National Novel Writing Month

Today is day one of NaNoWriMo. Many of my friends, well a couple anyway,  (Liz Decaf is the only one who comes to mind at the moment) have been successful at completing their first drafts during the month of November thanks to NaNoWriMo. 

I have never participated in the annual November event before. (I'm afraid of commitment.) This will be my first year with NaNo. And as of 1:30 AM I had already completed my first day goal!!!

This is a big mental boost for me. This past summer I participated for the first time in a NaNoWriMo event. I went to summer camp in July. 

There are many valid excuses I can give you for not completing my work in July, but you don't want excuses you want to see the finished product . . . The Misplaced Bride. And you shall, but unfortunately not as soon as I had hoped. Ajax's story will not be for sale until Spring of 2014.

If you are a writer and procrastination is your usual MO, I would advise you to sign up for NaNo. It's not too late. Even if you do not complete your project or meet your goal you will still have made progress. If you do complete your project, then you have hit the jackpot!!!

If you are a friend of a writer or a reader, you may be seeing a lot of FB updates. Encourage your friends along their road to writing.

The path can be fun, intriguing, mysterious, scary, and/or difficult, but having a friend to hold your hand, or pat your shoulder and encourage you to keep going will go a long way to helping someone to meet their goal.

I look forward to seeing you throughout my journey.

Just Hit Send Special Guest Amber Skyze

My friend Amber Skyze has dropped by to give us a Treat for this special season!

Just Hit Send…

You create your masterpiece. Polish it to within an inch of your life and then you do it. You hit the send button. Let the waiting begin. If you’re anything like me you want instant gratification. After all, with technology the way it is anything is possible. But is a response in a few hours realistic? No, definitely not. Yes, to say the very least. LOL I have to take a step back and realize I’m not the only writer my editors are receiving submissions from.

It’s not easy being a writer. When you send your baby off into the big bad world it’s scary. Just thinking about my story being under a magnifying glass, viewed by a critical eye, gives me the chills. With each page that the editor examines I know she’s scanning every word looking for errors. She’s wondering if you have a unique plot. She’s looking to see if you can weave a riveting tale?

As time goes by with no response a million questions form in my mind. Will the editor like the story? Will she think – what the f%^& was this writer thinking? Is she laughing at my attempts to write? These are questions I ask myself every single time I send a manuscript out.

I’ve published 33 books since December 2008, but it doesn’t ease the fear of rejection. And truthfully in between those contracts I’ve had rejections. It’s just a fact of life in this business. It’s sucks though! :o)

One thing I know is that it’s better to Just Hit Send and be rejected than to let a manuscript sit unread by an editor never knowing if it has possibility.

I am happy to announce that Going for Broke is being released today from Ellora’s Cave. This is a revised and expanded version of the book Hit Me, published in 2010.

Here’s a little taste…

Blurb:

Deacon Burke has a singular goal—to win back the Las Vegas casino swindled from his father years ago.

Businesswoman Holly Perkins is equally determined to gain control of the Pleasure Palace, the decadent casino where anything goes—including exhibitionism and master/slave play. A corporate raider, she’s eager to put down roots in one location while running a business she loves.

When Deacon spots Holly in front of the casino it’s lust at first sight, and soon she’s submitting to him during a blistering-hot encounter. But how will he react when he learns of Holly’s agenda? All bets are off in their high-stakes game of carnal cravings and ultimate control.

Publisher’s Note: This title was previously released elsewhere under the title Hit Me, and has been revised and expanded for Ellora’s Cave.

A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Excerpt:

Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking through the door.

Deacon rubbed his eyes. They burned from being sleep deprived and the bright lights didn’t help. It was nearing midnight, but who could tell in the city that never sleeps? He stopped to glance up at the majestic building. The four golden caps made it appear as if it were a true Palace. The design had been created with that in mind. Darius Burke had a dream. He’d wanted to build a casino that reminded people of royalty. He’d wanted them to feel like they were special when inside. For years he’d succeeded.

 

Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking through the door.

The one verse of the incessant Christmas song filled his mind as Deacon climbed the stairs to casino. Sure he changed it a bit to suit his needs, but that was his prerogative.

The flight in from Hong Kong seemed to drag on longer than it should have, but he closed the deal. They would gain a foothold in Hong Kong with their latest fragrance. The time had arrived for him to close another deal. The most important one.

Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking through the door.

Deacon adjusted the laptop bag dangling from his left shoulder. He lifted his right foot and placed it on the concrete stair. Gold speckles glittered the front staircases leading to the entranceway.

Each step he took was painful to his weary feet and heavy heart. He hadn’t stepped foot inside the casino or Vegas for that matter in nearly ten years. The day had finally arrived. He was coming home after many years away. Deacon Burke was one step away from reclaiming what rightfully belonged to his family – the Palace of Pleasure.

Though when his father owned the Palace the top floors known as the Pleasure part of the casino didn’t exist. Deacon could see his father rolling over his grave imagining the things that took place in the Pleasure area. Not that Deacon minded. Sex was an enjoyment of his. There was something about cherishing a woman’s body that brought out the animal instinct in him. He also didn’t mind doling out a spanking or two. Having a woman bent over, hands tied behind her back getting spanked, got him overheated every time.

He stifled a moan, while fighting the hard-on that grew in his black slacks.

Maybe he’d partake in a little fun before meeting with the current owner. Why not try out the merchandise? Not that it would change his mind on reclaiming the casino. It belonged to the Burke’s and Deacon would stake his claim, no matter what stupid stipulations they put on him.

Buy Link - http://www.ellorascave.com/going-for-broke.html

Blog- http://amberskyze.blogspot.com

Website – www.amberskyze.com

FB - https://www.facebook.com/amber.skyze

Twitter - @amberskyze

Special Guest Christina Tetreault

Christina Tetreault has dropped by the Spell Room for a little visit. The weather has taken on a bit of autumn chill so I have some nice hot mulled cider and gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes. (Ummmm, I love autumn foods!)

First I would like to say thank you to Liberty Blake for having me on her blog today.  Now I want to give you my opinion on Why Romance Novels So Popular and if you have a minute I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Whether a sweet contemporary or a steamy historical, romance is in my opinion the best genre out there.  By why is that, you may be wondering?

Romance novels unlike other types offer you a chance to fall in love with the characters while they fall in love with each other.  Despite whatever events occur during the novel, you the reader, know that in the end there will be a happy ending.  And everyone loves a happy ending.  Didn't all of our favorite Fairy Tales end with “And They Lived Happily Ever After”. 

I also believe that romance novels are so spectacular and popular because there are so many types of romance novels available.  Readers can find everything from sweeping historicals, to sweet contemporaries and paranormals to steamy eroticas. 

Every romance readers journey and tastes are different so I am going to take a minute and tell you a little about mine. 

An avid reader and writer since about the age of 10, I discovered the world of romance novels a little late.  I picked up my first romance novel A Gentle Rogue by one of my all time favorite authors, Johanna Lindsey during my freshman year of college.  And I was immediately hooked.  Soon I found myself scouring the book shelves at Walden Books and Walmart looking for another great romance.  In no time I fell in love with other historical romance authors like Julie Garwood, Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, and Hannah Howell.  Not long after that I discovered great contemporary romances by authors like Jessica Bird, Kristan Higgans, and Christine Flynn.  Next I found the whole paranormal world of romance by authors like Lynn Kurland and Jessica Andersen.

Today I read almost entirely romance romance novels from various sub-genres depending on my mood. 

In addition to reading romance, I began writing them around the time I got married.  For me it was just a natural progression.  Besides what could be better than writing about two people meeting, falling in love and living happily ever after?  Nothing, right?  My first romance, The Teacher's Billionaire came out in March of 2012 and is Free for all ereaders.

While getting published was always a dream of mine, it never would have happened with out the support of my family and OTHER ROMANCE AUTHORS.  I don't know about authors from other genres, but those who write romance are the best.  They are supportive and giving.  They are always willing to offer helpful advice or a kind word.  And I am thankful to every romance author I have worked with along the way.

Thanks to all the support and great friends I have made along the way I published the 4^th book in my series The Sherbrookes of Newport last week titled The Billionaire's Best Friend. In my latest book we again see Lauren McDonald who we first saw in The Teacher's Billionaire.  In book 4 the one man Lauren never stopped loving returns to town and she must decide between the man who promises her the world and the man who has the power to crush her heart again.

http://amzn.to/15Nr0qu (AZ)

http://bit.ly/1dBP4i2 (BN)

http://bit.ly/16SbQjP (KOBO)

http://bit.ly/14xrBMh (Smashwords)

http://bit.ly/18mMwCZ ITunes 

Be sure to get all four of Christina's books. They are a great read. Especially on a chilly night when you wrap up in an cozy afghan with a steaming cup of hot chocolate or mulled cider to sip on.

Enjoy!

I am a television baby! 

Not to give away my age or anything, but I grew up watching Mickey Mouse, The Rifleman, and Clint Eastwood in Rawhide.

I love television!

I moan at the loss of good scripted shows while watching The Amazing Race, Project Runway, and So You Think You Can Dance.

I also enjoy the serial dramas the cable channels excel at doing.

Over the past several years I have been reluctant to watch any new shows on network television. They hook you in and then drop the show without giving it a fair chance. Or like Kathy Bates series, Harry's Law, they cancel it because it because it isn't the right demographic. (I don't know how to break it to you NBC, but I spend money!!! And I no longer watch anything other than Law & Order on NBC. You don't want my demographic, than you're not getting it. How's that youthful audience working out for you?)

This week I have watched many of my favorite network shows return, but I have seen a trend which I'm not liking very much . . . The words "To Be Continued".

If it takes two hours to give us the season's first episode of NCIS, Criminal Minds, etcetera, put the damn show on for two hours. Those of us who like the show are going to tune in next week anyway. There is no need to make us come back with a "Guess who killed JR" ending. 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit gave us a two hour premiere, and though we watched Benson trying to come back from the horrors she faced over the summer break and in the first hour, the criminal cases were not connected so NBC could actually have aired the shows separately. (Do you think NBC did it that way just to keep me for an extra hour?)

If I want to be left with a cliff hanger on a continuing drama I will watch General Hospital or The White Queen. However, when I want to sit down and knit for an hour or two while watching a procedural that doesn't encourage my thinking, do not leave me with a "To Be Continued".

As much as I love my Gibbs, Reed, and Morgan, I was not a happy camper and my daughters who had looked forward to watching the shows I had DVRed for them have decided to wait until all the pieces are ready to be viewed.

And the networks wonder why they are losing viewers!

Welcome to the Spellroom. 

Today we having a new rising star in romance! Dana Stone has stopped by to say hello! 

A hostile takeover, an irresistible adversary and unexpected lust. What else could go wrong for Erin Cameron? Find out in To Catch a Billionaire

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/pllltcn

Nook: http://tinyurl.com/oarxdht

Thanks for inviting me to stop by today, Liberty. I enjoy visiting you and your readers who love romance.

Since you’ve given me permission to talk about anything I’d like, I must warn you, I could be all over the place, like a cheap skirt. Seriously, though, I’d like to talk about romance and the book I just published. To Catch a Billionaire…sounds like fun, right? First off, I’d like to say that I hadn’t realized another (prolific) author had used that same title. You can be certain that my novella has nothing to do with that one. I should have researched the name before I got started, but it seemed to fit my story so I rolled with it. There was no intent on my part to minimalize Xenia Ryder’s novel.

I worked out the story by using my art background as a beginning. The heroine, Erin Cameron, owns an art gallery in Greenwich, CT. The hero, Tristan Forsyth, is a billionaire who takes great pride in acquiring art galleries all over the world. Why? Because he can, will, and does, no matter what it takes. This time around, he’s focused on Erin’s gallery, without realizing how stubborn she can be, until he learns her secret and threatens to use it against her. Will he win this fight or will she win his heart? Find out in To Catch a Billionaire.

Planning out a story takes time and effort, often with little return at first, but then wham…the book takes off and the ride begins. I enjoy fast cars, and racing, as long as the ride is fun and fast, I’m in for the long haul. You never know what readers have in store for you. Some like a book and others, eh it’s so-so. I’m happy with that, either way. The like part is enjoyable, the eh part makes me wonder if I could have made the book better and how I could have achieved that. When someone writes a scathing remark (tirade, etc.), I wonder what joy they get out of it. Suffice it to say “I read the book, but didn’t care for it” instead of writing a load of drivel. (Getting off my soapbox now…) The story planning part for me is like watching a movie unfold. It runs like a video in my head, nagging me until I get it onto the computer. While it’s great fun to write and still the voices in your head who beg to be front and center in your life until the story has come to fruition, it’s still hard work. Writes, rewrites, and more rewrites are the life an author leads. Not complaining, just saying… :~)

I remember years ago I couldn’t seem to find a readable book. One that grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go until I stayed up until four o’clock in the morning to finish it. I complained (whined, really) to my husband about it. In typical man fashion, his response was “Then write your own if you think it’s that easy”, thus began my career in making up stories, enjoying the characters and being able to do and say whatever I wanted without censure. Nice, right? I think so! My editor does pull me up short every now and then with words of warning concerning my attitude, so I don’t always get to be a twit.

My siblings were much older than me and went to private schools, where they lived most of the year. It felt like I was an only child most of the time. We lived in the middle of nowhere, no neighbors close by with kids to play with, so I made up my own friends. Invisible ones who had great adventures and did as they pleased. I now know that’s when my storytelling days began, but I didn’t realize it then.

If you have stories in your head that are bugging you to get down on paper, then I say “go for it” the trip is fun while you twist and turn in every direction. You won’t want to get off when the ride ends. Try putting your story into Nanowrimo which is a great place to start your writing career. www.nanowrimo.org

Thanks again for having me, Liberty. See you soon for a cuppa tea!

 

Coming Soon!

Slacker

I admit it, I have a tendency to be a slacker. 

We all have busy lives. There is always something that takes precedence over all the other things we have to do. If you have to walk the dog, that takes priority over reading a book. Feeding your family is a must, cleaning your car drops down on your "honey do" list.

With most of the bloggers I know, the blog is actually very low on the must do list. Once you miss a blog deadline it is much easier to miss another and another. Have you been following a blog that suddenly hasn't changed for several weeks, or months.

I myself have been guilty of neglecting my blog.

I am busy with the kids, my meetings, writing my books, reading other books, research, watching television, and before you know it, months have gone by and no new blog. 

When this happens it is worse than starting a new blog. You have lost the trust of those who had previously read your blog. How do you get it back?

I'm not sure. I'm still working towards that end. 

In the early days of this blog I concentrated more on craft (writing craft) articles. When I decided I had ignored this poor baby long enough, I realized that writing craft articles was one of the reasons I had stopped blogging. I would read a book and see all the same problems I had already blogged about, and it was much too early to start repeating subjects.

Now I write about whatever crosses my mind. And it is working. I have plenty of subject material and a new joy for the blog.

By now I hope you are wondering the reason behind today's blog. 

I scrolled down the sidebar to check out a few of the blogs I have loved reading in the past, mostly by other authors, and I found that they have suffered from the same malaise.

They haven't posted a blog in months. Some of them have been silent for over a year. It broke my heart, but I deleted all those blogs that haven't posted since 2012. (With one exception, my friend Hannah Howell. She has been talking about reviving her blog, and I decided to give her a little more time.)

I urge you to check out some of the blogs I have listed on the sidebar under "Favorite People With Blogs. If you have a favorite blog, or an active blog of your own, please let me know about them and I will add them to my list.