Public Speaking

I have been working on my second book feverishly. I still have a ways to go. I'm not yet happy.


This one is so different than the first, even though it's one of a series. Here's a slight clue. It's called Burned Into Time. That's a biggie right there! My heroine gets burned into time!

But I am taking a break to talk about speaking in public.
Yes, this is a big problem for me, and it might be one for many of you. My fear of being in front of people has put a damper on a lot of things. I freeze and have to plug myself back in for a few seconds. Deep inside the words are trying to emerge.


I have great fear that something like this will happen!



Shell shocked I will sit there and try to read the words or even remember what I am doing there! The anti nerve pills ain't working and your stomach has a fire breathing dragon in it.
With a force that comes from who knows where takes over, like an alien, I push myself to say the words. Bluemberglst? Yeah that makes sense. And I remember what one of my FRW friends said to me. Picture them naked. Ha! that just might work.



One thing I can be sure of is that no matter how badly I do, Traci will tell me I did great!
Friends well



Yeah, that's exactly what I need to say!

Just a Reminder

Don't forget to go to the http://authorroastandtoast.blogspot.com for a great blog and a lot of fun with Cindy K. Green, while we freeze our butts off for this wonderful White Rose Author. Snow bunny, hmmmmm? Sharon's wonderful imagination can almost make me one.

Lyn, Mary and Sharon are shocking the multitudes! You have to check out this blog!!

Forget how you usually feel in the morning and join us for some fun, verbal banter, laughter and a dose of Oliver, Junior, and Cuddles.
What better way to start the day.

Here is my Friday gift to you!

Play by FoxSaver®

Author Roast and Toast On Friday 9/25!

Don't forget to go to http://authorroastandtoast.blogspot.com on Friday, 9/25. We are roasting and toasting Kat Henry Doran and having a great time doing it.
Sharon's butler, Oliver, is polishing glasses, making hor d'oeuvres, and just got back from having a facial, hair styling, and waxing. He wants to look his best. I hope he is not wearing that loincloth again this week.
Junior is thoroughly searching the property for places where the paparazzi might try to take pictures.
Cuddles is in the air and comes down to magically touch the areas that Junior barks at. Instantly the fences are repaired and the thin areas of the hedges are fixed.
Lyn is sending out reminders and Sharon is setting out the martini and other drink fixins.
Welcome to anyone who wants to make a comment or tease the heck out of Kat. That is your mission. This is your opportunity, use it. That is exactly what we want you to do. What's the word? Outwit, out comment, out last, hey Kat's book is out!
If you want to have fun, if you want to join in some wonderful fun . Come by anytime from 10:00am on to well past 5:00pm when everyone gets home from work.
We are ready. Come and get Kat!!

Ha! It feels good to Laugh Out Loud

No this is not my DH but he wouldn't pose for me so I had to use this picture. The purpose of this picture is to make you stop and look at my blog.
First I offer you a hot looking guy, then I pass along some jokes.

But I would also like to mention that I am still on cloud nine. After getting a great review from You Gotta Read Reviewers, I am up there. I don't think I am gonna come down for awhile. It's nice on this cloud. I've never been here before.

I'd also like to mention that this Friday The Author Roast and Toast blog will be roasting Kat Henry Doran. Please drop by and make a comment. Tease and cajole Kat and spend the day laughing with other authors and your roasting hostess's.
Looking forward to meeting you all there. Ten in the morning till we are too exhausted to type. It's fun! http://authorroastandtoast.blogspot.com

Marriage Humor Wife: 'What are you doing?' Husband: Nothing. Wife: 'Nothing...? You've been reading our marriage certificate for an hour.' Husband: 'I was looking for the expiration date.' ------------------------------- Wife : 'Do you want dinner?' Husband: 'Sure! What are my choices?' Wife: 'Yes or no.' ____________________ Wife: 'You always carry my photo in your wallet.. Why?' Hubby: 'When there is a problem, no matter how great, I look at your picture and the problem disappears.' Wife: 'You see how miraculous and powerful I am for you?' Hubby: 'Yes! I see your picture and ask myself what other problem can there be greater than this one?' -------------------------------------------------------- Stress Reliever Girl: 'When we get married, I want to share all your worries, troubles and lighten your burden.' Boy: 'It's very kind of you, darling, but I don't have any worries or troubles.' Girl: 'Well that's because we aren't married yet.' ------------------------------ Son: 'Mum, when I was on the bus with Dad this morning, he told me to give up my seat to a lady.' Mom: 'Well, you have done the right thing..' Son: 'But mum, I was sitting on daddy's lap.' ________________________________ A newly married man asked his wife, 'Would you have married me if my father hadn't left me a fortune?' 'Honey,' the woman replied sweetly, 'I'd have married you, NO MATTER WHO LEFT YOU A FORTUNE!' ------------------------------------------------------------ Girl to her boyfriend: One kiss and I'll be yours forever. The guy replies: 'Thanks for the early warning.' ------------------------------- A wife asked her husband: 'What do you like most in me, my pretty face or my sexy body?' He looked at her from head to toe and replied: 'I like your sense of humor!' Husbands are husbands A man was sitting reading his papers when his wife hit him on the head with a frying pan. 'What was that for?' the man asked. The wife replied 'That was for the piece of paper with the name Sally on it that I found in your pants pocket'. The man then said 'When I was at the races last week Sally was the name of the horse I bet on' The wife apologized and went on with the housework. Three days later the man is watching TV when his wife bashes him on the head with an even bigger frying pan, knocking him unconscious. Upon re-gaining consciousness the man asked why she had hit again. Wife replied. 'Your horse phoned'

Let's talk to Emma Lai!

I met TWRP's lovely Emma Lai on the loop. From day one I have watched her take her precious time and comment on peoples blogs. Emma is a true sweetheart and one great author. Her inner beauty shines in her words and in her way of looking at life.
We are all lucky to have her. Welcome Emma!


Blurb:

Ellie Woods is in love…with a ship. When an argument with the ship results in a bump on the head, she finds herself in the strong arms of Alastair. But who is he and where did he come from?
Alastair has loved Ellie from afar for years, but duty has kept him from revealing himself to her. When a grave threat reveals his true identity, he hopes that Ellie will choose reality over fantasy.

Excerpt:


She fought to stay aware by focusing her gaze on the intriguing cleft in her rescuer’s chin. After a few moments, she tried to tilt her head back to get a look at the rest of his face, but the action made her dizzy once again. She gave up with a sigh and relaxed against his firm, broad chest.

She shrugged. Chances were she would not recognize him anyway. Over two hundred people served on the ship. She knew the dozen or so engineers who worked the first and third rotations and maybe another dozen crewmates by sight, others who worked the same rotation and happened to eat their meals in solitary silence at the same time she did. She would guess from the fact that he had to ask her name that he was not any of those two dozen individuals.

Maybe she should not have told him her real name. At least that way, when he talked about finding a woman helpless in the bowels of the ship, no one would have known who it was. Yeah, right, whom was she trying to fool? She was the sole person assigned duty to this area during fourth rotation. Her breath caught, and she stiffened in his arms. Who was he, and what was he doing in a restricted area?

“Relax,” he said.

“Who are you?” She tried to sit up in his arms, determined to get a look at him and an answer to her question.

He lifted her higher in his arms, which wedged her head between his head and shoulder and prevented her from getting a good look at his face. “Alastair.” His warm breath fluttered against her forehead and cheek.



Bio:

Emma uses her writing as an outlet for the myriad of thoughts that crowd her overactive mind. In addition to Mates of the Guardians, a series of short stories focusing on a mysterious group of individuals on a quest to save the universe and their search for love, she is working on a contemporary romance book and a science fiction/fantasy book series. She also has more plans for the Guardians. However, there is no telling what else she will literally dream up.



Are you a plotter or a panster?
All of my stories to date have been written via the seat of my pants. I planted my bottom in my chair and typed out the scenes that I dreamed up and let the characters have their heads. After delving into the Mates of the Guardians series, I discovered the value in plotting. I'm not saying that I'm going to be a dedicated plotter, but I'm carefully finishing up the Mates of the Guardians series with the knowledge that it will affect a book that I'm working on.


How long had you been writing before publishing your first book?
I just started writing fiction in June of 2008 to help me relax after finishing a writing intensive Masters program. (For the degree, I was writing one or two 15-20 page in-depth research papers every ten weeks.) However, I didn't get serious about trying my hand at writing for publication until November of 2008. I got lucky with my first short story submission, which was accepted by The Wild Rose Press a month after I submitted it. WOW and YAY!


What do love to do in your free time?
I read a lot, but what I really love to do is spend time with my husband. I know it sounds sappy, but it's true. We hang out together and just talk or go to the movies. He's one of the most interesting people that I know and keeps me inspired.


Is your husband and family supportive of your writing career?
Definitely. My mother-in-law is the one who encouraged me to submit, and my husband bugged me until I did. The rest of the family think I'm brave for sticking my neck out there even though they don't necessarily read romance.


Who is your own favorite author, and what do you like to read?
That's a really hard question. I have tons of favorite authors in a variety of genres. Some of my favorite classical authors include Lewis Carroll, Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and George Orwell. In fantasy, I'm following the Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erickson. The man is a master at world building on an almost incomprehensible scale. I also follow Raymond E. Feist. My favorites of his were the Serpentwar Saga and Empire Series, which he wrote with Janny Wurts. For mystery, I read the Pepper Martin Series by Casey Daniels...who doesn't love a sassy woman who solves mysteries for ghosts? For historical fiction, I'm reading books by Anne Easter Smith. For Regency romance, I follow Stephanie Laurens, Lisa Kleypas, and Victoria Alexander, but they are by no means the only ones I read. For paranormal romance, I read J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. I also read many of the authors who write for The Wild Rose Press. You can check out my author interviews to see who I'm currently reading.


What are you working on now?
I'm working on edits for the second story in the Mates of the Guardians series, currently titled HIS HOPE, HER SALVATION. Hopefully, it will be followed by HER FANTASY LOVER; HIS LIGHT, HER SHADOW; and HER WARRIOR'S LOVE which are all in progress. I also want to complete a contemporary romance I've been working on as well as a young adult fantasy.


How much research do you do for your books?
I probably spend about a third of my time on research. This includes looking at period clothing, politics, and manners; astronomy; and mythology. When I'm not writing a particular piece I still read history books and mythology books with an eye out for possible story ideas.

Let's all take the time to comment on Emma's blog and let the sweetheart of TWRP know how much we care about her. And let's all read one fabulous story!

For those of you blog hopping the next site is http://mizging.blogspot.com
Have fun finding those eggs and enjoy your prizes. From me an ebook copy of my own Tripping Through Time. Good luck with Skyhe's wonderful contest. No egg here!

You can find Emma at the sites below. Love you Emma!

Emma Lai (emmalaiwrites@yahoo.com)
http://emmalaiwrites.blogspot.com
http://www.emmalaiwrites.com/
His Ship, Her Fantasy - coming August 12th from The Wild Rose Press

Book Signing

Well I am back to promoting my book signing. Myself and five other authors are hosting it at The Serenity Garden Tea House in West Palm Beach Florida.
This place is so cool. Even if you don't give a darn about the books, it's such a fun thing to have high tea. Every time I go there I see a pattern of china some relative had when I was a kid.
And the food, whew, it's wonderful. Those little tea sandwiches are the best. Along with warm homemade scones, your favorite tea, soup, desert. A real deal and a fun time. We hope everyone mingles and has the best fun ever. Now that would make me happy. The Palm Beach post just listed our event in the Accent section. Gosh I hope a lot of people come and we raise the joint in laughter.
Love to see you there, please come!

Serenity Garden Tea House Author Signing in West Palm Beach

On Saturday April 4th, six local authors, Jianne Carlo, Traci Hall, Dayana Knight, Mona Risk, Patrice Wilton and Mary Ricksen, will be hosting a full afternoon high tea at the Serenity Garden Tea House, at 316 Vallette Way, in West Palm Beach, Florida, 561-655-3911. Check the web site for directions and information about the place; www.serenitygardentea.com.

The authors write romance; contemporary, young adult, paranormal, erotic suspense, and even time travel. The authors will be available to answer questions about writing, to make suggestions, have a raffle, and sign books. We encourage mingling.
The tea house is an amazing place. Kind of shabby sheik, when you look around, you can surely find your grandmother or your mothers china. The food is fabulous, there are teas I have never heard of in my life. And the scones, they're killer.
To ensure you will be able to participate in "High Tea" you will have to make a reservation. More to follow.

Me and Ellen

A few years ago I had osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone. For a couple of months my hand hurt. It started out slightly painful and got to the point where if I touched it, the pain was incredible. I really hate going to the doctors so I pretended it would go away. I guess I was able to stand it because I was taking pain medication for my herniated discs. And I didn't want any medical expenses I couldn't afford to pay.

Well, one day I woke to find my hand enormously swollen, and a harsh red area on the inside of my upper wrist. My husband with his usual finesse, dubbed it my lobster claw. Well I was in the hospital for two weeks on massive doses of antibiotics. The pain was just incredible, nothing is worse than bone pain.

After that I had to go to the hospital every morning to get my antibiotics for over two months. I would go to Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, every day including weekends.
On the weekdays I found myself in a large room, the same room that I had a PICC line installed in my arm. Ouch! Anyways, there were people there getting blood or platelet transfusions for cancer, and things like that done, as well as people like me. There were those there who had fatal diseases and suffered with fear and pain. A smile became a big thing for these people. It was, well, it was sad.

Now mind you I never watched Ellen before that. But because the TV was a community thing, I had to watch it. I found the show funny and engaging. But the very best part came, when Ellen danced.

Those who could hopped up out of their reclining chairs, including the nurses and aides. A sad and depressing place suddenly came alive. They were dancing around and laughing, and I couldn't believe it. For a few short minutes every day, they danced. They forgot for a moment, they forgot the pain, the fear and the unhappiness, and in that one moment Ellen became a star for me. Not for the comedy, but for the dancing. Can you believe it?

Toting IV poles and shuffling in slippers, rolling wheel chairs around, their pain was momentarily forgotten. A for just a while there was joy, pure joy, in a very sad place. It happened every day I was there. A little bit of momentary joy came into their lives. And for people facing death thats a good thing.

So I wrote to Ellen, and I invited her to come to the hospital and see. Well they never even answered me, they must get a million letters. But I'll bet Ellen would get a big kick out of the small gift she had given these people. A little fun for a few minutes. It would have to last some of them all day. But for them, they were able to escape. And that's where I came to realize that Ellen was doing the same thing we do as writers. I like to think that we as authors are giving that same gift to others. She gave them an escape. A time to forget their problems and have fun. How cool is that?

What to do when you get a bad review.

Yesterday I got my first review on my recently released book, 'Tripping Through Time'. You all know how it is. You work hard on a book, sometimes for years. And you do the best you can, learning all the way in the process. Your heart is in your work. It means so much to you.

And then somebody trashes you in your first review.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my parents always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. And there is something wrong when a reviewer ignores that unspoken consideration, when she does a review. Especially when they have not published a book yet, and knows how hard it is and how important it is to you.

Well the first thing I did was to cry hysterically for about twenty four hours. And if I think about it I could still cry. Now I know I am sensitive and need to toughen up, but come on. Then I read the many kind comments people have made to me to make me feel better. They did. Even Christina Dodd got terrible reviews for a book that has been a best seller for years, my critique partner told me. Just ignore it. Well I'm a tryin'.

I know that different people have different tastes. I have read a lot of books I didn't go crazy over. But I would never, ever, trash someone. I have a heart.

Now I'll be honest I uttered a lot of expletives over the the last twenty four hours, toward the person who wrote the review. But only in front of my husband. I also sent out vibes. But all of that is a waste of time.

I decided I am gonna listen to the comments from other writers that are positive. And to give a lot of those comments right back to them. Because I always thought that was what it was about. Writers supporting writers. That's what I choose to do after getting a bad review. I have been told by several others that it's not about what people nay say, it's about sales. And for the whole month of January, I have been the number one best paranormal book sales writer, for the fabulous Wild Rose Press.

That's what I will focus on, while I kick that niggling review right out of my mind every time it try's to get in there. While I thank God for the many wonderful and hugely talented writers, who have been so supportive of me. Thanks guys I love you.

Blogging With Dayana Knight

Well I just signed up for October 27th to blog with Dayana Knight. Dayana is a sweetheart and a wonderful, talented, author whose books just amaze me.
I met her at a Florida Romance Writers meeting, (a great group of talented authors), and have admired and loved her since the moment we met.
I just can't wait to have her latest release Curse in hand to read!
So please everyone, come and take a look at my first interview blog! I hope I can think of something stunning to say. Ha!
I also can't wait for the release of my book in Digital on 1/2/09 and print 6/27/09, this has been the thrill and most wonderful accomplishment of my life. I hope that the readers like it, so I can continue to write sequels to 'Tripping Through Time'. Be well, and keep on readin'

Life is too short to waste on worry

My mother is a worrier, she has suffered the terrible pain of my fathers death at least twenty times. He gets sick, goes into the hospital and she is sure he will die. The fact that the doctor says he'll be okay she still worries. He is usually home the next day. I will say that she will not last long without him. They've been together that long.

And I have come to realize that there must be a worry gene. I will think of absolutely the worst possible scenario's, and none of them happen. I spend nites up until two am., just to worry about something. Mind you most of the time it never happens, but it is my job to worry.

How worrying helps is hard to say. The only thing I can think of it that it occupies my mind. I have nothing to fill the quiet with.

So I guess that's why God invented authors. Because there is nothing in this world that fills the time like a good book. Romance writer...take me away--