mamawriters.com

Mamas Focusing: Closing Up Shop

Kris Kennedy — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:54:36 +0000

As most of you know, at the end of June 2010, MamaWriters logged their last blog, at least for now.

The blog had fabulous potential to support and touch many women, readers and writers alike, but its inherent specialness was also part of its fatality switch: all of us have jobs, kids, and a writing career we’re building. None of us had the time to give the blog so it could fulfill its potential.

So, at least for now, we’re taking a respite. Doing what we women/wives/moms/writers/readers tell each other to do all the time:

Take care of yourself.

Maybe you can do it all. But maybe not all at the same time. And who knows, maybe you don’t even want to.

Slow down. The rush is in your mind.

Be flexible.

Be willing to change. The way it was isn’t the way it has to always be.

Be willing to try. If it’s not the right thing at the right time, you’ll know.

Photo Courtesy Photos8.com

Get offline. Go write. Go for a walk. Go play.

Write more. Your Muse might be lonely.

Photo Courtesy of Photos8.com

Hug your kids and grandkids and husbands and partners–and dogs–more.

Focus on the things you chose, rather than the things thrust upon you.

Aim for Exceptional. Don’t settle for mediocrity.

Be willing to do a couple things fabulously well, rather than a hundred things passably well.

Photo courtesy of Photos8.com

Rest more. Stop being willing to be exhausted by anything but your family and your calling.

Your hair looks fine. Find the fire in your belly.

Curiosity and the Rose: Courtesy Photos8.com

Have more fun.

Smell more roses.

Our Last Special Guest- Loucinda McGary!

Kris Kennedy — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:00:10 +0000

MamaWriters are thrilled to have Loucinda McGary here as our last (for now) special guest!

Her second book, The Wild Irish Sea, releases next week from Sourcebooks, and look – there’s an Irish hero!

Please help us welcome Loucinda McGary.

My Mom Writes “Those” Kind of Books

My son was still a toddler when I made my first attempt at writing a novel. Lucky for me, he was always very good about sleeping through the night, so my earliest attempts at fiction writing happened after I put him down for the night. I’d rush into my bedroom and write until my husband (who worked swing shift at the time) arrived home shortly after midnight.

Alas, that early tome was destined to sleep forever with the dust bunnies under the bed, but I continued to write in fits and starts all though my son’s early years. He never really knew anything else and accepted that his mom ‘wrote stories’ as a simple fact of life. Then, when he was in high school I made my first attempt at writing a romance novel (it too lives with the dust bunnies and for good reason). By now, I was a divorced single mom with a less than stellar dating life, so my son thought it inexplicably weird that I would want to write about romance. But he shrugged it off, and like most teens, totally ignored me and my interests in anything.

When I finally sold my first novel, he was happy. But I think that was mainly because he’d seen all the frustrations and anger and tears I’d gone through with all the rejections that preceded the sale. My son has never read much fiction (he doesn’t really like chocolate either – GO FIGURE!), so he never asked to read any of my work, and that was fine with me. I did name a very minor character after him in my first published novel, The Wild Sight, and he did read the couple of pages on which that character appeared. He was actually pleased with his namesake character and pronounced the whole thing “cool.” But that’s as much of any of my books as he has ever read, which is probably just as well.

There are some things you just do not want to know or even think about when it comes to your parent, and sex is definitely at the top of this list! Of course my son knows there are sex scenes in my books, and he is not above giving me a bit of razzing over the bare chested men on my covers. But he does not want to read a sex scene knowing that his mother wrote it, and quite honestly, I don’t want him too. Can you say, “Awkward?” Or as he used to tell me when he was a teen, TMI (too much information)!

Recently my son decided to go back to college (my fingers are XXed this will help him find a J-O-B!), and is working toward a certificate in a field dominated by women. Most of his classmates are women as are his teachers, and yes, I know he considered this when he chose this course of study.

A couple of weeks ago, I joined three of my romance author friends in a book signing event at a local winery. The winery was actually about an hour’s drive from my house, so I asked my son if he would go with me, help me set up, and drive me home. And yes, I’m sure he considered the free wine tasting when he agreed. However, I was surprised on the drive over when he told me he had told one of his teachers and several of his classmates about the event. As I listened, he related how he told his teacher, “I’m helping my mom with a book signing this weekend.” He continued, “She asked, ‘Your mom wrote a book?’ and I told her you’d written several. Then she asked me what kind of books you write and I told her romantic suspense.” As I sat in stunned silence, he said, “I told her I’d bring her one of your book marks. Is that okay?”

It was all I could do not to shout and hug him! Instead, I controlled my exuberance and said, “Sure, and tell her I’ll gladly autograph a book for her.” Then, I very timidly asked, “She does realize I write ‘those’ kind of romance novels, doesn’t she?” He grinned and said, “Oh, I told her, and she can’t wait to read one.” He sounded as proud of me as I felt about him!

I shared my story for all you mom’s of young children who are trying to write and have a publishing career. Don’t worry that what you write might have a negative affect on your little ones. Some day, they will grow up, and the fact that they saw you working hard to achieve goals that were important to you will only be positive. It may take awhile, but trust me, someday they will be proud of you!

I’m giving away an autographed copy of my newest release, The Wild Irish Sea to one lucky commenter. Feel free to ask me questions about it!

What I’ve Learned

Viola Estrella — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:00:18 +0000

MamaWriters is coming to an end—for now. This is my very last post here and, as in life, if something I love ends—like a relaxing vacation that ends too quickly, a good friend who moves out of state or a brilliant book that leaves me wanting more—I try to look on the positive side, savor the memories, and remember all that I’ve gained from the experience. All that I’ve learned.

You might be wondering what the heck I could’ve learned from a blog written by a bunch of moms who just happen to be tackling one of the most difficult and challenging careers on the planet. From home!

Well, lemme just tell ya:

-Take care of yourself. You’ve earned it. http://mamawriters.com/2009/09/put-on-your-mask-and-take-a-deep-breath/

-Sex is not a dirty word. http://mamawriters.com/2009/04/what-is-s-e-x/

-Mamahood is unpredictable but rewarding. http://mamawriters.com/2009/02/mama-drama/

-Love comes from the most unexpected places. http://mamawriters.com/2010/02/my-valentine/

-Children follow our lead. http://mamawriters.com/2009/03/what-do-we-teach-our-kids-when-we/

-Feeling guilty? You’re not alone. http://mamawriters.com/2009/02/guilt-mothers-hold-the-market/

-Treasure the milestones. http://mamawriters.com/2010/05/milestones/

-Help! We can’t do it all. http://mamawriters.com/2010/02/when-you-are-the-one-who-does-it-all/

-We most certainly can do it all. http://mamawriters.com/2009/10/finding-time-making-time/

-Sometimes humor is the best way to go. http://mamawriters.com/2009/02/no-problem-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-mama-writer/

-Life is messy but oh-so good. http://mamawriters.com/2010/06/endings-and-beginnings-the-call-and-last-post-on-mamawriters/

-Our voices are unique. http://mamawriters.com/2009/02/finding-your-voice/

-To plot or to pants it? Every writer is different. http://mamawriters.com/2009/08/plotters-vs-pantsers/

-Enjoy being a mom. The moments are priceless. http://mamawriters.com/2010/04/im-now-that-kind-of-mom/

Yep, I’m savoring these lessons and SO many more. What did you learn from the MamaWriters? Any favorite posts?

Viola Estrella – A proud mama and romance writer

www.violaestrella.com

Nothing Really Ends

Stacy Dawn — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:04:59 +0000

That is something I’ve learned both in the course of life and being a writer. Nothing really ends.

Oh, you can write The End to a story, but it doesn’t really. Those characters stay with you and you get to come back to them again in revisions or edits, in reader comments and reviews and sometimes even in another story where you’ve picked up a secondary character to transform into hero or heroine. Nothing really ends.

In life, same thing. When things seem like they are coming to a close or the end, they will always come back to you at just the right moments. Loved ones live on in memories, pictures and children. Through remembered words of a wisdoms, songs, sights or smells. Nothing really ends.

Even jobs. From each one you take experiences or lessons that help in the next one. You find out things you are good at or not so good at, the type of people you enjoy working with and take from all of them a little something for the future. Nothing really ends.

So even though Mamawriters is coming to an end….the valuable friendships, stories and knowledge we’ve gained from each other will stay with us always….because nothing really ends

Special Guest – Historical Romance Author Carrie Lofty

Kris Kennedy — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 06:00:25 +0000

MamaWriters are excited to have special guest Carrie Lofty with us today. Her debut book WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS came out late 2008, her second SCOUNDREL’S KISS released January ’10, and her latest, SONG OF SEDUCTION, just released this month from Carina Press.

Please help us welcome Carrie Lofty!

A Mama Writer’s Summer

As a child I remember eagerly counting down the days until summer vacation. Now, however, as a stay-at-home mom and professional author, I approach the long summer months with little eagerness. The adjustments I must make to my writing schedule are tremendous.

Please don’t get me wrong. I love my elementary-aged daughters desperately. If there was a way for them to be at home with me during the summer while I maintained my school-year writing pace, I’d be a happy camper.

Oh…speaking of camp!

For the fist time my daughters’ school is offering all-day summer camp. They’re excited because it means they’ll be doing themed courses on cooking, nature, running a lemonade stand, science, music, and drama. They’ll also get to spend more time with friends, because I’m generally pretty lousy at remembering to schedule non-school-related playdates.

Me? I’m excited for obvious reasons. I’m knee-deep in writing my next release from Carina Press, PORTRAIT OF SEDUCTION. In July I’ll be starting two new books: SHAMELESS, the Australian-set sequel to my upcoming Victorian romance, FLAWLESS, and MIDNIGHT, the second in the hot-n-dirty “Dark Age Dawning” trilogy of sexy apocalyptic shifter romances I’m co-writing with Ann Aguirre under the name Ellen Connor.

Less obvious reasons include keeping all of us from becoming complacent slobs. Camp will give us a reason to get up and out of the house each morning. Plus, I really love the hour after they first return home from school. They get to blather on about their days while I get to be a mommy–a mommy content in having accomplished (most of) what I’d wanted to do during their absence. Then we can hit the beach or walk to the playground.

Everyone wins!

I’ve learned that it’s all about balance, as is the case with most mommy-related issues. A bit of one-on-one time, a little structured learning and play, a few lazy hours of TV or Wii–the makings of an ideal summer. Now, rather than dreading the daily struggle between my professional obligations and spending quality time with my girls, I get to do both. That’s a summer vacation I can look forward to!

What are you doing this summer? Do you experience the same push-pull between your kids and your writing ambitions? How do you cope?

Just Another Lesson.

MelissaMayhue — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:31:12 +0000

As I sit down to think about writing my last blog for MamaWriters, my mind is a jumble of deadlines and things I need to do. I mean, there’s always so much to do and so little of it stays done the way we want it to. Some days it all seems a little overwhelming, doesn’t it?

There’s housework. You clean the house and it’s all to be done over again the next day. You wash the clothes just so your family can dirty them up again. You shop for groceries and within a week, everything is gone [unless you have teenage boys. Then you're looking at three days, tops].

There’s what goes into your writing career. You find the perfect mix of personalities in a critique group and then life deals that group a hand of events that changes everything — from divorce to death to out of state moves.

Finally, there’s your writing itself. You struggle for months to write a book and then you have to revise what you’ve written. And once you’ve done that, once you and your editor agree it’s exactly right, well, you have to start the process all over from the beginning and write another book!

That rare moment of ‘done’ is gone and it’s time to move on.

The wonderful part is… moving on is a good thing! It means you’ve accomplished something and now you get to accomplish something else. And each of those accomplishments bring us new rewards and joys.

From the neverending housework I’ve learned that there are more important things than a clean house. Yes, my fishtank CAN survive with only two good cleaning a year [directly after I meet my deadlines!]. Yes, grocery shopping can be a fun experience when it’s the only time this week [during the last month of deadline] I’ve been out of the house showered and dressed appropriately to be seen in public [my apologies to any neighbors who've caught random glances of me in the unshowered/major slobbed-out state].

From the dissolution of my critique group I’ve learned that, once you find that special mix of personalities, no matter what happens, no matter how far away, they’ll always be your friends and you are blessed for having them in your life.

From revising my books, I’ve learned to try to see things the way others see them instead of only looking out my own little window. I’ve learned to look at my creative babies a little more objectively. And I know the books have been made stronger as a result.

From starting the next book, I’ve learned that there’s always a whole, bright new world out there, just waiting for me to grab a piece of it for myself. There is no limit on imagination or on dreams.

And from my time blogging with MamaWriters?

From this I learned there is a whole world of wonderfully talented and creative women [and men!] who share the same goals and dreams and challenges. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to get to know so many of you through this blog — so many I now think of as my friends. It’s for this reason I’m pleased that the MamaWriters community will continue, even though the blog will stop for a while.

To all the MamaWriters whose paths I’ve crossed – may your children grown healthy and strong, may your writing flow [and sell!], and may all your dreams come true. I’m truly honored to know you all!

~ Melissa

—————————————————————————————–

MELISSA MAYHUE writes award-winning paranormal romance for Pocket Books, all set in an imaginary world of Faeries and Time Travel to the Highlands of medieval Scotland. Her sixth book, A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING, hit stores on January 26, 2010, with her seventh, HEALING THE HIGHLANDER slated for release March, 2011.

You can visit her on the web at: www.MelissaMayhue.com or come Twitter with her at www.Twitter.com/MelissaMayhue

Special Guest Author: Judi Fennell – Hanging By My Fingertips

Eliza Knight — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:00:55 +0000

Today I’d like us all to welcome special guest author, Judi Fennell to Mama Writers! Judi writes fabulous mer-man/mermaid romance and has a new genie series coming out!

Hanging By My Fingertips

Ah, the life of a romance author. Always something new! Who’s going to steal state secrets? Who’s going to announce their secret baby? Who’s going to end up in bed with whom—

And who’s going to forget the end of the year picnic that they were supposed to bake ninety-six cupcakes for and only remember when their child says, “See you at the party this afternoon, Mom!” on their way out the door?

A romance author who’s also a mom, that’s who.

No, I haven’t forgotten the cupcakes (mainly because said child is old enough to bake and decorate them, thank goodness), but my house looks like a mess, clothes are only washed at the last possible moment, the dogs desperately need to go to the groomers, the cat who just turned one is still eating kitten chow because I have no time to get to the supermarket, the end of the school year is here so the kids need to be picked up at various times because, for some reason, the school district decided that they DON’T have to provide transportation for early dismissals during exams, dinner is a big question mark, and I just had to explain to hubs how to drop a pre-paid priority mail envelope in the mailbox in front of the post office. (“Is it local?” he asked. “It doesn’t matter—it’s pre-paid, pre-addressed, and all ready to go. Just drop it in the big blue box!”)

THAT is the life of a romance author who’s a mom.

Honestly, I don’t know how I do it. People ask me that all the time and I honestly don’t know. Sometimes I just don’t do it (see note about the laundry getting done at the last possible minute. I HIGHLY advise investing in another few packs of underwear for each person.) Sometimes I’m amazed that anything gets done at all.

Take now, for instance. I’m on deadline at the end of the month. The story has been kicking my butt because, for whatever reason, it wanted to be written episodically. I wrote the scenes as they came to me; now I have to tie them all together with transitions, making sure they A) go together, B) show the character arcs, C) are believable, and D) contain what readers expect from my writing, namely the world-building, snarky secondary characters, humor, and romance. And I have to get it to my critique partner by the weekend so she can work her magic over the next week so I can have four or five days to finesse it all into shape to give to my editor.

Normally, this is, well, not exactly a piece of (cup)cake, but a well-oiled machine, let’s say. Unfortunately, there have been a few bumps along the road in the past few months and my well-oiled machine needs a tune-up.

So I took it to the “garage.” For this, read “my local bookstore.” We just converted my dining room into my office (it gets much more use this way), with French doors and wonderful new furniture. It’s great. I have big windows, bird feeders just outside, the animals like to hang out with me… great.

Except everyone keeps walking in. Hello? Mom is at work??? What doesn’t make sense to them? The doors are closed, the earphones are in… what are you doing here?

So, off I go to the bookstore where no one bothers me and I’m surrounded by proof that this time crunch management can be done with successful results, and away my fingers fly on the keyboard.

That’s one of my coping mechanisms when things get hairy. Others are figured out on the fly.

So it was quite easy for me when I tossed Logan Hardington, the hero of my latest release, Catch of a Lifetime, a six-year-old son he never knew he had and watched him try to stay afloat. It was sink or swim time for the new father and if mermaid princess, Angel Tritone, hadn’t show up, I don’t know that he would have been as successful as he ultimately was. Though of course, there were some definite bumps along their road as well: namely a hammerhead named A.C. Hammer, a sea monstress with mothering issues, and the fact that all Logan wanted in his life was Normal and a mermaid princess was as far from Normal as he could get. Trust me, I ask myself a LOT what Normal is these days.

If anyone has the answer, I’d greatly appreciate hearing it!

About The Author:

Judi Fennell has had her nose in a book and her head in some celestial realm all her life, including those early years when her mom would exhort her to “get outside!” instead of watching Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie on television. So she did–right into Dad’s hammock with her Nancy Drew books.

These days she’s more likely to have her nose in her laptop and her head (and the rest of her body) at her favorite bookstore, but she’s still reading, whether it be her latest manuscript or friends’ books.

A three-time finalist in online contests, Judi has enjoyed the reader feedback she’s received and would love to hear what you think about her Mer series. Check out her website at www.JudiFennell.com for excerpts, reviews and fun pictures from reader and writer conferences, the chance to “dive in” to her stories, and a sneak preview for her upcoming Genie series.

“Fennell’s got detailed worldbuilding, creative secondary characters and an impressive use of mythology in this great read. While this title is part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Angel and Logan are both incredibly textured characters. -RT BookReview Magazine 4 Stars

“Judi Fennell has extraordinary imagination and has certainly used it in creating this exciting and colorful story. Her characters are wonderful.” Fresh Fiction

“The best blend of both worlds. I… love each and every character in Catch of A Lifetime (and) found (it) well worth diving into.” Long And Short Reviews 4.5 Books

Bittersweet

Sarah Simas — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:06:57 +0000

You know that feeling when you reach the last chocolate in the box? Or when you know the movie you’ve waited six months to see is almost over?

Yep. That’s how I feel.

I’m very bummed the blog is closing. I am the newbie in the group, only having joined MW’s back in September. It’s been my pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful site. I was a follower long before I was a blogging member. I agree with Eliza 100%. I hope one day Mama Writers will be back up and rearin’ to go. LOL Of course, here’s hoping that I’ll have changed my status bar from novice writer to pubbed author!

I’m very appreciative of the time I spent with all you MW’s and my blogmates. It’s definitely been an excellent chapter in my life story. One I will always remember with great fondness.

This last weekend I went to the coast with my aunts, gram, and cousins for a gal’s trip. We shopped till we dropped and indulged in tasty treats. We had a blast staying up late chatting, searching for sweet sales, and scoping out the sights. I was very sad to see sheets draped back over the couches and beds, the doors locked, and all our gear loaded up. It kind of drove home to me the meaning of bittersweet.

We were so thrilled to haul our cookies over there. The excitement was tangible and stayed thick in the air right up until the realization that it was time to head back to real life smacked us in face. We were leaving the cool weather, the fantastic company, and good times. It was really hard accept that our time together had finally come to an end. The whole way home, back to the dry heat of CA’s Central Valley, we laughed and joked about the fun we had, but more importantly, we made plans for our trip next year.

Whether it’s the end of a vacation or the closing of a well-loved blog, it’s always going to be bittersweet. BUT– we can’t spend our lives looking back. We’ve got to press onward!

I’ll keep on my journey to finish my MS and get published. I’ll still be posting away at The Lovestruck Novice. December 30th, I’ll begin another chapter when I become a mama for the third time. Like cogs inside a wheel, everything is falling into place. I can see the road ahead of me. Sure it’s lined with speed bumps and delays, but as long as I stay the course I’ll get there in plenty of time.

The same goes for all of you. Stick to your course and stay true to your goals. Doesn’t matter if you’re a writer or a reader, this blog made our paths cross. For that, I’ll always be grateful.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, MW’s. I hope we’ll all get a chance to meet one day and share a frosty beverage. Keep looking forward, because the best is yet to come.

Dish it up, what has been your favorite aspect of being part of the Mama Writers Blog?

Love and Hugs to you all! May you always have fair weather and a full tank! Sarah

To Query an Agent or an Editor… That is the Question

Eliza Knight — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:38:40 +0000

This is my last blog, and I’m going to say for now. I still have hopes that some time in the future, we can bring Mama Writers back to current. But until then, the community will still be open and all past posts by both Mama Writers and our guests will be available for your viewing pleasure.

I’ve really enjoyed my time with Mama Writers, and getting to “talk” with all the readers of our site—readers/writers/authors alike. It’s always fun to meet new people, and this place that we’ve created has been especially wonderful, because we all have so much in common.

For my last post, I wanted to talk about something that I myself had struggled with for a long time. The age old writer’s question: Who do you submit to first: an agent or an editor?

I’d asked myself this same question for YEARS. Now if you’re asking yourself this question, I think you also need to ask yourself where you see your career going. (Ugh, did you notice I wrote some form of “you” six times in that last sentence? Lol—internal editor)

Do you want to be an e-pubbed author or a small press author? Do you want to write and be published with a larger house? Mass-market or trade paperback? Hardcover?

Once you’ve established that answer, then I think you can work on the original question. If you plan to work exclusively for an e-pub or small pub, I don’t think it is all that important to have an agent, and honestly, it would be hard to find one. Why? Agents don’t get paid until you do, and typically smaller houses will not give an advance, which means your agent would have to get paid a year or so down the road after you’ve signed a publishing contract and your book has been published and royalties start coming in—and even then it wouldn’t be that much, because you’re only getting quarterly (sometimes monthly) royalties. Now, I’m not saying authors of small prints don’t make decent money, because they do. But unless you’re established, it will be hard to find an agent who is willing to take you on for only small press publishing. (Kudos to you and your agent if you found each other!)

Most authors published in traditional print houses have an agent, and their advice to you will be: get an agent.

I’d been hearing that particular piece of advice for years, and believe me I tried! I wrote a book, and subbed it to over 20 agents who all politely (and some not so politely) rejected the book. In the meantime, I kept writing, kept querying. And I have to tell you, querying is my least favorite part of the whole writing process. I’m a story teller. I write, I create worlds, I don’t know how to sell myself. Well, you learn real quick how to do that! But just because you learn doesn’t mean you want to do it.

So, I queried to agents, kept getting rejected and started querying to editors at NY pubs. While I received a lot of requests for fulls from the editors, and even an “almost contract” that fell through, I was still getting rejections. I won’t say that I gave up, but I was close. I remember sending an email to a few of my mama writers (eggplants), saying I was just going to throw my manuscript in the trash. But that’s what friends are for, and they encouraged me to keep on trucking, and I’m glad I did.

Recently I found an agent (or the other way around really…) who is a perfect fit for me and she offered me a contract. Imagine my relief when I sent her my finished book and SHE sent it out to editors! It was the best feeling in the world, now I can concentrate on doing what I do best: writing.

As for still having to sell myself, sure if my books are picked up I’ll have to do promo, but promoting your finished work is so much different than querying to an agent/editor. When you’re promoting your work, you already know that people like it—you’ve gotten a contract right? There will be critics who don’t like your work, but for as many that don’t there will be two or more who do!

So in this entire jumbled mess of a post… my advice? If you want to be published with a big pub—or NY pub, as they call it—get an agent. Make a tiered list of about 10 agents on each: A List, B List, C List, D List. Send out queries to the A list, wait until you’ve received answers from everyone on that list before moving to the next, and so on. Do your research—the one thing agents will tell you they despise the most, is when they receive a generic query from someone who obviously didn’t bother to find out more about their company. They won’t pick you up if they don’t “feel” you.

****

Eliza Knight is the multi-published author of sizzling historical romance and erotic romance. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain, and enjoys cold winter nights when she can curl up in front of a roaring fire with her own knight in shining armor.

Take if Off, Warrior, available now from Ellora’s Cave!

*Warning: this is an erotic romance, and not intended for those under the age of 18.*

Sixteenth-century Highland laird Camden MacLeod wakes up in the modern world. Confused with his surroundings, he haphazardly throws on his kilt and goes in search of whoever has played such a foul trick on him. What he finds instead is beyond tempting…

Valerie is thoroughly exploring the medieval Scottish castle she’s rented for her best friend’s bachelorette party. Not only does an oddly shaped stone in tower catch her fancy—it somehow brings her dream man to life.

Review Diana of Naughty Editions: “A thoroughly delightful time-travel romance filled with deliciously sexy romps and quirky humor. Ms. Knight’s hunky Scottish warrior, Camden, tickles the funny bone with amusing observations of modern day garments and amenities…The bond between Camden and Valerie was magical and nicely portrayed in their tender yet deeply erotic love scenes. This is a story worth a read and than a re-read.”

Read an excerpt here: http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-8417-642-take-it-off-warrior.aspx

Special Guest Author Marie Force on Working From Home

Eliza Knight — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:45:55 +0000

Today I am excited to introduce you all to a fabulous mama writer, Marie Force. Marie currently writes for both Sourcebooks and Carina Press, while working full time from home and taking care of her two children.

What I Did For Work…

By: Marie Force

Long before I ever touched pen to paper to write fiction, I worked full-time from home. In fact, I still work full-time from home 12 years after beginning what, at the time, was a grand experiment. In 1998 I was the only person I knew who worked as a telecommuter to an out-of-state company. Today, the trend is much more common but no less challenging.

Here is the short story of how I ended up a telecommuter: Nearly 15 years ago, I returned to the United States with my husband, who was in the Navy, after living in Spain for three years. We brought home a three-month-old daughter and two dogs who’d joined the family in Spain. Relocating to the Washington, D.C. area for a three-year tour, I immediately began looking for a job. A month or so later, I was hired as the communications director by an Alexandria, VA-based national organization that today has 15,000 members. The only downside was my hellishly long commute—50 to 90 minutes each way, depending on the time of day. The only reason I could bear this horrible commute was because I knew that in three years my husband was due to move again.

Those three years passed in a blur. We added a son to the family a month before we were due to move to Jacksonville, FL. As I was packing up my office, my boss wandered into have a chat. What if, he said, you stayed on remotely? How could this possibly work? I wondered. But the more we talked about it, the more feasible it became, and we agreed to give it a whirl. So I moved to Jacksonville with a three-year-old who had spent all her days with daddy (who worked the night shift while we were in Maryland), a one-month-old who didn’t sleep through the night until he was 18 months old, two dogs, AND a full-time job at home. And did I mention that my husband was moving from an office job to an aircraft carrier? And did I mention that the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy was in a particularly strenuous deployment cycle during the three years he was stationed on board? Is it any wonder I call the Jacksonville years the “Calgon Take Me Away” portion of my life as a mother. To be honest, I barely remember the four years we lived there. It’s all a blur.

One spring, as my company prepared for its annual meeting, I was desperate to get in some hours in the office. I hired the neighborhood girl who often babysat for my kids and closed the door to my office. Well, that didn’t work at all. The kids knew I was in there and were literally clawing at the door crying for mommy. A week later, I hired her again only this time I’d gotten smart about it. I said, “Bye, guys! Mommy will be back in a little while. Have fun with Corrine.” Bye, bye they said, and all was well as I walked out my front door, around to the back of my house, and crawled into the office window I’d opened earlier. Success! Three hours later, I called the house from my office phone and asked Corrine to take them outside for a bit so I could take a potty break and grab a snack. That bought me a few more hours. We live, and we learn. As a work-at-home mother who relied very little on daycare, I can tell you down to the day how long it took me to get two kids into school full time: 10 years, 1 month and 23 days. That’s a long time to juggle kids and work!

Today, my kids are nearly 15 and 12. They have never known any other existence than a mom who works full time from home. Because I wasn’t already busy enough, I’ve added a book-writing gig to my docket, which has gotten quite busy since my first book, LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, was published in 2008. I think the greatest legacy of being a work-at-home mom is that it has made my kids very self-sufficient. They get their own snacks, they make their own fun, they know better than to interrupt a phone call for anything less than blood, and they get to see their mom working hard to provide a nice life for them. The downside is that something else, at least during the work hours, often has to take priority over them. Sure, their dad works all day, too, but they don’t see that. They know it, intellectually, but they don’t have to compete against it for his attention.

In the final analysis, I hope they’ll remember that I was here to greet them after school every day and to run them around in the afternoons to various activities. Now that my daughter is in high school, located two doors up the street from our house, I think she wishes I were a little less available after school. However, I’ve come to realize that being home with them now is far more critical than it was when they were babies and I was forced to crawl through windows to get some work time.

I’ll give one copy of FATAL AFFAIR to the best “desperate to work” story. Thanks for having me today. I look forward to visiting with you!

I should mention that my next book, FATAL AFFAIR, a romantic suspense, will be out June 21 from Carina Press. Here’s some info about the book:

On the morning of the most important vote of Senator John O’Connor’s career he is late—again. His best friend and chief of staff, Nick Cappuano sets off to O’Connor’s apartment expecting to roust him from bed and hoping he is alone. But what Nick finds is that O’Connor, the handsome, amiable Senator from Virginia, has been brutally murdered, and Nick’s world comes crashing down around him. Complicating the disaster, the detective assigned to the case is none other than Sam Holland, Nick’s one-night stand from six years earlier, the woman who broke his heart and haunts his dreams. With six years worth of unfinished business hanging between them and more than a few scores to settle personally and professionally, Nick and Sam set out to find the senator’s killer while trying—and failing—to resist the overwhelming attraction between them that seems to have only grown over the years.

It soon becomes clear that the senator’s past holds secrets that not only led to his death but now endanger Nick and Sam as well. Working together to find a killer and to rediscover the love they thought they lost long ago, they must put the past behind them and build a future that offers a world of new opportunities for both of them—including an offer from the Virginia Democrats for Nick to finish the last year of John’s term.

About Marie:

Marie Force’s first romantic suspense, FATAL AFFAIR, will be out June 21, 2010 from Carina Press. Book 2 in the Fatal Series, FATAL JUSTICE, is coming soon from Carina. She is also the author of LINE OF SCRIMMAGE and LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT. Of LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, Booklist said, “With its humor and endearing characters, Force’s charming novel will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, reaching far beyond sports fans.” Wild on Books said, “LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT by Marie Force is most definitely a keeper. It is an astounding book. I loved every single word!” A third contemporary, EVERYBODY LOVES A HERO, is due out Feb. 1, 2011. Since 1996, Marie has been the communications director for a national organization similar to the Romance Writers of America. She is a member of RWA’s New England, From the Heart and Published Author Special Interest Chapters. While her husband was in the Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland and Florida, and is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island. She is the mother of two children and a feisty dog named Brandy. Find her at www.mariesullivanforce.com, on her blog at http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Force/248130827909 and on Twitter at twitter.com/MarieForce. Marie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at marie@marieforce.com.