This past month has been so busy. I'm on the team for upgrading out new front end system in advertising and have been working hard to get everything ready. We're testing every scenario we can think of to hopefully catch any problems before we go live on May 31st. In addition to that I created training materials and am conducting training classes for all advertising reps because the system has a much different look and feel than the last version.

On top of all that I've been writing every single day for 15 days straight. I'm exciting because even though my word count is still low the story seems to be going very well since I scrapped what I had started before and just decided to try a new angle. So far, so good!

My daughter-in-law and granddaughter came back home this week and I've been spending time enjoying that. I'd say all-in-all things are going very well for me right now.

The Real Deal

He held the reins to her heart once—and this time he won’t let go.

Willa Tate left Millbrook, Texas, years ago—along with her future, her fiancé and her heart. Now, as one of the headlining acts at a hot burlesque club, she looks into the crowd, sees a familiar face staring up at her—and her past comes crashing back.

Chase Kiel has some hard questions for the former love of his life. He spent forever looking for her, and now he wants answers—even if he has to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to Millbrook to get them.

He’d find it a hell of a lot easier if the chemistry weren’t still there. If they didn’t still fit together like keg of dynamite and fuse. If he didn’t want not only his answers…but her heart.

Chase is still certain he and Willa belong together—and convincing Willa of it will be his pleasure.

When two hearts are on the line, it’s double or nothing.

A Wild Ride story.

Levi McKenna heads to Las Vegas with one simple goal: win the rodeo and cement his place in rodeo history. Then Lady Luck throws a wild card into the deck—Sydney Hart. Time and distance haven’t dulled the sharp edge of their attraction, but thanks to a long-ago promise, she will always be forbidden fruit dangling just out of reach.

Sydney wants to believe in fairy tales and happily ever after, but her past relationships leave her doubting such things exist. She’s ready to give up on love…until Levi walks into her bar. The man who’s always held the missing piece of her heart. Love may not be in the cards, but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t flirt.

Neither expected passion this hot, this fast. Yet once the cards are dealt, the only thing left to do is play them out—and see if they have a winning hand.

Warning: this book contains a sassy heroine, a scrumptious hero, blood, sweat, tears, not to mention…sex laced with Vegas heat.

Available from Samhain Publishing

Three Alarm Tenant by Charlotte McClain

Katherine lost one hero in the line of duty -- can she risk loving another?

Katherine Pelham's fiancé was a police officer, shot and killed during a robbery. Left with a house she can't afford, she must rent out the first floor to solve her money woes. Before she can finishing putting up the For Rent sign, along comes a man who seems interested in more than just the apartment.

Fireman Jack Connelly is in a bind: he's rescued a dog, and his lease doesn't allow pets. The new apartment would be great. The new landlady, even better...

Get it on the web:

Lyrical Press

Chaos

April was a busy month and May won't be much slower. We're implementing a new front end system at work and I'm on the committee for testing & training.

We've been meeting for about three weeks and we're finally ready to start testing to make sure everything works the way it's supposed to. But before we can test we have to train the testers. And it looks like that's going to be my job.

I've created PowerPoints and will be showing those at tomorrow's session. I've never taught a class before, but there are so many people we need to train that I'll pretty much being teaching for the next month and probably beyond. We go live on May 31st and between now and then we have to test every possible scenario and we have to train about 100 people on how to use the system.

During this process I think I've discovered something about myself. Actually I've probably always known it but for some reason it's never really sunk in before. I love chaos. I thrive on being busy and learning new things. And I love being the go-to person once I've learned those new things. That's why I'm always the one that everyone calls when they have a question or when they have something about the system they don't understand. And that's why I'm patient with them when they ask questions that we've gone over dozens of times already. I love the chaos!

So bring it on! I can handle it!!

Prom was this weekend and of course I got pics. My son Josh's girlfriend is a Sr this year and my daughter Hallie is a Jr. I remember both my proms.

Jr year I didn't buy a dress (we borrowed from someone) and I didn't have a date so my mom fixed me up with her friend's son down the street. He didn't go to my school & I didn't know him well, but he was a sweet boy. I'll definitely never forget it. We went to prom and did the obligatory things; dinner, dancing, pics, socializing. But after prom was most memorable. We pulled up to his house first so he could change out of his tux. When he got back in the car he backed into a very deep ditch and had to get the tractor to pull it out (we lived in the middle of nowhere). Then, after that was done and I was able to change clothes, we went to the next town over for bowling (I'm such a fun-loving gal). When we were ready to go home we got out to the car and realized he'd locked the keys inside. We had to call his mom to come unlock the doors. Yep, those were good times! I was more intimidating than I thought.

Sr prom was different. I was dating the kids father. My mom bought me this beautiful dress (ordered from the Sears catalog). It was white with red trim & Joey had a white tux with red vest & bow tie. We went to dinner with my friend Tammy & her date (she was in a different school) and she and Joey got into a huge argument because they really couldn't stand each other. Once we got to prom it was nice and we ate & had pics made, but left before the dancing. We went to hang out with some of his friends and I was home by midnight curfew, but he was drunk by then. You'd think I would have paid attention & not married him, but you know what they say, "Love is Blind".

But all in all I do have memories I'll take with me forever. I'm hoping my kids have better memories to look back on when they're kids are ready for prom.

This is my daughter Hallie & her date Ricky.


This is my son Josh & his date Ashlee.


And this is the whole gang before they left the house.

Diamonds and Kisses by Amy Redwood

Emma, a emerging singer, is the opening act for a diamond exhibition in Hong Kong. Life is good, or so she thinks, until she locks lips with a handsome stranger. From that moment on, she risks her career, relationship and heart to be with him.

Jack has to steal the world's largest red diamond. Only for luck--he needs some badly--does he kiss the Irish redhead he meets during the flight to Hong Kong. A kiss seriously gone wrong, because she tastes like cherries and feels like forever.

Jack isn't a forever guy. Besides, he has to take down the power grid in Hong Kong, steal the diamond and rid himself of the daughter of the head of a Chinese triad. Jack's busy.

Careful, this title contains explicit language and graphic sex. Length: Novel

Buy it here.
Read an excerpt here.

Finding herself undercover as a serving wench at a Renaissance Faire, FBI Agent and mild psychic Leda Williams isn’t planning to partake in any role-playing games. She’s there to find a mace-wielding serial killer, which isn’t easy with everyone around her pretending to be in character. Not only does the entire village fit the Medieval-obsessed profile, but she’s already been propositioned by a few of the knights. Clearly, sexual harassment wasn’t around in the Middle Ages. But, when she sees the delectably gorgeous, magically seductive tournament champion, Sir Calum, Leda realizes there might be one knight she wouldn’t mind getting into character for.

READ MORE/BUY EBOOK NOW: http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/faire...e.htm

Available NOW at Amber Quill Publishing!


They marched for peace, but found hope for the future in each other’s arms...



Set against the backdrop of the infamous March on the Pentagon in the fall of 1967, Fortunate Son follows Ricky Anderson and his lover, Charlie Irvine, as they and thousands of other idealistic anti-war protesters strive to make their voices heard.



Haunted by the death of his older brother on the front lines in Vietnam, Ricky’s stake in the protests is personal and painful. Charlie, Ricky’s peace-loving hippie lover, has taught Ricky about rallies, poetry and love. But a secret Charlie’s hidden from Ricky since day one is about to come to light and threaten their relationship as well as their beliefs.



Click HERE to buy your copy!

I broke out!

I stepped out of my protective social shell today and attended my first meeting for Music City Romance Writers (MCRW). I was a nervous wreck. It's not easy for me to meet new people. I don't chit chat very well and I certainly can't just walk up to someone and start a conversation. But the women at MCRW were wonderful. They pulled me in and sat me down and introduced themselves. They were so nice and so friendly and the lecture was great. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm allowed one more meeting before I have to officially join but I have a feeling that I may go ahead and fill out that paperwork to bring to the next meeting. And with any luck, by then I'll be somewhere in the middle of the WIP so I may actually have something to contribute to the conversation.

Prayers for Amy

My friend/coworker is going through a hard time right now. She was off on vacation last week and on Friday we learned she'd had major surgery. She's doing fine now and is expected to fully recover, but she'll be out of work for a while. Please send up a few prayers and healing light for her.

Stripping for Charity

Every year Nashville has the Southern Women's Show at the convention center. Vendors set up to sell everything from clothes, shoes and purses to sunrooms, stone walkways and gardening supplies. There are make-up demonstrations, cooking demonstrations and wall to wall women just hanging out with their friends, mothers, daughters and sisters.

But the best part of the entire weekend is the Nashville Fire Department. The show lasts from Thursday to Sunday and every evening some of the firemen from NFD strut their stuff. They model tuxes from a local shop (for all of about 2 seconds before stripping from the waist up) and then change into their uniforms. They come back on stage and dance while the women stuff money in their pants. They never go past the waist and it's all for charity.

The money they collect goes directly to fire victims and the families of fallen firemen. They raise thousands of dollars every year and give all the women of Nashville a chance to do something some of them would probably never do otherwise.

I love watching the guys, of course, but what really gets me is the other women. These women can get vicious. The guys throw T-shirts into the crowd and the women fight for them. I thought a couple of times there would be punches thrown as well, but they calmed down. And this year there was a bidding war over one T-shirt a fireman tore off himself. Of course, he also promised the highest bidder a kiss...lol

It's great fun and my daughter and my best friend go every year. What better way to spend a weekend?



Here's a pic of my friend and me after the show. How's that for entertainment?

Consort by Kim Knox


November Eve. The Hunt Ball. And to prove her right to rule, Tate must capture a mate. It should’ve been simple. Snag a vampire barely turned and have him kneel and swear devotion to her. But Fate has other plans…and one of them involves the powerful son of the ruling Queen.


Jager, a vampire she’s hungered after for years, allows himself to become her prey. But with his promise of sinful, wicked pleasure comes a catch. Jager only wants her as his slave. Nothing more.


Tate has no plans to bow down to him…until Jager shares a shocking truth with her. Suddenly Fate is playing hardball.


There's a naughty excerpt here and you can buy it here

Are You a Prankster?

I've never been much on pulling practical jokes on people. In fact most of the pranks are usually pulled on me. But yesterday, as a pre-April Fool's Day joke, my co-worker and I decided to pull one off.

Here at work we seem to have a bit of a parking issue. We have designated parking in what we call "the gulch". It's gated but it's also a short (less than 1/4 mile) to the building. Everyone hates parking down there so they come up with excuses every day to park in the front of the building. The only way you're supposed to park in front is if you have a medical condition that warrants temporarily parking directly across the street or in front of the building.

On Monday evening I stumped my pinky toe and it was still sore Tuesday morning. I was laughing and telling my co-worker about it and she decided we'd pull a prank on the security officer we work with every day. She typed out a "doctor's note" that said I'd broken my toe and when he got really worked up over people parking where they're not supposed to I told him about my toe and handed him the note.

Instead of reading the note closely (because he trusted me) he took it back to his manager for approval. When he came back without seeing his manager because of a meeting we finally told him what we'd done. He got a kick out of it when he finally read the note and it had my co-worker's name as the doctor and our work address for the doctor's office. And he was in a better mood the rest of the day so I guess in a small way we did a good deed.

I can't believe I was actually able to pull it off without smiling but I was actually pretty convincing. And that's the one and only practical joke I've every played.

What about you? Are you a prankster?

Random Weekend Plans

Been a little busy this week; researching, reading, studying the craft and, of course, writing. I've got most of the character sketch for the heroine of my current WIP and I'll be working on a sketch for the hero this weekend. I've got a few scenes worked out and I'll be working on the outline next.

Also this weekend I'll be taking my daughter to pick out a prom dress. She's a Jr this year and excited to be going. I think we'll borrow a dress for this year and buy next year for Sr Prom. She doesn't really care as long as she gets to get all dressed up. She's a bit of a girly-girl. Unlike me, she has to fix her hair and put on her make-up before leaving the house. Me, I don't particularly care if I'm wearing sweats or old jeans and my hair's in a ponytail.

My husband is heading down to Alabama this weekend to play paintball with some of his buddies. Too bad there are storms headed our way for the next couple days. But I'm sure he'll have a good time whether he gets muddy or not. They'll hang out in the hotel (they used to camp but have decided they're getting too old for that...lol) and do whatever male bonding rituals guys do when they're out with they're buds.

What are your plans for this weekend?

Compromising Positions releases today!

Falling in love is the last thing on his busy agenda…but compromising positions can lead just about anywhere.

David Strong knows how to do a lot of things—run an international fitness company, finesse stock portfolios and stay out of emotional entanglements. That is, until he gets tangled up with Sophie Delfino and her Sensational Sex workout. He’s supposed to help her demonstrate Kama Sutra positions for her couples’ yoga class. The rigorous postures require more than just physical control. And his co-instructor unexpectedly tests his control to the limit.

Sophie’s been fantasizing about David since her teens, but she never dreamed she’d actually be expected to run through her intimate desires—with an audience! The class is very professional, tame even—or it would be, if she’d been in any of the positions before. But she hasn’t—except in her wildest fantasies about David. Sophie knows she wants David in every way, and she’s flexible enough to use whatever she has to get him.

David can’t afford any unexpected distractions. Besides the sensual positions he has to endure without embarrassing himself in public, there’s an embezzler stealing from his company. And then there’s Sophie—who is well on her way to stealing his well-guarded heart.

Warning: This is one exercise program you won’t need to consult your doctor before beginning…unless he’s hot and available for house calls. The Kama Sutra isn’t for the prudish or faint of heart, and neither is this story.

Read An Excerpt Online

Divinity Warriors by Michelle M. Pillow
Coming from Ellora's Cave, March 25, 2009


About Divinity Warriors:
In one of the many universes parallel to ours, Divinity Corporation has discovered the secret to moving between the planes. This has given them the power to do pretty much whatever they want without consequence or regulation. Whether it's to ship unwilling brides in trade for minerals rights, to control everything from entertainment circuits to governments to academia, or simply gain that which every greedy corporation wants--Power.

Welcome to the new world, Divinity's World.


About Lilith Enraptured:
Sorin of Firewall lives in a land forever at war. In fact, the Starian men are so busy fighting, their marriage ceremony has been reduced to a “will of the gods” event where they simply pick a woman out of a lineup and claim her as a wife. With women becoming scarce, it’s necessary to trade the offworld Divinity Corporation for brides. Duty-bound to attend the ceremony, he has no intention of picking a bride, let alone one from another dimension. That is, until he sees Lilith, the bewitching woman sent by the gods to reward—or punish?—him.

Lilith, a data analyst for Divinity, is betrayed by the Corporation and wakes up in a primitive, uncharted dimension filled with warriors who only know war and duty. But her initial fears of becoming a sex slave to a big beefy knight become all too real when a warrior of god-like proportions claims she’s his new woman. As Lilith discovers, there are worse fates than being the focus of Sorin’s skillful and earthy seduction.

Publisher - Ellora's Cave
Ebook Released - 3/25/2009
BUY LINK: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-139-michelle-pillow.aspx

LEARN MORE: http://www.michellepillow.com/divinity.htm

Building Better Plots

I've written a portion of my current WIP with no outline or plot arc of any kind and now I'm stuck. I have no idea where the story is going and it's driving me nuts. Every idea I come up with seems stupid and I'm terrified that if I try it someone somewhere will know how utterly unqualified I am to be a writer.

But I've been reading Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen and it seems to be helping a bit. I like the way he puts things in a way I can understand more than most other books I've read. It's helped me put into perspective the way I plot and outline and I recommend it highly for those who can't seem to figure out where their story is going next.

“Soul Stealer” by Kimberley Troutte

Buy from MBaM!

Read An Excerpt Online

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 978-1-60504-473-6

Length: Novella

Price: 3.50

Publication Date: March 17, 2009

Cover art by Angie Waters

When Death falls in love with a saint, there’s holy hell to pay.

Sara Lane expects to die young, but when the time comes, she’s not ready. She needs two more weeks to finish a homeless shelter before winter sets in and people die on the streets. Who does a girl have to sleep with to live a few extra days?

How about the sexiest, most dangerous of all bad boys—Death himself?

Cain’s job as a designated death dealer is clear. Kill and move on. Don’t get attached. Don’t feel. But when Sara pleads to cut a deal for more time, Cain is tempted by an unexpected craving for this beautiful, courageous woman. As their lips meet, her life force shakes him to his bones, seals the bargain—and breaks all the rules.

Keeping Sara alive is a dangerous proposition. The Powers That Be are furious and unleash bloodthirsty demons to steal Sara’s soul from Death—the one man who’s hell-bent on saving her life.

Warning: This book contains the sexiest of all bad boys, a woman desperate to get what she wants, deadly soul-sucking demons, surprise visits by Biblical characters, frog grenades, very bad dogs, sacrifice, redemption and eternal love.

Read An Excerpt Online

Buy from MBaM!

Writing Historical Paranormal Romance with Some of The Hottest Authors in the Genre

March 20th & 21st at Romance Divas

Featuring:

Colleen Gleason

Melissa Mayhue

Jennifer Ashley

Sharon Page

Jennifer St. Giles


Want to know how to write romance that brings a mysterious and paranormal twist to history? Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with some of the hottest names in the Historical Paranormal genre. It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register.