One Night to Remember Excerpt

Alrighty, I said I'd post an excerpt from ONE NIGHT TO REMEMBER, but when I paste it into blogger, the format comes out a bit jumbled, as you can probably see from scrolling down. I'm under the weather today and *really* want to head back to bed otherwise I'd go through this whole passage and re-format it for you. But, hey, if you're picky about formatting when you read (I often am), you can read this exact excerpt on Amazon under "sample with one-click". I promise you the format on your kindle device or nook is perfect. ;)

Without further ado...

ONE NIGHT TO REMEMBER

CHAPTER ONE

April 14th, 1912
North Atlantic Ocean

Elizabeth Scott closed her eyes, and for the tenth time this dreaded evening, wished she were invisible. Maybe then she could pretend the trip was over. If the hum of the Titanic’s engines didn’t buzz beneath her feet, she could imagine she was hard at work in her studio in Boston, the troubles of Europe far behind her.
The trip was nearly over.
Waiters shuffled around tables in the first class dining room, picking up silver, delicately setting plates of steaming lamb on every setting. Whether or not the seat was taken was no matter. Wine was poured. Courses were served. Smiles were stretched to the limit.
Only the finest for the finest passengers sailing on the finest ship in the world.
Which was perfectly acceptable, unless there were others in the room like Elizabeth. Other passengers holding a first class ticket who viewed everyone on the ship, from first to third class, with the same level of civility.
She’d bet the gold coin in her shoe that the passengers in steerage weren’t being served on such elaborate china.
It wasn’t until Elizabeth sighed that the woman next to her, a busty woman with a pound of rubies dangling from her ear, finally spoke up.
“Is the lamb to your liking?” she asked, stabbing her own filet with a fork. “They can make you another. All you have to do is ask.”
“The lamb is fine.” Elizabeth forced out a cough and slid a salad fork off the table, right into her lap. When she was certain no one saw what had happened, she peeled open her purse and slipped it inside. “I think my stroll around the deck this afternoon has simply taken the wind out of my sails.”
“Too much walking can make a lady pale with fever.” The woman leaned in close as if she were telling a dear secret. Elizabeth could almost smell the money seeping from her pores. She was clean, freshly bathed, and smelled strongly of rose-hipped musk. “You should take care. Perhaps some water would help.”
“Perhaps.” Elizabeth took a drink to appease the woman, then slid her elbow back across the table, dragging the knife from her setting onto her lap. “Are you traveling to New York with your husband?”
“I am,” she said, and swiveled in her chair. Her face lit with genuine excitement. Like no one had spent two seconds speaking with her about anything other than the necessary formalities. Her eggplant evening gown sparkled with more hand-sewn jewels than Elizabeth could count. The fabric was silk. Foreign. Very expensive. “He’s feeling under the weather and decided to retire for the evening.” She paused, pursing her lips, readying for a smile. “I‘m Lady Isabelle Grace,” she said with purpose, elevating her voice for everyone at the table to hear. “Pleased to meet you.”
Elizabeth didn’t need the woman to shout her name from the hilltops to know who she was. She’d married banker Lord Arthur Grace last year and they were headed to the states to rendezvous with his business partners.
“It’s nice to make your acquaintance.” Elizabeth took a sip of wine. It was woodsy with hints of vanilla and went down smooth, but did little to warm the irritation building in her middle. Dinner was dwindling to an end and Elizabeth still had work to do.
She hadn’t brought down Lady Isabelle’s guard. Not one bit….
“I’m Miss Elizabeth Scott,” she said, giving a ten carat smile.
“And you’re traveling with your fiancé, I presume?” Lady Isabelle twiddled a diamond bee brooch on the collar of her dress. It was Tiffany & Co. 1890 collection.
“No. I’m traveling alone.” Elizabeth slid the knife into her purse, then pressed it shut.
“Alone?” Isabelle spoke the word with such disdain, Elizabeth wondered if her tongue was sizzling. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
No, she wouldn’t have. Women born into money didn’t understand the trials and troubles of women who weren’t. Elizabeth knew those troubles all too well. Although she was wearing a flaming crimson evening gown, accented with just as many jewels as the pretentious Lady Grace, Elizabeth had slaved for every dollar to purchase them and sewed them by hand in her shop in Boston that she’d built from the ground up.
Bitterness balled her nerves into a fist that rammed into her ribcage. She finished off the red droplets on the bottom of her wine glass and glanced around the room. Other than the band playing a soft tune in the corner and the stewards clearing plates, most of the room had emptied.
And no one was paying attention to the crime that was about to take place.
“We’re coming into a new age, Lady Grace.” Deciding no time could be better, Elizabeth stood quickly, purse clutched in hand. “I’m afraid I must leave you now.”
“So soon?” she asked, her expression genuinely solemn. “Surely you can stay for dessert. With my husband away, I should like the company.”
Elizabeth smiled and moved slowly around the arched back of Lady Grace’s chair, dancing her long, graceful fingers over the top. By the time Isabelle swiveled her gown around to face her, Elizabeth had slipped her gold tasseled purse off the table.
Holding it behind her back, Elizabeth leaned over and nailed the boards into Lady Isabelle’s casket. “I’m afraid I cannot stay. You see, I’m not feeling well, but it’s not due to the lamb.” She went in for the kill, gently brushing her stomach. “My situation is…delicate in nature.”
Nearly jumping out of her seat, Isabelle lost all color. “You are with child? Oh my dear, I am so sorry. And with no fiancé!”
“It’s all right. I’m plenty accustomed to doing things on my own. Now if you‘ll excuse me…”
Careful not to turn so that Lady Isabelle would see her stolen clutch, Elizabeth gave a small curtsey and excused herself from the table. She’d done it. Another night, another first class passenger swindled out of money they’d earned off the backs of others.
By the time Lady Grace realized her purse was stolen, Elizabeth would have the money emptied from it and have returned the clutch to the Master at Arms. She would probably think she’d misplaced it or dropped it along the way to dinner. When it was discovered in the lost and found, Isabelle wouldn’t cause a fuss. The snobbishly rich never did. Her husband, Lord Grace, was known for his obsessive gambling and frequently “borrowed” from his wife’s trove. She’d either think the money was missing or wasn’t there to begin with.
It was quite ridiculous, really, to think more people weren’t taking advantage of all the wealth of the world on a single ship, stuck in the middle of the North Atlantic. Elizabeth swelled with pride when she realized she might’ve been the only ingenious person among them.
As she reached the French doors leading into first class reception room, Elizabeth had the skin-crawling feeling that eyes were boring into her back. She spun around, facing her table. Lady Grace had gone back to her plate, oblivious to the theft that’d taken place.
No one looked her direction.
No one except the clean shaven man with side swept chestnut hair, blazing brown eyes and a square cut jaw. The man walking toward Elizabeth with a hard pound to his stride. As if he’d just witnessed everything.

***

Want to read more? Go HERE.

One Night to Remember--release day tomorrow!

I've been in a fog the last couple weeks, battling flus and bugs and deadlines. BUT, I have great news to share!

If you haven't noticed the beautiful addition to the sidebar, I have a new release coming soon! ONE NIGHT TO REMEMBER, a historical erotic romance that takes place aboard the Titanic releases TOMORROW!

Here's the blurb:

First class clothing designer Elizabeth Scott isn’t all that she appears. She may be elegant and poised on the outside, dining with the richest on the ship, but she’s hiding a dark secret within.

Thieves boarded the Titanic, too…

Officer Thomas McGuire is as honest as they come. Working to make a decent living on the ship of dreams, he can’t believe his eyes when the most striking lady he’s ever seen steals from another first class passenger. As the night goes on, Thomas must decide whether he plans to arrest or seduce Elizabeth and she’s not making it easy on him—the heat sparking between them is unlike anything they’ve ever known.

Time is running out…

The Titanic is sinking fast. Elizabeth has finally met a true gentleman—one who gazes upon her with total adoration yet fulfills her deepest fantasies. But being a gentleman means more than playing the stuffy part. Thomas insists on helping other passengers until the very end, even if that means going down with the ship.

In the fight for their lives, they just might find a love worth dying for.

I can honestly say I put everything I had behind this story. I've researched all things Titanic since I was eight years old. I have more books than I know what to do with. Well, I found a way to combine my love of romance and my love of the Titanic. I hope my passion for the ship came alive on the page...why don't you check it out tomorrow on Amazon or B&N (for 0.99 cents) and let me know! :)

Tomorrow I'll post an excerpt! Stay tuned!

And the winner is...

Drum roll please...




*




The winner of the Romancing the Valentine Giveaway is Mama8383! Congratulations! I'll be emailing you shortly to choose your Valentine gift. :)

Thank you to all the commenters who entered the giveaway. Rest assured there'll be more on the way.

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Romancing the Valentine Giveaway!

Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop is being hosted by Reading Romances!

Valentine's day is right around the corner! (How'd that happen? Wasn't it just Christmas?!?) Husband and I aren't big Valentine's Day spenders, but this year we bought tickets to a Peter Cetera concert near the romantic holiday so we're using that as our heart-fest date. Although hearing one of the greatest voices of our generation in concert will be an AWESOME way to spend Valentine's Day, I can think of another: getting lost in the pages of a romance novel. In honor of that idea and our lovely cherub filled holiday, I'm taking part in the Romancing the Valentine Giveaway!

What you can win here:
U.S. ONLY
Your choice of one (1) of the following:
print or kindle copy of InterVamption

ReVamp's hottest Vampire Rehabilitation Specialist has been burning moonlight looking for a cure to what's ailing the blood supply in Crimson Bay, California. The mysterious infection is causing vampires to hit the streets and act like...well...a bit like Dracula when he's cranked out on venti mocha vamppuccinos. Neither her arranged marriage on the blood-smudged horizon, nor the threat of shutting down her clinic can tear DYLAN'S eyes off the prize--proving once and for all vampires aren't blood-lusting primal creatures. The last thing she expects while prepping a newborn for coven induction is to be spun for a wet and wild loop by the muscle bound vampire she finds beaten to a pulp and sprawled out on her bed.

Little does she know, the shape-shifting goon squads dead set on oppressing vampiric rights have a dark trick up their flickering sleeves. They’ve sent a sheep to sleep amongst the wolves…

Shape-shifter by birth, assassin by rank, and vampire by damned unfortunate circumstance, SLADE just wants to penetrate the coven of leeches, complete his risky assignment, and high-tail it out of there. Despite himself and shape-shifting law, he’s fired up; ready to take Dylan six ways from Sunday….with a Blood-Blasted cherry on top. When Slade’s next target is unveiled to be Dylan he must make a choice: complete his task and assassinate the love of his life, putting an end to the vampire uprising or die a traitorous death at the hands of his shape-shifting brothers and kick-start all-out war.



OR a print or kindle copy of Vamped Up

On the run from hungry vampires with his lover under arm, madly possessive RUAN has one thing in mind: keep the dirty fangs of his khissmates off the neck of his one true love—a human with mouth watering blood. The fact that from the moment he invited EVE into his bed, he’s been having eerily real nightmares about violently screwing her, then killing her? Yeah, that part wasn’t fitting too well into his carefully concocted plan to keep her safe.

Eve, a tantalizing biblical studies teacher at Crimson Bay University, has no idea her life is in jeopardy. Ironically, living with the knowledge of paranormal beings and sharing a bed with one of the most cryptic vampires on the planet was not what had her protectively grasping her throat at night. It was the mention of her name in the ancient scrolls; the scrolls written by vampire elders, revealing what’s in store for the end of times…and her spilled blood.

Savage, a villainous vampire-therian hybrid, has a simple plan: kill Eve, drain her dry, thus binding the death shades (dark spirits of vampire elders) to him.

Determined not to let the evil sucker execute his plan by harnessing the dark energy of the elders and killing everyone they’ve come to love, Ruan and Eve set upon a course to stop the future dictated in the scrolls from coming true. It doesn’t take long however, before Ruan realizes that breaking Eve’s heart and erasing himself from her life might be the only way to save her. If only the pull to her wasn't so strong..

Number of winners:

I'll randomly choose one (1) commenter via random.org on midnight, February 13th.

Open to:
U.S. entries only

How to enter:
All you've got to do is comment this post and tell me what your plans are for Valentine's Day!

Hop and enter the other giveaways!

Breaking through Writer's Block

I haven't met a writer yet who can say they've written novel after novel unscathed. That they haven't fought bouts of writer's block. It hits everyone, though at different times and different lengths. I've heard writers say they hit blocks before they start, when they're trying to draw the lines of their story together. But once they get rolling, the book writes itself. I've heard writers say they smooth sail through the beginning and freeze up mid-way, when antes are upped and the conflict is at its peak.

I usually hit the wall around 2/3 of the way through the book. It's no secret I write plot-driven books vs. character-driven ones. Getting deep into character's heads and emotions has always been where I have to work harder than I imagine most others do. (Though I don't know the struggles of others, I can't say for certain.) I can weave plots that are complex and suspenseful, with twists and turns coming out my ears.

BUT (and that's a mighty big BUT--no pun intended), once I have all that conflict down, all that thick and interesting plot, my story tends to look like a giant, jumbled mess.


I get 2/3 through the book (about 250 pages), and stop. I hit the wall. How on earth do I sort those threads? How do they straighten and fit together seamlessly? My first response is to come up with something really complex to solve the problem. (Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn't it?) I guess in my mind, the only way to get myself out of a hole is to keep digging!



It's taken 3 years, 4 novels and 2 novellas for me to realize that solutions can be simple. But how do you get there?

How do you turn that mess of yarn into something beautiful?



There's a few things that work for me...maybe they'll work for someone else out there struggling with the same thing.



1-I switch up radio stations. I was listening to a pre-made playlist on mixpod to write my novellas, but it didn't seem to work for the world of Crimson Bay.
(Below is the exact playlist I used.)


Music Playlist at MixPod.com

To get back into the Vampires of Crimson Bay mode, I started listening to a Snow Patrol station on Pandora. I'm going to stay there for awhile because I'm finding that every now and then I get in the right zone and the music and writing both flow.

2-Switch up your positions. If you normally sit at your desk and write (that's me!), and that's not working, move to the couch. If that doesn't work, try standing. Or kneeling. Or walking. (Have you seen those nifty tread desks?)

*That's not me, by the way.

Last night I got so frustrated working through a scene that I pushed out the chair, moved it out of the way, and kneeled at my desk. It seemed to work just fine, though my knees have rug burn. (Oh, keep the jokes at bay. I know that one was too easy.)

3-Find something to keep your logical brain busy so your creative brain is free to, you know, create! I use this:



It's one of those little toy ball puzzle thingies that come in Happy Meals. I was mindlessly toying with it one day while writing (Tank had left it on my desk), and found that when I was trying to figure out how to open and close it one-handed, my creativity really flourished.

4-Go outside.

5-Exercise

6-Try hashtagging #1k1hr on twitter. (There's all kinds of people who are ready to push through 1k words.) If you've got someone there with you, pushing you through, you may break through the wall without realizing it. Or write 1k worth of total crap, but hey, you're writing.

There's tons of ways to break through writer's block, and I'm sure every writer you talk to will give you their tips if you ask them. These are mine...and now yours.

Year in Review

I can't believe it's the last day of 2011 already. A whole lot has happened this year, both good and bad, but overall I was very blessed.

On the family front, we bought a cabin at our favorite mountain spot, took trips to Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, L.A. and Humboldt. (Not including the trip I took by myself to RWA New York City!!) We picnicked, spa'd, soccered, laughed, smore'd, bbq'd and all around cherished our time together.

On the writing front, I published three books this year, got some really great reviews, sold three other books that are coming out in 2012, met some of my writing idols, killed a chunk of my TBR pile, and learned some tools to help me with character development that I hadn't thought about before.

And, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep my NYE tradition alive...I make really freaking lofty goals every year, strive my best to do a tad over normal, then see where I land.

Here's my list of goals for 2011 that I wrote at the end of 2010:

*Sell a book in The Crimson Bay Series to one of the major publishing houses in NYC.
*Find an editor who believes in my work like I do.
*Write every day
*Spend more time enjoying the little things rather than worrying about them.
*Finish another two books: the third in The Crimson Bay Seres and another (maybe a paranormal YA??? I'm tossing ideas around...)
*Final in the Daphne duMaurier Contest
*Final in the Golden Heart Contest

Now...for those of you in the writing biz, you know how hard some of those goals are to reach in a single year. (A final in both Daphne and GH?!? What was I thinking?)

But overall I think I did all right. I didn't only find one editor who believes in my work, but two. I'm working with the wonderfully talented Esi Sogah over at HarperCollins and AnnLeslie Tuttle at Harlequin. What stuns me about these women is that they're not only knock-your-socks-off smart, but very kind. They not only care about the writing, but about the writers, as well. I'm a lucky gal.

I didn't write every day, but darn close...minus the two month hiatus when I had men working in my kitchen during the remodel. My writing time was sucked up into the Home Depot vortex. Other than that, I think I was on the money.

I have been enjoying the little things. Instead of worrying how I'm going to afford gas back and forth to San Francisco Friday and Saturday for SFARWA meetings, I just go to the dinners Friday night, have a great freaking time, turn around, drive home, drive back in the morning, spend time with really great friends, and figure the friendships made are worth more than the money spent. That's just one example, but a good one, I think.

I didn't finish the third book in the Vampires of Crimson Bay series, but it's 1/4 done and IT SOLD to Avon Impulse, the publisher who bought the first two. I also wrote two paranormal novellas and sold them to Harlequin Cravings.

(And, in case you were curious, I don't have any plans to write a paranormal YA. Not anymore. I've got two other paranormal series stirring up in my brain after the Vampires of Crimson Bay series. I'm going to focus on those. My agent will KILL ME if I come at her with a YA at this point. ;))

Lastly, I didn't final in either contest. HOWEVER, I got really good scores (or at least really good for me--best yet),and one of my critique partners finaled. Seeing her all dolled up, heading to the Death by Chocolate Award Ceremony at RWA in NYC...I just couldn't be happier for her. For now, I'm living vicariously through her. :)

Okay...Really Freaking Lofty Writing Goals for 2012...that's the official title. Officially.

*Final in the Daphne (I want this sucker so bad...)
*Write and sell a third (and maybe a forth) novella in the Isle of Feralon series for HQN (Cravings)
*Write every day
*Write and sell another dark, gritty, sexy paranormal full-length novel to a major publishing house for a traditional print run. I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to work with HarperCollins again...time will tell.


Okay...I think that's it. Of course I could say I want a brilliantly starred RT review or to hit the NYT and USA Today Bestsellers lists, but I won't put those goals here. Not yet. I haven't made it to the point where I can start looking that far ahead without feeling like it's unreachable. Know what I mean? It's like waking up every morning saying you're going to hit the lottery. Sure, it's a goal. It could happen. But that doesn't belong on any Really Freaking Lofty Goal Lists either.

And what would a year in review be without The Year in Review from JibJab? Enjoy!



Hope you have a wonderful New Year! Bring it, 2012! I'm ready!

Ah, yes. Inspiration via Snow Patrol

I've taken a bit of a break from writing Forbidden by Fate, novella #2 for the Harlequin Cravings line.

And, to be honest, I've been stuck. Every time I open it up, I write 500 words or so, then my inspiration dries up.

But yesterday I found "Run" by Snow Patrol. Though I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, I wrote 1k yesterday and I'm aiming for 2k today. I just took a break between writing bursts and looked up the lyrics. No wonder it's so inspirational for this WIP. It pretty much sums up the theme.

Back to work I go!

Vamped Up Price ERROR

Just wanted to clarify something...

VAMPED UP is NOT $262, as Amazon states. (You can check out the massive oversight--and overprice--HERE.) We're working out the glitches and hope we haven't scared you off.

The e-version released December 6th for $3.99. You can get your e-copy from your favorite e-retailer. Here's a few:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Books a Million

However, if you are interested in purchasing a PRINT COPY (hey, thanks so much!), it releases December 27th for $4.88. NOT the $262 Amazon is claiming. You CAN preorder VAMPED UP for the correct price here:

Barnes&Noble


I can't apologize enough for the inconvenience. And if you are one of the people who've emailed me wondering why the price is so high, it's not. I'm sorry. As soon as it's fixed I'll let you know.

How'd I celebrate the release of Vamped Up, you ask?

There were bright, happy faces...(A rare pic of Husband--he's the hunky, hunky, cheesy one on the right.)



There was cinnamon coffee cake...LOTS OF IT...



There was Settler's...(I was red and ended up winning only 1 game of 3 for the night.)


And there was Guiness...


I'd say I had a damn good release day.

(Side note: I took the wild goose that we found in our backyard to our local Wildlife Rescue Center. Turns out it wasn't a goose at all. It was an American Coot.
It'd somehow flown in from the river, hurt it's wing and couldn't get back. The Wildlife Rescue is going to fix him right up and set him free. Good deed done for the day!!)

Vamped Up release day!

Today was a big day.

VAMPED UP released!

I celebrated by going to a local bookclub (Hello Monday Mamas!) and eavesdropping while they ooh'd and aah'd over someone else's book. (The author was a friend of mine and her work is really great, so I didn't mind sharing the spotlight. :wink:) I drank coffee, laughed, talked writing and the future of my series. It was a perfect morning.

This afternoon I cooked. Cleaned. Did laundry. Oh, and chased a poor, little helpless goose who'd somehow lost his way. He showed up on our back porch. Our yapping terrier nearly got to him, but I noticed the little guy in time. We corralled him in some brush and put him in a cat-cage. He was scared and no doubt, hungry, but at least he's out of the cold for the night with some chicken feed and water. I'm going to call the local wildlife rescue service in the morning and see what they can do for him.

What are my plans tonight, you ask? I'm going to scratch up some homemade coffee cake (after I borrow some flour from my neighbor), make a rich cup of coffee, spike it with some Bailey's, and play Settler's of Catan with Husband and a friend. Check back later and I just might post a picture!

Can't wait.

Oh! And Goddess Fish is hosting a virtual blog tour for the release. If you comment on any of the blog posts, you're entered into a giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon giftcard. Stop by and say Hi! If you've got questions for me to answer or just want to show some love, this is the time to do it. I'll be popping in and out of the blogs all week, looking for questions and comments.

Here's the schedule:
December 5: My bookish ways
December 6: Reader Girls
December 7: Among the Muses
December 8: AsianCocoa's Secret Garden
December 9: Parajunkee's View
December 9: Immortality and Beyond