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Friday 30 May 2008

My head hurts

Well, last night I went to bed with a headache... and woke up with it. I took some headache tablets for it this morning, but you know, it's still kinda hovering around. I hate it when you can't shake a headache completely.

Still, it didn't stop me from doing things.

Last night I finished the 40k BIAM novella. Yay! The final word count is 42,198. Pretty happy with that, especially since I've decided it's going to be a two-part thing and already know what the main storyline's going to be about. I enjoyed these two characters and their world a lot. It'll be nice to spend some more time with them. But I won't be writing it yet, though I should write down a few things so I don't forget. :/

Anyway, all I'd like to do now is write a short synopsis for it and send it away. Yep. Hopefully I can (at least) get the first draft of that written later on. Have I mentioned that I don't like writing the (dreaded) synopsis. :(

What do you guys have planned for the weekend? We've got a dentist appointment. The hubby, daughter and I are all booked in for our six-month check up. Can't say it's a fun thing to do, but I always feel much better afterward. I think it's important to take care of your teeth. I've got a thing about teeth. Lol. Then we're hoping to take it easy. Just enjoy another relaxing weekend, like the one we had last week.

I picked up some books today: Night Child by Jes Battis, Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine, and The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon R Green. I remember reading a little about Night Child a few weeks ago, and I was so intrigued I couldn't help but pick it up. Feast of Fools is the fourth Morganville Vampires book... do I need to say anything more? LOVE the series! And TMwtGT is the first in a new series by Simon R Green. I absolutely adore the Nightside series, so I had to pick this one up, too.

Anyway. That's it for me. I gotta head out soon. Fridays are a little bit hectic for me. Have a great weekend!

Sunday 25 May 2008

WITCH BLOOD

A water witch, Isabelle Novak has always led a chaotic, nomadic existence. But her life spins out of control when her sister—her only friend and emotional anchor — is killed by a demon. Driven by grief and a desire for revenge, she turns her back on the Coven and the rede they hold sacred: Harm thee none...

When Isabelle first encounters Thomas Monahan, she’s running on pure rage and sorrow, channeling her pain into power — and trying to freeze the life out of a warlock she holds responsible for her sister’s death. Together, they form an uneasy alliance to hunt and destroy a demon of tremendous power. As head of the Coven, earth witch Thomas must thwart Isabelle’s dark impulses, but his very presence stirs deeper desires she never knew she had…

You know, I absolutely love reading a good book. As I've mentioned plenty of times already, I'm having some wicked luck with every book I've read so far in '08. This one is yet another to add to the list. I actually really enjoyed the first book in the Elemental Witches series, Witch Fire, so I was looking forward to checking this one out too.

I've got one word for ya - WOW!

The attraction between Isabelle and Thomas sizzled off the pages. But you know, there was SO much more going on. I love the world of witches that Anya has created, and her characters are amazing. The depth of each one - even the secondary ones - is awesome. I can't wait to find out who the next heroine and hero will be in this series. And I'll definitely be checking out her new series...

I highly recommend this book and the one before it!

Friday 23 May 2008

Indiana Jones! Yay!

So, yesterday we woke up nice and early and caught the 10am screening of the new Indiana Jones movie. And man, I have to say that I absolutely LOVED it! Yeah, baby. Indy's back and I got caught up in the whirlwind all over again.

I was hoping to feel the same magic I felt during the other movies. I know that sounds really strange, but there's just a vibe that I feel when I watch the first three. And I'm happy to say that I felt it here too.

It was awesome!

You know, I had no idea where this Crystal Skull was going to lead, but loved where it did go. For someone who's fascinated by the subject matter (I can't say what it is because I don't want to spoil it for anyone) and was doing some research about it the other night, it was fantastic!

Now, the actors... awesome! Harrison Ford was born to play Indy. He's such a natural and I certainly didn't even remember that he's in his 60s. Wow, he's one fit guy. ;) Shia. This guy can do no wrong. He's fantastic in everything I've seen him in. He has a natural flair that's great to watch. Cate Blanchett (I love her in anything she does. She totally rocks!) and Karen Allen were both great too. And don't you just love the surprise (which I kept telling the hubby as soon as I found out Shia would be in the movie!) in it, too? Ooops, that sounds a little stupid since I'm not going to share that tidbit either. ;)

Anyway. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a winner for me. I loved it, and like Iron Man, I can't wait to see it again! Honestly, if you're an Indy fan, you just GOTTA check it out. If you've seen it already, let me know if you enjoyed it.

They played the trailer for Australia, the upcoming movie with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. And hey, it looks really good. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I should've known Baz Luhrmann would do something great. I don't think this movie's going to disappoint all those Hugh fans out there. And David Wenham's in it too! Cool.

Well, I don't have much to say in the writing department today. Although, I did get the first round of edits for Mystical done yesterday. Mystical is a story coming soon at Forbidden Publications. It's a little raunchy tale about a phantom lover... except he's not exactly that. ;)

This week, I've been taking it easy. Doing a bit of blogging at several places and a bunch of bits and pieces, plus edits. But no new words added to any stories. I haven't even revised a darn thing. And the (two) synopsis I was hoping to work on, uh, nada! Still, I refuse to feel guilty about it. I think I just needed a breather from it all. Next week, it's back to Revision City I go. And this time, it'll be so much sweeter because I'm looking at getting the final drafts done for three tales. Yay!

Oh, and before I forget, drop by Tess Harrison's new blog during the weekend for her Housewarming Blog Party. There'll be a bunch of author spotlights, excerpts, and there'll be prizes too. So, check it out over here. You know, I'm gonna be there. :D

Have an awesome weekend!

Tuesday 20 May 2008

DEAD SEXY

She was looking for long-term. She wasn't expecting eternity!

Just when Nikki Braxton has given up on finding a normal guy, she meets cowboy Jake McCann.

Tall, dark and delicious, he could be the ideal man—if he wasn't a vampire. Well, at least that explains his...uh... hunger for her. Meanwhile, that down-and-dirty sex they're having is giving him the energy he needs to destroy his nemesis and break the vampire curse. Good thing, because being with Nikki makes him long for a normal life that much more.

But then Nikki is abducted. If Jake saves her, he may lose his only shot at becoming human again.

Talk about damned if you do…

Okay, I gotta say, I've been looking forward to reading this tale for a while now. So when it was released here in Australia, I snagged it. I mean, we're talking about a hot vampire guy here... and he's a cowboy! I have to admit that I haven't read about any vampire cowboys before, so I was looking forward to it. :)

And wow, this book was H-O-T. The chemistry between Nikki and Jake sizzled off the pages, but that wasn't the only thing that made this tale so good. The small town of Skull Creek (I love the name!) seemed so real, and I really liked Nikki. She was just an average gal trying to find true love amongst a whole bunch of losers. But of course, there was more to it than that. And hooking up with Jake made her realise a lot of things about herself.

Anyway, I thought this book was an awesome vampire tale with a clever twist in the end. I can't wait to read the next one. Drop Dead Gorgeous is Dillon's story. Now, I just need to find out when it'll be released here...

Sunday 18 May 2008

NIGHT LIFE


Welcome to Nocturne City, where werewolves, black magicians, and witches prowl the streets at night…

Among them is Luna Wilder, a tough-as-nails police officer whose job is to keep the peace. As an Insoli werewolf, Luna travels without a pack and must rely on instinct alone. And she’s just been assigned to find the ruthless killer behind a string of ritualistic murders—a killer with ties to an escaped demon found only in legend…until now.

But when she investigates prime suspect Dmitri Sandovsky, she can’t resist his wolfish charms. Pack leader of a dangerous clan of Redbacks, Dimitri sends her animal instincts into overdrive and threatens her fiercely-guarded independence. But Luna and Dimiri will need to rely on each other as they’re plunged into an ancient demon underworld and pitted against an expert black magician with the power to enslave them for eternity…

I finished reading this book today. I was hoping to read it during the week because it grabbed me from the beginning, but today was good too. :)

Okay, I've just found another urban fantasy series that I'll definitely continue to read. This book was really cool. Luna's a werewolf with a lot of problems. I loved her attitude and mood swings, she just felt so real to me. And the other characters were really cool too. Well, except for several of the cops. But you'll have to read that to know what I mean. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with Dmitri now that... ooops, can't say anything about that. ;)

Anyway, if you're into dark tales with a gritty edge... yep, you know -- check it out! You won't be disappointed with your stay in Nocturne City.

Friday 16 May 2008

I made it!

OMG! I just realised that yesterday's post was #1,000! Can you believe it? That's so darn cool. I didn't realise I popped into the ol' blog so often... okay, so that's a lie. ;) I try to blog every single day, so I suppose I was going to get to 1,000 sooner or later. :D How cool.

So, how's everyone doing lately? You know, it's been very quiet around here lately. Has anyone been popping in? Just wondering...

I'm very excited to say that I managed to get the second draft of my NaNo novel finished today. The final word count has gone up to 58,232. And you know, while I was walking near the river this afternoon - with the AWESOME 30STM playing in my ears - I realized there were a few points I'd like to expand on during the third/final revision. Nothing huge, it's actually a few small details that I just want to fine tune.
Anyway, it's awesome to have met another self-imposed deadline. I don't like leaving work hanging over the weekend, to be tackled on Monday. I like to dive into something new at the beginning of the week.

Okay, got some stuff to do tomorrow and I'm hoping to squeeze in some more reading over the weekend. Have an awesome one!


ytd word count: 184,505

Wednesday 14 May 2008

Midweek today

Well, we're halfway through the week again. And halfway through May. Yikes! Before we realise it, X-Mas will be here again.

Anyway. You know what I haven't mentioned lately? My arm. I'm happy to report that the stiff/sore neck and shoulder combo has now faded. The pills the doctor gave me seemed to work very well. My elbow, though, that's a different story.

Tomorrow will mark week three, since the doctor told me not to lift any weights. That means I've got one more week to go. I really want to get back into it, though I have to admit that it still hurts a little. Definitely not as much as it did last month, but it still bothers me. I can't wait to get my strength up again. It feels a little weak at the moment.

Okay, the revision continues. Before I took off to pick my daughter up from school, I reached page 133/253. Today's target is to get to page 150. I worked out that by doing 50 pages a day, I could definitely get through this draft by the end of the week. So far, so good. I've still got one more session left tonight. So far, I've added 2k to it too. :)

I better get going now, got some interview questions to do...

Tuesday 13 May 2008

Some stuff

Just introduced my daughter to the local library. Man, it's been so long since I've stepped anywhere near a library. I used to love going when I was a kid, it's how I got stuck into reading. But I've gotten so used to buying the books I want to read, that stepping into a library didn't enter the equation. Anyway. My daughter was impressed, so that's cool.

Remember the dilemma I had yesterday? To revise on paper or computer? Yeah, well, I solved it last night. Even though I'd already revised the first 40 pages, I went back to the beginning. And you know what? Using the lappy just feels right. I found my groove very quickly, and the same thing happened today. So, I'm currently sitting at 71/252 pages. Yeah, the page and word count has already gone up. :/ Still, it's all good. I've once again found the reason why I enjoyed writing this tale so much in the first place.

Strange, strange. :)

Anyway, that's it for today. I hope everyone's having an awesome week so far. I'm not as tired as I was yesterday, but still feeling a little sluggish. Of course, with the amount of walks I do every single day, it's really not surprising. Walking is great for the heart and the soul. ;)

Monday 12 May 2008

Movies & Revision

So, how was your weekend? Mine was cool. It went by a little too fast. But that's usually the way. You know, for the first time in ages, I had a nap yesterday. I think it stuffed my sleep, though. I couldn't get to sleep last night, kept tossing and turning. And when I eventually did fall asleep, it was only half-in/half-out. That totally sucks. I'm so tired today. :/

The hubby and I watched a few movies on Saturday night. First up was, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. LOL. I actually thought it was really, really funny. Lotsa laughs in this one, and also an underlining romance that was quite sweet. Though I gotta say, the ending was totally trippy! Not sure what the hell was going on there. Still, it was a fun movie.

The other one was, Superbad. Once again, LOL. This was another surprisingly funny flick. I laughed quite a bit. These two guys were so hilarious together. Lotsa bad language in this movie (just like the other one) but I reckon it was part of the charm. Seth and Evan are two kids about to leave high school, but before they do, they want to score with the chicks they've got crushes on. Of course, nothing goes as it should. And what you get is a hilarious and insane night of crashing parties, stealing alcohol, hanging out with crazy cops, and two guys who at the end of the day are going to miss each other when they head off to different colleges. I really enjoyed it. And it also reminded me of so many of the weird things that happened when high school was winding down... So funny!

We also watched Doctor Who. Did someone say awesome? Yeah, that was me. ;) Man, I absolutely love, LOVE this show. Awesome!

Anyway, this week I'm reading this book and I intend to get the second draft of my NaNoWriMo novel done. I got started today. I've got my coloured pen, notebook with notes and the printed version of the tale. But you know, I might have to ignore the print out and complete the revision on my lappy. I'm just not feeling the print out. Could it be time to switch my second-draft-process?

The bizarre thing is that when I revise short stories and novellas, I have no prob doing it on screen. But for some (very) strange reason I keep doing the second draft of novels on paper. It's what I've been doing for several years now. Well, I think it may be time to 'revise' the process...

Friday 9 May 2008

RACING THE MOON

When the full moon rises, his urgent sexual desire becomes overpowering...and satisfying his demanding lust is the one way he can stop his transformation.

But now he’s stranded in the middle of nowhere, with a storm raging outside, and moonrise imminent. And only the beautiful stranger who rescued him can keep the wolf at bay. Only, she’s resisting his ardent seduction with all her might.

It’s not that she doesn’t ache for him every bit as hungrily as he does for her. Their mutual attraction is fierce and explosive. But they are very different species...and surrendering to her desire will call forth something much more terrifying than the wolf.

This is the first Nocturne Bites story, and man, it was excellent! Of course, I was expecting it to be. I'm a huge fan of Michele Hauf. She weaves some wonderfully deep, sexy, romantic tales and shares with us rich worlds of fantasy and the paranormal. And this was no exception.


Dean was a likeable character, as was Sunday. And I loved that they each had their own obstacles and issues to overcome before they could really share each other.


Awesome read. You know I'll be checking them all out. ;)


Thursday 8 May 2008

UNDER DARKNESS

The terrorist threat to America continues, but this time it's so top secret that only those in the highest circles of government know about it. One of America's most important symbols of liberty has been stolen, but that's nothing compared to the terrorists' chilling plan for their next attack. And as it unfolds, Daphne and the vampire spies, the Darkwings, become the first--and only--line of defense to save a city.

Team Darkwing's assignment: Figure out and defuse the terrorist plot. But Daphne gets distracted when vampire hunters storm the city. Is Darius, her hot-and-cold lover, behind their reappearance? This time, will he return to love Daphne...or to commit the ultimate act of betrayal?


Have I mentioned that I've been reading some very awesome books this year? Well, if I haven't, I have to say it now... every book I've read this year has been fantastic. And this one was too.

Actually, I had about 60 pages left to read when I picked it up late last night, but I couldn't stop until I got to the end. Awesome! I mean, I'm a huge fan of the The Darkwing Chronicles, so I started reading this book as soon as I got it. :)

This is the 5th book in the series and is once again filled with an interesting mission for the vampiric spy team. But like Daphne, I got distracted by what was going on with Darius. They've had so many ups and downs, I got really wrapped up in their latest involvement. This is one terrific series.

Loved it!

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Revision, edits and The Happening

Wow. This is such a lovely picture. And you know, it has something to do with the story I'm currently revising. :) Speaking of which, I'm now up to page 74/179. Yeah, this one's a little longer. It was the 40k BIAM I took part in several months back. And I'm having a lot of fun with it.

But I won't be working on it tonight. Tonight I've got to get started on the second edits for Promise In Eden. I'd like to get halfway through it before the day is done, so I can finish it tomorrow night and send it back to my editor.

You know, I've been looking at the calendar a lot lately. The year is once again moving a little faster than I would like it to. :/ I mean, I can't believe we're almost halfway through it. It's insane! Anyway, the reason why I've been looking at the calendar is because I've been trying to plan what I'm going to work on for the next few months. I was initially going to spend May revising and then get stuck into a new first draft novel in June. But you know, there was something about that plan that bothered me. And that's the first drafts I've got listed on the sidebar. Yeah, there's a few of them there and I think it might be better to get them completed before adding more.

So, I've decided to spend May and June on revisions. Yeah. That way I can spend a little more time on clearing the list and start the next half of the year with a bunch of new projects. The thought makes me happy on several counts. For one, it'll mean I'll have finalised all the tales I've written so far this year. And secondly, the thought of new projects makes me smile. I can't wait. There are several longer ideas that are hanging to be written. Not to mention some follow up novellas I need to write. :)

Is it just me, or do you guys get excited when things click together like this? I mean, I also have to account for several edits that'll come my way. But that's fine. So far, I've already decided what I'd like to tackle every week this month. So there'll be a little leeway with June. Cool!

Oh, and before I go, have you guys seen the preview for M. Night Shyamalan's new movie? OMG! It looks awesome. Once again, it's shrouded with mystery. I just gotta know what it's about. He's tackled ghosts, superheroes, aliens, human fear, and myth... what's next??? Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, I'm posting it here:


Does this look freaky, or what? Man, I really wanna see this. It's called THE HAPPENING, btw. :)

Monday 5 May 2008

Watched Iron Man!

And... I loved it! Honestly, it was great! Okay, it's much better than great. Robert Downey Jr. was absolutely fantastic. I think he deserves every bit of praise he gets. The story was really cool too, and the special effects - wow. I enjoyed everything about it. And what about that little bit at the end after the credits, huh?! EXCELLENT. I can't wait to see what happens there. Looking forward to it.

The rest of the weekend was really great too. I love the weekends. :)

Unfortunately, we watched AvP Requiem. OMG. Who the hell thought this would be a good idea to make? I mean, I really love the Alien series and Predator. Hell, AvP wasn't so bad either. But this one was absolutely awful. All the human characters were weak and annoying. I was hoping the aliens got them, but didn't really care either way. And some of the subject matter they decided to tackle was so no-no, IMO. Things like babies and pregnant women. Ugh. I didn't like anything about this movie. Even the Predator, which I thought might be the one good thing in it, turned out to be a disappointment. I don't know why they made this crap, but I will now forget I ever watched it. *deleting from memory*

I got a bunch of books on Saturday. New books always make me happy. I got these: Under Darkness by Savannah Russe, Hungers of the Heart by Jenna Black, Armed & Magical by Lisa Shearin and Playing with Fire by Katie MacAlister. I'm still waiting for three more. ;) Oh, and I popped into the eHarlequin store and picked up The Darkest Fire by Gena Showalter and Racing the Moon by Michele Hauf. I can't wait to read them. All of them. :D

Oh, and BTW, Racing the Moon is the very first Nocturne Bites eBook. You've gotta check it out. At the moment you can buy it for 89c. My gosh. How can you pass it up? Michele writes some awesome tales. I can't wait to read it. I'm just in the middle of Under Darkness at the moment, but after this one, I'll be reading both of the eHarlequin Books.

Time to go now. :)

Saturday 3 May 2008

GRIMSPACE


By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…
As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel—and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing—grimspace—and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

I've heard great things about this book, and boy, I have to say they were all spot on. My gosh, this book was a wild, fast-paced ride through an awesome new world. I really, really enjoyed every second of this book and can't wait for the next one.

It's a Sci-Fi. Man, it's just so darn good! Honestly, you've gotta check it out. Jax was an awesome and very real heroine. And March? Ah, yeah, March. Anyway, just do yourself a favour and read it. :D You won't be sorry.

Friday 2 May 2008

End of week

Well, we're going to watch IRON MAN tomorrow. Yep. The hubby and I went over to buy the tickets today. At least we won't have to wait in line twice. I'm looking forward to watching it. Superhero movies rock. Although I can't wait for INDIANA JONES!

The last few days have been pretty busy for me. I've been trying (like crazy) to get the final drafts completed for two of my short stories. So far, one down. The other, I'm currently sitting at page 42/71. Will I be able to get it done tonight? Let's hope so. I'd love to start the week off with a new project.

I got a new idea the other day. I believe it will probably end up being a novel idea. So far, though, all I have is the character. I know her occupation, how she gets around town, and what she is. Of course, we're talking urban fantasy. :) And the plot is slowly coming together. Isn't it awesome when the process decides to switch gears on you? I gotta get a notebook out. Heck, I think it's time to start casting her too. I need to find a pic which captures how I see her in my head... this idea still has a lot of work to go before it can become more than that. But with so many other ideas already so developed and ready to be tackled, it'll be good to have one in the background.

This writing thing never gets old. I love it.

I'm feeling a little bit clogged today. Not quite in the I-have-a-cold category, but certainly on my way. I have the sore, dry throat and the runny nose. I can also feel my eyes start to itch. Soon, they'll start to water. Ah, it's already starting to feel like winter. And we're not even there yet! :( At least my neck and shoulder are much, much better now. Looks like those tablets worked. The only thing that still hurts a lot, and mostly at the end of the day, is my elbow.

Anyway, have an awesome weekend.
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