Happy Black Friday!

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping." ~Bo Derek

By the time you read this, I will probably be sleeping, having gotten up WAYYYY too early to hit the Day-After-Thanksgiving sales. Of course, after doing this last year, I swore I never would again...and yet there is something to the thrill of planning out the sales and getting to the stores when it is still dark outside.

I know, I'm crazy.

Making slow but steady progress on both Entwined and Summer's Song, though to be honest, I don't think I'm going to hit the 50,000 word mark by December 14, as was my original goal. When you're revising a whole other manuscript at the same time you're composing a brand new one, well, your head tends to spin a little. Anyway, I'm slogging on, so here's today's WC and sentence:

Current Word Count for Entwined: 13, 502

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: When the bones fall onto his lap, complete with a skull the size of his palm, it is all he can do not to scream aloud.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for so much today, beginning with all of you who stop by and visit me in blogger-world. Here's wishing you a wonderful day!

Query Letter that got a "Yes"

Writers' Wednesday is on hiatus this week, but make sure to stop back next Wednesday, when I'll be featuring another author interview!

In the meantime, thought I'd share a bit of bright news: my regular blog readers know I've been mercilessly revising my novel Summer's Song, since Black Lyon Publishing asked to see it. Yesterday I also got an email from an editor at Avon, in response to a query I sent a few weeks ago, asking to see the manuscript as well. Avon normally takes only agented material, but you can still send an email query to their general submissions pool, which I did.

For kicks/informative purposes, here's the query I sent. I deliberately mentioned what I knew about their current wants and the shift in romance sub-genre that the Borders bookseller talked about at the NJRWA conference.

Dear Avon Editors:

In speaking with one of my writing colleagues at the recent NJRWA Conference, I discovered that you are currently looking for small-town, “soft” romance stories a la Debbie Macomber. I believe that my novel Summer’s Song would fit nicely into that sub-genre.

Pine Point is one of those small towns we all know and love. With its collection of quirky residents, local shops, and folksy gossip, it has a cozy feel of familiarity and nostalgia that readers of “soft” contemporary romance currently crave.

But Pine Point has its secrets too, and the death of Summer Thompson’s brother is one of them. Summer hasn’t lived in Pine Point for ten long years, since her brother died and her father sent her away for good. Now she’s on hiatus from a successful career as a museum curator to look over a half-renovated house her father willed her. Little does she know that as the weeks unfold, she’ll come face to face with not only her ex-boyfriend, but the truth about her own role in her brother’s death, along with a newcomer in town who might just change the way she looks at Pine Point forever.

Damian Knight recently moved to town with his mother and half-sister, to escape a brutal stalker. While he finds solace in construction work, it’s only a matter of time before his path crosses Summer’s, and the two fall for each other amid troublesome rumors that are brewing. Soon, Damian finds himself faced with split loyalties: protect his mother and sister at all costs, or let down his guard and fall in love with a woman at the center of a Pine Point scandal.

Summer’s Song explores the journey of going home again, of facing the past, of coming to terms with loss and moving on with both old friends and new lovers beside you. While the romance market has moved away from contemporary romance in recent years, “soft romance” is making a comeback according to many publishers and booksellers, and I believe this novel would fit well into that niche. Pine Point is a town full of personalities and small town conflicts, which also sets it up perfectly for a series of novels that could continue beyond this single title.

I am a multi-published author of contemporary romance novels (with The Wild Rose Press and Samhain Publishing). I have also published several articles on the craft of writing and belong to both the local and national chapters of RWA. Summer’s Song is complete at 75,000 words; if you would like to see a synopsis or sample chapters, I would be happy to send them along.

Thank you.

The chance of having a manuscript accepted there is very slim, but I'm amping up my revising and crossing my fingers anyway...

Current Word Count for Entwined: 12,073

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: Melted snow seeps onto the carpet, and for a moment all she can think is how it would feel against her skin, ice that raises gooseflesh before his mouth warms it.

A Novel Idea for Those Deleted Scenes

I spent most of my free time yesterday revising Summer's Song. It's amazing the different direction it is taking - I hope with good results, ultimately. I've cut SO much, though. I have an entire separate file with all the scenes no longer in the actual story. When I was at the NJRWA conference, one of the speakers recommended telling yourself you'll post those tidbits later on your website, under your "free reads" or "deleted scenes" section. Whether or not you ever do (she didn't) at least it eases the pain of ripping them from the story.

My word count for Entwined is still behind, but that's OK. I have a few days off for Thankgiving break, so let's hope I can catch up then. Right now, I'm wrapping up the first part of the main plot and hope to start working on one of the three subplots soon.

Oh, by the way, Samhain is hosting a Holiday Hunt, with a number of authors participating - you can win free downloads of their books! It starts December 1st, so stay tuned for more details~

Current Word Count for Entwined: 11,266

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: His heart aches with the distance between them, and yet he could more easily stop its beating than stop coming to Natasha Silverstone’s bed every night.

It's Monday Again?

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." ~Steven Wright

It's Monday again? Yikes -- Thankgiving is a scant three days away. Thank goodness we're heading to my parents', which means we only have to bring something for the table, not prepare food to cover it. Who else is cooking/hosting for the big day?

Thanks to everyone for the concern and well-wishes for hubby's student. At this point we don't know more than he is still in critical condition, but there is no head trauma and he's now survived almost 5 days, so that's a plus.

On the not-so-good side, we had yet another car accident here last Friday night: two cars full of teenagers collided head-on. At least one death. It just breaks my heart. And I'm writing this blog post before I go to school, which I'm dreading because they haven't released the identities of the kids yet, but I'll guarantee we know at least some of them.

Now on the bright side: some good writing over the weekend, with positive revision and reconstruction of Summer's Song (I've cut 6000 words so far) and some good, fun progress on Entwined. I'm still behind, but I'm not stressing. I'll get there!

Current Word Count for Entwined: 10,619

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: She laughs, but she lays her hand on his knee, and he knows it is only a matter of time before he peels that scarf from her neck and tastes for himself the soft, dark spot at the base of her throat.

Manic Writing

"Writing is not a genteel profession. It's quite nasty and tough and kind of dirty." ~Rosemary Mahoney

I'm writing like a maniac today, since along with getting words down for Entwined, I'm also tackling a revision of Summer's Song for Black Lyon Publishing's Literary Love Story line. I couldn't even sleep that well last night because I was running over story possibilities in my head. How's that for living inside your novels?

So, here you go (and wish me luck on Summer's Song - I'm brutally slashing scenes and killing babies):

Current Word Count for Entwined: 9,878

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: By now, he knows the routines of everyone who works here, from the junior profs to the admissions staff to Dean Braber himself, who bangs blonde coeds once or twice a semester but never on Fridays, and certainly never after ten.

What Keeps Me Writing

"Those who write clearly have readers. Those who write obscurely have commentators." ~Albert Camus

OK, I'll admit it: posting my word count and my favorite sentences here every day has definitely kept me writing. When you're accountable to someone, even the "someones" in cyberworld, it's amazing how you'll find the time to write.

I am behind, though - I should be at 12,500 words by the end of today. We'll see how close I get; it's the weekend, which does mean that I should have more time. Theoretically. In the meantime, I also have to write a blog post for the Samhain Publishing Blog, which will be up around 3:00 EST today. Stop by and comment if you'd like!

Current Word Count for Entwined: 8,302

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: It complicates things more than a little, this child who holds Chase’s heartstrings.

I Hate These Phone Calls...

"Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. " ~Author Unknown

Wow, I am SOOOO glad it is Friday! Been a crazy week here, partly because we got a telephone call Wednesday night that one of hubby's students was in a serious car accident, along with two of his friends..


I think teenagers shouldn't be allowed to drive until they're no longer teenagers. And they should only be allowed to drive the speed limit or under and without any kind of music and with no one else in the car. Well, maybe not really. But can you please remind the teens you know that even God's patience wears thin when they drive too fast and get distracted by their friends and TEXT MESSAGE WHILE THEY ARE DOING BOTH THOSE THINGS???


The word is still touch and go on the student. Sigh.


Current Word Count for Entwined: 7715

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: The coffee shop door opens, and Natasha Silverstone walks into his life for the third time in less than a day, a bolt of lightning that has singled him out from the heavens and struck him square through the soul.

Lots of Links to Share Today

"The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." ~Oscar Wilde

It's been a busy week for me in cyberworld! You can read author interviews here:

Brenna Lyons' Blog
Janet Walters' Blog

Or you can also take a peek at the interview I did for WOW-Women on Writing about co-writers Stella and Audra Price.

While I'm mentioning links, there is some exciting news over at Samhain. Here's a preview: they've just signed an agreement with BooksonBoard, an ebook retailer that's going to make all their novels available on iPhones. Next generation, here we come!

Also, the new erotic e-publisher Ravenous Romance recently signed some NY Times bestsellers. Here's an excerpt from their latest press release:

[Boston, MA, November 19, 2008] –Ravenous Romance™, slated to launch December 1, 2008, has signed several best-selling and award-winning authors to their roster, many of whom have crossed genres and will appear on the company’s launch list in early December. New York Times best-selling author John Skipp has penned a novel called Opposite Sex for the company under the pseudonym Gina McQueen, and recently quipped: “Sometimes you just get tired of killing people, you know? I just wanted to write something sweet and funny and sexy and wild, where nobody gets hurt, and the worst thing that happens is your characters are probably going to have to stop kissing eventually!”

John Updike’s protégée Catherine Hiller’s novel Cybill in Between will publish in early December. Updike has provided a quote for the book cover that calls Hiller’s writing “brave and joyful.” Mimi Leahy, an Emmy-nominated writer for “All My Children” and “As the World Turns”, will write several books and short stories for the imprint...

Finally, my cyber colleague Devon Gray is celebrating the release of Playing with Keeps, so take a hop on over to her blog and tell her I sent you to say congrats!

Current Word Count for Entwined: 6,698

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: He cannot stop listening to her talk, cannot understand the way it squeezes his heart every time she pauses.

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Heather Stimmler-Hall

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! I mentioned today's author a few weeks back, when I first read her book Naughty Paris. Now Heather Stimmler-Hall is here today to give us the skinny on this fascinating "travel" book:

Welcome to Allie's Musings, Heather! Can you tell us a little about your background?

I've been a writer as long as I can remember: plays, poetry, stories...when I was in high school I started taking journalism classes and we produced a weekly newspaper. From this I got an after school job as the Teen Correspondent for the big daily, Phoenix Gazette (absorbed by the Arizona Republic). It seemed like a more practical way to make a living as a writer, so that's the career path I chose. When I came to Paris in college, it seemed like travel writing was an obvious choice, and now I've been writing about France for American magazines and guidebooks since 1999. I also have a blog I write for fun called Secrets of Paris (http://www.secretsofparis.com/).

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

After years of writing for other publishers, I created my own independent publishing company in Paris, Fleur-de-Lire, and in September I published "Naughty Paris: A Lady's Guide to the Sexy City". It's a guidebook for the "Sex & the City" generation of women, very elegant, with over 200 photos and lots of fun advice and tips on everything from where to find the perfect corset to decoding French pickup lines and how to capture that elusive "femme fatale" allure of Parisian women.

As my regular readers know, I had the pleasure of checking out this book on its release...what an interesting work! So, what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Travel guide writing is very different from fiction writing. You really, really have to remember your audience, to keep your information informative, essential, and above all, evocative of the place you're writing about. Read a LOT. The biggest mistake all beginners make in all kinds of writing is using clichés and other hackneyed phrases. They really distinguish a professional writer from a hobby writer.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

I'm not sure that I do! I have two small miniature pinschers, Pedro & Lena, who force me to get away from my desk at least three times a day for walkies and dinner, but it's a constant struggle to remain balanced, especially when you're a freelancer. I tend to have a better grasp of how long any given assignment will take me now, but I still end up procrastinating (I'm a Facebook addict) and then not sleeping for three days when a deadline approaches.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

Some might think that travel writers don't get writer's block, but it happens. It's always hard to think of new and interesting ways to say the same things over and over. Or sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write, especially if life situations get in the way. To break through this, I just write the crappiest first draft I can, on purpose, full of clichés and bad puns. Then I can relax a little since I have something to work with besides a blank screen, and get to editing, rewriting, etc.6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creatingyour book(s)?Naughty Paris is completely different from the other traditional travel guides I've done. And since I didn't have an editor telling me how to write it, I often agonized over the tone, the angle, the length, what to include or leave out...I must have changed it twenty times in the course of completing the manuscript. But I learned if I went with my gut and with what I knew *I* would be happy with in the end, then it would all come out okay. People can tell when you're writing with conviction from your heart.

Heather, thanks so much for being here today! Readers, you can find out more at http://www.naughtyparisguide.com/.

Happy Wednesday!

A Few Odds and Ends for Your Tuesday Viewing Pleasure

Some random thoughts this morning:

1. I saw the movie "300" over the weekend. It got rave reviews, but I didn't really like it. Lots of yelling and warriors fighting and blood and gore. Cool special effects, though.

2. I made Liz's Taco Pie for dinner last night and it was a hit with hubby (with me, too). Thanks for the recipe!

3. Last night was the first time all year I didn't bring home work from school. I had two whole hours in the evening in which to write - I didn't even know what to do with myself!!

4. Only 5 weeks until Christmas. 5 weeks! I haven't even started my shopping...

Current Word Count for Entwined: 3800

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: He bends over the playpen, enraptured by the way her tiny eyelashes fall against her cheeks, the way her tiny lips part with breath, the way nothing about this life has touched her yet, and he thinks he could spend a lifetime standing over her, watching her sleep.

Role Models

Hubby and I went to see the movie "Role Models" yesterday morning (10:30 am show for only $5.00!). It was more entertaining than I thought it would be, though it does have more than its fair share of raunchy jokes and language. But the acting is pretty good, along with the overall message. I did find it funny in a lot of places :)

Writing-wise, I'm doing OK. Of course, it's still the first week, so the bloom is on the rose. I still don't know where I'm going with this story, but the journey's fun so far...maybe because I have no expectations.

Current Word Count for Entwined: 2790

Yesterday's Fave Sentence: They slept together a few times last winter, until he realized she had neither the brilliance of her mother nor the charm of her father.

The First Day of a New Book

"There are so many different kinds of writing and so many ways to work that the only rule is this: do what works. Almost everything has been tried and found to succeed for somebody. The methods, even the ideas of successful writers contradict each other in a most heartening way, and the only element I find common to all successful writers is persistence-an overwhelming determination to succeed." ~Sophy Burnham

Ah, the first day of tackling a brand new writing project. You might recall that, though I wanted to do NaNoWriMo, November 1st was a TERRIBLE time for me to start a new book, so I put it off until yesterday, figuring I'd do my own Book-in-a-Month from November 15 - December 14.

And so it began. However, this project is an experimental trainwreck, I fear. It's unlike anything I've ever attempted before, a sort of conglomeration of romance and literary and first-person and third-person and present tense and past tense all at once. I'm breaking every writing "rule" that probably exists, and I have a sneaking suspicion at the end of this month that I will have a big pile of words with no clear framework to hold them up.

But that's OK. I figure one month of experimental writing can't be a bad thing. At the very least, I might free up my brain from the same kind of writing I've been doing for the past 6+ years. Maybe I'll end up with something worth editing someday. Maybe not. But it will only be 30 days of writing.

Anyway, I decided I'd post my word count here each day, along with my favorite sentence from the previous day's work. I'm doing my best not to look back, just bulldoze forward and get words on the page. In fact, that's what I'm off to do right now, 'cause I just realized that 1600+ words each day is an awful lot to produce!

Current Word Count for Entwined: 1451

Fave Sentence: "Now Natasha stands in the center of a room that was her mother’s, her father’s, a room that should be hers but feels wrong, too big, too awkward, a shoe that will never curve around her heel and toes the way it should."

I Hate Making my Students Cry

"I made a difference for that one." ~Loren Eisley

I hate making my students cry.

Really.

And I'm not talking about the crying that takes place when they get a bad grade, or feel overwhelmed and can't get their work done, or don't get into their first-choice college, though there are always tears in those cases too.

But I hate this one day of the year when I talk about bullying with my education students/future teachers, because I know it's going to upset them and I know it's something we have to talk about anyway.

See, the talking itself wouldn't be bad. But I have this episode of "Without a Trace" that I show, and it centers on bullying and in fact leads one middle school boy to attempt suicide. It's a pretty intense episode, and I always warn my students ahead of time and tell them they can leave if they want to.

But they always think they're going to be fine -- then the end scene hits. The episode does have a relatively happy ending, in case you're wondering, but the bullying/suicide portrayal itself is pretty disturbing, and it always affects a couple of my students pretty hard.

Yesterday a full half of them ending up in the bathroom, crying. And yeah, I felt pretty lousy about it. I mean, it's not that I'm trying to torture them. I think very carefully every year about whether I should show it, and I always end up deciding "yes," because I think the ways it makes them think is important.

We can't always talk about the good things, can we? We have to address the problems and look at the heartbreak in order to fix it. And I think on some level they know that. They're seniors, after all, a scant few months from graduation and the real world. We -- or, rather, they - have to be the difference in the way the future will unfold. They have to know that they can do something, even one thing, as individuals, to stop hurtful behavior, and it will make a difference.

Do you know the starfish story? It's a classic among educators:

The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”I made a difference for that one.”

Gin the Dancing Dog

It's the end of the week, I have a stack of papers to grade, I'm gearing up to start my own Book-in-a-Month project (tomorrow!), and so I leave you with this smile for today:

What Do You Do When...

"Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the back yard and shot it." ~Truman Capote

I'm in a funny place right now: between projects. (Well, between writing projects, that is. I have more than enough projects from all other aspects of my life going on. But writing?) I finished the revision of One Night in Napa a few days ago and haven't looked at it since. I'm still mulling over what to do with Summer's Song. I have no articles due for ezines at the moment. I'm done judging the EPPIES, and I haven't taken on any other books to review right now. I'm gearing up for my NaNo project, but I haven't done much in the way of thinking or planning for it.

So...I haven't done any kind of writing in close to 4 days. And I gotta say, it's a little bit of a weird feeling. I have some ideas of future stories rattling around in my head, but I haven't even given them much time to speak of.

It's a little like working out or running, to be honest. Some days it's a joy to do; other days it's more like torture; but when you don't do it for a while, you feel as though something's missing.

So for all my fellow writers out there: what do you do when you're not writing? Or are you always, somehow, someway, writing?

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Jeff Rivera

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! I'm especially excited about today's featured author, since his story is one of those "literary lotteries" that happen once in a blue moon. Jeff Rivera is the author of Forever my Lady. Here's the scoop on its remarkable journey to publication:

"Originally independently published, Jeff Rivera's debut novel, Forever My Lady went on to be acquired by Warner Books/Grand Central. It tells the award-winning passionate story of a juvenile delinquent named Dio who is sentenced to prison boot camp. Everyone who he has ever trusted has given up on him except one special girl that promises to stay by his side no matter what, the love of his life, Jennifer. He promises he will to turn his life around for her and she promises will never leave him. In fact, they plan to marry one day. But when Dio is released from boot camp he discovers Jennifer is about to marry someone else.

"Forever My Lady was featured in national magazines, on national television and radio including: The Boston Globe, Miami Herald, Rotarian Magazine, Urban Latino Magazine, VOY, Right On! Magazine, NPR, American Latino TV, SITV and was awarded Best New Author Award and the Best Urban Fiction Award and by the Mahogany Media Review. His first novel, Forever My Lady (published by Warner Books/Grand Central Publishing) became a critical media darling having received over 45 reviews on Amazon, over 30 reviews on BarnesandNoble.com and was given 5 stars by Amazon.com's #1 Book Reviewer Ms. Harriet Klausner. Rivera is fast at work on his next novel as well as the sequel to Forever My Lady and anticipates its independent release in 2008. "

Jeff stopped by today to answer a few questions about his work. Let's find out a little bit more..

You have a lot of controversial topics in your book, prostitution, gang warfare, child abuse yet you somehow were able to turn it into a heart-wrenching love story. Why did you find it necessary to include such topics?

I think as an artist, it's important to realize the responsibility you have in affecting the world around you. Those are all topics that realy happen in the world along with love issues as well. So, I knew that if I was given the gift of this story and I had an opportunity to really move people with this story what a great opportunity to ground this almost fantastical love story with real life issues.

You were born in Utah, raised in Oregon but have lived everywhere in the United States from Las Vegas to New York. How has the affected your writing style?

That's a good question. I think one thing it really did, Allie, was it helped me see people's perspectives on life easier. Had I been raised only in Oregon and still lived there, I never would have seen or experienced the shifts in personalities that each city has. Each city as a whole has a very distinct personality almost as if they're one gigantic entity. At the same time one thing it really helped me realize is that truly wherever you are from the same common issues that we all face are with each person. This is why I chose to write about love. We all know what it's like to experience the desire for someone so much so that we cannot breathe and the feeling of heartache as if we had our heart ripped out and stomped on by the one person we hoped to be forever with.

The love interest in the book's name is Jennifer. Why did you choose to make one of the only Latina characters a prostitute?

I was so worried about that. But I chose that as her "profession" because both Dio, the main character and Jennifer are victims of child abuse and you really get to see how it affects both of them in different ways. I hope that it is a warning in some way for anyone who is thinking about abusing their children how it can affect them. Also, I hope that it will connect with others who are lost in that world that somehow they can find their own self-worth just like Jennifer eventually does.

You seem to have a passion for writing about love. Would you say you're a romantic at heart?

Very much so. I'm a total sap when it comes to love. Some friends might say I fall to hard too easily. But it's such a great feeling and I really do believe in souls destined for each other and all that sort of thing. I really do, however, I have learned that there's more than just one choice. There could be several soul mates or twin flames out there for you.

Jeff, thanks so much for being here today, and good luck with the sales of your book! Readers, you can find out more by visiting his website here.

Romance and Chocolate for Valentine's Day!

"If you come to fame not understanding who you are, it will define who you are." ~Oprah Winfrey

I know it's still a few months away, but I wanted to mention the AWESOME book signing event I'll be participating in on February 7th, 2009: Romance and Chocolate at the Farmington, CT Borders. Check it out (just posted on Stella Price's blog):

Romance and Chocolate Event: Feb 7th 2009 at the Farmington CT Borders

13 authors will be on hand for a fun and romantic event called the Romance and Chocolate Event. Authors of different kinds of romance will be on hand selling and signing books, and attendees will be treated to refreshments, snacks, goodies and lots of free stuff and will also have the opportunity to win one of 6 romance inspired gift baskets. What authors?

Stella Price
Tilly Greene
Jessica Andersen
Cat Johnson
Allie Boniface
Isabelle Santiago
Toni Andrews
Marie Force
Kristan Higgins
Denise Egan
Emily Bryan
Kathryn Smith
Annette Blair

Hope to see you there!

I'm particularly excited because some of those authors are fairly well-established, NY authors (I've linked to a couple of their websites, just for kicks).

So if you're anywhere in the area, mark February 7th, 2009 on your calendars and come on out and join us!

I Love Your Blog

Diane gave me this "award" last week, and then Brenna did...and then Marianne did. So wow - thanks, guys! That makes me feel really loved in blogger world. The rules are that I'm supposed to pass it on to 7 other blogs I enjoy reading, but I have a terrible confession to make: I don't think I have 7 other blogs I read regularly enough to make that call! I visit Marianne and Liz almost every day; I drop by Diane and Dru and Chandler during the week if I can, and I pop into Pub Rants or BookEnds when I remember to.

But otherwise, I don't have enough time in my day to blog hop. Sigh. Sometimes I wish I did - it would be easier than this dratted writing thing. The good news is that I finished my second revision of One Night in Napa, which is a huge relief and accomplishment. I've sent it out to a handful of agents, just to see if I get any bites. If not, I'll submit it to Samhain with fingers crossed.

And yes, I have every intention of starting my NaNo project this-coming Saturday: a literary/romance/paranormal effort tentatively titled Entwined.

Happy Monday!

Good News for a Sunday

"I never read a book before reviewing it - it prejudices a man so." ~Sydney Smith

My Sunday Good News:

One Night in Memphis received a 5-Heart review from The Romance Studio! In part, the reviewer (the same one who gave One Night in Boston 5 Hearts last year) wrote,

"I highly recommend this book. It is well written, highly suspenseful and one great read. And just wait for the sensual parts. There’s just nothing I don’t like about this book and that includes the unexpected ending..."

You can read the whole review here.

Happy Sunday!