If I’m doing this correctly, you’ll be reading this sometime on Tuesday, and I’ll be teaching at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention Pre-Con writing classes.

Right now, though, I’m doing huge loads of laundry in preparation and trying to figure out how many pairs of shoes I can reasonably bring along. I’m already up to seven.

So because my brain is preoccupied with how to jam everything into the allotted number of carry-ons, I thought I’d share a short excerpt from my upcoming YA novel, The Ghost and the Goth. Just the first few paragraphs from the prologue:

(Note: Excerpt is not from the final, edited manuscript, so there may be small variations, typos, etc.)

Prologue

Alona Dare

It was easy enough to sneak out of school. I knew that from previous experience. This time, all I had to do was wait until Mrs. Higgins had led everyone onto the outdoor track and then slip behind the bleachers and walk down to the other opening in the chain link fence.

Sneaking back in, though…that would be a bitch. But I’d just have to deal with that when I got back. Like always.

I shivered in the cool morning breeze. It was seven a.m., or a little past, on the first day in May, and it wasn’t nearly warm enough to be out walking around in the stupid thin t-shirt and short shorts they made us wear for gym. At least on the track, the bleachers blocked the wind and the black cinders held some of the heat from the day before. Out here, I had nothing but anger to keep me toasty.

How could she do this to me again? Didn’t she get it? It was never going to happen. There would be no fairy tale ending for her, not this time.

Yes, tomorrow my Kensington Brava debut book Mistress by Mistake will hit shelves and mailboxes. There’s already been a sighting in Honolulu, Hawaii, and may I say I envy my book. It’s been cold and rainy in Maine, much more hot tea than pina colada weather.

If MBM has not turned up where you are, here are lots of chances to get your hands on a free copy in the next couple of days.

April 27: my blog

The Vauxhall Vixens (a TWO book giveaway)

Lucy Monroe’s Reader at Home Conference

http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com

April 28

The Romance Dish

Please see the news page at my website for a full list of all the places I’ll be as I make the rounds on the Magical Mistressy Tour. I hope readers don’t get too tired of me, LOL.

Mistress by Mistake was honored by a Top Pick from The Season, a beautiful online romance magazine published by author Beverley Kendall. You can read about the book and Bev’s review here.

So there you have it.  The last time I “released” something, my youngest daughter was born. Mistress by Mistake is my new baby and tomorrow’s a big day, even if it’s a little less meaningful than incubating a beautiful little person. And I get to go through this whole process again June 1 when the other me, Margaret Rowe, debuts with Tempting Eden, an erotic historical romance from Berkley Heat. Will I still be coherent? Only time will tell.

What event are you looking forward to?

Cynthia Eden, Interview
By Michelle M. Pillow

Cynthia Eden is an award-winning author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She writes everything from vampire heroines to dragon shifter heroes, demons to succubae. She lives in the South, loves long, hot summers, and supernatural stories. Her latest paranormal romance releases, Eternal Hunter and Hotter After Midnight are available in all major bookstores.

* * * * *

Q: In your book, Hotter After Midnight, your heroine is a psychologist who primarily treats supernatural patients. What inspired you to create such a character?

Cynthia: I was inspired to create Dr. Emily Drake (my monster doctor) because a friend of mine is a psychologist and I’ve always been fascinated by her job. However, I wanted a paranormal slant on this story, so I decided that Dr. Drake would be psychic—and she’d mainly treat paranormals. When a paranormal crosses the line in my story and begins to kill humans, she’s the only one who can profile him.

Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal?

Cynthia: I think people like to believe there is more to this world than meets the eye. For centuries, people have been fascinated by the paranormal—the idea that something “more” may wait in the darkness intrigues us…even if it also makes us afraid sometimes!

Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies and books?

Cynthia: I am a huge fan of Supernatural—I love seeing all the new paranormal characters that are introduced each week. And, of course, I’m also a diehard Buffy fan. Spike is one of my all-time favorite vampire anti-heroes. He blurred the line very nicely for the good guy/bad boy and like so many other folks out there, I found myself tuning in to see how he would develop—and to see if he’d get the girl.

Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic?

Cynthia: I definitely believe in the supernatural. I think there is much more to this world than what we see every day. Psychic phenomenon, past life experiences, ghostly encounters—I think all of that (and more!) are certainly possible in our world.

Q: If given the chance, would you become a vampire?

Cynthia: No, while I do enjoy writing about vampires, the blood drinking would be a turn-off for me.

Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a ghost?

Cynthia: I’d try to communicate with the ghost. Yes, maybe I’ve watched too many Ghost Hunters episodes, but I’d want to try talking. The ghost would be there for a reason, right? What does he/she have to say?

Q: What does the future hold for your writing?

Cynthia: I’ve recently launched a new paranormal bounty hunter series for Kensington Brava. The first book in the series, ETERNAL HUNTER, released in January, and the second book, I’LL BE SLAYING YOU, will release in July of 2010. I’LL BE SLAYING YOU is a vamp story. It answers the question, “What happens when you become the thing you hate/fear the most?”

Thanks for joining us, Cynthia!

You can learn more about Cynthia and her books at her website, www.cynthiaeden.com. You can catch Eternal Hunter (1/2010) and the mass market re-release of Hotter After Midnight (12/2009) in bookstores now.

Interviewer Michelle M. Pillow is an award winning author. She writes in many romance fiction genres and can be found at www.michellepillow.com. Paranormal Underground Magazine’s website is here.

Hi everyone!

I’m going to follow up on Denise’s post on the question of new ideas. I’m in the process of developing a new idea as we speak, and now I remember why I like to write in series.

I’ve got to start from scratch, only I’ve got to write the recipe. (BTW, the picture is of a German Chocolate Cake I baked from scratch. Sorry about the drool factor.)

I do struggle for new ideas, but I find the best ones are the ones that challenge my mind. They often come from a series of questions I tend to ask myself. Usually, How would I do it? How would I make it different? and How would I completely mess with it?

Now this probably isn’t a very good idea when making a cake, but maybe it is. When you need to make your own recipe, you have to start with the basics. What kind of cake do I want?

In my case, I want to get back to my paranormal romance reading roots. When trying to bake a cake, I know I would probably need some of the basics, flour, eggs, sugar, chocolate, raspb. Mmmmmm, oh, wait, I’m talking books.

If I set out to write a paranormal romance, I have to keep in mind the expectations of a reader of paranormal romance. The story should fit a certain structure and purpose that defines it as a paranormal romance. To make it familiar enough to be counted as a cake, and not an experimental cake creation, I have to remain in a frame that people recognize as a certain type of story.

But how would I do it?

Okay, first, I probably wouldn’t put in so much chocolate, because I’m allergic to it. I know, bummer right? But what the heck, I’m in a chocolate mood. Once I know I have the basics of the cake, that’s when I can experiment. Can I fill it with Irish creme custard and fresh berries? Would a bouquet of mint surrounded by raspberries look pretty on the top?

What can I do to make the story mine? This is where I let my world building skills loose, and give things that futuristic twist I like, while staying true to the paranormal romance structure and frame.

And then how can I mess with it?

(Insert wicked laugh) I love taking tropes and turning them on their ear. What is taken for granted in a story like this? How can I change it to make it unique and different? What will that do to the story as a whole?

Is it going to work? I don’t know. That’s the danger of a new idea. You don’t know if you’ll end up with a beautiful cake, or a sticky mess in the oven. As writers, there’s one thing I know for sure. We have to keep trying.

So cheers! Here’s to new ideas. May they be delicious.

Jess

P.S. Be sure to join me on The Butterfly Blog the week of April 26th. I’m celebrating the release of Beyond the Shadows. There will be lots of fun, and lots of chances to win stuff. Hope to see you there!

Where Does All That Creativity Come From Anyway and Other Writerly Questions.

That’s what I almost called this blog. Instead, my tired mind said it was time to simplify and the title you see above is what you get. What on earth is that photo you might ask? It’s a dig I participated in back in Colorado in ‘88. Yeah, way back then. Anyway, to me writing is sometimes like archaeology. Some authors have to dig and dig and dig to formulate what they want to write. Me, I let the mood take me where it wants to take me.

That brings me to the point.

What is the number one question I’ve been asked when people learn I’m an author?

Where do you get your ideas?

People wait with anticipation, hanging on my words until—they hear my answer. I don’t know.

Honestly, I’ve formulated many ideas from subjects I find interesting. My interest in Jack the Ripper led me to write Dark, Deadly Love (Samhain Publishing July 2010-was titled Midnight Rose), and my interest in the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 led me to write Love From The Ashes. An interest in the Eastern State Penitentiary led me to write the historical romance Before The Dawn (Samhain Publishing 2011) and my desire to write a book set in Roman Britain produced For A Roman’s Heart (Samhain Publishing January 2011).

Yet not every story was inspired by the idea of a place or event. Sometimes a character will pop in and ask for a story.

Second to that question is often, Where do you get the ideas for your love scenes?

Uh…duh. I get them from a variety of ways including my imagination.

And the one question that burns in everyone’s mind.

How hard is it to get published?

There isn’t an honest and clear answer for this question, so I’m not going to answer it. There are too many variables to give a definitive.

Then there comes a question that always makes me wince internally.

When are you going to write a real book or when are you going to write a serious book?

Okay, so the answer to these questions requires two different answers. Sort of. A real book as opposed to a print book? Books are books whether they are an ebook or print. I have both. A serious book? You mean a literary work? Well, that’s not what blows my skirt up. I’ve got to write what I feel in my heart, and right at this time that doesn’t include literary. Writing is in my soul, and even when a mad monster comes along and I consider not writing another book, I know that isn’t likely. What I do know is that a writer should write the things that make them feel good in their heart and  make certain they’ve defined for themselves exactly what that is. Otherwise it’s too easy to let the rest of the world decide for you.

What things do you do in your life even when people around you might question it?

A couple of weeks ago I cheated on someone I have a twenty-six year relationship with. No, not my husband, though we, too,  have been together that long.

My hairstylist.

Women Working as a Hairdresser www.Flickr.com

Twenty-six years is a long time to go to the same stylist. I got married. Had kids. Now my kids get their hair done by her. So does my husband. My daughter dogsits for my hairstylist and my husband has done lots of photographs for her (he’s a photographer) of both her hair styling and the award winning dogs she breeds. We are friends.

But the last few times I went to see her, I kept asking for a different cut. Not dramatic, just a bit of a change. I’ve been wearing my hair basically the same way for (yikes) probably about eight years. She says , yup, yup, got it, and then cuts it the same way she always does. And so a couple of weeks ago I called another salon I’d heard was good and made an appointment to see a total stranger.

Janey gave me an awesome cut! And a shiny smooth blow out that my other stylist never does! I love my hair, it’s all bouncy and healthy.

BUT…now it’s time for a colour, and I’m not ready to trust a stranger with that. My stylist has always (okay, almost always!) done a great job with the colour. Besides that one time she made me look like Cruella de Ville. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but that was another time when I should have been less worried about her feelings. I tried to fix it myself with drugstore hair colour. Bad move. I ended up going back sheepishly and asking her to fix it. I had to admit I didn’t like it. I felt awful.

So tomorrow I’m going in for a colour and she’s going to see my new cut. Why is this relationship full of as much guilt and angst as if I’d cheated on my husband?  I don’t want to hurt her feelings or piss her off, especially when she’s putting permanent dye on my hair. Eek! Why do I feel so guilty? What am I going to tell her? I need advice, people!

Hi, everyone! Hope you’re having a fabulous week. I just started work on a new story, and right now, I’m busily at work on a synopsis. Ah, the synopsis.

If you ask writers, you’ll generally find that they have some pretty strong reactions when they talk about synopsis writing. Some writers absolutely HATE to write a synopsis. And I mean hate with a deep, abiding passion. Other writers love the synopsis–they think it helps them to flesh out the book faster.

For me, I’m a middle of the road kind of gal. Don’t love it, don’t hate it–I just do it when I need to do it. So right now, I’m doing it. I’m writing a synopsis for a romantic suspense proposal that I want to send to the lovely Laura Bradford. I’m on page four of the synopsis (single spaced, that’s just the way I do the synopsis), and I’m lining up what I expect will be my major plot points. Wish me luck!!!

And if you’re a writer, what’s your feeling on the synopsis? Love it? Hate it? Feel meh?

Enjoy your day!

Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
I’LL BE SLAYING YOU–Available 6/29/10 from Kensington Brava
DEADLY FEAR–Available–Available 07/27/10 from Grand Central Publishing (Forever)

Hi everyone and happy spring!  The weather is just lovely isn’t it?  I’m in Wisconsin and yesterday it was 68 degrees!  I couldn’t believe it!  GORGEOUS weather!  Perfect weather for grabbing a book and sitting outside and losing yourself in a fantastic story, don’t you think?

I’ve been reading quite a variety lately.  Elisabeth Naughton, Cindy Gerard, Laura Moore, JD Robb, Nora Roberts, Karen Kelley, Lori Foster, Carla Cassidy, Carly Phillips, Kathryn Smith… and OMG such fantastic books.  The genres range from action/adventure to romantic suspense to contemporary to futuristic to paranormal to category romance.  I guess I don’t have one genre I prefer to others :p

I have some historical romances on my list to be read, some urban fantasy–God I can’t wait to read Ann’s next book!  I soooo love Corrine!

What books/authors have you been reading?  Do you have a favorite genre?  Do you have a genre you dislike?  If so, why?  Any books you’re dying to read?

It’s that time of year when we think of fresh starts, spring cleanings…in general, making things new again. Sometimes I think it’d be nice just to sprout a whole new me every spring, just like the trees do, but I’ll have to settle for putting a fresh perspective on things.

For me, this time of year is a time for forward thinking, planning new goals, organization and re-organization. Some old, worn out ways of doing and thinking really have to be examined and thrown out if they are useless, (much like some of the shoes, clothes and purses in my closet).

This spring, I really want to pick up my exercise routine, but also revisualize why I’m exercising to begin with. In my twenties, it was all about fitting into a pair of jeans or working off stress, but increasingly my health and well-being are becoming the focus, and I need to incorporate that into my outlook. I’m thinking of taking an energy healing class or do a session with a healing touch professional, or perhaps adding more yoga to my routine. The point is to refocus for health to help increase my motivation.

I’d also like to focus on my writing and decide where I’d really like to be three years from now. Writing as a career is tricky, since things happen in slow motion, it seems. You really have to start planning now for what you envision three or five years down the road. I know that’s the same for every career, but with writing, long-term planning seems even more crucial.

I also want to make a goal to get out to museums and art galleries more this spring and summer. I have all those passes for a reason, why not make a point of getting out, taking some mini vacations and enjoying myself?

Does this time of year make you think of fresh starts? Anything that a seventy degree day and budding branches make you long for?

For those of you who celebrate the Easter holiday, I hope you have a wonderful one.

It’s beautiful outside. Like, sunny, warm and it totally reflects how I’m feeling these days. As of Tuesday, March 30th I’m officially an author! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! His Darkest Hunger came out and I can’t really put into words the feelings I’ve had this week. They’ve pretty much run the gamut.

My wonderful editor sent me a few copies of my book, so I was able to hold them in my hands. Again, freaking surreal, so imagine my joy when a huge box arrived, filled with copies of HDH! Woot!

To celebrate the release we had a book launch at our local bookstore, here is a picture of the window, Nicole did a fab job!

One of my besties Terre sent me a picture from a bookstore and well, I had a moment!

Sweet feeling that was! So, today here in Canada it’s the long weekend as we celebrate Good Friday. This was my Easter prezzie….and I just wanted to share!

This crazy ride has finally come full circle and I can’t wait to do it all over again! But for now I’m going to chill and relax with the family. What’s everyone else up to?