Santa Reading Kindle Papyrus

Secrets and Charms is live at all the usual retailers. It's the second book of the "Secrets" series but not truly a sequel. Charms tells the story of Olly, who was a supporting character in Secrets and Ink. However, to those who enjoyed Ink, Charms delivers a similar package: humor, romance, smexy times, and a dash of mystery. Plus a highly fictionalized take on the movie business.

Writing this story I had a good time making up fictional movie titles for various genres from slasher flick to Oscar-bait. But my favorite is Olly's beloved gay porn flick from above. I put real research into this. No, I don't mean watching gay porn! Not this time, anyway. What I mean is, that I had to use math (!) to figure out when the movie was produced, then look up the popular mainstream movies of the time to come up with a spoof title. (The research probably ended with me either watching gay porn or youtube videos of cute animals. I don't remember, but that's how most of my researches end.)

The next Secrets book, Secrets and Bow Ties, is scheduled to come out in May. In it we'll find out more about the "plot" of Dildo Menace, and Brian Rockwell's anatomy.

Free Stuff!!

Secrets and Ink is currently free on All Romance eBooks. Grab it while it's hot!

The next book in the series, Secrets and Charms is coming out next Tuesday. Lots of naughty boys to warm your Christmas stockings. :)

Random Update

I have had health and other issues lately and my mood took a nose dive. Let me just say, anxiety attacks are the suck. Everyone reacts differently to crisis. Some people share every little detail of their problems. I withdraw. I suspect the first approach is healthier, but I am who I am. I'm starting to feel better now, but I'm still wobbly. Fuck it.

The MS of Secrets and Charms is off to my editor. Remember Jem's friend, Olly, from Secrets and Ink? Well, it's his story. There are more Hollywood shenanigans, romance, and mystery. Bran's mother (Dead Man books), Layla makes a guest appearance.

I also wrote a holiday-ish short story, but it still needs some edits. I put aside for now.

Dead Man and the Army of Frogs have been edited, formatted, and ready for the August 5 release.

I joined twitter at last, but I have to say the whole thing befuddles me. Lots of links to reviews, promo, and not particularly exciting status updates. And I have no idea about the etiquette. If someone follows me, am I supposed to follow them back? What if I don't want to?

On the home front: my balcony garden is a mixed success. The available sun is not enough for most plants I have. However, the parsley and cat grass are doing fine, and the Boston fern is very happy. At fall I'll have to divide it up and replant it.

My neighbor has sunflowers growing between the curb and sidewalk in front of her house. They look pretty cool.

Playing with the Tropes

Tropes, archetypes, and other narrative conventions exist for a reason—they give us readers and viewers a familiar framework. I have nothing against them, but when a story follows them to the dot, it becomes stale and predictable. As a writer I love bending the formula. It's fun.

Take Jem from Secrets and Ink for example—he has a touch of TSTL (Too Stupid To Live).  He does things that land him in tight spots, and he really doesn't have to because trouble has a way of finding him without help. At one point of the story Jem's romantic interest, Detective Nick Davies takes Jem to his (Nick's) home for safekeeping. Before leaving for work Nick tells Jem not to open the door for anyone.

Of course, later on someone knocks on said door. Jem peaks through the window and sees a man in blue of some sorts. Maybe the cable guy, or someone from the utility company. In nine stories out of ten Jem would open the door and bad things would happen. But he doesn't because he'd seen the slasher movies and knows opening the door when you'd been told not to, will lead to unpleasantness. Jem's not that TSTL.

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Secrets and Ink is now live and available in ebook stores near you.

Samhain | Amazon | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble

Coffee, Porn and a Giveaway

You may enter to win a copy of Secrets and Ink on Coffee and Porn in the Morning.

Wednesday Word: Splendiferous

splendiferous |splenˈdifərəs|adjective informal humoroussplendid : a splendiferous Sunday dinner.DERIVATIVESsplendiferously adverbsplendiferousness nounORIGIN mid 19th cent.: formed irregularly fromsplendor .

Why say splendid when you can say splendiferous? Right? What a grand, magnificent, sumptuous word! And I could go on with the synonyms.

On a totally unrelated note: less then a week left until the release of Secrets and Ink, and there are a couple of giveaway running to win a free copy. A very bored Mayhem is hosting one at Stumbling over Chaos. The other one at Mrs. Condit Reads Books comes with a review.

Double Cover Reveal

The cover of Secrets and Ink was designed by the talented Angie Waters. The book will be out in December, most likely. The hapless protagonist of this novella has a shady past and a few secrets. Unfortunately, his memory is hazy on some of the details, and that gets him into no end of trouble. It's a good thing he has a hunky cop looking after him.

Meanwhile, my old book, Hanging Loose got a new cover and is also available in print. Hanging Loose is a laid-back summer read with little angst and few quirky characters.