Wednesday Reads and Another Sucky Game

I’m not getting a good feeling with the Penguins right now. I thought for sure they’d win at home, but nope. They’ve been known to come around before, sure hope they don’t wait too long to do it this time.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #17

Dates read: April 23-25
Title: The Thief
Year of publication: 2018
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #16
# of Pages: 454
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Borrowed from daughter
Blurb from Book: Sola Morte, former cat burglar and safecracker, has given up her old life on the wrong side of the law. On the run from a drug lord’s family, she is lying low far from Caldwell, keeping her nose clean and her beloved grandmother safe. Her heart, though, is back up north, with the only man who has ever gotten through her defenses: Assail, son of Assail, who never meant to fall in love—and certainly not with a human woman. But they have no future, and not just because she doesn’t know he is a vampire, but because he is not about to stop dealing arms to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fate, however, has other plans for them. When Assail falls into a coma and lingers on the verge of death, his cousins seek out Sola and beg her to give him a reason to live. The last thing she wants is a return to her past, but how can she leave him to die?
    As a lethal new enemy of the vampires shows its face, and the Brotherhood needs Assail back on his feet, Sola finds herself not only a target, but a mission-critical force in a war she doesn’t understand. And when Assail’s truth comes out, will she run from the horror…or follow her heart into the arms of the male who loves her more than life itself?

My thoughts: When a book is good, I definitely have no problem reading it fast. And to think I read this AFTER I got my writing for the day finished. I do so love this series. I just wish she could write them faster (but I won’t fault her for that—I know too well how hard books are to write, especially long ones). While the book description is centered on Sola and Assail, it also returns to Jane and Vishous. Again. I hope this is the end of their problems. I really do. I want them to stay happy this time.

You know what I love the most about reading? Getting ideas. As I read The Thief, I realized I could introduce a character in my current WIP who will be in a future book of my vampire series. Now I just have to figure out how to make it pertinent. Haha!

So… Has summer reached your neck of the woods? I swear, it feels like we went straight from winter to summer (it was 80 yesterday). I’m not ready to turn on the a/c yet! But I should be able to go walking this morning. That’ll be nice.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Bragging Rights a Movie and an Idea!

No, this isn’t about USA winning the Women’s World Cup Soccer Final. Although, it was a great game and I’m very happy!

Remember when I was featured on Romance Lives Forever Blog (back on June 26)? Well, I was listed as one of their top bloggers! My post was the 4th popular for the month (out of 29 features). That means I get bragging rights and this neat emblem/award. Yay!!

Who knew I was so popular? Certainly not me. I have you all to thank for visiting and making it possible!

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I didn’t get to watch “Magic Mike XXL” on Friday, but did get to see it on Sunday. While it’s not as good as the first one, I still enjoyed it. And yes, I really enjoyed seeing Joe Manganiello’s ass. If you go in not expecting much more than seeing the guys perform, you’ll have a good time.

Our local theatre (Cinemark/Rave) is being remodeled to feature these vinyl/leather-like recliners. I got to try them out yesterday. Can’t say I’m that impressed. I can only imagine what shape they’ll be in after a month after kids have had a chance to spill stuff all over them. Cleaning crew doesn’t really do all that great a job in cleaning between shows as it is, can I really expect them to wash down the seats?

Yeah, I don’t think so.

Also, we got to pick our assigned seats. I don’t know what I think about that. Makes it nice for the people who want to spend a fortune at the concession stand and not wonder if they’ll find a decent seat. But my daughter wondered how that would work if you were meeting friends at the theatre and you didn’t all buy your tickets together. You can’t save the seat next to you; someone else might have picked it. I think it’s kind of stupid, but hey, it’s not my theatre and I can always refuse to go. Frankly, for the $7.90 matinee price, I’ll probably just stick to going on Tuesdays, when it’s $5.50 all day. It’s bad when matinee prices seem too high.

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I have to laugh at myself. I had written this whole paragraph asking for help and then ended up helping myself.

You see… I planned on including a character interview of one of my vampires in my next newsletter, but I had no idea what kind of questions to ask. So I thought you all could help. Then I went and started writing notes about who was being interviewed (Perry seemed like a fun choice) and who would be doing the interviewing (Victoria came to mind, only because she and Perry don’t get along so well). Then I realized I had it all backward. Perry would be the one asking questions and not just to Victoria. Instead, there will be five segments (in the next five newsletters) entitled: Getting to Know Your Committee Member (since there are five Committee Members in my vampire world). I’ll start with Victoria and work my way down the list. I think I can have a lot of fun with that. What do you think?

If you want to read these fun interviews, you’ll have to sign up for the newsletter. There’s a signup form on the sidebar, one on my website (www.stacymckitrick.com), or you can just sign up HERE. Am I sneaky or what?

So... What’s the most you’ll spend going to the theatre to watch a movie? What’s the most you’ll spend on a book? I find it interesting that most people won’t think twice about the movie price, but will balk at a $4.99 e-book. Doesn’t seem right.

Have a great Monday!!

Stacy

My Next Project

Finished Buffy last night. Wow! No more Sunnydale. Didn't see that coming! Honest. And I've been to some Buffy panels, too (during Dragon*Con). Have to say, I really enjoyed the series. I think it's given me a lot to think about when it comes to writing my own stories.

As for writing…In talking with my daughter about my next writing project, she came up with a good idea. Not a story idea, a writing idea.

I've been told I write fast. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. I have nothing to base it on. But more than one person has told me this, so I will accept it as fact.

The first draft of my first book was written from April 2009 – June 2009. Yeah, it was crap – which I realized when I started READING it, but the story was basically there in three months. I gave it to my daughter and she said it had potential (I was thrilled!). I learned a lot from that first book. Took classes (and classes and classes), revised, rewrote, etc. By April 2010, I started querying and I had begun the sequel.

The first draft of the sequel was completed in August 2010.

I started Book 3 in September 2010, took a break to edit Book 2, and completed the first draft by the end of March 2011. While it may seem like it took longer to write, my writing had improved TREMENDOUSLY and the edits weren't as extensive. I was querying by July 2011.

Books 1-3 are my vampire stories. For Book 4, I decided to challenge myself and write a non-vampire book. Sticking with paranormal (because I think that's what I want my brand to be), I featured a ghost, but not as the H/H. They were human, so I had to be careful and not KILL them, since they didn't heal as quickly as my vampires. Yeah, it was tough!

I started Book #4 on April 1, 2011. I finished the first draft on January 2, 2012. No writing occurred on that book in June, so it basically took me eight months to write that first draft.

While I love the book, it was harder to write. I wanted a challenge and I got one. If I go another way for Book #5, it will be another challenge. I'm sure of it. My daughter suggested I take a break.

But not a writing break. She said for me to write another one of my vampire stories, since I write those so fast. It will give me more practice writing, too. If they don't sell, they don't sell. But she's right. I need the break. I need an easy project.

So, it looks like I'll be going back to my vampires. Now I just have to figure out which couple (I have three from which to choose, so far). Who knows, maybe during that time I'll come up with an awesome idea for Book #6. Or better yet, sell Book #3 or #4! Yeah, wouldn't that be something?

A Promise

I hate it when I come up with a good idea for a blog, don’t write it down, and then STRUGGLE to find the topic in my brain!

And it was a good topic, at least a good topic to rant about. That much I know.

James Taylor said in an interview (I think on CBS Sunday Morning – not sure, I don’t normally watch the show, but I was looking for the weather and stopped to see what James Taylor had to say), that his ideas come floating down from the sky. If he doesn’t catch them, they will drop to the ground and be forgotten.

How true is that? It’s apparently true for me!

And it’s not like I don’t have a pad of paper with a pen in every room of the house. There’s no excuse. I should know better by now. I’ve let too many ideas fall to the ground.

So, today, on my birthday (yep, another year older, that’s me), I’m making a promise to myself to WRITE down all my ideas as they occur. Regardless of what time it is (even if it’s 3:00 a.m.). I don’t want to lose another one to the ground.