Frazzled

Well, I'm doing my best to ignore my Yahoo group digests. I spent more frustrated time yesterday wondering how and why people can think the way they do. Didn't do me any good, and I wasted writing time. So today I've been cleaning the house, playing with the youngest, and generally staying away from the computer. Every now and again, even I need a break.

So just a short post today. I'm less frazzled, and I hope the rest of your are too. Have a great weekend! And for those of you who posted the other day at Novel Thoughts, winners are announced today. So congrats!

On a Soap Box: Pray for Me

I know that this picture will probably offend somebody somewhere. Holy rollers who are pissed that I'd dare use the word Bible on a personal blog from an erotic romance writer. Others who hate yellow faced smilies in conjunction with talk about religion. Well, it's my blog, so if you don't like it, kindly click the red X in the corner.

I write erotic romance. I'm also a Roman Catholic. I don't see why the two cannot go hand in hand. After all, only Mary gave birth to Jesus, so the rest of us are about as dirty with sin when conceiving as anyone else. I honestly don't believe that reading about sex will send you to hell. Believe it or not, today I read a post from an inspirational writer (sorry to all you normal Inspy folks) that claimed her soul would be in peril if forced to read erotic romance. Excuse me? Are we talking eyes bleeding, brain oozing out of your ears, heart shriveling into a black glob of goo? Because if so, I'm in. I want to see it happen.

Yeah, I'm being facetious. But I get so sick of all those claiming to be tolerant and nonjudgemental who sit around making judgements and being INtolerant. If you don't want to read sexy material, don't. But don't sit there and slander it and the people who write it. Hell, sweet and inspirational romances aren't my thing. But I completely respect the authors who write them and the readers who read them.

Why are so many non-erotic writers so down on erotic romance? Sex is an integral part of any romantic relationship. How do you fully commit to your partner if your mind, soul, and BODY aren't a part of it? How many people remain celibate through their marriage?

Sure, not everyone wants to read about sex. But to say you'll be going to hell because your read an erotic romance is like saying the hounds of hell will rip you apart for actually engaging in sexual intercourse. If so, where are all these bible thumper's babies coming from? Come on, people! It's 2009!!! Can' t we all just get along???

Sorry, been dying to say that last part. >:)

Catholic, Sinner, and Erotic Romance Writer
Marie Harte

Feral Attraction is now available!

Feral Attraction, a print anthology containing my story, Rachel's Totem, and Paige McKellan's bestselling Claiming Their Mate, is now available from Samhain and bookstores! Check out your local Borders, B&N, and BaMM.

Novel Thoughts

Don't forget! I'm at Novel Thoughts today--LOVE their new banner--where I'm giving away a copy of Circe's Recruits: Roane and Circe's Recruits: Zack & Ace. Come on over and comment on my post or the books. I like to know what readers think.

Blogging Reminder

I'm blogging tomorrow at Novel Thoughts. Stop on by and comment for a chance to win a copy of Circe's Recruits: Roane or Circe's Recruits: Zack & Ace. And don't forget, my new print release of Feral Attraction is out in stores now!

Newsletter Winners Announced

Whoops. Forgot to announce the newsletter winners. Check my website for details...

Marie

I'm back, and I'm blogging...

Today I'm at Hitting the Hot Spot, talking about reviews. Come on by and share your opinion. Do you like reviews? Do you read them, buy books based on them? I'd like to know.

Snow? Here? Today?

I feel like I'm living in the Twilight Zone. It's snowing this morning. After being warm enough to wear shorts over Christmas, it's now snowing. Trees are in bud and some of my winter flowers are still in bloom, so this weather is screwing with them big time. Great.

On another note, I am kid-free for the day. Hooray! Everyone is better and I can finally get some real work done. Edits this week, then a new story. I'm going to finish my Circe's Recruits series with Hale. But I'm still wondering just where I want Hale to end up. I have a few ideas, but a secondary character throughout the series keeps getting in the way. What to do about him...?

New releases are out everywhere today. Our new president will don the "Cloak of Responsibility" and there's nothing I have to do after school lets out today. Talk about a good day!

Life after...

Good news. I can once again breathe. The fever has abated, as have the aches. My kids are fever free, but the husband's cold is lingering, like mine. Guess that's what happens when you're OLD. Funny thing, I hadn't considered myself old. Then I talked to a friend of mine today. She keeps me up to date on old friends. We were in the Marine Corps together and still get together every year. She's my kids' godmother.

Imagine my surprise to note a buddy of mine married with kids. And he's a Lt.Col. What???? Seems like just yesterday we were on the verge of getting kicked out of a motel at Myrtle Beach, along with our other dozen friends cramming into one room. What happened to the idiot lieutenants who had to be responsible, real fast, so we let down our hair only around each other? Another friend is getting married, while a few others gear up for a promotion board.

I can only hope they get pushed up the food chain. The Corps needs good people, and it makes me feel good to know my friends are doing well. I know it shocks anyone who knows me that I have children. I'm a tough-love kind of person. In my book, and to copy a favorite USMC idiom, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." How they'd laugh at me now, seeing me losing it around two small boys when years ago I kept my cool around cocky Staff NCO's and snotty 2nd Lts.

Ah, the glory of aging.

Cough, Cough, Sneeze

What should have been a relaxing week after working hard to finish a manuscript has turned into hell. Kids are sick, husband is sick, and now I am sick. A cold wouldn't be so bad, but it's one of those that whenever I blow my nose I cough uncontrollably. I'm losing my voice (not a bad thing, if you ask my husband) and my throat hurts. I'm hoping this won't take more than this week to get over, because I can't afford to be sick any longer. Too much to do. Especially since I've been slacking on the Christmas tree. Hey, at least the rest of the decorations are taken care of. *sigh* And Rena, sincerely, I'm trying to get to those edits. Really.

Surprise! New Release: Circe's Recruits:Zack & Ace

Due to some scheduling issues, Loose Id moved up the release of my highly anticipated (hey, I've been waiting to read it again) Circe's Recruits: Zack & Ace. So hang a right, then a left, and visit Loose Id.

Zack and Ace have been dancing around their "just friends" relationship for years. Being Circ means unavoidable intimacy when the mating heat strikes, and now that Kelly wants them both, it's making them see things in a new light.

New Cover: Circe's Recruits:Zack & Ace

I LOVE the new cover for CR: Zack & Ace. Just two more weeks until the release!
Here's s blurb...

In the three years since Project Dawn disbanded, Zack and Ace continue to fight the good fight. Now civilians, their squad--Circe’s Recruits--works for a private organization bent on cleaning up the mess left in the wake of Project Dawn’s rebirth. Run by Elliot Pearl, a ruthless millionaire, Pearson Labs continues to create Circs, people who have been genetically changed. When needed, these Circs take on an altered form, one neither man nor animal, but something in between. But unlike the squad, the Circs coming out of Pearson Labs aren’t sane.

Zack and Ace have been dancing around their "just friends" relationship for years. Being Circ means unavoidable intimacy when the mating heat strikes, and it puts a strain on their friendship. But just when they come to an understanding about what they truly mean to each other, Kelly, the woman they’ve been lusting after for years, is suddenly available in a way she's never been before. Lust and love confuse the issue, until wounded emotions pull the threesome apart, creating an opportunity for the enemy. As the Project Protection Agency grows more determined to capture viable Circs for their tests, Kelly lands on their radar. Captured, she’s taken to the Pearson Labs. Can Zack and Ace come to grips with their differences in time to save Kelly, or will their difficulties lose them the love of their lives, and each other?

Ex-haust-ed

I'm done. Kaput. Fatigued beyond rational. I finally finished CR: Derrick. I promised myself I'd finish the story this weekend. Well, I worked my *ss off today (Saturday), from a little past two in the afternoon 'til now, four a.m. I worked for 14 hrs straight, and I'm exhausted.

I'm going to reread and edit it later in the week. For now, I'm just glad to be DONE!!!

What's In a Name?

A short pet peeve of mine... weird names in romance books. Not sure if I talked about this before, but I thought I'd mention it again.

Now I've given my characters wacko names, but those are for men and women living in futuristic worlds. Aliens and creatures who live in dark places and parallel universes. But in my contemporaries, Ethan and Jewel (short for Julia), Gage and Hailey, Lilah and Rick (and Trevor) fall in love. It's a tricky thing to come up with a decent name that doesn't look bizarre or feel "unsexy." Look, I know a few guys named Larry, but I probably won't use "Larry" as my hero. It brings to mind the Three Stooges-- love 'em, but I don't think they're all that sexy. Likewise, I won't use Gertrude unless I can call her "Gerty" and give her a quirky background. Betty reminds me too much of my grandmother. Muriel's plain ugly. Sorry Mom, but it is (she goes by Mimi.) We all use personal choices when naming people, be they characters in a book, pets, plants or babies.

But I must ask the authors out there who toy with the simple "Sarah" and turn her into "Sarra," "Sarie" and "Sarrah", what are you doing? Why can't Sara/h fall in love with David? What's wrong with Mike obsessing over Jennifer--not Jeni, Jenniffer or Jeni Fer? This propensity to write character names in the oddest way possible strikes me as bizarre. Is the author trying to show how different her characters are from any other? Then make the story stand out. Because I get stuck on wacky names in a contemporary setting.

Don't get me wrong. When Wulfgar, an ancient Viking cursed to immortality, finds himself in the middle of Central Park fighting a gang for the honor of a woman named Amy, I don't mind at all. But my son doesn't go to school with Wulfgar, Zingo or Gren (okay, he was one of my heroes from a futuristic, but you get my point.) His friends are Alex, Abraham, Lucas and Megan.

I'm all for a creative book, but don't distract me from the story with a crazy name. Just my two cents, which is probably what this post is worth.

Torsos for Everyone

Well, the day didn't start out so well, so I think I'm entitled to look at a nice torso for a while. Oh yeah, that's much better.

A rundown of my morning:

• 0430 puppy decides he has to pee, even after going out four hours prior. Grumbling, I let him out... and eventually back inside.
  

• 0515 I finally fall back asleep

• 0600 alarm clock goes off, I hit snooze

• 0700 I wake from a nightmare where a serial killer continues to find me no matter where I run. Oh joy.

• 0702 husband nags the sh*t out of me to wake up 5 year old

• 0703 husband grabs 5-yr old out of bed, who screams at the top of his lungs that he wants Momma to carry him. Husband dumps him next to me.
  

• 0705 3-yr old joins me in bed, sandwiching me between him and 5-yr old, who hates mornings as much as I do

• 0715 I convince 5-yr old to wake up so he can catch the bus. 3-yr old refuses to go back to bed.

• 0750 5-yr old catches bus

• 0930 I take 3-yr old to Mother's Day Out

• 1315 I leave to pick up 3-yr old after screwing off all morning. Instead of writing, I dithered with my website, which is now black instead of red. And I had a field day at iStockphoto (see picture to the right). Why oh why am I putting off writing the last third of Derrick's story???????
  

Needless to say, I'm still smacking myself. I did, however, manage to run a mile after the boy got home from kindergarten and the teenager returned home. Took the kids to Monkey Joes to bounce, then the family out to dinner. Bought more Smart Water and Agave (alternative to sugar), and am set to write another chapter before I go to bed. All in all, not a bad ending to a crappy morning. Let's hope tonight my dreams are a lot less real. ack

Ye Olde Grindstone

In case you were wondering, that image to the left is a grindstone--as in, back to the grindstone, vacation's over!

The other day I bought a 2009 Sierra Club wall calendar. To my dismay, they no longer sell The Far Side wall calendars. Horror! I also picked up a new At-A-Glance Desk calendar. I bought a leather cover for it last year, and what do you know, I couldn't find any 2009 refills. So I now have a useless leather cover and a brand new plastic covered calendar. (I have to have the desk calendar, because I keep track of my work in there. Deadlines, important events, etc.)

So far in 2009, I've completed In Plain Sight, its synopsis, and sent it off to my editor at Samhain. I also finished post-proof edits for Circe's Recruits: Zack & Ace. I'm preparing to sign a new contract for The Thief of Mardu, in a general shift to move my futuristics to Total E-Bound. And I'm hard at work on Circe's Recruits: Derrick.

I've taken advantage of my vacation, however. I've already read Murder Game, by Christine Feehan (A+), Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian (A), and Witch Heart by Anya Bast (A-). All really great books. I also purchased a bunch of books from Elloras Cave, since they're having a mondo close-out sale. I got a bunch of print titles for $3 and $4. What a deal! I also have two Shelly Laurenston books on order, a Christmas gift using my B&N giftcard.

Work to do, books to read, and the kids are finally back in school. Time for me to get my groove on. Cheers!

Feral Attraction Winner!

Congrats to ddurance. Deidre, you've won a copy of Feral Attraction. Shoot me an email at marie_harte@yahoo.com with your home address on it and I'll mail it out to you. You'll have it before it hits the bookshelves, Jan 27th! Congrats.

Your Nerves or Mine?

This has been bothering me for a few days, but I wonder if I'm just anal retentive, or if this is a topic that bothers other readers as well. The use of quirky language in books. And by quirky language, I mean the way the characters talk. Using wacko spellings to indicate brogue, Chicago-ese or my ultimate cringer, "gawd."

I truly believe in an author's right to be as creative as possible. Alternate worlds, species and hell, throw in genders if you want. But when I'm reading a book where the character says, for example, "Oh my gawd. He's so hawt," I can't help but cringe. Done once or twice I might let it go, but when the character says it every other line, I have to work hard not just to close the book, but to not throw the damned book/ereader across the room.

A bestselling book caught my eye at the store a few months ago. I'd been curious about reading it. The setting is cool, it's a kind of urban fantasy meets wizard world with a feisty heroine. Problem is, she's talks like she's stuck in a bad film noir set. Gangster lingo that drives me nuts. All I could see was James Cagney in a skirt. Not a pretty sight.

Hell, I had a hard enough time with one of the first historicals I read many years ago, where the author spelled out dialogue like " 'e's comin, miss. Whar can I put the bags, in 'ere?" Not sure if that was supposed to be cockney or what, but I had a headache by the end of the page. Now I realize the author was trying to go for authenticity, but since I live in the now, in America, it was awfully hard to understand, let alone follow what the heck was going on in the plot.

In my opinion, quirky is good, if not overdone. A character's oddities can be shown through action and yes, a bit of odd dialogue or slang, but too much can never be a good thing. Even in regular speak, when conversing with real people, I wonder about those I'm talking to that call me "babe" or "doll" or "honey." I'm just not used to talking to women like that in real life. Even my husband doesn't call me baby, though that I wouldn't mind so much.

So maybe it's just me, but the creative speech patterns of several of the authors I've read recently are just annoying me. Since dialogue is a compelling part of the book, when forced to skip it to go to narrative, I know that's not a good sign. But maybe I'm the only one that feels this way. Who knows?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, 2009! I cannot believe it! We've almost hit a new decade in this new millennium.

Hope everyone out there had a great celebration. I know I did. And a great big thank you to the inventor of the Cosmopolitan. Whoopee!

Marie