Helping Out A Friend

Lacey Thorn has a new release today. She is an author and a friend. Her computer took a vacation to OZ and hasn't come back. So with apologies to Anita, who is another friend, (and whose blog is previous and you should really read cause she has some interesting insights) I am just going to say:

READ Lacey Thorn's FANNING HER FLAMES. Be sure to have lots of iced tea handy cause it is one HOT Summer Read.

And now for something completely different ...

For Monty Python fans the above line will bring back fond memories. One of my favourites is the Dead Parrot skit with John Cleese returning a dead parrot to the shop and Michael Palin insisting the parrot isn't dead, it's sleeping. Brilliant writing. Brilliant comedy. Brilliant actors.

Which brings me not to brilliant writing - I liked the last post about characters who muscle in on us when we're writing. Happens to all of us, but my blog today is about birds and other little creatures. I'm putting a question to you goddesses and the first one who sends me the correct answer will receive a prize. Not a huge prize. I haven't decided what it will be but it will be something relating to Vancouver Island.

Back to parrots and my question. Where is the World Famous Parrot refuge located? I put the question out on my blog but no one seems to read my blog. How do you lure readers to your blog? That's another question. No prize but send your answers anyway.

A writing comment. I've written 16,000 words of what I thought would be a straight forward romance set in Cornwall, England. However, it has changed its focus to dark and dangerous. Do any of you remember the film, The Manchurian Candidate? My book has taken on those kinds of overtones. Brain washing. Controlling another person. My heroine needs me!

Back to birds, etc. There were seven gold finches on our feeder this morning. Gold finches don't hang around Victoria during the summer. We observe them when they drop in to feed on their way north in the spring, and on their way south in the fall. I've done a lot of bird watching in my time especially when I lived in Toronto. It's on a huge migration corridor. We had large trees in our garden and it was a treat to identify the various warblers that came by.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. Hear the drum rolls and the bagpipes skirling. My contemporary romance with a paranormal twist, ISABELLE'S DIARY, will be released on September 6th, that's next Wednesday. I still haven't managed to copy my book covers to this blog or my own blog. Sigh.

Can you believe it's the last day of August? Where has the summer gone? Sounds like a song or the title for a book. Must run. I have household tasks screaming for attention.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

Strong Characters and Their Authors

Writers. If we were not writing we may be called schizophrenic.

Writers, Authors of fiction, are continuously assaulted, approached, and visited by people from other times, other places, other worlds.

Take my friend Kelly for example. http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ She had a character - a potential character - called Seth visit her. He simply intruded. He made a pass at her and demanded that she put aside her other work and write his story.

My character Morgan Taj Zephyrain demanded that she be allowed to teach him a lesson. Well, I interpreted it she wanted to interview him. She has a mind of her own as well.

As I write this she is inviting him to a brawl.

So, as this interview went on - the author pulled the plug. Or maybe Seth did. He wants his own story, not a fight with some amazon woman.

So, my point? I read the definition of a writer once. It was this --

Someone who has voices constantly going in their heads. Someone who lives in this world but resides in hundreds maybe thousands of others. Someone who may be confused by trying to find the car keys, but who can carry tons of information and several conversations in their heads at a time. And to quote Amarinda Jones:

"Writers are scary arsed people. If they are sitting at a computer with a glazed look in their eyes, with half open junk food packets and smudged specs perched on their nose, back away slowly."AMARINDA JONEShttp://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/

Aloha!

I've just returned from an incredible 9-day trip to the island of Maui. (The excuse was my nephew's wedding.) The traveling there and back was exhausting, but worth every tedious minute. The sea, the sunshine and the welcoming atmosphere were everything I'd ever dreamed.

Now traveling with my father, my brother, and my two teenage sons made this a less than romantic getaway, though my husband certainly did his best to sneak in as much romance as possible under the circumstances. So there was a little private time mixed between the snorkeling, sight-seeing, shopping and surfing lessons. We absolutely have to go back sometime once the kids are grown.

But now I'm home and it's time to get back to work. Projects to finish, edits to make, and websites to update. To my surprise, I didn't write much of anyting at all on the trip, but I don't think the time was wasted. I'm relaxed, refreshed, and ready to write. My brain was soaking it all in, accumlating settings and ideas and people. You can definitely look forward to a book set in Hawaii sometime soon. Happily ever after in the island sun. I'm thinking a surfing instructor and an uptight midwestern tourist...

From Wishes to Reality

I just returned home from a weekend away at my niece's 4th birthday party and realized it was my turn to blog. Oops!

I've reached some great writing milestones recently. My second Ellora's Cave book, I Put a Spell on You released July 13th. My first Cerridwen Press book, Best Laid Plans, released August 16th. I just finished writing another story for EC, tentatively titled Mystic Circle and I found out that my third EC book, Ronan's Grail will be released November 14th.

These are all wonderful accomplishments and I'm thrilled, but this week I accomplished something even greater. All my niece wanted for her birthday was a Dorothy Gale (Wizard of Oz) costume complete with the ruby slippers. I have Target.com to thank for the ruby slippers, but I sewed the blouse, jumper and bows from a pattern I designed by watching youtube videos trying to get the costume just right. (Yeah, I'm a little OCD about costuming) ;)

I stayed up late (did I mention I'm a procrastinator?) broke three needles, and sewed for hours. I was tired, but when my niece opened it and I saw the look on her face, it was worth any frustration and more. She threw her little arms around my neck and said, "You made all my wishes come true."

I guess that's what I like most - making wishes come true - whether it's for the characters in my stories or the children in my life. I have the most amazing job, family and friends in the world and I wouldn't trade a thing.

Anticipation

Anticipation is supposed to make what we are waiting for all the better.

When we were kids and our parents told us we were going to "Disneyland" or whatever the special kids place was at the time, we would be all a-twitter with ANTICIPATION. We couldn't sleep. We didn't want to eat or do homework or even play. We wanted the promised trip.

As adults, maybe our anticipation was based on a wedding, a promotion, a new car, kids, all sort of things. But the ANTICIPATION thing was still desiring for the THING to be completed.

That is where I am right now. My novel Prophecy of Vithan released in August. Now I know there have been some sales. The people who bought the book have told me. But I am now in the thrall of ANTICIPATION waiting for the report that tells me how many books total I have sold.
You see, if I have sold a lot, then that means that people like my book. If I sold only a few, then that means I have a few friends that bought my book out of pity.

I really really want to know. Do people like my book?

For a taste, (and if you like what you read, you can be one of my fans by buying my book hint hint) Here is an excerpt:

"God, I want to." Len whispered. "I want to be inside of you so bad I can taste it. Not simply to take care of the erection they gave me, I want to make you completely mine. I want to be part of you. I want to know you so completely, I finish your sentences."
Morgan struggled to get loose. Len held her easily. She strained against his hands. He was much stronger than she realized. Morgan glared at Len. Her heart pounded wildly, with his body on top of her. Every inch of her body touched him. Morgan wanted Len inside of her. She wanted to pummel him. She wanted to hold him. Morgan wanted to strangle Len. She tried to get her legs free, to kick him. Len shifted. Pinning her with his legs holding hers. Len's desire touched Morgan. She shivered. She tried to raise her hips to him.
"If you want to, then why not? Why -" Tears of frustration, of hurt threatened to spill down Morgan's cheeks. "I don't understand."
Len leaned down, his lips brushed against Morgan's lips.
Len cursed. "I can't stay on top of you like this. I'll mess up for sure. I'm going to let you go. Beat the crap out of me. Maybe it will kill the need I have for you."
Len let go of Morgan's wrists. He rolled off her. He lay flat on the floor, his arm covering his eyes in a defeated, exhausted manner. He grimaced as his sore back touched the wood. Len inhaled deeply. Morgan sat. She watched Len use his breathing and a healing technique to relax his body.
He's using healing techniques he learned from my father? Could he have been the familiar presence I sensed in the throne room?
"Mess up? What are you talking about?" Morgan asked.
"Anthes called me. I got the same information from my father, although he didn't realize it. If I have sex with you before the eclipse and before you do your warrior thing, the world will end. My father wants me to gain my power and to nullify you. Beat me, or kill me. Kill me would be better. Put me out of my misery. I will not have sex with you." Len paused. "I want you so bad."
Morgan crawled over to Len. She looked at the cameras and wondered what the watchers thought.
Len peeked from under his arm and followed her gaze.
"They're off. I finally agreed to come in here if they gave us some privacy. That's when they stopped beating me. Nathe promised the cameras would be off. I figured the only way I could refuse to screw you would be if they didn't know."
"You would deny yourself to save people you don't know?" Morgan said softly. She reached out to touch Len. Morgan withdrew her hand.
"I know, it's not the Protector thing to do…"
"Len, look at me." Morgan looked at the man beside her. Len lowered his arm. He winced as his back complained. "I have never been with a man who would forsake sex for anything. You are willing to sacrifice your pleasure," Morgan looked at Len's bruised face, "And your health to help others. I think it is wonderful. It makes me love you all the more."
"Love me? Did you say you love me?" Len asked.
"Yes. I assumed you knew." Morgan said.
"Why would I know? Do you know I love you?"
"I hoped. Do you, because so far all you've talked about is lust."
"Weren't you listening? I said -" Len started.
"Enough talk." Morgan bent her head over Len. She started coaxing Len out of relaxation.
"Stop that!" Len pushed Morgan away from him. "Didn't you hear what I said? Did they drug you or something?"
"They did. Mine was a pill. I didn't take it." Morgan crawled back to Len. She let her training take over. She came forward like a wild cat, slinking lazily toward him. Her eyes devoured him. Her mouth opened slightly. She licked her lips, promising more.
Len sat and pushed himself away from her. "Will you stop? You're driving me crazy."
"Good. I want you crazy for me." Morgan got on her knees. She swayed her hips in a large circle, undulating in front of Len. She smiled a wicked little smile. Morgan raised her arms over her head, drawing her fingers over her arm until one hand reached for the ceiling, the other hand touching her shoulder. The hand on her shoulder continued its movement over her breast, pausing a moment. She circled her fingers lightly around the nipple, making it stand erect. She licked her lips, watching Len squirm.
"Morgan…please."
Morgan dropped to all fours. She crawled over to Len. His back to the wall, his legs outstretched. She crawled over his legs, letting her breasts glide over his chest. Morgan came face to face with Len. She nibbled his neck. Her tongue flicked the outer edges of his ear. Len moaned. He inhaled raggedly trying to keep his composure.
Morgan put her mouth close to Len's ear. She blew gently. She knew the delicate hairs in Len's ear would respond to her breath by giving his shivers of delight. "Len," Morgan said with a husky whisper. "Anthes has the translation wrong. I don't have to be a virgin.


Charlene Leatherman, Prophecy of Vithan by Cerridwen Press,
released August 2, 2007
Defeating the villain, destroying the monster, delivering the hero, and never breaking a nail. www.charleneleatherman.com

Satisfaction Guaranteed in 2008

I've just received the release date for Satisfaction Guaranteed - January 3, 2008.

Here's the blurb:

Workaholic, accountant Elizabeth Sewell needs a man. According to her well-laid-out life plan, it’s time to find Mr. Right and move on to the next phase of her life--married with children. The problem is, she’s been so busy working her way up the career ladder, she won’t spot Mr. Right even if he’s carrying a neon sign. So, being an organized businesswoman, she comes up with a strategy. She’ll hire a man to teach her what she needs to know to get what she wants.

Disillusioned, attorney Jack Harley needs a distraction. He’s left behind a high-pressure job with a prestigious law firm in Houston, and he’s determined to get his life back on track by opening a private practice in Dallas. When a sexy brunette mistakes his new office for the recently relocated escort service, he’s stunned silent by her request for ‘a variety of men and experiences’. But when she asks him if he’s man enough to uncover what turns her on, he finds his voice in time to accept the challenge.

There's an excerpt on my web site www.isabelledrake.com.

A great way to start the year, isn't it!