31 March 2008

Lost But Not Forgotten

No, I'm not about to quote Neil Young, but I have been sitting and contemplating my large stack of wayward beginnings lately. By this I mean all those half-written books that never quite got finished and sent out to publishers.

Why do I abandon them like orphaned children? Left to fend for themselves in the lonely expanse of my hard drive? It's not fair they should suffer the same fate as half-baked ideas that never quite gelled. These are noble stories, worthy stories, stories that had conflict, angst, plot and really mouth-watering heroes. They are the lost souls of fantasy, sci-fi and some paranormal that just seemed to fade into the background when a new and exciting plot or special project came along.

I hate that I do this. I don't love these stories any less for shifting them further down the TBW (to be written) pile. I sometimes believe I have Shiny Object Syndrome - a debilitating illness I caught from my ADD spouse. All it takes is a character that sparkles just a little brighter, or a conflict to combust just a little bigger to make me tear off in another direction, abandoning the other book like an empty chocolate wrapper.

I'm a terrible mother. These are my darlings. How can I treat them so bad? I'm the Joan Crawford of the literary world. I beat my books with wire hangers then send them to bed, not to look at them again until I get fractionally bored with something else I'm doing.

For the past two years, my New Years resolution has been to lose weight around the Document File. Since January I've met the goal of finishing three of those forgotten children. One I've sold to Wild Rose Press's Scarlet Rose line - it's a hot paranormal about a fallen angel titled, A Hot Day In Heaven. I finished an entry for Samhain's Tickle My Fantasy special project and completed the rough on a novel I've been wanting to send to Samhain for the past year and a half. I feel rather accomplished heading into April. Now if I can only finish the story of the horny Leprechaun King and the gothic I've promised Kensington first look at, then I'm set. But that's only the Works In Progess list. There's an entire Need To Finish list that has 11 other titles on it. And it doesn't help new ideas come to me everyday. But don't worry - I have a plan. I play the lottery nightly to increase my chances of being able to stay home and write for a living and not have to worry about those luxuries I've become accustom to called "food" and "shelter."

Aw, the plight of the prolific.

What does your TBW pile look like? Is it in need of a good spring cleaning?

-Kat

25 March 2008

Psssst - The Secrets of Writing Humor


Molasses Thief Comes to a Sticky End


Have I got your attention yet? Good, because everyone knows sex sells a romance story or novel, but most people don’t realize humor can just as effectively bond readers to your work. If you want to learn about writing comedy moments that will have your readers howling, or simply smiling knowingly to themselves, come along to the Coffee Time Romance and More seminar, Psssst – The Secrets of Writing Humor. S.J. Willing, creator of the Agent Double D.3 Reports and the PIACT Undercover Agent series will share some of his hard-learned techniques for this particularly tricky area in fiction writing.

Seminar details:

Cost: This seminar is exorbitantly priced at 0 dollars. i.e. it is totally free! - though a free registration at Coffee Time Romance and More forum will be necessary if you want to ask questions. If you just want to read and do the exercises on your own all it will cost you is your time.

Speaker: S.J. Willing – Estimable creator of the Agent Double D.3 reports and a humor columnist for The Brass Spectacle.

Place: Coffee Time Romance and More forum here: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=544

Date: The whole month of April.

Prerequisites: It is preferential to have passed “Where’s My Witticism? 101”, “Simply Snarky 201” and “I Lost My Brain in the Co-Ed Dorm 301” but none of these are essential. Well, maybe the third one is…

Other: Bring beer and peanuts.

24 March 2008

Just to let you know the second batch of the Samhain Spring Showers excerpts have been posted on the Coffee Time Romance and More forum, www.springshowerspromo.com . Authors whose excerpts have been posted this week should have received an email from me letting them know.

If you're not one of the spring showers authors and would still like to be part of the promo please email me for details. We've had almost 2000 hits on the excerpt pages this week, and a lot of reader interest.

Excerpts and prizes will be accepted up to 4th April. So feel free to join in the Samhain Spring Showers party!
This is a list of last weeks winners and this weeks prizes that are up for grabs.

Week TWO Prizes
Winner’s choice of download from backlist on Alexis’s website
Goody package that includes a Barnes and Noble gift card
Free download of either Adrienne or Serenity and $10 Borders gift card
Tote bag full of goodies
Signed copy of Ugley Business
Free download of Cinderella Complex
Free download of Dangerous
Free PDF download of The Return of Patrick O’Rourke
Free download of His Convenient Affair
Free download of Dangerous Grounds
Free download of The Host: Shadows
Free download of Ready or Not
Free download of backlist title Obsession
$10 Starbucks gift card
2 Samhain gift certificates
$5 Amazon gift certificate
$5 MBAM gift voucher
__________________________________________________ ______

Week One WINNERS

amysmith98 wins a Free download of Savage Retribution. PLUS any book of the winner’s choice from Lexxie's backlist PLUS a signed Savage Retribution book cover flat, Lexxie Couper bookmark AND handmade book thong AND an Aussie Indulgence Body Care Gift Pack (containing Kakadu Plum & Macadamia Nut Body Scrub, Body Hydrator and Body Cleaner)
readingisfun wins a Free download of either Adrienne or Serenity and $10 Borders gift card
IrishWolf wins a Goody package that includes a Barnes and Noble gift card
limecello wins her choice of download from backlist on Alexis’s website
danetteb wins a Signed copy of I, Spy?
shadowlady wins a Free download of Shameful
sabby07 wins a Free download of Princess of Thieves
hollie wins a Free download of For Love and Country
Catherine wins a Free download of Mirage
CharmedGirl wins a $5 Amazon gift certificate
caitymack wins a $5 MBAM gift voucher




S.J.

Bianca's New Print Releases

Today I'm going to shamelessly plug three books of mine that are now available in print! First off, Sons of Amber came out today and is the compilation of my first two Sons of Amber stories - Ezekiel and Michael - in print. (Buy Link)

Here's a little bit about this book:

When an alien virus decimates humanity, Dr. Amber Waithe creates a small group of men who are immune. These genetically engineered supermen are the Sons of Amber. Their mission: to repopulate the human worlds. Of course, nobody expects them to fall in love.

Ezekiel - Crash landing on a strange desert world, Ezekiel is rescued by an angel who nurses him back to health. The small community of humans could be the only uninfected colony in the galaxy and he must protect them at all costs. Likewise, he must protect Angela - his angel - the one woman he wants like no other in the universe.

Michael - Commandant and soldier, when Michael hears women are being abducted, he goes undercover with his executive officer to nab the pirates. But playing the role of submissive female is something Leah, his competent XO, isn't sure she can do. Michael proves to her she not only can, but will enjoy the Dominant games he plays so well because he just can't live without her.

Hara's Legacy will be releasing in print tomorrow! It's the first book in my Resonance Mates series. (The second book in the series, Davin's Quest is already available in ebook formats and will be in print around New Year's.)

Here's the tagline for Hara's Legacy:

The first in a series of stories set in a future Earth, where the survivors of humanity must teach the Earth's new inhabitants what it means to be human... and to love.

For some odd reason, this book is already available through Amazon, though Samhain hasn't officially released it yet. (Buy Link) Same goes for my third print release this month, the I Dream of Dragons anthology, volume one. (Buy Link) I won't give you a lot on that book, due to the limits of space, but I will say it contains my Dragon Knights novella, Wings of Change, along with two other awsome stories by Summer Devon and Marie Harte.

I'm just thrilled that all these books are finally getting their day in print. I'm a little overwhelmed to have them all come out at once, but that seems to be the way things go for me - things releasing all at once with long wait times in between. Weird, huh?

19 March 2008

Romance and Sci-Fi: The Perfect Ingredients



I've noticed an amazing lack of quality science fiction programming on television lately. Haven’t you?

Remember the good old days of where the captain of the spaceship fell in love with the alien female? You know the shows I’m talking about. The alien princess is always beautiful while the dashing American astronaut is the man of every woman’s─and every alien woman’s─dreams. If you’re not old enough to have seen these shows during their prime time years, look for them on your cable listings. They’re still around. Why? Because they’re quality shows.

Today it seems the shows are going the way of the gruesome and violent tendencies of our society. Shows titillate the sexual side of a relationship and show the emotional side as an afterthought. These crime forensic shows and their spin-offs rule the airway. I’m not complaining about these shows. They’re great in their own genre. I am, however, wondering why the sci-fi shows of present day appear to be faltering.

For instance, at one point, the television production companies of today (mainly the other-than-the-top-three networks) churned out some pretty good stuff. But none of those shows ever garnered the support of a majority of viewing fans. Then came the other spin-off shows originating with the popular Stargate movie. Personally, I loved the Stargate SG-1 series but it’s going by the wayside now. Stargate Atlantis had a nice run, but that series will be ending soon, too, leaving many of us feeling lost in a sea of sitcoms.

Could the problem lie in the lack of romance in the shows? For instance, other than Colonel Jack O’Neil flirting with Captain Samantha Carter at SG Command, these shows lacked the prime ingredient of romance. The heroine, for example, spent more time running diagnostics on computer systems than checking out the equipment on any man. Even when she did finally fall in love, that relationship was rarely an integral part of the plot.

Love? Could that really be the missing ingredient? For the most part and in my way of thinking, I believe romance has to be a primary ingredient for any good show. Now that the writers are back from their strike, we can only hope they’re in the mood for love.



Beverly Rae
http://www.beverlyrae.com/
Giggle, Gasp & Sigh with a Beverly Rae Romance


WAILING FOR LOVE
This banshee's ready to take this job and shove it. All she needs is a kiss from a sexy country singer-songwriter.

TOUCH ME
eBook at http://tinyurl.com/397k8j
In Paperback at http://tinyurl.com/2zand4 (Amazon.com)
Psychic matchmaker Cally gives everyone their happy ending. But can she ever have one herself?

17 March 2008

Female Werewolves



Ice Cream Is Not the Answer to all ills, except, when it is. One week a month it most definitely is in my house.

It’s a natural cycle, age old and eternal, to be repeated by others like me until time fades to nothing. So often we interrupt the natural cycles of life in favor of the artificial. We don’t sleep when we’re tired, we don’t eat when we’re hungry, we don’t retreat when we need to be alone and we don’t unhesitantly seek out others when we need to be engulfed in external energy. But every 28 to 30 days, I’m caught up in a cycle I have to deal with no matter what else is going on. And I deeply appreciate it.

We spend most of our time locked on schedules, adhering to time tables and attempting to be seen as reliable and unchanging, when change is inherent to us as people and especially to us women. The world has always known this and has honored it in legends. Yes, men traditionally played the preternatural heroes and monster of old, but they were obviously based upon the change and mystery of women.

We are shifters, slipping our mundane skin along with the moon cycle, allowing the inner beast to run free with just the barest sense of consequence. I mean when else can you eat a pint of Edy’s Drumstick ice cream and Pringles blazing buffalo chips, together, and call it dinner without anyone blinking? Some don’t say anything because they grow to understand over time and take it in stride. But most, most silently watch the change from a distance with a weary eye. They know that to move too quickly, speak too loudly or in any way be thought to have let slip a criticism, is to become meat for the beast.

And don’t tell me I don’t change my shape. I have the bigger bras to prove it! 20 to 25 days of being too big, 5 to 10 days of fitting perfectly. You don’t get more natural change of shape than a cup size that comes and goes at will. LOL. And do I need to even go into the cravings and intense demands for things that only the day before we walk passed in a store and never notice? Or the complete mood shifts that take us from tears at a long distance commercial to anger over a news clip, to laughter at a toddlers antics over a three minute span?

We are the original wild card, the visible manifestation of Nature’s mysteries, that which changes and yet stays enough as we were to return to our original forms once more. We are the werewolves of old and rightly so, as man only learned to respect the dark when he realized there was something to fear in it.

Outside of the recent movie Skinwalkers, women are rarely shown as shifters. They say it’s not sellable because it’s not as natural and not as sexy. I say that not only are they wrong (have you ever seen a woman on the prowl at the peak part of her cycle), but they don’t know the half of it...

Women as Wolves/Cycles Ramble Done

~X

15 March 2008

Things That Make You Go Eeek!



I’ve been spending a lot of time on the dark side lately. No, not Bianca D’Arc’s side--splendid though that is. I’m talking about the darker edge of fantasy.

At least, that’s what people tell me. The funny thing is I don’t see it quite that way.

My work in progress, for example, is a contemporary retelling of the myth of Orpheus in Eurydice in which I drag poor the poor woman, limping on a rattler-bitten leg, from the pleasures of the Elysian Fields through the Underworld of the New York subway system. Along the way, she faces off against killer zombies, sulfur-driven infernal engines, and a fine collection of monsters, ghosts and ghouls. And I call it a comedy.

Well, it is her story, and she does make out okay.

But that’s not all of the reason. It seems I define “dark” a little differently than the people who define the genre rules. “Dark” to me involves a high squick factor with lots of body parts dismembered on screen and nameless horrors mutating into swarms of ravenous but less than particular insects. Killer signs and ambulatory pigeons with no heads? Aw shucks, ma’am, that’s just local color.

At least it is in my part of Virginia.

Before you ask, no, I don’t live in the hill country. So you can put away your banjos and DVDs of Deliverance right now. I’m Urban Girl, through and through. If it doesn’t have pavement, I don’t know where to put my spike heels. Roughing it consists of a hotel without room service.

But strange things do abound even in the most civilized of places. Headless pigeons, for example. I met one on a walk along the bike path of our local part. I was lost in whatever daydream was playing through my head that October, not paying attention to where I was going until I nearly tripped over a bird body waddling slowly in my path. I stopped myself from stepping on it just in time.

That’s what caught my attention. The birds in my neighborhood are pretty fat and accustomed to hand-outs, but they blast off in a welter of flapping wings when something bigger than a squirrel threatens to fall on top of them. I looked down and realized the bird in front of me had no head, just a meat end of neck with a little bit of bone sticking out. Believe me, I checked all the telephone wires between there and the house, just in case something that didn’t know it was dead decided to get the drop on me.

Talking to my husband after I got home, I learned there are several well-documented cases of chickens living without heads for days, sometimes months. The most famous is Mike the Headless Chicken, who is honored every spring with his very own festival in Fruita, Colorado. Organizers call attending the festival “a no-brainer”, proving they share my mindless sense of humor as well as my affinity for stupid animal tricks.

The sign was, if anything, stranger than the pigeon. Imagine an underground parking garage in the middle of a sultry June night with no wind currents. None. It was sealed off from the outside by closed garage doors, and there was no air conditioning or venting to create currents in the concrete cavern. Yet there was this sign--an inch-thick metal plate three feet tall and as wide as a driveway, suspended on metal chains as wide as my wrist--doing a jig in the still, humid air. The metal screamed as it tried to tear itself from its moorings.

Eight years later, I still can’t offer any explanation for it. The people in the hotel connected to the garage had no clue. Local newspapers offered no tales of parking garage murders or desecrated cemeteries or Indian burial grounds. I’ve never found its equivalent on the ‘Net either. At least, I’ve never found anything with the kind of corroboration you find with stories of headless chickens.

No, I didn’t drive under the sign. I might be crazy enough to research headless birds and inquire politely of a hotel night clerk whether there’s a danger the hotel's signage might separate from its moorings. But I’m not quite stupid enough to drive under a shrieking sign.

Having survived both encounters undamaged, I find it hard to consider them dark. Weird, certainly. But not dark--at least, not necessarily. On the other hand, they provide great fodder for “what if” play. Consider, for example, what might happen if someone decided to hold a séance in a hotel parking garage. Or what kind of birds might populate the after life.

They also make it easy to explain why I write fantasy. Not that many people ask. The little ghost cat who shares our house usually takes care of that. I just wish it was a better mouser.

13 March 2008

Ready for Spring

I am ready for spring! And considering we had a foot of snow fall just last weekend, that seems a pretty tall order.

Of course now the snow is nothing but mud, a few straggly piles still at the edges of the parking lots melting quickly into the pavement. The ground is dirty, the cars are dirty, and the world is painted in shades of brown...a far cry from the shades of white that covered all and made the world look pretty.

Is there green blooming under the brown? Are the redbud trees ready to blossom into their pink and purply spring coats? Are the leaves struggling to emerge, that vibrant green that soothes the eye and calms the fears that winter will never leave?

I am thinking of having my carpet replaced, thinking of cleaning off my kitchen counter. Thinking, mind you, I haven't actually committed to the projects...lolol. I am also taking a break from my life as it has been for the past few months to do something totally different. What, I don't know, other than it involves doing more than sitting at my computer alone for hours at a time.

I want to dance, or see a play...go downtown and look in shop windows that are way out of my price-range. Try on shoes with too high heels that I will never wear, or dresses made for black-tie affaires, oh so chic and oh-la-la. Maybe I could plan a trip to France where I would sit outside a small cafe, sipping coffee and eating some mile-high cream puff drenched in chocolate. That would be very nice. Or maybe I could just go for a walk, stretch legs too used the chair and open eyes that have squinted far too long over my tiny computer screen.

The foxes will be screaming soon, calling for their summer mates. That wild whaaaaa sound always tells me spring is on the way. We have one who actually climbs up on the deck and stretches out in the lawn chair when the cats are tucked inside. I haven't heard her yet, but she'll be here soon.

What will you do to celebrate the dawning spring? Something totally elaborate and grand, or a simple breath of the warming air?

12 March 2008

Elsewhere

I feel like I've been sick for forever, though it's only been a week. In any event, I haven't had a lot of brain cells the last few days, so I decided that this post would point out interesting stuff going on elsewhere.

First and most importantly, there's lots of action going on at the Samhain Café. They're celebrating Read an Ebook Week and posting lots of excerpts, having lots of contests and just generally having a lot of fun.

Also, this week the Eppie winners were announced. Lots of Samhain winners, including Bianca D'Arc who posts here. Congratulations, everyone!

At Angela James's blog, there's an update on Samhain submissions. Lots of interesting tidbits, and hey, paranormal is still hot.

Finally, Dear Author posted a Celebrate Romance Report 2008 by Karen W. Celebrate Romance sounds like a fun and interesting conference, one I don't usually hear much about.

10 March 2008

Once Upon A Time - being a Fairy Tale Princess in a Feminist World

Okay, who likes fairy tales? Yeah, me too. They were my absolute favorite when I was growing up. There was something so magical about godmothers that granted wishes and glass slippers and kisses that broke curses.
That was then. This is now. One thing those Fairy Tale Princesses (FTP's) had in common was that they were all...waiting. Waiting for someone to help them, waiting for the handsome prince to sweep them up onto a white horse and ride off into Happily Ever After. Nowandays, those girls are called 'sappy'. Women have power all their own, and they need to use it.


So how can you be a FTP in a Feminist World? Here are some tips.


1. Be sweet, but not a pushover. I mean, if the wicked stepmother can just waltz up and take you out with an apple, maybe you don't deserve to be the main character of a story. No one likes a b-...well, you know... either, so having a nice disposition is key to being an FTP.


2. Learn to fight your own battles. Take some Tae Kwon Do, find a gym and lift some weights. This goes hand in hand with #1 - people can't push you around if they know you'll gouge their eyes out or run them through with a broadsword for it. The challenge for the FTP is to kick butt without messing up your manicure. Because, even though your a modern day FTP, it doesn't mean you don't always look your best. And make sure you can balance your own checkbook, please!


3. Make sure Prince Charming knows you don't need him. He needs to understand in no uncertain terms that you can get along quite well all by yourself, but if he had to go ten minutes without you, the castle would fall to pieces.

4. Knowledge is power. If you aren't a dumb (insert your haircolor here), don't act like it. That dumb routine is O-U-T. It may work for Jessica Simpson (and it makes my skin crawl) but you are not a pop diva, and you wouldn't want to be. Yeah, I know men can be intimidated by a smart woman, but see #3. You'll be fine.

Follow these simple rules, and you too can be a FTP, even in a world that's telling you it's not cool to be a Princess.

Make every day magical,

Christine
www.christine-norris.com

08 March 2008

New Amsterdam

There's a new paranormal show on TV this week - New Amsterdam, on Fox. I settled in to watch the pilot with a mix of eager anticipation and unsure expectations.

It took a pretty long time for this series to make it to screen, even for notoriously slow production schedules. First ordered back in late 2006, it's been 15 months before it made it to air. Hence my uncertainty. Was this something they had in the can, and only pulled out when the writer's strike forced a shut down of new productions?

I was happy to find that New Amsterdam is a solid show. A mix of para and regular detective work, it blends the two and while bringing some nice charaters to life. The rookie partner could use some freshness, and there's more than a bit of cliche in the cop side of the scripts.

John Amsterdam, played with an unexpectedly boyish charm by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, is immortal. Rewarded (or is it punished?) for saving a young Native American woman from death in the early 1600's, he now walks the streets of New York - formerly New Amsterdam - while he waits for The One.

The One, of course is his one true love. For John, time has ceased to take a mortal toll on him. Only after meeting his One will John again become mortal.

There are some neat moments in the first two episodes where John interacts with his descendants. And over the course of four hundred years, he's picked up a skill or two that help with his everyday life.

The plot arcs of the first two episodes were a nice blend of cop procedural, and John's suddenly inspired search for The One. If the show can keep the nice balance they hit so far, they could have a new hit on their hands.

Some of the best "wow" moments are in the credits, as time stop photography effects show as a plot of wilderness on an island grows into New Amsterdam, and evetually New York as it is today. I had fun rewinding that part on my DVR, and watching it again at slow speed.

Overall, I'm giving New Amsterdam a grade of B. If the writers can tighten up the cop side of the show, I'll be eagerly looking for this show on the TV schedule for the rest of the season.

06 March 2008

Thursday Thirteen: Dayna Hart Interviews Gena Showalter


In an attempt to convince my fellow bloggers that I should totally be kept on board despite my rapidly approaching Maternity Leave, I have begged and schmoozed my way into the hearts and heads of some Very Famous Writers. Okay, so only two have not slapped me with a restraining order so far, and I have had to promise to be this author’s personal stalker fangirl. (which was not so difficult, as I lurve her work, and she’s a terrifical person besides. And I’m not just saying that because she’s letting me use her in such a shameful way.)

So…here’s my interview with (*fangirl squee here*) Gena Showalter!




  1. What do you have coming out next? And can we have a sneak peek? (Erm, seriously, I want an ARC, please.)

    Up next are the first three books in my Lords of the Underworld series. I’ve never been more excited! They feature immortal warriors who opened Pandora’s box, releasing a horde of demons upon the earth. Now, as punishment, each warrior carries a demon inside himself.

    Maddox, the hero of The Darkest Night, is keeper of Violence. His heroine, Ashlyn, is able to stand in one location and hear every conversation that’s ever taken place there. Lucien, the hero of The Darkest Kiss, is keeper of Death. He’s been ordered to escort the goddess of Anarchy’s soul to the hereafter. The tempestuous and fun-loving Anya views his attempts as a game. Reyes, the hero of The Darkest Pleasure, is keeper of Pain. He’s forced to self-torture to survive. Danika, his heroine, is being chased by his best friend, the demon of Wrath, for reasons the warriors do not yet know.

    (*note: I did not get an ARC. *sigh* I have plans to stalk harder.)


  2. Do you have a favourite character? Who is it, and why?

    Anya, the goddess of Anarchy. She has a somewhat warped sense of humor that I adore. She steals unabashedly, spent some time in an immortal prison, and isn’t afraid of the Lords. She’s their equal in every way. To me, there’s just something so very magical about her. And, considering the number of dark things happening in these books – Maddox is murdered every night, only to awaken the next morning knowing he has to die again – it’s ironic that Anya, Anarchy herself, proved to be my calm center while writing.


  3. Which was your favourite book to write?

    Even though Anya from The Darkest Kiss is my favorite character, and her man Lucien is my favorite Lord – he’s a man who deals in death, and I adored giving him, well, a life -- The Darkest Pleasure is actually my favorite book (although my answer could change tomorrow). Writing that book took everything I had.


  4. Which was the hardest book to write?

    The Darkest Pleasure, Reyes’ story. By far. At his demon’s urging, he is sometimes forced to jump from the roof of his fortress simply to feel his bones break. Pain is his pleasure, and pleasure is his pain – if that makes any sense. Writing this book was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had to tap into an emotional well I hadn’t known I possessed. Afterward, I was completely drained.

    (Fangirl note: I want this book. Seriously, the pain-pleasure thing grabs me. Read into that what you will)


  5. Do people often mistake you for JR Ward?

    Oh, I wish! She is one of the most amazing authors out there, and I would love to be in her shoes. (No, seriously, what size does she wear?) She writes some of the most highly addictive novels I’ve ever read.

    (fangirl note: I think Gena underestimates the power of her own books. And her legion of stalker fangirls. However, I like her modest, don’t you?)


  6. Which is your favourite cover? (I’ve got to say the Lords of the Underworld series has some amazingly hot ones.)

    Thank you so much! I was floored every time a new cover came in. They just seemed to get better and better – and that shouldn’t have been possible, as The Darkest Night is stunning. But I fall into a lust-fog every time I look at the The Darkest Pleasure cover.

    Photobucket

    Photobucket

    Photobucket


  7. Would you like to see a movie made of any of your books? What about all of them?

    Seeing one of my books play out on the big screen is a major dream of mine.


    a. Would it be difficult to leave creative control in someone else’s hands?

    Not at all. I think it’d be kind of cool to see someone else’s interpretation of my vision.

    (interviewer note: I have to interject here that Gena posted on her blog no less than three days after this interview that her book Redhanded will be a TV show. My inner fangirl is thoroughly saddened I didn’t get the scoop.)


  8. Your list of books ‘coming soon’ is quite impressive…have they all been written in the past four years? If so…how the heck do you do it?

    I think I average three to four full length novels a year. It usually takes me a month and a half to write a rough draft. Then I spend another month fixing what I’ve written and another few weeks reading over everything. That puts me at about 3 months for one book. But not all of my “coming soon” books are written. I just turned in The Vampire’s Queen (Layel’s story). Right now I’m working on Twice As Hot, the sequel to Playing With Fire. After that, I’ll write the fourth Lords of the Underworld book. And after that, the next alien hunter novel (Devyn’s story).

    (writer note: This level of organization kinda frightens me a little. )


  9. What was the worst advice you ever got? (writing related or not)

    Write to the trend. If you’re doing that, the trend will be over by the time you finish your book. You gotta write from the heart.

    *fangirl love right here*


  10. From your website: No matter the date or time, I’m drinking too much coffee, eating too much chocolate and working on my newest series… Future stalkers...er...fans...want to know:

    a. What’s your favourite coffee?

    The Bella latte at my favorite local coffee shop. It’s amazing. Even when ordered skinny, decaf, low carb, it’s like liquid candy.

    (side note: Now I want one. )

    b. Favourite chocolate?

    Cinnamon spiced almond. I can only find it at Christmas time, so I’m currently in withdrawal.


  11. Say it for me? sloooooowly. I will never live that down!

    LMAO no, Never. For those of you who’ve missed it…











  12. What book(s) have you read that made you think “Oooh I wish I wrote that?”

    Anything by Kresley Cole, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, JR Ward, Karen Moning, PC Cast, Jill Monroe, MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie, Eve Kenin, Marjorie Liu, Michelle Rowen, Michele Bardsley, Jeaniene Frost and so many others. There are so many amazing authors out there today.

    (fangirl note: more modesty here. Innit adorable?)


  13. Where can fans find you online?

    http://www.genashowalter.com and http://www.genashowalter.blogspot.com/


    Thanks so much to Gena!

05 March 2008

My Obsession with Chocolate


Most of us love chocolate, right? I’d have to admit, however, that I love chocolate more than the average person. What about you? Do you have the craving for rich creamy chocolate? Are you a chocoholic?

Statistics show that most Americans consume ten to twelve pounds of chocolate every year. What lightweights! I bet I probably eat at least ten pounds every three months. Okay, maybe every six months. But who’s counting, right? The same survey shows that the Swiss eat twenty-one pounds of chocolate every year. This means, obviously, that I need to move to Switzerland.

Another statistic tells us that eating chocolate can actually prolong our life by reducing the number of blood clots and fighting bad cholesterol. Apparently, downing all those chocolate bunnies at Easter is good for my health. So, the next time you go shopping for groceries, if you happen to see a woman shoveling tons of chocolate eggs into a grocery cart and mumbling about fictional characters taking over her life, take a second to stop and say “hi” to me.

The funniest statistic I ever read about chocolate told how chocolate can be frozen for up to six months. Six months? Are they kidding? Who can resist chocolate sitting in their freezer, calling their name for six whole months? Not this lady. I freeze chocolate for one reason and one reason only. Because it keeps it from melting in my hands too quickly. But it’s rarely ever left in the freezer for more than one night.

Here’s the strangest statistic I ever read about chocolate. The largest chocolate bar weighed over 5,000 pounds and was made in Italy in the year 2000. Most people would wonder why anyone would make a gigantic chocolate bar. Others would be amazed and hope to see a picture of it in the Guinness Book of World Records. Me? I just want to know who made it and is it all gone? If not, I’m hopping on the next flight to Italy to get my share of the 5,000 pounds.

Beverly Rae
www.beverlyrae.com
Giggle, Gasp & Sigh with a Beverly Rae Romance

TOUCH ME - eBook at http://tinyurl.com/397k8j
In Paperback at http://tinyurl.com/2zand4 (Amazon.com)


WAILING FOR LOVE - Coming from Samhain Publishing 03/11/08


http://www.cafepress.com/beverlyrae