Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is not the unofficial kick-off to summer. It is a holiday paying tribute to the memory of the countless American soldiers who gave their lives for this country. I do not come from a military family, so I grew up distant from the idea of soldiering. Only as an adult have I come to appreciate that no matter my politics, and no matter my view on war, these men and women who sacrificed their lives or suffered from the trauma and tragedies, emotional and physical, of combat, deserve my respect, understanding and thanks.

As a writer I do not usually include military characters in my books. I thought over my book list as I reflected on Memorial Day and made a discovery. Sarah, the heroine from Fettered Love, had been raised by a single mother. Guess what? Her father died in combat. Sometimes the history of our characters comes to us even after we are done writing their stories. One can say this discovery of mine was contrived. But if it fits and arrives seamlessly in my mind then who's to say.

And that process of discovery gives me one more small connection to the holiday today.




Thank you to all of the American soldiers out there, both living and deceased.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Summer is here! Great...


Wednesday marked the official first day of summer at my house since school got out at 11:00. And do you know what happened at 11:21? First fight between the 7 and 9 year old. Then again three more times before bedtime. Apparently none of my speeches about how there would be no fighting all summer long OR constant video games fell on deaf ears. And can I just point out that I've been giving the speech oh-so-casually for a week in preparation for summer? (Um... the speech today wasn't so nice I have to admit.)

My point is, I'm going crazy already! I can't get any work done, forget going to the gym, and it's not like I have the money to send them to camp after camp so how do you keep your kiddos entertained, occupied or out of your hair for a few hours? Luckily, the pool opens next week, but even that's going to get old soon. I'd love some fresh ideas!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

"Oh No!" Moment


I've been kicking around a storyline for a few years...last month I started writing the proposal for my agent. It's one of my favorite story ideas so far and I'm only a chapter away from finishing and polishing the chapters to send out. Of course, I was on cloud nine that this paranormal was different enough and fun enough that I'd surely bag a contract...little did I know, I logged into Twitter on a break and an author I knew had an upcoming release...I was curious, so I decided to go to her website and read her blurb because I like to support my friends by purchasing their books...

Let me tell you, my jaw dropped. My idea wasn't as fresh and original as I'd thought it would be. I'd say a good 70-80% of her blurb was EXACTLY like my storyline except that mine is heavy on the romance and not so much on the death and destruction. Of course, I felt like weeping. This isn't the first time something like this happened to me, nor will it be the last. I suppose there are many creative types who are on the same wavelength. I can say I had a momentary "oh shit!" moment because I didn't know what I should do. Scrapping the project wasn't an option because it's a good story. So, I'm just going to finish it up and submit it to other publishers. Since the book that is releasing is at a publisher I usually submit to, I think I may still send it to the editor even knowing the premise is the same. The difference is the book is an eBook and mine is geared toward print...sigh, have you had those moments? Have you been speechless? Depressed? Not so much angry over the similarities but the fact that you were a little late to the game?

What would you do?

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Titanic and OZ


Titanic and OZThe Titanic sank into the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912 at 2:20 a.m.

On this 100 year anniversary I felt drawn to write about a character who’s been on my mind since I saw my first Titanic film on TV. A redheaded lass with a curious mind and a sharp wit that more often than not lands her in trouble.

Since my family came from Ireland during that grand time when more than a million people a year came to the U.S. for a new life on steamers like the Titanic, I wanted to write about a girl I call Katie O’Reilly.


Katie is a steerage passenger who, like Dorothy in Oz, is given a chance to leave behind her black-and-white world in third class–


and enter the colorful world of Oz.

First class.


She runs away from the grand house where she is in service after she is wrongly accused of stealing a diamond bracelet. The law is after her, but she has one chance to escape.

The Titanic.


On board she runs into the arms of handsome gentleman gambler, Captain Lord Jack Blackthorn. Katie is awestruck. She’s never seen such a man.

Tall, muscular and possessed with an arrogance that intrigues her.

No wonder she’s fascinated with the pampering he shows her in first class, while trying to seduce her by offering her his protection. Quite a tempting proposition for a lass like Katie. Her God-fearing soul swears to resist him.

But for how long?

Here’s an excerpt from Titanic Rhapsody when Katie first meets Jack aboard the Titanic:


She opened her eyes and let out a loud gasp. Dear sweet Jesus, it was him. The man she’d seen on deck, watching her.

She was all in a flap when she saw him. Like a burst of golden sunshine he was, shining down on her after she’d been drenched by a cold, drizzling rain in her dark, gray world.

He was a handsome gentleman, with black hair and black eyes that held dark secrets that could make a lass blush. He had an aristocratic air about him that tamed his wildness just enough to keep him on balance.

And put her off balance.

Stepping away quickly, almost too quickly, she flinched when his strong hands grabbed her around the waist, then hoisted her up into the air. Katie let out a big, loud groan, then wrestled to get away from him.
Struggling, she cried out, “Let me go!”

“Be quiet, you little hellion,” the man said, his voice ringing with authority. “I know you’re in trouble—”

Me, Katie O’Reilly, in trouble?” she said, chin up, his powerful and pleasing presence arousing her. “What makes you think that, sir?”

He put her down, but didn’t release his hold on her. “Steerage passengers don’t belong up here in first class.”

First class? She blinked. That explained the rich carpeting, ornately-carved banisters and wide staircases.

Katie relaxed. He thought she was a third class passenger and didn’t know the law was after her, or if he did, he was playing games with her. She was desperately unaware of his true motive and that made him dangerous.

She had to play it cautious.

“Now if you’ll point me in the right direction to the third class deck,” she said, showing him her ticket, “I’ll be on my way.”

“And right into the hands of the law.”

She took in a deep breath. So he did know.

He continued, “You have no choice but to allow me to offer you my protection.”

“And who are you, sir?”

He bowed slightly. “Captain Lord Jack Blackthorn, at your service.”

What are you waiting for, girl? Look at the man.

He was tall, muscular and possessed an arrogance that intrigued her. Not to mention a building heat inside her that warmed her down to her toes. He seemed more alive to her than any man she’d ever seen. A man who knew his charm and savored it.

“And why would you help the likes of me?” Katie wanted to know, with a proud air.

He smiled at that, continuing to stare at her, his eyes dark and searching. “Come with me and find out.”

Katie laughed, disbelieving. After all she’d been through and now this. Why oh why did God put such temptation in her path? The devil himself he was, mischievous, wickedly self-assured and alive with a masculine vitality that set a girl’s pulse racing.

“Escape with you to where?” she asked, the words flying fast and quick between them.

“To my cabin in first class,” he said.

First class?” she said, “with all them rich swells?”

It was too much for her poor, tired mind to take in. Here were riches beyond what she’d ever dreamed. Here was the smell of grandness, that rich, seductive, cloying smell that grabbed her heart and singed her soul.

To run off with such a man was a sin, the priest reminded her each Thursday in the confessional box, but the law was after her. They’d take her back to Cork in chains with the shame of stealing marked upon her forehead.

“You won’t escape them, Katie…that is your name, isn’t it?” he questioned. “The ship is large, but the crew knows every inch of it.”

Katie was at a loss. What was she to do? She could hear the sound of voices and footsteps pounding on the stairs, coming closer and closer.

“We must go, now!” he said brusquely. “Or I won’t be able to help you.”

His words brought her to tears, though she refused to let them fall and show weakness in front of him. She thought and thought and thought. No, she had to do what he wished and face the consequences later with the Almighty.

Katie nodded. “I’ll come with you, Captain Lord Blackthorn.”

Hurry, they’ll be upon us in a minute.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her close behind him.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, she prayed in a somewhat uncertain state of mind, her feet flying over the red carpeting down the long hallway. Was she condemned to hell for saving her own arse?

Was she?

Or did the holy saints have something more alarming in store for her?

She found out minutes later in his lordship’s cabin when he ordered her to take off her clothes.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Dentist. No Laughing Gas.

I’m invoking my right to post a short blog this week. Second dentist appointment within the last two weeks. Need I say more? Well except for AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

The only good part about my day was this episode of The Big Bang Theory. So I’m sharing. Have a laugh on me!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Fifty Shades of Censorship

I despise censorship. And I am especially bothered by libraries that do it because they are supposed to be the go-to source for books - lots and lots of books. Why did they do it? Because the blockbuster erotica Fifty Shades of Grey was too racy for a few folks? Oh, yeah. They don't carry erotica. Why the hell not? Loads of people want to read it.

At first I thought it was only my home state of Florida, which tends to be inconsistently idiotic! But the trend is spreading across the country. What will be next? Thing is, I don't understand what all the fuss is about. This book is about two consenting adults doing what they want in privacy.

Sure, we writers tend to have a pretty liberal view of censorship but after speaking to some of my non-writer friends who have read the book, I realized it's not just writers who find this ridiculous. One lady told me she didn't think the book was much racier than the old Harold Robbins books she used to read.

But what can we do about it? Speak up. I wrote my local library a letter telling them I wanted access to books like Fifty Shades. I haven't heard back yet, but it was important to me to let them know my feelings. I'm only one person but if others do the same, maybe they will listen.


Friday, May 18, 2012

Sinful Sirens Giveaway!

Have you heard about the Sinful Sirens Giveaway Blog Hop May 15 - 20?! There are 132 authors participating, which means lots of great giveaways!




If you like stories about hot cops, then make sure you stop by my blog because I'm giving away a copy of TWO COPS A GIRL AND A PAIR OF HANDCUFFS, the second book in sexy new BADGE BUNNIES SERIES! The giveaway is open to anyone and everyone (US, Canada and International) with an email address! To enter, leave a comment along with your email address. I'll announce the winner on the 21st!

http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/2012/05/sinful-sirens-giveaway-blog-hop.html

*hugs*
Paige

"Stories so hot, they'll make your cheeks blush!"

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Still Going

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

One more week until deadline.
AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
(repeat until page is full)




Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Special Ops Heroes

I got word last week that Carina Press will contract books 2 and 3 of my not-so-naughty alter ego's Bagram Special Ops series and I'm pretty stoked about that. I'm also really nervous, never having written on a deadline before.

Here's a shot of my main characters working together in the field: my Air Force Combat Controller hero and my Spooky gunship pilot heroine. Together, they make a spectacularly deadly duo.

Only have some last minute details to iron out before I can wrap up the entire storyline for book 2. Anyone have some good advice/tips for me about how to easily meet the deadline?

Monday, May 14, 2012

GPS and the Spy Master

This past weekend I finally confronted my need to buy a GPS for my car. Despite my first full-length novel fitting in the futuristic category, I run a decade or so behind in my technology and tech know-how in my day to day life. Before I drive somewhere new I still depend on typing in the address in map quest and printing out the results. And although this works out fine many times, there are certain situations when it is not optimal. Like returning home from a party in the dark, trying to reverse the long string of directions I depended upon to arrive there through a twisty turny neighborhood. No light means no way to dependably read street signs or the written directions for that matter.

After swerving into lanes in the wrong direction last Saturday, trying to reverse frequent mistakes, and generally depending on sheer luck to find myself home without becoming hopelessly lost, I decided it was time to make the GPS purchase.

Plus, how can I ever aspire to write a spy romance if I don't hone up on my gadgetry. James Bond was briefed on the latest and greatest wizardry in his sexy cars so that he was prepared to casually flip switches to the ray guns and navigate complex roadways with multiple hazards to catch or outrun the bad guys.

I figure if I can't even pass GPS 101 I will be unprepared to write my own intense chase scenes. Of course the modern GPS has little to do with the black box tech of Bond's automobiles, but a girl has to start somewhere. And if I don't get to the meeting with Q because I got lost on the way over, I'll never get my 00 assignment to start.

I may be confusing myself with some potential character, but I do like to submerge myself in my heroes and heroines. (grin)

Perhaps buying a GPS qualifies as "research" and can be written off as a writing expense? Nah, but you have to consider all the angles.

I know once I make this leap I will come to depend upon the damn thing like everyone else. So it's time to compare options and make an educated choice. I can only hope that the choice comes with a sexy male British voice in the computer. Then I'll truly be inspired to write that novel. All I need now is a plot.

What sort of real life gadgets made their way into your favorite novels? Ones you've read or ones you've written?

Friday, May 11, 2012

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

By: Casey Crow 

Ever wonder where authors get their inspiration? Everywhere! Movies, crazy relatives, intriguing friends, songs, dreams – you name it. The trick is turning that flicker of an idea into 300-400 pages. My first manuscript DANCE WITH A MILLIONAIRE came from a dream. I woke up and having no knowledge of the writing industry, I sat down at my computer and typed as much as I could about my heroine, my hero, then plot, and whatever else came to mind. It created a snowball effect because the faster my fingers moved across the keyboard, the more ideas that flowed. Pretty soon I had the basis for a novel.

I didn’t know it at the time – because as I’ve said, I failed to do any research about writing, but turns out I was somewhere between a plotter and pantser. I wrote the basic outline, but needed to fly into the midst to find the remaining 150 pages. The half plotter, half pantser method seemed to work for me, and I used it for my second manuscript. HUSTLER’S DREAM required a timeline as the heroine is a professional pool player traveling the competitive circuit. Following a necessary calendar perfectly accommodated my planner side, but I had to stretch the imagination and dig into my left brain to come up with enough material to complete editor criteria.  

 In the very unscientific pole I’ve taken, most writers are like me – somewhere in the middle. Others are extreme plotters – detailing outlines before they even begin to write. While some, like RWA Hall of Famer and multiple RITA winner Jo Beverly simply flip open their laptops and go to town. The good news is there is no correct method. Find what works best for you and don’t be afraid to try different methods. For example, I tried the all pantser approach for FAST DREAM, the sequel to HUSTLER'S DREAM. It was a disaster and soon gave into the need for an outline because I got to the point where I was sitting down at the computer everyday and staring at a blank page for so long, Facebook pulled me to the dark side. 

 So, I'll keep my middle ground approach - plotting the main characters and pantser on the secondary ones. Where do you fall? Have you tried both methods and lived to tell the tale or do you always straddle the fence with great success? Or maybe not, but we’ll keep writing for the love of it!


PS - In other news - I've signed with literary agent Nicole Resciniti after HUSTLER'S DREAM came in second in the RT American Idol contest!







Thursday, May 10, 2012

Wine, Woes, and Writing


I should be used to getting rejections by now. No matter how many times I'm told my stuff is great and that I'm so verra close to a sale...it's never the "right" project for the editors. The funny thing is, I'm not totally rejected... After they pass on the manuscript, these NY editors are asking my agent for more proposals from me. They're not too picky what genre I send their way, and it's obvious they are waiting for just the right manuscript...but I'm starting to lose steam. I should be happy my submissions are read quickly but it still stings. Truthfully, writing a proposal is freakin' hard. I think I've written almost 3 already and working on 3 more. Yeah, it's a lot of brain power. That's almost like writing 2 whole books! However, I'm not going to harp on it. At least I don't have to finish the entire book before sending it out, so I should be thankful.

Honestly, if writing was my only day job, I'd crank those puppies out...unfortunately, I work full-time managing my graphics business and also helping out at my family business. This leaves me with barely enough time to sleep. Raccoon eyes are my permanent trademark these days because even when I sleep early, I don't sleep more than a handful of hours. The good news is that I get to enjoy my wine a lot more. What's better than to drown my woes than in a nice glass of White Zin or Moscato? I suppose I'm starting to accept the rejections a lot better than I did when I received the first few ones. I think I've had only 2 form rejections and the rest have been personally written rejections. My recovery time is a lot faster, that's for sure. I'm not alone in this. Many of my friends who have had tons of books published with NY are facing the same rejections. Competition is fierce and unless you have a story that is going to be a sure-fire hit, the chances of a publisher taking a chance on new voices or out-of-the-box storytelling have become slim. 

Trust me, I'm not losing faith....I chose this profession and I'm going to stick with it. It's easy to give up but I've come too far to turn back. I've spent nine years pursuing publishing and I already have a decent backlist. However, I have big dreams of hitting the list. I don't plan on throwing all these years of hard work away because of uncertainty and self-doubt. Of course, I still deserve the day or two to feel sorry for myself a little bit...but I know that I will pick myself back up and eventually reach my goal....that's the beauty of fighting for a dream. Don't you agree?

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Titanic and the Pig




Did you know there was a pet pig on the Titanic?

According to the New York Herald on April 19, 1912: “Five women saved their pet dogs …another woman saved a little pig, which she said was her mascot.”

The reporter goes on to say that she didn’t know how the woman cared for her pig aboard the Titanic, but she carried it up the “side of the ship [the Carpathia, rescue ship] in a big bag.”

How did the pig get into the lifeboat? Was the pig traveling first class?

In a word, yes.

More about this intrepid little piggy and the important part it played in the sinking of the Titanic later. First, it seems you can’t get away from pigs and the Titanic.

In Julian Fellowes’ mini-series “Titanic” (airing in the U.S. on ABC on April 14 and 15), a passenger in third class isn’t happy about traveling steerage to New York. She tells her husband that her daughter said their Irish Catholic family is like “…six little pigs packed into that cabin, all trussed and bound for market…”
They’re not the only Irish aboard the ship with pigs on their mind.

Katie O’Reilly, the heroine in my Ellora’s Cave romance, TITANIC RHAPSODY, nearly doesn’t make it on board the ship because of a pig.

Katie runs away from the grand house where she is in service after she is wrongly accused of stealing a diamond bracelet. The law is after her, but she has one chance to escape.

The Titanic.
“Stop in the name of the law, Katie O’Reilly!” she heard the constable yell down from the open second story window. 
She looked up at him, disbelieving. Stop? Was the man daft?
With her ticket clutched in her fist, Katie took off running, up one winding street and down the next. The smell of cooked onions and cabbages filled her nostrils as she sidestepped piles of horse manure in the middle of the road.
Then her hat flew off. When she stopped to pick it up, she nearly collided with a large pig being driven through the streets by a farmer.
Was she about to be done in by a pig?
She thought not.
Katie jumped out of the way, then bent down to retrieve her hat.
The pig’s hooves had ripped it to shreds.
She kept going, the morning dew on the air giving way to a fine salty mist, sweeping away her fear and clearing her mind as the offices of the White Star and American Lines came into view.
Will Katie make it on board the Titanic before she sails? Only by the skin of her teeth.

Does she see the pig during the crossing?

Few passengers did because the cute little pig with the curly tail was the lucky mascot of Miss Edith Russell.

She loved to wind up its tail and it would play a lively musical tune similar to a two-step called “Maxixe.”
You see, the pig was musical pig.

The reporter on the Carpathia didn’t know the real story behind Miss Russell’s pig. How it was given to her after she survived a horrific motorcar crash. She promised her mother it would never be out of her sight. When she realized the Titanic was sinking and she’d left her mascot in her cabin, she sent the steward to retrieve her lucky pig.

Still, Edith was hesitant to get into a lifeboat. When a seaman tossed her pig into a boat (believing it was a baby wrapped up in a bag), Edith insisted on getting into the boat, too. Its nose was gone and its legs broken, but Edith and her little pig escaped in lifeboat no. 11.

Overcrowded with sixty-eight passengers (nearly one-third were children), Edith realized her little pig could comfort others as it had her. She wound up its tail so it would play music for the children. Most of the little ones stopped crying as the pig’s sparkling musical notes calmed their fears.

Its furry, white-gray body wet with sea spray.

Its cute grin giving them hope they would be saved.

It was the little Titanic pig that could.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

What’s in a Name?

NamesGrace St. John. Niall Robertson or Black Niall. Rhage. Mary Luce. Pia Giovanni. Dragos Cuelebre.
If these names were thrown at me in the middle of a conversation about gardening and stamp collecting, I would instantly know, ooh!! Son of the Morning by Linda Howard! Oh snap! Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward! Oh heck yeah! Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison! I love those books!!

No, no, it’s not a photographic memory. Or a weird, selective form of Tourette's Syndrome. I know these characters because they—their names—represent the essence of the books. Grace St. John: Simple, stalwart, and a God-given mercy and salvation. Black Niall or Niall Robertson: strong, dark, mysterious, regal. Rhage: powerful, an inward, simmering anger, emotional. Mary Luce: innocent, hidden by powerful strength, worthy. Pia Giovanni: reverent, pure, sexy, independent. Dragos Cuelebre: mysterious, dangerous, serpent.

My point?

A name is everything! When I’m starting a book, one of the very first things I spend more time over than the actual plot is the names of my hero and heroine. To me this is one of the most important elements of the story because not only should their monikers embody the hero and heroine’s personalities, but they should be memorable. Just like I remember the characters above, I want a reader of my book to be able to call out my hero’s name and follow it up with, oh I loooove hiiimm!! And yes, draw it out just like that!

I write down my characters’ appearances, personalities, quirks and origins. And then I hit the baby name websites. And then Wikipedia. And follow that up with cultural websites that contain information on religion, traditions, etc. So much more goes into the selection than "unh-unh-that-will-so-not-sound-cute-when-she-calls-his-name-out-while-orgasming. Uh, not saying that’s not one of my criteria though. “Oh God, Oswald!” Nope, just not working for me… But there’s more to consider. If my hero is of Irish descent, why does he have a Persian name? I either need to change it or have a good reason why—which could lead to a colorful tidbit in his history or backstory. Or—and don’t nobody email me about this!!—if my African-American heroine is named Sheniqua or Sheneneh, I need to have a damn good reason! Because it’s comical stereotyping, did she have a ghetto mother who named her that and she is incredibly bougie or hates her name? Is it part of the story? Because if not—and it isn’t a screenplay for In Living Color the Movie—it’s gotta go!  But a beautiful, appropriate name—no matter how simple, exotic or colorful—is the beginning of a beautiful character and an even more wonderful booBaby namek!

On that note, I did a little investigating and scoped out some of the freakin’ weirdest baby celebrity names…All’s I’m sayin’ is they have nooo consideration what these kids are going to endure when they go to school…And that’s all’s I’m saying’…

1. Kal-El *Nicolas Cage’s son, named after Superman’s Krypton name...but then again he changed his last name to Cage in honor of Luke Cage, soooo…

2. Fifi Trixibelle *Daughter of Irish singer and songwriter, Bob Geldof. I don’t know who he is, but do I really need to go into why this is a bad idea?

3. Apple *Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter. Applehead. Applebottom. Appaloosa. Kids are cruel and you just handed them ammo…

4. Destry *Daughter of Steven Spielberg. Now, I honestly don’t think this one is too bad considering it makes me automatically think of “Destro” from G.I. Joe, one of my favorite childhood cartoons! But other people may not make that connection…

And the winner is…

Again, don’t nobody email me because everyone is fair game! My name is Naima for godsakes! I love it, but not many first graders know that Naima is a cool John Coltrane song! That said….

5. Prince Michael II/Blanket *Michael Jackson’s son. What? Did Mike run out of ideas? Did he just say, uh…how ‘bout George? Nah. What about Ralph? Naw. F*** it! Prince Michael II! And what is he wrapped in? A blanket? There you go, that’s what we’ll call him so we don’t confuse him with Prince Michael the First. Anyway, that’s what it sounded like to me…

Okay, I’m finished! How important do you think a name is? What is your favorite character name? Or do you want to add to my list? Go for it!

P.S. – The Zappa kids are disqualified because…well, just because…

Monday, May 7, 2012

Milestones

At my local RWA chapter meetings, all members are recognized for their writing milestones - submitting a manuscript, first and subsequent sales, even rejections are included and awarded some chocolate and a packet of tissues! It's great to get that little pat on the back (or that shoulder to cry on) when important things happen in our careers.

Well, I have one of those personal milestones approaching this week. It's a big, ugly birthday with a zero at the end. And yes, it's just a number, but it does bother me. To ease me through the pain, I decided to get some wild hot pink highlights in my hair -- because I can. And yes -- that did help a little.

But the important thing about milestones is that they mark a point in the road. They tell us we've moved forward and hopefully accomplished some things on the way. Something I accomplished last week was a double release. Deceptively Yours, book 2 in my Wanton Weston Women series came out within a day of my interracial novella, Emotional Baggage. In total, that makes 25 books for Wynter. Okay, I'll accept that as a milestone.



Saturday, May 5, 2012

Change and love

I never thought of myself as someone who resists change. Change is the nature of life. It's part of the cycle of life and death and life again. Maybe I'm getting old, because I'm looking at a change and I'm not excited about it. Or maybe I've finally got the life I want and I don't want to change it.

I love our home. We've lived here for 10 years and I'd stay here until I died if I could. But my husband's job is over an hour away and the yard maintenece coupled with the commute is leading us to check out condos closer to where he works.

What does this have to do with romance? Well, everything. When I was a girl I listened to Judy Collins (I know...waaaay long ago) and she had a song with a line that went something like this: "...but if you want to live in New York City, honey you know I will." That's a little farther than we have to go, but if it'll make my husband happier at the end of the day, I'm in.

According to M.Scott Peck, that's the definition of love. Wanting the other person's happiness as much or more than your own. So, with a minimum of kicking and screaming, I'm already starting to downsize. Purging stuff you don't need is a great thing to do even if a move isn't pushing you into it. There are some great organizations willing to take your old clothes and small household items. Plus, I see a yard sale in our future at some point in the summer.

Well, it took forever to write this blog. Blogger is giving me fits and that's one change I'm not happy about.   

Friday, May 4, 2012

New Romance Trading Cards!

I had some new Romance Trading Cards made up so I wanted to share! Artist Gemini Judson did both the cover and card designs. Love 'em!

They'll be in the Goodie Bags at Lori Foster's Get Together!










If you want to read some sexy excerpts from the books, check out my website at http://www.paigtylertheauthor.com *hugs* Paige "Stories so hot, they'll make your cheeks blush!" http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Let Me In on Sale

Guess what? My upcoming release, Let Me In, is on sale for only $0.99 at all online retailers for the entire month of May! Carina Press just gave me the news yesterday morning. Let Me In is Liam's story, from No Holds Barred, but it can be read as a stand alone.

It features a sexually dominant ex-Marine hero and a currently serving Marine heroine home on leave, and there are plenty of sparks flying around this story. While Liam is dominant in bed, he's very gentle and loving, so there's nothing harsh in this story. Hope you'll check it out!

Callie :)

Blurb: On leave for Thanksgiving, the last thing marine lieutenant Talia Barnett expects to find is Liam Brodie waiting for her at the airport. He’s had a starring role in her fantasies for the past two years, and although she’d love to make them a reality, she has a dark secret that prevents her from taking things further.
A former Marine, Liam’s specialty is planning tactical operations, and that’s just what he plans to do to win Talia. The woman has kept him at arm’s length for too long, and this time he’s finally going to claim her—body and heart.
What begins as comfort quickly turns hot. When Liam shows Talia a hint of the dominant nature inside him, the submissive part of her flares to life. Though she desires him, she’s going back on deployment and doesn’t want to dump all her drama on him. Will he find a way to break through the protective walls around her heart and convince her they have a future that goes far beyond the bedroom?