Fabulous Friday!

There's no reason for the picture above except that it made me laugh. I remember playing Clue for many hours with my sister and cousin when I was a kid. I remember those long days of summer, when you thought they would never end, when a day seemed to last forever. All you had to worry about was what game you wanted to play with your friends.

I'm going to try to recapture some of those feelings this weekend. I'm off to play with some old friends. lol Have a fabullous weekend!

Editing, editing, editing...

The last few days had been spent editing. Not that I procrastinated or anything. lol (Or procatstinated either.) But it is all about spelling and word choice and continuity when you're editing a book. It's all about making the work better and stronger. Some books are easy edits. Others, you wonder what the heck you were thinking. The book I edited this week was somewhere in between.

But it's done now and off to my editor. Today's job is to try to remember what the heck was going on in the story I was working on before I had to break for edits. I see a reread in my morning. Then I may try to jot a few notes about where I want to go with the story. If I'm really lucky I might actually get something written.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Sunday Reflections

It's been a few days since I blogged but it's been another busy week. SIL who had surgery last week ended up being released from hospital for a day and then was back in hospital again with all kinds of compications. After much worry she is coming around and should be released tomorrow if all goes well.

Hubby and I met an old friend for breakfast yesterday morning. We hadn't seen him in a decade and hadn't spoken to him in several years. Sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes friends need to take a step back from your friendship in order to fully become themselves at a new stage in their lives.

The wonderful things about your oldest friends is it doesn't really matter how much time has passed. We met with him, his family yesterday morning and it was as if we'd seen one another only yesterday. We talked nonstop for several hours. They are only passing through the city and only had a few hours to spend with us. We're hoping to see them again when they are on their way home. It was nice to reconnect again.

It got me to thinking about friendship. People come and go in our lives. Sometimes we have intense friendships for a short amount of time and other people are in our lives forever. Each friendship is different and special and should be cherished. Everyone who comes into our lives touches it in some way--for better or worse. And that's what life is all about.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Legacy Found Cover featured in Exercise and Health Magazine

Check out the Fall 2011 copy of Excercise and Health Magazine for an article on male cover model Jason Aaron Baca. He's the wonderful cover model for my book Legacy Found.

It's so cool to see my cover in a magazine like this. Be sure to check out the article and cover on pages 76 and 77!

Cover Blog for Dreams of Seduction

The wonderful Lin Holmes has created a cover blog for my upcoming Samhain release, Dreams of Seduction. As always, I'm amazed by Lin's creativity and generous spirit. Check it out at Lins Own Oyster!

Watch for Dreams of Seduction on August 23rd!

The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance

I just got my author copies for The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance. I'm thrilled to be included in this anthology with all these fabulous authors, including Lilith Saintcrow, Louisa Burton, Anna Windsor, Susan Sizemore, Michelle M. Pillow, Rebecca York, Charlotte Stein, Shiloh Walker, Victoria Janssen, Saskia Walker, Charlene Teglia, Cathy Clamp and more.

You can check out my story "Blind Date" when the anthology releases on August 23rd!

Pondering on a Wednesday

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday!

I decided I'd work on a short story before I started to rewrite my current WIP. I figured the break away from the book would be good for the revision process. I hope to finish the story today. Writing a short story is a challenge because of the low word count. The trick is to concentrate on one main scene and have the characters connect quickly. It's not always easy, but it's always fun. Figuring out their motivation and what they want is key.

So that means I'm back to pondering...

Have a great day!

Week in Review

I know I haven't blogged for almost a week now, but it was a very busy week. I'm still working on my WIP (another Tapestries book) and things are going well. Hoping to finish the rough draft this week. *fingers crossed*

I know I mentioned it on Facebook but I can't remember if I mentioned it here on my blog or not. If I already have, please forgive my lapse in memory. :) I signed and mailed off THREE new contracts. Two of them are for the next two books in the Legacy series from Samhain. Look for Quinn's Quest and Finding Chrissten early next year. The other contract is with Ellora's Cave for a historical Quickie entitiled Lady's Minstrel.

As well, I took some time off and went to my mothers for a short 2-day visit. Thankfully the weather was lovely while we were there and we were able to get out and do some exploring in the area.

Did the first round of official edits for Quinn's Quest with my editor. That interrupted my WIP but that's okay. I'm always happy to get edits done.

That leaves me back here at Monday morning trying to remember what the heck I was writing in my WIP last Tuesday, which was the last day I had a chance to work on it. I'll be back at the keyboard this morning tapping away.

But first I need my tea... (I know the picture says coffee, but I couldn't find one that says tea.)

Have a fabulous day!

New in PRINT!

Isaiah's Haven is available in PRINT today from Samhain Publishing!




BLURB:

Isaiah Striker puts family first, the pack a distant second. Which is precisely the reason he’s in noisy, crowded Chicago instead of alone in his beloved woods. One look at the owner of Haven nightclub, however, and a simple favor for his brother turns into something else entirely.

Meredith Cross holds her small pack together with sheer determination. After years on the run, they hide in the glare of the city’s nightlife. Isaiah may heat her blood, but she can’t afford to risk the lives of the outcast half-breeds in her care. Once exposed, every bounty hunter and werewolf purist in smelling distance will hunt them down.

But when their sexual attraction spirals out of control, a moment’s distraction is all it takes to lead danger right to Meredith’s door. For Meredith there’s only one choice: her pack.

But Isaiah knows his mate when he sees her. And he’s not giving up without a fight.

BUY IT NOW!

SALE! SALE! SALE!

Check out Amethyst Moon--my menage a trois/paranormal novella--over at the Ellora's Cave website. You can buy it now for only 99 cents! I don't know how long this sale will last so get it while you can.

BLURB:

Archaeologist Olivia Fifield has spent her entire life trying to live down the legacy of her grandfather and his theories on a lost civilization. Her only link to this place is a set of amethyst bracelets that he left her when he died.

Now she is on the archeological dig of her life and has a chance not only to clear her grandfather's name, but to make her own reputation as well. But there are some who don't want her to succeed.

What she uncovers is not a lost civilization, but a totally different world. The amethyst bracelets are the keys that transport her there and into the arms of Tor and Dak, two warriors of T'ar Tal. But the future is anything but certain and only Olivia can decide the fate of them all.

BUY IT NOW!

There are tons more books on sale. Check out the Values from the Vault link for a complete list.

Happy July 4th

Happy July 4th to all my friends in the United States!

Hope you all have a fabulous day filled with family, food and fun.

Happy Canada Day!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

I hope you all have a safe, happy and fun day with family and friends!

July/August Newsletter Now Available!

The July/August 2011 issue of Awakening Desires—the Newsletter of Romance Author N.J. Walters—is now available.

Be sure to check out all the latest news, my husband’s popular column—Confessions of a Romance Author’s Husband— an excerpt, and this month Author Amber Skyze stops by for a quick Q & A.

As always, some lucky newsletter subscriber wins a prize. All you have to do to be eligible to win is go to the Awakening Desires Newsletter and join. While you’re there, you can check out back issues of the newsletter.