Amie Stuart’s latest, “ROPERS RULE”, is being released by Cobblestone Press today.

Amie has a wonderfully direct, insightful style that’s moving her right on up the ranks in publishing.
And if that’s not enough for ya…this book is HAWT.
“ROPERS RULE” is the launch short story of Cobblestone’s new WICKED line.
Check it out!

I’m blogging at the CHICAS site today.

I believe this was probably the first night this year I actually smelled spring at NIGHT. There’s something special about the feeling of spring at night. It’s like sensing something being born. It’s full of mystery and mischief, fresh sights and scents. The leaves unfurl their new forms while we sleep, and the grass gathers sweetwater from the cool evening air. It’s the feeling that something hopeful and exciting is about to happen at any moment.
So hard to believe everything seemed dead and cold barely a month ago when the sky seems pure and the air itself pulses with a sensual undercurrent of life.
If I had to have a season to keep, I believe this would be it.

(And many thanks to my webmistress for the restoration of piccies–I know the blog is making you nuts).

I got nuttin’.
And I feel shtoopid posting that “I got nuttin’”—the exciting life of an author and all that.
So I’ll have to steal good news from other people, lol.
It’s Monday. We all need all the good news we can get.

Bernita has sold another story to Wild Child Publishing. Yayyy!

Rachelle Chase is sponsoring a contest featuring intriguing, lovely photos of herself. Think “Dead Stare” and “Noir”, and go play.

And huge congrats to fellow Samhain author Beth Williamson, who just snared a well-deserved, three-book deal from Kensington and an agent, all in one day!

Wishing you good news too.

Yes, I’ve been trying to write.
Yes, I’ve been working on Pinky (that’s another blog entirely).

But this week I started something new. Just a start.
And yes, I was well-prepared. I had 15 pages of synopsis and worldbuilding. Five pages about characters—knew their names, backgrounds, how they looked, purpose in the story. I knew the tone I wanted, the romantic highs and lows, the small victories, agonizing defeats, who lives, who dies.
I was ready to roll.

So I sat down to write, knowing exactly what I wanted in the first chapter…

And NOTHING.
Nada. Zip. Zero.
For the first time EVER, for as long as I’ve been trying to write, I couldn’t think of an opening. Thought. Pondered. Tried different approaches. Left it. Came back another day. Fretted. Fumed. Fussed.
NOTHING.
I’ve come up with something that’ll do for now…but geez. Maybe this pre-planning stuff just isn’t for me.

I’m on my soapbox at the CHICAS site today.
At least, that’s the plan…

Author Pam Champagne is guest-blogging at the CHICAS site today.
Please join us!

One of the methods I use to gauge whether a book works for me is if I don’t want it to end.
I’ve just finished Ann Aguirre’s GRIMSPACE. It worked for me.
I have no problem recommending it, if you haven’t already read it.

I’ve been reading a few urban fantasies. The genre does interest me, especially when it includes cross-over elements, such as romance, mystery, etc.

I also read one that rather bothered me. The protagonist killed someone in the story after promising to spare them, someone who was begging for their life.
And yes I know the H/h are not necessarily going to be heroic, and the tone is meant to be gritty, and violence is to be expected, etc. But that single action seemed to color my perception from that point on, and the book–and the protagonist–simply didn’t work for me.
But it did make me think about the fine lines between self-defense, killing, and murder, so I suppose that was of some value.

Jason Evans of The Clarity of Night blogspot has opened a companion blog called Night Conversations. It’s a bit like having a one-on-one conversation with someone from a big, comfy chair, like a more personal version of Post Secret. Stop in when you have time to visit.

The title of his new site is ironic in light of my post today—inspired (in part) by Bernita’s post and a little tongue-in-cheek introspection this week.

I’m coming out of the closet at the CHICAS site today.