Title Magic

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ February 27, 2012

2012-02-27T00:14:00.003-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #182

Kindness as a new way of being emerges for many of us. This is a new level of kindness direct from the now-expanding heart center of human beings.

On a personal level, this means you have more of an opportunity to give and receive kindness. This will be with your loved ones, your family and friends... and with those who are called strangers.

However! Kindness should only be offered to those who truly deserve it, not to simply everyone who happens to cross your path. This is important, and discernment is everything. For, there are those who will eagerly abuse anyone who offers them any manner of kindness.

In opposition to this heart-kindness, the 'dark side' will bring forth, and showcase on the world stage, more acts of horrific cruelty. At this time, these increased acts of brutality will be used as a 'fear factor' to control people, and simultaneously will be proclaimed as necessary by the establishment. This includes, of course, the whole Madison Fifth Avenue move to sell AUSTERITY as something good, rather than what it is, a way to enslave us all.

As a way to intentionally damage the psyche of humanity, 'brutality' will not only be sold as good by the soulless ones -- especially through the popular mythos -- but, THEY will initiate a worldwide campaign of condemnation against what 'they' label as violence.

The strategy of both praising and condemning 'brutality' is a simple case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. This is the schizophrenic mental state 'they' want to create to bring us to our knees, and also use against us.

Their goal is to 'disrupt' the Yin-Yang balance of our natures. In reality, the soulless ones want to destroy the natural masculine side of NATURE, and our very natures as human beings. Included in this strategy is the dark-side's war against the power of women and against 'men as a gender'. Currently our genetics, as a species, are being changed and destroyed by the massive use of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

This week the demand for freedom rings across the globe. For, the time has come, and the worldwide AWAKENING is here, larger than ever. People are now banding together in their local areas especially, to demand freedom and correct the wrongs being done to them.

Of course, this will mean countermeasures by the bankster gangster crowd. Likely one, or several of their BIG GUNS will be fired against humanity, if not this week, then the beginning of next week.

On the war front, major steps will be taken. However, this is ALL a black-magician's distraction from the REAL steps being taken to control and cull the world population by what has been called the new world order.

On the economic front, all hell, or more hell is breaking loose. Like a series of colossal glaciers ripping free from the Arctic, the economy will keep falling this week despite the 'sunny days are here' analysis given to the public, which is all lies.

On the land changes front, worldwide there will be heightened activity of volcanoes, earthquakes and periods of catastrophic weather for the next several months. Beware and prepare.

Trendwise, it will be all about preparing for the domino-falling economy by those in the know as opposed those who aren't in the know. While currently 'let's look at the celebrities and sports' is entertaining to some, the real action will be about securing a good place for you and your loved ones. And, that is where the new-economy opportunities are, and will be from this point forward.

A resurgence of love as in 'let's fall in love' will be in the air this week. Enjoy it.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Featured Author Stacey Espino

2012-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

I’m taking a break this week to help a fellow Siren author celebrate her writing anniversary. Stacey Espino (aka Winona Wilder on her M/M books) has been publishing for two years come March, and doing a damn good job, too. I’ve read both shapeshifter and cowboy stories from her, and they steamed up every mirror in my house. The gal knows how to write a lusty love story!

She’s fast, too. We’ve got a forum over on Absolute Write where we trumpet our sales, and if Stacey’s not on there at least once a month I wonder if she hurt her hand or something. And with no drop in quality or entertainment value, either. As soon as I figure out how she does it, I hope to become just as successful.

Anyway, to mark her publishing anniversary, Stacey’s holding a scavenger hunt. All you have to do is look for this:

Well, actually, that’s it. I’m not all that tech-savvy, so I’m not even going to bother trying to hide the icon. This is it. You just found it on the Title Magic site. Consider this one a freebie, and enjoy your Kindle.

That icon will be hidden (better than this one, I hope) at the websites/blogs below starting February 23rd. Send an email with the exact location of the icon from all seven hiding places, along with your name to staceyespino@gmail.com

The winner will be chosen March 23rd. You can choose a new Amazon Kindle or $100.00 PayPal Cash if you don't need an e-reader.

Stacey's Website: http://www.staceyespino.com

Jan Bowles' Website: http://www.janbowles.com

Pat Cunningham's Website (you are here): http://www.titlemagic.blogspot.com

Sophie Oak's Website: http://www.sophieoak.com

Mia Ashlinn's Website: http://www.miaashlinn.com

Winona Wilder's Blog: http://www.winonawilder.blogspot.com

When One Is Not Enough Blog: http://www.menageromance.blogspot.com

Good hunting, folks!

And now, Stacey, I believe you owe me a story about M/M shifter cowboys. Specifically, werehorses. One's the rider, one's the ridee. Remember, if you don't write it, I will, and I don't think anyone really wants to see what I'm liable to come up with.

Surrounded By Wolves
Stacey's Latest, now available at http://www.bookstrand.com/surrounded-by-wolves

[Siren LoveXtreme Forever: Erotic Paranormal Ménage Romance, M/F/M/M/M/M, werewolves, spanking, HEA]

Cassidy moves out of the only city she's ever known and heads to the distant town of Climax, British Columbia. Her grandfather left her an estate, and she lined up a job in the small mining town.

She arrives and discovers that her inheritance is nothing more than a run-down shack, and the men she's supposed to work with are drop-dead gorgeous. It's impossible to resist the advances of the men in Climax, especially when she's never felt so isolated.

Garret is the foreman of the Gregor Copper Mine, but also alpha to a small pack of wolf shifters. Recent events in Climax have made life complicated—loggers are trying to encroach on their land, one of their pack mates is missing, and their new female dispatcher is a mouthwatering distraction.

When Cassidy is threatened, the men band together, realizing the little human is more important to them than they ever imagined.

Note: There is NO sexual relationship/touching among the men.

A Siren Erotic Romance

ADULT EXCERPT
“You’re nice and tight, baby doll. Even better than I imagined you’d feel wrapped around my cock.” Having a woman’s bare flesh, moist from lovemaking, pressed against his was something he savored. She smelled like a woman, sweet and feminine—both things he rarely got to enjoy around pack mates and working at the mine. He inhaled deeply at her neckline, tempted to sink his incisors into her flesh.

“What’s the matter?” she asked breathlessly. He’d stopped pumping into her, shocked by his own thoughts. How many females had he bedded over the years? Too many to count. But he’d never had the desire to mate, to mark one of them as his. It must have been due to the territorial threat Evan presented. He still stood to the side, a low growl rumbling from his chest.

“Nothing, darlin’. Do you need it harder? Faster?”

“Both.”

She hugged his shoulders, smoothing her small hands over his back. When she lifted her head off the mattress, seeking a kiss, he turned away. Kissing was an intimacy he avoided. He was sure it would kill him to offer himself in such a way. It was so much easier to just have sex for sex’s sake, no complications, no guilt, no emotion. Rather he sank his head to her neckline and began to fuck her good and hard, his forearms curved under her shoulders. The bed rocked and she cried out with each upthrust.

“Travis…” she cried.

“Bring her to a precipice so I can join in,” said Patrick.

He fucked Cassidy harder, suckling her earlobe and then tonguing her erogenous zone. She was peaking. He could feel her pussy spasm radically around his cock. “Get some bacon fat,” he managed to mutter, trying to keep himself from spending inside her just yet. He wanted this night to last. As difficult as it was to admit it, there was something different about his human girl. Something intangible.

When Patrick returned, he rolled them to their sides, holding one of her legs over his hip to make room for his friend. It would feel immeasurably better having another cock share her body. He could already imagine the squeeze and Cassidy’s cries as she climaxed harder than she ever had.
“Take her pussy from behind, Red. You need it.” He slipped out of her and assisted her to her hands and knees. Travis poked his head under her arm and sucked her swaying breasts as Patrick thrust his ready cock into her pussy, doggy-style. She screamed, a cry of ecstasy, unadulterated pleasure. He slipped away to avoid being crushed by their violent movements.
Evan couldn’t stay away. He climbed onto the head of the bed where Cassidy clenched the bedding in both fists to keep herself grounded as Patrick fucked her like a stallion from behind. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, spilling onto her pale back. Travis watched as the other man licked his finger and then brought it to her nether hole. He held her hip with his free hand and impaled her ass slowly. At first she jolted out of her lust-filled haze and tensed. But Patrick stilled, only pressing further in measured increments. Her breathing became more labored, and her hips swayed as if inviting him to continue.

“Help her out, Evan. Give her something to amuse herself with.”

Evan didn’t hesitate to tilt her chin up. Her wild eyes connected with his briefly, but shifted to the large cock poised near her face. “Will you?” he asked.

She licked her lips and then opened her mouth for him, her body jerking each time Patrick fucked her. Cassidy sucked half his length, supporting one hand on his thigh. Her eyes were closed as she lost herself in the act, engorging herself on Evan’s thick meat.

He kissed her back, admiring the feminine curve, grace, and beauty. Patrick had two fingers deep in her ass as he worked her cunt. She’d accepted the intrusion, no scent of fear lingering around her.

It was time. Travis lay on the bed, his erection waving freely as the bed jostled. Patrick pulled free, continuing to stoke his cock as he knelt on the bed. Evan cupped her head in both hands now that he had her to himself. She shifted her body until sitting on her knees, giving full attention to his cock, the thick length disappearing down her throat and reemerging, over and over.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ February 20, 2012

2012-02-20T00:16:00.002-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #181

Beginning this week the spiritual battle between GOOD and evil escalates, and explodes onto the world scene. There are several ways this 'could' show up. However, right now, the precise events have not been 'completely' set in stone.

Further, this will be a pivotal week for several reasons. Economies will rise and fall. Leaders will rise and fall. And a chain of events begins that will bring down the forces behind tyranny. Although to many, the opposite will appear to be happening. Stay tuned.

On a personal level, this is a wonderful time to begin planning for Spring activities. Even though, there are periods of rough weather ahead, start preparations for what you enjoy doing outside. For many, Spring will be the ideal time to find, then move to a better area and/or home. On a cautionary note, with all the massive fraud problems around foreclosures currently, take extra precautions if purchasing a new place.

Also, with the revolution toward healthy and locally grown foods rising with the speed and power of a phoenix right now, participate however you are able, and look for opportunities to purchase these wholesome foods. Know this is the future. Long term, the current system of food production is breaking down.

The next two weeks will have certain oddities, or unexplained occurrences. This will be on a personal level and on the world stage. These occurrences are meant to make us think and to wake us up to certain 'truths'.

As well, for the following month, the dragon of truth will brutally whip through all of humanity. What was 'not known' will now be brought to the light. For, the time of Light and the Great Awakening is upon us.

This is also a time of mental preparation for all of us. There will be key choices and decisions to be made in the near future, and in the far future. This is because, during these times, CHANGE becomes our constant companion. The very foundations of our world are tumbling down, and fast.

The following week is a tricky one for some. One direction will be appear to be the right one to take. In reality, the opposite direction is the best. Look to your intuition for the answer.

Your intuition, the ability to know and be highly intuitive, will now burst forth like a field of blossoms in Spring. This will occur for humanity as a whole, a new gift from the Divine at this time.

Out of this age of high intuition, following authority figures will lessen dramatically, and many people will now become self reliant. This will generate new business opportunities, ones that may be right for you.

Trendwise, it will be all about 'business' this forthcoming week, and for the near future. That is, the old way of doing things gives way to the 'new' with quickening speed. However, this will likely cut both ways.

Good healthy business practices could be lost, superceded by this generation's ruthless and soulless robber barons. However, for the most part, this is a time that will usher in kinder and more creative ways of doing business. As well, kinder and more creative businesses and services will come into existence.

More and more, it will be about people genuinely helping people by using their talents, skills and smarts. The almighty dollar, as the end-all and be-all, will fall by the wayside, metaphorically speaking.

On a side note: new currencies are being used -- tried and tested. These currencies will be invaluable as we develope good ways to do business with each other.

Love is the centerpiece this week. Kiss and makeup with your romantic partner if there's been a disagreement. Say you're sorry if you've made a mistake or are out of line. Or, if you've been wronged and someone offers you a genuine apology, accept it without reservation. This does not mean, however, playing the fool.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Release Day!

2012-02-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

It’s release day! Legacy officially goes on sale today. This is my fifth book with Siren/BookStrand and I’m still jumping up and down like I did with the first one. Like eating chocolate or falling in love, it’s a feeling that never gets old.

I’ve already blogged about several aspects of this one, so here’s the recap: Legacy was a happy accident. I was writing what I thought would be a standalone, Belonging, when I got an idea for a sequel. This book made me stretch my writing muscles, because I’ve never written a ménage before. I got to flex my length muscles and mystery-writing muscles while I was at it as well. A London Werewolf in America was a mystery too, but it wasn’t as long as this one. Plus I got to hang out with Wallace and Jeremy some more, and give them an extra-happy ending in addition to the first one. Given what I put them through, I suppose they had it coming.

I think this is it for the boys, though. Their little flock has been through enough. Time to settle down and raise those kids Colleen always wanted. This isn’t quite the end of this “universe,” however. I’ve got a couple other things I’m working on, but eventually there should be one more story to round out the trilogy. After all, the victims of the vampire conspiracy are still running around out there, and the Preacher isn’t the type of man to let loose ends dangle for long.

And now, the commercial portion of our blog.

Legacy
Available through www.bookstrand.com/legacy

BLURB

Colleen Brenner doesn’t believe in vampires, until she’s attacked by one. Two men come to her aid: Wallace Hamilton, a slayer, and his lover, Jeremy Teach. The pair take her into their home and under their protection. It turns out vampires have targeted not only Colleen, but all the children from the commune she grew up in. What are the monsters after?

As the three delve into Colleen’s repressed memories, she finds herself drawn to both of the men guarding her. Jeremy is human, but Wallace is a vampire himself, and Colleen’s growing attraction to him is countered by her mistrust of what he is. Then their investigation uncovers a decades-old evil tied to Colleen’s shrouded past. She herself may not be as human as she’s been led to believe. Can their newfound love survive the truth of Colleen’s inhuman legacy, or is it—and Colleen’s soul—doomed?

EXCERPT

Balancing the grocery bags, she fumbled the door open. Her psychic prickle clamped down on the greeting she’d been about to call out. Colleen sensed Wallace in the kitchen. If she strained, she could hear faint noises that had nothing to do with pre-dinner prep.

Jeremy’s kitchen, Wallace awake. Easy to add two and two.

Courtesy demanded she leave them alone. She could go upstairs, linger in the shower, and make a ton of noise coming back down. Then she caught Wallace’s growl and decided, screw courtesy. She wouldn’t deny she enjoyed watching them together. Wallace encouraged it, in fact. Freaking undead exhibitionist. With a mischievous smile lighting her face, Colleen set her grocery bags on the floor and crept to the kitchen doorway.

Two pots, a knife, and a bag of carrots lay abandoned on the counter. Colleen’s imagination set the scene—Jeremy at the counter, his back to the doorway, Wallace stalking his unsuspecting prey with his uncanny silent tread. Perhaps Jeremy had a moment of warning before his capture—a hint of scent, a whisper of lips against his neck. Or perhaps he was as attuned to the vampire’s presence as she was and always knew when his lover was near.

They’d ended up beside the kitchen table. Wallace stood behind Jeremy with his arms clasped tight around the human’s waist. His lips nuzzled Jeremy’s neck. Jeremy leaned into the embrace, his eyes shut, humming that low, throaty purr of his that always turned her on. No doubt Jeremy had loosened his shirt collar himself. His enjoyment of the vampire’s attentions made itself boldly known against the fabric of his slacks. Colleen stared at that tantalizing bulge, right up until the moment Wallace bit into Jeremy’s neck.

It wasn’t anything like the violent, melodramatic attacks depicted in vampire movies. His fangs sank into Jeremy’s flesh right over the mark on his neck in a smooth, unhurried movement that was gentle as a kiss. Perhaps this was a kiss to Wallace. His throat rippled with a single swallow before he lifted his mouth. He laved his tongue across the bite, as tender as a mother cat with her kitten. Not so much as a drop of blood escaped it. Jeremy melted against him with a whimper of pure bliss.

Colleen’s gut dropped. This was so wrong in so many ways. Yet everything about Wallace’s actions, even the bite, said love.

Too late, she remembered Wallace could hear her heartbeat.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ February 13, 2012

2012-02-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #180

Valentine's Day week is a new time of healing for the human heart. That is, love frequencies from the Divine intensify and quicken. This angelic offering is a gift to those of us who give of ourselves because we truly care.

As has been stated before, a new age of the heart has arrived. From the courageous heart of a lion to the gentle heart of a dove -- that is how our hearts and emotions will grow during these times. More and more, we will be able to encompass all shades of love and caring.

This is the week to pay special attention to those who occupy the most special places inside your heart -- the ones you adore. They deserve and need your undivided attention at this time.

Also, this week the dragon of truth rises with a vengeance. With raw and ruthless power, this new dragon writhes and spirals throughout the world, and in our personal lives as well. Be prepared.

Be prepared, not only for this greater level of truth to be revealed, but know it will cause some of humanity to dig deeper into their denial, while others who cannot face these truths will seek refuge in a form of insanity. This will likely result in what occurred during the Great Depression.

Like evil vultures, the soulless ones gather to feed on the carcasses of all those they have destroyed so far with their massive levels of fraud and their Machiavellian manipulation of the world economy. To save themselves from the wrath of the people, they now use both unseen psychological finesse and every type of brute force to maintain excruciating levels of fear.

During the next several weeks, humanity will begin to realize the endless call for 'austerity' is just another name for establishing a robber-baron monopoly over the people of Earth. For, in truth, it is simply a way to force everyone to live in a global company store, a mini version of what occurred in John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of Wrath".

Mother Earth's message to all of us is a plea. For, she does not want austerity. Not for her human populations, not for her abundance of animals, and not for her plant kingdom. Her other message, so she will 'not' perish: if you are able, and as soon as possible, run don't walk to a place in her countryside... a ranch, a farm, anyplace rural that has good water and soil.

Further, on the economic front look for a 'major' propaganda push that says poverty is now good and trendy. On the 'beat-the-war-drum-endlessly' front look for who the 'next' enemy hiding under the proverbial bed is. At this time, every effort will be made to popularize this spoon-fed plot.

There is now an enormous danger confronting the American people on two fronts. The sacred underpinnings of our beloved country is under severe attack. This attack will continue from the so-called leadership until the volume of their combined voices is on high, and their demon-like shrieking becomes a constant demand.

On the second front, think a *possible* nuclear Pearl Harbor event that is meant to galvanize everyone toward another world war. However, there are GOOD forces at work to prevent this particular event from occurring. Prayers are welcome and needed. For, peace is to everyone's ultimate benefit in the Age of Aquarius.

On the beneficial side this week, a strong movement favoring healthy foods takes off with meteoric speed. This means the eventual end of factory farming practices and large chemical-corporate farming. It also means the rise of small local farms, and a greater variety of specialized and heirloom foods.

Trendwise, this will be an interesting week. Following on the heels of last week's trend forecast, what now begins is the rise of the anti-trenders. While this could become a trend unto itself, in this case, the anti-trenders will have far more impact, and, unlike in the past, be much less susceptible to becoming co-opted by the corporate borg entertainment industry.

Remember! Romance is in the air. Inhale the sheer deliciousness of everything romantic. Let your soul sigh with it, and let your heart be fully nourished.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Persistence

2012-02-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

Over on a writer’s forum where I like to lurk, somebody started a discussion about the works of Stephen King. Specifically: which do you like better, his earlier stuff that he wrote while drunk off his ass, or his later works, after he cleaned up his act? A good question, and one which provoked a lively discussion.

For myself, I love his early stuff. We were both decades younger, when weird is appealing, and his doped-out brain came up with some totally full-on crazy stuff that dragged you in and never let go. (Think The Stand and It here.) Then he hit a low period, where he kind of lost his stride (From a Buick 8 sucked big time). He got it back with Duma Key. I like this new mature, sober King. He’s not the batshit-crazy writer he was in his 20s and 30s, but who among us is any more? I still look forward to a King book. I still buy them in hardcover and read through them in about a week or so. These days I can once again close the cover with a sigh of satisfaction, the way I did 30-odd years back.

Then somebody on the forum made a telling point. Say what you will about King’s writing prowess or lack of it, the man keeps writing. Drunk or sober, healthy or in agonizing pain, tanked up on booze or hopped up on pain pills, King has never once stopped writing during the last 40 years.

Let’s examine this. King doesn’t deny his alcoholism. He claims he was so wasted he doesn’t even remember writing Cujo. Somewhere in middle age he straightened out. Things were going fine until he got hit by a careless driver and wound up in the hospital. There followed a long period of recuperation during which he could only find relief from the pain by lying flat on his back on the floor. None of which put so much as a dent in his output. He even published books under a pseudonym (Richard Bachman) at the same time he was publishing as King.

Dig that. There were two of him, and neither one quit writing. Maybe Bachman slowed down a little. King kept plugging away.

There’s a lesson to be learned in this for all of us. Maybe it’s passion for writing, or he’s serious in his pursuit of his career, or obsessed, or compulsive, or just plain flat-out nuts. Doesn’t matter. This is what he does. This is what he is. King is a writer, and ain’t nothing on this earth gonna stop him from putting words on paper.

And you’re going to stand there and tell me you don’t have time to write? Or that you have a stomach ache, or you’re busy, or you’re blocked, or you’re tired, or you just don’t feel like it? I’ve used every one of those excuses on myself, sometimes several at once. Do I feel like a putz right now.

People claim persistence constitutes a huge percentage of success. Here’s the man who’s living proof. Talent and luck do play a part, but without the persistence to keep at it day after day, year after year, you might as well just pack it in.

No more excuses. If Stephen King can write a novel while lying on the floor in excruciating pain, then, by God, I can write a page today.

Be nice if I could also rake in the bucks he’s getting. Maybe that’ll come if I persist.

# # #

And here’s where persistence pays off. Legacy, the book I spent a year farting around on and finally finished, comes out February 16. It’s now available for pre-order at www.bookstrand.com/legacy. Lots’a vampires, action, angst, and threeway sex. Pick up a copy and make me happy. Pick up the prequel, Belonging, as well and make me ecstatic. End of shameless plug.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ February 6, 2012

2012-02-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #179

The Age of High Intuition is upon us. Now is the time to open yourself to the blessed frequencies that are assisting humanity in this spiritual transition.

During the forthcoming week and throughout this month of love, you will likely experience your intuition as never before. This will become especially apparent in the mundane moments of your daily life, as opposed to specific times of crisis. However, this is a learning curve which will assist you in being able to use your intuition whenever there is a dire crisis.

This high intuitive state is one way humanity will overcome the heinous acts of the soulless ones, and their minions, the bankster gangsters. As a demonstration of this overcoming, there will be major action taken against the power of the entity known as the Federal Reserve. Most of this 'action' will be kept hidden from the public. However, some of what occurs will be obvious and leaked over time.

Because of this slow-motion fall of the leviathan monopoly system, there will be tremendous turmoil in every sector of society. THOSE who despise humanity will do everything and anything to bring us all to heel, and beneath their jackboot heels. Out of this, defiance against the system will only grow and become an unstoppable force.

This 'unstoppable force' can be guided toward bringing about the best for all of us on Earth. Or, if this is not done, then the ensuing chaos will be like demons unleashed. Remember, it is always wise to prepare for any kind of emergency, and the upcoming storms of life.

At this point in time, sightings of otherworld ships, and contact with so-called extraterrestrials and inter-dimensionals will escalate for those who are truly unafraid. Since the benign galactic races no longer deal with any major government on Earth, they have been searching for ways to help humanity by making contact with individuals.

On a personal level, this is the perfect week to begin group projects or to fulfill group projects. This could be with a social group or a business group, or with any like-minded group you belong to.

This week is also about LOVE. To be specific, the more you express the love inside your heart, the better your week will be in ways you never thought could happen.

As the dragon of light and the dragon of darkness battle for supremacy great tribulation now occurs worldwide. The war drums beat nonstop, and the message is: 'only' annihilating every designated enemy will now save us. However, as was stated previously, the real war is being fought over 'who' will control the Antarctic and the Arctic.

To counter the shouts for war, more 'hidden truths' will rise like a horde of phoenixes. As well, miracles of every kind, from small to magnificent, will increase dramatically across our world. As these miracles are noticed, this will bring about more miracles. These glorious and shining events will benefit all of humanity, and help our beloved Mother Earth.

On the economic front, the plot thickens, and it will be realized by many that the thickening, stinking mud of fraud could fill up the Grand Canyon. Sadly, most of us will be slogging through fraud we didn't create, never wanted, and didn't agree to.

Trendwise, now begins a type of civil war between the establishment entertainment industry and those of us who are the true creative talents. Despite every effort to stop it, the real cream begins to rise. This means a sharp dividing line will develop between those who follow the popular celebrities/trends, and those who prefer the new renaissance trends in art and entertainment.

Smiles from the heart are your ticket to happiness this week.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Stealth Inspiration

2012-02-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I hate my brain. Whenever I need it the most, like when edits come in or on blog-posting day, it either freezes up on me or starts reminding me about all the other stuff that needs to get done, like laundry or the dishes or that fire on the stove that just burned lunch, and now I not only need to clean the kitchen, I have to go to the store. I have a PhD in procrastination. As long as I jog along Put-Off Drive, my brain is more than happy to cooperate.

Sometimes, though, the evil bastard chooses to throw me a curve. I’ll be working away (finally!) at my WIP of choice when all of a sudden my muse goes ninja and a new idea hits me out of nowhere. If the WIP is giving me grief and no deadlines are involved, this can be a blessing. I suspect it happens because Mr. Brain is bored or tired of having to wrestle with the same plot points for months on end (I write really slow) so it comes up with something new to amuse itself, and distract me from my regular work in the process. The bitch.

One time nasty Mr. Brain nearly screwed me bad. I was working on a legitimate book when the muse suddenly decided she wanted to write fan fiction. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but I like getting paid for my writing—money really comes in handy when bill time rolls around—and you don’t get paid for fanfic. So I tried to stick with the “real” writing, but it was a helluva struggle. The other plotlines kept intruding, to the point I could barely focus on the paying project. I ended up writing several scenes longhand just to work it out of my system. The compulsion ran about three weeks before it finally faded.

Some good did come out of the experience: the fanfic led me into writing a legitimate book with original characters, which I did end up getting paid for. The longhand pages I scribbled in a white heat of creative fury are currently sitting in one of my many spiral notebooks, a wealth of concepts waiting to be mined for future original works.

I’m going through a similar situation now. I’ve been working off and on on a M/M shapeshifter story. Parts of it are fine, other parts need help. I guess Mr. Brain got tired of my farting around, because another plot I’d been toying with came bursting out of my subconscious like Venus from the sea foam and shouted, “Write me! Write me now!” So now I’m working on that one while the shifters take a break. Maybe the respite is what the story needs. Guess I’ll find out, unless Mr. Brain waylays me again with yet another bright idea. Sometimes I wish it would steer me into an easier profession, like heart surgery. A writer’s life is never dull.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T00:43:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #178

A bright-soul week ahead, and on the opposite side, a new darkness rises on the world stage. This will be known by the strident and militaristic words that are spoken to convince humanity a savior is on the horizon.

However, humanity is its own savior. For, in these times of dragon-fierce transition deeper into the Aquarian Age, there is no leader, offered by the system, that is of true benefit to the peoples of the world. This, despite the worldwide 'staged' effort to make it appear as if there is one such leader, or a special group of technocrat leaders.

During this time, it is one person helping another. It is offering a friendly hand. It is the formation of beneficial communities. It is learning the heart of another, and knowing your own heart. That will be the salvation of humankind, and of Earth.

Once again, the 'new' importance of the creative arts, as accomplished by un-celebrities, becomes apparent as the week continues. Exciting fusions and innovations will increase dramatically, all brought about by so-called ordinary people. This will be noticed on a personal level and as a global phenomena.

As stated before, this rise in creativity will include not only visual arts of every kind, but music, dance, books, fashion, and also a renaissance of crafts and inventions. Of course, movies, vids, and interactive games, all created by talented individuals from across the globe are emerging, and here to stay.

The big entertainment industries will fight tooth and claw to remain in control, and to be looked upon as the gatekeepers. Their methods for doing this will become uglier and more heinous. Despite the endless emphasis on trendy stars and big name celebrities, this time is over, and 'slowly' coming to a neon-flash-and-crash close.

The rise of romance, as both entertainment and a way of life continues, even during these challenging economic times. Look for ways to enrich your life. As well, make your life richer with all things beautiful. A single bloom in a lovely vase is one example.

On the economic front, the dark powers that be will attempt to put a happy-days-are-here-again spin on the absolute disaster that is the world economy. The dominos are falling, only propped up by deception, fraud and lies. It is wise to use this time to prepare and become as self-sufficient as possible.

On the bright-soul side, many are coming forth with inventions outside the system, that are meant to assist all of us at this time. Take advantage wherever and whenever you can. And spread the invention love.

On that note, there are wonderful opportunities to make a living, and help others, with these off-the-grid types of inventions. As well, this is true with more natural ways of gardening, farming and ranching. There is no need for austerity as currently being advertised by the system.

Trendwise, this week is about looking to the future as it truly is, not how it's being sold by the establishment. From this vantage point, good decisions can be made, and ways to create the future anew will start to become obvious to a lot of us. Communities have sprung up that offer a viable lifestyle, and many more are rising like the phoenix -- from the ashes of these endtimes.

Moments of miracles, magick, and romance, that is what awaits all of us this week.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Up and Coming

2012-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Like the cover up there? I do. That’s Legacy, the long-awaited (by me; damn thing took forever to write) sequel to Belonging. I’ve blogged about both books enough already, so let’s just sit back and admire Jinger Heaston’s Twilightesque cover for a minute. The vampire, the human, and the woman who’s a bit of both and unites the group. I don’t know if Jinger read any of the manuscript or if that was accidental, but her layout certainly works out symbolically as well as artistically. You can’t ask for more from a cover artist.

I love it when one of my books comes out. Then I can post cover pics and excerpts and not have to worry about coming up with a blog topic. It’s too soon for excerpts since I haven’t gotten final edits on the book yet. That’ll be next month. It’s tentatively due for release on February 16. About six to eight weeks after that I can expect to find the print version on Amazon. Next to holding your newborn child, holding a physical copy of your finished book is the best damn feeling in the world. This is why I haven’t switched over to Kindle yet.

That could change by the end of the year, maybe sooner. Now that Legacy is off my to-do list, it’s back to work as a writer, which includes my new sidebar career as a writer of M/M, under a brand-new pseudonym. This means reading more M/M … just to see what’s being done in the genre, of course. There’s a ton more M/M romance being e-pubbed than I can find in print, so at some point I’ll have to invest in a Kindle or Nook so I can read more dirty books—I mean, do research. Yeah, that’s what we’re calling it these days. Damn, I love this job.

Yesterday I uploaded my entry to Amazon’s Breakout Novel contest. That was another project that messed up my schedule for awhile, as it was yet another long book (94K words), this time in the fantasy genre. No romance, just a lot of action, smart remarks, and the possible end of the world. It hasn’t a hope of winning, it being genre and all, but I’m hoping it advances far enough along that I get to the editorial critique stage. If nothing else, having a set deadline forced me to finish the thing. I now have a completed manuscript I can either sub to a fantasy publisher or consider publishing on my own. Self-publishing is something else I have to look into this year.

Back to work. I have the M/M shapeshifter story I was working on when the Legacy edits came in, and the other M/M story that blindsided me while I was working on the first one. Then I think I’ll take a break and do M/F for a while. It pays to keep busy. And how’s your week going?

Year of the Dragon ~ Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T01:17:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #177

~~~

First, to honor The Year of the Dragon...

Starring the 'secondary' character:

Xanuvvi, Blue Water Dragon Leader

Excerpt from ~ WHEN A GOOD ANGEL FALLS ~

Neat trick, cherub. This isn’t being seen on world wide UN TV. But her cherub didn’t answer. Enclosing them, he flashed to jet speed. The mountains sped toward them like a fast-forward movie scene. Sedona shut her eyes, held onto her cherub even though she didn’t need to.

She opened her eyes as she felt them slow, and hover. Below them, a teal lake shimmered, cradled in a mountain valley. The lake was probably manmade. Sedona could see what looked like a simple dam.

Lake Alamo. Used as a contact area for the rebels and their alien allies. Volcano gently spiraled downward, as if they rode a thermal.

Yeah, Richard C talked about it one night with George. Knows some of the Contactees. Said most of the state park employees went rogue, took it over to keep the UN and the elite out.

They still have control. We’ve been granted a short meeting with Dragon Leader, Xanuvvi.

The blue water dragon.

He’s taking a lake dip. Has a fondness for the water on Earth.

Unpolluted I hope.

By agreement the rebels and the alien allies have a cleansing operation. One layer at a time.

Works for me. Awe-struck, Sedona watched as they descended. The Sonoran desert is so gorgeous. Used to love driving through. Wow! Beneath her a huge serpentine shine of blue scales coiled above the shimmer water.

“Fantastic,” she murmured. “I feel like I’m suddenly in a storybook fantasy.”

Volcano glided to a rise of ground, clear of desert scrub brush and the dry stems of abundant wildflowers. Wintering ducks had taken refuge in a stand of cattails. Herons took elegant flight. Even the fine ash couldn’t dispel the idyllic quality of the scene before her.

Entranced Sedona dismounted, and noticed she didn’t feel cold, even though the temps were probably mid fifties. “Like thermal underwear?” she asked when the cherub dismounted beside her.

“Magically designed for body maintenance. Want me to hold your hand?” he smooth-talked her, took her helmet.

“Keep me from being scared of the big ole’ dragon?” she sassed, but gave him her hand.

Dreaming of seeing a dragon was different than meeting one up close and personal. Even if he rose magnificently, benignly from the lake near them – blue glimmers of twisting sorcery, he had membranous sapphire wings. His head reminded her of Chinese dragon depictions. He towered above them as he writhed majestically, then waded onto the shore. His eyes surprised her, looking human and reptilian. Their mesmerizing glow greeted her.

“Zerr Dann of the Cherubim,” he bellowed, his voice reverberating around them.
“Dragon leader, Xanuvvi, your vitality is rewarding. May I present Sedona Khali, my angel incarnate charge.”

“Would you like to pet me?” Xanuvvi eagerly boomed. He smiled, carefully lowered his head, all the while blinking slowly.

“I would love to pet you,” Sedona crooned softly. Her stomach quivering, she stepped forward. Her fascination took over, and the pure thrill coursed through her. Besides he was cute in a bold enormous dragon way.

She caressed down the front of his face. He closed his eyes, seemed to purr, and looked blissful. She kept caressing his face. He felt miraculous, like resplendent slick silk. Feeling bolder, she caressed more of his face, then his cheeks, using both her hands. His ears gently flipped back in enjoyment. And she was in utopia.

“He’s an angelaholic,” Volcano whispered. “Just eats up the attention of women angels.”

Sedona knew he good-natured teased the dragon. “You don’t eat princesses, do you?” she cooed, stroked one huge ear.

“No!” Volcano laughed. “He doesn’t eat them. He just tells them he will if they don’t pet him.”

Xanuvvi opened one brilliant rapturous eye. “Take mythological advantage where you can,” he low rumbled. He snorted an ephemeral mist, carefully stepped back. “Much superior to a princess,” he praised, straightened to his height. “You sing like exquisite fire, angel Sedona Khali.”

“Violets,” Sedona murmured happily, breathing in his mist. “Thank you.”

“Your color, angel Sedona,” Xanuvvi flourished. He bowed his head briefly.

“Before he takes you for a ride.” Volcano pulled her back beside him. “Carries you off to his secret cave ship.”

“Zerr Dann, I am willing to make an appearance. If you and angel Sedona will greet me, show those around us that I and my people mean no harm. However, we have recently discovered the Mayan LA festivities have been infiltrated with those who would use subterfuge, use sound to cause our violence, as one tactic against us.”

“Let us stay in contact. I will commune with the Cherubim watching over LA.”

“Of course. I would prefer to make a grand spectacle entrance. Prove our existence to those who are ready.”

“You should be on with George, the NightHawk zone. Radio,” Sedona offered when he cocked his head.

“Yes.” The Dragon Leader savored, legs across his chest, his great claws shining, deadly curved. “That would be a splendid radio first. Indeed.”

“Indeed,” Volcano joyous teased, and agreed. “Your voice is perfect for radio.”

“You must visit our caldera base soon, Zerr Dann, angel Sedona.”

More swiftly than she could blink, the amazing blue dragon phased into flight over the lake and became a dot against the sky, as if he had only lived in her imagination.

“Zerr Dann?” she asked, still staring at the sky.

“Cherubim name. I didn’t want it found in your mind.”

“Yes, I remember. Why Volcano?” Sedona faced him.

“Translates to volcano. Thought it fit the guy-on-a-cycle image.” He grinned rakishly, put her helmet back on.

“Let me guess. We have to get out of here. Caldera base?”

“Yellowstone. The caldera. His dragon people are singing, soothing it.”

“Do you mean we, humans, animals, plants have a shot at not being wiped off the continent?”
~~~~~~

ANGELIC FORECAST ~

Now it begins, the fiery, spiraling, and transformative rise of Dragon Power. This means the fierce dragon energy within our Soul will no longer tolerate living in an ocean of deception and lies -- or living within the layer upon layer of fraud that has been perpetrated against humanity.

This never-ending revelation of dragon TRUTH will be in both your personal life and in the world at large. It will occur regardless of the cost.

Worldwide transformation is here. Because of this be prepared for immense changes during the year, 2012. Know this process will be mind-boggling and relentless for most of us.

At this time, it is advisable 'not' to avoid this onslaught of dragon-blazing truth. However, it is also wise to have avenues of healthy escape, and ways to put a balm on your emotions, on your precious heart. Music, dance, books, laughter, the appreciation of beauty. And love, always love. For, LOVE, spiritual love is the great Aquarian connection between us all.

Mother Gaia will also offer the tender arms and bosom of her planet to soothe us. Look upon the beauty of a sunrise, upon the never-ending majesty of the land. Watch the animals enjoy life and stroll among the trees, among the serenity of the beautiful plant life.

For the following week and the next two months, there will be major happenings hidden from the public at large by the 'evil powers that be'. Down the road these events will be tornadic in their impact upon all of us. In part, what is being hidden involves wars in space, the high activity of the sun, and the secret, off-world program begun during the early nineteen-fifties.

A further behind the scenes report: the soulless ones are gathering to implement their most devastating plans in their war against the human race. Their time table has been advanced due to the arrival of 'one' group of humanity's progenitors. These plans include the 'possible' release of certain bio weapons disguised as a flu outbreak or blamed on weaponized viruses escaping from a lab. Always be prepared to stay put for awhile, if needed.

On the good side this week, the inventive and creative nature of humanity comes forth like a giant tsunami sweeping across the entire globe. This will be encouraged and increased by loving energies from the angelic realm.

The pure magic of human creativity is also being aided by powerful, spiraling frequencies from the galactic center. At this time, the genetic makeup of the human race is also being changed, transformed, by these cosmic vibes to release our greater abilities.

On a personal level, this means your creativity and inventiveness will be heightened to meet and overcome the challenges ahead. Be open, let it flow, and sweet successes will be your reward.

Know these incoming divine vibes are also fueling a planet-wide renaissance at this time. New technologies that will truly serve the people are on the way.

This is in opposition to the technologies meant to control humanity. This tech-renaissance is also a means for the GOOD forces to overcome the psychopathic social engineers who are using every despicable means of deception to convince humans they are destroying Mother Earth. Know, dear ones, this is not true.

Trendwise, the Chinese Year of the Dragon ~ the whipping writhing strength of the Dragon is here. What does this mean overall? The dragon spirit within you will being taking on the world, creating both chaos and spiraling through the chaos, during this make-or-break-year of 2012. What it comes down to is, either use this power within you for your benefit and the benefit of All -- either use this magnificent mystical power to dis-empower those on the dark side, and bring forth a tsunami of much-needed inventions -- or the fierce frightening power of the dragon will use you.

The miracles of the dragon are here. Watch them transform your life.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Seeds

2012-01-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

I just wrapped up a major editorial wrestling match with my latest manuscript. The story’s now 1000 words longer, with a couple scenes added to flesh out relationships and another sex scene just ‘cause. I hope I’ve plugged up all the plot holes now. I’m betting it’ll have to go through another pass before it’s ready for the readers’ eyes. That little extra polish never hurt.

A lot of the plot problems came about because this was an unexpected sequel. That’s both the excitement and the drawback to being a pantser. Nothing’s planned. I created a book that demanded I write it, then had to make sure everything jived with the previous book. It’s called continuity, and it’s a bear to deal with if you’re writing comic books or episodic television. Or, as I just found out, unexpected sequels.

One of the questions I wanted to answer when I wrote Belonging was, “If vampires are technically dead, how can they have sex?” Partway through writing that one, another question arose: “Can the undead reproduce?” I know vampire Darla managed it on Angel, but I was never a regular viewer of Angel so I don’t know how she pulled it off. I’d have to come up with my own explanation.

Let’s assume you need a living womb to produce a child. That means human mother, vampire father. I’d already established how the undead can have sex. But are the undead fertile? Can they even procreate with humans if they’re another species? Is there any way I can explain all this without contradicting the first book?

Yes, I could. In Belonging I’d established that a diet of vampire blood made a vampire different from the norm: warmer body temperature, able to eat real food, capable of having sex without a blood infusion. Supposedly it could restore fertility as well. As for the compatibility question, maybe vampire blood fed to the human mom would fix that problem too. We are what we eat, after all.

Now stir in an evil vampire who’s figured all this out, and wants to create a race of vampire/human hybrid slaves, and voila, you’ve got a sequel.

How to get my heroes involved? Back to the first book. Toward the end of Belonging Wallace the vampire rescues a little girl from a flock attack. His friends the Stantons adopt her. The kid’s gotta go to school somewhere. By putting her in a local preschool she became a perfect plot device, allowing Wallace’s boyfriend Jeremy and preschool teacher Colleen to meet and get the story rolling. I love it when an unplanned plan comes together.

But wait, there’s more. How about giving the boys an even more personal stake in the story than simply protecting the heroine? In the previous episode, we revealed Wallace became a slayer when vampires kidnapped his girlfriend and murdered their infant son. Suppose there was more to it than that? What if Wallace’s woman was taken on the evil vampire’s orders, to serve as a broodmare for his hybrid army? Wallace doesn’t find this out until they begin investigating kidnap attempts on the heroine. His whole life was changed by this incident. Now it’s come back to bite him again. Think he’s pissed? You betcha. This is why on TV shows old friends of the cop/detective hero are always getting iced. I didn’t even have to create a new character. It was all there in the first book. Damn, I’m good.

Same for the subplot involving the slayer. Years ago the Preacher killed Jeremy’s vampire family, in a cameo appearance in the first book. Wallace would want him to suffer for that, even if Jeremy doesn’t. Guess which slayer holds vital information regarding their case? What will Wallace do when he finds out?

This is how you write a sequel where no sequel was planned. You work with what you’ve got. You go through the first story looking for seeds that can be cultivated into plots and characters. Everything grows out of what’s already there. Whether it’s planned out before the first word hits paper or thrown on after the fact, it’s the end result that matters. Do it right and the reader will never know the difference.

And yes, eventually there will be a third book. Again, an idea in the second book begat another plot. Now I’ll have to go through two previous books to make sure everything matches up. There has to be an easier way to make a living.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #176

This week the New Power of the Soul is here, and rising. The desires of the soul, your soul, will come to the fore in such a strong way, it will be impossible to ignore this higher knowing, this new awareness. Whether you are conscious of your soul's desires, or not, they will now surface like a pod of whales.

At this time, dolphins and whales will be mentally communicating with humanity as never before, except in the antediluvian times. While this may sound like a silly new age idea, know that dolphins and whales have long been allies with humans, and now wish to join with those of us who will listen.

As was stated in last week's forecast, on a personal level, this is a perfect time to begin and develop new projects. If you are in need of prosperity, as so many are in these times, there will be an idea with your name on it, courtesy of the angelic realm.

While the soulless ones continue to shut down financial opportunities and demand austerity, truly this is a time to bring forth the Aquarian Age renaissance and create abundance for your community. Baking breads of all kinds in old-fashioned ways will become a strong trend, and is the nourishment needed by many.

Within the next few months, one of the major GMO companies will come under fierce attack. Their long history of diabolical lies and deeds will be revealed in part, and their eventual demise will be brought about, even though 'those' at the top believe they are invincible.

On the economic front, claims will be made by the corrupt 'powers that be' that the economy is on the upswing, if only slightly. The opposite is true. At this point in time, bank failures will happen across the globe like dominos falling. On the near horizon one of the major banks is likely to fail unless there is a behind-the-scenes intervention. This depends on what faction of the bankster gangsters wins.

On the war front, while the Mideast remains the focus, the real war raging on the planet continues in both the Arctic and Antarctic. It is possible some news about this will leak out.

Also, what has been called Contact with extraterrestrials and other unknown beings is in the cards for the year, 2012. There is a major battle between many forces for how this will come about, and WHO will be in charge. What is known as Project Blue Beam, a false flag alien attack using holo technology, could be used to keep humanity controlled and believing their so-called leaders are saviors. However, this scenario is not set in stone.

Beginning this week, always expect the unexpected on the world stage and in your personal life. Sadly, mass insanity will rise to new levels worldwide as people realize deeper truths but have no coping strategies. As well, the bizarre, the paranormal, and everything labeled 'high strangeness', will start to become the norm.

On the GOOD SIDE, many of us are developing new abilities, ones we never thought possible -- or the super abilities we have merely dreamed about. In truth as human beings, we are, overall, becoming smarter, faster, and bigger in our spirituality.

Trendwise, more and more folks will be planting their own food gardens using heirloom seed varieties. A new underground movement will form to save these seeds, and to transport good food wherever needed. This type of trade will infuse local communities with much-needed prosperity.

Once again, while this is likely to be a wild and wacky week for many, miracles will abound. Some of these miracles will be personalized, meaning they are gifts only for you.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Hack Job?

2012-01-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

A fellow writer and I had a discussion the other day on what’s selling in romance. It was sparked by the edits I’m currently doing for my latest book. The editor wants more explicit language and another sex scene to bring the heat level up to line standards. I had no trouble with that. Whatever makes the book better is fine with me.

Then I thought: better, or more saleable? Am I turning into a hack?

There’s no fault in wanting to make a living doing something you enjoy. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I first learned the alphabet. I had my first success in science fiction before I sort of fell into romance. I’d been reading romance for years, even played around with a couple of plots, but never got serious until I found an open call for a romance anthology and realized I had an idea. So I wrote the idea and discovered I liked the genre and could write saleable stories in it. Then I found a publisher that likes my work. The rest isn’t history yet, but I’m working on it.

At the moment I’m writing paranormal, which is like the SF/F I was writing before, just with sex scenes. Sometimes I get caught up in the plot and have to remind myself to add sex. I’m still new at this.

This wasn’t some conscious decision prompted by market research. I didn’t look at sales figures and say, “Romance is selling better than SF, and with all the e-publishers I stand a better chance of finding a receptive market. Plus, I hear you can make huge royalties if you’re prolific. I’m going to do this for a living.” The “prolific” part alone should have scared me off. If I can write even a novella in six months, I’m having a good year.

What concerned me in the wake of our conversation was the decisions I did make. I’m trying to change my slothful habits so I write more. That’s helpful in any genre. However, I’ve added M/M novellas to my to-write list. In today’s market, that seems to be where the money is. Never mind that I’ve got ideas for paranormal M/M stories and I enjoy writing them. The book I’m editing now is M/M/F. I didn’t write it because ménages sell. It’s a sequel to my last book (an M/M novella) and I wrote it because the idea nagged at me and I wanted to hang on to the characters. On the other hand, would I have written either if their respective subgenres weren’t hot sellers right now? Am I a savvy writer with an eye on the market, or a hack?

You tell me. I’m not even sure where the line is drawn between writer and hack. I stumbled into this. I read Marvel Comics growing up because of the soap opera elements. I loved seeing relationships develop between the characters as much as I did the superheroics and cosmic plots. In high school I wrote comic book fanfic and made one of the heroes gay, so the M/M didn’t come out of nowhere. It just happens that, for once in my life, what I want to write actually has an existing, robust market. I want to make a living at this. What writer wouldn’t? But if I consciously choose to focus on the selling subgenres, am I flirting with hackdom?

I feel like I’m justifying. I don’t know. I do know I love reading my dad’s old Louis L’Amour collection, but I can’t see myself writing a Western. A Western with SF or paranormal elements, romance optional, yeah. But if straight, traditional Westerns become the next big thing, I’m up the creek. Couldn’t do it. The same for F/F in erotic romance. I have no ideas in that direction. If M/M goes down the toilet I’ll write paranormal M/Fs, which I’m still writing, by the way. Or excise the sex scenes and write the books as SF or fantasy. If the idea hits me hard enough, I have to write it down, and I have to write it the way it wants to go. That’s how I ended up here in the first place.

How about you? What’s your definition of hack, and how close do you find yourself flirting with it in your efforts to make a living as a writer? Maybe “hack” is just a term invented by people jealous of other, more prolific writers’ success. I like that one; it makes me feel better.

And now, back to the edits. How many uses of “dick” is too much in one paragraph? Ah, the life of a working writer.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ January 9, 2012

2012-01-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #175

Watch for the 'revolutionary visionaries' this week. They will make a strong appearance via the alternative media. THOSE who cherish freedom are on the rise, and an upcoming force to be reckoned with. This is worldwide.

On a personal level, you may notice the need for freedom wells up inside you, and concerns several areas of your life. Also, the people you know who are least likely to have concerned themselves with the vigilance required to keep a free society, may suddenly be ignited with the idea of 'let freedom ring'. This is partly because it is now their time to AWAKEN.

The following week begins a new dynamic on Earth. This is a spiritual counterbalance to the smoke-and-mirror tactics of the soulless ones. As it currently exits in the realm of the what has been called the Akashic Records, the great fountain of TRUTH will be bubbling up, surfacing in ways that reveal the true herstory/history of humanity.

Sad for many on our beloved planet, evil becomes a sledgehammer this week. This will play out in several ways, some of them on the world stage, and some unseen and therefore unreported. This will 'also' involve the catastrophic foreclosure situation brought about, on purpose, by the bankster gangsters of Wall Street fame.

With the drums of war being beat to raise the dead or get the attention of the zombified, know that *currently* this is a bait and switch trick of the military industrial complex. While war is still on the main menu of 'those' who despise humanity, the pieces on their chess board have changed. This is because a new enemy has risen with a greater weapons' capability.

Space, both celestial events and exploration ventures taking place in outer space, will continue to be a major focus of many during the year, 2012. All the lies that have been told to the public about the nature of the solar system and our galaxy, will begin to unravel at a rapid rate. At the same time, UFO activity will only increase.

As the so-called mainstream media continues to shoot its credibility in the foot each and everyday, those who have resisted the AWAKENING will now come onboard, albeit many will do so reluctantly -- growling and grumbling like bears disturbed during their winter hibernation.

At this time, firearms will come under fierce attack by *those on the dark side* who want to disarm the innocent. There are terrible scenarios, already arranged, that are designed to enrage the populace and make weapons look like the problem. This will be an ongoing 'psy-ops' as it's called.

In regards to daily life, this week and the next three weeks will be an opportune time to start new projects, the ones you've been putting off, but really want to accomplish. Go for it!

Trendwise, It's a Wild and Wooly Year Ahead! The year 2012 is a FIVE year in numerology. Look for drama, non-stop action, adventure, periods of chaos, and lots of parties. Yes, it's time to keep the party hat on and get your groove on this year. For some of us that will be rediscovering Disco. FIVE is also the year of the detective. That means more people will be ferreting out the truth, and looking behind the scenes.

Remember music is a balm to the soul. Music also ignites your deepest passions. It is the universal language of the Aquarian Age. Speak, or sing, it to your loved ones.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Editorial

2012-01-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my publisher’s schedule, the laptop and I are starting the new year off with a bout of major editing. My latest novel, the 86K-word elephant on the hard drive, requires some early-chapter cuts and tightening, a bit of character tweaking to clarify one of the relationships, more dirty words to up the heat rating and possibly an extra sex scene. I’ve got three weeks to accomplish this. Fortunately the temperature this week is supposed to nose dive into the 20s, so as long as I’m holed up in my snug, warm house, I might as well brew up a couple cups of tea and plug up some plot holes and such.

As usual, I had my typical response when I first scrolled through the file. My initial reaction to an edited manuscript is anger and/or despair—either Omigod, I totally screwed up, why did they even buy this? or You pretentious bitch, you can’t possibly know my story as well as I do. How dare you even suggest I got it wrong? This state can last from about ten minutes to maybe an hour or so. Once the initial shock wears off I calm down, lock my ego in the closet, and set about incorporating most if not all of the editor’s suggestions into the rewrite. Because it’s not about me or her. It’s about making sure all the words on the page are as right as they can be, so the reader reaps the benefits.

A good editor is an asset beyond price. Their fresh eyes will spot your logic flaws, your run-on sentences, and the fact you had your main character’s eyes go from blue to brown within the same paragraph. They’ll suggest ways you can tighten up the narrative or clarify characterization. They’ll let you keep your original words if you provide a good enough argument. They’ll help you make an okay book better, and a good book terrific. Who wants to argue with that?

In this case, my editor zeroed in on flaws and questions I’d had about the manuscript myself. I probably should have let the book sit for an extra month and given it another once-over before I sent it out. I wasn’t even sure they’d accept it. They did, and now I’ve got my work cut out for me. Fortunately, I don’t have to fix this draft alone.

I’ve been lucky in that my current publisher has a top-flight editorial staff. That hasn’t always been the case. Back in the ‘80s a magazine copyeditor working on one of my stories changed the word “grunted” to “grinned.” I’m still not sure why. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except the character doing the grunting was a pterodactyl. Ever seen an animal with a rigid beak grin? Not even in science fiction. Another copyeditor changed my spelling of “leery” (used and spelled correctly by me in context) to “leary,” as in Dr. Timothy. This mag didn’t send galley proofs at the time, so the mistakes ran as “corrected” by the editors. Things like this make the writer look bad, and develop a poor attitude toward editors in general.

For a true editing horror story, dig up the 1989 Tor Books edition of But What of Earth? by Piers Anthony. (You can find used copies on Amazon for as little as a penny.) It’s two books in one: the original story, as Anthony intended it to be read, and Anthony’s notes on the mutilation it went through during the editorial process. No fewer than four copyeditors hacked up his work, with the gleeful abandon of Jason Vorhees pursuing nubile teenagers. They took a mediocre book and made it even worse. No wonder that line went out of business.

Luckily for us writers, that sub-category of editors appears to be rare. The majority of them want you to write the best damn book you can, and they’ll work with you to get it there. A good book makes the readers happy, which makes writers and editors happy. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for?

Angelic Forecast for the New Year, 2012 ~ January 2, 2012

2012-01-01T23:43:00.000-08:00

And the Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #174

The Rise of the New Renaissance ~ From this point forward in the year 2012, those who value their humanity will bring forth every manner of artistic and creative endeavor. For these people it will become about the art of living life. They will use technology, and the rapid advancements, as their servant.

Instead of becoming addicted and enslaved as the soulless ones intend, the renaissance renegades will become the rulers of Aquarian Age technologies. This will be in direct opposition to the cyborg lifestyle, which will be advertised as the only savior of humankind.

This week, and the next several weeks, will see major changes in the world economy on several fronts. Also, as more of humanity realizes that many banks are no longer good caretakers of their money, they will pursue other ways of doing business. At this time, there is an underground economy now taking 'good' root. However, it will only be accessible by those in the community who are trusted.

This year, as the sword of TRUTH becomes swifter and heavier, more horrendous acts of corruption and treason will be revealed. As well, those who perpetrate evil against others will be exposed as never before. Thus, those of us who walk the Good path will become more and more valued, and sought after. This will be a slow process, however.

At the year's midpoint, those who are both warrior and the peacemaker will ascend as a major force on the world scene. For, now is the time to harmonize the ability to fight with the ability to bring about peace. Remember, there can be no peace without true warriors, and a true warrior cannot exist unless there is a peaceful society to defend.

On a personal level this week, focus on economic matters, and take action where wisdom and common sense dictate. Take inventory and decide what is most needed and required for your household. Since the price of food is likely to rise rapidly in the coming months -- also to prepare for winter storms and the storms of life, lay in good supplies.

2012 will be the Year of the Sun. That is, solar activity will be wild and varied and also extremely intense at times. This will result in quickly changing weather patterns that develop into superstorms. The whip-lashing force of the sun will also trigger major land changes

Trendwise, because superstorms in weather, in the economy, and in society will be occurring, any service or product that helps humanity will be in demand.

Remember, All Beloved Ones, this is also the Year of Miracles, the most extraordinary and enchanting miracles. All of them just for you, and your loved ones.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

That Time of Year

2011-12-29T07:04:00.000-08:00

Yep, it’s that time again – time to list the New Year’s resolutions.

Usually I resolve to lose weight, and blow that one in a week. That’s not my fault; grocery stores should not have cookie and snack aisles. Somebody ought to file a lawsuit.

Back on topic. I’m making different resolutions this year. Some of them relate to writing; I’ll get to them in a minute.

First and foremost, I resolve to cut back on and possibly eliminate all clutter in the house. My 30+ year book collection and I went from a two-story house with an attic into a mobile home. I have few flat surfaces in the house that aren’t covered by some form of paper. The Book Room looks like something from Hoarders. Therefore, I resolve to throw out at least one item per day for the entire year of 2012. That includes magazines I don’t look at, old papers I don’t read, clothes I don’t wear any more and the socks with the holes in the heels. If I get rid of enough stuff, I’ll have room for newer, shinier stuff. Not to mention I’ll actually be able to move around in the Book Room. In theory.

(Don’t worry about the books. I won’t be throwing them out. Any book I decide I don’t want will go to a friend of mine, who has dibs on my ‘70s and ‘80s SF paperbacks. Anything she doesn’t want will be donated to the library for their annual book sale. Somebody somewhere will give them a good home.)

Now for the writing resolutions. I’m going to double my backlist for 2012. I’ve got five out right now, so I’m aiming for ten by next December. That’s doable if I write novellas. In my mind, a “book” is still anything over 50,000 words, but I notice a lot of the works available run in the 30K range. The real pros can do that in a month, some of them in a week. I take a little longer because I tend to fart around. That’s my other writing resolution: no more farting around. There’s no reason I can’t turn out at least 1000 words every day if I set my mind to it. There’s nothing on daytime TV anyway. Or nighttime, for that matter.

Plus I have a book coming out from Siren in February, so I’m already ahead of the game. I only have to sell four more and I’m good for the year. Yay, me!

Farther down the resolution list, I’d like to dip my toes in the self-publishing waters. I’m going to check with my former SF publishers and see what rights I have to the stories I sold back in the ‘80s and ‘90s. If things go well with those, I’ll try a novel. These are all in the fantasy and science fiction genres, so there won’t be any conflicts with my romance publishing. I’ve got my pen names lined up and everything. I’ll let you know how it goes.

That should hold me until December 31, 2012. Or December 21, when the Mayan calendar says the world will end. Hmmm, better get started.

What the hell, might as well try to lose weight while I’m at it. Couldn’t hurt, and I want to look good when the world goes kablooey. Happy New Year, everybody!

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ December 26, 2011

2011-12-25T22:25:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #173

Let the Year of Miracles and Mayhem Begin ~ From Winter Solstice 2011 to Winter Solstice 2012, divine miracles and mass mayhem will occur across the globe on a larger scale than ever before.

The following week will be a mini foreshadowing of not only what will likely occur on the world stage, but also a foreshadowing of the upcoming year for you personally. This knowledge is powerful, and gives you the opportunity to plan, and make a course change if necessary.

Many in the year 2012 will be making course changes in their lives from small to a major shift in direction on a greater scale than has occurred for the last fifty years. Also, starting this week, there will be a population shift away from metropolitan areas. This will only increase in the following months for several reasons. However, the Land is calling people to return.

During this week, you will receive blessings from unexpected sources. Be grateful regardless of how they show up, or from where, or from whom. For, they have been sent by the Divine. And they are gifts to you.

This week it is important to take inventory of your relationships. Who in your family, and which of your friends, truly believes in you? Knowing this will be absolutely crucial as life unfolds in the new year. As well, you will know where to devote your emotional energy, and the love of your heart.

As was said last week, now is the *time of the human heart*. While this Heart Awakening surges worldwide, the soulless ones plan for all-out war. Their unconscionable manipulations toward bringing humanity into this dark and unnecessary time of war will continue at a dizzying pace. It should be known, 'they' will use any and all of their psychopathic cunning and their ill-gotten fortunes to bring more conflict about, while blaming others who are blameless.

Only a real stand for freedom by humanity, and for all that is Good, will halt the dark side from enslaving us all with war. Only resistance will stop the completion of their tyranny.

The continued downfall of the economy has been created for this purpose, as well. For, the evil ones plan to use their octopus-tentacle economy to keep everyone down -- to keep all of us begging for solutions.

Once again, the dynamic forces of the coming week are complex, and there will be several twists and turns, all of them manufactured for public consumption.
However, as more and more people 'see' behind the curtain, there will be huge backlash after huge backlash, as was spoken about in the previous forecast.

Trendwise, this week is about reflection. Even though, there will be the usual preparations for the New Year and for celebrating, the real underlying force will be taking a serious look at what has been. This is extremely important for soul growth, and to move into a brighter future.

Another trend is 'make your soul rich with romance and relationships'. As money 'very' gradually becomes less and less important in our culture, and loses its grip on much of humanity during the Aquarian Age, the richness of human experience will be in your relationships, and in how you romance your life -- how you romance others and those you love.

Take time to rejoice. Take time to be prepared. For, the magic, mystery and mayhem of 2012 is nigh.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

On Tap for 2012

2011-12-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

The topic-tank’s running low again, so instead of an actual blog I’m going to run excerpts from a couple of WIPs. One’s M/M, one’s M/F, one I hope to send to a fantasy market, and one I’m entering in this year’s Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest just as soon as I clean up that one last pesky chapter. Enjoy.

Snippet A:
The cab left Holland Temminck off at an ornate iron gate just off the main road. Beyond the gate twin lines of hedges and a wide drive led the eye directly to its intended target, the grand, two-story mansion that crouched like a hungry cat at its end. Holland’s imagination saw the wings as paws with claws extended, and the front doors as a mouth just looking for an excuse to gape. The windows even glinted green, like greedy eyes. Holland took his time extracting his single bag from the cab’s trunk. He was in no rush to fling himself into that ravenous maw.

“That’s quite the hike,” the driver remarked. “You want me to take you to the door?”

Holland hesitated. No, take me to the airport poised on his tongue like a diver on the edge of a cliff. He had just enough cash left on him to escape Georgia. He could disappear into the Pacific Northwest or perhaps slip into Canada, where even Judge Minsk’s riches couldn’t find him. All it would cost him was his family’s continued survival.

Sold to stud to save the family solvency. Not the fate he’d imagined for himself when he was a kit.

“No, thanks.” Holland slammed the lid of the trunk. “This is fine.”

Snippet B:
There’s no way you can mistake a dragon when one stalks into your life. I recognized this one the second he strode through the door of my shop, in spite of his human form. It’s all a lie anyway, only a disguise, and not a very good one at that. When a dragon enters a certain space, he stands and moves as if everything, and everyone, within range of his senses is his. Dragons are greedy. It’s their nature.

This one had picked a human shape that was both imposing and attractive. The body bearing down on me topped six feet easily, every inch of it molded into male physical perfection. Naturally. He would want to draw all females to him. Greedy, remember?

Snippet C:
Clay Beddoe rode into the town of Fortune on the back of a buckskin mare, with a rangy bay stallion trotting along behind. The bay wore neither pack nor bridle, only a native blanket. It followed Clay up the street like a dog and never once spooked at the bustle.

And quite a bustle it was, Clay thought, even for a railroad stop like Fortune. So many people all over the place, you’d think it was the Fourth of July. Men mostly, and a lot of them rough customers. Clay thinned his eyes and thinned his mouth and tried not to look like he was watching.

And the horses! Near as many as the people. Cow ponies, native paints, bucket-hooved giants that ought to be back on the farm pulling plows instead of hogging much-needed street space. Quite a few horses showed speed in their lines and quality in their breeding. The rough crowd held the reins on these. Clay’s narrowed eyes got thinner.

Two cowboys on horseback charged up the street, slapping the rumps of their mounts with their hats and howling like a pair of coyotes. Clay barely reined his mare out of their way in time. The bay shrilled a protest and shot a nasty look after the racers.

“Better put that horse on a lead,” a bystander advised, “or he’s gonna get tromped on.”

Snippet D:
Johnie Ishida wasn’t thinking about the end of the world. He was thinking about the overripe pigpen stink rolling off the flesh and clothes of the fat man crammed into the booth opposite him. When pressed for a meeting place, Johnie had picked this hole-in-the-wall dinette because the LA smog patrol had rated today a Defcon-3, and besides, the place served a smokin’ Gutbuster Gordito. But now, with the man’s stench smothering him like an antique Amish quilt, he wished he’d put his lungs at risk and insisted on an open-air meet after all.

But the man had an offer, Olmos has said. Something lucrative. Something unique. Right up Johnie’s alley. So he sipped his cola, kept a wary eye on the two beat cops at the counter, breathed through his mouth as best he could, and listened. And vowed that, once the job was done, he would bitch-slap Olmos silly.

The fat man shifted a butt the size of Madagascar on the crimson vinyl seat and mopped a gallon of sweat off his face with the back of a beefy hand. A chunk of odor wafted in Johnie’s direction. The dinette’s ancient air conditioner, industriously throbbing away, made little dent in it. Johnie cringed back, but the reek got its hooks in his nostrils anyway. It tasted raw and slimy, like day-old fish, or panic.

# # #

My biggest problem, along with my procrastinative nature, is going to be word count. I’m not sure if A is going to reach the mandatory 20,000 word minimum required by the publisher I’m aiming for. I guess I can throw in an extra sex scene if I have to. I thought I had two possible markets for C. One tops out at 10,000 words; the other is looking for novellas between 20,000-40,000. Snippet C, of course, runs 15,000. It’s probably easier to cut instead of pad, so I’ll give it a thorough go-over with my virtual butcher knife and send it to the shorter market. If that doesn’t pan out, you could be looking at my first foray into self-publishing. I’d like to move into that arena for 2012. The romance market may be booming, but I’m tired of the long wait times even e-mags are inflicting on SF/F writers. I had two different mags each hold two different stories for over a year and a half before rejecting them. Another held a story for TWO YEARS and eventually folded, all without notifying me even though I sent a nudge note. I found out about its demise in a market report. I can have a story up on Smashwords and Amazon just as soon as I figure out the formatting instructions, and I get to keep the bulk of the money. So there.

This should keep me busy for the first couple of months of the new year, at least. And what are your plans for 2012?

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ December 19, 2011

2011-12-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #172

During this week of the Winter Solstice, then the Christmas celebration, there will be miraculous events that will be obvious to many. This will occur in your personal life and on the world stage. Keep your eyes and your soul wide open. You will not be disappointed.

The following week is also extremely complex in all of its dynamics. At this time, freedom lives as a never ceasing burn inside the soul. However, those on the dark side will use every dirty trick to stop true liberty for humanity. Also, every manner of subterfuge is in play to conceal the Light, especially the 'new' light frequencies now raining down on us directly from the angelic realm.

Once again, the failing economy will be used to pummel everyone into compliance, into what some label as the new world order. Desperation has taken over these soulless ones at this point. The mass AWAKENING on Earth threatens to throw off their yoke of economic tyranny forever, and they are scrambling.

As well, a battle still rages in the ranks of the bankster gangsters, and this, in the long run, will accelerate their downfall. In the meantime, they will use the 'might makes right' tactic to gain their ends, and keep their ill-gotten gains. This means using military might, and the might of advanced technologies most don't know exist.

With miracles on the rise, there will be an attempt to coopt the divinely miraculous. Given that holo technology is real, and in use now, this technology will be used to create false miracles -- to lead us all astray. Only discernment from your intuition, your spiritual center, will reveal the truth.

As more of humanity realizes the importance of TRUTH, they will seek it out, and there will be backlash after backlash against those who have used a trillion lies to ruin so many lives.

From now until the end of the year, and likely beyond, home is where the heart is, and wherever those who need a home can find to live. The 'whole' way housing has been in this country will change dramatically, and in unexpected ways. Also, being on the land will become all-important in the near future.

Trendwise, this week is about spirituality, and whatever that means to you, and your loved ones. For, the time of the human heart is here. With the rise of the Aquarian Age, everything you are, everything you think and feel, will now intensify, magnified by the new cosmic energies. *YOU* will be ramped up by one hundred percent.

Take moments to cherish the miracles in your life. Take even longer moments to cherish your loved ones.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Six Sentence Sunday ~ Not Where Stockings Are Hung

2011-12-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone, this is the season of magic and miracles. And I've had my share recently. Why? Because even though I am tech-challenged, I managed...with lots of help from other Indie authors...to format, then upload my first Indie book. Here's six sentences, according to the computer count, from ~

Santa Baby, Several Stars Away

Chapter Two:
Not Where Stockings Are Hung

Kaily hung the bow between her breasts, for now. Thinking her freshly washed hair could use more of a 'take me to the bedroom' look, she shook her head vigorously, then swiped her fingers through the long strands several times.

''Tousled enough," she murmured. Of course, who knew whether Dylan got off on tousled or not. He hadn't dated any of the single women in town, all four of them.

The gossip would have burned her ears off by now -- like a damn flamethrower -- if he'd put the moves on any of the married women.

~~~~~~

Now Available ~ SMASHWORDS | AMAZON | BOOKSTRAND | AllRomanceEbooks
~~~~~~

Have a Magickal Holiday Season!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~~~~

~~~ Find out more about Six Sentence Sunday at ~ sixsunday.com ~~~

Pointing Out the Views

2011-12-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

I go both ways. Hey, settle down. I’m talking about POV. First person, third person, writing it or reading it, I’m okay with both. I made it all the way through Bright Lights, Big City, so I can handle second person present tense, though I wouldn’t care for a steady diet of it. That one’s best saved for special occasions, in my humble opinion.

Most romances are written in third person. First person seems to go better with urban fantasy, maybe because of UF’s grittier nature. First person in UF recalls laconic voiceovers in 1940s film noir. Third is the voice of the people; first is the voice of one person. If you’re going with first, better work on that voice to make sure it isn’t annoying.

Which is better? I won’t say best, because that’s not up to you. The story will tell you how it wants to be written. When in doubt, try writing a scene or a couple of pages in both first and third and see which one sounds righter. If you go with first, you’ll be stuck in one person’s head for the duration of the story, unless you write multiple first-person sections. I’ve seen that done, and it can work. Third person lets you roam around with abandon in various characters’ perceptions, which sometimes leads to head-hopping. I don’t think you can head-hop in first person, unless your characters are telepaths. Yeah, I write science fiction on the side.

Fortunately, if you’re writing standard romance, third is pretty much the default position, so POV’s set right off the bat. I’ve seen first used in M/M/M+, as a solution to dealing with all those confusing “he’s.” Third gives you distance. You’re observing this person as she falls in love with that steamy hunk with the dimples and the six-pack abs. With third you have the added advantage of getting the guy’s reaction. Some people go for that; others would rather stay with just one character. Again, it’s up to the story to tell you what it wants to be.

Can first person work in a romance? I may get a chance to find out. I’ve been fiddling around with a dragon story that started life as a flash piece for Shapeshifter Seductions. It went a couple of pages beyond what I posted before it petered out. Then I read a Nocturne Bites story told in alternating first persons between the girl and the guy. It had an immediacy you don’t always get from third person, which worked well in a fast-paced action/romance story.

Two things hit me as I read this. 1) I didn’t know Harlequin buys first-person stories. Maybe just for their shorter e-books, since the category print books are always in third. Or maybe you have to be well-established for them to take the chance. 2) I’ll bet this would work for my moribund dragon story. If nothing else, a switch in POV might get the juices flowing again.

So I tried it. And it worked. The story came to life. Instead of slogging through turgid descriptions, we get the full, immediate impact of her reactions when this powerful, deadly creature (in human form, of course; it’s a romance) stalks into her shop. We won’t be getting into his head, but in this case it’s okay. Really, did anybody want to know what Hannibal Lecter was thinking?

I still don’t have a plot, but with the POV question settled I get the feeling that won’t be a problem now.

Will this work for 20,000 or so words? We’ll see. Even if it comes out okay, will publishers be interested, or will they demand a rewrite back to third? That depends on how compelling I can make it. If I can pull this off, you’ll hear about it here first.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ December 12, 2011

2011-12-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #171

The following week is likely to be a strange one in several respects. What is called the 'paranormal' is making itself known to humanity. This will be on a large scale, so much so it will become undeniable to many.

Also, from this point forward, intuition, psychic abilities will increase dramatically, especially for those who welcome these powers. If you feel a sudden imbalance in these abilities, it is wise to consult with someone who is already familiar with this part of the human nature.

During the midweek there will be event(s) on the world stage that could be, at their core, puzzling, even random. However, the truth behind them will be revealed. The knowledge of this truth will coalesce into a widespread protest against the system. This protest will be ignored by the powers-that-be, and by their media henchmen.

Once again, 'space' becomes a major story with the real truth hidden from the public. Many in the know are tired of the spin and the lies. They will begin telling All to anyone who can spread the word.

On a personal level, if your world seems to tilt or become off kilter this week as you prepare for the holidays, the best remedy is to engage in the activities that are most enjoyable to you. Music will also act as a balm, and will help you think clearly.

Right now, there are several undercurrents rising more and more to the surface. As the AWAKENING soars, the rise of the renegade, the rise of the magician, the rise of the feminine, and the rise of the artist, will be in direct conflict with the agenda of the soulless ones. These global elite, as they are sometimes called, will tighten the reins of their tyranny.

This tightening will be enforced by an increased use of the military, and come in the form of severe economic controls. At this time, freedom is in a fight for its very life. In the year, 2012, freedom will stand or fall. It's all up to humanity, and those who are assisting humanity to live free.

Once again, prepare as you are able. Lay in stocks of food and water, plus all the necessities you normally use. The weather will become unpredictable at times, the storms brutal in some areas of the country, and all over the planet. It is only wise to prepare.

With the activity on sun about to ramp up, there could be electronic failures during the next three weeks, and likely beyond. Become adaptable in your ability to communicate with others.

This Christmas season miracles will abound, and there will be more major miracles this week -- both worldwide, and on a personal level. Be on the lookout, and be appreciative for yours. These 'true miracles' will take place amidst the chaos and the unraveling that is escalating across the globe at a mind-bending rate.

Trendwise, a new independence emerges. Any product or service that assists in an independent way of living, especially for growing food, and producing energy, will be a successful venture.

As more of heaven falls to Earth, guided by the hand of the angels, know we are all being transformed in wondrous ways. Know also, now is the time to anchor yourselves to each other in love, and in true community.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
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Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Six Sentence Sunday ~ Santa Baby, Several Stars Away

2011-12-10T20:08:00.001-08:00

Greetings, here's six sentences, according to the computer count, from ~

Chapter One:
Santa Baby, Waitin' Just for You

Okay yes, Kaily admitted, now she did look good and trussed up, the way the length of red ribbon wound around her body. At least, by what she could see. There was a slice of her reflection in the tall narrow mirror near the fireplace mantle.

With the bow dangling from one hand, Kaily wondered if she should position it over her well-furred pussy not completely covered by the ribbon. Or maybe, the large showy bow should nestle between the swells of her breasts...or be placed like a centerpiece above her ample-enough cleavage.

"Ooooh...Santa baby, waitin' just for you," she crooned like the song, then pursed her lips in an attempt to look sexy.
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Now Available ~ SMASHWORDS & AMAZON
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Have a Magickal Holiday Season!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
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~~~ Find out more about Six Sentence Sunday at ~ sixsunday.com ~~~
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Santa Baby, Several Stars Away ~ Magical Reading for the Holidays

2011-12-10T03:08:00.000-08:00

Consumed by curiosity, Kaily gives herself to a mystery man for Christmas.

Will Dylan be able to resist her waiting naked, but gift-wrapped beneath his tree?

~ A Short Shapeshifter Erotic Romance ~

Santa Baby, Several Stars Away

by Savanna Kougar

Excerpt ~

Chapter One:

Santa Baby, Waitin' Just for You

Rarely reckless, Kaily flung off the negligee she'd first thought to wear. It landed in a red ephemeral heap beside the tastefully trimmed Christmas tree.

So what if she'd just broken into his house...well, she hadn't exactly broken in...more like she spied on him until she found out where he hid the extra key...lodged in a crack of the frame above the door of the Victorian mansion he'd resurrected from certain crumbling death, and now obviously treasured

There was only one thing Kaily could see amiss in the traditional holiday atmosphere he'd created with the help of the town's local historical club a garish red ribbon. The long sash had a simple bow attached to one end, and practically shone despite the low lighting.

Kaily stared at the unexpected invitation.

Certainly, the river of red ribbon didn't belong on the floor as a decoration, and she couldn't see anywhere else it belonged...except wrapped around her.

Since she was giving herself to him as a gift for Christmas...well, why not?

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Blurb:

Kaily has been consumed by curiosity ever since Dylan suddenly appears in her small town. Surreptitiously, she watches the mystery man restore a rundown Victorian mansion, all while his charm and sincerity gain him the good will of most everyone. This is especially true when he volunteers to become the annual Santa Claus for the children at the town's park.

The problem for Kaily: No one really knows anything about Dylan's past or where he came from. With her attraction to him growing day by day, she becomes a driven woman. On a desperate whim, she gives herself to him as a Christmas present. Will Dylan be able to resist her waiting naked, but gift-wrapped beneath his tree?

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Now Available ~ SMASHWORDS & AMAZON

Coming Soon to other ebook vendors.

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Have the merriest of holidays!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

The Daily Grind

2011-12-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you, but for me sometimes writing can be a stone chore. I sit there at the keyboard or with pen in hand and the words get stuck in my head. It’s not a block, it’s sluggishness. Who knew writing could be drudgery?

Therein lies the problem. I’d like to make a living at this. Trouble is, even on the best of days I’m not what you’d call speedy. My usual output is one or two pages a day. That’s maybe 1000 words if all goes swimmingly. A career can be built on that, if you’ve got 10 or 20 years to spare. I was hoping to move it along a little faster, but caffeine only takes you so far.

Some days it’s okay. I’ll get caught up in the story and whip out five pages or more. Over the years I’ve discovered that even on a good day I can only work about three or four hours straight before enthusiasm starts to flag. I try to make the most of those times, and whip out as many words as possible.

Then there are the bad days. You know what they’re like: when you know you should be writing, but the dishes are piling up in the sink and you’re almost out of underwear and the fridge is looking a little sparse inside and when’s the last time you vacuumed? Trust me, I’m good at frittering away writing time. With a little practice, laundry or trips to the grocery store can take up the bulk of the afternoon. Afterwards you take a TV break. Why not? It takes effort to scrub those dinner plates. You earned it.

In the end, though, the blank screen and the empty page just won’t go away. If I want to make a serious go of this, sooner or later I’m going to have to fill them up.

Back in 2006, after years of sporadic writing and waiting for inspiration but mostly goofing off, I made a vow: I would write something every day. It might be several pages. It might be a paragraph. But it would be writing. Not notes, not outlines, not a list of excuses on why I couldn’t put pen to paper on that particular day. If I couldn’t advance my current WIP, or had no current, WIP, I’d write a scene or a character sketch or a flash piece of a couple hundred words. Typing up a longhand draft or editing pages counts because I always make substantial changes every time I have a go at a story. As long as I made an effort, and produced some form of fiction so I could hold my head up and face myself in the mirror and truthfully say I wrote that day.

That was July 1, 2006. To date I have not missed a day.

Sometimes it’s tough. Sometimes I have to force myself to put down a couple of lines. I’ve had periods where the daily writing was a string of entries in my “flash book.” But I wrote every day. Dang, I feel just like a professional.

It’s paid off, too. Some of the scenes jotted down in the flash book have led to stories and novels. It’s a great place to stockpile ideas. Whenever I hit a dry spell I go back and read over these to see if they spark anything. Maybe a page a day isn’t much, but write a page every day and at the end of a year you’ve got yourself a novel. It’s like a muscle. You use it on a regular basis, you exercise it every day, and it gets stronger and stronger.

Maybe it’s time for a new vow. How about two pages a day? The dishes can wait another couple of hours, and nothing’s on TV anyway. I could probably cram two pages in between the endless commercials. This is the perfect time to establish new and better habits, with snow season coming on and nippy temps urging me to stay indoors. By next spring I should have enough manuscripts stockpiled to take the summer off. Then I can head down to the shore for a week and write my two daily pages on the beach. Definitely a goal to shoot for.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ December 5, 2011

2011-12-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #170

For the following week, and during the month of December, the wild ride into the year, 2012, begins. To have an idea of what that means, picture the difference between riding a reluctant pony versus being atop Secretariat, the Triple Crown Champion, as he's racing for the finish line.

This is because 'everything' ramps up. The massive arrival of energies from the galactic center will cause planet-wide turbulence and worldwide turmoil. Or in other terms, this means bigger and badder weather, more land changes, and also societal changes that will burst forth like storm waters over and through a broken dam.

From this point forward the idea of freedom and free humanity will become even larger in concept. Strong action toward this goal begins in many major population areas, and there will be no let up by the groups who embrace this Awakening.

As well, discontent erupts like an angry volcano all over the globe, and rises beyond what is taking place currently. In general, humanity is enraged by the huge amount of inequalities they are suffering. This will only be exacerbated as the face of evil becomes like a neon sign in the darkness, all while their past horrific deeds are being constantly revealed.

On the disastrous economic front, the bankster gangsters will be moving monies back and forth like ping pong balls. As their criminal fraud continues to be exposed, they will be pointing fingers at each other in an attempt to become king of the financial pile. That is, once their OverLord banking system is established -- beginning with Europe.

Right now, too-big-to-fail banks as a way doing commerce are being brought down by many forces. First and foremost, by their incomprehensible and psychopathic greed. Second, by certain secret groups devoted to the welfare of human beings. And thirdly, by the demands of the Aquarian Age. This process, of course, will be brutally ugly. Take care.

At this point in time, there are benevolent beings who have taken up humanity's cause against the soulless ones. However, it is up to each and every one of us to take a stand, and keep on standing against those who would steal our lives, our livelihoods, and our very souls.

The best strategies for the upcoming times are simple. As has been encouraged before, form like-minded communities. Learn the ways of trade, barter and creating your community's own currency. Bring forth the talents and abilities that will best serve you and everyone else. And don't forget large doses of love and caring for All who are truly deserving.

Remember, as the world changes around you, how fast you adapt, along with those you love, will be the key to bringing forth a good life. Learning to live on the land, and with the land, is also a key. And, as has been talked about before, the ability to communicate with animals will increase, and be helpful.

Trendwise, beyond the seasonal holiday festivities, it's all about getting off the grid. Any service, advice, product offered that will assist folks in accomplishing more self-reliant living will become all the rage, especially once the year, 2012, begins.

This is a week of miracles, gifts from the angels to let all of us know they are present. Smile, and say thank you, when one comes your way.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
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MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

The Creative Process

2011-12-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

Where do writers get their ideas? Well, there’s this place in Schenectady – just kidding, that’s an old joke among SF writers. The answer is, damn near everywhere.

I’ve been having a lot of luck with cable TV lately. In addition to pilfering actors and characters, I find story nuggets on factoid networks like The History Channel and NatGeo. Having a twisted imagination helps.

For instance: I was channel surfing the other day and found a show on Animal Planet called The Skunk Whisperer, about a group of animal control experts who remove pesky varmints from homes and such. Got a raccoon in your attic? Skunky and crew are your go-to guys. Snakes, skunks, bees, they handle that sort of thing.

On this particular episode a wildlife rehabilitator called up the boys to help her catch and crate a pair of bobcats for release back into the wild. Being a paranormal/shapeshifter romance writer, I couldn’t help reflecting on how much easier things would go if they had a shifter on their staff who could speak to the animals in their own tongue and talk them into leaving houses or climbing into crates on their own, without all the biting and scratching and yowling and spraying and stuff. It wouldn’t make for exciting TV, but it would save wear and tear on the nets, not to mention the removal guys.

Of course, since they’d never know what kind of animal they’d be dealing with next, they’d have to be conversant in more than one language …

And just like that, I had a character. I christened her an omniwere – a shapeshifter who can assume any animal form. Yes, her. Since I write M/M as well as M/F, I considered both possibilities before deciding on a her. Given her talents, some evil being, human or otherwise, will want to capture her and exploit her, so she’s going to need a male to rescue her – and, of course, fall in love with.

Or two. I came up with a pair of males: James and Cliff, a wolf and a cougar, respectively. They’re friends and partners, but not lovers. They’ve heard about the omniwere and are trying to protect her from the bad guys. But can she trust them? James especially might be a problem. A woman who can assume the form of his deceased wife might prove too great a temptation to resist …

That’s all I’ve got so far. The premise is too flimsy to stand on its own, and will need another idea or two to prop it up and make a workable book. Plus there’s the problem of creative overlap. The day after I drafted this blog, fellow writer Savanna posted a flash on Shapeshifter Seductions about a wolf-and-cougar duo. Sometimes ideas just float around and we all grab the same one. I like her cougar, Dontoya, better than mine, so maybe Cliff’s a bear. If they’re cops or special agents, as things are starting to look, having a bear as the muscle guy makes a lot of sense.

At this point in the development process everything is fluid. I’ll let this simmer for awhile and see what if anything occurs to me. If I develop this into a story, you’ll read about it here.

The bobcats? They got safely released into a wilderness area, hopefully one with lots of birds and rabbits, and none of the guys got bitten. Another happy ending all around.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T00:37:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #169

For the following week, the theme is ‘home is where the heart is’. Now is the perfect time to explore what ‘home’ really means to you. This is also an ideal time to search for another home if there is a nudge from your Inner Guidance.
During the next three months, many people will be ‘moving’ to a different location that calls to their soul. Also, many people will be leaving their current relationships to form new relationships and new families. As well, some will return to the fold, as in returning to their families of origin.

This is due in part by the need to hunker down in this great time of turmoil. Metaphorically, the gloves are off now. And this has become a bare-knuckle world -- the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. The more you are with others you trust, and who trust you, the better life will be for All.

Another major transitional shift will begin this week. This can be seen in the turbulent events that take place around the worldwide financial debacle. As the face of evil is further revealed, a mighty backlash against the ‘soulless ones’ will sweep across the globe like a raging tsunami.

There is likely to be a dramatic increase in earthquake activity for the next six months, and volcanic activity will follow. There are few safe areas because Mother Earth is changing her landscape. Also, super duper weapons are being used in weather and tectonic warfare in a battle to dominate the world.

Look for ‘more’ shocking events to unfold midweek. As well, from this point forward every excuse will be used to bring in a draconian and militaristic control over the people.

On the personal economic front, be aware the game has changed, and will continue to change at a rapid rate. The more you can remove you and your family from the system, the better off you will be in the long scheme of things. Banks will continue to fail, and some of them cannot be relied upon. Use your money wisely at this time, and plan for the future in a realistic manner.

Trendwise, seek out ways to celebrate the holiday season that are truly meaningful to you, and those you love. What has been is crashing down and coming to a quick end. For those of you not currently living in a rural community, now is the time to look at returning to a simpler and more sustainable way of living.

This week is all about taking advantage of good opportunities that come your way, especially if they include family and friends. This is also a magic time to find the right love partner.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
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MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Thanks Giving

2011-11-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

So this doesn’t end up sounding like an Oscar acceptance speech, I’m going to limit my list to the writing-related things I’m thankful for. Such as:

The Muhlenberg Township School District, who held a typing class as part of their summer school program. They opened up a whole new world of speed to me. I could now write as fast as all eight fingers and both thumbs could type. I suspect I used to get better grades because I typed my term papers. Less eyestrain for teacher, more points for me.

Steve Jobs and everyone else involved in the creation of the personal computer. Back around 1990 I bought my first PC and laser printer and never once looked back. No more whiteout, retyping drafts, endless Xeroxing manuscripts or carbon paper smears on my hands. The actual writing didn’t get any easier, but editing, formatting and printing reams of final copy just became a snap. My first drafts are all or mostly longhand, but subsequent drafts are always typed on computer. I’m writing this blog on the laptop right now. Where’s the one that plugs into your head and prints your thoughts directly on the screen? Invent that one next!

Al Gore, or whoever really “invented” the Internet. No more lugging bulky packages to the post office! Hit a couple buttons and an entire novel goes zipping off to the publisher. Except when the system crashes and you lose a month’s work, but I’m trying to stay thankful here.

The global economy, which got me laid off the last time it took a nosedive, and ageism, which is making it difficult for me to find replacement work. Between the two of them, I now have plenty of time to write. I really should be doing that instead of playing Spider Solitaire or cruising fanfic sites.

The readers, who plunk down their hard-earned bucks for my imaginings. You folks get the biggest thanks of all. I’m going to work harder on my end to create the most entertaining books I can, so you’ll be thankful you bought them. Happy Turkey Day, everybody!

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #168

For the following week chaos and rage will own the streets, and the entire world will appear to be falling apart. Simultaneously, a new spiritual nature emerges, and will be most recognizable at the grassroots level. This is because all those of good conscience are coming together to help each other, and work toward a greater Good for everyone.

This week, the fraud that has taken over the system will be your greatest enemy. Take heed to follow your own Inner Guidance. This is more crucial than ever when protecting yourself and those you love.

At this time, be aware that the rate of social change is accelerating. And like a herd of stampeding elephants anything in the way will be trampled. You have three choices: Fight it and be trampled. Step out of the way, and learn what it takes to survive and thrive. Or, three, leap astride an elephant and enjoy the wild ride.

Even though, the major events that take place during this Thanksgiving week will not be tame, the rise of the renegade spirit continues. Surprising new expressions of this rebellious spirit will occur, and grow throughout the year, 2012.

With the economic war between the global elite escalating this week, watch out for the ‘metaphorical’ dead bodies falling like Autumn leaves. For one thing, the world’s supply of available gold is nearly gone. That is, what has been sold on paper does not exist.

Once again, there will be odd happenings in the space program, and in space itself. Nothing will be told to the public except for misrepresentations and outright lies. However, as has been said before, the truth is out there. And will be leaked.

The most important thing about this week for all of us, is that old standby, LOVE. Whatever loving act you can do for someone who is ‘truly’ deserving... this will mean a better world for all of us, because the goodness will ripple outward forever.

Trendwise, this week of Thanksgiving encourages our gratitude. Search your heart to discover what you are most grateful for. This may ‘not’ be what is considered the ‘right thing’, or the popular things to be grateful for. However, what ultimately matters is that you find out what resonates as real and sincere gratitude.

This week when someone shows you kindness, let them know you are grateful. It’s all about spreading the universal love.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
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MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Central Casting

2011-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

It took me long enough, but after close to a year of writing (and avoiding writing, but that’s another blog) I finally finished Legacy, my sequel to Belonging, and sent it off to Siren, who were kind enough to accept it. I’ve never denied my male leads were inspired by Sam, Dean and Castiel from Supernatural – or, in my version, Jeremy, Wallace the vampire, and the mysterious slayer known as the Preacher. (I chose that particular photo because the Preacher favors black. Tan trenchcoats tend to stand out in the dark.)

This isn’t the first time I’ve cast a favorite actor as the lead in one of my stories. Dialogue writing gets so much easier when you can “hear” the words spoken in a specific voice and rhythm. (Probably why I’ve never used William Shatner.) If you’re the kind who visualizes as you write, then hey, who wouldn’t want to imagine a naked Christian Bale or shirtless, Star Wars era Harrison Ford for weeks on end? I love romance writing.

Waiting patiently in my closet is a romance in draft I’ve been meaning to get back to. The lead, Sam McCollough, is a Texas boy and art thief looking to leave the biz, buy a boat, and sail around the world. The voice I heard when I started writing him was 1980s Don Johnson. Sam became a rough-but-tender guy with piercing eyes, a quick, boyish smile, and a perpetual five o’clock shadow. I’d sail around the world with him any day of the week.

Vin here was an accident. I wrote a flash scene for my other blog, Shapeshifter Seductions, about a dragon shifter. I described a tall, muscular male with a bald head and cavernous voice. After the fact I realized I’d imagined Vin Diesel. Picture that body covered in flame tattoos and that drifting-up-out-of-a-cave voice drawling at you and yeah, you’ve got a dragon. I’ve already seen Pitch Black and The Pacifier, so when I finally get around to expanding the flash, I think I’ll rent Fast 5 for research. That way I get both Vin and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This job gets better and better.

Speaking of shapeshifters and wrestling, I wanted a menacing, no-nonsense Russian assassin, so I based Sergei on WWE’s Undertaker. Mark Calloway’s 7-foot, pumped-up frame was perfect for my white tiger. Picture that guy over there as an albino with icy blue eyes and that’s Sergei. Tough? Calloway has his wife’s name tattooed on his throat. Now that’s tough.

My current WIP concerns cat shifters. I haven’t quite decided on my lead yet, other than he’s blond, but I’ve got a good match for his romantic interest: Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries. Check out those eyes. Is that a cat or what? Mee-yow.

You’ll notice there are no pictures of actresses up there. I usually have only a vague idea of what, or who, my heroines look like. My mental image of their men is always more concrete. Can’t imagine why that would be … If I ever cancelled cable, I’d probably have to give up writing. Now, about that M/M/M ménage …

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ November 14, 2011

2011-11-14T02:24:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #167

For this week, the theme will be ‘duality at superspeed’. This is particularly true for events on the world stage. What has been termed ‘high strange’ events will be happening in contrast to the down-to-earth, ‘if it bleeds it leads’ news stories that will be used to keep the public at large ignorant of the most important news in these times.

Of course, every effort will be made to suppress the truth about these high strange occurrences, and the spin machine will be burning gears to explain them away. However, given the force of Magick is rising, everything considered paranormal will be on the increase during these times, and the ‘truth’ is out there.

As has happened before, what was once sci fi will show up as reality in the coming months, and during the year 2012. This will also be true for certain aspects of fantasy, or what has been thought of as the fantastical, the impossible.

This will be a complex week in many ways. On a personal level there is likely to be several areas of your life pulling on you all at once. Take a step back and decide which area needs attention first, then act using your experience and wisdom.

On a personal level there is another highly important aspect to this week. That is, be careful about outside forces that could negatively affect your relationships, especially a love relationship. Your best defense is to keep the lines of communication open. Have an intimate dinner together, and remember why you love each other so much.

On the economic front, this will be an up and down week that benefits no one in the longer scheme of things. There are rival forces at work -- a fierce war behind the scenes between the dark siders themselves, and those who wish to preserve ways to create a better future for us all. To that end, predictions are useless, except to say the tactics used by the global bankster gangsters will backfire. Thus, new draconian measures will be initiated.

With the now-announced worldwide depression, an avalanche of people across the globe will wake up to what is occurring, and take action against the real perpetrators, ‘those’ who are the soulless ones. This will mean, in part, that riots will become bigger, and a true force to be reckoned with.

For many the upcoming week will be a ‘strange’ one. Relying on your Inner Guidance will see you through and give you a greater understanding of the true nature of the Universe and the Divine.

As the evil ones seek to loose the big dogs of war, an unexpected opposition will arise. This group of individuals will mostly act in secret. Their success depends on those of us who will stand for freedom against any form of tyranny.

Trendwise, it’s all about the ‘good surprise’ this week. Take time to create a wonderful surprise for someone you love. A surprise birthday party. A surprise night out. Anything will be appreciated if it truly shows the other person how much you care about them. How much you cherish them. Now is also the time to bring forth your creativity.

Besides preparing for winter, showing someone how much you cherish them is the best thing you can do this week.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Today's Topic Is ...

2011-11-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

You got me. I think I’ll just ramble for a couple of hundred words. There’s bound to be something useful in there somewhere.

Last week I e-subbed a novel. Now I’m waiting to hear back. I know I’m supposed to be working on my next book, but this publisher has a quick turnaround and I figure I’ll hear something shortly. This is one of my hang-ups as a writer. Not only can I only work on one story at a time, once I send something out I’m tempted to sit back and see how things turn out. That’s fine when the wait time is only a week or two, but I’ve had stories out at places that held them for close to two years. Am I supposed to stop writing for two years? Tempting thought, but no. Looks like I just went back to work.

The anthology with the horror story I wrote as “Gerald S. Parker” may be back on. They think they've found another publisher. The drawback in this case is the antho was pay on publication. I don’t see a penny unless and until the book actually comes out. That happens a lot with smaller magazines. Moral: aim for the “pay on acceptance” markets first. That way if something like this happens, you still have cash in your wallet. Still want to be a writer?

Assuming the book I sent out is accepted, I’ll then have to deal with the edits. The book clocked in at 86,600 words. Gahhh! What was I thinking? I still feel the last several chapters were rushed because I knew the thing was running long and tried to wrap it up in a hurry. Let’s see what the editor says. I know you’re supposed to let the book run as long as it needs to, and length doesn’t make that much difference in e-publishing, but c’mon. There needs to be a limit. Oh, and that word count was even longer in draft. I found myself cutting lines and whole paragraphs when I did the final type-through. One chapter got eviscerated by at least a third. And it STILL came out to 86K+. That’s it. My next project will be a novella. No more War and Peace.

In fact, I could probably benefit from limitations. Discipline and I have only a nodding acquaintance, which is why it takes me so long to write stuff. I work much better with set deadlines. Not the deadlines I set for myself either, because I just ignore those. It’s not like there are any consequences beyond not earning any money. I should talk with the publisher and have her set specific deadlines for me. Then I know things will get done by such-and-such a date, because if they don’t I won’t get paid. Last month I wrote a story on assignment (different genre) and got it out two days before deadline. I had a month and a half to write 6000 words and I waited until the last minute. I used to write my term papers the night before class, too. The point is, they got done within a specific time frame because I had a deadline. Maybe I should hire somebody to set deadlines for me so I get more writing done in a timely manner. If I miss deadline, I pay that person $100. That ought to speed me up. Any takers?

As for the length problem, I’ve been toying with an idea for Harlequin’s Nocturne Cravings. They have a specific word limit. If they had a deadline, I’d be set.

And lookie here, I wrote a blog, and by deadline, too. Maybe next week I’ll talk about ways to find the discipline to write and not just veg out in front of the TV. Hey, that’s not a bad idea. Why not, I’ve got a week …

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ November 7, 2011

2011-11-06T23:54:00.000-08:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #166

This week, and for the rest of November 2011, it is all about ‘relationship’ and ‘relationships’.

First, it will be about how you personally relate to the world, and also how you relate to everyone around you. The Universal Force will be highlighting your strengths and weaknesses at this time.

Second, through this process, personal relationships which are not fundamentally sound, cannot withstand the rigors of the future, and are not based on love -- will be dissolved. In counterbalance, during this period, new and stronger relationships will be forged. This will be both love partnerships and enduring friendships.

The cosmic energies during the last two months of 2011 is about preparing for the future -- the immediate and long term future. Opportunities will appear and it is best to take advantage of them. Quickly. Decisively.

From this point forward, the pace of life will ‘quicken’ beyond the current hyperspeed. This means, in part, whatever is essential and most valuable in your life will be revealed to you. Out of this make your decisions for the future.

As usual, this is a critical time that will determine how the year 2012 plays out for humanity. In that regard, divisiveness will be the main theme for this week. Be aware that the ‘soulless ones’ are attacking with ‘divide and conquer’ strategies as never before.

Know also, the decision is upon you. Which side will you choose? Freedom or non-freedom? For, that is what 2012 will be all about, the rise of true freedom for humanity.

On the economic front, big-time deception will be the name of the game. Most likely every news story fed to the public at large, will be the exact opposite of the truth, or completely misleading.

For the best direction to go in pay heed to those who are the financial renegades. This ‘does not’ include any big name in the system currently. For, they are the false gods, and meant to lead all of us astray.

Several major conflict-events that will occur this week, have been initiated from the dark side of magck -- conjured by those who serve the soulless ones. Duck and cover spiritually.

This ‘black cloud sorcery’ is being done to cover up the Light streaming to us all from the cosmic center. This Light, straight from the heart of the Divine, is meant to reanimate our highest natures, and to give us the power to become strong in the face of evil.

Trendwise, this week, and through the holidays, people will be searching for new ways to celebrate -- ways that are more meaningful to them and their families. There will be a return to more ‘homey’ celebrations, as well as the opposite, all-out elegant affairs. Everything cheap and commercial will be shunned more and more this holiday season.

Exercise your personal power this week for your benefit, and the benefit of your loved ones. It is all-important.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Blocked

2011-11-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

I’m stuck for a topic today. This is normal. I just sent out a manuscript this week and it takes me a couple of days to get revved up again. I’ve been using the time to rake leaves and get caught up on the housework. When’s the last time I vacuumed the house? I can’t even remember.

There’s no lack of ideas, fortunately. I’ve got the sequel to the book I just sent out and a pile of other stuff. Trouble is, it’s logjammed in my head. They’re all clamoring equally for attention; nothing’s standing out. At some point one of them will scream more loudly than the others and that’s the one I’ll work on. When will that happen? No telling. It better not take too long, because I don’t want to go a year between submissions again. The one I just sent out clocked in at 86000 words. I think I’ll listen for a novella to start yapping this time.

While I’m waiting, there are tons of things I can do to get the juices flowing again. Reading works. Nothing sparks ambition like a monumentally awful novel that makes you go, “A monkey with a typewriter could do better than this.” Believe it or not, TV can be your friend. My favorite show sparked that trilogy I’m working on, and to some extent two other books I may get around to eventually. Sometimes it helps to just get outside and move around a bit. What’s that big, bright thing up in the sky? How long has it been there? What’s it called when you’re not seated in front of a keyboard? Standing upright, yeah.

To keep the writing muscle limber, I have a disturbingly-large number of spiral notebooks and pens piled up beside my bed. I don’t know how many stories I’ve started and abandoned in these things. If I want to blow off a couple of days, I can do an inventory. One notebook I keep reserved for quickie scenes, descriptions and ideas, so I can tell myself I wrote today. Some of those could probably be sold as flash fiction, or developed into stories. Again, I have to wait for one to poke its head above the herd. I’ve tried to force writing in the past. The results weren’t pretty, folks.

If all else fails, just sit your butt down and have at it. Don’t worry about plot, characters, or having it make sense. Gag your inner editor, tie her up and stick her in the corner and let your imagination go to town. You might end up throwing out every page you produced at the end of the day, but so what? You wrote. That’s what matters.

See, it worked. I just wrote a blog entry. I’m good for another week. Now, about that vacuuming …

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T01:02:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #165

During this pivotal week for all of humanity, a new level of POWER is Rising like the Phoenix. Consider this cosmic shower of power to be like the hammer of Thor. Know too, this vibration is up for grabs, and can be used for a good purpose or for a bad purpose.

Thus, it becomes more important than ever to claim your own personal power, and use it to better your life, and the lives of others. As well, at this time, all of your issues around power will surface.

Now is the time to clean house, rid yourself of your emotional and psychological issues, and learn how to wield your power effectively. Now is the time to bring the hammer down where needed.

In the continuing horrific drama that is the worldwide economy, look for even more surprises -- a crash here, a crash there. It is advisable at this juncture to remove your funds from any bank that is faltering.

However you can prepare for winter, do so now. Possible power outages are a real danger as was demonstrated earlier in the year by the outage in the southwest that cascaded through southern California. It is likely there will be excessive snow and ice in some areas of the country this winter, so stocking up on necessities is a wise move.

Likely during the midweek a ‘high strangeness’ event will occur. This event will be suppressed. However, there will be news leaks and exposure via the internet.

At this point in time, a band of journalist renegades will rise to more prominence. All while the current crop of TV and newspaper reporters will fade in popularity. This is because, in part, many will no longer identify with traditional newscasters.

It’s a new day and age in America proper. Every despicable tactic and psi op will be used to stop this demand for freedom and equality by the American people. The levels of violence will escalate, and the time is near where choices must be made similar to the Revolutionary War era.

Remember, Magick is now at your fingertips. Tune into the vibration, and follow your Inner Knowing. This attunement is vital to continue the new surging Renaissance, and also for creating your future.

Trendwise, this is a tricky week. Magick, Power, getting prepared for the realities of winter -- that said, everything related to becoming more magickal and more personally powerful will be what is desired. Plus, folks will be looking for everything and anything that will get them through the winter ahead.

This is a good week to make certain family, friends and good neighbors are getting prepared for the winter and the times ahead. Also, establish ways to communicate if the normal channels are down.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Welcome to the Family

2011-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

So what is it? Multiple Personality Disorder, or Multiple Pen Name Syndrome? Whichever, it’s what happens when the urge hits to you to write in multiple genres. Lots of fun for the creativity. Not so hot for sales.

I’m one of those folks who writes as the ideas strike me. I used to write science fiction and fantasy. I still knock out a fantasy story occasionally. I’ve got an entire series abandoned in my closet. Maybe I’ll go back to it some day.

For now I’ve jumped genres into paranormal romance. Same general conventions and storylines, just more emphasis on sex. However, there are a ton of subgenres, and I’ve got ideas for several of them. Therein lies the problem.

When I started writing romance, I went with traditional M/F. Then I got an idea for an M/M story. Then another M/M story hit. That spawned an idea for an M/M/F sequel. I’ve currently got notes for an M/M/M and at least three other M/Ms in a holding pattern in my head, along with about half a dozen M/Fs I really should get to at some point. Then there’s the entire M/F novel sitting in the closet awaiting rewrite. Plus the fantasy novel awaiting a chapter overhaul, but that’s another genre.

What I didn’t realize, until a publisher pointed it out to me, is that each subgenre has its own set of fans with their own tastes and expectations, and they won’t necessarily follow an author into different waters. For example, my M/F followers must have been thrown for a loop when I published my first M/M. (“What the hell is this? Where’s the woman? What are these two guys doing to each other?”) Conversely, I’ll bet the readers I picked up with my two M/Ms were confused as all get out by my M/F backlist. (“What’s he doing with a woman? Why isn’t he with the other guy?”) Can’t wait to see what the M/M/F does to both parties.

In short, I’ve splintered my readership. I’m slowly building a following, but I’ve fractured it between two subgenres. Hopping around has been a blast creatively, but it doesn’t do squat for the checkbook.

Which is why I’ve decided to go the pen name route.

I know, I know. I should have done that to start with, when I broke my M/F pattern with that first M/M. Well, better late than never. The M/M/F will be under my established name, Pat Cunningham. So will its sequel, which fortunately turned out to be M/F. Pat started as an M/F writer, and that’s where she’s going to stay. The next and subsequent M/Ms that come out of my laptop will have a different name on them. That should clear up any confusion.

This isn’t the first time I’ve done this. Those SF/F stories were published under a “P. E. Cunningham” byline. When I switched to romance I went with Pat to differentiate the genres, so anyone looking for my SF stuff wouldn’t get put off by the sex. To really confuse things, I wrote a horror story. Imagine looking for fantasy or paranormal romance from me and finding serial killers instead. Talk about alienating the readership.

So, if it all pans out, my little writing family will be growing. The first me, P.E., still writes the occasional fantasy story. My twin sister Pat writes M/F paranormal romance. Our illegitimate half-sister Jenna Wolf, who showed up unexpectedly at the door one day, writes M/M paranormal romance. Our evil half-brother, Gerald S. Parker, writes horror, and never remembers our birthday. I’ve been thinking about tailoring one of those M/Fs for Harlequin’s Nocturne line. I don’t know if they’ll require a different name or not. Cousin Dana Stewart, who also writes M/F paranormal romance, is standing by just in case.

Unless I wake up tomorrow morning and decide to start writing mysteries. Better flip through the phone book again.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #164

For the following week, the New Moon will signify a huge shift in human consciousness. As a ‘whole’, humanity will begin to *see* and awaken to the many ‘truths’ that have been kept hidden by the dark powers that be. One of these ‘truths’ will involve the moon and space travel.

Once this AWARENESS-SHIFT takes on steam, it will gather momentum like a steam engine racing downhill, then steam roll across the globe. The future ramifications of this major shift are varied and many-fold. An immediate result will be seen in how the Occupation movement changes direction.

Once again, the global economic crises will take center stage for part of the week. Behind the scenes there is a battle for supremacy being waged. Those who favor the full implosion of the economy versus those who want to keep the system limping along through the year, 2012.

From this point forward, opposition to the current economic policies will flare up, and bartering-trading communities will spring up like mushrooms. As well, the con artists will be out in force fleecing anyone and everyone they can. Beware!

This week there is the possibility that one of the biggest internet search engines will take a tumble. That is, some of their dirty dealings will be exposed. The plan is in motion with about a seventy percent of success.

Of key importance this week, the border war is ‘on’ between those who want to keep the sanctity of the nation, and the ‘soulless ones’ who want NO borders -- except as a means to control the population. For the immediate future this will remain a hidden war.

On a personal level, this is a time when the curtain parts, and realms unseen by most of us, come into sharper focus. Enjoy this ‘magickal’ look at another reality. More importantly, learn. For there are valuable lessons now that will serve you later -- lessons in a magickal, more natural way of living.

Also, during this season of the witch, one of the main players behind the establishment curtain will be exposed, and eliminated as a threat to humanity.

Trendwise, this week is about the powerful sexual and erotic energies swirling around us all. There will be *no* ONE way to express these bold, all-pervasive energies. Instead, a prism-like diversity will occur. Out of this vibrational onslaught a counter-culture will arise that is based on new expressions of sexuality, love and passion.

Remember, right now magick is the very air around you, the very air you breath. Inhale, savor and discover your magickal self.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Magick: Call Forth the Thunderbeat

2011-10-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

With the powerful forces of Halloween rising, I thought I’d share a snippet-excerpt of Kandace, my heroine, as she casts forth her magick to defeat her enemies -- thirteen evil sorceresses from another world.
~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Seven:
Call Forth the Thunderbeat

Kandace closed her eyes, seeking the exact words to cast her spell of destruction. Mother, I need you.

Torrents of starry energy traveled through her, as if her very blood had been transmuted. Raising their hands high, Kandace waited until the words formed before her mind’s eye.

Shrieks of triumph sliced the air toward Kandace. “Daughter of Affrony, as our slave, you will behave. The black power of our will conquers your pitiful—”

Simultaneously, Zin and Zol’s force spewed inside her as if a giant volcano erupted. Kandace floated, her force barely contained by her flesh. When her feet dangled above the loft floor, the sorceress’s chant stopped.

“Quevj.” Kandace heard her voice boom. “I call upon the four sacred winds.

“The East Wind of the Beginning.
“The South Wind of the Sowing.
“The West Wind of the Completion.
“The North Wind of the Restoration.
“Your evil is swept from this world forever.
“By the power of Good, you return never.”

Blasts of wind buffeted Kandace as the sorceresses screamed a cacophony of curses. Keeping her eyes closed, Kandace focused, then chanted, “Quevj, I call upon the precious waters.
~~~~~~

Blurb ~

Kandace doesn’t know why she’s a real witch. Despite her powers, she can’t find her bio parents. When the Tuxedo Twins tempt her with knowledge about her heritage at a charity event, Kandace agrees to dance with the mysterious Supernaturals. Unexpectedly, they are threatened by the omnipresent evil she’s been warned about in her dreams. To keep from being enslaved, Kandace brings forth her greater magick. But, to save her homeworld, she needs her hellhounds.

Zolivar and Zindale, two of Hades’ most mission-accomplished Hellhounds, see a witch sliding down the bannister after her heist of a painting. Spellbound, they know they’ve found just the right Kandy Apple to lick for Halloween. With every passion, Zin and Zol woo their chosen witch. Yet, will their Triad mate stay once she learns they can’t fall in love like humans? Or, will she return to her homeworld? Their very lives are at stake.
~~~~~~

SEXCERPT and Ebook available at ~ bookstrand.com/kandy-apple-and-her-hellhounds ~ NOW IN PRINT for HALLOWEEN at the usual vendors.
~~~~~~

Have a Magickal Season of the Witch!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Hello, I Love You

2011-10-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

The question arose on a writing forum recently on how soon one should introduce the hero. First thing? Second thing? After the woman’s met the villain and thinks he’s the hero? Halfway through the book?

In any other genre the answer should be, “Whenever the story dictates.” If the story insists the hero not show up until the last paragraph of the last page, then by all means write it that way. However, whatever that story turns out to be, it probably won’t be a romance.

The conventions of the romance genre dictate a series of givens. Man and woman meet; they’re drawn to each other; complications arise; they fall in love; book ends on happily ever after. It makes sense that the story starts when the destined lovers meet. Since the focus of a romance is, well, the romance, the quicker you get your characters together, the more time you have to develop their relationship.

For mainstream or women’s fiction, where romance is a part of the story but not the focus of it, you could probably get away with delaying the hero’s intro. Dredging up my memories of See Jane Date, I believe Jane didn’t meet the man of her dreams until the final chapter. But then, See Jane Date was marketed as chick lit, not romance – and, to be fair to the plot, the man she wound up with was someone her relatives had been pushing on her since around Chapter 2, so he didn’t just pop out of nowhere. Can you imagine a Harlequin book where the love interest didn’t show up until Chapter 12? I doubt if that would go over well. You’ve only got so many words to tell your story, even if you’re writing an e-book. Let’s get those crazy kids together!

As an experiment, I checked a selection of Harlequin novels from their different lines. In each case, the latest the main characters met was the end of Chapter 1. In one book the hero showed up at the heroine’s door in the first line. Another book had a prologue introducing the hero, and had him think about the heroine, whom he’d known in the past. Chapter 1 was her intro, and he walked in at the end.

Are there any exceptions to this rule? Could there be? I’m thinking now about that hero/villain example in the first paragraph. Something tells me it can be done, but it would be wise to introduce the real hero to the reader early on, and have the heroine meet him early on as well, and have extensive contact with him so it doesn’t look like the writer pulled him out of a hat.

I’ve read at least one book where the heroine met and felt a mild attraction to what turned out to be a secondary character. Shortly after meeting him she met the real male lead and bam, that was all she wrote. When the plot involves a woman torn between two men, I suppose this could work. But is this a romance, or women’s fiction? Tough call, there. Standard romance dictates one man, one woman, storyline details their relationship. Which is what the above-referenced book depicted, after those introductory chapters.

How about threesomes and multiples? How soon should she meet all her partners? I’d say you have some leeway here. As long as she meets at least one or two of them in Chapter 1, romance expectations will be met. The rest can be slipped in as required, though I still maintain the earlier, the better. I’m working on a story now where a woman joins two men in their already-established relationship. She meets Man #1 in Chapter 1, practically on the first page. His boyfriend, Man #2, doesn’t show up until Chapter 4. However, he gets an extended intro for those four chapters, as other characters talk about him. In Chapter 3 the woman overhears him in a conversation without actually seeing him. By the time he finally makes his grand entrance (saving the woman from an attacker) she, and we, have already “met” him. Besides, she’s been spending the last three chapters forging a bond with Man #1. It’s not like she’s been sitting on her hands.

When should your romance characters meet? The bottom line: the sooner, the better. That’ll give you more story time to build the relationship, tear them apart, or indulge in hot, juicy sex scenes. Your characters will thank you for the latter, trust me.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ October 17, 2011

2011-10-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #163

For the following week ‘deception’ on a grand scale will be the name of the global game. Those who own the worldwide microphone will do ALL to convince humanity ‘they’ are on our side. But, look behind the curtain, and notice the emperor has no clothes.

Now begins the Rise of the Warrioress. As we move toward the year, 2012, the inner warrioress will make herself known, and women will take on leadership roles as never before in recorded history. Most of these roles will not be establishment, but anti-establishment.

At this time, the spirit of the Amazon warrioress has arrived from the mists of that lost age to live once again on Earth. Women warriors, and those Souls who have lived previous lives as Amazon warriors, will be shifting into that mind set, and bringing it forth to the world.

Of course, ‘those’ on the dark side who control the system, will continue to present their FALSE women warriors in the hopes that they will lead us all astray. Discernment between the real warrioress and the imitator will become invaluable.

During the latter part of the week a series of rapid-fire events will occur. These mostly staged events are designed to cause humanity to fall into a state of despair. While this result will be achieved to a certain degree, in the end it will backfire in a spectacular way.

On the economic front, this week is about surprises -- the good, the bad, the ugly. More vital to us All, is the new dynamic entering the picture. This will be the renegade factor. That is, those of bold imagination are taking hold of the economic reins, and are galloping toward a new horizon.

Trendwise, this is the week of the ‘individual’. Whatever enhances someone’s individual expression will be sought after. Because of this continuing trend, the time of mass marketing is finished, but will likely die a lingering death.

Instead of fitting into society, what now occurs is a time of ‘fitting’ society to each human being. However, be aware this is a very long process, and the soulless ones will use every evil to stop it.

This week weather could be a major problem for some. As always, prepare for the worst, and be glad whenever it doesn’t happen.

Also, if you are able, offer a loving hand to someone in distress. Such love is the gateway to ALL GOOD.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

A Day in the Life

2011-10-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

So you want to be a writer? In God’s name, why?

Here’s how my day went yesterday. I’m on my last draft of a book and I’m typing it onto my laptop for emailing. I could have just written it on the laptop to start with but Mr. Lappy doesn’t have a printer so I type on the old system, which does have a printer but isn’t compatible with any system created after 1995. “Working with stone knives and bearskins,” is how Mr. Spock put it in a Star Trek episode once. It’s a lot of extra work, I know, but I need the print draft because scribbling notes in the margins gets messy on a screen. And when I get bored I can play computer games, which isn’t productive but sure is fun.

So I’m typing my final draft, making changes as I go. Extensive changes, as it turned out. I’d type a couple hundred words, re-think the previous paragraphs, then go back and delete about half of what I typed. Then restructure the remaining sentences. Then go play computer Solitaire for awhile.

This is my third draft. I should be able to just type the thing into the system without all this reworking. It should be polished at this point. Why didn’t I just write it correctly the first time?

Well, it’ll all be over soon. The book should be on its way to the publisher by some time next week. Unless I rewrite the ending again. I’ll probably do a final pass on the sex scenes. You can never have too many sensory details, but you can have too many adverbs. Many games of Solitaire later, it will finally be finished and out of my hands.

After that … I’ll probably just dive into the next one and sweat buckets of blood all over again.

Why do I do this to myself? It can’t be for the money. At this point in my career, I could probably make a lot more panhandling, and my income would be tax-free to boot. I do this because, painful as it gets sometimes, it would be even more painful to stop. I need to tell stories, and I’m egotistical enough to want to share. It’s a compulsion, like banging your head against a wall.

Sounds like a fun life, doesn’t it?

Then there are the perks: you make your own hours, you can work in bed with a cup of hot tea, and you can type in your ratty pajamas or even in your undies if you feel like it (or nekkid if nobody’s looking). You don’t have to look busy when the boss stalks by or put up with coworkers stealing your lunch from the fridge. You stare at a screen and make up stuff and, if the planets correctly align, you get paid for it. Does that sound like the coolest job in the world or what? Except for the rewriting part.

I should just scrap this whole thing and write a whole other post. And you want to be a writer? Good luck.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ October 10, 2011

2011-10-10T01:48:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #161

For the following week, and the next six weeks, two dynamics will rule our world. The desire for freedom versus ‘those’ of evil fascist intent will reign. And, preparing for what is to come takes center stage, because many now sense the catastrophes that are around the corner.

This will be a complex week where events on the world stage will be difficult to follow, and ‘not’ only because the waters will be muddied by the efforts of Big Brother/Big Sis. Despite this effort, the corrupt leadership is about to be challenged in a way that ‘could’ topple the current regime, or bring it to its knees.

However, there are ‘also’ plans in place to halt this from occurring, and make the powers-that-be look like saviors. Should these plans be actualized within the next month, turmoil will reach new heights, along with violence.

At this time, the ancient megalithic sites, Stonehenge and other on-the-grid sites across the globe, are in the process of reactivating as centers of power. This is due to the current rise in cosmic energies, to the energy storms on the sun, and also due to the intervention of humanity’s extraterrestrial brethren.

Because of this reactivation, there will soon be a mass AWAKENING around the ancient magickal and shamanic ways. The time of true magick joined with Aquarian enlightenment is just around the corner, as has been spoken about in previous forecasts.

One way the soulless ones are countering this newly activated knowledge is by continuing to manipulate the material world, so that more of humanity is trapped in the depths of poverty. However, the belief in fiat currency, otherwise known as money, is about to collapse worldwide.

Once it is realized that abundance is based on how we relate to each other, and how we form our communities -- as opposed to a monetary system -- the faster humanity as a whole, and individuals, will create a Renaissance of prosperity.

On a personal level, this week is fabulous for romance and for being inspired by new romantic ideas. The best option, is to use romance to show your beloved how much you love and care for them.

Trendwise, it will become obvious to those who have an affinity for animals that a new level of communication is now possible. Many animals, pets and those who live wild, want to form a deeper connection with humans, one that brings about a community-like understanding -- a way of working with each other that benefits ALL.

Keep your center this week. It is crucial to you and your loved ones.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds ~ Now In Print for Halloween ~

2011-10-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

It is the season of the witch, the season for my shapeshifting hellhounds, Zin and Zol.

Halloween is already reaching out with foggy entrapping tendrils. Yes, I can feel it, which is one reason I wrote my witch erotic romance, Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds, and currently have several Samhain-inspired WIPs.

My love affair with witches began with Samantha from the original TV series, Bewitched. Oh yes, I coveted her powers. After all, what fun-excitement that would be! A snap of your fingers and your room is clean, the chores done. A twitch of your nose and there’s the dress of your dreams.

You could right every wrong. Help others. Oh, the power was a heady fantasy.

However, more than her witchly magick, I simply adored who the character, Samantha, was as a woman -- the exception being whenever she cowtowed to her husband, typical for that time period.

And, yes, I even learned how to twitch my nose. Of course, not nearly as wonderfully as the actress, Elizabeth Montgomery, who played the beautiful real witch.

To be honest, despite all the Halloween ad hype I grew up with as a kid in the fifties -- where witches were portrayed as ugly evil creatures, often covered by warts because they handled frogs -- ya know what, I never bought into that view of witches.

I thought it was kinda ridiculous. Silly, even boring. No, some part of me never did believe or get onboard with that horror-spooky, broomstick ride. The only witch who ever spooked me as a kid was the Wicked Witch of the West in the “Wizard of Oz”.

Once the ‘beautiful witch’ arrived on the cultural scene... then when I learned about witches as women of the craft -- women who performed magickal rituals in accordance with nature to bring about a desired result -- well, I tingled. I resonated. And, I knew.

In that deep still part of me I knew, and that’s what rang true.

So, of course, it became irresistible -- the urge to write my own real witch heroine, my Kandy Apple. Yes, that’s her nickname, especially around Halloween. She adores wearing red, and has a riotous mane of red hair.
~~~

Here’s the scene where Kandace meets the Hellhounds, Zin and Zol.

Excerpt ~

Determined to ignore the heebie-jeebies, she gave her hair a toss. Kandace knew they weren’t fully human. What they were, she hadn’t discovered, so far. She stayed out of their social orbit and kept her distance.

Oh, she’d made discreet inquiries, all right. However, whoever she gabbed with would end up smirking, then give her that knowing look. Yeah, right, she wanted to jump the twins’ Remington Steele-elegant bones.

Okay, true, the old TV show, starring Pierce Brosnan, remained one of her guilty pleasures. Kandace dipped her tongue tip in her drink, scooping out a taste. Maybe if she knew what freakin’ dimension, planet, whatever, the Alien Tuxedo Twins hailed from she’d be interested in one of them. Maybe.

The only reason she inquired about the women in their lives was so she could politely interrogate them. However, Zol and Zin, as they were known, had been exceptionally discreet in their conquests. It’d been like pulling hen’s teeth with slick pliers—still, Kandace had gathered five names.

She’d made it a priority to speak with those women. Not one of them revealed anything of any consequence, and the dreamy smiles on their faces had quickly become too annoying. Even when she’d performed a gentle exploration of the women’s minds—nothing, except the sound of satisfied moans. Whoever the two peas in a pod were, they had the ability to keep an individual’s memory shielded, or some power she didn’t comprehend.

As Kandace admitted to whoever asked, she considered Zol and Zin to be living works of art. Whenever she caught sight of them at various artists’ events, a swoony thrill always raced her heart. Yep, fantastic to look at and admire, but that’s all.

Now, though, she had a whole new problem, other than keeping herself safe from the roaming security teams. The Alien Tuxedo Twins had been able to see her, despite her invisibility shield.

True, they didn’t seem overly eager to make her aware they knew about her witchy ability. Still, who the hell were they? What were they?

And did she need to be afraid of them?

To that end, Kandace sauntered ever closer.

“Might as well face the bad guys, if they are, and get it over with.” She whispered the words against the rim of her glass. Taking a sip, Kandace decided against an exploratory thought-form.

If they could see past her magic, they could probably stop her psi search of their minds, and would know she was onto their paranormal abilities.

Kandace strolled before some artist’s attempt to fuse Picasso’s style with the voluptuous fantasy art of Boris Vallejo. Blinking several times, she stared at the horror of high strangeness.

The twin wearing the evening suit sidled next to her as if he merely examined the painting.
“Definitely not my cup of artistic tea,” she commented. “What do you think?”

“I think I’d rather get to know a spooky little girl like you.”

Kandace jumped inside, startled by his bold come-on. “Spooky. Isn’t that a song lyric?”
From the corner of her eye, she watched the other twin join them. Uh-oh, she’d just become the filling for a man sandwich. At least, they appeared to be men, given those high-rise bulges they both sported.

For her?

Certainly, they smelled like real men. Despite the expensive cologne that clung subtly to both of them, their virility slammed into her nostrils and reminded her a bit of her uncle’s Rottweiler dogs.

Damn! No wonder some women fell in a drooling heap at their well-shod feet.

Kandace tipped up a large swallow of her drink. Her throat had suddenly become a desert, and her traitorous hormones began to beg.

Okay, she was a witch. She could handle this. Whatever this exactly was.

“Yes, it is a song lyric. Shall I sing the tune for you?”

Mr. Evening Suit asked in the smoothest yet sexiest voice she’d heard since Cary Grant. Kandace knew because her sister had watched all of the suave actor’s movies during her girlhood crush on him.

Intrigued by what he would actually do, Kandace flirtatiously angled her shoulders toward him. “Please.”

“In the cool of the evening,” he crooned, “when everything is getting kind of groovy, I call you up and ask you if you want to go and see a movie.”

Geez and tease her, Mr. Evening Suit’s sun-bronzed features were classically handsome, even more so, up this close and personal. Kandace avoided looking at his slightly wavy dark hair, perfectly groomed, of course. She had a thing when it came to a man’s hair. She wanted to wildly run her fingers through and not stop.

“First you say no,” the other twin sang, smooth as velvet, “you've got some plans for the night, and then you stop, and say, all right.”

Kandace did make a tactical error, though. She met his gaze, instantly losing herself in his coffee-colored eyes, illumined by flame. So it appeared.

“Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you,” they sang in stereo.

Feeling halfway seduced, Kandace saluted with her glass. “That’s good. But a girl can only take so much from a pair of womanizers like you.”

“Womanizer?” the Tuxedo Twin inquired. “Do you mean as in a libertine or wolf?”

“Exactly. Quaint reference, libertine. You two aren’t time travelers, are you?” Kandace hoped her voice sounded lighthearted, joking. It was hard to tell, given their mighty testosterone effect on her.

For a brief moment, they glanced at each other, easy to do since they towered above her. Tiny golden vibrations emanated from their foreheads and Kandace wondered exactly how telepathic they were.

“We’re not time travelers by common definition,” the evening suit twin answered.

“But, you do travel through time,” Kandace persisted. Why not? If they knew about her, why shouldn’t she know about them?

She took a nervous sip, but hardly tasted her drink.

Again, the twins trained their gazes on each other for a bare instant.

“We have. However, not by our own power, little witch.” Mr. Tuxedo’s sexy croon had her shifting toward him.

“Witch. You say that as if you believe I am an actual witch.”

Probably not smart, calling them out so soon, especially when I’m sandwiched between them. And just how did they time travel? Kandace frowned mentally.

“You are.” They spoke as one, freaking her out and tingling her spine. It felt like a tray of ice cubes slid down it.
~~~~~~

Blurb ~

Kandace doesn’t know why she’s a real witch. Despite her powers, she can’t find her bio parents. When the Tuxedo Twins tempt her with knowledge about her heritage at a charity event, Kandace agrees to dance with the mysterious Supernaturals. Unexpectedly, they are threatened by the omnipresent evil she’s been warned about in her dreams. To keep from being enslaved, Kandace brings forth her greater magick. But, to save her homeworld, she needs her hellhounds.

Zolivar and Zindale, two of Hades’ most mission-accomplished Hellhounds, see a witch sliding down the bannister after her heist of a painting. Spellbound, they know they’ve found just the right Kandy Apple to lick for Halloween. With every passion, Zin and Zol woo their chosen witch. Yet, will their Triad mate stay once she learns they can’t fall in love like humans? Or, will she return to her homeworld? Their very lives are at stake.
~~~~~~

Available at ~ bookstrand.com/kandy-apple-and-her-hellhounds ~ and the usual ebook and print vendors.
~~~~~~

Have a Magickal Witchy October!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

RIP Castiel

2011-10-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

I guess it’s as official as fiction can get: according to the producers of Supernatural, Castiel, the boys’ angel buddy, has indeed walked off into the sunset – or, in this case, into the city reservoir – and out of the story and off the show. Even though he’s become a fan favorite since his introduction three years ago, even though the actor who portrays him, Misha Collins, is a huge draw at cons and on Twitter, Castiel’s story is over and done and the character is apparently kaput. Guess nobody’s job is safe in this economy, not even an angel’s.

As much as I’ll miss him, as a writer I can understand why he had to go. The storyline he was brought in for wrapped up in Season 5. Season 7 just kicked off and he was still hanging around. He even became God for a while. Not bad for a character who was slated to die after about four-five episodes.

This happens in writing a lot. Sometimes a walk-on character just takes off on you. All you can do is tag along and watch what happens.

What happened was on-screen magic, when it worked. When it didn’t … well, those of us who remember the train wreck that was Deanna Troy’s characterization on Star Trek: The Next Generation know how bad it can get. It’s like having Superman in the Justice League. Superman can do anything. If you’ve got him, you really don’t need the rest of the Justice League. If you had Cas to solve all the monster problems, you really didn’t need Sam and Dean.

There are only so many things you can do with an angel once you’ve stopped the Apocalypse. Depower him (they did that, but restored him), use him as comedy relief (unfair to the character), use him sparingly (which they did, and the fans squawked), give him a storyline worthy of the character (at the expense of the stars of the show), or admit his story’s told, and let him go.

This problem is easier to cope with in a novel. If a character starts to take over the story, maybe he or she doesn’t belong there to begin with. Maybe they should have their own story. A lot of them get their own story; this is how a trilogy or a series starts. I had the same thing happen with my “Cas” character in Belonging. He started out with a cameo, a little in-joke to myself. Then I put him in the sequel, where he ended up with a bigger role than I’d planned on. As soon as I get the sequel out in the mail, I’m starting work on his story.

And when that’s over, that’s it. He and his girlfriend (yeah, it’s M/F; sorry, Destiel fans) will go off and have a life together that doesn’t need to be chronicled. Unless I write another sequel, but that doesn’t seem likely at this point. Their story’s done. Time to move on.

Personally, I don’t think Castiel’s quite finished yet. After all, we never saw a body, and anyone who reads comic books knows what that means. People die on that show all the time and come back. Cas himself has died twice already. I’m hoping Supernatural’s writers will bring him back in the second half of the season, so he can clean up the mess he inadvertently started, and then give him the send-off he deserves. And a hug from Dean. I’ve waited three years. I want my big, fierce, brotherly Dean-and-Cas man hug, dammit!

Yeah, it’s only a TV show. And the book you’re working on is only words on paper. We all know better. These are our babies. We create them, and if we’re lucky they develop a life and storyline of their own. They’ll tell us when it’s over. When the moment comes, you wave good-bye, wipe away the tears, then start a new file or get out a fresh notebook and give birth all over again. It’s the cycle of writing and the cycle of life, and it’s been working out okay since mankind first drew the story of the hunt on a cave wall. I’m sure Castiel would approve.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ October 3, 2011

2011-10-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #161

For the following week, a strange chaos of events is likely to occur across the planet. This will be in the political and social arena, involve the war theaters -- and also include UFO sightings, and related paranormal experiences.

As well, there are stranger and stranger events on the horizon. For, what has been called paranormal phenomena has arrived full force, and will infiltrate what has been called ‘reality’ by modern-day western culture.

The major theme for this week is everything ECONOMIC. Once again, this will have two main faces, but many differing aspects. With the rise of the renegade as part of the AWAKENING, all forms of corruption and enslavement will be challenged.

At the same time, the brutal money monopoly that has been placed over humanity, worldwide, is being tightened, and a militaristic regime is being introduced incrementally. Any manner of catastrophe, natural or not, will be used as an excuse to implement this ‘papers, please’ regime.

There is an interesting dichotomy occurring at this moment in history. Fear as the great controller of populations is being used and heightened to the ‘nth’ degree by the corrupt powers that be. Simultaneously, FEAR is losing it’s grip on many who see through the constant, intense manipulation. Thus, ‘fear’ is now fueling a great opposition against those who wield it like a horrific weapon.

On a personal level this week, and for the month of October, know action-packed days are likely ahead. This means much can and will be accomplished. However, you must seek times of rest or risk becoming burned out. This month is also a wonderful period of time to establish enduring relationships.

From this point forward, the Aquarian desire for true freedom and the ancient ‘magick’ of Arthurian legend, will join hands. This will be for the purpose of liberating humanity, and bringing forth the divine race. That is, our highest selves now emerge, and we become who we truly are spiritually.

Trendwise, love is in the autumn air. Now is the perfect time to enjoy all aspects of love. Also, romantic love is taking on a new life -- leaping to a higher level of expression. This is because a new vision is emerging, one that is being reflected in romance novels, and other creative, artistic endeavors.

It becomes more and more important to watch your backside, and to watch over those you care the most for -- all the ‘beloveds’ in your life.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Fixing a Flat

2011-09-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

I’m going to quote Stephen King today, because knowing a successful author at the top of his game still has to deal with writing problems makes me feel better. In an interview Uncle Stevie once described writing as akin to digging artifacts out of the ground: sometimes you get the whole pot or bowl, sometimes it comes out chipped or cracked. Sometimes it comes out completely broken. Sometimes you only get shards. Your job as a writer is to excavate as much of the book from your head as you can, and get it out as close to intact as possible. Even if you do your best, slipups do happen, and the book that looked so bright with promise when you started digging at it comes up with a nasty crack, or finally reaches the surface only to crumble in your hands.

I have before me a stack of papers (yeah, I’m old school) that represents my latest archaeological dig. Overall I’m happy with it. However, I’m not overjoyed. It was going along fine until I got near the end, then suddenly went off the rails. Months of digging (I write really slow) and I brought up a pot with a crack in it.

How did this happen? Could be several things. I’m a pantser, so I plot on the fly. Maybe the ending I came up with isn’t the one that belongs here. Maybe I don’t know the characters as well as I thought I did. Maybe I’m trying to rush something through that’s not ready to go. I’ve already let it sit for a bit and come back to it, and the cracks are still there. Not as wide as they were on first draft, but you can see where the pattern doesn’t match up. Or maybe I’m the only one who can see it. I just know it’s driving me nuts.

Here’s where beta readers come in handy, or a really spectacular editor. A new set of eyes can work wonders. I’m too close to my story right now. I can't hear what my subsconscious is trying to yell at me. I hate to send a broken story out to market, or even one with a crack. On the other hand, at least 80% of it is how I imagined it, and after close to a year I’m so sick of the thing I couldn’t do workable repairs anyway. Sometimes broke is as close as you get.

My solution: I’m going to do spot-edits, shore up the cracks, polish it up until the glue sets (or at least doesn’t show) and send it on its way. With luck, either an editor or future readers will tell me where I went wrong, so if I pull up another pot with the same flaws I’ll know what to do about them. Pity you can’t hurl a broken book at a wall. Papers just don’t make that satisfactory crash.

These things happen. All you can do is your best, and try to learn from your mistakes. Maybe I’ll reread some Stephen King, and see if I can spot the cracks he was talking about.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ September 26, 2011

2011-09-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #160

The theme for this is week is ‘Lifeline and Lightline’. We, the human community, are each others’ lifeline. As well, we are becoming the ‘lightline’ as we help and guide each other through these upcoming times.

For, it is the community that will survive and thrive in the Aquarian Age, and this week that truth will become more obvious to many. There is a caveat, however. Only communities who cherish freedom, who respect each other as individuals, and who encourage an independent and innovative spirit, will remain strong and viable over the long run.

For the following week, make a conscious decision to look around you. Take notice of the changes that have occurred during the past year in your personal life, and in the world at large. This is crucial to understanding what will happen in the near future.

Also, from this point forward, social changes will occur in quantum leaps. Once again, the good face presents itself, and in opposition the evil face appears. Beneficent, Renaissance-like changes sweep across the globe now, all while the global surveillance grid is used for every manner of evil.

Watch for a zigzag pattern of events this week on the world stage. Your personal life is likely to be all over the map, as well. Sit still long enough to evaluate your best move, then move!

As the economy continues to tank, the global Banksters will ‘crow’ about their success while demanding they be given even more power over the almighty dollar, and the other world currencies. However, they are in for some rude surprises beginning toward the end of this week. This is because the AWAKENING has taken another quantum leap forward.

Sadly, at this time, the witch hunts begin anew against those who are highly psychic. This will not be apparent at first, because this Inquisition-like persecution will be kept beneath the public eye.

Trendwise, this week brings an abundance of opportunities to discover what type of work your soul resonates with most. The Soul Rising of humanity goes into high gear at this time. Those of you who are in touch with and expressing your soul self will be in demand to assist others. Do not be shy about accepting proper payment.

From a prior forecast ~ “a powerful magick is arriving, once again, and is available for those bold enough in vision to claim it. There will be individuals who will emerge as magicians, that is, the use of magick as it was practiced by the Wise Women and by those like Merlin. Before the Turning toward technology was allowed, as a method to circumvent the dark force, Magick reigned as the true and natural force on Earth.”

As All Hallows’ Eve 2011 approaches, there will be a dramatic shift toward true magick -- toward everything that is magical and paranormal.

Watch out for high strangeness this week.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Older, No Wiser

2011-09-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

The blog I was planning to post won't get posted today because my laptop crashed last night while I was working on it. All I did was close the lid, unplug, walk from one room to the other, plug in again and bam. Nada. No power, no laptop, no blog. I've had computers die on me before without warning. You think I'd learn.

Yeah well. The laptop's in the shop and I'm on the library system. I've still got my desktop, the circa-1990 Troglodyte 1000. That's the only one that has a printer. I can type stuff on it and print things out, but its system isn't compatible with anything created in the 21st century. Looks like I'm in for a lot of retyping until Mr. Lappy gets fixed.

Hence today's words of wisdom: KEEP BACKUPS. Backup everything you write on a computer, and then make a backup for your backup. Keep the backups in a secure place separate from your usual storage space, like at your mom's house or something. What if a flood hits? (Don't laugh; here in southcentral PA we got hit hard by Tropical Storm Lee a couple weeks ago. Harrisburg is still drying out.) If you're writing a novel, backup or print out chapter by chapter. Nobody wants to get to the end of a 120K-word novel, then lose the whole thing if their finger slips. Not only will you guarantee you have a copy of your work, that growing stack of paper looks damned impressive sitting next to the keyboard at the end of the day.

I'm old enough to favor paper as my saving system of choice. If it turns out I do lose my files, I've still got printed copies. The only thing possibly gone for good is about 1000 words of a story I was writing directly on the laptop (the laptop has no printer). Even that's not such a big deal, since I have the beginning in longhand. It's that humongous novel I had typed in there. I've got a paper manuscript, but yeesh, the amount of retyping I'll have to do if I want to email it somewhere. Why didn't I save that to the flash drive when I had the chance? Yeah. Live and learn.

I'm hoping this won't be anything serious and all my files will be intact when I get the laptop back. In the meantime, it's back to longhand drafts and printing out my typing on the Troglodyte on a daily basis. Also make more use of flash drives. Like The Who sang about, won't get fooled again.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T00:40:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #159

For the following week, and into the year 2012, nothing that happens on the world stage will be real. It is merely a staged play, made to appear real for public consumption. Or, it can be viewed as a theatrical drama designed to fool, to deceive all those who watch. All those who care ‘not’ for the truth.

Because the ‘system’ is imploding and the AWAKENING is soaring, drastic measures are being devised and set into motion. Know this, anything done from a corrupt, self-serving and evil motive will backfire, no matter the horror ‘the soulless ones’ inflict on innocents.

At this point in time, the rebellion against the system launches into high gear. This will manifest in many ways, from the destructive to the highly spiritual.

As the demand for freedom becomes more and more obvious, much of the battle will occur behind the scenes. Also, know that the best success will be gained by those who go their own way and follow their truth, and by those who form like-minded communities for the benefit of ALL their members.

Blow your mind ~ that is this week’s dominant theme. Once again, this theme has two faces. On the dark soulless side, chemicals are being used on a mass scale -- in the air, in water and food -- to ruin humanity’s ability to think and comprehend.

The Good Face of ‘Blow your mind’ is a necessary part of the Aquarian Age. It will be about letting go of beliefs and ways of being that no longer serve you or humanity. It is also about opening yourself to a higher level of truth and wisdom. This will include recognizing other life forms, other beings from otherworlds.

As the expose of the ‘evildoers’ continues, your best strategy is to look for real and workable solutions. Getting back to the land, growing food, and growing crops to take the place of oil and energy, is ‘one’ solution which will serve all of us.

Trendwise, this week is about the growing movement to provide personal solutions. As the UNRAVELING speeds up, there will be a demand for the ‘old ways’ and the ‘new ways’. A simple example would be owning a wood stove and using the latest in solar technology. This blending of the old and new is the wave of the future. The near future.

Stay on your toes this week, and show kindness where it is deserved.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

In Medias Res

2011-09-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

In medias res is Latin for “in the middle of things.” It’s the recommended place to start a scene or a story. Snag the reader’s attention and drag ‘em in before they know what’s happening. They’ll have time to catch their breath once the story’s over.

I’ve heard anecdotes about writers who were advised by their editors to switch their first chapters around. Start with Chapter 2 and follow up with Chapter 1. Why? Because first chapters tend to end up as intros. We meet the characters, find out where they live and who their friends and families are, in a relaxed, everyday situation. The real action, the story itself, doesn’t start until Chapter 2. Editors like to see a story kick off with a bang. Plunge the reader right into the action on page 1. They can learn who these people are in Chapter 2, after they’ve been hooked.

Obviously this technique works great in mystery and action genres. But romance? Hey, why not? Paranormal and romantic suspense stories would definitely benefit from blasting right out of the gate. Raise that tension level right from the get-go. Rising tension never hurt a story.

Back in the ‘80s I read a book featuring the Woman Has Amnesia plot. She’d hired a pilot to fly her somewhere. The plane crashed in the wilderness, and she woke up with no memories. The pilot claimed to be her husband, for reasons I can’t recall. Maybe he was just a cad. Caddish behavior from romance heroes was acceptable in the ‘80s. They spent the rest of the book falling in love while trying to escape the wilderness intact. Plot particulars beyond that elude me now.

I do recall my disappointment, even three decades later. Chapter 1 opened on the airfield, with the pilot spotting the woman for the first time. Right off the bat, we know they’re not married. They’ve never met before this. By the time the plane crashed and the story proper started, any surprise or suspense had been blunted, as far as I was concerned.

I would have been so much happier had the story started like this:

The first line describes the woman’s slow return to consciousness. She’s out in the middle of nowhere next to the wreckage of a plane. She can’t remember where she is, or why, or how she got here, or even her name. Suddenly another person arrives, the hunkiest dude she’s ever laid eyes on (as far as she knows), the pilot of the plane. “Don’t you remember me, darling?” he says to end the chapter. “I’m your husband.”

Okay, I’m primed for Chapter 2 now. Bring it on.

The story can go in two directions from here. We can stay inside the woman’s head as she begins to notice the contradictions in “hubby’s” story even as she finds herself falling in love with him. Or we can hop into the pilot’s head for the truth. He knows vaguely where they are and how slim their chances are. He doesn’t need some panicky amnesiac jeopardizing their survival, hence the lie. “Look, I know you don’t remember me, but we’re married. You’ve always trusted me. Trust me now and do what I say and I’ll get us out of this.” So he’s not such a cad after all. But how long can he keep up the pretense, especially when he starts to develop genuine feelings for her?

Either way, the book’s got an added level of urgency now, sparked by the simple decision to start in the middle of the action. The reader’s no longer an observer; she starts on equal footing with the leads and can ride along as the story unfolds. Starting in the middle can help a book climb to the top of the charts. I’d better go revise my WIP.

(By the way, if the book I described – I think it was a Harlequin/Silhouette, maybe an Intrigue or Special Edition, if those lines existed back then – sounds familiar to anybody, I’d love to know the title, which I’ve long forgotten. All I can remember is that I didn’t agree with how the story started. Anyone recognize it?)

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T01:36:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #158

For the following week, the winds of change sweep many of us off our feet, and at the same time, the sweeping and fierce winds of truth reveal what has been kept carefully hidden from Joe and Jane public. It’s going to be a wild ride, one many would rather shy away from.

There are several dynamics, this week, that enter the spotlight, and will remain well into the next year of 2012. One of those dynamics is what has been called the UNRAVELING in prior forecasts. At this point in time, what has been, is being ripped apart at the seams.

The ‘unraveling’ has two faces. The dark powers-that-be are using these Aquarian cosmic energies to unravel families, the natural and good love between family members, with the intention of making the corp-state the so-called ‘family’.

The other face of the ‘unraveling’ is the final destruction of the corp-establishment, and its iron-fisted control over society. With the AWAKENING crisscrossing the globe, gaining in strength, and gaining in true wisdom, the demand for freedom now becomes ear-splitting at the soul level.

Freedom, the desire for freedom, is becoming the very fabric of our being. Every good promise of the Aquarian Age is based on this ‘freedom’ to self-determine our own lives, our own way, our own path.

As a reflection of this dynamic, this week will be one of ‘division’ at every level of society. Again, this has a good face and an evil face. The good will be in separating from situations that no longer serve your highest nature, and finding a new way that nourishes your soul, one that unites you with others of like mind.

The evil face shows itself as ‘divide and conquer’. Every effort is being made to divide humanity against itself, as has been stated before. Now these tactics will be ramped up, and go into hyper-drive.

On a personal level, the following week is likely to offer many challenges, which will in fact be opportunities to create a better and more fulfilling life. Go forward with that thought in mind. And pay attention to the emotions of your heart.

More Changes, More Challenges -- that will be the theme for the upcoming months, especially in the world at large. However, there will be personal upheavals on a grand scale as well. For some, it will be like riding a tidal wave, then jumping on the back of a raging tiger. The remedy, follow the truth of your soul.

Trendwise, everything ‘survival’ will remain hot, and is very much needed right now. As an opposite to this trend, glamor as a real and beautiful force, rather than as a way to advertise Hollywood, returns to nourish that part of us that loves and resonates with beauty. For, we are the beautiful people of Earth, each in our own right.

Show the love this week, and you will be rewarded in ways you never thought possible.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Doing the Twist

2011-09-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

"I see plot twists. They're everywhere."

When done correctly, plot twists can be the deadliest tool in a writer’s arsenal. Your reader’s skimming along, maybe getting bored, when all of a sudden the plot takes a lurch and the smooth sailing of the last fifty pages hits a major tsunami. There goes any chance of flinging that book across the room. Unless the twist is just thrown in with no setup. In that case, kiss the drywall good-bye.

Some twists are used simply for shock value. Characters die without warning, the ex shows up at the wedding, two men burst through the door with guns in their hands (I think Raymond Chandler may have suggested that one). Others may look like they come out of nowhere, but are actually the result of clues judiciously sprinkled throughout the narrative.

Think about The Sixth Sense and its famous tail-end twist. Watch it again to see how expertly M. Night set it up. You may not think so on first viewing, but he plays fair all the way through. J. K. Rowling does it in the Harry Potter books. I mean, c’mon. Remus Lupin? Three guesses what he is. His suggestive name is staring you right in the face. Snape was onto him from the get-go – why else teach his students how to ID a werewolf? Mystery writers do this stuff all the time. The ones who are good at it are famous. The others – well, see those dents in the wall … ?

I’m going to use my novel Belonging again, so I don’t get some other writer mad at me for wrecking their surprise. I can wreck my own surprises, thank you very much. I had a major twist in mind, and made sure I set it up early on to avoid wall damage. Here’s a description of Wallace the vampire from Chapter 1:

Though tall, he had a pumped-up build and thick bull neck. He must have been into serious weight training at the time of his turn. Numerous scars marred his pallid skin, some of them ragged and nasty. Jeremy had always assumed he’d been a soldier of some sort, probably a Marine. The stiff bronze spikes of his close-cropped haircut fit that assessment. Not the tattoo, though. The ink on the vamp’s left bicep depicted a woodsman’s axe. No branch of the service had a lumberjack division, so far as Jeremy knew.

At this point in the story Wallace is going by an alias, Frank Baum. “Don’t sweat it if you don’t get the reference,” he says. His pet name for Jeremy is “scarecrow.” Jeremy assumes it’s because he’s tall and gangly. Though The Wizard of Oz is never mentioned directly, there’s a theme growing here, and discerning readers may pick up on it.

In Chapter 3 the boys go on a date. A vampire recognizes Jeremy from his job at the brothel. He also recognizes Wallace: “Didn’t you used to run down in LA?” One look at Wallace’s tattoo and the vampire panics and takes off. That’s the last clue we get until Chapter 7, the flashback chapter, when this bit of narration occurs:

Death strikes the deathless more than once during Jeremy’s time with the family. Rory. Jordan. Annalee. A litany of comrades and friends, brothers and sisters who went out and never returned. Whispered tales of slayers are passed around like ghost stories at Halloween. Stakin’ Stella, who made unlife hell for the vamps in New Orleans. The Avenging Angel, who stalked the streets of 1960s New York. The notorious Oz Squad, who terrorized Los Angeles for nearly a decade. “I remember them,” Ralph says. “They killed some good friends of mine. The Tin Man was the worst. His eyes—talk about dead.” Ralph shudders. “They’re the reason I left LA. It’s safer here. No slayers. Not so much sunshine, either. Gotta love that.”

Two chapters later Jeremy, who hates slayers with a passion, will find out in the worst possible way just who he’s been sleeping with all this time. See, he wasn’t paying attention. You can’t say I didn’t warn you.

Plot twists work just as well in a romance as they do in the action, suspense or mystery genres. We’ve got to keep the lovers apart until the last chapter somehow, don’t we? Maybe he turns into a jaguar when exposed to the scent of a certain tropical plant, and she can’t understand why he won’t visit her at the flower shop. Maybe she’s a vampire, and he can’t figure out why she won’t stick around for breakfast. If set up correctly, a well-timed twist will keep those readers reading, and those books from wrecking the wallpaper. That’s what we all want, isn’t it?

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ September 5, 2011

2011-09-05T01:25:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #157

This week’s theme centers around the idea that Love Conquers All. This is only true, however, when personal love is aligned with Divine Love. Or, at this time, the more we wish for good to come into the lives of those who ‘truly’ deserve it, the more we align with Ultimate Good, and receive goodness ourselves.

Thus, as we wish good upon each other, the human community is more and more in alignment, and creating an ever-rising spiral of GOOD. This alignment in LOVE, becomes crucial as we move deeper into the time of the Great Purification.

For the following week, and the next two weeks, the economic woes for many will sharpen, and there will be a strong reaction against the system. This will play out in many expected ways. However, there will be some unexpected scenarios. Be on the look out, and be cautious.

During this time of transition there will be a decided energy shift from materialism to community. The exchange of money as being ‘the’ motivating factor will gradually end. Relationships will be the motivating factor for humanity.

This is the point in history when ‘throwing money’ at problems will no longer work. No matter the amount, and no matter the problem. Whether it’s personal or social, the solution to a problem, great or small, will come from ‘the soul’, and from the soul of the community.

This is not to say there will be no form of money. There will be many forms of currency. It is the energy, itself, that is shifting. Human intention is what will work to bring about real change and real solutions.

From this point forward, it will appear as though the ‘dark force’ now rules the world. In many ways, this will be true as their many psychopathic minions cause horrific chaos and massive destruction at every opportunity.

However, there are many Benevolents, as they are called, who will be mitigating this maniacal and mad-scientist destruction. Also, with the rise of AWARENESS steam-rolling across the globe, humanity is asserting the natural right to bring forth the ‘goodness’ of the Aquarian Age.

Also, even as major conflicts and wars spread, devouring parts of the planet, there is the opposite occurring. The rainbow-bright Renaissance is rising. Creativity gains in strength, uniting those of like mind, as was spoken about in last week’s forecast.

Trendwise, the time of New Renaissance Music is upon us. This worldwide trend is eclectic in nature -- and includes all forms of music, all styles of music. However, every effort is being made by the ‘soulless ones’ to suppress, and end this trend that is most vital to humanity. One example of this, that may not be obvious, is the current attack on the Gibson Guitar company. This unwarranted ‘attack’ will backfire, and create many more musicians.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

The Tortoise and the Hare

2011-09-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

I’m a slow writer. I admit it. If I turn out a book, or even a novella, in a year’s time, I consider that prolific. Civilizations crumble before I get 5000 words written. I average a page an hour on a good day. The other six days a week I might write a paragraph. You get the idea.

Part of my problem is a major aversion to work. Let’s face it, writing is hard. Sweating blood in front of a notebook or computer screen for hours on end is no picnic. There are so many other things I could be doing – grocery shopping, housework, laundry, mowing the lawn. Then there’s cable TV, God’s gift to lazy writers. Wow, I’ve only seen this movie 20 times. Better watch it again.

At the other end of the spectrum we have the fast writers, the ones who can seemingly toss out a full-length novel in an afternoon with no apparent hardship. I look at you in envy, especially those of you with full-time jobs. How do you do it? Where do you find the discipline? Who’s doing your laundry?

Frankly, I don’t believe there’s a difference in quality between a book that burst onto the page like lava out of Vesuvius and a book that had to be excavated like a T. Rex fossil from stone. The real book emerges in the draft-and-polish stage anyway. Lots of times I’ve had better ideas hit while I was screwing off and allowing the pages to sit, making me glad I took my time. On the other hand, I do wish I had the discipline to sit myself down and dig out that T. Rex for more than two hours a day. One book a year is fine for the big names at the print publishers, but today’s e-world favors the speedy.

I’d like to hear from you hares out there. How long does it take you, on average, to finish a book? Do you outline first? Do you have your story figured out before you start writing, or do you just go for it? (That may be part of my problem. As a pantser, half the time I have no idea where the story’s headed. That tends to slow you down.) Do you take your time in the editing stage, or is the first draft close to the finished version? In short, I’m looking for some tips to speed me up. Slow and steady may win the race, but it doesn’t get too many books written.

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ August 29, 2011

2011-08-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #156

For this week, beneath the influence of the New Moon, the name of the world game becomes CONTRADICTION. Extreme contradictions in ideology arise as never before, and the result is twofold. Conflict spreads like wildfire over the globe. And a Renaissance-like creativity soars, one that unites people of like mind.

This theme of opposites continues, and increases in intensity throughout this year of 2011. Events on the world stage will be a macrocosm of Hurricane Irene, and its aftermath of devastation. Simultaneously, there will be a new cohesive energy from the cosmic Divine. This bright energy will bring people together who are ready to create the world anew.

During this week, it will be apparent and transparent that life for many is rapidly spinning out of control. In part, this is because the institutions that could be counted on in the past will begin to topple and fail on a massive level.

There are TWO possible directions for this week. One is a dramatic rise in riots and upheaval. The OTHER possibility is an underground revolt that has been gaining strength and momentum since the first of the year. The clue to knowing if this is underway, will be the sudden silence of those who have been very vocal in their criticisms of the establishment.

Either way, at this time life will be a tornadic ride. The dynamic cycles that are the ebb and flow of life on Earth, now clash and crash against one another. Or, a giant tsunami meets the fiery lava of an erupting volcano.

On the economic front, as the global mafia makes certain the world’s economy swirls around the proverbial toilet bowl, there will be many folks making decisions they never thought they’d be faced with. This is your opportunity to look outside the box. There will be good answers if you persevere, and use your intuition combined with your common sense.

From this point forward, death is an unwelcome specter across the globe. This will be due in large part to the bio warfare weapons beings loosed by the dark powers that be. It’s time to strengthen your immune system, and rest whenever you are able.

There will be a crucial happening midweek, that at first will seem somewhat insignificant. However, it will be a trigger to a huge event on the near horizon.

A cantankerous mood will likely overcome many this week. And for good reason. However, your best defense against a world gone mad, is to join together in divine love with those who resonate with you and your goals. Good relationships are the key to happiness in the Aquarian Age.

Trendwise, good quality survival gear will be in demand. Hard currency, as in gold and silver coins, will only gain in popularity. And, growing hemp is likely to become a way to protest the establishment, as well as earn a living.

However, the hottest trend in the making, one that is invisible to most currently, is the Book of Aquarius by Anonymous, a free download. This is an alchemical manual on how to make the philosopher’s stone.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

How to Grow a Series

2011-08-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Let me rephrase that: this is how I grow a series. In general. I’m a pantser, so my approach to any novel, let alone a series, tends to be haphazard. I don’t sit down and plot out a nine-book epic with every single twist and plot point outlined and described. God bless those who can. It’d be a lot easier if I could, but my mind doesn’t work that way.

Tip one: don’t wait for inspiration. You can’t expect your muse to drop in on a regular basis. She may go on strike or get caught up in a CSI marathon or something and leave you holding the keyboard with a blank screen to fill. Forget about her. Sit down and write. You may find your best inspirations happen when you’re in the middle of working. As your fingers fly, so do your thoughts. It’s like dominos. One idea knocks over others, and so on down the line.

Tip two: Ask questions. Answering them results in more ideas. Before you know it, you’ve got the background for a series.

For example, suppose you’re writing about Billy and Susie – or, because this is romance, Blake and Cameron. (Or Blake and Trevor, if you’re writing M/M.) Right in the middle of a tense scene, Cameron suddenly blurts out that her sister has been arrested. Huh? Cameron has a sister? Since when? Never mind. She’s got one now. Three brothers, too, and every one of them is involved in some cause or other. That’s why Cameron never talks about them. The whole family has stories to tell and people to fall in love with. Or maybe Blake lets slip that he comes from a dynasty of assassins, but he left the business because he faints at the sight of blood. What about the rest of his family? What if one of them falls in love with their target? What if one is competing with another assassin for a lucrative government contract? Or is being hunted him/herself? There’s a trilogy right there.

If you’re writing paranormal, as I do, it gets even better. Like werewolves? In a wolf pack, only the alphas mate and breed. Depending on the size of the pack, you could have up to a dozen stories about desperate, sex-starved low-rankers trying to find love behind their alpha’s back. Would they try for other wolves, or go after humans because there’s less competition? Or try to seduce the alpha? All sorts of possibilities abound.

Moving into personal territory, here’s how a single book of mine ended up as a trilogy. I wrote Belonging, my M/M vampire story, to deal with two ideas: the concept of a person raised by vampires, and how the undead can have sex. Plus because I wanted to write Supernatural fan fiction, which is how it ended up M/M. But never mind. While answering these questions, others arose. If vampires can have sex (I figured out a way around the undead problem), can they also reproduce? Can an undead woman get pregnant, or would they have to use a human surrogate? What kind of abilities would the resulting child have?

Right in the middle of writing one book, I suddenly found the plot for another. My M/M couple becomes M/M/F when they come to the aid of a woman who has vampires chasing her. My vampire lead discovers her past and his intersect, as an incident from his human life (mentioned in the first book) comes back to haunt him. Answering the initial question – can vampires have sex? – led to the second – can vampires have children? – which led to a second book. I even got to re-use the main characters, who I really liked. Yay, less work for me.

It didn’t end there. I decided to tie off a loose end from the first book by bringing back a cameo character for a subplot. The slayer who destroyed Jeremy’s vampire family only appeared for half a page, but he left a lot of unresolved issues in his wake. He ended up playing a larger part in the sequel than I’d expected. His backstory hit me while I was writing the flashback chapter in Belonging – remember what I said about inspiration while writing? – so I already knew his whos, whats and whys. I just needed a where for him.

And I found it. My muse waylaid me as I was walking across the library parking lot. The sequel had left its own set of loose ends, in particular the other female victims of the book’s vampire conspiracy. One of them meets up with the slayer. Sparks fly and conflicts ensue. I’m currently sweating over the first draft of yet another sequel to what initially started out as a standalone book. Ta-da! My first series.

Tip Three: when an idea hits you, run with it. At one point in the third book, the heroine researches vampire slayers on the Internet. She comes across a reference to the Colt brothers, a family of slayers living in Texas. This was my little shout-out to the Winchesters for starting it all, and to Jared and Jensen, both Texas boys. Then I remembered: Annie Stanton, my retired slayer from the first book, hails from Texas, and she comes from a large family. Was her maiden name Colt? That mob down there could be her nephews, with a few nieces thrown in. Maybe she helped train them, and still sends them leads. Holy Joe, it’s a spinoff!

Tip four: know when to quit. I’m going to leave those ideas on the back burner while I concentrate on getting the other two books into (hopefully) sellable shape. In the meantime, I can always jot notes and ideas as they occur to me. If you’re looking to start your own series and don’t know what to write about, look no further than your current WIP, or maybe a previous book. Odds are the seeds of a series are sitting right in front of you in the form of a character, idea or line of dialogue, just waiting for some inspiration to help them sprout. Happy growing!

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ August 22, 2011

2011-08-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #155

The themes for this week are ‘downfall’ and ‘rising up’. For, the time of the Great Purification is here.

Whatever is GOOD will be ‘rising up’ at this time, especially in your personal life. Grab GOOD with both hands, don’t let go, and keep an eye out for more.

For the following week, know that many of those known as world leaders are in the process of falling from grace. This ‘fall’ accelerates to fast forward, as who they truly are, is revealed more and more to the people. Look for the expected and the unexpected in this long period of ‘downfall’, which will continue through January 2012.

As well, during this long period, there will be ‘downfalls’ in your personal life wherever your integrity is lacking. All around you, at this time, humanity will be in the same boat. Individuals will be facing those areas of their life that are not up to par, and need to be changed in accordance with their higher nature.

However, a word of caution. Real discernment is required at this time. What could look like a ‘downfall’ situation to you, and to society -- perhaps someone you know becomes homeless -- may not be. More likely it is just the opposite, and the situation is ‘revealing’ those who are of poor moral character, and need to be lawfully dealt with.

Think of this time as the dead wood of your life being cleared away. This will be occurring in your personal life and in the world at large. It is advised that you look carefully at your life, and at how you relate to others. For, this is the perfect opportunity to make the changes you want most, and move forward with those you love the most.

As humanity enters the last dramatic flip-flopping influences of the Piscean Age, long-kept secrets will be dropping like hailstones on our heads. Some of these ‘secrets’ will be vital for our personal well being, and for the well being of society. For many, these revelations will bring a breath of fresh air, especially to all those who value the truth.

However, some of these leaked ‘secrets’ will be mammoth hoaxes designed to control the people into believing lies. This is because ‘those’ on the dark side have decided to bring about a state of hardcore martial law. Their determination can be compared to the ‘berserker raiders’, since they will stop at nothing to achieve their endgame, complete tyranny over humanity.

Trendwise, think ‘beautiful worlds’ and ‘rise of the renegades’. Both of these trends have been introduced before. However, now is the time to create ‘beautiful worlds’ in whatever manner of artistic expression you choose. Also, as the Rise of the Renegades continues, this will become an increasingly popular theme. The renegades, the legendary heroes and heroines of ye olden times who helped folks, will be resurrected. Also, new characters will be created.

A trend to be aware of, is the ‘eventual’ decimation of the health care system, and the fall of the insurance industry. Many hospitals will collapse and fail in the next year’s time. In the meantime, they will often provide abominable care while ‘keeping up appearances’. Good health care, as it has been, will become less and less available, except for those with the means to pay for it. It is advisable to practice prevention and become part of a community where natural health care is the norm.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

MORE...Volcano’s Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #154

‘Renewing and letting go’ is the theme for this week. The coming week also initiates two forces that will reign from this point forward. One force is the LOVE now arriving from the Higher Realms. Humanity, as a whole, is being invigorated in several new, and unexpected ways.

Know, dear ones, that a time of ‘ending and beginning’ is upon humanity -- as has never occurred before. Know, too, that intense emotions will surface in you and around you. The muddy waters of who we are as human beings, is being vigorously stirred up by the Universe for the ultimate GOOD of All.

This ‘stirring up’ will be noticed especially in personal relationships. Just as Earth, herself, is in a long period of realignment, or land changes, so our one-on-one relationships are now being realigned on a mass scale.

Currently, the essence of ‘real’ community is being formed for the future, and being ‘in tune’ with your love partner is of prime importance -- as is being in true harmony with your friends and those you rely upon, and those who rely upon you.

This is also a time of deepening your vows of love with THOSE who belong with you, whether this is expressed verbally, or are simply feelings from your heart. Often, these individuals, who belong with you, will be from what is sometimes called your soul family.

Economic warfare is the OTHER FORCE that will dominate at this point in history. There will be an escalation of financial oppression worldwide, and ‘those’ on the dark side will remain front and center on the world stage as they attempt to rule humanity.

There is a lineup of helter skelter events being initiated, and planned, to bring humanity to its proverbial knees. As well, the belief in scarcity is being forced upon the people by every form of inhumane propaganda, and by advanced methods of mind control.

What will also be ‘noticeable’ this week, if you peek behind the scenes, is the mafia-like war that is ongoing between ‘those’ who consider themselves to be above the common people, those who justify their acts of tyranny.

In the near future, there is likely to be pinnacle event that illustrates this ‘big corp’ soulless war. Regardless, it will look like insanity has taken over. Be prepared for the resulting emotional upheaval that is ahead.

Trendwise, now is the time to recognize and bring forth your individual gifts, those precious and beautiful desires of your soul. For, this is what the world needs most now. People need you, and what you individually have to offer.

Contemplate, also, these words of wisdom from Catherine Austin Fitts, “Shunning is the most powerful force on Earth.”

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ August 8, 2011

2011-08-08T00:08:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #153

The theme for the following week, and for the next month’s time, is DUCK and COVER. This means emotionally, financially, and in certain circumstances, for real.

This is because the BAD GUYS AND GALS are coming out of the closet in droves. Like a horde of starving super zombies, this way wicked now comes. The dark side is loosing its minions upon the world, upon those of us who stand for and by GOOD.

Worldwide, there will be massive upheaval. Rioting increases dramatically. Catastrophic weather events will soon become the norm. And ferocious civil wars are likely to break out in several areas across the globe.

Also, ‘those’ who are called rulers and leaders will find that ‘the people’ are demanding they cede power. Often, this will not be a pretty or tame scenario. If you are a world traveler, take care. Problems can erupt overnight.

Like a serene lake struck by a fierce thunderstorm, the bottom debris is being brought to the surface. At this time, everything evil is being revealed. It is your individual choice how to respond. It is your choice to ‘see’, or not to ‘see’. To know, or not to know.

What about something GOOD you ask? This will be in how you relate to your family and friends during the following week. It is now more important than ever to form close or closer bonds with those of like mind, and with your loved ones. Discuss and decide on strategies that will benefit all of you in the near future. This is absolutely crucial.

At this point in history, ‘reality’ is in a state of severe flux, and the clash of the Titans is here. It is truly Good versus Evil. Soon, many who are living in a cocoon they label ‘reality’, will be cast into the streets of ‘truth’. They will either join the Grand Awakening of humanity, or most likely perish.

On the good side, Magick as a true force is here, once again. Tune in. Go with the flow. Let your ancestral memories surface, and follow your Inner Guidance.

In the future, there will be those known as Shadow Warriors. They will keep their identities hidden, and act on behalf of the people. Their time begins now.

However, it is up to every individual to stand against the rising tide of corruption and darkness. For, without that, nothing will change, except to become exponentially worse for humanity.

Trendwise, the fictional creation of beautiful worlds will feed the souls of many who crave such beauty now, and those who are trapped in terrible circumstances. If your imagination conjures up beautiful worlds, whether fantastical, far away or contemporary, now is the time to bring them forth through art, stories and music.

This week, and from this point forward, double your purchases of food and necessities, as you are able.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Angelic Forecast from Volcano ~ August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T02:27:00.000-07:00

Weekly Angelic Forecast from Volcano

Straight from the Carnal Cherub himself...

Angelic Forecast ~ #152

ANGELIC FORECAST ~

Another pivotal week is upon humanity. This is a time to look beyond your own life, and pay particular attention to those around you. Be observant of the world in general. Future trends are forming that are crucial to you, and your loved one’s well being. These all-important trends will play out toward the end of the year.

For the following week, the Great Divide continues between ‘those’ who are part of the AWAKENING, and ‘those’ who choose either to remain ignorant, or are part of the DARK SIDE.

Soon, it will look like two different worlds on our beloved Earth.

Depravity will escalate, seeping into every available crevice of society like the black billowing smoke of a giant, wind-racing forest fire. All the while, Goodness wings ever higher sparkling the very air with divine compassion. Acts of spiritual love will increase tenfold from this point forward.

Across the globe, the month of August will be chaos unleashed. And, worldwide, strident voices will take center stage. Many will be speaking/shouting their minds. Now, the spirit of rebellion rises to new heights. Anyone who acts like an oppressor will be targeted.

Much of humanity will begin to realize they have been enslaved by methods of mind control that have not been obvious in the past. Currently, these mental chains are being broken at a rapid rate -- thrown off as if they never existed.

On a personal level, uncertainty is likely to rule this week. Take heart, however, there is an end in sight. The important move is to muddle your way through, while assessing your life, and your goals. The more you see and understand, the better decisions you will make for all concerned.

TRUTH continues to slam inside the consciousness of humanity. This will cause great friction between those who become aware, and those good individuals who appear to have an allergy to the truth. For, no matter the facts placed before them, they will cling to accepted societal beliefs that are in actuality only a prevailing myth.

Patience is required in the face of this frustration. Yet, eventually discernment is necessary. There are times walking away becomes the only answer.

Trendwise, the fusion of musical styles is exploding. Simultaneously, the purity of musical styles is being revered and preserved. All of this works toward the Good. Music is a balm the world needs right now.

Extremes in weather will become more common. Be prepared.

Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Kandy's Magick is Released on July 12, 2011

2011-07-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Update: KANDY APPLE AND HER HELLHOUNDS will be released as an ebook on July 12, 2011, and is available for pre-order now.
~~~

SIX SENTENCE SNIPPET ~

Chapter One:
Zolivar and Zindale

August 14, 2009

“Ready to unleash your inner being?” Zol asked his twin. Utterly naked, he pulled off his gold and onyx signet ring, twirled it once on his finger, then slid it inside his tuxedo pants pocket.

Zin stripped off his dress pants and tossed them inside their black sports car, affectionately known as the Twilight Mirage. He shut the door with a neat twist of his wrist. “I’m releasing my inner beast,” he returned with dry amusement.

Standing side by side, they traveled their supernatural gazes over the Mojave Desert’s moonlit landscape.
~~~

Have a Magickal Independence Day!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Cover Art Magick ~ Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds

2011-06-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

The magick is here thanks to the bedazzling artistry of Amanda Kelsey of ~ razzdazzdesign.com ~

Blurb ~

Kandace doesn’t know why she’s a real witch. Despite her powers, she can’t find her bio parents. When the Tuxedo Twins tempt her with knowledge about her heritage at a charity event, Kandace agrees to dance with the mysterious Supernaturals. Unexpectedly, they are threatened by the omnipresent evil she’s been warned about in her dreams. To keep from being enslaved, Kandace brings forth her greater magick. But, to save her homeworld, she needs her hellhounds.

Zolivar and Zindale, two of Hades’ most mission-accomplished Hellhounds, see a witch sliding down the bannister after her heist of a painting. Spellbound, they know they’ve found just the right Kandy Apple to lick for Halloween. With every passion, Zin and Zol woo their chosen witch. Yet, will their Triad mate stay once she learns they can’t fall in love like humans? Or, will she return to her homeworld? Their very lives are at stake.
~~~~~~

Coming soon from Siren-BookStrand ~ Ebook release is scheduled for August 2011. Print release is currently scheduled for December 2011.
~~~~~~

Have a Magickal Day!

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Good News from ATIV Finalist, Evonne Wareham

2011-05-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

Never Coming Home, my second AT [American Title] entry will be published in 2012 by an independent romance publisher here in the UK, called Choc Lit ~ choclitpublishing.co.uk ~ They are fairly new and quite dynamic and I am really excited. I will be their first romantic thriller.

I'm still in a bit of a daze about it, but just getting used to the idea enough
to start to tell the world.

Evonne Wareham
~~~

Congratulations, Evonne! Who wouldn’t love a publisher that offers this saying:

‘I never met a chocolate I didn’t like.’
Deanna Troi, Star Trek: The Next Generation