Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 18
October 2, 2013
Talkin' Books: Slow, Complicated Progress...
Books Finished: None
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Dance with the Enemy by Linda Boulanger
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: None
Comics Read:None
I
really hate it when I get so busy that reading is pushed into little
crannies of my day, but in this case, it's my own doing, so I can't
complain too loudly. And the books I'm reading at the moment - well,
they're not the kind you just step away from to go read something short
for a quick break. They pull you in, hypnotize you, make you wonder
what's happening to the characters while you're off doing other things
(well, I wonder that about the characters I'm writing too, which makes
for some interesting fantasies going on in my head - not *those* kind,
gutter-minds...well, not always, anyways).
In any case, I'm very worried about where Dance with the Enemy
is going, and I'm really going to have to find some time to finish that
book soon lest it stresses me out much longer on how it will end. And
I've just gotten into Part 2 of Two Graves , and that is worrying me a bit too, due to the circumstances I last left the characters in.
Thankfully, I'm re-reading Magical Misfire ,
so I already know the story, I'm just taking in the new stuff added in
final edits. Because I really don't think I could handle worrying about
any more characters that aren't mine while going about my day!
So...no
new books started, no new short fiction read (which is a shame - I have
the new Asimov's waiting on my tablet), no comic books read (though
that didn't stop me from buying a couple new issues...). *sigh* It's
going to be a very busy next couple of months, and I have some rather
thick books (both print and digital) waiting for me to get to them, so
I'm really going to have to give into a full-on reading binge here soon,
methinks...
But then there's all the books from my alter-ego's Month O'Screams event this month. I tell you what, some of the excerpts waiting to be posted have already sold me, which means I have *more* books on the TBR pile. And freaky books just perfect for October, at that...
Oh! And this new murder-mystery serial at Bethany Macmanus's blog - I know, it's first person and I don't normally "do" that, but I'm interested in her concept of having the readers try to guess the "whodunnit", and so far, it's intriguing, so I'm going to try to keep up.
So much good fiction, so little time...but what a great problem to have, eh?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Dance with the Enemy by Linda Boulanger
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: None
Comics Read:None
I
really hate it when I get so busy that reading is pushed into little
crannies of my day, but in this case, it's my own doing, so I can't
complain too loudly. And the books I'm reading at the moment - well,
they're not the kind you just step away from to go read something short
for a quick break. They pull you in, hypnotize you, make you wonder
what's happening to the characters while you're off doing other things
(well, I wonder that about the characters I'm writing too, which makes
for some interesting fantasies going on in my head - not *those* kind,
gutter-minds...well, not always, anyways).
In any case, I'm very worried about where Dance with the Enemy
is going, and I'm really going to have to find some time to finish that
book soon lest it stresses me out much longer on how it will end. And
I've just gotten into Part 2 of Two Graves , and that is worrying me a bit too, due to the circumstances I last left the characters in.
Thankfully, I'm re-reading Magical Misfire ,
so I already know the story, I'm just taking in the new stuff added in
final edits. Because I really don't think I could handle worrying about
any more characters that aren't mine while going about my day!
So...no
new books started, no new short fiction read (which is a shame - I have
the new Asimov's waiting on my tablet), no comic books read (though
that didn't stop me from buying a couple new issues...). *sigh* It's
going to be a very busy next couple of months, and I have some rather
thick books (both print and digital) waiting for me to get to them, so
I'm really going to have to give into a full-on reading binge here soon,
methinks...
But then there's all the books from my alter-ego's Month O'Screams event this month. I tell you what, some of the excerpts waiting to be posted have already sold me, which means I have *more* books on the TBR pile. And freaky books just perfect for October, at that...
Oh! And this new murder-mystery serial at Bethany Macmanus's blog - I know, it's first person and I don't normally "do" that, but I'm interested in her concept of having the readers try to guess the "whodunnit", and so far, it's intriguing, so I'm going to try to keep up.
So much good fiction, so little time...but what a great problem to have, eh?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 30, 2013
Blog Parties, Writing Conferences & NaNoWriMo...
I am behind on pretty much everything at the moment, though with
any luck, I'll be more or less caught up by midnight. Why, you ask? Two
things, really.
The first is that a
couple of weeks ago, I decided to host a multi-author blog party at my
horror/suspense writer alter-ego's blog for the month of October. Being
both impulsive and a planner, I've been organizing that event for awhile
now, and this weekend it was "go time" to get everything finalized and
the first week's posts and memes scheduled out. That means formatting
and scheduling other people's posts, as well as writing and scheduling
my own, plus graphics and all that entails. Plus, that blog needs an
update. Actually, all of my sites need updates, but we'll just ignore
that for now, shall we?
In any
case, I spent the majority of yesterday working on that - and when I say
majority, I mean I barely got the laundry done, and I didn't get to bed
until after 1am. Which is why I'm writing this post on my lunch hour
today.
Normally the two day
weekend would have been enough to finish everything with time to spare.
But there was a local Montana Romance Writer's conference in town this
weekend, and I bought a day pass for Saturday to see what it was all
about. I've been to conferences before, but never a writing conference. I
have to say, I wasn't blown away by either the organization (it was
difficult even figuring out how to sign-in) or the workshops, though all
the presenters were very good and very professional. I was
just...bored. And I suck at socializing with women, and this was *all*
women...and even though I went in with the attitude to be open and
introduce myself and meet people...well, I failed.
I
did get to meet a twitter friend and that was a lot of fun...so I did
really enjoy that aspect of the day. And I met a couple of other authors
who were nice & friendly as well. But on the whole, it took up most
of my Saturday and a good chunk of change I could've used for other
things...so kind of a bust, really. I'd probably have been happier
spending a few bucks for an overpriced chai tea and a one-on-one chat
with my twitter friend instead. I know a lot of authors enjoy
conferences, and I might enjoy one with more variety of workshops to
choose from and a better gender balance/more people, but it's unlikely
I'll ever make it to one of those, since it involves travel and money
and dog-sitters. Never say never, I suppose...
In
any case, I basically only had one day of the weekend to work on book
business type stuff, and this particular weekend, it just wasn't enough.
Such is life.
I've
got the blog party ready to kick off - if you like scary stories and you
want to meet some great authors, pop over to Alex's blog when you have
time this month. Comment on any post over there throughout the month to
be eligible for the three drawings taking place. It'll be fun!
In other news, I've been waffling over whether or not to do National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
in November. Last year I was going to, and had to bow out - there was
just too much other stuff going on. I always *want* to do it - not only
is it addictive, but it's really a lot of fun, and it's how I finished
my first novel (and a few more after that too). Even the book I started
with last year got finished and published eventually (Sleep With Me).
I love it - I love the challenge and the energy of writing with that many other writers all at once...
But!
I
have several drafts that must, must, must, be completed by December
1st. You know the holiday series I basically hung my writing plans for
the year with on a whim last January? Yeah. Those three, for starters. I
have another short erotic romance to write to finish a series by
December, and one to edit/format and create cover art for. And then
there's Jasmine Betrayal, which I'd also really, really like to finish
in time for Christmas. I just can't in good conscience commit an entire
month to working on one book when all those are hanging over my head
(well, we all know I won't focus on just one book anyways, but trying to
minimize the distractions here).
So in order to say "yes" to NaNo, I need to:
- Finish all the holiday series drafts
- Finish the JB draft
- Be close to finishing the last erotic rom. short
- Have LC edited, formatted and ready to publish
Which
makes for what my hubby is calling a "pre-NaNo NaNo". Suddenly, I'm
having Mork & Mindy flashbacks (and if you don't know who that is,
Google it, don't ask me, because it'll just make me feel old, and I'm
not).
So we'll see. It's going to
be a very busy October trying to finish all those up and run the blog
party too, as well as a bunch of projects going on for the day job to
keep my mind hoppin'. I'm game to try though...because doing that would
put me ahead in December, and also give me another book ready to release
in January. Can't beat that, really.
What's
on this week's list? I see you cringing out there. It's not *that*
bad...really. As long as you only look at one item at a time, anyways:
- Monthly BSB Newsletter (must do that tonight, so it goes out first thing tomorrow!)- Remember to get the load of clothes in the dryer out tonight- Update Alex's site (tonight!)- Make sure all blog posts & quote memes for Alex's blog party get scheduled and shared far & wide- Another scene for Jasmine Betrayal- Start the last draft in the Cream du Jour series for Trinity's blog- Get as far as possible with the holiday drafts- Schedule next week's blog party posts-
Come up with interview questions for audiobook narrators (Got any? Let
me know!)- Proof a copy of a print book I screwed up the formatting on,
re-order clean copies- Format print copies for two more horror shorts- Go through the edits to LC before I completely lose track of the story in my head- Write a Halloween flash story and a non-fic blog post for Alex's blog- Vacuum, and clean the aquarium (since I didn't have time to do either of those last weekend)- Finish one day job project, catch up on some little things, and start fixing a project I had to drop for awhile- Don't forget Office Hours this Friday. Again. (dang it!)
Alrighty
then. Feel better about your own week yet, or does mine look easy in
comparison to what you're facing? Either way, don't despair! We'll make
it through...the other option sucks.
Now, back to work. I hope your week is off to a good/productive start...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
any luck, I'll be more or less caught up by midnight. Why, you ask? Two
things, really.
The first is that a
couple of weeks ago, I decided to host a multi-author blog party at my
horror/suspense writer alter-ego's blog for the month of October. Being
both impulsive and a planner, I've been organizing that event for awhile
now, and this weekend it was "go time" to get everything finalized and
the first week's posts and memes scheduled out. That means formatting
and scheduling other people's posts, as well as writing and scheduling
my own, plus graphics and all that entails. Plus, that blog needs an
update. Actually, all of my sites need updates, but we'll just ignore
that for now, shall we?
In any
case, I spent the majority of yesterday working on that - and when I say
majority, I mean I barely got the laundry done, and I didn't get to bed
until after 1am. Which is why I'm writing this post on my lunch hour
today.
Normally the two day
weekend would have been enough to finish everything with time to spare.
But there was a local Montana Romance Writer's conference in town this
weekend, and I bought a day pass for Saturday to see what it was all
about. I've been to conferences before, but never a writing conference. I
have to say, I wasn't blown away by either the organization (it was
difficult even figuring out how to sign-in) or the workshops, though all
the presenters were very good and very professional. I was
just...bored. And I suck at socializing with women, and this was *all*
women...and even though I went in with the attitude to be open and
introduce myself and meet people...well, I failed.
I
did get to meet a twitter friend and that was a lot of fun...so I did
really enjoy that aspect of the day. And I met a couple of other authors
who were nice & friendly as well. But on the whole, it took up most
of my Saturday and a good chunk of change I could've used for other
things...so kind of a bust, really. I'd probably have been happier
spending a few bucks for an overpriced chai tea and a one-on-one chat
with my twitter friend instead. I know a lot of authors enjoy
conferences, and I might enjoy one with more variety of workshops to
choose from and a better gender balance/more people, but it's unlikely
I'll ever make it to one of those, since it involves travel and money
and dog-sitters. Never say never, I suppose...
In
any case, I basically only had one day of the weekend to work on book
business type stuff, and this particular weekend, it just wasn't enough.
Such is life.
I've
got the blog party ready to kick off - if you like scary stories and you
want to meet some great authors, pop over to Alex's blog when you have
time this month. Comment on any post over there throughout the month to
be eligible for the three drawings taking place. It'll be fun!
In other news, I've been waffling over whether or not to do National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
in November. Last year I was going to, and had to bow out - there was
just too much other stuff going on. I always *want* to do it - not only
is it addictive, but it's really a lot of fun, and it's how I finished
my first novel (and a few more after that too). Even the book I started
with last year got finished and published eventually (Sleep With Me).
I love it - I love the challenge and the energy of writing with that many other writers all at once...
But!
I
have several drafts that must, must, must, be completed by December
1st. You know the holiday series I basically hung my writing plans for
the year with on a whim last January? Yeah. Those three, for starters. I
have another short erotic romance to write to finish a series by
December, and one to edit/format and create cover art for. And then
there's Jasmine Betrayal, which I'd also really, really like to finish
in time for Christmas. I just can't in good conscience commit an entire
month to working on one book when all those are hanging over my head
(well, we all know I won't focus on just one book anyways, but trying to
minimize the distractions here).
So in order to say "yes" to NaNo, I need to:
- Finish all the holiday series drafts
- Finish the JB draft
- Be close to finishing the last erotic rom. short
- Have LC edited, formatted and ready to publish
Which
makes for what my hubby is calling a "pre-NaNo NaNo". Suddenly, I'm
having Mork & Mindy flashbacks (and if you don't know who that is,
Google it, don't ask me, because it'll just make me feel old, and I'm
not).
So we'll see. It's going to
be a very busy October trying to finish all those up and run the blog
party too, as well as a bunch of projects going on for the day job to
keep my mind hoppin'. I'm game to try though...because doing that would
put me ahead in December, and also give me another book ready to release
in January. Can't beat that, really.
What's
on this week's list? I see you cringing out there. It's not *that*
bad...really. As long as you only look at one item at a time, anyways:
- Monthly BSB Newsletter (must do that tonight, so it goes out first thing tomorrow!)- Remember to get the load of clothes in the dryer out tonight- Update Alex's site (tonight!)- Make sure all blog posts & quote memes for Alex's blog party get scheduled and shared far & wide- Another scene for Jasmine Betrayal- Start the last draft in the Cream du Jour series for Trinity's blog- Get as far as possible with the holiday drafts- Schedule next week's blog party posts-
Come up with interview questions for audiobook narrators (Got any? Let
me know!)- Proof a copy of a print book I screwed up the formatting on,
re-order clean copies- Format print copies for two more horror shorts- Go through the edits to LC before I completely lose track of the story in my head- Write a Halloween flash story and a non-fic blog post for Alex's blog- Vacuum, and clean the aquarium (since I didn't have time to do either of those last weekend)- Finish one day job project, catch up on some little things, and start fixing a project I had to drop for awhile- Don't forget Office Hours this Friday. Again. (dang it!)
Alrighty
then. Feel better about your own week yet, or does mine look easy in
comparison to what you're facing? Either way, don't despair! We'll make
it through...the other option sucks.
Now, back to work. I hope your week is off to a good/productive start...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 27, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 8
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 8
Genevieve took in the chaos as she entered her apartment. It had come furnished, of course, the furniture belonging to the actual owner of the lease. She’d have to replace everything with cushions or fabric, as apparently whoever trashed the place had considered anything with stuffing as a potential hiding place. The artwork had all been pulled off the wall, and she really hoped none of it had been expensive. The furniture was going to wipe her out all by itself.
She moved farther into the room, glancing down at the large Persian rug that covered the center of the floor. The edges were still under the furniture and it didn’t looked damaged in any way, nor did the coffee table sitting in the center.
Letting out a relieved sigh, she smiled at Max.
“It’s okay. The papers are still safe. We need to call a lawyer, now.”
Max shook his head. “You may think they’re safe, but until I see them, I’m not buying it. Where are they? Show me.”
She cocked her head to one side, regarding him carefully as she perched one hip on a slashed arm rest and swung her foot.
“You tell me about my father’s death first. Then I’ll show you the papers.”
A slight rustle from the direction of the kitchen made them both turn to look, and a tall, slender man in a dark suit with perfectly white hair stepped into the room, the gun in his hand pointed right at Genevieve.
“I have a better idea,” he said, his voice smooth and easy on the ears. “I’ll tell you what happened to your dad, and you’ll hand the deed to the diner over to me.”
“I thought you said it was all clear.” Genevieve glared at Max, who frowned back.
“It was. Where were you hiding, Jenkins?”
The man smiled, leaning a shoulder against the door frame. “I just stepped outside on the fire escape for a few moments. I figured it was just a matter of time.” He turned back to Genevieve. “Now about your father...”
Max took a step forward. “Don’t,” he said, looking only briefly at Jenkins before meeting Genevieve’s stare. “You don’t want to hear this. Not here, from him.”
She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Actually, I do. You had your chance.” Ignoring the raw plea in his eyes, she nodded to Jenkins. “You were saying?”
“Well, as I was saying, Max here works for me. And your old man was ready to pay off the money he owed me - money he borrowed at Max’s request, I found out later. I couldn’t let that happen, of course. I’d already planned out the new resort to put there, and signed all the contracts. The only thing standing in my way was Morano and that damn diner.”
Genevieve blinked back tears, making a point not to look at Max. If he was really the person responsible for her father’s debt in the first place, he may as well have killed him with his own hands.
“In any case, I thought it was fitting that Max clean up this particular mess, so I sent him and some of the other boys to...convince Morano to hand over the deed. Your father refused, things got a little out of hand, and here we are.”
Backing up a couple steps so she could sit on the arm of the couch, Genevieve shook her head. It didn’t make sense. None of it made any sense, and the details were swirling in her head like water circling a drain.
“Why did my dad borrow the money?” she asked Max. “And why didn’t you pay it back, if it was your idea in the first place?”
He started to come closer, but she held up a hand and he stopped, folding his arms over his chest.
“I did pay it back - that’s what Morano was going to use to pay the debt off with. As for the why...I can’t go into details, but I promise it was for a good cause.”
A small noise of disbelief escaped her lips, and she stood up to pace in front of the couch. “Of course. Why would I expect anything less from the man who’s been so honest with me from the moment this whole thing started, right?” She stopped, spearing him with as cold a stare as she could muster, curling her fingers into fists to keep her hands from shaking.
“Just tell me one thing, Max. One honest answer, because I deserve to know. Did you kill my father?”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 8
Genevieve took in the chaos as she entered her apartment. It had come furnished, of course, the furniture belonging to the actual owner of the lease. She’d have to replace everything with cushions or fabric, as apparently whoever trashed the place had considered anything with stuffing as a potential hiding place. The artwork had all been pulled off the wall, and she really hoped none of it had been expensive. The furniture was going to wipe her out all by itself.
She moved farther into the room, glancing down at the large Persian rug that covered the center of the floor. The edges were still under the furniture and it didn’t looked damaged in any way, nor did the coffee table sitting in the center.
Letting out a relieved sigh, she smiled at Max.
“It’s okay. The papers are still safe. We need to call a lawyer, now.”
Max shook his head. “You may think they’re safe, but until I see them, I’m not buying it. Where are they? Show me.”
She cocked her head to one side, regarding him carefully as she perched one hip on a slashed arm rest and swung her foot.
“You tell me about my father’s death first. Then I’ll show you the papers.”
A slight rustle from the direction of the kitchen made them both turn to look, and a tall, slender man in a dark suit with perfectly white hair stepped into the room, the gun in his hand pointed right at Genevieve.
“I have a better idea,” he said, his voice smooth and easy on the ears. “I’ll tell you what happened to your dad, and you’ll hand the deed to the diner over to me.”
“I thought you said it was all clear.” Genevieve glared at Max, who frowned back.
“It was. Where were you hiding, Jenkins?”
The man smiled, leaning a shoulder against the door frame. “I just stepped outside on the fire escape for a few moments. I figured it was just a matter of time.” He turned back to Genevieve. “Now about your father...”
Max took a step forward. “Don’t,” he said, looking only briefly at Jenkins before meeting Genevieve’s stare. “You don’t want to hear this. Not here, from him.”
She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Actually, I do. You had your chance.” Ignoring the raw plea in his eyes, she nodded to Jenkins. “You were saying?”
“Well, as I was saying, Max here works for me. And your old man was ready to pay off the money he owed me - money he borrowed at Max’s request, I found out later. I couldn’t let that happen, of course. I’d already planned out the new resort to put there, and signed all the contracts. The only thing standing in my way was Morano and that damn diner.”
Genevieve blinked back tears, making a point not to look at Max. If he was really the person responsible for her father’s debt in the first place, he may as well have killed him with his own hands.
“In any case, I thought it was fitting that Max clean up this particular mess, so I sent him and some of the other boys to...convince Morano to hand over the deed. Your father refused, things got a little out of hand, and here we are.”
Backing up a couple steps so she could sit on the arm of the couch, Genevieve shook her head. It didn’t make sense. None of it made any sense, and the details were swirling in her head like water circling a drain.
“Why did my dad borrow the money?” she asked Max. “And why didn’t you pay it back, if it was your idea in the first place?”
He started to come closer, but she held up a hand and he stopped, folding his arms over his chest.
“I did pay it back - that’s what Morano was going to use to pay the debt off with. As for the why...I can’t go into details, but I promise it was for a good cause.”
A small noise of disbelief escaped her lips, and she stood up to pace in front of the couch. “Of course. Why would I expect anything less from the man who’s been so honest with me from the moment this whole thing started, right?” She stopped, spearing him with as cold a stare as she could muster, curling her fingers into fists to keep her hands from shaking.
“Just tell me one thing, Max. One honest answer, because I deserve to know. Did you kill my father?”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 25, 2013
Talkin' Books: Little O'This, Little O'That...
Books Finished: None
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Dance with the Enemy by Linda Boulanger
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: Guardian Agent by Dana Marton (short collection)
Comics Read: Superior Spiderman #16
Another
slow-but-steady week for reading around here. It's fall, and there's
lots going on (including the new TV season - yay!), so my reading has
been mostly relegated to lunch hours. Still, I'm reading great books for
the most part, which is always fun.
I
moved the Dana Marton collection down to the short fiction pile because
as it turns out, they're shorter novellas, not full novels. And while I
actually appreciate that length more than a normal-sized novel (I'm all
about reading more, faster, I have to say I was a little disappointed
in the romance aspect of the first romantic suspense in the collection.
It seemed like the reconnection happened way, way too fast, and they
were professing love for each other with no real basis for it, IMO. Of
course I've done the same thing in at least one of my books, so I
understand how that happens, it was just a little disappointing. The
overall story/suspense was great though...
Magical Misfire is still awesome - better than it was the first time, of course. And Dance with the Enemy
is rather intriguing, though I'll admit that I was completely lost with
several of the terms used in the first chapter without any kind of good
context or hints at definition to help out. Now that I'm into it a
ways, it's slowly sorting itself out in my head, thank goodness.
I actually got to read a few more chapters in Two Graves
this weekend too, and I'm anxious to get back to it, because I had to
put it down at a rather inopportune spot, dang it. *sigh* I hate when
that happens!
Last night I was all set to get caught up on some comic book reading, but I barely made it through Superior Spiderman #16
before falling asleep. I don't know...I mean, I still enjoy it, but
this "unchecked" spiderman seems like he's spiraling out of control. I
really don't know how much longer he'll be able to pull off "hero"
before he devolves into "anti-hero" if something isn't done. I'll be
curious to see how this hobgoblin storyline plays out, but more so how
Spiderman deals with increasing public unease at his heavy-handed
tactics...
And that's all the
further I got this week, sadly. I'm afraid the next month isn't going to
be much better - I've got Halloween and such to deal with both on my
alter-ego's blog and in real life, and that's going to take up a lot of
my free time. So much lunch-time reading, with the occasional late night
book-snack, but that'll be it. Ah well. As long as I get some reading
in daily, it'll do.
I've actually
been thinking about reading some horror classics again next month, just
for Halloween & blog fodder for the blog party. Things like
Frankenstein, The Haunting of Hill House, and of course, the works of
Edgar Allen Poe. We'll see...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Dance with the Enemy by Linda Boulanger
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: Guardian Agent by Dana Marton (short collection)
Comics Read: Superior Spiderman #16
Another
slow-but-steady week for reading around here. It's fall, and there's
lots going on (including the new TV season - yay!), so my reading has
been mostly relegated to lunch hours. Still, I'm reading great books for
the most part, which is always fun.
I
moved the Dana Marton collection down to the short fiction pile because
as it turns out, they're shorter novellas, not full novels. And while I
actually appreciate that length more than a normal-sized novel (I'm all
about reading more, faster, I have to say I was a little disappointed
in the romance aspect of the first romantic suspense in the collection.
It seemed like the reconnection happened way, way too fast, and they
were professing love for each other with no real basis for it, IMO. Of
course I've done the same thing in at least one of my books, so I
understand how that happens, it was just a little disappointing. The
overall story/suspense was great though...
Magical Misfire is still awesome - better than it was the first time, of course. And Dance with the Enemy
is rather intriguing, though I'll admit that I was completely lost with
several of the terms used in the first chapter without any kind of good
context or hints at definition to help out. Now that I'm into it a
ways, it's slowly sorting itself out in my head, thank goodness.
I actually got to read a few more chapters in Two Graves
this weekend too, and I'm anxious to get back to it, because I had to
put it down at a rather inopportune spot, dang it. *sigh* I hate when
that happens!
Last night I was all set to get caught up on some comic book reading, but I barely made it through Superior Spiderman #16
before falling asleep. I don't know...I mean, I still enjoy it, but
this "unchecked" spiderman seems like he's spiraling out of control. I
really don't know how much longer he'll be able to pull off "hero"
before he devolves into "anti-hero" if something isn't done. I'll be
curious to see how this hobgoblin storyline plays out, but more so how
Spiderman deals with increasing public unease at his heavy-handed
tactics...
And that's all the
further I got this week, sadly. I'm afraid the next month isn't going to
be much better - I've got Halloween and such to deal with both on my
alter-ego's blog and in real life, and that's going to take up a lot of
my free time. So much lunch-time reading, with the occasional late night
book-snack, but that'll be it. Ah well. As long as I get some reading
in daily, it'll do.
I've actually
been thinking about reading some horror classics again next month, just
for Halloween & blog fodder for the blog party. Things like
Frankenstein, The Haunting of Hill House, and of course, the works of
Edgar Allen Poe. We'll see...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 23, 2013
TV, Lower Prices, & Random Rambling...
It's Fall! And the last week in September, which just happens to be premiere week for most of my favorite TV shows. Hooray!
What shows are on my radar this year? Pretty much the same as last year, unless our local FOX station can get it's signal boosted so we can watch Sleepy Hollow (though if it doesn't, we'll catch up online)...
The Voice
Castle (duh)
NCIS
NCIS-LA
Person of Interest
Criminal Minds
The Big Bang Theory
Elementary
Once Upon a Time
There are a couple others that don't start until later, of course - I'll give Once Upon a Time in Wonderland a try, and of course I'll be watching Grimm again.
Ah, crime dramas. You are my not-so-guilty pleasures. Welcome back!
In other unrelated news, I've decided to drop my prices on the Fantasy Ranch books to $2.99, effective immediately. So if you've been thinking of picking one (or all) of them up, they're now more affordable and ready to be...well...read. Enjoy!
Let's see...what else? My apologies for being a bit disjointed - it's Sunday night as I write this, of course, and I've spent the weekend with no real plan, just jumping from project to project as the urge hits. Saturday that strategy worked pretty well (which is odd - spontaneity generally equals complete lack of productivity for me). Sunday, not so much (as normal - I should have made a list).
The audiobook of Deadly Chai is in production now, and coming along quite well if I do say so myself. I'll be listing English Breakfast for narration soon - with any luck, they'll both be out by Christmas in audio. I also did some knitting and crochet this weekend, did a few audiobook covers, and worked on a Halloween/October blog party I'm putting together for my suspense/horror pen name's blog. I also ordered updated business cards, since I'll be attending one day of a local writer's conference this coming Saturday, and mine were out of date.
So I did get "stuff" done...it just doesn't feel like enough. But that may be because I still have a lot more on the to-do list that will have to be completed before the end of the week.
And so it goes.
Speaking of the list, here it is:
- Print formatting & covers for three horror short stories
- More prep work for the Month O'Screams blog party
- Serial scene for JB
- Finish another Holiday serial story, and start the third
- Update several web sites
- Keep working on Christmas gift projects (knit & crochet)
That's it, that's all, there ain't no more. Or so I'm going to pretend, anyways.
Here's to the beginning of fall, sweatshirts and warm weather meals! Bring on the changing of the leaves!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
What shows are on my radar this year? Pretty much the same as last year, unless our local FOX station can get it's signal boosted so we can watch Sleepy Hollow (though if it doesn't, we'll catch up online)...
The Voice
Castle (duh)
NCIS
NCIS-LA
Person of Interest
Criminal Minds
The Big Bang Theory
Elementary
Once Upon a Time
There are a couple others that don't start until later, of course - I'll give Once Upon a Time in Wonderland a try, and of course I'll be watching Grimm again.
Ah, crime dramas. You are my not-so-guilty pleasures. Welcome back!
In other unrelated news, I've decided to drop my prices on the Fantasy Ranch books to $2.99, effective immediately. So if you've been thinking of picking one (or all) of them up, they're now more affordable and ready to be...well...read. Enjoy!
Let's see...what else? My apologies for being a bit disjointed - it's Sunday night as I write this, of course, and I've spent the weekend with no real plan, just jumping from project to project as the urge hits. Saturday that strategy worked pretty well (which is odd - spontaneity generally equals complete lack of productivity for me). Sunday, not so much (as normal - I should have made a list).
The audiobook of Deadly Chai is in production now, and coming along quite well if I do say so myself. I'll be listing English Breakfast for narration soon - with any luck, they'll both be out by Christmas in audio. I also did some knitting and crochet this weekend, did a few audiobook covers, and worked on a Halloween/October blog party I'm putting together for my suspense/horror pen name's blog. I also ordered updated business cards, since I'll be attending one day of a local writer's conference this coming Saturday, and mine were out of date.
So I did get "stuff" done...it just doesn't feel like enough. But that may be because I still have a lot more on the to-do list that will have to be completed before the end of the week.
And so it goes.
Speaking of the list, here it is:
- Print formatting & covers for three horror short stories
- More prep work for the Month O'Screams blog party
- Serial scene for JB
- Finish another Holiday serial story, and start the third
- Update several web sites
- Keep working on Christmas gift projects (knit & crochet)
That's it, that's all, there ain't no more. Or so I'm going to pretend, anyways.
Here's to the beginning of fall, sweatshirts and warm weather meals! Bring on the changing of the leaves!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 20, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 7
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 7
She should protest, Genevieve thought as her body just sort of molded itself to Max. His lips were doing funny things to her brain though, and she was pretty sure if it lasted much longer, she’d be completely at his mercy.
At the moment, she really couldn’t think of a single reason why that would be a bad thing.
He finally pulled back a little - heaven knows she couldn’t - and looked into her eyes, his arms still locked around her.
“If they think you’re mine,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning her cheek. “They’ll be hesitant to hurt you if they catch us.” He dipped in for one more quick, heated kiss, and then released all of her except one hand.
“Follow me.” He pulled her into the hotel and she stumbled behind, irritated at how quickly he seemed to shake off the kiss that had left her in a fog of lust. The man had just sent all her nerve endings ablaze with need in some prehistoric attempt to protect her by ownership. Then he had the nerve to pull her along as if nothing had happened, and she was supposed to be okay with all that?
“Damn northern neanderthal,” she murmured under her breath, jogging to keep from pulling against his iron grip around her fingers. He glanced back, his lips quirked up in a grin.
“Just say the word, princess, and I’ll toss you over my shoulder and haul you off to my cave. Though yours is closer at the moment.”
They ran through a ballroom, and what looked like a galley kitchen and into a larger, main kitchen bustling with activity. Max didn’t stop for anyone, just shoved white coats out of his way and Genevieve stayed as close to him as possible, cringing at the rudeness of disrupting what was clearly a very busy meal prep operation.
The back door opened into an alley, and Max barreled through, stopping briefly to look both ways and then shooting across into the open door on across from the hotel. Another kitchen, Genevieve noted as they ran past more angry, knife-wielding people and through the dark and nearly empty club of some sort beyond. When they finally stopped just inside the front entrance, Genevieve struggled to catch her breath, her annoyance growing as she noted that Max wasn’t even breathing hard.
“What now?” she managed, relieved when he finally let go of her wrist. He peered through the tinted windows, looking both ways down the street several times before he nodded, apparently satisfied.
“There’s a cab right out front,” he said, motioning for her to join him at the door. “Let’s grab it, and we’ll get back to your apartment that way.”
Genevieve nodded. “Maybe I should take the cab and you could just run the opposite direction. Lure them away to keep me safe, like a good little caveman?”
His deep chuckle did nothing to help bank her inner fires.
“Nice try, but you’re far safer with me close than on your own. Let’s go.” He pushed the door open and held up a hand to the cab driver, who nodded in return. Genevieve jogged to the cab and slid into the back seat, giving the driver her address as Max took his place beside her.
They were quiet during the short trip, Genevieve watching out the window for any sign of the men who’d been chasing them. When they arrived at her building, they hustled inside to the elevator.
“Nice building,” Max commented, leaning against the back wall of the small lift as they watched the numbers above the floor buttons tick by.
Genevieve smirked. “You haven’t see any of it yet.” A too-loud ding sounded as they reached the fourth floor, and she led the way down a fairly boring hallway to her door.
Which was standing wide open.
“Stand back,” Max said, pushing her gently against the wall with one hand and reaching for his gun with the other. “Stay here, let me check it out.”
Genevieve nodded, glancing at either end of the hallway in case anyone was lurking. The fact that someone had tracked her here scared her worse than anything else. If they could find this place, then there was nowhere she could go to be safe.
Max leaned out of her doorway, his sudden appearance making her jump.
“It’s okay,” he said, stepping back. “There’s no one here, but they ransacked the place pretty good. I hate to say it, but your deed and those papers are probably long gone.”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 7
She should protest, Genevieve thought as her body just sort of molded itself to Max. His lips were doing funny things to her brain though, and she was pretty sure if it lasted much longer, she’d be completely at his mercy.
At the moment, she really couldn’t think of a single reason why that would be a bad thing.
He finally pulled back a little - heaven knows she couldn’t - and looked into her eyes, his arms still locked around her.
“If they think you’re mine,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning her cheek. “They’ll be hesitant to hurt you if they catch us.” He dipped in for one more quick, heated kiss, and then released all of her except one hand.
“Follow me.” He pulled her into the hotel and she stumbled behind, irritated at how quickly he seemed to shake off the kiss that had left her in a fog of lust. The man had just sent all her nerve endings ablaze with need in some prehistoric attempt to protect her by ownership. Then he had the nerve to pull her along as if nothing had happened, and she was supposed to be okay with all that?
“Damn northern neanderthal,” she murmured under her breath, jogging to keep from pulling against his iron grip around her fingers. He glanced back, his lips quirked up in a grin.
“Just say the word, princess, and I’ll toss you over my shoulder and haul you off to my cave. Though yours is closer at the moment.”
They ran through a ballroom, and what looked like a galley kitchen and into a larger, main kitchen bustling with activity. Max didn’t stop for anyone, just shoved white coats out of his way and Genevieve stayed as close to him as possible, cringing at the rudeness of disrupting what was clearly a very busy meal prep operation.
The back door opened into an alley, and Max barreled through, stopping briefly to look both ways and then shooting across into the open door on across from the hotel. Another kitchen, Genevieve noted as they ran past more angry, knife-wielding people and through the dark and nearly empty club of some sort beyond. When they finally stopped just inside the front entrance, Genevieve struggled to catch her breath, her annoyance growing as she noted that Max wasn’t even breathing hard.
“What now?” she managed, relieved when he finally let go of her wrist. He peered through the tinted windows, looking both ways down the street several times before he nodded, apparently satisfied.
“There’s a cab right out front,” he said, motioning for her to join him at the door. “Let’s grab it, and we’ll get back to your apartment that way.”
Genevieve nodded. “Maybe I should take the cab and you could just run the opposite direction. Lure them away to keep me safe, like a good little caveman?”
His deep chuckle did nothing to help bank her inner fires.
“Nice try, but you’re far safer with me close than on your own. Let’s go.” He pushed the door open and held up a hand to the cab driver, who nodded in return. Genevieve jogged to the cab and slid into the back seat, giving the driver her address as Max took his place beside her.
They were quiet during the short trip, Genevieve watching out the window for any sign of the men who’d been chasing them. When they arrived at her building, they hustled inside to the elevator.
“Nice building,” Max commented, leaning against the back wall of the small lift as they watched the numbers above the floor buttons tick by.
Genevieve smirked. “You haven’t see any of it yet.” A too-loud ding sounded as they reached the fourth floor, and she led the way down a fairly boring hallway to her door.
Which was standing wide open.
“Stand back,” Max said, pushing her gently against the wall with one hand and reaching for his gun with the other. “Stay here, let me check it out.”
Genevieve nodded, glancing at either end of the hallway in case anyone was lurking. The fact that someone had tracked her here scared her worse than anything else. If they could find this place, then there was nowhere she could go to be safe.
Max leaned out of her doorway, his sudden appearance making her jump.
“It’s okay,” he said, stepping back. “There’s no one here, but they ransacked the place pretty good. I hate to say it, but your deed and those papers are probably long gone.”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
New Release: The Handyman's Harem Girl
Those of you waiting for the next installment of
Jasmine Betrayal
- don't panic! It's coming, but hey, this book is finally finished and available! Hooray!
Head Harem Girl at The Sultan's Palace, Veronica Rowan isn't
interested in a relationship with any man - especially not hunky Fantasy
Ranch handyman Chance Emery. When he finds out about her personal
security experience, she can't refuse his plea for help. Drawn into a
twisted past marked by a trail of decapitated dolls, she struggles to
protect her heart as they fight to keep from losing their heads.
The Handyman's Harem Girl is available in ebook format for $3.99 in the Brazen Snake Books store, as well as these other fine online retailers:
Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
If it's not already at your favorite store, it should be there very soon.
Want to get your copy for free? Sign up for my newsletter, Variety News, before the new release announcement goes out at 10pm MDT
tonight. The newsletter will include a free download code to use in the
BSB store through this coming weekend.
Print copies will be available in mid-November. Now for an excerpt...
*****************************
Alrighty then. So go grab your copy, *or* sign up for my newsletter (linked above) to get a free copy later tonight. And thanks for reading - I hope you enjoy it!
Head Harem Girl at The Sultan's Palace, Veronica Rowan isn't
interested in a relationship with any man - especially not hunky Fantasy
Ranch handyman Chance Emery. When he finds out about her personal
security experience, she can't refuse his plea for help. Drawn into a
twisted past marked by a trail of decapitated dolls, she struggles to
protect her heart as they fight to keep from losing their heads.
The Handyman's Harem Girl is available in ebook format for $3.99 in the Brazen Snake Books store, as well as these other fine online retailers:
Amazon | All Romance eBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
If it's not already at your favorite store, it should be there very soon.
Want to get your copy for free? Sign up for my newsletter, Variety News, before the new release announcement goes out at 10pm MDT
tonight. The newsletter will include a free download code to use in the
BSB store through this coming weekend.
Print copies will be available in mid-November. Now for an excerpt...
*****************************
Chance braced himself as Veronica turn to face him. It was pathetic, really, that the only woman he was attracted to in the whole joint was this one - the one most likely to push him out a window if he so much as looked at her wrong. He’d tried to be friendly in the beginning, but she was ice cold, to him at least.
He’d quickly learned to give her a wide berth, but when she danced he had a hard time keeping his eyes off her. She hired some very competent help, but none of them compared to her. The way her body moved was magic, and it called to some primal instinct that urged him to carry her off and rip the filmy fabric right off that lithe little body of hers.
He was sure she felt it too - the vibe between them was so thick it was nearly tangible. Yet she held him at arm’s length, all because of some stupid policy the bosses didn’t even follow themselves. Three years they’d been tip-toeing around this thing between them, and he was getting tired of it.
Maybe it was time to shake things up a bit. Or her, at least.
“I haven’t seen her since you were entertaining Jabba earlier,” he said, grinning when her eyes narrowed in disapproval. “She said something about paperwork she still had to fill out, I think. I wasn’t listening all that closely, to be honest.”
“I suppose it would be hard to pay attention with all the women jabbering in your ear every day. And you shouldn’t talk about the clients that way. It’s unprofessional.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and Chance silently mourned the loss of the view. The harem was kept on the cool side, and the costume material didn’t hide much.
“What’s the matter, Princess? Jealous?” He stepped closer, forcing her to look up at him with those sultry green eyes. He knew she wanted to back away, but she couldn’t. Her pride wouldn’t let her, and he had no issue with taking full advantage of the fact.
She conceded one step back, and arched an eyebrow. “Of course not. And there are no princesses in the harem, which I’m sure you’re well aware of. But I do trust that you’ll follow policy and keep your dealings with my girls strictly professional.”
He shrugged, breaking eye contact to see the new hostess approaching from behind. The girl winked at him, and he couldn’t help winking back, earning an exasperated look from his current prey.
“I always do, though I can’t say they make it easy.” He leaned in, somehow resisting the urge to touch her in any way before he whispered in her ear. “I’d make an exception for you though, Princess. Just say the word.”
Straightening, he didn’t look at Veronica again as he brushed past her, nodding to Eleanor as he passed by. The center of his back tingled as he went out the door, and he smiled. Apparently his cool harem girl couldn’t resist another look. Maybe there was hope for her yet.
************************Alrighty then. So go grab your copy, *or* sign up for my newsletter (linked above) to get a free copy later tonight. And thanks for reading - I hope you enjoy it!
September 18, 2013
Talkin' Books: Romance & Fantasy
Books Finished: Run the Risk by Lori Foster
Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis
At Last by Jill Shalvis
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Guardian Agent by Dana Marton
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: None
Comics Read:None
Yes, I've finally finished mainlining all of the Lucky Harbor
novels by Jill Shalvis that were/are on sale. I have no idea why I got
so caught up in the series, other than they're just good. So, you know.
Read 'em. I noticed quite a few are still on sale, but who knows for how
much longer...
Run the Risk
was the first rom. suspense that's actually held my interest in quite
awhile - but I normally like Lori Foster's books. I enjoyed it quite a
bit - there were some really twisty parts that made for very interesting
reading/red herrings (not the annoying kind). Dang it though - now I
need the rest of the series, because I want to know how all these other
romances she set up will end up. *sigh* I need more money too...
Magical Misfire
is, of course, the new fantasy novel by my friend & editor, and I'm
re-reading it because I still haven't had a chance to read the
final-after-edits version. It's good, people - really good, and yes,
there are some romantic elements to it, though that's not the focus. If
you like magic and fantasy, you'll want to at least give it a try. Trust
me!
And finally, I picked up a
three-book collection by Dana Marton, more romantic suspense that I
really hope doesn't disappoint. So far so good with Guardian Agent , the first book, so we'll see - I'm not all that far into it just yet.
I still haven't gotten back to Two Graves
yet...and no other reading because I've been super busy with book
releases and writing out my ears. Busy busy! I really want to get back
to it though, so hopefully later this week? We'll see.
That's it for this week...like I said, busy. What are you reading? Anything you'd like to recommend?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis
At Last by Jill Shalvis
Books In Progress: Magical Misfire by Carol R. Ward
Guardian Agent by Dana Marton
Two Graves by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Short Fiction: None
Comics Read:None
Yes, I've finally finished mainlining all of the Lucky Harbor
novels by Jill Shalvis that were/are on sale. I have no idea why I got
so caught up in the series, other than they're just good. So, you know.
Read 'em. I noticed quite a few are still on sale, but who knows for how
much longer...
Run the Risk
was the first rom. suspense that's actually held my interest in quite
awhile - but I normally like Lori Foster's books. I enjoyed it quite a
bit - there were some really twisty parts that made for very interesting
reading/red herrings (not the annoying kind). Dang it though - now I
need the rest of the series, because I want to know how all these other
romances she set up will end up. *sigh* I need more money too...
Magical Misfire
is, of course, the new fantasy novel by my friend & editor, and I'm
re-reading it because I still haven't had a chance to read the
final-after-edits version. It's good, people - really good, and yes,
there are some romantic elements to it, though that's not the focus. If
you like magic and fantasy, you'll want to at least give it a try. Trust
me!
And finally, I picked up a
three-book collection by Dana Marton, more romantic suspense that I
really hope doesn't disappoint. So far so good with Guardian Agent , the first book, so we'll see - I'm not all that far into it just yet.
I still haven't gotten back to Two Graves
yet...and no other reading because I've been super busy with book
releases and writing out my ears. Busy busy! I really want to get back
to it though, so hopefully later this week? We'll see.
That's it for this week...like I said, busy. What are you reading? Anything you'd like to recommend?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 16, 2013
Rain, Releases, TV, & The List...
Welcome to another Monday. How was your weekend?
Coming Friday!
Mine was one of those do-lots-of-things-don't-accomplish-much sort of weekends, which is really frustrating. I had this long list of things to do (including formatting The Handyman's Harem Girl - releasing on Friday?!), and I wasn't really sure where to start, so I just sort of bounced around and now that I'm at the end, I realize I've only really gotten one thing done that I wanted to do. It's probably because it rained all day Saturday, and my head was killing me. I'm not a fan of rain anyways, but when the whole day is wet & dreary like that? It sucks.
Like I said, frustrating.
So now, of course, everything else spills out into the coming week. Which means another week of working most nights, instead of playing games & crocheting. It's my own fault, of course, so I can't complain too much, but I really need to pace myself better, instead of this slow-slow-slow-FAST rhythm I've got going on here. Perhaps that will be my major resolution for 2014...it's kind of too late now for this year. Then again, it's not smart to make resolutions you know you'll probably break...
In any case, I absolutely *have* to be caught up with *everything* by the end of next weekend. Why? Do you really have to ask?
Yes, my dear readers - the fall TV season is finally starting again. I'd leap and shout for joy except it's late, and I'm kind of tired from all the stuff I didn't get done. But I am *seriously* looking forward to the new season...and thankfully, aside from Sleepy Hollow (which starts tomorrow, I think), we don't watch much on FOX these days considering we can't get our local signal half the time anymore. I'd really like to watch SH, but we might have to just catch it online and be a week behind if our signal doesn't come in consistently. Dang it.
But in one week, all bets are off. I'll be online, but you should just prepare now for about a zillion GetGlue check-ins from me as I rejoice in the return of all my favorite crime dramas & fairy tale spin-offs. Huzzah!
Egads. It's after midnight and I still have laundry to rescue from the dryer, so I'd better finish this up quick. The list for next week, you say? Are you sure you want to see it? Am I?
Okay. We'll be brave, shall we?
- Formatting/uploading/book release for THHG- Cover art for LC- Serial scene for JB- Revision work on October horror release- 1 holiday serial story- Update Alex W. web site and social networks- Cover art for an audiobook- Print formatting for three horror shorts- Blog post for next month's party at Alex's blog- Pay bills
There's more, but we'll just call that good, shall we? *yawn* Here goes nuthin'! I hope your week is off to a good start....
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Coming Friday!
Mine was one of those do-lots-of-things-don't-accomplish-much sort of weekends, which is really frustrating. I had this long list of things to do (including formatting The Handyman's Harem Girl - releasing on Friday?!), and I wasn't really sure where to start, so I just sort of bounced around and now that I'm at the end, I realize I've only really gotten one thing done that I wanted to do. It's probably because it rained all day Saturday, and my head was killing me. I'm not a fan of rain anyways, but when the whole day is wet & dreary like that? It sucks.
Like I said, frustrating.
So now, of course, everything else spills out into the coming week. Which means another week of working most nights, instead of playing games & crocheting. It's my own fault, of course, so I can't complain too much, but I really need to pace myself better, instead of this slow-slow-slow-FAST rhythm I've got going on here. Perhaps that will be my major resolution for 2014...it's kind of too late now for this year. Then again, it's not smart to make resolutions you know you'll probably break...
In any case, I absolutely *have* to be caught up with *everything* by the end of next weekend. Why? Do you really have to ask?
Yes, my dear readers - the fall TV season is finally starting again. I'd leap and shout for joy except it's late, and I'm kind of tired from all the stuff I didn't get done. But I am *seriously* looking forward to the new season...and thankfully, aside from Sleepy Hollow (which starts tomorrow, I think), we don't watch much on FOX these days considering we can't get our local signal half the time anymore. I'd really like to watch SH, but we might have to just catch it online and be a week behind if our signal doesn't come in consistently. Dang it.
But in one week, all bets are off. I'll be online, but you should just prepare now for about a zillion GetGlue check-ins from me as I rejoice in the return of all my favorite crime dramas & fairy tale spin-offs. Huzzah!
Egads. It's after midnight and I still have laundry to rescue from the dryer, so I'd better finish this up quick. The list for next week, you say? Are you sure you want to see it? Am I?
Okay. We'll be brave, shall we?
- Formatting/uploading/book release for THHG- Cover art for LC- Serial scene for JB- Revision work on October horror release- 1 holiday serial story- Update Alex W. web site and social networks- Cover art for an audiobook- Print formatting for three horror shorts- Blog post for next month's party at Alex's blog- Pay bills
There's more, but we'll just call that good, shall we? *yawn* Here goes nuthin'! I hope your week is off to a good start....
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 13, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 6
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 6
Max considered himself lucky for two reasons. First, Genevieve had pulled her foot back for a brief second as he’d gotten in the truck, rather than ramming her foot to the floor, which probably would have sent him spinning into the field next to the hotel. Whether she was just startled, or being charitable, he appreciated not being dead.
Second, she hadn’t stopped the truck and ordered him out yet. Not that it would do her any good, but maybe she wasn’t as keen on leaving him behind as she’d like him to believe.
Maybe she was starting to trust him.
“How do I get back to the city?” she asked, her drawl more pronounced than it had been the night before. He’d always been a sucker for a woman with an accent.
“Little Rock? Southeast from here about twenty miles. But I’d really advise going the other way, if I were you. We could be in Oklahoma City by early afternoon, which would be a better place to lay low and call that lawyer.”
Genevieve shook her head, pony tail swishing side to side. She looked like she had something to say, but hesitated a long moment as she followed green signs to the highway and merged south onto Interstate 40.
“I have a place in Little Rock,” she finally said. “Not under my name. Everything’s there - the books, the title, everything I need to prove the diner’s mine.”
Max nodded. “And you didn’t tell me this last night because?”
“You wanted me to lock myself in a freezer, and then basically kidnapped me while men were crawling all over my property with guns, supposedly trying to kill me. Why, exactly, would I trust anyone in that situation?”
She had a point.
“So why tell me now?” he asked.
She glanced at him and then looked back at the road, her expression guarded. Weary.
“You said my father saved your life. If that’s true, he must have trusted you.”
Max nodded. “Pete was a good man. Always believed the best of people.”
He could see her watching him from the corner of her eye, and he knew what she wanted. He couldn’t give it to her though. Not until he knew she was safe. No way would she stick around, much less let him help if she knew her father’s heart attack hadn’t just happened naturally.
And that Max had been there the day it happened.
“You’re gonna have to tell me sometime,” she said on a sigh. “Whatever it is, I can take it.”
Max studied the long, bare line of her neck as she tilted her head side to side, stretching. His fingers itched to explore that delicate column. More so knowing he’d probably never get the chance.
“I will,” he said, forcing himself to look away. “After this is over, I’ll tell you everything.”
“Why not now?” She exited into the city and he surveyed the unfamiliar buildings as they went by. He hadn’t exactly been conscious the last time he’d been in the city, and when he’d come to, it had been in Pete’s trailer behind the diner.
“Because we need to focus on what’s important right now, and that’s making sure you stay alive.” He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, and checked the side mirror as Genevieve made another turn.
“How close are we to your apartment?” he asked, noting a silver sedan making the same turn a few seconds after them.
“A block and a half or so. Why?”
“Turn left at the next corner, then right after that. I think we’re being followed.”
She did as he requested, the silver car just a couple of cars behind them the whole way.
“I see it,” she said, tension in her voice. “What do you want me to do?”
In any other context, Max would have enjoyed hearing that from her lips. He forced himself to focus.
“Look for a restaurant or shop, and park in front. We’ll have better luck losing them on foot, I think. Was there anything at the diner that could connect you to your apartment here? Anything at all?”
She shook her head, pulling into a parking space in front of a clothing shop. Cutting the engine, she reached for the door.
“Hang on a second,” Max said, watching the sedan pick a spot farther down the street. “Which way are we going?”
She pointed towards the window in the passenger door. “It’s two blocks back that way and another block to the right after that.”
Four men got out of the sedan and split up, two on one side of the street, two on the other. Max motioned for Genevieve to slide across the seat.
“Come this way. Be ready to run.” He slid out of the truck and held the door as she followed. Grabbing her hand, he held tight as he walked briskly toward the sidewalk with her in tow.
“I can walk by myself,” she hissed, though she didn’t fight his grip. He rubbed his thumb against hers, keeping a brisk but casual pace down the sidewalk. Their tails seemed content to follow at the moment, which is exactly what he’d hoped for.
“I know you can,” he said, stopping for a moment to look in a store window. “But this makes us look like a couple.” He raised their joined hands and met her confused stare, placing a light kiss on hers. She shuddered, her eyes going wide as he let their hands drop between them and started walking again. Just up ahead, he spied the hotel awning they’d passed earlier.
“Why would that matter?” she asked, trying to reclaim her hand. “These guys know who we are, so I don’t get--”
Max stopped under the awning, pulled her close and snaked an arm around her waist. Leaning down, he captured her surprised mouth in no-holds-barred kiss, male pride surging as she melted in his embrace.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 6
Max considered himself lucky for two reasons. First, Genevieve had pulled her foot back for a brief second as he’d gotten in the truck, rather than ramming her foot to the floor, which probably would have sent him spinning into the field next to the hotel. Whether she was just startled, or being charitable, he appreciated not being dead.
Second, she hadn’t stopped the truck and ordered him out yet. Not that it would do her any good, but maybe she wasn’t as keen on leaving him behind as she’d like him to believe.
Maybe she was starting to trust him.
“How do I get back to the city?” she asked, her drawl more pronounced than it had been the night before. He’d always been a sucker for a woman with an accent.
“Little Rock? Southeast from here about twenty miles. But I’d really advise going the other way, if I were you. We could be in Oklahoma City by early afternoon, which would be a better place to lay low and call that lawyer.”
Genevieve shook her head, pony tail swishing side to side. She looked like she had something to say, but hesitated a long moment as she followed green signs to the highway and merged south onto Interstate 40.
“I have a place in Little Rock,” she finally said. “Not under my name. Everything’s there - the books, the title, everything I need to prove the diner’s mine.”
Max nodded. “And you didn’t tell me this last night because?”
“You wanted me to lock myself in a freezer, and then basically kidnapped me while men were crawling all over my property with guns, supposedly trying to kill me. Why, exactly, would I trust anyone in that situation?”
She had a point.
“So why tell me now?” he asked.
She glanced at him and then looked back at the road, her expression guarded. Weary.
“You said my father saved your life. If that’s true, he must have trusted you.”
Max nodded. “Pete was a good man. Always believed the best of people.”
He could see her watching him from the corner of her eye, and he knew what she wanted. He couldn’t give it to her though. Not until he knew she was safe. No way would she stick around, much less let him help if she knew her father’s heart attack hadn’t just happened naturally.
And that Max had been there the day it happened.
“You’re gonna have to tell me sometime,” she said on a sigh. “Whatever it is, I can take it.”
Max studied the long, bare line of her neck as she tilted her head side to side, stretching. His fingers itched to explore that delicate column. More so knowing he’d probably never get the chance.
“I will,” he said, forcing himself to look away. “After this is over, I’ll tell you everything.”
“Why not now?” She exited into the city and he surveyed the unfamiliar buildings as they went by. He hadn’t exactly been conscious the last time he’d been in the city, and when he’d come to, it had been in Pete’s trailer behind the diner.
“Because we need to focus on what’s important right now, and that’s making sure you stay alive.” He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, and checked the side mirror as Genevieve made another turn.
“How close are we to your apartment?” he asked, noting a silver sedan making the same turn a few seconds after them.
“A block and a half or so. Why?”
“Turn left at the next corner, then right after that. I think we’re being followed.”
She did as he requested, the silver car just a couple of cars behind them the whole way.
“I see it,” she said, tension in her voice. “What do you want me to do?”
In any other context, Max would have enjoyed hearing that from her lips. He forced himself to focus.
“Look for a restaurant or shop, and park in front. We’ll have better luck losing them on foot, I think. Was there anything at the diner that could connect you to your apartment here? Anything at all?”
She shook her head, pulling into a parking space in front of a clothing shop. Cutting the engine, she reached for the door.
“Hang on a second,” Max said, watching the sedan pick a spot farther down the street. “Which way are we going?”
She pointed towards the window in the passenger door. “It’s two blocks back that way and another block to the right after that.”
Four men got out of the sedan and split up, two on one side of the street, two on the other. Max motioned for Genevieve to slide across the seat.
“Come this way. Be ready to run.” He slid out of the truck and held the door as she followed. Grabbing her hand, he held tight as he walked briskly toward the sidewalk with her in tow.
“I can walk by myself,” she hissed, though she didn’t fight his grip. He rubbed his thumb against hers, keeping a brisk but casual pace down the sidewalk. Their tails seemed content to follow at the moment, which is exactly what he’d hoped for.
“I know you can,” he said, stopping for a moment to look in a store window. “But this makes us look like a couple.” He raised their joined hands and met her confused stare, placing a light kiss on hers. She shuddered, her eyes going wide as he let their hands drop between them and started walking again. Just up ahead, he spied the hotel awning they’d passed earlier.
“Why would that matter?” she asked, trying to reclaim her hand. “These guys know who we are, so I don’t get--”
Max stopped under the awning, pulled her close and snaked an arm around her waist. Leaning down, he captured her surprised mouth in no-holds-barred kiss, male pride surging as she melted in his embrace.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
