It’s been a busy week. I’m working through the first full edit of Vampire’s Promise and trying to handle about 50 pages per day. I was granted a few extra weeks to prepare the final manuscript, and so it’s been amazing how the lifted weight of an immediate deadline has really let my creative lungs breathe (versus panicked hyperventilating – lol). My past several books have had more intricate paranormal plots, which has been lovely, because I adore my angels and mermaids, and of course I’m chomping at the bit to give you my Australian vampires. However, Vampire’s Promise returns to probably my favorite plot focus: two main characters struggling with personal demons to accept one another as soul mates.
And you’ve heard authors talk about how sometimes their characters don’t listen to one another? I have been trying to get these two, Mason and Jessica, to consummate their intense relationship for about two hundred pages and dang it, if Mason doesn’t keep pulling back and being all honorable. And he’s a freaking vampire, which means he’s supposed to be as carnal as a rabbit. Sigh. I’m getting about as frustrated with him as Jessica is (okay, maybe not quite as much as her, because I can at least go ravish my husband). Of course, Mason is absolutely gorgeous and commanding, and all those wonderful things you expect from my heroes, so I guess he’ll be worth the wait.
For those of you who’ve already gotten worried – don’t be – there are a LOT of other things they’ve been doing those 200 pages, while they try to overcome Jessica’s tortured past (literally) and Mason’s bond with a woman who’s been dead 300 years.
And no, this picture isn’t my vision of what Mason looks like – this is a photo from the 1980s movie Fright Night, where Chris Sarandon’s dance with Charlie’s girlfriend Amy forever enthralled my imagination with the dominant nature of vampires.
Ah well. The balance of the week has been a small mushroom cloud of domestic issues. Our phone line has gotten loaded with static, we’re having a problem with the security system, the insurance bill seemed significantly off, our old hound has a bladder infection, and I had to chew on Netflix for sending us a cracked DVD. How do you miss that if you’re in quality control? And if you want to peeve me, make sure there’s absolutely NO way to provide open comments on your website, so I have to PHONE you to discuss your customer service shortcomings.
However, I am very excited, because I’ve received Disk 4 of Season 6 of ER, which included the “All in the Family” episode, where Carter and Lucy are stabbed, which I considered one of the best ever episodes. This is a mystery to my husband, since I weep buckets. However
, it will balance my agreement to watch the gross/stoner humor of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Love these two guys in terms of their comic skill – just wish they didn’t put in all the really gross and drug stuff. Definitely an “I love my husband enough to watch this” movie. No, I won’t make him watch ER with me, for purely selfish reasons – I want to sob hysterically without either concerning him or motivating him to laugh at me, at which point I will of course beat him to death with a pillow. Oh, and of course this is a picture of Noah Wylie, whose “Carter” character I adored until ER went downhill. No shame – it was a great series, and every series has a life cycle.
Obviously, I didn’t have a focus for this particular blog, but I’ve been told to be chattier. What do you think? Do you like the chattier form, or prefer more focused topics on writing, books, etc? I’m here for you and want you to be happy, so let me know. Have a great week.
Good grief you have been handling quite a full plate. Am really looking forward to more of your vampires and have been deeply curious in regards to your Angel and Mermaid book. I do love the cover of the latter.
Frankly, I more a reader lurker than a commenter in most blogs. But since you ask about being chatty or not, must say that I think that if you feel chatty on the day of your post, then it would be great fun to hear what you have to say in general. On the other hand if you are more comfortable with a formal topic to post on (or feel like doing that for some of your posts), I would not complain.
As a reader, it is fun to learn about the background inspiration to stories, how they developed, etc. But it is also fun to hear about the author in general life.
A reader who is happy with either format – perfect! :> Of course, to be honest, I’m always leery of talking about my general life. In some ways, it’s a lot like how I feel about telling the readers who I was visualizing when I came up with a character. Each reader creates a picture of my hero or heroine in their head, and by individualizing it, makes the act of reading the book more personal and enjoyable to that reader. Say if you hated Johnny Depp, and I said Character X was based on him, all of a sudden I’d have ruined it for you.
Now, extrapolating that to my discomfort with talking about myself, that doesn’t mean I want readers to idealize me (grin). But a better way of putting it is how I say on my site biography. How many times have I fallen in love with a movie actor’s character in a certain film, only to find out he is a complete idiot? His politics, morals, whatever, completely do not jibe with mine. While I should be able to compartmentalize it and still appreciate the acting talent, it’s somehow tarnished. So, with few exceptions, I’ve gotten so I never watch interviews, and Lord help us, if they open their mouths to talk about politics, I immediately change channels.
However, that said, I’ve been cautiously enjoying interacting with you all in a more informal way. So, hopefully my discussion of my hound’s bladder infection will not adversely impact your perception of me (lol). LLL – glad you came out of lurkdom!
Goodness, it sounds like you have had quite the week! I hope things are now settling down for you. Mason…..did you expect any dom of yours to be anything other than stubborn? (grin) I can’t wait to read this book (even with the vampire thingy and all, lol) – Mason totally caught my attention in the last one. So long to wait……
As for revealing too much, I don’t think you’re in any danger of that! I do agree with you about the actors; Harrison Ford totally destroyed my regards for him with his mid life crisis; others have done similar things. Authors, however, are a different breed to me. With actors, you see them in the interview, then you see them on the screen. With an author, you “see” or interact with them in whatever way, and then they disappear behind the curtain, and you only see their creations. Unless the author had done something totally henious, (OJ’s book, anyone?) then it wouldn’t matter to me too much. I simply get lost in the worlds you create. Rather like admiring a Van Gogh even though he was totally schizophrenic and cut off his own ear. The painting stands on its own merits. It’s the same for me with books.
That being said, I enjoy both forms also – I always enjoy talking about books, and it’s nice to get a little glimpse into your world at times also. I say go with whatever you feel like.
Enough ramblings – laundry to do and cookies to bake!
Mason just sounds yummier & yummier the more I hear about him. Really looking forward to their story. The hardest part is being patient, but your stories are so worth the wait. Just curious, does Mason have any sexy tattoos? Mmm, better change the subject now.
Hope your hound is better soon. Remembering once when I had to follow my cocker-spaniel around the yard with a soup ladle trying to collect a “sample” for the vet to test. Can just imagine the laughs I was providing the neighbors. The things we do for our babies. At least the dog got better. (and no, it was never used for soup again)
As for actors and their opinions, I can usually keep those separate unless they get too extreme or outrageous, then they sometimes get forgiven, sometimes not. Probably depends on the “crime” vs the fantasy I have for them for to star in. Who knows, maybe that says more about MY fantasizing abilities than anything else! LOL!!
And don’t you wish guys could just accept, even if they can’t understand, a females need to just let loose and cry her eyes out sometimes? I don’t fully understand it myself. It may very well be just hormones, but it’s part of what makes us women after all, and most men like that part, right?
Oh well. Have a good week. And more power to intense dreamy dominate vampires.
Sheila, cookies? Did I hear the word cookies? I’ve had a cookie obsession for the last couple books – warm chocolate chip cookies have shown up in both A Witch’s Beauty and A Vampire’s Promise. And you’re right about Mason – dang stubborn Doms. I think the fact they’re male makes them ten times more difficult (no female author’s going to tell ME what to do…)
Oh, and absolutely on Harrison Ford – could that earring be any more cheesy? I remember being absolutely mad over him as Indiana Jones and Han Solo in my teens, and yes, I know we’re all human and go through mid-life crises, but he seemed to be so steady for so long, what with his family, kids and ranch. Then he had to become an idiot afraid of mortality and do the younger woman thing. The running joke in our family is that our Golden Retriever was my husband’s mid-life crisis. About 3 years ago he decided he MUST have a golden retriever puppy – totally out of the blue, and we already had eight animals, so I thought he’d gone over the edge. But he was adamant about it, so I came to the conclusion that puppy Jake was the “young, cute blond” my husband needed to weather his 40′s (grin). I guess it’s far preferable to the alternative! Oh, and with respect to OJ…grrrrr. Enough said on that piece of crap. I keep hoping for his karma to kick in, as uncharitable as that sounds. Of course, I also hope it kicks in on those 12 idiot jurors.
Terry, does Mason have any tattoos? Oh, boy, does he! This is from the journal of his first love, a Bedouin girl named Farida: “The tattoo of a tiger high on the back of his shoulder surprised me. It is not only inked but scarred into his flesh in a fascinating way, the image raised as if the creature is seeking to leap free. I think of passing my fingers over that, down the line of his broad back, where light perspiration runs down the narrow channel of his spine and darkens his waistband.”
And of course I’m in the first full edit, so forgive if that sounds a little rough. But since he’s vampire, the design has to of course be scarred into his flesh with his own blood, otherwise it would heal, so that’s why it has that raised look. He is something else – having these extra weeks has given me the opportunity to delve deeper into his character – why he has mourned Farida for 300 years, why it’s so difficult for him to let her go and embrace Jessica, etc. And how that intertwines with Jessica’s own traumatic past, and her struggle to determine what is the fallout from her experiences and what’s her true feelings for Mason…happy sigh. Wish I could just share it all with you now! But two more full edits to go after this one.
Soup ladle? That’s marvelous – hadn’t thought of using that, with the long handle and all. I’m usually using a disposable cole slaw cup or something that’s liable to get my hand baptized. Buddy’s diabetic (another reason he’s so susceptible to the infections), so I have to check his urine on the strips occasionally. I’ll have to pick me up a ladle at the dollar store!
It’s very likely a good thing that you have a well developed fantasy sense, because that means you’re able to hold onto the enjoyment of the character they play, even when you find out bad things about them. I agree, it likely has to do with the crime. I do think the one that most women have problems with is the infidelity with the practically-out-of-teenage-dom behind the long-time wife’s back. It’s hard to buy him as a romantic hero who will go the distance for the heroine if we know the real-life guy is an adultering scumbag (ahem – not that I have any strong feelings about that issue).
Of course, on the other hand, in that intriguing inconsistency that we females are known for (laughter), I don’t have any problem with an actor who is gay playing a believable and appealing straight romantic lead. I guess it’s because, in my mind, what’s important is believing he can commit and be devoted to someone else – male or female. That’s what makes him a romantic hero to me. When women say, “Yeah, but you know when he’s kissing that girl on screen, he’s wishing she’s a guy,” my response is, “Well, what about the married actors? I assume they’re wishing they were kissing their wife (or rather, they better be, if their wife asks – grin), but they can still play a believable hero.”
It’s all very intriguing. Okay, I think I could have made this another blog topic, as long as I’ve rambled on. But to close, I also agree that crying is a form of cartharsis for women, in the same way that men have to curse at the sports or newscasts and we’re mystified by that. ;>
Oh Joey, Mason just keeps getting better and better. Don’t know what it is about tattoos, but my oh my. Just want to trace them with my fingers or, oh never mind. How many years before this one comes out? Something tells me it’s gonna be a long, cold winter. Teasers & excerpts will help keep me from going more insane than I already am. I’ll try to behave.
And about Harrison and his earring? Wouldn’t bother me. But then I like Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), pirate extradoinaire, earrings and all, and thanks to that G rating, I’ve had to use a lot of imagination with his character who basically was inhuman as far as sex was concerned, especially for a freaking pirate. Thank goodness he’s made lots of other movies.
Ah, men.
I’m with Terry……how many years? Mason just sounds wonderful. At least I will have Chance coming out next month to tide me over.
And Terry? It wasn’t just the earring – it was the earring, the flying, the Calista Flockhart…..basically a whole big fat mid life crisis which he did not weather very well if you ask me. Then when I see him onscreen, it reminds me of how insecure he must really be……
Sheila and Terry – hopefully, we’re talking spring or summer 2009 – given that they’re releasing my other upcoming ones so close together, I have my fingers crossed for that. Definitely in 2009, unless my sales plummet and they drop me!!
And Terry, sorry, should amend that – I do think earrings can look really sexy on guys – just not his specific situation. Sheila did a better job of expressing it for me – it was the icing on top of an already caving cake! But oh, yes, to Johnny Depp. Kind of like how I feel about James Spader, pre-Boston Legal. When he did Secretary, they were talking to him behind the scenes and you could read between the lines and tell he REALLY understood the Dom mentality, enough that it made you wonder if the part was a good fit for him…sigh. You don’t see too many of those like that, I don’t think.
Okay, back to try and get something done on Mason and Jess today – a lot of personal errands this morning. You know how those eat away your day? :> Hope to see you girls at Writerspace tonight if you’re in the mood to chat!!
LOVE James Spader (PRE-Boston Legal), but don’t remember Secretary. May have to check it out. Loved him in White Palace with Susan Sarandon. Thanks for heads up!
Oh, Terry, girl – get Secretary – Netflix, Video store, wherever you can get your hands on it, but I suspect you’ll want to buy it after you see it. I know I have it. Of course, I’ll be really interested in your take on it. We could do a whole blog on the different thoughts about that movie – hang in there with the first part – takes a while to warm up to the point of the story. Also, if you’ve never seen the movie “Fall”, I highly recommend that one as well, for those who want to see erotic movies that hit the right chord – at least enough to make it worth watching (grin). Hmmm…think I just got the idea for Friday’s blog…