Babe's Always Write

I'm moving!!!

2007-09-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do mean more than breathing and occasionally getting off the couch to go pee. My blog is upping stakes and moving to Word Press at http://babekingweb.com/blog/

Yay!!!! I've heard so many good things about Word Press. I hope they're all true.

Thanks to Jodici designs. :-)

Please follow the breadcrumbs and meet me over there.

Luv ya,

Babe

Old, but good

2007-09-12T05:06:00.000-07:00

Someone sent me these in an email, and since I don't want to bore you about my edits on Between the Gutter and the Sky, I thought I'd share the following giggles.

"OLD" IS WHEN Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Pick one; I can't do both!"

"OLD " IS WHEN ... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.

"OLD " IS WHEN . A sexy babe catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage door..

"OLD" IS WHEN .... Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

"OLD " IS WHEN .. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

"OLD" IS WHEN .... You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.

"OLD" IS WHEN "Getting a little action" means you don't need to take any fiber today

"OLD " IS WHEN .... "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.

"OLD" IS WHEN . An "all nighter" means not getting up to use the bathroom. AND

"OLD" IS WHEN .... You are not sure these are jokes

"OLD" IS WHEN ..... it takes longer to rest than it did to get tired in the first place...

The Gospel According to St Brat

2007-09-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

I've been busy lately and not baking as much as I normally do, so it was no surprise when the boys descended on today's efforts like a flock of ganets. But after 2 egg pies and 2 apple turnovers each, I told them they'd had enough.

"Puh-lease, can I have another one?" they begged.

But I stood firm, until the oldest told me I was breaking biblical principles.

"How do you figure that?" I asked him.

"It clearly says,'Ask and you SHALL recieve."

What to say?????

Americans, be afraid!!!!!!!!

2007-09-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

Be very afraid. Australia is holding your president hostage in an undisclosed Australian jail where he is being tortured daily (by having to listen to our Prime Minister. It's rumored that Osama Bin Ladan visited to get his autograph, but nearly had snipers turn him into a colander.

Never fear, I have decided to release your president unharmed providing all Americans purchase at least one copy of all my books. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll have to let the killer koalas eat him with their gum leaves.

This 'n That

2007-09-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

So much to do I'm trying not to spin in circles. So far today--

- cleaned up after the milk fight the boys had at breakfast. We're talking cubboards, counters, floor - ugh! Did I mention I love my new steam mop. Good side of this is I now have a clean kitchen. :-)

- fertilized lettuce. Grow you little suckers. It's spring don't you know!

- checked email. Found out my ed is up to p131 of Between the Gutter and the Sky and loving it. She said she'd been laughing so loud that her husband asked her what was up. :-) ANd this one isn't even a comedy, so that's good to know. I also found her blog when I googled The Marian Kind to see if any new reviews were up. She said some nice stuff.

A second manuscript came my way this week. Babe King's Between the Gutter and the Sky. I'm looking forward to working with Babe. Having proofed her The Marian Kind, I know I love her style. The premise sounds very cool, so from the week after next, I'll be working on that too.

Then trying to find out how to nominate my CP Gemma for the Avon Red awards- can I say I'm clueless? But she really deserves this.

Got a load of washing on. WHy do little boys put such disgusting things in their pockets? Now I have 2 baskets of ironing to catch up on. I let them grow while I was running the boys back and forth for their circus performances every day last week. ANd then of course I'll have to dust and mop the laundry since ironing always upsets my sinuses.

THEN, hopefully, as long as the sky doesn't fall, I'll get back to writing Theft of the Golden Hooha. Yesterday I took out the third fight scene. I hated doing it. Loved the scene, but frankly it was baggage that killed pace. WHaaaaaaaaaaaa. Killing my darlings. Moving on. This afternoon I hope to work out what Grant learns in the bar, and how I can patch the hole I made by taking out the third fight scene. Gives me something to think about while I'm ironing anyway.

I return you to the wisdom of the ages...

2007-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

...lest I get too philosophical. Yup. This entry is deep as a carpark puddle and snatched from the jaws of ...well, laughter, over at SRN.

Wisdom of the Young

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptise cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the
second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

Wisdom of the Old

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts..
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.
6) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
7) Forget the health food. Elderly need all the preservatives they can get.
8) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down
there.
9) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking
chair that you
once got from a roller coaster.
10) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to
ask you the questions.

Gender Benders

2007-09-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here watching k.d.lang (a woman who dresses as a man) being interviewed by Dame Edna Everage (a man who dresses up as an over-the-top woman) and I'm splitting my sides laughing. Oh my! It's offensive, in your face and totally brilliant!

How is this relevant? Recently I recieved a few contest crits back about my WIP and they mentioned that my characters can be irreverent, even a bit offensive, and that squeemish readers may be put off by some of their lines and thoughts. Yah! The accusation came as a shock, and yet not. I mean, basically I'll mock anything that holds still long enough for me to sling at. Guess I'm genetically rude, or maybe I figure if you can't laugh at yourself, you're taking life too seriously. Anyway, one said my heroine is a homophobe because of the OTT way she reacts to a couple of lesbians she's dealing with. I figured my heroine's shock was cute/funny, and played off her conservative Vermont upbringing, especially when they pass her coffee in a boob cup and she has to sip it while trying to ignore the bright pink nipple near the handle. Well, I thought it was funny. Guess I'm just a sick person. The whole reason I use gender benders in my work is to stir up the reactions of my main characters.

Anyway, my question is, where is the line where the shock of irreverence stops being funny and becomes offensive? I'd love to hear some different points of view. Let it rip, girls. :-)

Having trouble with your synopsis?

2007-08-30T02:02:00.000-07:00

Let Bunny theater help. If they can shrink a 3hr movie to thirty seconds, you can shrink 400p to 2. Sit back, grab a piece of popcorn (you won't have time for more than one) and watch Titanic like you've never seen it before.

http://www.angryalien.com/0604/titanicbunnies.html

Tagged!

2007-08-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

The cheeky, but lovable, Laura Bachi tagged me for a fun "four" meme. Here goes:

Four jobs I've had or currently have in my life:

1. Midwife
2. Fishwife
3. Housewife
4. Potter

Four countries I've been to:

1. Nepal
2. Bangkok
3. New Zealand
4. Vanatu

Four places I'd rather be right now:

1. in bed
2. in a hammock
3. in a sleep tank
4. lying on the couch... hmm, seeing a pattern here

Four foods I like to eat:

1. lobster
2. camenbert
3. melon
4. berries

Four personal heroes, past or present:

1. Kristen Painter & Jax - for starting RD
2. Gemma Halliday - for her awesome Heels stories
3. my old history teacher - for being everything a teacher should be
4. Helene - who saved my life in more ways than one

Four books you've read or are currently reading:

1. Working for the Devil - Lilith Saintcrow
2. Tide Knot - Helen Dunmore
3. Second Sight - Debbie Mumford
4. Will Write For Shoes

Four words or phrases you would like to see used more often:

1. Anything for you.
2. You are wonderful.
3. I loved your book.
4. We'd like to offer you a six-figure, multi-book contract ...

Four reasons for ending a friendship:

1. deceit
2. betrayal of trust
3. mean without a cause
4. only after what she can get from me

Four smells that make you feel good about the world:

1. baking bread
2. coffee!!!!!!!
3. rain
4. hyacinths

Four favorite activities you did as a kid:

1. playing with pretend friends
2. Drawing, esp with conte pastels
3. climbing trees
4. making up stories/songs

Four things My kids do that drive me nuts:

1. Pull up their socks until they tear the heels
2. bicker
3. leave stuff all over the place
4. refuse to admit they did something and spend hours blaming each other

Time to tag someone else... consider this aimed at you. :-)

Holy Guacamole!

2007-08-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

Theft of the Golden Hooha finalled in the Get Your Stiletto in the Door chick lit cometition!!! Now it goes to Dorchester and Folio agency!!!

and um... better finish writing it, huh. :-0

Babe (collapsing into a chair)

Marian Gets Another Great Review!!!

2007-08-26T00:29:00.000-07:00

The Marian Kind is one hilarious read! From the very first page I was sure this was a book I could not put down. Marian as the woman who loves her man but has had just about enough of his secrets was very funny, especially once he spilled the beans. Rob as the rich guy who wants to do right by the poor and thinks he has figured out a way is endearing. Never mind the constant “funeral humor” that had me wheezing for breath I was laughing so hard. Needless to say, I was highly entertained with these character’s antics. If you enjoy a lot of humor in your romance then you won’t want to miss this one!

from Regina - Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

Read rest of Review

Thursday Thirteen

2007-08-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

I don't think it comes as any surprise to those who know me that I love Jenny Crusie. Recently, I went to the Australian Romance Writer's conference (really not a happy time for me), but I went for Jennifer Crusie's lectures and the woman was all I'd hoped for. So this week for TT, I'm dragging from my copious notes 13 things about JC to amuse and inspire (together with my own comments from the peanut gallery). I hope you enjoy them as much as I did, though you really do need to see her in action for a full effect. If you get a chance to hear her speak, grab it!

1. "Your subconscious is so much smarter than you are."

So um, I'm smarter when unconscious. Somebody punch me.

2. "It's when you go to hell that you find the stuff that makes your book great."

Coz the devil has all the good plot lines and whispers them in your ear.

3. "You are a story teller.... You are the hero of your community."

And we know how everyone likes to torture the hero.

4. "There is no generic boinking."

But if you take off the maid costume you can have no frills boinking. Not the same of course.

5. "Violence always has an aftermath -- a physical and emotional reaction."

Not to mention blood.

6. "You are so much smarter than you think you are."

I must be so freaking brilliant...

7. "Tell Me Lies" was the book of her heart. If she could write another book like that, she would.

And so would I. :-)

8. She is currently agent shopping, though her last agent, Nancy Yost, remains a close friend.

and that's just inspiring!

9. She is currently writing another collaboration, "Always Kiss Me Goodnight," which is her first ghost story.

leaving the old dog comment alone. She might clunk me with a bone.

10. "Stay in the moment."

I am. I think the moment was about 6 years ago, but I'm still there.

11. "If you use a prologue, you will go to hell."

Is that what did it????

12. In "Agnes and the Hitman" she uses the kitchen as a motif, a symbol of warm, loving family.

whereas my kitchen is a symbol of slovenly housekeeping

13. "This isn't a business, it's a casino."

so when the chips are down, you might just win!!! :-) Lay your bets, ladies.

Halo pinned back on ... temporarily

2007-08-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

I just found a review of Something Blue done by Shauna Sturge (The Long and the Short of it reviews.) Kinda nice.

Something Blue – Lyndell King

Wow! This short story is full of love and longing so strong and deep you actually feel it. Lyndell King has crafted a story full of phrases and words that bring the small fishing town and its characters to life. They will walk off the pages and into your heart.

Petra finds herself faced with a decision that could potentially save the economy of her beloved town. As she struggles with the demands of her new fiancé, her long-time friend and pastor, Nathan, despairs of losing her to another for the sake of the town and its people. This is a wonderful story about sacrifice and learning to listen to one’s heart. It’s about risk, forgiveness and that God’s blessings are most often found by letting go of our plans.

This story will grab you and take you along for the ride. The beautiful imagery and powerful sentence structure will have you feeling the sand and the wind, and seeing the beautiful sunset. These characters are real, flawed and wonderful. The dialogue is quick, witty and intense and will have you falling in love with the characters and the town.

See, I can be good sometimes. Pfffft! :-)

oh, and btw, speaking of good, on Fri. Aug 24th (ie Tomorrow) the lovely Sweeter Romantic Notions Authors will be chatting at Romance Bistro. I'll try to pop in, but that may be difficult as I have a s-i-l visiting from Belgium. Haven't seen her in years!!!! (Hope she brings chocolate) :-)

Oops - halo slippage

2007-08-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

Just got the edits of Scratch That! and seems my potty mouth is bringing me unstuck. May have to change "opened a can of whoop ass" to opened a can of worms." Not quite the same thing. :-)

I'm so evil.

The Beauties of Homeschooling

2007-08-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

I'm back to homeschooling my kids. This was a hard decision for me as I hate giving up writing time, but with my kids falling off the planet at the local school, accademically, socially and emotionally, it became imperative. I'll just have to get more efficient.

But the good thing is, I've been able to introduce them to the wonderful world of blogging. For the 8 year old, this means a blog of his own, uploading photos and basically using it as a diary. For the 14 year old this means getting his own email and myspace. He's started making short clips with Windows Movie Maker which he'll upload when he gets a feel for his space. He'll also put up some clips of him playing violin, and blog weekly to keep up to date and form a record of his year. I'm hoping it will put them more in touch with their feelings and lives, teach them a bit of IT, and give them a way to stay connected with any friends they make.

To be honest, it's great to see them excited about something again. Formal school all but dulled that out of them.

Dayna Magic

2007-08-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

“Go Between” by Dayna Hart

Coming August 14th from Samhain Publications

Between two races that hate each other, at the doorway between two worlds, can Claire find the strength to be the emissary they all need?

Book One of The Curtain Torn series.

Halfway through her twenties, her divorce, and a bottle of rye, Claire opens her birthday present—a “pressed fairy” book.

One of the fairies is neither pressed, nor a picture. He’s the sinfully sexy Dell, who’s been trapped inside the book for twenty years. The moment Claire frees him, goblins attack her house. Dell and Claire’s only option is to use a “Between”—a rift between their worlds—to escape into the land of Fae.

There, Claire discovers the elven queen, Eliane, has a mission for her—one that has her keeping secrets from Dell. And ousting the goblins from her home is only the start.

Read An Excerpt Online

Beat the Glum Bunnies

2007-08-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Y'know, I'm against the bludgoning of innocent baby Harp seals for the fur industry. Yup. Makes me ill to think of it. But some critters deserve to be smashed to a pulp, and the glum bunny is definitely one of them.

Recently, over at Romance Divas, someone posted a thread about being down, and so many girls put their hand up saying they were also in glum bunny hell it was frightening. I know these things breed like ... well, rabbits, but sheesh! What a miserable way to spend our alloted three score and ten. So, I've been considering how we can send that disgusting rodents into a myxomatosis oblivion. Feel free to add your 2c worth and help outfox these "wascally wabbits."

1. Avoid negative people. If someone puts you down more than once without a reason- ie, it's not to help you grow, then stay away from them. Who needs the negativity?

2. Chemical warfare - including antidepresssants, alcohol, bascially anything that makes you feel better by altering your perception. Drugs are good.

3. Exercise. Endorphins are like morphine. See above. Drugs are good.

4, A dose of paralyzing agent either for yourself or for said negative person also works. If they/you can't breath, they can't insult/ you don't care. Again I say, drugs are good.

5. Eat well. Chocolate and other comfort food are a short term fix with long term implications. Basically, they make your warren larger so more glum bunnies can live there. Not good.

6. Succeed and celebrate that success, even if it's a small step. I finally wrote Between the Gutter and the Sky's blurb. Yay- party time! Who has the balloons and ah... did I mention drugs are good?

7. Read inspiring work. Either a book of amazing bloodlines that leaves you gasping from its sheer brilliance, or one so bad you realize you're not the worst writer on the planet. Of course, this can also backfire. Ie. if this crud gets published and I don't, what does that make me? (I think that's called glum bunny pellets.)

8. Treat your inner child well. If you don't give them something fun to play with, they'll wipe jammy fingers on your WIP and dump dirty diapers on your mood and muse.

9. Never allow your glum bunnies and dust bunnies to interbreed. Few things are worse than a filthy mood in a filthy house.

10. For those who are perimenopausal, consider HRT --hormonal rabbit traps. It is natural to collect/attract glum bunnies at this time of life and may be necessary to poison their water supply. Let me advise adding copiuos alcohol. Again I say, drugs are good.

11. Be thankful I didn't mention the Jack Russel of joy or the Ferret of frivolity. I'm saving them for a purple spot. Hmm, maybe I should have that spot chopped off next time I'm at the doctor. I've heard they can turn malignant.

Finally, let me say, you don't have to be the bunny. There are better ways to wear fur. Anyone know a good taxidermist?

Gee, Some People Are Tough!

2007-08-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

The arrogance of some people in this biz scares the beejeezers out of me and I don't know how to respond - whether to be shocked, or just plain pissed (honestly, if I ever act in that way do me a favor and prick my bubble. Please!) I'm just a little writer telling stories to entertain people, and didn't realize I was supposed to grovel to anyone willing to read my words. Not gonna happen -- sorry folks. I mean, at the end of the day we are all people and even the queen doesn't seem so regal caught on the can with her drawers down, right?

Take the recent debacle with the A and R Whitcoulls Group, a.k.a. the Angus and Robertson bookstore chain. That's kinda relevant to me since I recently went into our local branch to see if they had the Cup of Comfort books in stock and was told, yes, they could get them in, but they didn't stock them on the shelves. Hmm -- how many do you think we're gonna sell there, even if the press does a release? My guess would be none if readers can't see the books to fall in love with them, esp if they have to wait 6-9 weeks for an order to come in. Today's reader waits for no man. Or woman. I also noticed Eden Bradley and Gemma Halliday's books were not on their shelves, either. When I asked, I was told they too could be ordered in the same waiting deal as the Cup of Comfort stuff. Sigh. As Australia’s largest bookseller, with 180 bookstores and about 20% of the retail market, what's the story with A and R's limited range? It seems to be shrinking daily, or is that just my impression?

Anyhu, then I came across the article over at Making Light http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/009263.html
and my brows about hit the roof.

A and R's commercial manager, Charlie Rimmer, recently sent a startling letter to Australian small publishers and distributors, demanding a substantial payment from each by August 17 (reportedly ranging from AU$2,500 to AU$20,000) if they want A and R to keep selling their books!!! They concluded that they have far too many suppliers and "over 40% of our supplier agreements fall below our requirements in terms of profit earned... Accordingly, we will be rationalizing our supplier numbers and setting a minimum earnings ratio of income to trade purchases that we expect to achieve from our suppliers."

Now I would have thought that having multiple suppliers—that is, a broad range of publishers and books to choose from— was a good thing. More choices, greater reader selection, more sales and so on. Everyone would benefit. But what would I know?

A and R's solution? They've "invited" said small suppliers to pay an attached invoice by Aug 17th 2007 to cover the gap for their business, and move them from an unacceptable level of profitability, to "above minimum threshold." If they fail to receive payment, they "will have no option but to remove ... from their list of authorised suppliers", and said businesses will "be unable to complete any further transactions with (A and R) until such time as the payment is made."

Yikes! It's a blackmail note! Even the remaining braincell not beat out of me at conference can see that! (Hmm, can I use this in an upcoming suspense novel? I'm really struggling to find something funny about it though.)

According to Michael Rakusin-Director of Tower Books Pty Ltd
"that’s a death threat. (no kiding!) They can’t afford to pay the mordida now, they can’t afford to give A and R a bigger discount, and they can’t afford to lose that large a percentage of their retail sales."

Interpretation- either way, they're screwed!

And if not for small press, where will those odd, offbeat different voices we've all come to know and love find a home? Used to be we jostled to be published, then to be seen as published because of the pecking order in WHERE we were published. But being published is no longer enough. Now we have to pay randsom to even get shelf space for published books. Scary stuff, no?

Going AWOL

2007-08-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Sydney to the Australian Romance Writer's Conference. Be good while I'm gone. :-) Hopefully I'll return with heaps of gossip. Plus, I get to learn from Jennifer Crusie. What could be better than that. :-) sigh

Thanks to you all!

2007-08-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank everyone who entered The Marian Kind contest. You rock! P. Tupper, check your email, honey. :-)

I've been Interviewed

2007-08-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

Pondering Blog- linked to Romance Reader at Heart- did an interview with Deb, Laura and myself in the wake of Brides & Bouquets 2007.

You can find it here.
http://rrahponderings.blogspot.com/2007/08/q-of-authors-of-brides-bouquets-2007.html

but I had to behave coz I had my halo gagging me. [For an ungagged interview, you'll have to wait until The Long and Short of It spot comes up -- I'm talking about The Marian Kind there. I'll let ya know ;-) ]

And I didn't yet mention this review...

2007-08-05T02:18:00.000-07:00

From the long and the short of it review site. What a nice review. Made me smile. :-)

By guest reviewer: Nancy Lindley-Gauthier.

The Marian Kind
by Babe King

The Marian Kind by Babe King is one of those tales that does not coax the reader gently into the story, but seizes them by the throat and hauls them directly into the front seat of the dusty pickup truck. When Marian discovers some other lady's er, enhancements in handsome Rob's gym bags, the game is on. Jealousy fuels the start of this story, but incredible attraction fuels the love affair. Think you can guess what happens next?

Never: not unless a granny with occasional, convenient 'dementia' has already occurred to you. There is nothing predictable here. From powerful and unexpected characters to bizarre events, this story keeps your attention. And the discoveries along the way - like how chocolate bubble bath might disagree with your average computer circuitry - only add to the fun.

Clever descriptions offer a bit of a giggle in between fast action scenes (the love interest is compared to an array of fresh-from-the bakery delights) and the romance sizzles all the way through. The Marian Kind by Babe King is a quick read because it simply won't allow the reader to step away.

'Nuther Sale!!!

2007-08-04T02:32:00.000-07:00

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!! "Scratch That!" just sold to Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers. I am delighted! I love these books.

and this is a good time to remind you that Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers comes out August 8th! I lead that anthology with "Bloodlines and Heartstrings." Yep, Cup of Comfort have been good to me, not to mention Colleen is a real darling to work with.

Contest Reminder

2007-08-02T04:40:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that this contest is still running and draws August 6th!

Raspberry Creme Heaven Chocolate, Marshmallow Parfait Bath Beads, Gel and scrubber, and 2 bilby chocolates for your pillow. Mmmm. That really is my idea of heaven!

How to make it yours ...

On July 10th, Freya's Bower release my romantic comedy suspense, "The Marian Kind." For the paltry sum of $3.25, I promise you a fun, wild ride.

Check it out!
http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/217/76/

So buy the book, email me Granny Tuck's name for Dogzilla at

mixalns@yahoo.com

and you'll go in the running to win this great prize. I'll draw the lucky reader on my birthday, August 6th. Entries are automatically added to my reader's list, and I'll also be drawing one lucky reader from that list to win their choice of either a stuffed bilby, or an Australia bag.

So lots of prizes! Get reading! Get entering! And good luck!

Romance and mayhem have never been more fun!

Sold!

2007-08-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

Freya's Bower contracted Between the Gutter and the Sky! Yay! Release will probably be November-ish. Color me excited. I love this story. My very first novel, finally in the hands of readers. Squeeee!

Getting it Back in the Box....

2007-07-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Those who read my madcap romantic comedies may be surprised to know I have a dark side. Which isn't so odd when you think about it. How do you know you have light unless it cuts through darkness? In a very Machiavellian sense, one creates/defines the other.

I think of my writing like a perfume. Comedy is the happy top note -- the first thing people notice and pick up. It engages the senses and is pleasing. Darkness is the base note -- that underlying depth that allows the lighter scents to delight. It lingers longer and works on a different part of your senses. A peripheral awareness that changes how you perceive the whole.

So far, I haven't combined them equally in one story, though I suppose all my stories contain a subtle dab of the other end of the spectrum. A touch of black in the humor. A touch of humor in the despair.

I just finished getting my first novel length romance edited for a full request. I love this story. Between the Gutter and the Sky was the reason I started writing in the first place. A fire in my belly that demanded to be quenched. But, despite humorous banter between the hero and heroine, this is no comedy. In fact, the story dipped into dark, skinned off areas of my past. Places that maybe should have remained hidden. Locked away. Because Gutter deals with control coming from emotional
pain. How love can break through that control and yet cushion the pain to make it bearable.

Yeah, Gutter is personal. I wait with baited breath to see how others will react to this story, to see if it resonates with their own dark, skinned areas, too.

My reactions to editing this piece made me reconsider the whole "open a vein on the page" philosophy. Yes, hopefully it makes for stirring, emotional, resonant reading, but how does the author recover from that? How do you stem the bleeding? Get your shit back in the box?

I put this to my fellow writers over on Romance Divas, and thought their insightful suggestions should be listed here, in case you, too, need some emotional first aid.

Mama Divine: burn a copy of it. one page at a time even. bury the ashes. plant a tree or something in the spot. and then have something bubbly to drink.

Lisa: talking about it with someone I trust. Then, once everything necessary is said, I spend a few days mulling it over before I realize that the past is the past-done and gone and nothing I can do about it. I can choose to let whatever happened have power over me, or I can choose to move ahead.

Nell: Open a special file and spend the first five mins of your writing time getting it out of your system in there then go ack to what you want to do.

3jen: calm and center yourself. Going running (almost every day) does that for me. A combination of the deep breathing, the exertion that burns off excess adrenaline, the sensation that yes, you can run away from your problems

Adelle : Bring pen to paper and get it out, so you can let the past be the past and move forward.

Seeley : if you feel the need to 'talk' blog it under a different name. That way it's not only written, it's out there.

RG: Exercise, stretching while you allow yourself to breathe aka yoga, sitting with your feet/or bottom firmly on the ground and allowing yourself to "root" into the earth for balance. You'll find the physical movements help with the mental. If you need to focus on why it is you feel this way those activities should clear your mind enough to separate thought and emotion.

Ashley: Writing itself is cathartic. When I get like that, it's the ONLY thing that exorcises those demons.

Kristen: endorphin-releasing activity might be good, dancing, singing, sex - whatever

Cup of Noodles: I simply use it

Cinthia: WRITE IT....longhand on paper. In a journal, a notebook, whatever. There's something very meditative and deeply personal about the connection between our emotions and the paper with the pen/pencil acting as a medium.

So if you find yourself bleeding and shocked after finishing a piece of work, firstly, kudos. It takes courage to bleed. But mostly I hope these suggestions bring you comfort and healing. In shared wisdom and experience there is strength.

Sweet As...

2007-07-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

If you like your romance sweet and heartfelt and you haven't yet been to Sweeter Romantic Notions, why not? They have a new site up, and I have to say, Diana and Dayna are amazing in the work they do.

Here's the page they put in about me.

http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com/?page_id=15

I'm chuffed. :-)

Thursday 13

2007-07-26T04:42:00.000-07:00

Men are lucky. No hormones. Well, none that count. Testosterone is a friend. Not so progesterone. Here for my fellow sufferers are 13 explanations of the acronym PMS.

1. Pass My Shotgun
2. Plainly, men suck!
3. Ply Me with Sugar
4. Pissy Mood Syndrome
5. Padded Middle Sweatpants
6. Pimples May Show
7. Puffy Mid Section
8. Potential Murder Suspect
9. Psychosis Makes Sense
10. Purchase More Shoes
11. Psycho Manic Shopper
12. Pack My Stuff
13. Pricks May Suffer

M.I.A.

2007-07-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

Yep, I've been missing in action, or mia culpa, whichever way you want to read that. I was desperate to get into the Jennifer Crusie sessions at the August conference, but needed a novel length MS pubbed to do so. So, I sent a query to Freya's Bower. Next day I got a request for 50p, and less than 24 hrs later a request for a full. But Between the Gutter and the Sky needed some major edits. This was the first novel I ever wrote, and it is heart-rending fire-in-the-belly stuff all the way, but I didn't have any craft when I wrote it. Soooooooo, had to fix head hopping and jiggle scene arcs and remove telling. That kinda thing. But it's DONE! And I love it. Made me cry, uncontrollably, even 4 years after I wrote it. I'm certain Freya's Bower will pick it up. Certain. I am proud of this book. And that feels good.

I won a Book!

2007-07-12T22:27:00.000-07:00

Second Sight by Debbie Mumford. Deb is a fellow Freya's Bower writer, and here's her latest short (though not from FB.)

Beneath and Beyond

Debbie Mumford

Archaeologist Erin Carstedter is a no-nonsense kind of gal. Her colleagues know, if she can’t examine it with a microscope or define it by scientific method, it doesn’t exist. Erin’s beliefs are about to be tested by the most exciting archaeological find of this (or any other) century. A ruin has been discovered beneath the polar ice cap some fifty miles north of Alert, Canada. What Erin and her colleague, Dr. Matt Davidson, discover in those icy depths will challenge her thinking…and change the world forever.

Publisher: Lavender Isis Press

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Format: eStory (23 pages)

Buy Beneath and Beyond here!

I've only just got into Second SIght, but I can tell you it's dark and gritty, with a sideorder of paranormal. So if that's your thing, why not check her out?

Ronda Thompson Passes

2007-07-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

And we're all in shock. So quick! And a warning to us all not to take our time here for granted. Every day is a gift, even if some of those you wish you could return and exchange.

The timing threw me, since I had just started to read my first Ronda Thompson this week. One of her Wulfs of London series. I've been meaning to for ages. Kristen put me onto her, but I started and then... well, let's just say if I was on a boat, they might throw me overboard as a jinx.

So cancer claims another victim, curse it! We're none of us immune. I offer my condolences to all who knew Ronda, and I lift a virtual glass in her honor.

RIP Ronda Thompson.

Pimps

2007-07-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

I've been pimped all over the place today. Had a list of sites, but the computer ate them. Drat! I do still have this one from Pet's Gazette which is pimping the anthology I lead- Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers- releases August http://www.okpetgazette.com/

Don't forget to enter my contests for The Marian Kind and Something Blue!

And if you're not going to the Romance Diva virtual conference, why not? Rhonda did a great trim the fat seminar that saw me murder a dozen thats. The Larsen Pomada agency had an interesting talk where I found out she's looking for an MS just like the one I'm currently writing. Fancy that! Plus there's the bar and awesome door prizes. So move your bootie on over there!

Babe (who really needs more than 3 hours sleep... yawn.)

The Marian Kind Now On Sale!

2007-07-11T01:50:00.000-07:00

And the first review is out, too! Cocktail Reviews gave The Marian Kind 5 champagne flutes!!!

Author: Babe King
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

REVIEW BY BLACK RUSSIAN

What a nutso read! Marian, the daughter of a funeral director, makes the dead pretty. If anyone knows how to use make-up, she does! While having a conversation with her boyfriend, Rob, she gets the idea in her head that he wants to break up with her, that he is hiding something. It doesn’t help that Rob has been spending time with a woman named Jennifer Perrin. Marian’s thoughts run wild. However, she soon finds out that he has been hiding a little more than she bargained for…

Set yourself up for a fun ride! Marian aids Rob in unravelling a mystery, one that takes them to the office of the local Sheriff. Here, they meet an annoying dog and Granny, a.k.a Celia Tuck. Dog and Granny join Marian and Rob on their quest to solve a crime, with hilarious results. A fake boob implant brings hilarity to the tale, along with excellent one-liners that made me laugh out loud.

A breath of fresh air, The Marian Kind is a must read for all romantic comedy readers.

Favourite lines:

He took a scone and stared like it was Snow White’s apple. Personally, I never saw Snow White’s problem. I mean, the girl escaped a ton of housework for those messy dwarves, had a lovely long nap surrounded by flowers, then got woken by a handsome prince and lived happily ever after in a palace. Hello? I should be so lucky.

Either the fairies in her top paddock were contagious or the music was for real.—top paddock! Hilarious!

None so shabby, eh?

This Could Be Yours!

2007-07-08T01:49:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Creme Heaven Chocolate, Marshmallow Parfait Bath Beads, Gel and scrubber, and 2 bilby chocolates for your pillow. Mmmm. That really is my idea of heaven!

How to make it yours ...

On July 10th, Freya's Bower release my romantic comedy suspense, "The Marian Kind." For the paltry sum of $3.25, I promise you a fun, wild ride.

Check it out!
http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/217/76/

So buy the book, email me Granny Tuck's name for Dogzilla at

mixalns@yahoo.com

and you'll go in the running to win this great prize. I'll draw the lucky reader on my birthday, August 6th. Entries are automatically added to my reader's list, and I'll also be drawing one lucky reader from that list to win their choice of either a stuffed bilby, or an Australia bag.

So lots of prizes! Get reading! Get entering! And good luck!

Romance and mayhem have never been more fun!

Invitation & a free Read!

2007-07-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Chats & Free Reads!

Come and join Freya's Bower this coming weekend (July 7 & 8) at our Yahoo Author Chat group . This will be an entire weekend of FB authors. We will have some fun giveaways, Q&A, and just plain old good times with fast and furious conversation mixed in. Be sure to join early as new members to FB's Author Chat group are subject to approval.

FB will also be hosting a live chat on Sunday, July 8.
When: 8:00 p.m. EST
Where: http://kmfrontain.cbox.ws/
How: Secure your screen name and register by clicking the "profile" link.

In other news, Freya's Bower is starting free reads!

Freya's Bower will be offering a new free download through our store once a month. Sometimes, the story will be as long as a novella; other times, it will be a short story.

The first two chapters of this month's free read are only available through Freya's Bower store newsletter, which you can join once you register in the store, and will be available starting next week. If you are already a member, you are in luck. If you aren't, all you have to do is sign up for the FB newsletter by becoming a member of our store and checking the box to receive our newsletter. None of your information will ever be sold or used for anything other than the newsletter. The rest of the novella will be available for download absolutely free. No purchase is necessary!

Just Say No!

2007-07-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Things You Really Should Say No To

1. An invitation to Peter Benchley's Beach Party

2. Or to Rosemary's Baby Shower

3. A lift from Dodi and Di

4. Or Princess Di

5. Or really anyone with die in their name

6. A free shave and haircut in Fleet Street

7. A Sleep Over with Jimmy Jones

8. Or at the McBeth's house

9. A shower at Bates Motel

10. A manicure booked by the jigsaw killer

11. An invitation to Willard's Pet Show

12. Jacko's Baby Sitting service

13. The question, "Do you mind if I give you a Babe King romance?" :-)

Go Fourth and Conquer!

2007-07-04T01:08:00.001-07:00

Happy Fourth to all my American Buddies!

Contest Reminder

2007-06-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

Brides and Bouquets 2007 is available for sale at Lulu and I just wanted to remind you of the contest I'm holding to say thank you to my readers.

Pastor Nathan awaits his version of Gideon’s fleece before asking his childhood love, Petra, to marry him. But a self-righteous businessman, savior of their village, asks her first! It’ll take an ugly town fountain, homicidal high heels and an irate Irishman to prove God really does work in mysterious ways.

Paperback book $11.74
Download $4.69

Click to Buy Now!

Email me at
mixalns@yahoo.com
and quote a line from the dedication on "Something Blue" (as proof of purchase) to go into the running to win a copy of Brides and Bouquets 2006.

Any entry that also signs up for my reader's list will also go in the running for an Australian treat-- their choice of either a bag or a stuffed bilby. Please state if you only read sweet, or if you also read tangy.

So your entry should be:
Your name
a line from the dedication
yes/no to join the readers list
sweet only/sweet and tangy/tangy only

Simple!

Good luck! Keep those entries coming!

For those of you who prefer snark, don't despair. "The Marian Kind" comes out any day with Freya's Bower, and I'll be running a similar contest for that one. So stay tuned.

Woohoo! I won!

2007-06-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

My romantic novel, Come to Heal, just took out the contemporary sector of The Golden Acorn for Excellence in Writing. Color me happy!

Here are the other esteemed finalists.

Contemporary~ judged by Keyren Gerlach, Harlequin

1st Babe King Come to Heal

2nd Lise Horton Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me

3rd Katie Reus Love in the Ancient City

4th Merilee Larson Melting the Ice

5th Abigail Strom A First Time for Everything

I've been Pimped!

2007-06-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

As one of RG's favorite things. How cute is this!

http://rgalexander.blogspot.com/

Luv ya, RG. You rock, girl.

a promise to Thomas

2007-06-25T02:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, my life has been crazy mad busy, but I promised Thomas to play his game and I'm only 3 days late. Sorry.

Here are the rules:

a. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.

b. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.

c. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

But, 8 things about me.

1. I was silly enough to have 2 releasing books this month. (Anyone know a cure for baldness?)

2. I totally suck at HTML, which is making my life hard as I try to put up messages to advertise my book and contest. In fact I think HTML stands for Help! Too Much Learning!

3. I've been away for the past 2 days because my son got an interview/audition at a top-notch high school and I now have everything crossed hoping he gets the music scholarship he's going for because I'd need to sell my organs to be able to afford full fees. Which, by the way, is my excuse for being late and for missing my own release party at By Grace for Something Blue. The interview, not the missing organs. Yes, I SUCK at promo, but my kids come first.

4. I have weird little toenails. Yup. Weird. So tiny that when I paint them they look like little ladybugs.

5. And I must be more tired than I thought to admit that! :-) I'm beautiful on the inside. Does that count? Of course at the moment I'm tired and grotty and have a mountain of washing to do so I'm not that pretty on the inside either....next question???

6. I have naturally curly hair. I have tried every serum known to man, large curlers, wands, you name it. My hair will break off before it stays straight. I'm resigned. Life is better with a little kink, anyway. (And aren't you all glad I don't write erotica after a statement like that!)

7. I am the only female in the house except for the dog, and she's spayed. Not sure what that means, but there you have it.

8. My fav flowers are big, blowsy peonies. Though freesias are a close second.

And I tag Kristen, Heather, Sela, Amanda, Eva, Maggie, Gina and Lara

Win! Win! Win!

2007-06-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

Brides and Bouquets 2007 is now available for sale at Lulu

Pastor Nathan awaits his version of Gideon’s fleece before asking his childhood love, Petra, to marry him. But a self-righteous businessman, savior of their village, asks her first! It’ll take an ugly town fountain, homicidal high heels and an irate Irishman to prove God really does work in mysterious ways.

Paperback book $11.74
Download $4.69

Click to Buy Now!

As a way to say thank you to my readers, I am holding a contest. Email me at
mixalns@yahoo.com
and quote a line from the dedication on "Something Blue" (as proof of purchase) to go into the running to win a copy of Brides and Bouquets 2006.

Any entry that also signs up for my reader's list will also go in the running for an Australian treat-- their choice of either a bag or a stuffed bilby. Please state if you only read sweet, or if you also read tangy.

So your entry should be:
Your name
a line from the dedication
yes/no to join the readers list
sweet only/sweet and tangy/tangy only

Simple!

Good luck!

For those of you who prefer snark, don't despair. "The Marian Kind" comes out this month too and I'll be running a similar contest for that one. So stay tuned.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-06-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Since Marian,the heroine of "The Marian Kind" (which releases June 21, you know, in case I haven't chewed your ear off yet)is the make-up artist in a funeral home, I thought I'd stick with the theme. So this week it's

Thirteen reasons to Love the Morgue

To many, the morgue is a place shrouded in secrecy and exceedingly grave, yet......

1. So many are dying to get in there.

2. It's a great place to have a formalin.

3. You can always get a table.

4. And they have their own tag team.

5. But their sleeping bags leave something to be desired.

6. In the morgue, blue is the new black.

7. And YOU can be the life of the party.

8. It's the place God leaves his empties.

9. So definitely BYO spirits.

10. But even without a TV, people there know what happens when you Cross Jordon

11. And most think they're hairdressers, since they've already curled up and dyed

12. But it's not the place to let anyone slip you some skin or lend you a hand

13. However, it is a great place to chill.

And Yet Another Cover!

2007-06-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

"Something Blue" comes out soon -- the fourth week of June, in the By Grace Brides and Bouquets anthology 2007. This is an inspy novella, so comes under my alter-ego, Lyndell King. Sometimes it takes an ugly fountain, homicidal high heels and an irate Irishman to prove that God works in mysterious ways.

Cover for "Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers"

2007-06-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this cover, and I'm really proud to lead this anthology. I can't wait to get a copy into my hot little hand. So if you're looking for a lovely gift for the dog lover in your life, look no further. It's out in August. Presales already being taken at Amazon. http://www.amazon.ca/Cup-Comfort-Dog-Lovers-Companionship/dp/1598692690 (Clickable link available in my sidebar)

Do yourself a favor! Did I mention I love these books? Squee!

Feed Someone a Story

2007-06-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

I think this is a fantastic cause. For a 500 word story you can feed a needy person. Go here.

http://www.spreadthesharing.com/StoriesofSharing/TellStoryThanks.aspx

Yep, I entered, though I did have to fodge my zipcode to get it through. :-)

Whatcha waiting for? Go feed the hungry!

How did you spend your day?

2007-06-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

I'm such a techy midget that this postcard took me 6 hours. Yes, 6! Mostly while things refused to download or went into the ether. And you know what? Vistaprint still won't load it. Yes, I am well and truly ready to start putting my last TT to use. Watch out!

Of Corpse I'm Playing....

2007-06-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Things to Do With a Dead Body

In "The Marian Kind, my release with Freya's Bower this month, my hero has a problem -- a dead body in his bathtub that threatens to expose his illegal, philanthropic activities. What would YOU do? This week I decided to brainstorm his problem.

You could:

1. Bury them in a shallow grave with a sprinkling of lime. Warning: Do not substitute lemon.

2. Use them as the non-moving extra in a zombie movie. Be aware there are many living actors also suited to this part.

3. Use as a fail-safe date for really ugly friends.

4. Dress them as a hobo and sit them on a cross-town tram. Warning: other disguises may not work since you must also account for the odor.

5. Use as a scarecrow since they're already stuffed.

6. Hang beside your front door with a rolled-up "Watchtower" in their hands as a dogma deterrent.

7. Use them as the before shot in skin commercials.

8. Send to Egypt to desiccate. Everyone knows that sun-dried anything is healthy.

9. Do NOT bury them in a peat bog.

10. Wrap in bandages and take to the orphanage, because every kid needs a mummy.

11. If you had enough of them, you could form a more effective Congress.

12. Donate them to the local art class so they can do life drawing and still life at the same time.

13. Leave them in the sun until they go off with a bang and scare the kids.

Rob did not use any of these methods. Wanna know what he DID do?
Buy the book! "The Marian Kind" Available June 21 at Freya's Bower as part of their Summer Lovin' collection. Yes, this is a shameless plug! :-)

Free Contest

2007-06-11T02:19:00.000-07:00

Wanna win a great book? My publisher, Freya's Bower, gives away a book every month to some lucky reader. This month it is Dayna Hart's sweet bite, "You Again." What are you waiting for? Go enter. :-)

http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/26/91/

The Marian Kind- Want an Excerpt?

2007-06-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Squeee! I'm busy promoting "The Marian Kind" which releases this month at Freya's Bower as part of their Summer Lovin' Collection. I've included an excerpt for those of you not familiar with my writing, and for those who are. ;-)

As the cover suggests, "The Marian Kind" is about hackers, but mostly it's about a girl and the modern-day Robin Hood she loves. With Summer heating up, Marian thinks it’s the perfect time to push her five-year relationship up a notch. But the body she gets close and personal with isn’t her lover’s. Or alive. Boyfriend Rob has some explaining to do, and a diamond ring full of promises to make if he wants to keep his girl.

Enjoy!

“Do you want to break up?” I peeled sweat-slicked thighs from the vinyl seat of Rob’s lovingly pimped, Ford pickup and wriggled the rolled wedge of linen shorts out of my butt crack. Fear buzzed over my skin and my stomach lining camouflaged itself as Swiss cheese while I waited for his answer.
A sensuous rumble came from his throat, more like a bedroom noise than an argument. Was that a yes or a no? He stopped for a red light and swung his what-made-you-think-that look my way — kind of disgusted and surprised all in one.
Okay, maybe I was nutso risking our good thing by pushing to know if a better thing was just around the corner. But as the daughter of a funeral director I have a peculiar set of insecurities. I mean, funerals are hardly the talk for parties, right? They don’t call social pariahs dead boring for nothing. Maybe Rob fantasized about dating someone who didn’t paint dead people’s faces for a living.
Thick, stubby eyelashes blinked at me before Rob turned his attention back to the road. I licked a flavor-burst of strawberry gloss off my bottom lip. Any woman would want him. He is easily the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen — a rich collection of knotted-muscle browns, like trays of buns in a baker’s oven. Chocolate-drenched eyes, caramel hair sprinkled with cinnamon highlights, honey-kissed skin, and a mouth with all the quirk and appeal of marzipan figs. Maybe I should have said he’s a smorgasbord of brown because he’s definitely edible.
“Do you?” I pushed. I wanted to scream out my wound-down window into the cloying blanket of Florida’s orange and salt-drenched air, “Just say no!”
Instead, he patted my thigh with one broad-palmed hand that felt vaguely condescending in a hot and tingly way. “Ba--be. I love you,” he gently scolded.
He snatched his hand away to switch lanes, cutting off an orange minivan that blasted us with its tinny horn.
Nice evasion of the question. Gack! I didn’t want to be needy, but Rob has been my boyfriend for five years and my heartthrob for a lot longer. Any other guy would have slipped a diamond on my left hand by now, but we’re still stuck at the prep school stage of dating, only with canoodling privileges. It makes me antsy, which could be why I’d dropped that ultimatum this morning when he tried to welch out of our date.
Plus there’s the other woman, bane of my life, Jennifer Perrin — the curvy blonde who scattered when I caught her whispering in Rob’s ear last Christmas. A girl who lives right next door to him, sunbathes in her backyard wearing a skimpy string bikini, and is reputed to be the kindest chick in our neighborhood. Yeah, right! Well, I’m not kind at all, not when it comes to sneaky secrets and sharing the man I adore.
“So what was this something that came up this morning?” I asked, trying to chew the tremble out of my bottom lip.
Guilt flickered in the depths of his eyes and rats gnawed bigger holes in my Swiss cheese stomach. He hissed air through his teeth in what sounded like a cross between a whistle and a steam engine stopping.
“Rob, you’re freaking me out.”
“Making women nervous is a perk of being male,” he grumbled.
And no one could deny Rob was all male. Damn.
I yanked at the hem of my Barbie-pink tee and twisted the soft fabric into a knot. My throat dried up like Death Valley and I reached for the gym bag he kept on the floor of the pickup. Rob always carries water. You never know when a drive-by bench pressing will leave you thirsty.
I unzipped the tote and dipped in my hand. Something squishy wrapped around my fingers. I screeched and flicked the undulating gooey thing across the car. It barely missed Rob’s nose, then splatted on the driver’s side windshield where it stuck and quivered.
Rob swore and swerved several times before he got the car back under control. He said something about poop and fans that didn’t sound promising.
I screeched again as the alien gloop slid across the glass to hang in front of me. Then I narrowed my eyes. I focused on the little bag of silicon. My stand-on-chair-and-screech impulse gave way to fingernail-gouging rage.
“What’s this?” I asked, though, hey, someone with boobs my size knew very well about chicken cutlets. More than a handful is a waste, they say, so just call me frugal. I peeled the bra filler from the windscreen with a soft glub, and waved it under Rob’s nose. He groaned and did the flopped shoulders Women! thing.
“It’s not Jennifer’s,” he murmured before I even made the accusation. Guilty conscience or what?”
“Then whose is it? Since you don’t have any sisters, either you’ve been cheating or there’s a whole ‘nuther side of you I haven’t seen.” And given how many sides of him I’d seen that was extremely doubtful.
Possessive rage washed through me at the idea of some other girl nibbling icing off my cupcake. I threw the fake boob at the hot windscreen again. With a soft splat it stuck there, human breast slug under glass. In different circumstances, the toss and stick could be an amusing game.
“Whose?” I demanded.
His shoulders rolled again. “You don’t want to know.”
The hairs at my nape rose. “Correction – you don’t want to tell me. For all I know you’re having a little something something with a one-boobed woman and I’m the last to find out.” A shuddery sob made me stuff up the diatribe. Damn. I hate when my girly hormones sabotage me, and it wasn’t even that time of month.
He cocked a brow. “You’ve been watching Desperate Housewives again haven’t you, babe. Don’t you trust me?”
Nice try. “When I find the inside of some other girl’s underwear in your bag, no. And before you start about me getting neurotic, trust me on this, most girls find other women’s intimate apparel in their boyfriend’s bag a problem.” I pouted and crossed my arms.
He stroked a hand over his stubble-rough chin making a soft raspy noise. “It’s not what you think, but it is why I tried to cancel our date.”
I pouted some more like those luscious lipstick-duo commercials I’d always envied, and swung my gaze at him in a tell-me-or-else squint. His brown delights went all serious.
“You won’t like it,” he warned.
That made me lean closer. Now I had to know, and he had to know that I had to know. ‘Cause you can’t bring home a dozen Boston crème doughnuts and pretend you’re not gonna break your diet.

Buy the book! Save a starving artist! :-) Available from Freya's Bower mid/late June.

Naughty Warning -- PG

2007-06-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Reasons Men Are Better than Double-Choc Fudge Popsicles

1. A man can never be too rich

2. Men only get harder with the heat.

3.You don't need to use your teeth on the wrapper.

4. In fact, a man can throw his own wrapper in the bin.

5. You CAN have your man and eat him too.

6. Their nuts don't get stuck between your teeth.

7. Or make you gain weight. If they do, it disappears, mostly, after nine months.

8. Men don't leave you with more cavities.

9. At least I hope not!

10. Though you can't pick up a box full for a few dollars at the local supermarket, you CAN use the same one over and over, so they work out pretty economical.

11. Most men won't poison your dog.

12. And your friends don't normally ask you for their share.

13. However, just like chocolate, most of the really good ones are European.

A Bit of Fun

2007-06-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

Click on Jigsaw to play.

Yay!

2007-06-05T02:09:00.000-07:00

Got my cover for "The Marian Kind" from Freya's Bower. It comes out mid/late this month with their Summer Lovin' Collection. See left for cover and blurb. And gee, they even made it pink to match my color scheme. :-)

How Sweet!

2007-06-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

In this day of publishing when everyone screams, "Hotter, hotter, hotter!" it is wonderful to find groups, like Sweeter Notions, who still value non-erotic stories. I joined them this week -- a place where good romance comes from the heart and quality writing, not just sex.

They even included my two June releases, "The Marian Kind," novella in the Summer Lovin' anthology from Freya's Bower, and "Something Blue," novella in Brides and Bouquets 2007 from By Grace Publishing, in their newsletter. Now that is sweet.

http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.blogspot.com/

By The Way...

2007-05-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd mention that I'm on the Unique Enterprises Author Loop with a stack of other writers at

http://ue_authors.bravejournal.com/entry/21891

for anyone interested in developing their characters.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-05-31T01:50:00.000-07:00

Thirteen People I'd Love or Hate To Have For Dinner

1. Naturally I'd love to have my CPs over. Firstly, Kristen for her legendary shmoozing abilities, providing she took out personal insurance for her bling -- I don't think my house insurance would cover it.

2. Gina, coz she'd bring baby Niley who is just as cute as can be. As long as Gina doesn't bring a red pen to correct the commas on my menu card.

3. Selah, if she promises to keep the twins out of her soup.

4. Maggie, coz she's just completely hugable, plus I could ask her to use her legendary computer skills to fight the gremlins in my laptop.

5.Gemma, if she's not too busy with her new TV fame.

6. and other celebs, like Mary-Kate Olsen, because she'd be really cheap to feed.

7. and Ghandi. Ditto. Especially now.

8. and former Secretary General of the U.N.--Kofi Anan--cake? Sounds like someone to have around during last course.

9. But not Martin Luther and his Diet of Worms

10. or Lucretia Borgia, who might adjust my condiments

11. not Mama Cass Elliot if I'm serving ham

12. or Mike Tyson -- he takes the concept of putting the bite on people too literally

13. or Hannibal Lector -- ditto

How about you? Feel free to tell me why I should include you on this list. :-)

Thank you for making me a part of this...

2007-05-28T02:47:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like the meat in the sandwich? I moderate for a great writer's board and mostly things go pretty smoothly. Except when they don't. Why is it some people take your moderator job as a personal insult, like you are out to get them? Yeah, I volunteered my time to do this for you so you could play, safe, fun, and free because I'm a nasty person. Um, hello?

To be fair, they didn't blame me, they blamed the girl who volunteers her time to help me, who never grumbles, is always there, never asks for praise or even thank you girl. And that makes me boil. As far as I can see, the kid deserves a medal, a bouquet of flowers, or at least a little gratitude.

Sigh. People. When will they learn that we're not out to get them, we're trying to help them. Anything else is something they're projecting from within themselves.

Sauce, anyone?

In a Spin...

2007-05-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for a sweet read?
Spinning Wildly
by Elle Fredrix

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Purchase Here

Although Megan Dempsey hates amusement parks, she hates disappointing her 12-year old son even more. So when his plans with a friend fall through, he ropes her into going along. Things go downhill from there. First, an incident with a mustard-oozing hotdog paints her breast golden. Then running into-literally-Mitchell Carter, a man who has stirred her emotions for more than year, mortifies her even more. When their paths repeatedly cross, she recognizes interest in Mitch's gaze. Megan's day is about to get a whole lot better!

Thursday Thirteen

2007-05-24T01:24:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Reasons Why You
Must Love Pigs!

1. Pigs are helpful for promo. I share my name with that famous Aussie pig who coined the phrase," I want my Mom!" What most of you probably don't realize is that before edits trimmed Babe's speech, it was,"I want my Mom to read Babe King Romances!"

2. Pigs are Self-Sacrificing. Take that well-known American, Porky Pig-- "Your favorite Ham!" Despite working with an affliction (that incurable stutter,) Porky offers himself up as a smorgasboard of both ham and pork. What more can you ask?

3. Pigs are humble. Charlotte got it right when she wrote that in her web. Can you imagine humans taking on some of the roles pigs do?

4. Pigs are NOT greedy! You've probably heard, "don't throw pearls before swine." That's because pigs will work for peanuts, soygrits, even swill, and never hold out for jewels.

5. Plus, being pink, they need no further adornment.

6.Pigs are not racist. They often work best with other animals. For eg in combination chop suey.

7. Pigs are not fakes. Their curl is completely natural.

8. Pigs are sensible. They take pride in their weight. There is no anorexia nervosa in the porcine world.

9. Pigs are considerate. Initially they were included in the musical scale.

Doh-Ray-Mi-Far-Sow

but agreed to be taken out so the other animals wouldn't feel intimidated.

10. Pigs keep their litter close so it doesn't become an ecological nightmare.

11. Pigs are patient. A sow will put up with a boar all her life with no more than a few grunts of complaint.

12. Pigs have sty-le.

13. Yet despite all these admirable attributes, they never hog the limelight. Pigs are noble. What's not to love?

The Things You See

2007-05-22T05:51:00.000-07:00

People Can Be Ruff

2007-05-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that Bloodlines and Heartstrings, leading story in the Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers comes out in August. :-)

Thursday Thirteen

2007-05-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

Thirteen examples Of Awesome Southern Speak!

Mark Twain once wrote: "Southerners talk music!" Aint that the truth! I am loving the way my soutern characters speak in "Theft of the Golden Hooha" (Yeah, I ditched the pussy name.) My only regret is that the soutern speak is from secondary characters so I don't get to do a lot of it. But here, for your listening pleasure, are a few gems I wish I could fit in and can't.

Warning: Those with bladder problems should not proceed beyond this point!

1. Quoting Peter Rabbit McGarrh, circa 1978: "And if that ain't true, grits ain't groceries, eggs ain't poultry, and Mona Lisa was a man."

2. Bonnie Horton: "about as useful as gooseshit on a pumphandle"

3. Barrie Blake: "happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth."

4. Susan of Baton Rouge : "It's drier than happy hour at the Betty Ford clinic."

5. Sherry A.: "If a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass when he jumped."

6. Derek N. : "I'll hit you in the Adam's apple so hard you'll be spitting cider for a week."

7. Derek N. : "It stank so bad it'd knock a buzzard off a gut wagon."

8. "What yer tellin me don't amount to a 'blivit' . . ." (a blivit is 10 pounds of manure in a 5 pound bag --didn't you always wanna know that!)

9. Paula T. : 'Ain't nobody gonna mess on me and call it apple butter!'

10. Paula T."He's so ugly, he didn't get hit with the ugly stick, he got whopped with the whole forest!"

11. Don McL : "Busier than a cat covering crap on a marble floor."

12. Don McL : "My cow died last night so I don't need your bull."

13. Mark : "A face like a bulldog licking catpiss off a stinging nettle."

How I wish I could put in more. I LOVE the South. Someday I hope I too can be Gone With The Windbags. :-)

Shoe!

2007-05-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

Get behind me, Satan! I tell ya, I've never really been into the shoe thing my CPs have going on, but I'm starting to wonder if that is just lack of time, funds and walking ability. (I haven't been able to walk in heels since I shattered my leg 2 years ago.)

I'm doing some research on designer footwear for my characters --or it started out that way -- and I find myself slavering over scraps of leather.
Like this

Or this

And though I could never wear them, I love these!

And these!

What is happening to me? Have I crossed over?
I think I've caught the addiction!

Ready ... Set ... Stop!

2007-05-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

My current MS is set in NYC, with a side trip to Alabama, and while I love researching the places/people/accents etc, I'm finding the writing very hard going for two reasons. These are actual places my readers know well, so if I get things wrong, they'll throw my book at the wall. Actually, it won't get that far, because the canny eds/agents won't let it eke through into print!

So I can't step in and let my imagination take over creating the place. But equally, there is much that maps and research don't provide. I'm constantly nagging on the American girls over at RD for all sorts of things -- smells, where the garbage/trash gets put etc. So many details I just take for granted when setting work in Australia or an imaginary place.

I wonder if I am up for this? So far, I don't want to give up. It's just an aggrevation, but the story is still hauling me through those unknown places at an exciting speed. The characters still tugging on my heart to help them through. I guess I'm not the first to battle this problem.

Um..........

2007-05-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

It could have been worse!

One of the Things I Love About Americans

2007-05-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

...is their accent! I'm currently trying to get the dialogue for my latest MS (NY & Alabama) right. Hooee, it's a challenge. Anyway, in my roving, I came across this little bit of fun and couldn't resist seeing what part of America sounds most like country Australia.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
The South
The Midland
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Thursday Thirteen

2007-05-10T00:38:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Reasons Why I'm digging my current MS

1. It's written in the same "blurt" first-person style as The Marian Kind, only this tale is longer and more complicated. So if you love that novella, you should love this one, too.

2. I'm only 53 pages in so I'm still in the honeymoon phase, you know, that bit before you realize that your hero can't possibly do what you've written unless he has 3 hands and has conquered gravity.

3. I'm still playing with the title. I was gonna call it "Deck-a-Pussy", since it is loosely drawn from James Bond's "Octopussy" and is set at Christmas time and revolves around the theft of ... you guessed it, a pussy! But I dunno. Maybe I should call it "Second Chance at the Pussy", or Pussy on the Road Home".
hint: those who don't get this, read my last blog post.

4. I get to make sexist remarks and attack both women's lib and the men's movement. That way I can offend everyone.

5. I get to research both NY and Alabama, alternating between haute couture and oat cuisine. And what's not to like about "coon" dogs and corn pones? Love it!

6. It's got pigs in it. 'Nuff said.

7. My heroine wears French knickers long after she should have thrown them out, tries to resist Ben and Jerry and doughnuts, and doesn't. Yep, I love her.

8. My hero is a take charge, controlled, make-it-happen guy. He floats my boat, even when I find myself up the creek without a paddle.

9. Did I mention he's rich?

10. And I have several dope heads. Not the hero, though. He's nobody's dope.

11. It's not every day (or book) you get a fork and spoon fight.

12. There's a chick called Iggy. I did consider Eggy, but thought I'd be understated and subtle since, you know, I'm like that. ;-)

13. My crisis happens at a funeral. I have written about funny weddings before, Brides Maid in Heaven, but making a funeral humorous is a real challenge. Rolling up sleeves, sucking into my coffee.

Did I mention I love my new MS?

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What's in a Name?

2007-05-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that publishers want to change your title more than half of the time (so you can't get too attached to it,) apparently making a bad choice of title can effect your chances when submitting.

Over at Book Ends they are discussing titles they never want to see again. These include:

SECOND CHANCES

Anything with “DESTINY”

Anything with “CODE” (Amanda are you reading this! lol)

MIDNIGHT CROSSINGS

DEEP/STILL WATERS

THE LONG WAY/ROAD HOME

HOME AGAIN

FOOL’S GOLD

SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

Lucky for me none of my titles are on the list, but it does make me shake my head. My first ever novel was called Between the Gutter and the Sky, which fits the story, but it will never sell. If I ever dig that puppy out of the dust bunnies, I'll have to re-name it. I remember Allison Rushby talking about her first novel-- "Possums in the Sun" or something, which is quite some way from "All Men Are Bastards.Com", huh?

How about you? Any embarassing titles you want to share, or cringeworthy recognition on the No No list?

Book Place

2007-05-07T05:09:00.000-07:00

No, not a children's TV program, but a new way to promote. In my typical Luddite fashion, it has taken me ALL day to set myself up there, though I must admit that includes the little sideshow ... er, slide show I'll share with you here.

And tomorrow I WILL get back to writing. My new MS is screaming at me to come back. :-)

Look What My Clever Little CP Has Done Now!

2007-05-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Not content with 2 recent Rita finals, she's now set for TV!

My CP, Gemma Halliday's double RITA nominated novel, Spying in High Heels, is in development for a television series on the USA Network!!! It’s currently one of five new shows being developed for their fall 2007/2008 season.

Spying in High Heels follows shoe designer Maddie Springer, who in an effort to track down her missing boyfriend, realizes that her knack for fashion also serves another purpose: it makes her a great detective. Maddie's uniquely female perspective helps her pick up clues, using her designer's eye to discern tell tale shapes, colors and patterns, among other things. Along with her best friend Dana, an out-of-work actress, Maddie decides to open a detective agency operating out of her stepfather's hair salon.

Not all shows in development make it to the air, but this one should! If you want to see Maddie and Ramirez on the small screen, write to the USA Network and tell them you heard about SPYING IN HIGH HEELS and can’t wait to watch it. Or, if you’ve read the book and liked it, tell them that, too! Contact the programming department at the USA Network:feedback@usanetwork.com

In the meantime, read up on Gemma's books, including Undercover in High Heels & Killer in High Heels.

The girl is a sweetie and her work is awesome. I'm glad she's getting the recognition she deserves. Go, Gemma!

Life After Cheese

2007-05-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Babe King, cheese blimp after scoffing a WHOLE Brie.... burp, would like to announce that she is never eating cheese again. I WOULD like to announce that, but it just wouldn't be true. Pity.

So instead I'll announce that my mate, Jax, is now in print, with a 3 novella anthology. Yay!

ONE WICKED WINTER is now available!

Published By: Amber Quill Press
Release Date: April 2007
Written as: Cassidy Kent

A sexy first date, an unexpected encounter, and a torrid reunion. Three smoldering stories of reckless passion stoke the fires of one very wicked winter…

Dear John

In her last year of high school, Dane Harley, a foster kid with no direction, met John Stratton, a Pittsburgh rich kid with a penchant for trouble. She visits him a decade after disappearing from his life, only to discover he’s moved on. Their subsequent affair speaks of the torrent of passion and love that still binds them.

Santa’s Helper

CEO Noel grants a boy’s Christmas wish by escorting sexy single mother Maura around Manhattan on Christmas Eve. The spark between them is immediate, but the distance between Park Avenue and the Jersey suburbs is immense. Are their worlds too dissimilar to merge or can they bridge the distance with love?

What Lies in Winter

Workaholic Hayley vacations in the mountains and meets author, Nicholas. He might be a solitary beast but Hayley is hell-bent on disrupting his peaceful balance. A blizzard makes them share quarters and their fiery personalities melt the ice caps off the mountains.

I wonder... if I put out a 3 novella anthology, would it be The 3 Little Pigs?

The Marian Kind

2007-05-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Here I was working...working...working on my second first person rom com sus MS and boom! Happy news that curled my newly-dyed, chocolate-brown hair.
The Marian Kind has been picked up by the first person I offered it to, and will come out in Freya's Bower's Summer Lovin' collection. How exciting! Talk about almost instant gratification. This novella took less than 2 months from concept to contract! I'm still stunned by how easy it came out. From the moment I switched to first person, I never looked back. Marian was a total hoot to write.

Freya's Bower are already asking me about covers and such and have made me feel really welcome. I think this will be a lot of fun to work with them. Definitely a cheese party at my place tonight! :-)

Michelle's New Book

2007-05-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Love's Blessings by M.G. Braden
- Now available from By Grace Publishing

Janelle Trent has been desperately trying to have a baby. Can she surrender to God when the treatments don't work?

Kevin Trent loves his wife, baby or not. Can he show his wife that they already are a family? Or, will he walk away, taking with him all their hopes and dreams?

Can two people in love move past heartache to find each other, and possibly a miracle, again? Sometimes we search so hard but are unable to see that we already have Love's Blessings.

Given 4.5 Hearts from The Romance Studio - you can buy Love's Blessings today from By Grace Publishing

Divas Deliver Again

2007-04-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Oasis of My Heart

by Tara S Nichols

Release Date May 25th 2007

Sadie Davies is running away for the second time in her life. The first time she wanted stardom. This time she is running from it. Intending to keep a low profile she sets up for a solitary life, but with sexy, know-it-all, neighbour Dustin Reed she finds it rather difficult. Moving in next door to playboy Dustin Reed wasn’t Sadie Davies idea of keeping a low profile. With ex-manager Horace Bigelow hunting her down the last thing Sadie wants is a distraction.
Now she has to decide whether to let this lady-killer into her life for fear of attracting a real killer.

Available May 25th from Cobblestone Press!

The Spirit Within

by Shonna Brannon

ISBN: 978-1-60088-130-5

Alyssa Carrington's spirit must search out the man who tried to kill her before her body’s taken off life support and she moves on to the other side.

Sam Carson’s a detective whose sister was murdered the night Alyssa was attacked. When he hears a voice claiming to be the spirit of Alyssa, he thinks he’s going crazy. Can he go against the rules and track down his sister’s killer and get Alyssa back in her body or will his feelings for her spirit get in the way and send her to the other side, making him lose his chance with her forever.

To buy visit Cobblestone Press!

Second Sight

by Debbie Mumford

ISBN: 1-934069-51-5

A mysterious grimoire of Celtic origins has been linked to two murders. To break the case, psychic investigator Zach Douglass seeks the assistance of a gifted translator, beautiful Jenny Murdoch. But Jenny has a dark secret. She's spent years repressing a potent psychic talent: her 'tiger', which she believes killed her parents. Jenny will crack the grimoire and learn to trust her tiger, but she'll fall under suspicion for the murders. And one of the victim's was Zach's fiancée.

Available May 1st from Freya's Bower!

Read Excerpt

And They're Back

2007-04-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

Full of exciting stories and news. Full of amazing feats and costumes and parties. Not to mention freebies. How wonderful it must be to have all that on your doorstep.

Leave of Absence

2007-04-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

The romance world goes crazy at this time of year as everyone gets ready for the Romantic Times conference, so until the madness is over, I will only be blogging about earth shattering events. I hope you'll all be back here after the conference, full of ideas and enthusiam, and we'll continue skewing the world off center. 'Til then, happy writing, y'all, and have fun.

Something Blue

2007-04-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today I did the line edits for Something Blue, my inspirational novella coming out in By Grace's Brides and Bouquets 2007 in June. Closer to release date, I'll post the blurb and give you all a sneaky peak.

But for today I thought I'd let this beautifully rendered promise box do the talking. Maybe you have the whole living with balance thing whipped, but sometimes I need to remember the story of Mary & Martha. Yes, I'm a Martha -- throw my hands in the air and scream, "But there's so much to do!" Finding gifts like this promise box reminds me to sit back, shut up, and remember that God is still in control of the heavens.

Colorful Inspirational Bible Verses

Save Babe.com

2007-04-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, there is such a thing. It's an Australian animal protection society. You can find them here -- http://www.savebabe.com/truth.html

And given my current spending habits, this dot com is likely the only Babe saving there'll be until I get that magic six figure deal. :-)

Hunh!

2007-04-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing what you find when you google yourself? Yeah, I'm avoiding talking about the hot blog topic of the mo -- to rape or not to rape. Why? Coz I think rape is morally wrong, but if we don't explore ideas in books, how do we share what other people think about things? And if we start censoring scenarios, where do we stop? So I'm just looking at all the cute pigs. Take that, Radiant Wilbur, I'm Gallant.

Or not. :-)

Bite Me!

2007-04-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

Big excitement of the day, my young boy lost a tooth. Yep, that constitutes excitement in this neck of the woods. :-) He thinks he'll become rich over night. The older son offered to help by knocking out more teeth. Um, yeah.

For those of you with kids who wanna play some tooth games, you might like to visit here.

http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/abyss/games/gamesel1.htm

And for those who've been there, you can get the shirt.

Personally, I think that's going a bit far, but to each his own.

I Woke in Mordor!

2007-04-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I thought it was time I put up a self portrait. Does my hair look a little gray to you?

Small wonder. I woke in Mordor this morning, complete with seige towers, the Grond (hammer of the underworld), catapault and Ballista, or should that be blisters? The boys are on holidays and decided it might be fun to surround Mummy like Lilliputlians (oops! wrong story), just waiting for me to open my eyes so they could launch the battle. Thankfully, knex weaponry is mostly destructible with one stomp of my cave troll foot. He he he.

I guess I should be glad they didn't act like Orcs and eat each other. Then again....

Four more days of holidays to go. I don't think I can make it! Somebody send in the Nazguls!

Robin' the Rich

2007-04-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

To give to the paw. See, Robin Hood was really a pet lover. :-)

I'm currently writing a short story that grew into a novella (from little things...) about Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Now when you think of that romantic duo, you probably think of something like this...

What's not to love about Uma? The woman is gorgeous.

However, my Maid Marian looks nothing like that. She's a frizz-haired makeup artist for a funeral home in modern day Florida. Rob is somewhat of a cyberthief and rock guitarist. And the perfect body they get close to ... well, let's just say that it's not their lover's. Or alive.

I'm having fun writing this. Funeral homes need not be grave. Hey, it worked for Evelyn Waugh's "The Loved One." And I would like to say no pets were harmed in the making of this story, though the junkie dog did come close.

Fairies in the Park

2007-04-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

The park was full of easter eggs, fairies, pink flamingoes

and butterflies. :-)

There was also live music and a fighting display by the Anachronistic group. The fairy harpist let my musical son play a celtic tune on his harp. He was so impressed he gave my son his biz card and asked him to come by for a jam session. I won't go into the chaos my boy caused later in the day that saw us in the ER, but there is no doubting his musical talent.

E - stir

2007-04-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to wish you all a blessed Easter. I hope whatever you are doing for the holiday that you will be safe and happy.

Luv ya,

Babe

Down the Literary Road

2007-04-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Some critics have said that my work sounds too literary for pop lit and in particular for contemporary romance. That may be a fair comment given how much literary work I've studied and how much I still love it. While I know those are my roots, I try to bring the elements of literature that I adore to the elements of pop lit that I love and marry them for a pleasing hybrid. As to whether I do that well or bastardise both in the process, well... that remains to be seen. I'm sure my readers will let me know.

I've just finished reading John Connolly's "The White Road." Wow! Gruesome, gritty, like a montage of waking nightmares. Just ...wow! There must be a place in popular romance for the power and stirring of such works as these.

Do yourself a favor. But read it with the light on!

Comment of the Day

2007-04-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

Courtesy my youngest son : "Someone who eats vegetables is a vegetarian, so someone who eats humans must be a humanitarian."

The 'Crap Happens' Barometer

2007-03-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

My life is total crap right now. How often have you heard someone say this? I know lately what with being ill and having boy problems and the roof blowing off my barn I've thought it, but you know, such globalizing of misery doesn't help. And it isn't true. The fact is, life is not TOTAL crap. Only 99%. :-)

All right, even less than that.

I think I cause a lot of my grief by internalizing every little thing like I'm somehow to blame, then inferring from that that I'm less of a person for letting bad things happen. Why didn't I take better care of my health? Continue homeschooling my boys? Deal better with their teachers? Nail down the barn roof or better yet, buy a better house? Must be because I'm a loser, stupid, pathetic, a soft touch or in some other way deficient etc etc. Gee, who needs a mean kid to beat me up? I do such a great job on myself.

I've been reading a book about performance anxiety. Why? Because I get myself so tied in knots I can't move forward. Like now-- with some money coming in from Cup of Comfort,I decided to get a professional website done. Not that I don't like Kristen's - I think she did a great job, but because those in the know can tell the difference and I wanted to give myself the best chance of putting a professional foot forward.

Sooooo, I asked Jodici who everyone raves about, and tentatively priced one. Started a quote at $75US and quickly blew out to around $160 US. Yikes. I CAN do it since my Cup of Comfort story won (though I did want to put some aside in case my CP needs it to get to Nationals.)

So-- what image to portray on my site? I'm over cherries coz I see them everywhere these days. And I'm such a mixed bag to represent, but I really want my website to look professional as well as looking like me (Hah! There in lies the problem! Anyway, I found a cute image which says Babe/humor/quirk, but teaming it with suspense and professionalism and romance- oi! or should that be Oink?

Now I'm worried sick that I'll make bad choices, it will look just as confusing as my first site (because I STILL don't know how to project myself), and I'll spend a HUGE chunk of dough and be no further ahead. Is that a nice wallop of negative self-talk or what? It's got me so flustered I can't make a decision between the two mock ups Jodici sent me. I'm terrified to make a mistake. Why? Will I die if I get it wrong? No! Chances are most people waste more on shoes. Why do I feel so bad making a choice? And why do I expect things to always go right if I can just put in the effort/pay my dues/hold my mouth right? Fact is -- its a risk, pure and simple, one I hope will pay off.

While I was freaking out over the website last night, I read this. "If you think you are anxious, miserable or angry because your life's circumstances are not as you want them to be, and you think that you have too many hassles and difficulties, ask yourself how many problems and discomforts you are supposed to have." Drs. R & E Farnbach

Hmmm....

Maybe it is okay to be the klutz I am, to get it wrong, to upset people without trying, because I do a lot of good stuff too. And I am out there giving it a shot. (or is that trying not to get shot?) Anyone who thinks I'm somehow less for being the goofball/eccentric/extroverted hermit that I am is likely floating on their own arrogant cloud of BS anyway.

As the Tibetan proverb goes: "Man who does not suffer fools gladly deserves yak dung pie in face."

So I'm off to make my decisions, and try not to beat myself up, or to moan too loudly about the crap filtering into my life like a deluge at the moment. Truth is, so far, the crap probably isn't past my ankles. And besides, everyone knows it's good for your complexion.

Nothing to Giggle About

2007-03-29T00:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe how the argument with Mrs. Giggles blew up over the past few days. I mean, on the plus side, it probably drove a heap of extra traffic to both her site and to RD, but wow!

I surely hope she didn't think I hated her review. I fully admit I sent her Brides Maid in Heaven, and yeah, I expected her to tear me a new one, but I considered it a rite of passage--so to speak. I mean, so many people tell you how good you are, but they love you. Mrs. Giggles is a snarky reviewer who owes you nothing and remains annonymous, and that means she will tell you what she really thinks, uncut. There's value in that.

Also, she'll take on newbies and seasoned alike, and basically gives you free promo. Gotta love that. I HATE that this rift has occured. It makes me feel really uncomfortable about sending her more stuff, and I'd sorely miss her. I actually enjoy the snark, in fact, I've been known to snark myself on occasion. I sure hope I haven't contributed in any way --paranoia setting in. I may giggle over the results I got back, but I sure do appreciate them. And her. Let's hope it's a storm in a teacup, quickly over.

Jax-a-thon

2007-03-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

Divas have been busy, especially Jax (the girl who started my very first website) AKA Cassidy Kent. (Well, I know she's taken time out to pierce various body parts, but still...) If you like books hot and spicy, why not check these out?

Dear John
by Cassidy Kent
Publisher: Amber Heat
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat/DearJohn.html
ISBN-13: 978-1-59279-670-0 (Electronic)

Dane Harley grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, a foster kid with no true home and no direction. In her last year of high school, she met John Stratton, a Pittsburgh rich kid with a penchant for trouble. When they both ended up in jail for petty theft, Dane realized she'd been dragging John down. She left town in hopes that he'd have a better life without her.

Ten years later, Dane is a social worker devoted to placing foster kids in stable, nurturing homes. She returns to Pittsburgh two weeks before her ten-year reunion to reconnect with her childhood friend, Roxy Jordan. While reminiscing about their high school days as goth-girls, Roxy reminds Dane of her turbulent relationship with John and their messy break-up. Dane decides to get in touch with her first love again, with disastrous results.

When a pretty young woman answers at his door, Dane knows he's moved on. Perhaps John hasn't exactly been holding his breath for her return, but he can't resist the allure of Dane and their subsequent affair speaks of the torrent of passion and love that still ties them together. Will they be able to reconcile their past and have a future? Or will she accept the inevitable and settle for a life without him...

Or this one ...

DOLCE & DIANA
by Cassidy Kent
Publisher: Phaze.com
http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Dol...by+Cassidy+Kent

March, 2006
ISBN 1-59426-524-0

After a quick and painless divorce, fashionista Diana Radford (formerly Simmons) is ready to start over. With a settlement of three million and a resort island off the coast of Grenada, she decides to realize her culinary dreams by taking over the island's restaurant, naming it "Dolce" after her mother. Although not classically educated in the culinary arts, Diana possesses a rare natural ability and puts it to work creating brilliant Italian/Caribbean fusion dishes.

Chance Kohler is a culinary celebrity like no other, with an arrogance to rival his talent. After helming several 5-star restaurants in the States, Chance jumped at the opportunity to host "Fighting Chance", his own reality cooking series. For the past two seasons, he's faced off against the best and the brightest of the cooking world. When Diana is selected as his next opponent, Chance balks at his producer's choice. The former waitress doesn't even have a degree and has only had her restaurant for six months, even if she is some kind of prodigy!

From the moment Chance sees Diana dicing mangoes in designer couture, she whets his appetite and leaves him craving for second helpings. Diana can't stand his antagonistic edge, but there's no denying the delectable sensuality in his every movement. After all, even if she loses to him, it means press for her resort. But if she wins, Diana will be the series' new host and Chance will suffer the humiliation of losing. Either way, the competition will be fierce but tasty, and the whole world will be watching.

and finally one from Toni Sue

Released 3-20-2007 from Freya's Bower!
One Wild Weekend,
by T. Sue VerSteeg
Short Story/$3.25

Melissa Tanner has spent her adult life in search of Mr. Right. After committing herself to a weekend of banking seminars, with her biggest concern being how to stay awake through them, she literally runs into her next prospect at the airport. Can the boring weekend be saved and turned into a wild ride with Mr. Right? Or will he just end up being another Mr. Right-Now?

http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/191/1/ to order your copy!

Golden Hearts and Ritas

2007-03-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Well, out of my 5 CPs, two have finalled in the Golden Heart, one took out double finals in the Ritas, another, who only writes short has come third in the RIO, and the 5th is doing well as a university lecturer. I'm soooo proud of them.

It's a Dog's Life!

2007-03-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

Veinglory is having a blog comp where our pets do the promo of our upcoming books. Cute idea I think. Anyway, Frinkle wanted to get in on the act, especially since Bloodlines and Heartstrings is actually her story. So here for your pleasure, is Frinkle's first ever public review.

Bloodlines and Heart Strings, coming this August in "A Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers," is a love-overcomes-all-odds story. A young boy's love helps an unwanted pound puppy from the ruff side of the tracks overcome physical handicaps to take out the pet show's first prize. Watch this strong heroine blow those pedigreed bitches into the weeds. Gotta love a pooch like that. You go girl! Wait a minute, they're talking about me!!!!

I'll take my applause in dog biscuits, thank you.

Frinkle King – slim, oh all right, roundish brunette with feet roughly the size of aircraft carriers. Rottweiler plus. (owner of Babe and sons)

To see the other pet meme promos go to www.veinglory.com/pblog.html

KISS?

2007-03-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not keeping it short, silly, I'm playing with blog things. What sort of kisser are you?

***You're a Playful Kisser***

Kissing is a huge game for you, a way to flirt and play
You're the first one to suggest playing spin the bottle at a party
Or you'll go for the wild kiss during a game of truth or dare
And you're up for kissing any sexy stranger if the mood is right!

What Kind of Kisser Are You?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofkisserareyouquiz/

Sick!

2007-03-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

And not in a wicked, groovy, awesome Austin Powers type of way. The lurgy has me by the throat, which is my excuse for being such a bad blogger lately. Sorry.

Not all my news is bad though. One Doctor: Well Heeled finalled in the Romance Diva's WAW query contest. Yay! Since the new and improved version of my query (as opposed to the old and inferior version) has to be in this Thursday, I hope I can make a decent fist of it with my head full of marshmallows. (Actually my head is full of much more disgusting stuff, but let's stick with marshmallows for now, okay?)

So look out Paula Eykelhof, exec ed at Harlequin, here I come. Gee I hope she likes Australian stuff better than Tara at HQN. Otherwise I might have to cry and go kick a kangaroo or two.

Top of the Mornin' to Ya!

2007-03-17T03:57:00.000-07:00

May ya all go green on this proud Irish day. God bless all your potato-pickin' little hearts and a very Happy St. Pat's Day to ya.

Love

Babe

Have You Ever Noticed

2007-03-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

... if you take the n out of friend you get fried? So don't take anything away from your friends, okay?

You can now return to your regular scheduled program. :-)

Babe Waxes Philosophical

2007-03-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

Our habits become our character and our character determines our destiny. Make sure the habits you are forming and practicing this day aim for the destiny you ultimately want.

Eeeeeeeeee

2007-03-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

Books! :-)

Love them or hate them, the numbers of e-publishers seem to be increasing. Judging by the RWA's reaction- recognising Ellora's Cave, Loose ID and Trisk, e-pubs are no longer a poor second to print, either. One author even told me she makes more from her e-books than her print ones. Fancy that. Some e-pubs are paying their authors advances. Small, to be sure. Nothing that a celebratory dinner won't completely use up, but hey, it's a step in the right direction. And the publishers seem more approachable, easier to work with, more flexible, not to mention faster. I mean, I like the feel of a print book in my hand, I gotta admit, but I'm not fool enough to turn away from a good thing just coz it's different, either.

A recent article in Publishers' Weekly's on-line bookseller newsletter announced that, "Hoping to break new ground in electronic publishing, Stephen King has teamed up with Simon & Schuster to publish his newest work, Riding the Bullet, in ebook format only." PW Daily, March 8, 2000
That book sold over 400,000 copies in its first day of sales! Now that's what I call velocity!

On the other hand Charlene Teglia, erotic romance author for Ellora's Cave, Samhain, and St. Martin's Press said, “...if an author does not write quickly, is not prepared to self-promote and market extensively, and does not write to the top-selling market segment in epublishing, erotic romance, the disadvantages of epublishing may outweigh the advantages.” Hmmm.

I have a novella out with By Grace Publishing (an e-pub) and another novella coming out with them in June, though I must admit my reason for going the e-pub route with those stories wasn't massive coverage/sales/profits, nice though those things may be. :-) What I liked was the publisher's willingness to step out of the norm. I did NOT have to set my inspy in America for starters, which I must if I want to target Steeple Hill. I could have a little innocent sexual tension going on without people fainting over it. Plus these girls were so friendly and nice to work with, I wasn't freaked out by the publishing process which, let's face it, can be a bit scary the first time.

So what do you think? E-pub : trend of the future? Or not?

Babe Slinks Off

2007-03-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

.........in disgust!

Okay, I got the results of the CONNections competition and I ended up with an honorable mention. Not too shabby, huh? Well, maybe ....

Except according to my American CP who sent and received the contest entry and results, I got the highest scores from the first round judges. Then the final round judge loved my story, characters and voice. So what went wrong? I'm Australian. Yup- nice healthy dose of insular bigotry. Really, in this day and age of supposed equality, what am I suposed to do with that?

There was a time, back in the 80's I think, when Oz was flavor of the month, especially after Paul Hogan's Croc Dundee characatures gained popularity. (You'll notice he turned American though- married an American, moved to America, lost the Australian heart and soul that made him special and is now a pathetic has-been- not exactly a great role model) But those days of Australia being a selling card are gone. Now if we write what we know it goes against us. I think that's sad. It's also very frustrating.

I put the change down to terrorists. No, not the agents and editors that terrorize us on a daily basis (however unwittingly), but the real villains who stir up the public consciousness and wrap us all in fear. I think Americans (and to a lesser extent the rest of the world) are responding to that ambient threat, that unknown factor of unwarranted/unprovoked attack since 911. I think it makes them turn away from anything "not us" in suspicion, and consolodate anything "us" for comfort and reassurance. I also think this explains the swing away from straight romance in favor of rom sus. They want a kick-butt heroine who saves the world. They want to be that strong, overcoming person coz it makes them feel secure and safe.

So I guess I'm saying that I'm like the towers-- blown out of there by fear, hate and prejudice. And you know, in all its forms, that evil presence stinks!

Babe Gets Slinky

2007-03-06T21:26:00.000-08:00

An apple slinky that is. Normally I scorn gismos and gadgets as drawer filling clutter, but I have to tell you, this apple slinky definitely has appeal, or in that no peel? All I know is my poor aching hands are thankful that the six maxicropping apple trees don't have to be done with a knife. The uniformity of the slice means the fruit dries well in the dehydrator, looks great on the top of a teacake, and as a bonus, since I've upped the play factor, the kids eat more raw fruit. Yay!
So if you've got kids, dinner parties or fruit trees, consider this one. I give it a thumbs up!

13 Reasons Why I Procrastinate

2007-03-03T20:34:00.000-08:00

1. ..............