A little brag

Saying Yes - the short story I wrote for Ellora's Cave - is currently the most downloaded free erotic story available on Kindle. Woohoo!!!! I hope people understand the limits that short stories place on an author. Not enough words available to go into a lot of depth. Considering nearly all my books are edging toward 100,000 words - think what a challenge writing a story in a few thousand can be!!
But if anyone who downloaded it ventures here - THANKS SO MUCH - I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

OOh, look here

I've been awarded a stylish blogger award by www.spacefreighters.blogspot.com and need to tell you seven things about me

1. I once boarded a bus dressed as a bumble bee with a pair of my husband's checkered shorts on my head.

2. The next day, I went to another fancy dress party - on the bus dressed as Darth Vader in my long navy blue dressing gown, complete with light saber - and I asked for my ticket in the breathy voice.

3. No one invites me to parties any more.

4. I fell down a drain at school when I was taking a forbidden short cut on a cross country run and because I broke the drain cover I had to confess to the very strict headmaster.

5. I nearly drowned my baby son in a swimming pool after I stupidly followed - how to teach your baby to swim - guidelines that involved pushing him under. Eek

6. When I'm on vacation, I can read three books a day.

7. I hate milk with a passion. I can't boil it without heaving!

Indecision

What to write next?
A story using the character of Adam from the soon to be released -Catch a Falling Star?
A story called - Hey, Dude - about an uptight English guy called Jasper and a cowboy?
A paranormal story about a strange village and what happens to a woman who arrives there and can't leave?
A sci ri romance that I dreamt up last night where a woman wonders whether to believe her senile mother?

I told myself I'd do the first but I find myself writing the second though I'm tempted by the fourth. I wonder if I can write them all at one go!!
I'm a multi-tasking kind of person. The sort who can't watch TV without doing something else at the same time. The sort who reads at least three books at the same time - well not quite but you know what I mean. I swim and plot books at the same time. Cook meals for two days at the same time.
But I can't - or haven't been able to write more than one book at a time. Maybe its time to try!

Interview with Darynda Jones

There's a new kid on the block who has a debut paranormal novel coming out soon -

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Laurie Green has a fantastic interview with Darynda at the following sites - leave a comment and you have a chance to win a copy of her book!

http://spacefreighters.blogspot.com/

http://paranormalists.blogspot.com/

http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/

Want to win a Kindle from Decadent Publishing?

Coffeetime Romance is hosting Decadent Publishing and its authors tomorrow - the 1st Feb. There's a chance to win a Kindle with 6 Decadent books already loaded. Not mine - Chosen is still in edits!! But it's going to be a lot of fun with many authors participating.

http://www.coffeeti meromance. com/board/ showthread. php?t=16787& goto=newpost

The power of love

I'm not a fan of films that I know will make me cry. I used to love disaster stories but now I worry too much it might happen to me or my family. I might be one of the few people in the world who hasn't watched Titanic. I've seen clips but never the whole thing.
But last night - husband off skiing so I was on my own, I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Wow. And I have to confess here that unlike most people in the world, I'm not a fan of Brad Pitt. Now I am. What a film. It was just lovely. Long but lovely. Of course I cried and cried at the end.
It reminded me of The Time Traveller's Wife in many ways. I cried at the end of that too. But both films were also uplifting. The power and joy of love shone through.
I want that sort of love in my books. Love that makes people sit up and sigh - maybe sometimes cry, but at the end of the story - they have to smile. I like to leave people happy. (Though crying with happiness is okay!)

A marketing ploy

HOW TO BE HAPPY?
The secret? Make someone else happy.
One thing I really don't like is selfishness. I know we only get one life (well unless reincarnation is a reality - in which case I'm probably down to come back as a cockroach) - but so does everyone around us, get one life I mean.
It's so easy to smile at people when they serve you in a shop or restaurant. It's easy to pass the time of day with an old lady if she strikes up a conversation. We'll all be old one day - assuming I'm not a cockroach sooner than I think.
Think of others as well as yourself. If your action will upset someone, should you do it? If your words will hurt, should you speak them? Think twice and think of the consequences of what you choose to do.
And above all SMILE!! It makes you feel better, I promise.
If all that fails - read one of my books.
I feel happy now I've said that.