When Good GIFs Go Bad: Sorry, Saved by the Bell

Writers don't have watercoolers to chat by at work, but we have Twitter and instant messaging. My friend Dawn Alexander and I use IM and the GIF keyboard probably a little too much during the day, but it keeps us sane. And the things writers end up talking about can either sound illegal (do you think you could murder someone with a shoestring?) to the wildly inappropriate, which is where things went today.

Today's topic: pond sex.

My verdict: Cold water does not make for hot scenes.

Dawn's verdict: No one wants pond scum in their special places.

Which of course meant I needed to respond with an appropriate GIF. I searched "gag" and got a Saved by the Bell GIF. Of course, being a Saved by the Bell fan, I chose that one. It seemed perfect. Until I pasted it in and the GIF looped and made the action repetitive. >.<

Yeah. So. I'll leave you with that for the day. 

Week 2 of #ListifyLife: The Books I'd Want to Live In For a While

It's week 2 of the Listify Life challenge (you can still join in!) and this week's topic is choosing the books you'd want to live in for a while. 

There are so many more I could choose, but I decided to go with the first ones that popped up in my head. Many of them go back to childhood wishes for fantastical worlds with flying and magic. :) The other two are grown-up picks.

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - I'm not sure this needs explanation. I have to admit when I went to Universal Studios to Harry Potter world, I got little kid style excitement. Plus, Butter Beer.

2. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende - If you're not familiar with this story, it's about a boy reading a book who gets pulled into the book and literally becomes part of the book. This whole concept was so magical to me as a kid--that thought that I could become part of the story. And really, do I need any other reason than the chance to ride Falcor the Luck Dragon?

3. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle - my favorite book as a kid and the book that made me want to be a writer, so it has to get a spot

4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - Okay, so the lack of showers, low status of women, and the constant threat of being killed would suck. But then there's Jamie in a kilt...or, you know, out of it. :)

5. My own Loving on the Edge books - Okay, this is a totally self-indulgent pick. But how cool would it be to walk into that world and meet characters I created and see The Ranch? Okay, so it'd be weird...but also, awesome. :)

 

So those are mine. Are you playing along? Which books would you pick?

YOURS ALL ALONG Cover Reveal & Blurb! My first m/m romance!

Yay! After a day of doing taxes, I'm really happy to be able to announce some good news. I have a surprise novella coming out in June! And it's a m/m romance, which I'm super excited about. And omg, how hot is this cover?  

It's up for pre-order now. Go grab it at the special pre-order price on Kndle or on Nook! (more retailers coming soon) 

 

 

The new Loving on the Edge romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Between Us turns on the heat between two men who wonder how much they’re willing to risk in the name of love.

Four years after an accident tore their friendship apart, Hunter and Devon are living separate lives. Hunter is now the all-America hero—a congressman’s son and a pro pitcher in Houston preparing to marry his beauty-queen girlfriend. Devon is in Dallas running a new restaurant. 

But when Hunter unexpectedly shows up in Devon’s bar, Devon can’t turn him away. Damn it if the man isn’t still gorgeous. But engaged? Hell no. All he’s doing for Devon is bringing back memories of their college-roommate days, and the night their relationship went too far. Turns out Hunter has never forgotten it either.

Now Devon can’t help but be drawn in all over again by the only guy who’s ever gotten close enough to break his heart. Maybe one more night together would be enough for both of them to finally move on. Or maybe one night will change everything…

Includes a preview of Roni Loren’s Call on Me

 

So what do y'all think?


Because I Don't Punk Out on Promises...the NKOTB Fan Fic

 

Okay, so you know how you make those promises that you will do something IF because you know the IF is a longshot and you don't actually think you'll have to pay up? Well, yeah, so here I am. Sometime last year I made the promise that if I ever hit the New York Times Bestseller list, I would post some of the novel that I wrote at age 14--which is really just 55,000 words of NKOTB (and Jonathan Brandis--R.I.P.) fan fic. 

Well, this week, it happened! I didn't expect it, but when the NYT list came out, the RIDING DESIRE boxed set I'm in with thriteen other fantastic authors hit #24 on the Ebook list. So first, yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's a dream come true to be both a NYT and USA Today bestselling author now. HUGE dream. So thank you so much, readers, for buying it. *hugs*

 

Me realizing we made the NYT Bestseller list

Me realizing I promised my NKOTB fan fic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But that also means it's time for me to pay the piper on this promise. Two pages of a kissing scene are posted today on the Smutketeers blog, where you can also see a few of the other authors airing their shames, including Eden Bradley's 80s hair, RG Alexander singing with a band, and a recording of Lauren Hawekeye when she was in a girl group. :) So click over there to check it out.

But I also know that it's not fair for me to only post two pages. So I'm posting a longer scene here. In it there is probably my first attempt at a makeout scene and Jordan gets a little too handsy. Bad Jordan. But Joe comes to the rescue! >.<  Yeah, this is going to be embarrassing.

Some things to note in these pages: 

  • I was 14 and was writing about kissing and such when I had no experience at all. I wouldn't be kissed for another 2 years. Also, this is when French kissing was still very scandalous a thought to my innocent Catholic school girl mind. ;)
  • The heroine is named Love because, yes, I was into subtlety with symbolism. *cough*
  • These are scanned documents that include handwritten edits I did back then.
  • Yes, I dotted my i's with stars because I was rad like that.
  • I actually bought the Writer's Market book that year because I totally planned on querying this. I eventually chickened out--thank God, though I'm sure a few agents would've enjoyed the giggle.
  • The Jonathan in this was actually Jonathan Brandis, not Jon of NKOTB.
  • It was in proper manuscript format because I was serious about this, yo. ; )
  • No, I didn't have a boyfriend at the time. Why do you ask? o.0

 All right, enough stalling, here we go. But first, here's the character sheet of who each character really was (you can see I REALLY deviated from the names on some of them *snort*). And here are the magazine pages I found in the binder for my character inspiration. (Click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the lurve scene gone wrong (click to enlarge)...

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you made it through all nine pages I'm not sure if you're a sadist who enjoys my shame or a masochist for putting yourself through it, lol.

But you know what? I'm okay with it all because I made the NYT, baby!!!

Also, if you'd like to see how far I've (hopefully) come in my writing in 20 years, NEED YOU TONIGHT is out this week! And RIDING DESIRE is only on sale for 99 cents for another day, so if you haven't gotten it, grab it now. And FIFTY FIRST TIMES is still on sale for 1.99!

So what dirty/embarrassing laundry would you air in exchange for a dream coming true? Come on, don't leave me up here all alone. Tell me what's in your attic. ;)