NaNWriMo and New Releases

November is traditionally NaNoWriMo month. This is when aspiring novelists from all over the world set the goal to write 50,000 words, or one novel, in a month. 

Lots of established writers jump on the bandwagon too, and why not? Personally, I've found the supportive and encouraging atmosphere great for pushing me to finish my books for deadlines. This year, I will be writing Wicked Games for Entangled publishing. This will be part of a multi-author series coming out in late 2017. If you want to follow me or watch my progress, you can friend me on the NaNoWriMo site here.

I also have a lot of releases coming up this month. The first is Pursued by the Player, the third book in the Black Towers series. This is a series I wrote with Lauren Hawkeye and we both came up with the idea over drinks at a convention. We don't have buy links just yet, but if you check in after November 7th, you can find them here. Here's a little more about the book:

No more athletes for Melody Lerner. Nope. Sweaty, testosterone-riddled men whose idea of “long-term” means spending the night are officially off the menu. It’s time to focus on her fashion design career—and her boss’s get-rich-quick scheme. Fairy tales just don’t happen for women like her.

Wealth and celebrity pretty much guarantee Jett Gorski’s every whim—which is why the pro ballplayer is stunned when a reluctant beauty takes him for a wild ride then runs away. Literally. Jett’s been a long-time player in more ways than one, but Melody could turn him into a one-woman man…if their newfound connection can survive an unexpected betrayal.

The second book is a multi-author boxed set comes out November 15th, but you can preorder it now. If you like paranormal stories with a holiday theme, then this one is for you. You can read more about it or preorder it here, or just check out the video below!

Alphas for the Holidays from Mandy M. Roth on Vimeo.

Finally, I have the third book in my Immortal Hungers series releasing on the 17th. Unholy Desires follows Samir, a vigilante  bad-boy introduced in Unholy Cravings. You can read more about the series here, and preorder the book here.

As you can see, November is the month for wrapping up storylines. I'm bringing things to a good resting place in some of my ongoing series so I can start fresh with new ideas in 2017. So how about all of you? Is anyone participating in NaNoWriMo? What series are you hoping to hear more of in 2017? Tell me in the comments section. I want to know!

For up-to-the-minute information about these and other releases, you should sign up for my newsletter here, and you can find out where I'm on social media here.

Nanowrimo Self-Sabotage by Janice seagraves

I'm doing the Nanowrimo and here's a list of  things that are sabotages my writing.

 

1. I'm hungry, I think the candy in the candy bowl is calling my name. 
2.  I'm thirsty, I have one soda left way in the back of the fridge. 
3.  I need to use the bathroom, even though it's the tenth time in the last hour. 
4.  I want to pet the cat she seem lonely; "Here kitty-kitty. Ow, don't bite me." 
5.  My daughter's friend came over, I get to have girl talk which will waste another hour or two. 
6.  Is it lunch or dinner time yet? 
7.  Did some one email me? It has been two hours since the last time I checked. 
8.  Is that show I want to watch on? I better check. 
9.  I'm cold I better get a sweater on. Ooh, better yet I'll change into pajamas, even though its only seven o'clock in the afternoon. 
10.  Did I hear the UPS truck outside? I think my package I ordered from Amazon is due. 
11.  Time to update my word count for the third time in the last hour. 
12.  I better check what's going on in the nano forums. 
13.  Hey, I better do my monthly post on Romance Book '4' Us!

Are you doing the Nanowrimo? If you are how are you doing?

 

Here's my Nanowrimo winning novel from four years ago:

 

Blurb: Team Alpha Three’s spaceship is out of power after fighting a wormhole, and parked on the primitive world of Zenevieva. With half the team sick from radiation poisoning, the team commander entrust geologist, Maya Gladstone, to find enough matrix crystals to power up their spacecraft, so they can go home to Earth.
Vach Namaste of the powerful Clan Namaste, a native of the planet, has desire the lovely Maya since she stepped off the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. He’s hounded her every step since. As Hymeneal Night approaches, he makes plans to take her as his bride… willing or not.

~*~

Excerpt: As promised, Maya bought another cheap tote so she wouldn’t damage her prize. Then she worked her way through the bazaar, buying supplies for the next day’s trip. As she went from tent to tent, hunting down the few veggies, fruit and other types of food that she could digest, she caught glimpses of the Zeeman following her. She tensed. What does he want with me?

She stalked completely round one of the tents to come face to face with him. Now’s my chance. “Why are you following me?”
“What? I don’t know what you mean.” He took a step back.
Maya grabbed a fistful of his dark brown robes. “Yes, you do. You’ve been dogging my steps from moment I set foot on your planet.” She suddenly noticed that the young man was bigger than she’d thought. His chest was deep and his shoulders broad. His arms were larger than Bobby’s and he worked out. And here I am, holding him by his clothes.
He stared at her hand. “I like you and want to get to know you. If you were one of my people, I would woo you.”
She realized his robe wasn’t made from the rough, homespun fabric used by the common Zeeman. Is he a clan lord?  Maya loosened her grip on the silky material. “Who are you?”
He moved back and swept his arm down in an elaborate bow. “My name is Vach Namaste of the Namaste clan. It would please me if you remembered it.”
With a flutter of his robes, he hurried away, weaving through the crowd. It wasn’t until he had disappeared that Maya realized that he’d been speaking to her in English.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Vach finally reached the edge of the bazaar, where he had tied up his steed. He patted its thick neck. “Hey, Brawley.”
His mount woke up with a snort, then lipped at his hand, demanding a treat. It was still standing in the same place that he left it and no one had bothered it. No one would dare touch a sherakey, not even this sleepy fellow. Reaching into a pouch, Vach dug out a sweet lump for his mount. Giving him the treat, Vach turned to see if the human female had followed.
She hadn’t.
He felt disappointed. But she wasn’t of his race and didn’t understand the proper way to act. If she wanted him to woo her, she should have followed him. If she didn’t, then she should have knocked him on his well-bred butt, just like the human guard had suggested.
Vach had wanted this human female since he saw her step out of the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. Her blue eyes drew him closer. Her long, red hair made him want to run his fingers through it. Her curves sent flames of desire flickering through his body. He’d taken to coming into town regularly to stroll by the compound, just to see if she would be there. Today had been one of those rare good days when she was there to follow. He learned a little more about her each time. Now he knew she wanted to find something. If he knew what it was, maybe he could find it for her.
Climbing up on the saddle, Vach clicked his tongue and his mount started down the dusty road toward the Namaste bachelor compound. He contemplated his plan for Hymeneal Night. Vach already knew from eavesdropping at the map seller’s tent that Maya would be out on the desert, all alone.
And then he’d get his chance to have her.

~*~

 

US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJ10W26

UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-ebook/dp/B00FJ10W26/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380662336&sr=1-3

US Trade paper back: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1492709751/sr=1-2/qid=1380662639/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1380662639&seller=&sr=1-2

UK Trade paper back: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Janice-Seagraves/dp/1492709751/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_1_KKW6

 

 

Looking forward to the Nanowrimo by Janice Seagraves

I know a lot of people in the US are thinking about Halloween, but I'm thinking about next month.

November first, is the start day of the Nanowrimo.

This will be my eighth year doing the Nano. I started doing this before I was a published author. I think its a great exercise for writers. Proving the impossible--that you can write a novel in a month.

It also means I have seven finished manuscripts.

Not all my Nanowrimo stories stay idle on my hard drive.

One manuscript, Matrix Crystal Hunter, is a Nano story. I wrote it two years ago. Let it set for six month then revised it. Let it sit another few months and then polished it.

It was published last year and did well. Number ten for a few days on Amazon best sellers list for Science Fiction Romance, then dropped to number eleven for two more weeks.

Team Alpha Three's spaceship is out of power after fighting a wormhole, and parked on the primitive world of Zenevieva. With half the team sick from radiation poisoning, the team commander entrust geologist, Maya Gladstone, to find enough matrix crystals to power up their spacecraft, so they can go home to Earth.  

 Vach Namaste of the powerful Clan Namaste, a native of the planet, has desired the lovely Maya since she stepped off the spaceship on that astonishing day a year ago. He’s hounded her every step since. As Hymeneal Night approaches, he makes plans to take her as his bride… willing or not.

“What’s wrong?”

Excerpt: 

“There’s a bow in the rock wall.” Vach backed up, causing Maya to withdraw. “I’m bigger than the last time I went through here, but that was several years ago when my cousin, Xeno , brought me.”

He handed her the flashlight.

“Is there another way?” She shone the light around, noting how the crevice narrowed overhead.

“Not that I know of.” He grunted, trying to remove his robe, but there wasn't much room to maneuver.

“Here, let me help you.” Maya pulled the robe off his shoulder. “Surely the ancients didn't come through here?” She jerked one sleeve down over his hand and then reached to get the other side too, but found herself wedged between the rock wall and his hard body. Fighting the impulse to feel his muscles, she managed to get his other sleeve down.

“If there’s another entrance, it must have been blocked a long time ago.” He started to pull his tunic off, but struggled, thanks to his big arms and the lack of room. “Can you help me with my shirt?”

As Vach lifted his arms over his head, Maya grabbed a handful of cloth so she could lift the material high over his shoulders. “What are you going to do? Strip down and lube yourself with my cooking oil?”

“No.” He chuckled, his voice muffled by the shirt. “But that’s a good idea.”

With his arms up, Maya got a whiff of his spicy, male scent. It always surprised her that the Zeemen didn't stink after exertion as humans did. I wouldn’t mind rubbing his body down with oil. Warmth spiraled through her middle. She bit her lip. Keep your mind on business and not on being in a tight spot with a handsome Zeeman.

Vach stuck his clothes in the tote and then sidestepped through the narrow opening. Grunting as he pushed past the bow, he finally got through.

Maya approached the bend and realized it was about breast height on her. No wonder Vach had a problem, with his deep chest and heavily muscled back.

Contemplating the aperture, she stood on tiptoe but couldn't get high enough. Finally, she squatted down but then found she needed to keep her knees bent out sideways. Oh no, not awkward at all.

She managed a few crab steps before she got stuck. Vach grabbed her arm to pull her the rest of the way through. Her hiking boots slid over the loose gravel, while her thighs took the strain. He helped her to stand, leaving his hands placed on her waist as she leaned against the wall, panting. “I don’t know how we’re going to manage that going back.”

“At least we know it’s there.” His breath puffed against her face. It smelled of mint.

He must have used my toothpaste. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

With an electric jolt, Maya realized her shirt had risen up and Vach hands were resting on her bare skin. She became hyperaware of his scent, his closeness and the fact that he wore no shirt.

Moving even closer toward her in the confined space, he whispered in her ear. “I like the smell of your hair.”

His hand slid further under her shirt, gliding over her ribs.

Heat went through her as she rested her hand on his shoulder. “It’s my shampoo.”

“It’s nice.”

“You can borrow it sometime.”

————————————————————————————————-

US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FJ10W26
UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-ebook/dp/B00FJ10W26/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380662336&sr=1-3
US Trade paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Janice-Seagraves/dp/1492709751/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
UK Trade paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Janice-Seagraves/dp/1492709751/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_1_KKW6

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Matrix Crystal Hunters is now on Smashwords:http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/447796

P.S.
Can you do me a huge favor? I in a Halloween blog hop, I'd love if you'd drop by and leave a comment. There's a chance at a prize too.

Final Push for The Nanowrimo by Janice Seagraves

Final Push for the Nanowrimo 

by Janice Seagraves 

With only a few days left of the Nanowrimo, it's time for the final push. Unless you already finished, most will want to put their writing into high gear and pull all-nighters to make up the word count.

Here’s some tips from me. These techniques can also work for you if you’re trying to finish a manuscript:

Give yourself permission to write a sloppy first draft: we’re writing for speed here. Write sloppy and forget grammar until December first.

Time yourself: You can set a clock for twenty minutes and write as fast as you can until the alarm goes off.

Write a hundred words at a time: I've done this quite a bit and it works well. When the clock is ticking down to midnight and you want to get your words in as fast as possible. Leave the Nanowrimo website open and keep yourself logged in. Then write a hundred words at a time and post it. Seeing the numbers go up helps to keep you encouraged to write more.

Introduce a monster, a murderer or a natural disaster. Nothing makes the word count add up than danger.

Change genres: If you’re working on suspense change it to romance. If you're writing romance add some horror elements, or mystery, or paranormal. How about werewolves in space or a vampire? I've seen it done.

Take a page from the Soap Operas: Add a missing or unknown twin, or a secret baby, or have one of the characters get shot. Hey, it worked well for Larry Hagman’s (J.R. Ewing) career.

Take a chance and go for it!

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Janice Seagraves's website: http://janiceseagraves.org/
Janice Seagraves's blog: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/

Nanowrimo Advice by Janice Seagraves

Nanowrimo Advice

By Janice Seagraves

The Nanowrimo starts in about a week. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it stands for National Novel Writing Month, which is a contest to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, starting November 1 until November 30th. You can go to the website to sign up.

Congratulations for all those who entered. It’s going to be an extraordinary month.

On November first, a lot of you are going to want to start with a bang and push to get your word count up. It’s a good strategy to get your numbers high before the mid-novel slump (more on that later).

This will be my seventh year of doing the Nano, and I've won all of those years, and I have a few nifty tricks for gaining additional word count.

So here’s some advice from me:

Give yourself permission to write crap: We’re going for speed here, so writing crappy lines, and overwriting is not only okay, but necessary to succeed. Remember, while you’re working on your Nano story you’re basically writing a sloppy first draft.

Tell your interior editor to wait until November is over, and then you can edit to your heart’s desire.

Set the scene: this increases the word count and your characters aren't just standing around in a white space, saying their lines.

When setting the scene use all four senses:

Example: The surf roared as it rushed up onto the beach. Seagull screamed overhead. The smell of brine and seaweed filled her nose. Moist air blew the hair back from her face. Cold water lapped over her feet as wave after wave rushed past her toes, tumbling broken seashell across the sand. Fog waited just past the breakers, announcing it was going to be another gloomy night.

During the mid-novel slump, and yes you will have one we all do, go over your story.

I know, I know I told you not to revise or editor now. However, when you go over your nano story you can add additional details to your scenes, adding to the word count, which should get you going again.

Example: When he stared into her green eyes, he found himself wanting to kiss her.

Change to: when he stared into her sea green eyes, he noticed flecks of gold surrounded the iris.  He realized he could easily get lost in her gaze, and he very badly wanted to kiss her. 

Another way to get past the mid-novel slump is to plan for the first great reveal or sex scene in the middle of your story.

Good luck with the Nano. May you all be winners.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Janice’s website: http://janiceseagraves.org/

Janice’s main blog: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/