 Monday, October 30, 2006 Happy Halloween! Is everyone ready? I love Halloween, so does my dh. He’s always taken the day off to spend with us. Some may know I recently went to New Orleans…where I discovered the vampire tour is really a ghost tour. Anyway, got back and the dh and little peeps had decorated for the holiday. *Thud* It was a nice surprise. No parties for us this year. How about everyone else? Any big plans? I plan to watch a horror movie or two. Classics. The original, Nightmare On Elm Street. *Shudder* this movie scared me so bad the first time I saw it. I mean a monster that can get you while you sleep? What could be worse than having your dreams invaded? Anyone have any favorite Halloween spook movies? A book to reread…I was thinking Nightfall by Dean R Koontz. *shudder* Got any favorite thrillers? I hope everyone has a safe one! Until later~ Rissa http://marissaalwin.com/ 
Sunday, October 29, 2006 Now, I have a question for readers out there. What do you like to hear writers talk about, at conferences, on blogs, anywhere? I've been asked to come up with a possible talk idea for a conference next year. The conference is geared toward readers so the talk has to be geared toward readers too. I can come up with writer-related talks because I eat, sleep and breath writing. I read a lot too, obviously, but that all gets tied in with the writing. What I want to hear from another writer usually relates to writing as well as how much I like their books :) So what do readers want to know about us? What stories would you like to hear from the weird and wonderful world of the writer? What would you like to know about me and my stories? What burning questions are you just dying to have a writer answer or talk about? Thanks in advance for the help! Happy Halloween, everyone!! Isabo CHRISTMAS HELP HER Dec. 13 Ellora's Cave THIEF'S DESIRE Apr. '06 Cerridwen Press MARSHALL'S GUARD Dec. '05 Cerridwen Press www.isabokelly.com
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 Since I won't "speak" with you again until my November 7th blog, I wish you all a wonderfully wicked, ghoulishly great, and fiendishly fantastic Halloween! Eden www.edenrobins.com
Thursday, October 19, 2006 Sometimes a plot just occurs to me out of the blue, triggered by something I witness or hear. Other times, I start with the "What if..." question. In my Cerridwen book, AT HER COMMAND, I started with the question, "What if the FBI, the DEA, and the DC police all unknowingly put operatives undercover at the same sex club?" Quite a few hot and humorous situations grew from that idea. ;-) Many of my character-driven author-friends swear by the "girls in the basement/muse" theory -- that some type of divine guidance is giving them their ideas. This might be true in their case, but I don't like the idea of being at the mercy of a muse. I believe I have more control than that. And I like making my characters jump through my sexy and funny hoops! -- Marcia ;-)
Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Where do we get our ideas? Where do we NOT? A simple conversation with a stranger at the supermarket can give rise to adapting it for your characters, with a juxtaposition for maximum effectiveness. In my book SLEEPER, there is a weather phenomenon that destroys everything it touches, and as I was doing the revisions for it, I remembered reading about tornadoes and their chaotic, destructive qualities. I certainly must have processed what I'd read and adapted for an "otherplace." For a little additional terror, I made rain, that staple of my city, a ferocious, destructive power. The descriptions about the countryside reminded me of my mother's hometown, with its sharp hills leveling out at a beach, and a bit of land jutting out used at one time for sentry purposes. Everything around you, everything you experience is fodder for the imagination, especially if you want to build your own world. How can you build your own world without taking note of your own? The same goes for your characters. Does your heroine remind you of anyone in your life, anyone you've met? Maybe it's even YOU. The next time you think you've run out of ideas ... and it does happen sometimes, for five or six seconds ... look around you.
Thursday, October 12, 2006 Actually, I love this entire month. October is such fun. I'm running a contest from my website to Guess the Paranormal Movie Quote (although, I've apparently picked a really tough quote this week! A very obvious hint will be posted tomorrow). I've got my parents in town visiting. I just finished the main edits on a Winter Quickie to be released from EC. And I'm going to one of the Mets' playoff games tonight. How fun is all that?! Plus, I have that new story still tickling my fingertips when I have time to work on it. I'm busy, I'm not getting enough sleep, and I haven't decorated my apartment for Halloween yet. But it's all good. Because the weekend is coming and tomorrow is Friday the 13th. Yay! For someone who loves spooky books, t.v. and movies there's not much better than a Friday the 13th in October. I think I'll have to pick a special book to read. That'll be tough. Any suggestions? I've been saving Teresa Roblin's Hocus Pocus, so I might have to pull that one out. Or maybe Eden Robin's Redemption... Too many good books to choose from. I probably should have put a disclaimer at the top of this email--Rambling to follow. Be prepared! LOL. This is what you get when I blog. More later in the month. Have an excellent and LUCKY day tomorrow. Isabo Kelly www.isabokelly.com
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 I made it through the experience, and as I sit here at my computer, exhausted and thinking about what transpired I'm thankful that it's over. I'm also thankful that I prepared the way I did. I decided early on that I would approach this day with a certain perspective. A positive outlook, to be specific. I decided for myself that this day would be a productive day that I would handle easily and comfortably. I had been in a similar situation in the past, and it hadn't gone well because of how uptight I was. I wanted this day to be different. And it was. I still had my moments, but today went much, much better than the last time. Mainly, I belive, because of my attitude. I thought long and hard about how I wanted the day to go, focused on that thought each and every day a month prior to the event, and repeated it over and over today from the beginning until the end. Some would call it doing affirmations, others would call it repeating a mantra, still more may call it just too darn obsessed. It doesn't matter, really, because in the end the day worked out better than it would have if I hadn't focused on it the way I had. So, as I sit here writing, I think about my career, I think about where I want it to go and what I want it to be. I think about being focused and envisioning my future as a successful author.The road from writer to published author can be a difficult road, but just as life itself is a journey so is the writer's path. And just as my day was affected by how I approached it, so is my writing and publishing journey. Today taught me a valuable lesson about living...and writing. It's all in the approach. It's all about attitude. Life and events are affected by how we perceive them. Or, as Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change". Until next time, Eden Robins www.edenrobins.com
Monday, October 09, 2006 I wrote for years all while growing up. I remember writing a children's story of a Christmas under the sea where an eel wanted a Christmas tree. If you think about it, it is pretty funny. Later I wrote a lot of poetry, mainly funny limericks or sad free verse. I read a lot of romances and I started to think about writing my own books. I didn't think I could. I wrote to unwind after my shift at the hospital, but nothing overly serious. Later, I would write while pregnant with my twins, sitting my word processor on my tummy and a pillow. I didn't seriously think about writing for profit until a few years later while managing a review site. I basically just wanted to write books *I* wanted to read. That was 2003. I still write books I like to read. I think that is key in staying in this business. Marie Bellevaux www.mariebellevax.com
Thursday, October 05, 2006 I really have no idea how someone would get out of a windowless room with the items you mentioned, which explains why my books are mystery- and suspense-lite. I'd much rather write about sex -- whether it's the heroine having a hot dream about the hero, the hero fantasizing about the heroine in the shower, or the real thing -- the two of them in the bedroom, on the kitchen table, in a Jacuzzi, or up against the wall. I love writing about sex. I'm always amazed when my writer friends complain about having to write one of "those scenes," when I can't wait to get to that part of my manuscript. I've volunteered to critique others' manuscripts, helping love-scene-challenged authors flesh out (pun intended) those parts of their works-in-progress. It's so much fun, I've thought about hanging out a shingle: Sexual Wordsmith for Hire. ;-) How do other CP authors feel about love scenes? Do many of you also write for Ellora's Cave -- possibly under a different pen name? If so, how do you switch between writing the super-sexy EC books and your less explicit CP books? Here's today's teaser...If a couple is locked in a windowless room with only a bottle of champagne, an ostrich feather and a cell phone set on vibrate, how will they achieve their personal goal of reaching nirvana repeatedly throughout the night?
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 Two days ago, I quit. I still have one project to go but I'm very reluctant to do it. Why? After all that measuring and time and work, the clothes did not fit. The last outfit, a tunic with long sleeves and a mandarin collar in dark blue patterned silk, is beautiful. And too small. I even made the seams smaller than the pattern suggested. It is too small for me and my d-i-l is slightly larger than I am. I am so upset, I put my sewing machine away and will not get it out again except in an emergency. I tried so hard. I wanted it to be perfect. And it is not. I realize that my writing is a lot like my sewing. I work hard on creating the characters and setting; work out the plot - this is the measuring and cutting of the pattern. Then I put it all together. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes no matter what I do, it just doesn't fit. But I don't quit. So, I know I'll get my sewing machine out again - someday. But not right now. Right now, I have a new story to work on. I hope the pattern fits. Today's teaser: Your character has been kidnapped and is being held in a small, windowless room. Describe how s/he gets out using any of the following items: plastic comb, stone, rusty nail, bottle of cola.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006 In my defense, I’ve been writing. Good excuse? I’ve picked up the threads of an old story that actually earned a bit of praise in its day, but ultimately didn’t fly. It’s coming along great. I’m loving the characters (especially the hero—huba-huba!) and getting wrapped up in their world. On top of massive rewrites (on a schedule to rival a new writing project) I’ve agreed to participate in a few up coming events. What events? Well I’m glad you asked. *snicker* There’s the Masquerade Ball going on at Ellora’s Cave Yahoo chat. Huge fun!! Readers have a chance to win their choice of author’s backlists. And, le’me tell ya, some of those backlists are pretty extensive. JC Wilder is the hostess and, in Joan Rivers form, posts clues to the identity of guest authors, two a day. The first to guess who the masked author is, wins! There are a bunch of Cerridwen author’s participating (including me, but I’m not telling which day is mine...tee-hee). Got some extra time for a ton of fun? Stop by!! I also signed up for a scavenger hunt hosted by Romance Junkies. It doesn’t start until November, but there’ll be lots of authors participating and tons of prizes!! Want more? Stop by Cerridwen Chat Yahoo loop . Authors post excerpts for current and up coming releases, announce contests, reviews, and events. It’s a great place to chat with the authors and see what’s new at Cerridwen Press. Hope everyone’s happy, healthy, well and, ya’know, reading! *GRIN* I’m off to do that writing thing. Take care! ~Paige :) www.paigecuccaro.com QUEEN OF HEARTS, A romantic comedy, Cerridwen Press~ 4 stars RT Magazine FALLEN FOR YOU, Ellora’s Cave, Cavemen Antho: Dreams of the Oasis~ 4 stars RT Magazine
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