Archive for October, 2009

I Write THOSE Books…

Friday, October 30th, 2009

I’ll be MIA until next week–stuff happens, and it’s happening all over the place here ;o) Good stuff, some other stuff, but it’s all happening at once. So, in the  mean time, check out my new column, I Write THOSE Books, over at Pop Syndicate.

I guest blogged for these fine folks a month or so ago, when Dark Legacy released. They were looking for someone inside the publishing industry to do something fun and entertaining for guests who like books and/or writers and wanted to know more. My bi-monthly posts will be fun and trendy and geared toward your thoughts and questions. So, check out my “howdy” that’s up today, let me know what you’d like to know more about (either here or there), then come back next Wednesday. I’m kicking things off with a cheeky nod toward November’s NANOWRIMO!

I Write Those Books–look for it every first and third Wednesday of the  month at the Book Addict blog.

Follow a summary of all I Write THOSE Books posts (yes, I’m employing the rule of three, saying my column name three times so you’ll never, EVER, forget it ;o) by saving this link to your Favorites!

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Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Help Assess Dark Legacy and WIN!!!

Friday, October 16th, 2009

I’m starting to get psyched about writing the second book in my Legacy series.A week of solid planning behind me, and I’m ready to dive into the first few chapters of the book. Then I’ll review and FINALLY, hopefully, be ready to write a detailed synopsis/outline for the rest of the book. That’s how this series has worked for me. I have so many ideas and the storie ideas are so large at this point in the process, I need to be firmly entrenched in character and relationships first–then I can pair down the planning and focus on a story arc that is tight enough to work from.

But first, before I get too far into Book 2, I want to asses Book 1–Dark Legacy: what worked and what didn’t and what I’d planned and what I actually produced and where the story and themes and relationships sparkled and where I wished I’d had more time and space to do more…I do this with ever new book, especially books in an ongoing series, where the world is set so now I can really mine for something magical with the new story dynamic. I’ve just never done it in public before. Or asked others to join in the brainstorming before. Or offered a prize, to be awarded randomly to one of the commenters before… ;o) Like another set of the Godiva Halloween suckers I’m giving away on Fresh Fiction right now ;o)

So, here are the high points of all I’ve thought and heard and learned, then some of the questions I’m asking myself as I begin drafting Secret Legacy. Feel free to add to, answer, challenge or inspire. Even if it’s something that TOTALLY didn’t work for you, that will help me as I stand back and look objectively at everything I have to work with. All feedback is welcome. It will all make Secret Legacy better. (more…)

Posted in Books | 24 Comments »

Atlanta Heroes Excerpt!!!

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

It’s a Secret Legacy day, so, naturally, I’m excerpting the first two scenes of The Firefighter’s Secret Baby for you guys ;O)

I think I need this–to let go of the story still fluttering around my mind (just turned the line edits in yesterday), so I can focus on the book I’VE BEEN WAITING ALL YEAR TO WRITE… eh-hem…

So, I’m freeing my mind with 1) a new Sting quote, and 2) what I think is one of the best series romance opening’s I’ve written ;O) Can’t wait to hear what you think!

And if I’ve built this fortress around your heart
Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire
Then let me build a bridge
For I cannot fill the chasm
And let me set the battlements on fire

~~Sting, Fortress Around Your Heart
 The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985

The Firefighters Secret Baby
Atlanta Heroes
On shelves, April ‘10
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Thunderstorms in November?

Only in the south.

Sam peered through the greasy streaks her rental’s wipers were making of the rain. She squinted at her rearview mirror. Were those the same headlights as before? Was she just imagining the danger bearing down on her? (more…)

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Posted in Thrills and Chills | 19 Comments »

Lyric/Quote of the Day & Playlists

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Music’s inspired me for as long as I can remember.Before I picked up my first instrument or bought my first album. My tastes are so eclectic, they drive my teenager crazy because he covets a lot of my iTunes downloads but despises the rest, so he hast to pick and choose what he mooches instead of taking the whole list.

R&B, pop, hard rock, classic jazz, alternative, folk, classic, you name it. Anything, really, but country–well, some contemporary country I can get into, but I was raised on the traditional Nashville sound and WON’T go back there again. Ever ;o)

It’s the emotion that gets me. Not just the lyrics, though that’s what I’m writing about today. The emotion of the music itself. The mood and rhythm and soul of the way the notes and melodies are strung together. How it affects your breathing and your heart rate and your thoughts and dreams. Always has… But since nobody, ever, wants to hear me sing, lyrics are the way I share musical emotion. Talking lyrics, and swapping playlists with friends. (more…)

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Posted in Books | 6 Comments »

October’s Spooky Dark Legacy Contest!!

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Wasn’t September’s month-long Relase Party/Prize Bonanza fun!!! I’m still collecting addresses and will do a mass mailing of goodies soon.

While I’m getting myself organized, let’s celebrate Halloween with a SPOOKY Dark Legacy Contest. Here’s your chance to win Godiva Chocolate, a Border’s  Gift Certificate and a signed copy of Dark Legacy.

All you have to do is link over to my Fresh Fiction Contest Page, choose your favorite spooky Dark Legacy moment from the excerpts, follow all the contest rules, and you’re done!!!

Wanna see the chocolate???

godiva lollis

Don’t miss out!!!

And keep coming back–once everything September is mailed out, I’ll have more time for SUPRISE spookiness. PLUS, I’m working on Secret Legacy now, so there will be lots of dream talk as I puzzle out Sarah Temple’s story…

See you around!!!

Posted in Where Contests Go When They're Over | 5 Comments »

One Eye On the Road, One On the Rear View Mirror

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Between projects, I clean. I nest. I sort and stack and organize and sift through old files and old ideas and basically drive myself crazy trying to create the perfect working environment I think I need so I can write free again after burning out on the last project…and there’s always a burn out phase. Just like there’s always a “before the writing” phase…

This time, I’ve spent as much energy outside of my house as possible, because I needed the energy in my home office to settle down–significantly–after my Dark Legacy release came at the same time as a book deadline for my Atlanta Heroes series (excerpts coming tomorrow for that story, promise!). I was a waste of space and air when October 1st hit, so I hit the road and visited with friends and explored my home town and drove up into the mountains (literally, because I’m only an hour from the North GA mountains and it’s fall and I couldn’t NOT feel some of that). And I came home between each trip/visit and STILL nested and sorted and cleaned…

I was digging for something, I realized. (more…)

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Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments »

September Dark Legacy Prize Winners!!!

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Happy Columbus Day, everyone ;o)

We’re just back from our second trip to the mountains in two weeks. We’ll probably retire there one day. Friends and a quieter place and miles and miles of mountains to hike and explore, throw in waterfalls (and turning leaves this month)… I’m hooked, even though I’m an ocean girl. I can always visit the beach that I grew up beside. The mountains will be where I grow old.

Which is a long-winded excuse for being gone most of last week, after saying I was back at my desk working. But, honest-honest this time, Fall fever’s out of my system and I’m raring to get the work done… Starting with announcing my September Blog Contest winners!!!

(more…)

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Posted in Where Contests Go When They're Over | 8 Comments »

Falling Away & Rushing Back…

Monday, October 5th, 2009

You know me… There’s nothing like a break to make coming back a sweet, sweet thing. And after such a fast-paced, exciting, taxing year, it took almost two weeks of stepping away before I could feel the pull to swing back ;o)

Just in time to choose September’s contest winners–stay tuned for that announcement… And just in time to share excerpts of my April Harlequin (a new Atlanta Heroes)–stay tuned for that, too. Plus there’s new writing and dreaming and sharing to begin and new adventures for us all to have… But that’s not what the rushing’s about. Not really. Not this time. (more…)

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Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments »