Hey Friends! Are you still speaking to me? I know, I've been terrible at blogging, but if you miss my voice, you can always visit me over at The Bombshell Mommy and see what I'm up to. Things have been moving along wonderfully here. Melted Tears, Book 2 in the Outlier Chronicles, is in edits and I'm waiting with bated breath to see the cover.
I recently did an interview about the series with Sizzling Hot Books which will be coming later this month. There's a giveaway including a signed copy of Frozen Heart, book marks, and fridge magnets - so don't miss it!
I know I owe you some book porn bloggy time, so I'm going to collect some of the most recent books I've read and give you one big bang for your buck.
Lots of fun stuff ahead. Thanks for sticking around, my friends!
Showing posts with label Frozen Heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frozen Heart. Show all posts
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
What Makes a Writer?
Over in Writer-ville, there's a lot of posturing and "real" writers versus "wannabees" ego trips. It makes me sad. The kind of sad that makes me bake huge chocolate cakes and eat fettuccine alfredo. So sad that hurts my heart. Not because *I* feel like I am not a real writer, but because NO ONE should feel like they're not a real writer.
Anyone who writes simply because they enjoy the process is a writer. I see the most terrible "guidelines" for what makes a "real writer" thrown about. Proclamations like, "If you you have to write every day or you'll absolutely DIE, then you're a REAL writer." Or, even better, "A REAL writer cranks out a minimum of eight meeeeeellion words a day." And my very favorite, "If you only write XYZ, then you're not a REAL writer."
I write romance. In fact, it can possibly be classified as erotic romance, depending on your definition. I also write completely non-sex related articles as a journalist (okay, sometimes they're about sex, too). I ALSO write a weekly blog about sex. Okay, we've established I write about sex quite a bit. Anyway, that's not my point. My point is, even if you only read high concept literary fiction and you think romance is utter crap, it doesn't not negate the truth: I'm a writer. If you don't believe me, then my publishing contract and various paychecks for my writing kind of solidify the fact.
I cannot write every day. Caring for my family is my first priority. When that takes up the majority of my time, writing takes a back seat. Do I miss it? Of course! Do I wish hadn't fallen asleep at 8:30 last night and instead has spend an hour writing my new book? Absolutely. Does this personal striving for balance (and sleep) mean I'm not a real writer. No Way.
So, I challenge you, my friends, to stop investing in the writer-wars (which are like the mommy-wars, but with more paper). Let's celebrate each other; our successes and our failures, the bumps in the road and the shining star moments, our struggles and our achievements, no matter how big or small. Let's be writers and leave it at that, because, honestly, being a writer is hard enough all on it's own.
Anyone who writes simply because they enjoy the process is a writer. I see the most terrible "guidelines" for what makes a "real writer" thrown about. Proclamations like, "If you you have to write every day or you'll absolutely DIE, then you're a REAL writer." Or, even better, "A REAL writer cranks out a minimum of eight meeeeeellion words a day." And my very favorite, "If you only write XYZ, then you're not a REAL writer."
I write romance. In fact, it can possibly be classified as erotic romance, depending on your definition. I also write completely non-sex related articles as a journalist (okay, sometimes they're about sex, too). I ALSO write a weekly blog about sex. Okay, we've established I write about sex quite a bit. Anyway, that's not my point. My point is, even if you only read high concept literary fiction and you think romance is utter crap, it doesn't not negate the truth: I'm a writer. If you don't believe me, then my publishing contract and various paychecks for my writing kind of solidify the fact.
I cannot write every day. Caring for my family is my first priority. When that takes up the majority of my time, writing takes a back seat. Do I miss it? Of course! Do I wish hadn't fallen asleep at 8:30 last night and instead has spend an hour writing my new book? Absolutely. Does this personal striving for balance (and sleep) mean I'm not a real writer. No Way.
So, I challenge you, my friends, to stop investing in the writer-wars (which are like the mommy-wars, but with more paper). Let's celebrate each other; our successes and our failures, the bumps in the road and the shining star moments, our struggles and our achievements, no matter how big or small. Let's be writers and leave it at that, because, honestly, being a writer is hard enough all on it's own.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
FROZEN HEART RELEASE DAY!
It's here! It's finally here! My debut novella Frozen Heart is available today!
You can get it on Amazon, B&N, Inkspell Publishing, All Romance Ebooks and various other online retailers.
I've been lucky enough to have an amazing publicity team in Bewitching Book Tours and have been having a blast on my blog tour. I've had the opportunity to guest post on many amazing blogs as well as be interviewed by some fantastic book bloggers. The fun isn't over! There are still more interviews, more guest blogs, more reviews, and chances to win a FREE COPY of Frozen Heart!
Don't miss the Facebook Chat with me on the Vitacost Facebook page where we'll be talking about our favorite sexy book and movie characters and giving away 2 ebooks and 1 print copy of Frozen Heart.
Thank you to everyone who has been by my side on this exciting journey. I hope that this is the beginning of an amazing new path in my life.
Love, hugs and kisses to all. I leave you with some Maroon 5 fantastic-ness in celebration.
You can get it on Amazon, B&N, Inkspell Publishing, All Romance Ebooks and various other online retailers.
I've been lucky enough to have an amazing publicity team in Bewitching Book Tours and have been having a blast on my blog tour. I've had the opportunity to guest post on many amazing blogs as well as be interviewed by some fantastic book bloggers. The fun isn't over! There are still more interviews, more guest blogs, more reviews, and chances to win a FREE COPY of Frozen Heart!
Don't miss the Facebook Chat with me on the Vitacost Facebook page where we'll be talking about our favorite sexy book and movie characters and giving away 2 ebooks and 1 print copy of Frozen Heart.
Thank you to everyone who has been by my side on this exciting journey. I hope that this is the beginning of an amazing new path in my life.
Love, hugs and kisses to all. I leave you with some Maroon 5 fantastic-ness in celebration.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
It's Getting Harder to Breathe
Hey there friends! To pull a quote from classic rock heroes Aerosmith, "I'm back in the saddle again!" I'm ramping up to help you all get up close and personal with Frozen Heart in time for it's release on August 7th. I'll be somewhat like a chicken with my head cut off, minus the bloody mess (I hope) as this locomotive gets running down the track.
Lots of fun stuff is planned in the coming months. I'll be working hard all summer on the promotional tour for Frozen Heart. Check back here for excerpts, pictures, links to interviews, and other fun stuff like give aways and in-person signing events. I'll even be posting a playlist to share with you the musical inspiration for chapters and scenes in Frozen Heart.
Don't forget to "Like" my Facebook author page to see the most up to date information or follow me on twitter. If you're a "pinner" you can find me on Pinterest with lots of pictures that remind me of Frozen Heart and an endless array of Adam Levine worship, as always.
For now, I leave you with the song that inspired me to write those very first words that eventually became Frozen Heart.
Harder to Breathe by Maroon 5
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Hello, my friends. It's been forever, I know. I'm posting a big old
THANK YOU
to everyone who came out to see me at the Thousand Oaks Library Author Fair on May 20th. As promised, I am awarding a free copy of Frozen Heart to one winner who stopped by to chat and entered to win. Using Random.org, I have selected a winner!
The list as entered:
And the list with a winner chosen:
Congratulations to Sandra S. ! I'll be emailing you the details.
The event itself was rather quiet but a wonderful experience overall. I met several other local authors, including Amazon Best Seller Kyle Fitzharris, and had a lovely time chatting with both long time lovers of books and unpublished authors looking to break into the publishing world. In all, I would liken this event to having a soft opening of a restaurant. Not too many people and just enough to begin to build some word of mouth.
I'll be back again soon, my friends. I miss waxing poetic about my life and my writing. In the mean time, I hope you've found some great books and talented authors with the monthly installment of Author Spotlight.
XOXO
THANK YOU
to everyone who came out to see me at the Thousand Oaks Library Author Fair on May 20th. As promised, I am awarding a free copy of Frozen Heart to one winner who stopped by to chat and entered to win. Using Random.org, I have selected a winner!
The list as entered:
And the list with a winner chosen:
Congratulations to Sandra S. ! I'll be emailing you the details.
The event itself was rather quiet but a wonderful experience overall. I met several other local authors, including Amazon Best Seller Kyle Fitzharris, and had a lovely time chatting with both long time lovers of books and unpublished authors looking to break into the publishing world. In all, I would liken this event to having a soft opening of a restaurant. Not too many people and just enough to begin to build some word of mouth.
I'll be back again soon, my friends. I miss waxing poetic about my life and my writing. In the mean time, I hope you've found some great books and talented authors with the monthly installment of Author Spotlight.
XOXO
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Frozen Heart COVER REVEAL
It's TIME! I'm so very excited to present to you the cover of Frozen Heart!
A decade surviving on her own. Three days with the enemy. Can love conquer all?
Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside.
But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both- the blizzard and the Affinity- makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared?
As of today, it is also available for pre-order at Inkspell, Amazon, B&N, and AllRomance. The official release is August 7.
Below is a list of all the bloggers who are hosting my cover reveal and helping spread the word about Frozen Heart. If you would be so kind as to drop by one or two and leave a comment, I would greatly appreciate it.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
There's no crying in baseball...or writing.
First, I owe you all an apology. I've been MIA for too long. In my defense, I have had a TON of stuff going on. So many really great things have been happening. Let me fill you in on what's been eating up my time.
I finalized the manuscript of FROZEN HEART and readied myself for the rather intimidating process of querying said manuscript. Querying is no small feat. I know what you're thinking, "Just throw it in an email and send it out!" Ya, not even close. Every house has different requirements. It's paramount that you follow each publisher's requirement perfectly or your submission goes right into the trash folder. The query process takes many hours over many days. And that's just to get it out to the publishers that allow you to have simultaneous submissions at different houses.
I made the typical rookie errors. Misspellings in editor's names. Attaching wrong documents (like the first three chapters instead of a full, or vice versa). And various other ridiculous mistakes. But you know what they say – there's no crying in writing. Or was it baseball? Whatever. You know what I mean.
Instead of letting myself get all mopey (Okay, I was totally mopey, but only for like 5 minutes), I did what any self-preservationist does and kept sending that damn thing! I knew I couldn't give up. Not if I wanted to achieve my goal of being a PUBLISHED author.
And GUESS WHAT? Go on. Guess. I'm waiting.
No, not that. Okay. YOU'RE RIGHT! I TOTALLY GOT A PUBLISHING CONTRACT! I am proud to announce that Frozen Heart will be published by Inkspell Publishing this summer! I am beyond thrilled to be working with a company like Inkspell. They are new to the scene but they are high class straight out of the gate. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with them. I'll keep you all updated as we get closer to the release date.
And that's not all. There's another big announcement coming mid-March. More fun, more romance, and more writing! I know, I'm telling you, it's been CRAZY around here! I can't wait to take you all on this ride with me. What an adventure this will be!
And GUESS WHAT? Go on. Guess. I'm waiting.
No, not that. Okay. YOU'RE RIGHT! I TOTALLY GOT A PUBLISHING CONTRACT! I am proud to announce that Frozen Heart will be published by Inkspell Publishing this summer! I am beyond thrilled to be working with a company like Inkspell. They are new to the scene but they are high class straight out of the gate. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with them. I'll keep you all updated as we get closer to the release date.
And that's not all. There's another big announcement coming mid-March. More fun, more romance, and more writing! I know, I'm telling you, it's been CRAZY around here! I can't wait to take you all on this ride with me. What an adventure this will be!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
NaNo won the battle, but I haven't lost the war
I toiled, I typed, I spent countless hours banging my head against my laptop, but in the end, I did NOT write 50,000 words. Not even close. I wrote about 25,000 — half of the goal. I could list all of my excuses here about how I have 3 kids, how Thanks Giving weekend was spent with my family and not my computer and how some nights I just didn't have it in me to write. But I don't want to excuse my supposed failure because to me it was anything but. I WROTE 25,000 WORDS IN 30 DAYS! That is a huge accomplishment in my eyes. Although I would love to say I "won" NaNo, I most certainly didn't come away empty handed. I mean, aside from the bumper stickers I got for donating to the organization. The first draft of my novella, Frozen Heart, is nearly finished! I know, I'm stoked, too. The next two months will be spent revising, editing, polishing and killing my darlings, all to ready my novella for submission. Then I'll move on to writing a query letter which, if it doesn't kill me, will most certainly make me insane.
I also learned so much about myself and my writing process. I learned I absolutely cannot write with all three kids at home. The constant disruptions make me batty...and mean. I learned how to write more fluidly, quickly, and efficiently. I also learned to write freely, without over thinking every sentence as it hits the page. Most importantly, I tested my resolve and learned that I do truly love to write, and that pressure and expectation be damned, I love it even when it's hard and no fun at all.
If you'd like to read an excerpt of Frozen Heart you can find one here, but I'll give you a synopsis below.
In a world where the season never changes, the fate of the human race is in the hands of the family-centric and invasive totalitarian government, The Affinity. Cressenda, an Outlier, risks her life every day in the persuit of liberty and freedom. With a strict regime enforcing stringent laws in the realm of marriage and procreation, the tyranny of the Affinity has forced Cressenda to give up the idea of ever having a family. She has secluded herself in the wilderness, accepting the idea that she will never love. One snowy December day, after a particularly treacherous trip to the Collective, she meets Beckett, a Guard for the Affinity. His interest in her aloof and guarded persona gives Cressenda cause for concern. She must decide if Beckett is worth the risk of exposing herself as an Outlier, or maybe even joining the ranks of the Citizens of the Affinity again.
Now, it's Book Porn Bloggy Time! (I know, I totally forgot about this feature, too!) Although I did not read anything last month, including any and all notices and fliers sent home by my children's school, I can tell you the last book I read before NaNo started. Lover Awakened, book three in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward. My friends, this series is literally book porn. An ancient warrior class of sexy vampires and the women that love them. How can you go wrong? Although the hero of this installment (Zsadist) is not my favorite (which is counter to how most readers feel about him) I absolutely adore this paranormal romance series. JR Ward writes some of the best unresolved sexual tension I have ever, ever read. Some of the characteristics of these vamps, as well as the plots of each book, might make you roll your eyes, but as a good friend of mine explains it, "They're the books you love to hate." We also call them the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Vamps. Take from that what you will. If you're looking for a fun, sexy read, these are the books for you.
I also learned so much about myself and my writing process. I learned I absolutely cannot write with all three kids at home. The constant disruptions make me batty...and mean. I learned how to write more fluidly, quickly, and efficiently. I also learned to write freely, without over thinking every sentence as it hits the page. Most importantly, I tested my resolve and learned that I do truly love to write, and that pressure and expectation be damned, I love it even when it's hard and no fun at all.
If you'd like to read an excerpt of Frozen Heart you can find one here, but I'll give you a synopsis below.
In a world where the season never changes, the fate of the human race is in the hands of the family-centric and invasive totalitarian government, The Affinity. Cressenda, an Outlier, risks her life every day in the persuit of liberty and freedom. With a strict regime enforcing stringent laws in the realm of marriage and procreation, the tyranny of the Affinity has forced Cressenda to give up the idea of ever having a family. She has secluded herself in the wilderness, accepting the idea that she will never love. One snowy December day, after a particularly treacherous trip to the Collective, she meets Beckett, a Guard for the Affinity. His interest in her aloof and guarded persona gives Cressenda cause for concern. She must decide if Beckett is worth the risk of exposing herself as an Outlier, or maybe even joining the ranks of the Citizens of the Affinity again.
Now, it's Book Porn Bloggy Time! (I know, I totally forgot about this feature, too!) Although I did not read anything last month, including any and all notices and fliers sent home by my children's school, I can tell you the last book I read before NaNo started. Lover Awakened, book three in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward. My friends, this series is literally book porn. An ancient warrior class of sexy vampires and the women that love them. How can you go wrong? Although the hero of this installment (Zsadist) is not my favorite (which is counter to how most readers feel about him) I absolutely adore this paranormal romance series. JR Ward writes some of the best unresolved sexual tension I have ever, ever read. Some of the characteristics of these vamps, as well as the plots of each book, might make you roll your eyes, but as a good friend of mine explains it, "They're the books you love to hate." We also call them the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Vamps. Take from that what you will. If you're looking for a fun, sexy read, these are the books for you.
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