What's the Goss'?

Well the Goss today is that it has been very quiet... I have spent the day reworking parts of my short story for Hot July Days: Shadows on the Heart. 

I was asked recently what the plot line was for WTWCTD but I am sad to say I am not a plotter. I never know what is going to happen until I am sitting in front of the computer and the words come tumbling out of my head and onto the screen.  so most weeks I am just as surprised as you as to what is going to happen and quite often give myself the WHOA! factor.

If any one has suggestions as to what they would like to happen feel free to leave a comment and I will try to work them into the story...  I have been asked are they human, shifters, or some other paranormal creature and I don't know yet. Is there anything you would like to read about?  Where do you think they should live?  What do you think they should be? What is the name of their town, country, world?

I look forward to seeing any and all responses...

Quick Note

Hi Guys and Girls...

Well this is just a quick not today saying that I finally finished my Short story for the MM Romance: Hot July Days: Shadows on the Heart. all I have to do now is go back through and check the spelling and punctuation... everyone out there that knows me is by now rolling around on the floor laughing their arse's off... because they know that I suck at both.

The hardest part of the whole thing was trying to write the Bio about myself... I was stumped... total mind blank.  I am just not that interesting. Yeah I hear you all laughing again.

Researching... Is it a good thing, or just a pain in the arse...

Researching stuff for you books is a good thing really, as it helps you get the facts right so that the story seems more genuine... But sometimes it is a total pain in the arse; I have been looking up Vikings and some of the sites contradict each other so much that I'm not sure which one to follow. The one that gets me the most is the spelling of different things I.E. Valhalla... I have come across it spelt: Velhalla, Vallhalla, & Valhalla.  Odin was another name that it was spelt two ways Odin & Odinn. But I must admit they have some of the coolest names in history for their people... my personal favourite: Kusi - person who inspires fear and dread.  that is one awesome meaning for such a small name.

The bad thing for me is that when I begin looking up stuff, I have a tendency to get sidetracked and end up at the polar opposite of where I was meant to be.  but I suppose that is the fun thing about it I am always looking up new things.

Why am I looking up Vikings I hear you say; it is because I am writing about Vikings for the Hot July Days, short story Anthology.  

Now you know why I am researching Vikings. I am writing my Take on what is going down... but alas; you will just have to wait until the stories have been released to see just what I come up with.  So many authors doing such a wonderful job and there are going to be so many stories to choose from... I say good luck and congratulations to them all... 

I personally can't wait to read them all.

Favourite Characters

What makes a great character?

I got asked recently who was the best character that I have ever read... it made me sit and think because I have read so many wonderful books but I am going to list my top five favourite characters. These are listed in no particular order.

1- Sparhawk: from David Eddings series': The Elenium Trilogy & followed by The Tamuli Trilogy. Sparhawk is a leader among men... even if his wife Queen Ehlana does get the better of him on many occasions.

2- Acheron Parthenopaeus: From Sherrilyn Kenyon's Series: Dark Hunters's.  Mainly because he wears such awesome clothes... Well that & he is a God, who's heart is always in the right place even if he can't change what is going to happen.

3- Mercy Thompson: From Patricia Briggs' series: Mercedes Thompson.  This girl isn't afraid of anything and she has a wicked sense of humour as well. She takes shit from no one not even her own mate.

4- Johnny Stone: From Lynn Hagen's series; Brac Pack.  This character just has a beautiful personality which comes out in all of the books, he has no internal filter which I absolutely love... and pulls some funny pranks when he teams up with his best friend Keata.

5- Edward Beauregard III: From Lynn Lorenz's series: Common Powers.  Edward just captures your heart, he makes you both laugh and cry as he and his bulldog Winston, both rock and throw into utter chaos Chief of Police Jack Whittaker's life.

I have many others that I absolutely love, and may give you a list of them later on but all the above mentioned books and series are so worth the read... I know you will love them as much as I do.

Weekly Read

This week I choose Z. A. Maxfield's: Drawn Together as my weekly read.

I absolutely love this book right from the first moment I started reading it. Rory Delaplains just sucked me right into his world and made me want to be part of it.  Just by breathing he made the world a better place; and that was before he even laid eyes on Ran Yamane.

I loved the calm that Rory brought into Yamane's life; his heart was gone before his body was willing. Rory to me is a strong character that I think Z. A. Maxfield has written beautifully. His instinct to protect fuelled by his hearts need.  Where as Yamane's world was chaotic; created by the psychotic Stalker that was hell bet on making Yamane her's or making him pay; Amelia was determined to take what was hers.

This is a book that is always with me no matter where I am, because no matter what I am doing. I know that the moment I start reading, I will be transported into Rory & Yamane's world.  Drawn Together is truly one of those books that I wish there could be on to follow.

I love the way that Z. A. Maxfield wrote them as being the Ying & Yang that compliment each other beautifully, and together they were a force to be reckoned with. I could not imagine them being any other way. and I congratulate that this book even though it held a dark element with Amelia stalking Yamane, the book itself wasn't filled with hate.  So many people they came across in their flight from Amelia, were willing to help and in return be helped by them.  We got to meet so many interesting people in their travelling.

Proves that behind every dark cloud there is a sliver lining just waiting to appear.  I would have no problems recommending this book to anyone to read as it is such a fantastic book. I can guarantee that from the moment you first begin your journey through Rory and Yamane's world you will be hooked and come another willing groupie.

I will end with my favourite lines from this book:

Yamane reached out a hand.  "You've got something on your lip," he murmured, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

"What?"  Rory froze.

"Me," said Yamane, Closing the distance for a kiss.

Music & Other Random Thoughts

The strangest thing just happened to me... went to do this post for today and ended up in a speed dating site... It was so not what I expected... neither did the poor girl that was at the other end as my name wasn't Ryan.

Okay got that random thought out of the way and am onto the music.

when I write I have music that I have for certain couples... in my The Lines of Marsden series when I am writing scenes for Christian & Michael I like to listen to all things Nickelback... when I wrote for Michael & Doyle I listened to Matchbox 20. and when I write for the younger generation it is Sickpuppies that get most of my airtime.  I find it helps put me in whatever mood I am aiming for.

I am pretty eclectic with my music tastes, in my car at the moment I have Adam Lambert... awesome singer.

On my iPod it is a lot of Pub Rock like: The Angels, Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, AC/DC, etc. though I do have a fair bit of other stuff like Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, 3 Doors down, Maroon 5, The Cure... Yet strangely looking at my list I have no Bowie... and we all know that he is my most favourite person on the earth. In my stereo in the house I have Good Charlotte... love dancing to them while I clean the house.  Actually just went and saw them in concert last month... they were with New Empire which is a Sydney band, and Short Stack; who I think may also hail from Sydney but I could be wrong on that... didn't think I would like Short Stack... yet I have to admit that the lead singers is very entertaining.

My family is always telling me to shut up, I put my iPod on and crank it right up and sing loud. A funny story: one night my hubby woke up and I was asleep singing The Wallfowers: One Headlight, and when my hubby took out my earphones, the song that was playing was Silverchair's: Israel's Son.  He has never let me live that down. says I say One Headlight perfectly.  He thought it was hysterical because they are such completely different in tempo.  I just pointed out they were both great songs.

On that note I will leave you with this quote; "If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving isn't for you."

Monday Madness #2

Getting sidetracked on the Internet.

Well today I have worked out that I must have a really short attention span... I started out last night looking up things on Vikings & Norse Gods... which somehow morphed into pictures of sensual gay couples, until in the end I found myself in some Porn Gallery... Mind you I had to stay and have a look at them all. First visit ever, and some of those pictures lets just say WHOA!!! May even have to check it out again later.

See what I mean about the short attention span?

This was one of those beautiful photo's that I got sidetracked by.  I wish I knew what the hell they were thinking right then as the photo was being taken.

This is another picture I found and just thought, I so have to write this guys story. and I have finally found two people who I can use in my series: Admetus Gaea; Book one: Untamed World.

This is my Jondalar: Who is one of the leaders of the Elvin Kind; he Rules Meadow Run.

This is my Grayson:  Who is human to start off with and becomes something else so that he can Fulfill the Gaean Prophecy.

I will fill you guys in on this story another day... because it would take too long to explain right now and I want to explain it right... because this was a world where I created everything; making up a language was fun.

Okay, now this Blog just proves what I said about having a short attention span!!! On that note I will away and write to you all another day.