TGIF

Well, it’s Friday and because of the recent “New Year’s” resolutions on my blog, I’m reporting on my progress.

Pounds lost this week – 4
Pages Written this week – 18

NOTE: I actually began my “healthy living” mode on Monday, because, well, you never EVER start a diet on the weekend. That’s against the rules.

I am short on pages written from where I originally planned to be but a strange and horrible thing has happened to my writing method – I can no longer “pants.” ARGH!!!!! This is a horrible, painful development. I used to be able to sit down and rip off about 5 pages/hour day after day, finishing a rough draft in a matter of months. But now, I can’t force my mind to move forward until it’s absolutely satisfied with what was written before.

This sucks on so many levels. One, because I really LIKED being a pantster. I LIKED rushing through a rough draft feeling that burst of adrenaline that came with each chapter ending. Of course, on the other hand, it has advantages – I used to edit twice as long as it took to write the rough draft. I’m definitely not going to be doing that now. But this new way of thinking was killing me and at the beginning of the week, I really struggled with getting a handle on my writing method.

Fortunately, by Wednesday, I hit on the method that swings both ways (so to speak). I rough draft one chapter, then edit the hell out of it until it’s perfect. So I’m roughing 15 pages or so then editing for submission to my CP’s. This way, when I’m done with the rough draft, I should be 80% done with the story. I think I’m going to like this, but the jury’s still out. Of course, it TOTALLY messes up my Nano participation, but what are you going to do?

In other news, RUMBLE got a great review from Romance Reader at Heart. Here’s what they had to say:

"It always impresses me to find an author who can write a debut novel that is out of the park the first time around. This is what keeps me coming back for more when I am looking for a good book to read. RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU is phenomenal, keeping me completely entertained from start to finish.

When Deputy Dorie Berenger finds a high alligator with a finger in its mouth, in the pool of the town drunk, she knows that she is in trouble. She knows that as soon as those fancy-schmancy city cops know what she has found, they will be sending in an arrogant, big shot, know-it-all to try to take over her case, and she is just not having it. She may be small and she may look like a beauty queen, but she has a big ol' gun and she knows how to use it.

Dorie is beautiful, has a great sense of humor and knows how to throw a mean left hook. All the people in Gaitor Bait love her and respect her. They know what she is capable of, and would never think to step in her way when she is doing her job. Unfortunately, the one person in this world that Dorie doesn't want in her town has come and set up camp, determined to catch his man and foil Dorie's every attempt to run her own investigation.

Richard Starke is absolutely, without a doubt, the biggest macho-man, big-headed, arrogant son-of-a-pup that Gaitor Bait has ever come across. He walks into town with an enormous chip on his shoulder and a "don't-mess-with-me" attitude, thinking that he is going to walk in and out of this little "hick" town with his man and never have to deal with the resident sheriff's department. Well, one little meeting with a fiery blonde fishing in her skivvies is all it takes for him to realize that this might not be such an easy job to undertake.

Richard and Dorie have outstanding chemistry. Watching the two of them spat and argue and generally hate each other one minute, and then having them set the pages on fire like a pair of lusty, horny toads, is the stuff that all romances should be made of! It is great reading and kept me glued to this book. RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU is a feel good, hysterical, great romp of a read, and I recommend it to romance readers of all genres." - Kristal Gorman

And now that we’re on the subject of reviews, I have a request. If you have read RUMBLE and liked it, please post a review on Amazon or B&N or if you’re feeling like cutting and pasting, both would be uber-great! I don’t know that it makes a huge difference, but it certainly can’t hurt.

Thanks everyone and have a great weekend!