Where has the time gone?

The past couple of weeks have been a blur. I've been busy, tired, falling into bed at night when I can't hold my eyes open anymore. I love this time of year because I usually take the last week off from work (which I really need) and with the New Year, I have new goals, or at least a new lease on my old goals. LOL.

My writing goals (I hate to call them resolutions, they seem easier to break) are to finish my next romantic suspense (the one I've been stuck on) and start another, visit bookstores and get them to sell my book, and set up some book signings.

It's crazy how fast things change. This time last year, I was afraid I'd never be published. Now I have another book coming out, I have 2 short stories. I'd like to say this time next year, I am devoting my career to writing, full-time. That's my ultimate goal. I wouldn't mind working part time, but I'd like to quit my full-time job. It is so stressful...and getting more so. It seems the longer you've been somewhere, the more stressful it is, though it should be the opposite.

What are your goals for the upcoming year?

Happy Friday!

TGIF! That's all I can say about this week. Work + stress doesn't equal productive writing, but I have gotten a lot of edits done on my second novel, ONE WRONG MOVE, and I should have my 1st round complete and sent in to my editor by tomorrow.

The Wild Rose Press has a lot of fantastic Christmas reads available! I've already read several, and have more in my must read list. If you're in the mood for a holiday story, check out all the selections at The Wild Rose Press. I'm very impressed with the stories I've seen so far.

Of course, I have to take this time to promo my own story, CHRISTMAS BELLS. One thing I love about The Wild Rose Press is that out all the Christmas stories I've read from them, they were all good and heart-warming, but all so different. A nice change. Buy all 26 stories, and get 26 wonderful and unique stories.

Have a great weekend!

The Day After

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I did. I stuffed myself, as usual. Gorged on pecan pie and wine afterwards. My favorite Thanksgiving dish is pea salad and green bean casserole. What's yours?

I have to rave about my sister for a moment. My sister and I have never done the major Thanksgiving cooking. We pitch in when necessary (pea salad and green bean casserole, LOL), but other family members do the major turkey and dressing.

Two years ago, Cheryl, her mother-in-law, taught her to cook her famous dressing and a few other recipes. (I say famous, because it should be, it’s delicious!). Cheryl told her “one of these days, you’re gonna have to know how to do this.”

Who knew it’d be this year. As some of you may remember from an earlier post, Cheryl passed away unexpectedly a month ago. My sister decided to cook what her mother-in-law taught her, and she did it all by herself, starting Wednesday evening. She cooked stuffing, this awesome sweet potato casserole, squash casserole, smoked ham and turkey (those were already cooked, but she still had to bake them for a little while). She did a fabulous job. I know she was proud of herself, and I'm proud of her. It’s a poignant reminder of what to be thankful for.

Do you do most of the holiday cooking, or does someone else?

Busyness

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. Where has the time gone? I've been so busy. I'm working on edits now and still trying to write while working full time. It's been a crazy week and now the holidays are coming. I still need to shop!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? I'm going to my grandmothers to stuff myself. I may not be online the next few days, so I wanted to leave you with something...



By the way, Christmas Bells is available November 22, right before Thanksgiving! Instead of watching after dinner football with the boys, cuddle up with a good story. Find it at the Wild Rose Press!

I Googled my name...

and found another review on Holding Fast. Woo-Hoo! I'm dancing on air right now.

http://romancereaderatheart.com/pubsandpromos/reviews/

Mark Your Calendars!

I'm going to be busy the next couple of weeks. This weekend is my niece's 5th birthday party. I found the "bestest" present! It's T.J.'s Bearytales. He holds a book as reads to your child while your child reads along. He moves and blinks. Each book has a cartridge and some have a flashlight that he turns on and a camera. He's very cool, and he reads! As a lover of books, I believe instilling that love in children is important, and this seems like a really great toy. I had my cart full and ready to check out when I noticed him, and stood there a while contemplating whether or not to buy him. I'd already spent too much money, but I couldn't resist. He's so cute!

It's hard buying Christmas and birthday so close together, and since I'm not a mother and she's my only niece, I probably go a little overboard. :)

What's coming up for me:

On Saturday, November 18, I will be at Ebook Love from 11AM-1PM CST. December 2, I'll be at Sweeter Romantic Notions from 5-7 PM CST, other Wild Rose Press authors will be there throughout the day.

Seems like there's other stuff going on, but I can't remember right now. I need another cup of coffee.

Christmas Bells

I'm very excited to announce that my short Christmas story, CHRISTMAS BELLS has been contracated with The Wild Rose Press. I don't have the release date or the cover, but it shouldn't be much longer. This was a challenge to write because it's my first western historical and I'm proud of myself for seeing it through. And definitely thankful for my editor, LOL.

TGIF! It's cold and dreary here. Perfect time to curl up with a good book and take a small break. We don't get a lot of snow here. :(( What's the weather like where you're at? What's your favorite winter activity?

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Hope, Love, and Treats

Happy Halloween! Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd advertise my story, HOPE, LOVE, AND TREATS again. And what a delight this morning to check my email and see that it has been reviewed on Ciar Cullen's BLOG.

My mother died (of cancer) 15 years ago 5 days before Halloween. I was 15 years old, and everything changed for me. It was eerie. What once was a fun holiday now seemed spooky. Skeletons, monsters, ghosts...you name it, it freaked me out. I coudn't watch scary movies anymore. What was worse is that the funeral home is on the most popular street for trick-or-treating. Of course, at 15 years of age, I didn't trick-or-treat anymore, but there are other fun things for teenagers to do that I didn't want to.

I'm over that now. ghosts don't bother me anymore (unless they're real, LOL), but I used those memories in this story. If you read it, I hope you'll enjoy it. And if you're looking for something sweet tonight after a SCARY adventure, download a copy.

Have a treatful, spooktacular and delightful Halloween!

Favorite References

Do you tend to overuse words? I do, but I try to tune my editor’s radar to pick up on them. Glance, glimpse, grip. Pull, push. Look, long, make, got, grew. My favorite reference book is Bartlett’s Roget’s Thesaurus. It’s the best! If you don’t have it, it’s worth every penny. If you have a work in your head but don’t want to use it, look it up in the “index” and it takes you to a zillion places with other similar words. I have other thesauruses and dictionaries, but this is my favorite.

The Internet, of course, is a good reference tool, but I like the feel of flipping the pages. And I think or at least hope that seeing all the other words will make me smarter. LOL.

If you’re a writer, do you have a favorite reference tool? What words do you generally overuse?

TGIF!

I have some writing to do, some groceries to buy and some family to visit. Oh, I should clean my house but that probably isn't going to happen this week. I did wash a load of clothes. Maybe I'll fold them in a few weeks. LOL.

It's the weekend before Halloween. What's your plan for the next few days? I hope to relax some while I wait to see if my Christmas story is accepted. Isn't it crazy that it's already that time of year? Have you done any Christmas shopping? My niece's birthday is next weekend but we're holding off a week for her party. Thank God, because I haven't bought her anything yet. Of course, at 5 years of age, she has everything. I don't know what to buy her.

I always wanted those motorized cars and never got one, so I would like to get that for her, but with money tight this year I'll have to see about that one. I usually don't wait this long...

When she was first born, I bought a million books because I just love books and I think reading to children is very important. I just ordered the Polar Express book from online (hope she doesn't already have it, haha). I should make an inventory of her books so I don't buy her something she already has.

I talk about my niece because I have no children. Aw, the luxury of enjoying a child and then letting them go home with Mom and Dad. :))

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

In Memory of a Loved One

Though she wasn’t related to me by blood, she was family to me. Cheryl was my sister’s mother-in-law, but she made an impact on me the first time I met her. My sister had been pregnant and we drove into the hospital together, which was almost two hours away. We stood together as my niece, her grandbaby, was born almost five years ago. She held me in my arms and we cried together at the beauty of a new life.

Every time I saw her, she was smiling, even if she didn’t feel like it. I hope that I can remember to be like that to others, to always make them feel special, important and welcome.

Today we celebrated Cheryl’s life as we mourn her death. Only 58 years old, she died of a brain hemorrhage. Though we all know death is going to happen one day, it hurts when it does, especially so unexpectedly. I lost another friend unexpectedly only three months ago, and these events make you realize how short life is and how important family is.

So please, don’t take your family for granted. Whether you will be remembering them or they will be remembering you, make each moment memorable. When you say good-bye for the day, say it with love. Don’t leave each other in anger. It could be your last moment together.

I know, I know, we all know this and we don’t need the lectures, but still. I know I take my loved ones for granted, thinking I’ll see them again. Thinking I can right the wrongs later. Not everyone can get along all the time, but minor problems and disagreements don’t matter when life ends.

Interview with Wesley Webb

Hi, I’m Monica Dunn with News 9 and I was able to catch up with Wesley Webb before Sunday’s race to ask him a few questions. Wesley was edgy when I talked to him, and not too keen on being interviewed.

Monica: Wesley, how do you feel about today’s race?

Wesley: Ready.

Monica: Ready?

Wesley nods. He’s focused on his car and on everything but me. If I were to bet, I’d bet he wins today. He’s not being a smartass when he says he’s ready. He’s not being overconfident. He shakes his shoulders and one of his crewmen thumps him on the shoulder. It's almost time for him to get in his cocoon. I ask him about that.

Wesley: It's hard to stay in there hours on end, but it's the best meditation you could ask for.

I’ve never seen Wesley open up to anyone, and I have to practically pull his words out of him, unless he's talking about his car.

Monica: How did it feel to be beaten by Peppy John last year?

Wesley laughs: It sucked. I play to win.

Well, that about sums it up. He isn’t very talkative. I have the feeling he’s ready for me to leave. I don’t.

Monica: Who had made the greatest impact on your racing career?

Wesley: My uncle, Tim.

Monica: What do your parents think?

I feel like I’ve just smacked into a wall the way his eyes close and he moves away, ever so slightly as to barely be noticeable.

Wesley: They’re fine with it.

Why do I feel like he’s lying? Well, I’m lucky enough that he took the time to talk to me, so I don’t press the subject.

Monica: Do you have a favorite sport besides racing?

Wesley: Oh sure. I love to watch football or shoot hoops if I have time.

Monica: I’m sure it’s hard to find time to do a lot of things in your busy schedule. Any activities you enjoy?

Wesley: Cars are my hobby. Working on my house, being outdoors. Swimming.

He reaches inside his car, turns to talk to one of his crew members, and I feel like he’s trying to shut me out. He doesn’t like to get personal, and I want to know why.

Monica: Any lessons you’ve learned that you’re going to bring with you this year?

Wesley: Yeah. Don’t get behind.

Monica: Any lessons you’ve learned about yourself?

Wesley: That I can’t control everything.

I take a deep breath. I’m losing him. He doesn’t like my questions. I shimmer towards him, wondering if womanly wiles work on him.

Monica: How do you plan on beating Peppy this year?

Wesley: If I told you that, then Peppy would know my moves.

He finally stops to look at me. His eyes are magnetizing. They crinkle in the corner as he smiles, as if he knows exactly what I’m trying to do. I can see why women fall for him. I feel like I’m the only woman on the planet when he looks at me, but I sense his disdain for me. My feet stumble backwards.

Ah, that’s Wesley for you. Ladies, he’s single, but he’s a hard catch.

Hope, Love and Treats

Available soon from the Wild Rose Press, my short Halloween story. I'm not used to writing short and sweet contemporary stories, but I've always wanted to try. So I did, and it was accepted!

This is the kind of story you can read to your children, creating a love of romance in them like my mom did for me.

The Game of 42

Are you familiar with the dominoe game, 42? It's one of my favorite games and my family and I play it when we get together. That's what I did this weekend. Visited family, had a nice dinner with them, and stayed up past midnight playing 42. It was a nice reprieve from what I've been doing on the weekends-writing.

AND I got to be treated like a famous author, LOL. Ok, not really, but I talked to some family that didn't know yet and they asked me all kinds of questions. I got to hand out my business cards and gave my first autograph. LOL

So did you have a good weekend? Next Saturday, Oct. 14, I'll be at Brenda Williamson's Romance Party giving away prizes and excerpts from 3-5PM CST.

Busyness

I've been so busy! We are short-handed at work by three people, and rumor has it some people are "looking to leave". My job is stressful...

Besides working, I've been working on my passion...writing. Promoting. Getting my name out there. (Okay, the last two are not my passion, LOL). When I get my mind on something, I get into a zone, and it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Right now, I'm thinking and looking into starting my own newsletter or group. And I want to learn html! But I had a talk with myself yesterday. Some of these thing are taking up too much of my time, and leaving me little time to write. So I must stop worrying about it so much!

What are your plans this weekend? My family is having their own "Octoberfest". First one, but it's a good excuse to get together and eat. I'm looking forward to seeing family I don't see often and to get away from this computer for awhile.

Have you ever thought about all the information out there? It's information overload! Where does it all go? Can you imagine what cyberspace looks like? ;)

By the way, the Wild Rose Press authors will be at Coffee Time Romance today! I'm scheduled to be there at 5 PM CST (6PM EST), and I have things I want to give away. So stop by if you can.

Book Trailer

I've created a book trailer! Since I'm not so html literate, it took me a loonnng time to get it posted but it's done!

I created 2 trailers, one with the romantic aspect of the novel, the other with the suspense.

Romance Trailer

Suspense Trailer

The Power of Dreams

Do you get inspiration for a story idea from dreams? I don’t when I’m sleeping, but from “daydreams” when I’m focusing on my story.

The book I’m reading talks about listening to your dreams. We all know Stephen King does. I keep telling my husband he should write from his dreams, he’s one of those kinds of people. But I don’t dream like that and have never derived a story idea from a dream.

It also says Paul McCartney heard the melody for his Beatle’s song, Yesterday, in a dream and felt so strongly about it that at first he thought it was someone else’s song he’d heard. I feel that way about my writing sometimes. Not because of a dream, but because it’s so strong to me when I write it and the scene is so vivid that it seems like I’ve read it before. (Or it could be because I’ve read so much, but I hope not, LOL).

Anyone else have this happen? Anyone else use the power of their dreams?

Character Emotions and Fresh Writing

If I could choose any career field in the world, writing wouldn’t be it. I love to write, writing is my mission, but I didn’t choose to write. Writing chose me.

Saturday night and I’m up at midnight digging through the thesaurus trying to find the perfect word. I used shot 3 times in one scene. I need something else.

It’s hard sometimes to say something that hasn’t been said already, or say the same thing in a different way. How do you describe love in a way that hadn’t been described already? How do you empower your character’s emotions and keep your writing fresh?

I’m working on a Halloween short story. I’ve set my WIP aside to write this. I don’t know if it’ll be accepted or not, but even though it’s short doesn’t mean it took any less commitment from me. Maybe more, actually. I didn’t realize it’d be so hard. Smells are harder for me than anything, I think. In going through my short story, I realized I have no smells or taste senses mentioned, and Halloween is full of smells and taste.

Going back to my current WIP, I looked through it and decided it needs changing. The first chapter is a cliché. It takes too long for the characters to meet. I haven’t even gotten close to finishing it, but I got stuck so went back. I think I’m stuck because it’s not working for me. A lot of good material, but it needs to be changed, and I don't know where to start. I know I need to keep writing.

Do you ever get disgusted with writing? I'm probably just tired and definitely calling it a night.

Mainstream Vs. Romance

I'm having a tough time with my current WIP.

My CP (critique partner) says I should make the characters meet sooner than they do (they meet in the fourth chapter). Since romance novels are more about the romance and mainstream novels are more about the character's journey, I'm starting to think this WIP is more mainstream.

What to do? I'm going to keep trucking along to see what happens with this. I enjoy reading mainstream...but this WIP has been my most challenging yet.

Why does it have to be so difficult? And if is mainstream, is that going to make it harder to sell? Will I have to market it in a completely different way? Categories suck sometimes, LOL!

Characterization

What I'm reading now: Creating Characters, Let Them Whisper Their Secrets.

Every now and again I like to go back and read "how to write" books. It reminds me of things or teaches me new things. The book I'm currently reading offers a lot of advice and reminders on how to create larger than life characters.

For instance, it says that everytime you meet a new person, you notice something about them, and most people notice the same thing on each person. Do you notice people's shoes? The way they talk? Their hair? What do you notice about a person upon first meeting them?

I had to think about this for a minute. I don't notice anything, do I? I try not to judge people's shoes or the way they dress, because I hate to be judged. What if you meet me for the first time and I dressed in grunge clothes to make a quick run to the grocery store? I'm all about comfort, LOL. But I've learned that just because I notice them doesn't mean I'm judging them, nor they me. I've also learned that I need to be more observant!

For me, I mostly notice hair and eyes. Eyes are the window to a person's soul, right? What about you? What do you first notice?

Suspense Excerpt and ramplings

First of all, I want to whine a little. My husband and I "restored" my computer because I was having a lot of problems. Luckily, I saved my work, but now I can't get it to look the same, and I really LIKED it! I've messed with the fonts, the display, etc. but it just doesn't look the same. On the other hand, it's bigger, which might be better for me in the end. Staring at the computer screen so much is playing havoc with my eyes (and my head!)

Also, I think I'm getting a cold. I rarely get sick, but I'm having those signs. It could be allergies, the weather is changing (thank God!) but whatever it is, it's making me miserable.

I've been busy, still have that self-imposed deadline that I'm failing miserably at, so to tide you over, I want to give you a brief glimpse of the suspense in my current novel, Holding Fast.

EXCERPT:

A floor lamp illuminated the bedroom. Blue velvet on the bed, and he’d bet on satin sheets underneath. The guy was proud of this room, if rumor had it right.

He didn’t see any frills to indicate a woman, but his curiosity got the best of him. The sheets weren’t satin. What a disappointment. Regular cotton sheets but, judging from the stains on them, either the guy jerked off or he had a girl visit from time to time.

He’d bet on both.

The closet door was open and there, almost taunting him, lay a folder, its documents sprawling out like fingers trying to escape their black hole. But he couldn’t grab it and run. No, if there was anything else he could get while he was here, he would.

He heard a key in the lock and the door clicked open. He froze in the shadows and touched his hand to the knife he carried. He didn’t necessarily plan on killing, but when he saw the owner, intense loathing charged through him. He wanted the guy dead. He could try to escape, or exact revenge.

But God didn’t allow him to choose an option. The owner noticed him before he could slip away and think on his decision.

“What the hell?” the owner muttered, probably recognizing him. As if realizing what the intruder came for would not be pretty, the guy turned to run. It was too late.

The blade sank into the man’s ribs, right beneath his heart. The smell of blood fed the killer’s senses and caused his own blood to pulse through his gonads.

Ah, it’d been a long time, but the sensation of a kill hadn’t changed.

Want to see what happens? Download a copy!

Amazon.com

My husband was surfing the internet and found this:
http://www.amazon.com/Holding-Fast-Emma-Sanders/dp/1601540094/sr=1-1/qid=1158371932/ref=sr_1_1/002-8242156-8639216?ie=UTF8&s=books

My book is now available at Amazon.com! Even being a writer, I cannot describe the feelings raging through me right now. Of course I bought myself a couple of copies, how could I not?

I'm still in shock. So, to entice you, I hope to be posting more teasers and exerpts-I just don't know when. It's Friday, and I have a fun-filled day with my niece tomorrow. Ok, so maybe it's not planned, because I have no idea what we're going to do yet. She'll be 5 in November and she just started preschool. I talked to her on the phone earlier, and she was so tired she could barely talk. We don't live far from each other at all, but I haven't seen her in awhile. Before we hung up she said "I wish I could have a hug from you" and I told her to "Wrap your arms around yourself and pretend." My sister told me she was squeezing her shoulders and scrunching her eyes shut. Ahh, my little sweetie.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I'm still here

I'm still here, but I've been ultra busy. I have a self-imposed deadline I'm trying to stick with and made a vow to myself that I have to stay off the internet, for the most part. Work has also been busy, and when I'd normally use spare time to peek online, I haven't had a lot of chance.

I have organized my office! Don't have pictures right now, but if you saw the ones from earlier, you know how much it needed organization. I have to thank my husband for helping me. :)

I've also been very frustrated. I thought I'd make my own business cards. After all, I'm pretty creative and can work well with Printmaster. Well the printer would line up some of the pages right and other times, not. So I ended up wasting a lot of paper and a lot of MY time. It took less than 10 minutes to go to Vista Print and order them, so that's what I did! I'm still working on making my own bookmarks. Boy is that time consuming! Which brings another rant about the printer. It wouldn't pick up the thick "matte" paper for my bookmarks.

Looks like it's time to get a new printer...

Anyway, that's my life for now. Trying to get some writing done and going through one of those phases where I just want to bang my head against the wall. Bye for now!

Tonight's Party

I had so much fun at the Cyber Celebration tonight and I want to thank everyone for stopping by. Wow, it was crazy. I’m sure I missed something because it went so fast at times. It seemed like some people saw things at different times than I did. But I had a lot of fun.

I can’t tell you how excited I am that I am with The Wild Rose Press from the beginning. This is crazy, I know, but when I read about them, it was almost like they’d been created just for me. I’d already submitted to so many agents, and received so many rejections. Some of them said they loved my work but…

Writing is so subjective, and NY is so hard to get into, even for good writers. You have to be in a standard, like a form, and my friends will tell you I never did that well. I love NY publishers and the writers, believe me, they are some of my favorites! So I don’t mean anything when I say that. But it’s hard...

It’s a dream come true to have my book published, but it’s also wonderful to be published with people who are fulfilling their dream. I feel like I’m part of a big thing! And, well, my life is not that great big of a deal, usually. I mean, I’m married to a wonderful man, I have a great family, I work full time, blah blah blah, (and my wonderful cat, LOL) but it’s very normal, usually. I feel so blessed to be part of The Wild Rose Press family.

Ok, I’m a little sentimental after tonight’s celebration, but I just wanted to “tip my hat” to every reader, writer, publisher, and editor alike tonight. We’re doing something we love, we’re fulfilling a dream, and we should be proud!

Cyber Party

Join THE WILD ROSE PRESS Sunday, September 10 at 8PM EST for their Grand Opening Cyber Party. It's going to be crazy fun! Lots of giveaways!



Also, please join me on September 11 from 5PM-10PM CST at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aoraag/ for a loop chat. I'll be posting excerpts, answering questions, and introducing you to my characters. I'll have prizes to give away, just for showing up.

Two lucky winners will receive a $5 gift certificate to the Wild Rose Press. All you have to do to be eligible is make one post. That’s it. Stop by, say hi, whatever.

Another lucky winner will receive a bag full of goodies and a $5 gift certificate to the Wild Rose Press. However many posts you make will put you in the drawing that many times. If you make one post, you’ll be entered once, 20 posts, you’ll be entered 20 times. Of course, this doesn't mean make a post just to be making posts.

I’m also giving away a journal and pen homemade by me.

If you can't make it during that time, drop by before then, and I'll see your post when I get there.

Rayma O'Riley

Rayma is a secondary character worth having her own dossier. She is Caitlyn’s best friend and has her own story. Her story, Starting Now has just been sent for consideration to my editor.

I’ve always wanted to write a story that didn’t have a happy ending, but then again I knew that I couldn’t and wouldn’t do it, because I like happy endings too much (and most people do, too). Rayma doesn’t really have a happy ending in Holding Fast because her story is yet to be told, but don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging! I'll keep you updated on the progress of Starting Now.

Caitlyn describes Rayma: Rayma O’Riley was the kind of woman most females either somewhat envied or outright despised. Thick locks of natural blonde hair hung past well-toned shoulders kept fit by daily exercise. Tall enough to be a model with the body to go along with it, people often asked her why she chose a career as behind-the-scenes investigative reporter when her face should be on television, even if it was to anchor the news.

Rayma is a little flighty and a lot cynical, but Caitlyn believes: Rayma was the best counselor, and free, and had helped Caitlyn see that she should be grateful for what she had. There were people who suffered a lot worse.

Rayma has never met Wesley, but she knows the depth of Caitlyn’s relationship with him. When Caitlyn tells her of her new assignment, here is Rayma’s reaction:

“Why does he think you can get a story on him when nobody else had any luck?” Rayma asked, turning back to Caitlyn.

“He found out about our friendship but won’t listen when I tell him it has been estranged for the past ten years.”

“Man, oh man,” Rayma shrilled. “This will be interesting.”

“It’s not like I need your support or anything.”

“I’m sorry,” Rayma said, reaching for Caitlyn’s drink since she depleted hers. “Why didn’t you tell me this last week?”

“I’ve been busy. Today’s really the first day we’ve seen each other.”

“You still pine over him.”

“No.”

“You’ll never find any one to compare until you purge him from your system.”

“That’s not true.”

“She sprays the brand of cologne he used to wear all over her bed sheets so the bed smells like him,” Rayma told Keegan.

“I like Calvin Klein, thank you very much.” Caitlyn seized her drink from Rayma’s hands and clenched it against her. “And I like to go to sleep with the smell of man around me.”

“So find a man to sleep with,” Rayma said.

Want to find out more? You know what to do! Download a copy of Holding Fast from The Wild Rose Press, or wait for the paperback, coming soon!

Caitlyn Joette Daniels

Caitlyn Daniels is used to living on her own, doing what she wants, and answering to no one except a boss who is out for dirt on eccentric people. When her boss assigns her to do a story on Wesley, her ex-fiancé, he doesn’t know that she has all the dirt she’d ever need, and it involves no research.

She’s sassy, cynical, and can usually hold her own, but Wesley has an emotional hold on her. She has tried to convince herself she’s over him, but she sleeps with the scent of his cologne on her pillow every night. It’s a comforting factor for her. Wesley was her best friend, the first person who knew when she got her period. Before their relationship became sexual, he was just like any girlfriend. (Only with balls, LOL).

When Wesley left her, she thought she’d at least see him again, talk to him, maybe even work out their differences. She spent the first few years looking over her shoulder, expecting him to come back…

Rayma, Caitlyn’s very supportive friend for, well, most things, tells her:

“So find a man to sleep with,” Rayma said.

“You know that’s not the way I am. I don’t just sleep around and I’m not ready for a man to share my bed. Besides, it isn’t as easy as you seem to think.”

“I don’t think it’s easy,” Rayma said. “I just think you live in the past too much.”

“He was a friend-”

“A lover,” Rayma interrupted.

“And a whole lot of other things.” Caitlyn stood and snatched her purse, ready to dash off to the ladies room and get away from her friend’s interference, though she was only trying to be helpful. “I’ll always care about him as a person.”

“So sleep with him,” Rayma said.

Both Caitlyn and Wesley have a lot of baggage to muddle through, and neither of them looks to reunite in the beginning. But things become heated as their past comes to play and it isn’t easy to fight through those feelings. Sometimes emotionally intense, sometimes light and funny, Caitlyn begins to fall in love all over again.

“Your house is amazing.” She dipped her toe into the pool water and discovered it was heated.

“Thank you,” he said. He walked up to her and thrust his hands out as if he intended to push her in. He stopped just short of doing so and she sidestepped him. “You want to take a swim?” he asked.

“I don’t have a swimsuit.”

“That never stopped us before.”

Find out what happens to Caitlyn and Wesley in HOLDING FAST, available now at The Wild Rose Press.

Meet Wesley Joel Webb

Today, I want to introduce you to Wesley, my hero in HOLDING FAST. I didn’t use a photo to inspire his creation, only the image from my own mind. I wish I could draw, I’d draw him out for you because I think he’s very handsome.

6’2”, 178 pounds, piercing green eyes, dark brown hair, athletic body. Edgy and competitive, but humble. Witty but aggressive. Loves the spotlight, but hates it. Caitlyn, the heroine who I’ll tell you more about in my next post, thinks of him as “an elusive racecar driver with a shaded past that some people could only speculate. Except for her, because she had been there.”

Wesley’s biggest fear is that his past will be discovered. He’s at the top of his game. “Although at times Wesley resented the media, it was because of them some fans were able to see their favorite drivers. He owed it to his sponsors and to his fans to grant media interviews. The crowd cheering for him when he was carried from his vehicle was overwhelming and filled him with fierce pride. No matter who he really was, no matter what made up his life, no matter what happened in his life, his fans rooted for him.”

When Caitlyn enters his life, he’s afraid she’s out to destroy him. His main rival has just been murdered, and the police are looking at him. He doesn’t take her reappearance in his life well, especially hearing that she’s a journalist.

“I’m a journalist now, Wesley.”

What a way to make a man come to grip with reality. Any thoughts of tasting her lips vanished. He turned away, not granting her a chance to further explain.

Later, when he tries to push her away:

“I didn’t come here to start where we left off, you egotistical jerk,” Caitlyn said as she pulled her bag away from him.

Caitlyn and Wesley were the best of friends and did everything together–making mud pies, going to their first movie, playing Barbies and GI Joe together. When they were fifteen, sexual tension and romance got in the way. He started dating other girls, which she didn’t like, and she dated guys, which dumbstruck him. They quickly became involved, and were each other’s first sexual encounter. He honestly thought they’d be married, until he learned life couldn’t be planned or bargained with. Their relationship didn’t end on good terms, and he’s afraid she’s out to air his dirty laundry in public.

They hadn't seen each other in ten years. Now, it isn’t only his past he has to worry about being exposed.

Some things the other characters tell Wesley:

Tim—his uncle and team owner: “…let go of that damn guilt you’re holding inside. It’s tearing away at you.”

Tim tells Caitlyn: “What happened that night screwed up his head…when he goes out to race he goes back to that night and tries to correct the mistakes he made.”

Wanna know more about Wesley? Pick up a copy of HOLDING FAST, available at The Wild Rose Press.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, my ebook will be available. The print version will be available very soon. I'm looking more forward to that because there's just something about having a printed book with my name on it.

I'm nervous. What if I didn't catch all the mistakes? What if the writing sucks? All I can say is, my dream has come true. I am publishing a book and my editor liked it, or she wouldn't have accepted it. She also said very nice things about it. (So at least one person liked it! LOL)

I'm excited, nervous, and even a little apathetic, like it really isn't happening. I'll feel differently tomorrow, I'm sure. To me, writing a book and having it published is something akin to being a movie star. (Something I'll never do.) You have to understand that my family, I love them to death and they'd done wonderful things with their life, but they are happy to be in a "comfort zone". Same town, same house, same job, etc. Ok, that might be an exaggeration but not too much of one and it's hard to explain. Having a book published, something I wrote, something I spent lots of time, heartache, and energy on...wow. The whole world could read it if they wanted to. But what if everyone hates it?

I have to learn to promote. Did I mention I'm very shy? I've come out of my shyness some, being involved in message boards, chats and blogs, but I'm still introverted. It's hard for me to promote myself. And I'm still learning what to do and what not to do. It's hard, because some people don't get on internet groups, etc. My family and friends are a perfect example. I need to promote some outside the internet. You know, the real world. :))

Anyway, above all, I'm very excited and can't wait. Has anybody ever bought their own book? I'm definintely gonna! LOL

Fun Stuff and Upcoming Events

I have a lot of fun things coming up very soon. Join me Monday, September 11, from 5-10 PM CST at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aoraag/ for a 5 hour loop chat! I need all the support I can get. I don’t want to be the only one there! This will be the first time I've been involved in a loop solely for me, so I'm kinda nervous.

Also, I’m going to be a feature on Kate Willoughby’s Blog on September 6.

September 10 is The Wild Rose Press’ Grand Opening Cyber Party! It’s going to be so much fun! We have a lot to celebrate! Our books are now available at Amazon.com! (Can you tell I'm excited?)

Check out Candice Gilmer's blog on October 2. Okay, check it out everyday because it's a fantastic blog, but I'll be Author of the Week then.

December 1 I’ll be spotlighted on Conversations with Almost Famous Authors.

My book is for sale this Friday! Though the hero is a racecar driver, you do not have to be a fan of racing to enjoy this book. You only have to be a fan of romance and happily-ever-afters! And if you don't like reading digital books, the print version will be available mid-September.

Heroic Qualities

I know this has been done before, but it’s never been done by me. This is just a few of many heroic qualities I’ve come up with and is not exclusive. There’s a lot of qualities I’ve left out, and I’d love you to share your own.

For example, firemen and cops. We all know how heroic they are, though they aren’t on my list. This is a list of “qualities” not of people or personas. (I personally know a cop who was shot while stopping someone for a speeding ticket, so I’m not intentionally leaving them out!)

I’d love to hear your ideas, even if you disagree with mine!

Respectful of children.

Isn’t afraid to play games with kids or act like a child himself.

Respectful of others to the point he’d risk his own life to save another. (Perfect example: for anyone who has seen Transporter 2, the antagonist threw a pregnant woman to fall on the ground. The main character, Jason Statham (gotta love him!) caught her before she hit the ground. Then he got up and went about his business as if he couldn’t think of doing anything else. Letting her fall, though he was in the middle of an intense standoff with antag, would go against his nature.)

Doesn’t give up, even when the odds are stacked against him.

Calm, cool, collected, even in the face of adversary. Of course, we know he feels, he even feels fear, but he’d never show it.

Aware of his surroundings.

Doesn’t let others’ opinions sway him.

Kind to animals, even if he doesn’t like them.

Has integrity.

Doesn’t act like a jerk and then say it’s just his nature, though he isn't nice all the time. ;)

Loves only one woman.

Can admit when he’s wrong but when he isn’t, doesn’t bow down to pressure.

The event and the author who most impacted my writing

My mom is a person and an event. She and events surrounding her have most impacted my writing. She died of ovarian cancer when she was 32. I was 15. She loved to read and write. She wrote in her journal a lot, but I never knew how much she wanted to write until I read her journal after her death.

One day, many years ago in high school (I'm a lot older than I look (G)), I checked out a book on writing craft. That was when you had to sign a card, and you could see everyone who signed the card who checked out the book before. My mom’s name was signed on that card. This was a high school library book she’d checked out! I kept that card. She wanted to write and publish a novel, but never got that chance. That is the one thing that still pushes me to this day. Lots of people don’t do the things they truly want to do and many never get the chance.

The author who most impacts me to this day is Sandra Brown. I love her books and have read every one of them. Own most of them. I love her stories, her characters, her voice. Then again, she’s been the biggest discourager, because when her new books come out, I don’t get anything done! I aspire to write at least half as well as her one day, but I also fear it’ll never happen. I have a lot of authors and books I read, but Sandra Brown, by far, is my favorite. My writing adage is "What would Sandra Brown do?"

What Does Your Writing Space Look Like?

WARNING: If you're a neat freak, don't look! LOL

I'm embarrassed to be sharing these pictures, but I figured if I put it out on the internet, then I'd have to face reality: I NEED TO CLEAN AND ORGANIZE!

My writing space is the messiest it has ever been. It’s cluttered and needs to be reorganized in a bad way!

I use a spare bedroom as my office. In this office, I write, surf on the internet, bay bills, even craft when I have the time and desire. I love to craft, have lots of craft things, but I don’t do it very often.

I walk into my office and off to the side is a suitcase. A big suitcase that I can’t really take on small trips, because it’s too big. I had to get it out of storage one day (not that I’ve been on any trips recently) and I never stuffed it back. I have to walk around it and this huge desk. Almost too big. It’s one of those U-shaped, particle board desks that I bought almost eight years ago for about $200. I have another, smaller desk across from it. This room is about 12X12. Scary!

Boxes are stuck against one wall. Boxes I need. I have books galore on a small bookcase, and even more books loaded in the 4X6 closet I use as a “library”. It’s a mess. I have craft books, garden books, travel books, home decorating books. Old things such as receipts stuffed in boxes that I’m keeping. I need to go through those.

Did I mention I love books?

I have a lot of books, and I go through phases where I’ll buy more. I’ll lend out my fiction books, though I don’t like to, but I will never lend out my craft books, garden books, self-help books, decorating books, etc.

I have boxes of those travel pamphlets, you know the ones you can order online for free? I love travel pamphlets, and I might need them one day. Makes good writing research.

The rest of my house really doesn't look this way. I'm mostly a clean person. But no wonder I’m having a writing problem right now. I really need to organize this mess!

I've messed up my blog somehow. The pictures are there and everything else (me and my profile) is at the bottom. I don't know what I'm doing!

I had a long chat with myself, because I've been stressing out on all the things I have to do. So I've finally made me a "to-do list". I've been wanting to do something about my blog and my website. I want it to be prettier and I'd love for it to match! I wanted to do something different with my website, make it more appealing, but I just don't have the time (to learn html) and I don't have the money to pay someone, so I'll deal with what I have. :) I have too many others things to do. Write, for one!

It's celebration time at my house!
My husband is an autobody repair man and does restorations on the side. Here’s a 40 Ford he just finished (only the outside was done so far). He spent 6 months working on this, giving up a lot of our weekends, and now it's done! (He owes me a nice long getaway, BTW) We wouldn’t have chosen this color if it was ours to choose, but it turned out nice.

DOES ROMANCE REALY EXIST?

Does romance truly exist in real life, or is it all a big fake?

My husband used to tell me I had high expectations out of romance and life because I read too many romance novels. If you haven’t guessed, my husband is not what most people would label romantic. But what is romantic? Everyone has their own label. Even romance novels don’t have “romance” per se. .

Merriam-Webster defines romance as:
1 a (1) : a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural (2) : a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious (3) : a love story especially in the form of a novel b : a class of such literature2 : something (as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact3 : an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity4 : LOVE AFFAIR


Something that lacks basis in fact? LOL. Maybe it’s an ideal, I don’t know, but I’m starting to think romance is love. It doesn’t have to be about trekking through 30 miles of a blizzard storm to save the woman you love. It doesn’t have to be about serving chocolate in the nude or getting up on my birthday and making me blueberry pancakes (though that’d be nice). It's not all about wine and candles. We need more love in this world and thus, we need more romance.

Cambridge defines it as:
romance (LOVE) noun 1 [C] a close, usually short relationship of love between two people: 2 [U] when you feel love and sexual attraction for someone: 3 [U] the feeling of excitement or mystery that you have from a particular experience or event: 4 [C] a story about love: 5 [C] a story of exciting events, especially one written or set in the past: romance verb 1 [I] to tell stories that are not true, or to describe an event in a way that makes it sound better than it was2 [T] OLD-FASHIONED to try to persuade someone to love youromantic adjective 1 relating to love or a close loving relationship:2 exciting and mysterious and having a strong effect on your emotions: 3 SLIGHTLY DISAPPROVING not practical and having a lot of ideas which are not related to real life:

LOL. A close, usually short relationship? Sad, but true. Most relationships these days don’t last. And why is that, do you think? Do we have high expectations, or is it just because we can’t be with just one person for the rest of our lives? The excitement dwindles, but it doesn’t have to completely.

I’ve been married 12 years, so most romantic notions don’t exist for me anymore. At least, not the ones you can define. To me, romance is my husband coming home, sharing dinner with me and watching a movie. Or supporting me in my writing career even when he has no idea the things I write. He won’t read it, he hates to read in fact. He won’t dance with me, even in the privacy of our own living room. But he’s romantic in his own way.

I once picked up a book called The RoMANtic’s Guide for my husband. I thought he might need to learn how to be romantic. He doesn’t read it. Oh well. He’s romantic enough for me. I still have romantic notions in my head. I picture me and my husband being together forever. :)

Why I read and write romance.

It’s not because I lack romance in my own life. I love to read. I read more than I watch TV. To escape, to relax, to go off in another world. There’s not enough love in this world as it is, so I love to read about happily ever afters.

My aunt once said she wanted to write a children’s book, but that maybe she should write a romance because then she could just write about her fantasies. Do you feel my anger? I didn’t say anything. I should have. Writing romances have nothing to do with writing about your fantasies. If it did, you’d think it’d be a lot easier than it is!

I like to read and write romances because I like to help others develop new relationships. Call me a matchmaker, that's what I do when I write romance. I play matchmaker! How are these people going to react to each other the first time they meet? What is going to keep them apart? What is going to pull them together? Romance isn't all gushy. There's suspense in every romance. The suspense of how they're going to fall in love and the suspense of how they're going to end up together.

I have a contest on my website! Go to http://www.emmasanders.com/Contests.html and enter to win everyday! Be the first to read Holding Fast as it hasn't even been released yet. You'll have a fantastic labor day weekend if you win!

Today, I read an e-book I've been wanting to read for a long time. Samantha Byrne's Spirit of Dawn. Pick it up at Freya' s Bower. It cost less than your daily cup of coffee, and is much more enjoyable!

Last night I finished Julia London's Extreme Bachelor and loved it. I, along with the rest of the women in this novel, fell in love with Michael. Before that, I read Nora Robert's Angel's Fall. I hate to love Nora because I can't get anything done when she has a new book out. And guess what? My very favorite Author, Sandra Brown, has a new book being shipped to me right now. I can't wait to read Ricochet! Isn't summer reading great?

Oh if only I had more time and more money, I'd read every book I possibly could. But I have to get to writing! My goal of having my MS done at the end of the year isn't looking so good.