It's a Major Award.

No, not this kind.

It's not even Frah-geeel-eh. Or, Italian. (For those of my readers saying, "huh?", I refer you to the wonderful Christmas movie, A Christmas Story, based on a series of stories by American humorist, Jean Shepard.)

Nope. It's this kind of award, bestowed upon me by my friend and critique partner, Joyce Yip. (Joyce is also one of my fans, which is kind of a cool thing to be able to say. I mean...gasp! Wow. She actually went looking for, bought and read all my books. And she even struggled through the first part of one of my earlier, unpublished books. What an amazing thing. Thank you, Joyce!)

Like most blog awards, this one comes with a few rules:

• Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.
• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
• Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.
• Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
•  Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

Joyce also indicated that recipients must reveal ten things about themselves. I'm not sure if these need to be ten secret things, or ten interesting things or just ten things. Here goes:

10. I'm not sure I even have ten secret or interesting things about myself to reveal. Honestly, I'm rather boring.

9. I used to have nightmares about being a subsitute teacher in the class from Hell. And then I'd wake up and I'd have to go be the substitute teacher in the class from Hell, for five to six periods a day...

8. I hate substitute teaching. I'm far too much of a weenie to be effective, as intimidating as a used facial tissue. Even my three-year-old ignores me.

7. My dream vacation would be a week in a darkened room, with a comfy bed, a big tub, a pile of trashy books, no television, no phone and no children.

6. I'm really not that smart. I only pretend to be. Talk to me about current events, politics or anything involving numbers and I am completely lost. Yes...I am fluffy.

5. That being said, I'm really a word snob. If someone doesn't use a word correctly, you can be sure I'll be writing it into a notebook to share with other snobs, later.

4. And yes, I laugh at other people. Really. I'm not that nice. Though I try to be.

3. I don't believe in true love, even though I write about it. I think I'm wishing I could believe in love...

2. I think Pascal had the right idea.

1. I can't think of five bloggy friends to pass this along to, never mind ten facts about moi. But I'll do my best...

My cousin, Barb. (super blogger, beloved friend, devoted Nana, excellent writer).
My friend, Jennifer Shirk (super blogger, fun and funny writer).
My friend, Simon Adam Slade (super blogger, super writer).

Wha' happened?

My husband had plans for Valentine's Day, this year. Probably for the first time in almost twenty years of marriage, he decided to take me out for dinner.

What he didn't count on was that I wouldn't be able to order more than some hot tea and soup that remained completely untouched.

Or that I'd hiss and shiver every time the car hit a bump--or maybe even just a pebble--in the road.

Or that I'd be walking (without heels, which would have been impossible) as if I were 103 years old.

In the end, our romantic Valentine's Day meal was completed when he dropped me off at the emergency room of the closest hospital; he went to watch basketball at PJ's Pub (my present to him, actually--I didn't want him hanging around an emergency room), and I went to lay on a gurney in the triage unit.

He drank cold beer. I drank radioactive lemonade. (Well...maybe it wasn't radioactive, but ick. It sure tasted like it!) He got pleasantly buzzed. I got a diagnosis of appendicitis and rip-roaring loopy. (Yeh, painkillers.) 

He went home to bed. I went off to surgery.

And so went Valentine's Day 2010. I didn't lose my heart, but I lost my appendix.

I spent almost an entire week on the couch, napping and recovering. And now, a little over a week later, I'm back to life. I still have staples in my stomach, but I can walk without wincing and even have an appetite again. (Darn it. I wanted that to go away until I'd lost another fifty or sixty pounds.) I might even start blogging once more.

Oh.  Yeah. Like now.

Anyhow, I just wanted to let everyone know where I went. On an adventure.

Incidentally, despite the way it sounds, my Valentine's Day was quite romantic. My hubby didn't complain about me taking naps for five whole days, and didn't even whine about having to cook or do laundry. Now that's a hero...

Fiction Focus Friday: Between the Sheets.

Yesterday, I made you go search for an article quoting moi, among some best-selling, big name authors about writing sex scenes.

Today, I’m going to share with you some words of sex scene wisdom from five other erotica writers: Nyki Blatchley (Kaydana the Sorceress series and others ), Annie Nicholas(Angler, Book One: Bait), Isobael Lui  (Moonlight and Magick: Where magick dances in the moonlight and wild things come to play...) , Emly Forrest (Last Resort)  and Lauren Gallagher. I’ve color-coded their responses; I was going to pick and chose their answers, but then all of them had different responses and I was unable to chose. So--I didn't. :) I hope they inspire you to have a Happy Valentine’s Day weekend (or at least, write about one.).

Please click on their art or their links to find out more about who they are and what they’ve written.

What kind of erotica/romance do you write and why?

Nyki: I write fantasy erotica, mainly sword & sorcery – I wouldn’t really call my stories romance, although they have romantic elements. Fantasy is my favourite genre, erotic or not, and I find it an excellent means to explore sexuality in ways that are more creative and extreme than would be possible in a realistic setting. I also have a tendency to include BDSM elements. I’m not sure why that is, since it doesn’t especially reflect my tastes. Possibly, as with the ability to use non-humans and magic, it’s something that allows me to test the characters’ sexuality more extremely.
Annie: I’ve experimented with heat levels this year. One book of what I class as erotica, one main stream heat, and another sweet /spicy.

Isobael: I write paranormal romance. I've always been interested in the paranormal, from the stories I heard growing up, my experiences with the paranormal. My earliest scribbles have always included the paranormal. As I grew older and branched out into romance, the paranormal followed.

Emly: My first (and only so far) story is a work of contemporary erotica, with a cougar main character. I liked the idea of writing about a cougar, because I'm a "woman of a certain age" and believe that there are misconceptions about our interest in things sexual. Honestly, from my limited research, I've found that middle-aged and older women spend a lot of time fantasizing. Yet there are not a heap of books out there that speak to our age group.

Lauren: Pretty much whatever piques my interest at a given time. Generally contemporary erotic romance, M/M or hetero, occasionally going into non-romance erotica. I may even be doing some F/F soon, but I'm not sure yet. As for why? I made the switch from fantasy to erotic romance in late 2008 and never looked back. I enjoy delving into relationships between people, and it's always fascinated me how much sex can influence relationships/individuals, from manipulation to love to anger. Sex is a powerful thing, and erotica gives me a place to really explore that.

2. What do you try to do to make your sex scenes interesting to the reader?

Nyki:For one thing, I try to vary the sex scenes. That’s partly by varying the genders, number and species of the various participants, and partly by varying the situations. For instance, the seducer in one scene might be the seduced in another, or the pace will change from fast and furious to languid and thorough.

I also try to balance the physical and emotional content. I do try to describe explicitly who’s doing what to whom, since I think in erotica it’s important for the reader to be very clear what’s having the effect described on the characters, but I also try to evoke how it feels to the main character and what emotions it rouses.


Ultimately, I don’t think any sex scene will be effective if the participants (or at least one of them) isn’t a vividly realised character the reader can care about. Caring doesn’t necessarily mean liking, of course, but the reader must feel strongly about this person in order to be with them having sex.


Annie: I offer a lot of foreplay leading to actual act with banter and a lot eye contact. It builds heat, desire, and anticipation.

Isobael: I try to make it realistic and yet both raw and tender. There are times when we need raw and unbridled, and times we need the tender aspect of love making. It depends on the situation of the characters (when you come out of a battle and survived, all that aggression is going to be channeled to raw, passionate love making!).

Emly: I attempt to draw on all the senses, but in particular touch, smell, and sound. To me sex is initiated and consumed by the entire range of sensual experience. I want the reader to feel the smoothness of skin, smell the spicy aroma of pheromones heating up, the whisper of passion.

Lauren: Emphasize the little things. It's all about the little things. Breath on skin, the taste of a kiss, things like that. Also, I capitalize on emotions, and try to make every sex scene mean something. I've written everything from tender, emotional lovemaking to furious, bed-breaking revenge sex...if there's a sex scene in one of my books, it's there for a reason, even if that reason is subtle or not immediately obvious (i.e., something that will tie in to a later chapter). My writing partner and I spent hours poring over books and sex scenes from movies to figure out what set some scenes apart from others, and we've done everything we can to use that knowledge to our advantage.

3. What techniques do you use to put your reader on the sheets?

Nyki: Really, most of what I described in the last answer. I think the most effective technique is to have a viewpoint character the reader can be interested in, and then letting the reader share what that person is doing and being done to, how their body is reacting and the emotions it evokes.

It’s important, I think, not simply to give a laundry-list of actions and reactions, but mixing very specific descriptions with imagery that expresses the feelings, rather than describing them. Also, I think the reader must be given something they can identify with. Even if it’s supposed to be the most amazing sex in the history of this or any other world, there need to be points of reference to common experience. The reader might not have experienced a particular feeling, especially if they’re of a different sex or orientation from the character, but there are common experiences of sex.


One other thing I try to include sometimes is the awkwardness, even humour, of sex. The reality isn’t a choreographed, soulless porn scene – it can be clumsy, squelchy and even absurd, and all of that is part of the charm of real sex. Although it can be overdone, I try to nod at that at times.

Annie: I learned how to use a pattern in my sex scene to help me create them. Action, reaction, inner thought, returned action. Repeat.
For example:


Action- He trailed his eyes from her face, to her mouth, then to her breasts.


Reaction- His open admiration made her heart flutter like a humming bird on steroids.


Inner thought- She’d never possessed such a strong desire to find out what someone would taste like until tonight.


Returned Action- She popped open the top button of her blouse.

Repeat…


It’s not set in stone but it gives you something to work with as a first draft.

Isobael: I just write it as I feel it. I try to be descriptive with the feelings, the sensations. I'm still learning how to "translate" those into words though, so sometimes, my heroines have trouble doing the same. I think it adds a bit of realism to it.

Emly: This is a tough question--one I may not be totally ready to answer. I'm still learning. I like to use humor (sex can be very funny sometimes). I also made my main character less than perfect--she's a little zoftig and in her forties so readers can relate.

Lauren: Utilize all the senses. Tap into emotions. Using emotions and all five senses, I hope to make the reader feel everything the characters are feeling, from the "I want you RIGHT NOW" tension to the "almost...there..." seconds before an orgasm to the "Holy crap, I needed that" sigh afterward.

4. Do you use a single point of view per love scene or do you shift from participant to participant? Why?

Nyki:I rarely change point of view within any scene, and I can’t recall ever having done so in a sex scene. On the other hand, various magics available in my stories can sometimes make sharing point of view possible. I’ve never actually written a scene where both people having sex share a point of view – that would be amazing, but also very difficult.


Annie: I usually stay in a woman’s pov because that’s who reads most of the romances. I have written from a male’s pov but there was a reason for it like he had the most to lose in the scene.

Isobael: Sometimes, I'll start with the male POV and then switch to the heroine. As a woman, I find it easier to write from her POV than from the male's.

Emly: My story is first person narrative, so there can be only one perspective, alas.

Lauren: Depends on the scene. The vast majority of my work is in first person, so it always stays in one POV. If it's in third, I will occasionally switch, but only if it's absolutely necessary that the reader feel the scene from both POVs. And I also make sure it's clear to the reader to avoid head-hopping and confusion.

5. What words do you find yourself overusing?

Nyki:Well, as I write a lot of lesbian scenes, perhaps “she” and “her” are the most overused words. I remember reading somewhere that the single most challenging element of writing same-sex erotica is pronouns, and I agree. Otherwise, I have to watch repetition of the words for the key anatomical features, as well as words like “thrust”, “flick”, “tease” etc. which can easily become automatic go-to words.

Annie: Touch and press. I’ve made myself a small thesaurus for these words. LOL

Isobael: LOL...umm...I think, the overly used descriptive words for passion...hot, burning...

Emly: That, even, lick.

6. What's your favorite word for female genitalia? For male genitalia?

Nyki: For the female genitalia – I know it’s controversial, but I actually like the word “cunt”. A lot of people describe it as a hard, violent word, and it can be when it’s used as an insult. If it’s a bit slower and drawn out, though, it always seems a warm, squelchy word to me, perfectly describing what it refers to. I’m not so particular about the male – I most often just use “cock”.


One thing I always dislike is referring to “his/her sex”. It seems rather coy.

Annie: I hate the word ‘pussy’. I don’t like writing it or reading it. LOL No logical reason for it either. For women I use groin, between her thighs, core, entrance…For men I use cock, hard length, steel rod…

Isobael: This is tough! I know I don't like to use abrupt words but nothing too flowery either. Nether lips, sex, womanhood for a woman and for the male, arousal, cock, hardness.

Emly: I'm struggling with sensuous words for female genitalia. Pussy seems so slangy, but the alternatives are too demeaning. My favorite word for penis is cock; for testicles: cojones or balls.

Lauren: Pussy and cock. I can't stand the goofy euphemisms and overdone flowery metaphors.

7. When you read other writers' love scenes, what makes you cringe? What makes you sit up and take notes?

Nyki: There are countless cringeworthy elements of badly written sex scenes – I’ve already mentioned “laundry list” descriptions of who’s doing what, and another one is orgasms that happen without any particular stimulation. One thing I’ve come across, though, that really bugs me is unrealistic dialogue during sex. I mean, it’s one thing to have someone screaming “Yes... yes... oh yeeeees” but not when, in the throes of orgasm, they find the breath (and the grammar) to pant out, “Oh, you are so wonderful that I cannot hold out any longer. Ram your rampant, ten-and-a-half-inch organ deep into my open, juicy passage. Oh, I am coming now.” By the time that’s over, they’d be sitting up sharing a cigarette.


What impresses me, I suppose, is simply when I can feel myself there with the characters. As a reader, I just enjoy it. As a writer, I go back afterwards and try to see what they’re doing to make it so great.

Annie: For me it’s not the act itself but the build up to it.

Isobael: Abrupt terminology makes me cringe (cunt, etc). I know it's used in erotica a lot, but to me, it's so...derogative. What makes me sit up and take notice, take notes, is when I can read a love scene and BE there. I'm the heroine. I'm feeling every sensation she is. If I can come out of the scene breathless and fanning myself...or wishing I was there!...it definitely makes me want to sit up and take notes.

Emly: I despise dialogue that does not ring true--in love scenes or any other kind of scene. C'mon, we've all had sex, haven't we? Would you really say something like "Give it to me, big boy" in bed? Or am I showing my age? Great love scenes draw me in: perhaps they remind me of something I did once (or something I'd like to do sometime).

Lauren: What makes me cringe is euphemisms. They're either comical or induce eye-rolling, both of which kick me out of the scene. Also, failed attempts at being way too raunchy, which comes across as being unnecessarily crude and, as a result, is terribly unsexy. The other big one is lack of realism. Positions, actions, physical reactions, etc., that make me think "Has this writer ever actually HAD sex? I don't think that would be nearly as comfortable as she'd like me to believe..." Great answers! It’s interesting how each of them has a different answer to every question, which makes me realize that writing sex is like any other writing: as long as you trust your voice and your instincts, you're writing the best book you can. I hope you check out their books and their sites and thank them for teaching us what they know. Happy Valentine’s Day!


What makes me sit up and take note is when a writer emphasizes all the little things instead of missing the forest for the trees. Two people having sex, fine, great, enjoy. Tell me about a fingertip brushing someone's lower lip, a bead of sweat on someone's temple, or that first ripple of an orgasm...and you've got me. My writing partner, Scarlett Parrish (http://scarlettparrish.blogspot.com/), is a master at this. I'm a tough sell with sex scenes...very picky...but hers...well, let's just say they're hot.

How to give an interview about writing a sex scene...

In keeping with this week's theme:  I'm quoted in an article on writing sex scenes in The Mercury. With Annette Blair and Hannah Howell and Donna Morin Russo!

Okay, so...well...gee. I'm thrilled. Anyhow, check it out. :)

HOW TO WRITE A SEX SCENE

Tap into emotion, pace the panting and, hey, lay off the body parts now

BY JANINE WEISMAN

Cynthia D’Attilio wants to get one thing straight: the body part...go to page A7 to continue. (Note: You'll have to search for the right page...)

Tasteful Tuesday: Let's (Not)Talk about Sex.

eu·phe·mism

(yōō'fə-mĭz'əm)    n.  The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive: "Euphemisms such as 'slumber room' . . . abound in the funeral business" (Jessica Mitford). [Greek euphēmismos, from euphēmizein, to use auspicious words, from euphēmiā, use of auspicious words : eu-, eu- + phēmē, speech; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.] eu'phe·mist n., eu'phe·mis'tic (-mĭs'tĭk) adj., eu'phe·mis'ti·cal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Since my "theme" this week is writing love and sex scenes, I thought I'd avoid the topic by listing a bunch of euphemisms for naughty bits. In fact, I'm going to avoid it completely by posting some links.

an excessively long (no pun intended) list for manly bits

This site is proof that men spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about themselves and...themselves. Even my three-year-old is obsessed. He'd talk about it all the time, if I let him. He'd tell everyone all about it. He'd even be proud to show it off.

a very sad and short list of words for girly bits

This site proves that women have other things on their minds besides their nether parts.

However, this list is quite large, and--it's maintained by a man who thinks about other things besides...his thing:

a well-rounded list for bouncy bits

Goodness. I'm feeling flushed. I think I need to go lie down...

A Night Owl Review Top Pick!

I got the most exciting news tonight. (Other than the Saints winning the Superbowl, of course. But that's a post for a different day...probably a different blog, come to think of it. But really. Drew Brees.)

ANYHOOT--Night Owl Reviews gave Kissing Trick 5 out of 5 stars! I'm so...just...wow. Thank you, Melinda, for your time and your praise.

To read the wonderful review she wrote for me, go here: Night Owl Reviews

Fiction Focus Friday: Point of View

 Due to a recent sinus infection, this Friday post is being posted on Saturday. If you don't understand, you've never had sinus issues. I suggest you try them; they're so much fun. 

My first novel. I didn't just head hop, I leaped. Everyone had a point of view. Even the horse.
And the point-of-view didn't change per scene. It was per line. As an editor (and a writer) I see other writers making this mistake. Especially new writers. 

The thing is, it's hard to understand point of view for a new writer. It's such a simple thing to see, once you know what it means, but impossible until you get to that magic "aha".  And to be honest, even experienced writers shift from time to time. So it's worth reviewing.


But before I do, I want to ask you a favor...I'm doing a presentation in April. Part of that presentation is about using point of view. Could you critique this interpretation for me? Is it clear? Or is it...pointless? 


Oh...and a word of warning. Because I'm also taking a speech writing class, I figured I'd use my "writing an informative speech" assignment as an opportunity to get a head start on my presentation. This is the first half of the assignment, creating an outline of your informative speech. I'm sure the formatting is going to go kerfluey here...hang on tight. ;) And--thanks for your crit. 


D. By using varying depths of point-of-view, you can expose the character’s inner conflict—inner pain.
1. Think: Brigit Jones Diary. First person point-of-view. You can’t go any deeper into a character’s head than that. What Fielding did was bring us into Bridget’s world—and her interpretations (truth) of that world—and the result was funny. The limitations of this point-of-view is that you are only able to see the world through one character’s eyes.
2. Third person point-of-view: Gives you more flexibility as you can go
into the heads of more than one character and get insight into their pain/conflicts. Think of it as a camera—you can zoom all the way in, or all the way out, depending on what best serves your story.
3. Here’s how I think of point of view. People might want to debate me on this but these are my definitions and it’s my workshop. So…get over it and just follow along. You can debate with me later. 
a) surface point of view (what reader sees—telling or showing)
b) skin deep (reader begins to see their physical, mental and emotional pain)—tends to be telling instead of a showing
c) sitting on the nerve endings deep-this is where you use thoughts but with a tag. Or they’re there, but not italicized, and using the character’s name or a pronoun. This is still you, telling the story to the reader. 
d) Deep p.o.v.—the reader is thinking right along with the character. It’s the most similar to first-person point of view; you can’t get any deeper into your character’s head. It’s showing to the point of exposure. (This is a good place to stop to see if there are any questions! Distribute handouts-Direct audience to look at handout one) Showing to the point of exposure.

1.Reggie looked down at Daniel. Now what? Sitting on the nerve endings. Notice--no italics.
In response, his eyes widened. He jerked in her arms, opened his mouth, and started to shriek. Immediate goal: quiet the baby.
Reggie looked at the door through which Trick and Kerri had gone. It was closed. She was alone with a squalling infant and had no idea what to do. Skin deep p.o.v. Conflict: Doesn't know how to quiet a baby.
“Shh, Daniel,” she crooned. “It’s all right. Really.”
He wailed louder, his opinion of her skills quite apparent.Surface p.o.v.; one character's interpretation of another from the action characters perspective. Notice the telling. “Uh-oh,” Reggie said.
Rocking. Aha. Deep p.o.v.; I'm now allowing the reader into her thought processes. She’d seen people rocking babies. So she tried it.
Daniel quieted, looked at her, then squalled again. His fists clenched and his tiny body spasmed. Motivation he’s loud and in pain? He hates me. Reggie stood up, and started walking. No good. Deep p.o.v. She took a deep breath. Singing. Try singing. Crap. I don’t know any songs! Deep p.o.v. so reader can feel her panic. Conflict: Reggie is pregnant. How will she ever be able to be a mommy? Reggie wracked her memory. Through Daniel’s infant ire, she could barely remember her name. She’s totally screwed. She opened her mouth and sang the first song that came to mind, a jingle from a beer commercial.
Daniel quieted, so she kept singing and walking. He settled, yawned, and studied her gravely. He squirmed again, and Reggie carefully lifted him up so his head rested on her shoulder, his fuzzy head brushing her cheek, his tiny bum cradled in her hand. Well…maybe I can be a mommy (If I were using deep p.o.v. here, this is what I'd write. But it wasn't necessary; it's evident in her actions; also, I'm backing out of her head as the conflict resolves. She tried patting his little back. Daniel burped. She felt him relax. Resolution of conflict
 (Yates, C.D. Kissing Trick. The Wild Rose Press, Adams Basin NY. USA. pp.156-157)
 
 2. a.This deep p.o.v. is where the best of your  comedy can go—in romance, especially. Because the goal of a romance writer should be to allow their reader to live vicarously through the characters s/he creates, we tend to spend some time there. (Warning: speaking from an editorial standpoint—not too much, especially with an ebook company. E-readers are funny and sometimes they don’t like funky formatting. Some publishers will discourage the use of italics, parenthesis and any kind of different text which could make the machine balk.)
 
2b. But this is where you can place the real “oh, poop” of your conflict, where the funny stuff is. So if you’re trying to write funny, get as deep as you can. 

2c. Sometimes, as the conflict escalates, you can sink in and out and finally  deeper into your character’s p.o.v.; I think it works in the first example and I think it works here.[refer to example two on handout] See if you can figure out the points of view:

Carrie’s cell phone rang. It had to be Phelps. She already figured out what she was going to tell him, starting with you’re and ending with  fired. How could he miss such a huge, furry, and expensive portion of Nana’s estate? Carrie dried off her hands and lifted her phone to her ear. “Hello?”
A harsh male voice. “If you don’t come get your dog off my property…”
Oh God. Again? But…how? The windows were shut. The a/c’s were running. The front and back doors were locked and chained. There were chairs in front of them, for God’s sake!
“Are you sure it’s my dog? I can’t imagine how she got out.”
“Is this Carrie Moore?”
“Well...” for a moment, she wished she could lie. Crap. “Yes.”
“Then, this is your dog. She’s already destroyed an entire set of wicker patio furniture and…”
“Wait. Did you see her do it? How do you know it wasn’t some kids or…something else?” Carrie gripped the phone. This was so not good.
“Because one of the chairs got stuck on her collar, so when she crashed through the fence…”
Oh God. Carrie leaned back against the tub’s slope.
“After she scratched the paint all the way down the side of my new Lexus. “
Oh… God. Carrie sank lower.
“And destroyed not only my entire topiary garden but my neighbor’s picture window. “
“Picture window?”
“When she tossed the chair off. Anyhow, we finally caught her when she fell into the koi pond. She was so busy catching fish, we managed to catch her. She is in my neighbor’s garden shed right now, and from the sounds of it, tearing it up something awful.”
“Can I call you right back? I’m…” Carrie dropped her phone onto the floor and sank into the tub, letting the water cover her face. Sunk. 
(Yates, C.D. Dog-gone But Not Forgotten. Blade Publishing, Ltd. Ontario, CANADA. pp 27-28)
 
 

Cowboy up for my new release!

Alex Deville writes historical fiction, not erotica. But now, her editor wants her to write a story about a cowboy and a bordello and gives Alex a “present” to aid her. Can she do it? Will Alex, a woman who writes sweets, be able to come up with enough erotic scenarios to write a best seller, the best seller her editor is hoping for?


Zach O’Conner is a cowboy cursed by his own looks. His best friend Alex, the one woman who doesn’t treat him like a piece of meat, has asked him to give a demonstration at the upcoming romance writers conference on what real cowboys do.  Given the chance to be alone with Alex he accepts. He’s going to show Alex she’s not just the sexiest, most exciting woman he’s ever known, but the woman of his heart as well.


One cowboy. One writer. Silk scarves, sex cards, and a bathtub built for two. It’s all  In The Cards.

Available now! From Blade Publishing, Ltd. 

Manuscript Fix Monday: Enh...

I feel enh today.

Writing is hard.

Sometimes reading is hard, too.

Reading bad submissions is especially hard. You know the author has high hopes for their book, but your taste and theirs doesn't match. Enh.

I used to get so mad when I'd hear about a rejection that said, "I just didn't fall in love with it." I used to think that was lame. I mean...what does it mean?

It means...enh.

Editors don't open a submission with malice. Honest. At least, I don't. I want to find a great story. I want to love the story, be unable to stop reading until I've gotten to the end. I want to make the writer's dreams of publication come true.

The thing is, taste is subjective. And what you might love, I might not. Take sci-fi, for example. You might love it, with its shiny surfaces and amazing gizmos and gadgets. I respect that. But it's just not for me.

That's something I say a lot. "It's well-written, but I'm not the editor for this book," or, "I can see how this would appeal to lovers of sci-fi, but it's not for me". Or...'I just didn't fall in love with it." Ehn.

Or maybe it's just my sinuses. Remember Tony Randell's Felix Unger from The Odd Couple? Enh! Enh! Enh, enh!

Yeah...that's me.