Last night was so awesome.First of all, best line of the night has to be when Castle is bummed she didn't call him and Beckett says, you had a chapter due and Castle's response is, "That's writer-speak for all procrastinations welcome." HAHA So freaking true. I love how they're dialed in to what real writers think and feel and say it on television.I loved Castle and Beckett's little argument about who had feelings for each other first and the reminiscing was awesome. I have to say I think the first season Beckett was more...
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Monday, 29 April 2013
The book I read this week was Esther by H.B. Moore. It is a rich historical about Queen Esther, one of my favorite biblical heroines, and really made me stop and think about how courageous this woman had to be in the face of what she was asked to do.The thing that always impresses me about Moore's work is how meticulous she is in her research. I felt like I was there, down to the small details of the pistachio trees and food that was...
Friday, 26 April 2013
So excited for another installment of First Page Friday. We're talking about tenses again and I learned something new.As always, thank you to our amazing editors who put forth a lot of time and effort each week and to the writers who are brave enough to submit.See you next week!The EntryChristopher Hitchens at Heavenby James Workman “Hello darkness, my old friend.” This was the outcome he anticipated if he didn’t beat the cancer. He has fulfilled his intention to “do death”—to look it in the eye. With just enough morphine to dull the pain,...
You all know I am a huge Alias fan, (spies in general really), and this book has all that sort of spy goodness (great secondary characters, kick-butt heroine) (and in Canada no less!) with romance and a great sense of humor to boot. You won't want to miss it when it comes out!I, Spy by Jordan McCollum—Coming June 5, 2013! About the BookCanada is probably the last place you'd expect to find an American spy. But even idyllic Ottawa has...
Thursday, 25 April 2013
As I mentioned yesterday I've been doing the final edit and the book will go to press on Monday. Yay!It's always such an interesting process for me. I go over the book a million times and I always think to myself, "it's perfect." After all, I was a professional editor for many years, there can't be many mistakes in there. Then my critique group goes over it and they always find mistakes, and, of course, I fix them. And then I think, "it's perfect."But when it goes out to beta readers, they inevitably find mistakes. And...
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Today I am at a crossroads. I'm doing the final edit and one of my editorial peeps said the kisses in my new book were too Harlequin-y, so I've been looking at them, analyzing them, and deciding what, if anything, I should change. I personally don't see the Harlequin-y (what is that anyway?) but I want the kisses to be well done if you know what I mean. So, my word count is small because it's little tweaks here and there, but this is the best part of being an author, when the book is *thisclose* to being held in my hands.Yay!How did...
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Well, I'm not really sure how I feel about last night's Castle. I know this wasn't the original episode that was supposed to air, because the one that was had to do with a bomb, so they showed this one instead in deference to what happened in Boston. Maybe if it had been the original episode I wouldn't have felt so conflicted? I don't know. It's not that it was bad, it was a good episode overall, but there were some things that bothered me.At the beginning when Castle is gaming with some kid and more or less ignoring Beckett,...
Monday, 22 April 2013
Emergence by C. Michelle Jeffries is a book about a futuristic hit man, Antony Danic. He's good at his job, and is able to compartmentalize it when he goes home to his wife. Elite is the woman of his heart and he would do anything for her, but she wants to be married in her church, or "bonded" and to have a child. Antony is an atheist who doesn't feel like he belongs in a church, especially with what he does for a living. Elite...
Friday, 19 April 2013
It's Friday so that means another installment of First Page Friday! Hooray! A day when we can sit at the feet of a national editor and learn how to polish our work.Thank you so much to Ms. Shreditor and to Peggy for their hard work. If you'd like to have your first page critiqued, please follow the guidelines in the sidebar.See you next week!The EntryChoices Madeby Peggy Anne AllredTwo years ago, I made a choice that would forever shape my future. I could have chosen the easier path, full of family and friends, living in the peace...
Thursday, 18 April 2013
So, I've been kind of giving stuff out piecemeal and today I thought I'd put it all together for you in a nice tidy blog post.Here is the cover for my new novel, set to be released in May 2013Here is the back copy:Are you ever really innocent before proven guilty?Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She’s worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it’s...
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Well, this past week has been very productive. I finished the book. There's still one more round of edits, but it's done. Finito. And it feels sooooooo good.So, today, I want to thank all of you for your support and encouragement through all the sprints and terrible word count weeks and all the pats on the back for the great word count weeks. You are awesome. Thank you.I know there's another story to come, but today I am basking in the glow of a finished novel and great bloggy friends. How did you do this we...
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
I watched Castle first last night. I was in the mood for something light-hearted and I knew that episode would fit the bill. Plus, I have family members who love the idea of Sasquatch hunters and the promos drew us all right in.Castle is almost always at the kid at Christmas end of the spectrum when it comes to believing in fanciful things. Like a time machine, when they had that 200 year old bullet, the zombie case, ghosts, and now Bigfoot. But Nathan Fillion does such an amazing job, it is completely believable. I...
Monday, 15 April 2013
Well, if any of you know me, you know I'm not a huge urban fantasy fan, but the back copy to this book intrigued me. I like strong heroines and I like great action stories. This seemed right up my alley.The Cure (Unbounded) by Teyla Branton opens with Erin Radkey watching a couple argue on a park bench. She can sense that something is terribly wrong and she's proven right when they are attacked. She's outnumbered by the Hunters,...
Friday, 12 April 2013
Thank you for your patience today. This critique was definitely worth the wait, since it made me really think about how I present ethnicity as well. A great First Page Friday, that I learned from, as usual. Thank you to Brian and to Ms. Shreditor for their efforts.See you next week!The EntryEthan Craneby Brian CrosbyWalking into the dining room, Ricki Candarossi sat at a large mahogany table and crossed her arms tight against her chest, her dark Asian eyes glowing pale with emotion. It was not the headlights that raked across...
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Okay, I am so excited to share the first chapter of my new book, Ashes, Ashes . . . with you!Ashes, Ashes . . .by Julie Coulter Belloncopyright 2013Chapter OneIt was gut-check time.Colby looked down the scope of his rifle, a bead of sweat running down his back. It felt like they’d been there for hours, but the afternoon sun still beating down on his head told him it’s only been an hour or so.“Black, you got eyes on this guy?” his captain’s voice came over his earpiece.“Affirmative.” Colby had hardly been able to take his eyes off the...
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
I have had a very productive week, but it's been all in editing so my word count was low. I am so close to being done with the editing part, though, it makes me smile just to think of it. I cannot wait to share Colby's story with you. Hopefully I'll be showing you the book cover soon. Yay!How did you do this week? How are your stories coming alo...
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
No new Castle or Hawaii Five-O to talk about this week, but next week's episodes look dang good. But I got to thinking last night, what is it that really draws me to these shows?I started watching Castle because it was about a writer and it was sort of like living vicariously for me. I would love to follow a police detective around for a while. But then I really started to love the characters. Nathan Fillion is adorable and plays being a writer so well. I loved the sparks between him and Beckett from the very beginning...
Monday, 8 April 2013
I'm not usually a fan of novellas, but I've been following this Aliso Creek series and I have loved every one. Lost Then Found was no exception. This is the story of Arie, an up and coming realtor who loves her job. She's thirty and the book opens with her date telling her she's not the sort of girl he'd ever introduce to his mother. Her reaction is funny and definitely deserved a slow hand-clap from the crowd that would grow into...
Friday, 5 April 2013
Yay, it's Friday and we have a really great First Page Friday today. I'm so grateful for authors who submit their work so we can learn from each other through the critiques.If you would like your first page critiqued, please follow the guidelines in the sidebar. See you next week!The EntryUntitledby Linda UnsickerFor a full two seconds Nate's senses appeared to be failing him. The brilliant flash of lightning had rendered him momentarily blinded, and he felt as though he were staring at the negative of a photograph. The blacks and whites...
Thursday, 4 April 2013
I get asked a lot of questions by aspiring writers. Just last week I had a man ask me how important setting is to a story. "Why can't they just imagine where they are?" Which is a very good question. Maybe he'll be the first author to write a story with no setting and do it well, who knows. But for me, setting is how I get lost in the story and escape to another world, so I highly recommend it myself. But last Sunday I had someone say that the publishing world had changed so that anyone can write a book and make enough...
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