Twisted Fairytale

Added all the information for Cinematic Royalty/Dark Hollywood Nights!

Incorporated the cover and the excerpt. Updated the news page. Added buy now links.

What a productive afternoon!

… and counting.

Still editing. About three chapters in. Trying to focus my attention on this project so that I can get it done efficiently. I tend to get distracted during edits. I start new projects, plan turnovers on old ones. It makes the editing process take longer than it has to on my end, not to mention, I procrastinate until I’m on a crunch. Which is never good. So this time, I’m being disciplined.

So far, it’s paying off. I’m focused, I’m involved, and I’m moving forward at a steady pace.  I do miss my other projects though. It’s funny how I forget how much I love to write on them until I can’t and them I get all itchy to do it. When it’s just me and the WIPs I’m usually doing everything BUT writing… oh the irony.

Either way, I wanted to let you all know that although I wish I could be here to play, I am in fact working, so.

In other news, my very first book signing is this Saturday! I am so nervous! I have some fun promo items to give away. Bookmarks, business cards, magnets. B&N ordered the books so I’ll be signing and smiling. And there will be coffee which is always awesome. I’ll try and take tons of pics so I can post them here on Monday! Maybe it’ll be the push I need to work faster.

Happy Hump Day!

I haven’t been a very good blogger. The days are all kind of bleeding into each other lately. But thank you to those of you who keep checking in!!!! I lurve you guys.

Despite my silence, I’ve been busy with a handful of things. For starters, this weekend I got to stay with my amazing, spectacular grandmother whom I adore. She always makes me feel so warm and fuzzy when she’s around. All we do is laugh and tell stories. She made me the most delicious banana pancakes you can imagine with fresh fruit on Sunday morning. Hubby devoured them with a pleased smile on his face. In an attempt to thank her I gave her a pedicure. Her toes looked brilliant in that ice mauve berry color! I showed off my baby registry and she ran off to TJ Maxx to buy little one a ton of wayyy adorable clothes and socks. I came into the room to find them there on Saturday evening. I got pretty choked up to say the least.

Saturday afternoon, while my grandmother worked, (and shopped, obviously, ha ha) hubby and I spent time in upstate New York attending an aunt’s wedding. What a BEAUTIFUL occassion!

That was the wedding gazebo. We sat in folding chairs on either side of the walkway. As you can see, it was held outside by a lake, and although it was about negative thirty degrees (exaggeration, but I swear, it was cold), the bride looked radiant and flawless. It was a very sweet ceremony where they wrote their own vows. They then treated us to appetizers (calamari, yum!!) in a pitched tent with heaters, and then moved us upstairs into the ballroom for the reception. What a great time. We danced and ate and laughed and it was just fun all around.

Definitely a well needed respite from real life.

On the writing front, I have my fantasy story out on a submission run. I’m anxiously waiting to hear back. In an effort to keep myself busy, I started plotting out the sequel to said story. I already have at least the first 5 chpts written, but it’s missing scenes and it’s still in first draft form, so it’s a work in progress. I plotted about a little less than halfway. So far, so good.

Then, as usual, I got sidetracked by my crazy muse. She started talking to me and what resulted was the first scene/opening of a YA fantasy story. *shakes head* That is now ALSO in my WIP folder.  Though I’m going to try and restrain from getting writer’s high and focus on my current projects which are further along. I have a futuristic romance that’s at the climax and being sorely neglected, poor baby.

Despite my good intentions however, I got an email today from my editor with a decent chunk of edits. Nothing too overwhelming, but it will be time consuming. So, the other books get pushed to the side while I work on this one.

*breathes deep* Phew. And that’s what I’ve been up to. Insane, isn’t it? I’m actually breathless just thinking about it. Not to mention the fact that my signing is in a little over a week! *squee* I’m so nervous and excited! Signing real books! Having conversations with readers! How wild!  Still don’t have an outfit. *bites nails* I have to get on that.

Since the release of my first print book (no matter how many times I say this, it will ALWAYS require a *squee*!!!), I have promised you and myself that I would post a picture of me holding it like a proud author! Unfortunately, I do not own a digital camera, and my BFF who I usually steal it from, has been busy and away with business. I have now come to the conclusion that I need my own, especially with baby boy on the way. I’m a photo maniac and disposables just won’t do anymore.

Thankfully, in situations like this, I have the awesome Melissa to rely on. She has done what I, in my pregnant useless state have been unable to. She has chronicled my road to print publication as only a bookseller can. And I love her to death for it. I admit, I miss the bookstore terribly. Little things- the way it smells like coffee and new books, the smiles, the laughs, the inside jokes. Gah. It’s just not the same being away from there. I fully intend to rectify that by visiting as often as possible once my gag reflex stops being upset by odd scents and motion sickness. This, btw, should be VERY soon. *crosses fingers*

Anyway, I’m uber proud to present my book, in all it’s bookstore glory:

… Baby bump is now baby boy!

I had my ultrasound today.

Arms, legs, head, torso- check! The little bugger was practically dancing the whole time. He wouldn’t sit still for the technician and he kept playing peek-a-boo with his right hand, tucking it under his head so she couldn’t see it. Then he played shy and kept closing his legs but in the end, we prevailed.

I am the proud future momma of a bratty little boy. And I couldn’t be more psyched about it.

For starters, I don’t think I realized just how much I love what’s considered “New Age” music until this afternoon. I was playing all sorts of stuff through my laptop and none of it was really doing the trick. I was getting frustrated and flustered and the silence alone would have driven me crazy. So I went looking for Rhapsody, which has a TON of free, no-ad, specialized music stations. I clicked through a bit, landed on New Age, and I’ve let it play since. The amazing mixture of soothing instrumentals, celtic music, and nature sounds is intoxicating. It definitely helps soothe my frazzled nerves.

Second, I opened up my futuristic sci-fi romance novel, deciding to give my fantasy a break. Why? Because after working on it for weeks and cleaning and editing and sending out queries, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was starting to get all emotional about my baby. *sigh* So some separation was necessary to avoid a complete writer meltdown.

What I’m realizing is, that the scifi novel is SOOOO different in tone and writing that its actually a bit jarring. I started to read it and wasn’t sure I liked ANY of it. Not to mention, I have absolutely NO drive or inspiration to move it forward. I know where it has to go, plot wise, but when I tried the next chapter, it came out flat, forced, and stilted. ???

What am I supposed to do? Isn’t that just weird? The thing is, I worked on this particular novel for quite some time and made really great progress. It was a NaNo project one year, I’m a little over 50k, and it’s still going rather strong, character/plot wise. So I have no clue where my aversion is coming from except that my heart is still hung up on the fantasy story, and on those characters, and it’s making even liking this one, nearly impossible. How frustrating.

So I’m rereading it from the beginning, hoping to find that initial spark. This story came to me after reading Karen Marie Moning’s Dark Highlander story. I’d been so taken by her hero, by the character chemistry, by the unforgettable and hilarious scenes. I was on vacation in Cape Cod and I remember sitting up in bed one night, startled out of a dream, with a VERY clear scene in mind. My hero came to me all in one piece. His name, his look, his attitude. It was rather startling. Except, it wasn’t contemporary or historical. It was… science fiction? Really? A king of a planet in another constellation who is desperately seeking to fill the void left by the one woman he really loved… an Earth woman. Huh. Interesting. Hence, WoH was born.

See? I loved it at one point. Now I just have to remind myself why.

So, in the last two days I have:

1. Finished the first round of edits on my contracted story.
2. Finished the clean-up/formatting on my romantic fantasy (which is ready- and eager- to see the world).
3. Written a kick butt synopsis and query letter (if not kick butt, at least clean, sharp, and professional).
4. Sent said query letter out to an agent.
5. And somehow gotten a full night’s rest.

Though, don’t be fooled, I still feel exhausted. I think my productivity, though awesome, is wearing thin on baby bump. Which means tomorrow, I get to sleep in and lounge. Work on book 2 of the fantasy series by means of plotting and scene fixes. Light stuff. Saturday and Sunday I have somewhere to be. So by Monday, I should be back in full work mode. Not bad.

Tonight, I shall treat myself to ice cream and The Office. Because I can.