Never Forget!

Observe a moment of silence at 3PM your local time in memory of those who gave their all.

Time to mow the grass...

For weeks, my yard never dried out enough to mow. The east end, which is low, was slick with mud. Dangerous for a klutz like me. The grass on the west side was growing like a wildfire. Too thick and damp, it clogged my mower and stalled the engine. Great excuse not to mow, eh?

For the first time in months, Arkansas hasn't had rain in four consecutive days! My yard is finally dried out. But the forecast says rain on Friday. So I have no choice. Yard work is in my plans for today. I have to squeeze it in between timed writing and American Idol.

I don't watch American Idol but one of the final two is from Arkansas. His hometown, Conway, is about 20 miles from where I live. So out of a sense of support for a fellow Arkansan, I'm suspending my rule about reality shows. In spite of the reality show craze over the last half dozen years or so, I don't watch them.

Or I should say, I didn't watch them until last year. I broke down and watched Top Chef on Bravo. I still blame someone (Melissa Francis) for that. Oh, and I did watch a few episodes of Dancing With the Stars when Cloris Leachman was on. She's an unpredictable old dame with a foul vocabulary I can relate to and I just wanted to see what she'd do.

But tonight, I'll be glued to the TV to see if Kris Allen will beat Adam what's-his-name. Everyone says Adam will win because he appeals to the little fan gurls and they'll text for him over and over. But I'll still show Kris support by watching the season finale.

But in the meantime, I have a couple of yards to mow and a lot of writing to do! I stalled on a story I was working on for Ellora's Cave so I started a new one. And the characters are both having a grand time with the sex, not necessarily with each other. Good thing Ellora's Cave has the Exotica line. I'm not sure I can rein in the boys to make a believable "happily ever after". LOL We'll see how it goes! I need to get this finished and submitted so I can get back to my scifi idea.

Oh, I went to San Antonio Romance Authors conference a few weeks ago. Talked to an editor there and promised a gay ghost story that's been rolling around in my head since the DSRA group went ghost hunting last year! So I have a bunch of writing to do. And a bunch of yard to mow.

Also, it's "tiara day" on Twitter. Go check out the profile pictures... http://twitter.com/ShaylaKersten You can click the profile picture for a bigger view.

Blogging at Liquid Silver today!

Talking about all my children--the four legged kind! Stop by and leave a comment about your children, the two legged or four legged kind! http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/blog/?p=2171

Harlequin's Recession Romance!

This Nightline segment is just too cool! They did a feature on Harlequin Romance. And they had so many different people reading from some of the stories. It's both funny and informative. Check it out!

Whose Book Is It, Anyway?

Blogging two days in a row? I know something must be wrong with me! But actually, something is right. I'm always glad to end the week on a high note.

I actually made some progress on the new story for Ellora's Cave. Every book has a main character. Even if there are two main characters as in a romance, one character has more to lose or more to learn. This determines whose book it is! Simple, eh?

Not so. As in the case of my current work in progress. My story started out as Max's book. About 19k words in, I realized I was writing Troy's book. So now, for the first 19k words, I have to edit for continuity with Troy's journey rather than Max's. Sometimes this is harder than just starting a new book. But I like where it's going so I'm going to buckle down with the edits. Or I'm supposed to be. LOL This week has been a blur and I hadn't even opened the file. Today I not only opened it, I worked on it! Woo hoo, me!

I did spend part of the week being productive, just not at writing. The program chair of the Diamond State Romance Authors insisted someone teach a workshop on book trailers. Just because I'm computer savvy doesn't mean I can do trailers. She disagreed. And she can be persuasive. LOL So I started playing around with Windows Movie Maker. Since the class is in May, I did a trailer on my June Ellora's Cave release, Fighting For Eternity. The final result wasn't half bad, if I say so myself!

The cover hasn't been posted on my website yet so this is the premiere of the cover! Check it out.

Blurb:

Searching for a murderous rogue vampire, Watcher Estefan Garzas life is turned upside down by tragic loss and a surprise from his past. His bone-chilling loss is warmed by fires of passion reignited by vampire Karl Brandt.

On a quest to destroy a former friend, Karl is startled by Estefan and his mysterious companions. Karl can't understand why Estefan hasn't aged in seventy years. Unwilling to let him leave until Karl discovers the truth, he offers Estefan and his friends refuge and assistance for their common mission.

As a bloody battle for Memphis ensues, Karl and Estefan bond between danger and destruction until all that remains separating them is a fight for eternity.

Let me know what you think. Does the trailer evoke a sense of the book when paired with the blurb? I feel like the blurb is necessary somewhere with the video. Like an excerpt without a blurb, I feel like there's something left out. Doing the entire blurb in the video would make it longer. I like shorter. What do you like? I'd love some opinions on book trailers in general so I can work them into my workshop. Some people watch them, some don't like them and won't bother. Some authors think trailers boost sales, and some think it doesn't but it's part of branding. I love to hear more readers views on the subject!

Well, I'm starving so I'm off to fix food. I really wish I could afford a cook. And a maid. Definitely a maid because housework sucks. *cackle*

Never lose sight of your dreams!

Every time I see this, it brings me to tears. A woman most people wouldn't look twice at, hit the British airways then through the internet has stormed the world. Her dream to be a professional singer was a long time coming but I have no doubt she will not fade back into the obscurity of her little village. Just goes to show you should never give up on a dream.

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
Uploaded by dwarthy

Speaking of dreams, my long time galpal Elle James reached the Walden Borders best seller list with her newest Harlequin Intrigue, Baby Bling! Pick up a copy today and keep her climbing the ranks to one of her dreams come true! I bought my copy yesterday! Elle said to not let the cover or title fool you. She said, "I blow up a ship, crash a helicopter, burn a house, and lots more fun stuff in it! ... so if you’re so inclined toward action-adventure-mystery-suspense-romance, check it out soon!" I love it when Elle gets destructive! Makes for some fabulous reading! *cackle* Get a copy today at eharlequin.com or your local bookstore. Remember, Harlequin books are only on the shelf for a month so get out there and see how much Elle has tormented her lastest hero and heroine!

And a couple more dreams come true! Running Press released two new historical romances this week. Transgressions by Erastes and False Colors by Alex Beecroft are being shelved in the regular romance sections of major bookstores. Why the big deal? Both novels are gay romances! Instead of relegating them to the GLBT section of the bookstore to be mixed in with fiction and non-fiction of all types, Transgressions and False Colors are out there in the romance section!

And I have proof! In Little Rock, Arkansas, at the Barnes & Noble on Financial Parkway, I found the books and took pictures! Then bought a copy of each. My book bill was a little high yesterday! *cackle*

Click on the pictures for a larger view! I love seeing a gay romance sitting next to Janet Evanovich and Shayla Black! It's a fabulous step forward for the genre and these two wonderful authors. And the good news is, there will be more! The back inside cover of both books announced the fall releases of Tangled Web by Lee Rowen and Lovers' Knot by Donald L Hardy.

Pick up both books at your local bookstore today! Snap a picture for Erastes' contest (http://erastes.livejournal.com/375556.html).

I also drove the poor folks at B&N a little crazy yesterday. Part of my shopping list--besides the three books above--was Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels. Sarah Wendall and Candy Tan of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books have taken their collective knowledge and formed the ultimate guide to romance novels! With chapters names like Cleavage, Petticoat, Corset and Codpiece, you know their wonderfully irreverent humor marks this book as a must have for anyone who loves romance enough to laugh at the stereotyping surrounding the genre!

I didn't get a picture on the shelf because this wonderful guide released yesterday and the poor folks at B&N hadn't gotten the new releases shelved. The poor gentleman who first assisted me didn't seem to understand what I was saying and kept asking me to spell "bosoms". I would say he was an older man but he was probably my age and I don't like to call myself old. The younger man--whose name I should know since I've talked to him a dozen times at least--was able to find the book on the carts in the back waiting to be shelved. Then I made him crazy looking for one more book. Mine!

Or the one with one of my short stories, The Shopping List! The Black Lace anthology, Seduction, released yesterday! I had given away my only author's copy for a Roses Colored Glasses basket to be raffled at the Merritt conference in San Antonio, Texas. (I'll be there May 2nd!) I wanted to pick up another copy but once again, the book wasn't on the shelf. While the computer said it was there, the poor customer service dude couldn't find it anywhere. I told him I'd be back on Saturday so maybe I could pick it up then. He promised to figure out where it was shelved by then. *cackle* Poor dude.

Writing for Black Lace has been a dream of mine for several years. Even if it's only a short story, it's a start. Pick up Seduction at your local bookstore and check out The Shopping List along with a dozen other stories by fabulous erotica authors like Shada Royce, Katrina Wright and Portia Da Costa.

HIDDEN HANDS Released today!

Hidden Hands is out at Ellora's Cave today!

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7115-hidden-hands.aspx

Detective Jeremy Lawson doesn’t expect anything from his one night stand except sex. What he gets is a shooting, a mystery plus some of the best sex he’s had in a long time. Somewhere along the way, he also finds some tenderness for a lost soul in need of rescuing.

David March has let his troubled past blind him to any kind of happy future. But when a one night stand turns out to be a cop in shining armor, David begins to think differently about his life. As in, he wants one. But to have one, he has to stay alive.

Note: For maximum reader enjoyment, we suggest reading Hidden Force (David) and A Helping Hand (Jeremy) where our two heroes were secondary characters.

Chatting at Ellora's Cave's Readers Loop Today!

Stop by for some fun and prizes! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ellorascavechat/

Well, I'm a little out of touch!

I haven't posted in over two weeks! Things have been hectic lately. Have some good news to report! I sold another short story to Black Lace. IN HEAT will be in the SEXY LITTLE NUMBERS anthology due out in August! Woo hoo!

Mini-Blurbage: Miriam's new neighbor, George, is beyond hot. Just watching him sets Miriam’s libido on high. Unfortunately, because of George’s hate/hate relationship with her cat, Miriam doubts she’ll ever get the chance to check out the promise of George’s hard body. When her cat ends up stuck on George’s balcony, Miriam’s rescue plans goes awry. Her punishment leads to a delicious ménage as Miriam gives into the heat of her passions.

I also finished edits for book four in the Eternity series at Ellora's Cave. The release date for FIGHTING FOR ETERNITY is June 3rd! Another woo hoo! *cackle*

More blurbage: Searching for a murderous rogue vampire, Watcher Estefan Garza’s life is turned upside down by tragic loss and a surprise from his past. His bone-chilling loss is warmed by fires of passion reignited by vampire Karl Brandt.

On a quest to destroy a former friend, Karl is startled by Estefan and his mysterious companions. Karl can’t understand why Estefan hasn’t aged in seventy years. Unwilling to let him leave until Karl discovers the truth, he offers Estefan and his friends refuge and assistance for their common mission.

As a bloody battle for Memphis ensues, Karl and Estefan bond between danger and destruction until all that remains separating them is a fight for eternity.

Note: While a stand-alone, it is recommended the novels be read in order for maximum reading pleasure.

I had a wonderful time at the Northern Louisiana RWA Chapter's conference last weekend. Roomed with my galpals Myla Jackson and Delilah Devlin, which is always a blast. I met with a couple of agents who are interested in the scifi book. I need to finish it first as they want to see a full manuscript. I'm a few chapters in on it. I wanted it closer to completion before the conference but life didn't want to work out that way!

When I returned home, I found a request for a three chapter partial from another publisher for a different erotic romance project. So I've been a busy little bee getting the chapters ready to mail!

I'm going crazy but it's a good crazy! Between the scifi, the partial and another gay romance almost done, I've got plenty to work on. Just not enough hours in the day to do it! But I'm not complaining! I'm loving every minute of it!

Yummy!

I just received my cover for my April release at Ellora's Cave! Looks a little similar to A Helping Hand because it is a kind of sequel. Jeremy in A Helping Hand ended up the third wheel and alone. Now he finds comfort and more in the arms of another neglected secondary character--David from Hidden Force!

Hidden Hands
Coming to Ellora's Cave on April 3rd!

Detective Jeremy Lawson doesn't expect anything from his one night stand except sex. What he gets is a shooting, a mystery plus some of the best sex he's had in a long time. Somewhere along the way, he also finds some tenderness for a lost soul in need of rescuing.

David March has let his troubled past blind him to any kind of happy future. But when a one night stand turns out to be a cop in shining armor, David begins to think differently about his life. As in, he wants one. But to have one, he has to stay alive.

Note: For maximum reader enjoyment, we suggest reading Hidden Force (David) and A Helping Hand (Jeremy) where our two heros were secondary characters.

Click Here for Excerpt

Click here for larger version