Arlene Webb's Blog, page 9

12-21-11 Happy Release Day for Taking Down Mistletoe!!!

This has been one whirlwind month with Rebel showing Christmas through an unique point of view, House of Seven bringing the color series closer to a finale, and last but not least my first release with Decadent Publishing has me thrilled from cover to end line.

Decadent Publishing

An End in Sight--Happy Release day for book 3 of the Color series!!!

Amazon

Word Cloud! House of Seven

There's this program you can insert a word doc, such as a 115K novel, to see if you over use words.
Couldnt figure out how to save, so I took a picture of the screen.
Damon's pissed he's only a bit larger than Mal and Aaron and he's (snicker) green.
Like, back, hand, arm seem to be words for me to watch out for.

Happy Release Day for Rebel!!

The story that opened the first door into the publishing world for me is out there again.

I wrote it for a friend who I worked with in a greenhouse of course, years ago.

After reading this short and strange tale, it's pretty certain you'll not look at plants the same.

Amazon

Hot Angels & Cold Demons Blog-hop Continues

From writings scratched on papyrus, manuscripts of cloistered guys with ink and quill, to famous authors like those on this tour, humans have been fascinated with polar opposites. Yin &Yang. Good & Evil. Dark & Light.

Sparkling creatures of goodwill and decency would be taken for granted and become seriously boring without evil to contrast with. Monsters filled with twisted desires who concentrate on self-centered survivalism would be mundane without anything better to compare them to.Thankfully in this awesome era, more and more authors are messing with the grey areas. Just because the angel emits white light when being killed, doesn't mean the angel isn't a dick.
The conflicted demon who's portrayed as stunningly beautiful, despite the horns and tail, makes for one sexy read. I wrote a series based on a concept where white is evil and black is good. With twisted physics to back this up, there were so many options for humor and subtle sarcasm when a bar of white soap sends fear rocketing through the hearts of superbeings.
Because my angel and demon story is in the submission process, I decided to pimp book one in my color series which introduces a hot character who's seriously pissed when everyone who meets him cries that he's a demon, even when his burning eyes are hidden behind shades.


Despite Damon's reluctance to sit around and chatter, he agreed to a character interview:

What's your name and are you happy to be here?

My name's been Demon, Freak, Red, Monster, and nine more too mean to say to anyone I'm not knocking unconscious. I answer to Damon. No, I'm not happy to be here.
How did you first meet your writer, Damon?
I have a writer? Where? I'm trapped in a man's body without a clue. I'd like to strangle her.
Did you ever think your life would end up in a book?
I don't belong in a book or on this Earth. I don't understand how to go fast enough to find my home.
What are your favorite scenes: action, dialog, romance?
Forget action. Jaylynn ruins the fun. She has a problem with dead people. It's not easy. Everyone's fragile, very slow, afraid. Makes me want to kill them.
I don't like excessive dialog. Finally, Jaylynn played language tapes. I learned 988, 966 words. I use them sparingly, but she understands me better.
Romance? That's love. My favorite is when Jaylynn rubs my hurting head under a pine tree. Says to imagine where I should be. I want to be there. With her.
What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
Shower. Feels right. Helps bullet wounds. Or holding Jaylynn under a red blanket, my hand over her mouth so she can't yell about what I did wrong.
Are you currently engaged in a relationship?
Not sure. I'm between one and three days old in book one and Jaylynn, she's a woman I forced to teach words, water, fire, things of great value, takes forever to explain one word. Attraction. She's frightened of how I'll react.
Are you happy with the genre you're in?
Yes. If romance means Jaylynn isn't afraid of my demon eyes. If science means I can return to where ever I came from. If suspense means I can…talk to police and confiscate all weapons.
If you could rewrite anything, what would it be?
Don't know. The story isnt over. There's four books.
Do you like the way the book one ends?
No. I should be driving to this place where answers are. Jaylynn and Caream yell I'll break the car. It's difficult not to break them.
Would you be interested in a sequel?
Try to listen. There's four books before I find out why this has happened to me.
Do you believe you are suitable portrayed in electronic books or would you rather be in paperback?
Electronic. I belong in a world moving at lightspeed. But paper is easier to hold. Metal problems like computers, cellphones, steering wheels break in my hands.
Did you have any input into the book cover design?
No. Or it'd be my face instead of an ugly blue man.
What's the lamest characteristic your writer has attributed to you?
I'm the strongest on Earth. She also gave me tremendous hearing. Hurts my head. I know when words ring false. But the lamest thing, I don't understand nuance. Jaylynn yells I'm like an impatient caveman, which isn't fair. I'm not a cave, not a man, and I wait two, three long seconds before I break a liar's jaw.
If you could give yourself a superpower, what would you choose?
My writer says I have superman sydrome already, and not to give me more ideas. Thanks for talking with me. Bye.

A big thank you to all the authors who participated in this demon and angel get together. Make sure you check everyone out, and comment for a chance to win some fun and fascinating reads.

Jay Di Meo http://jaydimeo.wordpress.com/
Ellis Carrington http://elliscarrington.wordpress.com/
Daniel Christian Juris http://dcjuris.blogspot.com/
JK Coi http://www.jkcoi.blogspot.com/
Kiki Howell http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com/
Michael Mandrake http://tabooindeed.blogspot.com/
Angel Martinez http://www.freewebs.com/angelwrites
Marie Dees http://mariedees.com/   
Sara York http://sarayork.blogspot.com/
Barbara Elsborg http://www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com/
Hayley B. James http://www.hayleybjames.com/
Ryssa Edwards http://www.ryssaedwards.net/blog
Andi Anderson http://andiandersonauthor.blogspot.com/
Kiernan Kelly http://kiernan-kelly.blogspot.com/
Tour Wrap Up Jay Di Meo, Misty Malone, & Marie Dees http://jaydimeo.wordpress.com/

                         Fantastic News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
11-13-2011 is a much anticipated birthday. Look what just released from Jay Di Meo:

Buy Link

Smile. After you've clicked on a fantastic author's latest, Idriel's Sin, check out these links. Like and a review down the road if you buy would be sweet.
Splintered-Energy
The R Word
House of Seven...coming soon!

Yes! A Great Review from a Science Fiction Reader

Sift Book Reviews

This review site is swamped. I've been patiently waiting for months, and am thrilled to have a reviewer who understood the mix of science and romance is a character driven journey involving some intense word count. I've also had the covers tweaked so it's now clear this is a series, and yippee book two, The R Word sits in their que.

MuseitUp Booksigning/Family Reunion. Montreal Nov 2011

 Lea. An remarkable woman, the founder of this Muse family.
 There's Litsa, co-founder of Muse, the gorgous brunette at the end of the table. Karen Cote is looking at Lea and the other lovely brunette directly behind Lea is Natisha, an editor who's known Lea forever and finally they got to meet in person.






Kevin has a fantastic smile. He wrote a young adult, Summer on Fire. He and his wife are fascinating Canadians I was lucky enough to be seaten close by at dinner the second night.
 Barbara, the blonde who looks like a movie star wrote, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor. She sold a zillion copies and had one young reader return after going home to read the book in order to get her picture taken by Barbara's side. It doesnt get any sweeter than that with the fans.

 Nancy, author of Laurel's Miracle is one of the nicest women I've had the honor of getting to know. Professional and thoughtful, her work organizing authors helped to made this event so special.
I dont know how many times Karen heard, oh my god, you're a goddess who looks exactly like your avator.  Her husband, Cody sits behind her. The pair are not only adorable, I really hope they host next years event. Karen has a laugh that comes straight from the heart and a smile that looks like she swallowed a sunbeam. If you havent seen her website, the avators she's created of Lily and Jet, two hot characters from the pages of Erotic Deception, are so worth checking out in Karen's lounge.Below, Joanne Elder holds a copy of her book, Spectra, one I can't wait to read and yippee, I have a signed print copy. Her husband Jim is as brillant as she is and we had such fun riding to the comedy club with them. If they hadnt been kind enough to offer us a ride, Natisha and I would certainly still be driving in circles in downtown Montreal.

Christine London is a romance writer. If you're ever heading out to a comedy club you must have her with you. Funny and sharp, she knows exactly what to say. No wonder she sells so many books.




Madeline had us all spellbound at dinner on Saturday, telling us of her childhood in rural Canada. She delighted me with the occasional eh at the end of a sentence. She should have smacked me when I giggled, instead of laughing.
Sara Durham is someone I can't wait to meet up with again. She sold way more copies than I did and didnt even get mad when I said damn werewolves and witches after each of her sales.  Lycan Moon is on the top of my pile to be read, asap. Her daughter, Michele is as sweet as she is beautiful. I had a picture of Michele in the red (yes red, not pink) dress she wore to the comedy club but it sizzled right out of my camera.
This stunning girl, Alex, is Lea's youngest daugher. And yes, she's wearing a tutu and wearing it well.
Good thing Ashes has a photogenic cover!
And the best for last. Litsa and Lea. The pair who make so many dreams come true.

Another Awesome Cover

How lucky can a girl get?
I have three spectacular publishers (Shadowfire Press, MuseitUp, Decadent) and a seriously talented artist (Greg Elsborg) for my inde-published series. Each of my covers has been special and my latest doesnt disappoint. I love how the title slants, a tie in to what the story's about and yep, mistletoe heading south isn't easy to take down.

5 Author Anthology. Very Cool

I'm lucky enough to be included with 4 of my favorite authors. We each wrote a 3000 word short. Angels, gargoyles, dragons, magical little girl whose head must spin, and vamps that don't even come close to glittering. This is priceless to me, so after no debate at all, we agreed the price would be free.
CHECK IT OUT

Nov 4, 2011 MuseitUp Book Signing/Get Together

Check List:

1) Get all the damn flower debris out of car
2) Find your passport
3) Remember your passport
4) Go back in house and get your kindle
5) Go back in house and get Myles Logan. Hide him under the seat
6) Idiot. Put the box of print copies of Ashes in the back, under overnight bag with hopes customs doesn't read a page and cart you in for questioning
7) Remember, canadian guards nice, american have no sense of humor. Do not mouth off. Try to let Natasha, editor for MuseitUp, do all the talking
8) Yippee!!! 7-8 hours across NYS, and then meet some awesome people in person. Life doesnt get much better