KatWriter

A Year and a Half Later

2010-02-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Boy do I suck at keeping my personal blog going. But then I do suck at keeping my personal blog going.

I do want to talk about my new release coming out tomorrow.

High Octane

It's the first in my dimensional travel series. Here's the blurbage.

Two hearts are never more than one dimension apart.

A routine fuel run through one of the planet’s dimensional portals explodes in violence when Major Geneieve Lockhart’s Jumper team is hammered with an unprovoked attack. With her ship disabled and contact to mission control limited, Genie faces her worst nightmare—losing her crew on the blood-soaked floor of a foreign desert.

Help comes from an unlicensed freelance mercenary ship, piloted by a man she never thought she’d see again. Her AWOL ex-lover, Lt. Col. Dante Bowen.

Bowen knows answering Genie’s distress call puts his undercover mission to expose a governmental conspiracy at risk. But after faking his death six years ago, he owes her something. Ending up chained in her cargo hold for transport to his own court martial wasn’t the thanks-for-the-rescue he expected.

The bridges between them may be in ashes, but their desire burns as hot as ever. Even as Genie wonders what happened to Bowen’s code of honor, her body betrays her heart at every turn. The hostile race that attacked her ship, though, is coming back to finish them off. The only way to ensure freedom—on both sides of the dimensional divide—is to put her trust in the one man who betrayed it…

Available Feb. 9th, 2010 from Samhain Publishing

New Release! By A Silken Thread by MK Mancos

2008-09-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

OK, it's probably not good that I haven't posted on my personal blogs since January. The only excuse I have is that I get my head into my writing and when I finally look up, an entire day has past and I've gotten behind in all other aspect of the writing biz, save the creative part.

So, today is the release date for By A Silken Thread. I'm very excited about this book because in the grand scheme of things, it is the first one I ever finished writing. Granted, it was in a much rougher form back then - well, to be hones, it was awful - but you have to figure, I wrote it in 1993 when I was first trying my hand at crafting a novel. And I hadn't a clue. But I loved the idea so much that I kept it on a back burner until I learned more about craft and character development, plotting and dialogue - and mostly logic. In that first draft, I had my characters doing the most illogical things. *shrugs* But the writer's journey is filled with pot holes. I have to say the only things about this book that resembles the original version are the character names and premise. Everything else went through a major overhaul.

So, without further ado - here is the blurb of By A Silken Thread.

The line between life and death is as elusive as a silken thread.

Two women…linked by one deadly memory.

On an ice-encrusted road in New Jersey, Tara Johanan loses control of her car and drives off an embankment. At the same moment in Palmetto Springs, Florida, in an unwitnessed attack, Charlotte Durand is shot in the head and left for dead.

Both women die. Both return. But near-death experiences are not always straightforward. Tara woke up with the voice and memories of a comatose woman in her head. And she can remember a shooting she never witnessed.

Telling the family a loved one is the victim of a violent crime is the worst part of the job for Detective Marcus Danforth. When his stepsister is the victim, and the loved ones his family and best friend, it’s crippling. He’ll do anything to uncover the mystery of Charlotte’s shooting.

Believing the story of a beautiful accident victim may be too much for him—even in the face of overwhelming desire. Even as the shadows of death grow darker.

By A Silken Thread by MK Mancos, Samhain Publishing

-Kat

The Host: Shadows by MK Mancos

2008-01-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

Come celebrate the release of my latest novel, The Host:Shadows

Four-hundred years ago, Tristain St. Blaise worked as an apprentice for alchemist, Benito Achilles. When an experiment went terribly wrong, it fused an entity to Tristain’s soul, turning him from an enlightened man of reason to one of dark passions. He takes on the mantle of a hired killer in order to protect innocents and rid the world of men like Achilles, and find some measure of redemption.

Angelia Lightheart has worked hard trying to purge her life of unhealthy relationships. One night in a dark Manhattan alley, she is saved from a would-be rapist by a man who seems able to look into her very soul to the weary heart she hides from the world.

Now, as Angelia and Tristain fall in love, his work as a contract killer brings him face to face with the one responsible for his immortal state and endangers not only their love, but Angelia’s life.

Enjoy!!

-Kat

The Release of The Host: Shadows Nears

2008-01-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

Wow!!!

I've really been neglecting this blog. This past year has been absolutely chaotic. Things seem to be settling down now and that's good. Dave and I are hoping some of the plans we've made back in 2006 and 2007 will start to bear some fruit. Anyhoo... I'm very psyched to announce the release of my novel, The Host: Shadows by MK Mancos on Jan. 22nd from Samhain Publishing.

This story has been about 8 years in the making. I started writing it as a script for a graphic novel that never quite got off the ground. I couldn't find an artist who worked in the medium I wanted the pages done in, or in the particular style. (Or honestly, worked cheap).

The story revolves around host and hitman, Tristain St. Blaise. Here's a little blurby-boo to whet your appetite.

Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are there to protect the innocent...

Four-hundred years ago, Tristain St. Blaise worked as an apprentice for alchemist, Benito Achilles. When an experiment went terribly wrong, it fused an entity to Tristain’s soul, turning him from an enlightened man of reason to one of dark passions. He takes on the mantle of a hired killer in order to protect innocents and rid the world of men like Achilles, and find some measure of redemption.

Angelia Lightheart has worked hard trying to purge her life of unhealthy relationships. One night in a dark Manhattan alley, she is saved from a would-be rapist by a man who seems able to look into her very soul to the weary heart she hides from the world.

Now, as Angelia and Tristain fall in love, his work as a contract killer brings him face to face with the one responsible for his immortal state and endangers not only their love, but Angelia’s life.

Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

-Kat

Dragon Tamer and more...

2007-09-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here's the book trailer for the Dragon anthology which will release in ebook on Sept. 11th. Thanks to Angie, our (as in the Dragon Ladies) editor for putting it together. It's sooo awesome.

Here is a little excerpt to whet your appetite.

Whatever Darion had been expecting when he contacted his brother in the IFM, it hadn’t been Agent Serrah Gayle. Perhaps he was out of touch, but he thought women were supposed to be loving and nurturing. So far Agent Gayle was nothing more than a badge with boobs and an attitude. Nice boobs though they were. It wasn’t his fault her superiors didn’t share with her the dire circumstances of the “case”.

Gods, did she actually call it “a case”?

It was so easy to boil a problem down to a label when you weren’t the one touched by the pain and agony of the crisis.

He spared a glance at her profile as she tapped away on her handheld. How could such a beautiful woman be so damn cold and unfeeling? They didn’t program that into their agents, did they? Sure Tavil had changed when he’d joined the IFM, but Darion had always figured the training had only amplified the quiet inner strength that was inherent in his brother’s personality.

She raised a slender arm and brushed pale hair back from a heart-shaped face. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she read whatever was on the small screen in front of her. It seemed like such a vulnerable action for a woman who appeared to be anything but. However, that small unconscious action caused his lower belly to tighten in a kick of unexpected lust.

“Dragons are one of your biggest draws to the island, right?” She looked over at him, but he couldn’t see her eyes. She’d had on sunshades since he’d met her at the shuttle port entrance.

“As big a draw as the beaches or volcano spirits.” He eased back the directional control as they started up a hill. The climb cart’s mercurial engine decided to take the opportunity to begin to chug and sputter as if the climb were too much for it to manage.

Agent Gayle shot him a look over the top of her glasses. He didn’t take his attention from the road to give her more than a cursory glance, though he really wanted to study her in much closer circumstances. “Are we even going to make it to the settlement?”

“We’ll make it.”

No doubt Agent Gayle wasn’t used to the rustic surroundings of the settlement. Dragon care and maintenance didn’t require legions of electronic devices. Low-tech equipment usually did the best job and had been proven ever since man and dragon had formed their first bonds. That wasn’t to say the settlement lacked modern conveniences— they just didn’t rely on such things for everyday tasks dealing with the dragons. Records keeping was another matter.

Damn, he wished Mercia, his office assistant, wasn’t off visiting her family. He relied on her to keep things running smoothly and they hadn’t been since she’d left a week ago. He’d hoped Tavil would be sent home, or he’d had more time to prepare for Agent Gayle’s arrival. When the call came earlier in the day to meet the IFM agent, the entire settlement had fallen into chaos to prepare. Thank the gods for Ontonio and Palmer.

The land inclined sharply. With slow, painful progress, the climb cart lurched forward as if the very gravity beneath them thickened and pulled at the cart like quicksand. The thrusters were failing and failing fast.

Damn! He shouldn’t have spoken so soon. Once the thrusters were gone they’d end up having to walk the rest of the way up the foothills.

“It’s still not too late to turn around and go back for a rental.” Agent Gayle sounded helpful, if not a little uncertain.

Darion shifted into a lower gear. They barely stayed afloat over the ground surface, but at least they were moving. Unfortunately, the lower gear didn’t allow for a great amount of speed.

From the corner of his eyes he caught the subtle shake of her head. She went back to her handheld and left her disgruntled words unspoken. Small favors. For once since the dragons began dying off, Darion felt like something had actually gone his way. If she had turned to him and started complaining, he’d have dropped the climb cart and forced her to walk on principle alone. Just the thought made him smile. Somehow the image of her getting all hot and sweaty trekking through the jungle was very tempting. She’d look even more tempting than she did now. If that were possible.
He glanced over at her as she straightened in her seat and looked over at Darion. Dark pink lips were parted on a silent question.

“What?”

“According to your Chamber of Commerce, sloughed dragon scales are Cambry’s biggest source of export.” The statistic came out like an accusation.

“Not for long.”

“No, that’s my point. The question I need to answer is who or what would benefit in the loss of the dragon population.”

Darion frowned as the climb cart gave an exhausted belch and chug. “No one will benefit.”

“Someone has to. Why kill them off, if not for profit?”

Did her world involve so many conspiracies and machinations that the thought something could be a purely biological component sound far-fetched to her? Granted, Darion had been the one to call the IFM in to investigate, but he’d mistakenly thought his brother would arrive and request a team of scientists to discover the reason for the dragons’ deaths, not a stun-rod toting militant female who made his blood boil. “There was no evidence to support that the blight is anything other than some nasty dragon-flesh eating bacteria of unknown origin.”

“Like I said, I want to see the data your expert collected.”

She was also suspicious.

“I’ll get everything to your hut when we arrive.”

“If we arrive,” she muttered under her breath and turned her attention back to the small screen in front of her.

With a violent jerk, the climb cart hit the ground. The thrusters hissed and popped, straining to lift, but to no avail. They were dead on the ground.

Darion killed power to the engines and turned to Agent Gayle, who looked at him over her sunshades as if she wanted to commit murder. “I’ll get your bags out of the back.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Not unless you want to sit here in the blazing sun and wait for help to arrive.” A little thrill went through his body as she unhooked the harness and climbed out of the passenger seat. Aggravating her proved to be very enjoyable.

He opened the storage compartment so she could grab her bags. She nudged him with her shoulder to move him out of the way. It was hard for him to stand there and not help her with her bags. She didn’t seem as if she wanted anything to do with him giving her a hand with whatever precious possessions she carried in her luggage. And yet, he found himself wildly attracted to her for some reason.

Darion started walking up the incline to the lower range of foothills. He let his glance slide over his reluctant companion. She looked fit enough, maybe he wouldn’t end up carrying her at some point. But he couldn’t help but dig at her. “The walk from here is pretty grueling. If you need to stop and rest, let me know.”

She readjusted the straps of her larger case and configured them to wear as a backpack. “Same goes.”

A smile tugged the side of his mouth. The woman was all grit and sass. Wait until she came face to face with a full-grown king Ruby. They were the largest dragons on the island and they didn’t suffer fools or arrogance lightly. “Let’s get walking then.”

Agent Gayle raised her arm. “After you, Archer.”

Hope you enjoy. To to www.Samhainpublishing.com for order and download info.

-Kat

New Title Available

2007-08-07T15:24:00.001-07:00

Now available from Red Sage Secrets Volume 19: Timeless Passions. Falling Stars.

Little bit space opera and a lot a bit sex romp.

Duty and honor are concepts Princess Daria of Primon knows intimately. Not only is she the fifth daughter of the Primon royal house, but her rank of Eagle has her flying combat missions in some of the most dangerous sectors of the galaxy. Passionate and strong, she is no stranger to a lover’s touch, but now a political alliance with the planet of Jevic will place her under the dominion and in the bed of one Kristiano Raven, supreme military leader of the Jevic army. Even if his ruthless reputation hadn’t made her wary of the match, the fact he is her late sister’s betrothed most certainly does. That, however, has not eased the ache of desire she feels in his presence.

If you like your sci-fi on the steamy side, check out Falling Stars. Kathleen Scott will definately thank you.

-Kat

A Rough Week in Review

2007-07-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

It started out bad since I knew I had surgery coming up on the 12th. I knew it was going to be horrible when the kitty my husband and I have had for the past 14 years was actively dying. When she died on the morning of my surgery and we buried her before we went to the hospital, it was just plain awful.

It's been about 48 hours post-op now and I'm still very sore. It's getting better. I can walk around and even manage to get myself up and down out of bed now. I walked around the house and yard for a good long while yesterday and today, and Dave hasn't needed to help steady me as much. I stopped the Percocet the night I came home. (I took one before bed just because of the awful pains in my back and not being able to get comfortable). Since then I've been able to manage with nothing but Tylenol. Which is good. I don't like the muddle-headedness of the Percocet. I like to be able to think.

I have to admit to being a little bored in my recovery. I want to be able to do things and move and go and be able to sit in a chair, or the couch or somewhere for longer than ten minutes without getting uncomfortable. I have a couple of contests I really wanted to enter and haven't been getting anything accomplished towards them and the deadlines are looming. Ughhhhh....

And then there's the grief. I knew Kittygirl was getting up there in age. She was 16, which I'm told for Persians is still kind of young since they can live to be 19-20. I think in this last year she had been in some pain with her joints - not moving around as well as she had been before. But hey, I don't get around as much as I once did either, so I thought...just a part of aging. I don't know...I guess I thought she'd live forever.

It's odd but I keep expecting to see her in my office when I sit here, or laying in front of her bowl when I go in to get something to drink. The worst part is seeing her little empty bed. Since Dave's been taking care of me the last few days the only thing he's managed to do is take her litterbox away. Even the place where we kept that in the bathroom looks really empty.

She was such a good little kitty. Never jumped up on the counters. Only scratched in one specific location. Loved to come and sit with us in the evenings to just be with her mom and dad. She was a love.

I guess she planned to die that day. At least it feels that way to me. I had a sixth sense about it. Even told my friends at work that I had the feeling she was going to wait until the day I had surgery to pass away. I think maybe it was he last act of kindness to me. She knew if I was thinking about her instead of concentrating on my surgery, I wouldn't be as scared by it. And you know what? She was right. I had my mind on her and not what I was going through.

We buried her in the backyard, in a nice bit of shade. Built up a little cairn and placed a standing stone for a marker. It's a good spot for her. Ironic though, since she'd only been outside once in her life and had no idea what grass even was. I'll never forget that. We took her with us on vacation and took her out of her transport cage at a rest stop and let her sit in the grass. She had no idea what to do and looked up at us with such panic on her little face. We laughed so hard. She couldn't wait to get back up in my arms. At the time I had no idea that cats needed long adjustment periods to new spaces. I thought they were like dogs in that wherever they were was where they were supposed to be. Felt kind of bad about that in retrospect.

Anyhoo. I must move on now. I've been sitting in this chair for about twenty minutes and that's about all I can stand these last few days.

Kat Updates

2007-06-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

Lots of things going on.

Triskelion, one of my publishers has gone out of business. What this means for getting my rights back, I'm not sure. I'm in a waiting game with all the other authors in their stable.

My original schedule for the year has been seriously blown out of the water. I'm finding it hard to concentrate on any one project for longer than ten minutes at a time. Oh well. I'll get finished with them eventually.

Samhain, one of my other publishers, has signed contracts with Kensington to have a Samhain imprint published and distributed by Kensington. Not sure yet all the particulars of that deal, but I'm sure I'll learn more as it all unfolds. At this juncture it doesn't include me, or change my publishing that is already contracted with Samhain, but who know what it means for some of my future projects.

I'm in love with Sci-fi. I know this is no earth-shattering confession or news to those who know me. But I think I'm going to concentrate on some of my other sci-fi stories and get them out the door. And I know right where I'm going to send them.

Finally sent The Last Keeper to a fantasy/sci-fi publisher who asked to see more of my work about ten years ago. Ok, so I didn't have anything to send them at the time. It never quite fit with any of the romance publishers I have, so I finally bit the bullet. Might take up to a year to hear from them on it. Oh well. It's not like it's doing me any good sitting on my computer not being sent out.

I've been asked to join a blog called Beyond the Veil. It's a paranormal authors' blog with some of the other Samhainettes. Looks like it's going to be a great experience and fun/lively time. Can't wait to start in. My first posting is on Monday July, 2nd. So, look for it. (I'll add a link here when I have more time.)

Well, that's about it. I have to get ready for the paying job now.

-Kat

Look At Me I'm a Car

2007-05-31T22:28:00.000-07:00

I went to Lynda Scott's blog and found this really cute test you can take to determine what kind of car you are.

Now, anyone who has read any of my contemporary work know what a nut I am for muscle cars. Imagine how surprised I was that I would be....

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

Take the http://www.tomorrowland.us/sportscar">Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Isn't that a hoot?

-Kat

Sold Again...

2007-05-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

MIND GAMES will be included in a future edition of Red Sage Secrets.

Woohoo. I got the call yesterday afternoon and I'm really feeling very good about this. It's the first time I've sold a sequel, and since it's a sequel to the first story I ever sold, that makes it even more special.

This story takes place 30+ years after FATAL ERROR and stars Jesse and Soran's son, Damien.
Once again the government is trying to interfere with the daily lives of citizens, but this time in the form of an agency out to eradicate the use of psychic abilities. In a world where genetic mutatation makes speaking telepathically a real and provable commodity, this is no small fete. Damien and his Vartek partner, Jade, must use their link to help stop the agency and free all the other Varti that are held imprisoned and awaiting surgical intervention that will sever their links forever.

If you know anything about my sci-fi and futuristics than you know this book too will have it's share of gadgets and impliments to make life easier for those inhabiting the futuristic worlds. I think that's one of the funnest things about creating these worlds, is coming up with these gadgets. I think some of the best ones appear in my July release, FALLING STARS, in Secrets Volume 19: Timeless Passions. I actually have nanobots that mimic blood cells in that story. Now, that was fun to come up with!!

I still have a few other stories out there making the rounds with agents. Seeing if they want to represent me. I'll keep you posted if I get a bite.

-Kat

Plot Problems....

2007-05-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Ughhhhh....

Stayed up last night reading a book. It was a futuristic that was really pretty good, throughout. I should have started asking myselt WTF about the time I realized I was almost all the way through the book without a consumating love scene. Now, normally, this wouldn't have mattered, but the spine said "erotic" so, I was a little curious as to why the hero and heroine hadn't even tried to have hot monkey sex yet. Hmmmm... weird, but the way the conflict was set up, I could kind of see the reluctance of the characters to consumate. However, I don't understand the categorization by the publisher that made the book erotic. But that's a separate issue.

So, I'm reading along and the mystery aspect of the book was really pretty intriguing, so I'm trying to figure out the "whodunit" and am getting into the story. Suddenly.....the love scene happens. But it's not just any love scene.....

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh..... I can't stand it.

The hero and heroine have to make love so they can kill off the villian. Yes, you heard it here first. When they finally got to it...it was so frantic and emotional the villian exploded! Exploded!!! And not in a good way. Blood and guts everywhere. Death and destruction. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria. (Ok that last bit was borrowed from Ghostbusters, but you get the drift.)

Now, I'm a sci-fi buff. I love it. I love paranormals and futuristics. Put one in front of me and I'll devour it in one sitting. And for a book that had so much promise, and had such a great plot, and interesting intricacies of world-building, I was shocked that this resolution was allowed to have a stamp of approval.

Which brings me to this point...

What?????

My enjoyment of the book took a sudden nosedive and I put it down. Turned out the light and fell asleep. I couldn't help it.

Now, to the rest of you out there...have you ever read something that you were enjoying very much and then all of a sudden the plot folded in on itself and winked out of exsistence? Didn't someone take this author by the hand and say, "I don't see this happening, not even with the way you've set your characters up. It's going to pull your readers right out of the story."

Now, I'm not claiming to be the Mistress of Perfect Plots, but come on.... the villian exploded!!!

(If you wrote this book, I'm sorry if these comments upset you. But if you need a critique partner who won't steer you wrong, my email is located on the side of the blog.)

-Kat

Tag..I'm it!!

2007-05-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Natasha to tell everyone 8 things they didn't know about me before.

In case I tagged you, here are the rules:

1) Each player starts with 8 random facts or habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their 8 things with a copy of these rules.
3) At the end of your blog you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don't forget to leave them a note saying they've been tagged.

1) I'm by nature an anxious person. Heights, crowds, travel, a break in routine all send me pretty close to the edge and shake me up to where I have physcial symptoms of illness. Planes really freak me out, though I do fly.

2) I still tell myself bedtime stories.

3) I wish DS9 really existed so I could live there. (That's the geek in me coming out)

4) I like to sit in the tub for hours and read.

5) I'm addicted to email.

6) I'm a pretty decent singer.

7) People always tell me I have great nails, though in reality I neglect them horribly.

8) I could spend an entire day in the office supply store and never get tired of it.

I'm tagging, Antonia, JAC, Lynda, Kissa, Debbie, Jennifer and Cassandra.

-Kat

*Immorati Book Trailer****

2007-04-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

Let me know what you think?

New Release by LK Campbell

2007-04-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

ON SALE NOW!

When former paratrooper Scott Riley returns home from the war, he hasone aim—to meet the girl of his dreams, Cassie Wright. Cassie has beenhis penpal, and his light at the end of the tunnel through most of hiswar experience. He goes to her hometown on the Gulf Coast of Floridawith marriage on his mind only to find that she has other plans for herfuture. A talented pianist, Cassie has been accepted to a prestigiousmusic conservatory in Jacksonville. Will she give up her dreams forScott, or will he chase hers?

A DIFFERENT TUNE is my third World War II-era historical. Read the four sneak peeks I've posted on myMySpace Blogor Visit A Different Tune Homepage for purchase info and to download a 2-chapter preview.
For more information about me or my other novels, please visit: LKCampbell.com

Help support a fellow Diva!

-Kat

Cool and Super Cool Contests...

2007-04-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

As promised, here is the Cool and Super Cool contest promos for my debut Triskelion novel Immorati.

Read the excerpt and answer the first set of questions by emailing me, or answering on the blog comments. I'll draw a name from the list of those who answered all questions correctly. To enter the Super Cool Contest, read the book and answer the second set of questions. I'll draw a separate name from that list. You can win both contests! So read, enjoy and good luck.

Blurb:

When the corpse of an unidentified species is found in the woods near Pine Haven, New Jersey along with a human female, anthropologist Edie Campbell is called in by local law enforcement and the medical examiner to help identify the strange humanoid male. The discovery of a heretofore unknown species is thrilling for Edie, up until she realizes the creature has recently mated with the human female.

Questions form with no apparent answers until Aidan LaMont arrives in Pine Haven to identify his cousin’s body. But the secretive Aidan hides as much of the mystery surrounding the strange creature as he explains. And Edie has no doubt that behind his simmering sexuality, and amber eyes, he knows much more than he’s willing to tell.

Set up:

Edie is home, soaking in a warm tub, when Karl calls her to come and identify the species of a corpse found in the woods.

******

She made it to the morgue in under fifteen minutes. Karl met her and opened her car door for her. Instead of his uniform, he wore jeans and a plain t-shirt. His short blond hair looked finger-combed and the slight stubble of beard could be seen on his square jaw. Deep brown eyes locked with hers and then he shook his head.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” He draped his arm around her shoulder as they walked into the morgue’s examination room.

Tyler Fitzjohn glanced up from her work and did the same headshake as Karl. “Hi, Edie. Thanks for coming down. Grab a gown, gloves, and mask and join me over here.”

Tyler had also lived in Pine Haven most of her life, but had grown up and went to school with Edie’s mother and father. She was not only a friend, but an honorary aunt of sorts.
Edie put on a paper gown to cover her clothes and allowed Karl to tie up the back for her. Then she donned a pair of surgical gloves, hooked a mask over her ears, and stepped around the sinks and into the examination room proper.

The corpse lay on a stainless steel table, a big hulking specimen both fascinating and frightening. Edie swept her gaze downward from its head. It wasn’t just big. It was massive.

She moved under the bright florescent lights to get a better look at the creature.

“Where was it found?”

“In the woods, outside town. A couple of teenagers found it while hiking.” Karl put on a gown and stood across from her. Tyler moved back to give Edie room to examine the thing.

It was a humanoid— she was sure. The facial features were too human-like to be anything else, and yet they appeared alien. Fascinated, she leaned in to inspect him.

The head was large, and proudly shaped. Pale, waxy skin was stretched taut over high prominent cheekbones. The mandible was square and powerful. Edie gave a passing thought as to how much pressure such a jaw could exert when it latched on to prey. And looking down at the creature, she had the strange sensation that it was definitely a predator of some sort.

The lips were full and beautifully shaped, as if molded to perfection by the loving hands of a sculptor. She leaned forward and placed her fingers on the mouth. Pulling back the upper lip, she was treated to the most horrific canines this side of the food chain.

The nose was elongated, but still most definitely human in nature. The brow was broad and high, as well as the forehead. Both those features suggested a well-developed frontal lobe and possibility of higher intelligence.

Her gloved fingers spread the eyelids back and black eyes stared sightlessly back at her. They were odd, without sclera or iris. Long thick black hair hung down to broad shoulders, but there appeared no evidence of facial hair.

The chest was deep and broad with over-developed pectorals. In the center, where the heart should be, was a gapping wound.

“What violence.” Edie inspected the jagged claw-like serrations on the edge of the wound.

Her fingers trailed downward to his flat, yet muscled abdomen, and farther.

Karl coughed behind her.

She turned to peer at him over her shoulder for a moment. “You wanted me to look at him.”

He put up his hands and backed off.

Her hands slid down to his genitalia— there could be no doubt this specimen was most definitely male. The long, thick penis sat nestled in a patch of dense black hair and encased in a thick, spongy foreskin. She pulled the foreskin back, exposing the glans penis. A pearly, viscous fluid was caught on the tip and inside the protective cover.

“Is that what I think it is?” Karl frowned.

“It’s exactly what you think it is. Tyler, get a sample of this. I’ll be interested to see how the DNA stacks up against human.”

“You and me both.” Tyler quickly placed the semen sample into a container to have it run at the State crime lab.

“I wonder if the creature mated prior to the killing?” Edie felt a shift of tension in the room with the question. “What?”

“I’ll check the other victim.” Tyler moved to another table and uncovered a second body Edie hadn’t noticed before.

“There are two of these things here?”

Karl shook his head. “No, the other victim is a young woman.”

Edie’s throat constricted. She didn’t even wish to contemplate the ramifications of what that meant.

Tyler worked on the second body for several moments before she lifted her head. “There is a positive presence of semen. And quite a bit of blood. I’ll have to check for vaginal trauma.”

Edie turned back and looked at the creature on the slab. What exactly had happened in the woods? Did he rape the poor young woman and then kill her? If so, what killed him? A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and between her shoulder blades.

“Sweetheart, are you all right?”

“I think I need to sit down.” No sooner had she said that then Karl had a stool brought over for her. He placed it near the wall, but she shook her head. “Bring it here. I want to finish examining this thing.”

Tyler marked the samples with a pen. “I do have a call in to a zoologist, Edie, if you want to go home.”

“Go home? Are you kidding? I’m not going to let a little light-headedness stop me from examining the find of the century, no matter how disturbing the facts seem to be.”

She returned her gaze to the creature. His long muscular arms ended in disproportionately large hands, tipped with six-inch pointed claws. Edie picked up the hand nearest her and studied the claws. Dried blood decorated the point of each claw. Odd, if he had been the one to kill the girl, there would have been blood all over his hands and arms, not just the very tips of the nails.

The legs were the most amazing . Like the rest of the body, they were long and well muscled. Powerful thighs and calves proposed an excellent runner, or jumper, and tapered down to long canine-like feet with talonesque toenails, complete with a dewclaw. The configuration suggested the creature could move on all fours for speed.

“I haven’t a clue what this thing could possibly be.” Edie looked up and stared at Tyler before shifting her attention to Karl. “I’m sorry, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say someone or something killed the Jersey Devil.”

****

Cool contest question:

1) What is the Medical Examiner's name?

2) What is Edie's reaction when she realizes the creature mated?

3) What is Karl's profession?

4) What is found along with the creature?

5) What does Edie think the creature is?

Super Cool contest questions:

1) What is Aidan's mother's name?

2)Who did Nanine meet the night she was killed, and why?

3) Who else close to Aidan dies at the hands of the Corpesetti?

4) What are the only ways in which an Immorati can die?

5) Who is Karl secretly in love with?

To purchase your copy of Immorati go to http://www.triskelionpublishing.com and pull up the books store, put Immorati in your advanced search. (I would add it all here, but the address is really long.)

Good luck to you!

-Kat

I think I've Blown My Timeline

2007-03-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, it's the Eve of April (not to be confused with the Ides of March) and all the projects I'd hoped to have done by now are still, for the most part, languishing on my desk. As I open the files to work on those projects left behind by when other ones have turned my head and peaked my interest, I realize why I let them go: I was really and truly stuck.

The computer screen is in constant mock-mode. I swear I hear it laughing behind my back. I sit down to work, open a file and nothing comes to me. Could I be burned out? I have been pushing myself awfully hard the past few months...hell, the past year or two. Granted, I have been writing fresh stories to submit to those special project anthologies at Samhain, so things did get pushed back, but so far I've only crossed off one item off my WIP's list. ONE!!! Since January 1st. - (Refer back to sentence before that...I have worked on more than one thing since Jan. but I had hoped to be farther along on the others.)

Currently, I'm working on that erotic romance for Trisk's Fever line. The title used to be A Cold Day in Hell, but I changed it to Hot Days in Heaven. The premise has a fallen angel squaring off against a minor demon. So, far haven't gotten to much of the demon part. Have to figure out how to work that in without revealing which side of the fence the hero comes down on. Is he the fallen angel or the demon? The heroine is caught somewhere between them, though she doesn't realize that yet. You see, like the story of Job where God and the Devil make a wager on Job's soul, this minor demon and fallen angel make a wager on the heroine's heart. But I've switched rolls between who is demon and who is fallen. I thought it might make it a little more interesting...and therein lies the problem. This is definately going to be a story that I have to do a very loose rough draft in order to go back and fill in the plot holes. Or as I call them sign posts.

I'm still trying to work on the sequel to Immorati. Though I have a good working outline for Corpesetti, it isn't flowing as well as Immorati did. I think the problem may be that I've got the heroine injured during her first appearance in the book. Now, she has to get back up to speed in order to be productive. Which is the chapter I'm on now. I know what is supposed to happen next, but I want her to be more proactive. Not a standby character who things happen to, but she doesn't make things happen for her. An important distinction while writing a heroine. No wishy-washy females in my stories. I've always been a pretty straightforward person, so I like my heroines to have that quality as well. Fine if they begin a tale a little unsure or afraid and then bust out of their shells. That's just part of the character growth and progression, something a story arc needs anyways.

Then there are two contemporaries I really want to write: Love Thy Neighbor and Lessons From The Love Machine. LTN is more of a suspense with some quirky humor along the way. Very much a stalker story. LFTLM is another one with a blend of humor and suspense. Haven't really figured out exactly why the heroine is in danger in that one, only that she is. - However, I promised myself I would finish at least five other novels before I write LFTLM. I've already started LTN and have the outline complete, so if I slip it in there before some of the others, no big deal.

And here I sit, writing on my blog when I could have a file open, working on something that will pay me, or sleeping since I have to work tonight.

Ahhhh, the writing life. Never a dull moment. And so like Lady Godiva pictured above, I trudged nakedly through the mire of prose hoping I'll write something in the next few days that will actually be worthy enough to have someone look at it.

-Kat

It Don't Mean a Thing If it Ain't Got that Swing...

2007-03-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know if this means anything or not, but it is a pretty cool story, so I'm going to share it anyways.

Gail N. the executive editor at Triskelion saw in an email that I write for erotic romances for Red Sage and asked me if I'd like to write something for Trisk's Fever line. They are short erotic stories that are published monthly. I said, yeah sure. At 10K I can bang one out in no time...(no pun intended). Anyhoo, I went to Trisk's website yesterday to look at the submission section so I know exactly what the expectation of stories are and while there I skipped on over to the booksstore page. There is a spot that says, "Most recently purchased item." And there in a big bold picture is the cover for Immorati. Whoooo Hooooooo.... I had logged on right after someone bought my book. I was very excited. I was even more excited when I looked up at the "Top Ten Sales" and Immorati came in at a solid 5. Even more dancing and squealing insued. I know it may not mean much to the outside world. Heck it may not mean much to my publisher, but it still means something to me. The top five for a new release and a debut it probably pretty darn good.

Let's hear it for being number 5!!!

-Kat

Beware of Dragons

2007-03-19T03:58:00.000-07:00

Or in this case, hold them to your bosom and give 'em dragon noogies.

I was notified last night that my novella, Dragon Tamer, was selected for Samhain's I Dream of Dragons anthology. You can't imagine how excited I am by this. When I went to Samhain's website to check out if they had any special projects I could write for and saw this one, I thought...I've never done a dragon story, but I love reading them, so why not. In honor of this, this picture at the right is titled, Dragon Dreams. I searched for the name of the artist to give him/her props, but came up empty. So, I apologize if I'm posting it without proper plug.

Now, you have to understand, since I never do anything in my writing that even closely resemebles towing the line, I had to put my dragons is an ultra-modern (damn right futuristic world), just because when most people think of dragons it's more of a fantasy or urban fantasy/shape shifter motif. Not me. I go the other spectrum and find a marriage that can work with the elements of dragon lore and their particular fantasy aspects with a sci-fi edge. Take that and add elements of CSI and you have Dragon Tamer. My most awesome critique partner Jen said it's Pern meets CSI and I thought that was absolutely a perfect picture of my world.

Here's a blurb: (keep in mind it's a blurb in progress)

On the tropical island paradise of Cambry, the dragons are dying. A flesh and scale eating blight has ravaged the females and threatened the dragon population. Calusia settlement hatching ground director, Darion Archer, calls on the International Field Marshalls to investigate the outbreak. The dragons are his life, and he’ll do anything to protect them and see an end to the blight. He isn’t prepared, however, for the beautiful agent who comes to investigate, or his reaction to her.

IFM agent, Serrah Gayle has no idea what her assignment entails. The only thing she knows is that she’s been sent to Cambry, a land that holds the majority of the dragon population. When she meets the sexy settlement director and learns her case will bring her close to the legendary creatures, Agent Gayle must overcome a lifelong fear of the dragons to help solve the mystery of the blight, as she falls into a deep emotional bond with the director.

Now, I have to go and start work on another project. Remember, the more mud you throw at a wall the more will stick. Or.... the more you write and submit, the more you can sell.

-Kat

SOLD ANOTHER ONE!!!

2007-03-16T03:36:00.000-07:00

About 7 years ago, I had the idea for a graphic novel about a vampire-esque hitman who executes his contracts by drinking their blood. The vampire wouldn't be your garden variety type, as he has a symbiot attached to his soul that came across a deminsional gateway when an alchemical experiment went afoul. As a result, my "host" as I call him can eat, drink and enjoy sunlight. The Host: Shadows is a darker book than what I usually write, and I have to say I enjoyed getting into not only Tristain St. Blaise's psyche, but also that of the heroine, Angelia Lightheart and villain, Benito Achilles.

My totally awesome and always encouraging editor at Samhain Publishing, Immi, was very supportive and complimentary when she read this project. It looks like a tentative publication date of January 08 for ebook, and hopefully the print run will come out by the time RT conference in Pittsburgh next year. I would really love to have that one in hand by the booksigning.

This has been a long labour of love for me. When I first conceived the idea, I wanted to present it in graphic novel form, but could never find an artist that drew in the style I wanted it to be that would actually be available for the project, or wouldn't charge me for the work. I wanted a partnership and ended up with a novel that is all mine. Not bad at all. I much prefer this, especially when Immi already asked if there is a sequel in the works.

In other good news, an editor from Red Sage, my erotic romance publisher, asked to see the full on my sequel to Fatal Error, titled Mind Games. This takes place 30 years after FE and tells the tale of Jesse and Soran's son, Damien and his psychic link with a woman named, Jade. Hopefully, MG will live up to the expectations of FE. I have to admit that when I'm writing novellas, I have a tendency to "pants" the story. I know the basic layout, but I don't make an outline like I do for novels, so they may take a little longer to craft since I go back and do a lot more rereading as I proceed. So, cross your fingers on this one and I'll keep you posted.

-Kat

Awww Behold the Power of Cheese

2007-03-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how some of your most favorite movies have a cheese factor of 10? For me the undisputed King of Cheese movies is the 1980 release of Flash Gordon starring some hot dude named, Sam Jones. Not only does the soundtrack rock...(what do you expect, it featured Freddy Mercury and Queen!), but the acting is so melodramatic it's a cheesing good time for all. I put this movie on for background sometimes as I'm working.

Next on our tour of the Cheese Museum is Clash of the Titans, starring Dancing with the Stars alumnus Harry Hamlin (pre-dancing shoes, of course.) Wonderful! The Ray Harryhausen stop animation minitures are to die for. And who doesn't love the fight with Medusa or the scary Gorgon that wanted the princess? If you don't love 'em, you don't love camp.

Xanadu. People will actually laugh out loud at me when I tell them I love this movie. Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck (remember him from Warriors?) on roller skates. Come on. You can smell the Gouda a mile away with this one. It's cheesielicious.

The thing with a cheesy movie is, it has to be one that wanted to be taken seriously but the drama-to-camp ratio was inverted and turned it from serious to cheese faster than you can say Roquefort.

(Notice most of these movies have sci-fi or paranormal/mythological themes)

Then there are the not-so-cheesy but really quite good movies.

Practical Magic. I love this movie. Give me Aidan Quinn in a romantic lead and I'll follow you anywhere. Ah, hell. Just give me Aidan Quinn period.

Princess Bride. "And wuv...twoo wuv.." Enough said.

Willow. Val Kilmer as Madmortegan. You really gotta love this movie. Little Willow as the desperate magician-in-training, trying to save the world. How fun is that?

These movies aren't cheesy at all. Kinda dark actually, but I love them. I watch them as often as possible.

Pitch Black. Vin Diesel's character is so awesome. You never know from one minute if you can trust him or not. And as bad as his character is, there are others who are worse. It's a case of having to trust someone you shouldn't, and not trusting those you should. Brilliant for character study.

Chronicales of Riddick. All right, so I'm a closet Diesel fan. Sue me. I could point out that this movie also features Dame Judith Dench, so yes, I guess it is culturally rewarding as well. All right...all right...I'll admit I love the Riddick character, but it also had Karl Urban in it, which really set me up nicely.

Underworld. This movie rocked. Wasn't so fond of the sequel, but this first movie in the saga is amazing. It really set up so many possibilities for future movies.

Vampire Hunter D. Yes, it's manga, but it's rockin' great manga. The cells are beautifully rendered, the story awesome. I encourage anyone who likes vampire stories, or enjoys manga to get into this series.

So, that's the round up. Maybe you've seen some of your favorites here and will go watch and enjoy them again. Maybe you'll find something new and try it.

What are some of your favorites cheesy and non-cheese favorite movies?

The Eve of Publication

2007-02-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

I don't exactly know the release date, only that it is in March. Since it is so close to March, I decided to go ahead and post this now and show the world my cover and give ya a sneaky peak.

Here it is... the excerpt for Immorati by MK Mancos
Published by Triskelion

Blurb:

When the corpse of an unidentified species is found in the woods near Pine Haven, New Jersey along with a human female, anthropologist Edie Campbell is called in by local law enforcement and the medical examiner to help identify the strange humanoid male. The discovery of a heretofore unknown species is thrilling for Edie, up until she realizes the creature has recently mated with the human female.

Questions form with no apparent answers until Aidan LaMont arrives in Pine Haven to identify his cousin’s body. But the secretive Aidan hides as much of the mystery surrounding the strange creature as he explains. And Edie has no doubt that behind his simmering sexuality, and amber eyes, he knows much more than he’s willing to tell.

Set up:

Edie has invited Aidan and his best friend Cletus over for dinner to welcome them to the building. After the recent wave of attacks by the Jersey Devil (Corpesetti) in Pine Haven, they have rented the bottom apartment of the Victorian where Edie lives in order to protect her and subdue the beast.

What should have been a simple trip to the grocery store for Edie has turned into a fight for her life, with the Corpesetti determined to kill Edie in the same manner he has killed before: by consuming the heart of his victim in a bid to reach immortality. Though Edie has heard stories of the Immorati all her life, she has no idea they are the sworn enemy of the Corpesetti, or that she is their next victim.

***This excerpt may vary slightly from finished copy***

The Corpesetti stood on his hindquarters not six feet from her, and roared to the heavens. Long sharp fangs flashed like pearl daggers under the parking lot lights.

Edie turned the key again and jumped into the truck just as the animal reached out to her.

She slammed the door and engaged the power locks.

The entire truck shook as the Corpesetti hit it full force on the driver’s side.

Edie screamed. Her throat burned. Long claws scoured the roof trying to peel back the metal like a tin can.

The truck continued to rock as the Corpesetti tried to get at her. Without warning, a large fist came through the driver’s side window, showering her with glass.

She reached through and pulled its long hair, slamming its head against the metal doorframe.

The creature yowled in anger then jumped back from the attack.

Quickly, she started the truck and put the vehicle into gear. She gunned the gas and left the parking lot to the squeal of tires and smell of rubber.

The Corpesetti followed her for a few blocks, until the wail of sirens made it veer into the woods and away from the town proper.

Edie hit the parking lot for her apartment so fast the truck bounced over the curb and landed sideways in a spot.

She bent over the steering wheel and gulped in quick breaths. Damn, that had been way too close.

Blood dripped down the front of her blouse from various cuts on her neck and chest. A cut on her cheek stung. She surveyed the damage, convinced all were surface wounds.

A loud yell filled the night, and Edie looked up through the windshield, afraid the Corpesetti had returned, and was surprised to see Aidan running down the front stairs.

***

Aidan knew he should have insisted he accompany her to the store. But, no, the woman was too independent to rely on help for something as mundane as grocery shopping. Now the evidence from the Corpesetti’s most recent attack marred the side of her truck and bathed her in blood.

His heart pounded in his throat as he opened her door and reached in for her. She came to him without hesitation. Her arms tightened around his neck. Tremors moved up and down her body and radiated out to her limbs.

“Come on, love, let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

“It tried to get into the car. It was waiting for me…”

“That’s how they hunt.”

He could feel her swallow and she buried her face in his neck. He’d wanted her in his arms since he’d first laid eyes on her, but this was not the manner in which he wanted her to come to him.

She brushed her bloodied cheek against his. Her warm breath stirred his hair. Painful lust raced through his body and made his body ache for her.

He breathed against her skin.

“Edie.”

She moved her face and their mouths slid together. That was the only invitation he needed. A low moan filled his throat as he took her mouth.

Nothing had ever tasted quite as sweet. Hunger for more of her gnawed at his mind.

Of their own volition his hands slid down her back, molding her body to his as he slanted his mouth in the opposite direction to kiss her more deeply. Breath escaped her and filled him when he gently sent his tongue inside to explore.

Her hands slid down his neck and pressed against his chest.

“Cletus.” She pulled away and looked up at Aidan in confusion.

Aidan looked up to see Cletus standing on the porch with a peculiar look on his face. “Could you bring the groceries in? I’m going to take Edie upstairs and settle her down.”

His best friend nodded and shoved his hands down into his front pockets before coming slowly down the stairs. Aidan would discover the cause of Cletus’ odd behavior after he saw to Edie.

He’d almost lost her.

After several attempts, where she just stood there as if not knowing what to do next, Aidan finally managed to herd Edie up the stairs and into her apartment. He took her into the bathroom and set her on the closed toilet lid.

“Do you have a first aid kit?”

She shook her head. “No, just some peroxide, some anti-bacterial salve and bandages.”

“Good enough.” He looked around the tiny bathroom for a moment, opening doors and cabinets. He found the supplies, but no washcloths. “Where do you keep the bath linens? I want to wash your cuts first.”

She looked up at him, her eyes huge. “I can do it. They aren’t as bad as they look.”

He gave a grunt. “You have glass in your hair.”

A bloody hand reached up and shook the heavy blonde mass out. Pieces of glass fell to the floor.

“I’m a mess.” Her voice sounded as if she dangled on the edge of losing whatever composure she had managed to maintain.

Aidan leaned over and started the water in the tub. When he had the temperature adjusted he turned the shower on. “Take a shower and get cleaned up. Cletus and I can handle making dinner tonight. You just relax.”

He was about to shut the door when she looked up at him. She hadn’t budged from the toilet seat. “Aidan?”

“Yes.”

“Why does it want to kill me? Why is it coming after me?”

“Because it thinks you have something it wants.”

“What?”

“Time.”

She cocked her head like she didn’t understand then her eyes widened a little. Aidan closed the door before she could ask any more questions.

A Few Minutes Here

2007-02-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

Until I have to start getting ready for my monthly NJRW meeting. I haven't written anything in a week or so and thought I should jot down some words of wisdom, or at least expunge the crap from my head.

I've been working diligently on my dragon story for Samhain, titled Dragon Tamer. It's going rather well, I think. I may even make the deadline. (God, I hope so...I'm writing this for a specific project and for really no other reason.) I'm at about 13K, so a little over half way there depending on how long it ends up being. Making pretty good tracks. I won't get to work on it today, but maybe tonight. I have to work tomorrow night, so I'll be staying up all night tonight to sleep tomorrow. I can usually get stuff done pretty well if I work all night. The key is to not have the tv on. Radio (itunes) or the stereo is fine. Sometimes I'll watch DVDs for background noise, but I find with them, I'll usually watch television instead of getting work done.

Well, coming up Wed. I'm going into the city with some friends from the NICU. We're going to go see the revival of Le Miz on Broadway. It's a matinee show, so we'll take the train into Penn Station and then go to dinner afterwards. I think they said it's a 3 hour show...a 3 hour show...
(Sorry, I wrote that and had strains of the Gilligan's Island theme song running through my head.) - I watched the weather this morning and it said that Wed. may be a mix of snow and rain. I'll believe it when I see it. I know the weather men here (or is it weather persons?) and they very rarely get it right in a five day.

After I finish my dragon story, it's off to finish the Mind Games novella for Red Sage. My heroine and hero have been holed up in their hotel room having wild sex for about 2 weeks now. - Well, since I decided to write the dragon story. Not that they probably mind it much, but it's probably time for them both to move on. After all, the heroine's daddy (a governmental baddie) is after them and they should keep moving...as in going to a safe house.

I actually thought I'd be further along with my list of books I have to finish. But then, I didn't expect this other project to pop up, or to get the itches to send the novel formerly titled, Fangdango to another publisher to consider. I had to do a major chop job on the synopsis, since the publisher I sent it to know only wanted a 4-5 page one and mine was 13. Hmmmm....if 13 is an unlucky number, maybe that's why it wasn't bought before. If only I believed in superstitions. But I don't. Well, except for the one's involving the hospital. Like if you say the word 'transport' in the NICU three times in a row, we'll get a call for one. I've seen it happen...swear to God. It's like calling for Beetlejuice.

Well, that's my time for today. I still have to take a shower and get my things together. My car is still buried in snow from the other day, so I'll have to dig it out before I go.

-Kat

Self Imposed Deadlines and Roller Coasters

2007-02-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

It's already a month and some change into the new year and already my self-imposed deadline is shot to shit. The reason being I've discovered two new special projects going on over at Samhain Publishing that I'm going to write something for. The first one is due on March 1st and is 25-30K long. I've got to get a move on to write the story to send, thus pushing back my other projects a bit.

Oh well. Can't win 'em all, but I'll get back on track in a few weeks. I might now send something to the second open call. It's for Valentines Day of '08. Nothing's coming to me for that one, but the first one, called I Dream of Dragons, gave me an inspiration immediately. So...I'm going for it. Wish me luck.

Well, I had some bad news yesterday. My pseudo-vampire novel was rejected by SMP. I did, however, recieve a brief yet nice letter from editor Monique Patterson. She actually said I'm a very talented writer. That's encouraging. I'll send her something else in a few weeks. Something that is not paranormal in nature. Who knows, I might get lucky. SMP is definately my dream publisher and I would love to write for them, but I'm also happy being published by my other publishers so getting that rejection letter didn't really hurt like I thought it would. I read it and was..."Oh, that's nice of her to say." But other than that...I was all right. Hmmmm....either I'm growing a very thick skin in this business or I knew deep down that it may have not been the best project to send to her. Well, I'm not going to worry or fret over it. My career at this point is what it is. And I'll do the best to promote and get my name out there as I can.

I'm going to add a few things to the story and send it elsewhere. I really want to make the distinction between what my main character Benito Achilles calls alchemy and what the actual practice of alchemy is to practitioners. Big difference. Huge. I'm going to do this through the eyes of the hero, Tristain St. Blaise. It won't take many changes or words to make it clear, I won't have to write a new scene. I'll be able to slip it in there unobtrusively inside another scene.

Then it's off to an editor. Cross my fingers and hope for the best.

-Kat

Another Submission

2007-01-31T04:23:00.000-08:00

Last year I had made a resolution that never quite saw fruition... and no, it wasn't the one where I lose a bunch of weight and become a fabulous host of my own talk show on Book TV, it's the one where I submit something each and every month to a publisher or agent. Since I didn't end up doing that last year, I'll try again this year.

Solarion Heat counts as my January submission, which also turned into a sale.
I also submitted a novella "Mind Games" to Red Sage. Technically, that would be a second January submission, but it's all semantics. February is a short month anyhow. So, two for January is worth none if February or two in the bush. Whatever.

"Mind Games" is actually the sequel to my December release from Red Sage, but takes place thirty years after and stars Jesse and Soran's son Damien. Though the country had been saved by his parents they couldn't undo the damage done by nearly two centuries of polluted atmosphere. As a result, psychic powers are on the upswing and the infant government is scared of the psychic pair bonds called Varteks. Damien knows his partner is out their somewhere, he can feel her, now he has to find her before the governement agents move in.

- I haven't decided what my next project will be. I'm working on Immorati's sequel and want to get back to my other sci-fi's that I can send to Samhain. These will be full length novels. I'm over my head with half-finished projects that need completed. If I don't finish them by June, then at least July.

Busy. Busy. Busy.

I'm working up the nerve to email my Samhain editor and submitting my "Akadian Awakening" concept to them. Four novellas, one for each season and goddess. Maybe I'll try that one in Feb. But I need good outlines for the other 3 stories in the collection. I've again made up my own mythology and world, and I think I want to go back and look at the world I created and add some words so I can flesh it out a bit more. Now that I don't have the burden of word count on my back I can spin a longer yarn.

-Kat

SOLD!!!

2007-01-25T04:16:00.000-08:00

Solarion Heat has been offered a contract by Samhain Publishing!!!

Hurray!! It's a sci-fi romance, short story. The story of how it sold is rather funny. I was rejected for the "Midsummer Night's Steam" anthology, but the editor liked the story so much she sent it to another editor, who she said should be back to me in a week or so. The very next day, I got the email from the second editor (Immie) saying that she wanted to offer me a contract!!! Yeah!!!

So, I sold in January. Barely made it, but I did. Now, if I can only sell something every month of the year. Hehehehhehee.. Wouldn't that be an awesome feat.

I really fell in love with this Solarion world I built. I'm thinking I might want to revisit there some day.

-Kat

Big Bad Week

2007-01-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

It just shows to go ya that even published writers have bad weeks.

Rejection is still part of the lexicon, even if you've had a previous good years and sold four different stories -like me. This week I've had to deal with two rejection - three if you count the fact that the agent who rejected me actually had two manuscripts though she only read one, and sent the other back without even commenting on it. Is that allowed? Or is it just me to think it's incredibly rude. Whatever. Water under the bridge.

And what does it mean when you're characters aren't engaging anyways? Is that a blanket term for 'you suck' or is it...'I just don't like this story but I can't figure out what else to say.' - The reason I say that is because anyone who's ever read my work knows I'm the queen of deep POV. How can you not engage your reader if you're in deep POV? Granted, I've read some stories from my library or purchased at bookstores that I totally couldn't get into the character. Take the one I read last night for instance - Please take it... no, really get it out of my site I wanted to gag!!!

Now, I'll be the first person in the world to admit, I have some work to do on craft. We all do...even the big players don't hit home runs everytime...but Jesus in June people, when I'm holding a book in my hand and the dialogue is stilted, the ideas redundant to where I'm thinking 'broken record' and most of the time deep POV is a concept limited to Proctologists, then hey...how did they manage to have someone say..."Yes, these characters and situations engage me!" Not. Liar.

The most amazing thing was that the words..."New York Times Best Selling Author" appeared on the cover. I gotta shake my head over those words. But in all fairness, maybe it wasn't the best effort by that particular author. It happens. (Refer back to my 'hitting out of the park' comment.) - I'll give the author another try, but this time as a library book.

Enough rant about others, this is my blog after all and is about me.

So, I got on my soapbox and started yelling. Well, actually complaining to the girls in the breakroom at work - most of whom have read my novella, or at least the dirty parts. - I think they sympathized with me, but then probably didn't really understand the passion behind my disappointment and anger.

My crit partners are very understanding and tell me to get back on the horse. Oh, I am friends. I am. I've just sent off another submission to the same publisher who dissed me earlier in the week. Different editor, different project, so hopefully this one will be a go. - As you see, I'm a big believer in self flagellation. (Get those cat 'o nine tails ready folks). And as you have probably already noted, I do believe in giving authors another chance, because I know the pitfalls of writing consistant. It's actually statisically impossible to write projects everytime that everyone will embrace. Human nature doesn't allow for that. - Ok, well, I can't prove that scientifically, but it's probably true.

K, I'm going to lick my wounds and finish some of my other stories and submit them. It's time for a total bombastic cataclysmic over-the-top submission avalanche.

-Kat

Secure Frustrations....

2007-01-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

Why does doing something that is so important for your computer take so freakin' long? It took me over an hour to purchase and download the latest virus protection. An hour.

Now, it's taken me at least a half hour to scan the stupid computer. Couldn't it have done that when it installed the crap? The capper is that I still have an entire list of updates to go through and load. All told it will be hours before I'm done with this. Why can't it be instanteous. I want Star Trek action baby. Give me a level one diagnostic anyday!!!

The problem is, I know how important this is and so I'm doing it, but geez...the time, people. I have worlds to conquer and characters to get out of situations. I can't spend all my time updating. I have limited time as it is.

*Note to manufacterers. Make something faster.*

-Kat

Listen to the story

2006-12-29T04:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've been writing a short story to submit to a publisher for a specialty anthology they'll be publishing in the summer. My first effort is a story I love so much, and the characters are so rich and situation so interesting, I had to rush the end to come in at the correct word count. After considering what I was doing and why, I decided to give that story the shot it wants at a longer version. I've come up with another story that should come in at the correct word count with no problems of the story getting out of control.

So, why should I decide to listen to what the story is telling me and begin writing a new story from scratch to submit instead? Because I'm a firm believer that the characters and situations should be what determine the length of the story, not some arbitrary yard stick we writers put down to measure length by. However, I do have a good idea when I start writing if I'm going to try for a novel, novella or short story. A lot of times I can tell by the ideas themselves if I can squeeze 90K out of it, or barely scrape by at 25K. A lot of times it depends on how intricate I get with subplots and backstory, or how complicated the conflicts. Me...I love a good complicated conflict.

So whether my heroes are slaying their foe to save the beautiful heroine like the Dicksee painting on the right, or traversing the galaxy in search of new worlds I want to give my story the opportunity to shine in whatever length they will best fit.

I'm just the conduit.

-Kat

New Schedule of Events for 2007

2006-12-21T00:57:00.000-08:00

As a new self-imposed deadline approaches, I've decided I have too many projects open and none of them any closer to being finished. To that end, I've decided to take the time with the first six months of '07 to do what I should have been doing all along—finish the books I've already started before moving on to other.

I'm writing a short hot story for the Samhain "Midsummer Night's Steam" anthology. We'll see if they like it. If not, I have a pretty damn good premise for either a novella or a novel. But I'd really like to see it published by Samhain. For some reason, I've been really digging them lately.

Anyhoo, I have two novellas I promised to send to my publisher at Red Sage after the first of the year that I need to finish. One of them, "Mind Games," is the sequel to "Fatal Error" which is out this month, the other is "Gift Bride." It's the first and only shape shifter story I've attempted, but I've put what I hope is a new spin on an old theme. Then I have to get Corpesetti to Triskelion. With the launch of "Immorati" coming in March, I really need to get the other book written.

Then a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid that I call "The Ward" that I want to get placed somewhere, along with a fantasy called "A Conspiracy of Ravens" that has two heroes and heroines who are sisters. One is a queen whose country is under siege and the other a sorceress who has been sent by her order to infiltrate the enemy's camp. Then I have another sci-fi called "Diplomatic Relations" where old lovers have been reunited after their son is caught in a terrorist blast. Finally, I have "Trail of Stars," another sci-fi that deals with a young farm girl joining the galactic guard to escape the stifling conditions of her homelife, only to find more life than she bargained for among the stars.

I have a whole pile of other novels I want to work on for the last six months of '07 that are romantic suspense...well, contemporary with suspense elements. Those will be under my other name. - So many names. So little time. hehehehehe...

In between all this writing I need to find a good schedule for my promotional time. These book ain't gonna sell themselves.

I'm going to devote a part of each writing session in '07 to networking and promotion. I have to. I need to. I want to.

-Kat

I Have A Winner....

2006-12-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks Stacy, for coming up with the name for my reincarnation book... It will now be known as Past Lives, Present Dangers.

-- and in other news.

I've been busy lately finishing up my WIP - Fangdango - it didn't end up the way I had planned it. Sometimes it's odd the way your characters will assert their will, when your outline says otherwise. It was my heroine this time that refused to do what I wanted. Ultimately, though, I think that characters acting out like that actually saves us from ourselves. The heroine in this case knew her own mind well enough, and I trusted her enough to let her end the story the way she wanted. I really wanted to see the heroine and hero married at the end. But the heroine says she needs more time...Ok, so I have a sequel in the works that will work well to see the HEA for my original h/h. It will balance out the main h/h from the sequel very nicely, I think.

As for plotting other books. Yikes!! I need to get banging on the sequel to Immorati, and get that to the publisher for consideration. I'm on chapter 7 or 8 so that's a pretty good start. I want to have that one wrapped up by February or so. - Plus I'm working on two novellas for Red Sage, actually three. - Busy, busy girl. I don't even know how I'm going to stick the holidays in here. I still have to finish Christmas shopping, which I'll do tomorrow. And one of Dave's presents still haven't arrived. I need to go to the online merchant I bought it from and see what's up with that...I'm getting a little nervous. It's the coolest present on the planet. However, I'm not going to mention it here, on the off chance he actually reads my blog.

For now, I have some crits I promised.

-Kat

Doing the Genre Juggle

2006-12-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

I love to read and write in several different genres. I've always been that way, since I first picked up a book and unlocked the mystery of the alphabet. In elementary school I had a vast love for the Brothers Grimm, Nancy Drew, and Barbara Cartland. (Yes, I read Barbara Cartland in elementary school. But come on, by today's standards they had nothing sexy happening on-screen.)

Currently, I'm reading Eragon. I received the book several Christmases ago from a very dear friend and put it on the shelf while I consumed title after title of romance. Now with the movie coming out this month, I thought I should pull it out and read it. I'm reading it with the same interest in which I breezed through Harry Potter. Though I often say that I won't read anything without a romantic subplot, I have to say the occasional foray into YA fantasy is a nice change to cleanse the reading palate. It makes me think of all the fantasy novels I have started and haven't finished. It makes me want to submerge my mind in worlds created in my mind alone.

The walls of my office are adorned in framed maps of worlds I created, and rendered in pen, ink and watercolor by my hubsand. Fantasy is the genre I started writing in when I first sat down to plot a novel. (The first book I actually finished in the long hand version, written in ball point pen and clasped in a three-ring binder.) So, what do you ask made me switch from fantasy to romance?

Glad you asked. Since I don't read the same types of books all the time, I don't think I could ever be one to write the same kind all the time. I don't care how much I love the characters or subject matter - I couldn't do it. I need to variety to keep the ideas fresh and me from feeling stale. My hat goes off to writers who can spend an entire career in the same genre. Now that's staying power. That's also the reason why I write under several psuedonymns. I want to separate the types of books I write as well as the parts of my personality that pens them. Fantasy and paranormal I write under the same name, while erotic romance gets another name, and contemporary with suspense gets yet another.

Usually people will ask me...How do you keep all those storylines straight if you work on projects at the same time? Easily, my books are so different...at least to me, that I couldn't possibly get them confused.

Now, if I could only see great success under all three names, I'll be a very happy woman.

-Kat

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

2006-12-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

When you send off your manuscripts to an agent, editor, publisher it's always hard to mark that calendar for the proposed date you'll hear back. It's one of those things that you look at ...that big red date like a bulls eye...and think...it's never coming to get here. It's like a kid waiting for their birthday or Christmas.

There have been times when I'm pleasantly surprised and hear sooner, be it good or bad news. The not knowing the fate of my blood, sweat and sometimes tears is worse than reading those letters or emails that say...sorry we can't use your project, it isn't what we're looking for, doesn't fit our needs...whatever. I would rather know something so I can switch to plan B, or get up and do the Happy Happy Joy Joy dance, whichever is appropriate at the time.

I find the best way to get through it all is to keep writing and submitting. I work on so many projects that I think eventually, I'll things coming and going on a daily basis. Then my calendar will be filled with red reminders and every day could bring good news.

-Kat

Contest Blog

2006-12-03T04:44:00.001-08:00

The novel is a reincarntion story about a NJ bar owner, named Ian, who is plagued with the spotty nightmares of a beautiful woman who is pulled over a cliff to her death and into the rocky maw of the Delaware River.

For six months, Ian Delaney has tried in vain to find a way to rid his sleep of the nightmarish images of a young woman's death that he is helpless to prevent. If he can just make it to her once, Ian knows he can save her and stop the dreams for good. A foray into past-life regression uncovers the woman was his beloved wife, Adrienne. But the ghosts of past lives are not so easily tamed...

...When he meets her in this life, he knows he must save her from the current threats that are esculating around her or face losing her this time around as he did before.

If you can think of a good solid name for this book...post it in the comments. I'll decide the winner on December 11, 2006. Please, no titles with the word "time" or "love" in them.

Good Luck,

-Kat

Crossing the Finish Line

2006-12-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

Why are some endings like pulling the ever-elusive hen's teeth and others flow so naturally you're amazed at your ability and grace to make it happen?

I'm struggling with the ending of my current WIP at the moment. I know what I want to happen. I even know where the action is to take place...it's getting my characters to the final showdown in a logical fashion I'm having problems with.

I don't remember ever having such trouble wending my way to the showdown before. It's the only place I can have it since we're talking about an alchemist run amuck, so his laboratory is going to be in his home...there is no other alternative. Except maybe his Manhattan office...hmmmm...wait, that's a possibility...but not logical either.

Jamblammit!!! (A sound of frustration and not the opposite of Eureka)

It's funny, but the closer I get to the end of the novel, story, novella the more I drag my feet. Is it because I don't want the story to end, or I'm afraid of disappoint readers in the end. Not being able to keep up my part of the bargin? With this book, more so than others I've written, I'm afraid that the promises at the beginning may not be supported in the rest of the novel. That the problem with writing...you get too close to the project and can no longer judge it adequately. I trust my critique partners to let me know when I'm flubbing up the middle or end of a story. Lord above knows I can't be trusted.

I know when I've made a good ending and when the action doesn't disappoint. It's the ones, I'm not so sure of that make me scratch my head. And how much action in a novel is over the top? We've all seen Hollywood blockbuster blow-em-up movies. Things generally are bigger on the big screen, but do we need big screen endings in our novels like the final explosion of the Death Star in the good Star Wars?

I sure as hell hope so...because I'm going for it... well, maybe not the explosion via ILM, but I'm definately going to have a hot time in the old laboratory.

-Kat

The Way of the Warrior - Or Keeping a Stout Heart

2006-11-28T04:31:00.000-08:00

I've come to the conclusion over the long years of publication that along with talent, drive and wonderful ideas, it takes a stout heart to succeed in writing.

How many times have I read a rejection letter and thought I'd chuck it all in and never write again? Too many to count. Now, on the eve of my first novella's release (I know it's in December just not the exact date...) I am so thankful that I stuck with it and kept pushing myself even if it seemed like all I would see were doors slammed in my face.

I see myself as a warrior of words. I had to train long and hard, wear the blood of hacked pages and the gore of red ink on my hands, building callouses on my self-esteem until I could reach that ultimate goal of publication.

It took nearly 15 years to get that first sale.

I began getting serious about writing in '92. But I don't know if I can really count that year, since I didn't send anything out then. I don't believe I started sending out for publication until about '94 or '95. All that time, I wrote and worked on craft. But perhaps I should count from the first time I began to query agents and publishers. - If you take into account and subtract the years since I had my first short story published in Writers' Journal Magazine, in Jan/Feb of '05 then it decreases the time to 10 years. Oh...I like this math system. I don't sound like near the failure I thought at first. Hehehehehhee.

The first time I sent something to a publisher, I sent to DAW. I had read just about everything in their catalog. Being a lover of fantasy and sci-fi and doing a search through my bookshelf of who published most of the books I read and owned, I decided they had the majority vote, so I'd try. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Though they ultimately passed on the book, the letter I got along with my returned manuscript was lovely. The editor said he couldn't use the book, but liked my writing and would like to see something else from me. The year was '97 and I didn't have anything else. I switched to more of romantic flavored books after that since I've always loved and read romances, but I've kept the letter ever since.

I think for a first effort that was a great response, considering I look at that version of the book now and I cringe. Literally. I look like I've been sucking on a pound of lemons. I would definately send something to DAW in the future.

I remember opening the box with the manuscript inside and reading the letter. Both elation and disappointment warred inside me...but the bigger slice definately elation. Someone, somewhere with the power to say yea or nay to my dream had actually saw something he liked in my writing. Enough to invite me to submit something else. Now, though I was early in my writing career I wasn't green enough not to realize he'd given me a gift. Editors and smaller houses are too busy to invite an author to submit more material if they didn't see something there they liked. (If you know differently, don't tell me!!! You'll burst my bubble in retrospect).

After I joined RWA, I started noticing all these contests listed in the back of the RWA, and I joined some group loops for the special interest chapters and heard about the Tampa Area Romance Authors unpublished writer's contest. They were extending the deadline that year to give people more time to send in entries. (I think they must have not had enough for a particular category). I looked at the call for entries, and thought....Why the hell not? I hurried....hurried and wrote the first three chapters of a book. I had already outlined it, so I knew where it was going and basically the structure. Imagine my surprise when I finaled with that hastily written partial. Imagine my further surprise when I got a call telling me I'd actually won!! - The award hangs on the wall in my office so I can see it when I write. It's confirmation that someone else believed in me. Quite a few someone elses if you know anything about how contests are judged.

After that the sales started to come. I'd finally found the lucky star I wanted to stand under all along. But my journey is not complete and the warrior in me is still ready to do battle with plot and characters who refuse to do my bidding. - Even with the sales, I've still gotten handed a few rejections for other projects. I don't let them get me down near as much as I used to. Because I know, in my heart that perhaps that particular project just hasn't gotten into the right hands yet...and if it doesn't...well, I've got an entire stable of projects to send out. I'm never in want of an idea.

So... when you feel as if you're not getting any place, or you've just gotten a rejection...remember no warrior comes to a battle without a few scars in their past. It's what separates the casualities from the survivors.

-Kat

A Break in Routine

2006-11-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Don't you just hate it when you have a certain routine and suddenly one day...for no reason other than over sleeping, you break it?

That's what happened to me yesterday.

I'm such a creature of habit that if I don't do the same thing everyday at precisely the same time I start having a minor freak out. (La Freak, Say Chic...)

Perfect example: My shift starts at 7pm. I have about a 40 minute commute, so I always try to leave the house by 6 because you never know in Jersey when there's going to be a bad traffic tie-up. Generally, I wake up between 3-4 in the afternoon and sit at the computer, writing or critiquing, answering emails, ect. Well, yesterday I woke up at about 4:30 - totally threw me off. I still had to cook dinner to take with me, grab a shower, iron my uniform...the whole sheebang.
Needless to say, I was sucking the hind tit (my mother's expression for running late...swear to God. She's said it all my life.) before I ever left the house. Threw my entire night off.

I'm pretty much that neurotic when I sit down to write as well. I will turn on the computer and usually go make coffee or heat up water for tea before I actually sit down. Then if I have a critique to do, I'll read that, or I'll print stuff to read at work. I don't like having my routine disrupted. I find much comfort in that routine and it soothes me before walking into a hectic night of saving lives. I find, one or two days away from writing and I'm climbing the walls. However, this past summer when Dave and I went to Gettysburg and Hershey, I didn't write a word for a week and I was just fine. Granted, I would fall into bed exhausted at night from walking. - If you want to loose weight, go on a vacation to Gettysburg. All the attractions (just about) are outside and cover miles and miles of terrain. We had a great time!!! - but I digress.

Now, today I am back into my routine and feeling much more comfortable about my world. It's funny, but I do try to break the cycle every once in a while just to prove to myself I can. All the while telling myself it's all right...I don't HAVE to do things the same way, and at the same time. The stars won't fall from the sky, the seas won't boil, and there will still be air available for me to breathe.

Today...I'm shaking up my routine by not packing my lunch before work. Gasp!!!

Tomorrow. Who knows? I may run with scissors.

-Kat

One File Too Far

2006-11-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

Oh boy! Dontcha' just hate it when you're editing a story. Streamlining for word count and clarity, and all of a sudden you realize...somewhere along the way that you've been editing a much older version of the file? Happened to me the other day. I wanted to scream, and curse and jump around in a circle gnashing my teeth and pulling at my hair. Yes, it was that bad. I was halfway through a 100,000 plus manuscript when I noticed some of the scenes I had added long paragraphs of explanation to were gone.

What could have happened to them? Did the computer troll come and eat away at my file? Have a woken in some alternate universe in the moderately-recent past? Could I have been halucinating and not written such profound words at all? - No, I merely pulled up the wrong file and started working on it like the nimrod I am. So, what did I do, you ask? Well, it was a simple solution, but one that made me a little nervous. I cut off the last half of the file I'd been working diligently on and erased it from memory, then pasted the back end of the more recent file onto it. I'll have to cut and paste several other smaller scenes, but essentially it's fixed. Not fun. Not fun at all. Anything so I wouldn't have had to do the damn thing all over again.

Speaking of which I should probably get back to working on that one file and then finished my WIP.

-Kat

And the Rush is On....

2006-11-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

Well, tomorrow is Black Friday and what will I be doing? After I finish at the lawyer's office, (signing the papers for our refinance), I'll be going home and sleeping. Yes, that's right...because I have to work tonight I will not be in the crowded stores, I will not be singing Jingle Bells as I buy presents, I will not be wishing people Merrily....oh...wait...I hate crowds.

I'll do like I do every year and sit at my computer and buy online. This is truly a godsend for me, considering agoraphobia runs rampant in my family and didn't skip me. Every since I started doing my holiday shopping online I've been liberated by the feeling I can purchase everything I need in the comfort of my own home and not have to worry about finding parking, or wearing full hockey gear in order to get to the really good sales.

Some people really love to shop during the holidays, my sister for one. I just don't understand the logic or need behind getting out in public and fighting with other shoppers for everything from a parking space way out in the boondocks to the last bit of breathable air inside the mall. (I'm breaking out in hives just thinking about it).

This year, Dave and I are even making our own cards with pictures of his Jet-Pak Penguin character on it. Hey, what says Happy Holidays better than a penguin in goggles and a jet pack?

The only question is...how am I going to get all those cards to the post office without going outside?????

-Kat

Livin' Large

2006-11-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

No, this isn't about guilt after stuffing myself on turkey and pumpkin pie last night. I was really rather disciplined in the meal and only had one plate of yummy goodness. Passed out somewhere between the stuffing and pie, to the strains of Gene Hackmen's rendition of Lex Luthor. (We were watching Superman.) - This blog is about expanding your range of writing experiences.

I started my writing journey with fantasy ficiton. Large, big opuses (or is it opi hehehehehe) that span half centuries and have casts of thousands. After beating my head against a brick wall of rejections for years - coming close with DAW once (said they couldn't use the project I'd sent, but liked my style and wanted to see more - unfortunately I didn't have anything at the time.) - I switched genres. Since my novels had romantic elements anyhow, I figured I'd add more of that and start targeting romance lines. I've always read romances, since that first Barbara Cartland in elementary school. I fell in love with falling in love. HEA's were my cup of tea. There is just something so wonderful and uplifting about the power of love everlasting. With so much horror happening in the world on a daily basis - the evening news filled with stories of murder, mayhem and corruption - it's nice to be able to sit with a book, or in front of the computer and read about people who are beating the odds to be together.

Now for the living large portion: Over the last few days, I've dusted off one of my fantasy series and polished it, streamlined it and submitted it for consideration at another publisher. This one hasn't made the rounds as much as my other one, but I gotta try. I think my characters deserve to see the light of day. I think as a writer I would stifle my creativity if I stayed to just one genre. I love to read all different types of books, so I want to write all different genres.

I've had people ask me how I can keep track of all the different stories and genres I write (most of which I write simultaneously). I tell them it's easy. They are all so different that I don't get them confused.

Write what you know...hmmmm...don't necessarily agree with that. If I only wrote what I knew, I wouldn't be expanding my horizons, stretching my imagination, and learning from my research. I say...write what you don't know, learn something along the way, and most of all live it large!

-Kat

Early Turkey Trot

2006-11-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again. When we stuff ourselves full of triptaphan and pretend we're not sacked out on the sofa while our spouses are trying to talk to us. I ate so much turkey last year, I actually don't remember much of the Thanksgiving weekend. I spent it horizontal on the couch with strains of "A Christmas Story" playing in the background.

I'm off to the grocery store soon to buy the gobbler for tonight. Dave and I will be celebrating it tonight instead of Thursday, since duty calls for me the next two nights. (They made me an offer I couldn't refuse...and who am I to say no to cash?)

I remember holidays being a huge deal when I was a kid. Not so much now. It's usually just Dave and I, with the cat camped out at the foot of my double ovens eyes glazed over waiting for the bird to come out of the oven. She's addicted to fowl of any sort. It's really very sad the way she carries on at the holidays.

Generally, Dave and I will get a bottle of the bubbly and toast what we're thankful for in the previous year. This year I have much to be thankful for. I've sold 3 manuscripts since last Thanksgiving and Dave has gotten his website up and started school. We've been both moving forward on our creative endeavors and with some marked success. We are both relatively healthy and we seem to be making our bills on time. That in itself is a major accomplishment.

Speaking of which, I better go and get the bird so we have something to eat this evening.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

-Kat

Now I Have A Headache!

2006-11-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Geez Louise --

It's taken me about an hour to figure out how to get back to where I can post another blog. I screwed up when I did my screen name yesterday and couldn't find the dashboard. Only after I started to scrap this blog and create a new one did I realize what I had done wrong. Now, if I can only figure out how I got back here next time I go to publish a post I'll be swimmin' in gold.

Me and techonology are not very good friends. We agree to disagree most of the time. Even my spellcheck has contemp for me. You know you're a bad speller when the letters "WTF" pop up instead of suggestions. Hey, I never claimed to be a good speller. This amazes my friends at work. They are constantly coming to me..."Hey Kat, how do you spell...?" This question usually garners a look from me and the answer..."I don't know." The stock answer from them is: "But you're a writer." Why does it follow that because you're a writer you can spell? I think if you're a writer you just have unlimited resources on where to find the correct spellings. I have become a better speller due to my writing, but it wasn't a natural ability for me. Some people are just better spellers, as some are more inclined to pick up different languages with ease. - I'm not good at that either. I've often joked that I speak convincing Redneck from spending so many years in the Deep South. And when I get mad I can hear the Southern creeping back into my voice. I'll say something like..."I'm fixin' to get my Southern on." - I've cleared rooms with that phrase. Hehehehehehehehe...which brings me back to today's topic. Technology headaches....

Why is it that the very things that are supposed to make our lives easier, are the things we spend the most time cursing and damning to all the hells? Example:

My husband recently went back to school to learn 3D animation. He's trained in 2D, but to be competitive in today's market he really needed to learn the skills required to do Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark and Flash. On most days the air in our house is painted blue by his colorful expletives directed at the computer. The cat looks at me and says, "You let him kiss you with that mouth?" What can I do? I shrug. It's nothing I haven't said to my computer about a million times.

-Kat

Welcome!!!

2006-11-19T17:06:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to my blog.

I've resisted opening up my own personal blog space because I know how I am about keeping up on correspondances...(I'm not very good at it. I spend most of my time writing books and reading research materials.)

I'll start by telling you a little bit about myself. I live and work in NJ with my husband Dave and our cat Kittygirl. When I'm not writing, I work in the healthcare industry. In addition to writing, I enjoy movies, books, art and cross-stitch. History is a favorite obsession of mine, if there is a documentary on television dealing with almost any period of history you can believe, I'll have my nose stuck in it soaking it all up. - Though to be honest, any and all documentaries capture my attention. I'm pretty much a documentary junkie and have often wondered if there are twelve step programs to help me quit the addiction.

My husband, Dave, is a kick-but cartoonist, who's created "Digby and Bernard" and "Jet-Pak Penguin" daily strips. They are both all ages comics, so don't hesitate to let your kids see them. You can check them out at dmancos.atspace.com

He's also busily working on his newest creation, Roxy Brimstone. Roxy will also be an all ages strip. For those of you who like comics with a big more grit to them he's working on his vigilante graphic novels, "Tales of the Motor City" and "The Return of Buster Crash."

Now a bit about living in NJ. I know this state has a reputation for being the bastard brother of New York, but I tell you that it's a state that you can't really appreciate until you've taken time to notice all the varying landscapes we have here. Trust me, there are mountains, cities, the Shore, and Atlantic City. For that reason a majority of my novels are set here. Or Florida. I spent 14 years living in Florida and it's kind of hard to leave that behind. Not when there are so many possibilities for story ideas to be had there.

So, that's enough about me for now. Thanks for stopping by. Drop me an email, or wonder over to my website by clicking on the prompt. You can read blurbs from my books and see the covers, or read some short stories.

Enjoy!

-Kat

KatWriter

A Year and a Half Later

New Release! By A Silken Thread by MK Mancos

The Host: Shadows by MK Mancos

The Release of The Host: Shadows Nears

Dragon Tamer and more...

New Title Available

A Rough Week in Review

Kat Updates

Look At Me I'm a Car

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

Sold Again...

Plot Problems....

Tag..I'm it!!

***Immorati Book Trailer******

***New Release by LK Campbell***

Cool and Super Cool Contests...

I think I've Blown My Timeline

It Don't Mean a Thing If it Ain't Got that Swing...

Beware of Dragons

SOLD ANOTHER ONE!!!

Awww Behold the Power of Cheese

The Eve of Publication

A Few Minutes Here

Self Imposed Deadlines and Roller Coasters

Another Submission

SOLD!!!

Big Bad Week

Secure Frustrations....

Listen to the story

New Schedule of Events for 2007

I Have A Winner....

Doing the Genre Juggle

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

****Contest Blog****

Crossing the Finish Line

The Way of the Warrior - Or Keeping a Stout Heart

A Break in Routine

One File Too Far

And the Rush is On....

Livin' Large

Early Turkey Trot

Now I Have A Headache!

Welcome!!!

*Immorati Book Trailer****

New Release by LK Campbell

Contest Blog