Cover Reveal of My Chapter’s Anthology

I’ve mentioned about the anthology members of my RWA Chapter has gotten together that was supposed to be released last summer. But as things go…yeah, it got delayed. It’ll be out next month though -- YAY!

I saw the cover for the first time yesterday and now I’m sharing it with all of you.

Love’s a Beach

Coming in February, 2014 from Mythical Press

Edited by Michele Stegman, Barbara Lohr, Lorrie Moggenberg, Rosie Murphy, and Mary Ulrich

Warm up your winter with this anthology of stories of springtime and summer love by members of the Ohio Valley Romance Writers of America. From heartwarming to mysterious, comical to suspenseful, these romantic tales show that there really is someone for everyone. Featuring stories by Linda Chalk, Ann Gregory, Dakota James, Stacy McKitrick, Sandy Pennington, and Jennette Marie Powell as well as flash fiction and poetry, Love’s a Beach proves there’s something magical about finding love when the warm breezes blow, whether it happens today or a hundred years ago, from the Atlantic shore to the American West coast.

Love’s a Beach will be available in trade paperback, and in all major electronic formats from your favorite retailers.

Cover was created by Jennette Marie Powell (isn't it great) and I have two short stories included in this anthology: “The Ferris Wheel” and “The Wish.” Both are romances, but neither one are paranormal. Who knew I had it in me? Haha! J

Last night I saw my first Elvis film from beginning to end. Shocking, huh? When we went through Graceland, back in October, I saw clips to “Viva Las Vegas.” It looked interesting so I asked for that movie for Christmas. Figured it would be a cheap gift. Well, I got all 17 Elvis movies. Don’t know if I’ll watch them all, but I did finally see VLV. I swear, it felt like I was watching a tourism film on Las Vegas! But it was fun.

So, are you an Elvis fan? If so, which movie of his should I watch next?

Stacy

 

March Madness!

Basketball? Sure, I suppose. But what about the weather? It's crazy.

I think that groundhog lied! Temps will still be in the 30s this week with snow on Tuesday. Where's spring? It was supposed to be right around the corner! Instead all we get is more of the same. Cold, cold, and more cold.

Is anyone here just as sick of it as I am?

Sunday was a day off for me (writing-wise, that is). Watched the Penguins beat the Bruins (yay!), watched Ohio State beat Wisconsin (yay!), and watched Kevin Streelman win his first PGA tournament (okay, I don’t know who he is, but it was fun). I didn't even read. I know, shocker!

Apparently, the two short stories I submitted for my RWA chapter’s anthology have been accepted (well, I wasn’t told they were rejected), but unfortunately, not enough submissions were received by the March 15th deadline, so the deadline has been extended. That’s better than being cancelled! Just wondering if I should attempt to write another. My husband thinks I should. But Alien Desires (Book #5) is begging to be finished (at least ready for someone to critique it), so I will concentrate on that instead. Unless, of course, I wake up with an idea that can be written in a day (not impossible, it’s happened before), then I’ll reconsider. And why do I have time to do all that? That’s because I got my content edits in well before my April 7th deadline. Getting that finished sure lifted a load off my shoulders!

I hope the weather is warmer in your part of the world, just as I wish it were warmer here! This winter has gone on long enough, don’t you think?

 

 

Great News - I'm Going to be Published!

For those of you who don't know (since I put it out on Facebook on Friday), MY SUNNY VAMPIRE will be published by Lyrical Press. Yay! Happy Dance!

Yeah, I'm still in shock.

Guess I don't have to worry about what my next project will be for awhile, since I now have a – gasp! – deadline! The first of many, I'm sure. And you know what? That makes me sooooo happy!

Okay, and a little freaked out.

It's strange going from doing whatever to oh-my-God-I-have-to-get-this-done-in-two-weeks! And then to find out the short story I want to submit to my chapter's anthology is also due in two weeks.

Did I mention I was a little freaked out?

Okay, so much for reading. So much for blog hopping. I've got some work to do!

Oh, and before I forget, I learned one thing this weekend. I was so excited about my news, I never got a chance to be nervous for being on the romance panel (which went very well, by the way). Who knew? Not me!

I thought 2013 would be my year. I just never realized how BIG!

 

 

Still Thinking...

I'm still thinking about writing a short story for the Beatnik Café (to be held on Dec 7). My husband wants to shoot Jennette (yeah, you!!) for putting the vampire elves in my head. I'm coming up with all types of ideas (and most of them are, well, pretty bad):

 

A couple sleeping in bed, hear noises on the roof. He goes up to investigate and gets bit by vampire elves.
***OR***
A witch wants to get rid of her husband, so she summons vampire elves on Christmas Eve.
***OR***
A vampire couple is greeted on Christmas Eve by…vampire elves!!

I'm still playing around with that centerfold idea, too. Those ideas are a little more clean, and maybe the way I should go. But damn, those vampire elves just crack me up! I'll figure something out. Maybe.

And if you have any other suggestions for "Up on the Housetop", bring it on!

********

On Saturday I got my hands on the print version of the anthology book (and it is soooo pretty!!). I was even asked to sign a few copies. Talk about UNREAL!!

********

Next Saturday the husband and I will be attending a wedding. I'm not one who likes to shop (or even dress up), so I went through the clothes I did have. Lucky me, I found a dress (well, it was actually my daughter's) where I don't have to go out and buy new shoes and I even had a jacket that went with it well enough (yep, not picky here!). I think I'm good.

My husband went through all his suits, most of which were WAY too large (since he'd lost 50 lbs), but he found one sport coat and one suit that fit (yay!) and are now at the cleaners. Seven (yes, SEVEN) suits are headed for Goodwill. He hates wearing suits, and most of these were only worn once.

Of course, now he was on a roll and decided to hit the hallway closet to go through all the outerwear. One jacket is being tossed (broken and too large), three are being repaired (if it's Steelers and/or it fits, it's getting fixed), and two are being donated. I think I now have room to hang MY coats in there!

So, we had a semi-productive weekend. I didn't have to buy any new outfits, and we'll have a good tax donation this year!

How was your weekend?

 

I'm Back...With Exciting News!

I was going to title this "I Interrupt This Break to Bring You…Exciting News!" but I just now decided I'm done with my hiatus, so it wasn't really fitting. Why am I done? Not because I finished Book #5, but because I'm ALMOST finished with Book #5. It won't be as long as my others (at least the first draft won't, who knows what I'll enhance when I start editing it), but a story is as long as a story wants to be, right? I have no fear of missing my goal of Halloween. NO FEAR! (Yeah, I'm trembling.)

 

Now onto my Exciting News, which is:

 

I can now put MY NAME into the search in Amazon and the book with MY NAME (as well as other authors) on it will come up! How freaking crazy is that??? My short story was selected for the anthology my RWA chapter put together (as a fund raiser) and it's now available in Smashwords and Amazon. Soon it will be on Barnes & Noble and in print (which I'm holding out for). Once I get all those links, I'll put them in my sidebar.

 

Here's the cover (created by Jennette Marie Powell, who also formatted and put it all together – isn't she great?). It's unreal, it really is.

 

If that wasn't good enough news to share, I have more. Apparently good things DO come in threes. I hope they come in fours and fives, though, because I really want more (yep, I'm greedy). Anywhooo… I submitted three chapters and a synopsis of MY SUNNY VAMPIRE to a small press publisher and was informed by the editor that she liked my story and to send the whole manuscript! I am so keeping my fingers crossed on this one. Maybe you can, too???

 

And good news number three? Last Monday I got called up for a job interview. Talk about shocked. The interview is today.

 

See what I mean about maybe getting the good luck to go into fours and fives???

 

I'm a happy camper and I love sharing news! I also decided my Wednesday posts will be "What I Read Last Week." I'm reading a lot more now, and it will give me something to share and blog about (besides the page up top listing the books I've read).

 

WRiTE Club has started the next bout of winners matched against winners, so check it out and vote - the rounds will be going a lot quicker this time around. My piece was never selected in the first bouts (boo hoo). I was really hoping it would (if I couldn't make it out of 72, I can only imagine how many people submitted!), so it would give me motivation to finish the story – ha ha! I may still finish it someday. Just not right now. Book #5 awaits an ending.

 

Have a great Monday!