Tori Tells All

And we have a winner...

2012-01-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

I'm totally in love with the new cover. Can't wait until it's updated on Amazon! Thank you so much, Ade Ratna!

An "Amazing Read" from Maldivian Book Reviewer for Finally Satisfied

2012-01-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

4 1/2 Stars Click the link above to read the review.

New 5 Star Review for Superstition

2012-01-18T10:45:00.000-08:00

From Davia at Romance Novel Junkies

This book has a little bit of everything: adventure, romance, shapeshifter etc.... action packed from beginning to end!! All the characters are strong and play an important role in the story..... The ladies are tough and the men are rough! I loved the romantic tension between many of the characters. An enjoyable read!

I applaud Tori Scott for her excellent writing style that has grown a lot.

Story: Good
Intimacy: Sweet
Enjoyment: Good

New Release! Finally Satisfied

2012-01-16T22:02:00.001-08:00

Finally Satisfied is the third and final novella in the Satisfaction series.
25,000 words

Angel Kensington has never gotten over giving her baby up for adoption sixteen years ago. She's spent the time since then fighting panic attacks, hiding from her feelings, and isolating herself into a well-regimented existence. She has no room in her life for changes, complications, or men.

Mitch Turner presents a definite challenge for Angel. He's the wrong man for her, even if she wanted a man in her life. Why won't he just leave her alone?

Mitch has felt responsible for what his family did to Angel. They'd treated her like trash, left her to flounder with no hope of keeping her baby. He'd offered to marry her back then, but she'd not only turned him down flat, she'd avoided him ever since.

But now Cara and Gray are getting married and Angel is the maid of honor and Mitch is the best man. Angel can't avoid Mitch any longer, and she can no longer avoid facing her past. But are Mitch's feelings for Angel real, or are they just guilt over something he couldn't fix?

Almost Ready

2012-01-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

Finally Satisfied is almost ready to upload. It's been sent out for editing and to a couple of beta readers, the cover is ready to go. All that's left is one final run through to correct errors, implement the changes the editor asks for, and get it formatted.

I'm almost sad to see this series end. I've enjoyed these characters and their ongoing relationships. I hope I still know how to write a full novel after this venture of writing three separate but intertwined stories.

Next up is another novella, this one a stand alone about a princess whose country is in turmoil and her family is in danger. Her father sends her to America under the protection of her long-time bodyguard. While he teaches her the basics of self-defense and evasion techniques, she teaches him that even a Princess can have an agenda.

New Review for Superstition

2012-01-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

A page turner, can't wait for the movie of this book., January 4, 2012
5 Stars By V. Parv (Australia)

The more I read of Tori Scott's work, the easier it is to understand her meteoric rise up the ebook bestseller lists. Too many indie publishers overlook the most important element - a well written and compelling story. Even a few typos can be forgiven when the story grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go till the end, as Superstition does. It's an engrossing read with so many red, white and blue herrings that you don't know who's on whose side. It doesn't help that Team Indigo members have powers to rival the X-Men. I was particularly pleased that their civilian counterparts have skills of their own and are not afraid to use them. No, "Captain, I'm frightened" ladies here. Instead it's all, "Wham, bam, call me ma'am." I confess to being an online friend of Ms. Scott's, although nothing in that precludes me from being a fan as well. One of a rapidly growing band.

Very thoughtful review for Blame it on Texas

2012-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Logan Tanner
Heroine: Megan Flynn
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 24, 2011
Started On: December 25, 2011
Finished On: December 26, 2011

Blame it on Texas by Tori Scott was a great read, one that I enjoyed immensely. I was subjected to a lot of emotion as I read this novel, one I am finding out that Tori Scott is quite adept at dishing out to her readers. Toe-curling sexiness together with a lot of heartwarming characters with a hint of a secondary romance to follow, Blame it on Texas is a novel I would recommend for fans who love romances that makes you feel like you are part of the journey of the hero and heroine’s way towards happily ever after.

The fact that Logan Tanner hates going back to his hometown in West Texas is an understatement. The misplaced guilt Tanner feels about his mother’s sudden death when he was just around 12 years old still haunts him which keeps him away from a land that has no mercy in Logan’s eyes. A successful game designer and the father of a beautiful daughter whom he doesn’t get to see enough of, Logan has a lot on his mind when he is summoned by his sister Carol to take care of their father after he has a debilitating stroke.

When Logan’s daughter Katie turns up on the ranch’s doorstep with Carol’s friend Megan Flynn in tow, the feelings that courses through the rigidly controlled Logan is one that shocks him to his core. Divorce from a woman whose theatrics has soured him from commitment and relationships seems to have no place in his life when the sweet, courageous and sexy Megan steps into their lives. A connection that Logan doesn’t want or need nevertheless forms between the two and Logan doesn’t know whether to thank the Lord for sending her his way or to curse the fates because he has too many stuff to deal with at the moment.

Tragedy strikes, bringing out the best in each and everyone that is part of Logan’s hometown and in the midst of it all, Logan finds that he is not strong enough to turn away from the warmth and affection that Megan seems to shine upon his life, a woman who seems to understand the very things that he wants and needs.

Megan has her own dreams which she yearns to fulfill with everything inside of her. A veterinary practice in a small town where she would feel a sense of belonging is all that she wants from life until Logan Tanner and his daughter Katie invades her heart throwing her into the chaotic realms of love.

The reason I enjoyed Blame it on Texas so much was that Tori Scott managed to mix up all the right ingredients to give me an engrossing tale that in the end has its own message to deliver. Logan who has lost his way because of his misplaced guilt goes through a lot of hurdles to reach a place where he is ready for a happily ever after, and I loved the angst his tortured nature lent to the story.

I loved Megan. For me, she was the best thing about the story. She has all those qualities that I love about a heroine and for me she was just the right person to bring Logan out of the darkness that seems to consume him until there is not even a flicker of light left in his life. I loved the family dynamics and the small town aspect of the story that lent the story a charm of its own.

Recommended!

Purchase Links: Amazon

Rating from the sunny side of life:

Caliber Seal: GREAT READ!

Available exclusively at Amazon.com until March 9, 2012
http://amzn.com/B006DTZ0KC

Happy Release Day! Superstition by Tori Scott

2011-12-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

When Caitlyn Deveraux's brother Gage is killed in Iraq, she receives a necklace as part of his personal effects that she thinks is a trinket he'd purchased for her. When she scatters his ashes according his exact instructions and repeats the words he'd written, she accidentally inhales some of the ashes. From that moment on, her life as a quiet librarian is turned upside down.

Jacob Littlejohn was not only Gage Deveraux's best friend, he was his team mate at Team Indigo. He should have been there to protect Gage, but he wasn't. Now he's determined to protect Caitlyn from the men who are after the necklace. It's no trinket, but rather a powerful amulet that could have devastating consequences if it fell into the wrong hands.

Caitlyn doesn't know how to handle the new powers she's received, so she heads back to her village, to her grandmother, to try to understand what's happening to her. In doing so, she brings danger to her people and gets involved in Team Indigo's current mission--the same mission that got her brother killed. She enlists the aid of her people and her three best friends, and together with Jacob and Team Indigo, they set out to stop a power-hungry General.

New Review for Blame it on Texas

2011-12-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

5 Stars by P. A. Lane

Tori has an undescribable way of creating and developing characters and story lines that grab my attention and hold it until I finish the book. I care for the characters like people I know and feel their feelings. Steamy, but not sexed to death. I got it one day and finished the next after work and had thought of the book during the day. I have read three of Tori's books and can recommend anything she writes. Great job, Ms. Scott!!!

Blame it on Texas is available as a free download for Amazon Prime members for the next 90 days. Get your copy now!

I'm at The Hoopla!

2011-12-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

Click the title above, or go to http://thehoopla.com.au/put-big-girl-panties/ to read the article. And thank you to Wendy Harmer for inviting me to share my thoughts!

New Reviews for Satisfaction Guaranteed

2011-12-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

Jolie gave it 5 stars!

Wow!

This is a story that will knock your socks off. The pages practically sizzled and I couldn't read them fast enough. I'm always a sucker for the old flame story, and this one doesn't disappoint. Highly recommended.

J gave it 5 stars!

Loved it!

I don't normally leave reviews, but I read this story last night and fell in love with the characters. The emotions were well done and authentic. I just bought the sequel because I must know what happens to Reggie and Sam.

New Review for Blame it on Texas

2011-12-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Dr. Debra gave it 5 stars!

Absolutely Loved It!

I absolutely loved this book. Tori Scott roped me in with the first paragraph, and I read it through without stopping. I'd never read a Western where the hero didn't love his ranch. Well this hero hates his family ranch. What a unique beginning. The story was beautifully written and heartfelt. I loved all the characters. I loved the small town. I can't wait to read more stories set in this town. Bring on Carol and Jake's story, Tori Scott!

Made the Top 100!

2011-12-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

The highest I've ever been. Made the top 100 Paid in Kindle Store. (Perfectly Satisfied)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#1 in Books > Romance > Anthologies
#6 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Contemporary
#7 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

Woo-Hoo! Many, many thanks to my readers!

Review for Blame it on Texas

2011-12-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

4 Stars By Romance Novel Junkies "Lady Raven Rave"

BRIEF SUMMARY
Logan has left home since he was eighteen and hasn't return since. Now that his father has suffered a stroke, he has returned home to help care for him. While back home, he is worried about his daughter Katie. Megan stumbles upon Katie, who has run away from home. When she returns Katie to her father, she falls in love with Logan and his family.

THOUGHTS

This was a mellow and sad at times story. I think the author did a great job building a story around this Texas family. Though the story is about Megan and Logan's growing relationship throughout the story, it is also about Katie and the family. Katie is the daughter of Logan. Katie definitely was a child that was very determined, and had her issues dealing with her parents. Logan has issues, but I think everything for him came full circle towards the end, which includes Megan.

Though I mentioned sad moments, this shouldn't be discouraging, as everything brought the story together that gave me different stages of emotions that I went through.

Storyline: GOOD
Enjoyment: GOOD

Better Than Sex Pie--a Family Favorite

2011-12-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

This is my contribution to the Book & Cook Holiday Blog Festival.

This recipe is easy to make and serves 12 if you can keep people from grabbing seconds before everyone is served (not easy). The combinations of crunchy crust and smooth toppings and sweet fillings with the tart cream cheese makes it taste as heavenly as it looks. My picture here does not do it justice. If you want to make it look really special, you can add curled chocolate shavings on top.

Better than Sex Pie

Crust

1c flour
1 stick margarine, softened
1/2c chopped nuts

Blend together well and press into bottom of 13"x9"x2" pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes

2nd layer

1c powdered sugar
1 package cream cheese (8oz)

Mix thoroughly until smooth

Stir in 1c Cool Whip (get 12oz container)

Spread on cooled crust

3rd layer

2 packages instant chocolate pudding, (Or any flavor you like) 3-1/2 oz each
3 cups milk

Mix thoroughly and pour onto first two layers. Chill until pudding is set

4th layer

Top with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with more nuts if desired.

New review for Perfectly Satisfied

2011-11-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

Sweet Romance leaving you Perfectly Satisfied

Cinful1121 gave it 5 stars!

This story picks up where we left off in book 1 "Satisfaction Guaranteed" bringing our favorite characters smoothly into Sam and Reggie's HEA. The story was balanced really well managing to include Cara and Gray as well as the introduction of Mitch and Angel all the while never overshadowing the main couple. Something that stood out to me and was truth be told refreshing was the slight awkwardness and uncertainty Sam went through. Don't get me wrong strong, alpha male leads are hot but every now and again it's nice to change it up, which this author did perfectly. I can't wait to see where she takes us next!

Ready. Set. GO!

2011-11-30T20:21:00.001-08:00

That's right! It's time for the Book Lovers' Buffet Holiday Extravaganza. Ninety-four authors offering their books for just $0.99 each so you can stock up on your favorite genre, give books as Christmas gifts, or break in that new Kindle Fire. Stop by, check them out, and load up. We guarantee you won't gain a pound from feasting on our buffet.

10,000 Sales in November!

2011-11-30T16:03:00.000-08:00

Amazon just reported my 10,000th sale for the month of November at about 4:45 pm Central time. I am so excited about this I can barely sit still. This was a real validation moment for me as an author. A huge thank you to every single person who has purchased one of my books, and an extra thanks to those who have left positive reviews because those help so much!

Love y'all!

Tori

How Much is an Author Worth?

2011-11-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

I had someone tell me the other day that an author should be thrilled to make $1000 on each book they wrote.

Really? That averages out to about $10 an hour, I suppose, if you're a fast writer, don't need to do research, and have no expenses. So if I wrote 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, just like a "real" job, it would take me about 2 1/2 weeks to write a book. I could write almost 2 books a month, so I'd make about $1600 a month.

But...that's before taxes, so figure that I'm going to pay 15% social security and 10% income tax on that income, I have to pay for my own health insurance, dental insurance, and any fees for advertising, web hosting, etc. out of that too. Now I'm down to about $600 a month net. Can you live on that? Neither can most authors. And writing doesn't work that way (unless you're Nora Roberts, who I've heard CAN write 8 hours a day, every day.) It takes time to come up with an idea, a title, characters, names, a cover image (those can take a full day of searching sometimes.) It takes even more time to rewrite, edit, & re-edit because God forbid there should be a typo in the manuscript. If there is, some readers will murder you in the reviews. Then there's the full day it takes to write front and back matter, format, and upload the books. And after that you have to promote it or it will languish.

Most authors need to make at least $10,000 per book to make a living wage. That's figuring on 4-5 books per year. But what if you write slowly, or you're the kind of writer who wants every word to be perfect, every scene and sequel and transition to flow and have meaning? Then you're not going to write 8,000 words a day every single day without needing editing time. And you're not going to live well on $10,000 per book. You're going to need to make $20,000, $25,000 or more per book to make a decent wage from your writing.

If your book sells for $0.99 on Amazon or B&N, that means you have to sell 60,000 to 100,000 copies to earn what you need to on that book. Not many authors sell 5,000 copies of their books per month. And yet if you price it higher, say at $2.99 each, you're going to sell way fewer copies than you would at $0.99. It would take selling 10,000 to 25,000 copies of each book to earn a living. But readers begin to balk at paying $2.99 per book. They think, since they're e-copies, they should be cheaper. But the price isn't about the cost to sell, but about value.

We think nothing of plopping down $8.99 for a Nora Roberts book. That's because we perceive her value as worth that amount of money. But would you spend that much on an unknown author? Probably not. But that unknown author may be just as good, and just as worthy, as Nora. You just won't know it until you read it.

At some point, authors have to make a living at what they love--writing--or they're going to have to return to the regular workforce to pay the bills. And then they're too tired to write, or too discouraged, or too stressed. And you will miss out on some of the best stories yet to be written.

The Christmas Wish, Woman's World Short Story 2005

2011-11-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

My very first sale was a romantic short story, sold to Woman's World magazine in 2005. It was featured in the magazine's Christmas issue.

The Christmas Wish

Carrie finished her work and hurried outside to catch the last bus. She hated working late, hated standing in the dark, freezing, as she waited for the crowded bus. Tonight would be worse than usual since it was Christmas Eve and the bus would be filled with shoppers.

When it finally arrived, the bus looked as if it couldn’t hold another passenger. Carrie took a deep breath and pushed her way through the crowd. There wasn’t a single seat left, and not much in the way of standing room. She smiled and grabbed a spot in front of a man decked out in full Santa gear. As a child she’d loved her holiday visits to Santa and still remembered her disappointment the year her mother told her she was too big to sit on Santa’s knee.

The bus lurched forward and almost sent Carrie flying. Santa grabbed her arm and held her in place. “Thank you,” she said. “This is going to be a long ride.”

Santa smiled. “I’d offer you my seat, but with this bulky costume, I wouldn’t fit in the aisle.”

His voice was deep and smooth, and he sounded younger than she’d expected. His blue eyes twinkled when he smiled, making Carrie wish he’d pull off the fake beard so she could see his face. “That’s okay,” she said. “I’m fine.”

That wasn’t quite true. She was far from her family on the night before Christmas, and she’d be spending Christmas day alone for the very first time. Unexpected tears welled in her eyes at the thought of the lonely night and day ahead of her.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

Too choked up to speak, Carrie just nodded. Looking around at the other passengers, she saw that most of them were with someone else, chatting animatedly. Only she and Santa Claus seemed to be traveling alone.

The bus pulled to a stop and more passengers crowded on. Carrie let go of the pole and scooted back against Santa’s legs to make room for a woman with an armload of boxes. When the bus pulled away, she found herself sitting in Santa’s lap.

Before she could scramble to her feet, the woman with the boxes had taken her place at the pole and blocked Carrie in. “This is so embarrassing,” she said to Santa. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. You’re the best-looking female I’ve had on my lap all day. And as long as you’re here, why don’t you tell me your name and what you want for Christmas?”

Carrie laughed and brushed the tears from her eyes. “I’m too old to believe in Santa Claus.”

“It’s not a matter of age. It’s a matter of faith. Now what would you ask for if you could have anything?”

Carrie sobered as she thought of her greatest wish. “I’d wish I could be with my family for Christmas.”

“Where are they?”

“In California. I just moved to Chicago to start a new job and I couldn’t afford to fly home. This will be my first Christmas alone.”

Santa looked thoughtful. “Well, my sleigh will be full tonight, so I can’t fly you home. But I might be able to offer you the next best thing.”

Carrie smiled at the thought of arriving on her parents’ rooftop in a sleigh. “And what would that be?”

“You could come spend Christmas with me and my family.”

Carrie turned to look at him, to see if he was serious. From the look in his eyes, he was. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t even know you and your wife probably wouldn’t want a stranger in her house on Christmas.”

Santa shook his head. “I don’t have a wife—Christmas is at my parents’ home, complete with two brothers and a sister, and seven nieces and nephews. There will be plenty of chaperones, and I can guarantee you my mother would be thrilled if I brought someone home for the holiday.”

He grinned, and Carrie realized she’d seen that grin somewhere before. “Do I know you?”

Santa whispered conspiratorially, “I’m wearing this beard for a reason, but if you’ll promise not to say anything…” He pulled the beard down just long enough for her to get a good look at his face.

Her eyes widened. “You’re--”

He placed a finger across her lips. “Shhh. You promised.”

“What are you doing playing Santa Claus?” Carrie couldn’t believe she was sitting on the lap of a well-known news anchor and that he’d invited her home for Christmas. “And why are you riding the bus?”

“I played Santa for the kids at Children’s Hospital today, and I loaned my mother my SUV so she could pick up a large gift for my dad. So, do you accept my invitation?”

She had a choice between Christmas alone and Christmas with a large family and a man she’d admired each night on the evening news. It wasn’t a difficult decision. “If you’re sure, I’d love to accept.”

He nodded. “I’m sure. And if you’re not busy tonight, would you have dinner with me? And then could you help me wrap a bunch of packages I left until the last minute?”

“I’d love to. And I’m an expert wrapper.” Maybe there really was a Santa Claus after all, Carrie thought as she remembered his words. It’s a matter of faith.

First Review for Blame it on Texas!

2011-11-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

5 stars by cinful1121

I loved this book it was wholesome yet steamy, the characters were engaging and a total page turner straight to the end! I felt emotionally invested in this story from the beginnning and was sent on an emotional roller coaster throughout. This author managed to write about serious life and realtionship issues just as seamlessly as steamy sex scenes that raise your body temp a coupla degrees ;) I have read everything I can get my hands on by this author and have never been disappointed so I would gladly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good solid read! Get it, read it, enjoy as much as I did!

New Release! Blame it on Texas

2011-11-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

Logan Tanner shook the red dust of West Texas off his boots at the age of eighteen and hasn't looked back. When his father has a stroke, Logan is temporarily forced to return home and take over the family ranch. He still feels responsible for his mother's death when he was twelve, and has never gotten over the guilt. Now he's faced with having to protect his twelve year old daughter Katie and his sister and her friend Megan Flynn. It's nearly more than one man can handle. He can't wait to get back to Dallas.

Megan Flynn immediately falls in love with Morris Springs, Texas, population 976, when she delivers Logan's runaway daughter to his doorstep. Raised as a city girl, Megan has a dream of a few acres, a few champion Blue Heelers, and a small-town veterinary practice. The only thing standing between her and her dream is one stubborn, reluctant cowboy with an overprotective streak as wide as the West Texas prairie. But her stubborn streak is a match for his any day. And she's determined to prove it.

Blame it on Texas is a story of the power of love to overcome any adversity, the strength of family and friendship, and the joy that comes with being part of something bigger than yourself.

approximately 240 pages
60,000 words

Blue Wrote a Blog Post

2011-11-21T04:14:00.001-08:00

Confucius Cat invited Blue over for a gab fest. Check it out at http://confuciuscat.blogspot.com/2011/11/cat-treat-monday-author-tori-scott-and.html

Cover Poll

2011-11-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

For the upcoming release, Blame it on Texas. I'm trying to decide on a cover. Any opinions, comments, and votes would be appreciated. Which one do you like better? Any suggestions to make the covers look better? I really wanted the dog on the cover because he plays a fairly big part in the book, but I like the composition of the other cover better. What do you think?

And....We're Number 1

2011-11-20T06:09:00.001-08:00

Perfectly Satisfied hit #1 in Anthologies on Amazon this morning and is #15 in Contemporary Romance. Can it hold the number one spot as long as Satisfaction Guaranteed did? (7 weeks) I sure hope so! It's also listed as a Hot New Release.

Too Cool Not to Share...

2011-11-19T20:33:00.001-08:00

Click the link above and you'll see Perfectly Satisfied listed on Amazon as a Hot New Release, right next to Diana Palmer and Debbie Macomber. Woo-Hoo!

2011-11-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

5 Stars!

My newest favorite author!, November 19, 2011
By Victoria Fredrix "Fred" (USA) -
This review is from: Perfectly Satisfied (Kindle Edition)

I was in love with SAm from the start. Reggie balances him just right. Anyone who buys this is going to get hooked on Tori's romances. She knows a feel good story when she writes one. I think I must line my cyber shelves with Tori Scott Novels and novellas. She never disappoints.

New Review for Lone Star Justice

2011-11-19T16:34:00.000-08:00

Five Stars by By Sharyn Lynes

"This is a very enjoyable and entertaining book which will hold your interest from the first page. It is a reminder that no matter how a person begins life, hard work and determination will triumph in the end. An unwed single mother who is literally driven out of her home town, becomes a respected criminal court Judge. Respected and admired by her peers in the judicial world, Judge Maddie Cooper returns to her home town to proctect her young daughter from an insane stalker/serial killer. Judge Maddie Cooper must face and deal with the heartbreak and betrayal that drove her from the town years ago. She also has to face the Father of her child, who does not know he is a father. I will read this book again in the future as it is well written and very enjoyable.?

New review for Perfectly Satisfied

2011-11-17T12:07:00.000-08:00

By H. M. Taylor "silvarie"

"I loved this book! The best thing about it is the characters. Sam is a yummy hero; he really got to me for some reason. I shall remember him for a long time. Reggie is a great heroine, feisty and independent without being annoying. They made a wonderful couple. This is one of those stories where the author got it just right in my opinion. I will be looking out for the next in the series."

I'm Romance Novel Junkie's Author of the Week!

2011-11-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

Click the post title above to see my author feature on Romance Novel Junkies. I love Monique and the RNJ group. Friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter @RomanceAuthorsL @romanceJUNKIES.

It's Fun to Look Back

2011-11-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

I spent the last hour reading through old blog posts. It's amazing how much has changed in the 6-7 years since I started this blog. I used to be a lot chattier about life back then, for one thing. Now the blog is more about the books than about me. Or maybe I was just more interesting back then. Life today is all about work and writing. Most of the animals are gone, so there's not much to write about there. Kids have grown up and moved out, and the youngest share absolutely nothing about their lives, so not much in the way of anecdotes.

For those who've followed my kids' school and career activities, an update: Tana was laid off from her engineering job at TI, so she got her teacher certification and is now teaching high school algebra. Tony, Jr. got married a couple of years ago and is now step-dad to three teenagers and is working for Google. Timothy moved to southern California, where he does the website design for FitOrbit.com. Rebecca is at Harvard, working on her doctorate in BioStatistics.

Tony and I have made some changes as well. He recently retired from Lifetouch, has learned to make covers for my books, and is going to be doing some freelance photography. I'm still officially employed, but without him to work with, there's not much for me to do. I'll be trying to scare up some free lance work myself, as well as finishing more books to put up for sale.

If you need editing or formatting work, Tana is available to help with that, and Tony will be available after Nov. 23rd. They are both excellent at copy editing. Tony can also do book covers if you need them.

Two Books in the Top Ten!

2011-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

Just hit the top 10 in books>romance>anthologies with Perfectly Satisfied. Satisfaction Guaranteed is currently at number 2 after 7 weeks at number 1.

Thank you to all my fans!

Tori

First Review for Perfectly Satisfied gets 5 stars!

2011-11-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com / for book lovers and readers.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Regina has been in love with Sam since the third grade. However, being from completely different worlds always came between them. Sam is the billionaire high society guy, while Regina is a struggling business owner who is always low on cash. While on a cruise with their best friends, both have a chance to connect with the other.

THOUGHTS

I am a fan of the first book, 'Satisfaction Guaranteed', and fell in love with all the characters. In addition, after reading 'Perfectly Satisfied', I think it surpass Satisfaction Guaranteed. This story falls in the category of sweet with a dash of Cinderella. The story picks up from the first book, when all the friends decided to go on a cruise; it also felt like a continuation from book one. I would also advise the reader to read book 1 first, that way, you have a feel for the characters and a better understanding of everyone's story.

Sam, poor little rich guy. In romance novels, the millionaires are always so Alpha, but in this story, Sam, was so awkward and clueless and for me, that is what made me fell in love with his character. His way of thinking had a lot to do with his parents and upbringing. Regina was your typical hard worker, who always thought she never fits into Sam's world. Both their chemistry were so fun, sweet, and interesting to read.

As for the other characters, they are what made this book so much more fun to read. Cara and Gray from book one is apart of the story, and still had major roles that didn't detract from the main characters. I am also extremely excited that we were introduced to Mitch and Angel; their roles in the book were interesting and a teaser for book 3. This novella will not disappoint.

Sweetest moment: What Sam did for Regina while watching Cinderella.

Story: GOOD
Intimacy: SWEET
Enjoyment: GOOD

Forum: http://RNJchatroom.romancenoveljunkies.c... readers

What an amazing five months it's been...

2011-11-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Last June, I was worried about how I was going to pay the bills. Some friends encouraged me to self-publish my books on Amazon and Smashwords. I was terrified. I didn't think there was any way I could learn the formatting, and then I worried that no one would want my books. But I buckled down and figured out how to format and published Lean on Me, my very first book and Golden Heart finalist. It sold a few copies but it wasn't setting the world on fire. Then I published Undercover Vices, followed by Satisfaction Guaranteed. The last one caught on and sales started to rise.

In between getting the books up, I had to learn to use Twitter, had to force myself out of my shell and start interacting with people, had to join a couple of groups to learn promotion. Satisfaction Guaranteed sales kept rising. I finished Lone Star Justice and put it up. People were beginning to complain that Perfectly Satisfied wasn't available so I started writing it while working 60-70 hours a week at the day job. Keep in mind that I hadn't written a book from scratch in quite some time, so it was a big deal for me, even though it's a novella.

Satisfaction Guaranteed hit the #1 spot for novellas on Amazon and sales kept rising. Sales of the other books increased as well. Finally, in the month of October, I reached the point in my sales where I felt comfortable enough to make another major change--I told the hubby he could retire. I'll still work for a while, but I'm younger and I spent 5 years at home doing nothing but writing, so it's his turn.

I finally finished Perfectly Satisfied and uploaded it yesterday. I don't know if it will sell like Satisfaction Guaranteed did, but I hope it will. I hope that sometime in the near future I can quit the day job and go back to writing full time. But in the meantime, I'm pretty much in awe of how my life has changed. I've published 5 books, and I'm working on another. I've gone from being depressed about our finances to being hopeful. And I've gone from not writing at all to writing pretty much every day.

Perfectly Satisfied is now live!

2011-11-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

Released on Smashwords and Amazon, still processing on B & N, but should be available sometime tomorrow. Apple and Sony will take a little longer. The cover has been tweaked a bit, also.

Perfectly Satisfied-Available Nov 1-2

2011-10-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

Regina Baker has loved Sam Hyatt since the third grade, but Sam has an ideal woman in mind, and Reggie doesn't even come close. As the heir to a sizable fortune, Sam has a responsibility to marry well. His wife needs to be well bred, well educated, and well heeled. As a poor preacher's daughter with a landscaping business that barely pays the bills, Reggie is a mangy mutt compared to Sam's current girlfriend, who has a pedigree a mile long.

Their matchmaking friends, Cara and Gray, arrange for Sam and Reggie to join them on a two week cruise, where Sam will have a chance to see what he's been missing without the society trappings he's normally surrounded with, and Reggie will have two weeks to win Sam's heart.

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-10-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

From the current book in progess: Perfectly Satisfied, the sequel to Satisfaction Guaranteed.

His mouth went dry and he was afraid to speak, sure he couldn't get an intelligent word past his lips.

Reggie turned and walked away from him and he saw the plunging back that revealed satiny, tanned skin all the way to the curve of her hip.

The hard on was immediate and he was sure it was obvious. Sam stepped back out of the doorway and bumped into Gray.

"What's wrong with you, man?" Gray asked, looking at him like he'd lost his mind.

Sam cleared his throat. "Uh, nothing. You go first."

If you can't say anything nice...

2011-10-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

How many times did you hear that as a child? Or do parents even teach their children to be nice these days?

I see it every day in my job. People who are so miserable in their own lives that the only way they know how to feel better is to tear down someone else. I see it on the Kindle boards, in mean-spirited reviews, on Facebook posts. But I was raised to be nice, to not say anything if I can't say something encouraging, to smile in the face of a verbal attack.

Most of the time it serves me well. I can go to sleep at night knowing I didn't deliberately try to hurt someone, tear someone down, destroy their dreams, or ruin their career. Other times I wish I could fight back, that I could tell people exactly what I think. Maybe when I'm in my 80's I can quit caring what other people think and give back as good as I get.

Until then, I will do my best to smile through the mean reviews, to smile at the people at work who take their miserable existence out on me, to not respond when I'm treated unfairly. And I will continue to support my fellow authors who go through the same thing, who sometimes feel like giving up when their hard work goes unappreciated.

For readers, the best thing you can do for your favorite authors is to "like" their books on Amazon, B & N, etc., post a positive review for books you like and refrain from posting a review for a book you didn't like. That's what I do as a reader. There are NYT best-selling authors whose writing style I just can't stand. So I don't read them any more, but I don't post negative reviews because they have others who love their writing and I don't want to discourage anyone from trying their books. Reading is subjective. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean others won't.

I can't stand reality TV shows, but others like them. I can't stand most modern sit coms, but others love them. I hate horrow films, but they have millions of fans. So just because I don't like them, that doesn't mean they're bad. They just aren't for me.

What was your favorite research trip?

2011-10-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite trip so far was to Mesa Verde. I have a book (finished, but not yet published) that has its roots in Native American culture. The book still needs a lot of work, which will have to wait until the day job slows a bit, but the hubby and I took advantage of a needed trip to California a couple of years ago to take a side trip to southern Colorado. We visited Mesa Verde, an amazing place with so much to see and do. (Be sure you have a full tank of gas before heading inside, though.)

I was amazed at the cliff dwellings. How did people a thousand years ago accomplish such an amazing endeavor? And how did those mothers not panic seeing their children scrambling up and down the cliff walls? I could only imagine their terror when forest fires roared through the canyons. But there was such an overall sense of peace in those dwellings, a spiritual connection with a long ago people. I hope to return someday to explore further and visit some of the dwellings I was too chicken to try (like the one with the 100 ladder. Hubby did it, I didn't.)

New Review for Lone Star Justice

2011-10-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

Quick, Suspenseful Read. I read Lone Star Justice in one sitting, from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down. Great suspenseful plot, wonderful characters, and a lovely romance. I hope Tori Scott writes more because I'll read them all!--Dr. Debra

Tori Scott is still #1 on Amazon Best-Seller List

2011-10-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing? I have my fans to thank for keeping Satisfaction Guaranteed in the number one slot on Books > Romance > Anthologies for the past four weeks. I'm also #45 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Contemporary and
#48 in Books > Romance > Contemporary and #435 Paid in Kindle Store.

I'm hoping to see Lone Star Justice, Lean on Me, Undercover Vices and Double Exposure on some best-seller lists in the near future.

Thanks again!

Tori Scott

First Review for Lone Star Justice

2011-10-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

This is the author's first go at romantic suspense and let's all hope it isn't her last cuz not only am I depending on her to write Cody's story it would just plain be a shame! Right from the start I was in a whirlwind of emotions ranging from wanting to kick someone's butt to being suspicious of every character! As for the main characters Maddie and Rand...ahhh unrequited love and secret's that will change everything. I particularly liked how this author gave us all the details that are usually lacking in most books at just how the characters and events had been manipulated or sabotaged. I think laying it out in this way was a great way to flow from young love, anger & betrayal, to finding their way back without it seeming rushed, unrealistic or cheesy. Throw in some humor and sex and what more could you want or ask for! I suggest you buy it, read it and enjoy it as I did.

New Release! Lone Star Justice

2011-10-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

Judge Madelyn Cooper never shows signs of weakness, but when a killer threatens her daughter's life, Maddie does what any mother would do. Run to the place where her daughter will be safe. And that place is Greendale, Texas. Maddie left Greendale fourteen years earlier, pregnant, broke, and without saying a word to Rand McCade. What could she say after her father killed his parents.

Rand McCade is determined to keep Greendale safe. As Sheriff, he promised there would be no repeats of the horrible day when his parents were murdered. Now Maddie is back, bringing trouble with her once again. And this time, she has a daughter. His daughter.

As a psychopath sets his sights on Maddie, Rand and Maddie must figure out who is after her, and why, before someone else ends up dead.

Woo-Hoo!

2011-09-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

Lone Star Justice is finished! Sending to beta reader and copy editor in the morning. Should be up on Amazon by Monday.

Satisfaction Guaranteed is #1!

2011-09-22T07:27:00.001-07:00

It's been a dizzying ride for Satisfaction Guaranteed this month, right to the top of one of the Amazon Bestseller Lists and into the top 100 of two others. The reviews have been wonderful and I wanted to thank everyone who read and enjoyed this story. I loved writing it and love hearing that others have enjoyed it as well.

Thanks for helping it make the lists!!

Tori

New Review for Undercover Vices

2011-09-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I love how this one got off the ground and running between Reed and Cassie. It didn't have the long drawn out wait for the main characters to hit the sheets and sometimes that's just down right refreshing! It cracks me up that Reed had a chocolate addiction and even has a "chocolate stash drawer" in his desk at the police station LOL, how cute!!! It was equally funny everytime Anderson tried to steal it hahaha. On another note I wanted to punch Amanda Mason the bitch! Reed was totally up front with her not leading her on in any way and she was just plain nuts, and a troublemaker. I really enjoyed this book it had depth, sizzling sex scenes and great characters. I definitely put this as a great read worth buying! Enjoy ;-) (*****)

New review for Lean on Me

2011-09-12T16:57:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed this book and have sort of a personal affinity due to the military association throughout the story. I was pulled in right from the start and went through a myriad of emotions throughout. It is well written with a good pace to keep you interested and excited page after page. The issues and struggles within this story are realistic and raw, they are things anyone in real life could and probably has dealt with or gone through themselves or someone they know. The emotions and relationships between characters are to follow and stay focused throughout the book. There are a few steamy scenes between Sandy and Hunter that are well written, I do wish there would have been a little more but that's just me LOL. I absolutely love the Epilogue in this one it is probably one of the best wrap ups I've read in awhile. All in all I'd have to say this story felt "real" in a way that life happens for all of us in one way or another, not overblown occurences or over dramatized situations that only happen in books and not everyday people. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to more from author Tori Scott.

By cinful1121 http://www.amazon.com/review/R2HL5IKKZDJ0TC/ref=cm_sw_su_r

2011-09-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem the evening of 9/11, after I returned from a frantic trip to Dallas to bring my youngest home from boarding school. I was terrified Dallas would be attacked as well. I couldn't stop praying, couldn't stop crying. Reading and hearing the stories of families and heroes of 9/11 still brings tears.

The poem ended up being published as a full back page tribute in our local paper, sponsored by many of the businesses in town. It also appeared in an anthology published by WorldNetDaily.com. It's not at that well written, but it came straight from the heart.

Freedom 911

A moment forever frozen in time
In all of our hearts and all of our minds
As we watched with horror what a few evil men
Can do with hatred and evil intent.

So many emotions filled us that day
Stunned disbelief, anguish, anger, and pain.
Our minds as clouded as New York's city streets
We could only pray and tremble and weep.

We waited for news of loved ones so dear
And listened to stories of bravery and fear.
We cried with the mothers and fathers and wives
We grieve for the children who want to know why.

How can we answer their questions when we,
as adults never dreamed how evil mankind could be?
So we hold our own close, so glad they are safe
And ask God to surround them with angels each day.

Then we lift our heads high and stand firm and tall
As we proclaim to the world that our country won't fall.
We stand united, red, black, white and brown.
And say you can't keep America down.

We'll see these men punished for what they have done,
No stone left unturned till we've found every one.
We'll pray for our soldiers as they fight and they win,
Then we'll put it behind us and build once again.

But we'll never forget the ones who were lost
in airplanes and buildings, we've counted the cost.
We'll mourn and grieve the heroes once more,
and emerge even stronger than ever before.

God bless America, this land of the free
May you always reign righteous and always believe
In the Almighty God who holds us upright
And ever continue, for our freedom, to fight.

September 11, 2001

Why I went Indie

2011-09-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

I started writing in 2001. Well, seriously writing. I'd been jotting first chapters in notebooks for years. But with the advent of a new century, I decided it was time to pursue the dream I'd had for years. To write a book and get it published. I had no idea how much work, heartache, work, rejection, work it would take to get there. I had a lot of initial success. I wrote my first book in 6 weeks, got a request for the full from a Silhouette Special Edition editor, was asked for revisions, but ultimately turned down. Then I entered the Blaze contest after writing 50 pages of my story in two days and squeezing in just under the deadline. That book very nearly sold. Then the first book finaled in the Golden Heart and I was off to New York for the RWA convention. I met with editors and agents, got a lot of close but not for me rejections, some with great comments and advice. But still, not the "yes" I hoped for.

I had big hopes and big dreams. I knew I was a good writer, that I had the potential to do very well. So I wrote another book, and another. But as I wrote, Harlequin started dropping the lines I was targeting, authors were complaining about longer and longer wait times, more and more rejections even for already published authors, and with the popularity of the computer and internet making it easier for wannabe writes to flood editors' desks, the wait times got longer.

An editor at Red Sage asked me to send her the book that nearly sold to Blaze. I did, and after a few rounds of revisions, they bought it (Double Exposure) for their new ebook line. I was ecstatic. Okay, so the advance barely paid for a nice meal out, but I was now a published author! Unfortunately, after the first initial rush in sales, they dropped off to a negligible amount. I even wondered if it was worth cashing the royalty check. The ebook market didn't seem all that great to me.

Then we had some personal tragedies in our family that meant I had to go back to work. The ideas dried up, the voices stopped talking. What was the point, anyway? Publishers were now grabbing rights that had previously belonged to the authors, contracts were a minefield of legal trickery, advances were being slashed to the bone, agents wanted lifetime rights to royalties. It was all too discouraging.

Some of my friends started talking about self-publishing. I was interested, but with working 70 hours a week, I just didn't have time to think about it. And the voices still weren't talking anyway.

Finally, the economy caught up with our industry (photography) and I found I had time on my hands for the first time in 6 years. And I had 5 completed manuscripts on my computer. I started listening to the stories other authors were telling about huge sales and even bigger royalty checks. Okay, since I hate my job, that got my attention. I cleaned up that first book (it had already been through a professional editor, but my writing was less mature than it is now), set it aside for a re-read, and worked on the next one. That one was more recent, cleaner, closer to my voice so I decided it would be first, my experimental books.

I talked the hubby into learning to make a book cover, taught myself to format, and put it (Undercover Vices) up on Amazon and Smashwords. It started selling almost immediately, but slowly.

Then there was this great little book (Satisfaction Guaranteed) I'd started that I just loved. It was short, a novella, really, but I knew it would sell. And it has. It's my top selling work by far.

Finally, I uploaded that Golden Heart manuscript (Lean on Me). This was the book of my heart, and though it has some sales, not nearly what I'd hoped for. But that's okay. It will find its niche and take off one day.

Book five is almost ready to go up. Instead of one of the finished manuscripts I had, I chose to finish one that was only about a third of the way finished. But I knew it was good, and it deserved its chance to be read. That one (Lone Star Justice) should go live in a couple of weeks--or less if I'd quit procrastinating and get back to work.

Books six and seven I hope to have uploaded before the Christmas rush starts, but this is also our busy season at work, so we'll see.

For a person who loves instant gratification like I do, this has been the perfect venue for me. The voices are talking once again, I'm having to get up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas and snippets of conversations like I used to, I have my excitement and joy back. No, I haven't gotten rich yet, but while we could definitely use the money, it's more about getting my stories out there so they can be read, and hopefully enjoyed, by others. I love my characters, every single one of them. They are amazing people who finally have a chance to tell their stories for a wider audience.

I no longer have to write with a line or an editor in mind, I don't have to wait months and jump through hoops, only to have the prize yanked away at the last minute. I don't have to change my story to meet some arbitrary guideline. (For example, the reason Undercover Vices didn't sell to Blaze was because my heroine was unknowingly doing something illegal. Oh my, can't have that!) I can write my characters' stories exactly the way they tell me to. And yes, I do know the rules. I've read enough, written enough, and been through enough revisions to know how things are supposed to go. But my imagination is now my only limit. And that, my friends, is a wonderful thing.

Reviews for Lean on Me

2011-08-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

Requested Review: Lean On Me by Tori Scott
Format: E-book
Read with: IBOOKS for IPAD
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Standalone
Hero: Hunter Thurman
Heroine: Sandy Morrow
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 24, 2011
Started On: 16th August 2011
Finished On: 17th August 2011

Lean on Me by Tori Scott explores a much more tender side of romance from an author who managed to grab my interest after reading her hot little novella Satisfaction Guaranteed. Released on the 24th of July, Lean on Me is a novel that delves into family life, the healing power of love and brings home the fact how communication is a vital aspect of any relationship.

Sandy Morrow is a single mother living alone with her four year old daughter Melanie who is a constant whirlwind of non stop activity. A childcare director by profession, Sandy had lost her husband in a car accident during a freak ice storm two years back and more than anything Sandy mourns for not what she has lost but what her marriage had never been able to give. Independent to a fault, Sandy doesn’t want anything in the world to take that away from her, and shies away from relationships and the opposite sex until the Thurmans move in next door making her sit up and take notice for the first time in two long years.

Hunter Thurman is a military man who had served his country for a long time as a Special Ops soldier that had taken him away from home for long periods of time. His marriage to Liz hadn’t turned out to be what he had envisioned and finally Hunter returns home for good when Liz dies leaving behind an angry and surly teenage Jason behind. Hunter focuses all his time and attention on finding out why his son resents him so much, an uphill battle all the way when the only form of communication between them seems to be screaming matches.

Everything comes to head when Jason’s car hits Melanie’s tricycle giving Jason the wake up call he sorely needs to get his act together. The accident brings together these two families and the constant intimacy brings to light the fact that the attraction that simmers between Hunter and Sandy is one that cannot be ignored. Its not an easy journey for these two towards happily ever after as both Sandy and Hunter bring to the relationship scars from their previous marriages together with the welfare of both their children to the equation. However with a lot of love, understanding, compassion and a whole lot of conversation with a few sensual scenes tossed in between, Tori Scott managed to deliver a happily ever after that I wholeheartedly approved of in the end.

I found Hunter Thurman and his gentle manner beneath which lies a man who can make a woman tremble in all the right ways to be one of the things that drew me into the story. His previous marriage had turned out to be a stifling one that makes him wary of a repeat experience. But when he finds himself enamored with Sandy and her daughter, the way he brings alive good old fashioned courting together with the stolen kisses made my toes curl inward, and made me sigh in pleasure as his wooing works its magic over a woman who has had her fair share of disappointments when it comes to men.

I loved Jason’s character and how he grew in the story. At the beginning he is a surly, rude and obnoxious teenager with a belligerent attitude beneath which lies a wealth of pain and resentment towards his father for never being there when things had gotten quite bad at home. But with time and the healing touch and understanding from Sandy and a lot of patience on Hunter’s part, Jason turns out to be a wonderful and unforgettable character that I fell for as the story progressed.

One cannot read this story without falling in love with the cute little Melanie. Her conversations with Jason made me smile at just how simple everything in life seems to be when you are that young, trying to make sense of all the chaos that reins in this world. Endearing is the term I would use to describe Melanie and she is a character that I wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.

The way that both Sandy and Hunter eventually find love and acceptance in each other was a journey that I very much enjoyed though there were moments that Sandy tended to rub me raw with her constant need to assert her independent nature which she is reluctant to let go of, understandable given her past. But in the end I loved how everything turned out and how Tori Scott managed to squeeze in a cute little epilogue giving me the closure I needed to let this one go. But mind you, I wouldn’t complain if she were to write stories for Sandy’s brother Ryan and Sandy’s best friend Brandy who has a painful past of her own and who knows, maybe even Jason and Melanie? Ah! A girl can always hope!

Rating from the sunny side of life: 4 starshttp://www.maldivianbookreviewer.com/2011/08/17/requested-review-lean-on-me-by-tori-scott/

From Kathi Robb Harris: I loved this. Melanie had my heart form the moment I met her. I sympathized with Jason. In a moment of anger his whole life changed. Sandi and Hunter confront their own internal blocks to happiness in a very realistic way.
Ms. Scott shows deep insight as to the dynamics of single parent emotional problems. No one who hasn't been a single parent can understand the angst of wanting to keep their child safe and loved and yet guide them to adulthood. The love that evolves among the various characters is charming and warm. I highly recomment this one.

Coming Soon--Lone Star Justice

2011-08-04T16:44:00.001-07:00

Small town romance, a hunky Texas Sheriff, a woman in jeopardy, a secret baby (teenager), and a reunion story.

Maddie left Greendale, Texas, in shame fourteen years ago, vowing never to return. But when her life, and the life of her daughter, is threatened, Greendale is the only place she can think of where they will be safe. But small towns never forget a sin committed against one of their own.

Rand has vowed that nothing will happen to the people of Greendale under his watch. Following the murder of his parents fourteen years earlier, Rand made it his mission to protect and serve, finally arriving at his position of Sheriff. He can always tell when trouble is coming, but when Maddie pulls into town, he has no idea just how much trouble one woman can bring with her.

New Release! Lean On Me

2011-07-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sandy Morrow's four year old daughter is hit by an SUV as she's riding her tricycle down the sidewalk near her home. Her new next door neighbors, Hunter Thurman and his son Jason, had been arguing just before Jason jumped in the vehicle and took off without looking behind him. Now her daughter has a concussion and a broken leg,and Sandy has a sexy neighbor who will stop at nothing to make it up to her.Whether she wants him to or not.

Hunter Thurman has a mission: to fix the mess his son has made and to fix the mess he's made of his son's life. He is determined to take care of his next door neighbor and her daughter after the accident, but Sandy is independent and determined to take care of herself, insisting she doesn't need Hunter's help.

His son, Jason, bridges the gap, opening up to Sandy in a way he never has to his father, revealing things Hunter wishes his son had told him instead.

New Review for Satisfaction Guaranteed

2011-07-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting proposition, with a hero and heroine who went from being friends to almost-lovers back in high school, then back to friends, and finally, 15 years later, to lovers. Tori Scott really sets the scene for the seduction, and I was glad to see the characters get their HEA at last.

The author does pack a lot into this little novella, including a sub-plot/secondary romance. As always happens to me (even with Suzanne Brockmann's amazing SEAL stories), I found myself wanting to leap forward and have more of the secondary romance even as the primary one was unfolding in front of me. I've come to accept that's just a quirk of my nature. But I'm still anxious for Tori Scott's follow-up so I can read Reggie & Sam's romance. Of course, I fully expect the author will introduce another secondary romance and my imagination will go haring off toward that one. (Yes, I am hopeless.)

First Review for Satisfaction Guaranteed!

2011-07-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

7/19/2011

Tori Scott packs a lot of sensuality and romance into a short novella. I'm not usually a sensual romance reader, but I wanted something short and this fit the bill. Well written, likable characters, a super romantic hero, a setting I wished I was in, and the beginning of a secondary romance for the next novella. I was hooked from page one and can't wait for the next one.

Burning up the Shelves

2011-07-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Satisfaction Guaranteed is out and is selling! The 99 cent price tag doesn't hurt, and neither does having Jimmy Thomas on the cover. It's available on Smashwords.com and Amazon.com, and should be on Apple, Sony, Kobo, B&N, and several others in the next few weeks. Hope you enjoy!

Coming Soon!

2011-07-07T10:15:00.001-07:00

Tentative release date is July 15th on Amazon and Smashwords.com

Thank you to Jimmy Thomas for the cover photo, and to my husband Tony for the cover itself.

Reviews

2011-07-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Reviews for Undercover Vices:

July 04, 2011 : 5 stars

I loved the character development and plot, a very enjoyable book.

July 02, 2011 : 5 stars

I have just read Tori Scott's, "Undercover Vices." I found it to be a sassy and fun read. The characters were in-depth and easy to get to know. I loved the plot line and hope to see many more from Miss Scott. I have read both of her books and can't wait to read a new one. I recommend this book to anyone that loves a great romance story with a little fun, angst, and some hot loving.

July 12, 2011: 5 stars

Tori Scott does a terrific job of pitting opposites against each other in a sexy, very clever, very well-told story where opposites don't just attract, they sizzle. This is a story that pleases on all levels. I will make a point of reading everything Tori Scott publishes.

Reviews for Double Exposure:

Rating: 4/5 Stars!
Heat level: H

Launching a lingerie company, Satin and Steel on a limited budget wasn't easy but for Lacy Fitzgerald it is the end of the line. She has to stand up on her feet and make her dear dad realize that he has a sensible daughter who can make effective business deals just like he does. A last minute search for a handsome hunky lingerie model brings her face to face with Gabe Matthews and she feels that his appeal as a rugged construction worker would help her to generate sales. What she doesn't know is that this particular man has lots up his sleeve that would make her fall for him in no time!

Lacy may appear a carefree young woman with only fun on her mind, but really emerges as a responsible person when the need arises. I know I should hate her father for forcing her into earning a living for herself but it turns out that parents really do know more. I never thought that Gabe would be a man to say yes when he doesn't want to but Lacy's charm makes him do things that he never meant to do. I found myself secretly smirking as Lacy's outrageous underwear made Gabe cringe. It really felt like lust at first sight, as the couple never shared their feelings for each other. True, their hot escapades make you hum with excitement but I felt love was lacking somewhere along the line. Sparks from the exciting chemistry that they share had my insides singing in no time. The plot fulfills the demands of a fun contemporary romance and you find yourself pulled in while the couple is trying on raunchy lingerie. Lacy's dear friend, Suzanne Santini is an interesting character and I wouldn't mind meeting her in her own story.

For a debut, Ms. Scott shows real promise and I expect truly dreamy delightful tales from her. Mixed identities, a hot lingerie catalog photo shoot and a daring heroine all make Double Exposure a completely adorable story that is fun to read and hard to put down!

~~Mahaira Fatima ~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Lacy Fitzgerald has made a wager with her father. He will give her money to start up a business, if said business is a success in one year she wins. If the business is in the red and isn't making money she must marry Devin, the man of her father's dreams, not hers. The lingerie business she starts is failing quickly at the six month mark and she needs to pump new blood into the floundering business. That new blood comes in the form of Gabe Wallis, her new model for her lingerie. Sparks fly and steam rises between the two, but is there a future for them or the business?

Lingerie, lust, and one hot male model make for an enjoyable story. Lacy is a character that is easy to identify with. She is strong, confident, and naughty. She knows her mind and sticks with her choices. Her sexual inventiveness is downright outrageous. Gabe is sexy, strong, and has a hint of mystery about him. The sexual chemistry is combustible. The couple faces conflicts that add depth to the story. Plenty of fun with a great amount humor, the story keeps the reader interested. Ms. Scott has a knack for telling a story. I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

~~ Dawnie ~ Fallen Angels

New Book!

2011-06-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Cassie Mills runs afoul of an outdated and rarely enforced law when she decides to host Pleasure Parties. Reed Stevens is working undercover on the vice squad, not his favorite assignment, especially when he's assigned to what he considers fluff duty, cracking down on the home party sex toy business.

Cassie faces her greatest fear--what will her mother think?--and her aunt's Bridge Club. Reed faces a jealous and unstable partner, his ex-wife and her new love, and the wrath of Cassie's supporters. Neither one is prepared for the day when their professional paths cross. Shock, feelings of betrayal, lust, and love all intermingle until neither one is sure who is right and who is wrong.

Sparks fly both in the bedroom and out, and ultimately they must choose between jobs and love.

Available now at Smashwords.com, and coming soon to Amazon Kindle.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/65744

If you read Undercover Vices, or if you've read Double Exposure (available at www.eredsage.com or Amazon Kindle), please post a review. Thanks!

2010-09-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's football time again!

It's been a busy three weeks as the hubby and I have been exploring the possibility of starting our own photography company. We've finally settled on a name, Delle Jacobs is working on a logo for us, and tomorrow we go to the courthouse to register the name and get our tax permit. Will continue the day (well, actually, night) job for a while until we've accumulated the equipment we need and some savings to hold us for a bit, but I'm really ready to handle my own reins and decide where I'll go and when.

I think once we're away from this soul-sucking job, I might even get my creativity back. I need to get back to my writing.

http://dellejacobs.com/

2010-08-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Just a shout out about this blog design. It was created by my talented friend Delle Jacobs. You can visit her website at http://dellejacobs.com/ where you'll find not only more of her wonderful design skills at work, but you'll see she's a fabulous author as well. If you need a book cover design or some help spicing up your blog, contact Delle. If you're looking for great Regency stories, check out her books too.

2010-08-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this as a reminder of what I was called to do. It's from Madalyn Aslan's horoscopes for last week.

If a film is done right, it has the power to inspire and motivate just about anyone. I recently watched a movie with my kids called Sister Act II, a flick that can inject hope in almost any naysayer. Something Whoopi Goldberg said made me pause and reflect for a long time. I still think about her words today, enough that I am sharing them now with you. She said, “If you wake up in the morning and all you can think about is singing, then you are a singer.” This movie spoke volumes about passion and inherent gifts and the true beauty and freedom in expressing them. You either have the music in you or you don’t. In these powerful times, your Soul wants nothing more than to express its own unique individuality, to care not about what other people might think and to set a trend in doing what feels most natural to you. There is more in you that is dying to come out Sag, far more, and the current cosmic climate is going to help you go about making that happen.When you wake up in the morning, and all you can think about is...?

This is just the beginning.

Okay, I'm not a Sagittarius (I even had to look it up to spell it right), and I'm not really a singer though I love music. What I am is a writer. Or at least I used to be. But rejections, loss of momentum with agents and editors from not being able to afford conferences, sapped energy from a difficult, stressful job, all combined to grind my writing to a halt. Well, there's an occasional trickle, but the days of sitting down and writing a 75,000 word book in 6 weeks seem like a long ago dream.

But, I think about it every single day. I yearn for the days when the words and ideas flowed. I ache for the time to sit down and get into a story and not surface until I'm so exhausted and hungry I just can't type another sentence. I tell myself "someday."

So when is "someday?" Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Something tells me that someday had better start right now or it will all slip away forever.

2010-07-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

This will be a difficult week for me. It's the week of the Romance Writer's of America conference in Orlando. I haven't been to conference since 2004, so I've lost all the momentum I had going with editors and agents, but the worst part is missing the friends I haven't seen in years. I wanted to go. I NEEDED to go. But there were other things more important to do here and, with the economy, well, the money just wasn't there.

Several friends have been nominated for Rita awards, so I'll be cheering them on from home. In my pj's, drink in hand, instead of dressed to the nines. I'll miss Disneyworld. I'll miss Florida, one of my favorite states.

To all of you lucky enough to be going, have enough fun for two, will ya?

Happy Birthday, America!

2010-07-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

On this Independence Day, it might be good to reflect on what this day really stands for. It's not just a great day for family barbecues and fireworks, but a day to celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on earth. Or what was once the greatest nation.

July 4th, 1776, was the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Have you ever read it? Or have you read it since high school Civics class? If not, you can do so here:
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

If you read the list of grievances that follow this powerful statement, you'll see many are being committed by our own president. I wonder, then, when the American people will once again say "enough!" and declare Independence from the current oppression?

Wow, has it really been that long?

2010-07-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

More than a year since I was here last. Hubby and I have been crazy busy with work, kids, home fix-ups. Writing has been pushed aside, neglected. I did dust off Undercover Vices and submitted it one place. Haven't heard back yet. But I have so many books that are either complete or nearly complete and just need some rewriting, polishing, finishing up...

I have the next few weeks off, all the company leaves tomorrow, so there are no more excuses.

Well, the house still needs painting...

In sunny California!

2009-05-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Our youngest graduates from college tomorrow and our oldest son is getting married in two weeks, so dh and I are in Sunny California for a 3 week visit. It's beautiful out here, especially after enduring weeks of non-stop rain back home.

We took a back-country trip on the way out so Tony could get some new pictures. Amazing scenery, book research (yay me!), and time away from the constant rejection known as sales work...this trip couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

I miss my dogs, but I am getting reports from the family members who are taking care of things back home, so hopefully my fur babies will survive the separation without too much trauma.

Got this in my email today...

2009-04-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Editor's Choice winner will be posted this weekend at http://manicreaders.com/

Stay tuned....

Manic Readers Contest voting open

2009-03-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

I have an entry up on the Manic Reader's contest site. The top 2 entries each week get read by a NAL editor. If you have a few minutes, please go vote! My entry is number 3. Once you've read and voted for your favorite 2 entries, please come back and let me know what you think about mine--good, bad, or ugly. It's the black moment scene in the book.

One set of taxes done!

2009-02-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

Finally got my own taxes finished and sent off. I love Turbo Tax! Now I just have to do my youngest's taxes and help the youngest son with his.

Got my first royalty statement (and check. Yay!) Not as much as I'd hoped, but way more than I expected. LOL.

Just one more week of "volunteer" work (where it costs you almost as much in gas as you make on the job). Working for commission only sucks in this economy. And having people treat you like you're trying to rob them when you're only trying to make a living sucks even worse. But starting next week, we'll be in a place where we might actually not only make enough to pay the bills, we might even make enough to retire some of this mountain of debt. Once that's done we might be able to help the two kids who were laid off from their jobs recently and the one who still hasn't found a job and maybe even the one who's still in college.

And then there's that lottery ticket I bought yesterday....

Now What?

2008-12-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

I've finished rewriting the new book. It isn't a sexy book, so Red Sage isn't an option. It's barely even a romance, though there are some relationships forming. But there's no sex in it. It's somewhat suspense, somewhat adventure, somewhat fantasy. It doesn't fit in any neat pigeonholes, so I have no idea even how to go about querying on it. I can't figure out how to describe it. The characters are mostly Native American, but it's contemporary, not historical. They have some psychic powers, they're members of a special super-secret private black ops team who spend their time shutting down illegal military operations.

I may have to publish this one myself on Amazon for the Kindle.

Haven't Posted in Months

2008-11-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

My DH and I have been on the road for weeks now. We haven't been home in five weeks, and I miss my dogs something awful. Right now we're in California, near LA. I love the weather, but don't much like the city. Outlying areas are okay, but the traffic is non-stop and everything costs nearly double what it does at home. I'll be so glad to head towards home this weekend.

Wonder if my dogs miss me as much as I miss them?

While we're here, I'm doing research on a book I wrote last year but never got back to it to rewrite. I'm going to make that priority number one when I get home--get that book rewritten and start sending out queries. At least now I have a good feel for the area and some pictures for inspiration--like the ones below.

4 Angel Review

2008-09-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

You can read the full review at http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/2008/September/Dawnie-DoubleExposure.htm

"Lingerie, lust, and one hot male model make for an enjoyable story. Lacy is a character that is easy to identify with. She is strong, confident, and naughty. She knows her mind and sticks with her choices. Her sexual inventiveness is downright outrageous. Gabe is sexy, strong, and has a hint of mystery about him. The sexual chemistry is combustible. The couple faces conflicts that add depth to the story. Plenty of fun with a great amount humor, the story keeps the reader interested. Ms. Scott has a knack for telling a story. I look forward to reading more by this talented author."

Thanks, Dawnie, for the great review!

Press Release update

2008-08-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I've seen the press release several places online so far, but the most exciting was to see it in the Yahoo Financial News! Have any of you seen it yet, other than here?

Still no reviews. Might have to change the contest if some don't start showing up soon.

This has really been a tough week at work. I have to wonder how some people live with themselves, considering how they treat others. But you have to let it roll off and keep on working or you'll go crazy.

Contest! Win a copy of Double Exposure.

2008-08-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to come up with a contest. Since I've looked high and low all over the web and can't find a review of Double Exposure, I'll give a PDF ARC of the book to the first person who finds--or posts--a review for Double Exposure and sends me a link to the review.

Tori

Press Release

2008-08-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

My editor is brilliant. She just sent out the following press release and I'm excited to see what kind of response and exposure we get from it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

E-Books Provide Hidden Benefits to Readers
Says Bible Belt Author of Erotic Romances

Author Offers Insight into Why Romance Readers Are Secretly Flocking to E-Books

“Being from a small town in the Bible belt, I appreciate the fact that Red Sage e-books let my readers shop in total privacy without worrying about who might find out what they're reading."

“I can buy 4 e-books for what I would spend on gas alone. "

In DOUBLE EXPOSURE (Red Sage Publishing, on sale August 1, 2008), the newest short novel in the Red Sage Presents line of hit e-books, newcomer Tori Scott writes about a romantic couple who expose their skin for a lingerie catalog photo shoot even while they must struggle to hide their identities. This delicate balance between exposure and secrecy is familiar to romance writers and readers alike.
In a candid interview, the Golden Heart-nominated Texas author talks about her inspiration for DOUBLE EXPOSURE and the compelling reasons that make erotic romance e-books an underground success:

Tori, you are releasing a short contemporary erotic romance novel that touches upon an important issue in many readers’ lives: the tension between private behavior and public opinion. Can you draw a correlation between your characters, your readers, and you?

There's certainly a parallel here between the fictional and real worlds. The heroine in DOUBLE EXPOSURE, Lacy Fitzgerald, is being pressured to give up her career aspirations and be a “good girl,” to enter a loveless marriage and become a model wife and mother. Instead, Lacy becomes another kind of model -- a lingerie model for her new, high-end lingerie design business. Even though it’s a perfectly respectable business, she is mocked and scorned by many people who should be cheering for her success, and her model partner, hero Gabe Wallace, lies about his identity so that people in their Texas town won’t know that he’s posing for pictures in his briefs. Even though most people wear undergarments, Lacy and Gabe must struggle to come to terms with public prejudice against lingerie.

Writing and reading erotic romance can draw a similar response from people. This is a huge business with a vast readership, yet readers have been complaining about romance covers for decades because they don’t want the public to see them carrying one of “those books.”

E-books help us get around that problem, and that’s probably one of the reasons that romance e-books sales estimates claim about half of the overall e-books market. I'm excited about Red Sage's new e-book program because I'm an avid online shopper. I prefer to download my books rather than driving thirty miles to the nearest bookstore where I have to search for the book I want, then wait in line, book in hand, to buy it. I can buy four books for what I would spend on gas alone, and nobody knows what I’ve bought.

I've loved Red Sage books since I got my hands on my first Secrets volume at a writers’ conference. Being one of Red Sage's authors is a dream come true. And being from a small town in the Bible belt, I appreciate the fact that Red Sage ebooks let my readers shop in total privacy without worrying about who might find out what they're reading.

About Red Sage Publishing
Before there were e-books, before there was something labeled "erotic romance," there was Red Sage. The first Secrets anthology was released in 1995 and caught on with readers immediately. It's still in print to this day, as are all the other Secrets volumes released since then. The staying power of these anthologies is a testament to their quality.

In 2007, Red Sage launched Red Sage Presents, a new line of e-books destined for the same level of success as the Secrets volumes. Available at its proprietary website and other e-book distribution outlets, these stories have proven to be every bit as popular as the print books. Within weeks of their availability at Fictionwise, Red Sage presents authors had captured the number one spot in their category and had placed two additional titles in the top ten, with several more climbing the charts each week.

About Author Tori Scott
Tori Scott has always loved to read, especially anything with even a hint of romance. Over the years, Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames gave way to Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts, and Tori was hooked on romance. Her husband, a professional photographer, has given Tori plenty of inspiration for her stories, and now enjoys helping her "research." She writes as they drive from one Bible belt shooting location to another.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE
By Tori Scott
Red Sage Presents, E-Books Division of Red Sage Publishing
ISBN 9781603102063
$5.95
ON SALE 8/01/08
www.eRedSage.com

IT'S OUT!!!!!

2008-07-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

Two days early, but Double Exposure is now available. I'll post a contest in the next day or two. In the meantime, go check out the page devoted to my very own book, would you? Please? Just click the post title above.

Countdown to Release Date!

2008-07-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

10 Days to the release of Double Exposure from Red Sage. The cover is on the Coming Soon page. It's listed in the upcoming releases on Fiction Wise. Am I excited? Oh yeah. Big time. I'd love to blow the sales records out of the water, but what has me terrified is waiting to get that first review...

Stay tuned.

Free Book!

2008-07-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

From July 22nd through August 5th, you can read the entire, uncut text of THE MARK by Jason Pinter online--for free! Just go to www.jasonpinter.com and click on the link. Hope you enjoy!

Conference time again

2008-06-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Someone just reminded me the RWA National Conference is once again less than a month away, and I won't be there--again. I haven't made it to a National conference since Dallas in 2004. I've lost all the momentum I had with editors and agents, most of the contacts with my fellow writers. But in the business we're in now, if you have the time, it means you aren't working so you don't have the money. And with the conference in San Francisco this year, that means it's expensive. Airfare, hotel, meals, registration--we're talking about $2000 or so to attend. Still, it breaks my heart that I won't be there this time. My first book is about to debut, which means I'd be eligible for my first-ever publisher party. Might even have been able to get my books in time for my first-ever book signing. Would have been my first National to attend as a published author.

Yes, I'm having a great big pity party over this one....

Meeting a guy from online...

2008-06-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Not that kind of meet. But my husband and I met one of my online writer friends and his wife for dinner. They were in town for a wedding, so we drove over and met them at the Texas Roadhouse. We had a great meal, a great time, and it was really nice to meet Josh Lockwood face to face. Check out his books at www.moonlitromance.com.

Away too long and sad news.....

2008-06-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been on the road all but three weeks so far this year. We spent 5 wonderful weeks in Florida, then to places all over Texas and to Shreveport, LA. I'm in West Texas now, on my own this time. I got to visit with fellow Noodler Stef Feagan last week, which was a rare treat.

Just a few weeks now until Double Exposure will be available on www.eredsage.com. I saw my cover in a two page ad in Romantic Times, so I had to pick up a copy of the magazine. It's in the July issue.

I'm getting ready to head out for the long drive home. Haven't seen my husband for ten days, so I'm ready to get back there. But he called me early this morning with the news that Willie, my 11 year old Great Pyrenees, had passed away. I've had Willie since he was 6 weeks old, and I knew he was close to going, but I hoped he'd wait until after I got home. It just breaks my heart. He has a mate, Dollie, and they've been together their entire lives. I'm worried about her. Tony said she's been standing guard over Willie's body, but somehow he has to get in the pen and move Willie so he can bury him. That won't be an easy task because Willie weighed 150 pounds.

I'm going to miss you, Willie. I'm going to miss you licking my face while I try to clean out the water bowls. I'm going to miss you looking up at me with those big brown eyes, so full of love and welcome. I hope you're now running free, free of pain, in a green field with birds to chase and ponds to laze around in. I love you, big guy.

Willie as a puppy

Willie doing his favorite thing...

Willie and Dollie

On the Road--Yet again

2008-02-17T06:26:00.000-08:00

This time we're in south Florida for at least three weeks, maybe more. Am I complaining? Heck no! It's gorgeous! The weather is absolutely perfect, the scenery is beautiful, the beach just blocks away. If you have to work, it doesn't get much better than this.

More pictures posted on Tony's blog at http://pcsphotography.blogspot.com/

Oh my God. I have a cover!

2008-01-30T19:55:00.000-08:00

My editor just emailed my cover for Double Exposure for my approval.

Do I approve? Are you kidding me? It's fantastic! Perfect.

Red Sage does know how to do covers right, don't they? And at this point we're looking at an August release.

Still in the Rio Grande valley, selling pictures the dh is taking. But after 3 weeks, I'm more than ready to head for home.

On the Road Again

2008-01-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Heading out for another photography trip, this time to South Texas. Since I've never been there, it will be a new experience, and hopefully a new setting for a book.

We had a good Christmas this year, with most of the kids home. It was a little different in that we didn't go to my mother-in-law's for the first time in 35 years, but we survived the change. Didn't like it much, but we survived.

Found out my book will most likely be released in July. I'm excited about that. I wish I could afford to go to San Francisco so I could participate in the booksigning--that's something I've looked forward to for years, but unless I make a ton of money in the next couple of months, that won't be happening.

Be sure to pop over to the Wet Noodle Posse blog and check out all the exciting happenings going on there. They've started a several month series on writing--all the how-to's you've always wanted to know about.

Here's a bit of info...

You can enter to win Barnes and Noble.com gift certificates by posting this news release on your blog or forwarding to a chapter/group e-mail loop or newsletter. To be eligible, e-mail the particulars of your forward/post to jillmonroe @ cox.net (no spaces) and post no later than January 20, 2008. A random drawing will determine the winner(s) of the gift certificates.

The Wet Noodle Posse had such a great time with our month of Golden Heart prep that we're giving away writing tips...one month at a time. In addition to book and critique giveaways, join Q&A sessions and read guest blogs from bestselling writers like Sherrilyn Kenyon and Gena Showalter. Check out our line-up of topics! January-Getting Started (goals, choosing story idea, focus, etc.) February-Character Development (names, physical descriptions, backstory, etc.) March-Plotting April - Conflict May-Research June-Business side of Writing (market, marketing, promotion, etiquette) July-Prepping for Conference (both for national and smaller conferences) August-Inspiration (for stories and for keeping yourself going) September-Writer Health (physical and mental) October-GH Preparation November-Writing Challenges (NaNo, BIAW, turning off the internal editor, etc.) December-Editing/Revisions Get great information in a fun community! Visit http://wetnoodleposse.blogspot.com

First book-length sale!

2007-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

Started to label this post first sale, but actually my first sale was the Christmas story to Woman's World, so this is my first book sale. I sold to Red Sage! The book is tentatively titled Double Exposure. It used to be titled Satin and Steel. It's the one Blaze almost bought, the one that won the Golden Gateway contest a few years ago. The one that just never would let go. I loved that book and couldn't give up on it. So glad I didn't.

Many thanks to Theresa, my new editor, and Alexandria, my new publisher. I'm looking forward to lots of good times ahead.

Catching Up

2007-10-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I've been gone for weeks, on the road helping the dh with the photography stuff. I'll be back in a bit to catch up with where we've been and what we've been up to. This post is just to keep my blogger account open so they don't delete me.

Check back tonight for an update.

Headed for Georgia

2007-08-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

We've been asked to drive to Georgia to take pictures. Of course, we said yes! Who can resist an all-expenses paid trip out of town with nearly double our normal rate of pay, a per-diem for meals, an extra .10 a mile for gas (and over 1600 miles, that adds up!) We're excited. My dogs won't be, however, when they realize they're on their own.

Okay, not exactly. They'll have company. It just won't be me. They worry when I'm gone, when I come home after dark, etc. They freak out if I go outside after midnight.

I'm really afraid I'll come home to find my Great Pyrenees male, Willie, has passed. He's 10 years old, can barely get around, and wheezes something awful when he breathes. This heat is really hard on him. And if/when he dies, the female, Dollie, will freak. They've been together since she was 6 months old and Willie was 8 weeks old. I may end up having to put her down.

I'm ready to not own animals anymore. It's too hard to watch them die. We sold the cows (which nearly broke my heart, since I'd hand raised most of them) and the chickens. So the cat and the dogs are all we have left.

But with this job, we'll have opportunities to travel, and that's hard to do when you have furry friends depending on you. I'd probably give the two younger dogs away if I could, but I've had them since they were puppies. How do you give away your babies?

Has anyone ever adopted an older dog? How do they handle a new home and family? Do they miss the old ones?

Long time gone

2007-08-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

We've been super busy, learning the photograpy biz, working 12 hour days, driving at least 2-3 of those hours. I'm exhausted. We're not making the money we'd hoped to, either, but hopefully that's a temporary situation while we're learning.

I did manage to cut a 400 page ms down to 200 pages at an editor's request and got it edited and sent off. Now I'm back in the waiting game. In the meantime, I got my first fan mail! A lady read The Christmas Wish, my Woman's World romance story from Dec. 2005 and loved it. Yay! That made my day.

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday. She's now 20, so I'm no longer the mother of a teenager. Last time we didn't have a teenager in the family was in 1989. So I can now say my kids are all grown, they're all beautiful/handsome, and they're smart and talented. Good kids. What more could a mother ask for?

Golden Heart and Rita Winners

2007-07-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

The winners of this year's Romance Writers of America Golden Heart and Rita Awards have been posted at the RWA website. (click on link above)

I've very excited for two friends, Trish Milburn of the Wet Noodle Posse and my Aussie friend Bronwyn Clarke, who both won Golden Hearts tonight.

CONGRATULATIONS LADIES!!!!!!!!!

RWA National

2007-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's killing me that I won't get to attend National again this year. And it's within easy driving distance! But the new job requires my presence at training (the nerve!), my daughter needs help at her place on the weekend, and we have one last concrete job to pour so we can survive until the first paycheck from the new job.

So if you're going to National, drink a Cosmo for me, tell the editors and agents I said hi, and seek out the Wet Noodle Posse ladies and give them a hug from me.

If you're looking for someplace to eat besides the over-priced hotel restaurants, some of my favorite restaurants in or near downtown that serve great food for reasonable prices include El Fenix on McKinney Ave,(best Tex-Mex ever), Spaghetti Warehouse, Olive Garden, and Joe's Crab Shack (they have great coconut shrimp) in the West End.

I will be at the hotel Sunday morning, the 15th, to meet some people, so if you see me, stop and say hello.

The Wet Noodle Posse at the Awards, Dallas 2004

Where I've been...and Father's Day

2007-06-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Thought this map thing I found on Trish Milburn's blog (click blog title for link) was pretty cool. I can see that there are a few more places I need to visit before I die. And that's just here in the states.

We spent three weeks in Mexico one year, too. Two weeks in Vera Cruz, and a week travelling back and forth in a motorhome caravan. It was an absolute blast.

Most of these states were visited when I was a kid, when my Dad worked for Sperry Gyroscope. We moved at least once a year, usually from one coast to the other, so I got to see a lot of the country. I can remember singing with my mom, dad, and sister (that was before she became such a pain in the ass) as we drove along lonely highways late at night. In those days, you could drive a hundred miles or more and never see another car. (No, this wasn't in the thirties! It was the sixties.) Dad couldn't carry a note in a bucket, but that never stopped him from belting out "Shine on Silver Moon" or any of those other old songs.

That's probably one of my best memories of childhood, singing with my dad. I still miss him every damned day. Happy Father's Day, Dad.

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PIcture Day

2007-06-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Decided to post some pics since my brain won't come up with anything to write. These photos were taken by my husband, an amateur photographer who would really like to go pro.

This one is from a bush in my back yard.

This is my 10 year old Great Pyrenees, Willie, enjoying the pond.

Ducks on my mother-in-law's pond.

Honoring Those Who Have Fallen

2007-05-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law, Archie Payne 1923-2005

My father, Charles Maeker 1927-1998

These pictures are indicative of where my thoughts are today...

I don't personally know anyone who died while in service to our country, but I have been priviledged to know many who served our country with honor--some still living, some having passed on. My oldest daughter served in the Coast Guard, my father was a Merchant Marine during World War II, my father-in-law was in an Army tank division during that same time. A friend's husband served in Vietnam and my brother-in-law was a Sea Bee. My nephew served time in the Navy and is thinking about signing back up. I have a number of friends whose children are in Iraq or who are preparing to return.

My prayers today are thanks to those who protect us, prayers for safety to those fighting wars overseas, and prayers for our leaders to find a way out of this war that is costing so many young lives.

My wish for those serving is that our government would realize how great the sacrifices are that you make, and that your families make. I think it's appalling that one soldier I know of has to sell his truck to be able to come home to see his four year old son before he deploys back to Iraq. I think it's appalling that our soldiers don't have enough ammunition, don't have proper safety equipment, often don't have enough food. That their families are many times destitute because their pay for fighting is so much lower than their civilian pay was.

The least we can do, as Americans, is say thank you. Send a card to a soldier today. And if you can, include a $20 bill, a phone card, a book--something to let them know you care.

2007-05-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

We've quit celebrating a lot of holidays around our house, at least in the sense of not wasting money on gifts for what we call "Hallmark Holidays." I don't want my kids wasting their hard-earned money on presents just because someone somewhere decided this should be a gift-buying day. For the last two weeks we've been inundated with commercials on television implying that husbands and kids should be spending thousands of dollars at Zales buying diamond necklaces and earrings for Mom, or buying iPods or cellphones at Best Buy, clothes or dishes at Marshall's, etc.

Yeah, I like presents as much as anyone. But the greatest gift to me is having children who are kind and loving, who are honest and hard-working, who don't drag me out in the middle of the night to bail them out of jail, who don't keep me up nights worrying that they're in trouble, who don't break me financially because they need drug rehab, and don't steal from me to support a drug habit. My greatest gift is four fantastic, wonderful, awesome children.

The oldest has two of the cutest little boys on earth. She's smart, funny, has a good job that lets her support herself and the boys, owns her own home, and she comes to see us several times a year even though it's inconvenient and tiring to make the trip after working all week. The second oldest lives far away, but he makes me proud when I see how he treats the ones he loves. He makes more money in a week than we do in two or three months, but he doesn't spend it on high living. He helps his family when they need it, helps his girlfriend when she needs it, puts some back for a rainy day. Oh, and he sent me flowers for Mother's Day. I can't remember the last time I got flowers, but I'm pretty sure the last ones also came from him.

The second oldest is just about to finish college. One more semester to go. He's held a 4 point average in all but one class, works part-time in the computer lab, comes home for the weekend when I need him to or when there's a family gathering so he can be part of it. He's at an age where a lot of kids pull away from their families, but he hasn't done that. I'm looking forward to the day when he finds that special someone and she knocks his socks off. I just pray she's kind and gentle, like he is.

The youngest is our rebel. She's opinionated and very vocal about her beliefs. But like the others, she's a damned good kid. She's beautiful and smart, a killer combination. We're still watching to see where she's headed in life, but I know, without a doubt, she'll make a difference. And she'll make us proud, as her brothers and sister have.

As for me, I tried to send my mom flowers but I waited too late, apparently. FTD's website and 800 number wouldn't take orders, I tried 1-800-Flowers, Teleflora...all busy. My mom is 800 miles away, so I can't pop by and take her a bouquet from the grocery store. I should have sent a card, but I was so busy helping the third child move home from college and working on my books, I forgot.

So I called her today to wish her Happy Mother's Day and reminded her of the hard backed book I gave her last month in case I forgot this month. Hopefully, like most mom's, she understood.

My kids haven't gotten together for a group photo in many years. Here's one from nearly 15 years ago.

Yeah, I've been blessed.

Happy Mother's Day!

Retraction

2007-05-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, Wild Blue made it right. The tech guy came by on his way home from another install, on his own time, and got us up and running. For some reason, the dish had moved slightly, probably from the storm, and it wasn't getting a signal. Now we shall wait and see if it happens again. But for now, I'm a happy--and fast--camper.

Faster than the speed of...huh?

2007-05-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Got Wild Blue Satellite internet yesterday. I was looking forward to being able to actually watch video trailers and upload pictures. The dh was excited about finally being able to surf the web without my computer activity slowing him down.

Well, all we did was build ourselves up to a huge disappointment. $300 for equipment, $50.00 a month for service we're tied into for a full year, and I'm still on dialup. The Wild Blue worked on my computer (way slower than advertised) for about 4 hours. Then the clouds moved in and that was that. No more connection. Can't get it back up. Don't know when the technician can get back out here (he's 2 hours away). I was lied to about having back up dial up service (only the most expensive package has that, and only 10 hours a month). I was told it would be as reliable, if not more, than my Dish Network satellite service. Sorry, Dish is on, Wild Blue is not.

I'm so mad at myself for signing up for this. I'll be out nearly $1000 for something that doesn't work. And I'm still crawling along like a turtle at 12.0 kbps at the moment.

Grrrrrrr.

I've been tagged!

2007-05-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Denise Patrick has tagged me to reveal 8 random things you didn't know about me.

Honestly, is there anything left I haven't already revealed on this blog? Well, I'll give it a shot, but I may be repeating myself.

1. I spent 20 minutes backstage with Garth Brooks in 1992. I won a contest on the radio for a limo ride to the concert and two backstage passes, plus great seats up front at the concert. It was my oldest son's 15th birthday and he was a huge Garth Brooks fan, so it was a great birthday present. And Garth was great. He autographed a bunch of stuff for us, showed us the pictures of his first little girl (we were one of the first to see them), and he treated my son like an adult.

2. I graduated from college at 35, after I'd already had four kids. The youngest was just a year old when I started back to school.

3. I used to be an avid scuba diver. The best place I dove was off the coast of Hawaii. Nearly killed myself, though. We'd been at 70 feet for nearly an hour, the deepest and longest I'd ever been down. The water was so clear, it looked like we were only 10 feet below the boat. When the dive master signaled me to ascend because my air was running low, I forgot to do a decompression stop and went straight to the top. Luckily I remembered at that point and descended back down to 15 feet and stayed there for a while.

4. I have a huge Beanie Baby collection I don't know what to do with, thanks to my mom.

5. I'm a pack rat. A huge pack rat. This is my year to clean up my act. Started clearing out my bedroom closet this week.

6. I make pets out of all of my animals, even the cows. They're all named, and they come running when I whistle.

7. I'm a night owl. I don't even start writing until around 10 p.m. and usually don't go to bed until nearly 3.

8. I'm hooked on 24, House, Jericho, CSI: Las Vegas. I hate reality shows, don't watch American Idol, Survivor, or any of those. Don't like sitcoms. I don't like reading books where the author writes in short, choppy sentences. Love thrillers.

Statcounter and Mother's Day

2007-05-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

I love Statcounter. It lets me see who's visited the blog, how they got here, what entries they read, how long they stayed, how many times they've visited (1st timer or repeat visitor).

I also hate it. I obsess over it. I keep the log open all day, refreshing it every hour or so. Who visited from New York? Was that an editor? An agent? A friend? Or a bored secretary looking for romance who was led here from Google? Was that really a prisoner, or a clerk at the prison? (Note to prisoners...hubby has a riot gun and knows how to use it.) How do people from China, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, and Chile find their way to my blog, and what do they think about what they read?

You could easily drive yourself crazy with all the unanswered questions. So my challenge is this...after you read this post, leave a comment telling me how you got here, where you're from, and what you think.

On Mother's Day...I'll only have one kid here for Mother's Day, for the first time in a long time. Should be a quiet, peaceful day--because I intend to make sure the hubby and kid take me out to lunch instead of making me cook! Maybe we'll go see Next while we're out, too.

Speaking of Mother's Day, on the Wet Noodle Posse e-zine, some of the Noodlers talk about their mothers. Check it out at http://www.wetnoodleposse.com.

I still have some submissions out with a couple of agents, and one with an editor that I've given up on. It's been two and a half years and the editor who had it is no longer taking submissions. I have no idea if she's even still there. She never responded to my follow-up letters. But that's okay. I'm getting ready to send it to another editor who does answer my emails and seems to like my stuff. Yay!

Don't forget. Mother's day is May 13th. Do something nice for your mom. She's done a lot for you.

A tragedy

2007-04-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

My heart goes out to the friends and families of those killed yesterday at Virginia Tech. As the parent of two college students, I just can't imagine how they will go on.

The tragedy has set off a lot of emotions among friends and colleagues. Lots of argument for gun control, etc. But I disagree. Had the teacher or other students in the classroom been armed, there wouldn't have been such a large-scale massacre. Or if the students had been taught defensive measures, as some students in Texas schools are being taught, they might have had a chance to survive. One of the things some of our students are learning is how to use a textbook as a shield, to grab their desks and use them to charge the shooter, using the desks as both shield and weapon. The worst thing they can do is dive for cover and wait to be executed.

But that's the natural instinct. Without training, any one of us would do the same. But one man armed with a pistol is no match for 30 charging students. He might shoot one, maybe two, but he would be overpowered before he could kill 32 and wound 26.

A lot of blame going around, too, for school officials who didn't sound the alarm after the first shootings. But honestly, how were they to know? Sure, they should have done more than email 2 hours after the first shootings. They should have locked down the school until he was caught. But that's easy to say in hindsight, isn't it? The students had already been somewhat traumatized earlier in the year by a similar incident and school officials probably weren't eager to alarm them again.

What concerns me now are the copycats coming out of the woodwork on campuses across the country. Bomb threats, notes passed to students saying worse is yet to come. Families need to wake up and get help for their out of control kids. They need to be aware of what's going on with their children. They need to keep their guns locked up, out of kids' reach and they need to ask why if their college-aged child feels the need to buy a gun. A little concern and awareness can go a long way toward averting a potential tragedy.

Bored

2007-04-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

For some reason lately I've been really bored. So bored, I've resorted to cleaning my house and doing laundry. Even my writing is boring me to tears. I guess this is one of the hazards of living an hour from anything resembling civilization and of not having my own car. The transmission went out on my 13 year old, 300,000 mile Crown Vic and it's just not worth spending the money to fix it. But with our irregular income in the construction biz, borrowing money to buy one isn't feasible and shelling out the dough for another used car--just as old and with nearly as many miles, which is all we can afford--doesn't make sense either. So I'm stuck either going everywhere with the hubby or taking off on my own in his work truck--which I don't do often.

About the only thing exciting that's happened recently is that a friend got the call! And I can't even tell you about that yet until everything's final.

So I'm thinking about posting an online serial of my first book. I loved that book, it came very close to selling to Harlequin Special Edition, but it's not likely to ever see the light of day. My writing has improved big time since that first book and my voice has changed a lot. So, knowing all that, would anyone be interested in reading a chapter a week or so?

When is it okay to halt progress?

2007-04-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

The electric co-op here is upgrading from one-phase to three-phase service--whatever that means. To do this, they want to bring the poles across our property. Um, no. That would mean taking down 4 big trees, chopping off one whole side of about fifty 40 foot or taller trees, and I'd have electric poles in my front yard, my garden, and my pasture.

Why can't they put them across the street, where the people have done nothing with the property, they have no big trees, and they wouldn't look out of place? Because the neighbor across the street is the grandfather to the budding serial killer we've had to deal with for the last ten years. He's an ass.

I'm not going to consent to them putting those line on our property. They'd have to come inside to service the lines, and if they have to go in the pasture, we'd be risking having our cows get out. Besides, here's a picture of my front yard. Would you want poles stuck in the middle of it?

I think the pole that's already there looks bad enough. So I'm voting to halt progress--right in my front yard.