Happy news and updates!

Wow! This year has got off to an amazing start!

I'm now in my last semester of college, and though it's still a heavy load, it's not near as overwhelming as the the previous one, so I'm getting way more writing done.

Secondly, I've had the wonderful opportunity to guest post on some amazing blogs. Last Saturday I was at the Jaunty Quills, a wonderful site populated by some of the biggest superstars in historical romance. Needless to say, I was floored by the invite.

Then this Saturday I had my first post at the lovely Casablanca Authors' blog, complete with an awesome giveaway because my publicist rocks like nobody's business.

And.... OMG, REVIEWS FOR MY BOOK ARE COMING IN! Check it out! 

I am awed, humbled, and bowled over with joy. I have readers now! This is why I write.

Finally, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE is on both the lists for most anticipated 2013 releases for historical AND paranormal romance.

If you'd like, you can vote for it here AND here!

Right now, I'm working on the last half of Book 3 and preparing to kick off my blog tour. Stay tuned because there will be some kick-ass giveaways coming soon. :)

Have a great week, all!
    

FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS by Jess Haines cover reveal & giveaway!

Okay, first off, I gotta tell you that I freakin' ADORE Jess Haines. Not only is she a fantastic urban fantasy author, but she also is THE BEST person to go to for off the wall movie recommendations. And she's a riot on twitter.

So I am beyond honored that I get to take part in the reveal of the cover for her upcoming release, FORSAKEN BY THE OTHERS.

Drumrolllllll!

Isn't it gorgeous!

And here's the blurb:

The Others--vampires, werewolves, things that go chomp in the night--don't just live in nightmares anymore. They've joined with he mortal world. And for private investigator Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem...

Have a one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity. P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching head...and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town--namely, a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who'd like to turn her into a chew toy.

On Royce's suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is rotten--literally--in the state of California, where local vampires are being attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them--and reckless enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge...

 Now it's giveaway time! One lucky commenter will win an ARC!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



And for another chance to win, visit Jess's site here.

5 WTF Moments in Fiction

Doing a rerun post because I'm cracking down on my novel.

We've all read novels where something happens to make us go, "WTF? " and I'm sure we've all written many. In reading and writing, I've come across enough to see that there seem to be different types.

1.) The "Contrived for Marketability" WTF: Maybe the editors wanted it, maybe the author guessed in advance that the editor would want it. Either way, there was a series I read in which I'm convinced the author put a love triangle in there just because love triangles have been popular in her genre. For one thing the "other guy" seemed to be just friends with the heroine until near the end of book one. For another, their few romantic incidents seemed forced. Finally, at the end, with no drama or fireworks, the character narrates that she picked the main guy, and other guy moved away to live happily ever after.I'm not a fan of love triangles but I don't mind them if they eventually have a point.

2.) The "Contrived to Please the Fans" WTF: When a series becomes really popular, there's online discussions everywhere speculating about which characters are going to do what and who next. One series I'm reading had many readers clamoring for 2 male characters to hook up. The problem was, only 1 was gay. So....all of a sudden, the straight guy turned gay. I'm sure plenty of fans are jumping for joy, but I'm just not buying it.

3.) The "Oh-Crap-I-Got-The-Characters-In-Too-Big-Of-A-Bind-And-Must-BS-My-Way-Out"WTF: We all know that action and tension is a main necessity in keeping the reader hooked, but it seems there are times where the author overdid it and had to manufacture a miracle so she may be free to move on to the next plot point...or worse, end the story. This is also known as Deus Ex Machina

4.) The "Why Did Nobody Think Of This?" WTF: Sometimes what's not there in a story is more baffling than what is. I read a novel in which a character became a political symbol and a catalyst for a revolution. The government seemed to do all they could to stop it from happening...except make the character ugly. With the people's obsession with image, it seemed an obvious solution...but then the bad guys would have won and there wouldn't be 3 books worth of awesomeness, so I'm prepared to forgive it.

5.) The Random WTF: Sometimes something happens in a story that comes out of nowhere...and I mean nowhere. Worse, it does nothing for the plot. Often those moments should be cut, but other times, they are teasers for future books. I have mixed feelings about these.

All of these WTFs have occurred at least once in books I've loved, so obviously they don't ruin the story...then again I've had some in my own writing that I know I'll have to fix.

What WTF moments have you written? In reading, which drive you closest to madness?