Friday, July 29, 2011

My short mental health break

I've been working pretty hard lately, trying to get caught up and send a few things out the door, and so now that those projects have been completed, I took the last two nights off. (But don't worry, I'm already back in the writing saddle as of today!)

Night off number one was spent in front of the television with hubby while we watched a movie together. Nice. Cozy. I think I fell asleep before the first five minutes. *sigh*

Last night, we were invited to join our friends at their place for homemade pizza made the authentic Italian way. First we made the dough by hand (actually, our friend made it ahead of time, but still...by hand), and we gathered ingredients like asiago cheese and brie, artichokes, sausage, chicken, corn, fresh basil, and lots of other great stuff to put on the pizzas. My son had his pizza with classic pepperoni and mozzarella.



The pizza oven is a great big brick monstrosity outside in the back. It's made with fireproof bricks, like the kind they make kilns out of. You throw wood in it and start the fire a good hour beforehand to make sure it's smokin' hot with a wall of bricks in front of the opening to make sure the heat stays in.



Then when you're ready to put the pizzas in, they only take a couple of minutes to cook. Five minutes, maybe.



Afterward everybody sat around and enjoyed our dinner on the patio, drinking wine and chatting. When it got dark, we just lit candles and kept on eating! It was great!


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Synopsis Hell

I'm blogging today at the Happy Endings blog about my synopsis and some great resources I found to help me write it.

I'm also a guest at the fantastic Fierce Romance blog today, talking about Falling Hard and giving away some of my romance trading cards, so stop by!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

What do you want to do tonight? The same thing we do every night, Pinky...



The Brain: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?
Pinky: I think so, Brain, but then it'd be Snow White and the Seven Samurai...

My master plan is working!! Since the release of FALLING HARD, I've been very lucky to have gotten some really great reviews. My evil plan to take over the world is well on its way. [insert maniacal chuckle here]

Christi Snow, Smitten with Reading said "The romance in this book is really beautiful...a really fantastic novel."

Maldivian Book Reviewer recommended it and said "Falling Hard...plunged me deep into a world that had me fascinated right from the very beginning..."

"Totally different and totally enthralling…Fantastically good book…" from Wendy at You Gotta Read Reviews

Nicole, Romance Books Forum said "...the adventure, the mistrust, the changing motivations. It's a crazy emotional ride that ended in a fantastic conclusion that didn’t pander, it didn’t compromise."

BJ of Dark Side of the Covers said "Truth be told, this book had me at the “rocker” and the rest was just icing on an already tempting brownie…"

and JBP Reviews said "I couldn’t take my eyes from the page just waiting to see what was to come. This is a first time author for me but after reading this story it won’t stay that way, I love her voice!"

I want to say thank you to everyone for the wonderful feedback so far!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Love for the HP

We went to see the last Harry Potter movie this week, which was a little bittersweet, but now I can read the books!

What!! I haven't read them yet?

Well, the truth is I purposely waited. I figure it's better to watch the movies as a standalone story that I won't have to compare to the books and find wanting. After I've watched them I can read the books and be impressed by how much better they are.

Good plan, right?

Off I go to do just that!

Monday, July 18, 2011

RELEASE DAY!!

FALLING HARD
IS HERE!



I'm so excited! The celebration is happening all over the interwebz, so come join us.

Here Be Magic

Romance Writers Revenge

Julia Knight

Maria Zannini

Vauxhall Vixens

And don't forget to join me tomorrow morning at the Carina Press Blog

Also, as an added treat for release day, jump on over to my website here, for an exclusive deleted scene from Falling Hard.

After a life filled with tragedy, rocker Gabriel Gunn thinks he's finally getting the better of his personal demons. Then he's attacked after a concert—and rescued by a warrior goddess brandishing a sword and white wings. As hard as it is to believe in an angelic bodyguard, Gabriel must face an even more impossible truth: he carries the devil's soul within him.

Amelia has been watching over Gabriel for years, using her angelic powers to prevent Lucifer's return. Now she must also protect him from warring angel factions with their own agendas. Amelia would do anything to avert another angelic war, even sacrifice her own emotions to avoid temptation. Yet with Gabriel she feels things she no longer wants to deny, and pleasure she never imagined.

But the closer Gabriel and Amelia get, the stronger Lucifer becomes. Will Amelia be forced to kill the man she's come to love to stop the war she's always feared?

Buy it!

Friday, July 15, 2011

KITTEN!!

This is the BEST thing I've seen all week! I had to share it!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

GUEST AUTHOR: Maria Zannini


Pros and Cons of Going Rogue

Are you ready to self-publish? Despite what you might’ve heard about books selling like hotcakes and push-button publishing, it’s a little more complicated than that.

If anything, self-publishing requires MORE discipline and dedication than taking a traditional route. Everywhere you go, people will snub you, or worse, disparage your career choices.

There’s a definite rogue quality assigned to self-publishing and it chafes the status quo. Although the rude behavior is not as prevalent (or as belligerent) as it once was, it still exists, especially by those stoically hanging on to the vestiges of traditional publishing. It’s not personal. Any time you rock a boat, those with the best seats are going to get nervous.

As this is the first stop of my Indie Roadshow I’ll start with a balanced look at the good and not-so-good side of self-publishing to give you an overview of what you’ll encounter should you take this step as well.

Pros

• You are totally in control. Creative control. Administrative control. Editing control. You’re an Oprah microcosm.

• You set the time table. No more rushing and rearranging schedules to meet an editor’s deadlines. All your deadlines are self-imposed.

• Write what’s in your heart. There’s no editor or agent to nix your project because they feel they can’t sell it to the marketing committee.

• Most of the money is yours. This is my favorite part, and probably my biggest reason for trying on the rogue coat. Depending on your price point, you can earn up to 70% of your cover price.

Cons

• Remember that control part? With that and a side of fries, you also get all the responsibility. Trust me. It’s a lot more work than it looks from the sidelines—that is, if you don’t fudge on any of the details.

• It costs money. Other than the writing, you can hire someone to edit, design the cover, format, advertise, schedule blog tours, and send your book out to reviewers. The more you can do for yourself, the more money in your pocket.

• The stigma. Honestly, you’d think there was a giant, honking wart on your nose by the way some people react to self-publishing. Don’t feed the beast by putting out a bad book. Get it professionally edited by someone who does not have a vested interest in it.

• It’s lonely. Sure there are self-publishing communities, but in the end, you’re still in this alone. You will LOVE every nameless soul who buys your book because those are the people who had faith in you, and that’s something money can’t buy.

Should you decide to go rogue, go in with your eyes open. Don’t count on luck or the kindness of strangers. Expect all the work to be on your shoulders—most of it will be. Farm out what you can’t do and roll up your sleeves and do the rest yourself.

Just remember there are just as many benefits as there are pitfalls. If you have a little of the entrepreneurial spirit in you, this might be a road worth taking.

Are there any pitfalls in self-publishing that worry you? Let’s discuss.

Bio: Maria Zannini used to save the world from bad advertising, but now she spends her time wrangling chickens, and fighting for a piece of the bed against dogs of epic proportions. Occasionally, she writes novels.

To see all of my titles visit me on my blog

Follow me on Facebook

THE DEVIL TO PAY: Shannon McKee just made the worst deal of her life and has offered her soul in trade. She never expected they’d come to collect so soon.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Blog Activity

I just wanted to pop in to lay out the blog activity for the next week or so. Release day for FALLING HARD is finally upon us (July 18!!)

To celebrate, I'm featured on Gabriella Hewett's blog today for Meet an Author Monday. Come on by and check it out.

Tomorrow make sure to stop by the blog here again because I have special guest Maria Zannini, who will be talking about her choice to self-publish.

Tomorrow I'm also blogging with the Vixens, and I hope you'll stop by because I'll be giving away a free copy of FALLING HARD.

Then on July 13, I'm going to be a guest on Delilah Devlin's blog, talking a little bit about my writing schedule.

Last but not least for this week, I'll be visiting Wynter Daniels blog on July 14 with another chance to win a copy of the book!

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Don't Ask, Never Tell

I'm so excited that I share a release with writing buddies and critique partners, Christine D'Abo and Wylie Kinson! Don't Ask, Never Tell is a print compilation of three fantastic contemporary shorts from Ellora's Cave, including my own The Morning After!

Law of Averages Wylie Kinson

Megan Frost, an up-and-coming restaurateur, knows everything there is to know about the culinary arts, but when it comes to pop culture, she's been living under a rock. During a vacation to the sunny island of Bermuda, the yummiest dish she's ever laid eyes on rolls that rock right off her.

British musician Gabriel Law, the famous Dark Angel of Rock, regrets putting his songwriting on the back burner. Tired and creatively simmered out, he retreats to the peace and solitude of Bermuda in order to cook up some original sounds for his new album. But when he finds a naked girl in his holiday cottage, he happily exchanges solitude for a sizzling duet.

The ingredients for a sexy, scorching relationship are in place, but the mix isn't complete without a romantic legend, a mysterious taxi driver and a surprise symbol of destiny from the aquamarine sea…

The Morning After J.K. Coi

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

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

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

Chasing Phoenix Christine d'Abo

Not only is she the mysterious Lady Phoenix, sensual storyteller, but she's in lust with her co-worker and friend Michael. The night he shows up unexpectedly at one of her performances, she decides to take advantage of his blindfolded state and have a little fun. Her heated words turn into an erotic display that leaves him panting and her desperate for more. Michael continues the chase, determined to unmask the identity of the woman who has aroused his imagination.

When Michael uncovers the truth about Phoenix, will they cast their friendship aside for a chance at something more?