Well, it’s official. I have a release date!

March 30,2010 will be the eBook release of Everlong. I am so excited to have this book out in the world. It’s not your typical romance. It’s a complicated story, full of pain and survival. Most of all, it’s about love. The deep, once-in-a-lifetime kind we all search for and so rarely ever find.

I took a few step closer to publication last night by writing what I think is the hardest part of any book -the blurb. Since this was a Samhain sale, it also meant having a tag line and writing a warning (which is almost the first thing I check out on their site)

So, after freaking out a little (or a lot) as I always do when faced with a deadline and expectations, I buckled down and got it written.

I’ll even share the rough draft. The final is with the blurb editor, getting all polished up and looking pretty.

Unedited Blurb:

Exiled since birth, Princess Madelyn DeGray bides her time in the city of Rihos, waiting until the day her queen mother will leave her no choice but to ascend, securing her position as second in line for the throne of Askara.

On the eve of her ascendancy, amid the turmoil fueled by her debut into Askaran society, she is exposed to gruesome truths and heinous acts committed in the name of tradition.

Rather than condone her mother’s machinations, Madelyn accepts an unexpected offer extended by her Evanti guardian. To spare her from a life of brutality, he helps her escape from Askara and flee to the earthen realm.

The new world is unlike anything she’s ever known. Tossed into a colony of slaves brave enough to escape service to their queen, the Evanti lead simple lives where mates are cherished and families are united in their mutual quest for happiness.

The colonists teach Madelyn there’s more to life than survival and that some risks are worth taking, even with her heart.

Her newfound independence forces her to choose between the male who’s loved her for a lifetime and the demon willing to lend her his wings.

For a tag line, I settled on this: True love is waiting in the wings.

The first half of my warning is courtesy of my critique partner:

Warning: This book contains virginal angst, a hero who’s too nice for his own good, wings, claws, and convenient use of glamour. It contains heartbreaking loss, conversation with a woodland creature, and sweet, sweet demon loving.

Once these are cleaned up and finalized, I’ll post them on the “Bookshelf” page. The excerpt is also coming soon(ish).

It’s official! I signed my first contract with Samhain Publishing today!

It is the first book in a new series I’m working on about Evanti and Askaran demons. I have three more books planned, starting with Everafter before moving on to Evermore.

This book was my first attempt at writing first person, and I’m very attached to the characters. I’m so happy the book has found a good home 😀

I will soon be posting an excerpt, as well as some beautiful artwork I’ve been given permission to use as a representation of my vision of Askara.

Is luck real or imagined? Are lucky people harder workers than the rest of us or do they reap the benefits of “right place, right time?”

Can you improve your luck? Can you do something to make yourself unlucky?

I’m not sure.

I believe in the power of positive thinking. If you think you can do it, I believe you will be more motivated to tackle your goals and achieve them.

I started thinking along these lines when I got a package from a friend in the mail about a week ago. My friend had gone to a bar in Scotland for a glass of wine after work. While there, she was approached by a man who put a yarn angel on her table with a card explaining that he sold them to supplement his income.

She took one look at the angel and decided I had to have it. (I attached the picture below, so you can see him in all his yarn man glory.)

The odd thing is that my friend bought the angel because he reminded her of a character in a book I’d written. It’s the first book in a series about Evanti and Askaran demons, and the Evanti demons are black skinned with carmine colored wings.

True, this little guy is made from white yarn with pink wings and a pink loin cloth (instead of leather), but she thought of my character and how awesome is that?

I gave him a place of honor on my desk and told my friend he would be my luck charm for that series. I really loved the book, Everlong, but I worried about finding the novel a home.

About a week after Harper Jr. arrived, I got an email that made my heart stop. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share that news with you in the next few days.

In closing, I’m not sure which helped more -my little yarn “demon,” the faith of the friend who sent him, or my determination to live up to expectations set for me. One of the three worked.

I’m willing to leave the question unanswered (and my demon on my desktop.)

Catherine Spangler hosted the Author of the Month Workshop on Romance Divas this month. You can find the first of three instalments HERE.

While reading the workshop, I saw the quote below and thought how very true it is. Motivation has to be in your story. People (vampires, werewolves) don’t wake up and make drastic life changes without some sort of catalyst.

Memorize this statement: In writing, you can get by with almost anything, as long as you motivate it properly. Put it on a sign above your computer. Chant it to yourself ten times a day.

Click to view the twelve page Writing Right Workshop handout.

Thanks so much to Catherine for allowing me to use her material and pass along some very share worthy pointers.

You can find Catherine’s website HERE.

I’ve been a Karen Marie Moning fan from the moment I read the first page of Blood Fever back in 2007. The Fever series intrigued me, so I turned to the internet in search of more information on the author and her work.

Fate led my click-happy finger to the Karen Moning Forum and I’ve never looked back. Not only did I discover more titles in need of reading, but I also made some of the best friends of my adult life through that board.

Yesterday marked the two year anniversary of the forum. Below are a few video montages documenting the past year of our shared lives.

Everything is covered, from goofy thread topics to member achievements. And best of all, finally getting to see Karen in the flesh and giving her a big hug for all the ways she’s enriched our lives.

Made by Lis and Cheryle.
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The MacHalo Tour
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The last I can only link you to, but it’s a good one. Probably my favorite of the three.

I’ve read repeatedly where fans complain about lack of author response to fans and fan mail. You won’t find an author more dedicated to her fans than Karen, or her assistant Leiha.

Karen’s health has affected her ability to conduct book signings and appearances in the last couple of years. This past April she announced plans to drop in on a “Maniac” luncheon being held in Atlanta, and we all scrambled to make travel arrangements.

Not only did Karen sign books for everyone until her fingers cramped, but she posed endlessly for pictures and spoke to everyone one-on-one. It was great fun and well worth the four hour drive to finally meet her in person.

The signing fell on my daughter’s ninth birthday, so my husband and I decided to spend the weekend in Atlanta to celebrate with tickets to the Georgia Aquarium. But that isn’t what I’ll remember most.

What I will remember long after the books are closed and the ink has dried is that Karen and Leiha thought to bring my daughter a birthday cake.

After eating lunch, everyone stopped and sang “Happy Birthday” to my baby girl.

That goes beyond reader loyalty –it proves no matter how well her books have sold and how popular she has become, her fans are always in her thoughts.

And I like that. A lot. If she hadn’t already been on my “auto buy” list for life, then that simple kindness would have put her there.

Happy Anniversary to my fellow Maniacs!