Melani Blazer

Mark this on the calendars, friends. I finished a book!
Writing, not reading, just to clarify.

It’s short, and it’s still missing that sex scene (or two or three….. I’ve got a night to fill). The ending is rough and there’s a few loose threads I’ve got to go back and follow through—aka, lots of editing, but omg, I completed the arcs, I satisfied the plot and gave these two characters a long awaited and well deserved happily ever after.

Knock me over with a feather.

Now, I’ll let it stew a day, or at least a night, cuz I’ve gotta go visit my Grandparents, stop at the store for meat for my contribution to tomorrow’s dinner and….I knew there was something else I wanted to do… gah! I’ll think of it, I hope.

Anyway, I’m a heck of a lot more excited than this post can convey, mainly because I’ve shifted focus SOOOOO many times lately with so many books, I was beginning to doubt my ability to hit “the end.”

I mean every one of those!

And before anyone asks…I have no idea what I’m doing with it yet. Will depend on word count and heat level after editing, I guess. I’ll let you know. But I finished, OMG, I finished!!!

or why I didn’t finish the book tonight….

Lacing those was a huge

And of course, the kidlet wanted ALL the laces flat… no crooked ones, heaven forbid.

So, now I’m off to make pepper steak (with family help) for the husband’s “potluck” tomorrow.

Maybe I’ll sneak in a page in before I pass out. Maybe.

But you can pre-order THIS now, and it’ll arrive in November, just in time for a cozy read that’s sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

Yeah, I haven’t crowed much about it for a couple of reasons. Most of us are barely over last Christmas, who’s thinking ahead to next? And I wanted at least a solid, stickable title. Looks like this is it, since it HIT the Amazon page already. Whoo hoo!!!! I won’t be able to stop talking about it once it gets a cover!

I’m wicked thrilled to be in an anthology with two phenomenal authors, Lacey Alexander and Shelby Reed. Santa’s Naughty List is one of those you’ll want to put on YOUR list–to pre-order now, and maybe even buy it for a few friends who want to heat up their cold November nights.

Anyway, I’ll post again when I get a cover. And keep your eyes out at the bookstores and at Amazon. There’s a great Ellora’s Cave/Pocket books anthology hitting the shelves each and every month through this time next year, I believe. Yummy!!!

Just for you, Emma, I was all set to write a lukewarm love scene sounding like Scarlett O’hara. Of course, what I was supposed to be writing was a real sex scene between my characters in my current WIP. Fearful I’d have my characters, who are in New York, sounding like southern belle and suitor, I typed *insert sex scene here* and moved on to the action occurring the next morning. Really.

Yeah, still can’t shake that word. Working on it though.

This book is on it’s, oh, maybe 4th, 5th synopsis? Rough outlines of what I want to happen. First couple were based on a full length story, then I decided to….de-complicate it and shoot for quickie or novella length. I only tell you that because I don’t change my story THAT much. *cough cough* normally.

So I wrote about….15K then decided I need to really have a solid idea of how this is going to resolve itself. I’ve got the character arcs laid out, at least internally. I know, shaking on that though, what will need to actually happen (externally and internally) to give these two a happily ever after. So I wrote it down, about 2 1/2 notebook pages, handwritten in various amounts of detail and have been happily writing from that.

Then what does my hero do? Walks out of a room to face the “villian” without having a very IMPORTANT conversation with the heroine. That conversation would lead to a minor but understandable misunderstanding (huh? Mel, what????) and cause the hero to make a decision based on what he thinks the heroine wants and is best for her, rather than what she wants. Hero’s actions have also left heroine in possession of a very core piece of….paraphernalia that has been central to the story, and that the hero actually needs.

You know the whole advice about doing the very worst thing to your characters and then seeing how they react because it really brings out the emotions? Hello, they’ve just gotten even and done it to ME!

Someone give me IV valium and some blank paper. I need to completely rethink this. WHY, what if, and “oh no you didn’t” are doomed to be among the things exiting my mouth as I venture into this discovery time.

Pray for me.

Ya know, sometimes there’s just a word that keeps really repeating itself over and over. Really.

Any idea which word it is that’s really getting on my last nerve, but keeps escaping from the end of my pen?

yeah. really.
No… really.
I mean it. Really.

The word IS… Really.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!

Just and that are making cameo appearances. As are sentences that start with But or And, and of course, the famous So that likes to pop in and visit.

At least I know, if this book really goes over word count, I can search for those words and really make a dent.
Really.

I’m going back to typing now. And trying to avoid putting that word in my actually document, despite it appearing really frequently in my handwritten story. (Is there a pill for this? A really-holic anonymous?)

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Another boring blog post. I feel guilty when I don’t blog, but it seems pointless to blog about nothing.

I’ve embarked in a little writing challenge with a couple of pals. I haven’t said anything “out loud” about it, so I’m not going to, less I jinx myself. The good news is that the words are really flowing. Bad for hand cramps, since it’s all been handwritten, but I’ll take it anyway I can, though I’m a bit nervous about scribing in blood. I tend to write long books. Eeek.

My copy of Grimspace arrived. I look at it every morning and tell myself I need to start reading. Anyone else push reading away to not interrupt the muse? But I’ve agreed to review it on my blog, so I’ll probably grab that this weekend and power read. I’m eager to get to it.

Other than that, it’s been lots of the same ole, same ole. Went shopping for a new desk chair and printer, but didn’t buy…yet. Think I’ll go back for the chair (40% off sale ends soon… must jump on a deal like that). Weather here has been incredibly moody. We’ve had temps ranging from below zero to nearly sixty this month, with rain, snow, thunder, lightning, wind and then more of the same. Adds flavor to a usually dull, gray month. I’m eager for spring. Very eager.

Let’s see….Not much else I can ramble about, so I’ll mosey onto bed where I can prop myself up on some pillows and head off into the world I’ve created and see how bad I can torture me some characters. *evil laugh*

Cheers!
Mel

How the heck did it arrive already? Back when it was a fleck on the horizon, I’d wanted to do something special. Guess I’d gotten better at procrastination than I’d thought. Whoo hoo.

The weather is wonky. Think it has a toll on all of us. Today had sunshine, and despite the fact I’m on day four of the most heinous back-ache of my life (saw Doc, got meds and a diagnosis. I’ll live. but pain sucks) anyway, I really enjoyed the sight of the bright sunlight. Cheers the soul, brightens the spirit. All that jazz.

Doing writing when I can. Searching for a good heroine name. I’ll know it when I see/hear it. Nothing’s clicking yet. Anyone wanna toss a suggestion, I won’t complain–or make promises.

If you’re stopping by on the weekend. Pop over to Shan’s blog and check out her question, maybe offer an answer/opinion. I’m looking forward to what discussion will develop there.

Well, the meds are kicking in and my eyelids have become weighted. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day filled with roses and chocolate and love–even if its the cyber kind!

Cheers!

Dear Author had a contest to win an arc of Ann Aguirre’s new release, Grimspace. Angie brought it to my attention–she’d actually pointed it out to a mutual friend, but I had to go see. I’ve been starved for some…unique writing and though I hadn’t really actively went “shopping”, was duly intrigued by Grimspace and decided to enter the contest. I even made a note in my PDA so I could pick it up if I wasn’t lucky enough.

But, whoo hooo!!!!
I won!

I can’t wait to get it, devour it, then blog a review.

Stay tuned!!!

The flu bug bit me. Musta been why I felt like I’d been run over with an eighteen wheeler late yesterday.

On a good note, I’ve been able to type in more handwritten stuff, so far I’ve deleted only a teensy tiny bit that was repetitive and I’m almost 1/4 of the way done with this book.

Angie wrote a refreshing post at Romancing the Blog–deviating from all the hoopla that’s going on an any given day in the romance-blog world and talking about why she–and the rest of us–love to read a romance. (It’s not genre specific, so if you have an opinion, stop in and say so!)

Dear Author has a post about E-books that has made me think a lot in the last 24 hours or so. (maybe it was the flu coming on, I dunno), but in a nutshell, it talks about the….concept of e-book branding as a whole and how many share Jane’s way of thinking when she says:

I admit that while there are many e-publishers out there, I mainly identify epublishing with erotic romance.

Hopefully this post will make others aware of some great non-erotic reads at various e-book publishing houses.

I wish my head were clearer so I could easily voice my opinion, but these flu meds really fog the senses. I just think it’s a circle. Erotic is buzzed about, more authors and publishers jump on board, it becomes more popular. Authors talk, realize pushing the limit might help sales, even more erotic goes out. Word gets out menage is the “it” thing, wham, publishers and authors feed the mass’s demands. Supply and demand and all that jazz. Isn’t it similar to the way paranormal became so widely popular and historicals waned? What happened to chick-lit? Not to say I think erotic is gonna go anywhere. I think once you open the bedroom door, you can’t exactly close it. Right now I think the focus [of e-publishers and non-erotic authors] is/should be to educate readers about their non-erotic offerings and break the branding or stereotyping or whatever you want to call it.

Okay, enough medicated babble for one afternoon. I might try a nap.

Okay…. I did a few upgrades without breaking the blog. I’m relieved.

Seems I managed to survive the funk that was November and December (and part of January) and can see some light at the end of the tunnel. Things I put in place back in November are starting to happen and I’ve got more than a pinkie grip on “life”—and here I thought this romance writer gig was supposed to be satin negligee’s or at least a silky robe, furry slippers and chocolate bonbons. Dangit!

Handwriting still seems to be the thing. I’m way ahead of myself on handwritten vs. typed in, but I’m happy with progress no matter how I come by it. Overall, the time spent in my little writer’s funk was beneficial. I did a lot of philosophizing. Why I write, what I want to write, why I read and what makes me pick up a book. Where do I want to go with this and how much effort am I willing to put in it–I don’t have all the definitive answers, but definitely a better grip on how to get them–and how to do this for me, not to please friends or family or all those other reasons.
(more…)