Welcome! Please note this site deals with adult themes.
This blog is the often amusing, sometimes dangerous den of two British writers of contemporary and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. Most of our stories are based in the UK and our heroes and heroines are passionate Brits - yes, passionate Brits exist! Come on in out of the cold, pull up a chair and see for yourself...

Monday 30 April 2012

Procrastination


The act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time.

Okay, I get that, but can it still be classed as procrastination if you really want to do the task, but you’re just having a hard time getting in to the flow of it?

Every time I complete a project, I take a week or two off. That may seem huge to a lot of writers, but I find that I really need a good gap. Gives me a chance to catch up on everything I may have pushed to the side because I was to focused on zed project. It gives me a chance to catch up on reading. And it gives me a chance to recharge my batteries and let my muse have a break.

After a week is up, I open up my slush pile folder on the computer – or open my writing journals – and I start breezing through notes, and ideas for stories.

I don’t know if that also seems crazy to writers. Usually, when I’m focusing on a project I will get other ideas and characters barging in to my head – as you do – or I will have an interesting dream. Now, I don’t really like juggling, because I find it splits my attention to the point where neither of the projects will get done at all. So, I make lots of notes and put them to one side so I can come back to them when I have finished whatever I’m writing at that time.

Where was I? Oh yes, so I will then flick through notes and such and see what I would like to work on next. And I spend that week planning and getting the world and characters clear in my head. So, there it is, a fortnight off between projects.

Since I have tilted this post "procrastination," you have no doubt figured out what I’m going to say next.

I'm procrastinating.

It’s been a month since my last project. I’m not happy about it but I think a writer should never force themselves to write, because in the long run it will only block them more and get them stressed. But, I don’t like the fact that I haven’t been able to write. I'm not deliberately avoiding writing. I’ve sat down and read over the current WIP and I have even edited and added a good couple of hundred words in, but for some reason I’m finding it hard to progress. 

I love the story. I love the characters and the world. I really do. So, naturally one would have thoughts there wouldn’t be a problem, but somehow I can’t seemed to find that point of deep immersion. And I don't mean in the sense that the story is dull and doesn't interest me, because it really does. I just haven't reached that moment where I crave opening that document up and working on it. Does that make sense?

 I thought maybe I better put the project to one side and turn my attention on to another one, but part of me feels like that’s cheating. In fact, that would be procrastinating, in a sense. 

I know I said that one should never force themselves to write, but sometimes you do need to push yourself. So, I made a deal with myself yesterday. Today is the last day of April. I’m going to make notes and I’m going to listen to the playlist I have for this particular project - which will hopefully get me in the mood. Tomorrow is the first day of May, and I am going to write. I am promising myself that I will have this project finished by May. Wish me luck.

What about you? How do you handle those periods where procrastination just seems to spring on you? What do you think works best if you can’t seem to get your head in the game?

Thursday 26 April 2012

Lava lamps and sexy scenes...

Plot-sex. I've spent the last two nights trying to write a plot-sex scene. For those of you that don't know what that is (and it is entirely possible that I've just made up the term), it's when an author writes a sex / love scene that has to not only be sexy and erotic, but has to further the plot in some way or another. Important plot points are told through the sex. Never easy. Although damn satisfying once you've succeeded.

Lava LampSo, last night, I was stuck. I'm almost at the end of this scene. My two characters are doing the deed (and quite well, actually - kudos to me), but I'm still not happy with how I've inserted the plot elements; these little hints that will unfold into actual story lines later on. Really, there's only so much you can put between grunts and groans, and it's got to be inserted (pardon the pun) in such a way that it doesn't detract from the eroticism, but still calls attention to the reader.

So I found myself drifting off as I stared at my lava lamp (that is not a metaphor; I was actually staring at a lava lamp), and after about fifteen minutes of drifting, it suddenly hit me: Karl (character from book one, The Witching Pen) - his mother is murdered with a lava lamp (in the living room, if you must know - it could be the start of a whole new Cluedo concept). I didn't even think about it when I wrote that; I just wrote it. My fingers did that thing where they develop a life of their own and just write the scene.

And that's what I needed to find - that's what I needed to do again, even if it meant the sex scene became all chaotic and they ended up having weird bunny sex, or stilted, interrupted sex, or whatever else sex there is - just write the damn scene, get what you want in there, then tidy it up later.

Well, I'm pleased to say that the scene is now all but finished. There's a tiny amount of tidying up still to do, but part of that involves creating a whole new language, so that may be another strange blog post you will all be subjected to at some point ;)

The point of this post: pay attention to the mundane things around you, they are often trying to tell you something ... and lava lamps are cool.

Monday 23 April 2012

Stress Relievers


Stress is a horrid thing and is unfortunately very easily brought on by a number of things.

As you will all know, stress can affect our appetite and our sleep. It can also give us headaches and if we’re really stressed it can make us very ill.

Writing, and being a writer can be stressful sometimes. From scenes not working out to basically freaking over you’re most recent release and whether anyone is actually going to like it. I personally try my hardest to not get stressed about things, because, well it’s pointless. Stress will only affect me, so why put myself through the agony, right?

So I thought I would share my stress reliever list with y’all. Mainly because I actually do all of these things, but also because – and completely off the subject of writing – I got locked out of my house the other day. Complete nightmare and stressful, but I guess we all have to do it at some point, right? But, it inspired me to write this post. So there's a silver lining to every cloud. :-)

1. Have a cup of tea – For some reason this is probably the most English of the stress relievers, because pretty much all our mothers and their mothers think that tea solves any problem.  Naturally that would include herbal tea, which

2. Squeeze an orange (or any thick skinned fruit) – Yes, I know how crazy that sounds. And yes, I really do squeeze oranges. Naturally not hard enough to get juice squirting out because that really wouldn't help my stress, but they do actually help. Plus after you have calmed down you can eat it. Oranges are very tasty and I love the smell.

3. Go for a walk – I personally should probably try this more, but for some reason walking with no destination is a very bizarre idea to me. I would end up walking round the block, which I guess is the point.

4. Have a bath - Who doesn't love a hot bubble bath? Light some candles. Take deep breaths and just concentrate on taking a moment to yourself.

5. Deep breathing  – My mother is a fan of these. She trained to be a music teacher and naturally breathing is important for singers, so she usually tells me to breathe in on a count of ten and then out on a count of ten.

6. Meditate – I really wish I could do this, but clearing my mind is not an easy task, surprisingly.

7. Dance – Sometimes I put my MP3 on and I open my file of classic oldies and I just dance around so stupidly – worse than Napoleon Dynamite – until I either a) tire myself out, or b) laugh at how bad I dance and how stupid I probably look. It does work sometimes.

8. Calms (Herbal remedy) - Okay, perhaps it’s cheating, but these tablets work like a charm. They chill you out automatically, and if you’re like me you may become so chilled you get the giggles. And let’s face it having the giggles is better than being stressed. Am I right?

So that is my odd little list of things that I have found help me the most when I’m stressed. What about you? When you’re stress how do you calm yourself down?

Also, how has your weekend been? Anyone else lock themselves out of their house recently?

~ * ~

On a side note, tomorrow I will be giving away a copy of my Erotic Paranormal Romance Novel, She-Wolf (The Blood Series Prequel) as part of The 5 Musketeers Romance Competition. For more information just head on over to:- http://chrislangeauthor.wordpress.com/

Thursday 19 April 2012

Overthinking things...

Thank you, Elizabeth, for the funny post on Monday. I need to think of more funny posts - mine just tend to me a little serious and boring at the moment, perhaps because, despite my New Year's resolution not to overthink things, I am overthinking things :[

So today's blog post is about two things, both brief:

1. I shall be expanding my genres (and I'm growing to hate the word genre) to include urban fantasy, as well as paranormal romance. I've always called myself a multi-genre author because I never wanted to be sort of stereotyped into writing one kind of thing, or one style of fiction, but at the same time, it's drummed into you that you have to have a "brand" when you start to market yourself, so I "branded" myself as writing romance (mainly because I like writing sex in my books - I can't help it - my characters have high sex drives). Well, my brand doesn't want to be small, and I don't always want to be hampered by a happy ending, or only focusing on two couples, and so on, so I shall be branching out so to speak. Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy ... and Gothic Poetry ... and possibly some YA fiction in 2014 ... ah, you see my problem? No, damn it, this hole is for pigeons, not me :-p  This leads to the overthinking, but really, what is there to think about? Many adult paranormal romance authors also write urban fantasy, and also write young adult paranormal fiction. I'm sure I'm making mountains out of molehills...

2. This was kinda fun: in 2013, I shall be releasing two novels, both urban fantasies with lots of action and (er-hem) HEAT in them, and I actually started writing one of them about a year and a half ago - before I even started to write The Witching Pen. I haven't touched it since then, and went back to look at it last night (I think I'm about 18,000 words in) and BOY has my writing style changed! It actually seemed like it was written by a different person, so it needs a huge overhaul, and I'm looking forward to doing that. It's fascinating how you develop as a writer, but also a little scary, because it's entirely possible that my writing is complete and utter shit right now, and I won't know about it for another two years(!). Hahaha! I'll have a think about that as I poor myself another vodka on the rocks :s

There you have it - this has been my overthinking for the week. I'm looking forward to the week ahead being more based on action, and less based on thought. So, Elizabeth, when I'm going mad and tearing my hair out, because I have delusions of grandeur that I'm sitting on a mountain as opposed to a slope, I shall remember your funny post, and use it to shut my brain up :) Thanks. x

Monday 16 April 2012

For anyone who needs to laugh on a Monday

I apologize for the lateness and also the lack of seriousness of this post. Today has been the type of day where I have been torn between banging my head against a wall and ripping my hair out. Reality sucks.

So, I thought I would use today's blog as a pick me up for everyone who has had a bad Monday; or, depending on which side of the pond your on, if you're still stuck in work and the day is dragging.

(I also promise that nest week I shall post something serious and possibly interesting :-P )

So with the help of Pininterest - where I rummage when I want a good laugh - let's laugh at some random funny pictures!!


Thursday 12 April 2012

Romance, Libraries, And Their Decline

First of all, you may want to read yesterday's [short] blog post on my blog site, about Paranormal Romance sectioning in one of my local libraries - http://www.blog.diannahardy.com/2012/04/paranormal-romance-or-horror.html

This post is an off-shoot to that one, and a bit of a ranty one, because I'm getting more and more disappointed about what I can (or can't) find in libraries.

I'm going to talk about the Romance section in libraries across the country, and lead onto why libraries are failing. Now, this may not apply to every single library (I've not been to every single one), but it applies to many across Britain - certainly all the ones I've been to in recent years. Whenever I wander into the Romance section, two things are almost always guaranteed: 1. it's tiny, and 2. all you ever see are Mills & Boon books.

This seems like such a great oversight to me. Libraries are suffering across the world, and certainly in this country, it becoming increasingly obvious to me why: they're just not moving with the times. Mills & Boon is not the only publisher of Romance nowadays; in fact, most people I know who read Romance, don't even read Mills & Boon - they go straight to the smaller independent publishers like Samhain and Ellora's Cave. Of course, the Harlequin label (of which Mills & Boon is an imprint) is still popular (yet, somehow, it's harder to find Harlequin in the Romance section - they're there, but you have to trudge through Mills & Boon first, and you don't get most of the sub-genres that Harlequin offer).

If you've read yesterday's blog post linked above, you'll see that I assigned a big #FAIL to the fact that that particular library had Paranormal Romance labelled as Horror and in the Horror section. WHY, for God's sake? Paranormal Romance is not a sub-genre of Horror; it's a sub-genre of Romance. Surely it should be in the Romance section, and fundamentally, the Romance section should be expanded to include the ever-increasing sub-genres of the subject. In most libraries that I've seen, the Romance section is not even shelved, but the books are on one spinning rack - that's it! Romance needs to include Paranormal Romance, Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, and so on, and it needs to include paperback titles from publishers that are actually read by anyone under the age of fifty.

If a library insists on keeping Paranormal Romance in the Horror section, then that section needs to be split in two: Horror AND Paranormal Romance, not just re-label the Paranormal Romance books as Horror (again, see yesterday's post). They are not the same genre.

No wonder people no longer go into libraries; surely they can't find anything they're looking for within a reasonable time frame, and when they try to order books in, they now have to pay a fee. Well, may as well buy online, don't you think? It's cheaper and quicker.

It's a great shame. I love libraries. I practically grew up in one. But as an adult, I find they're run in a similar fashion to the NHS: without intelligent management. I'm not convinced it's the number of online outlets that are putting libraries in danger, but the fact that the management don't seem to know what books people want to read. It's not just about the mainstream "bestsellers" any more. When I used to go to the library as a child, it was to search for something different and unique (if I wanted "same" or "bestseller" I would just go to the bookshop, because those books would always be checked out of the library anyway). But the only place to find different and unique nowadays is online. Libraries don't do it. All I seem to be able to find in libraries is recent bestseller titles (of which there are no copies left to check out), or very old titles that are outdated and no one wants to read.

Suggestion for libraries: instead of solely checking the New York Times bestseller list (or whatever list you check) for your potential stock, how about checking the Kindle bestseller lists, then ordering in the paperbacks of those Kindle books (and often there will be paperback editions). This is what the new generation want to read. This is where you'll find "different and unique". It doesn't have to be a huge range - just another small rack that swivels, titled Kindle Bestsellers, or better still, stick them into the correct genres (after you've expanded the genres on your shelves, of course).

The new generation don't even know what a library smells like - many have never stepped foot in one. I'm not surprised: they need a reason to.

Monday 9 April 2012

Home: The Collector Prequel

I hope you have all had a lovely and relaxing Easter and that you're not feeling to sick after all that delicious chocolate. :-)

Today I thought I would share one of my free reads with you.
"Home" is the short prequel to my fallen angel novella, The Collector. It is set nineteen years before the novella and shows the moment that Kale and Samantha first meet.

~ * ~

Home
The Collector Prequel

By Elizabeth Morgan


(Home is a free read, offered unedited & as-is.)

~ * ~

Kale had already seen what was about to happen. He knew the driver of the black beetle would lose his grip on the wheel, due to the icy country road. And he knew that once it collided with the silver Ford, the man would be hurled through the window, killed instantly from the blow and that the car would tip. But all he could do was wait until it happened.

Kale was a hand, one of The Collectors. He was the one who came for a persons spirit when they died. It was his job to open the gateway of light and deliver the spirits into the afterlife. Without him, a persons spirit would be trapped between worlds, unable to cross.

He stood patiently underneath an old oak, unseen by all those who drove by. Just watching.

Waiting.

The country road glistened due to the thin winter ice that sat snugly upon the crumbling stone.

He could see that each blade of grass sparkled with dew as the morning light covered the landscape. He knew it was cold by the way the random passengers of individual cars sat in their thick hats and coats, their breath frosting the glass, but he couldn’t feel it. Even though he stood in nothing more than silk trousers, he couldn’t feel the bitter wind against his naked flesh.

He looked up at the naked branches above his head, he could clearly see the wind dancing through the bare branches of the oak, making them shake frantically. But he felt nothing.

He sometimes found himself wondering how something as simple as rain or a summer’s breeze would feel against his skin. But it was something he would never know. He shook the thought out of his mind and lifted his head as he sensed the faint dark fog of death invading the air. He looked to the right, to the distant hill that the road had climbed over….

It was time.

Thursday 5 April 2012

The Good Things In Life

Until two days ago, I was in a bit of a funk. Mainly about writing, mostly about marketing, and a little about the very small flat we live in and the building work that has taken almost 9 months to complete. FUNK.

So this is going to be a short blog post about all the things I'm grateful for; all the things that make my day to day life easier. And I encourage everyone who reads this to comment on THREE things that make their life great. We all need to remind ourselves every now and then of all the fabulous things accessible to us :)
  1. I have great Facebook Friends / Readers (insert heart emoticon here). They are truly supportive and encouraging.
  2. My home may be small, but it's cute and pretty to look at, even if my toddler has too many toys that seem to multiply.
  3. I love my partner / should-be-husband - we are young and healthy, and he supports me in all I do, and accepts me for the crazy person I am.
  4. My daughter is the healthiest of all of us, and she's growing to be an independent, beautiful, intelligent girl.
  5. I'm lucky enough to be able to live my passion (writing and publishing), and to have a [currently] small number of people who enjoy my work.
  6. I'm earning something. No, it's not enough for a trip to Disneyland yet, but I'm earning money dong what I love!
  7. I'm only 33, but I've lived a highly interesting life that has helped me develop as a person and a soul.
  8. I love beauty.
  9. I love romance.
  10. I love love.
  11. I love living, even though it's hard sometimes - especially because it's hard sometimes.
  12. I can still watch a sunset, and feel like Great Spirit is touching my soul, reminding me I once had wings and that I will be able to fly again ... soon.
Dianna.

 

Monday 2 April 2012

Adding to the list

Please forgive me for the lateness of this post. I was away for the weekend, hanging with my family as it was my nephews christening. I got back this morning and I have been playing catch-up.

So I thought I would keep today's post nice and simple.

I have just finished a project so this weekend has been a nice little break for my mind. I have literally had no time to think about writing as it has been all systems go. This week I am going to start planning my next project, but I also thought it would be a great idea for me to catch up on my reading because I am soooo behind. My tbr pile is stupidly large.

I'm currently reading J.R. Ward's "Covet". I started reading this book in october - I know that was ages ago - and I really love it, but I just haven't had the time to sit and finish it. O_o sheer madness! So I definitely have to finish it this month, and then I can move on to Meljean Brooks "Heart of Steel." I love, love, loved "The Iron Duke." So I am desperate to sink my teeth in to HoS.

Ahhhh I have so many books I need to buy. Yes need. Want as well, but it is more that I need to read the books that are on there. Some are the next instalments in series I have been reading for a while, but the rest are completely new. My god there are soooo many awesome books out, aren't there?

Now despite what I have just said, I am always looking for more books/series to read. So, I'm turning to you guys and girls to tell me what I should have on my "too buy list." Yep, we're gonna' make this bad boy even bigger . . .

Yes, that was a naughty innuendo ;-P

So, what must reads, must I read? What are you reading at the moment? What book couldn't you put down?? What the heck should be on my list??