Isabel Roman's Blog, page 61
December 21, 2010
Countdown
This is Christmas week. Yes, suddenly it's upon us, or it's crashed down like a freight train depending on how you look at it. The Christmas music is on, some of those songs never get old (but for th love of God, people, please stop playing that Paul McCartney one! I can't take it any more!!)
For those of you who celebrate, how're you handling the season? Or are you one of those who only has to bring a dish or two and that's it?
And have you entered my Title Contest ?
For those of you who celebrate, how're you handling the season? Or are you one of those who only has to bring a dish or two and that's it?
And have you entered my Title Contest ?
December 20, 2010
Monday Exerpt: Dark Desires of the Druids: Desert and Destiny
Dark Desires of the Druids: Desert and Destiny
, can you tell I love alliteration? You have no idea how hard it was to come up with these, and
I'm rather proud of all my titles. So, Gareth. The tough alpha male who doesn't know how to show his feelings, his affection. One fiance left him, and now there's this woman in his life. Good thing Arabelle doesn't take any of his shit!
Available in bookstores here and here, and online here (for only $2.49!)and here.
Pppssst...have you entered my Title Contest ?
Excerpt:
Gareth sat on his cot and listened to the evening sounds. The diggers and bearers talked in loud groups off to one side, but he didn't interfere. Arabelle assured them they were safe enough here with the guards the diggers would set out, but that wasn't what concerned him.
His body's reaction to the mere thought of her was instant. He wanted her, he always did. Gareth began to believe he'd never get enough of her. It scared him, but at the same time –
"Gareth?"
Arabelle's whispered voice cut through the night, startling him out of his thoughts of her. She poked her head into the tent, and he stood, gesturing her in. Still fully clothed in her khaki dig clothes, she stood awkwardly there, staring at him for several long moments.
"I wanted to thank you for last night," she said. "I should have before, but I didn't want," she moved her hands in a helpless motion and shrugged. "I didn't think you'd want the others to hear me."
For the first time, Gareth had a strange notion. Did she think he was ashamed of her? Ashamed of what they did? Unreasonably angry over that thought, he shook his head. How to make her understand he wasn't?
"We've all been in that position at one point or another with Corwin's accusations." That wasn't what he wanted to say, it wasn't how he wanted to explain himself.
"Yes," she nodded, holding herself back. He could see the tension in her shoulders. "Well I just wanted to thank you."
She started to back away, out of the tent, and he was desperate to stop her. Gareth stepped forward, closing his fingers about her arm. "You look cold," he said stupidly, wishing for something better.
No wonder Raven left him. That thought niggled at the back of his mind, something she'd said the other day during their argument.
"Here," he continued, offering her the cot. "I'll start a fire." She started to protest, but he grinned at her. "A magickal fire. It's all the rage; I'm surprised you hadn't heard about them."
Arabelle laughed, and he saw her relax. Fishing for something to talk about, without making her angry, Gareth settled for what little they had in common.
"I'm sorry you had to be there," he said. "You should've let me kill Corwin when I had the chance in that warehouse." He smiled to take any sting out of his words. But she didn't seem to take offense.
"Possibly," she shrugged, "but he still has enough followers to make things difficult for us. Still, perhaps you're right. Perhaps it would've been better to rid ourselves of him then. I've taken precautions," she added, "and I understand you and Lords Preston and Granville have as well?"
"Some," he agreed, no longer holding onto the anger he had whenever Preston's name was mentioned. "But we have limited resources here."
She rose and moved in a small circle around the magickal heat. Staring at the orb, she said, "I wonder what we're going to find tomorrow. I've speculated on this."
She looked up at him in concentration, excited concentration as if this were a new find. And he supposed it was, and as she was an Egyptologist, this would be exciting for her on many levels.
"I've wondered, so many times on what's in the repository, what the ancients stored for us. If you knew your civilization was going to halt, to stop, to end what would you store? What would you keep for others to find?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I'm not sure I can answer that tonight. I hope," he smiled, taking her hand and drawing her next to him again, "the ancients took more time in compiling whatever they hid."
"I wonder. Sometimes, you don't know – you don't believe – that things will change." She shook her head and he heard the frustration in her voice at not being able to express herself. But she all but bounced next to him in excitement. It was contagious.
"That you won't wake up to a new world. Would they prepare? Did they have the time? Or was it too late?" She turned to look at him and in the dim artificial light he saw her enthusiasm. "It was such a long time ago, I wonder if we'll ever know."
Cupping her face, he smiled at her. "You're so beautiful when you're enthralled like this. When you're passionate."
Arabelle smiled back. Then, surprising him she leaned forward and kissed him. Her body was warm against his as she shifted, controlling the situation.
"Make love to me," she said against his mouth.
I'm rather proud of all my titles. So, Gareth. The tough alpha male who doesn't know how to show his feelings, his affection. One fiance left him, and now there's this woman in his life. Good thing Arabelle doesn't take any of his shit!Available in bookstores here and here, and online here (for only $2.49!)and here.
Pppssst...have you entered my Title Contest ?
Excerpt:
Gareth sat on his cot and listened to the evening sounds. The diggers and bearers talked in loud groups off to one side, but he didn't interfere. Arabelle assured them they were safe enough here with the guards the diggers would set out, but that wasn't what concerned him.
His body's reaction to the mere thought of her was instant. He wanted her, he always did. Gareth began to believe he'd never get enough of her. It scared him, but at the same time –
"Gareth?"
Arabelle's whispered voice cut through the night, startling him out of his thoughts of her. She poked her head into the tent, and he stood, gesturing her in. Still fully clothed in her khaki dig clothes, she stood awkwardly there, staring at him for several long moments.
"I wanted to thank you for last night," she said. "I should have before, but I didn't want," she moved her hands in a helpless motion and shrugged. "I didn't think you'd want the others to hear me."
For the first time, Gareth had a strange notion. Did she think he was ashamed of her? Ashamed of what they did? Unreasonably angry over that thought, he shook his head. How to make her understand he wasn't?
"We've all been in that position at one point or another with Corwin's accusations." That wasn't what he wanted to say, it wasn't how he wanted to explain himself.
"Yes," she nodded, holding herself back. He could see the tension in her shoulders. "Well I just wanted to thank you."
She started to back away, out of the tent, and he was desperate to stop her. Gareth stepped forward, closing his fingers about her arm. "You look cold," he said stupidly, wishing for something better.
No wonder Raven left him. That thought niggled at the back of his mind, something she'd said the other day during their argument.
"Here," he continued, offering her the cot. "I'll start a fire." She started to protest, but he grinned at her. "A magickal fire. It's all the rage; I'm surprised you hadn't heard about them."
Arabelle laughed, and he saw her relax. Fishing for something to talk about, without making her angry, Gareth settled for what little they had in common.
"I'm sorry you had to be there," he said. "You should've let me kill Corwin when I had the chance in that warehouse." He smiled to take any sting out of his words. But she didn't seem to take offense.
"Possibly," she shrugged, "but he still has enough followers to make things difficult for us. Still, perhaps you're right. Perhaps it would've been better to rid ourselves of him then. I've taken precautions," she added, "and I understand you and Lords Preston and Granville have as well?"
"Some," he agreed, no longer holding onto the anger he had whenever Preston's name was mentioned. "But we have limited resources here."
She rose and moved in a small circle around the magickal heat. Staring at the orb, she said, "I wonder what we're going to find tomorrow. I've speculated on this."
She looked up at him in concentration, excited concentration as if this were a new find. And he supposed it was, and as she was an Egyptologist, this would be exciting for her on many levels.
"I've wondered, so many times on what's in the repository, what the ancients stored for us. If you knew your civilization was going to halt, to stop, to end what would you store? What would you keep for others to find?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I'm not sure I can answer that tonight. I hope," he smiled, taking her hand and drawing her next to him again, "the ancients took more time in compiling whatever they hid."
"I wonder. Sometimes, you don't know – you don't believe – that things will change." She shook her head and he heard the frustration in her voice at not being able to express herself. But she all but bounced next to him in excitement. It was contagious.
"That you won't wake up to a new world. Would they prepare? Did they have the time? Or was it too late?" She turned to look at him and in the dim artificial light he saw her enthusiasm. "It was such a long time ago, I wonder if we'll ever know."
Cupping her face, he smiled at her. "You're so beautiful when you're enthralled like this. When you're passionate."
Arabelle smiled back. Then, surprising him she leaned forward and kissed him. Her body was warm against his as she shifted, controlling the situation.
"Make love to me," she said against his mouth.
December 17, 2010
Tis the Season
To be shopping. Or in my case, online shopping. There's nothing like
doing it from the comfort of your own home and having it delivered to you. I don't mind the wrapping it's the crowds. You understand. :)
How are the holidays shaping up for everyone else? Or are you ignoring them this year?
Books are great gifts!
Merry SEXmas
! (Also available on audio.) Or even
The 12 Hot Days of
Christmas
; those stories are also sold separately but it's $4.99 for 12 or $1.99 each.
Four Calling Birds
is part of an aborted series about 4 friends trying to navigate life, love, and the holidays.
doing it from the comfort of your own home and having it delivered to you. I don't mind the wrapping it's the crowds. You understand. :)How are the holidays shaping up for everyone else? Or are you ignoring them this year?
Books are great gifts!
Merry SEXmas
! (Also available on audio.) Or even
The 12 Hot Days of
Christmas
; those stories are also sold separately but it's $4.99 for 12 or $1.99 each.
Four Calling Birds
is part of an aborted series about 4 friends trying to navigate life, love, and the holidays.
December 16, 2010
Thursday Progress: 1920s story
Yes. I'm still running the
Title Contest
, but here are some more details about the story.
1. Emma Hunt is a PI working undercover to discover who's behind a kidnapping for ransom scheme.
2. Jared Callon is working for the US Government. Yes, he's interested in solving these high profile kidnappings, but he has a secret he's investigating, too.
3. From the first they're attracted to each other, but who is Emma, really, and what's Jared's true goal?
4. February, 1922 in Washington, DC
5. Bootleggers
6. Prohibition
7. Vaudeville
I'm more than halfway finished with the editing/rewriting of this story and couldn't be happier with it. I can't believe I wrote some of this stuff, and clearly I changed plots about 1/4 way through and never went back to fix anything.
To be fair, I also immediately set this aside once it was (nominally) finished to work on other stories, and never looked at it again until I pitched it to a senior editor at the NJRW Conference.
1. Emma Hunt is a PI working undercover to discover who's behind a kidnapping for ransom scheme.
2. Jared Callon is working for the US Government. Yes, he's interested in solving these high profile kidnappings, but he has a secret he's investigating, too.
3. From the first they're attracted to each other, but who is Emma, really, and what's Jared's true goal?
4. February, 1922 in Washington, DC
5. Bootleggers
6. Prohibition
7. Vaudeville
I'm more than halfway finished with the editing/rewriting of this story and couldn't be happier with it. I can't believe I wrote some of this stuff, and clearly I changed plots about 1/4 way through and never went back to fix anything.
To be fair, I also immediately set this aside once it was (nominally) finished to work on other stories, and never looked at it again until I pitched it to a senior editor at the NJRW Conference.
December 15, 2010
Wednesday's Reviews
I haven't had a lot of time recently to read, but this book
interested me on many levels. Many moons ago, I saw the movie
The Man Who Never Was
. At the time, I didn't realize it was based on a true story, or if I did, certainly didn't care. It was a great movie, I adore Clifton Webb, and there you have it. End of story. Until the new book on the behind the scenes of it all, and just last week I read a BBC story on the case.
Operation Mincemeat is the true story of Ewen Montagu's book, based on the plot he helped to create, along with Charles
Cholmondeley and...wait for it...Ian Fleming. Yes, that Ian Fleming, who really was a higher up during WWII.
The author could have livened up the prose a bit, it's a large book and extremely dry in many parts, and honestly if I wasn't so interested in the story itself I may not have finished it. But the history behind fooling every Nazi from those who found Glyndwr Michael's body in supposedly neutral Spain all the way up to Hitler is an interesting one.
I recommend the movie, the BBC companion, and the book for hardcore WWII buffs. I'm sure there's a simpler version of this fascinating operation someplace.
Makes me think about plots...
interested me on many levels. Many moons ago, I saw the movie
The Man Who Never Was
. At the time, I didn't realize it was based on a true story, or if I did, certainly didn't care. It was a great movie, I adore Clifton Webb, and there you have it. End of story. Until the new book on the behind the scenes of it all, and just last week I read a BBC story on the case.Operation Mincemeat is the true story of Ewen Montagu's book, based on the plot he helped to create, along with Charles
Cholmondeley and...wait for it...Ian Fleming. Yes, that Ian Fleming, who really was a higher up during WWII.The author could have livened up the prose a bit, it's a large book and extremely dry in many parts, and honestly if I wasn't so interested in the story itself I may not have finished it. But the history behind fooling every Nazi from those who found Glyndwr Michael's body in supposedly neutral Spain all the way up to Hitler is an interesting one.
I recommend the movie, the BBC companion, and the book for hardcore WWII buffs. I'm sure there's a simpler version of this fascinating operation someplace.
Makes me think about plots...
December 14, 2010
Candy Cane Cake
For Christmas this year, I wanted to something more than just a cake. I've been making a lot of different cakes, not really flavors (we're a chocolate family after all) but shapes. In looking online, I found a site with some nifty cakes I'll never make because I refuse to spend an entire day on 1 cake!
But I did find this little gem and it's what we're having with Christmas dinner. Well, maybe afterwards. :) And minus the fondant, because I'm sure I can make soemthing else and really don't like fondant. It's such a crutch on cake making and has a nasty taste.
Pppssst...have you entered my
Title Contest
?
But I did find this little gem and it's what we're having with Christmas dinner. Well, maybe afterwards. :) And minus the fondant, because I'm sure I can make soemthing else and really don't like fondant. It's such a crutch on cake making and has a nasty taste.
Pppssst...have you entered my
Title Contest
?
December 13, 2010
Monday Excerpt: Dark Desires of the Druids: Sex and Subterfuge
Dark Desires of the Druids: Sex & Subterfuge
now out in papaerback from Red Silk Editions in bookstores here and here and online here and here.
Ahh, Lucien, how I adore thee. Hunky sexy magicker who's strong enough to love a woman more powerful than he is. Plus there's that sexy dining room table scene. *le sigh*
Pppssst...have you entered my Title Contest ?
Excerpt:
Morgana waited until she couldn't see David from her front windows before returning to her bedroom. Lucien was there, naked, by the window. The heavy curtain was pulled only slightly back, and she wondered if anyone could tell he stared into the morning from directly across the street.
What did he do before coming into her life? No simple English earl, that was for certain.
"What did he want?" Lucien asked as the curtain fell back into place. He turned and looked at her, his eyes unreadable.
"Me," she said. Then shrugged and untied her dressing gown.
"Too bad," he growled and before she blinked, he was before her. She was held tight against him, the hard length of his body. "You're mine."
Morgana barely had time to nod before his lips were on hers. Lucien gently pushed her onto their bed, one hand already finding its way underneath the damask dressing gown she wore.
"Your skin is smooth as silk," he said. "I'll never tire of feeling you under me."
"Lucien," Morgana breathed, unbelievably aroused at his words, his possessiveness. Shocked at her own need, her own desire to be his.
Ahh, Lucien, how I adore thee. Hunky sexy magicker who's strong enough to love a woman more powerful than he is. Plus there's that sexy dining room table scene. *le sigh*
Pppssst...have you entered my Title Contest ?
Excerpt:
Morgana waited until she couldn't see David from her front windows before returning to her bedroom. Lucien was there, naked, by the window. The heavy curtain was pulled only slightly back, and she wondered if anyone could tell he stared into the morning from directly across the street.
What did he do before coming into her life? No simple English earl, that was for certain.
"What did he want?" Lucien asked as the curtain fell back into place. He turned and looked at her, his eyes unreadable.
"Me," she said. Then shrugged and untied her dressing gown.
"Too bad," he growled and before she blinked, he was before her. She was held tight against him, the hard length of his body. "You're mine."
Morgana barely had time to nod before his lips were on hers. Lucien gently pushed her onto their bed, one hand already finding its way underneath the damask dressing gown she wore.
"Your skin is smooth as silk," he said. "I'll never tire of feeling you under me."
"Lucien," Morgana breathed, unbelievably aroused at his words, his possessiveness. Shocked at her own need, her own desire to be his.
December 10, 2010
Guest blogging, statistics and thoughts
First, tomorrow I'm over at
Fang-tastic
blogging about historical paranormals and why I find them fascinating to both read and write.
Now...statistics...
They're fascinating things. Here on Blogger, it's easy (now) to check your blog stats. For instance, I know my guest post from Keira of Love Romance Passion post from last year is still hugely popular, as is my review on Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. (May-December 2010: 119 for Keira, and 236! for Mr. Darcy.)
I also seem to be popular in Russia and Hungary. (Spam anyone?) Even though the only thing I know in Russian is goodbye and that's in the Roman alphabet not Cyrillic. Hungarian? Nada.
The thing I notice is that people come. They read. They do not comment. I wonder why that is. Curious. My post on reviews and why you do them, where you post them, and if you comment on others gets hits, but no comments. Hmmm...
Even my guests get hits, especially after the fact, and yet very few comments. Example: Friday Guest: Wendi Zwaduk with 120 page views but only a measly 6 comments. 120 vs. 6...my math seems skewed.
I'm running a Title Contest, and have 2 comments, great suggestions but from only 2 people? Interesting.
And that's my tangent thought for the day.
Now...statistics...
They're fascinating things. Here on Blogger, it's easy (now) to check your blog stats. For instance, I know my guest post from Keira of Love Romance Passion post from last year is still hugely popular, as is my review on Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. (May-December 2010: 119 for Keira, and 236! for Mr. Darcy.)
I also seem to be popular in Russia and Hungary. (Spam anyone?) Even though the only thing I know in Russian is goodbye and that's in the Roman alphabet not Cyrillic. Hungarian? Nada.
The thing I notice is that people come. They read. They do not comment. I wonder why that is. Curious. My post on reviews and why you do them, where you post them, and if you comment on others gets hits, but no comments. Hmmm...
Even my guests get hits, especially after the fact, and yet very few comments. Example: Friday Guest: Wendi Zwaduk with 120 page views but only a measly 6 comments. 120 vs. 6...my math seems skewed.
I'm running a Title Contest, and have 2 comments, great suggestions but from only 2 people? Interesting.
And that's my tangent thought for the day.
December 9, 2010
Pictures to Smile at
These are from another forward. I don't know if they're staged, but they're adorable and made me smile. I hope they make you smile as well.
How can you not smile at the "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore" look?
Just beautiful
Poor dog looks confused, but it's a great picture.
Took me a moment to get this one, but I kinda like it!
There, have I made you smile today?
Oh, and don't forget my Title Contest !
How can you not smile at the "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore" look?
Just beautiful
Poor dog looks confused, but it's a great picture.
Took me a moment to get this one, but I kinda like it!
There, have I made you smile today?
Oh, and don't forget my Title Contest !
December 8, 2010
So you Want to be a Writer?
This was pretty funny, I really like the banter, it's oh so true! And if the video doesn't work, try this link.
Don't forget my Title Contest !
Don't forget my Title Contest !
