Maggie Wells-Margaret Ethridge
Love Without Limits
You guys, I have so much to tell you, but none of it is set in stone yet, so I can’t. Let’s just say it’s been another awesome weekend and I am very happy, very blessed, and very tired (but for the best possible reason-too much to write).
I’m too BLAAAAGAH-YIP-YIP-YIP! to put together a coherent post, and for that I apologize.
I promise, I will spill all as soon as I can.
So…how was your weekend?
My friend, Sandy James, has her hands full. She has three new releases this month, and is in the middle of helping her husband battle cancer. If you will, please share this post so we can help her out by spreading the word about her books!
Sing a Song of the Stars — A collection of eight sci-fi romance novels and novellas.
Spanning the universe, from futuristic Earth to unique alien worlds, these stories combine the realms of science fiction with heartfelt romance and tantalizing sizzle. Adventure, mystery, space exploration, technology, betrayal, and love, these eight stories sing the songs of the stars–igniting the imagination, arousing the spirit, and uplifting the heart.
Farewell Andromeda by Laurie A. Green
The last thing deep space pilot Tiharra Bell needs is another romantic entanglement, and certainly not with the galaxy’s most famous astronomer. But she’s about to be fooled.
Reckless Rescue by Rinelle Grey
He crash-landed on her planet. Can they survive the winter together without falling in love?
The Seeker by Sandy James
The Vymalns have conquered Earth but Kara Michaels refuses to surrender. When Aiodhan Riel is sent to assassinate the Vymaln leader, he crash lands. Will he carry out his mission or fall for the rebellious Kara?
Unbound Instinct by C.E. Kilgore
Vex is unique among his kind. Cris is the last of hers. Freed from slavery, they seek an acceptance of themselves and an understanding of each other.
Alien Encounter: Janaya by Shelley Munro
Janaya is stuck on Earth. And because she neglected to have her travel inoculations in her hurry to protect her aunt from Torgons, she has bonded with an Earthman.
A Matter Of Trust by Greta van der Rol
Surrounded by enemies, it seems the only man prepared to help Princess Amira is the Demon Admiral. But can she trust him?
My Name Is A’yen by Rachel Leigh Smith
A’yen Mesu, a Loks Mé slave, doesn’t believe his homeworld exists. Dr. Farran Hart does. When she finds it, he’ll do anything to protect her. Even if it costs him his heart.
Captured By The Hawk by Aurora Springer
A Space Operetta: Kat steals codes from the Emperor’s Revenge. Captain Black Hawk hides his face under a mask. Will he win her heart before she uncovers his tragic secret?
Yesterday, I ate bee pollen.
That’s a sentence I never thought I’d type. Those of you who know me are aware that I’m insanely picky eater. Add in the fact that I’m petrified of bees, and you might get an inkling of why it was so weird for me. But, bee pollen is supposed to be some kind of all-natural super-food. Fodder had a friend who was a long-distance runner who swore by it. We’ve both been trying to be better about exercising lately, and you know I’m a sucker for anything with the word ‘super’ in front of it. The truth is, I’ve been battling seasonal allergies for the past two weeks and am willing to do just about anything to feel better at this point, so yeah…we bought a jar of locally collected bee pollen. I’ve started sprinkling a 1/4 teaspoon full into my morning yogurt.
I apologize in advance if I inadvertently start buzzing.
In other news Jamie Fraser and Don Draper are back in my life. I couldn’t be happier. Not that Fodder isn’t enough for me, but… you know. *wink-wink*
Of course, their return takes place in a month when I am already overbooked. I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month, and have set a goal to write 30k words by month’s end. In truth, I hope to find the energy to exceed that. I’d love to complete the first draft of Play Dates within the month. It’s totally do-able. I’m a little over 1/3 in already.
I also started doing a 30-day yoga challenge that I found online. Suckered my friend Lulu into doing it too, so we’re keeping each other on track.
I’m pleased to report that we have yet to drape any article of clothing on the elliptical machine. This is particularly good news, because we parked that bad boy in the living room. I’ve been slowly but surely building up my endurance. I can now go the entire length of a Gilmore Girls episode (@44 mins) without keeling over. Yay, me!
So what’s new with you? Eat anything weird lately? Doing any challenges? Is your exercise equipment wearing your clothes?
I have to tell you, I had a killer awesome weekend writing-wise. I started a new project called Play Dates. Yes, I know, you wanted Hooligans next, but trust me when I tell you that there’s a whole bunch of convoluted reasoning behind the switch in schedule. Anyhoo, I started Play Dates this week, but didn’t have a lot of time to get words in. So, I scheduled some play dates of my own.
First, I hooked up with my pal, Parker Kincaid, for pastries and pantsing at Panera. No, that doesn’t mean we pulled each other’s drawers off. It mean we both write by the seat of our pants. Fueled by bagels, danish, and toffee-nut cookies, we managed to put up some respectable numbers in the old word count column.
But then on Sunday, I took part in this:
As I type this, we are in the dinner/break portion of the day, and I am proud to report that I have over 4k for the day!
Between sessions, I did a little stint on the elliptical (part of the Body by Gilmore Girls program-I’m on ep 3), threw together some crock pot salsa chicken with black beans, ran to the store, and frolicked outside with the puppies.
I hope to get at least another 1000-1500 words this evening, and round out chapter 2. Jewels has totally kicked butt too. We’ve decided that we like having more defined writing times. Eyes on the prize and all that.
How was your weekend? Hit any goals? Take any naps? Share! I like to live vicariously. 😉
Oh! And starting this week, I’ll have a new feature on my blog – Teaser Tuesdays. These will give me a chance to introduce you to some of my writer friends and their latest projects.
That means this joint is jumping at least 5 days a week. Remember to stop by for all the fun:
Sunday – 8 sentence challenge
Mondays are Mayhem
Teaser Tuesday
Whatcha Reading? Wednesday
Fangirl Fridays!
Oh! Oh! Don’t forget to add your email address to my newsletter list. I have combined Margaret and Maggie’s previous lists and will start moving most of my future contests, excerpts and giveaways to the newsletter mailings thanks to Facebook and other social media outlets restricting the fun stuff, so be sure to hit then newsletter sign up on the sidebar if you aren’t already on there. 🙂
Happy Monday!
This weekend, Fodder and I packed a suitcase and a snack bag and hit the road. I decided at the eleventh hour to attend the North Louisiana Storytellers and Authors of Romance (NOLA Stars) Written in the Stars conference, and I’m sure glad I did.
Friday evening, I arrived in time to hook up with my DSRA pal, Nena Clements, and say hi to fellow Arkansan, Keri Ford. I was also in time for the food and fun of the meet and greet reception. 🙂
Saturday was jam-packed with great workshops, a chance to meet some writers I’ve only chatted with online, and (dun-dun-dun) my first-ever, live pitch to an agent or editor. That’s right. I have 8 novels, 16 novellas and over a dozen short stories published without ever having to sell a story with just the words coming out of my mouth.
You know what I learned?
I’m no good at it. The second I got past the introduction, my thoughts went haywire and all semblance of cool went flying out the door. I…am a babbler. Thankfully, the agent and editor that I spoke to were both very kind and patient. They’re also at least partially fluent in babble, because they both asked to see what I was offering.
So…yay! I did it! And now I know what I need to work on before zipping out to NYC for RWA nationals. Well, that and the stories I want to write before I go. So this week, I will once again be preparing submission packages for Full Court Press.
*claps and bounces* I’m just so relieved that people seem interested. I’m also relieved that I don’t have to do that again until July.
How about you? Are you a savvy salesperson? Can you talk your way through anything? Or, are you one of those people who purposefully chose a major that involved mainly essay tests and blue books?
I’m kicking a couple out of the nest!
Once again, ladies and germs, I am on submission. Gird your loins.
I emailed the manuscript for Bossy Pants (sequel to Three Little Words) to my editor just minutes ago. Now, I have to polish my proposal package for Full Court Press and send it out (on request!) this week as well.
Sending fresh manuscripts out into the world is always nerve-racking. What’s an author to do while she waits? Well, there’s usually a little binge snacking, a lot of hand-wringing, multiple neurotic emails to the critique partner, and then I move on to the final solution…start something new.
Last week, I pitched a few ideas your way and you were kind enough to give me your feedback. Book one in the Hooligans series will be the next full-length manuscript I write, and I am super-excited to tackle Rory and Mary Pat’s story.
But first, I have a couple of chances to pitch/propose other works if I can pull together outlines before the deadlines. So yeah, I’m going to be scrambling for the next couple of weeks. But there are worse problems than too many opportunities, right?
How about you? Do you have multiple projects going in your life? How do you decide which ones get attention first?
So, yeah… I made it back from Vegas! Came home to ice and ick, but I got to sleep in my own bed. Had a fabulous time with my girls. It’s only been a few days, but I’m already jonesing for next year.
I learned a new skill this week. Don’t think it’s one I’ll be using a lot, but I did learn to make banners using Pixlr Express. I used Spring Chickens and a silly pun for my practice run:
Since last we chatted, I finished the draft on Bossy Pants and sent it off to Jewels for her to work over. Got back to work on finishing the first draft on Full Court Press this week and guess what? I did it! I’ve been working on this story on and off for the past 10 months. There’s still a lot of buffing and polishing to be done, but I’m looking forward to working on something fresh and new.
Here are a few of my options. What do you think I should take on next?
1) Play Dates – On an outing at the park with her niece, our heroine, Monica, meets a sexy single dad. The only trouble is, he doesn’t know the precocious little girl who calls her ‘Monnie’ isn’t hers, and Monica doesn’t know how to break it to him.
2) Executive Privilege – A widow uses her late husband’s Senate seat as a springboard for her Presidential campaign. The only trouble is she’s in love with her husband’s former chief of staff and best friend. Friends turn to lovers on the campaign trail but the press is hot on their tail.
3) Dirty Blonde -She’s the scandalous small town hairdresser – dresses in Daisy Dukes, cowgirl boots, and knows unbuttoning the third button down ups her tips nearly 20%. He’s a former Army engineer & wounded warrior. Scarred inside and out, he’s happy to be home, she’s dying to get out. They should never have fallen in love.
4) Something Stupid – An aspiring actress nearly loses the role of a lifetime when she makes the mistake of confessing her feelings for her best friend’s brother – Hollywood’s hottest young filmmaker.
5) Hooligans – The first in a series of stories about three generations of single men who run a neighborhood pub in Chicago. There’s nothing Rory Houlihan wants more than to get married and have a family and his meddling grandmother thinks the girl next door, Mary Pat Brady, would make an excellent candidate. As a matter of fact, it just might be her dying wish.
What say you? Do any of these trip your trigger?
Warning: I’m sharing an excerpt from my pal Jenna Barton’s upcoming release Closer and Closer today. It’s hot, so if you are of delicate sensibilities, clutch your pearls and look away.
As for the rest of you…enjoy!
Excerpt: Tiramisu
“We’re doing this too fast,” he said against the base of my throat, tugging at my robe. I swallowed hard, whining when his mouth closed over the skin beneath my ear. That would bloom purple and plum. It was May. I lived in the South.
Instead of heeding those very sensible thoughts, I hailed him on, twisting my hips against his. “A turtleneck or scarf, maybe—”
He broke away, panting, his eyes level with mine. “What’re you…scarf?”
“I’ll wear one.” Threading my fingers through his hair, I pulled his lips to mine. “I’ll wear one around my neck, so just don’t stop that biting.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” he said, grinning as he tilted his head away from mine. He chuckled softly when I trailed after him. “That’s my job.”
“Oh yes, sir.” I added a mock salute before I realized what I’d said. It caught between us, a quick drumbeat underlining this thing that kept us circling each other, so fast we kept reminding each other of it, and so delirious from it we couldn’t be responsible, risk-managing adults and step back to avoid it.
I shook a little. My teeth vibrated against my lips, pressed together tight so I wouldn’t say it again. I’d dropped this thing between us into the open while we were too close for any more rational discussion, and not entirely sure we’d remembered to close my front door. And I could see it in his eyes. He was deciding.
“You ready for that spanking?” His breath fell in short, soft bursts against my cheek.
I forced myself to look past his shoulder, promising myself it was the last logical decision I’d make for the rest of the night, and checked the front door. Closed. Locked. As my eyes inched back to his, the wire-swung, slow motion feeling greeted me, and dangled me before him. I took a shallow, silent breath, and nodded, watching his mouth for my next direction.
“Yes…I am.”
Dominance and submission. The delicate balance between hurts so good and too hot to handle. They’re not just kinky trends for the members of The Enclave, a tight-knit group gathering in a Gilded Age mansion secluded in the North Carolina mountains.
Come Closer…
For Erin Proctor, life has always been about working hard, creating stability, and succeeding. She plays it safe, watching from a distance. Then she encounters an unpredictable, sensual world she’s always known was there, but didn’t believe she could belong to.
Walt Easton is straightforward and unpretentious, a big, earthy man in possession of himself—and a fierce set of solid leather floggers. Once he and Erin meet, their attraction is undeniable. Walt wants a full relationship, not just fun in the playroom. Their kinky adventures can be negotiated later.
They’ve finally found a relationship that can let them explore who they fully are. But can Walt accept that while he’s in charge in their private lives, when it comes to her job, Erin is the one in charge? Will Erin take the risk of letting down her walls and allowing Walt in all the way?
The biggest risk, after all, isn’t mixing pain and pleasure. It’s finding yourself—in love.
The first book of The Enclave Series will bring you Closer to your desire.
Preorder HERE
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24324729-closer-and-closer?from_search=true
Author: Jenna Barton
Title: Closer and Closer
Genre: BDSM Erotic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623420-70-3
Release Date: February 10th, 2015
Available in Ebook and Paperback
Twitter: @WriteyJennaB
Author Bio:
After many years spent onstage mouthing the words of other writers, Jenna Barton found her own voice while playing with an online community of mouthy broads. Writing down her own stories proved to be far more satisfying than dodging the human and inanimate hazards that come with backstage life, as well as alleviating the need to walk and talk and gesture while inhabiting.
Mostly settled into a life of carpool lanes and checkout lines, Jenna happily resides in suburbia with her husband and their two children. Sadly there are no drooly, furry, corpulent lapdogs at Chez Barton. For now. For. Now.
Warning: This post contains smokin’ hot cover art and some pretty steamy subject matter!
Dominance and submission. The delicate balance between hurts so good and too hot to handle. They’re not just kinky trends for the members of The Enclave, a tight-knit group gathering in a Gilded Age mansion secluded in the North Carolina mountains.
Come Closer…
For Erin Proctor, life has always been about working hard, creating stability, and succeeding. She plays it safe, watching from a distance. Then she encounters an unpredictable, sensual world she’s always known was there, but didn’t believe she could belong to.
Walt Easton is straightforward and unpretentious, a big, earthy man in possession of himself—and a fierce set of solid leather floggers. Once he and Erin meet, their attraction is undeniable. Walt wants a full relationship, not just fun in the playroom. Their kinky adventures can be negotiated later.
They’ve finally found a relationship that can let them explore who they fully are. But can Walt accept that while he’s in charge in their private lives, when it comes to her job, Erin is the one in charge? Will Erin take the risk of letting down her walls and allowing Walt in all the way?
The biggest risk, after all, isn’t mixing pain and pleasure. It’s finding yourself—in love.
The first book of The Enclave Series will bring you Closer to your desire.
Author: Jenna Barton
Title: Closer and Closer
Genre: BDSM Erotic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623420-70-3
Release Date: February 10th, 2015
Available in Ebook and Paperback
Twitter: @WriteyJennaB
Author Bio:
After many years spent onstage mouthing the words of other writers, Jenna Barton found her own voice while playing with an online community of mouthy broads. Writing down her own stories proved to be far more satisfying than dodging the human and inanimate hazards that come with backstage life, as well as alleviating the need to walk and talk and gesture while inhabiting.
Mostly settled into a life of carpool lanes and checkout lines, Jenna happily resides in suburbia with her husband and their two children. Sadly there are no drooly, furry, corpulent lapdogs at Chez Barton. For now. For. Now.
…my friends.
I am blessed with tremendous friends. Old friends, newer friends, work friends, reader friends, and writer friends. Friends that have been with me for years, some I’ve never met, and a few who still seem to like me even when I morph into Extra Bitchy Recipe Mags.
This week, I’ve had opportunity to appreciate all of then above. The fact that my old friends and I sometimes have to schedule a hook-up eighteen months out (next year will be 30 years!) doesn’t seem to put a damper on our enthusiasm.
I get to see some of my Super Cool Party People in just 24 days. And if you think the official countdown isn’t honed to hours, minutes and seconds, you’d be sadly mistaken.
We don’t often think about our work friends, but we really ought to give them more credit. We spend more of our waking hours with them than with our significant others. The best ones are those you keep even after career paths diverge.
I’ve been lucky enough to meet a handful of readers who fell in love with my characters, then blessed me with their friendship as well.
But lately I’ve been relying pretty heavily in my writer friends. The publishing game is a lot like playing round after round of Cards Against Humanity. Sometimes it’s so harsh you have to laugh or you’ll spend all your time crying. Trust me, it’s tough to revise a manuscript when you’re fighting back tears. But my writer friends always seem to know just what I need–whether it’s encouragement, a kick in the ass, or a little pastry and sympathy.
Friends are fabulous, and I am so lucky to count you as one of mine. Thank you. Thank you so much.