Thursday 31 July 2014

Looking Back & Moving Forward

I had a goal at the beginning of 2014 that was to have 10 books released/subbed... I realised yesterday how close I am to that goal... Counting the other Silver Publishing release The Gaean Prophecies 1: Admetus Gaea which I'm still trying to get rehoused at Wayward Ink Press I'm up to number 8 so I think I'll well and truly reach my goal for this year.

Things happen for a reason... so much has happened this year that has kept me away from the computer and from my writing...funerals, getting ill, and gaining new family members... Sometimes I just wish I had a heads up on what was coming my way.

But back to my writing... I received from Totally Bound some review copies of the new and improved The Connelly Chronicles 1: Family Connections in both epub and pdf... now I just have to send them out into the great wide world for others to see... Wish me luck and happy reviews.

For this next week... I'll be busy getting Ethan enrolled into school and settled into our house. I've been making a list of all the things I still need to do... like organising uniforms, buying books and school supplies etc.

I'm hoping the last 5 months of this year... will be just as productive for me. I'm also hoping that I complete NaNoWriMo this year without something happening. I'm Still not Sure what I'm going to write yet, but I think t might be split between two story lines so that I can get two more of my novella's out of the way. I guess we'll have to wait until November and see what falls out of my head.

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Toowoomba Boys 3: Dancing With Demons


This book should be out around September sometime, I think - I'll keep you all updated as I find out... The beautiful cover was done by the amazing Lex Valentine.

BLURB:

When opposites attract the result can be life changing.

Graham Davenport is trying to better his life. His whole world crashes the day he’s told Damon's missing, and he’s the main suspect—could life get any worse?

Damon Malone was kidnapped, he has no clue why, and his captor isn’t talking. Beaten and bruised he waits to be rescued—fearing he might die.

Working together with detectives, Graham realises there’s more to the story than a simple kidnapping. Will they find the answers in time or will everything be too late? Graham changes his whole life to help Damon fight his demons—in the process will he conquer his own?

Monday 28 July 2014

Friday 25 July 2014

Dang It & Yay!

I lost my internet on Wednesday arvo... I thought it was just an outage... When I still never had it this morning I had to ring up and get it fixed because I needed to send my Galley Proof back to Annette S at MLRPress for Toowoomba Boys 3: Dancing With Demons. The good thing is I only found three mistakes (two typos and a centring issue).

My other good news is that my back was given the all clear no more Basal Cell Carcinomas for me... Though I'll have to have regular check-ups.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

So Fricken Busy...

Listen Up: 

Yesterday I told you how I got Galley Proof from MLRPress on Toowoomba Boys 3: Dancing With Demons. I'm still doing those.

I also really did get 1st edits from MLRPress on Lancaster's Way 2: A Different Way Of Seeing. I have since done and returned them and then the same for 2nd edits--Christie now tells me it's off to line edits.

From Totally Bound I just received a tentative release date for the print version of The Connelly Chronicles 1: Family Connections. I even just went and checked out my page on their website N.J. Nielsen ~ Totally Bound Link How fricken cool is that?

I've been in meetings/chats with Bronwyn Heeley (another Australian author), we are starting on the creation of the world for The Hunted. We'll let you know more as we get further into the planning stage.

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Thoughts On: My Writing & Other Things...

1- Today I received Galley Proof from Annette B at MLRPress. on Toowoomba Boys 3: Dancing With Demons... I have to get it back in the next day or so.

2- I just got an email from Christie N at MLRPress that I should be getting first edits on Lancaster's Way 2: A Different Way Of Seeing.

3- Going to be having a new addition to our household... our 13 (almost 14) year old step-son, Ethan (pure coincidence he and Em both start with an E) is moving in with us...I've been running around like crazy organising things like schooling, new clothes etc.

4- Emily starts university today... so I've been helping her get all her stuff organised (the work of a mum is never done).

5- The saddest part is getting ready to go to Marv's funeral he was well loved within our company... take my advice make sure you have a check-up with your doctor on a regular basis. he found out he had cancer in March and was gone by July... a shock to us all my heart is with his family.

6- Been working on a couple of new story idea's - all in longhand - names are 1) I'm Not Okay... 2) So Pretty On The Outside... 

7- I've been working on Master's Of Time 1: Shadows On The Heart - I'm lengthening the story by a lot as at the moment it's only around 15K long... there is so much more I want to Add like why Andreas was on the run in the first place... And why Tucker Daniels (the witch) was drunk when he performed the transportation spell that went so wrong. I want to spend more time with Rurik, Leif, and Andreas so the reader gets to know them a little better and why they are like they are... if that makes sense.

8- It's Tax time again for us Aussies so I've been busy doing my Bas... well I supply the info and my book keeper and accountant do all the really hard work and then let me know how much I owe the ATO.

9- The Lines Of Marsden 3: You Make Me Die In Pieces is still calling to me to be finished for MLRPress... as is... The Connelly Chronicles 2: Beautiful Goodbyes for Totally Bound... as is... The Gaean Prophecies 1: Admetus Gaea for Wayward Ink Press...

10- I really can't wait to see and show you the covers for #1 and #2... I promise as soon as I get the final things I will share them with you all.  I think getting the covers are just as much fun as writing the books in the first place... I can't talk for other authors but it is for me... I always do a chair dance when I receive the artwork for the first time.

11- NaNoWriMo... well to be honest I'm still not sure what I'm going to be working o for that... I figure that November is still four months away so that gives me plenty of time to work out what's going on.

12- I've been trying to work out how to get better at self promotion... I realised pretty early on that I truly suck at it. So if any one has some pointers they are willing to share then feel free to leave me a comment or three...

13- I'm also trying to get my shit together to sub my first for Fireborn Publications... every time I think I'm close to finishing something comes in and throws me off schedule.

Monday 21 July 2014

RIP Marvin

Today we lost a great man and friend in Marvin Baker... 
He'll always be remembered for his rambling and his unique sense of humour,
his fear of snakes even the rubber kind - which was funny for the rest of us.
Until we meet again in the great beyond we'll miss you.
You'll be in our thoughts for forever and a day.

This was what I was listening to when I heard the news.
I thought I would share where my head is at.

Friday 18 July 2014

Today I Received...

Today I received the fully signed contract for Lancaster's Way 2: A Different Way Of Seeing from MLRPress, and I should have my first lot of edits next week.

It follows on from Book 1: When Souls Collide... We find out more about the boys on the Triple H ranch where the unexpected sometimes happens and we also get to what's going on in the life of Chase Williams.

For Now Blurb (unedited):

Sometimes a different way of seeing is all that you need.

When you're told often enough you don't have the brains god gave you—you start to believe it. When tragedy strikes Chase Williams finds himself alone.

Andrew Golding is an ass... or so everyone believes. With his momma’s wrath following him he turns to the police as well as his ex-brother in-law, Riley, seeking refuge on the Triple H.

A murder at the ranch has everyone pulling together to find the truth. Drew discovers there’s more to Chase than meets the eyes. His friend definitely has a different way of seeing the world and the people in it, which only makes Drew love him more.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Real Life ~ Sometimes Not So Fun.

I got conned I tells you... Yesterday Emily rings me up and says. "Mum, come for a drive with me to Ipswich. I have to drop off some tools to be fixed." I'm like okay, nothing major I can sit in a car for 80 minutes. 

Not even 10 minutes into the drive she gets a phone call and we have to go back to the work shed, find, cut, grind, and then load up gear (Z Bar, Push-Pulls, Genset...etc) all this was in the rain. Poor Emily did most of the work as i can't lift anything heavy because of my ouchies, but I did get to drive the forklift--harder than it looks. So anyway, by the time we finished we were both wet... DUCT TAPE is the best invention ever when your fricken workers take all the ratchet straps and don't bother bringing them back. Mind you, Duct tape not so fun for the person who needs to get the gear off the truck. 

So we are all packed up and then we set off for Moogerah Dam... which is about 2.5 hours away from the shed. The first thing we notice is that whoever drove the ute last (Steve) didn't fricken fill the fucker up so it cost me $80 to fill it up with diesel. Luckily even though we winged it on directions we made it there without getting lost, but have realised people don't seem to like doing the speed limit. It was raining and they were speeding past us. 

Then it was a drive down a very steep hill which dropped off one side...not so fun when you're scared of heights - thank god I wasn't driving as I closed my eyes. After unloading the gear and going back to the shed to swap cars we finally made it home around 5:30 pm... we had originally started out at 11 am...So what started out as a 80 minute trip turned into a 6.5 hour trip. Now today we're supposed to go to Ipswich and do what we were meant to do yesterday... here's hoping we get no phone calls.

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Random Thoughts On What's Next...


I'm at that time in my life where my brain knows I have so much I still need to get done by the end of the year but my body is like FUCK IT! I need a vacation.

My mind is restless at the moment as I have three things I am trying to finish and I keep getting side-tracked by The Lines Of Marsden 3: You Make Me Die In Pieces... as much as I tell myself it's not time yet I have a ton of hand written scene's written up that just need to be smoothly linked together.

I've already have one person tweet me and tell me they loved my Goodreads story: Trying Not To Love You... I hope others feel the same way... I mean, I hope they enjoy the story.

Speaking of GoodReads stories... I think I'm going to re write book 1: Shadows On The Heart... lengthen it, and then give it back to Goodreads as a free story... I'll probably write book 2: On The Flipside Of Reverse, & book 3: Following The Aftermath and give them to Goodreads as free stories as well. At least that's my train of thought this week. Let me know what you all think?

Can you believe there's only 77 days until NaNoWriMo starts for 2014... where has the year gone? I swear it only feels like yesterday we were all celebrating the new year. When in fact in 138 days we'll be celebrating the next new year. I'm still trying to work out what I'll feel like working on for NaNoWriMo... I have so many choices but no idea which one I'll choose.

On that note I will away as I have some questions to answer for a promotional thing I have to do toward the end of the month...Later Gates.

Thursday 10 July 2014

Getting More Ouchies Today...

Today I have to go back to the doctor for the third time and have my Basal Cell Carcinoma cut out (the one near my spine). So guess I'll have more stitches for the next two weeks.

But as the saying goes: What doesn't kill me makes me stronger... right? By now I must be as tough as guts...LOL. I'll be back tomorrow or the next day with an update.

Wednesday 9 July 2014

SENTINELS OF VARNUSE 1: When The Walls Come Tumbling Down #19

#19.
Brayden curled up on his side, his tears slid down his face to soak into the dirt floor below him. He hated being here. He hated being away from Quinlan and the boys, his family. To make matters worse Ormand had taken his father away, and Thayer had yet to be returned to their cell. He cried even harder as he felt the child within him move for the very first time. Quinlan should have been present for this moment. How was he supposed to protect his child if he couldn’t even look after himself? Things needed to change. He had to be stronger if he wanted to survive this hell he’d been thrust into.

Yesterday he’d listened as the guards and Ormand talked outside his door. Ormand was explaining to them just why they couldn’t kill Brayden—yet. His cousin also spoke of why the abomination he carried inside him was necessary to carry on with the rest of their plans. How the leaders of their little revolution had decided if they couldn’t destroy the race of ancient ones, then they would control them. Brayden's child was the key to not only ruling the new generation of the ancient ones, but it would also bring Quinlan and the whole of Panthea under their thumb.

Brayden had to make choices, he could give up and allow them to take his baby, or he could do the hardest thing he could think of. Something that would take him away from Quinlan forever, but would save the people from this new threat. Brayden just didn’t know whether he was strong enough to go through with such a choice. He didn’t know whether he could leave Quinlan all alone again, but there was no way Brayden would allow these people who kidnapped him, to use his child for reproduction with whoever was forced upon him to build an army of old world sentinels.

Brayden thoughts drifted to Quinlan as he slipped into a troubled sleep.

**~*~**

Quinlan woke with a start. His heart beat rapidly as he listened to the noises of the night surrounding him. He lay there trying to work out just what had woken him. Rubbing his eyes to rid them of any residual sleep he realised he’d been crying. His chest hurt, like his heart was breaking in two. Quinlan ran his fingertips over his skin as it slowly dawned on him that he could feel Brayden’s emotions inside of him. This must mean Brayden was still alive. Was the informant correct in giving the directions to the location of where Brayden was being held? If that was the case then he’d have his heart back within the next two days. He’d already been too long without his husband in his arms.

Something about this didn’t feel right. Quinlan winced, it was like Brayden was hurting deep down inside. Panic flooded his senses at the thought of something being wrong with either Brayden or the baby he carried within him. His fear deepened, knowing he needed to talk to someone about this, he got up and made his way over to where Fane was sleeping next to the camp fire.

Quinlan knelt beside the sleeping man and studied him for the first time. Fane Dalziel didn’t look as old as Quinlan knew the man should be. Honestly, thinking back Lord Dalziel looked exactly the same as he did when Quinlan was young. He wondered briefly why that was so, but had more pressing matters to attend to right then and there.

“Lord Dalziel,” Quinlan gently shook the sleeping man’s shoulder. Fane opened his eyes and Quinlan smiled down at him. “I need to ask you something about being bonded with an Ancient one.”

Fane pushed himself up into a sitting position and waited expectantly.

“This feeling we have for our mates—the bonding. Does it let you know what the other is thinking or feeling?”

Fanes eyes widened, “What are you feeling?”

“Despair. I feel like Brayden is giving up the will to live.” Quinlan pulled up a stalk of grass and held it between his teeth. “If I can feel him, can Brayden also feel me? What can I do to give him some kind of hope?”

Sadness filled Fane’s eyes, “I’m not sure. I’ve also been feeling Thayer, but how’s that even possible?”

“What do you mean?”

“It feels like Thayer is drowsy, as if his system is full of some sort of drug. I’m not sure I know how to explain. I just know he’s feeling sad.” Tears glistened in Fane’s eyes. Ï shouldn’t be feeling anything.”

“Have you ever felt this before?” Quinlan was trying to work out what it could all mean. There had to be an answer to what was going on with both him and Fane.

“Only when Thayer first went missing, at the time it just felt like he was really tired. Though, since starting on this rescue mission I could almost swear he is still alive and that he was drugged out of his mind.” Fane’s tears fell. “I miss him so much. I should have died right along with him. I shouldn’t have been able to survive the severing of our bond. A life bond binds us body, heart and soul. How did I survive?”

“I don’t know.”

“Perhaps,” a voice came from the darkness and Quinlan smiled as he recognised Javier’s voice, “is it possibly my father may still be alive? If the bond was never truly severed, then that could be the reason you are still alive?”

“What would be the purpose of keeping him alive all this time if they haven’t used that knowledge against us? Why hold him all these years?”

Javier shook frowned as if he was in deep thought. “What if they needed something from him? Maybe it was something they could only take if he was alive?”

“Like what?” Fane asked in disbelief.

“His seed,” Quinlan said in disgust as the implications of what Javier had said sunk in. “Whoever took him must know what he is. My guess is they want to make more of his kind.”

Talon came and sat beside Javier, “And now they have two of the ancient ones, plus the child Consort Brayden carries within him.”

Pain tore through Quinlan’s chest. “They can’t have my husband, or my child. I’ll see every last one of them dead before I allow that to happen.”

“Do you think it’s possible Thayer is still alive?” Hope filled Fane’s eyes.

“It’s possible. I mean you still feel the connection, right?” Talon answered.

Fane let out a shuddering sigh, “Yes.”

**~*~**

Brayden woke to someone standing over him, their toe nudged him hard in the ribs. “Eat—that thing inside you needs food.”

Brayden stared at the food being offered for but a moment before picking up the plate and throwing it against the wall. There was no way in hell he was eating another thing they gave him. He refused to live just because they wanted him too. This was his choice and he had made it—he was going to die rather than give in to his captor’s demands.

“Go to hell!” He managed to get out just before a fist collided with the side of his head and darkness came to claim him.

Tuesday 8 July 2014

I Survived...

I survived a day of clothes shopping with two males... I thought for a while there I was going to go insane as I don't really like shopping--I'd much rather be at home writing. I had father (50) and son (13). 

The father continually  asking, "Well, what about this?" To which the son kept replying, "I don't know."

In the end with the help of a very wonderful guy from Jay Jays we managed to get the son outfitted. I swear to God it was more painful then when my daughter (24), drags me from store to store looking for stuff.

So that was yesterday... Today, I've locked myself in my office with instructions that people enter the room with the knowledge I may have to kill them for disturbing my peace... Today my boys from The Lines Of Marsden are calling to be heard.

Monday 7 July 2014

It's Kinda Cool Today...




It's kinda cool today,
I might have to put on a jumper,
& a beanie,
before I head to Toowoomba. 

Sunday 6 July 2014

OMG...

I can't believe I totally blanked on who the bad guy was was in Richelle Mead's: Vampire Academy... So as you can guess I loved it.

Today The Lines of Marsden 3: You Make Me Die In Pieces is screaming at me -- apparently Doyle doesn't like have no memories and is starting to worry over some events in his life concerning Michael.

I'm not feeling 100% today, but I'm better than I have been of late. So if I'm lucky this stupid virus is going away. One can only hope.

Saturday 5 July 2014

I Got Sidetracked

I swear to God that I started off doing research on vampiric behaviour, and culture... I was determined to read as much as possible than one thing led to another and I suddenly found myself re reading the whole Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead... I don't know how I even got from one topic to the other. But, I will say this for the lady, for me she sure wrote Rose Hathaway's character perfectly. I'd actually forgotten how much I enjoyed these books the first time around... Next time I shouldn't wait so long before I read them.

I've been so good up until now with keeping on track, but recently I keep wanting to re read books I've had for yonks. Every time I go into my library the Claudia Gray's: Evernight series is calling to me. I don't know why I'm suddenly into reading the YA books again, but thus far I've really been enjoying them.

Thursday 3 July 2014

Beautiful According To Me...

These pictures I'm about to show are here because when I saw them for the first time I did a double take... There was just something about them that caught my eye so I thought I would share them with you, and explain what inspired me about them. I should point out that my characters only resemble these people in looks... I'm no way insinuating any of these people are gay, nor do my characters have their personality traits... It's more their faces that pulled me in.


I'm not even sure what it is about this picture, but I've had it for a while now and know that one day these two men will become main characters in one of my stories. Actually, they are already set aside for Day Walkers 2: Real You... they'll become my characters Tagh (Murtagh/blond/vamp) and Eric (Day walker/human)... though they feature in most books.



This guy we all know... Matt Tuck (Bullet For My Valentine) he inspired my Twin werewolves in The Lines Of Marsden (Maffa - Beta Matthew Farnell & Jaffa - Alpha Jasper Farnell). they entered the story in book 2: Living in Shadows and will feature throughout the rest of the series.






These two guys inspired me for the Sons Of Evenmore characters Mannix & Braxx blond twins mind you in my story one of them has longer hair and the other has a scar running down his face. Mannix was the star of book 1: The Crimson Grimoire.









I think everyone in the known universe knows Andy Six/Biersack (Black Veil Brides) He's my inspiration for Billy Martin in The Diamond Rose 1: Undiscovered Hearts... 

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Have You Ever Been...

Have you ever been so busy that you don't know what you should be working on? I'm feeling a bit like that today

Then I have real life jumping in and demanding I take notice of what's going on. So I have to spend the arvo running errands out in the cold and wind in Toowoomba... sounds like fun... NOT!

Tuesday 1 July 2014

While Waiting On Edits...

While waiting on edits... I'm currently working on three stories.

1- The Diamond Rose 1: Undiscovered Hearts
2- The Soul Guardians 1: Being Loved By Callum McKenzie
3- The Lines Of Marsden 3: You Make Me Die In Pieces

I've submitted Lancaster's Way 2: A Different Way Of Seeing... Hopefully I'll hear soon from MLRPress if it's been accepted or not.

Plus, I've reformatted Taking Chances 1: Lie To Me... as I was reading through the story I realised there are three story threads all tangled up together... so I'll need to separate them so each couple gets their own time to shine.