Read An E-Book Week

That’s right everyone, this week is read an e-book week! Now, I hope if you are following my blog, you have read at least one e-book in your life (ideally one of mine, but I’m selfish like that). There has been a lot of discussions about e-books over the years. E-publishers are now a staple to the industry, rather than an oddity. Even “traditional” publishers now have a firm presence in the market, opening up this publishing model more than before.

It’s exciting! I love technology (hugs her BlackBerry) and think we are on the cusp of a major paradigm shift when it comes to how information will be distributed to the masses. No, print will not go away. But the digital age allows for broader and faster marketing of material.

I’m an impulse buyer and a pack rat. Like many people I know, I don’t have room for all my books. And no, I don’t get rid of them. Ever. E-books give me more “room”. They are cheaper than print, so I’m willing to take a chance on a new author.

Is the e-book industry perfect? No. We are still working out the technology for easy reading. We are still figuring out pricing. We are still figuring out business models that will work for publishers, distributors and authors alike.

But we are doing it.

Looking to try an e-book? Here are some amazing publishers for you to check out:

Ellora’s Cave

Samhain Publishing

Liquid Silver

LooseID

Cobblestone Press

Carina Press (no books yet, but coming in June!)

And as always, feel free to check out my bookshelf on my website for some of my books.

Happy reading!

No Quarter – Coming March 31st!

Despite everything that has been going on in my world recently, some things can really give me a boost. There is nothing better than finally getting a release date on a book I’ve really come to love.

I’m very pleased to be able to tell you all that No Quarter, my first m/m futuristic is scheduled to release on March 31st from Ellora’s Cave!

*does a snoopy dance*

And to get you all as excited as I am about this upcoming release, here is a small taste of what you will get. :D

Excerpt – No Quarter

Pushing Faolan against the damp stone wall of the dark alley outside the bar, Gar roughly jerked the captain’s hands behind his back and into a set of electro-cuffs. This section of the station was close to ruin from the years of meteorite showers and high acid rain content. The depressing conditions did little to dampen Faolan’s vivacious attitude. He even laughed as Gar flipped him around so they were now face to face.

“God, I bet you have all sorts of cool crap we could use in bed. A little heavy bondage. I bet you’d get off on being the mark for once.”

“If you want to see my gag, keep it up with the smart mouth.”

Gar pressed his com-unit and waited for the connection. “It’s Stitt. I need a cell and a route cleared.”

Faolan’s gaze narrowed, giving Gar the impression the other man was making a quick decision. Whatever it was, it didn’t take him long to come to some sort of conclusion. Licking his lips, his smile slipped back into place.

“Before you and Jason throw away the key on me, aren’t you the least bit curious to know why a man with a bounty as large as the one I have on my head showed up on your doorstep? Because really, stupidity wasn’t in my character profile.”

“One moment please, Jason.” Gar tapped his com-unit again and waited.

Faolan licked his lips again. “While I might be cocky, I’m not an idiot. We raided an Earth Loyalist cruiser a month ago and came across something…interesting. Considering your boss’ reputation, I thought he might be curious to see what the new radicals were trying to smuggle home. He refused to take my calls, so this was the fastest way to get his attention.”

Impatience wasn’t something Gar normally battled with, but Faolan seemed to have the unique ability to test his control. Pressing the barrel of the blaster into the side of the captain’s neck, Gar waited for him to continue.

Instead of fear, Faolan simply seemed amused. “I’m not going to tell you unless you ask nicely.”

Leaning his weight into the blaster, Gar shifted his face so it was only a few inches away from Faolan’s.

“Please,” he grumbled.

Faolan sighed, his eyes dipping shut for a moment before he returned his gaze to Gar’s.

“Someday I’m going to make you beg just so I can hear you say that again.”

“If you don’t start talking, you’re not going to live past the next thirty seconds.”

Leaning forward so the tip of his nose brushed Gar’s, Faolan lowered his voice so it barely reached him even in the confines of the alley.

“We found what I thought was nothing more than some trinkets, a bit of jewelry some Loyalist whore might miss when the ship disappeared. Turns out, there was something a bit more valuable hidden in plain sight. A precious stone the size of an energy capacitor.”

“And why should I care?’

Faolan’s breath tickled Gar’s neck as he shifted his face closer. The scent of musk, erotigen and hydro vodka clung to the pirate like a second skin. Gar’s cock twitched again at the scent.

“You should care, Gar Stitt, because the stone gives its holder the ability to read another’s thoughts.”

Speaking of Henson

Funny how things pop up. I stumbled over this link on Twitter this morning. It’s a blog post from Sugith Varughese on the writing process Henson and the writers used on Fraggle Rock.

Seeing as I loved FR with all my heart as a kid, it is fascinating as an adult and a writer to get a glimpse into how they constructed each episode. I hope you enjoy.

You can read the post here.

What Henson Knew And Pixar Understood

I’ve been thinking a lot about characterization recently. A bit later today I’ll be giving a workshop on how to plot characters. See, I’m a firm believe that while a good, strong plot is essential to any novel, strong character will make or break a story. I’ve seen myself be very forgiving of plot holes when I’m completely engaged in a character and their journey.

This has been brought even more to light for me as I’ve been rewatching some movies with my kids. At Christmas, my oldest daughter bought the Superman movie four pack. We’d been watching Smallville and she wanted to see the original movies. Great! I remember seeing number three as a kid in the movie theatre and thought what a great chance to relive my youth.

PAINFUL!!

I was shocked to see how thin the characters were, their motivation and the large, GLARING plot holes in the story. Yes, they are old, but it was more than them not standing the test of time. Color me more surprised when I realized it was written by Mario Puzo. The Godfather this isn’t. The writers didn’t draw on the rich history of the Superman world, leaving us with only the vaguest of charactures.

I’ve also been watching some of Jim Henson’s older movies with my kids. The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth are AMAZING movies. Like some of the better kids movies out there today, Henson knew that you don’t have to dumb the characters down in order for kids to be engaged. They understand the complexities of adult behavior more than we parents would like to admit. The characters are flawed, make bad decisions, make mistakes, but in the end they realize their errors and come out on top.

Pixar does much the same thing with their movies. My youngest put on Monsters Inc the other day. I was upstairs but could hear the story. There was so much spoken between the lines, the characters were complex and flawed.Finding Nemo is another example. The plots are basic, but the characters are complex landscapes where the writers can build a reaction in the viewed and steadily pull on our emotions.

Building a good character means digging down into their guts and understanding what drives them. Yes, this is very basic, but it shocks me how many people forget this. Jack Bauer and Jack Sparrow will react differently to the same situation (and wouldn’t that be a great movie LOL!) I know myself, I sometimes don’t dig down deep enough to find the core of who my characters are. When I do, I find so much more satisfaction in the resulting story.

Tangled Web – Amazon vs Macmillan

I don’t normally comment on industry going on’s on my blog. I tend to keep my opinion to myself and chat with friends about the ramifications. But this one really had me shaking my head.

I woke up this morning and read the news that Amazon pulled all Macmillan books from their site over a price point dispute on Macmillan e-books. They pulled not just e-books, but all of them. If you haven’t heard about this yet, I recommend reading this article.

I work for a very large corporation in my day job (no I won’t mention the name here). I’ve seen a wide assortment of business decisions, corporate posturing, market jockeying, etc in the six years I’ve worked there. All businesses are out to make money. It’s the point of having one. You get your particular widget, make it the best widget you can and then you sell it. Now some companies don’t sell their products direct to consumers. They use a third party to do that. For example, cell phone companies typically sell their devices through a carrier, rather than invest in a storefront infrastructure to do so.

Publishers sell their books to bookstores (through distributors), who in turn sell to us. Yes, there are exceptions, but for the most part that’s how it works. Amazon didn’t like the idea of selling an e-book for their Kindle for $15. Now, the business side of me really can’t blame them. I will barely pay that for a mass market book. But Amazon’s reaction to Macmillan was way off base. Pulling every book is like shooting yourself in the foot.Take this example.

Let’s say I make a brand of pop called Super Duber Sugar Blast (obviously I’m not in marketing). I sell my product only to fast food restaurants. Now let’s say the biggest of those restaurants and I fight about what they are charging. Really, I would normally have negotiated via contract the price range I’d have wanted the restaurant to charge, but let’s pretend that didn’t happen. We fight, only for the restaurant to come back and say, “Hey, we are in charge of our prices, not you. We’re not selling any of your products in protest!”

Fine. I look across the street and see a competing fast food restaurant. I know they also sell my pop. I smile, nod and walk across the street.

Hello Barnes & Noble.

I’m sure Amazon will have Macmillan books back on the virtual shelves soon enough. They are still out to make a profit and have investors who will be breathing down their necks. What they have unfortunately done, is added another black mark on their records with consumers. After the yanking of the e-book fiasco, this erodes consumer confidence yet again. While the biggest game in town, Amazon isn’t the only one. The mighty have been known to fall on occasion.

For more perspectives on the events, I recommend you check out the following blogs:

Shiloh Walker

John Scalzi

Jackie Kessler

2010 Reboot

I’ve had an interesting start to my year. As some of you know, I’ve been sick for the past month. Not “hey I’ve had a bad flu” sick. More like “hey, this could kill you if you’re not careful” sick. The good news is that I’m on the mend. The bad news is I’ve had a lot of free time on my hands.

This shouldn’t be a problem.

I haven’t been able to write anything since this mess started. Understandably, my creativity has been sapped a bit. But what it has done, is given me time to think. Its helped me focus on what I want my year to be like going forward.

First off, I’m going to start taking care of myself better. That means listening to my body and not ignoring things when they’re not right. Yes, women tend to do this a lot, but I won’t anymore. I’ve also learned that bad things can happen to me. It’s funny, I never considered before that something could. I know that sounds naive, but really, who does. I’m not old, I thought I was healthy, why would I think bad things were about to happen. I now know that I’m not invincible and need to put myself first so I can be there for my family.

On the writing front, I’ve learned that if I want things to move forward, I need to make them happen. No more sitting around thinking I can’t get an agent, or a bigger contract, or write the book I always wanted, just because it’s hard. Of course its hard, and I might even fail. But one thing I know for certain, it will never happen if I don’t try.

So, I’ve decided to start 2010 over. I go back to my day job on Monday after having been on sick leave for a month. I’m also going to start writing again and get those queries out to agents. No, I won’t giver up after getting five rejections and think I’m a sucky writer.

Positive side of life. It’s a nice place to be.

:)

Cover for No Quarter!!!

OMG *drool*

When I’m not feeling good, there is nothing better than to receive something like this in my email. The edits are all done and we’re just waiting on a release date! I’ll keep everyone posted.

noquarter_msr

Blurb:

When bounty hunter Gar Stitt is on the trail of his mark, everyone knows their days are numbered. When he is given a simple locate and retrieve mission, he’s convinced it is a waste of his skills.

There isn’t a more prolific space pirate in the galaxy than Captain Faolan Wolf. When he walks into a bar with a proposition heavy in mind, he’s not expecting anything to go wrong.

Forced from his solitary existence to work with Faolan, Gar can’t deny his attraction to a man who he should put in prison. When the hunter becomes the hunted, Gar must learn to put his faith in a man he doesn’t know, or run the risk of ending up dead.

Guest Blog – JK Coi and The Morning After

Hello!! JK Coi is in the house! (www.jkcoi.com)

Since Christine has gotten herself laid up in bed (and had better stay there until she’s better if she knows what’s good for her), I’ve hijacked her blog today to chat with you all and pimp my new release!! J

Do you want to know what I’ve done since the new year rolled around? Hah!! NOTHING! J

Although, that’s not entirely true. I haven’t started writing a new book. But I have returned to my exercise routine (YAY!) and I have finished writing the synopsis for the recently-finished novel. I have also done some critiquing for fellow writers and gotten a handle on my backlog of work at the day job. So I guess I’m not completely useless.

But the itch to start writing something new is there and it’s strong. I’m trying to ignore it for a little while longer, because I desperately need a bit of a break (even though the mind is willing, the body is weak—or something like that). The last five months have been CRAZY at the computer. Still, I don’t think I will be able to hold out much longer. For me, writing isn’t something I like to do in my spare time, it’s a gift that lives inside of me and if I don’t use it, I feel incomplete. (I know, check out the melodramatic writer.)

But to hold me over, I do have a new release to celebrate!!

The Morning After is out this month from Ellora’s Cave!

This story was a little different for me. It has no vampires, demons or immortals, and the hero and heroine aren’t caught in a life-or-death situation. Boring, you might ask? Absolutely not! The depth of emotion and level of electrifying heat between these characters was amazing and I LOVED writing it. I hope that you will all enjoy it too, and to whet your appetites I leave you with an excerpt:

Blurb:

Waking up naked in bed with a man’s arms holding you close wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing…except when that man is your husband.

Leslie has tried so hard to put Leo’s betrayal behind her—the ink was almost dry on the divorce papers. But when circumstances throw her in bed with her estranged husband one last explosive time, Leslie learns how quickly anger can turn to passion and hurt can turn to need, even while she knows there’s no way she can ever trust him again.

What Leslie considers goodbye, Leo insists is only the beginning. But the damage between them runs too deep, and sometimes, the only thing more devastating than the night before, is the morning after…

Excerpt:

Consciousness came slowly.

It started with a groan, a deep breath, and a fuzzy sense that all was not as it should be this bright new morning. Indeed, the fact that warm light penetrated her still-closed eyelids at all was worrisome, since her large bedroom windows should have been covered by the heavy, thick drapes she’d spent a small fortune to have custom made.

The sunshine wasn’t her only reason for coming to the conclusion that this morning would offer a few extra challenges. The relentless pounding in her temples, and her pasty, dry throat was also a pretty big clue.

Being buck naked beneath the soft cotton sheet was another.

However, the biggest and most compelling sign that Leslie Stevenson was in serious trouble on this particular morning came courtesy of the heavy, even breaths raising gooseflesh on the skin of her nape. The warm, wide chest pressed up against her back. The thickly muscled arm draped over her waist. The hand cupping the weight of her breast. Especially when her memory of just how the as-yet-unnamed—and very naked—man might have ended up in this bed with her was proving to be an elusive one.

Daring to open her eyes, Leslie bit back an oath as a fresh spike of pain knifed through her forehead to the back of her skull. She didn’t think she’d had that much to drink last night.

How did I get here? Why can’t I remember?

Lifting her arm, she moved to push her hair out of her face, but stilled suddenly as the hand around her breast…squeezed.

She held a harshly drawn breath, waiting nervously. Was her mystery bedmate awake then, or just a grabby sleeper? Could she somehow slip out of here without having to endure the awkward morning after, since it seemed she didn’t even have the benefit of memories from the night before to make said awkwardness worthwhile?

She shifted her hips and started a slow shuffle out from under him, but didn’t get very far. The arm tightened around her waist, pulling her back into the cradle of his solid, warm flesh. She gasped as bold evidence of a raging morning hard-on pressed intimately against her buttocks. The hand clutching her breast repositioned itself, a calloused thumb flicking across her nipple—which tightened beneath this stranger’s bold touch. Her body betrayed her, sending a sharp thrum of intensity to her belly until she wanted to thrust her hips back harder against his erection.

She groaned and shut her eyes tightly as his hips pushed forward, as his cock slid deeper into the crack of her ass. Damn. There should be at least some small nugget of memory to tell her how she’d gotten herself into this particular tight spot, but the details of last night weren’t becoming any clearer, even as soft lips dropped to the curve of her shoulder.

It shouldn’t feel this good. To be held. To be touched.

She remembered her determination to go to the ritzy nightclub last night. Kind of a test. She also remembered forcing her feet to cross the threshold, and then making her way to the bar on the other side of the dark room. She’d ordered a drink in an attempt to numb her scrambled nerves. Leslie and crowds certainly didn’t mix, but she’d been working so hard to overcome the irrational phobia that had made her feel like such a freak for so many years.

But last night she’d felt strong, even though her temples had ached and her fingers shook while she waited patiently for David. Then came the call on her cell phone to say that he was working late and couldn’t make it. And she remembered all her hard-won strength falling away, proving that it had been nothing but a flimsy mask. She had lurched up from the barstool, desperate to be gone from that place.

Until…

He appeared across the dance floor.

With a gasp, Leslie clutched the bed sheet to her chest in a tight fist. She twisted around and glared into the face of the last person she should find herself naked in bed with…

Her husband.

the morning after

Off To The Races – 2010 Goals

So far, the start of 2010 has been a bit rough. Nothing I can’t handle to be sure, but I’ll be happy when things settle. What it has done for me, is giving me the opportunity to think about what I want to accomplish this year on the writing front.

I normally set goals for myself in January, rather than do resolution thing. I don’t know why, but resolutions don’t pack the same punch for me. As I’ve been sitting on my couch, I’ve come up with a small list of things I’d like to get done this year with my writing.

Get an agent. I know this is like putting get published on your goal list, totally out of my control. However, I did put get published on my list one year and it actually happened. There’s more to it than simply wanting an agent. It means I have to ensure the manuscript I want to shop is ready (lots of editing work). I need to do my research on agents who I feel would not only be a great fit for my work, but someone I could work with on a business level. It also means I have to suck it up and actually query people. I did this for a bit last year, then chickened out. I have to change my mindset if I’m going to get an agent.

Write three novels. Anyone who knows me and my word count output shouldn’t be too surprised by this one. I can do it. However, I do want to change things up a bit. Two of them will be erotic romance novels, but I want the third to be another urban fantasy. Most likely it will be a follow up to the UF I just finished. I love that particular world and want to play some more there. So, it looks like I’m going to be busy.

Do more promotion. I’ve fallen off the PR wagon a little bit. Last year was very busy on a number of different fronts, and I had to drop a few of the extras I normally did. That included my newsletter and chats. This year, I’m planning on bringing my newsletter back and do a few more extras. Keep your eyes open. :) And if you don’t know by now, I’m crazy active on Twitter. You can all follow me there as Christine_dAbo.

Find a snoopy t-shirt that fits me. Seriously! Everyone I’ve ever come across is for kids or women with no boobs. And mine aren’t that big! I’ve bought two and have given each of them to my ten year old. I need this one people or I can’t in good consciousness say 2010 was a success. (EDIT: Yes, I did mean t-shirt. I guess that explains how I’m feeling right now LOL! Thanks Leah.)

That’s it! It may only be four goals, but they are big ones (especially snoopy). Do I think I can accomplish them? Of course! We’ll just have to see if the rest of the universe agrees with my plan.

Happy 2010 to everyone out there.

On the last two days of Christmas…

…Christine was sick and unable to get the last two stories up for you! Sorry about that everyone.

12thNight_225x340

The first story is from the talented Emma Petersen, called All I Want For Christmas. The final story is Wherever You Are by the sensational Amie Stuart.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading and enjoying the stories.