Tuesday, May 17, 2011
A little bit of everything
I've got an exciting new blog up at the Vixens about all the cool stuff that's been going on lately!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Falling Hard
I'm very excited to be able to finally share the cover for Falling Hard!
Look for it in July from Carina Press!
Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and TM are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliate companies, used under license.
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?
Look for it in July from Carina Press!
Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and TM are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliate companies, used under license.
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?
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Happy Anniversary to Us!
Last weekend was my anniversary vacation with hubby to Las Vegas. Neither of us had been there before, and so we went all out, including a tour of the Grand Canyon and a stop at Hoover Dam in the things we wanted to do. We also walked up and down the strip, visited old Las Vegas, looked into all the different casinos, did a little (very little) bit of gambling, saw a few shows (including a burlesque show!), and hung out at the pool.
All in all, it was an amazing way to spend our tenth anniversary.
I'm so very happy to have had 10 years with the most fantastic man in the world, and I'm looking forward to many tens more!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Be Back Soon
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
GUEST AUTHOR: Nicole North
Characters with a Past
Characters with a bumpy past or emotional baggage are more complex, interesting and realistic. Readers will pull for them more (if you also make them empathetic). Every real person has had negative things happen in their past. Readers understand and connect to this. We are a product of our past, and in some cases the past has greatly affected us and how we deal with people or situations. The past often motivates us in the present. The important events of a character’s past, the ones that shaped them most, are called backstory events. If you can give your character one or two big backstory events that are still affecting him or her today, you are one step closer to creating a complex, believable, real character.
The backstory events I’m talking about are generally bad, negative or painful things that happened to the character in the past. It could’ve happened last month, last year or when he was five. It could’ve lasted five minutes or ten years. A bad thing could be a traumatic event or something that caused them emotional pain. Someone tried to kill him. His brother was murdered. She was raped. A curse was placed on him. She was kidnapped. He was abused as a child. She was left orphaned and penniless, then raised in a string of foster homes. He was in a car accident that left him with a major injury and the person riding with him was killed. Her father gambled away the fortune. It could be almost anything that would negatively affect your character for a long time, and this event still haunts him. He is not yet healed from this life-changing event. This is his emotional baggage. This is when you bring memories and repercussions from the past event into the current story. She doesn’t trust men (or the hero) because she was raped. She wants a family more than anything because she never had one. He grew up in poverty and this is what drives him to be the wealthiest business owner in town.
The character’s GMC often comes from their past, especially their motivations. Motivation is the “why?” Why does the hero work so hard to be the best cop he can be? Because his father was killed in the line of duty fifteen years ago? Because the hero’s little sister was killed by a drug dealer ten years ago? Why does the heroine not trust men? Because she saw how her father abused and cheated on her mother? Because all the men close to her in the past treated her like dirt? These are the deep issues that trouble your characters. And the problems they have to work through usually come from seeds planted in the past.
Backstory events don’t have to be traumatic and extremely painful, especially if your book is lighter, like a comedy. Or if your story is very short. (You may not have time or space to work through traumatic events.) You could use lighter-weight backstory events. Did he quit high school and now he’s determined to be incredibly successful anyway? Did the other kids in school tease her about her braces, her excessive height, or her hair? Is he/she divorced? Were her parents extremely strict? Too lenient? The point is that any story and any character can benefit from backstory events that still affect him/ her now in some way, even in minor ways. This doesn’t mean you have to have a backstory event or that you need one, but if you do it’s a plus. And the darker and more dramatic your story, the more your characters will benefit from backstory events.
Backstory events, once revealed, will show the reader why the character believes a certain thing about others or about himself. Why he acts as he does. How he expects others to behave. Backstory events bring out a character’s personality, values, and attitudes about specific things.
In my recent release, Laird of Darkness, the hero, Duncan, has two types of negative backstory events. One is that because he is half Fae and has no magical weapon of protection, monsters or demons from Otherworld torture him physically if he goes to sleep at night. This has happened to him since he was a child, so naturally he tries to stay awake at night. Another backstory event is that his father abused him. Using his Fae powers he was able to escape most of this abuse but it was always clear his father never loved him. Another important backstory event happened when Duncan was seventeen. His father died, and Duncan became chief of his clan. Enemy clans in the area thought he would be weak because he was so young, and they invaded. With the help of his Fae powers, Duncan led his clan to victory. The violence and paranormal occurrences during this event led to Duncan’s infamous and legendary reputation as the Laird of Darkness.
This month I’m teaching my workshop, Instinctive Characterization. In it I cover backstory event and lots of other elements and methods writers can use when developing characters. You can still register if you want. Just visit my website and click on the link at the top, or click workshops on the menu.
Nicole North
Website
Newsletter
Twitter
Facebook
Laird of Darkness
Half-Fae Laird Duncan MacDougall is cursed. His nights are haunted by Otherworld creatures sent to kill him. The only way to stop them is to possess the magic bow currently in the hands of his enemy half-brother, Kinnon MacClaren. In desperation, Duncan plans to take MacClaren's bride-to-be hostage and exchange her for the bow.
Lady Alana Forbes has never met her intended, but she hopes he is handsome-and a good lover, for Alana is no innocent virgin. On her way to Castle Claren, Alana and her escorts are intercepted, and she is kidnapped by a man with extraordinary abilities-and every attribute she longs for in a mate.
Duncan didn't expect the woman he thought of as a mere pawn would be so beautiful, and so arousing. Alana is drawn to him as well-but Duncan still needs the bow, and Alana is betrothed to another. How far will Alana go to save the life of the man she's come to love?
Chapter one excerpt
Available at:
Carina Press
Amazon
Characters with a bumpy past or emotional baggage are more complex, interesting and realistic. Readers will pull for them more (if you also make them empathetic). Every real person has had negative things happen in their past. Readers understand and connect to this. We are a product of our past, and in some cases the past has greatly affected us and how we deal with people or situations. The past often motivates us in the present. The important events of a character’s past, the ones that shaped them most, are called backstory events. If you can give your character one or two big backstory events that are still affecting him or her today, you are one step closer to creating a complex, believable, real character.The backstory events I’m talking about are generally bad, negative or painful things that happened to the character in the past. It could’ve happened last month, last year or when he was five. It could’ve lasted five minutes or ten years. A bad thing could be a traumatic event or something that caused them emotional pain. Someone tried to kill him. His brother was murdered. She was raped. A curse was placed on him. She was kidnapped. He was abused as a child. She was left orphaned and penniless, then raised in a string of foster homes. He was in a car accident that left him with a major injury and the person riding with him was killed. Her father gambled away the fortune. It could be almost anything that would negatively affect your character for a long time, and this event still haunts him. He is not yet healed from this life-changing event. This is his emotional baggage. This is when you bring memories and repercussions from the past event into the current story. She doesn’t trust men (or the hero) because she was raped. She wants a family more than anything because she never had one. He grew up in poverty and this is what drives him to be the wealthiest business owner in town.
The character’s GMC often comes from their past, especially their motivations. Motivation is the “why?” Why does the hero work so hard to be the best cop he can be? Because his father was killed in the line of duty fifteen years ago? Because the hero’s little sister was killed by a drug dealer ten years ago? Why does the heroine not trust men? Because she saw how her father abused and cheated on her mother? Because all the men close to her in the past treated her like dirt? These are the deep issues that trouble your characters. And the problems they have to work through usually come from seeds planted in the past.
Backstory events don’t have to be traumatic and extremely painful, especially if your book is lighter, like a comedy. Or if your story is very short. (You may not have time or space to work through traumatic events.) You could use lighter-weight backstory events. Did he quit high school and now he’s determined to be incredibly successful anyway? Did the other kids in school tease her about her braces, her excessive height, or her hair? Is he/she divorced? Were her parents extremely strict? Too lenient? The point is that any story and any character can benefit from backstory events that still affect him/ her now in some way, even in minor ways. This doesn’t mean you have to have a backstory event or that you need one, but if you do it’s a plus. And the darker and more dramatic your story, the more your characters will benefit from backstory events.
Backstory events, once revealed, will show the reader why the character believes a certain thing about others or about himself. Why he acts as he does. How he expects others to behave. Backstory events bring out a character’s personality, values, and attitudes about specific things.
In my recent release, Laird of Darkness, the hero, Duncan, has two types of negative backstory events. One is that because he is half Fae and has no magical weapon of protection, monsters or demons from Otherworld torture him physically if he goes to sleep at night. This has happened to him since he was a child, so naturally he tries to stay awake at night. Another backstory event is that his father abused him. Using his Fae powers he was able to escape most of this abuse but it was always clear his father never loved him. Another important backstory event happened when Duncan was seventeen. His father died, and Duncan became chief of his clan. Enemy clans in the area thought he would be weak because he was so young, and they invaded. With the help of his Fae powers, Duncan led his clan to victory. The violence and paranormal occurrences during this event led to Duncan’s infamous and legendary reputation as the Laird of Darkness.
This month I’m teaching my workshop, Instinctive Characterization. In it I cover backstory event and lots of other elements and methods writers can use when developing characters. You can still register if you want. Just visit my website and click on the link at the top, or click workshops on the menu.
Nicole North
Website
Newsletter
Laird of Darkness
Half-Fae Laird Duncan MacDougall is cursed. His nights are haunted by Otherworld creatures sent to kill him. The only way to stop them is to possess the magic bow currently in the hands of his enemy half-brother, Kinnon MacClaren. In desperation, Duncan plans to take MacClaren's bride-to-be hostage and exchange her for the bow.
Lady Alana Forbes has never met her intended, but she hopes he is handsome-and a good lover, for Alana is no innocent virgin. On her way to Castle Claren, Alana and her escorts are intercepted, and she is kidnapped by a man with extraordinary abilities-and every attribute she longs for in a mate.
Duncan didn't expect the woman he thought of as a mere pawn would be so beautiful, and so arousing. Alana is drawn to him as well-but Duncan still needs the bow, and Alana is betrothed to another. How far will Alana go to save the life of the man she's come to love?
Chapter one excerpt
Available at:
Carina Press
Amazon
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Here Be Magic
Friday, March 25, 2011
Release Day!
Don't forget to pick up HOWLING SACRIFICES, out today from Ellora's Cave!
What happens to a young and naive Canadian woman traveling alone on a particularly evil night in the Scottish Highlands? She’ll get a lot more than she bargained for when she wishes for an adventure and finds herself part of a bloody pagan ritual…and inexorably linked to a wild and dangerous wolf.
Excerpt:
“What brings you so far from home all by yerself, Lucy?”
Wary about revealing her destination to a stranger, Lucy hesitated. She was probably overreacting by imagining that she’d unwittingly climbed into a four-wheeled version of the boat of Charon with a serial killer, but she nevertheless felt intimidated by this man’s overwhelming dark presence. In fact, everything about this trip made her nervous, and even though she was no doubt perfectly safe, it was probably best that she didn’t tell him too much.
“Just visiting some friends.” She stared into the shadows, her voice turning sharp and guarded. “They’re expecting me tonight.”
Dougald chuckled, a deep bass rumbling from the darkness, raising goose bumps on her skin half from jitters and half out of an absurd compulsion to lean forward and search the shadows for the face that belonged to such a mysterious, powerful voice. She tried to ignore the impulse, torn between the contradiction of fear and temptation.
“Dinna worry, lass,” he said. “I have no intention of draggin’ ye from the carriage and out into the woods. Ye’ll reach yer friends safely.”
Lucy let out a long sigh and a breathy little laugh, embarrassed that she’d been so transparent about her misgivings. “Sorry. I know I’m overreacting. I think it’s the time of night.” She spared another quick glance out the window. The darkness was so complete she shivered.
“Witching hour of the winter solstice,” he murmured in a low voice.
She turned back to him. “That sounds ominous.”
“Many cultures believed that evil’s hold o’er the natural world was strongest during the solstice, which is why it was popular to make sacrifices to the gods on this night, to welcome back the light.”
His words only compounded Lucy’s feelings of foreboding. Cold slithered up her spine and settled over her heart as she gazed out the window once more. On one side of her, the narrow road they were traveling had been cut out of the mountain. It wound across the bumpy terrain in lazy S’s. On the other side of the carriage, craggy moors had given way some time ago to tall trees that hid even the brightest stars. There were no road lamps or markers to light the way. Anything could leap out into their path at any moment and they’d never see it coming.
It was all just a little too spooky for a girl who’d been living in Toronto for the past fifteen years, where no street went without a neon sign or two and there was never a time of day without some jarring noise ringing in the air to remind you that you were never truly alone.
“Every corner of Scotland seems to have some eerie ancient mythology attached to it. It’s a little unsettling,” she admitted sheepishly to Dougald.
What happens to a young and naive Canadian woman traveling alone on a particularly evil night in the Scottish Highlands? She’ll get a lot more than she bargained for when she wishes for an adventure and finds herself part of a bloody pagan ritual…and inexorably linked to a wild and dangerous wolf.
Excerpt:
“What brings you so far from home all by yerself, Lucy?”
Wary about revealing her destination to a stranger, Lucy hesitated. She was probably overreacting by imagining that she’d unwittingly climbed into a four-wheeled version of the boat of Charon with a serial killer, but she nevertheless felt intimidated by this man’s overwhelming dark presence. In fact, everything about this trip made her nervous, and even though she was no doubt perfectly safe, it was probably best that she didn’t tell him too much.
“Just visiting some friends.” She stared into the shadows, her voice turning sharp and guarded. “They’re expecting me tonight.”
Dougald chuckled, a deep bass rumbling from the darkness, raising goose bumps on her skin half from jitters and half out of an absurd compulsion to lean forward and search the shadows for the face that belonged to such a mysterious, powerful voice. She tried to ignore the impulse, torn between the contradiction of fear and temptation.
“Dinna worry, lass,” he said. “I have no intention of draggin’ ye from the carriage and out into the woods. Ye’ll reach yer friends safely.”
Lucy let out a long sigh and a breathy little laugh, embarrassed that she’d been so transparent about her misgivings. “Sorry. I know I’m overreacting. I think it’s the time of night.” She spared another quick glance out the window. The darkness was so complete she shivered.
“Witching hour of the winter solstice,” he murmured in a low voice.
She turned back to him. “That sounds ominous.”
“Many cultures believed that evil’s hold o’er the natural world was strongest during the solstice, which is why it was popular to make sacrifices to the gods on this night, to welcome back the light.”
His words only compounded Lucy’s feelings of foreboding. Cold slithered up her spine and settled over her heart as she gazed out the window once more. On one side of her, the narrow road they were traveling had been cut out of the mountain. It wound across the bumpy terrain in lazy S’s. On the other side of the carriage, craggy moors had given way some time ago to tall trees that hid even the brightest stars. There were no road lamps or markers to light the way. Anything could leap out into their path at any moment and they’d never see it coming.
It was all just a little too spooky for a girl who’d been living in Toronto for the past fifteen years, where no street went without a neon sign or two and there was never a time of day without some jarring noise ringing in the air to remind you that you were never truly alone.
“Every corner of Scotland seems to have some eerie ancient mythology attached to it. It’s a little unsettling,” she admitted sheepishly to Dougald.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
GUEST AUTHOR: Joely Sue Burkhart
Finding Inspiration
I've always listened to music while I write. Some books need several different songs that help me invoke the images or emotion I'm trying to create. Thanks to my first fantasy trilogy, I can't listen to Kiss From A Rose by Seal or (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams without getting teary-eyed. I've got everything from Nickelback to Apocalyptica to country - yes country music! - on my playlists. But only recently have I added movies to my inspiration process.
My next Carina release, Golden, was inspired by the movie Curse of the Golden Flower. I happened to catch a few minutes of the movie at bedtime one night, and I ended up staying up way past midnight (even though I had to work the next day!) in order to watch it. I DVRd it and watched it over and over, at least half a dozen times, and I knew I had to write a story based on Imperial China. Now that the story is contracted, I've watched CotGF at least four times while working on edits. The music, the scenery, everything speaks to me. I get chills while watching it. I even dream about it!
Indirectly, The Bloodgate Guardian was also inspired by a movie: Stargate. I've always loved pyramids, but everybody's done Egyptian stories. What about all those fantastic Mayan pyramids in Central America? Add in blood and human sacrifice with interesting mythologies, and I'm there!
Music and movies might be expected, but I bet you'll be surprised to hear that I was inspired by Mrs. Giggles' Regency Drinking Game for my upcoming Samhain release, Lady Doctor Wyre. I was reading her list and giggling, naturally, and the thought came to me: how ridiculous would some of these be if the heroine and hero exchanged roles? I mean, just think of how much fun I'm going to have with debutant virgin heroes and rake heroines? I can't wait!
Joely Sue Burkhart
I've always listened to music while I write. Some books need several different songs that help me invoke the images or emotion I'm trying to create. Thanks to my first fantasy trilogy, I can't listen to Kiss From A Rose by Seal or (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams without getting teary-eyed. I've got everything from Nickelback to Apocalyptica to country - yes country music! - on my playlists. But only recently have I added movies to my inspiration process.My next Carina release, Golden, was inspired by the movie Curse of the Golden Flower. I happened to catch a few minutes of the movie at bedtime one night, and I ended up staying up way past midnight (even though I had to work the next day!) in order to watch it. I DVRd it and watched it over and over, at least half a dozen times, and I knew I had to write a story based on Imperial China. Now that the story is contracted, I've watched CotGF at least four times while working on edits. The music, the scenery, everything speaks to me. I get chills while watching it. I even dream about it!
Indirectly, The Bloodgate Guardian was also inspired by a movie: Stargate. I've always loved pyramids, but everybody's done Egyptian stories. What about all those fantastic Mayan pyramids in Central America? Add in blood and human sacrifice with interesting mythologies, and I'm there!
Music and movies might be expected, but I bet you'll be surprised to hear that I was inspired by Mrs. Giggles' Regency Drinking Game for my upcoming Samhain release, Lady Doctor Wyre. I was reading her list and giggling, naturally, and the thought came to me: how ridiculous would some of these be if the heroine and hero exchanged roles? I mean, just think of how much fun I'm going to have with debutant virgin heroes and rake heroines? I can't wait!
Joely Sue Burkhart
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Howling Sacrifices
I've just sold a fantastic, chilling short to Ellora's Cave's new Shivers line, and it's scheduled to be out THIS MONTH!!
Check back soon for more details!
From EC's new Shivers line, Howling Sacrifices is the story of a young and naive Canadian woman travelling alone on a particularly evil night in the Scottish Highlands. She wished for adventure and excitement, but Lucy will get a lot more than she bargained for when she finds herself inexorably linked to a wild and dangerous wolf.
Check back soon for more details!
From EC's new Shivers line, Howling Sacrifices is the story of a young and naive Canadian woman travelling alone on a particularly evil night in the Scottish Highlands. She wished for adventure and excitement, but Lucy will get a lot more than she bargained for when she finds herself inexorably linked to a wild and dangerous wolf.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Writing Superstition
Join me at the Vixens Blog for the three things I HAVE TO HAVE when starting a new writing project, and tell me what your writing superstitions are.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Quick Update
It's Monday! What better day to post an update and let you know what I'm doing.I just finished up a couple of short stories. They were so fun to write, and now that they've been submitted, I play the waiting game. One was a cool alternate China Steampunk thing, and the other was a bloody werewolf horror. Wish me luck!
Right now though, I have to finish a final read-through of my romantic fantasy, before I finally press send and get it out to a few people. Then I pray while I get back to work on my contemporary partial.
That should take me all week (I know, I'm so slow!) but THEN I'm going to be starting on Book 2 of my angel series for Carina Press. I really hope everyone ends up liking these stories as much as I do (excerpt coming soon, I hope).
Gabe and Amelia from book 1 feel so real to me, and their trials ripped my heart out. It was devastating to be finished with their story and have to leave them behind. But of course, Cass is going to be a challenge and I'll need to focus on him. He's skirting the edge of total evil and I'm not even sure yet if he'll make it.
So that's me for now!
What's everyone else working on these days?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
You Can't Do That
I'm pumped to have Inez on the blog today because I just got her book at iBooks, and I've been reading it on TheCoolGadget. This is a story you can't miss. Sexy and deeply emotional. I am loving every minute of it!
Welcome Inez Kelley!
You know, I hate rules. I do. I’ve always hated them. I REALLY hate them in my own stories. When I sit down to write, I write what I see, what comes to my head. When someone comes along and says “you can’t do that in a romance”, the hair on my neck raises.
Says who?
After some hem-hawing and stuttering, the naysayer will spit out “Readers. They don’ t like *insert whatever rule I broke*.
Hmmm…
Okay, I used to skip school because I could. I never did a lick of homework in High School. I stopped drinking beer when I was 21 because, well, by then it was no big deal. It was legal. Rules and me have never been best buds, ya know?
I thought about those naysayers and then did my own thing any way. *shrug* It seems I am always breaking some unwritten but iron-clad RULE OF ROMANCE. Strangely, I never know these rules until after I break them.
For example: RULE: You can kill the villain but, for God’s sake, don’t kill the dog.
Oops. Sorry.
RULE: You can’t kill your hero and heroine, either.
Oops again.
RULE: Romance heroes NEVER call the heroine a f-ing B!tch.
Uhm… oops?
RULE: Heroes never cry.
ROFLMAO… seriously?
RULE: Love fixes all the problems in the world.
Say what? Not in my world.
RULE: The heroine is never physically stronger than the hero.
*shifty eyes* NEXT!!
RULE: Ex-wives/husbands are always evil or bad people
Uh-oh
RULE: The heroine should never tell the hero he need a shower first if he wants to get ‘busy’ with her.
O.o ……
Rules shmules. If it makes a believable story, I’m writing it.
In my latest book SWEET AS SIN, I just listened to my characters and wrote their story. It isn’t always pretty and they don’t follow the rules. John is one messed-up dude and Livvy doesn’t understand the words “Back Off”. These two are explosive together. Sometimes it hurts to watch them hurt each other. Love isn’t always sweet. Sometimes it burns like sin.
*I* have one rule of romance. Anything goes as long as at the end, the main characters get a Happily Ever After and the reader walks away feeling like they lived the story. PERIOD. So that’s the only thing I promise in my books.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a hero about to slip some drugs into a heroine’s drink. Off I go to break more rules.
SWEET AS SIN
She’s made for sin. Sin is something he knows intimately.
John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.
Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?
Buy Sweet as Sin at Carina Press, AMZ, ARe, BoB or B&N
Inez Kelley is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website http://inezkelley.com/ Follow Inez on twitter at @Inez_Kelley or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/inez.kelley
Welcome Inez Kelley!
You know, I hate rules. I do. I’ve always hated them. I REALLY hate them in my own stories. When I sit down to write, I write what I see, what comes to my head. When someone comes along and says “you can’t do that in a romance”, the hair on my neck raises.Says who?
After some hem-hawing and stuttering, the naysayer will spit out “Readers. They don’ t like *insert whatever rule I broke*.
Hmmm…
Okay, I used to skip school because I could. I never did a lick of homework in High School. I stopped drinking beer when I was 21 because, well, by then it was no big deal. It was legal. Rules and me have never been best buds, ya know?
I thought about those naysayers and then did my own thing any way. *shrug* It seems I am always breaking some unwritten but iron-clad RULE OF ROMANCE. Strangely, I never know these rules until after I break them.
For example: RULE: You can kill the villain but, for God’s sake, don’t kill the dog.
Oops. Sorry.
RULE: You can’t kill your hero and heroine, either.
Oops again.
RULE: Romance heroes NEVER call the heroine a f-ing B!tch.
Uhm… oops?
RULE: Heroes never cry.
ROFLMAO… seriously?
RULE: Love fixes all the problems in the world.
Say what? Not in my world.
RULE: The heroine is never physically stronger than the hero.
*shifty eyes* NEXT!!
RULE: Ex-wives/husbands are always evil or bad people
Uh-oh
RULE: The heroine should never tell the hero he need a shower first if he wants to get ‘busy’ with her.
O.o ……
Rules shmules. If it makes a believable story, I’m writing it.
In my latest book SWEET AS SIN, I just listened to my characters and wrote their story. It isn’t always pretty and they don’t follow the rules. John is one messed-up dude and Livvy doesn’t understand the words “Back Off”. These two are explosive together. Sometimes it hurts to watch them hurt each other. Love isn’t always sweet. Sometimes it burns like sin.
*I* have one rule of romance. Anything goes as long as at the end, the main characters get a Happily Ever After and the reader walks away feeling like they lived the story. PERIOD. So that’s the only thing I promise in my books.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a hero about to slip some drugs into a heroine’s drink. Off I go to break more rules.
SWEET AS SIN
She’s made for sin. Sin is something he knows intimately.
John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.
Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?
Buy Sweet as Sin at Carina Press, AMZ, ARe, BoB or B&N
Inez Kelley is a multi-published author of various romance genres. You can visit her at her website http://inezkelley.com/ Follow Inez on twitter at @Inez_Kelley or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/inez.kelley
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Cover HOTness!!
This is the "front" cover for the Agony/Ecstasy anthology edited by Jane Litte (Dear Author), being released late-2011.
And this is the "back" cover for the same anthology. YAY -- TWO covers for the same book, LOL!!
My story CAGED is but one of the 21 amazing stories that will be featured!
And this is the "back" cover for the same anthology. YAY -- TWO covers for the same book, LOL!!
My story CAGED is but one of the 21 amazing stories that will be featured!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Switching Hats
I'm talking a little more about my foray into writing horror on the Dark Walk today. Come join me there!
Monday, February 07, 2011
Another Project Down!
(By Rodrigo Ferrarezi (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
YES! I've finished another project. So far 2011 has been productive, and I am liking it!
I've already completed two short stories and finished the first round of edits on FALLING HARD, my 2011 Carina Press release. (The next round just arrived in my inbox this weekend, so there is still work to be done!)
This last project, however, was interesting. A distinct shift away from my usual fare--since there is not a kiss, lick, or even a longing look to be found. It's the story of a gentle, civilized female werewolf taken from her home and plucked down in the middle of a dangerous game where the one left standing at the end is the only one coming out alive.
It's for a horror anthology that I heard about and an idea came to me. After that, I couldn't NOT write it.
I'm not sure if I'll write more of these really dark stories, but it was definitely good to stretch the creative juices, and I think it turned out really well. Hopefully, I'll be able to celebrate its sale soon! Cross your fingers and wish me luck. :)
What has everyone been up to this winter?
I've already completed two short stories and finished the first round of edits on FALLING HARD, my 2011 Carina Press release. (The next round just arrived in my inbox this weekend, so there is still work to be done!)
This last project, however, was interesting. A distinct shift away from my usual fare--since there is not a kiss, lick, or even a longing look to be found. It's the story of a gentle, civilized female werewolf taken from her home and plucked down in the middle of a dangerous game where the one left standing at the end is the only one coming out alive.
It's for a horror anthology that I heard about and an idea came to me. After that, I couldn't NOT write it.
I'm not sure if I'll write more of these really dark stories, but it was definitely good to stretch the creative juices, and I think it turned out really well. Hopefully, I'll be able to celebrate its sale soon! Cross your fingers and wish me luck. :)
What has everyone been up to this winter?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Writing Kryptonite
I'm blogging at Happy Endings today about my writing Kryptonite and five ways to nip it in the bud. What's your Kryptonite?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Avoiding Story Structure
Click here to see my post about the ingredients for great stories, and chime in with your own opinion about what works best.
