New Contract - New Title - New Publisher

It's like the first -- for those who are authors they know - it never gets old. Every new contract is as wonderful as the first. It validates your credibility as an author, it gives you reason to believe in yourself once again. You can make paper airplanes out of all those rejection letters and send them winging off into the wild blue yonder. Okay, here's the scoop...
Crimson Moth (a new publisher) has accepted Fury of Fire: A Woman Scorned for publication in September 2009.
The cover art completed already by one of the best - for now I'll just call him "R"
You'll see why I want to keep him all for myself {grin}

Here's a blurb about the upcoming book - I'm looking for pre-publication reviewers- if you're interested please email me at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com.
Fury of Fire: A Woman Scorned

Jo-Ellen is finally stabilized and able to speak with Detective Sam Levine. Her ex-husband, Roy Pardena, now becomes a person of interest, with means motive, and opportunity. Conflicting stories develop about the other suspects now with Jo-Ellen's perspective added to the mix.

A visit with the alluring Candy Price opens new insights into the animosity and trouble brewing at Thunder Ride that Detective, Sam Levine, didn't know about before.

Changes

When you live in Northern Wisconsin you expect changes (winter/spring/winter) rain/snow/rain I love it.

When you are a writer you expect changes. Some publishers open doors others close theirs. One of my publishers will be closing their doors at the end of the month. I'm very sad to see Forbidden Publications going by way of the also rans.

Irish Whiskey - that just came out late last month with them and Inferno which was scheduled to release the 5th will not be released. Two others which were contracted by them will also be looking for a new home.

It's never ending this submission/rejection/acceptance route in this business. As an author one must have a calloused and turtle shell psyche, other wise I'm afraid we would all just give up.

But, you know what they say, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Time to pull up the bootstraps and dig in for yet another round.

Meantime you can still find Cricket releases on Erotique or Red Rose or Siren/Bookstrand--so come on up and see me some time! (Special Thanks to Mae West - "She Always Knew How" a bibliography by Charlotte Chandler (and Mae's verve.)

Nathan and Cyan - Valentine's Day Romance

What would my characters do on Valentine's Day?

Nathan and Cyan are an unusual couple. They went to fetch their property from across the country from their other lives only to wind up nearly picked up by a tornado.

They seem to get caught up in the most unlikely and passionate interchanges possible. Could a barn fire and subsequent rescue be a Valentine sortéé or would they prefer to find their passion explode on the dance floor of the set for Dirty Dancing?

I think a roller coaster ride could be in order. I would imagine Cyan would find that just dangerous enough to give her libido a kick in the wherever. Once you read the story, I’m sure you will wonder where Blue Interlude will take you next. Watch for it coming soon from Erotique.
Dark Thunder Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm
www.cricket-sawyer.com
http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com
www.cricketsawyerinfo.com
Valentine Express Buy Link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm
Jeff’s words: Rule Number One: To be successful selling books, or anything for that matter, is to have a desire to succeed.

Rule Number Two: Go out and do it.

Erotic Romance, or Christian Romance, or...

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be for couples, but if you are a writer – why not give yourself a gift or ask your significant other to buy that in lieu of chocolates. Guaranteed these books will not add to your waist line. They just might give you some new ideas, for both writing and personal use. {grin} Below you will find some from my arsenal. I have shelves and shelves of how to books.

I was perusing my writing romance books for a writer’s group I founded and host once a month in my home. These writers are in various stages of discovering they want to write. Some haven’t decided what genre yet, some write sermons, or lesson plans and want to do more. Some are into genealogy and creative non-fiction, yet there are those who want to write mystery, suspense, plays, screen plays, Young Adult, Thriller and yes even romance. While most of these books would be appropriate for all of them. I think I would have to keep those below that deal with the erotic to myself. They are all full of good methods for writing however – so don’t shy away from a how to book just because it isn’t your genre.

I have found I learn from every manual I read.

How to Write Romance for the New Markets, by Kathryn Falk
Writing the Christian Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin
Writing Romances, A Handbook by the Romance Writers of America, Edited by Rita Gallagher, and Rita Clay Estrada
Writing a romance novel for Dummies by Leslie Wainger
The Easy Way to Write Romance, by Rob Parnell
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to: Getting Your Romance Published, by Julie Beard
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing Erotic Romance, by Alison Kent
Secret Sexual Positions, Ancient Techniques for Modern Lover’s by Kenneth Ray Stubbs, Ph D
Extraordinary Sex Now, by Dr. Sandra R Scantling
The Bald-Headed Hermit and the Artichoke, an Erotic Thesaurus. By A.D. Peterkin. “Entertaining and very funny,” says Hustler Magazine.
Just so you know A. D. Peterkin is a Toronto psychiatrist and journalist. Kind of makes you wonder what beat he covers.
But if you are bored with the trite and over-used check this book out.
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Time Flies and Turtles Take One Step at a Time

Sometimes when you are in Turtle mode you get there, eventually mean time you may miss out on a whole lot... So,for today I'll be in time mode and fly over here to say - HEY!

Oh! Oh! Oh! Would you believe Blue Interlude is in edits -- it won't be long before you will get an eye full of Cyan and her blue-eyed hunk. Can you imagine getting stuck in a tornado in a root cellar in the middle of Oklahoma? If it was with a hunk to die for you wouldn't really mind would you? What if his Camaro wound up deposited in a tree by the same tornado? (shhh, I don't want to give it all away--but if you thought Darien was a dark knight in search of a love story- wait until you meet...Nathan {VEG}

========================
Did you get your VALENTINE BUNDLE YET? If not you better hurry Valentines Day is only two days away and I wouldn't want you to miss out. Here is the information again.

Extra, Extra – Special Valentine Bundle Sale
VALENTINE BUNDLE
In celebration of Valentine’s Day
From now until February 14, 2009

Buy either
Angeni from Red Rose Publishing OR Dark Thunder from Erotique Press

(Angeni –The e-book edition available now.
Dark Thunder is available in Print or e-book now.)

And as a Bonus from the author, Cricket Sawyer, receive:
1. Valentine Express (Erotique Download)

2. Hunks and Hero’s from the Valentine Express Booklet (PDF file)

3. Spaghetti Variations Cook Book (PDF file)

4. Angeni Book Marks (PDF printable file)

Send your proof of purchase to Cricket at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com and she will send you your bonus items. Hurry while all the items are still available. Do it Now while you are thinking of it before the offer disappears.

ANGENI Buy Link
http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=357

Angeni weaves her web to entangle evil in its own cocoon of destruction. Shape-shifter, singer, protector her life is in turmoil, is Kaus Borealis soul mate or an evil that won’t be trapped?


DARK THUNDER Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm


Dark edgy romance, a vulnerable woman plucked from a loveless marriage. Saved, she thinks, by her dark knight. The dark knight becomes a dark warrior with problems of his own. Sucked into a spiral of bizarre behavior and terrifying consequences, she soon realizes what her vulnerability has cost her. Is there a way out?

"All men by nature desire to know"

Aristotle knows - curiosity is a natural thing. We want to know everything about everything. Aristotle believed philosophy should be studied in a precise order. Learning logic allows us to explain how facts about the world relate to each other. He actually developed the theory of syllogisms - you probably remember :

All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal

That represents the sequence of logical thought.

After logic Aristotle says Science - or natural phenomena should be next and the final study should be practical philosophy which includes ethics and politics. Putting those two words in the same sentence seems a bit - well, like an oxymoron.
Ethics - combined as it should be with politics, does it ever? We can always hope.

Mean time Arie would make a good hero in my next novel perhaps - he was a very clear thinker - does that go with love? lust? or sex? Perhaps not. Does logic come into play in these circumstances? Perhaps not. Ethics? Politics? well maybe politics...
Some food for thought non-the-less.

www.cricket-sawyer.com
Valentine Express Buy Link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-ve.htm

Celeste Returns

I love writing about eras past when men were men and the women who loved them were strong and courageous. In a historical, the author can choose to write about any time and place in history and stretch her/his imagination when it comes to romance and love.
I began writing sensual historicals six years ago and gradually branched out to steamier, sexier novels. I write erotica for several publishers (under a secretive pen name –I have kids, you know) and will soon have my first M/M short story released by Phaze. Oh-oh, fasten your seatbelts!

As promised here is the word on her other recently released book:

Sojourn With A Stranger is a historical/paranormal. Raine Brinsley’s parents drowned at sea on their journey to Norfolk, VA. Destitute, she must seek employment and finds a position as a house servant at Stafford House. She soon discovers there’s a ghost on the loose in the manor, and she’d like to help her find the woman’s killer, but she’s too busy fending off advances from the Lord of the Manor.
======================
Now back to the questions for Celeste…
=====================
7. What genre or sub-genre do you write? Why did you choose this genre?

Generally, I write historical romance (spicy or erotic) but somehow an element of paranormal worms its way into all my novels. I like the ingenuity of paranormal, the suspended belief concept. Anything can happen in a paranormal – ghosts, time-travel, shapeshifting, and let’s not forget vampires and werewolves.

8. What difficulty does writing this genre present?

For historical, your research must be very accurate. Readers are very astute and will call you on mistakes. My editor recently caught an oversight in my latest novel. I had referred to a book in the novel only to find out the book hadn’t been published until two years later. OOPS! Thank goodness for editors.

9. How much time do you devote to writing each day?

At least five hours, and then another three answering e-mails, promoting and marketing.

10. Tell us about your other works, books, stories, etc.

Presently, I’m working on a pirate historical and tossing around a Highland warrior novel. And there have been readers asking for a sequel to Where The Rain Is Made, my time-travel, shapeshifter book. Hmm, this is going to take some heavy plotting.

11. What are you working on now?

I also write under a pen name for Siren, Phaze, Ravenous and Noble Romance, so I always have at least three or four stories going at one time. Have to keep my publisher happy, you know.
Happy reading!
K. Celeste Bryan
kcelestebryan@aol.com
http://www.kcelestebryan.com
http://katskwipsandrants.blogspot.com/ (Kat’s Kwips and Rants Blog)

And if that wasn’t enough for you come back tomorrow and get the nitty gritty on what this lady reads in her “spare” (I use that word lightly) time. She may surprise you…

Auctioned Bride is live...

AUCTIONED BRIDE
Victoria Chapman

Erotic Romance: Contemporary, Interracial/Multicultural
ISBN: 978-1-60435-281-8
Cover Artist: Shirley Burnett
Editor: Lara Parker
Word Count: 60,870
Release Date: January 15, 2009


Who will win the battle and who is going to win the war?

When Kathy Adams finds herself alone in a deserted building during a hurricane, the last thing she expects is to run into a stranger in the dark. He turns out to be a Peruvian billionaire who takes one look at her in the glare of his flashlight, and decides to add her to his collection of pretty toys. He offers her a dream job on his private island in the Caribbean, and their seduction dance begins.

He is handsome, arrogant, and thinks that every woman has a price. And she's a girl who won't be bought. She wants the real thing—she wants love. Paul Andros doesn't know the meaning of the word.

Kathy is falling for him against her better judgment, every instinct telling her to run. She'd never met his type of man before. Exciting, volatile and always in control. He uses sex as a weapon to leave her weak at the knees.

After one of their many fights, he bids for her at a charity auction, and pays three million dollars to teach her a lesson. The farm girl from Iowa, and the Inca King from Peru wage their final battle on their wedding night and find love and passion strong enough to bridge their differences.

Can hate turn to love? Find out if the Auctioned Bride…

Chat With Cricket about Spider Island

The chat room is live see the icon on the top right? Come on in for your chance to win:
1.Shield earrings to protect you from the Islands powers
2. Cross stitch book marks as delicate as the spider's web
3. Unicorn - tiny but powerful to take you away from this Island of Amazons
4. a PDF of Valentine Express to make you dream of Love and Romance and better times
All you have to do is comment - and please be sure I have a way to contact you if you win.
Catch you later in the Chat room I hope.
Cricket

SPIDER ISLAND - Release Date January 13

Come join me in the chat room All Day January 13, 2009 Prizes awarded on the hour - sign in - if your name appears in that hour you are in the drawing for some nice prizes = )
SPIDER ISLAND
By Cricket Sawyer
ISBN; 1-60601-203-7
Publisher: Siren/BookStrand
Release Date: January 13, 2009

Chief Storm felt the fog seep into every crevice on the boat penetrating even the clothing he wore. It was thicker, heavier; more charged then anything he had ever encountered. Silence so loud it engulfed them; he couldn’t hear the water lapping at the boat. Even the men's voices a few feet away seemed inaudible, like the air canceled sound completely as they slipped slowly under the fog and were swallowed up by it.

It wasn't named Spider Island. It had, I thought, an enticing romantic sounding name. Maizley Ortiz, poetic--almost--But then...

There is no escape from the beautiful tropical island Maizely Ortiz in the middle of Lake Superior. It defies detection and Siren-like, lures men into her embrace. Lady Belize plans world domination with a superior race of women using captured male specimens as the sperm bank for her chosen women.

Valentine Bundle Sale

Extra, Extra – Special Valentine Bundle Sale
VALENTINE BUNDLE
In celebration of Valentine’s Day
From now until February 14, 2009

Buy either
Angeni from Red Rose Publishing OR Dark Thunder from Erotique Press

(Angeni The e-book edition available now.
Dark Thunder is available in Print or e-book now.)

And as a Bonus from the author, Cricket Sawyer, receive:
1. Valentine Express (Erotique Download)

2. Hunks and Hero’s from the Valentine Express Booklet (PDF file)

3. Spaghetti Variations Cook Book (PDF file)

4. Angeni Book Marks (PDF printable file)

Send your proof of purchase to Cricket at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com and she will send you your bonus items. Hurry while all the items are still available. Do it Now while you are thinking of it before the offer disappears.

ANGENI Buy Link
http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=357

Angeni weaves her web to entangle evil in its own cocoon of destruction. Shape-shifter, singer, protector her life is in turmoil, is Kaus Borealis soul mate or an evil that won’t be trapped?


DARK THUNDER Buy link
http://www.erotiquepress.com/direct/buy-erp-cs-dt.htm


Dark edgy romance, a vulnerable woman plucked from a loveless marriage. Saved, she thinks, by her dark knight. The dark knight becomes a dark warrior with problems of his own. Sucked into a spiral of bizarre behavior and terrifying consequences, she soon realizes what her vulnerability has cost her. Is there a way out?

Prolific Writers - Are You One?

So you think you write a lot — How many books have you written? As a reader, how many books do you read a month?

Barbara Cartland, who my college Women’s Lit Instructor disliked intensely, wrote a stunning 723 books and made the Guinness Book of World Records for her efforts. She wrote a novel in one or two weeks. The critics say she actually didn’t write them she dictated them to her secretaries and they typed them up. I beg to differ with them. It was her creative genius that dreamt them up in the first place. If she hadn’t dictated them would each of her secretaries have written a best seller and had them published?

I take issue with the big name authors who have an understudy of sorts write from their outline and create a book for the named author. I see James Patterson and a few others are finally listing those as co-authors on the covers of their books. But now does that make them author of those books or the co-author? Who gets to count coup – will Patterson have 300 books because of their efforts or will he let them count those as their own?

Isaac Asimov wrote over 200 books, by himself – he then, in my humble opinion, especially with all the special issues Sci Fi authors face, was a prolific writer.

Georges Simenon wrote 400 books each book took him eleven straight days of writing. I’m sure he took food breaks and a nap break here and there – but that’s profound. Imagine fellow NaNoWriMo authors if you could write a novel in 30 days, why not one in eleven days?
How many words a day would that be? Approximately 4,500 words a day. Hey you could do that couldn’t you? {smile}

So write like the wind, read like a Tsunami and perhaps you will earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for your effort. After NaNoWriMo I’m sure many of you are thinking you deserve at least that commendation. I am proud of those of you who tried, even if you didn’t finish. And I am doubly proud of those who did – included in that my own daughter who finished her novel at just under 54,000 words ahead of the deadline. GO BECKIE!

www.Cricket-Sawyer.com

Coming Soon! Inferno From Forbidden Publishing

Forward for Inferno

When an author re-reads something they have written long ago it’s sometimes very disconcerting, at least I thought so. I thought I was the only one who looked at my once written, even once published books and thought, oh my good gracious how could I have let that go as a publishable piece? I don’t feel so bad any more after reading this from Aldous Huxley (Brave New World 1932 among other novels) This was in the revised/republished 1946 edition of Brave New World. “…Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment….”

He goes on more eloquently but it boils down to what we both feel after pouring over the short comings of a novel written at a younger more inexperienced time in an attempt to patch a faulty piece into a perfect masterpiece. That particular piece having missed that mark the first time around—should be repaired to a place where growth had taken me. To spend time trying to mend the artistic sins committed by that different person, the person I was then—is surely vain and futile. Its defect may be part of its charm.

I could rewrite the whole book as an older, perhaps wiser, other person. What might happen then though is I probably would get rid not only of some of the faults of the story, but also rid it of some of its merits as it originally possessed them.

So, resisting the temptation to wallow in artistic remorse, I leave well and ill alone and move on to ‘next’ with what I have learned and am able to create in my next novel, with much thanks to Aldous Huxley for making me feel less alone and imperfect.


Cricket Sawyer
www.cricket-sawyer.com
Forbidden Publishing.com

Don't Wait For Your Ship to Come in Swim out to it!

In my morning reading today I came across this quote by Jonathan Winters: "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it."
There was another a day or too earlier that said something, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." Abraham Lincoln.

In other words, the only thing that will create success, or create that book you've been waiting to write, or create some other printed words you dream to have written, is ACTION. There is no way around it if you don't put your butt in a chair and write - you will never publish a word. You need to banish all fear of failing, of making a mistake -- mistakes are the lessons of life.

This Frank and Ernest cartoon strip says it all. Frank is at the counter at an employment office he has a long long sheet of paper he is apparently reading from to the guy who is taking his application. The caption says--"I don't have any formal education so I brought you a list of the mistakes I've learned from."

Feel the fear and do it anyway is almost a buzz word nowadays, but it's absolute truth. Do not be afraid of mistakes, no one is perfect. Perfectionism will stall you in your tracks. Not that you should adopt a careless, reckless, not-give-a-darn attitude. You should do the best that you can do with what you have at this very moment and let the rest happen.

"You can never learn less; you can only learn more. The reason I know so much is because I have made so many mistakes," says Buckminster Fuller (a mathematician and philosopher who never graduated from college but received 46 honorary doctorates.

Imagine!
Write Like The Wind
Billie/Cricket
Lavender Lust
ISBN 1-60601-136-7
Dark Thunder
ISBN 1-59080-597-6
978-1-59080-597-8
www.cricket-sawyer.com

It's lonely in here!

Where is everybody - there must be a glitch in the system - I've been here watching it rain on my parade = )
Not to worry there is always a rainbow after a storm. Hey a tidbit about Lavender/Purple -- Shades of purple have been used to help calm people with nervous or mental imbalances. Purple is a color of transformation at the deep level. A very spiritual color, it is traditionally worn by the clergy and denotes spiritual peace and awareness.

To calm you, place a piece of purple velvet across your brow and relax to soft music. What have you got to lose but your anxiety.

Unfortunately, purple had the opposite affects on Lavender Page in Lavender Lust
Stay tuned for an excerpt.

Release Party - September 30, 2008

Hear ye! Hear ye! Cricket Sawyer - Lavender Lust - Bookstrand


IT’S A PARTY AND YOU’RE INVITED!
RELEASE DAY PARTY FOR

LAVENDER LUST ISBN 1-60601-136-7
By Cricket Sawyer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RFv1VugU1s

Release date: SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Men from the Recreation League basketball team Are dying one after the other. Each of them Murdered. Each corpse has the serial killer’s signature of a Purple feather. And fledgling psychic Heather Highmark sees something no one else can see…
Purple haze floats above each of the victims A face appears in it—who is it? She needs To find out, her life, her brother Roy or her Lover Langdon Cruise could be the next Victim of the Purple Feather Murderer.

It’s Time for a Party to celebrate!
Come join me at Cricket’s Hearth on Tuesday, September 30
All day – prizes galore, excerpts and more…
http://cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Order your copy of Lavender Lust ISBN 1-60601-136-7 from
Siren/Bookstrand (http://www.sirenbookstrand.com )and send me your receipt for a Chance to win the grand prize of an uncut lavender/ Amethyst stone or a join in the festivities to win a Dream catcher key chain— or one of many other Prizes to be given away. To see more of the prizes visit
Cricket’s website at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com
Then join the fun at the Hearth on September 30, 2008
http://www.cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Do the jigsaw puzzle of the cover —the fastest time will win a download copy of The Great White Bull—a paranormal erotic romantic suspense. You’ll find the jigsaw puzzles at
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com/PUZZLES

send me your time for doing the Lavender Lust cover – you have a chance between midnight September 29 to midnight September 30 — I will take the fastest time from all players – if there is a tie I will draw a winner.

California's Burning, The midwest is in hot. humid flooding conditions

and Forbidden Press has just sent me a contract for Inferno - If that doesn't crank up the heat nothing will. Can you say I'm jumping and doing a snoopy dance. Well if it wasn't so hot I would be {grin} I'm looking forward to getting to work on this one with the editors from Forbidden. I don't have a release date yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

And it won't be long before Lavender Lust hits the stands from Siren/BookStrand - October sounds like forever away - but you know by the time the 4th of July is done -- so is summer just about, or so it seems.

So stay tuned for more news from this author
Cricket Sawyer,
Accidental Sleuths,
Incidental Romance,
Heat Index~~Inferno