Memos
Carina Press. Launched!
[Latin car na, keel]
As you might know if you've checked the views section of my website, I live on the ocean. On the Strait of Georgia to be exact, the body of water that lies between Vancouver Island, where I live, and the coast of British Columbia. (For those of you interested in geography check here) It is a beautiful and inspiring place to live, and it's also a sea lane for cruise ships on their way to Alaska. When I see the ships at night, their lights twinkling in the distance, I think about all those happy cruisers, laughing, partying, eating incredible food, and generally having a fabulous time. I think of them as having escaped from their everyday lives, be they humdrum or stressed to the max, and taking a voyage of wonder, going to a place they've never seen before and may never see again. What could be better than that? I envy them mightily at times — especially if I've had a bad day. Unfortunately, we can't all walk that beckoning gangplank that will put us on a luxury cruise liner, then onward to the fjords, glaciers, and towering mountains of Alaska. But we can — thank the heavens! — read books.
I've been reading lot, lately — more than writing, actually (which is a bad thing for an author to admit.) But I can't help myself; I keep buying tickets on authorships, ships with names like Lee Child, Michael Connolly, Robert Crais, Nora Roberts, Meredith Duran, Jo Beverley, Lisa Kleypas, JR Ward and more — so many more. And of course I take the voyages provided me by my talented writer friends, Gail Whitiker, Bonnie Edwards, Vanessa Grant, and Laura Langston. There are just so many possible voyages... The thing about being a writer is that we're all readers first — and it's an impossible habit to shake.
And now there is Carina Press, Harlequin's digital-first publisher. Carina has lowered a gangplank leading to a ship “where no great story goes untold.” I am grateful to Carina for publishing my recent romantic suspense novel, OVERNIGHT — a small ship of my own. New to the wide and wild digital seas, I have learned much working with my editor, Melissa Johnson, and the amazing Angela James and Malle Vallik. As officers and crew for this new voyage, they're first class. The Carina Press ship launched with forty authors on board, many you've read before, some you haven't. If you feel the urge, stroll the Carina deck, and take a look around. The people are nice, the writers are talented, and the prices are much less than a ticket to Alaska. http://carinapress.com/ Bon Voyage, Carina!
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Overkill
A bit of news. Finally. Actually two bits.
First, I've had a story included in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF SPECIAL OPS ROMANCE. This anthology is full of wonderful authors, about twenty-five of them, all writing about very special heroes: Navy SEALS, Delta Force, Army Rangers and more. This MAMMOTH book is edited by Trisha Telep, she who brought you, among others, THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE. Really, if you've never read one of Trisha's collections, give them a try. They're fabulous and fun reads, and a great way to try out new-to-you authors, while enjoying some emotionally charged romances. (Of course, I'd love it if you start with SPECIAL OPS :) Here's a peek at the cover and a bit about my story, OVERKILL:
When special agent Tanner Cross receives the order to kill his boss — from his boss — he thinks he's heard it all. And when the boss's daughter Laine, the woman Tanner has loved since he was smart-ass kid, gets wind of his assignment, things get messy. Real messy. Tanner is faced with a soldier's toughest choice, follow your heart — or follow orders.
Available in most bookstores in May, 2010, including Barnes and Noble, Chapters Indigo and Amazon.com. Here's an advance peek:
Excerpt from OVERKILL
"This is a joke, right?" Tanner Cross sat on a cheap bed in an even cheaper hotel in Loubomo in the Congo Republic. He was counting money. He was also naked, tired, and as of two minutes ago, when he'd stepped out of his first shower in two weeks, actually clean. A month of sleep, a haircut, and he'd be human again, although last he heard humans weren't called on to kill their superiors. Holister had to be smoking something. Either that or he was speaking in code.
"No joke. Book a flight. Laine Derek will have you picked up and taken straight to Derek's home in Mayfair. Security knows you're coming in as a guest. And it's best you stay clear of Laine. She'll ask questions. The woman is a tiger when it comes to her father's security."
"No problem. I prefer my tigers in my gas tank-or better yet, my bed."
"Funny."
"I take it she doesn't know what her father does when he isn't making billions for Derek Industries."
"No. And it's your job to keep it that way."
Jesus! He tossed a wad of hundreds on the counted side of the bed, and ran a hand through his wet, tangled hair.
He'd been with Raven Force for eight years, run ops from the seething East-bloc to war-infested Africa, but he'd never received an assassination order before. Abort mega weapons deals and kill the bad guys, sure . . . and get their money-that was the best part. But terminate the man who masterminded Raven Force, a man whose brilliant, Byzantine plots had saved thousands of lives-and taken down dozens of murdering warlords?
This order had to be bullshit. Had to be. "You sure about this, Holister?"
Tanner heard a hard breath come down the line. "He specifically asked for you-says you 'don't blink.' So get your ass to London ASAP." Pause. "And clean up before arrival, okay? Suit. Tie. The works. The Dereks don't do casual."
"Oh goody, a shopping spree."
Holister ignored the joke. "And remember this is what Derek wants. This is his plan. And whatever that man wants, he gets."
"Even to choosing his own time and place to die." Tanner rubbed his jumpy gut.
Silence, a full five seconds of it, then a hard exhale. "Yeah, even that."
Tanner took just as long to answer. "Shit," he said, because there was nothing else to say. But a lot to think about. Like why in hell Derek asked for him. You owe the man, Cross, maybe this is his way of calling in the debt. And like it or not, this was an order.
When Holister hung up, Tanner stared at the phone, working to get his thoughts in a line that made sense.
He didn't know what was worse, being ordered to kill Joe Derek, or seeing Laine again.
He picked up his beer from the floor beside the bed and took a long pull. Hell, chances were good she wouldn't even remember him. He didn't know how he felt about that either.
Yet more exciting news is that I'll be part of the launch group of authors for Carina Press, Harlequin's new digital-only publisher. My contribution is titled OVERNIGHT, the chilling story of a cold man and the warm woman who lights his fire. I'll have more on Carina Press (what they'll be publishing is so-o exciting!), cover art for OVERNIGHT, and an excerpt very soon. Now I get to used that clichéd catch phrase, "Stay tuned!"
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AWOL?
Too much time has passed since I visited my own website! There's a reason-or perhaps an excuse?--for why I haven't been here. (Of course, if there weren't, I'd be forced to make one up. :)
Everyone at one time or another has gone through a period where their time gets hijacked, by events, various crises or simply the needs du jour. And that's what happened to me, so for awhile my time just wasn't my own. It belonged to family and family situations. But here I am now, raising my head like a submarine periscope, looking around, and seeing that the world of readers and writers is still there, still going strong. So, I'm back at the keyboard, dreaming and scheming about vicious villains and the brilliant heroes and heroines who put the run on them. I do love my job...
I have a novella tentatively titled OVERNIGHT — Julius Zern's story from KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE — on my editor's desk, and I'm deep in the agony of creation on a new book/s. And, no, it's not really agony, but where's the harm in a touch of melodrama? Another good thing is that to get the writing job done, I've splurged on a new laptop, a red Dell XPS. I'm lovin' it!
Other, BIGGER NEWS, for MEMOs is that I'll be teaching a six-week course this fall in Victoria, BC, for The Victoria School of Writing. It's called Love Among the Villains: Writing the romantic suspense novel. I'm looking forward to it and to meeting some great people from the Southern part of my island. If any of you are in the neighbourhood and have an interest in the course, you can find more information at: victoriaschoolofwriting.org
Now it's back to your regular programming-and enjoying what I hope is a lazy, hazy summer full of friends, barbeques, and cool lemonades. Oh, and reading, lots and lots of reading...
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Halfway through March? Impossible!
I started the year with such good intentions ... But here I am still eating all the wrong things while I watch America's Next Top Model. And, yes, I've been ignoring my web page. The thing is that sometimes, like it or not, the non-writing life; family, teenagers, dogs, leaky pipes, and marauding ants lay waste to the most noble of intentions. (Excuses? Did someone say excuses?)
But here I am to let you know that I'm in a Brava anthology-coming out May, 2008. It's titled BADDEST BAD BOYS, and I'm in it with Shannon McKenna (dear goddess what a writer!) and Cate Noble, whose story will have you positively aching for the pleasures of a private island. My contribution is called After The Lovin'. It's the story of two unlikely lovers thrown together by fear, distrust, and bad weather, and manage to fall in love in spite of everything. If you read it, I hope you like it.
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2008, The Year of the Rat.
In the Chinese astrological calendar, the year of the rat symbolizes the beginning of a new twelve year cycle. As a writer who loves new beginnings, this is a happy-making occurrence. I'm looking forward to the Rat's Year; a year when the old ways of doing things — which don't appear to be working too well these days — are abandoned, and bright new ideas lead the way. I'm all for those bright ideas, too. In a writer's life, there can never be too many of those! The problem is we have to emulate the rat to ensure the year is a good one for us. And the rat is no slouch. I'm told we have to be clever, observant, quick on our feet, and primed to spot the opportunities coming our way. Sounds a lot like work. I think I’m tired already...
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Omaha is grand...
Every once in awhile, writers feel compelled to forsake their solitary garrets, open their front doors, head out, and take in a bit of real life — or go hang with other writers, which is the next best thing. My compulsion took me to Omaha and the RWA Kiss of Death Retreat. It was my first trip to Nebraska, and it was too short — didn't get nearly enough time to wander old town, but I did meet and greet some fellow writers and learn a few things-about detective work (Lt. Danny Agan), suspense (Erica Spindler), and editing (Margie Lawson) while I was about it. So thank you, Omaha!
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Cheers to the Tacoma Readers' Group...
I don't know why there aren't readers' groups on every corner in North America; they are great! And the group in Tacoma, Washington is among the best. Started by Bev Estep thirteen years ago, the group has grown from an initial three to more than forty members. They meet once a month to talk books while enjoying a fine pizza. Their meetings are casual, informative-and loads of fun! Not only do they all love reading — in all genres — they have a good time dissecting books, recommending books, and trading books. Their meeting place is full of strong voices sharing informed opinions on what they like and dislike about today's fiction, and they have a lot of laughs while they do it.
I was honored to be invited for a second time this September as one of their guest authors; this time breaking bread-actually eating really good pizza-with author, Marianne Stillings, whose next book, SATISFACTION, is out this November. It was a delight to meet her and all the members of the Tacoma Readers' group. (Thank you, Veda, for the kind invitation. I think I'm going to get a button that says, I Love Readers' Groups.) And if anyone reading this is missing some fun, focused socializing in their lives, you might want to think about starting a readers' group. Good times, good reading, and like-minded people ... what could be better?
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My new pal...
I've heard readers say they dislike authors who use their sites to extol the cuteness, intelligence, and general wonderfulness of their pets. An author's website should be about the books, they say, and in principle they're absolutely right. (Although considering a writer's pet is often more interesting than the writer, they might want to revisit that opinion. : ) But because I talked about the loss of our dear dog friend, Roan, in early May, I feel compelled to introduce Zuke, the new kid on the block. I promise not to bore you with his potty training, general puppy silliness-and there's been plenty so far-or other tales from Dogville. Instead, I'll let his picture do the talking. Please meet Zuke, who has already staked out his own spot in my heart and warmed it while doing so. (Now if he just knew how to punctuate...)
Special thanks for our beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback goes to Wendy MacLean, the caring and very knowledgeable breeder responsible for our fine new boy.
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Dog stories...
If you've poked around my website, you've seen pictures of my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Roan, my writing buddy. And while a picture is worth a thousand words, it takes at least a few words to tell sad stories. And my sad story is that we lost Roan in early May. He was almost ten years old, and losing him — holding him while the vet put him into his final sleep — was one of the hardest and saddest days of my life. Roan was stubborn, neurotic, silly, talkative, unpredictable, and the best listener in the house. We were his slaves and he was ours. When we lost him to cancer, my husband and I were convinced we would never get another dog. And we had good, logical reasons — or so we thought; it was one less responsibility in lives filled with them, it was exhausting even thinking about going through the puppy stage, the training, the housebreaking ... but most of all we didn't want to face loving and losing another canine pal. It was just too painful. Too raw.
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Come the fall...
I'm looking forward to some book signing events, both of them in my home province of British Columbia. If you’re in the neighborhood, I hope you’ll drop by; I'd love to meet you. The first signing will be September 15th in Chapters Metrotown in Burnaby from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., and the second will be October 13th at the wonderful Indigo Park Royal in West Vancouver from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
These will be fun signings, mainly because of the company I'm keeping — a group of terrific and very talented romance authors. Here's the list with their latest release after their name: Bonnie Edwards, BUILT, Naomi Bellis, STEP INTO DARKNESS, Susan Lyons, TOUCH ME, Kate Austin, SUMMER DREAMS, Lee McKenzie, THE MAN FOR MAGGIE, and Laura Drewry, CHARMING JO. Not every author is at both signings, so you might want to check their web pages for their participation dates.
Do come and say hello if you can...
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Tacoma in September:
I'll be heading down to Tacoma, Washington, a jewel of a city, in the fall — the date's not confirmed yet, but the plan is to have lunch with a very special group of readers — maybe forty in all? — who've been meeting regularly for years. They're a fun and eclectic group, and they read all types of fiction: suspense, mystery, romance — and whatever else piques their interest.
Last time I went to visit with them, I had a great time, so I'm really looking forward to seeing Tacoma again. It's always a treat to spend time with readers. And if I'm lucky I'll get to the Tacoma Museum of Glass. Amazing place!
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Omaha in October:
I've never been to Nebraska, but that's where I'm going in October. It's the annual retreat for the KISS OF DEATH ROMANTIC SUSPENSE CHAPTER of the Romance Writers of America. I'll be doing a workshop, but more than that, I'll be mixing and mingling with writers who are actively writing romantic suspense. For one intensive weekend we'll be focusing on: “Thriller: Building High Emotion and Suspense in Your Novel.” The other exciting thing about this retreat is the company I'll be keeping: NY Times, USA Today bestselling author, Erica Spindler, will be there!
P.S. I discovered that some amazing people have Omaha roots, among them: Fred Astaire and his sister Adele, Marlon Brando, Gerald Ford, Henry Fonda, Nick Nolte, Nicholas Sparks, Paula Zahn ... Warren Buffett, of course. The list goes on and on. There must be something in that Nebraska air. I hope I catch some of it.