Saturday, December 31, 2011

A laugh, a smile, and a hearty THANK YOU in the form of a free book...

It's been an awesome year. When I was a kid, I never understood when the "old folks" said that as you get older, time slips away before you know it. I understand fully now because I can't figure out how I happened to land on December 31, 2011 so quickly. I blinked and the year was gone. For this end of year post, I thought I'd leave you with a few pictures of how we laughed our year to a close. I hope they give you a smile too.

Oh! And the "thank you" I mentioned in the title. This year I took part in the Long and Short Reviews: Stuff Your Stocking Blogfest. Commenters were entered to win an advanced reading copy of ETERNITY'S MARK. http://lasrguest.blogspot.com/2011/12/stuff-your-stocking-blogfest-maeve.html If you happen to leave a comment on this post - I'll add your name to the pot. I'll draw the winner's name tonight right before 2012 makes its grand appearance.

Happy New Year, my friends. May 2012 be filled with good things for us all and the strength to defeat anything bad that might decide to nip at our heels.

Blessings to all,
Maeve
The cookie chefs. Cornflake cookies are sticky - but good!
Just squeeze it. Really. It'll be funny.

Of all the gifts the child received, the whoopie cushion was her favorite.
Oldest daughter & her new fiance. She's grown quite sassy since receiving that ring!

Youngest daughter LOVED her Thundercat's sword.

I'm proud to say I have my own personal elf. Life just doesn't get any better!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Calisa Rhose's HOME Countdown - DAY 2!!!

I'm so pleased to welcome the very talented Calisa Rhose to my blog today. We're celebrating the release of HOME. I know readers are just going to love it. Welcome, Calisa!
Hi Maeve! It’s great to finally be here with you. I’ve so looked forward to sharing HOME with the world for so long that it seems like a dream now that the time has actually arrived!
Don’t forget to leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment this week! Be sure to come to my BIG SALE PARTY on my blog on January 1, 2012!
Whistle! Confetti! Streamers!
So let’s get on with this countdown!!!!
DAY 2!!!
For your readers I brought a new excerpt from HOME to share! This from a scene where Sam is having a difficult conversation with his mother when Poppy shows up unexpectedly. I hope you enjoy this special peek!
TAG- What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?
BLURB- Silvertown’s outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam “The Force” Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he’s home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of “that damn war.” Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she’s ever truly loved?
Sam Callahan’s only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He’s known Poppy his entire life, but there’s something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she’s the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?

EXCERPT-
Over the next week he actively avoided his mother as he raked and watered the lawn. He’d found out the gardener had left when his mother stopped paying him, not that Sam blamed the guy. So, he would try to do what he could to fix the old place up again. Somehow, like himself, he doubted the place he’d called home would ever fully recover the ravages of wartime. It gave him something useful to get through the days before he creeped out at night.
“Sammie, we need to talk.”
He dropped his head and counted briefly before facing his mother. “Good morning, Ma.”
“Have you talked to that woman?”
No nonsense, that was Ma. He dragged in a heavy breath to stifle a groan. “What woman would that be?”
“Don’t play games with me, Sam. You know full well I’m talking about that gypsy woman who owns the doll store. Did you tell her you want the doll back?” His mother threw hands to hips. He waited five ticks. Yep, there it was. Her left foot began flapping like a fish out of water to make known her full ire at him. He almost grinned.
As he stared at her tapping foot, Sam realized he’d actually missed that trait in his mother while he’d been gone. But she wasn’t interested in reflections of days past. “No. I’m not going to get the doll. It’s better off gone if it causes you so much distress. Just forget it and let it be, Ma.”
“Forget it? Haven’t you heard what I’ve been telling you? It will only cause more problems the longer that woman has it!” She was almost yelling and Sam cringed inwardly with a glance around. She ought to keep her voice down or—
Or, what? Did he expect the VC to pop out of the surrounding sticks that had once been shrubbery admired by the whole town? Yes. He did. Damn it all. Why was it so hard for him to let go of the war he was no longer a part of? He shuffled his loafer-clad feet and sighed heavily. “What’s so special about that doll that you won’t let it go?”
His mother looked away from him as though she had a secret and twisted her hands around her ever-present hankie. “It’s bad, evil.”
“Then, why on earth would you want it back? Good riddance, I’d say.”
“No!” She backed up a step and looked up at him, lips painted the same bright red, and he vaguely wondered if she’d worn it so long it had become permanent, a tattoo. A bright red tattoo. Blood red… “It was a gift from my cousin, Helen, when I visited her in California, before she died. I already told you that. But, it’s cursed! I can’t risk anyone else suffering because of that—that thing!”
Blood red… Sam shook the image off and looked over his mother’s head toward the street.
Of all the times to wander in, he didn’t need Poppy showing up right then, while his mother was on her insane rampage about a doll.
A doll that Poppy’s mother had bought fair and square, according to Ma. Now it was a cursed doll? She’d said something about that last time she mentioned the damn thing. He was suddenly afraid his mother was losing her mind. “Son of a bitch.”
“Watch your mouth, young man. I won’t have that kind of language used in this house. Your father—God rest his soul—didn’t use that filth, and I won’t have my only son speak it.” She sounded so normal, suddenly.
“Sorry, Ma. I need to go…somewhere, for a while.”
“Get the doll.” Her voice poured from that red mouth like a warning.
He leaned the rake he’d been using before the interruption against the wood shed and tossed a wave over his head to his mother as he strode for the driveway, and Poppy. Suddenly, it took all his will not to break out in a run and just keep going. Never to stop until he was far, far away from this new nightmare his mother had introduced to him. Blood red, blood. Red, blood, red, blood, red blood.
Sam didn’t stop when he reached Poppy, but grabbed her hand and swung her around with him—took her away before his mother realized who she was. He especially didn’t need her to see the doll shop owner’s daughter.
He picked up his already fast pace until he felt a jerk against his hand and slowed down.  He didn’t want to talk. Not yet. Walk. Keep walking…fast.
“Whoa, soldier boy!” She yanked him to a stop. For a little thing, she was stronger than he’d have thought. “What’s with you? If I wanted to race I’d be a horse.”
Blood red. No talking. Walk. Her hand still in his, he gave a rough tug.
******************************** 
Get your copy of HOME at The Wild Rose Press and on Amazon.

Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in a semi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs and one horse and a cat. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwing distance. She’s a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends to nurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family and supporters.

Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com
On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose
She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com

The day following the New Years Day party, on my blog, I will be giving away the first copy of HOME to one lucky commenter! The more you comment this week, it’s time to back track and make sure you got your name in as many times as you can, the greater your chance to win! You can find the full tour schedule on my website at the link above on my blog (chit-chat).
This has been great, Maeve!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

LET THE HOLIDAY WARS BEGIN!!


Every year hubby and I swear to each other that we won’t exchange gifts.  Every year we both lie. This year will be no different and the battles have already begun.

Round One:

Hubby grins across the living room and says, “Just so you know, on Christmas morning, I’m probably gonna be in trouble.”

“What have you done?” was my immediate response. My inner Christmas-Giving-Beast whispered, “Ye know what he’s done, m’precious.” Yeah. I know. My inner Christmas-Giving-Beast sounds like a cross between Gollum from the LORD OF THE RINGS and Connor MacLeod from the movie HIGHLANDER

I narrow my eyes at my gloating husband and prod again. “Answer me. What have you done and which kid helped you.”

Hubby’s smile widens. “I’m not tellin’.”
Round Two: 

After interrogating both daughters, I force…er…enlist the oldest one into my ranks. After all, I’m a woman. We’re not even until I’m ahead. I make three purchases and have the items shipped to her house.

Round Three:

Hubby overhears phone conversation with oldest daughter and returns fire. Three unexplained debits show up on our bank account. Grrr…

Round Four:

Smaller purchase for Hubby arrives at the house –while he’s home. Curses! Foiled by customer service folk who refuse to listen to explicit instructions.

Round Five:

Arrive home from work to a suspiciously gloating husband. Christmas music is floating through the house and it’s not even Thanksgiving. He points me to the top of the china cabinet with a laughing, “Look what I did” smirk. Grumble…grumble…This isn’t over. This is just November. I will. Not. Lose!
 May you all be winners in your everyday battles. 
May you all overcome your adversaries and know the priceless joys of health, happiness and love!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Holidays: the perfect time for enjoying a brand new romance!

I'm so thrilled to have my good friend, Beth Trissel over for a visit today. Not only is she a multi-published, award-winning author - but she bakes a delicious cookie too. Yum! 
So, don't be shy. There's plenty of refreshments for everyone. And guess what? After you finish hearing about Beth's wonderful new release, Somewhere the Bells Ring, be sure and leave a comment along with your email because one lucky commenter is going to receive a copy of Beth's new read. 
So, it's not only a great Release Day party - it's a chance to win a lovely escape from the "Oh my gosh - it's already the holidays" syndrome. Happy release day, Beth!
Thanks Maeve for having me on your lovely blog to celebrate my holiday release.  Come one, come all.  Kick back, enjoy mugs of hot chocolate and let’s break out the eggnog and the sugar cookies as we reminisce about those ghosts of Christmas past. 
Nostalgia about the late 1960’s inspired the time period for my vintage American ghost story Christmas romance, Somewhere the Bells Ring.  An adolescent in 1968, I remember it well.  Think hippies, the Cultural Revolution, and Americans divided into two diametrically opposed camps, those who were freaky and those who were square.  I’m glad to say I ranked among the former, eventually.  The song “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” came out in ”67 but exemplified the hippie movement still going strong  in ”68.  Fashion was all over the place and fishnet hose all the rage.  I gloried in my first pair while wearing my Bonnie Bell lip gloss.  Anything more than that makeup wise and my disapproving father said I resembled a lady of the night, and he wasn’t thinking vampire.  
The maxi dress followed on the heels of the maxi skirt, which I was all about.  Mom sewed several for me and I floated around like a princess.  The music of the late 60’s was awesome.  What a thrill when I first heard Innagadadavida by Iron Butterfly.  Stunned might be a better word, but it definitely impressed me as did many other songs of that era. How about Aquarius! 
Not to overlook the less positive elements of “68, like Vietnam and the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy.  I was deeply sorry, but as a kid didn’t overly dwell on those.  One of the top films of 1968 was Romeo and Juliette which stamped me as a romantic forever and brings me back to my release. 
In addition to nostalgia about 1968 is my draw to an earlier time, 1918 and the end of WW1, the war to end all wars it was called and the one my Marine grandfather served in with distinction.  In Somewhere the Bells Ring, Eric Burke and his predecessor Edward Burke returned home with injuries, both physical and psychological, from these two very different wars.  Bailey, a hippie wannabe, seeks answers not only to where she belongs but to the mystery that spans generations in the old house where the story unfolds.  Maple Hill is based on the gracious plantation home in my family that I grew up visiting over the holidays.  And did I mention the ghost?

Blurb:
Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad. 
To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope--until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy. 
As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe--in Bailey and the ghost--before the Christmas bells ring?
Excerpt:
“Bailey.” He spoke softly, so as not to startle her.
She turned toward him. In her long, white nightgown, hair tumbled down around her, wearing that lost look, she bore an unnerving resemblance to the mysterious woman in Wilkie Collins’ classic mystery, The Woman in White. Eric fervently hoped the similarity ended there. As he recalled from the novel, that unfortunate lady had been unhinged.
Leaving the door ajar, he stepped inside. “We missed you at breakfast.”
She answered distractedly. “I wasn’t hungry.”
He limped to where she stood, the hitch in his leg a little less pronounced today. Maybe he was getting stronger. “Why are you here, looking for ghosts?”
“Or a door to the past.”
He tried to coax a smile to her trembling lips. “Did you check inside the wardrobe?”
“Eric, I’m being serious.”
“That’s what worries me.” Leaning on his cane with one arm, he closed his other around her shoulders and drew her against him. Such a natural act, and she accepted his embrace without pulling back. She smelled of flowers from her perfume and wood smoke. “Mercy, child,” he said in his best imitation of Ella, “it’s as cold as a tomb in here.”
“It wasn’t last night.”~

Somewhere the Bells Ring is available in various eBook formats at The Wild Rose Press and will travel onto Amazon kindle, Barnes & Noble’s nookbook and other online booksellers.  For more on me and my work please visit:

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win! Doesn't Beth's newest read sound like a great escape from holiday stress? 

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Fall festivals, dog strollers, and social skills…


Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. Cool crisp days. Blazes of color. Cuddling around a bonfire with a steaming cup of coffee. *blissful sigh* This particular spoke of the seasonal wheel renews my soul.

And during this gorgeous time of year, daughter and I always enjoy our annual excursions to a multitude of craft fall festivals. Here’s one of the goodies she and I discovered during our most recent trip.


I always take Jasper along. He loathes being left behind and always behaves like the perfect gentleman no matter how many small children stop us and ask, “Can I pet your puppy?” Jasper has a wag of his tail and a sloppy kiss for each and every one.
He got a bit perturbed at me during this most recent trip. Look at this awesome pet stroller I found! I put Jasper inside, zip it shut and he rides around in style.  Well. He rode around in style AFTER he glared up at me through the screen and telepathed some extremely foul words that I’d rather not include in this post. Jasper has this keen ability to let me know exactly what he’s thinking…and he wasn’t being very nice. I feel certain he called me some very choice names. After he finished making his opinion known, he finally settled down on the sheepskin pad and enjoyed the ride. 
I also made another observation during this trip. Every young person I encountered from high school age and younger was the perfect example of a polite, considerate individual. Yes ma’am. No ma’am. Excuse me. Please. Thank you. All of them were a delight.
They were a direct contrast to some of the so-called adults I endured. Even though these individuals were my age and older, several of them pushed, shoved, snatched, grabbed and generally exhibited rude behavior that is unacceptable in a crowd.
Parts of the festival were quite crowded, shoulder to shoulder in fact. One older gentleman decided that it was more effective to push people aside and bellow, “beep beep beep - I’m coming through” instead of the more acceptable, “excuse me, please”. Those type folks have a bad effect on me. They tend to trigger an extremely uncontrollable urge to either “accidently” stick out my foot and trip them or suddenly find it very necessary to stick my bony elbows out as far as they will go.
So, bravo to the polite, well-mannered youngsters in this world. I did notice and I do appreciate how you made my day more pleasant. I rarely hear about you on the news. Only the bad apples seem to get the spotlight.
And to the rude adults? Shame on you – you know better!

Happy Autumn Everyone! 

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Reader? Writer? Guess what? Only two more days...

Contact Elspeth McClanahan                                                                    
Email: Promotions@MusaPublishing.com

Ebooks, Penumbra eMag, and so much More
Musa Publishing Opens its Electronic Doors
  
After months of editing, designing, contracting, and formatting Musa Publishing launches on October 1, 2011. The E-publisher opens with a large catalogue including Penumbra Speculative Fiction eMag, new works by three bestselling authors, and the full backlist of Aurora Regency, featuring traditional Regency romances and historical fiction.

Penumbra's inaugural issue is a collection of speculative fiction stories that encompass the arts--the arts we love and revere. Some of these stories deal with the arts we're familiar with. Some create arts we haven't thought of and some resurrect arts buried in the depths of the past.  And yet, all of these offerings celebrate the creative process, which makes them a fitting theme to launch Penumbra--an enterprise that will showcase the creative work of speculative fiction authors each month with a new collection of works within the genre.

New Works by
Gini Koch
The Martian Alliance 1: The Royal Scam

Things aren’t what they seem to be when Princess Olivia of Andromeda jumps aboard a spaceship to escape a loveless marriage.

Join the crew of the Hummingbird as they take on the rich, famous and sleazy of the galaxy. They're also on a long-term secret mission, so it's a good thing they're the best con artists, spacers, and roughnecks in the Milky Way, because they need all their skills to pull off this particular Royal Scam.


Cindi Myers
West with the Wind

More than gold awaits two lovers at the end of the trail.

Mariah Tate and her dog, Worthy, persuade veteran guide Campbell Jefferson to let them join his expedition headed to California. Camp can't say no to the beautiful widow, but his need to protect her soon clashes with her need to keep secrets. Mariah left more than bad memories behind in Pennsylvania and her growing attraction to the stoic but surprisingly sensitive Camp forces her to face up to the consequences of the choices she's made. Camp doesn't know what Mariah's hiding, but he's determined not to let the only woman who ever made him want to settle down get away. He pursues her across the prairies, through stampedes, Indian raids, desert drought and mountain snows. In the gold camps of California, Camp will discover Mariah's secret, and prove the love she wants most isn't out of reach.


And the return to writing after five years for USA Today Bestselling Author
Sharon De Vita

"The Estrogen Posse is a hoot! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down! For every woman who needs a pick me up, this is the book for you!"
Janet Evanovich, NYT bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum mystery series

Once upon a time Ellie Briotti had a quiet life as a suburban housewife.
Until…she confronts her wealthy husband Nicky about doing the pecker polka with another woman, and Nicky tosses Ellie out of his life like some misbehaved household pet.
Until…Gram Crackers, her dotty mother begins passing out house keys to homeless bums.
Until…Joey, her eleven-year old son starts on a new career path: breaking and entering.
Until…Rina, her best friend, a single, successful, entrepreneur learns she's about to become a mother.
Until…Candi, Nicky's 22-year-old mistress turns up murdered with traces of furniture polish on her bare backside!
A rip-roaring ribald mystery about a woman’s journey to discover what she really wants in life. Now, if Ellie can keep her son from becoming a second-story man, while trying to hide everything from the gorgeous cop who’s started sniffing around, Ellie might be able to get a new life.
That is—if she doesn’t go to jail for murder first!

Aurora Regency

Musa has acquired Aurora Regency and Aurora Regency Historicals. Within the next month over forty books in this line will be available to Regency and Historical Romance buffs to enjoy.

Stop by www.MusaPublishing.com check out the books already for sale as well as those coming soon. Over the next few weeks, Musa will offer literature geared for every reader's tastes. Musa aims to offer well written, interesting stories, all at a price that doesn’t bite into your check book.

“Hearts set upon song, spirits free from care”~ Hesiod

If you'd like more information about Musa Publishing, please contact Elspeth McClanahan at Promotions@Musapublishing.com or go to our blog http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 23, 2011

He's at it again...



Allow me to introduce you to "The Maeve-mobile". Yep. You guessed it. My greatest fan, supporter, and push-wife-out-into-the-crowd person is at it again. Namely: My Darling Husband - DH for short.

We bought our RV this summer. It's an integral link in our "five year plan". You see, DH and I are at the point where we're actually beginning to see the light at the end of the day job tunnel. That shining beacon known as retirement.

When we came across a good deal on an RV, we decided it was time to purchase our retirement home on wheels. Of course, DH said he'd drive it to all of my book signings when I became a rich and famous author. I joked by saying we could call it the "Maeve-mobile" and have my website and tagline painted on the sides.

Well. It's not paint. It's professionally done graphics by Satis-factions. (If you're interested in all sorts of promo, here's their link: http://www.satis-factions.com/graphics/graphics.htm They're uber-affordable.)


Anyway...I guess this will teach me to be careful what I joke about around the DH.
 It puts ideas in his head!





Monday, September 19, 2011

On Alien Kittens, Writing Partners and Muses...

I'm so pleased to welcome the very talented Lynda K. Scott  and her alien kitten, Wookie to my blog today. Jasper has sulled up and worked himself into a royal snit about having Wookie over for a visit. But he's just going to have to get over it because I know everyone's going to love getting to know Linda and Wookie better. I know I have :-) Welcome Linda and Wookie!

On Alien Kittens, Writing Partners and Muses

I share my somewhat messy office with my alien kitten, Wookie. That's my favorite place to work because I can go in there, turn on the radio/cd player/tv and close the door! LOL The only one who's allowed to disturb me is Wookie but since she's my writing partner and muse, I suppose that's all right.

As I prepared to write this guest post, Wookie, who came to live with me when she was about 3 weeks old, asked, "Chrruupp?"

I answered that I usually begin somewhat ahead of the story's actual beginning. That way I can give a little back story or history for my characters or the plot. I know I'll delete it before I try to publish it because 1) I don't want to bore my readers 2) I like to start the story where the plot begins or as close to it as possible. Does that mean I never use any of that material? No. Sometimes I filter it in as a flashback or in the character's thoughts or simply as a one-to-three sentence bit of background. Sometimes I'll use it as a prologue (though it has to really be important to the plot before I'll do that.)

Wookie seemed impressed. If you've ever met a cat, especially an alien kitten, you know that to impress them is quite a feat. With a flick of her pointy ears and a feline smile, she asked, "Mwawww?"

What is the hardest part of the writing process for me? I had to stop and think. Getting the story idea is fairly easy. Many of them begin with dream sequences (yes, I have odd dreams and no, it's not due to something I ate, lol). And I love research, so that's never a problem. But, with that in mind, I think the hardest part of the writing process for me is to NOT include every single bit of information that I've learned during the book's research. I love research and I love learning and I'm sure most readers do as well because readers are some of the smartest people on the planet. But I know I can get off the plot path easily by looking for ways to incorporate each intriguing bit of data that I find. That's my burden and I have to fight it every time I sit down to write ;-)

Wookie wandered over to a tiny sparkly pink ball with a long silky black feather, one of the first toys I ever bought her. Her hand paw slapped the ball, moving it across the room. She pounced on it in one of those incredible alien kitten movements that spans several feet without even touching the floor. I've always thought it was typical of an innate anti-gravity that cats seem to possess. She looked over her shoulder at me. "Prripp woa?"

Well, yes, I've always read a lot of Fantasy or Science Fiction. In fact, Andre Norton and Isaac Asimov were my early favorites. Both are noted Fantasy/Science Fiction authors but they both often had romantic elements in their work.

Ms Norton's style was spare, not a word wasted. She had a graceful writing style that lured a reader in and keep them firmly attached to the book and the characters. She could build intricate fantasy worlds so real, you wished you could visit them.

Dr. Asimov gave his science fiction stories real people which is what fiction stories are about even while he provided sound science or quasi-science in measured amounts. He knew that too many dry facts would turn a reader in a sleeper ;-)

Looking back, I've never been able to confine myself to either Fantasy or Science Fiction. I like to think that what I've done is combined fantasy and science fiction with romance to get a genre I call Science Fantasy Romance. I'm not going to say that I created the genre or coined the name for it but that is what I write.

Science Fantasy lets me stretch my imagination. I love mythology and the fantastical. I love science. As I said on another blog I visited recently, my novels follow the Arthur C. Clarke quotation: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Heartstone has shapeshifters who wield laser swords, fly space ships, and have interplanetary transporter-style locations. They heal/diagnose with 'magical' stones or by touch. Altered Destiny has aliens that resemble Elves, dragons, space flight, alternate time lines and other cool stuff ;-) My goal is to make the 'magic' real and the science plausible without sacrificing the story or the characters.

Wookie abandoned her toy to attack a cardboard box. If you could hear it, you'd think of a boxer beating a punching bag. When the box was satisfactorily subdued (I'm not sure what its crime was, lol), she daintily sat and wrapped her long plush tail around her feet and winked at me.

I thought back over our 'conversation' and realized it would be perfect for this guest post. Now you know why Wookie, the alien kitten, is my writing partner and muse ;-)

Where to find me on the web:

Website http://www.lyndakscott.com 

To join my newsletter, send a blank email to: LyndaKScott-Newsgroup-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lyndakscott

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LyndaKScott

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-K-Scott/201599553208653

Heartstone
By Lynda K. Scott
Mundania Press
Science Fantasy Romance

Eric d'Ebrur is out of time. He must fine the legendary Heartstone and fulfill the ancient Gar'Ja bond he shares with the Stonebearer. But when he finds her, he discovers that love can be more dangerous than the Gawan threat. Eric can defeat the mind-controlling Gawan but will it cost him the woman he loves?

After terrifying episodes of hypersensitivity, Keriam Norton thinks she's losing her mind. When handsome shapeshifter Eric d'Ebrur saves her from the monstrous Gawan, she's sure of it. But insane or not, she'll find the Heartstone and, if she's lucky, a love to last a lifetime.

Available in print and ebook format
Buy Links: Mundania Press (use MP10 at checkout for 10% discount)
http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Heartstone

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heartstone-Lynda-K-Scott/dp/1606592335/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3

Altered Destiny
by Lynda K Scott
Science Fantasy Romance
Available in ebook formats

Stranded on an alternate Earth, architect and Jill-of-all-trades, Liane Gautier-MacGregor must find her way back to her homeworld before she's enslaved...or falls in love with a man who is the exact duplicate of her ex-husband.

Devyn MacGregor's alter ego as the Reiver Lord is the only way he can fight the Qui'arel and their nefarious Bride Bounty, a tax paid with human females...until he meets the oddly familiar woman who claims he is her husband. And who sets in motion the rebellion that will either free his countrymen or destroy them.


Buy Links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Destiny-ebook/dp/B00579FKFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308920443&sr=8-1

Nook http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Altered-Destiny/Lynda-K-Scott/e/2940012882417

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79552

Thanks for having me! If you are a member or join my newsgroup before Oct 1, you'll automatically be entered into a drawing for a beaded crystal heart pendant. (Sorry, you must be a resident of the USA to win the pendant but a non-USA winner will receive an alternate prize to be determined at the time of the drawing.) Contest Rules are available at http://lyndakscott.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-member-only-contest.html

Monday, September 12, 2011

My list of writerly pleasures...


We’ve all seen lists of a writer’s woes:

1.      Rejections.

2.      Writer’s Block.

3.      Grammar Godzilla’s.

4.      Rejections. (Yes. I realize I listed that one twice. It’s a biggie.)

5.      Writing Software FUBAR’s. (In case you’re not familiar with the  acronym – it means: *Effed* Up Beyond All Recognition).


Anyway, you get the idea and if you happen to be a writer, I’m sure you can relate. But due to a very WONDERMOUS email I received a few days ago, I decided to make a list of a few writerly pleasures and the responses they evoke.




  1. Typing “The End”.  Immediate exhale, stretch numbed arms over head while flexing stiff and aching back.
  1. Completing the wicked synopsis, pitch, and query letter for your polished manuscript. Relieved sigh, shut computer down and ransack kitchen in search of chocolate and coffee to replenish dangerously low levels of brain steam. 
  1. Email from targeted editor that just received evil synopsis, pitch and query. Email doesn’t begin with “Although the premise of your story sounds interesting…”  Instead, it contains a short, crisp paragraph requesting a partial. Emit quiet writerly sob of joy. Save several copies of email to folders on hard drive, secondary email address, secondary server and iPhone so there is no danger of losing it and wondering if it was only a dream. 
  1. Email from same editor requesting a full. Same response as Writerly Pleasure #3. However, quiet writerly sob of joy is replaced with blood curdling whoop of HOT DAMN! that launches unsuspecting, napping dog into immediate attack mode and sets him searching for the intruder that caused the scream. 
  1. EMAIL/PHONE CALL OFFERING A CONTRACT. Dry mouth. Rapid heartbeat. Dizziness. If Writerly Pleasure #5 is in fact a phone call, I strongly recommend allowing the recognized number to go to voice mail so that you’re able to speak coherently when talking to your soon-to-be editor. 
  1. Completing edits. Happy, satisfied sigh. Gratitude for an editor who just helped “tweak” your book into an even better story. 
  1. Receiving email with the jpeg file of the proposed cover for your book. Another whoop of joy. Same napping dog reaction as in Writerly Pleasure #4 and same saving of this email as in Writerly Pleasure #3. 
  1. ARC’s (advanced reading copies) Have you ever hugged a book as though it were made of solid gold? 
  1. Holding your just released “baby” in your hands.  Pet the shiny cover. Excitedly lick your lips. Smell the pages. Channel Gollum from Lord of the Rings. “M’prescioussss is sssooo pretty”. 
In reference to Writerly Pleasure #7, look at my lovely cover for ETERNITY’S MARK (scheduled to release in April). Isn’t m’presciousss…I mean…*ahem*…isn’t it gorgeous? 
And I'm sure you couldn't help but notice the gorgeous cover of my upcoming release from The Wild Rose Press, THE HIGHLANDER'S FURY at the beginning of this post. *happy sigh* *deep throaty writer's purr at the sight of both beautiful covers*

If you’re a writer, do you have any writerly pleasures you’d like to share? If you’re a reader, how does a shiny new book affect you? Hmm?

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Welcome to a bit of my world...

Be still.
Listen.
Open your heart.
Peace awaits.
All you must do is receive it.
                                       ~Maeve Greyson




























































I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my lovely world and a peek at the friends who come to visit Jasper and me nearly every day.