Funny Friday: 8 New Punctuation Marks

Seriously, these are hilarious! I particularly love the "Morgan Freemark." :) http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6872071/8-new-and-necessary-punctuation-marks

*Pic courtesy of Zurichmasterclass

On Characters and Collaboration

Naughty Little Christmas marks a first for me. Since people discovered we both wrote romance, my sister Dani Wade and I have been asked if we would cowrite a book. Until now, we hadn't really considered it seriously. And then the idea for Naughty Little Christmas came to me. I realized somewhere in the planning process that I had a hero who ran nightclubs, and a sister who wrote about a rock band in her Backstage Pass novels. "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if your band could appear at Damien's club?" And so Solar Uprising's visit to Damien's world began.

I'm not sure how collaboration works for actual writing teams. For Dani and I, it was a sort of organic process. Once the idea for the scene was fleshed out, I sent it to Dani, and she began brainstorming dialogue for her characters. Daniel Korvello, the lead singer of Solar Uprising, is the central character for the scene. Solar is participating in a charity concert at Damien's Colorado club, Twice, and Daniel gives Damien some very interesting advice regarding his relationship (or lack thereof) with Harley. :) We tweaked the scene back and forth until Dani was happy with Daniel's participation and I'd wrangled Damien into line, and then the scene went into the manuscript.

And our first collaboration was born. :)

For those of you who aren't familiar with Dani's Backstage Pass novellas, they are based on the members of the rock band Solar Uprising. Guitarist Michael Korvello appears in the first novella, Finding Her Rhythm, out now. This spring, Daniel's book will be released. He and sassy publicist Becca Buchanan are in for one wild ride! And later in the year, drummer Sean is having his own Irish adventure with a brand-new heroine -- woot! Can't wait! You can check out more at Dani's website.

So, want a taste? Here's just enough to whet your appetite. Daniel and Damien are discussing Harley as she works the other end of the room at a fan cocktail party.

"Dude, don’t pass up the opportunity to get some of that,” Daniel said.

“I plan to.” Damien's eyes rounded. Shit, did I say that out loud? Yes, he had, because Daniel was off on fits of laughter again.

“Oh, go to hell. Isn’t it about time for you guys to get warmed up?”

Chuckles continued to escape as Daniel checked his watch. “No, I’ve got a few minutes. Wanna invite her over?”

“No.”

Daniel smirked. “You know, I remember a conversation with my brother that sounded very similar to this one.”

You'll have to wait till December 24th to find out exactly what Daniel tells Damien about that conversation and its results!

Will Dani and I ever do this again? What about a full-length book? Honestly, I have no idea. Who knows what the future holds? And with a series in the works for Harley's band, Aftershock, the possibilities for rock-star interaction are endless. Guess we'll all just have to wait and see. ;)

Funny Friday: Spaz Cat!

Saw this linked on Facebook. I love anything with cats, but this kitten spazzing out is just too, too precious. Enjoy!

The Best Christmas Tree Ever

I'm addicted -- to a tree. I admit it. About three years ago, my family and I went to the local Christmas tree farm like we do every year. It became a family tradition when we moved back to the Deep South from Houston, Texas. We go every year on a cold afternoon, cut a tree, stop at Starbucks for cocoa, and come home to decorate. It's an occasion my kids anticipate every year, and I have to admit, I do too. Anywho.

About three years ago, we noticed a row of trees near the ones we were inspecting for possible chopping. We had passed over every fir we found, none of the cypress's would do, and yet we needed a tree. And there, just across the way, was the oddest tree we'd ever seen. It wasn't exactly green, more like a greenish gray. The needles weren't straight, more twisted and densely packed. And when you brushed against it -- the most intense cinnamon-evergreen scent that's ever met my nose. It was beautiful. I had to have one!

Our mystery tree is an Arizona Cypress, so they tell me. I don't care. I just know it "makes" Christmas for me. The scent, the beauty. Last year, when I was struggling with shoulder pain (and ended up with surgery days before Christmas), the tree even looked beautiful with no ornaments. We stuck clumps of velvety red poinsettias and these lime-green sparkly twigs in strategic places and called it good. And the tree was still a beauty.

So, this year I'm sitting in my living room watching the white lights twinkle on my awesome tree, smelling the fresh scent filling the house, and enjoying the anticipation of the season. Now if only we had some snow...

UPDATE! We got the ornaments on! Isn't she pretty?

Funny Friday: For the Rocket Scientist

My husband is a rocket scientist. No joke. He has advanced science degrees that boggle my mind. But then he can't recite every correct use of the comma, so I decided not to let him intimidate me. :) But when I saw this meme, I knew I had to have it. It made me laugh; hopefully my rocket scientist will laugh and so will you!

Cover Reveal: Naughty Little Christmas!

The cover for Naughty Little Christmas is here, and boy, is it NAUGHTY! When Loose Id first sent it, I just about fell off my chair. Harley is HAWT. My cover artist for the Secrets to Hide series, Dar Albert, has done an awesome job every time. So without further ado, here are Damien and Harley on the new cover, Naughty Little Christmas:

Naughty goes on sale December 24th -- that's right, Christmas Eve! And to get a glimpse of what to expect from Damien and his oh so sassy heroine, here's the official blurb:

Harley Fisher's life changed forever when her twin sister gave birth to a baby one month before she died. This Christmas, Harley wants her adopted daughter to have the very best gift possible: her real father. Determined to discover if Damien Adams is worthy of being a part of the baby's life, Harley forces her way into a job as the manager-in-training for his new nightclub, Thrice. Damien is blunt, challenging, and sexy as all get-out. Desiring him is wrong, but when he touches her, it's oh so right.

Damien needs a manager for Thrice so he can return to overseeing all three of his clubs. Harley's too young, too hip, too damn tempting--and perfect for the job. Wanting her violates every rule he's laid out for his life, but even the strongest convictions can falter under the mistletoe.

Harley's keeping one hell of a secret. When Damien finds out, will Harley and his daughter be the best Christmas gift he's ever received, or will her secrets leave them with nothing more lasting than a naughty little Christmas this year?

Excited? Me too! I can't wait for you to delve further into Damien and Harley's Christmas story!

Funny Friday: Just Because I Can

I am the original unfunny girl. I'm serious, strict, OCD, and God, watch out if you decide not to make a plan before we get together, 'cause I might go all ninja on your...well, you get the idea. And, as you've seen, I've recently tried to get a handle on the mega stress sucking the life out of my life. I think one way to do that is to, well, lighten up. And that's why Thursday's Weekly Web Search is becoming Funny Friday.

Because I can. After all, everyone needs a little more funny in their lives. :)

So, for today's offering...enjoy!

*image from cleanmemes.tumblr.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year since my kids were little, we have watched every Charlie Brown movie for the winter holidays. We love the Great Pumpkin and that spindly little Charlie Brown Christmas tree, but we also watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. A little less popular, maybe, but it's what makes the season for us. So, in the spirit of Charlie Brown, happy Thanksgiving!

That Special Feeling

I sit beside my son in church most Sundays. He's twelve and a half, going through the kinda tough late-middle-school years right now, and I've been consciously paying more attention to him lately. Not that I neglected him before. It's just that he's definitely his father's son, all into video games and math and very much a loner. He's a great kid. I just kind of felt like he was interested in things other than his mom. And then he hit the preteen years.

Suddenly he's popping out the weirdest, off-the-wall, out-of-the-blue comments while we're driving in the car. Starting conversations. Putting in his two cents worth when I talk to my daughter, who thrives on deep, intense conversations about life-changing topics. He's talking. For a male in our family, that's odd. And endearing.

He's talking to me, not his dad.

I have this habit of sort of running my fingers through his hair, really just trying to brush it down since it's thick and has a tendency to stick up at the oddest angles. He always tolerates it, but just barely. I can tell he wishes I would stop. But now that my son isn't a baby anymore, I guess I kind of felt like it was a way for me to connect to him physically without making him uncomfortable. But I also figured he was outgrowing being touched by his mama (except for those hugs I won't let him get away from!), especially in public. And then, today, he gave me a great gift.

We were sitting next to each other, just the two of us in our church pew. He kept yawning, making this obnoxious little sound that probably wasn't as loud as I thought it was but somehow only managed to escape when things were completely quiet. :) I turned to look at him, my son with the freckles across his nose and the red tint to his blond hair and the height to look me in the eye, and without looking at me, he leaned over and his head touched my shoulder for the briefest moment. I closed my eyes, that special feeling of "Oh, my baby!" washing over me, and leaned my cheek against his hair. The moment lasted no more than a few seconds, seconds filled with the scent of the Axe shampoo he uses and the lightest weight of his head against my shoulder and that special feeling flooding me, and then it was over. He sat back up, and the sermon went on.

It was perfect. It was amazing. It was special, and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

Weekly Web Search: Getting a Grip on Overwhelm

In keeping with our theme of getting back an enjoyable life, I was doing some searching and found this wonderful website, lifeorganizers.com. Tons of awesome ideas there. This article in particular struck me because I have spent most of the past year overwhelmed. My favorite suggestion? Train your brain!

"In order to get out of overwhelm, your mind must first understand that you -- just like every other person on the planet -- only has 24 hours each day to work with... Bottom line: You can't cram 48 hours worth of work into 24 and expect to feel good about it. You just can't."

Check out the rest of the article here -- and let me know what you think. Any ideas you think will help you get a handle on that "overwhelmed" feeling?

Don't Forget To Have a Life

"The two most important things in publishing: No. 1, finish the book; No. 2, live your life." ~ Jasinda Wilder, "The Naked Truth About Publishing"

I can't begin to describe how hard this sentence hit me when I read it. See, for the past year, I've struggled to have a life, much less live it. I work seven days a week. I have two kids and a husband who works sixty-hour weeks. I don't have enough money for someone to clean my house for me or cook for me or do my laundry. I have health issues that require constant maintenance I can't always give. So yeah, having a life has been a wee bit of a struggle lately.

I'm determined to stop that.

I want to have a life. I want to enjoy it. I want to be able to think about diving into a new book and not dread it. Why? Because I love writing, and I hate burnout. I refuse to give up the former, and refuse to give in to the latter. So I'm taking drastic steps to make this life more enjoyable. What are they? Well, I'll probably be talking about that some over the next few months, but really, it's all about finding what works for you, just like with anything else. First, I made a list of the priorities in my life:

Writing, Family and Rest Time, Health, and Work

Notice how far down on that list work is? Guess where I was acting like it was on that list? Yep, number one. And money is important, but it ain't seven-days-a-week, hair-falling-out-I'm-so-stressed important. It's not. So I'm relegating work to where it should be, and elevating the things that are more important. We'll see how it goes. I have no doubt I'll slip every once in a while and fall back into old habits, but something has to give. We all deserve a life, one we enjoy, not one we dread. So, on this oh so dreary, rainy Monday, go forth, and HAVE A LIFE! I know I will.

:)

Oh, and for those of you wondering about the Gift Card Drawing, I'll announce the winner this evening, so be sure to check back!

Ella

*Photo by Chris Campbell.

Home for the Holiday Blog Hop: Spicy Cheese Cookies!

UPDATE!!

And the winner is...

Hang on, my daughter's choosing...

And the winner is...

NIKKI McCARVER!!!!

I can't thank you all enough for making my first blog hop and contest such a huge success! I'll definitely be doing this again soon. Happy Holidays!!!

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

Welcome to the Home for the Holidays blog hop, Ella Sheridan edition! We all know when the weather gets cold, we want something HOT. *ahem* To eat, of course. Oh goodness, that probably wasn't good either, but you KNOW what I mean. ;)

Anyway, one of my favorite holiday treats, and one I love making and giving away as gifts (but not too many, otherwise there isn't enough to eat!) are these Spicy Southern Cheese Cookies. The recipe came from my brother-in-law's side of the family, and they are awesome! They are also much easier to make than you might think, especially if you have the kids help roll them into balls.

Spicy Southern Cheese Cookies

1/2 lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese          2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. softened butter (2 sticks)                  1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. garlic salt                                    3/4 tsp. red pepper

Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. The amount of pepper listed gives you a spicy cookie, but for my family, who prefers things on the milder side, I use about 1/2 tsp. Once all ingredients are incorporated, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Remove from fridge, scoop out using a tablespoon, and roll the mix into a ball by hand. Place approximately 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball by pressing lightly with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. If they start to brown, take them out -- browning is not good with cheese cookies! Cool and enjoy!

And to go with your spicy, savory treat, here's an excerpt from my current release, Dirty Little Secret. Both are sure to spice up your holidays. ;) And don't forget to check back on Christmas Eve when the sequel, Naughty Little Christmas, an even spicier offering, is released!

~ ~ ~ ~ Excerpt ~ ~ ~ ~

A pause in the cacophony was followed by the sultry sound of a sax filtering across the dance floor. Cailin stopped to catch her breath at the sound. She hadn’t been completely alone as she danced; several men had approached, partnered her for a few minutes, then left, leaving her available for another dance, another partner. She’d thought she would feel awkward dancing with strangers, but she didn’t. She enjoyed it. And she didn’t feel like a slut, either.

As the timbre of the music worked its way into her bones, she let her body move, sway, absorb the pleasure of sense and sound. When broad, heavy palms landed on her rocking hips, she startled. She whipped her head around, only to meet the darkest, sexiest brown eyes she’d ever seen. They blazed with emotion in a face that put Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and every other Sexiest Man Alive to absolute shame. Her mouth opened in a soft “oh” as she stared.

God, he was beautiful.

And then he smiled. It was soft, secretive, sexy. Steaming. Her legs wobbled beneath her, but his grip kept her upright. Then his body made contact with hers—full-body contact, her back, point by point, met by the muscled heat of his chest, stomach, thighs. A gasp escaped as his pelvis brushed the base of her spine and an unmistakably rigid bulge made itself known. The next moment, she was lost in the intensity of his touch.

Her head turned to the side, Cailin tried to smile, but nerves and something else had wicked the moisture from her lips. He moved against her, his hips more agile than Patrick Swayze’s in Dirty Dancing, and nuzzled his sharp nose against the cheek closest to him.

“Hi.”

Her head reeled, her tongue tied itself in a firm knot, and she wished the solid floor beneath her would do her a favor and swallow her whole. Fast. “Hi.”

And then she gave herself up to the music. Talking was impossible, but moving wasn’t. And it felt delicious. She melted into the firm body supporting her, countered the sway of his hips, and fell in love with a man she’d spoken only one word to. Of course, she only loved him for his body. Nothing could compare. Nothing could ever feel as good as he felt against her. His arms circled her waist, his hands flat on the soft curve of her stomach. She wanted them on her breasts. On her mound. Between her legs. The music made love to her, one beat at a time, and he partnered it perfectly until her brain couldn’t think, couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. Didn’t want to. All she wanted was for this moment to last forever.

Which, of course, it couldn’t.

At the music’s final note, the man turned her in his arms, his tight grip pulling her into his body until her front was as firm against him as her back had been. She looked up—and up. Her head tilted back farther than she’d imagined it would have to in order to meet those chocolate eyes. He had to be at least six-four, much taller than Sean—

No, she wouldn’t think about Sean tonight. In the fantasy world she’d created, Sean no longer existed. He belonged to tomorrow and reality. Now was for sweet heat and the fantasy lover staring down at her.

“I’m Alex,” he said. His voice was a mix of gravel and velvet, the sound clenching her womb. Cailin blushed as a rush of hot moisture coated her inner thighs.

“Cailin.”

Alex tucked his head down to hear her, and at her name, he turned, eye to eye, his wide pupils mesmerizing her. Time stopped. Sound receded. And then he wet his bottom lip with a slick pink tongue. “Nice to meet you, Cailin.”

That seductive smile flashed again, so close she could touch it, taste it, before he straightened. The press of the heavy wall of his chest into her sensitive breasts brought a moan to her lips, one she abruptly cut off as soon as she realized what she’d done. Jeez, Cailin. Get it together. But he didn’t seem to mind. In fact his eyes heated further, and he rubbed lightly against her. In the back of her mind was the thought that if anyone else had pulled that move, she would have to remove his balls with her knee, but with Alex, it felt right. She didn’t know why. It just did.

Music swelled again, and Alex took control, moving her against him, the subtle rubbing of their bodies the most sensual foreplay she’d ever experienced. She knew in that moment that she would have sex with this man. If he wanted her—and the erection still going strong between them said he did—she would have him. She wouldn’t lose this opportunity. Guess she’d found her courage…in his arms.

The minutes passed with no regard to how much she wanted them to pause. As the next song came to an end, she realized they were close to the edge of the dance floor. Alex stepped aside, took her hand in his, and led her toward what looked like a dark hallway heading off to one side. Cailin balked, some unwanted feminine instinct waking her to reality and danger, but Alex soothed her. “Offices. The owner’s a friend of mine. I thought we could talk someplace quieter.”

Turning for a last look at the crowded dance floor, she followed him down the long hall, berating herself for the stupidity of the move but unable—or unwilling—to say no. Something deep down in her soul, some gut feeling she thought she’d lost when her marriage fell to pieces, trusted this man. Maybe it was the way he seemed to read her mind, to know what she needed before she did. The way he anticipated every move, as if even a breath didn’t escape his notice. She’d never felt like the center of a man’s entire concentration. She wanted more, wanted to bask in the intensity of Alex’s attention.

And the occasional employee passing them assured her they weren’t completely alone. If she screamed, someone would hear. Wouldn’t they?

A wide, heavy door marked, appropriately enough, OFFICE waited at the end of the passageway. Alex knocked, and a dark-haired man with classic playboy looks opened the door. The surprise on his face eased more of her worry. So this wasn’t a regular occurrence; thank God, even if she did want to sink through the floor in embarrassment.

“Damien, could I—”

“No problem.” The man didn’t ask for an explanation, and his cheeky grin said he didn’t need any. “Just lock up when you leave.” He nodded politely at Cailin before turning to walk back the way they’d come.

Alex gave a rueful snort and dragged her inside. The minute the door clicked shut, he had her backed against its unforgiving surface.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered roughly. “I need—”

Cailin kissed him before he could finish.

~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~

Each comment with an e-mail address will be entered in the Grand Prize Giveaway from The Romance Troupe. (First Prize = $450 + Gift Card; Second Prize = one ebook from EVERY participating author!) So comment for a chance to win big!!!

And there's more. Yes, MORE! One lucky commenter will win a $15 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Noble for some holiday shopping! Want more than one entry? There are two more easy ways to be entered for the prize:

1. Sign up for my newsletter and get a second chance at the prize!

2. Friend me on Facebook for a third chance at the prize. Be sure to message me with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win -- and let me know if you like the cookies! I love to get to know new readers. :)

The winner of the Amazon/B&N gift card will be notified Sunday, November 17, 2013. And keep an eye out for that big TRT winner -- it's a doozy (and second place ain't bad, either)!

*UPDATE: For some reason I was thinking the end of the hop was on Sunday. It's not -- it's Monday! So I'll be announcing my winner on Monday as well. That's an extra day to get your chances to win in, and to pass the info on to friends if you'd like. Keep an eye on your e-mail Monday evening for the notification!

Ella

Check out more Home for the Holiday recipes (and more chances to win) at The Romance Troupe Home for the Holidays blog hop list!

Veteran's Day

Bravery doesn't mean you aren't scared. It means you go anyway.

Weekly Web Search: Ode to Colin Farrell

Okay, y'all, I couldn't resist. With the exciting news yesterday -- title and release date for Damien's Christmas story -- I had to point you in the direction of my inspiration for Damien. Colin Farrell is TO DIE FOR!!! He's beautiful, and the perfect inspiration for my bad boy in the bar, sexy boy in the bed, and sweet boy when he's holding his woman in his arms. (And he doesn't dance bad either. :) ) So have a gander over at Colin's official website, and while you're looking at all those pictures, keep Damien in mind. He'll be available for your "pleasure" on Christmas Eve in his very own book, Naughty Little Christmas!

http://www.colinfarrell.org/

It All Started With...

…this comment about a road sign. Dani, my twin sis and fellow author, remarked on it as we drove down the road toward our hotel the first day in Ireland. It looked like this: She’d seen it before, in Scotland. The “picnicking in the middle of the highway” sign, she called it, or as I affectionately refer to it, the “large Tron robots ahead” sign. “They have a lot of weird signs over here,” she said. “Like the one in the airport?” I asked. “Exactly.”

What sign in the airport, you might ask? This one:

I noticed it right off. “What does that mean?” No one else in our group knew. A bit giddy from a fourteen-hour trip and almost no sleep, I said, “It means…flee!” “Run very fast this way!” Dani said. And we laughed like drunken hyenas.

And thus began our journey into the Wacky World of Irish (and English) Signs. Scroll down to journey through this wacky world with us; then hop over to Dani’s page to see even more. It’s totally worth it, I assure you. :)

And we begin with:

Apparently “Enter” isn’t clear enough. But hey, way to declare yourself in the “in” crowd—not just “in,” but “way in.”

I would not have expected to find a Georgia Bull Dawgs fan in the middle of Ireland, but there it was. Of course, the same town had two pizza restaurants, one named Kentucky and one named Apache Pizza. What can I say?

This restaurant sign was my favorite, found somewhere in London near the end of our trip. For those who can’t see it clearly, it says, “Hummus Bros” and below, “Give Peas A Chance”. I can’t help but picture dozens of tiny peas bouncing up and down, begging, “Pease, pease eat us!” Dani: With French accents, like in Veggie Tales. ;)

Note the reference to accommodations in the pic above. Apparently Hussey doesn’t have to go far to get her "gig" on. Right upstairs, in fact. Convenient. Dani: It gives a whole new meaning to “Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am!”

The road signs, like the one we started out with, were particularly interesting. The one below I gathered to mean “Old-fashioned photos ahead."

Dani: Because we all need pictures of ourselves driving, right?

And then there’s this:

I can’t figure out if this is an instruction (“Yield!") or a warning (“Something’s about to give way! Watch out!”)

I’m not sure what it is about Europeans and arrows, but these...

...are particularly, um, unpointed. In fact, you might call them…flaccid. Or half-mast and decidedly uninterested, not sure which. Dani: How about floppy?

Speaking of flaccid:

I had to nab this one off their website since we walked by here way past dark, and trust me, around midnight, it looks a lot dirtier than it does in this picture. Talk about false advertising. Dani: Hey, I wanted to stop...

What is it with the penis references? Jeez. Apparently only the British have “Great Knobs.” ^_^ Dani: Or dirty ones. All I can think about when I see this is, Great Knobs of Fire! A new kind of burn. :p Of course the idea of the British having “greater knobs” might be played out by something our Irish tour guide, D, said about midway through the trip. We’d stopped at a buffet restaurant hanging over the cliffs on the Ring of Kerry, and it just so happened that the line for food snaked past the men’s restroom (or toilet, as they say over there). It was one of those with the little hall leading to the door, so all that could be seen was the opposite wall, nothing exciting. D, however, came up about the time I passed said door and firmly closed it. “We don’t want that open, now, do we?” she said. I shrugged. “I figured I couldn’t see anything, so I wasn’t worried about it.” D huffed. “Well why would you want to? Nothing to see, really. I mean, you’ve seen it all before, haven’t you?” And then she wandered off, leaving me staring, wide-eyed, after her. Apparently Irish “knobs” are a bit less “great”; once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Dani: According to her... I'd like to see one, just to be sure. Ah-hem. Onward. Speaking of food, there’s no better way to describe a chip than:

Really? Apparently even the makers couldn't figure out what these were! Okay, okay, I could go on forever. But thankfully I don’t have to, since Dani has more great signs over on her blog today. So slide…

…on over to Dani’s website and continue the amusement. (No climbing, food, dangling your toes in the water, or hand shaking, though!) Hope you enjoyed all these wotsits—and Dani’s—as much as I did!

Weekly Web Search: For All You Writers Out There

I occasionally find links to posts by Chuck Wendig peppering Facebook. His blog, terribleminds, is often totally inappropriate, which might be why I like the articles of his I've read: no holds barred, totally irreverent, but usually so totally true as well. This past week someone linked to an older post of Chuck's about what we as writers should not do (as opposed to all the multitude of things we're told we should, every day, day in and day out--it's exhausting). So, writers, read this post and take a good, long look at your writing life. Are there things you need to change? Here's one of my faves: "Fear is nonsense. What do you think is going to happen? You’re going to be eaten by tigers? Life will afford you lots of reasons to be afraid: bees, kidnappers, terrorism, being chewed apart by an escalator, Republicans, Snooki. But being a writer is nothing worthy of fear. It’s worthy of praise. And triumph. And fireworks. And shotguns. And a box of wine. So shove fear aside — let fear be gnawed upon by escalators and tigers. Step up to the plate. Let this be your year."

Read more at "25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing."

My Monday Is Late!

But it is here! :) I'm over at Aidee Ladnier's blog talking about Southernisms, weird word usage in the South. Come on over and see if you recognize any of these! http://www.aideeladnier.com/2013/10/southernisms-special-guest-ella.html

Taking the Dread out of the Dreaded Book Review

I've been reading a lot of articles lately about releasing a new book (for obvious reasons). One of the biggest pieces of advice for readers that I've seen? Review books. Now, I have to admit to rarely reviewing books, so I felt a little hypocritical asking others if they like my new book, would they please leave a review. I mean, I'm a writer as well as reader, I know how all of this works, and yet I'm still intimidated by the prospect of posting a book review somewhere. So, in the interest of making the book review easier and a lot less intimidating for all of us, me included, let's look at some of the reasons readers might be afraid of the dreaded book review, and how we can maybe get past that to support our favorite authors:

1. Leaving a book review takes too much time.

This is probably the number one reason most people don't leave book reviews. I mean, who has the time to write out an "essay" about a book and then go through the process of posting it? I'm busy! I do think writing out long, detailed reviews with summaries of the plot and everything you liked, including examples, would be time-consuming. The truth is, though, that most people looking at reviews don't have time to read all that any more than you have time to write it. They want to know: is this book good and why. That's all. You can write a couple of sentences or a couple of paragraphs, but you don't have to summarize the book or even use examples if none come to mind. Let's face it, some other reviewer has already been detailed enough for ten reviews, more than likely, so including all that information isn't necessary. Just include the basics; that makes a review easy for you to write and easy for others to read.

2. What if it's not perfect?

So what? I know, I know, this is hard for me to accept as well. I'm a writer; I want everything I write to be perfect. But the truth is, even published books aren't always perfect. Books go through multiple rounds of edits, both with the author and through the publisher, and still they come out with mistakes. It happens. A published book is important. How important is it for a two-paragraph review not to contain a typo? It's not. Get your idea across, and stop worrying about being perfect (she says, pointing her finger at herself!). Which is more important: writing a pristine, literary-journal-worthy review, or supporting the author you want desperately to write more books? I lean toward the latter, and so letting go of my dreams of pristine literature posted in the Amazon review section must go by the wayside. Remember, we don't have time for that! (See point #1.)

3. What if I make the author feel bad?

It's okay not to like everything about a book. It is. As an author, I can tell you that I appreciate an honest review, even if you didn't like everything about my book. And that whole, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all?" Really, it's the nice that matters, and I don't mean in what you include; I mean in the language you use. If there's a criticism, saying it nicely is key. We are all entitled to our opinions, and they are as numerous and varied as belly buttons and, you know, other stuff I won't mention. It's how you say something that matters. We've all heard the horror stories about boards on review sites wanting authors dead and flamers targeting books with one-star reviews. Are you that person? No? (Good!) Then you have nothing to worry about. Be yourself; be nice; be honest. That's all that matters.

4. What if other reviewers "target" me?

Back to those flamers. I must admit, things like this scare me. It's a form of cyber bullying that has become so popular on the Internet today, as if the fact that you are safely behind a computer monitor and keyboard gives you the right to hurt the feelings and even the livelihoods of others any way you want. I don't believe that. But I also don't believe that the vast majority of readers target books and authors and other honest reviewers. That's why I finally decided to venture onto Goodreads. Because as much as there are those bullies out there in cyberspace, there are many more lovely readers who just want to get to know their favorite authors, or authors who could become favorites. I'm one of them, even though I have a book published--I'm a huge fan of certain authors. Reading about them and getting to know them makes me giddy! And I refuse to allow the worst of people to keep me from doing that.

So what can you do about the dreaded book review? Forget those essays you had to write in high school and college. Get familiar with various sites, and find one that you like, where you feel "safe." Read a book you love. Then go online and post a paragraph about what you liked. That's all. No worrying about doing it right or perfect or what others will think. Be honest. Be nice. And be supportive of your favorite authors. I know that's what I intend to do. :)

Chats with Friends: Melissa Chambers

Hop on over to Melissa's blog for an interview about the why's and wherefore's of Dirty Little Secret. http://blog.melissachambers.com/2013/10/20/author-interview-ella-sheridan.aspx

Release Day!!!!!

Dirty Little Secret is here! It releases today from Loose Id, with uploads to other outlets in the works. I'll update as they go live. But for now, check out my new Bookshelf Page, where you'll find a blurb, excerpt, and a link to buy "my baby"! And if you just want to go straight to the Loose Id website to check it out, here's that link too: Dirty Little Secret on Loose Id!

Squeeeeee!!!!!