So, I finished THE CRAFT OF THE WISE 3 last night. Whew! Thanks to my fellow Cobblestone Press authors for hosting a ‘book in a week challenge’ where I got the vast majority of this story done. When I typed those lovely words (you know, "THE END"), I swore out loud to myself that today would be a non-writing day. I was going to pick up the three novels I’ve started (I know, I know) and put them all to bed tonight. Then there’s also the matter of two more ebooks I’ve acquired over the last couple of days that I want to get my paws on too. Yesterday morning though, I received a contract for a yet-to-be-written paranormal erotic romance that I’ve entitled FAR TO GO. (We’re still negotiating the terms of the contract, so it’s not *official* yet, but I don’t anticipate any hang ups.) So what does that mean? It means get my BIC (butt in chair for any non-writers out there) and start the next project. But wait!!! I was supposed to spend this week revising THE PRICE OF PLEASURE so that I could send it out and finish outlining SIN OF THE FATHER to work on for NaNo at midnight on Nov 1st. But wait!!! I said I would enter a flash fiction contest and need to jot something down for that since the deadline is in two days.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

So there. Now you see how priorities can change at the drop of a hat. I won’t even mention that I have four manuscripts out for decisions right now. If I get a contract for any of those…. Oy. I suppose all of this is a good problem to have. No complaints from me.

(well. not really.)

Today marks the one year anniversary of the adventure that has become my writing career. Six contracts signed and another six or so stories completed, so far. I’m utterly awed by what I’ve learned over the past year. I’ve come a long way from SOLDIER and can see the improvement every day. What I did out of boredom last year is now like breathing to me. Wow.

So what’s happening right now? Let’s see…

I finished THE PRICE OF PLEASURE last week. I’m going to let it marinate for a week or two before I go back and polish it off. I’ve sent it off to beta readers for comments and have already received one critique back. Great comments, so far.

I’m toying with the idea of subbing a Christmas story to a new publisher entitled TOO HOT HOLIDAY (by Morgan Sierra). Although I’ve started it, I’ve stalled myself because the publisher’s requirement of safe sex in the story. Although I have done it in the past, generally speaking, throwing in a condom is not my style. Right now, I’m wrestling with the decision of whether the issue is a deal-breaker for me. I’ll get back to you on it.

You know that I’ve sold book one of THE CRAFT OF THE WISE. Book two is actually already done. I’m holding off on subbing it because there’s something not quite right about it and I can’t put my finger on it yet. I’d rather not sub it until it’s ready than sub it half-assed and it get rejected. You know? Either way, before I sub it, I want to be further along in book three…which needs some world-building before I can move forward. It’s started though.

And then, all of a sudden, I got inspired for THE FALLEN 2. I’ve been agonizing over how to continue this story because it does need more to finish out the overall tale. Unfortunately, I’ve been stumped. Until last week that is. Now I’m on a roll.

All of these I want to finish during the month of October, because after that, it’s NaNoWriMo time, baby!! I can’t hardly wait!

I opened my email yesterday to find the one that I’ve been waiting for. It was the email that told me the upcoming release date for CAREER OPPORTUNITIES . Well (drum roll, please), if you haven’t seen it already in the fifteen other places I post, it’ll be available AUGUST 22nd ! ! Sometime between now and then, I’ll come up with a contest idea so that you can win a copy of this hot piece of erotica. Keep coming back for updates.

As for my other writing, well, my brain is just not cooperating. I have started to write two additional stories that I’ve been toying with. If you look left, you’ll see the titles: THE FALLEN 2: NEPHILIUM and BEAUTIFUL LIAR. I’m fully plotted for both stories…have everything lined up and all I have to do is type. Why is it then, the only thing I can concentrate on is THE CRAFT OF THE WISE 3: DUELING BODIES? I awoke from a sound sleep this morning with all sorts of dialog going on in my mind as well as the beginning for TCOTW 4 going full throttle. I haven’t even heard back from the publisher on the first book! I thought it would be wise to work on something else until I heard back, but I guess no such luck. Guess I’ll take advantage of my unofficial ADD and work on all three (possibly four) over the next couple of weeks. Enh. What are you gonna do?

When inspiration hits, it hits ! The interracial/May-December romance I was telling you about? Finished writing it…10K in under 48 hours. I had such a great time writing it; totally could see Damian and Shawna’s romance taking off. Anyway, I sent it off to three beta readers. One of them (who has read almost everything I’ve ever even attempted) said "I think this is your best one yet. It was a page turner…"

*Snoopy Dance*

I’m going to query a publisher about it today. Wish me luck! Until you hear more about it from me, here’s a lovely pic of Gerard Butler to drool over. Enjoy!