To schedule writing time or to wing it? #amwriting

Wonderful post! Write… and remember to live! šŸ˜‰

Life in the Realm of Fantasy

I think that to be a writer, you must be obsessed with your own art, taking and making time to write. There is no other way to produce a finished book.

But to be a happy writer, you must have a balanced life. What is the point of life if you’re so busy writing about fictional lives that you aren’t present in your own?

That need to be present in my real life is why I schedule my writing time.

Some people manage to fit short bursts of writing into their daily schedule, writing at work while on break or at lunch. Others must schedule a dedicated block of time for writing, by either rising two hours before they must depart for work or by skipping TV in the evening.

I fall into both categories.

When I am gripped with a new idea, I find myself stopping off and on…

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“Kindred Crimes (The Jeri Howard Series Book 1)” by Janet Dawson

Kindred Crimes cover

Kindred Crimes (The Jeri Howard Series Book 1)

by Janet Dawson

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense/Private Investigators/ Women Sleuths

FREE for a limited time!

There’s clearly a lot more here than the simple matter of a wife disappearing with the grocery money. Smelling a rat or two right from the beginning of this complex and intriguing mystery, the red-haired private detective follows many a twisty trail as Dawson weaves an equallyĀ twisty tale, which, to the reader’s delight, just keeps winding back on itself, revealing brand new secrets as fast as ancient skeletons can fall out of closets.

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Unseen: Unpublished Black History from the New York Times Photo Archives

Unseen cover

Unseen: Unpublished Black History from the New York Times Archives

by Darcy Eveleigh, Dana Canedy, Damien Cave, Rachel L. Swarns

Genre: Photography/African-American/History

 

Hundreds of stunning images from black history have long been buried in The New York Times archives. None of them were published by The Times–until now. UNSEEN uncovers these never-before published photographs and tells the stories behind them.

It all started with Times photo editor Darcy Eveleigh discovering dozens of these photographs. She and three colleagues, Dana Canedy, Damien Cave and Rachel L. Swarns, began exploring the history behind them, and subsequently chronicling them in a series entitled Unpublished Black History, that ran in print and online editions of The Times in February 2016. It garnered 1.7 million views on The Times website and thousands of comments from readers. This book includes those photographs and many more, among them: a 27-year-old Jesse Jackson leading an anti-discrimination rally of in Chicago, Rosa Parks arriving at a Montgomery Courthouse in Alabama a candid behind-the-scenes shot of Aretha Franklin backstage at the Apollo Theater, Ralph Ellison on the streets of his Manhattan neighborhood, the firebombed home of Malcolm X, Myrlie Evans and her children at the funeral of her slain husband , Medgar, a wheelchair-bound Roy Campanella at the razing of Ebbets Field.

Were the photos–or the people in them–not deemed newsworthy enough? Did the images not arrive in time for publication? Were they pushed aside by words at an institution long known as the Gray Lady? Eveleigh, Canedy, Cave, and Swarms explore all these questions and more in this one-of-a-kind book.

UNSEEN dives deep into The Times photo archives–known as the Morgue–to showcase this extraordinary collection of photographs and the stories behind them.

 

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Author Spotlight | David S. Scott

David S. Scott
Spotlight

The Phoenix Series
Genre: Erotica
Deep In You
By David S. Scott
$1.99 or free with KU

Blurb:
My name is Alexander Phoenix. You’ve probably heard of me, most people have. I’ve won numerous awards and medals all over the world, including the last two Olympics Games. Outside gymnastics, I’m untamable. Many have tried, none have succeeded. They’ve called me a playboy, a philanderer…

Until a chance meeting in a bar with her almost proves to be a disaster for both of us. She’s hot, fascinating and, despite the fact that she poses a risk to me because she’s a tabloid reporter, I can’t help but feel drawn to her.

What are her secrets? Who wants to hurt her?

I’ve never shied away from challenges. Why should I start now?
©David S Scott 2016
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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•Excerpt from Deep in You♔¸¸.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$1.99 or free with KU

Power.
Strength.
Control.

These were the attributes I valued, lived by. They had become my mantra.

Power. Watching the gymnasts as a child had fascinated me, and my parents had been quick to capitalize on this and enroll me in classes. It got me out from underfoot, and I loved the feeling of power and strength that coursed through my body. I learned to contort myself into impossible positions and hold them until the exertion almost proved too much… and then push myself even further. 

Strength. Gymnastics had taught me much about myself. I craved a good challenge; the thrill of winning seduced me. I was damned good at it, too. Over the course of my career, I’d won five gold medals and four silver in the last two Olympic Games, as well as countless other awards in other forums. Much more civilized than contact sports, gymnastics tested both my mind and body. On an apparatus, there was only me. Not my competitors. Not my coach. My greatest opponent was always, and would always be, myself. 

Control. Power and strength are great, but without control you run into trouble. I employ control in every aspect of my life. Exercise, my free time, and sex. Especially sex.
©David S Scott 2016

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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•Excerpt from Deep in You♔¸¸.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$1.99 or free with KU

I placed her glass on the table and took her hand, tugging her hard into me and kissing her. Her hand snaked around my neck while both of mine dropped down onto her ass. I kneaded her round curves, my tongue plunging insistently into her mouth. My body came alive. Tingles raced all over my skin. My cock throbbed for her. She knew it, too. She grinned against my mouth and hummed appreciatively. Her other hand reached between us and found my erection, stroking me through my clothes. Shit. We weren’t going to make it upstairs; I needed her now. Right now. I felt reckless and lightheaded, and it was making me behave in a way that wasn’t normal for me. I had somehow allowed her to take control and I couldn’t have that. My house, my life, my rules. Making a snap decision, I changed direction and almost carried her toward the guest room. Without breaking our kiss, I unbuttoned my shirt and removed my tie. Shrugging them off, I wrenched myself away long enough to pull her shirt over her head, then pulled her back against me. My tongue pressed into her mouth, stroking, rubbing, exploring.
©David S Scott 2016

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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•Excerpt from Deep in You♔¸¸.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$1.99 or free with KU

Lily moaned, deep and throaty. ā€œI need you, Xander. Now, please.ā€

I lined myself up and thrust into her. We both gasped. I had been right; she was incredibly tight, her pussy squeezing me. I paused, buried balls deep inside her. ā€œDid I hurt you?ā€

She scratched at my back like a tiger while she dug her heels into my ass, encouraging me to move. ā€œI’m fine. Please, Xanderā€¦ā€

I began to move, slow and deliberate at first, quickly gaining speed as we lost ourselves in each other. Lily screamed, her nails raking my back. I moved my forearms to press into her shoulders, allowing me to thrust even deeper, plunge myself even harder, faster. I pivoted my hips to be sure my cock hit her g-spot. 

ā€œOh… God, yes, Xander. Fuck! Just like that,ā€ she moaned. ā€œLike that. Don’t ever stop.ā€

There it was. ā€œDon’t stop.ā€ Those words had me fighting for my self-control. No way was I stopping until she was finished, no matter how crazy she made me, how much I needed to come. I put my mouth to her ear. ā€œYou feel so tight. So perfect. I can’t get enough,ā€ I growled. ā€œI could fuck you again and again, all night long. That sweet cunt is heaven for my cock.ā€

ā€œI’m so close.ā€

ā€œLet go, baby. Come for me.ā€ I bit down on her lower lip and thrust myself deep into her as I felt the first tremor wrack her body, her tight pussy squeezing me in rhythmic bursts. 

ā€œYes, oh God, Xander. Oh God, I’m coming.ā€

I pumped into her twice more, then pushed deep as I could and stilled. My whole body tingled in the split second before my orgasm ripped through me. We rode out our climaxes together, my feathered kisses soft on her lips. 

ā€œXander?ā€

ā€œMmm.ā€

ā€œThat wasā€¦ā€

I withdrew myself from her depths and rolled to the side. I pulled off the condom, then gathered her in my arms and kissed her just under her ear. ā€œI know, Lily. I know.ā€ 
©David S Scott 2016

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Deeper In You
By David S. Scott
Book Two of The Phoenix Series
$2.99 or free with KU

Blurb:

I’ve lost everything …


And I mean everything. Once a household name, now just a broken shell. Lily has left me and taken my entire future with her. I just want to sleep and never wake up. Forget love, forget passion. All of it. I’m done.


My Name is Alexander Phoenix, former Olympic gymnast. I was once known as the X-Wing, as the man who flies. Make that flew…


Can I salvage my future and reclaim my place as the man I used to be? Or does fate have something else in store? Haunted by ghosts of the past, I must find the strength to move on and find my path. Broken hearts still beat, right?


I’ve never shied away from challenges. Why should I start now?
Ā©David S Scott 2016  

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Āø.•*Ā“)Excerpt from Deeper in You♔¸.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$2.99 or  free with KU

ā€œYou’re so tense, Xander. So tightly wound.ā€ Before I knew what was happening, her hand was on the back of my neck. She rubbed and massaged the base of my neck and the back of my head. I leaned forward, placing my elbows on the table and my face in my hands. Her fingers were tantalizingly cool, and I moaned in spite of myself. I was tense, and her hand on me felt so good. Too good. Her touch meant too much, and I found it harder and harder to remind myself that we could never be more than friends. This wouldn’t do.

ā€œYou don’t have to do that,ā€ I murmured. She needed to stop. I liked it far too much. My cock had instantly hardened in response to her touch. I was so turned on, yet knew it was wrong. I considered escaping to the bathroom to splash some water on my face and get a grip, but I knew if I stood, or even leaned back, she’d see my obvious erection. I was held captive here at the table. No escape from her touch.

ā€œI like doing it, though. You seem to be enjoying it, too.ā€

ā€œWhat?ā€ I glanced at her, but her expression seemed innocent enough. Almost playful.

ā€œYou’re moaning, silly.ā€

ā€œYou have magic hands.ā€ Did she ever. She occasionally scratched at my scalp with her nails. It was so erotic, so sensual. I wanted her to continue forever, while needing her to stop. My cock strained against my pants, so I didn’t dare move. I wished she’d massage that.
©David S Scott 2016

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Igniting Passions
By David S. Scott
Genre: Poetry and Short Stories
$0.99 or free with KU

 

Blurb:

Passion…


It’s what drives us. Connects us. Our passions make us who we are, define who and what we love.


This is a collection of poetry and prose designed to speak to all the different types of passion within us.


Let the words found on these pages wash over you. Allow them to move your spirit and speak to your soul.


Open your hearts and minds for Igniting Passions.
©David S Scott 2016


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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Poem from Igniting Passions♔¸.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$0.99 or free with KU

~*~Daydreamer~*~
The taste of your lips intoxicates my soul,
Your mouth is as delicious as the finest of wine.
Our tongues dance an erotic tango; vying for control.
Dreams of more to come if I could make you mine.
I’d like to peel all your clothes from you,
Allow my eyes to feast on your beautiful form …
If you could read my dark desires, it’s true,
I bet you’d run, or would you give in to the storm?
Wish I could feel you tremble at my touch,
Your legs would shake, your toes curled tight.
Nails dug into my flesh, sensations too much,
Climaxes reached, screams silenced by gentle bite.
But instead, only your lips shall I kiss,
And dream of a day it shall be like this.
©David S Scott 2016

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Santa’s Son
By David S. Scott
Genre: Erotic Novella
$0.99 or free with KU

Blurb:

What do you think of when you picture elves? Could they be real? What about other fantasy beings? What about… Santa Claus?


Shawn is accustomed to living life the way he wants to. He has no responsibilities, no one to answer to. He comes and goes as he pleases, traveling the world, looking for fulfillment.


But all that is about to change…


Santa’s sick and getting old. This year, he’ll be replaced by his son. Will you be on the naughty list?
©David S Scott 2016

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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•Excerpt from Santa’s Son♔¸¸.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott
$0.99 or free with KU

Passions have always ruled my family.

Always. My father’s name is Pelznickel, but he has been called many things throughout the millennia. Saint Nicholas. Kris Kringle. Santa Claus. 

Yes. That Santa Claus. The man who’s brought joy to the children of the world for thousands of years. People have thought him a child’s story, a myth.

I spared a glance over my shoulder to ensure the redhead was gone and I was alone. Satisfied, I rubbed my right index finger along the side of my nose. A feeling of pins and needles covered me, as if my entire body had lost circulation. In a way, it had. The warm sandy beach I’d been walking on blurred and swirled in my vision, quickly being replaced by my bedroom.

The first few times I’d ever teleported, I’d been convinced I’d stayed still and the world had moved around me. Now I knew better.
Frantic knocking greeted my arrival.

ā€œWhat is it?ā€ I called.

ā€œMaster Schonesgeschenk, your father is looking for you.ā€

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I strode to the door. The fat little gnome waiting for me on the other side was dressed in thick green robes with white trim. His long white beard nearly reached his waist. ā€œAstlin, how many times must I ask you to call me Shawn? It’s just Shawn, I swear.”
©David S Scott 2016

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Fading Light
By: David S. Scott and Melissa Ann
Genre: Suspense Romance Novella
$0.99 or free with KU

Blurb:

Any author can tell you that strong emotion breeds new characters… and once born, they must tell their story. So what if I want to drink myself into oblivion? They don’t care, and it’s like my fingers have a mind of their own.


Jesse and Brooklyn are soulmates, bound by fate to be together. They know it. They can feel it, can see it in each other’s eyes. They may have missed their first shot together, but it doesn’t matter now. They’ll find their happily ever after… as long as their pasts and futures don’t collide in horrible and unpredictable ways.


Fate brought them together, and it made them cross paths once again. It’s futile to resist. That is… if fate is even real.


Do you believe in fate?

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Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)Āø.•Excerpt from Fading LightĀøĀø.•*Ā“)Āø.•*Ā“)
By David S. Scott and Melissa Ann
$0.99 or free with KU

Fall brought cooler weather, and with it, nature’s kaleidoscope of colors. The trees shed their greenery and displayed glorious shades of red, yellow, and orange. You could almost taste the pumpkin spice in the air. It had always been my favorite time of the year, but now I found myself resenting the cooler weather. The change in seasons meant Jesse had to work more for his landscaping job, clearing away fallen branches and leaves before they became hazards for drivers and pedestrians alike. I missed him during the long hours he was away. I tried to make the best of it, though.

Our very active sex life was great inspiration for the hot scenes in my book. We were compatible in the bedroom in so many ways. Neither of us ever shied away from trying new things in bed, and it was fun vying for who would take control. Each time we were together, it was a new experience, an adventure. Finding my sexual equal was both refreshing and liberating.

ā€œI’m under your spell. I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but I just can’t stay away from you.ā€ His words spoke directly to my heart. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach; something I hadn’t felt since I was a teenager. Things with Jesse felt like they were perfect, almost too good to be true. I was a little afraid to pinch myself for fear I’d wake up and find it had all been a dream. I knew I had a history of falling in love too quickly, though, so I was a little afraid of letting myself really relax and let him in. After everything I’d been through, what if I ended up jinxing things?
ā€œIf there’s magic involved, I’m consumed by it, too. I feel the exact same way.ā€ Every waking minute, it seemed, my thoughts were on him. I’d remember how I felt when he’d hold me, when he kissed me. When I was alone, my thoughts traveled to his gentle touches and caresses when we’d make love. When we were apart, time couldn’t seem to move fast enough until we could be back in each other’s arms, and that thought was terrifying. I loved and I feared my body and mind’s reactions to him. He made me vulnerable. He made me hope. We were headed for the kind of love you only see in romance novels, but I knew I was giving him the power to crush me if he chose. Love was always a risk, but the reward was worth it if you found the right one. I’d just never dared to dream that it could happen to me.

ā€œWhen I get off work, I want to take you somewhere.ā€

ā€œOh? Where are we going?ā€

ā€œHmm… well, I could tell you, but I think it would be more fun to surprise you.ā€

I giggled. ā€œGive me a hint?ā€

ā€œNope.ā€

I stuck my lower lip out, though I knew he couldn’t see it over the phone. ā€œCome on! You have all this work stuff keeping you busy all day, but now I won’t be able to write because I’ll be crazy with curiosity.ā€

ā€œYou know, you’re adorable when you pout.ā€ I could hear his smile through the phone. ā€œBring a sweater. I have to go, Babe. See you soon.ā€

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David S. Scott’s Bio

David S. Scott is a new author of erotica and erotic romance novels. After finishing his debut novels, Deep In You and its sequel Deeper In You, he is moving on to several other projects, including an erotic paranormal tentatively titled Obsidian Angel. He is in his mid-thirties and happily married, and has a bit of a wicked sense of humor. When not writing, David can be found reading a variety of genres or playing ā€œnerd gamesā€ like Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. David loves interacting with people and meeting new friends, so please be sure to follow him on his author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidScott

PUBLIC BOOK SIGNINGS:
To pre-order your signed books for a book signing

For The Love Of Books & NOLA
February 10, 2018
New Orleans Marriott
555 Canal Street,
New Orleans, LA 70130-2349
Naturally Naughty in NOLA
April 14th, 2018
Holiday Inn Superdome
330 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70112
Readers and Writers Event Tampa
August 25th, 2018
4500 W Cypress St, Tampa, FL 33607



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“Fool’s Gold (Forged Hearts Book 1)” by Cari Davis #ReleaseBlitz

Teaser

Thrown together by necessity, united by love, Melissa and Sebastian must unravel a murderous scheme threatening to tear them apart.

About the Book

Penniless and estranged from her wealthy family in New Orleans, Widow DoƱa Melissa Bertrand de Cabrillo must barter her way from California to Louisiana in order to save her niece, even if it means posing as the wife of a perfect stranger.

Gold miner and banker Sebastian Henderson needs to find a wife soon . . . or at least a woman willing to play the role. DoƱa Melissa provides the perfect solution, but sharing a cabin with the tempting southern belle proves more challenging than their bargain—and more dangerous—after a passenger aboard their steamship is murdered. Melissa is convinced the death is connected to her family’s events in New Orleans.

Thrown together by necessity, united by love, Melissa and Sebastian must unravel a murderous scheme threatening to tear them apart.

Author Bio

Cari Davis is an award-winning author of historical romantic suspense, writing tales of love, crime, and adventure in 19th Century America.

Links

Buy on Amazon

Website: www.cari-davis.com

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/CDavis1851

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/CariDavisWrites

Giveaway

Win a $10 Amazon gift card to celebrate the new release.

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Army of Authors Blog Tour | Howard Petote

 

Sins of Maggie Blck cover

Origins: An Irish Girl Named Maggie

In 1968 the state of Missouri was blessed with the arrival of a baby girl, a one-year-old lifted from the arms of nuns in the west of Ireland. Her name was Maggie, and her adoptive parents— strict Catholics—wanted her to be perfect. But Maggie Black was not perfect, she was merely human—an earthy, feral child who one day realized she would never earn their love. Drifting into drugs, con artists and petty crime, she becomes a single mother stuck in the gritty world of door-to-door sales—dangerously tied to a bad man.

One muggy evening—while home in Saint Joe preparing for a sales jump—she endures an incident that changes her life. This incident opens my novel, The Sins of Maggie Black, the story of one young woman’s attempt to escape her past and dream of a better life. As she informs her little boy, ā€œFrom now on it’s gonna be me and you—we’re gonna be a team.ā€ Her journey will pit a fierce determination to succeed against a battered ego, a heart struggling to accept love and companionship, and a past that threatens everything.

I began this post with some backstory to introduce one theme of my novel—the mysterious and profound nature of origins. Starting with the fragile innocence of youth, we bear both the blessings and sins of the world throughout our lives. Origins can also refer to any turning point in a character’s life, such as the incident that opens my story. Maggie doesn’t dwell much on the circumstances of her birth or upbringing, but they have deeply affected her. Though she doesn’t seek her mother, she does possess a vestigial memory of her, expressed as an attraction to water. In a vision that turns prophetic, Maggie sinks deep into a river—a symbolic return to the womb.

The river also serves as metaphor for a fundamental aspect of nature—the surface and what lies below. The surface is what we can ā€œseeā€ with our basic senses, while what lies beneath is the nearly inexpressible, underlying reality—the murky depths from which everything originates.

I once read a book about men’s issues—more specifically, fathers and sons in modern and primitive societies. I didn’t particularly connect with all the metaphorical language (the author was a poet) but it was very intriguing. I was living in a boarding house the night I finished the book—alone in a room without a TV or phone. That night I had seven vivid dreams, nearly all about myself and my father. They were rich in symbolic meaning. What had happened? How had mere words triggered such startling dreams?

For me, writing is an exploration—an attempt to understand, to feel, to connect with others. That night in my room a connection was made—the personal stories and myths expressed by that author triggered things deep inside me, obviously important issues lurking in the unconscious mind. These issues flow powerfully below the surface in all of us, manifesting themselves in who we are and how we behave. Just as a river follows the truest way downstream, our souls seek a path toward harmony and peace. Though Maggie and the other characters in my novel are highly flawed, they share a fierce determination to heal themselves, to become whole.

I hope I’ve dramatized a compelling story, and if lucky, revealed a few things that lie below. In my next post I’ll discuss the inspiration for this novel from a brief occurrence in Deadwood, South Dakota—and why my heroine is a door-to-door saleswoman.

Find Howard Petote’s novel, The Sins of Maggie Black at Amazon. Paperback and ebook available by February 14. See his website/blog at http://www.howardpetote.com

 

13 Habits That Make Writers Extremely Unlikable

Great advice here! We’ve seen ALL of these – let’s make sure we’re NOT doing any of them! šŸ˜‰šŸ‘

Meg Dowell Writes

1. They always talk about writing but never actually do it.

2. They constantly beg other writers to read their stuff [for free].

3. They shower their followers with endless complaints about how awful it is to be a writer.

4.Ā They only talk about themselves, even in their work.

5. Every conversation has to be about their writing life.

6. All they ever do online is promote their accomplishments.

7. They get overly defensive when others comment on and/or criticize their work.

8. They refuse to collaborate and interact with other writers and readers.

9. They’re ā€œnever wrong.ā€

10. They only put down and pick apart others.

11. Their way is the only way.

12. They deliberately discourage others from trying to make a living as writers.

13. They insist on being ā€œthe next J.K. Rowling.ā€ Even when they haven’t published anything yet.


Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions…

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