During my last post I talked about what it was like being a stressed out full time mommy and writer. Thinking about that post since the last time I posted I realized that the biggest issue for me personal (besides time management) is cooking. I love to cook. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a rant on how I hate to cook because cooking is one of those things I love. Trust me if I could give up the treadmill and spend that time focused on making desserts my house would be filled with chocolate cake and yummy pie all the time. The thing I’ve noticed though is that somehow I always hit my writing stride for the second part of the day (after Oldest is home from school, done with homework, ect) right about dinner time. Now when I say hitting … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
New from The Naked Hero
Famous Hero Figures
Most romance heroes are completely unique creations. Others are incarnations of familiar names. I am fascinated by novels that give new life to old characters. I think these sorts of characters are fun and excellent examples of creativity--not unoriginal at all. The Greek Gods are excellent examples of this, as are the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. These characters appear not only in romance novels, but in other genres and in movies. Michael the archangel is the hero of a book I bought today. Ive also seen him in the movie Legion and Michael (John Travolta!). Vlad (the figure behind Dracula) is the hero of Jeaniene Frost’s upcoming release, Once Burned. I thought it was a joke at first, but it seems President Lincoln … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Second Chances…
When I first heard about the Entangled charity anthology, I was amazed at the number of people who came forward to say how autism had touched their lives. I have friends with an autistic son, and I think it’s hard these days to find anyone who isn’t touched in some way by the condition. It’s sad, but also often uplifting, to see the impact it can have on family life, and wonderful to be able to support a charity like Autism Speaks, which is doing so much to help. So I wanted to contribute something to the anthology. The theme was, Love Knows No Bounds, which is pretty broad, and so I just let my imagination run wild. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of reincarnation. I suppose if I had to pick a ‘what happens after death’ … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Redeeming the bad boy
Okay, I admit it. I'm a sucker for a bad boy. Love them. Love reading them, love writing them. There's something infinitely appealing about peeling back a rough exterior to discover a softer centre beneath. And that's what I'm doing at the moment in my WIP, Dressed to Thrill. Bad boy who has partied his way through Europe now must prove to the world and himself he has what it takes to head up a fashion house. The key to the bad boy's character arc is giving him the right motivation. Bad for the sake of bad? Not so nice. Bad because he has to live up to the wrongful label given to him by his folks because they have limited faith in their youngest 'mistake'? Better. More interesting. Makes a reader want to delve a little … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Bare-Naked Lola is Here!
The Lola Cruz mystery series is close to my heart. I've stripped down the hero of the series, Jack Callaghan. Oh my, just looked at this post, got to gaze at Timothy Olyphant who's the perfect Jack Callaghan in my opinion, and, yeah, I'm loving the Lola series all over again. *blushing*. A dirty little stripping down of super detective and bad ass Manny Camacho is coming soon! Why all the Lola love? Because Bare-Naked Lola released in print this week, and releases in digital on May 15th! SO excited! If you've never read the other Lola Cruz Mysteries, no worries. This book stands alone and is a great introduction to the series. As one reviewer put it (about Living the Vida Lola, and no, I don't know her!), reading Lola … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Love Knows No Bounds – How Far Would You Go?
I’m so thrilled to be part of Entangled Publishing’s project to raise money for Autism Speaks. My novella, Tweet, was inspired by a real life event. As my husband drove around looking for a restaurant, I pulled out my iPad to search for the address. After finding it, I popped onto Twitter and began surfing. I don’t know how, but I stumbled upon Satan’s Twitter account. Seriously, the profile said, By clicking follow you agree to bind your soul to Satan. Or something like that in 140 characters or less. We laughed and I said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if that was true?” From that moment Tweet was born. I had be a part of the project when the call for submissions went out. It’s such a fantastic endeavor. 100% of … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Stripping Down the Stressed Out Writer
There’s no debate among anyone that the world is one heck of a stressed out place. Between spouses, children, jobs, possible second jobs, bills and all the fact that every time you turn on the news the world seems like it’s on the brink of collapse it’s a surprise we’re not all mid nervous breakdown. I always thought I had a handle on it. I really did. Sure, I’ve had some pretty high stakes, high stress jobs in the past. I managed. I published. I did not perish. Then I stepped out of the corporate world and into the world of the full-time writer. And apparently I didn’t know squat about stress before now. Paychecks are no longer secure for me. There is no one else to pull the extra workload should I get sick, hurt, or generally … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Great Books…Great Cause. It’s a Win-Win!
Just this morning, I woke up to find my five year old playing in his bed. His hair was mussed, his PJ’s were rumpled, and he was grinning from ear to ear. The problem? My three and a half year old was missing. We searched the whole room together, calling out his name again and again, and finally found him tucked in a dark corner of the closet, underneath a pile of blankets, shoes, and pillows. He was distraught because he couldn’t find his favorite Lightening McQueen toy (even though he has dozens), and couldn’t calm himself down. Seeing more sensory input to help him cope, he’d found the quietest, darkest place in the room, and burrowed under as many heavy things he could find. This was a typical morning. In … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
Pass over the chocolate and back away slowly….
It’s recently come to my attention that writers are… well, we’re freaking insane. As in “Pass me the coffee and chocolate and back away slowly if you want to leave with your throat intact” crazy. Okay, maybe that’s just me. Everyone talks about rejection. How you have to be a bit crazy to get tons (often HUNDREDS) of people telling you, “No.” Or “Not for me.” Or, in rare cases, “Holy hell, do you think you can actually write?! You can’t. Please go flip burgers and be a contributing member of society.” Actually, that’s just the voice in my head—because we’re battling self-doubt along with all the rejection. Now, a lot of people who aren’t familiar with the business think, “Oh wow, you got … Don't fight it. Read more from TNH goddesses...
SHOP WITH THE NAKED HERO
