WIP and Stuff

I can't really build on what Mysti said yesterday because, well, she's right. Although I totally scored with the Han Solo line.

I posted this on my personal blog yesterday, but I thought it bore repeating.

Permanent went to anther CP. I dunno if I talked about the first one. This is in no means meant to be bashing. Please don't take it that way, but she really ribboned the story. "You're a nice person. I'm not. You're nice to your characters. I'm not."

Geesh.

But yanno, she's right. I am way too nice to my characters. Why? I guess because I don't want them really hurting or to come off as jerks. Guess Mom really made sure I remembered the 'do unto others as you'd have done to you' line.
"This is fine for gay fiction, but not romance with a R."

Ouch, but again, she's right. Tory was wayyyyyyyy tooooo nice and really wasn't reacting like a man would. Boy, do I feel dumb. I mean, I thought I was totally in these guys' heads. I guess I was, but not nearly deep enough.

We'll see what the second CP says, but now I'm wondering if the ending wasn't too easy. Ugh. I hate the uncertainty. And it only gets worse. If second CP thinks it's ready to send, then it gets a final polish...and then eeekkk.... the submissions process.

I need something stiff.

Boys?

Men Are From Mars...

I was writing a scene the other day where my hero got himself into a bit of a pickle, and the line I wrote was: "Dear heavens, what had he gotten himself into?"

I looked at that sucker and knew, right off, that no manly-man (and he is that) would speak in such a way.

So what would he say? I stared and agonized and tried out various things and finally settle on: "What the hell had he gotten himself into?"

Men are incredibly different from women (aside from the fact that they have dangly bits and we don't). They scratch in public. Burp and fart there, too. They have far less disregard for the more ... sensitive things.

My hero doesn't go to the powder room, or even the restroom. He "takes a leak" or "hits the head".

He's seldom going to make flowery speeches or monologue about his feelings, but when he DOES say something about his heart, it'll be something he means and you'd better listen, because he might not say it again any time soon. Remember Patrick Swayze's character in "Ghost" with his way of saying I love you? "Ditto."

What do you think? When you read a book and the "Tim the Tooltime" alpha male suddenly spouts out flowery prose, do you believe it?

Hapy Hump Day!

So I Totally Suck...

I completely suck and couldn't come up with something intelligent to blog about today. So instead, I thought, since my mind is a barren wasteland right now...what do I want to see?

Men.

And since I'd just read a column about Channing Tatum being a stripper, I thought, yanno, we like to looky all the time. There's something yummy about a good looking guy standing semi nude in a pic (or reclining, or kneeling, or well, the possibilities are endless). Does it really matter that he worked as a stripper? I don't particularly care. Madonna posed nekkid. Marilyn did. IMHO, it's not a crime.

So in the spirit of admiring hot nakedness (and FYI, my favorite is really the semi nude. Leaves something to the imagination), enjoy!!

Happy Hump Day!

Tangled. Wicked.

What are YOU reading?

I'm sitting here going through my files and wondering what I want to read. I've got lots of choices, but yanno sometimes the same old, same old, just isn't what fits the bill.

So I'm wondering what you're reading right now. I've got some go-to authors, but I'm open to new ones. Some of my faves are TA Chase, Devon Rhodes, KA Mitchell...

What would you recommend? I'm in between WIP's and wanting to read something hot. M/F, M/F/M, M/M, M/M/M, bdsm...I'm good.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I'm waiting.

Predestined? Or Choosing to Love?

Lately, it seems that the large percentage of shifter novels all involve someone "knowing" that the other person (or persons) is their mate. It's destined. All part of some bigger plan or pheromones or kismet. But ... it's not a choice. They're together because they MUST be, not because they want to be.

I don't find that very romantic, to be honest, but I guess I'm in the minority since it seems that being "mated" in some fated way is the chosen theme.

I remember, way back when I was in high school, I was a huge fan of the the "Elfquest" series of comic books (now known as "graphic novels") by Richard and Wendy Pini. In the series I read, Cutter and Leetah "recognize" each other.

Recognition is basically nature's way of ensuring survival of the species and when you recognize another elf, you're driven to mate. It has nothing to do with emotion, and everything to do with the physical side of things. Pregnancy is all but assured from such a joining.

But ... Cutter and Leetah deny their recognition and they begin to struggle with physical ramifications. Leetah is disgusted by Cutter -- he's part wolf and not a pure elf -- but they begin to feel ill. Eventually, they succumb to their need, but ... and this is the important part: they are NOT in love.

They do eventually fall in love ... but it's a difficult path. And it's a choice, not a command. And many times in the series, there are couples who "recognize" each other, do the deed and never see each other again.

Maybe reading that series is what made the idea of being "destined" to be together a little less than romantic for me. I want my protagonists to want to be together, to choose to be together, to allow themselves to fall in love.

What about you? Do you love the destined mate books? Or do you feel more like I do? I'd love to know!

Happy Hump Day!

Love the...couch...

Choices, Choices...

So I'm trying to decide where I want to send my submission. It's still waiting for a little more polish and such, but I'm wondering what pub is the right one for me, and for it.

Plus a little tiny part of me is scared to death to send it in. I had a good friend tell me, well, you never know until you send it. Go with your gut and just see what happens.

So why does this scare me? Because I've seen what another friend has been through. She had a sub she thought was spot on and it was rejected. Sure, it had been a resub, but it was still kicked out. Is it spot on? I thought so. I mean, I read it, was drawn in, and wanted to know what would happen.

Will people think that with mine?

I dunno.

Thoughts? The knees are a-quakin'. I'm open for suggestions, comments, advice, whatever you can throw at me (as long as it doesn't hit me in the head.)

Happy Hump Day!

What a place to get stuck. Where can I sign up?