Last night I decided I had really taken off the wrong direction with plot on Nocturne two. I realized that if I went along as I was the list of problems I would have were many. I was so tired and frustrated I made it worse than it was and I am glad I walked away. Then, refreshed, this morning the idea that wouldn’t come, popped into my head. So I made some easy changes and things are much better. Now I can roll forward.

I find hitting the pacing for certain word counts becomes rhythm. You get to know where the middle point is and how to pace it. So 300 pages for Nocturne took a little rethinking when I had plotted for 400 on book one. So now that I am set up and fixed I think it will move along well.

As for what is next, I have a lot of proposals out right now and I am really eager to see how they pan out. I also have this KICK ASS paranormal idea I am eager to get chapters done on. Right now, my agent is shopping two contemporay proposals. One is straight contemp and the other is a dark sexy Romantic Suspense. But its funny. The insecurity about editors liking me hasn’t gone away. I am still nervous and worried and I find most of my writer friends are too. Some put up a front that it doesn’t matter, but I bet it does. I see too many talented writers who are insecure. I think its normal.

For me, the next goal is a single title. I have 4 anthologies and three category and something thats been in near close forever at Blaze. ( You guys will hear me scream from Texas if that sucker ever just gets signed and sealed!) I am excited and proud but there is this part of me that feels I am not quite there. I have one missing piece and then the cards will be laid out to play for a real future.

So bye for now from Texas! See ya on Football Friday!

It’s offical. Book 2 of my Knights of White has taken control. I went to sleep last night thinking about it. I solved a plot problem while on the threadmill. I no longer think constantly of the first books characters. I am officially in bed with the new ones. That is DesS and Jessica.

One thing I learned writing Healer, book two of my Underground Guardians, is that a second book in a detailed paranormal world starts hard. The author has to give the reader the backstory without cramming narrative down their throats. I’m really dealing with that in this 2nd Nocturne. I need to be sure the readers understand the world. With Nocturne there is a strict word count so already that is an issue to be cautious of. I had to really think that through in book one. Often you see authors have glossarys and family trees and that isn’t an option. I do think I am learning to write tighter.

I saw a blog where someone said they thought you couldn’t world build in 300 pages properly. Therefore, per this blogger, Nocturne will fail. I don’t agree. Those of us who wrote for EC tended to world build for about this size anyway because we wanted to write the least word counts and go to print. I guess EC taught us how to do it in some ways and I am thankful for that. You simply plot diferent.

What do you think?

And speaking of Nocturen! Lindsay McKenna’s UNFORGIVEN hit Walden’s top ten on PREODERS only. It’s not even officially shipped to stores! YAY! I see number one coming! What a great thing for Lindsay and for the Nocturne line.

So off to write on mine! I feel inspired!

This will be out mass market in April in bookstores nationwide:) YAY! My story title is also the title of teh book so that is pretty cool! What do you think?

Anyone like Ultimate Fighter? Me, I like a few of the fighters but not the show. So Saturday night was the pay per view. Matt Hughes was fighting. Here is the funny thing about Matt. He’s from Hillsboro which is 3000 people and I have family there. My cousin is CASEY HUGHES. So I think….SOMEONE in my family knows him. Sure enough my mom went to school with Matt’s dad so she got Ronald a signed T-shirt. That was cool. Matt kicked butt. He started slow but in the end he was sharp. I love him and Rich Franklin. I think they have class. They win and stay humble. Never too cocky but still sure of themselves. They train with dedication and take their sport seriously like a writer has to take craft.

So after the fight, I drive my son and his buddy to his dad’s. This is like 12:15 on Saturday night. I see this cop as I turn at the light and I think, he’s out looking for drunks. I turned at the light and go to exit a mile down the road. He pulls me. I did NOTHING wrong and I was mad. I asked him what I did. He said I crossed the line when I turned at the light. LIKE HELL!!! I saw the cop. I was extra careful. He was fishing for quota or a drunk and it ticked me off. I let him know it. He asked me to step out of the car and I said sure but I’ve had diet Big Red so you’re going to be disappointed at the results.

He asks me who is in the car and where I am going and where I am going to. I’ve done NOTHING wrong. What business is it of his? I tell him. He then wants to know if I am wearing my lenses. I am BLIND without them and I tell him so. He wants to LOOK with the flashlight. At this point I am furious.

He then says my insurance is expired. I have a bill in the car and show him that. He stares at it.

I said, ‘Just write me a ticket and I’ll send in proof. My insurance is good. So am I. I tell him no matter how hard he tries he is not going to find anything wrong.’

His brows lift.’ No matter how hard I try?’ he asks.

‘Right. You heard me. I am feeling pretty darn harrassed. I did nothing wrong and I am one of the good ones.’

‘You’re saying you feel harrassed.’

‘I sure am. How can I not. I did nothing wrong and you are on a fishing expedition.’

‘You crossed the line.’

‘I did not.’

He stares at me. Then, ‘I’ll be right back.’

He comes back and gives me a warning, no ticket. ‘Have a safe evening,’ he says.

‘Right. You too officer.’

Everyone in the car freaks out. They can’t believe I talked to the cop that way. I’ve known some cops personally. They tend to be power hungry. Some are great. Some are wonderful. This one was after quota however he could get it. I wasn’t going to be slave to his uniform. If I had been wrong I would have been nice and polite and apologetic. I wasn’t and he knew it. I would have shown up to court too and he knew that too.

So needless to say the night was an interesting one. I ended it with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. That cop had made me earn it:)

Leaving you with a picture of Rich and Matt… oh and his walk in song is A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE. LOVE IT! Matt is on the left.

My youngest son is 17 playing varisty football. He is up against a 350 pound guy tonight. He weights 260. Am I nervous? AH…yeah!!! I hate the bangs and bruises but he loves it. Since before he was old enough to put on a uniform he said he was going to play for the Cowboys. Now this year they are talking all city and all district. It’s amazing how some kids know from the day they are born while others
go through life wondering what they want to do. What that must be like to alway just KNOW.

So I am writing Knights of white books two now. Loving his character. Des is sexy and wild and his woman must be very strong so she is going to be fun too. I love the power play of two strong characters.

Go here a read a little of Des’s pov!
http://knightsofwhite.blogspot.com/

Hope you love him as much as I do!:)