Tag Archives: Writing

January 29, 2014 · 3:05 pm

Wednesday’s Want, Wed, Waste: Former U.S. Presidents

Hello and welcome to my version of the game, ‘F*@#’, Marry, Kill. This week we are WWW’ing U.S. Presidents.

Myself and some of my friends are sharing our Want, Wed, and Waste choices from this week’s list:

Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Abraham Lincoln (What a bunch of hotties, am I right? ;))

fdr23 harry-truman-photo-3 abraham-lincoln

Click on book titles below to learn more and to be taken to a buy link

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Me (Alicia Dean). Author of Valentine romance short story, Cupid’s Beau – What happens when a Cupid falls for her target? (ON SALE for only 99¢)

Want: Roosevelt. I mean, if he was unfaithful anyway, I might as well get in on the action, right? He was suave, handsome, and a great leader. I would feel guilty, though, because I adore Eleanor. (Not that I was born when they were in office, mind you, (side note: I might be old, but I wasn’t around when ANY of these presidents were in office) but I admire what I’ve heard about her, I love her quotes. I actually should read her book now that I think about it…)

Wed: Truman. He seemed like a good, caring man. I admire that he fought in World War I. He did make a tough, controversial decision to drop the bomb, but I think he did it with the best of intentions. It put an end to a war that would have cost no telling how many more Japanese and American lives. So…anyway, I think he was a great leader and he did a lot of other good things while in office.

Waste: Lincoln. As much as I admire and respect him, he gets the ‘waste’ mainly because of his lack of attractiveness. But also, had I lived in the Civil War days, I would have wanted to be a Scarlett-like Southern Belle (although, admittedly, I would be hard-pressed to compete with her in the 18-inch-waist arena) and no self-respecting Southern Belle would dare to be seen with a damn Yankee! (No offense to all my Yankee friends – But, we’d have been duking it out on the battlefield)

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SILVER JAMES, author of SEASON OF THE WITCH (The Penumbra Papers) –  A human FBI agent, a vampire, a supernatural serial killer–what can possibly go wrong? AMAZON LINK:  Website: http://silverjames.com

NOTE: Silver is offering a free digital copy of THAT OL’ BLACK MAGIC (the prequel novella in the Penumbra Papers series) in the winner’s choice of formats. Drawing will be held next Tuesday, February 4th – Be sure to leave your email address with your comment for your chance to win!

Want: Lincoln. I mean, who wouldn’t want a president who can hunt vampires? Okay, seriously, the man had a way with words. And he’s taller than I am. And likes women with padding. Works for me!

Wed: Truman – The buck stops with him. And he’s not afraid to make the hard decisions. He’s also a decent man, and to me? There’s just something inherently sexy about decency and doing the right thing, even when it feels wrong at the time.

Waste: FDR – Eleanor can keep him. I have trouble with infidelity in political leaders. I’m just weird that way.

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Diane Burton, author of ONE RED SHOE – Wannabe writer rescues wounded spy while risking her heart. Website:  www.dianeburton.com

Want: This is tough. Roosevelt, I guess. Handsome, debonair. Sure knew how to manipulate the media—they never showed him in his wheelchair or walking with crutches. Charismatic—if he hadn’t died, I’d bet he would have served more terms.

Wed: Hands down, Harry Truman. He took ownership of problems—the buck stops here. He made sure even MacArthur respected the office of president. His best quality? He was faithful to Bess all his life. Back home in Missouri, they lived like regular people. (Saw a replica of their kitchen at the presidential museum.)

Waste: Again, tough choice. I admire Lincoln for his stance on slavery and preserving the union. But I just can’t see wanting or wedding him.

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LYNDI LAMONT, author of TOVA’S DRAGON – An earth mage and a handsome dragonshifter team up to save the kingdom from an evil sorcerer. ON SALE for 40% off through Jan. 31 at  http://www.lyndilamont.com/

Want: FDR, who was apparently charming, urbane, and sophisticated, but not a faithful husband. An affair with him would have been a fascinating glimpse into the world of American aristocracy and probably a lot of fun. No place for a blue collar girl like me in the long run though. Can you say misfit?

Wed: Lincoln has been one of my heroes since I was a kid. Despite his faults, he was a great man: smart, funny and a good husband and father. Marriage to him would have been ultimately tragic, though.

Waste: Truman, mainly because of his decision to drop the A-bomb, the 20th c. version of opening Pandora’s Box.

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Callie Hutton, author of The Elusive Wife – He doesn’t know he’s about to fall in love with his wife. www.calliehutton.com

Want: FDR as someone I’d want to have dinner with. Talk about his vision for the country. 

Wed: President Abraham Lincoln. I imagine being married to such a compassionate man would be wonderful.

Waste: Truman. Not very memorable for me.

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Now we’d like to hear from you….which of these Commanders in Chief would you Want, Wed, and Waste?
Thanks for playing!

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November 27, 2013 · 7:25 am

Wednesday’s Want, Wed, Waste: NFL, MLB, and NBA Athletes

Hello and welcome to my version of the game, ‘F*@#’, Marry, Kill. This week we are WWW’ing Professional Athletes.

Myself and some of my friends are sharing our Want, Wed, and Waste choices from this week’s list:

Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, and Derek Jeter

kevin lat-brady-wre0012511832-20131118 derek-jeter--02f5f2dfd5a4d015

Click on book titles below to learn more and to be taken to a buy link

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Me (Alicia Dean). Author of Liberty Divided Isle of Fangs Book 2 ~ One man can fulfill her destiny, the other can fulfill her fantasy

WANT: I suppose it would have to be Tom Brady. I don’t like the Patriots, nor do I care for him, but he IS hot, so… Yeah, I could overcome my dislike and suffer through it. Just once.

WED:  Kevin Durant, only because I CANNOT marry a Yankee! I don’t care for basketball at all, and I don’t know much about him, but he is on my home city’s team (I guess he’s still with the Thunder?). Anyway, he wins by default. (Plus, he’s loaded! Not that the others are exactly poverty-stricken)

WASTE: Jeter. He’s a cutie, and he’s a phenomenal ballplayer, but I cannot, in good conscience, entertain any positive thoughts about anyone or anything associated with the New York Yankees. I would, however, ‘want’ him if given the opportunity.

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Marie Tuhart, author of More Than One Night, Website: www.marietuhart.com

Want: Tom Brady.  I adore football and Brady just does it for me.  Plus he grew up not too far from where I did.  And he is taken with a cute baby.

Wed: Derek Jeter.  While I’m not a huge baseball fan, he’s the closest to my age (although I’m older) and I just like looking at him.  And he’s starting a publishing venture with Simon and Schuster.

Waste: Kevin Durant.  I don’t watch basketball and I really don’t care for it.  Plus he’s a little too young.  But he’s a good looking man and he’ll find the right woman soon.

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Kathy L Wheeler, author of Lies That Bind  Would a modern woman marry for convenience to protect the identity of her child? Hell yes.  Http://kathylwheeler.com

Wed: I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kevin Durant. As I have been seeing him regularly now for four years. (At least 84 days out of the year.) Half of that in person. He’s widely traveled you know. He’s a born nurturer (because he loves his mama so!)  He’s an all around generous, down-to-earth sweetheart. He laughs at himself, plays well with others… and I would flourish in his positive aura.

Want: Derek Jeter…nah…I want Kevin Durant too. 

Waste: Tom Brady….strikes me as Kevin’s polar opposite.

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Now we’d like to hear from you….which of these Hottie Athletes would you Want, Wed, and Waste?

Thanks for playing!

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May 25, 2013 · 5:49 pm

Confessions of a #KindleWorlds Author

I am one of the launch authors for the new Kindle Worlds platform. And, I must confess, I am THRILLED about this opportunity. I have been excited to share the news since Amazon contacted me in early March and commissioned me to write for the platform. Finally, the day has come that I can announce my part in this new venture, but with all the negative buzz going around, it now seems as though I should be ashamed. But I’m sorry. I’m not. I mean, Amazon offered me an opportunity to write and earn royalties for stories about The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl…two shows I LOVE. Are you kidding me? Why wouldn’t I be thrilled?

Some of the negative comments I’m hearing are…

Amazon retains rights to the story for the entirety of the copyright.

SO??? I would not plan to publish the story anywhere else. I have a lot of other stories to write. Amazon is welcome to these. Amazon is the only reason I am writing them.

The concept is unfair.

To whom? The World Licensor earns royalties. The author earns royalties. Amazon earns royalties. Readers can enjoy stories about their favorite shows. One of which, Gossip Girl, is no longer airing. This gives fans who miss the show a way to continue enjoying it. Who is suffering in this scenario?

This is unfair to the license holders.

The license holder AGREED to this. That is why Amazon only has three World Licensors they have announced thus far. Only three have entered into an agreement with them. Amazon is not taking anything from anyone. They are making an offer and those interested are accepting. It is just that simple.

Amazon will acquire rights to your new stories, characters, scenes, events.

Uhm…so what. Why would I write something into these Kindle Worlds stories that I planned to use in any of my other works? I would never write a Vampire Diaries character and then stick that character into my other stories. They belong in the TVD world.

If they use one of your ideas, you will not receive further compensation.

FINE by me! These tv episodes are written with a room full of writers tossing out ideas. Only a certain number of the writers are credited. They get paid a salary, just like we will get paid our royalties. Again, not seeing a problem here. Besides, trust me, if I ever had the privilege of watching Joseph Morgan or Ian Somerhalder acting out one of my scenes, I would not complain. Not even a little bit.

The fanfiction community will never accept this

These stories are not ‘only’ for the fanfiction community, although we would love to have them as readers. These stories are for fans of these shows, whether or not they read or write fanfic. It is another venue to enjoy shows that we are obsessed with and a way for authors to share their love of that show with the public.

This is not what the fanfiction community is all about, among other problems with this venue, Fanfiction is building on one another’s stories

I think the fanfiction community will enjoy the stories and the opportunity. The authors writing these do not need to build on one another’s stories. We want to create our own, based on the shows we love. I feel certain this will appeal to many in the fanfiction world, and most definitely to many TVD, GG, and PLL fans. Of course it will not appeal to all. But that’s okay.

If I correctly understand the fanfiction world, pretty much everyone who reads it writes it too. That is not necessarily the case here. These stories are for all readers, even those who have no desire or intent to write, but would love to read more about characters and worlds they’ve fallen in love with. After all, we authors who wrote these stories are just those kind of fans.

This new program is being touted as a way for fan fiction writers to finally get paid. My situation is a bit different. I have never written–or even read–fan fiction. Rather than a fan fiction writer who now has a way to publish my fan fiction stories, I am an obsessive tv fan who now gets to write about two of my favorite shows. Oh yeah…did I mention I’m getting PAID to do it? No matter how many ways I say it, or how many negative comments I hear, it still seems pretty freaking awesome. You know another really awesome part of this? Maybe some TVD and GG fans will read what I write and like it. Maybe I’ll present a new take on the shows that they will  love. GG has been canceled, and fans of the show miss it. I’m delighted to bring it back to them, even in a small way.

This really isn’t much different from the tie-in novels of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Star Trek, etc, which has been happening for years. Right? Or am I missing something?

I’m afraid I just do not understand all the panic and backlash. Seriously. Lighten up folks. This is fun stuff!

Maybe this isn’t for everyone. I would say if you disagree with the program, then you probably shouldn’t submit a story. But for those of us who are ecstatic about the idea, we will continue to write about the characters and the worlds we love. And guess what? We’ll make money doing it. Win-win in my book.

Speaking of submitting stories. When the program launches, submissions will be open to all authors. Click on this link to learn more: Amazon Kindle Worlds for Authors

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the topic…negative or otherwise.

(Something to note, I keep hearing comments about ‘indie authors’ in relation to this new platform. The launch authors who wrote the first stories are not self-published authors, at least not exclusively, and I have a feeling there will be several authors, indie or otherwise, who will write and submit Kindle World stories. Not that there is anything wrong with being a self-published author, I have quite a few self pub titles and plan to have more. It’s just that this program would be a great opportunity for ALL authors…at least, those who are interested.)

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November 16, 2012 · 7:53 pm

I must confess…I tell a lot of lies…

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF MY DRAWING FOR A $20 GIFT CARD:

Melissa Limoges (chitsuen)

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO COMMENTED AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU IN THE GRAND PRIZE DRAWINGS!!!

Well, of course I do, I write fiction. I also make up towns in most of my stories. I like to create fictional places (with a local feel) so I can take creative license. (If I have a mayor or police chief or town doctor who’s a serial killer in a ‘real’ town, I might receive some less than favorable responses, am I right?)

When I created my world of Reapers for Soul Seducer, I knew they had to dwell in a place befitting the ‘somewhat’ undead. I had to have a reason why a particular area would have such a high concentration of Grim Reapers. So, I created a town called Boon Springs that was built on the site of a bloody massacre. The town has a history of tragedies, and I thought a name that contrasted with misfortune would make for a nice deviation. So, I called it “Boon Springs.”

Boon Springs is a sleepy little town in Oklahoma with quaint shops and lovely scenery.

However, Reapers are drawn to the town because of its horrific beginnings. A group of bandits massacred the town settlers years ago and took over the area for themselves. The leader of the bandits built an elegant mansion after staking his claim, but suffered a grisly end himself. Over the years, other families moved into the home, but most of them met with their own catastrophic fates.

Nowadays, the mansion is owned by the town of Boon Springs and is rented out for parties and celebrations. Who else but the residents of Boon Springs would turn a death house into a site for festivities? In Soul Seducer, there is a Halloween party at that very mansion. As you might guess…things do not bode well for one of the guests.

Check out Soul Seducer to see what happens at the party, and to get answers to other burning questions, such as…

Can Audra and Dimitri find love with all the doom surrounding them? Will it be made even more difficult by the fact that he is a Grim Reaper himself?

Reading is all about escape…whether you escape into a different time, a different place, or just into lives of other people (hopefully, fascinating people). So, tell me, what do you love most about reading? Is it about visiting new places? Escaping from your world into someone else’s? Something else entirely? I’d love to hear from you. And…there’s an incentive for responding… One lucky commenter will win their choice of a $20 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble – Be sure to include your email in your comment in order to be eligible.

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT ALL 46 AUTHORS ON THE BLOG HOP FROM NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 21ST. As well as dozens of giveaways, there will also be 3 grand prizes – one Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate for $100, and two gift certificates for $50 each! Every blog comment you leave during the hop is entered into a drawing to win one of the grand prizes. Click on this link for a list of participating authors: Crimson Wonderland Authors

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November 15, 2012 · 7:45 am

Crimson Winter Wonderland Blog Hop

Do Not Miss the Crimson Wonderland Blog Hop! (NOTE – Rather than commenting on this post, please comment on the “I must confess…I tell a lot of lies…” post. Thank you!)

When you read a book, do you feel like you’ve escaped to another world?

Do you love to go back in time, travel to exotic places, or be swept away to     fantasy lands? Does escape bring you the heat of a desert sun, a tropical beach, a western range? City lights? Small towns? Or all of the above?

The authors at Crimson Romance offer a wonderland of romantic worlds, and we’d love you to visit! From Nov. 17th to Nov. 21st we’re celebrating our wide spectrum of romances with the first Crimson Wonderland Blog Hop! Forty-six authors will entice you to their worlds and offer prizes to lucky visitors. A wonderland of worlds and prizes too!

But that’s not all. As well as dozens of giveaways, there will also be 3 grand prizes!! One Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift certificate for $100!!! And two gift certificates for $50 each!! Every blog comment you leave during the hop is entered into a draw to win one of the grand prizes.

Click on the Crimson Wonderland image above to see a list of participating bloggers. You won’t want to miss any of these fabulous authors, so be sure to follow each and every blogger!

See you there!

(NOTE – Rather than commenting on this post, please comment on the “I must confess…I tell a lot of lies…” Post. Thank you!)

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