Flaming Posts

I've been hearing on some loops about some flaming posts concerning a recent ebook review. Flaming, in case you didn't know, is a negative comment, insulting and most defintely derogatory. Apparently, someone didn't like a book they read and said so on their blog. Then a bunch of idiots sent anonymous replies to the reviewer bad mouthing everything from the reviewers own novels to, well, whatever else bad you can think about.

Look, I've read ebooks I don't particularly like, and if asked by a friend, would say why I didn't like it. But posting insulting things about the author or reviewer who dissed the book is not only unprofessional as an author, immature and unnecessary, but cowardly when you won't even use your own name. It takes a lot of time to write a book, so even if I think one is crap, I still respect the author who took the time an energy to create it. I just figure the book's not my cup of tea. Hey, people loved the movie Jerry McGuire, and I hated it. Yes, I hated it. And though I'm no Tom Cruise fan, and never have been, I like other movies he's been in. I just didn't like the whole Jerry McGuire plot. Go ahead people, bring it on. I have debated this issue to death. :)

Of course, that's another rant entirely. Suffice it to say, if you don't like what someone says, be mature enough to agree to disagree. Character bashing isn't necessary.

My two cents.

Marie

Time to Crack the Whip

The weekend has come and gone. I finally unpacked from RT. Heck, it's only been a week! I have so much promo stuff it isn't funny, but my old critique partner didn't get to go, so I'm giving her some stuff. I couldn't believe the amount of free books each attendee received from that conference. Paid for itself with free reads! On my way home from the conference, I read a few stories from my Secrets anthologies and EC collections. I like the shorter stories because I can get through them easily. Once I finish the current projects I have scheduled, I'm going to sit back and read for fun. But between the conference, my mom's visit at Easter, and the past week catching up, I'm behind on my writing.

Time to crack that whip! I'll be updating my webpage with a May contest and some new excerpts. And I'll have my newsletter out soon as well.

Have a nice night, and the end to a beautiful weekend.

Marie

New Cover for Whispers: TEMPTING TRADITIONS

I have to say I really like this cover. The guy is hot, and I love his eyes. Yeah, *snicker* it's his eyes I'm in love with. Tempting Traditions will be coming out with Whispers Publishing sometime this summer. To read a short blurb, click on the blog title.

I actually have a lot of releases coming this summer. From Loose Id, Tied and True and Reaper's Reward. Both are contemporary erotic romance, and pretty hot. :) From Samhain, A Scorching Seduction, a short story and part of their Midsummer Night's Steam collection. Two heroes, one heroine, LOTS of fun in the sun.

I've finished a butt-load of edits and am now working on Guardian's Redemption. Man, I meant for this to be done by now, but with RT and my other stuff, it got pushed back. I'm hoping to have it done by mid-June. Cross your fingers!! Guardian's Redemption is the final installment in the Storm Lords series, and is going to be a larger volume as it will completely stand alone from the other works, while also giving answers to those questions books 1-4 asked. Can't wait to finish this!! I'll be posting sneak peaks as I go, so stay tuned to my newsletter and website.

That's all for now! Chow

Marie

Life After RT

Well, hello there! I've been told I'm a slacker for not posting about RT yet, especially when I said I would on my website. Sorry... I still haven't unpacked. As soon as I returned home on Monday, I set my suitcases on the floor, bonded with my kids and hubby, (youngest turned 2 yesterday), and once everyone fell asleep, I started on some overdue edits. *sigh* They never stop.

RT was GREAT! I had the best time. I grafted myself to some RWA chicks from Phoenix. Woohee. Do those ladies know how to have fun. In particular, NCP author Samantha Storm, a split personality with more names (Cat, Hey You, Wacko) than fingers, and Teri, a loud, aggressive ex-MP who had me laughing so hard I cried. Heck, when in costume, both Cat and Teri had much funny and unwelcome attention. Cat from a very old man gaping at her tremendous bosom, and Teri from a policeman wanting to arrest her for solicitation. Too funny for words.

The conference introduced me to some wonderful authors, readers and book lovers alike. You just can't lose when surrounded by people who like romance.

I'll post more tomorrow on my experiences with RT. But I have to say, I'm so incredibly glad I went. And you don't get a better roommate than my friend Gladys. :)

Marie

RT, Here I Come!

Only two more days until I board the plane to Houston. And as usual, I'm not prepared to leave at all. I have some bookmarks to print out tomorrow, and then a ton of packing to do. And the husband has the nerve to ask if I'm going to clean the house before I go... I just gave him a look, to which he responded in kind. I just know there's a deficiency in that Y chromosome.

In any event, I'm still a little nervous about getting from the airport to the hotel. At RT, I'll have to pay through the nose for a cab or alternate transportation. *sigh* I've taken a cab once in my life. What can I say? I like to drive.

I finished another round of edits on Tied and True that about killed me, and I'm busy readying for the conference. Still not sure if I should take my laptop or not. If I don't, I'll wish I had. And if I do, I have a feeling I won't use it much. But I WILL be taking my Ebookwise reader. I love that sucker! So many books packed into one small device.

Now I'm off to Fictionwise/Ebookwise to purchase some books.

I'll try to post before I leave. Chow!

Marie

The Talsons Will Live On

I had a great response to my series question posted a few days ago. And one question...will the Talson series I started last year continue? Yes! In fact, the fourth book, Talson's Match, was written months ago, but due to issues with my publisher at that time, I never submitted it.

Talson's Wait was intended as one book, a futuristic short story about a half-breed human/Otra who runs a shipping company and the indentured servant he can't help lusting after. In a future Earth, the Otra are an alien species who look human, but have enhanced psychic abilities. I'd originally written the first one with no intention of writing more. But at the end, it turned out the hero, Roarke, had brothers, three half-brothers of full Otra blood: Zaret, Valis and Romec.

So...I had three more books to write. And then other characters started popping up. I wrote and published Roarke's story, Talson's Wait, Zaret's story, Talson's Test, Val's story, Talson's Net, and added Romy's story, Talson's Match. I've since pulled my stories from that publisher, and am looking for a new home for all the Talsons. Problem is, I need to revise my earlier stories so they have more meat (the first was only 6K long). I have other works to finish before I return to the Talsons, but I definitely want them to be read again. I'd love for them to be in an anthology. But for the next month or so, they're on hold.

For an excerpt of Talson's Match, check out my website and the Coming Soon page.

Now I have to go. Supernatural is on. A guilty pleasure, I know. :)

Marie

Updates

Gosh, my posts have gone from daily to sporadic to weekly! Ack. I wanted to check in and say hey. I'm readying for RT in Houston and am scrambling to gather everything I need to take. Promos and book stands and clothes, shoes too. What a pain in the *ss. And then there's the mad scramble for a shuttle to the hotel.

Blech. To discuss things more pleasant, I just sent out the April newsletter. New contest information can be found there and on my website. Just check the contest page. Deadline/winner announced April 23rd.

I've finished final edits on A Scorching Seduction, coming to Samhain in June. I also finished edits on Tied and True, coming to Loose Id this summer. And I submitted edits for Tempting Traditions, coming to Whispers Publishing. Whew. A lot of edits. And I have more for Reaper's Reward just sitting in my inbox.

Of course, I need to finish Service With a Smile and work on Guardian's Redemption, my next projects.

But all that's going to have to wait until I come back April 30th. Needless to say, I'll try to blog more this week and next until I leave on Tuesday the 24th.

Chow for now,

Marie

A question about series books...

Wow. It didn't take me long to fall off the wagon on posts. Sorry. Have family visiting and I've been distracted. Not to mention I've been knee-deep in edits and the beginning of a whopper story, my last installment of the Storm Lords. This one is going to be big, a stand-alone if you've never read the others, while also tying up all the loose ends in the other stories. Whew. I'm tired thinking about it.

So my question for you out there....how do you feel about series stories? How do you feel about the lag time between books in a series, and what makes you decide to try them out?

I've been glad to read about characters I fell in love with in a novel having their own stories told, and also disappointed when an author failed to make good on a series by not finishing that final book. (I promise, I'm writing book 5 of the Storm Lords.) And sometimes it's hard since lag time between books in a series might make you forget details. But if you're like me, and keep a lot of your books, that's not much a problem.

Your thoughts?

Marie

Happy Easter!

Hi! First I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Hope you all had a nice holiday. Sorry I haven't been posting much. My mother is down from Seattle, and we're having a blast. So I've been playing hooky from my writing. Managed to do some edits for Tied and True, and I need to get on the ball for edits on Reaper's Reward.

Ah well. I'll try to catch up this week.

Smiles,
Marie

A Familiar Face now Available

A Familiar Face is now available from NCP. There are a few glitches with the excerpt, however, so if you want to read about the story, do it through my website. Hopefully this will be fixed soon. The story, however, is good. :)
Check below for the cover.

Marie

Cover for A Familiar Face, and a special thanks

Good evening! I decided to post a picture of my newest cover. I think I'm in love!!!! Jenny Dixon sure has a way with art, doesn't she? A Familiar Face will be coming out from NCP very soon. So stay tuned...

And on another note, I'd like to say "hi" to my dad, and to say thank you for the years of "writing" influence. A teacher for 35+ years, my father had quite an influence on my love for the English language. I'm anal retentive when it comes to punctuation, spelling and grammar. And I majored in English in college.

So thanks, Dad. And I hope you enjoy the book I sent you in the mail. I bet Anna will!

Marie

A Great Weekend

I just spent the weekend having a GREAT time in Birmingham with the writers of Southern Magic, an RWA group. I finalled in the Linda Howard Award of Excellence. And while I didn't win, I made a lot of new friends and some wonderful contacts. I'd especially like to mention two women who had me laughing and in awe. Kim and Pam, you guys rock! And Sherrilyn Kenyon is a great person to listen to. So many insights into publishing, and funny to boot. :)

I just wanted to thank Southern Magic for such a well-run conference, and the people there for being so friendly and informative. Oh, and I really should say thanks as well to my husband for watching the little ones while I played "writer." Thanks, Jake. I love you.

Marie