Happy 2008!

Happy New Year!

I'm looking forward to 2008. 2007 was a great year, with many accomplishments I am proud of.

I also found out yesterday that I was nominated for the Rites of Romance Reviewers' Choice Awards, in two categories: Best Historical Author and Best Historical Novel for Leading Her to Heaven. It's the reviewers of RORR who nominated me, but it's you who pick the winner, so hop on over to the RORR Yahoo! Group and cast your votes! I'm up against some of my own personal favorite authors - Emma Wildes and Gayle Eden. Just being named alongside those extremely talented ladies is a fantastic honor.

Good-bye to 2007

I apologize for being a day late with my blog.
As the old year draws to a close I find myself looking back at all that has happened over the year 2007. I feel that my greatest accomplishment was to finish my almost true story, THE VIOLIN, and to have it published by Amira Press. I look forward to its release date and wish my dad could have been around to read it. I would hope that he would have loved the character, John Douglas, and would have approved of the way I portrayed his beloved brother and the life I created for him.
I hope all of you have a New Year filled with love and success in all your endeavors.
All good things to your corner of the universe in the new year,
Sarah McNeal
www.sarahmcneal.com

The after holiday blahs...

I know I'm not the only who gets them, but I'm suffering from the after holiday blahs already. There's always all that wonderful buildup to the main event Christmas, and then once dinner has been eaten, and the presents opened, and the last Christmas special watched, and a few days go by, and then there is such a feeling of let down sometimes. Maybe I wouldn't be having it so bad but then to top it off I discovered I got scammed today by one of my freelance clients. Man there is nothing I hate worse than a scammer, and I don't care what kind they are! In this particular case I responded to an ad on Craig's List for a short editing job. I've never had any problems with Craig's List or any clients from there. Anyway, I was contacted by the client who provided me with the document to be edited, and then after responding to one e-mail, she dropped off the face of the earth. After there was no reply to my providing her with the first draft, and a second e-mail requesting that she let me know if she received the first draft e-mail, I began to get suspicious. Since I have other clients whose projects I could have been working on, as you can imagine I was not a happy camper. A quick check to the ad on Craig's List found that it had been flagged as a scam. I decided I needed to find out more about this person and did a reverse address search on her address only to discover that the address she had given me did not exist.

Of course at that point all I could do was e-mail Craig's List, give them the information that I had and hope that they are able to keep this person from scamming anyone else in the future.

The truth is there were a few red flags that had I been paying more attention I would have noticed and not even bothered to reply to the woman. One was that the e-mail was not personalized, the second was that there was no To: on the e-mail which can mean that it has been sent to more than one person, the third flag was that the notes she sent me were clearly written by someone for whom English is a second language and yet in her e-mail she wrote perfect English. In addition, she had seperated a lot of the sections with XXXXXXXX which when I began looking at examples of scam e-mails that Craig's List had, I discovered a log of them had this trait. Finally she wanted to me to give her my mailing address and to pay me via check or Paypal. I chose the Paypal option as this is the easiest and most expedient way for me to be paid.

Once I realized she was a scammer I really sweated because this scammer had my Paypal e-mail, which in and of itself is not that big of a deal but there are people who have programs that can hack into Paypal and if they have your e-mail they can use these programs to find your password and hack into your account. Yup, really made for the holiday blues today, let me tell you. Needless to say I went into Paypal, changed my password and security questions which is what is suggested and now I will have to hope for the best.

One of the reasons I went into this long post about this is that I would hate to see the same thing happen to someone else. This is the first time I've ever had a problem with a listing on Craig's List but you can bet your life that from now on I insist on a 50% deposit before I even start to do any work for anyone I haven't worked with before and know is trustworthy.

So, that's why I'm here at 3:49 am typing this long post. (sigh) Okay, that's my vent for the day. LOL

Just as a reminder there's still a couple of days left to get the holiday sequel for free when you purchase a copy of Destiny's Choices. If you haven't already, be sure and check it out!

Regina

My latest ebook

OBSESSION/ANNE SOLE/DARK EDEN PRESS

This is a book that comes out in the next day or so. I thought it was scheduled for Feb this year, but today I got news that it is tomorrow. IT IS A MYSTERY/ROMANCE/PARANORMAL - and the nearest thing to an erotic I have written. I don't think it is as naughty as some I've read but it is hotter than my other books with Dark Eden Press, which were Dangerous To Know and Daddy Loves Belinda/ both Anne Sole books

So enjoy this excerpt I've put up for you.

The gods were angry. A terrible plague was rife in the Kingdom, and now the Queen was dying. It was whispered that a curse lay upon the land and the people were afraid.
*****
‘Ally, are you busy?’
I had been preparing my equipment for that morning’s shoot when the phone rang, but I was happy to hear my sister’s voice.
‘Not too busy to talk to you. I’ve been leaving messages all week.’
‘I’ve been working on something.’
When Elaine became immersed in a project she went around in a state of absentmindedness, passing her best friends in the street without seeing them!
‘Something special?’
‘I’m not sure yet. I’ve been told there’s a package waiting for me at customs. I’ve got to go in and sign for it. Apparently, it’s too valuable to let go without filling in all kinds of forms.’
My clever sister was an Egyptologist, the brilliant author of several books on the subject, and a research adviser for at least two museums that I knew about. She was passionate about her work, so passionate that it had led to the breakdown of her marriage. Simon Norton had decided he wasn’t prepared to play second fiddle to a load of long dead mummies, and had found himself a tall, slender and very leggy blonde who was clearly very much alive.
‘Very mysterious. Do you know what it is?’
‘I’m not sure. I’ve been promised a couple of things so it might be either one. Both are equally interesting in their own way.’
‘Something for your exhibition?’
Elaine was preparing an exhibition at a prestigious museum in New York, where she lived. She had a small apartment overlooking Central Park. It was always untidy, littered with piles of her notes and anything she might be working on, which could be a piece of stone bearing inscriptions or paintings, or perhaps ancient manuscripts written in ink so faded they were barely decipherable. Elaine was known for being rather good at reading hieroglyphics and had gained quite a reputation amongst the staff of museums all over the world.
I stayed with her as often as I could manage-- she had given me a key so that I could come and go as I pleased. Since our father’s death and the sale of our family home in England a few months previously, I had been more or less on the move, living out of a suitcase most of the time and storing the rest of my personal stuff in Elaine’s spare bedroom. It suited me, because I travelled a lot in my work and spent most of my life in hotel bedrooms.
‘I might use it,’ she said in answer to my question. ‘We’ll see. How much longer are you staying in Paris, Ally?’
‘Oh, a couple of days, I should think. We’ve finished all but one last shoot for the magazine, but I want to take some pictures for myself. Artists on the Left Bank, that sort of thing.’
‘For your exhibition. You should have one, Ally. I know you make a good living as a fashion photographer, but some of your other stuff is wonderful. I loved those pictures you took when you were in London last summer – those kids living rough on the streets. One girl had the face of an angel.’
‘Don’t be deceived by her looks. She was one tough kid,’ I said and laughed. ‘Fashion photography for glossy magazines pays the rent. My other work is just for personal satisfaction.’
‘I’m not so sure about that,’ she said. ‘Besides, if you stopped living in hotels and got your own place you might be able to afford to ease up a bit. You could use your share of Dad’s money to put down a deposit on an apartment. There’s one going near me…’
‘You could have your spare room back then.’
‘You know I didn’t mean that, Ally. I love having you to stay, but you need somewhere of your own – roots.’
‘Yes, I know, love. Maybe I’ll take a look when I get back. It would be nice to buy something near you. We might get to spend more time together.’
‘That’s the idea,’ Elaine said and there was a slightly wistful note in her voice. ‘I often wish I’d spent more time with Dad. He always said he was busy and we’d plan things for the future.’
‘I know. We none of us thought time would run out that fast…’
Michael Rowlinson had been a successful businessman for most of his life, taking care of his daughters single-handed, because our mother died soon after I was born. He’d had a succession of housekeepers and minders for us, of course, but he had given us love in abundance and he had never remarried. He was always too busy for that – but not too busy to keep in touch. He had been so proud of Elaine, just as I was, but he had taken an interest in my work too.
‘You take after me,’ he’d told me once. ‘You like life and being with people. Elaine is studious like her mother. Helen could have done anything – been a brilliant scientist if she hadn’t fallen in love and given it all up to have kids. She was going to write a book when you and Elaine were grown up.’ He’d sighed and looked sad, and I knew that he had never ceased to mourn the wife he loved. ‘It was a shame she never lived to see it, Ally.’
‘Yes, I wish she had,’ I’d told him, giving him a quick hug. ‘I’ve often wished I’d known her, Dad, but we’ve had you and each other. We’ve been lucky.’
‘I’m the lucky one,’ he’d replied. ‘It’s been a satisfying life – making money to look after my girls.’
He’d always seemed to be rushing from one place to another, then, when he was fifty-six, he’d suddenly decided to retire and spend the rest of his life playing golf.
Since his death, I’d wondered if he’d somehow guessed he only had a couple of years left to him. The cancer had been swift, taking us all by surprise. I’d been on the verge of leaving college and Elaine had been going through the aftermath of her divorce. She was now thirty-three, and I was twenty-two. There had been a big gap between my sister and I, and perhaps the unexpected arrival of a second child had contributed to the heart problem, which had killed my mother at such a young age.
Losing Dad had hit both Elaine and I hard, bringing us up with a start. It had made us aware that life was fragile and could be lost all too quickly. Sometimes, I thought Elaine had taken it even harder than I – perhaps because she seemed to have settled for life without a husband or children, and that left her with only me and a few good friends. And her work of course. Work was very important to my sister.
‘I’ll see you the day after tomorrow,’ I told Elaine, realising that she was probably feeling a bit low. It wasn’t like her to call, especially if she was working. ‘We’ll look at the apartment together. And I have a couple of weeks free now – if you can manage it we can spend some quality time together.’
‘Yes, I would like that,’ she said, sounding more cheerful. ‘I’ve been working hard on the projects for the exhibition – and something else I’ve been researching – but I shall take a few days off and we’ll do something relaxing. Maybe even go away…’
‘That’s a promise,’ I told her. ‘I’d better go now or I’ll be late.’
‘Yes – and I want to collect that parcel. If it’s what I think it might be … but it probably won’t be authentic. Most people think they have something that is far more ancient than it really is, but I do have hopes…’
‘You are sounding very mysterious.’
‘I’ll tell you all about it when I see you. There’s really a curious story about this…’ the line crackled and she laughed. ‘Do you think someone is warning us we’ve talked enough? I’ll see you when you get back, Ally.’

If you liked this excerpt please visit my website and blog to find out more about me. Best wishes and A Happy New Year to you all. May 2008 be peaceful, happy and healthy for us all! Linda
*****
http://www.lindasole.co.uk/

http://booksfromlindasole.blogspot.com/

Christmas Early A.M.

By Pat Cromwell


All I asked for Christmas was a visit from my muse, and that my favorite characters on my favorite soap operas have a better 2008. So, my second request was silly – in soap land there is no such thing as a better life or a good life that runs smooth. But that is what makes them so enjoyable. Now, getting back on track, lo and behold my muse appeared.

December 25th, around one in the morning, I’d just finished It’s A Wonderful Life, wrapped my last gift and had snuggled under my comforter when I was pulled from my slumber. I was literary snatched from my dreams of cheer and good will by the most persistent and unrelenting voices that a writer could hope to have! My goodness, what an amazing tale they were spinning.

My muse was on fire.

The voices in my head were adamant that I tell their story and they were quite indignant that I had wanted to wait until morning. It was of course my fault. I should have requested that my muse return at a proper hour. I can only surmise that I must to have been a very good girl for my Christmas wish to come about so quickly!

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I crawled out from the covers and fired up Old Betty. Yes, my laptop has a name. My car, which I’ve had for nearly seven years is still referred to as “Car”, but the HP has a name. Go figure. Again, I must get back on track…

The characters I penned that morning were in rare form, spilling their story. The keyboard of my laptop was ablaze. I laughed and I cried as the story unfolded and came to a satisfying conclusion.

I completed one story – about 7500 words - and started another.

Now comes the rewrites for the one I completed, followed by the nervous twitch that resides in the pit of my stomach prior to garnering the nerve to submit it. I kid you not when I say that submitting a story is the single most exhausting experience for me. Okay, so I have only submitted three times – accepted twice, and am currently anxiously waiting for word on the third, but it is exhausting none the less.

I am my own worse critic and no matter what I do, once a story is submitted I inevitably find editing errors or I second guess the plot. I think of ways to improve it and move dialogue around. Although I apply my “Pat’s Word List” prior to submission, after I hit send and the little bytes travel to the publisher, I always find those sneaky little words that hide in what I consider quick witted dialogue or descriptive prose. Oh yeah, did I mention that this list consist of killer words like waist versus waste, pass versus past … well you get the ideal.

Before bloging this morning, I scrutinized – again - the masterpiece I scribed on Christmas early am. A ritual I will probably under take for months. Who am I kidding? Probably. No, I think the more accurate sentence is definitely undertake for months to come.

Why? Now that is simple: I want it to be better than the one I wrote before, but secretly hope that it will not be as good as the next.

After all, that’s what growing is all about.

Happy Reading!Pat Cromwell
http://www.freewebs.com/patcromwell/
Behind Blue Eyes at www.amirapress.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgnV3uXKwmM

Snowing in Seattle...

Wow! I woke up early this afternoon after taking a nap and found that it was snowing outside. I love snow, and as anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest knows we get way more rain than snow, so to get snow on Christmas day is like really rare. In fact this is only the 3rd time in my lifetime that I can remember having snow at Christmas. Whether it will stick or not is another story, although it seems to be in some places, but just being able to watch the white stuff coming down is something of a miracle on its own.

If I can get the batteries for my digital working, I'll try and take some pictures so I can post them here.

Merry Christmas!

Since I'm the lucky one who gets to post on Christmas, I'd like to first wish all of you a merry one. Even if you don't celebrate, you can still have a wonderful...Tuesday!

My absence last week was due to making the 12 hour drive from Florida to Maryland so that I could spend the holidays with my family. My parents live here, snug between Baltimore and Washington, DC. My grandparents and other extended family are here as well. My sister and her new husband live in Florida, about two hours from me, but we've all come up north. My aunt and her husband are flying in from South Dakota later in the week. I don't get to see my family often since I moved south for law school, so I look forward to this time of year. I must admit I didn't value my family nearly as much before, when they were just a short car ride away. I've come to realize just how important and influential they all are.

If you're fortunate enough to be close to your family today, take a moment to let them know you care for them. If you can't see them in person, give them a call.

Be safe, and be happy!
Kayleigh