Fandom, Fandoms EVERYwhere!

Do you find your heart getting broken on at least a weekly basis by characters that don't even exist except as the fictional spawn of some evil writer's mind? Who do you 'ship'? Likewise who's your OTP? Are you stuck in a glass case of emotion due to the feels in last week's Supernatural?

Totally lost yet?

If you're under 30, probably not. If you're over 30ish, you might be scratching your head just now.

I, however, who will be 42(Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, don't ya know) tomorrow, am a proud 'fangirl' and equally proud member of many fandoms. 


Per the ever knowledgable Wikipedia; 

Fandom - is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the object(s) of their fandom and spend a significant portion of their time and energy involved with their interest, often as a part of a social network with particular practices 

A fandom can grow up centered on any area of human interest or activity...., the term has its roots in those with an enthusiastic appreciation for sports. Merriam-Webster's dictionary traces the usage of the term back as far as 1903.[1]

Fandom as a term can also be used in a broad sense to refer to the interconnected social networks of individual fandoms, many of which overlap.

Wow, 1903? Seriously? Sounds like the Doctor's work. :)

You might also find this link helpful. 

sincere-guide-tumblr-slang

Now, while I have a tumblr account, I haven't signed into it in at least six months or more. I do find tumblr a little 'young', but that hardly means I don't love a good deal of the same shows. If you are still one of those who shrugs televison off as shallow and nasty, where have you been for the last 15 years?!?!

TV is now so much better than movies, I barely see the reason to hit the theatre anymore(The Marvel series and anything starring Martin Freeman is an obvious exception to this rule). There are literally too many excellent shows around to possibly keep up with(unless you are a teenager, living at home, with no dreams of college) or you have a serious Red Bull habit. 

You need to come out from under your rock check out AMC, HBO, FX, CW and BBC. Let's lift the curtain and give you a glimpse of what you're missing:

The worst (best?) offender has to be BBC. Airing both Doctor Who and (occasionally, every 3 years or so) Sherlock, it has to claim the crown for most rabid fandoms by virtue of those 2 shows alone. 

Easy there, Grandma. 
DOCTOR WHO

The story of a time-traveling alien, courtesy of his sentient ship, (not to be confused with the 'ship' as used above) the TARDIS(T.ime A.nd R.elative D.imension I.n S.pace) that looks like a 1950s London phonebox. (it got stuck, okay?)

The Doctor has two hearts, a revolving door of 'companions' and the ability to regenerate at the point of death into new characters(possibly the most brilliant plot twist ever conceived of). 

I have a vague memory of watching a few of these shows as a pre-teen, around Colin Baker's era as the 6th Doctor in the 80s. 

I got drawn into 'newWho' about 2 years ago. Now, Doctor Who has been on television since the 60s, in various reincarnations. newWho refers to the era started in 2005 by Russell T. Davies.(the creator of the spin-off show; Torchwood-the title itself an anagram for Doctor Who, which sits neglected on my to-be-watched-when-I-have-time-to-breathe list)

It was most def NOT love at first sight. My kids and I tried, over the course of a YEAR, to get into the show. But the godawful visual effects and cheesy scripts were, to put it politely, a bit of a deterrent. 

I was honestly becoming worried about the mental state of the friends who kept insisting that show was SO wonderful. 

However, as more and more friends admitted to loving this madness, we decided to try...and try again. After suffering through the first two episodes, some hope was given with Episode 3, 'The Unquiet Dead' featuring a story line using Charles Dickens. It wasn't bad, certainly not great, but ok. We carried on.

By 'Dalek' (Ep.6) I was thinking, 'yeah, I could like this. Maybe.'

Then came the stunning brilliance of Ep. 9, 'The Empty Child'. And we've been lost ever since, sucked into the Whovian vortex. It is a show that gets its claws into your heart, then gleefully rips it out by the roots, stomps all over it, shoves it back in your chest to start CPR just so it can do it all over again.

I bless those crazy friends everyday for their persistence. Doctor Who is magical and if you haven't experienced it, your life is poorer for its abscence.

SHERLOCK 

Created by Stephen Moffat(who wrote many of the most beloved episodes of Doctor Who and is now at the helm of that enterprise) and Mark Gatiss(who starred in a Doctor Who episode and wrote a few-besides also starring as a major character in Sherlock--the BBC is very incestous, FYI), Sherlock is of course, the latest(and IMO, greatest) incarnation of the beloved Sir Arthur Conan Doyle detective.

Brilliantly written(at least the first two seasons, and much of season 3) Sherlock follows a somewhat different character take than the norm. Besides taking the 'science of deduction' to almost mythical proportions, this Sherlock is like nothing you've ever seen before.

Despite the knockout performance by Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock, it is Martin Freeman's John Watson who repeatedly blows me away. The nuances and depth he brings to the character and the relationship between the two is....beyond words. Both heart-breaking and funny as hell.

And the cliffhanger at the end of season 2? 

Just let me say, you'll never see it coming and you'll never get over it. Amazing supporting characters (like Irishman Andrew Scott as Jim Moriatry, the poignant Louise Brealey as Molly and the divine Amanda Abbington as Mary Watson(incidently Martin Freeman's other half in the real world.) 

Also Rupert Graves as Dectective Inspector Lestrade is dynamite, as he was in his role as a big game hunter in Doctor Who. (incestous BBC, I told you.) Don't get too attached to anyone, when Moffat's writing, though. Fair warning.

In fact, I believe, anyone who has watched Doctor Who or Sherlock has felt at least a brief, burning desire to stab Stephen Moffat in the eye once or twice — or you're not a true fan. (I'm saving a dissection of Moffat for another blog, grr!). He is a heartless, sometimes sloppy-as-hell, but undeniably gifted writer. This series proves it like no other.

Probably one of the best things ever written for TV. Argue as you will...

SUPERNATURAL

I am a late-comer to this fandom, even though it ranks as part of the both broader and narrower fandom known as Super-Who-Lock, 

which, if you're remotely clever, you will realize means that rare breed who is obsessed with all three shows; Doctor Who, Sherlock and Supernatural.

Supernatural is the story of brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester and their family's long and bloody history with, you guessed it, the supernatural. Since the murder of their mother, in baby Sammy's nursery years ago, the Winchester family has been hunting demons and other monsters, looking to help people who otherwise would have no where to turn, and also to find answers to their own family's murder mystery.

Until brilliant and bookish Sam, never satisified with this status quo, bucks his father's wishes and accepts a full ride to Sanford and tries to pursue a normal life.

This doesn't work out for Sam when Dean shows back up, to tell him their father is missing. Another horrific murder occurs and soon Dean and Sam are on an endless road trip to find their father, fighting demons and monsters and ghosties along the way.

The best thing about this show so far to me is the relationship between the brothers. I honestly expected to crush heavily on the side of Sam(on looks alone, forgive my shallowness, lol), but within two episodes I was firmly locked on Team Dean. 

There is something about Jenson Ackles' smart-assed, wise-cracking yet emotionally nuanced performance that is totally irresistable. 

But this show is about more than the (admittedly, delectable) beefcake. Killer plot twists, intriguing monsters and a lot of heart, not to mention a fair amount of sass and fun cheesiness. One of my fave goofy things Dean does is their fake names. The brothers are constantly impersonating FBI, DEA, ATF and etc., other agents or professional figures in their travels. Dean always comes up with the names.

One episode it's Agents Ford and Hamill, the next it's Reverends Simmons and Frehley. Call me a goofy rocker chic/nerd child of the 80s, but it makes me giggle everytime. Don't be fooled though, this can be one hell of a scary show. And a violent one. 

We are just finishing up Season One and I am utterly delighted to have 10 seasons in front of us to wallow in. My son informs me we cannot consider ourselves Superwholocked until we finish Season 2, so after my minor surgery tomorrow(yes, I get surgery for my birthday, ain't it cool?) I will be binging heavily this week for my recovery. :D

Soooo, feel free to let me know, do you consider yourself part of any fandoms? Once Upon A Time, Grimm, Sleepy Hollow, Game of Thrones, etc? Are you Superwholocked? Who do you ship, if anyone? Personally, I ship Sherolly(Molly and Sherlock) but that's about it.

Also, how wonderful is it when you meet someone who shares your fandom? Doesn't just equate to this great emotional shorthand, where you just know you're going to adore that person, no matter what? lol

Any other great shows out there I should know about(no, please, have mercy---I already have a queue years long!)

Oh go ahead then, just maybe one or two.....

Who Wants to Go to Ireland?

I have being dreaming of this my entire life.

Going to Ireland.

Okay, maybe not my ENTIRE life. I doubt my toddler self knew where the damn bathroom was, let alone the Emerald Isle, but don't be so damn literal.

The point is, the dream is closer than becoming reality than ever before. It's not set in stone yet, due to  health considerations I can't yet predict, but it is sneaking closer and closer. Spring Break, April 2015.

Shannon Airport. Oh please, oh please.

Why Ireland? Let me count the ways, lol.

The accent. Celtic punk. Green. The myths. Castles. The accent. Blue eyes. Horses. Irish tin whistles. Mist. Poetry. Guinness. Fairy rings. Jameson's.

Did I mention I am rather fond of the accent?

I think this all may have started for real when I starting reading Morgan Llywelyn's books. Lion of Ireland and the Pendragon Cycle series, then the phenomenal story of Cuchulainn, Red Branch. I'd already had a serious thing for the Arthurian cycle and myth, and thanks to her,  I became obsessed with Celtic myth as well.

Then there was the whole horses phase. I was, like about every girl child born in the 70s, seriously horse-mad. It didn't help my mother at the time was breaking horses and working at a horse ranch. I have a clear memory of a book about an Irish breeder with these amazing pictures, all that green, like velvet, with these white rocks spilling down.

This isn't it, but you get the idea.

Oh, and we can't forget the Eddie Rabbit song. Anyone even remember him? My mom loved him. I spent hours listening to this song

I also love Celtic music, most particularly Celtic punk. And then there's Dylan Moran, Liam Neeson and all those delicious Irish exports. 

You may wonder, after all this gushing, do I have any actually Irish lineage? Actually yes, though not nearly as much as I'd like, lol. My great-grandfather on my mother's side, William Aldrich, was born in Ireland and immigrated here as a teenager. Supposedly anyway. You never know about those old family tales. The geneology of that side of the family has never been thoroughly dug into, so hard to say for sure. 

I am more Scot and Swedish than anything else, and while I have a definite thing for Scotland, it is Ireland that calls to me more than anywhere else. 

Now I am not a total prat. I don't expect the Ireland of the Llywelyn books, or movies such as The Secret of Roan Inish, or even The Commitments. I am quite familar with what to expect of the Ireland of today and I know it's no fairytale. I don't care.

I just want to go. I want to drink a pint of Guinness in a Dublin pub, walk on the Giant's Causeway, stare down the Cliffs of Moher and listen to real Irish music. I want to go to all the places I've written about in my own books and put my fingers in the dirt and smell the grass.

My itinerary will be short, and unfornutately I just can't fit everything I want to in 9 days, but I am going to give it a whirl. My main places to hit are Lough Gur, Donegal, the afore-mentioned Cliffs of Moher and the Giant's Causeway. Then onto Dublin and a quick flight to the Isle of Man for a couple days to do research on my upcoming book(last of the Celtic Elementals series) Lightning In Sea.

What would be your can't miss places to visit in Ireland? 

Where would you go if you could pick anywhere in the world?

Achieving the Perfect Length—The Good, the Bad and the Fugly

You know you wonder about it, sometimes it even keeps you up at night, doesn't it? Are you inadequate, over-compensating or are you one of the rare anomalies who might just have too much of a (hopefully) good thing?

You know how it goes, how thick is just too thick? How long is just right and how long is 'ouch!'? How short is 'blah' and how short is a nice tease?

You do realize what we are talking about here, don't you? Length, thickness, it all boils down to the same thing---

WORD COUNT!!

Hehe, you should see your FACE! ;)

Anyway, now that we have a handle on things, let's move along.

What is the perfect length anyway? Is there such a thing? Do you abhore short stories, regurgitate at the thought of novellas or choke on the thought of an 800-page novel? What is just right to some will no doubt be uncomfortable for others, and vice versa.

Hermione's idea of light reading might make some weak at the knees, for instance.

Writer's Digest
has this to say about standard lengths of Adult Commerial & Literary Novels.



In short:
80,000 – 89,999:       Totally cool
90,000 – 99,999:       Generally safe
70,000 – 79,999:       Might be too short; probably all right
100,000 – 109,999:    Might be too long; probably all right
Below 70,000:           Too short

110,000 or above       Too long


Where do you fall on this scale? Is it all good, you know the old adage, it's not the size of the ship, but the motion of the ocean?

Personally, I fall firmly on the side of it's the skill, not the length. With a few exceptions, of course.

In novels, it truly does make no difference to me as long as the story is served. Short & Shorter is a good blog on the subject, she defines the standard lengths of stories outside of novels:

Short Story = 3,500-7,500 words

Novelette = 7,500-17,000 words

Novella = 17,000-40,000 words

I will also add 2 other forms, 

Super Short = 1,500-3,500 words

Flash fiction = under 1,500 words

In these forms, things get a little dicey for certain genres.

Horror lends itself beautifully to all these forms, romance, not so much.

Literary also works well with all forms, as do sci-fi, UF and fantasy.

Are there exceptions to these rules? Yah, sure. But you show me a writer who can do a good flash fiction romantic suspense and I'll eat it. Stephen King can get away with movies being made of his short stories —Larissa Ione, not so much.

I write primarily paranormal romance for publishing at the moment. It is important that I understand what works for my genre. I think novellas can be done in romance, particularly PNR or fantasy-based romance, but you have to be careful. Readers are properly wary of the shorter forms in romance. It is difficult, at best, to flesh out a meaningful relationship arc in less than 100 pages.

My novella, Phoenix Rising accomplishes this because the 2 MCs are former lovers, brought back together by violent murder. This allows me to take a short cut on the whole 'met and fall in love' bit. Miles and Kelsey have already met, already fallen in love 10 years before the novella even starts. The story has more to do with betrayal and trust and how broken people and relationships can be made whole. I think it works, but like I said, it's tricky. Phoenix Rising doesn't nearly match my standard-length novel, Smoke in Moonlight  in sales or freebie days, and I have come to the conclusion, word count is probably most to blame for that. 

Where do you fall on the whole length thing? Or do you gobble up anything and everything?

It's worth thinking about, whether you are a reader or a writer, because what people like and buy drives the market. In the end, size DOES matter.

How Dirty is TOO Dirty?

If you are a romance writer...or reader, you know the drill, right?

Some people think romance isn't about the plot or the characters, it's just about the sex. Which in some cases, let's face it, it IS! But how much is too much, and how little is too...well, little.

Hmmm, obviously like most things, this is a matter of personal preference—to a point. Here is a guide recently posted on one of the boards I follow on Goodreads, (taken from  allromanceebooks)

1 flame- Stories will either not have consummated love scenes, or if the loves scenes are consummated detail is not given.
2 flames- Stories will have some love scenes. These will be more sensual then graphic and will mostly rely on euphemism.
3 flames- Stories will have sensual, yet more explicit love scenes, and the language used to describe them may be more graphic and direct.
4 flames- Stories have frequent love scenes that are explicit and described using graphic and direct language.
5 flames- Stories have a high frequency of love scenes that are explicit, described using graphic and direct language, and/or contain subject matter that some readers may consider objectionable.

Personally, I like a heat level of at least 3 flames or higher. But I am someone who reads pure erotica on occasion, so obviously my tastes may be somewhat extreme for some. I am not a vanilla person, though I have nothing against it, per se. But to me, when I read romance, I expect SOME sex, and if I don't get sex, I am going to be disappointed. The same way if I read a horror book that isn't scary, or a fantasy book that lacks imagination, I am not going to be a happy camper.

As a writer, how does this affect me, do I tone stuff down intentionally, so I can appeal to a broader audience? The answer is yes, sometimes. Though less and less lately as I become more confident of where I am headed. For one thing, you simply can't please everyone, and you really shouldn't try.
The exact same book can get a review whining that there was way too much raw sex  and then the very next  review can say there wasn't nearly enough sex and what there was, was bland.

So in other words, the best policy is just to be true to yourself, write what you love and write passionately about it and like-minded hordes will hopefully flock your way.

Unless, of course you're into spaghetti bondage, or IDK, latex suits and oil. That could be a narrower audience, just saying. But I don't judge, to each his or her own, No fighting here.

Books do seem to have been getting a hell of a lot steamier since FSOG came out. There is a trend towards what is ultimately erotic romance. I am good with this genre as long as its written well and there are either strong characters or a strong plot along with the pages and pages of sex. In other words—

This

Not THIS

Because bad writing is still after all, bad writing. If you can't write, no matter how much or how little sex you put in your writing, it is still going to suck.

So then, HOW do you write good sex? How do you make it natural, but hot? Steamy and not goofy?

Again this can be a matter of personal preference,. For instance, check out A Rose, by any other name 

While I agree with some of this, others kinda of lost me. I have used 'swollen nub' and 'nether lips'. Not a lot, but honestly, I don't know what some readers expect. YOU try coming up with a dozen clever names for cock and pussy and see where that leads you. There is only so many words in the English language, people! And for that matter, what about pussy? Is that too crude? Mostly for me, yeah it is. I don't think I have ever used that term in my books and I doubt I ever will, except maybe as dirty talk, not a euphemism. 

But I have read other writers who used it successfully, even the dreaded cunt has worked in some books I have seen. Also remember what is taboo in one country can be somewhat 'meh' in another. For instance that c-word is usually considered vile in the US, in the UK it's far more acceptable.

Still, the best policy is to go with what feels natural, if you have to force it, it probably won't be good. And know your audience, if you write fluffy contemparies with frothy sex, a foray into grtty PNR with a back alley fuck is probably not going to go over too well. But can you push it a little?

Sure—I hope.

For instance, my series Celtic Elementals starts with Smoke in Moonlight which has its fair share of steam and darkness, but is positively sweet compared to the upcoming sequel, Blood in Fire. But the far darker, more wordly and damaged characters demand it, so it works. Will some readers be turned off by the racier tone? Absolutely. But I will have to live with that. 

And some readers will undoubtably love the darker, more explicit feel, so it all works out. Alrighty?!

I got a review for Phoenix Rising , my vamp/psychic ex-lovers novella that complained there was no story, just all sex. But when that book went through beta reading, I was critized because there was no 'real' consummated sex scene, so I actually added one at the end. Which gave the 82 page book a grand total of TWO sex scenes. Go figure.

To climax, go with what turns you on, whatever that may be, but don't be afraid to mix it up a little, in writing AND reading. You are only limited by your own mind, after all.

Happy reading!

**yes, I had fun with silly double entendres in this blog, bet you can't spot them all! hehe

Support-Not Just For Bras and Briefs Anymore

Speaking of bras, funny story. A friend of mine has a highly precocious 5 year old boy. Awhile back, she left her bra on the bed while she was doing something and the kiddo happened to notice.

"Mom!" he said. "You left your boobs on the bed!"

IKR?! So cute...I mean the story, of course. And Martin, Martin is very cute....imisssherlock, imissfargo, imisssherlock, iMISSsherlock...

Oh sorry, got distracted. Where were we again?

Support, yeah that. Not only good for boobs and other dangling bits, it is so important for indie writers.

So important. Did you get that?!

There is no way to overstate this. Publishing companies are big for a reason. They have hundreds, sometimes thousands, of writers under their unbrella. This gives them mega wads of cash and influence, which makes it a whole lot easier to that whole advertising and marketing thing.

Indie writers, we're all alone.

Umm, yeah, moving on.

Alone, except for our fans! That means you. (I hope!)

If you wonder why indie writers are always whining about reviews, reviews, reviews, I'll tell you why. Listen up, k? Highly technically information follows:

Amazon's rankings process is a tangled mass of bullcrap.

It IS! And it is an awful intimidating slope for newbie, indie writers to try and climb (think Cliffs of Insanity with no Andre the Giant in sight!) 

Every click on our links, every view, every purchase, every review is pure ambrosia for us! Seriously, it is the nectar of life. Being pushed even into the top 100,000 garners tons more exposure, being thrown up into the top 10,000 is no less than a godsend and going into the top 1000?!?

Pretty much winning the Mega Millions.

The ranking system is how Amazon decides how many people see our stuff, fall in the ratings and you slump for days, maybe weeks, months and forver(if you don't work like hell to get back up).

Get a bump in the ratings and that exposure can lead to a good week or two of sales, just from 1 review or two or three purchases!

Why is this important to readers? Because if you really love our stuff and the diversity and low prices brought to you by having indie authors in the mix, you need to feed us, keep us from starving. This business is brutal and so discouraging at times that great writers drop by the wayside daily.

Did you hear that?

DAILY!!! 

Never to be heard from again. Hopefully that makes you sad, it sure makes me sad.

So PLEASE review, retweet, share, blog, gush, rate and like! SAVE the indie authors!!

So in that vein, what can indie authors like me do to help other indie authors? I AM a fan and a reader after all!! And really, all good indie authors are, too.

So do I put my $$ where my mouth is? 

Most definitely.

If I read a great indie book (4-5 stars) I rate and review it on both Amazon and Goodreads. Sometimes, if it is especially awesome I mention on my fb. I also use bitly and Twitter to do a little thing most Sundays that I call 'Diamonds in the Rough'. I post bitly tweets to all the best indie books I have been reading. 

If you don't know what bitly is, it is just a site that shortens long URL links to manage Twitter nibbles. 

BITLY

But now ONLY does it give you shortened links, oh NO. It also lets you track how many people then click on those links you've created. SO I can see how many times my tweets actually made someone check out a book I recommended. Obviously, that doesn't guarntee it was purchased, but it is gaining exposure and certainly a few purchases, considering the numbers I see. And as my Twitter account grows, so do the numbers.

I also recommend pages of authors I like, like their Amazon autho pages(if they have one) and mention their books in posts and blogs, like this one!!

One of the best YA(young adult) series I have EVER read(and yes, I am including Hunger Games and even Harry Potter in there!!) A UF (urban fantasy) with awesome world building and nail biting action and edge of your seat climaxs, these are books you will race through, forgetting to eat or sleep.

They are that fantastic, Jennifer's editing can be a little rough(like mine sometimes, sob!) but her writing is so damn good you will barely notice, trust me! This trilogy is AMAZING! I adore Lyric, she is one of my favorite heroines EVER.

Veilwalker #1

http://Veilwalker #2

Veilwalker #2

Veilwalker #3

This was my first really good indie read, and it was a doozy!

A total unique UF based in an alternate universe London(London!! yes!!) it deals with zombies and hags and this utterly cool world I wish I had thought of. Super, incredibly fresh writing!

The Secret Dead

Another writer I would place under the bright pink unbrella of fresh and unique is Zoey Dubois

She is also a British writer, like SW Fairbrother above, but Zoey writes comtemporary romance with a wonderful vibe that will make you feel like you have been transported to the UK.

Her book Inheritance was so damn good I had a book hangover for like a week after finishing it.

This is an explicit, somewhat dark read, so maybe not for everyone, fair warning, but I loved it!!

Here is my gushing fan girl-esque review Fangrrrling

And the link for Inheritance

I also read this phenom little novella last week. UF/PNR. More great world building, (more jealousy that I didn't think of something like this!!) A world where faes, vampires, weres, etc are all represented and regulated by the Coterie, a rather menacing organization. This novella is a great intro to the world, through the eyes of a man kidnapped and pressed into sexual slavery by the Fae as a child. 

Throwing Away the Good

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, a very dark, gritty, VERY explicit little treasure. Romantic suspense like it has NEVER been done before. The hero is, hmmm....well, IDK how to describe Rushe, but you sure as hell won't forget him. This book is a knock out. Highly graphic, though, so again--fair warning.

Explicit Instruction 

So there you have it, now go forth and SUPPORT your indie authors(and don't leave your boobs lying around, alrighty, bra?!?) 

:D

Long Time, No See

Long time , no see and all that jazz.

I really am not the most consistent of bloggers, sorry about that. But this whole self-promotion thing can get a little draining for me and I have had a lot on my plate since June.

First off, Smoke in Moonlight, the first off my Celtic Elementals triology released in mid-June.

Smoke in Moonlight

I love this book, it is near and dear to my heart, as I have always been obsessed with Celtic myth and Ireland since my first taste of Morgan Llywelyn. It's also on sale til midnight tonight(8/3/14) so if you haven't picked it up yet, now is a fine time.

Here's a snippet of Ronan, an Irish werewolf cursed for centuries by a devious Celtic goddess and Lacey, a stranded American tourist swept into his world by the same goddess.

With a snarl, he whirled on her. He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and lifted her to him bodily, her toes dangling a good foot off the floor as he ravaged her mouth. His teeth nipped her lips sharply.

Lacey gasped and his tongue swept inside her mouth, delving into every curve and corner with irresistible purpose. When her tongue met his onslaught tentatively, he nipped it too, just enough to make her whimper before sucking it softly.          

He did things with his mouth she'd never even considered before. It was a brutally thorough kiss. Lacey was clinging to him weakly when he finally ended it.

"Do ye nae taste it?” he whispered, lowering her feet to the rug and peeling her hands from his shoulders.

"What?" Lacey asked, seeing him through a haze of shock...and desire.

"The darkness."

She stared, transfixed by the depth of pain in his eyes. The pain he was letting her see. More than anything, Ronan dropping his guard stunned her silent for several long moments.

"Yes,"  Lacey admitted finally, watching his shoulders shudder once at her words. Then she reached up and pulled his head back down to hers, so they were eye to eye. "But that's not all there is to you, Ronan."

He laughed bitterly, starting to twist away. "Do nae be so sure, lass. I'm not." She wouldn't release him, though they both knew he could have forced her to.

"I want you," she whispered. "I'm sure of that." For a moment, Lacey was thought Ronan was going to break her hold and stalk away.

Again.

Instead he just closed his eyes briefly, before picking her up and walking to the bed. He tossed her onto the vast velvety comforter before giving her a grim smile.          

"Be careful what ye wish for."

 I am currently writing the 2nd in this series, Blood in Fire, and I can't wait to share it with you. I am estimating an October/November 2014 release.

Then, just a few days ago, I released a novella, Phoenix Rising about two old lovers: Miles, a powerful vampire and Kelsey, a talented psychic. Ten years after she betrayed him in Paris, Miles is forced to come to Kelsey for help investigating a series of vampire murders.  This is a fast-paced dark story about murder, betrayal, vengeance and a psychopathic killer.

Phoenix Rising is also currently 99 cents and will stay that way due to the novella length of about 83 pages. Here's a taste;

Miles flung her back, away from him, and stood. Kels met the empty space where her chair had been and sank to the floor with trembling legs.

“We are done.” He gestured between them in obvious frustration. “I cannot do this. Merde. I thought I could, but…. Obviously I was wrong.” He looked down as she grasped the edge of the desk and got shakily to her feet. His nostrils flared. “You’re bleeding.”

Kelsey looked down and saw several long thin scratches beading scarlet just below her collarbone, where the splinters from the desk had caught her skin. Unthinkingly, she touched the blood, watching it stain her fingers as the sting of pain began to register. Miles grabbed the folder, his face an unreadable mask as he moved toward the door. “Bill me for the desk. It was a mistake to come here.”

“I’ll do it.” Kelsey’s voice was a pale whisper, barely more than a thought, but Miles heard her.

He slowed, but didn’t turn. “No.”

The word had the sound of a shudder.

‘If you had any other options, Miles, you wouldn’t have come here. I can help you. And I will.” Her voice shook, but she knew she had to do this. She had to help him. Some things could never be made right. Kelsey knew that. But she also knew you had to try.

“I will probably kill you first.” There was no threat in his voice now, only a kind of dull certainty.

“Maybe I deserve it.”

He turned around and faster than thought was right in front of her. Her blood-stained hand was still half-raised in the air between them, and his gaze dropped to it, then back to her face. His pupils were blown wide, night almost swallowing that gorgeous summer blue. His fingers curled around her wrist again, lifting her hand to his face so he could breathe in the scent of her blood. For one long slow second, Kelsey thought he would draw her fingers into his mouth and she trembled.

“Maybe, Kels?”

Then he was gone.

But he had left the folder on her desk.

Phoenix Rising

So that has been what's up in my writing word, whew! Also I am getting ready to release Shivers, my short story collection on Nook, now that my KDP exclusive limit has run out. I will definitely let you know how that goes. Oh I have also read some AMAZING books the last two months, I will get in a blog about that soon and also how to PROPERLY support indie writers. 'Cause you know we all need that, lol.

Take care, yous. I will talk to you soon...really!!  I promise!!

CHOOSING WISELY, I hope!!

Yes, I have been bad about both blogging and tweeting lately. I deserve 20 lashes with a wet noodle. I know.

Okay, okay 40 then! 

Anway, I have just been going a little cross-eyed with other things (family, end of school year for the kids, my son’s big trip to Europe at the end of July, et cetera, et cetara) Not to mention all kinds of writing, editing, research and creating covers. Oh and speaking of that, this article is PRICELESS, absolutely PRICELESS.

*CREATING BOOK COVERS*

Wonderful amazing advice and technical help that allowed me to create two GORGEOUS covers I am totally proud of, all for zip. Nada. ZILCH!!!

Here's another good site for the whole cover images thing, they give 20 free credits up front and that was enough for me to get images to make both my new covers.

iStock

After the freebies, you can pay in $20 increments to get images. 

I also recommend DEVIANT ART, which can be pricey but a lot of their artists will give you permission to use their stuff for free(just credit them, of course), or you can find artists you like under another site with a free creative commons. 

I particularly love dreadpiratefluffy's work, AWESOME!!

Also I learned how to download and install fonts this week! Yay!!

INSTALL fonts for PCs

Cool Fonts

And I had to make some choices.

HARD choices.

Ahhh, decisions, decision, DECISIONS.

Meh.

See I have two books near and dear to my heart that are both only about 2 weeks from being completed. 

The first, and the one I have been hyping more is PHOENIX RISING, a PNR novella about Kelsey, a paranormal psychic with a broken past and an incredibly powerful French vampire, Miles de Rousseau. Kesley and Miles are ex-lovers brought back together by a string of gruesome murders and forced to deal with the betrayal that tore them apart a decade ago. And face a psychopathic killer who is gunning for one of them. I love this story, I love the darkness and fury of it and getting to write about Paris, of course.

The other is the full-length novel, SMOKE IN MOONLIGHT, which also leans heavily PNR . The start of a trilogy seeped in Celtic mythology, this first installment deals with a dark curse gone wrong and lives tangled up in a web woven by ancient gods and magic. 

I love everything about this book, from the fact I get to write about Ireland and Celtic myth, both of which have been an obsession of mine since WAY before I first read the books of Morgan Llewellyn-he just made my obsession grow exponentially!-not to mention the entire cast of characters are some of my faves. 

Ronan Fitzpatrick, a man who bears a terrible curse and his amazingly wonderful family. Lacey Ryan, a laid-back, go-with-the-flow kind of woman who finally takes a chance on a life-long dream and gets waaa-ay more than she bargained for. This book also introduces, Aidan O’Neill. Aidan is....well, Aidan is simply the best character I have ever created. Viscous, loyal, sexy as hell and a little unhinged. A vampire prince who turns his back on his title and who harbors a burning desire that just may send the whole world straight to hell.

Not to mention Aine, a scheming, petulant Celtic goddess and all her crazy, sexy, violent kith and kin. It is a wild Irish ride.

But…

Which to choose?

I was going with PHOENIX because honestly, I figured it would be easier and quicker to get out, but I finally decided to go with S.I.M first.

Why? Part of it’s a gut thing, I think I need to make a stand and show what I am capable of  outside shorts and novellas (90% of the feedback I got from SHIVERS was that the shorts were too...SHORT. People wanted more, more, MORE!) 

So I am going to oblige. ;) And hope it is the right call. What do you all think?

I will have a firm release date for SMOKE IN MOONLIGHT by end of next week or so, stay tuned!!

And PR will def still be coming out, likely in July, maybe early August. And we will see what we see from there. *crossing fingers and toes*

Now back to the editing room--oh and SPEAKING of that--what is the thing that super cheap me would actually recommend you blow your epublishing budget on?

PROOF READING!!

This is the number one thing that separates self-pub from the biggies, other than editing, of course, which is a whole 'nother kettle of worms. (yes, I did that on purpose, a good editor would know that, see!!)

Oh, I hear the murmurs already---, hey,  I am a WRITER, I ACED English, I don't need no proof reader.

Bullcrap.

So did I, you know. A+++ in English, and English Comp. And I still don't make a LOT of spelling or grammar errors, except for me, maintaining tenses can be a slight weak spot.

However, every one of those pesky little mistakes will make you ILL when you find them after your book is already out. Sometimes we just look at our stuff over and over soooooo much, it blends and our eyes just skim right over little mistakes. 

I would def put proof reading as the number #1 place to put your $$$.

I like this lady's site, and will use try her services out when I get the moola and let you know what I think. 

Proof reader

And NOW--

let's get to writing, allons-y!!!

NEXT time--research, languages, and more details.