When I moved to Vienna, Austria almost four years ago, the voices became eerily quiet. For those of you who aren’t writers, the voices we hear are frequently those of our characters or in some cases the narrator of our books. I figured it was time for me to have a break as I’d been hearing them for many, many years. Matter of fact, since I was twelve and I can’t tell you the number of times when they would be chattering in my head and I’d be answering them right back. I’d get the strange looks and blush furiously when I was younger. Then as I got older, I would either explain what was happening or I’d just smile and shrug, leaving people to figure it out themselves.
It’s a wonder that I was never told to shut up or talked to by a therapist or psychiatrist for those voices. Yes, those voices have told me they wanted to kill someone. I even had a villain do it once in my head while I was in public and I can only imagine what the expressions were on my face as I talked and wrote that one down in the local library. And it wasn’t until they stopped talking to me that I really understood the term writer’s block. But in my opinion, it wasn’t that I was blocked, it was they had stopped talking.
For the past three years, I would come into my office and sit down like I’d done every day for the past fifteen years. If I was lucky, I would clunk out five hundred to a thousand words and be happy with that even though I normally had written about five thousand words a day before my move. Those words felt forced and many were written without the characters yapping away at me. Yet, I had stories to write and worlds to build. I could not wait until I was in the mood.
Writing is what I do for a living. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. I’d learned more about the publishing business in the last twenty years so there wouldn’t be any surprises. I couldn’t nor wouldn’t give it up because they weren’t talking to me. I couldn’t afford to and this is a fallacy that many writers fall into, but it’s one that we all need to get over.
There are things that can be done where the characters don’t need to talk to you. Things like research, world building and blogs. Planning also falls under these auspices and so, I did those things when there was nothing else. I did things like start a group for sharing the promotions burden that every author has since I really feel each of us needs to care and nurture each other.
I listened to music, created play lists and blogs and series and did more research to the point I was almost getting hopeless. But the fact is writers write. They write when the weather is good, when it’s bad, when they feel good, when they feel bad and real writers come in and do it even when they think they can’t. Yes, it may seem forced and it may seem like you’re just going through the motions but those are the motions of being a writer.
However wrong this may seem, if you are plugging away every day, your confidence will start to build and will continue to do so. Sometimes, all that is needed for you to hear those voices is to regain your confidence. Sometimes it may just be the stress from every day living. Sometimes, it can be the stress from things you can’t control. For me, it was a little bit of everything.
I was living far away from my family. Things could go wrong. They did go wrong. And I had to realize that sometimes I couldn’t shape the world to be exactly how I wanted it to be. Sometimes, I had to accept it as it was. So, until that day, I decided I would do what I always loved to do, whether I had to force it or have an amazing moment where I would write. I needed to go through the motions and know that my time would come again.
Then one day came a drab and I wrote a little more about my characters. Then it was just a little tinkle, then it was flowing. And I knew I had a gusher the night I told my husband to go back to sleep because I was going to the office. The next morning he asked me why and I had to honestly say that they wouldn’t shut up. He gave a chuckle, knowing I was finally back and writing as much as my fingers would type daily. It had been a long time coming.
Now, I’m carrying a notebook in my purse again so I don’t overwhelm my poor little Note3 phone with all the written words for stories. I’m waking up early, falling asleep in my chair and talking with my characters in such a way that I’m sure people are going to ask if need help since I’m talking to myself a lot in public recently. I guess the trouble really comes about when I answer myself. And yes, I do have a story about that one for another time.
Until then, I’d love to hear from you about what you’d say if you saw one of your favorite authors talking to themselves.Would you ask what they were talking about? Or would you sit quietly and observe them to see if you could glean something about a new story? I can’t wait to hear from you! And to show you all some love, I’m doing a give-away today and picking one person randomly to give them a book from my back list or my upcoming April release, Night of the Blue Moon. Hope to talk to you all soon!
Night of the Blue Moon April 1st Pre-order at Amazon, Smashwords and more.
April 15th Release at all eBook vendors.
This is book 4 in the Blue Moon Magic series.
Blue Moon Magic
One father.
Two mothers.
Four siblings.
One incredible story about that special night which changes them all. Forever.
All his life he felt he hadn’t belonged but it wasn’t until Clarity Langford appeared did he know the truth of it. Once that truth was revealed there was no going back for Connor Angus, only forward. He discovers he is the long thought dead son of pack Elite leader, Charles Langford. And with that knowledge comes a family full of sisters, mystery and longing for things he’s not sure he has any right to obtain and one of those things is Cordelia Sinclair.
NOTE: This is a NOVELLA with adult situations and language. It is not intended for those under 18 years of age.
Excerpt:
Who are you?
The voice was loud and clear. There was no mistaking that he had a telepathic link to this woman. More confused than ever, he shook his head. My name is Connor Logan Angus.
But you can’t be one of them.
I am a member of the Beta clan. I am the third son.
That can’t be.
And why not?
Can you link with them like you are with me?
I don’t know. I’ve never tried.
Whether you know it or not, I do.
How?
Only those of the same clan or family members can link. I’m an Elite. So what does that make you?
Connor sank back into the shadows even more. That sick feeling he had been having recently floated to the top again. That’s impossible. There’s no way I can be part of your clan. I don’t understand any of this.
That makes two of us.
Bio: Award winning author Lynn Crain has done it all in her life. From nursing to geology, her life experiences have added to her detail rich stories. She loves writing full time as she weaves contemporary, fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales, tame to erotic, for various publishers. Her home is in the desert southwest though her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband of many years as he works his dream job. You can find her on the web at www.lynncrain.blogspot.com. She loves hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.
I know f/f isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But I’ll tell you, sometimes the sexual orientation of a story doesn’t really matter. It’s the story. Straight up. Even if it’s short. Catnip is a lesbian paranormal that I wrote originally for the anthology, She Shifters. I like to joke that it’s one part Practical Magic and one part Josie and the Pussycats. The story’s just plain fun and naughty. And isn’t that what you want from one of my stories?
I’m nearing the end of my Friday spree of short stories. Just three more to go. I’m thinking I might want to continue with a monthly release after that, but I’ll need to write new stories. And I’m thinking, I should write some naughty taboo stories. You know the kind… The young heroine has been dying to do her stepfather, and now that her mom and daddy are divorced, well… Or he’s my cousin, and if it ain’t illegal it ought to be because it’s so damn hot we’re gonna burn the barn down…
Okay, so I’m just thinkin’ about tawdry ideas. And they’d be all about the sex, which is something I love to write. Man, I could write the hell out of those! But in the meantime, I hope you’re enjoying my series of shorts. It’s been fun revising/revisiting the stories. I wanted them all to be at least 5000 words so no one would feel cheated by the word count. Next Friday, it’s a sexy prison short, Pitch Black.
Catnip
A cat-woman doll found at a garage sale reveals a lonely woman’s magical destiny…
Note: This 5000-word short story was previously published as part of the SHE SHIFTERS anthology. It may be short in length, but it’s not short in passion!
*~*~*~*~*
Excerpt:
Mallory set “Miss Kitty” on the bookshelf beside her computer. She’d brushed away as much dust as she could before sponging away the grime. She’d reattached the tail with tiny stitches.
While she’d worked, she’d admired the craftsmanship of the strange little doll. The fur suit was seamless and molded to the figure. The small face wasn’t hard plastic, but something softer, with the texture of real skin. The lips, with their cat’s cleft at the center, were parted with a row of individually attached teeth beneath them. She’d stroked her thumbnail over the soft lashes surrounding those shining eyes–each lash appeared to be embedded in the lids.Perhaps there was more to the doll than what she’d originally believed. Promising herself to do a little Internet search in the morning, she turned off the bedroom light and climbed into bed.Her head no sooner hit the pillow than she heard something drop to the floor. The sound was soft, but solid.
She sighed and reached to turn on the bedside lamp. Glancing in the direction of the sound, she scanned the floor, but found nothing out of place. Only mildly perturbed, Mallory reached for the light then paused. Her gaze flicked to the bookcase. Her new doll wasn’t on the shelf where she’d placed it.
Dammit. She’d never sleep until it was back where it belonged. She crawled from the bed and searched the floor beneath the shelf. Nothing. She pulled out her desk chair to see if it had somehow tumbled beneath her desk. “Weird,” she said under her breath as she pushed the chair back into place.
A skittering sounded in the closet beside the shelf, and her heart rate accelerated. “What the hell?” The sound was too small to be a hidden intruder. Wary, she approached the closet. The door was open only a crack. Did she have a mouse? The mystery over the doll was forgotten as she worried how she’d trap it. Inching the door open, she reached inside for the string attached to the lamp on the ceiling.
A loud thump came from the back of the closet, and Mallory jumped back. Too freaking big to be a mouse. Fuck! She backed up two steps, and then ran for the bedroom door.
Before she’d gone three steps, something pounced on her back, taking her to the carpet. Hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning them to the floor. Mallory bucked, panic making her breaths come in short, shallow sobs.
“Don’t be afraid,” purred a feminine voice from right beside her ear.
The raspy quality of the voice caressed nerves Mallory chose to ignore. “Get off me,” she ground out.
“I think I’ll stay here for a moment. I don’t want you bolting again, because I wouldn’t like to hurt you. You smell good.”
“What the fuck were you doing in my closet? What do you want?”
The body covering her back resettled, curves molding to Mallory’s. “I’m not sure why I’m here. Are you a witch?” The woman’s hips undulated, grinding against Mallory’s ass.
Which made it very hard to think. “Am I a wha–”
A snarl sounded. “Just shut up a second. I can’t think.” A rumbling purr vibrated against her, growing louder as the woman on her back nuzzled her neck.
“What are you doing?” Mallory asked in a very small voice, wondering if she was going to be raped by the woman and why that thought didn’t terrify her more.
“Mmm… I’m doing what I couldn’t when you groomed me.”
*~*~*~*~*
The Contest
Hope you enjoyed! Leave an answer to the following question in the comments and you’ll be entered to win a copy of any of the shorties in the Amazon carousel below EXCEPT Catnip. That one, I hope you’ll purchase on your own!
So if I decide to write some really naughty, taboo stories, what themes would you love to read? I’m taking orders! 🙂
Our blanket of snow has gone away and the ground is thawing. It’s time for me to break out the rototiller and prepare the garden for this year’s planting. It’s also time for me to start writing a new book. I have found the steps need in growing a garden and writing a book are amazingly similar.
For me both processes start with planning. For the garden, I have a template of my raised beds created in Microsoft Publisher. My garden consists of thirty-three, four foot by eight foot beds and twelve, two foot by eight foot beds. The twelve narrow beds do not require replanting since they are filled with perennial plants, five contain blackberry and raspberry plants, one has blueberries, four have table grapes, and two are filled with cooking herbs. Nine of the large beds are also filled. I have eight beds of strawberries and one bed of rhubarb and asparagus. I have been reading Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and in honor of her books, I plan to plant two of the open large beds with medicinal herbs.
For a new book, I prepare a color coded spreadsheet where I can list my plot points and character arcs. I find it much easier to write a story that I have laid out in this manner. It allows me to see any goals, motivation and conflict issues, as well as, plot holes, before I begin. After this, I break the components down into chapters and I have a short one or two line summary of what each chapter needs to contain. With this frame work in place I can set up a schedule and begin writing.
I have already completed the planning stages for the garden and the new book, so tomorrow morning I will begin the digging and the writing.
In 1882, Rose Van Buren loved the wrong man and paid for it with her life. Now, more than a century later, the angel Gabriel has granted her another shot at living. In exchange, she must convince a smart, handsome, up-and-coming lawyer to set aside his lofty ambitions.
A FUTURE PRESENT
Stephen Winship is headed straight for the governor’s chair. He has a brilliant career, solid allies, and a seemingly perfect girlfriend. But night after night he finds himself dreaming of a heavenly beauty, a luminous but long-dead girl. Like some altered Ghost of Christmas Past, she shows him her own tragic tale in order to “save him.” And he’s beginning to see Rose is risking her heart as much as baring her soul. Yet falling for her will cost him everything—and open him up to a happiness he never imagined.
The second book in the series, THE THORN OF A ROSE, will release in the fall.
When I started writing, oh, about 100 years ago, I never wanted to be a household name. Nora Roberts, Beatrice Small, Kathleen Woodiwiss, these were the authors who had notoriety and success attached to them. All I really wanted was to be personally successful. To me, that meant being able to support myself financially with my writing. If people enjoyed what I wrote and I got paid for it, well that was good enough for me.
As I said, that’s what I thought when I started writing. Now, decades later, 6 years away from 60, I find I want the same thing, but times have changed. With the advent of my first romance novel’s publication this month, I am over the moon and blown away with delight. But just having the book published seems to have been the easy part. Now that it is out in the universe for all and sundry to delight in, I find that I need to learn an entirely new profession that I didn’t go to college for, and have no knowledge of: marketing.
I’m not a salesperson. I’m not that girl who can sell ice to Eskimos and sand to Bedouins. I don’t like the high pressure sale’s pitch and I loathe when I enter a store and the clerks follow me around, solicitously asking if I need assistance. This is probably why I do so much of my shopping on-line. So, when faced with the prospect and arduous task of now hawking my book to the masses, I panicked.
Really. Full-fledged anxiety blow-out. I had no knowledge of where to even begin to get my name and book promoted. I couldn’t afford to hire a publicist – didn’t even know where to find one. I looked in my local phone directly. Nope, not listed there. The few on-line promotion sites I Googled sounded shady at best.
What to do? The book was coming out soon. Really soon. And I had no plan.
Then I took a breath and realized I had excellent resources to cull from. Since I am a member of RWA and I love my local chapter, I turned to my published chaptermates and was given a plethora of advice – and all of it was golden. They told me the reputable sites to use for on-line promotion and romance friendly blog tours. They gave me invaluable tips for in person promotion such as book club signings, library discussions, and even garden club lectures. My chaptermates had been through the fire of self promotion and had come out unscathed, educated, and successful with sales, so I took all of their knowledge and ran with it.
So far my endeavors have paid off. My book launched last week and the word has gone out to the Twitter-verse, Facebook-land, Pinterst- pinners and many more.
I still feel a deep sense of personal success at having achieved my life long goal of being a published romance author. But now, with the way publishing and the reading world has changed, I feel I have become a much more successful promoter as well.
How do you define personal success? What are some of the ways you’ve been able to get the word out on your books? I’m always game for learning new things. More so now, since I need to market myself.
Drop me a line and let me now how you’ve managed to develop a plan for marketing success.
And much thanks to Delilah for hosting me today. It’s been an exciting ride so far.
Skater’s Waltz
Figure skater Tiffany Lennox is busy with rehearsals for an upcoming ice show when the only man she’s ever loved comes home after a two-year overseas stint. She needs him to see her for the woman she’s become and not the child he knew to ensure he stays home, this time, for good. With her.
For all his wanderlust and hunger for professional success, Cole Greer comes home wanting nothing more than to rest, relax and recover. He is delighted in being Tiffany’s hero and has a special place in his heart reserved for her. But faced with the oh-so-desirable woman she’s become, he starts questioning his determination to keep their relationship platonic.
When forced by the television network to go back on assignment, Cole – for the first time in his life – is torn between his career and his heart.
Skater’s Waltz Excerpt:
One delicate auburn eyebrow rose almost to her hairline. “Cocky self assurance has always been one of your greatest assets,” she commented dryly. Read the rest of this entry »
Hey all, I’m Sasha white, and I write White Hot Fiction in a variety of genres. Mostly, contemporary, and all with an edge of kink. That said, I’m not going to talk so much about MY books today, but instead, about what puts a book on your keeper shelf!
For me it’s all about the characters. I think that’s why I read so many different genres. The books filling my shelves are from contemporary, paranormal, science fiction, suspense, thriller, romance, erotica, and even some non-fiction biographies and travel stories. To me, it doesn’t matter what word or universe the story takes place in, as long as I can connect with the characters. And I seem to be drawn to anti-hero’s. Like Gin Blanco in Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Or Kate Daniels in Ilona Andrews Magic books. I love to read a series with secondary characters connecting them, and groups, like Delilah’s Dark Realm books, and Pamela Clare’s iTeam series. I’m not a super huge fan of Nora Roberts, (she tends to be hit or miss for me) but I’m a rabid J.D. Robb fan. (Yes, I know they’re the same woman.) Eve, Roarke, Peabody, Mavis, Feeney, Sommerset, and McNabb, they’re all like friends to me.
Each of those series that I mentioned have characters who are real to me. Yes, I know vampires and werewolves and shape shifters don’t exist, but these characters are real because of the job did the author has done by bringing me into their minds and into their world. Once I’m drawn in I’m hooked. It’s not the cars they drive, the swords they swing, or the cities they live in that hook me. It’s them, the characters. Because this is the way I feel as a reader, as an author I strive to make sure my characters come alive on the pages, and, hopefully, in readers minds as well. Only you can tell me if I succeed or not, but I can tell you that when I’m writing they’re very alive to me. Each with their own voice and personality.
However, when I’m writing, sometimes I have a hard time finding something that isn’t already on my keeper shelf to read. And it seems that when I’m in the middle of writing an intense story, I crave new-to me- stories. I have no idea why, I just do. But because I’m writing intensely, I seem to have less patience with the hit and miss of new-to-me-authors, even when I crave them. So, I’m asking you for YOUR recommended reads. What characters stick in your mind, and have earned a spot on your keep er shelf? Tell me in the comments, and be entered to win a $15 Amazon GC.
BDSM club owner Adam Kessler is no one’s hero. He joined the army to get away from the gang-life that had taken his brother, only to come home to heartache. He doesn’t hide his dominant side, and he doesn’t hesitate in his need to protect or enforce his particular brand of retribution on those who’ve earned it. There’s no way in hell he could walk past a man hassling a woman in an empty parking lot and do nothing. Only when the confrontation is over and the voluptuous blonde turns eyes filled with desire to him, does Adam realize he’s in trouble.
Psychologist Olivia Hamilton grew up with the proverbial silver spoon, and has never regretted spending more time on her career than on romance, until she meets Adam Kessler. He’s dark, he’s dangerous, he’s deliciously dirty…and she wants him.
Passion burns quick and hot between them and soon they’re caught up in an intensely carnal relationship that neither can deny. But when Olivia’s life is threatened and Adam shows her just how dangerous he can be, will it be too much for the civilized psychologist to handle, or will she truly accept the man and win her hero’s heart?
So, this is day three of the time change and I don’t like it! It’s interfering with my rhythm!
Starting last November—right when I was supposed to be pounding the keyboard for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I hit the skids so far as writing was concerned. I couldn’t commit a word to the page to save my life. That slump lasted all the way until January. Scared the crap out of me.
Then January hit, and that is always my new hopes/new plans push. I love New Years resolutions. I feel shiny and new and like anything is possible. I looked at my routine and decided to tweak some things to see whether I could pull out of my slump. Here’s what I did.
I still keep an automated year-at-a-glance planning sheet so I know “big-picture” view what has to be done—and I have my monthly calendar with big goals listed. However, I’ve gone to a hand-written daily sheet. Something I can go through the physical motion of checking off items I accomplish each day. Each time I do, I feel like I’m shedding some of the weight sitting on my shoulder.
The second thing I did was to set my alarm to get up earlier every day. I was getting up around 8-ish, eating breakfast, then around 10:00 coming to my desk. Now, I’m up at 6:30—and oh, what a difference that has made. I somehow forgot I’m a morning person. Now, writing tasks are usually done by 2:00 in the afternoon and then I catch up on email and any social media type things I need to handle. Work is usually wrapped by 3:30. The earlier start time has given me more energy. Go figure.
Then comes Spring Forward! Can we start a petition to stop this nonsense? Seriously? What purpose does it serve except to interrupt our natural rhythms? The earliest I could manage to drag my ass out of bed today was 7:00—and it still feels like the middle of the freaking night! It’s hard to be virtuous and stick to a plan when I’m yawning this hard in front of the keyboard. Seriously!
So tell me, are you struggling with the time change too? Did you start any New Years’ tweaks that you’ve managed to maintain all the way to March?
Get out the tiara! Cinderella is in the house! How many of us grew up to the fairytales of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, wishing our handsome prince would ride in and save the day? Yes, it would be nice to be loved by a handsome man, but most of us are women who are strong and able to take care of ourselves. It’s not just the handsome prince and the promise of a kingdom that intrigues us. It’s the dress and the tiara we all want and love! Right? Okay, maybe not, but you have to admit you could look at beautiful ball gowns and shiny tiaras all day long.
I’m a Big Bang Theory mega-fan and one of my favorite episodes was the one where Sheldon got Amy a “make-up” gift for being insensitive. The whole time she was telling him a gift wouldn’t begin to make up for his rude behavior she was reaching into the bag to see what it was. When she pulled out a glitzy tiara, she lost the cool, logical scientist and melted into a girlie, twittery female tickled to death by a tiara. Yeah, I think deep down we’d all like to wear a tiara and a gorgeous dress.
I’m thrilled they’ve made a movie that’s not animated and can’t wait to see it. Here’s a link to the trailers:
Do you like tiaras and ball gowns? Have you dreamed of going to a fancy ball and dancing like one of the pros from Dance With The Stars until the clock strikes twelve? Share with me a childhood dream, a description of your perfect dress.
Available for preorder Amazon: https://amzn.to/17x2rlO
Ibooks: https://bit.ly/1C3YkXF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/1FfutNz
Billionaire Online Dating Service. Let us find your perfect match!
Desperate to find a date to his own charity ball to avoid taking a spoiled debutante, billionaire Gage Tate agrees to give his friend’s online dating system a try. Tired of gold-diggers and society princesses, he wants a woman who isn’t after his money, and won’t become a bridezilla-wanna-be when exposed to his high-society world and the trappings of wealth.
She never expected a computer program to be her fairy godmother…
Fiona McKenzie returns home from college to discover the family ranch threatened by foreclosure. Desperate to find a way to earn enough money to pay off medical and mortgage bills, she’ll do practically anything to save the home she loves. Unbeknownst to Fiona, her stepsisters enter her name in an online dating system, which she flat-out tells them she doesn’t have time for nor the inclination. Her focus is on saving the ranch.
When Gage’s date is reluctant to go out with him, he’s challenged to win her over. After a little digging, he discovers she’s in a tight financial situation. He sees this as an angle to pay for a date, help her out, with no strings attached when the charity ball is over. Only he didn’t count on falling for the pretty cowgirl, turned Cinderella. With her family ranch on the line, Fiona has no other choice than to accept Gage’s offer and she’s swept into a world of high-society most girls would consider a dream come true. Fiona isn’t impressed, but finds her prince charming a little to attractive to forget when the spell wears off.
Note: Make a stop at Myla Jackson’s Ugly Stick Saloon in this story and say hello to old friends.
Bio: Award winning author Lynn Crain has done it all in her life. From nursing to geology, her life experiences have added to her detail rich stories. She loves writing full time as she weaves contemporary, fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales, tame to erotic, for various publishers. Her home is in the desert southwest though her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband of many years as he works his dream job. You can find her on the web at www.lynncrain.blogspot.com. She loves hearing from her readers at lynncrain@cox.net.
Figure skater Tiffany Lennox is busy with rehearsals for an upcoming ice show when the only man she’s ever loved comes home after a two-year overseas stint. She needs him to see her for the woman she’s become and not the child he knew to ensure he stays home, this time, for good. With her.
So, this is day three of the time change and I don’t like it! It’s interfering with my rhythm!
Get out the tiara! Cinderella is in the house! How many of us grew up to the fairytales of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, wishing our handsome prince would ride in and save the day? Yes, it would be nice to be loved by a handsome man, but most of us are women who are strong and able to take care of ourselves. It’s not just the handsome prince and the promise of a kingdom that intrigues us. It’s the dress and the tiara we all want and love! Right? Okay, maybe not, but you have to admit you could look at beautiful ball gowns and shiny tiaras all day long.
I’m a Big Bang Theory mega-fan and one of my favorite episodes was the one where Sheldon got Amy a “make-up” gift for being insensitive. The whole time she was telling him a gift wouldn’t begin to make up for his rude behavior she was reaching into the bag to see what it was. When she pulled out a glitzy tiara, she lost the cool, logical scientist and melted into a girlie, twittery female tickled to death by a tiara. Yeah, I think deep down we’d all like to wear a tiara and a gorgeous dress.
