Kelly Jamieson's Blog, page 41
February 4, 2011
Friday Sneak Peak
This week from the WIP (Work in Progress) which once again sadly has no title. It will come to me at some point. :-) It's about a chef. And a wacky interior designer. I'm having fun with Bradan and Mirelle!
****
"You hugged Jerick Ellard the other night."
Her eyes widened. "What!"
"You hugged him." His jaw tightened. "You obviously were friends with him and he was a client." Christ, he sounded like a petulant little boy.
She laughed. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He felt his chin jut out. He stepped closer. "You said we could be friends. The other night."
"You want me to hug you?" she asked incredulously.
Yeah. Oh hell, yeah. But probably best not to answer that one out loud. He stepped closer and reached out to lift a stray golden strand of hair away from her face, moving it behind her shoulder, taking the opportunity to let his fingers stroke over her soft hair and then brush across her shoulder. "I just want to be friends."
"Friends." The word came out on a breath.
"Sure." He was lying. Through his teeth. He dragged his fingertips up the side of her neck, sliding under her hair where she was so warm, her skin peachy-soft, letting his thumb skim over her small chin, then her bottom lip. Her scent drifted toward him, vanilla and lemon and sugar. It made his mouth water, made him want to inhale her, eat her up. Her eyes darkened as she continued to stare at him. He didn't just want to be friends with her. He wanted to bang her brains out.
He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer, still holding her gaze. He looked at her mouth, soft and pink, a buzzing in his ears, blood rushing to his groin with painful heat, and his eyes closed as he bent his head to kiss her, to breathe her in.
And encountered nothing but air.
****
"You hugged Jerick Ellard the other night."
Her eyes widened. "What!"
"You hugged him." His jaw tightened. "You obviously were friends with him and he was a client." Christ, he sounded like a petulant little boy.
She laughed. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He felt his chin jut out. He stepped closer. "You said we could be friends. The other night."
"You want me to hug you?" she asked incredulously.
Yeah. Oh hell, yeah. But probably best not to answer that one out loud. He stepped closer and reached out to lift a stray golden strand of hair away from her face, moving it behind her shoulder, taking the opportunity to let his fingers stroke over her soft hair and then brush across her shoulder. "I just want to be friends."
"Friends." The word came out on a breath.
"Sure." He was lying. Through his teeth. He dragged his fingertips up the side of her neck, sliding under her hair where she was so warm, her skin peachy-soft, letting his thumb skim over her small chin, then her bottom lip. Her scent drifted toward him, vanilla and lemon and sugar. It made his mouth water, made him want to inhale her, eat her up. Her eyes darkened as she continued to stare at him. He didn't just want to be friends with her. He wanted to bang her brains out.
He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer, still holding her gaze. He looked at her mouth, soft and pink, a buzzing in his ears, blood rushing to his groin with painful heat, and his eyes closed as he bent his head to kiss her, to breathe her in.
And encountered nothing but air.
February 2, 2011
What are YOU reading? Wednesday
I usually blog about the books I've read or am reading this week. I finished Tequila Truth by Mari Carr, and really really liked it! As I said last week, just the kind of book I like to read - great likeable characters, lots of heat and an emotional story. So I picked up Mari's book Power Play. Loved it! More great characters. I loved the scenes at the beginning of the story where they're trying to get each other to beg. My only complaint - this could have been a longer story. And as often happens, when get on a kick for a certain author, I bought Any Given Sunday. It's the most recent book in a series, so I'm going to be reading in all the wrong order - oh well! But I will be reading that series!
But this week I'd love to know what YOU'RE reading - give me some great new ideas of books to try out!
But this week I'd love to know what YOU'RE reading - give me some great new ideas of books to try out!
February 1, 2011
WIPs and Chains
Goodness, yesterday I blogged at Nine Naughty Novelists and forgot to blog here! I did finish the WIP last week! The last few scenes were hard, and then I had this feeling there were a few little things that just weren't working that I went back and fixed. That took a bit more time, but once I'd done that, the ending flowed better and it was done!
Gabe really gave me a hard time on this one! This story was really different for me. For all the readers who said I probably couldn't top Power Struggle...I'm scared! Because I think this turned out pretty good, but what the heck do I know.
I spent a few more days after that, going through the manuscript a few times, fixing details, and now, as I always do, that manuscript is put away to "simmer" - to let the flavours develop, LOL. In a couple of weeks I will send it off to my critique partner - I'm anxious to know what she thinks!
Then I had to decide what to work on next. I have several projects in the works and sometimes bounce around depending on my mood, or inspiration, or - being honest - what I think is more likely to sell. So I decided to go back to my "chef" story. It's questionable whether there's a market for a chef story but I felt pulled back to this one and to the characters. And I'd already written 50,000 words so might as well finish it. So that's my new work in progress.
January 29, 2011
Today I'm listening to...
Love the lyrics...
January 28, 2011
Sneak peek Friday
In celebration of finishing my WIP, which is Gabe's story for anyone who's read Power Struggle, here's a little sneak peak ( and a picture just because it's snowing like crazy here today):
She ignored the faint suspicion inside her that said oh hell yeah, this was different, this man was way different than any other man she'd ever met in her life. This was not the kind of man she should be spending time with, all forceful and overpowering. This was the kind of man she should be staying far, far away from, the kind of man who could be her downfall. She should be with someone like Kevin—kind, gentle...nice. But Kevin didn't tempt her like Gabe did. And so she focused on her rationale for why she could do this―one night. Hot attraction. That's all.
"I like it when you laugh," she said.
His eyes darkened even more. "I don't laugh very often."
"I know."
"You're saying I'm a bad-tempered son of a bitch."
She smiled. "If the hardhat fits..."
He laughed again, then closed his eyes briefly as if it almost pained him. "Reagan."
"Mmm?"
"Come see the rest of the house."
She hid her smile as she followed him back into the house. His house was not decorated in single-guy, big screen television, stereo and exercise equipment style but rather had a casual, comfortable elegance. She eyed the wall of bookshelves loaded with books, wanted to explore more there. "Did your wife live here with you?" she asked.
He shot her a sideways look. "No. We divorced a long time ago. I just built this house a couple of years ago."
"Oh."
"Why?"
"Never mind. I've already complimented you enough tonight. I don't want your head to get too big."
"Too late for that," he muttered, tugging on one pant leg.
It took her a second and then she burst out laughing. "You made a joke again."
He frowned. "Now you're saying I don't have a sense of humor? Not much chance of my ego swelling with you around."
She couldn't help it. Her eyes dropped to his groin. Speaking of swelling...she looked back up at him and his dark eyes burned with a blue flame. He moved his head from side to side, but his lips twitched and she had to smile too. "I know you have a sense of humor," she said softly. "You just keep it pretty well hidden behind all that surliness."
He made a little choking sound. "Just when I think you're getting nice, you backhand me again."
She ignored the faint suspicion inside her that said oh hell yeah, this was different, this man was way different than any other man she'd ever met in her life. This was not the kind of man she should be spending time with, all forceful and overpowering. This was the kind of man she should be staying far, far away from, the kind of man who could be her downfall. She should be with someone like Kevin—kind, gentle...nice. But Kevin didn't tempt her like Gabe did. And so she focused on her rationale for why she could do this―one night. Hot attraction. That's all.
"I like it when you laugh," she said.
His eyes darkened even more. "I don't laugh very often."
"I know."
"You're saying I'm a bad-tempered son of a bitch."
She smiled. "If the hardhat fits..."
He laughed again, then closed his eyes briefly as if it almost pained him. "Reagan."
"Mmm?"
"Come see the rest of the house."
She hid her smile as she followed him back into the house. His house was not decorated in single-guy, big screen television, stereo and exercise equipment style but rather had a casual, comfortable elegance. She eyed the wall of bookshelves loaded with books, wanted to explore more there. "Did your wife live here with you?" she asked.
He shot her a sideways look. "No. We divorced a long time ago. I just built this house a couple of years ago."
"Oh."
"Why?"
"Never mind. I've already complimented you enough tonight. I don't want your head to get too big."
"Too late for that," he muttered, tugging on one pant leg.
It took her a second and then she burst out laughing. "You made a joke again."
He frowned. "Now you're saying I don't have a sense of humor? Not much chance of my ego swelling with you around."
She couldn't help it. Her eyes dropped to his groin. Speaking of swelling...she looked back up at him and his dark eyes burned with a blue flame. He moved his head from side to side, but his lips twitched and she had to smile too. "I know you have a sense of humor," she said softly. "You just keep it pretty well hidden behind all that surliness."
He made a little choking sound. "Just when I think you're getting nice, you backhand me again."
January 26, 2011
What I'm Reading Wednesday
When I do this Wednesday post about what I'm reading, I'm always painfully aware that the authors I'm talking about could be reading this. I know how ferocious other authors get when one of their own is criticized. And I'm not a reviewer, I'm just a reader who happens to also be an author. So I try to keep my comments positive and talk about what I liked about the books I read, but the truth is, I don't like everything I read. So sometimes I just don't say very much. This week I want to share my thoughts but I'm not going to name the book, nor will I name the author. I will say this is my first purchase from Carina Press.
I had a lot of problems with this book and ended up mostly skimming it because it just didn't engage me. The point of view jumped from character to character several times within scenes, which may have been part of the problem. Although it was an erotic romance with some very hot scenes, they didn't evoke any kind of emotional response in me and I realized the writing is very cold and sterile. The characters themselves don't feel any visceral reactions, so neither did I. The story itself was hugely disappointing. In the middle of the story a second hero appears, and he has his own point of view, which was a bit jarring. Turns out he's the man heroine has the HEA with, after very little conflict, I have to say - except he's not. He dies. In a completely meaningless, random way. The other thing that was extremely disturbing was one of the BDSM scenes that was so much like a scene from my own book, Rigger, that it really freaked me out. Similar actions, similar words...I still feel really unsettled by reading something so like one of my own scenes. It must be coincidence but, whoa.
I also read Board Resolution by Joey W. Hill. I can see readers having mixed feelings about this story, the heroine spending much of the book restrained and at the mercy of five men. Ultimate fantasy or abuse? It took me aback at first, until bits of back story were filtered in and I realized that the hero and heroine actually knew each other a lot better than I'd first thought. And it was hot!I'm going for ultimate fantasy, with a heroine who learns a lot about herself through the process.
Right now I'm reading Tequila Truth by Mari Carr. I love this book! It's exactly the kind of story like to read.
I had a lot of problems with this book and ended up mostly skimming it because it just didn't engage me. The point of view jumped from character to character several times within scenes, which may have been part of the problem. Although it was an erotic romance with some very hot scenes, they didn't evoke any kind of emotional response in me and I realized the writing is very cold and sterile. The characters themselves don't feel any visceral reactions, so neither did I. The story itself was hugely disappointing. In the middle of the story a second hero appears, and he has his own point of view, which was a bit jarring. Turns out he's the man heroine has the HEA with, after very little conflict, I have to say - except he's not. He dies. In a completely meaningless, random way. The other thing that was extremely disturbing was one of the BDSM scenes that was so much like a scene from my own book, Rigger, that it really freaked me out. Similar actions, similar words...I still feel really unsettled by reading something so like one of my own scenes. It must be coincidence but, whoa.
I also read Board Resolution by Joey W. Hill. I can see readers having mixed feelings about this story, the heroine spending much of the book restrained and at the mercy of five men. Ultimate fantasy or abuse? It took me aback at first, until bits of back story were filtered in and I realized that the hero and heroine actually knew each other a lot better than I'd first thought. And it was hot!I'm going for ultimate fantasy, with a heroine who learns a lot about herself through the process.
Right now I'm reading Tequila Truth by Mari Carr. I love this book! It's exactly the kind of story like to read.
January 24, 2011
WIPs and Chains
So close, so close...almost finished the WIP! I was hoping to do it this weekend, but of course the last scenes are the hardest to write - the most emotional, the most gut-wrenching, and it's slow going. In fact, even though I'm anxious to be done, I found myself procrastinating because I knew how hard these scenes were going to be to write.This whole book has been hard to write. I know it's going to take a lot of fine tuning of this first draft and I'm just hoping it all makes sense. Both these characters are really complicated.
I'm also surprised by the length of the book. My goal was 60,000 words and I usually find that's a very comfortable length for me. Lately I've been trying to write longer, but this one I wanted to keep fairly short. But Gabe and Reagan had other ideas! I could easily make this an 80,000 word book but I think it will likely end up somewhere aroudn 65,000 words. It is what it is.
January 21, 2011
TGIF
Yay it's Friday and I love weekends. This weekend you have 2 chances to win one of my books.
Saturday at The Romance Studio Book a Day Giveaway, they're giving away a PRINT copy of Love 2 Love U.
And my friend Erin Nicholas and I are having a contest together, also at The Romance Studio - we're eaching giving away 2 PRINT books - one for you to keep and one to give to a friend! Erin's book Just Right and my book Love 2 Love U were both released the same day so we're celebrating together.
Love 2 Love U is an anthology of my three novellas, Love Me, Love Me More and 2 Hot 2 Handle. Here's a little excerpt from 2 Hot 2 Handle:
He kissed her mouth, knowing he tasted of her and she kissed him avidly back. So fucking hot.
"I think we might exhaust you tonight, Abby doll," he murmured.
He drew back and they shared a smile. "I can handle it," she said, glancing over her shoulder at Eric. He grinned, too.
"Yeah. She can."
A rush of emotion so intense it almost sent him back to his knees roared through Jett. He was almost afraid to believe what was happening.
"Take your clothes off," Abby said, her eyes gleaming. "You're both wearing too many clothes. And Jett…"
His eyes flicked up to hers.
"I haven't seen you, yet, either."
Red-hot lust streaked through him. Fuck, what a woman!
He ripped his clothes off. He'd quickly gotten over any modesty when he'd started modeling, was used to his body being stared at, ogled, studied. Objectified, even. But damn him, he wanted Abby to like what she saw.
Her eyes widened, and her hands came out to trace over his chest, down over his quivering abs, and lower. She blinked as she studied him there.
"You're…bare."
He looked down. Oh, yeah. He was so used to it, he thought nothing of it. "I had to get rid of the hair for an underwear shoot," he choked out. "It itches like hell when it grows back, so I just kept it like this."
"Uh." She seemed speechless. She reached out to touch and her soft fingers on his throbbing staff had him twitching hard. "It makes you look…huge."
"I am huge."
Her gaze flew up to meet his, and she smiled when she recognized his cocky humor.
"Well, yes you are, actually," she murmured.
Eric came up behind her again, having divested himself of his clothes, too. "Hey," he said. "He's no bigger than I am."
She turned her sparkling brown eyes to Eric. "No. Of course not. He just looks bigger because…there's no hair there."
"What? You want me to shave too?"
"Christ," Jett said. "Don't shave. That's the worst thing you can do. You gotta wax, man."
Eric winced. "Never mind. I'm fine the way I am."
Saturday at The Romance Studio Book a Day Giveaway, they're giving away a PRINT copy of Love 2 Love U. And my friend Erin Nicholas and I are having a contest together, also at The Romance Studio - we're eaching giving away 2 PRINT books - one for you to keep and one to give to a friend! Erin's book Just Right and my book Love 2 Love U were both released the same day so we're celebrating together.
Love 2 Love U is an anthology of my three novellas, Love Me, Love Me More and 2 Hot 2 Handle. Here's a little excerpt from 2 Hot 2 Handle:
He kissed her mouth, knowing he tasted of her and she kissed him avidly back. So fucking hot.
"I think we might exhaust you tonight, Abby doll," he murmured.
He drew back and they shared a smile. "I can handle it," she said, glancing over her shoulder at Eric. He grinned, too.
"Yeah. She can."
A rush of emotion so intense it almost sent him back to his knees roared through Jett. He was almost afraid to believe what was happening.
"Take your clothes off," Abby said, her eyes gleaming. "You're both wearing too many clothes. And Jett…"
His eyes flicked up to hers.
"I haven't seen you, yet, either."
Red-hot lust streaked through him. Fuck, what a woman!
He ripped his clothes off. He'd quickly gotten over any modesty when he'd started modeling, was used to his body being stared at, ogled, studied. Objectified, even. But damn him, he wanted Abby to like what she saw.
Her eyes widened, and her hands came out to trace over his chest, down over his quivering abs, and lower. She blinked as she studied him there.
"You're…bare."
He looked down. Oh, yeah. He was so used to it, he thought nothing of it. "I had to get rid of the hair for an underwear shoot," he choked out. "It itches like hell when it grows back, so I just kept it like this."
"Uh." She seemed speechless. She reached out to touch and her soft fingers on his throbbing staff had him twitching hard. "It makes you look…huge."
"I am huge."
Her gaze flew up to meet his, and she smiled when she recognized his cocky humor.
"Well, yes you are, actually," she murmured.
Eric came up behind her again, having divested himself of his clothes, too. "Hey," he said. "He's no bigger than I am."
She turned her sparkling brown eyes to Eric. "No. Of course not. He just looks bigger because…there's no hair there."
"What? You want me to shave too?"
"Christ," Jett said. "Don't shave. That's the worst thing you can do. You gotta wax, man."
Eric winced. "Never mind. I'm fine the way I am."
January 19, 2011
What I'm Reading Wednesday
Last week I finished off Simply Irresistable by Jill Shalvis. It's not my favorite of her books but it was still pretty good. Then I read Afterlife by Joey Hill. I think I may have read one of Joey Hill's books a long time ago (wait I'll go look) I"m back. I can't find it. So this is sort of like a new author to me and I've heard so many good things about her. I really did love this book, though I started to get a little impatient with Rachel and her continued thinking she wasn't good enough and didn't deserve Jon, but loved the writing!! So now I'm reading her Board Resolution - smokin' hot!
January 17, 2011
WIPs and Chains
And a contest!To celebrate the release of our print books on the same day, my friend Erin Nicholas and I are having a "friends" contest at The Romance Studio. You can win a copy of each of our new print releases Love 2 Love U and Just Right PLUS a copy to give to one of your friends! Check it out here. Contest goes until January 31/11.
I've been working hard this week on "Gabe's story". Yes, I really need a better title. I've been thinking about it off and on and have come up with numerous titles that I thought were okay, but then changed my mind. I guess I can worry about that once it's finished.
I have to say Gabe is a very complicated man and he is giving me a hard time! He's also giving Reagan, my heroine, a hard time. It also appears, despite my careful planning, that the story may be longer than I planned. I'm now up to 44,000 words and it's time for a crisis but Gabe's not ready for that - I haven't hurt him enough yet!
This is interesting to me, because recently I've been trying to write longer books and struggled a bit with it. I took a couple of workshops and I've read a few books to try to help with that and what is actually quite cool is that it's the books on character that have helped with my plotting. Now, I know I write character-driven stories, but it quite amazes me how much the plot can grow based on deeper characterization.
Now...back to Gabe.
