Fifty Big Ones

Yes Ma'am

Conversation with my mother...

Mother: "You belong in one of those clubs."
Me: "An S and M club?"
Mother: "Yeah. You could be a dominatrix."
Me: "You think I'd make a good dominatrix?"
Mother: "Yeah, I do actually."

My Space

It's kooky, childish, dark, cluttered, cool, scary, cute, and mine. It's my writing space. I stumbled upon this really cool website called The Writer's Cave some years ago and I always said I would take a snapshot of my writing space and post a link to the website. Well, here's both.

Note the books--not a tenth of what I have to my name. But the titles make me out to be a horror novelist and yet I write about sex and monsters. Okay, it's official. I'm warped.

And the muse. Otherwise known as Bosko the pug.

And the link: http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html

Oops, I Did It Again

No, not Britney...

Do I hear a thank God?

It's Nanowrimo time again.

The masochistic brain cells in my head are waking up to the possibility for pain and mental anguish.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all those who love the holiday/occasion as much as I. And an extra Happy Halloween to my husband and I who were married on this day ten years ago.

Here's a snapshot of my purdy roses.

Kilting Me Softly

Just submitted a Scottish werewolf short to Phaze. I sent it off just before Oct 1st. Wish me luck!

The Caveman

It's Friday and I feel like a 9-to-5 regular having just completed my short story "The Caveman." I'm planning on sending it off tonight. Thanks to my fab cp, Cynthia Rayne, I think I have a shot at this publishing thing. :)

Thanks Cyn!

P.S. Here's a link to Cynthia's awesome work. You go CRay!
http://www.ellorascave.com/AuthorsBooks.asp?AuthorCode=CRay

Switching Gears

After chatting with Cynthia, my super-fab-totally-awesome cp, I decided to work on some smaller, more managable projects and let the novels simmer on the back burner for a while. Ellora's Cave has some tasty calls on their website.

I'm having naughty thoughts already...

Seriously Stoked

My prayers were answered. I finally, finally FINALLY got a critique partner. And not just any critique partner. She's Cynthia Rayne and she's like totally awesome! She's an Ellora's Cave author and writes erotic romance which is perfect since that's what I write. Yea! (Doing the Snoopy dance)

As they say in Cali, I'm seriously stoked!

Arg!

No, that's not my pirate imitation. It's the sound of a writer losing her mind.

And I was doing so well...

Then--BAM!

Epiphany.

Fourth book idea. "Look at me! Look at me! Aren't I great? Great idea. Switch Third book plot with new plot. You won't have to make that many changes--"

...just ten or twenty THOUSAND words!"

Damn you muse! (Wailing and gnashing of teeth)

Slow and Steady

I don't know if I'll win any race but I'm bound to finish this novel if I keep up this progress. I would love to write more but it just isn't possible right now. I'm just ecstatic that I can write anything decent on a regular basis.

I am working on the first chapter, getting a good first draft of it so I can move on. Beginnings are difficult for me. Before I started actually writing TSF I had two to three thousand words of notes, scraps of dialogue, ideas for settings, wardrobe or plot.

Then came the planning. Weeks of it. I put my dry-board to use and bought Post-Its digital note software to help me out. (Try it, it's awesome). All of it really fruitful.

Now the writing. I like my first sentence and paragraph pretty well. Well enough to go forward anyway. I'm using the lyrics for a David Bowie song in the first scene. It's on my playlist by the way.

I also added a cool wordcount progress meter.

Heat, Pug Pee and Hellboy 2

Man, it is hot! Today was one of the hottest days so far and it took a little out of me. Heat doesn't usually bother me too much seeing as how I don't spend much time outside as a rule. But I did today and now I'm beat.

Well, I also got up waaay earlier than I usually do because I had to take a urine sample to the vet before they closed at noon. I'm anxious for the pug pee issue to be resolved. I've almost slipped and broke my ass twice.

So while I was out, Husband and I caught an early matinee of "Hellboy 2." Overall, pretty good but a little disappointing. It got really good reviews which pleased me but now that I've seen it for myself I'm thinking maybe the reviews weren't critical enough. Not critical as in mean, critical as in analyzed. On the one hand I thought it was visually stunning but on the other I felt the visuals almost clouded the story. And the erratic pacing left me antsy. The script was good and there was some good humor but all in all, the whole thing needed cohesion. Still, I'd recommend it. Guillermo Del Toro is a visionary.

Work In Progress

When in doubt about which of two things to consider always choose neither. Scrapped the candy-themed story and shelved it for later development.

Been working nearly every day in June and this month on To Sy For, the first installment of an erotic urban fantasy trilogy set in a fictional city in Texas. I had actually written what will eventually be Book 2, Happily Ever Aster first. Then I wrote or rather started writing what I thought was Book 2, which as it stands will end up being Book 3, Tal Dark and Handsome. (No, that's not a typo). Only after those two started coming into focus did I start the third story which is Book 1, To Sy For.

So to make a long, convoluted story short, if I can get this novel written, the second and third novels are gravy at least compared to this one.

I hit 10,000 words today so I'm happy. I'm averaging about 1000 a day which isn't as much as I'd like of course but I'll take it over zilch k.

Currently reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. Amazing style.

June Wrap Up

Lots going on in the world of Persephone Jones. Keeping busy with various projects. Got slightly derailed for a couple weeks but am now doing much better on the productivity front.

More to come...

Friday the 13th

Cha cha cha
Kill kill kill
Ha ha ha...

Dead in the Head

Been busting my mental ass trying to form the plot for a Valentine-candy themed story for a July 1st 2008 deadline for Ellora's Cave.

ARG!!!

Tired and Moody

I don't know what's wrong with me today. I'm not exactly depressed but I feel moody and tired. I feel groggy like I can't get woke up.

I'm being torn in two different directions creatively and am starting to feel both story ideas SUCK. So I don't know which one to work on.

I've got a deadline here people and I think my Muse is on vacation!

Grrr...

Mega Mondo Update

Husband is doing some work on my website this weekend. He added a music player to my blog which rocks. Pun intended.

Inspiration

Watching late night TV and surfing the net I caught "The Crow 4" and it featured the four horsemen of the apocalypse characters done in a contemporary style. It got me thinking. What about an erotic, romantic version of the four horsemen?

April

April was a little better for writing but far from ideal. I tried my damndest to get something ready for Ellora's Cave but my brain had other ideas.

Disappointment and Consolation

Dark Eden Press is no more. Curiosity and anticipation led to concern when the deadline came and went for the Scottish Nocturnal contest and no winners were announced. So I visited the website and there was a post, a very sad one, stating that the owner's cancer had returned. So she decided to close Dark Eden Press to focus on healing and being with family.

I was totally bummed.

But I have to look on the bright side. I didn't get a rejection. I get more time to tweak my story. I get to submit it to someone else.

Hopefully all will work out and cancer will get its ass kicked.

March

March has been a bad month for me as far as writing goes.

Kilting Me Softly

A big deep breath and "Kilting Me Softly" is out of my hands. With much trepidation and fatigue I sent it to Dark Eden Press for their Scottish Nocturnal contest. It was a wee bit over their word count requirement but hopefully that won't be what disqualifies it.

Wish me luck!

Back To The Drawing Board

Samhain decided not to select "Hot Wings" for their anthology. They said they loved the premise but felt they the hero and heroine didn't meet soon enough. Fair enough and easy to change. I will put them on my "Keep Trying" list.

Sweet Release

For better or worse, "Hot Wings" is born. I sent it to Samhain's open call for their Red Hot Summer anthology.

I am nursing a cold, I'm tired and the last thing I want to do is think anymore about this story.

It's written and done at least for now. I feel good about the creation I sent out into the world and the rest is in the hands of fate. They make their announcement/decision on February 1. I'll know then how I did.

Beeline For A Deadline

Just a couple more days until I must submit "Hot Wings" to Samhain for their Red Hot Romance summer anthology. I don't know if my story will be exactly what they're looking for with regard to the theme of summer, but we'll see soon enough. I will need all the time I have left to get it polished and then there's always that awful feeling of uncertainty...

Not that I'll have much time to worry about it. Fortunately, they will make their decision in a matter of weeks after the deadline so I will suffer only so long. Also, I have another submission deadline for Dark Eden Press, a newer publisher that looks really promising. They're in Texas, so that's an added bonus. I have two weeks to get my story right and I'll probably need every waking moment of it.

After that, I can take a breather...but not for long! More deadlines are around the corner in June. Between February and May I am going to send in a few things to Liquid Silver and see how that goes.

Busy bee.