Maya's Holiday Traditions

We have another Wild Rose Press author, Maya Blake, joining us to talk about Holiday Traditions. I hope you'll welcome her!

Hi, I’m Maya Blake, I’m a thirty-something romance writer whose life-long dream of writing finally came to true last year when my debut novel was published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m the fourth of five siblings and I live in Kent, England with my husband and two (sometimes, lol) adorable kids.

Christmas at home tends to be like most, I expect. There’s the excitement of Christmas morning when the kids dance around the presents with eager anticipation of opening them after lunch. Then there's getting the bird ready for the oven, the madness of lunch, the opening of presents...then of course, the semi-comatose vegging on the sofa afterwards.

That’s when the TV/DVD comes on. Anyone who watches TV in England knows without fail there’s a James Bond movie played on one channel or the other on Christmas Day. I especially LOVE the pre-digital ones featuring Roger Moore or Sean Connery because of the humour angle (my mother-in-law’s post mulled wine cackle when she hears the name Pussy Galore has become a Christmas tradition).

After James Bond comes another firm family favourite – anything featuring the Stargate series. Yes, we’re unashamed die-hard sci-fi fans and really there’s nothing better to eat mince pies with than an episode or two of Stargate SG-1 or Stargate Atlantis!


And then to top it all off, we watch Last Of The Summer Wine. This happens to be the longest running comedy series in the world which unfortunately came to an end this year. The antics of Compo, Norman and Nora Batty never fails to bring hilarity! I’d love to hear what your family favourite movie or book is.

Happy holidays!
Maya

A Little Bit About Maya's book, Hostage to Love...
Crushed by betrayal, Belle Winkworth-Jones flees the shambles of her short-lived marriage, only to be kidnapped by a vicious rebel soldier determined to keep her for himself. Nick Andreakos mounts a ruthless rescue to save the wife who walked away from him, even though he's resentful Belle could dismiss their marriage so easily.


On Althea, their private Greek island where Belle recuperates, passion ignites, taking hold with relentless force. But in the shadows, danger lurks. The rebel soldier is determined to recapture Belle.

Can Belle and Nick set aside their differences in time to fight this threat and save their love, or will it be too late…?

Excerpt from Hostage to Love

Belle jerked awake as a loud blast ripped through the cave, her eyes unprepared for the blinding, strobe flashes of light that lit up the dark cavern a second later. Squinting, she saw the flashes continue intermittently for several seconds, then stop. She lurched from her position propped up against the wall and wondered for a moment if she was still dreaming.


The screams from a few feet away told her she wasn’t.


She’d stayed awake long after the rebel leader retired behind his curtain, unable to sleep for fear he might vent his anger on Father Tom.


She’d also contemplated what she would do after nature ran its course. She’d bought them three days, four at the most. What would happen after that? Could she willingly to let the loathsome man touch her for the sake of keeping one or all of them alive? And what guarantee did she have that he wouldn’t harm Father Tom?


The idea that perhaps they could overpower two of the soldiers, steal their weapons and make a run for it, she immediately discarded as foolish, and dangerous. She’d slumped, dejected, against the wall of the cave. That’s when she must’ve fallen asleep.


Dizzy and momentarily blinded by the flashes, she jumped as Edda screamed again. What was happening? Had the rebel leader decided they weren’t worth keeping and blasted the cave, burying them alive? Curiously though, the walls of the cave remained intact. She blinked a few times to dispel the blindness. Nothing happened.


A staccato burst of muffled gunfire sounded close by. But the gunfire was inside the cave, not outside. Which meant the rebels were still inside. Something brushed against her and she bit back a scream.


‘It’s all right lass, it’s me,’ Father Tom whispered close to her. ‘I told yer we’d be rescued today.’


Rescued! Why hadn’t she thought of that? Her spirits soared. Then plummeted.


Who would rescue them? Only Liz knew where she was, and she knew her friend wouldn’t give up her whereabouts lightly. Besides, she wasn’t due to make her weekly phone call to her best friend until Monday, so she wouldn’t guess Belle might be in trouble until after she failed to make the call. As for Father Tom, having lived and run the mission in Nawaka for the last seventeen years, he wouldn’t be missed back in his native Scotland. The same went for Edda and Hendrik, who’d been travelling around Africa for the past two years. As for the Nawakan government, it had enough on its plate with its fight to prevent the gold and diamond mines from being looted to mount rescue operations of kidnapped foreigners.


So rescue was not an option.


The only other conclusion she could reach was that another rebel faction had caught wind of Captain Mwana’s bounty and intended to claim them. It wasn’t unheard of for one rebel group to seize another’s hostages if they could profit from it. Sometimes rebels within the same group rose up against each other. Was that what was happening here? Had Mwana’s subordinates staged a coup against him?


If so, they had to take advantage of the gunfight.


‘Father, I don’t think we’re being rescued, but I still think we should make a run for it. This may be our only chance.’ God, she prayed she was right.


He gave a nervous chuckle. ‘I’m with you, lass, but unfortunately, these old eyes cannot see a thing at the moment. I think I’m blind.’


She stopped herself from telling him she suffered the same ailment, although she could just about make out shadowy images in her periphery. ‘It’s all right Father. Just hold onto my hand and I’ll guide you. Keep your head down. Hendrik, Edda, are you okay?’


‘Yes,’ Hendrik responded.


She took a deep breath and edged forward, her hand clamped around Father Tom’s. They’d travelled only a few feet when a bullet slapped the cave wall beside her. Small rocks struck her cheek and she cried out. Fear strangling her, she crouched down, eyes shut, beside Father Tom.


‘We have to keep moving,’ Hendrik urged from behind her.


She opened her eyes and thankfully, most of her vision had been restored. But what little she saw stilled her heart. Since whoever was attacking the rebels was doing so from outside the cave whilst the guerrillas defended themselves from inside, there’d be no way to escape without being caught in the crossfire.


Another bullet whizzed past her and struck a lantern on the far side of the cave, igniting it. A huge plume of acrid smoke bellowed up towards the craggy ceiling of the cave.


Their situation had just worsened a hundred-fold.


She knew they only had a matter of minutes to live. Because if the bullets didn’t get them, the smoke and fire would. There was enough bedding, ammunition and lamps to set the place ablaze in seconds.


Just then the gunfire ceased.


‘Come on,’ she whispered desperately to Father Tom. She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the entrance of the cave, trying not to let the sight of the bloodied bodies disturb her. She focused on the discarded guns instead. If they could arm themselves, they’d increase their chances considerably.


But as she reached for the nearest rifle, she heard the crunch of feet approaching.


Another burst of gunfire. Then silence.


Through the smoky light she saw a figure, tall and male, enter the cave, followed by two more. In silence, the men advanced towards them. Belle’s throat closed up, fear completely seizing her. She turned to Father Tom. Her hand gripped his and she tried to shield him with her body.


Someone crouched behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut.


This is it. This is it.


‘Hello, Tinkerbelle,’ a deep voice purred in her ear.

Sally's Favorite Holiday Recipe

Sally Clements, author of Catch Me a Catch, is here to share a wonderful holiday recipe. In fact, it sounds so yummy that I'm thinking about making it for New Years! So please welcome Sally!

Hello Amy, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today as part of the Wild Rose Blog Tour! It’s very cold with snow on the ground here today in Ireland, very Christmassy! And I’m here today to share one of my favourite Christmas recipes – Spiced Beef.

Spiced beef is a real local speciality here (I live about 14 miles from Dublin) and you can buy it ready to cook in all the supermarkets, but I always spice the beef myself with this recipe passed down from my mother. The suggested marinade time of 15 days can be modified, I often only marinade for 9 days, and it takes just as wonderful.

So, Take 5 ½ lbs of corned beef (also called ‘silverside’ here) and put it in a large plastic bowl. Rub it with 4oz of soft brown sugar cover the bowl with a tea towel, and put it in the bottom of the fridge for 24 hours.

In a pestle and mortar, crush:

1 ½ oz black peppercorns
¾ oz allspice berries
½ cloves
½ oz cardamom seeds

And mix these in a bowl with 6 oz sea salt and 2 crumbled bay leaves.


Pat this dry mixture all over the beef, cover with the tea towel, and put in the bottom of the fridge. Turn the beef every 2 days.


The day before you want to serve the spice beef, remove it from the bowl, place it in a giant saucepan, and cover with cold water. Simmer gently until cooked (usually around 2 hours).


Then remove the beef from the cooking liquid, wrap in greaseproof paper, and put it on a plate and flatten with the heaviest weights you’ve got, and leave it in the fridge.


The next day, serve the spiced beef in wafer thin slices cold. It is wonderful with baked potatoes and Christmas vegetables!


In order to be in with a chance to win my prize of a Swarovski necklace and matching earrings in either festive red or holly green (you choose!), please do follow my blog here I have Caroline Clemmons guesting on my blog today – so do pop in and read her recipe too!

Sally Clements – Catch Me A Catch



Book Blurb:

She had the perfect life - and all she wanted was to escape it.


Artisan chocolatier and reluctant matchmaker Annie Devine wants to survive the annual Durna Matchmaking Festival without messing up. She's useless at relationships, and the whole village know it. They've known ever since the day she was left at the altar in her wedding dress.


When Jack Miller, charismatic head of Miller Advertising is forced to make an emergency stop on his transatlantic crossing, she mistakes him for a love-lorn bachelor, and sparks fly.


Jack's in Ireland to discover his roots, while Annie's desperate to escape hers. Annie longs to win the coveted Chocolate Oscar competition, and claim the ultimate prize, her own shop in Dublin. But with the deadline for Jack's return to New York looming, is she making the right choice?

Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/catch-me-a-catch-p-4147.html

Blog Link:

http://sallyclements.blogspot.com/

Thanks you so much for having me here today, Amy.

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You're welcome and I have to say, both your book and recipe sound fantastic!

What is on Lilly Gayle's Holiday "To Be Read" Pile?

Happy Holidays!
It's the holiday season and the start of The Wild Rose Press authors' Holiday Blog Tour! I'm so pleased to have Lilly Gayle as my first guest author. She and I are old and dear friends, having met at a local writers group and struggled through years of writing, editing and polishing manuscripts. Lilly is an incredibly talented, multi-faceted woman and a terrific author, so I hope you'll welcome her and enjoy hearing about her "To Be Read" pile of books.

Lilly Gayle's TBR Books
Man, I can remember a time when I used to read one or two books a week. That was before I left the State system and went back to working ten hour shifts in a hospital. It was also before I became a published author.

I still love to read but most of my “free” time—I know what a joke!—is spent writing blogs, doing promo, editing, or working on my WIP. When I do read, it’s usually unpublished work from one of my two critique partners. But despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I plan to get in some reading time. It’s part of my holiday tradition.

I’m currently reading Joan Beth Erickson’s Rainbow’s End, a romantic suspense set in Hawaii. I’ve never read a book set in Hawaii or one where the main character was Polynesian. And I’m loving it. This is a unique, well written story, and Ms. Erickson has done a fabulous job describing Hawaii. So well in fact, I can actually visualize the scenery in my head as I read.

And that’s what makes a good story for me. If the author can transport me to another time or place and I can “see” the story in my head, then I’m hooked. There are a lot of authors who do that for me, so I have a very long TBR list.

I know you’ve released your first paranormal, Amy, and although Vampire Protector is one of those unpublished books I read in the past, I’m dying to read the finished product. I can’t wait to see what you and your editor have done with it.

I’d also like to start Virginia Kantra’s Children of the Sea series. I love Ms. Kantra’s romantic suspense novels and can’t wait to read one of her paranormals. Then there’s Beth Trissel, an author I met in cyber space through The Wild Rose Press. She has a list of historical romances I’m dying to read. Caroline Clemmons’ The Texan’s Irish Bride is on my list too and after seeing all the wonderful releases the authors of this tour have out, I’m going to be adding a lot more to my TBR list.

My biggest problem is finding time to read and then deciding what to read. I have eclectic taste and read everything from paranormal to inspirational. And since becoming a Wild Rose Press author, I’m constantly finding new stories and new authors.

So, this holiday season, I plan to load up my Nook and sit under the Christmas tree reading as many books as I can.

Anyone have any suggestions for some sensational books I can add to my list? It’s always growing!

The Skinny on Lilly
Lilly's Book: Out of the Darkness


Lilly Gayle’s bio:

Lilly Gayle lives in North Carolina with her husband of thirty years, her youngest daughter who's still in college, a dog, a cat, and various critters both dead and alive the cat occasionally drags through the doggie door. When not writing or working as a mammogapher, she spends time with her husband at the beach. Out of the Darkness, a paranormal romance is her first published novel. A historical, Slightly Tarnished should be released sometime next year.

Blurb for Out of the Darkness:
Out of the Darkness- a paranormal vampire romance.

Here research could cure his dark hunger if a covert government agent doesn't get to her first.

Vincent Maxwell is a vampire with a conscience seeking a cure to his dark hunger. But when a scientist looking to create vampire soldiers captures and kills a fellow vampire, Vincent seeks out Dr. Megan Harper, a research scientist who discovered a link between a genetic light sensitivity disorder and vampirism. Dr. Harper could hold a key to a cure and the answers to Gerard’s death. But getting close to the beautiful scientist could endanger both their lives.

When Megan meets Vincent she believes he suffers from xeroderma pigmentosum, the genetic disease that killed her sister. Sensing a deep loneliness within the handsome man, she offers friendship and access to her research files. But she and Vincent soon become more than friends and Megan learns the horrifying truth. She's entered the dark and unseen world of vampires and Vincent is her only hope of survival.

Excerpt for Out of the Darkness:

Vincent didn’t spare her a second glance as he opened the basement door and stepped down.

The sound of his boot heel striking wood echoed up the steps as he disappeared into the darkness.

“But—” Megan switched on the light and hurried after him.

“The first thing you need down here is a table and some chairs,” he said when he saw the stacks of unorganized data and reams of paper scattered across the floor. “Do you mind if I bring the ones down from the kitchen?”

“No.” She turned back toward the stairs. “I’ll help you bring them down.” It would give her something to do while she sorted through the confused thoughts and emotions tumbling around inside her head.

Vincent touched her arm and heat shot straight to her belly, turning her insides all warm and fuzzy.

Warm and fuzzy was not good.

Warm and fuzzy made her think of more than just heated sex. It made her think of cozy evenings snuggled up under a blanket and shared feelings. It made her long for an emotional connection she couldn’t risk. Not with Vincent.

Not with a man who could potentially die a slow, lingering death.

“I’ll get it.” He let go of her arm and stepped back. “You start going through those papers and find that report you wrote comparing XP to vampire myths and legends. I’d be interested in seeing if you still have it.”

He turned to go back up the stairs and Megan shivered. Why had Steve mentioned the vampire report to Vincent? And why was Vincent so interested in seeing it?

Vincent the Vampire.

Make Me Buy Your Book

Make Me Buy Your Book

Starting Jan 20, 2011, I’ll be posting a blog challenging ebook authors to make me buy your book. I’ll post a general description for the kind of books I’m looking for, and you can comment with 500 words or less of information about your book, geared toward making me (and other readers) buy it.


It’s a free form of advertising for you, the author. More importantly, I’m hoping it will let me find the kinds of books I love to read and which are sometimes difficult to locate. Oddly enough, I’ve noticed that the stories I like best are those by new authors or at least authors who are not the ones who pop up on bestseller lists or suggested lists from Amazon. So finding them can be a challenge.


I’m also hoping that other readers who hanker for the same kinds of books will find this to be a valuable resource, as well, if for no other reason than to browse through what I’m sure will be interesting blurbs and descriptions.


The blogs will run on the 20th of every month, and I’ll publish a schedule so you know what’s coming up. If you really think you’re special and want me to include your book cover in the body of that month’s blog as an extra enticement for readers, then you can drop me a line at makeme@amycorwin.com. Please note, however, that I’m really not interested in extremely sensual or erotic material. Besides, there are so many promo opportunities for very spicy books that I feel I can suit my own more conventional tastes in this area.


When I describe the categories in the blogs themselves, I’ll include even more detail on what I like/don’t like to help “shape the comments” and get me to my goal of finding those books I really do want to buy. Keep in mind that this helps other potential readers, as well, because they’ll also be able to determine if these books are their cup-o-tea or material for the compost heap (figuratively speaking since we’re talking strictly ebooks).


As a “heads up,” here is the initial list. Be sure to bookmark this blog so you can participate and add your blurbs, teeny-tiny excerpts, or anything else that floats your boat and you believe will make potential readers buy your ebook.


Jan 20 - Ghosts & shivery horror (No Gore Fests, please)


Feb 20 – Historical Mysteries


March 20 – Contemporary Mysteries


April 20 – Paranormal Mysteries/Suspense


May 20 – Suspense


June 20 – Historicals & Regencies


July 20 – Crime & Crime Noir


Aug 20 – Humor & Satire


Sep 20 – Science Fiction & Fantasy


Oct 20 – Cozy Mysteries


Nov 20 – Chick Lit, Hen Lit & their Red-Headed Step-Children


Dec 20 – Paranormal (Romance, suspense, etc)


That's it! Be thinking about it and prepare your comments. I'll be waiting to hear from you with my Kindle turned on and in my hand!
 
Amy Corwin

Just Chatting

Today's blog is more of a "Chatty Cathy" item about all the news that's fit (or unfit) to print! There's a heck of a lot going on, too!

While I'm awaiting word from the Acquisitions Committee about my cozy mystery, Whacked!, (and please make it good news!) I'm frantically writing another mystery as part of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). In order to win, I only have to write 50,000 words during the month of November (are you completely insane?) which will nicely finish off the first draft of the book. Assuming I can do that.

Not only am I writing serious chunks of new material each evening, I'm also a sponsoring author for Night Owl's Autumn Harvest Web Hunt. I'm giving away a gorgeous heart necklace to one lucky entrant, but there are dozens of other great prizes so be sure to join the hunt!

And if you need more contests to enter and blogs to read, you can join me and my fellow Wild Rose Press Authors for our Wilder Roses blog tour. We will be blogging on holiday themes starting November 24. Each Wednesday, we'll post new blogs with participating authors, for the following dates and themes:
November 24 ~ Our holiday "To Be Read" Books
December 1 ~ Favorite holiday recipes
December 8 ~ Favorite holiday stories or movies
December 15 ~ Favorite holiday tradition

I'm giving away a soothing herbal bath kit to a randomly selected person who leaves comments on my blog, so be sure to stay tuned! The more comments you make, the more "entries" this will make to the bucket of names and the higher your chances are of winning. The runners-up will also be randomly selected and will receive my ebook, I Bid One American.

And speaking of ebooks, for the holiday season, I'm offering a free traditional ghost story. It's a short story I wrote on Halloween to limber up for NaNoWriMo and if you like spooky short stories, you may enjoy it. It's called Silence is Concurrence and you can click on the previous link or download it from the freebies section on my website.

My paranormal romance, Vampire Protector, is already available as a paperback from my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, or as a pre-order from Amazon.com. The ebook version will be available soon, including on the Kindle. I'm really excited about this book and hope folks enjoy it. There's nothing like a good vampire story, complete with a haunted house and a mystery that may claim the lives of Gwen and her vampire protector.

I don't have a release date, yet, for the next historical romantic mystery in the Archer family series, The Necklace. However, I'm hoping it will be released in late November or December. The cover is already up on Highland Press's Coming Soon page, so it shouldn't be too long to wait! They did an absolutely fabulous job on the cover. I really love it.

Finally, I wanted to mention that I've started another brief series of blogs on my favorite topic of characterization. The blogs are featured on ...Voices of the Heart, which is another blog I participate in. In addition, I'm being featured on a variety of other blogs and book review sites, so be sure to watch the calendar of events on the right side of this blog. Busy, busy, busy.

On my blog, interspersed with interviews from other interesting authors and information about what I'm up to, I plan to begin a small series on tips for authors who are just starting out. I'll include things I've learned along the way, grammar, the mechanics of writing, links to other Internet sources of information on writing, and I'll bust a few common myths. With luck, writers and readers alike will find things of interest to them.

So sit back and enjoy the holiday season...and grab a good spooky story to read in front of the fire! You deserve a few harmless shivers!

Amy

An Interview With Lilly Gayle

Interview with Lilly Gayle

Today we welcome Lilly Gayle, the author of the phenomenally popular paranormal, Out of the Darkness, and a very good friend. I’m so privileged and happy to host this interview. I’ve known Lilly for many, many years and she is a valued critique partner and talented writer. So without further ado, here is Lilly Gayle!

Amy: I’m so pleased to interview you today, Lilly. Can you tell us a little something about what inspired you to become a writer?

Lilly: I guess it started in the 8th grade. My teacher, Miss Black had us use our spelling words in a short story. My story filled a spiral notebook. I was hooked on writing until I started college and life got in the way. I didn’t get the writing bug again until after my two girls were born. I began by writing stories for them. And I mentioned to my husband that I’d once wanted to be a writer. I must have mentioned it more times than I realized because in 1995, he bought me my first computer and told me to stop dreaming and start writing. My first attempts were half-hearted and aimed at children’s literature. But I realized I had to write what I loved to read. I completed my first novel in 1997 and it was so horrible, not a single copy exists today. But after 13 years of pursing publication, The Wild Rose Press released Out of the Darkness in May of this year. And it would never have happened without your valuable input and critiques or your suggesting I submit to TWRP. So, Thank you Amy!

Amy: What made you write about vampires? Is there anything about that myth that particularly resonates with you?

Lilly: When I was little, I loved Dark Shadows. I remember thinking Barnabas Collins wasn’t such a bad guy. He was just miserable and all he wanted was to be human again. After Dark Shadows, most other vampire movies were about evil vampires. Except Blade, but Wesley Snipes wasn’t really a vampire. He was a damphyr. Then there was the TV series, Angel. Angel was a vampire with a conscience but he still had a dark side. Cool premise. And it didn’t hurt that David Boreanaz is HOT. But I didn’t decide to write about vampires until the genre became popular And Barnabas kept whispering in my ear that he wanted to be human. Eventually, I listened to Barnabas and created Vincent Maxwell.

Amy: If you had to give one piece of advice to someone thinking about writing, what would that be?

Lilly: In the words of Jason Nesmith, aka Peter Quincy Taggart, aka Tim Alan from the movie, Galaxy Quest; “Never give up. Never surrender.” In the writing business, it isn’t always about talent. Sometimes, good stories never get published because the market is flooded with similar stories or the genre isn’t “hot” at the moment. Timing really is everything and timing and luck are co-conspirators. The only way to make it in this business is to keep writing and keep submitting and never stop learning the tools of your craft.

Amy: I love Out of the Darkness. How did you ever get the idea for that story?

Lilly: I have to credit author Dean Koontz. I loved his character Chris Snow in the Moonlight Bay trilogy. Chris has XP (xeroderma pigmentosum) a disease I knew nothing about until I read Mr. Koontz’s book. Then the Twilight series came out and everyone wanted to read about vampires. I put the two together and came up with Dr. Megan Harper, a woman seeking a cure for XP, the genetic light sensitivity disease that killed her sister and Vincent Maxwell, a vampire with conscience seeking a cure to his dark hunger. Then throw in my love affair with old movies and that movie Universal Soldier with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren where the government used dead Vietnam vets to create the perfect soldier, and you get Out of the Darkness.

Amy: Tell us about your writing process. Are you plot or character driven?

Lilly: Definitely plot driven. In fact, my trouble with characterization is the main reason I was rejected so many times before I was finally published. It took me some time to figure out that I couldn’t just make something happen to a character and then have the character react, I had to show (and not tell) why the character reacted the way he/she did. GMC. Goals, motivation, and conflict. I didn’t even know what that was when I first started writing.

Amy: If there’s one thing you hope readers will “take away” from your books, what would that be?

Lilly: That humans are fallible and imperfect and those who hold grudges carry an impossible burden. And that faith, hope and love can overcome just about any obstacle.

Amy: If this isn’t too personal, do you think your battle with cancer has changed you, or changed the type of story you choose to write?

Lilly: It definitely changed me. I used to have a bad temper. I never carried a grudge but if I was pissed, everyone knew it. I still have a tempter, but I’m slower to blow hot than I once was. And I forgive more easily than I did before. Life is too short to be angry or miserable. But I don’t think my battle with cancer changed the stories I write. It just made it easier for me to get into my character’s heads.

Amy: What are your working on, now?

Lilly: Into the Light, the sequel to Out of the Darkness.

Amy: Can you give us a brief taste of Out of the Darkness?

Lilly: Vincent Maxwell is a vampire with a conscience searching for a cure to his dark hunger. But when a scientist looking to create vampire soldiers captures and kills a fellow vampire, Vincent seeks out Dr. Megan Harper, a researcher seeking a cure for xeroderma pigmentosum, the light sensitivity disease that killed her sister.

When Megan meets Vincent, she believes he suffers from XP. Sensing a deep loneliness within the handsome man, Megan offers friendship and access to her research files. But they soon become more than friends and Megan learns she's entered the dark and unseen world of vampires and Vincent is her only hope of survival.

Here’s an excerpt.

EXCERPT From Out of the Darkness
“It’s been a long night,” she said. “I’d ask you to stay, but...” she glanced nervously up the stairs.

The knot in his gut loosened. He stepped closer. Her shoulder pressed into his arm just above his elbow. She tensed but didn’t move. “But you knew I couldn’t accept?” he asked softly.

Hopefully.

“Yeah. Something like that.” She glanced nervously upward, finally meeting his eyes. She
looked wary. Afraid.

And oh so vulnerable.

He leaned in, his arm snaking around her waist, pulling her closer. Her muscles strained, but she didn’t resist as he drew her in and slowly lowered his head. “And would you have put me in your sister’s bed?” He raised a finger to trace the outline of her mouth.

She trembled, her breath escaping her parted lips in a breathy sigh. Warm air brushed his fingertips, stirring his senses. Heating his blood.

“I don’t know.” Her breasts rose and fell with each shuddering breath she took, her soft curves brushing the hard wall of his chest.

She pulled her plump bottom lip between her teeth and looked up with pleading eyes. Eyes that begged him to make the decision for her.

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OUT OF THE DARKNESS: Available now from The Wild Rose Press-- Her research could cure his dark hunger if a covert government agent doesn't get to her first.

http://www.lillygayle.com/

http://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com/

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Final Note from Amy

Thanks Lilly! I loved having you here and hope we can "trade blogs" again soon.

Smelling the roses

Recently I took a two-day mini-vacation that was much needed due to heavy overtime demands, in addition to the usual, well, life events. While visiting the seashore, I was able to do a little bird and nature watching, and it occurred to me how many folks are simply unaware of their surroundings.

Or perhaps that's too harsh. It may be safer to say that often folks are so busy on their computers, cell phones, smart phones, televisions, and radios, that they've become divorced from nature. And that's too bad. It's dismal to think that the only "nature" they are involved with is that which is beamed out of their television set or computer via the Discovery or Travel channel.

But as I mentioned, my chessie, Molly, and I had the grand opportunity to get eaten alive by mosquitoes and explore North Carolina's magnificent Outer Banks. And we saw all kinds of cool and interesting stuff. I'll bet the folks who live there full time may not have even noticed some of it, so I thought I'd share.

We saw Salicornia or Saltwort in the salt marshes around Beaufort. Saltwort is normally green, but in the fall it turns a rich and vibrant red, as shown in this picture.

By one of the boat ramps, Molly and I were also surprised by a Marsh Rabbit hopping up to our car. After a few minutes it obviously decided we weren't that interesting after all and it went back into the fringe of woods by the ramp. Even Molly was too surprised to bark.

So take some time from your busy schedule and go outside, even if it's just to do some cloud gazing. You'd be amazed at "whats out there" and this time of year is vibrant with tons of color and interesting plants, animals and birds to watch.

With luck, I'll be able to cut myself loose again from work and get another mini-vacation by the sea. Even if my first chance comes in the dead of winter, it's worth it. Every season has its own beauty and surprises.

Enjoy!

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PS: on a final note, my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, just sent me my pre-release note for my paranormal, Vampire Protector, which will be out Nov 12! The paperback is already available for pre-order, so if you're looking for a spooky book for Halloween, you've come to the right place! There's a haunted house, vampires, and an old family secret that just won't stay buried...

If you're interested in watching the trailer, here is a link.

And finally, don't forget the CONTEST! You've only got one more week to enter the NOL Web Hunt. I'm offering a lovely heart necklace as one of the contest prizes, so be sure to check it out.

Good luck and spooky dreams!

Guest Blogger: Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Welcome Mystery Writer Nancy Lynn Jarvis...

Why would a Realtor turn to a life of murder and chocolate chip cookies?

I’m a real estate agent who is having so much fun killing people that I’ll probably never sell another house. I never planned to kill anyone and never intended to write anything other than enticing advertising copy for my listings, but in 2008 when the real estate market tanked and I couldn’t dispassionately tell clients their homes might not sell for what they owed on their mortgage, I decided to run away from the too-real world of foreclosures and short sales, take a time out, and pretend to be retired.

I quickly got bored and missed all the interesting people I met in real estate. Maybe because of that or maybe because my fallback mode was avoiding reality, as a purely time-filling intellectual exercise, I began to toy with the idea of writing a mystery.

The logic and careful structure of mysteries has fascinated me since the days when I sat in a wicker rocking chair at my grandmother’s house and read Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, sworn to secrecy in case my mother wouldn’t approve of a young girl reading something other than Nancy Drew.

Writing a mystery would be like solving a logic puzzle—Sudoku on steroids— and if that wouldn’t be fun enough, mystery writing would give me an excuse to delve into a world of fascinating but unsettling things like decomposition, accidental mummification, and how ligature strangulation and death by hypothermia work. Researching those topics would be akin to being a four-year-old playing with rubber dinosaurs: the game would be enjoyable, and I could control what might otherwise give me nightmares.


The idea of writing mysteries kept getting more appealing. I could take my twenty-plus years of situations—that’s a polite term for all those things that happen in the world of real estate that makes agents say, “I could write a book”—and use them for background. I could create a real estate agent protagonist named Regan McHenry who could be kind of like me, only younger, thinner, and more daring, and get back in touch with my favorite agents, clients, and associates by using them as inspiration for characters.


The murders in my books are made up, but the real estate stories are real—yes, Realtors do come across bodies in the course of doing business—so a Realtor who solves mysteries isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem.

And the cookies? Well, Realtors often bake cookies at open houses to entice buyers. It’s an old trick-of- the-trade. In the first book I wrote, The Death Contingency, Regan baked homemade cookies at an almost lethal open house. In Backyard Bones she baked cookies to take as comfort food to a client accused of murder. After Regan’s cookies appeared in two books, there had to be a recipe. When people visit my website they can not only read the beginnings of the books, they can also pick up a free recipe for “Mysterious Chocolate Chip Cookies.” The cookies make a cameo appearance in Buying Murder, the third book in the series, and will be in all future books.

Website: http://www.goodreadmysteries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ReganMcHenryRealEstateMysteries

Nancy Lynn Jarvis

* * * * * * * * * *

Thanks Nancy--I'm so glad we had a chance to find out about your books. I love mysteries, especially cozy ones, and these sound just like my cup of tea!
Amy Corwin

Tarot with Tina Whittle

I'm so honored today to have Tina Whittle as a guest. Tina is a brilliant mystery writer, as well as a professional tarot reader! Please welcome her and leave comments--I'm sure you'll find her as fascinating as I do...

Mystery Writer Tina Whittle and Reading Tarot
Mystery writing is not my only paying gig. I’m also a mother (although the paycheck doesn’t come in dollars), a freelance journalist, and a professional tarot reader. That last one may seem out-of-place, but it’s really the linchpin that holds the other two together, for while reading tarot for strangers enriches the pocket, reading for myself enriches my creative potential. After all, tarot accesses the subconscious wisdom available to each of us, the wellspring of human creativity, and I can’t think of a more necessary — and more versatile — tool in my writer’s toolkit.


Take the daily reading, for example. Among tarot readers, one way to keep in practice with the cards is to pull one card every morning and ponder it for a bit. I find that as I progress through my day, I notice all the little ways that each card’s special energy affects me. If I’m having a rough time writing — say, wrestling a bloated WIP into submission or pondering a particularly tricky plot point — tarot offers the clean lens of a new perspective.

Take the Seven of Cups, for example (pictured here as illustrated in the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck). The Seven of Cups depicts a situation any writer can relate to — that dreamy voluptuous reverie when the imagination is allowed free rein. Most of the time this card features a rather dumbstruck individual surrounded by clouds of fantastic images. Some of them look enticing: others appear mysterious, even frightening. None of them are real, however — they’re just the swirling, seductive raw material of the human mind.

As any writer will tell you, such expansive free-flowing exploration is a necessary part in the writing process. It primes the pump and stirs the creative juices. It’s also incredibly fun. For my novel The Dangerous Edge of Things, this meant soaking in the ambiance of Atlanta — sipping mojitos in Little Five Points, meandering the galleries of the High Museum, sinking into the supple leather of a Ferrari coupe. All decadent, but utterly necessary.

Of course, the Seven of Cups sometimes warns that you’re indulging in too much of a good thing. When this card shows up reversed — that is, upside down — I have to consider that it might be time to put down the highball glass and pull up the word processor. Inspiration can only take you so far — the rest requires good old-fashioned perspiration.

Sometimes if my morning card is particularly relevant, I’ll keep it displayed on my desk, as a reminder. One card that always inspires me is The Star (pictured here from Thalia Took’s tarot illustrations, which you can find at http://www.thaliatook.com/ ). A card of hope, optimism and rejuvenation, The Star reminds me to keep my eyes on the horizon. It reassures me that while corrupted files and writer’s block and recalcitrant protagonists are certainly frustrating, this writing life also promises joy. Head up and eyes forward, says this card. And breathe. Breathing would be nice.

For me, tarot isn’t fortunetelling — it is, however, an excellent way to keep me on a productive and fulfilling creative path. The tarot’s symbols and images give my subconscious something to play with, and in return, it rewards me with knowledge that I didn’t know I possessed.

Try tarot for yourself. You don’t have to be a professional to reap the benefits; you just have to be open to your own intuition.

And a Brief Word About Tina...

Tina Whittle is a mystery writer living and working in Southeast Georgia. The Dangerous Edge of Things, her first novel, debuts February 2011 from Poisoned Pen Press. Set in contemporary Atlanta, The Dangerous Edge of Things is the first book in a series featuring gun-shop owner Tai Randolph and corporate security agent Trey Seaver. When not writing or reading, Tina enjoys golf, sushi, and spending time with her family (one husband, one daughter, one neurotic Maltese and three chickens). You can find her at http://www.tinawhittle.com/.

Characterization and Plot

Characterization and Plot

Some of the writing groups I belong to have recently brought up the question of how to prevent the dreaded "sagging middle" in their stories. This is where the book stops being a page-turner and becomes something you read to put you to sleep at night.

Strangely enough, the most common method of trying to correct for this doesn't really work. Often, a writer will  just throw more danger at the hapless heroine or hero. For example, if the hero is fighting with a bunch of bad guys, the author may just add a few more bad guys or one more bigger-and-badder fight.

Other writers hear the advice "upping the ante" and layer on an "Oh, my gosh, they're going to blow up the world!" moment. Which, while logically you would think would make it more exciting because everyone might die, "everyone" is sort of vague and faceless, and frankly, we don't really care. Interestingly, that's why in the Big Disaster Movies, they always focus on the life-or-death of individual characters and their loved ones--in the midst of the world coming to an end. Because it's the individuals we care about, emotionally.

So really, what can you do?

Here's what I do. I ask a really simple question: What's the worst that can happen to the heroine? (Or hero--depending upon your story.) Hint: the answer isn't: she might die. Nope. The worst is what gives that character nightmares. It's probably easiest if I give you a stupid, but fairly concrete example.

You have a heroine who is painfully shy. I mean painfully, agonizingly shy. She stammers when she tries to talk. Stammers horribly. And the sad part is, she's a brilliant biologist, and can write papers that are wonderful, but she just can't talk in public. Or even very well one-on-one. She can't think on her feet. Fortunately, she doesn't have to worry about it, because she gets a fantastic job for an articulate scientist who can present her information and do the glad-handing necessary to get them grants for their research, etc.

So...what's the worst thing that can happen to her?
Her boss comes down with laryngitis right before he has to present their research at a symposium, and their next critical grant depends upon that presentation. If someone doesn't do the presentation, they'll not only lose face at the symposium, but they'll lose the grant and she'll potentially lose her job (and you know she's horrible at job interviews because she is so inarticulate).

And guess what? She's the only one available to do the presentation.

Now THAT's upping the ante and creating tension. And if you really want to be cruel and make the big dark moment even darker--make her flub up that presentation. They think they're going to have to shut down their research. Then give her a sliver of hope that if she and her boss can talk to Mr. Big, they might get enough money to continue. But then, they have to face a worse horror. Something happens to her boss (he has a heart attack? Grabbed by an evil dude?) and it's now up to her to talk their way out of the situation and get the grant--whether that is to get help or talk a bad guy out of killing them...whatever. And what if she's in love with her boss? If she can't talk eloquently enough, she'll lose everything...the grant (her job), and possibly her boss's life.

Guess she'd better get to that speech therapist, after all.

You'll notice with this last twist that it doesn't work if you just have her speaking in front of another large group--even though she may be even more jittery after failing the first time. No. You can't do the same thing a second time. You have to present a different opportunity to fail--an opportunity that is different (and preferrably more personal) than the first challenge.

What you should be picking up from this is that creating tension and that "page turner" quality is all about identifying the worst thing that could happen to a character, and making it happen. And then twisting it to make it worse.

And each of these "opportunities for magnificent failure" has to be different. If it's the same, even if it's rife with bigger-badder-ness, it's going to just feel like more of the same. These challenges must come from unexpected directions. You're looking for that "Where did that come from?" and "I didn't see that one coming" reaction from your reader.

Conversely, in order to have a successful (and happy) ending, you need to know What is the best thing that can happen to this character? What does he or she really, really want? And then figure out how to let her earn that ending.

So all you need when you sit down to write a novel are the answers to these two questions:

1. What is the worst thing that can happen to this character?
2. What is the best thing that can happen to this character?

From those, you'll be able to write a story that grips the reader and keeps her turning pages long into the night.

Just a Quickie

This is just a quick note for those who follow my blog--exciting stuff is on it's way.

October
In October, I'll be participating in Night Owl Reviews web hunt! As part of that, I'm giving away a lovely heart necklace, so be sure to stop by my web site at http://www.amycorwin.com/ for more information.

To thank all my readers, I'm also going to be offering my traditional Regency, Love, The Critic, for FREE! That's right--for one month--you can get an e-book copy of Love, The Critic for free. You can either download it from my website in PDF format or from Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/) in a bunch of other formats, all for free.

I'm doing this to extend my heartfelt thanks to all my readers. Over the past few years, I've received the most wonderful e-mails from folks who have spent their hard-earned money on my books, and I wanted to do something in return. This is my way of providing a little "something for nothing". I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

Love, The Critic was my "NaNoWriMo" book from 2007--that is, it was written as part of National Novel Writing Month where authors are challenged to write 50,000 words in one month! It's hectic and mindblowing, but a wonderful exercise in just doing it.

So thank you--you guys have been great and you all deserve so much more. I hope you enjoy Love, The Critic and that it at least gives back in enjoyment even a tenth of what you've given me!

This is going to be a short blog, unfortunately. I injured my elbow and it's painful to write, but I did want to tell you all about this.
Best wishes for a wonderful autumn!
Amy Corwin
http://www.amycorwin.com/

Optimism and Great Books

Can Great Books Be Optimisitc?

Literary critics and English professors will no doubt smile smugly and shake their heads at what I’m about to say, but frankly, I don’t care about their opinions. And despite their belief that they know what constitutes great literature and will try to convince anyone within listening distance that they are right (and consequently only their opinions are correct or matter) I know one thing: a great story is about optimism.


Perhaps that’s an Americanism. I know citizens of the good, old U.S. of A. have been accused of that before. As if older cultures have discovered that wisdom is all about the cynical and depressing. Certainly, even a lot of American writers fall into that trap and come to believe it. And they are rewarded—their beliefs are reinforced—by critics who then hail them as the best writers of their generation.


Blah, blah.


Sorry—they’re wrong. Great fiction isn’t about cynicism and pessimism. It isn’t about the “we’re all going to die, horribly and miserably” even if that’s what the literary establishment would have you believe. We all know how difficult life is, how it can grind you down, how it can make you into something you wish you weren’t. Or show you things you wish you’d never seen, like cruelty and all the –isms. Does anyone really need a book to point out man’s inhumanity to man?


I think not. I know life is brutish and short. When I read a book, what I hope to get out of it is a reason to hope. A reason to believe that we can triumph over our difficulties—vanquish evil—even if only for a while.


Why am I thinking about this? Two reasons.


Just finished Duma Key by Stephen King and I’m sort of surprised that it has not received the fame it deserves. In fact, I’ve heard very little about it and that’s very sad to me, because in many ways I think it is one of the best books he’s written. Because while it’s a horror story, it’s a horror story done right. Horror shouldn’t be about how much blood you can spill, how much gore you can spatter, how many gruesome ways you can think of to prove man’s (or evil’s) inhumanity to man. It’s creeping horror about loss, life, recovery, and trying to find the good out of the worst possible circumstances: I can do it. King does what he does best: draws characters you love, you sympathize with, facing terrible adversity. And the very thing that helps them may be the thing that kills them or the ones they love.


But above it all, is the strong, perhaps uniquely American sense of: I can do this. And that is what makes the story great. It’s what makes it a keeper—one to be read again and again. It’s what has made King’s books sell millions and why so many other horror writers never seem to quite “get it”. Probably 90% of other horror writers make their stories about the gore, not about the characters. And most of them kill everyone off by the end. What’s the point in that? What is your reader to get out of that? That life sucks, end it now? Come on, give me a break.


So many novelists believe that in order for a story to be great, everyone must die. What’s great about giving up? About cynicism? About letting evil win? About leaving your characters wrecked and on drugs (a few—L. Block is one who loves to leave characters sinking in the sewer of life). Many writers in both crime and horror genres seem to choose that route—and get lauded for it. But their books are not the sort I want to read again—or at all. They don’t leave me with anything except a feeling that perhaps I ought to find a straight razor and slit my wrists because why not? What’s the use? And who the heck would think it romantic to have one drug addict make a drug addict of their lover to drag him or her down to her level? Not my idea of great fiction or a great story.


So hum-bug and fiddle-sticks. Literature like that is just so much artsy-fartsy junk that weepy-eyed critics and professors love because it confirms their belief that the human species is the worst thing that ever happened to planet earth and we all deserved to be wiped off of it in as many cruel ways as possible.


So…enough ranting…back to my second reason for thinking about this topic on a bright, Saturday morning (in addition to the fact that thinking about it lets me put off my chores a little longer). My second reason is a book I’m writing that is giving me fits on the editing. I’m having the worst time with the heroine. She’s been through horrific experiences and is now doubting herself. And I started to make her, well, nearly suicidal. Then I read King’s Duma Key and realized what I was doing wrong. Yes, she can have these terrible feelings, doubts, and even guilt, but ultimately, she has to believe in herself. She was kidnapped, brutalized, and then killed her captors to escape. Over the years, she’s starting to wonder if she was wrong to kill them. It’s a terrible moral dilemma for her. But ultimately, her character is strong and she did what she had to do to survive, and she must come to realize that. She must find the courage and strength to move forward.


Because that’s what great literature is. Not that my humble book is great literature or has any pretentions along those lines. It’s pure genre, escapism fiction. But the lessons still hold true: it’s strength of character and her will to succeed, the “I can do it,” that really makes a story great.


So critics…blow it out your collective ears. Call me naïve. Call me anything you want. You’ll still be wrong, and I’ll still be right.


I can do it.

New Book Imminent

This is so exciting, I can hardly stand it! My book, The Necklace, now has a cover and a tentative release date of November, 2010! That's less than 3 months away. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, as you can see. The artist really did an outstanding job. This book, published by Highland Press, is the "pre-quel" to I Bid One American, so by the holidays (I hope) there will be three books out about the various wacky members of the Archer family.

They don't need to be read in any particular order, but if you're driven (like me) to want them in order, here is the list. The books are set in the first half of the 19^th century and include a bit of murder to add spice to the romance.

The Necklace, (tentative Nov 2010) about Oriana Archer and Chilton Dacy and a missing emerald necklace that may be cursed.

I Bid One American, (2008) about Oriana's brother, Nathaniel, who has inherited a dukedom and can't seem to resist an American heiress named Charlotte who is more interested in dead Pharaohs than dukes.

The Bricklayer's Helper, (Aug 2010), Sarah, a niece of the Archers, is disguised as a bricklayer to avoid the murderer searching for her, and she turns to an inquiry agent, William, for help.

I've been working, on and off, on another in this series, involving Oriana's younger sister, Helen. Poor Helen loses the family's emerald necklace and winds up in the company of an earl as she tries to retrieve it without making everyone think she's just another empty-minded blonde. This one doesn't have a title yet, but the first draft is done, so I'm making progress.

And, while there will probably be other books about long-lost members of the Archer family, since I can't resist writing about them, I've also got the first draft written of another historical romantic mystery featuring an inquiry agent from the Second Sons Inquiry Agency. This one is called The Deadliest Rose. It needs editing and polishing, of course, before I submit it to a publisher, but I'm really, really excited by it. I got to use all my gardening information—and even descriptions of old garden roses I grow in my own garden—for this book, and I love it when I can include the roses I adore in one of my books.

So, it's a pretty exciting time with lots of things to celebrate!

Best wishes,
Amy

Guest Blog: Elaine Cantrell, interviewing Elizabeth Lane

I'm thrilled to have a guest blogger today, writer Elaine Cantrell!

WGEN’s Elaine Cantrell Interviews Actress Elizabeth Lane


Elaine: Good morning, LA. If you aren’t up yet, you should be. The weather man’s calling for a beautiful day, and traffic isn’t too bad which is great news for all you commuters. Let’s begin our morning broadcast with an interview with Elizabeth Lane. Not that Elizabeth needs any introduction, but let me remind you of all she’s achieved in the past few years.

She originally hails from a little Mid Western town called Fairfield. When she was twenty one, she and her mother, Frances Lane, moved from Fairfield to Hollywood to give Elizabeth her chance in Tinsel Town. Of course with Elizabeth’s looks and talent she caught the eye of legendary director Marc Bruno who cast her as Gracie in Gone Away. Gone Away became one of the highest grossing films in history and catapulted Elizabeth to stardom. Elizabeth, thanks for coming this morning. I’m sure you’re a busy woman.

Elizabeth: (smiling warmly) You’re welcome, Elaine. I always enjoy the chance to reach out to my fans.

Elaine: Yes, it does seem that way. Most stars are irritated by the press.

Elizabeth: It’s all about dreams. I don’t mind talking to my fans because like them I know a lot about dreams. They really can come true.

Elaine: Oh, they have for you, that’s for sure. What about in the romance department. Have those dreams come true for you as well? I reported on the MS benefit last week and saw you and Alex Crawford together. You’ve been engaged for what: nine months?

Elizabeth: ( squirms a little in her chair and refuses to look the interviewer in the eye) Yes, that’s about right. Alex Crawford is extraordinary! He had a French perfume company create an exclusive fragrance just for me.

Elaine: Wow, the man has a romantic side. I did want to ask you though, about your relationship with Richard Lovinggood, son of California senator Henry Lovinggood.

Elizabeth: (stiffens in her chair, her face closed and blank) There’s nothing to talk about. Let’s move on.

Elaine: Ten years ago when he was only seventeen, the two of you had a relationship which you recently rekindled, and you…

Elizabeth: (voice stern) Move on.

Elaine: Okay, let’s talk about your recent kidnapping. You were rescued by Richard Lovinggood, right? For those of you who don’t know, Richard is an FBI agent.

Elizabeth: (voice cold) That was a painful time in my life, and I don’t want to discuss it.

Elaine: (eyebrows arch) It seems there are a lot of things you don’t want to talk about, and all of them relate to Richard Lovinggood.

Elizabeth: (smiles charmingly) Thank you so much for having me today, Elaine. I’m due on the set, so I have to run. My new movie Paradise Bay came out yesterday. The reviews are great, so don’t miss it.

Elaine: I sure won’t. (She stands up and shakes Elizabeth’s hand.) See you on the silver screen.

Return Engagement is available through Whiskey Creek Press.
You can read an excerpt at the publisher’s site or at my web site http://www.elainecantrell.com

Thank you, Amy for having me today.

My pleasure!

Technology and the Writer

It's that time of year when I bring my tools up to current levels. When I started writing, I used a manual typewriter and sheets of carbon to create carbon copies. Then, I got into the computer field and wrote documentation using a COBOL program to format information on punch cards. A year or two later, I got one of the very first personal computers and WordStar. Technically, all I really needed was a way to print out standard text and even very simple programs could do that.

Now, I have a computer with a terabyte of hard drive space, and my needs are even simpler because I no longer need to print out manuscripts. But that didn't stop me from getting the latest software, Microsoft Office 2010, and loading it last night.

And so far, so good. I actually like it. For one thing, nothing crashed and burned when I installed it, which is a new experience for me because most of the time, while I love technology, it hates me. My only beef is that the email application, Outlook, made a new Inbox structure and took my existing Inbox and turned it into a secondary Personal Folder, including my calendar. So I have two calendars. But I didn't have that much in my calendar, so I intend to move things out of the old one and into the new one. It's an annoyance and I might have been more aggravated if I used my calendar more. I also lost my Google calendar sync because it doesn't sync yet with Outlook 2010. But I expect that to eventually happen so I'm not worried.

A few years ago I talked a bit about software specifically for writing/writers, because I found that most of it is sort of a waste of money. I've kept track of all of that and my opinions on the matter have not changed much. The only product for writing that I still use and will continue to use despite its shortcomings is Anthemion Writer's Café/Storyline because it lets me plot out each storyline in a very nice series of "index card" like snippets that I find invaluable. The shortcomings in my mind have to do with the ability to develop and keep track of characters. I "reused" characters from one story to the next, because they are often connected. For example, my Regency romantic mystery I Bid One American includes members of the Archer family. The Archers make another appearance in my newest Regency romantic mystery The Bricklayer's Helper. It's very difficult (actually impossible) to copy characters from one story framework to another. And I don't like the way character information is handled or displayed because you don't see the whole name and you can't easily establish who is related to whom and how.

So while I use Storyline to develop the plot, all the characters are developed as ideas in my PersonalBrain. This software is outstanding and is sort of a free-form way to keep track of ideas. You can link ideas in any way that makes sense to you, and you can include web links, files, etc. I use it for everything now. If I run into an interesting website, I add the link. If I think of some new concept for a book, I add it. All my characters are in there, each linked to all the books they "live in". Promotion stuff—it's in there. Frankly, I don't know how I kept track of anything before.

At one point, I tried to use OneNote to track information, but it was too confining because I still couldn't create the links I needed to view information in different ways, such as which characters are in which books, what they look like, their personalities, and development across series. I also tried using a database to track characters. Then spreadsheets. None of it worked very well. With PersonalBrain (http://www.thebrain.com) you can make whatever associations you need. I include things like the houses characters live in, with links to who lives in each house and which stories they appear in, so the character who is a butler in one house is still a butler in that house for the next book. It really helps with continuity.

So, I'm pretty happy with Office 2010, Writer's Café, and PersonalBrain as my trio of writing tools.

Then, to really automate my life, I got a DROID. And a handy little app that lets me walk through the kitchen and scan package bar codes to build my shopping list. If I've already thrown away the product, or need something like fresh veggies with no bar code, I just dictate it. It adds it to the list. And I can even get coupons to save some money when I go shopping. Then, as I shop, I simply click off the items as I pick them off the shelves. Sweet.

Not to mention that my DROID also caters to my hobby: birdwatching. It finally got the iBird app, although I'm still waiting for the professional version (I refuse to pay extra to be locked down and controlled by Apple, so no i-whatever electronics will be found in my house). So I'm pretty happy with technology at the moment.

Now that I have all the tools for work and play, I've got to get back to work and actually do some writing…