Maddy Barone's Blog, page 52
May 15, 2012
Tuesday Truth–Reviews
I’m taking a page from my friend Virginia Cavanaugh. She’s decided to have a few theme days on her blog, and Tuesdays are going to be Truth or Teasers days. I’m going to join her. At least for today. I really need to blog more often. We’ll see how long my resolves sticks. 
Today my truth is:
I like reviews
5 star raves, 3 star blahs, 1 star rants, they’re all good. Naturally, I prefer the 5 star reviews that make me feel all warm and fuzzy. The 1 and 2 star reviews are sometimes a little bit harder to enjoy. But doesn’t a reader have the right to express his or her reactions to a book they’ve read? A recent review of one of my books hurt me. Not because the reader who wrote the review was rude or insulting. Not at all. I thought this person wrote a good review, briefly explaining what it was that disappointed her. I was sorry she wasn’t able to enjoy it more. I hope other readers will have a better experience than she did.
Sometimes it’s easy to think a review is a letter addressed to the author. But they are not. A review is usually intended for other readers, to let them know what one particular reader thought about the book. If a reader wants to let an author know what they thought of a book, they can probably find the author’s email address on their website, or post on their Facebook page.
What are your thoughts about reviews?
May 12, 2012
Writing Update & Excerpt
Hello, all! As May goes on, I’m getting more and more excited about the Annual Reader & Author Get Together. I spent several hours today with my friend Jessica sewing her 1920s dancing dress for the murder mystery party at Duffy Brown’s. We’re nearly done with it. Next weekend I’ll make mine.
On the writing front, I’ve been working hard on Eddie’s Prize, the story of model Lisa Anton and Eddie Madison, the son of the mayor of Kearney. For some reason this book has more love scenes in it already than the others, and I’m only half done. I’m just about to write another love scene and I’m not sure how it’s going to go. Eddie had just read an old magazine article about Lisa’s love life in 2064 and he’s jealous. The next minute he sees Lisa crying on a bench with one of his friends close beside her, comforting her. Eddie sees red. He drags Lisa home and makes furious love to her, to show her who her husband is. Lisa loves it. She has to, otherwise it’s not really a romance, is it? But that’s the beginning of their marriage problems. Eddie doesn’t trust her. The scene I’m really looking forward to is when she decides she’s had enough and leaves him to go live with Taye’s Pack.
Also, Sherry’s Wolf is out all over now. (Except Barnes & Noble, grr.) It’s free everywhere except at Amazon. They don’t allow books to be priced at free unless it’s a publisher loading the book. So I had to price it at $0.99. I put a note at the bottom of the description saying the story was available elsewhere for free, but some people are paying for it anyway. There’s a link on the page at the bottom of the product details section where people can report a lower price and hopefully Amazon will match it. If any of you could take a few minutes to report the lower price at one of the sites below maybe Amazon would make Sherry’s Wolf free. Please don’t feel you must. Only if you want to. I meant this story to be a thank you gift to my readers, and it doesn’t seem very grateful to charge for a gift.
ETA: Never mind! Looks like Amazon has dropped the price to $0.00! Thanks, everyone. who went to report the lower price. IT WORKED!
Oh, and I wrote the first chapter of Ellie and Quill’s book. I hope you enjoy Wolfs-Prize in its raw state. I imagine I’ll do some significant editing to this. I might even scrap it all together, but I haven’t shared much lately, so here you go.
That’s all for now, folks! For you moms reading this, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
May 6, 2012
Shawl for the Raffle Basket is Done!
The Annual Reader & Author Get Together that is hosted each year by Lori Foster in the Cincinnati area is coming up in only 25 days! Each year there are fantastic raffle baskets for people to bid on. My friend Jessica and I are putting together a basket that will contain some goodies for a romance reader: a B&N nook with a hand sewn cover, paperbacks of my books Sleeping With the Wolf and Wolf’s Glory, a B&B gift card, and a hand knit shawlette. We’re not sure what else to put in it.
You readers, what else would make a raffle basket interesting enough for you to buy a ticket for it?
May 5, 2012
Historical Costume, SCA Garb …
Before I started my second careeer as a writer, I sewed quite a lot of garb for myself and friends. I went to be part of a panel about the SCA at the sci-fy convention Core Con today, and had to wear something bling-y. That is, something eye-catching that showed off what we do in the SCA. I had a terrible time finding something to wear!
I couldn’t wear this red dress from 1550 Florence because it doesn’t fit any 
more. I sewed all three layers by hand for an A&S competition years ago.
I couldn’t wear this blue/pink shot silk dress from 1530 Florence this because I gave it away.
I couldn’t wear this Indian dress because it isn’t really historically accurate. It’s the only one I didn’t sew myself.
This Viking Apron dress was out because the last time I wore it it got badly stained. Fine for camping, but not for a show-off opportunity.
I decided against this velvet dress from 1535 Florence Italy because it takes 2 people to get me into it, it’s an extremely tight fit and it’s hot to wear.
And this one was impossible because it isn’t finished yet. I’m stumped by it. I can’t fit the bodice no matter what and I’m too lazy to actually try to rip it out and start over.
I couldn’t wear this one because it’s Victorian/Steampunk, not medieval or renaissance.
So I wore this one. Purple and silver Byzantine silk/blend brocade.
You know what this means? I need to sew some more garb. Something that will wow the audience but is comfortable to wear, easy to put on and doesn’t weigh a ton.
May 1, 2012
Reading, Reading, Reading, and a little Writing
Does this ever happen to you? The laundry pile has turned into Mount Washmore, the livingroom is in dire need of vaccuuming, last night’s supper dishes are still piled in the sink, there are errands that need to be run, but instead of doing all those chores you sit yourself down with a (virtual) stack of books and read to your little heart’s content. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does that.
In the last few days I’ve read about half a dozen books and novellas. Sometimes I go on a reading spree and ignore everything else that I should be doing. Since I’m single and don’t have children to look after (I don’t count the cats, they take care of themselves pretty well), I can get away with that. But when I finally emerge from my reading orgy I find that the laundry still isn’t done, the dishes are still piled in the sink and the livingroom is still a disaster. Worse, I’ve made no progress on the story I’m writing. I guess that means I better get going on Eddie and Lisa’s story. To wet your appetites, here’s a snip from Chapter One, when Lisa and Carla are brought to Kearney.
The usual things apply. This is unedited, unpolished, and may change a little during editing.
Inside the wall the scenery went from urban disaster to country sprawl. It was pretty. This is what she had expected from the walled fortress she and Carla had found this morning. There was tall meadow grass growing on either side of the road, and a big white Victorian house with pillars guarding its veranda at the end of the gravel drive. Some smaller houses were there too, and a barn and some other buildings that looked well maintained. The wagon rumbled down the drive to the rear of the house. A couple men came out onto the wide covered porch. The wagon stopped about ten yards from the house. One of the men, big-bellied with brown hair and a grizzled graying beard came down to talk to their farmer escort. Mayor Madison? Yes, the farmer called him Mayor. Lisa thought he looked like a beer-bellied, aging hippy with a hangover. Carla stood up and swung herself over the side of the wagon, landing on the dirt driveway with easy grace. Lisa doubted she could do that even if her feet hadn’t been killing her.
The second man flowed down the steps with the lithe grace of a cat and when the sun hit him Lisa caught her breath. His hair was golden, flowing in smooth waves to his shoulders. His face was elegant, sun-kissed to a creamy golden tan, perfect in each clear-cut feature. As a model, Lisa had worked with many handsome men, but none of them could top this one. Such beautiful blue-green eyes with dark lush lashes shouldn’t belong to a man. Or that wide, gracefully curving kissable mouth. He could almost be called pretty, except that his jaw was hard, his chin square and his shoulders broad. He came and stood beside the wagon. For once she didn’t notice a single thing that could be enhanced in the appearance of someone she was meeting for the first time. He was a golden god. Lisa stared, besotted, into his beautiful, dark-lashed eyes until she heard Carla snort. Then she blinked and blushed, and saw him do the same.
“Can I help you down?” asked the golden god in a low, quiet voice.
“Oh,” Lisa began, but before she could say anything else he stepped up on the wheel axle, put his hands on her waist and lifted her without effort to the ground. She stifled her gasp of pain when he put her on her feet. “Thank you.”
“Are you hurt?” he asked with quick concern.
The concern warmed her, but Lisa hurried to brush it off. “No, just a little sore.” She could have stared at him all day, but she tried to act her age. She extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Lisa Anton. And this is Carla Zimmerman.”
He nodded politely at Carla and turned his eyes back to Lisa, taking her hand like it was breakable, spun glass. “Eddie Madison. Pleased to meet you.” He seemed to have to force himself to look back at Carla. “Pleased to meet you both.”
Carla nodded back distractedly, apparently more interested in the conversation between the bearded aging hippy and the farmers than this Greek god come to life. There was a line between her brows as she looked from their escort to Mayor Madison. The golden god was listening too, so Lisa tried to focus.
Skinny? The mayor was gesturing at her, saying something about her being skin and bones? And Carla too? Carla was by no means obese, but she was at least twenty pounds too heavy for her height. Lisa tried to follow the conversation, but all she could grasp was that the farmers were talking about her and Carla like they were used cars they were trying to sell to a skeptical buyer. And the buyer kept pointing out flaws like he was trying to get the price dropped down.
“Hey!” said Carla loudly. “We need help. The plane we were in crashed. People are hurt. They need to get to a hospital.”
All the men—and some more had drifted over from the houses—stared at her. The mayor pointed triumphantly at Carla. “And they’re crazy!” he shouted at the farmers, as if that were a clinching argument.
“They’re fertile,” the farmer countered, “and still young enough to have twenty years of child bearing ahead.”
Lisa blinked. The words floated over the top of her mind before sinking in. “What?” she gasped.
“The blonde is too skinny to be fertile,” the mayor argued.
The farmer responded but Lisa didn’t hear it because the golden god had put his hand on her arm and whispered, “I don’t mind that you’re skinny. I’ll see that you have plenty of food so you can fatten up.”
Lisa pulled her arm away, half-offended, and caught up with the conversation. “Eddie,” the mayor said, “why don’t ya take them gals up to the porch where they can set in the shade. Fetch them some water, too. They’re probably thirsty from the drive into town.”
“Sure, dad,” Eddie said, reaching for Lisa’s arm again.
The farmer grabbed Lisa before Eddie could, and jerked her away so violently that she stumbled on her aching feet and almost fell. “They can stay put until we finish our business.”
Eddie’s beautiful face was hard and angry. “You be careful with her. You wouldn’t want to damage the merchandise,” he added sarcastically.
Carla was looking like she couldn’t believe her ears. “Didn’t you hear me?” she yelled. “I said, there’s been a plane crash and people need medical help!”
Eddie’s dad looked over at her with a serious expression. “Don’t you worry, little lady, we’ll discuss that as soon as these gentlemen and I finish our talk. I promise, we’ll figure out what’s best to do.”
Lisa stood next to Carla beside the wagon, listening in disbelief as the farmers sold them to Eddie’s dad. The other men who had come out to see what was going on began filing back and forth, carrying bundles and boxes from one of the barns to the wagon. Carla was stiff with anger, her arms folded over her chest, her large handbag hanging from one elbow. “The going price for two fertile women?” she hissed sarcastically to Lisa. “Fifty pounds of coffee, a hundred pounds of sugar and a chunk of salt. Are you insulted? I am. I’m worth at least twice that.”
Lisa nodded numbly. She’d always thought religious people were trustworthy. But these guys really were some sort of weird cult. She and Carla were just lucky the cultists hadn’t done something worse than sell them to the mayor of the neighboring town. She watched the Odessa men turn the wagon and head away from the house.
April 22, 2012
Corky Needs Help
About six months ago a new cat rescue group came into being in Fargo North Dakota. CATS Cradle split from PAAWS to be able to concentrate on rescuing felines and finding them good homes. I got my last cat, Little Bit, from PAAWS. She was found in a State park by Carol Stefonek, who went on to become a co-founder of CATS Cradle. I’m actually allergic to cats, so as much as I’d like to volunteer, I can’t spend too much time around large numbers of cats. I get used to my own, so they don’t bother me, but a half dozen strange cats would lay me out. I think CATS Cradle does good work, so I’ve been contributing 5% of my royalties to them. That doesn’t actually amount to much, but I figure every little bit helps, right?
But now they have a great need. Back at the end of March, a darling 7-month old kitten came to the shelter. His name is Corky. He’s bright and good natured, and full of fun
. He also was born with a severe disability. His hind legs bend backward, and are twisted. He can’t walk on them, so he happily drags himself along on his front feet. By his sweet dispostion and playful nature, it’s plain he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him. Most people would have just put him to sleep, but the good folks at CATS Cradle decided to fight for him. They found a generous and talented veterinarian who was willing to operate. Even with many services and time being donated, it was estimated the surgery would cost $2500.
Well, it will be many times that. Corky is a brave little soul, and the vet has pronounced the surgery a success, but there have been some bumps in the road for Corky. He’s still at the vet hospital and will be for some time while he undergoes various therapies. That costs money which the shelter, being fairly new, doesn’t have. (And really, how many shelters have lots of excess money, anyway?)
To read some news articles about Corky’s story, click one of the links below.
CATS Cradle has a Facebook page and Corky is featured heavily there.
If you have a few spare dollars, please consider donating to CATS Cradle to help fund Corky’s recovery. You can find out how to give at:
April 21, 2012
The Cancan Dancer and the Duke by Dara Young
Dara Young can’t wait for May 2nd to get here. So, while she is waiting she thought she’d put together a blog tour to help share the news about her upcoming release. For each comment posted over the 12 days she will give you one entry into a drawing for a $25 gift card to Amazon.com. Please pass on the news! The more the merrier!
Impulsive Hearts http://impulsivehearts.wordpress.com/ May 1st
My Blog http://darayoungwrites.com May 2nd
Mama Kitty Reviews http://mamakittyreviews.com/ May 3rd
Sidney Bristol http://sidneybristol.com/guest-blogs/ May 4th
Arabella Stokes http://southernsizzleromance.wordpress.com/ May 5th
Angel Graham http://angelgrahamauthor.wordpress.com May 6th
That’s What I’m talking About http://www.twimom227.com/ May 7th
Modokker Book Picks http://modokkerbookpicks.blogspot.com/ May 8th
Katherine Grey http://katherinegrey.blogspot.com May 9th
Amie Louellen www.amielouellen.com/blog/ May 10th
Evangeline Holland http://edwardianpromenade.com May 11th
Dariel Raye http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com May 12th
The Cancan Dancer and The Duke
The Wild Rose Press
Release Date: May 2, 2012
Can a lady on the lam and a duke on the make find love at the Moulin Rouge?
Cathedrals and museums are not Lady Charise Colton’s idea of European adventure. Turn-of-the-century Paris beckons, and she wants to grab it while she can…or rather, cancan. Flirting with fate and half of Paris, Charise eludes her chaperones and joins the cancan revue at the Moulin Rouge.
Ethan Greer, Duke of Lofton, is in Paris to settle some estate business. Chafing under his responsibilities, he discovers an enchanting distraction at the Moulin Rouge, a flirtatious dancer who stirs his lust and something more. He must have her—even if it means offering carte blanche.
Terrified of discovery, Charise tries to hold her persistent suitor at bay, though her heart has already surrendered. Will she lose him if he learns the truth, or is love enough to bind the cancan dancer and the duke?
Excerpt:
The singular sound was a soft whisper at first. The audience strained forward to catch even a note of the eerie melody carried on the fetid air of the cafe. As the song picked up, her voice grew stronger, the words more clear. Ethan relaxed into his seat and let the warm rich alto caress him. His body grew warm with the promises carried by the witch’s husky tones.
He remained unaware of anything in the room except the siren walking toward him. Each steady, unhurried step she took further drew him in. His gaze feasted on the curve of her hip, the swell of her breast. Ethan rode the knife’s edge between lust and propriety.
The song described, in lurid detail, two lovers in the throes of passion. Upon reaching him, the dancer propped the toe of her boot onto the edge of his seat—square between his thighs. The luscious creature presented impossibly sheer bloomers which hid everything and yet nothing, causing him to let out the breath he, until now, unknowingly held. His c**k grew rigid, the uncomfortable throbbing causing him to shift. The desire to haul her into his arms and demonstrate every action she described with the most sensuous mouth he’d ever seen rode him hard. Her full lower lip begged for his kiss. Ethan wanted to see it slick and glowing pink from his attentions.
The wanton dancer continued to taunt him, but his good breeding won out. Forcing himself to stay seated, his fists balled and his jaw grew rigid with frustration, but his raging lusts remained leashed. The song ended, sending her into the nether regions of the cafe in a swirl of skirts.
Add it to my shelf at: GoodReads
April 14, 2012
I’m in One of THOSE Moods!
Yes, I get moody sometimes. Right now I’m feeling dissatisfied with my life and my writing. Things aren’t flowing smoothly. When I wrote Sleeping With the Wolf, the words just poured out of me. I wouldn’t say it was easy, but compared to how I feel right now, it was. Maybe it’s because when I wrote Carla and Taye’s story, it was still not officially a job. At that point, my writing was a hobby that I could set aside for months on end. I love writing, and I have no plans to give it up. This is just one of those moods that strikes from time to time.
The point of this post is … Hm. What was it again? Oh, yeah. When I get into these moods I usually do something drastic. I was in this mood when I joined the army 30 years ago. I was in this mood when I gave away my precious velvet Tudor gown and French Hood. (When I say precious, I mean it had $300 worth of freshwater pearls and real gold thread embroidery that I slaved over. It took me over 6 months to make that dress). I was in this mood 16 months ago when I whacked off 15″ of hair to donate to Locks of Love.
I’m afraid to leave the apartment. Who knows what I’ll do in this mood. A couple of people are teasingly (maybe teasingly?) suggesting I get a tattoo. I’m 50! What’s more, I’m afraid of needles. What’s even more, i’m broke. Somebody talk me down. :)
April 2, 2012
What’s Sky Been Up To?
Do you remember Sky, the seventeen year old whose wolf chose Rose to be his mate? Remember how he grabbed her, held her against the wall and kissed her against her will? After Taye tore him away from Rose and threw him into a wall, Sky decided to leave Karney and find work in Omaha until Rose was old enough for him to court properly. Do you wonder how things are going for him in Omaha? Me, too. He’s been pestering me to write a scene for him, but I’m still working on Eddie’s Prize, and then there’s Wolf’s Prize. I have the opening scene for Quill and Ellie’s story circling my brain and I want to write it. But back to the scene Sky is pushing at me.
Sky and Quill arrived in Omaha in November and it is now early December. The big city is a shock to them. For one thing, many of the more affluent homes have running water and electricity. For another, the women of Omaha walk all over town by themselves. The men in Omaha hardly seem to notice the women. Sky thinks it might be because of the dozens of peacekeepers who patrol the town. Work on the railroad won’t begin until the snow is gone in spring, and no one wants to hire a pair of half-feral teenagers for the winter. With no money to buy food or housing, the boys have to rely on their wolves to hunt their own food. They can’t stay in wolf form in Omaha because the one time they nosed their way into a stable for shelter, they were shot at by the peacekeepers. Hungry and homesick, Quill argues that they should return to the Clan until spring. As proud and stubborn as any other Alpha, Sky refuses.
Their luck changes one morning as they are going door to door in the business section of Omaha. They see a well dressed middle-aged woman being followed and harrassed by a group of rude men. Naturally, Sky and Quill are furious at this disrepect to a woman, and appalled that she is out alone unprotected. No Peacekeeper is in sight and they don’t bother to go find one. Instead, they beat the snot out of the men and offer to escort the woman to safety. The woman is Miss Lucille, an aging star of one of Omaha’s leading whorehouses. She’s surprised that two such young men are so strong and able to fight so well. As a thank you, she offeres them a freebie. Quill is horrified, but Sky remembers how his kiss didn’t please Rose. He asks Lucille to teach him how to kiss properly. She teaches him taht and a whole lot more. Sky and Quill go to live at the whorehouse, earning their way as bouncers. Who better to keep the working girls safe than a pair of wolves who idolize women?
I don’t want to give too much away. I can’t write this scene right now, but I suspect I will write it soon. Sky won’t shut up.
What's Sky Been Up To?
Do you remember Sky, the seventeen year old whose wolf chose Rose to be his mate? Remember how he grabbed her, held her against the wall and kissed her against her will? After Taye tore him away from Rose and threw him into a wall, Sky decided to leave Karney and find work in Omaha until Rose was old enough for him to court properly. Do you wonder how things are going for him in Omaha? Me, too. He's been pestering me to write a scene for him, but I'm still working on Eddie's Prize, and then there's Wolf's Prize. I have the opening scene for Quill and Ellie's story circling my brain and I want to write it. But back to the scene Sky is pushing at me.
Sky and Quill arrived in Omaha in November and it is now early December. The big city is a shock to them. For one thing, many of the more affluent homes have running water and electricity. For another, the women of Omaha walk all over town by themselves. The men in Omaha hardly seem to notice the women. Sky thinks it might be because of the dozens of peacekeepers who patrol the town. Work on the railroad won't begin until the snow is gone in spring, and no one wants to hire a pair of half-feral teenagers for the winter. With no money to buy food or housing, the boys have to rely on their wolves to hunt their own food. They can't stay in wolf form in Omaha because the one time they nosed their way into a stable for shelter, they were shot at by the peacekeepers. Hungry and homesick, Quill argues that they should return to the Clan until spring. As proud and stubborn as any other Alpha, Sky refuses.
Their luck changes one morning as they are going door to door in the business section of Omaha. They see a well dressed middle-aged woman being followed and harrassed by a group of rude men. Naturally, Sky and Quill are furious at this disrepect to a woman, and appalled that she is out alone unprotected. No Peacekeeper is in sight and they don't bother to go find one. Instead, they beat the snot out of the men and offer to escort the woman to safety. The woman is Miss Lucille, an aging star of one of Omaha's leading whorehouses. She's surprised that two such young men are so strong and able to fight so well. As a thank you, she offeres them a freebie. Quill is horrified, but Sky remembers how his kiss didn't please Rose. He asks Lucille to teach him how to kiss properly. She teaches him taht and a whole lot more. Sky and Quill go to live at the whorehouse, earning their way as bouncers. Who better to keep the working girls safe than a pair of wolves who idolize women?
I don't want to give too much away. I can't write this scene right now, but I suspect I will write it soon. Sky won't shut up.
