An Immortal Year in Review

I'm feeling nostalgic as we come to the end of 2009. This year has been a rollercoaster ride for me. I saw such a great response to my Immortals Series, and releasing books 3 and 4 was so awesome, but of course, so many things in this business are not under my control and the close of 2009 will also bring Linden Bay Romance to an end.

But before the doors close this week, I'd like to urge you to pick up my books if you haven't already had a chance to. The books will have new homes in the not too distant future, but until then this will be a bittersweet goodbye.

My Immortal



"My Immortal delivers the HEA that we all want from our romances, though I wasn’t sure for a while just how Ms. Coi was going to pull it off. She did, however and the way she did made the story all that much the better." Jordan, Fallen Angel Reviews (5 Angels, Recommended Read)





Immortal Kiss


"Ms. Coi is an expert at creating a masterful work of extreme emotion and high drama. Her work is the perfect combination of passion and adventure. The characters are intense, strong willed, and unquestionably sexy. Their story reverberates with barely controlled emotions that leave the reader breathless with anticipation...I will certainly recommend adding this, and the rest of the series, as must reads to your list." Lototy, Coffee Time Romance (Also, winner of the 2009 NERWA Bean Pot Award)



Dark Immortal



"Dark Immortal is a fantastic story that I just loved!...The characters are wonderful, the vampires, demons, shape shifters are all so believable. The action is awesome; the sex is thrilling; and I just fell in love with the entire story!...I can’t say enough about this wonderful tale that ventures into a dark world unlike any I’ve ever read before. This is definitely worth putting down your current read for!" Magnolia, Whipped Cream Reviews (voted Best Book of The Week) (Also, finalist in 2010 EPIC Competition)




Forever Immortal



"JK Coi has done it again. Forever Immortal is the fourth book in her Immortal Warriors series. Wonderfully written, it keeps your mind locked into the story from the moment you first pick it up. I do not know where she comes up with this stuff, but I seriously hope her muse keeps working this well for her in the years to come." Dianna at Manic Readers (5 Stars)

Happy Holidays!!

(By Jacob Windham from Mobile, USA (Flickr.com – image description page) [CC-BY-2.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

I'd like to wish you a very Happy Holiday and Merry Christmas! See you all in the new year with some great new guests blogging with me, awesome contests, and new books!

Christmas Party Winner!

Congratulations to Chrysalis!

(Please send me your snail mail address at jkcoi(AT)rogers(DOT)com)

And Merry Christmas everyone!!!

I'm going to be taking a short break to spend time with my family over the holidays, but I'll see you in the new year!!

Christmas Party!!!

MY BOOK IS FINISHED!!

I'm so excited! I wrote the last words at roughly 1:30 am on December 17--which was the last of several very late nights for me, as I was determined that I would be finished in time to enjoy the Christmas holidays with my family.

I sweated blood and tears onto the page for this book, and I can't wait to make it shiny and perfect and send it out into the world so that one day I will be able to share it with all of you. These characters are so dear to me, it's a bittersweet delight to say goodbye to them--for now. Because seriously, there's a ton of editing to do still. --- All of which can wait for a little while as I rest and eat turkey and play with kiddo and snuggle with hubby in front of the television for a few nights.

Having said that, however, I do have some critiques to do, some work for my new editor at Ellora's Cave, and I'm behind on a few blogs...

But not now. Now we're going to have a CHRISTMAS PARTY!!

Everyone who comments on this post to tell me what they've asked Santa to bring for Christmas will be entered into my Contest for a cool basket filled with cool stuff, including a fabulous CD from singer Angela Scappatura whose voice is simply amazing! (Other treats include: Christmas goodies and great books!!) Contest will be open until Monday, at which time I'll post a winner.

A blog about nothing

I wish I had something to blog about today, but unfortunately, my brain has room for only one thing--the book.

I'm working on the final few scenes. The tension has ramped up to deadly levels and the action has exploded with deadly force. I can't eat, can't work, can't think of anything except getting this out of me and onto the page.

Wish me luck. I'll be back soon, and we'll celebrate with a nice big giveaway just in time for Christmas!

*Hugs* Take care!

New Stuff!!

I LOVE new stuff. I'm seriously a kid at heart. And this week I just got two great new "toys"!!

The first is a digital camera. I've never had one before. Every time I want to send pictures to family by email or post some here on the blog, I always had to beg other people to take pictures for me on their digital cameras or get one of those Kodak CD's made at the store when I have the film developed. It started costing a lot of money!

Well recently I realized that I had all these airmiles that I'd been collecting for years and never used them for anything, so one of the things I decided to get was a camera! You don't know how proud of myself I am that it cost me absolutely NO real money :) And it's AWESOME! I'm having so much fun with it, and the first thing I did was take a picture of my writing space here at home. It's a cozy chair in my favorite corner, with a big window to one side and a nice little table for my coffee on the other. Wanna see?


The other thing I took a picture of was the new mattress and box spring for our bed. We had been sleeping on the old one for way too long and both hubby and I had been experiencing back and neck aches and pains, so decided it was past time.

It's HUGE! It didn't look that big in the store, but when we got it home and put it on our bed frame, we realized the top of the mattress is almost three feet off the ground. When I'm sitting on it, my feet don't even come close to touching carpet. I LOVE IT! :)



So I'm a sucker for new stuff, and it's not even Christmas. (Actually, the bed pretty much IS Christmas for hubby and me--and the next couple of birthdays.)

On a Roll

Did you know that a rolling stone gathers no moss? (or did they disprove that one on Mythbusters?) Well, I'm blogging at the Vauxhall Vixens today about being "on a roll".

By the way, you need to click here and read "A Regency Romance in Less Than 2 Minutes". This is freakin' hilarious.

On the Move

Today is an exciting day, it's the last day of NaNoWriMo (of which I did NOT take part), and I'd like to congratulate all of my writer friends who made their 50,000 word goal! It sounds like everyone had a really productive month. Now on to REVISION HELL! :)

I did not write 50,000 words. But I knew going into this month that it would be impossible for me to do so. I had way too many family obligations this month. Now though, the birthdays are done with, the travelling is behind me, the shopping is finished!! Today I even have the day off from the day job and I'm not going to do anything except write!

Although...today I'm being interviewed at my Samhain editor's blog as part of our "Curl up With a Kindle" contest. Click here to read my interview and to get details on how you can win a Kindle!!

I also have a really cool interview up at Ms. Dawn's blog, Loves Books and More, so stop in and check it out.

The Morning After

I'm excited to tell you the news: I sold a new book--to Ellora's Cave!!

None of the details are finalized, but I'll let you in on the secret now ('cause as secrets go, it's pretty much out of the bag already).

The Morning After is a contemporary romance (Eep!!! No demons, immortals or vamps!)

It's about a couple on a fast train to divorce, who have both pretty much given up on saving their marriage.

Unfortunately, more than that, I don't think I can give you right now but keep checking in for the deets. I'll share as much as I can as soon as I can.

For now, here's what I'm listening to as muse music for the current work in progress. Happy weekend!

Vauxhall Vixens

Today is my blogging day at the Vauxhall Vixens, so I hope to see you there!

The Angels Are Coming...

So, it's been a pretty crazy week so far. Besides all the real life drama -- both online and offline -- I've been motoring along on my book, although admittedly not as quickly as I could have hoped for. Still, 1000 words per day is still within my acceptable goals for now because I DO recognize that the writing sometimes has to take a back seat to all the other stuff we have to deal with. But the good thing is that I have a few days off from the day job coming up soon, and I'm looking forward to being able to really buckle down and focus on finishing this book before Christmas.

Want a really short teaser?

In the many thousands of years that the world has been given over to humanity, angels have watched over this violent and irrational race—but not to protect it as the myths like to suggest. These powerful, passionless beings have been waiting, waiting for the one true sign that their second chance to claim earth’s paradise for their own has finally arrived...That time is now.

Weekend Update and Book Winners!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine was great! On Saturday I went to my RWA Chapter meeting in Toronto and was inpsired by medical suspense author CJ Lyons who spoke to us about character driven plotting. For someone who's mostly a pantser, it seemed a really great way of breaking down your plot, along with my characters' motivations, goals, and conflicts into something really short and loose but that will help me to know how I need to drive the story even if I'm not planning every little whimper and sigh, or the villain's every dastardly deed. (Last night I even started to try it out with my current work-in-progress and found out that I do know a lot about my characters--I just need to sharpen my vision of how the major turning points of my plot connect to their goals/motivation/conflict.)

After the meeting, I met a friend for dinner who I don't see very often. It was wonderful. We've been friends for as long as I can remember. We were neighbours when our families both lived in Alberta. Then my family moved to Ontario when I was 8 or 9 and Brandon's family moved to BC before also coming to Ontario, and at some point we managed to get in touch again. Now we see each other about once every three months and it's always a really nice evening.

And...

I came home to find that Dark Immortal is a finalist in the EPIC competition!

So now without further ado, the news you guys have been waiting for:

The winner of a copy of Morgan Ashbury's The Lady Makes three is:

Natasha A

The winner of a copy of Kimber Chin's Invisible is:

Amber Leigh

But don't go yet!!

I'm taking part in a "Contest to Win a Kindle" with other Samhain authors. You can find some of the details here (my "turn" is going to be November 30)

Oh, and for you writers, how are you all doing on NaNoWriMo?



(Cartoon courtesty of Inkygirl.com)

Books!

I'm very glad to be able to introduce you to two amazing authors, both members of the Toronto Romance Writers--my local chapter group.

Morgan Ashbury writes very sexy erotic romance for Siren Publishing. Her book, The Lady Makes Three has received awesome reviews.

Colorado ranch owner Maddy Dalton knows all about being in charge. For the last ten years every decision, every burden has rested squarely on her shoulders. Sure, she's lonely, and longs to love and be loved, but she doesn't see how she can take on a man without losing control of her ranch or her life.

Lucas Calhoun has been the foreman of the Rocking D for nearly half his life, and he's had a soft spot for Maddy for nearly just as long. But he's harboring a secret: images of sexy, rugged men turn him on, too. How can he make a move on Maddy when he doesn't feel free to commit to her all the way?

Comfortable with his bi-sexuality, cowboy Chase Reynolds wants a home, but there's a catch. His ideal scenario features a wife…and a husband. Recognizing the suppressed longing in both Maddy and Lucas, Chase decides that bold action is needed. But it's not without risk. Having loved and lost badly in the past, Chase is leery losing his heart.

Can these three people learn to find themselves, trust their hearts, and make a family? And can they survive the danger that threatens them all?


And Kimber Chin writes edgy contemporary romances set in the world of business. Invisible is a book you seriously can not miss!

The first person she made disappear was herself.

A Man Living In The Past…

Antique collector Hagen Rayner has fourteen business days to find the deed to his Great-Uncle’s house or he risks losing the estate to his devious cousin. Should be easy enough for the self-made billionaire to accomplish, except for one small detail, his only source of help is to be from a woman who doesn’t exist.

A Woman Without One…

Maeve Delaney knows how to make people disappear. The rules are simple. Cut all ties to the past, don’t talk about yourself and never ever let a man get close. That includes any would-be partners with potty mouths, broad shoulders, and gentle hands.

Invisible is a financial treasure hunt through the world of hidden identities. A world where loyalty and love can be found in the most unexpected places.


So what's the good news? I'm giving away a copy of each of these books! All you have to do to be entered is send me an email at jkcoi(AT)rogers(DOT)com by Monday, November 15, 2009 to be entered, and on that day I'll draw two names from a hat.

Winners of the Great Book Trailer Contest!

First of all, I want to say thank you to all of the authors who submitted their book trailers to this contest. I thought they were all completely fabulous--some of these books I had already read, and the rest I'm definitely going out to buy now! I'm glad that I was able to run this contest and definitely plan to do it again next year.

So without further ado, the winning book trailer was:

JoLynne Valerie's Becoming Jac

JoLynne has won 50% off a book trailer, or a free trailer review from the amazing Blazing Trailers and a gift basket of books from me.

But not to leave out those of you who made this all possible...the voters! I also drew a name from the comments, and the winner is:

Quilting Reader/Annette

(Winners please email me at jkcoi(AT)rogers(DOT)com)

Now, seeing as how you've all had a week to preview the fabulous book trailers from these talented authors, I leave you today with my book trailer. Enjoy!

The Great Annual Book Video Contest! -- Voting is Now Open!!

Thanks to everyone for coming by to vote! The "polls" are now closed. Please check back on Monday when I'll announce the winning book trailer!

______________________

Wow, there were so many great entries for the contest. It's going to take you guys a while to look at all the videos so I hope you've got some time. Keep in mind, I want you to vote on the trailer that made you the most interested in reading a book. Not necessarily the one that had the greatest graphics or the coolest music. Which one gave you the information you felt you needed to decide if this was a book you'd enjoy?

Please chime in by leaving the title of the trailer you've chosen (by book name or author), along with your name and email address. Please note that besides the prize for winning book trailer, one of the voting commenters will be chosen for a prize as well! (Only vote once please!)

Voting continues until November 6, 2009 and the winner will be announced on November 9, 2009.

The Great Annual Book Video Contest!

Heads up, last day to enter!

(see details in the sidebar)

Writer's Retreat

You can find out all the details of my writer's weekend at the Vauxhall Vixens today!

Manic Readers

So, I was asked to do a review--not of a book this time, but of a website and its services.

Manic Readers is a website that offers book reviews, and paid advertising opportunities, but has also built a reputation for offering free services to authors in the form of page-building. By that I mean that their site allows every author to create their own page to post excerpts, interviews, pictures, and links. I thought it was great and I've always had wonderful experiences with it.

Now they've made some serious upgrades to their website and services (and I will say up front that I received a free trial membership for promising to test and report on the new site).

I understand that even on the new site, authors will still have the option of creating and maintaining free pages, but some of the added services that are now being offered will be part of a "plus" membership that you'll pay for if you want access to them (things like the chat feature, ability to add to news and contests feeds, etc.). While the price seems reasonable ($3.99/month) and the new features are really very cool, I have to admit that I don't think I'd pay it. As an author, I already pay chapter membership dues for three different organizations, pay for advertising for my books, pay conference fees, shipping fees, contest entries, etc... (the list is ridiculously long). This small cost may not seem like much, but I would probably keep taking advantage of their free services and thank them very much for them, but pass on the paid ones.

Fun Friday!

It's Friday! And I'm off on a writer's weekend with 5 other writing buddies from my TRW Chapter group. I'm bringing the pasta and the wine, and we're all bringing our laptops and our brainstorming hats. I can't wait and I'll be back with details on Monday. Have a great weekend.

For your viewing pleasure in the meantime...

So, what do you think? Are we so lazy we won't do something that's good for us unless it's fun?

Wicked Wednesday

It's Wednesday and what better way to spend hump day than by being as wicked as possible?

With that in mind, join me and the Dark Divas for Wicked Wednesday! I've been interviewed, The Trouble With Destiny has been reviewed (eek!) and there are prizes involved!

The Great Annual Book Video Contest!

I'm having a contest!

Be My Guest...

Please visit with my guest Ms. Saare today (see post below) but then drop by the Menagerie Authors to check out my interview with them!

GUEST AUTHOR: J.A. Saare

First and foremost, thanks for having me on the blog, J.K. It’s great to be here, and I really appreciate it!

So about that time crunch…Remember the Rolling Stones classic, Time is on my side? Well, I hate to tell ya, Mick. It’s not on mine.

Everyone that has published a story (or is in the beginning phases of publication) knows that the real work doesn’t begin until after the book is done. Family responsibilities aside, with the promos, loops, blogs, chats, and contests, not to mention Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook, it’s a madhouse. There just aren’t enough hours in the day!

So how do I get promotion done, tend the homestead, and find time to write? Honestly? I’m not there yet. But I have implemented a few new strategies to keep me on track.

1.) Have a schedule.

As a mother to four, this rule is the hardest. Unforeseen things occur all the time and I never know if everything will have to go on the back burner while I tend to the family unit. But the basic premise applies. What I suggest is learning what days are best for each thing you need to tackle, for example, promos and loops are best done for me on Mondays and Fridays. For that reason, I only post them up on those days and have it written on my schedule to reflect it (and plan my contests according to it, so my blog will be ready for random comments). Learn what works for you and use it to your advantage.

2.) Buy a calendar…or Three.

For those that choose the electronic devices to keep up, that’s excellent too. But yours truly is a self proclaimed widget idiot and has maintained a love for pen and paper that just won’t die.

I have three calendars. One for releases of TBR books (relevant because you want to track when something is coming out so you can block off a piece of time to read it in your schedule above), one for blog visits and promotional work, and one for deadlines (that applies to blogs as well). The best investment I’ve ever made is my desk calendar. It’s a massive eyesore I can’t miss, even if I want to. Nothing feels better than when you put a nice fat line through a task, know it’s done, and can finish up the rest of the day in peace.

3.) Prioritize the blogs/websites you visit, so that if you can’t check them daily, you visit at least once per week.

Blogs, in my humble opinion, are a very important source of promotion. It’s a place people get to know you, and hopefully, gain an interest in your work. But it’s a back scratch back kind of thing. Truth is people won’t visit your blog more than once if you don’t drop in to say hello to them once in a while. I have multiple blogs and websites I enjoy, and have started visiting certain ones on particular days.

4.) Just say no to Twitter and Facebook.

I know I’m going to take heat for this, but hear me out! I’m not anti-tweet or anti-FB. My thing is moderation. Just the other day I was speaking with my husband and this. Networking sites are like a juicy game of Tetris. Once started, they become impossible to pull away from.

As I stated with the blogs above, I think scheduling a day is good if you can, or perhaps a block of time during each day. Right now, I simply can’t devote that kind of time to it, as much as I wish I could. All it takes is one good tweet or comment to get my attention, and I’m drawn in like a junkie. *smile*

5.) When the time comes to write, don’t make excuses, do it.

Believe me when I tell you that there are evenings when I glare at my computer and curse the day it was invented. Once upon a time, I would keep the laptop open and divide my time between writing and Twitter. I quickly discovered that didn’t work (who wants to write when you can enjoy #yourlame?) and reevaluated my strategy. I wasn’t getting the work done, and when I did, it was awful. Now I come into my office, turn of all distractions (minus the music with helps the process), and set a goal. The goal can vary, whether it is a word count or a chapter finished, but I don’t leave the cave until it’s done.

Five small things, but they have helped me cope with the stress of being all over the place. Now I don’t wake up with that horrible feeling I’ve forgotten to do something, or muddle through the day because I’ve waited too long to write a blog entry or submit a theme story.

What things to you do to organize your time? Share in a comment.

J.A. Saare
Blog: http://jasaare.blogspot.com/
Books available from Amira Press

Contest Winners!!

I'm pleased to announce the following winners:

From Marilu Mann's guest spot, the winner of a coffee mug and print copy of Changing Hearts:

Calila1988

And from Courtney Milan's visit, the winner of a copy of the anthology, The Heart of Christmas:

Keri Ford

Please email me at jkcoi(AT)rogers(DOT)com with your snail mail addresses as soon as possible! Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Thanksgiving 2009!

I promised some pictures from our trip up north this last weekend and here they are! It was COLD with a capital everything! But it was also beautiful, peaceful and great to be able to relax, just the three of us. We had a wonderful time!


This was the view we had on one of our hikes through the trails. The water was so clear (although you wouldn't want to be swimming in it this time of year)


This was just outside our cottage door, and kiddo went fishing with hubby off of that dock. It was amazing first thing in the morning with the mist coming off the water and the ducks floating on the crystal clear lake.


Yep, fish were caught (not by me)


I don't know how well you can see them, but there were a couple of chatterbox blue jays visiting us in the tree outside of our cottage. Kiddo named them Mag and Pie--I couldn't bear to tell him that was a different species of bird

Keep Writing!

Click over to see my blog at the Vixen site today! I'm kicking myself in the ass to keep the momentum going on this book and I could use all the support I can get!

Also, stay tuned in the next day or two for some pics from our trip up north over Thanksgiving--it was tons of fun!

GUEST AUTHOR: Courtney Milan

I've seen authors share recipes with their fans. Usually, these are old family recipes, or new inventions. In any case, the recipes usually have one thing in common: They describe items that are actually good.

This, however, has not been my consistent experience in the kitchen. I've weathered more than my share of cooking disasters, so when my heroine's brother enters the kitchen for the first time (or, in historical terms, approaches the hob-grate) in “This Wicked Gift,” I naturally thought of the charred side of Christmas. And lo, that is about how well her brother performs:

Lavinia woke to a cloud of thick, choking smoke. Her first panicked thought was that the books downstairs had somehow caught fire, that their livelihood, half owned by creditors, was going up in flames. But then her conscious mind caught up to her racing fears and she correctly identified the smell.

It was the more mundane—and rather more unpleasant—scent of burning porridge.

Frowning, Lavinia pulled a wrapper over her nightdress and padded out into the front room.

James, his hands blackened with soot, was juggling a pot. The vessel let off billows of gray smoke, its sides streaked black.

“Ah,” he said essaying a weak smile. “Lavinia! I made breakfast for you.”

She didn’t dare respond, not even with so little as a raised eyebrow.

He peered into the pot, frowning. “There’s still some white bits in here. Isn’t it odd that porridge turns yellow when it burns? I’d have thought it would go directly to black.” He prodded the mass with a spoon, then shrugged and looked up. “Want some?”

Over fifteen years, Lavinia had become quite fluent in the foreign tongue known as Younger Brother. It was a tricky language, mostly because it employed words and phrases that sounded, deceptively, as if they were proper English.

For instance, the average woman off the street would have thought that James had just offered her burnt porridge. Lavinia knew better. What James actually said was, “Sorry I stole your money. I made you breakfast by way of apology. Forgive me?”

So in honor of terrible cooks, both real and fictional, I present:

Worst. Cookies. Ever.

Stir together 3 C flour, 1 t baking soda, ½ t baking powder. Forget you already added baking soda, so add another tablespoon.

Cream together 1 C butter, 1 C sugar, 1 egg (include generous portion of shell). Unlabeled soy sauce looks just like vanilla, so add a teaspoon.

Blend dry ingredients with butter mixture. Drop in cookie-sized blobs on baking sheet. Bake at 375 F.

Start reading novella by Mary Balogh--or Nicola Cornick--or, ahem, Courtney Milan. Forget cookies for three hours, until the smoke detector goes off. Open windows and turn on fan to dissipate smoke, even though it is extremely cold outside. Sheepishly remove charred bits from oven and wish that we still kept pigs.

JK Coi: LOL, thanks thanks for the great exceprt, Courtney! And I'm sure those cookies are going to be...fun to make, if not great tasting :)

Courtney Milan's novella This Wicked Gift is part of a Christmas anthology called The Heart of Christmas, with authors Mary Balogh and Nicola Cornick and is in stores now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Before I leave on a much anticipated family getaway for this Thanksgiving weekend, let me share these great new reviews I just received for The Trouble With Destiny!

From Teagan S. Boyd at the Book Wenches

The Trouble With Destiny is an action-packed, hot-blooded, paranormal romp. I enjoyed this fast-paced novella from the first sentence. The witty thoughts that come from Sarah kept this reader smiling throughout the book. The quick morphing of her character from student to slayer is cleverly written to give the needed background concisely. The rapport between Sarah and Dorian is unique, and I enjoyed Sarah's approach to breaking down Dorian's barriers. This book puts a new twist on paranormal. I can only hope that Ms. Coi carries on with this unique world she has created.

From Dawn at Love Romances and More:

THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY is the first of this author’s books I have read and I found it well written, very engrossing and very entertaining. I enjoyed the way Sarah reacted to her newfound powers and the fact she now had her life turned upside down within a blink of an eye. This is an author who really keeps the reader enthralled with multi-dimensional characters that literally step off the page and a fast paced storyline that leaves you on the edge of your seat, eager for more. I started THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY in the evening and had to finish it in the wee hours of the morning. I just had to know what happens next with Sarah, Dorian and the whole destiny thing.

_____________________________

Take care everyone! "See" you on Tuesday when my special guest is the fabulous Courtney Milan! Her debut novel Proof by Seduction is scheduled for release in January, 2010, but she has a novella in stores now that is part of a Christmas anthology called The Heart of Christmas, with authors Mary Balogh and Nicola Cornick.

To Critique Or...

One of the things I've learned about being a writer is that while it is often a very solitary endeavour, this business also has opportunities for great partnerships. There are many different types that I could mention but I want to focus today on the critique relationship.

It's one of life's more tricky and delicate relationships to enter into because both parties must be comfortable and be able to trust one another.

Still, if you can find someone you're willing to take the chance with--sounds like we're gettin' married or something, doesn't it?--I say go for it, because a good partner (or group) to critique your work is worth its weight in publishing contracts.

Having said that, just as valuable to a writer is the benefit we get from critiquing the work of others. It must be done carefully, always being mindful of the hard work and heart that the other person has put into their book, but it's very important to do because it helps us to read a book with a view to editing--but without the need to hold onto every word like we do when it comes to our own work.

Being able to take a red pen to someone else's book (in the nicest, most constructive way possible, of course) should help us to find the courage to look at our own with that same critical eye.

Do you have a good critique partnership with someone? How did you meet?

A Visit to the Apple Orchard

So, let me just say YAY!! I made my 30,000 words in a month! I feel great about it too. This book is totally rocking!!

So what am I going to do to celebrate? Well, considering the book isn't done, I've already started my next 30,000 words! Wish me luck!!

_______________________

Last weekend, we went with my parents to the orchard to go apple picking. It was a beautiful day and we had a ton of fun! Here is my favourite picture of hubby and kiddo. Don't you just love these kinds of memories? The ones that seem so simple, but sweet as the pie I'm going to make with all those apples?

GUEST AUTHOR: Tessa Dare

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

On Tuesday, A Lady of Persuasion, the last book in my trilogy released. It was both exciting and a little bit sad. I worked on those books for two years, and by the time I wrote that third book, I knew and loved the characters so well. Now their stories are told, released out there into the world, for readers to do with them what they will. I have new projects I’m excited about, new characters I love. But I’ll miss that circle of friends that started with four hunting buddies and a hoyden.

The end of a well-loved series is always bittersweet. I remember the release of the 7th Harry Potter book. It was so exciting—I couldn’t wait to find what happened—but at the same time, it was sad to think that was the last time Mr. Dare and I would be waiting up till midnight to purchase a book, then feverishly reading it all night long.

Right now, I’m on pins and needles for To Desire a Devil, the fourth and final installment in Elizabeth Hoyt’s “Four Soldiers” series. Half of me wants it in my hands NOW, and the other half wants to never read it, because then that’s The End!

Diana Gabaldon’s latest, Echo in the Bone, came out this week. I won’t be reading it—yet. I loooove Jamie and Claire, but a few years ago, I decided I just couldn’t handle the years of suspense between each installment of the series! I’m waiting for her to finish, and then I’ll read them all straight through.

Are there books you yearn for, yet dread at the same time because they mean the end of a wonderful thing?

Tessa Dare

Updates and a Blog Visit

First off, come on over and visit me today at Leah Braemel's blog for a sneak peak into my new release The Trouble With Destiny!

Also, make sure to stop here on Thursday, October 1 because author Tessa Dare is going to be visiting to talk about her most recent release A Lady of Persuasion! I've read the first two of this fabulous trilogy and have been recommending them to EVERYONE! Don't miss it!
___________________________

So, having realized that the end of September looms nigh (see above), and I am still approximately 3000 words shy of my projected word goal for the month (30,000), I guess I had better get cracking.

I've had so much help keeping me on track since I started my new book on September 1 so I wanted to quickly say thank you! to critique partner @Christine_dAbo who has been pushing me every day and meeting me on Sunday mornings over Starbucks coffee for that added fist shake in my face (just kidding). It's impossible to keep up with her (she of the 7000 word weekend) but for some reason I still find myself trying.

@VivianArend has been kicking my butt too, but her gentle inquiries into my progress (even from all the way out in British Columbia) have also helped me to stay motivated and kept me honest. Thanks!

Of course, there are the Vixens--our fab writing foursome that I could never live without who are always encouraging and supportive.

And yesterday, @jetjan sent me this picture of my favourite hotty, promising me more once I made my word goal, and now I can't think of a better incentive to keep writing.

(By Siebbi (ipernity.com) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

A Quick Update

I'm writing!! I'm writing!!

The words are flowing, I'm meeting my daily goals! And I'm a little afraid my brains will start to leak out my ears soon, but that's okay! :)

After being off work for a week due to the yucky yucky flu, it's been hard to catch up with all the extra piles of paper on my desk, but that's coming along too.

Drop me a line to let me know what you're up to. I'll be back with some new blogs in a few days!

The Trouble With Destiny

Today is re-release day for The Trouble With Destiny!

To celebrate I'm blogging over at Vivien Arend's blog today, and tomorrow you can find me at International Heat!



There’s got to be more to life than studying…

The starving student routine is starting to wear a little thin for Sarah McInnes. If only she could be left alone long enough, she could finish grad school, get a normal nine-to-five and finally afford to move out of her one-room apartment. Maybe even afford a decent wardrobe.

Destiny has other ideas. Not the least of which is the mysterious, overbearing, insufferable Dorian…who also happens to be the hottest thing this side of hell. Three months ago he saved her from certain dismemberment at the hands of a daemon. He also discovered she possesses the ability to send these beasts back to hell where they belong.

Now he not only won’t leave her alone, he’s forcing her to face certain facts: Her social life isn’t going to improve anytime soon. And she may never make it to calculus on time again.

It’s enough to piss a girl off.

Warning: This title contains a beautiful, capable college student whose mystical tats have gotten her in almost as much trouble as her smart ass mouth. It also includes a devastatingly hot, mysterious warrior whose sense of humor is as non-existent as his humanity.

How My Being Sick Introduces You to Anthropology !

I've been so sick all week. I haven't felt like this in a long time, and I'm just glad that so far my husband and son seem to have avoided it.

At first I thought that being home sick would give me a bit of time to do more writing, but it hasn't worked out that way. I've been too tired to do much of anything except sleep. It also means that I've missed all the good conversations on Twitter and my email has been languishing unread in my inbox. I haven't visited any of my regular blogs and I don't know what books are being picked apart by the Smart Bitches.

So honestly, I have no fodder for a blog today.

I guess I'll leave you with something I found a little while ago. It's by Dr. Michael Wesch of Kansas State University who studies cultural anthropology and is exploring the effect of new media on society. His YouTube Project was very interesting, and I really enjoyed watching the presentation that he gave at the Lincoln Centre in New York from earlier this year. (Yes, I'm a closet anthropology geek--but it's all good)

On the Dark Walk...

My blog is up on the Vixen site today. I hope you'll come by and check it out!

GUEST AUTHOR(S): Marilu Mann (ie. Arwen Lynch and Cai Smith)

Please welcome to the blog today co-authors Cai Smith and Arwen Lynch, who write together as Marilu Mann. They'll be giving away a really cool coffee mug (on the back it says "NEED A BREAK? Relax with a book by Ashlyn Chase or Marilu Mann" and a print copy of their book Changing Hearts to one commenter here on the blog.



1. What's the scoop on how you both came to be writing together under the name Marilu Mann, and does that name have some significant meaning to you?

Marilu Mann is the combined name of our mothers. This was to honor them and hopefully to cause them to love us enough so that when they read the S-E-X in the stories, they would still love us. Marilu (Arwen's mama) passed away a few years ago so she never got to see us published, but Cai's mom (the Mann half) has read the books. We are our mother's daughters in many ways so we are proud to use their names
for this.

Of course, as far as that goes, Cai's family thinks Arwen writes all the steamy stuff. And Arwen's family knows it's Cai!

It also has a "Ring" to it - Marilu Mann...see? Just rolls right off the tongue! :)

2. How do you handle the writing process? What do you do when your vision for the story doesn't follow the same path? If you haven't quite come across this yet, do you have an emergency plan in place for such a thing?

Our emergency plan is to argue about both sides until we get a third better idea. It's not even about compromise really so much as a weird brainstorming. Arwen can get really possessive about her ideas and Cai is the same. We tend to beat one another over the head a bit. But you are talking about a few years of friendship here--like 32 going on 33 so we know each other really well. We are actually fairly respectful of boundaries and buttons for the most part.

We've also taken to writing out scenes the way we want them to go and then seeing what works best with the story. Sometimes that sparks a whole different story as well!

3. Do either of you have any individual projects on the go? What is next on your respective plates?

Arwen has a YA steampunk she's hammered out a synopsis for and has a non-fiction for her Tarot for Writers workshops. She's also published a lot of poetry in various venues.

Cai wrote one stand-alone story for another publisher under a different name and is still trying to write something else in that world.

4. The important questions (for each of you to answer separately): Sweet or salty, give us your recommendations. Favourite movie character ever, and why? If you could rule the world, which 3 laws would you redact because they were just stupid?

Arwen: I need salty and sweet but if I have to choose, salty! Fave movie character? EVER? AHHH! Um... Freddie Hightower as August Rush? No wait.... Nathan Lane in Bird Cage! :) Um Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Swann? Three laws? 1. Marry whomever you like. Love is love and be damned who says who can love whom. 2. I think we should be able to pronounce Arkansas any way we like! 3. Gravity. why is it a law anyway? HUH?

Cai - Sweet, definitely sweet. Give me M&Ms or a Zero bar and I'm a happy camper! Favorite movie character ever? Really? Jeez...Ummmm....Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca? 3 laws to redact...wow...Let's start with laws regarding marriage - I say you can marry whomever you want as long as both parties are of age and of the same species (we'll worry about shifters & vampires & others of that ilk when they truly come out in the light of day. Second law to toss out - Drinking age - if someone is old enough at 18 to enlist in the armed forces and fight (and sometimes die) for their country, they're old enough to have a beer or glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage. Really, some 18-year olds I know are more mature than some
so-called adults! Third law...IDK, I'll get back to you.

5. What are your signs and how do they help or hinder your writing partnership? (I figured you'd like this one *wink*)

Arwen: I'm a Pisces with Aq rising and a Scorpio moon. I'm flaky and dreamy and all over the place. I think I sometimes make Cai want to nail me to the couch so I will just WRITE.

Cai: I'm a Taurus and don't have a clue what's rising or where my moon is (LOL). I'm stubborn, opinionated and firmly grounded, which occasionally makes Arwen want to gore me with my own horns to get me to accept something new.

6. All right then, now tell us all about your book.

Changing Focus is Book 3 in our Lusting Wild series from Ellora's Cave. Finally Micah gets his story told. You can read this one alone but there are references that might be better with the first two books. Characters from both book one and two show up in book three.

Changing Focus

Reluctant to be a Pack Alpha, Micah Keeps Vigil has no hesitation about what he wants in a mate. A strong, intelligent, passionate and, most importantly, shifter female. He’s found her in photojournalist Olivia. She’s come to Micah’s lodge to write about winter sports.

Olivia isn’t expecting a gorgeous man who encourages her wilder nature with a sizzling erotic encounter in her room. Nor does she anticipate the amount of steam they generate in the sauna. With Micah’s hot body and Olivia’s innate sensuality they generate enough heat to melt the snow around the lodge.

One problem—Olivia isn’t aware she’s a shifter. She believes her vivid dreams are just that—dreams—and that her blackouts can be controlled with medication. There’s no way she’s been running through the woods on four feet! Micah has to convince Olivia to accept herself—paws and all—or lose her forever.

Book 2 of Lusting Wild was released in print 9/9.
Buy Link: http://www.ellorascave.com/p-7599-changing-hearts.aspx

EXCERPT: http://www.greatmta.com/changingfocus.shtml

JK Coi: Thanks again for visiting, ladies. Everyone else: don't forget to comment for your chance to win!

A Whale is Not a Fish

This is the title of the book that my son is reading by Melvin Berger. It's all about animals that share characteristics, but have very important differences--it boils down to the fact that they may be similar, but they are not the same.

After reading a different book -- for the purpose of doing a review -- which had been labelled an erotic romance, this very same reality was brought home to me.

Of course, I've read erotic romances before, don't get me wrong. Even the books I've written have been termed (by some) to be erotic romances. And I really don't mind hotter sex in what I read, I like that there's an option, that I can choose that if it's what I'm looking for at any particular time.

But what I'm always looking for in my romance--erotic or otherwise--is ROMANCE.

This doesn't sound like it should be so hard, but I find myself getting frustrated with the labels being thrown around out there these days. The books I write are ROMANCE: first, foremost and always. The biggest part of the story is the development of the emotional connection between the hero and the heroine. I think that if you're going to include sex in that equation it should be an integral component that works in conjunction with the conflicts and character arcs, but also that if you took away the sex, you'd still have a really powerful love story.

And while I can understand that "erotic" romance is going to put more focus on sex, the tag there on the end--that word ROMANCE -- means that the couple's relationship is still supposed to be the key component, otherwise call it something else whether that name is erotica or what-have-you.

The book I just finished (title will remain unnamed) started out fairly promising. It had an interesting premise that I was looking forward to getting into. But the sex started at about page three-I mean, really. Come ON people! It didn't even make sense to get them into bed at that point. They were supposed to be strangers and on opposite "teams". After that, it seemed the author had little use for an actual plot, and the story got worse as the sex got more inventive.

So, why exactly am I ranting about it?

It's not that I begrudge an author writing anything he/she damn well pleases. There is a market for this particular book, a lot of people would probably like it well enough, and good for them. But the thing that bugged me is the use of the term ROMANCE. Erotic, yes. But this was not a romance. For me, I care because I need the romance. Times are tough and I don't want to buy something only to find that isn't what I spent my money on. I want to look at a book and know that I could trust whatever label it had been filed under.

What if someone read an "Erotic Romance", was disappointed for the same reasons I was and turned away from any other book that ended up with a similar label in the future? They'd probably miss out on my book then...and that would be a shame, really.

The WIP Playlist

So every once in a while I'll let you all see what nasty, freakish music I listen to when I'm channeling the muse. Unfortunately, I couldn't find most of the songs I've currently got on the ipod at Playlist.com, so you're only seeing the "vanilla" stuff today :)

Here's a video for one of my current favourites :)

Passing the Buck

Since I've been so busy getting started on this new book and the hundred other things on my plate, including a new release this month and a few upcoming workshops that I'll be presenting in the next little while, I've decided to dedicate today's blog to some other fabulous blogs:

Make sure to visit the Vauxhall Vixens on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Happy Endings Blog everyday--both super places to catch casual commentary on the writer's life. Also come by Author Kimber Chin's blog and chime in for her September ebook giveaway, for your chance to win a copy of Kelly Kirch’s Marriage Mart.

Then of course, visit the girls at Write Chic, who always got it going on with industry news, book reviews, and tons more!

BookEnds, Pub Rants, and Nathan Bransford's blogs are all must-reads for information on the publishing industry from the agent's side of the fence.

Also, the Writer Beware blog always has the scoop about those literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls that can make being a writer (or reader) a treacherous one.

Then, don't miss these awesome blogs from some of my favourite authors: Nalini Singh (You can also check out the amazing cover for her upcoming book Archangel's Kiss here), Shiloh Walker. Finally, the Romance Bandits and International Heat (both of which are home to whole list of fabulous authors)

Eureka!

Come over and visit the Dark Walk today where I'm talking about my newest project.

An Update

Hi!!

I hope that everyone is getting ready to go back to school, or send the kids back to school, or go back to work at a school...

I can't wait to get kiddo and hubby back to school. I need to have our lives come back to some kind of normal. My schedule has been shot all through the summer, and I don't like it (especially since I didn't get a lot of vacation out of it).

But, this past week I've begun the process of forcing myself back into the writer's schedule. I get up in the morning, go online for a quick check and hello :) and then it's off to work at the EDJ--which allows me some more time for checking the email and chatting online in between reporting letters, legal research, rushing documents out to the courthouse, etc. I usually use my lunch break to get in some writing time (I average about 500 words in that hour). And then once the work day is done, and after the dinner dishes have been washed and kiddo is off to bed, I check back in online before the internet gets shut down--unplugged and everything--for the night, so I can work without feeling the lure of Twitter and other social opportunities -- although I love it so :)

This has been good for me so far. I can be very weak and take advantage of any distraction unless I don't leave myself any other choice. And this week buckling down and finding my focus has helped me to formulate a new idea for a book. I'm almost finished mapping it out and I'm VERY EXCITED about it!

I'll be giving more details as the story begins to take shape, but for now--I'm offline to keep working.

Take care!

What have you been up to? What are you working on now, whether you're a writer or you've got some other great hobby that you enjoy.

Enter the Writer's Cave...If you Dare!

 

(By Helmut Schütz (Alfie66) (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons) 

That's it. I'm going in.

If I'm not back in a week, avenge my death.


(Sorry, I need to get some serious work done!)

GUEST AUTHOR: Vivian Arend

Vivian Arend is hosting a Cowboy Countdown Contest. She’s popped in today to ask us to join her in getting ready for her latest release, Rocky Mountain Heat coming August 31st to Liquid Silver Books. And she’s got a question for us:

Have you ever slept out under the stars?

JK Coi: A while ago, my husband (then boyfriend) and I used to go out driving (read: parking) when we were young--and had no convenient apartment of our own to go to. There was this one park we used to go, and would take a blanket and spread it out on the grass so we could lie down and gaze up at the sky on really bright nights. I wouldn't say we would "sleep", but it was one of our favourite things to do.

Nowadays, we still love to hang outside and look at the stars. When we go camping in the summer, after our son is tucked into his sleeping bag, we'll stay up late and spread out the same blanket and cuddle up together to look at the stars.

Answer the question in the comments to be entered to win the prize in the Cowboy Countdown. For more info you can also come visit Viv's blog Where Dreams Become Reality.

Welcome to the Six Pack Ranch, where one sweet young thing plus the Coleman boys equals trouble with a capital T.

Six Pack Ranch, Book 1

Blake Coleman is old enough to know that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a blonde wearing a cowboy hat with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. Hell, he was the one that taught her to ride a horse and now all he can think about is riding her. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.

Jaxi has other plans for his hands, and his heart. She may have considered Blake a big brother once but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s just what he’s been waiting for.

Add the complication of two sexy younger brothers who have suddenly noticed Jaxi and things heat up fast. Blake’s gonna have to decide if a little trouble is worth fighting for.

Retro Blog

Hi all! I'm bringing back one of my favourite posts because...well because it's one of my favourite posts, and because I really don't want to have to write something. I got out late from work and fought traffic to go to the in-laws' for dinner, then didn't get home until even later and I really really wanted to get some time in on my WIP, but I also had to write a blog for the Vixens about my recent vacation (which you can find here). So enjoy, and come back August 23 for a special guest-the talented Vivian Arend! (I say talented because only Viv could be a guest on MY blog and still get me to do all the work for it)

EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED FROM BUFFY

I was a child of the...well, I was young enough to get totally hooked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not when the 1992 Kristy Swanson movie came out (possibly the worst movie ever), but with the first television episode starring Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1997. At that moment I, and millions of other fans worldwide, very happily became slaves to the vast brilliance of the Whedonverse.

What was it exactly that made this show so special? Was it inspirational to young teens? Did it try and impart some cosmic wisdom? Did it leave the watcher with a message of hope and love? Yes, it did all of that and more...

Take away the empowered superstrong girl who totally kicks ass and takes names, even without the vampires and the drool-worthy heroes, cool lesbian wiccas, the snarky, brilliant writing, the great shoes and boots (her wardrobe people rocked), and you were still left with a fabulous show that spoke to young people about the trials of growing up, in a way that was fresh, exciting and that broke ground for female heroes in television.

What's even more amazing is the sheer volume of academic study and writing which has been done on and around the Buffy phenomenon, and which continues even today, long after the show itself has been relegated to our dusty DVD shelves. (For example: Why Buffy Matters, Sex And The Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer For The Buffy Fan; Blood Relations: Chosen Families In Buffy The Vampire Slayer; Philosophy and BtVS: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale...and my favourite; The Comic Anti-hero in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Silly Villain: Spike is for Kicks.)

So what did I learn from Buffy?

1. That it is possible to run in heels.

2. That it's important to have a solid group of scoobies to watch your back.

3. Teen sex is a bad idea. Even if you don't get pregnant, your boyfriend might turn evil and try to bite you. Then try and shoot you. Then blow you up...

4. David Boreanaz is hot.

5. If you think your roommate's a demon, it could just mean she's really annoying...but she could actually be a demon.

6. Every difficult situation can be made better with a healthy dose of sarcasm and a witty comeback.

7. High school students have no clue about what goes on in their library, and in fact have probably never been there.

8. David Boreanaz is hot...wait I said that already...James Marsters is hot.

9. There can only ever be one Slayer in the world at a time. Unless there's two.

10. If you're going to save the world, someone should go for donuts.

Oh, and some of my favourite quotes, just for fun!

Buffy: Spike, I just saw you taste your own nose blood. You know what? I'm too grossed out to hear anything you have to say. Go home.
Spike: It's blood. It's what I do!

Buffy: [pulls a glowing orb out of her bag] What the hell is it?
Giles: It appears to be paranormal in origin.
Willow: How can you tell?
Giles: Well, it's so shiny.

Oz: Well, I sorta test well. Y'know, which is cool. Except that it leads to jobs.

Willow: Oh, I don't know, though. He is a senior.
Buffy: You think he's too old 'cause he's a senior? Please. My boyfriend had a bicentennial.

Xander: Yep. Vampires are real, a lot of 'em live in Sunnydale, Willow will fill you in.
Willow: I know it's hard to accept at first.
Oz: Actually, it explains a lot.

Spike: No more of this 'I've got a soul' crap?
Angelus: What can I say, hmm? I was going through a phase.

Spike: You've really got a yen to hurt this girl, haven't you?
Angelus: She made me feel like a human being. That's not the kind of thing you just forgive.

Angelus: Dear Buffy. I'm still trying to decide the best way to send my regards.
Spike: Why don't you rip her lungs out? It might make an impression.
Angelus: Lacks... poetry.
Spike: It doesn't have to. What rhymes with lungs?

Buffy: You know, it’s not even that he’s acting that suspicious. It’s just - there he is. On the hell mouth. All day, every day. That’s got to be like being showered with evil. Only from underneath.
Willow: Not really a shower.
Buffy: A bidet. Like a bidet of evil.

So, what did you like about Buffy? What did you hate? What other shows made an impact on your youth?