Courtesy of Cute Overload

Was going to say... here's something utterly adorable to lift the spirits on a depressing Monday morning. Only I just realised it isn't Monday! It just feels like one after the Bank Holiday here in the UK.

Anyway, on visiting one of my favourite sites on the web, I saw this image... and I just felt an immediate lift in my happiness levels! If anyone is unaware of Cute Overload, oh, you really must try it. The site owners and contributors there just bring together the very best selection of images of... well... cuteness! Pictures of sweet, soul soothing animals to take the vexed mind off its worries and its woes. It's just pure medicine, it really is!

CUTE OVERLOAD

And many thanks to Margery, who submitted the kitten photo to CO

All the best people bleach their hair...

Thought I would simply post something pretty today... because I need it!

--
Telly: Agent Cody Banks
Choc/Yummy: miniature carrot cakes with buttercream
Mood: no comment
Writing: none
Reading: none
RSI/FMS: so so


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

virtual fun

Hey, I went to a glamorous awards ceremony last night! Hung with celebs of the romance world at a glitzy event... in virtual reality!

It was the Cameo Awards for Romance Book Trailers and it was held at the Romance Galleria which is a nifty 3D virtual world for romance writers and readers. I've been loitering there quite a lot lately, chatting to various writing buddies. It's a great venue for writers, where you can have a permanent presence or take part in chats and trailer screenings and other cyber events. There are official chats, but it's also perfectly possible, free and huge fun to just hang around the lobby and the exhibit landings having an informal natter with your buddies.


The Galleria does require you to download its own special software to create the virtual world, but even cautious me hasn't really had any problems with it. It's jolly new widget/toy to play with... and procrastinate with when I'm supposed to be writing!

ps. am gonna have to get me some book trailer goodness soon... I wonder if the Divine Vincenzo would consider starring in one for me. He does like to appear in Indie films, after all...

--
Telly: the snooker
Choc/Yummy: individual carrot cakes
Mood: idle
Writing: none
Reading: none
RSI/FMS: bit sore


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

Eyes of Desire

Here's the final lettered version of EYES OF DESIRE, my first HeatSheet! Mighty fine torso on that chappie, eh?

And here's the lineup of all the other great authors who are contributing to Force.

A good day...

Despite having not done much writing work... other than futzing about with a short... today has been a very pleasant day.

Got a bit of publication news this afternoon which pleases me mightily. It's another that I can't quite announce yet, because it's not 'official'... but I think I can say safely that it's 'almost certain' that a certain novella I've rabbited on here at length over the months might see the print light of day in 2008. Big smiles!

I was also deliciously tickled over at Romance By The Blog, when the lovely host there, Michelle, posted a gorgeous piccie of the Divine Vincenzo, just for me!



--
Telly: snooker
Choc/Yummy: turkish delight
Mood: delighted
Writing: editing a short
Reading: Rosemary Laurey Forever Vamps
RSI/FMS: bit sore, not bad


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

Win Big!

Nip over to Lust Bites today for a chance to win a magnificent prize! A copy of GOTHIC BLUE by yours truly... oh, and you're sure to enjoy the additional items that come with it too. ;)

--
Telly: LOCI [swoon...]
Choc/Yummy: not yet
Mood: okay
Writing: not yet
Reading: Kiss Me Forever - Rosemary Laurey
RSI/FMS: so so


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

erratic

Sorry to be so erratic about posting... You would think that after my fabboo news on Tuesday about Eyes of Desire, I would be bubbling all over my blog at the moment, wouldnt you? [That sounds vaguely rude and/or yukky...] Truth is, yesterday started out well, with a productive chat with a writing mate about a promo thing and then various other bits and bobs of writing/webby related stuff, only slightly interrupted by snooker [watching not playing] but then things started to get a teeny bit whack. Himself turned up, and we had a cuppa tea chat out on the patio [actually the area of our drive between the back of his large white van and the garage] and then shortly afterwards, I started to develop a headache... although I don't think the last two were in any way connected. Headache grumbled on throughout an early trip to Tesco, and then turned into a migraine when I got home. Happily was able to squish it with medication, but I'm hoping this isn't a sign of things to come... A resurgence of the frequent migraines I used to get before... fingers crossed it isn't that...

Any road up, I do have another bit of super publishing news bubbling up, but I probably won't be able to announce it until later in the summer, due to it not being quite nailed on yet. But, suffice it to say, if it does happen, it's something I've really, really wanted to be a part of for a long, long time... and it means working with a v. distinguished and famous erotica editor. :)


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

feel the FORCE!!!!

I am so chuffed today! I've been waiting and waiting to announce this, but couldn't until the closing date for submissions was past... and now it is!

I'm pleased to announce that my micro novella EYES OF DESIRE has been accepted by Phaze for their FORCE collection, to be published in July.

EOD is a particular favourite of mine, because it's a very warm and positive story. Megan, the heroine, is recovering from an eye operation, and her vision is still a bit wonky... but that doesn't stop her falling for a tall, mysterious stranger with a proud, soldierly bearing who is kind to her while she's taking a country holiday to recuperate. You could say she falls in love with Guy at first sight... but without the sight!

The Force collection is dedicated to all kinds of personnel from all walks of service and duty life. Soldiers, cops, pilots, paramedics, firefighters... all those who risk their lives for others. It's a splendid theme and I'm proud to be a part of it.

Shown above is the advance mockup for the collection covers... not sure this guy is quite like my Guy... but you have to admit he has an excellent bod... and a rather fine weapon! Tee hee!

I'll be posting more details about this publication in the near future... but suffice it to say, colour me very delighted with my news today!!!

Read a short excerpt from Eyes of Desire

--
Telly: snooker
Choc/Yummy: turkish delight
Mood: excellent
Writing: 1k Gothic Heat
Reading: ComputerActive
RSI/FMS: not too bad


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

Mulder... my first YouTube

This is my first ever YouTube. It's not very good because my camera is cheap and old, but you can get an impression of my little baby puddycat frollicking in the back garden.

my mood

I was going to do so much today... even allowing for Snooker and World Superbikes. I had my list all sorted out, and my productive head on... and then stuff happened. Stuff that makes me want to get out into the garage, fire up himself's chainsaw... and go on the rampage!!!

--
Telly: World Superbikes
Choc/Yummy: Frys Turkish Delight
Mood: beyond belief
Writing: sod all
Reading: Passion
RSI/FMS: a bit sore


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

snookered

Okay, I admit it, I'm not getting nearly as much done as I should at the moment because I'm addicted to the World Snooker Tournament from The Crucible, in Sheffield. Above is a pic of Ali Carter, currently doing well against one of the long time champs of the game, Stephen Hendry.

I can't play snooker, obviously, as I have virtually no hand to eye coordination of any kind. But I do so love to watch it, and I love the commentaries and the punditry and the fun little asides of the BBC coverage. The cats seem to like the game too, and I often see them watching the run of the coloured balls on the table... I wonder if they think that they're mice?

When the snooker is over, I'm making a serious pact with myself to really buckle down and write. I don't have a strict deadline as such yet, but there's a strong possibility that I may have one soon... And once I've got that deadline, I'll need to meet it. I do feel it's one of the things that's an absolute given if you're to conduct yourself professionally in this game, and make life easier for your editor. I think the only time I ever had to ask for an extension was when I had a major operation! And even then, I got the MS on the editor's desk before my extra tranche of allotted time was over...

--
Telly: snooker, obviously
Choc/Yummy: turkish delight, lemon cake slice
Mood: okay, although wish I had more discipline
Writing: nothing today so far
Reading: Passion
RSI/FMS: wrists a bit sore


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!

Gothic Heat thoughts

I'm finally working on it... but I'm not sure how it's working out. There doesn't seem to be any sex in it yet and I've already written about 2K words. Usually in a PDC, the protagonists have got down to it by this time, but I think there's going to be more 'story' in this one than is usual for me. Not that it's all *that* hugely complicated a story, perish the thought. At the moment, it's more like a paranormal fic with sensual and psychological elements than an erotic novel, although are some mildly sexy bits in it. And things are about to get hot and heavy any minute. :)

I'm also still thrashing out the details of the heroine, Paula's 'predicament'... She's sort of possessed by a demon, but not quite. She's more 'influenced' than possessed, and I have to get the balance of that influence correct... She's still basically in control, but keeps sort of getting nudged into doing foolhardy and dangerous things... I still haven't really nailed down her story yet, I suppose... I also have to work out just *how* bad my bad boy type hero is...

Everything is pretty fluid at the moment...
--
Telly: NCIS
Choc/Yummy: mostly cupcakes today
Mood: okay
Writing: 1K Gothic Heat
Reading: Passion/Lisa Valdez
RSI/FMS: so so


Don't forget Portia's Promos - new stuff being added all the time!