Impatience

Apr 4, 2013 | Books, Writing | 6 comments

I've discovered I'm impatient. Well, maybe I always knew it, but my brain is whirling with so many thoughts these days and so many plans and I am IMPATIENT as hell for them to come to life. First, I am about sick with impatience waiting to get HOT PURSUIT out to you. It's still in editing, and I know that will make it an awesome book in the end, but I want to share it with you! I've been waiting for so long. I've had a cover for months — and yes, I've held back showing you. Unless you're on my Street Team, Lynn's Lovelies, and then you saw it a while back. šŸ˜‰ (Hint: Join my Street Team for exclusive peeks, excerpts, and goodies! We have a secret Facebook group, and I will be happy to invite you in if you're on Facebook — just send me a message over there and I'll make it happen.)

I have more books to write in that world, and I have three more Harlequins due quite soon. Next year, I'll have a sheikh duo coming out. No titles yet, though I have titled them myself and I hope I get to keep them! Because, for once, I think I did a good title job! I'll also be participating in another continuity series (like last year's Santina Crown and this year's Sicilian Corretti Dynasty), and my book will be the final book in December 2014. No idea yet what my book will be about, but I've heard hints about a Don Draper-like character. Yum!

You see why I'm impatient? I have so much going on! And, aside from my military books, I have another series I want to write. This one involves four brothers, a small town, and some dark secrets. When will I ever get the time to write them all?

All right, enough whining — here's what you need to know: HOT PURSUIT is tentatively scheduled for May. There will be a cover reveal soon! There will also be a prequel novella and at least two other books in the series. I hope to have the novella to you by summer's end, and then the next book perhaps by Christmas. I hate stretching them out so far, but I have to fit them in with the Harlequin work.

While I'm not revealing the cover yet, here's the blurb. I hope it interests you! Matt is seriously hot, and I think he'll take your breath away. Which is why I'm getting so antsy about this! If you want to know more, like when the book finally hits stores, sign up for my newsletter (scroll to the bottom of this page and type your email in the box) and be among the first to know when the book goes live. I'll also announce it on Facebook, Twitter, and this site. šŸ™‚

The last man she ever wanted to seeā€¦

Evie Bakerā€™s luck just ran out. Thanks to an ex-partner with organized crime ties, sheā€™s lost her restaurant, her money, and nearly all her self-respect. Forced to return to her hometown and work as a shampoo girl in her motherā€™s salon, she doesnā€™t think her luck can get any worse.

But then someone starts shooting at her, her sullen baby sister is suddenly missing, and the high school heartthrob who stole her heartā€”and her virginityā€”is the only man big enough and bad enough to help.

Might be the only one who can save herā€¦

Captain Matt ā€œRichie Richā€ Girard canā€™t afford to get involved. Heā€™s already on the verge of a court-martial after a Top Secret op gone wrong, and heā€™s been ordered to stay out of trouble while heā€™s home for his sisterā€™s wedding.

But when Evieā€™s ex-partner turns up dead, staying out of trouble is the last thing on Mattā€™s mind. He failed Evie once before; he canā€™t fail her again. If heā€™s going to protect her from a killer, and find her sister before time runs out, heā€™ll have to risk his entire futureā€”and both their livesā€”to do it.

Things are about to get HOT in the bayou!

Do the Work

Apr 1, 2013 | Business, Rants, Writing | 6 comments

Y'all, I don't usually talk the writing stuff much anymore, but I can't help myself this time. I had company in town this past week, and while I took some time off to do things with her — some shopping, some lunching — I also sat myself down at my desk and did the work. I may be my own boss, but I still have a job to do and jobs don't get done when you lollygag.

So what do you think happens when writers tell me they just can't get the work done? That they have to watch their favorite shows, and do all their Facebooking and Twittering, and yes they have a deadline screaming toward them at light speed, but they're probably going to miss it because, well, it's football season! Or Downton Abbey is on. Or it's spring and they have to plant the bulbs.

If you guessed that I probably turn apoplectic, you'd be right. It's infuriating when someone asks me how I manage to write so much while wringing their hands and hoping I'll give them the secret formula that will suddenly make words pour onto the page.

And I do give them the secret, but they don't listen. The secret is this: DO THE WORK! If you want to make a career of this, if you want to be a published author and have people read your stories, then you have to turn off the television — or whatever distracts you — and do the work FIRST. Do it! Stop talking about it, stop wringing your hands, and stop making excuses.

Your shows can be DVRed. You can watch them once you meet that deadline. I don't know what to tell you about sports, since that's not my hang up, but I'm pretty sure you can't watch every darn game Thursday through Monday. You can't do everything. Make a choice. And if you choose the football, don't whine about the writing. You chose it!

Seriously, the only way you get ahead in this job is to make it a priority. Writing does not come last. Writing does not come after you finish everything else. Writing must be a priority. Yes, your family is the most important thing. I don't disagree with that at all. There's a saying you might have seen before: “Happy wife, happy life.” It's cute, right? But I think it should also be expanded a bit. “Happy family, happy marriage, happy life.” It doesn't rhyme, but it's closer to the truth, I think.

So this is my rant for the day. If you're a writer, if you want to make this a career, you need to make sure you're willing to do what it takes. You can't write when you feel like it. You can't build a career or gain readers if you take such an approach. If you want this — really want this — you have to work for it. It's still a job, and it still requires you to put in the time.

So put down the remote, stash the coupons for the mall, and get your work done first. Your work ethic is vital in this business. If you don't have one, if you're easily distracted, then you aren't going to succeed.

But if you get that work done, you'll be surprised at how everything begins to flow. Make writing a priority, and you might just be amazed at how much you get done. Good luck and get to work! That's what I'll be doing… šŸ˜‰

Want to meet me for a drink at the RT Book Lovers Convention?

Mar 25, 2013 | Celebrations, Conference, RT Convention, Readers | 4 comments

This weekend, I met the fabulous Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches. She came to Birmingham chock full of the most fascinating information. I could spend hours drinking wine with her and talking about books and authors and romance and readers and all the wonderful things that are a part of our romance community. Alas, she wanted to go home instead of hang out with us forever. And we kinda had to let her or, you know, that wouldn't be a good thing.

But amongst all the fabulous ideas she gave me was this one. Sarah suggested I host an informal reader event at RT. And I thought, hey, that is a *great* idea! How cool to get together with my readers for a chat?

If you're going, maybe you'd like to join me for a drink in the bar? This idea is in the planning stages, but it could be lots of fun to meet those of you who are going to be there. I'll look into options — we might meet in the hotel bar, or we might find a bar close by — and we'll get together for an hour or so. I'll buy you a drink! I might even have a specialty drink for the party.

I'll announce it on my Facebook pages, this blog, and I'll send out a special newsletter message. If you haven't signed up for that yet, be sure to do so: you can do that on this page by scrolling to the bottom and filling in the box that says “Subscribe to Lynn's Newsletter.”

I really hope to see you there!