Getting Back Into the Swing of Things...X-Posted

Is harder than you (I) think. Not the day job, that's a given. You must be at work by X and you work until Y, sometimes till Z. (Since I've returned from vacation, there's been a lot of Z's). In all honesty you're so busy catching everything up, it's pretty easy to get into the swing of it.

The writing? That's another story (no pu intended). My normal schedule is to write in the evenings. I'm not much of an early morning writer. That's email and blog(s) time. But coming home from work, sitting down at the computer and writing is what my nights are for.

Check out the rest of the post over on Everybody Needs A Little Romance

Leave a comment there or come back here and leave one here. (The question is over there)

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

America’s Next Top Model Marathon

I think I must have taken L’s post to heart. The ‘Me Time’ doesn’t happen often, but yesterday I had the house to myself from 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM. Science Guy isn’t back until tomorrow (YAY!!!) and Jgolfer was in Orlando at the golf tournament.

You’d think I would have written all day, or at least cleaned the house. It’s so much easier to do without anyone around.

Nope. Instead, I did a couple of loads of laundry, some light general cleaning, and then watched American’s Next Top Model. The marathon version of season eight (I think).

Until 11: 20 (Tivo) last night.

This isn’t a show I normally watch, just a catch an episode here or there. But yesterday I was hooked. And I learned something.

Tyra Banks kept asking the girls, “Do you really want it?” Even when you’re in a freezing pool for a photo shoot and you feel like crap, do you really want it? There was one girl who took great photo’s, knew all about the business, knew exactly what the ‘right’ thing to say was, but the judges weren’t sure if she truly handle the real side of the business. She was perfect in so many ways, but dealing with the hardships of the business is another thing all together.

This got me to thinking about writing. Even when we know all the right things to say, have researched the business, and can write a really great book (strong voice). Do we really want it? And if we do, are we ready to actually deal with the business side of it. Or having a reader, who we’ve never met, perhaps not like the book and give us a bad review. Can we take the criticism that’s will surely come, the deadlines that will haunt our sleep and steal our time, and yes, the fame (albeit small in the beginning) of seeing our names on the cover?

For me? Yes. Very simple answer, but it says it all.

What about you? Do you want something really bad? Are you willing to go through the pain of the journey to get it?

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Vacation Pics

I had a blast in Arizona. Okay, after the looong plane ride, I had a blast. :)

The first day we went to the Renaissance Festival, which is amazing. The thing is huge and the buildings are there all year round even though the festival is only eight weeks. I love this one.

Of course there is the normal jousting and fire eating:





And the statue guy was amazing. He never moved at all, until someone gave him a tip and then he did really cool movements.






And what festival isn't complete with a Scottish band?

The rest of the week was filled with shopping (always shopping) :) and going out to eat, painting pottery, and just general fun stuff. Arizona is beautiful with the mountains and catus.

I didn't even write while I was there even though I took my brand new little Dell. Which I love. It's small and easy to carry around. But with margarita's everywhere we went, I never did more than check a few emails on it.

All in all I had a great time, but I'm glad to be back and trying really hard to get back into the swing of things. The day job is crazy busy and SG is not home until next Tuesday. This is the longest we've ever been apart.

Even though this was technically a vacation, it really didn't feel like one. To me, a vacation is where SG and I go to the beach or the mountains and just do nothing. Kinda like L's post yesterday.

So, now he and I are talking about a cruise. I'm not sure when it will be, but that will be a vacation. :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend. And for those who've signed up for the quarterly newsletter it should be out sometime next week.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Me Time….

If you are anything like me – that phrase means almost nothing to you.

Problem is we all need it to stay sane. I know I do. I need me time probably more than I need to eat. Not more than coffee, but certainly more than food. I would gladly miss a meal or two to have me time.

During the week—forget about it—ain’t happening. And on the weekends, I write.

Yes, writing is a solitary business and most (my HHB included) believes this is my alone time. But he doesn’t have voices in his head, or scenes playing in his mind that need to be written, so they leave me the heck alone. That is not alone time. That is writing time.

I actually started to make a list of the things I wanted to do with my time and the sad thing is, none of it seemed important. Which is the point of me time, right? See how long it’s been since I’ve had it – everything I do now, has to serve a purpose.

Here in lies the problem – if I had nothing to do, I’d be bored stiff, or so I think.

When did this happen? When did I become a timeoholic? I have no idea if this is a word, but it should be, don’t you think?

So here are a few things I fantasize about if I had “Me Time”:

Take a Vacation (who cares where as long as it’s all about me – just away)
Read a book from start to finish in one sitting
Take a long bath (maybe till the water turned cold)
Party – (yes it sounds childish, but I can't remember the last time I danced till dawn and didn’t worry about driving home, or who was around to see me looking stupid. So yeah – right now it sounds like a blast.)

Okay, enough of me being Eeyore – What would you do if you had the time?

I Really Am Back...Promise

Hey everyone.

I'm back, but crazy busy at the day job. I promise to be back tomorrow with pic's and stuff. Even though I managed to comment a few times while I was gone, I still missed everyone.

Can you say LKap ROCKS! She kept it going and going well. :) But then she is the best CP around.

See everyone tomorrow.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Welcome Back V !!!!

This little country mouse, that was left behind, must now behave (not likely, nor, if V admits it, would she want me to…LOL).

Her flight gets in today so life as we know it will resume to normal blogging practices ;-)
And thank goodness, Coffee Lunch's aka Plotting sessions ;-D

Glad you’re back V ;-p
See everyone on Thursday!!!

XOXO
LKap

Friday WINNER!!!

I hope you all had as much fun as I did this week ;-D

I’d like to thank Sasha for being here, sharing her time and talent and a free read!!!

Now on to the real reason you stopped by today (LOL).

The Winner(s) of My Prerogative by Sasha White:

Liza
Natasha


Did you notice there were 2 winners....SURPRISE!!!

Since it was St. Patrick's day Tuesday, my Irish side thought I should share the luck (the Italian side was trying to be cheap, but Irish won...LOL). Since we couldn't share a green beer together - a book will have to do ;-)

Please contact me at LaurieKap at yahoo dot com with your snail mail address so I can get this sent to you. If I don't hear anything by next week a new winner will be choosen.

Thanks for playing with me this week ;-)


I urge all of you to add Sasha's books to your TBR pile ASAP ;-)

XOXO
LKap

My First Introduction to Sasha White…

I came across Sasha for the first time last year. I was staying home from Nationals and V sent me a link to an erotic writer doing a workshop and since this was the genre I was currently looking at, I of course wanted to read whatever I could about it. And guess who it was? Yep, it was none other than Sasha White. Fate, I tell you!!!

I, being the naïve (virgin, if you will) erotic writer, had only read books for a certain line (since that’s who I thought I wanted to target). I asked a question and very politely, she answered me.

So my question you ask? Do you start erotic’s with a love scene in the first chapter? (Or something close to that)

But I do remember that the reply I received (I’m paraphrasing here) was something about how she really disliked that everyone believes erotic romances are not romances but the four letter "P" word, on paper. There is still a plot, there has to be emotion and there has to be tension to make it believable, it’s just that the sex is hotter. Someone ask her again. Let’s see if I got it right…LOL

I of course felt like a fool (or rather - a total ass), to this multi-published author. But erotic’s are still not widely accepted within the romance community—partly because there are still people out there that believe they are written from scene one to the end with nothing but sex—just as my question implied.

Now, I know that was not her intention, it was my own self criticism that made me feel this way. Trust me Sasha is a sweetheart, and we have had many conversations since, but like me, is straight forward with her opinions—see why I love her!!!

Paraphrased or not, that statement has resonated with me ever since. And when you read her work, you’ll know she stands by those words.

Her characters are unique and believable, sexy as all get out, and the emotional bond within her world will tangle you up within the sheets, right along with her characters. Her characterization is what I believe pulls me into her work and keeps me coming back over and over for more.

I mean really…great sex and emotionally involved, isn’t that what every girl dreams of? ;-D

Tell us what pulls you into a great book? Especially if it’s Sasha’s!


Want more Sasha she's also over at GenReality today and every Thursday!
Leave a comment for your chance to win My Preogative.

XOXO
LKap

SURPRISE!!!!

In conjunction with the Sasha giveaway this week, she and I have also worked together to plan her FREE READ to be placed on her site for y’all!!!

Here is a taste:
Max made his choice to stick with Tyla and become a Transplant on Triton. Only things aren't going too smoothly, right from the start. Max wants to be Tyla's only lover, and for a Triton woman, monogamy is unheard of. Then there's the fact that the queen's ordered Tyla to marry a Durian prince in order to prevent a war. Nothing brings two people closer together than facing a common foe, but can Max and Tyla stop the marriage and still prevent a war?


ABDUCTION - A Free Read Sasha released on Feb 13th has a sequel. And TRANSPLANT will be released as another free read TODAY. I hope you’ll go check it out.


You have to go to Sasha’s site to get the rest of it. ;-)

Thanks to Sasha for working with me to plan this surprise around her giveaway and me taking over the blog!

Don’t forget to leave a comment here for your chance to win My Prerogative!!!!

Shoes…

What is it about shoes that make a woman lose her mind?

I don’t have the answer. I’m hoping someone else does, because that’s what happened this weekend when I went shopping with Princess.

I started out with a certain pair in mind. You know that favorite pair in your closet that you have to replace because you’ve worn them to death, and want another pair just like them. Yeah, not going to happen since they’re three years old, but I was on a mission none-the-less.

So after hitting all the sites on-line, and walking through every department store, still no luck. I mean really, it shouldn’t be this hard to find a 2”-3” dark brown pair of thong sandals, that aren’t a wedge—HA! They do not exist, I’m telling you. Well they might, to be fair, but I’m cheap and really don’t want to, nor can I afford to pay $300 for one pair of shoes!!! I’ve also come to the conclusion that I either need to be a gladiator or a stripper by the shoes that I’ve found—neither would have me – I’m telling you!

As you can imagine I’m walking the mall with Princess and it’s not about my shopping needs, but hers (as it always is when shopping with your daughter--LOL). And we go into one of those stores where maybe an XL tank top might fit me (but they don’t sell XL, so I’m out of luck), but they do sell shoes. And they have clearance shoes—I have hit the jackpot of un-needed shoes!!!

I was good, really I was. I only bought one pair. They are Hot Barbie Pink peep-toe platforms, but were too cute to leave behind. And if I would have, I would have kicked myself for it. Okay, so they are a bit stripper-ish, I’ll admit, but did I mention how cute they were!!!

See I lost my mind when I saw them. Couldn’t help it, total impulse, because really, where in the hell I’m I going to wear these shoes? Oh don’t you worry I’ll find somewhere ;-D


So have you ever lost your mind over a pair of shoes?

Don’t forget, leave comments all week for your chance to win My Prerogative by Sasha White!

MY PREROGATIVE by Sasha White…Giveaway

What can I say about Sasha White…honestly a lot, but I don’t want to bore you with my gushing admiration of her work. **Twisting arm** Okay, maybe a little gushing.

Her ability to tell a story is unsurpassed in the marketplace IMO. Her voice is strong and edgy (see why I like it), and let’s not forget….HOT! Don’t believe me check out what I had to say about Sasha White's MY PREROGATIVE.

This was my review from Borders.com for this book:

"Kelsey isn't your typical heroine which makes her all the more enticing to read about. Her life might not seem normal to most, but is normal for her. There is always a point in Ms. White's books where you are empathetic with her characters and Kelsey is no different. It couldn't have been written any better! The feelings and emotions jump off the page, erotic or not. Everyone finds their happily ever after in different ways and Kelsey is no different. Poignant writing from one of today's best erotic writers."


If you aren’t familiar with her work, let me introduce you to her as she is one of my favorite erotic writers. **batting eyes** I get this way around her, because I admire her work so much ;-)

To Sasha: Meet everyone
To Everyone: Meet Sasha White

She does what she likes…
…and what she likes is absolutely wicked.

Kelsey Howard is happy with the single life. She has great friends, a fun job tending bar, and a nice apartment. Not to mention the freedom to enjoy a few wild sex games with strangers—the riskier the better. But what she’s really looking for in the darkness is love.
Then Kelsey realizes she’s got an anonymous stranger watching her every move—and every move she makes is arousing them both. In fact, not only is she not scared, she thinks she may have finally found her soul mate. Especially when she meets the mischievous mystery man in the flesh. That’s when the fun and games really start, and Kelsey realizes just how far she’s prepared to go for love.

Read an exerpt

This was not my first Sasha book, nor will it be my last just wait till June when Most Wanted comes out. Yes there will be another giveaway. I have read almost all of her books, and can honestly say her characterization is outstanding.

Don’t believe me? Leave a comment anytime all week for your chance to win MY PREROGATIVE.

On my Thursday blog - you’ll want to come back and see my ramble about Sasha!
I’m hoping if she has time she’ll be stopping in, but be patient our girl works nights and she lives in Canada so check back – often ;-)
I urge you to check her out—you won’t be disappointed!

XOXO
LKap

Vicki is on Vacation this week…

And I’m taking over the blog…muahhhhhhh **insert evil laugh here**

So while the cat’s away, this mouse is ready to play.

Join me next week for a giveaway and a few surprises. No I can’t tell you yet, it’s a surprise ;-)

We Have A Winner...

The number randomizer on google is a great thing. I use it most often when choosing a winner for the book giveaways. Once in a while I'll call out to Science Guy with pick a number between x and y, but really he then wants to know why and who will win and...yeah, love the number randomizer. :)

With that said, we have a winner and it's...drum roll, okay for this book, it's probably more like body counts....

Cynthia Sherrick!!! You've won a signed copy of Karen Rose's newest book, Kill For Me.

Email me your info at vickilanewrites @yahoo.com

Next week, I'll be on vacation, but make sure you come by because LKap is going to take over the blog for the week. Yep, it's hers every day next week. I'll be stopping in to leave a comment here or there (cause I'll miss everybody if I don't).

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and the following week I'll have pics and stories to tell. :D

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

You Gotta Read...."X" post

I was a little worried about what to write. You see I have an opinion on just about everything, but when it comes to writing, I wait for the voices in my head to start talking. This is different, I was asked to write on demand…but bear with me I’ll get there. ;-)

I’m an aspiring writer who is classified as a PRO. I’ve had two rejections, on two different stories. Yep, that’s it – just two. I consider myself an anal retentive perfectionist (ARP). By this, what I mean is, I received the rejections and wondered what it could have been that these works were rejected for. So I analyze, and then analyze again – which really means I write and re-write again.

Sure we’ve all done it, if, there was a critique involved. But one of those rejections was on a query only! And the other was a form letter rejection! So what does this tell you….

Yep - you need to go to YouGottaRead to finish. See you there!!

Karen Rose - She's In The House

I’m so excited to have Karen Rose in the house today. Not only is she an amazing writer, who weaves a world you’ll still have you with long after reading the end, but she’s one of the coolest people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for the past several years.

Karen it’s great to have you here. We’ve all been chomping at the bit waiting for Kill For Me and it’s out, Yay!!

Needless to say, I’m already a huge fan, although you know your books scare the willies out of me. Okay if you’re ready, here goes.

Me: How did you get started writing and have you always written romantic suspense?

Karen: I started writing when a movie-like scene began to roll through my mind, fifteen years ago now. It was new and unique – and really bugging me! It would wake me up and distract me at work. Finally, while on vacation, I thought if I just wrote the scene down, maybe it would go away. Three hours later I was still writing, that one scene having led to another, and another and I was hooked. I travelled a great deal for my job then, and I’d write in hotels and airports all over the US and the world. It was a hobby, one I enjoyed in secret. Only my husband knew I wrote for fun. Eventually, that one scene became my first, very long book!

It wasn’t suspense then – my first two stories were contemporary romances. It wasn’t until I began my third book – I still was writing in secret – that elements of suspense crept into my plot. Eventually, after five complete revisions, that book became DON’T TELL, my first release.

Me: Your now not only in the US , but in London as well, major congrats! Can you tell us about receiving ‘The Call’ and also the call for going international?

Karen: I got “The Call” for my first sale in December, 2001. I was leaving work, on my way to take two customers out to dinner. I’d never met these customers and didn’t really want to do the dinner, but duty called. So did my agent J. I was very calm at hearing the news that Warner Books had offered me a two-book contract. “Yes,” I said, “I think we should take that offer.” Then I hung up, called my husband, screaming. Then I called my best friend, screaming. Then I had to go to dinner with two customers I’d never met, all the while squirming in my chair, wishing I were home so I could call everyone I’d ever known with the news, LOL. I ended up calling everyone I’d ever known the next day.

Me: Are you a plotter or a panster?

Karen: A pantser? No, I’m a plotter, although I don’t do spreadsheets of each scene, color-coded by POV anymore. But I have to know who did it before I begin.

Me: You’re not only a fabulous writer, but you’re also a wife and mom. How do manage to do it all?

Karen: I have a great husband who is my best support and loudest cheerleader. He also cooks, cleans (kind of) and does the laundry. I’d be lost without him. My kids are older now, and more self-sufficient. They can operate the microwave, which means they can cook as well as I can.


Me: Okay, we all know there’s plenty of people who die in your books, but how do you do your research and where do you keep the bodies?

Karen: I keep the bodies in a spreadsheet (I really do). Research depends on the book. Sometimes, like with COUNT TO TEN or DIE FOR ME, it’s in-depth and varied. Other times, it may be a single question to a trusted source.

Me: What’s your favorite part of the job?

Karen: When the story starts to come together and rushes out like a river. Also when something happens, or two threads connect, that I don’t expect. And then I think, “Well, that certainly explains a lot!”

Me: Can you tell us a little about your newest release and what’s coming up next?

Karen: My newest release is KILL FOR ME – the finale to the Vartanian family trilogy and the story of ADA Susannah Vartanian and Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Luke Papadopoulos. KILL FOR ME picks up where SCREAM FOR ME left off – with five dead bodies in a concrete bunker on the river. Susannah and Luke find that five teenagers have been murdered. Another five have been taken, for sale in the sex trade. One lone teenager has survived and escaped. Only she has seen her captors – and they are determined she will not live to tell the tale.

My next book, I CAN SEE YOU, will be released in August, 09. It’s the story of Eve Wilson, who was introduced in DON’T TELL and also appeared in NOTHING TO FEAR. More on this as the summer draws closer!

Me: Any advice for aspiring writers and parting words for our readers?

Karen: Write because you must, because the characters in your head will not be silenced. Don’t lose the love of writing because you’re working so hard to get published. I wrote the book I finally sold five times. Don’t ever give up.


Karen, thanks so much for stopping by, I’ve loved having you here.

Karen: Thanks for having me!

Okay, everyone it’s your turn now. Leave your comments to be included in the drawing on Friday for Karen’s newest release, Kill For Me.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Luck, Fortune, Destiny…X-Posted

So I’m a wee bit late this morning. My computer crashed. How odd is that on the day I’m talking about luck, I turn on the computer to find 34 viruses, 21 of them critical.

No worries, this did not come from my computer. Nope, in fact, I handed the laptop to Science Guy and said, fix it or kill it, please.

Click here to read the rest.


What about you? Do you feel lucky? What to you makes someone lucky?
Leave a comment and you’ll be entered into a drawing for Karen Rose’s latest release, Kill For Me. How’s that for luck?

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Karen Rose - Kill For Me, It's Here and You can Win It

Karen Rose has done it again. Yep, her world is amazing and although it doesn't, there might should be a keep the light on sign with her books.

She keeps you turning pages, staying up late, and perhaps sleeping with one eye open.

Here's the inside jacket blurb:

Six teenage girls have been kidnapped. Five have been murdered. One survived. Only she can reveal the secrets of a disturbing ring of people who kidnap and sell teenage girls on the black market. But those responsible for the crimes will do whatever it takes to maintain her silence.


Susannah Vartanian and Luke Papadopoulos have both sworn to stop the murderers for their own personal reasons. The investigation will lead them to the shady realm of Internet chat rooms, where anyone can mask their identity. They soon discover a chain of deception so intricate they don't know who to trust. Finding comfort in each other's arms, they begin to unravel the intricately knotted threads, but the killers are ruthless and determined, and won't hesitate to take extreme measures to insure their anonymity and keep their business intact. When Susannah discovers an unexpected link to the girl she is trying to save, her life is soon in danger and Luke will do everything he can to save the woman he loves.

To read an excerpt, click here.

Karen may stop by this week, so if you have any questions leave them with your comments. I'm hoping to have an interview with her on Wednesday.

As always your comments can be anytime during the week, leave one each day to be entered more often.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Next Week...

Check back tomorrow for this week's contest...you won't want to miss this one.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Writing Woes…..

So as I write this, it is truly off the cuff. I have no idea what to say this week.
Matter of fact, I have no idea what to write period. No, it’s not writers block, it’s a mental thing.

I haven’t touched any of my own WIP’s in over a week. Of which, I’m ashamed to admit. And I can’t even tell you why, except work has been crazy. And, when I get home, the last thing I want to do is look at a computer screen for another 2-3 hours. But, that aside, the thoughts usually keep coming – this week, not so much.

So I will ramble about, well….writing nothing.

I’ve found myself backing away from writing lately and I don’t know why. Well, that’s not totally true. We all know the nitty-gritty of why we don’t do something. And I have an idea what my problem is, but can’t seem to get past it. I know I excel at editing (used to be a part time gig for the University back home), critiquing (do lots of corporate writing & critiquing), plotting (this is just fun to me – creative), what’s good, what’s not (I’ve read the best authors since before they became big) – Just not in my own work lately. I know woe is me…

There are a lot of reasons that I won’t bore you with, because my first draft was a rant not a ramble. LOL

I’m exhausted and I need a vacation. Not another writers retreat or even a convention – although, I am excited about a few days in Orlando for RT. But in reality I couldn’t afford to do RT and Nationals this year, so I’m just going for a book signing and to meet up with a bunch of peeps I talk with on line. And let’s be honest, hot men and the bar too. ;-)

Ah – I can hear the subtle sounds of the ocean, lapping against the white sands, while a half naked cabana man (okay, to be fair, and a beautiful chick for HHB), brings me another drink with an umbrella in it. An open book rests in my palm, and I immerse myself in the world built by a talented writer.

Not once will I think about what the next words on the page are supposed to be, should be, or needs to be. Nor do I worry about my day job.

I can’t tell you how long it’s been since any of the above has happened – especially immersing myself in a good book. Oh how I miss the time to read, I mean really read. That time spent in a book, where nothing but that world matters…to me this is heaven.

I’m feeling selfish with no way to be selfish. Not a trait I typically condone mind you – but what about me (are you hearing the song in your head too).

Okay enough of my ranting.

Tell me what you would rather be doing, right this minute.

Excuse Me – What Did You Just Say?

Picture this. You’ve plotted your book, or parts of your book. You may have even interviewed your characters, asking questions about their past, their dreams for the future, and you know, how they’re living in the present.

You’ve made notes, done research, and you’re fingers are itching to hit the keyboard. The sun is shinning (that is for you Keri), the weather is fabulous (forgot don’t mention the weather in the beginning or near the beginning), the iPod is on, playing the music this book is written too, and the kids/pets are behaving. All in the world of writing is perfect.

In fact, this book, this secret project, err, I mean you’re book seems to be one of the gimmie books you’ve heard others speak about, but really wasn’t sure existed.

The words flow from your fingers as you continue to tell your internal editor to go away. You’ll fix it after you’ve finished the chapter. Right now you’re flowing, the muse is happy, the characters are –

So, if I could figure out how to add that squeal of a brakes sound above I would have. This is when you’re writing and you’ve got it figured out. Not the actual words, but you’ve plotted what needs to happen in each chapter and you know why it needs to happen to move the story along.

No need to write useless words just for the sake of increasing the word count. You’ve been there before and cutting tons of ineffective words isn’t fun.

Ah, but this is where it gets good. See, I’m really excited about TLIAV, and truly the words are coming very easy. It is hard to turn off the internal editor, but we had a talk and I promised to edit after three chapters were finished. 3,6,9,12…you get the point. So far that seems to appeased the IE.

Last night I finishing up chapter three and although I didn’t have the scene completely worked out in my head, I did know who was in the scene and what the scene needed to accomplish.

So I wrote, first on notebook paper (yep, the old fashion way), which can be dangerous when I really get going. I can’t read always read my own writing. Can you say speed writing.

Everything was going as planned and then Harry (a secondary character) ask “G” a question and makes a statement. I laughed because I knew differently. Really, “G” can’t think that or have a clue what he did might mean that until at least several more chapters.

Yeah, right. “G” answered him all the while I fought to gain control of the keyboard.

He knew, he wouldn’t admit it to Harry and he really didn’t know at the exact moment he said what he did, but now…oh yeah, now he knows.

At least he’s a bit uncomfortable with what he knows inside his head. Hah!

Chapter four is going to be one interesting chapter, that’s all I can say. You know, secret project and all.

So, what about you? Do you find you’re characters moving up your plotting? Is it like once you’ve put the plotting forward down on paper, they decide to mess with?

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Ever Have One Of Those Days - X-Posted

Yesterday was Monday. Yeah, you know the first day of the work week. The day you wake up and wish it was still the weekend or a holiday. Just one more day off, please.

Normally, Monday's aren't really that bad for me, but yesterday was more like a Monday with a Friday the 13th all rolled into one.

I was excited about the new look on this blog and couldn't wait to post something about it on the group blog. My computer had other ideas. Okay so my thoughts sort of wandered as well.
No worries, right? I'll post something later in the day. Or so I thought.

Click here to read the rest and then come back and let me know what you think and if you've ever had one of those days.


WW's and PD's,
Vicki

New Blog Look and Newsletter Contest Winner

The blog has a new look. Thanks so much to Brandy for helping me with adding three columns. Yep, it took a little bit of my Saturday writing time, but I think it worth it. Laurie is still rambling on Thursday's. Watch for her contest each month. The books, the covers, the authors...Nice.

If you didn't sign up for the Newsletter contest, no worries, there'll be another so go ahead and sign up now. :)

The winner for this month's VLN is, gw12cats03. Major congrats!! You are the first ever winner for VLN. Email me your information at vickilanewrites@yahoo.com. In the subject line please put VLN winner.

Going forward, winners of any of our contest, must notify us with their information within a week or a new winner will be chosen. Sorry, but it's hard to keep up with who won and if the prize has been sent otherwise.

Thanks everyone who left comments with what you like to see in a newsletter. And the first quarterly VLN will be out towards the end of March. Yep, a contest will be in there just for those who are signed up.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki and Laurie