Cate Masters's Blog, page 26

Happy 4th!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday planned with family and friends! We do. Today we're packing up the grands and Lily and heading to the mountains for a long-overdue visit with family.

Before I go, though, I'm also over at Savvy Authors for an interview. I hope you'll pop over and say hi! I promise to respond as soon as I'm able

Have a fantastic 4th! I'll leave you a little Jimi to electrify your weekend. :)

Thursday news

I know, not the cleverest blog post title. But I wanted to share some great news!

First, Susan Kelley's latest novel in her Recon Marines series is released! The Marine's Doctor sounds like another exciting read:

Recon Marine Mak and Dr. Molly Drant hunt down a shadowy cabal behind the horrid human experiments, but will Mak find answers about his own humanity and allow himself to love the genius doctor?

Recon Marine Mak enjoys leading a scientific mission, but their horrible discoveries raises questions about his origin he’s not ready to face. He continues on the assignment for two reasons. A soul deep need for answers about the Recon Marine program and a fierce need to protect Dr. Molly Drant. The genius doctor is too courageous for her own good.
Few things shock Molly Drant, but the inhumane experiments they stumble upon test her toughness. As clues lead them from one isolated lab to the next, the entire team is tested in body and soul. Without Mak’s soldiering skills some of their discoveries would have ended in disaster. Most men are intimidated by Molly’s intelligence or her powerful father. As danger and thrilling discovery draw Molly and Mak closer together, she finds he’s a man smart enough and brave enough to act on their desires for each other.
But no amount of lust or trust will protect them when the secret organization of military and medical leaders sets a trap to protect their plan to create a perfect soldier. It will take all of Molly’s genius and Mak’s military experience to survive before they can consider a future together. And while in the battle for their lives, Mak will finally figure out what it means to be human.

And if you hurry, you can catch it on sale! You can keep up with Susan (who also goes by Susan Gourley) on her blog.

First review for Goddess, Awakened!
I can't help but happy dance! Goddess, Awakened has its first review! Thanks to Barb Taub from The Romance Reviews, who hit the proverbial nail on the head with: 
"At the start of GODDESS, AWAKENED, Book One of Cate Masters' Goddess Connectionseries, we meet Jocelyn Gibson, a decidedly different romantic heroine"

and I especially loved this: "Cate Masters breaks so many tropes I could hardly keep up with her."

and it's always fantastic to read this: "the good news is that this is just the first book of the Goddess Connectionseries. I can't wait to see where else Cate Masters takes us."

I can't wait to take you on the next adventure either! To Egypt, where I've dreamed of visiting since I was a girl. *sigh*

One of the best parts about being a writer - I can go anywhere. In my head.

Tomorrow, I will be traveling for real, rather than virtually. I'll have one quick post tomorrow though, so I hope you'll pop over. :) Hopefully being away will take away the pre-release jitters. Goddess, Awakened releases on Monday! You can pre-order a copy so it will hit your ereader on Monday too. :)

Of goddesses and magic

I've been trying to keep a lower profile this month. Things are going to get busy fast in July. In fact, they've already begun to pick up the pace. But I don't want you to get tired of me before the exciting stuff begins!

Today I'm over at the wonderful Sara Ellwood's blog, talking about goddesses (natch!). I hope you'll pop over and say hi.

Oo, and check out this very cool graphic created by Bitten by Books! Isn't it lovely? It'll be on their site throughout July. Mark your calendars for the big release bash on July 9!

Time for Romance in June

June is the month of weddings! So today I'm part of Alisha Robinson's Romance in June blog event, and you're invited to a wedding! A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe, that is. :) I'll be giving away an ebook, so I hope you'll pop over and join the party! No chicken dance required.


I'm also in the spotlight at Andrea Mansue's blog. Come on over and say hey. :)

Ommm. Listen to the wisdom of the writing gods

Funny that this article should pop up in my email on the very day I needed to read it. On the day I grew alarmed at seeing a similar book to my upcoming release? What are the chances?

Probably fairly good, actually. There are, after all, only seven basic plots in all the universe, with infinite variations.

So it only stands to reason that there should be another book like mine. In fact, statistical probability suggests there should be more than one. I won't push it. Or look for trouble.

The article's an interesting read. Toward the end, it suggests ways for insecure writers (who, me? Nahhh) to personalize their work.

Long before reading this, I actually did include quite a few personal items in Goddess, Awakened. Most of the animals are either former pets or animals we've known. We had a horse for seven years named Triple Power, and he has a cameo role. The border collie/lab named Taz plays a major role and represents our dog Benji, who we loved very much and were heartbroken when we lost him suddenly. But now he lives on in this story, and can once again roam the same barn and fields as Triple Power.


I do believe that sometimes the universe throws ideas into the wind to see who catches them. And maybe more than one person does, in fact, catch them. But what the writer does with the idea makes it unique.

Listen to Neil...


I love the universe and all its quirkiness, don't you?

And though I love my dog Lily, I still miss Benji sometimes. Here's a visual if you read Goddess, Awakened. He was every bit as intuitive and even a little magical.

An early case of pre-release jitters

Yep, it's set in already. The jitters. Maybe because June has flown by so quickly (what? It's already half over?) and July 7 is fast on the heels of July 4, and I'll be away that weekend. So I'm prepping like crazy, doing whatever I can do ahead of time.


Book Promotions by Literary Nook is arranging a review tour, about which I'm very excited (and yes, a little jittery).

I'm somewhat perturbed that I found a similar-sounding book on a review site I visited today. The premise is very much like my Goddess Connection books, which have been around for several years but initially as self-pubbed books. The July release will, hopefully, be only the beginning of a long and happy series of goddesses. I'm 45k into the next one, and intend to rework Dancing With the Devil after that.

Things have been especially crazy around here this week. I'm hoping they calm down soon so I can get back to work.

What's new in your world? Are you ready to officially kick off summer?

Authors share their writing processes

John Irving on the writer’s craft







John Irving – the thrill of the blank page







Alice Munro







John Updike




Do you share any writing quirks with these authors? I sometimes write in longhand - do you? I've never begun a story at the very end and worked back up to it. Have you? Share some of your process!

Fear of writing?

I recently saw this link on FB and clicked through. Writing? Terrifying? I didn't get it. But some good writing advice is included here. http://www.filmindependent.org/blogs/how-to-take-the-terror-out-of-writing-and-other-change-your-life-insights-from-hunger-games-screenwriter-billy-ray/#.U5M9_Sj09RL

This graphic also caught my eye. Joss Whedon, exploring what he's afraid of through writing? That much, I can understand. Through exploration, we learn, and the more we learn, the less mysterious or strange the object of our exploration will become.But the topic of being afraid to write also came up, almost immediately, at the workshop I recently attended. It provided yet another reason I felt a fraud in the company of the amazing caliber of talent in that room.

I almost feel I should whisper as I admit this: I have never been afraid to write.I love to write! Revisions, less so. If I get into the flow of writing, into The Zone, it is the most wonderful place to be. It’s heaven. I wish I could stay there, channeling stories and typing or handwriting as fast as I can get down the words. I tend to take a practical approach to stories, and when I began anything new, I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead.

But the idea stopped me in my tracks and made me wonder, should I be afraid? Should I worry that I’m not afraid? Does this mean my writing sucks?

I’d love to hear from you about this subject! Are you afraid when you write? And if so, about what? The process? The end result? The reaction of readers? Please tell me what I’m missing out on.

Goddess, Awakened available for preorder!

Less than one month till release day - July 7! I'm so excited. As I mentioned before, while I was away at the writing workshop, Kensington made Goddess, Awakened available for preorder!


Amazon | Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks | Kensington
A mix of paranormal, fantasy and mythology, this 89,700-word novel is only $2.99. The first in The Goddess Connection series, it's an extensive rewrite of The Magic of Lavender.
Here's the blurb:

With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson. A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves. Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.

Goddess, Awakened - Paranormal/fantasy romance novel

Goddess, Awakened The Goddess Connection Book 1 Fantasy/paranormal romance novel About 89,700 words
Blurb
With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson. A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves. Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.
Releasing July 7, 2014 Available for preorder
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance eBooks | Kensington

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Reviews
(Coming soon)
Mini excerpt forGODDESS, AWAKENED In starting her life over, Joss had expected some resistance, even some trouble, but not this. The bedroom floor boards trembled beneath her golden-slippered feet. Tendrils of an unseen power curled upward from deep within the ground, tingling through her toes. She paused to steady herself, then continued to put the finishing touches on her costume. The tremors grew into rumbles and their hum seeped beneath her skin. When their tiny wisps twined through her mind, she clenched her hands. Enough. Go away. Thick as starlight on a clear summer’s eve, sweet as the lavender blossoms she had yet to plant, energy whooshed up through the cracks of the worn wood and out into the October night. She gripped the bureau until it passed, the vibrations rolling over her in lessening waves. Bubbly, effervescent waves. “Third time tonight, Taz.” Each departure took longer, and more of the essence remained. When the dog whined, she stroked his fur. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you.” Even if tonight the waves were palpable enough to make her hairs stand on end. Oh, no, please. Nothing could ruin tonight. More than a party, this event would determine her future. And after three years of grief, she’d never allow anything to trap her in its clutches again.

Full Excerpt The sting remained with Joss long after Eric fled the inn. Deep-rooted pain emanated from him when he’d first entered, and his palm against her arm sent an electric shock straight to her bones. The poor man. Grief kept him its prisoner. Joss understood how easy it was to fall into that dark trap. The way he’d held her, he sought escape. Comfort. He awakened deep-seated sensations in her. In the few moments with him, she’d felt more alive than she had in three years. So strange. Normally, one look allowed her to see the person inside. With Eric Hendricks, her receptivity went into overload. His soul, pent up for years, stirred to life and churned up love, fear, joy, hopelessness, yearning, jumbled and shifting faster than light. He displayed great strength in his firm stance and gentle touch. Beneath a hard veneer of sheer pain, one other trait came through clearly—purity of spirit, and integrity enough for many men. The arrival of more guests drew Joss to the foyer again. Another matronly witch and an older man wearing a checked flannel shirt, jeans, and boots stepped inside, followed by a princess and a boy in a fabric turtle shell. Joss recognized the girl as one of the riders whose horse was boarded at the inn’s stable. After greeting them and pointing them toward refreshments, she returned to Lydia. “Sorry about Dr. Hendricks.” “Don’t apologize. It’s wonderful you have so many guests.” Lydia fingered the flowers in the vase on the table. One woman stood in the archway to the front room, her bright-eyed glare directed at Joss. Wearing a short white shift adorned with large red hearts, the woman held a wand topped with a glittering red heart. Confused by the woman’s malevolence, Joss approached and fought to overcome the negativity oozing from her. “Did you try some of the booscotti?” The woman tilted up her chin. “I’m not hungry, Mrs. Gibson,” came her familiar nasal reply. Recognition finally hit. Of course—the girl who worked at the diner in town. “Sheree?” At her curt nod, Joss forced a smile. “I love your costume.” Sheree’s gaze darted her length. “Likewise.” What could be her problem? The woman wielded her wand like a weapon, ready to strike. “Please have a drink and make yourself at home.” “Thank you.” Her narrowed eyes swept the room as if suspecting an ambush, and then she moved stiffly away. Joss crossed the room to Lydia. “That was weird.” Lydia whispered, “Be careful of her.” “Sheree? I can’t imagine why.” Could she be nervous the inn would take away some of the diner’s business? Though Joss would have liked to think it was the cause of her strange behavior, Sheree’s vibes told Joss otherwise. Business had nothing to do with it. The waitress directed her bad juju at Joss personally. Had Joss unintentionally insulted Sheree? She’d barely met the woman. Leaning close, her aunt spoke sternly, “I warned you to watch for others who seek the power of this place.” Sheree? Her aunt must be mistaken. The woman’s terrible attitude resulted from something. Maybe an imagined slight? Joss would find a way to put Sheree at ease. More guests entered, and Joss excused herself. She left Lydia deeply inhaling the air. Joss couldn’t deny the charged atmosphere was one of the reasons she’d bought the place. Not to tap into any lines of power for herself, but maybe to enhance the lavender field she planned. Joss needed the garden to thrive so the inn would as well.