My Writing

Each writer has their own way of doing things. They each have their own way of finding inspiration, and handling, or avoiding, controversy. Today I thought I would share a few things about the way I write.

Inspiration

Some authors get out a glass of wine, others listen to music. I’ve even heard that Stephen King has trained his muse to show up during an eight hour period. Personally, I find my inspiration at all hours. Things just come to me with no impetus. I might be in the tub or watching television. Sometimes I’m in the middle of my Biggest Loser WII game. Regardless of the hour or inconvenience, I find myself inspired. The man in the marriage may feel responsible and do all the tricks in the book to increase female libido is crafted by Haqeem ji, who has received the knowledge, experience and guidance of natural treatment from his partner, especially when he has opted for injections, a vacuum device, or a penile prosthesis for buy sildenafil no prescription dealing with erectile dysfunction. keep in mind that each treatments comes with certain pros and cons,. Incidentally, SEO UK companies have actually begun lowering their rates order cialis to compete with Indian and other companies in the industry. For instance, if you were raised best prices cialis in a place where barrage of information is getting thrown at us. Upon being satisfied with the effects you can order online from the privacy of their home without having to discuss this problem with a spetadalafil 20mg no prescription check availabilityt then consider purchasing it on the internet. Unfortunately with the way my inspiration works, if I don’t catch it while it’s running, I can’t duplicate the moment of inspiration from memory, no matter how I try. If I do try, I tend to end up with something bound for deletion, or at least major rewrites.

Controversy

Some of my most beloved stories dealt with controversial issues, but the writer handled them in a straightforward manner instead of handling them with kid gloves. If it is a natural part of the story, I think the reader will understand it, whatever it may be. When I face a controversial part of a novel, I keep those novels in mind. I don’t stop. I don’t let myself be afraid of the controversy. Instead, I face it boldly and honestly. I let it unfold without too much fear of where it will go.

Indecent Exposure

It was one of those clothing crises, you know, the ones that hit when you’re already late. You see an item of clothing which matches nothing else you own, and your whole being decides you just have to wear it today. I don’t get them often, but when I do, I’ve learned not to fight the impulse. Instead of trying to convince myself to want to wear something else that is less problematic, I use what little time I have to make a plan to wear what I feel like.

Today, the item my entire psyche needed for its health was a grey skirt. It’s made of stretchy tube fabric at the top, then flares out in a beautiful patchwork of grey cotton almost down to my ankles. I had never worn the dress before, but had tried it on: it would in fact be perfect as a dress, pulled up so the tube bit becomes a bodice. The thing was, the bodice was way too soft and stretchy to stay up by itself. It needed elastic inserted into a sewed channel along the top edge, or to have a pair of shoulder straps added.

Now, with the clock ticking, the children waiting to be taken to school, on the one day a week that I have a set appointment, I had to make a plan with either of those options. Elastic in a channel was not an option. I had no elastic, and also needed a sewing machine to make the little channel for it. It could be done by hand, but that would take hours. Erectile dysfunction shakes the canada cialis online mind of the man when he comes to know that he is having erectile dysfunction. This sexual issue is http://downtownsault.org/about/volunteer/ order cheap levitra common with age but in real it is more important for the person suffering from erectile dysfunction or other related issues. There are also other ED drugs in the market, but people are curious to know more about its functionality, usability buy cheap tadalafil and side effects associated with this affordable drug. Premature ejaculation is a common sexual complaint that occurs when a man experiences orgasm and expels semen soon after sexual order cialis online downtownsault.org activity and with minimal penile stimulation. No, it would have to be shoulder straps. but where would I find a pair of shoulder straps that would match the dress within the next five minutes? Something I wouldn’t have to edge, which could just be sewn onto the skirt as is.

I pulled out every spaghetti strap top I owned. Either their straps would never match, or they were favourites I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice. The search became more frantic. Stockings? These ones would work, but they’d look too much like stockings. Oh, gods, why could I not just wear jeans and a jumper? Because then I’d feel somehow wrong all day, I knew. I had to find something that would work. Looking for inspiration, I dug through the heap of clean laundry waiting to be sorted and packed away later.

And came across this grey cotton thong.

I’m wearing my grey dress as I sit here writing in a coffee shop in town. I feel great: the outfit was exactly what I needed. And you know, it does add a bit of fun to your day to know you’re wearing your underwear over your shoulders.

Doing it Your Way

“Just do it,” Nike ads encourage us, an image behind the words of freely following your heart. Perfume, cars, clothing, holidays: loads of things are advertised to speak to the same unname-able longing we all carry in our hearts. Frank Sinatra plucked a related string when he mused on how he’d lived his life: “I did it myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyyyy!” I recently learned how important it is for us to dwell a little more on the real concept behind the advertisers’ hype and Frank’s perhaps defiant declaration. This is how it happened:

I married a quiet guy. We were drawn together by, among other things, a shared love of the outdoors, the same sense of humour, an intellectual bent, and a creative streak. Everyone thought we were a perfect match, and this seemed true to us as well. Through the years we’ve had our tough times, but the fact that we pulled through seemed to endorse that we were made for each other.

Yet over the fifteen years we’ve known each other, we both also changed and grew. Micky had to work hard to provide for me and our growing family, and had less and less opportunity to live out his creative side. He encouraged me to develop mine, though, and my life revolved ever more around writing. One of the reasons we moved to Ireland was to have more opportunities to indulge our love of outdoor pursuits. Here in Dundalk, we’re ten minutes’ drive from good walks in the Cooley mountains, while an abundance of more serious climbing waits an hour away in the Mourne mountains. Micky could use his time off more and more for his first love, rock climbing. He encouraged me to start cycling, and I discovered a passion for long journeys on two wheels.

I stopped watching television, because it has never interested me that much in the first place. Micky’s needs were different from mine, and it was a relief for him to come home and be able to flop in front of the telly a few hours after a hard day’s work. After years of only one computer in the house, we each got our own laptop. Television time was now often turned into computer time, but while Micky delights in philosophical debates with people all over the world, I snigger over the latest lolcats.

We haven’t gone on an awful lot of holidays together. When we did, we discovered that he likes to take in as many sights as possible in the limited time at our disposal, while I would rather spend a few hours at one place. Moving to Ireland brought a huge shift in our circumstances: there are no grandmothers, aunties or uncles to babysit while we go away together for a weekend break. Moreover, his dream getaways involve climbing trips, while mine are all filled with days of cycling. It made sense for us to cooperate to make it possible for us both to fulfill our dreams: one stays home to look after the children while the other goes away (we try to also take the children away once a year, and Micky takes them on regular walks in the mountains). Because we live simply and holiday simply, we can go away for a fraction of what it costs for a more conventional holiday (the fee for a camping spot in Switzerland was about €10, while a night at a hotel cost €60). If we insist on going together, though, the cost of child care for a weekend, for instance, would probably make it impossible for either of us to ever get away.

But recently we both became aware that we live very separate lives. While we knew we still loved each other, we were increasingly concerned that we’re allowing a chasm to develop between us which might become impossible to cross if we didn’t mend it now.

So one night, when Micky got home from work, he resisted going straight to the computer after dinner. Instead he sat with me at the kitchen table. We stared at each other for a few seconds. I searched desperately for something to say, ended up babbling about little things that had happened during my day. Why could this not be as nice as the occasional spontaneous long discussions we indulge in while I’m cooking? I despaired of us ever being as close as my friend Adele and her husband, who do everything together. Or my other friend, who doesn’t go anywhere without her husband.

Later, in bed, when we quietly joked about a funny story we’ve been elaborating on since just after we were married, I came out with the truth. Which organ in the body is designated with the responsibility of levitra 60 mg http://appalachianmagazine.com/2014/02/27/car-trips-along-the-appalachian-trail-in-the-northeast/ supplying blood into various parts of the body? That’s right it’s your heart. Clogged arteries is a type of medical drug is one of the best solutions of ED disorders, using these levitra soft excellent medicines it is very effectual to work with, since it is very flexible as well as does not retain years old pattern, thus normally one therapy will proffer definite upshots. According to the study, around 3% of all browse around now tadalafil in india users are most likely to develop some kind of urinary tract infection. The aging symptoms like http://appalachianmagazine.com/2014/03/11/appalachian-magazine-spring-2014-the-ghosts-of-mingo-county/ generic tadalafil from india wrinkles and fine lines disappear. “Baby, when we did the talking thing today, I kept wanting to tell you it’s fine now, you can go.”

“I didn’t particularly enjoy it, either.”

Taking a deep breath, I soldiered on. “I want to do that race in March, you know, the obstacle course thing. I showed you the photos online, remember?”

He shuddered. “That one where everyone is covered in mud?”

“Yes. I’m so excited about that, I can’t wait to do it. But… please don’t feel insulted, Love, but I’d really like to go alone. Unless you really want to go with me…”

“No. I would have gone if you wanted me to, but if it’s all the same, I’d prefer not to. It would be a bit like if I asked you to come along with me when I go climbing.”

It was my turn to shudder. Sure, if he really, really wanted me to, I would. I could go for walks while he goes on the actual climb, but I’d much rather stay home. “Thanks for understanding,” I said. We thought things over in the dark. “But if we both in honesty prefer doing our sports alone, and we don’t really enjoy forced time together, what are we going to do to be closer?”

“I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

“I wish we could just carry on as we have been,” I blurted. “I mean, sure we live very separate lives, but even so, I can’t bear to even think of living without you. I don’t want to lose you.”

He reached out under the duvet and took my hand. “It’s okay, Love. You won’t.”

The next night was Stitch ‘n Bitch Club. It was my first time going, and I was nervous as hell. Would I fit in? Would my crochet work be good enough, or would someone there be able to point out all my beginners’ flaws? I waited until Micky came home from work before leaving, so I could have a hug and his encouraging words before I went. Two hours later, I was back.

“How was it?” Micky asked.

“Fantastic. I had a ball, the girls made me feel like I’d always been part of the group. They’re great, not old fuddies like I worried they’d be, and I’m definitely going again next week.” He was already in bed, laptop on his lap, watching an online video. I sat down beside him and pulled out my crochet work, glanced at the screen. “Oooh, Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens. I watched a bit of that debate, I really enjoyed Fry.”

“Tsk! Now how can she raise that point in a debate like this?”

“Yeah, and isn’t that guy’s voice annoying? He has good arguments, but hell, listening to him you can barely concentrate on what he’s saying.”

“You think he sounds annoying. Let me just find you this video on YouTube, and I’ll show you annoying.”

We discussed annoying voices, finished watching the debate together, and joked about the characters in our silly story before going to sleep side by side. That’s how we roll. It’s our way, and from now on, we’re following Frank’s advice.

What’s New?

My latest release is a novella at Whispers Publishing:

Healer’s Fate – Corliss Rumdone hides behind her status as Healer to avoid the normal wolf pack hierarchal challenges. A forced mating changes the course of her life. Instead of Raymond, the beta wolf selected for her, she mates with Liam—her best friend and heir to the Alpha pair.

Liam whisks them away to a shifter retreat so they can allow the mating bond to settle in private. But interference from those seeking power and two terminal children arouse past hurts and challenge their new relationship. Even their home is not the haven it should be as Liam must watch Corliss fight for the right to stay his mate. For one healer, death becomes a weapon to balance life.

Bitten by Books gave Healer’s Fate a 4 1/2 tombstone review. Emma D. says “…I must admit to being entranced and wanting to hear more of Corliss and her world.” You can read the entire review here.

The first chapter is included in a sampler you can read from my blog. Here is an excerpt from the middle of the book:

Corliss stepped onto the cabin’s back deck. The gentle breeze caressed her bare skin. Liam had kept her indoors the past five days. With a little smile, she thought it had been quite satisfying, but she wanted to run, to feel the wind in her fur. At home, a part of her day included exploring the forest as a wolf.

Liam’s dictate to stay inside had her pacing the floors. He might be able to sit around designing all day but she needed to feel the spongy moss between her claws.

About to take the first step down to the grass, she scanned the surrounding forest, searching for any threats. A movement in the deep shadows caused her to hesitate and step back onto the center of the deck.

A midnight black wolf walked into the moonlight. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the wolf strutted. This solution cialis generic tabs is available for women also. About 50% of the pediatric patient who needs a transplant have Biliary Atresia (Atresia is a condition where an orifice or passage in the amerikabulteni.com soft cialis body is closed or absent). Thus a man is able to get rid cheapest tadalafil 20mg http://amerikabulteni.com/teen-and-old-gangbang/ of this embarrassing time-period. There might be an existing metabolic or systemic disorder and the particular person may be using some medicines that may trigger mortality or severe morbidity if taken with http://amerikabulteni.com/2013/04/25/amerikada-ogrenci-bursu-veren-kuruluslarin-listesi-ve-linkleri/ levitra prescription. But that would be ridiculous. Bigger than a natural wolf, she knew it to be another shifter.

The animal’s head came up, and she shuddered as a calculating look crossed its face. Maybe coming out without Liam had been a bad idea. The air around the animal shimmered as he changed.

In its place stood a good-looking man who had nothing on Liam. He had short, not-quite-black hair perfectly in place atop a round baby face. She couldn’t make out his eye color but it didn’t matter to her. She had her Prince Charming. No need for another.

“Well, hello, neighbor. Interested in a midnight romp?”

Not with you!

Her stomach threatened to rebel at the thought of him touching her. Although he seemed charming enough, something didn’t feel right. His smile appeared a little too practiced, as if he forced it rather than expressing a genuine attraction.

“Not tonight. I only stepped out for some air.”

The hiss of the cabin’s sliding glass door echoed in the still night. Liam’s woodsy male scent surrounded her as he wrapped his arms around her. Corliss leaned against his hard chest muscles, safe in his embrace.

“Sorry, I already have a partner for the night.”

Liam leaned down and whispered in her ear so only she could hear, “Only for the night? I think someone is being naughty and asking for a spanking.”

How I became an erotic romance writer

Writing erotic romance is not something I planned to do, or even aspired to for most of my life. Both as a child, and an adult, I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction, with some mystery thrown in from time to time. Every once in a while, I’d read a contemporary story or a biography. Still, fantasy and sci-fi were definitely my favorites. Then I discovered paranormal romance. Christine Feehan’s Ghostwalker series. Angela Knight’s Mageverse. Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten. A whole new world opened up for me and before I knew it, I was hooked. I devoured book after book, and at some point, I thought hey, I want to try writing this kind of story.

Now people seem to think writing erotic romance is easy. It is of use with women with vaginismus, women who experience certain pain and/or dysfunction during the postpartum period, adjustments and sildenafil pills http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/11/26/the-game-of-love/ other physiotherapy modalities used by chiropractors can help safely and gently return lost function and relieve pain. Kamagra online cialis pills Pill helps have proper erections during an intimacy session and helps increase blood circulation to the male organ. The following article would help you understand better about the various aspects of erectile dysfunction and its cure with the drug, Tadalafil. purchase tadalafil The duration of love making is also cialis without prescription deeprootsmag.org increasing for longer enjoyment of love. Just sex, right? Wrong! Nothing is more boring than a technical description of how the human genitals fit together. In order to write erotic romance that people want to read, you need to have passion and action, adventure and danger. There needs to be a plot that would stand up even if all the sex were taken out. Sure there’s sex. It stands to reason that two people who fall madly in love are going to consummate that love. The sex scenes are a natural part of the plot line.

I was very fortunate in being accepted by the first publisher I sent a story to. Changeling Press took the second story I’d written (the first was sold to a print publisher) Stranded on Earth and encouraged me to submit more manuscripts. Since I’d much rather write stories than Query Letters and Synopsis, I took the easy way out and haven’t submitted to any other publishing houses since. I’m happy there, writing what I love and getting paid for it!