April Showcase of The Science Fiction Romance Brigade

Welcome to the April Showcase of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade at  http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html.  

Make sure you scoot over and visit other blogs as well-lots of very cool authors to meet.

I'm joining in today to shout out about the new adventure in the land of Faeries,Dragons, and Spaceships- WE NOW HAVE SPACESHIPS!

Yup, spaceships indeed. Warrior Wench is up for e-book pre-order and will be available as print at that time as well. 

http://goo.gl/pgwXOY

Release date is May 3rd. While there aren't any drunken faeries in this series, there are plenty of shenanigans.

To celebrate the SFR Brigade showcase, and the upcoming new baby book, I thought I'd toss an excerpt at you all.

***************

She frowned when an image of Deven entering a suite appeared on the droid’s eye-screens and focused in on the two linked metal bracelets on Deven’s right wrist. No esper above a level one could travel without them. The laws may have given them equal rights eighty years ago but that didn’t mean people felt safe around them. Which was one reason that Deven usually wore a heavy inlaid bracelet over the telepath-blocking metal bands.

“I don’t think that’s a concern. He’s not breaking any laws; you obviously have seen the bracelets.” She folded her arms and glared at the droid. Not really at the droid, more at the small army of security most likely watching her every move through the droid. “Tell me, droid, is there a problem here?”

“Not a problem. However, he will leave with you, yes?” The droid turned on a metal heel and quickly strode toward the depths of the casino where the private rooms were.

Vas jogged to keep up with it.

The droid’s sharp rap on the door lead to muffled swearing in two different languages. Which told her two things: they’d found Deven, and he wasn’t gambling for money.

Her second-in-command had many appetites.

She stepped around the droid and added her own pounding to the door. “Deven, it’s me. Get your ass out here.” She paused, then added, “Clothed. Get your clothed ass out here.” Better to be safe. He preferred stark naked.

An increase in the swearing signaled his acknowledgment of her command. The door swung open and a curvaceous blonde stumbled out of the room, a dazed glow on her face. Obviously, Deven had been the one making the extra cash in this scenario.

 Her second-in-command was next through the doorway, looking as fresh as if he’d had time for an hour-long sonic shower before he dressed. Tall, and exotic looking, Deven seemed to glow himself as he came out of the room. He’d always been good looking, but he seemed different now. She shook her head. Maybe absence did make the heart grow fonder. However, it certainly wasn’t going to make her break her rule about getting involved with a member of her crew. Or a telepath.

Deven’s sharp green eyes glinted with mild amusement at whatever he thought was going on in her head. Then he smiled and pulled his hair into a ponytail at his nape.

She hated him for always looking perfect. No matter the situation, Deven stayed calm, clean, and relaxed. Somehow she was sure he did it to piss her off. 

A Whole New World!

Ha!  How many of you are now singing Aladdin?  ;)

Today is the launch of my whole new world! Okay, the book isn't ready yet--it's still being beaten into submission--but the COVER is up and she is FIERCE!!

Before us is the awesome book cover designed by the magically gifted Aleta Rafton for the first book in The Asarlai Wars trilogy- I give to you the WARRIOR WENCH! *guns are fired, confetti floats about, cheers fill the air*

Vaslisha Tor Dain is a mercenary starship captain with a few simple rules: A good ship is better than a great man, in case of confusion always err on the side of blowing someone's head off, and never fall for a telepath or a member of her crew. 

All of those are about to bite her in the ass.

Vas’s life takes a turn for the worse when she comes back to her crew after what should have been a two week pleasure trip to find out she’s actually been gone a month and has no memory of missing time. Her beloved ship, The Victorious Dead, has been sold for scrap and its pieces scattered throughout the galaxy. Plus, there are unmarked ships blowing apart entire planets and the Commonwealth government can’t, or won’t, stop them.

And that’s just her first day back.

Vas has to fight her crew, the Commonwealth, and a mysterious cadre of warrior monks to get her ship back and save a universe that may not want to be saved.

 Coming to you in April 2016!

Standing on the edge

So this month I was working on edits for the third book in my fantasy series (The Emerald Dragon) and the first book in my space opera trilogy (The Warrior Wench). Like I said last week, I just rolled from edits on one to edits of the other.

I just sent The Warrior Wench out to beta readers. Tonight I’ll be starting on the final rounds for The Emerald Dragon and hope to have it ready by end of month.

But right now I’m looking out over the edge of a great abyss. Soon, very very soon, I need to start drafting book four in the fantasy series (The Sapphire Manticore- cover coming soon!) and The Victorious Dead- the second book in the space opera-aka The Asarlaí Wars Trilogy.

I have two massive worlds of my own making before me, and I can go wherever I want.

It is a pretty damn cool feeling, lemme tell you.

Is it scary?—hell yes!  I’m always terrified that I won’t figure out where in the heck I’m going. But starting a brand new book?  For me that is probably one of the greatest feelings around. And in the next six months I get to do two of them :).

So today I’m waving at you from the edge of madness and creativity, wondering if perhaps I’ve taken a step too far, but excited about it nonetheless.

Find something scary and fun to do everyday.

IWSG# "It's what I DO!"

Welcome to the first Wednesday of a new month and The Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog-o-rama!

This is where writers from all across the land join up and post blogs about our writing fears, hopes, dreams.  Join us!  http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

So today's blog post might be a bit of a rambler. I've just sent the third book in The Lost Ancients series (The Emerald Dragon for those of you playing at home ;)) to some first round beta readers. Now I'm editing the first book in my space opera trilogy-The Warrior Wench, a book I wrote a while ago and haven't really looked at in about a year and a half. I'm also jotting down plans for the next three books in The Lost Ancients series and slight, ever so slight plans for the second book in the space opera. To make things more messed up, The Lost Ancients series is the only one of my books in first person. So when I switched to editing The Warrior Wench I wrote an entire page in first person...in the middle of a book written in third person. 

SIGH.

 Needless to say, with all of that, and the full-time evil day job, things in life are a bit rambly right now, so it makes sense this post would be. Hmmm, maybe I can start a new trend, using rambly everyday. "I'm so sorry, you've caught me at a very rambly time, could I get back to you next week?"  
It could catch on.

Anywho- as I was saying, I have a lot going on. Recently someone noticed and asked why I did so much. Why didn't I slow down with my writing. I'm self-published, I don't have to get books out at a set time. I'm sure the look on my face was total horror.

Me: "Because I have to write, I have to edit."

Them: "But why? You're spending almost all of your free time working on one of your books."

Me: *sputtering* "Because...because...it's what I DO!"

Now, don't get me wrong, I still spend way too much time watching TV (trying to keep it down to an hour a day). But I do spend a lot of time on my writing. I love it. Even when I hate it, I love it. But more importantly, it's become part of who I am. I didn't even think when I shipped off The Emerald Dragon last Saturday-I dove right into The Warrior Wench immediately. No taking time off, no relaxing. To be honest, it didn't even dawn on me.

Writing is what I do. It's where my head and heart go whenever given a chance. I love creating new worlds, new characters, and new shenanigans for them to get into.

So I may be a bit frizzed and rambly write now--but I love it :).

Have a great IWSG day!

FREE COPY of The Glass Gargoyle!

For a very VERY limited time- you can enter to win a FREE paper copy of The Glass Gargoyle!

The faeries were out and about drinking, as they do, and ended up offering three copies for FREE (including shipping, ya'all).

RUN here and enter!

https://goo.gl/lXLlEC

Then share with your friends, the drunkards, er, faeries, and I thank you :).

Confessions of a pantser....plotter?

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know that I am a pantser. Now, that doesn't mean I run around stealing pants off people--at least not usually. It means that I write by the seat of my pants (pantser was coined, I believe, by Stephen King- aka the Big Pantser Kahuna). Aka--I don't outline.

I do have an idea where things are going to end up, and just who will be involved and possibly tortured. However, I don't sit down and plot it all out. It's just not how my brain works, and since I've finished seven books, that was how I figured I'd stay.

Don't get me wrong- I am in AWE of authors who plot. I have a few friends who are serious masters at that and I just watch them like one would a magician, "how do they DO that?!" (They may or may not think similar thoughts when they see my mad, insane, "Let's just run and see where this baby takes us" style. But I think theirs is more filled with terror.)

However, as I'm wading through the edits of book three of this six book series, I am having to admit that I may actually....have to plot. *looks around for the hordes of fellow pantsers who may charge forward at any moment*

Keep in mind, this isn't a six-book series where each book is related but not dependent on each other. This is a giant story that has been cut up into six manageable chunks. Think Lord of the Rings style- you can't take the books out of order. Well, you could but it wouldn't be much fun.

That means that I have a story arc for each book that also has to feed in and support the BIG arc. I think a six book series is called a hexology...or a sextet but no one seems to be sure. Whatever it is, it's big, it's technically a single piece with six moving parts, and I may have reached the end of my ability to fully pants within it.

There is so much going on with this, so many things that have to be put in place, say in book four or five for a payoff in the final book, that I am resorting to rough outlining for the rest of the series. It will still be vague, more like buoys that mark the path through the ocean, but I will be plotting.

Guess I'm going to be a plantser.

#IWSG-Exposure

Welcome all, to another monthly entry into as the book turns....er...the Insecure Writer's Support Group ;). A growing and dynamic group of writers out to support each other- join us!

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/  


 Today is really more a post about getting exposure to the creative world as writers (or other creative folks), as opposed to my usual IWSG monthly post about what I'm freaking out about now ;). There is plenty of that for later, but today I'd like to talk about getting exposure!

I'm not talking about getting exposure for your book, or building your brand or platform, I'm talking about going out into the world and mingling with other writers and creative folks. 

Writing is very solitary and many of us writerly folks are on the more introverted end of the social scale. But getting out there both professionally and just as a fangirl is important to our well-being.

There are different types of writer conventions and groups all over the place. I've been to the SDSU writers conf many times; Santa Barbara Writers Conf, La Jolla Writer's conf, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's conf. All professional writers conferences and all awesome. Chances are, there is one not too far from you, or in an area you could tag on to a vacation ;).

This year (in order of appearance ;)) I'll be going to ConDor this month- a local, cozy, very literary SF/F convention here in San Diego. It's fun and they often have really wonderful authors in a small setting. This will be my second ConDor.

Then in April, I'll be in Las Vegas for the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention. This is big, loud, and vibrant. There are some great writer and business panels, as well as parties (Including this awesome one called the Paranormal Dragon Den of Magical Mayhem- hosted by myself and seven very cool authors- if you're going to be there, and you lean towards fantasy and paranormal- this is YOUR party to attend! And we have books and swag! *ends shameless plug now*This will be my fourth RT.

In July, I will be attending RWA's National Conference. It's here in San Diego, how could I not!  Very craft and business oriented, this will be my first one and I'm looking forward to it.

FOUR days after RWA, in the same part of town, will be the monster of them all- Comic Con International. Just me and 150,000 or so of my closest friends. This will be my 20+ time for this one- but my first time as a PRO (that whole author thing :)). This convention has everything and more, and always inspires my creative energy.

I have a pretty busy collection here, and all four are different. Some will be very craft oriented, others just creative madness. But the point is to get out there and go to something, or somethings. Mingle with other writers and creative folks. Sit in on panels that might make a dozen light bulbs go off in your head.

Get some exposure to the creative world!