Kathy Lane, Author

The Joys of Discovering a New-to-You Author: G.A. Aiken

2011-11-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

Discovering a really good new-to-you author is like finding buried treasure in your back yard. You have to wonder why you didn’t find them sooner. Not to mention the instant case of greed you come down with. “Five books! She has five more books! There goes my Amazon allowance for the next month.” (And yes, I’m that generous with myself.)

I discovered G.A. Aiken not on Amazon as it turns out, but at my local Books-A-Million. There she was, sitting on the top shelf—well at least her books were. Lovely, no-nonsense covers with lovely half-naked men and the word DRAGON in every title. I couldn’t be more captivated. But were her books worth delving past those tempting covers? I’m happy to answer with a resounding yes!

Ms. Aiken has created a fascinating and complex world where dragons and humans co-exist—well, most of the time anyway. From Rhiannon, the white dragon queen, to mad queen Annwyl the Bloody, from Bercelak the Great to Feargus the Destroyer, all of her characters are larger than life and a joy to get to know.

And don’t get me started on her multifaceted dragon culture with its layers of social intrigue. Wars and battles abound, from major conflicts to family tussles—if you call bashing heads and tossing your sibling off the roof a tussle—which the Cadwaladr Clan does.

The other thing I have to mention is the dialogue. If you’ve sat through an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer just to listen to the rapid-fire dialogue, you’ll love these books. Never seen an episode? No problem. Trust me, you’re going to love the quips, zings, and general verbal mayhem which carry the various story lines to their wonderful and often humorous conclusions.

Without hesitation, I give each book a 5 out of 5. Oh, and for all you romance lovers, yeah, they have that, too…in abundance…frequently…as the dragons can shift to human form and waste no time taking naughty advantage of that little trait.

So thank you, Ms. Aiken, for sharing you wonderful imagination with the rest of us. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next Dragon Kin story.

The Romance Reviews Year End Splash (Yes!) Party

2011-11-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

Drop by for a visit.
http://www.theromancereviews.com/advert/yes3.jpg

July Blog Tour Winners!

2011-08-05T18:33:00.000-05:00

Well, my July blog tour is over. I had lots of fun and got to meet a lot of very nice people. My thanks to everyone who visited, especially those who left a comment. The winner of my blog tour scavenger hunt is Desi, who commented on my blog on Paty Jager’s website. Desi has won a very nice prize basket full of neat goodies including a $25 Amazon gift card, signed copies of both Bloodsworn books, and much more. Congratulations, Desi!

Since my blog on Paty’s site also had the most comments, I drew an extra name for another $25 Amazon card. Congratulations to Marianne!

Thanks also to the kind ladies who hosted me during the tour. Your help in getting the word out about my new book, Bloodsworn II: Linked by Blood, is vastly appreciated. I sincerely hope to return the favor one day soon.

And to my Bloodsworn fans, keep checking here for information on a new Bloodsworn novella coming soon! Kiel Na-Turesh is a young man with a past that’s about to catch up to him. And when she does, watch out.

Digi Books Café Summer Hunt

2011-07-19T00:01:00.001-05:00

Need a break from the summer heat? Hop on the computer for a digital scavenger hunt sponsored by Digi Books Cafe. 3 months; 3 hunts; 3 prizes (Kindle eReaders!) What could be easier? Go to http://www.digibookscafe.com/ for complete details. While you're there, don't forget to check out my newest Bloodsworn book, Linked by Blood. Happy Reading--and Hunting--to all!

July Blog Tour Continues!

2011-07-12T05:45:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Hope you’re enjoying the wonderful month of July. (LOL) Yes, it’s hot and rainy down here in Florida, but July comes right before my birthday, so I have to love it.

Anyway, here are the next stops along my internet travels.

July 12th I’m being interviewed by Amber Kallyn at Plot Mamas: http://bit.ly/o4Kizz
July 15th (RELEASE DAY!) Amber is doing a Book Expo on Linked by Blood at: http://bit.ly/oBYGSg
July 18th I’ll be guest blogging with Allison Chambers at: http://alisonchambers.blogspot.com

Come join the fun, find out a little about my writing style and my Bloodsworn series. Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance at the nifty prize package at month end.

Hope to see you there.

Bloodsworn Places 1st in 2011 PRISM Contest

2011-07-03T07:41:00.000-05:00

Other than having a fan tell you they like your book, there's nothing like a little public recognition to give a boost-to-your-muse. When I entered the 2011 PRISM Contest held by the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter of RWA, I had no real expectations. This was my first published book. I liked it, my friends and family liked it, but would a group of perfect strangers? Then I got the call telling me I finaled! Wow, talk about exciting. To final alongside other published authors was a big deal to me--some of them multi-published. Maybe I was on the right track with this writing career after all.

Then July 1st, Friday morning came and with it an email that I never expected. Bloodsworn: Bound by Magic won FIRST PLACE in the Fantasy category. AND BEST FIRST BOOK!!! Needless to say, I was flying all day. Called my niece first, of course. She's responsible for getting me into this business in the first place, so she can darn well share the credit. Then called my sons, my brothers, and, oh, yeah, my editor. Can't forget Frances Sevilla. Wonderful woman and a great writer herself. We may not always see eye to eye on every little detail, but she definitely knows her stuff.

My only regret is not being able to make it to New York to attend The Gathering where they announced the winners. Would have been awesome to accept the recognition in person. But hey, maybe next year. Bloodsworn 2 is due out this month and there's no telling where it might take me. Here's to looking forward to new adventures!

July Blog Tour and Contest

2011-07-01T18:47:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Happy July! Come join me for a month-long tour where I talk about everything from Sexy Secondary Characters to Evil Villains to, well, who knows? Each time you visit one of my blogs and leave a comment, your name goes into a drawing for a prize package that includes a $25 Amazon gift card, free copies of both Bloodsworn books, and more. Also, there's another $25 Amazon card which I'll give away to one lucky commentor on whichever blog site receives the most comments. So come along on my very first tour!

July 1st I'll be with Rebekkah Niles at www.juturnafaerthing.blogspot.com
July 6th I'm visiting the Wild West with romance author Patty Jager at http://patyjager.blogspot.com/
and on July 9th I'm Hunting Dragons with author Jeanne Guzman at http://romanceinflight.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned for more stops on my magical month-long tour celebrating the release of my second book: Bloodsworn II: Linked by Blood.

Doughnuts to Donuts--What's your favorite?

2011-02-21T00:49:00.000-05:00

I recently saw a sign that sent me into sugary transports. A Krispy Kreme is coming to my town. Wow! Talk about anticipation!

To pass the time, I checked out doughnuts on the Internet. Did you know doughnuts were supposedly first introduced to North America by the Dutch, who called the fried dough prepared in pig fat, olykoek, or oily cake? They were a far cry from the doughnuts we Americans think of today. The pictures I’ve found remind me more of an apple fritter than anything else. Oh, and the hole in the middle? That little modification is credited to an American sea captain by the name of Hanson Crockett Gregory around 1847, though the story itself varies.

To be fair, modern doughnuts are as internationally diverse as the human population. Pick a country, and it probably has its on take on the sweet pastry. Beignet (France), vada (India), sufganyiot (Israel), Berliner (Germany), rosquilla (Spain), are just a handful. Since I’m by no means an international traveler, (I rarely get out of Florida), my doughnut choices are strictly domestic. Here are my top five favorites.

#5: The standard yeast doughnut with maple icing topped with nuts. Sometimes I snag the one with the hole in the middle, and sometimes I go for the rolled one with the hint of cinnamon. (One of my main weaknesses.)
#4: The mini doughnuts you find at fairs or flea markets. You know, the ones you can watch being cooked and get hot out of the oil, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar? Yeah, that smell draws me in every time.
#3: The Dunkin Donut blueberry cake donut with a touch of glaze. I always expect them to be heavy because they’re cake, not yeast, but they never fail to surprise me by melting in my mouth. Major comfort food!
#2: The Krispy Kreme cream filled with chocolate icing. (White cream, not Bavarian, please.) Talk about a sugar rush! I try to limit myself to two a year.
#1: And the ultimate in doughnut bliss? The no muss, no fuss, original glazed Krispy Kreme yeast doughnut—preferably hot off the assembly line. Mmmmm. There’s just something about the taste, smell, and texture that can’t be duplicated.

So, store bought or home made? Yeast or cake? Glazed, iced, or powdered? Holed or filled? Tell me, what’s your favorite doughnut/donut?

Going Where Your Story Takes You

2010-10-19T17:16:00.000-05:00

     I grew up smack dab in the middle of the Sunshine state, surrounded by orange groves, woods, and swamps. The perfect setting for a book, right? Why then, you might ask, does my recently published book, Bloodsworn: Bound by Magic, start out in northern California and end up on another world half way across the galaxy? One word: Plot.

     We, as writers, sometime have no control over where the story takes us. The setting has to fit the plot. For instance, Stephanie Myers’ Twilight series would have been another story altogether if set in sunny Florida instead of Forks, Washington. Edward might never have been allowed to sparkle in sunlight since it’s sunny here most every day. Another plot-line would be needed for him to be able to attend school—or maybe he might not have gone to school at all. He would have had to meet Bella on a dark and stormy night, making Twilight more like Midnight. See what I mean?
     Going where your story takes you means being a bit flexible, too. You might want to write about New Orleans, but if the plot calls for snow, you’re out of luck. Sure, you can change the plot line to fit the location, but again we’re talking about changing the whole aspect of the story. Instead of a snowball fight between your main characters ending in a sweet first kiss, they’re tossing sugar-coated beignets at one another and ending up...
     Hmmm. Well maybe that’s not such a bad plot change after all. (LOL) Okay, time to shelve the first story and head off to New Orleans’ Café Du Monde for a hot-blooded beignet battle. Powdered sugar anyone?

Hot off the Press

2010-09-11T06:26:00.000-05:00

WOW! My book is here. It’s actually here, in my house, in my hands. My son laughed as I picked the book up out of the box for the first time. I held the darn thing so tight that if it had been alive I would have choked it. Laying it down for any length of time has been hard. And yes, while I thought I’d read and re-read it enough during the writing and editing phases, I immediately opened it up and started reading it again.

Foolish? Maybe. A bit narcissistic? Who cares? I will say it’s a whole different feeling reading it in finished book form than reading it on the computer. There’s definitely a sense of accomplishment involved. And yes, a sense of pride. Not only did I take an idea and build a 100,000 word story around it, but I managed to find a publisher who felt the story was one other people might enjoy reading. The prospect is humbling.

Release date is September 24th, but you can pre-order your print copy now by going to www.thewildrosepress.com. Print copies are $15.99 and digital copes are $7.00.

The cover, by Tamra Westberry, is great. The back cover—which I’d never seen before—is cool. And if you’ll pardon me tooting my own horn, the inside is freaking awesome! But don’t take my word for it. Get a copy for yourself and let me know what you think. I welcome informed opinions.

Writing: Just one Hot Romance After Another

2010-08-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

I was recently on a flight out to Las Vegas. Yeah, Vegas, baby. Sin City, land of the evil slot machines. Thank God it only took one session to cure me of my urge to gamble. But that's another story.

While on the plane, (Delta, flight something-or-other) I started looking through the Sky magazine they stash in the seat pocket. You know, something to pass the four hours from Atlanta to Vegas. Anyway, I got to the very last page and what do you know, there's an article about writing. The article is called "Writing, a Romance" and it's by author Libba Bray. Ms. Bray writes novels for young adults, including A Great and Terrible Beauty, The Sweet Far Thing, and Going Bovine. In the article, she compares the process of writing and publishing a novel to that of a romance. Very insightful.

For instance, in the early stages, an author is star-struck by how clever and special her new bow, I mean, book, is. The romance blossoms, lasting all the way through the first draft as they see each other every day. "My book is so easy to talk to. I'm seeing my book again tomorrow. I can't wait." *SIGH*

Unfortunately, that first rush of infatuation begins to fade when the revisions start. That time in a romance when you realize you've done everything together and you start repeating yourself. The lines of communication blur and the author begins to see a flaw here and there in her book. Nothing major...yet. But as the months pass, things get pretty rough. Phrases like, "I hate you!" and "I wish I'd never met you" start to crop up more and more when author and book are together. Friends become concerned, wondering if they should step in and stop the word abuse.

By the third draft, the author has become completely disillusioned and just wants the difficult relationship to end. With the encouragement of friends (and her editor), she pulls herself together and breaks it off with the demanding book, realizing that there are definitely other fish in the sea.

Days of copy edits pass--brief exchanges of polite small talk that get further and further apart until the author wakes up one morning and realizes she hasn't seen her book for months. She's finally able to put the whole emotional episode behind her with a feeling that she's come out of it a stronger writer. Even when she runs into her finished book in a book store one day, she's able to smile. She might feel a twinge of excitement at first, a touch of pride that she had something to do with transforming a mild-mannered plot-bunny into such a polished book-about-town. They might even spend a nostalgic afternoon reminiscing about the good times, recalling the creation of funny phrases and plot twists that just fell into place. But both know it's time to move on. He has a date with a reader down the street and she's been seeing a cute plot that kept her up half the night last Wednesday whispering sweet prose in her ear. Ah, L`Amore.

Thank you Libba Bray for giving me a fresh perspective on an author's life. Now if you'll excuse me, I also have a date with this really hot story that has the most gorgeous phrases and cutest metaphors you've ever seen. *SIGH* We were made for each other. Really.

Losing a Loved One

2010-03-26T16:48:00.000-05:00

I think losing a loved one is a little like child-birth. God helps you forget the pain of the last one so you're able to handle the next one. Since June, 2005, I've lost 4 people very close to me. My husband, my best friend, my mother-in-law, and today, my Mother, Mary Redding. She passed at 9:10am. Quietly, with no fuss or fan-fare, her body just stopped breathing. She was a very strong woman who walked closely with God. Watching over her this morning, I felt like her spirit, her soul, had already gone, having left her body sometime yesterday. I believe those of us left behind are often just caretakers of an empty husk. It's hard, but believing she was already walking with Jesus, talking, laughing, hugging my dad and my brother, Shelton, made it easier to bear the pain. Faith "is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1) I'm extremely grateful my mother raised me not only as her child, but as a child of God. One day, I'll see her and all my other loved ones again. Thank you, Mother.

Book Review: Pride Mates by Jennifer Ashley

2010-02-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

Wolves, leopards, and bears, oh, my.

Whatever you want to call them, shape-shifters are hot. Between Kenyon’s broody Were-Hunters, Singh’s predatory Changelings, and Brigg’s possessive werewolves, I thought I’d read all the shape-shifter scenarios. Silly me.

Enter Jennifer Ashley and her Shifters Unbound series.

Book one in the series, Pride Mates, isn’t the flashiest book on the shelf. The background is gray and black, the words plain white. The overall image is very subdued. Kind of like a shape-shifter hiding in the trees...you don’t really know it’s there until you see the teeth. And Pride Mates definitely has teeth. Ms. Ashley has created an interesting world where ‘Shifters’ are treated little better than captured and collared animals. The prejudice against them as a race is reminiscent of our own culture in the volatile 1960’s, and just as distasteful.

The heroine, Kim Fraser, is a young junior lawyer in a prestigious law firm. When she’s assigned to defend a shifter-male charged with murdering his human girlfriend, her investigation takes her deeper into the Shifter world than is safe for a mere human.

In her first venture into Shiftertown, Kim meets Liam Morrissey, a strong Fae-cat with a soft Irish lilt, and a protective streak as wide as they come. Liam is intrigued by Kim and her determination to get to the truth in a case everyone else sees as open and shut. Knowing she treads dangerous ground in her efforts to prove a Shifter innocent, he marks her with his scent to protect her from others of his kind. The move backfires, placing Kim in the greatest danger of her life, and making it impossible for Liam to do anything but claim her as his mate.

The attraction Kim feels for Liam seems to grow by leaps and bounds, but being with him, especially accepting him as her mate, could brand her as a ‘shifter-whore’, endangering her job and the career she has worked so hard for. Yet she longs to be part of a family again, and Liam’s close-knit family tempts Kim almost as much as Liam himself. She just isn’t sure if his desire for her stems from love, or his animal instincts.

Teeth and claws, hot kisses and hotter bodies, Pride Mates has it all and Ms. Ashley does a wonderful job of drawing you into the world of her Shifters. I invite you to take a walk on 'the other side of the tracks’ and hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. I look forward to Ms. Ashley’s next adventure in the world of Shifters Unbound.

Question of the week: What's your favorite shape-shifter book?

Why There’s No Cat In Christmas

2009-12-05T09:17:00.002-05:00

I’m sorry, but cats and Christmas just don’t mix. I know this from personal experience.

Ever have a kitten climb your Christmas tree? At night? I spent an hour the next morning looking for him before he decided to meow. Found him perched at the back of the tree up near the top, naturally.

Or have a cat swipe a glass ornament and use it for his personal toy before hiding it under the couch across the room. (I found it in March.)

And God forbid I put bows on any of the packages. I thought this one bow with pretty curling ribbons kept falling off until I caught my current cat, Vinnie, red-handed, err, pawed, with his claws snagged in the ribbon. He looked up at me as if to say, "Oh, this one wasn't for me?"

And it’s not only indoor cats you have to worry about. My outdoor cat, Miles, is celebrating his first Christmas. Imagine his joy when my son and I were stringing the lights up outside. I’m surprised we got the chore finished before dark. Now all I have to worry about is finding the light string chewed in half. I can see Miles now, orange eyes innocently wide despite every hair on his body standing on end. (Shudder)

Oh, and before I go, let’s not forget the tinsel episode. Last year I decided to put silver tinsel on the tree and had to snatch it back off when Vinnie started slurping it up like strings of spaghetti. Off course, not all of it stayed down and I had a wonderful time cleaning up after him the next few days. It was funny, though, when I went to sift the litter box and found several glittery ‘treasures’. I even invited my sons to come take a look and share in the laughter. After all, isn’t sharing what Christmas is all about?

Merry Christmas to all. Yes, even the cats.

Could I get a hug with that drumstick?

2009-11-26T20:24:00.000-05:00

Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Four times a year I grant unto myself the freedom to indulge in potato salad, baked beans, squash casserole, dirty rice, ham, turkey, cake, pie… You get the picture. And yeah, I guess that should be over-indulge. Nor do I do this dirty deed alone. Oh, no. I drag my whole entire family to the table. Misery loves company, after all.

“Here, have a deviled egg. Take two, they’re small.”
“Want some Cool Whip with that pie?”
“Mmmmm, cornbread and collard greens, delicious.”
“Of course, I’d love another helping of dressing. Ladle on the gravy, baby!”

Gathering for a meal at the holidays is a ritual in our family. We meet, we eat, we talk, we laugh, and we renew the bonds that hold us together. Sometimes we even call a family gathering when there isn’t a holiday, just to shake things up a bit. You know, grill a few hotdogs and hamburgers, or fry up some fish and hush puppies. Not everything has to be about turkey and ham.

The best thing is that whatever the occasion, everyone always goes away full of more than just food. We stock up on hugs and smiles, encouraging words and humorous stories. Accomplishments are applauded. Failures are meticulously examined for silver linings and golden nuggets of wisdom. And dreams for the future are polished until they shine.

Yes, the fried turkey was juicy, the potato salad, perfect, and the pecan pie a slice of heaven, but though it may be the food that brings us together, it’s the heaping plate full of love that keeps us coming back for more.

An Author is Born

2009-10-15T21:43:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it. Here it is only a year after I completed the first draft of Bloodsworn and I receive an email from a wonderful editor at Wild Rose Press informing me that she has received approval to offer me a contract on the book!

YES! I'm going to be a published author! God is good!

Can't sit back and bask too long, though. Time for edits and revisions, and re-writes now. Not to mention marketing classes. The hard work is just beginning. My schedule is going to be very busy the next few months. In addition to getting Bloodsworn ready for publication, I'm also working on another project.

Sniper Shots is a romantic suspense that recently finaled in The Golden Pen contest. Contest results should be announced by December 1st and I'd like to have the book finished by then. Not sure if such a deadline is feasible but I'm going to give it a shot.

Oh, and I'm going to have to start blogging a lot more often than once a year. :-)

2008-11-29T13:11:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is November already. Remember that plot bunny I mentioned back in April? Well, I finished it in October! Yippee! I’ve titled it Bloodsworn. My mother was the first to read it and loved it…thank goodness, since I really wrote it for her. I kind of like it myself, even if it is 178,000 words. Yeah, I know, kind of long for a book, but it seems to read well. You can check out the first chapter under ‘Stories’ and see what you think.

Something else I’ve done a few months ago is join RWA (Romance Writers of America) and my local chapter TARA (Tampa Area Romance Authors). What a fantastic bunch of people. They made me feel very welcome the first day. And guess what? One of my very favorite authors is TARA president! C.L. Wilson! I had no idea she lived so close.

Anyway, they have workshops and guest speakers who give us struggling authors pointers in how to get our works published. Wonderful! Just what I need. Now, if I can just get some of the ladies who are already published to read and critique my book…

Oh well, even if that doesn’t happen, I’ve enjoyed writing the three books I’ve finished and look forward to my next project. What is it, you ask? Well, I thought I’d take a shot at writing a category story, something for Silhouette’s new Nocture Bites series. I’ve had a plot bunny on the back burner about a dragon dragged into our world by some enemies out to steal his magic. Changed into human form, he hooks up with a nurse who tries to help him. Sparks fly, fires smolder, and the two burst into some seriously seductive romantic flames. My only problem will be in keeping it short and sweet. (See Bloodsworn’s length above.)

Oh, and my oldest brother wants me to help him write this romance story he’s been working on. Can you believe it?!?! My brother!!! Ah, well, the man has always been full of surprises. And his story’s not half bad, actually. I’ll definitely have to squeeze it into my schedule.

Well, hope everyone out there had a great Thanksgiving. One of my other brothers who lives in north Florida is coming down for Christmas so I’m really looking forward to it.

Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas too!

2008-04-06T08:05:00.002-05:00

WRITING UPDATE
I am pleased to announce that the first draft of The Winglyth King--Book II in The Measure of a Queen series--is complete.

Actually, it was complete a couple of months ago. I haven’t been very enthused about blogging since what I would really like to blog about is the selling of my series, but that hasn’t happened yet.

I did send off three proposals on March 22nd for Fire and Ice.
We’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, I have started Book III, but something has come up so I’ve had to set it aside.

That something started out as a Plot Bunny.
What is a Plot Bunny, you ask? Well, sometimes stories just pop into a writer’s mind and demand to be written. The best thing we writer’s can hope for is to jot them down to keep them from hopping around and interfering with the current project. Problem is, a Plot Bunny can turn into a full blown project in a heartbeat.

Such a thing happened when I tried stuffing ‘Bloodsworn’ in its bunny hole. As I wrote it down, it became too large to fit into the hole. I had no choice but to grant it project status.

*Sigh* It has since taken over.
Already it’s over 50,000 words—about half a book.

The main characters are a woman from Earth, Avera St. John, and a man named Devlin Tragar from a planet called Avalyr.

The story is growing by leaps and bounds and I hope to have it finished soon. Put it this way, I had better. I made the mistake of letting my mother read the first chapter. I warned her it wasn’t finished, but I still got a phone call the next day demanding the rest of the story.

Hence, my furious writing schedule lately.
It’s nice to know I have at least one fan. *smile*

Summer Update

2007-07-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

Well, not a lot to report. Haven't heard anything back from the literary agent I sent my proposal to back around the 1st of May. I'm beginning to wonder if he ever got it. Sent it by email so I should probably try doing a snail-mail send and see what happens.

I did get the proposal sent off to AMG Publishers a few weeks ago. Got a quick reply from the acquisitions manager who said he'd get back with me this summer. I'm praying, but not holding my breath.

I've already done research on who I'll submit it to next...just in case.

Book II is coming along well. I hit a snag about the middle of July, but I think I'm past that now. New characters and story lines are cropping up, of course, so I'm having to start another tab in my SuLoPedia to keep track of them so I can go back and work on them later.

One of the characters, a man named Danrin, is going to play a big part in the overall story line. You won't see him in Book III, but he'll be back in IV and V.

I've also been bugged by another set of characters altogether who's story takes place many years before Ceralyn's. They pestered me for three days until I finally sat down and wrote the beginning of their tale. I've decided I'm going to start posting these short stories just for kicks. The one I've just finished is tentatively entitled 'Talia', but I'm looking for that to change as the story reveals itself later.

Another one is a much longer version of the Prologue for Book I. Not titled yet, but will be by the time it's posted.

The third one that's completed is called Nadea and the Wolf and involves Navarre's younger brother, Faolan.

Hope to have all of these posted soon...

Getting Closer

2007-04-16T19:13:00.000-05:00

Completing something is always a good feeling. I just finished my book proposal for The Measure of a Queen - Fire and Ice. Well, the first draft anyway. Still, after working on it for almost two months, getting this far is an accomplishment. During that same time, I added a new Chapter One to the novel as well as what I hope is a suspenseful Prologue.

Now it's time to get back to Book Two. Ceralyn and Navarre have discovered that Ulan has been kidnapped and they'e about to set out after him. Things are getting exciting.

I'd like to take a moment to offer my thanks to best-selling author, Jeanette Windle, for all her help and support and for believing that I can actually do this. I also owe a very big thanks to my niece, Darelle. She's always pushing me to write and encouraging me when I get discouraged.

Anyway, I hope to have the proposal finalized before the end of April so I can move forward with what I hope will be an entertaining and inspirational story everyone can read and enjoy. Keep praying folks...I've had several goose-bump-raising experiences related to writing this story that prove it works! God is Good!!!

Welcome to a New Adventure

2007-03-06T20:32:00.000-05:00

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison

Additionally, if you dream of people you would like to get to know better, then by george, get yourself to a typewriter and get to know them. ~Kathy Lane

Like many people, I dream frequently. Also like many people, I don't always remember the dreams. But there are some mornings that I wake up, the details so vivid, it's almost as if I had returned from a trip. On these trips I meet people, sometimes friends, sometimes family, but many times people I've never met until I dream them; people that I actually miss when I wake up in the morning.

No, I'm not crazy. At least no more so than any other writer with characters running amok in her head clamoring for the story of their life to be let out onto paper. I've leaked these stories in bits and pieces over the years, never really pausing long enough in this busy process called living to let one of them out entirely...until now.

Ceralyn, Navarre, and Tristan, the three main characters of my fantasy series, The Measure of a Queen, visited me one night several years ago after an evening of reading a compilation of fantasy short stories. Their visit resulted in eight pages of hand-written...sentences. (Note please, that I do not call it anything remotely resembling a story.)

In January, 2006, my niece started 'poking' me to attend the Florida Christian Writer's Conference with her. The FCWC is held in Bradenton, Florida, only an hour away from my home, so I finally gave in. Of course, I then needed something to take to the conference, so I went in search of some piece of formerly-written fiction.

Ceralyn, Navarre, and Tristan clamored the loudest, (three voices are, after all, louder than one or two), so I pulled out those eight pages of descriptive sentences. After spending two months working those sentences into a readable story I received a surprisingly good critique at the conference. In fact, the author who critiqued the story let me know in no uncertain terms that I had to finish what I started. Fourteen months later, those eight pages have grown to more than 120,000 words, with four more books of words waiting to be written. Talk about a story!

Click on The Stories and visit The Measure of a Queen to read excerpts from book one, Fire and Ice, and book two, The Winglyth King.