Friday, June 14, 2013

I Have An Idea

12:37 AM | Posted by Maureen | | Edit Post


I think it’s time for a new genre. Now that New Adult has hit the big time, hence acknowledging the existence of a group of people known as out-of-their-teens, and there is Boomer Lit, acknowledging people born from 1946 -1964 still have a life… I want to propose a new group.

Now, I am an advocate of Boomer Lit. Well, I’m advocate of Boomer fiction. I’m not sure about the ‘lit’ part of the new genre. Sounds a bit too highfalutin for me. So…since we have New Adult, and Young Adult…how about Old Adult.

Young Adult celebrates the changes from childhood to teenage angst. The era of puberty.

New Adult celebrates the social acceptance of teenagers and twenty somethings being adult enough to have sex, which puberty made fun. (Hopefully.) And romance, of course.

Old Adult would be a celebration of the second round of puberty, known as menopause. (And men have it, you know they do. They just don’t have it to the extent women have it. Men get to call theirs a Mid-Life Crisis and buy fast cars. While women are pouring pitchers of ice water down the front of their shirts.) (Life isn’t fair.)

So OA could deal with the challenges presented by this special time of growth and appreciation. A real hero who is courting in an OA novel, would need to be strong, with a sense of humor, a truck load of patience and a heart the size of Alaska. (Texas isn’t big enough.) (Ha!)
 

The heroine would have more emotional upheaval than an entire high school, body issues that would look at the average teenage girl’s insecurity and laugh until hysterical, and with a need for real romance and massive orgasms.

Honestly, a field ripe for writers!

Am I right?

Okay, I admit the name sucks donkey balls. But I’m floundering a bit on what to call this genre. Used Adult? Experienced Adult? Adult Adult? Active Adult? (That sorta sounds like a Depends commercial.)

Put on your Friday drinking hats and do some thinking…what would you call it?
Labels: , | 22 comments
Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Giveaway with Jill Shalvis!

12:00 AM | Posted by Sin | | Edit Post
Dear Readers,

I tend to write big, rugged, tough heroes. Not necessarily the boardroom type … more likely the kind to strap on a tool belt or a gun belt. I find these alpha heroes lend themselves far better to a small town than the big city. That’s where Lucky Harbor comes in. A small quirky town on the Washington State coast, you can trust just about anyone there with your life. Unfortunately, not a single one of them can keep a secret.

So when Ali Winters’ life falls apart, everyone knows it. The only person she can turn to for help is a stranger.

Detective Luke Hanover has returned to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds his hands full with a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. Oddly enough, as he helps Ali put the pieces of her world back together, his own life suddenly seems fall into place as well…

“Don’t be nice to me right now. I’ll lose it.”
With surprising gentleness, he pushed the hair from her face, then clicked open her seatbelt.
It was all the invitation she was going to get, and all the invitation she needed. Turning to him, she burrowed in as steady, strong arms closed around her. He stroked a hand down her back, and she pressed her face into the crook of his neck, soaking in the warm comfort he offered.
It was the safest and most secure she’d felt in far too long, and she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to let go.
“Ali.”
Afraid he was going t pull away before she was done soaking him in, she squirmed a little closer.
“Please, not yet.”
A rough sound escaped him, and he tightened his grip.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.”


IT HAD TO BE YOU is the first in a new trilogy where three women, each running their own business and sharing an eccentric old Victorian building, find themselves on the bring of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor. Be sure to Catch ALWAYS ON MY MIND this September, and then ONCE IN A LIFETIME in early 2014.

Interested in hearing more? You can find that, along with a full booklist and my daily blog at www.jillshalvis.com/blog. Come by and say hi (and sign up for my newsletter, I’m getting ready to do a big giveaway very soon!)

Also, leave a comment here today and I’ll draw a few names to win their choice of my backlist. Before I go, would love to know what you all are reading…?

Jill

Labels: , , , , | 13 comments
Sunday, June 9, 2013

JuJuSuCh--Oh, Yeah, We're Keeping Accountable Aren't We?

12:41 AM | Posted by Hellie Sinclair | | Edit Post
You caught me. I almost forgot. Please understand my pirate boyfriend showed up, and being we're a lot like two ships passing in the night, he's a little distracting, and it was only as I was laying in bed, thinking about said pirate that I went: Shit. JuJuSuCh.

How could I have forgotten?

Ah, well, the first week is always a bit shaky, right? It's okay.

So I'll admit mine first to make you all feel better. I got about 500 words. Yes, not even 600--not even four pages; however, there were 500 more words than I had last week and I'll take them.

How are you pirates doing with your pages and word counts? Any Muses missing or are all your words flying onto the page faster than you can type them?

Me, I keep opening my WIP, staring at the blinking cursor, and then going, "Well, hell, what next?" The Muse and I are at an impasse; and I have the attention span of a gnat. It's like meditation. Just takes time. AND PRACTICE.

Need to work on the second just a little more diligently.

Hope to hear your reports are much, much better than mine.

Fess up. How goes it?
12 comments
Friday, June 7, 2013

Two Down, 28 To Go!

12:00 AM | Posted by Maureen | | Edit Post


And the second book is out!

Yup, Red Sean’s Revenge is available! At the same time, the kindle version of A Caribbean Spell is on sale for 99 cents and the print is up on Amazon!

Gods, I’ve been busy. Set up some giveaway on Goodreads, and one on FreeBookFridays… And I’m still pushing to get the print version of The Pirate Circus out before the end of the month…

And contracting with my cover artist to work on the cover for book number three, The French Gambit. Doing first round edits on The French Gambit and pre-first round edits on book four, which I’ve decided to call Magic’s Hostage.

And somewhere in here, I want to start working on my Aliens Just Want Cats story…

You know, life was simpler when I had an agent and let her do all the work. Having editors give me assignments. A cover questionnaire…yet…this doing it myself is fun. I like having the final say on things. I like knowing whatever is out there is on me. I don’t like trying to figure out how to promote, what to spend money on, what to not spend money on.

Sometimes I’m wrong, sometimes I’m right. I have a feeling I’ll know in a few years.

Meanwhile…Red Sean! Dastardly man, evil to the core. No redeeming features. He lives for vengeance, born to it. He thrives on the blood of his victims painting the deck red. Oh, yeah. This guy is bad. And man, does he bring darkness to the world of Jake and Miranda.

But you know what they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It also helps you see what is right in front of you…

This was the second full length book I wrote and I broke so many rules in it. Because I didn’t know there were rules. Life was easier when I didn’t know the rules. Writing rules are a PITA. I’m not talking about the grammarly things, or spelling things right or using the right sort of dialogue tags.

I’m talking about the other rules. Internal conflict. Outside conflict. Don’t kill the dog. Don’t go too far with what you do to your heroes. The black moment…the first act, the second, the third, the HEA… I reveled in breaking rules…ah, the days of running free and unfettered by the rules, some written, some simply understood…

Of all the rules, what would you love to break?
Labels: , | 20 comments
Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Debut Author Jordan McCollum Stops to Talk About Mr. Nice Spy and I,Spy

12:00 AM | Posted by Marnee Bailey | | Edit Post
We're celebrating the launch of Mr. Nice Spy, a prequel novella to the novel I, Spy! Read on to find out more about the book, get a cool spy tip for your daily life and download a free copy! You can also find Mr. Nice Spy on Amazon, Kobo, and JordanMcCollum.com!

About the Book

Canada is probably the last place you'd expect to find an American spy. CIA operative Elliott Monteith has made it work, just like he's made things work with his longtime fiancée Shanna. Until Shanna lays out an ultimatum: move forward or move on. Meanwhile, Elliott and his best friend and fellow operative, Talia Reynolds, try to track an elusive leak at the American embassy. But something changes between Elliott and Talia as they close in on the man selling out his country. Professional and personal lines blur and Elliott has to choose—his fiancée or his best friend. More about Mr. Nice Spy | Add Mr. Nice Spy to your Goodreads to-read list!

I, Spy

Mr. Nice Spy is a prequel to the novel I, Spy, available now. To save her country and her secrets, CIA operative Talia Reynolds will have to sacrifice the man she loves. More about I, Spy.

About the author

An award-winning author, Jordan McCollum can’t resist a story where good defeats evil and true love conquers all. In her day job, she coerces people to do things they don’t want to, elicits information and generally manipulates the people she loves most—she’s a mom. Jordan holds a degree in American Studies and Linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she catches a spare minute, her hobbies include reading, knitting and music. She lives with her husband and four children in Utah.

Hone your spy skills

Do spy skills help moms? Oh yeah! Further hone your spy skills by reading Mr. Nice Spy!

The clue!

As part of the debut of Mr. Nice Spy, Jordan is hosting a contest to figure out the "theme" song for the story. Collect clues at each blog stop and use your spy skills to piece together the clues to win a $25 Amazon gift card! How to enter The clue for this stop is:
The Mr. Nice Spy song is the longest-running #1 single on the Billboard Alternative chart.

The freebie!

Thanks for participating in this launch tour! As a free gift this week, Jordan is giving out free copies of Mr. Nice Spy! Simply to go http://JordanMcCollum.com/store/. You can also get 40% off I, Spy!
5 comments
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

THE DEMON LOVER by Juliet Dark

12:00 AM | Posted by Hellie Sinclair | | Edit Post
I'm going to say up front this book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. It was definitely MY cup of tea, but I own up to the fact that I've always had a soft spot (or several) for the "bad boy"/irredeemable rogue, mind-altering sex, and the demon who gives it to her.

Yes, I've actually thought Incubi were actually rather sexy rather than, oh, demonic with a side of date rape. (I feel a need to clarify: I'm not so much for the rape as the "seduction" which is really ravishing one with pleasure whether she wants it or not--assuming the guy looks like Channing Tatum and she's secretly in love with him but doesn't want to admit it. Tomato, Tomah-toe. I know I need therapy--so does everyone who liked 50 Shades of Grey.)

Anyway to a stickler of romance, a specter who visits your dreams, ravishes you in the night, but doesn't really have a relationship with you in the light of day, probably won't constitute one's definition of a healthy relationship or one that would likely have any sort of Happily Ever After. Then again, this is very Beauty and the Beast in its structure, and everyone agrees that was a romance. And that dude had some severe anger problems.

So if you've stuck with me, you either have a faint appreciation for "seduction" Beauty and the Beast myths, or you're too curious for your own good and are hopeful I'll share something even more damning.

THE DEMON LOVER is the first in a trilogy by Juliet Dark. I discovered it when I found the second book in the series, read the first few pages, and decided, "You know, I think I like this" and ferreted out the other book so I could pathologically read them in order. Which was in my best interest because this is not a series you could just start wherever and hope to know what's going on.

You see, THE DEMON LOVER is more of a sci-fi/fantasy novel. World building. Nerdy facts. The little detail of things that sends me into giddy delight, much like the incubus. I want to visit Fairwick, and not just to meet the incubus.

Callie McFay is a professor at a small college called Fairwick, in the town of Fairwick, which has an interesting lifestyle of being the place where fairies, witches, and otherworldly creatures all live together in relative harmony. The door to Fairy is located there, but before Callie showed up, there hadn't been a doorkeeper for some time. Doorkeepers are uber-important, able to keep the baddies on their side of the line, able to help get those who need to cross back over the help they need to make it there. Unfortunately, Callie doesn't know she's a doorkeeper, or that she's half-witch, half-fairy, but it comes clear pretty quickly.

The world building feels true to the fairy tales and lore we grew up with; and the rituals she practices with the witches also feels true and honorable to the craft. I found her voice very readable; and I'm intrigued to know what will happen in the third book (I've already tore through the second book and also highly recommend). I really really hope Callie is able to somehow work it out with her "beast" without him killing her--after all, it's rather endearing to see what he does to try to win her love.

This series is shelved in the romance section--but I don't think it's the classic romance that will be embraced by the Hoards--you know that whole questionable seduction and demon thing, plus the romance part is still up in the air at the end of the first book...and likely the second. However, I don't see sci-fi/fantasy snatching it up because it has to do with incubi and fairy tales--and that's clearly romance. This is a genuine hybrid and will have a definite following, but I always wonder about books like this.

Do you have any books that you loved/liked that seemed to defy genre or labeling? Anyone else fans of fairy tale settings or fairy tale lore in their books?
15 comments
Monday, June 3, 2013

Summer's Here. Me First.

12:00 AM | Posted by Hellie Sinclair | | Edit Post


School’s out. The best part of being out for summer for me when I was a kid was the fact I had so much extra time to spin stories and dream big. And use all my mother’s clean sheets to make tent forts in the living room. The stories I spun when I was a kid were definitely of a romantic bent, but with lots of action. Meaning, Bo Duke almost always showed up in my stories in the summer, and I spent a lot of time in an old blue Impala (junked), pretending to drive it (it could fly and we went everywhere).

When I wasn’t flying cars, I played in the smokehouse and also the shed where Dad stored wood but would usually be empty by this time of year and I could use it as a playhouse. It wasn’t quite as posh as a treehouse would have been, but it was a Girls Only Club, so it worked. I’d picnic on bologna sandwiches (with mustard, never ketchup), write in my red Big Chief notebooks, and read my new and highly prized book-of-the-month club book that my mother special ordered for me. Although I imagine I spent more time drawing horses on my Big Chief paper rather than writing stories—that was just how I rolled then.

Anyway, that was summer. When you are the only kid in the middle of nowhere, there’s a lot of time for fantasy and world-building. I never worried about research, if it was remotely possible to fly from Missouri to California in about two minutes, or despaired that the only item I had to pose as a sword was a knobby stick. It was never a problem.

While writing definitely takes discipline, showing up every day, willing to believe that the blank page will transform into words if you put your fingers on the keyboard long enough, there is something to be said that a day in which nothing more is required of you than to lay in the grass, eat sandwiches, and make sense of the clouds above. When the only person you needed to impress with your entertainment is yourself. You first.

It’s so easy to get wrapped into the traps of trends, popularity, selling lists, and whathaveyou, that you’re so worried about impressing everyone else that your opinion doesn’t matter. Trusting yourself is just one of those big life challenges we keep relearning, but didn’t seem to be as big a challenge when we were 10 and on summer vacation.  

We’re all writing something—and summer is here. Let’s write like we know we need to impress ourselves first. July and the conference will soon be here, and I know many of us like to have things ready before we go mingle with our tribe. (Or as I call it: working.) June is your month that’s your summer vacation and to create. Or JuJuSuCh as I completely made up, just now, because I can do that.

Jump in June Summer Challenge. Write as much as you can, as fast as you can, while in sheet forts and eating sandwiches (of your choice) as you figure out how to make an impossible plot point work. After all, it’s summer. Nothing is impossible.

What are your summer goals for reading/writing? Anyone want to be a part of JuJuSuCh and crank out 100 pages? Summer memories are also welcome.
33 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Blogger Template created with Artisteer.