Missy Lyons Blog

Drama and Drinking just don't mix...Sex On the Beach

2012-02-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

I personally don't drink much or often but when I do, I've noticed it only intensifies my feelings. If I was happy, I only get happier. If I was depressed, all those melancholy emotions get worse and if I was horny--well you get the picture.

I used this as a ploy to get the drama level to an all time high in Sex on the Beach. Harry was drinking beers by the case and feeling sorry for himself while Sally was drinking with her soon to be mother in law wishing her soon to be husband would grow up and get over his dead wife sleeping with his brother. She wasn't about to do that so why should he care if Gerald showed up to his wedding?

Of course, she never expected to pass out or for Gerry to be nice enough to carry her to his bed. Or for Harry to come looking for her.

Somehow the drama gets to an all time fever high pitch and this is partly because things have been intensified by everyone drinking.

You'll have to read the book to find out why Sally wants a second wedding that she can actually be proud of the pictures.Sex on the Beach is coming out from Whispers Publishing on February 10th.

Whispers Publishing Online Bookstore

Submission guidelines for Sourcebooks***

2011-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

I saw the guidelines for this publisher and thought others may also be interested. They have very specific guidelines and are only interested in agented writers unless they are writing in the romance genre. The full link is here:

http://www.sourcebooks.com/authors/submission-guidelines/50-romance-fiction-submission-guidelines.html

But if you can't read it, I am republishing most the good stuff here:

Quick Reference90-120,000 words (actual digital)single title or single title series onlywe consider all subgenres we prefer email submissions in WORDalways include a synopsis (including the ending)if you have a track record, please include your sales history (# of books sold to readers especially)what do you envision as your career arc? email submissions will be confirmed received within 21 days; no follow-up please (except agents)allow 8-12 weeks for responseOur criteria:a heroine the reader can relate toa hero she can fall in love witha world gets createda "hook" that allows us to sell the book in 2-3 sentencesthe author has a career arcWe consider agented as well as unagented submissions in all subgenres of Romance fiction, including:paranormalsuspensecontemporaryerotic romancehistorical (prior to 1900 only)Queries should be emailed in a WORD file (agents may telephone) and should include:full author or agent contact info (name, address, phone number, emailaddress) on every documentbrief bio of author including previous books published (including under pseudonyms), sales history (number of books sold to readers, not to publishers), awards and contest wontitle and word count of proposed bookshort (2-3 paragraph) synopsisa paragraph or two on further books planned in the series or otherwiseauthor's vision for their career arcSubmissions can be sent via mail or email WORD file (email is preferred) and should include:full author or agent contact info (name, address, phone number, emailaddress) on every documentauthor bio including previous books published (including under pseudonyms), sales history (number of books sold to readers, not to publishers), awards and contests won, list of other finished manuscripts or books in progresscompetitive analysis (list of titles that are comparative and/or competitive with yours)full synopsis, including actual digital word count and the endinga header or footer on each page that includes: book title, page number, author or agent name, phone number and email addressminimum of 4 sample chapters (preferred for hard copy submissions), or complete manuscript in WORD (preferred for email submissions)Please send submissions to:romance@sourcebooks.comLeah HultenschmidtSourcebooks, Inc.390 Fifth Ave. Suite 907New York, NY 10018Please allow 8-12 weeks for response.Regretfully, we are unable to confirm receipt of unagented hard copy submissions. If you require confirmation of receipt of a hard copy submission, please use a courier service such as Fedex or DHL or US Post Office Priority mail with delivery tracking or Express Mail.Receipt of email submissions will be acknowledged within 21 days via email.If you have any questions about our guidelines, please don't hesitate to email deb.werksman@sourcebooks.com Please allow 21 days for response.Thank you! We look forward to reading your book!

Happy New Year's from Missy Lyons!

2011-12-31T06:55:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year's everyone!

It's time to end the year 2011, whether we are ready or not--and I am ready!!

I am finding myself looking back over the year and evaluating what I did well and what didn't work. I think 2011 kicked my butt and then turned around and did it again. My husband lost his eye this year and my babygirl underwent a her first surgery. My priorities changed and I began to deal with what was most important to me--family. I stopped writing for the first half of the year and then took it up again in Summer and Fall and I think my word count for the year ended up being around 80,000 words. Not bad for putting my writing on a back burner. It's been quite a ride. Now I can't wait for this year to end so I can take the reins back to my life and get this horse and pony show started. lol

In 2012 I already have two releases scheduled and plans to use my time more wisely. I have a few friends that have already written down a list of the books they plan to write. Me? I'm not so organized, but I will be writing.

What are your plans for the New Year?

Lots of love to you all and I hope all your hopes and dreams come true for 2012! Happy New Years!

Missy Lyonswww.missylyons.com

Tonight I plan to break out the bubbly and celebrate until I can't party anymore and then I'll be sleeping it off tomorrow just like this guy. lol Enjoy your New Year's y'all!

Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-24T03:36:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas y'all! I hope this Christmas season brings you much joy and laughter and is filled with many blessings. Regardless of what holiday you may celebrate, I wish you peace love and happiness.

Free Ebook from All Romance Ebooks Nov. 25-27

2011-11-25T07:00:00.001-08:00

Cool Black Friday Freebie: 12 Hot Days of Christmas by Ravenous Romance normally $6.99 is FREE Nov. 25-27 at All Romance Ebooks. Treat yourself and help to fill up your ereader with a book to get you in the Christmas spirit. Click this link or cut and copy into your browser window and you can download an electronic ebook for your ereader or laptop. You will need to establish an account but the book is completely free.http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-the12hotdaysofchristmas-398888-139.html

Romance Novel Plot Generators

2011-11-08T05:26:00.001-08:00

If you are a writer, sometimes you need to give your brain a push start. That's why I though a few people may enjoy this link to a pretty detailed romance plot generator I found. Unlike some of the earlier versions I have seen over the years this one has the ability to make it paranormal or GLBT. Check it out for some great fun and wonderfully inspirational ideas.

http://www.mellophant.com/node/87

Sexy Manlove Story by Mercedes Black

2011-11-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Another book in the series COLLEGE: THE GAY DAYS has just been released and is hot enough to melt the screen on your e-reader! A little about the book:

BUY THIS BOOK NOW AT ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

RAINBOW DELIGHT BY MERCEDES BLACK PRICE $2.99

The underground frat house known as the Rainbow brotherhood holds secret sex parties.

The members are handpicked from the brightest and most promising gay students. They have to be willing to do anything and everything to get in the exclusive club and prove their worth and if they become members they are guaranteed success in life from their connections.

Blake is a journalist for the student newspaper and he is surprised when he gets an exclusive invitation the rainbow party which is for the hopeful candidates. He doesn’t want to be in the group. Frat houses are for the popular kids not nerds like him. Blake is only showing up because he is hoping to do an exposé on the secretive brotherhood and share all their dirty little secrets with the world.

What he doesn’t expect is to be exposed himself or to find his acts of submission at the Sex party so rewarding.

********************************************************************************************

SNEAK PEAK:

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of them?” Eric asked.

“No, I can’t say I have.” Blake shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter but that intense look in Eric’s eyes made him wonder if it did.

Eric’s jaw muscle twitched. It looked like it mattered to Eric a lot.

“The Rainbow Brotherhood is very secretive. Not many people do know what they are or where they meet. Heck, most the gay community has heard some kind of rumor about it, but I don’t think anyone knows what happens at those ceremonies who is not a member. Everyone who was ever a member has had big success in their life. It’s like getting a guaranteed ticket to the fast track.”

“If it’s so secretive, how do you know about it?”

“Last year, I got to talk privately with that Senator who spoke at the Liberty House Charity Dinner. It wasn’t like he knew I was working for the paper, but when he had a little too much to drink he started talking about the Rainbow House and how they helped him to get where he is today.”

“Okay.” Blake thought for a moment. Something about what Eric was telling him didn’t add up. “So a Senator was on the ranks. Big deal. Who cares?”

“You don’t understand how big this is, Blake. You have to do something brilliant to get the attention of the Rainbow House and if you get in, you can go anywhere when you graduate and do anything you want to. They have connections everywhere.” Eric’s eyes flashed a brilliant emerald green.

Blake was hit with a sudden brainstorm. How could something this big last so long in the underground where no one in the general public understood what the secret brotherhood was all about? It puzzled him and yet He gave Eric a bright smile. “I could go t this meeting and write an article about them for our paper.”

“You just got an exclusive invitation to the Rainbow Brotherhood. Is that what you want to do with it? Expose all their secrets?”

“Sure.” But the last thing Blake was feeling was sure under Eric’s intense scrutiny. It didn’t feel wrong to expose their secrets, but what did he really know about the Rainbow Brotherhood at all?

“They don’t officially exist.” Eric said lamely.

“I know.” Blake didn’t feel so hopeful this was going to be successful and after Eric shot down his other ideas he wasn’t sure Eric really liked this one either. “What do you think they are hiding with all the secrecy? Wouldn’t you like to know? Don’t you think every student has the right to know what goes on at these ceremonies?”

“I don’t know, Blake.” Eric shook his head and Blake could hear a slow drag in his voice like he was wavering on the fence post.

“Come on. I’ve wanted to do an article that has some meaning to it and this could be it. Just let me try, please?” Blake asked.

“Well, if you’re going to do this you’d need to get names, places, all the stuff that they do in their ceremonies that they have kept secret all these years.” Blake let his eyes slip down to watch Eric’s chest slowly rise and fall. There was no emotion on Eric’s face to give away what he was thinking. “If you could get pictures it would be even better.”

“I can do that.” Blake said eagerly. He had a small digital camera he could keep hidden.

“It could be dangerous, Blake.” Eric was dead serious, his voice solemn.

Blake swallowed back that bad feeling rising from the pit of his stomach.

“If you are found out, I won’t be there to help you and I am not sure I could. The brotherhood has kept their existence a secret for years. I don’t expect any of them to step up and just give you an interview or be happy if you tell the world all about them.”

“I know.” Blake nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll have to look and act the part, being another hopeful frat boy. I can do this if you’ll let me write the article.”

“You really want to do this?”

“If they didn’t have anything to hide it wouldn’t be a great big secret would it?”

Eric seemed to be considering it before making a reply. His right hand rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ”Okay. If that’s what you want. You write it up and I’ll print it.”

Blake felt elated. He was bubbling up inside and before he knew it, he hugged Eric close to him. Eric went stiff and he knew the other man must have felt awkward. Just as quickly he released him and took a step back.

Eric cleared his throat and pretended to be disinterested in the hug that just took place but Blake knew he wanted the story as bad as he did.

“Thank you.”Blake said, feeling slightly embarrassed about the physical contact.

“Don’t thank me yet, and when you are questioning if this was what you wanted to do, just try and remember I didn’t throw you into the fire. You jumped in all by yourself.”
*******************************************************************************************

Mercedes Black certainly hope you enjoyed that excerpt and if you did, feel free to support her writing by buying the full story at one of the following epublishers:

AVAILABLE NOW AT AMAZON FOR YOUR KINDLE

AVAILABLE NOW AT BARNES AND NOBLE FOR YOUR NOOK

AVAILABLE NOW AT ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

AVAILABLE NOW AT 1 PLACE FOR ROMANCE

AVAILABLE NOW AT SMASHWORDS

Enter to win a cool Halloween Gift basket

2011-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Drumroll please!!

It's finally here. I love the holidays and all the fun that goes with it! I signed up to be in an author sponsored contest and everyone is doing their own giveaway on their own website or blog or whatever they want to use.

Hoping not to disappoint I am offering up lots of cool swag, a few print books, cookies, Halloween stickers, and jewelry (hmmm...let's that stay a surprise! The costume jewelry's not pictured and inside the gift box but is for women.) Basically everything you see pictured (except the Fall leaves) is going to one lucky winner who can answer some trivia questions.The picture above shows all the nifty goodies you can get from me.

Most the answers can be found on my website, www.missylyons.com. To enter send me the answers to these questions:

1. Name three books written by Missy Lyons.2. What am I in the middle of writing now. Hint: you can hang out with me on facebook and hear me talk about it as I write or look on my homepage of my website.3. What is the book title that will be releasing next in December? Hint: you can find this info on the coming soon page for Whispers Publishing.4. What do you want to see me write next? Do you crave cowboys and indians, exotic locations in the Caribbean, or an alien abduction? That's it, just name your fantasy.

When you find all the answers please send it to me through my facebook email Author missy lyons or my website which will forward it to me. If you decide to participate in an extra chance to win, please forward the link to me as well. Thank you!!

**This contest open to residents of the continental United States.

To those people who are international and would like to play, you can email me your email address and the answers to the questions and three lucky people will receive an ebook copy of my re-release Party for Three.For extra entries or a bonus chance to win:

1. Share this blog on your social networks, or blogs, or twitter, and tell me about it when you email me. 2. Comment on this blog. .3. Publicly follow the blog, my facebook fan page, or my twitter account. 4.Buy any book by Missy Lyons and send me a copy of the receipt via email.

This Halloween I am participating in a very large author sponsored contest. Drea was nice enough to organize it and I think I've listed all the participating authors and places. There are some publishers, and some review sites. I love how fun this is going to be. If you want to win some goodies it's only between October 28-31, 2011 and be sure to register everywhere!

I have listed the people that I know have signed up here but there might be new ones that have signed up between now and then. So you can check Drea's site for the official list here:

http://dreabecraft.com/events-2/

Drea Becraft * Lee Brazil * Avril Ashton * Kellie Kamryn * Elizabeth Black * Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy * Lacie Nation * JoAnne Kenrick * Daisy Dunn * Cassandre Dayne * Jessica E Subject * Sara York * Wendy Smith * Anne Holly * Lucy Felthouse * Kiki Howell * Julie Lynn Hayes * J.S. Wayne * Robin Badillo * Karen Erickson * Cari Quinn * Mahalia Levey * Dawn's Reading Nook * Raine Delight * D.B. Moon * Kay Springsteen * Jillian Chantal * Cindy Jacks * Ashley Lucas * Rose Anderson * Eden Gleen * Beth Barany * D. Renee Bagby * S.L. Danielson * Ella Jade * Elizabeth Morgan * Rawiya & BL * Jean Joachim * Jambrea Jo Jones * Trinity Blacio * Debra Dennis * Natasha Blackthorne * S.J. Frost * Jaime Samms * Tabitha Shay * Sandra Sookoo * Kristyn Nicols * Roz Lee * Billi Jean * Dyanne Davis * Kharisma Rhayne * Erotic Diaries * Fiona McGier * Pender Mackie * Lily Sawyer * Roxanne Rhoads * Jodi Redford * Angel Martinez * Mary Absire * Sandy Sullivan * Kaily Hart * Dakota Trace * Lindsay Klug * Marie Rose Dufour * Stephanie Beck * Cara Bristol * B.A. Tortuga * Nicole Morgan * Missy Lyons * Secret Cravings Publishing * Marie Sexton * W. Lynn Chantale * Gabrielle Bisset * Karenna Colcroft * Lia Fairchild * Naughty Between The Stacks * Lelani Black * Wendi Zwaduk * Megan Slayers * Karen Marie Nutt * Kinley Baker * Paty Jager * Katherine Kingston * Beth D Carter * E. Jaime * Elizabeth Noble * Sarah Makela * Gracen Miller * Kerry Adrienne * Staci Brush * Cynthia Arsuaga * Kelly L Lee * Melisse Aires * L.K. Below * Selena Kitt * Ana Hart * Naughty Night Press * Kianna Alexander * Ami Blackwelder * Gabrielle Evans

Cool research trick

2011-10-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

Books are great for fulfilling fantasies or getting out of this world's troubles and taking you away for a few minutes, or hours, or days. Books take me places that I have already been and would like to revisit, or have never been but can't afford to go. That's one of the reasons I love setting my books in exotic and strange locations. It's fun for me to explore and see the world but with a family and a strict school schedule I can't exactly take off at a moment's notice and go to Cancun or Brazil. Something wierd about me is I collect maps, travel guides and things that help me get the feel of a story together. I watch travel videos and do everything I can to submerse myself in that culture and the land I am writing my story in. This is if it happens to be a contemporary or set in a real life place.Sometimes I manage to get free stuff by emailing the chamber of commerce or touristry committees. This is a quick way to get an overview of the most exciting things happening in an area and some of the more interesting details of everyday life. I visit sites like this one and ask for travel planners or travel guides and usually get back a thick packet of lovely details in about 6-8 weeks. This is a site to get a travel planner from Alaska. I can just imagine several stories being set in the isolated mountains of Alaska, filled with native wildlife, and rugged good looking men. http://www.travelalaska.com/Planners/Planner.aspx?utm_source=2259&utm_medium=ad Maybe I will set my next book there, but for now I must finish this book in the Caribbean called Strictly Business. Yummy beach bodies and white sandy beaches with pristine blue waters fill the pages and I only have a few more weeks until I can call the first draft done. Yippee. :)Lots of love to you all. Come back soon for the contest I am running at the end of October. There will be links to hundreds of other authors who are all participating in a HUGE Halloween contest. If you enter them, you stand a good chance of winning something.

Really Good Gumbo recipe

2011-10-24T09:45:00.001-07:00

I thought I would share this recipe I found on Angela James blog, Nice mommy, Evil Editor.She got it from friends on Twitter and adjusted it to her family's eating habits. I tried and liked it and thought you might too. I have been looking for a good gumbo recipe I could make at home.Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp GumboIngredients•2 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cubed•Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning•1/4 cup vegetable oil•1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices•1/2 cup all-purpose flour•1/2 cup Tony Chachere Instant roux mix•2 tablespoons margarine•3 tablespoons butter•2 tsp ground pepper•1-2 tsp cayenne pepper•1 large onion, chopped•10 cloves garlic minced•1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped•1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce•1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish•5 cups hot water•2 Tbsp chicken base (combined with hot water, this creates chicken stock. You can substitute canned broth instead)•1 (14-ounce can) petite diced tomatoes•1 pound small raw shrimp, peeled and deveinedDirections1. Season the chicken with Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning (no set amount, be generous, about 2 Tbsp)2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook cubed chicken until browned. Do not cook all the way through. Remove chicken from pot w/slotted spoon and reserve in bowl to side.3. Add the sausage to oil and cook until browned, then remove to same bowl as chicken.4. Sprinkle the flour and Tony Chachere Roux mix over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let roux cool slightly. (Important note I learned in my reading: use margarine, not butter. Butter burns more easily and when you’re cooking something that needs to be cooked awhile, like roux, it’s easier if you don’t use butter.) Don’t panic if things seem to be sticking to the bottom of your dutch oven. This is totally normal. Once you add the butter, and then the hot water, most of this will integrate back into your dish for an amazing flavor!5. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt 3 tbsp butter with the roux. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper and cook for 10 minutes.6. Add Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and cayenne pepper, and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.7. During this 10 minute cook period, heat the 5 cups of water in a tea kettle.8. Slowly add 5 cups hot water and chicken paste, whisking constantly as you add..9. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.10. Add tomatoes (if you want to add okra, this would be the place to add it. My family doesn’t like it so I omitted). Cover and simmer for 1 hour.11. Add shrimp and another 1/4 bunch chopped parsley. Simmer 1/2 hour.12. Start rice when you add shrimp. At the end of half hour, dish rice into a bowl and serve gumbo over rice. Enjoy!Notes: Paula’s original recipe called for celery (cooked celery = blech), okra (I omitted) and beef bouillon instead of chicken paste. Most gumbo recipes I saw used chicken stock, so I went with the chicken instead. And I always use paste, in place of broth/bouillon, because it’s easy and tasty.

Relationship quotes--just for fun

2011-10-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of funny quotes about marriage. I found a ton online after looking up my favorite and thought you might enjoy a chuckle or two. My two favorites in this collection are the one by Bill Cosby and the one by Zig Ziglar.

Marriage Quotes
Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner. ~ Amy Bloom

My best chosen friend, companion, guide, to walk through life, linked hand-in-hand, two equal, loving friends, true husband and true wife. ~ Sir Charles Gavan Duffy

My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me. ~ Winston Churchill

You don't need to be on the save wavelength to succeed in marriage. You just need to be able to ride each other's waves. ~ Toni Sciarra Poynter

I love being married. It's so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. ~ Rita Rudner

Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave. ~ Martin Luther

Let us now set forth one of the fundamental truths about marriage: the wife is in charge. ~ Bill Cosby

The man who says his wife can't take a joke, forgets that she took him. ~ Oscar Wilde

If you treat your wife like a thoroughbred, you'll never end up with a nag. ~ Zig Ziglar

Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side. ~ Zig Ziglar

A husband is a guy who tells you when you've got on too much lipstick and helps you with your girdle when your hips stick. ~ Ogden Nash

For years my wedding ring has done its job. It has led me not into temptation. It has reminded my husband numerous times at parties that it's time to go home. It has been a source of relief to a dinner companion. It has been a status symbol in the maternity ward. ~ Erma Bombeck

To catch a husband is an art; to hold him is a job. ~ Simone De Beauvoir

What is a husband? He is the one who, with a touch, can bring back the starlight and glow of years long ago. At least he hopes he can - don't disappoint him. ~ Alan Beck

When a man and a woman have an overwhelming passion for each other, it seems to me, in spite of such obstacles dividing them as parents or husband, that they belong to each other in the name of Nature, and are lovers by Divine right, in spite of human convention or the laws. ~ Sebastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort

The more you invest in a marriage, the more valuable it becomes. ~ Amy Grant

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. ~ Tom Mullen

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. ~ Leo Tolstoy

It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Trudging through it

2011-09-29T05:10:00.000-07:00

This may not be the most exciting blog but I am working again today and once again I don't feel like writing. Sometimes you just got trudge through it regardless of how you feel and that's me right now. I know other writers use tricks to keep up the momentum. Sometimes it is easier to write when you don't feel like it by bribing yourself if you make your goal with little rewards.

I know writers who use anything from ice cream to buying a new song for their ipod if they make their daily word count goal.

Today my goal is around 3000 words on what I call my never ending story (because it is just not ending for me). My mini reward is dessert, my favorite ice cream Moose Tracks. It has lots of chocolate, a few mini peanut butter cups and just tastes really good.

If I ever finish this novel, I may reward myself with these ultra cool steampunk goggles for a costume I am working on.

http://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.asp?ID=30,2161&GEN1=Steampunk&T1=P28270&dispRow=0&srccode=

Whatever works right? Besides Halloween is just right around the corner. Hopefully it will be just the boost I need to get this mansucript done. lol

Lots of Love,

Missy Lyons

www.missylyons.com

Halloween Blog Hop Oct. 28-31 Big Contest and lots of PRIZES!

2011-09-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

This Halloween I will be participating in a very large author sponsored contest. Drea was nice enough to organize it and I think I've listed all the participating authors and places. There are some publishers, and some review sites. I love how fun this is going to be. If you want to win some goodies you need to come back between October 28-31, 2011. and be sure to register everywhere!

I have listed the people that I know have signed up here but there might be new ones that have signed up between now and then. So you can check Drea's site for the official list here:

http://dreabecraft.com/events-2/

Writers write--end of story

2011-09-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

If you want to be a writer, you spend lots of time writing, even when you don't feel like it. End of story.

Most the time I am excited to sit down and try to write, to escape into the stories in my head is like taking a mini-vacation, but when you have a contract due and babies screaming and other things crying for your attention it can be difficult to make yourself want to spend time writing, or maybe the story is no longer quite as fun to write, but you promised the story would get done.

That's where I am today.

I just don't feel like writing, but I know I have to. I have a lot of pending important stuff in my personal life and yet I promised this story would get done and bills need paid. My freinds are counting on me, my publisher expects the story, and readers want to know when it will be done. So now I am not just writing the story for my own personal enjoyment but under a little stress.

It's not going to get any easier. The end of the year is looming with all the expectations and time crunches. The holidays are great but they absorb so much time, there is decorating to be done, candies and cookies to be made, presents and costumes to be made, and did I mention the hours of baking? I love the holidays but visitors are also my number one excuse to stop writing and the big rule of being self employed is you work if you want to make money. If I don't write, I don't make money. It's that simple.

So I must write, and I have several projects that have to be done. Strictly Business is at the top of my list. Howvere since it has taken me close to two years to get halfway done I have to ask myself why so long? Why did I stop writing? Can I ever get back into the story? I still love the story, but there is a little more pressure I am feeling and stress. The first two books are not only written, but published. Questions swirl in my head. My self confidence suffers. Will it be good enough? Will the story live up to the reader expectations? Failure would set me free from the stress but I would never know the answers if I don't try.

I have four stories in major need of getting done. I can only work on one, so I am choosing the one that has sat the longest, Strictly Business. The goal is to get 8 pages done today and end the scene around page 121. It's halfway done. There is no turning back now, only going forward, marching bravely into the future.

I am going to try something new today. I usually flop horribly when I tr to write multiple stories at one time. Very little gets done and I just hit a wall flipping between the stories. Names and eye colors change. The end result usually needs massive editing.

However, this time I am going to try to use the morning for SB and the afternoon for PI. Both those stories are the ones I need done first.

To be done

SB-M/F PI-M/M HH-M/M RD-M/M

So what are you all up to today? Is there writing in your future?

Fall is here

2011-09-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

I love this season. Fall makes me crave tea and hot chocolate to watch nature color her gardens with rainbows. The leaves haven't changed color yet. We need the first blast of cold to make the trees begin to want to drop their leaves but it's just around the corner and one of my favorite things to do is to drive through the backroads of Tennessee and look at the forests of color. It is absolutely stunning and nowhere like this in the world I have seen.

Besides the leaves and the kids returning to school, Fall makes me crave comfort food and want to return to the kitchen. This is the time of the year I love to cook nice hot soups that keep your tummy full and your body warm. It is part of why I love Fall, but change is always beautiful to watch in nature.

Today's menu is Lentil Soup for dinner and my kids favorite macaroni cheese recipe for lunch. Pictures and recipes to follow, but for now enjoy the Fall trees.

Writing In Progress:

Strictly Business (8 pages today) Stud Service: Book 3

Susannah Gibson’s future is secure as an heiress to a Texas oil baron. A hefty trust fund has allowed her to live out her dreams and pursue every desire of her heart, but one. All that money got in the way of finding love. She and her three sisters had a collection of fortune hunters that could stretch the length of Texas, but she vowed not to settle for anything less than love.

Lots of love to you all,

Missy Lyons

www.missylyons.com

Party for Three--teaser excerpt

2011-08-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

PARTY FOR THREE

Chapter One

"Why do they say you are over the hill when you turn forty?" Sherry's voice held a note of despair in it. A sense of worry accompanied her voice that knotted the pit of her stomach. It was something she couldn't shake with her own impending fortieth birthday coming up on Saturday. She didn't feel over the hill and yet that birthday always had a stigma attached to it, forty was the dreaded over the hill age. The black birthday. The halfway mark to death.
She never really cared before, and didn't feel old now, but her friends were not going to let her escape this birthday without celebrating in a way she would rather forget.
"I don't know. You are only as old as you feel." Karen picked up a cheesecake for her lunch tray in the cafeteria line.
"Well I feel like I am still in my twenties. Can I still tell people I am twenty when they ask me how old I am?" Sherry questioned.
"Only if you think you can get away with it."
"They won't believe me if I ever stop dying my hair jet black. I used to just highlight my hair for fun. Now it is to cover those stray gray hairs."
“We all get gray hairs eventually. I got my first gray hairs in my early twenties." Karen held a lock of her long brown hair between two fingers. "A gentleman should never ask you your age anyways."
“I hate getting old Karen. I don' want to get old. It's not fair, and I feel like it's hitting me all at once. Now that I am forty, it's official. I don't even want to go to my own over the hill party. Remind me why I am going again?"
"Because you love your friends enough to show up." Karen said with a smile.
"I didn't feel old before but Sean threatened to get me some black roses and all kinds of cheesy over the hill party supplies." Sherry let out a sigh but her voice was resigned. She knew she was still not going to miss the party.
“You shouldn't let Sean get to you too much when he teases you about your age."
"I guess not. After all, he will turn forty too one day."
Karen laughed. "Yeah in twenty years." Sean was the office know-it-all, straight out of college, too cute for his own good. He had a cocky grin that said he knew exactly how he made the women feel.
He was one of those men who could look at you and make you weak in the knees, and your hormones would go up a notch just looking at him. Maybe he wouldn't have that effect on everyone, but he had that affect on her. Sherry's heart always sped up a little when she snuck glances at him, but she was old enough to know it was only lust and such thoughts should not be entertained for long. He was far too young to consider seriously and far too immature to consider for anything more than a passing dalliance. So she had kept it friendly but she kept all of her hidden desires and feelings secret.
As if on cue, Sherry felt a pair of masculine hands grip her waist, pressing her to the side. Sean's voice interrupted their conversation. "You ladies weren't talking about me were you?"
Sherry's cheeks turned pink. He would have the nerve to interrupt a conversation about him. "Yes, we were just saying how I would much rather go to celebrate my birthday dancing in a nightclub or drinking." Anything but some cheesy party with black deathlike decorations mocking her age.
"Don't worry you can have drinks with me on the veranda and we'll dance to our own music, Sherry." Sean caught her eyes with his and then he teased her with a cocky grin, "As long as you can stay awake."

If you enjoyed this excerpt you can buy this book at most of your favorite ebook retailers. Including for the Amazon Kindle, for the Barnes and Noble Nook, at All Romance Ebooks, or at Smashwords.

Deadline for Melody of Love contest is fast approaching

2011-08-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.mcrw.com/index.php/2010-melody-of-love-contest/

Our local Music City Rromance Writers group holds a contest for unpublished authors every year called the the Melody of love contest. The deadline to enter is September 1, but you can still do it.

Some of the more important details from the website:

2011 Melody of Love Contest

MCRW’s annual Melody of Love Contest for unpublished Romance Manuscripts is now accepting entries for the 2011 year. This is our 13th year for the contest and our first year to include a YA category, so if you know anyone who writes YA romance or YA with romantic elements, feel free to send them our way!

Receipt date of entries (25 pgs or less): September 1, 2011
Categories: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal and YA
$22 MCRW member fee; $27 RWA member fee; $32 Non-RWA member fee
Final round judges:
– Historical: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency
– Contemporary: Latoya C. Smith, Grand Central Publishing
– Paranormal: Angela James, Carina Press
– YA: Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks Fire
Thank you for your interest in the Melody of Love. For more information about entry specifics, rules and fees, check out the links to the right. Please don’t hesitate to contact any of us with questions about the contest, although you may want to start with the coordinator.

Sincerely,

Jody Wallace (MCRW Contest Coordinator) – contest(at)mcrw.com
Kim Law (MCRW President)
Gretchen Stull (MCRW Vice President)
Tina Reid (MCRW Secretary)
Carolyn Shrembek (MCRW Treasurer)

Just One Bite short story contest for 2011

2011-08-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

Last year was the first year of All Romance Ebook's short story contest called Just One Bite.

It was so successful, that the owners have decided to do it again so I am re-posting the call for submission in case any of my author friends or my readers want to give it a whirl. I just submitted my entry today but it only took a few days out of my schedule to write and edit.

For an established author this can be a great benefit to get your name out there and a free promotional opportunity. If you win, it's an honor to have been chosen out of 32 contest entries, but there are also some perks to being one of the top three. First Place gets $1000 in cash. Second Place wins an Ipad2, and third place gets to go on a $100 shopping spree at All Romance Ebooks.

Do I think I might win? I'll be honest with you, I don't think I will, the competition is pretty stiff with some of the best romance writers in the business participating, but I would be happy to be one of the 32 stories chosen. If I did manage to get up in the top 3 rounds I would definitely be following this story up with a sequel or seven... lol

But you better hurry up and write that short story! Your 2500-3000 word entry is due by September 1, 2011. I imagine the semi-finalists will be announced somewhere in the middle or late September. It will probably take quite a while to read through all those entries. :)

You can read the FAQ's and the details on the contest entry form here:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/submissions_justonebite.html

Some highlights from their site:

Readers will vote for their favorite short stories during 5 rounds of voting with the field being narrowed at the end of each round. The first prize winning author will receive $1000 US. The second prize winning author will receive an iPad 2. The third prize winning author will receive a $100 eBook Bucks Gift Certificate redeemable either at AllRomance.com or OmniLit.com.

Submissions will be accepted between July 1 and September 1, 2011. Each title must be an original, never before published paranormal romance work between 2,500 and 3,000 words and will be marketed exclusively by All Romance/OmniLit. Authors can access the terms and submissions forms via this page. Authors need to complete all fields to the best of their ability at the time of submission. I'll be the Editor-In-Charge for the Contest and will lead the committee that will make the final decision on September 1 as to which submissions will be chosen as the Semi-Finalists. Stories selected as one of the 32 will be released for voting on October 1.

Authors should keep in mind that we will not be editing these manuscripts. They must have them edited PRIOR to submission.

We anticipate having more wonderful stories than we have slots for. If a story is not chosen as a Semi-Finalist, rights will be returned. Questions about the Contest can be directed to me at:

Please check out FAQ for additional information here: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/faq-178.html

Questions can be directed to me at:

cat.johnson@allromanceebooks.com

Thanks again for your interest!
Cat Johnson

Good luck everyone!

Writing an erotic love scene

2011-07-28T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes writing a love scene is easy but it can be hard to keep it original and fun to read. Think about it. How many times have you read something that came out stale and technically challenged. Put slot A into slot B and shabang. You didn't know you were writing a sex ed class when you started did you?

In order to make it sound a little more emotionally charged you have to add words that make an emotional attachment to the physical event and this also helps the reader want to continue reading

I have a notebook at home filled with words like:

greed, hunger, longing, ravenous, relish, thirst, urge, voracious, yearning.

This may not sound like they are even related to sex, more like eating, but it works and it works well. This adds a need to the sex drive and puts it on a deeper level.

I started the collection because I didn't want to sound boring but it all began with a thesaurus and synonym dictionary. How many times can you use excited in a sentence and keep it sounding original? Sometimes I use repetition to drill something into the readers head, but in most instances repetition is boring so a synonym dictionary is one of my most valuable assets in my weapon arsenal as a writer. I need it and use it daily.

If you have to access to the internet you can use an online dictionary/thesaurus/synonym dictionary for free. Just keep it open in a browser while you write.

Hope this helps you to write action packed and detailed love scenes that people love to read.

Keep on loving!
Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Isuckitis is not a disease the doctor can diagnose

2011-07-28T09:52:00.001-07:00

Isuckitis is real and it is dangerous to writers. When you are pounding out your first draft you can't stop and worry about the details. You can't stop writing until you get to the end.

There are dangers. That little editor in the back of your head is normally helpful, but today he is spitting out insults about what you just wrote. You heard the voice right? The one that says this is terrible stuff that will rot your brain.

Isuckitis is all your doubts and fears rolled up into a ball keeping you from the keyboard or urging you to press the delete key. It is worse than writers block because it doesn't just stop you from writing anything new, it makes you want to throw everything you just wrote into the trash.

I've been feeling this way a little lately. I had to try to get started writing again after a long stint of nothing. It's hard and I know what I am up against. My first draft is all about getting the words on the page and then I have something to work with. I need big numbers everyday to keep me going. Pages that can't be blank. Every one of those 300 pages has to be filled with words. So what do I do? I set my timer and start typing. I try to run as hard and fast as I can and jump over the wall when I run into it.

After you finally finish the first draft you can let your little internal editor out of it's cage and go to town. This is where you need his help to get the story just right. Until then you may want to put a gag in his mouth.

A writing contest database

2011-05-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a couple of websites that contains a lengthy database of writing contests and thought this could be a valuable tool to my writing friends. So I am sharing the links here:

http://www.stephiesmith.com/contests.html

and more great articles on entering contests here:

http://www.charlottedillon.com/RWA-Contests.html

Exclusive new excerpt from Heart of a Cowboy (M/M/M)

2011-04-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Have you read Heart of a Cowboy yet?

Well maybe it's time you should!

Dreamy cowboys, sexy Indians and alpha shifters and everything you want in a gay romance fill the pages.

Here's a quick blurb:

Derek is only working for a month to pay off his debt to Jessie, but not everyone likes his openly homosexual lifestyle. He knows what it feels like to be beaten to within an inch of his life so he doesn't give a rat's ass what people think.

The attraction between him and the hunky Indian Ishwar is instantly satisfying. He finds himself begging for more every second he is near him, but when he falls into the arms of a stranger, things only begin to heat up, until an unforeseen peril puts him in danger.

Derek must prove he has the heart of a cowboy, and it will take every ounce of love and strength in his heart to make it through this ordeal alive.

Buy Heart of a Cowboy now here:
http://www.bookstrand.com/node/808153

Now here's your exclusive excerpt never before seen from Heart of a Cowboy:
He could heal his body, but the soul it protected had also been wounded. There were cuts that ran deep in the man’s spirit.
What had happened to him?
Derek’s lips parted and Lucas felt an irresistible urge to kiss him. He leaned over Derek’s body, brushing his lips over the other man’s mouth in the lightest of touches. Derek’s eyes fluttered open and his mouth opened and closed like a fish, as if he wanted to protest what had just happened. Desire. Confusion. Fear. It was all there in his expression for anyone to read.
God help him. He wanted to kiss him again.
“I shouldn’t have done that.” Lucas suddenly pulled away. He felt disturbed that he had broken the trust he was given. It wasn’t like him to break his word, and a wolf was only as good as his word. “Sorry I kissed you.”
Derek sat up suddenly and rubbed his ribs. “I don’t know what you did but thank you. I don’t feel any pain anymore.”
“But you didn’t like having me touch you.”
“It’s not that.” Derek shook his head, turning his gaze to the floor.
“Then, what? You don’t like my kisses?”
“There’s someone else.”
“If it doesn’t feel right, then you don’t have to do anything. I feel something when I am with you that I can’t explain, but if you don’t feel that same attraction then I am not going to force myself on you.”
The worry lines on Derek’s face intensified. “I didn’t say I didn’t like you. I feel that attraction too.” He placed his hand on Lucas’s chest, the corners of his mouth dragged down by the frown. “It’s just…without him here it feels like I am cheating on him.”
“You two have a commitment?”
“No, but…” Derek closed his eyes, seemingly unsure of what to say next.
“But what?”
“Fuck, it could be something special. I didn’t ask for a commitment, but I don’t want to do something stupid to lose him.”
“So you have slept with this other man?” Why did he feel jealous? He shouldn’t care about him, much less feel the prongs of jealous anger rise up from deep within him.
“We barely even kissed. I won’t lie to you.” Derek’s words were low and throaty, filled with need and the restrained desire that he felt beneath the surface. “I want to fuck you. I want to be fucked by you. I want to feel you enter me from behind and drive your cock into my ass, loading it up with cum, but I feel guilty.”
“Then what’s the hang-up? It could be just this once—to get it out of our system.” It was a lie. Lucas knew it the moment he uttered the words, but he didn’t care. He wanted this man, even if he had to lie to get him. “You never have to see me again after tonight.”
“Just this once.” Derek’s voice was soft and dreamy as he moved in for the kiss. His lips smashed against Lucas. Swift. Passionate. Conveying everything he wanted—needed from the other man. Lucas answered with his own desire, lust driving his kiss, and he felt Derek’s hard body against his own. Rubbing his cock into the other man’s groin. Hungry for more.
His skin was soft as silk, but it covered muscles of steel.
Derek reached for Lucas’s groin and met his hard-on eagerly. He unleashed the monster from its confines in seconds. Lucas was good. He had him undressed before he realized what had happened. A wide grin spread over his face as his eyes dropped to stare at Lucas’s package wagging in the air. “Nice hardware, Ace.”
A feral growl escaped his chest as he leapt to cover Derek’s body with his own.
***
If you liked what you read here than you can purchase Heart of a Cowboy here:
http://www.bookstrand.com/node/808153

Thanks for reading! :)

Missy Lyons
http://www.missylyons.com
Heart of a Cowboy is all about manlove, sexy werewolf shifters, Indian shamans, and a young man who must prove he has the heart of a cowboy.

http://www.bookstrand.com/heart-of-a-cowboy

Steampunk

2011-04-11T18:13:00.001-07:00

I am seeing a surge of interest in steampunk so I am researching on the web what it is and trying to see if it might be something I can write as well.

Besides the usual info, like watching the movie Wild wild West and reading wikipedia you may want to check out this excellent article here:

http://ageofsteam.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/how-do-i-write-a-steampunk-story-by-dru-pagliassotti/

They can call it what they they want but it is like an alternate universe or our history with an alternate future.

If you have written something or want to write something Steampunk let me know. I think I need to read something as well.

So you want to be a writer?

2011-04-05T10:02:00.001-07:00

I think everyone has a story in their heart. Something they may have waited all their life to find the time to get down on paper. I've talked to many of these people at conferences and events like my booksignings where they ask my advice. It's the same every time and I have to wonder why they choose not to just sit down and do it.

My advice is the same every time. I have three simple rules to becoming a writer.

1. Read.

Don't think it comes easy. You need to study the books you read. The plot, the grammar, the spelling, and the style it's written in, but not just the obvious things. Look at the best sellers and try to figure out why people are hooked on those books. You need to understand what people want to read and study other books in the genre you wish to write.

2. Write--but more importantly Re-write.

Your book will never get written if you don't sit down and write it. Make time to pound on the keyboard and try to keep your writing time sacred, but when you finally finish that story don't stop there. Now the hard part is editing and rewriting your story to make it a great story.

3. Look for opportunities to publish what you write.

It does you no good to write and then bury your work in a closet. You need to try to put your work out where the general public can see it. Whether you get paid for what you write or not is not important (yet). This will enable you to get feedback and see what you need to improve to begin living your dream.

Being paid as a professional writer.

So, that's my basic advice. Whether you choose to follow it or not is another story, but becoming a writer is simple. You can do it.

New Release: Chains of Love

2011-02-05T15:02:00.001-08:00

I am very pleased to present the newest release of Hot Tropica books, Chains of Love! If you love hawt men dressed in drag and werewolves who stalk the streets at night looking for their prey, then this is the book for you.

Chains of Love
by Mercedes Black
Published by Hot Tropica books
Price $5.99

Blurb:

Detective Colt Bacard is fighting against time to find a serial killer in Fort Lauderdale, and he is not ready to believe the superstitious nonsense that everyone else is spouting off. There's no such thing as vampires and there has got to be a simple explanation to the trademark holes in each of the victim’s neck.

He is willing to go deep undercover to find the serial killer. Even if that means he has to wear lipstick and high heels to do it.

Dressing as a female to help lure out the killer, he finds an honest to God werewolf whom he can't help but feel an attraction to.

Griffin knows better than to interfere when a human stumbles into his world, but the sexy detective has no idea of the danger he is in, or what his poking around and questions may unearth. When Colt threatens to arrest the leader of the pack of renegade vampire, Griffin is left with little choice except to take the man into protective custody. Colt doesn't go willingly, but it isn't long before his captive heart submits to his new master. Will their love be enough to face life threatening danger together?

Excerpt:
Chains of Love
by Mercedes Black

The scent filling the bathroom turned him on. Tonight he would become as close to a girl as he could without losing his manhood. He cupped his dick in his hands, smoothing around the outside, stroking it until it became harder and stiffer. He needed to come now, so he would not get a hard on while he was with a guy. White cum spurted from the tip of his cock and he leaned against the tile wall letting the hot water fall over his body, washing away any of the soap residue and the evidence of his cum.

He felt some of the tension leave his body, but knew instinctively it wasn’t going to be enough. He dried himself off and exited the shower. He tried on the clothes, and put on the makeup, first the eye shadow and mascara along with a bit of rouge for his cheeks, and finally a black lipstick. He smacked his lips together admiring his work in the mirror. He looked good, but with the wig of short black gothic styled hair, he looked even better.

He looked more like a girl, than most girls, soft and feminine. He practiced using another voice. It was a different tone and pitch than he usually used, mysteriously sexy. This was going to work.

And then, he just stripped his clothes and jacked off some more. It was only six o’clock so he had plenty of time before the official auction. He put in a favorite gay porn movie, watching the guys fuck each other and he masturbated fast and furious. He came a lot, hoping this would help him keep from getting a hard on if he got with another guy tonight. He came until his dick was limp and ached from the workout he gave it. If that didn’t work, he wasn’t sure what would.

He cleaned himself up once more, and then began dressing again. His thigh high nylons slipped on over each leg, and then he put his penis holder on and his sexy panties over the top.

No one was going to be able to tell he was a man.

He put the corset on, and slipped the 36C fake breasts in on each side. He looked down at his new breasts and grinned. This would have everyone bidding on him in this auction, every straight guy in the room. Then he carefully slipped into the low cut dress and put on the high heels. He looked back one last time at the mirror, admiring his handiwork.

He may have to try doing this on his own free time in the near future and not when he was just looking for a killer. The idea of fucking a straight boy who thought he was a woman was hot.

And nobody could tell him he didn’t look damn good as a woman.

****

Now available at Smashwords, ARE, Bookstrand, and most major ebook retailors.
Buy here:

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-chainsoflove-513101-142.html

Homey Holidays by Scott Emmons

2010-12-24T00:33:00.000-08:00

Found this slghtly humorous poem and I thought you might enjoy it.

Homey Holidays by Scott Emmons

I'll be home for Christmas

(I go there every year),

A place that's plain and peaceful

with a cheery atmosphere,

Where winter skies are silvery

and days are cold and sleety.

I'll be home for Christmas

'cause I can't afford Tahiti.

Homemade Gifts: Split Pea Soup in a Jar

2010-12-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

borrowed from Grace Sandvigen

Split Pea Soup In A Jar

1 (2.75 ounce) package country gravy mix
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoons imitation bacon bits
...2 teaspoons celery flakes
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 1/4 cups dried split green peas
1 bay leaf

Pour gravy mix into wide-mouth pint jar.

In small bowl stir together bouillon granules, bacon bits, celery flakes, onion and parsley flakes. Pour into jar to make second layer. Add peas; place bay leaf on top. Seal with lid. Attach gift tag (below) and decorate jar as desired.

Attach the following instructions to a gift tag:

Holiday Split Pea Soup:

Empty contents of jar into large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 6 cups water; heat to boiling, stirring often. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until peas are tender, stirring frequently to prevent peas from sticking. Remove bay leaf. Serve soup with dollop of sour cream and bacon bits, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Homemade Gifts: Tortilla Soup in a Jar mix

2010-12-04T00:49:00.000-08:00

Ingredients for Jar:

1 cup converted long grain rice (like Uncle Ben's)
...2 to 2 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 (5-oz.) can chicken

Seasonings: Mix the following and place in a thin zipper sandwich bag:

2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
2 tsp. lemonade powder with sugar
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dried minced onion

Size of Jar: Quart

Place ingredients in jar in this order:

Place rice in jar first.

Place seasoning packet into jar next. Gently flatten bag so it is visible from all sides of jar.

Fill jar with tortilla chips.

Put lid on jar.

Attach can of chicken to top of jar. (Tape can to top of jar using clear tape. Cut a larger than normal circle of fabric so it will cover the can as well as the top part of the jar.)

Decorate jar with fabric.

Attach this recipe to jar.

Tortilla Soup:

Carefully empty tortilla chips from jar into a dish. Set aside.

Remove seasoning packet. Set aside.

Place rice in large pan. Add 10 cups water and 1 (10-oz.) can Rotel or other brans diced tomatoes with green chilies and seasonings from packet.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Add tortilla chips. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 cups soup.See More

Homemade Gift ideas: Texas Two step Soup Mix

2010-12-03T00:39:00.001-08:00

Texas Two-Step Soup Mix in a Jar
1 (1.61 ounce) package brown gravy mix (regular or no-fat)
2 tablespoons mild red chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
10 to 12 regular-size tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1 to 1 1/4 cups uncooked small to medium-size pasta (such as wheels, shells, macaroni)

Pour gravy mix into wide-mouth pint jar. In small bowl, stir together chili powder, oregano, cumin, onion and garlic salt. Pour into jar to make second layer. Add layers of tortilla chips and pasta to fill jar. Seal with lid. Attach gift tag (below) and decorate jar as desired.

Attach a gift tag with the following instructions:

Texas Two-Step Soup

Brown 1/2 pound ground beef in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add contents of jar and 7 cups water; heat to boiling. Stir in 1 (15 ounce) can corn with red and green bell peppers and 1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Serve with crushed tortilla chips and shredded Monterey jack cheese, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Homemade Gift ideas: French Market Soup in a Jar

2010-12-02T00:03:00.000-08:00

French Market Soup Mix in a Jar

1 lb Dried navy beans
1 lb Dried pinto beans
1 lb Dried great northern beans
1 lb Dried green split peas
1 lb Dried yellow split peas
1 lb Dried black-eyed peas
1 lb Dried lentils
1 lb Dried baby lima beans
1 lb Dried large lima beans
1 lb Dried black beans
1 lb Dried red beans
1 lb Dried soybeans
1 lb Barley pearls

Combine all beans. Dived into 14 (2-cup)gift packages; present with the following recipe for French Market Soup.

FRENCH MARKET SOUP RECIPE: 2 cups French Market
Soup mix 2 quarts water 1 ham hock 1 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 ( 16-oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsley chopped 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 chili pepper, coarsely chopped 1/4 c. lemon juice

Sort and wash 2 cups bean mix; place in a Dutch oven. Cover
with water 2 inches above beans, and soak overnight. Drain beans; add 2
quarts water, ham hock, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil' reduce heat,
and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Add remaining
ingredients; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hock from
soup. Remove meat from bone, chop meat and return to soup. Yield 2
1/2 quarts.

Homemade Gift ideas: Curried Lentil Soup in a Jar

2010-12-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

Yields: 2 jars soup mix

Total Time: 5 min
Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart
2 ( 1 quart) jars with tight-fitting lids
1 pound(s) red lentils
Salt
6 tablespoon(s) minced dried onion
2 tablespoon(s) curry powder
1 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
1 pound(s) green lentils
1/2 package(s) (5-ounce) dried apple rings, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoon(s) dried parsley leaves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions

1.In bottom of each glass jar, place 8 ounces red lentils; top with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3 tablespoons dried onion, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 8 ounces green lentils, 1/2 cup apple pieces, and 1 tablespoon parsley, in that order. Seal jars and store at room temperature up to 1 month.
2.Prepare labels with cooking instructions; attach to jars. Add these cooking directions to each label before giving as a gift: Place lentil soup mix in 3-quart saucepan with 7 cups water. Heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 8 cups soup.

Cooking with Missy: Pumpkin Pie with Pecan topping

2010-11-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

With the holidays getting closer and me seeing more and more delicious things come out at the bakery I have to improvise and make them at home or pay out through the nose shopping. I'd rather spend the money on gifts and use my time to make the food and it also gives me a chance to test out recipes for Thanksgiving and see if they make the cut for the family meal.

This pie will retail at close to $15 for a whole pie or $3.50 a slice at places like Cracker Barrel. So why not stay in and have a fun day with the kids cooking?

I had most the ingredients sitting in my cupboard so I didn't have to pick up any extra stuff from the grocery store this trip but I think you could do most of this for under $5 at Aldi's. It may cost a little more through some of the upscale grocery stores like Krogers or Publix, but also the spices and sugar will last through other recipes.

Pecan topped pumpkin pie

ingredients

1 recipe Deep-Dish Pie Pastry
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream or one 12-ounce can evaporated milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Deep-Dish Pie Pastry. Mix pecans and brown sugar in small bowl; place 3/4 cup pecan mixture in bottom of pie shell. Reserve remaining pecan mixture for topping. Combine pumpkin, half-and-half, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in large bowl; mix well. Pour into prepared pie shell.
2.Bake for 50 minutes or until just set in center. Add butter to remaining pecan mixture; stir until moistened. Sprinkle pie filling with pecan mixture; bake for 10 minutes more or until topping bubbles around edges. Cool on wire rack.
3.Makes 8 slices
4.Deep-Dish Pie Pastry: In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 6 tablespoons shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to the side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time until all the flour mixture is moistened (about 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water). Form into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Ease pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim and crimp edge, as desired. Set aside.

Pictures to follow later. :)

This recipe was borrowed from Better Homes and Gardens.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/pecan-topped-pumpkin-pie-538239/

Cooking with Missy: Basic Pie shell

2010-11-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

Any good southern cook has this recipe memorized. You can use it in so many ways, with a fruit filling fresh from the garden to the standard family favorite of Chicken pot pie.

My grandmother taught me how to make the best crust with the flakiest lightest texture ever. The real trick to keeping your crust perfect is not over working the flour and using very cold ingredients. Chill your water in the freezer before you make this and it will turn out perfect every time. If the dough starts to get too warm, put the whole bowl in the fridge for a few minutes and then go back to rlling it out and cooking it.

Basic Pie shell recipe

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening, or combination of shortening and butter, chilled
•3 tablespoons ice water

Preparation:

Sift together the flour and salt; sift again. Cut in the shortening or lard with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time (approximately 3 tablespoons in all), stirring the dough around the bowl with a fork. As soon as it is moist enough to gather into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Handle the dough as little as possible. Roll half of the pastry dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. The pastry should be about 1 1/2 inches larger than the the pie plate. Repeat with the other half of dough for a double crust pie, or freeze the remaining dough for a future pie. Makes enough for a double crust for a 9- or 10-inch pie, or two single crusts.
If recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, prick the pie shell with a fork and bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 3 minutes; remove from the oven and prick some more if the crust is puffing up. Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Place on a wire rack to cool, then fill as recipe directs.

Cooking with Missy: Melts in Your Mouth BBQ Ribs Step 2

2010-11-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

BBQ Ribs - Simple Super Soft Ribs [Recipe 003]
I cooked/baked some very simple ribs. My mother came up with this recipe and it is very versatile. You can definitely modify it to your liking.

Simple Super Soft Ribs
There are three main steps to making these ribs:
• Boiling the ribs
• Slathering the ribs in your choice of BBQ sauce
• Baking the ribs

Get some ribs and cut off most of the fat. Lightly cover the ribs in salt, coating all the meat. Repeat with pepper and garlic powder. Once this is done, put all the ribs in a large pot and fill it with water so that all the meat is covered. Add a little bit more salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil until the meat is soft. This make take 2 or more hours. Once the meat is soft enough, turn off the flame and let the ribs cool enough for handling. Preheat your oven to 375F.

Now, brush (more like dab since the meat can just disintigrate since it's so soft) your choice of BBQ sauce liberally all over the meat.

Arrange the BBQ coated ribs in a baking pan that can accomodate all the ribs placed side by side. Do not stack the ribs. At this point you can pour a little more BBQ sauce over the ribs. Cover the baking pan with foil completely.

Place the ribs in the oven and let them bake for about 30 minutes. At around 30 minutes check to see if the BBQ on the ribs has dried or not. If it has, brush on more BBQ sauce from the pan. Now remove the foil and turn off the oven. Let the ribs stay in the oven for 10-15 minutes allowing the BBQ sauce to dry a little. After the sauce has dried a little, you're done!

Enjoy!

Cooking with Missy: Kansas City Ribs

2010-11-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Yeah, you think I'm cheap? I am not sure you know the emenaing of the word... My grandmother lived through the Great Depression and she was a real tightwad. When she (generously) took us out to eat as children we weren't allowed to order drinks.

It's been a tradition to not tolerate waste. I have it ingrained in my brain so deep that I am afraid to throw out those little packets of ketchup. Not that I have a clue what to do with them besides put them on french fries.

So, I found this recipe for a great BBQ sauce that uses up a whole cup of ketchup. Yay! I finally found a use for those little packets

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutesYield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:
•1 cup ketchup
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup vinegar
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons paprika
•1 tablespoon chili powder
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 teaspoon cayenne
Preparation:
Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until brown. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

Cooking with Missy: Emeril comes to the rescue

2010-10-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

Today we have a family gathering and I think it's a potluck kind of thing, but I was asked to bring something very specific. A Key Lime pie. Huh?

Did I mention I don't know how to make a key lime pie? I think maybe--maybe I have tried eating one once in my life. If that, but never--and I mean never--have I tried to make one before now.

So I went searching on the internet this morning for a recipe to help me in my mission. What I found was Emeril's Key Lime Pie. You all know Emeril? The Chef on Food Network that loves to add energy and excitement to his cooking. He's got live music on the show and he gets excited when he adds spices and something that adds pizazz to his cooking so he says "Bam" as he does it. I love to watch Emeril. Emeril makes cooking fun and he's a smart business man as well, owning several restaraunts in New Orleans that showcases his flair for Southern cooking as well as a few others around the world.

So when I saw he had worked on a recipe for Key Lime Pie I couldn't wait to try it. If anyone could save me from my cooking nightmare, Emeril could do it! Oh and it looks so yummy. The topping is a sweet and sour mixture that I hope will taste better than meringue.

So here goes:

Emeril's Key Lime Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
2 whole eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into two 9-inch pie pans, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Pictures of my finished product. Not so pretty, but the pies tasted yummy and got rave reviews from all the family.

If you want to see the more detailed recipe you can visit Food Network here and leave a comment:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/key-lime-pie-recipe/index.html

My first attempt at a cake from scratch

2010-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

I usually either buy a cake from the bakery or use a mix from the grocery store when a birthday rolls around our house. Well, today I have more time than money so I thought I would try to make one from scratch.

The recipe I used is a plain yellow cake recipe and it turned out good enough that I thought I should share it.

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x13 inch pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3.Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

A recipe for super easy quiche

2010-09-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

This recipe is taken from one of Jo Seagar’s cookbooks called Jo Seagar Cooks and as the title states, the quiche is very easy to make. It’s the perfect thing for a summer picnic, unexpected guests or a quick weekend dinner.

I saw it on a friends blog and decided to make this for dinner.

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese
1 small onion peeled and chopped
6 rashers of rindless bacon chopped
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups of your choice of vegetables (chopped mushrooms, peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, corn, peas, beans, grated pumpkin etc) – your imagination is the limit when it comes to vegetables.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Spray a medium – to large size lasagne dish with no stick baking spray. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 40 – 45 minutes until set and golden brown. If your oven is a fan one reduce the cooking time accordingly. It takes around 30 -35 minutes in a fan oven. Serves 6 people.

Lynne's Love Triangle releases today!

2010-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Can you guess why I'm doing the happy dance over here at my desk? It's a very special day for Cherie and me at Siren Publishing. We had our menage book, Lynne's Love Triangle release!

This is the first book we wrote together that will also go to print. Do you want to hear a little more about it? Well here you go!

Lynne's Love Triangle
Missy Lyons and Cherie Denis
Siren Publishing
Price $5.50

AVAILABLE: Wednesday, September 29th

[Ménage Amour: Erotic Ménage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, May-December, Bondage, light BDSM]

Lynne had to video tape the supernova hot sex the night she landed two men in her bed because she knew it would never happen again. Kurt is sweet and sexy. Troy is dominating and masterful. Both of her new lovers fulfill her better than her deepest fantasy man. How could she pick just one? Will it make a difference that they are both over twenty years younger than her? Will the flames of their desire burn out after this single night of passion is over?

And more importantly, can her new lovers pull together when it really counts and protect her from a crazy stalker trying to kill her? Only time will tell.

To read more or purchase your copy, please visit the publisher here:
http://www.bookstrand.com/node/808494

Lynne's Love Triangle is now available for pre-order now

2010-09-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Lynne's Love Triangle is now up for pre-order and it's one menage you don't want to miss. The fun just gets started after these three get together.

Just a little something about it:

Lynne had to videotape the supernova hot sex the night she landed two men in her bed because she knew it would never happen again. Kurt is sweet and sexy. Troy is dominating and masterful. Both of her new lovers fulfill her better than her deepest fantasy man. How could she pick just one? Will it make a difference that they are both over twenty years younger than her? Will the flames of their desire burn out after this single night of passion is over?

And more importantly, can her new lovers pull together when it really counts and protect her from a crazy stalker trying to kill her? Only time will tell.

Buy your copy here:

http://www.bookstrand.com/lynnes-love-triangle

I hope you enjoy reading your copy!

Lots of love to you all!
Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Lynne's Love Triangle is up for pre-order starting today!

2010-09-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

If you want to make sure you don't miss out, you may pre-order your copy of Lynne's Love Triangle today. Yay!

Lynne's Love Triangle
Missy Lyons and Cherie Denis
Price $5.50

AVAILABLE: Wednesday, September 29th

[Ménage Amour: Erotic Ménage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, May-December, Bondage, light BDSM]

Lynne had to video tape the supernova hot sex the night she landed two men in her bed because she knew it would never happen again. Kurt is sweet and sexy. Troy is dominating and masterful. Both of her new lovers fulfill her better than her deepest fantasy man. How could she pick just one? Will it make a difference that they are both over twenty years younger than her? Will the flames of their desire burn out after this single night of passion is over?

And more importantly, can her new lovers pull together when it really counts and protect her from a crazy stalker trying to kill her? Only time will tell.

Pick up your copy here:
http://www.bookstrand.com/node/808494

Grammar geekiness

2010-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Me a grammar geek? I would never have thought it, but yes it's important to know some basic rules and be able to edit your own stories when you write. So, I thought I'd share some times you need to remember to capitalize the letter.

9 Rules for using capitals in a sentence:

The first word of a sentence or fragment
The name of a day or a month
The name of a language
A word expressing a connection with a place
The name of a nationality or an ethnic group
A proper name
The name of a historical period
The name of a holiday
A significant religious term
The first word, and each significant word, of a title
The first word of a direct quotation which is a sentence
A brand name
A Roman numeral
The pronoun I

Do you know why I thought to post this? Research my dear friend. I had to look up whether or not to capitalize french fries or not. While French might be capitalized if it pertains to the French, it does not have to be capitalized if it is describing a thing.

They are capitalized when they refer to the nationality:

French toast
English literature
Dutch courage
etc.

When they do not refer directly to the nationality, then they are often begun with lower case letters:

french fries
put english on the ball
we're in dutch now!

Please welcome my guest blogger of the day Dee Shore!

2010-09-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

Aloha everyone! For those that don’t know me I am Dee shore. I write BBW, romantic comedy, mainstream romance, and even some erotica. It’s really nice to meet you all! I have been published with Red Rose Publishing since it opened its doors can’t remember thought it’s been a while LOL

Like everyone else I have a zillion favorite things. BUT being the closet techy nerd I am, I have to admit electronic gadgets are my favorite! I can’t live without my BlackBerry or iPod Touch. The combination of having the two is truly perfect in my book.

So today I am going to present to you my favorite apps from both.

For my iPod Touch, it has to be my Nook app. For those of you that don’t know what a Nook is, it’s the Barnes & Noble eBook Reader. Now if you have an iPod Touch you can save yourself money and get this FREE app. And spend the cash on shoes lol. Kindle also has a free app for the iPhone/iPod Touch but I didn’t like it as much. Plus you get three free classics when you download it. I’m ok with that LOL! Here is a sample what it looks like:

To download Nook for your iPhone/iPod Touch. Visit the App Store and do a quick search for it. Please note that you have to be connected to a WIFI network for the iPod Touch.

For my BlackBerry, my favorite app is UberTwitter. I am always twittering, even if I am not at home. So I needed an app to make it easy for me to do that on the go. That’s where Uber comes in. I have tried all the Twitter BlackBerry apps out there and none compare to this one. There is SO much you can do with it that you can spend days learning how to do it all. Heck you can even change the color around it. Mine is purple LOL I had it pink before. I’m such a girl {giggling}.

To download UberTwitter, you can do a quick search for it on BlackBerry App World. Or click HERE from your BlackBerry.

I hope you enjoy my nerd blog and if you enjoy my review I do tons of reviews on my Tumblr so follow me there for nerd information lol You can click on the link bellow *points down*

I want to thank Missy for having me here today. She rocks! And I want to thank you for being here today with me you Rock! \m/\m/

Oh and before I go today is my sisters, Dane, a Happy 28th Birthday. She made so much fun of me when I turned 30 but lookie-lookie she’s just a few years away LOL!

Find me on the web:

• Official Site http://deeshore.net
• Twitter http://twitter.com/desshore
• Tumblr http://deeshore.tumblr.com
• Ringside Series http://ringsideseries.tumblr.com

Thanks so much for spending some time with me!
XOXOXO
Dee

Pass the coffee and let me wake up

2010-09-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

Are you a morning person? I used to love mornings, but lately I've been staying up later and struggling to wake up in the morning. I guess it doesn't matter what I do as long as I don't skip sleep.

My excuse last night was to get a few pages done on the christmas story I am working on. It's like a tradition to me to put out a Christmas story every year. So it's important to me to finish it. Just as much as the others I need to be working on.

I used to love to write in the mornings more than any other time of day. It was quiet and I had the most energy. My daughter was off at school and my husband was at work. As I said mornings were good for me to work uninterrupted, but things have changed, and I now have a new little one to keep me busy in the mornings. So as a working mom, I adapt. I change my schedule but it's going to take some time to get used to it.

If only sleep were something I could skip. Instead of getting a good night's sleep, I seem to be relying on coffee to keep me functioning. I think a lot of people are wired differently. Some have their energy in the morning and others work better at night. As much as I try, I'm not sure I canchange my wiring.

Which brings me to my questionof the day. So are you a morning person or more of a night person and have you ever tried changing?

The blog

2010-09-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been a little lax lately about the blog. Not sure if this really works for me or how to make it work, I kind of left it alone for long periods of time to let it fizzle into nothingness.

But I hope to bring the blog back. If you have an idea for a topic you want to hear about or me blather on about just drop me a line and I'll go for it.

For now, I'm going to try to blog a couple times a week and be more regular even when there is nothing to promote.

Why do you think I suddenly had this talk of promises and goals to blog? I just saw my stats. I blog under ten times a month and have two somewhat loyal viewers. For which I am humbly grateful.

Peace!
Missy

Free Story by Missy Lyons

2010-09-10T18:43:00.001-07:00

Do you subscribe to All Romance ebooks newsletter? You should! There is tons of free stuff in there, contests, new releases and a free read every Friday. Missy Lyons story 'Till Death Do Us Part' will be featured in it October 22 for Halloween.

If you miss out, or don't sign up in time--don't worry! Missy Lyons will feature it in her newsletter that month too. Sign up here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Missy_Lyons_Newsletter/

Thanks and I hope you can enjoy it!
Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Missy's release party at The Romance Studio is today

2010-09-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm hanging out at The Romane Studio until 8PM EST to celebrate my new release, Heart of a Cowboy. Come visit and maybe you'll win some books or something else just as fun!

http://theromancestudio.com/party/

Comment for a chance to win.

Facebook likes me?

2010-09-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

I am testing the facebook streaming like box. I really have no idea how to play with it but am thinking it could be a good idea to use for helping my readers to find me.

Have you tried making a fan page and then making a like button. It gives you two options. One is an iframe:

Then there is the more flexible XFBML but it needs javascript:

Unfortunately I just use what seems to work on here:

You can get more directions here:

http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like-box

The like button is smaller but not really looking like a button for me. However this seems to be a nice option for giving information to people from other places like your website and blog.

Pancakes perfected

2010-08-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Okay it shouldn't take 20 years to find a pancake recipe that can compete with going out to eat, but that is how long it took me. My husband loves pancakes and so I like to cook them for him, but he always complained that they were never as good as the ones at McDonald's or at IHOP. So recently I found a copycat on the web for the IHOP pancakes and I decided to try it.

Finally, the whole family says they had the best pancakes ever at home. I wanted to share it with you.

(IHOP) INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES PANCAKE RECIPE
(copycat recipe)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.

In a blender or with a mixer, combine all the ingredients until smooth.

Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be light brown. Cook on the other side for same amount of time, until light brown.

Makes 8 to 10 pancakes
Source: Vicki Oseland, rec.food.recipes/1998

Heart of a Cowboy is is available for pre-order now!

2010-08-24T15:12:00.001-07:00

Heart of a Cowboy
Missy Lyons
Genre: Paranormal Gay Romance, m/m/m
Price $4.50

Heart of a Cowboy is up for preorders and officially goes on sale Monday August 30!

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW OR READ AN EXCERPT

AVAILABLE: Monday, August 30th

[Ménage Amour ManLove: Erotic Alternative Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/M/M, Shape-shifter, Interracial]

Derek is only working for a month to pay off his debt to Jessie, but not everyone likes his openly homosexual lifestyle. He knows what it feels like to be beaten to within an inch of his life so he doesn't give a rat's ass what people think.

The attraction between him and the hunky Indian Ishwar is instantly satisfying. He finds himself begging for more every second he is near him, but when he falls into the arms of a stranger, things only begin to heat up, until an unforeseen peril puts him in danger.

Derek must prove he has the heart of a cowboy, and it will take every ounce of love and strength in his heart to make it through this ordeal alive.

A Siren Erotic Romance

BUY YOUR COPY TODAY!

Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Summer fun with sheep!

2010-07-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

Summer usually means I slow down my writing business quite a bit as I have other more important things to attend to. Kids are home and out of town visitors like to do the touristy thing here. I feel like all my free time is gone just trying to keep the kids busy and while this week Kid1 is in Horse Camp, next week we have to find something else to do.

So I want to learn to felt with the kids. After researching a little I bought some wool and realized it is a lot more work than I thought. The farmer gave me raw wool--straight off the sheep with stickers and grass still in it.

So my next project was to learn to clean it before I can start anything else. I found an excellent article here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wash-wool-or-other-fibers-for-spinning/

and will be posting the results soon.

Writing Contest details for Whispers Publishing

2010-07-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd pass this along. It's a great way to get your foot in the door with a really good company and make some money.

******

Beginning JULY 1, 2010, Whispers Publishing will be hosting the "African-American Heritage" writing contest. The contest is open to all writers published and unpublished.
THE DETAILS
• Each story must be a minimum of 10,000 words but no more than 30,000 words.

• Each story must be centered around a piece of African-American heritage like the Nala necklace or the Khanga or be set in a place that is rich in African-American History. Both the hero and the heroine must be African-American. The possibilities are endless, and we leave the choice up to each individual writer.

• Any genre or time period is acceptable. Be creative and don't limit yourself.

• There is no entry fee.

• Contest deadline is August 15, 2010.

• There will be three winners chosen as well as two honorable mentions.

REQUIREMENTS:
Entry must not have been published in any format, including the author's website.
Entries exceeding 30,000 words will be disqualified.
Entries should not include any subject matter which Whispers Publishing does not currently accept. Please visit our submission guidelines for further information.
Entries must not be submitted before July 1, 2010. Entries submitted before this date will be automatically disqualified.
Prospective entries should be submitted no later than midnight (12:00 a.m.) EST on JULY 31, 2010.
Entries should consist of the title of your story, the genre, a brief bio, and the story in rft format attached to the e-mail. No other formats will be accepted.
Limit two entries per person for two separate works of fiction.
Each entry should be emailed to whisperssubmissions @ gmail.com (without the spaces)with the words African Heritage Entry in the subject line.
Your name (both real name and pseudonym if used), address, telephone number, and a valid email address must be included with your query.
JUDGING:
All entries must be received by August 15, 2010.
Judging will begin on August 16, 2010 with the top three winners and two honorable mentions notified on or before October 15, 2010.
All entries will be judged by published authors with the final round judging decided by Whispers Publishing's Editor-in-Chief and Whispers Publishing's staff editors.
PRIZES:
First Place Prize winner will receive $50.00, an award certificate, and a contract for publication of the winning entry.
Second Place Winner: $25.00, an award certificate, and a contract for publication of the winning entry.
Third Place Winner: $10.00, an award certificate, and a contract for publication of the winning entry.
Honorary Mentions will receive an award certificate and consideration for publication.

Exciting new program for authors and publishers at Amazon

2010-06-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

Amazon is now offering 70% royalty rate instead of the standard 35%, but there are some definite rules you have to abide by and one of the things you have to do is select the new option for any stories that it may apply to.

Here are the directions borrowed from the community forum:

To change the Royalty option for your book, please follow the instructions below:

1. Log-in to your DTP account at https://dtp.amazon.com/mn/signin
2. Select the "Actions" drop-down menu next to relevant book and choose "Edit book details."
3. Ensure all required fields in “Your Book” section are complete, and click "Save and Continue."
4. You'll then be redirected to ‘Rights & Pricing’ where you can select the preferred Royalty option.
5. After selecting the Royalty option, click on the check box to accept the Terms & Conditions.
6. Once done, click "Save and Publish" at the bottom of the screen, and you're all done.

Please note that it may take up to 48 hours for the changes to take effect.

You can also see this short video for instructions on how to change your existing titles to the 70 royalty option: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zEHhBsGuno

For more details on qualifying for our 70 percent royalty option, visit: http://forums.digitaltextplatform.com/dtpforums/entry.jspa?externalID=377

Are you anywhere near Ohio this weekend?

2010-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

I plan to attend the Lori Foster reader and author get together this weekend in Manchester, Ohio. If you happen to be attending too, I can't wait to meet you, and if you are anywhere near the area feel free to stop by on Saturday for the booksigning. It's free and open to the public 2-4 PM.

For more details about the conference check out the website here:
http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

Friday, June 4 — Sunday, June 6, 2010
Cincinnati Marriott North at Union Centre, West Chester Ohio

There will be lots of food--lots of fun and lots of great new friends to meet. Can't wait to see you there!

Lots of love!
Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Where did my muse go?

2010-05-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Writing can be incredibly easy and at times incredibly hard. No matter how you work it, whether you are a pantser or a plotter, you have to write to get paid.

It's easy when the muse loves you, and she romances you at night, visiting your dreams, and the characters are happily chatting away in your head until you can get somewhere to write it all down.

But you can't wait around for the muse everytime, because as we all know that muse is a fickle bitch.

She left me a plot bunny and then took off for the hills. I haven't seen her in a week. She's cruel like that. Whispers sweet nothings in your ear and then forgets you exist.

I can give up some time to research, some time to help me figure out how the characters might overcome a certain spot in my story, but too much means I get nowhere. So that's not what I am going to do. I just have to choose a story and stick with it. I need to write 4 pages a day for the next month to get even close to my goal. I have promised stories to write with friends and with certain publishers and I have to write, whether my muse likes me at the moment or not.

I think we all work differently and because I have been writing professionally for a few years now I have learned a little more how my mind works. Each time I am able to enter the writing zone, I can do pages at a time because my mind has become one with the characters. Their goals are my goals, and I am literally in their head at that moment. I couldn't tell you much about what is going on around me, because I have this ugly disease I like to call 'writer's brain'.

You don't have to tell me what I look like when I get it. I have this pretty dorky blank exresssion on my face and I tune out much of what is going on around me. I become non-responsive and can't hear what you are saying. If I do hear something from the depths of my brain I usually have to answer with another question, "Huh? what did you just say?"

There can be a lot of anxiety or unvoiced fears making it to this point. All stuff I would never freely admit but it's there playing as background music to my writing. "Oh, this won't be any good. It won't live up to the expectations of my editors/readers/insert anybody you want here. It's all crap anyway so why write it?" Once you can get past that, the words flow like a river of wine. It's pure genius. You OWN writing today--1500 words--one little scene down. You are on top of the world, and you have completed a small section of a larger work.

The anxiety returns and you have this unseen barrier that stops you from moving on, but if you push past it and finish the next scene that is how you overcome writer's block.

I have to deadlines. I have to write. I don't have a choice to sit around and wait for my muse, but if you see her send her home, but please don't warn her that I plan to chain her to my computer the next time I see her.

So you want to be Nora famous?

2010-04-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am not sure I feel the same way. I like Nora Robert. I admire her talent, her success, and her ambition, but I don't think I want her life. Or her money.

I am not feeling jealous and do you know why? When I see talented friends do well, I am happy for them. They worked hard for it and to get those words down on paper every day. They write, they sell, and they live breathe and eat their books.

I can't always do that, so I am happy with my own progress. I may not write 9 to 5 pm, but that doesnn't make me any less professional or less driven. The key to true happiness in this business is keeping your nose to the grindstone and not comparing yourself to anyone else.

Forget about Nora Roberts and her millions of fans and that she writes so fast that they have her writing under two pen names and she re-releases books every month from Harlequin just to keep her contract in effect. I don't envy her life for anything. Or many of the New York Times Best Selling authors.

I don't want to give up my life for the moment. I have to work and long for the day I could just write, but that day may never come and even if it did, I still have jobs that will never go away. I will always be a mommy, and a wife. I can't imagine life being so different that would allow me to be Nora rich, so that I could have a housekeeper or a nanny or any of that.

But in the end isn't your life what you make of it? Write because you love it and live life so you can write about it. Stop being petty and jealous and just enjoy what you have. It's too short to look back and regret anything about it.

Those ultra famous authors we love to compare ourselves and hence our writing with didn't get in this business becuase they expected to get rich, and they didn't stay in it because they loved the money. It's hard work and harder work to stay on top, but they did it first and foremost because they loved telling stories. They do it so well, because they didn't think about he results night and day, just getting the words right.

I am writing this to remind myself and others, we all have our ups and downs. Some days we may be able to write 20 pages and others would be lucky to get out two words. It can all be very depressing when you need to produce so many pages a day to make contract obligations or fulfill promises. However it isn't the word count that really matters, but the quality and our own happiness level.

My average of two pages a day doesn't begin to compare to Nora Roberts or many of my friends at the moment, but it is all I can do to do that much. Seeing my kids is more imporatant at the moment. I can't help but think that when they grow up they won't care if their momma is a world famous romance writer, but they will always remember the time I could spend with them. It's all about priorities and yeah, I wouldn't mind being famous, or rich, or a future Nora Roberts, but I'm not and never will be. So am I jealous?

Not even close.

I love who and what I am right now. I am happy being a mom. I love being a storyteller, but I don't resent my choices and sacrificing to just be a mother to my children.

***Waves to Nora Roberts in case she just googled herself.

Interesting article in the NY Times

2010-03-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to pass along this link. It is about e-books and talks about pricing from the perspective of the big NY publishers and the bookstores.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/business/media/01ebooks.html

Enjoy!

An author's Inspiration

2010-02-26T07:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I have trouble keeping focused. Yeah, me. There is the kids to worry about, my graphic design business, lots of icky housework and wifely duties I won't even mention and then writing seems to take a backseat to everything.

I feel lacking.

Maybe it's because I compare myself to authors with high levels of production, but I got deadlines coming up everywhere and just am not dedicating the time I need to get it done to write those pages. I figure with all the deadlines, I need to be writing 8-12 pages everyday.

This time I was thinking of trying something new and working backwards. I made the cover before I wrote the story. What do you think? Too plain? Should I add the spaceship in the sky and or the large cat she shapeshifts into or would that make it too busy?

I am using this as a source of inspiration for the story. Not sure if it will be used as a cover yet, but here is what I worked on last night.

Oh and my list of writing stuff? Here it is. Hopefully I can give you some good news soon!

Strictly Business 3/31(Siren)
Timeswept 4/15 (Whispers)
Cougar 5/1 (Editor pitch in June)
Girls and Guns 6/1(Editor pitch in June)
Guns and Roses 8/1 (Editor pitch in August)

Hope you all are happy and warm!

Thesaurus for erotica writers

2010-02-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Credit is due to Sasha white from Romance Divas for this little goody. I thought I could bookmark it here and help others who may also need to come up with something a little more creative. It should make writing those love scenes a little easier.

Enjoy!

*******

Languorous ~ relaxed, sleepy, indolent, languid.
Carnal
Lust ~ yearn, desire, hunger for, ache for.
Sexy
Sassy
Angry ~ surly, sullen, brooding,

Admire - appreciate, respect, value.

Adore – love, worship, esteem, be passionate about, revere , idolize, exalt

Appetite - craving, demand, gluttony, greed, hunger, inclination, longing, lust, passion, ravenousness, relish, taste, thirst, urge, voracity, weakness, willingness, yearning,

Arouse - agitate, awaken, electrify, enliven, excite, entice, foment, goad, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, rally, rouse, spark, stimulate, stir, thrill, waken, warm, whet,

a**- butt, buttocks, globes, rear end, bottom, cheeks,

Blush – flush, redden,

Brutal - atrocious, barbarous, bloodthirsty, callous, cruel, feral, ferocious, hard, harsh, heartless, inhuman, merciless, murderous, pitiless, remorseless, rough, rude, ruthless, savage, severe, terrible, unmerciful, vicious,

c*nt – p*ssy, vulva, sex, core, labia, lips, quim, snatch

Delicious - enticing, exquisite, luscious, juicy, moist, succulent,
lush, rich, savory, tempting,

Dick- c**k, shaft, hard-on, erection, hardness

Ecstasy - delectation, delirium, elation, euphoria, fervor, frenzy, joy, rapture, transport,

Ecstatic - delirious, enraptured, euphoric, fervent, frenzied, joyous, transported, wild,

Erotic - amatory, amorous, aphrodisiac, carnal, earthy, erogenous, fervid, filthy, hot, impassioned, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, raw, romantic, rousing, salacious, seductive, sensual, sexual, spicy, steamy, stimulating, suggestive, titillating, venereal, voluptuous,

Gasp - gulp, heave, wheeze, choke, inhale, snort

Heated - ardent, avid, excited, fervent, fervid, fierce, fiery, frenzied, furious, impassioned, intense, passionate, raging, scalding, scorched, stormy, tempestuous, vehement, violent,

Hunger - appetite, ache, craving, gluttony, greed, longing, lust, mania, ravenousness, voracity, want, yearning

Hungry - avid, carnivorous, covetous, craving, eager, greedy, hungered, rapacious, ravenous, starved, unsatisfied, voracious,

Liquid - damp, juicy, moist, luscious, melted, moist, succulent, viscous, wet , broth, elixir, extract, flux, juice, liquor, nectar, sap, sauce, secretion, solution, vitae,

Lithe - agile, lean, pliant, slight, spare, supple

Moving - (exciting,) affecting, affective, arousing, awakening, breathless, dynamic, eloquent, emotional, emotive, expressive, facund, far-out, felt in gut, grabbed by, gripping, heartbreaking, heartrending, impelling, impressive, inspirational, meaningful, mind-bending, mind-blowing, motivating, persuasive, poignant, propelling, provoking, quickening, rallying, rousing, significant, stimulating, simulative, stirring, stunning, touching,

Need - compulsion, demand, devoir, extremity, longing, must, urge, urgency / desire, appetite, avid, burn, craving, eagerness, fascination, greed, hunger, insatiable, longing, lust, taste, thirst, voracious, want, yearning,

Pleasurable - charming, gratifying, luscious, satisfying, savory,

Prowl – Stalk, lurk, creep, slink,

Pleasure - bliss, gluttony, gratification, relish, satisfaction, thrill,

Rapacious - avaricious, ferocious, furious, greedy, predatory, ravening, ravenous, savage, voracious

Rapture - bliss, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, glory, gratification, passion, pleasure,

Rigid - adamant, austere, definite, determined, exact, firm, hard, rigorous, solid, stern, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding

Thrust - (forward) advance, drive, impetus, impulsion, lunge, momentum, onslaught, poke, pressure, prod, propulsion, punch, push, shove,

Thrust - (push hard) assail, assault, attack, bear down, buck, drive, force, heave, impale, impel, jab, lunge, plunge, press, prod, ram, shove, stab, transfix, urge,

Thunderstruck - amazed, astonished, aghast, astounded, awestruck, confounded, dazed, dazed, dismayed, overwhelmed, shocked, staggered, startled, stunned,

Torment - agony, anguish, misery, pain, punishment, suffering,

Writhe - agonize, bend, jerk, recoil, lurch, plunge, slither, squirm, struggle, suffer, thrash, thresh, twist, wiggle, wriggle,

It's dying--Do we help put it out of it's misery or kill it?

2010-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

I knew this day was coming. I just didn't want to admit it until it was spelled out for me. My car mechanic called me up and gave my car a death sentence. I bought it used and it's been a trusted and reliable source of transportation for my family, now well it's just a sad...sad day in my house.

Parents Choice for the top 15 Family Friendly Cars

Having fun with Semicolons

2010-01-26T06:03:00.001-08:00

Grammar never seems to be much fun, but this guy makes it a lot more fun to read about or learn. Enjoy!

Too funny not to share.

13 Of My All Time Favorite Movies for Women

2010-01-21T03:52:00.000-08:00

It's that time of week again, where writers everywhere spend their Thursdays linking up thirteen random things that might be funny, silly, sad or just plain fun to read. All of it helps you to get to know the authors just a little bit better.

If you want to make a list on your blog, then leave a comment and I will link to you.

For my blog today I thought it would be fun to list my favorite chick flicks--the movies that pulled at my heartsrings so much that I could watch them over and over again.

1 The Princess Bride
2 Nim's Island
3 When Harry Met Sally
4 What a Woman Wants
5 Hitch
6 You've Got Mail
7 Ever After
8 Splash
9 Pursuit of Happiness
10 Twilight
11 Harry Potter
12 Pretty Woman
13 Star Wars --there is a love story in there somewhere isn't there? I'd hate to have to strike this one from my list.

Remember to post a comment so I can link to your blog! :) Here are the authors participating today. (Just click on their name to visit their site.)

Alice Audrey
Ella Drake
Jennifer Leeland
Paige Tyler
Debbie Cairo
Inez Kelly and Elise Logan

Shameless begging for votes

2010-01-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

I was just notified that COWBOYS DON'T DANCE is in a contest and
I need your help. Whipped Cream erotic romance reviews wants to know which book or story sounds like the best read based on their reviews. They gave COWBOYS DON'T DANCE an outstanding review (which you can read when you visit their site) and I appreciate it, but winning this contest would be even better.

The poll ends tonight and I would appreciate you taking the time to visit this site and vote:

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/recentrev.htm

Thank you for your love and support! You can find our title COWBOYS DON'T DANCE about halfway down the list of books.

Missy Lyons
www.missylyons.com

Michelle Pillow's newest releases

2010-01-05T20:31:00.001-08:00

TITLE: NEW IN PRINT: King of the Unblessed, Faery Queen, Stone Queen
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Fantasy Romance by Michelle M. Pillow

The Realm Immortal series is in it's 2nd printing. Check out the awesome new cover art for them (Thanks Mandy!)

Pick up your copy either online or in bookstores!

REALM IMMORTAL series

Book 1: King of the Unblessed
The choice is simple: go with him or die.

Realm Immortal, Book One
Merrick, dark elfin King of Valdis, had once been heir to all that was good—happiness and pleasure his domain. Now, trapped as the ruler of mischief, king of necessary evil, he stands on a precipice of choice. On one side, his estranged brother, now ruler of what should have been Merrick’s and, on the other, King Lucien of the Damned. Both would sway him. Damnation is winning.

Lady Juliana of Bellemare is from a human family, protected by the Blessed, coveted by the Damned. Betrothed to an old friend of her father’s, Juliana is resigned to living out her days close to her childhood home, longing for an adventure, never dreaming she’d get what she wished for. When her fiancé is murdered and the children of Bellemare are stolen, Juliana is sent on a quest in a strange realm where appearances are deceiving.

Merrick brings more adventure and passion than any woman could want. Can she withstand the temptations of the Unblessed king? The spell she weaves over him is more than he can resist and, desperate to be the one to rule her, Merrick offers her a choice; either come with him until he tires of her…or die.
Buy Print / Ebook

Book 2: Faery Queen
It is ill-advised to incur the wrath of a faery, but it is most foolish to do so of a faery queen…

Realm Immortal, Book Two
Queen Tania of the Faeries is tired of waiting for Hugh, the Earl of Bellemare, to come back to her. A year has passed since his commitments pulled him from her side and she’s begun to suspect he never intended to return. Disheartened, the queen’s mood darkens until she finds she has no choice but to teach the earl a lesson he will never forget—that no human should dare lie to a faery queen.

Hugh’s hatred of the magical world is well known and he wishes to live out the rest of his life in the mortal realm, doing his noble duty. Too bad his heart hasn’t caught up to his head. Thoughts of a tenaciously seductive queen haunt him, even as he knows the woman only wanted him as a plaything for her bed. But it would seem he can’t run far enough, for the teasing nymph won’t back down and Hugh finds himself at the mercy of a vengeful faery.
Buy Print / Ebook

Book 3: Stone Queen
To gain the only thing he truly wants, he’ll have to risk everything.

Realm Immortal, Book Three
Juliana, newly appointed Queen of the Unblessed, has realized there is a bit more to her position than she first thought. Sure, it has its perks: a sinfully sexy husband who is also a king, growing powers and a magical life that’s never boring, but the drawbacks are considerable. To save her kingdom from war, Juliana accepts assistance from a witch. But when her reality turns upside down, she realizes she’s been betrayed.

For a brief time, Merrick knew happiness, as much happiness as the king of necessary evil could ever feel. Juliana has become the light in his darkness. Though he can never tell his wife he loves her—or risk upsetting the balance of both the mortal and immortal realms—the words are understood between them. Or so he thought. When she falls prey to a wayward spell, becoming encased in stone, he knows he’ll have to risk everything to gain the only thing he truly wants.
Buy Print / Ebook

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The Almost Kiss

2010-01-02T06:42:00.000-08:00

I had the awesome opportunity to take part in the almost kiss contest in Frankie Writes. Go here to see all the deets: http://frankiediane.blogspot.com/

This is from my current work in progress, Elvis Makes Three and it's a forced kiss between the two men.

****

“One of you ruined my life and I want to know which one did it.”
“Did what?”
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, don’t give me a load of crap. You know what I mean. People are coming up to me in public places—my students think—oh God—do you have any idea what it’s like to have strange men look at you like you’re a porn star?”
“Lynne, calm down.”
“No, I'm not done yet. One of you two lost me my job.”
“How did that happen?”
“Our That stupid video got out on the web and everyone I know and don’t know has seen it. The parents of my students asked for my resignation.”
“Lynne, I never would have hurt you on purpose.”
“I would never have taped it if I knew whatthat would happen.”
“I think I know how this happened though. About a week ago my computer got a virus. I think someone got in behind the firewall and stole my personal information.”
“You didn’t do this on purpose?” She shook her head in disgust. Her head said to make them suffer, but her heart told her that he was telling the truth. “God, you have no idea what you put me through. No idea what I had to suffer.”
“I didn’t even know it happened.” He looked remorseful but was he really? What would he do in order to make it up to her. She should put him through hell right now. God knows he deserved it.
“Do you want me to kick his ass for you?” Kurt cracked his knuckles moving toward his target. “I am going to enjoy this.”
“No wait. Don’t hurt him. I don’t want you to kick his ass.” Suddenly she was struck with a wicked notion. What if she asked something they would never consider. Would they do it to keep her? Would they do it to make her happy? “I want you to kiss it.”
“What?”
“Lynne, I don’t understand.”
“You can’t be serious!”
“I am deadly serious. Kiss and make up. Or both of you can leave right now.”
“I am tired of your pettiness and your arguing. Now it’s time you do something for me and my pleasure for once and I want to see you kiss.”
“But Lynne, I’m not into that. You know I’m not gay.”
“It’s either kiss or go home. Make up your mind.”
“Well, count me out. I’m going home.”Kurt was pissed now. There would be no reasoning with him now, unless it came down to the worst possible outcome. He stomped towards the door.
“If you walk out of that door, then I never want to see you again.” She could feel her heart flutter in response to the ultimatum. It was a bold move, but the boys had to get along or this thing between them would never work. “Ever.”
Kurt paused with his hand on the doorknob.

Seducing the Sherriff by Marie Nicole Ryan

2009-12-21T04:45:00.000-08:00

So--I have a good friend who just had a release this last week. Yes, she's a fellow romance author and unlike some of my other friends. She lives close enough that I get to see her once a month at our local writers meeting. I am so happy for her and want to help her get the word out about her new book.

“Seducing the Sheriff” by Marie-Nicole Ryan
Samhain Publishing
Genre: Historical Romance, Red Hots!
ISBN: 978-1-60504-846-8
Length: Category
Price: 4.50
Publication Date: December 15, 2009

Half dressed and going for naked…

Starlight Tyler needs to lose her virginity, as in yesterday. With her mother, a Pinkerton, and a wealthy man she doesn’t love on her tail, there’s only one place to cut their cruel intentions off at the pass—get herself back into the arms of long-lost love Cordero Tate. Pronto.

She never expected to be tripped up by someone else’s past.

Sheriff Cordero Tate is a haunted man on a mission. Come hell or high water, he’ll round up every member of the gang responsible for the deaths of his wife and unborn child…and make damned sure he never puts his heart on the line again. As in never impregnating another woman. One look at Star, though, and all the old feelings come back in a rush. Worse, she’s just as determined to brand him as hers as he is to keep her chaste.

Their exploration of ways around that impasse leads to three nights of unbearable sensual pleasure. Until her past catches up to her…

Warning: This story contains a lot of hard ridin’, some ass kickin’, and a whole lot of lovin’ goin’ on. No doors left unopened.

Read an excerpt here or buy now.

I got my copy already and can't wait to read it! Just have to get a few minutes of babt free time. lol

Random House makes a grab for ebook rights

2009-12-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is a good round up of all the links with a few comments. Random House made an announcement to the authors and agents that their backlist belongs to them in ebook form and authors can not publish their own backlist.

This is a good reason to pay attention to your contract. This is a huge blow to authors and agents because they can't pursue profits from resale and it may just sit in the publishers vault.

http://www.nadialee.net/blog/2009/12/random-house-to-authors-all-your-eright-are-belong-to-us/

Kissing under the Mistletoe

2009-12-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

Kissing has been going on under the mistletoe for ages, but have you got in on the action? In theory it sounds like fun. Staking out the area under a plant and waiting for your future victims--ahem...crushes to lock lips with.

It's a nice placed to set up a romance, and that thought is how a story can be born. Inspiration can strike anywhere, and that is when I will begin to research the inspiration so it can work for my future stories. Where did the strange cultural custom come from?

The answer lies in ancient Scandinavia. There it was recognized as the plant of peace. If enemies met in a forest beneath it, they would make a truce to not fight until the next day. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe began with the Norse myth of Baldur, who died and was then resurrected. Frigga his mother at the birth of her son, made all the plants in the forest promise that they would not harm him. Loki who was also the God of mischief noticed she forgot the mistletoe plant. He tricked another God into killing Baldur by fashioning a spear tipped with mistletoe. Since Baldur was a God of vegetation, his death brought Winter to the world. Eventually he was brought back to life and his mother decreed the mistletoe plant sacred, ordering it to bring love rather than death into the world. So even now when two people pass under the misteltoe they will kiss to celebrate Baldur's resurrection.

Have you ever kissed under the mistletoe? Not me, but I've always wanted to.

Open calls for Chicken Soup for the Soul

2009-12-09T10:49:00.001-08:00

We’re Looking for Stories!

We have many Chicken Soup for the Soul® books in development and are adding new titles all of the time. We are always looking for new stories and poems and hope you have some for us to consider. Take a look at the list of our future book topics to see if you have a story or poem on a subject we are looking for and then please submit it to us.

If you have a great story or poem you want to submit but we are not collecting for that topic at this time, please save it and check back with us soon. Our list of Possible Books Topics is added to frequently and hopefully, in the near future, we will add a topic that will be a perfect fit for your story or poem.

You can submit your story by going to the link at the bottom of this page. Thanks!

Here Are Our Future Topics:

...Results Stories...
Have you read a particular Chicken Soup story and, after reading it, found that it changed your life? We are looking for stories on how a story made important changes in your life and what specifically happened to you after you read it. Please be sure to let us know the title of the story that touched your life.

Christmas and Holidays - Ho Ho Ho
We love the holidays! They are a magical time of the year; a time of family, friends and traditions. They can bring special joy and unexpected blessings into our lives. Please share your Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa stories with us... stories that will touch the souls and warm the hearts of our readers. The deadline date for story submissions is January 15, 2010.

Devotionals for Mothers
Being a mom is one of the most challenging -- and yet rewarding --jobs a woman can have. With God on your parenting team, the burdens are lighter and the rewards are sweeter. If you have a brief true story (up to 600 words) that shows God’s presence during a parenting moment, please share it along with an applicable Bible verse and a 2-3 sentence prayer. You will receive ten free copies of the book and $100 for each published devotion. The deadline date for submissions is February 28, 2010.

Dieting and Fitness
Eat less - exercise more! We have all heard these simple words but, in reality, dieting and staying fit require a lot of work. Tell us about your commitment to health and fitness. What changes did you make in your eating habits? What kind of an exercise program did you follow that made the difference? Were you still able to treat yourself to that occasional delicious piece of chocolate cake and stay in shape? The true stories in this book will inspire you, make you laugh, touch your heart, and let you know that you can do it! The deadline date for story submissions is January 31, 2010.

Family Matters
Do you have a great story about a wacky or dysfunctional family member? We know you love them, but it's still great fun to read about all those crazy relatives and compare them to ours. Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family has been a big hit, so let's do it again. Send us your stories, funny or serious. Submit under your real name, but rest assured we expect most of you to use pen names for publication and change the names of family members to protect the innocent (or guilty!). The deadline date for story submissions is February 28, 2010

Grandmothers
Everyone has a great story about the unconditional love between grandmothers and their grandchildren. We are looking for wonderful stories celebrating grandmothers and grandchildren, written by grandmothers about being a grandmother, and by grandchildren about their grandmothers. Stories about stepgrandmothers and honorary grandmothers are welcomed also. We are not looking for stories from children so please save those for a future book. The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery
Grieving is a difficult process that those who have lost a loved one must go through in order to get to the recovery phase. This important collection of stories will be like a support group that will offer comfort and understanding and show you that, no matter how devastating your loss is, you are not alone. You can get through the process and, with time, you will regain your strength and move forward with your life. The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery for Cat Owners
We all know that we will probably outlive our cats, but that doesn't change our grief when we lose them. This book will help cat owners deal with their loss. We would also like stories about aging cats and getting a new cat after losing a previous cat. Please submit stories about the whole cycle of pet loss -- the aging of your cat, the loss, and the recovery (i.e. new kitten). The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Grieving and Recovery for Dog Owners
We all know that we will probably outlive our dogs, but that doesn't change our grief when we lose them. This book will help dog owners deal with their loss. We would also like stories about aging dogs and getting a new dog after losing a previous dog. Please submit stories about the whole cycle of pet loss -- the aging of your dog, the loss, and the recovery (i.e. new puppy). The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2010.

Mothers and Daughters
Mothers and daughters… they are, at the same time, very similar and also completely unique. Mothers show daughters who they will become. Daughters live out mothers’ dreams. Through birth, childhood, teen years, adulthood, grandchildren, aging, and every step in between, this relationship can be the best, the hardest, and the sweetest. The deadline date for story submissions is December 31, 2009.

New Moms
Becoming a new mom is the most amazing experience, unique and unlike any other. From the moment that baby is placed in your arms, there is an incredible feeling only a new mother can know. This book celebrates the physical, emotional, and spiritual experience of having a child and creating a family. We are looking for heartwarming, insightful, and humorous stories about raising babies and toddlers that share with our readers the wonders of early motherhood. The deadline for story submissions is February 28, 2010.

Preteens
The preteen years – those years from nine to twelve can be rough from both a physical and emotional perspective. You are not a kid anymore but you are not yet a teen. There are so many issues to deal with and sometimes it feels like you are all alone. You are not! The stories in this book – almost all of them written by preteens just like you – will prove that to you. We are looking for stories that will inspire you, make you laugh, make you think and let you know that life is not as bad as it might seem. The deadline date for story submissions is June 30, 2010.

Teens
A completely new book on one of our most requested topics – TEENS. The stories in this book, written almost entirely by teens, will be stories that you will want to read again and again. They will serve as your guide on topics such as the daily pressures of life, love, school, friendships, parents and much more. We are looking for stories that will encourage you, inspire you, make you laugh, make you cry and show you that, as tough as things can get, you are not alone. The deadline date for story submissions is June 30, 2010.

Thanks Dad
We are looking for funny, quirky, and unusual stories, as well as those heartwarming stories about the unique ways that our fathers help us and show their love for us. We are not looking for eulogies, life stories, or very serious stories. We are also not looking for stories about your children. This book is about Dad and for Dad, so let’s give our fathers a good time and a book that will make them smile. We are reopening the database for Thanks Dad for two weeks, so if you have a great story about your father, we look forward to reading it. We prefer stories and poems written in the first person of no more than 1,200 words. Stories should not have been previously published in our books or other major publications. Previous publication in school newsletters, local newspapers, and other small circulation venues is okay. Stories must be non-fiction. The deadline date for story submissions is December 14, 2009.

Thank you!

Click Here to Submit Your Story

Open Call for anthology

2009-12-09T10:34:00.001-08:00

A Cup of Comfort® for Couples: (Call for Submissions)
Stories that celebrate what it means to be in love

It is said that love works in mysterious ways. And this anthology will reveal the many mysteries as well as the inner workings of true love. Of course, being a "happy couple" involves more than being in love, and making a romantic relationship work takes more than romance. So this book will feature uplifting true stories with a balanced mix of tones—romantic, poignant, humorous—and on a wide range of topics: From falling in love to the secrets of lasting love. From celebrating special moments between you to overcoming bumps in your relationship. From experiences that brought you closer together to experiences that threatened to tear you apart. From endearing rituals to challenging changes. From sparkling new love to glorious golden love. Or any other topic that speaks to the joys, the challenges, and/or the nature of a romantic partnership that works for you. Narrative essays preferred. Story Length: 1000–2000 words.

Submit Your Story Now
Call for Submission Deadline: April 20, 2010
Finalist Notification: June 15, 2010

Bubbling creativity

2009-12-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

I have a theory that says most writers are very creative, artistic people that just need an outlet. I've always had a love for arts and crafts. My favorite style is Primitive country. It's been a long time since I played with my paints or used my cross stitch supplies.

I think most of creative energy has been going into my writing, but this last few months I've been wanting to do something to my dining room table. Something completely unpredictable and different.

I warned my husband what I planned to do, so he could get used to the idea of eating with chickens everday.

Here is the final result.

Another shot here:

And here you can see my source of inspiration and my work in progress:

I won't be quitting writing anytime soon, but I would love to learn to knit too. Some of the ladies at the writers meetings knit the entire time they are there.

Jennifer Leeland has a new book out today

2009-12-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who released a book through Samhain today and thought I would share. Hope you enjoy it!

"The Christmas She Rules"
Control is her kink…and she’s losing it.

It’s another gloomy Christmas for Pamela Dane. Not only is it the anniversary of a dark period in her life, but all her friends had the nerve to hook up. It’s not easy for a female Domme to find a playmate. Maybe The Cage in San Francisco will be the perfect place to escape—and find a willing man to chase away the memories.

Christian Nolan is at the BDSM club for the hell of it. Yet the minute Mistress Dane takes control of him, she not only stuns him with her talent, he stuns himself with his willingness to surrender. Her offer to meet him there for another night is intriguing—and frightening.

Pamela’s session with Chris shakes her to the core, resurrecting memories she’s afraid to face. But Chris isn’t willing to let her past haunt her…even if it leaves his heart in tatters.

Warning: Hot, strong man on his knees, which will bring you to yours. Strap-on action, anal play, lots of leather and tons of tension. Alpha male who likes to do whatever the right woman tells him to do, including another woman.

BUY IT HERE!
Want a taste? Read an excerpt HERE.

12 Days of Promo: Day 1 Books Don't sell themselves

2009-12-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

Writer's myth #1: Books don't sell themselves.

As a new writer you can feel overwhelmed very quickly. I wonder if I would have even become a writer if I realized how many hats you have to juggle. Writing is hard work. It takes a lot of effort get a book done. A little luck, and after some sweat and sometimes some tears, you have a polished story ready for your adoring public--or so you hope.

The biggest stumbling block is that your public doesn't even know who you are yet. Some writers hope that being put out by the big boys in New York, you won't have to work as hard. In today's economy that just isnt' true. You can be epublished, print published or self-published. It really doesn't matter who you are, or where you are starting out on that ladder, you need to know how to market yourself. Your books are your business. Your name is your brand and you need to think about how raise your royalties if you want to eat. With marketing budgets being slashed left and right, the majority of that responsibility falls on you. The writer.

So what's a struggling writer to do? Well, if you don't want to starve you got to get your name out there. Put yourself on the map and tell people about your book--and I don't mean to spit out the well rehearsed blurb. You got to tell people why they should read your book. Why they even want to crack open the book.

Writing is not usually a lucrative field. Except maybe for the lucky (and hardworking, I might add) authors who make the New York Times bestseller list. The majority of authors I know make under $20,000 a year. On top of that, it's highly competetive. If you don't meet your deadlines, the editor usually has someone ready, willing and able to take your place in line to get their book published.

So what's my advice to those authors dreaming of retiring on the royalties they make from their first book sale? Don't quit your day job just yet.

Publishers expectations are high. They expect you to be well rounded, have an internet presence, and be a marketing machine. You have to blog and network. You need to set yourself apart from all the other writers to choose from. So what's a writer to do? First off, just breathe.

Just like writing, you can't do it all at once. Just remember that it took more than a day to write your book. You need to expect it to take more than a day to market your book as well. I find that by setting aside an hour each day I can use that time to market myself. Or if you find, it easier, make it once a week or something similar, but remember it will take time. You can work on a newsletter, a blog, a graphic design, ordering bookmarks, making contests, setting up live chats, booksignings, or anything you find works.

Most blockbuster bestsellers are not first time booksales. You build an audience with each book and you learn and grow, finding more effective places to market yourself.

Building name recognition is to me the most important thing you can do for your career. It starts by branding yourself. Coming up with a tag line. Some of my favorites are by ebook authors, but there are quite a few used by really big names in the business. What are tag lines you ask? They are short and to the point. People use powerful words in short phrases to get the attention of the readers, editors, and agents. Put simply, tag lines sell books.

Here are some examples but I am sure you can think of some other names:
For Karen Marie Moning's Fever series che uses "Catch the Heat, Feel the Fever!"
For Stephen King's book "The Cell"--"There's a reason cell rhymes with hell."

There are some other things that can help. When writing try not to jump around from genre to genre. Write books that are similar in tone and in the same filed. Sticking to a genre makes it so your readers can come to know what to expect and repetition does not hurt. It can remind people when they see your name, that they meant to buy your book.

What have we learned today?
*Stay organized
*Make a schedule
*Set aside time to market yourself
*Brand is big business

12 Days of Promo--Day 1
12 Days of Promo--Day 2 (coming Dec 2)
12 Days of Promo--Day 3 (coming Dec 3)
12 Days of Promo--Day 4 (coming Dec 4)
12 Days of Promo--Day 5 (coming Dec 5)
12 Days of Promo--Day 6 (coming Dec 6)
12 Days of Promo--Day 7 (coming Dec 7)
12 Days of Promo--Day 8 (coming Dec 8)
12 Days of Promo--Day 9 (coming Dec 9)
12 Days of Promo--Day 10 (coming Dec 10)
12 Days of Promo--Day 11 (coming Dec 11)
12 Days of Promo--Day 12 (coming Dec 12)

Cowboys Don't Dance got reviewed by Night Owl Romance Reviews

2009-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

Oh I am excited to see the reviews are coming back finally. Night Owl Romance was kind enough to give us 3.25 hearts, by Chris.

"This was a good read. While I enjoyed the interactions between Jesse and Angela it was a little too easy how they fell into bed together. Well, not bed actually. They seemed to do it everywhere but in a bed! The sex was well-written and definitely steamy... It delivered where it mattered; a happy ending."

Yay!

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW HERE

Rip Cord is available now!

2009-11-29T19:29:00.001-08:00

Here's a brand new release from one of my fellow romance divas. A special heatsheet from Phaze Books about some very bad boys!

Rip Cord

ISBN 978-1-60659-542-8

Blurb:

Gil Davis hated high school. Ever the geek, he has no intention of attending his 10th year class reunion. The last thing he wants is to relive the taunting and teasing he received during his teenage years. However, there is one thing he missed from high school: the star Varsity football player. The one he had a crush on since the first day he laid his eyes on him.

The last thing he expects is the now pro football player to come back to their home town to attend a lame high school reunion. Known as the Bad Boy of the NFL, Ripley “Rip” Cord, not only shows up, but shows up without a date and an eye for Gil.

Read an Excerpt

Length: HeatSheet (12K words)

Only $2.00! Buy link: http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Rip+Cord/exact_match=exact

Check this sale out!

2009-11-28T07:32:00.000-08:00

Mundania is running a Holiday Sale for all imprints. Entering the Discount
code SANTA when checking out gives a 20% discount on the entire order.

This runs from now through New Year's Day, January 1, 2010 on Mundania,
Awe-Struck, and Phaze Books.

So what does that mean for you? You can get any of my classic romances at Phaze books for a great price! All of the following books are ebook prices. Print prices vary based on length of books.

39 And Holding Him was $5.00 now $4.00
Blood Ties was $3.00 now $2.40
Bound by Desire was $3.50 now $2.80
Closing the Deal was $2.00 now $1.60
French Kiss was $3.00 now $2.40
Gold Fever was $5.00 now $4.00
Straight Up was $2.00 now $1.60
The Rapture was $2.00 now $1.60

Just go to www.phaze.com to fill up your library!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Graphics

Just wanted to wish all my friends a Happy Thanksgiving this year.

Whether you choose to make it traditional,

or make it a less flashy and skip some of the extras. I hope you are able to make it everything you want.

Finally got a review for Straight Up!

2009-11-25T02:40:00.000-08:00

I really loved this story and wrote it during a time when I was having a hard time writing a traditional romance. I was nine months pregnant and my mind wasn't at my best game. It's written very different from what I normally write and the viewpoint changes every chapter to a different exotic dancer.

Anyway, I was rather pleased that the first review came back with some very positive comments.

"If you want a red-hot erotic story guaranteed to make you squirm, then you need to read Straight Up." --Tiger Lily from Whipped Cream reviews

Go see the entire review

Picky...picky...

2009-11-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

So this is just another reminder to me that we are not alone on the web. We need to remember what we say on the web is public and it can always be held against you.

RWA is not allowing the renewal of Jane Litte's general membership due to blog and twitter activities that have stated something to the effect of, "I have not ever written a book or plan to write one." For those of you who don't know she keeps up the Dear Author blog and participated in #romfail twitters.

Copy of the letter:
http://img115.yfrog.com/i/uvb.jpg/

Original blog post:
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/11/23/rwa-wants-associate-members-who-foster-relationships-between-readers-and-authors/#comments

When it comes down to it, there are many people that are members that feel that way but have not said so. I do think she is being singled out because of her public persona, and she could join in another aspect as a publisher/editor or agent or some other professional nature, but the technical reasoning behind this decision means there is some kind of task force or some policing going on at the moment that just seems uncalled for. If someone is willing to shell out the $100 they should be able to join. Singling people out like this reminds me of high school and the way the popular crowd could diss anyone they wanted and get away with it.

I know the people who run RWA have been busy this week just dealing with Har-Hoe, but was this really necessary?

The romance community is up in arms over Harlequin's bold new move

2009-11-17T12:07:00.000-08:00

So have you heard about the new Harlequin imprint that will self publish authors? It has the entire romance community up in arms. What does this mean to the authors and readers of HQ? More importantly, how do you feel about it?

http://www.erecsite.com/blog.html

Do you see RWA taking a future stance on this? Will they depose Harlequin as a vanity press? I think it is interesting to say the least.

A Love Neverending by Roan Larke

2009-11-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I do nice things, and today I was asked to blog about a fellow Romance Diva author. It looks like a very hot book you might want to check out!

A Love Neverending
By Rowan Larke

Death took Jason from Clarissa, and she blames herself. Night after night, she throws herself into the arms of other men—men who abuse and pleasure her, but never take her far enough. She is waiting for the one who will take her over the edge and into death, so she can be reunited with Jason.

Death didn’t take Jason far enough. Every night, Jason watches. His immortal self is trapped inside the club Clarissa owns, and he longs to be with her once more.

Death is a dark angel. A handsome man. The promise of violence in his eyes draws Clarissa to him. Will a single night in bed with Death be all it takes to destroy Jason and Clarissa’s love neverending, or will it be just the beginning?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM theme and content, violence, voyeurism.

(Authors note: This book also contains hot angels who sometimes do bad and/or dirty things.)

Buy it now at Loose-Id

Create a sticky note for your site

2009-11-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

I found out about this super cool and fun site that allows you to create sticky note pictures here: http://wigflip.com/superstickies/

Now, it's time to get back to writing. My muse is calling.

Investing time in your relationships

2009-11-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Last night was the first time in along time that I got away from the kids and hada date night with my husband. We went out to eat at Red Lobster, my favorite restaurant of all time, because of the cheese bread, mmmm. But the whole experience of date night in the middle of my 13 year marriage got me thinking. Not everyone would bother having a date when you are already married. Why bother when you already are married? Why not just spend the night home or take a nap to relax? Or veg out in front of the television?

I have seen too many relationships die because they didn't bother to invest time in their relationship. It doesn't have to be a night out at a fancy restaurant. It doesn't even have to cost money but you do need to work at it. Succesful relationships aren't passive. They don't just happen and they do take work. There are a few myths I have gotten over as I grew older. I don't beleive my husband will fill all my needs in life and I don't expect him to. I love him, but it's not up to him to make me happy. Happiness has to come from within first.

I think people should leave healthy balanced lives, and that means not focusing everything they have in one thing. It's important to remember your needs and not to focus on just your kids as a mom. You need to do more than work, and play isn't what you need. Money can't buy happiness, although in my short experience it doesn't hurt. :)

Keeping friends and spouses means investing time in that relationship to keep them alive. It's amazing that even when living together in the same house marriages can grow apart because people failed to give much thought to the other person's needs or wants. You walk by each other day after day, without really communicating. One day you look up after raising the kids twenty years later and ask yourself who you married. Truth is that you won't know if you don't spend time with them, and I am not talking about snuggle time, but the time you hold hands, and talk. The time you learn about each other's dreams and desires. Your goals for the future.

Friends are the same way, requiring time to help them mature and grow.

I feel as a writer we tend to be naturally introverted, focusing on our stories, getting our own tasks done. Writing can lead to a very solitary life. All we do is to sit in front of a computer and type. YOur body needs exercise to be healthy, so it's important to get up and take a break once every now and again. Do a few exercises and get your blood flowing. Take a walk with those you love most.

Don't forget to look up from the keyboard once in a while and look around at those that love you. You deserve that time too.

Phaze is having a sale!

2009-11-13T10:59:00.000-08:00

Friday the 13th doesn't have to be a bad thing! All day today, Friday, November 13th, take 13% off everything at Phaze Books! Use this sales code at checkout:

FRIDAY13

Shop and enjoy!

Phaze Books
http://www.phaze.com/
Exceptional Erotic Fiction

Plotter or Pantser?

2009-11-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of words that are only used by writers. Plotting or pantsing describe certain writing styles. When I first heard the word pantser I had a mental image of a little boy depantsing his victim, but I was wrong. Pantsers write by the seat of their pants. They don't know what they are going to write until their characters tell them and they can be surprised what happens as much as the reader.

Plotters--well--they plot out their scenes diligently.

I can't say any type of writer is better than the other. I think I tend to lean towards the plotting side of the spectrum, but I don't go way out and build full outlines or picture boards. I have a really lean outline I use, just to get my characters to go in the right direction. I start with one sentence for the scene just to remind me what's supposed to happen.

Pantsers have a certain excitement and unpredictable nature to their stories. I like that but a lot of pantsers will write themselves into a corner that they can't get out of and have to rewrite the beginnings to fix that.

Plotters are predictable but steady, and the bad thing about plotting is it can get boring. Or worse, you feel like you have already told your story, since you outlined it--so why write it when it's already been told?

There's benefits and negatives to each style. I think it's best if you can identify your writing style early on and use it to your advantage. Also, not to fight it. If you use a combination of styles, even better.

Wasps--don't freak out it's just a bug

2009-11-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

I've been lucky that I haven't had to deal with wasp or bee stings at all with my kids up until now. I have been stung enough times in my childhood that it's not something I would wish on anyone. It's simple to handle if you know what you are doing and you can research a few home remedies on the web.

Well yesterday my darling daughter got stung by a wasp,

and I'm sure it was a wasp because I killed the little bugger after she ran away screaming.

Stings are painful and I didn't expect her to be rational through the event but I had to be. Through her screaming and jumping up and down, I screamed back to get it under cold water and go to the bathroom tub.

So she did and I followed close behind. The very first thing I did was to get some allergy medicine in her and watch her closely for the beginning signs of an anaphylactic reaction. If her tongue is swelling up, or she experiences odd reactions like dizziness it may be life threatening. Otherwise I can probably handle it on my own. I expect the worst because my husband has severe allergies, but was lucky in this case she did feel tingling on her throat so it may be worse next time.

First thing you have to do is inspect the sting site to see if the stinger was still inside or not. It's important to remove it if it is because there may be more venom still being released.

I applied an anti-itch cream for bug bites from my first aid kit but you can also use vinegar to help stop the burning sensation. Then you want to keep any open wound dry and clean, so we applied a cool camouflage bandaid (in honor of Veterans Day) and then got a bag of ice.

The bag of ice helped the most, but what she wanted the most was just to be held and comforted. To know that everything was going to be alright and that pain was going to go away eventually.

A Day off--sort of

2009-11-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

So I took the day off from my business. That means no writing and no cover art, but it doesn't mean I got the day off. I still have a sick baby to tend to, and lots of housework to keep me busy.

I also emailed a takedown notice to a certain pirate site offering my books for free.

During the last nap time of baby I decided to take some me time and just read, so I read Anne Sorgeson's Pure Magic. It was an average read to me, but there were some good points that kept me turning the pages, but nothing that made me connect to the author.

It's been so long since I had a really good book. I read a lot because I promise to critique or am supporting friends, but right now I'm in the mood for something non-romantic, bordering on the edge of sci-fi or fantasy and I can't get my fix from the people I know.

This and that

2009-11-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

It' Tuesday morning and not much is going on. I have nothing substantial to blog on, but I'm here because I said I would be. My promise was to blog 30 days solid. I have some ideas for future posts, like a sample cease and desist letter, and how or where I find inspiration for my stories, but today I simply lack the energy. Two days in a row, I got up at 2-3 a.m. because of baby. I can't catch up on sleep once that happens.

Or who knows, maybe the energy problem is something else entirely different, like a change in my routine. Probably because I'm running on decaf coffee. (Oh the horrors!)

And you thought the big NY pubs wouldn't jump on the bandwagon

2009-11-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Harlequin just made a new digital imprint company and publically announced the start of a new company. For authors interested in joining up, you can find submission information on their blog.

They will pay twice a year and the minimum word count is 15k. They were still discussing the contract details so they wouldn't divulge that info.

However, in the print market, they pay 6% of sales which can't be sustained in the digital market without the larger sales numbers. The competetive rate is 35-50% from the other digital publishers. I am curious, what they will decide on because authors have to eat too.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/33785094

Egg on your face: Where did that saying come from?

2009-11-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder where a certain phrase or saying came from? Words have meaning and often more power when clustered together, but certain phrases are well just weird.

This morning, I gave my daughter breakfast. We tried something new, and to my delight she loved her eggs. :) Yay. Since I have a hubby that's allergic to eggs, I just don't fix them that much. Unless it's for myself.

Anyways, my baby girl ended up with egg on her face. Not just her face, but smeared across her forehead. It got me to thinking, where did that saying come from? Someone had to start it sometime and I know the meaning, but it's kind of a weird phrase. I have to research little tidbits of information and things just like for my stories. If you are writing a historical, you don't want to use a word that hasn't been used yet. Something too new for the world you are building will destroy the reader experience, so this makes accuracy very important.

The internet makes my life so much easier. If I begin to wonder about something, I just google it. So as for the phrase egg on your face, I found my answers here:

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-egg2.htm

Here is the meaning:

It often implies that you have made a serious mistake, but more strictly it indicates that something you have done (or some turn of events) has left you looking embarrassed or foolish

And when do you think it came into being? Only fifty years ago or so according to this article:
It feels like one of those expressions that have been around for ever, but the evidence suggest that it dates only from the middle of last century. It’s definitely American in origin, though now widely known wherever English is spoken.

I know of two suggestions for where it came from. The late John Ciardi suggested an origin in the lower-class and more rowdy kind of theatrical performance, in which an incompetent actor would have been pelted with eggs and forced off the stage. The other is that it was a comment on a minor social gaffe at a meal, when poor manners or sloppy eating left egg around your mouth.

As so often the origin is obscure but this newspaper story suggests that the latter is more likely, and that it began as US teenage slang:

A peek at the script turned up these gems, which Jane says are in the vocabulary of most any 15-year-old these days: “Hold your lava, Vesuvius!” (To a talkative friend). “There I was — with egg on my face!” (describing embarrassment).

The Bee (Danville, Virginia), 27 Aug. 1941.

***

The internet is very cool at times. :)

Gone fishing

2009-11-08T08:48:00.000-08:00

This morning the rest of the family has gone fishing and I was the one left behind. Which I am fine with--honest. Baby was napping and I didn't want to wake her up. I also don't find it fun to chase after her on the shoreline while everyone else is having fun relaxing on the beach with their poles in the water.

So, I stayed home, caught up on laundry, did some dishes, watched some tv, swept the kitchen floor and began the tacos for lunch.

I still have to do some shopping, and this will be a no writing day for me. I can't get it done with the family home and reading over my shoulder. It just doesn't work for me. I think everyone has their systems.

Does anyone else google themsleves? I started setting an alert so I can know when things happen, or my name gets mentioned on the web. 90% of the time, I know it's there already, but today my books came up on a certain pirate site. Agh. The blight of any author's career and paycheck is stolen books.

I'd like to say it doesn't bother me, that those people would never have read my books anyway, but the fact is that it's not true. I have freebie books I have written to introduce people to my writing, I don't mind people reading what I wrote, with the hope that they will read more of my books, but I can't afford to lose too much. With my husband losing his job twice over the past year, paying off thousands of dollars in medical bills (between the miscarriage, the birth, and my hubby going blind we should be bankrupt), and the usual running of the house, I have come to rely on my income from my books, and my graphic design business to eat.

I don't make that much. I am a small name author just beginning to get some reader interest and this is a fight I am not excited to have to fight.

So spank me--I didn't get it done

2009-11-07T07:37:00.000-08:00

I didn't get my writing done yesterday. I got two sentences out, but forcing myself to write doesn't always work. I've had this happen to me before and I wouldn't call it writers block exactly. I sometimes have trouble when I don't agree with what's happening in the story or about to happen in this case.

In Blood Ties, I got hung up on the torture scene. It was necessary to the story, but I had to squeak out every page in the beginning.

Now, I have written a few m/m scenes so I don't think that's my hold up. I feel like I am fighting with the writing because of the forced sex scene. It's not a captive love scene and not rape but neither of my characters want to do it, so having me force them feels wrong.

Well, I plan to take the day off and spend it with my family today. I'll try again on Monday.

Day 5 of my 30 days of Pain

2009-11-06T06:15:00.000-08:00

Oh geez, so today is day 5 of my promised blog a thon. I can hear a steady chant in my head "You're not gonna make it." over and over again. I am trying to shut it up so I can just focus and write. I usually start out my day by getting coffee, getting my daughter settled, and then catching up on email and a few favorite blogs. There's one that was really good to share.

On the Gen Reality blog a NYT bestseller shows her royalty statement for the whole world to see. I can't tell you how excellent this information is. No one will break it down for you so simply. You have to go see for yourself and when you are done support her by buying the book.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Twilight-Fall/Lynn-Viehl/e/9780451412591/?itm=6

Today's to do list means writing a m/m scene. (Somebody hold me!) I am not good at those. I will probably write it in three layers. Writing out the dialogue first, then the tag lines and the physical and environment characteristics last. Yeah, it takes me forever to get through these scenes but I am not very good at the gay sex scenes yet. Maybe I need to read a few more.

Good news! My writing partner has a Revise and resubmit request from our publisher, and I'm so excited and proud of her. Hopefully she will get a contract soon and I can tell you more about it later.

By the way, Romance writers rock! Some of the sweetest and most supportive friends I have are romance writers. I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of this industry!

What was I thinking?

2009-11-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

30 days of blogging solid? What was I thinking? Nothing I have to say can be that important that you'd want to listen to me everyday and yet here I am blathering.

I'm tired, cranky, and probably catching what my daughter had last week so excuse my grumpiness. Coffee should fix my mood, but the self doubt can only be changed by success.

Today, I hope to do a number of things. Top of the list is to change the kitty litter. I have to wait for a store to open to buy new kitty litter. What I won't do for my family.

There was a lice outbreak at my daughters school, so I also want to buy some hairbands to make putting her up a little more fun. Today she was in tears because of the way I did her hair in pigtails. Tears! It wasn't fashionable--wasn't the way she wanted it.

I have to ask myself was I this difficult? All I want is to reduce the chances of getting lice from another child. Having your hair up helps. This wasn't meant to be a battle of wills or an educational blip on nasty critters that live in your hair, but it turned out to be both. She is at the age where she is full of questions. Why don't boys have to put up their hair? What happens to me if I don't wear my hair in a ponytail? What if...

Time to forget it all and just write.

Todays scene is in Elvis Makes Three. Kurt is helping Lynne to set up her classroom for when she goes back from Winter Break.

To blog or not to blog?

2009-11-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how much I think I should be blogging more. It instills a habit of writing regularly and often. It's good to reach out to other people and sometimes writing about an issue in life or your story helps you work through that tough point, but I have been slacking lately.

For the month of November, I am going to try to change my lazy self indulgent ways and post something every day.

It may not be good, or even worth reading, but it will help me get back in the zone.

For now I have a major to do list that is ever growing, both in my writing world and the real world:

1.Write dinner scene in Gold Fever II
2.Write angry confrontation between Kurt and Lynne
3.Catch up on dishes
4.Fold laundry
5.Unstinkify the cat litter (for which kitty would be most grateful)
6.Change first chapter in Hellbent to describe how girl got taken to cult. I think she's going to be a romance writer.
7.Get back to Timeswept

Tuesday afternoon

2009-11-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

You know it's funny, even when I mean to blog, sometimes I don't always get around to it. I think, yeah this event was cool in my life, but is it blogworthy.

Sure it's the superbowl, but does that make it blogworthy? Not everyone is into sports. Not everyone is into once a year opportunities. Not everyone will even bother to read this but here I go to waste my time to write about it. When I could be spending time with my family or better yet writing mroe stories. It's tough to make time and to use it wisely in this business. Especially when you have so many hats you are expected to wear as a writer. You have to write, blog, market, mysepace and blast your books on all the social media outlets. Then show up to booksigings, conventions, and other special events.

Agh.

Multi-tasking can lead to things not getting done, or done well.

It's frustrating to say the least but then I think I need to put my loyalty and my time in the one thing I can control. My writing. I can write more and put out more stories or better quality stories and ultimately perhaps increase my readership.

How do you find a great book? Videos anyone?

2009-11-02T15:16:00.001-08:00

Well tonight I made a great discovery! I found a place where I can look at books on video! Check it out here:

www.watchthebook.com

Forget looking at the cover, or reading through a lengthy blurb, you can now watch a video to figure out if that book is worth buying.

Very cool stuff!

I created a video tonight for Cowboys Don't Dance and you can see it here:

If it weren't for bad luck

2009-11-01T11:36:00.001-08:00

I would probably have no luck at all. My children seemed to inherit my luck.

Some people don't believe in luck. Some people say they make their own luck. I believe in magic and little things like fate or destiny. So yeah, call me superstitious, but I give heed to little things that might not bother someone else.

Yesterday could have been better, but then again isn't it the 31st? and when I think about it, isn't 31 the reverse of 13? A very unlucky number according to many superstitious people.

Let me start of with the beginning of my day. First the dogs got let out by my older child. Now, let me remind you that it has been raining on and off for the last two weeks. Our backyard is a mudpit. Which the dogs have been playing in true calabunga style. Mudwhomping and rolling and running to produce ten foot high splash zones.

I went downstairs to look at them through the glass doors and made an instantaneous decision that they would not be coming inside today. Covered in mud from head to toe, they looked like little aliens with dreadlocks matted with mud as thick around as a 45 calibur bullet. Ugh. They would have to stay outside until I had the opportunity to deal with them.

I had to prioritize and right then it was more important to take my daughter trick or treating and spend time with family. So off to gandma's house we went. After dressing both girls up in their costumes, we prepared to leave, but my oldest daughter was complaining of a headache.

She never complains. So I had the suspicion she might be getting sick, but she didn't have a fever and didn't look awful. We could deal with a headache. I gave her some aspirin. When that didn't work, I bought some caffeinated soda just in case she was going through a caffeine withdrawal. It didn't work, so I made her take a nap, hoping to sleep it off.

I had a hard time leaving her alone, but knew sleep was probably the best thing for her. None of my little remedies worked. Worse, when she woke up she had a fever. Her headache was worse than ever. She was sensitive to light and sounds, coughing, nauseous, and just plain miserable.

So because a few hours had passed, I dosed her with Ibuprofin this time and we headed off to the ER. No trick or treating for this little girl. By the time we got home, it was all over. That also meant for the baby's first Halloween she had to sit this one out.

I feel badly that she had to sit out on one of the few nights a year dedicated to children and it seems when she gets sick, its more likely to happen on the weekend, or during a holiday, or a spring break. Last year for Christmas morning she was throwing up. We didn't get to play with her toys for several days, she just had to rest and get better.

Well, you'd think that was bad enough, but when we got home our night of fun was not over. As soon as I opened my car door, I was greeted by a cold wet dog nose.

Apparently, our dogs were busy assaulting trick or treaters in our neighborhood while we were gone. The lock wasn't on the gate, so they opened it. You would think the kids were bad enough, but there was also a really rancid skunk odor, that was lasting proof the dogs were too stupid to live. Somehow, they managed to get sprayed by a skunk! I will have to send an apology letter to each and every one of my neighbors now.

Agh! Stinky stupid dogs. I rounded them back up in the backyard and put off the bath till tomorrow. I still had kids to put to bed and no patience to deal with stinky stupid dogs.

The next day I dealt with them and it was no easy task. The dogs are a lot smarter than I give them credit for. I had it all organized, hoping to limit the mess, but none of my plans worked. I was outwitted from the start. It's two against one, you understand. They escaped from the dog kennel. Twice. Each time, they had to run upstairs and then shake off their wet doggy fur all over my house. Evemtually I gave up and stuck them in the bathroom. About ten minutes later they decided they had enough, opened the door and came in to greet us. Finally my hubby intervened and used zip ties to keep the kennel doors shut.

Whew. What a morning.

Do any of you know a way to change a person's luck? I am willing to try anything short of voo-doo magic and bathing myself in chicken blood.

Cowboys Don't Dance is out today!!!

2009-10-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have pre-ordered the book, thank you!! For those of you who are waiting for the release day, that day is today! Cowboys Don't Dance is out October 29th from Siren Publishing.

Cowboys Don't Dance
Written by Missy Lyons and Cherie Denis
Siren Publsihing
Price $3.99

Blurb:

Jesse has no problem attracting women, but all they want is a relationship, marriage, family—the works. Angela, his best friend's baby sister, is the only woman he never thought of as girlfriend material. That is, until she gives him dance lessons and he discovers beneath her prim, repressed shell is the sexual temptress he's always wanted.

Angela is attracted to Jesse, but their relationship can't be anything but complicated since he's engaged to another woman, or so she thinks. When Jesse reveals the truth behind his "engagement," and his feelings for Angela, will the flames of desire still burn hot, or is Angela just after a bad boy?

Sex and sin never went together so well.

******
Get your copy today!

Get your copy today!!!

Checklists and the business of writing

2009-10-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

I got the middle of the week blah's this morning--and it's only Tuesday! I got a lot on my plate and most of it has to be done by the end of the week. With a family, my priorities are constantly changing. Sometimes I don't get it all done, but I try. Somehow the baby gets fed and changed but my housework may sit longer than it should.

I am a compulsive organizer. I organize my time, by making checklists every day and what doesn't get done gets moved to the next day. When I check off something it makes me feel a sense of satisfaction and just good. So I like my checklists and they work for me. I find when I don't use my lists things don't get done or get forgotten. Even for something as simple as going to the grocery store. Frequently I forget if it's not on the list.

This habit of making lists transfers to my writing. I am a plotter by habit. I need to know where I am going to get there. It doesn't have to be a long outline, just a sentence for the scene or a thing to remind me what is supposed to happen.

I even try to organize my year ahead of time. From my corporate days I hear that those people that set goals acheive more. So I have a list of goals I look at every day. They hang right next to my computer. If I am not moving towards those goals than I am not going to be better off than the year before. The one I keep ignoring is to solicit an agent, but it's going to be more realistic in 2010. I hope to attend more events as baby gets older and see agents and editors at those events. The RWA national conference will be in my hometown next year. So I can't miss that!

How do you organize your day?