Read a Book – Inez

When opposites attract, they are screwed three ways from Sunday.

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. Besides, she’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator. Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming’s lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute—and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She’s more than willing to give in with her body. But she’s barricaded her heart behind castle walls—and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he’s several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he’s determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

WARNING: Includes jelly shoes, a narcoleptic cat, and meatloaf. The steamy sex scenes may lead to fogged windows and wet panties, so proceed at your own risk. Do not attempt to read without the following items: tissues, napkins for spewed beverages, and a booty call on speed dial.

Read an excerpt here. | Buy here. | inezkelley.com

Thursday 13:The Art of Randomness

Randomness at it’s finest. Also known as Inez rambling, throwing words on paper and calling it a blog post. Enjoy the feeble workings of my mind.

1- Explained the impact of puberty on testicles to writer last night and discussed teenage boys and masturbation. (beware the sticky tube sock!) Fun stuff, being a writer!

2- Why is my cat eyeing my coffee cup?

3- Did you know I am Ann Lory’s guest Author of the week? Yup, go say “HI” to me elsewhere. There is a chance to win a free book, too.

4- I am making sandwiches for Thanksgiving day dinner and my family is stoked! Reubens for me and Hubs, BLTs tortilla wraps for the kids. But I still gotta make a pumpkin pie.

5- It was 31 degrees this morning and my car was frosted over. I need a new ice scraper.

6- What is up with all the car trouble my friends are having? And please, keep your piggyflu to yourselves.

7- I thought of the best opening line for my novel after next! I wrote it down. Hope I am still as excited about it in January as I am now.

8- I need new socks. And more coffee

9- Why for the love of all that is holy did I make Bryton a red-haired smart ass?

10- Do you know Cup of Noodles? No? Shame on you.

11- I am kinda way over the young kid thing. I played toothfairy last night and just tossed the tooth in the trash without a smidgen of guilt.

12- Hey, go here and vote for Myla by Moonlight. I could use the love.

13- I could wake up to this every morning with no complaints.

NaNoWriMo Day 4

I’m busy noveling, so this is a pre-scheduled post – just so we’re all clear.

Today is Day 4 of NaNoWriMo. Are you in the zone? Are you miserable? Have you already said “screw this” and started re-watching Season 1 of Supernatural?

If you’re on schedule, you’ll have written 6,708 words by the end of today. If you’re not on schedule, stop reading this blog immediately and write some words. Write or Die might be of some assistance – go ahead, shake off that Halloween candy coma and work up some words before it’s time for the Thanksgiving turkey coma.

At the time of this writing, I’m still not sure what I’ll be working on for November (what I’m working on right now) but I have a strong suspicion tentacles might be involved.

What are you working on? In comments, share the most recent line from your NaNoWriMo novel. I double dare you.

Read a Tales Book – Emily

When a lonely society wife starts to lose herself, she turns to a long distance friend who guides her onto a path she didn’t expect to travel.

When You Look Back

I watched this movie last weekend that had several scenes with not so great acting. One scene still haunts me because the actor over over over played the moment. It was obvious he was trying too hard. He was trying to make the scene more dramatic than it needed to be. I wondered if the actor thinks about that scene and cringes.

I know I cringe when I think about some of my early stories. Like this short story I wrote in college about a woman talking to her friends about going to the gynecologist. It sucked to the one millionth power. My biggest regret about this story isn’t that it lacked a plot, three-dimensional characters and conflict, but that I let someone read it.

When you look back at your early writing attempts, do cringe? Do you high five yourself? Do you dare read them?

If you’re feeling bold, share a line or two from one of your early works. I’ll post my line in the comment section after I dig through a mountain of purple prose.

NaNoWriMo: Three Days of Clean House Left ’til Lift-Off

Sunday at midnight, NaNoWriMo begins. Do you have your story yet?

Mine’s still up in the air but I have some prospects.

If you’re still not sure, might I suggest a few last-minute sources of inspiration?

They Fight Crime!

Sunday Flash at SEx

Writing.com’s DailyPrompt on Twitter

They Fight Crime! is my favorite, you might see me at the Sunday Flash, and at least one prompt from DailyPrompt has given me the shivers. See if something fires up your muse.

Read a Book – AJ

For Katherine Stapleton (aka Kitty), being a shape-shifter isn’t nearly as glamorous as the novels and movies make it out to be. It isn’t all raw, animalistic sex and superhuman physical prowess. There’s also the hairballs.

Kitty has spent her entire life being a less-than-perfect were-cat. She can’t control her animal changes, so she decide to excel at matters human. After a decade of worldly successes, she’s back home for her ten-year high school reunion. Yet, she feels just as insignificant as she did back in school–except with Sam Philmore, a fellow D.C. lawyer and past classmate. And her former secret crush. In just three days Kitty gets the bad memories, the good times, the bitter truth, and a mouthful of one very sexy man who just happens to be a mouse sometimes…

Thursday 13: Trippin’ down memory lane

I am sick and feeling nostalgic, so there ya go. 13 Things I remember for yesteryear.

THe thing with Malibu Barbie was her skin tanned in the sun! How cool in a melanoma way! But if you left Malibu Barbie outside for three days straight as some little girls did *ahem* she turned into MARTIAN BARBIE! Yep, she turned green. GREEN! My Captain Kirk doll was thrilled.

I loved this Baby Tender Love. I had two. THis one and one you could feed and it would poop. MAGIC! er, Maggot. Yep, the thing got smelly and nasty and my mother threw it away. It is probably the reason I never let my daughter feed her Baby Alive.(also designed to feed)

I had Holly Hobbie out the ass. My canopy bed was in yellow with Holly Hobby, my lunchbox was Holly Hobbie, I had the rag doll, her sister Heather and her Brother Robbie.

And I was addicted to Little House on the Prairie. I wanted to BE Laura or Mary, even if I was more like Nellie. Never did like the books as much.

Oh yes, could not miss the Fonz. Of course, that was the original, before Joannie grew up and Chachi became a chachbag. Does anyone ever wonder what happened to Chuck, Ritchie’s older brother? I do.

Nothing will ever be as wonderful as playing in the snow until you are frozen then coming inside and having your mother strip clothes from you because yu are too shivery to move. Then while your thighs are still tingling, bundle you in a blanket and serve you hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. THAT is childhood to me in a nutshell.

Or this. That hard plastic pool that made the weird rumbling noise when Dad hosed it out before filling it. No inflation needed, stick a garden hose in it and walk away. And if it got a crack in it, which it always did before the end of summer, Dad would slap a piece of duct tape on the bottom. Duct tape fixed everything back then.

I loved this toy. Seriously loved it. I couldn’t help but think about it every time I sang the Inchworm song to my babies.

THIS! I would play for HOURS and HOURS!

I had this but it never worked as good as the commercial showed. It was mu first lesson in not believing everything I saw on TV. Plus my mother hated the damn thing. I understand why now.

The do not make the original anymore. It used to be braided caramel covered with a thin layer of chocolate and to a kid, was huge! I miss this one a lot!

This book… wow. This is the book that hooked me on reading. It drew me in and made me cry and I walked away knowing not everything is happy roses but has meaning. I distinctly remember reading the last page, closing the book and sitting there thinking that I wanted to tell stories like that.

With the long-assed cord that got tangled and knotted! I could stretch it to the bathroom if I was desperate but mostly had to stay in the kitchen. I think this was a ploy as I could talk to my BFF as long as I wanted but I had to stay in the kitchen. So I cleaned as I talked.

Memories!

Stay Busy Writing Even When You’re Not Actually Writing

It’s Friday night as I write this. Cold and grey and rainy and a few days early, but I’ve realized the reason I’m missing so many Tuesday posts is my work schedule has changed and Tuesdays have me internetless until about 9:30 pm. So – blogging in advance.

Usually on a Friday I’m working to make up lost time during the week by speed-writing on my WIP (at the moment, a short faux-gyptian piece that may or may not see The End in this lifetime).  However, tonight (um, four days ago) I am/was a bit unfocused and not in a fiction mindset. I want(ed) to take advantage of my day off, though, so I’m trying to be writing-related anyway.

Some suggestions for not-writing days:

1) Pre-write blog posts (today I’ve put finishing touches on two Saturday 10/17 blogs, three Tuesday 10/20 blogs, a 10/27 blog and I might even do a 10/31 blog before the night is through).

2) Scout promotion options for yourself, old releases, new, or upcoming (today I put together a tentative calendar of promotion activities for December, which is the release month of my first Liquid Silver Books title).

3) Visit some of the forums or yahoo groups you neglect. A quick skim of subject headings will tell you whether there’s anything worth getting involved in, and you really don’t have to start conversations all your own, as Kayelle Allen at TRS Blue pointed out last week.

But! Don’t let faux-writing (above) become more frequent than actual writing. The above are necessary business things, but they won’t take the place of creating fiction words. They’ll just help you make the most of the days you have trouble focusing, and make the most of the days you’re ready to go 1,000-words-an-hour.

And they might make life a little easier for the upcoming NaNoWriMo season!

PS: AJ is guest blogging at my web site today. Go read!

PPS: Given my work schedule, starting 10/28 I’ll be switching my blog day from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Read a Book – Inez

Magic bites… and its name is Myla.

Created at Prince Taric’s birth, Myla is a spell, an enchantment designed to appear and protect him when he needs it most. She has always been content to do her duty…until one night of forbidden passion leaves her longing to experience life—and love—as a mortal woman. Yet the risk is too great. Even if her blood runs as red as his, she can never give him the one thing he needs: a child.

Taric’s blessing—and his curse—is knowing the kingdom’s future depends on his producing an heir to continue the bloodline. His bond with Myla has always been that of protector and protected. When it suddenly becomes something much more, he unwittingly sentences his people to certain death.

An old enemy is plotting to destroy all he holds dear: his lands, his people, his father, and his lover. And this time, even if they fight tooth and blade, their shared magic may not be enough to save them…

Click here or here to read an excerpt.
Click here or on the cover to purchase.