Yes, I know, I'm behind...blogging and writing! Days 1-11 have been quite eventful! First day, I had two sick boys, and had to go rescue the eldest boy who'd totaled his car. This is how my NaNoWriMo started. Next day, I had the flu. Well, I still managed to start. I've managed a few over thousand days, but mostly, either not getting any words in (one day on purpose because I needed a day off.).
I've been re-editing and line editing The Ulfric's Mate. I've added 600 words straight up from old numbers to new. I deleted a few things here and there, and changed some words for stronger ones. It'll be interesting to see what the readers think of the new bits. :D I'm super excited! I'll do a cover reveal around the 20th as I'm looking to release on Black Friday!
I'm over 10k, about 4 days behind, I believe. I did over 2k two different days or I'd be behind even more! I'm also editing, was hoping to finish the hard one tonight so I could write the rest of the week. Doesn't look like it's going to happen. I started this blog five hours ago.... yeah...
Well, I'm painting, writing, editing, mothering, wifing, marketing, friending, quilting, crafting, crocheting...and forgetting stuff. JUST remembered about a water bill from three weeks ago... yeah. Need to talk to the city. *sighs loudly* Heaven have mercy, I'm overloaded.
I spent five weeks with excruciating headaches. Turns out, I needed bifocals. I'm just getting used to them with fewer "oh my god bifocal throw up" moments than okay moments now. I'm so far behind on house and edits and writing, it's not even funny. And it's now seven hours since I started this blog. I cannot express to you the craziness that is my life. But really, when I say I'm overloaded, it's because I want to live life to the fullest, and my health--and that of my children--is trying to tell me to give up. But I won't. I won't give up any bit of my life of creating, loving, laughing and working in the arts at whatever level I choose to be involved. Which includes leaving me time to love on my children.
I'm gonna keep on keeping on. :D Soon, I'll make official news on here. Oh...well, suppose I should share the other news first: I am no longer affiliated in any way shape or form with Breathless Press and have no wish to be. You will no longer see books from them being promoted here. However, the authors are welcome to bring other books from other publishers. My beef is not with the authors as a group. I love my authors. I have pulled all books from that publisher, and my books will be re-released with other publishers and some self published. I am not giving up writing. So if you noticed a sudden decrease in books, no worries! They'll come out bigger and better than ever, shining brilliantly the way of my new future! *grins*
NaNo shall not defeat me. I shan't let it. I've made it every year and I have writing partners. We hall prevail! We shall overcome! We shall write!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Raven McAllan The Alpha's Challenge
Hi everyone! I'm doing NaNoWriMo. I promise to start posting regular updates for you all! In the meantime, my lovely and probably bestest friend in Scotland's beautiful land, Raven, has another cover reveal. This one really struck her heart, so I asked to write up a quick blog so I could show you her awesome cover that hit the spot and fits the characters so well. I know a lot of my followers are writers and will understand how meaningful it is when an artist gets it "just right" for our beloved characters. So, without further ado, Raven McAllan!
I never ever lose the thrill of a new cover. I see the email and my heart goes pitter patter, as I wonder what those talented cover artists will come up with.
I really don't have words enough to say how much I admire them, and my covers. In over 60 books I can count on one had those I've had to query, and some of them were down to me, and that weird 'one language separated by an ocean' thing we can all identify with.
However this one by Channing Harris, is spot on. And I'm not the best as describing my characters, I admit.
I opened the email, got goose bumps, shook cried a bit and then did a chair swivel jiggle and squeed everywhere.
The Alpha's Challenge will be out on 3rd December from Siren Bookstrand
Here's the awesome cover! Don't get too distracted because a blurb follows :)
Here's the blurb:
~ When human Ari Mackintosh lets wolf shifter Jacob Wolfe know she fancies him, fur and sparks fly. Especially, as Jacob isn't a mere shifter. He's the Alpha of his pack and a Dom to boot.
Jacob cannot believe his luck when he discovers that the woman he’s been lusting after from afar not only knows about shifters, but is turned on by seeing him shift. It becomes clear that Ari knows far more than she ought to when she recognized him in his wolf form.
It challenges Jacob, as it’s his duty to keep the pack safe. There are rules to follow—rules that he breaks one by one, as he cannot resist Ari’s natural submissiveness.
When push comes to shove and Jacob reveals his secrets, he is fully aware that they might send Ari away screaming. He has to take the chance and trust that she will stay.~
Sounds like another fantastic hot tale from her :D Congratulations!
I never ever lose the thrill of a new cover. I see the email and my heart goes pitter patter, as I wonder what those talented cover artists will come up with.
I really don't have words enough to say how much I admire them, and my covers. In over 60 books I can count on one had those I've had to query, and some of them were down to me, and that weird 'one language separated by an ocean' thing we can all identify with.
However this one by Channing Harris, is spot on. And I'm not the best as describing my characters, I admit.
I opened the email, got goose bumps, shook cried a bit and then did a chair swivel jiggle and squeed everywhere.
The Alpha's Challenge will be out on 3rd December from Siren Bookstrand
Here's the awesome cover! Don't get too distracted because a blurb follows :)
Here's the blurb:
~ When human Ari Mackintosh lets wolf shifter Jacob Wolfe know she fancies him, fur and sparks fly. Especially, as Jacob isn't a mere shifter. He's the Alpha of his pack and a Dom to boot.
Jacob cannot believe his luck when he discovers that the woman he’s been lusting after from afar not only knows about shifters, but is turned on by seeing him shift. It becomes clear that Ari knows far more than she ought to when she recognized him in his wolf form.
It challenges Jacob, as it’s his duty to keep the pack safe. There are rules to follow—rules that he breaks one by one, as he cannot resist Ari’s natural submissiveness.
When push comes to shove and Jacob reveals his secrets, he is fully aware that they might send Ari away screaming. He has to take the chance and trust that she will stay.~
Sounds like another fantastic hot tale from her :D Congratulations!
Friday, October 24, 2014
The Truth by Kelley Grealis
I have a special guest today :) I sometimes help out with tours for friends. However, I've quit doing promo only blogs. I want something unique. Kelley graciously provided me with something a little bit different :D
Here's her add on for my blog:
Thanks for asking me to post something unique for your blog (and
thank you for participating in the blog tour). I thought I’d do a little
smorgasbord, and I hope you enjoy!
How I juggle
writing with my day job
Having a day job and writing books is like having two full time
jobs. It’s not “like having,” they are both full time jobs. I have to strike a
balance between work, writing and my personal life. I know many offer writing
advice that says you should write something every day, but that doesn’t work
for me. When I’m in the full swing of writing, I target three work-nights/week
with the goal of writing for two hours or until I hit a natural stopping point.
I typically don’t write on weekends unless the hubbs (i.e. husband) isn’t
around. I try to take advantage of lunch hours and carpooling when I’m rewriting
and editing. Somehow it all comes together!
My favorite
vacation
The hubbs and I love to travel to the Caribbean. We’re fans of
the ‘fly and flop’ types of vacations, aka all inclusives. Some of our
favorites have been Aruba, Cabo, St. Lucia and Jamaica. Of those, I’d have to
say Jamaica is the favorite. I’d highly recommend either the Couples Negril
resort, or the Jewel Dunn’s River resort. Both are excellent, it depends on
which side of the island you’d like to see.
Killing characters
in my books
This
seems to be a popular question: how do you feel about killing your characters?
Well, I’d say my answer depends on the book and the character.
When I
was writing The Search, a friend of mine jokingly asked if I’d write her into
the story. Okay, it was a little more than joking. I obliged. As I was going
through the re-writing process, I knew I had to beef up the backstory about
what my main character had been doing during the time book 1 ended and 2 began.
Keep in mind, I write vampire books. So I promptly wrote my friend and her
husband into the story, and then promptly killed them off as victims of my
character’s blood-fueled killing spree. I had fun writing the scene, and my
friend got a kick out of the fact she was inspiration for a character, even if
the character didn’t last long.
In The
Truth (book 3 in The Descendant Vampire Series), I knew I needed an inciting
incident to kick off the chain of events I had already identified. I killed off
one of the secondary characters and didn’t have too hard of a time doing it as
his death was needed to propel the story forward.
Now as I
look to the 4th book in the series (you heard it here first, there
will be a 4th book in The Descendant Vampire Series), I’m toying
with killing off one or more of the main characters, and lemme tell ya, it’s
not an easy thing to do! However, once I flesh out the story and fully
understand what’s going to happen, I’ll knock off whomever I need to if it
makes sense for the story!
The Truth, book 3 in The Descendant Vampire Series, is ready for you to sink your fangs into!
You discovered the vampire’s origin in THE DESCENDANT, and what that meant for Allison Carmichael, the first descendant to exhibit signs of vampirism.
You joined Allison in THE SEARCH as she relentlessly hunted for information on the whereabouts of her husband.
Now find out why it all happened in the first place in THE TRUTH. Does everything happen for a reason, or is there a puppet master pulling everyone’s stings?
.jpg)
Book One:
The Descendant
Book Two:
The Search
Fresh out of vampire detox, Allison Carmichael has her cravings for human blood under control…just in time for the rest of her life to take a downward spiral.
After a loved one is murdered, Allison receives a cryptic message from the deceased. A warning to trust no one, not even those closest to her.
In order to identify the murderer, Allison must trust a mysterious stranger and piece together a series of clues while under the suspicious eye of a jealous boyfriend, a vengeful archangel and a jittery Ruling Council. When information is unearthed about the murderer and Allison’s lineage, her world isn’t the only one that’s rocked.
They say that the truth will set you free, but will that be the case for Allison and those she loves?
Goodreads
Vincent raised
his thumb to my mouth and wiped away the blood. He leaned in and gently licked
where I had bitten my lip. His venom tingled as it healed my flesh. He pulled
away, not breaking eye contact. His icy blue eyes didn’t make my stomach
flutter. His warm hand on my cheek didn’t send waves of desire throughout my
body. “So are you just using me for my body?” he asked.
~Now this large
house stood, half empty, like the dreams Matt and I once had.~
~Though the
Council had been apprised of my detox and subsequent sobriety, I doubted those
actions would go far as long as Sam and Brian’s murder cases were still alive
and well in the press.~
10/22
10/23
10/24
10/25
10/26
10/27
10/28
10/29
10/30
10/31
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Art up!
So we're back with the update on the art business. I've not done too bad, considering that I ended up in Seattle with my son for an audition of sorts (not what they had said, so a bust, even though they want him back.). I did another HUGE one 24x36 in oil on canvas, as well as a 16x20 in one. So I'm up to 14. Way behind where I wanted to be, but in terms of size, not shabby at all. Here are my two new ones.
The top one is the 16x20x1 in oil on canvas. The bottom is the 24x36x1 in oil on canvas. Both are done from my own photos. The colors of the bottom one are actually a bit darker than my camera is taking. It's annoying the heck out of me.
Sheri is on a roll! her cards (which I believe are 2.5x3.5 ATC/ACEO size) are too freaking cute. She's also mentioned that she's inspired to take an official art class next semester...she hasn't had any?! I love her style.
This girl is rocking it! I'm going to have to do a bunch of small ones to actually make 30, but either way, I'm happy I gave this a go. I've completed more paintings this past month, than the prior year. Thanks for following us!
Today's photos, I dedicate to those who lost their lives in the Canadian Parliament shooting. It's hard to remember there is such beauty when ugliness is so in your face. But if you find the beauty, you will find the profound meaning of life.
The top one is the 16x20x1 in oil on canvas. The bottom is the 24x36x1 in oil on canvas. Both are done from my own photos. The colors of the bottom one are actually a bit darker than my camera is taking. It's annoying the heck out of me.
Sheri is on a roll! her cards (which I believe are 2.5x3.5 ATC/ACEO size) are too freaking cute. She's also mentioned that she's inspired to take an official art class next semester...she hasn't had any?! I love her style.
This girl is rocking it! I'm going to have to do a bunch of small ones to actually make 30, but either way, I'm happy I gave this a go. I've completed more paintings this past month, than the prior year. Thanks for following us!
Today's photos, I dedicate to those who lost their lives in the Canadian Parliament shooting. It's hard to remember there is such beauty when ugliness is so in your face. But if you find the beauty, you will find the profound meaning of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)