From Fallen Angel Reviews:

“The Gripping Beast is one of the best time travel romances I have ever read. I was tempted to put it in the category Erotica, because the lovemaking is very frequent and hot enough to melt metal. I decided that romance was indeed the main theme, and it will make most romance readers sigh with pleasure and contentment. This is a book with lots of substance and excitement. The characters come alive to the reader with flaws and strengths. I enjoyed Lorelei and Erik together. They are a perfect match, and show the personality traits of the people of their own time. I felt a little sorry for Erik because he fell in love with a woman that his world never knew before. Lorelei is feisty, intelligent and very passionate. I was not quite sure how the ending would occur. I was pleasantly surprised and felt very satisfied at the conclusion. No loose ends, and was well worth the time I spent reading it. Samhain Publishing shows great potential with books like this one. Keep an eye on this author and publisher.” - Anita

I’m not sure I have enough smileys.

Yesterday I sent back the print galley for The Gripping Beast, along with review quotes. I didn’t catch any errors, so hopefully there aren’t any. That’s a good project to finish up over a weekend. And the week’s work is mainly going to focus on Miss Lonely Hearts. I’m kind of in the same place with it that I was in with The Gripping Beast for so long; seems like I’m at it and not making any headway, then suddenly it’s done. I have to keep reminding myself that the “suddenly done” part is coming.

The other bit of Gripping news is that it’s now out on Fictionwise.

I understand Micah is out for sale already, and now I have to decide if I want to try to read it before or after I finish MLH. Hmmmm. Dilemma.

My grandmother passed away today. Not entirely unexpected, she’d been unwell for a while. I was thinking about what I’d learned from her and I realized in a way she’s shaped the person I am today by passing on her love of romance novels.

Whenever we visited her, I had to read something and I always ran out of whatever I’d brought to read, so I read books from her collection. I fell in love with sparkling regencies by Barbara Cartland, spooky gothics by Victoria Holt. (Lord of the Far Island is still a favorite!) My mom inherited the romance novel gene, and through her I read category contemporaries by Janet Dailey and Nora Roberts and Essie Summers.

I learned very early that romance was full of variations and voices and choices. Take a trip to a misty island with a mysterious man, ride through an English park, fall in love with a desert sheik in some exotic locale or a strong, silent rancher closer to home. Whatever the mood, wherever you wanted to go, a romance could take you there.

A love of books across three generations is no bad legacy. Growing up dyslexic, without a love of books and the ability to read I would never have made it through school. My reading skills allowed me to work around most of the challenges formal education presented (although nothing could save me from my inability to grasp two dimensional geometry). Reading and writing skills landed me most of my jobs and here I am today, finishing up book #8. Would it have happened without a family love of reading? I don’t know and I’m glad I don’t have to find out.

My little toddler is already reading Dr. Seuss and Goodnight Moon and the baby loves her well-chewed copy of Pat the Bunny. I’m passing it on to the next generation. I think grandma would approve. In honor of Marie Fish, a 21 book salute. Enjoy your favorites and share them with somebody you love.

Having the opportunity pop up to publish 3 short stories this week (haha, you’ll find out about the 3rd shortly) made me realize something. I had to pull them up, read them and give them a quick brush-up before sending them out and I remembered why I liked writing short stories so much, even though there’s not much of a market for them.

Writing short stories makes a great palate cleanser. You finish a novel and it’s like finishing a giant multi-course meal. You don’t want to just dive right into starting another one. You need to cleanse your palate and digest a little first. Also, you can try out a different genre or voice or technique in a short story without investing a lot in the exercise. It can be a great way to find out if you like something or how it works for you.

Reading Jordan’s blog about books by authors that didn’t win you the first time made me realize I do this with reading, too. If I read something by Laurell K. Hamilton, doesn’t matter which series, they’re excellent but soooo sad. I always have an antidote read on hand, something light and funny to read afterwards. If I don’t, it can really affect my mood. (I think this works well in reverse, too. Read a few too many sweet stories in a row? A little Poe restores the balance!) What I think of an author the first time I read them can be influenced by whether or not I’ve restored the balance before or after reading their book.

So. Palate cleansing reads keep my reading digestion in balance, and the same goes for writing. I was a lot more productive when I wrote short stories alongside and in between novels. I’m going back to it. Starting now! Am I the only one, or are there other palate-cleansing readers and writers out there?

I’ve contributed two erotic short stories to Sasha White’s ezine, Secret Thoughts. They’ll appear in March and May, respectively. To read them, just visit the Secret Thoughts site and subscribe!

I’m proofing the print galley for The Gripping Beast. Oh, the suffering. Reading all about the Vikings again! The downside is trying not to get distracted by the story and really paying attention to whether there are any errors that escaped the collective eagle eyes that have been over it already.

I think the tentative print release is May but as soon as I have a set in stone date I’ll post it here and in the book’s information page. I’m really excited about the Samhain print editions, they’re being done by LSI (same printer who does the Ellora’s Cave books so I know the quality) and it’s going to be just amazing to hold this book that was such a long time coming in my hands. 

Joyfully Reviewed has posted a review of Dangerous Games! (The sequel is the one with the motorcycle stunt I mentioned earlier this week.)

Reviewer Nanette says, “I was very impressed with Dangerous Games. It is provocative and gripping. I loved the intensity of Drake and Melinda’s attraction to each other. It is instant and intense. Drake’s dominance brings out the submissiveness in Melinda and it is so sexy! Melinda’s sexuality blossoms in Drake’s arms. Their reunion is a heart-warming moment that brought tears to my eyes. In Dangerous Games Charlene Teglia has written a wonderful story that kept me eagerly turning the pages, hungry for more.”

Yay! Thank you, Nanette and Joyfully Reviewed.

Larissa sold to Red Sage. Run over and congratulate her if you haven’t already!

I’m working on Miss Lonely Hearts, one eyeball on the deadline. I’m writing a list of all the things I love about the story because I’ve been finding it hard going. Here’s a secret, the muse does not care that you have a contract or a deadline. It takes something more to get that flighty creature to show up for work. The list is my lure.

Why I love this story: I love the setting. It’s pure magic. I love the characters and the way everybody has a secret and an agenda. I love the romance. I love the crime angle. I love the smokin’ hot sex. I love the humor.

Now, come on, muse, let’s get to work. Or Cass is going to hit me with another rolled up comic book.

Edited to add: I thought I shoud explain this a little further or it could look on the surface like writers are Artistes who just sit around waiting for the muse to light on their shoulders. I’m more of the “hunt it down with a club” philosophy. I don’t believe in sitting around waiting for inspiration, but I do know from experience that it’s possible to lure and tempt the muse into showing up for work and that the work will go 20 times faster and better for the effort. Maybe more than 20 times. But you don’t lure the muse by sitting there idling.