Kate Lowell's Blog, page 12

So Close I Can Taste It

Two passes down, one more to go. I’ve fixed a lot of weird spelling issues that I think have something to do with my keyboard getting ready to die. (I can’t say all of it was the keyboard–at one point I found an entire sentence that had lived on from an earlier draft, and had nothing to do with the scene it was currently inhabiting.) Some plot problems from the end of the book, which I freely admit to sending out as a hot mess. Better now, but I bet that by the time I’ve gone through everything and it’s ready for publication, I’ll have added 5k words to it. I’ve already added 1300.

I still get lost in parts. Places where I horrify myself, places where I’m just so relieved I forget I’m editing. I hope that means I’ve done my job properly.

Back to aligning the synopsis with the story. I strayed a little, but I don’t think it affected the story negatively. There were some things that just sounded better in précis than they did laid out completely in the text. I want to finish this tonight so I don’t have to worry about it tomorrow. I have one beta to get back to me and I think I’ve already hit most of the changes that have to be made. I might actually get this thing off early. :)

Filed under: writing Tagged: Almost There, editing, Flesh Market

Tuesday Tickle: Flesh Market

This will be the last Tuesday Tickle for FM, until it’s ready to publish. :) I’m finishing my first pass through it before it goes off to the editor. There’ll be two more before I’m done and, at that point, I’ll be chasing it out the door with a broom, shrieking, “Get up, get out, and get a job!”

He (Leo) turned his head to stare at the bathroom door. Julian had been in there for a long time. The shower was still going.

Leo rolled off the bed and went to the door. He knocked.

“Come in.”

Leo opened the door and was engulfed in steam. He felt his way into the room and sat down on the toilet. “You okay?”

The shower curtain slid back. Julian sat in the middle of the tub, his arms wrapped around his legs and his hair streaming water all down his face. “Not particularly, but I’ll get better.” His mouth pinched off the last word, as if he didn’t quite believe himself, but was trying really hard.

“I have a copy of the hard drive.”

“Is it on there?” Julian shoved his hair out of his eyes. His expression brightened and he leaned toward Leo.

Filed under: Tuesday Tickle Tagged: Flesh Market, human trafficking, mm romantic thriller, red market

Holy Smokes, It’s Hot Around Here!

Of course, that’s all relative–I do live in the frozen north. But they’re talking about 27 degrees celcius tomorrow, which is about 85 farenheit? And humidity. (And all my Southern friends are laughing hysterically at me at this very instant.)

It’s also hot because I need to get my entry ready for the Sex Scene Championship over at Scorching Reviews.

 

In case you’re wondering, the Sex Scene Championship is an elimination-style, knock down, drag out fight to the finish between all our best naughty bits. There’s hetero and gay both, so no matter what you like to read, you can guarantee a rousing good time. (Or should that be ‘an arousing good time’?)

I’m seriously thinking about putting in a scene from Flesh Market, but I need to lock down the title before I can. I don’t have an official okay from a publisher yet on it, so there’s still the potential for them to decide it’s too similar to another title that’s out there and that it would get confused with it. I’ve shot off an email to The Editor in Question to see how we handle this. I hope to hear back soon.

In the meantime, two of my betas have gotten back to me, which means my mini-vacation is over. 39 chapters–4 days. Only one will survive.

I hope it’s the story.

Filed under: Random Weirdness Tagged: editing, Flesh Market, Sex Scene Championship

Flesh Market is Done!

Well, it’s gone to beta anyway. :)  It ended at just over 69 000 words, which means that after edits, it’ll probably be closer to 75 000.

Early beta reports are promising, at least with respect to the overall story. I’m sure there’ll be details that will need to be fixed. But I’m happy with most of it. One chapter I rewrote three times and still hate, but perhaps outside eyes will have some constructive ideas about it.

I’ll be spending this morning listening to Christmas music and trying to switch gears from the horror of Flesh Market to a silly Christmas meet-cute. Whiplash is a serious possibility.

Filed under: Story Update Tagged: Flesh Market

Tuesday Guest Tickle: Chris McHart’s Alex Stories

Alex’s Surprise is part of the Goodreads DRitC and a free story.

Alex wanted a night of hot passion with Gerome, but he gets more than he ever bargained for. His life will be changed forever in a world where he’ll be thrown in jail— or worse— for being pregnant.

Alex’s best friend, Sam, has been acting strange ever since he met Alex’s one-night stand, but now Alex needs help in order to hide, and Sam is his only hope.

Not only is Alex pregnant, something punishable by jail time, but Gerome, the father of the baby, is a vampire prince. When strangers invade Alex’s home and kidnap him, he doesn’t know who is responsible, if he’ll ever see the man he loves again, or even get to see the child growing inside him.

Considering himself the father of his lover’s child, Sam has a hard time standing around and letting others plan Alex’s rescue. But when the Prince and his trackers find an important clue, the race to save his beloved is on. Now all he can do is cross his fingers that the scheme they’ve devised will work.

When Prince Gerome receives ransom demands, the instructions are clear: mate a complete stranger or he’ll never see Alex or the child he carries again. Will he be able to convince his newly intended to help, or will those seeking to dethrone his family win this evil game of blackmail?

Caution: Contains a kidnapping, unwanted matings, a scheming king, way too many people that follow their own plans and a highly pregnant Alex.

Categories: M/M Romance, m-preg, Vampire, Paranormal

Alex’s Surprise: Free Story!  Amazon.com   All Romance Ebooks

Saving Alex:  Amazon.com  All Romance Ebooks

Author bio:

Chris McHart is from Germany and, while she’s an accountant, writing is her real passion. She likes to spend time with her family and has way too many animals that demand constant attention. Chris also enjoys landscaping and cooking, even if she’s still looking for someone to clean up after her.

Whenever Chris has a free minute, she spends it writing, a cup of coffee in hand, deeply lost in the worlds her muses have created. When she’s coming up for some air, you’ll find Chris on a lot of social networks. Check out Chris’s website to see where you can find out more. She looks forward to hearing from you!

Facebook      Facebook Author Page             Twitter

Blog: www.chrismchart.com

Goodreads link: Alex’s Surprise      Saving Alex

Publisher:

Alex’s Surprise: M/M Romance Group

Saving Alex: Chris McHart

Cover Artist:

Meg Bawden, Bawd Designs

Excerpt from Alex’s Surprise:

Alex zapped, annoyed, through the channels. He lounged on the couch, bored out of his mind. Sam, his best friend and roommate, had taken up the recliner, reading something. Maybe Alex should do that as well? Watching TV wasn’t going to keep him entertained, since nothing caught his interest, no movie, no documentary, nothing. He zapped on, but stopped at a news report showing a pregnant man. He sat up a bit straighter. What was up with that?

The man’s stomach was swollen, showing he was at least five or six months along. His hands were cuffed in front of his baby bump and tears were streaming down his face. The camera showed a courtroom full of people, slowly sweeping over the interested men and women watching the process.

Alex turned up the volume. What had the man done? And why was he pregnant? He’d heard it was possible, but he’d never encountered someone who’d actually experienced that.

The reporter’s voice came up. “Robert B. was tried for violation of the racial laws. Today’s sentencing was long awaited. No one had heard of pregnant men for years, and there had been uncertainty about the actual jurisdiction in such cases. B., who is, according to doctors, six months along, was sentenced to five years in jail. His child will be put in an orphanage until he is released. The fathering sire has no legal claim over the child. He will be able to visit his child, but he can’t get guardianship over him or her. The child and the carrier will be outcasts of society after that.

“B. broke down after hearing the judge’s decision. Even though it’s forbidden, he clearly hoped the old laws would be overturned. Instead, the judge confirmed that male breeding between the races is still forbidden and punishable. With that, back to the studio.”

The picture changed, now showing a woman in a suit, smiling at the camera. “Thanks to our reporter in Berlin for a summary of today’s events in court. Now to the weather…”

Alex turned down the volume, muting the forecast. He turned to Sam, who had apparently put down his book to watch the news as well. “Did you hear that? How can they judge someone because he got pregnant?”

“I have no idea? Maybe because it’s wrong? Are these children dangerous? I’ve never met one, or heard of one, for that matter, but I guess there’s a reason it’s forbidden. The whole pregnant man thing is so strange, no wonder it’s against the laws. Who knows what’ll come out of such breedings.”

Alex frowned. A new life was precious, not wrong. He couldn’t imagine a child being dangerous, even if it was mixed. Children born from interracial relationships were allowed, as long as one of the parents was female and the other male. Why this didn’t apply to children born from a same-sex relationship was beyond Alex. Even if it was unusual for a man to be pregnant, he shouldn’t be put in jail for something like that.

This was the first case in a long time, according to the reporter, but he’d not given a reason why the laws were upheld. “It’s still wrong to judge someone for getting pregnant.”

 

Filed under: Tuesday Tickle Tagged: Goodreads MM Romance, Guest Tickle, mm romance, mpreg, vampires

Conversations With My Editor

I sent her a link to a video. This is what happened:

This was the video. The young man in question is Darrion Gallegos (what a great way to spell it!). Plaid Cheap Trick shirt.

(She later said: ” I will die if you don’t give it to me. And I will die LOUDLY.” See what I put up with?)

Filed under: Random Weirdness Tagged: demanding editors, hip hop, plot bunnies

Revision Helper

Yeah, he was a lot of help. :P  Funny how sitting down at the computer makes you a target for all sorts of stuff. Like lap attacks, and pats, snuggles. :)

First draft of Flesh Market is done and now I’m doing revisions before I send it off to beta readers. They’ll have a week and a half to get it back to me and then I’ll have a week to make all my fixes and send it off to The Editor in Question.

Getting very excited to press Send on this one.

Filed under: Random Weirdness Tagged: cats, Flesh Market, revisions, writer's life

Tuesday Tickle: Lead Me to You

This one’s actually out now, lol.  Amazon.com,  Amazon.ca,  Amazon.co.uk.  This is the one that I donated to the Absolute Write anthology two years ago. I got the rights back a while ago, but haven’t been in the headspace to do anything with it until recently. It’s $1.49 if you want to buy it, or free through Kindle Unlimited. (I’m also going to apologize for the formatting in the excerpt–Wordpress and I aren’t getting along right now.)

“Watch your head, Henry!”
“Why—ow!” I rubbed underneath the bright yellow hard hat Jaime had made me put on. Who takes a bookworm spelunking on their birthday? Apparently, my boyfriend. I glared at him.
“Come on, relax. You’ll love it, once we get there.” Jaime grinned at me, that charming let’s-go-get-into-trouble grin that had first seduced me away from my desk, then bit by bit had carved its way into my heart.
I sighed and followed him farther into the cave. The light from our headlamps splashed about us, giving us glimpses of the damp gray rock curving overhead. The ceiling was getting lower and lower.
“Uh, Jaime….”
He turned, and I was blown away again by how much I wanted him. Almost three years now, and it had never changed. It was just like that first day, when he’d walked into the Office of Admissions at Manford Community College, where I worked, and it was all I could do not to lunge across the counter and tackle him to the floor. I still got that feeling sometimes, when he came through the door of our house, whistling cheerfully. Some days, he didn’t make it much farther than the entryway.
“C’mon, it doesn’t get much lower. You’ll be fine. It’s all good.”

“Define good.” I’m claustrophobic—not terribly so, but enough that I was very aware of the tons of rock hanging over my head, just waiting for the perfect time to fall down and bury me. Jaime doesn’t notice things like that.He’s your typical outdoorsman, with hair sun-bleached from hiking and weekend home improvement projects, and the start of crow’s feet around his gorgeous hazel eyes. His body was lean and muscled from wrestling car engines and other heavy automotive parts into places they didn’t want to go. Me, I’m your typical nerd. No glasses—thank God—since the surgery, but my hair is a brown that is just brown and my eyes are a blue that is just blue. I’m not as tall as Jaime, or as muscled. He likes hiking and exploring. My idea of a well-spent afternoon is my comfy chair on the porch with a good book.

When we first started dating, I hadn’t expected it to last long. Funny thing, though—our differences are less different than our similarities. We’re both early birds who like leisurely breakfasts. He likes to do laundry, especially if he can put it out on a clothesline. Me, I hate laundry—damn stuff never ends. But, dishes—I can get into doing dishes. We both like a tidy house. And, since I bought him those headphones, I can read in peace with my head in his lap while he saves the known world from the digital enemies of the future.

We get along. Therefore, because he was so excited about this little excursion, I was tempting fate and Mother Nature by invading the grand old dame’s insides. She is so going to get me—I might as well paint a target on my back right now and get it over with.

“You know I’m only doing this because you asked me, right?” I reached forward to take the hand he held out to me. The feel of his calluses against my own less work-worn hands made me catch my breath. Suddenly, I was willing to do just about anything to have this whole thing over, so we could go home and I could feel those calluses slide over other portions of my anatomy. God, how I loved his hands.

“You’re doing great. It’s not far now.” He helped me across the slick stones, holding me up when my feet slipped in the damp, and wrapping an arm around my waist. Once, my feet went out completely from underneath me on the slippery rock and I fell. My hero, Jaime, caught me just in time to keep me from becoming a—not so—virgin sacrifice to the gods of the earth. (Yes, I know, we’ve all fallen. But we were in a cave. With stalactites, and rock, and danger. You never know when a sudden shock will set off a landfall. And I am not athletic enough to run away from one.)

If I hadn’t been almost completely speechless with both nerves and desire at that point, I would have begged out loud to go home. From my point of view, this was as bad as playground sports when I was a kid—always too slow, always in the way. The dweeb. Jaime made it different, both more and less scary at the same time. I didn’t want to do it, but I also didn’t want to disappoint him.

I took a deep breath, and Jaime took a kiss, which was a very nice way to end a breath. I tried to keep the kiss going, but he was determined to drag me farther into the abyss, so I sighed and made sure I got to keep one of hishands for my trouble. He grinned at me, as if he knew what I was thinking, but it was worth it.

Filed under: Tuesday Tickle Tagged: lgbt, mm romance, sweet romance

Conversations with My Editor

My Christmas story is about a stripper. I had this conversation with my editor the other day.

Me: I’ve decided I need to watch Magic Mike, because it’s research.

Editor: I strongly support this level of dedication.

Me: It’s a sacrifice I must make for my art.

Editor: You’re my hero.

On a totally unrelated, but very cool, note, WordPress has a rainbow banner across their Admin panel. :)

Filed under: Random Weirdness Tagged: editing

The State of the Flesh Market :P

I shot off a preliminary copy of the synopsis for Flesh Market to The Editor in Question. She got back to me the other day to say that the synopsis alone took her on an emotional rollercoaster.  I feel much better about this story in the overall, thought the technical stuff is still giving me nervous twitches. But that’s what beta readers are for, right?

So this is where I stand now: (Click the picture to make it bigger)

As you can see, I’m continuing the tradition of not having a clue how long a story will run.  I am really liking Scrivener, because of the ease of moving bits and pieces around. I know I need to split a chapter there down at the bottom, just have to come up with a name for the folder and then I can move the appropriate scenes into it.

Writing some fairly dark stuff again right now. It makes me cranky. I’m sending the kid to stay with her cousins for a week, so she doesn’t have to put up with me.

Five more days and it goes to beta… And then I have a week to pull together the blog posts and get my head into the Christmas spirit.  This is going to be a real rollercoaster of a fall, going back and forth between Flesh Market and its dark themes, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Sexmas, with it’s silliness and very mild angst. I still have the squirrel to finish, and then I can get back to working on some new things.

It’s going to be an exciting year. :)

Filed under: Random Weirdness Tagged: mm romance, progress