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    It is done … for now …

    8 Comments

    So, I turned in a book to my agent today. It’s the urban fantasy book I’ve been talking about — the one about the assassin who can control elements. My agent now has each and every one of the 105,839 words.

    Finishing a book (no matter how crappy it is) is always a great feeling, but I think I’m a little extra proud of this one … mainly because I started it in mid-October.

    That’s right, 105,839 words in roughly two months. That’s about 1,700 words a day, not counting editing and revising time.

    Why did I do this madness, you ask? I sent my agent a couple of proposals, and she liked the assassin book the best. She wanted to see it. ASAP. So, I wrote it. ASAP. And it’s finally done — at least until she comes back to me with revision thoughts.

    I think I’m going to go sleep now … 😯

  • This is cool …

    Courtesy of my significant other (who surfs the Internet way too much), comes a fun and tough geography quiz. I got up to level seven before I got bounced out. Enjoy! :joe:

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    Titles, titles everywhere …

    4 Comments

    So, I’ve been working on a new project.

    The book is an urban fantasy about an assassin who gets double-crossed and has to go after the people who hired her in the first place. Darker and grittier than what I usually write with a Southern flavor, but still some cheeky, gallows humor in places. The world features vampires, dwarves, giants, and elementals — humans who can control and manipulate the four elements of fire, ice, stone, and air.

    The assassin’s name is Gin. She’s an elemental who can control stone and ice, and all-around take-charge, kick-ass woman. I love writing strong women, and Gin’s definitely the toughest one I’ve done yet. She’s good at killing people, in doing what needs to be done, and she doesn’t torture herself over it. It’s just how it is in her world.

    But now comes the hard part — deciding on a title. I’ve been batting around titles with just about everyone, my significant other, my agent, my writers’ group. Nothing’s really grabbed me just yet.

    Right now, the front-runner is Gin on the Rocks or maybe just On the Rocks. I was thinking maybe I could use the word Gin in all the titles, should there be more books. Like Gin with a Twist or A Touch of Gin, etc.

    Other titles we’ve considered are: Cold as Ice, Iced, Heart of Stone, Heart of Ice, Cold Comfort, and a dozen others.

    What do you guys think? Do you like some of the titles? Hate them? Inquiring minds want to know …

  • 835 and counting …

    Finished Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. This is the third book in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

    This book focuses on Zsadist, the vampire with a bad attitude and plenty of bite. But Zsadist has plenty of reason to be angry — he was kidnapped as a child and kept as a blood slave for a hundred years. He was also sexually abused. But Zsadist is on a mission — to find Bella, a female vampire who was abducted several weeks ago. When he finds her is when the real fireworks start, especially since her captor will do anything to get Bella back.

    Zsadist and Bella were both very strong characters dealing with some tough circumstances. I can see why this book is the favorite of so many of Ward’s fans, and I think Bella is one of her better developed heroines. There really was a lot to like about their relationship and how they helped each other become stronger and better. I especially liked Zsadist learning to read so he could live up to Bella and her high place in vampire society.

    But one thing bugged me — the whole possessive vampire male thing. The idea that once a male bonds with his female, he’ll do anything to keep her with him — even beat on his friends. Ugh. I just don’t think that’s sexy (or even healthy). Along with the whole pre-destined soul-mate plot device, biological possessiveness is something else I just don’t like in world building.

    Still, this one is probably my favorite of the series. So, thumbs up.

    Up next: Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward.