Thursday Thoughts : To Read or not To Read

On the desk :: A Year in the Merde & Fringe Benifits
On the nightstand :: Secrets & Private Confessions
In the car :: Better Single than Sorry
Downstairs :: Trouble

Reading is my favorite thing. Truly, I don't think I'll ever get enough. I don't have the room for this little habit (my bookshelves runneth over), or the time (two kids, Hubba, dog, trying to be an author), or the money (my book budget is non-existent) and still, I can't stop. Why would I want to!

What's the best thing you've read lately? I must say, A Year in the Merde is lad-lit at it's finest. I reserved the sequel, The Merde in Love, at the library...if I had a book budget, I would have bought it.

Wednesday Wrap Up

Submitting manuscripts make me nervous, since we all know how well I do with rejection. But I havent found an editor willing to pay me for what I haven't shown them. Someday...

Until then, the agent has a partial and a full out two two pubs, I have two fulls, a partial, a chapter, and a short out to 5 pubs. Yes, it seems I like to spread myself around.

Now that the publishing world is about to break down my door, let's talk about betrayal shall we? As a segway, that sucked, but I can't get THE UNIT off of my mind. Why am I watching a shoot 'em up military show? Amanda told me to, that it would be good for characterisation in case I ever write that soldier story. OK. So...it's very well done and I've started to watch it. Religously. And then last night one of the guys up and cheated on his wife.

Seriously, I had trouble sleeping. Infidelity bothers me, but especially in those circumstances. And then today I realised how spot on the characterisation had to be to create this deep of a reaction in me. Not sure I'll ever watch the show again - he was my fave, so it's like he cheated on me - but they did their job well.

Thank goodness for the world of romance novels. I can't handle this!

Let's get organized!

Over at the Pink Heart Society we have a schedule for posts. Male on Monday, Temptation Tuesday...etc. I'm going to try the same kind of mojo for a bit and see if it makes me more interesting. (Come on, that's self-depricating humor at it's best!

So...Mondays will be my International Ban-The-Butt Campaign check in, ala PHS Diet Club. I lost 7 pounds last month...actually I lost 9, but that double rejection required chocolate therapy and 2 of those found me again.

Tuesdays I'll own up to what I am writing. And I best be writing! Right now I am a bit scattered writing-wise. Just turned in a partial to the lovely editor, was working on another story but then got slammed with a new idea. Have two very fun scenes so far...so yes, I am writing 3 books right now.

On Wednesdays I'll wrap up what I have out there in the publishing realm. I have two single-titles submitted at different publishers, a short story under consideration, and the partial with the lovely editor. This month I have the Dreams & Desires anthology out.

Thursday I'll make some comment about what I am reading. Or should be reading. Or am thinking of reading.

I'll think of something to chat up on Friday. There is always something to say!

Website Watching Weekend. And I'll cap off each week with where I keep getting stuck wasting time on the web.

Wonder how long this bout of organization will last!!

Learn Something

You know I love workshops and Q&A's. Here are the one's I've found for the month.

eHarlequin
• Feb 5th-9th: Q&A: "Creating Your Own Fictional World" with Anne McAllister
• Feb 12th-16th: "Fractured Family" with Liz Fielding
• Feb 19th-23rd: "The Pitch & The Process" with Maxine Sullivan

Romance Divas
Feb 19th - 23rd CHARACTER TORTURE 101 with Linnea Sinclair

A New Story!

Had a productive chat with the lovely editor...it seems I was over complicating things. I need to tell a story I like. What at DOH! moment. Anyway... now I get to start something fresh. I have 3 stories battling...a cross country trip with a Frenchman, the teacher who hasn't learned anything, and a phone sex mishap. Since I'm guessing opening with drunk dialing isn't the best choice right now...the Frenchman gets me on Saturday, and I'll head to the zoo with the teacher on Sunday. That way I can make my decision on Monday...

This is my favorite part. I love to start new stories!

Two releases out today!

If you know something only in your dreams, should you dare try and make it happen? Even if it means starting over and risking the disapproval of your family? Vanessa and Nick are searching for a sign that their dreams might come true. Vanessa only hopes she can find her dream ring…

Rachel and Evan Hansen are getting a taste of their own medicine. As teenagers they ran away and eloped, and now their daughter wants to follow in their footsteps. Looking back, Rachel and Evan wonder what would have been if they'd listened to the warnings instead of trusting their hearts.

Time For Our Virtual Launch Party

It's finally time! Tonight is the Launch Party for the Freya's Bower charity anthology, Dreams & Desires: A Collection of Romance and Erotic Tales by Jenna Bayley-Burke, Faith Bicknell-Brown, Amanda Brice, Sela Carsen, Rachelle Chase, Gemma Halliday, Candace Havens, Zinnia Hope, Jackie Kessler, Susan Lyons, Richelle Mead, Debbie Mumford, Rhonda Stapleton, Bebe Thomas, Emily Veinglory, Sasha White, Lois Winston, Shaunna Wolf, and Kit Wylde.

Join the authors tonight in Gemma Halliday's chat room from 5-7 PM PST (8-10 PM EST).

Um, Jenna? What's Dreams & Desires?

Just look around the web. Everyone is talking about it :

• Dionne Galace's blog
• Lois Winston over at Caridad Pineiro's blog
• Candace Havens radio promotion :: 96.3 KSCS
• Idea Boutique
• The Knight Agency Blog
• Dear Author
• Vamps & Scamps
• Sparta Independent Newspaper
• Joanne Rock’s website

Lots of other authors will be on hand to gab, and we have tons of great free prizes to give away. If you can't make it tonight, we'll be in the Romance Divas chat room Thurday, February 15th during the same times.

Just what kind of prizes are we talking about? Look at this swag!
Sela Carsen Not Quite Dead (ebook, novella) & The Virgin Courtesan (ebook, novella)
Amanda Brice She's Got Legs (ebook, novella)
Debbie Mumford Magic Glass (ebook, two novellas)
Candace HavensCharmed and Dangerous (signed book) & Charmed and Ready (signed book)
Kit Wylde Last Chance (ebook, novella)
Rachelle ChaseSex Lounge (ARC)
Susan Lyons Champagne Rules (signed book)
Richelle Mead Succubus Blues (ARC)
Jackie Kessler Hell's Belles (signed book)
Sasha White Bound (signed book)
Lois Winston Talk Gertie to Me (signed book)
Rhonda Stapleton Stripped (ebook, novella)
Jenna Bayley-BurkeIn Silhouette (ebook, short), How About Tomorrow (ebook, short), Dream Ring (ebook, short) & If We Listened (ebook, short)
Gemma Halliday Spying In High Heels (signed book) & Killer In High Heels (ARC)
Emily VeingloryGrave Heart (ebook)