Just one more and a wake-up before I head off on my cruise!

Yesterday, I had a pedicure and solar nails done. And I packed—and repacked. Seems I have too many clothes. I managed to get everything stuffed into the bags, but I may have to mail home dirty clothes on my way back home. My tote with my laptop is HUGE and heavy, but I have to have every single thing I printed off to bring, so no budging there. I’ll just be sure to pack painkillers too.

Sasha and I have been trading emails. She’s excited and starting to pack. We’re both doing our best not to catch a cold. I’ve been sucking down Airborne and orange juice like mad. I worry about the fact I have no socks. I never wear them. Hate anything that restrictive on my feet. It’s why I wear flip-flops 10 months out of the year. When it gets cold, I switch to slide-on mules. But Newark will be icy. Ugh.

I managed to lose weight before the trip, but I wish I’d had the willpower to quit smoking too. I finally convinced my doctor to prescribe Chantix, but it arrived too late for me to start taking it. For some reason they don’t like to give ex-soldiers the meds. They think we get moody and suicidal. I’m a writer. I live with moody every day. Ah well, maybe the cigs will help me keep away from the buffet. And it leaves me another goal for the New Year.

While I’m gone, be sure to continue to check back here. I have guest bloggers lined up for every day. Stop by and give them your support! I’ll read all the comments when I get back. And I should have that action-packed second chapter of Bad Moon Rising to share. You ladies did have to select the most difficult scenario for me to write!

According to The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft, December’s moon is the Oak or Long Night Moon. In some places, the moon holds reign because night time hours surpass daytime hours—and I know, that’s only if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, but Idiot’s Guides aren’t likely to be read south of the equator, right? Okay, that kinda bothered me because “skeptic-logical me” came out to play.

My interpretation of what you’re supposed to do in December with all those hours of night? Fuck. A lot. And yeah, get things you’ve been promising yourself to do around the house done so you will be ready to start a bright shiny New Year.

Today, I probably won’t get a lot of writing done. I have to pick up those newly hemmed “booty jeans” from the tailor shop and get my nails done. And I have to start getting those guest blogs loaded so you’ll have a good reason to keep coming here while I’m gone.

I have to tell you about my dream. Last night, I was in Antonio Banderas’s arms. Antonio was a con man with a partner, and they were working a con in a bad part of New York. I went along while he played cards, mainly because I had a bad feeling and wouldn’t let him out of my sight. Well, someone drew a gun. The partner. And things went to hell. The game was happening in the back of a laundromat. The partner and Antonio put the other players into the washing machines to torture information out of them. Picture all those nude men with slick skin, wet hair and eyelashes, and suds sticking to their skin. I thought, damn I better not wake up now. But one of them drowned.

We had to run, change our names, and Antonio had to start a new con which involved essential oils for erotic purposes and which he demonstrated on me in front an audience. Can you imagine trying not to come when AB has slippery, oily fingers you-know-where? I wanted to cuss a blue streak when my electric blanket clicked and I woke up. Wonder what it all meant…

I swear it’s been a busy week, but the wordcount sure doesn’t reflect it. I did finish up NaNoWriMo, second year in a row, with over 50,000 words. However, a buddy of mine managed 100,000 words so I’m feeling like an underachiever! 🙄

I had another release this week—Raw Silk. I can’t wait to hear from readers to see how they liked my sexy firemen and the foursome they manage to seduce two very lucky women into joining.

But that’s the only writing-related news I have. The rest of the week was consumed by shopping, cleaning out closets and drawers looking for more things to wear, and making lists—packing list, guest blog list, and cruise To Do list. Can you tell I’m excited?

I found a lovely silver cuff and a silver and onyx ring for my trip, but also couldn’t resist putting a yellow gold and smoky topaz ring on layaway. If I actually have money left after the cruise (yeah, right), it’s my Christmas present to myself.

This next week I’m putting myself on no mail for the loops (except mine!) and packing. I’ll be gone twelve whole days so I do have to plan mix and match pieces to keep my suitcase under fifty pounds. I’ll also be preposting blogs for when I’m gone, because I’m letting my friends take over to give you something fun to read.

But I guess what you really want to know is who won yesterday’s little contest. By random number generator, the winner is…Jane!

Before I get to cruise talk, about yesterday’s poll…

First, thanks to everyone who cast a vote. However, I really, really thought you’d give me a definitive answer. Once again, you’ve fallen evenly between the heroine being seduced by the sheriff and the heroine getting busy with the sheriff AND the bad boy. I guess that means I get to break the tie, huh?

At least I know you’ve got nothing against DiDi pulling one of those TSTL moments (Too Stupid To Live) by walking into the woods when she can hear two large cats fighting. Don’t you care that she’s not worried about the panthers deciding she’s a meal worth fighting over? You also don’t care that she’s a complete slut. But hey, it’s your story. I just provided the options. 😆

Maybe I should just keep the poll open a couple more days.

No writing yesterday. I went to Little Rock to shop for shoes. I actually found a pair of flip-flops and a pair of cute little Mary Jane-ish shoes. I’m completely done with cruise shopping now. Oh, except for the Dramamine.

This is the last day of the annual NaNoWriMo challenge. If you add up the progress meters on the right, you’ll see I’m just a hair over 48,000 words. Before today is over, I will reach the 50,000 word mark and then you’ll hear some screaming.

There’s gonna be a whole lot of cussin’ and Snoopy dancin’ and Tootsie-roll moves. Not pretty since this white girl for sure can’t dance.

While I have my nose to the grindstone, make sure you check out my new free read, because you will have to tell me what happens next. Can’t do it if you haven’t met Mason and Bobby yet.

Drop me a note. Give me some encouragement, because my ass and fingers are sore and I tend to whine when I’m under pressure. 😉

Quick NaNoWriMo update: I’m at 46,055 words. I’m slamming words now. It’s ugly, but I am determined to hit 50,000 tomorrow!

This afternoon from 4-8 PM CST, I’ll be hosting the Ellora’s Cave loop. I’ll be posting sexy excerpts, running scavenger hunts, awarding prizes and answering any questions you may have. Join me if you can! If you aren’t already a member of that loop, subscribe here: EC Chat loop

This past week I accomplished a lot.

I wrapped up a partial for an erotic novel and shipped it to my agent. The editor at the house I’m targeting asked for something “hawt”. I couldn’t resist calling my book “Hot Enough”. Cross your fingers for me that she likes it.

I finished chapters 2-4 of a fun erotic novella for Ellora’s Cave. Three more to go. I want to have this sucker shipped by mid-week.

That’s the update. But I want to get a plug in for my Wednesday release, Raw Silk.

A wicked, no-strings one-night stand turns unexpectedly complicated when three lonely hearts collide…

Camille sacrificed romance for success long ago. Now that the lingerie company she and her best friend built is hugely successful, she has a few regrets. Wanting to let down her hair and explore the possibilities, she agrees to meet a man at a bar for drinks only to wind up needing help when she rebuffs his sexual overtures.

Jake and Daniel are two firefighters hitting the bar for a quick drink after a long shift when they see a classy beauty fending off an overzealous boyfriend. With a flex of biceps they chase him off then settle in to seduce the lovely woman whose eyes reflect a hunger they understand all too well.

What starts as a simple, pleasurable one-night stand, quickly burns up the sheets. While Jake knows he can’t let Camille crush their relationship because of age differences, Daniel still thinks he can walk—until he gets a whiff of Camille’s best friend Lacey. Suddenly three isn’t enough.

Read an excerpt here: Raw Silk

Also, I have a new free series that just started up. You’ll want to read the chapter, because later this week, I’ll be giving you a chance to vote on what happens next!

On a whim, romance author DiDi Devereaux decides to travel to remote Louisiana bayou country to take possession of a house she inherited from a reclusive relative. But before she reaches her destination, she drives her car into a ditch to avoid a large animal that leaps into her path. Rescue comes in the form of a sexy sheriff, whose gruff demeanor seems to hide a feral attraction. As DiDi settles into her new home she finds herself torn between her attraction to the sheriff and the raw, handsome bad boy whose offer to help her renovate her home is a little too convenient and tempting.

Nothing in Bayou Noir is what it seems. When strange things begin to happen, her natural curiosity leads her into danger…

Read Chapter One

Quick NaNoWriMo update: I have 44,348 words under my belt for the month of November! Almost there.

I’m bummed. Today was supposed to be a grand adventure. A trip to the woods to hunt ghosts. I bought a new lightweight backpack and spent last evening rolling a rainjacket, sweatshirt and scarf into little bundles to get them all inside. Recharged my camera batteries, replaced my red-lensed flashlight batteries. Burned copies of all the documentation I’ve accumulated about the mysterious Gurdon Lights for the rest of the team members. Highlighted a map to the site. Bought a compass in case we get turned around in the woods at night…

But our psychic’s sick. Can’t go ghosthunting without her. 😥

I had my daughter laughing on the phone this morning about all my trek-prep.

“You bought a compass? Do you even know how to read it?”

“Course I do, sweetie. I was in the Army.”

“But weren’t you the one who set a commo site up on the wrong hilltop?”

“It was a gorgeous mountain. Shaped like boobs, just like the mountain I was supposed to be on. Anyone could have made that mistake. And we had the microwave tower up in record time.”

“But the wrong damn site, mom!”

“Yeah, well we couldn’t talk to anyone, but it was gorgeous.”

“I get the compass.”

“Guess that might be a good idea, Kel. I’d hate us to go Blair Witch and get lost in the swamp with Shadow Folk trailing our butts.”

This morning her husband told her she’s getting a new digital movie camera for Christmas, so we do plan to do some filming when we reschedule our hunt. Kel told me she dreamed we went on the hunt and she was on her period and worrying about making trips into the swamp to take care of business. I reassured her that I packed tissue in my backpack because I would bring a thermos of coffee, but maybe we needed a small shovel…

Cup half full—I can spend the day writing.