Writer Inspiration: Jessa Slade

by Marie-Claude Bourque

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!! CONGRATULATION KERRI NELSON!!!

Hi everyone,

This business of writing, trying to get published and remain published can be quite daunting. That is why I started to ask authors how they do it, how they survive, what was their journey or just some tips to help us writers that are trying to get there. I am thrilled to have as a guest today, paranormal romance author Jessa Slade who will share some of her thoughts on writing and publication.

My thanks to Marie-Claude for allowing me to visit today.  Since my debut urban fantasy romance, SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, has been loose on the shelves of bookstores for three weeks now, I wanted to muse a little about the transition from writer to author.  

Weirdly enough, writers are not born knowing how to become authors.  You’d think it’d be instinctive, like it is for caterpillars. 

Not that a caterpillar can become an author, nor would it want to, but writers go through many of the same steps as caterpillars.  We munch our way through many leaves—words, in our case, words from books in our genre, bestselling books, craft books, submission guidelines, the Publishers Weekly deals column.  We crawl out onto the spindly branches of hope, pursuing every possible word and maybe soaking in a few rays of warm encouragement along the way.  We grow pudgy with the accumulated weight of our efforts, and finally we spin ourselves up in a tiny, isolated cocoon—whether it be a writer’s garret or some cheap coffee shop—weaving thread upon thread, struggling to become what we were meant to be….

 And then the cruel hands of fate rip off our little wings—not yet unfurled—and send us plummeting back to the dirt: “Regret to inform you… Not right for our line at this time… Wings don’t sell; quit while you still have the stubs, you fool.”

The pursuit of publication: Raid™ for the writer’s soul.

In the beginning, I read a lot of advice to writers about telling the story of my heart, about finding joy in my writing, about writing as a sacred calling.  That advice seemed as ephemeral to me as any butterfly, and I felt bad that I wasn’t one of those lilting creatures.  For me, writing wasn’t particularly joyful or fulfilling.  It was dirty, exhausting work, full of anguish and annoyance.  There were days I scrubbed toilets voluntarily rather than open my manuscript.  The beginning of it I avoided as long as possible; I trudged through the middle with weary resignation; and I charged the end with wild-eyed ineptitude.

I remember one piece of wisdom that suggested: “If you knew for a fact no one would ever read your stories, would you keep writing?  Then you are a true writer.”  And I thought: “No, then you are a lunatic.”

 But I had to acknowledge the core truth: I might never become a butterfly. 

So I stopped waiting for my writing to be transcendent and I just wrote.  I built up my immunity to toxic clouds of rejection; sure, my eyes still watered, but at least I kept breathing.  And writing.  I didn’t just give myself permission to write crap, I actually wrote crap.  A lot of it.  Because crap is more spectacularly offensive in large piles.  Oh, there were moments of flight… Usually right before I realized I’d tripped off the edge of a crap cliff.

I wish I could say then I got The Call and transformed into a glorious phoenix, rising from the ashes.

Tragically, this is not the case.  The only phoenix-like moments I’ve experienced are the crashing and burning ones.  I’m still grubbing.  Still writing.

Turns out, those grub skills (is a pathological unresponsive to painful stimuli actually a skill?) have served me well.  Not prettily, but well.  The ability to chow through endless reams; constantly climbing toward the sun, disregarding any fear of falling; staying hungry like any good caterpillar; relentlessly coming back from any attempt at eradication.  Always trundling onward, one leg in front of the other in front of the other in front of the other.

Maybe, not so weirdly, writers are born knowing how to become authors.  We write.  Turns out, wings just tend to snag under your butt when you sit down at the keyboard.  The glory of flight was always only in my mind, but I guess I can make my peace with that since the stories live there too.

What fantasies about publication do you have?  Do you think it’ll be easier or harder to write once you sell?  Published authors, feel free to burst our bubbles or let us in on all the secrets.

One random commenter will be drawn to win a signed copy of SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, a pair of freshwater pearl earrings inspired by the Marked Souls storyworld (don’t they look all demonically possessed?), and a custom temporary tattoo based on an in joke from the book.

~ Jessa Slade

Thank you so much for coming to Musetracks Jessa. You are very inspiring!

And please don’t forget to leave her comment so we can out you in her draw!

Rejection Objection!

Song of the Day: Take a Chance on Me by ABBA

Sorry folks. I’m a day late. Having a new baby in the house takes a lot of adjustment and I haven’t quite nailed down a solid schedule.

Today, I’m going to post a list of unbelievable rejections compiled by my good friend and fellow writer, Will Simon.

James Lee Burke, hailed today as the “Faulkner of Modern Crime Fiction” holds the record for Most Rejections from a Publisher; his novel, THE LOST GET BACK BOOGIE was rejected one hundred and eleven (yes… 111) times. When it was published in 1986, BOOGIE was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize. (Larry McMurtry won that year for LONESOME DOVE.)

“Richard Hooker” spent seven years writing a humorous war novel based on his experiences as a doctor in Korea. The manuscript was rejected by twenty-one publishers before William Morrow bought the rights to the novel, originally titled “Mobile Army Surgical Hospital”. An editor rechristened the manuscript M*A*S*H*. M*A*S*H* became a runaway best-seller, spawning a blockbuster movie and one of the longest running series in television history.

Louis L’Amour, possibly the most respected author in the Western genre received more than 350 rejections before he made his first sale. As of this date, there are more than 200 million Louis L’Amour books in print.

British thriller writer John Creasy received 774 rejections before his first sale, and went on to author a total of 564 novels, featuring such characters as The Baron, The Toff, and other British “gentlemen heroes”, and often had up to five manuscripts in the works simultaneously. To this day, Creasy is considered one of the pre-eminent writers in the genre.

Dr. Seuss’ first children’s book “And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street” was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before Vanguard Press “took a chance”. Nothing more needs to be said.

Margaret Mitchell’s classic “Gone with the Wind” was turned down by more than thirty-seven publishers.

Mary Higgins Clark was rejected more than forty times before selling her first short story. More than 30 million copies of her books are in print today.

Fifteen publishers and thirty agents turned down John Grisham’s first novel, “A Time to Kill”. More than 60 million copies of his books are now in print.

Doctor No, E.T., Home Alone, Forrest Gump, Speed, and Raiders of the Lost Ark were ALL rejected by every major studio in Hollywood.

Rudyard Kipling received a rejection letter from the San Francisco Examiner that said, in part, “Mr. Kipling, it is obvious that you have no grasp of the English Language.”

Dean Koontz was strongly advised by an English Professor to find “meaningful work”, as he would never succeed as a writer.

((Second all time favorite – W.)) Eight years after his novel “Steps” won the National Book Award, Jerzy Kosinski permitted a young writer to change the name and title of the book, and nothing else, and send the re-typed manuscript to various publishers. Every single publishing house rejected it, including Random House who had published the original and proudly displayed the National Book Award for it.

((First all time favorite – W.)) A young film school graduate got the necessary permissions from the estates of the writers, and submitted a word for word line by line copy of the screenplay to CASABLANCA under the play’s original title, “Everybody Comes to Rick’s.” Every studio passed on it, with Warner Brothers (who did the original) saying “No FemJep (Hollywood slang for ‘Female in Jeopardy’) ….can’t sell it. Can you toss in a serial killer?” Several agents responded to the prankster with comments like “Too old and archaic”, “Where’s the Kid Action?”, and “Unbelievably stupid; no one acts this way in real life.”

((ULTIMATE All Time Favorite – W)) Back in 1962, upon viewing initial film of Sean Connery as James Bond, a United Artists executive sent a formal memo out criticizing the producers casting choice, ending with the line “We can do better than [Connery].”

 

Now – don’t you feel better about your own rejections?

William Simon is in his real life the owner and lead investigator for Abberline Investigations, a licensed investigations company that deals exclusively  in computer crime.  William publishes under the pseudonym ‘Will Graham’.

ECWC: Agent Panel: What They Want. (Or Not!)

By Marie-Claude Bourque

Last week-end, I was very lucky to attend the wonderful Emerald City Writers Conference in Bellevue, WA. It’s great that I live so close.

The conference was a success as described here at Barbara Vey’s Blog (Publisher’s Weekly) .

I sat in front of a panel of impressive agents and editors and though I’d share what I heard from them here at Musetracks. So present at the panel, where agent Alexandra Machinist of the Linday Chester Literary Agency agent Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency, agent Steven Axelrod, editor Megan McKeever from Pocket Books, Wanda Ottewell from Harlequin (she edits the Superromance line) and editor Peter Senftleben of Kensington.

So here we go (disclaimer, this is what I heard, and maybe not what they actually said!)

On being asked about submission and pitching and what they hate, Senftleben said that if a book is not finished at the time of pitching, just don’t mention that. Pitch the book as is it is finished then send the whole thing if requested. And please don’t CC to all your agents on your list while doing an email submission (yes, he said, it did happened to him.) Axelrod said he will forget any mistake in pitching and submissions if he thinks he can sell your book, Ottewell doesn’t like receiving manuscript that are not targeted to Superromance. Machinist cautions against saying that you are a cross of a all famous authors at once. Perhaps a name or two to get the flavor of your writing but not go overboard. McKeever loves authors who are excited about their book while pitching and that have creative ideas. She also remind writers to always include the ending of the story in the synopsis.

On author promotions, Senftleben pointed that more and more publishing houses rely on authors promoting themselves and that attending writers conferences such as RWA are a great way to network, which may help in finding authors willing to provide cover quotes. On the other hand, Axelrod said that online promotion doesn’t really work that much and authors should really focus on writing a good book. Spencer also said that promotion is on the author’s plate more than ever. Authors still need to realize that their priority is to write their best book but they also do have to do something towards promoting themselves. Machinist warned authors not to get too obsessed with Amazon ranking.

On romantic comedy, whether it is a dead genre or not, Senftleben said that nothing is ever out but some things are more in favor at times and romantic comedy is still equated with chic lit which is down at this time. Axelrod commented that romantic comedy come and go and that is very hard to write universal romantic comedy, a humor that will please a lot at once. Spencer said that it doesn’t help to say it is funny in a query. She recommends calling it contemporary. Your humor will be obvious at first read and she suggests focusing on your voice while writing.

On epub, Senftleben said that sales for electronic books at Kensington are not that big 5-7% of total sales. Axelrod said the market was about to explode and that it was a fabulous way to distribute books, especially for commercial books. He pointed that it would be harder for literally fiction who depend on independent bookstores for their distribution and promotion. Ottewell mentioned that the good thing about ebooks was that books would not go out of print and Spencer mentioned that we do need to pay attention to that trend and that 5-7% of Dan Brown latest sale was still a large number of readers out there willing to buy electronics.

With fellow GSRWA member and Dorchester author Gayle Ann Williams at ECWC

On what it meant when an agent said that a submission was almost right but not quite, most on the panel agreed that this was a polite way of saying they passed on it. Senftleben also mentioned that to take in a submission, not only does he have to love it, but it also have to be good enough for all the other editors.

On what they are looking for, Senftleben takes all kinds of romance including erotica and please no terrorists, Axelrod is looking for wonderful storytellers, Ottewell wants depth, complexity and emotion for her HQ Superromance line. McKeever tell writers to write what you want to write and what you are good at. In romance, she takes paranormal, suspense and historical. She also said she likes sexy book. Nothing sweet.

So there you are. Get writing, and pitch and submit.

I was lucky enough to do a group pitch to Megan McKeever and she basically started our meeting by telling everyone to send their first chapter and synopsis. It seems to be the norm these days as far as I can see.  So next time you pitch, I suggest you relax and just show why you are so passionate about your story!

BLOG STOP #5

Morning All!

 

I’m blogging with the wonderful ladies over at Southern Sizzle today.

 

Stop by and say hi! And tell us what you think about ’Agent Shop’ over the past few months.

 

SOUTHERN SIZZLE ROMANCE

 

Have a great day and keep writing.

Agent Days over… Results

Thank you to all who entered.

 

I hope you’ll visit for our next Agent Shop date of November 8th.

 

We had six requests!

 

Keeping our fingers crossed for everyone who sent in partials to Jill. Make sure you let us all know if anything comes from the request.

 

Happy writing!

AGENT SHOPPING DAYS

AGENT DAYS

It’s now time for our attending agent to shop the pitches.

Thank you everyone who sent in a pitch and good luck.

Here are the casualties this go-round:

Pitches received: 39

Pitches Accepted: 21

The casualties????

8 – Too long

3 – Missing info

2 – Not romance

2 – Spam (seriously)

3 – No contact info

 

 

 

So this is an improvement from the last three A.S. dates.

—————————————————————————-

Welcome to MuseTracks Ms. Marsal.

Please send me an e-mail with the number of the pitch(s) you are interested in, what you’d like to, how you’d like them to get it to you and I’ll forward it on to the submitting author.

Hope you enjoy your visit. It was wonderful to have Dakota here.

—————————————————————————-

 

 

 

#1

The Mirror Man
Thriller/Suspense (w/ Paranormal Romance Elements)
Word Count: 50K

When Detective Derrick Logan awakens covered in blood and suffering from complete amnesia he must set out to solve the mystery of his own life.Further complicating things is that when he looks in the mirror he sees himself as something other than completely human.

No one else sees what he sees in the mirror but he knows that more of “his kind” will be searching for him.

Through a series of flashbacks and hypnosis sessions with the police department shrink, he begins to piece together the puzzle, but will he solve the mystery before it is too late?

In this Quantum Leap meets The Bourne Identity romantic adventure…one Detective discovers that sometimes looking in the mirror reveals more than you ever imagined.

 

 

#2

“Stark”

Young Adult Fantasy

60,000 words

Spending the summer in the Arctic before returning to Seattle, sixteen year old Charlotte Currier hopes to 1). find a boyfriend and 2). finally need an unpadded bra. When brooding seventeen year old Victor Rochester declares his love for Charlotte, she’s enchanted. But Victor can’t trust his dark secrets to anyone; how do you tell the girl you love you’re half demon? Meanwhile, Charlotte’s sorcery attracts her long absent mother’s attention. Although thrilled at finding her mother, Charlotte is now expected to enter the demon destruction family business. Charlotte keeps wondering— can she still date her immortal enemy?

 

 

#3

To Catch a Thief
Contemporary Romance
Word Count: 50,000 words

All Presley Montgomery wants is to forget a past of emotional abuse and infidelity. When her six-year-old niece shows up unexpectedly, she must readjust her life to care for the little girl. Too independent and stubborn for her own good, Presley refuses to seek help, all the while trying to keep her past and emotions locked away.

After Private Investigator Sam Harding’s fiancé was killed because of him, he vowed never to risk his heart or the life of another again. When he approaches Presley regarding a diamond heist involving her sister, he finds himself struggling to keep his vow. For some reason, Presley compels him to help and protect her, despite his better judgment.

But there’s someone else who wants the diamonds for themselves and will stop at nothing to get them. Soon, Presley and Sam are thrust into the middle of a dangerous game of finder’s keepers. Will they have what it takes to catch a thief? Or will they lose their hearts and their lives in the process?

 

#4

WITCHY WOMAN

Paranormal Romance

80,000

Stella Cameron is haunted by that night thirteen years ago. The night her Aunt Lou sacrificed her to a demon. Now thirteen years later she’s returned to Silverton , Georgia to bury her aunt along with her painful past.

However, the demon that received her sacrifice has ideas of his own. Alongside immortal protector, Zane Weathers, Stella begins the arduous task of putting things right. In doing so, she must face demonic henchmen, a reincarnated Aunt Lou and a demon with such power, that if loosed on the world, he may very well master the human race.

As they struggle side by side, Stella, afraid to love and trust finds compassion in Zane’s sinewy arms. But can they overcome all they must and still keep the love that has blossomed between them?

 

 

#5

“Love’s Little Instruction Book”

Contemporary romantic comedy

101,000 words

Dave Di Sciullo is a sweet, working class guy, but he’s hardly anybody’s idea of a romantic hero. He’s not particularly handsome, not especially rich, and his six pack resides in his fridge, not on his abdomen. So when a beautiful, intelligent woman who’s used to living the good life comes to work at his radio station, Dave figures he doesn’t stand a chance – Denise Johnson’s better looking than he is, more money than he does, and tops his height by several inches. Dave’s totally attracted to her, but despairs of ever being the kind of man who’d catch the eye of a woman like her until he stumbles on an idea that he’s certain no man has ever tried before — using romance novels as “instructor’s manuals” for how to win a lady.

This 101,000 word romantic comedy takes an affectionate look at the quirks and conventions of the genre, examining such questions as “What is a hero?” “What’s the modern equivalent of a regency ball?” and “How do you ‘rescue’ a confident, self-assured twenty-first century woman?” Dave’s road to love isn’t smooth, but he keeps trying, persevering until he (and Denise) finally arrive at “Happily ever after.”

 

 

#6

The Devil’s Daughter
Western Historical romance
85,000 word ms 

On the run from her past, Blaze Marie Austin is no longer the four-year-old girl forced to be an outlaw. Now a woman searching for redemption, she owes a debt to man who has saved her life but when her past catches up to her, the man’s estranged son accuses her of betrayal. She must make the choice to run again, or stay to defend this family who’re afraid to love.

Gade Ryder returned to Eden, Texas to face his past when the little Devil’s Daughter entered the saloon and left him with an insatiable curiosity along with the bill to her drink. Returning home after a twelve year absence, he reluctantly agrees to help save the family ranch from rustlers. Had he agreed out of a misplaced family loyalty or had the compelling mystery of the Devil’s Daughter enticed him to stay in a place he didn’t want to be?

When the little criminal is accused of murder, Gade realizes his growing attraction for her could not only cost him his freedom, it may well cost him his life. They join together to discover the truth and along the way they find a secret Eden of their own.

 

 

#7

DEATH’S ANGEL

Paranormal Romance

75,000 words

Private care nurse, Vivienne Dupre has made it her life’s mission to keep Death from her patients for as long as possible.

During her latest her assignment, she meets and begins to fall for the grandson of one of her clients, Justin Ardmore. Unfortunately, their attraction must wait when a car accident introduces Vivienne to Death himself.

Death has been watching Vivienne for a while. Not with the idea of taking her soul to the other side. But with the idea of changing her mind about him…in more ways than one.

Taking human form, Death and Vivienne begin a journey…but where will this path lead? And does mortal, Justin Ardmore stand a snowballs chance in hell when Death is determined to steal his fated love’s heart?

Death has a name. It’s Devlin O’Neal.

 

 

#8

 

 

 

Remember Me 

Paranormal

76,000 word

 

Vanessa has traveled to Scotland to bring some adventure to her staid and hum-drum life. She just never expected to find herself the object of a ghost’s obsession.

Aiden knows exactly what she’s experiencing since he is being haunted by the very ghost her nightly visitor is searching for.

As they work together to find a way for the lovers to cross-over, they discover a passion for each other they never expected. But solutions aren’t as easy as they seem, and the sacrifice that is demanded is high.

Is it true love they are feeling, or are they siphoning off the memories of the past? Will they take the leap for a better future, or be doomed to repeat history’s mistakes?

 

 

#9

Obsidian

Dark fantasy

91K words

Haunted by nightmares of a black dog and numb to her everyday life, a neuroscientist walks out on her pompous ass of a boyfriend and finds herself hiking around Devils Tower in her favorite Ann Taylor dress and black pumps. With a dark current running in her heart she casts an unwitting spell that dumps her into the land of the Fae — beautiful, intense, whimsical and horrifying. The ruthless and seductive Rogue saves her life, but is determined to control and possess her.

A witty, intelligent woman, Gwynn brings her scientific training to bear on learning magic and the intricate steps of assimilating a new and vividly strange society, even as the Dog, volcanic black and deadly, continues to stalk her. Also a sexual being, Gwynn struggles with her passion for Rogue, the darkly compelling faery, who manipulates and seduces her at every turn while she fights to resist being drawn into his lethal waltz, which can only end in sexual slavery or stark emancipation in a world where she is without ally.

 

 

#10

OUT OF TIME

Time Travel romance

109,986 words.

Mackenzie Stewart’s in Scotland for a much-needed vacation. During the castle tour, Mackenzie becomes completely enamored with a painting of one of the previous lairds. Two gentlemen come up behind her and, begging her pardon, they kidnap her, dragging her through time!

The men are sorcerers attempting to end a feud that has plagued their lands for years. Their patron has begun to dabble in the black arts, and between his irrational thirst for power, and his dark secret, the sorcerers are frightened. They believe Mackenzie can break the Stewart curse. They convince her to play along with their crazy scheme: marriage to the evil John Campbell.

Before Mackenzie can protest, her carriage is halted and the door thrown open. For a split-second she is arrested by the same beautiful piercing blue eyes that belonged to an oil painting!

Mackenzie then finds herself the victim of a second kidnapping!

Her new captor, however, does nothing but tempt her body and her temper. Believing her to in fact be the betrothed of his enemy the Campbell, Connor originally sets out to capture his enemy’s betrothed. He never thought he would be so attracted to her that he’d want to keep her.

 

#11

THE KEY OF LOVE

Contemporary Romance

96,000 words.

Melody Ravenswood has been running from guilt stemming from her father’s death and hiding from paparazzi her entire life. As Mel Harper she’s found the quiet life she’s been looking for in Whispering Springs. When her job as a reporter for the local paper puts her face to face with the home town boy turned Rock Star, Melody loses her heart to him. Hank Travis is offering her a dream come true, but Melody must confront her nightmares before she can accept his love.

Hank Travis lives in two different worlds. When he’s not on tour with his band, he’s at home on his farm. He’s just about given up on finding a woman who can fit into the crazy life he leads. When the new reporter in town turns out to be the daughter of his idol, Hank is sure his search is over. Falling in love with her isn’t part of his plan, but Melody soon claims his heart. She holds the key to his happiness, but his career stands in the way. Faced with choosing between his career and true love, which will he choose?

 

 

#12

A Sensible Arrangement

Historical Romance

Word Count: 93,000 +

Serena Middleton is intelligent and practical. So, when her life takes an unexpected turn, she can accept that an arranged marriage to Edward Sterling is a necessary and logical choice. Her common sense, however, warns her to guard her heart against this handsome and charming womanizer.

Edward’s life is going according to plan. Until, that is, his wealthy uncle is murdered at Edward and Serena’s engagement party and suddenly Edward is the prime suspect. Although Serena suspects Edward is incapable of remaining faithful to his marriage vows, she is certain he is not capable of murder. Or is he?

Edward and Serena work together to unravel the mystery. Betrayal, blackmail, espionage and family skeletons muddy the waters, but eventually the murderer is revealed. Along the way, they discover their marriage will be much, much more than just A Sensible Arrangement.

 

A Sensible Arrangement is a historical romance and a murder mystery that takes place in Regency England.

 

 

#13

Zombie Love

Romantic Urban Fantasy
97,000 words 

Samantha Ridgeway loves her job as a tabloid reporter, but following the wrong story makes her a dead reporter. Dead until she’s the guinea pig in a bizarre experiment intended to save the life of spoiled heiress, Sierra Mallory. The only drawback to becoming the walking, talking undead-besides Sam’s never-ending appetite-is Sierra wants them to be BZFs (Best Zombies Forever) in her plot to take over the world.

Vampire Chief Enforcer Duncan St. James has his hands full investigating the disappearance of several of L.A.’s supernatural denizens. When a very nosy, very cute, and soon very dead reporter interferes, he has no choice but to keep her in arm’s reach–a situation he finds a little too tempting and not in the ‘I vant to dreenk her blood’ kind of way. Now if he can just keep Samantha from eating the brains of the very people he’s trying to save from the psycho zombie heiress who’s holding them prisoner…

 

 

#14

The Vampire, the Witch & the Wardrobe

Paranormal Romance
90,000 words

Only something seriously nasty would drag Dr. Bebe Zachary home to San Francisco. If her grandmother’s accidental overdose weren’t bad enough, her cousins have filed to overturn Grandma Petrov’s will and lost the coven’s Book of Shadows in the process. The only way to get the politically incriminating Book back is to buy the wardrobe it’s hidden in at the estate auction. Except she’s outbid by the only thing more infuriating than her idiotic cousins–a vampire. And not just any vampire, but the coven master of the western United States, Caesar Augustine.

Smack dab in the middle of a witches’ civil war is the last place Caesar wants to be. But Natasha Petrov’s death was no accident. Someone’s found out she was working on a cure for the vampire virus, and her notes have disappeared. If he ever wants to be human again, his only choice is to stay close to Natasha’s heir, her granddaughter Bebe. And the luscious witch provides a temptation more dangerous than the assassins after her.

 

 

#15

A KISS IN THE WIND

Historical Romantic Seafaring Adventure
73,000 words

Pickpocket Marisol Castellan will do anything to find her missing brother, but makes a grave error when she steals a prized talisman and finds herself captive of a rogue sea captain. Blade Tyburn has been known by many names – privateer, opportunist, pirate, and his favorite, libertine. All true. What he is not is tolerant.

Suspecting the thieving temptress behind the bizarre disappearance of his silver, he keeps Marisol close; unleashing a firestorm of treachery and unbridled passion as they embark on a chase after a mysterious ship thought to hide the silver in her hold. Amid a whirlpool of deadly deception, the thief and the sea captain must learn to trust one another and conquer the veiled enemy hell-bent on crushing them both.

 

#16

Missing Magic

Romance/fantasy
145,000 words

Destiny can be deadly when dreams come true.

Artist ANNIE DORAN prefers drama confined to canvas and paper, but when her haunting visions invade everyday reality, it’s time for answers. Wrongly outlawed and on the run for a self-defense slaying, fae warrior FINN MACC LÍAMOR remains focused on the quest that has consumed his life: find the lost high queen of the Leannai and restore her magic to his dying world. His mission leads him to the alien world of 21st century Earth, a confusing place cut off from contact with his world for a thousand years, and the long-cold trail ends without answers. Then, a meeting with the puzzling, clairvoyant Annie breathes new life and hope into his mission, and into his shuttered heart. Plunged into Finn’s dangerous world, and drawn to his quest, and his heart, Annie’s empathic dreams leave her torn between condemned outlaw and the dark temptation of his vengeful brother. Pursued across two worlds, they race to unlock Annie’s spell-bound secrets and restore the queen before the treachery and magic legacy overshadowing their lives destroys them all.

 

#17

 

 

 

Stakes & Corsets

Steampunk romance
97,000 words

Ever the lethal Victorian lady, Lila Miller is a hunter for the Supernatural Defense League, helping to keep Supernatural citizens a secret from the humans, and can easily kill you before you can kiss her hand. When her presumed dead lover returns, revealing his true identity as Sébastien the Destroyer—a dark Vampyre prince and an enemy of the SDL–the half-Fae Lila is plunged into a centuries old war between two dangerous Vampyre courts she’d been taught to despise. In a dangerous world of air pirates, brass-goggles, and opulence, innocent lives—and Lila’s heart—is on the line and Lila must keep her wits close and stakes closer as she decides who to trust, who to stake, and if she could ever love a dark prince.

Stakes & Corsets is a Steampunk tale of love, lies, Vampyres, and spies, complete at 97,000 words.

 

#18

Werewolves Prefer Blondes

Urban Fantasy

Word Count: 80,020

I’m a succubus that hasn’t been laid in five-hundred years. The bitch of it is the only guy that can get me off is the one who cursed me to what I am. How’s that for suck?

I’ve done the best I could with my fate, but a demon has to eat, so I take out the baddest of the bad. But you know that guy? Somebody thinks that he’s the baddest of the bad and offers a contract on his life. Of course there’s a catch. I have to take it if I want to find out what happened to my adopted daughter. So, ex-lover or not, werewolf or not, his ass is fried. Nothing is more important than Simone.

 

It would have been nice if someone would have told me that Simone is really Odin’s daughter. Can you say fucked face down? Yeah, that’s all of us if we don’t figure out who took her. She’s all that keeps me in touch with my humanity.

Evil curses and centuries old betrayals abound, but a Happily Ever After ensues.

 

 

#19

The Burning Seal

Paranormal Romance

115,000 word

He came in the night and shattered Danni Keegan’s world taking with him her confidence and laying bare her deepest fears. The violent home invasion unleashed long buried psychic abilities that force her to witness a demonic killer fulfilling his twisted needs, and glimpse his deadly vision for mankind. Now, she must embark on a quest that will test her courage, reveal a secret pact forged in ancient times and have the chance to prove true love does transcend centuries. Amid danger and a rising death toll, the first of the Descendants challenge has begun. This is Danni’s story…

The Burning Seal lays the groundwork for a four book series, The Descendants. This series explores the concept that fate assembles characters from our past lives and allows us the chance to relive cataclysmic events and perhaps alter their outcome.

 

 

#20

What She was Missing

Contemporary Romance

89,900 words

Someone once said, ‘Running from your problems never solves anything’.

That someone – was a liar.

After four years of hiding, Alisa Leighton is just as sure of her decision to run as the day she’d left. Sheltered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, she’s opened a haven for abused women, giving them a chance to start over.

But the affects of domestic violence radiate, touching everyone in their sphere and when Donovan Marshall comes into town, Alisa finds it impossible to walk away from the pain and desperation she recognizes in his eyes – especially since she harbors a deep guilt for turning his little sister away – a week before her murder.

Alisa’s touch and her offer to show Donovan a better way to honor his sister’s memory, pull him into her world. Attraction, indecision, and guilt tug at the scattered emotions inherent in trusting again, until Alisa and Donovan must find security in one another as a deadly threat to one of the women puts all their lives in danger.

 

 

#21

Primitive Nights

Contemporary Romance

84,000 words

International Aide worker, Myla Jordan and Peruvian tribal leader, Damon Hanson.

Two people whose lives couldn’t be more different or complex, yet a succinct affair blooms into a love neither of them expected.

Thrust into the midst of the very tribe she is trying to protect, Myla is shocked to encounter a tribal leader with green eyes and lighter skin than his heritage should bequeath. Wild, strong, and educated by his English mother, Damon’s concern for his tribe and the innate kindness she discovers within his rough exterior not only win her heart, but drive her to find a way to protect him and his tribe.

Myla’s gentleness and faith in the good in all humanity gives Damon a renewed hope for his tribe’s survival. The knowledge that Myla cannot live among his people and his anxiety of entering her world threaten to keep them apart.

With rival tribes and illness adding to the difficulty they will face, Myla and Damon must bridge the gap between their cultures and stand against a common enemy that will seek to destroy them all.

———————————————————————————

GOOD LUCK to everyone who made it in.

Candi Wall

Help keep ‘STAY’ in the running in Dorchester’s Next Best Celler Contest!

Visit www.texnovel.com

Register to read and VOTE for your favorites. 

 

 

 

AGENT SHOP DAY & AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – DAKOTA BANKS

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Dakota Banks

Dark Time: Mortal Path Book One

 

Welcome Dakota! Thank you for coming.

Dakota will be giving away a signed copy of her book to TWO lucky commenters.

So let’s hear from everyone.

Check out the stellar cover!

 

Dark Time: Mortal Path Book One

What if a woman sold her soul to a demon and 300 years later wanted it back?

In the 17th century, a woman is ripped from her husband’s arms, thrown in jail, and then set afire as a witch. Saved from the flames by an ancient Sumerian demon, she becomes the Black Ghost, his Ageless assassin gifted with otherworldly skills and superbly trained in martial arts.

Centuries pass before Maliha Crayne finds a way out of the life she hates. If she achieves a balance between lives taken and lives saved, she’ll break the demon’s hold on her.

 

If she fails, she will suffer the demon’s torment … forever.

 

 

“Fans of the supernatural and dark fantasy will be intrigued by Maliha Crayne’s quest to save her soul.” – Publishers Weekly

“The premise for this new series is different and exciting. What if someone sold their soul, then wanted it back? With a kick-ass heroine who’s trying to get out of an unimaginably bad situation and tons of action, this is a terrific read.” – RT Book Reviews

“Dark Time is a novel to be savored for both its edge of suspense and the pure joy of its storytelling. Part immortal, all human, Maliha is a heroine who will leave readers breathless and craving more. Not to be missed!” – James Rollins

“Seductive, sophisticated, and imaginative, Dark Time has a multi-dimensional quality with beguiling concepts and a labyrinth of fast-paced suspense.” – Steve Berry

“Dark Time is a passionate, fascinating story packed with action and history.” – David Morrell

“A great concept and a fun read; an original story with just the right blend of action, suspense, mythology, and romance.” – Book Bitch

 

Release: July 28, 2009 – Available as mass market paperback, Kindle and other digital editions at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Booksense (IndieBound), HarperCollins, and generally widespread distribution to online and brick-and-mortar bookstores

Visit Dakota here:

• http://www.dakota-banks.com

Appearances:

• Archon SF/Fantasy Convention, Oct 2-4, 2009
• World Mystery Convention (Bouchercon) Oct 15-18, 2009

 

****************************************************************************

And now, the word you’ve all been waiting for:

“GO!”

 

Good luck!

BLOG STOP #3

Is writing an ADDICTION or an AFFLICTION?

Stop by THE CHATELAINES  today and leave a comment.

The awesome Emily Bryan and the other Chatelaines have been kind enough to offer me a moment in their collective spotlight to talk about writing and promote my novel STAY and the textnovel/Dorchester Next Best Celler contest.

I’m at #1 right now, but the ultra talented competition is nipping at my leathered spine! (Okay, maybe not leatherbound someday, but paperback is nice too…LOL)

Come on, leave a comment. I know you’ve all got opinions on this and an embarassing ‘fix’ story perhaps?

http://thechatelaines.blogspot.com/

Candi~