Saturday, December 31, 2011

The Call

As a screenwriter I often dreamed of the moment I would be nominated for an award. Well, a few years back my screenwriting partner and I wrote a short comedy called back on top. It centered around a somewhat manic, scummy agent and his long in the tooth client actor who took himself a little too seriously and script about lunch money. It was for a contest and we took first runner up. It was exciting and an honor to capture that prize and it was a validation that kept us going for some time.

I felt the same way yesterday when I saw the nominations for the Preditors & Editors. My short story, No Ordinary Love had received four nominations. Best Short Story Romance, Best Author Page, Kate Lynd, Best  Book Editor, Tanja Cilia, and Best Cover Artist, Delilah Stephans. How incredible is that?

I know there are those who think of these things as popularity contests, but I'll be honest, this is the first thing I've been picked for since my Young Authors win in Middle School and I am incredibly excited.

No Ordinary Love was born when I saw the preview for Cowboys & Aliens preview for the first time back at the first of the year. Jon Favreau is something of a genius and Daniel Craig was yummy to look at. But the film IS great fun and great storytelling. I hope you'll take a moment to go to http://Critters.org/predpoll/ and vote for  No Ordinary Love as Best Short Story Romance and Best Author Page as Kate Lynd. And vote for my fellow compatriots Tanja Cilia and Delilah Stephans as well. My publishing house, MuseItUp Publishing is up for Best Bookstore I hope you'll vote for them as well.

Well, enough of my campaigning on my blog for the day. Here is the voting link one last time, http://Critters.org/predpoll/ have a good day!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

It's Official: GLADIATOR Finds A Home

My book, GLADIATOR has scored a home with MuseItUp Publishing. Where I will again be working with Tanja Cilia whom I had the pleasure of working with as my editor on No Ordinary Love. I know I'll have to work on this particular piece as I was a bit manic when I wrote it but I am thrilled that my third book this year is with Muse.

I'm not as prolific as say, oh, Lin the masterful blogger, authoress extraordinaire that she is, but I am currently doing the happy dance as I loved writing that story and am currently embroiled in writing the second book in the series ORACLE. Instead of Daniel Craig as the hero it is the delightful Ryan Reynolds. I saw a preview for Safe House and suddenly saw him in a sexy gritty way that hadn't been made apparent to me by his other roles (that I'd seen). 

I'm not sure what movie this is from but it's perfect as a writing totem of sorts. The fact my hero currently has a gunshot wound lends some interesting facets to this picture. Other than that let's just call this what it is, an excuse to worship that body.

Also January is coming up and I believe I will be receiving my first royalties check from MuseItUp Publishing! Yay! That means I've sold enough copies of No Ordinary Love to score a $20 check. Which may not mean much to some but it means a heck of a lot to me. It means people have bought my book and may buy others by me.

Which means when Another Way To Die comes out I should have some people wanting to buy it as well. Fingers crossed. If your interested in checking out either of those stories the buy and pre-order links are located in to the sidebar. The gorgeous coves are by Delilah Stephans. I don't know if I'll luck out and get her again for Gladiator but Muse has a fantastic cover art team who work their butts off. 

Lea, thanks for being such a gem. I know I'm a handful sometimes but maybe I can make you some money at the end of the day ;).

A special shoutout to Jude Stephens and Teresa Kleeman of No Boundaries Publishing, you all are wonderful, and if your looking for a home for your books checkout http://MuseItUpPublishing.com or http://NoBoundariesPublishing.com.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Falling In Love

I think I've mentioned this before working on a story is a bit like falling in love. Sometimes your thunderstruck and feel light on your feet and like you are the queen of the world. And at others you ache with the knowledge the object of your affection may never know you exist.

Unrequited love is like sweet torture. You adore the person and wish they would know you do exist. You find yourself listening to love songs of all kinds. Bluesy, pop, country, you revel in the highs and wallow in the lows. Having been in this situation more often than not I know when I got it bad. And I got it bad for this new story's hero.

James is the hero of ORACLE. A former disobedient Gladiator he takes a shine to a local slave girl singing for her supper. When a couple of the regular customers threaten her he intervenes on her behalf and sets off an unexpected chain of  events.

A broken man with issues he finds comfort and redemption in her. But she has secrets of her own, one of which is was she chooses only to communicate through singing and telepathy. Can he breakthrough to her in time to unlock what tortures her so?

I don't know. I just started the story, I hope you'll stay tuned. And I may have some exciting news coming soon, so I hope you'll come back.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas Comedown

What would Christmas be without togetherness with your family and friends. And presents lots and lots of presents. LOL And dinner and travelling and God knows at least one confrontation to go down the pipeline. I got every bit of that and more.

Starting Christmas Eve morning I exchanged gifts with my best friend Missy. I got a matching coffee  and espresso cup, candy, a Black and Decker programmable coffee maker, a Daniel Craig calendar, a special cover of a magazine featuring me and Daniel Craig, Cowboys and Aliens, Romancing the Stone (inside joke), the Road to Perdition, a Daniel Craig travel mug, and a monthly planner.

Then on to Mom's house where I received, a NaNoWriMo Messenger Bag, Jack Skellington earmuffs, a Jack Skellington necklace, headphones, an Adele 21 CD,  a beautiful cinema portait , the Peanuts mini figure nativity, pajamas, and the old standby socks and underwear lol.

I proceeded to have an argument with Brandy when she tried to weasel mom's Christmas gift out of her and it got ugly. Then got lectured for two hours by my other sister and mother about what a poor victim my sister was. They think I hate her. But I don't. I just don't want to be around her all the time. We don't exactly travel in the same circles.

I got one hundred dollars from my biological father and a tea lights and candlelight holders from Doris his ex-wife and current girlfriend.

As far as gifts go I had a good Christmas. I'm a happy girl today as I had lunch with Pam today and some coffee afterwards. I still have to write a new story *sigh and imagine some hunky guy as the hero. Such is life. LOL.

I hope everyone had as good a Christmas as I did. And may the closing days of 2011 be as good for you as I hope they will be for me.


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo- The Review

The Hollywood version of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has arrived and let me just say, for someone who has been waiting for this film for quite some time it lived up to all of my expectations and then some. From Trent Reznor's terrific score to Fincher's use of stark, dark cinematography the film resonates with the thrilling, pulsating power that the books do and leaves no question as to if Fincher could carry an American version of the already popular Swedish classic.

For those who know nothing about the books, a quick primer. Mikail Blomkvist is a fallen from grace journalist set up by a distasteful sort and is thus without a place of employment at the beginning of the film.

Which is how he becomes drawn into the mystery of Harriet Vanger's mysterious disappearance from her family's estate. Which is how he comes to know Lsbeth Salander a hacker who doesn't suffer fools lightly and will do anything to protect herself.

Slowly they begin to trust one another and a partnership blossoms in the midst of some of the darkest shit imaginable. It is easy to see why Rooney Mara received a Golden Globe nomination but Daniel Craig is no less a great actor he's just her calm straight man although he is something of a womanizer which sets up an ending not everyone will find satisfying.

Just remember this is not a romance and you'll be fine. But the violence depicted in the film is dark, disturbing, but lightened from the book. I give this film a four star rating. As my sister says it's nothing Lsbeth Salander can't handle.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Writing Totems

Every writer has their totems. Whether it's the picture of the guy for your next hero or a special pen, or even a certain notebook. For me it's my Daniel Craig magazine covers and my Jane Austen action figure.

I've had it for a few years now. Missy got it for me from a shop called Something To Do. She sets atop my defunct desktop tower along with my autograph of Adrian Paul picture and little statue from A Christmas story. She has seen me through some very dry years. There was a period when I didn't write at all. I thought I could only co-write and I couldn't get my co-writer to write at the pace I wanted her to.

Since 2003 that changed. NaNoWriMo really kicked me into high gear and even though it took until 2010 to get published I've been writing pretty much my whole life. And having writing totems along the way helps.

Jane has 'watched' over me the last few years and I haven't even taken her out of the box she came in. I love her so much I finally broke down and ordered one for Missy this year. She moves at her own pace and the more you force an issue you the slower she'll go. But she wrote two complete books this year, one solo, one with me.

For anyone who co-writes and doesn't hit and bumps along the road, well, I hate you for it because there is always a point in the stories we write when it's full out war. And time has to go by before we'll sit down together and go through the highs and lows of it again. But then, that's what happens when you have two chiefs writing together. Someone has to take the supporting cast and no one wants to do that when it comes to me and her.

But I bought her a Jane to guide her, and hopefully 2011 will be the year she breaks through in the publishing world.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

My Favorite Thing

It's a funny thing. I've never been anyone's favorite anything. Like favorite cousin, favorite aunt, or favorite daughter. So when you connect with a kid who's a little outside the mainstream or someone who has similar interests as you it's nice. I have three cousins Mary Jo, Bridgette, and Rebecca who I think are the sweetest kids in my family. They're smart, they think for themselves, and are productive members of society. I just don't see that from everyone else. Not that my nieces and nephews and other cousins aren't I just don't have that special connection with them. 

Last night I had a great time sitting and eating with the Maculiffe branch of my family. All I did was get them a notebook to write their stories in, and the other one I got a calender of places in Paris. I enjoyed the time very much. I've never been looked up to before. Only ever looked at as strange and weird and something not understood. I guess I see something similar in these girls. They come up to me anytime I'm around and Mary Jo (12) loved her notebook so much she hugged me several times and got a pencil and started writing immediately. Rebecca (17) did the same. (Only one hug). 

I have other cousins who are mean and spiteful and incredibly bitchy. They have what I like to call the Skinny Bitch Syndrome. They think because they're pretty it gives them cart blanche to treat people like crap. When in all reality they are ugly and unpleasant people to be around. They go out of their way to be hateful and measure what they have versus what everyone else got. I wish I could say I see them transcending their station in life but given the example that they are given at home I don't have much hope for them. 

Who knows? I didn't think my sister Sabrina stood a snowball's chance in hell of being productive member of society either but she turned out to be the hero child in my biological father and stepmother's lives. She is now happily married and I hope she has all the happiness in the world.

But as for those girls, I would have never guessed they would look up to me at all. I've never had that experience. It's kind of heady. 

There's this free writers conference in Bowling Green I'm thinking about taking them to if their parents are keen to it. They would get out of school for a day and so I KNOW they would be up for it. It's only two hours from home and Rebecca is going to Europe this summer as a music ambassador. So I'm wondering if I should take all of them or just Mary Jo. Anyway. That was my favorite thing about the party last night and as I wait for my guest for tonight's I think I'll dream of the Smokehouse BBQ that's heading my way.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas Party Weekend

What are the holidays supposed to be about? Christmas is all about togetherness and peace on earth and good will towards men. But sometimes in the effort to make the perfect Christmas perfect all of that seems to be lost in hub and bub.

This year I really only one goal. To help my best friend to get through probably what will be the worst Christmas ever. Except for maybe last year. She lost her dad to botched transplant surgery and even though she has been feeling her way through the year and trying to get through it the 23rd will be a crappy day no matter how you cut it.

What makes this especially hard for me is that my depression of my bipolar disorder seems to like rear its ugly head this time of year and 'faking it out' is especially hard. So this Friday I'm making a meal of her choice and giving her one of her presents. I know the day will be difficult for her, honestly, I miss him too. Harold was a great guy who loved his family very much.

No one is perfect, but Harold was the guy who could tell you what was wrong with your car, and up until a lemon of a Grand Am he worked on Missy's vehicles. Next to me he was her best friend and like any father, the one you measure others against (well, the good ones anyway).

This weekend I will be surrounded by my mom and dad, and they are the ages of Missy's parents. I worry now. I watched how quickly things can go from 'he's coming home' to 'he's never coming back'.  So I'm here even though I'd rather be at home hiding. Although I don't know how much of that is the bipolar disorder and how much of that is really I want to be hiding.

Then Sunday I have a small dinner party with Pamela Turner and Missy Goodman. YAY! Much to do to get ready for that. I do better in smaller groups.

So I am grateful for what this last year has brought, new friends, book contracts and the itch to write more.

Friday, December 16, 2011

For Your Consideration...Muse Gala Awards, Christmas Edition

Yesterday I told you why you should consider me. Today I'm telling you why you should consider these other lovely writers at MuseItUp Publishing.

I know, I know yesterday I told you that I was a competitive and that I wanted a shiny new trophy. But there are others at Muse who are just as good at what they do and they deserve a little campaign love of their own.
Let's start with the most beloved and prolific mother/daughter duo at MuseItUp. Lin and Kat Holmes.

Lin has so many blogs and so many blog hits she puts me to shame. She is so prolific the last time I heard she had a baker's dozen stories at Muse and counting. She does stationery trailers that a beautiful and generous. And she is one heck of a protective mama. I don't know if there is an award for that but hey, I say why not? It's my For Your Consideration...Christmas Edition blog and can nominate people in whatever category I deem necessary.

Kat, just as innovative and talented as her mother she has a great radio talk show, award winning stories and an absolutely sweet nature to boot. She is a loving daughter and she promotes just the same by arranging reviews for our books. Wow, how did we ever get so lucky as to find them?

Next I give you Karen Cote. She is, as Lin puts it absolutely a comet. She busts her tail and has the sales to prove it. She is a promoter, a genuine spirit, and has one of the best blogs around. Her heart is huge and she is talented to boot. I am proud to not only call her a colleague but a friend as well.

There are so many to mention Ginger, Ro, of course Lea and Litsa. Then there's Tanja my favorite morning touchstone before I start writing and promoing for the day.

If I could rewards all of them with a nice shiny trophy I would. Instead I'll be sure to RT them and give them a  shoutout any time they need one.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

For Your Consideration...the Muse Gala Awards

As I mentioned in my last post it's that time of year again. Awards show season in Hollywood. For me it's the most wonderful time of the year. Good films, movie stars, and parties to celebrate their accomplishments. Throwing Oscar parties are a time honored pastime in my household. So when I heard the Muse Retreat next November was going to include a Gala Awards I had a wishlist of stars I wanted to go with. Daniel Craig of course ;), Maurice Benard, and Real Andrews were at the top of the list. I'm still campaigning on that front. Hey, a girl can dream can't she? And I suddenly desired something I had always wanted but never received growing up. A trophy.

Yes, a trophy. A shiny, pretty trophy trumpeting my accomplishment. Yeah, yeah I know you write for the love of writing, publication is the point of all this. I do write for the love of writing, and I have been fortunate enough to score two contracts. I have gorgeous covers and belong to wonderful community of writers online and have even developed some friendships. Karen, Kat, Lin, others not mentioned by name you are all wonderful giving people. You are all superstars in my book.

But I have a secret, I am competitive person on a limited budget. I've already got a huge order in to Delilah in January. But I am going to Montreal next November and have decided to mount my very own, Hollywood-style For Your Consideration Campaign.

Over the coming months I will be rolling out an ad in http://thebookbreeze.com doing book signings and doing everything I can to drive business into http://MuseItUpPublishing.com's bookstore. The 'categories' I'm campaigning for are:

Best Use of Twitter: Kate Lynd
Best Blogger: Amy McCorkle
Best Short Story Sci-Fi Erotica: No Ordinary Love
Best Short Story Dark Romantic Suspense: Another Way To Die

In order to do this I need to raise $150.00. Any donation is welcome and will only be used to pay for the ad. This is not a plea to pay for my 'good time'. This is something I think will benefit a lot of people and Muse as the address will be included in the ad. The button is there. Use at your discretion. And happy writing and good luck everybody!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

SAG Nominations and Sons

It's that time of year again. Awards show season. I know it's just a popularity contest and not necessarily about who has the best performance because SOA was totally shut out of the nominations. Which has some of the best dramatic performances on television, Kate Segal, Ron Pearlman, Charlie Hunam and a score of other actors could have dominated from this show. It just goes to show where often and older, squeamish generation of
actors who can't take it when the envelope is pushed. Sometimes they look down on something they don't understand. Or just plain fear it. Last year Kate Segal won for Sons. This year she was shut out. Sometimes you just have to realize you're never going to win the approval of the mainstream and go your own way.

Yes Sons of Anarchy is violent. Some would call it a violent soap opera. But in reality it is Shakespearian sporting its very own Lady MacBeth in Gemma and it's own Hamlet in Charlie Hunam. And this season they were never better than in the closing episode with song House of the Rising Sun playing and Jax taking the head of the table where his murdered father by his wife and best friend had set only 24hrs before. The way everyone played their part was absolutely fabulous.
As a writer you dream of ending your stories this way. The creator of the show says he has two more years worth of story. A shame. I adored X-Files even in that choppy 7th season but left after they replaced BOTH title characters.

Stephen King likes a lot of the same shows I do. Only I'm a big fat nobody and he's a big enough writing star to be able to do a featured walk on role in Sons. Awesome. I hope you'll check out this show. Awards or not. I don't know if Sons will travel the road of the X-Files or to the elegant ending of LOST, but I'm all in for the ride.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Saturday, on Twitter, a very tantalizing offer was brought to my attention. And even though I had no idea of how I would actually pay for it if I did win, I placed a bid on Ebay for the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo New York Premiere tickets. You got to walk the Red Carpet and see the stars and see the movie. And given that Daniel Craig is my guy and all I placed a bid for $611.00.
Yes, $611.00. And that still doesn't account for travel to NY and a hotel and the outfit. How was I even going to do it? I don't know. But could I have ever forgiven myself for not at least trying?

I mean look at these schlumpy looking men in the picture. Daniel just looks so comfortable in his own skin . So sexy. *sigh Is it no wonder why I like to use him as a model for my heroes?

Of course I'd be mortified if he ever read half the stuff
I wrote about him on here. The false sense of anonymity the computer gives you is a seductive thing. But still when I lost out on the tickets (they eventually went for $1,025.00) it was almost a relief. There was no way I could have made it up to NY on what I make. But still I wonder how I would have handled it all.

I have a anxiety and all those flashbulbs popping in my face, not a good thing. Of course who am I? Nobody so maybe not so much lol. Then there's the throngs of people such as myself there to see the movie and the stars. That would have been much more difficult to handle. I'm claustraphobic and I might have missed out on getting an autograph from Daniel Craig. Going all that way and coming up empty handed would have sucked. This way I'm no worse off and still empty handed.

Maybe one day I'll get to meet him. Until then I just write my books and stay in my bubble. I'm running a contest. If you can name my hero and heroine from No Ordinary Love and name the movie that inspired it you will win a free copy of the movie Casino Royale. In the comment box be sure to leave your name and email so I can contact you.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Christmas Play

The two kids in the picture are my cousins Adam and Austin. They were Gramps and Donald Rainey in A Cricket County Christmas and they were a hoot.

I love going to the play because it's the closest thing to a dinner theater (albeit a far cry from it) I get to go to. Adam and Austin are great kids and I wish sometimes I saw them more often, but I try to go to Adam's football games and next year I'll hit Austin's cross country meets. I hit Isaiah's and Jonathan's basketball and soccer games. And Adam's football games. They were fantastic in the play and both are very funny. But if anyone has a true gift for it it would be Adam. He's very natural and understated. If it was something he wanted he could be the kind of actor who became a superstar.

Austin loved the crowd reaction and was quite funny, but he had a role where he could ham it up a bit. He would be Jim Carrey and Adam would be Daniel Craig. Two wildly different stars, but each one talented nonetheless.

Then you have Rebecca and Mary Jo. Rebecca played the older Mimi while Mary Jo was the Innkeeper who did a lot of the heavy lifting with Adam. They were wonderful to watch as well. And while Rebecca was good, Mary Jo was pitch perfect. If she wanted to be a serious actress she could. She got a little flumoxed at the end but she really nailed the straight woman role.

Everyone else was, well, like they should be. Kids having fun with parents coming to support them. If I were being harshly honest I would say this had nothing to do with the kids and everything to do with a certain adult's thwarted creative voice. Which led her to make some really big missteps in the service.

The re-enactment of Bing Crosby and David Bowie's duet. Even though the music was ok, the set up of the scene was just as forced and uncomfortable now as it was when the REAL people did it. And they did a reading which was all lamentation and death until about 20 seconds from the end when there was the bit that Linus nails much more effectively in Merry Christmas Charlie Brown. It was bad people. And when you lose my dad's interest then you have really missed the mark because he was handing out money to the girls who didn't miss they're lines, and folks all of my cousins got five dollars and in total he spent 40 dollars on them and they'd already gotten a 20 dollar gift cards from my aunt.
 
But for my money truly the cutest kid all night was my 5 year nephew as the Little Drummer Boy. Jonathan had no lines and his ears were sticking out like cab doors with the bandana he was dressed in but he was truly adorable and worth the bad pasta and overpriced cake and the looooong goodbye that put me home at 10PM instead of 9 but I had a good time and it got me out of the house.

So if you have any relatives that are children in a Christmas Play whether it's at a church or a school or maybe even the Great White Way, go pay the price of admission and enjoy the evening with friends and family. I know I get nit picky but it doesn't mean I can't appreciate the effort they put into it. Besides. These are trained thespians, but kids having a good time.


Friday, December 9, 2011

The Descendants

Yesterday was a good day. Sometimes the bipolar disorder is really nasty and doesn't allow for any fun. Yesterday was great. I went to the bookstore. I wrote. I set up an author event, laid the ground work for another and saw one of the best films of the year. Definitely top three. The Help and CrazyStupidLove being the other two. Now I looooooved Cowboys & Aliens but that's not the kind of movie Oscar likes, although I think the mash-up of Sci-Fi and Western genres should make it a contender, but I digress.

Films on the human condition and epics are usually what the Academy go for and when you have the pleasure of sitting down and watching a great one that is able to avoid taking itself too seriously then you're in a for a real treat.

Are you from a messed up family? Then you are going to love The Descendants. I think my best friend and I laughed in parts because we know people like the ones in this film and those around us thought we were nuts. Or maybe they thought they were supposed to be 'serious'. Listen this is what the film is about.

George Clooney plays Matt King a married father of two girls who is dealing with the fact his wife is in a coma and discovers she's been having an affair and that she was going to leave him. He is totally disconnected from his emotions and his family and he must come to terms with that, connect with his daughter and figure out how he feels about his wife.

George really knocks it out of the park in this film, and may be looking at an Oscar nomination, as does the young lady who plays his eldest daughter annd Robert Forrester who plays his father-in-law. This is the stuff Best Pictures are made of. And even though it's a heavy film it does have a powerful message at the end and is totally worth the price of admission. 4 Stars out of 4 Stars.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A Parade of Heroes

Everyone here knows of my not-so-secret love affair with Daniel Craig. I mean if I imagine it he's the model of many of the heroes in my books and stories. And I like him anyway I can imagine him. As a Bureau agent in #SetFireToTheRain, as an assassin #AnotherWayToDie, as a half-breed human alien in #NoOrdinaryLove, or even as a futuristic #GLADIATOR. 

I could post endless pictures of the man and just sigh at the way he smolders. And it seems the darker he is the more I like him. All of my heroes are damaged in some way or another. I like the idea of broken people finding peace with one another. It's a romantic notion. When the reality is we are all broken to some degree by our pasts and it's how we deal with that brokenness that allows us to function in our daily life.

I am at a crossroads of sorts. All of the those stories above are basically book 1 of a series. And choosing a story to write is difficult when all them speak to me at once. I mean even my Ryan Reynolds hero Luke Logan and Ryan Gosling hero want to get in on the action. Honestly, people want to see more and it's a place I've worked hard to get to. Now what? More time with dark, brooding, hunky heroes. *Sigh, as one my commenters said once, sometimes life is so hard ;).

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Sex in Stories and Holiday Gifts

Really, I should have called this post intimacy in stories. Mostly because you can have sex without intimacy and intimacy without sex. But the best combination for my money in a story is sex with intimacy.

In the book I'm writing now, Set Fire To The Rain they main characters sleep together the night after they meet. But the story took me there. But I don't show the sex. I show the intimacy before the sex and close the door before they do anything. It alters them both in a big way.

But I can write graphically too. And have fun doing it. Make no apologies for it and sometimes it's hot and sometimes it's tame. But I always try to show the emotional connection between the two people.

As for multiple partners, I've never written that, not because I'm above it but mostly because I don't share my toys in real life so it's hard to put myself in a frame of mind of where I'd want to share them in my creative life. It's just not a fantasy or reality to me. But I've seen people handle that subject matter wonderfully. Kat Holmes comes to mind.

As for my erotica tales they have to turn me on some so if I'm not who else will be? I guess that's the real yardstick for anyone. I get embarrassed when talking in an uncontrolled setting about my erotica books funny huh? Ask away at booksignings or online. I know I'm still somewhat repressed myself when it comes to that stuff.

So if your looking for a enduring passion and true love where the sex is hot you should checkout No Ordinary Love. You can click on the buy button to your right and it will take directly to the buy page.

If you like your romance on the dark side and can handle violence, danger, and a hero to die for then you can click on the Another Way To Die pre-order button. Excerpts from both books are available on the excerpt page.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Memories Of Movies Past...

Have you ever wanted to make a movie? Get rich? Win awards? Be known as the next big thing?

If you want to keep your sanity then I'm here to tell you now. Stop. Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 dollars. Go back to whatever your daily life is and just do that. Think writing a book will test your nerve? Well, it does, and it's hard, but nothing and I mean NOTHING will prepare you for what filming a microbudget movie.

Let's start with the script. There is this notion that writing a novel is all about art and a screenplay is just easy pasy money making scheme. Think again.

The writing of a quality script comes with constraints. Unlike a novel you have 90-120 pages to tell your story, especially when you're trying to breakthrough. If you ever breakthrough. Hollywood is an old boy young boy's club and if you're a woman you have to have some real chops or a real high concept to breakthrough. Chops: JK Rowling, Concept: Stephanie Meyers.

Indie is friendlier towards women but if you have a tandem directing team and your partner is a guy lookout for people naturally gravitating towards him. I didn't have that problem I had other problems.

If someone doesn't know their lines at the beginning they're not going to know them at the end and they are going to really fuck up the flow of your movie and make it impossible to edit it in the post production process. Fire them immediately. They will do nothing but cost you what little money you do have and cause you endless headaches.

But, if you are interested in making a movie I have one word of advice. COMMIT. Not halfway but 110%. It will not be easy. The picture is of me holding the promotional poster of Going Under from 2005. The designer of the poster is Paul Reynolds. You can checkout his artwork at Reynolds Originals on Facebook.

Too Far From Texas was the film I had all the drama on. Going Under was much better. But my best experience was probably Southern Fried and Laid to the Side.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Violence In Stories

There are some stories I write where violence is graphic. Sometimes it is physical. Sometimes it is emotional. And yes, sometimes it is sexual. I don't necessarily apologize for these stories. My stories are personal, and while I might not necessarily have been trained as an assassin ;) or sold into sexual slavery but I do know what it's like to be passed around to my biological father's friends and I know what it's like to be smacked around. Shit like that ain't pretty and people don't like to look at it sometimes but I think books like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Winter's Bone get to a truth and show where it can be profitable for a publisher to look at those stories and publish them.

I wrote a short story and the main characters are flawed. Incredibly so. Flawed characters are much more interesting to me. Gritty, raw, and emotional they are wounded and do things that aren't always nice and written in black and white. Some people are offended by that and really that's okay with me, it's a risk I take knowingly and without apology.

I wish I could make everyone love my stories, hell, I'm a natural born people pleaser lol. And I'll admit it stings when people get hyped about the nature of how I tell a story. I wish it didn't, but hey, I'm only human.

For those who read my stories and like them I'll keep writing them. For those who write 'cleaner' fiction and are offended by what I do, you don't have to read my stuff and I won't read yours, I personally find Christian fiction boring. That doesn't mean anything about your talent, it just means I don't care for the genre. Hell one of the best Christian fiction writers out there is Maurice Broadus and while I don't read his stuff I think he's incredibly talented and is absolutely hilarious in person.

But for those who read my stuff and have feedback to give me, I'm always willing to listen and I always appreciate it when I get it. Even if it isn't singing my story's praises :).  

Friday, December 2, 2011

Christmas Madness

To say that I'm excited today is an understatement. Of course I have my coffee on, what would a day without coffee be like? Why it would be like a day without chocolate or a look at Daniel Craig of course. Dark and without purpose. ;) LOL.

Nah today is a good day. I feel the itchy urge to write, I'm interviewing Real Andrews about a cause close to my heart. Folks, I have to tell you as someone who has bipolar disorder you find ways to survive and thrive. There are several schools of thought on this. For me I need my meds and therapy. If I didn't have these things I would lose my stability I work so hard for.

A good way to see if I am stable is to see if I'm writing. And yes I am writing right now. As a matter of fact the story I wrote which inspired me to create a blog and to write a novel is coming along quite nicely. Not to jinx myself of course. LOL

My bipolar disorder is something I wouldn't wish on too many people. Living with the diagnosis is often a difficult time. I am for the most part on an even keel. But there are days that are better than others and given the opportunity I have been to interview Real I am excited.

My fellow authors he's a really cool guy you should check him out. I know you might not normally think, gee mental health, holidays let's jump on it, but Christmas Madness is all about coping. The support would be nice too.

As a treat maybe I'll post a little bit of the novel tomorrow. Here's Real....

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Tomorrow Live w/Real Andrews

Who knew a simple tweet would result in the opportunity of a lifetime. An absolute squeeing joyful opportunity to help change peoples lives.

As I've mentioned before I love television and film One of my favorite soaps is General Hospital. My favorite actors from that show include the mainstays like Anthony Geary, Jonathan Jackson, Steve Burton, Maurice Benard and Real Andrews.

I have been running a campaign to try and get my favorite actors to come join me next November at the #MuseGalaAwards. When Real responded to me I thought you could have blown me over with a feather. We got to tweeting and I checked out his USTREAM channel http://ustre.am/Fa21 and thought wow, this guy is traveling his own journey with bipolar disorder.

Well, one thing has led to another and I have been granted the chance to interview him live tomorrow at his A Real BiPolar Life Channel about his daily trials and tribulations with the illness. I hope you will join us and learn how we deal with this disease and cope with the holidays. Just follow the link http://ustre.am/Fa21. If you're not awake at 8AM EST checkout the blog later. The video and transcript will be made available then.