Condoms aren’t completely safe. A friend of mine was wearing one and got hit by a bus. ~Bob Rubin
I needed a laugh, and thought I’d share that quote. OK, so revisions are a PIA. Or let me qualify that. Going through my CP’s crits and taking what I want and making the notes is a PIA. Don’t get me wrong, I love my CP’s, :sunggle:they really catch crap, it’s just tedious work, sifting through it, especially when one of them (clearing throat Edie Ramer :page:) has a fixation with the color red. Mucho thanks ladies, you know I like it when you get down and dirty. Now once I have all of their crits back, and notes made, then the fun part begins for me. I print out the rough revised version and start to really layer. The story is strong but there are several kinks I need to iron out. I hope to have it complete and in my editor’s hands by mid October.
I was guest blogger over at SlayYour Demons.com, Julie Kenner’s blog, go check it out.
I feel so bad, many of my writer friends who have read it think I’m talking about them. :talktothehand:I’M NOT! It’s my family (you know who you are) and clueless friends (you know who you are) who drive me crazy. :cursing: My writer friends who are also friends are angels. So please those of you who are offended, don’t be. I love you. :drunk: But you others, the ones who bug the crap out of me, get your own freakin’ sword and slay your own damn demons. :starwars2:
lol, didn’t realize I still had that bit or rant left in me.
OK, so, now, I’m off to input more crits from my world champion CP’s.
BTW, if you don’t have stellar CP’s, you’re missing out. Do yourself a favor and hunt for a good one. While they are hard to come by, once found they’re worth their weight in gold.
Write on,

K*

Today is a great day. I completed my first draft of GOOD GIRL GONE BAD. :party: I’m already up to my armpits in revisions. I like this story and the characters. It’s strong, sexy and fast paced. Well, there are few sloggy areas, but they will get axed in the revisions process. So many loose ends to tie up, and so little time. I was really hoping to have this to my editor next week, but it looks like I’ll come in at the agreed upon delivery date of November.
The good news is, I can write on cue. Even if it’s crap, I can go back and fix during revisions.
My next book is due for delivery Feb ‘06. Oh the pressure.
Write on chicas and chicos,

K*

OK, so, I’m heading down the home stretch with GGGB. Despite the fact that my husband and sons are in season (football) so the earth stops and Mom, yes me, has to pick up all of the slack or they don’t’ eat or wear clean clothes. Basically since it’s school and football from the time the sun rises to its setting either I feed them and play Mom to the hilt or they die of starvation and go to school stinking up the place.:wallbash:
So, I hired my 22 year old daughter (22 tomorrow) to cook three nights a week, do my weekly grocery shopping, and run errands.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m lucky to be able to afford her and luckier still she’s agreeable (she’s graciously working me in between classes and work [Did I mention I had to kick in a new room do? New sheets, comforter, mattress, furniture, and beaded walk in closet doorway?]). It was worth it. A load of pressure has been lifted off my shoulders. :elephant:It was starting to get to me. Deadlines, cooking, my office, and just life in general. I felt like James Bond in one of those rooms where the evil psychopath pushes a button and the walls start closing in from all angles. I’m so glad I didn’t get pulverized. So, here I am, happily blogging, and nearly done with my first draft of Good Girl Gone Bad.
So this entire blog brings me to this question: When you absolutely have to write and the world (IE our beloved families) conspire against us, what do you do? How do you persevere?
Writing on,
K*

“One thing I’ve learned in all these years is not to make love when you really don’t feel like it; there ’s probably nothing worse you can do to yourself than that.” Norman Mailer

It’s also in my opinion, the worst thing you can do to a great story. I’ve read too many so called sexy books where sex is injected at random with no thought given to the characters readiness or the readers intelligence. I truly believe it’s because of these types of stories erotic romance gets a bad rap even from within the romance genre as a whole. Just because I write hot cops who have hot jungle love doesn’t mean they are of less character than those in a romantic suspense or inspirational. In fact, I find I work harder at their characterization to validate the hot love scenes. Going straight to the sex sans the emotion and sans a reason (and hell yes, sport fucking is a reason, but give me the reason, don’t insert sex here) in my opinion makes for bad reading.
Sex sells is true. Publishers world wide are counting on this to promote books and make some money. I wrote sexy stories long before they became en vogue, and I like to think my characters had something to say about where, when and how, not marketing.
Characterization is crucial. You can have a story with a lite plot, but with strong characterization it can be a heart-pounding, page-turning read. When the characters are shallow and one dimensional even with the greatest plot ever written, to me it’s a yawner. I want to be emotionally pulled into a book. Sex, lovemaking, flirting, foreplay, for me involves emotions. Cerebral foreplay is so damn sexy I can’t stand it. I love it, and am working diligently on honing that aspect of my characterization. It doesn’t all have to be about cock and pussy.
The book I’m writing for Pocket right now is tagged erotic suspense. My characters do not have sex, (not making love, but in your face up against the wall, sex :evil2:) until page 210 or so. Any earlier and it would have been insert sex here. That said, there is some serious cerebral foreplay going on as well as physical foreplay. I couldn’t wait to get these two between the sheets. :sunggle: Well they do eventually get between the sheets but have a couple of venues they hit before that, but what I’m saying is, sex before it’s time does not make it worth a readers time. I like that, I’ll make it my new mantra.
So, on that note I’d like to hear from those of you who read erotic romance to chime in with your favorite reads and why. I’m dying to pick up a book I won’t throw across the room.
In the mean time, write on.

K*

Ain’t I sexy? Thank you Justin Knupp! :cheerleader: More on Justin’s media company when I have more info. But I can tell you this much, if you want anything customized as in this blog, a web site designed and built from scratch, he ‘da man. If he didn’t shoot me, a puter dummy of the highest order, then he can survive anyone. So stand by for his site addy.
Since I write Hot Cops, which equates to erotic romance, I figured it was only fair of me to share some fun sexy facts and fiction along with my new look. So with subsequent posts I’ll be providing a little tidbit before each blog entry.
And, by all means if you have a sexy fact, definition or saying please share, but let’s not get too raunchy.
Now, if you have a sexy dilemma you need help with, email Siren. The irreverent diva deals with those situations with a lite, humorous, and yes, sometimes snarky twist. And since she has absolutely no professional credentials whatsoever, and only her own sexcapades to draw from, her responses should be taken in the fun vein they are intended.
Think Mae West in the 21 Century. Siren will post a weekly Q&A. If you don’t ask her, she can’t share her worldly knowledge. And she promises not to out anyone, your addy is safe with her.
So, with all of that said, there’s been a lot going on in my publishing life. I received my page proofs last week. Very simple. Circle the typo, write correction in the margin, send back to production editor. Simple.
Next in the journey to the bookstore shelf, the galley’s. Did I mention I’m so tired of this story I could scream? I still love Stevie and Jack, but for the love of God, I really want them to take a vacation.
On a personal note, my son Will the Thrill, rushed (as in running yards he carried the ball, as in football for those of you unfamiliar with the term) for nearly 200 yards last week. :cooldance: When he gets the ball, it’s like watching a gazelle zigzag and jump through the bush. Will has so many zigzag spin moves he makes your eyes cross. When a linebacker dives for his knees, the kid just hops over like he’s running a hurdle relay. We won 35-0.
Number one son who is the starting left guard (a linemen position in the game of football for those of you unfamiliar with the term) on his college team had a stellar game Saturday night, until he was ejected for a late hit. Um, yeah, not my proudest moment. We won 32-0.
I hope you all like the new look. Comments as always are welcome, and hopefully everyone’s will get through now.
Write on.
K*

PS I stole the emotion icons from Writeminded. :evil2: Actually Justin did.