Ignore This Blog Chain At Your Own Risk...Bwahahahaha!

Not another blog chain!!!! Gasp! It’s been a while and I had a “feeling” that I should do this one…not that Belinda Frisch was threatening that I would be cursed for eternity if I didn’t participate, but still, when I get the “feeling” I try not to ignore it. Here it is, a riveting interview with moi ;-) In turn I have tagged J Thorn,  Krista Walsh and Ella Grey…gentleman and ladies, if you do not continue this chain you will be cursed to an eternity of….hehe just kidding…kind of ;-)

What are you working on right now?

Haha….what am I NOT working on would be the better question ;-) I’ve got edits underway on a werewolf novella, another one started, ideas for a full length novel rolling around in my head too. These sexy men will not leave me alone…not that I’m complaining.

How does it differ from other works in its genre?

If I told you that I’d have to kill you ;-) I’ve developed a mythology that is different from what’s out there…hopefully I’ll be able to share more in a few weeks but for now all you need to know is that it revolves around a group of mouth-watering rock stars who also happen to be kick ass werewolves.

What experiences have influenced you?

The three Rs: Rejection, Rewrites, and Reading.

Rejection and Rewrites belong in the same category as far as I’m concerned, both have broken me down more than once, shattered my confidence, quite a lot at the beginning (which seems like an eternity ago)…it’s helped me to develop a thick skin, see the flaws in my writing, improve, grow, become better and toughen up…there are still vulnerable parts of me but ultimately I’ve learned what I can bounce back from which has been a huge influence on my drive.

Reading…well, you know, if you don’t read, you shouldn’t write. I stray from my genre here and there but for the most part I’m immersed in what I love, paranormal erotic romance.

Why do you write what you do?

I’ve always been drawn to supernatural stuff, ever since I was a little kid. I discovered Anne Rice’s vampire series when I was quite young and haven’t looked back since. The erotic romance came gradually…something that I really enjoyed reading and then started experimenting with in my writing. Turns out that I really enjoy writing it too…go figure.

How does your writing process work?

Usually with a what if that then spawns a scene, which plays out in my head like a movie. That’s how it always begins. Then I spend some time plotting out a basic story in point form (this will always change by the time I start writing full out, but I need to have some sense of where I’m going with things.) When I’m writing, I write to quota: 10K a week at least. Once the first draft is done I do a quick preliminary edit then let it sit for a while before the hard core editing begins.

What is the hardest part about writing?

Chasing that dream: some days it can seem further away than others.

Fighting the envy: reading something you think you can write better. Being happy for those around you who are achieving their dreams.

Quitting: Even if I wanted to, staying away from writing would be impossible. 

Who are the authors you most admire?

I could list a bunch of names here and I have in previous posts but I think this time around I’m going to say the writer’s who I speak to on a daily basis. The ones, like me, who are working in the trenches, at the grass roots,

fighting to pull ahead in some way. These folks are the ones who are always, always ready to bolster you when you’re down and keep you fighting when you feel like curling up in a ball and dying.

What would you like to try as a writer that you haven't yet?

Possibly horror, I’ve got some ideas that I think would make some great horror stories but haven’t read enough in that genre to give it a go yet.

Who are new authors to watch out for?

Seleste DeLaney

Pj Schnyder

What scares you?

Failure. 

Ad Astra Take Two.....

Sword Play....the weird r-rated version.

So, last week I told you all about my experience at Ad Astra and the unfortunate confusion over the Weapons Check panel... well, that wasn't the only funny incident that happened...oh no, not by a long shot. There was also the Sword Play panel...to which one of my non-writing friends said, "that sounds like a bad porn title" and it kinda was...

We got there a little late and the place was packed...standing room only...luckily some of our quick thinking friends had snagged us a few seats near the front. We sat, we listened, we tried to keep our eyes on the front...I mean, it was interesting stuff... about swords through history...with no props, pictures or illustrations of any sort...just two guys, talking (excitedly) about swords. (I think we've established that this may not have been the best convention to go to with expectations for learning more about the "craft" of writing). And then, just when my friend Tammy started glancing back at me, giving me the "lets get outta here look" the two sword-a-philes got up, walked to the front of the table and proceeded to "demonstrate" sword manoeuvres...with imaginary swords. It was fascinating, for all the wrong reasons, especially when one of the girls pointed out the extremely well packed “equipment” of the one presenter. Sword play indeed. I contemplated asking for some pointers on stance and thrusting...but then figured going to lunch would be safer ;-)

Yet another humorous incident at my first ever convention, not sure it will ever be topped...especially considering the stuff I'm not telling you all ;-)

Weapons Check

Check, check...is this thing on????

So, I recently attended my very first convention, Ad Astra, which took place in Markham, Ontario last weekend. I was pretty excited from the start. Not only was I meeting up with the amazing Kelley Armstrong but I had several writing pals attending, some of whom I'd never meet in real life. It was loads of fun and I learned quite a bit, some of it a little disheartening but all of it valuable. I had a few pretty funny mishaps as well...one of which was attending the Weapons Check panel.

The Weapons Check panel...sounds interesting right? For those of you who are writers, sounds promising...a chance to talk weapons...view weapons...perhaps touch weapons? Um...yeah....

So a gaggle of us writer ladies parade into this little seminar room, all coming off of a Kelley Armstrong induced high, giddy, excited, looking forward to a night of learning. We take a seat near the front (don't want to look to keen) and watch as our panel host begins to unload some weapons...a bow, a musket...a plastic looking futuristic gun of some sort....that was the first hint that I might be in the wrong place. Toy weapons? Really?

Once all the weapons were on display, our host looks up and says, "Wow, I wasn't expecting so many people to attend! This is great! It's only going to take about five minutes to go through the information and then I can start checking weapons." Or something like that....which was my second hint. Checking weapons? You mean literally?

"That's why I'm here!" Says the guy in the front row, fake parrot attacked to his left shoulder as he lifts his homemade, gigantic, anvil like weapon on a pole.

And that was when I knew...we had stumbled into a realm that none of us was prepared for...this Weapons Check panel was for folks who were dressing in character, folks who had fake weapons as part of their costumes and needed to make sure they met regulations. In other words, not us.

It was funny...awkward but funny. We figured out a way to get the heck outta there quick, ignoring the pleas of the host to "just stay" "we can talk weapons", feeling like we narrowly escaped an hour of painful weirdness.

We laughed our way downstairs not knowing that while we were running away, at that exact moment, 14 floors up, all of the mega authors were holding a meet and greet, an event that we sadly missed out on because we'd been too fixated on the idea of a tactile experience with weapons.

So, lesson learned...when attending cons, take the titles literally cause a Weapons Check might just mean you'd better have your light sabre or photo torpedo or whatever.