Look Who is Visiting My Writing Cave

I've been hiding away in my cave this weekend, writing (imagine that! a writer writing *gasp*)  To give you a hint of what I've been working on, here's a photo for you...

 

 Photo Credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/99582559@N00/148292918/

Don't you love those blue eyes?  

Hmm, think I'll print that one out and stick it up on my desk. Or maybe even make it my wallpaper for the next week or so...

Nooooooo!

Yesterday was not a good day for me. Apart from the fact that I've been sick for a couple days, I discovered that back in September I let myself get distracted and screwed up on something that ... well, let's just say it shouldn't have happened. Picture an afternoon filled with the sound of my head hitting the desk. Repeatedly.  In fact, you may have heard me.

In an attempt to distract me, Gizmo Guy told me this joke:

A very tall man walks into a bar, and a lady recognizes him as real Rugby player. They start to talk, and eventually go back to his place. They start to kiss, and the man takes off his shirt. On his arm, he has a tattoo that says REEBOK.

"What's that for?" the lady questions.

"Oh, I have this so that when I'm on TV, people will see my tattoo, and Reebok pays me."

Then the man takes off his trousers, and on his leg, he has a tattoo that says NIKE.

'What's that ?' the lady questions again.

"Just like the Reebok tattoo, I get paid when this tattoo is seen on TV."

Then the man drops his underwear and on his dangley thing, he has a tattoo that says AIDS.

The lady screams: "Don't tell me you have AIDS!"

The man replies: "No, no. Calm down. It will say ADIDAS in a minute."

Wanting AJ Llewellyn

I'd seen the name AJ Llewellyn on a few of my loops, but when I joined Twitter, I met AJ on a more "personal" note.  So I was thrilled when he accepted my invitation to be my guest today...so please help me welcome him to my blog.


Some years ago, before I found myself a stable, loving relationship, a well-meaning friend introduced me to a guy she thought would be perfect for me. What we had in common—apart from both of us being gay men—I really couldn’t see.

He wasn’t my type. He was your garden-variety, anti-social oddball. He brought a bottle of vinegar to dinner, thinking it was wine—from the 99 Cent Store. That was weird. He was an ageing hippie, which was cool except his clothes looked kinda dirty. He was bald on top, the rest of his hair gathered into a scraggly ponytail. He was fun and funny however, with an astonishing knowledge of Hawaiian music (my passion).

All of a sudden, he didn’t seem so odd to me anymore. We chatted through pre-dinner drinks and then the bizarre behavior started.  He tackled his dinner as if he was picking his way through a minefield. He had a physical reaction when he saw the rice accompanying the meal.

“It’s white,” he said, scrunching up his face like a little kid. It was embarrassing.

My friend who introduced me and Oddball, said, “Sorry, I forgot.” She took the plate to the kitchen and removed the rice. When she returned, he asked if anything had poppy seeds in it.

She said, “No. That I didn’t forget.”

He confessed to the rest of us that he was on probation.

Oh, great.

“What for?” I asked.

He went into a big long story about how somebody had stolen money at his job and fingered him for the crime. He said he was a ‘Nam vet and had been in Special Forces and blah blah blah. I scanned the faces at the table and saw the women all agog. They were actually buying this crap!

Oddball had taken a plea deal because he couldn’t handle a trial and had no money for an attorney. He had to pee weekly for his probation officer and poppy seeds come up as opiates in the blood stream. He was petrified about winding up in prison, especially since he was innocent. He seemed so traumatized about the search warrant executed on his home that I felt bad for the guy.

Not bad enough that I would pity-date him, however.

I was thankful when dinner was over and returned to my peaceful existence. He latched onto me though and a week later, invited me to a Hawaiian slack key concert. Damn! I didn’t even know my three favorite guitarists were in town. It was way down in Irvine and Oddball insisted on driving. He even took me to dinner at The Loft, an expensive Hawaiian restaurant I’d always wanted to try.

The evening was great until the meal, when the ‘white food’ obsession re-emerged. He made a big deal of having to check in with his probation officer by a certain time. He grew frantic when he couldn’t get cell phone reception and I’d stupidly left mine at home. By the time the restaurant owner graciously let him use the house phone, the whole restaurant knew about his situation.

He told me he had another 18 months of this. I really didn’t think I could cope with the drama. I could see every meal being an ordeal. I realized this was traumatic for him, but dealing with this and hearing his endless tales of grim things our government allegedly asked him to do boggled my mind.

Although I adored his taste in music, the weight of what he was dealing with was heavy.

Very heavy.

I had a hard time getting rid of him over the coming weeks. He showed up at my door and followed me. I was really worried. What if his alleged spy-stealth-killer past was true? I consulted a friend of mine who is a technical adviser on such matters for a TV series.  Our conversation raised more questions. I know had to consider a new problem: the theft for which he was on probation.

 Is he really innocent? For a guy with a simple office job he spends a lot of money.


I pulled away from Oddball who kept calling me, trying to hook up. He sent me lavish gifts in the mail. He bought me vintage Hawaiian albums, 50s memorabilia, tiki stuff, because he’d seen my apartment and thought I would like them. I did. But I was starting to panic….oh my God. What if he is guilty after all?

Being a writer and a very inquisitive guy, I wanted to find out the truth. My search led to my writing the book Wanted, which was released at eXtasy Books January 1. This was a book I worked hard on, in terms of research.

Anyone who reads my books will tell you my stories are very detailed. I pride myself on authenticity, as well as my steamy love scenes.

I met a a wonderful man through my research who is a forensic accountant. I’d never heard of this occupation. I asked him if I could interview him. He’d worked some major homicide cases and said he would love it. He described himself as a frustrated writer.

In fact, I interviewed him twice because he was so fascinating. I created the character of Mingo McCloud in the short story Hula for the Emerald Envisages anthology. I adored Mingo and loved the whole concept of a character who is a forensic accountant. Now I can’t leave him alone. In the novel Wanted, Mingo is recovering from a bad break up with his lover Kaolin and moves to Hawaii’s North Shore hoping to start again.

Being the only forensic accountant on the island of Oahu with extensive criminal case history, he’s very much in demand. And then he meets Jason, a hot guy who is grappling with his sexuality and some scary secrets.

What if you meet the man of your dreams and he turns out to be a wanted man?

This was my angle with Wanted and now, with this book being a big seller for me, I am working on the sequel, Needed, coming to eXtasy books in April.

Have you ever dated a bad guy, or a guy you thought was bad?


Post a comment for the chance to win a pdf copy of the short story Hula and an ebook of Wanted.

WANTED

A new XXX-rated M/M Romantic Mystery Novel

                                                                                   

by A.J. Llewellyn

Honolulu forensic accountant Mingo McCloud's lover has cheated on him again. To escape his heartbreak, a severely depressed Mingo moves to the North Shore of Oahu. Eager to start a new life and to forget, Mingo soon learns that Turtle Bay might be the home of big surf, but it also has even bigger secrets. He catches the eye of a mysterious stranger, Jason, a sexy lone wolf with a troubled, sketchy past. The two become embroiled in a tempestuous love affair that turns dangerous when Mingo discovers Jason is spying on him.
 
Involved in his first big murder case, Mingo needs all his emotional resources to help find a missing young housewife…yet his private life just turned deadly. He has no idea why Jason would be tracking his every move—or even who hired him. Determined to find the truth, he hires big black, bad French former mercenary, Francois, to help him…and discovers shocking truths…Mingo McCloud has gone from wanting to wanted.


eXcerpt:

I smelled lemon furniture polish and…some sort of tropical smell…I glanced around. He’d slathered on underarm deodorant before he walked out for his morning coffee. Moving behind me to close the door, I caught his appraising glance and knew several things about him. He was not organically gay. He, too, was horny, and had figured out it was easier to get laid by a gay guy. Ah geez, why did I always attract the straight guys?

He caught my gaze and looked away quickly. I knew so much in that small moment.  When I saw the unbearable neatness of his small room with no view of the ocean I felt his despair, and knew I should leave. I’d just been hit by Kaolin, the human Mack truck. I still had tire marks running down my heart. What the hell was I doing here?

There was a perfectly made bed tucked in the corner. A single bed for a single man. There was a TV on a dining chair, small kitchenette, a dining table with the remaining chair and a big wing chair off to the side.

We stared at each other for a moment. I had to make the first move. I stepped toward him and I felt his hesitation until my mouth went to his. Though he was resistant at first to the kiss, he accepted my tongue. He let me kiss him and soon he was responding with eagerness. We were both surprised. I knew how hot this was, how good this felt and how good we both tasted.

He held my face in his hands. They were strong hands, fingertips rough, and I ached to feel them on my cock and balls. I took my mouth away from his and his tongue was still protruding when I moved away from his face. He was glassy eyed as I lifted the T-shirt to find what I knew would be there. Perfectly chiseled abs, a sprinkling of hair on the upper torso.  My hands moved over him as he took the T-shirt himself and whipped it over his head. His nipples stared at me invitingly and I gave them passing attention with my tongue. I was too eager for the main course.

“Take your boots off,” I instructed and he tried kicking them off as I unbuttoned the top of his jeans. I saw the Calvin Klein waistband of his underpants and then I lost total control. I slid down the zipper and cupped his perfect, tight ass in my hands as I held him to me. I found his mouth waiting for me. I wanted to spoil him, make him want more. I wanted him to crave men, to crave me, and I shucked down his jeans and underpants, savoring that raging erection just before I released that surprisingly thick, long cock. He was uncut.

I fell in love on the spot. Kneeling before him, I took his cock straight into my mouth and sucked as I frantically undid the ten million laces on those boots. He sighed with abandon as he kicked off the boots and shucked off his pants. His mouth fell into a happy O, and I glanced up to see that he was watching me enjoy my unexpected morning feast. I sucked him the way Kaolin loved me to suck him. I swallowed him, pulled back and all the way off him, plunging back down again. His cock bounced, eager to be back in my mouth each time I came off him. He was making little sounds…he did not want to beg me for it. He was too proud for that. He just made little primal noises, an instinct in all men for that safe, sexual burial in a hot, warm mouth.

Sucking his cock was as much a pleasure for me as it was for him. I took my mouth off him and told him to get on the table.

 “Get up there,” I barked and he obeyed me. He got up on the table, his cock still hard and I grabbed his feet, still encased in his socks. “Lie back.”


Purchase Link: http://tinyurl.com/yby7jjx

www.ajllewellyn.com
www.myspace.com/ajllewellyn
www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn
www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn

Input needed on Changes to the Blog

As you may have noticed I've changed the blog's status to over-18 so you now have to get through that extra warning page. I've done this since many of you have commented on how you like to read my guests' excerpts.  But given that many of my guests write erotica and provide explicit excerpts I felt it best to make sure you're warned in advance.

I've also just realized Blogger has the ability to provide a "read more" split, so I can put excerpts "beneath the fold" so to speak.

Please let me know in the comments section what your preferences are regarding the excerpts - do you like them? Or would you prefer a link?

Do you want the whole article in one piece, or would you prefer the post to just have the top part shown with a "read more" click required before the excerpt?

I won't know what you like--or don't like--unless you tell me.

Winner of Vivian Arend's Turn It On

Mitzi!


You've won the draw for an e-copy of Vivian Arend's Turn It On. Please send an email to leah DOT Braemel @gmail.com with your choice of format (PDF, PDF for Sony, LIT, Mobipocket, Rocketbook or HTML).  If you have not contacted me within 7 days, I will choose a new winner.


There were 19 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Mitzi
2. zina
3. Tamsyn
4. Estella
5. Lori
6. CrystalGB
7. Cecile
8. flchen1
9. Janet H
10. Andrea
11. Agent Smith Smith
12. Elaing8
13. Cathy M
14. host
15. Erin T
16. Booklover1335
17. Sarah
18. Natasha A
19. joder

Timestamp: 2010-01-27 02:19:25 UTC

Woot! I love starting off a new week with good news.

My upcoming print release of Personal Protection is now available at The Book Depository at 25% off. Don't forget The Book Depository offers free worldwide shipping.

Now I really really would prefer that Canadians support Canadian stores -- and since just about the only bookstore we have left is Chapters/Indigo, I'd love to send you there. But guess what? They are the only online bookstore that don't have my book available to preorder yet. Why? I have no idea. They do have other Samhain books available for preorder. For instance, I ordered next week's blogger Deidre Knight's fantastic Butterfly Tattoo back in July 2009 even though it doesn't release until next week. So they do stock Samhain titles. But mine's not there :(

Amazon.com has it, as does their British co.uk site AND their Canadian site, and has been for several months. Borders has it available to pre-order. So does Barnes and Noble.

So Chapters/Indigo, what's up with you? Why aren't you carrying a book written by a Canadian author?

Speaking of Amazon, my Private Property has been hovering around the bottom of the top 100 best selling romances since before Christmas. I blogged the other day that it was up as one of the top best selling Westerns. It reached #87 on the Romance list and #22 on the Westerns list for most of yesterday.

Here's the Western list -- I'm on the FIRST page!  Though I don't think there was one real western book amongst those top sellers. I don't care. I'm on the front page of a best sellers list!

I can't tell you the thrill it gives me to see my name nestled between Nora Roberts aka JD Robb, Amanda Quick, fellow Canadian Kathryn Smith and Lara Adrian. *happy sigh*

Yee-Haw ... Private Property's a Bestselling ... Western?

I'm not sure how Kindle's Bestsellers' list is determined, but last night Private Property made #32 on their Bestsellers' list. The bestselling WESTERN list. Um, Private Property takes place in Arlington Texas, but it's in a residential area with neither a horse nor a cowboy in sight.

Vivian Arend Knows How to Turn It On!

Today's guest blogger is fellow Canadian, Vivian Arend. Viv writes steamy paranormals (shapeshifting werewolves and mermen, no less), and yee-haw hot nekkid cowboys. And over the past year and a half since I joined the Samhain family, she's become a good friend. So I'm thrilled to have her return as she celebrates her latest release ...
 
There's a shiver that runs up my spine on release day. I wonder if people will buy my book. I wonder if they will like it. I wonder if I've made any huge travesties and will shortly be pelted with tomatoes and other rotting fruit.

Because the more I write, the greater the chances I’m going to make mistakes.

Now I know, Leah has both writers and readers who stop by, so here’s the significance of that comment to both sides. I’m currently working on my 20th story. Some of them have been short, but with every manuscript I complete, I HOPE my actual writing is getting stronger. I know I’m learning a lot from my editors—they beat grammar facts in pretty damn well after a while. :) I’ve learned from my critique partners. I’ve learned from reading books with the eyes of a writer now instead of as a reader. It makes a difference. So as a reader what you see should start to fade away into the background and the actual words shouldn’t distract you.

That means you’ll have more energy to find oopsies in the facts.

They say to write what you know. Well, I’ve written about cross-country skiing into the wilderness. About canning peaches on sultry fall days. About sailing and canoeing and hiking and… At some point it appears I have to write about something I don’t know. That’s very scary.

Research? Did I hear you say research? **shivers** Well, yes, there is that. Even the areas I know relatively well, like backcountry adventuring, I do try to check my facts and make sure I’m using the right words, and the right procedures and data. But it’s far simpler when my editor asks ‘are those the proper temperatures for the Yukon in February’ when I’ve experienced it. I KNOW I can find facts to back me up.

Here’s the point of this whole essay. My latest release from Samhain is a contemporary romance called Turn It On. The heroine comes from a large family, with multiple uncles and aunts and cousins and has just inherited the wonderful memory-filled family home. I can cover her with personal experience, up to a point. The hero-- he’s harder to get a bearing on, but I didn’t spend much time on the technical parts of his job that I’m not up on.

It’s the hero’s brother who concerns me. You see, when I was growing up I met a little boy like Carl. He was sweet, intelligent, and just…Carl.

How do I write about a special needs person who I knew, not intimately, but knew, without digging for details? Trying to find out exactly what his syndrome was called. What caused it? What treatment they used and…

Somewhere in the middle of researching for my writing I realized that wasn’t the story I was trying to tell. Just as we aren’t the sum and total of our jobs or our families, Carl wasn’t important because of his condition, but because he was Carl. Family. Someone to be loved and cared for. I knew how he acted from experience. Maybe ‘my’ Carl isn’t typical in his reactions to every situation, but I don’t react according to some written rulebook all the time either.

So there’s a part of me that wonders if I got it ‘wrong’ at some point in this story. If I’m going to have social workers, or psychologists, correcting me. And yet…Carl is Carl. One of the most important catalysts to the development of the hero.

So the shivers are there, but I can honestly say that the concept of what family really means—the root of the whole story—is stronger because Carl is a part of it.

Turn It On

Pushing the sensual limits can set off all kinds of alarms…

Turner Twins, Book 1

Inheriting her grandmother’s home is a dream come true for web designer Maxine Turner. She’s looking forward to a little freedom from the constant demands of her beloved, crazy mob of a family. When vandals expose just how vulnerable she is living alone, she seeks help.

Ryan Claymore’s well-thought-out life was wrenched out from under him when responsibility for his special-needs step-brother landed on his shoulders. Going from military man to business man hasn’t been easy. He counts himself lucky he’s found Maxine to trade his security-system knowledge for her web site expertise.

The red-hot chemistry that sizzles between them comes from out of the blue, and they both fight a losing battle to resist. Even the secret Ryan hides isn’t enough to keep Maxine from working her way into his heart—and his bed.

But something else might tear them apart. Whoever seems determined to destroy her home, and her sanity along with it.

Warning: Realistic multiple orgasm sex scenes, men getting in touch with their emotions, brothers being—well—brothers, and a very tempting back porch swing…you have been warned.



Don't click off before you reach the end of the excerpt -- not only will you find links to Viv's webpage and Twitter account, but there are details about how you can win a copy of Viv's Turn It On. (Go on, now you have to read the rest, right?)



Excerpt:

He slowly removed the cork from the wine, using the time to breathe deeply and calm his overactive body and mind. Spending the whole evening in Maxine’s presence triggered the desire to do much more than simply sit on the giant porch swing and share a glass of wine as they admired the view of the lake. Ryan was pretty sure the wine would taste far better if he got to lap it off her skin, especially the warm scoop of her belly. And lower.

The dinner invitation had been an impulse. He’d puzzled over it as he walked away from her earlier. Yeah, she was hot enough to ignite a missile, but the timing sucked. Maybe after they’d finished working for each other, maybe after shit settled with his brother, he’d arrange to meet on a nonprofessional basis. But with her taste still in his mouth, the look in her big eyes egging him on, he’d spoken without thinking.

He’d considered the situation the whole drive to the nursing home before coming to a decision. Fine. They’d go out, have a simple meal together. He’d drop her off at the end of the evening and that would be all—at least for now.

Sometime during the visit with his brother, he’d changed his mind. There in the small room, with a relative he barely knew, the message of the past months smashed into him with the weight of an anvil. Life was short. There was no reason for him not to reach out and clasp hold of something special.

Maxine Turner was something very special.

She sat curled up in the corner of the swing leaning on a pillow. She had her long legs tucked under her while she focused on the lake. Her rich auburn hair draped over her shoulders and her eyes sparkled. His body tightened and he longed to stroke her skin to see if it was as soft as it looked. After handing her a glass of wine, he settled in the opposite corner to admire her better.

“The view is spectacular, isn’t it?” Max spoke quietly.

He sat mesmerized by the sight of her. The arousal pounding through his blood shouted for him to hurry up, while his instincts warned him to move with caution. They both fell silent, sipping their wine and staring at the dark lake reflecting twinkling lights from a distant house.

“When I was little I always wanted to sleep on the swing. We’d come for family dinners, and there would be major chaos, with the cousins and aunts and uncles everywhere. I’d get tired of the noise after a bit and come here and curl up with a book. In my imagination I was on a pirate ship and this was my hammock, but no matter how much I begged at the end of the evening, Mom and Dad always insisted it was time to come home and sleep in my proper bed.”

She played with a curl as she spoke, seeming not very much older than the child she would have been all those years ago. She took a deep breath, and his gaze was riveted by the sight of one open button too many, the curve of her breast visible under the light fabric of her blouse. He was suddenly very aware she was no child, and his body tightened with desire.

He put his wine glass away and took hers from her fingers. She stared at him, puzzled, until he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. He cradled her, nestling her body into his and adjusting until they were half-reclining, half-leaning on each other. Her head rested against his chest, the warmth of her body sizzling into him but he kept his touch gentle.
The swing swayed and she sighed, a long, low sound of pleasure. Her body relaxed against his and he stroked her arm slowly until her breathing settled as well.

Small noises in the air created a lullaby. The wind stirred the trees, leaves rustling, branches rubbing on each other. The sound of cars and the city faded to nothing, and the quiet of the country surrounded them. They lay quietly and Ryan realized it was a long time since he’d known peace like this.

Maxine stirred in his arms, rolling to face him. Her eyes were bright and she snuggled closer, her torso melting into his as she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew their mouths together.

The kiss started gentle yet the desire was there underneath. Tongues caressed, lips and teeth feasting on skin soon heated to boiling. Ryan loved how she tasted, loved how she felt under his hands that had taken a life of their own and now explored the full curves of her body. He stroked the swell of her breasts and she moaned, pressing into his touch. He didn’t stop, continuing the journey down her waist, over her hip, circling the flesh of her ass before returning up her body once more. All the while he kissed her, feasting on the flavor and softness of her mouth.

She combed her fingers through his hair and tugged, wiggling upward until his lips met her neck. She dropped her head back, offering him a clear path down the pale skin, the pulse in her throat beating time with the pulse in his body. He rolled her, pleased to find the swing had an extra-wide seat to allow the room they needed. Ryan nibbled and licked his way down her throat, pressing her sweater and blouse to the side to allow him access to her collarbone. He unhooked one button after another, slowly revealing the creamy swells of her breasts above the pale yellow of her bra. She quivered under him, a small whimper escaping her throat that made his blood race. He dropped kisses over her heart, enjoying the scorching heat of her skin under his lips.

Ryan lowered his face to the valley between her breasts and breathed deeply. As much as he wanted to consume her completely, as much as he wanted to continue nibbling the length of her whole body, he needed to proceed carefully. She’d responded enthusiastically to his touch, to his kiss, but from hints she’d let slip during their dinner conversation, and her current full-body blush, he knew she wasn’t very experienced. She needed more than a rush to the bedroom.

Yet he had no intention of letting her get away. He knew how to take his time, make it good for both of them. He rose over her, staring into her passion-darkened eyes. “I want you, Maxine.” He kissed her lips tenderly. Her tongue teased his and the pressure built.

Damn, if he was inside her in ten seconds it wouldn’t be soon enough.

Pulling away, his desire reflected back from her eyes. “I’m going to make love to you, Maxine. I’m going to remove every stitch of your clothing and touch every inch of your skin. I’m going to spend hours learning what your body needs, learning what you enjoy and then hours more giving it to you.”

Her eyes widened, her face flushed crimson, her mouth open in a circle of awe as he spoke. Her tongue slipped out to moisten her bottom lip, and he nipped at the plump wet surface, the burst of her flavor sending his arousal even higher. He lowered his torso on top of her slowly, his rigid cock pressing against her yielding body. Their lips were mere inches apart and she continued to stare at him, her eyes showing desire and panic in equal proportions.

The porch boards creaked to their left. “Maxy? Are you out here?”

Fuck.



If you're interested in Vivian's Turn it On, you can buy it now through Samhain's My Bookstore and More, on your Amazon Kindle, and other ebook providers. Don't forget to check out Viv's website for her other books (cowboys and werewolves and mermaids, oh my!) or follow her on Twitter.   I'm giving away a copy of Viv's Turn It On to one lucky commenter -- but you have to tell me what you'd write if you had to "write what you know".

Winner of Bella Andre's Wild Heat

Robynl

Congratulations, Robyn, you've won a copy of Bella's Wild Heat (you're going to love it!).  If you could send an email with your mailing address to Leah DOT Braemel @gmail.com I'll forward your information to Bella.

There were 17 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. robynl
2. Estella
3. mariska
4. tetewa
5. chey
6. Sean
7. tweetybrd22
8. booklover1335
9. Chelsea B
10. Joder
11. Jane
12. flchen1
13. Chandra Ryan
14. Mary Blayney
15. host
16. Natasha A
17. CrystalGB

Timestamp: 2010-01-20 02:11:10 UTC

Winner of JK Coi's The Morning After

 

Mitzi!

You've won an e-copy of JK Coi's The Morning After. Please send an email to Leah DOT Braemel @ gmail.com and I'll forward your information to JK.

There were 10 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Mitzi
2. Natasha A
3. Princess Aurora
4. Cari Quinn
5. Estella
6. baileythebookworm
7. Ayla
8. Annarkie
9. FlChen
10. Kelly Jamieson

Timestamp: 2010-01-20 02:02:57 UTC

Monday Check-In

I almost titled this Monday Morning Check-In, then realized it's Monday afternoon. As you've noticed I've not been posting as much as I usually do.  That's because I've decided this year I have to focus on writing more novels/novellas than I do blog posts.

I finished the western, and sent it out to my critique partners. Oh, I love them so much for pointing out all the stupid things I've missed. Brett's eyes changing color from blue to grey and back again not the least of it.  I'm really happy with the final product and hope I'll have some good news for you within the next few weeks, although it'll probably be closer to months before I know.  

I'm back working on Chad's story and I've jumped from the "this is crap" stage to "this has potential" stage. It always helps my productivity when I feel hopeful rather than despondent about my writing.

On the home front -- Guitar Hero finished his electrician's course back in December, and today he started a brand new job that luckily for both of us is reachable by bus. His employer has ten weeks to decide whether to keep him on or accept him as an apprentice, so we've got fingers crossed on that front as well.

Gizmo Guy and I attended Curly's Indenture Ceremony ten days ago -- he's going to study how to be a plumber as part of the final semester of his co-op program. Which means he has to find someone to take him on before February 1st.  Then he'll spend 2 days a week at the college learning all the building codes and welding, etc, and 3 days on the job (unpaid, unfortunately.)  We thought he'd had a job, but apparently the employer the school had sent him to picked someone who already had experience. (Why they couldn't take two applicants considering there was no pay involved, is beyond me.)  However, the whole thing could be moot as the college teachers here in Ontario are in a strike position and classes may be delayed for a few weeks. 

The winner of Bella Andre's contest will be announced here tomorrow, so check back then. If you haven't entered already, you still have time!

And don't forget to check back on Wednesday as well. My good friend Vivian Arend's is popping over to talk about her latest book, Turn It On. By the way, Turn it On is already up for sale a day early over on My Bookstore and More! Woot!

The Morning After with JK Coi

Have you ever done something really stupid? Something you know you’re going to regret for years, that will come back to haunt you whenever you think you’ve finally kicked it firmly to the curb? And how many times have those mistakes been made as a result of fear, insecurity, anger?

Back when I was still in university, I drove out of town one Friday to visit my boyfriend at school. I’m pretty sure I skipped my afternoon classes to get there before dinner, which wasn’t a one-time occurrence. (Shhh. Don’t tell my mother.) Almost as soon as I arrived, we had a nasty blow up. Some drama-ridden argument that I don’t even remember now, although I seem to remember over reacting. Just a little. (I dare not ask him. Since we’re married now, he’s always looking for things to hold over my head ;) ) Of course, in the middle of the night I stormed out of his apartment and got in the car. Stupid. It was the middle of winter. Stupid. The roads were icy. Stupid. I flipped my vehicle into a ditch. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The only good thing was that I was unhurt, and I had a cell phone on me and was able to call my dad. (Who ended up figuring out that I was on the road coming from St. Catharines and not studying at the university library.)

In The Morning After, my first contemporary release, out this week from Ellora’s Cave, Leslie is a woman whose biggest mistake isn’t flirting with a handsome stranger at a nightclub. It isn’t accepting a drink from said stranger, not knowing that he’d slipped a drug into it.

Leslie’s biggest mistake is waking up the next morning in bed...with her husband. The same husband she kicked out two months ago. The same husband she’s about ready to serve divorce papers on. The same husband she still can’t resist, despite the pain he’s caused her.

So, now that I’ve shared, it’s your turn. :) Tell me one of the more stupid things you’ve done, and be entered to win a copy of The Morning After.

Waking up naked in bed with a man’s arms holding you close wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing…except when that man is your husband.

Leslie had tried so hard to put Leo’s betrayal behind her—the ink was almost dry on the divorce papers. But when circumstances throw her in bed with her estranged husband one last explosive time, Leslie learns how quickly anger can turn to passion and hurt can turn to need, even while she knows there’s no way she can ever trust him again.

What Leslie considers goodbye, Leo insists is only the beginning. But the damage between them runs too deep, and sometimes, the only thing more devastating than the night before, is the morning after...


A thanks to my friend Leah for letting me steal some time on her blog today!

Please feel free to visit me on the web:

Website: www.jkcoi.com
Blog: www.jkcoi.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jkcoi

Just for Fun, an Optical Illusion

I'm head down in the Cave today working on edits and doing critiques, but I thought I'd share this optical illusion Gizmo Guy sent me today.  Move back from your monitor a ways (the email he'd forwarded said both 15 inches and 15 feet -- I only had to get away a couple feet for it to work)

Up close it's Albert Einstein's face, right?  Tell me who it is when you step back ...

Weird, huh?


Don't forget that Bella Andre's contest is still open, or that JK Coi's dropping by for a visit tomorrow and is also having a contest ...

Bella Andre's In Love with Books

I'm so thrilled Leah invited me to be a guest on her blog! (I love Leah's books!) I was planning out my afternoon when I realized that after writing this blog (about books), I'm going to Borders to be surrounded by all those books while I brainstorm (a book), and then after I pick my kids up from school we're going to library to return - and check out - books. A full day revolving around books...it's the perfect life!

I've always loved to read. As long as I can remember, I was devouring books, staying up most of the night reading romances I was way too young to be reading as a kid. :) But then, somewhere along the road to becoming a romance writer, some of the shine slid off. I've heard most writers say this happens, at least for short while, because as you learn to write, you are deeply analytical about everything you read. The editor takes over, shoving the reader aside. But during revisions of my upcoming book (NEVER TOO HOT, May 2010), I fell so hard for books again that I am reading as fast as I can get my hands on new books! Everything from regencies to contemps to time travels to erotic to sweet - oh my, I love them all! I haven't been this in love with books since I was a girl. I'm held utterly in their thrall and it's the greatest feeling in the world.

Which is why I'd love to hear who your favorite authors are lately? And who your old favorites are? Gripping emotions, brilliant writing, or simply a good time for a few hours - I'll take it all. Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

And I'd be happy to send someone a copy of WILD HEAT (the first book in my MEN OF FIRE) series today as well, so please do give me your suggestions.

all my best,
Bella Andre
www.BellaAndre.com



HOT AS SIN (2nd book in Men of Fire Series - out now!):
"A breathtaking, terrific, hot, hot, hot romantic suspense." ~ Allison Brennan
"A love that burns up the pages." ~ Brenda Novak

Sam MacKenzie is a wildland firefighter with few peers. He's utterly fearless - there's no one waiting for him at home, no reason not to risk it all. Out of the blue, the only woman he's ever loved - the same one who ground his heart to dust ten years ago - shows up begging him for help. Dianna's sister is in big trouble somewhere in the rugged Colorado Rockies, and he's the only person Dianna knows with the skills to track her sister down.

Working together on their quest to find Dianna's sister, they soon realize there's a killer on the loose and his true target isn't Dianna's sister...it's Dianna herself. Using his extreme outdoor skills, Sam needs to track down the killer, before he loses the woman he loves forever.

To find out more about Bella's Men of Fire series, you can follow the links above, or visit her website.  You can also follow Bella on Twitter.  (Don't forget to leave a comment recommending your favorite author or book for a chance to win her novel Wild Heat. The contest will close January 19th at 10:01 AM and a winner announced that afternoon.)

What do you mean it's Monday?

Yikes, it's Monday January 11th already and I've not posted since Friday. Sorry sorry sorry!

All I can plead is that I'm up to my ears in edits and rewrites of two different stories while running into Toronto on Saturday along with the usual family routines.

On the writing front, things have really been heating up for me professionally. I wish I could tell you some of the things that have been happening--but I can't. Not yet. Hopefully soon. Yeah yeah, I can hear you mumble. Why bother saying anything then? Because I'm squeeing privately and I'm pretty sure my neighbors can hear me. However, I can report that the western menage is this close *holds fingers a millimeter apart* to being finished. I'm really looking forward to being able to say it's completed. Chad's story? Well, it's not going quite as fast, but I have high hopes for it. It's really coming together nicely.

One thing I can share--I got recognized on Saturday and got asked for my autograph. *giggling madly* That was a first, and truly made my day.

Oh, and in case you're checking about the recent winners, I heard from Spav -- Elisabeth Naughton's book is on its way to her. And Estella's chosen a copy of my book, Personal Protection. (I haven't forgotten you, Estella, I've just been bogged down. I'll send it to you this evening.)




Bella Andre is guest blogging on Wednesday. Bella writes a very hot hot firefighters series for Pocket books - Wild Heat, Hot as Sin, as well as writing for Ellora's Cave.

As a special guest, on Friday JK Coi will be returning to talk about something she did when she was younger that she can only look back at and shake her head. Yes, JK is having a contest for her latest Ellora's Cave release, so make sure you come back and share your own *face/palm* moments with her then.

Winner of Elisabeth Naughton's Stolen Fury

Spav

Congratulations to commenter, Spav, who has won a copy of Elisabeth Naughton's Stolen Fury.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment.  Spav, please send an email to Leah DOT Braemel @gmail DOT com with your mailing address so I can arrange with Elisabeth to have your book shipped to you.  (If you don't contact me in 7 days, I will draw another name.)


There were 20 items in your list. Here they are in random order:
1. Spav
2. RK Charron
3. Estella
4. Kara
5. Limecello
6. Chey
7. Portia
8. Martie
9. Razlover's Book Blog
10. Donnas
11. Karen K
12. Tetewa
13. Mariska
14. Jane
15. Chelsea B
16. Erin T
17. Crystal GB
18. Robynl
19. Elaing8
20. SHG
Timestamp: 2010-01-08 17:09:02 UTC

Winner of the December Reader Appreciation Contest

You remember I said my New Year's resolution was to "stay healthy"? Right after I posted that blog, I started sneezing and sniffling. I've been down with a really annoying sinus-headache-pounding, went-through-two-boxes-of-Kleenexes, can't-breathe-so-can't-sleep cold ever since. *shakes fist at New Year!*

Anyway, I forgot to post my Reader Appreciation contest for my December commenters...so here it is...

Congratulations, Estella!

I'll be contacting Estella as she's won her choice of Samhain e-book. Oh, and if you're wondering why Estella appears twice in the list below -- that's not a mistake. My rules are that you get entered for every comment you make, so the more times you come back and comment, the more times you enter. Estella commented a lot last month. So can you. And maybe next month you'll see your name up here.

There were 119 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Estella
2. elaing8
3. Estella
4. Cathy M
5. Catherine Wade
6. flchen
7. Amy S
8. Lori
9. Evelyn
10. Tina

Catherine Wade's LET'S DISH Diet

The title of this entry really should read, “How To Gain Ten Pounds Writing A Book”. As most authors will confess (except for the extraordinarily healthy ones), we tend to eat when we write. Especially when things go wrong, I head straight for the peanut butter M&Ms. So it shouldn’t be a big revelation that I put on some weight while writing my new release, Let’s Dish. However, this book had another twist when it came to packing on the pounds – it’s all about food. 

I love food. I work with a bunch of foodies. Heck, this holiday season our little office saw more goodies go through than Harry and David, like cinnamon crusted pecans, turkey vegetable soup, and peanut butter rolled in chocolate. Seriously. Peanut butter. In chocolate. Does it get better? (Oh yes, it does. Put them in the freezer for an hour. Pure heaven.)  So while I was writing the book, the ladies in my office had no problem helping me do my research for the recipes Maggie would concoct. One of our favorite spots to do our “work” was a little café downtown. This place specializes in soups, salads and sandwiches, but not your typical fare. Firstly, this is the only place in the Upper Midwest I can get a decent pastrami on rye, and can get it with champagne mustard. The soups always have a twist, like tomato chipotle and bean with blue cheese. And the salads? Turkey grape is a daily offering, along with pasta salads that could make your taste buds scream with pleasure. We won’t even discuss the desserts. 

So right there – researching – I put on five or so pounds. Then there was the actual writing. That was a diet-buster. When I was in high school, I read Scarlett. In the book, a post-war Scarlett O’Hara is obsessed with food. I know what the author was getting at – Scarlett had been starved during the war, and hungered for everything from gourmet dinners to Rhett’s affection. Still, reading it made me hungry. Even younger, I read Anne of Green Gables. Anne had a love of bread with jam. I never liked bread and jam, but ate tons of it while I read that book. So I suppose it is no surprise that while I wrote Let’s Dish, I craved corn bread stuffing with brandy and pumpkin chutney. And the white chocolate mints? Yeah, I made ‘em. They’re excellent, by the way. 

So I’ll warn you – read this book with a good lock on the refrigerator. I’m still recovering from it. But if you like good food and great romance, go ahead and give it a shot. Bon appétit! 

Want to know more about Cate's Let's Dish?

She’s got the heat. He’s got the kitchen. Together, they’ve got trouble cookin’.

Maggie Donnely has problems no Food Network star ever had to deal with. Her coffee shop is running in the red, her EPT just turned pink, and keeping her business partners in line is making her blue in the face. A run-in with her old cooking school nemesis is the last thing she needs.

Kevin Best is a blast from the past with more than Maggie’s mouth-watering recipes on his mind. He knows he made one big mistake with her, but she’s got no idea just how far he’ll go to put her heart back on the menu.

When Maggie loses her shop to a fire, and her partners to a stupid mistake, she’s forced to turn to Kevin to help her win a contest that could save her bacon. Friendless, desperate—and with the proverbial bun in the oven—it’s a choice that could change the rest of her life. If she can learn to love again.

What’s the old saying about too many cooks? Maggie’s about to find out…the hard way.

You can buy Let's Dish as a paperback through Samhain's My Bookstore and More, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Book Depository.com. It's also available as an ebook through My Bookstore and More, and other ebook providers.

Elisabeth Naughton: New Year, New Resolution?

Thanks so much to Leah for having me here today. It’s great to be with you all to start 2010.

Since it’s the beginning of a New Year—and new decade—I have to ask: Are you a resolution person? Me? Not so much. I guess I figure if you’re going to do something, you do it. You don’t wait for January 1 to roll around so you can “start anew”. I know I’m in the minority on this one. Just check out how many people are suddenly at my neighborhood gym this week! But really, what’s the difference between today and last Monday?

Recently my stint as president for my local writers’ chapter came to a close. I’ve been around long enough now to see topic ideas recycled, and the biggest one most writers want more of is motivation. But motivation can’t come from outside. It has to be internal. No amount of workshops, challenges, critique groups or even deadlines can motivate someone to write.

It’s a lot like exercise. Take my sister-in-law, for example. For years she had no desire to work out. None, zip, zero. I tried to talk her into running ages ago. I suggested the gym. I mentioned easy races. I told her about the new (back then) elliptical machines that were easy to use. But she never bit on exercise. And then—out of the blue—something changed inside her. Sometime, in the past year, she decided she wanted to be a runner. She’s been training now for months, and last Saturday ran 20 miles. Her first full marathon is scheduled for the first weekend in February, and I have no doubt she’ll cross the finish line with flying colors.

Did I motivate her? Nope. Did her husband motivate her? No way. She did it herself.

We all know goals aren’t easy. And resolutions—though meant well—are often forgotten. There are numerous reasons: Sometimes you’re not ready to reach your goals – like my sister-in-law wasn’t ready years ago. Sometimes you don’t want it bad enough – like many writers I know who dream of being published but can’t seem to finish a book. And sometimes you’re just too busy to focus on one thing at a time (don’t we all feel that way?). But motivation can’t come from the outside, no matter what your dreams may be. And the only way resolutions are going to work is if you want something bad enough that you’re willing to change your life for good. Not simply because the calendar says January 1st.

So no resolutions for me. That doesn’t mean I’m perfect and don’t have things I need to work on (oh man, I have LOTS of things that need improvement). It just means I don’t need an excuse to start making changes today, tomorrow, or next month if need be. I can make them whenever I want.

Speaking of changes…the third book in my Stolen Trilogy, STOLEN SEDUCTION, released just last week. No one fights change more than my hero, Shane Maxwell. Check out his story and more info about me and my books at www.elisabethnaughton.com

And in case you missed it, I’m running a big contest on my website. Click the link below for rules and how to enter:





And, in honor of the release of STOLEN SEDUCTION, I’ve got a copy of STOLEN FURY, book one in the Stolen Trilogy to give away to one lucky commenter. Just tell me…are you a resolution person? Why or why not?

Happy New Year!

Away we go!

Last year I made a New Year's resolution to "get healthy". Little did I realize the challenges facing me on that one. Turned out it took more than just diet and exercise, but multiple visits to the doctor, numerous blood tests, more appointments with a specialist, several biopsies and ... well, at least the diagnosis came back that what was keeping me from getting healthy could be helped by a single pill a day. And yes, that pill immediately started working on the brain-fog enveloping me and the words started flowing immediately. It didn't solve the original problem, but I'm still working on that one.

With Gizmo Guy's surprise diabetes diagnosis last month when he had H1N1 (are you tired of hearing about H1N1 by now?), "getting healthy" got pushed into a whole new realm. Our diet has changed significantly, and we've both had to take a long hard look at our exercise habits and change them as well. It's worked for him--reasonably fast too. For me, it's been a little slower, but I'll keep plodding on.

2009 was definitely a good year for my career -- I saw the release of my first story, Private Property in January, then my second story Personal Protection in May. Both got great reviews from some of the most prestigious review sites around. Talk about validation.

In July, my birthday bash was a tremendous success -- I went from having two followers in June, to 38 by the end of July and now am sitting in the mid-60s. Woohoo! I can't tell you how great that made me feel.

It didn't stop mid-year either. Throughout the year, I watched Private Property gradually climb the charts on the Amazon Kindle Romance bestsellers list until it hit the top 100 in December. Just before Christmas, I learned The Romance Studio had given me two CAPA nominations -- one making Private Property a finalist in the Erotic Romance category. The other named me as a finalist in the Favorite Erotic Romance Author category, placing me amongst authors whom I have only aspired to emulate -- Lauren Dane, Maya Banks, Lorelei James, Jaci Burton just to name a few. I know they say it's a cliche to say "it's an honor just to be nominated" but it really is!

I started writing my resolutions for the coming year, but other than "staying healthy" which pretty much speaks for itself, a lot of the rest of it was either too personal, or just plain out of my hands and dependent upon others.

Around here, I'm going to continue to host guest bloggers and hopefully introduce you to more authors that you may not have heard of before, or perhaps reconnect you with old friends and favorites that you've lost track of.

I'm going to go back to keeping a list of the books I've read this year. Tell me in the comments, do you like seeing what people are reading on the side bar? Or is it just an annoyance as yet another thing to load?

I'm going to keep the wordcount widgets on my sidebar -- more as a prod to keep me moving. I wish I could find a widget that let me actually track daily word count as opposed to just lumping it into one final tally. I'll keep looking.

On that note, wordcount for yesterday was 2213. (That was on Chad's story: I'm really pleased with how it's coming together. I have to keep reminding myself it's about the romance. When I do that, I'm much happier with the way the story progresses.)

So do you make resolutions? What are they? And what would you like to see here?

Welcome 2010

For this new year, may your hand be stretched out in friendship, 

never in need