Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 27
March 20, 2013
Talkin' Books: Hot Dragons & Grave Secrets...
Know how I was excited to get more reading time last week? Yeah. That
was before I had to get three stories written on a super-short deadline.
My own fault, of course, for not getting them done earlier, but it did
pretty severely cut into my reading time. Dang it.
No comics for me last week, which is a bummer. The unread stack is just sitting there on the dining room table, The Amazing Spiderman #700 open to the last page I read, mocking & tempting me in equal measure every time I walk by.
Cheeky little bastards, as Craig Ferguson would say.
I will read you this week, my pretties. Oh yes. Your time is coming very soon...
Don't
mind me. Ninety minutes of sleep in the last twenty-four hours (sick
dog who seems to be starting to slowly recover) will do that to a
person.
I manged to work in a few more chapters of The Third Gate by
Lincoln Child, wherein there is a rather grave secret, and that's all
I'll say because spoilers suck. Writing got in the way temporarily, but
the frantic writerly rush is over now, which is handy.
And I read a lot more of Dragon's Kiss by
Tielle St. Clare (much of it while I was up with the sick dog last
night), and the storyline is really quite intriguing, though I'll admit
to skimming sex scenes because I kind of get bored with them after
awhile. Is that sacrilegious to admit (considering I write rather steamy
scenes myself and even erotica under one of my pen names)? I mean, this
author is a great writer, so they're well done, but it wouldn't matter
who it was. I just...get bored reading sex scenes after a while. The
whole dragon mythos in this story is just really fascinating though, and
I find myself wondering about certain possibilities for the characters
as they travel their story arcs. It's not predictable, and while I'm
perfectly fine with predictable stories, there's certainly a draw to one
I can't guess the ending to just yet. Hopefully it won't disappoint...
That's
all I had time for last week, sadly enough. Or not, considering all the
writing I got done. Still, to an author reading is one of the most
important things we can do to "refill the well" and learn our craft (as
well as let our minds relax for awhile), so too important to let slip
for very long.
Until next week, happy reading!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
was before I had to get three stories written on a super-short deadline.
My own fault, of course, for not getting them done earlier, but it did
pretty severely cut into my reading time. Dang it.
No comics for me last week, which is a bummer. The unread stack is just sitting there on the dining room table, The Amazing Spiderman #700 open to the last page I read, mocking & tempting me in equal measure every time I walk by.
Cheeky little bastards, as Craig Ferguson would say.
I will read you this week, my pretties. Oh yes. Your time is coming very soon...
Don't
mind me. Ninety minutes of sleep in the last twenty-four hours (sick
dog who seems to be starting to slowly recover) will do that to a
person.
I manged to work in a few more chapters of The Third Gate by
Lincoln Child, wherein there is a rather grave secret, and that's all
I'll say because spoilers suck. Writing got in the way temporarily, but
the frantic writerly rush is over now, which is handy.
And I read a lot more of Dragon's Kiss by
Tielle St. Clare (much of it while I was up with the sick dog last
night), and the storyline is really quite intriguing, though I'll admit
to skimming sex scenes because I kind of get bored with them after
awhile. Is that sacrilegious to admit (considering I write rather steamy
scenes myself and even erotica under one of my pen names)? I mean, this
author is a great writer, so they're well done, but it wouldn't matter
who it was. I just...get bored reading sex scenes after a while. The
whole dragon mythos in this story is just really fascinating though, and
I find myself wondering about certain possibilities for the characters
as they travel their story arcs. It's not predictable, and while I'm
perfectly fine with predictable stories, there's certainly a draw to one
I can't guess the ending to just yet. Hopefully it won't disappoint...
That's
all I had time for last week, sadly enough. Or not, considering all the
writing I got done. Still, to an author reading is one of the most
important things we can do to "refill the well" and learn our craft (as
well as let our minds relax for awhile), so too important to let slip
for very long.
Until next week, happy reading!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 18, 2013
Frantic Writing, Feed Readers & Green Pasta
Everyone have fun celebrating the "green" holiday?
Being a fairly organized person is both a blessing and a curse. The
blessing part is obvious, but the curse part is that I always *think* I
have more time than I actually do, and I always seem to take on more
than I have time for. This phenomenon tends to happen when everything is
running like smoothly, because the perk of using habitual routines to
take care of the day-to-day stuff is that you *do* have more free time.
And then you decide you can do just one more thing, and that "one thing"
ends up taking more time than the space allotted, or something else
takes up more room, cutting the space you gave to that "one thing"
down...
Yeah. It's a snowball effect. And I am the master (mistress?) of too many projects snowballing out of control.
And that's why I spent a good chunk of this past weekend writing
(including nearly all day/night St. Patrick's Day), when I normally take
weekends off. My little three-way holiday serial story series was only
1/3 done by Friday, so I had to hustle to get the other two stories
written (and the last one didn't go up until after midnight, dang it). I
misjudged both the time it would take me to get them done, and the
amount of time I had to do them, which is what got me into that
particular predicament...
Needless to say, I'll be working on the Easter installments *this*
week, so that they're done in time for a Friday post, and I won't have
to be frantically writing them when I'm supposed to be social with
family. Except...that might actually be a good excuse not to be
social... *ponders*
In any case, I was just a distracted moron last week - I think
partially due to the Vitamin D I've been taking. It's a hormone, not
really a vitamin, and since I stopped it again last Friday my head's
been clearer & more focused. So along with that little issue last
week, I got the unfortunate news that many of you probably also saw -
Google Reader is going away. Considering I read the vast majority of
blogs on my list in Reader, that was really annoying. Like everyone
else, I started looking for a new home for my precious reading list, but
all of the other refugees and I were enough to take down the servers of
the most popular options (which says a lot about how many of us still
use the service, doesn't it?). Eventually I set up an account with
Netvibes, but they seem to have lost over half of my feeds now, so since
GR isn't shutting down until July 1st, I'm biding my time until some of
those other options have their traffic issues under better control.
Then I'll shop around and see if I can't find a new home for my feeds.
For some reason, people seem to think that social media and curated
magazine-style apps are better than a straight feed reader these days,
but I miss so many links on social media during the day when I'm at work
(no, I'm not going to go hunt them all down individually after work),
and those magazine style aggregators are all pictures and just...noisy -
again, making it easy to miss stuff. I just want a simple list of
topics to peruse, so I can click on what I'm interested in, and skip the
rest. I don't want to visit every site either - I want it all in one
spot to save time (which is why I rarely follow partial feeds). Hint:
traffic to your site is less important than people actually reading the
information. If you need ads to support your content, put them in your
feed.
In any case, I need a new feed reader. Dang it.
Back to the holiday - my weekend wasn't entirely devoid of holiday
cheer. I bought cupcakes with lovely green mint frosting and shamrock
sprinkles yesterday, very yummy. We had those after a rather tasty
dinner of cheese-filled shamrock ravioli's in both green and white,
covered in Alfredo.Good thing I pretty much write calories off on
Sundays. I wouldn't have had a prayer with that excellent food.
So what's happening this week? Well, let's make a list:
- Scene for THHG serial (due tomorrow)
- Easter scenes for holiday serials (3 - due...let's say Friday)
- Scenes for other drafts in progress as time allows
- Take some time in the evenings for crochet
- Workout 3x
- Finish catching up with accounting (supposed to do that this past weekend)
- Figure out new budget/bill paying schedule (my day job paydays
are changing from monthly to approx. twice monthly, screwing up all of
my current budgeting/bill paying)
And that's plenty. More than plenty. But I'll chip away at it.
Here's to getting back on track, and getting things done...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Being a fairly organized person is both a blessing and a curse. The
blessing part is obvious, but the curse part is that I always *think* I
have more time than I actually do, and I always seem to take on more
than I have time for. This phenomenon tends to happen when everything is
running like smoothly, because the perk of using habitual routines to
take care of the day-to-day stuff is that you *do* have more free time.
And then you decide you can do just one more thing, and that "one thing"
ends up taking more time than the space allotted, or something else
takes up more room, cutting the space you gave to that "one thing"
down...
Yeah. It's a snowball effect. And I am the master (mistress?) of too many projects snowballing out of control.
And that's why I spent a good chunk of this past weekend writing
(including nearly all day/night St. Patrick's Day), when I normally take
weekends off. My little three-way holiday serial story series was only
1/3 done by Friday, so I had to hustle to get the other two stories
written (and the last one didn't go up until after midnight, dang it). I
misjudged both the time it would take me to get them done, and the
amount of time I had to do them, which is what got me into that
particular predicament...
Needless to say, I'll be working on the Easter installments *this*
week, so that they're done in time for a Friday post, and I won't have
to be frantically writing them when I'm supposed to be social with
family. Except...that might actually be a good excuse not to be
social... *ponders*
In any case, I was just a distracted moron last week - I think
partially due to the Vitamin D I've been taking. It's a hormone, not
really a vitamin, and since I stopped it again last Friday my head's
been clearer & more focused. So along with that little issue last
week, I got the unfortunate news that many of you probably also saw -
Google Reader is going away. Considering I read the vast majority of
blogs on my list in Reader, that was really annoying. Like everyone
else, I started looking for a new home for my precious reading list, but
all of the other refugees and I were enough to take down the servers of
the most popular options (which says a lot about how many of us still
use the service, doesn't it?). Eventually I set up an account with
Netvibes, but they seem to have lost over half of my feeds now, so since
GR isn't shutting down until July 1st, I'm biding my time until some of
those other options have their traffic issues under better control.
Then I'll shop around and see if I can't find a new home for my feeds.
For some reason, people seem to think that social media and curated
magazine-style apps are better than a straight feed reader these days,
but I miss so many links on social media during the day when I'm at work
(no, I'm not going to go hunt them all down individually after work),
and those magazine style aggregators are all pictures and just...noisy -
again, making it easy to miss stuff. I just want a simple list of
topics to peruse, so I can click on what I'm interested in, and skip the
rest. I don't want to visit every site either - I want it all in one
spot to save time (which is why I rarely follow partial feeds). Hint:
traffic to your site is less important than people actually reading the
information. If you need ads to support your content, put them in your
feed.
In any case, I need a new feed reader. Dang it.
Back to the holiday - my weekend wasn't entirely devoid of holiday
cheer. I bought cupcakes with lovely green mint frosting and shamrock
sprinkles yesterday, very yummy. We had those after a rather tasty
dinner of cheese-filled shamrock ravioli's in both green and white,
covered in Alfredo.Good thing I pretty much write calories off on
Sundays. I wouldn't have had a prayer with that excellent food.
So what's happening this week? Well, let's make a list:
- Scene for THHG serial (due tomorrow)
- Easter scenes for holiday serials (3 - due...let's say Friday)
- Scenes for other drafts in progress as time allows
- Take some time in the evenings for crochet
- Workout 3x
- Finish catching up with accounting (supposed to do that this past weekend)
- Figure out new budget/bill paying schedule (my day job paydays
are changing from monthly to approx. twice monthly, screwing up all of
my current budgeting/bill paying)
And that's plenty. More than plenty. But I'll chip away at it.
Here's to getting back on track, and getting things done...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 15, 2013
Serial Holiday Shorts: Mr. Mysterious - St. Patrick's Day
Happy St. Patrick's Day (early)!
Mr.
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in December 2013.
Valentine's Day
Lucky Charm
Sipping at a fruity green concoction that Melanie and Jodi had assured her was more juice than alcohol, Laura checked the time on her phone again. Melanie had just left with a new man, though Laura had been half-afraid to let her go after she’d returned from the last date missing a heart-shaped piece out of her arm. Jodi had raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say a word, and Laura hadn’t really wanted to know.
The same guy Jodi had left with on Valentine’s Day picked her up again, but they’d both seemed stressed and anxious around each other. Hopefully Jodi wouldn’t waste anymore time on him if he wasn’t long-term material, but her friend had seemed a bit strange lately. Quiet. More contemplative.
The bartender brought her another green drink, and she slid a bill across the counter and thanked him with a smile. She’d better slow down, or she’d be asleep before Mysterious ever got there at this rate. He’d said something about work last time, and how it required a lot of his own time, but it seemed strange that he didn’t even get holidays off. She was hoping it was some sort of law enforcement, because the alternative meant she’d fallen for a criminal. He couldn’t be. Could he?
He hadn’t called, or texted, or emailed since Valentine’s Day, and a familiar sense of dread washed over her as the hour grew later. Eight o’ clock came and went, then nine, and finally at ten, she was more than ready to go home.
Tired and depressed, she walked to her car. Opening the driver’s side door, she tossed her purse across to the passenger’s seat. She had one foot in before she realized that the purse had bounced off the seat and onto the floor. That’s when her mind registered the black clad leg next to the center console. She pulled her leg back and prepared to scream.
“It’s me, don’t scream.” The man leaned forward so she could see his face in the dome light, and the breath she’d sucked in went back out in a whoosh as she covered her pounding heart with one hand.
“Oh. My. God.” She slid in and closed the door, willing her pulse to slow down. The strong, male fingers that slid over her thigh didn’t help.
“You scared me, damn it! Have you been out here the whole time? Why didn’t you call, or text, or...come in? You know, like a normal person?” Finally glancing at his face, she saw concern and regret in his eyes.
“I’m really sorry, but it was too dangerous. My only other option was to wait for you to come out and grab you like they do on TV, but that seemed a bit dramatic. I thought this might be the least startling way to meet, given the circumstances.”
Laura frowned, shifting in her seat so she could look at him without a kinked neck.
“Who are you, exactly? And what do you do? Because if you’re into something illegal, you can just leave now...”
He shrugged, his lips tugging up in a grin. “Fair enough. I suppose I never did actually introduce myself, did I?” He held out his hand. “David Eklund, CIA. And yes, I’m into something illegal, but only because it’s my job to stop it. And if you tell anyone that, I’ll deny it until they kill me.”
Despite the lightness of his tone, the look in his eyes confirmed that last statement. Laura took his hand, the touch setting off impulses that her mind wasn’t sure it should.
“So you’re undercover then? A spy? Do people really do that?”
He chuckled, his grip tightening when she would have pulled away, his thumb absently caressing the side of her hand.
“Yes, people actually do that. And before you ask, I can’t tell you anything about the case. I shouldn’t have told you anything at all, but I can’t seem to get you out of my head.” He pulled her closer, leaning in until his lips were just a breath away from hers. “And that makes you more dangerous than the people I’m working with right now.”
His mouth covered hers, his tongue sweeping her lips and she whimpered, opening for him. He tasted warm, minty, and she couldn’t quite stifle a giggle at the thought of some tough spy freshening his breath in anticipation of a kiss.
He pulled back slightly, smiling at her in the dim light from a nearby streetlight. “What’s so funny?”
She shook her head, glad he couldn’t see her blush. “Nothing. You just...I mean, you taste like mint, and you’re...well, it’s very double-o-sevenish, don’t you think?” She laughed, relieved when he joined her even though she knew she sounded like a loon.
“Maybe you don’t realize it, but you taste like mint too. Mixed with something fruity. And perhaps a bit of something stronger?”
She shrugged, looking at him coyly through her lashes. “I may have enjoyed a green drink or two while waiting for a certain leprechaun to show up.”
“Ouch!” He grabbed his chest and fell back against the seat in mock pain. “Leprechauns are nasty little creatures. And certainly not the type to share their gold with you. Me, on the other hand...” He reached into his pocket and held up a round gold object swinging from a chain.
She took it from him, holding it up to the light. “A gold coin?” Surely it wasn’t real. Flipping it over, she smiled at a bright green enameled four-leaf clover in the center. “A lucky one, at that.”
He nodded. “You’ve sort of been my lucky charm for awhile now. I thought I’d return the favor. May I?”
“That is so sweet.” She practically melted at his words, giving the necklace back. She turned away so he could fasten it around her neck. “You really shouldn’t have, but thank you!”
The coin was heavier than it looked, and she ran her fingers over the textured surface as she turned back to face David.
“It looks good on you.” He touched it lightly with one finger and traced a light line over her skin to the vee of her shirt. Moving closer, he pressed a light kiss to her lips, and then another, and then another. She cupped his neck with her hands, her fingers tangling in the silky curls at the back of his head.
He pulled her closer, or tried. She pushed away at a sharp pain in her hip as the console between the seats blocked her progress.
“Ow.” She smiled sheepishly, pointing to the offending plastic. “Think we could take this somewhere less confining?”
He grinned and nodded. “Sure. Your--” He stopped, his smile fading as he looked down for a moment. When he raised his head, she saw sincere regret in his eyes.
“I’m sorry - I have to go. If I had a choice...”
Laura shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m sure it’s important. When--”
“Easter,” he said, leaning in for one more kiss. “But I’ll contact you before then, just as soon as I can, okay? Promise.”
She smiled. “It’s a date.”
He opened the door and a sudden sense of fear washed over her as he stepped out. For him, not herself.
“David?”
He leaned over, peering back into the space.
“Be careful, okay?”
His lips turned up, his eyes brightening even in the dim light. “I will.”
The door shut and he was gone. Laura sat back against the seat and closed her eyes, breathing out a long sigh. “What are you doing?” she asked herself softly.
As she reached over to retrieve her purse from the floor, the coin charm David had given her swung down to bump against the shifter, sending the bottom half falling to the seat he’d just vacated. Frowning, she picked it up and looked closer, realizing there was a rectangular cut-out in the broken piece, as if it were meant to come apart.
She looked at the half still hanging from her neck, and raised her eyebrows. David had given her a cleverly disguised USB drive, apparently. But had he meant for her to figure that out?
She clicked the halves back together and started the car. She had to get home and check in with the girls. Then she’d decide what to do about her so-called lucky charm.
###
Join us for the next installment of Laura's story right here on Easter - March 31, 2013.
Curious about what Melanie and Jodi were up to while Laura was meeting
Mysterious? Check in on Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted later this weekend. Thanks for reading!
Mr.
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in December 2013.
Valentine's Day
Lucky Charm
Sipping at a fruity green concoction that Melanie and Jodi had assured her was more juice than alcohol, Laura checked the time on her phone again. Melanie had just left with a new man, though Laura had been half-afraid to let her go after she’d returned from the last date missing a heart-shaped piece out of her arm. Jodi had raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say a word, and Laura hadn’t really wanted to know.
The same guy Jodi had left with on Valentine’s Day picked her up again, but they’d both seemed stressed and anxious around each other. Hopefully Jodi wouldn’t waste anymore time on him if he wasn’t long-term material, but her friend had seemed a bit strange lately. Quiet. More contemplative.
The bartender brought her another green drink, and she slid a bill across the counter and thanked him with a smile. She’d better slow down, or she’d be asleep before Mysterious ever got there at this rate. He’d said something about work last time, and how it required a lot of his own time, but it seemed strange that he didn’t even get holidays off. She was hoping it was some sort of law enforcement, because the alternative meant she’d fallen for a criminal. He couldn’t be. Could he?
He hadn’t called, or texted, or emailed since Valentine’s Day, and a familiar sense of dread washed over her as the hour grew later. Eight o’ clock came and went, then nine, and finally at ten, she was more than ready to go home.
Tired and depressed, she walked to her car. Opening the driver’s side door, she tossed her purse across to the passenger’s seat. She had one foot in before she realized that the purse had bounced off the seat and onto the floor. That’s when her mind registered the black clad leg next to the center console. She pulled her leg back and prepared to scream.
“It’s me, don’t scream.” The man leaned forward so she could see his face in the dome light, and the breath she’d sucked in went back out in a whoosh as she covered her pounding heart with one hand.
“Oh. My. God.” She slid in and closed the door, willing her pulse to slow down. The strong, male fingers that slid over her thigh didn’t help.
“You scared me, damn it! Have you been out here the whole time? Why didn’t you call, or text, or...come in? You know, like a normal person?” Finally glancing at his face, she saw concern and regret in his eyes.
“I’m really sorry, but it was too dangerous. My only other option was to wait for you to come out and grab you like they do on TV, but that seemed a bit dramatic. I thought this might be the least startling way to meet, given the circumstances.”
Laura frowned, shifting in her seat so she could look at him without a kinked neck.
“Who are you, exactly? And what do you do? Because if you’re into something illegal, you can just leave now...”
He shrugged, his lips tugging up in a grin. “Fair enough. I suppose I never did actually introduce myself, did I?” He held out his hand. “David Eklund, CIA. And yes, I’m into something illegal, but only because it’s my job to stop it. And if you tell anyone that, I’ll deny it until they kill me.”
Despite the lightness of his tone, the look in his eyes confirmed that last statement. Laura took his hand, the touch setting off impulses that her mind wasn’t sure it should.
“So you’re undercover then? A spy? Do people really do that?”
He chuckled, his grip tightening when she would have pulled away, his thumb absently caressing the side of her hand.
“Yes, people actually do that. And before you ask, I can’t tell you anything about the case. I shouldn’t have told you anything at all, but I can’t seem to get you out of my head.” He pulled her closer, leaning in until his lips were just a breath away from hers. “And that makes you more dangerous than the people I’m working with right now.”
His mouth covered hers, his tongue sweeping her lips and she whimpered, opening for him. He tasted warm, minty, and she couldn’t quite stifle a giggle at the thought of some tough spy freshening his breath in anticipation of a kiss.
He pulled back slightly, smiling at her in the dim light from a nearby streetlight. “What’s so funny?”
She shook her head, glad he couldn’t see her blush. “Nothing. You just...I mean, you taste like mint, and you’re...well, it’s very double-o-sevenish, don’t you think?” She laughed, relieved when he joined her even though she knew she sounded like a loon.
“Maybe you don’t realize it, but you taste like mint too. Mixed with something fruity. And perhaps a bit of something stronger?”
She shrugged, looking at him coyly through her lashes. “I may have enjoyed a green drink or two while waiting for a certain leprechaun to show up.”
“Ouch!” He grabbed his chest and fell back against the seat in mock pain. “Leprechauns are nasty little creatures. And certainly not the type to share their gold with you. Me, on the other hand...” He reached into his pocket and held up a round gold object swinging from a chain.
She took it from him, holding it up to the light. “A gold coin?” Surely it wasn’t real. Flipping it over, she smiled at a bright green enameled four-leaf clover in the center. “A lucky one, at that.”
He nodded. “You’ve sort of been my lucky charm for awhile now. I thought I’d return the favor. May I?”
“That is so sweet.” She practically melted at his words, giving the necklace back. She turned away so he could fasten it around her neck. “You really shouldn’t have, but thank you!”
The coin was heavier than it looked, and she ran her fingers over the textured surface as she turned back to face David.
“It looks good on you.” He touched it lightly with one finger and traced a light line over her skin to the vee of her shirt. Moving closer, he pressed a light kiss to her lips, and then another, and then another. She cupped his neck with her hands, her fingers tangling in the silky curls at the back of his head.
He pulled her closer, or tried. She pushed away at a sharp pain in her hip as the console between the seats blocked her progress.
“Ow.” She smiled sheepishly, pointing to the offending plastic. “Think we could take this somewhere less confining?”
He grinned and nodded. “Sure. Your--” He stopped, his smile fading as he looked down for a moment. When he raised his head, she saw sincere regret in his eyes.
“I’m sorry - I have to go. If I had a choice...”
Laura shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m sure it’s important. When--”
“Easter,” he said, leaning in for one more kiss. “But I’ll contact you before then, just as soon as I can, okay? Promise.”
She smiled. “It’s a date.”
He opened the door and a sudden sense of fear washed over her as he stepped out. For him, not herself.
“David?”
He leaned over, peering back into the space.
“Be careful, okay?”
His lips turned up, his eyes brightening even in the dim light. “I will.”
The door shut and he was gone. Laura sat back against the seat and closed her eyes, breathing out a long sigh. “What are you doing?” she asked herself softly.
As she reached over to retrieve her purse from the floor, the coin charm David had given her swung down to bump against the shifter, sending the bottom half falling to the seat he’d just vacated. Frowning, she picked it up and looked closer, realizing there was a rectangular cut-out in the broken piece, as if it were meant to come apart.
She looked at the half still hanging from her neck, and raised her eyebrows. David had given her a cleverly disguised USB drive, apparently. But had he meant for her to figure that out?
She clicked the halves back together and started the car. She had to get home and check in with the girls. Then she’d decide what to do about her so-called lucky charm.
###
Join us for the next installment of Laura's story right here on Easter - March 31, 2013.
Curious about what Melanie and Jodi were up to while Laura was meeting
Mysterious? Check in on Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted later this weekend. Thanks for reading!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 13, 2013
Talkin' Books: Untangling Webs, Dragon Slayers & a Swamp in Egypt
Did you see the mess Marvel comics caused this week when they
announced that they were giving away 700 #1 digital comic books for a
couple days? Mass hysteria & chaos ensued when the poor Comixology
site couldn't handle all the requests for free comics. Working in the
IT field, and with web stuff in particular, I feel for those guys. It
would be really difficult (if not impossible) to predict the kind of
server traffic an offer like that would create. They're going to be
ready for a really long nap when this is all over...and a detox from all
the caffeine I'm sure they've ingested since last weekend...
Of course I'll be getting in there to download some comics too once
they're fully functional again. If I didn't keep forgetting my dang
password, that would help, but I did download some free comics through
the Marvel app this morning (same engine powers both apps), so they're
getting there. Weds is release day in the comic book world, so I know
they were scrambling to have everything at least running for the new
releases today.
As far as reading goes, I finally got The Amazing Spiderman #699 and #699.1 read, and I started on #700 .
The whole Superior Spiderman storyline is clearer now, and I'm curious
as to how Peter Parker's role will continue through the SS arc, and more
importantly, if he'll ever truly meld with Dr. Ock in his former body,
or if he'll be able to oust the intruder, or what. And will he keep some
of Doc Ock's edge when that happens?
I was also wondering why Peter Parker is a total broad-shouldered
hunk in the comic books, and always portrayed by a short, skinny
youngster in the movies. What's up with that, anyways? Give us eye
candy, comic book movie makers!
I also read Batman #0 , which isn't
actually the zero issue, but rather a sort of "catch-up & jump on"
point from last September. Comic continuities need these. Trust me. And
it was intriguing, but I'm on the fence about whether to hit the whole
series or not. There's a new "Year Zero" story arc starting this summer -
I might wait and jump in then. Though the "Death in the Family" arc
covers make me want them for the artwork...
As for new comics this week, I bought The Age of Ultron #1 ,
which I told myself I would not buy because I do not need another
storyline to be sucked into. *sigh* Dang it. I was going to cut myself
off for the month, but discovered a bit of extra cash in the book biz
account, so we'll see. I need to save for a new tablet (my screen is
getting flickery)...but there are some digital comics I want...but need
tablet to read digital comics with...catch 22, right there, eh? I can
always catch up on the comics, I guess.
On the Kindle, I had to put that paranormal romance I was reading
aside...I just wasn't connecting with it at all (that's not to say
others won't, but I didn't). Running through my digital TBR pile, I came
across another paranormal that caught my eye from the first page - Dragon's Kiss
by Tielle St. Clare. This is not even remotely family-friendly, peeps -
it's an erotic romance, and so far the storyline is very intriguing.
I'm looking forward to seeing whether Lorran can save the slayer who's
been bitten by a dragon or not...
And of course I'm still working on The Third Gate
by Lincoln Child in paperback. Did you know there was a swamp in Egypt?
Me either, but the description makes it sound very daunting. In any
case, good book so far. As predicted.
I suppose that's it for this week. As I mentioned, I'm both broke
and saving for a new tablet, but thankfully my TBR piles are all very
well stocked, so I'm not going to run out of reading materials anytime
soon. Heck, maybe I'll even get caught up, eh? There's a first time for
everything...
What are you reading this week? Anything I should put on next month's "To buy" list?
announced that they were giving away 700 #1 digital comic books for a
couple days? Mass hysteria & chaos ensued when the poor Comixology
site couldn't handle all the requests for free comics. Working in the
IT field, and with web stuff in particular, I feel for those guys. It
would be really difficult (if not impossible) to predict the kind of
server traffic an offer like that would create. They're going to be
ready for a really long nap when this is all over...and a detox from all
the caffeine I'm sure they've ingested since last weekend...
Of course I'll be getting in there to download some comics too once
they're fully functional again. If I didn't keep forgetting my dang
password, that would help, but I did download some free comics through
the Marvel app this morning (same engine powers both apps), so they're
getting there. Weds is release day in the comic book world, so I know
they were scrambling to have everything at least running for the new
releases today.
As far as reading goes, I finally got The Amazing Spiderman #699 and #699.1 read, and I started on #700 .
The whole Superior Spiderman storyline is clearer now, and I'm curious
as to how Peter Parker's role will continue through the SS arc, and more
importantly, if he'll ever truly meld with Dr. Ock in his former body,
or if he'll be able to oust the intruder, or what. And will he keep some
of Doc Ock's edge when that happens?
I was also wondering why Peter Parker is a total broad-shouldered
hunk in the comic books, and always portrayed by a short, skinny
youngster in the movies. What's up with that, anyways? Give us eye
candy, comic book movie makers!
I also read Batman #0 , which isn't
actually the zero issue, but rather a sort of "catch-up & jump on"
point from last September. Comic continuities need these. Trust me. And
it was intriguing, but I'm on the fence about whether to hit the whole
series or not. There's a new "Year Zero" story arc starting this summer -
I might wait and jump in then. Though the "Death in the Family" arc
covers make me want them for the artwork...
As for new comics this week, I bought The Age of Ultron #1 ,
which I told myself I would not buy because I do not need another
storyline to be sucked into. *sigh* Dang it. I was going to cut myself
off for the month, but discovered a bit of extra cash in the book biz
account, so we'll see. I need to save for a new tablet (my screen is
getting flickery)...but there are some digital comics I want...but need
tablet to read digital comics with...catch 22, right there, eh? I can
always catch up on the comics, I guess.
On the Kindle, I had to put that paranormal romance I was reading
aside...I just wasn't connecting with it at all (that's not to say
others won't, but I didn't). Running through my digital TBR pile, I came
across another paranormal that caught my eye from the first page - Dragon's Kiss
by Tielle St. Clare. This is not even remotely family-friendly, peeps -
it's an erotic romance, and so far the storyline is very intriguing.
I'm looking forward to seeing whether Lorran can save the slayer who's
been bitten by a dragon or not...
And of course I'm still working on The Third Gate
by Lincoln Child in paperback. Did you know there was a swamp in Egypt?
Me either, but the description makes it sound very daunting. In any
case, good book so far. As predicted.
I suppose that's it for this week. As I mentioned, I'm both broke
and saving for a new tablet, but thankfully my TBR piles are all very
well stocked, so I'm not going to run out of reading materials anytime
soon. Heck, maybe I'll even get caught up, eh? There's a first time for
everything...
What are you reading this week? Anything I should put on next month's "To buy" list?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 11, 2013
DST, Annoying Sinuses & Complicating Weight Loss...
So...Daylight Savings Time sucks. I hate it. And there's really no
good reason for all the switching back and forth at all. It's just as
well I'm writing this Sunday night, because as much as I hate getting up
at 6am, I hate getting up at 5am about 10x more, which is what this
morning was like for me. I read a study once that said one of the
highest risk times for dying during the year is the week right after we
go to DST. It's dangerous, people!
*Breathes*
Okay. Rant over. Just...you know...be cautious if you talk to me
online today. I might bite. If I survived the early alarm clock.
Last week was semi-productive. I didn't do nearly as much as I
wanted to, but part of that is because I've been fighting this sinus
"thing" and I lost a whole day to a raging headache. Annoying, but no
way to avoid it, really.
The weekend wasn't too bad - I got my comic books put away and organized, and got some crocheting in while we watched Skyfall
Saturday night (didn't enjoy it nearly as much as previous bond movies,
but it was okay). Accounting? Yeah, no. Which sucks, but I just didn't
feel like sitting in front of the computer this weekend.
I've been having that problem a lot lately, actually. Even though I
haven't worked out in a couple weeks (not real workouts), I find myself
less amiable to sitting for long stretches at a time. My body wants to
move, and it's kind of problematic considering my day job work happens
at a desk, and so does the writing/publishing business. I need to figure
out how to balance out my need for movement vs my need to get stuff
done - an odd but welcome issue to face, I suppose.
Speaking of such: three people complimented me on my weight loss
recently and asked me how I did it. I suspect my answer, "eat less, move
more" wasn't what they were looking for, considering they didn't have
much to say after that. One of them was rather surprised that it took me
around a year to lose 40lbs (this ain't TV, folks).
It made me all too aware of how much we humans like to complicate
things - mostly because we're looking for that quick fix that will
require the least amount of effort. The thing about health though is
that it's a life-long process, and there *is* no quick fix...it's a day
to day thing. Still, I'll admit that after my conversations with those
ladies, I'm considering writing a book on weight loss. Not that the
world needs another one of those, but it would save me from having to
explain over and over and over when people ask. Unfortunately, there
really wouldn't be anything in it that the motivated person couldn't
find for free online. It's just really not that hard, but it does take a
lot of work, if that makes any sense.
I did get a decent amount of writing done, but the St. Pat's day
shorts fell to the side, so gotta get those done before this Friday. And
I still have editing to do on a short story too. It's gonna be a busy
week! Here's the list:
- Serial scene for THHG
- Three flash installments for the holiday series to post on Friday
- Edits & formatting for a short story to be released Friday
- Whatever writing I can get done on my various other drafts
- Finish catching my accounting up
- Compile sales stats for last year
- Workout x3
That's all I'm putting on the list - anything else will be a bonus this week, what with the whole time change debacle.
And with that, I guess it's time to get to work...
good reason for all the switching back and forth at all. It's just as
well I'm writing this Sunday night, because as much as I hate getting up
at 6am, I hate getting up at 5am about 10x more, which is what this
morning was like for me. I read a study once that said one of the
highest risk times for dying during the year is the week right after we
go to DST. It's dangerous, people!
*Breathes*
Okay. Rant over. Just...you know...be cautious if you talk to me
online today. I might bite. If I survived the early alarm clock.
Last week was semi-productive. I didn't do nearly as much as I
wanted to, but part of that is because I've been fighting this sinus
"thing" and I lost a whole day to a raging headache. Annoying, but no
way to avoid it, really.
The weekend wasn't too bad - I got my comic books put away and organized, and got some crocheting in while we watched Skyfall
Saturday night (didn't enjoy it nearly as much as previous bond movies,
but it was okay). Accounting? Yeah, no. Which sucks, but I just didn't
feel like sitting in front of the computer this weekend.
I've been having that problem a lot lately, actually. Even though I
haven't worked out in a couple weeks (not real workouts), I find myself
less amiable to sitting for long stretches at a time. My body wants to
move, and it's kind of problematic considering my day job work happens
at a desk, and so does the writing/publishing business. I need to figure
out how to balance out my need for movement vs my need to get stuff
done - an odd but welcome issue to face, I suppose.
Speaking of such: three people complimented me on my weight loss
recently and asked me how I did it. I suspect my answer, "eat less, move
more" wasn't what they were looking for, considering they didn't have
much to say after that. One of them was rather surprised that it took me
around a year to lose 40lbs (this ain't TV, folks).
It made me all too aware of how much we humans like to complicate
things - mostly because we're looking for that quick fix that will
require the least amount of effort. The thing about health though is
that it's a life-long process, and there *is* no quick fix...it's a day
to day thing. Still, I'll admit that after my conversations with those
ladies, I'm considering writing a book on weight loss. Not that the
world needs another one of those, but it would save me from having to
explain over and over and over when people ask. Unfortunately, there
really wouldn't be anything in it that the motivated person couldn't
find for free online. It's just really not that hard, but it does take a
lot of work, if that makes any sense.
I did get a decent amount of writing done, but the St. Pat's day
shorts fell to the side, so gotta get those done before this Friday. And
I still have editing to do on a short story too. It's gonna be a busy
week! Here's the list:
- Serial scene for THHG
- Three flash installments for the holiday series to post on Friday
- Edits & formatting for a short story to be released Friday
- Whatever writing I can get done on my various other drafts
- Finish catching my accounting up
- Compile sales stats for last year
- Workout x3
That's all I'm putting on the list - anything else will be a bonus this week, what with the whole time change debacle.
And with that, I guess it's time to get to work...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 8, 2013
Friday Excerpt: Desert Heat
Desert Heat is the second book I published, with a rather prickly main character who isn't for everyone. She does, however, have a soft spot for a good looking man, just like the rest of us, and things get a little too hot for comfort when he brings a file to her hotel room one night...
Excerpt: Desert Heat
Darren let out a deep breath when he finally entered his hotel room
several hours later. It had been a long flight to Denver, between
listening to a yowling cat who apparently did not appreciate being up in the
clouds, and watching the photographer flirt with Marie the whole way.
How had he gotten a seat right next to her anyway? He tossed his bag on
the bed and took out the manila folder containing the project’s
specifics. He sat on the bed, his back propped against the headboard,
and started reading.
He’d gotten halfway through the file when the phone beside him rang. He hesitated a moment and then picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Darren,
it’s Nell.” He opened his mouth to reply, but she didn’t pause. “Do you
happen to have your copy of the itinerary handy? Dr. Simco left hers
back at the lab, and she’s trying to decide how we can make up for this
lost time when we get to New Mexico.”
He flipped to the front of the
folder, finding the page she needed. “I have it right here,” he said,
getting to his feet. “What room is she in? I’ll take it to her.” He
tried to ignore the fact that his pulse sped up at the thought of being
alone with her, even for a few minutes.
“Room two-fifteen,” Nell
said. She seemed preoccupied, and he wondered what she was doing - or
trying to do - while talking to him. In his experience, most women
couldn’t focus on just one thing. He shook his head. At least Marie’s
room was on this floor - only a couple doors down the hall.
“Uh...okay. Thanks - I’ll talk to you later.”
Darren
stared at the phone as the connection went silent. He wondered what
Marie was doing. Working, probably. She didn’t seem like the type to
relax very often.
He put the phone down and got the plastic room key
off the table. He considered putting his shoes on, but couldn’t bear the
thought of putting his feet back into them. He padded into the hall, surprised to find room two-fifteen right across the hall from his. He
crossed the bold, flowery carpet to her door and knocked, surprised when
she opened the door almost immediately.
“Nell told me you were
coming.” Her eyes moved over his body and he fought the urge to squirm
under her scrutiny. An old t-shirt hanging loose over old jeans that
just grazed the top of his bare feet wasn’t exactly work attire. She
looked up again, and met his gaze with one eyebrow arched.
“Comfortable?”
He grinned, glancing at his feet, and noting that her
own were bare too, with surprisingly bright shade of pink polish on her
toenails. “Getting there, anyway.” He looked her over too, taking his
time to examine every detail. He’d never seen her hair down before; she
always wore it up at work. It swirled around her face and shoulders in
gentle waves, the red highlights shimmering through dark brown in the
lamp light. The business jacket she’d worn buttoned up all day was gone,
with only a thin yellow t-shirt covering her ample breasts. Wishing he
had x-ray vision, he noticed her chest moving a little faster as she
breathed. Could he be affecting her as much as she affected him?
Ever
since the party, he’d wondered if she felt the chemistry building
between them. When he’d leaned over to speak to her, it had felt like a
magnet was pulling him in. Unable to resist testing the theory, he took a
step forward. Then another. He felt a definite connection the moment he
crossed into her personal space.
“Um...did you bring the schedule,
Dar...uh...Dr. Newbury?” There was something in her tone that Darren
couldn’t quite describe. Panic? Desire, maybe? He looked into her eyes
as he held the document up. Definitely desire, he noted before she
looked away and reached for the page.
“You feel it too, don’t you?”
Mentally, he cursed himself for saying it aloud. Even if it was true, he
knew she was scared. He saw it in her tense muscles, and the set of her
jaw. Would she kick him off the team? He reached out a hand, ran a
single finger over her collarbone. She shivered.
“I...um...don’t think...”
He
slid his finger up to her neck, her pulse strong and fast under his
touch. “Good,” he said. Had she swayed closer? “Don’t think. Close your
eyes. Feel.”
Her lashes fluttered down, and he nearly groaned. She
was so beautiful. He caressed a path down her chest and up the center of
her throat to trace along her jaw. Lacing his fingers in her hair he
cupped her head, coaxing it back as he stepped up to press his body
against hers. She was so warm, melting into his chest as he leaned over
and kissed her neck, her jaw, her lips.
She whimpered, hesitating a
moment before letting him in, kissing him back with a hunger that seemed
contrary to her controlling nature. She wrapped her arms around his
neck, and he pulled her more tightly against him, backing her into the
room and letting the door swing shut. He slid his hands down to cup her
buttocks, his arousal pressing hard against the front of her jeans. He
laved once more at her lips and then kissed down the side of her neck,
bending her backward enough that he could taste the smooth place between
her breasts.
Three loud thumps came from behind him, and he glanced
over his shoulder with a frown. Marie was struggling in his arms, and he
turned back to her, noting the bright red color rising in her cheeks
and her refusal to look in his eyes. He let her go, careful to make sure
she was steady before removing his hands from her arms.
“Oh my god,”
she said, turning away from him and running a hand through her hair.
“That’s probably Scott. What was I thinking?” She turned back, distress
lining her face. “I’m so sorry. That was a huge mistake. You have to
go.”
Excerpt: Desert Heat
Darren let out a deep breath when he finally entered his hotel room
several hours later. It had been a long flight to Denver, between
listening to a yowling cat who apparently did not appreciate being up in the
clouds, and watching the photographer flirt with Marie the whole way.
How had he gotten a seat right next to her anyway? He tossed his bag on
the bed and took out the manila folder containing the project’s
specifics. He sat on the bed, his back propped against the headboard,
and started reading.
He’d gotten halfway through the file when the phone beside him rang. He hesitated a moment and then picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Darren,
it’s Nell.” He opened his mouth to reply, but she didn’t pause. “Do you
happen to have your copy of the itinerary handy? Dr. Simco left hers
back at the lab, and she’s trying to decide how we can make up for this
lost time when we get to New Mexico.”
He flipped to the front of the
folder, finding the page she needed. “I have it right here,” he said,
getting to his feet. “What room is she in? I’ll take it to her.” He
tried to ignore the fact that his pulse sped up at the thought of being
alone with her, even for a few minutes.
“Room two-fifteen,” Nell
said. She seemed preoccupied, and he wondered what she was doing - or
trying to do - while talking to him. In his experience, most women
couldn’t focus on just one thing. He shook his head. At least Marie’s
room was on this floor - only a couple doors down the hall.
“Uh...okay. Thanks - I’ll talk to you later.”
Darren
stared at the phone as the connection went silent. He wondered what
Marie was doing. Working, probably. She didn’t seem like the type to
relax very often.
He put the phone down and got the plastic room key
off the table. He considered putting his shoes on, but couldn’t bear the
thought of putting his feet back into them. He padded into the hall, surprised to find room two-fifteen right across the hall from his. He
crossed the bold, flowery carpet to her door and knocked, surprised when
she opened the door almost immediately.
“Nell told me you were
coming.” Her eyes moved over his body and he fought the urge to squirm
under her scrutiny. An old t-shirt hanging loose over old jeans that
just grazed the top of his bare feet wasn’t exactly work attire. She
looked up again, and met his gaze with one eyebrow arched.
“Comfortable?”
He grinned, glancing at his feet, and noting that her
own were bare too, with surprisingly bright shade of pink polish on her
toenails. “Getting there, anyway.” He looked her over too, taking his
time to examine every detail. He’d never seen her hair down before; she
always wore it up at work. It swirled around her face and shoulders in
gentle waves, the red highlights shimmering through dark brown in the
lamp light. The business jacket she’d worn buttoned up all day was gone,
with only a thin yellow t-shirt covering her ample breasts. Wishing he
had x-ray vision, he noticed her chest moving a little faster as she
breathed. Could he be affecting her as much as she affected him?
Ever
since the party, he’d wondered if she felt the chemistry building
between them. When he’d leaned over to speak to her, it had felt like a
magnet was pulling him in. Unable to resist testing the theory, he took a
step forward. Then another. He felt a definite connection the moment he
crossed into her personal space.
“Um...did you bring the schedule,
Dar...uh...Dr. Newbury?” There was something in her tone that Darren
couldn’t quite describe. Panic? Desire, maybe? He looked into her eyes
as he held the document up. Definitely desire, he noted before she
looked away and reached for the page.
“You feel it too, don’t you?”
Mentally, he cursed himself for saying it aloud. Even if it was true, he
knew she was scared. He saw it in her tense muscles, and the set of her
jaw. Would she kick him off the team? He reached out a hand, ran a
single finger over her collarbone. She shivered.
“I...um...don’t think...”
He
slid his finger up to her neck, her pulse strong and fast under his
touch. “Good,” he said. Had she swayed closer? “Don’t think. Close your
eyes. Feel.”
Her lashes fluttered down, and he nearly groaned. She
was so beautiful. He caressed a path down her chest and up the center of
her throat to trace along her jaw. Lacing his fingers in her hair he
cupped her head, coaxing it back as he stepped up to press his body
against hers. She was so warm, melting into his chest as he leaned over
and kissed her neck, her jaw, her lips.
She whimpered, hesitating a
moment before letting him in, kissing him back with a hunger that seemed
contrary to her controlling nature. She wrapped her arms around his
neck, and he pulled her more tightly against him, backing her into the
room and letting the door swing shut. He slid his hands down to cup her
buttocks, his arousal pressing hard against the front of her jeans. He
laved once more at her lips and then kissed down the side of her neck,
bending her backward enough that he could taste the smooth place between
her breasts.
Three loud thumps came from behind him, and he glanced
over his shoulder with a frown. Marie was struggling in his arms, and he
turned back to her, noting the bright red color rising in her cheeks
and her refusal to look in his eyes. He let her go, careful to make sure
she was steady before removing his hands from her arms.
“Oh my god,”
she said, turning away from him and running a hand through her hair.
“That’s probably Scott. What was I thinking?” She turned back, distress
lining her face. “I’m so sorry. That was a huge mistake. You have to
go.”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
March 6, 2013
Talkin' Books: Fated Mates & Digging Up Thrills
Believe it or not, I didn't get any comic book reading done this
past week. None. Nada. Zip! But I didn't get a lot of other reading done
either, mainly because I was so focused on finishing the draft of Sleep With Me.
When I reach the point where I'm within a few scenes from the end of a
draft (and it always ends up needing more work than I thought - always),
I tend to go into hyper-focused writing mode. A little
obsessive/compulsive switch flips in my brain, and finishing the draft
is all I can think about until it's done. So I was working on that every
spare non-day-job moment last week for the most part.
I did finish reading A Kiss at Midnight - the historical romance by Eloisa James, and enjoyed that very much. Then I started What the Heart Wants,
a paranormal romance by Kelli McCracken, which I think I downloaded for
free a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure if I'm really connecting with it
or not, which is ironic since the main characters have been connected
for a long, long time, it would seem. But I'm engaged enough to keep
reading. The main female character's name is "Heaven", which just
strikes me as a bit cheesy (when I was growing up, a lot of moms were
naming their kids "Nevaeh", which is Heaven spelled backwards and I
thought that was cheesy too). Her sisters are "Faith" and "Hope", of
course. The names are tripping me up a bit, obviously, but not enough
for me to quit reading.
At Hastings this weekend, I picked up a couple more comic books, including the New 52 Batman #0 I put back last week and a Justice League (#13)
that I mainly bought for the cover though the story does look
interesting. If I decide I like the Batman comic, I have 17 issues to
catch up, just like the Justice League series. At this rate, I'm going
to need a third job just to support my comic book habit...though I'm
going to set up some subscriptions this week that should make them a bit
more affordable.
Hubby found a Jack Reacher book he hadn't read yet (I don't read
them on account of the first person narrative - read one, couldn't
really connect with it though I liked the character), and we also found The Third Gate by Lincoln Child
- which I started reading a couple nights ago. So far, it appears to be
another archeological thriller/mystery, but the whole thing has been so
mysterious for the first 5 chapters that I'm just not sure yet. Looking
forward to seeing where it goes though - Lincoln rarely disappoints me.
And that's pretty much it for the past week. Now that my draft is
done and I don't have any more in an "almost finished" state, I should
have more time for reading again, and I'm hankering to read those
Amazing Spiderman comics sitting on my dining room table...
So...read any good books lately?
past week. None. Nada. Zip! But I didn't get a lot of other reading done
either, mainly because I was so focused on finishing the draft of Sleep With Me.
When I reach the point where I'm within a few scenes from the end of a
draft (and it always ends up needing more work than I thought - always),
I tend to go into hyper-focused writing mode. A little
obsessive/compulsive switch flips in my brain, and finishing the draft
is all I can think about until it's done. So I was working on that every
spare non-day-job moment last week for the most part.
I did finish reading A Kiss at Midnight - the historical romance by Eloisa James, and enjoyed that very much. Then I started What the Heart Wants,
a paranormal romance by Kelli McCracken, which I think I downloaded for
free a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure if I'm really connecting with it
or not, which is ironic since the main characters have been connected
for a long, long time, it would seem. But I'm engaged enough to keep
reading. The main female character's name is "Heaven", which just
strikes me as a bit cheesy (when I was growing up, a lot of moms were
naming their kids "Nevaeh", which is Heaven spelled backwards and I
thought that was cheesy too). Her sisters are "Faith" and "Hope", of
course. The names are tripping me up a bit, obviously, but not enough
for me to quit reading.
At Hastings this weekend, I picked up a couple more comic books, including the New 52 Batman #0 I put back last week and a Justice League (#13)
that I mainly bought for the cover though the story does look
interesting. If I decide I like the Batman comic, I have 17 issues to
catch up, just like the Justice League series. At this rate, I'm going
to need a third job just to support my comic book habit...though I'm
going to set up some subscriptions this week that should make them a bit
more affordable.
Hubby found a Jack Reacher book he hadn't read yet (I don't read
them on account of the first person narrative - read one, couldn't
really connect with it though I liked the character), and we also found The Third Gate by Lincoln Child
- which I started reading a couple nights ago. So far, it appears to be
another archeological thriller/mystery, but the whole thing has been so
mysterious for the first 5 chapters that I'm just not sure yet. Looking
forward to seeing where it goes though - Lincoln rarely disappoints me.
And that's pretty much it for the past week. Now that my draft is
done and I don't have any more in an "almost finished" state, I should
have more time for reading again, and I'm hankering to read those
Amazing Spiderman comics sitting on my dining room table...
So...read any good books lately?
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March 4, 2013
Dog Walking, Thunder Snow & Obsessive Organization...
Last week was an odd one. Odd attitudes, odd weather, odd stuff at work,
odd stuff in writing. Just...odd, all around. Hopefully "normal" is the
new "odd", because as productive as last week was, I'm not really all
that keen on being so unsettled all the time. It messes with my mojo, or
something like that.
Despite the general weirdness, I did manage to get a
lot done. I finished a story that will be out in April - and
surprisingly, I actually like how it turned out. Normally when I finish
writing something, I have serious reservations about it until I get the
edits back from my editor and see that it might not be as bad as I
thought. This one though...this one, I like. Which probably means it
will come back with an insane amount of revision suggestions, but we'll
see. I also got the cover art done for it (see below!), as well as cover
art for the short story that I had on last week's to-do list. Sleep With Me will be out in print and ebook on April 12th.
Incidentally, I'm still posting draft scenes from SWM at The Drafting Desk, if you're interested in taking a peek...
I
also took the dogs for a walk on Saturday, which actually took more
courage than I thought it would. We didn't go very far (they're out of
shape, and I didn't want to tempt fate), but they were both well-behaved
and we didn't run into any loose dogs, so that was good. Maybe if the
weather's nice next weekend we'll venture farther.
Speaking
of weather, I experienced "thunder snow" for the first time that I can
remember yesterday, and it was very weird. It started with a rain/sleet
sort of thing, morphed into a hail/slush sort of blizzard, and then
lightening! Thunder! The dogs weren't impressed. I...just thought it was
odd. By the time the storm was over, everything was coated in this
ice-snow-slush mixture that is quite literally stuck to everything.
Weird. Montana weather is like that though...unpredictable and never
boring. Gotta love it...
Even though my list was short last
week, I still didn't manage to finish it all. Mostly because I was
trying to get the SWM draft finished and those covers done. Workouts -
nada (very bad, especially since I did cancel my gym membership). Didn't
get any writing done on any other drafts either, aside from the Fantasy
Ranch draft. I didn't even start on my horror revisions, but I did
spend most of Sunday afternoon finally getting caught up on that nasty
accounting. Granted, it's not done yet (about half done), and I spent a
chunk of that time convincing my overly obsessive/organized brain that
it was *okay* not to do things the way I've always done them even though
it seems to make more sense, but in the end I think I sort of conquered
it. Mostly. Or kind of, at least.
We'll see.
That's actually kind of a problem with me - I get it into my head that
something will be most organized one way, and sometimes I'll choose that
even over the more efficient thing just because it *feels right* to do
that. It's really, really hard to push past that sort of thinking and
work in a manner that seems so counterintuitive to what you're most
comfortable with. Necessary, but uncomfortable.
So what's on the list this week? Well, let's see:
- Serial scene for The Handyman's Harem Girl- 1 scene for each short I have in progress (English Breakfast & Donteneoux's Dragon)- 1 holiday short for St. Patrick's Day- Edits to an erotic romance short releasing later this month- Start a new short story- Workout x3- Finish my accounting catch-up- Start horror story revisions- Get my comic books bagged and boarded and into three-ring binders so they're off the dining room table- Work on a couple crochet projects I've been neglecting
That's
it, I suppose. Very writing-heavy, but that's okay. This is the time of
year to work heavy on writing, before summer hits and those outdoor
responsibilities start.
Here's to another good week! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
odd stuff in writing. Just...odd, all around. Hopefully "normal" is the
new "odd", because as productive as last week was, I'm not really all
that keen on being so unsettled all the time. It messes with my mojo, or
something like that.
Despite the general weirdness, I did manage to get a
lot done. I finished a story that will be out in April - and
surprisingly, I actually like how it turned out. Normally when I finish
writing something, I have serious reservations about it until I get the
edits back from my editor and see that it might not be as bad as I
thought. This one though...this one, I like. Which probably means it
will come back with an insane amount of revision suggestions, but we'll
see. I also got the cover art done for it (see below!), as well as cover
art for the short story that I had on last week's to-do list. Sleep With Me will be out in print and ebook on April 12th.
Incidentally, I'm still posting draft scenes from SWM at The Drafting Desk, if you're interested in taking a peek...
I
also took the dogs for a walk on Saturday, which actually took more
courage than I thought it would. We didn't go very far (they're out of
shape, and I didn't want to tempt fate), but they were both well-behaved
and we didn't run into any loose dogs, so that was good. Maybe if the
weather's nice next weekend we'll venture farther.
Speaking
of weather, I experienced "thunder snow" for the first time that I can
remember yesterday, and it was very weird. It started with a rain/sleet
sort of thing, morphed into a hail/slush sort of blizzard, and then
lightening! Thunder! The dogs weren't impressed. I...just thought it was
odd. By the time the storm was over, everything was coated in this
ice-snow-slush mixture that is quite literally stuck to everything.
Weird. Montana weather is like that though...unpredictable and never
boring. Gotta love it...
Even though my list was short last
week, I still didn't manage to finish it all. Mostly because I was
trying to get the SWM draft finished and those covers done. Workouts -
nada (very bad, especially since I did cancel my gym membership). Didn't
get any writing done on any other drafts either, aside from the Fantasy
Ranch draft. I didn't even start on my horror revisions, but I did
spend most of Sunday afternoon finally getting caught up on that nasty
accounting. Granted, it's not done yet (about half done), and I spent a
chunk of that time convincing my overly obsessive/organized brain that
it was *okay* not to do things the way I've always done them even though
it seems to make more sense, but in the end I think I sort of conquered
it. Mostly. Or kind of, at least.
We'll see.
That's actually kind of a problem with me - I get it into my head that
something will be most organized one way, and sometimes I'll choose that
even over the more efficient thing just because it *feels right* to do
that. It's really, really hard to push past that sort of thinking and
work in a manner that seems so counterintuitive to what you're most
comfortable with. Necessary, but uncomfortable.
So what's on the list this week? Well, let's see:
- Serial scene for The Handyman's Harem Girl- 1 scene for each short I have in progress (English Breakfast & Donteneoux's Dragon)- 1 holiday short for St. Patrick's Day- Edits to an erotic romance short releasing later this month- Start a new short story- Workout x3- Finish my accounting catch-up- Start horror story revisions- Get my comic books bagged and boarded and into three-ring binders so they're off the dining room table- Work on a couple crochet projects I've been neglecting
That's
it, I suppose. Very writing-heavy, but that's okay. This is the time of
year to work heavy on writing, before summer hits and those outdoor
responsibilities start.
Here's to another good week! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
March 1, 2013
Friday Excerpt: Indelibly Inked
Have you ever thought about getting an old tattoo covered up? Did it make you nostalgic for the past? This week's excerpt is from Indelibly Inked, where a simple tattoo is the catalyst for something much bigger...enjoy!
Excerpt: Indelibly Inked
Excerpt: Indelibly Inked
"Let's
see what you've got." His touch was gentle as he ran a finger over the
tattoo she'd gotten so long ago. She couldn’t see it clearly from her
position, but in her mind she saw the small stylized tree inked into her
skin, a heart in the center bearing two sets of initials. A talisman
from another time.
His
hands were warm as he gently rotated her leg, his brows drawn together
as he examined the image. "Nice tat. Who did the original work?" He
glanced up, and she smiled.
"Bailey's
on Fourth Street," she said. “Nathan Bailey did it for me. My best
friend had a crush on him back then. She, uh…dared me to get the
tattoo."
He
nodded, and ran a finger over her skin once more. She fought a shiver
from his touch. "It's nice work. Who’s the lucky guy? Or unlucky, I
guess, considering why we’re here."
She
laughed, feeling the blush was creep higher on her cheeks. "It was a
guy I had a huge crush on in high school. It sounds silly now, but he
sort of inspired me to do more - to want more out of life."
"So what went wrong?"
She
shrugged, giving him a sheepish grin. "He...ah...he barely knew I was
alive, to be honest. We weren't exactly in the same social set." Or on
the same planet, for that matter, she mused silently. He'd been rich,
the son of a senator. There was no doubt in her mind that his parents
wouldn't have approved of him dating the daughter of a strung-out
stripper.
"But
you inked his initials on your ankle." It wasn't a question, and Claire
just nodded, avoiding eye contact. She'd never told anyone the story
before, and after tonight it wouldn't matter anyways. Still, she blinked
back sudden tears that threatened to spill over. He laid his hand
casually over her calf and she could feel him watching her. That feeling
that she’d met him before tugged at the edges of her memory.
She
looked at him again, focusing on the lines of his face. They’d
definitely met before, and she frowned. He must not recognize her. “Have
we-“
"So you want me to cover this up?" He spoke quickly, and she wondered if it was just bad timing, or something else.
She
nodded again. "I'm announcing my candidacy for Mayor tomorrow. Stacy -
my publicist - thinks that some curious person will notice the initials
and start digging into my background. She's afraid of the impact it
might have on my campaign if people start wondering who the mystery guy
is."
"I
see." He turned back to the counter, a chill moving over her skin when
his hand left her ankle. "And you're willing to give this up for
politics? Seems like you have a lot of history with this guy, whether he
knows it or not."
She
shrugged. “I don’t really see the problem, personally. I’m the only one
who knows who he is for sure, and I’m not talking. I have far bigger
skeletons in my closet to worry about.” She blinked back the sudden
moisture building in her eyes. “But Stacy says that’s the point - get
rid of the small problems so we can focus on the bigger ones.”
“Seems
kind of backwards to me,” he said, handing her a plastic sleeve holding
a sheet of design sketches. “You have a couple of choices here," he
said, his matter-of-fact tone helping her regain control. "I can work
the lettering into a vine or some flowers - you can pick something from
this sheet." She glanced at it. The images were well drawn, but generic.
Somehow it didn't seem right to cover up something so symbolic with
leaves or flowers.
He
tapped her tattoo firmly with his index finger, bringing her attention
back to him. He looked straight into her eyes, a challenge reflected in
his stare. "Or I can touch this up for you, make the lines crisp, add a
little color, and you can keep your inspiration intact. Might not be
such a good idea to mess with something like this." He raised his
eyebrows, pinning her with his gaze. It was like he could see into her
mind, knew all the questions and desires swirling like fireflies in her
brain.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
February 27, 2013
Talkin' Books: Edward, Spider Bots & a Happy Kitty...
'Twas another exciting week in books, although I didn't read nearly
as much variety. I was actually on the verge of a decent binge earlier
this week, until I figured out I was nearly done with one of the books
I'm writing (which makes me want to hole up like a hobbit and type until
I've written "The End").
In any case, I did indeed read 600 Hours of Edward by
Craig Lancaster this week, and enjoyed it very much until the end,
which was both left open and, I maintain, abrupt (the author disagrees -
I dare you to read it for yourself and decide). I am rather anxiously
awaiting April now, and Edward Adrift ,
which continues our buddy Edward's story. Incidentally, I borrowed 600
hours, and if you have an Amazon Prime account, you can too. Can't beat
reading for free, right? Edward is a good guy - I like him, though I may
identify with him just a tad too much for comfort regarding daily
routines...
Incidentally, he lives one block over and one block up from where I
grew up. So this book will also give you a nice overview of my city as a
bonus...
After I finished with Edward, I dove into Wolf Nip
by Vivian Arend (because who doesn't like a good paranormal romance to
follow literary fiction, eh?). Loved it! It's a wolf/cougar shifter
story, and there is much purring and petting and other fun stuff to be
experienced. The whole cat/dog thing should be weird to me, but odd as
it sounds, I'm okay with it when the cat is as big as the wolf. It's
paranormal fiction. It doesn't have to make sense! In any case, it's
awesome, and warm and fuzzy and takes about an hour and a half to read.
Highly recommended, as with anything by Vivian.
As for comic books - ugh. Seriously, the comic book world is about
the most tangled up web I've ever tried to make sense of. Every time I
pick up something new to try, it ties into something else that I then
want to read, and that branches into a zillion more little side stories
and continuities...I mean, how the heck am I supposed to keep up with
all of this? The only thing I can say is, comic book creators are evil
geniuses, every last one of them.
*Ahem.* ANYways...
Last weekend I read the first Jungle Book
comic, which I loved (go figure). There are five in that first story
series, and then another series starting *today* (dang it), so I need to
figure out whether it's important to have the actual books, or just
read them digitally. I'm leaning towards digital for those, although the
artwork is really quite lovely and vibrant. Maybe I'll just buy the
collections in trade paperback when they come out if I want the
artwork...
I also read the Sleepy Hollow comics
I have, and they're intriguing, but not enough to hold my interest, I'm
afraid. Which is actually okay, considering all the comics I do want to
follow.
I was lucky enough to find the Montana cover for the #1 issue of Justice League of America ,
which I promptly read, and decided I need context from the regular
Justice League series (interesting premise though!). Of course. But
where to start? I picked up the latest Justice League #17 ,
and haven't read it yet, so I'll start with that and backtrack until
I'm "un-lost", I think. At least there's only 17 issues in the latest
iteration, all available digitally...
And of course I found and read Superior Spiderman #4
too. I have to say, I really, really want my own army of spiderbots.
Someone order those up for me for Christmas, K? Or better yet,
Halloween...
So what's on the reading list this week? So far, it's kind of sparse. I'm in the midst of A Kiss at Midnight
by Eloisa James on my kindle (historical romance, Cinderella-style),
and enjoying that. I managed to find the last three issues of The Amazing Spiderman (to provide context for Superior Spiderman - see what I mean?), so those are on my list, as well as that Justice League #17 .
I've got an insane TBR list on my Kindle and I've been eying some
paperbacks a friend sent to me a long time ago, so we'll see what I'm in
the mood for once I finish these...
What are you reading this week?
as much variety. I was actually on the verge of a decent binge earlier
this week, until I figured out I was nearly done with one of the books
I'm writing (which makes me want to hole up like a hobbit and type until
I've written "The End").
In any case, I did indeed read 600 Hours of Edward by
Craig Lancaster this week, and enjoyed it very much until the end,
which was both left open and, I maintain, abrupt (the author disagrees -
I dare you to read it for yourself and decide). I am rather anxiously
awaiting April now, and Edward Adrift ,
which continues our buddy Edward's story. Incidentally, I borrowed 600
hours, and if you have an Amazon Prime account, you can too. Can't beat
reading for free, right? Edward is a good guy - I like him, though I may
identify with him just a tad too much for comfort regarding daily
routines...
Incidentally, he lives one block over and one block up from where I
grew up. So this book will also give you a nice overview of my city as a
bonus...
After I finished with Edward, I dove into Wolf Nip
by Vivian Arend (because who doesn't like a good paranormal romance to
follow literary fiction, eh?). Loved it! It's a wolf/cougar shifter
story, and there is much purring and petting and other fun stuff to be
experienced. The whole cat/dog thing should be weird to me, but odd as
it sounds, I'm okay with it when the cat is as big as the wolf. It's
paranormal fiction. It doesn't have to make sense! In any case, it's
awesome, and warm and fuzzy and takes about an hour and a half to read.
Highly recommended, as with anything by Vivian.
As for comic books - ugh. Seriously, the comic book world is about
the most tangled up web I've ever tried to make sense of. Every time I
pick up something new to try, it ties into something else that I then
want to read, and that branches into a zillion more little side stories
and continuities...I mean, how the heck am I supposed to keep up with
all of this? The only thing I can say is, comic book creators are evil
geniuses, every last one of them.
*Ahem.* ANYways...
Last weekend I read the first Jungle Book
comic, which I loved (go figure). There are five in that first story
series, and then another series starting *today* (dang it), so I need to
figure out whether it's important to have the actual books, or just
read them digitally. I'm leaning towards digital for those, although the
artwork is really quite lovely and vibrant. Maybe I'll just buy the
collections in trade paperback when they come out if I want the
artwork...
I also read the Sleepy Hollow comics
I have, and they're intriguing, but not enough to hold my interest, I'm
afraid. Which is actually okay, considering all the comics I do want to
follow.
I was lucky enough to find the Montana cover for the #1 issue of Justice League of America ,
which I promptly read, and decided I need context from the regular
Justice League series (interesting premise though!). Of course. But
where to start? I picked up the latest Justice League #17 ,
and haven't read it yet, so I'll start with that and backtrack until
I'm "un-lost", I think. At least there's only 17 issues in the latest
iteration, all available digitally...
And of course I found and read Superior Spiderman #4
too. I have to say, I really, really want my own army of spiderbots.
Someone order those up for me for Christmas, K? Or better yet,
Halloween...
So what's on the reading list this week? So far, it's kind of sparse. I'm in the midst of A Kiss at Midnight
by Eloisa James on my kindle (historical romance, Cinderella-style),
and enjoying that. I managed to find the last three issues of The Amazing Spiderman (to provide context for Superior Spiderman - see what I mean?), so those are on my list, as well as that Justice League #17 .
I've got an insane TBR list on my Kindle and I've been eying some
paperbacks a friend sent to me a long time ago, so we'll see what I'm in
the mood for once I finish these...
What are you reading this week?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| 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.
