Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 76
October 22, 2010
Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 14
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
The Biker's Wench
Brief note - the minister's name has changed to Ian...sorry for any confusion!
Chapter 14
Harley pulled his cell phone out and speed dialed his security team. "There's a limo headed for the front gate - stop it. And we need medical to the chapel. Ian's been hurt." Disconnecting, he tried to ignore the primal need to go reclaim his woman immediately and knelt beside his sister, who was helping the minister sit up. "What happened," he asked, pulling Ian to his feet. "How did they get Monica?"
"They knew," Ian said, wincing and holding a hand across his midsection as he straightened. "Those bodyguards were waiting in the alley when we came out. Monica fought hard, and I chased them, but one of them clocked me in the stomach. I'm sorry, Harlan - I couldn't hold them off."
Harley shook his head. "It's not your fault - he had it all planned out before he came in. He must have done his homework, but he's not getting past that gate." His phone buzzed, and he glanced down, then grinned. "Security's got them now, it seems. Are you going to be okay? I had them send medical over, and Betsy can stay with you until they get here."
"I'll be fine." Ian took a tentative step forward. "What are you going to do?" He didn't look at Betsy, and Harley wondered what she'd done this time. He'd have to have another talk with her about leaving his friend alone, apparently. She'd been after Ian since they were kids, and it was past time she gave up her childhood crush. But there were bigger issues to resolve at the moment.
He put his hands in his pockets, exhaling slowly. "I'm going to tell Burns to leave and take Monica home."
"And you think he'll go along with that?"
Harley shrugged, grinning as he started to walk away. "He doesn't have a choice." He glanced back, noted Ian's uncomfortable glance at Betsy and took pity on the man. "Hey sis, wanna come with? Monica might need a friendly shoulder while I'm dealing with her dad..."
Ian stood taller. "Go ahead, I'm fine. She needs you." Betsy stared at him, locked in some silent debate for a moment before she turned on her stilettos and joined Harley on the dirt road. As they walked, Harley wondered how long she'd be able to stay quiet. It turned out to be about ten feet.
"I saw the way you looked at her, you know. The way you touched her. You didn't marry her just to protect her." Her tone was confident, and despite the fact that he did feel...something for his new wife, it wasn't something he wanted to discuss with his sister.
He stared straight ahead, watching people swarm around the entrance gate where he assumed Burns was giving his team a hard time. His men were the best in the business though - you couldn't run a place like this without top-notch security in place to keep people from getting hurt. No matter who those people might be.
"None of your business, sis. But since you opened the topic, what did you do to Ian? He's all nervous around you again - didn't I warn you to step back?"
She punched him in the arm. Hard. "I was just having a little fun with him over the phone," she said, a pout evident in her voice. "He needs to lighten up and you know it. It's not like we haven't known each other forever."
"He doesn't want you, Sis. I know it's hard to hear, and even harder to understand, but you've got to leave him alone. I hate to see you waiting on a guy who--"
"Hey!" A shout from up ahead pulled his attention back to the meley. "Come back here!" A figure broke free from the crowd and ran toward thier position in the street.
"Is that Monica?" Betsy leaned forward, squinting into the night.
Harley took in the figure, his eyes raking over every curve of the dark sillhouette. It was definitely her - but how had she gotten away?
October 21, 2010
Author Interview: Jesi Lea Ryan
When did you decide to pursue writing seriously?
I majored in Creative Writing and Literature in college, but since I wasn't interested in teaching, I wasn't left with a lot of options for employment. I just didn't trust in my writing enough to count on it to support me. So, I ended up in the insurance industry. I worked there for twelve years, but in Spring 2009 my position was eliminated. I decided to look at it as an opportunity to write. Halfway through Four Thousand Miles, I decided I never wanted to do anything else ever again.
How did you choose what genre to write – or did it choose you?
It sort of chose me. I read several books a week, but I'd never read romance before. I didn't realize that was what I was writing when I started Four Thousand Miles. To me, the book is about an emotionally damaged woman who attempts to run away from her problems by fleeing to England—about her healing process. Yes, part of that healing is brought on by the friendship and love of a good man, but I didn't realize until after the book was done that it was a romance.
Tell us a little about your writing process. How do you get from idea to completed draft?
I'm not a very organized writer. I don't outline or anything. Really, I'm an obsessive day dreamer. I swear if it was an Olympic sport, I'd get gold! I think of my day dreams as writing in my head. I usually start with a character; then I put them into a situation and see what happens. I kick scenes around in my head—examining them from different perspectives, fleshing out the details, listening to the dialog. As a result, I rarely ever find myself sitting in front of a blank screen.
What are some of your favorite authors to read?
Oh, my goodness! That's like asking a parent to pick the favorite among their children! I have great respect for writers of all types, whether they are commercial or literary or self-published. A few of my favorites are Oscar Wilde, Richelle Mead, Neil Simon, Tom Perrotta, DH Lawrence, Jodi Piccoult and JR Ward. See what I mean by my eclectic reading habits?
If anyone is interested in my reading, I maintain a blog where I review all of the books that I read. I started it just to record my thoughts about the books I read, but I'm finding people are actually enjoying reading it. Check it out at http://diaryofabibliophile-jesilea.blogspot.com/.
What do you like do when you're not writing?
Well, I'm also an MBA student, so I spend a lot of time laboring over spread sheets. Yuck! When not writing or studying, I read almost constantly. Even in the car, I usually have an audio book on. I'm also a pop-culture junky. I'm addicted to Perez Hilton.com and I'm fascinated by the positive and negative aspects to celebrity. I actually began writing something on it, but stopped when I couldn't find a member of the paparazzi to interview.
How do you balance writing with the other aspects of your life?
Most of my writing time is done in the afternoons when most people are at work. It gives me a large chunk of quiet time. I also spend a significant amount of time each week blogging, developing my online presence and meeting with a group of local writers in a critique group. My husband brings work home frequently and we have no children, so many nights, we are both hanging out, each with our own laptops. My weekends are when most of my down time takes place.
Who is your favorite literary character or couple?
Georgina and Seth from Richelle Mead's Succubus series are wonderful! Seth is quite possibly my ideal man. I also have a thing for the Jake and Brett in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. Both couples have massive stumbling blocks between them. I suspect the Georgina and Seth will find their "happily ever after" in the end, but Jake and Brett never quite made it.
Where can readers find your book?
My novel, Four Thousand Miles, is available on ebook now at All Romance http://tiny.cc/h5af7.
Blurb:
"When Natalie Spencer loses both her career and marriage in the same morning, the emotional shock sends her on a spontaneous journey to England. There, she is nearly mugged in a Tube station, but an introverted songwriter named Gavin Ashby scares off her attackers. Recognizing Natalie's fragile state, Gavin offers help and invites her to recuperate from her trauma at his country home.
"As she adjusts to her new role and surroundings, Natalie finds healing by helping others. Gavin and his family begin to accept Natalie into their hearts, leading her to a choice…abandon her old life in the States and trust in a new chance at love, or flee once again?"
It's a fun read. I hope you all buy a copy and enjoy it!
Thanks so much for joining us today, Jesi. Your method sounds a lot like mine, actually...and my husband and I are the same way in the evenings. LOL I wish you all the best with your book, and plan to read it soon.
Feel free to leave comments for Jesi below, or connect with her at her blog or on Twitter and at Facebook .
October 20, 2010
Everyday Romance: When Opposites Attract?
I was contemplating this (again) as I plot out my second novel in the Fantasy Ranch series – why do opposites attract? In my own life, I don't like interpersonal conflict. Some people seem to thrive on it, but I prefer an even keel whenever possible. While my husband and I have our differences, we generally get along well and share the same basic philosophy on a myriad of topics. My characters thus far seem to follow the same path. They have their differences (sometimes big ones), but they aren't normally truly opposites in personality.
Enter my characters for The Minister's Maid (which you can read more about in my NaNo-themed interview over at Musings from the Slush Pile today). Betsy is...well, she's the salt of the earth. And crass. And she's got issues with authority, not to mention having the hots for her exact opposite, an honest-to-God minister named Pete (or Ian...I'm really thinking his name's going to change – Ian is better than Pete, sorry TBW readers). But I digress (the dangers of being on vacation).
Anyway – Pete/Ian is everything Betsy is not. He's straight-laced and proper, always has been and is not all that happy that someone like her has set sights on him. Because you know, good boys aren't supposed to like bad girls...although he may well not be as good as he seems. It is a novel, right? (Or will be.)
Naturally, since it's a romance novel, there has to be some reason they get together – a good, believable one. Which means they have to find some kind of common ground strong enough to overcome all the uncommon ground between them. And that got me to wondering (see how my brain works? Tiring, isn't it?) when opposites attract in "real life", how do they make a long-term relationship work?
If you've made it this far (I'd apologize for the abundant parenthetical remarks, but I'm on vacation, remember?), and you are or have ever been in an "opposites attract" sort of relationship, wanna share some of your secrets? If you're merely attracted to people with opposite personalities from yours, why? And if you're more like me and prefer to agree more than you don't...what do you think would be a plausible explanation for two opposites to hook up (and stay hooked up)?
October 19, 2010
Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 13
Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11 | Ch. 12
The Biker's Wench
Chapter 13
"You may kiss the bride."
At Pete's words, Harley leaned down to place a soft, chaste kiss on Monica's trembling lips, squeezing her hands in his. "We'll finish this later," he whispered, then straightened, pulling her behind him as he turned to face the man who'd so rudely interrupted. "My bride's father, I presume? I'm afraid you missed the ceremony, but I'm sure we could probably scare up some champagne if you want to celebrate with us." He smiled, enjoying how the man's face turned read, with purple veins popping up on his neck. Monica hadn't been kidding when she'd said he had a temper.
"I'm Stephen Burns, and that's my daughter behind you," the man said, leaning to the side for a glimpse of his daughter. "Monica, what is the meaning of this? Show yourself, girl."
Monica was still grasping Harley's hand, her grip so tight he'd have marks from her nails. He wondered where else she'd leave marks, the thought making him wish they were anywhere but here. He regarded her father, tall and slender with nary a gray hair. Dressed in a sharp black suit and a colorful tie that probably cost more than the bike helmet Monica had trashed, he was an imposing figure. He wasn't going to be happy when he went home empty handed, and it didn't look like he was going to go easy from the two burly guys standing just inside the chapel doors. Looking back over his shoulder, he winked at Monica, struggling not to react to her snow-white face. He held out her hand to the minister.
"Pete, I think my wife is a bit overwhelmed. Would you show her to the back while I introduce myself to my new father-in-law?" Pete nodded, taking Monica's hand and pulling her gently toward a small door behind the altar. There was a back door from the minister's quarters, and hopefully Pete could sneak her out before anyone thought to check. Harley waited until the door closed, then descended the stairs to address his nemisis.
"Harlan Majors, owner of The Fantasy Ranch and your new son-in-law. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." He held out his hand, somehow keeping a pleasant smile pasted to his lips. "You can call me Harley." He waited, eyes locked on the other man's in a tense, powerful stare. Knowing he couldn't back down, he held firm, confident that Mr. Burns would rise to the challenge of being civilized.
After several long moments, strong fingers wrapped around his in a crushing grip. "I can't say it's a pleasure," Burns said, a grudging note of respect in his voice. "But we'll see. You own this whole compound?" He released Harley's hand, glancing around the room.
"We prefer to call it an adult theme park, but yes." Burns motioned slightly to his guards and they walked out without a word, leaving them alone. "I'd be happy to have someone give you a tour if you'd like. I think you'll find we put a lot of work into making fantasy a realtity."
Burns nodded, running his fingers over the back of a pristine white pew. "I take it you're doing well then?"
"We do okay." Harley frowned as he watched Burns sit in the front row, an unconcerned smile on his face. "I'm sure your daughter will be happy here."
Burns chuckled, sending a chill through Harley. "Perhaps she would have. Unfortunately, she has a contract to fulfill, and I'm afraid I can't allow her to stay. My business is too important for a mere female to derail." The door opened at the back of the room, and one of Burns' men stepped in, nodding once. "Ah," Burns said, rising. "There's my ride. I wish I could stay longer, but I'm afraid I have important things to attend to. You'll excuse me?"
"You sonofabitch." Harley sprinted behind the altar and slammed the office door open, then ran through the empty room to the back exit and out into the alley. A woman's cries for help rang out through the crisp night air, and he took off around the corner and through the graveyard. He reached the main road just in time to see Pete on the ground with Betsy bending over him, and a dark limo pulling away from the curb, Monica's hands pressed against the back side window.
October 18, 2010
Weekly News & Goals 10/17/10
For those of you who were looking for the Draculas review yesterday, it posted at 12:10 am this morning. Why? Because Konrath and his co-authors are doing a marketing experiment and wanted as many reviews as possible posted on the same day – today. So if you're not a blog subscriber and didn't see the review (and want to), scroll down – it should be right before this post. 
Thanks again to Christine Fonseca for the joining us last week and giving away a copy of her book (congrats to Heidi, the winner). This week I'll be interviewing Jesi Lea Ryan , author of Four Thousand Miles – stop in Thursday to meet Jesi.
If you're interested in doing a guest post or interview here at The Variety Pages, please feel free to email me. Thursdays are author spotlight days, and I'd love to feature you and your book.
While we're on the subject of interviews, Julie Anne Lindsey at Musings from the Slush Pile (a blog I recently discovered) is interviewing me about my NaNo experiences this Wednesday, so if you've got a few minutes and are interested in National Novel Writing Month , join us.
This Week at The Variety Pages
Tuesday: Ch. 13 of The Biker's Wench
Wednesday: Everyday Romance – Opposites Attract?
Thursday: Author Interview – Jesi Lea Ryan
Friday: Ch. 14 of The Biker's Wench
Thursday at Beyond the Words
Social Marketing Strategies
Goal Reports
I missed my deadline for revisions...but I should be done either today or tomorrow, so it's all good. Once they're finished I'll send them off to the editor and forget about Desert Heat until sometime in December. I barely got Friday's chapter of TBW done in time, but here's hoping this week's installments will go more easily. Such is life when you run out of planned scenes. After DH is sent off, I plan to focus on writing ahead on TBW so there are minimal interruptions during NaNo.
Personal goals are to the frantic level right now – the big Halloween Bash is this coming Saturday night...ack! I'm off work this week for the sole purpose of getting everything finished, and hubby will be off work Weds. – Fri. too. It's all Halloween, all the time this week, and it's gonna be a great party...
Goals for the Week
Writing
Finish revisions and send DH off for editing
Two or three more chapters of TBW
Several sections for NE project
Business
- Open bank account and paypal accounts for BSB
Personal
Finish up party prep
Host a good party
Update Scaryview blog
That's my week – what's on your agenda? Read any good books lately?
October 17, 2010
Book Review: Draculas by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn, F. Paul Wilson & Jeff Strand
This horror novel was written by four authors working together, and I can't tell you how impressed I am at the execution. It's been awhile, but I've read individual works by three of the four, and I couldn't really differentiate between them in this book. It's incredibly well written and the story itself just pulled me right along.
I had my doubts in the beginning, to be honest. I loved the very first section wherein a freakish, mutated skull is found and makes its way into the hands of a wealthy dying man. The set up was excellent. The next section turned into a bloodbath of the highest order, and honestly, felt kind of gratuitous – gore for gore's sake. Maybe it's the fact that I'm steeped in Halloween decorating at the moment, but I found myself getting bored with all the blood and carnage.
It didn't take long to capture my interest again when the story started moving forward, and character personalities really started to show. It also intrigued me that the monsters (these vampires really are monsters – no darkly charming sexy dudes here) still retained some ability to think and reason. The plot is very simple, but no detail was left out, nearly everything was plausible for me, making it easy to be drawn into and stay engaged in the story.
My only issue aside from the bloodbath in the beginning was with the description of the monsters. I had (still have) a hard time visualizing what is described, so it took me a few sections (there are no chapters – it's all delineated by character) to stop trying to figure out what they looked like and just accept it was something super-ugly with really big bad teeth. In the front of the book it's described as "anatomically impossible", which annoyed me because I would have liked an explanation of how something that's "impossible" could become possible.
The ending is deliciously wicked, and fascinating in light of the original mythos of vampirism as it's laid out in this particular book. But wait...there's more!
The authors have packed this ebook with extra materials – interviews, bonus short stories, and emails that cover the collaborative process. I found all of them quite interesting, and certainly extra value for the cost of the book. When you consider the novel itself is 80k words, it's an amazing amount of material you get for what you'd normally pay just for the story. I received my review copy for free, but I wouldn't hesitate to pay the $2.99 for the whole package.
If you like horror with a healthy helping of gore, you'll want to read this. If you don't like horror but you're a writer and can stomach the gore, you still should read this, just for the artful construction and collaboration. If you've overdosed on handsomely mysterious sexy vamps, or those sparkly youngsters, this book is the cure. It's an excellent read all around, with something for everyone.
Draculas is a Kindle exclusive, but you can either download a Kindle app for your device of choice, or you can download the file and use a program like Calibre to convert it to read on whatever ereader you have.
***I don't normally do book reviews here on the blog, but I'm making an exception for this particular one because I'm interested in the marketing experiment the authors are conducting. I'm sure Joe Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn) will blog the results when he's done for anyone else interested.
October 15, 2010
Serial Novel: The Biker's Wench, Chapter 12
Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7| Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 |Ch. 11
The Biker's Wench
Chapter 12
Monica looked down at the dress, pulling the train out and pretending to examine it closely. "It is beautiful, isn't it? Betsy tells me it was your mother's. I know I shouldn't wear it, but she insisted..." She knew she was rambling, and let the words trail off as he moved closer.
"It's perfect." Harley stood just in front of her now, and when she finally looked up, she found herself hypnotized by the soft, serious look in his eyes. He reached out as if to touch the beads just over her breasts, tracing the vine as it danced over her chest. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, his fingers sliding over the fabric to touch her warm bare skin. Her pulse raced under them, and she took a tentative step forward.
Behind Harley, Betsy cleared her throat. "Sorry bro, you'll have to wait. The front gate just radioed down that a group of suits just arrived, demanding to see the owner. If they're the ones after your girl here, you might want to get this wedding started."
Monica stepped back, breaking contact so she could think. This was it. Time to tell him she couldn't go through with it. "I ca--"
"Come on," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door. "It's time to get hitched."
Struggling to keep up with his long strides in the unfamiliar heels, Monica let him tug her out of the wardrobe and back down the hall, through two large double doors on the right. She was practically jogging to keep up as they hurried down a wide aisle between rows of glossy white benches. Finally they were standing under a white trellis arch with what appeared to be real vines growing in and around it. A tall, clean-cut man dressed in black with a white collar stood before them with a small white satin pillow in his hand. Two small bows on top secured one gold ring each, and Monica looked up at Harley, stunned. He merely shrugged and turned back to the preacher, a slight smirk on his lips.
"And do you, Monica Burns take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
She blinked, frozen with panic. She had to end this. Now. While there was still time to hide. A commotion from behind made her turn, panic turning to fear as she saw her father walk confidently through the door with his goons on either side.
"What the hell is going on here?" His deep, commanding tone echoed off the chapel walls. "I demand an explanation!"
"I do," she said, just loudly enough for her own voice to carry. Something cold and metal slipped onto her ring finger, and she looked down to see a thick gold band not unlike what she would have picked out herself. Quickly she placed the other ring on Harley's finger, her own hands trembling so badly she nearly dropped it.
"By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Winner! Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children
Heidi Sutherlin!
You've won a copy of Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children by Christine Fonseca! I'll send your address to her. Enjoy!
October 14, 2010
Emotional Intensity and Relationships: Sometimes intense is too intense.
First, I want to thank Jamie for letting me hang out on her blog today as she hosts a leg of my blog tour.
For this post, I wanted to talk about emotional intensity as it applies to relationships – especially love-relationships.
Love relationships are intense by definition. However, the normal emotional intensity present in gifted individuals can take this to a whole new level – causing anyone to redefine what intense may actually mean.
To start, let's look at a working definition of intensity.
The following poem by Pearl Buck sums it up beautifully:
The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this:
A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive.
To him...
a touch is a blow,
a sound is a noise,
a misfortune is a tragedy,
a joy is an ecstasy,
a friend is a lover,
a lover is a god,
and failure is death.
– Pearl Buck
Now, thinking back to emotional intensity and relationships, is it any wonder why a love relationship with an intense person can be so challenging? Even more so if both parties are intense.
Gifted people – both adults and teens – see the world as a series of extremes. The natural ebb and flow of relationships can often be perceived as life altering – a matter of life and death. Maybe even literally.
I always think of Romeo and Juliet when I think of INTENSE relationships. Sure, they were in the throes of first teen love – but even keeping that in mind, their relationship was INTENSE. It burned hot and extinguished too soon.
This is the danger in intense relationships – the intensity itself can cause the relationship to burn-out long before a deeper sense of things can be developed between the partners.
So, the message here – pace yourself. Gifted adults can learn to manage the intensity enough to balance things and not allow the relationship to burnout. But it takes practice. And understanding.
For more information on emotional intensity, check out my newly released book, EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS , the resource for parents and educators working with gifted kids.
Thanks for letting me come by Jamie and talk about emotional intensity in relationships. If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to come on by and answer them in the comments.
Order Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children on Amazon or get the digital version for your ereader here. Sample the first chapter here .
Thanks so much for that wonderful post, Christine! And I think the warning to pace yourself applies to everyone in relationships, really. Great reminder for us all...
Want to win a copy of Christine's book? Leave a comment before midnight my time (Mountain Daylight), and I'll use Random.org to select a winner then. Please make sure you leave a valid email address in the comment form so I can contact you if you win (email addresses are not displayed on the blog). Comments do take a couple minutes to show up here, just so you know.
Connect with Christine at her website , through her blog , on Facebook and Twitter.
October 13, 2010
Everyday Romance: Sleeping Arrangements
I was in my early 20's, visiting an out-of-state boyfriend when I first learned that *gasp* some married couples don't actually sleep in the same bed. Until that moment, I never once thought the old 1950's sitcoms where the parents slept in separate beds in the same room were anything but fiction or "cleaned up for TV". I've met several other couples who either sleep in separate beds or separate rooms since then, and honestly, I can't wrap my mind around it.
This will undoubtedly be unpopular with some, but the way I see it, sleeping with your spouse is the ultimate gesture of trust and in some cases, self-sacrifice. When we're sleeping, we're at our most vulnerable, and learning to sleep with our spouse's nighttime habits shows a determination to compromise in order to be together. Sleeping apart seems to me to be picking our own desires over our spouse…and I don't understand why anyone would do that.
I understand that there are some extenuating circumstances that would warrant sleeping apart – extreme illness being an excellent example, but it seems like those I've known choose it only as a personal preference for their own comfort, rather than compromising on issues (I'll add that from my admittedly limited perspective, these couples have other issues as well, whether cause or effect). I don't get that. I want to be next to my husband at night, even when he's snoring or hogging the covers. And yes, even when he has a cold.
I'm considering using this in one of my romance novels, as a catalyst for conflict. I think there's a lot to be explored in this one simple decision about the nature of relationships.
Weigh in, dear readers. What would make you give up sleeping in the same bed as your spouse, or the same room, for that matter?
