Now What?

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

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

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

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.

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

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!!!!!

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!

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!

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

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...

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.....

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

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!

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

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