Friday, June 27, 2014

Catching Up



Here we go again – if you follow this blog, by now, you know I'm probably one of the worst bloggers ever. The last several months have been incredibly busy, and what time I've had to devote toward writing (anything), has gone toward the projects I've been bouncing between for months, rather than this blog. One project is now complete, the other is thisclose to being done. Family issues have taken a chunk of time as well, and unfortunately, the blog was the sacrifice while I worked through it all. I still haven't figured out how I managed when I was working full time. While I now have more time available, I find it fills up much more quickly. And no matter how carefully I plan out my days and weeks, something pops up nearly every single day to trash that. However, I take great satisfaction in knowing several of my house projects are also done, though that list seems to grow way faster than I can keep up with.
 
I've decided to try some new things here – I'll be hosting some author interviews and the like, and I thought I would also do some brief reviews of some of my recent reading material. I've managed to read a few books while at the gym (thank you Kindle App!), it's a great way to make that 45 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical go much faster.

But before I get to all that, I figured I should share a little about the projects I've been working on. As I may have mentioned before, I am a HUGE fan of History Channel's original show, Vikings. I have long planned to write a series about Vikings, and the show inspired me to push that plan to the top of my ever-growing list of books I plan to write. I recently finished the first in what is currently a trilogy, though I may want to add to that. I had a lot of fun writing it, even through the dark moments of the story.  I'll share more info on the release of that book as I get it. In the meantime, I can't wait to get on to the next books. I already know that book 2 will be a deeply emotional book. The heroine is introduced in book 1, and at that point, she's not very likeable, so I have a tough road ahead of me to redeem her. But her story is a bit dark, she's suffered tremendously, and that's part of what drove her behavior in book 1. I'm looking forward to revisiting the gritty and bloody world of 9th century Scandinavia.

The other project is the third in my Medieval Warriors series. I'm also enjoying this – these characters have been kicking around in my head for a very long time, though their story has changed drastically from its first incarnation. It's also a bit longer than the first two books in the series, and I am calling it a prequel, since it tells the story of Gillian and Royce, the parents of Marissa and Rowan from the first two books. I also have a fourth book planned in that series - and it's got a cool paranormal twist!

And lo and behold, just this last week I think I solved the huge plot dilemma I had for a shelved project. This one is a vampire tale, and incorporates several BDSM elements. I've combined both of my favorite genres with this one! This story also has some very dark moments, which I love to write. So that story is now back in the queue for finishing/polishing.

Last but not least, summer is finally here. I love summer – it is my absolute favorite season. That may have something to do with the fact I was born the day before the summer solstice. I have found over the years that people tend to prefer the season they were born in most of all. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally, most of the people I've discussed this theory with have agreed. So if you're a summer baby like me, enjoy! For those who prefer the colder climates, don't worry – they'll be here again before we know it.