News

Blogging is not my strong suit. At least not here. But I'm working on it, because I'm getting ready to open a new blog for sweet romance readers to find the new books and authors that they love. More on that to come soon. For now, I'm terribly sorry I neglect this blog so much.

Here's where I'm at:

Matter of Choice did release January 21, 2014. Since it's release it has become an Amazon Bestselling novel in three categories: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Romance. To see Matter of  Choice alongside novels by Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel was ... surreal. There wasn't a moment of pride for me to see that, but more humbling disbelief. It was such an honor.

The Right One, my next sweet romance, is scheduled to be released in June. It is the story of Cami Lockhart, and her quest to accept a love that stands before her, while realizing her lifelong dream of operating a tiger sanctuary. It's been a challenge to write, Cami is a much different character than I've been writing, but challenging is good. Fun. Exciting.

Veil of Secrecy, originally Shadows, is finally finding it's way to the light. It will be released alongside The Right One, and is a much darker read than Matter of Choice and The Right One. But it's still a clean romance at heart, and I hope you all fall in love with the characters as much I did, five years ago. It's so hard to believe this story is now that old, but it is. And it's so exciting for me to realize it is finding it's way to you.j

There are a lot of other things on the wings, including 3-4 more books that I plan on releasing this year, the possibility of launching a live book tour, and, of course, that blog I mentioned earlier. I'll share the link here once it's up and running, and, while you will find me there, you will also find the talented authors I have become friends with since this journey began.

Thank you for all of your continued support. None of this would be possible without you, and I truly never forget that.

Updates, Updates, and More Updates

My last entry (and boy, I'm getting pretty regular about blogging-will wonders never cease) was about the coming Matter of Choice. While I'm not going to give you much information just yet, I will announce its release date will be in January.

I can also tell you that if you shoot over to my Facebook page,

https://www.facebook.com/rmalexaanderauthor

you'll find a sneak peak into the story. It's a little rough still, as I'm still revising and it then needs to go through the editing process, but it's there!

My Pinterest board is growing very slowly. You'll find out some little things about me, and see a sneak peek at what Triston looks like.

The coming weeks will be very busy, and you'll find updates here, as well as on Facebook and Twitter:

https://twitter.com/rmalexanderauth

Pinterest will continue to grow, and my presence will trickle down to other spots on the web as well. Keep an eye out, because I won't be posting the same thing on every source. Kind of a treasure hunt on all things regarding Matter of Choice. LOL!

I'll be back soon, and until then, enjoy! :)

Changes and updates

One thing I'm learning about writing is that flexibility is key. At least before things really get set in stone.

I've had one of those moments today. I thought I knew, for sure, when Matter of Choice would be released, but after a few conversations and a lot of studying of the ol' calender, I have now moved that date by a few weeks. Of course, mostly it's just me that this decision has affected, since I haven't made a release date public yet, and truthfully all in good ways. It'll give me more time to make sure the novel is right. It'll give more time for editing, and revising and all those things that go along with writing a novel. And it'll give the wonderful team supporting me more time as well.

I'm not giving you the dates yet, you'll have to keep watching for that. But within the next week, I'll be ready to give you another sneak peak. :)

Counting Down, and Scared Half to Death

So here it is, the first announcement of many:

Matter of Choice will be coming soon ... very, very soon. I'm not ready to announce a date just yet, though I have one in mind. But my writer's doubt has me scared I won't reach the goal, and I don't want to disappoint anyone. All I can tell you now is that you will be able to add it to your Christmas shopping list ;)

That said, you're going to be finding me all over the web in the coming weeks: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, here, blog hops ... the list goes on. It's going to be crazy busy, and crazy scary.

As a writer, I have many doubts and fears. At the top of the list is whether you'll love Shannon and Triston as much as I do. I'm told this comes with the territory. I hope so.

But for now, I can give you a small-in fact, the smallest-glimpse, and the first of many looks at Matter of Choice. They will get larger, and I'll be introducing you to both of them very soon. For today, here's just a few little words to tease you about the story line:

Some promises are hard to keep.

Yep, that's it for now.

But I'll be back soon!

Another title change, and possible cover art

Shadows has taken a backseat in the last couple of months as I wait for it's number to be called from the slush pile. In the meantime, I've completed the rough draft of what was Whispers at the Grande. It needs some work, but the bones look good.

It as gone through another change: the title ... again. This one has been hard to title. I just haven't liked anything I've come up with. But now I think I have a winner:

Matter of Choice

I'm also waiting on some information about the book cover. I found one I really love. It's absolutely beautiful artwork, and fits the novel perfectly. Maybe I'll have a big reveal sometime soon ;)

I'll also be giving you some sneak peaks at Matter of Choice soon.

Adventures in Editing (and other things)

On case you didn't already know, TJ Loveless and I began Cliffhanger Editing a couple of months back. When we began the company, we also started a Facebook page for tips and information. It has been a crazy busy experience, and one that I've had a ball with. I've been able to meet so many wonderful people, and giving out tips on how to edit their material and prepare it for publication has been rewarding beyond words. To take the experience that I've gained as an editor, and to share the trials by fire I've gone through as I venture through trying to become published, and share it all with other aspiring authors, is not anything I'd ever thought I'd find myself doing, but am so incredibly thrilled that I am. It's a jungle out there in this world of writing, but maybe us writers can all make it a little less so by banding together and finding the way to the light!

In the meantime, Shannon has begun monopolizing my time with Whispers at the Grande, my contemporary romance. I'm still completely committed to seeing the second two novels in the Shadows trilogy completed and published (and the first one is still out there in the trenches), but finding the time to sit and create something new for a moment has been wonderful.

Oh! And I've seen some great movies. The Call with Halle Berry is unbelievably good. If you haven't seen it, like a good thriller, and want to sit on the edge of your seat for a couple of hours,run, don't walk, to your nearest Redbox and SEE this movie. WARNING: If you have kids, you may want to hold them just a little closer after seeing it. I know I did. Another good one was Dead Man Down. Lots of action, a little bit of a strange love story, with some revenge thrown in. Kind of a guy flick, but I still really enjoyed it.

That's it for me for now. Back to writing, back to editing, and hey, catch me on FB or Twitter. I'm nearly always around :)

Unbelievable!

I can't get a grip on the fact that it's almost August already.

Oh wait, it IS August, isn't it? Good gravy gracious, where has this year gone?

So much continues to happen, both personally and professionally. I won't get into the personal stuff. It's boring anyway, but the professional, well, that's something to share.

Shadows still cools its heels in the slush pile of a really awesome agent, and hoping to hear back sometime soon. Thank goodness for so many other projects that keep me busy so I don't spend too much time thinking about it. Wait, was that the phone? Oh, no, just my imagination!

Working in Whispers at the Grande with Shannon, Triston and Gary are doing their thing, and making me work for their story. They've been so angry and jealous of all the attention Leonardo and Rachel have had that now they are being stubborn and difficult. But that's ok, because Shannon's love is the prize and both Triston and Gary have stakes in the playing field, so they won't be able to hold out for long before they stop pouting and allow me to get their story out.

Speaking of which, it is in consideration to self-publish Whispers, so you may see it even before you see Shadows. All depends on how things play out. But I've been building a FB author page and working on my website. It's all fun stuff!

I've also been very busy with my editing day job. With three full novels, two short story compilations and one short story in the past two months, most of my time has been spent helping other authors making their work shine and shimmer. No complaints though, because, man, it is FUN. So many great projects out there, and I get to see them first. Kind of a reader's dream come true, you know?

Oh, and that's right. I've been promising some votes on my favorite movies of this summer. Okay, here goes:
Safe Haven
Beautiful Creatures
The Host
and just because it's my favorite movie of all time: Pride and Prejudice.

I know I've seen more than that, but goodness, right now I can't think of them. I'll have to get back to you.

And I'm also looking at doing a couple of author spotlights. I'll get back to you on that too :)

'Til next time, enjoy your summer :)

My success rate is dropping

After months of Internet impairment, I am happy to say I am connected to the world again. Good stuff. I felt so lost and alone without Twitter, FB, and all the other modern day conveniences that didn't exist until, well, they weren't around when I was a child, let's just say that.

And I grew up just fine, healthy and happy to play outside.

So what in the world happened that two months of phone based internet and frequent stops to McDonald's (and not necessarily for food, although I like burgers as much as anyone else) left me feeling like an appendage was missing? Sigh. I think I need a life.

But now that I'm breathing again, I thought I better improve my success ratio and write a quick blog before I get back in the editing trenches.

Cliffhanger Editing is alive and thriving, and morphing into a bigger beast that isn't quite ready to be left out of its cage.

And Rachel and the gang are seeing their second book improve and grow as the third and final chapter of the Bitterroot Mountains starts its long journey into light.

Shannon and her complicated love life hasn't received their just attention, but that's coming too. She's knocking at the door, waiting to be left in. Everyone just has to wait their turn.

And my favorite recent movie pick? Well, we'll get into that next time.

So many changes

Okay. I admit. It's been forever since I've written anything for this blog. I am totally, 100% guilty.

But there's been a lot of changes too.

My personal life has been absolutely insane for the last 10 months, and that takes a lot of the blame.

But my writing life has been really busy too. Rachel, Leonardo, and the gang are in their first stage of revision for the second book. The first draft came up several thousand words short, and so there's been a lot of detail that has been needing attention.

Another book, Whispers at the Grande, a romance, has been working its way from my mind to my fingertips. It's still a work in progress, but its coming along. I suspect you'll be hearing a lot about Shannon very soon.

Also, querying has been going better. And that's to say, someone is taking a good ol' looksey at Shadows. (Shriek, eek, ahh, and all the other kind of screams you can imagine). There are no guarantees, but Rachel and Leonardo are itching to begin talking to you all very, very soon. :)

And one other thing. My friend and writing partner in crime, T.J. Loveless, and I have began an editing company. That's right. I'm a regular entrepreneur now. LOL! We'll be talking to you all about our adventures in querying and helping you with editing your manuscript so you can get into the trenches yourself. :) Check us out a cliffhangerediting.com.

So that's the update for now. I promise, I will try to pick this blogging thing up and do it right this go around. We can talk books, editing, and one of my other favorite pastimes - movies! I mean, hey, why not, right??

Moving Forward

So, while this blog has been focused on Shadows book one, I have been ironing out the other two books as well.  In fact, working on writing book two now.  Chapter Three.  It's such a different end of the spectrum to be working on a first draft again after so many months (literally years) of editing and rewriting.  A bit refreshing and a big daunting at the same time.  The roughness of a first draft has a much different feel to it than a work that is more polished.  Of course, as you can guess, I'm sure.  But it's fun to be writing something fresh and giving Rachel, Leonardo, and the gang to voice something new again.

I've read a lot about not continuing work on the rest of a series before it's clear that the first book is going to be picked up.  It makes sense, of course.  There is SO much work to the entire process.  It would make more sense to spend that time on something fresh to present to someone - just in case.  And it's not that I don't have other ideas rumbling around in the my head - even on paper in the form of other WIPs (first couple of chapters anyway).  But honestly, Rachel's story has to be completed in my mind.  If I can find the time, I may begin working on one of the others at the same time.

For now, though, stay tuned.  Rachel and her friends have A LOT more to tell you about, and some of their surprises are going to shock you :)

Discouragement and well... encouragement...

I'm quickly learning that trying to get a novel to see the light of day is a mixed bag of emotions.  Excitement that you are actually going down this road.  Encouragement when beta readers come back having actual feelings towards the world and characters you've created, and discouragement when the form rejections begin coming in.  It's not an easy thing, trying to get published.  Worth it all in the end, I'm sure.

But it puts a whole new meaning behind the phrase "enjoy the journey, not the destination".

Just my thoughts for the evening.  Be back soon!

The first 200+ words - Revisited

So here are the changes made to the first two hundred and fifty words of Shadows.  The previous first 200 have been moved to a different location in the novel.  See what you think :)

Rachel Brackett once again whisked away the tears which blurred the road signs and white lines that marked Highway 93.  She shook her head with the slightest of motions, weary of the torturing memories.  Relief, pain, sadness, excitement – a concoction of feelings brewed within her.  All the emotions she hoped to sort out and get under control.  Some day.  But not just yet.  She still wanted nothing more than simple avoidance.  She sunk the memories deeper within her consciousness, and then pushed a button on the driver’s side window.  Fresh mountain air wafted through the car.  That was what she needed. Fresh air, time and as much distance from the past as possible.

She glanced out the window, and returned her eyes to the road, thumbs thumping against the steering wheel.  There was no denying how captivating the drive had been since leaving the city.  Winding curves shimmered in the high afternoon sun while they twisted through rich jade broadleaf and evergreen trees. Alongside, rushing rivers snaked through deep gorges and under occasional white stone bridges.  Their shores were decorated by wild flowers, and more than one fisherman stood knee deep in their waters while lines danced in passing wakes. The alpine peaks of the Sapphire Mountains to the west and the Bitterroot Mountains to the east jutted were snow-covered, even in mid-June.  And the further south she traveled, the closer the mountains edged towards the road, their cliffs laced with trees and trickling water.  

Changes

Shadows has undergone some changes in the past week - mostly to the first and second chapters.  It's been a learning experience.  A very frustrating, throw-my-computer-out-the-window kind of learning experience.  Nonetheless, perhaps the manuscript is all the better for it.  And I'm just purely exhausted.  Oh, and along with the changes, my query letter's first line has been changed as well.

So now I'm submitting once again.  That's the real test - if all these changes finally catches the attention of an agent.

Will keep you all posted!

Revisions, revisions, revisions .. now holding my breath

I just completed another set of revisions.  Made some changes to chapter one, another change to the middle of the story, and some cleaning up of typos that I didn't catch the first hundred times I read it through.

So what's next?  Well, I'm ready (as ready as I'll ever be) to start submitting again.  I have a couple of agents picked out that I really like, and am so nervous about submitting to them.  Anyone picking up the book would be an honor. But I researched a couple of agents in particular, and they would be my "dream agents" (as I've heard the term coined over the last week).  If they like Shadows... now that would be ... a dream come true!  LOL!

So I'll keep everyone updated as I continue on this journey.

And in the meantime, it's time to start working more earnestly on Book Two!

Positive review

I recently had a beta reader look at Shadows, and I couldn't believe her response.  It was so positive that it honestly and truly blew me away.  Here are some of her comments:

"Oh my goodness!  I am sitting on the edge of my seat...and now cursing that I have to wait for more!"

"Your characters are very easy to empathize with, feel for.  In my way of thinking, that makes for a great book."

"The story, the way it plays out, is fantastic.  It held my attention, pulled me in emotionally."

She also compared me to Stephen King, which I find absolutely insane (but in a nice way).  I don't read King anymore, though I did when I was younger.  But that's beside the point.  To be compared to someone of his caliber is just ... awesome.  

Of course, there were some suggestions for changes that she made, and I am taking them to heart.  In fact, the next few nights are going to be a frenzy of reading and typing once I get the kids to bed, because there is a something on Thursday that I'm trying to be prepared for and it requires that the entire manuscript be ready to go.  

But to have this kind of feedback (and believe me, I didn't doctor any of the comments above - simply cut and paste), is tremendous.  I only can hope that I can find an agent that will feel the same passion for the characters.  

Will keep you all posted!

A Bit of a Teaser for You - First 200 words

Rachel Brackett raced through the forest; her bare feet sodden with mud and pine needles.  Thick reaching branches blotted out the sun above while fog pinched at her long legs, all obscuring the horizon as she searched for an escape from a maze of trees and shrubbery.  Her pounding heart echoed in her ears, drowning out the crackling leaves and twittering birds.  The smell of pine and death brewed in the air, curdling in her nose and polluting her lungs, as she gasped for breath with each impression her toes dug into the ground. 

 She couldn’t see anyone behind her, or even hear their footsteps. But every instinct fired its own relentless confirmation within her: someone, somewhere, was hunting her. 

 Hunting – the word grasped at her heart, its grip a stranglehold as its meaning seeped through her senses.  Tears rolled down her slim cheeks in fear as the forest closed in around her to protect a hidden presence from view. Suddenly, she heard a loud roar – a growling that seemed to break through every corner of timber.  Its vibration sent pulsating chills down her spine, and she groped through the trees, looking for some way, any way, to escape. 

    An abrupt break in the forest emerged, and Rachel staggered into a clearing.  

Shadows - What it's about (Now entitled "The Amazing Shrinking Query")

Here is the query for Shadows (so that you know what it's about :) )

Newly widowed Rachel Bracket escapes to Montana only to find danger, family secrets and a vicious surprise waiting in her backyard. 

Rachel arrives into Sullivan to settle an unexpected inheritance that will fund a new life with her own antique store, far from the tortuous memories she struggles to put to rest.  But while exploring the beautiful landscape behind her grandmother’s home, Rachel learns the Bitterroot Mountains conceal secrets and creatures from horror stories.  She soon realizes those creatures stalk her in search of revenge for their pain and suffering.  And they know more about her ominous heritage than she does. As she begins learning more about the family she never knew, a bounty hunter searches for Rachel, believing she is the key to a commission he’s only dreamed of. Only the haunting voice of a stranger, Leonardo, offers protection.  Until he unveils himself – a man fused with a lion.  Terrifying, impossible, yet somehow alluring.

Rachel isn't sure who she can trust. But when the interior of her home is ripped apart by an intruder and a friend attacked, it's clear there is no safe haven. All she's certain of is that she is no longer running from her past, but trying to survive to make it to her future.