might guess. The main thread throughout it is in purple and lists the chapters I am committing to write this week for my next book, Malcolm. Big in red in the center is “Move Malcolm release date in KDP!” That’s because I’m behind my original schedule to complete it (the one big motivator for this change!), so I have one opportunity to move my release date with KDP, and I have to do it this week. Depending on how well I keep to my schedule this week will determine how far back I push that date. So, you see my problem. Lots to accomplish. Too little time. And projects pulling me in several directions.

Ask me anything you like about my calendar. Maybe you can help me get in the right mindset with an attagirl or two…? Or a, “Delilah—WRITE THAT BOOK! You can’t push Malcolm back too far because I have it on pre-order, and you’re destroying my January TBR list!”

Anyway, I’m going to try the weekly report card for a while and see if it shames me back into alignment. I’ll keep it brief, because I still plan to do my End of Month report and don’t want to bore you too much! 🙂

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Undersea Fantasy (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. December into January (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Happy National Science Fiction Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. A look back at books from 2023…then a pie in the sky plan for 2024 (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Cameron Allie: My Mistletoe Master (FREE Reads-Contest-Excerpt!) — 2 FREE books to download, and a contest to win a print book!
6. Word Search: Coffee Stream of Consciousness because… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Ice Crystals on Glass — Win an Amazon gift card!

Today’s guest is late getting her stuff to me, so I’m popping in quickly to share “the plan.” The list below is everything I hope to finish by April 1st. The one item in purple is the only thing I’ve finished since the start of the year. (It’s the “BDSM in the Bayou” novel I finished last week!) Yes, the list is completely ridiculous, but I need big goals so I can keep adrenaline pushing me to tackle the biggest priorities on the list. If I can slide in some of the shorter projects too, I’ll have true bragging rights. 🙂

I have another winner in the Random Act of Winning Contest to announce, but you have to read to the end to find out who! First…

Sunday Report Card

The past week I added 6100 words to my current WIP, but that wasn’t nearly good enough.

Below is my To Do list of projects I started in April. Everything in green is written. I still have 6 things to try to plow through before the end of the year. I’m going to come up short because I’m runnin’ out of steam. 🙁

I had hoped NaNoWriMo would give me the kick in the butt to power through the end of the year, but the trip to DC was a huge mistake, and then Thanksgiving took me by surprise, because in the past, I’ve been able to play hermit throughout the first part of the day then surface to visit for the afternoons, but this time, there was no productive time I could find. I let myself accept any old excuse I could find—I have to visit with my brother whom I only see once a year; I need to catch up on promo for the projects I have out; I need a nap…

This week, I will be looking for sprinting partners, so if you are out there and need a buddy to keep your butt in the chair like I do, catch me on AIM (DelilahDevlin)!

Winner!

Thursday is the last day of this contest! Check out the link at the top of this page for rules, but basically, you have to post a comment on a blog between now and Thursday to be eligible. The random winner today is…Melissa Porter! Melissa, email me with your choice of any of my downloadable, backlisted Samhain stories!

NaNo Day 4:
SS-2—3406 words

If the only reason you are here is to find out who won the Amazon Gift Card Contest, keep reading…

Sunday Report Card

If you look at the top of the last three days’ blogs, you’ll see some bright blue lettering that is impossible to miss! It’s my NaNoWriMo progress. I figure if I have to report my progress in a very public fashion, I’ll be less inclined to blow it off. There are no days off for me this month. I must complete a minimum of 50,000 words (preferably 65,000, because that’s what I need to finish my novel!). This would be an entirely doable goal if I didn’t have a trip to DC planned for next week. Yeah, stupid me decided she HAD to travel, by car, to visit family in the middle of her busiest writing month of the year!

There’ a newborn I’m dying to see. Plus if I hadn’t said I’d go, the Red-Headed Hellion would have gone by herself, and that’s not happening, so I have to figure out how to meet my writing goals even though a big fat chunk of time is excluded from my available writing days. Let’s do the math. My book needs 65,000 words. As of this morning, I have 4611 words, so that means I have to write another 60,389 words. Divide that total by the number of writing days I have left and…holy crap! I have to write 2875 words over 21 days. Okay, now I’m feeling a little queasy.

It’s possible. Maybe I won’t have a single sick day. Maybe my family will leave me completely alone during WRITING TIME. Maybe.

That’s the goal. Let’s see how I do. If you see me slacking up—nag, nag, nag!!!

BTW. This past Monday through Thursday, I wrote a short story for my super alpha anthology for Cleis (4700 words), and completely edited and shipped it off to my “handler” at Cleis. Cross your fingers she loves it.

That’s all the writing news. Hope you enjoyed yesterday’s peek inside A Perfect Trifecta, which is releasing in 9 days! See how I got that plug in? I’m tricky like that.

* * * * *

The Winner

So back to the winner of that contest…

The winner (by random number generator) of the Amazon Gift Card Contest is…Rita Wray (Oct 30)! Rita, send me an email to let me know you saw this. Congratulations!

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The DC Kitschy Contest!

What can you win? I don’t know! When I go to DC, I will look around for some suitably kitschy DC tourist thing (a snow globe? a pencil shaped like the Washington Monument?), and that will be the prize. Aren’t you dying to win something you have no clue what it will be? Yay!

What do you have to do to win? Post comments on this blog from now until the contest ends! Each time you post counts as another entry!

This contest ends on November 15th!

* * * * *

While I’m gone, starting Wednesday, I will have a slew (what does that mean?!) of wonderful guests and some pre-posted blogs of mine, so be sure to drop in, post a comment and make the guests feel welcome while you enter for that surprise prize! Love ya. Have pages to write! Outtie.

Yesterday’s winner of a free download of Arctic Dragon is…Gayle Latreille!
Congrats, Gayle! Email me! ~DD

Did you see…?

…the wonderful reviews Laying Down the Law received?

Had to make sure you didn’t miss those!

…that my January release, Shattered Souls, is ready for pre-order? And if you order it now, you’ll save over $5 on the cover price. Want to know what it’s about? Here’s my little write-up, although I’m sure Montlake is going to do a much better blurb…

A bloody handprint on the inside of a mirror forces a disgraced ex-cop to seek help from two former lovers, her ex-partner and a powerful sorcerer, to stop a murderous demon

*~*~*~*~*

Private Investigator Caitlyn O’Connell lost it all to booze—her plum job as a detective for the Memphis PD, her partner and lover, and her own self-respect—in an attempt to drown out the voices in her head. When her ex-partner drags her to a murder scene where she’s his only real lead, she knows the time has come to face her greatest fears and harness the inherited gifts she’s always rejected. That she’ll have a chance to prove she had damn good reasons for shutting Sam out of her life is just icing on the cake.

The last thing Sam Pierce wants is to revisit his painful relationship with Cait, but she’s the only lead he has. Sam doggedly follows Cait into a dark world filled with magick and unholy terrors as they search for killer wraiths and the demon who commands them.

Tempted now? 😉

Sunday Report Card

Below is my To Do list of projects I started in April. Everything in green is written. I still have 9 things to try to plow through before the end of the year.  Works you will be reading soon include:

A Perfect Trifecta (BDSM, menage) — the next in the Delta Heat series with Samhain, coming 11/13
Tarzan & Janine (romantic comedy) — I hope to share a blurb and cover, and maybe a scene this next week. Sis and I are publishing this ourselves and hope to have it ready to release by the end of October!
Wild at Heart — this is the charity anthology to benefit a large cat refuge

So as you can see, I’m still up to my ears in projects. Does anything there tempt you? Want to know more? Just ask!

The winner (picked by random number generator) of yesterday’s contest is…Sasha H! Sasha, congrats, girl, and email me! ~DD

Contests

Don’t forget! The Hustler Magnets Contest ends this coming Thursday! A comment today counts toward the drawing, and there will be 5 lucky winners! On Thursday, I’ll also announce the new contest, whatever that will be. Have to go through my treasure chest and see what’s left.

Also, don’t forget the Promo Ho Contest is still ongoing. Four Amazon.com gift certificates are at stake—And I’m giving one away this coming Thursday! So if you’ve been slow to get those books read, here’s your nudge!

Sunday Report Card

This is the list of projects I began to tackle back in May. It must be conquered by January 2, 2013! Currently, it looks like this:

4 3 full-length novels (2 1 paranormal suspense, 2 BDSM) — Shattered Souls, done—and scheduled to release January 8th!
5 2 novellas (1 Delta Heat, 1 Triple Horn Brand, 1 Delta Heat, 1 Femme Noir, 1 Triple Horn Brand) — Delta Heat: Fournicopia, Triple Horn Brand: Laying Down the Law, and now Delta Heat: A Perfect Trifecta are done!
4 2 short stories — “Red Dawn”, “Johnny Blaze”, done!
3 2 anthologies I have to edit — Smokin’ Hot Firemen done!
3 novels to extensively edit & expand with my sister (it’s a secret!)
1 novella to extensively edit and publish — Dragon’s Desire, edited! Publishing soon!
1 short story anthology to edit and publish — Licks, done!

I got my mojo back this week and slammed my way through A Perfect Trifecta. It won’t be for everyone, that book. It’s all sex. Couldn’t help that. Characters speak, I’m only here to take dictation. This week, I have to wrap up a project I’m co-writing with Paisly Smith, and I have to begin work on two full-length novels. I’m going to be busy for a long, long time…

Guests

This week, I didn’t book as many guests as usual because I wanted to be free to talk about Laying Down the Law. But here’s the lineup! Be sure to drop by and see what they’re all talkin’ about!

9/12 — Brenna Zinn
9/14 — Tamara Morgan

The Question

From computers to cars, cell phones to TV remote controls… Of all the things you use that have buttons on them, what is your favorite button to push?
[from The Question Guys]

Subscribe now!

Look to the left. See the “Subscribe to Blog via Email” notice? I added that in case you’re absent-minded and forget to check out my blog every day for new contests, guests, and events. You won’t be spammed if you subscribe. You’ll just get an email showing you what’s on my blog that day.

Contests

Don’t forget! The Hustler Magnets Contest is still ongoing. And in fact, a comment today counts toward the drawing. There will be 5 lucky winners! Also, don’t forget about the Promo Ho Contest. Four Amazon.com gift certificates are at stake!

Sunday Report Card

Remember back in May when I told you I have 18 projects to get out the door by January 2, 2013? That list grew a little bit to 21 projects. Currently, it looks like this:

4 3 full-length novels (2 1 paranormal suspense, 2 BDSM) — Shattered Souls, done—and scheduled to release January 8th!
5 3 novellas (1 Delta Heat, 1 Triple Horn Brand, 1 Delta Heat, 1 Femme Noir, 1 Triple Horn Brand) — Delta Heat: Fournicopia, and Triple Horn Brand: Laying Down the Law done!
4 2 short stories — “Red Dawn”, “Johnny Blaze”, done!
3 2 anthologies I have to edit — Smokin’ Hot Firemen done!
3 novels to extensively edit & expand with my sister (it’s a secret!)
1 novella to extensively edit and publish — Dragon’s Desire, edited! Publishing soon!
1 short story anthology to edit and publish — Licks, done!

My productivity slowed down last month, partly because I spent a week in Louisiana having fun, then had to recuperate from all that fun, but mostly because the pool and crafts (pendant-making) just seemed like so much more fun. I’m paying for it this month. Don’t expect to see me much on Facebook or Twitter, except very late at night, because I have to keep my cave door closed.  I am very, very close to having one novella done, have two novels to kick off at the same time, and an editing project I have to pull together this week. Sound like enough to keep me busy and out of trouble? Sheesh!

Guests

If you’ve ever seen the musical, Oklahoma, there’s a character named “Ado Annie” who gets into trouble with men because she can never say no. Well, meet her twin. I really try to keep guests down to three a week so I have time to have some fun here, but I can’t say no when I have such fabulous guests coming. This week, I’ll have the following ladies. Be sure to drop by and see what they’re all talkin’ about!

9/3 — Karis Walsh
9/5 — Jules Bennett
9/6 — Vivian Arend
9/7 — Jane Lovering

Subscribe now!

Look to the left. See the “Subscribe to Blog via Email” notice? I added that in case you’re absent-minded and forget to check out my blog every day for new contests, guests, and events. You won’t be spammed if you subscribe. You’ll just get an email showing you what’s on my blog that day.

The Question

Last week, I asked you what TV show you’d most like to see have a renunion show that had been off the air for at least 10 years. This is kinda related. Have fun!

Which TV show’s cancellation most made you want to howl?