Saturday, December 23, 2006

Happy Holidays!

The gifts are bought and wrapped. The cookies are made...ok, so I have one more batch to bake. Christmas music is on the radio and the lights are on the tree. Tomorrow night we'll get together with my side of the family at my sister's house. On Christmas day we'll be going to our daughter's house to get together with my husband's side of the family. A couple of nephews are coming with their families from far away. We'll be meeting one of their children for the first time so it will be an extra special treat.

Hope this special season finds you and your family healthy and happy. Try to relax and enjoy time with your friends and family.

Looking forward to seeing what 2007 has in store for all of us.

Natasha

Monday, December 18, 2006

New Samhain Blog

Samhain Publishing's Blog goes live today. Authors and editors will take their turn posting. The only promo posts will be on Tuesdays with the authors whose e-books are released that day. Editors will take questions on their days, so that's really cool too. On my scheduled days, I'll point you there.

Add this new blog to your daily routine :) Check it out at:

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/blog/

Natasha

Friday, December 15, 2006

Don't Forget the Troops

Saw this over on LARISSA IONE's Blog. Had to share. It's a great idea and it takes no time at all!

DON'T FORGET THE TROOPS


It's Christmas, and there are a lot of military people who are away from their families right now. Whether or not you support the cause, please support the troops.
Xerox is printing cards that you pick FOR FREE and sending them to the troops. It takes two seconds to pick a card and a message, and it'll thank a troop for his or her service. It's a GREAT cause, so please take two seconds to click the link!
Let's Say Thanks.

Natasha

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

There's ideas...and then there's IDEAS

The question I get most from people who find out I'm a writer is "Where do you get your ideas?" Now I thought they would ask "How do I find the time?" or "What's your book about?" but usually they want to know about the ideas.

It's such a hard question to answer, because sometimes I have no idea where the idea comes from :) Sometimes a title comes to me first and I know I have to write that story. Sometimes it starts with something I hear or see on a book, on TV, in real life. Sometimes I honestly can't remember.

As frustrating as that question is to answer, sometimes I read a book and I'm so blown away by the story that I want to ask the same question. "How did you come up with that idea?" One book that comes to mind recently was SLAVE TO SENSATION by Nalini Singh. If you haven't read it yet, run out and get a copy. Thank goodness it's the first in a series. I can't wait for the next story to come out. If you love to get lost in a story, lost in the world and the characters, lost in the awesome writing, you'll love this story.

I just wish I knew where she came up with the idea...

Natasha

Monday, December 4, 2006

I Have a Title!

After giving my editor at Samhain a list of possible title suggestions, I have the final word. To be released in Fall 2007, my first book will be titled THE RIDE OF HER LIFE. I love it, don't you?

Here's the blurb:


She’s in for the ride of her life…

After a devastating diagnosis, a sensible bank teller yearns to live life to the fullest. When she talks her former teenage crush into a cross-country trip on his Harley, she thinks it’s her one last chance for adventure. Can the former rebel, now a counselor for troubled teens, convince her that the rest of their life can be an adventure…together?

You'll hear a lot more about it as the months go by. Fall 2007 seems a long way away, but with a daughter getting married in June, I have a feeling the time is going to fly!

Natasha

Saturday, December 2, 2006

December already?

How did it get to be December already? Each year the time seems to fly by more quickly, which I've been told is a sign of getting older. Do we just appreciate each day more? Or do we just have more to do? Whatever it is, Christmas is only 3 weeks away and the tree's not up, there are no cookies baked, and I've barely started shopping! I DID get my cursed pirate novella finished, though, so it's a good day.

Natasha

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Wow! Another sale!

November 19, 2006 - Sunday night, about 9pm. I'd just finished the first draft of Quinn's Curse and was pretty stoked! I went to check my e-mails before turning in early - and there is an e-mail from Ellora's Cave!!! OMG. I'd been waiting to hear back on my submission for their 2007 Cavemen anthology and was so excited to find out that Taste of Honey was accepted!!! Yay!! My hands were shaking, I was so excited. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much that night either. These late night e-mails are killing me. But I hope they keep coming !

Natasha

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Roller Coaster Ride

November 11, 2006

I sold my first manuscript to Samhain Publishing! My road to publication, as with most writers, has been a roller coaster ride. Lots of pages written. Lots of requests. Lots of rejections. When I got the e-mail offering me a contract, I had to re-read it several times. Where was the but?? "I had the opportunity to read your manuscript, but..." "Your characters were well-drawn, but..." The story is well-written, but..."

This e-mail had no but. There was an and! "I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story AND I would like to offer you a contract." Huh? Really? Of course, it didn't help that this was about 1 am, I couldn't sleep, took some aspirin and decided to check e-mails while the pain reliever kicked in. I rubbed my eyes and read it again. I couldn't even yell and scream and jump up and down because there are apartments above and below me. I did the silent dance on my couch and then woke up my husband.

I hope you'll check back from time to time. I can't promise to post daily - I have to work on my next manuscript. But the road is still up and down. We have to change the title, so I can't even post a title or release date yet. But I'll let you know as soon as I do.

Natasha