TGIF

It feels like I haven’t blogged in forever! I guess I haven’t with the blog hop and a few guests. It’s funny when I know I don’t have to blog I can think of a ton of things to blog about. When it comes time to actually write I forget those things. LOL I suppose I need to start writing down my ideas.

I’ve been busy writing and stressing over my friend Katalina Leon who is deep in edits for our co-authored book. I’m stressed because she’s buried and there’s nothing I can do. This was her baby. She knows it inside and out.  Big hugs to my friend.

I read an interview in Redbook the other day. The interview was with John Cusack. He talked about his love for music. He was asked if he could date and/or marry someone who didn’t enjoy his taste in music. He said NO. Most would be surprised with his answer, but I definitely wasn’t.

When I first started dating my husband we did talk about music – through email. He said he loved the 80s music and he was a big fan of Bon Jovi. Now when I think of 80s music, I think Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, just to name a few. I thought how cool that we shared the same taste. Years later I realize how different his taste is. He does love 80s, just not the hairband stuff. I wish I could give you an example, but seriously I didn’t listen to that stuff back then so I have no clue what their names are now.

Here’s the issue. We both have Satellite radio in our cars. He listens to 80s on 8 and I listen to Octane (hard rock) and Hairbands. We take his car more often than not because mine is a lease. I get stuff listening to his stuff. It drives me nuts.

So, would I have gotten in deep with him if I knew we really weren’t on the same page with music? I’m not sure. I’m not being mean, just being honest. I will say I’m glad I didn’t figure it out until I was in love with him. I’d be missing out on a wonderful life. :o)

I realized that I don’t allow my heroines to be in relationships unless the hero shares the same interests. Maybe I should switch that up a bit and give them some conflict and show they can co-exist.

Those are my thoughts for today. :o)

Happy Friday.

What's on Amber's Mind?

First round edits are complete. I sent them off to my editor yesterday morning. I’m not sure I like some of them. I’m leaving it to my editor to decide if they should stay or go. I let her know I’m not tied to them. She stated second round wouldn’t be here until October so I have some time to think about it.
I can’t believe tomorrow is the first day of Autumn. I feel summer went way too fast. This year has flown by. I return to work on Monday. After having eight weeks off it’s time for me to return to the daily grind. I have so much to do before Monday, but I can’t seem to find the time to get anything done. I think it’s time to find a sitter so I can do those little things.
There’s been a big push for help for animals. ASPCA commercials seem to be taking over the television lately. They make me cry. It’s so depressing to know that people can abuse animals. We have three dogs and while I’d love to take more in, there’s just no room in my house!
There’s also another commercial getting the word out that a huge percentage of people in RI have nothing to eat on a daily basis. This too saddens me. The economy and loss of jobs has left this country in peril. I wish I could save the world, but sadly I can’t. I wish the politicians in Washington would stop worrying about themselves and start thinking about the suffering citizens of the US.
Okay, enough of what’s on my mind.
Happy Thursday!

Blogger and Edits

Blogger hates me. I can’t comment on my own blog. What’s up with that? I can comment on other people’s blog, but I can’t respond to the generous readers who leave me a comment. Frustrating.
Well I’m in deep with edits. They arrived on Friday. I went through them over the weekend and fixed the “little” things, like dangling body parts and words that were unnecessary for the story to move forward. Today I’ll tackle the “bigger” issues. My editor was kind enough to give me two weeks to get them done. I truly appreciate this. Normally, I’d turn them over in a day or two, but life is different these days.
DH has to go out of town for 3 days. This sucks. He helps with the 9-1 feeding so I can sleep. Now I’m going to have to do it alone. So if I’m not blogging the next few days you know why. I’m likely sleeping. LoL
Happy Monday!

A Busy Weekend

My new love this week! Jason Momoa

I fell in love with him on Game of Thrones. I was sad by the demise of his character, but that’s what happens in these shows. I’m looking forward to seeing him in Conan.



Well I did it! I finished my book and sent it off to my editor. Talk about stress. If the book wasn’t contracted I’m not sure I would’ve finished, so in some ways I was thankful for the pressure. No more stress. I even enjoyed a few hours poolside yesterday.
My other new love – rediscovering reading. I’ve been reading like crazy lately. I’ve been adding books to my ereader for at least a year now without reading any of them. Now that I’ve started I can’t stop. :o) Here’s a list of my recommended reads:
Brynn Paulin – Mr. Smith’s Whip
Bron Green – Just Right and Maggie’s Mates
Kathy Kulig – Dragon Witch
Paris Brandon – Cross My Heart
Nicole Austin – My Greatest Fantasy – Still Reading but Holy Hotness!
Today I’m going to enjoy relaxing with no manuscript!
Happy Monday!

This and That

I’m finally feeling like I’m able to get back into the swing of things – at a slower pace. :o) Sleep isn’t a friend of mine, but that’s okay. I guess I have to learn to sleep when she does, but I feel like I’m constantly making and cleaning bottles.

Over the weekend I received a review for Hit Me. 4 cups from Coffee Time Romance. You can check the review out here:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/hitmebyamberskyze.html

Not sure if I mentioned it but Cougarlicious was released on the Ellora’s Cave website on August 1st. I’m excited to have another print book out. I do just love my cougar story Gettin’ Lucky. I planned to write a story for Lucky’s brother Lorenzo but that’s been put on hold. Maybe I’ll get busy in September. It’s going to be a St. Patrick’s Day story, four leaf clover and all!

I’m suddenly finding time to read and over the weekend read two books. Bet Me, by Katie Blu and Ex Appeal, by Cari Quinn. I have to say both are MUST reads!

Off to do edits. Will have a picture of the peanut on Wednesday. I planned to have it today, but the only pic I have uploaded on a computer is on my laptop and I’m working off my desktop today. Go figure right? Lol

Happy Monday!

Bittersweet Weekend

This weekend I said goodbye to the board I ran with for the last two years. While we had a good run it’s now over. In some ways I was looking forward to not being responsible for the newsletter. I needed a break and happy to turn it over to the new editor. Yet, part of me will miss it. When I didn’t come home with all my folders I felt like I lost a part of myself. It’ll be all right in the end. I’m going to be too busy come August to think about putting together the newsletter. I’m sure the new editor will do a fantastic job.
Our house if finally back to normal. It took some serious time, but the DH worked hard over the weekend.
I spent over 7 hours in the car…something I don’t like to do. It did give me time to reflex on certain things and make some decisions that have lingered for too long. That's for another post though.
I also challenged myself. I told my editor that I’d have a book for her by the end of this week. ACK! You know what that means right? I have to sit my butt in the chair and write those last 5-6k words and ship that baby off. I knew if I didn’t do something drastic I’d let it sit while I do nothing. I need to finish this wip.
So if you don’t hear from before Friday, you’ll know why.
Happy Monday!

Friday Again!

What a difference a week makes. Last week I was lying in the hospital hooked up to IV’s this week I’m feeling great. The weather is supposed to be close to 70 today. I’ll be sitting on the deck with my work laptop soaking up the sun.
This week was extremely busy with edits, getting my agent proposal out the door and writing. I’d like to finish the book I’m working on by the end of the month. There’s another book itching to be written, but I’m trying to keep the heroine at bay until this one is completed. I hope she cooperates. :o)
It’s Friday. The weekend is supposed to be rain-free so that’s a plus. Hopefully the DH and I will get out of the house. It seems someone has been sick the last five weekends. I’d like to see the new Bradley Cooper movie. The premise looks good and well, he’s just yummy to look at. Robert DeNiro stars in it so it’s got to be good, right?
The countdown begins for my first release of 2011. One week until Just Another Rainy Day will be available from Ellora’s Cave. Woo Hoo.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Happily Editing

Yesterday I picked up my manuscript I’ll be pitching to an agent in April at the RWA NEC conference. To be honest I haven’t looked at this book in almost two years. I did read/edit six pages a few weeks ago, but my heart wasn’t in it, so I put it aside.
Yesterday was different. I’m in a different mindset. I got through the first ten pages required for the agent. As I’ve mentioned before the agent will read these pages prior to the meeting. So I have to sit down and write the synopsis and a query letter to grab her attention and make her want more. What I found is I really LOVE this book. I’m excited about editing the rest and getting it ready for my agent appointment. And hey, if she isn’t interested I’m sure I can find a publisher who will want to buy it.
So while I await second round edits for All or Nothing and first round for Just Another Rainy Day I’ll be working hard on this non-erotic book. :o)
Happy Wednesday!

Edits, Edits and More Edits

Saturday edits for All or Nothing arrived. Sunday edits for Love Revisited arrived. I’ll bet you can’t guess what I’m doing! :-P One book is long. One is very short – 10 pages
Mother Nature obviously thought it would be neat to trick us with two days of warm weather and then turn the heat off completely. The weekend turned bitter cold with temperatures dipping into the negatives. I didn’t find her sense of humor very funny.
Over the weekend we went to dinner and a movie with my brother and sister in law. We saw No Strings Attached. Save your money. Not worth paying for. It was okay. Personally, I’d wait until it’s on television for free.
The kids are on winter vacation – woo hoo. I’ve heard I’m bored more times than I prefer. I warned her if she continued to tell me how bored she was I’d wrap her in duct tape. She finally went to hang with her friend.
It’s going to be a long week with edits and school out.
Happy Monday!

Cha-Cha-Changes

Today is all about making changes. I received the first chapter back from my editor for All or Nothing. They’d like me to clear up a few things. That will be first on my list.
The second is Chasing Forever. When I received the rejection/revision letter I thought about ways to enhance the story to the editor’s suggestions. I’ve finally come to terms with how I want to address them…needless to say I’ll be working on that too.
Tomorrow is my local chapter’s writer meeting. I’m really looking forward to seeing the group. Afterward we’re headed to an overnight retreat. I won’t be staying overnight. Too much hotel living for me last weekend, but I’ll hang out long enough to have fun and do some brainstorming.
Super Bowl Sunday this weekend. Not that I care. I’m not a fan of either team. But we’ll still enjoy some good food. It’s all about the food to me. :o)
Hope everyone has a fun weekend!

How Much Is Too Much?

Rewrites that is...
What would you do?
A few months ago I wrote a book and subbed it to one of my publishers. All names are being withheld for obvious reasons. Said publisher wrote back a few weeks later that they really liked the story, but would I mind losing the first few – okay five pages. Also could I make some minor changes to the next twenty pages to leave the reader guessing as to the heroine’s guilt in a certain situation? Leave them guessing.
I liked the second idea. I felt it would make a more interesting read, but I was uncertain about cutting all five pages. I felt the reader learned about the heroine and her goals, motives and reasons for some of her actions.
I made ALL the requested changes and resubbed.
A few more weeks go by and I receive another nice letter. This is really good, but not quite there yet. If you could just add a little to the beginning to show the readers her motives and reasons for acting in particular ways that would be great.
Hmmm, I thought I’d done that originally.
I mulled the ideas over and even brainstormed with a writer friend. She made some great suggestions and offered to read the book to see what might be needed. She returned with, “I thought it was going to be awful and need lots of work, but this is fantastic AS IS.”
I thanked her and explained what they were looking for now. Again she tossed some ideas my way and I took them to heart. I wrote up a brief summary and sent the ideas off. They liked it, but maybe do it this way instead, I was told.
Finally I asked my writer friend to look at the original version. Deep down I kept coming back to this copy. Not sure why, but it was a gut feeling.
She read it and loved it. She got what made my heroine tick. She understood her motives for doing certain things and she related to her. She was drawn into the story. She felt one of my other publishers would jump on the chance to publish this story.
Now I’m torn. I’ve invested a lot of time with the first publisher, but yet, I’m growing uncomfortable to the changes. I feel like I’m losing “my” story and writing someone else’s. Believe me, I’m far from one of those diva writer’s who refuse to make changes. I’m probably the opposite and a little naïve. I tend to make all the suggested changes, per my editors.
This time I’m having too much difficulty doing that.
So do I dig in my heels and submit this story to one of my other publishers or do I kept brainstorming until I get it “right” in their eyes.
Stay tuned and I’ll let you know what I decide in the coming weeks!
Have a great weekend!

Edits Arrived

Will be buried for the rest of the day!

Happy Thursday!

In Limbo

What I thought were my edits were not. Well, technically they should’ve been. See my editor forgot to attach them. So while she’s doing her editor stuff thinking I’m busy making those fabulous edits she suggested – I’M NOT. Instead, I’m nervously waiting for her to read my email saying please send the edits!!!!!! I hope you read my blog edit goddess!
I could be making the revisions on the other story, but I’ve been mulling over how to proceed with them. Once it clicks I’ll get them done quickly…it’s just getting it to CLICK.
In other news…I learned that I will have yet another print book out this autumn. Body Shots will be part of the Wet Series anthology and I’m honored to be included in a book with, M.A Ellis, Helen Hardt, Kat Alexis, Kelly Jamieson and Ainsley Abbott. Can you see why I’m excited…look at who I’m sharing book space with!
It’s a rainy day here in RI. Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous – seventy degrees. I loved every minute of it. I even felt good up until midnight. I’ll leave the gory details out. My youngest is home sick from school for day two. l brought her to the doctors this morning to make sure she didn’t have strep. While she doesn’t have her tonsils, she’s been known to still contract strep occasionally. The results were negative and she’s resting. YAY
Happy Wednesday!

Wow, it's Thursday

I can't believe it's Thursday already. Not sure where this week went. It's another rainy day here in the NE area. I have a lot more to accomplish before taking off for RomantiCon so I'll take the rain.
Speaking of RomantiCon, the DH and I are leaving Wednesday. We're driving, because I hate to fly. He's so good to me to make this trip and hang out with a bunch of women. :o) I'll have my car so he can sight see if he wants.
I'll be having a few specials guests while away so please stop by and show them some love. They'll be familiar faces.

In other news I received a release date for my Christmas story of Dec 10th, but because I haven't received a contract yet, I'll wait to give you all the deets.

Off to finish editing Sex on the Beach for my editor and I have to write a synopsis for a call out one of my publishers is doing.

Happy Thursday!

Rainy Monday

After a week of wonderful weather I woke up to a cloudy, dreary, rainy day. I have so much on my to-do list and the only thing I feel like doing is crawling back into bed and sleeping the day away.
On Friday, with some of the donations we received in memory of our son, we held a luncheon for all nurses who cared for him during his short stay in the NICU. We really did something for every shift, but we spent lunch with the day shift. They were so appreciative and we were humbled. WE were the appreciative ones. While he didn’t survive the care he received while there was incredible. Their jobs are difficult as far as I’m concerned, they’re heroes. As one nurse said, “There’s no happy medium. It’s either really good or really bad.”
We had a busy fun weekend. It was kid-free for the most part and we enjoyed it immensely. Today of course we’re back to the rat race of work, school and all that fun stuff.
I need to spent the day doing self-edits on my finished wip. I’d like to get it off my plate before leaving for Romanticon next week, along with another quickie I’ve been writing since last Friday. I’m hoping to have that finished by this Friday or Monday the latest.
Time to get busy before I chose the bed!
Did you have a fun weekend?
Happy Monday.

Traveling

I’m sitting in a hotel in Augusta Maine. It was sunny earlier and now the clouds are rolling in. I’m optimistic that it will be temporary. I’m working the day job, while the hubby is working his. He’s gone for a few hours, so I’m also working on my edits! Woo Hoo, right? I’ve managed to get through half the book. I’m hoping to finish by 5 so when I shut down my work laptop I can put these behind me too.
I’m looking forward to exploring the area. We’re going to Freeport to do some shopping in the outlets. My sweetheart hubby got us a different hotel for tomorrow, one that overlooks the ocean. I’m looking forward to that! I thinking inspiration.
Other than that I became a little under the weather again last night. Not sure what’s going on there. I refuse to be sick on our mini vacation!
Off to work on edits!
Happy Thursday.

Sick

I'm feeling a little under the weather today and knee deep in final edits, but I'm blogging over at A Pinch of Romance about one of my obsessions. Drop by and tell me about yours.

Nose to the grindstone

I'm currently finishing the last 40 pages of self-edits on my romantic comedy so I can submit it to my editor tomorrow. It needed a LOT of work. I wrote it over two years ago learned a lot in those years. :o)

I'll be back tomorrow, when I'm in the Author Spotlight over at Dark Divas.

Happy Thursday!

Nothing New

Jon Bon Jovi has aged well!

Not much going on with me. Still editing the Romantic Comedy to get off to my editor.

Happy Hump Day!

Update: My awesome friend Raine Delight has spotlighted my M/M books today and has such nice things to say about ME! *grins and blushes* Stop by if you get a chance.

So Much To Do!

I’ve been busy. I finished editing book three of the Freedom Fantasies series and sent it off to my editor. I had to get my chapter’s newsletter out and work, well, it drove me nuts.
This weekend the DH and I cleaned the sunroom from top to bottom, planted flowers got all the deck furniture out and cleaned off. What he doesn’t realize is he’s helping me prepare for his big birthday surprise party! LOL I’m evil.
Speaking of which, I’m I the process of planning TWO surprise parties. My mom has a milestone birthday THREE days before the DH’s. It’s getting confusing and hard to keep a secret. I’m an only child so there aren’t any brother’s or sister’s to help with the planning.
I meet with the cake lady this week. I’m getting him one of the real fancy specialty cakes. Something to do with the Red Sox. No worries he doesn’t read my blog.
I also started self-edits on a full length romantic comedy today. I finished Chapter one. I had to switch from 1st to 3rd person. I didn’t like the 1st person.
Today I’m getting back to my cougar story. I feel like I’m finally free to explore this more. Fellow cougar Dalton Diaz gave me a few suggestions after reading my synopsis and I want to go back and incorporate her idea.
In other news – I received a contract for Freedom Fantasies, Book Two – Spend The Night With Me. This is Brooke and Liam’s story. Let’s just say they have fun with a stripper pole and a swing!
Come back tomorrow when I have an interview with my good, good friend Katalina Leon!