Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo

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National Novel Writing Month sweeps in with the autumn air of November. Are you getting on board with this worldwide event? For the first time, having only heard of it last year, I’m jumping in feet first.

To help put participants in the right (write) frame of mind, regions are hosting all sorts of local events. I’m already looking forward to one this Thursday at a local library. It sounds like it has everything I need just in the title alone: The Courage to Write.

A gentleman by the name of Ralph Keyes will address many challenges. Among them is just sitting down and getting started. That’s the all-important first step. Then there’s looking within for ideas, confronting procrastination, and dealing with anxiety about the reaction of others to one’s work. The whole thing is supposed to be a lively, good humored presentation ending on a positive, motivational note. This sounds like just the ticket!

Are you inspired yet? Click on the link and read all about it. Better yet, join me and register today: NaNoWriMo Registration

It’s Sunny again!

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No, silly, not the weather!  (It’s Washington state, it’s NEVER sunny lol)  Here is the next (first?) chapter in the story I shared earlier this month.  Hope you enjoy!
When I woke up the next morning I was in bed with a handful of mostly naked men.  Considering that I felt fine and the men all seemed to be very good looking, I didn’t know if I should scream bloody murder or cry.  Or wake them up and beg them to make me scream.  While I was pondering these thoughts, one of the hotties wrapped an arm around me and snuggled up closer behind me.

“You freaking out?” he whispered in my ear.

Pretty good question, but I wasn’t sure of the answer myself.  I vaguely recalled being attacked by a wild animal, and woke up in a fantasy land of hot bodies.  Not an every day occurrence for me.  Was I dreaming? And if I was, did I really want to wake up?  If I’m not dreaming, what the hell could be going on?  Who were these people, and where was Bobby?

I settled with, “I still don’t know if this is a dream or not.”  

He gave one of those manly chuckles that sent hot breath skittering down the back of my neck, giving me shivers.  “Well, is it a good dream or a bad dream?”

I managed to twist in his arms so I could see his face.  It was a stern face, with disheveled brown hair and serious, deep brown eyes.  It was those serious eyes that made me think that this wasn’t a dream.  He was looking at me like I might freak out on him at any minute.  Like I might have a right to.

I eased back a bit, and that’s when I realized I was almost naked.

“Where are my clothes?  Where am I?  Why am I here?  Who are you?” I fired the questions at him as I began to panic.

He pulled me back in close to him and the hysteria disappeared.  I was suddenly calm and relaxed again.  That should freak me out.  Right? But he was so warm and I felt so good in his arms…

“My name is Justin, and you’re here in my cabin, still in the woods.  Your clothes were destroyed in the attack.”  He said it slowly and calmly, and I had to wonder if this wasn’t the first time he’d done this.  “Do you remember being in the woods early this morning?  Being attacked?”

“I was?  I mean, I vaguely remember hearing a growl and thinking it was a wolf, but it kind of blanks after that point,” the were brief flashes, memories of a ripping pain, but surely that was a dream right?  If I’d really been attacked by a wolf I’d be dead or in a hospital.  “You must have saved me, right?  I don’t know why I don’t remember, but that’s what happened?  You heard me scream and shot it? Was it really a wolf?” Then a really embarrassing thought, “Did I, uh, did I faint?  I swear I’ve never fainted in my life!”

The man had a pretty awesome laugh.  That he was laughing at me didn’t really seem to make a big difference.  Actually, since I’d buried my face in his oh-so-muscular chest in my embarrassment, I wasn’t really minding much of anything.

“Do you always ask so many questions?” he asked me, still chuckling a bit.

I mumbled into his chest, “Pretty much.”

“Well to answer your many questions…kinda, no, yes and no again,”  he answered with a slight smile before settling into his serious face again.  “You were attacked by a young wolf this morning.  He’d strayed a bit too far from the pack so we couldn’t reach him in time to prevent it.  I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t understand why he looked so guilty.  “It’s not like it’s your fault.  You aren’t exactly in charge of wild animals, Justin.”  

“Actually, honey, I am sort of in charge of the new wolves.  All alpha’s in the pack are expected to look after the new wolves and make sure things like this don’t happen,” as he said it he tenderly brushed my bangs back off my face.  That’s when I realized he was crazy.  

The sexy man I was in bed with actually thought he was a werewolf.

Opening a Door or Tripping Over a Threshold?

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Following a blog for several months, I’ve been living vicariously through a brave young woman’s move from England to Japan. She repeatedly states how much she loves living there and shares gorgeous images alongside enjoyable tell of her exploits.

The other day, however, I read the surprising news that she plans to return to Europe in spring when her current contract expires. Why? Because of the career she ultimately desires, which is the reason for this post.

Rather unsurprisingly, this person wishes to become a professional writer. While I, like her, currently receive a paycheck for less rewarding work, I don’t see any great advantage to finding employment in the publishing industry.

She does, and it’s apparently unlikely to happen for her in Japan. So, she intends to pack her bags and return to her English speaking homeland. This strikes me as an utterly misguided decision. Am I wrong?

Especially in the internet age, the point of leaving the home she loves is lost to me. Granted, this gal said that the grind of everyday existence dents into the adventures she foresaw. Still, even if she travels in the future, why uproot from a cherished land? Let me know what you think.

A Beautiful Book?

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Earlier this year I joined my first book club. I almost didn’t, because I primarily read to rest and relax at the end of the day, and I associate book clubs with “good” books. You know, the ones that make you think, that have a point to make.

This week I read The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards.
I came away from it with very mixed emotions. On the one hand, the writing is excellent. It creates very vivid, beautiful images for the reader. On the other hand, the book revolves around an action that is reprehensible on many levels. The characters are very fallible, very human, which as an author I recognize as an amazing achievement, and as a reader I can often find challenging to read.

So, do I love a book like this, or hate it? Is it a beautiful book, because the story is so exquisitely crafted? Or is it a terrible book, because so many of the characters behave badly?

Ultimately I believe there is a lot of be learned from a book like The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. As a writer I find myself inspired to push myself to choose my words as carefully as Edwards does, to bring images to life as successfully as she does. As a reader, it is a good reminder of how one decision can completely change your life.

I read, and write, for entertainment. I love telling characters’ stories and knowing that they’re basically going to end well. But I am thankful for my book club, too, for exposing me to beautiful books I would never have read otherwise.

What about you? What books challenge you as a reader or inspire you as a writer?

Oops! Who are you?

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Hi guys! I’m Sunshine, and I’ll be doing a little guest blogging this month while a friend is busy moving. I know you’re thinking, “It’s about time! It’s not even Saturday anymore!” …but you’d be wrong. I’m a west coast girl at the moment and I’m sliding this in with about ten minutes to spare! (Besides, it’s football day! A girl has a right to get a little distracted over important things like football! And yes, Alabama DID win! Roll Tide!) …What was I getting at? Oh yes! This is a new story that wacked me over the head a few days ago. I apologize for it being a bit short, but this is only the beginning bit, the rest should be longer. So without further babbling from your neurotic little sub-blogger today, here it is…


Bobby was a sweet guy, but this was the third time in two weeks he’d dragged me out of bed at four A.M. to go shoot deer.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate hunting.  I hate that deer hunting at dawn was Bobby’s idea of a romantic date.  I sighed loudly, hoping he’d catch on to my annoyance.  He didn’t.  Bobby was so getting dumped.  Yep, as soon as he took me home later this morning, Bobby was going to find himself a single man again.

The sound of a wolf howling interrupted my thoughts.

“Guns up, baby girl.  Sounds like the wolves are still out tonight.”  Bobby yelled it from about twenty feet in front of me.  He was going to scare away any deer nearby and make this trip even more of a waste of time.  I rolled my eyes, he was more likely to get shot by me than mauled by a pack of wolves.

Twigs snapped behind me and to the right and I twirled with my gun up.  I couldn’t see anything, but my gut was clenched in automatic fear.

“Bobby?” I called out softly, hoping he’d still be close enough to hear me.  I didn’t want to take my eyes away from that spot just in case there was something.  I tried a little louder.  “Bobby!”

No answer.  I stood there for another moment, but nothing happened.  Beginning to feel stupid, I turned to see where Bobby was.  About a hundred feet away.  

Yeh.  He was really worried about me getting chewed up by a pack of wolves all right.

I took a step to catch up and heard the growl.  I pulled my gun up again as I turned, but I never got a shot off.  There was pain and fear and then there was nothing.

Save! Save! Save! The GLBT Bookshelf Rummage Sale is Here!

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It’s September, and that means Mel Keegan’s GLBT Bookshelf is hosting its second rummage sale.  I’m honored to have two titles alongside the talented Mr. Keegan, the original “Miya” from March’s discount sale table and now the characters are back in “Unmasking Miya”.

And be sure to check out the reads from our very own Nicole Gordon!  There’s a little something for everyone among the offerings, so I hope you’ll join me in checking out the bargains!

The GLBT Rummage Sale*

* for mature audiences only