Saturday's excerpt featuring Born To Bite Anthology Diana Cosby

Turquoise eyes darted toward the entry, shifted back.




Bedamned, he should take her blood and be done with it, but Aedan could not risk scaring her. With his body so weakened, if she broke free and ran, he’d not have the strength to will her back or give chase.



After a long moment, Rowan withdrew her dagger. “But a few drops.”



“Aye.”



Precious seconds passed. On an exhale, she slid the honed blade against the pad of her thumb.



A drop of blood beaded upon the sharp metal, and the rich scent filled the air, infused Aedan’s every breath. His body demanded he take. He waited, preserved the last of his meager energy in case she decided to bolt.



Rowan’s eyes locked upon his, she held her thumb a hand’s breadth above his mouth. The beads of red grew, wobbled upon the honed tip, fell.



The warm salty drops landed upon his tongue. Aedan savored sweetness unlike anything he’d ever tasted. He swallowed. Strength flooded his body, and his senses heightened to a dangerous edge. As deep keening ignited within his soul. A completeness he’d never experienced filled him.



He stilled. By the sword’s blade, this woman was his mate!

How She Does It featuring Diana Cosby

Today's guest is a fellow member of an RWA chapter to which I belong.


We all know there are six elements in writing fiction and often fact. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the plot. What's your take on this?



~I agree. Each element is imperative in setting up a clear goal, stakes, and emotional stakes for the respective character. In addition, I believe it's important for a writer to incorporate the 8 senses that we deal with when we craft our story. They are:

Touch Taste Smell Sight Hearing



Sense of time Sense of space Sense of the unknown







1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?

~I never know how each character will come to me. As a major plotter, I've tried to 'know' about my characters from the start by completing character interviews, but I've learned they will tell me about themselves when they're good and ready. Some appear complete, like Alexander and Duncan MacGruder, brothers from the best-selling MacGruder brothers series. But their eldest, Seathan MacGruder, I had to write the story to learn about him.





2. Do your characters come before the plot?

~Each story dictates who comes first. I've had both character before plot and plot before character.





Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?

~I'm a major plotter and I like to have a complete synopsis before I begin writing. As I write and learn more about the character, the character updates happen to change the plot, as long as the changes are properly motivated and make the story stronger, I let the change happen.





3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?

~I know how a story will end in a very specific way. My plot is designed to ensure that the plot and characters are strong, properly motivated, and the story leaves the reader satisfied.





4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?

~I normally choose the setting. I use pictures from both magazines and on-line for visuals of scene layouts.







5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?

~Both. I have several 'must have' research books always on hand. At times, I use on-line sources for facts. I use the rule of 3 - find three sources to confirm facts as much as possible.

My bibliography:

http://www.dianacosby.com/oldpage/bibliography.html







6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?

~I revise as I write. When I finish a book, it's normally pretty tight. I have no idea how fast draft writers write a whole book knowing they'll have to go back and revamp the entire story. Holy cow, my hats off to them.



On a side note, each year I run an International Food Bank Food Drive. If you donate to a local food bank, please leave a post beneath my Facebook post about the food drive, and you'll be entered to win a signed copy of the award-winning MacGruder Brother's to-date, and a copy of the anthology Born To bite, with Hannah Howell, Diana Cosby, and Erica Ridley, which I'll sign as well. Details:

http://www.dianacosby.com/authorevents.html



My sincere thanks for having me on The Eclectic Writer today, and another sincere thanks for everyone who stopped by. I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season!







Slaìnte,

Who Janet Lane Walters Has Been Reading

More books read while the lights were out and beyond. Fortunately last Christmas I won a little gadget that allowed me to read during the power outage. Then the lights came on and I returned to reading by electric light.

Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray tells the story of Cleopatra's daughter and was fascinating to read. The story kept me moving from page to page. Usually I'm able to read a chapter and put the book down to do something else but this story held me the whole way. I will look up The Lily of the Nile and read it also. combines a bit of magic with the story of a woman who faces a dream and finds another to take the place of one that is lost.

Dark Destiny by M J Putney is a young adult written by one of my favorite authors.  Magic, special talents is the focus of this book and a coming invasion by Napoleon brings the young adults who have various talents into a war with one of Napoleon's war mages. The action moved fast and tension moves the book forward from page to page. Now I must find the other books in the trilogy.

Now the third book belongs to a series by James Rollins dealing with the Sigma group of warriors with science. I've read them all before but do like re-visiting old friends, especially when I'm starting a new project. I don't write anything like he does but re-reading allows me to clear my head and plot my own twists and turns. Sometimes I rather laugh when I'm reading as I wonder what Mr. Rollins will blow up next. If you like action adventure and the almost super hero pickoks. Not only are the entertaining but they're also educational.

Wednesday's Writer's Tip - Orson Scott Card - How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy

Today I'll finish up the advice from Orson Scott Card. What he says in this book applies to writers in all areas of genre fiction. What he ended the book was advice or almost lecturing in areas of a writer's life. I won't mention them all but if you want them all, find a copy of the book.

Of the 7 areas he gives advice Discipline heads the list. This is something I know very much about. Being disciplined as one strives for a career in writing fiction is a must. One can't wait for the muse to strike. Writing every day even when you do feel like writing is a must. I'll share a bit here. Writing can be an escape and for me it was. Almost 20 years ago, my husband was having major surgery. He had an aortic anuyerism at the point where the aorta leaves the heart. The doctor told me the surgery had a 50/ chance of success. The procedure took many hours. I'd brought a clipboard and the mss I was currently working on to the hospital with me. Writing during that stressful time allowed me not to think about what could or not go wrong. When I looked at what I'd written after that time, most of it was great. Would those words have been as intense if I'd not grabbed discipline and worked. I don't know.

Patience is another thing for a striving writer to hold on to. I doubt anyone succeeds over night, And there are those long weeks one has to wait after submitting a story to a publisher. But don't just wait, the trick is to grab onto the discipline and sit down and start a new story.

The final one I'll touch on is prospective. For me this means not allowing discipline to take over my life. There is more to life than writing.

Tuesday's Inspiration - Janet's thoughts on a Quote by Judith Krantz

First it's sort of my own inspiration. I have an interview about developing characters up here. http://sheilaclaydon.com/2012/11/05/casting-couch/

Now to the quote. " Don't allow yourself to be intimidated by the work of other authors." Judith Krantz.

 This really made me think especially since I've let this happen a time or two. Sometimes a book I read is so good I wish I'd written it. Envy is an important ingredient in this feeling. After a while I laugh at myself because the book and author I've been so envious of isn't one I could have or even would have written. Having passed this roadblock, I then am able to look at why I felt this way and ask questions. Many times what I've really envied is some element of the novel like the character development, the descriptive passages or some other element. Then I can sit back and see if I can change some of my current work to I've learned. Sometimes I can and other times not.

After envy, there's jealousy. I've been bitten by that bug. Probably you have too. My book is similar to one written by writer X. Why did hers get more play than mine? This kind of thinking isn't good for a writer's soul, not to mention production. But looking back at my story doesn't help. It's been published and has sold. There's nothing I can do. Reaching this point can be hard. So what I do is start an analysis comparing two similar stories and seeing what I could have done to make my story fly. That can be brought to the next WIP.

How about you? Do you let the work of others intimidate you and keep you from doing the best you can? If so you could stop reading or you could look at this stories and add depth to your own writing.

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters

For this month, I'm the spotlight author at http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/jewelsofthequill2.html#spotlight What a wonderful job Karen does for her Jewels. I'm dame Amber and she often knows things happening with me before I do. Kudos to her, not to mention that she's a very good writer.

Last week was definitely an interesting one. Superstorm Sandy roared through the neighborhood leaving destruction along the way. Up the street, a large tree fell and dug up the sidewalk. Came close to the corner house and i'm not sure if it hit the house or not. On Monday evening the power went out and so I missed seeing Hawaii 50, one of my favorite shows. Lots of attractive actors there, Didn't have power until Thursday morning so the blog was ignored for several days. The real shame is "People still do not have power and it's gotten colder with a new storm expected mid-week." Thank heavens for sweatshirts. I have three drawers of them.

As for writing managed to do several chapters of a discovered manuscript and I see changes to be made while I'm working. Though I do write by hand the typing was far behind and seems to get further every minute. But I will keep going. Lines of Fire is in the final draft which means making small corrections and putting in the things that will smooth the prose. Hope to have them all keyed in by Thanksgiving. The World Has Come Of Age is progressing. Really must find a new title. This one will go under the J L Walters name since the characters are all in their late teens and early twenties.

All I hope for this week is that the power stays on. Without power, we are lost in these days.

3 Blog Visit Sunday Discoveries of the week by Janet Lane Walters

http://www.thewriterschallenge.com/ tips for NaNo for those trying this method of finishing a story

http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/  contest coming.Seek more info here.

http://tinagayle.blogspot.com/2012/11/tina-gayle-doing-donut-dance-with-penny.html  great recipe here for making donuts. Sounds yummy.

Saturday's Chapter - A Surprising Seduction by Janet Lane Walters

A Surprising Seduction




Chapter 1



Bright morning sun glinted on the stained glass windows of the gray stone church. Lauren Grant left the memorial garden where the ashes of her sister and brother-in-law had been interred. They rested inside the stone wall near her parents’ site. She rubbed her arms to chase the chill of the autumn day.

Conversations flowed around her. She drew a deep breath to force back the tears ready to fall. Not yet. She had to leave. More words of sympathy might release the flood. As she dashed past the stairs leading to the sanctuary, she saw him standing with the pastor, two of Jim’s colleagues and a teacher friend of Carrie’s.

Tony Carlin. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair. She felt sure his piercing blue eyes compelled witnesses to tell the truth when he questioned them on the stand. Jim’s brother and the man she had to share custody of their ten month old nephew troubled her. She wasn’t sure why, except sharing wasn’t part of his nature.

She reached her six-year-old hybrid sedan. In the sunlight the car appeared more blue than green. She slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine and drove through the streets of the Hudson River town to her classmate’s house. The action gave her time to control the need to cry. She was on the way to pick up Jamie. The baby didn’t need to see her grief.

She parked in the driveway of the white frame house and rang the bell. With Jamie in her arms friend opened the door.

“Tee. Tee.” Jamie’s happy cries greeted her.

She held out her arms and he almost leaped into them “Were you a good boy?”

Marsha smiled. “He was a dream. Wish my hellions were the same. I have your notes from yesterday’s class. Will you be there tomorrow?”

“Have to be.” Lauren sank on the couch. “With midterms looming I can’t afford to miss another day.”

“Makes two of us. I made a list of classmates willing to watch Jamie. Do you have someone for tomorrow?”

Lauren nodded. “The young man I tutored for Carrie signed up for weekend duty. He watched Jamie for them several times so they could go out to dinner.” Lauren struggled to fit her squirming nephew into his blue jacket.

“Study hard tonight,” Marsha said. “I’m sure there’ll be a quiz.” She walked with Lauren to the door.

“Never fails.” Lauren wished she could follow her friend’s suggestion. Hopefully there would be time to copy yesterday’s notes as well as do battle with Tony Carlin over the guardianship issue. What did a playboy know about caring for an infant?

The trip from her friend’s house to Carrie and Jim’s condo took ten minutes. Jamie’s chatter had ceased the moment she’d fastened him in the car seat. At least he hadn’t cried the way he had when she brought him home from the hospital. Did he remember the accident?

She turned into the circle of the development and parked in the driveway of the unit. She’d lived here since the day of the accident and the deaths so Jamie would be in a familiar environment. After opening the garage door she lifted Jamie and carried him inside.

“Mama.”

She nearly lost her composure. “Just Auntie.” Tears she dare not shed burned her eyes. “Just Tee.”

“Tee.” He patted her face.

“Hungry?” She removed his jacket and put him in the blue and yellow highchair. After setting a pan of water to heat she opened two jars of baby food and heated the meat and vegetable combination. She poured milk from one of his bottles into a cup. Jamie used the plastic container as a hammer. He settled as soon as she popped a plastic bib over his head. She sat on a bar stool at the counter separating the narrow kitchen from the rest of the first floor. With a spoon she fed him.

After Jamie finished both jars of food and drank milk from the cup she carried him to the spacious nursery. There she changed his diaper and sat in the rocker to feed him the rest of the bottle.

When she placed him in the crib he was asleep. She turned on the monitor. For a time she studied him. How much he resembled his father and uncle, except for his hazel eyes, a gift from Carrie.

With a sigh she walked downstairs, straightened the kitchen and leaned against the counter. The tears of grief she’d held inside refused to be contained any longer. As though a water pipe had ruptured, tears spurted and gasping sobs accompanied the flood.

She gulped deep breaths attempting to control the gush of grief. She cried for her young nephew deprived of the parents who had adored him. The tears turned bitter when her own loss arose. Carrie and Jim had dragged her from a slide into self-destruction and helped her become a woman with a future. The sobs morphed into mourning for the couple who would never achieve their potential and never see their son grown into a man.

As Lauren wiped her eyes, thoughts of Tony Carlin rose. He had as little family as she did. Only Jamie belonged to both of them. Her body shook. Tony was determined to shove her out of their nephew’s life. His vision of her was based on a single meeting four years ago in California, a few months after Carrie and Jim had helped her pull her life together. A few of her rebellious quirks had remained. Not now. Not for three years.

Two years ago she had returned to the area where she and Carrie had grown up to start college. She’d been happy when Jim had accepted a position at a nearby research laboratory. Carrie had found a position teaching English at one of the area colleges. Since their arrival she had seen them several times a week.

Through her grief and a fresh spate of tears grains of resentment abraded. In the five months that Carrie and Jim had lived here, Tony had never visited once. Jim and Carrie had gone to the city several times to visit him. They hadn’t wanted to intrude on his busy work and social life.

What was wrong with him? Didn’t he care?

Stop it. She didn’t know why Carrie and Jim had named two guardians for their son. She didn’t know what kind of relationship Jim and his brother had. She only knew she missed them. Fresh tears began.

The doorbell rang. She blew her nose and blotted her eyes. Tears continued to drip. The glass panel of the door and her tears blurred the man’s face but she knew the dark hair and broad shoulders meant he had arrived. She opened the door.

In an instant his arms enfolded her. She pressed her face against the gray wool of his overcoat. He used his foot to close the door. As he stroked her back, Lauren fought the desire to let the comfort he offered make her forget they weren’t friends.

His hands slid lower and he cupped her rear pulling her against his erection. Lauren raised her head to protest. Before a word emerged, his mouth covered hers in a kiss that shot jolts through her body.

One of his hands slipped beneath her sweater and stroked her skin. Slowly he backed her from the door past the kitchen and the stairs leading to the second floor. He steered her toward the couch. His tongue played along her lips. Awareness struck. He didn’t like her. Why this passionate assault? A reason clicked. He would use her response against her when she asked for sole custody of Jamie.

She jerked her mouth from the drugging kiss. “Stop.”

“What?”

“Stop. You’ve gone far enough.”

“Wrong. I haven’t gone anywhere.”

She pulled free and nearly tumbled over the arm of the couch. His hands on her arms prevented the fall.

She glared. “I know what you’re thinking but you’re wrong.”

He grinned. “I don’t think so. I want you. You want me. Believe me. It’s going to happen.”

A cry from the nursery put an end to the discussion. She ducked under his arm and ran up the stairs. Hopefully once she rescued Jamie, Tony would be on his way back to the city.



* * * * *



Tony stood at the foot of the stairs. What had just happened here? He would have taken her like an animal in rut. Not his style at all. Slow seduction with every move orchestrated brought great rewards. His body throbbed with need and frustration. He wanted her beneath him while he pounded his way to a peak of elation.

Whoa. Where did that thought arise? He didn’t know her. He didn’t like her. There’d been a single meeting four years ago at Jim and Carrie’s wedding. Granted Lauren had changed, at least in appearance. Could a runaway rebellious teen change into a solid citizen? He had grave doubts.

Sure her blond hair no longer had blue and green streaks and didn’t flow to her waist. The nose and lip rings were gone. She didn’t wear tight skirts so short little was left to the imagination. The first time they met she’d dressed like the hooker he believed she was. And he had been tempted.

He had to fight this insane attraction. Why had Jim allowed her to be named as one of his son’s guardians? From all he’d seen, she seemed to have a rapport with the boy he didn’t have. Babies had never been his thing. Still, he couldn’t permit Lauren to have custody of the child. Not with the lifestyle he felt sure she followed.

On Wednesday and Thursday evenings he’d called the condo. Both times the phone had been answered by a person claiming to be the sitter. When he asked when Lauren would be home the answer had been “late.” He definitely knew what that meant, especially when the sitter had refused to tell him where she was.

The opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth sounded. He pulled the phone from his pocket. “Mark…You got the message…Wish I could…Matt can take my place. Tell him the teacher and the shopkeeper are hot……Good luck…Call me when you get back.” He laughed. “I’ll be playing Daddy…Not sugar. To my nephew…Ciao.”

He broke the connection and sank on the couch. He would miss his best friend’s wedding but leaving here before his right to the baby’s custody was clear wouldn’t do. He groaned. Visions of the hot babes he’d met the last time he stayed at the inn in Vermont danced in his thoughts. While he was stuck here instead of scoring with one or both women, Matt would enjoy the pair. That was an event to regret.

No sense thinking about what might have been. He called the number of the agency he hoped would provide an instant nanny. The sooner one was in place the happier he would be. The moment the news about the accident and the deaths reached him, he had called.

“Tony Carlin here. Mrs. Bunch, please.”

A moment later the pleasant voice of the woman greeted him. “Mr. Carlin, I’m sorry there’s been no action taken on your request. You haven’t visited the agency to complete the paperwork so I can finalize the choices.”

“Why can’t I do this over the phone and through emails?”

“Agency policy. If you can stop by the office on Monday at one, we can complete your application and I can arrange interviews with our currently available candidates.’

“One PM. I’ll be there.”

“Oh, just to warn you. Since the nanny will be a live-in she must have her own room and a separate one for the infant. Most of our women insist on at least one weekend day off.”

When she stopped talking, he hung up. He had no choice except to accept the agency’s demands. How soon would the boy be ready for nursery school? At that point the nanny would only be needed for evenings and nights. He found a scrap of paper and made a to-do list. His brow wrinkled. There was another option. He could let Lauren share custody.

He nodded. Let her have the infant on weekends. A frown tightened his brow. Was that a good idea? Might put a spike in her ability to earn a living. He leaned against the back of the sofa. Maybe something could be arranged, like what she’d refused not so long ago.

Laughter reached him. Lauren appeared with the child in her arms. She dropped a blanket on the deep blue carpet and crouched to straighten the cloth. She added some toys and rattles.

“Watch him while I start laundry.” She dashed upstairs and returned with a basket. She entered the area near the door into the garage.

“We need to talk,” he said.

She peered around the wall. “I know.”

“I’ll be staying for the weekend. Since I must be at the office Monday morning, I’ll leave Sunday evening. You should plan to move out by next weekend. I want to sell the condo and put the money in trust for the boy.”

The look on her face puzzled him. She stepped toward the couch. “I don’t live here. I’ve stayed because it’s important for Jamie to be in familiar surroundings. I’ll ask my landlady if she minds having a baby in the apartment. I can move his crib and dresser there.”

“Wrong. I’m taking the boy to the city. I’ve arranged for a nanny.”

“Jamie. His name is Jamie.” She strode forward. “Did you forget we have joint custody? I refuse to allow my nephew to be shoved in a cell with a strange woman so you can forget he exists.”

Tony clamped his lips together and sought an answer. He didn’t trust her. He knew what she was. “I refuse to let you drag a different man into his life every night.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I know how you earn a living. If you’d like I’ll pay you for two nights.”

“Excuse me.” She fisted her hands on her hips. “You know nothing. You’re making assumptions and that makes you an ass.” The words spat like bullets.

The baby cried. Lauren scooped him into her arms and held him close.

“Mama. Dada.”

“No, love, not today. Just Auntie.”

His sobs slowed. “Tee.” He buried his head against her shoulder.

Tony stared at his hands. He didn’t understand her anger. Couldn’t she admit the truth? Guilt for making the boy cry swamped him. “We’ll discuss this later.”

“Just remember I want what’s best for Jamie. If I must I’ll fight you.”

“I want the same for the child. If you fight I’ll win and you’ll be exposed.”

She whirled and walked away. Her black slacks fit perfectly, showing her narrow waist and curving over her delectable ass. His cock surged to attention. He rose and then sank back. He wouldn’t chase her and prolong the argument. He gulped deep breaths. No way would she win the battle over custody. He would have sole charge of the baby and he would have her body writhing beneath him.

The phone rang. He grabbed the receiver on the first ring. A man spoke. “See you tomorrow at eight.”

“There’s no need. Matters are handled.” Tony hung up and chuckled. He would definitely handle the situation when she learned she had no date. But the lady wouldn’t be disappointed.

How The Story Evolved - Janet Lane Walters - A Surprising Seduction

My usual guest for this weekend hasn't shown up so looks like this time it will be me. I'm sure this non-show has something to do with Sandy who whipped through this area and has left many people without power. I was fortunate to have power return yesterday. What I've been left with is a huge case of laryingitis so writing is favored. Now to my tale.

The Seduction series began with four planned. Two sisters and two brothers. Then New Concepts Publishing issued the first three in a single book in print leaving one brother in the cold. I read through the other stories and realized there were two friends mentioned by name. One, Tony, is a cynical attorney who has no faith in love. He needed to learn a lesson and so I began my search. I learned the why of his reason and learned he had a brother who had learned a different lesson. Unfortunately his brother who had married for love and his wife were killed in an accident leaving Tony as joint guardian of their infant son.

Joint-guardian who was the woman. Enter Lauren, a young woman who had been a runaway from a group home and whose only relative, her sister had married Tony's brother. They had met once and he had seen the rebellious side of her. She had seen his coldness.

Enter assumptions and we all know what assumptions do to people. Thus Lauren and Tony came together to sort out their assumptions. Tony has to make major changes in his attitude on many levels. The good thing while writing this story, the heroine for the last story appeared and I already knew who the hero would be.

A Surprising Seduction is a spicy read and one that was fun to put together.

Thursday's Who Janet Lane Walters Has Been Reading

Well, Tuesday and Wednesday were powerless. Actually this began on Monday evening so I've been doing a lot of reading by flashlight. Many of them were new or actually old, Some were goodies from a conference that I either hadn't read or had read years ago.

Suzanne Brockmann's Dark and Dangerous. One of the stories I'd read byt the initial one I hadn't read. This is a twofer book. Navy Seal books originally printed in the 1990s.

May Goldrick's The Promise a historical set in the 1760 era and possibly read before.

Susan Wiggs' The Winter Lodge A contemporay story with some neat recipes I may or may not try.

Next week I'll be back to the original routine of blogging and to anyone who missed the usual things, I do hope every one is safe and now have power and light, especially my New Jersey friends.