M.J. Scott's Blog, page 35

In which there is more news!

Well, after last weeks good news, I’m equally happy to tell you that it’s official, more M.J. Books will be forthcoming!  I’ve sold two more books to my lovely Roc editor, Jessica Wade. the first of these will be a fourth book in the Half-Light series ( I reached the end of Iron Kin without reaching the end of the story) And the other,  at this stage, another dark fantasy. Half-Light 4 is so far without title so more on that when we figure it out and will be out earlyish in 2014 I hope

I officially have many books to write but am thrilled I get to keep writing on my two favorite genres!

 

In which there is news…

And not a little squeeing!

Anyway, once upon a time there was a writer who loved romance and fantasy. Grew up reading ‘em both. Started writing ‘em both. Sold the fantasy ones first….but today, I’m very very thrilled to announce I have, thanks to the agent wizardry of Miriam Kriss, sold 3 contemporary romances to the awesome Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martins Press!!

Well, when I say me, it’s actually M.J’s evil twin, Melanie Scott who is writing these. Or maybe M.J. is the evil twin…anyway, two names for me!

At this stage the titles of the books are The Devil in Denim, Angel in Armani and Lawless in Leather and Book 1 should be out sometime early-mid 2014.

Melanie will be getting her own website and Facebook page shortly and I’ll put the details up here when I have them but because it’s nice to share, there’ll be one twitter @melscott and news of all books will be posted here at Crossed Wires (which you’ll be able to access from both sites) along with the usual cat stories, pics and general ramblings about the writerly life.

For all my lovely M.J readers, do not fear, M.J. isn’t going anywhere, so if you’re not into contemporary romance, there will be more fantasy tales for you. If you do like contemporary romance, then hopefully you’ll check Melanie’s books out.

And that’s all for now…more on these books to come!

Iron Kin cover

Okay, so not the most creative blog post title in the world but I shall make it up to you by showing you this bit of delicious:

And now I must send the Ace/Roc art department some cookies. They rock.

Tension

Tension…good in books, bad in life? Or maybe not bad, when it’s not too much tension. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of me busting my ankle…which was pretty much the start of a year that yielded quite a bit of tension in both good and bad ways. I’m hoping more of the good and less of the bad for the next year.

But I’ve been pondering tension lately as I wrestle with a few wips and try to figure them out. Writing involves lots of tension beyond the actual words on page story tension…will my book work? Can I do justice to the vision in my head? Will I get to the end? Will anybody buy it? Will I ever hear back on whatever is out on submission? So learning to live with tension and channel it in healthy ways is something I’m always trying to balance. Sometimes better than others.

It’s spring here in Australia and I love this time of year (well, apart from the flip flopping sunny one day, winter blasts the next weather we’re having right now) but it also makes me fidgety. I want everything organised and finished and done. Which is never going to happen. Spring also means lots of sport sport sport here. There’s the footy grand final and the spring racing carnival and the cricket is kicking off.

I’m not a big one for actually watching sport. I played sports but I don’t tend to sit and watch it on TV. And over the years I’ve come to realise that it’s mostly because, unlike a lot of people, it doesn’t relax me. Instead, it tends to make me anxious. I worry about the result and jsut want to get to the end. The sports I like watching most are things like figure skating and eventing etc which have an element of performance to them that distracts me from the “what’s going to happen” factor. Or sports that have a bit of spectacle like baseball or basketball. Whereas, I think a lot of sports fans like the tension and the emotional ride sports give. It’s a form of release, perhaps. Which is relaxing.

Which I think, other than meaning I need to chill out, explains why I love genre fiction so much. Genre gives you the thrill of the journey but with a safe place to land at the end. You know you’ll get your happy ending or the crook will be caught or the universe saved from disaster. So you can relax into the journey and enjoy the twists and surprises along the way. Non genre fiction is more like leaping into the unknown…which is a good thing at times but for me, not every day. I like the safety net (hey, I’m a virgo). Which is why I adore sports books and movies (because I know it will (mostly) work out), love nothing better than a dvd tv marathon (keeping the ride going while getting to the end), love re-reading books and will always always turn to something with a good old happy ending when I’m stressed.

Anyway, enough deep thoughts for a Sunday evening! Do you like the leap into the unknown or a bit of certainty? Or both at different times?

Mmm chocolate

Sorry for the blog silence, new day job and various other distracting factors lately but I promise to amend my slack blogger ways.

As a peace offering, may I point out that I am over on the lovely Cathryn Hein’s Friday Feast today, talking about my obsession with flour and sugar and why I pinch recipes. And offering a recipe for chocolatey deliciousness…come on over!

Bad girls and a Blood Kin giveaway

I’m at Rabid Reads talking about the allure of the bad girl and giving away a copy of Blood Kin as part of Stomp vs Romp…

A couple of upcoming events

For my Aussie readers, I have a couple of upcoming appearances.

Firstly the Australian Romance Readers Association Booksigning

When: Friday 17 August 4.30-6.00pm (next week!)

Where: QT Hotel, Gold Coast, Australia

Registration for readers here

Romance by the Sea

When: Saturday 8 September 2012 10 am – 5pm (with booksigning Sunday 9 September)

Where: Queenscliff Hotel, Queenscliff, Victoria

More information and registration here. This event is raising money for Cottage By The Sea.

And now back to writing. Sadly, those books don’t write themselves : )

Feel like a walk through the Half-Light City?

Holly is giving a bit of tourist advice for visitors over at Dark Faerie Tales as part of Deadly Destinations….

Hop on over for a chance to win a copy of Blood Kin (US folks only).

Circling back

So I am working away on a few sekrit projects and one has been going slowly. Which means there’s a problem. It ALWAYS means there’s a problem though we writers like to go with the denial of said fact and try to to push through more time than not.

And just like there’s always a problem, the answer to said problem is often the same.

MAKE THINGS WORSE.

Stop being nice to the characters. Stick their toes in the fire and then throw some more branches on the flames. Poor characters. I swear I like my characters (which is why I end up with this problem, I don’t want to be be mean to them) but apparently that doesn’t matter. The story demands I put them through the wringer again, so here I go, circling back to fan the flames hotter and organise even worse things waiting in the wings for when they manage to fight free from the flames. Again. I wonder if this lesson ever sticks?

Books I’m looking forward to – Winter edition

The weather has turned determinedly grey and cold and wet down here in the Southern Hemisphere (or at least in my little corner of it). Good weather for napping, knitting and, of course, reading.  Reading requires reading material…so here are some of the books I’m looking forward to over the next few months.

Gunmetal Magic – Ilona Andrews (and the associated Magic Dreams novella (June))

Blackout – Mira Grant (out now, in the TBR pile) Last book in the fab Newsflesh trilogy

The Bandit King – Lilith Saintcrow (out now, just hit my kindle last night…am resisting until I get my pages done today!)

The Long Earth – Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett (June) – A different kind of Pratchett but he’s yet to write a book I didn’t like!

Scandal Wears Satin – Loretta Chase (June)

God Save The Queen – Kate Locke (July)

The Ugly Duchess – Eloisa James (August)

The Iron Wyrm Affair – Lilith Saintcrow (August)

Dragon Ship – Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Dodger – Terry Pratchett (September)

Close Enough To Touch – Victoria Dahl (September)

Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance – Lois McMaster Bujold (a long wait until November!)

What’s everyone else looking forward to?