The Writers’ Police Academy: Hot Cops + Cold Steel

Really? Yes! The last weekend in September, I attended Lee Lofland’s Writers’ Police Academy near Greensboro, NC. I went the past two years as well — but this year’s conference was the best ever! I had such a good time, met some big name people, and learned so much. I was even able to interview a SWAT Team sniper in a search for info about my current WIP. Awesome!

The Firearms Training Simulator (FATS) was a literal blast, as usual. I didn’t do so great when I faced the first scenario; guess it took me a minute to get back in the groove. In the second one, however, I didn’t shoot the hostage I thought I’d brought down. Turns out the hostage taker knifed the guy after I nailed the bad guy in the crotch. Then once the hostage hit the floor, I shot the hostage taker in the chest and that was that. Two direct hits. Woot! So. Much. Fun!

Some of my favorite classes were Underwater Evidence Recovery, courtesy of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office dive team; Suicides, Hangings, and Autoerotic Deaths, with one of my favorite instructors, Bill Lanning; Personal Protection for Women, taught by the unshakable Dee Jackson; Drug Interdiction; How a Case Works, by Marcia Clark, the woman who prosecuted OJ many moons ago; and Forensic Identification, taught by the estimable Dr. Elizabeth Murray. To top it off, Lee Child of Jack Reacher fame was the keynote speaker at Saturday night’s banquet. Wow. I could go on and on… because really, I had the time of my life.

In addition to the classes and the firearms simulator, this year I was also able to  ride along with a member of the Greensboro Police Department. I rode with Officer Ashley Hawkins and got to see a good sized section of the city. She and some of the other officers I met during the evening were all so young, I felt as if I’d been dropped into an episode of Rookie Blue. Too funny. And unfortunately for me, the few hours I tagged along with her proved to be relatively uneventful.

Officer Hawkins couldn’t even find anyone with an out of date car tag. We did investigate a supposed gunshot, however, and near the end of my ride, she got a call to check out a burglar alarm at a really creepy empty warehouse. When cops get an alarm call like that, they have to search the entire building, just in case; the place was huge, so she asked another officer for help, and he showed up with a trained K-9 — a beautiful German Shepherd used to doing building searches. The alarm kept shrieking, though, and they couldn’t hear the dog bark, so they still had to go through the entire place. That took a while. Another cop drove around to the back of the building and checked the ancient loading dock. They didn’t find anyone inside, and I guess that was good… although I would have loved a little more excitement. As it was, I was late getting back to the pickup point. Oops.

I tip my hat to Lee Lofland, the extremely competent staff of the Highpoint Public Library, Sisters in Crime (a wonderful organization that subsidized the conference fee for their members), the folks at Guilford Technical Community College, the men and women of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office and the Greensboro Police Department, and the staff at the Embassy Suites Hotel. What a fabulous few days it was for all of us! I know I’ve missed a lot of people, so please forgive me.

I recommend this conference to anyone writing crime fiction. Can’t wait for next year if Lee, SinC, and the library folks decided to tackle this again.

Meanwhile, I’m in promotion hell. I have a new book out this month… and more coming soon. So much to do, so little time.

HAUNTED MEMORIES, my October book from Desert Breeze Publishing, is a re-release, and I’m so happy to have it back out there. When it was out before, it got excellent reviews. In this story, Olivia Bartlett is stunned to find her old friend, Deputy Tucker Hawkins, living in the house she has inherited, but she’s even more shocked to glimpse her cruel stepfather lurking in the shadows. Has Walter come back to haunt her, or is he really alive–and trying to kill her? To survive, she must turn to Tucker, who not only stakes his claim to the old house, but also to her heart.

The book is available at Desert Breeze, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other online outlets.

Also, my book SKELETON BAYOU is at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for only $.99. Hope you’ll check it out!

Yesterday’s winner of a free download of Arctic Dragon is…Gayle Latreille!
Congrats, Gayle! Email me! ~DD

Did you see…?

…the wonderful reviews Laying Down the Law received?

Had to make sure you didn’t miss those!

…that my January release, Shattered Souls, is ready for pre-order? And if you order it now, you’ll save over $5 on the cover price. Want to know what it’s about? Here’s my little write-up, although I’m sure Montlake is going to do a much better blurb…

A bloody handprint on the inside of a mirror forces a disgraced ex-cop to seek help from two former lovers, her ex-partner and a powerful sorcerer, to stop a murderous demon

*~*~*~*~*

Private Investigator Caitlyn O’Connell lost it all to booze—her plum job as a detective for the Memphis PD, her partner and lover, and her own self-respect—in an attempt to drown out the voices in her head. When her ex-partner drags her to a murder scene where she’s his only real lead, she knows the time has come to face her greatest fears and harness the inherited gifts she’s always rejected. That she’ll have a chance to prove she had damn good reasons for shutting Sam out of her life is just icing on the cake.

The last thing Sam Pierce wants is to revisit his painful relationship with Cait, but she’s the only lead he has. Sam doggedly follows Cait into a dark world filled with magick and unholy terrors as they search for killer wraiths and the demon who commands them.

Tempted now? 😉

Sunday Report Card

Below is my To Do list of projects I started in April. Everything in green is written. I still have 9 things to try to plow through before the end of the year.  Works you will be reading soon include:

A Perfect Trifecta (BDSM, menage) — the next in the Delta Heat series with Samhain, coming 11/13
Tarzan & Janine (romantic comedy) — I hope to share a blurb and cover, and maybe a scene this next week. Sis and I are publishing this ourselves and hope to have it ready to release by the end of October!
Wild at Heart — this is the charity anthology to benefit a large cat refuge

So as you can see, I’m still up to my ears in projects. Does anything there tempt you? Want to know more? Just ask!

Love Letters

First off, thank you for having me, Delilah! 🙂

It’s a pleasure to be guest blogging here, although I have to confess I was nervous trying to think of a topic to write about. Although I love reading and writing erotica, I don’t consider myself a very romantic person, but luckily my partner inadvertently provided me with the perfect topic to write about…

This morning I woke up and found a love letter waiting for me on my computer. Literally. A small, folded square of notepad paper was taped to the corner of my monitor with my name neatly written on the front in elegant cursive.

Now, I’ve received countless affectionate emails and sweet texts from lovers in the past, and every single one made me feel loved, but there’s something different about receiving a handwritten love letter.

My heart caught in my throat as I plucked the note off my monitor and carefully unfolded it. It was short and straightforward:

I love you. Remember that. Even if your meeting is a disaster, I love you and everything will be fine. Just do your best. Try not to get too nervous.

I’ll be working late tonight, but you can call my cell if you need to talk. I’ll call home before I leave the office and pick up dinner on my way back.

Love you,
Dahlia

PS – Bring an umbrella. It’s raining today.

It was by no means a flowery or beautiful declaration of love and devotion. My partner’s penmanship was neat and her message was brief. The letter had been written on the notepad we keep on the desk to jot down quick reminders or memos. The top edge of the paper was ragged where she had torn it from the pad.

I was moved by her letter, though.

I found myself blinking back tears as I reread her message. My index fingertip traced over the writing; her pen had left indentations in the thin paper. Looking at it more closely, there were hidden, heartwarming hints of Dahl’s personality in her note. Some of the words on the left side of the page were slightly smudged from the heel of her palm because she writes left-handed. She had originally written the word ‘crazy’ at the end of her first paragraph, but crossed it out and replaced it with the word ‘nervous’. The postscript was written on a slant and the words were scrawled in a loose manner that didn’t match the rest of the letter. I could easily picture her leaving the apartment, discovering it was raining outside and rushing back upstairs for her umbrella. She hates being late, but despite that, my partner had taken the time to stop at the desk and add this extra reminder for me, before rushing out of the apartment again.

After rereading her note, I folded it carefully along its original creases and slipped it into my bag for safekeeping.

If I had received this message in an email or text, I would have been grateful and touched, but I doubt I would have been moved to save the message. I would have simply read it, sent a thankful reply, and then erased it. Because I received her words in a physical letter, however, I held on to them. I tucked her words into my purse and carried them with me all day. Even though the letter wasn’t in my hands as I made my presentation, I still felt I was holding her message close throughout my meeting and it gave me strength.

In fact, when I got home from work, rather than throw out the letter, I tucked it into the small box in my closet where I keep my sentimental items and keepsakes.

There’s a certain magic in handwritten letters, beyond the meaning of the inscribed words themselves. There’s the unexpected surprise and excitement of receiving a mysterious, sealed envelope with your name written on the front. There’s the tactile experience of unfolding the letter, smelling the ink and paper, and feeling the weight and texture of the note in your hands.

There’s also the intimacy of knowing the sender touched this letter, held it and bent over it as they addressed it with their thoughts and feelings for you. They deliberately chose this paper, this envelope, this stamp, and these exact words for you.  There is no spell checking or auto-correction in handwritten notes. The writer can’t easily edit their words once they are marked, in ink, on the page. There is no opportunity to rephrase a thought or restructure a paragraph, and there’s no option to right-click and browse through a drop down list of synonyms for a better word.

I believe there is an unspoken, almost subconscious, message of love written between the lines of handwritten letter.

The words are more sincere, their intention is stronger, and there’s a certain permanence to their message. Each word in a handwritten note is deliberate and thoughtful, and together they carry more meaning because of the method in which they are shared.

Despite how rare it’s become in this digital age to send or receive handwritten letters, I sincerely hope that each one of you knows the feeling I’m talking about: the sweet thrill of finding an unexpected, mysterious letter waiting in your mailbox, addressed just to you. J

About the Author:

M. Marie lives in the heart of downtown Toronto and she is both an erotica writer and enthusiast.

She’s also a huge supporter of the arts – opera, the theatre, fine arts and textile arts, in particular – as well as a big fan of video games, animation, comics, and writing of course!

As a freelance writer, who has very recently begun writing erotica, she is finding the experience challenging, but exciting. It has made her discover new sides to herself, led her to strengthen her personal relationships, and is constantly pushing her to critically examine boundaries she didn’t even realize she had.

M. Marie blogs at: www.mmarie.ca

A quick note! Today’s stops in my book blog tour are:
Krystal Shannan – Where Love and Destiny Collide 
Reviews by Molly
There’s an Amazon.com gift certificate up for grabs!

I’m a little late getting this together today! It’s been a busy week. Today, I have to do another round of edits for A Perfect Trifecta, the next of the Delta Heat stories. Did I mention this one’s all about sex? I don’t know how I managed that, but then again, maybe I do. Craig, Aiden and Jenn are pretty insatiable people. 🙂 And if I had a Dom like Aiden calling the shots, I’d never want to leave the playroom either!

I’m also working on a YA story for a charity anthology. I know. You’re scratching your head over that one. More about that later though.

I have winners named below for my latest contest, and I’ve extended the date for the Promo Ho contest. I won’t post a new giveaway until I get the past two contests’ winnings mailed. I’m a horrible procrastinator, but the stuff is piling up on my contest shelf, so I really do have to take a break and get it cleaned up. My personal assistant, um my daughter, has been overburdened with schoolwork, but I will make sure she carves out an hour or so to come help me.

But you don’t want to hear about my problems, you want to know who won, right?

Voodoo Doll Contest and Promo Ho Winners!

The winners of a voodoo doll or a Mardi Gras-style Voodoo necklace, plus assorted promo items are:

* Stacy Wilson (Sep 13)
* Mary Preston (Sep 16)
* Vanessa P (Sep 17)
* Judy Keim (Sep 21)
* Kathy Lewis (Sep 23)

Congratulations, winners! Be sure to email me to let me know what your snail mail address is!

The “Promo Ho” winner of the latest $25.00 Amazon gift certificate is…Kim Matlock! Congrats, Kim, and thanks for your support!

Ongoing Contest — The Promo Ho Contest

What can you win? One $25.00 Amazon.com gift certificate, given to a new lucky winner every week of the contest!

What do you have to do to enter? See the covers below? These books are in sore need of online reviews by readers. So I’m offering a tempting bribe. You know there won’t be as many entries for this contest as for the Voodoo Doll contest, so you stand a better chance of winning! And wouldn’t you like to have some cash to spend on new books? And who knows? Maybe you already have these stories sitting on your TBR pile. Time to move them to the top!

Give an honest review for one of these stories on one of the online bookstores. Send me the link at del…@delilahdevlin.com. It can be the same review on three different sites, but send me three separate messages with the different links. Doesn’t matter if the review is on Samhain’s or Ellora’s Cave’s website, Amazon or Nook—send me the link to the review. Easy as that. Send me the link!

This contest end date is extended to October 11!

Two things to remember!
1) A comment here today for Maggi Andersen earns you a chance to be one of five Voodoo Doll Contest winners TOMORROW!
2) It’s not too late to follow me as I continue on my book blog tour! The prizewinner won’t be announced until the day after the tour ends! Here’s where I’ve been and where I will be today!
September 24:  My Odd Little World
September 25:  The Brunette Librarian
September 25:  Delighted Reader Book Reviews
September 26:  SnifferWalk

Book Title: A Baron in her Bed
Author: Maggi Andersen
Series: The Spies of Mayfair Series
Genre: Historical Romance (Regency Romance)
Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing
Paperback/Ebook
Expected Publication: September 6^th, 2012

Book Description:

“London, 1816. A handsome baron. A faux betrothal. And Horatia’s plan to join the London literary set takes a dangerous turn. Now that the war with France has ended, Baron Guy Fortescue arrives in England to claim his inheritance, abandoned over thirty years ago when his father fled to France after killing a man in a duel. When Guy is set upon by footpads in London, a stranger, Lord Strathairn, rescues and befriends him. But while travelling to his country estate, Guy is again attacked. He escapes only to knock himself out on a tree branch. Aspiring poet Horatia Cavendish has taken to riding her father’s stallion, “The General”, around the countryside of Digswell dressed as a groom. She has become bored of her country life and longs to escape to London to pursue her desire to become part of the London literary set. When she discovers Guy lying unconscious on the road, the two are forced to take shelter for the night in a hunting lodge. After Guy discovers her ruse, a friendship develops between them. Guy suspects his relative, Eustace Fennimore is behind the attacks on his life. He has been ensconced in Rosecroft Hall during the family’s exile and will become the heir should Guy die. Horatia refuses to believe her godfather, Eustace, is responsible. But when Guy proposes a faux betrothal to give him more time to discover the truth, she agrees. Secure in the knowledge that his daughter will finally wed, Horatia’s father allows her to visit her blue-stocking aunt in London. But Horatia’s time spent in London proves to be anything but a literary feast, for a dangerous foe plots Guy’s demise. She is determined to keep alive her handsome fiance, who has proven more than willing to play the part of her lover even as he resists her attempts to save him.”

Purchase Links:

Pre-Order Amazon: : https://www.amazon.com/Baron-Her-Spies-Mayfair-Series/dp/1908483342/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1340246757&sr=8-2&keywords=a+baron+in+her+bed

About the Author:

Maggi Andersen and her lawyer husband are empty nesters, living in the countryside outside Sydney with their cat and the demanding wildlife. Parrots demand seed, possums fruit, ducks swim in the stream at the bottom of the garden, and the neighbors chickens roam their yard providing wonderful eggs. She began writing adventure stories at age eight. Three children, a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing degree later, her novels are still filled with adventure and suspense, but are also passionate romances. Georgette Heyer among others, brought inspiration to her seductive Regencies .

Find Maggi Andersen at:

Website: https://www.maggiandersenauthor.com/
Blog: https://maggiandersen.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @maggiandersen

Today, I’m headed to Little Rock for an appointment. I won’t be checking in until I get home, so I’ll leave you with a question…

If you could own any prop that was used in a movie, which prop would you choose?

Anyone for Tennis?

Don’t know about you but I was glued to the coverage of the US Open, just as I am to all the Grand Slams. I so admire the dedication of the players and the excitement of seeing new blood come up through the ranks. Andy Roddick bowing out was pretty damned emotional, don’t you think?

As an author I find it far easier to write about what I know. Saves on all that pesky research and lends authenticity to the author’s voice. I was involved in a local tennis club for years, so I feel qualified to write about the sport – in a fictional capacity, of course. Tennis clubs are hot beds of gossip and intrigue, a bit like any group of people from different walks of lives thrown together by a common interest tends to be. There are natural leaders, bullies, suckers-up and cynics by the dozen. Sound familiar?

In Topspin, just released by Musa Publishing, we get to know the members of an up-market tennis club on the Isle of Wight in England. It could be anywhere in the world though since the above principles apply.

Jack Regent is a reformed gangster who’s retired to the Island to spend his time playing tennis, drinking too much and brooding. A bit of a hunk, he’s a magnet for all the single women, and some of the married ones too, but Jack isn’t interested in long-term relationships. Still married to Tania, the love his life, he’s smarting over her adultery and doesn’t want to go down that road again.

Then there’s Claire, the most attractive woman at the club, married to an older, successful Cardiologist. Outwardly the devoted spouse, she has voracious sexual appetites which she satisfies through a series of supposedly discreet affairs. Part of her knows it will all end in tears but she can’t seem to help herself, until it’s too late to stop the rot.

Angie is tight-lipped about the father of her fourteen-year-old twins, until he turns up unexpectedly, with devastating consequences for more than just Angie. And we mustn’t forget Ed, who bullies his wife and is determined to take control of the club for his own financial gain.

When the new coach turns out to be the man Tania cheated with, Jack is forced to confront the issue he’s worked his way through countless bottles of scotch trying to forget. Reunited with Tania under the most violent of circumstances, for the first time he has reason to doubt his position as the injured party. He’s spent years trying to hate Tania for what she put him through. That’s never going to happen, but is it too late to put the past behind them and start again…

Topspin by W. Soliman now available from Musa Publishing or Amazon.com

Find out more about me and my books at my website: www.wendysoliman.com or on Facebook at Wendy Soliman – Author. Follow me on twitter @wendyswriter.

Thanks so much for having me here.

Wendy