Cait Miller's Blog: Sizzling Scribes Blog, page 9

Brain Freeze Blog

Ever have a day where you just can't think straight? I've had a busy couple of weeks. So my brain seems addled no matter what I try to do to sort my thoughts. I visited my son last weekend and watched him graduate from bootcamp. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. He is so handsome :) Since returning, I've had a nasty cold that just doesn't seem to want to go away. And I haven't had a chance to catch up on my writers duties because I've had no time. The day job has ramped up my hours (not complaining) but it cuts into my writing time. Damn sure wish I could hit the lottery, pay off my debts and bring my Sizzling Scribe sisters together for a party. Now that would clear the writing cobwebs from my brain and jump start the creative juices again. I've got a story I want to finish soon and get to my editor but can't seem to concentrate. I've been tossing around different scenario's for my story in the Sweet Spot Series that the Sizzling Scribes are creating and self-pubbing. This is going to be a phenomenal collection of stories from a great group of authors and I'm proud to get the chance to be included. I have decided that no matter how crummy this cold makes me feel I plan to go to jazzercise in the morning. Hopefully getting back on the path of exercise and eating healthy will help me focus on the projects I want so desperately to complete. I'm sitting here on the couch and I can't believe it's snowing. Not much, just a dusting but it's still snow :) I like snow. Just not alot of it.I'm sorry this blog is so disorganized. I guess I shouldn't write while on cold medicine. LOL.

Super Bowl Sunday

So I'm on my couch, chips are on the counter, a beer is in my hand and pizza is in the oven. My husband is clued to the pre-game show and every last move each player has made since kindergarten is being analyzed.
And I really couldn't care less. Don't get me wrong, I love Tom Brady, any time I can watch good looking men in tight pants, I'm all for it, but really, after two weeks of hype, all I really care about now are the commercials.
So, if you're watching the big game, whether by choice or by marriage related pressure, here is something to keep you interested in if the game gets dull. . .
Count how many gratuitous cheerleader cleavage shots are shown.
Make an over/under guess as to how many beer commercials are shown
See if you can guess how many of the players on the field actually know who Madonna is
Calculate how much hairspray is used for this one game by the broadcasting crew
Oh, and maybe root for one of the teams. I'll be going for the one with the cutest quarterback. . .

What's your story?

Yesterday my mum and I were discussing the latest drama in the extended family and I joked with her that "We lead very boring lives, don't we?" It was an off the cuff remark but it got me thinking, is my life really boring? Sure, I may never have smoked, took drugs, passed out drunk or spent the night with someone I wish I hadn't. Nor have I ridden a rollercoaster, bungee jumped or been skydiving. I've never been married, I don't have kids. There's a lot I haven't done but I have time... don't expect to find me passed out drunk with a pack of cigarettes on a strangers bed any time soon though!

Things I have done though? Those are awesome. I went abroad for my first time ever when I was nineteen and I did it alone (Washington DC I still love you). I've travelled alone many times since then and enjoyed myself immensely. I've become a published author not once but four times... so far. I went to University – first one in my family – and I graduated as a midwife. I've brought many new lives into the world and escorted some out. I've rejoiced and I've grieved. I'm educated, independent and adventurous in ways many people will never be. I've lived.
So next time I bitch about being single, being boring. Slap me upside the head. My life is AWESOME.

So tell me, what are you proud of?

Resolutions

I'm a pack rat. There. I admittedit. Admission is halfway to solving the problem, right? So by admitting it,doesn't it rightfully follow that my house will unclutter itself? That all thedust bunnies will move out and there will no longer be piles of "stuff" allover the place?Apparently not. When we moved intothis house nearly eighteen years ago, we had more room (and rooms) than we knewwhat to do with. It's an old Queen Anne Victorian with a balcony off onebedroom (which we turned into a study), a wrap-around porch (which we use as anoutdoor living room in the summer, sans television) and lots and lots of space.At least for us. There are just the four of us and (usually) one cat at a timeliving in 2500 square feet. We came from a house that had 1600 square feet andit's amazing what the addition of less than a thousand square feet can do to aplace. Of course, we have a full attic and basement in this house and the otherdidn't. Storage space, nonexistent before,suddenly became available. So we stored stuff. And stored more stuff. And thengot more stuff to store. The attic as well as the basement managed to collectunwanted toys, books the kids outgrew, memories and of course, Christmasdecorations.Recently, my daughter graduatedfrom college, got a job and moved away. Again, one would think the house wouldbe less full just by default. That the little decluttering fairies would comein the night, or at least to help with the move, and take some of the stuffaway. Again, you would be wrong. Yes, herroom is emptier, but the rest of the house? Not so much.What really did it was there-thinking of the use of space. My husband has recently taken up painting(check out his paintings...I always knew there was a latent talent there. Hejust needed a little push). As a result, we are drowning in canvasses, painttubes, and all the general detritus that goes along with selling prints ofone's paintings (do you have any idea how much room mailing tubes take up?).The study, which we shared, had become me tucked into a corner increasinglylosing ground to my husband's new career. We also discovered we didn't workwell together. The clacking of my keyboard as I wrote disturbed his mentalprocess. The music he wanted to play while he painted disturbed mine. I need toget up and walk around every once in a while and my steps jiggled his canvas(it's an old house). Tensions built.Family meeting time. We presentedthe problem to the kids and said we needed to find a new way of using the houseso my husband could have his own studio. Without hesitation, my son gave up hisroom and volunteered to move into the tiniest of the bedrooms upstairs. At 9'x6' there's barely enough room for a twin bed and a desk. But he worked out anagreement with my husband that his clothes could stay in the new "studio" andhe'd live in what he now deemed his "man cave."Sometimes ya just gotta love yourkids. His solution ended up saving allour sanity in several ways. That room had become a catchall for my stuff.Taking a morning to clean it out gave me the opportunity to throw away stuffI'd been holding onto for far too long. His move and subsequent clean out gavemy son the same opportunity. By the time the two of us were done with ourrespective rooms, we had six garbage bags for the Salvation Army and two forthe trashman. We also filled two blue recycling bins.And then my husband cleaned out hisside of the study.More for the Salvation Army, morefor the garbageman, more for the recycling center.I'm making a New Year's Resolutionto be less of a pack rat this year. When I come across something I haven't usedin a year's time –and won't use in the upcoming year—I'm tossing it. I'mre-thinking every purchase before I make it. Do I have something already thatwill do the same job? If I buy that blouse, what blouse am I sending away tomake room? Can I get that book as an ebook on my Cruz? My resolution: nothingmore comes in unless something of equal size goes out.So how about you? How do you handlethe clutter of living? I'm open to all suggestions! Help a gal out, here, willya?
DianaPS. Learning Curve has beenre-released for the Kindle. If you don't yet have a copy, be sure to pick up yours today!

Do Reviews Make a Difference?

I've been a writer for a lot of years. I write because I have to. It's part of me, like my blue eyes and freckles. I love sharing what I write with readers. If they enjoy my books, that's a huge plus for me. Sometimes they enjoy one so much, they'll send me a private email (which I love), or write a review at the online store where they purchased my book.
And sometimes they *don't* like my book and write a not-so-good review.
I'm not saying no one should ever write a bad review. Everyone is entitled to her/his opinion. A book my friend loves may get tossed across the room to splat against the wall from me, or vice versa.
I think a person has to feel strongly about a book to write a review in the first place. But does that one bad review among several good ones make a difference to you as a reader? Will you believe the "this book was so bad" review or the "I loved everything about this book" review? Will you not buy the book, even though you'd planned to, because of a bad review?
I'm a writer, but I'm a reader too. I want to know the author's writing voice before I buy a book. I love the sample feature on the online sites. One click and I get a nice sample of the book on my Kindle in a few seconds. That's especially nice because not all authors post excerpts on their websites. I post the complete first chapter and an excerpt of all my books on my website. If you want a taste of my writing style, it's easy to find.
Readers want to spend their money on a book that will give them a few hours of reading pleasure. Will you take a chance on a new author if the excerpt/sample sounds good, even though someone put up a one-star review at your favorite online store? Do you only pay attention to books with four- and five-star reviews? How important are good reviews to you?
Lynn

2012 ~ A Big Year For The SIZZLING SCRIBES!

Ah, yes. It's going to be a huge year for my writing group, the Sizzling Scribes. I'm so thrilled to be with this group of talented women. We number seven: Tielle St. Clare, Tara Nina, Lynn LaFleur, Cait Miller, Arianna Hart, Diana Hunter and myself. I wanted to let you know here on this blog exactly what we all having coming up to make 2012 a great year of reading!

First off we've all collaborated on a series called the Sweet Spot Series that we, as a group will release throughout the coming year. All these stories will be intertwined and takes place in our town called Port Clef, CT and will be self-published. So watch for the banner on our covers and you'll know that you're in for some hot and sexy tales of love and romance!



Tielle St. Clare will be first up in February with Three's The Charm. Also, she's currently working on a sequel to Let Sleeping Wolves Lie which was a self pubbed book released this past November. And she's working on the first of a three-book series for Ellora's Cave. Not quite ready to share the details yet, but these will be m/f/m and very sexy. No release dates yet. Also Tielle will be included in Ellora's Cave's Something Wicked Comes This Way anthology.

Tara Nina is currently working on the fourth book in the Cursed MacKinnons series, the second Night Prey book, and her upcoming release, Portal to Passion, which will be published with Ellora's Cave. Sometime this year she will also have a short story in the Something Wicked This Way Comes Volume 3 anthology from Ellora's Cave titled Sinful Seduction. Also, Tara has a great story as one of the seven in the Sizzling Scribes Sweet Spot Series!

Lynn LaFleur has contracted another book with Ellora's Cave, the fourth in her Coopers' Companions series featuring Breanna Talmage and the hunky detective Evan Stone. Look for Armed and Delicious in the spring. Next up for Lynn after she finishes Armed and Delicious is Candlelight Wish, her contribution to the Sizzling Scribes' Sweet Spot series.

Cait Miller has set herself up for a great year, too! She's had THREE new stories accepted for publication by Ellora's Cave. She is going into 2012 with a bang with her second m/m story, Unconventional Romance, which will be part of Volume 4 of the Something Wicked This Way Comes anthology.

Arianna Hart is back! Family medical problems have kept her busy over the past few years but things are great for her and her family and she's looking forward to the writing life once more. Ari has contracted with Samhain Publishing and her story is called Waking Up. Be sure to watch for it. Also, don't forget her Sweet Spot Series story due out in March!

Diana Hunter has been busy! First off she took a short break to write a quick erotic short story that she's published under the name Mystic Shade—for the shadier sides of our desires. You can find links to Yours to Command on Mystic's site. http://shadesofdesire.blogspot.com. At first tempted to publish this short story under her more familiar name, Diana decided to separate the more erotic stories from her erotic romances using a different name. That way readers know exactly what to expect. So if you want historical fiction, look for CF Duprey. If you want erotica, look for Mystic Shade. And, if you want erotic romance, look for Diana Hunter.

Me? Man, I hope I can keep up! This is what I have going! Dragcon: Kiss of Fire (sequel to Dragcon's Snare) is almost done and will be another self pubbed book. Mating Ritual will be one of five stories included in Ellora's Cave's anthology Something Wicked This Way Comes Volume 4. Precious Gems, a three-story anthology my books Perfecting Pearl, Sapphire's Seduction and Essence of Emerald is coming out this spring in print!

So that's the Sizzling Scribe 2012 story and we're stickin' to it! And I'm willing to bet that we'll have a few surprises, too!

Have a healthy and happy start to 2012. May we all prosper and make our dreams come true!
Ruby

Tielle's Side Car

Ice half full in shaker1 shot bourbon (let bourbon marinade with ice for a minute or two; you want a little water in there)1/2 shot Grand Marnier1/2 shot Frangelico3 shots sweet and sour
Shake the hell out of it and pour through a strainer into a sugar rimmed martini glass.
Tielle

Ruby's Razztini

We love this at our house! It's a festive looking drink for the holiday season with the red and green!
2 shots raspberry vodka1/2 shot Triple Sec2 shots cranberry juiceSplash of lime juice
Add all ingredients into drink shaker with ice. Make sure when you shake that your butt is moving in the same rhythm. This always helps to get you in the mood for a party! Drain into a martini glass and add a lime wedge on the rim. Ready to go!
Ruby

Arianna's Famous Hot Chocolate

We love this when decorating the Christmas tree or as a yummy dessert substitute. If you want to get fancy, make this in a clear mug and use a peppermint stick or candy cane as a garnish. This is a huge hit at Christmas parties or after Christmas dinner.
1 envelope hot chocolateHot water1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream (regular or mint)Whipped creamChocolate shavings (if desired)
Empty hot chocolate envelope into mug. Add shot of Bailey's. Stir. Add hot water. Stir again. Top with whipped cream, candy cane, and chocolate shavings if desired.
Arianna

Cait's Creamy Irish Coffee

Your preference of black coffee, sugar to tasteAdd measure of Bailey's Irish CreamFloat whipped cream on top and sprinkle with chocolate powder
Cait