Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Pinching myself!

I had the most amazing weekend - the "writer's dream" sort. On Saturday, I signed a new contract for another 1NS story with Decadent! Yay! I filled out all the forms and returned them, along with a new 1NS sub. On Sunday, a contract popped into my email for that 1NS story. The quickest turnaround on a sub for me!

But - as they say in the cheesy commercials - wait! There's more! On Monday, Decadent contracted a historical romance novella!

Sometimes that old saying is true. Things do come in threes! Very, very good things, in this case. If you'd like to read the blurbs, check the Coming Soon page.

Now I'm kind of having little panic attacks. I'd already had three contracts with Decadent, so these additional three make six (plus the other contract for the collection of literary shorts). All those edits - yikes! I'll just be Scarlet O'Hara, and think about it tomorrow.

Promo, on the other hand, I'll have to plan out. I haven't started edits on any of them yet, so no release dates in sight. When I do, I may be begging for blog spots!

Have you had multiple releases in a short while? Any tips on marketing (without making people totally sick of me, lol)?


Saturday, January 26, 2013

Historical BlurbFest at TBR this weekend

I'm holding another blurbfest this weekend at TBR - for historical fiction this time, any subgenre. Come on over and share your historical blurb!


Sorry to be MIA this week, a cold kept my head spinning, and yesterday's guest didn't show. Today, the snow is inspiring me to stay indoors and write. :)


Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Chat tonight, cover reveal and Valentine's

Chat tonight at NOR

Tonight I'm joining three authors at Night Owl Reviews to chat with readers. I scheduled this almost a year ago, so I can't remember what I promised to give away, but it'll be an ebook. :) It runs from 8:00 p.m. EST to about 9:00, each author in turn. I hope you'll join in! It's usually a very lively, fun conversation.

And.. for the big reveal...

Drum roll please! This weekend, I received my beautiful new cover for The Ex Factor, a light contemporary short that Decadent Publishing will release as part of its 1NS series. Edits haven't started yet, so stay tuned for a release date.

Ta da! The story has a playful tone, and it comes through beautifully in this cover, doesn't it? Decadent has such wonderful designers!

Valentine's dates filling up...

But I still have some slots open for my Valentine's blog celebration. If anyone wants to grab a date, just let me know!


Friday, January 18, 2013

Be my Valentine... guest?

I used to be a very organized person. These past few years, it’s been a challenge, but I’m trying! Sometimes life’s absurdities knock me off course. Everyone’s busy, I know. I wish there were some magic trick to keeping on top of everything but there’s not, so I plow ahead.
 
Goals for this year
 
I have three stories contracted with Decadent for release this year – yay! Cursed is Book 1 of The Vitruvian Man series – a paranormal with an unusual hero. Two others are contemporary 1 Night Stand shorts. Wild Life is a collection of literary short stories under my pen name of C.A. Masterson contracted with Sunbury Press that will release around mid-year.
 
So I don’t need a crystal ball to see edits and promo in my future. I’m really excited about them and hope readers love them as much as I do.
 
In the meantime, I have other projects calling me:
 
 First up, to finish Charmed, the second novella in The Vitruvian Man series and submit to Decadent
 
To finish a draft of the third full-length novel in The Goddess Connection series. This one’s lighter in tone than the first two, and has been a lot of fun to work on. I started it almost a year ago, and continue to research and write. I’m juggling ideas for a title.
 
After ordering more print copies of my dark paranormal, Dead to Rights, I’ll be searching for local signings or book fairs. Or maybe I’ll have to plan one! Mwahahaha.
 
Want to be my Valentine... guest?
 
I’m thinking Valentine’s Day would be great for a blog event – what do you think? Anyone want to join in? It will probably run February 1 through 14, and I'll throw some fun questions together. Just let me know if you want to be part of Celebrate Amore!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Another blog visit, a blurbfest and news!

Wow, it's been a long time since I didn't have blog posts scheduled ahead, and a long time since I didn't feel pressured to post something. It's very freeing - I'm liking it. :)

On Sunday (it's live now! already Sunday Down Under), I'm going Western with amazing author Cassandra Dean. I hope y'all will mosey on by and say hey.

BlurbFest

This weekend, TBR's holding its first blurbfest of 2013 - any and all genres welcome. Come on over and share your book blurb!

News to Happy Dance To


Decadent Publishing contracted my paranormal novella, Cursed! It's extra exciting because I was invited to submit for the launch of their new line, Tease. I am so thrilled this story will be part of it!

Formerly The Vitruvian Man, it's now book 1 of the series by that name. I'm working on a follow-up, tentatively titled Charmed. It's set in contemporary Venice during the 10-day festival of Carnevale, where more goes on than meets the eye, mwahaha.

Here's the short blurb for Cursed:

Ten days of freedom. That’s all Fate had allotted me each year. In the streets of Venice, I could walk among them. Mingle. Belong.

During Carnevale, they had no idea who I was. What I was.

For ten days, it didn’t matter.

Until I met her.

Happy weekend! I hope to get some writing done on Charmed. What are you up to?


Monday, January 7, 2013

Inspiration and balance

Creativity can't survive without these two elements. Not in any meaningful way for me, at least. And last year lacked one or both at various times.

Balance has long been a challenge. My drive to write is very strong, and I devote every spare moment to it. For the past few years, spare moments have been few and far between, but that's where inspiration evens out the scales again. And sometimes from the most surprising sources.

For instance, I received a catalog for women's clothing, and flipped open the cover. The introductory text gripped me. All about the Power of Intention, it said we all have great power within us - the power to do our best, to harness our strengths to become the most amazing versions of ourselves possible. That setting intentions and then striving for those goals can propel us toward what we most want in life.

Wow. I love it when words can act like a kick in the head. I needed that reminder. Not that I haven't been striving all along, but I think sometimes we can work against our intentions. At the end of 2012, I was experiencing burnout. I felt very scattered, trying to do too much. This year, I'm going to concentrate on the harnessing aspect to restore the joy that comes with doing what I love, and not just related to writing.

I made no real resolutions this year, but I hope to stick to this one. How about you - have you made any resolutions? Any tips on how to keep your resolve strong?

Around the blogosphere this week

Today I'm visiting with Deanna Jewel, who was kind enough to invite me to her blog to talk about my dark paranormal, Death Is A Bitch. I hope you can pop over and say hi.

Tomorrow, I'm back at Lorrie Struiff's blog, sharing a bit about the inspiration behind my Western historical, A Midwest Summer Night's Dream. Hope you'll visit me there.

I have another blog visit coming up on Sunday, but may not post here for the rest of the week. I have to travel out of town for a family funeral - the second loss within my family so far this year. Another reminder to make every day count.

And some good news....

Decadent Publishing released Dead to Rights in print! It's available through Amazon. I've already received my copies, and it's such a thrill. I love my Kindle, but it's wonderful to hold my own book in my hands. And I've always loved the cover, but it looks even more gorgeous in print!