Is it the cover or the words that draw you in?

We’ve all grabbed lots of books because the cover drew us in only to be disappointed with the opening paragraph. Usually I’ll give a new book one entire chapter before I decide my time is better spent reading something else. Sometimes though I only give a new book one page, especially if I’m in a buying mood.

You might ask yourself how, in one page, can you grab the reader? I will be the first to admit that’s hard, but as a reader isn’t that our goal? Recently I strolled through my local Chapters bookstore and picked up six new books. Of those six books, two were new authors for me. Candidly, I will admit that the covers of all six books drew me in but after reading the opening paragraph I only walked away with two. Now, this is also subjective. What I like to read is different from the next person. Still though, I walked away thinking…a writer really only has 30 seconds to grab a new reader.

Here’s what I read:
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost, published by Avon. (http://www.jeanienefrost.com/)

I stiffened at the red and blue lights flashing behind me, because there was no way I could explain what was in the back of my truck. I pulled over, holding my breath as the sheriff came to my window.

“Hi. Something wrong?” My tone was all innocence while I prayed there was nothing unusual about my eyes. Control yourself. You know what happens when you get upset.

“Yeah, you’ve got a busted taillight. License and registration, please.”

Crap. That must have happened when I was loading up the truck bed. Speed had been of the essence then, not daintiness.

These nine sentences hooked me. Last night I started to read it and today I’d like nothing more than to shut out the rest of the world, curl up with this amazing book and finish it. My gut instinct that this would be a good read so far holds true. I’m half-way through and so it keeps getting better.

The other book I walked away with is Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day, published by Berkley Sensation. (www.alyssaday.com)

Now, I will admit that I’ve read another book by Day and I think it was in this series. What annoyed me as a buyer was that she didn’t list her other books in the front of this one so I’m left wondering, did I already read this and have forgotten it? Ahh, who cares? I bought it because again, the opener grabbed me.


Here’s what I read:
Atlantis Awakening: The Warriors of Poseidon by Alyssa Day.

“These are my kind of odds,” Ven said, drawing his sword with his right hand and one of the seven daggers strapped to various parts of his body with his left. “Not even gonna brother with my Glock and its nifty new silver bullets for this mangy crew.”

The vamp leading the gang—flock? herd? What the hells did you call a group of vamps this big?—of vamps that had cornered them in the alley hissed, making sure to show a mouthful of fangs. “Prepare to die, human. You are vathhhtly outnumbered,” it threatened, with that peculiar lisp so characteristic of the recently undead. They hadn’t quite yet gotten the hang of talking with a mouthful of tooth.

Again, this worked for me. It made me smile because I sense she’s given her main character humor while making him immediately warrior ready for battle.

I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a comment and find the opening paragraph or first few sentences that had you hooked in your favorite book. What made you buy? Was it the cover or the words inside?

Winter Solstice - Let the Light Shine Through

Solstice! Yup today is the beginning of the days of days. That’s what I call it. When the darkness of the night weakens to the full light of the sun. I’m a light person. I admit to being totally affected by the dark, dreary days of winter. I need the sun to make me happy, just ask my family!

Here’s a little tidbit of fact: Since the time when the 25th was established as the solstice in Europe the difference between the Julian calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days) moved the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice forward approximately three days every four centuries until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar bringing the northern winter solstice to around December 21st. In the Gregorian calendar the solstice still moves around a bit, but only about one day in 3000 years.

Okay, enough of that. What I want is to hear from you readers. I know there’s books out there centered around the theme of solstice, isn’t that the hot time of the year when the pull for sex is felt by all (yeah, that’s it). Anyway, I’m looking for a list of books that have this theme. I’m also feeling generous. You need to have a list of five books that either you know of or have read. Leave your list in the comment section. At the end of the day I will randomly pick a winner (exclusdes you SdoS gals) to win an e-book of your choice, a copy of either one of my Ellora’s Cave publications: Sweet and Spicy Spells (co-authored with the great Christine d’Abo), Love Me Wild, or Love Me Tender, or an e-copy of my sensual mainstream book, Rapture published with Cerridwen Press. So get your list in!!!

Creating Fictional Beasts

I love creating fictional beasts. Littered around my house are books on Celtic myths, Gods and Goddess, Irish Folklore, and lots more. And I use them. I use them when I’m stuck working on a story that just begs for a fictional beast, one that can sprout wings, breathe fire or trot on all four legs. But as a writer I take liberties. I like to weave a bit of that and a bit of this into my own new one-of-kind beast. For me that’s when they really come alive, develop special attributes and get named.

Take for instance my Ellora's Cave novellas, Love Me Wild and Love Me Tender (and yes I’m working on the third). In those stories I built a new futuristic world and with the construction of that world I really wanted to add something shocking. Hence the development of my Mage Pegcentaurs. I called them Mage because only a Mage Pegcentaur can shift into any creature and I added wings giving the centaur (horse-like creature) the ability to fly. I needed this character to morph into any other beast in my Love Me Tender story because I didn’t want my main character finding him immediately. Let the chase begin, that was my theory behind it.

I’m working on a new novella that will feature Elementals. These are creatures that can become anything, air, fire, and any other living creature. But with all creatures something needs to bind them in place, or work as a poison. I truly feel that no creature should be omniscient, really where’s the fun in that.

I want to hear from you. What creatures have you created? What names do you give them? Do they have any special features? Share, share, share…you never know when it could be used by a writer in a story.

Speaking of sharing – here’s an excerpt from my Cerridwen Press book Rapture that features yet again one of my made up creatures, I named Tartahounds.

Twice in two days an undersea rupture from the bowels of the Earth had spewed forth a dozen of Hades’ legionnaires and their demonic Tartahounds. Close to four centuries ago, Hades had tried to overtake the undersea kingdom, believing it was his right to overthrow Oceanus’ children. It had taken a massive counterattack with all the Titan leaders from the seven seas working together to finally defeat Hades. However the toll had been enormous.

Thousands of Titans and Sirens had lost their souls to Hades. Nothing could be done for them. Every once in a while Hades liked to test their power, and he would send his legionnaires out to try to break through. Hades’ legionnaires had only tried to overtake the North Seas, where his family lived—that was strange. His father had contacted the other leaders and nothing unusual was happening elsewhere.

Like my mardom needs another problem to deal with. Besides trying to find a cure for the illness affecting his people they were also forced to deal with Hades’ tricks, which were always underhanded.

Seth knew it was a puzzle that warranted more attention. He was sure that was why his father wanted to speak with him at half-tide. Today, he made the decision that extra Titan warriors were needed to patrol all the surrounding shields. They were all on high alert.

This morning it had taken him and two other Titan warriors a good hour to destroy the dozen legionnaires and their Tartahounds who had broken through one of the far perimeter shields. The legionnaires were deadly with their vapor assaults, but the Tartahounds were even more lethal. With a body the shape of an electric eel and its three canine heads, Tartahounds were blind and relied on their ability to scent their prey. One bite and their poisonous venom could render a Titan warrior unconscious.

Mikhail, a friend of Seth’s, had come very close to being contaminated by one of the Tartahounds. The fact the beast had attacked Mikhail on his own, without a legionnaire holding him to a vapor leash, unnerved Seth. Never in his years of dealing with Hades’ legionnaires had he seen a Tartahound unleashed. An off-leash Tartahound could just as easily attack its master. The only thing that controlled them was the vapor leash. Quick thinking on Seth’s part had decapitated the beast, and saved Mikhail from a slow, torturous death.

Rapture can be bought directly from Cerridwen Press at http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910760

Love Me Wild can be bought directly from Ellora's Cave at http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910104

Love Me Tender can be bought directly from Ellora's Cave at http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419912665

Jokes - Why They Are Worth It For Me!

Jokes. I wish I could say I’m sick of them but I’m not. Even when there are four voices competing in my van so the loudest can tell me another one, and another one and another…ahh, you get the picture. So my six year-old son asks me this morning if I can look up even more jokes, this time Holiday jokes, so he can be the “hot” kid on the playground and spout them off. Sure, why not. I’ve got nothing better to do. No need to work on my latest book and novella that are harping at me to finish, no need to do laundry (we can survive, I think) and no need to get my house in shape for a meeting being held at said house tonight. Nay, what the heck. Jokes, jokes and more jokes.

Now, as I was researching Holiday jokes I also found a nice Dr. Seuss (sort of) Passover joke, which is now my ultimate fave. The Q&A’s will make my six year-old giggle for miles in the van, while my almost 12 year-old will absorb the reindeer in the bar joke (secretly tell his friends later on) and it will be my nine year-old son who will learn in a heartbeat the Dr. Seuss rhyme, all to the tune of our three year-old saying “my turn, my turn.” Ahh, the joys of my daily morning routine.

The first reindeer seen in a bar
One evening, in a busy lounge in the deep south, a reindeer walked in the door, bellied up to the bar and ordered a martini. Without batting an eye, the bartender mixed and poured the drink, set it in front of the reindeer, and accepted the twenty-dollar bill from the reindeer's hoof. As he handed the reindeer some coins in change, he said, "You know, I think you're the first reindeer I've ever seen in here." The reindeer looked hard at the hoofful of change and said, "Hmmmpf. Let me tell you something, buddy. At these prices, I'm the last reindeer you'll see in here."\

Question and Answer Christmas Jokes
Q: What do elves learn in school?A: The Elf-abet!
Q: What's the most popular wine at Christmas?A: "I don't like sprouts" !
Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get? A: Missletoe!
Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? A: Frostbite.
Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed? A: Because he had low elf esteem.
Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens? A: So he can ho-ho-ho.
Q: Where do polar bears vote?A: The North Poll.
Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper? A: Ribbon hood.
Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter ?A: Because it's to far to walk.
Q: What kind of bird can write?A: A PENguin.
Q: What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time? A: Sandy Claus!
Q: How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas? A: Fleece Navidad!
Q: What nationality is Santa Claus?A: North Polish.
Q: Why does Santa's sled get such good mileage?A: Because it has long-distance runners on each side.Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!
Q: What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?A: Crisp Cringle.

Passover Dr. Suess Style
Sam! Will you never see? They are not KOSHER, So let me be! I will not eat green eggs and ham. I will not eat them Sam-I-am. But I'll eat green eggs with a biscuit. Or I will try them with some brisket. I'll eat green eggs in a box. If you serve them with some lox. And those green eggs are worth a try Scrambled up inside some matzoh brie! And in a boat upon the river, I'll eat green eggs with chopped liver! So if you're a Jewish Dr. Seuss fan, But troubled by green eggs and ham. Let your friends in on the scoop: Green eggs taste best with chicken soup!

Special thanks to http://humormatters.com/holidays/passover.htm and http://www.ahajokes.com/christmas_jokes.html

Strange Things That Make Me Write Better

As a writer I have a few weird habits that I use to help me write better or actually simply to make me write. About three years ago I stopped wearing a watch. Why? I didn’t like that constant reminder that time was ticking away, or I had to be somewhere, pick up someone and all that jazz.

What have I learned about not wearing a watch you might ask? A lot. I actually have more human to human contact on a daily basis now all because there are times that I really do need to know what time it is and I usually ask that simple question. “Excuse me, do you have the time?” Now I often thought I’d love to use that line on a gorgeous hunk of a guy, hoping he’d say, “For you baby I’ve got all the time in the world,” but alas that hasn’t happened so far. It’s only been three years, give me another few and we shall see if that fantasy comes true.

What I have discovered is that people love to talk and they want to be heard and listened to. I have learned so much about human behavior and the angst of what’s going on in a complete stranger’s life (sometimes it does get thrown into the story I’m working on) but I’ve also discovered people crave to talk to other people. Asking that simple time question has made me more patient. I do take the time to listen when the people I’ve asked start to talk and I usually walk away with a smile. Why? Because simply by discarding my watch I learn something new every day about someone I don’t know and that thrills me.

I also don’t own a cell phone. Now, I admit that sometimes I do use hubby’s but I hate it and most cases I never remember to even turn the blasted thing on. I’m a bit of a computer nut (not in a good sense) and I find when I’m off trying to write I’m aware that that blasted cell phone is on and I keep getting distracted by it. My fingers ache to type in a friend’s number and invite them to join me when I really should be writing. And I’m one of those people who hate listening in to other people’s cell phone conversations they’re having while waiting in line, because while I try not to listen…I admit I do. And later I’m rehashing a partial conversation in my mind with someone I don’t even know. So when I’m really pressed for a writing deadline, no cell phone for me.

I’d love to hear what tricks of the trade other writers use when they sit down to write, and I’d love to hear what “odd” things you’ve either adopted or dropped in your life. Personally, I think if we all got rid of our watches life would be a lot sweeter and much more relaxed.

What Makes Halloween Sexy? How About Sweet & Spicy Spells

Today is the day! I'm thrilled to showcase that my co-authored EC book with Christine d'Abo, Sweet and Spicy Spells is out today - who couldn't ask for a better candy than that. Check it out at EC and wouldn't you love to squeeze those buns - lol.

Seriously, what could be sexier than Halloween? Lots you’re thinking, but I love Halloween for the obvious reasons – I get to act like a b(w)itch all day and eat candy. Now I could blab all day about the joys of Halloween, that is after I usually have at least two drinks of wine while finishing up the face paint on all my kids, lugging cart loads of candy to my front door, mucking out the dozen pumpkins, but why bother – you get the picture. In all seriousness Halloween makes me feel sexy. I love the whole idea that I can wear a sexy vamped-witch costume to the grocery store and not get arrested – who wouldn’t love that?

Here’s some other Halloween trivia I found on the Internet that I think is neat, courtesy of http://www.funatiparty.com/halloween/halloween_fun_facts.asp.

But before I leave, let me know what’s your favorite part of Halloween? How many of you wait up until midnight (that would be last night) to howl at the moon, how many of you eat your children’s candy (that would be me) and how many of you run around the neighborhood smashing all those happy, smiling pumpkins when no one’s looking – come on I know you’re out there!
The first Halloween celebration in America took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.
More than 93% of children, under the age of 12, will go out trick-or-treating
About 50% of adults dress up for Halloween, while 67% take part in the activities, such as parties, decorating the house and trick-or-treating with their children
86% of Americans decorate their house for Halloween
Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion annually in the United States. It is the largest candy-purchasing holiday, bigger than Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day!
The first Halloween card was made in the early 1920's. These days, over 28 million Halloween cards are sent each year. U.S. consumers spend about $50 million on Halloween greetings
Over $1.5 billion is spent on costumes each year and more than $2.5 billion on other Halloween paraphernalia
About 99% of pumpkins that are marketed domestically are turned into jack-o-lanterns
90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags
Over 10% of pet owners dress their pets in Halloween costumes
The biggest pumpkin in the world tipped the scales at a whopping 1,446 pounds. This gigantic gourd was weighed in October 2004 at a pumpkin festival in Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada.
More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces - enough to circle the moon nearly 4 times if laid end-to-end.

Pitching Your Life Away

A couple of days ago I got back from the New Jersey “Put Your Heart into a Book” conference and I have two things to say. First a huge thank you to the New Jersey Romance Writers for organizing such a great, well-run conference and for bringing in such wonderfully inspired writers like Karen Robards and Sherrilyn Kenyon – they truly do inspire you to keep on writing. Second I pitched and scored. Well, I should reference that by saying I’ve at least past first base. I have a number of publishers interested in reading the partial for my new dark, paranormal I’ve called The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy.

Now I’m fairly new at pitching and I confess that I didn’t have my pitch written or nailed down. So immediately I went to a workshop called “How to pitch” where I almost died on the spot. One line or three – that’s it. That’s all the time before an editor will tune out. I went back upstairs to my room, stared at a blank wall for a good ten minutes and then bang it came to me, so I wrote it down on my index cards before I forgot it. I also made sure to bring my index cards with me because it’s very nerve wracking to pitch to an editor.

Here’s my pitch for The Ungodlies: The Damned Fairy: Vile creatures called the Decies once set free will suck the life-force out of every being on Earth and in Tir Nan Og. But not if Einion, the damned fairy, gets his way. It’s a shame too because all he really wanted to do was die for good. Exiled, cursed and damned to Earth by his Tuatha Dé Danann Queen, Einion knows the real meaning of bitch. Women like the Decies can’t be reasoned with. Try telling that to a half-Tuatha, half-Druid woman when she’s on her knees begging for it. The Ungodlies is a dark, paranormal at 93,000 words.

Since I also had time I decided to pitch my new book I’m working on. Hell Bent: The Angel of Fire: Fallen angels are being recruited to join Lucifer’s Apostles army. Will Nathaniel, the Angel of Fire, become unlucky thirteen? After all The Almighty just ripped his wings off to teach him a lesson in humanity. Still though can Nathaniel keep his virginity in tact when the tempting hands of passion cause his wings to grow back? Either way he’s damned. Hell Bent is a dark, paranormal about 60,000 words.

Since I’ve come home I’ve been reviewing my work like mad, and re-reading everything out loud – amazing all the things you catch when you hear yourself speak. I’m very excited about the opportunity to share my work with publishers and my fingers are crossed that one will like my voice. Again, a huge thank you to the NJ romance writers.