Putting Yourself Out There

It's June again, and the start of my yearly 'tour'. I take my two self-pubbed books (I did a much better job on the second one, imho!) and go try to coerce-um, persuade people they absolutely must read my work. I also take my e-reader, now that Kenzie's published, to show the uninformed how to read her book.

I wasn't always this outgoing. No, when my first book arrived, I wanted to crawl into a cave a hide. I 'just knew' my parents would give me 'The Look', you know the one which tells you 'yes-we're-disappointed-you-chose-to-do-this-but-we-still-love-you'.

But I bravely decided, okay; I've spent this money chasing my dream; now let's get out there and see if people like my story. After all, I did have several people in my neighborhood who had read all five books and liked them:)

And lo and behold...I had a woman buy my book at a local festival on the first night. The second night, she came through, told me she had started reading and couldn't wait to get back to it. The third day, she marched over to my booth, slapped her hands down, and exclaimed, "I loved it! I could not put it down, and I'm going to recommend it to my daughter. When is the next book coming out?"

All I could do was stammer my thanks and offer her a 'sneak peak' at book #2. She went away and I've not seen her since.

That was in 2003. Book #2 was released in 2007, and I've not been able to return to that particular festival since 2005. But that summer taught me something valuable. If I want people to buy my books, I have to get over my shyness and actually talk to people.

Since becoming friends with many authors in the past three years, I've been fortunate enough to purchase not only their e-books, but some print ones too. Sometimes I've even won autographed copies. Now my booth includes a display which I've joked is my traveling bookstore....except the books are not for sale. Some authors send me promo items, such as business cards, postcards, or bookmarks. I display these as well, so if anyone takes interest in a particular book, I can tell them where to buy it, or encourage the person to take the promo item. And afterward, I email the authors and tell them potential readers are heading their way.

And this brings up another point:
Authors Behaving Badly

Acting like divas.

Thinking 'oh, I'm published...I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread'.

Bad-mouthing others all over the internet.

Telling someone a confidence and two days later seeing your words splashed all over the internet.

Whatever happened to common courtesy?

Not naming names here, but I've learned a past acquaintance is up to his/her old tricks. I'm actually saddened by this; apparently the fact s/he's lost friends hasn't deterred this person from changing for the better. If you're going to bash others, be prepared for a backlash. Don't be stunned if someone has the nerve to criticize you back.

In fact, let's try something radical. If someone criticizes you or your work, by all means, go off in a corner and have a good cry. But instead of retaliation, laugh it off. Don't sink to their level. It only makes you look small and insecure.

And who wants to buy books from a selfish author? I'd rather buy from a friendly author, one who admits his or her mistakes, rather than being vindictive about past wrongs.

Think about it.

So.....
Want the blurb and excerpt to the above book?

Love Finds A Way
Publication Date: November 2007
Buy Link: Click here.

Blurb:
Can a blind date turn into a romance? Amy Callahan wants to find out, so when she flies to California to spend a week with Matt Slagal, she discovers the ups and downs of a long distance relationship. Which one prevails..."Absence makes the heart grow fonder" or, "Out of sight, out of mind"?

Excerpt:
"I'm not changing my life! If they don't like it, they can stuff it!" Matt returned hotly.

"Ssssh...I'm not asking you to change." Amy tried to be tactful. "All I’m asking is that you not, er, curse so much," she finished lamely.

"Amy..."

"Please?" she pleaded. She rolled over and looked him in the eye. "All I ask is that you clean up your vocabulary for a few hours while we're with my parents."

"You want me to kiss ass," he commented.

"Not quite...I just want you to make a good impression." Tears welled up unexpectedly in her eyes, and she rested her head on Matt's chest. "This is important to me," she whispered.

"Oh, all right, I'll watch what I say next weekend. Can I smoke and drink beer too, or is that also taboo?"

"Stop it!" Amy locked eyes with him.

"What?" Matt asked, acting innocent.

"You know what I mean," she replied fiercely. "I'd rather you not smoke, but a few beers won't hurt. I'm not asking you to bend over backwards; all I want is for you to be civil towards them!"

"I'm always civil," he protested.

"I didn't mean it like that," Amy put her head down again. "I meant that sometimes, well, you have a tendency to act antisocial, as a know-it-all."

"I do what?"

Feeling herself losing ground, Amy groaned. The conversation wasn't going the way she'd hoped.

"I would feel better if you and my parents were to start off on the right foot," she said, choosing her words carefully. "They have the stereotypical California military officer in their minds, and I don't want them judging you in that way."

"Just out of curiosity, what exactly is the 'stereotypical California military officer'?" Matt was amused.

Amy thought for a moment. "Promise you won't get upset? He's the dedicated officer, but loud, rude, disrespectful when off duty. He's lazy; a womanizer; an alcoholic; not someone to bring home."

"So that's what your parents are expecting me to be," said Matt.

"But," Amy continued. "I've told them your good points, so they're not expecting Godzilla. Now, can we drop the subject and get some sleep?"

"No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because," he lowered his voice while sliding his hand down to cup her breast. "This military officer has a naked, sexy woman in his bed, and wants to take advantage of the situation!"

Interview of Author Faye Hughes

Today it's my pleasure to present an interview of talented author Faye Hughes.

Latest Book: WILD, WICKED & WANTON: 101 WAYS TO LOVE LIKE YOU'RE IN A ROMANCE NOVEL

Buy Links:
Amazon
Borders
Barnes & Noble
and bookstores everywhere on June 18



BIO:
Faye Hughes is the multi-published, award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction, whose work has been translated into 13 languages. She has published seven novels of romance fiction for Bantam, Kensington and Meteor; two of her novels were optioned for TV movies. She writes non-fiction with fellow romance author Christie Craig. Together, they wrote THE EVERYTHING GUIDE TO WRITING A ROMANCE NOVEL, which was released in September, 2008. Her most recent non-fiction title is WILD, WICKED & WANTON: 101 WAYS TO LOVE LIKE YOU'RE IN A ROMANCE NOVEL, a humorous self-help/relationship book about what real women can learn about men and relationships from reading romance novels.

Q: If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroines? Tell us about your heroine.
A: I’ve actually had two novels optioned for TV movies and believe me, I played the “what if” game quite a bit. LOL. For Wild, Wicked & Wanton, we have Jayne, who represents all romance heroines. As we say in the book, Jayne has starred in sizzling historical, in scary romantic-thrillers, in super sexy erotic romances as well as everything else in between. Jayne represents every woman so I always see her as a younger Sandra Bullock. (Not that Sandy doesn’t still rock, of course.)

Q: Do you eat comfort food when writing? If so, what food inspires your imagination?
A: Oh, this is a great question. I think writers are superstitious. I have to have my lucky coffee mug and my lucky tee shirt before I start writing. Same with my food choices. My favorite comfort food is Haagen-Daz Strawberry ice cream. My cats love it, too. (They come over and insist I share, which I always do.) I like to reward myself after a scene has gone especially well . . . or console myself if it’s been a bad day at the keyboard.

Q: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
A: Oooh, another good question. I think my strongest point is characterization in fiction, definitely. Overall, I think it’s my voice, though. I use a different skill set when writing non-fiction, of course, but the “voice” is very similar to the one I use when writing fiction. And while you didn’t ask, let me say that I love writing both non-fiction and fiction. It’s especially great when the two sort of mesh, the way they did with Wild, Wicked & Wanton.

Q: What is your favorite romance book that you’ve read?
A: Hmm. That’s a tough one because there are so many great romance novels out there. That’s the great thing about romance, really, as a genre. It comes in digital and print, in blazing hot and very sweet, in contemporary, historical and futuristic settings. Okay, I think you get what I’m saying, right? Favorite books right now depends on sub-genre. Shut Up and Kiss Me by Christie Craig is favorite contemporary. Okay, Christie is my non-fiction writing partner, so I admit to being biased but her book totally rocks. If you like funny, laugh-out-loud romances, check her out. Also, I love, love, LOVE Alyssa Day’s Warriors of Poseidon books. In romantic suspense, Allison Brennan, Roxanne St. Clair, Karen Rose and Colleen Thompson are all auto-buys. Kate Douglas’ Wolf Tales are fabulous erotic romances. (Warning: Her books are super hot and “over the top,” as she likes to say.) Kate’s got a new series out now that’s more paranormal romances. Demonfire is the first, and I love it.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: Another great question. I think YA. I’ve read and enjoyed so many YA books – Jenna Black’s new Glimmerglass released in May and it’s a great paranormal series. As for why I haven’t tried it, well, it’s mostly a time issue. I need more of it. Anyone have any suggestions on how I get more hours in the day? LOL

Q: Facebook, MySpace, Blogs, Chats, or Twitter. Which do you like best and why?
A: Definitely Twitter. I have a MySpace page and a Facebook page but I rarely use them. Twitter is just so darn easy. It fits into my schedule. Right now, I’m tweeting 101 Reasons Why Romance Novels are Good For Us. I’m about mid-way through – I’ll be doing it all month. Please come visit me - @Faye_Hughes

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Christie and I have a website for writers called http://www.writewithus.net that has writing tips and a whole lot more.We also have info on our books there. Right now, we’re running a contest for Wild, Wicked & Wanton, so check that out and please enter!


ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sure, romance novels are fun, pure fantasy, but can they actually teach a woman anything about love?

Absolutely!

In fact, if a woman spent as much time plotting her romantic relationships as authors did in plotting their romance novels, there would be less heartache. And if real women took their cues from romance heroines, there might be more real-life Happily Ever Afters. Romance authors Christie Craig and Faye Hughes have turned their philosophy into a humorous self-help relationship book that lists 101 ways a woman can love like she’s a romance heroine.

Now, granted, romance heroines aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. But by the end of the book, they’ve earned their walk into the sunset. So, how do they do it? Courage, wisdom and some kick-ass gumption. Heroines don’t wish they’d said something, they say it. They don’t fret about their problems, they fix them. Couldn’t we all use a little bit of their wisdom?

Go a Little Wild, Wicked and Wanton

Meet Jayne. Like most romance heroines - and most real life women - she's had her share of heartaches. But her search for true love teaches her—and can teach all women – some valuable lessons:
How to Recognize a Keeper . . . and a Creeper
How to Tame a Bad Boy
How to Trust Your Instincts
How to Find Your Own Mr. Right
And Much, Much More!

Anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks to Marianne for giving me this fabulous opportunity! If you’d like to read an excerpt for Wild, Wicked and Wanton, please click here

Music and writing

Does music influence your writing? I know there’s been some discussion of this before, but I’d really like to know just how much influence it has. And for readers, do you respond to music references in the stories you read?

I can’t write at all if I have music playing too loudly nearby. Music in my head is another matter. That’s a given. I’m liable to get one tune going for two weeks or more, and that can drive me crazy or else be quite consoling. If it gets too noisy up there I deliberately listen to a tape or two until another song takes over. Then the new tune runs around upstairs there for another two weeks or so.

What I really like to do it put music in my books so it influences my characters. I do that a lot. Choir music in a cathedral, loud swinging music at a nightclub of the 20’s, a hero singing a love song to his beloved. I’ve used those and more, being very careful of the copyrights. 75 years or more older and using the words is generally safe. Only ran into one case where my editor took it out, and that was a quote from a tune that exactly fit the mood. Seems it was still in copyright, but I would have loved to have used it. If in doubt I merely reference the song. Then I don’t try to work in the words, even though they’d sometimes be perfect for the mood my hero or heroine is in.

Here’s an excerpt I once used that worked well. In this case I was able to use what I wanted with an acknowledgement to Cole Porter as his copy rights have lapsed. Good thing for all of us, since his songs are still popular. This is from Druid Redeemed, a runner-up for best book of that year. Devon find music stealing into his soul and waking him up to his true feelings.

“The band played slow, haunting music, deepening his mood and bringing a little measure of quiet to the audience. Priss had disappeared. He wasn’t surprised, nor did he care. The orchestra swung into some haunting stanzas he recognized and hummed under his breath.
He had it. He even knew the words. A beautiful haunting melody capable of lingering in your mind for days. Irving Berlin’s “The Song is Ended”. A new song and one he loved. He mouthed the words under his breath, even as a girl came to the microphone and sang the poignant lyrics.
“The song is ended but the melody lingers on, You and the song are gone but the melody lingers on.”
The soloist swayed to the music, seductively urging all on the dance floor to clasp their partners a little tighter.
Devon sat listening. Suddenly he knew one thing with a certainty he hadn’t enjoyed for some time. His song had indeed ended and like a fool he’d ended it himself. He’d once owned the most beautiful song in the world but one only Jocie could sing with him. He’d pushed the sole source of lasting pleasure from his life. What in Satan’s Hades had he been thinking?
The soloist swung into “And Then my Heart Stood Still”.
He sat straighter in his chair. He’d known all the time how special Jocie was. He’d refused to admit it. She didn’t fit into his long-time plans of a life of pointless pleasure. He recognized with a blaze of understanding a life without her made his future forever meaningless. The knowledge cut into him like a hot knife into butter.
Now when it might be too late the realization crashed into his very being that he was an idiotic fool. He’d held happiness cradled in his hands. He finally let down the barriers to his mind and admitted Jocie was the one he desired and needed. Needed more than he’d ever imagined he could need anyone. His soul, already shrunken past what it was meant to be, would shrivel away to nothing without her.
Devon sat rigidly at the table, the words reverberating in his mind. Had he really come to this? Only one woman mattered to him? Only one woman in all the vast array of women?
I never lived at all, until the thrill of that moment when my heart stood still.
The words seeped into his very soul. He didn’t even have to close his eyes to see Jocie, defiantly daring Sgt. Briggs to arrest her, spitting like a beautiful kitten with her cat’s eyes glaring at him. He’d known then, at that very moment and refused to admit he’d met the one woman for him. His soul had recognized hers and he’d shoved the thought away.”

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it…

Interview of Author Nicole Morgan

I'm pleased to present an interview of romance author Nicole Morgan.
CONTEST: Read below to find out how to win an ebook copy of "Sudden Devotion"!

Latest Book: Sudden Devotion
 
Buy Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/sudden-devotion

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odSrZRh6fMk

BIO:
Nicole Morgan is an avid reader who kept having one recurring problem. Ideas of stories kept popping into her head. She ignored her desire to write until her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to research what steps she would have to take if she truly wanted to take a chance and write.

Nicole took a chance and followed her dream. She has been blessed with some fabulous opportunities and has met some wonderful people along the way. Writing is a true love to her and has brought her a new and profound happiness with every step she’s taken along the way.

Q: What part of the book is the easiest for you to write? Why?
A: I think for me that would have to be the first chapter. Once I get an idea in my head on what I want to write, the beginning just sort of flows from me. It’s not until later in the story I find myself getting stuck or having to really brainstorm which way I want to go with it.

Q:  If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your heroines? Tell us about your heroine.
A: Well, like most of my heroines they are petite and blonde. I try to steer out of the norm one in a while but in this story I kept her blonde. That hair color seemed more appropriate for her type and personality. As far as movie stars go, I would have to say that Hayden Panettiere gives off the same amount of innocent beauty, which is exactly what I was going for with the character Sara.

Q:  If one of your books became a movie, which celebrity would you like to star as one of your hero? Tell us about your hero.
A: Well, oddly enough when I was writing the character for Mitch I wasn’t so much thinking of a movie star as much as a model. Specifically a romance cover model. I had a vision of one particular man in my head when I was writing about Mitch. Images of Jimmy Thomas http://www.romancenovelcovers.com kept flashing into my mind as the story played out. So, Mitch was born in the image of Jimmy. Thank you for that Jimmy!

Q: Do you eat comfort food when writing? If so, what food inspires your imagination?
A: I’ve been known to enjoy a bowl of popcorn every now and again while writing. I find myself getting engrossed in the story and munching on the popcorn much like I would if I was sitting in the movie theatre.

Q: You’re on a remote island with a handsome man, a computer, and a “mysterious” source of electricity to power your computer. What do you do?
A: I send an email to everyone I know saying I will be out of contact for a very long time! I mean, there is a handsome man with me on a remote island right? I am not wasting that! Perhaps he can inspire me!

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: Wow. I have been asked this so much lately that I secretly think you might all be plotting against me to make sure I get off my tushy and get it done. LOL. Seriously though, I have always wanted to attempt the paranormal romance genre, especially the ones with erotic content but I’ve been a bit too apprehensive to go for it. I did manage to type a small paranormal chapter which was just barely 1000 words for Stella Cameron’s Scarlet Boa contest last year. I didn’t win of course, but I did find it intriguing, writing in a completely different way than what I was used to. It’s definitely something that I need to pursue because that story still keeps popping in my head.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
http://www.nicolemorgan1.webs.com
http://www.sirenpublishing.com/nicolemorgan
http://www.bookstrand.com/nicole-morgan
http://www.facebook.com/#%21/profile.php?id=1738060902


BLURB:
Sara is inexperienced with men, but finds her untapped sexuality is bursting beneath the pressure of lustful desires. Mitch works with Sara and knows office romances can go horribly wrong, but that doesn’t stop him from going ahead with his plan to seduce her. Soon, the two find themselves in an erotic game of pleasure. Their affair proves to be more than either of them anticipated. After only a couple of days their relationship intensifies into a firestorm of passion and they begin to fall in love.

Claudia works with them both and isn’t happy when Mitch rejects her advances. Not willing to take no for an answer she uses every form of manipulation to drive the couple apart. Is their relationship strong enough to handle the betrayal that they believe to be true? Or will the thought of losing each other be the catalyst to keep them together?

EXCERPT:
Sara looked at Mitch over the rim of her glass after taking a sip. Setting it down, she spoke candidly, “Mitch, I’m sorry for the way I acted just a little while ago. I wish I wasn’t so unsure of myself. You told me I should be truthful with you so I will.”

She took a breath as she folded her fingers together on the table. “The truth is, I really like you. And I really don’t want to do something to scare you off. That’s why I didn’t want you to think you had to do all of this,” she said, motioning with her hands at the ambiance of the restaurant. “But,” she said before he could protest, “I think I could get used to you spoiling me a little.”

“Well, I am very glad to hear that. I think I will enjoy spoiling you as well. Now, what are the odds I can get you to take off those panties?”

“Ahem, sorry, sir. Your, ah, salads.”

Mitch and Sara waited quietly as the waiter set their salad plates down in front of them. When the red-faced waiter left them, they both burst out into laughter.

Trying to regain her composure, Sara reached for her wine glass and eyed him with disbelief. “You are going to have to do something about your predilection toward me having a naked bottom.”

With complete disobedience in his eyes and a hint of mockery in his tone, he said, “You know, I think you’re right. When we leave here, let’s go pick up some lighter fluid and have ourselves a little panty barbeque on your patio.”

She laughed for a moment before she asked, “How did you know I had a barbeque?”

Shit! There was no way he could tell her yet. She would retreat and run. Trying to play it casual, he said, “I just figured. Does that mean we get to do it?” He waggled his brows at her.

“Hardly. But if you keep making me laugh like this, I might have to reward you later. I swear, I haven’t had this much fun in such a long time.”

They ate their salads over small talk. Sharing a few laughs over some of the people at the office, causing them both to be equally surprised to find that when it came to their co-workers, their opinions were identical. Amazingly, they had a lot in common.

Mitch wasn’t surprised at how compatible they seemed. When he watched her in her window just a couple of nights ago, he knew there was something about her. Something other than the fact that she looked absolutely magnificent as she touched herself in the moonlight.

The waiter took their salad plates away, and Mitch took a swig of wine before refilling both of their glasses. “Feel like playing a game?”

She smirked. “I am not going to take off my panties, and that is final. Wait until we get home.”

He wanted to laugh at her comment. But something about the way she said ‘until we get home’ caused a small flutter in his stomach. Could he actually really be falling for her? They haven’t even been dating for a week yet. He tried to ignore the sensation. “You’ve heard of word association games, right?”

Sipping her wine, she nodded.

“Well, it can be kind of interesting sometimes. Do you want to try?”

“Sure, why not?"

“Good. I’ll start. But remember, you have to say the first word that comes into your mind. So, I’ll start with, ah,” Mitch looked around the room for inspiration and saw it, “Leprechaun."

Sara glanced around the restaurant until she saw a sweet little man with red hair. The only thing missing on him was a green suit. She laughed. “Okay, St.Patrick."

“Beer.”

“Pub.”

“Fish and chips.”

“That’s three words," Sara chided him.

He shrugged. “Hey, you got away with St. Patrick. That’s two words.”

“Fine. Cheater.”

“I’m not a cheater!” He laughed.

“No, my word is cheater.”

“Oh, okay. Um, never.”

She eyed him, as though thinking of what to say next. “Land.”

“Land? What does – oh, I get it. From Peter Pan, Never Land. Okay, um,
airplane.”

“Flying.” She smiled while sipping her wine.

“Climax.” Mitch watched as her face reddened.

Obviously not willing to back down ,Sara responded quickly,“Euphoria.”

“Ecstasy.”

“Happiness.”

“You.” He whispered the word with a gleam in his eye.

CONTEST: Leave a comment for Nicole Morgan and you'll be entered in her contest to win a copy of "Sudden Devotion". A winner will be chosen at midnight on 17 June.  BE SURE TO PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENT BOX SO NICOLE CAN NOTIFY YOU IF YOU WIN!

Working on promo for my back list books...

I am bringing my back list books into the spotlight...

Those of us who who have written a number of books often forget about our back lists...those books no longer in the limelight on the new releases pages of our publishers' websites. You know...the ones languishing in the shadows, just waiting to be discovered by some brave soul who delves beyond the beautiful facade of the "just released" books, and digs into the books listed "by author" in the publishers' sites?

Every e-publisher has an "author" page, housing every book that author has published through them, but unless there is a recent release out from that publisher for the author, no one ever sees that catalog of books...and some of my very best books are sitting there waiting for readers to find them. :)

We tend to get lost in the promotion of new releases, hoping to draw attention to our books while they are fresh on the publisher's front pages. We blog and we run contests. We get onto every loop and group we belong to with a huge truckload of rather repetitive (and often quickly-deleted) promo spots. I know. I have done that. And I was asked to stop a couple of times. (Sooo embarrassing.) I belong to several small Yahoo Group loops with mostly authors on them, where many of us tend to forget that promo needs to be placed where readers will see it...because selling fridges to Eskimos is pointless. ;)

I love to hear about new releases on my loops...but once it's been announced, that is enough. I often go over and buy other author's new releases. But when I do buy, I ALWAYS go spelunking through the author's back list to see what else looks good.

So how on earth do we go about promoting our back lists? Spotlight an older book on chats? Upload excerpts for older books on promo days on the big chat loops? Post older books on our blogs? Well...all of the above work. I have discovered that Google picks up new blog posts within a few hours. So do many of the other search engines. Also, I send old books over to review sites (ones that have not been reviewed there before) and I even do book reviews for other authors' back list books once in a while to spotlight those books.

So, today I am putting the spotlight on my oldest Resplendence book...a full length novel about how misconceptions and assumptions can totally create chaos and mayhem...then turn into hotter than hell romance!

Dictated by Fate
Fran Lee
Resplendence Publishing 2009

Blurb:

Chris has been through hell, and is about to become homeless. Losing that great job has left her scrambling for pennies working fast food and working temps to make ends meet. But after many months of struggling, her rent is in arrears, and the landlord is evicting her. She finally got another good paying job, but they won't let her have another couple of months to catch up the arrears. She would pray for a white knight to rescue her, but there are no such things. She learned that the hard way long, long ago.

Antonio is in a pickle. His father's will stipulates that he must marry within a year of his death or lose the huge Rodriguez fortune. It will go to a cousin, leaving Tonio and his little sister with virtually nothing. Tonio has no desire to wed...not after his one horrendous experience with love. It all boils down to marrying one of his sister's friends, and being hogtied for life to a woman he can't stand, or quickly finding an acceptable alternative. One that will last only the two years required by the will. One he can get out of, and live his life free again.

She needs a rescuer. He needs a rescuer. Fate drags them together and offers them both what they desperately need. Now, if they can only get around their extremely inaccurate assumptions about each other...

Excerpt:
ADULT

At twenty-nine she wasn’t in the first bloom of youth, and despite all that crap about equal opportunity employment, she found herself fighting over scraps with busty young things fresh off the farm, scrambling to get a job until they could get that big break—and she had lost one hell of a lot of the battles. Most likely because she was unwilling to file a job app on her back in some sleazy store room.

She had managed to snag a few temps, a few fast food stints, and one or two short-term accounting jobs that had helped pay the bills and fend off bankruptcy. But the good paying, permanent job had come too late to save her this terribly embarrassing and depressing eviction.

She had managed to convince Mr. Anderson that she was far more efficient, and ten times more knowledgeable than the bevy of busty beauties applying for this particular job, so he had magnanimously given her a try, at half the salary she had been drawing with Erlinger and Dunn. But it was steady work, and the pay was better than she’d had for the past few months. If she could just have three weeks, she would have a handle on this.

Maybe she would try Mrs. Allen again in the morning. If she could only convince her to give her another month, she could catch up the back rent within a few weeks at the pay she would be getting. She drew another calming breath and decided to try again. Anything worth keeping was worth fighting for, even if it was going to be $200.00 more expensive next month. It would be terribly hard to rebuild her savings, spending another $200.00 on the rent, but what choice did she have? Of course, that was assuming that she was a good talker, and Mrs. Allen was a willing listener.

She sank down onto the bed and leaned her chin on her crossed arms. Maybe some miracle would happen to take her away from all of this. She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. Some wildly handsome knight in shining armor, maybe, whisking her onto the back of his huge black stallion to ride off into the sunset.

Sure. Just like the last one.

She gave a groan and shook her head. There were no knights in shining armor. There were no saviors riding in and carrying the fair maiden away from a fate worse than death. Those guys had all been figments of some writer’s imagination. Lancelot and Arthur had been myths—chivalry had only been for the rich, not the poor—and if she had brought any naïve illusions out west with her at twenty three, they were all completely dispelled by now.

There would be no rescuer to save her from this mess. She had been looking for him since she was sixteen, and she was quite certain she would die an old maid because the men she had seen didn’t even come halfway up to her slowly evaporating ideal. Of course, the only men she knew were either married but looking, divorced and on the rebound—or gay.

In her age group, the pickings were pretty slim. Oh, there were plenty of opportunities to hop into the sack with someone. But she wanted more than a one-night stand. She had those in her dreams. In real life she wanted more—so much more.

She had decided several years back that she didn’t want to get involved with married men, nor was she interested in nursing a sick ego back to health for some other woman. She was doomed to remain unplucked, as it were, rotting on the frigging vine. She flushed at her naïve thoughts, and punched her pillow into submission with an angry fist.

“Wake up, stupid!” she growled. “There is no such animal as Prince Charming!”

Sleep came unwillingly, and only after a long fist fight with her uncooperative mattress and pillow. At least in her sleep Prince Charming did exist. He was a welcome visitor to her restless nights, and as she sank into weary oblivion, he was there waiting in the silken darkness to help her forget.

He was standing where she always found him. He was looking out over the rooftops toward the black, roiling ocean, with the wind blowing his dark hair across his shadowy face, his body hidden in the mists of her dream. Strange, how she never managed to actually see him. Only feel him. Sense his intensity. He turned to face her as she floated from the door of the stairwell, and the only part of his face she could see were his lips, those sinfully wicked, curving lips that did such heavenly things to her body. Why couldn’t she see him?

As always, he said nothing. Reaching out to her, he pulled her close with lean, strong hands and took her mouth savagely, needfully, hotly. His tongue was strong, hot, decadently delicious, tasting of delights she desperately wanted to know. There was heat in his kiss. Deep, sizzling heat. Devouring her. Building within her an aching hunger as his mouth and tongue left her faint and desperate for more.

His hands—oh, those marvelous, strong hands. Hands that moved slowly, decadently, torturing every place they moved, making her hot and greedy for more. Hands that cupped her barely covered breasts as he demanded everything.

He was naked. He was always naked. His smooth bronzed skin hot against hers as her own virginal white gown melted beneath his searing touch. She desperately wanted to see all that seductive, sweat-sheathed skin. She could never see his body clearly, and it was so hard and strong, so completely masculine and hot. She could not see his rippling muscles—only feel them as her own hands frantically moved over his chest and shoulders. Her palms caressed the hard nubs of masculine nipples, and when she tried to look at his body, he kissed her again, passionately, hungrily, preventing her from looking her fill.

He smiled down into her face as he held up the black cloth that he invariably wrapped around her eyes, and she shook her head. No! She wanted to see him! And then she was lost once more in the black folds of cloth as he ran his mouth down her body to her navel, his hot tongue swirling over her skin as she clutched his thick dark hair and begged him to finish this time—just once—so that she would know what it felt like. Her body was aflame, her lips trembling as she begged him to take away the cloth so that she could feast her eyes on him.

He laughed softly at her cries, ignoring her breathless need to see. His mouth moved over her trembling lips then tracked lower over her aching throat as she moaned and clung to his shoulders.

His fingertips trailed over her aching nipples, to be replaced by his hot, wet mouth suckling, teasing—his tongue swirling seductively around her breast’s puffy tip, his hot breath making the painful tightness of her nipple even more desperately unbearable.

“I want you to—oh, please—touch me! Please, let me see you,” she sobbed as her hands dragged his body closer. Oh, the enthralling feel of his body beneath her fingers—under her aching palms. Her mind swirled in a miasma of unsated passion as he laughed and moved to the other nipple, tugging it deep into his hot mouth as his hands—oh, God! Those wonderful, talented hands—cupped her breasts as he licked, nipped, and nibbled until she wanted to die of the pleasure. Don’t stop! No! Please don’t stop.

He moved downward, his lips and tongue leaving a trail of devastation in their heated wake as he slipped down her body, his hands cupping her ass and lifting her hips to press a wanton kiss above her wet coppery curls. Oh, please! Yes!

He was pressing her thighs apart—seeking, teasing—until she lifted her hips and threw her head back, panting in desperation. She felt his delicious fingertips slip into the wet, swollen cleft between her legs—felt the heat swelling—that hot, sensuous beginning of ravening passion. She felt his long, lean fingers dip and swirl over her clitoris and into her throbbing center, felt the sweet, hot torture of his mouth as he kissed her wet sex, his tongue swirling, dipping—offering paradise! Almost—there—please—oh, please—oh—yeah…

Oh, shit!

The alarm brought her up from her bed with a strangled curse. Damn him! Even in her dreams, Prince Charming was just a frigging tease! She calmed her raging pulses and closed her eyes, falling back onto her damp pillow with a groan.

How many times had she felt him in her dreams? How many times had she so nearly felt the explosion she desperately craved? Oh, yeah, he was a damned tease.

But at least he wasn’t gay.

Music and Writing

This originally appeared on Raine Delights blog on June 6th.


Since a child I’ve connected to music on many different levels. I love all different types, but lean more towards Rock/Heavy Metal. I listen to music more than I watch television. My CD collection is large. :o)


Music plays a huge part in my writing too. I hear a song and picture a story. Not the full story, but a general theme. Sometimes it’s only the title that strikes an idea for a story, but normally it’s the lyrics.


Take for instance Dante’s Desire, coming from Ellora’s Cave on August 17th. I wrote this story after hearing the song I Get Off, by Halestorm. It’s about someone getting off watching another get off. I knew I had to write Dante’s Desire. The book starts with Addison, the heroine, performing sexual acts in her window for her sexy neighbor across the street.


Another book – Spend The Night With Me, coming from EC, release date TBD, is loosely attached to a song. The song Need You Now, by Lady Antebellum starts off talking about scattered pictures. The image struck a chord with me (no pun intended). This book starts with my heroine Brooke looking at pictures of her now deceased fiancé. After hearing this song, I changed part of the scene to her sitting on the floor with pictures scattered around her. She’s packing them away to move forward with her life.


Sometimes my heroes are musicians like Reed Walker in Body Shots. He’s a singer and guitar player. His band plays at the heroines bar. Reed signs a song he’d written for the heroine many years prior, weakening her defenses. (Available now)

Those are just a few examples of how I weave my love for music into my writing life. Is there anything that plays a big role in your life?





Here's a little taste of Body Shots:

Blurb:

Got Tequila?
Sierra does and Reed isn’t afraid to use it. He’s determined to do shots on every inch of her skin, but Sierra has insecurities preventing him from exploring intimate areas. Her insecurities won't stop her from lavishing his body with the heady liquor.
Ten years ago an accident tore Sierra Allen and Reed Walker apart. Now a chance encounter has them burning for each other. A bottle of liquor and a pool table has this duo ready to quench their thirsts with one night of Body Shots.
Will one night be enough to fan the flames of desire?


Excerpt:
Reed Walker leaned his massive frame against the wall. His leg bent, his boot-clad foot tapped against the wall to the rhythm of the bass drum. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, as his eyes gazed upon the singer crooning the soft rock ballad. She was gorgeous by every standard of the word. Long flowing black hair, dark mysterious eyes, her arms sleeved in tattoos. Dressed only in black leather pants and a matching leather bra, her rock-hard stomach revealed she worshiped the gym but Reed wasn’t here for the singer. She wasn’t his type any longer. Another time, another place maybe. Not tonight. Tonight, he was here for the owner of the bar.
Looking to make some extra cash doing something they loved, Reed and his fellow band mates decided to reunite after a ten year hiatus. Reed having always been the businessman of the group took on the task of going around to different bars and clubs to see if they were interested in adding his band Foul Play to the line up.
When he walked into Crimson Nights he thought he was walking into a dream. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought he’d come face to face with the only true love of his life—Sierra Allen.
The look on her face when he walked up to the bar and asked to speak to the owner was one of shock. Like seeing a ghost. And that’s how he felt. Oh, she’d cut off most of her long red hair but she couldn’t deny the scar on her right cheek. It had faded some over the years and she tried covering it with her hand most of the time they spoke but he knew it was her. She told him her name was Laura but Reed knew better. Those haunting green eyes couldn’t be mistaken.
He went along with her charade, though it killed him deep inside. She had run away from him after the car accident without so much as an explanation. The weeks he spent by her side, holding her while she cried over what she felt was a deformed face. The painful recovery from the shards of glass that cut her, when the windshield shattered. He stood by her side, loving her, wishing he could take away her pain. Wishing it was him who suffered instead of her, only to have her up and vanish when she was released from the hospital.
Now she was pretending she didn’t know him. It didn’t make sense. He’d let her go a long time ago but this time he wasn’t going to leave without finding out why. It was the least she could do. She owed him an explanation.
She shocked him when she agreed to let his band play. He fully expected a flat-out “no”. Why would she want his band playing there if she was hiding her identity? Was it a ploy to make him believe she was this Laura she pretended to be? Or was she feeling the connection too? If it was to prove her charade, she was sadly mistaken. Reed wasn’t stupid enough to be fooled by a haircut or name change.
Reed would wait until the night was done and the bar empty before he confronted her but he would and when he did, Sierra had some explaining to do.

The Book that Almost Didn’t Happen:

On June 7, 2010 Carina Press, the new digital-first imprint of Harlequin, opened its virtual doors. One of the launch books was Motor City Fae, by Cindy Spencer Pape. Since this is far from my first book, you might not think I’m excited about this one, but I am, and let me tell you why.

In early 2005, I’d been writing and submitting for about five years. After a big pile of rejections, I was getting tired of the whole thing. Still, I had this book in my head, about elves and other paranormal beings based in my hometown, Detroit. So I started plugging away, deciding this would be my last big shot. If it didn’t sell, I’d bag the whole writing thing and find something else to do with my time. I got started and realized I loved this story—the plot, the characters, the setting—everything about it was great!

That summer, my life went to hell. My mother died, after a long illness, but without a lot of warning. Three weeks later, my brother passed away at the age of 53, due to lingering complications from a car accident many years earlier. Funny how I didn’t have time to write much that summer. By the time I got back to my computer, along about January of 2006, I discovered there was too much grief still associated with the book. Much as I loved the story, I couldn’t bring myself to work on it. Instead, I went back and polished up a few books I’d already finished and submitted.

By spring, I’d given myself a new ultimatum. By now I had three books that were freshly polished. I’d exhausted my venues with each of them for traditional publishing, but I hadn’t looked at digital-first. I decided it was time. I submitted one each to three different publishers: Triskelion, The Wild Rose Press, and Cerridwen Press/Ellora’s Cave.

Imagine my surprise when all three sold. Suddenly I didn’t have one publisher, I had three. I got busy writing sequels. I sold more stories, most paranormal, many of them more and more erotic, and somewhere along the way I managed to finish that not-but-not-erotic book about Elves in Detroit. Only thing was, it wasn’t a good fit for any of my publishers.

Then along came Carina Press. The day they opened their doors, I sent in my submission. A while later I got a lovely email from Angela James offering to contract my book. After discussions with my editor, we came up with the name Urban Arcana for the series—because of course she wanted to see stories for each of the other characters.

Keep reading for a snippet of Motor City Fae, the book that almost didn’t happen. Read to the very end to find out how to enter to win a $20.00 gift certificate.

Happy Reading!

Cindy

Motor City Fae

Book I of Urban Arcana

By Cindy Spencer Pape

Coming June 2010 from Carina Press

www.carinapress.com

Blurb:

Detroit artist Meagan Kelly has had a strong sixth sense all her life, but that doesn’t mean the gorgeous stranger’s crazy story—that she’s a half-elf, half human heiress—is true. But Meagan can’t deny the evidence of her own eyes—he’s Fae. A tall, blond, handsome, pointy-eared elf—and a man she just can’t get enough of.

Ric Thornhill’s assignment just got a lot more complicated. The more time he spends with Meagan, the harder it is to see her as a political tool to prevent an all-out war between humans and Fae.

Now Meagan’s in a race to master her newly released powers in time to prevent the conflict, convince a jealous Queen not to strip Ric of his powers, and find out if she can build a life that straddles two worlds.

Excerpt:(PG)

Suburban Detroit was a truly odd place.

Ric Thornhill’s vintage Jaguar convertible roared down Woodward Avenue, a wide car-clogged boulevard lined with all manner of businesses from elegant boutiques to seedy liquor stores. To his right loomed an enormous stone church that could have been in medieval Europe. On the left was a strip mall with a Chinese restaurant, a nail salon and a paycheck advance center.

Find Emery of Rose’s long-lost daughter before the next Seelie Council meeting, or live out a miserable human lifespan as a powerless mortal. That was the geas that his boss, the elven queen, had cast on Ric. In other words, find the girl or die. His death sentence would simply take forty or fifty years to be carried out. The geas was a result of telling Her Majesty off the last time she’d sent him on a fool’s errand. One would think he’d have learned by now to keep his mouth shut. The sad part was that on this job, he’d have done his best anyway. The fate of both realms could hang in the balance if he didn’t.

In over eight centuries of existence, he’d been in plenty of sticky situations, but none as bad as this. He’d started the search in New York, where Emery had died. No luck there. He’d also tried Windsor, Ontario, the hometown of Emery’s human wife. Nothing. Two other agents of the queen had mysteriously disappeared or been killed and now Ric was the only one left. And he was here in Detroit on nothing more than a hunch held by one of Emery’s cousins. Aidan Greene believed his missing relative was somewhere nearby. Now Ric only had five days remaining and he’d gotten nowhere but here, which wasn’t good.

The place was dismal and depressing—hot, gray and muggy on this August afternoon and the five-o’clock Friday traffic royally sucked. Ric had spent the last week checking out every new-age shop, so-called psychic and alternative club in the area—every place he could think of that a half-Fae would be drawn to. If his mediocre scrying skills hadn’t led him to the right place this time, he was probably toast. He was supposed to be at a certain corner in Royal Oak at a certain time. Yeah, he had lots of info to go on.

He accelerated through a yellow light, cranked up the volume on his stereo and settled his black Ray-Ban sunglasses on his nose despite the overcast day. What the hell, might as well go down in style.

* * * * *

If you enjoyed the excerpt, by all means watch for more. I’ll be visiting blogs all month! Also, I’m running a contest. All you have to do is pop over to my website, go to the “contact Cindy” page, and tell me which blog you saw me on and answer the question of the day. At the end of June, I’ll be giving away a $20.00 gift card to your choice of Borders, B&N, or Amazon. You can enter once for each blog stop.

Today’s question: Name the heroine of Motor City Fae.

Now here’s where you can find me on the web.

Website: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com

Blog: http://cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CindySPape

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000270304390

The Classic Plots

According to these sources (Shelley Munro, Prairie Chicks Write Romance, and Houston Area Romance Authors), there are only twenty basic plot lines for romance stories.

1. Secret Baby
2. Cinderella (rags to riches)
3. Opposites Attract
4. Bodyguard
5. Second chance/First love rekindled
6. Reunion
7. Stranded
8. Love Triangle
9. Marriage of Convenience (mail-order bride)
10. Beauty and the Beast
11. Sleeping Beauty/Ugly duckling
12. Amnesia
13. Fish out of water
14. Blackmail/Revenge
15. Forbidden love
16. Mentor/protégé (boss/employee)
17. Princess/Pauper; King/Beggar maid
18. Bad boy/good girl; Bad girl/good boy
19. Best Friends
20. The Road to Adventure

To me, that's simply amazing. There are thousands upon thousands of romance stories out there, and they can all be sorted into twenty styles. But when I begin to think about it, I can actually fit every story I've read and written into at least one of these categories.

My debut novel mixes number three and thirteen with a dash of fifteen for taste. The second book I have coming out combines three (geesh I must like watching opposites get it on, huh) with some nine and seventeen, while the third book is all about one and five. My fourth book...uh oh. I can't find a number to fit that one under (GASP).

I had to pull up the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books list of basic romance plots to find a category for my fourth book.

Here's their take on the basic romance plot lines:

1. [wo]man vs. big misunderstanding
2. [wo]man vs. evil parents and conniving relatives
3. [wo]man vs. evil fiancé(e)
4. [wo]man vs. disparities in social standing
5. [wo]man vs. big secret (often, but not always, a baby)
6. [wo]man vs. massive sexual or physical trauma
7. [wo]man vs. trivial trauma that’s hyped up to appear much more serious than it is (OH MY GOD MY MOM WAS A COLD-HEARTED SLUT WAH WAH WAHHHHHHHHHH I WILL NOW HATE ANYTHING BEARING A VAGINA being a classic for many heroes)
8. [wo]man vs. emotionally constipated man
9. [wo]man vs. angsty undead or lunarly-hairy version of any of the above
10. [wo]man vs. high-powered/high-status male embracing all gender stereotypes and phallocentric expectations of women
11. [wo]man vs. serial killer who ends up wanting to rape and/or kill and/or eat the heroine, because the heroine, she is one tasty bitch
12. [wo]man vs. historically inappropriate urges to break free of societal mold by marrying… socially proper man (*note: can apply to gay romances as well as hetero romances)

From this list, my fourth story fits into numbers two and eight.

So, now I'm curious. Which list do you agree with more? And is there any missing plots you can come up with? I'm thinking interfering families needs to be in there somewhere for some Romeo/Juliet action, though I guess that story could slip into the forbidden romance theme.

Hmm. What say you all?

Interview of Author Qwillia Rain

Today it's my pleasure to interview author Qwillia Rain.

Latest Book: An Invitation: Ariel's Pet
Buy Link: http://www.loose-id.com/An-Invitation-Ariels-Pet.aspx

BIO:
Qwillia Rain grew up loving books. From an early age she was creating stories to go with the pictures. By high school she was penning romances for her friends and shocking them with the graphic nature of the love scenes. After leaving her home in Las Vegas, Nevada for Anchorage, Alaska, Qwillia discovered there were other authors who enjoyed throwing open the bedroom doors and exploring the darker side of human nature. She left Alaska for Billings, Montana, but the travel bug struck again. Currently, Qwillia resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, drawing inspiration from the history, scenery, and rich diversity of the South.

Q: Do all your heroes and all heroines look the same in your mind as you “head write”?
A: Nope. Each one has a distinctive look and personality. Many tend to have the same snarky, sarcastic responses to situations, though.

Q: Do you eat comfort food when writing? If so, what food inspires your imagination?
A: Depends upon whether or not the book is working well or not. If it isn't working--it'll often become a chocolate and soda fest is my apartment. When it's flowing well, I'll drink spiced chai tea and eat relatively healthy foods, with only the occasional splurge on candy or soda.

Q: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?
A: Sewing or crocheting.

Q: What’s your strongest point as a writer?
A: In my opinion, it's the dialogue in my stories. Others have told me it's the intense emotional impact of my love scenes.

Q: You’re on a remote island with a handsome man, a computer, and a “mysterious” source of electricity to power your computer. What do you do?
A: I use the man for "research" and in the hours he's recovering his strength, I write my stories, concocting new scenarios and "research" to be conducted/practiced once the man is feeling up to it.

Q: What genre would you like to try writing in but haven’t yet done so? Why?
A: Young Adult. Because my students keep bothering me about wanting to read my books, and I keep telling them they can't until they turn 18.

Tell us where to find you: website(s), publisher’s page(s), blog(s), Facebook page(s), etc. List them all!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000438391384
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/qwilliarain
Loose Id, LLC: http://www.loose-id.com/Our-Authors/Qwillia-Rain
Website: http://www.clubdiabloblanco.webs.com
Blog: http://diabloblancoclub.blogspot.com

BLURB:

Ariel Valerian knew cooking techniques and recipes, but a Dominant like Dane Reese had her more hot and bothered than a dozen hours slaving in a steamy kitchen. And 'slaving' is just what she intends to teach her blond haired, blue eyed, oh so yummy surfer boy. He might be helping at the family café as a favor to her sister, but there was no way she was giving him an opportunity to play Dom with her.

For Dane Reese, Ariel Valerian is a full-figured pixie -- a life-size, blue-haired Tinker Bell in a chef's coat surrounded by the scent of chocolate and cinnamon and an aura of mind-blowing, sweaty sex. Too bad she's driving him insane with her determination to order him around. As a Dominant and half-owner of A Master's Gift, Dane has seen his share of Dommes and submissives, and, no matter how she might deny it, calling him Master is Ariel’s destiny.

Two powerful personalities; a contest to determine who is more adept at control; and less than thirty days to discover if Ariel will bow to Dane's commands, or if Dane will become Ariel's Pet.

EXCERPT:

If she wanted to get the man out of her life—out of both their lives—Ariel was sure she'd be required to resort to a bit more than bluntly telling him to leave the café. It clearly hadn't worked today. He wanted the books, so they were the key.

If I don't let him look at the books, eventually he'll get frustrated enough to go.

So how do I keep him from the paperwork? Al does it all online. I can't throw away the computer.” Ariel paused in the doorway of the kitchen and looked back at the laptop on the sofa. A smile spread over her lips. “Or maybe I can.”

Day 2

Dane was surprised Ariel didn't stop him at the front door the next day. It could be because he'd waited until after the lunch rush started to wind down before he entered the café. Through the pick-up window, he could see her watching him. The grin on her lips gave him pause as he strode down the hallway to the office.

“Round two,” Dane muttered.

He didn't doubt she was up to something. Apparently it was too much to ask that she would have taken the time last night to resign herself to his presence this month.

In the office he shrugged out of his suit coat and tossed it over the back of the battered desk chair. One look at the computer and he knew what had prompted the damned grin on Ariel's lips. He rolled back his pale blue silk shirt cuffs and grimaced at the computer in front of him.

“Problem, surfer boy?” Ariel leaned against the office door with her arms crossed over her breasts, a smug grin still on her lips.

“Where are they, Ariel?”

Her bright green eyes opened wide in an attempt to appear guileless. The haughty grin and aura of self-satisfaction spoiled the illusion. “I'm only a cook, remember? I don't know anything about the business. That's why my sister asked you to take care of things, isn't it?”

“Having a bachelor's degree in restaurant management doesn't mean you're just a cook,” Dane pointed out.

Ariel obviously tried to hide her surprise at his knowledge of her degree, but he could see it in her slightly widened eyes. She brushed her hands together as if she dusted off dirt, then turned and walked away. Soft laughter spilled from her lips. Dane cursed and shook his head.

He looked back at the computer where it sat on the corner of the desk. It was a useless paperweight without the power cables, mouse, or keyboard. If he took the time to go to his office to retrieve the necessary components to get the machine running, the last of the lunch customers would be gone. Dane didn't doubt Ariel would lock the doors against him. This early in the game, he wasn't about to divulge the fact that Alayna had given him her key to the café as well as the alarm code. Ariel was sure to react badly if she knew how much her sister trusted him. And a woman with access to very sharp knives and the knowledge of how to use them was not someone a smart man pissed off.

She liked my book!

My mom called me last night. Now you may not think much of this, but mom calling me in the middle of the week in the evening is enough for me to think about grabbing the keys and heading for whatever hospital she's been admitted to. It just doesn't happen unless something's wrong.

So why is it important that she called? She wanted to tell me that she'd just finished reading my book "Akashan'te". Which almost had me grabbing my keys to run myself to the emergency room. Because my mom doesn't read books. Ever. It's just not something she does (I got my love of books and the written word from Dad). It took her several weeks to read it.

She wanted to call me and tell me how much she liked it. And that it amazed her that I could do something like that (okay, that one hurt a little, but taken in the light of what she was trying to say, I'll take it as a compliment). And that she was proud of me.

Gulp. What? She was proud of me? Again, not something Mom ever says. Not even when I graduated from college (first in the family). Or went on to get my Master's and graduated with a 4.0 average. Or... for any other accomplishments I (or my siblings) did. She was proud of me? Wow. Going for those keys again.

Before you think my mom is a mean person, she's not. She's one of the most giving people I know. Just not verbally. Her way of saying something nice is to bake you something incredibly good. Or knit something for you or buy you a small gift. Something tangible. Words have no value to her. So for her to say these things meant a lot more to me than they might to many people. It meant more than the great reviews (though I love them!) and the pats on the back from friends. Because I knew how difficult this was for her to say.

My mom called last night to tell me how much she liked my book. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

May you have a great day like that.