As some of you know, Aline Hunter / JA Saare is one of my crit partners. I had the pleasure of reading Vampire Mine in its early stages and I have to say, I think it's the best of the Omega series. Aline delivers everything we've come to expect from her edgy, paranormal series. For fans of this series, you won't be disappointed. If you haven't read Aline Hunter yet, what are you waiting for? And how hot is this cover?
A bond as endless as time. Their forbidden union sealed in blood.
As the Alpha of New York, Trey Veznor placed the needs of his pack above everything—until the mate he’s waited centuries for waltzed into his life and gave him a taste of what he’d been missing. Sadie Dumus, seductive, beautiful and utterly captivating, is also something shifters avoid at all costs—a vampire. Stunned to learn of her nature, Trey turned his back on the only woman who could complete him.
Now, realizing he’s thrown away the one thing he can’t live without, Trey hunts Sadie down and defies tradition. Their sexual hunger is undeniable, with each sizzling encounter bringing them closer together. Sadie tries to resist but he refuses to allow it, using desire and her need for his blood to keep her close. With danger closing in, it’s necessary to announce his mating before the pack. To keep his female, he’s willing to lose everything he’s ever known.
I know, I've been a complete slacker and you haven't seen a blog post from me for a while. With the holidays fast approaching, another round of illness, my daughter and her issues and writing, time is something I don't have a lot of these days. I can proudly say that all my Christmas shopping is done! I'm treating myself to a cupcake for that one. Granted I did most of my shopping online, but hey, it's done. Of course I still have to wrap everything...so not looking forward to that one.
On the home front, the flu has made a visit to our household and can I tell you what fun that has been? Hopefully everyone will be completely over it by Christmas. Sick toddlers, presents and a family get-together do not a good day make. Aside from the sickness, I've had other stresses. My three year old was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder last year. Unfortunately, she has not progressed with the therapy as far as we'd hoped and she's now displaying more autistic features. It has been a hard and emotionally exhausting road. I can admit that I have had problems accepting that it may be autism. I love her fiercely and as a mother I just want her to be okay. It's taken me some time to come to the realization that her being okay, starts with me. The decisions I make now will affect her future and they aren't easy ones. We've begun the process of getting her tested and it makes me angry how difficult insurance companies make it for children like my daughter to get the help they need, but I won't bore you with all that. Some days are harder than others and I don't get as much time to write as I'd like, but I'm okay with that. Some things are just more important.
About the writing, I've been working on an Urban Fantasy that has me really excited. The world-building has been time consuming, but I think I have all the kinks worked out. I'm also working on a new BDSM contemporary about a bartender and her boss with lots of spanking, because let's face it, bad girls need to be spanked every now and again. I have plans to write Aimee's story (Indigo's roommate from Wrapped Around Your Finger) and Jared's story (hot D-type and friend of Banner Faust). But I won't likely get to them for a few months. I'm dying to write an apocalyptic erotic romance. The plot and characters are coming together nicely for this one. Expect zombies, mayhem, gore and of course hot sex.
I've been listening to a lot of really good music to get the creative juices flowing for both the apocalyptic romance and the urban fantasy. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you. If you can't tell, I'm a big psychobilly / rockabilly freak. Enjoy!
Oh! Good news. I just came across another great review for Wrapped Around Your Finger. I'm a little overwhelmed by how much everyone has loved this book. There are so many pieces of me in this story and it's always good to see that it makes a difference when put yourself out there. Of course it's scary as hell, but worth it. So worth it. You can read the review here at Whipped Cream Reviews.
Okay, on to my current retail and mancandy obsessions. I have to leave you with a little something don't I?
I am in love with Too Fast and man if I had the cash, I'd have a closet full of their stuff.
I want! Zombie dress, killer cupcake heels...I'm all over it!
And your delicious eye candy for this week is courtesy of Ink Spots by Lissa Matthews. Oh, this has me written all over it: tattoos, bald hottie, muscle cars and spanking. What more could you want? And how 'bout this cover?
It seems like I've been away forever. I'm still trying to get over this lingering illness so I haven't done much writing. Adding a little here to and there to Consensual Risk is about all I can manage. On a brighter note, my edits for Wrapped Around Your Finger have begun. It's always a little overwhelming adjusting to a new publishing house and the way things are done there. Luckily I have a good editor.
Since I do have a new release in the works, I thought I'd post a blurb for it. It's unofficial of course, but at least I can give you a taste of what's to come.
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Plus-sized fetish model and aspiring chef, Indigo Hartley has plenty of tattoos and a fiery attitude to match. When she’s offered a job as a sushi model for one of Miami’s trendiest restaurants, she jumps at the chance. Little does the country mouse, turned city vixen know that what starts out as a modeling job, will end up the answer to all her kinky fantasies.
Banner Faust has worked his ass off and sacrificed his love life to become a rock star in the culinary world. On what should be the biggest night of his career, he realizes something is missing from his life, the submissive woman he’s always craved. The curvy new model with the blue-streaked hair and innate submissive nature just might be the one he’s been waiting for.
Good morning. Still tired from the weekend and desperately trying to garner up some energy. I have some news, the publisher I submitted Wrapped Around Your Finger to has requested the full manuscript, so I'm excited about that.
After some thinking, I've decided to change up my current WIP. I began a BDSM contemporary a little over a week ago and I've decided to switch it to first person POV. I think with the content being darker and more emotional, I need to tell it through the characters directly. It's knew for me and I'm still getting the hang of it, but what I've discovered is that the emotion just flows. With third person, I always found myself going back during edits to add more introspection and emotion because I tended to focus on dialogue and scene direction. I actually had to make an effort to put myself into the character's head to really get their thoughts and feelings to come across. With first person POV, it's automatic. I'm not sure if it's because it's new or because it seems to keep me in the character's head, no effort required. Something to think about.
I'll leave you with your weekly dose of eye candy. Jared Padalecki is just yummy and I love my boys good and dirty.
Morning. Not a good one just yet. I need more coffee for that. I finally finished Wrapped Around Your Finger and I'm currently doing an edit. I'm hoping to have it submitted by the end of the week. Yes, that would be after I write the sucknopsis and query. I really, really, really dislike writing a synopsis. I need to get organized enough with my projects that I'm actually writing the syno before I start the actual book. I'll get there. I will.
As a matter of fact, a dear author friend of mine introduced me (sucked me in) to the wonderful OCD world of calendars. I started and before I knew it, I'd plotted my writing through October. I'm hoping that this will help me stay on track. I really need a taskmaster complete with flogger to keep me in line. Know where I can find one? grins Well, I guess some determination, a lot of coffee, and the calendar will have to do for now.
Now that I've finished a BDSM contemporary, I've come to the decision that I'd like to continue writing this genre. Wrapped Around Your Finger came about because I was burned out writing the second book in my paranormal demon series. Right now, Between Heaven and Hell is sitting on my shelf nearly complete. Nearly. There's a lot going on in that story. I had a problem with heroine at first and had to go back to the drawing board with her. When I changed her, I had to change essential parts of the story. Writing became a chore and it should never feel that way. I decided to step away from it for a while.
Because I can't not write, I just sat down and began this little story that was in my head. Wrapped was what came out of that. This little story about a woman's discovery of her submission and the Dominant that helped her open up, flowed so easily. But at the same time, it was difficult to write. I ended up putting more of myself into the characters than I originally intended. When I sat down to write this, it was supposed to be fun and sexy and it is, but it's also emotional and revealing. I also ended up going about 10K over on my word count. The end result I think is good. I hope it's good. First I hope it gets picked up by a publisher. But even more than that, I hope that those who read it enjoy the story and come away thinking that it was more than just a fun, sexy story.
When I'm writing a book, I reach a point in the process where it becomes a constant presence in my thoughts. In every spare moment, I'm running dialogue through my head, planning scenes, adding layers and so on. My husband calls it obsession, I call it being in the zone--tomato, tom-whatever, you get the point. Well after writing a pretty intense scene and hitting the sack, I had a dream about the little novella I'm working on. Now it's not like I woke up with new scenes in my head or a plot change or anything like that. What I did wake up with was a clear picture of the Dominant in my story. Mix an rerun of The Vampire Diaries with a hot D/s scene and you get the perfect Dom for my story.
I always begin a story with rough character sketches. There are times when I sit down and during the course of my writing, those sketches change. Sometimes it's a name that doesn't quite seem right or the physical description never gives me a clear picture in my head or a layer I'll add as I go. It can be any number of changes. With my current work in progress, I just never developed a good mental image of my hero.
Care to see what my subconscious handed me? Oh and he fits so perfectly my heart did a little flip-flop when I went back and changed the description.
Yum. Yes, it's Ian Somerhalder otherwise known as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries. He makes such a perfect Dom don't you think? Well, it's time to get back to the grind. I'm hoping to have this baby finished by next week. Maybe I'll have a teaser for you by then. Wish me luck!
