Publishing Update and Have Lunch With Some Authors

I finally got the print format for Ghostly Liaison and My Sunny Vampire uploaded to Createspace, so now the waiting game begins. I’ll still get a proof copy first (because you never know…), but I sure hope I’m done with these two.

Bite Me, I’m Yours is with Hubby (via Enterprise Book Services) to format the e-book and paperback. He said I should get the e-book version by today to upload. It’ll probably be a few days later for the print format. I just hope it’s all done before I leave on my vacation (which starts Friday—yay!).

By the way, here’s the new cover to Bite Me, I’m Yours. Isn’t it great? I think Maria Zannini (www.bookcoverdiva.blogspot.com) has done a wonderful job in creating my covers. And she puts up a lot from me, too (because I can be so indecisive at times).

So, to sum it up, here are the statuses of the following books I’m working on:

• My Sunny Vampire: e-books available for sale; print book in process
• Bite Me, I’m Yours: e-books and print book in process
• Ghostly Liaison: e-books available for sale; print book in process
• Ghostly Interlude: with copy editor.

I can’t believe how time consuming it’s been to get these books out. I DESERVE that vacation now! And I’m really hoping I get some writing done because yes, that does sound like a fun thing to do on vacation. It’s been way too long since I wrote anything NEW.

If you’re in the Cincinnati area (or even if you’re not—haha!) and you’d like to have lunch with a bunch of us authors (because hey, that’s fun!), here’s a great opportunity and it’s for a good cause, too. The Book Chicks of Cincinnati is holding a Christmas luncheon/book signing with proceeds going to the Toys for Tots. I had a blast last year (as did everyone), but if we don’t get more tickets sold, it could very well be cancelled this year. L You can find all the details HERE, but before you go registering, email me first (stacy @ stacymckitrick . com—without the spaces). I’ll send you a code to get $5 off.

SPORTS! Wayne HS won on Friday, with 14 seconds left in the game!!! I even found a video of it HERE (it's not long, less than a minute). Aaack. Too exciting! Saturday was a nice sports day. OSU won. USC won. Penguins won. Dodgers won. And WVU won (yes, I like them, too). And Sunday the Steelers squeaked by KC in a nerve-wracking win, the Rams beat the Jags, and the Dodgers won it in the 9th inning with a walk off home run!! They’re up 2-0 in the NLCS. I could use more fun sports weekends like that.

So… Which sports are you enjoying/focusing on now? You can see what interest me (and did you notice I don’t mention the NBA? Yeah, I don’t like them). This certainly is the busy season, isn’t it?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

People Who Resemble My Characters

Back in May 2011 I wrote a similar post “Men Who Resemble my Characters” (if you check out that post, you’ll notice I mention my WIP, “Memories.” Well, that became My Sunny Vampire. And that other book I mention, “Sarah’s Turn,” is dead in the water. See… a lot can happen in 4 years!). That post has become my most popular, view-wise. How popular? Well, since then, it received 882 page views.

Okay, I can hear some of you now. “882? Is that all?” I know, that’s not a whole lot (Believe it or not, I don’t get THAT many visitors to this blog). But to put that in perspective, the second most popular post received 252 page views (from September 2013). Third place received 248 page views (from October 2013). In my top ten there aren’t ANY posts that come close to being that old, either. So yeah, it was popular.

And I’m sure it had a lot to do with the two pictures on that post. I mean, who doesn’t like seeing Alex O’Loughlin and/or Brandon Routh? Okay, what FEMALE doesn’t like seeing Alex O’Loughlin and/or Brandon Routh?

While I'm not posting their pictures again, I thought maybe I could create another popular post and show you some more people I’ve discovered who have resembled characters I’ve created. Will it work? Only time will tell... 

 

John Pennington (from Bite Me, I’m Yours and the ill-fated “Sarah’s Turn”) had gone through many formations in my head until I saw Captain America. Oh. My. God. That was John! Not just in the looks, but in the way he acted. So yeah, now I’ve got a little fixation on Chris Evans (sorry, Alex—although you’re still number one).

Rob Gentry (my character from Ghostly Liaison) took on an eerie resemblance to a former boss of mine (which I do NOT have a photo, and yes, he was hot!). It was really awkward since I was still working for the guy at the time AND writing the book. It’s not something I recommend. Sure made it hard for me to focus on my work. Shoot, he probably wondered why I was always staring at him… J

The most recent discovery of one of my characters came from my last cruise. I was just standing there, waiting for the muster drill before the cruise set sail, when I looked at one of the “instructors” who was demonstrating the life vest. It was Victoria Braeden (my character from Blind Temptation).

 

Actually, her name is Natasha, she was one of the singer/dancers for the production numbers, and she’s from England. I tried my best to get her picture (because I was too stupid to do it during the muster drill—doh!). Out of all the ones I took, this one was the best. But let me tell you, I was obsessed with her on that cruise. I felt like I was cruising with Victoria!

Okay… Now that you know what a total nut job I am, why don’t you stop on over at CD Hersh’s blog. I’m over there “talking” about how I came to write Ghostly Liaison. The link to the post is HERE. I’m not giving away any prizes, but could sure stand to see a familiar name (and I’m sure the Hersh’s wouldn’t mind having a visitor or two, either).

So… Do prizes get you to go visit a blog? They don’t for me. Most of the time I don’t want the prize, so then I don’t comment. So I just don’t do giveaways on guest posts. Maybe one day, when I’m rich and famous… Nah.

Have a great weekend!

Stacy

My Picture with Karl Urban!!!! And...

It's Release Day for "Bite Me, I'm Yours"!!!!

That's right. It's now available for sale. Eventually, it will be available in print, but for now you can get it for your e-reader. Links are located on the side bar, or go to my Book Page on my website.

And now for the picture you're really wanting to see, right??? Here's how my photo op went with Karl Urban...

 

Yep, I'm grinning like a fool, I know. I was just so happy I wasn't shaking like a leaf!

I'm still at Dragon*Con, so this is all I have for now. Just wanted to share the news about my latest release AND the best picture taken this weekend!

Happy Monday! Hope it's a holiday for you. :)

Stacy

I’m CAVING: One Smart Phone Coming Up

If I can't put my cover on my phone,
what good is the phone?

Yes, yes, yes. The day is finally arriving. This old woman is finally caving in and upgrading her 2004 (2006? Who knows!) Cingular One (yes, Cingular!) flip phone to an iPhone 4.

My husband brought one home last week for me to play with. I’ve added the Facebook app and my e-mail accounts and have been using free wi-fi to play around with it. I’m still not keen on it, but Dragon*Con is coming up (sssssooooonnnnn!!!!) and I kind of want to use their app. And maybe post pictures on Facebook as I take them.

Plus, I realized that I already take forever to send a text, so sending one on the iPhone will be just as slow, only in a different way (I really hate it when I can’t feel the keyboard). And the only person who ever really calls me is my husband, so it’s not like I’m talking on the thing all the time.

Of course, my wanting to upgrade has kind of back-fired on my husband. He’s been telling me for-ev-er (I swear, it feels that way) that I should get one. Thing is, he’s been using MY iTunes account (I have an iPod) for his own iPhone. Ooops.

So we have to resolve that first. I say he has to get his own account and figure out how to transfer everything over. We’re hoping he’ll be able to do that, because he doesn’t think my account will accommodate two iPhones. Hell, I don’t know why not. It already accommodates all my iPods (I have a classic and a shuffle), along with his iPhone. What’s another device?

Looks like we’ll be visiting AT&T tomorrow. And if they can’t help us, we’ll walk over to the Apple store around the corner. Someone’s gotta know. Their website certainly doesn’t tell us anything (or if the information is there, it’s hidden very well).

And for some super-duper good news… I got my first 5-star review HERE. And a fan! Sure made my week.

So… What are you up to this weekend? Hope it’s a goodie!

Stacy

 

My Cover Reveal (at last) and Wednesday Reads

This cover reveal is a bit deflated. On Monday, I discovered my book is already for presale on Amazon and B&N (yay!). So of course I shared it on Facebook (how could I not?). But hey, if you didn’t see my post on Facebook, then it’s all new to you, right? So, here it is, the cover for “Bite Me, I’m Yours.”

I really believe this cover captures the essence of my book. I love it!

Now onto what I read during the week:

Jun 30: “Viper” by Patricia A. Rasey, a paranormal romance. Blurb on back: Kane “Viper” Tepes is one of the oldest living descendants of Vlad III. Vampirism is in his blood. So is being the President of the Sons of Sangue. Those who break motorcycle club rules that protect their coven are dealt swift punishment. No exceptions. Until one pretty little detective has him compromising his beliefs, and endangering his position as head of the MC. Vampirism had Cara Brahnam turning tail and leaving behind her life in Pleasant. Now, ten years later, she’s back as lead detective and wants to see the person responsible for draining the women of Lane County brought to justice, no matter what deal the gang of miscreants has struck with the sheriff. Or the fact that her number one suspect is the sole reason she fled in the first place. Now someone has targeted Cara as the next victim and Kane must join in the hunt to find the ancient vampire that wants her dead. Took me a bit to get into the book (my fault, not the book’s), but once I did I didn’t want to put it down (which was what I was afraid might happen!). Lots of sexual tension. Thrilling and suspenseful, too. Oh yeah, and one sexy vampire. Everything I love in a book. I gave this 5 stars on Goodreads.

So… Do you have any plans for the 4th of July? Right now it looks to be just me and my hubby. Maybe we’ll watch a movie or two.

Happy reading!

Stacy

 

I've Got Cover Copies!

I received a nice treat in the mail on Friday: the cover copies for BITE ME, I’M YOURS and GHOSTLY LIAISON. I submitted my suggested blurbs and expected them to be ignored (mainly because my blurbs aren’t usually all that great), so I felt really honored that my suggested blurb for GHOSTLY LIAISON was only tweaked a little bit. Guess that blurb writing class worked!! Haha!

Anyway, here is the blurb for BITE ME, I’M YOURS:

Sarah’s known monsters…and John isn’t one.

Sarah’s life isn’t going well. She’s divorced from an abusive jerk, been drugged, stuffed in her trunk and nearly kidnapped. Between that and a harsh winter, it’s almost more than a girl can take. She’s rightly distrusting of any man’s affection, so an ice-skating date with John - who doesn’t seem to feel the cold - isn’t exactly on her bucket list. Yet something about him captures her attention.

John is determined to live as an ordinary mortal. He’s moved into the city, bought a sports bar and works there as the bartender. As a new vampire, he’s never considered dating, until he meets Sarah. Prudence dictates he stay away from her, but everything about her calls to him…right down to her cute animal socks.

Sure, finding out John is a vampire is scary, but Sarah’s learned not all monsters have fangs. Besides, someone else isn’t too happy about their budding relationship. Sarah will have to survive before getting her chance at love.

 

And here’s the blurb for GHOSTLY LIAISON:

Avoiding love is hard, but proving a suicide was murder can be fatal.

When Rob’s sister passed away, she left him her dog and house. He can handle being a dog owner, but doesn’t need another home. Especially one the neighbor swears is haunted. Then he meets Bridget. She needs a cheap place to live and he has a house in need of repairs. He might have found the perfect way to get to know her better.

Bridget is working on getting her life together after an auto accident left her scarred in more ways than one. But it’s time to move on, starting with leaving her parent’s house...again. Broke, she can’t pass up free lodging, regardless of the shape it’s in. Or the roommate that’s part of the package. She’s never believed in ghosts, now she’s living with one.

Charlie may be dead, but she’s not gone. And she’s certainly not about to let the one person who can see her slip away. She has to prove she didn’t commit suicide before the killer decides Rob’s next.

Now I just have to wait for the COVERS! That’ll be an exciting day.

* * * *

I do not know what is wrong with my blogger account, if that’s where the problem lies. Seems my own comments can’t even be delivered to my e-mail, yet I’ll get the e-mail from Mailer-Daemon stating the delivery to that e-mail account failed. Say what? The from and to addresses are the same, so how can it NOT deliver to the TO address, but CAN deliver to the FROM address? Makes no sense, but then it’s a computer program. They never make any sense to me. If you have any knowledge about what’s going on, please share.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Ole!

Stacy

My First Retreat

First off… Sorry, no pictures. I never even pulled the camera out. Frankly, that’s not a surprise where I’m concerned. I guess if other people took pictures, I might have done it, but they didn’t so I didn’t.

I had fun! Just being around other writers, talking about writing (and publishing), was pretty cool. There were some newbie writers as well as published ones. I’m still amazed I’m part of the published ones. I still don’t feel all that experienced with only 5 years of writing behind me.

I managed to get over 900 words added to Book 7 AND edited 78 pages of Bite Me. Shocked me! I also got some critique comments for Book 7 (told me what I needed to pay attention to) and I critiqued three other first chapters. I also found new authors I want to try out (and support). Overall, pretty productive.

Know what else it was? Exhausting! You’d think not, huh? But the beds weren’t the greatest and when staying up Saturday night until 1:30 talking (I crashed about an hour before the majority), waking up at 7:15, staying for lunch (at a nearby restaurant), then driving home for nearly 2 hours, took its toll. I guess if the bed was more comfortable, I would have slept longer, but it wasn’t, so I didn’t.

The place was pretty and it did warm up a bit on Saturday (after the rain left). I stayed in and worked, though (hard to write on my laptop with the sun blaring on the screen--can’t see anything--and my battery only lasts about an hour anyway). But having only two bathrooms with 15 women (one had to cancel) did make it difficult at times. Not something I would recommend for anything longer than a weekend! Heck, I don’t think I could survive there longer than a weekend. It might look pretty, but it wasn’t always comfortable.

Would I do it again, though? You betcha!

So… The Penguins head to Game 6 tonight. In Columbus. And they’re up 3-2 (best out of 7). I’d like to be there and watch them win the first round (I’m thinking positive, here), but not at their prices. Guess I’ll just have to suffer with watching it on TV. Go Pens!!!

Hope your Monday isn’t a drag!

Stacy

 

I'm Going on a Writers' Retreat

This afternoon I leave for my very first writers’ retreat at Crockett’s Run in Logan, Ohio. I have no idea what to expect, except it’s a lodge where 16 of us writers will spend the weekend getting to know one another pretty darn well (there’s only two bathrooms!).

I hope to get some writing on my newest project done, but I’m knee-deep in editing, so we’ll see how it goes (at least I have a May 7 deadline for the editing). We’re also having a critique session and brainstorming session. I may come home with information overload! I plan on taking my camera, but that doesn’t mean I’ll take pictures. If I do, I’ll be sure to post them. At least of the lodge. The weather is supposed to be great. We’ll see.

On Wednesday, I did receive the edits back for Bite Me. On thing that never fails: I read them over and depression sets in. Luckily it doesn’t last. And I make sure NOT to edit anything until after I’ve read ALL the notes and slept on it (I’m less defensive that way!). When I saw it with fresh eyes yesterday morning, I could see where stuff could be better (and then I hit myself for not catching it earlier). I really do enjoy this part (after the depression has diffused, that is) and love making my story better. Can’t wait until this puppy is set free for the world to see!

So… Do you have any plans for the weekend? Rooting for any hockey teams? How about baseball?

Stacy

 

Wednesday Reads and Some Great News!

I’ve been waiting, and waiting, and waiting to share this news, but wouldn’t until I knew it was for real (And do you know how hard that is? It’s HARD!). Well, it’s for real now, since I’ve signed the contracts and mailed them out. Lyrical/Kensington will be publishing my next two books: “Bite Me, I’m Yours” and “Ghostly Liaison”!

Yay! Let’s all dance!!

So, I’m guessing that just may put a little bit of a crimp in my reading. We’ll see. I’m all caught up in my goal for now. Here’s what I read during the week:

Mar 20: “The Dragon’s Heart” by Eden Ashe, a paranormal romance. Blurb from Goodreads: The dragon-shifter king will do anything to keep his mate alive...even if it means war. After millennia as king of the dragon-shifters, Daniel Ashborne wants a little peace and quiet, especially from the beautiful Hollywood starlet who haunts his memories. His escape tactics end abruptly when he is called to the ER to save the one woman he wants to forget, but who now bears his mark. Shelby Kincade's life and movie career were nearly destroyed when Daniel vanished a year ago. Now he's back, claiming they have been accidentally mated. Getting over him once was hard enough, but she must choose either the life of her dreams or the man she can't live without. With peace finally on the horizon between the dragon-shifters and the Hunters, an assassination attempt on the dragon king and his mate shatters everything. Tensions rebuild as Daniel and his loyal team of shifters try to discover who put out the hit. Enemy and ally lines are crossed, but in the end--after the battle ash has settled--no one could have foreseen who has plotted for their own gain. Wow! This book hooked me from the get-go and never let go. To say I was nervous reading it is an understatement. I’ve had some bad experiences lately. So glad this one did not disappoint! I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.

Mar 22: “Playing the Game,” by M.Q. Barber, an erotic romance. I won this book, but had it on my list to buy. Blurb from Goodreads: She expects dinner with neighbors, but gets sex with a side of safewords. Mechanical engineer Alice still drools over her sexy neighbors a year after she’s moved in. She can’t decide whether they’re roommates or partners, but either way, they spark a wanton desire in her that has her imagination–and vibrator–working overtime. Henry, director of everything around him, studies human nature and applies philosophies to his paintings as well as his relationships. Quirky, polite to a fault, and formal, he follows his own code of honor even when it means denying himself. Flirtatious and playful, Jay needs stability, guidance, and to please others. His antics counterbalance Henry’s stuffy ways while he brings a level of vulnerability and fun to everything the trio does. BDSM play with the enigmatic artist and flirtatious joker across the hall allows Alice to put aside the linear thought processes which have kept her unsatisfied and distant with other lovers. She must dismiss her preconception of love, sacrificing her independence, if she’s to find a permanent place in their beds and hearts. This book is way more than just sex (and trust me, it titillates, but good!); I LOVE these characters. They are so fascinating. And the book ended way too soon. I really look forward to reading more about Henry, Jay, and Alice! Heck, it was the short story I read in “First Frost” that made me want to read this book. I gave this 5 stars on Goodreads (and I’m craving, craving, craving the next one--so much so I already purchased it!).

Mar 24: “Watershed” by Cd Brennan, a contemporary romance. I won this book, too, but also had it on my to-buy list. Blurb on back: Maggie isn’t looking for love on her backpacking trip through Australia. She’s got enough man troubles back in Ireland. Australia is her escape, a place of adventure where she can create memories to last a lifetime. But some memories won’t be left behind. Gray is ready to quit hiring backpackers to help with the work on his remote Queensland cattle station when Maggie turns up. She’s just passing through, but the connection they forge during the long nights herding cattle won’t be so easily cast aside. This is a sweet romance (meaning no sex scenes), which I knew going into it, so I was okay with that (although I prefer more spice in my romances). Even sweet, I enjoyed this book, loved the characters, and breezed right through it. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

 

So...did any of you have some cold weather yesterday? It snowed here (ugh). At least it should be in the 50s by Thursday. Of course, it's supposed to rain, too. Gee, can't we get some warm and sunny weather? I think Santa Barbara spoiled me!

Happy reading!

Stacy

 

Today I am Shopping

I will finish my Christmas shopping today. That is my goal. That is my vow. Wish me luck!

This past weekend was CRAPPY for my sports teams. Ohio State loses the one game they NEEDED to win and the Steelers and Rams were basically embarrassing. So much for my magic shirt. It’s done for, apparently.

I got some good news on Saturday. My editor likes Bite Me! That’s one step in the right direction. Next step will be the contract. Hope to see it soon (then I can really squeal). But my editor likes it!!! She said my resolution in removing a character was clever. I LIKE being clever! I’ll keep you posted as soon as I hear more.

I won’t be on line all that much today. And I’ll be lucky if I get any writing done. Mondays are the pits for writing anyway. But I will get my shopping done. I will!

What will you do today?

Stacy

 

Wednesday Reads and WHAT'S THIS WHITE STUFF ON THE GROUND?

Tuesday morning I woke up to some snow on the yard. It was so cold out, it didn’t even all melt during the day. The maple tree in my yard still has green leaves on it (apparently, it doesn’t realize its leaves should have turned color or dropped off by now). I'm not ready for winter!!

All this cold weather is really making me appreciate the hubby’s and my upcoming cruise. Warm weather, here I come! And I’ve gotten my Nook stocked with books to read. That thing better not fail me, or it will be the last time I count on it.

Next week there will be no reading list (as well as no blogging, period, since I’ll be without internet) and this week’s is light. Here’s what I read during the last week:

Nov 7: “Double Dexter” by Jeff Lindsay. This is the sixth book of the Dexter Series, a horror. Blurb on book: A witness. Such a simple concept--and yet for Dexter Morgan, the perfectly well-disguised monster, the possibility of a witness is unthinkable. But when Dexter is on a very private, very satisfying excursion one evening with a wretchedly deserving playmate, the unthinkable happens: someone sees him. Dexter is not at all pleased. As an upstanding blood-spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department, he has always managed to keep the darker side of his life out of the spotlight…the fun part, where he finds truly bad people--murderers who have escaped the reach of the justice system--and quietly gives them his very special attentions. But now that he’s been seen and identified by his witness, Dexter must launch himself into a different kind of hunt. Making matters worse, a brutal cop killer is targeting Miami’s police detectives, leaving behind bodies that are battered beyond recognition…and completely bloodless. As the department grows more fearful of the psychotic killer in their midst, Dexter must handle his own crisis and come to terms with the fact that his witness is not only circling him but determined to expose him. Dexter is being followed, manipulated, and mimicked…leading him to realize that no one likes to have a double, especially when his double’s goal is to kill him. In this book, Dexter is a little dense. He’s a smart guy (he has to be to get away with murder, right?); he should have come to some conclusions a lot earlier than he did. But it was still an entertaining read and had me guessing how it would all end. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads and will finish up the series AFTER my cruise.

In other news: I finally figured out how to “fix” BITE ME so I could get rid of a character my editor thought was “too much.” I spent the last week revising the story and now it’s with my daughter to read. She’ll let me know if my solution works. The surprising part is, I kind of like the new version better (and I was so sure I NEEDED that character). Who knew? Anyway, I’m crossing my fingers all goes well and I can get the ms to my editor before I leave on our cruise. Then I won’t be ABLE to check my e-mail every ten minutes, since I won’t have internet.

Are you crossing your fingers for anything? Like, maybe, winning NaNo? Do tell!

Happy reading!

Stacy

 

No Wednesday Reads, Just Miscellaneous Stuff

Oh no! What happened? I’m back home, that’s what. AND I’m reading a longer-than-usual book. That means no books finished in the past week. Good thing I’m six books ahead in my Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge.

I also got some bad news, which didn’t help in the reading or writing. Bite Me was rejected. L To say the news stung is an understatement. Oh well, I must press onward. I have other options, so it’s not a dead project. Just not the route I wished to take.

In my effort to figure out how to promote myself (because, let’s face it, books don’t always sell themselves, do they?), I joined some Lyrical Press “sisters” on a Facebook page--Sizzle and Sass. The main kick-off starts on Oct 1 and each author (there are 13 of us - is that lucky or what?) has control of the page for a week (my first week is Nov 3-9), but if you wish to LIKE the page now, we won’t object. I did send out some invites, but tried to be selective. In that instance, I could have missed some people (like you!). It’s all about having a good time (we don’t want to bombard the fans with sales, but yeah, our books will be mentioned at times). So if you’re interested, or know someone who loves to read romance, let them know about our page! Here’s the link (I hope it works!): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sizzle-and-Sass/213212842173895

The anthology my local RWA chapter is putting together (which includes two of my short stories) apparently hit a snag (or communications error). The book was planned to be released in August. I have no idea when it’ll be out now, but I’m guessing the theme, Summer Reads, won’t fit so much now. Hmmm… I’ll let you know more when I learn more.

So, what do you do when you get bad news? I usually reach for some comfort food, which in my case is a spoonful of Skippy creamy peanut butter. But did I have any in the house when I wanted it? Of course not! My husband had finished off the jar while I was at Dragon*Con. Talk about depressing! I’m good now, though. J

Happy reading! I should have at least one book to list next Wednesday.

Stacy

 

Wednesday Reads and Dragon*Con!

BITE ME is no longer in my hands. I have sent it out and now I must wait. At least I have something fun to do while I’m waiting. Because…

I’m on my way to Dragon*Con. Whoopee!!

You don’t know how happy I am to be able to go to this convention knowing I finished my project. It’s like a real vacation now!! And since my daughter is doing all the driving, I might just get some extra reading done. Didn’t get much last week, that’s for sure. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Aug 25: “Blood Entangled” by Amber Belldene. This is a paranormal romance, the second in a series. Blurb from Goodreads: Kos Mara’s orderly life is in shambles—he must distribute Blood Vine to a population of ailing vampires, but Hunters block him at every turn. To make matters worse, each night he watches over a temptingly beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. He is convinced love cannot last a vampire-long lifetime and an entanglement will only cause them grief, but he doesn’t have the heart to send her away. From a long line of blood servants, Lena Isaakson is destined to serve a vampire, but a string of humiliating rejections thwarts her pleasure. When Kos shows her kindness, she hopes he will claim her. Instead he proves himself a coward in the face of love and sends her to serve another. Will the dark seduction of a rakish new vampire finally bring Lena the pleasure she desires or deliver her into the hands of Hunters who want to destroy everything the Maras family has worked for? This is one hot and sexy book and I’m really enjoying this series. It does include men on men and girl on girl action, so if that’s not your “cup of tea,” you might want to steer clear. I found it done tastefully, though and didn’t have a problem with it (but then I tend to enjoy erotica, also!). I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

Internet will be spotty for me (I hope to connect at least once a day while in Atlanta, since I refuse to pay for the connection in the room). And I always have intentions of blogging on Friday and Monday while there, but I won’t promise anything. At least you’ll know WHY.

I won’t leave you with a question because I won’t be able to chat as usual. But hey, comments are always welcome, just don’t expect a response any time soon. Haha!

Happy reading!

Stacy

 

My Steelers Weekend

First off: How’s 96,530 words? That’s my word count for BITE ME before I start reading it today (and making sure I didn’t screw anything up). That means I’ve got 3,470 words to play around with. That means if my editor likes what I did with my character…well, I just can’t get my hopes up too much. Not yet, anyway. Let’s just say I’m stoked I did it!

I had a wonderful weekend in Pittsburgh. Warm, but not too warm. Not at all humid, either (yay). We arrived in time for lunch and walked up to Peppi’s (which is almost a requirement anytime we visit the city now!). While we were walking there, some idiot was talking on his phone when he leaned over and screamed at my husband. My husband, being who he is, yelled and raised his arm in such a manner that he knocked the phone out of the guy’s hands, in which it then fell apart upon impact. Needless to say, the man was angry and we got a lot of f’in’ this and even the N word (really??). No, he wasn’t black (and of course, neither are we). My husband said that maybe the guy would think twice before being an a$$ the next time. I told my husband I hoped he’d think twice also!! I’m just glad the guy didn’t chase us down the street!!

After Peppi’s we walked on over to the Rivers Casino. Last year my husband joined their club thinking we’d earn points for something good (not realizing they expire after six months - oh well). We did get a lot of free money promotions we couldn’t use. Ah, but this time they gave us $20 which we COULD use. Now, we couldn’t just cash in the money and say thanks, we had to spend it on gambling. So after spending the first $10, I made $9.60, which I gave to my husband (after he lost $10 of our own money-which he used while we figured out how to get our promotion money!). I then spend the next $10 and made $13.45, after which I went and got my own card (since we figure we’ll get double the promotions). So, with my new card, I played the $13.45 and stopped when I reached $24. So basically, we spent $10 and made $14 (but bet a total of $151 including the promotion, our own money, and winnings). I know, we’re lame gamblers. But we had fun! J

Anyway, here are some of the pictures we took at the game.

Taken on our return walk from Peppi's. Heinz Field is on
the left (but you can't really see it here).

This fountain wasn't working at Point State Park
when we visited last year.

We're here!!!

This is the Steeline Team (percussion band). They play
during the game, too.

I ordered seats 5 (bottom of picture) and 6 (where my
husband is standing). The map showed them together.
Apparently they aren't! How ridiculous! I'm glad I didn't
order 4 seats! We moved after half-time to two seats that
sat together.



Our seats might not have been together
but we weren't that far from the field (Row K).

Pregame scene. Notice the ketchup bottles on the scoreboard.

Whenever the Steelers are in the red zone, the ketchup
bottles lower and make it look like they're filling in the
screen with ketchup! I thought it was cool.

Had to get a picture of Troy Polamalu (#43). He moves
around so much, I had to wait until AFTER the play! :)

I won't bore you with more football game pictures, but I could! We have enough of them.

 

I do have to say, I felt relatively safe at the game. The guys with the guns were on the field and not in the stands (I can deal with that). But that bag policy is whacked out. I had a small camera bag, no bigger than my hand. The signs all say I'm allowed a clutch (about the size of my hand). While I was able to take it in, I was told the bag is not really allowed. It was smaller than a clutch! Give me a break!

 

We certainly got our money's worth. Game went into overtime. Unfortunately, the Chiefs won. Bugger! Overall, it was a fun experience and now we can say we've been to a game at Heinz Field.

So, what'd you do this weekend?

Stacy

I'm So High I Could Fly to Pittsburgh!

I am energized.

Who knew cutting words would make me this way? Ah, but once I finally dipped under the 100K barrier (can I get a big YAY?), and still had three-quarters of my changes to implement, my spirits soared.

Happy happy, joy joy!

Another reason for my exuberance? I’ve exercised every day this week (including a thirteen-mile bike ride) and tomorrow night I’ll be in Pittsburgh enjoying a preseason game. Steeler country, here I come!

It’s been a great week and the weekend looks to be better (even the weather is cooperating). I’ll be away from the internet all day Saturday and most of Sunday since I’m actually leaving my computer at home. And no smart phone, either. I know, shocker, huh? However will I cope? Well, I’m hoping I’ll be too busy to miss it all. I’ll still carry a book or two to read, though. Hey, can’t give up everything!

So, did you watch all of True Blood this season? Did the second to the last episode make you cry, too?

Have a great weekend!

Stacy

 

Wednesday Reads and BITE ME News

Decisions, decisions. I had to make a big one where BITE ME is concerned. Keep a character or cut her? Well, I thought cut until I got to her important scene. Couldn’t do it. Not if I wanted the scene to make sense (and I couldn’t cut the scene without scrapping the rest of the book - yeah, that wasn’t happening). So the character lives, but in a different capacity. Good news for the character and hopefully good news for my word count. I’ll find out later this week if it works. You know, once I implement the changes.

Even with all that decision making, I still managed to get some books read. Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Aug 14: “Mistress of the Stone” by Maria Zannini. This is a paranormal romance. Blurb on back: Luisa Tavares has a list of sins the length of the Antilles, but there’s no time to repent for them now. When a pockmarked Frenchman hands her Papa’s ring--still attached to his severed finger--she orders the Coral back to the Caribbean, despite her father’s earlier warning never to return. It’s Luisa’s luckless fate that the only man who can help her is a blasted Inglés pirate hunter who’s more dead than alive and locked in a curse he doesn’t want lifted. Worse, his feral sensuality sparks a hunger she can’t ignore. Xander Daltry hadn’t planned on kidnapping this wild woman--or succumbing to his uncontrollable desire for her. But he needs Luisa and the moonstone she wears around her neck to rescind a witch’s spell. His sister, long dead, and others like her have been cursed to remain in the mortal plan for eternity. Only the stone can set them free. The only way to convince the reluctant pirate queen to help him is to withhold one small bit of the truth. For if she learns who really betrayed her father, the longing in her fiery eyes could easily turn to murderous wrath… The blurb only hints at paranormal, but the book is full of it and I loved it! It was also full of action and love, and man, that just did it for me. I was a happy reader when I finished this book and I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.

Aug 17: “Fifth Grave Past the Light” by Darynda Jones. This is the fifth book in the Charley Davidson series, an urban fantasy (I think). Blurb on book: Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper. She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinare. However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case. Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason. When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target, Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’s help. Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay. Darynda Jones says she has fun writing these books and it shows. I certainly have fun reading them. As soon as I start, I’m instantly transformed into Charley’s world and don’t want to put the book down (which accounted for me going to bed close to midnight with crossed eyes!). If you love paranormal with a hot & sexy character (Reyes) and enjoy humor in your stories, grab all five books and start reading. You won’t regret it! I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

I think I’ll spend today watching the last three episodes of “True Blood.” After all that decision making, I think I deserve it! What kind of rewards do you give yourself for a job well done?

Happy reading!

 

Stacy

 

Ruby Falls - I Would Have Posted Pictures, But...

I don’t know about you, but I’ve driven up and down I-75 numerous times. As far north as Detroit and all the way down to Miami. And every time we approached Chattanooga, we’d see the signs for Ruby Falls, Rock City, and Lookout Mountain. Frankly, they’re hard to miss!

This trip we finally decided to stop and see Ruby Falls. I always thought it was called that because the water was red or something, when it was named for the wife of the man who discovered it.

So, what is Ruby Falls? Basically, it’s this huge waterfall inside a cave. And I didn’t know that, either! See, I learned so much from this trip. I had planned on posting lots of pictures, but Blogger is acting strange and I was only able to post one (bummer!!), and it's not very impressive. 

Cheese!

I hope I can get the pictures posted later, because I certainly don't know what's going on! Have I reached my allotment? Do I have one? Curious minds...

I enjoyed my time in Alpharetta, although I got nearly no writing done. Proofreading took up most of the time (wish I had read it aloud the first time through, then I might not have to go through it a second time--live and learn!). I did get some writing done, though. I fiddled with a short story that took over my brain one evening (sometimes you can’t ignore the voices!). Don’t know if anything will ever come of it, or if I’ll ever finish it, but I had fun writing it.

On Saturday I got some GOOD news! My editor liked Bite Me! She offered suggestions on how I can reduce my word count. Yay!

What does this mean? Basically, it’s a “revise and resubmit” and I can live with that. Heck, it’s what I HOPED for! Now I have purpose behind my chopping!

So…You ever have troubles posting pictures on your blog?

 

Stacy

 

Tooting My Own Horn!

I got my official tag and blurb for “My Sunny Vampire,” so of course, I want to share it with you all! And, of course, I MUST also include my cover, because what’s a blurb without that, right???

After centuries alone in darkness, how far will a vampire go for Sunshine?

Jack VanAllen has spent his long life following the rules and, as a member of the Vampire Committee, he also enforces them. So, when he awakens in an alley next to an illegally-turned vampire who resembles his late wife, he must prove his innocence or suffer the punishment: death. The problem? He doesn’t remember a thing.

Sunshine Petersen’s life as a vampire isn’t getting off to a great start. She’s got no control over her powers, can’t find a job, and sexy Jack is being stand-offish. The only thing she’d like more than catching the creep who turned her is getting Jack into the closest bed. But, could Jack be the one who turned her?

When he and Sunny team up to find the culprit, Jack discovers feelings he hasn’t had in years. But once Sunny finds out he’s keeping a major secret, she disappears. Unfortunately, the man who turned her still has plans…

CONTENT WARNING: Some graphic violence, sensual sex scenes, and a vampire who’s finally found his ‘sun’

Ain’t that the coolest thing? Every time I see I’m a step closer to publication, my smile grows bigger. Guess I’ll be grinning like a loon by January!!

I sent off BITE ME to my editor. Got it down to 102,100 words. Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope she loves it as well as spot where I can chop another 2100 words! That’s not too much to wish for, is it?

My daughter heads for Edmonton, Canada today. She’s part of the United States Australian Football League’s Liberty team (click HERE and you’ll see her name listed -- hint: last name is same as mine!!). They are playing against Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup. She was very excited to be chosen and I hope she has a great time there. If it weren’t so far away, I’d probably be there to watch. We’ll see her playing in the Nationals in San Antonio this October anyway.

So…You got anything to toot? J

 

Stacy

 

Wednesday Reads & News (Good and Not so Good)

First the GOOD news. J Even with still 2500 words to chop (well, maybe 2400, I’m still chopping), my editor is willing to read BITE ME!! Yay! J I’m saving the not so good news for the end.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Jul 24: “Seeing Ghosts” by James Garcia, Jr. This is a paranormal/horror book. Blurb from Goodreads: Paul Herrera finds himself bequeathed a mysterious old house near the California central coast by a deceased aunt he never knew. The woman who shows it to him is the spitting image of his wife, taken from him three years before in a senseless car accident which also took his unborn son. While he deals with the ghosts of a past he cannot let go, there are new ghosts Paul must deal with - alone for the week in the expansive two-story house that he will soon discover holds many secrets. Eventually, he will see that he is surrounded by ghosts as he struggles to hold onto the only thing that he has left in this world - his sanity. I enjoyed this story. Some scenes were a little slow, but for the most part, it was a good creepy ghost story. Parts of it kind of reminded me of Joe Hill’s “Heart Shaped Box” (a book I also enjoyed). I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

Jul 26: “Stolen” by Allison Brennan. This is a suspense (with some romantic elements), the sixth book of the Lucy Kincaid series. Blurb on back: Nothing is more important to private investigator Sean Rogan than his relationship with FBI trainee Lucy Kincaid. But when his past catches up with him, Sean faces an ultimatum: clear his name and help the FBI take down a rogue agent, or go to prison and lose everything he holds dear. With only Agent Noah Armstrong as his back-up and forced to keep Lucy in the dark, Sean steps back into his old world. But the longer he’s undercover, the more dangerous the game becomes. More than Sean’s future with Lucy is at stake--so is his life. Lucy can’t imagine Sean would keep secrets from her--until an FBI agent casts doubt about who he really is…and who he used to be. Why did Sean quit his job with his brother and move to New York? Why hasn’t he told her anything about his new job? With more questions than answers, Lucy doesn’t know who to believe or who she can trust. All she knows is that Sean is in grave danger, and this time, it’s personal. I zipped through this book (actually read it in two days); it was so hard to put down. I love this series and learned more about Sean (and his family). A great suspenseful read! I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads.

Now for the not so good news. L You know I love riding the bike trails, but apparently they aren’t always safe. On Monday, my daughter and her friend were walking on a bike trail (doing some geocaching) and were robbed at gun point. Luckily the only things the thugs took were their iPhones. When I first heard about the incident, I blamed it on geocaching -- I mean, anyone could lurk around a spot and wait for some unsuspecting person -- but these were kids who had just stolen some bikes and my daughter and her friend just happened to pass them on the path. A scary event in any case. I’m just so glad they’re okay!! It could have been so much worse.

Happy reading, and take care!

 

Stacy

 

Ranking Genres

What genres do you like to read? I used to say I’d read anything, but that’s not really true. Here’s how I would rank them in order of preference (meaning if I had books in all of these categories (and I do), which one I would most likely read first):

1. Paranormal romance

2. Romantic suspense

3. Suspense/Thriller

4. Urban Fantasy

5. Paranormal/Horror

6. Contemporary romance

7. Historical romance

8. Sci-Fi romance

No straight fantasy or science fiction on that list. No siree. And I’m really picky about sci-fi romance. Horror moved down quite a bit, which kind of surprised me. Used to be all I ever read was Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Not so much anymore. I love romance, but not just romance. I’d rather have other stuff involved than just internal conflicts. I’m not all that crazy about the couples hating one another (and if they do, it better not last long).

Of course, a favorite author will bump any genre down the list, and I have lots of favorites!

I’ve told you about needing to delete 10,000 words from BITE ME, I’M YOURS. Well, I managed to hack off over 7,500. My estimation was 5,000, so it’s nice I under estimated. Still, it would have been nice if I had managed to reach that magical 10,000-word mark. I’ll read through it one more time (later on this week) and hope I didn't screw it up too much.

So…how do you rank your genres? Or do you go strictly by authors?

 

Stacy