Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 39
June 26, 2012
Guest Post at #Amwriting.org
I'm off to the dentist yet again, but while I'm having crown prep work done, you can check out my guest post (up early) today at #Amwriting.org...
Figuring it Out
Figuring it Out
June 25, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - June 25, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A strong breeze threatened
to snuff the torch as the man moved quickly through the cold stone
passageway. Dripping water echoed from somewhere beyond the firelight,
and once more a thin voice whispered his name...So
last week when I said it was going to be super-busy? I had no idea that
we'd get rear-ended on the way to work, and thus sidetracked for quite
awhile dealing with everything that comes of that. Annoying, to say the
least, and exhausting when all is said and done. Now we're crossing our
fingers that the insurance company will pay for the repairs on the car,
rather than just writing it off and giving us less money than needed to
replace it. That should never even be an option, IMO - it's just another
way to screw the victim.
*Anyways...*
I
still managed to get quite a bit done last week (most of it before the
wreck), which is good. And I managed to get two books released by
Friday, which was a minor miracle, all things considered. Saturday I was
wiped out, but I spent most of the day playing catch-up with the
writing, which means I had to skip "recess" yet again. Sunday we were
busy doing yard work, errands and housework all day (as most of you
probably were too, eh?). It's pretty crazy how fast the weekend goes
when there's so much to do - and I have things that didn't get done on
my list for tonight.
It's hot and muggy...and I'll try not to complain too much about it, but summer is definitely not my favorite season...
Our
new hydrangeas do look lovely in front of the house though. I should
have taken a picture - they'll be gorgeous in a couple years once they
get established.
This week, I
have stuff to catch up from last week, new things to get started, and
the whole car thing to deal with. The dogs are happy though - all vet
appts are on hold pending either the return of our Subaru or a suitable
replacement, since I'm far too paranoid to shuttle dogs in the bed of a
truck, even in crates. Not that my older dog would handle that well
anyways.
Here's the list for this week:
- Finish The Minister's Maid (two additions and it's done)- Catch up a scene for Animal- Format the print version of Indelibly Inked- Catch up on housework- Regular workouts- Start a new draft or two- Spend some time crafting
I'm
also guest-posting at the #Amwriting blog later this week (Thursday) -
I'll post a link here when that goes up for those interested.
Here's hoping for a far less eventful week than last going forward....
to snuff the torch as the man moved quickly through the cold stone
passageway. Dripping water echoed from somewhere beyond the firelight,
and once more a thin voice whispered his name...So
last week when I said it was going to be super-busy? I had no idea that
we'd get rear-ended on the way to work, and thus sidetracked for quite
awhile dealing with everything that comes of that. Annoying, to say the
least, and exhausting when all is said and done. Now we're crossing our
fingers that the insurance company will pay for the repairs on the car,
rather than just writing it off and giving us less money than needed to
replace it. That should never even be an option, IMO - it's just another
way to screw the victim.
*Anyways...*
I
still managed to get quite a bit done last week (most of it before the
wreck), which is good. And I managed to get two books released by
Friday, which was a minor miracle, all things considered. Saturday I was
wiped out, but I spent most of the day playing catch-up with the
writing, which means I had to skip "recess" yet again. Sunday we were
busy doing yard work, errands and housework all day (as most of you
probably were too, eh?). It's pretty crazy how fast the weekend goes
when there's so much to do - and I have things that didn't get done on
my list for tonight.
It's hot and muggy...and I'll try not to complain too much about it, but summer is definitely not my favorite season...
Our
new hydrangeas do look lovely in front of the house though. I should
have taken a picture - they'll be gorgeous in a couple years once they
get established.
This week, I
have stuff to catch up from last week, new things to get started, and
the whole car thing to deal with. The dogs are happy though - all vet
appts are on hold pending either the return of our Subaru or a suitable
replacement, since I'm far too paranoid to shuttle dogs in the bed of a
truck, even in crates. Not that my older dog would handle that well
anyways.
Here's the list for this week:
- Finish The Minister's Maid (two additions and it's done)- Catch up a scene for Animal- Format the print version of Indelibly Inked- Catch up on housework- Regular workouts- Start a new draft or two- Spend some time crafting
I'm
also guest-posting at the #Amwriting blog later this week (Thursday) -
I'll post a link here when that goes up for those interested.
Here's hoping for a far less eventful week than last going forward....
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.
June 23, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 56
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 | Ch. 54 | Ch. 55 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 56
It was going to take a lot of hot water to feel clean again, Holly thought as she ran a hand over Sean's thigh. He'd wanted to pull over to check out some noises in the back of the truck, and physical contact seemed to be the only way to distract him. She wasn't sure what Eddie was up to, but whatever it was, she wanted to help.
"Now see, that's what I'm talking about," Sean said, a sly grin on his lips. "We've got chemistry, babe...I knew you'd get in the mood if we spent some quality time." He grasped her hand and moved it to his crotch, pressing it against his length. It was all Holly could do not to snatch her hand back. Or gag.
Pressing her left breast into his arm, she slowly slid her fingers off of his lap. "Now, now...patience, dear. I wouldn't want to cause a wreck while you're driving." The thought actually had merit, but it was too risky with Eddie in the back. "We'll get to a hotel soon, won't we?"
She kissed the top of his shoulder and laid a hand on his chest, sneaking a peek out the back window. Eddie's legs were visible right behind Sean - his moving to that side of the bed must have been what they heard. And there was a long handle of some sort beside him, as well as a coil of rope.
"Of course we will, sweetheart." The truck picked up speed, rattling in protest as Sean pushed it harder. "It won't be long now at all."
Turning her head back to face front, she laid her cheek against Sean's arm. He'd put the gun on the center of the wide, rubber-covered dashboard, with the barrel facing the windsheild. Holly idly stroked his chest while she considered how best to keep him from taking it out of the pickup with him when they stopped. If Eddie could knock him out with the tools he had, they could tie Sean up and go to the police.
"What kind of a gun is that?" she asked, rubbing her cheek against his shirt.
He frowned, and then chuckled. "Right, I forgot. You're a writer. You want to know for a book, right?"
She giggled, glad he'd given her a better excuse than just being curious. "Of course." She sat up so she could look at him. "Can I see it? Does it have the safety on? I really don't know much about guns..." A lie, but a necessary one, she reminded herself.
He shook his head. "Leave it there. If you want to learn how to use one, I'll teach you when we get home. I'm surprised you haven't learned yet, being from Montana and all. Lots of hunters there, I thought."
She shrugged. "I was never very interested in that sort of thing. Is that one hard to use?"
"Just point and shoot, babe. But it's got a heck of a kickback."
"What's that?" Holly was pretty sure she couldn't sound any more stupid at the moment, but Sean was eating it up.
"It's when...shit. Hang on!" He twisted the wheel to the left, throwing Holly across the cab toward the passenger door. She grabbed for the handle, trying to anchor herself as the truck bounced off the shoulder into the dirt and the gun fell into her lap.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 | Ch. 54 | Ch. 55 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 56
It was going to take a lot of hot water to feel clean again, Holly thought as she ran a hand over Sean's thigh. He'd wanted to pull over to check out some noises in the back of the truck, and physical contact seemed to be the only way to distract him. She wasn't sure what Eddie was up to, but whatever it was, she wanted to help.
"Now see, that's what I'm talking about," Sean said, a sly grin on his lips. "We've got chemistry, babe...I knew you'd get in the mood if we spent some quality time." He grasped her hand and moved it to his crotch, pressing it against his length. It was all Holly could do not to snatch her hand back. Or gag.
Pressing her left breast into his arm, she slowly slid her fingers off of his lap. "Now, now...patience, dear. I wouldn't want to cause a wreck while you're driving." The thought actually had merit, but it was too risky with Eddie in the back. "We'll get to a hotel soon, won't we?"
She kissed the top of his shoulder and laid a hand on his chest, sneaking a peek out the back window. Eddie's legs were visible right behind Sean - his moving to that side of the bed must have been what they heard. And there was a long handle of some sort beside him, as well as a coil of rope.
"Of course we will, sweetheart." The truck picked up speed, rattling in protest as Sean pushed it harder. "It won't be long now at all."
Turning her head back to face front, she laid her cheek against Sean's arm. He'd put the gun on the center of the wide, rubber-covered dashboard, with the barrel facing the windsheild. Holly idly stroked his chest while she considered how best to keep him from taking it out of the pickup with him when they stopped. If Eddie could knock him out with the tools he had, they could tie Sean up and go to the police.
"What kind of a gun is that?" she asked, rubbing her cheek against his shirt.
He frowned, and then chuckled. "Right, I forgot. You're a writer. You want to know for a book, right?"
She giggled, glad he'd given her a better excuse than just being curious. "Of course." She sat up so she could look at him. "Can I see it? Does it have the safety on? I really don't know much about guns..." A lie, but a necessary one, she reminded herself.
He shook his head. "Leave it there. If you want to learn how to use one, I'll teach you when we get home. I'm surprised you haven't learned yet, being from Montana and all. Lots of hunters there, I thought."
She shrugged. "I was never very interested in that sort of thing. Is that one hard to use?"
"Just point and shoot, babe. But it's got a heck of a kickback."
"What's that?" Holly was pretty sure she couldn't sound any more stupid at the moment, but Sean was eating it up.
"It's when...shit. Hang on!" He twisted the wheel to the left, throwing Holly across the cab toward the passenger door. She grabbed for the handle, trying to anchor herself as the truck bounced off the shoulder into the dirt and the gun fell into her lap.
Enjoy
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| Desert
Heat | The
Biker's Wench
| Flash Fiction
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June 20, 2012
Writer's Notes: The Cycle Continues...
It's no secret that I work on several writing projects at once. I
like it that way - "variety" is my tag for pretty much everything in
life. The thing is, when you start several projects around the same
time, they have a way of wrapping up at pretty much the same time
too...which kind of creates a bottleneck as far as editing and
publishing goes. And because I'm a pantser, the stories end when they
end, I don't really have any idea when that will be. I just write until
they're done.
Which, if you think about it,
makes it sort of strange that they all start wrapping up at the same
time, even with different word counts. Weird. Talk to my subconscious.
She's in charge of storytelling...I just type.
Needless
to say, about every 4-6 months, I hit the point I'm at now, which is
lots of stories finishing up and ready to be edited and published. This
year I decided to clean up one of my older drafts and publish it too -
no reason not to pile on the work, right? It's a good story though, and
I'm glad I decided to pull it back out. I hope you will be too.
I can only hope that as I get better at this whole
writing/drafting thing, I'll get better at predicting how long a story
will take to finish in draft form. That would help a lot as far as
staggering releases goes. It's either that, or working on just one
project at a time...but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
In any case...this Friday will be a fun day - release day for both Indelibly Inked (romantic suspense novella) and Irish Cream (erotic romance novelette under my pen name, Trinity Marlow). I'm fairly certain I'll have the draft of The Minister's Maid finished by then too, and off to the editor. Falling in Public
(which will get a new title/cover in July) will be done in the next
couple of weeks as well, and while I've taken a break from Animal
(thriller novella), I plan to finish that up in July too.
As for what's up next...here's the line-up of new serial drafts, starting in a couple weeks:
Fantasy Ranch Series: The Handyman's Harem Girl (Veronica & Chance, for those reading along with The Minister's Maid)Variety Pages Serial: The BeauTeaful Summer series begins...short (novelettes?), tea-themed stories, the first of which will be Jasmine BetrayalErotic Romance (will start after IC is finished): The Creme du Jour series continues with Whipped Cream (Celia's story, for those reading along with Irish Cream)Thriller/Suspense (will start after Animal is finished): The Death by Veggies short story series begins with Lettuce Pray (should be fun...and potentially cheesy...)
A
few weeks ago, I decided to cut back on my writing projects after the
current ones ended...but it seems I really just can't make myself do it. So...I'll make it
work. Because I want to.
Seriously...I get happy goosebumps just thinking about starting all those new stories.
And so it goes...
like it that way - "variety" is my tag for pretty much everything in
life. The thing is, when you start several projects around the same
time, they have a way of wrapping up at pretty much the same time
too...which kind of creates a bottleneck as far as editing and
publishing goes. And because I'm a pantser, the stories end when they
end, I don't really have any idea when that will be. I just write until
they're done.
Which, if you think about it,
makes it sort of strange that they all start wrapping up at the same
time, even with different word counts. Weird. Talk to my subconscious.
She's in charge of storytelling...I just type.
Needless
to say, about every 4-6 months, I hit the point I'm at now, which is
lots of stories finishing up and ready to be edited and published. This
year I decided to clean up one of my older drafts and publish it too -
no reason not to pile on the work, right? It's a good story though, and
I'm glad I decided to pull it back out. I hope you will be too.
I can only hope that as I get better at this whole
writing/drafting thing, I'll get better at predicting how long a story
will take to finish in draft form. That would help a lot as far as
staggering releases goes. It's either that, or working on just one
project at a time...but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
In any case...this Friday will be a fun day - release day for both Indelibly Inked (romantic suspense novella) and Irish Cream (erotic romance novelette under my pen name, Trinity Marlow). I'm fairly certain I'll have the draft of The Minister's Maid finished by then too, and off to the editor. Falling in Public
(which will get a new title/cover in July) will be done in the next
couple of weeks as well, and while I've taken a break from Animal
(thriller novella), I plan to finish that up in July too.
As for what's up next...here's the line-up of new serial drafts, starting in a couple weeks:
Fantasy Ranch Series: The Handyman's Harem Girl (Veronica & Chance, for those reading along with The Minister's Maid)Variety Pages Serial: The BeauTeaful Summer series begins...short (novelettes?), tea-themed stories, the first of which will be Jasmine BetrayalErotic Romance (will start after IC is finished): The Creme du Jour series continues with Whipped Cream (Celia's story, for those reading along with Irish Cream)Thriller/Suspense (will start after Animal is finished): The Death by Veggies short story series begins with Lettuce Pray (should be fun...and potentially cheesy...)
A
few weeks ago, I decided to cut back on my writing projects after the
current ones ended...but it seems I really just can't make myself do it. So...I'll make it
work. Because I want to.
Seriously...I get happy goosebumps just thinking about starting all those new stories.
And so it goes...
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.
June 18, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - June 18, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A business man forgets his
phone in the conference room of a company he made a presentation to
earlier in the day. He goes back for it and finds the reception room
empty, so he sees himself back, and retrieves his phone. As he's walking
out, he spies a small piece of paper on the floor, and picks it up to
leave on the receptionists desk. Until he sees what it says...
Oh look - it's Monday again! Exciting, no?
While
my weekend *felt* unproductive (Sunday especially), it really wasn't,
overall. The one major thing I did on Saturday was finishing up the
edits for Indelibly Inked, which will be officially released on
Friday along with my latest erotic romance under the Trinity Marlow
name (both will be showing up earlier all over the web...in case you're
waiting). I finished the cover last week, as you can see. I'm pretty
pleased with how it turned out. All that's left is the formatting and
uploading. Woohoo!
I think a major part of my issue this weekend
was that it was the second weekend in a row that I had "work" scheduled
(by which I mean working on books), rather than "play". My brain revolts
at the "all work/no play" philosophy, and it was doing just that this
weekend, I think. Unfortunately, since I was supposed to be working, I
couldn't allow myself to play. But since my head wanted to play, no work
got done either (talk about your Catch-22...I really should read that
book someday). I did, however, sit and watch two and the better part of a
third "Die Hard" movies with my husband. I love those movies...love
Bruce Willis. And I have my dad to thank for my love of action/adventure
flicks (so appropriate for Father's Day, methinks - I did take him a
card). So that was fun, though I still had my laptop open in hopes I'd
get things done. Ever the optimist, I am...though nothing actually came
of it.
Point being - don't skip recess! Next
Saturday, my husband will be playing golf, and I will be playing with
some clay projects at home.
Speaking of recess...we scheduled a big one
this weekend. This October, we're taking a vacation to Universal Studios
in Florida so we can go to Halloween Horror Nights.
It's something we've been wanting to do for *years*, and we could use a
break from the whole party thing, so it seemed like a good time. I'm
excited - I very rarely travel, so this will be the first time I've been
out of state in...6 years(?), and the first time to go so far south. So
it will be a good way to shake things up (and I'm quite certain I'll
come back with plenty of new story ideas too).
Talk about good motivation to lose another 30lbs too...can you say "airline seats"?
So...back to normal life. What's this week look like? Busy, busy, and more busy. It's all good though.
- Format & publish Indelibly Inked- Finish edits to Irish Cream, format & publish- Keep up with current serials (might finish The Minister's Maid!)- Reply to emails (I'm woefully behind - sorry!)
- Plant the Hydrangeas we bought this past weekend- Spray the weeds in the yard again (I think the vinegar just might work...yay!)- Back to a full normal workout schedule- Get a haircut- Schedule vet appts for the dogs, and an eye appt. for me
Alrighty then. Bring it on...
phone in the conference room of a company he made a presentation to
earlier in the day. He goes back for it and finds the reception room
empty, so he sees himself back, and retrieves his phone. As he's walking
out, he spies a small piece of paper on the floor, and picks it up to
leave on the receptionists desk. Until he sees what it says...
Oh look - it's Monday again! Exciting, no?
While
my weekend *felt* unproductive (Sunday especially), it really wasn't,
overall. The one major thing I did on Saturday was finishing up the
edits for Indelibly Inked, which will be officially released on
Friday along with my latest erotic romance under the Trinity Marlow
name (both will be showing up earlier all over the web...in case you're
waiting). I finished the cover last week, as you can see. I'm pretty
pleased with how it turned out. All that's left is the formatting and
uploading. Woohoo!
I think a major part of my issue this weekend
was that it was the second weekend in a row that I had "work" scheduled
(by which I mean working on books), rather than "play". My brain revolts
at the "all work/no play" philosophy, and it was doing just that this
weekend, I think. Unfortunately, since I was supposed to be working, I
couldn't allow myself to play. But since my head wanted to play, no work
got done either (talk about your Catch-22...I really should read that
book someday). I did, however, sit and watch two and the better part of a
third "Die Hard" movies with my husband. I love those movies...love
Bruce Willis. And I have my dad to thank for my love of action/adventure
flicks (so appropriate for Father's Day, methinks - I did take him a
card). So that was fun, though I still had my laptop open in hopes I'd
get things done. Ever the optimist, I am...though nothing actually came
of it.
Point being - don't skip recess! Next
Saturday, my husband will be playing golf, and I will be playing with
some clay projects at home.
Speaking of recess...we scheduled a big one
this weekend. This October, we're taking a vacation to Universal Studios
in Florida so we can go to Halloween Horror Nights.
It's something we've been wanting to do for *years*, and we could use a
break from the whole party thing, so it seemed like a good time. I'm
excited - I very rarely travel, so this will be the first time I've been
out of state in...6 years(?), and the first time to go so far south. So
it will be a good way to shake things up (and I'm quite certain I'll
come back with plenty of new story ideas too).
Talk about good motivation to lose another 30lbs too...can you say "airline seats"?
So...back to normal life. What's this week look like? Busy, busy, and more busy. It's all good though.
- Format & publish Indelibly Inked- Finish edits to Irish Cream, format & publish- Keep up with current serials (might finish The Minister's Maid!)- Reply to emails (I'm woefully behind - sorry!)
- Plant the Hydrangeas we bought this past weekend- Spray the weeds in the yard again (I think the vinegar just might work...yay!)- Back to a full normal workout schedule- Get a haircut- Schedule vet appts for the dogs, and an eye appt. for me
Alrighty then. Bring it on...
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.
June 15, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 55
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 | Ch. 54 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 55
Eddie struggled to maintain control, forcing a terse nod at Holly. No, it wasn't okay. He didn't want her anywhere near Winston, but at this moment, it didn't seem like there was any other way. Winston was getting more unstable by the moment, and Holly was clearly trying to diffuse the situation and get them back to civilization. As much as he hated to admit it, this was probably their best chance.
"It's fine," he said, trying not to growl the words. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight, fear and resolution shining in their depths before she turned back to face her stalker.
"So it's settled then," she said, her voice slightly higher than normal. "Why don't you show us the way?" She went to him, and Winston threw an arm around her shoulders, glancing back once at Eddie before they walked away. Eddie followed, making sure he stayed within tackling distance, just in case.
When the truck came into view, Sean pulled Holly over to the driver's side with him, pointing casually to the back with the gun.
"Make yourself comfortable," he said, his tone saying otherwise. "And I expect you to stay down and quiet. No making noise or trying to attract attention. Got it?"
Eddie hoisted himself up on the tailgate and stepped into the bed. "Fine. Whatever. You hurt her, I'll kill you."
Sean laughed. "Yeah, whatever man." He opened the door and gestured for Holly to climb in, but she hesitated.
"You know, it's tricky driving through this soft topsoil. I grew up on a farm...maybe you should let me drive, just until we get to the highway. Then we can trade places. What do you say?"
"Nice try, that's what I say. Get in and shut up, woman. I've driven through fields too, just probably not the kind of stuff you grow up there." He chuckled and slid in beside her.
The door slammed shut and Eddie sat sideways near the front, so he could keep an eye on things. The vehicle started to move, and he grabbed the thick chain that spanned the width of the bed to keep his balance as they bounced slowly along the rows.
It seemed like forever until they finally reached the asphalt, and Eddie was sure he was just one giant black and blue bruise from all the jostling he'd endured. The truck stopped, and the window at the back of the cab slid open.
"Are you okay?" Holly asked, her voice weary.
Eddie nodded, then remembered she couldn't see him. "I'm fine. Are you? He hasn't touched you or anything, right?"
"She's fine," Winston called out. Impatience laced his voice. "Now shut that window and let's go. I want to ditch this guy as soon as possible. The next town should do."
The window closed and the old truck picked up speed, rattling on its frame as Winston gunned the engine. Eddie held on tight, thankful that at least the road was relatively smooth. The sky was beginning to lighten, and he could make out dim shapes lying on the other side of the bed. Some small tools, more chain, some rope and a shovel. He'd need to take Winston out at the next stop, and a few options flitted through his head. All of them required some risk, but anything was better than letting him take Holly with him again. And he had the advantage being higher than Winston would be when he got out of the truck. He'd just have to make every second count.
Moving slowly, he inched his way to the center of the bed and pulled the shovel closer to his side. Retrieving the rope with a toe, he positioned it near the front left corner of the bed, closest to the driver's side door. Leaning his head back against the cold metal, he settled in to wait.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 | Ch. 54 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 55
Eddie struggled to maintain control, forcing a terse nod at Holly. No, it wasn't okay. He didn't want her anywhere near Winston, but at this moment, it didn't seem like there was any other way. Winston was getting more unstable by the moment, and Holly was clearly trying to diffuse the situation and get them back to civilization. As much as he hated to admit it, this was probably their best chance.
"It's fine," he said, trying not to growl the words. Her eyes glittered in the moonlight, fear and resolution shining in their depths before she turned back to face her stalker.
"So it's settled then," she said, her voice slightly higher than normal. "Why don't you show us the way?" She went to him, and Winston threw an arm around her shoulders, glancing back once at Eddie before they walked away. Eddie followed, making sure he stayed within tackling distance, just in case.
When the truck came into view, Sean pulled Holly over to the driver's side with him, pointing casually to the back with the gun.
"Make yourself comfortable," he said, his tone saying otherwise. "And I expect you to stay down and quiet. No making noise or trying to attract attention. Got it?"
Eddie hoisted himself up on the tailgate and stepped into the bed. "Fine. Whatever. You hurt her, I'll kill you."
Sean laughed. "Yeah, whatever man." He opened the door and gestured for Holly to climb in, but she hesitated.
"You know, it's tricky driving through this soft topsoil. I grew up on a farm...maybe you should let me drive, just until we get to the highway. Then we can trade places. What do you say?"
"Nice try, that's what I say. Get in and shut up, woman. I've driven through fields too, just probably not the kind of stuff you grow up there." He chuckled and slid in beside her.
The door slammed shut and Eddie sat sideways near the front, so he could keep an eye on things. The vehicle started to move, and he grabbed the thick chain that spanned the width of the bed to keep his balance as they bounced slowly along the rows.
It seemed like forever until they finally reached the asphalt, and Eddie was sure he was just one giant black and blue bruise from all the jostling he'd endured. The truck stopped, and the window at the back of the cab slid open.
"Are you okay?" Holly asked, her voice weary.
Eddie nodded, then remembered she couldn't see him. "I'm fine. Are you? He hasn't touched you or anything, right?"
"She's fine," Winston called out. Impatience laced his voice. "Now shut that window and let's go. I want to ditch this guy as soon as possible. The next town should do."
The window closed and the old truck picked up speed, rattling on its frame as Winston gunned the engine. Eddie held on tight, thankful that at least the road was relatively smooth. The sky was beginning to lighten, and he could make out dim shapes lying on the other side of the bed. Some small tools, more chain, some rope and a shovel. He'd need to take Winston out at the next stop, and a few options flitted through his head. All of them required some risk, but anything was better than letting him take Holly with him again. And he had the advantage being higher than Winston would be when he got out of the truck. He'd just have to make every second count.
Moving slowly, he inched his way to the center of the bed and pulled the shovel closer to his side. Retrieving the rope with a toe, he positioned it near the front left corner of the bed, closest to the driver's side door. Leaning his head back against the cold metal, he settled in to wait.
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June 13, 2012
Writer's Notes: Automatic Transmission
By and large, I prefer driving a vehicle with a manual
transmission. It makes no sense, considering I live in the city and tend
to drive like a race car driver (or so my husband thinks), which
generally requires a new clutch every five years or so. But my reasoning
has nothing to do with logic or good vehicle maintenance.
It's simply more *fun* to drive a stick shift.
Our
Subaru is a manual, and I love it. Our new truck is an automatic, and I
love it too, but it took me several days of straight driving before my
right hand quit reaching for the stick (slightly less so for my left
foot to give up on the whole idea of a clutch). I like driving it
because I'm tall, I can see, and people get out of my way (I live in the
land of trucks, after all - if you don't have one, you know someone who
does). But it would still be more fun with a stick.
When
I'm writing, I generally have two gears - "Steady Wordcount" and
"OMGit'salmostfinishedgetitdoneyesterday!" It's a lot like having an
automatic transmission in my brain. When I start the story, I'm in
Drive, and I keep up a pretty steady pace for most of the journey. Sure,
some days I might downshift into that lower gear that gets you up the
super-steep hill, but it's pretty rare. I'm a pretty steady writer -
500-800 words per day, at least 4 -5 days a week year round. I get itchy
if we have to stop for too long in any one place.
But
then I start getting near the end of a draft (I only write one,
thankfully), and there's a switch in my brain that just flips all on
it's own (it's annoying, to be honest). It shoves me up into high gear
(whether I want to be there or not), and suddenly, finishing the book
(whichever project I'm close to the end on) is all I can think about. I
have an insane amount of trouble focusing on anything else - eating, TV,
sleeping, the day job...it all goes by in a blur because it's just
"stuff" that has to be done so I can get back to finishing the damn
book. Hobbies, obligations, fun activities - none of them mean anything
at all to me when I'm in "finishing" gear.
As you might imagine, this gets really insane when I have more than one project nearing "The End" at the same time....
I
don't know how to turn this off - I seem to have lost the key or
something (not that I'd know where to put it if I had it). The only way
to shut it down is to finish the book(s) as fast as I can, so I can get
back to my normal, steady life.
This is where
being a "pantser" really isn't all that great...because I don't know
exactly where any given story will end until it just...does. I mean, I
know how it's going to end, generally speaking, and by the time I get
into high gear, I have a really good idea of how we're going to get
there, but it's still the characters telling me where to go - I'm just
the driver. So we don't stop until they say we stop.
Yes,
I've tried to control this before, tried to force my characters to wrap
things up on my own schedule. It's something I've done with nearly
every draft I've ever written....until recently. I've made a conscious
decision *not* to do that anymore, and it's *killing* me, but I'm
determined to see it through. The thing is, if I force the story to end
prematurely, I just have to go back and fix it later...and we all know
how much I *love* doing that (not!). So I get in, sit down, shut up, and
drive where the characters tell me to go. No seatbelts. We live on the
edge.
Do you have writing "gears"? Manual or automatic?
transmission. It makes no sense, considering I live in the city and tend
to drive like a race car driver (or so my husband thinks), which
generally requires a new clutch every five years or so. But my reasoning
has nothing to do with logic or good vehicle maintenance.
It's simply more *fun* to drive a stick shift.
Our
Subaru is a manual, and I love it. Our new truck is an automatic, and I
love it too, but it took me several days of straight driving before my
right hand quit reaching for the stick (slightly less so for my left
foot to give up on the whole idea of a clutch). I like driving it
because I'm tall, I can see, and people get out of my way (I live in the
land of trucks, after all - if you don't have one, you know someone who
does). But it would still be more fun with a stick.
When
I'm writing, I generally have two gears - "Steady Wordcount" and
"OMGit'salmostfinishedgetitdoneyesterday!" It's a lot like having an
automatic transmission in my brain. When I start the story, I'm in
Drive, and I keep up a pretty steady pace for most of the journey. Sure,
some days I might downshift into that lower gear that gets you up the
super-steep hill, but it's pretty rare. I'm a pretty steady writer -
500-800 words per day, at least 4 -5 days a week year round. I get itchy
if we have to stop for too long in any one place.
But
then I start getting near the end of a draft (I only write one,
thankfully), and there's a switch in my brain that just flips all on
it's own (it's annoying, to be honest). It shoves me up into high gear
(whether I want to be there or not), and suddenly, finishing the book
(whichever project I'm close to the end on) is all I can think about. I
have an insane amount of trouble focusing on anything else - eating, TV,
sleeping, the day job...it all goes by in a blur because it's just
"stuff" that has to be done so I can get back to finishing the damn
book. Hobbies, obligations, fun activities - none of them mean anything
at all to me when I'm in "finishing" gear.
As you might imagine, this gets really insane when I have more than one project nearing "The End" at the same time....
I
don't know how to turn this off - I seem to have lost the key or
something (not that I'd know where to put it if I had it). The only way
to shut it down is to finish the book(s) as fast as I can, so I can get
back to my normal, steady life.
This is where
being a "pantser" really isn't all that great...because I don't know
exactly where any given story will end until it just...does. I mean, I
know how it's going to end, generally speaking, and by the time I get
into high gear, I have a really good idea of how we're going to get
there, but it's still the characters telling me where to go - I'm just
the driver. So we don't stop until they say we stop.
Yes,
I've tried to control this before, tried to force my characters to wrap
things up on my own schedule. It's something I've done with nearly
every draft I've ever written....until recently. I've made a conscious
decision *not* to do that anymore, and it's *killing* me, but I'm
determined to see it through. The thing is, if I force the story to end
prematurely, I just have to go back and fix it later...and we all know
how much I *love* doing that (not!). So I get in, sit down, shut up, and
drive where the characters tell me to go. No seatbelts. We live on the
edge.
Do you have writing "gears"? Manual or automatic?
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.
June 11, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - June 11, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: Meandering between the rails, a figure steps from tie to wooden tie. There's nothing on either side but trees and shrubs, and that was the plan, after all. No one around to interfere. A whistle blows in the distance, and a check of the watch confirms punctuality. A brief moment of guilt for making the passengers late is fleeting. The figure sits, back to the oncoming danger until an incredible force strikes from the side...
Top o' the Week to you! Or something like that. I hope you all had a pleasant weekend, in any case. I spent the majority of mine shopping (with my mom on Saturday, and for groceries Sunday) and writing, trying desperately to finish up my erotic romance novelette draft. I'm sad to say it didn't work, but I'm so very near the end that just another hour or so should do it. Hopefully I can finish that tonight.
Um...I apologize for the missing round-up post yesterday. I sort of forgot it in the writing frenzy. It will be back next week.
The cover art for Indelibly Inked is designed, but still needs to be formally put together. I'm thinking maybe a week from today for a release date, rather than Friday. I still have all those revisions to do before it will be ready for the public, and since the novelette isn't done yet, I doubt I'll be able to finish them in time. Ah well. That's what deadlines are for, right - to stress us out and provide a moving target? Just say yes. It's easier that way.
Needless to say, no crafting for the second week in a row. *sigh* But these releases are important, and in two weeks, they'll be done and I'll be free to "play" again.
Due largely to the stupid cold I fought off for three weeks, I've plateaued in my weight loss, dang it. No loss for the last two weeks. But, that's just how it goes, and there's no point in dwelling. This week, I'm jumping right back into regular workouts, and hopefully I can get things moving in the right direction again.
Now...since it's actually 12:30am as I write this and I need to go get the laundry out of the dryer and then sleep, a quick "to do" list for the week:
- Finish IC
- Revisions on II
- Cover art for II
- Make vet appts for the dogs (heartworm testing)
- Make an eye dr. appt. for myself
- Vacuum!
- Keep up with the other normal serial scenes (writing-wise)
That's enough, I think...I'm sure I'll think up a million other things, but you get the idea.
I've closed my eyes and nearly fallen asleep an average of 6 times just while writing this post - that's what happens when you stay up until 4am the night before, doing your nails and watching Dr. Quinn.
I hope Monday treats you better than expected!
Top o' the Week to you! Or something like that. I hope you all had a pleasant weekend, in any case. I spent the majority of mine shopping (with my mom on Saturday, and for groceries Sunday) and writing, trying desperately to finish up my erotic romance novelette draft. I'm sad to say it didn't work, but I'm so very near the end that just another hour or so should do it. Hopefully I can finish that tonight.
Um...I apologize for the missing round-up post yesterday. I sort of forgot it in the writing frenzy. It will be back next week.
The cover art for Indelibly Inked is designed, but still needs to be formally put together. I'm thinking maybe a week from today for a release date, rather than Friday. I still have all those revisions to do before it will be ready for the public, and since the novelette isn't done yet, I doubt I'll be able to finish them in time. Ah well. That's what deadlines are for, right - to stress us out and provide a moving target? Just say yes. It's easier that way.
Needless to say, no crafting for the second week in a row. *sigh* But these releases are important, and in two weeks, they'll be done and I'll be free to "play" again.
Due largely to the stupid cold I fought off for three weeks, I've plateaued in my weight loss, dang it. No loss for the last two weeks. But, that's just how it goes, and there's no point in dwelling. This week, I'm jumping right back into regular workouts, and hopefully I can get things moving in the right direction again.
Now...since it's actually 12:30am as I write this and I need to go get the laundry out of the dryer and then sleep, a quick "to do" list for the week:
- Finish IC
- Revisions on II
- Cover art for II
- Make vet appts for the dogs (heartworm testing)
- Make an eye dr. appt. for myself
- Vacuum!
- Keep up with the other normal serial scenes (writing-wise)
That's enough, I think...I'm sure I'll think up a million other things, but you get the idea.
I've closed my eyes and nearly fallen asleep an average of 6 times just while writing this post - that's what happens when you stay up until 4am the night before, doing your nails and watching Dr. Quinn.
I hope Monday treats you better than expected!
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.
June 8, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 54
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 54
"On second thought," Holly said, keeping her pace measured as she moved Sean's direction, "Maybe I haven't given you enough of a chance." She waved a hand behind her back when she heard Eddie cough, hoping he'd let her do this without interfering. It was the only way either of them would make it out of this infernal corn field alive.
"Damn straight," Sean said, holding out his hand to her, the other still steady with the gun. "Come here, sweetheart. Give us a hug."
It took everything she had to allow herself to be drawn into his chest, his arm wrapping around her in a vise grip. Glancing back at Eddie, she could feel the hurt and confusion coming off him in waves. He'd understand later.
She hoped.
"Sean," she said, putting on a demure pout she'd seen other women use with good success. "About that bed. Do you think we could go find one now? I mean..." she ran her fingers over his chest, idly playing with a button on his shirt. "Eddie could ride in the back, and we could drop him off somewhere in town, and I could ride with you up front. All cozy-like, if you know what I mean..." She let her hand drift lower, brushing the top of his wasteband before settling on his stomach.
His muscles rippled under her touch and she looked up at him, turning her head to the side with a laugh when he tried to kiss her.
"Does that mean you agree?" she asked playfully, tracing a circle over his chest with one finger. "It is cold out here, and dark..."
"The truck's that way." He turned her to the side, and pointed into the corn. "About three rows in. You go get settled, and I'll be along after I take care of Eddie."
She backed away with her hands up, putting herself between the two men again. "That's not the deal, Sean. You want me, you can have me, but Eddie goes too. Otherwise, you might as well just kill us both." Her heart pounded as she focused on the gun, but she held her ground, confident that he'd make the right decision.
"You'd really die for this schmuck?" He shook his head. "So that...what you just did - that was all a lie. I should have known."
Holly took a step forward. "It wasn't a lie, Sean. Thing of it more as a taste of what could be." She took another step forward, her shoulder pressing against the barrel of the gun. "You said yourself that if I spent enough time with you, I'd fall in love with you. Do you still believe that? If you do, this is your chance. The only one we'll ever have. Do you want to just throw that away?"
He was silent for a long moment. Finally, he lowered the gun.
"Fine, he said, clearly still resistant. "He rides in the back, you up front. Right beside me."
She nodded, then turned back to Eddie. "Is that okay with you?"
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 | Ch. 51 | Ch. 52 | Ch. 53 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 54
"On second thought," Holly said, keeping her pace measured as she moved Sean's direction, "Maybe I haven't given you enough of a chance." She waved a hand behind her back when she heard Eddie cough, hoping he'd let her do this without interfering. It was the only way either of them would make it out of this infernal corn field alive.
"Damn straight," Sean said, holding out his hand to her, the other still steady with the gun. "Come here, sweetheart. Give us a hug."
It took everything she had to allow herself to be drawn into his chest, his arm wrapping around her in a vise grip. Glancing back at Eddie, she could feel the hurt and confusion coming off him in waves. He'd understand later.
She hoped.
"Sean," she said, putting on a demure pout she'd seen other women use with good success. "About that bed. Do you think we could go find one now? I mean..." she ran her fingers over his chest, idly playing with a button on his shirt. "Eddie could ride in the back, and we could drop him off somewhere in town, and I could ride with you up front. All cozy-like, if you know what I mean..." She let her hand drift lower, brushing the top of his wasteband before settling on his stomach.
His muscles rippled under her touch and she looked up at him, turning her head to the side with a laugh when he tried to kiss her.
"Does that mean you agree?" she asked playfully, tracing a circle over his chest with one finger. "It is cold out here, and dark..."
"The truck's that way." He turned her to the side, and pointed into the corn. "About three rows in. You go get settled, and I'll be along after I take care of Eddie."
She backed away with her hands up, putting herself between the two men again. "That's not the deal, Sean. You want me, you can have me, but Eddie goes too. Otherwise, you might as well just kill us both." Her heart pounded as she focused on the gun, but she held her ground, confident that he'd make the right decision.
"You'd really die for this schmuck?" He shook his head. "So that...what you just did - that was all a lie. I should have known."
Holly took a step forward. "It wasn't a lie, Sean. Thing of it more as a taste of what could be." She took another step forward, her shoulder pressing against the barrel of the gun. "You said yourself that if I spent enough time with you, I'd fall in love with you. Do you still believe that? If you do, this is your chance. The only one we'll ever have. Do you want to just throw that away?"
He was silent for a long moment. Finally, he lowered the gun.
"Fine, he said, clearly still resistant. "He rides in the back, you up front. Right beside me."
She nodded, then turned back to Eddie. "Is that okay with you?"
Enjoy
this post? Support your author: Tempest
| Desert
Heat | The
Biker's Wench
| Flash Fiction
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will be moderated.
June 6, 2012
Writer's Notes: Would She Really Feel Sexy?
I know you love it when we talk about the "S" word around here, right? *passes the ice water*
Quit squirming. You should be used to this by now. Just be glad we aren't doing this on my erotica blog.
I don't often read reviews of my books unless they're specifically brought to my attention. But a couple years ago, a fellow writer made a comment after reading my first book that she didn't think my heroine would really be "in the mood" when a sex scene came along, due to everything that had happened to her (if you don't read my romantic suspense, I tend to beat up on my poor heroines pretty badly - physically as well as mentally).
Back then, I did read my reviews, and no one mentioned that little issue...but they did comment on how hot the sex scenes were (though I don't consider them *too* spicy, personally).
Fast forward to this weekend, when I got the edits for a novella I wrote awhile back, and will be releasing later this month. My editor commented that at one point, where something rather bad happens, it happened too quickly (and it just happened to interrupt a budding sex scene, though she didn't mention that). At another point when the hero rescues the heroine, my editor basically said I cheated the reader out of what should be a huge emotional moment *complete with a kiss*.
Understand that in both cases, my heroine has suffered some pretty decent physical and emotional trauma (because I'm sadistic like that).
Now understand, I don't normally plan these things - not even sex scenes. I just get in a character's head, and write. If there's a sex scene, it's because I felt that at the time, my *character* was feeling aroused...and those feelings were reciprocated and they both decided to act on it. And I've always chalked that comment by the other writer up to her personality being different than my character's - because if I didn't think the character would have felt the way she did, and been receptive to the hero just then, she would have stopped it. Do I think all women would have been comfortable or receptive just there? Um, no. But my character did, regardless of what readers may think. I do find it interesting that perhaps that colors the perception readers have of Charlie, making her less "real" or more or less "likable"...but it is what it is.
With this new novella though...my editor has very good points. And I didn't stop those scenes on purpose - I was taking votes on where the story should go next, and honestly, getting frustrated that it wasn't working the way I wanted to to work. But the reason it wasn't working is because I wasn't letting the characters write their own stories, I was letting the readers write it, and it just didn't work for me.
The characters wanted more in those two places, and my editor saw that and let me know. Just one more awesome service a great editor provides.
Even so, I'm sure someone out there will think that my heroine couldn't possibly be aroused in those situations, because it's just too traumatic, exhausting or both. But I think that for some people stressful situations can actually create a strong physical response (such as arousal), especially when adrenaline is out of control with no other viable outlet. Psychologically, it makes total sense for me that sex would be a viable option for some women dealing with high-stress situations. Not just for physical release, but also for security and an emotional connection to someone, perhaps even perceived control or even a celebration of just living through an ordeal.
What say you, gentle reader? Do you think there's ever a time where physical danger or injury can lead to a sexually aroused and receptive state? Do you think it's realistic to think that some women would take advantage of that with a hero (given one was available and also receptive)? Or do you think the majority of women might find that an implausible situation?
Quit squirming. You should be used to this by now. Just be glad we aren't doing this on my erotica blog.
I don't often read reviews of my books unless they're specifically brought to my attention. But a couple years ago, a fellow writer made a comment after reading my first book that she didn't think my heroine would really be "in the mood" when a sex scene came along, due to everything that had happened to her (if you don't read my romantic suspense, I tend to beat up on my poor heroines pretty badly - physically as well as mentally).
Back then, I did read my reviews, and no one mentioned that little issue...but they did comment on how hot the sex scenes were (though I don't consider them *too* spicy, personally).
Fast forward to this weekend, when I got the edits for a novella I wrote awhile back, and will be releasing later this month. My editor commented that at one point, where something rather bad happens, it happened too quickly (and it just happened to interrupt a budding sex scene, though she didn't mention that). At another point when the hero rescues the heroine, my editor basically said I cheated the reader out of what should be a huge emotional moment *complete with a kiss*.
Understand that in both cases, my heroine has suffered some pretty decent physical and emotional trauma (because I'm sadistic like that).
Now understand, I don't normally plan these things - not even sex scenes. I just get in a character's head, and write. If there's a sex scene, it's because I felt that at the time, my *character* was feeling aroused...and those feelings were reciprocated and they both decided to act on it. And I've always chalked that comment by the other writer up to her personality being different than my character's - because if I didn't think the character would have felt the way she did, and been receptive to the hero just then, she would have stopped it. Do I think all women would have been comfortable or receptive just there? Um, no. But my character did, regardless of what readers may think. I do find it interesting that perhaps that colors the perception readers have of Charlie, making her less "real" or more or less "likable"...but it is what it is.
With this new novella though...my editor has very good points. And I didn't stop those scenes on purpose - I was taking votes on where the story should go next, and honestly, getting frustrated that it wasn't working the way I wanted to to work. But the reason it wasn't working is because I wasn't letting the characters write their own stories, I was letting the readers write it, and it just didn't work for me.
The characters wanted more in those two places, and my editor saw that and let me know. Just one more awesome service a great editor provides.
Even so, I'm sure someone out there will think that my heroine couldn't possibly be aroused in those situations, because it's just too traumatic, exhausting or both. But I think that for some people stressful situations can actually create a strong physical response (such as arousal), especially when adrenaline is out of control with no other viable outlet. Psychologically, it makes total sense for me that sex would be a viable option for some women dealing with high-stress situations. Not just for physical release, but also for security and an emotional connection to someone, perhaps even perceived control or even a celebration of just living through an ordeal.
What say you, gentle reader? Do you think there's ever a time where physical danger or injury can lead to a sexually aroused and receptive state? Do you think it's realistic to think that some women would take advantage of that with a hero (given one was available and also receptive)? Or do you think the majority of women might find that an implausible situation?
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