C. Margery Kempe's Blog: Lady Smut, page 160

The Discipline of Writing by Marian Lanouette

I’m also going to reveal my new cover here so keep reading.

What I’m reading this week. Iris Johansen’s Sleep No More. What are you reading?

A special Happy Birthday today to my friend Gail today.  I hope all your dreams come true.

The discipline of writing

Today, I’m covering a subject close to my heart, the discipline of writing. So often, I hear that a writer finds it difficult to put words to a page for one reason or another. And they’re valid reasons. Reasons such as, the writer has a full-time job and family, medical issues or life in general.  But writing is a discipline that requires dedication, patience and perseverance and a really thick skin.

One of the best parts of writing is the daydreaming and mind wandering before a story is conceived. Once at the beach,  my computer on my lap, someone asked,  “Why aren’t you typing?” My answer, “I’m working. You see, my mind is taking in every little detail for future use.”

Great job, right? You bet. The hazard of the job though is you can take that daydreaming too far. There is a point where you start to put the ideas down on paper and create your characters. Case in point, I finally finished, polished and are now self-publishing a short story, I started on last fall. Why did it take so long? One, I had other projects that needed my attention: Two, it needed a lot of editing and three, I just didn’t know how I wanted it to end. Plus, self-publishing takes money. Money for editing, money for conversions, money for your cover, money for marketing—these are things that a publisher would normally supply that are now your responsibility.  Would I self-publish all my projects? No. I like working with my publisher but I wanted to get the story out there fast, so self-publishing worked in this instance.

I’m unveiling my cover here and showcasing my hard work and discipline. This short story will be out in early December and will be published in both paperback and e-book.

To get back on topic, you need to pick a weekly word count you want to achieve and work toward it. Whether that is on your lunch hour, recording ideas on a tape while you drive or actual typing time in the evening; if you don’t schedule this time you will not write. And I know you have some great stories in your head, pull them out and introduce them to the world.

Remember there is a story in everyone!

Filed under: romance

Meet Ghost Photographer Julie Griffin by Gerri Brousseau

Nights of Passion is really excited. We have a very unique individual with us today, ghost photographer, Julie Griffin. Welcome Julie.

NOP: Have you always believed in ghosts?

Yes I have. Growing up in the Midwest, I lived in two houses that were actively haunted. In the first house, I saw doors open and a chandelier swing many times. But I only remember it happening during the daytime. It wasn’t scary because my Mom explained it as part of the personality of the house and there was nothing to worry about. In the second house I heard heavy footsteps upstairs when I knew no one was there. Everyone in the family had heard the footsteps a few times.

NOP: Please tell us what first inspired you to photograph ghosts?

The end of 2008 I decided to learn about being a paranormal investigator. I soon found a group to work with.

NOP: How long have you been photographing ghosts?

I have been doing a lot of photography since 2006, mainly nature and landscapes. But the ghosts only started appearing in early 2009, after I began learning about investigating.

NOP: How do the apparitions appear in the photos?

Spirit energy manifests in a lot of different forms. They can appear as a mist, streaks of light, shadows, full body apparitions, and more.

NOP: When you go to a location, do you feel the energy of a presence or are you taking photos only to see later that there is a ghost in the picture?

Sometimes I do feel the presence of energy and I’m drawn to certain areas at the location. But I can also feel nothing unusual there too. I have never seen the spirit I have caught a photo of with my own eyes.

NOP: Please tell us about your book, Ghostly Photographs.

Ghostly Photographs, ghost stories you can see with your own eyes. Every story has one or more photos that have something in them that can not be explained. I tell what happened throughout that investigation which may cover just a few hours or a few days.

NOP: You photograph ghosts, but have you ever seen one?

I have seen a full body apparition of a woman and of a little black dog when I lived in the second haunted house I mentioned earlier.

NOP: Would you please share with us some of the locations where you have found there to be paranormal activity?

I have been to Gettysburg a few times; hauntings are reported all over town. I’ve also been to Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Rolling Hills Asylum in Bethany NY, the Shanley Hotel in Napanoch NY, and many more.

NOP: Would you be willing to share a picture here with us?

Of course. I always take three photos of the same spot because energy can change and move as it manifests. And having a photo with nothing in it, to compare to the photo with the anomaly, makes it easier to see what the difference is. This was taken at the Oldest Wood Jail in America, located in Barnstable MA. There is nothing unusual in the 1st photo, but in the 2nd  many streaks of light appear on the right side of the photo that have an unknown source.

Filed under: romance

Author Treat: Jennifer Lowery

Hi All!

Today we have a very special treat. Jennifer Lowery, author of contemporary romance Hard Core is here today to talk to us about herself and her book.  I first have to start off by saying that read and absolutely loved this book. Months ago, I remember reading snippets from Six Sentence Sunday on Jennifer’s website and I knew that this was a book I had to read. It did not disappoint. Cristian is an absolutely delicious tortured hero and Alana is such a talented, good person. I truly had a really hard time putting this book down at all. So now onto the interesting part. How are you Jennifer?

I’m great!!  Thank you so much for the kind comments! And hello to all you fabulous readers out there *waves* Thank you so much for having me today! My debut book, Hard Core, released this month so I’m very excited to be here! Thank you so much for sharing it with me!! 

In honor of my release I am offering a copy of my debut contemporary suspense, Hard Core, in either ebook format or signed print copy to one lucky commenter by midnight EST on Friday Oct. 26, 2012, so please leave me a comment with your EMAIL and gift choice to be entered to win!!

Wow, one very lucky blogger is going to get a great book to read!

So Jennifer, can you tell us a bit about you and how you got started with writing?

I can’t remember wanting to be anything except a writer! I grew up devouring books, lol. Even got caught in the seventh grade reading a romance book in the back of my math book! I detoured along the way, went to college, got a degree in Respiratory Care, and worked in a hospital as a Respiratory Therapist for 13 years before the time felt right to pursue my career as a writer—my dream. So, I quit my job, thanks to my wonderful hubby who supported us on his income, and began writing full-time. It took me 10 years to become published (I wrote during my years at the hospital) and 3 years once I began writing full-time to sign a contract! So if you have a dream, don’t give up!! No matter how long it takes you to get there, don’t give up! Dreams really do come true! Make it happen!

Wow. I have to admit that I envy your ability to write full time but I whole heartedly admire your dedication and determination. One day, I hope to be there. In publishing this book, you’ve completed a huge feat. What was the biggest obstacle you feel you’ve overcome through this whole writing journey?

I’m still overcoming, lol! But, self-doubt! Never thinking my writing is good enough or anyone will like my stories.

What would you say are your favorite and least favorite parts about the writing/promoting process?

I love it all! Maybe not the negative reviews or the people that are out to hurt writers with their reviews intentionally, but we can’t please everyone and I’m learning to accept that.

Gosh, you hit it on the nail. I agree that it is impossible for writers to please everyone, no matter what we do. Still, I like that we readers and writers are all unique and different. Makes life interesting.

Okay, now on to this amazing book! I absolutely fell in love with Cristian Slade from the get go. What/who was your inspiration for this stoic, brave and mysterious warrior? Was he hard to write? You did a great job with having me empathize with him from the beginning.

Aw, thanks! Cristian came to me out of the blue and just wouldn’t leave me alone, lol! And once you meet him you’ll understand why! He’s a determined man! He was easy, yet hard, to write. I knew him, yet, he had many layers to uncover as I wrote. Many secrets I was surprised to uncover. He was harder than I imagined. I had to soften him a bit.

What about Alana? She was a bit of a tortured soul but she came through very strong all throughout the book. You did a great job in staying true to her character, what was the most difficult part about writing her?

I loved writing Alana! She was spirited, strong and feisty! My favorite kind of heroine. Yet, she needed Cristian as much as he needed her. I have some medical background and Alana is a surgeon so that part came pretty easily! The difficult part was putting her through some of the conflict she had to deal with, but I knew she would make it through

Do you have a favorite part of this book that you just loved writing?

The jungle scene where Alana is nursing Cristian back to health. What’s better than a wounded mercenary in a hot, steamy jungle with a feisty red head doctor nursing him back to health in a rustic hut?

Oh yeah, I so loved the needle scene and the tension and the well… I’ll leave our readers some surprises. Where did you come up with the idea for this story? Will you write about some of the other mercenaries in this series? I don’t want to spoil anything but there are some major hunks in this book that I’d love to read more about.

The idea came with Cristian. It was just there. I just started writing his story and this is how it went. Yep! Working on Mercer’s story as we speak!  I have just the woman for him…

Yay! Can’t wait as Mercer sounds so smooth and mysterious. He’s pretty observative too but I’m going to hush now. Is there anything else you’d like to tell your readers about Hard Core or upcoming books you may have?

I hope my readers enjoy my debut book! My second book, Murphy’s Law, unrelated to Hard Core, comes out March, 2013! This is the story of my heart and I can’t wait for you to meet Murphy. And I have a short story, Taking Chances, coming out very soon! Hope you enjoy these books too!

Thank you for having me today!! I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to all my readers out there! Without you I wouldn’t be here. My wish is to one day meet each and every one of you so I can personally thank you for your generosity and support! 

All my best, 

Jennifer

Okay, now onto a great blurb and excerpt for Hardcore:

He takes lives. She saves them.

A supposedly hassle-free job for mercenary Cristian Slade becomes a mission of mercy when he saves a life instead of taking one. Slade’s new mission might be his most dangerous yet, because the danger is to his heart.

Tragedy has sent esteemed surgeon Alana O’Grady to a remote a remote Nicaraguan island where she immerses herself in the lives of a native American tribe, using her talents for goodwill instead of wealth and prestige. But life turns upside down when her work requires she protect a rugged mercenary who commands her attention when she’s awake and dominates her dreams while she sleeps.

Doctoring Cristian puts her entire tribe in danger from the man who’s hunting him. Is it her professional oath or her unprofessional attraction to him keeping her from sending him away to heal on his own? Alana’s fire warms Cristian’s heart, but he’s a hardened assassin and has no business falling for someone like her. Can they fight hard enough to keep what they might have together?

Content Warning: Sexual content.

Excerpt:

Prepared to start an IV, she picked up a needle. She had it in position when his other arm shot out and he clamped her wrist in a bone-crushing grip. Startled, she met his panicked gaze.

“I said no needles.”

Her heart banged against her ribcage as she let the needle slip out of her hand. It hit the floor with a small ting. Alana opened her hands in surrender, her patient’s fingers digging into her flesh. For a man half-dead, he had amazing strength.

“Okay,” she said to placate him. “Relax, I don’t have it anymore. It’s your choice, but I recommend you let me start an IV for meds.”

“No. Just fix me.”

Alana pinned him with a no nonsense stare. “I’m not impressed with Superman heroics.”

Face pale and drawn, he said gruffly, “I’m not Superman. Learned not to trust people with needles.”

Her fingers were going numb. “If I remove the bullet without pain medication or anesthetic, you’re going to be sorry.”

He studied her. “You’re really a doctor?”

Alana bristled. “Technically, yes.”

“Technically?”

She didn’t have time to explain herself with the amount of blood seeping from his gunshot wound. “I went to med school. You can let go of my arm now. I won’t use any needles.”

He looked down and immediately released his grip. She rubbed her wrist to soothe away the ache. “Can I get to work now, or do you want to question me more about my credentials while you bleed to death? I don’t have a blood bank, so you’re screwed if you lose too much.”

Her blunt statement received a curt nod. She normally didn’t talk to her patients like that. Her patients didn’t normally countermand her either.

“Do it,” he said.

“Without anesthetics?”

“I don’t need them. Just get it over with.”

Stubborn, stupid, or both? Insane, yes, but there wasn’t time to argue with him.

“Okay. The offer stands if you change your mind.”

“I won’t.”

She doubted that, but didn’t comment. Instead, wiped her forehead with her forearm, and picked up gauze pads to clean the wound.

“Here goes,” she warned and dabbed his skin.

Her patient didn’t move or even wince as she cleaned the angry wound. Either he had a will of steel or he’d passed out again. Hopefully, the latter. Sweat rolled down her back as she finished cleansing the area around the bullet entry. Red flesh puckered with the first signs of infection. In this environment infection was guaranteed.

With a steady hand that would have made her father proud, she picked up her instruments and took a deep breath.

“You still with me?”

He murmured a response, turning his head slightly so he could see her. The stark beauty of his profile, despite the bruises, struck her again. The lines of his face were chiseled, unforgiving. The kind of man she’d glance at twice if she passed him on the street.

A man associated with a criminal.

“Still here, Doc. What are you waiting for?” Husky with pain, his deep voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She gave herself a mental shake. “Want something to bite down on?”

A small, wry smile touched his lips and his lids closed. “You won’t hear a peep out of me. Just fix me, Doc.”

“I can hit you so you’ll sleep through it,” she muttered.

That drew a low chuckle from him. She didn’t expect him to have a sense of humor. He seemed too…hard. His chuckle turned into a grunt of pain. “You probably hit like a girl.”

Alana grinned. “Yes, I do. Rest assured it won’t feel like it.”

“Appreciate the offer, but, no.” His words slurred together, his muscles tense as he fought his body’s demands.

“You got a name, Superman?”

His head rolled to the side, his chest rose and fell slowly. She thought he was out but he murmured, “Cristian.”

“Nice to meet you, Cristian.”

Then she dug into the wound for the bullet.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer.  Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side.

Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers.  She loves everything there is about romance.  Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines.  She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.

Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and three children.  When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Find Jennifer:

Author Website    Facebook    Twitter    Romance Recipes

Buy Hard Core:

Amazon

Lyrical Press

Barnes & Noble

Bookworld

iTunes

Filed under: Recommended Books, romance, romance novels, Toni Kelly

Worst Halloween Ever by Leia Shaw

You know how sometimes the lowest points of our lives become the funniest when you look back on them? Well, Halloween 2010 was one of those times. My son was four and trick-or-treating as one of the transformers. My daughter was two and dressed like a ballerina – though she was really more like a ninja. From the time she learned to walk, she’s had this incredible ability to slip away undetected then hide somewhere small and dark silently until we find her. It’s creepy.

Anyway, while trick-or-treating, my daughter put her ninja ballerina skills to the test and disappeared right in the middle of the biggest, most pimped out Halloween house I’ve ever seen. Lit up pumpkins lined the walkway. Gravestones dotted along the lawn. Ghosts swayed from the trees (I never did verify that those were decorations). Fog machine, creepy soundtrack, the whole shebang. It was like a Halloween store and an amusement park got together and had a baby on their lawn.

My son had one thing on his mind. Candy. So he went running down the walkway toward the tacky house promising tricks and treats. I could see the owners at the door dressed up like characters from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now, I’m a regular Frankie fan, but how was I supposed to explain a man in a corset and high heels to a curious four year old? So I ran ahead with my son while my husband was supposed to be watching ninja girl.

After thanking the Rocky cast for the candy, I turned around to see my husband studying the mechanical hand popping up from the ground and our daughter missing. I’m an engineer, was his excuse.

A search party that could rival the FBI ensued. Ten frantic minutes later, we found a chocolate-faced ballerina hanging out with a ghost behind one of the gravestones. Goodbye early bedtime.

Fast forward a couple hours later and ninja baby was asleep in her bed. My son was sitting on our bed watching the Disney Channel with hubby. I was doing some writing at our breakfast bar, not pigging out on the kid’s candy (no, really, I wasn’t). All of the sudden, some black creature from hell came flying straight at my head. I screamed then ducked under the counter. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a bat. I rolled my eyes at the irony. A bat loose in the house on Halloween. Can we get anymore cliché?

Regardless, it still freaked me out. Have you ever studied a bat’s flight patterns? They are completely chaotic and unpredictable. I know they’re blind and use echolocation, yadda, yadda, yadda. But I think this one was drunk too. Anyway, I was so paranoid the thing would get stuck in my hair, I got down on the ground and crawled – army style – across the kitchen floor, screaming, “Bat! Bat!” My husband came running down the stairs, confused but ready for a battle. I locked myself in the playroom.

After a few minutes, I peeked out the door to see him waving the American flag we usually have hanging outside like he’s practicing for color guard. Later he explained it was the only way to catch the bat without hurting it. A net, somehow, didn’t cross his mind. Whatever. I’ll leave the bat wrangling to him.

So, hubby yelled that the bat flew upstairs where my son was sitting quietly watching Wizards of Waverly Place. Did he bat an eye (no pun intended) that a drunken winged creature was zooming around the room like a helicopter with a broken propeller? Nope. Wizards of Waverly Place is that good.

Hubby followed the bat to our room. He waved the flag, mimicking the erratic patterns of bat flight. Decorations flew off shelves. Pictures fell off walls. Finally, the bat got wrapped up in the flag and both went down in a flurry of red, white, and blue.

And to top it all off, ninja baby threw up chocolate chunks in her bed.

And that was my worst Halloween ever.

Your turn. Any favorite Halloween stories, good or bad?

just for fun

 

Filed under: romance

Interview with DC Juris

by C. Margery Kempe

I’m pleased to welcome DC Juris to Nights of Passion. DC’s new book is 137 Owens Street:

Matthew is going insane. But the man reaching out to Matthew in his visions might be his only chance to find the truth or his true love. Matthew is going insane. How else can he explain remembering things he doesn’t own or trips his wife never took? Not to mention the visions, and the phantom in the café. But when the man in the visions reaches out to him with an explanation, and the phantom from the café tracks him down, things start to make a little more sense. Morgan is a devout Christian. He believes in God, heaven, hell, and the Bible. But his world spins out of control when his husband Matthew disappears and a mysterious man tells a tale outside the realm of reality. How can Morgan put his faith in something so far-fetched? And what will happen to Matthew if he doesn’t?

You can have the chance to win a copy by commenting here and DC will choose a winner.

If you were a book, what would your tagline be?

Look beyond the cover.

What inspired your new book?

137 Owens Street actually came about as a suggestion from my husband. He noticed there’s no 137 on our street, and started to ponder what could be made of that.

What’s sexy?

Confidence. The ability to look beyond someone’s skin. Someone who can look at me and see my heart and soul, rather than my packaging, is sexier than anything.

What makes you laugh?

I have a dry, dark sense of humor. I love Jon Stewart and Ron White.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

I have an Evil Day Job, but fortunately I also have Wednesdays off, so I spend most of those days in my writing office. Otherwise, I snag what time I can here and there. The thing about me is I can write anywhere, anytime, so I can take advantage of time other’s might not.

What’s the most common mistake people make about you?

A lot of people think I’m hard, but in reality I’m not very thick skinned at all.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

“Fire your agent.” I did and never looked back.

What’s next for you?

I have about 20 WIPs going on right now. What’s next for me? More writing.

Here’s an excerpt from 137 Owens Street:

After the weekend he’d had, on Monday Matthew could honestly say he was glad to be back at work. But something about his desk wasn’t right. All his things were there—the spinning pen caddy, his fancy one-touch stapler, his little black and white container full of almonds, his old-school Rolodex and phone, his glass frog paperweight—but the positioning was all wrong. Matthew shook his head and rearranged the items into their proper places. Darn cleaning crew. It wasn’t like he could complain—moving things around on his desk was hardly the same as breaking something or stealing something, and really, he should just be grateful for the crew’s efforts—but the disorder still irked him.

He took a deep breath, plopped down into his desk chair, turned on his computer, and frowned. His icons had been moved around on his desktop too. Maybe the desk makeover hadn’t been the cleaning crew after all, but a sneaky co-worker thinking they were funny. One by one, he clicked and dragged everything back to where it belonged and plunged into his day.

Three financial reports and some data entry later, Matthew was ready for a break. He quirked an eyebrow and grinned, remembering his blue mug. Down the hall he went to the break room. He scanned the shelves and counters. No blue mug. What. The. Heck? It wasn’t at home, and it wasn’t here. Where else could it be? Maybe his car?

With a shrug he pulled his keys out of his pocket and went out to the parking lot, but a careful search of his car—even the trunk and glove compartment, just for giggles—turned up no blue mug.

A burst of white light surrounded him, and he held his hand up against the glare reflecting from his car. His red car. Not the black one he’d gotten into this morning. He’d known something was off when he’d cranked it up, but hadn’t been able to place what. Now he knew—the color wasn’t right. He took a step toward the car, and a pair of arms encircled his waist from behind.

“Come back to me!” a soft, deep voice pleaded against his ear.

Matthew turned as quickly as he could, but the light and the man had vanished. He closed his eyes and leaned back against his once-again-black car, his heart hammering, his throat thick with emotions he didn’t understand. He’d recognized that voice the moment he’d heard it, yet now he couldn’t place it. Now it was relegated to the hazy depths of forgotten things, like half-remembered tunes that went like da-da-da-da-da-something…la-la…and nebulous gray snatches of faces from childhood. But in that moment, he’d known, and he’d thrilled in it. The voice had evoked a response from him so intense and swift, like suddenly finding something he’d been missing for years in some random place he’d looked a million times…

You can find DC online and 137 Owen Street at Breathless Press:

Blog: http://dcjuris.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dcjuris

Facebook: www.facebook.com/danielchristianjuris

Filed under: C. Margery Kempe, contemporary romance, erotic romance, inspiration, Kit Marlowe, M/M, paranormal romance

Special Announcements & 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour Paranormal-Scope

Special Annoucements:  First off I want to say that due to my participation in a blog tour, C. Margery Kempe was kind enough to trade places with me this week.  She will return to her usual Sunday spot, next week.  Her most extraordinary guest for tomorrow is DC Juris, Author of GLBTQ & Het Romance

www.dcjuris.com

http://dcjuris.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/dcjuris

So stay turned for Monday for DC Juris.

Second announcement:  Welcome to the 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour Paranormal-Scope, which will be followed by the names of authors who are your next step into a strange and wonderful voyage into the paranormal.  Weird, wonderful, and sexy.  A big thanks to JoLynne Valerie who put this blog tour together!!!

The week ahead for:

Aries

Venus, Roman goddess of love,  thinks you’re hot all over.  Drink tall, cool beverages.

Taurus

Beware the wolf in pig’s clothing.  Okay, this wolf is confused but still sneaky.

Gemini

Pigs can fly.  Bulls can fly.  Ok, no, you can’t fly.  But your achievements will soar this week.

Cancer

Sirens have mastered the art of being alluring.  Think “siren” and update that wardrobe.

Leo

Like the Minotaur charge forward with your excellent plans.  Clarify anything you are uncertain of.

Virgo

Take the high ground and soar and spread sunshine with Apollo’s chariot.

Libra

Like Danu, Celtic Earth Goddess, go back to the source that rejuvenates you.  Surround yourself with greenery and flowers.

Scorpio

Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, is a bad boy in a fun way.  Open yourself to new adventures but keep an eye out for bad boys.

Sagittarius

Zeus, Greek god of the gods, gave you a bolt.  Plan carefully where to throw it or save it for a rainy day.  But choose wisely.

Capricorn

Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, suggests taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture.

Aquarius

Tiberius, the blind seer, could see things other people could not.  Your vision on life will be crystal clear this week.

Pieces

You’re standing in the middle of the battlefield between the Norse Gods and the Greek Gods; lightning bolts are flying.  Don’t let either side draw you in.

Now to continue on the 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour, click on the link below.

Oct. 22 Amy Williamson

https://www.facebook.com/itisamyfwilliamson

Oct. 23 Candi Fox

http://www.badabingnow.com/

Oct. 24 Jason Black

http://plottopunctuation.com/

Oct. 25 Nadia Romanov

http://www.bylightofthemoon.com/magickal-musings-by-light-of-the-moon—blog.php

Oct. 26 Jennifer Leigh Scott

http://www.theguidancegoddess.com/index.html

Oct. 27 Shoshi

www.clairvoyantcourtesan.com

Oct. 28 Karyn Dolan

womenesoterica.blogspot.com

Oct. 29 Brady Allen

www.bradyallen.com

Oct. 30 Jessica Subject

http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/

Oct. 31 JoLynne Valerie

www.JoLynneValerie.blogspot.com

–Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Filed under: Promotion, romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, Weekly Paranormal-Scope

Albacon 2012 in Latham, NY

Susan in sari

C.Margery Kempe in sari

Albacon is in Latham, NY, at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites this year.  We are so excited.     Enjoy and wish you were here.  There’s always next year.  For hall costumes, C. Margery Kempe and I wore traditional saris from Debi Chowdhury’s mother.  Very beautiful.  Putting on the sari is an art.  You’ll see the photo throughout today’s blog.

On Friday, the program started at 9 with panels and readings.  I had the following panels:

- What Editors/Publishers Want at 10 AM

- Holding Out for a Hero/Shero  at 11 AM

- Vampires, Werewolves, and Dragons Too  at 1:30 PM

- Small Press vs. Large Press at 3:30 PM

- Midnight Readings at 11 PM

Saturday is even more exciting!

- Anything Good on TV!  at 11 PM

Debi in sari

Eliora Smith wearing a steampunk top and coat she made

- Reading at 3:30 PM

 

- The Reinvention of Vampires at 4 PM

- Overused Concepts in SF at 5 PM

- Erotic Elements in SF at 10 PM

- Erotic Readings at 11 PM

Sunday I’m only on once and then it’s pack for home and see the wonderful family and friends.

- SF/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance at 11 PM

Elektra Hammond in steampunk

Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Filed under: romance, romance novels, science fiction romance, science fiction with romantic elements, steampunk romance, Susan Hanniford Crowley, urban fantasy, vampire books, What A Writer Needs, Writer Workshops

Survey: Does Sex Sell? by Marian Lanouette

What I’m reading this week. Sleep No More by Iris Johnsen

Does sex really sell?

I ran this survey yesterday over on my blog and the response has been excellent. So I thought I’d keep it going today and tally the results at the end of the day.

Is it important to you that a book has:

1.) A sexy cover

2.) Strong sexual content

3.) Sex in the book.

If yes, do you prefer graphic sex or mild sex?

4.) or do you prefer old fashion romance over sex?

5.) Do you like your mysteries with sex and romance?

Or just a mystery with no sex?

6.) Do you feel the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy brought more people back to reading?

7.) If so, has it influenced you as a writer to add sex where you wouldn’t have before?

8.) As reader do you read more now that certain genres are now mainstream?

Please leave your answers below and I will tally the answers and post them below after a few days.

 

 

Thanks,

Marian

 

 

 

 

Filed under: romance

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW TO GROW JOY IN YOUR LIFE by Dana Marton

Are you happy? It’s a yes/no question. Maybe that’s why I’ve always thought about happiness as something you either have or not. As it happens I’m a very low key person. On the average day, just by looking at me, you wouldn’t be able to tell if I’d just won the lottery or someone had just run my foot over with their car. I come from a long line of grouches.

My neighbor, on the other hand, is very excitable. She’ll giggle without warning. She always smiles. It’s not uncommon for her to jump up and down and clap her hands just because I come over. You know what it feels like to be greeted like that? Great!

The other day, I came across my New Year’s resolutions. (You don’t want to know how far behind I am.) Looking at the piece of paper, I realized it was nothing but a do list. There are a lot of items on that list of things I should do this year, but not a peep on how I should be or how I’d like to feel. Yet what do we wish to others, even as we write our resolutions? Have a HAPPY New Year! But what about us?

Have you been happy this year so far? If not, or not as happy as you wish, there is still time to add joy to 2012. And this is our last chance. Whichever way our lives go next, we’ll never have another chance to make the fall of 2012 a fabulous time in our lives, a time that will stand out in our memories.

If happiness can be learned, I want to do it. So here is my brand new list. Let’s get happy!

Smile. Okay, so when you’re happy, you smile. But did you know it can also work in reverse? Several scientific studies have now shown (one done by the University of Cardiff in Wales), that the act of smiling releases happiness hormones in your brain. So the more you smile, the happier you get. Get into the habit of smiling at every person you meet during your day. You’ll be happier for it!
Help. Some psychologists now recommend volunteer work to help patients with depression and anxiety. As it turns out, helping others makes us happy. There is something deeply healing about helping others. There is a place near us where juvenile offenders work with abused horses. It’s one of the most effective rehabilitation programs in the state. There’s something about helping others that restores our balance and brings us back to happiness.

I recently typed my town and the word “volunteer” into Google. The list of opportunities was amazing. So now I’m getting our dog, Toby, enrolled in service dog training, so we can go help children with their reading at the local library. (Children will read out loud to dogs, while they’d be too shy to read out to a human audience. It’s great practice for them.) I’d also like to try taking Toby to a retirement home nearby to play with residents. You could do something similar and not only bring happiness into your own life, but bring joy to others!

Have a purpose. A couple of years ago, the Chicago Tribune published an article about how having a life purpose is the straightest line to health and happiness. (A University of Missouri study even proved that having a life purpose increases the chances of recovery from serious illness like breast cancer.)

Finding a life purpose might take longer than a few seconds, but I think it’s worth giving some thought to. What would you like to leave behind as your legacy? After some thought, I decided that as an author, I’d like to support literacy as this is an area I’m passionate about. According to UNESCO, there are about 1 billion non-literate adults in the world today. This 1 billion is approximately 26 percent of the world’s adult population. Women make up two-thirds of all non-literates.

“Educating girls and women is widely acknowledged as the most powerful and effective way to address global poverty. Women who finish secondary school earn more money, have smaller, healthier families, and are more likely to educate their own children—breaking the cycle of illiteracy in one generation,” says www.roomtoread.org, which is why I decided to work with them.

Okay, so these are the three biggies I came up with, but there are many other things you could do. Sing in the shower. Bake your favorite cookies and share them with a friend. Order your top five favorite funny movies on DVD from amazon so they’re always on hand to play. (If you don’t have a list of favorites, look up the top 5 funniest comedies online.) Make a playlist of happy songs to play on your iPod, MP3 player etc. Think back to one happy memory. Who was involved? Call them or shoot them a quick email and say, “Remember when we…” It will make both of you happier.

Do you have any happiness tips you’d be willing to share? I’d really appreciate it. Any favorite happy movies? Happy songs? Happy memories? I can use all the help I can get! J

Wishing you joy!

Dana Marton

award-winning author of romance and suspense

www.danamarton.com

www.facebook.com/danamarton

Dana is the author of AGENTS UNDER FIRE, a romantic suspense anthology. Here is a link to the book on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Agents-Under-novella-trilogy-ebook/dp/B006Q2V2J4

Filed under: romance

The Waiting Game

I belong to a critique group and rwa chapter and see emails or hear phrases like this all the time:

I sent my manuscript to ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_(insert agent/editor)­­__and they stated they will take___(insert any time that seems too long)__to get back to me… should I wait, should I honor their request to not send it out to others, should I email them, the list goes on and on.

My answer and I repeat, my answer (because it is only my opinion) is that if you decide to take the step forward and contact an editor or agent, and they take the time to review your manuscript, then yes you should wait or honor their request to be exclusive (agents wouldn’t really request this but publishers might—although you should always give them a heads up if you are sending it out to multiple agents/editors). It all goes back to the good ‘ol what are you looking for in this relationship? Do you just want to be published? If so, you can do that on your own. But if you are looking for a specific agent or a specific rep, do your homework and have some patience. Patience in life is a virtue, patience in the writing industry can earn you “saint” hood amongst writers. Sounds silly but writing is all about the waiting game.

We write and only with time will we get better. We send off our manuscripts and we wait for responses, only risking the chance that agents or editors can come back with a rejection. But hey, we learn from them once we earn our thick skin and we wait until our manuscript and our skin is ready to do it all over again. Now, this waiting really isn’t about doing nothing of course. It is all about writing and learning while we wait. And once we get our manuscript off and a contract is signed, we wait to see it in online stores or real live bookshelves. And after all that, we wait to see if our readers liked it! Oh but wait, while we are waiting we are promoting to see if that makes a difference in our sales and peaks readers’ interests. Phew, makes you tired just reading it, doesn’t it?

Either way, the wait is worth it and if you are deciding to be a writer, waiting will inevitably be part of your life. It’s important to realize this so that you reach your dreams and not just settle. Of course, there is a chance you are using this waiting as an excuse to not do anything, but that’s a subject for another day. Happy writing everyone!

Filed under: Writer's Life, Writing Topics