YEHAW... Ride 'em Cowboy...

So I'm in the mood for inspiration, and I think I've found it.
Hope you enjoy what I've found for my Thursday Eye Candy.











Don't they inspire you to write?
They do for me...must get back to it.
Hugs
Laurie
LKap

Brenda Novak Mentorship Contest

It's almost time for Brenda Novak's Auction. In caes you didn't know this auction raises money for Juvenile Diabetes. I’m always amazed at how many people give their time and/or products to make this happen.

You’ll find everything from editors and agents reading work to weekend getaways and awesome gift baskets. There’s something for writers and reader’s, so no matter which area you fall into you’re going to love this.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s daily prizes give out as well.

Please check it out. You might find something you just have to have and it all goes for a great cause.

This year she’s added something new and WOW is it very cool to say the least. What you’re going to read below came from her website.

Ever wished you had a New York Times Bestselling author you could go to any time you had a writing or marketing question? Someone who’s had fourteen years of experience and nearly forty books published? Someone qualified to look over your query letter and make suggestions? Someone who understands story structure who will critique your work and, once it’s ready, help you make the connections you need to get published? Someone to take you to Harlequin’s big party at the RWA National Convention, where you can meet those who make this great publishing house what it is? Now’s your chance!

A New York Times, USA Today and Waldenbooks bestseller, Brenda has won many contests and awards and continues to write dramatic, sophisticated, unforgettable stories. Look for her latest romantic suspense novels due out this summer from Mira Books: WHITE HEAT (August 10), BODY HEAT (September 10), and KILLER HEAT (October 10).

WHAT YOU CAN WIN:
A six month mentoring package with New York Times Bestseller Brenda Novak (December 1, 2010 - May 31, 2011)

This includes a starting phone call, unlimited email access, the critique and polishing of one romance manuscript (contemporary, romantic suspense, paranormal, or historical not to exceed 100,000 words).

Mentorship will be followed by:
A read of your manuscript by Brenda's agent, Kimberly Whalen, Vice-President of Trident Media Group

A read of your manuscript by Brenda's editor Paula Eykelhof, Executive Editor at MIRA Books
THIS IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP ONTO THE FAST TRACK—DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE!

WHO ARE THE JUDGES?

Preliminary Round Judges:
Bestselling authors, including Barbara Freethy, Dianna Love, Susan Mallery, Karen Rose, Karin Tabke, and Debra Webb.
Final Judge: Brenda Novak

Please note that judging will be handled in the same way as the Golden Heart. Your work will be given a score of 1 - 9. Entries may or may not receive critical feedback.
HOW DO YOU ENTER?

Simply pay your entry fee right here, then click to download an entry form (link to entry form), which you will mail with your submission (address is on entry form).
Entry must be RECEIVED by midnight Saturday, July 24, 2010. Entries received after July 25th will not be accepted. Entrant will be notified.

ENTRY CONSISTS OF:
Entry form, completely filled out
3 Copies/Sets of first three chapters (50 pages maximum, including synopsis)
Self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your entry returned to you.
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED via E-mail October 31st!

Top 10 finalists will each receive copies of BREAK INTO FICTION by Dianna Love and Mary Buckham and THINKING WRITE by Kelly L. Stone.
Top three finalists will each receive a read by Laurie McLean of Larsen & Pomada Literary Agents.

WINNER ANNOUNCED November 15th.

About the Judges (in alphabetical order):

BARBARA FREETHY is an award-winning, best-selling author of 27 novels including category, single title contemporary, romantic suspense and women's fiction. Her books have received numerous awards including four RITA nominations and one RITA win. Her current contemporary series, Angel's Bay, is set in a fictional town on the California coast.
For more information, visit Barbara Freethy

New York Times best seller DIANNA LOVE has released her energetic muse on writing high-octane romantic thrillers (Bureau of American Defense/ Pocket) and paranormal thrillers with the release of BLOOD TRINITY (Pocket/Oct 2010) with #1 NYT Best seller Sherrilyn Kenyon. Her first book sold & won a prestigious RITA® Award (as Dianna Love Snell). Dianna speaks at national and international events about the innovative Break Into Fiction® Character-Driven™ Plotting Program.
Visit Dianna Love & Break Into Fiction

SUSAN MALLERY is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romances and she has yet to run out of ideas!! She has written series romances, as well as single titles, historicals, contemporaries and even a lone time travel. Always reader favorites, her books have appeared on the Waldens bestseller list, along with the USA Today bestseller list and, of course, the New York Times list. She has won awards for everything from best single title contemporary, to best Special Edition of the year and recently took home the prestigious National Reader's Choice Award.
Visit Susan Mallery

RITA-award winning, USA Today best-selling author KAREN ROSE's debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has released eight more novels and a novella. To date, her books have been translated into five languages. Her third novel, I'M WATCHING YOU, received the Romance Writer's of America's coveted RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005. Karen's ninth novel, DIE FOR ME, was a RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense and won the Romantic Times' Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense of 2007.
Visit Karen Rose

KARIN TABKE writes erotic romantic suspense for Pocket Trade, Berkley Sensation, and Kensington Aphrodisia; historical romance and paranormal romantic suspense for Pocket Star; and erotic paranormal romance for Berkley Heat. Some of the words used to describe Karin’s work are gripping, raw, hot, compelling. Married to a retired street cop, Karin gets the facts right and the emotions riveting.is the author of more than a dozen paranormal, historical, and contemporary novels.
Visit Karin Tabke

DEBRA WEBB is a multi-published, bestselling author who writes spine tingling romantic suspense for St. Martin's Press and Harlequin Intrigue.
Read more about Debra at her website:
Debra Webb

How cool is all of this!!

xoxoxo,
Vicki

She Lives...

Hey guys,

It's been a while (okay, a very long time), since I've been on. Thank goodness LKap is here. :)

The day job has been killer. Seriously killer. It's affected my writing and everything else in what's supposed to be a normal life.

But...

I'm back and will be posting more often. I've been thinking about having some theme days for the next few months to help get back in the swing. More to come on that.

Hope everyone is having a great week and I'll be back tomorrow.

Hugs,
Vicki

Winner and Writing Ramble....

Drum roll please............
from the randomizer - The WINNER is....

Anonymous TARA you are the winner of a shiny ;-)
Contact me so I can get you your prize.

So now onto my writing ramble.

A friend suggested that I give examples of how stories come to me. Well as of right this minute I'm working on one book and decided to do another open call submission. Which means, these characters aren't ones I've let cultivate in my head. I have to create them out of nowhere, basically.

Most times my characters just show up. I know what they look like, they typically even give me their names, I know their basic personality traits and as I put them to paper more of those traits just come out. And I love it when they do something that surprises me and I didn't expect them to do it!!!

For the novella I'm brewing in my head--those traits aren't there yet. And it scares me shitless to think I have to totally create these people from scratch.

Well last night after some long talks with other authors, and friends, I only had a small grasp where this book was going. But in saying that...The damn arrogant man (which is a trait of his I know now) woke me up early in the morning to converse with the other male character. And yes, I looked like an utter fool telling the voices in my head it was too early for this. And HHB asking me who I was talking to. ;-)

But, this is pretty typical for me. I usually get the man's POV first. Don't ask me why...I just do. So my heroine is tight lipped - which is pissing me off at this point since I don't have a lot of time here. But I got a jumping off point for the book--which helps some.

I say some because I only have a few minor conflicts in my head and they are not as strong as I'd like them to be at this point. So more cajoling must be done. And honestly I'm wondering if it will be worth it in the end.

It will, I know it will. I'm accomplishing two things with this task. One, I have a forced deadline. As an unpubbed author I feel it's important to push myself with limits that will be expected of me when I am published. Two, It's also forcing me to create something out of my norm. Also once I'm pubbed there will hopefully be times I'm asked to write with another author, or write to a specific theme. This exercise will only make me stronger. Or so I hope. :-)

So there you have it. My mind, how it works, and how crazy I really am first thing in the morning.

BTW - any writing suggestions on how to get this moving - I'm all for it!!!
I love hearing how others do this process.

Hugs,
Laurie
LKap

Sparklies...

Why is it most women want things that sparkle and shine?

I’ll admit, wholeheartedly, that I am said woman. Just take a look at my jewelry chest. Of course most of it isn’t the “real” stuff, but I’m not tellin’ what is and what isn’t. If you can’t figure it out, I’m not sayin’ a word. ;-)

I even have four different wedding sets. Why? Honestly…who the hell knows. But they were shiny and bigger than my original (which, BTW I still wear most often), and I wanted them.

And it’s not just about jewelry, we like bling on our bags, our jeans, shirts—name it we want it sparkly. I know I’ve gone off the deep end when HHB will look at me funny when I pick up a shirt with sequins all over it and he says, “Of course you like that.”

Which then, leads me to think that men do not like shiny, sparkly on their women. Any men out there – I’d love to pick your brains on that.

The way I see it, as in the animal kingdom most of the male species are the pretty ones, while the female species just picks the one that demonstrates the brightest colors, strongest alpha traits, or prettiest tune. I know there are more examples but I won’t completely bore you.

I’m finding though that we as females are trying to “out-shine” our counterparts, who are supposed to make other males feel inferior to them, that they have won the prize of the female. But here we are trying to shine and sparkle our way into the lime-light.

Odd when you analyze it because if we chose the alpha male, wouldn’t we want to not draw attention to ourselves so that every other female knows how great we have it and try to steal said cream of the crop away? Or then the other theory I have is that men just don’t like to be out-shined—which probably makes more sense….LOL… My mind, sometimes has a mind of its own.

What’s your theory on why we like shiny, sparklies?
One lucky winner will win something shiny (it will be a surprise) - but you have to comment to win. ;-D


Ciao
LKap

Sasha White is BACK.....

As many of you know I'm a reader fan and friend to the amazing Sasha White!

I'm so excited to let you know she will be releasing a NEW short story with Samhain on Tuesday April 4, 2010.

And this book is HOT!!! I loved every word and the chemistry was spot on. I know you'll enjoy it to. So check it out.

One Weekend
Length: Short Story
Price: $2.50
Publication Date: April 6, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60504-976-2

Three lovers. Two days. One bed…
Angie Wilson is a lucky girl. She loves her job, her life, and her man, Rick Craig. What red-blooded woman wouldn’t revel in the attentions of a good-looking, athletic boyfriend who’s secure enough to encourage her most adventurous appetites?

One of the worst heat waves in memory has hit town, and by Friday Angie is ready to really let loose. Craig and his best friend, Mark, are chilling on the patio with cold beer when she gets home from work, and the three get comfortable. As the night moves on and the talk turns to sex, Angie longs for more than just cool air on her bare skin.

And the heat’s making her just crazy enough to go for it.

Other BIG new from Sasha is that she's started a Forum on her website, which is so very cool. Look for a big party next weekend Saturday 4/10 10am E.S.T with chats and give-aways. I know I'll be there!

Enjoy!!! (I did)

Laurie

LKap

Ramble with Write or Die...

I've decided to use Dr. Wicked's write or Die to write my blog. I haven't the slightest idea what will come out of it, but in the 9 minutes and 29 seconds I have left I'll figure something out. Or that's the idea of this little exercise.

A friend turned me on to this and its fun, but I have trouble thinking on my feet and also think that I had too much editing to do once I've completed the time quota. Of course, I didn't go into this with a plot or a plan. I write by the seat of my pants in most cases. And when I get stuck oh look out - I never know what will come out. Even if I have plotted and have an idea where I'm going. But I have 10 minutes at the day job and I've been very lackadaisical in my blogging so I figured this would get it done.

Has anyone else tried this?

It gets the ideas out in the open so if nothing else you have a plot to add to or take away knowledge that you might not have let form on the page otherwise.

So here I sit still writing about nothing, but amazingly enough I already have 207 as of the number there. Pretty amazing if you ask me. And lord knows I can't stop for too long or it will start to flash and play obnoxious music at me until I start writing again--as if that isn't motivation to get your fingers moving.

I bring up this exercise because I am once again stuck in my WIP and will be using this feature to get out of said rut, or should I say maybe it will help my characters to rut. Sorry that was a little forward wasn't it? LOL

I do love the things that I think of which is usually nothing of great importance, but I promise, except for spelling errors I will be posting this in it's entirety just so you can see that as the mind flows the stuff that comes out is sometimes good and sometimes not.

I've also got the distraction of the day job around me and what is usually quiet is now bustling with activity. I'm not good with background noise when I'm trying to think, so as of now my word count hasn't increased too much 394 now, it's crazy in ten minutes I've been known to write over 600 words or more. I don't think that's going to happen.

Oh dear- this is when I hate cube life, after coming out of office life.

This too shall pass and someone will finally get back to work. But me - I still have just under 2 minutes to keep rambling about nothing.

So tell me have any of you done this before and what do you think about it?

Do you find this a useful tool? Or is it a PITA for your writing?

I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but if anyone wants to infuse some insight to me more power to you - I'm always willing to listen to how others write.

Just remember I can't write with music...remember those people next to me, yeah music is just as annoying to me as people chatter when I'm concentrating.

Ok time is up
Have a great Day.
LKap

(Oh this is 556 words)
Add on: now think how much you could do if you really had a topic to write about