A Small Town Girl Comes Home...

Would you like to hear something funny? Most of you know I grew up as a farmer's daughter, but did you know how desperately I wished to get out of that little town?

I lived 15 minutes away from the downtown area of our small town. I had cousins who lived next door and my grandparents weren't 5 miles away. Our neighbors knew us (and didn't hesitate to tattle to my parents if I did something wrong). I always felt like Country Mouse when we went into town. It was an event. My mother would take time to curl her hair and make sure her make-up and clothes were just right.

As I got older, small town was a little bit more fun. Cruising main street was the thing to do. People from even smaller towns would come in and I met some of the greatest people. We had fun, went muddin', laughed, and got in trouble. After all, what else is there to do in a small town? But I dreamed of getting out of this small town and moving onto bigger and better things.

I left just after high school and moved to Long Island, New York to be a nanny. Life got in the way and I had to go back home. I stayed in the same area, moving to a smaller town after I got married. In 2004, we moved to a town that was, well, let's just say it wasn't ideal :) Drug dealers were my neighbors and more than once the cops had to be called. We moved to a little tiny town into a house that I loved so much. It was a perfect setting. 

We got bored and moved onto a town just outside of Tulsa, OK. It was a small housing community, but a big enough town. But it wasn't enough. There was something missing. We moved back to Michigan and stayed with my dad in a small town. It threw me off for the longest time. For 6 years, I had lived in anonymity. Now, neighbors would stop by and say hello or have a beer with Dad. I liked it, yet I still felt out of my element.

We left Dad's and moved to the U.P. (Yeah, I know! Quit laughing!) But guess what? I love my small town. Do you want to know why? Because when I go to the store, I run into people I know. I go to get groceries and the cashiers know who I am. People sitting on their front porches wave as you drive by. I step onto my college campus and I have friends there. Just yesterday, I was leaving what they call a mall here and ran into a friend from school. We stood outside chatting about summer and upcoming classes. It felt good! At the beginning of summer, I stopped by the beach to dip my toes in the water. A woman was walking her dog on the beach. Her little girl came up and took a hold of my hand before she, too, dipped her toes in the water. I saw this little girl in the store the other day and she remembered me. She kept waving at me from her mother's shopping cart. I smiled and said "Hello" to her. My heart was a little lighter. Only in a small town can a complete stranger become a new friend.

Come visit Cedar River and experience small town living at its best! Have week filled with blessings and joy! 

My Fascination with Dragons

I'm not sure when it began, but I have a certain fascination with dragons. As a little girl, Sleeping Beauty was my favorite fairytale. In it, Maleficent turned into a dragon. When Prince Philip slayed her (in the Disney version) her blood ran purple. Maybe that was where it began.

I was never encouraged to believe in dragons, gargoyles, fairies, or gnomes. They weren't "realistic" enough. So, it took me growing up to believe in the world of fantasy. Odd, right?

I remember buying my first dragon statue. It came with the name Jamie. I didn't like that name so I changed it. My baby dragon is named Draco. He's a cutie who sits on a shelf beside my bed. I trust him to keep me safe.

I have a series of holiday ornaments that are dragons. I tend to hang them on my holiday tree simply because they fit in with the color scheme.

Then, there are my stories. The Golden boys seem to hold everyone's attention. When I get messages saying, "When does ____ Golden get his story?" I smile. You must also remember Lance and Cameron Smythe, my beautiful blue water dragons.

I never intended to be an urban fantasy/paranormal author. I think it has to do with the "realistic" side of my brain. I didn't think my imagination would expand enough to see what makes the world of fantasy real. And yes, my world is real... at least to me. I get to play in the land of shifters daily. I've been working so hard on putting a couple of contemporary romances in the world that I feel like I'm dying inside. I think I may have to delve back into the UF/PNR waters to keep from falling apart.  

I am so grateful to each of you who has picked up my books and given them a read. My fascination with dragons fueled the series, but my belief in the impossible keeps me writing. Your belief in me feeds my soul as I write.

If you've read either of my books, please be sure to leave a review on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or Goodreads. You can even drop me a line at gemmakmurray@gmail.com and I'll post your review on my website. I want to hear what I'm doing right. I also am willing to hear what I'm doing wrong.

If you haven't read my books, step into my world and give them a whirl. You never know who you will meet on the streets of Cedar River.

Where is Spring?

I'm well aware that I live in the U.P. and should expect winter to last a bit longer than others, but this is getting to be ridiculous. This is what my first day of spring looked like:

It is pretty and creates a beautiful wonderland for the photos I share with you, but I am getting sick of all this white. 

And in some spots it's not really even white anymore. In the front yards of the townspeople, it is a black/gray combo due to all the exhaust fumes and dirt. At school, it is a dangerous, slippery, nasty mess. My yard? Well, what you're seeing is where the dogs won't go. 

Can  you see where I am ready for the green that will bring my woods and yard to life? I feel as if I'm stuck in an old television show only not nearly as funny. *G*

The only critters I see in my yard are a couple of stray cats someone thought could survive better in the wild than in the local no-kill shelter. (That's a story for another day.)

 

I'm ready for the technicolor world again. The bright greens and blues, the vivid red and pinks of flowers, the yellow sunshine. Ahhh, the way the world comes to life when spring hits. I'm already making plans for my small container garden and all the jams I can make. Of course, that means I need to clean out the freezer and make room. 

 

See how beautiful my world can be? I would love to take a paintbrush out and do a paint by number on my world. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or the money for the amount of paint I'd need.

How about your corner of the world? Is spring showing her presence or is Old Man Winter still working his magick?

*Drumroll Please* Ta-Da!

Last weekend, I spent time e-mailing back and forth with the lovely Kathey at Design by Katt. I contacted her to create the cover for the third Cedar River series book, The Golden Dragon's Treasure.

I will admit I was nervous. I didn't know her and this whole self-publishing process has been a bit nerve-wracking. However, when she showed me the couple she had in mind for the cover...well, she had me hooked.

Kathey took my wish list and created something so magickal. I can't believe it is actually the cover for my book. I am so excited! Are you ready? Okay, here it is:

Because I'm going to try to get this to print as quickly as I possibly can. I'll also show you the print cover. *Squee*

So, tell me what you think. Are you ready for Brady and Silver's story?

I'm shooting for mid-to late May for the release.

Happily Ever After

The other day I was asked about the relationships in my stories. "Why are they complicated?" the reader asked. It made me pause for a moment and think about the relationships I write.

See, my characters live in my head. With a series like Cedar River, you can imagine the noise going on there. Some days I must look like the psychic medium, John Edwards. (The other day, I was explaining a new series to my husband and had one of those, "Hold on" moments while the character told me exactly what I needed to say.) My characters tell me their story and I simply write it down as they tell it to me. I make it as simple or as complicated as they want it to be. (I'm not crazy, I'm a writer :D)

When I wrote Ana's character, I hated her. She was the biggest bitch I had ever met (myself not included). She was so hard on Bowie and I felt she was being unfair to him, but you know what? It all worked out. *shrugs*

Then, along came Adam and Luna. I wanted their story to be simple since they had overcome so much to be where they were, but it wasn't going to happen that way. Instead, they had to work at it and make decisions. They even hurt one another, but, again, it all worked out.

Now, I'm working with two very difficult characters, Brady and Silver. I've stopped and started with them more than any other characters. They are complicated and at different ends of the spectrum. He's quiet, confident, and steadfast. She is brassy, bold, and very insecure. I had to laugh when Brady told me who he had chosen to be his lady. I had an ongoing conversation with him for three days. "Seriously? She's a hot mess, you know that, right?" He'd smile that sexy smile of his and say, "Yep." Now, I am at 71,000 words and I'm still not done. (For a quiet guy, he certainly had a lot to say. LOL)

But it hit me the other day, why do I love this set of characters so much? Because they remind me of my husband and myself. The reflection I see when I look at them simply brings me joy.

So, dear reader, let me answer your question for you:
My characters have complicated relationships because love is messy and complicated. Love is never cut and dried. It's an organic, evolving thing which needs to be nurtured, pruned, and fertilized. My characters want the REAL love. Happily ever after happens in fairy tales. I've been married for almost 20 years and as much as I love my Knight in Tarnished Armor, he's not perfect and neither am I. Our love isn't perfect either. We hurt one another whether we realize it or not, but we don't walk away. We fight and fuss, but we make-up because we're crazy that way.

As Valentine's Day rapidly approaches, this is my Valentine's Day wish for you:

May you find your hot mess and see them for what they really are...someone worth believing in and fighting for. May you find the one who will walk through fire for and with you. May your love be a messy, complicated puddle of passion. XOXO 

A Mish-Mash of Topics

I've been dealing with so many things lately that I have forgotten to do a lot of things, including visiting with you!

With school back in session, I now have homework to add back onto my list of things to do. I'm taking a creative writing class this semester and I'm really excited about it...except for this whole poetry thing. 

Don't get me wrong...I love poetry. I spent many years of my life pouring my feelings onto paper in the form of poetry. Unfortunately, I didn't really study it. The forms, feelings, etc. of other poets have not been my focus. Now, I have to keep a poetry journal where I write 100+ words about the poem, another 100+ words about the author's thoughts, then a poem of my own that follows the form of the author. Let me just say, I'm behind.

I also had the impression I would finish Book 3 in the Cedar River series before I went back to school. Hahahahahahaha! I'm at 62,000+ words and I still am not done. I have a lot of story to tell in this book. I'm introducing so many new characters plus I have two big events to get written in. I am beginning to wonder why I set goals. Maybe I should simply forget it. It may work better.

I went to find a pair of socks and couldn't find any that were clean. That tells me the laundry was WAY behind! I rarely wear socks in the house. I'm a barefootin' it kind of gal, but lately, it has been cold enough that I've needed socks. Even my thick socks were dirty. *Sigh* So, I put in a load of laundry since underwear is the next thing to run out and I CANNOT let that happen :D

Oooh, before I forget to mention it: I put a contest up on my website on Friday. With an iPad 2 to giveaway plus a couple of gift cards, I expect to see people entering. I'm doing this because I promised my readers a giveaway when the 2nd book was released. It took me a little time to get all the legal junk together. But it will run through April 1st, so stop by and enter.

With Valentine's Day around the corner, you may need to buy a gift for that someone special. Be sure to check out my books (listed on the left hand side) for that urban fantasy/paranormal romance lover on your list.

I need a little pop of color today. My world is coated in white so I feel as if I'm living in a black and white film at the moment :D This lovely flower pops up every spring just outside my door. 

I took this in the fall. I actually had dipped my toes in that water. It was that warm. And since I'm craving warm weather, this seems appropriate. My painted toes dug into that cool wet sand and the water splashes against my ankles...*sigh*

With homework to do, I will get this posted and start my work. I hope you all have a blessed week! Stay warm/cool! (Depending on where you are in the world)

BRRRRRRRR

The past few days have been down right frigid. We had a night with wind chills of -30. Remember the comment I made a while ago about making sacrifices to live in such a beautiful place? I will draw the line at losing toes or fingers. *grin*

I am kidding. I would draw the line at that, but I haven't lost any extremities...YET! 

The cold, however, has inspired me...to finish Book 3. Why you ask? Because it is set during the summer. I'm a writer so my imagination runs away with me at times. I can feel the summer breeze coming off the lake and dancing across my skin. Sunshine heats the air and my cold body. The warmth fills me with life. Then, one of the dogs begs to go outside and I get cold again. 

It's when I stop writing that becomes worrisome. I have had the thought of becoming like a big ol' bear. You know, crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and sleeping in my warm cave until spring? *grin* I do fight back that feeling because I happen to know winter is just beginning here. In March, we usually get our snow. A lot of snow!

This is the view from my front yard last March. I can only imagine how the weird weather will effect us this year. 

My backyard view

I probably should explain how much I love getting snowed in. For us, it means cooking comfort food, cuddling under the covers, and watching movies. It also means sleeping in and getting to skip school. Yeah, I'm a little kid at heart. Snow days are even better now. *wink*

Oh heavens! Well, the dogs are begging to go outside and that means bundling up to go out. If I don't freeze out there. I'll see you in a few days :)

Stay warm! Be safe! Stay inside and read. I happen to know of an author who MAY have a couple of books out...

Farewell, my darling daughter

Yesterday, I awoke to one of the saddest things in my life. My darling canine daughter, Kodiak, had crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

She was our first canine kid. In fact, I often told her she started this whole mess :) The backstory to Kodiak coming to live with us is this:

In 1998, I had gone through everything I could handle to try and conceive a child. We decided to buy a house for the time when the blessed event would occur. We moved into our house in November of 1998. November 15, my doctor phoned to tell me that she couldn't see the reason, but from test results, it appeared as if I would never have children. (A doctor later would tell me she believed it had to do with my father being exposed to Agent Orange while in Vietnam.) I was devastated. My whole life, I wanted to be a mom. Adoption was a pipe dream and way out our way, pay-wise.

In December, my husband came home from work with an idea. What if we got a dog? I hemmed and hawed, not sure that was the answer. Finally, I said, why not? We had a huge backyard and plenty of time. Isn't it funny that a guy the hubby worked with just happened to have brand-new chow mix puppies to give away? *grin*

New Year's Eve 1998, my husband went to work. He had to work until noon (loads of overtime), but he was bringing home a puppy when he returned. Because we were set for a HUGE snowstorm, I had him pick up a collar, leash, puppy food, etc., to get us through. He came home with this little wriggly ball of black fuzz. He handed her to me and I fell in love. He said, "Here's your daughter." I snuggled her and cried. She promptly peed on me :) 

For 14 years, we were blessed with Kodiak. Never a day went by that we regretted bringing her home. We loved her with everything we had and spoiled her rotten. (We've done that with all of our canine kids.) She's moved with us from our house to her grandma's house to three different places in Pennsylvania, out to Oklahoma, back to her grandpa's, and here to the U.P.

I miss her so much. There is a Kodiak-size hole in our family. I told my husband last night, "I don't know how to be a mom to 4. We've always had 5." 

Farewell, my darling daughter. We love you and will miss you until we meet again at Rainbow Bridge. Kiss your brother and sister when you get there. Tell Dad I love him. We'll see you again.

I Count You Among My Blessings...

Our breakfast was delicious. The presents are all unwrapped. Dinner is digesting and all is quiet at our house. It was actually one of the best holidays we've had in a long time.

The canine kids received plenty of toys. 

Diesel with all of the loot

The hubby got a new football jersey and a whole bunch of DVDs. Me? I got books! There was a new Nora Roberts under the tree along with the Shelly Laurenston Pack series. I also had some wonderful jewelry and a few chick flicks. Yes, I am blessed.

I have been very blessed for the majority of my life. I've always had people who love me and support me. 

But you are the blessings  I never expected. You have all blessed my life in ways  you will never truly understand and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Bright blessings from my home to yours!

The Results of Draco

If you're new to my blog, you will find that I LOVE to take pictures. I live in such a beautiful place that it only seems right to catch it, digitally, and share it with you. 

So, Winter storm Draco hit us yesterday, but, as I posted yesterday, he didn't hit with the force the weather men were predicting. Of course, I'm Michigan born and raised. It takes a storm of pretty massive proportions to impress me.

Yes, this is my backyard. Can you see why I love it so? I decided to take my camera out when I walked the dogs this morning and captured these.

My poor little apple tree! 

So, this is the view of my winter wonderland. And, yes, that is how I see it. Do I love the cold? Not really, but it's part of the territory. There are certain sacrifices a person has to make to have the view I have. These are sacrifices I am more than willing to make :)

Happy Solstice to all of you! Yule is in full swing in our house. A few extra gifts to pick up, mainly stocking stuffers for the canine kids. We wish you and yours the best of the holidays!

Be sure to stop over to TRS parties to enter to win an e-copy of Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart.

Want to keep up on the happenings around my world? Be sure to visit my website and sign up for my newsletter. 

Happy Birthday to My Dad

 

As most of you know, my father passed away just after my 40th birthday. Well, today would have been my dad's 63rd birthday. 

This is the first time I won't be able to call him and harass him about being an old man.

This is the first time where I won't be able to promise him a lemon meringue pie when he comes to visit.

It is breaking my heart. I know he's in a better place and I know he's not under the stress he was when he was here. It's only been 5 months and I miss him terribly. I miss his laugh and his voice. I miss his phone calls with goofy questions about my book. I miss hearing how proud he was of me. And his hugs. My dad gave these hugs that would squeeze all the air from you. They were the best!

As I type up this  post, my husband is playing some zombie game on the Kindle and Diesel is handing me his stuffed spider as he wants to play. The characters in my head are still feeding me loads of things to write. My life has gone on in the last 5 months. I haven't been stagnant by any means and that I know would make Dad proud.

I'm healing gradually and that can only take time. I owe a lot to my readers, friends, my FB friends, my husband and canine kids along with my faith are helping me through. I still have bad days and I'm afraid today will be one. I carry the Dr. Suess quote in my heart every day. It says, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

*blows kisses to the wind* Happy Birthday, Dad! 

Love and blessings from my house to yours,

Silver Interviews Gemma

So, I was trying to think of some sort of humorous story to write about, but none sprang to mind. You see, my life outside of my head isn't nearly as exciting as the one reeling in my head. I have been wracking my brain trying to decide on a topic.  Finally, I decided to let one of my characters interview me. Silver seems to be the one jumping up and down, waving her arms frantically, so I guess I'll give her a shot.

Let me tell you a little bit about Silver. She is from Witch Lake, Michigan, a little town just south of Cedar River (you know the place I moved north). She and her twin sister, Starr, are Celtic witches. Silver's element to call is fire and once you get to know her, you'll understand why. Silver has a very funky style and she loves keeping the second Golden boy on his toes. You'll get to know more about Silver once I finish Book 3, but for now, I'll let her do the talking:

Silver waves- Hello all! Good to see your faces today. Alright, Gemma, are you ready?

As ready as I'll ever be.

Great! We'll start with an easy question: How long have you known you would be writing a paranormal series?

Oh goodness, Silver. I never intended on writing a paranormal series, let alone two. I had a dream about this amazing place and the people who shifted into animals. I thought I had eaten something that disagreed with me. 

So, you're saying we all came to life because of something you ate?

No, that's not it at all. I never intended on being a paranormal author. I never dreamed of having the imagination it took to write these worlds where people became animals or witches threw fire balls. My chosen romance genre was contemporary. I write "real" stories. But this dream just wouldn't go away. Ana haunted me day and night until I finally wrote it all down. I wasn't going to send it out to publishers, but then, Bowie stepped in and

showed me I was wrong. I fixed what needed to be fixed and I began the submission process.

Ana tends to do that to a person. *Silver smiles broadly* Did you learn anything about yourself as you went through the process.

*Gemma smiles* Actually, I found out how passionate I am about the community of Cedar River. All of the residents crawled under my skin and began to inhabit my daily life.

One publisher wanted me to switch the genre and I started to doubt whether I knew what I was doing. Then, I realized if I just listened to the voices in my head, I'd be okay.

They wanted you to switch the genre? To what?

*Gemma laughs* The one publisher believed the story should be a young adult story based on the first three chapters.

*Silver spits her tea at Gemma* Sorry about that, but seriously? Apparently, they hadn't read the maple syrup scene with Bowie and Ana. Hot by the way. Or the seduction scene. I may have to try something like that with Brady. Anyway, I'm glad you didn't change it.

*Gemma wipes her face* No problem, Sil. I know. I was offended with that suggestion. It would change the entire integrity of the story and the series. Thank you for the compliment.  You and Brady are progressing nicely, I must say.

Not fast enough for me. *Silver glares at the author in front of her* Can I tell them about Ana and Bowie's baby?

No! That is for Book 3. I know. You know. Hell, the entire town of Cedar River knows, but the readers don't. It's a secret for now.

Are the religious zealots done with Cedar River?

Not by a long shot. They are determined to re-group and re-load.

Crap on a cracker! What about Witch Lake? Do you know where that series is starting at yet?

I think Starr wants her own story first, though Slate is pushing hard. Starr's preference for women is making it tough since I'm not sure exactly where to start..

*Silver's eyebrow arches, her sterling silver browring catching the light* Well, sweetheart, you start at the beginning. Isn't that where all all stories start? Maybe Starr just isn't ready for her story yet. You may have to start with that smokin' hottie, Slate. He's so dark and serious. Until he opens up, then he's a helluva lot of fun.

*Gemma stares at Silver* Slate's fun? He's so intense. I'm worried he'll never lighten up. He scares me a little bit. 

Psshhhtt! You'll pair him with the right woman.

Sadly, he's already chosen the love of his life, but his intensity hides a HUGE insecurity issue.

Wait a minute! You have completely steered the topic away from yourself.

*Gemma sips her lemonade, glancing innocently over the sugared rim* Who me? I simply answered your questions.

Match and point, my authoress friend. But don't think this is over. We'll return to this someday soon. I still have a lot of questions for you.

I will be looking forward to it. Besides, Brady is beckoning me to come out and play. It seems our uptight dragon may have a few tricks up his sleeve for a certain witch I know.

*Silver's lavender eyes twinkle with delight* Oh goodie! I'll let you go play with Brady then. Thanks for chatting with me, Gemma!

A View From Paradise...or Close To It

I went out to take pictures last weekend & ended up with two entire rolls of, well, nothing. I picked up my pictures and had two rolls of black. Nothing on any of them. Pissed me off! So, my darlin' hubby and I went out to take more pics for you with my trusty digital camera.

The marina was full and the beaches were pretty empty. Being the people we are, it was our kind of day:) The water was calm, which isn't nearly as pretty as when it's a windy day, but I made do with what I had. Can any of you understand why I love living where I do?

For some reason, it has always been important to me to live near the woods and the water. We lived in Pennsylvania. Our house was in the woods with a beautiful creek running through my front yard. (I'll post pictures some time.) When we moved here, my husband came up on his own and worked for a month before I could move up here with the dogs. He had to find the house on his own & I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried. He told me about this little cottage and I was really unsure. I'd never been to the UP before so I didn't know what to expect. We crossed Big Mac and tears filled my eyes. There was some part of this place that sang my heart's song. Four hours after crossing the bridge, we pulled into our new home. My heart skipped a beat because my hubby did very well. He proved to me that he knows me better than I thought.

So, this is my view of paradise. If you've ever seen the movie "Escanaba in Da Moonlight", the narrator tells the viewer that he lives "nort' of the bridge and a little sout' of heaven." I didn't believe it until I came here, but the only way you're going to closer to heaven is by dying.

I've started a Pinterest page for those who want to check it out. You can find me here: http://pinterest.com/gemmakmurray/

I hope you enjoy my pictures and you can see where the inspiration for Cedar River comes from. It certainly isn't hard to write a story set in the beauty of the Upper Peninsula.

Blessings on you and yours!

As If I Didn't Have Enough To Do...

Today, I did something I never dreamed I'd do. I started a Facebook page for my Cedar River series. I cannot believe I went to this length, but a friend of mine made the suggestion over the weekend. It stuck in my mind all weekend long so I finally decided to give it a try.

The Cedar River series FB page will be a place for readers to ask the residents questions and get replies. Yes, the fictional characters will the ones posting and making comments. Like us here- http://www.facebook.com/CedarRiverSeries  and you can ask those burning questions you may have.

Ana's kicking things off, but any of the characters will be popping on from time to time to let you know what's happening in their lives.

You'll Notice Some Changes

I have to apologize to any of you newcomers. I have pulled all pictures from my page with the exception of my personal photos.

It appears as though using pictures you find on Google will cause you to be sued.  (See here for more details: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fpubrants.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F07%2Fblogging-authors-beware-you-can-get.html&h=-AQHlKYKl)

I can't afford to be sued so I have yanked it all down. However, I will promise you this: I will be out taking pictures from around my area and posting them for you to see. I live in the most beautiful spot in the world and would love to share my corner of heaven with you.

Please be patient while I get my photos together.

Interviews, Interviews, And More Interviews

I am spending the day on the lovely Kayelle Allen's Romance Lives Forever blog. Click the banner above to come read what I have to say about writing, Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart, my life, and the upcoming release.

I also stopped by to visit with Christina Tetreault on her Happily Ever After blog. Stop in to see what I had to say there.

As you can see I've been busy and it's only going to get better. Visit Kayelle's blog to see what I have planned with the release of Book 2.  Lots of fun to be had for everyone!

My Special Guest, Virginia Nelson

When I needed to do promotional blogs for Keeper, my dear friend, Virginia Nelson, raised her hand and allowed me to guest blog one day. It's time to return the favor since she is such a busy lady. She had two books release in one week! Whew! Her schedule wears me right out. Everyone, this is Virginia. Virginia, this is everyone.

Tell everyone a little bit about yourself, Virginia:

I’m a single mom of three awesome teenagers who lives in Northern Ohio and generally spends most of the year buried under an insane amount of snow.  When I’m not writing or plotting world domination, I like to draw, play in the mud and sing off key.  My kiddos support my writing, which is good because they know how to make really good coffee and usually are faster than me at telling people their mommy is a writer.  When they proudly announce she writes smut, it is kind of funny the looks we get.  I get my ideas from life and from everywhere around me which is good since I write a lot.  If the people around me weren’t so inspiring, I might have a much harder time doing my job.

I love that they tell people you write smut! Your kids crack me up.

Blurb-

Hangover, check. Ship, check. Hot babe, check.

Sterling McCabe woke to a lovely lady pirate stealing his ship. What he didn't plan on was the assault she'd make on his heart.

Jamie Ashley stumbled over a priceless necklace. What she didn't plan on was stealing the very sexy Sterling McCabe's ship in a mad dash for American waters.

Constantly battling their attraction, Jamie and Sterling are in for a rough ride. Jamie yearns for the affection of the beguiling Sterling while McCabe is desperate to slake the raw desire for his little pirate.

Boat chases, wild friends and a sea tempest create the perfect storm of sexual tension...

You know this is getting added to my Kindle ASAP, right? *grin*

Now for my Ten Tantalizing Teasers-

Plotter or Pantser? Plantser?  It really depends on the book.  Some of them I plot out, outline form, and know just when everything is going to happen.  Odd Stuff was written entirely in reverse, last chapter first, and I had no idea how the story began when I started writing that last chapter.  Most of my stories start out with a first chapter clear as a movie in my head and just kind of spin out from there.

Which Goddess best defines you?  Ohh…LOVE this question.  Athena and I even named my daughter after her.  She not only was represented by the owl (one of my favorite animals) but she is in charge of wisdom, war and art.  What author doesn’t identify with all of that?

I do have moments of genius:)

Favorite Dessert? Seconds.  LOL, no really, probably tiramisu since it combines my favorite foods—coffee, chocolate and cake.  The three basic food groups, according to me. (Funny lady! Ha Ha Ha Ha!)

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate but only dark or milk chocolate.  White chocolate is just vanilla with delusions of grandeur. 

I love white chocolate. It's actually one of my favorites, but I'm a chocoholic! Delusions of grandeur? *laughing hysterically*

Favorite scent? A spring storm.  Something about the way the electricity writhes on the air, all tense with promise, and you can smell the rain, even before it falls.  Yes, love it.

Great answer! I love that smell, too, though it's not my favorite.

Coffee, tea, soda, or water? Coffee and keep it comin’.  I prefer espresso these days.  High octane only. 

Do you have to set the mood to write? If so, how?  No.  I wanted to write something sexy here about how I slip into a negligee and then burn my man scented stuff in the Scentsy burner and pour a glass of wine…but if I actually did all that before I wrote, firstly—I wasted all my writing time setting up and secondly—my kids would think I am even crazier than they already think I am.

*laughing out loud* You all see what I mean about Virginia? She cracks me up. And most days, she understands the mood I'm having perfectly.

Do you have a favorite character? Why? Other than the one I am writing at the time?  Well, my all time favorite hero so far had to be Chancellor from the Odd series. The guy smelled like a spring storm, for goodness sake.  I mentioned how much I like that, right?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Morning, afternoon, evening, or late night writer?  I used to be a strictly night owl writer.  Still, I sometimes crank out a short story in an evening if the writing bug is biting hard enough.  Mostly, these days, I am a morning writer, getting out my words and then going about my day knowing that if all else fails, I got my writing done.

If you weren’t writing, what would be your occupation? Having sex with handsome pool boys.  No, really, I can’t imagine doing anything else.  One of my friends, the awesome author Heather Long, once said that writers write because when we were little, we didn’t know what we want to be when we grow up and as storytellers, we get to be everything.  That really rang true with me.  But if I wasn’t telling my stories, I think I would go nuts because they would all still BE there, just not on paper which would drive me buggy pretty quickly.

I agree with you there. I love Heather's way of thinking! It's so true.

I want to thank the lovely Virginia for being here. If you would like to see more about her and her books, you can find her on her blog, her website, Facebook , Twitter, plus the other places she frequents on the web.

Be sure to check out The Accidental Pirate at Amazon, BookStrand, and Barnes and Noble.

Counting My Blessings

"WRITE YOUR TROUBLES IN THE SANDS.

CARVE YOUR BLESSINGS IN STONE."

Yes, I have been trying to do this lately. The troubles outnumber the blessings for the most part, but the blessings far outweigh the trouble.

Grieving has been hard for me to do. I miss my dad every day, but I can't wish him back for anything. His struggle with PTSD was painful to watch, but I did it for the last 20 years. Now, he's at peace and no trouble in the world is worth wishing him back. This post, however, is about blessings so that is what I'm going to focus on.

Blessing Number One- My husband. We've hit a lot of rough spots in the last few years, but we're still standing and fighting. We're stronger than we've ever been and for that, I feel blessed.

Blessing Number Two- My furkids. I probably should give them each a number, but I will simply group all seven of them together. They gave me the opportunity to be a mom and to open my heart.

And it all started with this one-------->

Her name is Kodiak and she is half chow. She is 13 and day by day, I watch her age. It won't be long and it will be her time to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Her brother, Ozzy, will meet her there. She and her two sisters will probably cross at the same time since they are all aging rapidly. However, I've been blessed to have had the few years with them that I have had.

Blessing Number Three- My friends. If you've never heard the song, You Find Out Who Your Friends Are, here's the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jyafQe_2Do This is the prime example of my friends! I am so blessed to have each and every one of them in my life. Some are old friends, some are new friends, some are friends who are as close as they can be without being family, some are the family of my heart.

Blessing Number Four- my fans. Now, you'll find that Blessing 3 and Blessing 4 kind of overlap, but I've been meeting a lot of new people since Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart has been released. I've also heard a lot of good things from these people and it has lifted this woman's confidence in ways you can never imagine. I am blessed!

Blessing Number Five- my publisher and editor- My lovely editor was simply doing me a favor by reading Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart. I had received a few rejection letters and I wanted to know what was wrong with it. My editor read it, edited it, then sent me a contract! She told me she recognized talent and she wasn't going to let me get away:) I am blessed beyond words with these ladies!

*Since Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart was released, it hit Number One on my publisher's best seller list.*

Of course, that pushed me to try to do better for the next book. I signed the contract for Book 2 at the end of June so be on the look out for the release date for that. I also have a HUGE giveaway planned once Book 2 is ready for release.

I've had to keep this to 5 blessings, otherwise, we'd be here for the next week. *grin* So, do yourself a favor: The next time you're feeling down and out, take a moment to count your blessings. It will certainly lift your spirits.

If you feel like sharing, tell me what blessings Life has given you. I'd love to hear what you have to say. If you have a chance (and haven't done it yet), pop over and "Like" my FB page. That is the spot where you'll find out the news for releases, etc. first.

Be sure to carve your blessings in stone!

Blessed Be,