Cait Miller's Blog: Sizzling Scribes Blog, page 6

Of power outages and new releases...

Normally, this is Tara Nina's turn to blog but Sandy went and put her big foot into it and Tara and I have switched places in the line-up.

First of all, Tara's fine. Many of you know she lives in New Jersey. Yes, she's one of many without power but, luckily she does not live along the coast so she still has a house. She and her husband also have a generator, so she's warm, dry and tells us she has plenty of food.

What she is running out of is gasoline for the generator. We've all seen the lines snaking around corners and doubling back on itself as people wait for their turn at the pump. :(

Since there's no way to mail her a gallon of gas, please consider donating to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army, two organizations that are helping so many people right now.They're bringing hot meals to to those who need it, providing shelter for those who have no homes, and yes, helping to coordinate getting fuel to those who have run out. Donate blood if you can to keep the supply levels up, donate money or time if you have it. The aftermath is often worse than the storm itself.

And in the midst of all this, the newest Sweet Spot story released this week! Nothing like curling up inside with a good, hot read to keep you warm. TIED TO HOME centers around Matt Carter and Wisteria Penny Lane (can you tell her parents were hippies?). After several years apart, their interest kindles when they realize they both like their sex on the kinky side - the BDSM kinky side. :)

Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

TIED TO HOME by Diana Hunter
All Rights Reserved


Matt Carter sauntered in, taking a moment to look around. Wisteria Penny Lane. She’d taken a lot of heat for her name when they were kids. Hippie parents who didn’t have a clue the teasing they’d saddled onto their only child. He wondered if they still had that commune outside of town.He’d seen the ropes, of course. And the marks around her breasts. She’d been tied up pretty well. Who knew when they lost their virginity together in the barn on her parent’s farm that the girl would grow up to have kinky tastes? Or that he’d grow up to have them as well?Now she stood, defiant and proud, her wrists held out before her in challenge. She’d  thrown a book at his head the last time he’d seen her, as he recalled. If Brian had told him whose lock he was going to fix, he doubted he’d have come.“Let me see what I can do. Have a seat.”There was a small chest on the floor in front of the window and he gestured to it.“I’d rather stand.”“I’m sure you would. But I need steady hands and that’s easier to do when I’m kneeling.” He smirked. “And you always did want me down on one knee, as I recall.”“You bastard. Get the fuck out of my house.”He drew back in mock astonishment. “Wisteria Lane, such language!”“I don’t want you here. Tell Brian he sent the wrong man.”Matt studied her face. A war went on there. One moment she seemed fully in control, the next she was a breath away from breaking down into full-blown panic mode. Fascinated, he watched the control side take over again. When she spoke this time, her voice was more leveled. “Go away, Carter. I meant what I said the last time I saw you.”“Yeah, I remember. That you never wanted to see me again. Well, here I am. And you’re stuck and I can get you free.” He held up the small case of tools. “Picking locks is something I do.”Wisteria sat down hard on the chest, her wrists still held out before her. “Turned to a life of crime?” She sounded bitter and Matt recognized she felt defeated.“Worked with a security firm for a while,” he explained as he knelt down before her and opened the case. He pulled out a dark blue roll of felt and unfolded it as he spoke. “They had a master locksmith as part of their crew and he taught me a few things.”“Security firms are supposed to keep people out, not get them in.”He snorted. “You’d be surprised at how often people lock themselves out of their own systems. First thing they taught me was how to break into a car with a slimjim.” Carefully, he reached for her hands. “Now, let me see.”She said nothing to him as he examined the problem. The first piece caught in the lock of the handcuffs came out easily enough with a small tweezers. The second proved more difficult and he had to twist around to work the lock from her side of it. That put him uncomfortably close and her perfume distracted him.Pretending his shoulder didn’t touch hers was another distraction. And that string bikini wasn’t helping. He remembered those breasts, how soft they felt in his hands, how he could make her purr by licking her nipple…The piece sprang free and with a twist, he opened the handcuffs, totally shocked by the feeling of disappointment that washed over him. What was he thinking? Wiste wanted no part of him. And, if he was honest with himself, admittedly not one of his strong points, he didn’t really want a complication in his life right now. He’d just left one in the desert of Las Vegas, he didn’t need to pick up another one here in Connecticut.“Yes!”Her exaltation was immediate. He didn’t say a word, only putting his tools away, re-rolling the felt and putting it back in its case. Wisteria jumped up and brushed past him as if he didn’t exist.“Em, he did it. Emily? Em!”But Matt knew Emily had left. He’d heard her sneak down the stairs before he’d even gotten his tools out. For reasons of her own, Emily Baker had left them alone.
Like it? TIED TO HOME comes in all ebook formats. You can find the links to what you like here. If you prefer a hardcopy, the paperback is coming soon.
Please consider a donation to the Red Cross or Salvation Army!
Diana

The Best Laid Plans

I know it's my turn to blog on Monday of the week before it's due. From the first announcement I get, I start thinking about what to say. This week, I knew on Friday I would be going on a field trip with my students. This particular field trip was a zip line adventure. We would climb, zip, and scamper through the woods 70 feet in the air.

Did I mention I am afraid of heights? I mean, panic attack, whimper in fear, curl up in the fetal position afraid of heights. I was basically pressured into this by my students after having avoided this yearly trip for 6 years. I finally had to give in. How could I preach about facing challenges and leaving your comfort zone if I wouldn't do it?

So, with much trepidation, I went. I was almost sick to my stomach when I had to step off the first platform. I managed to do it, but not without swearing a great deal. I managed to make it through the whole course without crying, vomiting, or clinging to a tree. . .well, okay, not a lot of clinging. I was proud of myself and my students were proud of me and had the opportunity to feel braver than their teacher. It was a win-win for everyone. Great idea for a blog, right?

But then I thought about blogging about my anniversary. My husband and I have been married for 16 years now and we still not only love each other, we still lust each other. Especially when I'm writing. . .

I even thought about blogging about a new book I'm working on.

Then that bitch Sandy decided to slam the east coast and now I'm scrambling to get the blog written before I lose power AGAIN!

AGAIN! Last year we lost power twice for a week each time. Once because of hurricane Irene and once because of a freak October snow storm. Sandy promises to be a little of both and the worst we've seen for a while. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?????

I'm still traumatized from last year. I can't handle cooking over the fondue pot and putting in my contacts by candle light for another week. And if I have to play endless games of Monopoly again, someone may be hurt.

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, say a prayer that my sanity holds out, or at least the supply of tequila...

Romanticon 2012

By now you’ve probably read a dozen blogs on the Ellora’s Cave Publishing Romanticon so I’m not going to expand on the parties and giveaways, lap dancing and naughty photo ops. Instead I wanted to write about how Romanticon made me feel. Towards the end of that week one of my good friends and fellow Scribe, Ruby Storm said to me that I used to be so shy and quiet but this week she saw a big change in me. At the time I told her that it was my job as a midwife that had made me more outgoing and that is partly true but it’s not the whole story. I’m still ‘the quiet one’ externally at least. I watch people and listen and now and again my work mates are surprised when I zing them with the occasional comment or ask me what I am smiling about when I catch them in an innuendo. At home I don’t go out much I just go to work and come home to write, or read. I don’t have many friends and am single and if wasn’t for my job I could go a whole week without speaking to another person, in person that is. Most of my friends are out in the world, in touch only through the silken strands of the world wide web. This may sound rather lonely and I have to agree that sometimes it is but mostly, in the words of Elizabeth Barrett I find myself quite content.

At other cons I have found myself watching the ‘cool kids’ and wishing I could be part of that crowd or seeing things go on and wish I was brave enough to do that. To join in. I rarely ever do though whether it’s shyness, or natural reserve or both.
Romanticon though, was different.

We were all the cool kids. Perhaps it helped that the whole hotel was ours and there was no one to offend. No need to worry about who would see you and what they would say or think. The atmosphere or the Con was relaxed, friendly, open… permissive. There was no divide between author and reader. Everyone was there for the same thing, the love of naughty fun where no one gets hurt. It felt safe.

I am not a good dancer but I danced like no one was watching every night. I danced with hot guys who although they were beautiful and amazing dancers themselves made me feel like I was Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. Me, the girl who was always picked last in school dance class. I danced with girls too without giving it a second thought and got cheers and cat calls. I presented a workshop and stood in front of a room full of people and talked about dicks and porn without blushing (much) or worrying about what people thought. I posed for a sexy picture with nine of the cover models and giggled like a school girl while they did their best to make me feel comfortable. I did a book signing where people didn’t pass me by because my books were erotic romances, where I didn’t feel somehow less an author because they were ebooks first. When we left the hotel staff said it felt like Christmas was over.

I drank, I danced, I hugged, I laughed, I cried. Not once in the whole week did I worry about what others thought of me.

I heard someone describe Romanticon as a family reunion and yes it does have the feel of a big, boisterous family. Only this family won’t turn you away if you are a bit different. Once you attend then you are instantly adopted and I guarantee you will wish away the year until you can join them again.

To Romanticon...or not

Many of the Scribes will be away from their desks next weekend, attending Ellora’s Cave’s yearly meet up of authors and readers: Romanticon. Cait, Ruby, Lynn, and Tara will all be there, holding a workshop on “The Nuts and Bolts of M/M Erotica” – with an emphasis on the nuts and bolts :). Don’tcha just want to be a fly on the wall in THAT talk!
Of course, it won’t be all fun and games in Ohio this year. Many of you know that one of EC’s top models, Angelo, was killed last week. There is a tribute planned for him on Friday night. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Tina Engler wrote a fitting eulogy for the Romanticon website.
Tielle, Cat and I, however, aren't attending this year. For various reasons, life has conspired to keep us home. One of these days we’re going to an event where all seven of us can be in the same place at the same time! To date, we have never done that. All our conversations are done through email with our brainstorming sessions for The Sweet Spot series taking place on a private wiki we've put together for our use.
But isn’t that wonderful, too? That seven people, all living in different parts of the world, can form a group, work together on various projects, and become friends, all while rarely seeing each other face-to-face? I’ve met all the Scribes – eaten dinner or shared drinks and conversation with every one of them. Just never at the same time in the same place.
I can tell you one thing...if we ever DO manage a group-wide, face-to-face meeting? The country that hosts us will never be the same! Some among us are party-ers who love to dance, others are quiet and don’t say much except for an occasional zinger that keeps us laughing long into the night.
I’ll miss getting to see the four at Romanticon and am making a resolution now: Before the end of another year, we’re all getting together in one big group. We’ll swap news about our families, talk about writing and tell dirty jokes till the sun comes up and goes down again. We’ll laugh and cry, rail at the world then solve all its problems. And we will act like what we have become: Scribe Sisters.
Love ya, Ladies! Have a great time at Romanticon; we'll leave the lights on for you :)
Diana

Memories

Today would've been my mother's 93rd birthday. She passed away in 1997, so there won't be a birthday celebration or party today. She isn't the only loved one I've lost. My father passed away in 1975, my oldest sister in 1998, my husband in 2004, my brother in 2006.

Being the baby of my family, I've lost many relatives over the years, some I barely knew since they were so much older than I. There's always sadness to lose a loved one, but memories keep them alive in my heart.

I have many memories of loved ones, but certain ones come to my mind first when I think of someone. My mother made this incredible chocolate gravy. Yes, chocolate gravy! She'd make it for supper sometimes and serve it over buttered biscuits. Not the healthiest meal, but so good.

My father whistled. I'd be in my bedroom, working on homework, and I'd hear him whistling while he came down the hall toward my room. He'd pop in every evening to check on me. I think he wanted to be sure his baby was okay.

My sister was twelve years my senior. She married a career Navy man when I was eight and they lived all over the world, so I didn't get to see her very much. I remember her smile most of all. She had beautiful teeth and our father's blue-gray eyes. Her face would light up when she smiled. Plus she gave great hugs.

My brother called me Squirt, which was appropriate since I'm 5'3" and he was 6'1". He was sixteen years my senior. He'd tease me when I was a kid by putting his hand on my forehead and holding me in place while I tried to hit him. I'd end up laughing along with him.

My husband loved to fish. Boy, did he love to fish! He went almost every day, so we always had plenty of fish to eat. He loved to cook, so I didn't have to do anything with the fish except eat it, which I happily did. He was an artist and created acrylic paintings, pencil drawings, and ceramics. "Always" was his favorite song to sing around the house. I can't hear it without thinking of him.

I treasure the loved ones I still have in my life. My sister is the best sister in the world. I have beautiful nieces and handsome nephews. I have stepchildren and step-grandchildren who are so special. I have wonderful friends, including all of the Sizzling Scribes.

I'm creating new memories every day. They make me smile and cheer me when I'm sad. They're all precious, and something I'll have forever.

Do you have a special memory of a loved one? Share it with me.

Lynn

Getting Ready For Another Self-Pubbed Book!

Good Sunday afternoon!
I’m excited for this week because I just finished the last edit of my next self-pubbed titled, SUNDAY LOVE. I plan to tend to all the many details of getting the book up and running by the end of this week.
I’m sure some of you have already heard about the joint erotic series that my author group, the Sizzling Scribes, have been working hard on. But for those of you who haven’t, I belong to a very talented and diversified group of authors who write erotic romance.
About a year ago we were all talking on line, something we do nearly on a daily basis, and brainstormed an idea that blossomed to a joint series called The Sweet Spot Series. We came up with a fictional town called Port Clef, Connecticut and two characters who are in every story. We even have a map of the city so when we’re writing our stories, we have exact locations. After some time, Port Clef has become real to me. I’ve walked the city streets, enjoyed the ocean and definitely enjoyed The Sweet Spot Shop’s chocolate chip cookies!
Okay, back to reality, Ruby. I decided to write a gay love story, multicultural in nature and boy, are my guys a couple of hotties (Note cover and you'll see why!) I love their tale and the pitfalls they overcome. I hope you’ll love the story, too, along with all the other books in the Sweet Spot Series. There’s a little something for everyone’s taste in reading.
Just to let you know, Lynn LaFleur’s CANDLELIGHT WISH is the first book up in the series and is currently for sale. I’m excited to list the entire list of contributed series books below:
Candlelight Wishby Lynn LaFleurCandygram by Tara Nina
Cat Scratch Feverby Arianna Hart
Tied To Home by Diana Hunter
Storm Surge by Cait Miller
Sunday Love by Ruby Storm
Three’s the Charmby Tielle St. Clare

Check our website for more information:  http://sizzlingscribes.com/sweet_spot.htm
So keep a look out toward the end of the week and check out SUNDAY LOVE! Thanks to everyone who read my books! Have a wonderful week!Ruby

Hectic Life of a wannabe Author

My dream is to be a real, full-time author. But life, bills and overall day to day adventures seem to slow me down. As I write this, I am planning the rest of my day. 1st: finish this blog. 2nd: start a load of laundry. 3rd: do the dishes. 4th: clear rest of day to do edits for my story in EC's Something Wicked This Way Comes III anthology.
I spent the better part of the early morning updating my website. Boy, that was behind the times.
I added 2 new covers. One I didn't know was available. Silken Seductions which releases in November, 2012. http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10379-silken-delights.aspx
I also added the cover for the most recent novel (book 4) in the Cursed MacKinnon series. This book is in edits and I don't have a release date as of yet.

Is it wrong to hope to win the lottery? I don't want millions. Just enough to pay off my debt so I can stay home and write. Writing keeps me sane. It's my way of letting the voices out of my head. Instead to doing what they say, I tell their stories for them so they don't take over and make me do naughty things. LOL!

Is there something you'd rather be doing on a daily basis?
Please let me know that I'm not alone in this pursuit of happiness and sanity.
Share your fantasy :)
Tara Nina
www.taranina.com
Hot Romance~Sexy Attitude

Who's got your back?

Happy Labor Day Weekend to all of my American friends!

This Labor Day, my very good friend Leigh Wyndfield (www.leighwyndfield.com) came up from south of the Mason Dixon line to visit me for a long weekend. Leigh and I met at my very first Romantic Times Convention in New York City in 2004. We immediately hit it off and have become great friends.

Writing is a very solitary endeavor. Often, a writer is alone with her characters and no one else for company. Having writing groups is a huge support. Having a friend who is a writer and "gets" what you are talking about is a godsend.

I have been very lucky to have fantastic writing friends. I have my Sizzling Sisters who have supported me through my daughter's cancer (she's in her second year of remission WOOT!) my father's death, moving, and going back to work full time. They understand when I disappear for weeks at a time and then come back saying "can anyone read this?" Without their support, I don't know if I would have ever written WAKING UP.

Just like an athlete needs to have a coach and support team, so too does a writer. If your world at home is falling apart, it's very difficult to write a happily ever after. Having a husband and children who are willing to
A.) Leave you alone so you can write and B.) eat leftovers for three days straight so you can finish something is incredibly helpful.

Writing friends are like coaches, they are there for you to kick you in the pants when things get rough. They force you to ignore the rejection/bad review/massive edits and get back to work. Unlike coaches, they don't mind answering random questions and don't blink when you ask, "can I kill someone by overdosing them on insulin?"

To sum up this rather random blog, I have to say I've been blessed with wonderful friends and a very understanding family. Writing may be a solitary venture, but with good friends at your back, you're never alone.

Permanently Mine

Those of you who follow me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/caitmiller1) or Twitter (@caitmiller) will know that I got a tattoo this month. It’s not my first, I tested the waters about 5 years ago with this on my right shoulder blade:




It was really painful and it did put me off for a while but eventually, like most people I wanted more. I’ve always been a fan of tattoo art and most of my family have ink, whether it be a small memento or full body coverage. I was well versed in the hazards and the correct way to do things. It took me a long time to decide what I wanted, I didn’t want to regret it. That’s why I chose the thistle, it meant something to me.

Pride in my country.

I also wanted a design that no one else had and in fact the thistle I chose was actually a brooch. I let the artist see what I liked and he drew it for me.

Five years later I can honestly say I don’t regret it and I wanted to be able say the same about this time. I took time to decide what I wanted again, this time I wanted to dedicate it to my love of books and escaping into other worlds. I also have a long time love of dragons. Put the two together and the artist and I came up with something we were both happy with. A dragon flying out of an open book.

Go big or go home, right?
Truthfully, I wanted to get a bigger tattoo this time though I hadn’t really thought it would turn out as big as it did but I trusted the artist and let her do her job. She estimated it would take 2-3 hours and we set a date to come in.
I was nervous but as prepared as I could be when I went to the shop that day. By hour 1 I was wondering when the ‘endorphins’ I had been told about would kick in and help with the pain. By hour 2 I had concluded that either they were lying or that I had none. By hour three I had lost all awareness of the time. By hour 4 I was shaking and, thankfully, done. I asked the artist what was the longest time anyone had sat for her and she said 4 hours. “I don’t know how anyone could do that!” I said and she laughed and pointed at the clock. I was very proud of myself and actually have no idea how I managed it.

In the next couple of weeks the tattoo healed. There was blood, pain and finally itching so bad I wanted to scratch the skin off my back. You never know how a tattoo will look when it heals and 3 weeks later I wasn’t entirely happy. There wasn’t enough colour in it, the head of the dragon was indistinct and it just looked too dark. I really didn’t want to go back for more, there hadn’t been enough time for me to forget. Equally, I didn’t want to live with it so I reluctantly went back to the shop. They looked at it and agreed that it needed a bit more work so we made another appointment. I don’t know if it was psychological but this time it hurt even worse. It took another hour and I couldn’t have sat any longer than that. It was enough though, I was thrilled with the result but not with another two weeks of pain and itching. It’s now almost a month since I had the art done…do I regret it?

Ask me in five years.




I thought I’d share some of the things I know about getting a tattoo below, I’d love to hear if you have any more.

Be sure about your design. Give it careful thought, remember it’s for life. Generally names of boyfriends/girlfriends, wives/husbands are a bad idea. Some artists even believe them to be bad luck.

Research. Find a reputable shop and visit it to make sure it lives up to its reputation and website/facebook page. Most shops have an online presence now but it’s easy to look your best in pictures these days.

Pick an artist whose work you like. Ask to see the artist’s book, the portfolio they keep of their previous tattoos. Meet them before and talk to them about what you want. It helps if you like them too. You might be spending a while together.

On the day:
Make sure you’re well rested and well hydrated although you might think you are too nervous, eat. Nothing heavy but have something filling a couple of hours before.

Wear appropriate clothing, something you can easily expose the area you want tattooed. Make it black and not something you will miss if it has to be thrown away. Tattoos bleed and black won’t show any stains from blood or ink.

Take water and a sugary drink and a snack. This is especially important if you will be getting a big tattoo. Your blood sugar can drop during the process and you can feel faint, a shot of sugar can help.

Follow the instructions the artist gives for aftercare. Most will advise some kind of ointment but I personally used Bepanthen nappy ointment. It works really well believe it or not.

Don’t be afraid to go back if you’re not happy with something, they will help if they can. It’s their reputation too.

When real life gets in the way

Robbie Burns was right. "The best laid plans o' mice and men oft' gang agley..."

And boy, did I have it all planned out. Because of an illness in my husband's family, he and I cancelled our trip to Maine and Nova Scotia, a trip initially planned for last week and this. Spending those two weeks at our cabin in the mountains of southern New York was our second option and I made a list of all the local places we hadn't been yet. We'd stay at the cabin and do smaller day trips in between trips home to check on his mom in the hospital. This way, he could also get a good deal of painting time in and I could finish my Sweet Spot novel that releases in November. A good compromise, right?

And then life happened. We had to come home not once, but twice, because my husband got an interview for a directing job (he directs live theatre). We had to come home three more times because of an ill relative who needed care 24/7 for a few days. The silver lining was a chance to do a load of laundry, but really? It's hard to vacation, write or paint when you keep coming home!

So, after six days, we totaled one day of vacation and five days of life getting in the way. I wrote less than 3000 words all week and my husband painted only two paintings worth talking about (and one we're just going to pretend doesn't exist. Love you, honey!). We were so busy traveling back and forth, there just hasn't been a lot of down time.

The one day trip we managed was to Corning, NY. We've been to the Corning Glass Factory nearly every year since the kids were little. It's a wonderful place, but we've been there a lot, so we skipped that this time and went to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, a huge collection of western American art. What makes it unique is it's location -- in the East! Three floors of incredible paintings, sculptures and historical artifacts. My favorites were the pieces by Frederick Remington and N.C. Wyeth. Afterward, we ate lunch at an excellent bistro at the end of Market Street, then shopped the entire street before heading back to the cabin. And yes, I did, at least, get a start on my Christmas shopping!

What this is the long way of saying is that...I'm behind on my novel. I'd hoped to have it finished before we left, but I got stuck on a plot point (I'm past it now). My second self-imposed deadline was to be done by the end of these two weeks. Now I'm hoping to be done before September first. I want the first draft done before I have to start back at school. With five classes and five preps this year (and two study halls to babysit), I'm worried about not having enough mental capacity left at the end of the day to do anything more than edit.

So yeah. Life gets in the way sometimes. Okay, most of the time. We're going to try again this week, hoping to salvage a few days for relaxation and creativity. Maybe finishing a novel isn't such a crazy dream after all...

Play safe,
Diana