Blood

Sounds scary, doesn’t it? I am not out to kill anyone. So no, this is not about murder or mayhem—just yet. I might write that blog in the future. And who knows who it might be about?

This one is about family. You have all heard the saying that you have a blood family then your chosen family. I have felt this more than once in my life and lot of it has to do with the old Dark Hunter website and the Righteous Perverts.

A few of you know a bit about my family. It is a vast group of crazy. I am one of eleven children, raised by a single parent. My Momma was married three times. She was never ashamed of it. Her first husband thought it would okay to hit her and the cast iron frying pan told him differently.

Yes, my Momma was that woman. She grew up with mostly women. There seemed to only be one man in her life and that was a great uncle who came here from Germany. My grandfather died before my Momma was born and my grandmother eventually married but my Momma was already 10, but she was much older in life experience. She had worked in the fields from the time she could walk and stay out of trouble. Her stepfather really didn’t have much to do with her at all. He spent most of his time with his friends but managed to get my grandmother pregnant four more times before he died in his 40's.

My Momma’s second husband was a wonderful man till he fell in love with booze. He ended up dying in a motorcycle accident. At that point, my Momma was 26 and had four kids. She met my father and proceeded to have 7 more kids. I guess he liked making them but not so much as caring for them. So he left. I didn’t see him again till I was 15. I was fine with that.

I think because my Momma had to work several jobs to support the family, she missed a lot of us growing up. We ended up being the kids that no one messed with because she taught us to be self-sufficient. When other kids ran home to their parents, we figured out how to take care of each other and ourselves. We are all very strong willed and fight like cats and dogs. I mean we would get into some real fights like blood squirting fights. It always started out with words, but it soon escalated into the physical. I know this is a really bad thing but, as kids, it was how you got your point across in my neighborhood. We have all kind of drifted apart to a degree but we know that if we called, everyone would come running to help. Now you see why I want a separate family that doesn't make me totally crazy, too.

To me family comes in many shapes and sizes—kind of like fruit. Separately we are all great but when you mix us together, sometimes you get the most amazing flavors. Add whipped topping and HEAVEN. I feel this way about the people who I consider family. A lot of these people are the ones I have met online—first on the Dark-Hunter bbs and then in Righteous Perverts. These are some of the most understanding and accepting people I have ever met or, in some cases, never physically met. They have been there for me through a few of the toughest things to have happened in my life. I will never forget the way some of them were there for me when my Momma passed away.

When my family gets together, there is usually some sort of conflict. I knew that I could go to the bbs and my friends would find a way to make me laugh, take my mind off of my life for a minute or just give me a place to vent. These are the things that make strangers into family. Friends become family when you can rely on them, when they'll hug you when you need it or kick you in the ass when you are being stupid.

My online family are the ones who encourage me to step out of my safe little box and try new things. If I didn’t have them, I would have stayed safe in my little world and never have flown for the first time. I never would have went to AAD and met Kris, Melissa and so many other amazing people. There sure was no way in hell I would have driven hours to meet Sherrilyn Kenyon without the encouragement of my friends. I wouldn’t be writing this blog if Luna and Mia hadn’t told me that I could do it. These are the important things in life—finding your family, the people who accept you for who you are and are never disappointed in you as long as you tried your hardest to succeed.

How did you find your chosen family? Was it at school growing up, at work or like me on the internet?

Sinfully Sarcastic,
Shmuttmeister

Snip-tease

Are you wondering what today’s blog is about? I know this is not one of my better titles, but it was all I could come up with this morning. I am sitting here at work trying to write this. So I guess you will have to learn to live with the title.

Moving on to what I am yammering about. I am writing about something that most people love, but I am very ambivalent about—excerpts. I know that sometimes they are really necessary, but I just can’t work up the enthusiasm that others do for them.

Now I have helped Mia pick out hers, and I have read other peoples. But I would rather just wait till the book comes out. I hate to read just a snippet and then have to wait weeks to read the rest of the book. I am impatient on my best day so to get teased with just a few hundred words is just kind of cruel. I don’t normally even read the back of the books. I know you are wondering how I decide what books I want to read. It is really simple. I collect authors in a non-Silence of the Lamb kind of way. I usually start with the first book of the series and then just read till I am caught up.

Let me tell you that it can be time consuming. I met Melissa Schroeder in the first month or so of Kris’s chats and decided I liked her. So I was going to read her backlist. Wow, I had no idea that she was so prolific. It took me a month or so to snag all her books that I could find and order them. Yes, I still buy actual books. Anyway, I never read a single one of her synopsis or snippets. I was not disappointed—at all—by any of her books. There were several of the first guests in chat that I just bought a couple of their books and then decided whether or not I was going to get the entire backlist. With others, it was love at first read and now my bookcases are out of control.

I understand why people like them. Most people like to know what they are getting with the purchase of a book. Others read the synopsis/excerpts and decide whether they like the author’s writing style. I am not sure either of these ways are accurate. To me, a synopsis just tells you what the book is about and really doesn’t give you an accurate reading of an author’s voice. The excerpt on the hand just gives you one scene. It might be the one good scene in the whole book.

I know that these may be the exceptions to the rule, but I have had each of these things happen to me. I read the synopsis and was expecting a fantastic book and all I got was a mediocre book—at best. The author had a great idea and it started off good, but it just failed after the first couple of chapters. I am not sure if the author got lost with the plot or what happened, but when I pay for a book, I expect a good book. It doesn’t have to be fantastic. I just expect the book to be coherent and not to get me lost in a maze of people and places with no real way out.

Now, I have never had a bad experience with an excerpt, but I just feel that an author is stifled with a word count to give you a hint of what is in a book. How can you draw reader into a 120,000 word book in just 500 words? I am sure that cutting a scene to make it fit makes the author as crazy as a reader, but I am not sure some publishers understand that. I want a whole scene, not just one that gets you started and then stops abruptly. That is my biggest pet peeve with excerpts. I have to wait weeks or months to get the rest of the scene. It is just so irritating to me that I have stopped reading them all together.

So now the question is do you like to read excerpts/synopsis of a book? Do you ever feel cheated by just the snippets?

Sinfully Sarcastic,
Shmuttmeister

Ten Minutes Inside of Lori King's Brain......

What better way to share my characters than to let you see them as I see them? First off let me tell ya, it’s pretty crowded in here. I’ve rounded up all of the willing men from my various books and works in progress, and yes, this is really what it’s like in my head.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cast of participating characters:
From Apache Crossing: Xavier, Tyce, and Noah Dawson
Nathan Blake and Paxton Novak
From The Gray Pack: Devin Gray, Liam Gray, Owen Gray, Cash Gray
Ryley Whetstone
Other WIP: Austin Curtis, and Kendrick McClure
Rogan Brooks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Tyce Dawson: “Lori, if you wanted to have a chat with your sexiest characters, why in the hell did you bring along a pack of wolves?”

Liam Gray: “Because she has good taste. It only took her a few weeks to write my book, but it took her a whole fucking year to write Sidney’s Triple Shot. I’m telling you it’s because werewolves are hotter than Marines.”

Noah Dawson: “You wish. She had more to say in our book. The kinkiest you got was taking your girl against the back wall of a bar, dude.”

Owen Gray: “My heroine should be a blonde. I have a thing for blondes.”

Ryley Whetstone: “Hey Lori, I’m thinking you should write a follow up book starring me, Rafe, and Shandi. We still have things to say.”

Austin Curtis: “You wolves always seem to be talking. She can’t write your bonus scene right now, because she’s writing our book. It’s sure taking her long enough.”

Me: “Hey! I’ve been writing non-stop for four weeks trying to get Point of Seduction done, give a girl a break! Ryley, I don’t have time to write a follow up for you yet. Besides, Dreams of the Wolf isn’t even out until August, and then I have to finish Whitney’s story, and Owen and Cash—“

Cash Gray: “Wait a second! I don’t need a woman in my life! I’m happy to just sing on stage and rescue a damsel in distress from a burning building every now and then. No need to rush on my part.”

Rogan Brooks: “Well if he doesn’t care when his book gets written, why don’t you finish writing ours first. My brothers and I’ve been sitting around getting blue balls waiting to know what happens with Rachel ever since you posted that teaser on your blog.”

Me: “I promise I’m getting to it Rogan! I really want to finish your book, but the readers want to know what happens in Apache Crossing first.”

Paxton Novak: “Hell yeah! That means she’s writing my book next!”

Noah Dawson: “Will you write a follow up to Sidney’s Triple Shot? I think you need to tell the next chapter in our story too.”

Me: “Noah, not right now. And sorry to burst your bubble Pax, but Nathan and Jaxon got to me first.”

Paxton Novak: “Fuck.”

Nathan Blake:  “Mmmm yes we did. See Paxton you just need to learn how to Dom her into getting your way.”

Xavier Dawson: “That’s why our book was first. I just had to get serious with Lori, and she fell into line.”

Me: “Wait a second! I did not fall into line for you guys, Sidney just tore at my heart and I needed to give her a happy ending.”

Devin Gray: “So does this mean you’re not coming back to The Gray Pack for a while?”

Me: “Well, Dreams of the Wolf will be out in August, that’s Thomas and Bryson’s book, and I’ve worked on Whitney’s book a little, but I have to finish Point of Seduction before I move on. Then I’ve promised Apache Crossing 2 is next on my list. So yeah, it might be fall before I can get back to Whitney and Caress of the Wolf.”

Rafe Whetstone: “That’s disappointing.”

Kendrick McClure: “So in Point of Seduction can I have a kick ass car? I really like cars.”

Me: “I’ll think about it, but I brought you guys here to ask you questions about what you’ve been up to lately, now I think I’ve used up all of my time just answering YOUR questions. Geesh.”

Devin Gray: “I’m sure the readers will understand. By the way, the Diego pack is still at our Den, so I need to spend more time talking with their Alpha, I was thinking we should have a meeting with Delaky—”

Nathan Blake: “Lori I wanted to talk to you about my membership in a club. When you write my book you had better give me a good club to visit. None of this wishy washy shit that Xavier doled out to Sidney.”

Xavier Dawson: “Wishy washy? Are you kidding douche bag?”

Paxton Novak: “So do you know who my heroine is yet? I thought I might have a chance with Sidney, but the Dawson’s got to her first.”

Me: “Yes I know who your heroine is, but no I won’t tell you yet. Nathan, I will make sure you’re not a wishy washy Dom, but unless you know of a club that’s opened in Apache Crossing, I can’t just give you one.”

Nathan Blake: “Why not? You’re giving Kendrick a car.”

Me: “I am not giving Kendrick a car!”

Kendrick McClure: “Why not? What did I do?”

Me: “You guys are so exasperating.”

Austin Curtis: “Did you write in that I like to play basketball on the weekends? I think the readers will want to know that.”

Cash Gray: “Why don’t you write a good murder mystery book for me to star in, instead of one of those girly romance novels.”

Tyce Dawson: “Our book was not a girly romance novel, it was raw and powerful. Are you going to at least write some scenes into Nathan and Jaxon’s book about the Dawsons? Readers really liked us, so I think they will want to know more about us.”

Kendrick McClure: “Even if we live on an island, I still need a car to get around. I was thinking a black Camaro, or a blue Aston Martin.”

Me: “Enough! I’m going to go and write now. Everyone but Austin, Michael, and Kendrick go away! I’ll come back to you later!”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now you see why I’m so flighty? These characters bounce all over the place in my brain. I adore them and despise them at the same time. I better get back to it now, otherwise they will take over and I won’t get anything else accomplished for the next several days.

Be sure to check out my newest release, Sidney’s Triple Shot,
and Dreams of the Wolf (The Gray Pack 4) will be out August 15th! Find out more via my Blog, or chat with me on Facebook!












                                         
Sidney’s Triple Shot

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As always Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance!~Lori King

Two Authors

So I have decided to write a blog about two of my favorite authors who happen to have books coming out within days of each other. I know both of them really well, and I almost love them.  I know it is shocking that I like anyone, let alone almost love them. But I am going to confess my almost love right here on our blog.

I am going to start on the one I have known the longest, Chloe Lang. I know most people don’t know much about her, but I have known her for years. She is one of the most adorable authors out there. She is a bit of a recluse, and she is shy till you get to know her. After she feels comfortable with you, she is a hoot. She has a wicked sense of humor and is one of those people who can make anything sound naughty.

Chloe loves her job as an author and wouldn’t trade all the hard work that goes into it for anything. She works hard at making each of her books the best they can be and hopes that she never disappoints a reader. She loves the fact that she can sit down in front of her computer and play with the people that talk to her in her head and no one thinks she is crazy and ready for a straightjacket.

Between her family and writing, she doesn’t have much free time, but she does love her fans. She is not a big fan of social media but if you send her an email or a message, she will try and get back to you as soon as she remembers that she doesn’t have to chase all the bright shiny things that catch her eye. I am going to let the cat out of the bag here. Chloe is like most authors and has a love for the pretties that almost always cause her to forget what she is supposed be doing. I have been talking on the phone with her and all of a sudden she will jump from one subject to another, and it takes a minute for me to catch up. I still love talking to her—in spite of the conversational ADD.

I hope that this give you a little insight into the wonderful Chloe Lang. By the way, I can tell you right now she is blushing that I said anything nice about her. She is bashful that way. Now everyone who knows her is laughing because I called her bashful.

Hmmmm, I have thought long and hard about the second author. I have went back and forth and forth and back. I am still not sure what to say. I wanted someone who I have known for a while, yet someone who I discover something new about every day. I decided on (drum roll please) Heather Long.

The first time I met Heather was in one of Kris Cooks chats. Wow, that must have been January 2010 or so. I just realized how long I have been chatting with her. I can remember it like it was three years ago. There I sat behind my computer screen when in strolls this hot vivacious woman. Yep, it was Heather Long on the keyboard. At that point, I was still new to the whole chatting thing and was still rather shy (Shut up Mia). I remember thinking, Wow. She is smart, sassy, and so much fun. Over time, we would just see each other in chats.

I read her book Remembering Ashby right before her first chat in August 2010. Yes, I cheated and went back and looked for the date that I added it to my Nook. I bought it and Prime Evil on the same day. I know I only had read RA before chat, but she was so excited that I bought and read one. She is such a wonderful author and an amazing chat guest. She talked about her favorite authors and her books and she was really open to just about any question we could put to her. She is still like that and has become one of my favorite chat guests.

We have hooked up on Facebook and last year, we finally met in person. OMG, she was so damn adorable. I almost wanted to hug her. She is so hilarious and witty and fast with a comeback that it keeps me on my toes when we chat. She is always willing to help hide a body and is one of the most easy to get to know authors you will ever find.

Over the last year, I have seen her popularity grow, and it is so well deserved. She has grown as an author and as a person. Her books just keep getting better and better. She has found her voice, and she has let it take her to the bestseller’s lists. Her Fever and Marine series have me begging for more each time I finish her latest book. If I could only get her to write faster, but she is always reminding me that it takes time to write a great book.

I hope I have given you a glimpse into two of my favorite authors.  Who are some of your favorite authors?

Sinfully Sarcastic,

Shmuttmiester



 Contact

Chloe Lang                                                                        
http://chloelang.com/                                               
https://www.facebook.com/chloelangfanpage?fref=ts



Heather Long
http://www.heatherlong.net/
https://www.facebook.com/HeatherLongAuthor

What I Learned About Writing From Bugs Bunny - Tara Rose

I’ve been writing for a long, long time. I didn’t get serious about it and work toward publication, however, until a few years ago. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot. The terrific thing about writing is that there is always something new to learn, and we never stop discovering things. I’d like to share a few of the lessons I’ve learned with you. And, I’m borrowing a little help from the coolest cartoon character ever… Bugs Bunny.

(1) Contrary to popular belief, writing is not a solitary occupation. You need friends along the way.

Yes, you write the stories, but without support from other authors, your editor, your publisher, and some loyal fans, you don’t have a writing career. Take the time to cultivate relationships. Not only to promote your books, but so that people know you as a person. It will make them want to read your work. No one likes that author who does nothing except promote. We all know someone like that. She pops on Facebook or Twitter just long enough to post mass messages about her latest release, and then she disappears again until the next one. Or, she posts all day long about her books and nothing else. Ever. Sorry, but I’m much less inclined to check out her books than books by the authors who take the time to interact with others. It’s called “social” media for a reason. Bugs Bunny had a lot of friends, and he wasn’t above interacting with them.

(2) No matter how well you write, and no matter how glowing some of your reviews are, you will have enemies.

And by enemies I don’t mean people who swear to ruin you, although at times it feels as if that’s not far from the truth. I mean not everyone is going to love you or your work. That’s simply human nature, and it’s reality for each of us. Some may even try to make you look bad, but that’s a reflection of what’s going on inside their head, not a reflection on you or your work. Even other authors may try to knock you down. We all love to talk about how we build each other up, but not everyone practices what they preach. Just be prepared for it. And, the best way to handle it is to ignore it. Trust me on this one. If you don’t believe in yourself, neither will anyone else. Why was Bugs able to outsmart Elmer Fudd time and again, even though Elmer had the gun? Because Bugs Bunny kept his cool.

(3) You’re going to have dark times. You’re going to have days when you’re ready to quit.

This can be scary stuff. Sales are lower than you’d like to see, a reviewer trashes you for some obscure reason that apparently only she understands, no one comments on a blog post that you spent hours writing, or your editor just ripped apart your latest manuscript. Welcome to reality. This is hard work. It’s long hours, and constant dedication, and consistently working to improve your craft. This isn’t a cakewalk. It may seem that way when you see other authors posting about their latest 5-star review, or crowing about their Amazon rankings – a ranking you can only dream about achieving – but you don’t know what deep, dark fears they harbor when they step away from their keyboards and are alone in the real world. We all have fears and insecurities. And psychologists even tell us that the more creative you are, the more likely you are to have doubts about your abilities. Even Bugs Bunny was afraid at times.

(4) Don’t be afraid to get silly.

This goes along with what I was talking about earlier. Don’t be afraid to let people see your goofy side – your human side. I’m not comfortable being up on a pedestal. I’d rather be right there alongside my fans, cutting up. That attitude might not ever elevate me to superstar status, but oh well. At least I know who I am and I’m not afraid to be that person, even if others look down on it. And someone will always look down on what another author does. But if you’re true to yourself, and you work hard to produce the best work you can, at the end of the day you can look in the mirror and have no regrets.

(5) Learn your craft and produce the best work you can.

I don’t have a picture for this one. It’s just plain and simple advice. Keep working, keep improving, and don’t give up. I’ve been writing since I was eight years old, banging away on my mother’s portable typewriter. That progressed to carrying around a notebook stuffed with hand-written stories, all through junior and senior high school. Writing is as much a part of who I am as having brown eyes is. I couldn’t stop doing it even if I had to. I once read that passion is that thing which, even if you never got paid to do it, you would still keep pursuing it. That’s how I feel about writing. The fact that people are buying my books is a bonus, but I’d be writing regardless.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. I hope to see you out there in cyber land soon, and I hope to meet you in real life one day. 

FREE BOOK FROM RANDI ALEXANDER

Free Book! Double Her Fantasy by Randi Alexander, and a Chance to Win a Sexy Nightshirt and Two Other Fun Prizes

Hi - I’m Randi Alexander, and I’ve got a couple fun things going on this week. My erotic menage romance is free at Amazon June 4 - 8. Published by The Wild Rose Press, it’s a hot and romantic story that I hope you’ll enjoy.

Drop by my website for multiple chances to win a cute nightshirt (sizes S - 3X) with my tagline printed on it, a big coffee mug, or a handy flask necklace. Click here to enter. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Frandialexander.com%2F2013%2F06%2Fwin-sexy-nightshirt-prizes%2F&h=_AQFTS4Bf

BOOK BLURB: At a comic book convention, artist Megan Shore is thrilled to meet action movie hunk Garret McGatlin. Usually reclusive, Megan flirts with the leading man of her sexual fantasies. He invites her to his suite for a drink, but when she arrives, his rancher brother Trey opens the door and unleashes Megan's cowboy fantasy. Both men pour on the charm, and she can't decide which of them she desires more.

The McGatlin brothers have shared women, but none of them were like Megan, irresistible and perfect for both of them. Working together, they execute a potent seduction. During a hot, amazing week, the three-way relationship becomes emotionally charged. When they're thrown into the media spotlight, Megan fears the exposure will trigger a past threat. Garrett and Trey need to prove they can keep Megan safe as well as happy and satisfied in their arms.

Available at Amazon.com: http://ow.ly/lGB3X

EXCERPT: Garret took Megan’s purse, wrap, and the bag of their leftover desserts, and set them on the entry table. “Stay a while.”

When she opened her mouth to explain all the things going through her brain, he stepped close and pulled her against him.

Tipping her body slightly backward, he grinned. “It wasn't a request.” He took her mouth with his, an intense, world-shattering kiss. His tongue sucked hers into his mouth where he played and teased, tasted, and nibbled. Megan held onto his shoulders as everything inside her melted and flowed hot.

His hand found her ass and pulled her tight against his erection. His hips ground, proving his desire for her, as his shaft created friction in the fabric between him and her mound. In an almost orgasmic state, her core contracted, released, and did it again, the pulsing sending electric charges up her spine.

Slowly he stood her upright, taking long, lingering tastes of her mouth, her teeth, her lips. “Delicious.”

“Ain't she?” Trey's voice came from behind her.

Garret's hands slid to her waist as Trey stepped in and pressed his chest against her back, his erection against her ass. The cowboy bracketed her hips with his big hands and his groin pumped torturously slow, rubbing his erection along her ass crack. His breath took up the rhythm as his easy ride shattered her doubts.

Against her mound, Garret's hips circled to a primal beat, his hard shaft rasping across her sensitive flesh, heating her through the layers of cloth. His lips pulled back from clenched teeth as his intensity crackled in the air between them.

Trey's lips pressed against her ear. “I poured wine, but it'll keep.” His tongue played with the small earring in her lobe.

Trails of warm shivers slid along her neck, tightening her nipples to aching points, and making breath nearly impossible.

Garret stepped closer and put his lips near her other ear. “Your call, Megan. The couch for a glass of wine? Or the bedroom, for the main course.”

His hot breath, his invitation, flooded her pussy with glorious heat, and her knees buckled.

The men pressed closer, holding her up between them. They waited, needing her decision, kissing and nibbling at her ears in a stereo seduction so potent that she felt her brain spin.

“Bedroom,” she whispered.

* * * * * * * *
I hope you like Double Her Fantasy, and good luck in the contest!
Randi
"Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"

RandiAlexander.com
Double Her Fantasy is free in digital format at Amazon

A Day In This Writer's Life

As a writer trying to make my living doing nothing BUT writing, my life is full of stress day-to-day. Sure, I get to stay home and in my pajamas all day long, but only because I (allegedly) chain myself to my desk to write from 8 (closer to 9) to 5 (on the dot, baby). Some days this is easier than others. When I’m in the flow, when I know where my next scene is going (or more often when I don’t but I know it’s gonna be cool), when I’m honing in on the end, all of these things will keep my glued to my chair and my hands flying across the keyboard. Unless …

 I’m interrupted. This happens all the time. Say I get a phone call. Well, duh, don’t answer it. But I still have to check to make sure it’s not my mom, my son, my fiancée, my stepdaughter’s school, Publisher’s Clearinghouse or the FBI (yes, that’s happened, but that’s a different story). That small blip is sometimes enough to make me lose my train of thought and getting that sucker back on track is harder than a penis in an orgy. Okay, maybe not THAT hard.

 But back to work I go, diligently pounding out *ahem* the next scene in the book. My heroes have the heroine tied up and are just about to tantalize her when…

 Ding Dong! Stupid doorbell. But I’m insanely curious. Maybe instead of calling or emailing, Publisher’s Clearinghouse is waiting on my doorstep with that giant check and a camera. Which would suck because I have on no makeup, I’m in my pjs AND I’m not wearing a bra. I tiptoe to the door and peek out the peephole. Sigh. It’s someone selling something. No thanks.

I return to my office, sit back down and think “Where the hell was I? Ah, yes, tied up…” It’s on now. They’ve got her deliciously wet and at the edge of orgasm. The teasing is almost more than she can take but she continues to beg for more. “Give it to me,” she demands. This earns her a quick smack on the bottom and a reprimand to mind her manners and her masters. She is petulantly apologetic, which of course earns her another…

Buzz! Buzz! Crap, is that the washer? Those clothes can stay in there. I turn up the music, channeling Christine and Raoul on the rooftop of L’Opera Paris until I remember the LAST time I thought those clothes could stay in there. I had to toss an entire bottle of Downy Unstoppables into that load to get the musty, mildew smell out. Fine. OMG…Dash to the laundry, transfer clothes, add the dryer sheet, bam, done.


Back at the desk, check the clock. It’s already two. How in the hell did that happen?! I re-read a few paragraphs up and catch a typo so I fix that then I start trying to pick up the thread. Suddenly, my heroine’s demands seem a little childish and predictable as does the swat she receives on her butt. I delete that entire scene and grit my teeth to keep from crying. I back up and try to come at it from another angle.

Skype rings. This time it is my mom, so I answer. We chat for a little bit then I tell her I have to finish this scene and hang up. By now, I’ve had some time to ruminate over the action and have decided that the problem is my heroine is a little too free, even tied up because they didn’t really do a bang-up job on that. I want something a lot more restraining but what? To the InterWebs!!! I open a search window and quickly pull up a few sites that have the pertinent information I need for my scene. I try desperately not to get sucked into the awesome world of research but I usually fail. By the time I look back up from hemp rope, tips and techniques and photos by Midori, I’ve lost another hour and a half. Now it’s four. I have one hour before the family walks in the door and demands all of my time.

I buckle down. I shut off the internet, crank up the music, set my timer and kick some serious story ass. By the time five o’clock rolls around, I’ve managed to save my writing day and have accumulated anywhere between three and four thousand words. I’m relieved. My stress level eases off and I know I can relax and enjoy my evening. I’m also berating myself for not doing this all damn day. Maybe I could have broken that ten thousand word mark!

 Time to make dinner, eat, then canoodle on the couch and watch TV, talk about day, catch up and chill out before shower and bed.

As I go to sleep, I’ll think about what I’m going to do the next day. Maybe I won’t even turn on Skype. I definitely won’t put on any laundry. I’ll quit pining for Publisher’s Clearinghouse and I will insert instead of doing the damn research so I can write forward in my scene. I think about the scene, how I left my heroine hanging—literally—in a lovely crab position with all her orifices open and eager to be taken. The salacious, hungry looks of the men about to take her and suddenly my entire body is on fire. I roll over and wake up my fiancée for some much needed stress relief. After all, I have to do this again tomorrow! And, that, is a day in this writer’s life. Give or take.

Happy Reading,
Jennifer August

 Her-Heart Stealing Cowboys [Hellfire Ranch 2], July 2013 

Two Cowboys in Her Crosshairs {Hellfire Ranch 1], available now

http://www.bookstrand.com/two-cowboys-in-her-crosshairs