TO HELL WITH YOU WRITER'S BLOCK!!!

I originally wrote this article last year for my mommy blog when I couldn't think of what to write. But it is so true for all writers (not just bloggers). I think it will hold true for a long time.

The other day I discovered I was suffering from type 2 (see below) writer's block. I could get through any scene in my latest novel, or any blog subject, but I could not write a love scene to save my life. So I came back to this article, I read over my reviews where people said my love scenes were good or well crafted. And I complained to anyone who would listen and give me sympathy. I guess it worked because I wrote a full scene with absolutely no problems a couple days ago.  I'm not so sure it's over yet though. When I finally make it through three easily I will relax a bit.

So, what do you do when you have writer’s block? You write about writer’s block of course!

In all of the time I have been writing there are two kinds of blocks I've run into. Type 1 is where you just plain and simple can’t write anything. Even a subject to write about escapes you. Type 2 is when you have everything you need to put a great piece together but the words just won't come out right.

I guess for me, my latest episode of writer’s block leans more toward Type 1. I had a subject six hours ago when I started working on this blog post but decided early on that it was a subject better left until we know each other a bit better. So I was back to square one. Usually I can pull a subject out of thin air and go with it, but not this time. I sat there for 5.5 hours with nothing. Not one damn idea. Then I started to laugh because it was all so ridiculous that I was sitting there acting like a crazy woman for five and a half hours trying to decide what ideas and words to put on paper.  That is when it hit me, this blog post that I was trying so hard to write would be about the ridiculousness of writer’s block.

I sit there on any given day and think of 20 or 30 different subjects I might want to write about. If I can, I write them down and if not, I pray that I can remember them when I need to.  Then comes time to write, and all of the subjects I wrote down don’t appeal to me anymore so I am stuck trying to pull these other ideas out of my brain which frankly doesn’t work quite as well as it did before I had five kids. Seriously, pregnancy brain never truly disappears, it just morphs into mommy brain. Times five for me which equals MUSH.

Okay, so once I have determined that I have writer’s block, I try to find out why. Am I over stressed? Do I have too many mundane things on my mind? Are the kids bothering me? Am I on a deadline because of an appointment or previous commitment? If one of these applies, then I try to solve the problem. If I can’t, then I try other things. I’ve meditated, prayed and tried a change of scenery. Deep Breathing has sometimes helped too. If all goes well, I start writing and don’t stop until I choose to. If not, it is time to smack my head with my pen, or my cell phone, or my hand. And if that doesn’t work, I give it a break for awhile.

Yes, writers block can be so stressful and I guess smacking myself about the head is a bit extreme, but I’ve known and read about people who have really gone all out to end this awful state of mind.

I heard of one woman who would go bungee jumping or skydiving  to try to cure her block. That is something I would never ever do. Not because I don’t want to do those things (because I do) but because with my luck I would have that best selling idea on the way down and then crash to the earth where the awesome idea would die with me.

I knew someone who would sit in a chair with their legs on the back and their head hanging down to the floor.  I could see where that might make the ideas flow to the brain better, but again I would never do that because I would have that best selling idea and then I would pass out cold never to remember the idea again. Part of my ‘brokenness’ is migraines/sinuses/dizziness and I really don’t need to add to that if at all possible.

Now swimming is a writers block cure that I could get into. For me swimming can cure just about anything that ails me. But then I don’t have a pool, the city/rec center charges way too much, I don’t do bathing suits in public and I don’t have a baby sitter for the little ones on a moments notice. So in the end I will just have to whack myself upside the head in times of blockage emergency and hope that it doesn’t add to the brain mushiness that I have thanks to my five wonderful children.

Until next time…here is wishing you easy recovery from whatever ails you. <3

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 4

         
          Olivia walked around his living room looking at some of his Alaskan trinkets. They were so rustic, so charming. There was that word again, charming, she decided she liked it.
          On display, front and center, on the shelf above his television was the large crystal bear she'd given him on the anniversary of their first date. She knew he had hated it, because it was too material, too expensive for his taste. He never said anything though, he'd just accepted it and put it in the closet, probably because he was afraid that it would break.
          It hadn’t exactly gone with the décor in his apartment and it really didn’t go here in this little house either, so why was it displayed? Her heart pounded and her hands were shaking. Did this mean he missed her, did he still think about her? Could Pearl have been right?
          She picked it up off the shelf and walked into the kitchen. “Alex, why did you keep this, and why do you have it on your shelf?”
          He put down the knife he held, and turned toward her.
          She smiled tentatively at him, waiting for his answer.
          After a moment, he walked over to her and took the statue out of her hands, setting it gently on the counter. “Because I missed you,” he whispered right before he pulled her close and finally kissed her.

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STORMY SEAS - EXCERPT CHAPTER 3

          Sam and Abigail, each in a different bed, woke to her seven o'clock alarm. She rushed to the bathroom to change, but not before he noticed her green eyes starting to sparkle with the promise of a new day. He somehow doubted that happened much with her. He also noticed how her long hair was tousled and sexy as hell first thing in the morning. His insides clenched at the thought of slowly running his hands through the wild mass.
          “Your turn,” she commented, coming out of the bathroom fully dressed in a pair of jeans and a purple sweatshirt that hung off her body like a small tent.
          “Thanks,” he replied, wishing like hell that she'd stayed in the tank top she wore to bed, only maybe shrinking it a size or two. Of course he had assessed her body the previous night because he'd never seen so much of it before. The one thing he knew for sure was that he loved the flawless pale skin that he now knew was the same on her supple thighs and shapely calves as it was on her perfect, beautiful face.
          By the time he returned from performing his morning routine, Abby had her gorgeous wavy locks rolled up tight into her usual bun. “Come on Bibi,” he coaxed. “We're on vacation, you can let your hair down a bit.”
         

          “It’s a working vacation,” she reminded him, “and I like my hair like this.”
          “Come on, for me. Just this once, let it down and see how you like it,” he begged.
          “Sam don’t," she muttered. "I can’t, I’m sorry,”
          “Sometime this cruise Bibi, I'll get you to wear it down.”
          “Yeah, every night when I go to bed,” she muttered.
          “I never knew you were such a smart ass. I like it! Must be your family’s influence. I'll have to thank them.”
          “Don't you dare!” she exclaimed, smacking his arm
          “Aww why not?”
          “Because they will never let me live it down,” she said punctuating each word with a playful

poke to his abdomen.
           Sam loved seeing her being so playful. He liked a playful Abby. A lot. How he was going to keep his hands to himself this entire trip was beyond him.
           Abigail actually smiled at him before unwinding her hair and relaxing the bun to rest at the back of her neck instead of up high on her head. A few teasing tendrils fell out and hung down at the sides. “Is that better?” she asked.
           “It’s a start,” he relented. “Now let’s go to breakfast.” He didn’t finish the rest of his sentence ‘before I wrap those tendrils of your gorgeous hair around my fingers and kiss you senseless’.

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NEW AD

I have been plastering this all over the internet and my sales have increased so I think it might be good that I created it. Originally I made it just for fun but I have had positive responses so I think I will continue to use it as my main ad.  What do you think????  Let me know in the comments or at my email 

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REVIEWS - THE KEY TO SUCCESS???

So, who here agrees with me that you need reviews to succeed as a self published author?  I have had six wonderful reviews for my first novel - Virgin Voyage. Unfortunately that isn't quite enough ;)  So, what should I do about that. I have absolutely no money so I can't buy kindle copies or paperback copies to give out to people so they can review them for me like other financially able authors can. I do have PDF copies but I'm not sure where all you can review them without having bought them at the store you are reviewing at. (Blogs, goodreads etc.)  So here is my plan, I have 10 copies (for now) that I am willing to give out to anyone who wants to read a sweet and spicy romance (5 of each title). If you are interested please let me know via email. Here is my amazon author page link so you can check out my stuff.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know!  I hope to be ready to fly with the pdf copies by this time next week.

Like me on facebook here 
Follow me on twitter here 
Visit my mommy blog here

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 11

          Unlike the others on the cruise with her, Olivia couldn’t wait to get off the ship. Not that she hadn’t had a great time, because she had, but the best part of her vacation had taken place on land.
          The sun was shining bright when she walked across the gangplank. It was a beautiful day in Seward, but it wasn’t hot like home would have been. Her old home that is, her new one was probably rainy and cool and she couldn’t wait to fly there that afternoon. 

          Daydreams of the future found her following her family blindly off the ship and she bumped into Jackson when he stopped abruptly in front of her. Peeking around him, she noticed there were two limousines waiting for the Mannon and Blake parties. Whatever her brother in law had planned better be damn good because it was postponing her seeing Alex again. The luxury transportation was a good start though, and in the end Olivia wasn’t disappointed.
          The surprise Graham had for Mari was well worth waiting an extra few hours to see Alex for. Her brother-in-law surprised his wife with a real wedding and reception, with everything including dresses and flowers. Mari finally had her dream wedding and a fun family celebration too. When the happy couple left for their honeymoon, Olivia pulled her cellphone out to call Alex.
          “Hello Doll.”
          “Hi Alex, when do I get to see you? She asked anxiously.
          “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, if you’re ready to leave.”
          “I am. You should have come to the wedding, everyone asked about you.” 

          “I had some business to take care of,” he told her. “I wish I could have been there with you though.’
          “Me too, now just come and get me damn it. I miss you!”
          “On my way!”

COVER REVEAL

“…I still love you.”

A two year relationship that ended because of a difference in lifestyle left Olivia Mannon and Alex Paige missing each other. Though they still loved each other, they lost all contact.

A sprinkling of matchmaking dust, a cruise to Alaska, and a float plane tour of Misty Fjord National Monument brings them back into each other’s lives; for better or for worse.

Can Olivia change her ‘suite at a five star resort’ lifestyle to agree with Alex’s ‘camping outdoors’ way of life, or will they lose each other again? This time forever…

ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 10

          Olivia figured it was finally time to tell her siblings because they would be heading back to Nevada the next day and she wouldn’t. She wanted to start with Abigail. Her sister had finally started to relax a bit and have some fun and Olivia wanted to spend a bit more time with her.

           She knocked on Abby’s door hoping she wouldn't be interrupting a love session between her sister and Sam. Charlotte’s plan seemed to be well on its way to working for the pair too. But when her sister opened the door to let her in, Olivia’s heart fell. Abby had her hair back in the tight bun she always used to wear, and her face was blotchy and red. She'd been crying. 

          “Oh sweetie,” Olivia cried out. “What’s wrong? Trouble with Sam?”
           Abigail nodded and ushered Olivia inside. “I broke it off with him.”
           “Oh Abby. Why?” Olivia asked. “You guys seemed so good together.”
           “We are, or were, but I’m just too messed up inside to make him happy. So I set him free.”
           Olivia grabbed Abigail’s arms and forced her to look in her eyes. “ Shouldn't he be the one to decide if you are too messed up for him?”
           “ I'm just saving him time and trouble Livia,” she cried.
           “Again Abby, that should be Sam’s choice.” Olivia took her sister’s hand and led her to the loveseat. “I guess I'm just seeing things differently these days. Alex and I are back together and I’m moving to Ketchikan. We are proof that love is powerful and can overcome so much. Please give it a chance.”
           Abigail looked thoughtfully at her baby sister. “ I've had feelings for him pretty much since we started working together and it was the same for him. But there is so much in my past that makes this so hard, so much that no one but Sam knows about.”
           Olivia couldn't imagine what her sister was talking about. She couldn't remember anything bad ever happening to Abigail. Although her personality did change drastically a few years back.
           “Fight hard sis, fight hard  together through the bad and only good will come from it.” 

           “ I've been fighting for years Livia. I’m tired. I don’t know how much more I can take,” Abigail whispered.
           “My God, Abby, what happened to you?” Olivia wondered.
           “I still can't talk about it Liv. Someday I will, but I’m not ready yet. Please don’t push it.”
           “Of course I won’t. But please let Sam help you fight whatever battle you are dealing with. Two are so much stronger than one.”
           “Maybe,” Abigail mouthed in response.

ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 8

          “Hi beautiful,” she heard coming from behind her. She turned and Alex was leaning against the

railing, looking completely sexy in faded jeans, a black t-shirt, and his hiking boots. She almost forgot to breathe, and then when that one lock of his perfectly groomed hair fell over his eye, she thought for sure her heart would stop beating. She was so happy to see him again.

           He picked up the black hoodie, laying on the rail next to him, and walked over to her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, and when they pulled apart, she noticed that only one of his arms was holding her, the other was tucked behind his back.
          “What are you hiding,” she asked
          “Just this.” He smiled and brought his hand around to present her with a single pink rose.
          “Oh my God! You didn’t forget?”
          “Of course I didn’t, I’ll never forget anything about you, Olivia Rachelle Mannon.”
          “Oh Alex, I just don’t know what to say.”
          “Don’t say anything love.” He kissed her gently and pulled away to look into her eyes. “You said you were sad last night so I brought you a pink rose. It’s what I promised to do right?”
          She chuckled. “Yeah, it's just that you made that promise so long ago...”

          “A promise is a promise, Olivia.” He kissed her again...

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 7

          Vanessa and Thomas had about three hours alone and Olivia was getting tired so Jackson decided to go back to his own cabin, or maybe out to the bar. He couldn’t help but say one final thing on the subject of Alex before he left though. “It breaks my heart that I didn’t get the chance to fight for my one true love, sis. It also breaks my heart that you refuse to fight for yours because you’re scared and have a warped sense of what life needs to be like. Wake up Liv, and fight for him before it’s too late.” He kissed her on the forehead and was gone.
          What Jackson said was meant to be a big revelation for her, but their previous conversation about her townhouse and about wanting to see him as a dad had brought back some of her resolve to keep with her current lifestyle. She had a life she was proud of! Didn’t she?

           Her twin's advice did have merit though. What if she really did hate her life and she lost Alex again? Could she ever find true happiness? Would she want to? Her resolve started to wane again.
           Great! She suddenly felt like crying. It seemed she was getting more and more confused with each hour that passed. Another shower was out of the question, so crawling under the covers would have to do.
           Just as she was dozing off her phone rang. She saw Alex’s name come across the caller ID.“Hello Alex.”
          “Hello Olivia, how are you? You don't sound so good.”
          “I’m not sure,” she answered. “I’m still so confused and sad, and it seems like my family and my overworked mind are just making it worse.”
          “I’m sorry sweetheart, I wish I could help, but I won’t push you in either direction. Just know that I’m here for you, always.”
           “Thank you, Alex.”
           “I’m going to let you get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Okay?”
           “Okay Alex. I miss you.”

           “I miss you too.”
            Olivia hung up the phone and sat up in bed waiting for the text she knew would come. Five minutes later it did. It said, “I still love you,” and she was able to lie back down and cry herself to sleep.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 6

         Olivia sat on the toilet seat to get her bearings and her phone rang. “Hello,” she answered breathlessly. 

           “Hey Doll.”
           “How are you today?” Olivia asked
           “I’m good, you?” Alex returned.
           “Good, sitting in the bathroom to have some alone time. The joys of a small cabin, you know.””
           Alex laughed. “I can imagine. Did you get my text?” he asked.
           “I did!” Olivia answered with a bit too much enthusiasm.
           Alex chuckled. “That’s good, I hope you slept well.”
           “I did, we had a busy day yesterday.”
           “That we did,” Alex agreed. “What do you have planned for today?”
           “The whole family is going on some sort of a train trip. It’s supposed to be a great excursion.”
           “It is!” Alex enthused. “I’ve been on it before. If you loved the flight tour yesterday you will love the train.”
           “Oh good, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it if it’s half as beautiful as yesterday’s tour.”
           “Call me when you’re done and tell me what you thought of it.” He paused for a minute. “Can I ask you a question Livia?”
            “Of course.” She really hoped she wouldn’t regret it.

            “Do you still miss me?” 

            She laughed in relief. “Absolutely.”
            “I miss you too.” They were both silent for a while.
            “I should go Alex, it’s almost time for breakfast.”
            “Okay, I’ll talk to you after your trip.”
            “Bye Alex.”
            “Bye love.”
            Olivia left the bathroom and climbed up onto her bunk. She loved that she could now talk to Alex whenever she wanted to. Her phone buzzed in her hand and she knew it was a text from him. And she knew what it would say. “I still love you.”

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 5

       Olivia made the shower as hot as she could stand it. Stepping under the spray felt so good and so bad at the same time. Her stress started to seep away just a bit, but as she washed herself, the last vestiges of Alex swirled down the drain. Every touch, every kiss, every pleasure he’d plied her body with disappeared and all she had left were the memories of their time together. It seemed memories were all she was ever meant to have of him.

**********

          Watching Olivia walk away again was killing Alex. He wanted to block the ship and not let it leave until she agreed to stay with him, but of course that wasn’t possible. He had no idea what to do or where to go now. He felt lost. Again.
          Getting into his truck, he just started driving with no real destination in mind. His heart broke more with every second. Via a roundabout route, he found himself at his office. Pearl’s car was parked out front and he was actually relieved that she was still there. He knew he could always talk to her, her advice might be a bit eccentric at times, but it was usually good.
          The bell above the door rang as he wandered in and Pearl looked up from her desk. She immediately knew that something was wrong.
          “What happened?”
          “Everything, and then nothing, she went back to the ship, never to see the likes of me again.
          “I’m sorry,” Pearl sympathized.
          “Thanks,” he said sighing. “You know Pearl, I thought I saw signs of change in her. She isn’t as materialistic and she actually seemed to enjoy being outside, experiencing nature. I thought for sure we would have a shot again, that maybe we could compromise a life together.” He sat down on the edge of her desk and sighed again. “I guess I was wrong, I never should have even hoped…”
          “If you saw signs of change, I’m sure they were really there,” Pearl advised.
          Alex thought about that for a few minutes. “You know, you’re right! The signs were there. Hell, she actually liked my little old house. But at the last minute, she just closed up saying our lives are fine the way they are.”
          “At the last minute are the key words Alex. I think she’s still in the process of changing her life, but she doesn’t want to admit it yet. Maybe she doesn’t even know that it’s happening.” Pearl made him look her in the eyes. “She’s afraid Alex, you need to show her that there isn’t anything to be afraid of.”
          “Yeah, and how in the hell do I do that when she lives in the lower forty-eight and I live up here. I won’t go back there Pearl, ever!” He had to calm himself, it wouldn’t’ do any good to yell at his aunt.

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I'M ALWAYS JUST THE AUTHOR

A few weeks after I published my first book, Virgin Voyage, I came to a realization that really stung, but in a way made so much sense. The story I had practically lived, and loved like a child, would never bring me reading pleasure like it did others.

In the first few weeks after publication I truly can not tell you how many times I read the book. I had this urge to see if it was a pleasurable, enjoyable read. I wanted to enjoy it (or hate it) the same way a stranger who purchased it would.

There were short periods of time where I could blank my world out and get caught up in Mari and Graham's, but my world always came crashing back in. (And I'm not talking about  my kids bother me or the phone ringing or someone knocking on the door)  You see, I can never not be the author of Virgin Voyage. I will always read it with a critical eye. 'Should I have done this, or written that, or left that out. Or will my readers enjoy this or that better.' Truthfully I just wanted to live in Mari
and Graham's finished world for fourteen chapters. I guess you could say that I was craving the ability to just be a reader to my book.

I couldn't help how I felt. I knew I shouldn't feel that way but I did. It almost felt like a betrayal to the characters. I created them, I loved them, I nurtured them,  I put them to paper and I enjoyed it thoroughly. But I couldn't experience them as they were meant to be enjoyed.

And then my first reviews started to come in. Not only on Amazon, but through people contacting me personally to tell me how much they loved the book. All of a sudden, everything I've mentioned above didn't seem to matter anymore. Friends, family and strangers were reading my book the way I wanted to, and I realized something, the whole reason I wrote the book in the first place was so people could live it, love it and enjoy it.  Low and behold, they actually were!!!!  I never betrayed Mari and Graham, I gave them a happy life, in more ways than one.

I know I will most likely have the same feelings about future books, but now I will know how to handle it - just sit back and wait, someone will enjoy it and tell me they did, and then
the world inside that book will be complete.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 3

      It was seven a.m. on his first day of vacation when the phone rang, waking Alex from a deep sleep. Dreams had troubled him until about four o'clock. After that, he had finally slept well.
      "Hello," he answered sleepily
      "Alex, its Pearl"   
      "Why are you calling so early, is everything okay?"
      "Everything is fine Alex, I'm calling to let you know that Jason can't take the eleven o'clock today. His wife's flight from Orlando was cancelled because of severe thunderstorms and his babysitter is sick so he has to stay with the kiddos until the missus gets home."
      "Okay Pearl, Thanks for letting me know."
       Alex hung up the phone and got out of bed. If he was going to work after all, he really should shower and shave. Yes, he had showered the previous night, but he woke up covered in sweat more than once because of dreams of Olivia. And then suddenly he remembered, the eleven o'clock flight that he was going to do for Jason was the Olivia Mannon flight. Where the hell was his brain? He didn’t want to admit that it had been in his pants for the last forty-eight hours, along with thoughts of loving her. He absolutely had to find someone to cover for him - after the shower.

______________________________________________________________

      Turning the water off, Alex stepped out of the shower, not even bothering to dry off. He just wrapped the towel around his lean waist and walked, dripping, to the phone in his bedroom to dial Pearls number. He waited impatiently for her to answer.
      Damn he was cold. Taking the towel from his waist, he started to dry himself off. As he was running the towel through his hair, Pearl finally answered.
      “Howdy”
      “Hey Pearl. I need you to call Mark and have him take that eleven o'clock for me,” Alex said desperately.
      “I wondered when you would remember it was Olivia’s flight,” she laughed. I already called Mark. His son’s birthday is today and he can’t be there until the afternoon shift.”
      “Damn Pearl, you’ve got to help me out here. Can’t you baby-sit Jason’s kids for him or something?” he asked
      “No can do kiddo. I have commitments! I guess you will just have to take a deep breath and take it yourself. What’s the worst that could happen? She doesn’t bite does she?
      “She does more than bite, Pearl. That’s what I’m afraid of.” He sighed loudly as he threw the towel across the room. What in the hell would he do now?
      “Hey Alex,” Pearl said tentatively
      “What?” he asked grumpily.
      “I hope this is the Olivia.”
      “Why?” he asked surprised. His groin reacted to the image of Olivia walking along the docks, his docks, in his town.
      “You’ve been pining for her all this time. You need to set things straight and get on with your life...with or without her.”
      Alex didn’t want to hear that, especially now when she might be arriving in town any minute. “Pearl, if it is her, I’m doomed.”
      He quickly hung up the phone and went to shave. He had a lot of mental preparation to do for the flight. He was going to be a nervous wreck and he couldn’t let it affect his flying. Why him? Why now?
      By the time Alex was dressed and on his way to the office, he had convinced himself that this passenger was not going to be Olivia Mannon from Nevada. He put pictures of a sweet old grandma named Olivia into his mind and urged them to stay there all morning.

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT MY BUY PAGE AT THE TOP OR CLICK ON THE FIRST LINK IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN TO GET YOUR COPY OF VIRGIN VOYAGE OR ALASKAN AMBUSH TODAY!!!

VIRGIN VOYAGE KINDLE UPDATE

For any of you who have the kindle copy of Virgin Voyage, you can get a free update with corrections made and better formatting. Just go to Amazon.com and click on Your Account and then go down to manage kindle and then find your purchase of Virgin Voyage and it will say update available. Just download it for free to your kindle. :)

ALASKAN AMBUSH EXCERPT- CHAPTER 2

          The third box was a jumble of many different things, of more recent memories. On second glance, they were all memories involving Olivia; ticket stubs from their first movie, a program from a symphony at the University, a stuffed animal she had given him, restaurant receipts, a t-shirt with an obscene slogan that she got him for his birthday, a picture of them together at his college graduation, a crystal bear she’d given him for an anniversary, the packet of information he’d requested on how to become a park ranger because he thought he’d finally found a job he could love and succeed at, and the ring he’d been planning to give to her.

          Before he could propose, she'd called the relationship off, and his parents' vacation home in Oregon had become his escape for a year before he moved to Alaska to help Pearl in her time of need, and to accept his inheritance.
          He quickly closed the box and taped it shut so it could be moved to the garage as soon as possible. He left out only the crystal bear, the picture and the ring.
          The delicate crystal was carried over to the entertainment center and put front and center on an empty shelf. “I miss you Olivia,” he whispered before walking back to the couch. He still missed her so much, but he could not chance seeing her again, he couldn’t risk the pain. Could he?
          He sat for a while staring at the picture of them together. The desert sun glinted off of her dark hair. She looked like an angel. Her green eyes were sparkling with happiness and her smile was big and bright. She was absolutely stunning. Alex remembered what had happened next like it was only moments ago. She'd turned to him with love shining in her eyes. “I’m so proud of you!” she’d said. Too bad she hadn’t always been. Toward the end of their relationship there had been more disappointment than anything.
          Alex set the picture aside, opened the ring box and smiled. It was a beautiful old ring. His grandmother had given it to him when he told her he wanted to marry Olivia. Grandma Lily had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and knew she didn’t have long to live, so she took both rings off of her finger then and there and put them in his palm, wrapping his fingers tightly around them. "I love Olivia and I want her to have these," she'd said. "Your grandfather and I both do. You two remind me of him and I when we were young."
          When Olivia broke things off, he vowed to never use the rings, he would pass them down to his kids instead, if he ever had any.
He took the picture and rings and put them in his night stand drawer before fixing a quick lunch and heading to the Living Doll. He needed to fly. 

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT MY BUY PAGE AT THE TOP OR CLICK ON THE FIRST LINK IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN TO GET YOUR COPY OF VIRGIN VOYAGE OR ALASKAN AMBUSH TODAY!!!

VIRGIN VOYAGE AVAILABLE

Virgin Voyage is available again in paperback!!!  It was temporarily pulled to fix some problems.  The kindle version has been fixed and the formatting updated.  I hope you enjoy them both.  If you would like to purchase them, look above and click on my buy page.  Thanks for all of your patience and support!!! :)

IMPERFECTION (AS A WRITER AND A HUMAN BEING)

So, over the last week I've been struggling with something that i just had to share as I think a lot of people struggle with it. IMPERFECTION. I have learned to live with it in my house, with physical limitations and five kids there is no way I am ever going to keep my house perfect. I get it. I really do. I've accepted it (for the most part). There will always be a dish not washed, clothes not washed/folded, toys not put away and dirt tracked through the house. (Unless of course I hire a maid to live in and follow the kids around with her cleaning supplies. Hmmm, wish I could afford that!)

My most recent struggle with imperfection came last week with my book Virgin Voyage. I finally got down to doing more than just skimming and reading my favorite parts. I was absolutely mortified to see that somehow my group of five people missed 15 mistakes in the Proof (me being one of them :/). Things like know instead of known, child instead of children, improper indents that were made while formatting the book for publication, stray punctuation, improper punctuation. Really really mortified!!! (Not to mention the formatting issues of my Kindle copy that DID NOT show up on the preview I did before publication)

I had people tell me that I should just forget it and move on 15 mistakes in 312 pages wasn't bad. I had them tell me to just apologize and move on. I tried, I really did. But I just couldn't ignore it or move on. It haunted me, awake and asleep. I had something that I loved so much, that was flawed, out and about and people were reading it. After a few days, I just couldn't take it anymore I had to do something about it. So I did.

I had been told that you couldn't re submit it once published but I did some research and found out that in fact you could. So this weekend I re uploaded my work for both the paperback and kindle versions. (I had a perfect copy already so I'm thinking that I uploaded the wrong copy or they used one of the previous copies I had uploaded when trying to make formatting perfect) I learned that if you upload a version and it needs corrections, to completely close out your browser and reopen it before uploading a new copy. So, anyway, I uploaded and republished my book without mistakes. The preview of the Kindle showed it being perfect so if I notice on the actual Kindle that it isn't i'm going to be one upset mama. I ok'd the proof of the book this morning and am very happy with how it turned out.

I can not tell you how much better I feel now that I know that the product out there is as close to perfect as I could get it. A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Much of the depression I had been feeling is gone. (read my blog from Friday about my Depression). It is amazing how something can bother you so much, but when you really sit down and think about it, the solution is easy. Do whatever you have in your power to fix it. My book was off the market for awhile and that could have hurt sales (haha not really with me, because no one has reviewed my book yet so I don't have an abundance of sales although my free weekend was amazing!) and it was a lot of work to make sure everything was perfect. But the peace of mind I now have is indescribable. I wouldn't change it for the world. I don't feel like a pretender anymore, I feel like a real author!!!

If you want something to be perfect, then do whatever you have to do to make it that way, whether it be the first time or the tenth. If you are not satisfied, try try try again until it is. Don't settle for second best just because it is easier!

ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 1

          “Well that’s strange Alex,” Pearl sounded puzzled and her brow crinkled. “The computer won’t give me the usual information. All it says is Olivia Mannon reservation for three and the date. No credit card info or any contact info.” She shook her head. “Very strange.”

          “Okay, thanks Pearl.” Taking the run would be too much of a risk without additional information. He would call the computer company and see if they could find out what was wrong with the reservation program, and he would ask his buddy to take his flight. As luck would have it, Jason walked in the door right then to get his tour schedule for the day.
          “Hey man, I have a favor to ask,” Alex queried.
          “Anything boss! What is it?”
          “I need you to take my run on Sunday. I’ll take a run for you on Monday.”

          “Sure! You have a hot date or something?” Jason joked.
          “Yeah right, that boy wouldn’t know a hot date if it bit him on the butt,” Pearl chimed in. She’d been trying to find a woman for him for the two years he’d lived there and he just wouldn’t cooperate. He was stubborn and he was still madly in love with his ex-girlfriend.
          Alex just ignored her comment. If he didn’t love the old bat so much, she would have been out of a job the day after he’d inherited the business. Well, maybe not, after all, she was his aunt, and his uncle had requested she be well taken care of. Besides, he kind of loved her.
          “Actually, Jason, I am hoping to avoid running into an old hot date,” Alex informed his best friend. He was looking right at Pearl when he said it, hoping to give her a hint. All he saw was a glint in her eyes. Uh oh, that could mean big trouble.
          “Okay back to work slackers!” Alex replied in his grumpiest boss voice.
          Jason and Pearl just laughed and did as he said.

**********

          Olivia Mannon woke reeling from a dream. A dream that told her it was once again time to move on. It was actually two dreams, each a night apart, that always let her know it was time to make a change in her life. One was a nightmare that she could never remember and the other was a dream about someone she used to know.
          She sat up in bed. “Jeff, get up. It’s time for you to go.”
          “I don’t have to be to work for another two hours,” he mumbled from underneath a pillow.
          “No, I mean it’s time for you to go. For good,” she stressed. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore!” A little harsh but sometimes that is how she had to do things to get her point across.
          “Just like that? I thought things were good for us.” He was sitting up now too.
          “Yeah well, I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf after I get back from vacation, so bye-bye,” she said as she got out of bed.
          Jeff grabbed his clothes from the previous day and quickly dressed. Gathering the few other belongings he had there, he threw them into his gym bag and made his way to the door. As he walked out of the bedroom, he left Olivia with one final thought. “You know, everyone is right about you. You are a bitch!”
          Several seconds later she heard the front door slam. Sighing, she put her bathrobe on and went to join her twin brother Jackson in the kitchen for coffee.
          “You know, he’s right, you are a bitch,” Jackson echoed. His head was buried in a newspaper and his right hand was wrapped around a coffee mug.
          “Yeah, well at least I haven’t been acting like an over emotional twit for a week like you have,” she bit back.
          Jackson threw his newspaper down and looked at his twin with hurt in his eyes. Standing up, he took his coffee mug to the sink and walked away from her. A few seconds later, she heard his bedroom door slam.
          Great, she’d just hurt her greatest ally. Was she really that much of a bitch? Yeah, she probably was. She had been ever since…forget it, she was happy and successful, and that was all that mattered.

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT MY BUY PAGE AT THE TOP OR CLICK ON THE FIRST LINK IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN TO GET YOUR COPY OF VIRGIN VOYAGE OR ALASKAN AMBUSH TODAY!!!

     

FREE KINDLE BOOKS

Hey everybody, my books Virgin Voyage and Until Next Time... are free on kindle Starting at midnight PACIFIC time tonight 3/22-3/23 and the sale lasts until Sunday!  So go to Amazon and grab your copy now!  Please leave a review at Amazon or good reads or both! :)

Thanks so much for the support!

VIRGIN VOYAGE  Romance Novel

UNTIL NEXT TIME... Mommy Blogger Book

Up next...A new excerpt.  Coming as soon as I'm feeling better- Hopefully Saturday or Sunday :D