From Edits to Editorials

Valentine's Here, Valentine's There -
Our Valentine's Day was yesterday and we had heaps of fun. Dinner out last night, movies and candy afterwards. I seem to be content as long as I have something exciting to watch and something sweet between my lips. Love candy and ice cream and pie...

And cake frosting.

I finished my ghost story this week, and decided to name it "A Spirited Encounter". This is my first finished book for 2008, and I'm quite happy about it. I also finished a novella and want to get it re-written fairly quickly, so I can submit it to Nocturne's open submissions call. Definitely worth looking into if you're a writer, aspiring or established.

If you're seeking an agent, pop over to BookEnds this week, and pop in 100 words in the appropriate category. You never know what will transpire.

Cheers, and Happy, Happy!

WIP: From Haunted Houses to Haunted Mirrors

These are the themes of the two books I wrapped up this week: A Spirited Encounter and A Kiss for Luck. The latter is a novella than a book, but no matter. I wrote it in 4 days, so we'll see what I can do with it.

Other things: interviews and articles. I wrote a tongue-in-cheek article about my writing journal for Shelley Munro's blog, but there's a bit about my research on there, too, in the comments. Today, I participated in my weekly contribution to Tales of the Trade, which is a blog newly christened this week. With Red Rose Publishing, I've been hopping around like a mad thing, participating in promo. This is the most highly motivated group of authors I've ever met, and even though I've met some of them through other publishers, being with RRP works some kind of magic on us all. The action there never stops. I love it!

***

Tempter (I may want to stick this in a book some time): Fusion may be the answer to our energy future, but the issue has always been one of containment. Magnetic fields haven't been sufficient to maintain the fusion reaction in the lab, so even though the reaction can be induced, the energy can't be contained. It was found recently that plasma flows along magnetic field lines and will even fuse when joining with another field line—in space! The reconnection of our Earth's magnetic field lines may provide the key to dealing with fusion down here. To read more, visit: http://www.livescience.com/space/businesstechnology/080206-tw-magnetic-reconnection.html

Save Your World: FAQS about donating blood (I want to thank all of you personally! You saved my life! How many other lives can you save this year?) http://www.givelife2.org/donor/faq.asp

Now, an excerpt from one of my books - Light Play, methinks. Enjoy!

The woman stood quietly at the window, gazing unseeing at the day’s yellow glare. A sudden jolt stirred her from an unnatural stillness, and she turned away with a swift gasp of fear. “What next?” she wondered aloud.

Her dash from the room was halted by the recoiling of the cat, which cowered, hissing, near her feet.

The woman’s lips creased in a self-deprecating smile. “Damned cat,” she whispered, recalling yesterday’s words. “Which of us is damned now?”

The feline slunk away—hiding its tomcat’s boldness beneath spiky hair and flattened ears.

Angry with the cat’s reaction, the woman moved swiftly toward the far wall.

The cat—hidden now beneath a chair—dared a backwards glance, just in time to see the human figure drift through the solid plastered wood partition. He chased her departure with a bold yowl.

The walls echoed his cry, seeming to hold it for just a second too long. When it came back to his ears, the distorted wailing was no longer alone, but held the lonely misery of a human’s despairing sigh.

From Light Play

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook4094.htm

Cheers,

ND Melody

Thanks, www.mikesfreegifs.com,

http://www.wondercliparts.com/holidays/valentines_day/valentines_day_graphics.shtml

and www.wilsoninfo.com, for the animations!

A Visit with Lonnie Cruse, Book News, & Excerpts

This month has been one of the most thrilling in my writing career. Not only was In Flames released on January 1st, but that same day I received a contract offer for both Relic and BoneSong! Now, in the dozen days since, I've also been offered a contract for one of my Melody Knight titles, Of Dragons, and a contract for a short story for All Romance eBooks, Cut and Polish. The only one with a release date so far is Cut and Polish, which will go live March 14th.

I'll wait for all the contracts to arrive before I post the details here. Still...

Yay!

Author Friend: A Few Words from Lonnie Cruse, author of Fifty-Seven Heaven

"I began writing Fifty-Seven Heaven after hubby bought a '57 Chevy to restore and joined a car club. I wondered what would happen if a club member found a dead body in the trunk of a pristine, trophy winning car. Knowing how car club members feel about their babies, writing the book was great fun. I love my character Kitty because she's who I'd like to be when I grow up. Never mind that she's younger. She gets to do a lot of things I'd like to do, and a few I've
already done.

The setting for the first book which just came out in December is Metropolis, IL, the small town where I live. It's a fun place to live and write about. The next book, which is finished but not yet contracted
for, is set at a car show in Pigeon Forge, TN. I love that area and enjoyed spending time there again, even if only inside my head, writing the book. I'd had the idea for a long time, and even took pictures to inspire me on a visit. I'm writing the third book now, set in Metropolis again, where a new character is wreaking havoc on my lead characters, driving them to consider murdering her. Muwhahaha!

For more information, please check out my website:
http://www.lonniecruse.com/ and you'll find links to my blogs and websites where I hang out. http://www.lonniecruse.blogspot.com/ and
http://www.poesdeadlydaughters.com/)"

Thanks for this, Lonnie! Lonnie's one of my fellow Five Star authors.

***

Tempter (I may want to stick this in a book some time): CT scans are being used to study ancient tumours in dinosaur bones. Palaeontologists and med students are working together to gain a better understanding of tumour origins and growth patterns. Amazing!

Save Your World Stuff: If you're looking to give world-saving a "personal touch", why not your bone marrow to someone who needs it? Check to see whether you're compatible with a simple blood test. More info is available at The American Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Now, an excerpt from one of mine - ErRatic, methinks. Enjoy!

Emma glanced blearily at the clock. Three a.m., and Studley obviously needed to go out. He was whimpering, deep in his throat, and his cold nose kept nudging her arm.

Damn dog! She reached out and gave the silky coat a pat. Zombie-like, she stumbled across the room, to the front door, and unfastened the lock. “Out!” she commanded, punctuating it with a squeaky yawn.

When she opened her eyes again, the man was standing on the grass, just off the porch.

It was a very small porch.

She slammed the door and locked it, then raced through the house. She kept picturing Him running, trying to beat her to the back door.

It’s locked. It’s got to be locked.

It was, but she didn’t feel any better. No one had any business standing there, on her property, at three in the morning. He was up to no good.

She ran for the kitchen and picked up a knife in one hand and the phone in the other. The knife shook in her frozen fingers. Not a good thing. He’ll use it on me.

He damn well better not try. Her shadowy reflection in the window glass was that of a madwoman, brandishing a blade. Her staccato movements glinted across the toaster face, and she jumped, slashing the air.

Hysteria burbled up, like an unwanted belch, before sense clunked in with a nearly audible jolt. Window. Nightlight. He’ll see me. Frantic, she dropped onto the floor, and punched in a fumbling “911”.

If he saw me, I hope he saw the knife, too.

She shouted into the phone, “There was—!”, realized she was shouting, and quickly hissed, “There was a man!”

Why the hell hadn’t Studley barked?! The damned dog had practically dumped her in the killer’s lap!

The Police Operator was offering instructions now, and Emma listened to them blankly. She’d just recalled something very pertinent to her case.

“N-Never mind,” she said, replacing the receiver with shaking hands.

A dream. It had to be a dream.

But it wasn’t and she knew it. It was what she’d tell them, though, when they asked.

She sat there, huddled, too scared to challenge the near-dark. Her eyes were already scrunched closed, but now she drew up her knees and buried her face in her arms.

Shielded. Safer.

Not really.

She couldn’t afford to move now, even if it meant lighting the house. She was too afraid of what she might see.

She nestled her head deeper, to block her ears.

Too afraid of what she might hear.

She hummed a little whimper, deep in her throat the way Studley had. Just enough noise to challenge any other whimpers in the room.

When they came with the squad car to check out her call, she’d have to get up—but not till then. Then, it’d be okay—maybe even safe.

Why hadn’t Studley barked? That one was easy—now that she’d remembered.

About Studley.

He’d been dead—for almost a week.

From ErRatic

Cheers,

NDMelody

Happy Holidays, an Intro to Jenyfer Matthews, + Excerpts

It's been a wonderful week, and can't wait till Christmas now. I updated my MySpace to look gaudy, clashy, and Christmasy - reds, greens, and animated GIFs.

Last night I went to a dessert party at Jane Beckenham's. You know Jane - the author of Hiring Cupid and He's the One? Well, she hosted a number of fledgling authors at her home for a Christmas celebration, and I had the opportunity to meet some incredible people. My friend Yvonne Walus was there, too. Yvonne just returned from a book tour in South Africa, promoting some of her crime novels. She arrived back just in time for her Sir Julius Vogel Award nomination! Way to go, Yvonne!

I want to introduce you to a fellow Cerridwen Press author today, Jenyfer Matthews. Jenyfer describes herself:
"Jenyfer is an American currently living in Cairo, Egypt. In addition to writing contemporary romance, she is also a full time mother, quilter and aspiring wine snob. She's a chatty sort and is addicted to email. If you want to know more about Jenyfer visit her website or her blog."

Here's an excerpt from her book,Here to Stay:

Julia nearly collided with Patrick who stood on the porch, poised to knock. When Julia opened the door, he lowered his hand and tucked it into his pocket. “Hello, Blue.”

She stood looking at him, gripping the edge of the door tightly. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I’m going back to Chicago, but I didn’t want to leave things like we did the other day. I hope that we can at least be friends. Here, I brought you a house-warming gift.” He thrust a colorful gift bag toward her.

She took the bag from him and turned away, leaving the door open behind her.
Patrick frowned and followed her into the house. It wasn’t hard to see that something had her upset—more than just his showing up unannounced. He wanted to help if he could. If she’d let him.

He followed Julia back to the kitchen and found her leaning against the counter, looking out of the window over the sink. She’d set the bag on the counter beside her, untouched.

He wanted to go to her and hold her but feared what her reaction might be. Instead, he stopped near the kitchen table, trying to decide what to do next. He looked down and saw the estimate the contractor left her.
No wonder she was upset.

He had no idea how much money her aunt had left her, but he guessed it wasn’t much based on the way the house had been kept and by her reaction to the builder’s estimate.

Julia stood looking out at the sky. She was doing some deep breathing exercises and thinking. Trying to regain her calm.

The contractor’s estimate was nothing to lose hope over, she assured herself. She had known that starting her life over here, in this strange place, was going to be difficult.

She had to trust herself, trust that she would make it. She would find a way to support herself. She would resume her marketing career if she had to. She was close enough to New York to commute if need be and her former boss had assured her of a glowing reference if she should need one.

Her house needed a roof. The floors needed refinishing and the walls needed a paint job, inside and out—there were just too many things to mention. She would do everything, just not all at once. It would take some time. This was her house now and she wasn’t going to give it up.

Dealing with Patrick was a different story though. She found it difficult to remain calm when she looked into the warm golden brown of his eyes. She took one last deep breath to steel herself before turning to face him.

He stood near the kitchen table with a paper in his hand. She walked closer. “What’s that?”

He pushed it across the table to her. “Is this what has you so upset?”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

He grabbed her hands in his. “Let me help you. Please.”

She looked up at him. His touch felt so good. She hadn’t realized how much she needed human contact, to be held and reassured, but she couldn’t seek solace from Patrick. She had to maintain her distance. She squeezed his hands and pulled away.

“I don’t need your money, Patrick. I’ll be fine.”

“I wasn’t talking about money.”

She shook her head. “Then I don’t understand. How can you help me?”

“Let me do the roof for you.”

She gaped at him in surprise. “What? You?”

“Why do you look so skeptical?” he asked. “Dad is a contractor, you know and I worked with him every summer during college. I’ve done lots of roofing.”

“It’s not that,” she stammered, “what about your job? You have to go back to Chicago.”

“I took a leave of absence,” he answered. “So, you see, I’m at your disposal.”

She looked away, trying to regain her equilibrium. This was all happening too fast. She needed to have the roof fixed but to have Patrick do it?

“Come on, Blue, let me help you this one last time. You’ve made your feelings clear. I’ve signed the divorce papers. I promise that I won’t pressure you for anything more.”

That was true enough. He had signed the papers. She looked him in the eye. He looked sincere. And she really did need that roof done.

“I don’t know. I’m sure you’ll be sorry—it’s a big job,” she said, trying to give him an out.

“I like a challenge,” he responded with a confident smile.

She wished she felt as confident as he looked. Still, it might be the perfect solution to her problem.

“Okay,” she answered slowly, “if you’re sure. Thank you for offering.”

He grinned at her. “I’ll go take a look at it right now.”

She shook her head as she followed him. She could see he was pleased and against her better judgment she felt a spark of excitement too.

It’s just the roof, she reminded herself. Nothing more. He’ll be gone before you know it.

AND NOW ONE FROM MY BOOK, In Flames, written under my pseudonym, Melody Knight:

Peri knew Sophie was up ahead—a rattle, a scuff, a scraping of rock warned her. She paused, unwilling to use the flashlight, instead focusing her night vision glasses carefully on the path. There was enough residual light here, whether vented moonlight, or glimmers from Sophie’s distant flashlight, to make the glasses useful.
The path was rock, dirt, worn stones. Easy enough to follow.

Unless… Peri hesitated. There’d been four or five intersecting tunnels so far. Could Sophie have wandered down one of those? Echoes in a cave system could throw you. Peri wondered whether she should call out. Surely, if Sophie realized Peri was following, she’d wait.

Unless she figures what she's doing might be hazardous to your health.

There was another answer, but Peri didn’t like to consider it. Sophie might not be exactly “herself”, at the moment.

It wasn’t until Peri came to yet another intersection that another possibility came to mind. What if it's not Sophie?

Which seemed ridiculous unless you were working under the premise that Gerald Beaumont had some idea you were going to be here, or at the very least, that Sophie was. If any of it was true, or even if they’d triggered some hidden security switch in opening the secret door…

…then I left them a sign saying where I was.

Maybe it didn't matter whether it was Sophie in the tunnels. Maybe being a trespasser was condemnation alone.

Peri was panicked. If she hadn't been, she would have brought rationale and logic and reason to the fore. She had the owner’s permission, after all…

But her own intuition was screaming. As a footfall sounded behind her, Peri began to run. It could be they were looking for the one who’d defaced their ancient stone path with fluorescent paint.

Me.

Peri kept picturing monks and group rapes—specters from Sophie’s dreams. For some reason, the more likely scenario of armed security guards never even occurred to her. There was too much here that matched Sophie’s nightmare, and made it seem more like memory. If that was the case, Peri didn’t think either one of them should be going this alone.

Another footfall at her back.

Peri picked up speed.

She was moving as fast as she could; nearly overrunning her night-vision lenses. Silence and subterfuge suddenly seemed as stupid as racing through the dark. They knew she was here.

But maybe they didn’t know…as yet…that she was female. Maybe, there were no thoughts of group havoc here—just the capture of an unanticipated security risk.

In that case, her best shot lay in outdistancing them, confusing them further—and finding a place to hide until she could locate Sophie.

With these confused thoughts in mind, as she tore down the path, Peri decided it was time to toss caution to the wind. Light might give them a target, but there were enough bends in the tunnel to avoid giving them a clear shot.

Decision made, she lifted the night-vision goggles at the same instant she flicked on the flashlight. She missed the apparition emerging from the side tunnel, full-on in her path.

Her light wavered, wobbled, and fixed. She was looking into the face of a dead man.

READ IT...AND SHIVER. In Flames

Chocolate ice cream for breakfast again!

If you're a novelist, looking for a September challenge, consider the Brava erotic novella contest. I've written 5000 words - only problem is, none of it is erotic (LOL!)! Sorry, but I consider that really funny.

I'm also working on a very chaste story, which I'm liking ever so much better. This is a YA novel in my Elf Chronicles, for a Random competition. If it's considered, great, but if not, I've got the next book in the Chronicles. I promised myself I'd write it this year anyway, so here goes.

I've finished Art & Soul, and it's heading off to a publisher either tomorrow or next week. Then, it's just BoneSong to rewrite, and the usual edits for my publishers. Yay!

Back to work. Fortified with chocolate ice cream, I shall prevail!

Cheers,
ND | Melody
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