As you might expect, writers’ conventions can be fraught with tensions and jealousy. Just consider Romantic Times 2013. All that talent floating around, crowds of enthusiastic readers, fabulous workshops (and hunky cover models)…oh, the agony.

I roomed with Pam Crooks, who was ABM’s January guest, even though she is a gorgeous, tall brunette. But I got my revenge in this picture of her at our Club RT table. Of course, she’s sitting and and I’m standing. But I still look taller. (Check out Pam’s new book, The Spyglass Project, under her alternate name, Frankie Astuto.)

We shared our table with Kate Maddison, pictured to the left, whose steampunk YA romance, ‘The Incredible Charlotte Sycamore’ just came out in March.

Several of my RWA chapter mates also attended RT this year. Cheryl St. John, Sherry Shackelford, Eve Savage , our lovely ‘alumna’, MK Meredith were part of the Romance Authors of the Heartland who got together at the Seymour Literary Agency’s event. Lynette Austin, our table hostess, gave us a big Texas welcome.

And I was able to sign books at RT’s Giant Book Fair. This was a wonderful experience – besides talking to readers like fan extraordinare Kimberly Radicy Rocha, who took this picture, several book bloggers stopped by. It was a pleasure to meet them, along with several other writers at my table.

Some of my other favorite moments from Kansas City:

Best Fangirl Moment: Meeting Patricia Rice in the elevator! Her ‘Rebellious Sons’ historical romance series has become one of my favorites! Thankfully, I didn’t squeal like a teenager.

Best Goody Bag: Seymour Literary Agency – we got wine! YES!

Best Swag: Victoria Alexander’s leftover coozie. The background here is that while chatting with her, she mentioned that she has no use for them. As someone who can nurse a drink along for hours, I love them. On Saturday, she kindly found me at the Book Fair and handed me one that she’d gotten & wouldn’t use. It now has a happy home in our coozie collection.

Can’t wait for next year in New Orleans!

Till next month,

Ann

I’m a Summer movie junkie.  Almost all the movies I see in theaters play between May and August.  Not that good movies don’t come out at other times of the year, but I don’t make the effort to see them on the big screen.  Is it the heat or the shoot-em up thrill of the action adventure movies prevalent during summertime?

I’d like to think I’d go see a good movie anytime of year, but I know that isn’t true.  Thor 2 is not releasing until November and I’m afraid I’m going to miss it.  The time between November and January is too hectic for me to schedule time for a movie.  Yet I’d have no worries if it released in May or June.  Now I’ll probably make the effort to go, not opening week but within a month.  But I have to really, really want to see the movie to make time during ‘holiday activities.’ Too many movies these days fall into would-be-nice-to-see-but-I’ll-catch-it-on-cable.

Why see a movie in the theatre at all?  Well, I like it.  A nice stadium seat, large dark room and the big boom of the THX sound.  Nothing beats seeing over-the-top action sequences on a very large screen.  Yes it’s expensive, particularly if you go at night or see 3D. But I still consider the entertainment worth the price. And sometimes I’ll see a movie several times in the theatre, usually a Disney cartoon or superhero flick.

There is a writing reason to go.  Alexandra Sokoloff in her Screenwriting Tricks for Authors recommends listing and comparing movies in your genres.  You can study characters and story arcs. Learn tricks for use in your own writing. An enjoyable way to spend some research time.

Do you watch movies in the theatre or wait for them to show up on TV or DVD?

Sex and the Serial Killer

I love writing the tension, suspense, and passion in my romantic suspense books. Wrap those elements together, throw in a little fear, and give the hero and heroine a villain or a serial killer to catch. Woot, sit back and watch the fireworks. These troubled, sexy alpha males and independent minded women ease the tension in a number of ways. Full throttle danger and heart-stopping action can produce mind blowing sex. These characters love as voraciously as they defend the innocent.

This isn’t the only genre around you can find these elements, but it’s where I belong. It’s where I love to research the inner workings of the deviant mind, such as the monsters who kill without caring who gets hurt.

Even more, I loved researching the FBI and the Atlanta Police department for THE LAST EXECUTION. Learning how our law enforcement actively pursues, captures, and prosecutes criminals was interesting. I actually spoke with an FBI agent who graciously answered all my questions.

If I’ve brought all the above to the table then I’ve done a good job. If I’ve kept someone up a few hours extra, made them cheer for the hero and heroine, or touched them with the resolution and happy ending, then I’ve done a good job. After all is said and done, that’s my goal!

The Last Execution blurb:

To survive, she must put the past behind her. To love, she must learn to trust.

Homicide detective Leigh McBride’s first assignment with the FBI brings her face-to-face with a past she’s tried hard to forget. And when her temporary partner, a cynical ex-marine, lights a fire in her she thought long-extinguished, her darkest secret is threatened.

Scarred both physically and emotionally, Special Agent J.T. Nobel is a man of few words. He prefers to keep people at a distance–until he meets Leigh. He’s attracted to her strength and drawn in by her secrecy. But in their line of work, secrets can be deadly.

When the killer they are hunting aims his vigilante justice at Leigh’s past assailant, the fine line between right and wrong blurs. To heal the past–and find their future together–Leigh and J.T. must learn that only through trust and forgiveness can love grow.

The Last Execution excerpt:

Ethan turned his head sideways as he studied J.T.’s face. Wide eyed, the boy pointed at the scar with his index finger. J.T. wasn’t surprised. The kid was probably curious.

“How’d you get that?”

“A piece of shrapnel—” He paused and considered Ethan’s age. “I was in the war. A bomb went off and a piece of metal smacked me in the face.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore.” J.T. marveled at the innocence in Ethan’s eyes.

“Can I touch it?”

“I guess so.” J.T. breathed in and waited. Ethan hesitated, leaning closer.

“I’m not supposed to talk about your scar.”

“Who said?”

“Mama.”

“It’s okay. I won’t tell.”

J.T. turned his head to the side. No one had outright asked to touch the constant reminder of a day when his best friend caught the worst of an IUD. Hell, people shied away from his right side. Except Leigh, she looked him square in the face. He lay still while Ethan poked a finger into the scar a couple of times. After a few seconds of investigation, the kid cupped the scar with his small hand and patted lightly. The oddest thing happened to J.T.’s heart. It swelled inside his chest and then clenched.

“Mama said you were a brave soldier.”

Alien emotions swirled through J.T. and an unexplained urge to hug Ethan put a weird lump in J.T.’s throat. Unable to cope or understand, his mind raced for an idea, anything to end the moment

Find Jerrie!

http://www.jerriealexander.com – website

http://www.jerriealexander.com/category/blog/

http://www.twitter.com/jerriealexander

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerrie-Alexander /121521571355959?ref=hl

http://www.goodreads.com/jerriealexander

http://pinterest.com/jerriealexander/

About Jerrie

A student of creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children. A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels.

But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others. She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other. She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.

The author of THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, and THE LAST EXECUTION, Jerrie and her husband live in Texas. She loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines.

Lady Lyonet needed help in a desperate way.  Her sister, Lady Lyoness, was the prisoner of the vile Red Knight, who coveted Lyoness’ lands and fortune.  Lyonet tore across the land and arrived in Caerleon  before King Arthur on Whitsunday.

Lyonet told the king about the evil things the Red Knight had done but didn’t mention Lyoness’ name.  Lyoness had made Lyonet promise to withhold her name because so many knights had already tried to rescue her and failed.  Without knowing the damsel’s name, Arthur would not grant his knights to go.  However, a young man who worked in the kitchen stepped forward and promised to go and rescue Lyonet’s sister.

Having no choice, Lyonet agreed.  And after Sir Lancelot knighted the young man, they set out to rescue Lyoness.  They had to go through the dreaded Black Lands and the Black Knight who ruled there.  To Lyonet’s great surprise, the young kitchen knight won!

After defeating several other opponents, Lyonet began to consider there was more to this young kitchen worker than she first thought.  He finally revealed he was actually Gareth, the King of Orkney’s son.  Also, Sir Gawain and Sir Gaheris were his older brothers.  Gareth wanted to keep his identity hidden from Arthur until he could prove himself a knight worthy of the Round Table.

Lyonet then had to admit forty knights had already tried to rescue Lyoness and been killed.  But upon seeing Lyoness from the top tower window, Sir Gareth’s courage was bolstered and called out the evil knight.  They fought many hours, until finally the Red Knight yielded.

Sir Gareth and Lady Lyoness were married soon after.  But Lady Lyonet didn’t mind.  One look at Gareth’s older brother, Sir Gaheris, was all it took to forget about Gareth.  Lady Lyonet and Sir Gaheris fell deeply in love and were married as well.

‘

What do you think about the story?  If Gareth knew the truth before leaving with Lyonet, would he still have gone?

‘

Watch for Ragnell’s story next month.

`

~Tiffany

www.tiffanygreen.net

Stubbornness. Pride. Obstinacy. Willfulness.

This is the characteristic that often describes our heroes and heroines in our stories. They are convinced they have to handle every crisis on their own, to manage every corner of their own lives and everyone else’s, and that they can’t display the slightest bit of weakness.

Didn’t you know that “help” is a four-letter word?

As authors, we like to cultivate that stubborn streak, to stretch it out until readers’ hearts break (and our own, too, often) and your characters learn the error of their ways. Finally, they decide they can accept what’s being offered to them, whether it’s a brother’s assistance, a mentor’s advice or a potential mate’s heart.

As you might imagine, it’s not only our characters who have this problem. Sometimes it’s the writers themselves, in their real–not imaginary–lives.

What? You can’t be talking about me?

I am talking about you–well, me, actually. Our home life has been difficult over the past several years, since my husband’s three children (who I adopted many years ago) are all diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, among other things. The oldest, who’s now 17, has Asperger’s, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADHD, and probably Reactive Attachment Disorder (from long-ago problems with his birth mother). He grew increasingly erratic, tearing the household apart, lying, stealing, hacking computers, and creating a generally unsafe–and unhappy– place to be. For all of us. We often thought we might end up on the end of an angry rampage like we’d seen in the news.

We tried to deal with it for almost a year until the situation was pushed to the ridiculous. Our house was practically an armed camp with alarms on the doors and visits to the local magistrate and  the line being drawn; “You do this one more time and you can’t live here any more.”

Most kids, faced with that kind of ultimatum, would step back and reassess their situation, because being thrown out of your house is pretty darned serious. But not this one. He did it again. And then we were stuck.

My husband set up a tent in the backyard and sent the boy to live there. We figured it would last maybe one night. Possibly two. He had meals, hot showers, etc., just like the other kids, but he wanted to stay out there. He didn’t have to do his chores there. He could screw around and not be responsible there. Of course he liked it.

Obviously not a long-term answer.

So, after a series of difficult decisions, we sent him first to therapeutic foster care, where he was prescribed to go by his doctor after consultation with the family, and then into foster care with the county when he refused to cooperate with the therapists.

We get lumped in with all the neglectful parents and abusive parents and run through the court system, even though we have taken him for evaluation after evaluation and therapist after therapist and turned our household upside down to accommodate the three kids’ needs. (At one time when the kids were younger, we had 70 hours a week of therapy prescribed for them. 70. That’s as much as two full time jobs.)

It’s pretty painful, especially because I work with the agency as part of my day job. It’s embarrassing and feels like getting kicked when you’re down.

But we have to choke back that stubborn, obstinate streak and look at what’s best for him. He doesn’t take our direction seriously, thanks to his mental health issues, so he’s got to learn proper behavior under the tutelage of others.

Does it matter where the help comes for for him, as long as he gets it? I guess not. Obviously I want him to be the best adult he can be. If that means taking that helping hand, then so be it. I just hope this time he sees the benefit in it. Or else come December, he’ll turn 18 and be out on his own, with little or no skills to deal with life.

Do you know someone with autism or Asperger’s who’s struggling?  Here’s some helping hands they may need:

http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/

http://autismspeaks.org

http://www.autismlink.com/ (Cindy, at this organization, walked us through the first stunned months of our diagnoses–she and her helpers are AWESOME.)

So I’ve been wracking my brain for a blog topic and finally decided to talk a little about heroes. It’s a sacrifice, I know, but I love you – my readers – so I’ll suffer through it. LOL Seriously, who doesn’t love to talk about heroes?

For years I was addicted to reading cop heroes. FBI, P.I. or detective, I didn’t care. I couldn’t get enough of them! To this day, they’re still one of my favorite to read about, so it stands to reason that my first book, NOT WITHOUT RISK, featured one. Sergeant Justin Harrison – San Diego homicide detective – is all cop. It’s all he knows, everything he is. His job defines him. Or so he believes, until the day a long-legged brunette stumbles into his crime scene and tips his world off its axis.

I never base my character’s physical attributes on real people. When my characters first begin talking to me, I come up with the details – hair color, eye color, height, and skin tone – and an image of my hero and heroine takes shape in my head. I have problems with my characters looking “just like INSERT MOVIE STAR NAME HERE” because they aren’t that movie star. However, in the case of Justin Harrison, one man kept popping into my head whenever I sat back and pictured him – the smile, the dimple, hair and eye color – and pretty quickly he became the exact representation of Sergeant Justin Harrison.

Who is the real person that Justin looks like? Country crooner Ty Herndon.

My latest release, AFTER MIDNIGHT, is the first book in my Black Phoenix Series. Noah Clark is the handsome, sensual lead singer of the rock band Black Phoenix. Noah has known fame and lived the wild life. He’s learned some hard-won lessons and is ready to focus on his music instead of everything else that comes with it. Then he walks into Isabeau’s bar and Whammo!

Mature and focused, Noah doesn’t come with much baggage. Which is perfect, really, as Isabeau has more than enough for both of them. What Noah does have is sex appeal. Tall and lean, with hair that’s a mix of medium and dark blond, and vibrant green eyes, that’s Noah. A quiet, confident man with a British accent. Oh, didn’t I tell you he was British? *grin*

Noah is one of those characters who resembles no one but himself, so when I went out to find a visual representation of him I came up blank. Until I stumbled upon this photo:

It’s about as close to how I picture Noah Clark as I can get. Is he hot or what? I could stare at that photo all day.

I never set out to make AFTER MIDNIGHT a series. When the story first came to me, it was just the story of a man and woman and their journey to happily-ever-after. Then Dominic Price walked onto the page…

My work in progress is book two in my Black Phoenix Series, MIDNIGHT HEAT. Noah’s best friend and Black Phoenix bassist, Dominic Price is the type of man women walk into walls trying to get a better look at. Literally. At six-two with black hair that hangs in waves to just past his shoulders, and eyes so blue most people believe them to be contacts, Dominic is the epitome of a rock god. His British accent and killer smile don’t hurt, either.

I can’t find a picture that truly captures Dominic, but you get the idea. Dom knows exactly how sexy he is and has been known to use it to his advantage. He’s a touch arrogant, has an amazing sense of humor, and a love for music that is only rivaled by his love of one woman. The woman he walked away from three years ago.

What I love most about Midnight Heat is…well, the hero. Dominic is probably the most alpha of all of my alpha heroes. He’s blunt, in-your-face, and curses too much. He’s also flawed, damaged by his childhood, and more sensitive than he would ever let on. It takes a very special woman to unravel Dom, and Rebecca Dahlman is just the one to do it. That is, if Dom can convince her this time around he’s in it for more than just the heat.

So that’s them, my heroes. Well, the ones whose stories I’ve already fleshed out. There are two more who make appearances in the Black Phoenix Series Books 1 and 2 who are impatiently waiting for their own book – Thomas Sr. (who I’m still searching for a visual representation of) and Alex, the band’s bad boy drummer.

Sarah Grimm
where dangerously sexy & happily-ever-after collide
Blog / Website

My lilacs last year. No where near ready to bloom yet this year.

Happy May, Readers! In spite of the goofy weather we’ve had this spring, and it feeling more like winter on many days, the calendar continues to flip and here we are well into the month of May. The last round of snow we saw just last week really made me want to get the Ground Hog on the phone and give him a piece of my mind. Just what the heck was he thinking when he said spring would come early this year? Boy, was he ever way off base. But, I guess he has only about a 39% accuracy rate, and he is just a rodent, after all.

But regardless of Mother Nature and Punxsutawney Phil’s disagreements over the weather, Old Man Time insists on doing his own thing. And whether we’re ready for it or not, the 2012-13 school year is winding down and the kids will soon be free for the summer.

For the past month or so we’ve been pulling double duty around our place—enjoying all the end-of-the-year activities like field trips, spring concerts, track meets, and archery club, but we’ve also been gearing up for the horse show season. We’ve logged quite a few hours in the saddle already, and have had multiple 4-H horse practices with our local club.

It’s been a hectic few weeks and I’ve been slowly checking things off the schedule, each one bringing a little sigh of relief. One more down, one less to go.

In between it all, I still have to find time to write. Some days are easier than others. Some days I make great progress and others not so much so. Kind of depends on how tired my brain is feeling after spending a day with a group of rowdy 5^th graders on a bus for my son’s field trip, or sitting in the rain to watch my daughter burn up the track at the elementary track meet!

But, I’m excited to tell you that if you’ve read COWBOY FLING and if you enjoyed it and have been waiting to find out if Paige’s sister, Dorie, fulfills her side of their fantasy bet, you don’t have much longer to wait. I’m in the process of finishing COWBOY AFFAIR (working title) right now and, hopefully, with a little luck Dorie and Vin’s story will be available before the end of 2013, or at the very latest, early 2014. Trust me; Vin Sheridan is one big, tough cowboy you’ll be drooling over. At least I know I am as I write!

If you haven’t read COWBOY FLING, you might consider giving it a try. You can find COWBOY FLING on sale at Ellora’s Cave, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon. It’s a great bargain at all three sites.

And if you have read COWBOY FLING please share your thoughts on the book. I’m always interested in reader feedback. I’m also curious to know what you like and don’t like about cowboys. And in your eyes, what makes a cowboy super hot!

In the meantime, with just one full week of school left, I’d best kick it in gear so I can get COWBOY AFFAIR done as promised! Have a great May and I’ll see you back here in June during the Authors By Moonlight 2^nd Annual Summer Solstice Bash! A Kindle Paperwhite will be up for grabs so, don’t miss out!

Sherry James
www.sherryjames.com

Find me on Facebook
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As most writers know, entering contests is one of the ways (considered by some to be the fast track) to an editor’s desk. Have you considered how supporting contests from the other side can benefit your writing career?

Contest Committee
I have never heard of a writing group who refused an extra set of hands when sponsoring a writing contest.
Volunteer to make phone calls to secure editors as final round judges or buy the thank-you gifts after the contest. This gets you personal contact with an acquiring editor, which may only last for the span of the contest period. Or you may get the opportunity to renew the acquaintance when meeting in personal at a regional or national RWA conference—possibly across the table in a pitch session.
BENEFIT: A great icebreaker before a pitch.

Coordinating a Category
In this capacity, you can develop your knowledge about what is marketable. We all know what we like to read and think we know what editors want to see. Years ago, when I sent off my chapter finalists to an editor for final round ranking, I was sure which one would come back in first place. In fact, I thought I knew how the ranking would go. When the envelope was opened, I discovered a ranking that had my first place choice in 4th or 5th position. I appreciated, as I’m sure the entrant did too, the editor who pointed out the elements that were tried and true for the line but not fresh enough.
BENEFIT: Insight into what that particular editor wanted.

Judging
On an average, I judge at least four contests a year. Early in my writing career, this was mandatory—the contest was my small RWA chapter’s only fundraiser. I used those opportunities to learn more about my own writing. Sounds backwards, I know, but it’s true. Often I can’t see particular craft problems in my own story because I’m so close to the characters and the action. But in the story of an anonymous author, I see where the power word of the sentence is buried in the middle, instead of being at the end. OR I spot the verb that shifts the point of view from one character to another for only one paragraph. Oops, I bet the author didn’t mean that. OR not enough setting details are included to give the reader a sense of where the action occurs.
BENEFIT: Look at own work with a more critical eye.

Training
Once you’re an experienced judge, you’ll want others to join the ranks: 1) so your chapter contest continues to be successful, and 2) to demystify the process. New writers need to be trained, because judging a contest entry is not the same as critiquing your buddy’s latest scene. Information on what to look for in an entry is easy to present in the form of several online lectures and a detailed description of the score sheet.
BENEFIT: Someday, slip away and let others carry the banner.

Hey, all! Moonlight Kitty here to announce the winner of the April $25 Gift Card Giveaway sponsored by Beth Caudill. Congratulations to Cate Parke! Cate, please contact Beth at beth@bethcaudill.net to claim your prize. And happy shopping!

The May contest, sponsored by Niecey Roy, is underway now. Don’t forget, every time you leave a comment on a post during the month, that comment enters you in the monthly giveaway.

And, it’s almost time for the Authors By Moonlight annual Summer Solstice Bash coming in June! This year we’re gearing up for a month full of “Summer Lovin’” and the prize basket is going to be overflowing with love, too! You’ll have mega chances to win a Kindle Paperwhite, e-books, and other great prizes. Keep an eye out for full details coming soon!