Sandra Hyatt: Memorial Trust

SANDRA HYATT: MEMORIAL TRUST

Hi all,

Any of you who either knew our mate Sandra Hyatt from our RWNZ Auckland chapter meetings, had met her at a conference, or had read one of her books, will know she was a very special lady–and not just because of those wild corkscrew curls of hers *g*. She was always generous with her advice and sharing what she’d learned about the business, and I loved chatting with her over a drink at the Thirsty Whale after our chapter meetings, sharing the ups and downs of being a writer. So, as you can imagine, when she passed away suddenly in August over the weekend of the RWNZ conference, we were all gutted.

When someone so young and so full of promise passes away, it’s a hard thing to deal with. And even after you say goodbye, you kind of feel helpless, like there’s nothing you can do except remember what a fantastic person she was, and how lucky and privileged you were to know her. So I’m thrilled that Sandra’s family have come up with a way that she’ll not only be remembered, but she’ll continue to help other romance writers achieve their dreams, like she achieved hers.

Sandra’s family have set up a Memorial Trust:

“Because so many have been touched by Sandra’s life, either personally or through reading her wonderful books, her family has set up a trust to continue her legacy of generosity and kindness by furthering the career of an emerging writer.

Money raised by the Trust will form an annual education grant, awarded to an aspiring NZ-based romance writer to enable them to attend a national or international writers conference, to improve their craft and progress their writing goals.”

So if you’d like to contribute, here’s the link with all the details, or just copy and paste this link:
http://www.sandrahyatt.com/sandra-hyde-memorial-trust/

Sandra met and got to know many overseas writers, authors and fans during she conferences she’s attended throughout her writing career, and her family have asked that we all help get the word out. So if you would please forward this link to all your social networks, that would be much appreciated.

What a fabulous legacy for a wonderful lady.

Worldbuilding in Paranormal Romance

I've taken a big departure in my normal writing material with my latest contract from Carina. Darkest Caress is a paranormal romance, and the first of a trilogy--if my readers like it enough to warrant me writing the next two books.

I just received "developmental edits" (short for please beef up your worldbuilding) for it from my awesome editor, but I have to admit I'm very daunted by the prospect of diving in. I've never written PNR before, but I've read my fair share. The little kernel of an idea for this series came to me during my trip to the Baltic States two years ago with my favorite cousin. The characters in the book are magical beings that have descended partly from ancient tales of folklore at a special part of Lithuania I visited, known as the Curonian Spit. It was a spooky, breathtaking and magical place, part beach resort where the Soviet Beaujolais spent their summers, and part dark, twisted woods where witches and demons are said to still exist.

It was too good to pass up, plot-wise. I couldn't help myself. Plus my crit partner is a fantastic PNR author with a major trilogy coming out from NAL next year, and she kept bugging me to write a PNR, because it was "hot" with the romance market and surely I'd be able to snag an agent, where my military romance had not. And so Darkest Caress was born. In the end no agent wanted it, but thankfully Carina Press liked the core of the story enough to offer me a contract. 

While I wade through these edits, I want to try to make sure I avoid cliches or things that turn readers off of PNR, if possible. Do any come to mind for you? I recently saw a thread on a discussion loop where readers were complaining about how sick they are of PNR in general, especially vamps and weres. Well, my characters are neither of those, but I still want to steer clear of any landmines if I can help it.

Anything bug you/bore you with PNR today? Please share.

Guest Author Charlotte Carroll

Interview with Charlotte Carroll Author of Sylvia’s Secret

by Jenn Hart for Writers Gone Wild

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Jenn’s run out of pointless quizzes, books to promote and for the most part anything interesting to say. Luckily, I make a habit of surrounding myself with interesting people to help me bridge these gaps with awesome-sauce. Today’s guest author is a member of my local Romance Writers chapter and a fellow indie author. Welcome Charlotte Carroll. (Love the alliteration;-)

Thank you so much for the kudos! It took me ages to hit on that name. I kept going through names and saying, what about that one? No, Nora Roberts is taken. (Well, what about spelled with an H? Norah. Norah Roberts) Of course, after I took that name, I was reminded that one of my writing friends took the name Sydney Carroll. So after much discussion about our relation, I think we have decided that we are distant cousins, although we might revisit that depending on what kind of soap opera we want to create.

Tell us about your decision to go indie. What factors led you to your decision? What has your experience been like so far?

I wrote Sylvia’s Secret because I wanted to try my hand at something new. I had been published under a different name and in a different genre. I really didn’t plan to take it forward. But my writing partner convinced me to get it out there, just to see how people responded to it.

So far, it’s been quiet, but that’s mostly based on the fact that this is the first publicity I have essentially done for it ever. I know, I know.

I read and really enjoyed Sylvia’s Secret. At the outset of the book the heroine, Sylvia Sweet is going through a rough patch in her life (mistress of the understatement, spinning her web here.) What would you say compelled you to write Sylvia’s story?

I think because at the start, especially, Sylvia has some moral ambiguities. I think that a lot of writers who are afraid of controversy want to create these heroines who are a bit too pure, a bit too good. Or in a desire to make their women seem feisty, they create a heroine who is really over-the-top aggressive, flying off the handle when they don’t need to. At the opening of the story, Sylvia, however, Sylvia has just discovered that she has been the “other woman.” It’s a really bitter pill for her, because it means that her entire sense of herself as a good person just got a kick square in the teeth

I think that part of the attraction for me was the fact that Sylvia is faced with a series of choices about what she wants to be. She’s only human, so of course that she will have to confront the dark side. I liked that she has to struggle against that. I liked the moral dilemma that she had to face.

The hero of your piece, Caleb, is far from the typical small town good ol’boy Southern sheriff. From a well-to-do family, he served in the Army for several years. We love our military heroes here at WGW. Do you have any personal experience with the military?

Of course. The South is, I think, the most pro-military part of the country. It’s not because Southerners are more militaristic, but because for generations the opportunities for men to get ahead have not been there except for the military.

Before I found the right title, the working title for this was simply Sylvia and Caleb. It’s about both of them. They both start the story with some ways to go before they are completely okay again. Caleb’s family would likely be described as old money. That’s something that Sylvia is not. And to an extent, neither is Caleb. The glory days are not there anymore.

Sylvia’s Secret is about more than just Sylvia and Caleb getting to know one another. Tell us, without giving away too much of the story, about some of the other secrets hidden under the quaint Southern small town veneer.

That’s tough, because I sort of paced the secrets so that they sort of unwound slowly. Of course, in a small town, secrets are a precious commodity. And Sylvia and her family have not really cornered the market there. Caleb has a few skeletons in his closet, too.

The setting is really distinctive. What made you pick a small Southern town as your setting?

Mostly because it was something I don’t see very often. For a lot of romance writers, the South begins and ends with Texas. And to be honest with you, I don’t see it. It’s too hot, it’s creepy flat, and you can catch leprosy from an armadillo and die. How is this romantic?

The South is a culturally distinctive area with a complex history. In some ways, it’s very much part of the modern world. In other ways, it’s still 1955 there. There’s a scene in the beginning of the book where she finds out that she’s expecting, and this doctor is giving her advice about how to break the news, recalling with nostalgia how his own wife did it. When one of my friends, who is not a Southerner, read it, she was appalled. Who does this man think he is? Why is he speaking so personally to her? But I think every Southerner knows exactly who this guy is. He is merely a preview of exactly what she’s getting herself into.

What’s next for you? Another contemporary romance or something different? Will you continue to indie publish?

Well, at the moment, I am working on rewrites of a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, called, tentatively, The Pitts of Port Elizabeth. And I think that I will continue to indie publish. If I do, you’ll be the first to know. Wait. The second to know. It would be a touch awkward if you knew before I did.

Wild Card Question: On top or on the side?

It depends on whether or not I’m counting calories.

Oh, who the Hell am I kidding. Pour it on.

My kinda author ;-) To contact Charlotte Carroll you can email her at writercharlottecarroll@gmail.com

Happy reading!

BPW: Spotlight on Alya Ruse

Being with two men suddenly becomes a lot more complicated …

Reuniting with both a first love and a first lover within a matter of days is enough to make any girl's head spin. Alycia Delaney is no exception. About to turn 30, Aly decides to take charge of her lacklustre life and to live with a try-anything-new attitude. Too bad her attitude didn't account for fate throwing two of the most important men from Aly's past straight into her arms.

Sawyer Test and Luke Coldwell are best friends and each man wants Aly for himself. Leaving the choice to her, Aly opens door number three and decides they should embark in a summer-long ménage.

When talk turns into action, each participant is forced to question their impulsiveness, and Aly is left caught between the safety of a painful decision and the perils of following her heart.

Blurb overview of the entire Malathix Soul Series (Soulless, Broken, and Jagged):

Malathix Soul is currently a three-book series of futuristic erotic novellas. Set around the year 2142, the stories introduce you to the Malathix, a race of aliens who suffer untold atrocities when they arrive on planet Earth. Through trial and error, these handsome aliens discover the solution to their troubles lie within selected human women. In order to find resolution and peace, each Malathix must locate his woman, convince her to bond with him and pray she will willingly stay by his side.

~*~

Space Lord Theradon, of the merchant planet Malathix, lives on the edge of a darkness that threatens every human around him. He must find the piece of him that's missing or face his demise.

Laya Brummel unknowingly carries within herself the means to his survival. If only she would stay still long enough for him to explain. But she's seen the horror of what a Malathix alien can become, and fear keeps her constantly running away from him.

When the pair finally comes face-to-face, will it be too late to stop the death and destruction, or will they find something deeper to hold them together and save them both?

~*~

Thorn d'Thiem is a man on a mission. Traveling to Earth to kick his sorry brother's ass back to Malathix is an interruption he can do without. His plan: get to Earth, find his brother, return to their planet and continue working toward their species' survival.

After years of ridicule, threats and even blackmail, Yvette Butler has learned to hide her half-breed status. Her latest betrayal leaves her needing to escape her job on Earth's satellite outpost. Her plan: Find a way to get off the outpost, leave Earth behind and find a new job and a new life on another planet.

When Thorn and Yvette meet, they see each other as only the means to an end. But when they discover they each hold missing pieces of the other, will they work together to repair what's broken in them, or will they part ways, leaving only shattered remains?

~*~

Camden Royst lives by a code of honesty and logic. When he bonded with his human, it was without the emotional upheavals of his crewmates, as he preferred, but after this, all his plans fell to pieces. His female isn't happy and for the life of him he can't understand why.

Deidre Parker always dreamed of being swept off her feet by a tall, handsome alien. When Camden walked into her life, she knew he was her dream come true, if only he'd open up instead of picking and choosing what parts of his life she can see.

Camden and Deidre finally decide to lay all their cards on the table, but when all is said and done, will what they reveal be enough to repair their damaged hearts, or will it leave them separate, with jagged ends?

Wild Trivia Facts:

She loves cats.

She's a closet hard-rock head-banger

She's loves being outdoors in cool weather

She has a BA in Theatre

If she could extend the hours of the day, it would be for the expressed purpose of more reading time.

Deadlines, edits, renovations and new books

Karly Lane

for Writers Gone Wild

I’ve been absent for a while around here, but I’m back!

Oh. My. God. Bathroom renovations! Those of you who have under gone a bathroom renovation will know exactly what I’m talking about! The inconvenience of having builders, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and tilers all invading your house is rather like labour- you just think of the end result and hope to God it’s worth all the pain!

And no, before you all ask—there was not one tradie who was perv-worthy!

Actually, we had it pretty good, we moved back in with my Mum and Dad for what was supposed to be 3 weeks, and turned out to be 5- closer to six! It took a further three days and countless mopping of the kitchen floor to get rid of all the crap they left behind, but now, we’re all settled back into our little home and we have a gorgeous new bathroom. I am somewhat worried though—I find myself checking the clock each afternoon to see if it’s late enough to justify a bath just so I can use it...should I be worried?

The other ban of my existence these last few weeks has been edits.

Holy moley! It always takes my breath away when I received the hard copy in the mail with marks squiggled over every page- even though the accompanying letter always states, don’t worry about all the marks on the page- they’re mainly for the typesetters…I haven’t even worked out what they type setters actually do yet—I’m still getting my head around how they manage to figure out anything with all the squiggles covering the page!

But this time around, the editorial report was only 11 pages long with suggested changes- and questions that needed further explanation- which then go on to draw out more of the story…as opposed to North Star which had 22 pages! So I am improving—either that or they changed from single to double spaced typing this time!

Any who, hopefully now life will settle down a bit around here and I can get back to writing my next book…until the next round of edits on Morgan’s Law comes back in November that is… and then I have to go through this all again-with less squiggles this time—I hope!

Our Heroines, Ourselves

With the fall TV season upon us, we are inundated with ads everywhere for the networks’ top dramas. Around New York, signs on buses, brick walls, and anywhere else you can pay to advertise seem to center around four different dramas that show the polarity of this season’s woman. On one side, we have two emperiled – yet empowered – women: Sarah Michelle Geller in CW’s Ringer, and Emily VanCamp in ABC’s Revenge. Both heroines are tragic, beautiful, and not quite what they seem: they are women with a past. Then we have the shows Pan Am (also ABC) and Playboy Club (NBC). These women are beautiful, tragic, and exactly what they seem: they are women from the past.

Rewind seven years ago, and the most ubiquitous fall tv advertisement was for a future blockbuster show called Desperate Housewives. As that show enters its final season, I wonder what type of tv heroines – if any of the above -- will capture our collective imaginations in the same way.

I vote for Ringer and Revenge. I’d rather see heroines haunted by murder then see women die the slow death of male TV executives' retro fantasy.

Happy viewing, everyone. And of course, I’d rather be reading a great romance than watching any of the above...so keep writing!

BPW: Spotlight on Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft writes romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes for Choc Lit. Combining that success with her experience as a creative writing tutor, she’s written a ‘how to’ book, Love Writing – How to Make Money From Writing Romantic and Erotic Fiction (Accent Press). Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles and courses and is the head judge for Writers’ Forum. She's a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner.

Check out her website www.suemoorcroft.com and her blog at http://suemoorcroft.wordpress.com/ for news and writing tips. You’re welcome to befriend Sue on Facebook or Follow Sue on Twitter.

All of Sue’s Choc Lit novels and Love Writing are available as ebooks.

Love and Freedom

New start, new love. That's what Honor Sontag needs after her life falls apart, leaving her reputation in tatters and her head all over the place. So she flees her native America and heads for Brighton, England.

Honor's hoping for a much-deserved break and the chance to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby. What she gets is an entanglement with a mysterious male whose family seems to have a finger in every pot in town.

Martyn Mayfair has sworn off women with strings attached, but is irresistibly drawn to Honor, the American who keeps popping up in his life. All he wants is an uncomplicated relationship built on honesty, but Honor's past threatens to undermine everything. When her secrets about her mother start to spill out ...

Honor has to make an agonising choice. Will she live up to her dutiful name and please others? Or will she choose freedom?

Published 01 June 2011 by Choc Lit £7.99 
Buy paperback here and buy ebook here

~*~

Starting Over

New home, new friends, new love. Can starting over be that simple? Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex-fiancé, Olly Gray. She's moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country. Miles Rattenbury's passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they're nearly neighbours yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him ... Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?

Published 30 Nov 2010 by Choc Lit £7.99 
Buy paperback here and buy ebook here

~*~

All That Mullarkey

Revenge and love: it's a thin line... The writing's on the wall for Cleo and Gav. The bedroom wall, to be precise. And it says 'This marriage is over.' Wounded and furious, Cleo embarks on a night out with the girls, which turns into a glorious one night stand with... Justin, centrefold material and irrepressibly irresponsible. He loves a little wildness in a woman and he's in the right place at the right time to enjoy Cleo's. But it s Cleo who has to pick up the pieces of a marriage based on a lie and the lasting repercussions of that night. Torn between laid-back Justin and control freak Gav, she s a free spirit that life is trying to tie down. But the rewards are worth it!

Published 01 Jun 2010 by Choc Lit £7.99 
Buy paperback here and buy ebook here

~*~

Want to Know a Secret?

Money, love and family. Which matters most? When Diane Jenner's husband is hurt in a helicopter crash, she discovers a secret that changes her life. And it's all about money, the kind of money the Jenners have never had. James North has money, and he knows it doesn't buy happiness. He's been a rock for his wayward wife and troubled daughter - but that doesn't stop him wanting Diane. James and Diane have something in common: they always put family first. Which means that what happens in the back of James's Mercedes is a really, really bad idea. Or is it?

Published 01 Nov 2010 by Choc Lit £7.99 
Buy paperback here and buy ebook here

Wild Trivia:

Stubble is yum but beards are yuk. Nobody with a beard ever gets their gal, in my novels.

I’ve just done something in bed that I’m ashamed of – I ate a Snickers flapjack.

I’m a regular on a radio chat show called In the Chat Room (BBC Radio Cambridgeshire).

I am a petrolhead and have a Formula 1 column at www.girlracer.com.

When I was six, I took home a dead cat. I felt sorry for it. (My mother screamed very loudly. The cat got a decent burial.)

Sanibel's Divas

"Once upon a time there were five beautiful girls who each wanted to land a book contract. OK, maybe not beautiful enough to write home about, but its my blog and I can embellish if I wanna. They each entered a contest with the promise of a contract in exchange for many months of hard-core vote tarting. But something took these ambitious writers away from all that and now they look to me for inspiration. My name is Sanibel, and I am an enchanted island off the gulf coast of Florida."

You see, as the contest heated up, it didn't take long for these five women, Gail, Sarannah, Jennifer, Liane and Robin to realize we were up against some serious talent, much of it found in each other. We jockeyed for top spot time and time again, and it didn't take long for us to realize there could only be one contest winner, leaving the other talents to return to their solitary journeys.

F-word that!

Truth is, somewhere during the exhautive effort to gain votes, a novel idea was born. What if some of the front runners worked together, and branded ourselves as THE force to contend with? Could we all possibly emerge as winners if we swallowed the competitive streak and joined in a collective effort?

Not just yeah, but hell, yeah. Within the hour, the concept of the textnovel divas was born. We had a blog, a website, and a cause, and we were up and running.

To make a long blog short, the idea was a raging success. So much so that we unwittingly ruffled serious co-competitor feathers by daring to go the extra mile and make our branding effort a reality. True, only one of us took the contract, which ironically never came to fruition with the original contest sponsor, but we all benefitted immensely from the relationships we formed both online and in our personal inboxes.

We raised some serious cash for Autism Speaks and walked away from a brutal self-marketing effort with unwavering friendships that will last us a lifetime. It only seemed natural that someday we'd meet, even if that meeting meant five introverted authors sitting in the living room drinking wine and communicating via Twitter. (Yes, this really happened! It was the funniest night of my life!)

All five of us didn't make it to the first Sanibel Word Orgy, and won't for the second, but four of us have managed to find our way to our island retreat. I've no doubt a future escape will include us all, because during our (sometimes faltering) journeys to land a book contract, we found something far more important than taking the ultimate prize. We found friends who understand. We found each other.

So here's me, lifting my glass of Rosa Regale (dubbed by Gail as elixr of the divas) to the Sanibel Divas (formerly known as the textnovel divas), and saying here's to a hell of a ride. See you in Sanibel!

I imagine this blog might be lean on posts for the next ten days or so. The time has come for the second annual Sanibel Word Orgy. If you want to follow the ribaldry on twitter, our hashtag is #SWO11

If you're a writer growing weary of the singular effort to hurry up and get published already, find yourself some kindred spirits and run for the islands, the hills, the closest bar---whatever you can afford and whatever floats your boat!

Run away from the rat race and share the journey for a while. You'll be amazed what might grow out of your retreat....perhaps a publishing company. Perhaps a best seller.....who knows where the power of a collective muse might lead you?

Freaks & Crystal Warriors: freebie offer

Freaks & Crystal Warriors: freebie offer by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)

Hi all,

I often have what I call "grey moments", where my head is so chock-full of stuff that I ask my kids the exact same question I asked them five minutes ago. Or I check a diary entry to confirm an appointment time, and only minutes later, I can't remember if it was 10am or 10.30am... and have to go check it again. Or I'm trying to decide what to cook for dinner, and I can't even recall what we had for dinner yesterday. I prefer to think of it as a "writer-thing" rather than an age-thing. My mind is constantly churning over characters and situations and plots, and frankly? There's not a helluva lot of room in there for anything else most of the time.

But it's not often I get the day of the week wrong. Or worse, lose an entire day. You see, it's already Friday morning here in Auckland, New Zealand. And I woke up this morning with the nagging feeling that I'd forgotten something. And then, after a caffeine boost, I realized that I'd glossed over the fact that yesterday was Thursday and I was scheduled to post here on Writers Gone Wild.

Ah crap!

In my defense, it's been one busy, stress-filled week. DH is no longer contracting full-time. He's working 4 days a week at a regular job, and has Fridays at home working on his business, and I'm still getting used to that routine. Plus DS managed to knock himself out at the bike track over the weekend, and he still can't remember the actual accident, or the next half-hour or so after he came to, so I'm doing the whole over-protective mom bit and totally stressing about him. Plus, despite feeling lousy with this persistent, lingering flu, I had to drive into the City for my appointment with the American Consulate in Auckland. (ITIN application. Don't ask.) And then, last night, for the first time in about 6 weeks, I went to karate class... meaning I was, as we say in New Zealand, completely buggered afterward. (Buggered in this instance means really really tired, just so's you know. *g*)

Something else happened yesterday to throw my schedule out of whack, too. DH and I decided it was time that the kids had their own separate bathrooms. They're teenagers now, and they need their privacy. Or perhaps we need them to have their privacy. Because, OMG, the arguments about who's gonna get the bathroom first, and the complaints about how long one or the other of them is taking in the bathroom, and the screams of horror when one of them walks in on the other one in the bathroom.... It's enough to make even my dead-straight hair curl. So yesterday, I took a trip to the supermarket, and stocked up on all the things DD could possibly need. And then after she got home from school, we moved her stuff from the main bathroom to the guest ensuite bathroom. Now both kids have their own separate bathrooms. And they were pretty damn thrilled about that until I broke the news they'd both be responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms, too. (Yes, I am a mean mommy. *evil grin*)

And speaking of teenagers, and all the accompanying angst that goes part and parcel with them: I have a new book out. It's a young adult paranormal that I originally wrote for my DD a couple of years back because she was upset she couldn't read any of the other books I'd written. The whole fully-consummated sex scenes thing meant they were (and still are!) off-limits. So I gave in to her begging and wrote a YA, Freaks Of Greenfield High.

It did pretty well in contests: won the YA category of the Maryland Romance Writers "Reveal Your Inner Vixen" contest, came second in Oklahoma Romance Writers "Finally A Bride" contest, and third in North Texas Romance Writers "Great Expectations" contest. And back then, my main character, a teenage cyborg named Jay, was male.

I've since rewritten the story and made Jay female. And maybe because I've been able to tap into my own experiences as a teenage girl, and maybe because I've been watching my DD go through the pain of her first real crush, I believe the rewrite has really added another dimension to the original story. Plus of course I know a shitload more about my strengths and weaknesses as a writer after working with a totally freaking awesome-sauce editor on my published books. Even better, DD thought the old version was great, but she read the new version and loved it. Yay!

For this past month I've been whipping it into shape and getting it edited so I could publish it. And, in a moment of sheer serendipity, after countless hours spent cruising royalty-free stock photos sites, at the very point I was about to give up and head to bed, I hit one more next page link and found the perfect cover model to represent Jay. She's even wearing jeans and a checked flannel shirt tied at the waist -- exactly as I'd described her in a scene from the book. Freaky.

So, anyway. Enough rambling. Here's my blurb, and the cover my clever DH came up with:

FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH: When a teenage cyborg is forced to hide out at a small-town high school, the unthinkable happens: she falls in love.

Jay’s a cyborg who looks just like normal teenage girl. She’s super-strong, super-smart, and she can even appear to grow and age like a human. When a covert organization intent on using Jay as a weapon comes after her, she needs to find a place where she can blend in. Greenfield High seems perfect… except that the boys all think she’s totally hot and keep hitting on her, and she has no clue how to handle the attention. Who knew high school could be so perilous?

To add to her confusion she’s evolving – experiencing human emotions for the first time. And when she encounters ex-jock-turned-outcast Tyler, he sends her logical brain into a spin. She’s just starting to get the hang of this girlfriend/boyfriend thing when her pursuers track her down. Now’s sooo not the time for a cyborg to fall in love and get all emotional!

Freaks Of Greenfield High is now available at Smashwords, Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon DE.

If you'd like to read an excerpt, check out the Freaks Of Greenfield High website landing page.

You've all been incredibly patient, so I'll cut straight to the freebie offer part:

Even after 7 published books, I still cringe at the thought of people actually *gasp* reading my books, and even worse *resists the temptation to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head* actually reviewing my books. But as we all know, reviews are a necessary part of an author's life. And I have no reviews on Amazon for either of my indie-pubbed books as yet. So.....

OFFER 1: FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH FREEBIE

In exchange for a promise that you'll leave an honest review on Amazon, I'll give a free electronic copy of Freaks Of Greenfield High to three people who express an interest in reading and reviewing this book.

All commenters will go in a draw. And since I'm so late with this post, I'll randomly choose the three commenters on Monday.

(Except, blurb, all the available formats, and links for Freaks Of Greenfield High are available on the website landing page for this book.)

Please include your email address, and tell me what electronic format you'd prefer.

OFFER 2: THE CRYSTAL WARRIOR FREEBIE

In exchange for a promise that you'll leave an honest review on Amazon, I'll give a free electronic copy of my adult paranormal romance The Crystal Warrior to three people who express an interest in reading and reviewing this book.

All commenters will go in a draw. And since I'm so late with this post, I'll randomly choose the three commenters on Monday.

(Excerpt, blurb, all the available formats, and links for The Crystal Warrior are available on the website landing page for this book.)

Please include your email address, and tell me what electronic format you'd prefer.

Note that in order to leave a review on Amazon, you must have made a purchase and have an account with them. Yeah, I know: It sucks, but I don't make the rules.

You know what else sucks? The promo side of writing, with the whole having to ask for favors like reviews. So I'll go gnaw my fingernails now and await your verdicts. *wry grin*

Cheers,

Maree

Meet Marliss Melton

It's my great pleasure to introduce the incredible Marliss Melton to you here at WGW today. She's giving away a signed copy of The Protector to a commenter here, so let's get to it! I can't wait to pick her brain. *rubs hands together*

First off, what got you interested in writing about Special Ops soldiers in the first place?
Suzanne Brockmann was my inspiration for writing about Special Ops Soldiers. I've spent my entire life associated with the military, first as the daughter of a foreign services officer; then as the wife of an Army Officer who passed away. My current husband gave 20 years to the Navy. Having lived in the military community, I knew the lingo, the ranks, the customs already. It was a perfect fit!

Why is researching the military details so important to you? (I love you for it, by the way. Big time.)
Thank you! Nothing shows less respect to our military than portraying them inaccurately. I think Hollywood does enough of that already. If I'm going to write an action scene, it has to be realistic. I want those who are in the service to be able to read my books and feel affirmed, not cheated because I've done a sloppy job of portraying military action or I've given my characters the wrong weapons to use. Keep in mind, I don't have all this information locked away in my brain. Luckily, there are incredibly gracious and helpful people out there who'll take the time to answer my questions, even help me to compose action scenes. I have to give a big nod to Commander Mark Divine, who owns and operates NavySEALs.com and a fellow writer and former combat surgeon with the Marines, Jeffrey Wilson.

You're very well known for your Navy SEAL heroes. What are some of the interesting things you've learned in your research of this special breed?
I've learned that there is no true stereotype of a Navy SEAL. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are outgoing and forceful. Some are seemingly shy and reserved. Their personalities form as broad a range as those of my SEAL heroes. What they all have in common, though, is a self-confidence that comes from having survived the most rigorous military training in existence. You might say some of them are cocky because of it, but plenty of them are humble, too. Almost all of them have a deeply ingrained sense of responsibility. They know that their unique skill set makes them the defenders of the weak, the movers and the shakers when it comes to keeping the free world safe from aggressors. I just love that about them! Knowing America's finest are out there giving their all--even their lives, sadly--makes me feel safe in my bed at night. And it makes me feel very, very grateful.

I was so disappointed that your former publisher no longer wanted to contract your SEAL books. What made you decide to stick it out, keep writing, and eventually self publish your new books?
Well, I had this story in my head, and it was about a Navy SEAL! They wanted me to move away from SEALs, but the farthest I could get was Counterterrorism, which fell under the same umbrella. So they gave me the boot. Moreover, no other publisher wanted to pick me up because they are all in a panic over the future of print books. Borders was in the process of folding. I thought to myself, "I have tens of thousands of readers out there who want to read my next story. What if I self-publish it?" Well, I did, and I have to say I am so glad I took a chance. My readers have been fantastically loyal, without a publisher taking 90% of my profits, I'm no longer ridiculously impoverished!

I know you've read and loved Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. How did his story affect you and your writing?
Ironically, months before Marcus decided to write his book, I had read articles about the unnamed sole-surviving SEAL of the Redwing disaster, and I'd decided to make him the hero of my fourth Navy SEAL book, NEXT TO DIE (An unfortunate title--my publisher came up with it). I patterned the hero's experience as the only survivor of a terrible disaster and I dedicated NEXT TO DIE to Marcus (who's name I learned at the last instant), Danny, Axe, and Mike Murphy, as well as the sixteen other warriors who were shot down while flying out to try and rescue them. Even more ironically, Marcus's publisher and my publisher at the time were one and the same (both owned by Hatchette). Our books were released in the same month (July, 2007). His was #3 on the New York Times Bestsellers List, however. But he deserved that kind of reception. When he toured Hatchette Book Group in NYC, he was given a copy of my book and he signed a copy of his book for me. He wrote: "The only thing harder than being a Navy SEAL is being the wife of one." I totally agree. My husband's grade was electronic warfare, though, so I couldn't really take that kind of praise.

In your opinion, what's the one personality characteristic that sets SEALs apart from any other Spec Ops unit in the US military arsenal?
Well, even in the Spec Ops community, SEALs are recognized as being the premier warriors. Clearly, men who are drawn to the Navy SEALs as opposed to the Green Berets or the Marine Special Forces are over-achievers. They're not satisfied with being just a special operator; they have to be the BEST special operator out there. They don't want to be good at just land operations or sea ops, they want to be good at EVERYTHING--at sea, in the air, and on land. Not only that, but there's such thing as Super SEALs, the best of the best of the best. Those are the ones who end up in SEAL Team Six. Now those guys are crazy. But you gotta love them for it.

I can't argue with any of that. What book are you going to tell us about today?

I want to tell you all about THE PROTECTOR, which is the prequel to my Taskforce Series. My hero is a former SEAL--not a member of SEAL Team Twelve, however. Lt. Isaac "Ike" Calhoun quit the Teams after an op-gone-terribly-wrong (readers of LONE SURVIVOR will recognize Ike's conundrum: What to do with the shepherd boys who stumbled across the squad of SEALs. Kill them or let them go?) Ike's decision was much like Marcus's. He let them go. The result was hundreds of Taliban swarmed down onto the four SEALs, killing all but Ike and his spotter. Ike took the loss of his teammates pretty personally, quitting the Teams and holing up in a run-down cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But when Ike's former commander calls on him for a favor, Ike doesn't have it in him to refuse. General McClellyn's daughter, Eryn, is a school teacher in Washington, D.C., where she's been targeted by a fanatic who wants to avenge the General's actions in Afghanistan by cutting her head off. The last thing Ike wants is to babysit a blue-eyed beauty in his mountain hideaway. Furthermore, Eryn's charm and ingenuity has a way of eroding the armor Ike keeps securely over his heart. With the FBI hot on their heels and the terrorist not far behind, Ike finds himself waging a one-man war in Eryn's defense. Her passion and faith have given him the strength to rise above his past.

What are you working on next?
I'm working on two project, currently. One is a short story for a Navy SEAL Anthology, SEAL OF MY DREAMS, featuring stories from twenty military romantic suspense authors including Cindy Gerard and Christie Ridgeway. SEAL OF MY DREAMS will be available on Kindle on Veterans Day, 11/11/11, and all proceeds will go to the Veteran's Research Medical Foundation. I'm also working on my next release, THE GUARDIAN, which is Jackson Maddox's story. Jackson is a former Marine who has joined the FBI. In THE GUARDIAN, he teams up with Ike Calhoun as a member of the Taskforce, a special unit designed to address unprecedented acts of terror. Jackson goes undercover as a former convict in a halfway house believed to have ties to Al Qaeda. When a sexy journalist threatens to expose his undercover status, Jackson must find a way to stymie her efforts without revealing his true identity.

Anything else you'd like to add? (I'm hoping yes!)
I'd like to mention the August 6th Chinook crash that took the lives of 38 men, including 22 Navy SEALs. When a tragedy of that magnitude takes place, the survivors--widows, lovers, parents, and children--need to know they are not alone. I was so proud of our entire country for putting our arms around those left behind to offer consolation and to honor the fallen the way we did. I have had the honor of meeting the widows of some of the Navy SEALs who perished in Operation Redwing. Having been a young widow myself once, with two children, I know how staggering their loss is. The bravery of these widows astounds me. They continue as advocates for their husbands, creating scholarships in their name, encouraging youth to follow in the footsteps of their brave loved ones. One widow in particular, Maria Deitz, former wife of Danny Deitz who perished alongside Marcus Luttrell, has remarried and is, again, the wife of a SEAL. Can you imagine the courage it takes to be willing to put yourself through that same kind of sacrifice and loss? Marcus was right when he said "The only thing harder than being a Navy SEAL is being the wife of one." Is it any wonder that these amazing
women are often the heroines of my books?

Thanks, Marliss.

Oh, I bet our resident Frog Hog is nodding her head like crazy right now (right, Liane?). Not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. Thanks so much for being with us today, Marliss! I admire you even more now, if that's even possible. All the best with your upcoming books. 

One commenter will win a signed paperback copy of The Protector, so please leave Marliss a comment or question to enter, and leave an email address where she may reach you. If you'd like to learn more about Marliss and her amazing work, please visit her website.

Hemispheric Dominance: Or Which Side of Your Brain Is in the Driver's seat?

Perception. We all see the world through our own unique first person point of view. Experience, biology, hell even a headache impact how we view the world around us.

When I first came up with the idea for this blog, I knew I had to do some research on hemispheric dominance. And not just because I like researching all kinds of domination either ;-)

Hemispheric dominance is the study of the two different sides of the brain, more commonly known as the left brain, right brain question. Most people have a dominant side, one they use more often than the other, which colors our own perception.

Here's a breakdown of the two sides and what they control.

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and imagespresent and future

philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

Okay, so looking over these lists which side of your brain do you think is more dominant? Most of us writerly types are leaning to the right. I honestly couldn't say. Some of each list sound like me. I'm definitely an imagination rules kind of girl but I also form strategies. I'm a master at rules and language but hold my own with symbols and images too. I'm definately detail oriented but the future holds my interest much better than the past. There are numerous quizzes and tests available online to determine brain dominance. The spinning dancer girl is one of my favorites, though my husband insists it's a hoax.





Which way do you see the dancer spinning? Clockwise or counterclockwise? The majority of people see her spinning counterclockwise, which indicates left brain dominance. I see her first clockwise but if I let my eyes unfocus, she sometimes spins counterclockwise and back again.

Dearest husband sees counterclockwise first and he's convinced I'm lying to him. That's a left brain for you, always looking for the invisible strings!

Here's another one. I got a perfectly balanced 8 for the right, 8 for the left. Considering there were 30 some odd questions, I may be balanced but don't feel all that smart!

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tenancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (8) Right Brain Dominance: (8) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz So how did you do? Did the results surprise you?

BPW: Spolight on Suzanne Rock

After over a decade in the scientific world, Suzanne needed a creative outlet. She tried scrap booking, cooking, crocheting, painting, and piano, none of which held her interest for very long. Then one of her friends suggested writing. Thrilled with the idea of creating her own worlds, she opened up her lap top and never looked back.

When Suzanne’s not writing, she can be found playing with her two daughters, testing her husband’s latest kitchen creations, or curled up with her favorite romance novel in her central Massachusetts home.

Honor Bound:

Deep in the Hidaka Mountains, Akito is commissioned to capture the goddess of desire. He expects to use all of his samurai skills to complete the task. What he doesn’t expect is the resurrection of his deceased lover, or the number of immortals who wish them both dead.

Condemned to an eternity of loneliness, Jin curses the day the mother goddess tricked her into becoming immortal. When a seasoned samurai enters her prison, she’s determined to build the man’s desire so she can harness enough strength to break the bonds that tie her to the mountain. As the intruder makes himself known, memories long buried rise to the surface and Jin becomes desperate for Akito to believe the truth – that she is his beloved. Can she earn his trust in time, or will they both succumb to the forces that strive to keep them apart?

~*~

Dark Deception:

After being plunged into a chaotic and deceitful society, Maria Guerrero finds comfort in the arms Enrique Torres, a man she believes is innocent of her world. She keeps him ignorant of her inner monster, and the blood oath she took to save her brother’s life. Instead she prefers to use their sexual play as an escape from her supernatural world. When her secrets catch up with her, Maria is forced to confess her sins. Will Enrique find it in his heart to forgive her deception? He must, before her vampire master demands that Maria pays him his due. With the help of a disillusioned fey warrior, she convinces Enrique that vampires are real, and danger lurks around every corner.

Enrique can’t allow himself to fall for Maria charms, or he’ll risk revealing secrets of his own — secrets which would not only scare her, but put his mission in jeopardy. He hopes that by forming a physical connection with the young vampire, he’ll lower her defenses and earn her trust, for only she can help him bring peace to the Immortal Realm. As they play out their sexual fantasies, her true identity is uncovered. On impulse Enrique gives her his trust, and her betrayal hurts him to the core. Now he wants revenge… but at what cost? As the Immortal Realm descends into chaos, Enrique and Maria must choose whether to trust each other again, or fall victims to the dark deceptions that rule their world.

~*~

Up on the Housetop:

Desperate to escape her controlling family, Chloe Bradford scrambles up to the housetop of her Texas home on Christmas Eve. There she discovers a sexy stranger cloaked in shadow. He convinces her to shed her good-girl image and give into her most secret desires. The man’s low, miracle, or some figment of her imagination? When he tries to leave, she follows him, eager to learn his identity.

Zach can’t stop thinking about Chloe, or their reunion on the roof. His wolf-half urges him to reveal his identity and claim her, but he doesn’t dare. For both their sakes, he must remain in the shadows until he can control his inner beast’s bursts of rage. After a decade he thought he could handle his curse, but Chloe’s presence causes his control to slip. As the moon-rages become more frequent, he knows he’s slipping toward the insanity that claims many of his kind. Only Chloe can save him, but will she want to after he reveals his identity and the reason he broke her heart over a decade ago?

~*~

Dark Obsession:

Long ago Javier chose to walk away from one person that mattered most in his life. Now that he is free to once again roam the Earth, he becomes obsessed with making up for past mistakes. His mission is to gain Catherine’s vote on the Immortal Council, but when he sees her he realizes he wants much more than her support for the vampires. He wants her heart. When she disappear s from the Immortal Council’s halls, he tracks her down, determined to get her to remember the past — and the love they once shared.

Catherine can’t let the passion she had with Javier rekindle again — no matter what the cost. Much has changed since he abandoned her so long ago. With the Immortal Council fragmented and her werewolf king abducted, Catherine has little patience for Javier’s empty promises. Still, Javier is persistent, and soon she sees the value in having an ancient vampire for an ally. A deal is struck: she will submit to his every carnal desire if she can gain his aid in finding her king. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and their erotic interludes ignite the passionate anger of Catherine’s only fey ally. Can the three of them put aside their obsessions long enough to free the tortured werewolf king? They must do it soon, for a dark presence looms on the horizon that threatens the stability of the Immortal Realm – and will force Catherine to choose between her clan and her heart.

~*~

Down on the Boardwalk:

First, Gwen’s psychic abilities make her an outsider among the werewolves. Then they make her a slave. Forced to use her power to help a deranged werewolf seek vengeance, she gives up on her dream of ever being accepted and loved. That is, until Nico and Tony are thrown into her cell. Her attraction to the Kyron Pack brothers is immediate and overwhelming. As she submits to the physical attraction, old wounds heal and her powers strengthen. The brothers think she can save them, but to do so would require more than just physical intimacy, and reveal a secret too dark and horrifying to share.

When Nico and Tony use their lust to help their battered mate, buried memories rise to the surface, and jealousy threatens to destroy the fragile wolf in their care. As each of them bonds to Gwen, they begin to withdraw from each other. Now they must heal their inner scars and forgive the past if they ever hope save Gwen and escape the Boardwalk alive.

Wild Trivia:
1) I am a coffee addict

2) I love to watch old movies
3) I'm not a big fan of crowded spaces, and love being outdoors.
4) My favorite color is green
5) I'm a no-fuss type of gal. No make-up or fancy hair. Most days I just shower and go.