SNUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON: And Other Bombay Family Bedtime Stories will be available by the end of June.  I'm really, really happy about this project!  Why?

Because I have total and complete control - MWAH HAH HAH HAH! (This should have implied evil laughter. If it didn't, I apologize.)

But seriously folks - this book would never have passed muster with my former publisher.  And it's because of them that I had to do it.

When I was working on I SHOT YOU BABE, my editor informed me that this would be the last book in the Bombay series.  At first, I was relieved because I'd written four books in a really short period of time and was a little fried.

So I did it.  I ended the series.  Then I realized what I'd done.  I'd ended the series.

The Bombays had so much more potential and I agreed to throw it out because NYC told me to do it.  I was an idiot.

Statistics show that most mystery series don't find their following until book 6.  I ended with 4. Not good.  And when I got my rights back to the 4 and self-pubbed them on my own - I realized that I couldn't write another Bombay book because they were done with assassination.

I had a brief moment where I realized I could write PARADISE BY THE RIFLE SIGHTS because Paris could be working on a job before Coney goes off to Mongolia.  But that was it.  I couldn't keep messing with the space-time continuum because there are rules against that according to Star Trek.

And then someone came up with the idea of history - and this book idea was born.

I wasn't sure I was smart enough to do a full-length book involving all the research.  I have friends who write historical fiction - quite successfully too - but they spend months getting all the research together from what people wore and ate to the words they used and the politics of the era.  It's a lot of work.

So then I thought - short stories.  I could briefly visit the highlights in Bombay history.

I didn't realize how much fun I'd have.

The book will be up in four weeks and I really hope you like it.  It's a way for the Bombays to keep killing people for your entertainment.

We'll see how it goes!

The Assassin

Don't you love a good Avon title? The title parodies endless for a blog review.

I am sadly behind the times where Gayle Callen is concerned. Right here on the cover of SURRENDER TO THE EARL is an endorsement from la Christina Dodd herself, "Gayle Callen writes one dazzling gem of a book after another." And after reading this one, I have to say I will be going to Gayle's backlist and finding more of her stories, namely the book before this one, RETURN OF THE VISCOUNT, which starts this series. (Don't worry. This one totally stands alone. It's just I got to meet the viscount and his lovely bride and I was all, "Oh, I have got to read me one of these.") If it is half as dazzling as this one was, I will be in for a great treat.

So here are the familiar things: the soldier hero who returns home from war, needing to make good with someone who died while he was fighting (redemption); the heroine who will do anything to claim her independence. The twist? The heroine is blind.

Robert Henslow (Earl of Knightsbridge) comes to find the widow of the man who died--at his fault--and make restitution. Audrey Blake--virtual prisoner--takes Robert up on his offer of help by saying, "Get me the hell out of here." I'm paraphrasing. She's a lady. So he hatches a plan to get her out; and she gains her freedom. Conflicts ensue when Audrey realizes being free isn't all it's cracked up to be without the protection of those who would not do her harm; and Robert realizes...well...he really, really likes her and wishes it wasn't so much a fake engagement as a real one.

He's really quite deliciously heroic--the kind of man to root for; and she is a heroine worthy of such a man. I was really quite pleased with this happy ending. Do yourself a favor--surrender to my review and find yourself a copy.

May 28th is a big release day for many of our favorite authors. Have you read Gayle Callen and do you have any special plans for one of the books being released today?

I've been reading a lot of children's books lately. My little boy is just to the age where he's starting to follow along with the story instead of just batting the book out of my hand and giggling. And he seems to be hooked. I read him 3 books before bed, and when I check on him later, I usually find him sound asleep, a book open with his finger in it, or asleep on top of a book he'd been hugging (seriously cute).

And of course, reading all these children's books has put that little whisper ear of, "I could do this."  Don't get me wrong - I have no illusions it would be easy. Writing is hard no matter the audience. And I probably never will -- I like my dark themes and bad asses and violent fights too much.

But still, there's something about the idea that feels bright and refreshing. Something about getting back to the basics and telling a great story with only a few words and a few pictures.

And children's books can take on just about any genre out there. Mysteries (Bear's Underwear Mystery, anyone?) or fantasy (Where the Wild Things Are) or horror (any of the Grimm fairy tales) or even romance (parent-children love, of course, but still, they're chalk full of love).

Then of course, there are decisions on what types of characters to have. Bunnies, kangaroos, talking plants, the character possibilities are endless children's books.

What are some of your favorites? Do you think that children's books have echos of the same genres we use to categorize adult books?  Would you have a bunny in your children's book? What would your bun ny be hopping over?

 JACK: Welcome, gentlemen and wenches, to another adventure of Discovery Island—















































 
HELLIE: There you have it! Now you—what’s your favorite place on the island or what do you hope the island has? And if you haven't already, download your copy of MEANT TO BE--it's on sale, starting today!

Sorry, guys, I've been running around for days until way past my bedtime and actually having to use work hours for work. I did read a book; I just didn't have time to review it. Will review it at the next available opportunity.

What are you reading this week? Everyone getting enough sleep?

I shared with my Revenge shipmates a few weeks ago that I was leaving my current day job after seven years for a new position I'm really excited about.

Now, it wasn't that I didn't enjoy my current job. I did. It also wasn't that I didn't like my co-workers, because they are the main reason I stayed so long. I mean every job has it bad points (like overworking you all the time!), but for the most part I was mostly happy with it.

So why did I decide to take a new job and leave what felt familiar. Why rock the boat and have to reinvent myself and prove my worth again for a new group of co-workers?

Because something just didn't feel right anymore. From not feeling challenged in my projects, to a sense that I had started to just flow through everyday without pushing myself to be more, kind of scared me. I don't want to live that life.

And I don't want my writing to be like that either.

So, I'm starting the new book over. Fresh. Bright and shiny new.

Not because it wasn't flowing or because it wasn't good, but because it just felt off. Something isn't right with the tone and characters yet. I'm just not feeling as if the story is electrifying me as much as the ideas in my head do.

As I start this new phase in my career, I've also decided to make a clean start on this new book. I love the characters and plot and want to make sure what I'm putting on the page makes me proud.

At this point I'm insanely excited about both new starts, but nervous too. I put a lot of pressure on myself to exceed expectations and I don't want to set the bar too high, but I always want to be pushing forward.

I'm not doing any more research on the story, but I'm going to spend more time getting to know my characters. My heroine needs to speak to me a little more so I can capture her correctly. My hero needs to step it up too since he's been shy about letting me know his secrets. Ah, the possibilities!

So, here's to new beginnings!

Have you ever started a story over from scratch because you felt you just hadn't captured the tone and characters just right? Were you excited about it, or overwhelmed? Any suggestions on how to make a great first impression at a new job? Lastly, what are you starting fresh and new lately?

If you were with me during the first two parts of the THE CHATTAN CURSE trilogy, you would know that Lady Margaret Chattan's brothers are dying and it is up to her to find a way to break the curse before it is too late. THE SCOTTISH WITCH was progressively darker than LYON'S BRIDE, but this was even darker and spookier. Real powerful and sometimes deadly magic.

THE DEVIL'S HEART starts out with Lady Margaret on her way to Scotland, to the home of the Macnachtans, the namesake of the witch who put the curse on them. It's only by coming face to face with the past will they be able to create a new future--or so they hope. Unfortunately, the spirit of the witch who cursed the Chattans so long ago is not willing to let the Chattans off the hook for killing her daughter, regardless if this generation had absolutely nothing to do with it and are quite lovely people.

But Lady Margaret is desperate to save her brothers and she travels as quickly as she can to the Highlands before it is too late.

After a freak coach accident, Margaret awakens to find herself in the care of the very laird she needs to talk to, Heath Macnachtan. Margaret immediately tells him how she came to be there and why she needed to talk to him--but as you might imagine, she comes across as touched in the head. The family doesn't believe in any curse, though yes, they have heard of it.

Heath has his own problems. He's trying to keep the clan afloat--with no money--and also find the man who murdered his brother. He is actually quite patient with Margaret, whom he thinks is off her rocker, and is very kind to her; and she seems to become just one more of his problems to contend with delicately as he is being encouraged from nearly all sides to sell the land and move on. (The land is unentailed to the title, in this instance.)

Heath does not have the time (let alone money) to fall in love with a crazy lady like Margaret (though she herself does have a fortune that would help, but he doesn't want that either.) Margaret does not want to fall in love with anyone, at all, ever. Of course, all this only leads them both to fall irrevocably in love with each other.

But how do you break a curse? For it seems as soon as Margaret admits she is in love with Heath, the curse begins to wear on her as well. She knows she is dying and there is nothing to be done. Cathy Maxwell made the Black Moment very black in this trilogy--but I shant tell you how it ends.

I want to talk about heroes today. Heath was quite remarkable, I thought. He is a "beta" hero, I believe, but none of the wishy-washiness I have found with some of the betas I've read. He's strong and decisive, a bit stubborn (alpha qualities to me) but is tempered by his kind heart and sensitivity to his clan and sisters, and even that poor crazy Margaret. Is it me, or do heroes seem to be more beta nowadays than the strictly alpha? I still think they're a hybrid, of sorts, but I think readers are no longer afraid to want the romantic fantasy of the Nice Guy. What do you think?