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Brainstorming with my Editor
Reader response to my recent Regency romantic suspense release, A Code of Wonder, has been absolutely heartwarming. This story is part of the Snowed in with a Rogue multi-author Regency romance holiday anthology, which is now available.
“This is a great read with many twist and turns. Be sure and get your copy, something hot to drink and be ready not to move till finished.” – Nanna, Amazon
“It has a little suspense, a little humour, and an HEA.” – lq, Amazon
“…enjoy my favorite by Jacki Delecki where Eliza is fleeing her kidnappers. Nash comes to her rescue and plays the white Knight. This is is a fun and quick novella. It continues the Code Breakers it Jacki Delecki’s wonderful style and wit.” – Simatsu, Amazon
If you’d like a “behind the desk” peek at the writing process that led to the creation of this story, visit my editor Matrice Hussey’s blog and read Brainstorming with an author.
You can read A Code of Wonder and six other romantic stories for just $0.99.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA
Authors are Team Players Too
There are many quotes about writing being a solitary pursuit.
“Writing is one of the most solitary activities in the world.”
― The Alchemist
“Writing is a strange and solitary activity.”
―
“I am forever an advocate of books, both the reading of them and the writing. There is something sacred to me in that community. Because writing–and reading–is a solitary business. And it’s good to know I’m not alone.”
―
“It’s true that writing is a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them.”
―
While the actual writing and composing of a story is a solo effort, I like Shannon Celebi’s reference to the community of those who read and write. This is particularly true for the romance genre, where readers and authors actively engage and connect through events such as book signings and Facebook parties.
Romance authors also collaborate. This makes the journey much less solitary and a whole lot more fun!
I am currently part of a multi-author project, and it’s been a great experience! We share ideas, brainstorm, and inspire each other’s creativity. The best part is that after working together as a team of authors, we’re able to share our handiwork with readers! From there, we are sharing the wealth, so to speak, with a contribution to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
This project is a 10-author holiday anthology called Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge. You can preorder a copy for just 99¢. The box set will include a brand new story from my Impossible Mission series–Mission: Impossible to Wed.
Each novel in this sweet to steamy romance set has a Mistletoe Lodge, none the same, but all magical, Christmasy and full of Happily Ever After endings. Curl up in a favorite chair and treat yourself to 10 wonderful holiday romances full of Christmas trees, jingle bells and mistletoe. The box set includes new romances from:
Sabrina York
Tamara Ferguson
Jen Talty
Natalie Ann
Pam Binder
Tammy L. Grace
Jacki Delecki
Joanne Jaytanie
Kim Hornsby
Lauren Gayle
As if a holiday box set wasn’t enough fun, we also compiled a collection of holiday recipes. You can download the Christmas at Mistletoe Lodge Cookbook for FREE!
What is your favorite thing about being part of the romance reader-author community? I’d love to hear from you!
Romantic suspense research: DEF CON
Right now I am working on Mission: Impossible to Love, book 3 in the Impossible Mission romantic suspense series. After coming up with a premise for the story, it’s time for the fun part: research!
In Mission: Impossible to Love, Sten Jenkins and Elizabeth “Izzy” Benson are sent to a hacker convention, posing as black hat hackers trying to sell software that could jeopardize the security of U.S. military drones.
In researching black hat hackers, I learned about DEF CON, one of the world’s largest hacker conventions. Held annually in Las Vegas, the event draws IT security professionals, law enforcement officials, journalists, lawyers, federal government employees, students and–of course–hackers.
Since the first DEF CON in 1993, the event has expanded to feature speakers on a variety of topics, as well as cyber-security challenges and competitions known as hacking wargames. It has also gone international, with DEF CON CHINA 1.0, scheduled for May 31 to June 2.
A hacker convention is the perfect setting for romantic suspense that includes technology, cyber crime and “virtual’ espionage. Such events are straight out of today’s headlines. I hope readers enjoy the very real element of cyber danger in my new military romantic suspense story, coming July 25.
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Now Available for Preorder
📚Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Xf82HV
📚 Nook: https://ift.tt/2CA7dRx
📚 iBooks: https://ift.tt/2UP3YNe
📚 Kobo: https://ift.tt/2CsWybl
📚 Google Play: https://ift.tt/2UQHnzG
Sleeping Beauty ~ Excerpt from 'Mission: Impossible to Love'
Mission planning always allowed for the unknown, but how could Sten plan when every detail was a twisted labyrinth—a layer of lies by Izzy Benson. Every preconceived idea of her as naïve and geeky blew up in his face like a grenade.
After Reeves informed Sten of the identity of Izzy’s ex, he added that Sten should realize that Izzy and his sister were both innocent and sheltered women. Innocent? Sheltered? My ass.
A woman dating Charles Bradley was no innocent. The man was a global playboy.
And why did Sten feel betrayed as if he and Izzy…
Sten restrained his fist from pounding the door but instead knocked forcefully and waited.
No answer. Izzy had dismantled her cell, making it impossible to call her or for anyone to track her. Was this part of her hiding from Bradley? He hated puzzles that he couldn’t solve, and Izzy Benson was a 2000-piece jigsaw puzzle with no matching borders.
Where was she? She couldn’t have taken off—not that he wouldn’t put it past the woman, but the security guards at every door and the surveillance cameras would have alerted the alarm.
Richard Dean, wanting privacy for his family, refused to have cameras inside the penthouse, flush with three bedrooms, jacuzzi tub, and a kitchen stocked with gourmet food. If not for Dean, Sten could have checked the cameras to see what she had been doing for the last two-plus hours.
Sten paused and then knocked again before using his keycard to open the door. “Izzy?”
The large space that served as living room and dining room was empty. All the furnishings matched the other Dean residences with ultra-modern, cool sleek lines in silver and black leather.
Sten walked down the long hallway, first to the master bedroom with a closed door. He knocked, his patience slowly evaporating by his wasted time in pursuing Izzy. He could have sent Nick or Reeves to fetch her, but he wanted privacy for their come-to-Jesus moment. Time was over for game-playing. He tried the nice way, and he was finished.
No answer. He slowly opened the door, slipping into stealth mode. The shades were down, and the room was still. Scanning the room, Izzy was stretched out on the giant bed and appeared to be sound asleep.
He crept closer to make sure she was breathing since she hadn’t awoken with his pounding on the doors. Could she have sustained a more serious head injury this morning?
Stab him in the eye with a fork. Izzy Benson, sleeping on her stomach, had kicked off the blankets, her long shapely legs stretched out, her oversized t-shirt bunched around her middle. As he inched closer, he was rewarded with a spectacular view of Izzy’s sweet ass in a hot pink thong.
Sten tried to look away, but the firm globes drew him like a moth to the flame. What he wanted to do…
She had her hand tucked under her head, creating an innocent, childlike pose with the rest of her bangin’ hot body arranged in siren pose to drive any man insane with lust. He tried to look away but was captured by the image that was ever-after burned into his brain. The woman was C4 dangerous—a mix of Pollyanna and Maxim model. And why was he, like all the stupid Jenkins men, drawn to danger?
_____
Mission: Impossible to Love, book 3 in the Impossible Mission series, is available July 25th. Preorder your copy today.
Mood Music - One Writer's Inspiration
Palm Springs is one of my favorite destinations to visit. It has a glamorous past as a resort town for Hollywood celebrities, actors and entertainers in the 1940s and 1950s. While it might not be the glamorous playground to the stars it used to be, there is still nostalgia to be found.
One of the best places to experience the history of Palm Springs is The Casablanca Lounge at Melvyn’s. They feature nightly entertainment with live performances. Knowing I’m hanging out at the same club that hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Rat Pack definitely inspires my creativity. After enjoying a few hours of music and soaking up the ambiance, I’m ready to dive into the next chapter of my current work in progress, Mission: Impossible to Love.
What inspires your creativity? Does music help or hinder your imagination when you’re painting, writing or engaging in some other creative venture?
If you’d like more information about the history of Melvyn’s and the Ingleside Inn, you can read it here.
