Happy Monday, All!

I’m only a little bit behind today. Apologies this is going up late. I’ve got a book due in about 8 days and I spent the weekend away writing. Got home late last night but the good news is I’m two pages away from THE END. After that, I have to cut about 10,000 words (Oy, I tend to be long winded) but I’d much rather cut than add. So I figure I’m doing good.

Which brings me to the topic of tears. Why tears, you ask? Because I shed quite a few over the weekend and it’s been on my mind. You see, I’m not a big crier. In fact, I rarely cry unless I’m really upset or hurt. Oh, I get emotional watching a Hallmark commercial like the next woman, but real tears? Doesn’t happen here very often. The last time I cried was probably when I got out of the hospital last summer after having Toxic Shock. Cried a lot when I got home because real life was just so much harder than I’d remembered. (Who knew just walking up the stairs could turn me into a puddle of goo?) So to wring some tears out of me takes quite a bit.

Books rarely make me cry. I think it’s because I generally only read things that end well and even when the situation is dire and things look impossible for the main characters, I know the happy ending is right around the corner. As a writer, I love it when people say I made them cry reading one of my books. (Yes, this is me being a hypocrit here), but I have never EVER cried while writing one of my own books. Until this weekend.

TEMPTED is the third book in my new Eternal Guardians Series. The hero is dark, tortured, cruel and angsty. He shows up in MARKED (book 1) and ENTWINED (book 2) but book 3 (his book) is really where you get to know why he does the (awful) things he does. The heroine is rather mousy at the beginning of the series but does a total 180 by the end of the third book, and what made me cry most (I think) was the shift from his being in control of everything for so long in the first three books, to her doing it by the end. I love it when a heroine comes into who she is meant to be. That whole empowerment of women thing gets me every time. And when she was the one who’d had to overcome so much and still ends up saving the day? Yeah. It got to me. As the author, *I* knew the happy ending was coming, and yet I still cried. A lot. First time ever for me.

To you cry reading books? Do you cry even reading a romance when you know the happy ending is coming? What does it take to wrench some tears out of you?

Hi everyone,

Beyond the Shadows released at the beginning of the month, and it’s in bookstores now. I really loved writing this book. It was so exciting and entertaining to write, but half of what made this book so much fun for me was the fact that the hero is such a bad bad boy.

Here’s the blurb.

A man of deception. A woman of justice. Can their fragile trust be strong enough to prevent a war?

Commander Yara knows perfect leadership requires perfect control and discipline. She has spent years living without the distraction of caring for anything—or anyone. It’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make. Yara has honed herself into the perfect heir to the Azralen throne, but a bloody coup could destroy everything she’s worked so hard for. She must return home to prevent war. Unfortunately the only ship available belongs to an Earthlen trader with no regard for authority—especially hers.

Cyn is a rebel, driven to protect those suffering at the hands of the Elite leaders of Azra. Using his alias to manipulate the lovely but icy commander onto his ship, he has to keep her from Azra long enough to ignite the revolution. But when he awakens a vibrant and feeling woman beneath that hard exterior, he gets more than he bargained for—love. He must find a way to convince Yara to join him, before they get caught in a web of deception that could tear their world apart.

When I first conceived the character of Cyn, he spoke directly into my mind just as his name finally dawned on me. And with that name, I knew I had a devil in the flesh on my hands. Smart, witty, charming, and a deadly rogue, Cyn is a bad boy. He’s such an unrepentant bad boy, I felt like I was mentally wrestling with him through the whole book. In fact, much of Yara’s unimpressed attitude toward him was a direct transfusion of my personal feelings of annoyance with the character, but man did he turn me on.

What is it about the bad boy? Why can’t I resist him? He can lie, cheat, steal, and I love him for it more. But I can’t help thinking, this is my hero. He should act heroic, shouldn’t he? Well, yes, at times. But if he is a true bad boy, shouldn’t he behave badly… really badly, as well?

I’m not sure if I buy into a bad boy who is bad in name only. It’s like you can dress him up dark, make him say something snarky and give him a leather jacket and suddenly he’s bad. Well, no, then he’s playing bad. Sometimes I want really bad, because it is just so dang good.

So what’s the line in the sand? How bad is too bad?

Let me know by leaving a comment, and I’ll pick one lucky winner to receive a signed copy of Beyond the Shadows. Contest is limited to US Residents, and will remain open until 5:00 pm EST on May 21st.

Happy reading everyone,

Jess

It’s been a while. In the last few months I’ve pretty much been working nonstop and moving. Moving sucks but I love our new house and the kids are thriving in their new school (a HUGE improvement over the old school district). And work means I’ve finished three books, and done several rounds of edits, revisions, galleys, etc on a few more.

I went to the RT Booklovers’ Convention last month in Columbus, Ohio - had a lovely time (I always have a great time at RT). Saw many friends including some BB’ers like Jess Granger, Shelli Stevens, Anya Bast, my fabulous room-mate Ann Aguirre, Megan Hart, Beth Kery, Vivi Anna, Stacey Kade and Laura Bradford.

I’m preparing for some upcoming releases - PHANTOM CORPS: INSATIABLE on July 6

Desire is the most dangerous sensation of all.

With tensions between the Federation and Imperial ‘Verses rising, one woman may hold the key to victory. The dangerous mission to smuggle her out of Imperial Territory falls to Daniel Haws and his team, the ultra secret Phantom Corps. This elite squad of the Federation Military is the only one trusted and skilled enough to remove her from under the watchful eye of her father, the Supreme Commander of the Imperial ‘Verses.

Carina is used to wearing a mask. Her father and his men think her little more than a pretty prize to be won by a man more ruthless than the rest. When he announces his intention to marry her to one of his henchmen, a man known for his cruelty, Carina knows she has to move as soon as possible to get out. But getting secret information to the Federation has served her well for years and she appeals to them for help.

She expected rescue from a man who’d been her enemy. But she wasn’t prepared for just how intense her attraction to Daniel Haws would be. Born as adversaries into different ranks, and on the run for their lives, they now need each other to survive–by holding on to the only thing they have in common: a growing desire that is dangerous, irresistible, and insatiable…

And just a few short weeks later on the 20th is de La Vega Cats: REVELATION

He has the one thing she never thought she deserved. A place to belong…

Blurb: De La Vega Cats, Book 2

At long last, Kendra Kellogg has found her sister—but she’s no closer to filling the gaps in her past. The magick that brought them together makes them targets for dark mages intent on finishing what started with their mother’s murder.

As if her life wasn’t chaotic enough, in barrels the one thing she doesn’t expect, Max de La Vega. He’s six-and-a-half-feet of cocoa-brown alpha male. He’s strong, intelligent, sexy and intense. Everything she’d wanted in a man. And he scares the hell out of her. Still healing from a disastrous past relationship, she wonders if she’ll ever have that kind of forever.

The next in line to run his jaguar jamboree, Max is unused to hearing “no”. Once he knows what he wants, he assumes he’ll get it. And he wants Kendra. She deserves happiness and it’s his mission to give it to her.

When dark mages attempt to steal her magickal energy, Max’s cat agrees with the man—Kendra is his to protect and he will stop at nothing to keep her safe. She can push him away as hard as she likes, he’s not going anywhere.

Revelation is the end of the two book story arc I started with Trinity so for those of you who thought I ended on a cliffhanger, this is the end of the meta story arc - but each book has its own HEA!

I’ve got to run and get back to work - I’m writing my novella for a contemporary erotic romance anthology coming out from Berkley Heat next summer with me, Beth Kery, Megan Hart and EMMA HOLLY! I’m so thrilled. My story is dirty/bad/wrong and it’s a menage set in a small town in coastal Northern California. I’m about 75% finished so I hope to push through by week’s end. Then it’s on to MESMERIZED, the next futuristic after INSATIABLE.

Have a great week.

Hey all! The title of this blog describes me best today. Sleepy and in need of real caffeine. Here’s what I learned this week. Things sometimes switch gears on you halfway through the week, and you wake up one morning groaning because you thought it was going to be an easy week and it turns out to be more challenging than you anticipated. (See Denise grab some more caffeine. See Denise suck in some coffee then remember it’s decaf. Gah!) Well, I can hope that the slight bit of caffeine that’s left in there wakes me up. My dog is sleepy, too, but that works in my favor. At seventeen months, he’s still got plenty of spunk. He was at doggie day camp yesterday, though, and that wore him out in a good way.

Aside from all of that nonsense, what’s happening in my writing world? Well, I’m waiting to post the fantastic cover for my novel Dark, Deadly Love which comes out July 13 at Samhain. Need the approval and then I can advertise it. I’m excited that this novel will be out again. It was originally published almost ten years ago under the title of Midnight Rose. Soon I’ll post an excerpt on this blog.

What else is happening in my writing world? Let’s see…I just turned in the first book in my fantasy trilogy to my editor at Ellora’s Cave, and I’m deep into the second story. This week I’m slacking a lot, though, because I just need some time off.

Second to that is a weird idea I have for another trilogy that I don’t even know when I’ll get time to write, but I’m very intrigued by it. It incorporates some seriously scary paranormal elements with romance. Let’s just say it’s not light paranormal, but much more edgy, dark and not for the faint-of-heart.

Speaking of that, are you going to see any summer movies? Did you go to Iron Man 2? I’m planning on seeing Robin Hood and Prince of Persia. Those are the two I want to see the most. Also, what are you reading and what are you planning on reading?

Last but not least, did I show you guys this neat cover? It’s for the print version of Clandestine. I lurve it!

Until next time, take care and enjoy yourself.

Today I thought I’d ramble on travel (and food I guess?). I love to travel, be it international (which I haven’t done a whole lot of, just UK/southern Ireland really), or be it domestically. I love going to conferences for my writing, because it means I get the chance to travel, while combining it with my writing.

I just got back from the Romantic Times convention and had a blast. It was my first time there, and I loved mingling with readers/authors/booksellers/librarians. Usually I go to the RWA conference and only see other writers and occasionally a bookseller or librarian. The RT convention was in Ohio, which I scratched my head a little wondering what I could possibly see there. But I had lunch with a local friend who drove me around and showed me just how charming it was! We ate at an über popular place called Dirty Franks (where, yup, they served hot dogs–and of course I did the veggie). Tons of locals and lots of fun!

I also discovered a place called The Elevator, which was only about a 10 minute walk from the hotel and was a fabulous place I’d go hang out with other authors!

But really, I love hanging in my home town too. Seattle. And it’s good to be home. Because let’s face it, it’s kind of a fun place. And when the weather is nice, it’s SO much fun! Yesterday, in kind of a mother daughter/half sis day I took the girls downtown and explored Pike Place Market, the waterfront/aquarium, Queen Anne hill. So much to do! Like see a mummy at Ye Olde Curiosity shop on the waterfront.

Eat a grilled cheese at Beecher’s in Pike Place Markte (nom nom nom)

Or just take in the view from Queen Anne hill.

So where’s one of your favorite places to travel? What’s your home town like? And a happy mother’s day to all!

Tonight my daughter is taking me out for my mother’s day present – to see Stars on Ice.

This year – some names you may recognize from the Olympics!  Joannie Rochette!

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir!

Figure skating has lots of critics, who say it’s not a “real sport”. During the Olympics, one of the colour segments had a sports medicine doctor talking about figure skating and how skaters jump higher than pro basketball players – and land on the edge of a blade. Their athleticism is second to none and I love how it’s combined with grace and artistry.

Going to Stars on Ice is very special gift to me. My own mother loved figure skating. During the skating season she watched every competition and exhibition, knew every skater, and loved reading about them in magazines and the newspaper. Mom and I used to talk about figure skating all the time, who would win the Canadian championship, the US, who would win the Worlds. I don’t find as much time to watch it on television as I used to, but I still enjoy it. 

Kurt Browning was my mom’s all time favourite skater. When the Stars on Ice tour started years ago, I bought tickets for us to go as her Mother’s Day present.  I took her out for dinner before the show, then took her to the arena and waited patiently while she climbed the stairs (she wasn’t that old, just not in great health; she was also afraid of heights, so I had to be careful not to buy tickets in the “nose bleed section” J ). She loved it so much. And I did too. Every year that was my Mother’s Day present for her.

My mom died four years ago in July. The following spring, when it came time for Stars on Ice, I felt so sad that she wasn’t there to take to see it. And then my daughter (at that time 16) surprised me — by buying tickets for her and me as my Mother’s Day present. I got very choked up and teary. It was probably the second best mother’s day present I ever got (the best was my daughter — she was born May 7, and was 6 days old on my very first Mother’s Day!) and now, every year she buys tickets to Stars on Ice for me for Mother’s Day.

So if you’re a mom, happy Mother’s Day, and if you’re not a mom I hope you do something special for your mother! And if you’ve ever gotten or given a great mother’s day gift, tell us about it!

Update: Thanks so much for all of the comments! I loved reading the scary movie listing (and now I’ve got some ideas for DVD rentals this weekend).  I randomly picked a winner and the winner is…Diva Donna! Congrats, Donna! Please send an email to cynthia@cynthiaeden.com to claim your prize. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Hope you read lots of good books!

***

Hi, everyone! Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Summer is creeping ever closer, and for me, that means I’m getting very close to the release of my first romantic suspense novel. (Yay!) I’ve published what I think of as “paranormal suspense” before, but this time, I’ll go mainstream RS with the release of DEADLY FEAR.

And here’s the blurb for my story:

TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS

FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She’s walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can’t ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

ONE DREAM TEAM

Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease…professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they’re reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims’ deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren’t enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.

But can they catch a killer whose weapon is…DEADLY FEAR?

***

I thought I would share an excerpt with you today–and give one commenter a chance to win an autographed copy of DEADLY FEAR (a quick note regarding this free book–it will be shipped out as soon as I receive my author copies).  So if you’d like an autographed copy, just tell me the title of your favorite scary movie. Easy, right? I’m a scary movie addict and, yes, my love for those shows did help to inspire this book.

And here’s the excerpt:

***

I returned yesterday from RT 2010 and had a lovely time as usual. This year it was in Columbus, Oh, and, I have to say, I think this was my favorite hotel so far. The hotel was large, yet the rooms were close to the convention area and there were numerous food choices in and around the site. I had a great time meeting up with old friends and meeting new.

Here are a few of the pictures I pulled off my camera this morning for your enjoyment.

First off, a few members of the Bradford Bunch! We met for dinner one night. Here’s the first half of the table, authors from left to right: Stacey Kade, Anya Bast, Ann Aguirre, and Beth Kery.

The other half of the table, from right to left: Jess Granger, Laura Bradford, Shelli Stevens, Lauren Dane. Vivi Anna, and Megan Hart.

Anya Bast (Me!) and Laura Bradford.

Anya Bast and Lauren Dane

Megan Hart and Lauren Dane at the RT Book Awards, where Megan accepted an award for Best Erotic Romance of 2009!

That’s me and my husband.

Standing in front of a big-ass picture of my cover.

A few random photos from the Faery Ball (awesome costumes every year)….

Angela Knight and Stephanie “Flash” Burke (who always has amazing, incredibly imaginative costumes)

Since things are quiet here this week with everyone at RT (not me…sob!), I’ve decided I’m going to let you in on a little secret. In case you didn’t already hear, MARKED, the first book in my new Eternal Guardians series, released this week. Now that it’s out there, I keep getting asked about the series. How do I have it planned? Who will get the next book? Do I have everything worked out in my head for X number of books down the road? Whenever people ask me these questions I nod and look mysterious. “Of course I know,” I tell them. But the truth? Okay, the truth…just between you and me…I WISH I had the answers to those questions. I really do. But I don’t.

I am what I like to call a “Mist” writer. Someone who sees bits and pieces of a large picture but not enough to understand how everything fits together neatly. I see the culmination of these books. I see moments along the way. I see shapes and images shrouded in thick white smoke. But I don’t see a complete picture or a clear path from point A to point B. And even more frustrating? My subconscious seems to understand how these things work but doesn’t want to clue me in.

Unfortunately, this isn’t entirely a new concept for me. When I write romantic suspense I’ll often write a scene I think has no relation to the book at all, shelve it and go on and then realize 3/4 way through the book that THAT scene was important to the overall plot. This has happened in every book, and every time I’m blown over by the way my subconscious seems to know what needs to be done in the story before I clue in to the answer.  Does it make writing easy? No. It frustrates the hell out of me, but I’m getting better at accepting these things happen rather than fighting them along the way.

These Twilight Zone moments have happened in the new series as well, but they’ve grown and expanded in ways I never expected. When I wrote MARKED, I had the basic plot in my head, beginning to end. When I finished the book, however, I realized there were lots of little threads that were going to be left unanswered. I rationalized that was okay because this was the start of an ongoing series. I knew, for example, that I wasn’t entirely sure how Nick figured into the world I’d created. He’s important, but how? I also knew the goddess Persephone was up to something big (and bad). I just didn’t know what that big, bad thing was when I turned the book in. (And I didn’t tell my editor I was still in the dark because I wanted her to buy more books.)

This is not a stressless way to write, let me tell you. Many nights I’ve sat on IM with my CP and said, “I don’t have a clue where this is going!” And she’s laughed and said, “Your subconscious does. Just let it flow.” And you know what? As much as I hate to admit it, SHE’S RIGHT. (Did you hear that, Joan? I said you were right!) Somehow my subconscious does know where it’s all going because now, nearing the end of writing book 3 (TEMPTED) I’ve finally figured out all those little plot threads in book one I’d left dangling. Every single one. And they all make sense. And somehow, they all build on things that happen in book two (ENTWINED). And they all will become big elements of books four and five.

I tell you, my brain is a scary place to be sometimes. It amazes even me. But this is the magic of writing. I love being surprised by my stories and my characters. If I knew every detail ahead of time I don’t think I’d have as much fun doing what I do. The Mist may frustrate me beyond reason, but it’s those Aha! So that’s why I wrote that! moments that reignite my passion for writing and give me the boost I need to finish a book. And when that happens, I smile and hear George Peppard (from the A-Team) in the back of my head saying, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Of course, I’d love it if the Mist would clue me in sooner than three books into the series. But I’m happy that what I wrote in book one was right, even if I didn’t completely know it at the time. And man, if that doesn’t just make me sound crazy, I don’t know what does.

Have you ever had those weird aha! moments, where you didn’t understand why something happened one way and then figured it out later? This happens in real life, not just in books, so I know I can’t be the only one to experience it. For example…

Several months ago we found a house that I fell in love with. My husband and I weren’t even looking for a house (we have a nice house), but this bigger one just randomly dropped in our laps. We made an offer, thought we were going to get it, but it ended up falling through. I was crushed. But then a few weeks later, because the loss of that first house spurred my husband to look in an area we never would have looked, another BETTER house dropped in our laps. And right now we’re in the process of trying to buy that one. It’s a crazy, frustrating situation, but looking back, I know if I hadn’t found that first house, and if it hadn’t fallen through like it did, we never would have found this one. An aha! moment, plain and simple.

So okay, now…if I didn’t just totally confuse you, go ahead and share with me your aha! moments.

I’m busy having fun and rocking out at RT. Talk amongst yourselves this month. Here, I’ll give you a topic.

How do you feel about that “Show me your papers!” bill that just passed in Arizona? Feel free to cuss.