The official launch of the Dark Side...DownUnder!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The best thing about this Halloween is the official launch of our new Aus/NZ spec-fic author blog:

Click on the banner to reach the new Darksiders blog, and comment to be in the running for one of two prizes.

Awesome!  There's also a rundown of how the blog will work, and tips on what you can win, when.  (Thanks Eleni!)

So, come on over to the Darkside!

The Darksiders cometh!

A group of RWA and RWANZ speculative fiction authors have banded together and their arrival is nigh! These talented writers pen a vast array of stories--paranormal, sci-fi, urban fantasy, fantasy, romantic or with romantic elements.

They are the... DARKSIDE DOWNUNDER!

And we're storming the blogosphere this Halloween!

Prepare for the following to pop into your PC:

Jess Anastasi

Maree Anderson

Keri Arthur

Kitty Bucholtz

Astrid Cooper

Rowena Cory Daniells

Michelle de Rooy

Jessica Dorney

Fiona Gregory

Kylie Griffin

Erica Hayes

Shona Husk

Shannah Jay

Loretta Kelly

Eleni Konstantine

Emmeline Lock

Nicole R Murphy

Janni Nell

Tracey O'Hara

Christina Phillips

Denise Rossetti

Jenny Schwartz

Nicola E. Sheridan

Nicky Strickland

Mel Teshco

Joanne Vogel



As THIS SUNDAY--Halloween, people!-- is our launch date, ready yourselves for the virtual onslaught of fiction gore, ghosts, blood, vamps, aliens, spaceships, corpses and, oh yes...



PRIZES!



Many thanks to Eleni and Keri for readying the DARKSIDERS TO GO!



Until then, mwahahahaha!



Emmeline.

Writing Pitfalls

Are you guilty of any of these?

Welcome to the Dark Side!

I'm in! Check my pride badge...

Listening to:  HALLELUJAH - k.d.lang.  Yep, again.  I love it.  

Reading:  STRANGE BEDPERSONS Jennifer Crusie, and a ms from one of my lovely CP's, Rach! 

Working on:  final pass on HIS DEADLY ECHO, a paranormal romantic short before I send it to Rach and Anna, and I'm thinking about a new story...   


Despite my best efforts to confuse everybody by mailing in my application to RWA just prior to the conference, I'm in!

What a fabulous place!  I've caught up on the RWA's official journal, Hearts Talk, editions I've not read (grab a membership, and you too can read them!) and I've jumped on the loop, where everyone was very welcoming.  I'm also toying, in a very small way, with entering a comp or two this year.  We shall see.

Joy of joys, I found RWA has a dedicated paranormal/speculative fiction crew, too.  They've just given themselves a name, and...it's all very exciting!  More to come.

My last post, you know, the one about Christina Phillips' new release from Berkeley, FORBIDDEN, remember that?  I won a signed copy!  Yay for me!  It's on the top of the TBR, and many thanks and best of luck to the lovely Christina!  Mwah!

I've been having a bit of a reading-fest at the moment - the kids are home on school holidays, and really, who gets anything constructive done then - so I've been gobbling a few up on the iPad Kindle app.  (Amazon) Kindle has this sample option which is very cool.  I can elect to send the sample to whichever app I want (or your actual honest-to-God Kindle, too, I imagine), and I'm loving it.  The best of the recents?  All the Kresley Cole IAD series (she's brill.).  The only thing about buying eBooks is the geographic restrictions, which makes me want to pop my head in the toaster and push the lever.

I must, must, must get a hold of Joey W Hill's mermaid series (Daughters of Arianne).  They're restricted in eBook for Australia, but I can get it via Amazon or the like, as they consider the US the purchase point when you buy print books.  Anna Hackett has a thing about scales and slime, but she loved Joey W Hill.  Check out her blog post.  Oh, and DARK SIREN gets a mention!  Thanks Anna, mwah!

Speaking of Anna, she's anticipating the arrival of her fifth Nocturne Bites, called ONE NIGHT WITH THE WOLF.  I gotta tell you, I'm not a big wolf chick, but I loved the hero in this one.  Num.  There's a stunning forest/chase/wolf scene that you have GOT to read.  As soon as she gets a date, we'll pass it on.

I've also got a stack of Jenny Crusies here in paperback I'm working through.  I thought FAKING IT was great.  She's extremely talented (her dialogue makes me drool), but I always feel a little like I connect more with the heroes than the heroines.  Although, MANHUNTING has a heroine I really enjoyed, and Tilda in FAKING IT was a great character.  Davy, however was a con-artist who really made my boat float.  :)

Finally, DARK SIREN has been in NY a little over three months now.  I'm not stressing it, though.  I like to have something ready to send straight back, and the current wip has to go to Rach and Anna before I can fix it up and mail it off, so we're at least a month or more away.

As far as the new story goes, I'm thinking I might have a go at something lighter, more paranormal romantic comedy.  I've been thinking about voice, lately.

But more on that next time.  :)

Take care, all!  E x

I'm not dead - and Christina Phillips' FORBIDDEN blog party!

Listening to:  Will Write for Wine Podcasts
Reading: RWA's LITTLE GEMS Topaz Anthology & Kristan Higgin's ALL I EVER WANTED
Working on:  Paranormal romantic novella

I'm slightly ashamed of the fact that I nearly always have to open my blog posts with some proof of life.

Yes, I'm still breathing!  I haven't been spending my time doing my nails, or polishing the hubcaps on the Kluger, either.  I'm nearly done with the dirty draft for HIS DEADLY ECHO, a prospective Nocturne Bites submission.  And while the end is nigh, I cannot say 'dirty' enough.  It's a bit of a hot mess, but it's definitely getting there.

Otherness, this is winging its was around the blogosphere, and I thought I'd rock the party, too.  I think this is one of my fave covers going around at the mo'... something about him holding her upper arms, and her fingers splayed on her thigh.  Pretty.  Oh, and there is talk of signed book giveaway.


To help celebrate the release of Forbidden, Christina Phillips's debut Roman/Druid Ancient Historical Romance from Berkley Heat, she's holding a launch party with lots of amazing authors and fabulous giveaways! In addition, Christina's giving away a signed copy of Forbidden to one lucky person who helps spread the love. All you have to do is mention the party (you can copy and paste this blurb), being held from 1st to 6th September at http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com. You can Tweet about it, blog, Facebook, MySpace or anything! And then drop her an email at ChristinapPh @ gmail dot com (no spaces) to let her know. Please put Forbidden Launch Party (or something similar) in the subject line. The winner will be drawn for that on Monday 6th September.

And if you'd like to also put the trailer up on your sites, please do!!! The YouTube link to embed is here.

I'd love to put the Youtube clip on, but something's hinkey (probably me), so I'll just put this:

And this:

"I dare you to put down Forbidden until you reach the last page. Compelling, passionate and fascinating." Anna Campbell, author of CAPTIVE OF SIN


Nice one, Anna!

Fellow SARA, Eleni Konstantine will be there, as well as a number of totally cool people.

Speaking of Eleni, I've just finished reading the Little Gems Topaz Anthology, which features Eleni's cover design, as well as more SARA's--Bronwyn Stuart and Maggie Mundy.  Hit the link above to order yours, or go to Christina's party, Eleni is giving one away!

Take care, all.  E x

Getting up to speed...

You know how you feel like you've been insanely busy, but have very little to show for it? Welcome to My July.

The biggest, excitingest news from the last few weeks is that one of my lovely CP's, the very talented Anna Hackett has sold another Bites! It's a fabulous wolf story that Rach and I critiqued. The hero is majorly drool-worthy. Huge congrats, Anna! More when it comes to hand...

I've been working on my next potential Bites sub, working titled HIS DEADLY ECHO, for the most part. I did my usual "write four thousand words to start which will ultimately be binned" thing again. Not sure why I don't just write 5k and call it notes, then start the real thing. Nevermind. It seems to work for me. It's at about six K now, and I'm only just at the first kiss. I shall hack and slice at it later.

Had a SARA meeting on the third Wednesday of July, this time we spoke about online presence. It was all quite interesting, especially the bit about buying dot coms. Mmmmm.... To my neverending (for a few moments, anyway) shame, I didn't make my 6k goal for that meeting--only four--but I am well on the way to getting four for the next meeting. In my defence, a rogue Palm Cove holiday presented itself, so I lost a week or two whilst enjoying that.

Lots of SARA ladies are fired up about the RWA Conference. Have a great time!

Been reading. Gobbled up a few Showalters recently. THE PLEASURE SLAVE and THE STONE PRINCE. Not my fave GS, but seriously good, nonetheless.

I've just recently re-discovered podcasts, too. I was listening to one today, whilst pruning my roses (read: spliter torture at home). I think I like them, I had the Harlequin Nocturne one, plus Smart Bitch Sarah and Jane from Dear Author. Do you listen to industry-related podcasts? Any comments/recommendations? Thanks. :)

On a completely personal and possibly slightly self-congratulatory note, I also hit a weightloss goal this week. Not quite half way through that journey. I've rewarded myself with Chamilia bling. Purrrty. :)

Oh, and I got an iPad, from which I am posting. Works well, doesn't it?