Wait, it’s not 80 degrees out there?
The weather seems to have noticed that it’s actually December, not September, and the temps dropped today to a nice, moderate mid-60s here in the clavicle of Texas, with a possibility of getting down to the 30s tonight and tomorrow night (we actually have a freeze watch. Hosanna!). Of course, next week will be back in the high 60s/low 70s, so you can expect me to be making my world-famous Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts for Thanksgiving while dressed in a t-shirt and capris, but I’m kinda hoping this means that we can officially keep the A/C off for the rest of the year.
In writing news I’m plowing away on Intersection. If you’ve been following me on NaNoWriMo you will notice that I am grievously behind in my word count, but I have full faith that I can make that up and then some over the weekend, since 1) I write fast and 2) I just found out that SyFy is coming out with a new series about corporate-run nation-states. Between that and Westworld (Jeffrey Wright, I do adore you so), I may as well start paddling and climb on that wave if I can.
In other news, still appalled at what’s happening in DC/New York, still working with local Dems, still hanging in there and believing in you and everyone else in this awesome land of ours. Still mourning a bit, as well, which for me translates into cleaning. My kitchen is a thing of beauty at the moment, so I’ve got that going for me. Oh, and the sign at right is what’s currently on display at my local Starbucks. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Texas is solid red. There are lots and lots of blue spots all over the state, and they’re growing.
I didn’t even think that was possible
WARNING: If you are uncomfortable with the discussion of menstruation, moderately gory stuff, or politics, I would suggest that you veer off now because this is going into the weeds big time.
Okay. So Shark Week starts yesterday, as it does, and I roll right along with it thanks to the blessing that is the super tampon (my moon flow laughs at regular poons). Woke up this morning, took care of business, then got stuck into housecleaning and writing.
Mid-morning it was time to switch things out so I do, not really thinking about anything, and continue about my business. In retrospect I did kinda notice that things were a tad uncomfortable, but since I have the Knees from Hell I’m really good at ignoring anything that doesn’t actually make me curl up in a fetal position and cry.
After lunch, it’s time for another switch. I reach up, find the string, give it a gentle tug…
…and pull out two tampons. I swear to Cthulhu I have no idea how that happened. The moderate discomfort now makes perfect sense, but I’m sitting there wondering how the hell I could have gone in to replace a tampon and somehow forget to take it out before inserting a new one.
Oh, and I volunteered to work at my county Democratic Party office. So yeah, that was my day. How’s your Thursday rolling along?
One of those days
In case you thought a writer’s life consisted of leisurely breakfasts, a day spent poring over a hot laptop interspersed with a lunch at some nifty bistro with witty friends, then an elegant dinner with cocktailsHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Sorry, couldn’t help it. I don’t think even Dorothy Parker had a life like that. As for me–well, let me back up a bit. As I think I mentioned here, I was diagnosed with a sinus infection on Monday (which explains my complete lack of energy for the previous four days), and I received a Z-pack for my troubles. As the antibiotics kicked in I started feeling much better (except for the unfortunate side effect of antibiotics which required me to stay close to a bathroom yesterday — yes, I’m taking probiotics as well, it’s improved) and started in on my plan to get this pit of a house cleaned slowly but thoroughly by doing a solid hour of housecleaning every day in addition to regular chores (laundry, vacuuming, etc).
T
oday I unloaded the dishwasher and put away all the clean dishes, washed out four pieces of recyclables and put those in the recycling bin, replaced two burnt out light bulbs, put away a bunch of stuff, folded and put away two loads of laundry, and was planning on vacuuming and dusting the living room until the cats intervened by 1) crapping on the downstairs bathroom rug, and 2) two of them puking on the living room rug. JJ (shown at left) managed to get into the regular cat food that he’s not supposed to eat, then vomited it all up on our newly washed throw blanket and all the way down the back of our living room futon onto the carpet. This required me to wipe down the futon frame, spot-clean the stained part of the futon, pick up bits of half-digested cat food from the carpet, then run the carpet cleaner over it whilst swearing like a sailor. Luckily, Jaz just overate a bit and left a delicate pile of hork that I could pick up with some kitchen roll and spot-clean with a cloth. Throw blanket and bathroom rug are now in the next pile of stuff to be washed.
Oh, and I still have to make dinner (spaghetti with salad), then clean the kitchen afterwards. And wash, fold, and put away approximately four more loads of laundry so that I can clean the guest room and wash that bedding tomorrow. Oh, and pay bills, can’t forget that. I’ll get some writing time sandwiched in there, but Lord, it would help if I had clones.
Intersection Snippet – Evie goes for it
After a doctor’s visit that confirmed I do have a sinus infection (yay colds that lead to bacterial gunk!), I now have antibiotics and a steroid shot to open up everything in my nasal passages, which means I’m feeling way better than I have since Thursday, woo. To celebrate, here’s a snippet from my new SF erotic romance, Intersection (Pacifica Rising 1).
Some background: in 2048, global warming and civil unrest have devastated civilization and rewritten the political map of Earth. Corporate-owned Protectorates now act as nation-states, and the Pacifica Protectorate is one of the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful regions on the planet, stretching from the former location of Seattle down to just north of San Jose. Pacifica is run by a technocracy, and its inhabitants are either Board Members, Shareholders or Employees. Those who lose their jobs are either forced to leave the Protectorate for the Outlands or can volunteer for reclamation work in the Northern Territory, which was badly damaged by the Great Shake of 2023. Just turned 19, Evie Contreras is a brilliant young woman about to head off to technical college. Ben Drake is 31 and the Pacifica Protectorate Defense Forces captain who was the best friend of her older (and now-deceased) brother Christo. A widower, Ben has hired Evie to babysit for his 6-year-old daughter Ally when he has to go on patrol. But Evie’s feelings for Ben are anything but professional…
“I’ll have Ally packed up and ready to go tomorrow.”
Evie nodded. She already had the other bed in her room made up with clean sheets and a blanket. Ally had stayed over often enough that everyone knew the drill. “Do you know how long you’ll be gone?”
Ben gestured vaguely. “It’s supposed to be two weeks, but you know that can change. Will that be all right with your folks?”
She had to grin at that. “Mama’s already cooking up everything Ally likes. She loves having her stay with us. And as far as Papa’s concerned, the more kids in the house, the better.”
Something in his expression flickered at that and she bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t put it that way. Papa would be over the moon if she made him an abuelo, and Mama would be even more thrilled. But they would expect her to get married first like a good girl before she started presenting them with grandchildren. And in her heart of hearts she couldn’t imagine someone like Ben marrying a 19-year-old wannabe tech whose parents worked as personal servants.
“Anyway, we’re all set to have her, don’t worry about that,” she said quickly. “You just take care of yourself.”
“Roger that.” He grinned at her, his smile bright even in the dimness of the car interior. “Thanks for everything you do, Evie. I don’t think I tell you enough how much I appreciate you.”
Her heart glowed at the praise. “You’re welcome,” she said, trying to make it sound casual. “I—I mean, we—appreciate what you’re doing for all of us, being in the Defense Forces.”
“Yeah,” he said quietly, looking away. Neither of them said her brother Christo’s name, but he was there anyway. “Anyway, I better get going.”
“Right.” She reached out for the door handle, then paused. Serving in the Defense Forces was a dangerous job. Christo was proof of that. And while Ben was an experienced soldier, there was never a guarantee that he’d come back from a deployment. She was of legal age and had her contraceptive implant. And the worst, the absolute worst he would do was push her away. It would break her heart, true, but it would break her heart even worse if he never came back and didn’t know how she felt—
She leaned back and kissed him. His lips were warm and firm against her own, and this close she could smell him, the light scent of body wash and something underneath that smelled like fresh-cut wood, salt, and something her mind simply labeled “Ben.”
She pulled back, just enough to see his eyes. The light blue had almost completely disappeared, pushed into a thin ring around a dark center.
And then he was kissing her. His arms slid around her, pulling her in tight as his mouth came down on hers, eager and hungry. It was nothing like kissing guys her own age. It was much, much, much better.
The perils of having a common name (or pseudonym)
So I was tapping away at the keyboard today, as you do, when I got a ping that someone had messaged me on my FB page. I thought, “Oh, maybe it’s someone with a question or comment about one of the books, or it’s the translator who’s currently translating Two to Tango into German. I’d better check it out.”
I opened Facebook and headed to the Messages window, where I found the most astoundingly incomprehensible yet vitriolic message waiting for me:
U wndnt know smutt if hit u in face lol
Statin facks .great mate eh funny when no cunt knows when u hit bk x
Thaught bab writer .u got hidden talent.dnt think so
Now, due to family connections I recognize this as British text speak, most likely from somewhere north of the Watford Gap. I wasn’t sure if someone had gotten pissed off about my recent post about the election or what, so I opened a dialog with the individual to find out what was wrong. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to parse what this person was saying, apart from the interspersed invitation for me to go suck a dick or fuck a guy whose name starts with J. I finally broke it off and blocked her (because life is too short to waste on people who can’t be bothered to use the Queen’s English), then got in touch with the family connection mentioned above to see if maybe this was somehow coming from that direction, including the individual’s FB profile for further clarification.
FC had no idea who the individual was, but did note that the guy I was invited to go fuck was apparently one of the individual’s friends. We decided that this was a case of alcohol meeting vituperative Facebook stalking gone awry.
So, just in case this individual stumbles across this website (because hey, you never know), hon, you made a mistake. I don’t live in England, I’m not fucking this Jamie person, and there are a lot of Nicola Camerons out there and you really shouldn’t jump on the first one you find.
How was your Saturday?
So, that happened
Wiser (and cooler) heads have already spilled lakes of electronic ink on the subject of the US presidential election, so I won’t continue the discussion here other than to say that my candidate did not win, and I am concerned with the direction I see the country taking over the next four years. But I’m also taking the advice I have recently received to heart, and am getting involved politically with local groups to make sure that public servants who align more with my interests are elected in local and state elections, and to the House and Senate in 2018.So I have that going for me.
On a separate but related note, an individual on Twitter gloated to me that “at least the SJWs are gone and that’s all that matters to me.” To which I reply, “Buckle up, buttercup. This is just act one.”
If you’re still with me after all that, I thank you. Progress continues on Intersection, and I should have a first draft done by November 30, which means that I may have it ready for purchase before Christmas. Not that it’s a holiday story, but it means you’ll have a big shiny new SF erotic romance new series to sink your teeth into while trying to ignore the shouting over the Thanksgiving dinner table. And it even has cyborgs, because everyone likes cyborgs!
Anyway, no rest for the wicked — back to work!
A Comprehensive Update, Voting, and Goodreads
So, where have I been for the last ten days or so, you may be asking. The answer is simple — I was on the Atlantic coast of Florida doing research for the Olympic Cove series, which turned out to be incredibly useful and will inform the three remaining books in the series. After that, I took my sister on a 3-day Disney cruise to see how well she could handle it, as she has a tendency to get terribly motion-sick. Turns out she handed it just fine (“It felt like the ship was rocking me to sleep at night. Now I understand why cradles are made the way they are,” she marveled), loved having a room with a verandah where we could sit, drink Mexican beer, and watch the water go by, and generally adored everything about sailing with the Mouse. She is now musing about the possibility of a cruise next year, so I must start saving my shekels now.
After the cruise I returned home and succumbed for a few days to a rather nasty chest cold which is finally resolving itself although I still sound a bit like a wheezy comedy concertina when I breathe. I did arise from my sickbed long enough to go vote on Thursday for Hillary (why, yes, I live in the clavicle of Texas and am a Democrat. I am nothing if not a delightful bundle of contradictions), and today I’m working on Intersection (Pacifica Rising Book 1, aka the SF erotic romance series) for NaNoWriMo while Ramón is off gaming with his D&D group. Because NaNoWriMo does not wait for chest colds.
Oh, speaking of voting, I have two requests for you. One, go vote in our upcoming national election. If you can still do early voting, do it — it really saves time and stress on Tuesday, and you can spend the evening sipping the refreshing adult beverage of your choice instead of staring at a line of humanity in front of you and wondering if it’s ever going to move. If early voting has ended and you weren’t able to take advantage of it, do go and vote on Tuesday. Your vote counts, even if you’re the only member of your party in your entire town. Do it anyway. And no, I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, although I will indulge in a private hope that you’re voting for Hillary as well.
Two, the Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 are now open, and you can nominate your favorite book of 2016 (such as, say, Palace of Scoundrels) in a wide variety of genres (including Romance). So go vote and make an author very, very happy!
Want a Halloween Deal? #HalloweenReads
BOO! Now that I have your attention, let me tell you about the awesome Halloween deal the lovely and talented Jocelyn Dex has set up for you at http://www.jocelyndex.com/halloween-deals.html. All the books pictured above are on sale between 99¢ and $2.99 from October 28 to November 1 (and you may notice that my coyote shifter romance Trickster is among them). So grab the chance to enjoy some amazing romance while waiting for trick or treaters this year!
Wicked Wednesday Reads: Alpha Bitch
Whee, it’s Wednesday! Never fear, for today I’m here with Loralynne Summers and her awesome new book Alpha Bitch, now available from Evernight Publishing. Take it away, Loralynne!
Hello! Thank you for having me today! I’m so excited to share my new release, Alpha Bitch, with you. This story was a bit of a surprise to me. I never expected to write a shifter story. Vampires, yes – I’ve got more than one vampire story in the unfinished files – but I learned early on not to fight my muse and just go with it. I have to say, I am quite pleased with the results.
I don’t know exactly where the idea came from. I can say that I was listening to a lot of Elle King, and the song Ex’s & Oh’s is basically Cassie’s theme song – it’s that “I don’t give a shit what you think of me” and “I’m not taking your shit” attitude that influenced the creation of Cassie. Currently there aren’t any sequels planned for this, but with being a shifter story, which involves packs, there are plenty of secondary characters to work with. So while it’s not a series at the moment, the possibility is there. I do have the feeling that there’s a story lurking out there, I just don’t know who it’s about, lol.
One runs free…
Cassandra Dumas is the Alpha of Stone Point, with no interest in bowing down to any man, let alone her fellow Alphas. At least, not until an accidental encounter triggers the mating bond. So when the High Council orders her to mate the heir of neighboring River Run, she is determined to find a way out of it to be with the only man she truly wants…
One is a captive…
Kieran Kimball is a caged wolf. Forbidden to shift, he chokes daily on his Alpha nature and serves Stone Point however the Alpha sees fit. Recently, he cares only to serve Cassandra. When she sends him away in advance of her forced mating, his world shatters. Until the unthinkable happens…
Together, they’ll change all the rules…
Cassandra is nothing if not resourceful. Outsmarting River Run is just one piece of the prize to be won if she can pull off the coup of century while keeping everyone important still breathing.
Story Excerpt
Before she could convince her wolf to turn around—because she really didn’t want to have to take control and force a shift, leaving her bare-assed while traipsing through the cool woods at night—Kieran came into view. He stopped short at the end of the path.
Her heart, among other parts of her body, warmed at the sight of him. Water dripped from his long hair and ran down his bare chest to disappear beneath the band of his jeans.
“Cassie,” he said, surprise evident in his tone.
Against her better intentions, she walked over to him and rubbed against his leg.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he whispered. Regardless of his words, his hand traveled down her back, stroking her fur as she wound around him. If she were a cat she would have purred, the sensation felt so good. He smelled fresh and clean, as if he’d been bathing in the river. He fell to his knees, and she stood in front of him with her head resting on his shoulder.
“Do you need something?”
She whined in response and nuzzled him.
Kieran’s arms came around her neck and he buried his face in her fur.
“We can’t, Cassandra.” He pulled away and held the sides of her head gently, staring into her eyes. His own were nearly completely gold, as close as his wolf could get to the surface. “You have to go. You have to forget about me. Find another.” His voice was hard.
She whimpered, responding to the authority within him and nearly giving in to the command. The reaction both amazed her and pissed her off at the same time. Cassie’s wolf shook her head and stomped a foot.
“Yes. Go. Now.” Kieran stood and stepped back.
Cassie shifted, heedless of her naked body, and stepped forward, reaching for him. Kieran’s jaw clenched and he swallowed hard before turning his back on her.
“Go, Cassandra. It’s for your own good, and the good of our pack. Go,” he said over his shoulder, entering his cabin without another look at her.
With an indignant huff, Cassie turned and stalked away, hoping he was taking a good long look at what he was rejecting.
Where to Buy
Amazon | Evernight | All Romance eBooks
About the Author
As a child, Loralynne was always the student getting in trouble for talking in class and punished at home for making things up. Combining her ability to go on and on and her flair for storytelling, she naturally grew up to be a writer. Originally planning to write fantasy, her muse had other plans. Once she opened herself up to the whims of her muse, she couldn’t type her first sex scene fast enough and now writes romance. Loralynne lives in Upstate New York with her husband, cats, and children. You can friend her on Facebook, follow her on twitter under LL_Summers, or check out her blog: loralynnesramblings.weebly.com
Marvelous Monday Reads: A Forever Kind Of Thing
Welcome to another edition of Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Today I’m featuring Elodie Parkes and her new MM erotic romance A Forever Kind of Thing, now available from Emcompass Ink. Take it away, Elodie!
Businessman Will has hoped to meet musician Josh for so long, he’s astonished and elated when Josh finally notices and pursues him at one of the band’s gigs.
After a heady night of love, Josh is devastated when Will turns out to be a millionaire. He’s not a hustler. He couldn’t take and he couldn’t compete. He retreats into his music.
Will is sure they could have something special and tries to prove his love for Josh in the only way he knows how. Trouble is—it’s the wrong way.
Josh is shocked to discover he can’t forget Will.
They want each other. Their chemistry is scorching.
But Josh is running in the opposite direction as Will longs to love him.
Can love triumph?
Story Excerpt
Josh saw Will at one end of the bar and his heart leapt. Flutters started up in his stomach and he took a deep breath trying to steady himself. The encounter had rocked him to the core. He’d never in his wildest dreams expected to feel the way he did about a man whose name he still didn’t know. I want to, though. I want to know all about him. I want him in my life, and from the way he responded, he wants me bad. That’s great. I need it.
He watched the play of emotions cross Will’s face as he approached and stood close.
“Hi. I’m Josh Winters and you are…?” He grinned mischievously.
“Will—Will Trenton.” Will’s eyes held warmth, affection, and desire.
A spark of recognition lit in Josh’s mind. “That’s a familiar name, but I wouldn’t have been able to put a face to it. Are you famous or something?” He gestured to the bartender.
“A beer thanks—and for you?” He gave Will a tender look designed to tell the guy he liked him a lot.
“The same but let me … let me get them.”
Josh shook his head. “We have a tab.”
He saw a look of worry flit through Will’s eyes.
“It’s really okay, Will.” Josh moved even closer to Will. The toe of one boot touched the toe of Will’s. He gazed into Will’s eyes. Time slowed for Josh. This man was even more attractive close up with his handsome face lit by the bar’s sparkling white downlights. He took in the shade of stubble and wanted to bite Will’s chin. He ached to grab Will and thrust his tongue between those perfect lips. He recalled the way Will’s thick hair had felt as he grasped a handful. Softness filled his stomach. He didn’t know if this was love, but it sure was tenderness.
Where to Buy
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Global
About the Author
I’m a writer who is in love with happy endings, currently based in southern UK.
I love music, art, flowers, trees, the ocean. I work with antiques by day and words by night. Like a vampire, darkness is my friend, that’s when the silence is only broken by an occasional hoot of owls in the woodlands opposite my home, and I write.
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Nicola Cameron Writes 