The earth moved...

and it woke me up!

Whilst being cranky-pants at myself for being an indifferent blogger (this, despite having the app for that...), I knew I wanted to blog about the earth moving at my place recently.

No - nothing to do with the love of my life. He was asleep, and indeed, had to be woken to be informed the earth had trembled.

Yep, I'm talking earthquake.

On April 16th, at not quite 11:30, the we experienced tremors. In our little 'ol burg! We were quite famous there for a day or two.

So I was reading (Let's see, I think it was Gena Showalter's THE VAMPIRE'S BRIDE - excellent, excellent, FYI) on the iPhone (also known as the second love of my life), when I was jolted out of a particularly gripping passage by a truck driving through our bathroom.

That was what it was like - a big truck, or a four-million people strong pipes and drums band.

It lasted for about ten seconds. The WINDOWS rattled.

I gripped hubby, slightly disoriented form leaving Showalter's sexy vampire in a hurry, and I said, "What the f*&k was that?"

He said, "Earthquake." And went back to sleep. Good guy to have around in an emergency, my boy.

As I'm laying there, stunned (by the quake, not by hubby, he's always like that), a friend texts me, "What the f&%k was that?"

"Earthquake" I texted back. I had it on good authority.

So then, I get online (in bed, have I mentioned how much I love my phone?) and yes, there had been a quake. By 111:50, there was a 2000 strong group on Facebook called "I survived the Adelaide Earthquake 16/04/10". Amazing.

Of course, I immediately joined the group called, "I said, 'What the f%&k was that?' when the earthquake hit."

I had mostly forgotten about it the next day, until a man with a camera was roaming our paddocks. I was inclined to let the dog eat him, but the kids were watching out the window, so I went to see him and his female sidekick.

Apparently, the quake epicentre was in our paddock, and had I had a near-death experience last night when the terrible, terrible quake occurred?

I didn't think so, but I had been VERY sleepy...

I realised then that I was wearing tracksuit pants that were two inches too short in the leg, and a puce polo with chocolate stains on the front. In front of a man with a very large, shoulder holstered camera. My hair? Think uncooked rice noodles.

So, of course, I said, "What quake? I dinnent hear nuffink (honest, guv)." And I ran away, leaving them filming our paddocks and our monochromatic cows like they were on the red carpet at the Logies.

I proceeded to tell all my friends about how the quake started at OUR HOUSE! Do you think hubby didn't love that?!

Anyhoo, turns out, the 3.8 magnitude quake was actually three kilometres out of town, not two, and was actually under the Strawberry Farm up the road. Boohoo. Silly ABC News.

Anyway, here's a lovely link to a dramatic, "That might not be the end of it - aaargh!" article (also the source of the image above). Look out for the very excellent quote from a Mr Buckley. :)

Ta-ta. And remember to strap yourself in your bed tonight. You never know what will happen...

Em x

Finish line in sight!

I've just typed THE END on TREASURED HUNTER this week - a WIP involving a kick-ass siren, a bitter treasure hunter and lots of sparkly things.

Yay!

Now, because I tore quite a few thousand words out of this one (um, three times), there are still many, many jagged edges. I kept thinking of better storylines as I attempted to pants (that is, write without the aid of an outline - by the seat of your pants, as it t'were), and I kept having to go back and alter what had happened before. Oy.

I tried pantsing, I really did, but I suck at it. Then I get shitey at myself for having to go back and fix stuff.

Part-way through, I broke and did character studies, a mind-map, and a storyboard (after the third fix that affected the WHOLE story) and I've even done a fair bit of a synopsis. Woo, that's big...

I work better this way.

How about you? Plotter or pantser? Any advice? Any fun/heartrending/entirely forgettable experiences?

Which segues not-very-neatly into another thing - authors and said authors coming to SA!

SARA (South Australian Romance Authors), in conjunction with RWA is bringing Romancing the Novel Seminar to little ol' Adelaide - a 2010 Romance Roadshow Event!

There are some very cool guest speakers in Anna Campbell and Yvonne Lindsay, plus SARA members like Elizabeth Rolls and Trish Morey. And much more...

I'm there! It's on May 15th.

More at the SARA website - and thanks to Eleni for bringing it to my attention! Just what I was waiting for, I think!

Take care, Em x

Review - HER DARK LORD - Mel Teshco

Mel Teshco's HER DARK LORD is out this month for Silhouette Nocturne Bites.

Here's the blurb from the eHarlequin eBook site (buy it here!):

When dhampir Kia Montana takes a man home, she isn't looking for names or a relationship—she only wants someone who could satisfy her lust for both sex and blood. But Kia's new mission is to find Sean Maximillus, Lord Vampire and the lone being capable of curing Kia's mother. Kia thought she found the key to success with Ronan, a mysterious man who promises to take her to Maximillus...and who shares a carnal passion with Kia even bloodlust couldn't match.

But Ronan also seems to know too much about Kia...things she never told him. And as she is drawn deeper into Ronan's world, he reveals secrets that will change Kia's life forever...

This is Mel's first ever Bites - you might recall that I last read STONE-COLD LOVER that Mel released with Ellora's Cave. It was a great short read, and I looked forward to fellow-Aussie Mel's next offering with held breath.

One thing that does get my goat (this doesn't happen often, so look out!) is when I read reviews of short stories at places like goodreads, and the reviewer says something like, "I liked the storyline, but felt the relationship between the main characters should have been explored more."

Ah, no. In fifteen thousand words, you probably don't have time. You want drawn-out, read WAR AND PEACE.

I love Bites for precisely what they are - short action-packed, emotion fuelled reads that are like a ghost train ride - you begin, entering a completely different world, and a short time later you emerge out the other side into the sunlight, your heart pounding, your clothes slightly rumpled, but feeling much better for your visit to unreality.

HER DARK LORD delivers.

I was wondering how it would shape up after reading STONE-COLD LOVER, and Mel does beautifully.

Right from the first fresh-out-of-the-silk-sheet-encased-bed scene to the hero's final bombshell, it's a great read.

The heroine, struggling to reconcile herself with her dhampirism is nicely tormented and sexy, and the hero is ancient, wise and nummo. :)

And it's set in Australia. Really, what more could you want?

Nice one, Mel!

Week two's winner announced at Anna & Mel's celebration-fest!

Head over to Anna's blog to find out who won!

While you're there, take a moment to chat to Anna about your fave vamp movie - you could be taking home a Nocturne Bites Prize - Alexis Morgan's THE VAMPIRE'S DESIRE next Sunday night!

Just finished Mel Teshco's HER DARK LORD. Nice. Will do a quick round-up tomorrow.... E x

Romancing the Novel - SA Roadshow

Here's something very exciting I found while I was doing my routine perusal of Eleni Konstantine's blog:

May 15th is the date for the RWA's SA Roadshow - Romancing the Novel Seminar. As Eleni says, if you're in South Australia and would like to see a great line-up of authors, check out the SARA (South Australian Romance Authors) website linked above.

Guest speakers include Anna Campbell and Yvonne Lindsay, plus an excellent array of local romance authors.

As I said, exciting! :)

If you're a fan of Aussie Nocturne Bites...

then listen up!

Mel Teshco's vampire Bites, HER DARK LORD, is OUT NOW!  Congrats, Mel!

When dhampir Kia Montana takes a man home, she isn’t looking for names or a relationship--she only wants someone who can satisfy her lust for both sex and blood. But Kia’s new mission is to find Sean Maximillus, Lord Vampire and the lone being capable of curing Kia’s mother. Kia thought she found the key to success with Ronan, a mysterious man who promises to take her to Maximillus…and who shares a carnal passion with Kia even bloodlust couldn't match.
But Ronan also seems to know too much about Kia...things she never told him. And as she is drawn deeper into Ronan's world, he reveals secrets that will change Kia's life forever...

And then, Anna Hackett's HUNTER'S SURRENDER is out next month. (Yay, Anna!)

Vampire hunter Rand Wilder hated vampires – even if they were as beautiful and alluring as vampire princess Dominique Valois. For years he fought the beings who had killed his father, resisting their dangerous sensuality. Yet even Rand was tempted by the intoxicating Dominique and her shocking offer: to hurt the vampire court by taking her virginity….

A desperate need to ruin her reputation had forced Dominique to seek out the hunter known as The Darkness. But she hadn’t expected Rand to be so captivating and compassionate…. Soon a very different sort of need drove her desire to take Rand to her bed. And with Dominique’s survival depending on it, she would have to use all her skills of seduction to make this strong hunter surrender to passion….

The common link?  It's all about the vampires!

Anna and Mel have joined together to celebrate their releases and are giving away a NOCTURNE BITES EVERY WEEK for the next TWO MONTHS on their respective blogs!  How massively cool is that?  I'm gonna be all over it...

This week, until Sunday (oztime), Mel is giving away HER DARK LORD at her blog, and next week, Anna has Michele Hauf's THE VAMPIRE'S TANGO up for grabs.

Hit the blogs (names are linked up there...) and comment to be in the running!

A review - NIGHT'S COLD KISS, Tracey O'Hara.

NIGHT’S COLD KISS - Tracey O’Hara (Australia)

Publisher: Eos (Urban Fantasy) - A Harper Collins Imprint

Date published: August, 2009.

ISBN: 0061783137    (isbn13: 9780061783135)

Mass-market paperback - 332 pages.  

THE BLURB: 

For centuries war raged between the humans and Aeternus vampires—until courageous efforts on both sides forged a fragile peace.

But the rogue Necrodreniacs will never be controlled—addicted as they are to the death-high . . . and bloody chaos.

Since witnessing the murder of her mother, Antoinette Petrescu has burned with fiery hatred for the vampire race—even for Christian Laroque, the noble, dangerously handsome Aeternus who rescued her. Now an elite Venator, Antoinette must reluctantly accept Christian's help to achieve her vengeance—even as he plots to use the beautiful, unsuspecting warrior as bait to draw out the bloodthirsty dreniacs.

Night’s Cold Kiss is Tracey O’Hara’s debut effort, marketed as “A Dark Brethren Novel”.  It’s set in modern-day America, but has numerous cool futuristic bits.

Antoinette Petrescu is a tough chick with a chip the size of a redgum on her shoulder - and rightly so - a parahuman killed her mother before he six-year-old eyes.  As a result,  her hatred for any vampiric race consumes her.  Now a Venator - a Necrodreniac hunter and exterminator - she’s dogged by a parahuman who keeps slaughtering woman who look just like her.  It becomes increasingly obvious that this parahuman is also the person that killed her mother - and he was supposed to have died in a fire.  Now he’s back, killing blonde girls, as a plain old, albeit very well-trained, human, Antoinette’s not safe.

Enter Christian Laroque, an Aeternus Vampire from the CHaPR (Council for Human and Parahuman Relations), who agrees to work with Antoinette, and investigate the deaths while keeping her safe.  Antoinette does not need to know of his own motivations for keeping her close.  Added to the conflict is the fact that Christian rescued Antoinette and her brother the night of her mother’s death and her father’s disappearance.

It burns Antoinette to have anything to do with the Vampire, but he is hard to argue with, and they’re fighting an attraction that consumes them both.  

I thought that was an excellent read - I enjoyed the slightly-different-than-usual vampire lore, and the characters, depth and world-building were great.  

Oh, and in case I’ve baffled you with any strange words, there is a handy glossary at the back of the book.  

Memorable scene:

In the stateroom on the private jet.  The words “blood thrall” have any meaning for you?  Very hot.  

Least memorable part:

There were a few places early in the book where I was jolted out of the story wanting to pop a few commas and such in.  The last half of the book, I never even thought about it.  Possibly, if you’re not a writer, you might not even notice.  

A big thumbs up for Tracey O’Hara and her debut novel.  As Nalini Singh states on the cover, “Intense, sexy, bold.”  

Can’t argue with that.  

Take care, E.