Midweek Mayhem: She was living a lie... LONGING #Snippet2 #DragonsFTW #NORSummerFun

Working it out…

• (NEW) My lovely friend Marlene Relja stopped by yesterday to talk about her Twitter-based book club. So cool! Check the post here :)
• (NEW) Starting Saturday I'll be participating in Night Owl Reviews Scavenger Hunt! Deets here. I'm giving away a signed copy of Witch Way to Turn and a $25 Amazon giftcard!
• (NEW) Exciting news!! *spins* Yesterday I got a 50-page request for Becoming from one of my TOP TEN AGENTS!! And guess what?? It was from a cold query!! I emailed her my query letter (about 2.5 weeks ago) with no pages, no synopsis, no nothin'... Squee!!!

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The Becoming Playlist!

Wanted to share some of the songs that inspired me as I wrote Becoming...

Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall

Hearing voices…

Cover art by Danielle Fine

• My dark and gritty new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters, titled Becoming, is completely edited!!!!! And I'll be pitching it at RWA in July if I don't have an agent before then...but cross your fingers and toes and eyes and, erm, anything you can cross cos it's with FOUR awesome agents right now!!! :D
• Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!!
• Twitter pitch for Becoming: After a transplant gives Zoe a dragon shifter’s heart, she learns that her online boyfriend is her donor and...a girl.

♥ Today I'm sharing snippet #2 from the Becoming prequel titled Longing (unedited)!
Read Snippet #1 here.
Excited for y'all do get to know my dragons better :)

Longing - Chapter 1 (snippet #2)...

She forced herself not to listen to it. If she subjected herself to its coercing she’d have to find another victim. And as it stood right now, she had gone one week without killing. Seven
straight days of warring against the thing that came so naturally to her. A record, of sorts. Not that she should celebrate.
Carefully she pushed back the blanket and slid out of bed, trying not to wake her boyfriend. Even the word itself disgusted her. She may’ve had sex with him, but—like all the ones before him—she didn’t love him. She was living a lie. And for what? 

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Cover art by Danielle Fine

Waiting game...

• On week #15 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.
• Requests for Becoming! Squee!!! On week #9 with one awesome agent and week #1 with another (partial), and week #4 with the three other awesome agents (full)!! *fingers and toes crossed* 

Reading...

• Am reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. Amazing premise...it's three stories in one, going on at the same time :) Am at 72%.
• Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd! 

Bonus material... 

*Writers, looking for a talented editor? I highly recommend Danielle Fine. She's edited four manuscripts of mine and has taught me so much! I'm a stronger writer because of her guidance. Also, she designed my beautiful inspiration cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows! Annnnd she created the book trailer for Witch Way to Turn! 
*For more information on Dani's editing services, cover design, book trailer creation and website design stop by her site >>>> here!

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert... 

We've recently gotten a swimming pool at work (entrance to city hall) :P

Caught the demon pup mid-lick! His tongue is so dang cute!!

BBQ place the hubs and I ate at on Sunday... It was delish! Here piggy, piggy, piggy! :P

On a semi-related note...this is a pig face made out of hamburger meat. This was at a specialty grocery store on Sunday and what drew my attention to it was the fact that a little girl (maybe 5) thought it was funny and her mom freaked the H out and was saying how terrifying it was. So, of course, I'm all: Ooo, must have pic for Midweek Mayhem post!!

Erm, yeah... Drivin' gangsta.

I swear I'm not quite this pasty white in person!! Okay, so maybe I am just a little bit ;)

Sex on the Beach...one of my fave chick drinks. Can you believe I've never actually had sex on the beach? Whaa? TMI?? :P Have you???

Midweek Mayhem: You shall never be free... LONGING #Snippet1 #DragonsFTW

Working it out…

• (NEW) My 30th b-day was yesterday!! It was a wonderful day filled with so much love from friends and family even before 6AM!! Just wanted to say THANK YOU! I felt very special. ♥
• (NEW) The lovely and talented Pippa Jay had a new release on Monday! Her YA SFR titled Gethyon is available now! Annnnd, she's doing a character interview here on Friday! Tune back in :D

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The Becoming Playlist!

Wanted to share some of the songs that inspired me as I wrote Becoming... When the movie's made I'll commission a girl to cover this song ;) 

The lyric that talks about being 'the closest to heaven' is how Taylor feels when Zoe is reading aloud to the children at the hospital. 

Iris by Goo Goo Dolls 

Hearing voices…

Cover art by Danielle Fine

• My dark and gritty new adult urban fantasy with cursed dragon shifters, titled Becoming, is completely edited!!!!! And I'll be pitching it at RWA in July if I don't have an agent before then...but cross your fingers and toes and eyes and, erm, anything you can cross cos it's with FOUR awesome agents right now!!! :D
• Check out my stunning cover inspiration (right side above this paragraph) designed by the talented Danielle Fine!!!
• Twitter pitch for Becoming: After a transplant gives Zoe a dragon shifter’s heart, she learns that her online boyfriend is her donor and...a girl.

♥ I'm switchin' things up for my excerpts. I'm gonna be sharing snippets from the Becoming prequel titled Longing! It's all in Taylor's POV...cos she is kinda, sorta my fave. Shhhh! Do NOT tell Zoe!! *begs you* :P Soo, I'll be sharing between 8 and 10 (unedited) sentences starting from the beginning and continuing in order. Excited for y'all do get to know my dragons better :)

Longing - Chapter 1 (snippet #1)...

Sunlight crawled through the mini-blinds, searching for a body to caress with its optimistic touch. Taylor lifted her manicured hand from underneath the covers and watched the light dance off the sheen of her fingernails. Dazzling, maybe. But it did nothing to warm her. Not right now. Nothing could heat the deep-seated chill in her heart.

Why do you bother, Taylor Mae? the beast mocked. You shall never be free of me.

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Cover art by Danielle Fine

Waiting game...

• On week #14 of waiting to hear back from a lovely agent who is reading Running From Shadows.
• Requests for Becoming! Squee!!! On week #8 with one awesome agent (partial), and week #2 with the three other awesome agents (full)!! *fingers and toes crossed* 

Reading...

• Am reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. Amazing premise...it's three stories in one, going on at the same time :) Am at 72%.
• Looking for book recommendations and reviews for your 2013 TBR List? Check out The Perks of Being a Book Nerd! 

Bonus material... 

*Writers, looking for a talented editor? I highly recommend Danielle Fine. She's edited four manuscripts of mine and has taught me so much! I'm a stronger writer because of her guidance. Also, she designed my beautiful inspiration cover art for Becoming and Running From Shadows! Annnnd she created the book trailer for Witch Way to Turn! 
*For more information on Dani's editing services, cover design, book trailer creation and website design stop by her site >>>> here!

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert... 

This vid because it is both random and awesome! *bounces*

Yesterday (the 4th of June) was my BIG 30th birthday!! My coworker made me this sign and I loved it! :D

The hubs got up before 4AM in order to bake made-from-scratch chocolate chip hazelnut scones for my b-day!! He's a keeper! :P Such an awesome guy!! ♥

Yeah, so this is at the 4-way stop at my house...someone hit the stop sign and it's still bent like that. Cray cray, right?? o.O

Uber random!! Our local drugstore or 'pharm' as Breena from Witch Way to Turn would call them has these little baskets that have wheels and a handle so that you don't have to carry them...you can just pull them around like luggage! Frakkin' awesome! Cos who wants to push a cart (or buggy if you're from North Carolina) around the drugstore?? Just sayin' :P

At the writing retreat last weekend, I ventured out into pirate territory...all alone! I am a brave soul ;)

At the writing retreat on the pier... I have a thing for clouds.

Bet you'll never guess why I took this pic!!! Okay, if you know about my dragons then you will :P Third one from the top ♥

The room at the writing retreat that I shared with two lovely ladies. They'll be my roomies at RWA Nationals in July :)

Midweek Mayhem: Pitching dragons! Signing books! Come see me...there's chocolate :P #RT2013 #PlayListVid

Working it out…

• (NEW) Guess where I am?? Here >>>> RT Booklovers Convention and I'm signing!! Stop by and see me on tomorrow, Thursday, May 2nd from 4-6PM at the EXPO! Ohh, and I'll have chocolate for you... Just sayin' :P More deets here!

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The Becoming Playlist!

Wanted to share some of the songs that inspired me as I wrote Becoming...this song reminds me of Zoe and all her paranoia... 

Concrete Angel by Gareth Emery

 

This is what I'm pitching tomorrow… Eep and Squee! Keep your fingers crossed!!

Cover art by Danielle Fine

Query Pitch

A heart transplant leaves nineteen-year-old Zoe Moore with a six-inch Frankenscar on her chest. Terrified of intimacy, Zoe shuts out everyone except the boy she meets online. Scared or not, she’s fallen hard and agrees to meet Taylor Sinclair...only, the UNC-Charlotte sophomore isn’t who Zoe expected. Despite being sexy, blond and green-eyed, Taylor is also female, shattering Zoe’s fantasies.

Ruthless killing is in Taylor’s dragon DNA, and the only way to stop it is to fall in love and procreate—a major problem for someone who has already given her heart, literally and figuratively, to a girl. As Zoe slowly lets her in, it’s torture for Taylor not to tell her the truth: because of what Taylor did, Zoe is turning into a monster. And in order to stop the transformation, Taylor must risk her own life.
 

Though concerned by her smoke burps, scalding-hot skin and taste for flesh, Zoe’s more frightened by her growing feelings. Even with her world spiraling out of control, Zoe would rather die than let anything happen to Taylor. But, when the moment arises, will Zoe choose to embrace what she’s becoming?

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Random Alert! Alert. Alert. Alert...

Look at those eyes!! Play with me, won't you?? Rusty pup knows how to work the adorable/pitiful look :P

Repetitive words when I was first editing Witch Way to Turn before it was published.

Sunset at city hall (day job)... I'm not there this week! So if you wanna stalk me, you'll have to come to the RT Booklovers Convention and buy my book :P

My voodoo doll at work ;)