Friday, May 5, 2023

5/5/2023: There’s More To Editing Than Meets The Eye

I don’t claim to be an expert writer or editor, but I do claim about 22 years of writing experience. During that time I have published nine novels and a few short stories. Under different circumstances I might have written more; however, I took a five-year sabbatical to care for my wife as she battled dementia. She lost that battle recently, and I started writing again. I have been surprised the quality of my writing seems to have improved during my absence. I’ll share some thoughts with you about the editing approach I used for two novels I recently submitted to Solstice Publishing: Beyond The Horizon and Infinity Quest. I wrote the majority of those novels before I became a caretaker; therefore, I had a unique historical perspective on my writing “then” vs. “now.”

1.  The new novels were intended to logically follow Aftermath Horizon, which was published in 2018. Therefore, the first task was to reread that novel to ensure all the stories fit together. This step required more time than I guessed. I wrote fast in 2018; now I don’t, and that’s my first lesson. The details in novels that follow an original must be consistent. That includes character names, event timelines, dates, equipment available to your characters, and concepts. If it all doesn’t fit together, then you will lose your reader and maybe your editor. Take your time to ensure flaws are removed.

2. Assuming the novel is consistent and complete, start reading and rereading. In an ideal world one would reread enough times so that the final read would have no errors. I read each of the two recent novels six times from cover-to-cover, and then spot checked many chapters before I submitted the novels to a Solstice editor. There are specific items you should check as you are rereading, among them:

     a. Ensure correct use of words like lie/lay, its/it’s, might/may, rise/raise, who/whom, etc. I have two screens open for that task—one for Googling grammar and word usage, and one for novel text. Always question word usage. When there is the slightest doubt, look it up. For example, read the last sentence in paragraph 1 above. “If” and “then” are used together as they should be.

     b. Be careful of the word “and.” The word means “at the same time.” Therefore, it is impossible to “walk to the bar, pick up a beer, and sit down.” You cannot walk and sit at the same time. If a series involves mutually exclusive items, end it with “and then.” Don’t confuse “and” with “but.” The word “but” implies an exception to what was presented earlier in the sentence.

     c. Don’t confuse “may” (which implies permission) with “might” (something could happen).

     d. Search your document for the following items (without the quotes): “, and”, “, but”, “, so”, “, yet”. These prepositions, with the comma and following space, join independent clauses. Without the comma they join a dependent clause. Don’t mess it up.

     e. Run spelling check even if your word processor does that while you are writing.

     f. Change the margins between the 3rd and 4th reading. Changing the margins forces the words in the text to wrap differently. Many errors occur where a sentence wraps to the next line. You might be surprised how many “new errors” crop up just by wrapping the text differently.

     g. Embed actions with dialog in a way that implies the speaker. Except in rare cases, don’t explicitly identify the character (like “John said”). This will take some practice. Try to picture the action going on with the dialog and intersperse the action you see in your mind with the dialog from the characters. For example: “She shook her head as she began pacing. Time seemed to stop while we all wondered how she would react. When she passed the table the third time she stopped abruptly, downed a shot of whisky, slammed the jigger down hard, and then glared at Tom. ‘What the hell do you mean my check bounced?’” The characters need to come alive. Sometimes the dialog itself is enough to identify the speaker. For example: “What do you mean by that, Mother?”

h. Use quotes correctly. The ending punctuation should be inside the quote, even when there is a quote within a quote, as above.

i. Minimize the use of adverbs. They can be the kiss of death.

j. You can often eliminate the word “that” without changing the meaning of anything.  

k. Perhaps the most confusing for new authors is the meaning of “show vs. tell.” When you are telling a story, you are the narrator. When you are showing a story, the characters are the narrators. The story should be told from the character’s point of view as much as possible.

l. The thoughts of a character should be italicized.

m. Be careful with hyphens. The only way to know for sure is to look the word up in a dictionary. Note that most words that begin with “re,” like rewrite, do not need a hyphen. The usual exception is words that begin with “e,” like re-edit.

n. Don’t use exclamation points except when the character is literally screaming. Don’t use capital letters to make a point.

o. Eliminate excess punctuation. If you can say something without punctuation, then do it. I do not set off four-word preposition phrases at the beginning of a sentence nor do I put commas before one if a prepositional phrase ends a sentence. If you cannot decide whether there are two independent clauses or one is dependent, then rewrite the sentence to clear it up.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Tina's New Book: THIS TIME WHEN WE TOUCH

For those of you who follow Tina Donahue's work, you only have to wait four more days! "This Time When We Touch" will be released 17 July 2014: Fate has cruelly torn them apart through the centuries. Endless desire and unparalleled love will bring them together a final time.

Through numerous reincarnations, Jade Jacome has adored one man. His love for her has repeatedly led to her murder, always on the same day and time. Jade’s scientific research proves this is their final rebirth, her last chance to outwit destiny and fulfill their passion. Against a backdrop of Brazil’s lushly decadent Carnaval, Jade has forty-eight hours to meet and tempt her lover, now known as Patrick Kane, then break fate’s deadly pattern.
Irresistibly drawn to Rio, Patrick senses Jade’s yearning that matches his. Seeing her again, time stops. Though they’ve never met in this life, he feels their connection, and that she’s in danger because of him. Baffled and unsettled, Patrick resists his attraction to Jade to keep her safe.

In a contest of wills and shameless seduction, Jade must gamble all, even her life, before the anniversary of their first separation or risk losing Patrick forever.

Here's a sneak peek excerpt:

What seemed to be love flared in the woman’s green eyes, further softening her features. A welcoming smile broke across her delicate mouth, creating two dimples.
Pure wonder overcame him. He couldn’t look at her enough to satisfy his lust, heart, and soul.
Reddish-brown hair, shiny and thick, cascaded down her back, the tendrils around her exquisite face wiggling in the wind. Her slender throat bobbed gently with her swallow. Even before he looked, he knew three moles circled her navel, the marks he’d been looking for.
It didn’t make sense. None of this did.
For some reason, he expected her to be wearing a yellow gown, elegant and modest in design.
Clothed in a thong the locals called fio dental or dental floss, she seemed unaware or unconcerned that its bronze color matched her skin, creating an illusion of nudity. The tips of her nipples strained against the stretchy fabric that barely contained her full breasts. No more than a scrap of cloth hid her cunt from him and not very well. The Lycra revealed the outline of her slit that led to her hot, wet sheath.
His lungs burned for air. Steadying himself, he dug his toes in the mud, feeling the bite of sand instead. Surprised and confused, he looked down.
Her voice whispered in his mind, “Esta vez cuando tocamosa.”
The words lingered, chasing away the remaining sounds until they disappeared, leaving a heavy silence. He managed a swallow and a shallow breath that left him hungry for more. Lifting his face, he stared at her, tenderness overwhelming him. Her voice, her promise echoed in his thoughts.
Esta vez cuando tocamosa. This time when we touch.
Hope roared through him with the arrogance of youth, followed by a broken man’s despair. He stopped lifting his hand to invite her closer. Unease crept through him. A warning rang in his mind to keep his distance, to do everything he could to keep her safe.
Above, a gull cried out, interrupting his apprehension, bringing with it the other sounds. Women laughed, men boasted, children shrieked. The reality and normalcy of the beach intruded.
Unsteady, Patrick blinked. What in the hell was happening?
Rubbing water from his eyes, he didn’t immediately look up, concerned that she’d vanished. That she hadn’t been real to begin with.
Her patient gaze told him how wrong he was. She regarded him as though no one else existed.
Patrick’s chest pumped with his erratic breaths. Blood flowed to his groin. His cock thickened painfully wanting inside her sweet cunt.
Just as he was about to act on impulse and go to her, a man from behind caught Patrick’s attention. He looked to be in his early thirties. Although she seemed unaware of him, he stared at her naked ass and legs, his attention more than appreciative. It was fucking possessive, possibly jealous. The kind of prick who talked with his fists to keep a woman in line.
Patrick went hot with outrage, his only thought to see that she was safe. He crossed the beach, stopping directly in front of her. She lifted her face to his, her expression guileless, brimming with what seemed to be adoration.
Baffled…grateful, he recalled her voice in his mind. Or what he thought had been her voice.
This time when we touch.
He remembered his concern, the insane idea that he had to protect her. From the guy behind her? Some other man? Or from himself?
The thought should have struck him as crazy, but he couldn’t dismiss it. Taking a step back, Patrick asked what he had to know but was afraid to face. “Who are you?”
  
BIO:

Tina Donahue is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Siren Publishing, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category). The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company.


CONTEST

Please leave a comment. Tina will be choosing one winner randomly from the comments section. The winner gets her choice of one of Tina’s backlist ebooks – FIFTEEN IN ALL – contemporary, paranormal, suspense, ménage. From this list:

1. Adored – RWA award-winning; EPIC 2011 Finalist; 4 Stars RT
2. Deep, Dark, Delicious – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Holt Medallion Award of Merit
3. Lush Velvet Nights – EPIC 2011 Finalist; Golden Nib Award
4. In His Arms – SIX 5 Star Reviews; 4 Stars RT
5. Sensual Stranger – 2010 Book of the Year (erotic); 4 Stars RT
6. The Yearning – Top Ten Bestseller
7. Take Me Away – #1 Pick, Miz Love Loves Books
8. Unending Desire – Best Book Rating LASR
9. SiNN – Nominated for Book of the Week LASR
10. Sinfully Wicked – Magnificent – Romancing the Book
11.  Claiming Magique – Top Pick – NOR
12. Illicit Desire – Four Stars Romantic Times
13. Come Fill Me – Five Stars – Guilty Pleasures
14. Losing Control - Four and a Half Stars - Sensual Reads
15. Shameless Desire - Four and Half Stars - The Jeep Diva


PRE-ORDER!
AVAILABLE: Thursday, July 17th
This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, July 24th.

Friday, June 27, 2014

"Earth's Magick" and "Decker"


Mel Massey
Today Miss Havana presents an interview with Mel Massey, author of Earth's Magick and Decker. Miss Havana believes the short blurbs that follow the interview will pique your interest ... and Miss Havana knows a great deal about the dark side.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
My poor main character, Mela, really gets it bad from the first page.  A nasty being that’s trying to kill her attacks her nightly.  Mela is special because of the choices she makes to protect herself.  She’s open to the idea and the power of "magick."  Although, she really has no idea about any of it, she’s willing, and that’s all it takes sometimes, a little leap of faith and a whole lot of intent.  She wasn’t born with any area or special gifts, she’s simply a bit braver than most.

How much research do you do?
Sooooo much research went into this series.  First, let me say, I’ve outlined the entire series, and that took some time.  Then I outlined, researched, and created the “ancient characters” and that took an extremely long time.  Not to mention writing spells, and "magickal" history that worked with this world. I had to create the entire history of the Elementai, which is totally made up by the way.

If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it?
Yes!  This is the first book in a five part series.  Plus four companion novels.  Each book’s theme is written right on the cover. The first is Earth.  Book 2 is Water, etc. Each book introduces new characters both good and bad.  The story starts to get more complex, and sadly, darker, as the series goes on.

What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
Personally, I’m a fan of authors who know where the series is going.  Even if they’re not sure on how the main character will get there, I’d like to know there is a purpose and a reason for it all. I do know how the Earth’s Magick series will end.  Some things may change as the books are written but I know the final outcome and I think that makes for a stronger series.  I read somewhere that an author of a series ought to plot the tale from the end to the beginning.  I totally agree with that.  But then again, there are other authors who’ve made a great living on going with the flow with no real clue…to each their own.

EARTH’S MAGICK, BOOK 1 ~Earth~
Blurb:

Life in Trinity Hills, Texas goes from normal to deadly for Mela Malone. Whenever Mela falls asleep, a mysterious creature, called The Hag, tries to kill her. What begins as dabbling in protective spells from an ancient Grimoire, leads to her initiation into an ancient order of warrior witches known as the Elementai. Mela learns war is coming with The Darkness and the Hag is only one of the evil creatures in its service. As an Elementai, Mela learns it’s her duty to find four part-human sisters who can help defeat the evil that threatens to return to the world. With every new discovery, Mela uncovers ancient secrets that complicate her quest further. As war approaches, everyone must make a choice - fight with the Elementai for all life on Earth, or fight for The Darkness.

DECKER
Blurb:
In this first companion novel to the Earth’s Magick series, Decker tells his incredible, and sometimes painful, life story. For over 2,000 years, he has fought to survive and find his place in this ever-changing world. Beginning in a remote village in ancient Saudi Arabia, he takes the reader with him to Egypt, Rome, Gaul, Ireland, Scotland, Africa, and finally to the New World. Earth’s Magick readers will relive Decker’s incredible adventures and his most intimate secrets.

Please see www.melmassey.com for news on the Earth’s Magick series, Mel’s blog, links to her books, and forums for readers to chat with each other.

Buy Links:
Mel’s books at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/mel-massey


Author: Mel Massey




Friday, June 6, 2014

Review of Tidal Surge by Francene Stanley


Not at all what I expected from the title, Tidal Surge is a paranormal tale of a woman who enters the thoughts of another and, once inside, can also make suggestions—for good or bad. As a new wife, Liliha shares her secret ability with her husband, Oliver, who encourages her to use her talent for the good of those she influences. Liliha has no control over the episodes that take her and, like an advancing tidal surge, she is swept away into a vortex of jumbled thoughts time and again throughout the novel. The story pivots from third person to first each time she is thrust into the mind of another. I was a little confused the first time that happened but adjusted quickly and enjoyed the perspective shift.

Liliha derives her power from an ancient Egyptian moonstone ring, and the ring has two associated golden bracelets, one of which is in Liliha’s possession. The bracelet, like the ring, bestows on those who wear it an ability similar to Liliha’s but there is a difference. While the ring encourages good, the bracelet brings out the worst. Kaelyn, Liliha’s daughter, happens on the bracelet while rummaging through her mother’s things and is swept away into a dark world inside the mind of people intent on evil deeds. Encouraged by the bracelet, Kaelyn’s destructive nature blooms, and the sullen, insolent daughter becomes even more hostile.

Amid the chaos of good vs. evil as Kaelyn and Liliha battle each other within the minds of predators and victims, Oliver’s sexy ex-girlfriend, Beatrice, schemes to recover her relationship with Liliha’s new husband. Beatrice flees the witness protection program to add her physical beauty and lustful soul to the eternal battle being waged by Liliha and Kaelyn.

The plot is highly entertaining, the ending is unexpected, and the book is masterfully edited. I enjoyed the English writing style and vocabulary. Francene Stanley also walked the fine line between enough description of people and places to embed the reader into her story, but not so much to slow the reader’s momentum. Here’s an example as Kaelyn reacts to the bracelet: “She took a deep breath, and then slid the bangle up her arm. The gold clamped and settled on her bicep. Shudders of guilt-tainted pleasure flowed through her. Suffocating, sweet essence invaded her psyche. She slid onto the void with an expectation of delight.”


Having raised two teen girls myself, I applaud the author for capturing the aloof nature, lack of forgiveness (for almost everything), and haughtiness of a young woman striving to come to grips with the world as it is. Overall, I believe Tidal Surge is a five-star read.  

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Rachel's Legacy by Lizzy Stevens

Rachel Connors loved her life, and her job as a manager at a ski resort in Aspen Colorado, but after learning she was ill, she decided to take a long needed vacation to her parent's home. This was when she met Kyle Landers, who in her absence had moved into her parent's lives, and before he'd even met Rachel, Kyle had decided not to like her. Kyle had been alone in the world when Rachel's parents had taken him in; and he couldn't understand why their ungrateful daughter had chosen to distance herself from them. 

Rachel and Kyle grew closer, and she knew she was falling for him. Everything changed when Rachel was scheduled to meet Kyle, but a call from her doctor summoned her back to Aspen, telling her parents there was a problem at work. When Kyle hears of this, he boards a plane to find her, learning the truth of her condition. Their love blossomed but it was to be short lived when on their flight back to the ranch the plane crashed. Despite an extensive search, Kyle was never found, and Rachel was forced to go on without him.

Four years had passed, and Rachel's relationship with Marcus, her new boyfriend, was moving to a different level, but at the same time, the thought dead Kyle had come out of his coma; his mind lost in the events four years earlier. After Rachel accepted Marcus' proposal, Kyle returns, leaving Rachel with a dilemma. For four years Marcus had been by her side, but now Kyle was back, wanting her just as much as he had the day of the crash. She needed to get away to make her decision, so she left for Aspen, only Kyle followed her to try to convince her that they belonged together. 

Who will Rachel Chose? Is Kyle's love enough to bring her back to him?

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Interview with Miss Havana

Host: Today we welcome Miss Havana, the beautiful starlet of the Miss Havana paranormal comedy series. Please, Miss Havana, have a seat.

MH (flicking her hair while looking down at the chair): Is that seat clean? Do you have a towel so I can dust it off?

Host (providing paper napkins): As I said, thank you for joining us today. We—

MH (interrupting): You wouldn’t have a glass of chardonnay would you?

Host: Ah, no, but I do have water.

MH (adjusting her mini-skirt): If that’s all you’ve got, I guess it’ll have to do. A lady simply must be careful about what she puts in her body.

Host (flipping through notes): Really? It says here you once gave birth to Lilith, Lucifer’s daughter. That would indicate you weren’t very discriminating about what you put in it back then.

MH (yawning): That’s such old news. Seducing that dolt was just a means to an end. I’ve become a better person over the years, although my ex would still choke the life out of me if he could get his grubby hands on my neck.

Host (shuffling through the pages): I wondered about that. It says here you married Samuel Jackson. The actor? Does Lucifer resent that?

MH (deep sigh): Your research sucks; I’d never marry a liberal. My Samuel Jackson is a fireman…and he understands that accidents happen.

Host (clears throat): His occupation could come in handy if Lucifer ever catches up with him.

MH (grinning): Our daughter, Angel, protects us. She has friends in high places.

Host (wide-eyed): You mean God, right? Some people think He is her real father. Is that true?

MH (scrunching up face into a scowl): All I can say is that Immaculate Conception isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Our daughter … is just an angel.

Host: My notes indicate you have two daughters now…both adopted.

MH (shaking head): Things are not always what they seem. Living or dead is not necessarily black and white in my world. Shades of grey crop up all the time.

Host (changing topic): Our audience wants to know—does Lucifer still seek to do you harm?

MH (sitting up straight and glaring into host’s eyes): My, my, we are focused on the dark side today, aren’t we? Lucifer wants to do you harm, you idiot. It’s what he does.

Host (flushing): No need to get personal. How about I just ask about your new book, The Trophy Wife? That’s due out soon, isn’t it?

MH (smiling): Don’t you just love the picture of me on the cover? I teased the photographer with that one. He sweat so much he had to clean his lens. But you are right. The book was released yesterday, February 10! I’m so excited.

Host (loosening his collar): Yes, the cover is, well, you. Can you tell us a little about the story?
 
MH (flexing her shoulders): Oh, yes. The Trophy Wife is my most outrageous novel yet. You will laugh until you cry! Because I’ve made Lucifer’s afterlife a nightmare, he kills me—again—but God intervenes. I find myself on the good side for a change. God sends my spirit to inhabit a six-year-old Cuban child, who becomes a flawed but beautiful high school teacher, and Lucifer sends our daughter Lilith, the Princess of Darkness, to haunt Lily, one of my students. Lilith rains comical torment on me like a natural enemy, and we ratchet up our level of destructiveness as we discover more of our underworld power. Murder eventually becomes an option…for both of us. Despite dips into horror and tragedy, the novel is a hilarious romp through heaven and hell. God helps me a lot, frustrating Lucifer and Lilith enough to char the pages. Even though my journey toward happiness is fraught with peril, I still find inner faith and strength along the way.

Host (glancing up to observe MH over the top of his glasses): So, you’re on the good side? That’s a new role for you, isn’t it?

MH (huffing): There you go again. Things are not always black and white and they never will be.

Host (putting down his notes): Can you give us a sample from The Trophy Wife, just for fun?

MH (rolling her eyes): That’s the reason I’m here. Here’s a couple of paragraphs where I strike back at Lilith with my famous paddle. I didn’t know I was once the Queen of Darkness at the time, or that Lilith was once my daughter, so what happens to Lily seems, well, just coincidence.

* * * *
Miss Havana then strutted to the front of the room, picked up the paddle and began tapping the rounded end on the floor. Once again her hardened glare fell on Lily. “Discipline can be a bitch. You may come to the front of the room now.”
Suddenly Lily seemed compelled to get out of her chair and walk robot-like to the front of the classroom as if on autopilot. She couldn’t scream. She knew what would happen next but seemed helpless to prevent it. Although she fought with every muscle in her body, she stooped over and grabbed her ankles. Miss Havana lined up behind her and, with all the strength she could muster, swung the paddle against Lily’s butt. Whack!
Lily danced on her toes as soon as the paddle made a fire-hot imprint on her ass. She wanted to cry out, but whispered sympathy from the other side of the door kept her in check: “Oh, my God”…“Poor Lily”…“What comes around goes around”…“That’ll leave a mark.”
* * * *
Miss Havana heard the hushed voices too, and smiled. From now on, my other students should be far more receptive to my lessons. Watching Lily gyrate in abject pain on her tippy toes produced the same reaction Miss Havana had noted before. Her private area dampened, and she secretly wished Jackson would show up to put out the flame building inside her.
When Lily stopped her dance of silence, Miss Havana blew a quick puff of breath across the surface of the paddle. “We can do this forever, Lily, or you can just stop attacking me.”
Lily shot back. “I hope you choke on the next penis you swallow!”
And Miss Havana responded without thinking, “And I hope you drown in shit, but neither is likely to happen. You may leave now.”
Both Lily and Miss Havana could hear the shuffling outside the door, like a herd of cockroaches abandoning a dumpster. Lily stormed out and slammed the door behind her.
Miss Havana sat at her desk. Her fingers twitched and tremors shook her arms. She took a deep breath and exhaled slow. Why didn’t Lily resist? I called her to the front like leading a lamb to slaughter. Does the girl actually have a shred of decency, a tiny bit of respect for authority? Miss Havana expected a showdown, and had even brought pepper spray, the “Hello Kitty” brass knuckles Duane insisted she carry…and a Taser. She thought this might be her last day teaching in a public school, but the session with Lily had gone down smoother than double malt whisky. Why?
* * * *
Lily reached the parking lot in F5 tornado rage. She wanted…needed…to destroy something…anything. She dragged her ignition key the full length of Miss Havana’s car as she passed by and then walked to each door panel and kicked it in while screaming “Bitch!” at the top of her lungs each time her foot impacted the metal. Other students gave her a wide berth. No one wanted to get involved.
Lily stormed to her Festiva, revved the engine far more than advised by the manufacturer’s owner’s manual and threw the car in gear. Her tires squealed as students scattered in all directions. She accelerated through the parking lot, ran the stop sign as she entered the main drag, and raced through the crosswalk like she had the right of way.
Two blocks from Redmond High, she rounded the corner much too fast to remain in her own lane…and slid sideways into a large yellow truck with black trim, red flashers, and the words “Stool Bus” stenciled on the doors—a vehicle owned by a local firm that profited from pumping port-a-potty effluent. The Festiva slammed into the pumping valves with such force they penetrated the vehicle’s driver’s side door just above Lily’s lap…and snapped off. Lily screeched, “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” as the entire chunky load emptied inside her car.
* * * *

MH (with sheepish grin): Okay, you get the picture. Now you need to get the novel. You can buy it at http://www.amazon.com/James-L.-Hatch/e/B005CQB6E6. (She leans forward just enough to expose the tops of her marshmallow-like breasts) I really wish you would.


Host (now sweating): Yes, yes, I will. Thank you for being with us today. (Turning to face the audience) And thank all of you wonderful people for taking the time to read this post. Just a quick reminder: The Trophy Wife makes a fantastic Valentine gift for both men and women. Nothing says “I Love You” like a good laugh.





Saturday, January 25, 2014

Announcing a New Release: Fairy, Texas

Coming from Solstice Shadows Publishing on February 4, 2014: Fairy, Texas. Here’s the blurb:

Fairy, Texas, is a small town like any other, and Laney Harris didn't want to live there. When her mother remarried and moved to Fairy, where a date meant hanging out at the Sonic, Laney figured that "boring" would have a whole new meaning. A new stepsister who despised her and a high school where she was the only topic of gossip were bad enough but, when she met the school counselor (and his terminal bad breath), she grew suspicious—he had wings only she could see. Josh and Mason also piqued her interest, two gorgeous, glimmering-eyed classmates whose interest in her might not be for the reasons she hoped. Even more, she could not begin to explain the dead guy she tripped during gym class. Perhaps Fairy, Texas, wouldn’t be so boring after all.
 _____________________________________________

Excerpt 1:

 Fairy High could have fit into one wing of my old school. The three-story, red brick building looked like it had been around for at least a century—it actually had carvings over two of the doorways that read “Men’s Entrance” and “Women’s Entrance.” I was glad to see that none of the kids paid any attention to those instructions.
   “Counselor’s office,” I muttered to myself. At least I wasn’t starting in the middle of a term—though given the fact that there were fewer than 500 students in the entire high school, I didn’t think I was going to be able to go unnoticed, even in the general bustle of the first day back from summer vacation.
   I walked through the door marked “Men’s Entrance,” just be contrary, and faced a long hallway lined with heavy wooden doors. The spaces in between the doors were filled with lockers and marble staircases with ornate hand-rails flanked each end of the long hallway. Students poured in behind me, calling out greetings to each other and jostling me off to the side while I tried to get my bearings. None of the doors obviously led to a main office; I was going to have to walk the entire length of the hallway. And people were already starting to stare and whisper.
   God. I hated being the new kid.
   I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I made it halfway down the hall without seeing anything informative—all the doors had numbers over them and many of them had name plaques, but neither of those things did me any good since I didn’t know the name or office number for the counselor. I was almost getting desperate enough to ask Kayla, but of course she was nowhere to be seen.
   I turned back from scanning the halls for her and caught sight of the first adult I’d seen—and almost screamed. As it was, I gasped loudly enough for a guy walking past me to do a double take. The man standing in the open doorway was tall, over six feet, and way skinny—so emaciated that it looked like you ought to be able to see his ribs through his shirt, if his shirt didn’t hang so loosely on him. He had white hair that stuck out in tufts, thin lips, a sharp nose, and pale blue eyes that narrowed as he watched the kids walk past—and all the kids gave him a wide berth without even seeming to notice that they did so. He stood in an empty circle while students streamed around him in the crowded hallway.
   But none of that was what made me almost scream.
   For a moment, just as I’d turned toward him, I could have sworn that I’d seen the shadow of two huge, black, leathery wings stretched out behind him.

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Excerpt 2:

   “Okay, girls,” Coach Spencer yelled above the chatter around me. “We’re going to get warmed up for this year with a little run around the outer track.” She gestured toward a field off to the right of the building. I could see a dirt track wending its way along the edge, disappearing into a copse of stubby trees and scrub brush at the far end. “Four laps,” Spencer added. A general groan went up, and I was glad that the discussion at lunch had distracted me from eating too much. Late August in Texas is hot.
   “Well?” the coach said. “Get going!”
   We started off at a trot toward the field, many of the girls around me still complaining. For a moment, I considered hanging back with the crowd, but Andrew had told me that Spencer coached the girls’ track team. I wanted to impress her. So I stretched my legs out as I hit the track and settled in to a long stride, my breathing still easy.
   The afternoon sun beat down on my head. I watched the small grove grow closer, anxious for some shade. By the time I hit the bend in the track that led into the thicket, I was yards ahead of the rest of the runners—so when I rounded the curve and tripped over the body, I was all alone.
   It didn’t take long for everyone else to catch up, but it seemed like an eternity as I scrambled back, crab-like. It took a moment for my brain to translate the messages my eyes were sending it—the images coalesced slowly, like one of those magic pictures with the 3D images inside.
   He had been stretched out spread-eagle across the trail, head and feet half-concealed in the brush on either side. Blood pooled around him, sticky and half-dried at the edges. His shirt had been ripped open and a slash opened him from his throat to his stomach.
   As the other girls rounded the bend, I realized that the high, keening noise in the background was the sound of my own screaming. As soon as I realized it, I stopped, but several of my classmates picked up where I left off.
   My hands and knees were coated with blood where I had landed; my skin was tacky with it. I crawled over to the nearest bush and vomited.
   Coach Spencer shoved her way through the girls and stuttered to a stop, her hand to her mouth. “Oh, God,” she said. “It’s Cody Murphy.”
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Excerpt 3:

I was partnered with Mason Collier, the infamous football-playing, cute, but possibly black-magicky friend-of-Bartlef I’d heard about at lunch. I looked around and saw a guy waving at me from across the room. He was looking at me kind of like he was hungry and maybe I was breakfast. It worried me.
Still, at least I hadn’t been paired up with Kayla. It could have been much worse.
“Okay,” Carlson said. “Go ahead and meet with your partner and plan your strategy.”
Mason and I stood up at the same time and walked toward each other. I was so busy making sure I didn’t trip over any desks that I didn’t see Kayla headed toward me until she was right in front of me. And then she leaned in close to my face and hissed at me. “Don’t get too cozy. He’s way out of your league.”
I rolled my eyes and moved around her without responding. Three days. Three days I’d been in Fairy, and already I had an enemy. And I lived in her house. My life kept getting better and better.
Mason and I met in the middle of the room. Kayla and her friends huddled nearby, watching us.
“Hey,” Mason said.
“Hey.” Nice, neutral word, hey. Can mean almost anything. Or nothing.
“So,” he said, “where do you want to start?”
He was asking me? Where I wanted to start was away from here, where there weren’t any dead boys to trip over.
So much for that option.

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About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Waking Up Dead, Fairy, Texas, and Legally Undead (forthcoming in 2014). She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.

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Connect with Margo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin  @MargoBondCollin
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy

Be sure to add Fairy, Texas to your Goodreads bookshelves: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19502285-fairy-texas