August already, what the?!

Hi lovely people!

Once again, I find myself telling the world I haven't perished!  Dreadful.

BUUUUUUT, I have been busy!

Not only have I been working the day job, carting the offspring around (not the band, the children) and generally having a good 'ole time with Mr Sparky Lock, but I have been writing!

I've subbed two stories in the last ten days, and my excitement knows no bounds!

(That's a lot of !'s I note.  That's how pumped I am.  !)

So, Serendipity (Virtue Alliance) is off, as is a really shorty one about an urban mythical-creature hunter.  Wahooo!

Next comes one called Break at the Bend, a mystery rom com with rocky beaches, a hot Shakespeare-touting man and an elderly aunt with a concerning internet habit.

Two more Virtue Alliance stories are knocking at my brain, so I'd better let them loose soon, too.

The gorgeous and very hard-working Anna Hackett has been going GANGBUSTERS!  Head over to her blog to see the awesome things she's been up to.  It's quite amazing!

Big smooches to you all,

Em xx

It really is concerning how often I need to tell the internet I'm still alive and kicking.

Hello, lovely people!

Long time no see!  Sorry about that.

I could tell you all about it, but it would be dreadfully boring.  I would like to sum up the past year in a haiku:

Kids have to play sport
Tall pile of dirty washing
Em is distracted.

I do hope you enjoyed that.  It took a lot of tapping syllables out on my fingers, but I feel like I got there.

So, what's been going on with you?  Loads of cool stuff, I imagine?

Some of my news isn't really mine, sadly, but happily for my CP, Anna Hackett, it's great news!  Anna's been kicking sci-fi action romance butt and taking sci-fi action romance names.  She's recently become a NY TIMES BESTSELLER and won a PRISM Award.

I am in awe.

If you go to her blog, you'll learn all about her epic awesomeness, not to mention find out how to get a few of her book FOR GODDAMNED FREE!

And the best things in life are free, people.

I've been getting back into my writing.  To keep myself ignoring the washing pile, I made a widget (It's on the right.  It's red.  You can't miss it).

I've been working on another Virtue Alliance story (Liberating Clemency was published in the very marvellous Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly Magazine.  Find it here).  This one belongs to Seren, also known as Serendipity.

It's taken a little while, as I had a few K down, and then changed the setting after a Twitter discussion with Anna and the very clever Lindsay Buroker, after which I changed my mind about my setting.  Oopsy daisy.   Serves Emmeline right for not planning her schizz a little better.  But, I'm very happy with the new vibe, so that's noice.

I had been reading some (well, ALL) of Lindsay's books (including her pen name Ruby Lionsdrake), and I was GOBSMACKED and FLABBERGASTED to find that Anna and Lindsay had conducted a fabulous podcast chat about SFF Marketing.  It was stellar, and I've also enjoyed many more podcasts from Lindsay and her friends and guests since.  I get it on my iPhone, but you can totes watch it on 'Tube.

I can feel by the increasing tempo of my heart beat and a impending sense of dread that it is nearly... time to pick the OFFSPRING up from school (I love them dearly, I really do), so I shall leave you with one thing.

This is Hew, who is going to be Seren's squeeze if he'd just chill out a bit.

I found him here.

Until next time, happy reading and writing and kid-wrangling and cooking and clothes washing.

Emmeline.  xx

Whoopeeee! There's some new Anna Hackett sci-fi romance up for grabs! IN THE DEVIL'S NEBULA...

Ya'll have heard how much I love my girl Anna Hackett, right?

I'm sure, based on my verbose and protracted fan girl love professions, you will have all raced out and snagged yourself a copy of the very fabulous first book in The Phoenix Adventures series - AT STAR'S END, and you're all waiting with anxiously bated breath for the next book.

WELL, WAIT NO LONGER, ACTION SCI-FI ROMANCE JUNKIES!

Read on...

Action, Adventure and Romance IN THE DEVIL’S NEBULA

First there was AT STAR’S END and the treasure hunt to find the last remaining fragment of the Mona Lisa. Now travel to the heart of the Devil’s Nebula on the hunt for the gun used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

He lost it all.

His career, his woman, his sanity.

Two years ago, on a deadly mission to the lawless Devil’s Nebula, Commander Zayn Phoenix’s life imploded. Now the former Strike Wing pilot fills his days with dangerous adventures alongside his treasure hunter brothers.

But his nights are another story: haunted by nightmares of one unforgivable act.

Until an assassin lures him into a hunt. A hunt for her freedom from the Assassin’s Guild. A hunt for a derringer used in an ancient and infamous assassination—of old Earth president, Abraham Lincoln.

Zayn is compelled to join the perilous adventure with Ria Dante that will take them straight into the heart of the Devil’s Nebula, but not for money, fame or treasure.

He joins because Ria has the face of the woman he left for dead in the Nebula years before.

To read the first chapter or buy <<Click here>>

Ria moved her hands, her body bending like a slim tree in the wind. “Taiji isn’t so much about killing, it’s about settling the mind, balancing your energies.”

“Sounds very Old Earth.”

“It has its origins there, although they’re murky now. We don’t know exactly where it came from.”

“So, you’re feeling the need to balance your energies?”

She looked over her shoulder. “Yeah. Being hunted, stealing things, and dealing with you, it’s left me a little…out of balance.”

Zayn stepped toward her. “I came here to apologize. I didn’t kiss you because you remind me of Vik. I just…wanted to kiss senseless a hot woman who I’d just enjoyed a brilliant hunt with.”

Ria stopped and stared at him. “Jesus, Phoenix, you have no pretty words do you?”

He shrugged. “I’m just a simple pilot.”

She huffed out a breath. “There’s nothing simple about you. And for some crazy reason, it works for me.”

About Anna:

I'm Anna Hackett and I write action romance stories to thrill you, excite you and leave you inspired. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals to inspire you with the truth that the possibility exists for all of us to do the same. I love car chases, explosions and spaceships...and of course when the boy wins the girl. Oh, and I'm a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle. After reading, watching or writing an awesome action romance story, I'm left energized and feeling like anything is possible. I aim to give the same to my readers.

I love hearing from fellow action romance lovers! www.annahackettbooks.com

It's ALIVE!!!

Hello, intrepid internet friends.

Can you just imagine me now?  White coat on, hands gleefully in the air, flotsam of an antiquated laboratory strewn around a large metal table...

Sure you can.

In fact--real life is nothing like that, as I sit at my Mac in front of the fire, with a very nice hot chocolate by my right hand--but I still maintain (though the dog is looking at me like I've lost my mind) :

It's ALIVE!!!

Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly Issue #3 is here!  Featuring articles, reviews, opinions, and TWO short stories!  One of which is has been penned by moi!

With thanks to one of my lovely CPs, Anna, who helped me no end with this one.  You will also find Anna's excellent books reviewed here...

And if you've come here from the live links at SFRQ.  Hiya.  Thanks for dropping in.


Happy sci-fi romance reading!

Em x

The NEWS!, which has been alluded to....

Such a TEASE!

I'm very (very, very) excited to tell you that I've recently sold a short story to Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly.

LIBERATING CLEMENCY

Assassin Clemency is on a mission to find the Herz des Mondes, a moonstone of great and mysterious power, which will help her get her life on track.  When she is out-thieved by the appealing mercenary L'Arc, is she beaten, or will they both reap the stone's rewards of the heart?

It's due for release on June 15th.

Speaking of releases, have you caught up with my awesomely awesome CP Anna Hackett's goings-on lately?  She's just put out some wicked novellas set in her WindKeepers world.

My favourite is Claiming the East Wind, Soren's story.  That said, his brothers are pretty darn appealing.

Oh, yum.  Get on it!

There's news!

At Star's End! There's very nice man-chest...

It's so Sci-Fi-ey!!  

My gorgeous and completely over-worked critique partner Anna Hackett has a new sci-fi action romance At Star's End (Book 1 of the Phoenix Adventures) coming out with Carina Press March 31st, and here's her cover:

Dr. Eos Rai has spent a lifetime dedicated to her mother’s dream of finding the long-lost Mona Lisa. When Eos uncovers tantalizing evidence of Star’s End—the last known location of the masterpiece—she’s shocked when her employer, the Galactic Institute of Historic Preservation, refuses to back her expedition. Left with no choice, Eos must trust the most notorious treasure hunter in the galaxy, a man she finds infuriating, annoying and far too tempting.

Dathan Phoenix can sniff out relics at a stellar mile. With his brothers by his side, he takes the adventures that suit him and refuses to become a lazy, bitter failure like their father. When the gorgeous Eos Rai comes looking to hire him, he knows she’s trouble, but he’s lured into a hunt that turns into a wild and dangerous adventure. As Eos and Dathan are pushed to their limits, they discover treasure isn’t the only thing they’re drawn to…but how will their desire survive when Dathan demands the Mona Lisa as his payment?

Running rampant in the pink lounge over at SARA...

I found the key under the heart-shaped garden ornament to the stunning SARA mansion, and the awfully gorgeous Carla Caruso and I have been having a marvellous chat and being generally rambunctious in the pink lounge, getting wine stains on the furniture and popcorn crumbs in the shagpile.

So much fun!

The SARA lounge is hard to describe accurately, but it looks a lot like this:

Really, all that is missing are the Channing-Tatum-lookalike-scantily-clad barmen and the champagne fountains.

Head here to join in the shenanigans, and find out why Carla and I are singing Chris De Burgh karaoke.

Happy reading (and wine-drinking!)

Em. X

Image-dreamdesigndecor.com

I'm not dead, I've just been reading...

Hello, hello!

Every time I come here, I find myself having to clarify that I'm still alive and kicking.  Mmmm....  One needs to work on one's time management.  Or, stop working.  I know which I'd prefer.

I know which one Sparky would prefer....

It's been a little nuts here, what with Christmas coming, Anarchy slamming his thumb in a door and requiring plastic surgery, Faith going on camp, and getting gastro, and Love turning nine.

Mental, I tells ya!  I'm at peak performance when only one thing at a time is happening in my life.

BUT, I do love Christmas.  The fun, the food, the joy, the wine, the ... balls.

http://www.mhfa.com.au/cms/latest-news/christmas-balls-final-2/

Christmas seemed to come late to Casa Lock this year, so I've been watching this over and over, to get in the swing of things.  So much fabulous.  My data bill is through the wazoo, but totes worth it.

And because I've been buying myself eBooks for Christmas (I know it's not Christmas yet.  Hush yo' mouth), There've been NEW BOOKS!

I've been rounding up our SARA reads at www.romancesa.blogspot.com, and here's my offering for that column, x-posted.

Emmeline Lock

I also picked up Rough Diamond, and just finished it last night.  Phew-ee! Somebody say, "Adventurous ROLLER COASTER with GOOD LAUGHS and HOT LERV"?  Couldn't put it down.  Yes, Ms Ledson.  I am a little weary today.  But I don't regret a moment!

I agree, Carla, it's a funny, quippy read that doesn't belabour the relationship between Erica and Jack, even though life throws all kinds of rotten tomatoes their way.   Check out Sandra O'Grady's thoughts on this book here.  

The ending did leave me a bit wanting, until I rationalised the whole "Um, Emmeline, dude, there's another book," thing.  Then, I felt that the ending was very well done, and felt that Jack was some kind of GOD.  Oh, yum.

Looking forward to Monkey Business, the next book.  And not just because I want more Jack.  Well, maybe not only because I want more Jack... 


Speaking of awesome Aussie writers...  Here's a few I've been mowing through like Christmas chocolates...

The Kissing Season - Rachel Johns.

I do love to read Ms Johns, and this 100-page book does nothing to tarnish my girl-crush.  

A gorgeous hero (with an accent!), a feisty heroine, a small-town feel and and Aussie Christmas!  What more could a reader want?!

Rubies and Black Velvet - Denise Rossetti

I'm a big fan of Rossetti's Four-Sided Pentacle series (Loved The Flame and the Shadow!), and this novella, which falls at #1.5,  brings us all the mystique and sultry heat of those books.

Once again, the hero, John, was a work of art.  He was perfect.  Completely sigh-worthy.  

A curse, a delectable hero, a strong heroine, well-woven fantasy and a number of beautifully-done erotic scenes.  Win!  

Originally published in Unlaced in 2008, it stands alone well, and is a well-worth a holiday read.  

Bravo, Ms Rossetti!


Speaking of gorgeous novellas, I've also had a few more crackers that I've taken off of the top of the TBR and devoured...


Starstruck in Seattle - Juliet Madison

An adorable, funny, quick read that left me wanting more Juliet Madison!

Which led me to...

I Dream of Johnny!

I would have bought this for the title and cover alone, but on the back of a surge of Juliet love, this one was awesome.  A very cute, uplifting read.  





Finally, allow me to share with you one final book that I have recently read and loved...

Catch of the Day - Carla Caruso

Isn't that just THE prettiest cover you have seen for eons?  Our summer (ha!) has started off very cold, and made me kinda depressed.  But fear not, one look at this cover and I was cured!  The colours, the water, the floppy hat and the little heart ... isn't it just perfect!?
  
Now, Ms Caruso is fully aware of my girl-crush on her (I may or may not have done some gushing over CITYGLITTER here.) and it's only marginally embarrassing for us both.   

I would happily wear a lifetime of  weird silences and cleared throats, if I could read gems such as this.  

Set in Kingston SE, this is a wonderful coming-home story (I do love those, especially when high-flying women pack up their stilettos...).  It has a number of my favourite things--a mysterious hero, a heroine who knows what she wants and doesn't dally about decision making, crystal-blue waters, small-town heart ... and crayfish!  Heaven!

Do yourself a favour, hit the beach with this great book.  NOW!

And what is really cool is that every author featured today is AUSTRALIAN!  I KNOW!  Awesome, RIGHT?  

Oi, oi, oi!


Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and see you on the flipside!

Em xx

They're here! And I'm too scared to open the cover...

I love, LOVE getting stuff in the mail.  Which could explain my eBay problem.  

That aside, I think I've found something WAAAAYYY better than eBay.  

The book that your story is in arriving in your letterbox!

The Little Gems Sapphire 2013 Short Story Anthology has landed.  Woohoo!

If sharp, shiny, satisfying romantic reads are your thing (or if you love sapphires), you can order your copy here.

At this point, I'm putting off reading it.  Not sure why.  Maybe I still don't quite believe my story came second.  I'll open it, and EverTrue won't be in there.  My sensible self knows it is, but there is a part of me still pinching my forearm.

Big congrats to everyone who has their story in the anthology, especially my SARA sisters, Harriet and Ute.  ;)

*smiley face*

Weight loss - please stand back, my head might explode.

Image: http://nutritioninformationaustralia.com.au

If you're one of those people who can eat and drink what you like and never gain an ounce, please don't tell me, or I might be forced to stab you with the nearest sharp object.  There's a good chance I'll be in the kitchen eating, so it could be a sloppy pate knife, or it might be a half-consumed bottle of red wine.

I have lost weight in the past.  It was difficult.  Which is why I really don't want to go back to being as big as I was.

I'm really lazy, and can't be bothered going through all that mental malarkey again.

If you are like me, and battle a lot with chocolate-wielding food-demons, please read this article - How To Lose All The Weight You Want in 89 Easy Steps -
and feel immediately better.

Please, try not to drown...

Bula!

At the risk of making all the Aussies extremo jelly as they battle the throes of winter (especially delightful here down south), I confess that I have recently returned from a tropical holiday with Sparky, the Offspring and Sparky's bestie and his lovely family.

Nigh on two weeks of sun, sand, surf, snorkeling and COCKTAILS!

My liver may currently hate me, but we had an awesome, awesome time.

Sadly, not one book was read.  I had Magic Mike ready to watch on the iPad and did not even manage to hover a finger over the play button.

While these things usually equal pure relaxation for me, I was happy to trade it for warmth, fun and good times with some of our favourite people.  And we SLOWED DOWN.

We found the people of Fiji to be relaxed to the point of being virtually comatose.  I think their easy vibe went a long way to forcing some people (Not mentioning any names.  Emmeline.) to CHILLAX!

In fact, so relaxed was I, that I was only vaguely concerned when we saw this:

On second thoughts, just try not to drown...

Happily, we have returned with all members of the family accounted for, and even with a little dose of Fiji Belly by which to remember our Tropical Holiday fondly.  I am also three containers of hotel shampoo and two bottle openers richer.  Happy days!

Vinaka vakalevu, Fiji!

We have a few more days of school holidays here, so I'm off to find a quiet spot for myself and Magic Mike to get acquainted.  Hopefully the offspring won't notice that I'm hiding from them for at least ninety minutes.  I will by distracted by nothing short of something that requires an ambulance.

Still alive...

Though you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise, here at Casa Lock, things are just fine.

If a little busy.

While I would like it to be the, "I've written a book, and it's fabulous dahlink" kind of busy, it's not.  It's more the, "Jeebus, it's Monday already?!  Right!  Fess up!  Who stole my weekend?" kind of busy.

The madly-spinning carousel of life.  The one we all get stuck on from time to time.  I appear to have my ass superglued to it, but I am determined to find some kind of solvent and douse the seat of my pants very soon.

Not everyone is busy and therefore non-productive.  Case in point--my lovely CP, Anna Hackett.  She's being a complete and utter darling and giving us a new book.  This one is exciting because it's actually a story about a guy in her Anomaly Trilogy.

THE BAD GUY!

Yes!  Leven gets his own SALVATION!

Can't wait!

All right, I have to go and be horribly, awfully domestic.  Please check out the new SARA Blog.  I've been hanging out there a bit these days, they have wine in bottles, and glasses with stems.

Classy.

Until next time,

Em.  xx

I be gettin' sassy...

Want to know what I'm doing when I'm not here?

Well, aside from washing socks, drinking wine, reading, downloading Carla Caruso's next story Second Chance (because I loved Cityglitter), and penning a story in the same world as EverTrue, my Little Gems second-place tale, I'm blogging over at South Australian Romance Authors about their good news.

Busy little vocation, I tells ya.  

 

The very exciting news bursting out of this week is that, as at yesterday, we've moved to a new blog home, at http://romancesa.blogspot.com.au/.

It's a whole new lineup of chewy, wholesome SARA goodness!  Check out these fabulicious columns on the up-and-up:

Sassy SARA News with Emmeline Lock

The SARA News as you know and love it.


Up Close - Q&A with Carla Caruso

Get to know the members of SARA.


Southern Speak with Khloe Wren

SARAs talk about all things romance.


What a Character with Maggie Mundy

Maggie interviews the characters brought to life by SARA authors.


Reading Adventures with Eleni Konstantine

What the SARAs read and rave about.

So, what are you waiting for?  Time to get your sass on...  

See you there, 

Em xx

It was never gonna happen...

1)  Clean out the fridge (What IS that smell?).
2)  Sew the taupe pillow case back together (Don't ask).
3)  Force/cajole/bribe the offpspring into cleaning their bedrooms so I can find a bit of carpet in there to to vacuum.
4)  About a gazillion other things too mundane to actually mention (Bonus - condensing items four through four thousand of my to-do-list makes me feel much better).


Yes, this is the list of the things I DIDN'T do this weekend.  It's quite long, and now, about fourteen hours after the weekend has concluded, these items are, sadly, still not done.

I'm blaming RL Naquin, a lady whom I am sure is quite lovely, and whom I have also never met.

But I've MET HER BOOKS.  I am enamoured with them.  I read book one, then had to go straight out and epurchase books two.  I'm bereft as I have to wait until later in the year for book three.  I have been looking for lighter/humourous urban fantasy/paranormal and I SO FOUND THEM.


Monster in My Closet and Pooka in My Pantry from Carina Press involve Zoey, a fashion-challenged wedding planner who wakes one morning to find the closet monster she'd told her five-year-old herself didn't exist making muffins in her kitchen.  Throw in a VW, a Leprechaun Mafia, a smoking-hot paramedic reaper, and an incubus that, in my head, looks like badly-dressed Captain Jack Sparrow, and you've got yourself a weekend full of nuthin' but fun.

It's a rollocking ride of great humour, fabulous world-building and wonderful characters.

I have totally forgiven Ms Naquin (whose name is Rachel) for flattening my weekend.  How could I not?  I just hope I have that pillow case fixed by the time book three comes out.  Second thoughts, I'm cancelling that weekend in my diary right now.

You Little Gem! In which I read a perfectly lovely email and burst into tears...

I've always had very plausible reasons for not entering writing contests.  Excellent ones, in fact.  No time, my writing sucks a$$, kids are sick, I can't find my computer for all the paperwork on the desk, there's a hippo in my fridge I need to get rid of, etc.  I'm sure you know the drill.

So, I surprised myself by promising my fellow SARAs in November that I'd enter the RWA Little Gems Contest this year.

I surprised myself further by actually doing it.  At the very last chime of midnight (my entry was number 67 of 69).  Not having particularly high expectations, I didn't give it much thought thereafter.

Hence, when the very lovely Lis Hoorweg emailed to say that I'd finalled, the shock was so great, the waterworks kicked in.  Then I did the obligatory eight-or-nine-times read through of the email to check that they had the right person.

I still can't find a loophole *pinch, pinch*.

W.O.W.

Here's the RWA blog post announcing the winners.

Seriously.  I'm very, very excited--so much, I cried!--to be among the finalists.  Congrats to them all, particularly Jean and Patsy.

Huge thanks to Lis for her coordination of the Little Gems Contests and to the judges for volunteering their time.   Thanks also to my ever-patient critique partners, Anna Hackett and Rach.  xx

Here is Sheridan Kent's wining cover design (Sheridan also designed the very lovely cover from 2011):

Hot, like a sunrise...

It was very warm here yesterday.  That 'Oh, jeez, the car seat is toasty.  Hang on, no, the car seat is BURNING' kind of warm that one is glad only happens occasionally.

Here on the outskirts of crackle country (I'm sure y'all local recall Ash Wednesday, which had an anniversary recently.  I do.), we always have one eye on the Country Fire Service app on the ipads when there's a honkingly hot north wind.  Can't discount the possibility of something fiery and terrible happening.  My heart goes out to everyone affected by the thousands of fires experienced here in the driest state in the driest country every year.

Which is why I apologise in advance for this amusing and also titillating image my lovely CP Rach had on facebook recently.  Call it a silver lining. 

May all your gutters be free of leaf litter, your fire pumps working swimmingly and your firemen off-the-shizang built.