Forgiving Thayne Accepted!!!

After a rough day at work, I came home and as I went to sit down to dinner I checked my email and there it was! Dreamspinner Press has accepted Forgiving Thayne! I am so excited and happy to have another release coming later this year. There is not an actual official release date, but the date provided to me on the contract is Sept - Oct 2014! I was pretty sure that it wouldn't be until 2015 considering how far in advance DSP is booked nowadays with so many authors going to them now. But I am happy to say it will be released this year.

I know many of you have emailed or asked me about the sequel to Chasing Seth. I apologize for how long it actually took me to finish it. Last year was not an easy year on the muse I'm afraid, but I persevered and now I can honestly say when someone asks me about an ETA release date and if I am writing a sequel, YES! And it's this year! :) 

Please keep watching because I fully intend on keeping everyone up to date as the process goes and when I have a cover, an actual release date, and any other information which may come along during the next six months! Thank you for continuing to support me and prompt me to keep moving forward, to keep writing, and for giving me the encouragement to drive through distractions, writer's block, and pound the keys toward another completed story.

I have several projects in process at the moment. I am working on a novella series that I hope you will find enjoyable. :)

Have a wonderful night, all!

Kisses,
JR

Forgiving Thayne - COMPLETED & SUBMITTED!!!!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

I know everyone has been waiting for news regarding the next installment of the Chasing Seth storyline and I can proudly say it is now finished! 

Forgiving Thayne, the follow up to Chasing Seth, has been officially completed, edited, and submitted to Dreamspinner Press! The final word count was 105,461! Keep your fingers crossed for me and I will keep you posted on the outcome.

My next WIP will be the sequel to Touch Me Gently focusing on Kaden and Logan ten years later as well as their adopted son, Sam. I've been planning this one for a while and after seeing how the first one is going so strong still it is definitely my next focus. The title is already decided on for it and I am really looking forward to revisiting the first two characters who made my dream a reality four years ago. Oh wow, that's so hard to believe that it's already been four years!

I will be attending RainbowCon 2014 in Tampa in April this year so if you haven't already signed up to attend as a reader please do so because it is going to be blast! I hope to meet you there and get a chance to say hi to some of my readers. :) There's going to be some really cool swag available too, but I'm thinking of doing a small gift pack with each item that will be available at the convention so please be sure to keep watching my blog and Facebook page for any announcements.

Love you all! <3 p="">
Kisses,
J.R.

J.R. Loveless MIA?... Nah, Just Busy

An idea of the Thayne pictured in my head while writing!

I know it's been super long since I posted. I am sorry. I don't want to fall off the grid, but with work and getting old(!) I'm always tired. I've been trying to finish the follow up to Chasing Seth. It's almost there! I'm at just over 73k words and my target is at least 80k. I have to update my word count meter here to reflect the change. I have been posting my progress on my Facebook so if you aren't already friends on there, send me an invite and I'll accept. My profile is private on Facebook since I post pictures from time to time that are a tad on the racy side and I don't want to be flagged by someone for posting them.
 
My dog is doing well. He has his days where he experiences troubles with his pancreas. The only thing I can do is be with him and if he seems to be in pain give him one of his pills. As long as I keep him relatively calm and on the weight management food he seems to do well.

Are you attending RainbowCon in Tampa in April next year? I am! I have an author spot and would love to see you there! I will be giving away LOTS of goodies in the swag room so I hope you'll come! I'll be putting together a set of those goodies as a giveaway after I come back from the Con so make sure to keep an eye out for your chance to win just in case you aren't able to make it to Tampa! It sounds like it's going to be a blast and I hope to keep going each year! Especially since it's not that far from my home and easy to drive. (Not a fan of flying!).

Ain't that the truth?

Is it just me or does Black Friday no longer quantify as Black Friday? I mean now the stores are opening on Thanksgiving!? What's up with that? Seriously? Those poor employees and not being able to enjoy one day off to be with their families! The all mighty dollar rules again! SMH. Such a shame how commercialized the holidays have become. It makes it hard to enjoy them anymore. Christmas movies and decorations are shoved down your throat now before Halloween is even over. It just seems as if our country is getting away from the true meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I saw how many stores are opening as early as 4pm on Thursday this week I couldn't help but scoff at how greedy the stores are getting. And you would think the stores would put some kind of process in place to prevent the injuries, fighting, and all out mob mentality that happens EVERY year. There hasn't been a Black Friday gone by in years where someone wasn't hurt over stupidity.


Keep an eye on my website soon because I'm going to be posting my previous Christmas release with Silver Publishing on the site as a free read. I also am going to be self publishing the other two stories from there as well in the next couple of months. I just have to find the time between finishing Forgiving Thayne and work to format it for upload to the various sites. I had the cover redesigned and I am very happy with it. More so than the original. I was never happy with the original, but after multiple attempts to relay what I wanted I gave up and accepted the best of the lot. So there will be new covers! :) Also will update my website once those are available again.

Okay, it is almost three a.m. here and I have to be up for work soon. Going to log! Have a WONDERFUL rest of the evening and an even better day! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Make sure to appreciate the day and enjoy the time with your family. Remember what it's all about because if we continue to lose sight of what it really means to be thankful, I'm not sure our future is going to be very bright.

Author Spotlight: Anne Barwell & A Knight to Remember

Hello, everyone! Today's author spotlight is on Anne Barwell! Please be sure to let her know you stopped in by leaving a comment for her. :)

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Not your stereotypical hero...

A big thanks to JR Loveless for hosting me today J

I'm not a fan of stereotypes, and prefer to write and read about characters who don't necessarily act in a way their position in the plot, or in life, might dictate.

Heroes who run in save the day, and aren't fazed by the fact the body count is piling up don't interest me. I prefer a reluctant hero who does what needs doing either because there isn't anyone else, or it's to save someone he cares about. While banter is a good thing, as it prevents the story from being bogged down from doom and gloom and too much angst, it shouldn't come at the cost of an emotional response.

My heroes, although capable, don't always know exactly what they're doing. Aric, in A Knight to Remember, is sent by a dragon on a quest to find a sword. But he has no clue what the magical properties of the sword are, or how he's going to use it to unite his kingdom. Where would be the fun in that, let alone the fodder for sequels?  He also has a tendency to get distracted by letting his thoughts wander, but that's what makes him human.  He does, however, know how to use a sword and can hold his own in battle, and will do whatever it takes to keep others safe.

I'm also not a fan of female characters who constantly need rescuing. My female characters are more likely to end up rescuing someone else, or giving their companions a good kick up the proverbial arse. Sometimes they're also needed to make sure the heroes don't get too distracted by each other and get on with the plot.

One thing that will turn me off reading a story very quickly is an amazingly capable hero or heroine who is better than anyone else. They save the day, kill bad guys before breakfast, and hardly break a sweat. *cough*Mary/Marty Sue*cough*.  I'd much prefer someone who uses his wits to think outside the box to defeat an enemy who is stronger and faster than he is.  After killing someone for the first time, the reality of what he's done hits him in the gut and he promptly throws up.

Perfect characters are perfectly boring. Give me a hero who makes mistakes and has to deal with the consequences any day. Besides being way more interesting, they're so much more fun to angst, with perhaps a good dollop of hurt/comfort thrown in for good measure.
 

^+^

Blurb:

"The last of your line will be in the embrace of a dragon."

Aric, Crown Prince of Astria, has been brought up to believe that all dragons are evil. But when he speaks with one, he finds himself questioning those beliefs. The dragon tells him to find a sword in Sherwin Forest to save not only his kingdom but also his sister, Georgia, who must otherwise wed the prince of a neighboring kingdom.

At the start of his quest, Aric dons a disguise and meets Denys, an archer and herbalist who lives alone at the edge of the forest. Denys agrees to guide Aric into the forest, but then Georgia appears, revealing Aric’s true identity.

However Aric learns he is not the only one keeping secrets. Denys has a few of his own that could change both of their lives forever.
 

Buy link:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3954&cPath=426

Excerpt:

 
“You said you had something to tell me.” Aric cleared his throat, not wishing to reminiscence about such things, at least not now. He was losing his mind, he must be. This was a dream, it had to be. Yet why did it feel so real? “And my name is not Brandric. It’s Aric. Brandric is what my father calls me.”

“Aric, then.” The dragon inclined its head again, lowering its voice. “Your sister is to marry the prince of a neighboring kingdom. This must not be allowed to happen. It will not unite your kingdoms, but is merely a ploy to gain your father’s trust.”

“I already know that.” Aric had heard two of King Malachite’s men talking. Once the marriage had taken place, King Malachite planned to invade Astria and claim it in the name of Logan, his own kingdom. “He… they talked about using magic.” Aric had told his father about what he’d overheard, but he hadn’t been believed. King Malachite, King Brandr assured his son, would not attempt to betray Astria by using the evil that was magic. Nor would he use their children’s marriage to gain control over Astria. He was an honorable man who had stood by Astria and its people many times, their armies united against a common foe. Together they had triumphed over those who might use magic against them, and worked to rid both their lands of the threat of dragons.

Aric had never trusted King Malachite. There was something about the man that made his skin crawl, but if asked to explain, he couldn’t. Only two people had ever believed him: Georgia and Aunt Hannah.

“The only way to fight magic is with magic.” The dragon looked around, then cocked its head to the side as though listening to something Aric could not hear. “You must seek the Sword of Sherwin, Aric. The quest will not only save your kingdom, but also your sister.”

“I….” Aric stared at the dragon. He’d heard of the sword, of course he had. It was an old tale told to him by both his aunt and his mother. The sword was a thing of power. “It doesn’t exist. It’s just a story. Or if it did, it was lost generations ago.” He shook his head. Surely the dragon couldn’t be serious?

“Then it is time it was found again, isn’t it?”

“You make it sound simple. It’s not.” Aric looked up at the dragon. Its eyes were the same color as its scales. They seemed to bore into his own, searching his heart, and his soul. There was something ageless about it, powerful yet lonely. He shivered, and averted his gaze.

“You see what others don’t, young Aric.” The dragon opened its wings. Aric gasped. They were the length of several men, black cobwebs of fine leather and scale. “Follow your heart, and trust your instincts.”

“But I don’t know where to look.” Aric wanted to believe the dragon, he truly did. Georgia couldn’t be allowed to marry Prince Thorold, and Aric could not stand by and let his kingdom fall. Killing dragons had only been part of the oath he’d taken. He might not intend to keep that part of it, but he certainly would keep the other.

The dragon had already begun to flap its wings. It was preparing to leave, and Aric knew once it took flight he’d never be able to stop it. “Follow your heart, Aric. Do what is right.”

Aric stumbled back, his sword falling to the ground. He couldn’t kill the dragon, but more than that, he didn’t want to. “I don’t know where to look,” he yelled after it. The dragon did not reply but instead took to the air, gliding, hovering above him, its movement graceful, majestic. Something about it called to him, touched him.

He wiped at his eyes. They were wet.

When he looked up again, the dragon was gone.

Bio:

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand.  She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing "discussion," and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as "too many." These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of "spare time" is really just a myth.

Links:

http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/

http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/

http://coffeeunicorns.wordpress.com/

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_426

 

 

Update on Forgiving Thayne, RainbowCon Information & Self Publication

Happy Tuesday, everyone! :)

I know it's been a while since I really posted much. It's been a rough few months. I fell and injured my leg which has led to doctors and hospital visits as it wasn't a simple bruise this time. How can you tell you're getting old? You hurt yourself more than you used to when you fall! I'm pretty sure I'm well on the way to being mended now, will have more information on that after this Friday. Another doctor's visit. :-/ Hopefully the last. *crosses fingers*


But since about Thursday last week I've had some major progress in the sequel to Chasing Seth. I have added about 10% which is the equivalent of 8k words and finally broke the 50% mark! So that's extremely exciting for me. I am hoping to push to finish this by the end of the month, if not before hand. Although I do not believe it will be released this year. Dreamspinner is booked up through Feb and most likely if they accept the sequel will be set for release sometime next year. But hopefully it is in time for the RainbowCon in Tampa in April which I will be attending! :) Hope to see you there!


I am going to begin working on my handmade promotional items within the next couple of months as I want to go for a unique twist that hopefully my readers will really love! These will only be available at the RainbowCon in Tampa, but I may make one or two extra to do giveaways on my Facebook Page or blog. So please keep an eye out on my blog and website for these! :)


Over the next couple of months I will be re-releasing Swift's Temptation and Fragments of a Unicorn's Soul as self publications and White Rain will become a free read on my website. I have already touched base with someone to design my covers and I am going to work on some cover specs for them to design for me. I will make an announcement when they are available for purchase.


Tha'ts it for now! Will post again as I have more information. ^-^ Thanks for being so patient for the sequel to Seth and for continuing to follow the barely there posts.

Kisses,
J.R.

I finally bit the proverbial bullet....

Happy Monday, all. :)  Just wanted to post an update and let everyone know I'm still alive!

After agonizing over it for the longest time and finally seeing my numbers dwindle as well as not receiving any communication from them, I have pulled my three stories - Swift's Temptation, Fragments of a Unicorn's Soul, and White Rain - from Silver Publishing. I have removed all covers and photos tying to them from my Blog and Website. My Facebook page and wall are next. I am very sad to have to do it, but I decided it would be better for me to step away from them before it became a further complication in my life.

On that note, I will either be pursuing self publishing with the three stories or I will be subbing them to another company. I am not sure it's worth trying to push them to another publisher because they've run their course and sales on them have dropped significantly so self-publishing it most likely the way I will go. I've been putting feelers out for a cover artist and I am probably going to see if I can pick someone's brain on exactly how to go about doing the self pub route. So please keep an eye out for a re-release on those if you missed out on having them. With new cover art of course.

This Friday coming, July 12th, is Yoshi's next appointment with the specialist. I have a long weekend coming up as I took some time off. I am hoping to really get into the meat and potatoes of Forgiving Thayne, no pun intended LOL. I've slacked off a lot in the last few weeks. First because of Yoshi, and then because of other health issues. But I want to pick up the reins and push forward. Hoping to finish it for submission by the end of summer so I need to get my butt in gear.

This 4th of July was definitely an explosive one! We lit off fireworks in the front drive and had a lot of fun. Afterward, my brother decided to pick them up and put them into a plastic bag and dump them in a garbage can... without putting water on them. So needless to say there was one still smoldering and about an hour and a half later WOOSH! There went the garbage can. Thank God I was outside with a friend or the house may have been in danger. I saw the flames and had to go get my dad since I had my dog with me. There's still a black scorch mark on the side of the house that my dad is going to have to paint over.

That's about all right now. Hope you're all doing well. I look forward to being on the 'market' again in the near future, lol.

Kisses,
J.R.

Update on Works in Progress & Overall Life Information

Hogtied and gagged

So my sequel to Chasing Seth took a major hit in progress because of some things going on in my life. There is nothing quite like going full steam ahead only to hit the crossroads in the track and end up running off the rails. It can really damage your motivation and your muse. I think my muse ended up hogtied with dynamite wrapped around her.

A little over a month ago my baby pup, Yoshi, got sick and during an exploratory surgery, my vet of nine years tells me that Yoshi has pancreatic cancer. He says its inoperable and that he wants my decision to put him to sleep. Needless to say I was devastated and blown away by this information as I expected them to extract what we thought was the problem, a hair tie he'd swallowed and got stuck. (DON'T let your cats or dogs play with those rubber band hair ties, you know the ones.)  

 

Yoshi - My baby boy

But that wasn't the case. I brought Yoshi home that weekend and located a specialist to see if there was anything they could do. The specialist Dr. Rebecca Seaman at Broward Veterinary Specialists is a very kind and wonderful person who gave me the options of what they could do. An ultra sound and a needle aspiration to see what we were dealing with. My vet of nine years, no longer my vet now, did not do a biopsy during the surgery and Dr. Seaman did not believe it would be prudent to open him again so soon as he had only had the surgery mere days before. The problem was that the needle aspiration is not 100%, but the pathologist did not find any cancer cells in the needle aspiration. So we are hopeful it isn't cancer.

Stressed!

It has been a long road over the last month with constant worry and stress about what's going on inside of Yoshi and whether or not I will lose my baby before I was expecting to. Now, I know dogs don't live forever. That's impossible. But I did believe that Yoshi would live to be the normal amount of dog years, 14 to 16 years. So to be told otherwise at such a young age was like a ton of bricks. It impacted my frame of mind and has really left me wanting to do nothing more than zone in on something that wasn't my life. There is still not clear definite answer on what is wrong though. So there is still hope it isn't cancer and that it is merely a flare up of pancreatitis or something similar to do with the pancreas. I take him back tomorrow for another ultra sound and x-rays of his chest to make sure there is nothing going on there. He developed what we thought is kennel cough. The emergency vet last night said she didn't think it was that. So... another worry to add on top of the pile. Is it cancer? Has it spread to his lungs? Am I going to lose him?

I was able to add an additional 2k words to my WIP of Chasing Seth's sequel, Forgiving Thayne though, bringing me up to 40% complete. That's an excellent sight to see of course for me and I am certain for the many readers waiting for it. I am going to try and work on it as much as possible. Whenever Yoshi is not feeling well, I tend to find it hard to focus. My attention is on him because I'm afraid if I look away... Anyway, that's my progress at the moment. I wanted to let those anxiously awaiting for the sequel know that I didn't fall off the face of the Earth and I am writing as I can. My goal is to at least have it out this year through Dreamspinner Press and to begin working on some of the other projects I have in the works. You'll see on my sidebar that I have three WIPs and what their progress is at. I have two of them that I wanted to make into a series of novellas, but I've always found it hard to write those types of continuing stories. I want to write all of them before I submit. That way I know I won't disappoint my readers. :)

Yoshi - 1 and a 1/2 years old.

Please keep my pup Yoshi in your prayers and send positive thoughts that he will be with us for another several years. He is my heart and soul. The idea of him not being there, following me, loving me, letting me love him, breaks my heart.

9 Years old this year. He's such a goofball and loves people and attention. His favorite thing to do is chase the neighbor's dog up and down the fence separating them. I pray that he has a lot more time to do his favorite thing and to be his smiling, happy self.