Sunday, September 30, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday - The Beltane Witch - Taking the First Step


Happy Six Sentence Sunday! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read this week's snippet. I really appreciate your time and the comments you leave for me.

Today I'm offering more from The Beltane Witch. In this snippet, Sabrina wakes to find herself at the edge of a rope suspension bridge over a misty chasm and she still can't seem to breathe. Just as she starts to panic, Darius appears in the middle of the span and reaches out to her.

Even in his hazy state, he looked noble and strong. She’d thought him beautiful, even in her waking moments, but standing in the center of the bridge he only represented the unknown.
“Come with me, Sabrina.”
How did he have breath here and she didn’t?
“You must focus, my dear. You must make the first step to come back with me.”

Where is she really and why is he so insistent on her coming back? Tune in next week. ;) There are several great authors on the Six Sentence Sunday list and a few of my favorites are Karla Doyle, Sarah Ballance, Silver James, Zee Monodee, and Goran Zidar. Thank you for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Saturday Souvenirs - Autumn Appreciation

It's finally autumn here in Las Vegas! What does this mean, exactly? It means the temperatures get down into the 80's F during the day and as low as the 50's at night. Woot! Trust me, that's low for us here. It means the autumn colors come out (in stores) and the pomegranates ripen on the tree so we can make pomegranate jelly.


It also means we decorate the house with bold colors. I love the changing of the colors (at least within the house). The kids love to help me wrap the banister with pumpkin lights, ghosties, and bats, and we hang a big wreath on the door.





It's such a pleasure when we get to visit with family more often (the holidays and all). Here are some of my favorite autumn photos from places I've visited over the years.


My youngest loved to wear that skeleton sweatshirt. I hope your autumn is lovely and full of warm fuzzy thoughts, and maybe some hot chocolate. I'm a huge fan of hot apple cider. What is your favorite autumn drink?

Friday, September 28, 2012

#ThursThreads - Week 40 - Winners


Week 40 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. It was great to have our returning regulars and some new "faces". Great thanks also goes to judge Karla Doyle for reading all the tales.

Entries:
  • Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
  • Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
  • Nick Johns | @nickjohns999
  • Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
  • Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
  • Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
  • Susan Hayes | @capricia13
  • Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
  • Meredith Smith-Lane | @squee79
  • Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
  • David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
  • Alex Bowman | @AlexBowman8
  • Sarah Aisling | @SarahAisling
  • Lady Bluestocking | @xbluestockingx
  • Kel Heinen | @Aightball
  • Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
  • Nellie Batz | @solimond

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
Karla says: A super-close second-place entry here. Creepy and captivating. Again, if there had been more to this story (a lot more, please, I loved the concept!), I would have kept reading.
 
Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
Karla says: The second-to-last paragraph sold me on this piece. Disturbingly visual, but it totally hooked me on what 'more' could happen in this story.

Meredith Smith-Lane | @squee79
 Karla says: A nice, solid take on the classic 'woman scorned' theme.

Kel Heinen | @Aightball
Karla says: There were some technical issues with this entry (punctuation, spelling, grammar), but the overall story and its depth of emotion made it one of my top five picks.

Week 40 Winner

Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse


Karla says: This piece grabbed me right from the first reading, made me want to know who, what, why, how and when? A very intriguing story I would definitely have continued reading. I liked how it was very visual with high emotional content and a heaping helping of suspense. I sincerely hope the author has a full story mapped out for this enticing nugget. Great job, Daniel!

"Do you feel that?" She ran the knife along his arm, scraping away the sulphurous crust of his trip back from oblivion. Beneath, his flesh was like oiled wood, warm and smoking.

His first breath rattled like pebbles in a bowl. His leap across the void had not been easy.

"Yes," he said. A chorus of miniscule creaks as he flexed his hand. "It seems silly to feel anything at all after so long. How long was I gone?”

She set the knife on the tray beside the bed, turning away to hide her regret. "Too long. I did the best I could -- it was difficult."

His hand found her cheek, turned her head back toward his. Inhuman fingers traced the newfound lines of age along her cheeks. "You did well. I knew you wouldn't forget me."

She tilted her head into his touch. "So what do we do now?"

He cracked a mannequin's smile, eyes gleaming in a bronze death-mask. His fingers closed around her throat, and she shivered with delight, caressing his wrist with her hand.

"We find the ones who did this," he said. "And we make sure they never feel anything again."

Congratulations Daniel, Robin, Mark, Meredith, and Kel! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 40


Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 40 *GASP!* of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:
  • The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
  • The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
  • This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
  • Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
  • Post your story in the comments section of this post
  • Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
  • Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
  • The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
  • The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)
How it benefits you:
  • You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
  • You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
  • Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 40:


The fashion designer, erotic romance author, and lean, mean Scrabble player, Karla Doyle.


And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“Silly to feel anything at all after so long.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck! :)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Author Spotlight - Shyla Colt

Good morning, dear readers. I have the great pleasure to have Shyla Colt, multipublished paranormal erotic romance author, on my blog. Today she's showcasing her upcoming release, Cursed, and she's generously offered a excerpt for you to enjoy. This is M/F erotic romance, so if you're under 18, please skip to the bottom of this post and leave a comment for Shyla.

Now the BLURB for Cursed:

It’s common knowledge the Edgeworth men are unlucky in love.  Great, great, grandpa bought them a one way ticket to heart break when he romanced the local witch’s daughter, took her money and disappeared off into the sunset. Ashamed the Voiles moved away, until now. As the eldest son, it’s up to him to persuade the women to remove the curse.  He realizes quickly he wants to keep, Avalyn Voiles for himself.  Now he just needs to make her believe his affections are real and overcome decades of bad blood...

Avalyn’s spent her whole life hearing her grandmother bad mouth the Edgeworth family. So, the last thing she expects when she returns to Baxter, was for the witty, charming, sexy Colton to be her perfect match.  Should she take a chance on love and risk history repeating itself?

And here's an EXCERPT from Cursed to whet your appetite for more:

She came to stand in front of him with her hands linked behind her back. She titled her head to the side and peered up at him from beneath long black lashes.
“I’ve spent the past month miserable because of a past I had nothing to do with. I’m done with that.”
He held his breath, afraid he might have misunderstood.
Her gaze met his, and her dark eyes were filled with an intense longing he knew would be mirrored in his own. His thoughts had centered on this woman day in and day out. Even now his hands itched to wind themselves in her hair as he pulled her body to rest against his own. He swallowed. The sound seemed to echo in the quiet room as he waited for her next move. Avalyn stepped closer.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is…” Her voice was a whisper of silk, low and sensual. It washed over him. She trailed the tips of two fingers from his clavicle to his chest, where she spread her palm over his heart. He lowered his lids to half-mast as arousal began to weave its wicked spell. “I’m done with that.” She leaned in closer; her body rubbed against his, burning him through the material of his clothing as she went on her tiptoes. Full lips brushed grazed his Adam’s apple, and he gasped when her tongue darted out to flicker over his pulse point.
“Tasty. I knew you would be.” Her breath was warm as it swirled over the wet path she’d created moments before, making it tingle. His head spun. How had he gone from aggressor to this? His cock hardened and strained against the zipper of his jeans. He was about three seconds from taking her on his desk.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want.”
Her husky voice made his eyebrows shoot up toward the ceiling. Had she just read his mind?
“No, I read your eyes. I want every ounce of the lust I see in those pretty green orbs, Colton. I’ve been celibate a long time. I’m ready to be filled, ridden, and wrung out to dry. Do you think you can do that?”
Was she serious?
“Don’t worry, this isn’t a trap. You’ll find I say what I mean.”
A trail of goose bumps broke out over his body as she rocked her hips into his and nipped at his bottom lip. He groaned. Shouldn’t they talk? She issued another sharp bite. The soothing feel of her slippery tongue knocked all rational thought from his mind.
Fuck it.
He bent over to grab her thighs, and she wrapped her slender legs around his waist. Her nails scrapped across his scalp, and he grunted when she gave a light tug on his hair. “Damn, your hair is softer than I imagined it would be. It’s like red satin.”
“Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” he asked.
She laughed, a raspy sound that made his stomach quiver. “Oh, I’m an equal opportunity kind of girl.”
“God, you’re sexy.”
“Mhmm, the feeling is mutual.”
She nipped at his neck, and her nails dug into his shoulders. He hissed. The pleasurable pain made the tip of his dick harden further and leak. Damn, she’d made him wet!
“Are you trying to mark me, woman?”
“I like everyone to know when something’s mine.” She rotated her hips and purred low in her throat.
“Is that what I am?”
“Oh, yes, I think that’s what you’ve from the moment we first met.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but the rotation of her hips strangled his words in a choke hold.
“Don’t worry, Coly, the possession works both ways.”
The whispered words made something inside him snap. The need to claim what was his goaded him into action. He spun them around, bent over, and swiped the desk with his right arm. Paperwork, pens, and folders flew through the air, landing helter-skelter around the room. He placed Avalyn’s body onto the desk with a soft thud. A mewl left her lips, and she arched her back. It was obvious she enjoyed the roughness. Her eyes opened. A sinful spark smoldered in her fathomless eyes.
“Don’t worry, I won’t break.”
He placed his forearms on either side of her head and leaned down to taste her lips. She was like a shot of espresso, sweet and exhilarating. He tilted his head to deepen their lip-lock. Their tongues wrestled for dominance. The back and forth power play had him more turned on than he’d ever been in his life. He’d never imagined things could be this way. They came apart to suck down air, and she pushed against his chest.
“Naked, now.”
Her commanding tone made him growl. The rumble echoed in his chest. He stood and began to unbutton his flannel shirt as she shed her tank top. He pulled the flannel off and ripped the white T-shirt underneath it. Her breasts were firm and high with large, milk chocolate-colored nipples that called him in like a homing beacon. Unable to resist their siren’s call, he walked over to the desk, pulled her to the edge, and feasted. He sucked a hard pebble into his mouth and massaged the other. She arched her back like a cat, and he knew he’d hit an erroneous zone. She roamed his body with her, scorching his skin as she explored
Sharp nails sunk into his flesh, and he bit down on her nipple. She released a squeal that made his chest swell with pride. He wanted to please this woman more than he’d ever wanted to do anything else. He pulled back a few minutes later, eager to taste more of her skin. She was a fire in his blood, in his very veins. He could only extinguish the flames by having every part of her. He kissed his way down her firm stomach and paused at the button of her jeans.
“Oh, don’t stop now. It’s just getting good.”

Shyla Colt lives in southern California with her marine husband and two tiny tots. When she's not teaching Abc's , running errands , or headed to the park she writes full time and works a job in the publishing industry. As you can tell, she thinks sleep is over rated. Her goal is to bring you erotic romance full of characters that feel real, plots that make you, think and happily ever after endings that show you the true power of love.

You can find her at:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
Goodreads

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday - The Beltane Witch - Waiting to Inhale


Happy Six Sentence Sunday, dear readers. Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read my snippet. I really appreciate your time and your comments.

Today I'm offering more sentences from The Beltane Witch. In this six, Sabrina Foxglove, resident witch, has just refused Darius Winterbourne 's request to be the performer of the Beltane rituals. When he refused to listen to her objections, she turned to leave the coffee shop, but the waitress dumped hot coffee on her and Sabrina tripped over a low table. She hit her head and knocked the wind out of her.

Sabrina moaned and writhed away, batting futilely at the other woman’s hands as her head began to swim from the lack of oxygen.
“Breathe, Lady Foxglove.” The rich voice penetrated her addled brain and she looked up into emerald green eyes filled with concern.
What did he say?
“I said breathe; remember to inhale.”
           I can’t...Sabrina’s mind raised the white flag and surrendered to the darkness.

Sabrina is not having a good day. There are several good authors on the Six Sentence Sunday list. A few of my favorites are Karla Doyle, Zee Monodee, Goran Zidar, Sarah Ballance, Silver James, and Claire Ashgrove. Thank you for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Saturday Souvenirs - Birthday Goodies

As some of you might know September is my birth month and this year I hit a major decade number (no, I'm not going to tell you which one because that's a good way for people to jump to conclusions about what that number means). It has been a great month with a lot of wonderful events.

Siren Publishing emailed me to tell me Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack would be available in print, and sure enough, it appeared a week later on Amazon.com in print format. I had to order one just so I could see my name on the bookshelf along with my other favorite authors. Yay! :D


The Vampire Book Realm had me as an Author Spotlight on their site and I got a chance to showcase my upcoming vampire menage (MMF) and I found photos to entice us all. I'm still drooling over Quintus and Mischief. ;)


Then my loving and sneaky husband Mr. SM came home one day and handed me a big, oddly shaped, black box. On the front was an image of the Kindle Fire HD. He grinned at me when I gasped and said "Happy belated birthday." SQUEEEEE! I have a Kindle Fire and the covers of the books look sooooo sexy! :)


Just a few days later, I received an email from a publisher requesting a full version of the manuscript I'd submitted. YYEEAAAAAHHHH! *happy dance* I'm so excited that they wanted it and I hope it's a permanent connection. I'll let you know (probably at the top of my lungs) if they take it. :) Then I'll have another frame to add to my wall. Woot!


I love fall! :D Thanks so much for stopping by and happy, HAPPY, reading. :)

Friday, September 21, 2012

#ThursThreads - Week 39 - Winners

 

Week 39 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. It was great to have our returning regulars and some new "faces". Great thanks also goes to judge Sarah Aisling for reading all the tales.

Entries:
  • Kel Heinen | @Aightball
  • Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
  • Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
  • Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
  • Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
  • Tina Seeborg | @Tinaofborg
  • Susan Hayes | @capricia13 
  • Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
  • Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
  • Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
  • Megan E Clark | @TheWriterMegan
  • Aurora Lee | @AuroraLee
Sarah says: First, I’d like to thank Siobhan for asking me to host Thursday Threads! This was much harder than I expected, and I’ve seen many weeks where there were twice as many entries. I really did read them over and over again, and these are the ones that snagged me and wouldn’t let go. All the entries were excellent, and I enjoyed something from each and every one. Here we go...

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Kel Heinen | @Aightball
Sarah says: This had me intrigued and on the edge of my seat. I wanted to know why he was such a loner, why he ran away, why he wanted his soul to rest. Most of all, I wanted to know how he knew where and when to meet his “savior.” A sad tale that leaves me wanting to know more, more, more.
 
Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
Sarah says: This little gem drives home the point that many of our lives are so interwoven with technology. It brought to mind how we freak out around my house if the internet goes down. It’s an important reminder woven into an entertaining little story. I’m headed out for a camping trip with my family this weekend, and this came at an opportune moment—a reminder to enjoy some face time, and I don’t mean on Facebook!
  
Susan Hayes | @capricia13
Sarah says: Don’t we all wonder what the afterlife will be like and if we’ll be reunited with those we love? It was as if we started out in gray and sepia tones and ended in full blown Technicolor all in 250 words. An uplifting treat.

Week 39 Winner

Cara Michaels | @caramichaels


Sarah says: This was incredible. I love stories that keep me guessing and have unexpected twists, especially in the emotion department. Until the women walk right through her, I was wondering what she was, but a ghost didn’t cross my mind. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride over 250 delicious words. Love the uplifting ending, that he really was looking at her.

All around him mindless souls wandered. Walking, talking, bumping, grinding. They paid little heed to anything beyond the pounding beat of the music, packing the dance floor, hoping to make a connection. Maybe they’d meet ‘the one’ or maybe they’d just find someone to take home for the night. Someone to keep the loneliness at bay for a few hours.

He stood still in this restless human sea, drawing my attention not because he acted differently.

Because he saw me.

I caught my breath, a holdover reaction. Humans needed to breathe and I hadn’t been human in a very long time.

He smiled, lifted his hand in a little wave.

My hand found my chest, right where my heart used to be, as if to ask, Me?

His smile grew and I wanted to cross the room. To say hello. He might hear me, too.

A pair of giggling women staggered through me, trying to hold their drinks steady.

“Whoa.” One turned, staring but not seeing me. Her gaze lifted to the exposed ceiling high above. “Must be an air vent or something. Felt like walking through a refrigerator.”

“Who cares?” her friend said. “I’m pretty sure tall, dark, and fuckable will warm us up. C’mon.”

They teetered along on their ridiculous heels… right to him.

Oh.

Silly that it should hurt. Silly to feel anything at all after so long. Dead a century, but my soul lingered, hoping to connect.

He ignored them and walked toward me.

And smiled.

Congratulations FIVE TIME WINNER Cara, Kel, Wakefield, and Susan! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 39

 

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 39 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:
  • The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
  • The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.
Rules to the Game:
  • This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
  • Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
  • Post your story in the comments section of this post
  • Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
  • Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
  • The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
  • The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)
How it benefits you:
  • You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
  • You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
  • Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 39:


The original come-back kid, romantic suspense writer, and character slave, Sarah Aisling.



And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“All around him mindless souls wandered.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck! :)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Copy Edit, Dammit! Guest Post from Natascha Jaffa, Editor with SPJ Editing



With self-publishing making huge headway in the publishing industry, it’s now more important than ever to make sure your manuscript is as polished as it can be. It’s competitive out there, but if your book isn’t what it should be, readers will be stuck on errors and probably not read anything else you put out there.

Not everyone in their right mind goes takes grammar classes. Sadly, I enjoyed it, which is why I became an editor. I LOVE doing copy edits. I’m not sure why, but they make me happy. However, the further in my career I get, the more I notice manuscripts, even books submitted to publishers, are riddled with errors. Perhaps this is because we haven’t learned the correct way to punctuate that dialogue or sentence or it’s because we’ve been taught incorrectly.

Well, hopefully, this post helps you.

I’ve designed this post to point out the five most common errors I see in manuscripts and examples on how to avoid them.

  1. Dialogue tags. This includes, “he said”, “she asked”, “they demanded” just as examples. Dialogue tags follow a line of dialogue.
            Shown here: “Oh, baby. Oh, baby,” she said.
Now, let’s look closer.
If you have a dialogue tag (remember our examples from above), your dialogue will end with a COMMA.
            Shown here: “Oh, baby. Oh, baby,” she said.
Also note that the dialogue tag itself is LOWERCASE.
            Shown here: “Oh, baby. Oh, baby,” she said.
Now, in some cases (I hate when this happens), dialogue tags introduce dialogue.
            Shown here: She said, “Oh, baby. Oh, baby.”
Notice, however, the comma has moved. Instead of being inside the quotations, it’s now out, positioned after “said” and introducing the dialogue.
Now, in another case (this is really common), we see continuous dialogue. Let’s say you your character is addressing another character.
            Shown here: “Princess Leah,” he said, “we really should be moving.”
What’s different here? I will tell you. Since he is addressing Leah and you’ve inserted a dialogue tag, the sentence isn’t complete at the end of the tag. Therefore, a COMMA will be inserted after the tag and the rest of the dialogue will be lowercased.

  1. Action between dialogue lines. Yay! One of my favorite things to do. What happens when you don’t have a dialogue tag between two continuous lines of dialogue? Let’s see. Very easy.
            Shown here: “Princess Leah,”—he turned in the direction of the approaching storm troopers—“we really should be moving.”

If you don’t have a dialogue tag, use the em-dash to signify action between your dialogues. You’ll notice there is a comma after “Leah”, still making it a direct address and that your second line of dialogue is all lowercase.

  1. When to use em-dash. This thing here: —. Aside from signifying action between two lines of dialogue, where else can we use em-dash?
To interrupt dialogue of course!
If you have a character cutting someone off, don’t write, “he cut him off.” Show it with an em-dash.

            Shown here: “Harry, what are you—”
                                 “Shut up, Ron!”

BTW, if you don’t know how to make an em-dash on your computer, try this:

a.      Complete the dialogue before it gets cut off.
b.     Type two dashes (- -), one after the other.
c.      Type any letter you want after the dash, connecting of course. It will transform into a longer dash.
d.     Type space.
e.      Delete random letter.
f.      Type quotation, but please make sure it’s facing the right way! For some reason Word likes to turn this quote the opposite of where it should be. I add a period then turn the quotation around.

  1. When to use ellipses. This thing here: … Blasted ellipses. Bane of my existence. This is one of the most wrongly used punctuations I come across. So, here’s a run down of when it’s appropriate to use them and one example of when to not use them.
            Use: to trail off a character’s internal thoughts. Example: I wish Natascha would edit my book… (I can!) This signifies on a dreamlike sigh at the end of the sentence.

            Use: to trail off a character’s dialogue, lost in thought for a moment. Example: “I don’t know. I just think…” She shook her head. “I just think we need to talk about this.”

            Use: to show a slight hiccup in dialogue. Example: “Are you…real?”
            DO NOT USE TO INTERRUPT DIALOGUE. Use an em-dash for abrupt interruptions like we’ve discussed.

  1. Direct addressing characters. When two characters are talking to each other through dialogue, there is punctuation involved within the dialogue. One of those is the comma after a direct address.
            Shown here: “Edgar, there’s skin hanging off your bones.” (Name that movie!)

These are just a few of the copy editing errors I see. If you have them down pat, there will be less heartache in the end (and frustration), but remember: it’s nearly impossible for a single person to catch them all.

If you’re interested in learning more, contact me through the links below and I’d be more than happy to help you out and give you a quote. Have a happy edit!

--
Natascha Jaffa dedicates her experience to helping writers grow through her editing firm, SPJ Editing, which she considers the best job in the world. When she isn’t editing, you can catch her snowboarding, rock climbing, or training for her first Ragnar Relay.

She’s an active member of International Thriller Writers, National Association of Writers and Editors, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America.

She is also published in suspense and romance as Nichole Severn.
Writers can find her on Facebook, Twitter, www.spjediting.com and LinkedIn

Monday, September 17, 2012

A Werewolf in my Living Room…Character Interview by Lori King

When Siobhan asked me to guest post on her blog, I jumped at the chance, and immediately my mind was off and running with ideas for a fun post. I could tell jokes…but I’m not very good at them. I could tell you how I get my ideas…but I don’t really have a good answer for that. I just seem to have these strange men and women in my head telling me their life stories and making me share them. *AKA I’m a little bit nuts. Not straight jacket nuts; just not always walking in a straight line nuts.*  OR I could tell you how I go about writing a story, but do you really care that I sit in my favorite recliner with my laptop, MP3 player, and a Diet Dr. Pepper until the wee hours of the night? Nah, I thought not.

So I finally settled on making my characters do the work for me. Next was the task of picking the character. Devin and Damon Gray are identical twin werewolves that starred in my first book, Fire of the Wolf, and their mate is Caroline Trainor. Liam Gray is their cousin, Gray Pack beta wolf, and the star hero of my second book, Reflections of the Wolf. His mate is Tina Jameson, who also happens to be Caroline’s best friend. They are an interesting pack of characters. The men not only fight to keep the secret of their werewolf blood, but they fight fires on a regular basis as members of the Kansas City Fire Department. Caroline and Tina are both nurses in the same hospital; Caroline in the emergency room, and Tina in pediatrics. So who gets to help me fill the slot?

By a landslide Damon has the most “fans,” so he became my target. It took some talking, as well as a case of beer and a pepperoni pizza, but I managed to convince him to meet me at my house last Saturday morning. So I was all set to spend the morning chatting with one of my favorite werewolves when I opened my front door. Instead of Damon Gray standing in front of me was his cousin Ryley Whetstone!

“Ryley!” I said in shock as my gaze scanned his gorgeous face.

“Hey gorgeous!” he responded as he scooped me up into a big bear hug swinging my feet up off of the floor. “Did you miss me?”

Settled firmly back on my feet, I laugh at his question. “Of course, but we’ve been chatting a lot lately, so I’m a little surprised to find you at my door. Where is Damon?”

“Yeah, so he kind of got tied up with Caroline and…he sent me to fill in.” he says with a grimace. “Though he didn’t say exactly what I was covering for him. He just sent me to your place. Please tell me it’s some wild kinky sex scenes that you need to work out.” His grin sends me into a fit of laughter, and I shake my head.

“Nope. Not this time big guy, though I was working on one last night with you, Rafe, and your mate…anyways, that’s not what we’re doing today.” I said as he groaned in disappointment. “I wanted to get a quick interview with one of the sexy men of the Gray Pack. I’m going a guest post on Siobhan Muir’s blog this week.” As I speak, I lead him into my living room, and he flops down into the overstuffed recliner. It’s big, but Ryley’s bigger, and he dwarfs the chair. I have to admit, it stole my breath to see his blonde sexiness in my living room.

“Sure. Anything for you and Siobhan. What kind of interview?” His gaze narrows in on me.

“Well, I have some questions I can ask, or we can just wing it…” I start to say as I pull my laptop out and get a blank window open to start taking notes.

“Hmm…I like to wing it. How about I ask you the questions?” he says with a raised eyebrow.

Damn. Does he know how sexy that is? Ryley is the spitting image of Thor. He has shoulder length blonde hair and icy blue eyes that have flecks of green in them. His angular jaw looks like someone chiseled it out of a slab of granite, and while they had the stone, they just decided to create a body, too. He’s muscle from head to toe, and it’s a long six foot three inches of man.

A little flustered now, I nod, and then realize what I just agreed to. “Wait, no, that’s not what I was going for—“

“Too bad, you already said yes. I have selective hearing, so I only hear the word yes…but you already know that. Right, Lori?” he says with a shit eating grin on his face. My fair skin is my epic fail, and I find myself blushing. This is not going how I planned.

“Damn it, Ry!” I snap with frustration.

“Mmm…love a woman with fire. Come on. Let me ask some questions. What’s your real name?” he asks, and I choke a little.

“Nope. Try again.” I’m now trying hard not to laugh at his disappointed expression.

“I thought that was too easy. Okay, I know you ask other authors some questions. Tell me what’s your favorite thing to take to the bedroom with you?” he asks leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
I groan because with Ryley everything ends up being sexual. He has Peter Pan syndrome, and I’m exploring that in depth in his story, which also happens to be the next book in The Gray Pack series.

“My husband.”

“That isn’t going to fly, Ms. King. Besides a man, what is your favorite toy?” he asks with a loud rumbling laugh.

“I guess I’ll have to say rope, or maybe a good blindfold.” I answer honestly.

He nods. He already knew I was a kinky freak so why hide it? “Can’t say I’m surprised. I like a little bit of bondage myself. Of course, once she’s tied up, I like to bring some feathers and whipped cream into play, too.”

My skin breaks out into goose bumps, and I have to admit my body got a little overheated. Damn these werewolves sure know how to turn up the heat. I’m fidgeting in my chair now, and his pointed look tells me he knows why.

“So, what do you do for fun?” He asks looking genuinely curious. The change of direction catches me off guard, and I laugh.

“Well, I write, and I read way too much erotic romance. I like to hit the blogs to see what everyone else is up too, but sometimes I disconnect and head outside with the munchkins. We like to go the park and play soccer, or to the lake and go fishing…”

“You know how to fish?” He says with genuine surprise.

Laughing, I nod, “Yes, Mr. King loves to fish, so I had to learn. Why?”

“I like to fish. We should all go some time. You can bring the munchkins even. I wonder if my mate likes to fish?” His gaze is slightly wistful, and I enjoy the confused frustration in his eyes.

He and his brother Rafe are still learning about their new mate. I’ve talked with her, and I know the answer, but I’m not giving away her secrets, so I just shrug. “Ask her.”

“I’m going to…are we done here? I really want to go see her.” He says standing abruptly. I sigh my disappointment, but I nod at him.

“Yes, damn it. I’m sure I have enough to give the readers some info about you. Tell Damon he owes me.” I snap my laptop shut and stand up to accept the hug he gives me. He kisses my forehead and grabs a quick squeeze of my ass making me laugh.

“I’ll talk to you soon. We’re taking her out tonight for the first time.” He says with a huge smile.

“I know. I talked to her earlier. Have fun.”

“If I have my way, we will definitely have fun!” He wags his eyebrows at me, and heads out the front door. “Tell Siobhan I say hi!”

I close the door behind him and sag against it. My body is humming just from that short time with him, and I head off to find Mr. King.

Thanks for letting me steal a day of Siobhan’s blog space! I hope that you enjoyed meeting Ryley and that you will check out all of The Gray Pack. Meet each character over on my blog 
www.lorikingbooks.wordpress.com or pick up my books at www.bookstrand.com/lori-king And don’t forget to always Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance!

~Lori

Thank you for stopping by and checking out the interview. Happy reading! :)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Indulgent Blog Hop and Giveaway


Greetings, dear readers, and welcome to the Indulgent Blog Hop in celebration of the Ndulgent Bloggers second anniversary! Recently I've been pretty sick, which is never fun, but it forced me to rest and indulge in a little relaxation. I had to let go of all the responsibilities and lounge around the house, drinking tea, eating applesauce, and resting.

But it also gave me a chance to indulge in a little reading, guilt free. :D

First I read Hard Target by Kris Norris, a fun, action-packed romance set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Blood pumping with adventure and hot sex, it pretty much wore me out for my nap. ;)


Then I read The Good Fight by Andrew Grey. This was a heartwarming male/male romance that captured the importance family and acceptance of love in all its forms. It let me snuggle back into my pillows and recover from the exciting ride from the book before. :)


Next I read the first two installments of Gaea's Chosen by Cara Michaels, The Mayday Directive and Event Horizon. Talk about hot science fiction with romantic elements. Ms. Michaels' stories had me strapped down and locked in from page one.


It was the best sick time I've ever had.

But this is an indulgent blog hop for you all and I want to offer you a chance to win my own howlin' good adventure. Recently, Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack was released in print and I'm offering one print copy (that's right, a real book!) to one lucky commenter who tells me what their most decadent indulgence is along with a valid email address or Twitter handle (so I can contact you and we can compare notes, lol). The giveaway is open Internatinally, but you must be over 18 years to win and please void where prohibited.

So feel free to indulge your inner bibliophile and pick up all these books. In addition to my own giveaway, Ndulgent Bloggers are hosting a Grand Prize giveaway of a $100 gift card from the winner's choice of Barnes & Noble or Amazon. You'll need to sign up in the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Be sure to visit the other blogs on the hop for more fabulous prizes. Good luck on the giveaway. Thanks for stopping by and happy (indulgent) reading! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Six Sentence Sunday



Hello dear readers. It has been a long time since I've participated in Six Sentence Sunday, but I've been working on a new story and I've missed seeing you as you drop in. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy weekend to read my snippet. I truly appreciate your visit and comments.

Today I'm offering a few sentences from a WIP tentatively entitled The Beltane Witch. In this six, Darius Winterbourne, the Chamberlain of the Summer Fae Court must convince Sabrina Foxglove of Copper Creek, Colorado, to conduct the rituals of Beltane. Beltane is a fertility and renewal ceremony, however, it doesn't always have to involve sex. Unfortunately, the Summer Queen will be attending this time, so the full ritual is required. Sabrina isn't having it.

“No, you listen to me, Mr. Winterbourne,” she stated in her best mommy-voice. “I have a family, financial obligations, and a job right now. I don’t have time to entertain the Summer Court for Beltane. I have to bake brownies for my daughter’s Kindergarten class, for goodness sake! I have no place for the Court, in my life or in my house, and besides, I haven’t done the proper Beltane rituals in four years.”
“I’m sure it will only take a little brushing up–”

I don't think he understands what he's dealing with. There are several good authors on the Six Sentence Sunday list. A few of my favorites are Karla Doyle, Zee Monodee, Goran Zidar, Sarah Ballance, Silver James, and Dianne Hartsock. Thank you for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Friday, September 14, 2012

#ThursThreads - Week 38 - Winners


Week 38 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. It was great to have our returning regulars and some new "faces". Great thanks also goes to judge Rebecca Grace Allen for reading all the tales.

Entries:
  • Kimberly Gould | @Kimmydonn
  • Nick Johns | @nickjohns999
  • Alex Bowman | @AlexBowman8
  • Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
  • Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
  • Megan E Clark | @TheWriterMegan
  • Veronica Jorden | @RevolutionaryVJ
  • Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
  • Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
  • Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
  • Susan Hayes | @capricia13
  • Kel Heinen | @Aightball
  • Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
  • Aurora Lee | @AuroraLee
  • Rebekah Postupak | @postupak
Rebecca says: It was so hard to choose! There were some really fantastic entries this week!

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Alex Bowman | @AlexBowman8
Rebecca says: I loved how beautifully the opening image in this one was created, only to have it completely reversed at the end!
 
Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
Rebecca says: This one made me laugh - the idea of the cat plotting against him. Great work!
  
Veronica Jorden | @RevolutionaryVJ
Rebecca says: I really liked the use of dialog in this one, and how there was something very frighteningly erotic about the narrator's words.

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
Rebecca says: This entry was so sweet, I couldn't resist but give it a HM. It actually made me get up and go hug my cat!

Week 38 Winner

Susan Hayes | @capricia13



Rebecca says: This entry was the winner for me, not only because it seemed to be the most perfect use of the prompt, but because of how well it sets the reader up to thinking we're getting an image into hell, and then turning it on its ear in a very comical way. Well done!
 
Hell

He’d always thought that Hell was full of flames and demons, but now he knew better. Hell was where badly composed music played on ancient speakers and the stale air tasted of dust and dollar signs.

The minions of Hell trolled by every now and then, giving him the barest of glances as they wound their way through the stacks and aisles. He was only a visitor here. His problems were not their department, and so they left him alone.

All around him mindless souls wandered. A few moved with purpose, eyes darting, hands reaching out to grab and gather the meaningless trappings of this place. The others just milled through the empty spaces, an unending parade of blank expressions and unfocused eyes. When they spoke their voices blended with the wail of the music; creating a discordant noise that flayed his nerves raw.

He wished with all his soul he could leave this place, but he couldn’t. He was trapped here by vows taken long ago. His hand tightened on the bright red satchel he’d been told to guard. Here he sat until his duty was done, an observer in Hell. He couldn’t leave, what was he to do but wait?

Another soul brushed by him and he ignored it until a voice drew his attention. He knew that voice; it was part of a memory from a happier time.

“Honey, do these jeans make me look fat?”

Oh yes, he was definitely in Hell.

Congratulations Susan, Alex, Toni, Veronica, and Robin! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here.

Just a little news for you to consider: This Sunday (9/16) will be the first installment of the Sinful Sunday Flash Fiction contest on Rebecca Grace Allen's blog!

Thanks for letting me judge! It was fun!