Category Archives: mermaids

Food and FLIRTING with Kerri-Mermaid

October 29, 2014Books, Interview, Kerri Carpenter, mermaidsFlirting with the CompetitionPintip

Flirting with the Competition

Friends,

I’m so excited to be talking food with Kerri-Mermaid today! As you may have noticed, we’re big foodies here in the lagoon. That is, if brightly colored drinks with cocktail umbrellas qualify as a food group. And in the lagoon, it totally does. 🙂

It’s been a busy few days for Kerri, since her first book debuted earlier this week. FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION is as much fun as it sounds! Almost as fun as Kerri herself. But don’t take my word for it. Read on to find out for yourself.. .

* * *

Did you know that the two main characters in my new book, FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION, make a food-related bet? Whitney and Jordan are up for the same job. They decide whoever loses buys a traditional steak dinner with all the fixings for the other. Who doesn’t love a steak dinner with some creamed spinach and a nice big glass of red wine! Okay, maybe I’m revealing a little too much of myself. On to the questions….

1. What is your favorite food?

Pizza!!! I actually had my favorite pizza when I studied abroad in Italy. But here in the States, I like it with extra cheese and anchovies.

Kerri at a Pirates game with one of her favorite “Pittsburgh” foods – a pierogi!

2. What is your favorite food memory?

My family is Italian and we do the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve – spaghetti with anchovies, scallops, baccala, and more. This is my favorite night of food the entire year! I have so many memories of cooking with my mom, dad, and Nunnie on Christmas Eve, I don’t even know where to begin.

3. What are Jordan and Whitney’s favorite foods? What do these foods reveal about them?

My hero Jordan is a carnivore – give him red meat and any kind of burger and he’s a happy camper. Although, sometimes he’ll order a nice piece of fish. Totally fits him too. Just when you think he can’t get any more alpha, he’ll surprise you.
Whitney is all chocolate, all the time. Unless she’s being challenged, then she’ll eat anything.

4. What food would be involved in their first date?

Funny you should ask that. While they’re stuck in the elevator together, Jordan describes where he’d take Whitney on their first date. They’d take his family’s boat up to Annapolis and dock it at this little hole-in-the-wall that has the most amazing crabs!

Bibs, mallots – Isn’t there something fun and satisfying about working for your food!

5. If you had to pick one for the rest of your life, would you choose to have mediocre food and excellent sex OR mediocre sex and excellent food? What would Jordan or Whitney say?

Whitney: Excellent food, definitely!
Jordan: Excellent sex, for sure!
(Whitney and Jordan look at each other, smile, and run off somewhere in a hurry.)
Kerri: (Rolls eyes at characters.) Um, I can’t answer this question. My mom will be reading it. *Grin*

Order your copy of FLIRTING WITH THE COMPETITION, available now!

Conference Magic: MerSisters, New Friends, and life altering moments

October 21, 2014Conferences, mermaids, Motivation, Susan Jeffery, WritingNJRWASusan Jeffery

I will confess: I live via nega-talk too often. The devil on my shoulder whispers, “Why do you even bother going to the gym? You never get anywhere, and then you cop out. Save yourself the trouble: stay home.” She says, “Why do you keep banging your head against writing? You start and stop, change your mind, and doubts are your best friend. Nobody will miss you…” And “Why in God’s name are you going to a conference? You spend so much money and you spend too much time being I didn’t know that last Friday and Saturday were days to change a life: getting up early, driving with The Man down the New Jersey Turnpike and over to Iselin for the NJRWA Put Your Heart in a Book conference

Nor did I realize Sister Mermaid Denny S. Bryce, fresh off her Golden Heart win, would stroll into the hotel lobby around noon and we would get to be MerSisters for the next 36 hours. SoFreakinFine!

I hadn’t realized Roxanne St. Claire would offer such an amazing pre-conference workshop. She didn’t realize she would talk herself into laryngitis and have to hire/persuade/inveigle a substitute reader/speaker for Sunday’s Novelists, Inc. engagement. Poor dear! She has my heartfelt sympathy and thanks.

More than anything, I learned that a small conference can be a hidden trail to change your life. The National conference is a tremendous opportunity, to be sure. But these small conferences are a little more casual, a little less intense, and a lot of fun. I saw people I’ve known for years and made new friends (a special shout-out to Kathleen Ann Gallagher – yes, it was meant to be!). The pubbed author’s roundtables offered in-depth insight into the challenges we’re facing today, with the changes in publication formats, the shrinking market, the possibilities, the challenges, and the JOY of a career in writing a romance.

Have you been to a conference you felt changed your life? Share!

Mermaid & Friends: Vanessa Barneveld Swims with the Mermaids

October 17, 2014Books, Giveaway, Interview, mermaids, Mermaids & Friends, PintipBloomsbury Spark, This Is Your Afterlife, Vanessa BarneveldPintip

Friends, I had a very special day planned for the lagoon today. I was all set to welcome the fabulous Vanessa Barneveld, whose YA novel, THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, debuts in four short days, on October 21. I’m a huge fan of this book — not only is it fun, fresh, and touching, but it’s all delivered in Vanessa’s smooth-as-butter voice.

So you can imagine how excited I was when Vanessa agreed to dip a toe in the lagoon. But alas, due to travel difficulties (Vanessa lives in Australia, after all), she couldn’t make it. But not to worry. She promised she would send a replacement. Ah, here comes someone now…

KEIRA: Hi. I’m Keira and I’m clairvoyant. But I’m not your interview guest today. I’m just here as a ghost interpreter.

PINTIP: Ghost interpreter?

KEIRA: Not everyone can see, hear or talk to ghosts, but I can. I’ll relay everything Jimmy says and does for you and your readers. (Whispers) He’s a shameless flirt, so watch out.

JIMMY: (Coughs) I can hear you, Keira.

KEIRA: Whoops.

PINTIP: OMG. You mean you’re Keira and Jimmy? From the book?!

KEIRA: Where else? Why are you so surprised?

PINTIP: (Stutters) No reason. I was just expecting someone, you know, real. In more than one sense of the word.

JIMMY: Do I get a say in what you call this article, Pintip?’Cause I’ve got some ideas. How about Ghost Host? Ghost Host with the Most? Ghost Host Post?

KEIRA: Enough with the rhyming.

JIMMY: Interview with a Vampire Jock?

KEIRA: You’re a ghost, not Dracula.

PINTIP: Uh, those are very…nice suggestions, Jimmy. I’ll give them serious thought. (Clears throat). Why don’t we get on with the interview? So, Jimmy. Wow. I’ve never talked to a ghost before. What’s it like in the afterworld?

JIMMY: Can’t say I was thrilled about dying at seventeen, but now that I’ve gotten used to it, the ability to walk through walls is kinda cool. I had to learn how to get around. After a while, I figured out all I have to do is think of a location and I’ll be there in seconds.

(Long silence)

KEIRA: (Squints, looks around) Jimmy?

(Crickets chirp)

JIMMY: I’m back! I went to Antarctica just then. Pretty cool. Okay, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, travel. I plan to hang around for the Super Bowl. Gatecrash a luxury box.

KEIRA: You could sit on the goal posts if you wanted to. The horizontal bar thingie.

JIMMY: (Laughs) Glad you clarified that, Keira.

PINTIP: Can ghosts taste or touch?

KEIRA: Weirdly—and I never understood this—Jimmy felt a lot of physical pain in the early days of his afterlife. I likened it to phantom pain that amputees get. It’s something to do with nerve endings. Don’t ask me why ghosts get it.

JIMMY: I’m all healed now, in case you were wondering. I can’t feel a thing.

PINTIP: I’m so glad you’re no longer in pain! What do you miss the most about being alive?

JIMMY: Playing football in front of a home crowd. Hearing everyone stamp their feet on the bleachers. I miss the entire cheerleading squad. My car… But, you know what? None of the material stuff really matters. What I miss most is my family and friends. And I especially miss my brother, Dan. We fought in the days before I died. I loved him. I wish I told him when I was alive.

KEIRA: (Chokes up) He knows.

PINTIP: (Blinking back tears, too) I bet he does. So, out of all places, why did you show up in Keira’s bedroom?

JIMMY: Hey, I had no choice. Another ghost, an old lady, found me, said she knew someone who could help. Before I knew it, she was pushing me through a wall and into Keira’s bedroom.

PINTIP: Did you know Keira before you died?

KEIRA: We were in different classes. He was a senior and I’m a junior. The awful irony is that I was invisible to Jimmy when he was alive.

JIMMY: That’s not true! I noticed you. (Lowers voice) Keira with the long black hair and sexy silver eyes—

KEIRA: They’re gray.

JIMMY: Whatever color they are, they’re pretty.

PINTIP: Very smooth, Jimmy. What were your first moments like being a ghost? Did you know you’d been murdered?

KEIRA: Hold it! I don’t think Vanessa wants us to talk the murder.

JIMMY: Who’s Vanessa?

KEIRA: She’s that author I told you about. Our story—your story—wouldn’t be out there for everyone to read if it weren’t for her. Or her incredible critique partners. Or her agent. Or her editor—

JIMMY: Ha! I get it. No spoilers. Well, the afterlife was confusing for the first few days. When I “woke up” after dying, my head just killed.

KEIRA: That’s a really unfortunate choice of words.

JIMMY: Okay, I had a huge headache. Pain that was worse than any concussion I’d ever gotten playing football. There were big gaps in my memory. It felt like I was living a dream.A very intense, confusing nightmare. My death really hit home when I saw my buddies at school and they walked right through me. Keira helped me deal with all of that.

PINTIP: Sounds like Keira has a lot of wonderful qualities. Your brother Dan certainly noticed. Did you suspect any attraction between these two while you were still alive?

JIMMY: (Shakes head) I was too wrapped up in sports and my own life. I had no clue about those two. Dan keeps to himself. But now that I know Keira a lot better, I think the two of them would be great together. He’s an artist. She’s a creative type, too. And she’s got sexy silver eyes.

KEIRA: (Fidgets nervously) No comment.

PINTIP: What about you? Any cute ghosts in the afterworld?

JIMMY: Hey, forget ghost girls. These Waterworld Mermaids are freakin’ gorgeous. Can I have your number, Pintip?

KEIRA: Nuh-uh-uh, Jimmy! Pintip’s gorgeous and smart and talented, but she’s married. With kids. Go find a mermaid your own age. I know one called Ariel. She really wants to be part of your world.

JIMMY: Under the sea?

PINTIP: Unfortunately, I think she might be taken, too.

JIMMY: (Sighs) I guess ghost girls it is.

PINTIP: I’m sure you’ve got them lined up along the pearly gates already. Thanks so much for being here, you two! And give my love to Vanessa!

KEIRA: Thanks, Pintip! We will!

Aren’t they adorable? If you want to know what Keira and Jimmy look like, click here to see the book trailer.

Vanessa will be giving away a digital copy of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE and a $10 gift card from Amazon to one lucky commenter.

IN ADDITION, because we are so proud of our awesome CP, Kimberly-Mermaid and I will also be giving away another copy of THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE, along with a lavender-themed gift basket. The gift basket is in honor of Keira’s grandmother, also a ghost, whose presence is always preceded by the scent of lavender.

Four awesome prizes! Two lucky winners!* One amazing book! Comment away!

*restricted to U.S. and Australian residents.

BLURB: When the one boy you crushed on in life can’t seem to stay away in death, it’s hard to be a normal teen when you’re a teen paranormal.

Sixteen-year-old Keira Nolan has finally got what she wanted—the captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost and she’s the only one who can see him.

Keira’s determined to do anything to find Jimmy’s killer. Even it if means teaming up with his prickly-yet-dangerously-attractive brother, Dan, also Keira’s ex-best-friend. Keira finds that her childish crush is fading, but her feelings for Dan are just starting to heat up, and as the story of Jimmy’s murder unfolds, anyone could be a suspect.

This thrilling debut from Vanessa Barneveld crosses over from our world to the next, and brings a whole delightful new meaning to “teen spirit”.

BIO: Vanessa Barneveld lives in Australia. She has one husband, two cats, and three Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® nominations. When she’s not writing, devouring chocolate or dreaming of going into space, Vanessa works as a closed-captioner for the deaf and audio describer for the blind.

Social media

http://www.vanessabarneveld.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vanessa-Barneveld/185502258167596

https://twitter.com/vanessab73

Why My Life Is Like The Hunger Games

October 16, 2014mermaids, PintipPintip

As some of you know, I have a newborn baby. And that sweet, darling child has made my life crazy busy these last few months. So busy that I’ve cut back on tv time, exercise time, relax-in-a-bubble-bath time — in essence, “me time” — until there’s nothing left to cut. So busy I fall into bed every night stressed about how little I accomplished — and how much more I need to do the next day. So busy I haven’t been able to read very many YA books.

This last, in particular, makes me very sad. That is, until I realized I don’t need to *read* YA stories. Because I’m living my very own!

Behold: Ten Reasons Why Having a Newborn Baby Is Like Living the Hunger Games

1. You can train and prepare and study all you want, but you won’t know what you’re in for until the moment you step into the arena. Even if you’ve been there before.

2. Your body is no longer your own. Instead, you will have a team of people poking and prodding at your naked form. After the team is done, you will not recognize yourself — whether it is your waxed eyebrows or stretched-out midsection.

3. Random gifts will rain down on you, from the sky or the UPS man. The more lovable you (or your baby) are, the more gifts you will receive.

4. You will find yourself tying or strapping everything in sight — car seats, bouncers, baby carriers, tree branches.

5. Your life is boiled down to the most basic needs. You try not to worry about the finer things (hygiene, hurt feelings, relationship drama) because you’re just trying to make it to the next day, alive. Said things have a way of creeping into your life, nonetheless.

6. Your basic needs are at the whim of the Game Makers/baby. You will eat when (and what) they allow you to eat. You will deal with more bodily functions than you ever thought possible. And if they want to keep you up for days at a time? Game on.

7. Just when you think you’ve figured out a routine that works, they change the rules.

8. You find yourself urging your breastfed baby to take one more sip, just as Cinna counseled Katniss to drink more water, as your child prepares to go into battle (i.e. face the evil bottle while you must be away for hours).

9. You will learn that allies are a necessity not an option.

10. The moment your baby enters this world, and maybe even before, you will pull a Katniss and protect your baby at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing your life.

So there you have it! The ten reasons why my life is like The Hunger Games. Either that, or I’m delusional. That tends to happen when writers are too busy for their normal outlets. 😉

What do you think? What book are you secretly (or not so secretly) living? Please share!

Days Like These…

October 14, 2014Loni Lynne, mermaids, Motivation, WritingLoni Lynne, paranormal romance, Real Genius, romance writing, time management, writingLoni Lynne

http://t.co/sgvHLs4o

Okay, I have to admit lately this video makes a ton of sense to me.

With a recent book release, Immortal Heat (self-published), Distilled Spirits, the sequel to Wanted: One Ghost coming in December, and the sequel to Immortal Heat, Immortal Angel to be written and released in January my head is about to explode! But it’s for the Greater Good….’the Greater Good’.

So if you see me around with a weird smile on my face…it’s just the Zoloft taking effect. (LOL).

Seriously, it’s a great time but crazy. Trying to wear all the hats in a business (and anyone who tells you being an author isn’t a business should be boiled in peanut oil and salted…because they are NUTS!) is not an easy task. That is why there are so many ‘helpers’ out there (and no, I don’t mean the happy pills). There are editors, agents, and promotional specialists who are out there to help take the burden off some of our duties and they are a godsend!

I also have my daughters who are big helps when I need my kitchen cleaned because I’m on deadlines or meals prepared. But still, the job can become overwhelming. I’ve always been a person who deals with To Do Lists, and even they are starting to look like a jumbled mess of manuscript needing to be edited.

So yeah, it’s a job and days like these…well they happen.

What do you do to get through “Days Like These” ?

Hugs!

Late Assignment: Summer Reading Log

October 9, 2014Books, Kimberly MacCarron, mermaidsbook clubs, book recommendations, reading, summer reading logKimberly MacCarron

With several technology-related problems combining like the perfect storm last month, I wasn’t able to post about my summer reading adventure.

When I was a kid, I would take books up into the woods where I made myself a private place to read. It included a blanket and snacks and the book I was reading that day.

As I turned into a teen, my escape into the woods came to an abrupt end. I was way more comfortable snacking on the couch, and the potential for coming into contact with bugs gave me pause. Plus, I loved staying up late into the night and reading scary stories, and the woods were definitely NOT the place to be.

Now that I’m an adult, I still read just as much. I still get that thrill when I buy a new book. I still get that excited energy when I flip to that first page.

When a reader is born, he or she will never give up that luxury. Ever.

I started volunteering in the elementary school for something called The Book Café—a book club for kids. I was privileged to lead a book discussion with five kids who read the same book I did—Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. (That’s a whole other blog post.)

It got me thinking about instilling that love of reading into children at the earliest ages. I read non-stop with my oldest when she was little. Even though she loved the books, she’s never been my reader. Out of my five kids, two are more like me. I have to beg them to turn the lights off and go to bed. They plead for five more minutes. I shut the door, pretending to be annoyed, but secretly I’m so happy.

They’re like me! ☺

Every summer there are a ton of reading programs for kids. There are even some for adults. My local library was asking adults to read five books during the summer months. I think I covered that. I haven’t given each book a certain amount of stars or rated them in any way. I loved so many of them, but there was only one I didn’t like. But as we well know as readers and writers, books are a personal thing. What one person loves, another hates. What resonates with someone can completely turn another off. So, I won’t judge these books by their covers. I won’t even judge them by their words because words strike different feelings in different readers.

Without further ado, here’s my reading log from this summer:

Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins
The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
Six Months Later by Natalie Richards
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

I started the third Outlander book, Voyager, but I’m currently using it as the reward for finishing my own revisions. That plan almost never works, as I was using Darynda’s Sixth Grave as my carrot, and I ate the carrot in one day. The day it arrived. It sat for approximately forty-two minutes on my kitchen table before I decided to read the first chapter as a reward for doing something like fixing one page of dialogue in my WIP. Then I made myself a cup of tea, grabbed a snack and settled in to finish the book.

Of course, that was way more comfortable than trudging through the woods to set up my reading nook.

I’m so glad to be an adult reader…who still continues to keep a summer reading log. 🙂

Anyone have some recommendations for my winter reading log?

Reminiscing about Six Sentence Sunday and a SURPRISE GIVEAWAY!

October 7, 2014Denny S. Bryce, mermaidsDenny S. Bryce

A few years ago there was this thing called “Six Sentence Sunday”, organized by a couple of authors who may not have realized at the onset they were creating a spectacular! It was fun and tons of folks participated. However, it ended officially January 27, 2013. I LOVED this weekly author share, and this morning when I started thinking about what I would post about, I decided to make today (sans alliteration) SIX SENTENCE TUESDAY:)! So, are you with me?!!!!

Here’s what you must do to play–pull six sentences from your current WIP (work in progress) and post in the comments below. That’s it. Only six sentences! I also am in the mood to giveaway some books because I’ve been to every conference, convention, retreat, in the continental US in the past year and have a ton of books. So, the lucky winner of the drawing can pick two of the following: J.R. Ward (CRAVE), Kendra Elliot (BURIED), Jenna Black (The Devil Inside), Laura Griffin (Twisted) and Kristan Higgins (Too Good to Be True).

To get the ball rolling, here are three of my Six Sentence Sunday snippets from October 2011, reposted today for your enjoyment!

From my paranormal romance Gideon about a vampire struggling to keep his promise to a witch:

An hour later, he held Rachel’s hand and recalled the day a hundred years before when a witch’s spell had stopped him from feeding on humans. Before that day, he hadn’t contemplated his destiny. Hadn’t worried about it. Killing was his art. He’d understood that with clarity since 1696—the last thing he’d ever wanted to be was necessary. Now he had no choice.

Immortal Heat is Hot and Historical

September 30, 2014Books, Loni Lynne, mermaids, WritingDacia, Fantasy Romance, Immortal Heat, Loni Lynne, mermaids, Paranormal, Romania, Spicy, writing, ZmeuLoni Lynne

I am excited to finally have the very first book I started writing five years ago (when I decided to go professional as a writer) ready for release!

Immortal Heat was so much fun to write. It started out when I began researching my family heritage. My paternal grandfather was actually Romanian by birth. For years I couldn’t find out much on Romania due to the fact it was a communist country and at the time, the Internet wasn’t even around. Now with the handy little tool you can not only research a place you’ve never been but virtually go there via Google Maps.

The more I delved into the history of Romania I found some fascinating story lines. I didn’t want to do Vlad Dracul since he’d been done so many times so I delved deeper–all the way back to Pre-Roman conquest when Romania was known as Dacia.

What I found out about Dacia was that the Dacians were a mystical people. Their clans went into battle carrying flags and banners in the shape of dragons to scare off their enemies. Until the Romans second conquer–(the first attempt failed)–they were protected by the dark, mysterious forests that surrounded them. Other countries refused to cross the Danube because they were afraid. Even the god they worshiped, Zamoxlis considered his warriors ‘Immortal’.

What great fodder for a paranormal novel, right?! I was so excited!

As I worked and researched further, I read about their folklore and found an interesting creature known as the Zmeu. A shapeshifter who would turn into smoke, sneak into a woman’s bedroom and seduce her, take her to his lair only to have the handsome warrior come slay the Zmeu and rescue the fair maiden. The Zmeu could shift into any form, but he was known for his human abilities and those of a Balour or Dragon. He was the equivalent of the ‘boogeyman’ to children in folklore.

But I didn’t see the Zmeu as evil. I figured if he was ‘Dragon’ then he might have been a gift from the gods to go into battle with the Dacian warriors. His kind might have even been sacred. So I created him as my ‘hero’ and Draylon Conier (pronounced Con-yea) came to life. Think of raven black hair with electric blue eyes and just enough shadow of scruf to make you think of waking up to just a touch of whisker burn– 😉 . There are some pretty serious scenes that my beta readers think are pretty smokin’. So yes, there is HEAT in this book–more ways than just the title.

Immortal Heat is the first book in my new series, The Guardians of Dacia and also my first attempt at self-publishing. I had so much wonderful help in creating this book, a little secret, my daughter Jengi created the cover and my good friend, Magda Alexander helped me with formating and self-publishing support. I have a wonderful editor, Judy who worked diligently with me to make sure all the loopholes were covered–not easy in a paranormal where you create the world to work for you.

So without further ado–I present Immortal Heat, Book 1 in The Guardians of Dacia series!

The Guardians of Dacia Series

Romania has been called the mystical land of paranormal beings and creatures of the night. Before the Romans conquered their land, Dacia was a mystical land of magic and folk-lore until one man and his army destroyed the closely woven fabric set by the gods between man and beast. Now, cursed by their gods over two thousand years ago, one immortal clan struggles to maintain their private world while still learning to live and protect their human brethren while their enemy seeks power to destroy the new world. But as the clans face extinction, a new generation of Dacian blood emerges to unite the clans once more. The world as they know it may never be the same.

Immortal Heat

Dacian Historian…

Determined to study ancient Dacian folk lore abroad, Marilyn Reddlin’s plans are cut short when she is abducted by a dark haired stranger who insists she’s in danger. The only danger she’s in is losing herself to her abductor’s inexplicable seductive energy. Draylon Conier teaches her there is more to Romania than myth and fairy tales while sweeping her into a wild adventure of paranormal mystery and intrigue.

Dacian History…

Thousands of years trying to pay back a debt, Draylon Conier is finally able to do so. Sent to capture a young, American student who is in danger while in Romania, he just has to send her back home. Easy enough for him. Unfortunately, Marilyn Reddlin is determined to thwart his every attempt—even telepathy. But there is more to her than meets the eye and the closer he gets to her, the more danger she is in, not only from the ancient immortal Dacian clans he’s trying to protect her from, but also his own sexual need.

History just got a lot harder.

They must find out what connection Marilyn has to Dacian history before Draylon destroys her when she succumbs to Immortal Heat.

Immortal Heat is available for Pre-Order on Amazon. The release date is October 6, 2014!

To read an excerpt click here: Immortal Heat and The Guardians of Dacia

What Are You Doing This Weekend? – Baltimore Book Festival!

September 24, 2014Conferences, Denny S. Bryce, mermaids, WritingDenny S. Bryce

The next four weeks are going to be CRAZY busy — just the way I like it.

The past two months have been insane. I’ve been buried in the writer’s cave with the occasional ‘break’ to attend events like the Writers’ Police Academy, and this weekend the Baltimore Book Festival, and week after that, PhauxCon (visit website for details:), and then the New Jersey Romance Writers Conference (RWA Chapter) — but in between the travel I am writing, plotting, researching — but it’s what I want to do (and love to do:).

But this weekend you should join me.

I’m a special events kind of gal. I like when people gather to talk about a common interest, to share what they know and care about with people who know and care about similar things, to me that is the heart of a conference – a gathering of people who want to learn, share, and meet! Well, if you’re into books – reading them, writing them, talking about them – you must leave your house this weekend and head to Baltimore, Maryland. The annual Baltimore Book Festival begins this Friday, September 26, and I’m going to be there all weekend! And yes, finding me is the main reason to come to the festival:). Okay, not really, but I am doing more than hanging out, I’m also going to be on two panels (and I’m really excited!).

Let’s begin with some highlights:

Location, location, location – New in 2014. This year the BBF is taking place in and around the Baltimore Inner Harbor (a part of the city I ADORE!). You’ll love it.

Maryland Romance Writers, RWA Chapter, has a full schedule of activities, panel discussions, reader events, and have invited special guest authors from all over. Spend a day or spend the weekend:).

There’s lots more than romance, too! And to make it easy to find EVERYTHING! They have a freaking app! I love tech stuff!

So please take a moment and check it out! But if you want to see me:)…you can find me Friday and Saturday – see blurb below!

Reflecting the World: Writing Diverse Characters

September 26, 2014

TIME
3PM
LOCATION
Maryland Romance Writers Stage
Fostering tolerance and exploring multiculturalism is one of the finest traditions in literature and may be more important now than ever before. Join six authors whose characters reflect a spectrum of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexual orientation.

Panelists: Denny S. Bryce; Robin Covington, Temptation; Ginger Jamison; Laura Kaye, Hard to Hold Onto; Lea Nolan, Allure; Damon Suede, Bad Idea

Page-Turning Suspense

September 27, 2014
TIME
3PM
LOCATION
Maryland Romance Writers Stage
Love thrills and chills? Meet authors whose books keep you turning pages at night and leave you a little bit afraid to turn out the light.

Panelists: Denny S. Bryce; Joya Fields; Avery Flynn, Enemies on Tap; Shelley N. Greene; Laura Kaye, Hard to Hold Onto; Nancy Weeks, In the Shadow of Pride; Rebecca York, Betrayed

Okay, there are TONS of panels, and LOTS of authors to see and if you want to indulge your inner romance author fan-girl (like me), this is the weekend to be in Baltimore!

So, will I see you this weekend? Hope so!

Is it Christmas yet?

September 22, 2014Conferences, mermaids, Motivation, Susan Jeffery, Writingbells, Christmas, Family, lettersSusan Jeffery

Friends, I have a confession to make today. And a story to tell.

Confession: After a summer of industrious writing almost every single day, my writing urge came to a screeching halt. Sometime in August, I believe. Definitely about a month ago. Maybe more. I didn’t panic, because I was sure the root cause would be discovered eventually, and we’d get our little writing choo-choo back on track. And, with the school year started, I’m not exactly eager to strain my back getting pages out. I have Freshmen to train, and Seniors to tame, and a library to run – that is the priority now, until next May. If the writing waits, it waits. I’ll live.

At least, after the CTRWA Cherry Adair workshop last weekend, I do know more about why my story is stalled. Gang, it’s not pretty. Ms. Adair diagnosed my story as “thin”. She had ideas, and my chapter mates backed me up with suggestions for an intriguing bad guy and a twist. Once I get her plot board out of the car, I’ll clean off the dining room table and get my butt back in chair. And that’s my confession. Which brings me to my story, which is about a much earlier stall in my writing career.

Where I write these days.

Story: A long time ago (about 1992), I hung up my keyboard and quit writing. I’d moved to New York two years before, and I was so homesick I really wanted to quit everything – family, home, marriage, kids, all of it. Sitting at the keyboard was an anxiety-riddled exercise. I was an award-winning author with a book out, and I needed to produce, but I was stressing myself out of it. I’d been writing for ten years, and I couldn’t think of a thing to say. There had to be some peace, somewhere. I was desperate to escape my disappointment and self-hatred, so I killed it, my writing, that part of me. Writing couldn’t fight back, because it was in me, and my struggles with it were damaging me. I announced I was done with writing, refused to think about writing, and said I was moving on. Done, Dead, Fini.

Except it wasn’t dead. Part of me knew I was able to write, just that I couldn’t or wouldn’t make a story happen at that point. I wasn’t going to write a book, but I would write letters. I wrote looooong letters to friends (in the days when people still wrote letters, before the internet killed written correspondence). I wrote notes to my mother and sister. I wrote directions to patterns for the sewing classes I was teaching. And I wrote Christmas letters.

My Christmas letters eventually became the highlight of my year. I started them by mid-November, knowing I would need a month to create and polish what I wanted The World to know about Our Life This Year. Each character would get his/her own summary of the year’s ups and downs. I chose a theme each year, opened with a question, wound up with an answer, and a recommendation for calming down, loving everyone and eating another slice of pie. I wrote, trimmed, condensed, and molded my story to fit a single typed page. I reduced margins, added my own illustrations and signed all our names.

I wrote every letter to a friend I had in mind as I wrote, as if I were telling the story to her. And I wrote the ending until I cried. It was probably my favorite part of the process, because if I could write something that made me cry, I could be pretty sure my readers would feel my depth of emotion for the topic, and maybe they’d be moved, too.

Not all of the letters are in my Christmas closet, the cubby where we keep all the trimmings. Somehow I don’t worry about this much, because another friend has kept all of them, and I know she’ll send copies if I ask. It’s not so important that I have the record of them. Writing those letters made me happy, and made other people happy. That was enough. And yet…

Going back to my lack of interest in the summer’s writing this past month, I was wondering just this week – would I be able to kick start my writing a little bit, if I started my Christmas letter early? I feel better, knowing I could have fun, writing another. Maybe it’ll start the juices flowing. And, since I’m wondering about it, I’ll also ask you the question:

How do you get yourself back in a butt-chair-write mood?