Stories from the Weekend

2014...I'd ask where 2013 went but we all have that question!

Stories for this year:

• My Curvy Girls trilogy. Three curvy friends from New York and their winding road to love (m/f)
• Regency Winter's Menage Tales. Het menages (m/f/m) set during the winter of 1814 and the Last Frost Fair on the Thames.
• The Forbidden Series. Contemporary menage (m/m/f) series set in Havenbrook, CA in the middle of a large farming community.
• Sordid Little series. A Regency's matchmaker's delight in setting up 'ruined' women with an ideal match.(m/f)
• Cursed Love. I wrote the first a while ago--cursed woman out to find the people who did this to her and the man who loves her regardless. Then I realized it needed a sequel so that's on the goal list this year!

So far I have the first in my Forbidden Series, Forbidden Road finished, the first in my Curvy Girl Trilogy finished, Countess Curvy finished and 1/4 of the first Regency Winter's Menage Tale, A Lady's Temptation finished.

I've discovered I'm definitely a goal oriented writer, but that so many things pop up that sometimes those goals fall by the wayside. Still, I think these are enough stories to keep me busy over the next few months!

July #goals and RWA conference

I won't go into the fact that it's suddenly July. Nope, won't touch that distressing bit of calendar news!

Lots going on this month: a wedding (not mine lol) and the Romance Writers national conference on Atlanta. I've never been to Atlanta and would love to explore but I'm literally flying in Thursday night after work and leaving Sunday morning at the crack of dawn. Alas, no exploring for me. One day, Atlanta!

I'm also working on my contemporary ménage series, Havenbrook Ménage Series and in the beginning stages of plotting an Edwardian trilogy. Yes, I know I started one several months ago but I didn't like it. The plot felt great, the characters engaging, but every time I went to write it I dreaded doing so. In the end, it was best that I scrapped it.

I'm not sure if I want this to be m/f erotica or a ménage but I do want to write one. I love the time frame and have always wanted to write in that era! It's now or never!

And Christmas...was going to write a Christmas ménage. Maybe for next year.

Monday #goals and #excerpt

I've been editing my new contemporary menage romance, Forbidden Road: A Havenbrook Menage and plotting out book 2. Actually I've been editing a whole lot, I also have a new Victorian Menage finished and the first in my trilogy of paranormal erotic stories.

No allergy or sinus medicine isn't helping but that test is Tuesday (tomorrow). Here's hoping I survive until then!

This week's goals are the same as last week:
Edit Forbidden Road
Put together a contest for Wicked Seduction release
Plot Forbidden Love: A Havenbrook Menage
Do the allergy test (ugh)

Anyone ever have an allergy test? Anyone know any practical advice on immunotherapy for allergies? I'm suffering here! I need my sinus/allergy meds!

Seduction of my Proper Wife: A Victorian Menage at the Parisian Exposition:

Aria waited for the English beauty to take her hand. Lillian hesitated, it was clear in her face, that vulnerability that drew Aria.

From the first moment she saw the tall, pale woman, Aria wanted her. She didn’t have the English words to describe her, but she found Lillian to not only be striking externally but within as well. Even before she broke down and shared her past, Aria could see her pain and fear sharply defined in Lillian’s vivid blue eyes.

It only made her want the other woman more.

Her breasts ached to feel Lillian’s mouth on them, to feel her teeth close over her hard nipples. She was slick with need, and Aria wanted desperately to alleviate that yearning. To feel her fingers within her, to feel Lillian’s touch, her mouth.

More, Aria wanted to taste Lillian, to breathe in the scent of her passion, to show her all the ways of love.

In her life she’d enjoyed both men and women, many of the women here enjoyed each other in ways their male companions could never understand. She enjoyed sex, enjoyed the difference between making love with a man and doing so with her fellow dancers.

She had, on occasion, slept with European women who wanted the anonymity and exoticness of sex with a foreigner. She found them demanding, dominant. While Aria didn’t necessarily mind the dominance, they weren’t as conscious of the entirety of pleasure as her other women lovers were.

Should Lillian stay as planned, Aria intended to teach her all the ways of love, not simply momentary pleasure.

Where to buy:
All Romance
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

Review: 4 stars from LASR: I really enjoyed the relationship between the two, and then when Phillip came into the picture the dynamic changed yet remained the same. I think the author did a really good job of that. When the three were engaged with each other, you could feel the heat come off the page! Wow!

Weekly #Goals

I'm happy to say that this past weekend was super productive!

I finished Forbidden Road: A Havenbrook Ménage Series. By finished, I mean it's done, but certainly not edited. In fact, I think I changed one of the hero's eye color half-way through. Must fix that! And I'm positive I managed to mess up another defining characteristic or two for all 3 of my characters. Plus I need to change the name of a secondary character to one that does not begin with a G. Garret is a great hero's name, but Grant doesn't match the secondary character needs to go.

This week I want to take a couple days and not think about this story but then start to edit it. I love this book and the concept I have for the next 2 in the trilogy, but need to flesh out book 2 a bit.

Also on my weekly goal list is more exercise. I've slacked due to this plaguing cold, but need to get back into it. Just because it's freezing out there doesn't mean I shouldn't exercise! I'm told it helps with your body heat, but my body didn't get that memo. As I type this, my fingers are blue. Literally. I need a nice cup of hot tea to get me through this day. At least one.

Have a great week! And remember: Some people strengthen the society just by being the kind of people they are. John W. Gardner

February #goals, #series, and more #menage romance

This month I shall figure out a way to stop time (only for a little while, a few hours at most!) so I can accomplish more. Or possibly sleep more so my waking hours are more productive.

Groundhog Day/Stargate aside, this month is yet another busy one! Who here wishes that just one month would be free from obligations? Or at least limited to maybe a small handful of them?

Setting aside writing time is harder and harder to do, but this month my goals are to finish up a couple stories and get everything ready for publication. I'm so close to finishing my 2 ménage stories that I'd really just like them finished, edited, polished, and done! Plus I have some serious plotting to do for the next books in the series.

• Re-write the ending to Cursed Love: A Wicked Demon Story--I liked the ending when I wrote it but upon second and third read, it needs something a bit more.
• Edit the whole thing once more and have that converted
• Finish Forbidden Road: A Havenbrook Ménage Series
• Edit it, write the synopsis and blurb, and submit it
• Outline and plot Forbidden Love: A Havenbrook Ménage Series
• Outline and plot Forbidden Temptation: A Havenbrook Ménage Series 
• Finish Wicked Seduction: A Victorian Ménage at the Parisian Expostion
• Write blurb and finish cover
• Edit it and have it converted
• Outline and plot The Wallflower's Seduction: A Victorian Ménage at the Parisian Expostion

Happy New Year,series' goals, and thank you

Since I'm having a party at my house for New Year's Eve I figured I'd write this blog before then. Because I know I'll be in no shape for January 1, 2013 to wish anyone anything unless it's to wish for someone to take the puppy out tomorrow morning. (Any volunteers?)

A happy, healthy, warm, and loving New Year to everyone. Life is what you make it and I hope everyone has positive energy surrounding them this new year. Say it with me now: 2013 is going to be the best year ever! (Ugh, did I just sound like a cheerleader there?)

Thank you to everyone who have made blogging fun, not a chore, and who keep me always thinking about my next story. I enjoy the interaction with my readers and hope you have as well. Keep safe!

Writing wise, I have a lot planned for the upcoming year! A whole lot:

• I want to finish my Parisian Exposition series-this is a 6 book series, one for every month of the 1889 World's Fair. Book one (Seduction of my Proper Wife) is finished, and book 2 (Wicked Seduction) is so close I know I can finish it in a couple of uninterrupted days. If I can find those uninterrupted days!
• I have an Edwardian story I want to get back to, the tentatively-titled The Half-Bred Earl.
• A Wicked Demon Story series--I still have to finish editing book one: Cursed Love. Originally it was to be a Halloween story, but when the idea strikes on September 30 it's not very feasible to publish it on October 31. This trilogy is also a little different, my m/f couple battling ancient demons. I'll post the blurb next week.
• Book one of The Havenbrook Menage series is flowing beautifully. Forbidden Road is my twist on the small town series so popular. I like the small town romances, but they're often a little too sweet for me! More on this series to come
• Last but certainly never least, Regency romances. Let's face facts, it's the lack of the death of the Regency! I want to write another trilogy set during this time but haven't quite hit on what yet. I like the idea of the menages there, so much scandalous wickedness hidden in plain sight. We'll see how the year goes.

Also on my 2013 goal list:

• Take more time for myself
• Exercise every day. Even when I'm tired. Yes, even then!
• Spend several weekends this year not writing but out and about, meeting new people and experiencing new things.

What about you? What are your so-called New Year's Resolutions?

Meditation, #Goals, and Seduction of my Proper Wife

To start off this week, today I'll be at The Menagerie Authors today talking about Seduction of my Proper Wife: A Victorian Menage at the Parisian Exposition. Stop on by and join the discussion!

December, the time of Christmas, end of year stuff, slight panic, and a time to meditate. Yes, I really did say meditate. Why? Because of all the months to start taking time for yourself, don't you think this is the month to do so? Face it, even if you don't celebrate Christmas it's the rush of all things ending. Not that January 1 feels all that different from December 31 but it's the mental attitude of it all.

So this month I want you to find a spot where no one will talk to you for at least 90 seconds in a row. (I can wait, I know 90 seconds is a lot during the day!) Sit straight, feel flat on the floor, hands on your thighs, close your eyes, and breathe.

It may not seem like much but that time for yourself, when you breathe in and hold it then breathe out, breathe in and out slowly. Each and every breath you filling your lungs, and that is really good for you. Meditation apparently keeps Goldie Hawn young (and face it, she looks fantastic!) Meditation keeps you focused and centered and if that minute and a half is all you take for yourself in a single day, at least you have that time and your body will thank you!

Now that you've relaxed for nearly two solid minutes, what do you plan to do with your month? Make new year's goals and resolutions? Shop? Wrap? Get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season? Take another minute (30 seconds if you have to) and relax.

This month I plan to finish Wicked Seduction, the second in my Victorian Menage series, and work more on the Edwardian menage. You can read more about that one on Wednesday when I'll talk about it for the Next Big Thing Blog Hop!

Want to join in? Just email me and I'll send you the questions!

Monday #goals

Finished editing Cursed Love: A Wicked Demon Tale yesterday and sent that off to my editor. Pleased with the way this turned out and hope that Cooper and Nikki's story will progress over several stories. Here's the blurb:

Nikki Kent had spent her life running from the monster inside her. When she found Cooper Marquez's ranch, she knew she found home. Unfortunately, her demons followed her.

Cooper Marquez knew his lover had secrets, but hadn't figured on one quite like this. No matter what she thought, he wasn't going to let her go through anything alone.

Together they go on a journey to discover the secret to her curse. But when Nikki discovers the truth about her demon, will she leave Cooper for his own safety? Or can he convince her that nothing will stand in his way.

This is a paranormal contemporary romance with ancient Native American spirits, drug cartels, and one hot rancher to make it all better. I hope you enjoy it, since this is a departure from much of my other work.


It's also November, which means it's NaNoWriMo! Or National Novel Writing Month. Yes, while it's possible to write an entire 50,000 word novel in one month, I'm positive that November isn't the month for me. Between birthdays, Thanksgiving, and general craziness, it's so not happening.

Or, to put it another way--too much pressure! I can write a 50,000 word novel in a month on my own terms, but to do so on someone else's makes me break into a cold sweat.

My goal for November, however, is to start a new menage. Details to follow!

Goals and Summer Reading

My writing goals this week are to get back into The Devil's Pawn and finish that sucker up. I want to move on to other stories. But then I always say that at about chapter 3...I know what the story is supposed to be like and think I should be able to twitch my nose and *poof!* the story is exactly what I want it to be.

But I also want to read. Isn't that what summer is for? For that I need suggestions. Fiction, romance, mystery, erotic, I don't care. I just need books! What are you currently reading?

Insight and Oh yeah Weekly Goals 23

I've come to the conclusion that having a weekly goal sucks. Which is a complete turnaround for me, as I'm a creature of goals. I like making short goal lists every day (even if only mental lists) because then I'm assured of completing them. It's worked for me for years, and I always feel very accomplished:

• Goals/checklists help keep things in perspective


• They are useful in separating the What do I do first? from that overwhelming feeling of looking around.


• They cut down on the sitting on the couch feeling of helplessness and/or laziness that often happens after work.


• I like lists! I admit it, I'm one of those people who do. I can't help it, I have lists for everything, all filed in appropriate places based on what they're for (writing, day job, house, etc.).

All this leads me to also say that despite my OCD tendancies, there are times when that list should be torn to shreds, those goals left for another day, the checklist ignored. This week is one of them!

Because in the infamous words of Scarlet O'Hara, Tomorrow is another day!

Weekly Goal #5

I may complain about this weekly goal thing, but it's really helped in keeping things moving. Between this nasty cold that won't go away and life in general it's been a month.

Last week I wanted to post 2 reviews on Goodreads for books I've read while on the couch with the worst of this cold. I managed one. This week I want to do 2. Don't want to push myself (I know myself all too well) but definitely 2 reviews posted this week.

I'm also going to finish Covet: A Regency Ménage Tale. I'm so close I can taste it! But I want to make it good, I want to make it worthy of its title. I don't want to cheat either my readers or characters.

Weekly Goals #3

I know exactly why I never make resolutions and why something like 80% of resolution makers never follow through with them.

Good God, this goal thing is HARD! It's bad enough keeping up with it but what more do I need to say? I write I work I don't get enough sleep. I wake in the morning and do the whole thing again. Family, friends, keeping in touch.

But I'm going to try, after all this is only week THREE. I'm not even out of January yet!

I did manage to watch cute baby animal videos because they're all over the web. What? It's a good way to de-stress after aggravation at work. And I have almost 15,000 words in Covet, a story I absolutely adore.

Weekly goals:
1. Covet. I need to get this story finished. I'm finally in the heads of my characters and I'm so close to where I want to be.
2. The Escape...polish it and send it off to the editor.
3. Get out of this rut I'm in. Winter Blues? Not really but early darkness doesn't help.

Weekly Goal #2

Las week's recap: I did write every day. WOOT! And I have the finished product of The Escape to prove it. Well, finished as in done, not finished as in edited...still. Done!

Week #2:
1. Continue work on Covet: A Regency Ménage Tale, which I started over the weekend.
2. Watch cute baby animal videos. What? I think they're adorable! Like this one of Siku a baby polar bear from a few weeks ago.

Covet: A Regency Ménage Tale
The truest torment is wanting something you know you can never have. Charlotte Tremaine knew this feeling all too well. She covets the freedom to do as she pleases, but has never let herself dream of being with the man she loves. The problem is, she loves two men.

For the last three years, Charlotte has survived her stifling home life by living through correspondence with two childhood friends now off at war. Once they return, will she be able to summon the courage to tell them of her feelings? Or will she let the convenience of mourning an aunt she despised keep her hidden and isolated?

Fear lurks in the shadows and threatens to keep her cloistered. When William Stanton and Grayson, Lord Warrington return from war, she teeters on the brink of having what she’s always wanted. Torn between William and Grayson, Charlotte must first learn to trust herself before she can trust her heart and body to them.

2012? Weekly goals

Tis the season for resolutions, goals, and promises meant to be kept. FOR A WHOLE YEAR!

Really? I have no idea what I resolved to do last year, and I'm darn sure I didn't keep it much beyond January. If I wrote it down, it's gone. If I blogged about it, I'm not going back to look at it. It's over, it's done with, it's in the past. Must look to the future now!

Weekly goal #1:
1. Write every day. No really! This week I plan on writing every day. Whether it's a blog, 500 words in my latest ménage, or a plot. This week I shall write every day.
2. Promise to keep this up even by Friday when I don't want to. After all, it's week 1!

Keeping up with the months

In this case I feel the need to say What? It's December already?! When did that happen?

Then comes the panic: I have deadlines! I have Christmas shopping to do! I have baking to do! I have less than 25 days to do all this in!

Then comes reality: Just like every other year there are things that are going by the wayside. Whichever side that happens to be.

• Christmas cards? Probably not


• Christmas breads? Well, I'll have cookies. Isn't that enough?


• Days spent strolling down sidewalks, window shopping? The sad reality is that no matter how I support buying local (which I wholeheartedly do) that, too, may fall to the wayside in favor of online shopping. Luckily, many of those stores also have sites. And I intend to shop there, first!

Good news? I'm motivated to start shopping earlier next year. And this year, I plan to substitute more gifts with more donations. Like to the National Parks Service.

Now about those deadlines...my first Hellfire Club Erotique story is soclose to being done! A good edit and a quick copy edit and it'll be set for publication. Then it's a 50,000 word Regency Ménage Tale tentatively titled Covet. That deadline is New Year's Eve. Gulp.

August's goal

Note the singular usage of goal. My only goal for August is to finish Flowers in the Tower: A Ménage. OK, that and keep up with the blog, but that's my writing goal. I refuse to overburden myself during the beautiful summer month of August.

How are you spending August?

July?!

And here we are, alreayd July 7. Summer's flying by, I've been to the beach all of ONCE, I'm behind in my BBQs, and over all missing summer already.

But I have July goals! Already 60%+ into Seduction of a Proper Lady. I want to have that finished by the start of next week. Considering I'm finally on a roll with it, I think I'll make that goal.

Then I'll give myself a break (but not a long one since there's no time!) and start Flowers in the Tower. I have that completely plotted and ready to write. Phew! I'd like to start that one by the end of the month.

Another month down

It's kind of depressing actually. When I was a kid time dragged, and only the summer flew by. Now it seems every morning it's a new month. Or close to it.

Still, I'm pleased with this month's progress. And I KNOW I'll kick a$$ this month!

Moving right along

Spent some time last week editing the several chapters of Seduction of a Proper Lady I already had written. I did this for two reasons: To edit of course, but also to get back into the story. I've been gone for too long for my mental tastes.

So I read over what I had, added a few more touches (changing he said/she said to a tag with more meaning) and making sure the plot was deep enough to counter all the sex I'm about to write. *wink*

Slow

April was not what one might call a good month. I don't know where those 30 days went but am I ever glad they're over!

I'm getting back into my writing now, slowly going over what I have for Seduction of a Proper Lady and my next ménage project, Flowers in the Tower. I've missed (or will miss in a few days) my deadline for Seduction but am unbelievably grateful to my editor for her understanding and willingness to extend my deadline.

This month I'll finish Seduction, June and July will be Flowers, then July ad August I'm going to try and get back into my contemporary FBI serial hunter ménage series, with a full-length, Killer Vacation, to go with my short Killer Valentine.