Well...we have an update....sort of

After all the hoopla of waiting for my daughter's appointment with yet another neurosurgeon, we still don't have any concrete answers. Since this was only a "consult", I'm not sure I expected any. But I could always hope.

The next step is the angiogram to determine the specific treatment option for my daughter's bubble in her brain. Of course, we now have to "wait" (I really hate that word) for the insurance authorization for the procedure before we can proceed.

According to the doctor, we're looking at three possible scenerios, a coil, a clip, or a bypass. I'm praying for the first, would settle for the second, and don't want the third -- but we'll take it if that's the only option.

So, to take my mind off my troubles (kind of like hitting your finger with a hammer to take your mind off a stubbed toe) -- I sent out a handful of agent queries at the end of last week. The rejections have been coming in fast and furious.

PI's Cyber Tour welcomes Alexis Fleming!

PANDEMONIUM

The love doctor is in…but can he take a dose of his own medicine?
Pan, the Arcadian god of lust and magic, has had enough of his restricted existence hidden away on Arcadia. When Cupid, the Greek god of love, suggests he live on Earth, Pan decides to give it a go.

Pan establishes himself as the luuuuuv doctor and announcer for a nighttime romantic music slot with a local radio station. He plays his pan-pipes, enthralling all who listen. Cupid warns Pan that his days of playing fast and loose with women’s emotions are numbered. Sure enough, Pan meets Kris, the woman who takes him to task. The leather-wearing, Harley-riding, hard-ass psychologist has her own agenda, and it doesn’t include him. Before he knows what’s happening, she has turned the table on the god, and he’s smitten.

Kris is exactly the right medication, the perfect dose for the nomadic God of Lust, who has finally found a love of his own.
~~~

Who says Cupid has to confine himself to one day of the year?
PANDEMONIUM, co-authored with Lyn Cash, is the second story in the Sexy Mythconception series from Total-e-bound Publishing.


Publisher: Total-e-bound Publishing
Genre Lust Bites/Contemporary/Paranormal
ISBN# 978-1-906590-53-6

Buy link : http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=gov76b251776&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=269

Excerpt: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=gov76b251776&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=269


Links:

Website : http://www.alexisfleming.net
Blog : http://www.alexisfleming.net/blog
My Space : http://www.myspace.com/alexisfleming
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlexisFlemingandFriends



ABOUT ALEXIS

Alexis Fleming is one of those strange people who live inside their mind. No, she doesn’t hear little voices... Well, she does, just not the type you're thinking of. Alexis’ world is peopled with interesting characters and exciting possibilities that come to life in each and every book she writes. Her first love has always been romance, whether on this world or the next. Hot, sizzling relationships with a dash of comedy and a few trials and tribulations thrown in to test her characters.

When she’s not tied to her computer creating sizzling stories to tempt her readers, she helps run a busy motel set on the edge of a national marine park in Australia. What better place to get inspiration for the tales she turns out? A glorious sunset over the ocean, dolphins playing almost in her front yard, suntanned bodies lazing on the sand... How could she not get caught up in the eroticism of that?


In which of your books is the heroine most like yourself?
I hate to admit it but I think there’s a little bit of me in every book I write. I guess it comes back to that ‘write what you know’ thing. I pull on situations I’ve been in or emotions I’ve experienced to flesh out my characters. Not consciously, but when I read over what I’ve written, I’m able to track it back to something that has happened in my life.

Then there’s the fact that most of my heroines are quirky, weird, irreverent, sassy-mouthed, fiercely loyal, and just plain crazy at times. Lol Guess you could say that’s me to a large degree.


Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?
I think inspiration is all around us if only we open ourselves up to it. Stud Finders Incorporated came into being because I walked into my friend’s house and saw a little black stud finder machine sitting on her kitchen bench. A Handyman’s Best tool was the result of a leak in my living room ceiling during a summer downpour. The simplest things can trigger a story.

Then there’s the dreams. Lol I often dream up story ideas. My husband has gotten used to me jumping out of bed in the middle of the night because I had a dream that just had to be written down.


Pantzer or Plotter?
I’m a little bit of both, I think. I usually have the beginning and the end of the book, a fair idea of my characters, and then I just sit down and write. Once I get to the end of chapter three I tend to stop and do some plotting, but even then, I can go off track. Sometimes the story just takes off and I have no choice but to go with it. Amazing what can come up when that happens.

What's your writing schedule like?
*groan* I have a shocking writing schedule. In my other life, I help run a busy 34 room motel situated on the edge of a national marine park in Australia. Running a motel can be pretty much a 24/7 job during the high tourist season and then I have to fit my writing in around that.

I get up at 5.30am, make a coffee, and then hit the computer until 7.30am when I start work in the motel. During the high season, I probably won’t get back to the computer until late in the day. Then I sit up until the early hours of the morning writing. Low season I get a bit more computer time during the day which is fantastic. Means I can sleep at night like normal people. lol

What does your writing space look like?
I am truly spoilt when it comes to my writing space. We have a three bedroom residence above reception and I’ve taken over one of the bedrooms for an office. Thank God it’s a big room, because it does tend to get cluttered at times. Two walls are filled with bookcases. What books don’t fit on the shelves get packed into cane baskets and lined up underneath the shelves. One end of the office is taken up with my desk and filing cabinets, and my jewelry-making worktable. Then there’s the wall-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that open out onto a balcony, and the two tub chairs placed strategically in front of the doors so I can see out over fabulous Jervis Bay. Nothing nicer when I need a break than sitting there watching the sea. Jervis Bay is a national marine park and if I’m really lucky, I can see the dolphins playing in the water just opposite my balcony.


What is the strangest thing anyone has said to you about your writing (if it has happened)?
Being accused of selling porn along with the bacon and eggs.
We had an old lady staying here, and once I’d been outed at the Motelier who wrote “dirty” books (the journalist’s words, not mine), my hubby started putting one of my bookmarks on the breakfasts trays before they went out. This old dear ate her breakfast, which I had cook with my loving hands, and then checked out. The next thing I knew, the police were coming to call. She’d reported me for selling porn. Lol The police officer about cracked it when he realized what it was all about. In fact, he wanted to buy a couple of my books for his wife.

What does your family think about you writing erotic romance?
I’m very fortunate in that my husband doesn’t have a problem with me writing erotic romance, although he does occasionally want to know where I got a certain idea from. My son doesn’t like his fiancée to read my books. He says it’s like having his mom in the bedroom with him. lol
My daughter is a published author in her own right, so is the most supportive of her mother because she knows what it’s like. And it’s way kewl to have someone there on the end of the phone when I want to discuss a scene. Freaks our partners out a bit though when we discuss sex scenes.

What do you wear while you're writing?
If I could, I’d probably slouch around all day in my nightie. Or alternatively, nothing but a sarong. Lol

Given that’s not possible because I might have to go down to answer the bell in reception at any moment, I’m usually in my work uniform of polo shirt and cargo pants. Sorry, no feather boas and diamonds for this writer.

Saturday Follies...(ramblings and a review)

It's my first full day without the boys. I cried when they all pulled out of the driveway last night after dinner.

Yesterday, between packing and preparing, I made it to the library and wrote the short synopsis and polished up my query letter for Siren Song. When I got home, I e-queried a few agents (I started with the ones who only wanted a query letter) and in record time, I got my first rejection (sigh). So, I started a database to keep track of all my agent submissions.

This morning, I fired up the computer at 6:30 am (I really am a morning person unless I'm forced to get up) began our weekly software updates. In between loading a service pack and a virus signature update, I typed up a bit of my synopsis.

Then, I checked my e-mail. What a lovely surprise! Another review for To Catch a Casanova. This one is from Willow Rayne at Dark Angel Reviews. My story got 4 Pixies and this is what Willow had to say:

"It had the perfect amount of passion, romance, and 'what ifs' to keep me engaged and eager to find out the ending. Ericka Scott is a wonderful author..."

Click here if you'd like to read the whole review. The link to To Catch a Casanova will go live on 1 July.

Now, I'm back to finishing up the synopsis and writing. Heck, with all the time on my hands, I may even get my newsletter out on time at the end of the month! Wooohooo!

It's Friday!

And I'm blogging over at Divas of the Dark!

Dark Diva Review for To Catch a Casanova

What a thrilling surprise to get 5 Delightful Divas in my e-mail today.

The Dark Divas reviewed To Catch a Casanova and here's a smidgen of what they had to say:

"Ericka Scott has written a sinfully sexy, delightful tale, that at times had me laughing and other times...well, it was hot!"

Click here if you'd like to read the whole review.

Hitting the Hot Spot

I'm Hitting the Hot Spot today, talking about making lemondade from the lemons life throws you. Stop by and find out how you can pick up a free short and sweet e-book!

Divas of the Dark

I'm over at Divas of the Dark talking about the longest day of the year, the summer solstice.

So, does that make me a Diva of the Light?

Book Promotion 101

How not to do it...

That Elusive Quest...

For love? For money? No...for the perfect website.

As you can see from my blog (and myspace, and a really bad instant change to my webpage), I'm updating my website...again. This could get really expensive if I didn't do it myself.

I'll be really egotistical, and assume that YOU, too, might want to build your own website using my method. Now, I'm sure there are easier ways these days (I've heard Wordpress is a breeze), but this is the way I know. So, I'm going to take you along on the ride.

Step One: HTML editor. I started my journey with NVu. This is a free HTML editor you can find at http://www.nvu.com (as with most free stuff, it has a few bugs). They have a new editor called KOMPOZER (which I haven't tried out yet) so what I illustrate here will be using NVu.

I'm not a computer geek, I'm just a really good "tweaker". I tried putting all the elements together in NVu and it was a disaster. I simply don't have the ability to compose an elegant site; however, I know what I like.

Step Two: - The Template So, I went out and looked at website templates (Warning! This stage can take a long time! So, make sure you budget accordingly).
There are lots of sites out there with templates (free and for purchase). Now, I know I'm going to make lots of changes, so I hate to buy one. But I'll list some of the sites I've looked in the past.

http://www.enchantingdesignz.com/ - if you write fantasy or love fairy/mermaid artwork, this is the site for you. The templates are reasonably priced and they also have some free ones you can download and use as is (or tweak).

http://www.csstemplateheaven.com/ - Dieter has some lovely classic, elegant, and artistic templates for sale. All of them are under $15. You can download them for free, but you don't get the PSD file (Free might be okay if you aren't planning on tweaking the layout much - for an example see www.pamskochinski.com)


Free templates: www.oswd.com (has over 2000 webtemplates, some are simple, some are simply stunning)

http://www.freecsstemplates.org/ : they also had a nice selection of templates.

I'm sure there are others, but these are the websites I select from.

Things to think about while selecting a templates is whether you want to use a header graphic (theirs or yours), a background graphic that stays fixed while the text floats (what size and shape is the graphic you want to use), and how much content you want/need. Do you want one, two, or three columns? The nice thing about free templates is that if you make a mistake, you haven't wasted any money.

So, your mission, if you chose to accept it, is to go out and select and download a template.

I'll talk about tweaking that template later this week.

Passionate Ink Cyber Tour welcomes Shelley Munro

Friends to lovers—it’s one of my favorite plot devices. I like reading Friends to Lovers stories and enjoy writing them. I love being able to jump straight into an intimate situation in the first few pages of a book. The characters are familiar with each other and have a history together. They might not realize they’re even attracted to each other until one pivotal moment that changes everything, or one of them might have developed feelings for the other over a period of time, agonizing about acting on them.

A relationship like this comes with problems: does the couple want this to be a one-time thing or do they want to play for keeps? What happens if the sex between them is so bad they destroy their friendship forever? Or what if one of the pair doesn’t feel the same way?

Yes, moving from friends to lovers is fraught with dilemmas for both parties.

In Lovers at Last Pearl and Justin are best friends. When Pearl’s current relationship fails, she seeks out Justin for comfort. Justin, who has wanted Pearl for a long time, decides it’s time to stake his claim.

Here’s the blurb:

Pearl’s master plan to catch a rich husband—results so far…A for effort, F for success.

Justin Collet wants way more than friendship from Pearl. He craves love, laughter and hot, down-and-dirty passion. A life partner. All he needs to do is convince Pearl.

A broken relationship, a few drinks and a string of pearls. Comforting Pearl takes a turn into carnal territory. Heat blossoms between them, fiery and consuming. Sweet kisses inflame and erotic whispers tempt. It’s all or nothing for Justin as he seduces Pearl into agreeing they’re lovers at last.


Where did you get the idea for your latest book?
Lovers at Last is part of Ellora’s Cave Gemstone series and is a pearl story. The pearls play a large part in the story and bring the hero and heroine together. I took one of my favorite plots, that of friends and lovers, added in the pearls and came up with a couple who knew each other well. The first scene popped into my head and the story came from there.

What makes a hero for you? Do you see them on the street, or are they simply in your head?
In short, my heroes come from my imagination rather than a real person. I have a liking for tall and dark heroes and usually start off with those two characteristics, although I have written a few blond heroes. Most of my heroes also seem to be on the alpha side and are heroic in the sense that they never abuse their position and bully those weaker than themselves.

What’s your writing schedule like?
I write full time and treat my writing like an office job, working set hours. I set myself a writing target for each day and also fit in promo and other writing related activities such as blogging, correspondence and maintaining my website. I think I work harder now than I ever used to!

What does your writing space look like?
In a word—messy! I do try to tidy up a little between books but while I’m writing I like to keep my reference books and notes, my dictionary and thesaurus close at hand. I also have a pile of promo related stuff on my desk and of course, I can’t get by without my calendar that lists my schedule for the month.

And the most important question: What’s your favorite snack or beverage while you’re hard at work?

I don’t usually snack or drink while writing, not when I’m in the zone. If I’m procrastinating I find myself making cups of tea all the time, but otherwise I’m write for several hours and make myself a cup of tea or coffee while I take a break.

Adventure into Romance
with Shelley Munro

Thanks Shelley! Below are some links to find out more about this talented author!


website: http://www.shelleymunro.com
blog: http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/shelleymunro
Dynamic Trio: http://www.dynamicthree.com
Danger Zone: http://www.dangerzoneauthors.com
Buy book: http://www.ellorascave.com/AuthorsBooks.asp?AuthorCode=SMu
Excerpt: http://www.shelleymunro.com/books/lovers-at-last

Divas of the Dark

I'm at Divas of the Dark today, blogging about Paraskavedekatriaphobia!

Blog Schedule

I'm out and about blogging in the upcoming months:

Every Friday, starting on Friday the 13th, you can find me at Divas of the Dark where I'll be blogging with some really esteemed ladies of the night: Cynthia Eden, Emma Petersen, Tawny Taylor, Yolanda Stefsos, T.J. Michaels, Eliza Gayle, Leila Brown, Cathy Clamp, C.T. Adams, and Sable Grey

On the 7th of each month, I'm over at RomErotica Writers

On the 24th of each month, I'm Hitting the Hot Spot

You can also find me blogging about vampires at The Vampire Oracle and
chatting about my adventures in writing at the Cobblestone Press Author Blog.

First Cover Art Assignment

Just posting this to get a url....

Needless to say, this is why I'm not a cover artist!

The Cobblestone Press Birthday Bash

Come on over to Main Street today through June 8th and help Cobblestone Press celebrate their second birthday! There's lots to do, Cover Art Madness (Sable's giving a hands-on course in creating cover art), Memory Lane, and lots of author contests!

The hand of God

Or in this case...the fist of God (almost literally).

I don't often blog about personal details of mine or my family's lives, but in this case....well, it's one of those stranger than fiction sagas that leave me in awe of how things work out. I do believe in karma and try to give more than I take. And although I believe in God, I, for one, don't believe that SHE meddles personally in people's lives. She created us, gave us free will, and left us to do the best we can. But this incident has left me wondering.

I have a 14 year old daughter who's been plagued by a variety of symptoms since she was little. Headaches, ADD, short-term memory loss (mostly about turning in her homework, hmmmm), odd shaped retinas, teenage angst (she's seeing a counselor and on medication), seeing shadows (is she paranormally sensitive?) and high blood pressure (also on medication). We've taken her to the Dr. to deal with all of them, especially the headaches which were timed for months and determined to have a 28 day cycle (and assumed to be related to her menses).

Then two weeks ago, one of our neighbors died suddenly. It was thought that he committed suicide. Well, it upset my daughter to the point where she excused herself from class one day to cry in the bathroom. Unfortunately, she didn't let her teacher know, so since she didn't make it to class, she was declared "truant" and sentenced to Saturday school.

That was this past Saturday. Concidently, a guy who had been teasing her was also in Saturday school. Throughout the morning, the teasing escalated into some name-calling, pushing, shoving, slapping, and finally a knock-out punch! My daughter (who was just as much to blame as she slapped him first) was taken to the hospital and given a CAT scan.

The diagnosis -- no issues from the fight AND a possible brain tumor. A craniopharyngioma. Scary shit. A brain stem cancer that's benign but malignant all the same breath. Wonderful!

My world slowed to a stop. Everything I thought was important is now so insignificant compared to this.

A trip to our Pediatrician yesterday resulted in an emergency MRI last night. Then, a call today -- the radiologist needed yet another diagnostic test as the MRI didn't quite agree with the CT scan. Okay. Not knowing what that meant, we rushed to the laboratory for blood work and then a three-hour wait for the machine as they had to work us into the already full schedule.

After the test was done, we rushed back to the Dr's office to discuss the findings. What a difference 20 minutes can make. The diagnosis is still scary (an old calcified anuerism in her right temporal lobe), but nothing compared to the original CT diagnosis of a brain stem cancer. We see a neurosurgeon tomorrow to discuss the options.

This explains soooo many of her symptoms, all treated by so many different doctors and never strung together to make a diagnosis strong enough to warranty a brain scan. Which leads me to wonder if we would have EVER found this without the fist fight -- until it was too late? I doubt it.

I feel like our family has been touched by the hand of God.