Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Behind the eight ball

I had a dream…a goal really. I wanted to publish a story every 6 months. That’s not too ambitious…right? I mean…what could go wrong? I have stories that I’ve finished and I just needed to give them one last look through/critique and then I would publish them and that…would be that.

God I’m delusional!

I am still critiquing the first few chapters of my next book and my dealine was MARCH! Do you know what month we are in now?

MAY!

Where is the time going? Seriously…who took it?

Deep breath…deeeeeeepppppp breath.

So I’m trying to crack the whip on myself, get motivated to do what I need to do. But’s it hard…no lie about that. I get distracted or stressed or just…lazy. I lose sight of my dream and go off on a tangent.

And I just want to say…it’s okay to do that.

Sometimes you need to get lost in order to find the way that’s going to work for you and there is no shame in that. It’s all part of the learning process, the growth that we have to do.

With that said…I have to go do some critiquing and editing.

Happy writing!

XO

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Advice time

I know…I’m still a new writer and I can’t have too much advice to give.

Wrong!

I have learned a bit from my rejections, my critique partner, reading…just life in general and I think that some of the things I have picked up can be helpful to others.

  1. Never stop. I do mean that literally. even when you are tired and you think that you just suck…keep going on. This applies to every aspect of life really, but especially in writing.
  2. Keep reading. reading keeps the mind sharp, keeps you up on any “trends” and in general keeps the juices flowing. How many times have you read a book, a story and thought “What if I did…instead?”
  3. Be kind and open. Parting of being a good writer is being open to new ideas, constructive criticism and things changing.
  4. Be voracious. You have to want it…more than anything, even sleep.
  5. Be selfish. There are going to be people who will not respect what you do. they will take advantage, disrespect or just not understand what you are trying to do. If you have to, carve out the time and turn everything off until you get that chapter finished.
  6. Be firm and polite.
  7. Ask questions…all the time. This keeps the juices flowing and the ideas fluid.
  8. Shoot for the moon but keep you eye on the ground.
  9. Be confident.
  10. Stay humble
  11. Be willing to sacrifice. IF this is your passion, nothing will stand in your way. There are of course things that are more important, but sometimes…writing will take 1st place. Be ready.
  12. In the same vein…be willing to give. Some people won’t get it and you have to be understand and giving with them.
  13. Keep distractions to a minimum. Facebook, Instagram, twitter, etc…At first they are fun, but then…days have gone by and you haven’t written a word.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Goals and aspirations…

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

Ernest Hemingway

There are some people who go into writing hoping for fame and fortune. They are under the impression that after the 1st book, there will be fanfare and adulation…people will be stopping them on the street begging for autographs.

Let’s get real for a moment…

Though that does happen to some, for the most part, it is hard work. It is literally bleeding on paper, hoping for something to flow that others will connect with, that others will love as much as you. It is putting little pieces of your soul paper, praying that others will take care of it the same way you did.

to be honest, when I first started writing, that is what I thought would happen. What can I say, I was young and ignorant. Now, my aspirations may be similar, but with a much deeper meaning. My first intention with my writing has been and will always be to showcase plus-sized heroine’s. There is nothing more upsetting than trying to get into a story and not being able to see yourself in the character. It’s enough to put you off reading…almost. There are some characters that are plus-sized, but they are few and far between, and they are often of the the “woe is me” mindset. I can not stand that! I know quite a few women who are proud of themselves, love the body they are in and show it off to the fullest. Those are the women that I want to capture, that I want to showcase to the world.

I also love to see interracial romances. Again, it’s hard to find stories like this and I feel that they deserve a place on the shelf. And not necessarily always full of racism either. Yes…it exists. I am well aware of it. But it’s not the only thing going on in relationships of mixed race. There are other issues that need and should be covered. We read to escape and while there needs to be realism…we do not need to always be hit over the head with it.

those are the real goals, the things that motivate me and keep me plodding along when it feels that my eyes are closing and my brain is empty. I still have dreams of being on the bestseller list and having a few lifetimes movies under my belt.

Okay…I have those dreams a lot.

I also dream about making an impact on someone’s life, helping them find love even it’s with themselves. I want to show women that having love is good, great even, but loving yourself is more important.

What are some of you goals, dreams, aspirations for writing?

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

1st Chapter

Today, I want to show you what I’ve been working on lately. This is going to be my next release. It’s a series I started and now in the home stretch of. It’s outside of the box for me…or at least how other’s think of me. Here’s an excerpt of my upcoming book. Let me know what you guys think.

Prologue

“I’m not so sure about this.” Jonathan sat on the edge of his king sized bed and began unbuttoning his dress shirt, pulling off his cufflinks as he shrugged the fabric off.

Nicole, his wife of 3 years, pouted, crawling across the bed to massage his shoulders. “Honey, it’ll be fun.” She bent forward over his shoulder, dark hair cascading down his chest in soft waves.

He doubted that statement very much, standing to shrug out of his shirt and move to their massive walk-in closet. “Inviting another person in our bed? Is fun?” He really did not want to have to make love to two women. One was more than enough.

“Babe…we need something. Lately things have been…monotonous.” A smile spread across her soft mouth as she reached out to the nightstand beside the bed, picking up a flat mirror, the three lines of white powder a stark contrast.

Jonathan bristled at the statement, shame mixed in as well. He didn’t like the feeling, an odd mix of emotion. “You know work has been hectic, with Chris starting to get noticed and my other clients as well.” As a talent manager, his dream was to help others achieve their dreams. True, it involved a lot of stress, but he knew there was more to the discontent running through his everyday life. He came back to sit on the bed, wondering at just what was the problem could be with him.

Nicole arched an eyebrow, small pat on the back. “I know honey. This…it could help though.”

He doubted it very much, but he wanted to make her happy. Anything to make up for his lackluster performance as a husband as of late. “So, are we going to ask one of your friends or –”

“Are you serious?” Nicole scoffed and her eyes went huge, a hand to her heart as she shuddered. “They would never! We’ll have to look around, ask questions.” She passed him the mirror with the white powder. “I want another man. I’m not licking pusssy.” She gagged and lay back against the plush stack of pillows on their bed, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Where would we even begin to look?” Jonathan took a small sniff, nowhere close to the line Nicole had just done. That was something else that bothered him, the near constant amount of drugs they were doing and had been doing in the recent months. Was it to cover something up, hide the truth? “The paper? Craigslist?” He stood, his pants falling to his ankles.

She shrugged and spread out on the bed, hair fanned out around her. “Probably...Definitely will need to do some background work.” She swept a hand down her trim belly, wiggling around on the bed a bit.

Jonathan watched as she writhed on the bed and tried to feel some attraction to the sight of his beautiful wife splayed out before him, but nothing stirred. He looked away before she could notice his dismay. Maybe someone else was the answer. He headed into the closet to put his pants in the hamper. “Well…I’ll start looking—”

“In the morning.” Nicole interrupted with a come-hither smile on her face. “Come to bed, I’m lonely.”

A silent gulp and Jonathan forced a smile, before walking back to the bed. “You want some company on that big bed?” He husked, stomach in knots. Lately, the desire to be intimate had turned into dread. Though if he were honest with himself, it had been longer than just recently. More like years, only intensifying in the past few months. The drugs were only making things worse, hidden emotions bubbling to the surface.

Nicole ran a hand up his arm, pulling him close. Her lips parted, wet and pink. “Come entertain me.”

Jonathan braced himself and let her pull him down on top of her.

~***~

Nicole wiped her hand on her linen pants, nerves jumping. Maybe she shouldn’t have done that last line of coke. She couldn’t believe they were about to do this. Jonathan had actually found a guy and investigated him. She didn’t know what had made her think of a threesome, she just knew that things were not right in her marriage, and hadn’t been for a long time. Their lovemaking, when they actually did make love, had become over the last several months become stilted and dry, a distance in Jonathan’s eyes that never seemed to fade. It was starting to affect everything else in their life. She didn’t think he was cheating, but she didn’t know what was wrong. Nicole hoped this did something, anything to get them back on track. She missed the easiness they used to have in bed and out of it.

At the sound of the doorbell ringing she jumped, hand nervously clutching the mantle, taking another sip of scotch. Things were about to get interesting.

The trembling in her arms made her pause, looking over at Jonathan’s back as he led the other man into their bedroom after a bit of stilted small talk in the living room. With hooded grey eyes and fine, straight, black hair, he reminded Nicole of a struggling artist, his build lithe and tall, and skin pale.

“So…what, I mean how do we start this?” she looked around the room as she moved to the foot of their bed, taking another long drink. Anything to settle her mind and still the trembling. Jonathan looked nervous too, face blank but eyes huge in his face.

Mitchell, their guest for the evening smiled, walking further into the room. “How about we sit on the bed…talk a bit?”

Trembling, Nicole perched on the edge, nervous and excited at the same time. She Looked up as Mitchell sat beside her, a gentle hand on her knee. He motioned for Jonathan to sit on the other side of her.

“You are very beautiful.” Mitchell looked deep into her eyes, breath soft on her face as he squeezed her knee.

She smiled, some of the nerves settling. “Thank you”

Nicole inhaled deeply, body aching in places she didn’t know could ache. Sitting up gingerly, she smoothed the hair from her face as she looked around. To say it had been amazing was an understatement. A glance to her left and she smiled, running her hands over the smooth, svelte back of Mitchell, sighing under her breath in satisfaction. Rustling at the foot of the bed caught her eye and she looked up frowning a bit, as she watched Jonathan rise from the bench, handsome face blank.

“I thought you were going to join in.” things had started off okay, but as Mitchell had gotten more into her, Jonathan had withdrawn, until it had just been her and the other man fucking on her marriage bed. Things were not working the way she’d thought.

With a shrug, Jonathan pulled on a grey t-shirt and sweats. “Maybe next time.” He started to walk past the bed

Nicole huffed, arms crossed. “Jonathan —” she reached out for him, but he jerked away from her touch. She frowned, unnerved by the action.

“I have to go to the bathroom.” He rushed by, eyes flicking over her and the body next to her before he shut the door with a loud click.

~***~

How had he let Mitchell talk him into going to a gay club? Jonathan shook his head, looking around nervously as he headed to the bar. After last week’s debacle of a threesome, he needed to get his head straight. The whole time, as he’d watched another man have sex with his wife, he’d been thinking of Mitchell and what he wanted those nimble hands to do to him. It had been the only way to get hard and then he’d finally been able to participate, much to Nicole’s happiness. It bothered him though, on a deeper level that it had taken a man to get him erect. It also bothered him that it had taken Mitchell grabbing his ass and running a finger up and down his crack to give him the best orgasm he’d had in a LONG time. Maybe that was why he’d agreed to meet the other man. To get answers.

A hand on his shoulder had him turning to gaze into a pair of smiling grey eyes, just as the bartender gave him his drink, an enticingly masculine mouth smiling at him.

“You came.” Mitchell seemed surprised, the hand still on his shoulder, sliding down to his elbow. He looked over at the bartender, pointing at the drink in Jonathan’s hand. A nod and he walked away.

Jonathan nodded, gripping the glass of vodka in his hand tight. “I’m not sure why, but yes.”

Being midweek, the bar wasn’t that crowed and the bartender came back quickly with Mitchell’s drink. A knowing glimmer in Mitchell’s eyes and he tilted his head to his left. “Why don’t we go someplace we can talk?” Handing over a twenty, Mitchell tilted his head towards the back of the club.

The music was kind of loud and he kept feeling eyes on him. With a nod, he followed the other man as he led the way to a quieter part of the club; a sunken sectional of plush, cushiony purple couches and dim lighting. Mitchell sat down and patted a spot next to him. Jonathan sunk down gingerly, nervous and unsure.

“How have you been?” Mitchell leaned back and crossed his legs

Jonathan shrugged and looked at his drink. “I would say ok. Working.”

Mitchell took a sip, eyes intent on Jonathan’s face. “How’s the wife?” he touched the tip of his tongue to the corner of his mouth.

Jonathan wondered at the questions and the inanity of them. “Why did you ask me here tonight? What’s the plan?” he looked the other man straight in his eyes, even while his stomach shivered in anticipation.

Mitchell reached out; set his glass on the low table in front of them. “I wanted to get you alone…see if you…needed to talk.”

“About what?” he knew he was being evasive, but he didn’t want to think too hard, not with Mitchell sitting so close to him.

A well-manicured eyebrow arched his way, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Why it took me playing with your ass to get to you cum for starters.”

Jonathan flushed and yanked his gaze away. “I – I don’t know.”

Mitchell put a hand on his knee, his hand starting to rub it with slow, methodical strokes. “Jonathan…it’s okay. I get what you are going through. I’ve been there.”

Jonathan swung back to stare at him. “What…what are you talking about?”

A smile and the other man leaned in closer. “Let me show you.”

Jonathan’s heart started pounding. Mitchell was giving him an intent, hungry stare. One of the agile hands lifted, caressed his cheek, then slid to his neck. Jonathan shivered under the touch. He lifted his face to meet Mitchell’s mouth, descending onto his. A surprisingly gentle kiss; then the tip of Mitchell’s tongue ran between his lips, parted them on a burst and explored his mouth. Somehow, Jonathan’s arms had wound around the other’s man’s neck. He slid his tongue over Mitchells and he moaned quietly. The hand on his neck cupped the back of his head, while Mitchell’s other arm wrapped around his waist. Jonathan dragged his teeth over Mitchell’s lower lip, the other man hissing and his grip tightened. Both of Mitchell’s hands fell to Jonathan’s ass and pulled him into his lap, hard body to hard body, kneeling astride a man’s lap for the first time. a hardness pressed against his stomach and he groaned. The warm mouth was doing amazing things to his neck and ear now, licking and sucking. The strong hands, still on his ass, were squeezing and caressing him. The noise of the club dimmed, slid away as he sunk into the warm delicious feeling of Mitchell’s mouth back on his. This was what he’d been missing, what he’d been longing for.

The hand creeping into the back of his pants jerked him out his reverie and he wrenched his mouth from Mitchells. “What are you doing?”

Mitchell ran a hand over his back. “Just relax…no one can see us.”

Dubious, Jonathan looked around, unsettled to see several pairs of eyes watching them avidly. He pushed away, nearly falling to the floor as he struggled to get to his feet. “I need to be getting home.”

“Jonathan –”

He held up a hand, stopping the other man mid-sentence. “I need to go.” He turned and nearly knocking several men to the ground, rushed out the door.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Getting over the hump

You know the feeling….the blank computer or page in front of you…the pen in hand…some good tunes in the background. You hand it hovring over the keyboard or paper…you’re excited. The blood is pumping and you just know it’s going to be good.

2 hours later…

funny-pictures-cat-has-writers-block

Yea…I get that too. Sometimes, I just stare at the ceiling, fingers poised over the keyboard till my wrists cramp up and I take a nap. During the nap of course, I get all kinds of ideas but then when I have to put them to paper…ugh

Let’s discuss how to combat this dreaded issue…or at least how I go about it.

  1. I like to reread the story that I’m working on. Yesssss…the one that is giving me the writer’s block. Sometimes, I can lose sight of where I’m going in the story, what I’m trying to achieve. I go back through to see where I was going, what the mood was or where the characters are at in their growth. A good chunk of the time, it does get my juices flowing again. And if not…I can get some editing in while I wait.
  2. I like to read fan fiction (dodges a few tomatoes). Seriously, good fan fiction is some good stuff and can get the juices flowing again. It give your mind a chance to shut off and reboot, which can help in jumping the hurdle of finding something to write.
  3. Music…just music. It helps relax the muscles, soothe the soul and calm the spirit.
  4. I have a dog and I like to play with her during these times. Sometimes, we talk. Or I talk to her and she just looks at me like “I have no idea what you are talking about.” I bounce ideas off her, I chase her a bit and in that time, my mind unwinds and loosens it grip on my creativity. At least enough to get another paragraph in.
  5. I like to edit my other stories. Usually these are stories that I’ve finished and need to be critiqued. I will go through them and edit, all the while my other story is in the back of my mind, stewing.
  6. Last but not least…I do use some social media. Again, this is a time to unwind. What I may do is use this opportunity to promote my blog or a story that I’ve finished…perhaps see what the trends are in the book world. Other times, I just goof off and give the brain a rest. You can push yourself too far and maybe the writer’s block is there for a reason.

 

Now that we have talked about my strategies… what are some of yours? I would be very interested in what works for you. Leave me a comment.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Switching Gears…or direction

A few posts back, I previewed a chapter from my latest project “Perfect Planning”. As a matter of fact, I did quite a posts about the story, including posts from the character’s point of view.

Oops…

That is not the direction that we are going on. After going through my stories and how far I still have to go with “Perfect Planning”, I decided to go with a story that was already done.

This story that I’m going to be coming out with next I feel is very relevant to today’s current events and it’s something that I’ve been working on for a few years now. Right now, I’m in the critiquing stage, but I’ll be doing the same thing that I did with my other story. I’ll post a preview chapter and do the posts in their point view and all that good stuff.

I’m very excited for this change and I hope that you are as well.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

You Can Always Go Home book trailer



Good Morning everyone!
In lieu of a post, I’ve put out a new book trailer for You Can Always Go Home. Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to comment on the video. Let me know what you think.


Life has a funny way of working. One day, you lose it all. Your family, your friends, the only person you ever thought you could love. It drops you off in a place that is foreign, leaving you to figure out where to go and what to do. Just when things are bleak and you don’t think you can go on, fate steps in and shows you what it was all for. As you move through life, you learn that if you close yourself off from the things that hurt, you miss out on the good stuff.


Alexina’s life is full of twists and turns. She lost most of her family as a child, and now as an adult, has just buried her husband of two years. A chance meeting with a past flame has her thinking of what could have been. Exhausted and burned out from the guilt of her husband’s death and the pressure of her family, Alexina heads back to her childhood home, Killeen, Texas.


            Luciano has loved Alexina since high school, keeping her close to his heart. When he sees her at her husband’s funeral, he can’t help the pull he feels for her. Knowing it’s the wrong place and time, he walks away, hoping to see her again. When he sees her six months later he knows fate is on his side. Now, all he has to do is get past her doubts of them and the guilt of her husband’s death.


            Behind the scenes, a sinister force is working against them, threatening to tear them apart. Her late husband left behind unfinished business, information his enemies desperately want kept hidden. Now it’s going to take everything Alexina has to keep her wits about her and make sure they stay safe. 


Get it now at these places:


Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1qwldwy


Apple ibooks: http://bit.ly/1trmgh7








Goodreads Author Profile: http://bit.ly/1trnmtc
 








Monday, November 3, 2014

Music for the soul…

I don’t know about you, but I like a little tunes in the background when I write. I’ve tried the TV for background noise, but I get distracted…easily. Music on the other hand…once I find the right mood I can write for hours.

Let me share with you a few of my playlists

For writing love scenes:

  1. Bed – J. Holiday
  2. Glitter in the Air – Pink
  3. In the kitchen – R Kelly
  4. Sex on Fire – King of Leon
  5. She Wolf – Shakira

For writing Anger/fight scenes:

  1. Black Skinhead – Kanye West
  2. Breaking Dishes – Rihanna
  3. Caught Out There – Kelis
  4. Hurt – Johnny Cash
  5. You’re Not Sorry – Taylor Swift (CSI Remix)

For writing “normal” scenes:

  1. Dime Store Diamond – Gossip
  2. Music – Leela James
  3. Nutbush City Limits – Tina Turner
  4. Pop Goes the World – Gossip
  5. Rockstar – Rihanna
  6. Summertime – Sam Cooke
  7. Upgrade You – Beyonce

For writing the breakup/sad scenes:

  1. Airplanes – B.O.B./Hayley Williams
  2. All Cried out – Allure
  3. Not Goin Cry – Mary J. Blige
  4. And I’m Telling You – Jennifer Hudson
  5. Angels – Diddy/Biggie Smalls
  6. Breakeven – Script
  7. Climax – Usher
  8. Tonight – Xscape
  9. Touchdown – Game
  10. You Belong to Me – Trey Songz

Now, this is not all the songs, but they are the ones I keep on repeat.

What do you like to listen to when you write?

Monday, October 27, 2014

A sneak peak…

So, I thought I would give you guys a sneak peak of the book I’m currently working on. It’s a rough draft, though I have gone through and done some editing and correcting. I do plan on doing more, but I feel confident in putting this up for your reading pleasure.

Chapter One of “Perfect Planning”

Prologue

Devlyn walked home slowly, her mind in a fog. She barely noticed what was going on around her. She’d just come from her check-up at the clinic, with earth shattering news. She was pregnant! Her mind still found it too hard to grasp. How could she be pregnant? She was only 17! She stopped, taking a moment to cool off in the shade of a magnolia tree and think. She dropped her bag to the ground and slid down the trunk of the tree. She pulled her knees up to her chest and placed her head on them, letting her body relax. She didn’t know how she could to break the news to her family. What would her father say? She brought her head up to stare straight ahead, not really seeing anything.

Squaring her shoulders, Devlyn got up and grabbed her bag, trudging home. She would just have to face whatever came. Her steps faltered when she thought of the baby’s father. Should she tell him? They’d been together for nine months and no one even knew. They’d met at the school’s Homecoming dance the year before and had been inseparable ever since, though in secret. As the youngest son of one of the wealthier white families in Orangeburg and her family just an average black family with three kids, she didn’t know how he would take it. That was the main reason they’d had to keep it so quiet.

She pushed all those thoughts aside and kept walking home. She needed to worry about her parents’ reaction first.

Devlyn nudged open the door to her house and walked quickly to the room she shared with her sister. She hoped no one noticed her and let out a quiet sigh of relief when she made it to her bed with no incident. She lay down, curled into a ball and closed her eyes, hoping to calm her beating heart. Her parents would be home in a few hours and she needed to be composed.

~***~

That night after dinner, Devlyn pulled her parents aside.

“Mom, dad, I have something to tell you.” Devlyn could feel her hands start to shake and her stomach was doing somersaults. She looked down at the kitchen floor.

“What is it honey?” Devlyn’s mother reached out, gently squeezing her daughter’s shoulder.

Devlyn looked up at her father, her eyes pleading for understanding.

“I’m…I went to the doctor today to find out why I’ve been feeling so sick lately.” She noticed her mother’s hand tightening on her shoulder.

“I’m…I’m pregnant.” Devlyn was unprepared for the sharp pain in her cheek as her mother slapped her.

“How could you?” her mother asked shrilly, the disappointment in her voice crushing Devlyn.

Devlyn looked at her father, flinching at the look on his face. She’d never seen such rage and distress on his face. She shrank farther back from him, afraid of her father for the first time.

“Get out. Pack you things and get out.” Her father’s voice was deathly final.

She looked to her mother for help, only to have her turn her head and avoid her eyes. She faced her father.

“Dad…please…” Devlyn felt the tears start to fall.

“Shut up! I want you out. How dare you bring such shame on this family!” Her father shouted, face dark with anger.

Devlyn heard a sniffle and looked past her father to see her little sister standing in the kitchen doorway, crying, clutching at the teddy bear she’d just given her on her seventh birthday. Devlyn moved to comfort her, but her father’s hand on her forearm stopped her.

“I said get out.” Her father hissed through clenched teeth.

“Where…where am I supposed to go?” Devlyn choked out.

Her father dropped her arm; stepping away from her. “Go to the boy’s house that did this for all I care.” He turned and walked from the kitchen.

~***~

Devlyn found herself standing in front of a massive oak door two hours later. She raised her hand, hesitating momentarily before knocking on the door. She didn’t know why she was there. She just didn’t have anywhere else to turn. Her friends didn’t want anything to do with her and her family had turned their backs on her. She didn’t have any money or anywhere to go. She didn’t really expect him to do anything for her. She just wanted to let him know; see what he thought she should do.

She stepped back when the door swung open unexpectedly, revealing a tall, slim, dark haired woman. With her hair perfectly done in a sharp angled bob and clothing well tailored to her slender body, Devlyn felt her throat close up. She looked Devlyn up and down, disgust plain in her eyes. Devlyn gave a shiver.

“We already gave at the office.” The woman’s voice was cold enough to freeze, a sharp bite to it.

“Mrs. Goth, I’m here to see your son, Ryan.” Devlyn have a small smile, hoping that the woman wouldn’t slam the door in her face.

For a moment, the woman froze. Her eyes were calculating as she stared at Devlyn. “I think you should come in.” Mrs. Goth stepped back, impatiently motioning for Devlyn to come in.

Hesitantly, Devlyn stepped inside, standing in the corner by the door.

Mrs. Goth turned and walked down the hall, never glancing back at Devlyn. She passed by an ornate wood chest, trailing her fingers over it as she walked by, as if showing what she had that Devlyn didn’t. She opened a door on her left, stepping into the room.

Devlyn stood in her spot awkwardly, not knowing what to do. After a minute, she followed after her, steps hesitant.

Mrs. Goth turned to look at Devlyn, slender fingers stroking the desk behind her. She eyed Devlyn as she shifted from foot to foot, the corners of her mouth curving up as she enjoyed the nervousness Devlyn displayed.

“Let’s cut to the chase. I know who you are. You’re the girl my son has been sneaking out to see.” The look on Mrs. Goth’s face dared Devlyn to deny it.

“I…” Devlyn began.

“Ryan isn’t here. He left this afternoon for Switzerland. He won’t be back anytime soon. He’s going to school there.” Mrs. Goth gave a smirk at the stricken look on Devlyn’s face.

“Wha…I don’t understand.” Devlyn’s eyes went wide, mind whirling with confusion. Why hadn’t he told her? Maybe it had all been a lie.

Mrs. Goth walked around the desk to sit in the plush leather chair. She reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a big check binder. Opening the cover, she flipped past check stubs until she got to a blank check. Pulling out a platinum pen, she looked at Devlyn.

“My son has a bright future. He’s going to go places. Hopefully run his father’s business when he gets his degree. He does not need to be saddled with someone like you.”

Devlyn stared at Mrs. Goth, before dropping her gaze to the floor. Humiliated to tears with the way the woman spoke to her, she could only let her, too intimidated to do or say anything. She tried to wrap her mind around the facts that she had just found out. Ryan had left, left her alone with this burden and she had nowhere to go, no money, no family or friends. What was she supposed to do now? Devlyn looked up when a blue piece of paper caught her eye. Mrs. Goth stood in front of her, waving a blue check in her face. Confused, but with a hint of understanding coming through, she stared at Mrs. Goth, not wanting to believe this was happening.

“Here is a check for $10,000.00. Take it and never contact my son. I know you kind of people need money.”

Devlyn looked at the woman, her mind warring with itself. On one hand, she did need the money, now that she no longer had a home. But she didn’t want this mean, cold woman to think she could just be bought off. She had pride and she had some self-esteem. All that was worth nothing if she didn’t have a way to take care of herself and her child, her mind reminded her. She resigned herself to what she had to do. With trembling hands, Devlyn reached out, hot tears falling from her eyes as she took the check.

“Good girl. You can leave now.” She sneered at the young black woman before turning her back.

Devlyn stared at the retreating back, tears falling freely, before slowly walking out of the room and out of the house.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Author rituals

Talk to any author and they will tell you that they have things that must be in order for them to write. All the stars must be aligned, the gods must be good and there must be certain things within reach. If these things are not in order, the words will not flow, the muse will flee and there will be no goodness for anyone to read.

For me the list is short and concise:

  1. A cup of tea, preferably a nice robust chai. The tea keeps me calm and focused. I do drink other teas, but chai is my favorite. Something about the spice and heaviness that makes it easier to write for me.
  2. A pencil. So…I don’t really like to write on the computer first. I like to put pen or pencil to paper first then write up things later. My mind works way too fast for me to type on the computer, leaving words out and it’s just generally a mess. Pencil and paper is the way to go…at least for me.
  3. Fresh paper. No wrinkles, no stains, no tears…nothing. If it’s not fresh…I can’t do it. I  don’t know what it is, but scrap paper makes me feel uncomfortable and I just…I just can’t.
  4. I prefer a notebook or a notepad. A sheet of paper is not going to cut for more than one reason. I need to feel the thickness and smoothness of paper under my hand.
  5. I do need music to write. Depending on the mood I’m in, the music can set the mood. Sexy mood for love scenes, hard angry music for fight or action scenes. Sometimes I just need something in the background to keep me focused and from getting distracted by anything that might happen in the background. Music…soothes the soul.

 

What are some of you rituals? How do you get the flow going?

Monday, October 13, 2014

Story settings

I have lived in quite a few places. Being a military brat, I have had wonderful opportunities to travel and see parts of the world that fascinate most people. Because of this, I have been able to set my stories in quite a few places, based on memories, pictures and extensive research. Okay, more like research with extensive distractions, but I digress. I do admit that I have taken a few liberties with some of my settings, since it’s either hard to really describe what I mean or things have changed and since its been a GOOD WHILE since I’ve been to some of these places, or maybe never really experienced it the way locals do, it works.

One of my favorite places to set some of my stories is Killeen, Texas.

 killeen_txNow, I am not a Texas girl at heart. Not even close. But this place holds meaning for me since so many things happened there that were first’s for me. First real boyfriend, first kiss…you get the idea. It’s also the one place I remember most vividly, right behind Germany and right before Virginia and Colorado. So, many of my stories are set here.

Another favorite setting of mine is Virginia. A place that I spent a long time living in and around, exploring the city and enjoying the sights. Now, I only have one story set here so far and I haven’t even published it yet, but still, I did enjoy writing that story. I do have a few more stories in this setting and I’m itching to get to them. Just thinking about VA reminds of the sights and totally awesome shopping and some very good friends that I made there. I should really make a trip back there sometime.

Last but not least, an upcoming setting that I’m using is Bartlett, TN.

 bartlett-tn-4703440I know…random right. I didn’t even really live there that long…maybe 6 months but it was an interesting six months I will say that. I found my footing, got out of a bad relationship and just in general grew up while my family and I were there. So, I have a trilogy upcoming that is set there and I’m hoping that it does well. I’m going to have to do a lot more research to make it believable, but it’s nothing I can’t do.

We are going to revisit this topic again, since I have a whole series set in SC that I’ve finished and I’m going to be editing it and critiquing it soon, along with other settings I want to talk about.

If you are writing, where are some of the places that you take your characters? If you don’t write, where are some places/settings you would like to see?

Monday, October 6, 2014

The Secret's Hunter

So I recently made a video for my latest release, "The Secret's Hunter" and put it up on Youtube. I know a day late and a dollar short, but I wanted to do something to get the word out and get people interested in reading the book. So here is the video. Check it out...let me know what you think.




Monday, September 29, 2014

A writer’s toolbox

Sometimes…you just gotta be prepared. There are only a few things that I need to write. Few, but important and crucial. If something is missing from this list when I go to write…things can get ugly REAL fast.

#1- My laptop. I have all my rough drafts, copies, ideas, book trailers, story ideas…everything is on this baby. I do have a flash drive and I frequently back up to my external drive, but this laptop…is my baby. I take it to a local coffee shop when I want few distractions, on the porch when I want to watch the dog run, on trips when I think I’m going to get some work done. Its portable and makes things easy. I can say that I would like to have a desktop, but that would be mostly for games and day to day stuff. I save the laptop for writing.

#2-A pen. But not just any pen. I can’t do ink pens or gel pens. Something about them makes me feel off. I have to use a ball point pen and the cheap ones are my favorite. The fancy ones are nice, with the gold and silver, but the weight is heavy and they often have stuff on them that gets in the way of my fingers, irritating the skin on them. I stick to the bic pens or even the ones you get from the hotels. FAVORITE!

#3- I also need a pencil. A long one with a good eraser. I prefer to keep it sharpened, no dull lead for me. The mechanical is okay, but the weight of it just does something and I can’t write with it for long. An old school #2 pencil all the way for me.

#4- I use the word program to write. Nothing fancy, but it does all my formatting that I like and it can save it for me from one story to the next.

#5- The kicker…I like to lay on the floor and write. Not hardwood, carpet please. Freshly vacumed if possibly but at least nothing so dirty that things are growing in it. Using a desk of or a counter…does not work for me. I can’t get into the flow of things and stop after like 1/2 a page. On the floor…I can write chapters. Just swinging my legs back and forth, scribbling away. Ahhh…good times.

What are some things that you need in your writer’s toolbox to write?

Monday, September 22, 2014

Inspiration

I’m often asked where my ideas come from when I’m writing. Okay, not all that often, but enough that it has me thinking about it and what my answer is. Especially when I’m having issues writing, when I hit a road block, when the typing just stops and the page is blank, mocking me with it’s…blankness. So, with that, I had to think hard about where my lighting is more likely to strike

Work: I work part time in retail, so I see a lot of people come and go. I get their life stories and all the drama of being with people on a daily basis. Sometimes the stories are too good and I have to write them down, change them up a bit so that the people who told me, have no idea it was me. Sometimes, I make the better than what was told or I fill in holes left by the customers when they have to leave or I have to go back to doing my work. There are times when I don’t get a story. It’s just the way the person looks. Interesting, as if they would have something to say or an interesting story to tell if I had the time to get it.

TV: yes, I am an avid TV watcher, enjoying a lot of different shows…except for reality TV. Though I do have a few exceptions. When I watch TV, I like to play the “What If?” game. Different endings, what is somebody had said something different, what if the character had reacted another way…just a lot of alternate universes out there and I would like to explore them all

Daydreams: these are the best ideas. I just let my mind wander. If I can, I write down my dreams, or at least fragments of them. I get some vivid ones and they are just too good to let fade into my memories. Long road trips, a late night with little sleep, maybe something weird to eat. Whatever the case may be, I will run with it.

So, my inspirations comes from quite a few different places and I enjoy every bit of it when I comes.

Where does your inspiration come from? Let me know in the comments how some of your best ideas/stories are found?

 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Self-Publishing Chronicle...

I can honestly say that I have sent my stories to every publisher and agent in the book. Just typed up letters and the query and printed off chapters like it was going out of style. After quite a few rejections and more than a share of no answers at all, I decided that I wanted to take things into my own hands. More like needed to take them into my own hands. So, I made the jump. I decided to self-publish (scary). I honestly felt that people would buy my stories if they were available in print.  

After a lot of searching, researching and just asking questions, I went with Amazon. The process was and still is easy and it just took a lot of stress off my shoulders. Amazon seemed to have the best of both worlds. Easy to upload, tools to help you convert, a forum where you can ask questions (though I have heard it’s a shark tank in there.) You get report on how many sales vs returns. It just had everything that I needed for free. There are other options that I could use that would cost, but right now…free is working for me. 

I will admit that in the beginning, I was hesitant to use the service. Not sure why though. Maybe I built it up to be harder in my head than it was.  

I have to say that I’m glad I did it. It’s a stepping stone in the right direction.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Writing Struggles

Like everyone, I have my issues. My hair, my weight, my wardrobe, my job…this is not unique. But when writing comes into play…things get interesting.

1st-Time. Time waits for no man and writer’s are no exception. Working full time and having a sort of life cuts into the time I would be writing. I set a schedule for myself, but I have yet to make myself stick to it. Call it lack of will power or ambition or…whatever. I struggle daily with the guilt of not writing enough. No answer yet.writers_eternal_struggle

2nd- ideas. It’s not a lack of them . More like too much of an abundance of them. That is not a bad thing…really. I just need to write it down and let it stew while I finish my other work. Well, that’s the idea anyway. Sometimes the idea is so strong though, I have to get it out. There is no stopping it and it can haunt my dreams until I do it. At least an outline of some kind, maybe some character sketches…then I focus back on the current book.

3rd-Want. Sometimes, a lot lately, I don’t want to write. The computer screen is lit, the cursor is blinking, but the fingers are sleeping. On days like that, I go over old stories, blog a bit, even pull out a book to read. There is no need to force it. The story is there and it will come out. Forcing it only creates more issues. It’s happening more lately, but that’s due to my life changing…again. I know once it settles down, the juices will flow.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Backstory-Perfect Planning

Let’s talk backstory or as I like to call it- The good stuff. We’ll start with Devlyn, the Heroine:

Coming from the south, she was brought up with a respect for authority, her elders and doing things “the right way.” Ever polite and sociable, you would say she was raised to be a lady. Her family is middle class, her father a deacon I his church and the manager at a local department store. Her mother works part time as a substitute teacher and full time homemaker. She has a little sister she adores and would do anything to protect her. Her life is charmed to an extent. Everything is planned and she is more than happy to go along with the plan.

The town she’s from in SC is small and very much attached to the past. Everyone has their place and NO ONE had better get out of line. Devlyn knows to toe the line, at least until she graduates. Then, she can do as she likes. Smart and funny, Devlyn catches everyone’s eye. Including Ryan’s. But she knows she can’t go there. Ever. His family is old money and old money comes with old ideas of people and where they belong. Besides, Ryan would never take the chance. He’s too content with the way things are.

Ryan’s turn:

Except…he’s not. Ryan is the baby of his family, with nine years between himself and his brother, his only other sibling. Having money is nice and Ryan enjoys every bit of it, but he’s feeling stifled. His mother, rigid and stuck in the past, makes it her mission to make sure he upholds traditions…all of them. His father is hands off, only getting involved when needed, which is hardly ever since his mother rules with an iron fist. His brother…they deal with each other, but that is the extent of it. It’s clear to all those on the outside and inside, he’s his mother’s favorite, though there is no joy in it.

He’s had his eye on Devlyn for what has felt like years. Admired her, wanted her, even needed her when he let his guard down. He knows all about the small minds of his town and family, but that’s not him. He's different…he’s more. And he wants more. Taking a chance, he makes his move, surprised by both the fear and happiness that shines in Devlyn’s eyes when she realizes he's serious. He’s led a sheltered life and has little idea of what could happen if word got out they were dating. A moment in the gym locker room at school opens his eyes and he suddenly understands the fear and the need for secrecy. It hurts to not be able to touch as he likes, to not go on dates, to watch as others make passes at Devlyn. he wants to push them all away and taker her some place safe, where they can just be.

Prom is the culmination of strategy, bribing and just plain praying to God that everything would come together. Even though they couldn’t go as a couple, it still felt like a date, especially when he got to dance with her, feel her skin against his for a few brief moments. After prom is even better, more than he could have hoped for in even his wildest dreams. To wake up next to her in the early hours of the morning is a memory he’s going to cherish. As as he drops her off at home, he begins to make plans of the future. Once he gets his trust fund, they’ll be free.

Two months before school is to let out for the summer, his mother comes into his room, face stern. That’s not something new, but his father is behind her. That’s new. His father never gets involved. Stomach in painful knots, Ryan listens as his mother sends him away, shipping him off to boarding school in London that night. All he can think of is Devlyn and if she’s going to wait for him. He tries to write her, tell her that he is coming back, but he never gets a response. Not even his letters come back. After too long, he puts it all away, determined to never let it happen again. No one would ever get back in.

Devlyn doesn’t know any of this…all she knows is that one night of passion and her whole life has changed, shifted so much that she barely recognizes it. When she tries to find Ryan, tell him what’s going on, he’s gone and she is all alone, with not even family to count on. Doing what is best for her, she leaves the state and lands in Texas, as far away from her past as possible. It’s not what she planned, but she is strong enough to make it work for her. Too much is riding on her shoulders to fail.

Monday, May 19, 2014

My writing story

I started writing back in middle school. It was going to be a huge mystery story, with twins, poison and a private eye. When we moved from Germany to TX, I lost track of the story, but not the bug. Through high school, I wrote poetry and prose, needing an outlet for my teenage angst that only high schoolers understand. After that, I put the pen away, going through my fair share of ups and downs as I became an adult. Fat forward to college and my 2nd college roommate. She was a writer and talking to her…ignited the bug in me again. I remembered all the love I had for storytelling, the need to see characters who represented me better than what was in mainstream. Don’t get me wrong, I love some Nora Roberts and Linda Howard and Julie Garwood. I just found myself  hungering fro more interracial, more realistic, less…a size 10 and more size 20’s. that’s who I was and still am. I’m a big girl with an appetite for love with knowledge that love isn't always simple. Sometimes you’re at the end of a relationship or you still pine for another or maybe…you just aren’t that emotional. Nothing is wrong with that and I wanted to showcase it.

poetry-clip-art-2

Then…life hit again. This time a divorce and picking up the pieces. The divorce took a bit of wind out of my sail and where I was writing for hours a day, I now find it a struggle to write for minutes.

writers-block

I’m coming along though. Slow and sure. I find blogging to be a good way to unplug the dam that I built and the water sometimes gushes, sometimes trickles…but it does flow.

Monday, May 5, 2014

My writing drug of choice is…

Research…who’d have thunk it?

First, let me say that I LOVE research. Digging and hunting and finding that little nugget of information is just…exhilarating. I love it and can often spend hours just looking and reading. girl%20readingWhich can lead to problems. I get easily distracted and this can be an issue if I have a deadline. One thing leads to another and I’m off on another track, completely somewhere else. I often have to tell myself to stop and get back on track.

So, how do I do my research? What magic do I perform that pulls all my little details together? I start with what I know, branching off from there. Usually I’m just looking for a little information, perhaps something to round off a scene or back up something that I’ve said. Sometimes though, especially when world building, I need more. I start with the internet, since it’s right there. I use google search, going to trustworthy sites for my information. I do use Wikipedia, but only if it has been verified. If the information is not enough, I want to go deeper, its off to the library with me. Now, this is dangerous territory for me, since books are my love. Reading, getting engrossed in a story…mmmmmmmmm…nothing like it. If this is the case, I gotta come prepared with a list of what I need and a deadline. Can’t spend the day dawdling.

I know some people are like why research if you are world building? Just put what you want. For me, I need a basis, something to work away from. If you don’t know something, how can you build away from it? Maybe what you think is new…isn’t. That’s why you research, so at least you know what it is you are railing against.

Sometimes, I may do an interview. I find somebody in the field that I’m writing about, maybe my character is a police officer and I find someone willing to answer a few questions. I usually do this if I want to add that personal touch or if I’m basing the character I’m writing about on the person I’m interviewing. Makes things a lot more personal.

Okay, so it’s not really magic, but it is satisfying to find some tidbit that maybe I didn’t know and perhaps my reader doesn’t know either.

All in the name of writing.

Next week, we are going to talk about my character inspiration for the novel I talked about earlier, “Perfect Planning

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Inspiration strikes

I have got to get back into writing and blogging. I post and then nothing for months. There has to be a better way to stay motivated and on track. Let’s start easy: We’ll talk about my current book and go from there. Should be simple enough…*fingers crossed*

The latest book that I’m working on is titled…for now, Perfect Planning. I can’t really say why I’ve titled it that, but I’m sure that I’ll probably change it later. But that is not why we are here today. We are here to talk about the inspiration behind the story and why I chose to write it.

The story starts with the heroine in high school, having just discovered a life changing fact. This fact alters the rest of life and forces her to start over in a place far from loved ones and anyone that would know her. But she’s strong, unwilling to let it destroy her. Things are starting to look up for her when a blast from the past comes into her life and takes her back to that place in her youth. From there, we follow her journey of loss, forgiveness and her path back to love.

long-lost-love

To be honest, I don’t know where this idea came from. Maybe from playing Sims, a little from soap operas, some from primetime TV. I wanted to write about love lost and what the road would look like if someone wanted to travel it. All the trials and tribulations that would come with trying to rekindle a lost love with deep secrets between the main characters. I didn’t want it to be pretty or easy the way that some of these stories can play out, but I did want it to be beautiful and touching.

So right now, I’m working hard to get this story done. Some days are better than others and I admit, I struggle to put words to paper.

writers-block