Hope all of you are doing great. This past week has been more of the usual craziness--I know we all face it one way or another! I'm *so* close to being caught up on my email that it's like the light at the end of the tunnel drawing near! I was as much as 3 months behind.
I have a wonderful assistant now, Tracey, who helps me tremendously in various areas and her assistance is allowing me to do things like catch up on email.
And write! I've started DARK MAGIC, the 5th and final book in the "Magic" series. Bittersweet, yes. I've enjoyed the D'Anu witches, D'Danann warriors, the Paranormal Special Forces, and other beings that visit San Francisco from Otherworld. WICKED MAGIC comes out August 28th and the hero, a big, gruff, warrior is plagued by a tiny, teasing Faerie. :-)
The 5th book is the Captain of the Paranormal Special Forces--Jake Macgregor--and one of the D'Anu witches, which I'll save as a surprise, because she's a mystery that needs to be solved. :-) I'm excited to work on DARK MAGIC today, because as my writing partner, Annie Windsor says about me: "I get to blow shit up." I have so much fun writing battle scenes and sex scenes. *g* When in doubt, start blowing things up.
After DARK MAGIC, I'll be working on revising a contemporary suspense, formerly known as WILD BORDERS--the hero is a Border Patrol Agent, and the heroine is a reporter. I have to admit that Rick, the hero of WB is one of my favorite heroes, if not my favorite. I don't know what the new title will be, yet, but I'll keep you informed. :-)
After WB, I start FIRST SIN, the first in a contemporary series featuring a heroine named Lexi. Nick from CHOSEN PREY will be in this series.
My name is Sarah Dearly, and I've got major problems. Last month, I was turned into a vampire by the world's worst blind date. Then I may have, totally by accident, started a war between the mostly peaceful bloodsuckers and a bunch of sociopathic vamp hunters who have nicknamed me the Slayer of Slayers. Now I'm being used as bait to draw out the hunters' bad-ass leader, while my gorgeous 600-year-old boyfriend Thierry seems to be blowing me off, and my sizzle-hot, fanged friend Quinn is trying to turn my self-defense lessons into make-out sessions. So you know what? I'm done. I've had it. There comes a time when a vamp has to just suck it up and go after what she wants. And as soon as I figure out what that is, that's exactly what I'll do...
Michelle Rowen is a self-confessed bibliophile, Reality TV junkie, and is well known for making a mean pot of Kraft Dinner. Her debut title, BITTEN & SMITTEN, was a Waldenbooks bestseller and the 2007 HOLT Medallion winner for “Best First Book.” Michelle lives in Mississauga, Ontario, and is currently hard at work on her next fantastical novel.
REVIEWS
"What's a new vampire to do? Win a lot of readers with her upbeat persistence, that's for sure. You can't put "Fanged & Fabulous" down." – NYT Bestselling Author Charlaine Harris
"Four stars! an exciting, action-packed and often humorous tale…a great addition to Rowen's vampire series. " – Romantic Times BOOKreviews
"Rowen has done it again. She has written another wonderfully amusing, suspenseful story.It’s terrific!!" – Romance Reviews
Now wouldn't you like to take a subway ride with this FDNY firefighter? Yum.
Been keeping busy not keeping up. I did get some changes made for SHADOW MAGIC that will be important when I write DARK MAGIC. Which I'm supposed to have already started this week. Ah-hem. As soon as I get my house picked up for the cleaners, and take my shower, etc., I need to head on out to a cafe and WRITE.
This afternoon I need to take our 3 dogs to the vet to get their yearly shots & vet visit. They're gonna looooove that. I hope to get some writing done before I need to take off.
Here's a really funny rejection spoof that was posted to one of my loops. Enjoy!
Okay, so technically he's not in uniform. But hey, football players wear uniforms, he just forgot his.
Had a nice, quiet 4th of July. I putzed around fixing my email accounts and am transferring everything to using Outlook as my desktop email client rather than the one I was using, which will eliminate several problems. It's just a pain to start with. :-) I have a zillion folders filled with email in my old program, and my dh is going to try to transfer them, but we'll see how that works out.
I also loaded more music onto my new Zen (like an iPod) because I want one in the car and one in my house. I've gotten to where I can't stand to listen to commercials. Ugh.
During one of my infamous naps, I came up with a killer story thread that I'm excited about. Most of my major book ideas come from taking naps. No kidding!
So today . . . well, you've already heard it. Lots to get caught up with that I'm finding ways to procrastinate doing and practicing a lot of avoidance.
Hope you all are having a wonderful Independence Day!
With my family, we're just going to keep it casual and BBQ, maybe watch some movies. I went to Target last night and found some great (a little bit older) movies for $5.50 and $7.50 and $14.00 and bought about 10. Some of them I've never seen, where others I'd love to watch again, like Men in Black. It was only $5.50--worth far more than that just because of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones--two of my favorite actors. I'd have to say that my favorite actor of all is Will Smith. Others include Tommy, Harrison Ford, and I'm getting old because my mind is going blank and I can't think of any others. LOL.
In relation to the 4th of July--really a coincidence that it was the day before Independence Day, I wrote on Freedom of Speech. I posted yesterday about Freedom of Speech at The Midnight Hour. This was a follow-up post to 11 Editors and Agents on Websites and Public Dissing. I had one response to my post about Freedom of Speech that sorta puzzled me, because the post had nothing to do with me--I was trying to answer someone's comment on another blog about the lack of Freedom of Speech if agents and editors look down on slamming people on the web--it's called Freedom of Choice. I guess it's all a matter of interpretation--my post, her response, and my response back to her. Her comment was directed at me, and how I need to toughen up and so on. The whole issue has nothing to do with my being upset, because I wasn't. It has to do with the comment and how yes, everyone has the right to speak their mind. *But* that doesn't mean an editor or agent has to like it, therefore they exercise their right to Freedom of Choice.
Funny how I keep saying I'm going to post more. :-) What's going on around here... It's just busy work right now. Alllll of the stuff I don't wanna do that I've been griping about for 2 months that I couldn't seem to find time to do. I think after the insanity of the past 3 months, I need a little down time and I'm putzing around while catching up on mail, my gigantic "to do" list, and my hundreds of emails. I hired an assistant, whom I adore, and I hope to get better at keeping up with her help.
I think I'll give myself this week of down time, and start DARK MAGIC on Monday. I have the book spinning around in my mind and it's just a matter of getting it down on "paper" or rather in a computer doc.
If I haven't mentioned it, DARK MAGIC will be the 5th and final book in the "Magic" series. The 3rd book comes out August 28th, WICKED MAGIC, and what I like to call book 3 1/2 comes out in the "No Rest For the Witches" anthology in October (with MaryJanice Davidson, Lori Handeland, and Christine Warren.) My novella is BREATH OF MAGIC and is a story from the "Magic" world. Book 4, SHADOW MAGIC comes out next May, and then in the fall will be DARK MAGIC. It will be bittersweet to end the series, leaving old friends.
But it will be exciting, too, because I'll be starting 2 new series with "new worlds" that I think will be exciting to immerse myself in. One will be a contemporary suspense series set in Boston, and will be a continuity series with the same heroine, who's in law enforcement, in each book. It will not be a romance series--It will have romantic elements.
The other series is an urban fantasy series, set in Houston of all places, and the heroine--I swear I channeled her in the proposal with the first chapter and synopsis. Both heroines are kick-ass, but the heroine of the urban fantasy series is beyond kick-ass. You'll have to see. :-)
Well, I totally need to update my "World of the Paranormal" section because it is soooo outdated. That will have to be one of the things I tackle this week to catch up on!
Does all this chatter make up for being so absent over the past few weeks? :-) I think in every post I say I'm going to try to be better. I will try, but no promises anymore! LOL.
Had fun in Sedona with my friend and am exhausted and behind on everything. But had lots of fun! Hope to be back with you tomorrow and get back to posting regularly.
One of my critique partners is visiting from NJ (I'm in AZ) and today we're going to Sedona, which is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from here. Too bad we had too many apple martinis last night or we might feel like leaving a little earlier. :-) It's before 8 a.m. here as I write this. I have a feeling it's going to be a while before we get going.
11 top agents and editors in publishing speak on public disisng and professional websites
I briefly interviewed the top agents and editors in publishing about this subject and posted their responses on The Midnight Hour. Hope you find it as interesting as I did!
MEN in Uniform of the week #25 & the missing author speaks
Why have one at a time when you can have . . . .
How have you all been? Chey hasn't been out to play very much lately. It seems I've made it over here all of once a week for a while with our man or men of the week. Sheesh.
Been massively overwhelmed, to the point I escaped to that resort and left real life behind for a few days--with the exception of bringing my revision to work on and a book to read for quote. And getting stuck in an elevator, but you've heard all that.
And now I want to leave again.
But that's another story, another dream.Today the cleaners are coming, so of course we have to clean the house first. (They*do* have to be able to have surfaces to clean.) Then I have office work that has GOT to be done that I've been once again facing for weeks.
But, Three terrific things:
Yesterday I sent the revision for SHADOW MAGIC, the 4th book in the series, to my editor. Wooohooo! That's done!
I wrote the synopsis for DARK MAGIC, "Magic" book number 5, on Wednesday morning, sent it off, and yesterday my editor said she loves it! Yaaaaaaaaaaay! DM will be the last book of the series--it is coming full circle and I'm already enjoying thinking about writing it. I'm sure when I get started it's going to be a fun, although extremely intense final book. It's going to be sad leaving the D'Anu witches, D'Danann warriors, the San Francisco Paranormal Special Forces, and other beings, but I do have other exciting projects coming up.
And, incredibly exciting is that I now have an assistant!!!! She's someone I've always thought as terrific, sharp, and just a great person as long I've known her, and I'm excited to be working with her! Another Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! A huge one!!!!!!!
In my other life and a mother and wife, things are going fine. My middle son is OCD, and OMG, I swear sometimes he's going to drive me out of my mind. For those of you who have a beyond obsessive child, you can relate to one who won't take no. Can't take no. Gets "stuck" on whatever it is he/she wants. So he's been at me mercilessly, for hours, over three days, because he wants a laptop to do some graphics work on, and somehow they've gotten another virus on their computer. NO LAPTOP. I swear, he's driving me to a couple of glasses of wine a night lately. My dh is having to travel to 3 cities over the next week and I text messaged him and told him until he gets back I'll be in Aruba.
You think I'm kidding?
Actually, I'll have to settle for locking my door until I get all this office stuff done. Next week I have a friend coming out who's also speaking at our local chapter meeting--she's a Special Agent--and then we're going to Sedona and some other places. So I plan on having a relaxing week with a good friend.
I'm judging a finals category in a published author contest and OMG, last night I read the best book that I could NOT put down. Too bad I can't share it with you, but I loved it enough to tell my agent and editor about the author--who I don't know and I'm not sure I've ever heard of her before this contest. But she should be writing for NY and right now she's with 2 small presses--I looked her up on the internet. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time.
Her website really needs some work, though. You would all be surprised how much editors and agents check out your sites. It's pretty common now. I'm going to blog about having a professional website on Tuesday on The Midnight Hour.
That's it for now. I REALLY need to get to cleaning this house so that it can be really cleaned by the cleaners! It is a complete and total disaster and I need to have it look good when my company comes.
Have a great weekend, and I'll try to be better about posting!
I've been gone from 5/31 to 6/11, only home for about a day or 2 in the middle there. So that's why I really haven't blogged.
Had a great time in Boston. Mom and I also drove to Salem and Gloucester, MA, and the next day to Portsmouth, NH, and then to Kennebunkport, ME. Then spent the next 2 days in Boston. TG we had a GPS device in our rental SUV that spoke to us and told us what exits to take, etc., or I would have been lost 10x over. The roads and highways/freeways, are SOOOOOOO confusing, not like here where everything's laid out in pretty much a grid. And it's flat. LOL. We named her Genny, and had more fun with that device. She'd sound so irritated when we'd take the wrong exits, which as frequently, and she'd say, "re-calculating route" in the snottiest tone. LOLOL They have these stupid roundabouts, or rotaries, and we NEVER got it right. We'd count like she'd tell us (take the 2nd exit at the roundabout) and we'd still take the wrong one. We thought for sure we'd get it right when we took the SUV back to the airport, but we still took a wrong turn. LOL.
I got fabulous contacts in Boston for the series I'm setting there, that I start in the fall. Yay! And about 100 book and maps on Boston, the surrounding area, and even on the Red Sox.
After we got back from Boston, I escaped to a resort/spa ALL BY MYSELF. It was heaven. I needed that rest sooo badly. My trip to Boston became a working vacation because I was helping a friend with her book nightly that she was having trouble with. So I'd spend 4-5 hours a night helping her after spending the day touring.
So I spent a day at the spa, and the rest of the time in my room ordering room service and doing a few things like reading a book for quote and messing around with my revisions on SHADOW MAGIC.
Then the day before I checked out, I bought a resort t-shirt, it had a hole, I took it back and exchanged it, headed up to the fourth floor--and the elevator stopped at floor 3 1/2. In otherwords, I got trapped in the elevator! And not even with a good looking guy! I was in there for 20 minutes before they were able to get me out. It's funny looking back, but when I got stuck, I pressed all the buttons, none would work, so I pushed the "Help" button.
This very calm, disinterested voice comes on. "How may I help you?" "I'm stuck in the elevator." "I'm sorry. I can't hear you." "I'M STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR." "You'll need to speak louder." I get down on my knees, but my mouth near the speaker. "I'M STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR!!!!" "We'll have someone right there to help you."
Uh, no kidding.
Then guys come and pound on the elevator asking me if I'm in there. Duh. "YES. GET ME OUT."
"Are you having a medical emergency?" "No." But my head will explode if you don't GET ME OUT OF THE ELEVATOR.
Anyway, eventually they got the elevator doors open and had to help me step up from floor 3 1/2. Then they sent up a pitcher of margaritas for my nerves. LOL. And a fabulous dinner.
And some interesting memories. *g*
So those were some of my adventures while I've been gone. Hope you all have been doing great!
It's been nutso, and I missed posting last week. If you want to know what's been so insane, read my post on my reader's chat group, CheysFantasies. LOL.Tomorrow I leave for Boston for a week (how cool is that?) so here are 2 yummies for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
My agent called yesterday and St. Martin’s Press has offered me a 4-book deal for 2 paranormals and 2 contemporary suspenses.
The new paranormal series is a continuity series with *elements* of romance is with a half-Drow (Dark Elvin) heroine and told in first person. Those will be put in urban fantasy/horror/fantasy, wherever they stick them these days. The suspense series is also a continuity series, also with elements of romance, and this one has a heroine who is a vice cop, and it’s set in Boston–I’m going there at the end of the month to do some research! That series will be in the suspense section. And then the EC rewritten re-releases will be in romance.
So I’ll have books in urban paranormal, suspense, and romance. LOL.
Does anyone know how to use wallpaper in Blogger? It would be so cool!
Brenda's annual auction for diabetes is going on now through I believe May 31st. If you haven't had a chance to stop by, please do. It's for such a worthy cause. There are so many fabulous things to bid on for readers, writers, and everyone. Some really incredible things.
I donated two critiques if you're interested in bidding on them. The critique is for the first three chapters and synopsis. I'm tough, so be forewarned. LOL.
I was just looking at Brenda's intro page, and she says the goal was $75,000 this year, but they've shot by that and it's already at $88,00! So she's bumped up the goal to $110,00, which would be incredible. :-)
I'm an author who gets to write full time and loves what she does. I write adult novels for St. Martin's Press and I write young adult novels under a pseudonym. I write both paranormal and contemporary suspense. I have 3 sons and I've been married to my dh for 20 years. Half my life. LOL I have 3 dogs, a messy house, and I love to write.
