The book is gone. The ending made me sniffle and say, “oh, that’s so GOOD!”

Now I need a nap.

The end of a book is an awful lot like a gymnastics routine. No matter what dazzling brilliance has gone before, you must land that ending with power and precision or the entire performance fails.

So. I’m striving to land that ending.

Yes, I have been vewy, vewy quiet. I’m cleaning up the ending of the book. I think I’m done fixing and smoothing out the rest, but I’ll give the whole thing another start to finish read when I finish this section to make sure I didn’t overlook something. And then I can ship it off and collapse with a happy sigh, done until the edits arrive.

Well, done with this book, anyway. Then I need to get rolling on the next book, and finish off that novella, and…

I’m so happy with this book. Really, really, really happy.

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Friday snippet, more werewolves of course!

Animal Attraction
copyright 2008 Charlene Teglia
St. Martin’s Press, all rights reserved, coming 2009

I’d like to say I came to my senses after half-climbing his body and locking lips until oxygen deprivation was a real threat, but it was Zach who drew back far enough to let our eyes meet.

“How do you feel?”

I took inventory. “Headache. Sore muscles. Shaky.” Also delirious with joy at the chance to wrap myself around him, but I didn’t mention that.

“Up to talking?”

I nodded and my head didn’t throb in protest, so I took that as a sign of progress.

Jack and Will had left, hopefully before I plastered myself all over Zach. But if not, oh well. Zach sat on the couch with me in his lap, running his hands over me as if reassuring himself that I was all in one piece. I hoped he needed a lot of reassurance.

“Tell me what happened.”

“I thought I heard Will coming back. I’d asked him to get me a drink. But it was one of the werepanthers from the mall parking lot. We fought. He won. I came to over his shoulder in the woods, and we fought some more. I left him on the ground and ran for it.”

I thought about mentioning the Leszi and hesitated. Would that sound crazy? No crazier than a werepanther bent on kidnapping, I decided, and plunged ahead. “Then a guy dressed like some kind of hunter who called himself the lord of the forest said I was lost and brought me back here. That’s it.”

“That’s it,” Zach echoed, his tone flat.

“Well, yes.” I couldn’t think of anything else to add. “Did you find him? Was he—” I broke off, unable to say dead out loud.

“We didn’t find him. We found the spot where he hit the ground, signs of struggle, but his footprints went on to the edge of the woods. Then we lost his trail.”

Not dead, then. I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding as I exhaled relief. I wasn’t a killer.

From the fabulous and hilarious Rob Breszny:

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Many a man fails to become a thinker for the
sole reason that his memory is too good,” wrote Friedrich Nietzsche. I
suggest you contemplate that riddle, Cancerian. Is your ability to stir up
new perspectives sometimes hindered by the deep feelings you have
about your history? Is it possible that past experiences you’ve grown to
treasure tend to diminish your motivation to reinvent yourself
periodically? If so, it’s a perfect time to break free of the old days and old
ways. Induce a little forgetfulness so that you’re more available for the
future.

Considering the new project I have on the cooker, this is so timely!

5 Klovers from CK2KwipsandKritiques! “NIGHT RHYTHM is a wonderful interlude with reunited lovers and provides a quick dose of sexy paranormal romance.” - Jennifer

Follow the link for full review. Thank you, Jennifer!

Still wallowing in book. Every time I think I’ve done my final revision pass on the first two acts I remember something else I need to fix or check for consistency.

I have ARCs for Wicked Hot! Oh, how I love ARCs. It is almost like holding the Real Book.

Book discussion for Satisfaction Guaranteed is wrapping up, so please hop over to add your thoughts, or Ask the Author your questions!

I’m really, really happy with Animal Attraction, and can only hope my editor feels the same when I kick it out the door. Needs polishing and tweaking and some finish work, but wow, I love this book. I love the fight scenes, I love the world, I love the heat factor, I love the characters. I’m going to miss them all badly when it’s time to move on.