by Sarah | Sep 7, 2015 | Books, Challenge, The Tribe, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is this moon picture.
With picture prompts come the word limit of 300 words, which is usually a challenge for me. This time I managed to come in under and say all I wanted to for this particular piece.
The moon immediately led me to my Urban Fantasy series, The Tribe. I decided to jump a ways ahead to book 4 (though I’m still in the middle of 3) because that’s what the picture called me to do.
So here it is. Morgan has been mentioned but not introduced, so I thought I’d introduce her with this week’s Tuesday Tales:
She stood on a rise overlooking the entire main village and the lake and fields beyond. The full moon hovered close in the sky, the symbol of all the Tribe was, what she was supposed to be. But she was unique, special, so much more than them. Her body didn’t cave to the power of the moon, it didn’t send her in screaming pain if she didn’t change. She was so much more.
In the distance a Wolf howled long and loud, the echo carrying through the hills and valleys of the protected forest. Another Wolf joined, deeper and richer. The pair stood together on a distant hill, joined in Spirit as the rumors went, more so than many other mates.
On the full moon so many of the Tribe would Shift into their animal. All around her in the forests they ran, predator and prey, doing as the moon bid them. Save but two Shifters, that was. Herself and the precious one.
The one like her here, one that knew not of her existence, one that was so much the same, they were hardly different, save for some very important details.
Morgan was not the apple of their parents’ eye. Morgan wasn’t soft. Morgan was predator to the simpering Kimi’s scavenging prey. Morgan was a secret that had yet to be revealed, while Kimi had reveled in the love of their parents for some time.
Morgan was other.
Kimi was blind in her safety.
Morgan knew more than Kimi ever could. Morgan knew the truth of what they were, what they would never be, and what would be the end of all the Tribe held dear.
For it would be her.
*~*
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by Sarah | Sep 1, 2015 | Books, General, Publishing Credits, Secret Cravings Publishing, Writing
In July of 2012 I was a little bit tired.
After seven years of trying this publishing gig, I had all but given up hope. Five years on my first series and a little over two on my second had worn me down.
Secret Cravings Publishing took a chance on me, they offered me a contract on Changing Tracks in July of 2012. My book saw the published light of day in February of 2013 and even received an honorable mention RONE award.
Seventeen books later and I am still proud to say I am an SCP author.
I have met some fabulous people that I call friends. I have met some skilled people that have taught me many things. I have met an editor that I will hold on to with all my might until I near that “Misery” level of stalking (at which point I will apologize and slink away).
Mostly, I have had a publisher that has had my back, has answered my questions quickly, has worked the trenches with me, and always kept its authors informed. In this sometimes messy world of publishing, every single one of those things is so important.
Yesterday SCP’s owner, Sandy, posted a message to us all to let us know she was, effective September 1st, closing Secret Cravings doors.
It was a heartbreaking message for her, and for us authors. Of course, we will be sad to see our books taken down, but they can be restored. What will be missed is the support of the staff, the community of authors, and the stability of a house that communicated with us at every turn.
Secret Cravings has been a great house to work for. I haven’t had a bit of complaint in my dealings with them. I know many others that haven’t been able to say the same about where they’ve been.
I can only hope that in my further endeavors in the publishing world I can find a house as good.
Thank you, SCP for taking a chance on me.
by Sarah | Jul 20, 2015 | Books, Challenge, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is Tiger.
Well, there’s the problem with writing short books, they really don’t last long in Tuesday Tales. I just put my first one in last week, and now Haunted Hearts is done in my files. This week’s scene comes from the last chapter.
Jenna and Bryce have finally decided to try this dating thing and have been going out for about 2 weeks. Kyle is Bryce’s cousin and friend:
If anyone had told Jenna as little as three weeks ago she’d be in her current situation, she’d have told them they were insane. As it happened, though, Kyle now sat across from her in her own kitchen.
When Bryce had shown up that morning, he’d had a pained look on his handsome features moments before Kyle had popped his head around the corner. Bryce had managed only a whispered apology before Kyle had started enthusiastic conversation about the search through the videos for proof of ghosts from their hunt.
Since Bryce was pretty busy during the week and Jenna herself had her weekends booked through Halloween, they’d had only a few short hours to do anything with the tapes. Of course, they’d also wanted some time to try this dating thing.
After some time talking about the one video tape they’d managed to get through, Kyle turned the discussion to his Halloween party.
Bryce’s brow furrowed. “Kyle. I don’t think that’s going to work. Jenna doesn’t do parties and I really don’t feel like going, not that I ever have before.”
“Come on, everyone is in costume. No one will care.” Kyle looked pointedly at Jenna. “It’ll be so much fun.”
A familiar knot settled in her stomach at the idea of a party. So many people. She sighed and shook her head. “I usually don’t have fun in crowds.”
“But we could dress up.” Kyle grinned wickedly.
Over Bryce’s groan, she tried another protest, “But I wouldn’t even know where to begin on a costume.”
“Well.” Kyle pointed to each of them in turn. “There’s three of us. So we could be a lion, a tiger, and a bear.”
Jenna just stared at him, unsure what even to do with that. The longer she sat the more Kyle nodded, actually waving her on.
Bryce shook his head with a sigh. “I think you were supposed to say ‘oh my’.”
“Right.” The phrase clicked in her head, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Kyle, you are a sad, sad man. You know that, right?”
“I do.” Kyle finished off his coffee. “At least tell me you’ll think about it.”
“That’s the most I can give you.” Jenna glanced at Bryce, who smiled warmly. She turned back to Kyle. “But I just don’t know. I don’t like crowds, at all. A Halloween party seems like a bad idea to me.”
“Crowd, schmowd. It’ll be a small, intimate affair. Ten, twenty, fifty of my closest friends at most.” Kyle winked.
“Ten, sure. It’s that fifty that bothers me.”
Bryce reached out to squeeze Jenna’s hand. “Just get out of here, Kyle. Jenna and I are busy today, I told you that.”
That day was supposed to be the first time they were able to spend a significant amount of time together. They’d planned on making good use of it, although Bryce was being hush hush about his ideas for what to do that would keep them away from big crowds.
Kyle rolled his eyes and pushed to his feet. “Yeah, yeah. I know, you told me.”
Jenna smirked. “You aren’t as put out as you want to be. You’re too happy for him.”
Bryce’s grin grew when Kyle stopped to eye her.
Kyle frowned slightly. “How’d you know that?”
“A good guess?” Jenna grinned at Bryce’s snort.
“Right.” Kyle kept one eye on her as he left the room.
When the door closed, Bryce chuckled. “It’s not often I see him speechless.”
“Well, he earned it today.”
*~*
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by Sarah | Jul 12, 2015 | Books, Challenge, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is this picture.
Due to time constraints, we’re jumping to the 12th book my Holidays at Lake Point series, Haunted Hearts.
Jenna Vogel is a bank teller with a side job as the host of the town’s ghost tours. She also has a secret, she’s a sensitive, which is how she manages to help people get evidence on almost every single tour.
Bryce is a lawyer with a secret as well…despite his well established reputation around town as a man-whore who can, and does, sleep with anything with boobs…he’s actually the opposite. His cousin spreads the rumors and he actually encourages them b/c he’s had his heart broken one too many times.
Bryce just moved to town and had never met Jenna before, but spots her out one day at The Diner. His cousin notices his instant attraction to the blonde and sets the up on a tour. The next evening, Bryce goes for a run at the local park and here is the all-too-brief, but in the 300 word count limit result:
The narrow dirt path wound through the thick of woods for two miles before emerging on a small tree lined lane at the back of the park. He swung around the path and back to the bridge to cross over into the main park. As he rounded the path to the bridge he stopped short in surprise.
In the middle of the bridge stood Jenna. Her arms draped casually over the side, a breeze stirring her curls as her eyes closed. Again that sexy, secretive smirk played across her lips.
His lungs seized up reminding him that he’d stopped in the middle of a good run, and that he’d managed to stop breathing altogether.
He gulped in air, bending over as his body coughed in retaliation for the world’s worst way to stop running. Both his hands pressed hard against his knees, his chest bowing at each heaving gasp until he managed to get himself together.
That’s when he noticed hands on his back, and Jenna’s quiet voice seeped into his awareness. “Are you all right?”
He nodded fiercely and held up a finger to let her know he needed another second. Once he was sure he could speak without hacking up another lung, he managed to stand. “Sorry.”
“If you wanted my attention you really only had to say hello.”
“I thought I’d go for the drama tactic.” He laughed when she did. “I mean, if that hadn’t work I could have tried breaking my ankle, now that would’ve really had you running.”
“Maybe in the opposite direction. I don’t handle others pain well.” She cringed, a delicate wrinkle forming in her nose when she did. “Your coughing fit was difficult enough, if there’s real pain I get sick.”
“Is that so?”
*~*
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by Sarah | Jul 9, 2015 | Books, Changing Tracks, Goals, Holiday, The Tribe, Writing
Yesterday on Facebook I saw a post from a fellow author. I can’t remember who or the exact words, but it was along the lines of:
I don’t every write anything down when it comes to my stories. When the idea hits me I just sit down and write.
I read that post and I literally said out loud, “I miss doing that. So much.”
Throughout the day the statement stuck with me. All day long and into the evening.
I thought about my goals for the rest of this year and my plans for 2016.
Then I thought about what it felt like a few years ago when I would just sit down and write and write some more. About how at times I could crank out 300k in a matter of three months. When I would snatch onto an idea and sit and write without interruption. Sure, some rewriting/reworking was necessary, but it was so freeing to sit at a keyboard and just go.
I realized that I’d already said I’m doing 5 books next year. I considered my stack of books I really want to write that have been neglected for deadlines. Then I went back to my steady stream of set release dates and contracted works I’ve had for the past two years.
See, when I started Lake Point, I wrote a stand-alone.
Santa, Maybe was written as a stand-alone story, but I loved the town so much I immediately made plans and a submission for 5 more stories to round it out to a full year.
Then, before 2014 was half over I had another proposal in for another 7 in the series.
SEVEN.
That’s seven books this year.
Yes they’re short and I can write them quickly, but those deadlines loom over my head.
I love my little town, and the people in it, but the obligation and looming deadlines are interrupting the other stories I want desperately to write.
So after Mistletoe Mixup (December 2015), the Holidays in Lake Point series is, well, taking a holiday. For at least six months, maybe a year. I have stories in mind for this little town, but I need to be free for a while.
Maybe without looming deadlines you’ll see more from this town in 2017. I just don’t know. I do know the series is NOT finished. I’ll know more after I’ve had some time to breathe and write some other stories that are screaming in my head.
What will I be working on?
Well, I had been planning on releasing my Tribe series this fall, but now I think those will dominate 2016. I have three written, one edited, and am about halfway through book 4, with two more planned to follow. I’d like to release them in rapid succession, so long as my editor and I can get on the same page, I hope for those to all be edited to be released in quick succession next year.
The town of Dominion Falls will hopefully both get new books, and some revamping of the old.
Say what? Yup, you read that right. In a recent re-read of the series I found some errors and some scenes I’d like to deepen. So I’m planning an overhaul of the first three books (and perhaps some cover modifications for the first two books). Those are also planned for next year, perhaps in time for the Dominion Falls series birthday in February.
PLUS, I hope to finally sit and write books 5.5, 6, & 7 in the series. 5.5 will likely feature a certain former Pinkerton and his lady love.
On top of that, well, if you saw my goals list, it’s pretty impressive. I have many books in mind, I have two series that have been waiting patiently for me to give them attention, and one that’s had a book published and seen no love since.
I have plenty to keep me busy, that’s for sure.
But I’m looking forward to it.
It’s kind of scary not having the set release dates and steady stream of assured business.
I guess I’ll just have to work harder at promo to make sure those books still get plenty of love.
But even without Lake Point it won’t be a quiet year, and it won’t be slow, either.
I’m excited to just sit and write.
by Sarah | Jul 2, 2015 | Books, General, Goals, Writing
Whoosh, this year is flying by! I can’t believe it is officially half over.
My goals for this year were crazy lofty, and I have slacked off on so very many of them. In the past month I’ve really pushed to getting back into the game again. Words and ideas are flowing wonderfully now. Only thing I’m lacking is the time to put them into motion.
So without further ado or ramblings from my overworked brain…here’s the update!
First, the overall goals to set the tone for the year…
- I’ve challenged myself to write 600,000 words in 2015. (really slacking. Only 198k as of 7/2/15)
- I will build my audience and work harder at promotion – including tours for my three series during the year. (Improving my numbers all the time. Have a great PR company getting my books out there. Had good numbers for a couple of months. The upcoming months will get even better.)
- I will regain my focus. (Finally making ground. Not perfect, but as my day job hours ease up again, and the craziness of my life eases a teeny bit, this will improve)
- I will detail at least one of the new series I have listed to play with. (Still nada. Maybe soon)
- I will decide by July if I’ll continue in Lake Point through 2016. (I did, I did! I am moving into 2016.)
- I will plan the 2016 books and have my proposal into the publisher by August 1st (one month? Yikes!)
And next is my list of projects. The books in ORANGE are current works-in-progress. Books in RED are completed. Books in BLUE are new adds!
- Free Falling (Holidays in Lake Point 10) – 30k (done 2/28)
- Love for Hire (Holidays in Lake Point 11) – 30k (done 3/31)
- Haunted Hearts (Holidays in Lake Point 12) – 30k (2000 words)
- Mistletoe Mixup (Holidays in Lake Point 13) – 30k
- Into a Mirror Darkly (Morgana Chronicles 1) – 100k (~10k done)
- Switchback (Dominion Falls 6) – 100k
- Dead Man’s Switch (Dominion Falls 7) – 100k
- The Virgin Madam (Dominion Falls 5.5) – 20k (This one is possible, but not definite)
- The Raven (The Tribe #4) – 85k (40,131 words)
- The Child (The Tribe #5) – 85k
- The Town (The Tribe #6) – 85k
- Escaping Humanity (Co-authoring w/ Mary Terrani) – 80k (54k done)
- Changing Tracks (revamping/updating) – 100k
- Derailed (revamping/updating) – 100k
- Dark Territory (revamping/updating) – 100k
It feels good to be working again. I really hope that by next month I’ve got some good changes to my numbers. I do have to write Haunted Hearts ASAP as it’s due to the publisher in a month. At least I have the cover done. Now just to get the words on the page!
Speaking of which, time to get back to writing.
