Hey all – I’m over at the TRS Blue today if you want to stop by and say hi! Just click here!

Hey, all! I’m a guest over at my friend, Devon’s, blog while she’s off visiting Prague. You can read my post here! Stop on by and give us some love.

So I got two rejections yesterday from two agents. Something like that can seriously deflate a person, you know? And here I thought that book was kick-ass and it would easily be snatched up.

Wrong. Of course, I’m still waiting to hear back from a few others. Of course, I still have hope there will be a bite. But I still sat back and went, “You know, maybe it DOES suck.”

And I’m cool with that.

And then I thought: Maybe it’s not the book it’s the QUERY that sucks. Yes, that has to be it. The query letter is awful.

And then I re-read the query and I’m convinced it DOESN’T suck and the book is really as kick-ass as I thought it was to begin with.

I hate this business sometimes. It makes you want to rip your hair out. Then other times it makes you leap for joy. Other times, still, it makes you weep. For a variety of reasons!

Such is the way of things. Okay sure I know – work on something else while you’re waiting (I am). Don’t get discouraged (I’m not). Write the best book you can (I did). It’s just frustrating that it takes so darn long to get a response back.

Last night I spent a good portion of time doing some brainstorming on the new book and trying to figure out a particular piece of the puzzle. I also did some writing. I got in abou 1500 words and busted 11K. GO ME! That felt good and the story is getting fun. My poor heroine just got the shock of her life. And even as I write this, I’m wondering what sort of hell I can put them through to make it all worthwhile in the end.

And NOTE TO SELF: Never watch any show pertaining to Charles Mason before bedtime. I made the grave error of watching the documentary, Manson, on History Channel the night before and ended up with a restless night. That guy was just evil. And those mindless minions of his were evil and freaky. I’m fairly certain there’s a special place in Hell for them all.

AND! On that note, I’m off to work. But DO stop by Devon’s blog today if you can!

Hey, all. Instead of reading my post here today, bop on over to Pop Culture Divas and read about my favorite 80s movies. Click here! I’ll be back tomorrow with my regularly scheduled post.

Hey, ya’ll. Guess what? I have a new interview up! It’s over at Mistress Bella Interviews and you can check it out here. Hope you’ll stop by and say hi.

I totally didn’t blog yesterday but I’m making up for it today!

With the economy the way it is, it’s a safe bet most of us won’t be making any big-ticket purchases, like a new computer or laptop. But there are those of us who still like our gadgets at a fair price that we find irresistible. Our fingers itch to get hold of those really cool things we’ve been drooling over.

From eBook readers to easy ways to backup and store your precious works-in-progress, here’s a list of all the cool stuff out there for under $500.00.

Amazon’s Kindle – $299.00 plus shipping
So you’re looking for an ebook reader? Check out the new Kindle 2. And they just lowered the price, which is totally awesome. You can read magazines, newspapers, and of course books. The average cost of a trade paperback is $13.00. The average cost of an ebook is $4.00. I’d say that’s quite a savings if you read more than a book a week. The sleek and slim Kindle is $359.00 plus shipping and if you want to get the extended warranty that’s another $65.00.

Specifications:

• weighs in at 10.2 ounces
• 2 GB internal storage
• 2.0 USB compatible
• battery lasts up to 4 days with wireless turned on (longer with it off)

Supports: Kindle, TXT, Audible, MP3, PDF, MOBI, PRC, HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP

System Requirements: None

In the Box:
Quick Start Guide
power adapter
USB 2.0 cable
rechargeable battery

Sony Reader – $299.00 plus shipping
Sony’s answer to the Kindle, the Sony Reader offers similarities. One drawback—you have to download the books to your computer and then upload them, whereas with the Kindle, you can download directly to the device. Another slim and sleek design, this has a 6-inch high resolution display for easier reading. I found this online at BestBuy.Com and SonyStyle.Com, so you’ll still have to order it and have it shipped, like the Kindle.

Specifications:

• weighs in at 9 ounces
• internal memory can hold up to 160 eBooks
• SD memory slot (card not included)
• USB 2.0 compatible

Supports: BBeB Book, PDF, TXT RTF and other Microsoft Word text formats, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, MP3 and AAC audio

System Requirements: Requires Intel® Celeron® 800MHz processor or better, Windows XP (Home, Professional, Media Center Edition/2004/2005) or Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate), 128MB RAM, 20MB hard drive space, USB port and optical drive

In the Box:
rechargeable lithium-ion battery
AC adapter
soft cover
eBook Library 2.0 software

iPod Touch – $229.00 (8 GB) to $399.00 (32 GB)
So you want an eBook reader, do you? And maybe a music player and something to watch videos on, too. Throw a few games in there for good measure. Get an iPod Touch. It’s a PDA, an eBook reader, an MP3 player, portable video player, portable game machine, plus it gives you wireless Internet so you can surf the web, download books from Fictionwise, and even check your email. All at the touch of the screen. It’s everything you need to be portable and still stay connected. Sleek, contoured design and weighs in at 4.05 ounces.

Specifications:

• 3.5-inch (diagonal) Multi-Touch color LCD
• 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB flash drive
• Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
• Music playback time: Up to 36 hours when fully charged
• Video playback time: Up to 6 hours when fully charged

Mac Requirements:

• USB 2.0 port
• Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later
• iTunes 8 or later
• Internet connection (broadband recommended; fees may apply)
• iTunes Store account

PC Requirements:

• USB 2.0 port
• Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2 or later)
• iTunes 8 or later
• Internet connection (broadband recommended; fees may apply)
• iTunes Store account

In the Box:
Earphones
USB 2.0 cable
Dock adapter
Polishing cloth
Quick Start guide

AlphaSmart Neo – $219.00 plus shipping
Little Alphie, we love you so! This is perfect for the on-the-go writer. Need to shuttle the kids to soccer practice? Take along the Neo. Meeting the writer’s group at Starbucks? Neo is your best friend. It has up to 700 hours of life on only three AA batteries and weighs in at 1.76 pounds. Affordable, flexible and easy to use, pound those words out and then upload to your computer. For more information, check out the website at www.AlphaSmartDirect.Com.

Specifications:

• 5.75″ x 1.5″ LCD screen can be configured to display two through six lines of text per screen
• 2 MB of software (SmartApplet) storage, and 512 KB of data storage to hold approximately 200 pages of text
• System Requirements: Compatible with Mac and Windows and select USB printers

In the Box:
Pre-installed SmartApplets
USB cable
Three AA batteries
AlphaSmart Manager CD
NEO and SmartApplet Quick Guide
Documentation CD

HP Mini 1000 XP Edition – $349.99 at BestBuy.Com
Need more than just an eBook reader? Want to write, check your email, or surf the web? Get an HP Mini Netbook! If you’re one of those on-the-go writers who need access to email and the web while pounding out those words, then this is for you. Write anywhere – the doctor’s office, soccer practice, in traffic (just kidding about that last one). It features a full keyboard—no more of that thumb typing—and is small enough to fit in your purse. It measures 10 inches x 5 inches and weighs in at about 2.4 pounds. Way better the carting your bulky laptop around!

Specifications:

• Intel® Atom™ Processor
• 1.6GHz Processor Speed
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 16GB Hard Drive
• Built-in Webcam
• Built-in Ethernet LAN
• Wireless-B+G Networking
• Two USB 2.0 Ports
• Windows XP Home SP3

In the Box:
3-cell lithium-polymer battery
AC power cable
Owner’s manual

Acer Aspire One – $239.99 at BestBuy.Com
Just as the competition is stiff with eBook readers, so is the competition with netbooks. Here’s another model, a tad lower than the HP Mini but still with all the bells and whistles. Ramp up your multi-tasking skills by surfing the web, checking email, reading eBooks, and writing.

Specifications:

• Intel® Atom™ Processor
• 1.6GHz Processor Speed
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 8GB Hard Drive
• Built-in Webcam
• Built-in Ethernet
• Wireless-B+G Networking
• Three USB 2.0 Ports
• 3-cell lithium-ion Battery
• Windows XP Home

In the Box:
3-cell lithium-ion battery
AC power cable and power adapter
Software: Acer eRecovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe Reader
Owner’s manual

And need I say back-up, back-up, back-up? All the gadgets in the world won’t protect your stuff unless you back it up once a month, once a week, or – heck – even daily if you write every day.

Get yourself a good set of thumb drives (aka USB device, jump drive, etc). You can buy up to 8 GB for $30 and that’s a 3-pack. It’s well worth the investment to have all your precious babies backed up. You can get them at WalMart, Target, Best Buy, Comp USA, Tiger Direct, Fry’s Electronics. Virtually anywhere that sells computer gadgets.

Another option is to buy an external hard drive to back up your files. Get a 250 GB one for $150 at BestBuy.Com or in the store.

Every computer comes with a CD Burner these days. Get a spool of CDs and, when all else fails, burn your documents to a CD for safekeeping.

What are some of YOUR favorite gadgets? Answer below to enter a drawing for a $10 gift card to either Best Buy or Amazon.com!

Hey, all! I’m over at Star-Crossed Romance today if you wish to check it out. I would love some company over there.

Plus! I have a new review for TALK DIRTY TO ME by Valerie Mann. She says, “I love this book. Period.” And she gives is a 4.5. You can read the rest here. Woohoo!

Yes, I am counting down the days until I’m on vacation. And it can’t come soon enough, let me tell you. FIVE more work days. And then I’m out of the office for the next SIX work days. A week and a day. Heaven.

Of course, I’ve already got a booked schedule for next week. Parties, meetings, workshops, appointments. I’m really looking forward to meeting up with my online friends. The only thing that is making me really nervous is the flight (have I mentioned I hate to fly?) and getting from the airport to the hotel. BUT, from what I’ve read online, I can take the Metro directly from the airport to the hotel. Which rocks. I need to get back online and get their service map.

Got my hair done on Friday and it’s, um, dark. Instead of the normal strawberry blond, I now have dark red hair with blond highlights. Quite a change. Plus, I was sick of seeing all the gray. My Stylist Extraordinaire said most of the gray was at my temples and in my bangs. I told her that was my mom’s fault.

I still need to get my eyebrows waxed and a pedicure. That’s on the scheduled for Monday.

Friday evening, Man and I went to Macaroni Grill for an early dinner. It wasn’t crowded. However, we seem to be a magnet for annoying people. It happens everywhere we go. We got there, sat down, ordered drinks and were having a lovely time when a family walks in with five children all under the age of eight. Usually, this wouldn’t be a big deal, however, the hostess put them at the table right behind us. This wouldn’t be a big deal either, except the tables are so close together you can hardly walk between the chairs when someone is seated in them. And the kids! OMG. The kids were awful. Throwing tantrums about who was going to sit next to Mommy. One kid did that ”fish out of water” thing where he whips his body back and forth while whining at the same time.

Man and I exchanged one of those looks that says, “I can’t believe this is happening AGAIN.” Then two of the boys ran off to the bathroom, running right into my chair and nearly tripping a waitress in the process.

The boys came back, bumped into my chair and Man’s chair. He finally got up and moved to another place across the table that wasn’t in a high-traffic area. The kitchen must have been in a hurry to fill their order because they got their food pretty quickly and when they did, the kids were fine. But SHEESH.

I told Man I was sure glad I only had one. I know myself. One is all I can handle.

Saturday was low-key. Got the kiddo around 3 and then we had dinner and headed out to see fireworks. We parked with the rest of the crowd to see the fireworks from the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. There was some excitement – the group next to us attracted the interest of the local police. They cuffed two of the folks and then the Sgt came over and told them they could leave on their own, or they could go in the police car. They all left. That was the excitement for the evening. Well, until the fireworks.

Didn’t get home until nearly 11 after fighting the traffic out of there. That’s the thing about 4th of July. The TRAFFIC is the pits no matter where you end up watching the fireworks from because everyone and their mother and dog are leaving at the same exact time.

Sunday was quiet. Kiddo went back to his dad early morning and I did laundry and worked on financial statements for about four hours. Fun, fun, fun. But it’s done now and I can get really serious about reconciling.

I also roasted a pork loin for dinner. It was delish.

And that was my weekend. Way too short if you ask me. Hope the week goes as fast. It’s time to start making a travel check list.

Happy Monday!

The other day as I was getting ready for work, it occurred to me the three things I absolutely could not leave the house without: my cell phone; my thumb drive; my iPod. I feel completely lost without them and naked. And if I do leave one of them behind, I always turn around and go back and get it (of course, if I’m already at the office then I suck it up and try to get on with my day without them, but it’s very hard, let me tell you).

I’ve come to depend on the iPod for my daily blockage of stupidity. It’s the only thing, lately, that keeps me sane from the outside world. Plus, I’ve started picking up those “free download” cards from Starbucks (because I’m in there nearly daily) and I actually sat and downloaded the free songs. Most of them aren’t really my taste, but what the heck. It’s FREE. And today, Starbucks had a little booklet of coupons for their products in the grocery store. And since I’m the coupon lady how could I refuse that?

Last night I managed to get home early, get dinner done and the dishes done by 7 pm! It was glorious. Then I caught up on emails and cleaned off my desk. Then I finished making the final changes on my Phoenix synopsis. And THEN I got this really fantastic idea for a dark fantasy and I quickly jotted down the notes for it so I don’t lose the idea in the dark chasms of my head.

I also watered both the front and the back before they burn up from the heat. We officially hit our first 100 degree day yesterday. Today, it will be another 100 degree day. And then we have about a 20 percent chance of rain next week. Right. We’ll see if that happens. I reprogrammed the AC so it would kick on earlier in the day. I originally set it to go up to 85 but being so hot, it’s taking the house way too long to cool down at night. So I bumped it back to 82. Let the thing have less of a work-out. It’s old, after all, and I can’t afford to have the thing replaces this year. It can break next year (now you watch, I’ve just jinxed myself!).

Anyway, I’m loving the HP Mini. Man installed some virus software for me and it’s working like a charm. Now I don’t have to worry about getting online and I’m SO SO SO excited to take it with me to Nationals. I had a little SNAFU with the hotel reservations – they LOST them essentially and I had no reservations for my stay – but I got it all sorted out and a new confirmation emailed to me. It’s all good. I’m all set. I have a few little things to get before the trip. Most notably LUGGAGE. Some new walking shoes and some black flats that aren’t beat up. I’m getting my hair done and a pedicure before I leave, too. So much to do. So many things to get ready. I’m really looking forward to the conference and to meeting all my online writing friends who are long-distance. Plus I have a fabulously fabulous red party dress for The Gathering (the FF&P party) on Thursday night AND some terribly hot red sexy shoes to go with. Note to self: wear them before the trip to get them broken in!

As soon as I get back, I’m driving to East Texas to my sister’s the next day to take the kiddo for the week. He’s dying to spend some time with his cousin who is only a year and a half older. I think they’re going to have a blast. I hope. He’s never been away from home for any length of time so this should be interesting. He said today he wanted me to stay with him. Which throws a bit of monkey wrench in the situation, seeing as how I’m not planning to take that week off too…

I have myself scheduled for a week and a day of vacation from work and that’s the longest stretch I’ve ever taken in my entire working career. EVER. I think I’m due. And I think I need it. Can you say Burn Out? Twenty years of working in Corporate America (not for the same company, mind you) and never having a lengthy vacation? Yeah. I’m due.

And before I forget – here’s a head’s up! I’ll be interviewed tomorrow night at my local chapter’s blog, so be sure and stop by if you get a chance! I’ll post a note on Facebook as well as Twitter as a reminder.

That’s it for me! Happy Wednesday, ya’ll! Stay cool.

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Hey, all! I’m a guest over at Colin’s blog today with a fun interview. Stop on by and check it out today!

And don’t forget about the Summer Sampler contest! Be sure to click here to enter to win. Contest ends June 15!

Well, summer is officially here. School was out on Friday and it’s already June. JUNE! The air conditioning is at full blast now. It’s getting hot. Blech. It seems like after my birthday, the year just zips by.

This past weekend was pretty hectic. I got home late Friday and then had to immediately get online for a chapter board meeting. Once I finished with that, I inhaled my dinner and Man and I went to get coffee and decompress for a while. We drove around laughing and talking. It was nice. Then on Saturday, we got going fairly early. Ran some errands and then I got my hair cut that afternoon. We went to Best Buy so he could get a camcorder for his daughter for graduation and then it was to the book store where I finally spent some of my gift cards. Only some. I still have more to spend!

Sidebar: I got Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth and started reading it almost immediately (it’s a YA). Wow. It’s creepy and interesting and it gives me weird dreams. It’s written in first person present tense, which sounds odd but now I’m used to it and it’s actually pretty compelling. I’m really curious to see where this book is headed and what’s going to happen to the characters.

I managed to talk Man into going grocery shopping with me. Which I totally love! Because he can push the cart and I can actually shop and keep track of my coupons. (He makes fun of me and calls me the Coupon Lady but I save between $6 and $8 every grocery trip. So I stick my tongue out at him and keep on clipping.) So we got back to the house and I whipped up chicken salad sandwiches and they were so good. It was a nice low-key, healthy meal.

Sunday was all about yard work and laundry. He mowed and edged and I did laundry and cleaned house. Then I helped him in the front to get it ready for flower beds. We still have a lot of back-breaking work to do but we made some good progress.

Man came over last night and we were both starving. Had to make another quick trip to the store because he wanted chicken tacos. I had the chicken, I just needed everything else! And I really had a craving for guacamole. They wanted $5.00 for the stuff already made. So intead, I bought two avacados for a grand total of $1.00 and made my own. It was yummy! And Man was impressed I made it from scratch with no recipe. Hey, you can’t grow up in Texas and not know how to make guacamole from scratch!

And that’s it for me. Oh, if you’re curious about my birds, check out the post below. The eggs hatched! They’re SMALL and hungry. hehe

First: Happy Birthday to Man!! Hope you have a fabulous day, sweetie. I love you!

Second: I’m blogging at Pop Culture Divas today about Star Trek. Come on by and say hi!

Hey gang. Today I’m pleased to have Siddharth Dalal here to talk about a very cool thing. Check it out, won’t you?

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Hi All and thanks Michelle for inviting me to guest blog for The Internet Book Database (iBookDB) and The Internet Adult Book Database (iBookDb Adult). I’m Siddharth and I run both these sites.

I am very excited to introduce yuall (that’s how it is said here in Virginia) to our sites which are one of the Internet’s largest sources of book information according to Wikipedia.

iBookDB is happy to bring together authors and readers via our forums. Michelle was one of iBookDB Adult’s first few featured authors and I will take this opportunity to thank her for that and her contributions to our giveaway. Did I say giveaway? Yes! iBookDB has a monthly giveaway at so does iBookDB Adult where we giveaway books to users of our site. And the best part is you can pick which book you would like to win so you won’t get some random book you don’t want.

You can also manage your book collection online and we do have a nice widget that you can use on your blog. If you do blog about books, contact us to get book information embedded onto your website with almost no effort! If you really like our site and want to link to us, we can provide you with special links that will generate commissions for you from Amazon!

Authors of all genres, we would like to invite you to contact us for being featured or having your book listed and featured and contributing to our giveaway and reaching out to your fans. We also offer the cheapest form of advertising directly to readers and our “Ads by iBookDB” on our site cannot be blocked by Ad Blockers!

I am happy to answer any questions you all have about iBookDB. Come join our community and let us know what you think.

Come read about my shoe obsession.

Hey, gang! I’m over at Pop Culture Divas today talking about Today’s Blockbusters, Tomorrow’s Classics. Stop on by and add your two cents worth!

I posted this on RomErotica a couple of weeks ago, but thought I’d post it again. This may be a repeat for some of you and I do apologize but I was up super late last night editing and getting caught up on Lost.

I get funny reactions from people when I tell them I’m a published author. Everything from “I’ve always wanted to write a book” to “Since you write romance, are the sex scenes from your own life experiences?” Yeah, that last one was a bit of a shock. I think the most common one, though, is the I’ve-Always-Wanted-To-Write-Syndrome. For the purposes of space and this post and my fingers, I’ll call it The Syndrome.

The Syndrome doesn’t care what race you are or how old you are. It doesn’t care how much money you make or what kind of car you drive. It doesn’t care if your house is 1200 square feet or 3200 square feet. I’ve had people from the age of 12 to 60 tell me they’ve always wanted to write a book. And my response back to them is always, “So why don’t you?”

They shrug and give me some lame excuse as to why they can’t or won’t.

I’m too busy.

I have a full time job.

I don’t know where to start.

Let’s take a moment to dissect all three of these, shall we?

The I’m-Too-Busy Excuse. The simple fact is you’re not. Are you too busy to watch 23408 hours of shows on your DVR? Are you too busy to spend hours upon hours of playing on MySpace/Facebook/Twitter? This is merely a cop-out in my book (no pun intended).

I used to watch about six hour-long shows a season. And then came the mid-season replacements and the summer replacements. And then I got addicted to HGTV and the Food Network. I found I was spending more time in front of the TV doing nothing than anything else. I cut my TV time down to three shows: Lost, Gray’s Anatomy and Legends of the Seeker. That’s it. And they’re all recorded on the DVR and when I have time, I catch up.

If you cut back on your TV watching or any other time-suckage activity, then you can find an hour or so a day to sit down and start writing really bad prose. Because, trust me, when you first start it will be really bad (but don’t let that discourage you…more on that later).

I’m not saying you should ignore your kids or spouse, the laundry, or any other important household/domestic chore that needs attention. I’m saying if there’s a will, there’s a way. You can make the time to write.

The I-Have-A-Full-Time-Job-Excuse. Here’s a nugget of information for you – most writers have a full time job. Some of us, Nora Roberts, JK Rowling, Stephen King, et al. excluded, have responsibilities like a mortgage and a car payment and therefore cannot quit our full time job that pays the bills to write full time. (Unless, of course, we have an independently wealthy spouse and then go for it.) Because, regardless of what anyone tells you, just because you make that first sale doesn’t mean you’ll be making a six figure advance giving you ample time to sip champagne and eat bon-bons.

No, what it instead means is that you have to get through your edits. Despite the fact you sold your novel and your editor loves it, you will have edits to do. And, really, your editor is only trying to make your book even better than what it was when you submitted.

And then comes the promotional portion. You’ve sold, you’ve edited, it’s perfect and ready for publication. But now you have to get your name out there, buy advertising, do a blog-tour. If you’re lucky and your publisher has a budget for marketing, then you’ll get some help in that area. If you’re with a small press, it’s basically up to you to do all the legwork. It’s not just sitting back and earning royalties. If you don’t get your name out there, you won’t have any royalties.

Most of us with full time jobs still find time to write and do all of the above (as well as a myriad of other writing-related things). It goes hand-in-hand with the previous excuse – you make time. No matter what. If you really want to do it and have the drive to do it, you find the time.

The I-Don’t-Know-Where-To-Start Excuse. So you’ve made the commitment to yourself to start writing. You’re driven. You’re full of determination. You want to do it! You sit down at the computer…and face a blank screen with a blinking cursor. Now what? You don’t know where to begin. You have no idea.

Keep it simple. Set a word count goal and aim for it. Do you have characters talking in your head? Write their dialogue. Is there a certain setting you want to write about? Start writing a scene in it. It doesn’t have to be perfect – it won’t be. This is the time to make mistakes and learn from them. This is the time to find a great critique partner and learn find out what works, what doesn’t. The most important thing is to just start writing and if it sucks, throw it out and start something new.

Read. Read a lot. Never stop reading. Read things you wouldn’t normally pick up. Read your favorite authors and dissect their stories from start to finish. Ask yourself what you liked and why. What did they do well? What resonated with you? What drew you to the story and why? Likewise with reading something you didn’t like. Ask yourself all the same questions.

Every time you write, you get better. After all, you wouldn’t expect to sit down at the piano for the first time and play like a concert pianist, would you? No. It takes practice. Writing is like that. It’s practice, perseverance, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of determination. (And maybe some blood, sweat and tears thrown in for good measure.)

If you want to write, and you can get out of your own way, you can do it. I have all the faith in the world you can.

I’m blogging today at RomErotica. If you get a chance, stop on by.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday. I will do the drawing today and announce the winner tomorrow.

I’ve been working on Revision #2 of my WIP and I had this really great epiphany about the story the other night. It felt great. I love when it comes together like that. Of course, that means more intense revisions than I had anticipated, but that’s okay. I can dig it.

Thanks to some great feedback, Elena and Cassius have become more three-dimensional characters. I love who they’re turning out to be now. It’s fabulous. Plus, I’m taking this really awesome online workshop for writing action scenes (i.e., fight scenes!). And I’m still watching lots of action movies and the Rome DVDs to get my research in. I love this book. It’s so much fun to write. I’m still on target for a May 1 finish date.

Lots to do this weekend. And it’s going to be 87 today! It’s officially sandal and open-toe shoe weather. Yay! Time for that pedicure.

It’s supposed to rain this weekend. We may have some strong storms on Easter morning. And I had planned to go to church that day, but if it’s horrible weather, I will be holed up in the house. I don’t drive in thunderstorms unless I can’t help it. It’s just not safe with all the crazies on the road who think that they can still drive 90 when it’s pouring down rain. No, thanks. I’m sure God will forgive me.

And that’s about it for me. I’m off to work/school. And then tonight is our usual soccer practice which means I get to dive into the book I’m currently reading. WOO!

I’m going to be lazy today and not post my usual post – mostly because I was up late last night working on contest scores.

BUT! Fear not, fellow readers. I do have a post up today over at Pop Culture Divas (formerly Miss Make A Movie) about Irish Movies, in celebration this month of St. Patrick’s Day. Pop on over there and leave a comment, won’t you?

My regularly scheduled blog will return tomorrow. Happy Wednesday!

A few weeks ago, I blogged over at fellow Cobblestone author’s blog, Selena Blake. Today, I’m pleased to welcome her here, talking about her addiction to romance.  Check out her books at the Cobblestone Press website, won’t you?

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My friend Leila Brown recently blogged about Addiction over on the BlindBet blog and it got me thinking about why I keep coming back to erotic romance. What is it that has me addicted to both the books and writing?

I mean, let’s face it. If writing wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. And if publishing wasn’t hard, everyone would be published. It’s tough to sit down every day, stare at a blank screen and make something from nothing. To write a story that readers will want to read. There is so much to consider when writing a book, from characterization to plot to theme to setting. There’s agonizing over the first line, which we’re discussing over on Double the Pleasure, to writing a blurb that concisely describes an entire book.

No, this is not an easy job.

So why am I addicted?

#1 Completion

There’s an incredible feeling once I’ve finished a book. I’ve put time, thought, dedication into it. And once a book is complete, once two lovers (or three lovers ) have “come home at last,” it’s great to feel like “I did that. I got them together. They’re together forever.”

Likewise, when I read a story, there’s a feeling that things are lined up in the universe. And I like that.

#2 Enjoyment

I enjoy telling and reading a good story.

#3 Lust, desire, passion

Who doesn’t want to enjoy those things? I certainly do. I want to feel something. I want to experience the desires that the characters experience. I want to take that sensual journey myself…and perhaps even learn something knew.

#4 Reader enjoyment

I love reader mail. I love comments on myspace, feedback on my blog. I sincerely hope readers like my books. I write for me first and my readers second. That’s a pretty close race. So yes, I want readers to enjoy the books, the love, the lust. And I definitely like hearing from them.

So what about you? What feeds your addiction? Why are you in love with romance?

Selena Blake is the bestselling author of the Stormy Weather series. She writes paranormal romance and contemporary erotic suspense. Learn more about her, her books, and her latest contests at http://selena-blake.com.

I want to thank Devon for being my guest here yesterday. I’m a huge fan of her work – and you should be, too! The winner of HEX BREAKER is Marie-Claude Bourque. Congrats!

I took the comments on switching WIPs to heart. I’ve stuck with Phoenix all week and have made it through chapter five. I’ve been trying to beef up the story and fix glaring errors. I’m thoroughly enjoying this world and I’ve grown quite fond of Elena and Cassius. I think it would do them a disservice to stop working on their story this week. Next week I’m going to try and work on Delilah’s story, though she’s really not stomping her feet and demanding it yet.

I also want to thank those who stopped by Selena Blake’s blog the other day to leave comments. It’s nice that my story about stepping outside the comfort zone rang with so many of you. There’s still time to leave a comment or two, if you want to stop by. Just click here.

I have three monthly blog posts I need to get written, one for sure this week (due Monday). I haven’t decided what the topic will be yet so I need to get on that and get it posted. I have a little bit of time left for the other two.

Found out yesterday, too, that I volunteered to judge for TWO categories of the same contest. I guess I need to keep better notes in the future on that. Now I have NINE more entries to read. Thankfully I have at least a month to read them all and get them done. I think my head needs a break from judging, so I’m allowing myself to do that over the next week or so.

Devon – regarding my son and his behavioral problems. Yes, I totally agree with you. His dad and I both think he’s bored in class because it’s all so easy for him. The teacher didn’t seem to think so. We missed the testing for the advanced classes, but we’re going to try and get him tested next year. It’s in October of the school year. We try to challenge him at home with math and reading.

Whatever his dad said to him on Monday night – and maybe what I said to him, too – seems to have worked. He’s been an angel in school this week. I have a lovely surprise for him, too. Spring Break is a little more than a week away, so I plan to go pick up my nephew who is a year older than him for a few days. It’s going to be a blast! I’m going to use that fully to my advantage – do good in school and Cousin Z gets to come. Do bad, and I call it all off.

The Well-Fed Writer should arrive today. I’m looking forward to reading that. Plus, I’ve been reading my book on query letters and it’s been insightful into freelancing for me. I’ve learned a lot and had a few light bulb moments. I love those. Don’t you? I still have a lot of researching and planning to do if I’m going to make this happen. Determination and Perseverance are two of the most important elements to get there. I know I have both of those.