Thanks to the fabulous Skye Warren you have a lot of hopping to do. But she is generous and has given you six days to do it in.
The deal is you click on the Linky Tools link below (at the end of this blog post!) and your URL is entered (or that is what I read, so it has to be true, right?). For further details, the list of main prizes and hop instructions are on Skye’s main blog page: Wet and Wild Blog Hop Main Page.
And extra added bonus, if you comment on any of the Love, Lust and Laptops blogs during the week of the 20-26th, you will be eligible for one of the two prize packages offered on our particular stop of the hop.
The prizes are:
First Prize Package:
1. A download of Monette Michael’s Prime Selection.
2. A download of Vanessa North’s Amazon.
3. A download of Parker Kincade’s Spring Training.
4. A download of Lynn Lorenz’s novella Truth or Lie.
Second Prize Package:
1. A download of Becca Jamesons’ Rescue in the Smokies.
2. A download of Robin Danner’s The Princes Bound.
3. A download of Emilia Mancini’s The Rebound.
4. A download of Rossana Leo’s Sunburn.
The winner will be announced on Sunday after interview with author Cherise Sinclair.
Below is the link to the list of all participating blogs and you can use it to hop from blog to blog!
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
No, it’s not the National Lampoon movie with Chevy Chase and his movie family. Instead it was my family’s early summer/late spring vacation. The first we had taken together in years!
On May 10th, my hubby, my son, and myself loaded up the family SUV (a Lexus Hybrid) instead of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and programmed the GPS (which I caught out on several mistakes along the way), and headed for Disney World, not Walley World.
We didn’t have to deal with Aunt Edna and her little dog or Cousin Eddie, nor did we see Christie Brinkley in a red Ferrari along the way.
All in all it was a fairly staid and boring two-day drive.
Well, that is, if you discounted the rain, slippery roads, road construction (Louisville Ohio River bridge backup on a Saturday was 45 minutes), traffic accidents, and distracted drivers.
Clark Griswold only had to deal with his own inability to stay focused (and his crappy truckster), not everyone else on the road’s issues. I can’t tell you how many cars we passed where the driver was either texting, talking on a phone, or just not paying attention to what in the heck they were doing. And do people not understand that when it is raining (well, pouring is more like it) that they need to turn on their frigging headlights so they can be seen through the heavy spray coming off the road? In most of the states we passed through it was even the LAW to turn on headlights during rainstorms.
Obviously, we made it there and back, or I wouldn’t be ranting, uh, er, writing this blog.
Now, how was Walley World, er, Disney World?
It was nice. We stayed at the Beach Club Resort Villas, so we had what I would call an apartment. My hubby’s sister had flown in from Minneapolis (after the snowy, cold winter she’d had up there she was more than ready for Florida). and the Beach Club Resort Villas’ apartment was the perfect layout for four adults. We could walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk, and the Beach Club had three main areas and lots of nice places at which to eat.
My hubby, son, and sister-in-law did Disney while I spent time in the nice quiet apartment and worked on my book. Just what I needed — quiet time away from home where the world intrudes all too often on my writing time.
Evenings we dined out at some really nice restaurants including former Iron Chef Cat Cora’s restaurant, Cuzzina. Yum.
In fact, the food was the best part of the trip, and I would do Disney again just to eat at the restaurants we ate at. Oh and we did do a Disney character breakfast and I got to hug Goofy. Minnie sort of blew us off.
So all in all, the family vacation was a success. But next time, no matter how scared I am of flying, we’ll take a plane. The highways are far too dangerous, and that is even without Clark Griswold falling asleep at the wheel of the family truckster.
Don’t forget to comment and get a chance to win one of two prize packages that the Ladies of LL&L are putting up this week as a part of the Wet and Wild Blog Hop. And if you haven’t clicked through on the Linky List link on the main welcome to the Wet and Wild Blog Hop posted here at LL&L on Monday, do so. That enters you for the main prizes listed at Skye’s main blog page.
Like the title says writing ain’t easy. Everyone thinks it just a case of writing a story and boom …done… you’re published….. yeah not so much. I’ve heard that a lot lately, and as I’m suffering with a intermittent ability to write I thought I’d lay out the starting steps to what a writer really does….. Also for those of you who have yet to be published, this is stuff I think I would’ve like to know before hand, it would have saved a lot of worry that I was doing something wrong, or something had gone wrong…. I can tell ya….so are you sitting comfy? Good, we shall begin….
The first part and probably one of the hardest parts is having an idea. Not just any idea but a good idea ….those little buggers are few and far between, trust me. Then comes the writing…rewriting….re-re writing…self-doubt….sheer joy…feelings of utter uselessness…and then you type those magic words “the end”.
But don’t be fooled….oh no dear blog reader that is so very far from the end it should really be called “just the beginning“
Now comes the synopsis…or as most authors will tell you it’s called…the SUCKopsis…..this evil tool of torture is an outline of your book with all the main points laid out as well as the ending. Lots of publishers require them but not all, check your desired targets submission requirement.
Ah submission requirement….those sneaky little things that just jump out and catch you unawares.
So you’ve picked a target aka a publishing house that you want to submit to. Check their website. Every publisher will have a submission section detailing their requirements for any submission. You’ll find loads if information there but probably the top three will be:
1) most important; are they open to new submissions right now.
Some publishing houses will close their doors to “new to them” authors for a while as they have more submissions then their team can handle. They usually do this so they can give any submission they currently have proper time and consideration and not rush through it.
If they are closed check back frequently, they will often reopen for submissions after a short period of time.
2) style and layout; they will tell you what font they want, margin spacing the lot. Make sure you change your submission to match that.
3) make sure the book you’ve written is suitable for them. They will usually tell you what genres and story lengths they’d accept. If it’s too short see if you can add to it without taking away from the core of your story. If not it might be any idea to either a) sub elsewhere or b)See if they have any anthology calls out that your story would be suitable for. One toe in the door is better than none.
Now you can submit your precious….and get ready to so a whole lot of waiting. Each pub house is different. Some will take a couple of weeks, some several months but know this going in and you will be fine…..which is a lie because you will freak out every time you check your email…but know that and you’ll be fine…..
I won’t string you along by saying they are going to pick your story up the second they see it. Yes, they may do but it’s more likely you’ll get a revise and resubmit, if they liked it but thought it needed some work or just an outright rejection. Don’t lose heart, if they gave you notes read through them, see if you understand what it was they thought didn’t work or what needed to be added. You know the story they don’t so their fresh eyes might have caught something you didn’t notice.
Resubmit either to them or to someone else but never lose hope.
Someone somewhere will like your story and you will get published.
But, a word of caution, don’t rush into a contract with the first publisher that offers.
In this world there are good people and bad people. As there are in publishing. Research the publishing house before you submit to them, check the quality if their books, see if they put out good, well edited, creative covered books. Then research some more. There are many forums and blogs online that will give information on good and bad publishers alike.
Yes, getting that offer is the best thing in the world but that feeling won’t last if they ruin your book. Be aware, that’s the moral of the story.
So you’ve got that contract, with a good publisher, and now the serious work beings.
You’ll get assigned an editor this may or may not be right away. Your book is not the only one they are working on, so it may take a while before yours get to the top of the list. That editor will go through and edit your book, no matter how clean you think yours is, you won’t have caught it all. They will make suggestions on flow and continuity; again they have fresh eyes and will see things differently.
Then it will go to a FLE (pronounced flea) this is you Final Line Editor. This person will go through your story and find missing commas, spelling errors and all those sorts of things. They don’t read the story for continuity they look at grammar, punctuation, that sort of thing.
You will also get a Cover Art Request form. Read this carefully. The information you give on here will help create the cover for your book.
Give them your ideas but be aware that not everything will appear on the final cover. Your idea for a great cover and what a qualified cover artists ideas are may not match. Don’t be offended that they didn’t use everything, and don’t be scared to let them know if something just isn’t working for you. This is their idea on “paper” but if they haven’t quiet got the right feel let them know, they are usually happy to work with you. After all its their business and they want to put the best product they can out there.
Now you have done all your edits, have a stunning cover….what next? Well you will have a release date confirmed to you. This may be when edits first start or may not be until well after they are finished, each pub house is different so don’t fret, you will be told.
My suggestion, and this is just my suggestion different authors have found different ways that work for them. So about two weeks before your release date I would start promoting your book. Don’t go over board and use every tweet or status to mention it but a couple times each day, would be enough to start the slow burn.
I find a slow burn works for me, its always on the edge of their conscious then.
Perhaps offer a giveaway, my suggestion again here, don’t offer a copy of your book, people ain’t gonna buy something they think they can get for free are they? Perhaps a nice note book or pen or something to do with your book. If one of your characters is a cross stitched, perhaps a small cross stitch kit…..theme the giveaway to match your book.
Release day comes…..and go mental…scream it to the world, people will forgive you today because they will be just as excited as you are.
You’ve earnt this day of shear unadulterated “look at me” soak it up baby!!
I haven’t even covered, your blog your website, your brand, your contract with the publisher and promo…….
And you thought all you had to do was write a book…..sweethearts, that’s just the beginning……
I told you…I’m a writer, don’t mean I sit there all day tapping away at a keyboard, knowing at the end of it a magic publishing contract will appear….nope don’t happen like that.
I know it sounds daunting, but if this is what you want to do please, please, please don’t be scared. Yes it’s daunting but you can do it. Just pull on your big girl panties, or Spiderman boxers (this is a safe place we don’t judge here, so whatever undies work for you) and do it.
It’s not easy but nothing worth doing is….just remember when you are a New York best seller, to spell my name right in the dedication…..just putting that out there
Until next time remember…..The best pleasure comes with a little pain…..just my suggestion
Forgive me if my excitement bubbles over today! Yesterday, my newest paranormal romance Predator’s Kiss was released! I am so pleased to bring you this first book in my new series, Gemini Island Shifters. Where is Gemini Island? Well, it is a fictional location in Northern Ontario and my bear shifter hero Ryland Snow owns a fishing lodge there.
Things are pretty good for Ryland. He lives surrounded by the great outdoors. He’s successful and a pillar of the local shifter community. But when life throws him a curveball in the form of an annoying rock star brother and a sexy human erotica author on the run, our bear gets a little ornery…
Read on for a tasty sample from Predator’s Kiss and don’t forget you can find it at www.lsbooks.com and all ebooksellers.
Bear shifter Ryland Snow just wants peace. The peace and quiet afforded him at his woodsy retreat, the Ursa Fishing Lodge. As owner of the lodge, Ryland enjoys the tranquil life he’s created among his fellow shifters. He lives to maintain a safe haven for them, away from meddlesome human eyes.
When his rock star brother arrives, bringing trouble in the form of a possible hitman, Ryland is incensed. He’s been cleaning up Soren’s messes as long as he can remember, and is tired of his brother’s lecherous exploits.
Things go from bad to worse when Lia Goodblood stumbles upon Ryland and his lodge. Yes, the reclusive erotica author is easy on the eyes, but the human woman is more trouble than she’s worth. To say nothing of her bizarre fear of furry creatures.
Ryland determines to rid himself of her presence. But when he learns she’s on the run from a crazed fan, Ryland’s protective bear instincts flare. And the bear won’t be denied.
Excerpt:
She was already reviving a few minutes later. Ryland let out a sigh of relief.
Thank God. When he’d first seen the petite woman hurtling through the trees, he’d worried someone was after her. But no one else had barreled behind her. And yet she’d seemed so scared.
They hadn’t helped, presenting her with a couple of snarling bears.
She moaned a little, and the soft sound warmed him, making him hard again. Damn. He glanced around the room, remembered he didn’t exactly tend to stash clothes in guest cabins, and raced for the bathroom. He grabbed a couple of clean towels off the rack and tossed one to Soren. “Cover yourself.”
Soren grinned like a devil and motioned to his nude bottom half. “I can conduct my flirting business much more efficiently this way.”
Ryland glared as he wrapped his lower half in the towel. “Cover yourself or I’ll strangle you with it, lover boy.”
His brother placed the woman’s backpack on the floor and threw the towel about his waist. “Such animosity is really not in keeping with your sainthood, Brother Ryland.”
Ryland ignored him and turned back to the woman. He didn’t know why it mattered so much she recover and feel comfortable in his presence, but it did. Of course, as owner of the lodge, it made sense he didn’t want to see anyone scared or hurt.
Yeah. That’s it. That’s all.
His rationalization did nothing to quell the nervous tremors in his gut, though. Or his excruciating hard-on.
Okay, she’s sorta pretty and has a body made for sin. So what? Get over yourself.
Clearly it had been too long since he’d allowed himself to get lost in a woman’s body for more than a quick fuck. And this woman’s body deserved slow, leisurely loving. Greedy licks. Sensual tugs. Why, her breasts alone were so full and perfect, they just begged one to suck. To say nothing of those rounded hips and soft, womanly ass.
Ryland ran a hand over his face, feeling overly hot. Jesus Christ. Stop thinking like a horny teenager. You sound like Carter.
Besides, she was nothing like him. Human. And if time had taught him anything, it was the pursuit of romance with a nonshifter was a fool’s errand. She didn’t belong here on his resort, on his island. He needed to revive her and get her out of there.
Desperate to relieve the sudden, raging desire shooting up through his body, Ryland forced himself to look away from the woman. In doing so, he caught a glimpse of his brother. Soren was sitting next to her, his gaze contemplative, his eyes trained on her boobs. Ryland realized he didn’t like the way baby brother was looking at her. “Hey.”
Soren looked up. “What?”
“What are you staring at?”
Without batting an eye, Soren turned back to their unexpected guest. “Her. Can’t I stare?”
Ryland’s eyebrows shot up. “Staring at women has already gotten you into trouble. Maybe you should find a new hobby.” He stifled the low growl building in his throat. Now wasn’t the time for brawling, but he didn’t appreciate the way his brother gawked. His cool eye, appraising, as if he’d never seen anything like her before.
“You were checking her out too,” Soren replied.
“No, I wasn’t. I’m not interested in this … person,” Ryland retorted. As he uttered the words, he bit his tongue hard by mistake, as if confirming the words were a lie. “Damn,” he whispered, tasting blood.
“Do you think someone was chasing her?” Soren asked in a pensive tone, picking up one of his drumsticks and stroking it as if it were a lover’s finger.
“I don’t know.” Ryland sat on the other side of her small body and looked her up and down as she lay under the covers. Despite his mistrust of humans, he couldn’t help wondering who would frighten such a tiny, delicate thing. Had someone tried to hurt her? The very idea made him want to bash his head against the wall. Or better yet, bash any lowlife who dared to touch her.
No one touches her but me, his heart declared.
What?
As another stress headache shot through his brain, he wondered at the ferocity and lunacy of the feeling.
On Saturday, my oldest son turned twenty-nine. Twenty-fricking-nine. When did I get so old? And why didn’t anyone tell me?
I started adding up things and it’s frightening. I’ve now been married longer than I was ever single. To the same man. Okay, he’s a demon in bed and a fantastic friend, but you know, when did I get so boring? I never ran around when I was young. I’m one of those one-man women.
So, on Saturday I told the dh we need to shake things up. He suggested I buy a new blender, make an uber-strong margarita, and join him in the pool. The kids are gone, so I’m going to take him up on his suggestion. Anyone have a great margarita recipe?
But, he’s gonna pay for his smart alec-ness. He’s gonna have to lick the salt from my belly button
I am very pleased to welcome fellow Liquid Silver author Sofia Grey today! And she has kindly consented to let me torture her…ahem…answer some polite questions. Yes, just questions. Settle in Sofia, and tell us more about your delicious wolfies!
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Thank you for the invitation. I’m so excited to finally take a seat on the fabled purple couch. Michael Monaghan has parked his tight butt here. Jaci Burton. Jennifer Hassani. Georgia Woods. This is seriously the highlight of my day
1) Why romance, and why paranormal specifically?
I’ve been reading romance since picking up a battered Mills & Boon on a second hand book stall. Prior to that it was mostly Stephen King and contemp stuff, but then I discovered Jackie Collins and had a scuffed and much read copy of Hollywood Wives until it eventually fell apart. Paranormal is a new shift for me (no pun intended), when someone insisted I read Twilight. Suddenly vamps and shifters became hot and I was hooked.
Writing romance just feels right to me. I love reaching that happy ending and all the steps along the way. The little touches, eyes meeting across a room, tentative smiles and the awkwardness of the first date. I’ve always been fascinated by ghosts and dreams, and I like introducing a hint of otherworld-ness into a story. The house I grew up in was haunted and my mum had psychic dreams, so writing paranormal is a logical step.
2) What drew you to shifters?
Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series turned me onto shifters in a big way. The first idea for my Snowdonia Wolves series came out of nowhere. A what-if moment. What if that giant dog was actually a wolf?
3) Who do you enjoy reading?
For shifters, angels & vamps it would be Nalini Singh, JR Ward, DB Reynolds. For contemp, my auto-buys would be Lisa Kleypas, Olivia Cunning (the hottest rock stars ever!), Suzanne Brockmann. I’m a total cover slut though, and will buy shamelessly if the cover calls out to me
4) So tell us a little about your sexy new hero. Is he a boob man or an ass man? Or does he have a different part he, ahem, enjoys?
Jake Bledri is the Alpha of the Snowdonia Wolf pack and as Alpha, he needs a strong woman. Lillian Hart has the personality and the strength of character that he needs, along with a very sassy attitude. He also loves her curves and her initial strip-tease nearly drives him insane.
He first meets her when he’s in wolf form and as there’s no way she’d fall in love with a giant dog, he romances her by sneaking into her dreams – a skill my wolves can use. The difficulty will be convincing her the man really exists.
5) Tell us about your heroine. What is the inspiration for her?
Lillian is a super-hot singer with a sexy image and I enjoyed finding and exposing her vulnerabilities. Rock stars in hiding… meeting someone who doesn’t recognise them and allows them to be themselves? I will never get tired of that trope J
Fantasy and reality merge for Lillian when she falls in love with a man she only meets in her sleep, but who has the same blue eyes as her tame wolf. Her last lover tore her heart out with his lies and she now finds it difficult to trust any man. How will she react when Jake tells her the truth?
6) You are active on Goodreads, Sofia. What do you think the value is of social media to an author? How has it helped you?
I joined Goodreads as a reader, wanting somewhere else to review books (I was already an active reviewer on Amazon), and I found it addictive! It rapidly became one of my favourite timewasters J For an author, I believe GR is a platform that should not be underestimated. Where else can you reach out to your fans, attract new readers and socialise all at the same time? I co-moderate a group that encourages new and indie PNR writers: <http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/66901-paranormal-romance-new-and-upcoming-books-authors-pnr-nauba
We only started a year ago and already we have over 1000 members – that’s a thousand people who actively read paranormal romance. If only twenty of them tell their friends about a great story they just read, and they tell their friends… Every bit of marketing helps J
7) What is your least favorite part of the writing process? Your favorite?
My least favourite is rewrites. I have an amazing beta-reader who cuts straight to the issues with my manuscripts and offers great solutions too…but by that time I’ve already moved on to something new. I’m such a Gemini. I get an idea and immediately want to write it, never mind that I have a half-finished draft waiting for me, or six completed ms that need re-writes. New and shiny beats reworking an old ms every time J
Quick answers:
Firemen or cops?
Mmmm…. Firemen… stripping in the fire engine as they race to a job… hot n sweaty… Sorry, was there another question…?
The Beatles or The Monkees?
Well… my hubby will hate me for this, but neither. Rock music all the way for me. Can I have the Foo Fighters instead please? Dave Grohl will do nicely J Dave Grohl stripping in a fire engine would be even better…
Comfy T-shirt or lingerie?
I write romance. Black lacy lingerie is mandatory * grin *
Tall, dark and dangerous or tall, blond and devastating?
Dark every time. Blonds may have more fun, but dark is more dirty * grin *
Viking or Highlander?
Highland all the way! I spent my honeymoon sampling malt whiskies in Scotland and have a total weakness for that accent.
Coffee or tea?
Tea first thing in the morning, then coffee. Lots and LOTS of coffee J
* Extract from Wolf At The Door
Jake had slipped into Lillian’s dream as easily as a pair of well-worn jeans. She fit him perfectly and he took his time, drinking his fill of her beauty. She was magnificent. Jake had never seen another woman, human or wolf, to even come close. It wasn’t just her perfect skin that begged to be stroked; her hair heated his blood to fever pitch. Fiery red, the color of flames at the heart of a fire; he longed to run his palms across it to see it if burned as bright as he imagined.
His wolf growled at the thought of other men dancing with her, touching her, and he had the idea that this was her natural habitat, every bit as much as the woods and mountains were his. A momentary doubt assailed him. Were they too different? He studied her expression, the barely concealed outrage that softened to amusement. She stood before him, hands on hips, head cocked to one side.
“I’ve seen you before, haven’t I? Your eyes are familiar.” He strained to hear her words above the music.
He had to touch her. Reaching out, he placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head to meet his eyes. She didn’t resist. “Dance with me.” He had the ability to join her sleeping world but not to control it. If he could, he would already have her panting and naked, lust glazing her expression as he ravished her body.
She seemed to fight an inner battle at his words and then shrugged with one shoulder, lazy and careless. “Sure. One dance.” She jerked her chin free and took a step back. “But only because I like this track. Okay?”
Jake recognized the song although he couldn’t give it a name. A sensuous bass beat with haunting female vocals, the lyrics murmured about promises freely given. He noticed her lips moving as she sang along. Striding forward, he took her in his arms and guided her to the center of the dance floor, right under the spotlight. Her hair glowed a fiery shade, the ends sparking where they caught the strobe.
Her smile threatened to undo him, especially when she wrapped herself around him, one hand stroking the fine hair at the back of his neck. “You remind me of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. Are you going to eat me all up?”
Pop star Lillian Hart is determined never to trust another man. She has no idea that the wolf at her door is anything other than a wounded dog, much less the Alpha of the Snowdonia Wolf pack. There’s something about the wild creature that pulls at her. Then a man with her wolf’s eyes starts to invade her dreams, and reality and fantasy merge in a way that has her hoping, against all odds, for dreams to come true.
Lillian may have sworn off men, but Jake’s not just any man, he’s a shifter, and he’s about to shift Lillian’s world to make room for him. He vows to claim her as his Mate, and when Jake makes a vow, he keeps it. But Lillian wants to take it slow and Jake is not about to waste any time.
In this battle of wills, both discover giving in and trusting their hearts can heal even the deepest of hurts.
Trailer:
Thanks so much for playing with us, Sofia, and best of luck on your hot release!
Last time, I gushed over my favorite actor from childhood. This time around, I’m dedicating my post to William, my ultimate leading man in real life…otherwise known as my hubby. He actually agreed to be interviewed, if ya can believe it! Pull a chair and prepare to be amazed as we get a man’s POV on the world of romance writing.
::Emilia clears throat:: Um, Robin? Hello? Mr. Robin? Anyone? Anyone?
Okay, so, you know how sometimes life just gets in the way of life?
Poor Robin. She’s having one of those days…weeks, maybe. She started this post and then life wrestled her to the ground and she didn’t get a chance to finish. I know we are all super excited to see what Mr. Robin has to say about living with one of our favorite ladies, but it will just have to wait until next time.
Unfortunately, life and schedules have a way of getting jumbled up for all of us. So until Robin’s next blog date, we are all going to have to wait with bated breath, wondering what it’s like to live with that smexy writin’ Miss Danner.
If it’s anything like my house, the reality is a bit of a let down. Not that Mr. Mancini doesn’t benefit from some of those scenes I have to work out…or some of the frustrations either…because he definitely does. You don’t sit around writing sex all day without feeling a little inspired.
However, by the time I fix dinner, get the kids’ homework done, run them around to all their events, deal with dogs, cats, and everything else, sometimes crawling into bed just means sleep. Yeah, not as sexy as it should be.
But it’s better than those days when I’m writing a high tension fight scene or, oh my, something terribly sad. Writers feel what their characters feel, so finding me bawling my eyes out or slamming the keys on the computer isn’t uncommon.
Once, he came home to find me slamming pots around the kitchen. Why, he dared to ask. Because the heroine in my book finally decided to tell off her jerk of a boss and he fired her. That’s why. What a son of a bitch!
Yeah. That happened.
Mr. Mancini has learned that sometimes it’s best to just turn around and walk away. Perhaps I should stick to writing sex, huh?
I’m interested to know if I’m the only one who has total mood transformations based on what my characters are doing. I can’t be the only one, right? Because I know this doesn’t make me crazy…it makes me dedicated.
Yes, it is blog hop time again.
