So I was crawling out of my sickness hole, only to stumble into a deeper than usual editing hole. Then the following day I received a second lot of edits – proofing this time. I was in way over my head and it has taken me 12 days to work through it. Bad news for me, but good news to readers as that is TWO new manuscripts that have progressed closer to publication.
So today’s blog is dedicated to the thing I haven’t done for 12 days – reading for pleasure. I wish to tell you what I am looking forward to reading.
A Taste Of Honey, A Dreamspinner Anthology
Release date: 18 August 2014
Blurb: In the mood to try something sweet? How about a collection of stories about bears and the special men in their lives? Guys don’t have to be in their twenties, perfectly sculpted, and hairless to be hot. Bears are real men with real bodies—and that doesn’t always mean a perfect six-pack or an immaculately smooth chest. With bears, it can mean more man to love. The men in this anthology are chubs, cubs, grizzlies, pandas, polar bears, and more—all looking for a connection. And beneath their burly physiques are hearts of gold. Explore the bear scene and beyond with these big, hairy guys and the men who find them irresistibly sexy.
For those who are anticipating this, I wish to brag that I have an advance release… For those who are upset by this, don’t be. I’ve been so bloomin’ busy I haven’t had the time to read it!
One of my stories is in here, but I haven’t read the others. I’m really excited about this. I was chatting to another author today and I said that the hardest part is going to be not skipping ahead to read my favourite authors. I have been waiting for this one since February. I saw the submission call from Dreamspinner and got all excited. Yay! Bear stories! Yes, okay, so I ended up writing my own submission and sending it in, but I'm more excited about the other stories.
Pre-order from Dreamspinner here.
Release date: 22 August 2014
Blurb: When Daniel Wilson, oldest of five children in a troubled family, joined the military, he expected to see combat in Iraq. But it comes as quite a shock when a Rupee minted a century and a half ago transports him to that dangerous time in war-torn colonial India. After he meets and falls in love with Vir during his visit to 1857, he faces the greatest challenge of his life. He knows he may ultimately lose Vir because he belongs in a different time. Still, he wants desperately to keep his love alive despite threats of violence from both wars.
I’m so excited about this one. There are a lot of things drawing me to this book. First the cover is beautiful! But then we’re talking about being transported back to the past. This gets my heart racing with anticipation. For me, I would love to be able to go back and experience certain times in the past, so reading about it is always fun. And if it’s done well, it’s brilliant. I managed to ask Michelle about her inspiration for the book:
Michelle says: Time for Destiny came about when a good friend requested a time travel story. Her first suggestion was the early Victorian era but I felt that had been done to death. While at work and talking to a fellow worker, he suggested somewhere exotic. After a brief search of Indian history the story was born. Originally written for the 2012 National Novel Writers month, Time for Destiny underwent 15 edits before being picked up. The most challenging part came at this stage. Although I felt I’d covered the past well, my wonderful editor found conflicting differences with the references she had used from the past. It was at this point I had to decide if I made the story more fantasy or use actual facts. I chose to use actual facts from the past and this meant some big rewrites, and a lot more research. The end product was a wonderful story about love between two wars and the two men who lived in different worlds. The opportunity to be published professionally was an amazing experience and I learned a lot about how I wrote and how to be better.
OMG! From this amount of effort, I’m sure this book is going to be FANTASTIC!
Pre-order from Dreamspinner here.
Michelle's website here.
Michelle's FB here.
Release date: 27th August 2014
Blurb: In New South Wales, Australia, in 1876, sweating out a living from the savage, dry wilderness tests a man’s worth. Cattleman Jim Kelly gave up everything he knew to outrun the law with his lover Mark Turner. Struggling to survive, the two turn to crime and venture farther into the harsh outback. And while Jim is enthralled by Mark’s almost paranormal strength and physical power, he starts to question his love after seeing Mark’s explosive temper first hand.
Okay, so I’ve already admitted my love for the past. So what if you throw in another favourite element? Australia. <swoon>
So I will be counting down the days to this one too. Walkabout will be out in a couple of weeks, and then we will be waiting for #3. Am I the only one who wishes authors could write faster?
Pre-order from Dreamspinner here.
Jack's website here.
Jack's FB here.