Of Ink and Quille

For the past few months I've been a stay at home mom. My days were filled with housework and taking care of my son. Then when I got the great news that my book Master's Mistress was to be published life hit fast forward. I didn't know where I was going or how I was getting there, the excitment and adrenaline were pumping through my blood faster 'n a Nascar Rally. However, reality has set in. Yes my books coming out next year which means that when the time comes I'll have plenty of edits, rewrites, tightening, and such to do before I can really focus on the things I want to. This hasn't dulled my enthusiasm at all, in fact it's only made me want to do more. So here I sit, one manuscript that I've finished and are doing edits on, and two that I've barely started. I'm waiting to hear back on my Christmas novella - on pins and needles I may add - and all this must be done in my spare time. Finances and time have come to a parting of the ways. So, to ...

With the upcoming interview with the moderator of one of the fandoms I write in, I thought this week we could touch on a topic that is as controversal as it could be. I've heard every argument out there about fan fiction being a copyright infringment, about it being a useful tool to a writer, and everything in between. Being an author of fan fiction I have to admit that using another person's character to write a story is a harmless tool. I don't see the difference in borrowing a well known character to write a story and borrowing a pattern to make an afgan. As long as the writer/creator doesn't make a cent what's the harm? Personally, if people are so enamored of a character or show that they're willing to spend their free time (Something that there isn't much of in today's world) writing about it, take it as a compliment. A fictional character is just that a piece of imaginiation by some really intelligent, creative people. Stan Lee is one of the most ...

Star Stepping: An Anthology of Fantasy & Sci-Fi Tales Written by VariousStories Included: Beneath and Beyond by Debbie Mumford Archaeologist Erin Carstedter is a no-nonsense kind of gal. If something can't be defined by scientific method, it doesn't exist. Erin's beliefs are about to be tested by a ruin beneath the polar ice cap. What Erin discovers in those icy depths will challenge her thinking...and change the world. Read excerpt . That Old Sweet Smell of Deception by Martin Owton An ancient dragon tempted out to war for the first time in centuries finds the world greatly changed and dragons a rarity. Does an enemy wizard hold the key to saving dragonkind? Read excerpt . Fatal Wager by Andy Heizeler Read excerpt . A Pixie Story by Joe Miller Miike awoke to find himself in a strange land. To then find himself surrounded by a whole hoard of pixies, each one with an arrow aimed at his heart, one could hardly guess how things would turn out. Read excerpt . The Hon...

Heat Wave IN PRINT-Big Contest! Midsummer Night's Steam stories are now available in paperback from Samhain or Amazon to enjoy at the beach. The stories are bundled in several anthologies including HEAT WAVE which features three of the Erotic Muses authors. To celebrate the release, the HEAT WAVE authors are having a contest. The prize is a tote bag with summer items: suntan lotion, a beach towel, a baseball cap, sunglasses and a margarita glass. All you have to do to enter is stop by EROTIC MUSES blog every day this week (May 26-30) and learn about these great stories! Leave a comment Tuesday through Friday for a chance to win. To clarify: YOU MUST LEAVE A COMMENT ALL FOUR DAYS-TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE. The winner will be announced the following Friday, June 6, giving latecomers a chance to enter. If you don't find out about the contest until the second week, that's okay...go back to the previous week's posts and drop a comment. This week each of ...

Do you remember the thrill you got the first time you picked up a pen? The butterflies in your gut, the dry mouth, sweaty palms? Remember the tremble in your fingers as you stared at the page before you? If you've answered yes to any of these questions than you're on the right track. Regardless of whether you've written a year or ten years, if you're dedicated to your craft but don't feel any emotions when you begin to right something is wrong. I've been writing for years, and I still get butterflies every time I start a new project. Does that mean that I'm a green-horn with no skill? Does that mean it takes me weeks to come up with a plot that's believable? No. Not even a novice is like that. It simply means that writing is for me as much of a rush as bungee jumping for the next guy/gal. I was talking to a friend of mine recently who asked a lot of questions and it got me to thinking. What does it mean to be a novice? How do we as writers develop our sk...

With the recent blog I did on Deadly Vixens it got me to thinking of how the writing environment is so crucial to us. For each person there are little things that they need to write successfully. Some write better in natural light, others can write by a candlelight, still others require silence, myself - I prefer music in the background and the clutter of my life about me. My office is by no way spotless. I have stacks of binders, folders, papers all about me. My printer is hidden by papers and notes. My computer desk has barely enough room for a cup of coffee. Not to mention the clutter of the floor but its got a comfort about it that I crave. I don't write so well with pen and paper simply because it takes too long and my thoughts like to flow as fast as I can type. Still if I get an idea I generally go with it, be it writing on a scrap of paper or a binder, or even the back of a receipt. Each person has a special way of doing things. We like to think that a writer's skills a...

I just wanted to share this with everyone. I was fortunately enough to be a guest blogger on Deadly Vixens this week. Here's the link to take you to the interview: http://deadlyvixens.blogspot.com/ Feel free to comment or ask questions and I'll try to answer them as best I can!