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Yearly Archives: 2013

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Trope-tastic Thursday: Star-Crossed Lovers

Posted on February 14, 2013 - 1:00 pm by

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you’re snuggling up with something (or someone) steamy and dreamy!

Trope: Star-Crossed Lovers

Description: Our heroes are madly, passionately, unbelievably in love…but fate is keeping them apart. There are any number of contributing factors to why they just can’t be together and live happily ever after. Some have a basis in reality, like a long-distance relationship or a meddling parent. Others involve concepts such as destiny and luck (and mileage varies as to whether you believe in that sort of stuff).

Examples: Romeo and Juliet, Guinevere and Lancelot, Catherine and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights

Pros: Oh, the drama! We root so hard for the couple to be together and cheer on their love! When they’re forced apart, we cry with them. Shaking our collective fist at the universe for being so cruel can be cathartic, after all.

Cons: If they’re truly star-crossed lovers, there’s not going to be a happy ending. Done well, the audience enjoys being taken along for the emotional ride. Otherwise, there’s a high possibility for disappointment.

Would/Did I Use It?: Again, as this trope is technically defined by the story’s ending…well, I’m not going to give away spoilers to my writings. That would just be wrong. (Hey, it’s Valentine’s Day, I’m allowed to be coy and have a little fun of my own, right?)

No Broken Hearts Here!

Posted on February 12, 2013 - 2:06 pm by

We have winners! Congrats to Ashley Anne, who gets a free ebook of her choosing, plus a special sneak peek at the Searching the Skies sequel! Congratulations are also in order for Ashley, Jess, and Meghan, who won the grand prizes in the hop!


I loved reading all your responses as to who your favorite heartbreaker is. Man, that Rhett Butler is a popular fellow! Be sure to check back here on Thursday for a special Valentine’s Day edition of Trope-tastic Thursdays!

Half Navel-Gazing, Half Kissing My Own Butt

Posted on February 10, 2013 - 2:47 pm by

(If you want to be eligible for the Heartbreaker Hop’s grand prizes, make sure you comment on the post below this one!)


There are a couple questions and topics tossed around the writing forums I frequent that make me scratch my head, mostly because I don’t have good answers. They deal with measuring success and ultimate goals. The best I can muster is a bewildered shrug of the shoulders and a super-eloquent “…I dunno?”


I’m a published author. Many people would label that as being “successful”. I’ve made money (though not tons of it) from things I’ve written. I’ve gotten good reviews, and some not-so-good reviews. I have this blog, a facebook page, and a twitter account, and I’m gradually learning how to use all three of those to my benefit. (Twitter’s a little rough, and I sometimes neglect it, but I’m working on it!)


Getting my work out to readers and building that elusive audience continues to be among my goals, and I don’t think the challenge will ever really go away. I’m a realistic person, and while it’s fun to dream, I know I’m never going to make it on to the NYT best-sellers list or make a living off my writing. (And quite frankly, I don’t want this to be my full-time job. I think there would be way too much pressure, and my writing might suffer.)


Writing can be fun, and it can be pull-your-hair-out frustrating. Same goes for navigating the world of marketing and publicizing said writings. There are great moments, and there are not so great moments.


This has been a good weekend, so I’m choosing to embrace it for what it is and revel in it, for who knows when the next great moment is going to come along. Disintegration: The Prequels has gotten a glowing review over at Mei Writes. My facebook page now has over 100 likes. Yesterday, I received an acceptance letter and contract for a short story I submitted to an anthology. The Big Book of Orgasm will be out from Cleis Press in September, and I’ll be able to walk into a bookstore and pick up a hard copy of something with my nom de plume in the credits.


And now for my overly-schmaltzy and introspective declaration: even when things are going well, I think it’s important to always strive to do better. Sure, the good news of this weekend provided some motivation to keep writing and thinking about future ideas. Next weekend may be shitty, but I’ll keep slogging through anyway. No matter what happens, I’m grateful for everyone who reads my words (here and elsewhere), regardless if you’ve been with me since the beginning, or this is your first day passing through. May we all have more great moments than depressing ones!

Heartbreaker Hop!

Posted on February 8, 2013 - 9:00 am by

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and that means it’s time to spice things up with a blog hop! Whether you’re already happily with your hero, still looking for that certain someone, or if you’re out there breaking hearts on your own, we’ve all got some fabulous prizes to celebrate!



Every hero’s got his flaws, depending on the situation and his personality. His partner may accept him for who he is without any qualms, or the sparks may fly as they butt heads! It’s so hard to choose one of my “heartbreakers” to feature in this hop, so the winner of this giveaway gets their choice of ebook from my list! In addition, that lucky person will get a sneak peek at the Searching the Skies sequel to ensure an extra-steamy Valentine’s Day!


As always, there are even more prizes! Not only can you enter the giveaway hosted here, but if you leave a comment with your name and email address, you’re automatically entered to win one of the three fantastic grand prizes for the hop! The grand prizes are:



1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more! (US only)


Good luck, and try to stay away from the real-life heartbreakers! 😉


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heartbreaker Hop Main Page/List of Blogs

Trope-tastic Thursdays: Hot Chick in a Badass Suit

Posted on February 7, 2013 - 1:00 pm by

Trope: Hot Chick in a Badass Suit


Description: The Hot Chick in a Badass Suit means business – don’t mess with her, or you will probably regret it. She’s successful and she’s confident in both her profession and the way she carries herself. While short skirts are a possibility, she can look just as good in a long-sleeved pantsuit that covers her chest, because her tailor is just that talented.


Examples: Agent Scully from The X-Files, most of the female lawyers on Law & Order, with special shoutouts going to Abbie Carmichael and Alex Cabot, because damn, those were some enviable suits


Pros: Want to instantly make the audience think “strong female character”? Put her in a Badass Suit. If she’s wearing a Badass Suit, we can assume she must be intelligent and have at least some level of personal skills, as she’s advanced in her career enough that the suit is deemed necessary to appear professional. Also, if she cares about her appearance and the way she’s perceived in said career, we know she’s passionate about something.


Cons: There are some negative connotations that can accompany this trope. For example, if the HCiaBAS holds a position of some importance, some will wonder if she did anything morally questionable to get to that place. She might also get a reputation for being a hardass, and/or be accused of not caring about anything except her job.


Would/Did I Use It?: Specifically, no. (Though I have put some of my “hot chicks” in a uniform.) That said, I like the idea of this trope, and I am not opposed to the idea of using it in the future. I do have a strong love for Law & Order, after all!

Starting Somewhere Other Than the Beginning

Posted on February 3, 2013 - 7:36 pm by

Congratulations to Kat and Kristin, who won e-copies of Disintegration! Enjoy!


I forget if I just coyly hinted at it or outright stated it, but either way: I am writing a sequel to Searching the Skies. (And I do have plans for a third book in that series, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here!) I’ve never written a sequel to anything before. In the past, I always figured I told the stories I wanted to tell and ended them when I was done. Looking back, however, the ending of StS does lend itself nicely to a continuing story with the same characters. Maybe my subconscious is smarter than I am.


It’s been an interesting experience starting somewhere other than the very beginning. There are some ups and downs to working within an established framework. On one hand, the romance is already in place and these characters are already in a relationship. While there will be conflict in the book, of course, getting to the romance is not it. On the other hand, I don’t want to rely too heavily on the previous book for marketing purposes. Ideally, I want the book to be able to stand on its own and not have readers feel like they’re missing a big chunk of the story if they happened to start with #2, rather than #1.


I’m about a third of the way through, and I think I’m satisfied with it so far. (Gosh, that was a ringing endorsement, wasn’t it?) As I mentioned in a New Year’s-themed post, I do want to expand my writing horizons, and this book fulfills a number of things I want to try. Fingers crossed that the results will be everything I want them to be!

Trope-tastic Thursdays: Significant Green Eyed Redhead

Posted on January 31, 2013 - 1:00 pm by

(Don’t forget to enter the Disintegration release giveaway if you haven’t already!)


Trope: Significant Green Eyed Red Head


Description: What it says. 😉 Okay, okay, I know this is a pretty minor trope, but it’s timely, so bear with me. As red and green are opposite each other on the color wheel, combinations of them are a quick way of calling attention to an important character. There tend to be more women then men fitting this trope, and the combination of red hair and green eyes is frequently thought to be alluring.


Examples: Jessica Rabbit, Poison Ivy, Mary Jane from Spiderman


Pros: As noted above, the bright, complimentary colors are ways to draw attention to a character. Redheads themselves have a slew of associated tropes, and just the simple act of giving a character red hair can have certain connotations and give the audience an idea of what to expect.


Cons: Natural redheads with naturally green eyes don’t pop up all that often in nature, despite what creators of art might have you think. Also, as stated in the “pros” list, there are a number of closely-related tropes, and some of them have been done to death. (How many “feisty” redheads are there in books/movies/TV shows/comics/etc.?)


Would/Did I Use It?: Guilty as charged, though I admit I stumbled into this one blindly. Tanith, one of the antagonists in Disintegration (and star of her own mini-prequel), has green eyes and flaming red hair. I honestly didn’t know about this trope before I described her in this way; however, I will confess to loosely basing her physical appearance off of Aveline from Dragon Age 2. (Whether or not you consider Aveline significant is another story…I think there are far more significant characters in the game, but mileage varies!)

The “Disintegration” Release! (and Giveaway!)

Posted on January 29, 2013 - 2:05 pm by

Disintegration is out from Double Dragon Publishing today! (And is coming soon to your favorite retailer!) I’m so excited about this book, I can’t even begin to describe it. This is, hands-down, my most favorite thing I’ve ever written to date, and I’ve been looking forward to sharing it. 


I have two e-copies up for grabs today. Click the widget for the instructions – I can’t wait to read your answers! You have until midnight EST to answer, and I’ll announce the winners and send off the books on Saturday to kick off the weekend. Good luck, and happy reading!


Synopsis: Dutiful soldier Callum Renwick wakes up in the underground laboratory of a mercenary organization. He learns he was the sole survivor of an attack that destroyed his unit, his hometown, and his family. In addition to the loss of his loved ones, he discovers that due to his injuries, half his body has been supplanted by artificial skin and cybernetic parts. Once he has recovered, he is assigned to the care of Ro Bernard, who leads the effort to turn him into a powerful assassin. She is outspoken, yet secretive, and uses unconventional means to mold him into a depraved killer. Mind games and rough sex are in her repertoire of training tactics, and Callum is both infuriated and fascinated by her. As he comes to terms with his grief and his new role, many of his biological body parts fail and must be replaced. Will he adapt to survive in Ro’s world and exact vengeance on the woman who ordered the attack that changed his life?
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Six Sentence Sunday!

Posted on January 27, 2013 - 9:20 am by

I usually have these posts scheduled way in advance and ready to go. However, I spent all day yesterday staring at the computer working out the little issues with self-pubbing on Smashwords and Amazon, and by the time I was done, I literally could not look at this thing for another second. So much for my superior organizational skills.


I’m still working on the StS sequel. To make up for my relative lateness this morning, I might as well hint at what one of the main plots is going to be. Enjoy!



His eyes remained shielded from view. “That look is actually part of what’s been haunting me. I’ve watched the two of you together. When you’re clinging to me as he’s moving inside you, sheer bliss illuminating every part of your body…sometimes my mind just can’t help but wonder what….”


Realization set in as he trailed off. “You’re attracted to Ash.”

Trope-tastic Thursdays: The Ingenue

Posted on January 24, 2013 - 11:00 am by

Trope: The Ingenue


Description: The Ingenue is sweet, innocent, and naive to a fault. She’s frequently a virgin, and any sort of sexual talk or flirting will go right over her pretty little head. Due to her traits, she’s a prime target to become a Damsel in Distress. After all, the hero(es) must save her before anything can damage that delicate flower!

Examples: A fair number of the older Disney princesses, Sandy for a large portion of Grease, Rose from The Golden Girls (oldest ingenue on record?)

Pros: As stated above, they unfortunately make good victims, so there’s a way to kickstart a plot. There will always be an audience for “knight in shining armor saves the lovely lass from unspeakable horrors” stories. The ingenue can offer a stark contrast to the hero and highlight his strength and cleverness. In romance, a hero with a tortured past can be “healed” by the ingenue, and who doesn’t love a good redemption story?

Or, to put it simply: there are a lot of crappy things in this world. Sometimes it can be heartening to see someone retain their optimism and cheerful nature, despite whatever terrible things may be happening around her.

Cons: If the ingenue is portrayed as too naive, that can translate into stupidity. And if whatever’s going around her is really crappy, she can either come across as unbelievable, or you just want to throttle her for not seeming to understand the severity of the situation.

While the ingenue is not necessarily asexual, her “purity” can be quite the hurdle in romantic plots. Some writers like working with that sort of thing. Others don’t. (And then that leads to the question – is she still considered an ingenue after the hero deflowers her? Or does her newfound intimate knowledge of intimate matters immediately strip her of that title?)

Would/Did I Use It?: I could be forgetting a minor character somewhere along the way, but no, I don’t think I’ve written any ingenues. Generally, I like my female characters to be strong, smart, successful women. That doesn’t mean they’re not flawed, but those flaws don’t come from a lack of awareness or ignorance of darker matters. Plus, I’m not really a fan of writing sex scenes with virgins. 
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