Cindy isn't the only one between books.

For April, I've decided to start another one. But deciding which isn't easy. My brain seemed to think this indecision was a free party, posted the invitation on the internet and now all sorts of weird things are crawling out of the dark corners of my mind.

And then there's my own person obsession: Books. I love books, I love learning things from books, and sometimes I think I became a writer to justify buying so many books (shh, don't tell my husband). So I've been cyberstalking the two biggies, Barnes and Noble and amazon, and buying books.

Which would be good, if they were related to one book, but they're not. At least not to anyone who is relatively sane and logical:-)

I've been buying books on conspiracies, books on the Dust Bowl, books on the Spanish American war (turn of the 20th Century). I've been buying books on the future designs of cities and managing Earth's resources  the same day as I bought diaries about women living on farms during the depression. And lastly I've been buying books about mass murderers.

In all, I've bought over 30 physical books and 7 ebooks on these subjects.

But the really scary thing is, they're all related to each other in my head and I'll use the information I gleaned in my romances, my scifi and my horror novels.

A writer's brain is an undiscovered country. Well, at least until the story is written: then it's an open book.

I'm contemplating what I should write now that my series has come to an end.  I have a historical western series, but I sometimes need a break and to do something different.  I just released my second book in my historical western series Matchmaker & Co.  The book is HEIRESS BRIDE and though now scifi is definitely romance.

My next scifi series will be about three of the male members of the Swords of Gregara.  They will chase a guy or bad guys across the universe to Earth where, of course, they will meet their true loves.  I wish I had more to go on than just that little premise but it's just a twinkle of an idea now.

What about you?  Are you a writer?  What's your next story?  Are you a reader?  What would you like to read?

Inquiring minds want to know.

And because this is my blog, I'm going to post my new book cover even though it's not scifi.  I hope you like it.

  

 

 

I mentioned last month that the release for my new book, The Turncoat's Temptress, is getting close. Well, after some soul searching and calculating, I realized there wasn't much point in waiting until April for the release. The book is ready, I'm ready. So, I'm turning it free into the world on March 26th instead of April 16th. It's always fun when you're able to beat the release date.

The Turncoat's Temptress is the third book in the Legends & Lovers series. Here's the blurb:

Basil Tinwhistle's life changed when he was nine years old and he revealed that he had a proclivity for finding the paranormal. Taken from his family and raised by a special order of men dedicated to memorizing legend and hunting monsters, he's risked life and limb to keep the United States safe from terror in the night. More than that, he left behind the only woman who ever held his heart.

Foreseer Nora Frost's parents abandoned her in favor of pursuing sideshow careers in a circus. Her grandmother raised her with a strict hand to prevent history from repeating itself. Nora has never felt comfortable with herself, except for the brief summer Basil spent at her grandmother's antebellum mansion. When Basil vanished without a word, he broke her heart and she vowed never to fall in love again.

Years later, on one of Nora's worst days, Basil suddenly reappears. The attraction between them is as strong as it was that long ago summer, but Basil is about to reveal a danger Nora never imagined—one that might tear them apart before they can repair the past.

Fun facts about the novel:
*This was my 2012 Camp NaNoWriMo project. It's the first book in the series that I didn't feel the need to completely re-write when it was finished (which can't be said for books 1, 2, and 4).
*The hero, Basil (bay-sil, not baz-il), was originally supposed to be a minor character in book 3. He was going to coerce the real hero (who's actually the hero of book 4) into working for him. Somewhere along the way I became fascinated with Basil because of his obsession with his appearance, his painful past, and his false leg. I always imagined it being chewed off by a monster, but actually, it was a lot simpler than that.
*The beginning of this book was something I started writing when I decided to rewrite book 1, which was set in Australia. It needed to be Americanized, so I thought about redoing all the characters. Nora Frost, the heroine, was born out of that rewrite.
*Basil's last name is Tinwhistle, but when I started writing about him, his last name was Tenpenny. I forgot that after I started focusing on edits for book 2. When I started a new draft of book 3, I wrote his last name down wrong, but it stuck.

When I'm not blogging here, I'm at Have Novel, Will Edit, on Facebook, Google Plus, and Twitter.

In the midst of selling one house, rushing down to Florida to purchase another place to live, helping Hubby adjust to retirement, and getting ready to move house, I've managed to finish and publish my next book.

TANGO IN PARADISE my action/adventure romance is now available from Amazon and Smashwords for $2.99.

Story Blurb:
At nearly 40, JASON BLACKHAWK feels too old to be working as a mercenary in the steamy jungles of South America. His mission - monitor the situation in the small country of Paraiso so the US government can decide whether or not to quell the rebellion and solidify the current dictator's regime. He can't let the right or wrong of the conflict concern him. He gave his word to his commander, the man who mentored him and saved him from wasting his life.

Looking for adventure and a change from her quiet life as a small town grade school teacher, 29 year old DARCY "DC" CAMDEN travels to Paraiso as a nanny for a businessman. Her idealism and compassion for the downtrodden populace draws her into supplying them with food and medicine. Her involvement increases and she agrees to help the rebels overthrow the dictator by hacking into his computer to find information they can use against him.

When the conflict escalates into war DC finds herself on the run with a man she doesn't know whether to fear or trust, hate or love.

Since I'm drowning in house sale/purchase details, I'm posting an excerpt instead of trying to force my burned out brain to come up with a clever blog.

Excerpt:

I've been wanting to get Shrouded in Illusion, the 3rd book in the Shrouded Series, done and published for far too long. It's done, but just needs a quick copy edit. Oh, and I almost forgot that it's missing a cover, which I have yet to be able to think about. lol

I am my children's mother. Before you burst a blood vessel trying to wrap your brain around that, let me explain.
My daughters and son wait until the very last minute of the very last day to turn in their papers.
Apparently it's genetic and those are my genes they're wearing.
Every mid-term, end of term we got through the same thing. Maybe you could plan better, get a  head start, you know a day or two would be nice.
Sure, they say and then we find ourselves in the same situation again and again and again.
Today, I was writing the last 4 chapters of my book that goes to the editor Saturday.
Why, why do I do this to myself?
After a second of soul searching (hello! deadline) I realize I writer better with a gun at my head, er, deadline looming. My thoughts are clearer, my prose tighter and the story is in my head 24/7, no down time between chapter. I see the goal post (even from 14 chapters away) and I'm running straight at it.
Sure there are occasionally other players on my field but a quick snarl and glint in my eye has them running away. Smart people.
Anyway, that's my story and I'll stick to it until I admit it's just a bad habit and I can break it. Thankfully, I don't have that on deadline:-)

So do you work better on a deadline or are you far better at time management?

The last book in my Swords of Gregara series is out now.  I'm currently on a virtual book tour with it, hoping it will spark some sales and interest.  I want to share an excerpt and the cover which I'm in love with.  I hope you like them too.  I think this one is the best of the series by far.  Of course, I'm a little biased.  :-)

I'm a little lost now that it's over.  I'm trying to come up with the next series and I thinks it's going to be heroes rather than heroines whose stories I'll be telling.  This series will be about three male members of the Swords who follow escaped villains to Earth.  Of course, while they are here they'll meet their one true mate.   The first book will be set in San Diego.  I think the second will be in San Francisco and the third in Florida, maybe at Disney World.  That could make for some delightful chase scenes, trying to dodge Mickey and Minnie while running for It's a Small World.  LOL  Seriously, I don't know exactly where I'll set the third one except it will be someplace east.  Maine, maybe.  I've never been there, it would be a good research trip.

For my contest I'm giving one copy of the Centauri series book bundle.  It contains all three of the Centauri books, Centauri Dawn, Centauri Twilight and Centauri Midnight.  You can choose a paperback (sorry, US only0 or a kindle gift or a Smashwords coupon.

Leave me a comment to be entered in the contest.

Excerpt

 

Scientists Create Sixth Sense Brain Implant To Detect Infrared Light. I sense that I see people who sense that they see dead people...

Mysterious Purple Spheres Found In Desert Spark Speculation. Alliteration aside, this has alien eggs written all over it.

Wanted: 'Adventurous Woman' To Give Birth To Neanderthal Man - Harvard Professor Seeks Mother For Cloned Cave Baby

Just kidding...or am I?

Well, there you have it. Plenty of bizarre, slightly repulsive ideas for your next novel.

You're welcome.