I always try to use humor in all my writing, even if comedy is not central to the story as a whole. Witty banter is the best kind of foreplay, so I spent a lot of time on the dialogue, even going so far as to strong-arm my very reluctant brother into critiquing it. I like to think the vibe of my story is a mix between the films True Lies and Lockout if they had aliens, superhumans and steamy…
Writing is as easy as bleeding on a page, they say. I would generally agree, only adding that it is as easy as bleeding on a page after you’ve donated five gallons of blood, was drained by a vampire, and have found yourself in an alternate reality where beaten tree pulp is nothing but a myth of long-gone days of barbarism. And yet we write. And we suffer. And we love it. Or so we tell ourselves, insistently, over the…
I got my story idea from a Halibut fishing trip I took off Homer Spit, Alaska in 2012. The deckhand on the boat was a pretty redhead with some serious skills fileting fish! She was spunky and so darned cute I had to put her into a story. And we’ve seen shows about the Coast Guard guys rescuing people in Alaska. Yummy heroes, dangerous waters—a combination that makes the heart pound! Elle James Excerpt from “Rescuing Alaska” A Coast Guardsman…
I couldn’t believe it when Delilah picked me for the Stranded: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology. I began writing as a ghostwriter, cranking out ebooks on everything from mythology to critical thinking to erotica and romance. It’s been fun, but i really wanted to put my name on something! I’ve been writing since I was kid (which translates to a long, long time…) and have always been fascinated with the power of words. I love to put them together to…
UPDATE: The winner of the Amazon gift card is…Mary Preston! Congrats! *~*~* I had 1930 screwball comedies in mind when I wrote “Hourglass.” I love those movies. The hero has a great sense of humor, the heroine is a hot mess like me, and craziness ensues. I also wanted to include my other love, Science Fiction/Fantasy. I grew up devouring Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, Tolkien, and numerous other fantastical authors. Blending these two loves was fun. Kenzie Mathews Excerpt from…
UPDATE: And the winner is…Latifa Morisette! *~*~* If you ever start writing romance, there’s one question you’ll inevitably hear. “How did you research that? Heh, heh.” And the person asking the question will think they’re so original and so funny. They’re neither, but what they don’t understand is that there can be a lot of research required when writing romance. For my story, “Out of This World,” in the Stranded: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, I read a lot about…
UPDATE: The winner is…Tamara Kasyan! *~*~* I am so excited to be included in Stranded: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology. For the most part, I don’t consider myself a fiction writer. I’m a lawyer. I started working with fiction as a way to improve my legal writing. But the more I do it, the more I love it. I saw the call for submissions just three days before they were due, and my mind started racing with different ideas. That…
These contests are still open! Enter now! Here’s a reminder to enter these contests before they close: Michal Scott: “Put It in a Book” from STRANDED (Contest) Kimberly Lithe: Burning Stars (Contest) *~*~*~* I’m just popping in to tell you that STRANDED is now available in Kindle Unlimited for FREE! So, if you haven’t purchased a copy but would like to read it, pick it up now! Although, I do think the $0.99 price is very, very, very low! And…
UPDATE: The winner is…Keri Richards! *~*~*~* My writing journey… Fantasy, sci-fi and supernatural stories have been my literary escape for as long as I can remember being able to read. When I was in secondary school my friend recommended Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon. This was the first taste of my new addiction. Adult paranormal romance. I then read every paranormal, supernatural, and urban fantasy romance book I could get my parents to buy for me. Then it was historical romance,…
Note: Contests from the last two posts are still open! Comment today for a third chance to win! Winners will be selected tomorrow! Being in an anthology with other authors I admire and respect is always a wonderful experience. I’ve been lucky enough to be included in more than a half dozen over the course of my almost 15-year career. Stranded: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, is the latest one, and my story is “Undercover Lover.” When I thought about…