Insomnia and Stress

I would say it's a vicious cycle, but it's more like a vicious unicycle and I can't keep my balance. I've had 20 minutes sleep in the past 24 hours. By the time I finally get to sleep that will be 20 minutes sleep in the last 36 hours.

I won't get into all the details but I've got a lot of crap going on at the moment. Once that gets settled I plan to start working on my next book. I've got several ideas bouncing around in my sleep deprived mind at the moment and once I get some rest I'll see which one feels like the right direction to take.

I'm trying to decide between a re-write of what I think is a really good story I'd just like to add in a few more elements and give it an overall different feel yet maintain the same general plot. Or a completely new idea I've been toying with for a couple of months.

If I do the re-write, it will be my first. Normally I write the story I intend to write the first time. And though I feel the love story is one of the most compelling I've ever told, there are some other things that I feel would add to the story and therefore make it much more interesting beyond the main character's love life. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

There has been, through no fault of my own or my families or my publisher (it's not that kind of problem) unnecessary drama in my life lately. Like I said, I'm not going to get into it here or anywhere else. Just mentioning it at all helps me to cope. I try to the best of my ability to maintain professionalism and to speak of the details would be extremely unprofessional. But I am upset and writing about it, however indirectly, is therapy for me. LOL

Hopefully all will be well soon and I'll be back to doing what I love, writing something that I hope my readers and friends will enjoy.

S & M Barbie Gets Slammed

Sounds like something she'd like. LOL Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this doll. As a matter of fact, I like her outfit. But, I'll give you the link to the article and let you guys decide for yourselves.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,383642,00.html

What's particularly stupid about the whole thing to me is that the comic character the doll is based on has been around for a long time and you probably guessed it, she was wearing that outfit. What is it that set them off, the fishnets?

Personally, I have a problem with people who try to impose their own sense of self-righteous morality onto others. For the record, that only makes me resent them. I feel that you should never tell others what to think or feel or what to buy. If they don't like it then don't buy the doll.

What's the expression I'm looking for here ...... Have a Coke and a smile and shut up. LOL

I can't sleep so I'm talking about Batman?

Insomnia is a hell of a thing. I don't suffer from nightmares or delusions or stomach upset or any other numerous things I could imagine to keep me up. I feel fine, other than being so freaking sleepy. There is absolutely no reason for me to be up this damn early. None.

However, when one cannot sleep, one tends to find interesting things. Or maybe I'm just so tired that I think they're interesting. Anyway, I found this interesting thing because a friend of mine emailed it to me. It's an article about why Batman matters and I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoyed The Dark Knight. Don't worry, I'm not going to give anything away.

http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/21/why-batman-matters/

The article makes a good point. We are in need of a hero and it's about damn time that someone stepped up to the plate. I have long disagreed with the people who feel like there are no such things as heroes or that we as a society do not need them. Some people will argue that heroes make us feel bad about ourselves or that we aren't sheep so we don't need someone to follow, that we are our own leaders.

I don't think heroes are meant for any of those purposes. We all, myself included, need something greater than ourselves to aspire to. I will freely admit that I can see The Joker's point of view. Hell, that was my nickname way back when:) Now, don't panic. I'm not going to start wearing purple and killing people. Okay, so I already wear purple, but you get my point. Take this in context. My point is that my first response to many stressful situations is ... chaos for lack of a better word. My gut reaction is often not pleasant in the slightest. But if I give myself one moment, just a second or two to think about it I end up doing the right thing. Even or maybe especially when I don't want to.

Why? Because I think of my heroes both real life and in the comics and know that they would do the right thing. Knowing what they would do sometimes makes the right thing easier to spot. We need more people to help figure these right things out. Otherwise, I'll let you borrow my purple robe:)

Holy crap I need some sleep! LOL

Have you ever wanted to write a book?

I'll be teaching a class in September about How To Get Your Novel Started.

Have ideas but don't know where to start? This 4-week course will point you in the right direction. By week 4 you should have a working outline and be ready to start your novel.

Classes start Sept. 4 and will meet on Thursdays 6:30-8:00 p.m.

The course is $80 per person. To sign up for class please call 850-263-7876 between the hours of 5-7 p.m. and leave a message including your name and contact information. Or send an email to tracey h kitts @ yahoo.com with the subject line CLASS.

If you're in the Northwest Florida/Lower Alabama area and you'd like to write a book then this is the class for you.

See you there!

Upcoming Television Appearance

I'll be on the Ann Varnum show on Saturday, August 2. For those of you in the Wiregrass area that's channel 4. The show will air at 5:30 a.m. and again at 5:30 p.m. More details on Ann's show and the various times and stations can be found here.

http://www.wtvynews4.com/aboutus/headlines/11131.html

I'll post a reminder before the 2nd. Hopefully this will help me connect with a whole new audience:)

Mary Winter - Featured Author

THK. Tell me about yourself.

MW. I’m a life-long Iowan who knew even in junior high and high school that I wanted to write romance novels. I think I went from the middle grade books like the Saddle Club directly into Silhouette Desires and Harlequin Superromances, which I happen to consider my “guilty pleasure” reading. My dream in high-school was to work as a groom on a race horse farm and write romance novels. To that end, I have a half a degree in equine science. Then, I realized that at $5 an hour, I was probably the highest paid stable hand in America and I got a “real” job. I still aspired to write romance novels, and in December 2002, I was published.

THK. Tell me about your current and upcoming releases. Please include a blurb and a link to where the book can be purchased.

MW. My most recent release was “The Wrong Woman” from Noble Romance Publishing. This is a re-release of a previously published book.

Blurb: Laid off from her accounting job, Annie Gadbaum has to find a new source of income. Tired of the stuffy corporate life and ready to make some big changes, Annie takes a position as a bartender at a nightclub while she figures out what to do. She throws herself into her work, dressing the part and enjoying the party atmosphere more than she ever thought she would.Nightclub owner, Ridge Warrick, longs for a stable relationship with the kind of woman he can bring home to his mother. So why is he so attracted to the fiery-haired Annie? She's captivated him, but she's the wrong kind of girl.

Buy link: http://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.aspx?i=7

Coming up in July I have “Good Medicine” from my company, Pink Petal Books. This is a re-release of a book previously published as “Money Man.”

Buy Link: http://jupitergardens.com/product_info.php?cPath=47_48_49&products_id=884

Blurb: Sadie Grissom is still reeling from Devon Markier III purchasing the vet clinic where she works. The practice could have been hers if Sadie had been able to secure funding. She's torn between thankfulness at still having a job and trying to cope with the Devon's privileged upbringing and playboy lifestyle.

Devon bought the clinic to have a place away from his family to practice his veterinary work. The fact that the sexy Sadie came with the facility is a major bonus. He knows she sees him as her boss but he wants much more than a simple business relationship.

This hot doctor is going to prove to Sadie that love is the best medicine of all.

I also have a couple of books that will be released probably within the next couple of months, but I don’t have dates for them yet, so the best thing to do would be to check my website for updates.

THK. What genre do you write? What drew you to write in that genre? If you mix genres talk about that too.

MW. I’m a published erotic romance novelist. My books range from contemporaries to paranormals, fantasy, and futuristic. I also have a nonfiction book on Animal Reiki forthcoming from The Lotus Circle. I also am writing some sweet-sensual romances as well as fantasy novels. We’ll see what happens with those. *grin*

THK. How many books have you written? How many have been published?

MW. I honestly can’t tell you how many books I have written. I have over twenty published, with hopes for many more.

THK. What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

MW. My ability to snatch one-two sentences in between doing other things. Those sentences really add up.

THK. What is the hardest part of writing?

MW. Saying that this book is a good as it’s going to get and sending it off into the world. I could fuss and worry over a project forever, but at some point you have to admit that it’s as polished as you (and your critique partners) can make it, and it needs to go find a home.

THK. What do you read for fun when you’re not writing?

MW. I read romance novels, science fiction, and fantasy.

THK. Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

MW. Keep trying. Don’t give up. And write the book that you want to write, not what you think the market wants or what is “hot.”

What a great interview and what great advice for unpublished writers. I couldn't agree more:)

You can find out more about Mary and her books here:

Website & Blog: http://www.marywinter.com/

newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marywinternews

chat loop: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marywinterchat

myspace: http://myspace.com/mary_winter

WOOHOO!!!!

I just finished The Bleeding Heart! This is book six in my werewolf hunter series and I am thrilled! Of course, I'll hold onto it along with book five for a bit longer before submitting them to my publisher. But I'm so excited to have completed it in only three weeks:)

So much happens in this part of the series. How I finished it in three weeks is nothing short of an act of God. The story moves so fast in this edition, especially in Lilith's personal life that it will make your head spin. At least it did mine. LOL

I'm gonna go re-read the ending and maybe treat myself to a glass of wine:)

Reminiscing

That's what I've been doing this afternoon. I took yesterday off from writing, which is a rare thing for me. But, a blood vessel in my left eye wasn't too happy about my long hours staring at a computer screen. So, I took a day off.

Today I decided to relax and watch some television. I just so happened to come across Edward Scissorhands. I had forgotten why this was one of my favorite movies when I was younger. Hell, it's one of my favorites still. And it has nothing to do with Johnny Depp. Honestly.

I've always been drawn to a strange combination of man and beast ... and Edward fit that description perfectly. After all, I managed to romanticize Dracula and werewolves ... why not something else? The macabre has an appeal to me that I've never been able to explain. I've been called everything from sick to crazy over the years, but that didn't change any of my preferences.

Needless to say, I'm used to not fitting in. I'm used to being thought of as strange or nuts, or both. But at least now I get to do what I love. Maybe now, through my stories people can understand what I find so appealing about the man/monster combination ... even if they never understand me.

I think I'm going to write a little more now. Book 6 is coming along so well, I really can't leave it for more than a day.

To Bade or not to Bade?

I really can't decide. For those of you not acquainted with the character Bade Garren, here's a little taste.

He threw back his head and laughed. The pale gold of his hair clung to his face and neck. The small place where my sliver blade had nicked him had already begun to heal. With my eyes I traced the water that cascaded over his lovely features and tried to fight what I was feeling. I wanted Bade too, physically at least. Who could blame me?
Bade wasn’t handsome in the classical sense of the word. He looked like an angel. Not the fat little cherubs, but the warriors. The tall magnificently crafted cherubim of legend. He was the essence of sin, captured in the embodiment of heaven. What could be more appealing than the devil trapped in an angel’s body? He knew all the wrong things to do, and had all the right equipment to do it with.

Bade plays a much larger part (pun intended) in book 6, which I'm working on now. I won't give everything away, since I've only just turned in book 4, Original Sin, to my publisher. However, without divulging plot, I can say that he's in this book a lot more and I'm really enjoying it. I enjoy every book I write, but I've been waiting a long time to talk more about Bade. *sigh*

I'm still here:)

Just figured I'd let everyone know that I'm not wastin' away in Margaritaville. Actually, I hate that restaurant, but that's beside the point. LOL

I'm hard at work on book 6 in the Werewolf Hunter Series, The Bleeding Heart. When I say hard, I mean hard. Hard bodies, hard fight scenes. Oh, and I'm already on page 233 in just over a week.

Even though writing is my passion, that's not even considering everything else I've got going on. I'm busy and I'm tired, but I'm still here:) And I hope all my readers and friends (cause some of you are both) are doing well.

Rock on all you werewolf lovers!

Allie Boniface - Featured Author

THK: Tell me about yourself. Anything you would like readers know about you. This might include how you got started writing, your hobbies and interests – things that will make them feel like they’re getting to know you on a personal level.

AB: Hi, Tracey, and thanks for having me here today! Now that it’s summer, I’ve had the chance to relax and catch up on my reading and writing, since I’m a full-time high school English and Education teacher, 10 months out of the year. My husband and I usually travel during the summer months, but with the crazy gas prices this year, we’re taking advantage of our own backyard instead! When we do travel, our favorite spots include anywhere in the United States west of the Mississippi (since we both grew up in New York), the Outer Banks, and Western Europe. When I’m not teaching, traveling, or writing, I’m also a runner, a pianist, and a volunteer at my local animal shelter. All of my adventures give me plenty of fodder for my books!

THK: Tell me about your current and upcoming releases. Please include a blurb and a link to where the book can be purchased.

AB: I’m a fairly new author of contemporary romance who celebrated her first two releases in 2007. One Night in Boston released with Samhain Publishing in ebook format July 2007 and in print May 2008. Lost in Paradise released with The Wild Rose Press in ebook format in November 2007 and in print May 2008. My most recent novel, One Night in Memphis, just released with Samhain back in early July. It’s available in ebook right now!

o Purchase Link: http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/allie-boniface

THK: What genre do you write it? What drew you to write in that genre? If you mix genres talk about that too.

AB: My novels hover on the line between contemporary romance and women’s fiction (which has a love story but does not necessarily focus on the love story). I have always been a sucker for a happy ending, but I also enjoy exploring the complexities of relationships and the power of the human heart. My novels are all rooted in real life and are inspired by people and events I encounter on a daily basis.

THK: How many books have you written? How many have been published?

AB: I’ve written five as of this blog interview, and three have been published. The other two need a little revising before I submit them, though I hope to find homes for them both before the end of 2008. Fingers crossed!

THK: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

AB: I do not fill out character charts and I do not analyze the GMC (Goal Motivation Conflict) arc of my story. I know, I know – these are things you’re supposed to do before you get started. But I don’t. I just write the story. Of course, sometimes that approach works and sometimes it doesn’t.

THK: What is the hardest part of writing?

AB: The middle of a book, when you suddenly think “This really stinks, the plot is sagging, and there’s no way it’s going to get to the end and be any good.” I get very frustrated with middles.

THK: What do you read for fun when you’re not writing?

AB: Literary fiction, mostly. My latest favorite authors include Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, and Carolyn Parkhurst. I’ve been reading some different genres of romance, too, including works by Tori Phillips (historical), Kerry A. Jones (paranormal), and Stephenie Meyer (YA fantasy).

THK: Any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

AB: Be aware that it is very difficult to write a complete novel and to get published – but it is not impossible. Believe in your abilities, take classes in the craft of writing, and find writing partners who support you and write in the same genre as you do. Be open to constructive criticism, as well.
http://www.allieboniface.com/
http://www.allieboniface.blogspot.com/
allieb@allieboniface.com
View my trailers at http://www.previewthebook.com/

One Night in Boston Purchase Link: http://samhainpublishing.com/print/one-night-in-boston-print

One Night in Boston Trailer: http://www.previewthebook.com/book.php?id=204
Lost in Paradise Purchase Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=630
Lost in Paradise Trailer: http://www.previewthebook.com/book.php?id=331

One Night in Memphis Purchase Link: http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/allie-boniface

Not the miracle we'd hoped for ...

But we did get a miracle. That's what my friend's husband just got through telling me. My friend's mother passed tonight at about 6:20. But she was able to stay alive long enough for her family to say goodbye. She could have died instantly, but instead they were able to see her and I believe she heard them.

Until I spoke with my friends, I was really confused about my feelings in all of this. If I didn't care so much, I wouldn't be this upset. I don't know why things happen. I don't pretend to have the answers ....

Priscilla, you are an amazing woman. I should have been the one comforting you but talking to you comforted me. Just when I was beginning to wonder if God even cared ... I knew he did when I spoke to you tonight.

Hope

Yesterday afternoon my friend's mother was in a terrible car accident. Besides writing to occupy my mind, all I've done is pray. At first, they thought she had a lot of internal injuries and last night they thought she might have been brain dead.

Well, about nine o'clock last night she had brain waves and when they ran some tests there were no signs of internal injuries. The biggest concern now is her head injuries. She was without oxygen for several minutes and doctors are afraid she may have brain damage.

I still believe that there is hope. There is always hope. The fact that her condition has improved, no matter how slightly, proves that to me. God can do anything and he doesn't perform half miracles. I know I may sound nuts to some people, but I really don't care. This isn't about me. I'm asking that everyone who reads this please pray for this woman.

I am believing for nothing short of a miracle. Sometimes we just have to put our faith out there and that's what I'm doing. Still, I wonder why should God listen to me? Why should he listen to any of us? I'm not perfect, but my heart is in the right place. I would give anything to make this go away if I could.

This may sound stupid, but I keep thinking "If this was my story, I could fix it." That's what I've wanted to do since yesterday, fix it. It is a helpless feeling to watch others hurt and know that all you can do is pray. But, I don't have the super powers that I write about ... maybe that's why I write about them .....