I DID IT!

I finished. All 1032 words are gone. In fact I sliced and diced nearly 1100 words. I've sent the manuscript to my editor and she said she'll get started with it within the next couple of weeks. Yaaaaaaay!

Now I just need to figure out what to do next. I've had several ideas for my next project. The rock singer isn't going to happen right now. So I've been messing with ideas and I found a shapeshifter idea I'd gotten a good start with and I think I can get it written soon.

A female packleader needs a mate to placate her nervous pack. A shapeshifter orthopedic surgeon needs a mate to impress the head of his practice. They're matched by Predator-match.com - and the sparks fly - True Mate style. While the two alpha True Mates fight for dominance in the bedroom, the doctor has to fight his dominating instincts and follow his packleader.

I like what I have written so far. I'll let you know how things go!

OMG, I received a contract offer for Seeking Truth!

I've been so happy I forgot to post here...but now I must share. On Friday, I received an email from my editor at Ellora's Cave. She offered me a contract on my second book, Seeking Truth.

I'm so excited and happy, I can't tell you. To have one book released and another shortly on the way is a real dream for me. The other thing that's really neat is that this is a medieval romance - one of my favorite kinds of romances to read - when they are done right. By which I mean well researched. I worked very hard to make sure I'd done my research with Seeking Truth and it must have paid off.

I felt lousy this weekend - on Thursday night, I fell down went boom! Ouch! But this was definitely good for my emotional well-being. My contract is winging its way to EC as we speak so I hope I'll be able to get on the docket for a release date soon. When I have a release date...and a cover...I'll let you know!


Here is the current blurb for Seeking Truth...

Pain. Baron Eaduin Kempe has experienced enough of it to last him a lifetime, yet again it stalks him. Judith, his beloved foster mother, suffers in agony which cuts like a blade to his own gut. He'll do anything to ease her pain, even if that means that he, a man of dominant, fierce passions, must marry an innocent, convent-raised healer to obtain her services.

Witch. Lady Vérité de Sauigni fears this accusation more than any other, because of her psychic gift to see truth. A convent should be a haven for service to God, but her father made it her prison. Vérité will do anything to escape, even marry a sensual, handsome man who only wants her for her healing skills.

Vérité's healing skills, though prized in her new home, can't save her from charges of witchcraft when King Stephen and His Court arrive at Kempe Castle. Will Eaduin honor the vow she extracted from him to kill her so she won't suffer under questioning? Or will he do more? Will he risk his life for love?

Writing madly

I attended my local chapter meeting for RWA today. I belong to the Iowa Romance Novelists in the Des Moines area. I was so pleased to be able to announce that I had written 90 new pages this month. The cool thing was those were all on the same manuscript. A medieval, paranormal romance called Seeking Truth. Lord Eaduin Kempe is my hero and as I said in a previous post, I'm falling for the guy. Damn he's hot.

In addition, I went shopping and found several cute outfits to wear to the RWA national conference, so I am feeling set. Now I just have to get my pitches ready and I'll feel less nervous...maybe. We'll see.

Starting next week, I will get back to writing (and editing) madly. It feels very good to be so productive!

My voice is changing...

No, I'm not a teenage boy. I mean my writing voice. Why is it happening, and how? Well, you may ask. It shocked the heck outta me!

My first finished manuscript is a contemporary paranormal so there are a few pop culture references (not so many as to date it - I hope), strong language, and sexual content. I've also injected a bit of dry humor and in one spot almost campy humor. What can I say? I'm eclectic.

The manuscript on which I am now working is a medieval paranormal. Everything is different with this one. First, the language is more formal. I left out the thees and thous, but included yeas and nays and it takes more words to say the same thing - they talked more flowery back then. Check it out - Shakespeare probably takes two sentences to say, "I gotta pee." Prithee good sir, where may I find a privy? My innards threaten to burst.

Sorry - I had to try it. But I digress...

The biggest difference I'm finding is how I write the love scenes. I always write sex graphic and hot. That hasn't changed. What has is the way I describe things. Body parts get described a bit more euphemistically. I wouldn't call it lyrical or purple prose, but it isn't contemporary either. As an intellectual exercise, noting the differences is fascinating.

For example I can not imagine using the word clitoris in any kind of historical romance, but especially not in a medieval. The term is too clinical and modern. Instead I used nub or nubbin. Now, happily the word cock was in use back then, but I have trouble imagining a lady knowing or using the term. I decided to have my lord use it to describe himself, but the heroine uses manhood. Yeah, I know...I don't like the word either...too flowery. Somehow it works here. Although on their wedding night, the hero introduces the heroine to his word. Once that happens she can scream it all night if she wants to...and she does. ;-)

Now that was a fun scene to write!