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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Okay, we all make mistakes. And writers make the most. The reason you never hear of them is because we edit them out.
Take this morning for instance.
I had sent a proposal to my agent, and she responded with a question about when the hero and heroine met. 
The story is set in 1068, and features a midwife. Now, to be honest, I don't usually discuss stories that haven't been sold, so this may never grace the shelves of a bookstore near you, but the story I'm about to tell you is funny.
I had this midwife in the dungeon below for a crime she was quite willing to admit she committed. But I also had a young mother upstairs in the castle dying during childbirth.
And in between, two men, one the hero, the other his friend, discussing the whole situation and yes, also discussing food. 
What was I thinking?
Here is a woman dying, and a woman who can save her, and a pair of men chatting about supper.
What was I thinking?
Sure guys may do that in real life, but hey, this isn't life. It's fiction. It's got to make sense.
My hero needs to be heroic. My heroine needs to be freed. Another woman is dying. And I am discussing food?
Of course, I corrected the problem immediately and resent the proposal to my agent. She agreed that the change was necessary. And off to the editor it went. 

Have you ever made foolish mistakes? Ones that you can truly laugh at later on?
Have you ever done something then asked, What was I thinking?

Sunday, December 16, 2012

#SuspenseSunday

#SuspenseSunday is proud, and a little nervous, to feature retired LA cop, Kathy Bennett. (Any interest she may have in this site is purely writing related. I hope.)



                                                   

The critically ill daughter of the governor of California has been kidnapped. LAPD Detective Maddie Divine is assigned to find her before it’s too late. But this high-profile case comes with secrets on every side: cops, politicians, even the innocent. 
Maddie Divine: Her marriage hangs by a thread, her SWAT-officer husband has lost it, and almost as bad, she can’t trust her detective partner.
Travis Divine: After the death of a SWAT teammate, he’s a shell of the man he used to be. He’s lost touch with his work, his wife and occasionally even reality. Can he regain the warrior mentality needed to support Maddie and do his job?
Preston Truesdale: The California governor’s daughter has gone missing, and so has her only bone marrow donor. Is it coincidence or something more sinister?
Pilar Luna: The mayor of Los Angeles is a media favorite, and she plays Preston like a Vegas pro would play a Midwestern farmboy…all in hopes of reaching the White House. Will she hit the jackpot?
Tiffany Truesdale: The brainiac teenager evaded her security team to spend a night on the town with her girlfriends, but can she outwit the man who kidnapped her before time runs out?
A Deadly Blessing is a lightning-paced story of suspense that will keep readers on edge from beginning to end.

Author's Note: This book contains commonly used street language.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

#SuspenseSunday

 #Suspense Sunday's choice today is Christine Fairchild, the only author who shares her office with a T.Rex!

An Eye For Danger (The Goliath Conspiracy Series)

 
                                                       

 When former war photographer Jules Larson braves a PTSD attack to jog beyond her five-block safety zone in Central Park, she runs right into a murder scene.

Taken hostage, Jules provides escape for Sam Fields, an undercover cop desperate to avoid capture by his nemesis and former mentor, Detective Stone McCarthy. Sam can't afford to blow his two-year investigation of Goliath, a band of crooked cops who clean up New York City streets vigilante style. Especially if Stone is one of them.

 Fighting for underdogs is old habit for Jules, and Sam's rough-around-the-edges charm has a way of roping her into helping with his investigation. Though Jules fears Sam's violent world will land her in a psych ward--again--three years of self-imposed isolation since her fiancĂ©'s death is a long time to be lonely.

And then there's Stone. His park murder investigation keeps leading to Jules' door, and he's on the verge of discovering her involvement. Not only might he be crooked, Jules is just the kind of uptown girl Stone covets. Especially if she belongs to Sam.

As Goliath closes in on the only surviving witness, Sam and Stone must work together to protect Jules. But Jules can't grow too close to Sam, even when his touch melts her armor, or accept Stone's increasing advances, even though he's twice the gentleman Sam is, for fear either man might discover the truth about her fiancé's accident.

                                                      





(By the way, T.Rex is a Chocolate Lab. )

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Fun Will Now Commence!


My husband smacked my knee at the end of news we were watching, and said, "Okay, let's get those Christmas decorations out!"

I'd just settled in to watch TV. Oh, well. We went to work. And I was surprised by my husband's efficiency here. He put up the tree, and left me to decorate it, while he added a touch of whimsy to our front entrance.



He's not usually that sort, but, hey, he was putting up the decorations! I got the tree done. I am of the opinion that the tree should have special-to-us ornaments, and not look like it fell out of a Christmas catalogue.


You can't see them, but there are ornaments from my youth, from the children's births, from craft shows, even three special Beanie Babies. That tree is about our family, not some decorator.
We even put up lights on the back window. Interesting. Never did that before.


So, finally, we could settle down and watch one of my favourite shows, Castle. The Christmas special, of course. Love Castle's quips!


Enjoy the decorating, everyone!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

#SuspenseSunday


Any #SuspenseSunday story that features a trip of a lifetime has this fan hooked! Thank you, Stacey Joy Netzel!

Lost in Italy
Lost in Italy
2012 WINNER Write Touch Readers' Award ~ Romantic Suspense
~
The best laid plans...

Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that's just in the first three hours.

...often go awry.

Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence--including holding Halli's family as collateral.

Life's a little different unscripted.

Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from the murderers to get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?





Monday, November 26, 2012

Is there a writer in you?

How do you write so fast? That's a question asked of me many times. While I can type and am very visual, this is one of the many tools at a writer's disposal. Dragon NaturallySpeaking was recommended to me by another writer. I find it's invaluable for doing up emails where I have to explain in detail something. Or doing up synopses in the early stages where I am just brainstorming out loud. 
My writer friend uses it in all aspects of her writing, but I haven't reached there yet. For doing blogs like this one, this tool is invaluable. In fact, I'm dictating this blog right now using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. And my husband who doesn't write, uses this tool to compose e-mails without having to look and try to find the letters on the keyboard.
Lately, also, my hand has developed a bit of arthritis and I'm finding I'm using Dragon NaturallySpeaking more and more.
Do you have it in a writer in you? Do have a relative who can't type, but who wants to keep in touch using the Internet?
Take a look at Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Especially now, since this particular version is 75% off!

                                         


Sunday, November 25, 2012

#SuspenseSunday

WARNING! With a professional wrestler husband and Aussie heritage, you don't want to mess with this Icon of Intrigue! Fortunately, any murder or suspense will occur only in her books.


An Inconvenient Lover

                                                                         (a spicy, paranormal suspense)


When Anastasia's fiancé's best friend, David, returns to Seattle after years of living overseas, her nice, stable, orderly life is turned upside down. In denial about her own nature and the truth about her parents' notorious and flamboyant marriage, Anastasia shuts down her attraction toward David. It would be too inconvenient to like him.

Even though digging up her family history will cause pain, David is determined to coax Anastasia's true nature out of dormancy. But if Anastasia reverts to her real character, marriage to Hugh will become impossible, and David's best friend will be hurt. And if David doesn't succeed in setting Anastasia's soul free, he will lose his own chance at winning her heart.

Winner of the Romance Writers of Australia's Emma Darcy Award.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Start your reading! A comprehensive list of books on sale!



Readers, here is a wonderfully mixed and comprehensive list of some great books going on sale this weekend. Unless otherwise noted, the links will take you to Amazon, but there are a number of books in other formats (check out ARe books), so scroll down and start your reading!

Free ebooks

Seeking Patience by Josie Riviera 

Bad Medicine by J.D. Faver

Dead: A Ghost Story by Mina Kahn 


99 cent ebooks 

on ARe Freaks of Greenfield High(paranormal YA) by Maree Anderson

on ARe The Crystal Warrior(paranormal) by Maree Anderson

DeadlyObsession by Kristine Cayne

DeadlyAddiction by Kristine Cayne 99 cents for Friday only (regular $3.99) 

Romance in the Rain by Kristine Cayne 99 cents for Friday only (regular $2.99)  


Seeking Catherine by Josie Riviera

Feyland:The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp

A Cowboy's Kiss in Wyoming (Creeds Crossing) by E Ayers 

A Love Song in Wyoming by E Ayers 

Take A Deep Breath by Shar Dimick

Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson

on Kobo Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson 

Meant for Her (The Love and Danger Series) by Amy Gamet

A Heart is a Home by K E Saxon

on Kobo A Heart is a Home by K E Saxon

on Nook A Heart is a Home by K E Saxon  

on Apple A Heart is a Home by K E Saxon

on ARe A Heart is a Home by K E Saxon 

Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba 

on Nook Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba

Deathscape by Dana Marton

My Worth The Weight by Mara Jacobs

Rising Above (Still Waters part two) by Stacy Joy Netzel

on Kobo Rising Above (Still Waters part two) by Stacy Joy Netzel

on Nook Rising Above (Still Waters part two) by Stacy Joy Netzel

on Apple Rising Above (Still Waters part two) by Stacy Joy Netzel

I Got You Babe by Jane Graves

What She Doesn't Know by Lina Gardiner

An Eye For Danger (The Goliath Conspiracy Series) by Christine Fairchild

The Source of Magic: A Fantasy Romance (Alaia Chronicles) by Cate Rowan

Soul Guardian (Paranormal Romantic Suspense) by Tara Manderino

 Welcome To Zombie Zoo by Sharon Lee Johnson

 

$1.00 to $1.99

 

on ARe Rising Above (Still Waters part two) by Stacy Joy Netzel

on ARe Magic In The Storm by Meredith Bond

Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba 

on Nook Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba 

on ARe Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba

Bewitching You by Viola Estrelle

Adrift (Callisto Series book one) by Erica Conroy


 

$2.00 to $4.00

 

Taken (Callisto Series book two) by Erica Conroy

on ARe Tales From The Mist by Meredith Bond 

All For A Good Cause by Barbara Phinney

Deadly Trust by Barbara Phinney

on Nook Deadly Trust by Barbara Phinney

Hard Target by Barbara Phinney


And another great spot to check out some good readers is


Wet Noodle Posse




 

 




It's like Jello

Again, it's been ages since I wrote a blog, and I am sure my followers have forgotten all about me.  But when life takes you on a trip, ...