Twitter Giveaway!!!!

This week I am giving away a signed paperback copy of A Bitch Named Karma!!

All you have to do is Tweet the hashtag #IWantKarma to be entered to win! US only, sorry :( Entries must be in by Thursday 6/21 at midnight EST and I will draw a winner on Friday via Random.org.

Thanks! And pass it on!!!

Making little things special!

Today I'm over at Lyrical Press's blog talking about my hubby and his birthday and how sometimes the little things make all the difference! :)

Desert Planet or Ice World????

That's the question of the day!! Today I have a guest post from Aubrie Dionne, talking about her new book!

Take it away, Aubrie!!

Thank you for hosting me today, Stephanie! I’ve been following your blog for some time, and I love hearing about your author journey. I also think it’s pretty cool we share the same publisher at LPI. 

I’m here to talk about Tundra 37, the second book in my New Dawn series, which released yesterday!!! Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book. Each installment can be read separately and still make sense. So here goes my guest blog… Why I chose a frozen planet… 

For Contrast: The first book, Paradise 21, was mainly set on a desert planet. I wanted a completely different landscape for the next book, Tundra 37. 

In Homage to Hoth: 

Some inspiration came from the frozen ice planet of Hoth in Star Wars. I loved the abominable snow monster-called the Wampa, and the horned tauntauns, which Luke Skywalker and Han Solo ride across the frozen plain. I wanted to create my own ice world with its own unique inhabitants. In Tundra 37, you’ll see alien mammoths with hair that can extend and pull you into their mouths, and tentacled beasts that live in an underground ocean, covered by ice. They were immensely fun to write and provided great obstacles to torture my characters with.

Because of My Personal Experience with Cold Weather: 

Living in New Hampshire can sometimes feel like living at the North Pole. Temperatures fall below freezing from December to March, and we get Nor’easters that can dump up to ten feet of snow. I wear pants underneath a long skirt, two of more sweaters, a hat, gloves, a scarf, and knee high boots all winter long. Suffice to say: I hate being cold. I remember one day way back in high school where I almost passed out from the cold. I was playing piccolo in the marching band at the Turkey Bowl, which is always way too far into November to sit outside for several hours. First came the shivering, so bad that my teeth clacked together, then a hazy dizziness, and then numbness all over. A clarinetist kept yelling my name to keep me awake. He may have been teasing me, but he also kept me from passing out that day. People say write what you know: and in this case, I know a lot about being cold. 

My question to you: Would you rather crash land on a desert planet or an ice world?

Aubrie Dionne

Romantic Science Fiction and Fantasy
Get Swept Away to Other Worlds...
http://www.authoraubrie.com  
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Buy on Amazon! 
Buy on Barnes and Noble! 

Indie Vs. Selp Publishing...my choice

Today I'm over at Fiction Groupie talking about Indie publishers and self publishing and why I did what I did. Come stop by and check it out!!

Click here!

It's Blurbalicious!!!!

No cover art yet, but I have my official blurb for Karma Kameleon!!!!

KARMA KAMELEON

Karma is back, but this time she’s not completely to blame.

After surviving a heart-wrenching tragedy, Lexi Marshall is determined to find happiness with her wacky, new-age family. Stumbling through her first few months of motherhood, she's achieved the perfect balance living with her son, the love of her life, and her best friend and his lover. But happily-ever-after all under the same roof doesn't last long.

For one thing, Rich doesn’t exactly agree living with everyone is ideal. With their gay/straight double wedding fast approaching, he wants to find a place of their own instead of continuing to sponge off of Marcus and Kevin. But Lexi isn’t ready to give up her easy lifestyle...or the never-ending wisdom of her lifelong best friend, Marcus.

Torn between assured comfort and true happiness, Lexi has to make a choice, and fast. Will she lose everything, or can she trust karma, and have it all?

WARNING: Contains some explicit sexual scenes and strong language.

The awesome, magificent, fabulous....

Sondrae Bennett is on my blog today!!!! She is a fellow Lyrical Press author with awesome romantic paranormal  stories! Her newest release, Chasing Paradise, is now out, part two in the Alpine Woods Shifters Series!

Take it away, Sondrae!

As both readers and writers, we know the power of words. They can be used to wound an opponent as sharp as any sword, or to fill a friend with hope or happiness. Coaches use them before big games to infuse their teams with the strength to win. But what happens when words are used carelessly. What happens when these powerful weapons are thrown out heedlessly and hit someone who wasn’t supposed to be in range?

That’s exactly what my hero, Ethan, learns in Chasing Paradise. He denies his mate, Gwen, unaware that she is standing just beyond the door and hears every word. When she runs, it’s up to him to not only find her, but win her back. And this time, it will take more than words.

Blurb:

He’ll do whatever it takes to earn back her trust.

A vacation is exactly what Ethan needs to escape the mate hungry females in his pack. Determined to have fun, he can’t think of a better way to start than sampling all the different flavors the shifter only resort has to offer, and not the food variety. But after he meets Gwen, no one else holds any interest for him. Ethan came on vacation to avoid mating. There’s no way he’s going to give up his freedom without a fight.

Gwen is devastated when she hears her mate denying everything they are to each other. She can’t sit by, watching him fool around with other girls at the resort. Or worse, crawl back, unable to resist the mating pull but not really wanting her. She needs to get away and her own vacation sounds like the perfect plan. But she should have remembered what her mother always taught her, never run from a predator unless you want them to chase you. The hunt is on…

WARNING: This title contains explicit sex

Excerpt:

When she stopped in front of him, her eyes locked on his and he was powerless to look away.

“Hi.” Her gaze shifted to the side as if searching for something to say. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself earlier, or thank you for saving me from the wall. I’m Gwen.”

She thrust out her hand to shake his, and Ethan stared at it. How would she react if he pulled her into his arms and ravaged those beautiful lips like he wanted to? Instead, he gave her a smile and shook hands.

“Actually, you did manage to thank me.” Utterly charming him in the process, too.  The blush that stole over her cheeks only endeared her to him more. “I’m Ethan. Can I buy you a drink, Gwen?”

Her gaze drifted to the open doors behind him. “I probably shouldn’t. I try not to mingle with guests.” She continued to stare into the bar before glancing back at him, her doe-like eyes hiding nothing. She wanted to stay with him and was fighting an internal battle with her conscience. It would be easy to tip the scales in his favor.

With any other woman, he’d swing his arm around her shoulders, and guide her toward the bar with a charming smile. Instead, using his intuition as his guide, he cupped her cheek with his hand. Her eyes closed as she nuzzled her face against him but flew open moments later as he drew her closer. His other hand slipped around her waist as he tilted her chin up, aligning her lips with his.

As soon as his lips brushed against hers, his wolf growled low in his chest. Something about this woman captivated him. The need to touch her, taste her, move inside her, was unbearable. Resisting the urge to crush her against him proved difficult and he struggled to keep the kiss light.

Despite his resolution, the feel of her lips parting in silent invitation proved too much for his tightly-strung control. His tongue thrust inside, exploring her mouth as his arms pulled her tighter against him. Her hands closed into fists, pulling at him as if to draw him closer. Breaking away, he gasped for air, need setting him on fire. Gwen rested her head on his shoulder, panting as well.

“What say we skip the drink and go back up to my room?” Ethan suggested, desperate to know her better.

“No.” Her quick reply was so unexpected, it took him a moment to process.

No? He thought they had been on the same page. Her hands were still fisted in his shirt, her body a comfortable weight in his arms. Everything indicated she had enjoyed the kiss as much as he had. Hell, she’d practically melted against him. What had he done wrong?

The moment he’d met this woman, everyone else had ceased to matter. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. It devastated him to think she might not feel the same way. Letting her go tonight would be one of the hardest things he’d ever done. If that was what she wanted, he’d find a way to walk away. But it wouldn’t end there. Wolves were persistent when they wanted something and he wanted Gwen. Nothing would stop him from coming back until she was ready for him. He’d win her over eventually. No other outcome was acceptable.

“My room is bigger.”

It took a moment to process the meaning behind her words, but once he did, his soul leapt and he fought the impulse to howl.

Interview with Lindsay Below!!!

Today I have an awesome interview with fellow Lyrical Press author L.K. Below, aka Lindsay Below! Her newest release is out! Isn't that a sassy cover???


Hi Lindsay!!! So glad you can be here today! Your newest release, Never a Princess, Always a Frog, sounds fantastic! And super sexy! Tell us a little about it! Your inspiration??

The inspiration for this one came in a flash. I thought it would be cute and quirky for a heroine to walk into a Halloween party wearing nothing but green paint. When I started to write the story, that's when the story -- and the series -- really started to blossom. My heroine, Colleen's best friend Hannah stole the stage for me, ensuring it would continue. Her book isn't next (that's Colleen's plus-sized cousin, Amy's story -- Beauty in His Bed), but it will come soon after.

Learn more about Never a Princess, Always a Frog at http://bit.ly/NeverAPrincess. Learn more about the series as a whole at http://bit.ly/ModernFairytales.

Awesome! Don't think I'd ever be brave enough to walk into a party wearing only paint! That tells us a lot about your character right there! Love a sassy character!

I find that the longer I write, the spicier my scenes get! Have you always wanted to write erotic romance, or did it just kinda happen?

Originally, I wanted to write fantasy (and I still do). But my best friend and biggest supporter in high school read romance. So I started writing romance. And I have to say, I've fallen in love with the genre. The heat levels differ with every story. It all matches the personality and desires of the characters.

It's so easy to be swept away both reading and writing romance!

This is your second release with Lyrical Press, both in the "Shorts" category. Do you like writing this length of story?

I love it, and here's why: I'm a busy person. I often have to sacrifice reading time and don't often lose myself in reading a book for an entire day, even on the weekend. Instead, I read shorter stories. They allow for me to finish in one sitting (since I am loathe to put a book down) and give the satisfying feeling of knowing how the book ends. I look up after reading and still have time to get back to work, which I love. So I write shorter works. I have so many characters vying for my attention, that this also allows me to complete more of their tales. I still write longer books, but much more slowly. Often the idea for a short will broadside me and I'll be swept away with that for a week or two. Same as reading, I get the same journey and satisfaction in less time, which means more stories. I love to visit so many characters.

I agree! Love these short stories and being able to concentrate on only one plot and minimal characters!

Thoughts on digital publishing?

Digital publishing allows me to publish the novellas I love to write. I love having this opportunity. Not to mention, I get to read these shorter stories too! I love digital publishing even though I'm a bibliophile. If a book is in print, chances are, that's the format I'll be purchasing it in, to add to my huge and growing library. But I don't read that many full-length novels these days, so digital grants me my reading fix. :)

I agree!! Before digital publishing, there was not a home for shorter stories!

Where would you like to see your career five years from now?

Five years from now, I'd like to see myself in a position where I can afford to put out one or two books a year. Right now, I'm struggling to launch my career into that place so that later in life, when I have kids, I'll have more time to devote to them. I'd like to see all aspects of my writing flourish. Not only romance, but also fantasy (my first urban fantasy, Stalking Shade, comes out from Lyrical Press, Inc. on October 3rd) and young adult (my first young adult novel, Lurkers comes out in print and ebook later this month). I've got a lot of stories to tell. I hope to wade through a good chunk of them in five years time (as unlikely as that sounds lol). Most of all, I guess I just want my writing to be lucrative and successful. Don't we all?

Sounds a lot like my five year plan! (But I already have kids!) :)

Just for fun:

Favorite vacation spot: Newfoundland. I'd love to be adventurous, but when it comes down to it, the quiet of the country (Gros Morne Park) is what I love the most.

Favorite snack: Miss Vicky's Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar chips. I can't resist them.

Favorite movie: Changes with my mood. I love fantasy movies, when done well. The Lord of the Rings was fantastic. Just as much as the books.

Did you have a teen idol? Not particularly lol.

Thanks for having me, Stephanie!!


Thanks so much for being here! Wishing you lots of success! Can't wait t read your book!

BIO: L.K. Below writes romance and speculative fiction. Under her full name, Lindsay Below, she pens young adult novels. Visit her online at www.lbelow.net or on her blog at http://lbelow.blogspot.com.

Do you find yourself apologizing?

Lyrical Press has published three of my books. The first, A Bitch Named Karma is a full-length romantic fiction story that was so well-received! I am so so excited for it's success!!! But my next two were what Lyrical calls "shorts". Paradise Cove released in April and Soap Dreams released just a few weeks ago.

Lyrical Press defines "shorts" as a story between 15,000 and 20,000 words. I think mine are around 50-55 pages long. It's a great length to read in an hour or so while on a flight, commuting, waiting at the doctor's office. It's a quick read that a reader can finish relatively fast. I wrote them with the intention of submitting to a romance magazine who's max was 10,000 words. When that didn't pan out, I bumped up the word count and submitted to my editor at Lyrical. She loved them. I loved them. I couldn't wait to share these little shorties with the world.

This is one thing about digital publishing that I adore...there is a place for novellas!

But they came out and I found myself apologizing. Many people asked if they could get them in paperback. To begin with, Lyrical is very selective on which titles go to print....I was lucky with A Bitch Named Karma. But regardless, the length of the shorts is just too....short. Lyrical will not consider a book for print unless it is a full-length novel with a minimum of 60,000 words. Both of my shorts fall real short.

So I end up apologizing to readers that they will not be able to get them in print. I don't know what else to say. They don't own eReaders and won't read on the computer (I don't blame them...it's not easy or fun.)

Romance Author Sandra Sookoo!

Today I have the fabulous Sandra Sookoo on my blog, a fellow Lyrical Press author! She is just awesome!!! Her new book just released yesterday!!!



Your newest release from Lyrical Press is Midsummer Night's Steve (love the title!). What's it about?

Well, this story centers around a newspaper reporter (Steve). We first came into contact with him in the third book--Five Leaf Clover. In that story, he pretty much made a jerk of himself, so in this book, he's returned to Crystal Falls to make amends--and to try to get that one "big" story that will make his career. Unfortunately, nothing goes his way and the girl he likes turns out to be the Tooth Fairy.

Here's the blurb:

She's not your grandma's Tooth Fairy.

Three months have passed since Steve Compton's last visit to Crystal Falls. Now he's back, but far from pleased about it. Convinced there is more in the air than clean living, he's a journalist on the hunt for a story that'll launch his career into the stratosphere.

Zoe Nickles loves the small-town atmosphere, the people, and most especially the great hiding places in Crystal Falls. She's heard rumors about the magical aura in the tiny town, and when her powers come to fruition one June night, she knows the whispers are true. She's the Tooth Fairy--with a sexy new look!

But there's a problem: a nosy reporter is on Zoe's trail, with just enough street smarts and cynicism to thwart her ability to practice her newfound skills. Can she convince him Cristal Falls is harmless before he tells the world about the town's"unique" quality, or will Steve blab the news, putting Zoe and all the paranormal residents at risk?

Sounds awesome! I need to read this series asap!

This is the fifth book in your Holiday Magic series, correct? Very cool! Why write a holiday series?

Why not? Lol The concept behind this series was the fact that any holiday is a special time and lends itself well to romance. I also wanted to put a little magic and mystery in with this series of shorts, so Crystal Falls was born--and nothing is ever as it seems.

I love that you try all different things with your writing!

Will there will be more?? Can you share any details with my readers?

After this book, I have one last story coming out in October called Tail on the Moon. In order to understand the dire circumstances in this book, you'd need to read Book #4 No Such Thing. The powers-that-be are changing in Crystal Falls and someone needs to step up and make sure good wins over evil.

In Tail on the Moon, it's a Halloween story and I had a great time writing that particular short.

Awesome! I noticed all the books in the series are what Lyrical calls a "Short", falling between 15,000 and 20,000 words. Do you like writing stories this length? Why?

I love writing stories of all lengths. I do shorts, novellas and full-length books. It all really depends on the story, how much plot I want to take on, if there will be sub-plots, extra characters, complicated story lines. Right now I've just come off writing back-to-back-to-back full length books so for the next few months, everything I create will be shorts. It gives my brain a rest and gives the reader a nice low price point.

Oh I so know what you mean! It is quite refreshing to work on something short after a long project!

As one of the lucky writers who gets to stay home and write all day, what is your favorite part of your job?

Yes, when I was laid off four years ago, I couldn't find a job in my industry so I got serious about writing. Is it a hardship having one income? You bet and it leads to creative finances, but I wouldn't trade the time it affords me for writing. My favorite part of my job? Continuing to learn the craft, make my stories better and receiving reader mail.

Love how you turned something unpleasant into something fantastic!

And one last question for fun! I know how big a fan you are of Disney World (just like me!!) and good food (also, just like me!). Where is your favorite place to eat while at the World?

Oh, gosh, now that is a huge question! I adore the French bistro in Epcot. They made some of the best onion soup I've ever had. But then there's the Chinese place in Epcot. Ginger ice cream. That's all I'll say lol I also really love the breakfast at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. My husband and I eat there every time we go to Disney.

Oh, I could talk about Disney food all day long!!

Thanks so much for being here, Sandra!!

Thanks for having me on your blog. As a thank you to your readers, I'm offering a prize to a random commenter. You'll receive a subscription to my monthly newsletter, book swag plus a vial of "fairy dust" and a Tooth Fairy "coin". Remember to leave an email address and check back to see if you won!

If you'd like to find out more about the Holiday Magic series or everything else I write, pop over to my website http://www.sandrasookoo.com From there you can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook or drop in on my Believing is Seeing blog.

It's release day for Soap Dreams!!!!!!!

So so excited!!!!! Today is the official release day for my new novella, Soap Dreams!

It’s never too late to start over.

Robyn Miller is perfectly happy in her immaculate home, playing stay-at-home mom and
devoted wife. That is, until she's channel surfing one day and sees her high school sweetheart
Derek, acting in a lead role in her favorite old soap. Watching Derek's show becomes her secret pleasure...and brings back memories best forgotten. When Derek's mother throws him a big celebration in town, Robyn tries to avoid seeing him, but ends up in his arms for a dance.

Derek has finally hit the big-time, but he hasn't found happiness. He regrets losing Robyn,
and his show's ratings are falling. He longs to get her back in his life--both personally, and as a
writer on the show. Those love scenes she used to dream up were Emmy material. Knowing her marriage is a sham, can he convince her to follow her dreams and give the show--and him--a shot?

This is a great little romantic read! Buy at Lyrical's site, Amazon, or most other ebook sites!

I have my first ever review for Soap Dreams at Brianna's Blog, Girl Seeks Place! Check it out!!

Wednesday starts my first ever blog tour!!!! Check back every day for the tour stop link!

I'm the spotlight author!!!

At Lyrical Press's Blog today!! Please stop by and check it out!!

***Edited to add....but for some reason it's not there...maybe I screwed up the dates????

Posting over at Lyrical's Blog!!

It's Lyrical Press's 3rd Anniversary this month and they are celebrating big time!! Lots of book giveaways and spotlights on their authors!!! I am blogging over there today!! Please come check it out!!!!

A Contract!! A Contract!!!!!

I love love love publishing contracts!!!!! I hope this never stops feeling this good!!

I submitting Karma Kameleon, the sequel to A Bitch Named Karma, to my editor at Lyrical Press a couple weeks ago. She is usually pretty fast with this kind of thing, so I didn't expect it to take long to hear from her. But it still felt like forever and I told myself to just chill out. I knew she was reading it...she told me she was...but nothing. Nadda. No clue on if she was enjoying it or not. So I was super nervous.

But then the other day I checked my email, and there it was...a contract for Karma Kameleon! Usually my editor tells me ahead of time that she is recommending something for contract! But not this time....total surprise!! And I loved it!

So excited!!!

And check this out!! A local paper did a story on me! Click here!

WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HUGE thanks so everyone who entered my giveaway for a signed copy of A Bitch Named Karma!!! Yay!! Thanks so much for passing on my info and helping me reach 150 followers!! (151 to be exact!)

So here we go......

With the help of Random.org...

The

winner

is.....

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Summer at My Inner Fairy!!!! Congrats Summer!!!!!! I hope you enjoy the book!!!!! I need you mailing address...so email me if I don't email you first! :)

If anyone else would like to read A Bitch Named Karma, please stop by Lyrical Press's website!!

I'm officially on vacation!!!!

Though I'm just staying home and doing nothing really, I'm still officially on vacation. We usually go away in the fall, and this year is no exception. Our late fall trip to Disney was booked months ago and we're eagerly awaiting it!!

But yes, even authors need vacations...a week to not work on writing or editing or anything. Summer is going by too fast and my kids are too little to not spend some time with them where they have 100% of me.

I decided if I made it to 40,000 words on my WIP by the end of July (which added close to 30,000 words in the month of July), I'd take the first week of August off. And I did it!! YAY!!

So today I have decided to repost one of my favorite posts since I started my blog!

The first is the day I got my publishing contract form Lyrical Press for A Bitch Named Karma:

Sunday, May 17, 2009

I'm on my way....finally!!!!

I think as a writer...we get used to rejection, almost immune to it...."Another one to add to cork board...." And even email rejection letters...though they can't be saved and used to wallpaper a bathroom, unless you print them anyway, tend to be the same. You check your inbox and see a publisher or agent's name as the sender with a subject of Re: Query. You know what it says before even clicking on it............I did until yesterday that is........................

I was offered a publishing contract!

A few weeks ago as the final last ditch effort for my second novel, A Bitch Named Karma, I started looking into ePublishers. I had been on the traditional merry-go-round with the novel several times. I did a major rewrite with a name change and started again. I'd gotten several partial requests, even a full request...all ending in rejection. I just could not find a home for this story that I loved so much. I started looking into publishing it for free for Amazon's Kindle. But it sounded so confusing and I just wasn't real sure what I was getting myself into. I then started looking into ePublishers. Seemed like a decent way to go so I sent out some submission packets.

Then yesterday I got a response from Lyrical Press! I sat there for a few minutes unsure if I was actually reading what I thought I was reading:

We’re happy to inform you that after reviewing your submission, we’d like to extend a contract for A Bitch Names Karma. Our editors and screeners thoroughly enjoyed this read and we’d love to add it to our catalog.

My husband was outside trying to finish up the last few things on the wooden swing set we bought for our kids. I walked out in my pajamas, regardless that my neighbor was outside playing with his kids, and told him. He climbed down from the playhouse part of the thing and hugged me. We both found tears in our eyes.

I'd done some research on the company and it seems like it's on the up and up. Folks at Absolute Write Water Cooler had good things to say too. Plus, this company has really nice covers...some of the others......tacky is the nicest word I can think of!!!

No fat advance, but I have to say, royalties are really decent for ePublishing! I was kinda surprised....comparable to what I'd make if my book was picked up by a print publisher and sold in books stores.

So, once I have my lawyer take a look at the contract and I sign it and mail it to them, I will officially be on my way to being a published author!!!

Is this real??? This is happening...to ME???? So many days I wondered if this would ever ever happen to me......

My book is in PRINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH. MY. GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So...I was leisurely checking Amazon.com, like I often do, to check my ebook ranking for A Bitch Named Karma. But this time when I typed it into the search engine, two listings came up...the ebook and THE PRINT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now...my official release date in December 1st. I thought maybe it was just preorders...but no..it let me complete the order. I wondered if there was some kind of glitch. But apparently, according to my editor at Lyrical, Amazon usually does start selling Lyrical's titles early. My ebook was for sale on Amazon almost 2 months early. She said it is odd for them to do it four months early, but in all honesty...I am so not complaining!! Now everyone who was waiting for print can read it four months earlier! And I can start my print marketing plan earlier (Um..so that means I actually have to get on that now).

So if anyone wants to purchase the print version, click here!

Signing a contract is so exhilarating!

Very excited to share with you all...Lyrical press offered me a contract for my second novelette, titled Soap Dreams! Yay!!

I wrote two novelettes, completed unrelated. A friend had sent me a link to a romance magazine that was looking for pieces with a max word count of 10,000. I thought I;d give it a try. And I really liked writing something that length. It was long enough to really get into the story (as opposed to a short story with a 5,000 max) but short enough to not be able to focus on any sub plots and I had to keep my character list short. I completed one, edited, got feedback form several places, and then sent it off. I wrote the second while I waited. And then I never heard anything. The second story was finished but the word count was too high....I let it sit. There was no point in whittling it down.

Fast forward a year or two. I had received my contract for A Bitch Named Karma from Lyrical press and I was ecstatic. And I found that they also published shorter works. Maybe I could finally find a home or these pieces that I had no clue what to do with.

But Lyrical has a 15,000 word minimum. So I went to work and bumped up my word count for Paradise Cove. I submitted it and wahlah! They loved it! Then I worked on Soap Dreams some more and when I finally had it ready to submit. And they loved that one too! I signed the contract and it's ready to mail! (Woulda went in today's mail, but no mail today!)

So happy to have found a home for these short works...one thing I absolutely LOVE about digital publishing!! A few years ago, no one would have wanted to publish a 15,000 word story. Yeah, there are compilations but never do they take on newbie writers.

Got some dates for releases!!!!

I am so so excited over here!!!!!!! Back in, oh, like February, my editor at Lyrical, Piper Denna, told me she saw A Bitch Named Karma on the print release schedule for September. I was beyond ecstatic!!! But without hearing it from the owners of Lyrical Press, I tried not to get too excited. And then I did hear it from them..at The Write Stuff conference the end of March. But they said January.

Well, I found out the other day that the official release date for PRINT for A Bitch Named Karma is December 1, 2010!!!!!!

Wooo Hooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! They emailed me the book flap...OMG......it made me all tingly!!!!

And I have another release date announcement!! Found out my official release date for Paradise Cove, a short novel that is being published by Lyrical as well!! March 21, 2011!

Interview with Sandra Sookoo!!!!

Today I have an interview with fellow Lyrical Press author, Sandra Sookoo!! Check her blog here!

First question I always ask, when did you start writing and when did you know you wanted to make it your career?

I “unofficially” started writing at the age of 10. I wrote an “epic” fantasy using all the kids in the neighborhood. 600 pages longhand LOL Thankfully, I matured and the writing got way better. I think sometime in my twenties I knew I wanted to make writing a career. It was either that or be a cake decorator. Even though I’m really good in the kitchen, I can’t bake a cake or decorate it to save my life! Good thing I’m pretty talented in the writing field, huh?

I see you’ve had quite a career so far! How many books have you published? Got a favorite?

How many books? Let’s see. 6 in 2009. And 7 in 2010 so far. I’ve been very lucky and have met some great editors along the way. As for a favorite? Hmm. That would be a toss up. I have too many “favorites” I guess to pick just one. LOL

You’ve been published by several houses. I was once told not to “put all your eggs in one basket” when it comes to publishing. Do you agree with this? Are there pros and cons to having your “eggs” in several baskets?

I totally agree that an author needs to write for a few houses. This gains you readership and showcases your work to different sets of readers. Not to mention that every editor worth their salt will teach you something different so it would behoove a writer to seek a new house every once in awhile.
One of the cons about having multiple houses is the release dates for books. Often they will coincide with other releases you have out and you’ll end up with back to back releases which makes promotions tricky.

I have all of your Holiday Magic books on my “To-Read” folder on Goodreads! What inspired you to write holiday themed books?

Well thank you! I guess you could say I have a “thing” for holiday romances LOL I liked the idea of centering a series, not only around holidays, but also romance and magic. So the Holiday Magic series was born and I’ve been beyond pleased with the results.

Now let’s talk about your newest release, Dead Ruby Slippers, from Lyrical Press! Tell me a little about it!

Dead Ruby Slippers came about because of my excessive love of cozy mysteries. I’ve read tons of them and one day decided to try my hand at writing one. Wow, was that an eye opener! It’s hard work and for me, it confuses my brain trying to drop clues, keep up the mystery, etc. I’m so thankful for my editor on this project because she helped me keep my facts straight.

Blurb: Dancing may be hard…but no one expected it to be murder.

When sexy tap dancer Abigail Carlton, a.k.a. Ruby Slippers, is found dead and arranged in an artistic fashion on her coffee table, it’s up to Special Agent Quentin Banks to solve her murder.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Not only is Quentin a FBI career man, he doubles as an officer for the Institute of Magical Instruction…and the dancer’s death has super natural energy written all over it.

Quentin must find who murdered Abigail, and he only has 24 hours to do it before it’s taken over by his superiors.

Book video: Click here

Buy link: Click here

Will I write another mystery? I want to say no, but who can say what my Muse will want later? LOL

It sounds like an interesting mix of murder, romance and fantasy! Is commingling genres something you do like to do?

It’s one of my passions, I guess you could say. I’m a firm believer that a writer should have a range of things they can write. Try a new genre. If you don’t like it, that’s okay, but at least you spread your wings. I love writing across genres. It keeps my brain engaged and prevents me—the writer—from being bored. And as a reader, I read across genres to prevent boredom. I think this is a key to a long life as a writer.

And lastly, something non-writing related….I see that you love to cook—me too! I’m always on the lookout for tasty, low-cal meals! Got a recipe that qualifies?

I do love to cook. When I’m stuck in a story problem, I’ll head to the kitchen. I do have a recipe to share. It’s one I fussed around with a few times because I had a craving for Chinese food but didn’t want to deal with the heavy breading and high calories of traditional food.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

There will be recipes out there that tell you to marinate your chicken in egg white and corn starch. I’ve done it that way and I can honestly say I don’t buy into that step. So, this is how I do it.

Ingredients
1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1" chunks
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 10-ounce can fresh pineapple chunks (reserve juice) If using canned pineapple, make
sure you buy the one marked “juice” not “heavy syrup”
1/4 cup juice from the pineapple
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup (I use Red Gold because it’s an Indiana product)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (or, if you taste the sauce before you cook it, you can add
another tablespoon for a more concentrated sweetness)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil (I use canola oil)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ to 1 teaspoon sambal sauce (or any hot sauce you like) optional
Method

1 Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, salt, hot sauce, ginger, corn starch and brown sugar.

2 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the chicken out in one layer. Let the chicken fry, untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side the same for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pink in the middle. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving oil in pan.

3 Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat and then add the bell pepper chunks. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn the heat to high and when the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.

Serves 4. (or two if you’re really hungry) I like to serve over plain white or brown rice.

Sounds tasty! Can't wait to try it!!

Thanks for having me on your blog! As a special gift, one lucky commenter will receive a romance themed pizza cutter and some book swag. Be sure to leave your email address. Winner will be drawn the following day.

Oh how cool! Thanks for being here!! Wishing you all the best in your career and with your newest release, Dead Ruby Slippers!


Ps- Make sure you check out Monday's post and enter to win a copy of my new release, A Bitch Named Karma!

I'm being interviewed today!!!

One of my first stops on a mini blog tour is Believing is Seeing!! Sandra Sookoo is a fellow Lyrical Press author, and a very talented one at that!! Please stop by and read my interview!!

Also, I was interviewed by Aubrie Dionne over at Flutey Words! Please check her out too! She's another fab Lyrical press author!! I interviewed her a little while back about her newest release, Nebula's Music.

I've decided Friday is gonna be Release party day on my blog! I will be popping in all day! Plan on stopping by for contests and prizes!!!! I'm gonna try for one every hour!

And don't forget....enter my contest to win a digital copy of A Bitch Named Karma!! Leave a comment on yesterday's post!!