Teaser Tuesday

June 30, 2009 Teaser Tuesday

Dangerous Secrets is scheduled for release in July. While each of the dangerous books stands alone, they’re even better read in order, Starting with Dangerous Surrender, followed by Dangerous Rescue , and then Dangerous Secrets.

For reasons, I only partially get, the most recent book in any of the series I’ve got going is the most difficult. This holds true for Dangerous Secrets, or as I think of it–Sam’s story.

When he appeared in the first dangerous book, he was already an anti-hero. In the second installment, he got worse. By the time the third book opens, his fun edges have been burned away, leaving a man driven by vengeance.

One damaged protagonist is plenty to redeem. But, since I’m saddled with perverse muse, Karina, his heroine arrives in a bad mood and proceeds to complicate his already miserable life.

Music Monday

June 29, 2009 Music Monday

More inspiration…

Sunday funnies

June 28, 2009 Sunday funnies

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Six-pack Saturday

June 27, 2009 Six-Pack Saturday

I do the same things over and over and yet I’m never bored. Because, I’m easily amused and things are never exactly the same twice in a row. In no particular order here are six items from this week’s chore list.

1) Make the bed

2) Groom the dog

3) Vacuum and dust–yes, technically two items but I do a lot of dusting with the vacuum….

4) Mow the lawn, I’m not sensible enough to have a nice flat lawn. I like the look of softly rolling edges, think golf course. Naturally, this makes mowing even more difficult. Not to put too fine a point on it, it’s a hot, sweaty, exhausting job. Naturally, I love it.

5) Water the garden, which makes the grass grow faster, but I like it green and pretty and softly rolling with those flat pools here and there.

6) Change guest room linens

So, what’s on your chore list and do you enjoy or dread the duties?

Fan Girl Friday

June 26, 2009 Fan Girl Friday

The magic connection that makes the words on the page come alive is tough to analyze. Authors, who suck me into their story world so thoroughly can get away with all kinds of writing craft crimes. I either don’t notice or don’t care.

There are still, thankfully, plenty of writers who can accomplish this. But, tis true that I’m a much fussier reader than I used to be. For example, I dislike first person tales. However, there are authors, who can pull off first person and still capture my complete attention. Alice Siebold, Lee Child,and Helen Fielding come to mind.

What is it that makes an author’s voice work so well? I’m still not sure. Here are a couple of things I think are involved:

1) Characters, I can relate to or am fascinated by. They do not have to be admirable, Scarlet O’Hara started the story as a spoiled scheming bitch, willful, and opportunistic and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

2) Story worlds, that are exotic and yet consistent enough to be believable. Jack London’s stories, Nalini Sighn’s series, P.G. Wosehouse’s tales–all have this in common.

3) Details, these are the building blocks that form the characters, form the worlds, and ultimately form the story. Susan Elizabeth Phillips paints extravagant word pictures with intricate, telling details woven like a tapestry throughout her stories and makes me believe outrageous things.

All of the authors I admire have mastered details–their styles are different. In each case, the words flow surely, dispensing the perfect amount of information to rivet the reader.

Which authors are sure things for you?

Real life

June 25, 2009 Real life

On Thursdays I leave the writer’s cave and the secret garden behind, venturing out into the real world. I do this on other days too, but Thursdays are a scheduled departure.

There are group meetings I attend–including a readers circle, grocery shopping, and errands all bundled into Thursday. I seldom get a lot of words written on those days.

I live on the edge of good sized city, and yet their is a small town feel to the area. I run into people I know at most of my stops, exchanging friendly words and sometimes hugs. I flirt with men, chat with women, and generally have a great time.

Frankly, I’m amazed at how easily and pleasantly hours pass without a trace of work. But, part of the brain continues to toil away while incommunicado. I know this because, it’s usually after a day away from the computer that new ideas bubble to the surface.

WIP Wednesday

June 24, 2009 WIP Wednesday

Before I move back into the pirate’s world. I’m fooling around with revising a short story. The trick with shorts, at least for me, is the challene of cramming a satisfying reading experience into a small format.

The build up and resolution are both, by necessity, skimpier. This means the magic connections depends on the reader, even more than usual. The short story still requires a plot, fully fleshed out characters, and a compelling tale. It just gives me way fewer words to accomplish these goals.

Why was it I wanted to work on this short? Oh yeah, writing craft and discipline. I can be real wordy….

Teaser Tuesday

June 23, 2009 Teaser Tuesday

Wicked Games was released last month. You can read the first chapter here. Just for dangerously sexy fans, an extra excerpt:

“What do your friends call you?” she asked, fighting to breathe evenly.

“Damien, if they want an answer.”

Rhianna laughed at his almost stuffy serious manner. He was so deliciously young. Suddenly, she felt much more at ease with him. “So how long have you been a masseur?”

“A few years,” he said. His gaze slid away from hers as he patted the freshly sheeted table in invitation.

She doubted the honesty of his vague answer. But, she wasn’t going to grill him. She hopped up on the table, and then turned awkwardly, trying to preserve some decorum on the narrow surface as she lay on her stomach. “You must have started very young.”

“Oui,” he agreed his deep rich voice full of smooth confidence once again.

And why shouldn’t he be confident, he looked like the Greek God of seduction. Was there such a deity? She couldn’t remember–mythology and college seemed a lifetime ago.

Rhianna let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d held as the top sheet floated over her behind. Before the extra layer of protection fully settled, the towel, which she’d wrapped so securely, was whisked off without further ceremony. The loss of her covering effectively pinned her to the table with modesty.

Before she had a chance to grow seriously discomforted, oil-slicked hands stroked her foot, finding new points of pleasure. Unlike any other massage she’d ever had, the sensation was divine, erasing all conscious thoughts as tension flowed out of her body. The lotion’s sweet scent of coconut and wild ginger lulled her. A delicious languor seeped through her as he continued to work on her feet.

Slowly, so slowly, so very slowly that she felt no alarm, his hands traveled to her ankles. Again, he found surprising nerve endings, which made her sigh with satisfaction. Tension melted away under his expert caresses. Her calf muscles yielded to the wonder of his soothing strokes and sensuous kneading. When his thumbs worked on her hamstrings, a small moan escaped her lips.

“It feels good, oui?” Damien’s silky voice teased her ears.

“Very good,” she admitted reluctantly. A small voice whispered about the danger of being so relaxed. Alone with a large, powerful, and charismatic man was hardly wise.

This was madness, especially reckless, Rhianna reminded herself, when her sexual needs had been on hold for so very long. But the faint warning voice grew even softer because her whole body was humming with lovely sensations. Every centimeter he touched melted, until she was nothing more than a steaming puddle of achy need. And the voice of caution had been drowned out by desire.

He massaged the muscles in her behind. Without any thought of the consequences, she instinctively arched into his hands.

Before she’d settled fully back onto the table, he slapped her bare bottom hard enough to warm her southern cheeks.

“No pushing,” he scolded. Instantly, he returned to kneading her now stinging derriere.

She mumbled something that passed for an apology. A flush spread like wildfire across her breasts, up her neck to her cheeks, and back around pulsing with scorching heat into the heart of her urgent hunger.

The sensation grew so strong so fast, that she fought to stay conscious.

Feminine muscles tightened and eased ever faster in a pulsing pattern that pushed her close to climax. When she was seconds from an extremely overdue orgasm, he moved up to the base of her spine, and then began stroking and kneading her back.

Her disappointment was so sharp she wanted to cry out from the stinging frustration.

Gradually, her body eased back from the throbbing peak. Her crankiness receded under the pressure of his capable hands. She allowed him to soothe away the tension in her upper back.

A moan of sheer bliss escaped as his talented fingers found and released a knotty band of tightened sinews.

He spoke with matter-of-fact confidence. “See how good that feels. You need to relax, and let me take care of you. I know what you need.”

A pang of jealousy pinched as she wondered how many women he’d said exactly the same thing to. The touch of his strong hands did feel divine. But she was used to being in charge. And what was more to the point, she wasn’t at all sure about his master and commander attitude.

Though, when he’d spanked her behind–she’d nearly climaxed.

Gentle tugs and rubs lulled her restless hand and eased away more knots of the tense muscles of her arm. Her shoulder and neck muscles released under his attentions like over wound springs set free. They unrolled back into well-oiled pliability at the heat of his magic touch.

Then he stopped.

Music Monday

June 22, 2009 Music Monday

Inspiration….

Sunday funnies

June 21, 2009 Sunday funnies

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