HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!

2014

THROWS CONFETTI! 

Thought I'd stop by the old blog and wish everyone a Happy New Year. I thought about listing a few resolutions, but I've never really had them. Too much pressure and all that. But, I do have a few hopes for the coming new year. I hope my blessings continue, my family stays healthy, and my life continues to head in the direction it's meant to go in. If I happen to lose 10 (15) pounds in the process then no one will hear a single complaint from me. What about you? What are you hoping for in 2014?

A DARKER MR. DARCY

One of my all-time favorite books is PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I even love the movie…the one with Kiera Knightly and that other brooding dude that wouldn't be all that scrumptous if it weren't for all his brooding. Sighs…..

It's not very often I find a read that makes me sigh like P& P. Just doesn't happen all that often, but when I read MOONLESS by Crystal Collier, it so happened. I found a darker Mr. Darcy. Yep. Who knew that was even possible? Well, it was and I thank God and Crystal for it.

Here's my official review: This book was unputdownable and I never say that lightly. The characters drew me in from the start. I lost sleep, like lots of sleep. I couldn't quit flipping pages just to uncover the mystery behind the indifferent, blue eyed man. Following Alexia as she uncovers the mysteries surrounding her life. Her transformation from plain and ordinary to a beautiful, strong young woman is something of the fairytale all of us girls dream about. I loved Moonless from start to finish and I know you will too. Now, we just need the dreamy sequel. Hello! I am so ready.

Yeah…you are on that, right Crystal? Right?

I hope you enjoy MOONLESS as much as I did. I think we have a new fan too. I decided to read the best parts for Sir Cooper who loves a good story. He was deeply intrigued and I took a picture to prove it. 

Now that is one swooning dog right there. If you've already had the pleasure of reading MOONLESS what did ya think? Are you swooning too? 

HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

Sex in YA... how far is too far? For like ever, sex scenes in YA have always been implied, left for the imagination. But lately, I've happened upon a couple of steamier scenes that seemed to break the rules. I'll dare not mention the titles here people. I'm not a smut spreader. Okay, so I am but I want you to spread the smut first ;)

Have you read anything lately that made you raise an eyebrow, gasp out loud, curl those tootsies? 

Do tell on the rule breakers and have a happy Friday! 

MOONLESS Cover Reveal!

Holy Heck this is one awesome cover!!! 

One of my amazing blogging, critique partnering peeps has a book coming out November 13th, 2013!!! How cool is that?

Major cool people!

Now, you probably want to know what this baby is all about. Lemme tell you.

MOONLESS: Alexia's nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the soulless.

MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural. (I just love that part)

Head on over and visit Ms. Crystal.  She'd love to have you creep on her blog.

Hows that for a marvelous Monday???

A Call For Submissions!!!

Illustration by the ever so awesome: Michael Di Gesu

Brand New Publisher Accepting Submissions!

And I am a part of it! I'm stoked beyond belief and also a little freaked out! No lie! After lots of research, chats, emails, reading, writing, interviews, and the whole works, a few friends and I launched BookFish Books LLC. 

I know, crazy huh? I still feel a little nauseous. Seriously. It's even crazier how it all happened, but I won't bore you with the details. In short, we love books and we love authors. For those of you contemplating self publishing, we hope to be an in-between for you. A way to get your project out there with a lot of help. Come visit us at BookFish Books. We're accepting YA submissions in all categories for Spring 2014 release. Feel free to spread the word. We will just heart you to pieces for the help! 

Happy Labor Day, people!

The Nuts and Bolts

Dudes! I've so missed creeping on all my blogging buddies. Time is not on my side these days, but I had to tell you, I saw The Mortal Instruments this past weekend with my nephew, Ty. It. Was. Awesome. Mostly. Ty loved it. Hid his face at all the demon encounters. He's almost ten so it was kind of gross. But being with the little guy reminded me how important it is to step away from the lair, and work and spend time with the kiddos. As we waited in line I watched young Ty hang from the railing outside the theatre. I convinced him the railing had diohpyt revef cooties, and he should let go immediately. His mouth fell open and he stopped in mid-swing. Standing up, he let go of the railing and wiped his hands on his pants. I then had to translate the meaning of the backwards words... typhoid fever brought to the new world decades ago by dyslexic monkey's. Fits and Giggles. (even the old couple behind us thought this was funny) After that, I ordered tickets in a terrible British accent. (I am not British, like at all) Fits and Giggles. Two seconds later, we were standing at the snack counter where I requested tea and crumpets. I swear the teen with the carrot dreads did a cocker spaniel on me right then and there. Fits and Giggles. Carrot boy translated my request into cookies and Coke Zero and then proceeded to tell us our movie would be shown in theatre number 2. No he did NOT say NUMBER 2. To a nine-year-old, saying number 2 is like the funniest thing in the whole world. Like ever. Fits and Giggles. Movie aside, there's nothing better than hanging out with a kid and being one yourself. I have no problem with this at all. Kind of made me feel like I'd gotten down to the nuts and bolts of life...the stuff that truly matters...being silly, being happy, and saying crumpets in a crowded theatre labeled Number 2. Good times! When was the last time you acted like a 9 year old? Do tell.

COVER REVEAL!!!

Today I'm happy to be a part of the cover reveal and sneak peek blog hop for Mary Waibel's novel, Charmed Memories, the second book in the Princess of Valendria series. Here is the lovely cover, designed by the talented Marion Sipe.

Blurb:

Prince Trevor has always placed duty to his kingdom above the desires of his own heart. But when his betrothed is lost at sea, he finds himself torn between honor and love.

After four years of searching for the missing princess, he begins to secretly long for Lady Bri, the Woodland Guide he works with each day. But the law says he must marry a princess, and Bri is barely a noble.

When Trevor learns that Bri was shipwrecked at the same time and place as the princess, he begins to believe he has finally found his bride-to-be. But his happiness is

short-lived. Bri has no memory of her past, and the princess wasn't the only girl who disappeared from the ship.

Desperate to prove Bri is his princess, Trevor unwittingly places the two of them

in grave danger. Buried in Bri's memories are deadly secrets someone wants kept

from the light of day, and learning who she is may cost more than either is willing to

pay.

Sneak Peek:

Prologue

Removing her from the picture was the first step, then he could set about removing the remaining obstacles and claim his rightful birthright. His hands sweated in anticipation as he opened the door. Today his reign began.

Charmed Memories is releasing this Friday, August 9th. More details are available at http://marywaibel.blogspot.com

Previous Excerpt

What?

Let me set this up for you. July 4th. The hubs throws out his back lifting a humongous bag of dog food (he's demanding I tell you he lifted a house off of a baby). Never happened, more like 40 pounds of dog food happened. The rest of the day, a complete wash, right? Seriously. Copious amounts of rain, cancelled fireworks, rivers overflowing, little sailboat bobbing through the backyard, the works. I know what you're thinking. Go to bed. Pray for sunlight.  No. We're way too interesting to allow rain to wash out this party. Cookout be damned. We ordered takeout (burgers) and then settled down to stuff our faces and watch a movie.

I found P.S. I Love You. Hello! A little Gerard Butler. Can you say, "Man Candy?" 

Hubs shook his head. 

"Jane Eyre?"

Blank stare. 

"The English Patient?"

Rolls eyes. 

"Does everything have to contain fire, ammunition, and a boob in order for it to be deemed a movie?"

Hubs says, "Yes. Yes it does." 

"But it's Jane Eyre."

"Who the hell is Jane Eyre?"

WHAT?

"She's a character in a novel written by, Charlotte Bronte."

"What's she doing on TV if she's supposed to be in a book?"

"They made a movie out of the novel."

"Why would anybody want to do that?"

My turn for the blank stare. 

I do love that man, but he may be the death of me. 

Was your fourth of July better than mine? I ended up reading ANEW, by Chelsea Fine while something exploded on the surround sound in front of me.

As for Jane Eyre? Challenge accepted. :) 

When to take the self publishing plunge.

For the past year, blogging has been in the trunk rather than the backseat. I needed more time to write, more time to cook dinner,  do the whole domestic thing. In addition to writing and revising, I've also spent a lot of time stalking and querying agents. You all know how time consuming this can be. Actually, I think it takes over your whole life. I don't understand why we can't just make appointments for mani/pedi dates with agents to discuss our stories. Talk about the perfect time for a pitch slam. I could get way more accomplished than this late night blinding scan of Publishers Marketplace, agent blogs, lame emailing, and website stalking. Just tell me how many YA books you've sold in the last 12 months, hand over the Sonic Bloom ( blush-worthy pink) for my tootsies. And, if you're not gonna eat your cucumbers, hand them over the second I sign your contract. Who wants cucumber juice on their contract, right?

Wouldn't that be dreamy?

Through it all, I've kept my mind open during the whole process. I've thought about what I would do if every agent on the planet sent me a form rejection. Worry not. I do not intend to dress up in my grandmother's housecoat, strap on a pair of stillettos, or take a nose dive off the city bridge during a hail storm. The thought hasn't even crossed my mind. I hate high heels. And heights. And my grandmother's housecoat. God rest her soul.

There are other options. Self pubbing is one of them. There's a lot of pros. A lot cons. A lot of fear. But the more I look into it, the more I see there are really pros and cons either way. I would love to hear about experiences you've had with self publishing. What made you decide that it was right for you? Do tell.

COMPLETELY OUT

It's been a busy couple of weeks!!! My writing time has totally been shoved aside, but I'm so okay with that. My daughter graduated high school this week. Woot! Woot! Great friends traveled in from Tennessee. A lot of food happened. A lot of catching up happened. A lot of much needed down time happened.

                           We even managed to wear out the dog. Poor Coop.

Eventually things will go back to normal...eventually. Your turn. Tell me what you've been up to?

FREAKING PANDEMONIUM!!!

Oh my GOD People! I don't even know where to begin with this post. It's freaking pandemonium around the writing lair this week. I downloaded anti-spyware onto my Mac, something I've always used just for extra peace of mind. But the program is a picture eating, document hiding, web-site blocking NAZI, and said NAZI is clearly having a seizure. For those of you who have entrusted me with your manuscripts. Fear not. They've been recovered.

Speaking of manuscripts. A super amazing beta reader has shared her super amazing beta reader with me. And guess what! I'm an idiot! Did you guys know you're not supposed to end sentences with propositions? Well, apparently my character had no idea cause she keeps doing it. SMH (shake my head). That MC is going to be the death of me. Thank god for beta's who take the time to read, gut, shred, and glue our manuscripts back together. I think we should have an award ceremony once a month. We'll call it the Beta Awards. At this moment, there is a text going out to my secretary to get on that. And, in just a moment, she's going to text me back. It will read something like this: What the hell r u talking about? I'm not ur secretary. U can't afford one of those cause ur a loser! I'm the assistant manager. And maybe ur a beta-head too. Did u ever think of that? Are u drinking wine again? What the hell is a beta anyway? Did you call me a fish? This is what I get for hiring my BFF to work at a company that has absolutely nothing to do with writing.

To which I will reply with this: You're fired until 9 a.m. tomorrow morning for insubordination and for not knowing what a beta reader is. I'm withholding a portion of your earning to pay for therapy. I need it after the whole loser thing. And yes, I'm drinking wine again!

In other news. The kiddos have gone bat-shit crazy. Apparently we're experiencing some sort of lunar apocalypse within the household, and its making co-domiciling with the Blair Witch look pretty damn enticing. Jesus. I'm cursing in my blogpost. See. Told you. Total pandemonium.

:)

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARY WAIBEL

Writer people! I'm playing interviewer today.  Mary Waibel actually trusted me to ask questions about her new book, QUEST OF THE HART. She even said I could ask anything. Anything? I know right. A total risk on her part, but I decided to behave. Almost.

Princess Kaylee has never had to fight for anything. Her entire life has been arranged, even her marriage. But when Prince Devlin falls under an enchantment, she finds she is willing to do anything to save him, even if it means fighting a dragon.

Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.

To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.

Ooh! Intriguing. 

1. So Mare, can you tell us what Quest is about? Quest is a reverse Sleeping Beauty tale, where the princess goes on the quest to wake the prince from the spell.

Nice! I wonder if she messes with him while he's asleep? That would be wrong but totally fun.

2. Is this a stand alone novel or a series?  It is a stand alone novel, but there are companion novels to follow. Charmed Memories, releasing in August from MuseItUp Publishing, follows Kaylee's brother Trevor as he searches for his missing bride. I am currently working on a third book that follows another character from Charmed Memories, as well as toying with an idea for Arabella, the villainess from Quest.

Exciting!

3. Who is your favorite character in Quest? Of course, I always find myself rooting for Kaylee, the heroine. Then there's Sabrina, the one who helps her. And Grizzelda, the old crone. Of course, Arabella, the villainess, was fun to write. And then there's Thaddeus, the knight betrayed by his princess. I have a feeling we might be seeing Thaddeus and Sabrina, and maybe another character from Quest in a future tale.

4. Who's the hottie? Will we swoon? Devlin is certainly a hottie. Unfortunately, he's asleep for most of the story. Enter Thaddeus. He's a knight, sworn to protect his princess, and he takes his duties seriously. And his looks don't hurt, either.

Looks never hurt!

5. Does he wear a kilt or breaches?  Trousers. Leather trousers. 

Damn! What's a girl have to do to get a man in a kilt?

6. Is it true what they say about kilts? I'm just asking in the name of fictional history here. I think most of us would like to know if dudes really wear underwear or not.  Well, I've heard the answer is no. But, I've never tested it to see.

We are now accepting volunteers for kilt wearers...Tapping fingers. Smiling mischievously. Husband is studying me closely. 

We will be suspending the call for kilt submissions until further notice.

7. Is your blog interviewer asking you appropriate questions? LOL! Were they supposed to be? I'm still waiting for the underwear one I was warned about.  Darn! Should've kept my mouth shut on that one :-)

Evil grin.

8. Where can we find Quest? Quest of the Hart is available at MuseItUp Publishing (you get to pick the version you want, but they send you all there are, so if you ever switch readers, you don't lose your book) and Amazon and at Barnes and Noble soon. 

9. What can we expect from you in the future?  Charmed Memories is coming in August and I'm finishing up a third for submission. I'm waiting for CP (critique partner) feedback on a fantasy/paranormal romance (faeries and sorceresses and lots of cool things!) so I can tweak that and submit. I just started playing mentally with what I think will be a NA (New Adult) romance based on a kiss on the kiss-cam. And there are more ideas partly done, in need of work, or waiting for me to sit down and write. If anyone figures out how to add more time to the day, and still get sleep, let me know! I'm always in need of more time.

Time? Interviewer sighs deeply. It's s lovely concept. 

Author Bio:

Mary lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her debut novel, Quest of the Hart, is available from MuseItUp Publishing right now. The Lost Princess, a companion novel, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in August 2013

 You can find Mary Waibel at:

http://marywaibel.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/authormarywaibel

@mewtweety14 (twitter)

Buy Link (Quest):

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=620&category_id=6&manufacturer_id=292&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Book Trailers (Quest):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SvEAbFQtE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-ohY2CEVo

A huge thank you to Mary for sharing with us! And stay tuned for more information about kilts and what to wear or not wear with them. ;)

Happy week people! 

HUMANITY

Today's post isn't about writing. It's about humanity. My heart is saddened tonight. When is it ever okay to blow up a human being? A child? At this hour, I don't know who's to blame for the Boston bombings. I just know that human beings did this to other human beings. Human beings sat and planned for this day. They created bombs to destroy, maim, and kill. And I'm sure they smiled when they succeeded. The first word that comes to mind for such madness is EVIL. But are we capable, as a society, to wrap our heads around that word? In the short term, I think so. But as the days pass on, I'm not so sure. We seem to forget as though we have to. As though a false sense of peace depends upon us forgetting the atrocities that drive us to pick up arms. But let us not forget the wounded. The dead. Not today. Not ever. My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Boston.

WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS MEAN?

The desk of a writer can be a scary and confusing place for outsiders. Entering uninvited should be met with the same caution as entering Poe's lair. And yes, I believe he had a lair. You cannot write The Raven and not have one.

In slightly lighter environments, writer's doodle. When the muse hits, we rush to jot down our ramblings on paper.  We open a new doc. Enter a few lines, knowing that only we will be able to piece together the puzzling thoughts we've jotted down on random pieces of paper. We target old bills, envelopes, and shamefully, a child's report card. Relax. It only happened once. I was out of Post Its and the legal pads were out of reach. No judging.

So it's true to say that no notable surface is safe. But sometimes our notes get lost, shuffled around, and buried under piles of other crazy-sauce. Weeks pass. Dust settles. We cough and decide to clean up the clutter. Only to discover that old Post It. The envelope. The kids report card that was supposed to be signed and returned. I emailed the teacher. It's fine. Let it go.

But what's to be done about deciphering my own ramblings after all this time? Well, it took me a minute, but I finally got that I needed dog food. I must have picked that up already. The dog looks fine. Check. Deli meat, also check. My daughter definitely got a haircut. I do recall that much. And then it all came together. I was not vowing to never leave some dude named Lesley Nelson Burns. He wrote a song a character was going to sing in one of my stories, and they were going to play an instrument, something soothing and romantic. This was also good news for my daughter who had read my crazy-sauce and thought I was getting her a 'stupid flute' for a graduation present. I think I might call the consignment shop. I bet they'll have one for cheap.

She'll never read my notes again. Good times.

So what's some of your crazy-sauce? Find the nearest scrap of paper and do tell.


Happy Friday!

Holy Heck!

I visited my own blog today. Yes this one. I heard crickets. Is anyone else hearing crickets, or is it just me?

I have not posted since Christmas. CHRISTMAS! How pathetic is that? I had no idea it had been so long. I pulled my gaze away from revisions and glanced at the calendar. Did you guys know it's March? How did that happen? I didn't even get an email that it was March. When revising, one should verbally be alerted as to what day it is. Just putting that out there.

So now it's on to creeping. I must know what you've all been up to. I have to know. I've missed you!

:)