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?

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!