Brita Addams's Blog, page 5

Tarnished Gold receives Honorable Mention in Rainbow Awards

I'm very pleased that Tarnished Gold has received Honorable Mention in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. I've never entered before and for a judge to rank the book above 36 out of 40 is amazing. Thank you!

New Cover Reveals

I have to say that publishing with Dreamspinner is indeed a dream. They are they best people to work with and will bend over backwards to accommodate you.



I have two books coming out with DSP and want to promote them at GayRomLit in October, and to do so, I had to have covers. The marvelous cover artists worked their magic and I have the two covers.





The first is for Tarnished Souls: Frankie and Gent. This novella is a prequel to Tarnished Soul: Mac and Gray and contains a story that will continue throughout Tarnished Soul. Frankie and Gent are New York mobsters. Frankie was sent to Los Angeles five years before and "owns" the town. However, he's allowed his popularity with the well-known to cloud his judgment. Gent is sent to clear up loose ends, which includes killing Detective Owen "Mac" McGregor, and then take Frankie back to New York to answer for negligence.



Frankie and Gent share a past, and though both thought what was done was done, that past colors the way they see the current situation. Gent sees the effects of Frankie's inattention to detail, while others take advantage.



When Frankie takes action, albeit much too late, he sets the stage for disaster.



In Tarnished Souls: Frankie and Gent, which takes place in 1934 Los Angeles, readers will meet Mac, and newspaper reporter, Grayson Adler.



Mac, or McGregor, made his appearance in Tarnished Gold, by only by name as a police office who accompanied Jack Abadie on his country-wide train tour.



TS will be out in November/December, 2013, but will be available for free download for attendees of GayRomLit in October. You have to be there to pick up a postcard with the special code.



The beautiful cover was done by Anne Cain.




***




The second release, Freedom in His Arms, a contemporary romance about two guys who meet on a cruise ship and stay in touch afterward.



I rewrote, reedited, and expanded by over twenty thousand words, the two books that make up this volume. They were Free Me and In His Arms, published by Amber Allure. This book is much meatier that the first efforts and I hope readers will enjoy it.



This cover was done by Paul Richmond, using a beautiful drawing by Michael Breyette. It fits the story so nicely, down to the faraway looks in the guys eyes.



The blond is Bryan Newcastle and the dark-haired dude is Phil Sanderson.



You'll meet them in November/December as well.



Now I'm working on Tarnished Soul: Mac and Gray. With luck and the wind at my back, I'll have it ready for the spring, 2014. While there is a romance involved, this novel tells an intense story, with Frankie and Gent two people Mac can't forget.

Celebrating a treasure

Twenty-nine years ago today, our family welcomed our newest addition. She was born at 8:00 pm on September 4, 1984. We named her after Lindsay Wagner, who starred in one of my favorite movies, The Two Lives of Jennie Logan.



Lindsay Marene Ordone came into the world much wanted and adored by her parents, her sister, Kim, and older brother, Chris.

She weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz., and was a tiny 19 inches long, each measurement exactly like her sister, who is ten years older.



We did get more than we bargained for though. At birth, we knew something was physically wrong, and the day after, our fears were confirmed. The doctor came in to tell us that she had Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. It is a disease that thankfully, is the worst it gets at birth, but poses severe limitations. Apparently she developed a virus about six weeks into the pregnancy, which arrested the development of muscles already growing and prevented other muscles from developing at all. To simplify, for Lindsay, this means she can't bend her arms or legs. There's much more to it, and if you're interested, click the link. For all its incarnations, Lindsay has what is considered classic AMC, all four limbs are affected.





Her legs were mangled, club feet, her arms were rotated inward and her hands curled up. Her middle and ring fingers, on both hands, rested in her palms. The doctor told us she'd never walk, brush her teeth, brush her hair, feed herself, and the list goes on. She would however, be above average in intelligence. I'm not sure how, at one day old, they could determine that, except through historical data, but indeed they were right.



The other problems, all physical, are difficult to explain and it serves no purpose. Suffice to say that she had seven surgeries in seven years, numerous wheelchairs, walkers, many pairs of long leg braces which got her on her feet and walking, dozens of 3/4 lifts for one shoe, due to muscle contractures in her left leg, orthoses for her feet and ankles, (AFOs,) every month or six weeks she got specially made arm splints to, designed to give her incremental bend, the



numbers of these in the dozens. For many years, we attended three times weekly physical and occupational therapy sessions, all in an effort to give our little darling some semblance of a normal life.



Some of the efforts worked and others not so much, but Lindsay never complained, no matter how much torture she went through.



In 1986, she became the New Orleans March of Dimes Youth Ambassador (Poster child,) a position she held for six years. Below, you see her at a golf tournament, where she entertained and charmed everyone. You can't see the badge she wore, but it was a big blue button that said March Of Dimes. The doctor who delivered her was there and after years of guilt on his part, though he had nothing to do with Lindsay's disability (it isn't contracted at birth and nothing that can be prevented,) he got to see her and talk to her and know that she was doing well.







Lindsay started school earlier than most, and excelled throughout. She loved school, took it very seriously,



and worked very hard to make great grades. I can honestly say that I never told her to do her homework.



After high school, she went to the University of New Orleans, the same college as her dad. She lived in the dorm, made friends, came home every other weekend, and I still did her laundry. Though we missed her at home, we talked all the time and I saw her in a very different way--as an adult. Such a joy, both as a child and a young woman.



We moved two hours away from New Orleans in 2008, but by then, Lindsay had found a boyfriend and they lived and worked there. Leaving was a wrench. We'd never been separated for any length of time. We still talked every day, but seeing her wasn't as often as we wanted.





Fortunately, she came to us in 2010, and lived with us for nearly two years, until she met the guy, Chris, who she married in 2012. They moved back to NOLA for a time, and then, in March, 2013, they came back.



Lindsay works, is educated, is a computer whiz, is funny, a huge Dr. Whovian, and is the mommy to Fiona, my precious muse. See the three of them on the left.



She's written a sweet romance, Most Eligible, which is so modern and well done.



We have three children and adore them all. When Lindsay came



along, she completed our family in way I can't begin to describe. She was cheerful then and still is. She never asked "why," and has even said that she doesn't understand how we go around with our arms flapping all over the place. We have to laugh at that, but it tells us that she hasn't considered her disability a loss.



When Lindsay was five, she came to her daddy and me, and told us a story of how we came to be her parents. To this day, it brings tears to my eyes. Here it is:



She said that all unborn children live with God in Heaven, until it's their time to be born. On the designated day, God takes each child around his office, which is all windows and looks out over the entire world. He took Lindsay to look at a couple who had other children. She told him, "No, I don't like them, they yell at each other too much."



They moved around the office, then God pointed out another couple. She didn't approve them either, said that they didn't spend enough time together.



Then she spied a family, a mom and dad, with a boy of 14 and a girl almost 10. "That's the family," she told God, and when he asked her why, she said, "Because the husband really loves his wife and his kids. See, he kisses her like he really loves her."



I've never taken that story lightly -- out of the mouths of babes and all.










Happy birthday, my darling daughter. You are loved more than you know. 



Here are some fun shots that bring back lots of memories.










About 1990 - Brownie scout








Thanksgiving, 2005, with my girl








Christmas, 2007

Chris, Kim (with grandpuppies Chloe and Chopper,) and Lindsay








First day of school, August, 1987

Oh, how she wanted a backpack








Shopping with Mom, 2012. My human shopping cart

Finally, a good week and Cutting Corners

Last week, when I received my reversion rights from Noble, I had a kind of meh feeling. I even commented to several authors in the same situation, and they said they had the same feeling. We had fought so long and when it happened, what we'd gotten was what we wanted all along.



Then this week, we got another piece of news - Noble Romance is shutting its doors. None of the authors I'm in touch with were ambivalent about this announcement.  All authors have struggled with this company for a long time, just to get what is guaranteed to us in our contracts. NRP chose to interpret the contracts to their own advantage and in many cases, authors have been left to twist in the wind.



Now it is over and we are happy.



In other news, I have finished the novella, Tarnished Soul: Cutting Corners, in which I introduce the characters from the novel Tarnished Soul, Owen McGregor and Grayson Adler, as well as tells the story of Frankie Monetti and Arvin "Gent" Vickery.



Cutting Corners wasn't supposed to happen, but I'm so glad it did.



After I started writing Tarnished Soul, and Frankie appeared in a scene, in one line, much as McGregor did in Tarnished Gold. However, Frankie spoke to me, and loudly. He insisted that he and Mac (McGregor) were inextricably connected, and it was up to me to figure out that connection.



Frankie is a Los Angeles gangster, a transplant from New York's Hell's Kitchen. Frankie is in the waning days of his grip on the unions and the studio. He's grown tired and his handling of the syndicate's business suffers by - cutting corners.



Gent is an enforcer, sent by the big boss to see take care of loose ends. The thing is, Frankie and Gent have a history. Their story is set out in Cutting Corners and will continue throughout Tarnished Soul, which is Mac and Gray's story.



Tarnished Soul: Cutting Corners will be out before the end of 2013, and Tarnished Soul the novel will see the light of day in 2014.



For those of you who are going to GRL in Atlanta, stop by my swag table or come to the Featured Author's book signing on Saturday, October 19th to pick up your postcard which contains a code for a free download of Cutting Corners.



Check out this post on Joyfully Jay.

Termination with Noble Romance

As of this past week, my relationship with Noble Romance Publishing has terminated. While I cannot speak of the specific terms, suffice to say that I now own the titles that I had at Noble. They include:



Serenity's Dream - Now on Amazon as: Sapphire Club Volume One - Lucien and Serenity

Lord Decadent's Obsession - Now on Amazon as: Sapphire Club Volume Two - Prentice and Desiree

Demands of the Heart - Now on Amazon

The Rogue's Salvation - Now on Amazon as: In His Eyes




The others will be revised before I publish them and still others may not find their way to publication at all. 




I encourage all authors who are signed with Noble to contact Noble's attorney, Heather Sharp, and politely request your rights back. heather.sharp@robbinsfirm.com




Obviously, Ms. Sharp has not requested that I advise others, but I consider helping fellow authors my duty. 

Home from the Road

Yesterday afternoon, my honey and I arrived home, after a week and a half on the road. We left on July 23rd, for New York, where we visited my family, particularly my mother's brother and two sisters, then went upstate further to see my brother, who had suffered a stroke on June 28.



My uncle celebrated his 80th birthday with a huge party given by his family. Those events are always fun, I get to see people I haven't seen in years. Something like weddings and funerals. There is always the underlying family drama between certain factions, which makes for great speculation. I always love to make up scenarios, but somehow real life is so much more interesting.



The big event of the week was a visit with my brother. When we got to the rehab center, he stood up to hug me. Symbolic, given the severity of his stroke. He is recovering better than the doctors had anticipated and at a much faster pace. His speech is amazing, given that he couldn't even pronounce my name when I spoke to him two days after the stroke.



His attitude is to ring as much out of each therapy session as he can. I love that.



That day with Eric will be one I remember for as long as I live.



After I take a couple of days off and just veg, I'll get back to Cutting Corners, the novella I'm writing. It's in the Tarnished series, introduces several characters that I'll feature in Tarnished Soul and Tarnished Heart. I'm hoping to introduce it at Gay Rom Lit in October in Atlanta. It'll take tons of concentration to get it done.



And now for the vegging part of this day.

I found my groove

I've struggled for the last few months, since I finished revising the Sapphire Club books. I kept giving myself another week to research or to fine tune, when in truth, my writing suffered from external intrusions that occupied too much of mind.



As much as I wanted to push the negativity to the side and move on, but I couldn't. With so much at stake, I stuck in there, sadly to the detriment of my works in progress.



I got word this week that my fight may have been worth it and that I am nearing the end of the battle for the rights to some of my works. I hope so, as it is best for everyone to get on with what we are supposed to do and not remain mired in the troubles from the past.



Dreamspinner accepted a combined novel, Freedom in His Arms, to which I have regained the rights to the two component novellas - In His Arms and Free Me. I've added significantly to the story of Bryan and Phil, something that, given the limitations of the original submission call, restricted the word count tremendously. Look for the novel to come out about November.



I've not neglected all the writing work. I've done months of research for the next in the Tarnished series, Tarnished Soul. However, in that research, I found another story, always a fun revelation.



In Tarnished Gold, I mentioned a character, McGregor, a security guy who went with Jack on his cross country tour for A Charmed Life.



Tarnished Soul will pick up on Mac's life, in about 1934. My friend Damon Suede is a genius when it comes to storytelling, and a man who is familiar with Hollywood and many of the other subjects I delve into. We discussed a couple of ideas I've had floating around in my head, and with Damon's help, I decided to write a novella called Cutting Corners.



Mac, aka Owen McGregor, has a significant role in this story, which will come in at about 30k when finished, but the story belongs to Frankie Monetti, a Mafia-type gangster, who operates in Hollywood during the early 1930s. Originally, Mac and his love interest, Grayson Adler were going to be the focus of the novella, but Frankie spoke very loudly and wouldn't stop speaking.



Frankie has a love interest. His name is Arvin Vickery, but he goes by the name Gent, who is a hitman. To make two gangsters sympathetic is a challenge. They are broken human beings, surrounded by death and vice. However, they are very human and to create these two characters, I tap into the qualities that make them men who love each other and what that means to the in 1934.



My hope is to self-publish this novella, because Dreamspinner has no room on their production schedule before GayRomLit in October, which is when I want to introduce the characters, as a prelude to Tarnished Soul, which still needs writing.



I've done a lot of rewriting lately, but I'm on the road to new works, something no one is happier about than I am.



Next week, I'm off to New York to see my brother, who had a stroke on June 28, and to attend my favorite uncle's 80th birthday party. I'm very excited about seeing everyone there.



I'm determined to finish 2500 words a day, every day, until the novella is done. No more negativity. I won't allow it.



Hugs,

Brita

Summertime and the livin' is....

Yes, we are in the midst of summertime in Southern Louisiana. Hot as Hades and begging for constant thanks to the air conditioning god. However, my peach iced tea is, well, iced, and the a/c blows beautifully. I'm a happy camper.



June went out with a horror, when on the 28th, my brother Eric had a massive stroke. There is no full recovery, but bless him, he's working hard to regain some semblance of the life he had.



Two weeks from today, my honey and I will take off for New York, where we'll attend my uncle's 80th birthday party and see Eric and his wife, Debbie. I hope to see friends and other family while we're there. It's been five years since our last visit.



I just self-published three of my books, the former Serenity's Dream, now Sapphire Club volume one - Lucien Damrill and Serenity Malin; the former The Rogue's Salvation, now In His Eyes; and Demands of the Heart, which retained its title. They are available in print and ebook on Amazon. I'll get the others up as time allows.



I spent four hours on the phone with a good friend the other day, who helped me tremendously with plotting for my novella, yet unnamed, which is the prelude to Tarnished Soul, the second in the Tarnished series. The problem I've had was that the story from the novella will carry over into TS, and I needed some expert help in making sure I was on the right track. I've got it now. :)



Fingers crossed, I'll have the novella completed by October and available for GayRomLit in Atlanta. I hope so. I'm working hard on it. Then I can start working on Tarnished Soul, which I anticipate will see daylight by  next spring. Again fingers crossed.  These things take time and tons of research.



I'm feeling mellow these days. Happy with my place in the world and the things that are happening, or most things.



Off for a haircut today and then, hopefully, some writing. Hope you have a great one.



Hugs,

Brita

Laying low and hard at work

I've taken a bit of a break from social media and even email, and have worked very hard to take the next step in my journey away from Noble Romance and the debacle that is that publishing company.



I've played by the rules, as set down in my contracts - sent a certified letter to the company July 26, 2012, which listed my contract breaches. They had 90 days to respond/correct the breaches, which they did not do. That brought us to October.



Since that time, I have tried to reason with them, strike deal after deal, all in an effort to get the rights to my books. They insist there are no breaches, therefore why should they revert my rights. This is the tack Mr. Gombart has used for everyone, including authors Noble hasn't paid in over a year.



I digress. There is a clause in the contracts that says if one or the other party perceives material breaches, they should notify the other party, and give them 90 days to correct the breaches. If the corrections aren't made, the rights automatically revert to the author. Automatically - not at the whim of the publisher, as some at NRP think.



On June 13, 2013, I wrote a Termination of Agreement letter to Noble and other parties, and rescinded the rights to all of my titles. Noble Romance Publishing has breached the contracts time and again. Lawyers have said it, and anyone with a high school education can read the contracts and see where the breaches lie.



I don't need Gombart's permission. The man can't interpret a contract if he thinks Noble hasn't breached. Just the fact that he doesn't pay us on any regular schedule is a breach or the fact that they never issued ANY galley proofs before completing production of books is a breach. The contract says, Noble WILL issue proofing copies, not might. The quality of Noble Romance publications is appalling. It goes from edits to production, with no proofing of the text whatsoever.



Okay, so that brings me current. I have had Serenity's Dream reedited and discovered that despite the fact that the deal to reissue SD was based on a complete re-edit, the book was never edited at all, and believe me, it shows. I am not infallible, and neither is any other author. We depend upon editors to clean up our errors, but Noble let me down on that one the first time around, and with the reissue. When I wrote to Gombart and the editor about the matter, I heard nothing. Their actions are indefensible.



With the edit now done, I intend to self-pub not only SD, which has a new cover and a new title, but all of my backlist that Noble so egregiously treated like so much rubbish. The Sapphire Club series will come out very soon, as will the two stories that Noble never had contracts for, Demands of the Heart and the newly retitled - In His Eyes (formerly the Rogue's Salvation.) The new title truly fits the story.



I want to do something very special with An Evening at the Starlight, as that story is worthy of much more than it ever got at Noble. We'll see about A Minute After Midnight. I haven't decided about that yet.



I will also do a rewrite on Her Timeless Obsession and put that one out as well. That is another story that never received any attention from the publisher, but I think is worthy of it.



I issued DCMA requests to all major vendors and they have removed all my Noble titles. They were very interested in the fact that Noble not only breaches contracts but continues to infringe on my copyrights and those of other authors by not abiding by the DCMA requests we sent out. Still, all my titles remain on the Noble site, where no one will see them, but Noble doesn't have the right to still sell the titles. They breached, didn't fix the myriad breaches, the titles are mine. Period. When they start losing in court, they might wake up.



On the personal front, Clint and I are preparing for a late July trip to New York to help my favorite uncle celebrate his 80th birthday. I adore my Uncle Pete and can't wait to see him again. I haven't been back home since 2008.



The summer is HOT here in the Deep South, but we stay cool in the a/c. I'll get back to writing new stories, once I get my old ones squared away. The advantage is, I am rewriting the titles and giving them more words and more polish. No disadvantage that I can think of, save for I have had to backburner my second installment in the Tarnished series. All in good time.



Stay cool!



Hugs,

Brita

Update on Noble Romance

Check out my Avoid Noble page for the latest news. http://britaaddamsblog.blogspot.com/p/noble-romance.html



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