Wednesday Web Wanderings – Write or Die

30 crazy days!

A fellow writer (and Nanowrimer) turned me on to this great website called WRITE OR DIE which can be found at http://writeordie.com where they “put the PROD in PRODUCTIVITY”.  It is a fun and useful tool for helping you to write a lot in a little bit of time… or suffer the chosen consequences.

You determine 1) how long you have to write, 2) how many words you want to write during this time, 3) your consequences for how pausing will be “punished” (Gentle Mode, Normal Mode, Kamikaze Mode, and  Electric Shock Mode… okay this last one isnt quite real), and 4) your grace period before the prodding begins (Forgiving, Strict, Evil ).  I chose “Normal/Strict” and reached my goal of 500 words in 30 minutes… with a few moments of the screen going red and some awful music playing.  Be warned, “EVIL” will start to delete your words begining with the last one you wrote.  Now, that is evil.

This link: http://writeordie.com/#Web+App will take you right to the part with the web app (there are downloads available for your pc and ipad for purchase as well).  It’s a great tool both for fun and productivity, especially when time is short and your word count needs to be as high as possible.

Let me know if you try it and what your results are.

Now, can I count this blog in my nano word for the day?

Monday Writer’s Prompt – Missed Holidays

It's that time again....

Last night on November 6th I took my sons trick or treating, almost a week after the actual Halloween holiday.  We live in Massachusetts and had an unexpected and destructive snow storm last week which caused the delay.

And it made me wonder…

How would my character feel if she didn’t get to celebrate her favorite holiday?  What would it take?  What would she do instead?  What if it was her birthday (like in Sixteen Candles when everyone forgets).  Would the hero find a way to make it up to her or create something even more special?

What would your characters do?

Have a great and productive week!

Monday Writer’s Prompt

How about something short and sweet:

If I had more time and more money I’d….

And while we’re waiting for that time and money, come visit me at the interview I did at Starla Kay’s website: http://www.ravenousromance.com/fantastica/waves-of-pleasure.php

Have a productive week!

Tuesday Tell All – Gotta get back to work, but first…

As I work to get the edits and additions done for PEAK EXPERIENCE… here’s another excerpt from WAVES  OF PLEASURE.  Today… Drew and Lyria finally meet :).

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The combo was in full swing when Drew noticed the gorgeous woman at the bar. Her very long red hair was hard to miss since it hung loose to the center of her back with strands curling around her face. She turned as if sensing his attention and he was riveted by her features. Her mouth was full and lush, begging to be kissed, and her eyes were almost doll-like in their size. He wished the room wasn’t so dim so he could see their color, but even from a distance he noticed an uncertainty.

He watched her sip a margarita. The pleasure on her face as she swallowed made him long to keep her pleased. It was the strangest reaction, but too strong to ignore. She wore a light blue sleeveless dress that appeared to be made from a material so thin he wondered if in the ankles. He was dying to see her legs.

He saw other men noticing her and, with a sudden feeling of possessiveness, he moved to introduce himself. He was glad for the noise because it gave him an excuse to lean close to her when he spoke.

“Welcome to The Siren. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. I’m Drew Crawford.” He held out his hand and she slid hers gently into it. No businesslike handshake from her. Instead the touch had an intimate feel as though she were caressing the most available part of his body.

“I’m Lyria, and no, you haven’t seen me here before. I only arrived in town today.”

“How did you hear about us?”

“I didn’t hear about you. I heard the music and came to hear more.”

“You like it?”

“Yes, very much. It has a beautiful flow and harmony.”

“We only started hosting jazz nights a few months ago.”

“Clearly it’s popular,” she said, gesturing to the crowd.

It was the most casual conversation he’d experienced in a while, but as long as her attention was on him, he didn’t care. “So, what brings you to the area?”

She paused before answering and he hoped her reply wouldn’t mention a man. “I needed some time away. I’d visited years ago so when I was looking for a place to disappear to, and this seemed like a good choice.”

“It’s still early in the season. Wait until schools are out. Then it gets really crazy.”

“I can handle a little crazy,” she said with a smile. The uncertain and distant look in her eyes disappeared when she smiled. It was as good a reason as any to keep her smiling. Unfortunately, business took the opportunity to intervene in the form of one of his servers.

“Hey, bossman, there’s a problem in the kitchen. A clash of wills—or won’ts—again.”

He shook his head. Drew’s two lead chefs were at each other’s throats at least once a night, more often if he was unlucky. He had come to understand the literal meaning of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Something needed to change and soon, or it was going to be a long and painful summer. Tonight, however, was not the night to do it. For now he’d calm the waters and get back to Lyria as quickly as possible. “I need to take care of this personally. I hope you weren’t planning on leaving.”

“I’m enjoying being here, so I expect I’ll be staying.” A stray piece of salt clung to her lip and she licked it away. Drew wondered if standing up without attracting attention was going to be an option.

WAVES of PLEASURE – new excerpt

Waves of Pleasure - click to go to the order page

Yes, I am continuing to change my usual theme postings in favor of giving you a taste of my newest release WAVES OF PLEASURE. 

Today you’ll meet Lyria, my mermaid heroine, as she steps onto the beach on the Jersey Shore. Enjoy and have a great week!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lyria found it quite fun to watch him walk naked out of the water. He had the most marvelous ass, which she hadn’t had a chance to see years ago. It had been a lovely surprise to see him swimming and even better when she discovered he wore no clothes. Although she’d visited this beach yearly, she hadn’t noticed him in a long time and was thrilled to see he had returned. Since she last saw the life-saving man, he’d changed a little, but was still as marvelously sexy as ever. She couldn’t resist making contact with him—he was simply too tempting—and Lyria preferred to give in to her temptations whenever possible rather than waste energy trying to resist them. There were so many things she needed to take seriously, so she took her fun wherever she could. He was definitely fun.

First she trailed her long hair over his legs. She needed to dart away quickly because he changed his position so fast. She’d been so caught up in his body she’d forgotten he wouldn’t be expecting her touch. When he began to float again, the moonlight on his skin begged for her fingers, and again she reached for him, this time with her hand. His skin was warm, even after having been in the water for a while. She only needed to slip away a few feet when he searched for what had caused the feeling.

She was sorry to see that shortly after her interaction, he decided to go back to the land, but she was delighted to know he was here again. She took it as a sign from Melusine that this is where she should be to hide the Stone of Fate from Fiero, the Sea Dragon. It would definitely make her stay among the humans more pleasurable to have a familiar face—and body—to enjoy.

She discovered this place when she was young, drawn by the laughter which traveled beneath the water and the energy of the people who played here. Although she never had any desire to walk among humans, as some of her kin did, she liked the atmosphere of this place. Even when the air chilled and the numbers of people dwindled, she occasionally peeked in on this piece of Earth to see and feel what was happening. Over time, she noticed businesses open and close, saw lovers meet and break up, and watched as the sea reclaimed pieces while the arrogance of humans tried to push her back.

Because of her responsibilities and ongoing concerns about the Sea Dragon, it had been more than two seasons since she last visited. When she fled their most recent battle, it was clear she needed a secure hiding place for herself and the Stone, away from other merfolk. An image of the wooden lane and the lights as they reflected in the water at night came to mind. She set out immediately.

Diving under the water, Lyria fetched her scaled bag which held a few necessities for her time on land. Mostly clothes and a pair of shoes—which she hated—so she’d be able blend in with the humans. She swam to land and, as she got closer, shifted from fins to legs, an ability all mercreatures had although there were some who rarely used it. She gasped during the change as a pain lanced through her, a nasty reminder of the injury given to her by the Sea Dragon earlier in the day. The shift had ripped at the skin and the wound was bleeding again, with the added discomfort from the salt water.

She walked onto the beach, enjoying the sand beneath her feet. It took hours to swim there and she was tired and ready for sleep. Calling on her magic, she dried herself, slipped into the clothes, and walked out toward the businesses and nearby homes. She knew enough about humans from stories to know there was nothing she’d be able to accomplish at this late time in their day. Tomorrow would be soon enough to join the crowds, and no one would guess a mermaid was walking among them.

For tonight she reached out with her senses, another gift merfolk used, since they needed to be able to communicate through the density of water, and found an unoccupied home where she could spend the night. Taking out a hair comb, she undid the simple lock and let herself in. She uncovered a couch in the central room, folded up the covering as a pillow, and lay down. Placing her hand on her injury, she covered it with scales, hoping the healing would be further along by morning. She was still close enough to the ocean to hear the waves, to feel its pull on her heart. As she closed her eyes, she sent a small prayer of thanks to the Goddess for getting her here safely and for the continued safety of her family.

Friday Bedside Book Review – The Second Betrayal by Cheyenne McCray

The second in the Lexi Steele Series

I’m taking a break from talking about my book to talking about an author who inspires me – Cheyenne McCray, who’s books are passionate, well paced, peopled with great characters and (grab the ice water) *very* hot.  She’s done several different series including the Armed and Dangerous series, Night Tracker series, and the Magic series (along with some great stand alones).  I, however, happen to be a fan of the Lexi Steele series and this is the second Ms. McCray has written to date.

Lexi Steele and Nick Donovan are an excellent team. Nick is that strong alpha you dream about. However, without a great heroine I lose interest.  I particularly like Lexi because she is both strong when she must be and has a touch of understandable vulnerability because of her history and her deep love and commitment to her big Irish family.  Together Lexi and Nick are a fiery combination. The heat between these two was papable in the first book and is even more so now.  If you like your romantic suspense with sizzle – this is the series for you.

One of the interesting things about this book is the mix of POV (points of view).  When we are in Lexi’s POV, the book is in first person.  For Nick and everyone else, it’s in third.  When I read The First Sin I was surprised and it took me a while to get used to it, but I’ve definitely come to like it and appreciate the differences it gives the reader.  We are *in* Lexi’s head, hear all of her thoughts as though she were talking to us and I’ve found it made me feel more connected to her, which is espeically important given the intense plot going on all around her (professionally: human trafficing; personally: mom has breast cancer).

When I am working on a manuscript, the closer I get to the end, the more I need to read books only in my genre because the language and the atmosphere are similar.  This is where I find Ms. McCray inspiring.  Her mix of characterization, plot and heat is strong and consistent. Her pacing is excellent; her dialogue snappy and realistic. It’s like having a mentor at my bedside. 

Ms. McCray… I wanna third Lexi novel, and I’m certain I’m not alone in that desire!

Thursday Favorite Things – A new release – excerpt

Waves of Pleasure

Yes, I am going to be giving you teasers from WAVES OF PLEASURE for the next few days.  Have a new novel released is definitely a favorite thing for any author.

Today’s excerpt is from the opening of chapter one.  Enjoy!

Drew dove naked into the ocean, unconcerned about the lack of a lifeguard. In early June the water on the Jersey Shore was still brisk from the winter’s chill, but he didn’t care. The water finally hinted at summer and he had been waiting to feel the embrace of the waves since he came back in March. He probably wouldn’t be able to stay in it long, but even a short swim would be worth it.

He loved the salty coldness on his skin and reveled in the slightly illegal swim. Not only was it two in the morning, but if he remembered correctly, skinny dipping was against some ordinance. Somehow, when he was in the ocean he had no worries and any problems he did think about seemed small and insignificant. Maybe when he was back on his financial feet he would start saving for a houseboat so he could eventually leave land behind for good and live on the water. Or at least live closer to the ocean—just not in this area. He had lots of college friends who liked the West Coast. He could go out there.

As he floated and allowed himself to dream of an unanchored life, he felt something brush against him. He didn’t think too much of it, assuming it was part of the undercurrent, but when it happened again and it felt like a stroke from his foot to his waist, he dropped into the water and came up treading.

“Hello? Anyone there?” Spinning around, Drew stared into the shadows, trying to discern shapes. The beach had been deserted when he arrived, but it didn’t mean that someone hadn’t come by after him. When there was no answer but the waves breaking on the shore, he stretched out on his back and resumed his swim.

The caress happened again a moment later, this time gently sweeping over his chest and directly to his cock, where it lingered for a breath before disappearing again. He knew it couldn’t be a wave. The placement seemed too deliberate. But lifting his head he still saw no one. He felt beneath the water but didn’t discover anything. He’d always found swimming naked to be arousing, but this was different. If he didn’t feel the Atlantic around him, he would have sworn he’d been stroked by a woman.

Wednesday Wanderings – Ravenous Romance – RELEASE DAY!!

Waves of Pleasure

Today I hope everyone will wander over to www.ravenousromance.com where WAVES OF PLEASURE, my newest novel, released today.  It’s always so exciting to have a new book available and I am thrilled with the cover they created for the story (and if you click the cover, you’ll go to the buy page!).  Here’s the blurb:

Mermaid Lyria, knows her legends.  Humans – especially men – are not to be trusted. They can be played with and enjoyed, perhaps, but no more. But to keep the Stone of Fate hidden from Fiero, the Sea Dragon, she will need to lose herself in their world.  To keep it safe, she chooses a place she has secretly visited since she was young – the Jersey Shore.  There she meets Drew Crawford, a man she’s watched from afar for years.

A man not happy in his own skin, Drew is completely drawn to Lyria who seems to revel in hers, not taking anything too seriously, and enjoying everything around her (including Drew).Their chemistry is unmistakable, and the sex is blisteringly hot- but Fiero is on her tail, so to speak, and he will stop at nothing to get the stone from her, even if it means taking her head from her neck to get it.

Lyria may have found a love that runs deeper than the seas, but will it be enough to defeat Fiero and save the Stone of Fate?

I was on a crazy deadline writing this book, but I am so pleased with the way it turned out.  I’ll be posting excerpts  for the next week. I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you thought.

And now.. back to my happy snoopy dance.

Tuesday Tell All – I’m a little behind

It's a little behind... get it?

Yeah, after doing so well through the beginning of August, the last few weeks have been busy with things other than writing – which makes me feel very unbalanced.  I love writing, and I miss it when I don’t take the time to do it daily.

I need – and want – to get back to my 500+ words a day (closer to 1,000 words would be better) and get the edits and additions to PEAK EXPERIENCE done.  I have figured out how to get rid of the charcter/conflict that was weakening the book and upped the heroine’s conflict, both internal and external, which should help overall.  My goal is to have it complete by the end of the month.

But how did it get to be the 13th already??

How are you doing?  Are you where you want to be?  Need to catch up?

Monday Writers’ Prompt – I think I forgot something

Deadlines, family, hurricanes, end of summer…. I could keep the list going of the things that kept me from my daily blogging routine.  Instead – I’m going to use it (’cause that’s what writers do with everything, isn’t it?) as my writing prompt for the day

What is something your character might/could forget that would cause a problem?  A meeting?  A birthday?  A date?  How does the forgetting change them or their situation?

Or… start a story with someone forgetting something important go from there.  Do they not care at all?  Are they terribly upset?  Do they miss out on something important because of their mistake?

For my current heroine, she actually needs to forget something.  She needs to forget to live her life by rigid lists.  Do you have a character who would benefit from forgetting?

And in the mean time, I hope you remember everything you are supposed to today and this week!