SO WAT'CHA, WAT'CHA, WAT'CHA WANT?

Twenty-twelve is right around the corner and, as ever when we reach the cusp of a new year, that means it's time to talk about successes and failures, resolutions and goals. I say we don't dwell so much on the failures, or the resolutions - what are those, after all, but snippets of dreams committed to paper?

My five goals, in no particular order, for twenty-twelve:*

• Master the art of eating hot foods without losing control of my mucous membranes
• Finally watch all of Jacob's Ladder without covering my eyes during the seizure-gimp scenes
• Write that 120,000-word buddy comedy novel mash-up of Twilight and Throw Momma from the Train
• Grow another inch

• Finish two novels

What are your goals, dear readers? What one or three or five things do you hope to accomplish in twenty-twelve? (Yes, I do like seeing it written out, why do you ask?)

*Subject to change without notice, available only in states and territories where permitted, in Spanish where available, may cause narcolepsy, robotism or bleeding of the eyes.

GIVEAWAY WINNER, TOFFEE AND CHRISTMAS EVE EVE

First things first. The winner of my part of the Mistletoe Madness giveaway is Meghan. Congrats, Meghan Page. Please email me to let me know if you'd prefer you advance copy of Don't Bite the Messenger in PDF or e-Pub form. And thanks to all who participated. This was fun for me, both hearing people's winter memories and getting to discover so many new-to-me authors.

Second, I am on my third attempt to make a batch of toffee I've made annually for four years. The variable this year? A new cooking range that apparently freaking hates toffee. There has been much swearing in Casa Jacques tonight.

And, third, 'tis the Eve of Christmas Eve. We've got family in town from the right coast, closets and drawers and trunks full of presents, and enough wine to best a chronically-inebriate olyphant.

Uhhhh...I meant elephant.

It's going to be glorious.

So, happy holidays to all, and to all a good night!

MISTLETOE MADNESS BLOG HOP

**the giveaway is now closed**

In keeping with the holiday spirit, I'm running around like a six-legged thoroughbred with a bur under her saddle and something to prove. I'm not actually sure which holiday that image relates to, but it seems appropriate this year.

What I wouldn't give for an hour to kick back and lose myself in a good book. Alas... Since I'm too busy, I'm giving you the opportunity to win such a reprieve. The book, that is. I haven't yet mastered the ability to bestow time on others. Welcome, dear readers, to the Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop!

I'm giving away an early digital copy of my novella, Don't Bite the Messenger, coming to the rest of the world 1.16.12.

Cover Art: © 2012 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited.

Don't Bite the Messenger 

Anchorage, Alaska

The vampire population may have created an economic boom in Alaska, but their altered energy field fries most technology. They rely on hard-living—and short-lived—couriers to get business done…couriers like Sydney Kildare.

Sydney has survived to the ripe old age of twenty-six by being careful. She’s careful when navigating her tempestuous clients, outrunning hijackers and avoiding anyone who might distract her from her plan of retiring young to a tropical, vampire-free island.

Her attitude—and immunity to vampires’ allure—have made her the target of a faction of vampires trying to reclaim their territory. Her only ally is Malcolm Kelly, a secretive charmer with the uncanny habit of showing up whenever she’s in trouble. Caught in the middle of a vampire turf war, Sydney has to count on Malcolm to help her survive, or the only place she’ll retire is her grave…

32,000 words

In order to enter, simply leave a comment on this post with your favorite winter memory between December 16th and December 23rd. The winner will be drawn by random.org on or around the 23rd.

The other participants of the blog hop, listed below, have other fantastic prizes, and the grand prize (LINK TO ENTER HERE) is a brand new Nook pre-loaded with books from sponsoring authors!

Happy Holidays!

3 THINGS MAKE A POST

One

I don't have any photos of the hot wax and wire sculpture of the rib cage that I made in high school. It was awesome, one of those things where you finish, stand back and say, "I cannot freaking believe I made that. Also, why don't I have any fingerprints left".  I don't even have the sculpture, since my dad found it in the garage and was like, "wax ribcage; useless" and tossed it. So, thank you for the inquiries, but I just can't share it with you.

Two

As you may have noticed, since I've been babbling about it constantly, I have a book coming out. A novella under a pen name (please see Books page for details). I'm going to be busy with that, and trying to whip the sequel into shape, for the next couple months. My posts here will be fewer, but I will be back. If you want to track me in the meantime, please follow the blog o me pen name for the interim. "She" would be happy to have you.

Three

Joss Whedon, what have you done? Is The Cabin in the Woods a slasher film with a complicated sci fi twist? Why yes, I believe it is.

WINTER THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET

We lost Internet connectivity at our house this weekend, for about 18 hours, and it was terrible! We didn't lose power, which a lot of people did. Nor did we get stranded miles from home in blizzard conditions, which was solely a matter of luck since we collectively drove several hundred miles over the weekend.

Now we've got eight inches of heavy, wet snow on top of a melted and refrozen road system that resembles a particularly sadistic washboard. Very hard to drive on, let me tell you, though I confess the challenge was fun. Although, I couldn't figure out why nobody was using their turn indicators until three coworkers separately told me they were too scared to take their hands off the steering wheel.

So much for the cold, dry winter we'd been told to expect.

SPREADSHEETS!

Spent the morning cleaning and trying to figure out what to do with several large items which all need to be in the same place, including one treadmill and one Christmas tree. Have given up for the moment and retreated with tea to my underground lair*.

I'm graphing this afternoon, building a spreadsheet to break down my chapter lengths, plot escalation and character involvement in the story. I know I have a deficiency, but I want to see exactly how big it is. And, while I write with an eye toward balancing active scenes (whether they are fights/chases, a lot of movement, or intimate) with periods of reflection and/or exposition, some scenes come out scrawny and others bloated. Lines and dots and numbers help me to analyze what I can't see when I'm in the middle of all the words.

If anyone's interested, I'll try to figure out how to import graphs to show you how my WIP - currently titled Messenger II - looks.



*Also known as the first-floor spare bedroom I have claimed in the name of Spain**.

**And, by "Spain", I mean for my writing office.