Cate Masters's Blog, page 42

Back to school

It's not just the kids who are headed back to school this year. In September, I am too. I signed up for Margie Lawson's Story Structure Safari workshop, and I can't wait to hit the books.

Actually I've been doing some advance study. On the advice of a very good author, I bought Dara Marks' Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc. Though aimed at screenwriters, its concepts are great for novelists too. I've never read a better explanation of how theme is tied to plot. Using detailed analyses of several movies, she breaks each down step by step. If you don't send for the book, you should at least explore Ms. Marks' web site.

Her Engaging the Feminine Heroic workshop looked amazing to me when I first read about it, but this year's was only in California. Not doable. While writing this post, I noticed she had a 2014 workshop in Maryland, only a few hours from me. So I signed up! I am so excited! It's an intense, four-day writing workshop. I can't even tell you how much I can't wait to go.

If you're wondering, 'but she's published, why not just write more stories'?

Many reasons.

First, I'm never satisfied. I love the stories I write, and I pour my heart and soul into them. I don't want to follow any formula, but there is always more to learn.

I want to grow and improve. I need this kind of a boost.

I haven't been to a conference in a few years. I love them. I love hanging out with other writers, talking about stories. No one understands a writer like another writer. I was thinking of going to another conference next year, but when I saw Dara Marks', it trumped everything else. It will be intense. Hopefully it will help me break through to the next level.

That's always the goal - onward and upward. :)

I'm more excited than a kid at Christmas! Probably because this will likely encompass my Christmas, birthday and anniversary, but it will be worth it.

New contract!

I'm very excited that Decadent Publishing has contracted my contemporary holiday story, Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake!

My crit partners are probably as excited as me - this one's been bouncing around for more than a year. Actually it was finished about a year ago and I kept revising and revising. It grew longer and better, I think, but at some point, though, it's time to let it go out into the world.

I loved the idea of a Blue Moon series, so have finished a second story, A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe. Still in crit and revision mode, but I won't wait a year to sub that one. :)  The idea for a third has taken firm root in my head and I launched into it this weekend. Only 1700 words so far, but eventually it will be about the same length as the first two - about 40k. As much as I love short stories that pack a punch, I've been wanting to do somewhat longer stories lately. Delve into detail a little more, and linger with the characters a little longer.

I'm off to celebrate! :)

D.L. Jackson spills the beans

Hi Dawn! So glad to have you at Spilling the Beans, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book. Grab a cappuccino and let’s chat. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)? Iced coffee or cappuccino is fine.
Fur or feathers, petwise? Scales. I love lizards, but of course I’d have to say fur, since I also love cats.
Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits? Plagiarism. Those who do it. Period. If you can’t write your own stories, don’t.
What’s your guilty pleasure? My whirlpool bath, a wine cooler and a good book.
Ahh. Sounds wonderful. Favorite quote? “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  Thomas A. Edison
Love that. What’s your ideal day like? Bliss.
If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do? I’d time travel—see when and where history was made, as it happened.
I'll go start the Tardis! :) Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)? Five Finger Death Punch, Shinedown, Godsmack, Stone Sour. Really, it’s usually whatever I’m in the mood for, but these are my general go-to bands.
Does music influence your writing? Do you have a music playlist for your book? Not always. I do listen to the radio while I write, but I wouldn’t say it always influences me. Only when I wrote My Boogie Woogie Bugle Guy, did I play specific music, and then I was listening to Big Band to get in the mood for the ballroom scene.
Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why? I’d love to hang out with Cori Valentine, from Cinderella Wore Combat Boots. I’m a vet. It’s a military thing.
While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned? If you hold your breath in space, your lungs will burst.
Where can readers find out more about you? www.authordljackson.com
Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt This one is for Last Flight of the Ark, a science fiction, erotic romance. Blurb: Evolution never happened so fast.   Twelve hours outside of Terra II, Colonel Kaleb Titan, a molecular geneticist and commander of the Ark faces a life or death choice that could change the fate of mankind. The Genesis I, aka the Ark, travels with a hold full of wildlife and three crew members. When a wolf bite and genetically-altering gamma radiation transform Kaleb, he notices his senses have been heightened, his libido has gone haywire and he can’t keep his hands off his crew. Worse yet, they don't seem inclined to stop him. When their sister ship, the Genesis II arrives early, Kaleb’s problems compound. As soon as the command crew of the Genesis II boards, one whiff tells Kaleb they’re not from Earth or who they appear to be. When he discovers that they’ve kept the Genesis II’s crew of over two thousand alive, he begins to believe their reasons may be far more ominous than anyone could have imagined. However, he also discovers what’s holding them back. The hijackers seem to be allergic to canines. Now they're forced to employ biological warfare against their own, but will it be enough to save humanity? History is about to repeat and only one species will survive.
Excerpt: Kaleb ran his arm under the water and slowly peeled the shirt off. He lifted the fabric to his nose and sniffed. He could smell her, even under the blood. She’d been aroused before she’d taken it off, before the wolf had bitten him. Damn. He dropped it to the floor and stepped into the shower. The water seemed dirty. He could smell and taste the chemicals used to recycle and filter it. He glanced down at his arm, expecting to see shredded meat. Instead, small scars puckered up from where the wolf’s teeth had punctured flesh. He blinked and raised it closer. Wounds didn’t heal that fast. And people couldn’t smell fear or hear someone’s heart race from across a lift. Now that he was away from her, he could think, and now that he had mental clarity, his thoughts scared the hell out of him. This couldn’t, shouldn’t, be possible. He shut the water off and strode out of the shower, dripping everywhere. He wiped his hand across the mirror and studied his reflection. Golden eyes stared back: cold, feral, and hungry. He blinked and looked again. They practically glowed. Had the radiation somehow merged the wolf’s DNA with his? He ought to know. He was a geneticist. Everything about the situation screamed mutation. Those eyes weren’t human. His sight, sense of smell, the urges weren’t human. The hunger wasn’t human. Well, maybe a little. Eight months of celibacy would make any man hungry.
Thanks for spilling the beans today, Dawn! Thanks for having me today and helping to launch my novel.

Amanda McIntyre spills the beans

Hi Amanda! So glad to have you at Spilling the Beans, where we can learn a little bit about you, and your book. It’s great to be here, Cate! Thanks for having me. Growing up the daughter of a father who was a distributor for a New York Magazine Publishing firm, I usually had her nose stuck in the latest issue of Vampirella or a Hitchcock Mystery book. An artist first, my penchant for creating started at an early age with crayons and colored pencils and much of what I learned made me a ‘visual’ writer. My passion is to take ordinary people and place them in extraordinary situations, delving into the realm of potential and possibility, and watch as they become the heroes and heroines of their own stories. I count myself fortunate to be able to do what I love, I aspire to stay fresh and unique to my voice and listen to my readers. A member of RWA, and a multi-genre hybrid author, my work is published internationally, in audio, in e-book and in print. I currently write sizzling contemporary and erotic historical romance.
UNDERCOVER TEMPTATIONis the story of two people caught in a web of secrets and misperceptions - some of their own making and others out of their hands. Despite their differences, and adding in a lust that is hard to ignore, they must work together to eradicate the danger lurking in this small town.
Sounds like a grabber! Have a cappuccino and let’s chat a little about you. Unless you have another favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)? I’ve just learned to make killer Gin and Tonics! LOL Great refreshment for summer!
Fur or feathers, petwise? Fur-we have a 90 lb. black Lab. Norman, however, thinks he’s a lapdog;) I did admittedly just buy him his first ever doggie Jersey (3XL) but haven’t attempted to put it on him just yet! LOL
Love my furry babies too. :) Any pet peeves? One thing that really burns your biscuits? Yes, a few. Rudeness. Two-faced people. Bullying. An attitude of entitlement.
So true! What’s your guilty pleasure? Have to say this summer, it’s Gin and Tonic’s with extra lime!;)
Favorite quote? I have three on my computer that have been there for years: 1. The greatest risk is not taking one 2. Be glad today of what makes you truly good 3. “The soul should stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience”-Emily Dickinson
Love those. What’s your ideal day like? A rainy day, writing, no interruptions, no deadlines.
Yes! The best kind of writing day. If you could live out any fantasy, what would you do? Visit London, Ireland, and Paris and all the cemeteries I’ve always wanted to see. I admit to being a Taphopile!
Beethoven, Beatles, Foo Fighters or Keith Urban (what type(s) of music makes you rock out)? I’m very eclectic with food, movies and music. But country rock, classic rock and Broadway tunes hold a special place in my heart.
Does music influence your writing? Do you have a music playlist for your book? Yes, I often play music to keep the creative juices flowing. But no, I don’t create a playlist. Often times it’s one song or even just one line in a song that provides the inspiration—EX: WILD & UNRULY was inspired by the song Cowboy Take Me Away…I played it over and over again. J
Which of your characters would you most/least want to hang out with, and why? I think I’d like to have a beach party and invite them all ;))
A beach party! Sounds like such fun. While creating your books, what was one of the most surprising things you learned? How visual I am when writing. Also how I write much faster than I type;) So my first draft is often in longhand.
Where can readers find out more about you? You can learn more about my work, join my street team, or the Kinnison Legacy Fan Page and subscribe to my monthly newsletter at: www.amandamcintyresbook.com
Amanda McIntyre Fan Page @Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.mcintyre.author
Please share a book blurb and/or excerpt? Blurb: Cat Madsen left her hometown ten years ago, escaping to Vegas with dream of becoming a famous showgirl, but those dreams evaporate when she finds out that the owner of the club she pole-dances at also dabbles in drug trafficking. Now, using her ailing father as an excuse to return home to the town that rejected her, Cat is back with a renewed determination to prove her worth. But her tarnished reputation may prevent her from building a future among small-town attitudes.
When an undercover assignment lands Detective Reese Jameison in the tiny town of Sweetwater, he is skeptical it’s a hotspot for anything. Then he gets his first glimpse of the ex-Vegas showgirl who runs the new pole-dancing studio. Reported to be a hometown gal with a checkered past, she is considered the prime suspect to front a drug ring, but Reese begins to wonder. When someone threatens the beautiful woman’s life and business, Reese struggles to keep things professional. When it becomes personal, Reese must risk everything, including Cat’s trust, to protect her from the past.
Excerpt set-up: Going undercover as a land developer, Detective Reese Jamison is supposed to join Cat’s aerobics class and investigate the possibility she is trafficking for her former boss in Las Vegas. Here he arrives and gets his first glimpse at his potential suspect…
He arrived a few minutes early, noting the lone baby-blue F-150 in the gravel lot. The sun sat like a red fireball on the horizon, casting long shadows across the parking lot. He got out of his car and dropped his bag in the trunk, squeezing the automatic lock on his keys. He took his time walking to the front door, taking in the solitary light pole at the driveway entrance, the sagging overhang of the front porch, and the sputtering welcome sign missing its last vowel. As he got closer, he heard the thump-thump of sensual bass coming from an exceptional sound system. The wicked beat caused goose bumps to rise on his flesh and thoughts he shouldn’t be toying with to filter into his brain.
Yeah, she’s wild, our little Cat. The words of the man at the bar slithered with a slow hiss into his brain, and he swallowed hard to fight off the images it brought with it. The daily grind and pressure of his job left little time for dating. Besides, he was getting too old for the bar scene and though they’d tried, the younger guys on the force had only managed once or twice to drag him to a dance club. He paused at the front door, observing the weathered barn-board exterior. In its day, it was probably a busy place—maybe even a place he might have frequented. The door stuck, and he shoved his shoulder against it, forcing it open.
The main room was empty, dark except for the tables and chairs stacked to one side. Farther back beyond the bar was an area that appeared to be a dance floor. It didn’t take long as he moved toward the dim light to realize it was no ordinary dance floor. He stepped from the shadows and halted in his tracks at the sight before him. It resembled a silvery forest with at least nine—to his quick count—steel poles positioned at spaced intervals across the room. Above, bare light bulbs stuck out from sockets strung across the beams of the ceiling, providing light to each of the stations. He wasn’t sure what he should have expected, but this wasn’t it. The music grew a bit louder, drawing his astonished gaze to a tenth pole set up in the middle of the small stage at one side of the room. Above it, a single bulb housed in a metal, industrial shade spotlighted the pole.
From the heavy black drapes hiding the backstage area emerged a woman the likes of which Reese had never seen. Her long legs were encased in skintight black Spandex that rode miles, it seemed, before disappearing beneath a faded, cherry-red zipped hoodie. She gripped the pole with one hand, letting it slide effortlessly as she dropped her body to a squat position and let her body sway to the provocative beat. She dropped her head back, her dark brown hair done up in a ponytail swished back and forth. Her eyes were closed. Performing silently, she obviously thought she was alone.
Lord have mercy. Find out what happens between Cat and Reese when they get caught in a web of small town secrets!!
Buy Links:

A peek at the goodies I'll be giving away Saturday!

Even though my Death isn't a scary skeleton in a hood carrying a scythe, they have such cute stuff with skeletons, I couldn't resist.

One party attendee each who correctly answers trivia about Death and her cohorts will receive these super cute items:

Change purse (sorry to make you tilt your head lol)


Socks - girls' size up to 10, so would fit a small woman's foot :)

Scarf






Book swag - 1 oversized magnet and bookmarks


And 1 ebook of Death Is A Bitch! This giveaway is international. Those shown above are U.S. only, sorry.





Even if you don't want them for yourself (or already have a copy of Death Is A Bitch, in which case thank you very much!), it's never too early to stock up for Christmas. :)

Sign up for Saturday's event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/417270428391691/
and invite your friends to do the same! Don't miss out on a chance to party with Death.

It's almost Death's book birthday!

Today, you can win a copy of my 5-star paranormal, Death Is A Bitch - just leave a comment at Decadent's Daily Dose of Decadence blog:  http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-birthday-bash-for-death-is-bitch.html

On Saturday, I'm throwing a book birthday bash on Facebook - sign up here for the chance to win all sorts of goodies! https://www.facebook.com/events/417270428391691/

Hope to see you! :)

A winner! And release news

Thanks to everyone who entered the Hot Paranormal Nights blog hop!

Rafflecopter's not showing the winner for some reason, but it selected....

Ash Krafton! Congrats, Ash! I've emailed you.

I invite everyone else to sign up for my newsletter to receive exclusive goodies for subscribers. In last week's summer edition, I provided a code for a free copy of my contemporary, Going With Gravity, from Smashwords. Newsletters will probably go out quarterly, though I may toss in an extra if I get some extra share-worthy news. :) It's easy to sign up - just enter your email address in the box below the Facebook badge at right.


Release dates

Wow, it feels great to see a story through to the end, with a release date the final prize. I'm lucky to have two releases in August!

Betting It All, my historical set during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, will release August 16.

Charmed, the paranormal/fantasy followup to Cursed, will release August 30!

And - ding ding ding, bonus! - Decadent contracted the third book in the trilogy, Claimed. Woot!

As you can imagine, there was much revelry and celebratory dancing and noisemaking last weekend. (And that was just me! lol)

Both Cursed and Betting It All will be on blog tours in August too. I took advantage of a great half-price sale at CBLS Promotions, so watch for more news on that.

Hot Paranormal Nights - Cursed!

Geeky heroine seeks alpha male


Heroine – statuesque, blonde, into reading, the arts, and light rock music. I love my work as a genetic scientist but I also like to play with fire. Literally.
Looking for intelligent, caring, cultured alpha male for long gondola rides, interesting enough to show me the Venetian sites but also open to a walk on the wild side.
Men whose definition of risk only applies to their financial portfolios need not apply. I’m looking for the real thing.
Contact Melina Weaver at 555-5555.


Doesn’t it always seem like the two people you’d never put together as a couple also make the best couples? And once you look a little deeper, beyond the surface, then you get it. Oh riiiight. He’s perfect for her because he’s exactly what she said she wanted – intelligent, caring, cultured – definitely an alpha male. And off-the-charts sexy. With a touch of something extra…


Yes, she’s a bit of a geek. Spends waaay too many long hours at the lab. Her work with the hormone oxytocin is a little hard to follow, especially when sheexplains it (she could talk about it all night, and passionately, too, but you’d understand none of it). You might as well read an article in a scientific journal about how this so-called “love drug” affects each person differently. When given to mothers, they can become more nurturing. When given to someone with a criminal bent, it twists that bent into something like the crude knives convicts sometimes make in prison.


Melina understands what a danger this presents, but can’t seem to make her employer understand. But she doesn’t combat her stress and frustration with meditative practices. Instead, she takes up fire dancing. (She wasn’t kidding in the ad when she said she likes to play with fire – literally! lol)


No problem. Alpha males are great at handling fiery women. *grins*
Giveaway (international)

One winner will receive an ebook of Cursed, my paranormal romance set in Venice during the 10-day masquerade festival of Carnevale.
Ten days. The difference between bliss or desolation, redemption or remaining forever Cursed.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Thanks to Kally Sten for putting this blog hop together! If the Linky code doesn't show (it didn't in Preview), then check out all the participating blogs here:http://blog.kallysten.net/2013/05/hot-paranormal-nights.html?zx=924a2c0e3661c8a0

Cinderella Dreams is here!

Look what appeared on Amazon today! Cinderella Dreams is now available! Let the happy dance commence!

My excitement doubled when I saw a 5-star review already too! Bestselling author JoAnne Kenrick called it "unforgettable":
"Masters delivers a flawless read with CINDERELLA DREAMS. A most romantic 1NS novella about second chances ... well more like a do over. Best way I can sum this story up without giving spoilers is to call it The Notebook meets Back To The Future. An unforgettable 1NS love story. Don't miss it!"

Wow - I was floored. And humbled. And excited! Thank you so much, JoAnne. I'm so glad you loved this story as much as I loved writing it. :)

I'm obsessively checking other venues for any sign of it. So far, only Amazon, but I'll update the official Cinderella Dreams page (the post just below) when I track them down.

I'm off to celebrate! Woot! :)

Cinderella Dreams, 1Night Stand short romance with time travel elements

Cinderella Dreams
Decadent Publishing
1NS Series
Futuristic and time travel elements



No one should live a life filled with regret. Once a successful wedding photographer, Genevieve Fuller’s life changed the day her ex-boyfriend wed someone else. Heartbroken for decades, she realizes too late who she truly loved and makes one desperate call to Madame Evangeline. She risks everything to right the wrongs of her past, which she hopes will heal her broken heart. Can Gen alter the course of her own future to include the Cinderella happy ending she should have had the first time?


Available from Decadent Publishing http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=813&osCsid=1o6u2hhnvdkqcpjj5ubk6tfan6
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Dreams-1Night-Series-ebook/dp/B00E4RH9WC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374687682&sr=1-1&keywords=cinderella+dreams+cate+masters
All Romance: (coming soon)
Coffee Time: (coming soon)
Barnes and Noble: (coming soon)


Reviews
Unforgettable 1NS Masters delivers a flawless read with CINDERELLA DREAMS. A most romantic 1NS novella about second chances ... well more like a do over. Best way I can sum this story up without giving spoilers is to call it The Notebook meets Back To The Future. An unforgettable 1NS love story. Don't miss it!Bestselling author JoAnne Kenrick - 5 Stars


Excerpt
A deep voice behind Ray said, “Hey, Gen.” Matt. The next wave of emotion sent me reeling. I might have drowned in that wave, but the sight of him riveted me. The best man, taller than the groom by two inches. Slimmer by a few inches, too. His hazel eyes sparkled, and angels might have sung as he aimed his dazzling smile at me. I had to remind myself to breathe. “Hey, you’re back.” Oh, witty greeting. Way to state the obvious. Better than gushing how wonderful it was to see him, how much I’d missed him and feared he’d never return. Now there he stood, hotter than Bon Jovi, and me his rabid fan. Something nagged at me; I’d meant to tell him…what? All I could do was stand and stare more pathetic than a teenage girl high on her first hormone rush. What the hell had come over me today? Matt locked his gaze on me. “Good to see you.” A throw-away phrase people tossed out to make conversation, but he said it with such feeling, the emotions reverberated through me. My hand went to my stomach, now performing Olympian gymnastics to rival Mary Lou Retton’s floor routine. “You, too. So good.” Wow, I couldn’t believe I said it out loud, but I meant it. Matt had moved away a year earlier. When Ray broke up with me, it had been a double tragedy. Matt and I were buds, though we indulged in occasional flirtations. Harmless, mostly. Except for the night we split a six pack waiting for Ray to show up, and we shared something better—a kiss. One incredible, mind-blowing kiss, the kind that starts off slow and builds to the intensity of a hurricane. It turned my world upside down, but I begged him not to say a word to Ray. Then Matt was gone, and soon after, Ray dropped the breakup bomb on me. Ray grabbed his sleeve. “We need to get in place. It’s almost time.” “Calm down,” Matt told him, shooting me a glance as they stepped up on the altar. A worried look that said he wanted to be sure I was okay. It sent a tingle through my nerves, but the blare of the organ playing the “Wedding March” erased it. Time to get to work, but I couldn’t shake the euphoria since Matt arrived. Taking a deep breath, I pointed my camera at the six guys lined up, waiting for their pretty maids all in a row. Except Matt, who still watched me with a gaze so focused, it seemed to reach right through the telephoto lens. Without thinking, I clicked the shutter, a picture I’d keep for myself. Not that I’d need it. Already, his image had seared into my memory.