Sami's Scribbles

Adam Hills Advance Australia Fair

2012-01-26T09:36:00.000+10:00

It's Australia Day so it had to be done. I have a little crush on Adam Hills :)

Happy Aussie Day everyone!

Sami

Writing Update

2012-01-25T19:31:00.000+10:00

Well it's been raining again up here in 'sunny' Queensland, shades of last year's pre-flood downpouring. But I'm no longer complaining, as the clouds had an unexpected silver lining today. The local school and daycare centre were open but the roads to the office were close to impassable. Hence the kids went where they had to go but I stayed home. Honest to goodness, it was an unexpected day off from all my usual responsibilities. Heaven! And great for the word count. I wrote almost an entire chapter on a book I'll soon be talking about... contract and release news will be revealed in due course (yes I am teasing).

I'm happy enough with myself that I thought I'd share a snippet of what I wrote today--unedited of course, so please forgive any mistakes. Happy hump day all,

Abruptly, Hayley stood, breaking the erotic spell that had wound around him. “What are you doing in here, Mitch?”

“Running?” Mitch tried not to sound irritable as he stated the obvious, but the strain of his cock chaffing against his jocks made it nearly impossible.

“Inside. On a treadmill.”

Rising to his feet and trying to subtly adjust his shorts to conceal his erection, Mitch drawled, “That’s how I usually do it.”

“Sure, when you’re in the city. But did you notice the long stretch of sand right outside this window?”

“Oh, yeah. They call it a beach, right?”

Having moved several paces away, Hayley at last turned back to face him. She gave his response the sarcasm it probably deserved. “Did you consider jogging on it? Or wait, let’s go for broke. Would you consider taking a leisurely stroll on the shoreline?”

“Hayley, you know strolling’s not my style.”

Her smile was tinged with sadness. “I know.”

Mitch, you idiot. Had she been asking him to go for a walk with her? And had he really responded with mild loathing like some creep with an 85 IQ? Hey babe, I’d rather act like a complete asshole than go for a walk with you. Shit!

Sami

Six Sentence Sunday - Erica's Choice

2012-01-22T09:00:00.026+10:00

So it's my first venture into the world of Six Sentence Sunday -- be gentle with me :).

Yes, Corey's a fireman :)

The sentences I've chosen are from my upcoming release (August 2012, but who's counting the months?). They occur right after one of the book's heroes has just turned down a sexy invitation from a local girl because he's of course more interested in the heroine. I think it shows a lot about Corey's character, his innate innocence and his quiet fascination with a woman he's afraid to talk to. Here goes:

Corey wasn’t about to tell her work had nothing to do with his refusal. He simply didn’t want to spend the night with Madison.

The woman he did want to spend some quality time with was sitting across the pub right now with her nose in a book, her sleek red hair sweeping down to conceal her face, as out of reach as the moon. She probably thought he was some kind of man-slut because every time she came in here some random woman slipped him her phone number, or even her panties. Jeez. What did girls think he was going to do with a pink satin G-string?

Well that's it, I'm no longer a Six Sentence Sunday virgin. There are a whole bunch of other authors participating as always, so head on over to the Six Sentence Sunday site to find out who they are.

Cheers,

Sami

Random Post

2012-01-17T20:08:00.000+10:00

I'm test posting as I scheduled a couple of posts over the past week and neither of them have appeared. The random hottie is just a bonus.

Sami

2011 - My Year in Review

2012-01-04T17:26:00.000+10:00

Yes I have made a few goals for 2012, but as is my want when a new year starts I prefer to look back on the one just finished to review what I achieved in the preceeding 12 months.

1. First and most gratifying for me, I contracted another book. Yay! After struggling with the intricate web of storyline that is Erica’s Choice for the better part of 2011, in November I finally received word that Samhain wanted to buy the book. After the contract drought I’ve had, this one is particularly sweet. The fact that I ventured into completely new territory with the book (mmf territory) and somehow made a success of it is also something that gives me immense satisfaction.

2. I’ve made another partial submission which I can’t talk about yet as I’m not sure of its fate. But it’s a submission, with a synopsis and everything. Very professional of me! I may even have TWO books coming out next year, fingers crossed. For me that’s pro-freakin-lific.

3. In April I attended my first ever Romantic Times Convention, which also meant my first ever trip to the USA. I participated in my first ever book signing, met scores of fascinating people and had such a good time I’ve decided to go again in 2012. Yes, I’m doing it again this coming April. Why? Because life is short. And because Lexxie Couper talked me into it.

4. In August I ran a workshop for the Clayton’s Conference. Writing Hot Scenes seemed to go really well and despite my nerves I think I held it together. It was exciting to discover that over the years I had gathered more knowledge about writing love scenes than I ever would have thought possible. It was even more thrilling to realise that I could deliver a course that enabled others to benefit from that knowledge. Go me!

5. I’ve continued with my work on the Market Watch column for RWA’s Hearts Talk, and I’m proud to be able to contribute to the organisation which has brought me together with so many like-minded australian authors. I do so enjoy seeing my little byline in the newsletter each month :).

So those are my most significant writing related achievements. Not too bad as far as I’m concerned. Bring on 2012, I'm ready.

On a sadder note the end of 2011 brought with it some heartbreak. Our sweet, cantankerous, stubborn geriatric dachshund Presley left us just after Christmas. His poor old body was giving out on him and I had to make the dreadful decision to end his suffering, something every pet owner dreads.

A little piece of my heart will always belong to you boy, I miss you terribly. I hope you found your brother and you are both once again chasing shadows with abandon. Be in peace.

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

Sami

From the Vault - 2 of my favs

2011-12-09T20:06:00.000+10:00

One of my fav songs and fav movies in one clip. Classic!

Sami

Christmas Competition

2011-12-07T10:50:00.001+10:00

The Divas are running as seriously sinful Christmas Competition. Just hop on over to the Divas blog and post a comment on your favourite Diva book and you're in the draw to win a wicked prize that needs a content warning :).

Good luck!

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-12-05T13:09:00.000+10:00

In life we don’t get what we want, we get in life what we are. If we want more we have to be able to be more, in order to be more you have to face rejection.

Farrah Gray

Hump Day Honey

2011-11-30T08:58:00.007+10:00

Oh I know I've posted pics of this particular guy more than once, but as I'm currently writing a blonde, blue eyed hero who reminds me very much of him (funny that), I thought I'd make him my hump day honey for this week.

Sigh.

Sami

Motivation Monday

2011-11-28T09:50:00.002+10:00

Oh man, I have a lot to do this week. Better get paddlin'.

Sami

Motivation Monday

2011-11-21T19:51:00.000+10:00

This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night of the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. - William Shakespeare

Sami

From the Vault

2011-11-18T21:26:00.000+10:00

Look no further than the Divas post for a From the Vault fix for this week. I'm talking about 1988, the year I used my weight in hair product and left schoolgirl days behind forever. Please feel free to drive the Torana on over for a visit.

Sami

Wednesday WTFery

2011-11-16T19:56:00.000+10:00

They do know that with a yacht they can actually go to an island, right?

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-11-14T17:57:00.000+10:00

One who fears failure limits his activities.

Failure is only the opportunity to more

intelligently begin again.

Henry Ford

New Contract

2011-11-11T19:09:00.000+10:00

Have also announced over at the divas that I've finally, FINALLY signed a contract for Erica's Choice, the epic mmf, mfm triad relationship angsty emotional story. There were days, many of them, that I honestly thought it'd never happen. So yay for me.

And yes, I am having a Friday night glass of champagne to celebrate :)

Sami

Hump Day Honey

2011-11-09T21:37:00.000+10:00

Hmm, nice.

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-11-07T05:53:00.000+10:00

This is how I feel about going to work today :(. Would rather be home working out the snag I've discovered in WIP.

Sami

From the Vault - Silver Springs 2004

2011-11-04T19:01:00.000+10:00

I've always adored the lyrics to this song.

"Time casts a spell on you but you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you but you would not let me
I'll follow you down til the sound of my voice will haunt you
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman who loves you"

First wife's revenge I call it :)

Have a good weekend

Sami

Hump Day Honeys - the Cowboy Edition

2011-11-02T18:31:00.000+10:00

Yeehah.

Sami

From the Vault -- Originals are Better

2011-10-28T17:21:00.001+10:00

So they've made a new version of Footloose. I'm too much of a purist to be happy about it. Other than drawing a new generation of actors into the six degrees of Kevin Bacon game, I don't see the point of the remake. The original has Kevin looking mighty limber, John Lithgow doing crazy as well as ever, lots of music and the best kind of dancing--the forbidden kind. This vid's not the original music vid but I had trouble embedding that so found this for your viewing pleasure.

Have a funky weekend,
Sami
PS I had to go google her movie list to find out, but that IS Sarah Jessica Parker about 50 seconds in

Hump Day Honey - 3 Johnnys

2011-10-26T06:10:00.001+10:00

Musical Johnny

Thoughtful Johnny

Johnny with an Irish brogue

Have a good Wednesday all,

Sami

Motivation Monday

2011-10-24T17:31:00.000+10:00

Sami

Hump Day Honey

2011-10-19T09:20:00.003+10:00

I have no idea who he is... but who cares?

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-10-17T09:04:00.001+10:00

Motivational Monday

2011-10-10T20:47:00.000+10:00

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they've had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people."

Steve Jobs

From the Vault

2011-10-08T16:59:00.000+10:00

This song always makes me a bit sad and happy at the same time. Enjoy

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-10-03T14:00:00.002+10:00

The 'I've just resubbed the most rewritten manuscript of my entire rewriting career' edition :)

"Unless you're willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen."

Phillip Adams

Sami

The Big Improvement

2011-10-02T13:43:00.000+10:00

It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with my writing over the past few years. Last November I decided to write something new and to write it down on paper so that it would come out in some kind of pure form, staight from my subconscious. I told myself that no matter what came out I had to make a story out of it. I had to finish it, even if it was something that would never be published. This was how I thought I’d get back on the horse.

I figured it would be fun and relatively easy (ha!) to write a ménage novella. Chasing Sunset has done well for me and I really wanted to repeat this small success. But this time I thought I didn’t want to leave one hero out on his own, set up for another book. I was tentatively trying to get back into a routine of completing manuscripts and didn’t want to burden myself with the thought of having to write two books. So what was the solution? Write one where all three parties end up with a HEA.

Wow, didn’t that sound simple when I first conceived the idea? I figured the best way two men and one woman could be content in a committed relationship was if the guys were also involved with each other. So okay, I now had to make the guys bisexual. Did I make it so they were both already involved and looking for a woman to complete their relationship? Noooo. That would have been pretty simple but it didn’t fire my creative juices. I had to make one guy bisexual, to have his best friend be unaware of it, and to have that best friend discover his own ACDC leanings throughout the course of the first threeway. Easy peasy (emphasis meant to convey sarcasm). I haven’t written a single mm scene before nor do I read them often so I was going in blind.

So if that wasn’t hard enough, I introduced a heroine with a set of massive problems to deal with, and I’ve had to try and write her as well as I could, which has taken a LOT of research because of course I chose a particular problem for her that I’m not familiar with personally (I say chose, but throughout this process I’ve felt very strongly that these characters and plot elements chose me).

Was all this going to fit into a novella? What do you think?

The first draft was 40,000 words, the second 50,000. Eventually it reached 57,000. I submitted this version to my editor in April, but alas, she didn’t find it worked in that form. So I had to revise. The timeline had to be extended, the characters motivations better explained. Two more months of rewrites and the damn thing is 80,000 wds. Well shit. I had never intended to write something so BIG.

The book is once again at submission stage. I hope I’ve managed to get it right this time. I hope this book will sell. I hope, when it IS eventually published (positive thoughts, positive thoughts), readers will enjoy it. But it’s not your average book. The HEA is not typical, not even for a ménage storyline. The heroine’s problems will remain with her for the rest of her life one way or another. There’s no permanent fix for her, no golden moment where all her worries disappear, just the knowledge that she is loved and she has more power and control over her destiny than she’d ever realised. For her, that’s a big improvement so I have to hope it’s enough.

I went though my own big improvement while writing it. I FINISHED the thing for a start. I tackled something difficult and finally managed to pull it off (I think), after many trips to the drawing board. My confidence has returned, albeit tentatively. Surely, if I can write this freaking tome of a book, I can write anything? All those ideas I thought were a bit too hard for me to tackle are now clamouring for a look in. So Lord knows what I’m going to come up with in future.

For now I have promised myself something short, light and fun, something set at the beach Goddamn it. And this time I mean it!

Sami

From the Vault - the '70s Baby!

2011-09-23T16:43:00.000+10:00

I heard this song playing in a shop the other day and it made me remember how much I loved it when I was a kid, dancing around my parents' house singing. So I did the same thing again because it made my kids' laugh -- they are not yet at the age that they are embarrassed by their mother. I'm going to milk this time for all it's worth.

Do you remember this one? I was such a Suzi Quatro fan (okay, I still am).

Enjoy

Sami

Wednesday Wisdom

2011-09-21T09:42:00.002+10:00

Writerly wisdom from RWA's Melbourne conference that I read and am trying to take on board (paraphrased).

99% of success is habit. If your habits aren't achieving your goals for you, change them (Bob Mayer).

Have changed my writing time from night until morning, which means getting up at 4:30 during the week. Yikes! But so far I've gotten twice as much done in a week than I was getting done, and I'm less stressed at night. Going to bed super early, but stress free. So yay.

Don't judge yourself by what others are writing, and don't feel pressured to write more than you're capable of (Marion Lennox)

I sell what I sell, and others sell what they sell. I write, and probably always will write, fewer books than some others. I will no longer use this as an excuse to beat myself up for how 'slow' I am. I write the books I love and I dedicate myself to them fully, and that's what I want to do with the time I spend writing. So I'm living my dream, no one else's.

The best thing you can do for promotion is turn off social media and write a good book (Bob Mayer again)

I've heard it before, but it's good to remind myself every now and then. The twitterverse won't actually miss me if I'm not there :).

Am repeating these three points like mantras in my head at the moment. So what do you say to yourself to keep the weird screamy voices from getting you down?

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-09-19T08:51:00.001+10:00

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.

Booker T. Washington

From the Vault - Dido

2011-09-16T20:21:00.000+10:00

This song was on my Sunset Knight playlist, I love the sentiment.

It doesn't hurt that David Boreanz is in this film clip either. Growl.

Sami

Hump Day Honey

2011-09-14T14:22:00.002+10:00

Keanu Charles Reeves: Born September 2 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon
First film you might know: Youngblood in 1986 (with Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze)
My fav Keanu performance: Point Break (with Patrick Swayze again!). I know it ought to be the Matrix but he shows way more skin in Point Break. Yum.
What I love most about Keanu: His willingness to take on odd roles in indie films despite his commercial success. And his dark chocolate brown eyes of course.

Sami

From the Vault--Loveswept Books!

2011-09-09T08:40:00.001+10:00

Bantam Doubleday Dell has relaunched its former, much loved (by me) line of Loveswept titles as digital releases! Well, not all of them, but here's hoping. I used to LOVE these books back in the day, which was long before the e book revolution gave romance readers a much wider variety of romance novels to choose from. Loveswept was pretty much the only line offering an alternative to Harlequin in the '80s, if you wanted short category titles. I always found the Loveswept books a little edgier, the characters a little more down to earth than what Hqn was offering (not that I didn't devour a few Harlequins with relish--especially the Temptations. Hmm, perhaps Hqn can re-release some of my old pink cover favs as digital books. My brain is sending out vibes as I type...)

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-09-05T10:10:00.001+10:00

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Wednesday Wisdom

2011-08-31T18:50:00.001+10:00

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ~Ray Bradbury

Am so close to finishing rewrites on ms that I'm trying to take this advice to stay connected to the story, ergo, blog posts and other social media have been a bit sporadic/lacking from me lately.

If it doesn't work I might just get regular drunk.

Sami

Away

2011-08-25T10:30:00.000+10:00

Taking the kidlets down to visit their grandparents for a few of days. They live on the NSW North Coast, which is such a beauuuutiful part of the country. Too bad it's raining today :(.

I'll be back next week!

Sami

Music on Monday

2011-08-22T18:02:00.000+10:00

I'm all mixed up. I didn't do From the Vault on Friday because I was insanely busy so I've decided to post a music video here now (personally I find music very motivating). Not old this one. Oddly, I've developed a taste for Australian white boy rap of late. This song makes me bop and sing along, hope you like it too.

Sami

Writerly Wisdom

2011-08-17T16:18:00.000+10:00

From Natalie Andersons Plot and Structure workshop:

Which comes first – the plot or the draft?

The answer is neither – it is the CHARACTERS who must come first. If we’re writing a romance, then

it’s all about the characters and their EMOTIONAL (inner) journeys. Yes, you can put your characters into a highly complicated plot position, but how they will ACT and REACT depends on WHO they are. And how they act and react is going to influence the rest of the plot!

So before you can do anything in terms of crafting plot, you must know and understand your characters.

So true! My biggest problem is that I can't get to know my characters that well until I've written the book; hence the multiple drafts. Fortunately I'm in good company with Natalie, who plots to a point, creates basic characters and then writes what she calls a discovery draft.

I like it, think I'll call it that from now on.

Sami

PS. Our guest blogger at Down Under Divas today is the fabulous Denise Rossetti. If you'd like to win a copy of her latest Ellora's Cave release, pop on over and leave a comment.

Weekend wrap up

2011-08-15T10:27:00.000+10:00

Oh wow, what a weekend. Luckily for me it’s a public holiday up here in Queensland so I have a day to recover before heading back to work, because the Claytons Conference activities utterly fried my brain. My session on Saturday seemed to go really well and I had a blast. So much more participation than I expected—here I was thinking people might be shy about discussing sex! I should have known better. All the participants rocked. Thank you to all who attended and made it such a fun and busy session.

Thank you as well to the organisers, Anne, Mel and Neely. I don’t envy you girls your job, I could never be organised enough to do it! The usual family commitments prevented me from joining in the other sessions in ‘live time’, and my computer didn’t like the RWA chat room so I wasn’t able to jump in on the social stuff. Bummer. But I have many many notes to catch up on, starting with Natalie Anderson’s plot and structure workshop. Plot and structure, you are ever my arch nemises, the Lex to my Superman (delusions of grandeur I have, yes indeed).

I may post the stuff I find useful throughout the week. First of all I have to get back to my writing, or more specifically to rewriting a scene that’s been bugging me. Let me just don my cape…

Sami

Behold the Oracle

2011-08-12T16:16:00.001+10:00

Putting finishing touches on content for my workshop at RWA’s Clayton’s Conference tomorrow. Think I have something that will keep everyone with me for the full hour—here’s hoping! When the conference coordinator first asked if anyone was interested in donating some time for the online conference that runs parallel to the face to face deal, I thought, why not? I’m not going to Melbourne and I haven’t even attended a Clayton’s before. This is my year of saying ‘yes’ to things.

Then the follow up emails started coming. The word ‘workshop’ was mentioned. Hmm, I thought. This sounds like it needs some planning. I did that and felt pretty good about the whole thing. Then I start finding out who the other presenters are. Natalie Anderson, Tracey O’Hara, Diane Gaston to name but a few. In other words people who have published a butt load more than I. Bugger. I started feeling pretty freakin’ inadequate at this point. But I’m in it now. My name’s on the program. I have to present a bloody workshop like a know something. I mean I have a lot of opinions, but do I really know anything?

Fortunately the topic I’m to cover is Writing Hot Scenes, aka, sex. I think I can handle that. I do after all write hot scenes. It’s one of the few areas of writing that has never really troubled me. All that remained is to work out exactly how I do that, deconstruct it and pass on my unique wisdom to others. Yeah right. Just call me the oracle—the oracle of sex. I’m thinking of changing my twitter handle.

Well, perhaps I’ll wait til I get some feedback after the workshop.

Sami

Hump Day Honey

2011-08-10T20:59:00.000+10:00

Born: 13 November 1969

Nationalitÿ: Scottish

Before acting: He trained as a lawyer

Favourite performance: The hilariously obnoxious Mike Chadaway in The Ugly Truth

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-08-08T09:31:00.003+10:00

Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions.

Albert Einstein

Sami

Great Article

2011-08-04T11:04:00.000+10:00

So with the tail end of this flu and a general case of exhaustion, I didn't get to my Wednesday post. Meh. Let's face it my schedule idea was always going to face tough opposition from my disorganised self :).

Stopping in to say that if anyone hasn't yet gone to read Kate Cuthbert's guest spot over at the Down Under Divas, please do. It's fantastic, and I agree with Jess Dee that the world needs more Kates. Certainly, the romance genre could do with an army of champions like her. She wrote an article that should be read by everyone too. If you've ever hidden your romance cover inside that of another book or acted like somebody else left that M&B novel behind in your house and you simply haven't gotten around to chucking it yet, you'll relate to Kate's thoughts. I only wish I could put it so eloquently myself.

Sami

Motivation Monday - Office Space Edition

2011-08-01T20:32:00.000+10:00

Watched Office Space again the other weekend, reminding myself what a funny movie it is. Even funnier if you've ever worked in grey cubicle yourself.

Bob: So I see you've been missing a lot of work lately, Peter.

Peter: I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob.

He he.

Hope you have a good week.

Sami

A Janis Lullaby

2011-07-29T16:22:00.001+10:00

I used to sing the a capella version of Mercedes Benz to my girls as a bedtime song, before they got old enough to ask for the ABC song. I thought it appropriate, here's hoping they didn't take it all literally. This is a long video that segues into Move Over, but well worth a listen.

Too many talented people die too young. Say no to drugs, kids.

Sami

From the Keeper Shelf -- Night Heat

2011-07-22T15:55:00.000+10:00

I decided my from the vault music collection ought to morph into a review of all the good stuff I liked decades ago and still like now. Maybe I'm doing all this looking back because I'm OLD now :).

Night Heat by Lyn Ellis is a Harlequin Temptation (Blaze) I bought as one of those 4 books for the price of 3 deals way back in the day. I actually got 2 keepers out of that pack so it was money well spent. Today when I went looking to find out if Lyn was still writing I was dismayed to discover she'd passed away in 2006. Following is my review of this memorable book, written just after I read it for the first time back in the late 90s. Yes, I'm a dork with a database, my way of studying my fav authors to see what they were doing right--and the not so favs to find out what they were doing wrong. That's fun research:). If I wasn't a writer I think I'd definitely be a reviewer.

There's sexual tension to spare between a wealthy heroine and a poor sailor with security skills who's been assigned by her father to protect her without her ever knowing. He has to take on the job so he can afford to buy back his boat at auction. She's attracted to him and not too uptight to deny it, not so slutty she chases after him like a bitch in heat. The hero is in love/lust with this woman right from the book's opening, and his struggle to keep his hands off her while doing his duty to protect her is real and tense and heartbreaking. Couldn't wait for these two to do the deed and smartly the author draws it out until well past the book's half way mark instead of trying to cram as much sex into the book as possible. I really liked Abby, an acheivement by the author as she was a well-off heiress who'd never wanted for anything with a dream job running a resort - it would have been so easy to lack sympathy for her. I wanted Tripp myself, despite his terrible name. Oh, man was he gorgeous. Not too many random melodramatic events inserted into the book, just day to day activities made tense by the sexual tension, want-him-but-shouldn't-have-him angst thrumming between these characters. When her father finds out about their secret relationship he is livid and says Tripp isn't good enough for her and he doesn't do a sudden about face to give his stamp of approval as often happens in the romantic world. Believeable. Real. Sexy. Wrentching. Totally enjoyable with an idyllic setting thrown in (The Carribean). If all novels were like this I'd never stop reading a day in my life.

I'm only sorry Lyn Ellis is no longer around and writing, or I would have sent her that review. I'm sure the last line would have made her smile.

Cheers,
Sami

Wednesday Wit

2011-07-20T10:00:00.001+10:00

I'm not lying, I'm writing fiction with my mouth -- Homer Simpson

Sami

What is Motivation?

2011-07-11T15:44:00.001+10:00

Anyone who hasn't yet seen Maya Banks' frank Q&A session at Dear Author should check it out. It's fascinating reading, and all kudos to Maya for willing to open up about her financial stats, which are MASSIVE by the way. 600k per year massive, which has my mind absolutely reeling.

Maya assures all aspiring bestsellers that she’s not special. Anyone willing to put in the time and effort can achieve her level of success, i.e. her income. She’s probably right. If you want to achieve a good income from writing just use how many hours she puts in, the type of books she writes, as a template and go for your life. You might just do it.

This all got me thinking about motivation. Where does it come from? What makes a writer, write?

Maya states frankly in the Q&A that she’s motivated by money. In that endeavour she’s succeeded ten times over. All kudos to her. But me? I’ve never been motivated by cash. The most I’ve ever dreamt of having is enough to give up my day job to write full time, because I love to write and want to do it as often as I can. Maya calls herself a ‘one draft writer’, who tweaks as she goes but doesn’t indulge in manuscript overhauls. She writes it: she sells it. That’s it. But a big part of what I love about writing is the quest for perfection, which can only be achieved, at least for me, through much navel gazing and copious manuscript rewrites.

Oh I know, there’s no such thing as perfect. All perfectionists know this, yet they persist in the pursuit of it for reasons even they don't understand. I write because I'm looking for something I can't identify until I’ve found it. That perfect word, the best possible sentence structure, the scene that shows every emotion without me having to tell anything. I want to know my characters inside out and by extension comprehend a little more about human psychology. I can’t achieve this depth of understanding on the first draft, which for me leaves the book feeling unfinished. I couldn’t submit anything that felt unfinished, I don’t think it’s in me (Geez even this blog got 2 drafts :)).

I know, this all sounds very lofty for someone who’s ‘just a romance writer’, one who pens dirty books at that. I’m not trying to sound self important, merely trying to understand and explain myself, much in the way I try to understand and explain my characters. I write because I love it, and I love it precisely because it is difficult (which incidently is also the reason I hate it at least three times a week. Oh yeah I’m messed up). If anyone could do it what would be so darned special about it? I write romance in particular not because it sells, but because it provides the best opportunity to delve into the full gamut of human emotions from euphoria to despair, and still lets you give your characters a happy ending. I write the ‘dirty’ books because so much of human emotion rises to the surface before, during or after sex, which makes it very fertile ground for the likes of me.

None of this is to say I wouldn’t like to make more money from my writing, I would. But I’m not jealous of Maya’s earning figures. Like I said, all I’ve ever wanted is enough to make writing my full-time job. That’s the dream, but it’s a catch 22. The time to write is hard to find when you do have a day job and a family underfoot, and giving up that regular income is not an option until you make enough from writing to replace it. 600k per year is not something I envisage ever making, not at my writing speed. Even a tenth of that would be nice, but it’s still a long way off.

In the meantime I’m going to keep plugging away at my love/hate relationship with writing while trying to produce more books than I have been. My kids are getting older and don’t need the kind of constant attention they once did. The motivation that crumbled away for me a couple of years ago is back. I want to write again. I'm not forcing out every painful word like I'm passing a gall stone. Time and energy are still at a premium but I’m working on that. I’m confident for the first time in a while that I will have more books coming out in future.

Books that will be as perfect as I can make them, even if it takes five drafts.

So what's your motivation? Whatever it is, I wish you an abundance of it this week.

Sami

Five Things You Did When You Were Twenty

2011-07-08T15:30:00.001+10:00

Today I've turned 40. There's no denying it any longer, I'm middle aged :). Happy birthday to me. Today's from the vault is something from 1971. ME!

Five things you did when you were 20 that you can't do when you're 40.

1. Come home at 5am after dancing all night, catch a couple of hours sleep then get up and go to work.

2. Grab a works hot dog at the dodgy little van parked out the back of the pub at 3am and eat it walking home, with no discernable tightening of your waistband, nor any fear of food poisoning.

3. If by chance you do not finish aforementioned hot dog, a twenty year old finds it perfectly acceptable to put it in the fridge and have for brunch the next day. The 40 year old in me shudders.

4. Collect your pay on Friday (cash in an envelope people!), stick it in your purse, see the purse empty by Sunday and not worry a bit. Because more was coming next Friday, after all.

5. Think to yourself: Hey I've got years before I worry about that yet! That only happens to old people.

Five things you do when you're 40 you never imagined you'd do when you were 20:

1. Bitch at the cost of everything from petrol to bananas.

2. Take special vitamins with pink labels that claim they'll elevate everything from your mood to your IQ. Then bitch that you wouldn't have to take this stuff if you could just afford to buy bananas.

3. Exclaim 'Oh God is that the time?!' when the clock strikes 10pm, then rush off to bed because you've got to get up early the next day.

4. Get up early all the time.

5. Say things like: 'I'm only trying to help you'/'I've got 34 years on you kid, don't mess with me'/'I can't do that I'll put my back out'/'I remember when I could buy a banana for 20cents'.

Have a great weekend people. I'll be celebrating--well, as much celebrating as I can get in before 10pm.

Sami

Word for Wednesday

2011-07-06T20:34:00.000+10:00

Word of the day:

mo·nopo·ly

Exclusive control of a commodity or service in a given market, or control that makes possible the fixing of prices and the virtual elimination of free competition i.e. a company or combination that has a monopoly

A game played on a special board by two or more players: they move according to the throw of dice, engaging in mock real estate transactions with play money

And in unrelated news, Amazon has 'an agreement to acquire the fast-growing UK-based The Book Depository, for undisclosed terms'.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval and the UK's Office of Fair Trading has officially invited comment on whether it "may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom." (source: publishers lunch)

The Book Depository has been quick to reassure customers that nothing will change at the customer service level. We'll see. If I lose my free postage I'll mess someone up real bad. Maybe that smug little shit in the top hat.

Sami

Monday Again

2011-07-04T16:58:00.001+10:00

How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy. ~Paul Sweeney

Happy 4th July to all those in the US. I'll listen to this one just for you while I'm sorting through my back catalogue in preparation for my big 40th bash on Saturday.

Have a great day and an even better week.

Sami

80s Coolness for the Weekend

2011-07-01T16:12:00.001+10:00

This is just to prove I'm not all about the Oz rock. Was there anyone cooler to a young girl growing up in the decadant 80s than Madonna? My answer is NO. This was the first hit of hers that hooked me--I never liked Holiday all that much. But this I loved. I had it on TAPE (did I mention I'm turning 40 next week?).

Only Madonna could make over-gelled blonde hair with dark roots seem like a good look. Enjoy the glamour.

Sami

PS ugh. embedding disabled. sorry you'll have to go to you tube.

Wild Wednesday

2011-06-29T20:52:00.000+10:00

After being sick all last week I was concerned I wasn't going to make it to my planned weekend away with the girls that we'd organised months ago, as a pre-birthday celebration for me (yes I'm having a party in a couple of weeks but you can never have too many when you hit a big number like 40, IMO). But thankfully I was feeling well enough to go, promising hubby on the way out that there would be no wild shenanigans overnight. My mother's group friends barely even drink.

Well. Can you believe my friends in their wicked wisdom decided to get me a dude. You know, a dude who takes his clothes off for money. Oh yeah. They got me a stripper.

It was funny for sure. In fact I couldn't stop laughing, so hard I think I may have bruised the boy's ego somewhat. But from the portable stereo that just wouldn't play to my arrest for a violation of 'code 69' to the velcro sided pants that ripped apart on command, the whole experience was more hilarious than sexy. Although he did have a nice bod my Man of Steel (oh yeah, I got a business card and everything). My only complaint would be that like many men he had one unfortunate habit--he brought the balls into play too soon. I mean, even if you're in a time crunch, I think it's possible to wait more than 3.5 seconds before you gyrate your crotch in a girl's face. Some free advice for all you dancing boys out there.

Thanks so much to my mother's group pals for a wild and wacky weekend. I had a blast! And actually I have come up with a short story featuring a male stripper that I hope to write someday, so it was all down to 'research' after all.

Sami

Mad Monday

2011-06-27T20:36:00.002+10:00

Isn't this wicked wallpaper? I love the stuff at deviantart.com, check it out if you like crazy dark arty stuff.

It's just under two weeks now until I turn 40, and I'm having a party. You guessed it, a Mad Hatter Tea Party. It's time for me to pull my finger out and organise a costume. I might go for something a little... warmer than this one, but the spirit will be there.

In other news I had an eventful weekend, which I fortunately felt well enough to attend. More about that later in the week. That's a teaser, mmmmwwwwhhhhaaaa.

Sami

All About Moi

2011-06-24T15:32:00.000+10:00

I have an update for anyone who's been wondering why I've had no pithy tweets to offer, no links on facebook to articles warning how facebook is stealing our identies (and yes I see the irony). No motivation monday, no wednesday rants, no random man pics. Nada.

I have tonsilitis (forgive my spelling) coupled with an inner ear infection that is effecting my balance. Because I can't just have one illness at a time you know. I must multi task. This is the first day I've been on the computer since Monday and I'm feeling decidedly dizzy after dealing with emails and blog stuff. The words are swirling and swirling on my screen right now. *insert sympathetic noises here*. I was having difficulty juggling everything already thanks life. I didn't need to lose my sense of balance as well.

So I will be back, hopefully on a more regular schedule by next week, as long as the antibiotics do their work. My 50k in 30d attempt is officially kaput though.

Oh well.

Sami

Something Calming from the Vault

2011-06-17T10:32:00.000+10:00

I've had a hell of a week, so I needed something old, familiar and soothingly melancholic to listen to. This is a good live version of an Oz classic I grew up with. I so love a song that can reference the Manly Ferry without sounding cheesy.

Enjoy
Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-06-13T15:06:00.000+10:00

Sami

From the Vault - BARNSEY!!!!!!

2011-06-10T21:40:00.000+10:00

His hair was too long, his jeans too tight. My mother always said, with some distaste, he didn't sing, he screamed. But there's just something that has always appealed to the blue collar girl inside me. Oh Jimmy, there is only one of you.

Hope this kicks off your weekend with a smile.

Sami

What's Worse -- The Drill or the Bill?

2011-06-08T20:37:00.000+10:00

Yes, this evening I have been at the dentist. I have 3 brand new fillings, a fat lip and a very shocked credit card. And I have to go back in a couple of weeks for more of the same, and there's the looming threat of wisdom tooth removal as well. Lucky, lucky me.
Also if you're interested in entering the discussion on facial hair we're having over at the Divas blog, do hope on over and say hi to our guest blogger Caitlyn Nicholas.

Happy mid-week,

Sami

Motivational Tip -- It Could be Worse

2011-06-06T21:05:00.000+10:00

No matter what kind of week you've had, always remember you could have been this guy's kid. The American father claims that the costumes he wears to wave his teenaged son onto the school bus are his way of showing his love.

I fail to see the logic, myself.

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

Zig Ziglar

Sami

Writing is a Challenge

2011-06-01T19:55:00.001+10:00

Some writing friends were keen to do RWA's 50k in 30 days challenge, so with me trying to turn myself into the Can Do Queen, I've decided to join them. I'm going to start my month by writing nothing at all on day one, so that's promising. Ha! Tonight I'm the Can't Do Queen :) Haven't slept well for the last couple of nights and just know any attempts to do constructive work tonight will be fruitless. Instead I'm going to post this random hump day honey and head to bed early.

Sweet dreams :)

Sami

Kicking the Habit

2011-05-30T20:57:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow is World Tobacco Day. Good luck to anyone who's going to use the date as motivation to quit smoking. As I have a mother who kicked the habit after 40 years, and a brother who quits every single year :), I know it can be done. Go for it!

Painted roof in a smoking room--cool!

It is now proved beyond doubt that smoking is one of the leading causes of statistics.

- Fletcher Knebel, Reader's Digest, December 1961

I'll tell you why I like the cigarette business. It cost a penny to make. Sell it for a dollar. It's addictive. And there's a fantastic brand loyalty.

- Warren Buffett, Investment Guru

Sami

From the Vault

2011-05-28T12:23:00.002+10:00

From the vault is over at the Divas this week, coz I gotta consolidate my posting at the moment. It's well worth a look, let me just say. It has something to do with this:

Now you need to know what it's all about, don't you?

Sami

State of Nekkid Footy Players

2011-05-25T20:57:00.000+10:00

Attempting to do a NRL state of origin special for hump day, but I find myself dismayed at how difficult it is to steal pictures of shirtless Australian footballers from the internet. These are professional athletes, oh owners of the Gods of Football website. We WANT to see them with thier kit off. Don't be so darn stingy with the preview piccies, please.

The following is the best I can do with the time and motivation I have. Enjoy (and go Blues, let's try and win one this year)

Sami

Reviews - The Ultimate Motivation

2011-05-23T17:45:00.000+10:00

Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.

Samuel Johnson

I received a fantastic review from a friend recently. Paraphrased it went something like this:

I’m glad I finally decided to read your book—the characterisation and sex were great. I might even have teared up once or twice… but I just got my period too, so I was emotionally challenged.

This is probably my most favourite review ever! There's nothing like a good writing buddy to lend their full support... while keeping your ego in check :). It's all about balance, people.

Meanwhile I got a few lovely (unqualified lovely) reviews over at Amazon. I don't usually post such things or even go looking for them, but I was checking my book links etc. the other day and was so pleased with a couple of quotes in particular I thought I'd share them:

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. I was expecting a bit of fluff book to pass the evening hours.....this book was great,and one I may reread on a cold winters night!

(as I know I only keep my absolute favourite books on hand for cold winter nights, I take this as a special kind of compliment! Thanks Karen)

and

I really enjoyed this author and I loved the way she wrote the sex scenes. You really felt what the characters were experiencing and the emotions of the scene came through loud and clear. Write some more books Sami!

(I'm trying, really I am, zzrole).

I do get the occasional thumbs down on Amazon and other such places, but I find comments like this buoy my writer's spirit so much the occasional bad review doesn't have the kind of power it could have. So today's lesson for any readers out there is this: if you read a book and truly love it, or even have anything positive to say about it and you have the time to say it, please do. It does wonders for a writer's motivation to know someone is going to keep your book as a cold winter's night reread, let me tell you. This is a big part of what keeps us writing.

Thanks to all those who take the time.

Sami

A Word for Wednesday

2011-05-18T21:38:00.000+10:00

Futz

intr.v. futzed, futz•ing, futz•es Slang

To waste time or effort on frivolities; fool. Often used with around: Don’t futz me around, I’m a romance author.

Origin of FUTZ

perhaps part modification, part translation of Yiddish arumfartsn zikh, literally, to fart around

First Known Use: circa 1930

(Another explanation is that the word futz is a blend of fuck and putz. What a fantastic use of language this is! I love it!)

Futz is also the name of a 1969 Movie, the summary of which is: Sexual satire about a young farmer who has had many bad experiences with women. He showers love and affection upon his pet pig, Amanda, saying she alone is worthy to be his wife. His "marriage" to Amanda causes a scandal in the community.

Obviously, that was back when man/pig love wasn’t as accepted as it is now.

Lastly, Futz is the name of a cartoon “based on the whacked-out, comedic adventures of one odd-looking, yet strangely appealing, little man-boy. Futz is ready for ANYTHING... but prepared for NOTHING!”

Sounds like me. Ah, except for the little man-boy description. What exactly is a little man-boy anyway? And does he look anything like Justin Bieber?

Sami

Motivation Monday

2011-05-16T20:36:00.000+10:00

Wow! Blogger is up! Go Blogger, you are awesome! No sarcasm intended--really.

May your writing adventures this week be as thrilling as all The Captain's away missions combined. Write long and prosper.

Sami

Hump Day Honey

2011-05-11T21:13:00.002+10:00

I've amassed quite a collection of man pics over the years, all in the name of research of course. Romance writers are always on the lookout for good hero material. Thought I would start sharing the fruits of my labour.

The first official Hump Day Honey is: BEN AFFLECK

Born: August 15 1972

First film credit: The Dark End of the Street (1981)

Most recent movie: The Town

I liked Ben best in: Forces of Nature (with Sandra Bullock)

In relationship with: Married to Jennifer Garner, two kids. A regular family man who's super hot, cares about political and social issues and has lots and lots of money. Definite hero material there :)

Sigh.

Very disappointed I couldn't post my scheduled Motivation Monday quote. Really, I start an honest to God schedule and Google Blogger craps itself. In the meantime, perhaps Ben will motivate you. I know he does me :)

Sami

From the Vault

2011-05-06T20:22:00.002+10:00

Why?

Cause I miss music videos set in steel mills. Cause nobody rocks a mullet like hotty Jon Stevens. Cause it reminds me of high school, and it's actually a sad song underneath those power cords. All hail the classic Aussie rock anthem Take Me Back by Noiseworks.

I watched you wave goodbye as you drove away
I didn't know that it would be your last time with me
Life aint worth living if nobody cared - you said that all the time
I take a step back and see your staring eyes
I see you on the day you died.

Have a good weekend,
Sami

WTF Wednesday

2011-05-04T19:20:00.000+10:00

As in, why the F did I decide Wednesday was a good day to post? Wednesday is my busiest day of the week. It’s the third and final of my weekly work days, I have to take Princess to dance lessons and pick up the Cherub after. We don’t get home until almost 5:30, then there’s dinner, bathtime, homework, storybooks, songs, general crowd control, tucking in etc. Then I have to work out what the adults will have for dinner. Sigh.

I didn’t think of all this when I decided Wednesday would be my second posting day of the week. This may become a Thursday thing. Way to start my new blog schedule.

My WTF moment for today (besides the one above) is this:

Kate Middleton has told friends she wants to enjoy life for as long as she can as an "ordinary RAF wife" in the rented farmhouse the couple share in Anglesey, North Wales, the Daily Mail reports.

Great. I can't wait to see her barefoot, preggers and hanging Will's boxer shorts on the clothesline behind said 'farmhouse', which I assume comes complete with chicken coup and a pair of poo-coated Wellies.

Can't. Wait.

Sami

Motivational Monday

2011-05-02T14:43:00.000+10:00

Am going to trial a new weekly blog schedule for myself here at Sami's Scribbles, with the aim of making more frequent, punchier posts. Mondays are going to be full of motivational wisdom... or at least funny pics with monkeys in them. A smile is the best motivation of all.

Stay tuned to see what else is new this week. I'm going to post something on Wednesday too (gasp!).

Sami

ANZAC Bikkies

2011-04-25T16:17:00.000+10:00

For the American readers, bikkies are what we call what you would call cookies (it's short for biscuits).

Originally called Soldier's biscuits and renamed in honour of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who landed in Gallipoli on 25th April, 1915, ANZAC biscuits are a staple of the Australian bikkie diet. The families of soldiers used to make these because they were cheap and easy, non-perishable (they contain no eggs or milk), and need no refridgeration. As a bonus they are totally yummy. I made some last night in honour of ANZAC day and thought I'd post the recipe I use, which is the original Women's Weekly recipe from the Beautiful Biscuits book.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup coconut
125g (4oz) butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon boiling water

Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and coconut. Combine butter and syrup, stir over low heat until melted. Mix soda with boiling water, add to melted butter mix, stir into dry ingredients. Place tablespoons full of mixture onto oven trays, leave room for spreading (they REALLY spread). Cook in slow oven (I do them at 150 degrees celcius) for 20 mins (if you have an oven that cooks a bit unevenly like mine, swap the trays at the 10 min mark i.e. take the tray from the bottom shelf and put it on the top and vice versa).

They are nice and chewy hot, but try and save some for the next day because they're great crunchy.

Go on, have a go at them :). Hopefully they'll look like this.

Sami

RT Wrap Up

2011-04-18T14:31:00.000+10:00

Ok so my RT rundown goes like this:

Highlights:

Getting kicked out of the Samhain suite because of a noise complaint. At 9:30pm. Really?

Watching Lorelei James and Mari Carr finagle three dirty shooters out of a drunken local, while explaining what exactly a cowboy cocksucker was to a mystified bartender.

Me, Ive & Jess @ EC's Bollywood Bash

Meeting people I’d only ever known on facebook or twitter, like the smuttkedettes Kelly, Ive, Gigi and Dawn

Meeting other authors of course, so many I can’t name them all. Oh okay I’ll try:

• I had fan girl moments with both Eden Bradley and Lorelei James (fangirl i.e. think I may have made a fool of self).

• Had to give up my dream of hating Mari Carr because she’s so prolific and good. She was too fucking nice to hate. I’ve even decided I’m going to be her lesbian girlfriend if things fall that way, even though she is a Miller Lite drinker.

• Ditto Jayne Rylon (on the ‘she’s too nice to hate’ front, not on the lesbian girlfriend thing. We haven’t discussed that yet. Nor do I know her beer preference).

Jess, Rhian, Shelli Stevens, Lexxie & me

• I met Shelli Stevens, Karen Erickson and Laurie B London and found them to be divine people. That last meet up at LAX with Shelli and Laurie was a nice bonus too!

• Had a lovely chat with the incredibly cool, famous and downright charming Bianca D’arc, who with the straightest face said she loved vegemite. So nice of her to humour us.

• Had a great time at the hotel bar nattering with Kinsey Holley, Kelly Jamieson and Juniper Bell, to name but a few, and even got a hug from RG Alexander. Wow!

• And last though definitely not least I got to meet the outstanding Lila Dubois and her hubby, who both did a lot of running around for us clueless Australians. Thanks guys!

Name dropping over. As for the workshops... what workshops? I was too busy sleeping off all that social activity to go to very many workshops. But I had a terrific time and hope to attend another RT in future.

Cheers,

Sami

Touring LA

2011-04-07T11:57:00.001+10:00

Day one lasted two days, day two felt like day five and the first full day of the conference has passed in a whirl of confusion brought on by lack of sleep. Not sure if I'm Arthur or Martha at the moment, but here are some pics to prove to you and myself that I am actually on a different continent than the one I'm used to.

$10 for those pancakes so I thought I'd get two. Imagine my surprise. They really do make things big here in the US... except for the Hollywood sign which looked like fine print up there in the hills. That's as close as I'm going to get though, this trip at least.

Jess Dee, Farm Boy, Rhian Cahill and Lexxie Couper

Farm Boy is the very accomodating husband of the lovely Lila Dubois. He chauffered us around for the day. Thanks FB!

Sami

Announcements and Updates

2011-03-19T12:36:00.000+10:00

Okay so here's the thing. The firemen are taking longer to edit than I anticipated (quelle surprise), as editing has turned into rewriting and I'm frankly limping to the end of this one, just trying to make it at this point. I can't think ahead more than one scene at a time or I'll give up entirely, so can't be sure when it will be finished.

Which is a shame because I was hoping to have it done by April 1. Why? Well that's my announcement. Can hardly believe I'm doing it myself but I'M GOING TO RT IN APRIL!!!!! HOLY S*&#!!!!!

For the uninitiated, RT stands for Romantic Times, and I'm talking about the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention to be held in LOS ANGELES! Yes, that's in CALIFORNIA FOLKS!!!

Sorry if I'm shouting but I'm a bit blown away at my own audacity, really. Still struggling to submit a book since the last one two years ago, two kids under six at home and a job that I have to make up a lie to take leave from because there's still no way I'm telling them I write humpy pumpy books. Am I a suitable candidate for this trip? Not bloody really but there you have it. I'm a rebel.

Fellow attendees from Down Under are my Diva pals, Jess, Rhian and Lexxie. Yes, I blame them for this. They influenced me with their blasted willingness to do whatever the hell they want. I was so getting accostomed to being a matyr. Don't think I'll miss it though, at least not between 6th and 10th of April (happy happy dancing).

I'll be attending as many workshops and cocktail parties as I can fit in, and yes I'll even be signing books. My hope is that the lines at the big authors' tables will be so long people will get bored and come see the woman sitting by herself with a hopeful smile on her face.

And let's also hope this guy is a nutter and not as switched on as the article and its harbinger of California's impending doom suggests. Gulp.

Sami

Cool Trailer

2011-03-13T16:07:00.000+10:00

My friend Kiss Carson has a new book coming out with Solstice Publishing and she's made a cool trailer to promote it. I can't make trailers - perhaps I ought to get her to help me out. Should I ever get another contract.

And yes I'm posting very quickly. I am neck deep in revisions and desperate to have this story finalised soon. Argh!

Hope you've had a great weekend. Promise I'll be back with more news soon.

Sami

Clearing the Deck

2011-03-02T20:43:00.000+10:00

I’ve been going through my back catalogue of unfinished/rejected manuscripts with the aim of making some final decisions about what can be saved and what has to go for good.

• In Charm’s Way has been critiqued by a very astute writer friend who gave me some much needed encouragement and some even more important ideas for how the ms could be revitalised. I have plans for it, but they are temporarily on hold because I have this great (I think) idea for a series that it could be a part of. I’m not up to a series right now, not with my new year’s outlook of one book at a time until I get my confidence back. So ICW is still on suspension—for now.

• Sweet Home Emmaline, my ill-fated RWA pitch novel, could actually fit in with the series I’ve just mentioned, as could my old old nano project, The Honeymoon Effect. I know, is it possible I could be so bold as to roll three of my left behind ms’s into one brand spanking new series? Time will tell. The ideas are brewing and I think I’ll let them do that a while.

• I’ve gone back through my old M&B rejected sweet manuscripts and made a decision once and for all. They’re history. Rejected by one publisher does not necessarily mean the book has no merit, but the other day while I was going through one of them I literally fell asleep under my laptop. Not a good sign. While there’s nothing drastically wrong with the stories, they honestly just aren’t up to the standard I now feel I’ve achieved with the books I’ve written since. True, I could rewrite them. The fact is I don’t want to. I’m not passionate about those characters anymore, and if I’ve learned one thing about writing its that you have to have a passion for the story you’re telling or doing the job is murder.

• That off the wall paranormal I had a crack at? What was I thinking? I'll leave that kind of thing to the likes of Lexxie Couper and co.

• Today I decided the novel I started 2010 with, Manhandling, needed another look. Reading over it this afternoon I realised it wasn’t as bad as I thought 12 months ago. If I do say so myself, parts of it (all 4.5 chapters of it) are quite good. What a difference a year can make to a person's outlook. With my enthusiasm for the story thus reenergized, I’ve decided to make it my next writing project.

Now to get back to the nerve-racking process of preparing my submission of the firemen book. Write synopsis-check. Query-check. Fingers and toes crossed-check...

Sami

Still Here

2011-02-23T21:25:00.000+10:00

No, I have not been here for a while, my poor little blog has been put on the backburner while I've been typing like mad, trying to get my darned ms complete. Finally, FINALLY it is... sort of. It's being read by a couple of people now and this of course always freaks me out. I simply know they'll tell me at least ten things that are wrong with it and that'll mean more work, messy rewrites or whatever. Ugh. And of course there's the lovely synopsis to do. BUT I have been breathing a little easier since I typed those beautiful words THE END. I finished a book for the first time in two years. Two years ago I never would have believed it would take me this long to get to this place. So yay for me. Let's celebrate wtih some gratuitous man pics.

Note: post influenced by many months writing erotic story featuring firemen.

I also celebrated my book's completion with a new i pod touch, a lovely little device that let's me carry the bulk of my music collection around with me. I know it does other stuff, but I've been too busy downloading songs to discover what yet. The song downloading thing got me thinking about the way the retailing of music has changed in the last couple of decades, which got me thinking about the book industry and the recent developments there. The post got too long, so I'm going to rave on about that over at the Romantix, because I owe them a post or two as well. Hope to see you there (egads! it's the cross promotion monster!)

Sami

The Dreadline

2011-02-08T16:57:00.001+10:00

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. Douglas Adams

I never have understood that quote. I've never missed a deadline in my life. Not as a student, not at work, not as an author. I completed edits for Chasing Sunset early so having kid number 2 didn't interfere with turning in the work on time. I've always thought the due date was the due date--end of story.

I was discussing this with hubby the other day when he was trying to tell me not to worry so much if I miss the deadline for turning in my Market Watch column for RWAs Hearts Talk mag. I repeated my history--"I've never missed a deadline in my life", to which hubby promptly responded:

"Except your own."

I'm chagrinned to have to conceed a point there. I've set three deadlines for myself to have the current WIP complete and have missed every single one of them. First it was the end of 2010, a sort of symbolic up yours to writers block. I wouldn't have had to say I didn't finish a thing in 2010. But Christmas came and interrupted my writer's flow. Whatchagonnado? Then it was the end of January, which I thought was nice and generous--a whole additional month to get things under control. Alas, I found Queensland's apocolyptic weather situation a might distracting, not to mention the usual January stuff of preparing the Princess for her return to school. Amazing how much time that takes up. Then last week I promised the Divas I'd have the firemen ready for thier perusal--err, critique--by Sunday.

I'm currently hiding from the Divas, hoping they'll forget what I said.

Hubby suggests I prioritize my own deadlines as highly as I do those set by others, but sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day or ions of energy (atoms? molecules?) to meet them all. Something's got to slip and let's face it, women tend to make sure it's their own stuff that suffers rather than anyone else's. God forbid another person should be inconvenienced by our inability to do every bloody thing in the world in the shortest possible time frame.

So a change of priorities is, perhaps, in order. Set my own deadlines first and let everyone else's crap fall in around it. I honestly don't see how that would work, but I'm going to try and wrap my head around it and see how I go.

Now, back to the two little screaming deadlines who are hungry for dinner. How, exactly, does one tell them to wait their turn? Hmm?

Sami

What I Reckon This Week

2011-01-31T21:19:00.001+10:00

1. Alex O’Loughlin is hot hot hot. I wanna move to Hawaii Channel 10. Seriously.

2. Matel trying to reinvent Barbie as a symbol of feminism in their new add insults my intelligence. Maybe she has had 125 careers. She still appears to be dressed to interview for a job as porn star.

3. The new facebook profile I was asked and then forced to adopt, is no better than the old facebook profile. My guess is new Twitter is the same as old twitter, but with more stuff to learn.

4. Writing a book takes as long as it takes. Sometimes you gotta sleep.

5. ‘Value’ is a fictional construct. $400 worth of calls is only worth $400 if you’re willing to pay $400, which no one is. They’re only willing to pay $49 capped.

Sami

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY ALL

2011-01-26T11:32:00.000+10:00

I'm going to post on this blog again very soon--I promise! This afternoon I've got people coming around for an Aussie Day BBQ and have just realised I haven't defrosted snags. Organised, me.

Sami

High and Dry

2011-01-14T15:31:00.001+10:00

For anyone wondering, my house and I are totally fine. Lucky for us, we didn't buy a house anywhere this place

I believe that was Eagle Street Pier, one of the CBDs popular cafe and restaurant destintations. Err, not now I suppose. This is as close as it came to us:

This is the shopping centre I often stop at to pick up essentials, like nappies or Chinese food. No chow mein for me this week, but I hear it's all clear now. Phew (I went elsewhere for the nappies, in case you were wondering). Thanks to Kiss Carson for the last 2 photos.

If anyone was out there thinking we ruled this planet, it seems mother nature would like to disagree.

Sami

2010, The Year That Blew (Or Dragging Myself Out of Writer's Block Hell)

2011-01-07T14:53:00.001+10:00

Jan: Make grand plans to begin strict writing schedule. No TV. No wine. Rigid word count goals.

Feb: Half-pissed watching Law and Order with zero words to my name. That went well.

March: Seriously contemplated chucking writing in altogether. Why couldn't I have taken up something easy, like rocket science? Took the month off.

April: Bought a house. Much organisation required, no time for writing. One month reprieve becomes two.

May: Ready to begin writing again—thank God I actually missed it. Spend many hours alternating between half-baked manuscripts without making much progress, but am happy to be writing anything.

June: RWA conference in two months. In crazy optimism I’ve requested an agent pitch. Ah… best write something pitch-worthy.

July: Pitch-worthy? Who said pitch-worthy? Shopping lists prove challenging at this point.

Aug: Have a partial ready for pitch. It has all the hallmarks of a funny, sexy Blaze type novel. It says so right there in the pitch. Misplaced confidence comes across as veneer of capable authorship to very nice NY agent type. Partial requested.

Sept: Oh shit, shit, shit. Caught in web of plot problems of my own making. Who wrote this dreck? Seek second opinion of the Divas who coin the phrase ‘Sami Sparkle’. As in ‘this book does not have the Sami Sparkle’.

How disappointing.

Oct: Email agent with heartfelt apology. I do not want to send the sparkleless book to her. Insanity? Possibly. My gut says no. Now it’s time to work out through copious navel gazing what the eff the Sami Sparkle is and where the effing hell it’s flown off to. Make the rather radical decision to write first draft of a fun, fluffy ménage novella in a notebook, with a Bic. This is totally old school, but writer friend Kiss Carson does this so why not try? Drafting goes surprisingly well. I’m having fun with the story. Fun! A novel concept (I can even pun now!).

Nov: Retype my draft as a quasi nanowrite task. 40,000wds of no longer light fluffy ménage written. Who decided to make this a deep and meaningful study of themes of sex and death, unrequited love and loneliness? Bloody subconscious.

Dec: Okay, so it wants to be a serious story, not fluff. It wants to include mm content, which I’ve never written before. Must I always make things difficult for myself? Probably. I’m starting to think the Sami Sparkle is the rebellious instinct coming out to play, forcing me to swim against the tide.

Ah, so that’s where the year went. I spent it dragging myself gradually out of writer’s block hell. I don’t feel blocked now, just the ordinary level of neurotic that writers are. That’s an improvement.

How was your year?

Sami

Two Days or Two Weeks?

2010-12-26T17:20:00.001+10:00

The last time I had my WIP open was two days ago. Thursday 23rd, when I got some good words down and felt that it was all flowing pretty well. I'd written past Chapter 3's problems and was on Chapter 5 rewrites.

I had my two days off for Christmas and have come back on Boxing Day feeling as rusty as if I've been away from the ms for weeks. I guess that advice about writing every day is on the money, but seriously, I wasn't going to write Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Being Santa is a busy enough past time.

The reading has been fun though. I've discovered Tina Wainscott's suspense novels and thoroughly enjoyed Until the Day You Die. I felt like something violent and scary at Christmas, coz I'm odd I suppose. Digression: Does anyone else remember Tina Wainscott writing rom-com for Harlequin Temptation back in the nineties? There's nothing on her website about that but I'm sure I don't have the name wrong. Damn my 'toss it out if it's old attitude', or else I'd probably have those old harlequins still!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. I'm going to try and find my warm spot in the cave again and get this ms rolling once more over the next couple of days. Lord knows, the cricket's not worth watching unless you're English!

Happy writing (and reading), over the break to all,

Sami

5 Things That Made Me Say WTF? This Week.

2010-12-19T13:50:00.001+10:00

1. Oprah ate vegemite on a sao and said she liked it. Then washed it down with Penfolds Grange. Seriously, we DO NOT DO THAT HERE.

2. Shane Warne caught snogging Liz Hurley. What is her deal? Hugh the hooker loving cad, that other guy who tried to disown their baby and now Warnie. She must have very complex issues.

3. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens split up. Actually that one just made me go WGaS (Who gives a shit?).

4. Nine msn hit a new low. A 'true' confession about a phone sex operator who recognises one of her clients as her 16 year old brother and decides to go through with the call. Ick. Shudder. WTF?

5. The Hurley-Warne saga continues. Now she's dumped him over sex texts to another married woman. She didn't see that coming? Surely this whole 'relationship' was a beat up for publicity.

And now I've just talked about them. Oh well.

I have deleted so much this week that I can't post anything. It's becoming demoralising. I have a big gap between Ch 3 and 4 where I'm not sure how to link the scenes. I've written this in bold in the ms:

I simply don’t know how to stitch this up. I can’t find the right emotion. I am now going to leave it and ask the goddess muse to help me at a later stage.

Oh Goddess muse, where for art thou?

Sami

Editing, Man Sluts and More

2010-12-05T15:36:00.002+10:00

I think Jake Gyllenhaal is a major cutie. I wrote that line in Sunset Knight where Lana teases Brody about wanting a threesome with the two of them:

“So you don’t want me to play at being the filling in a man sandwich?”

His look was lethally unimpressed. “No. Where do you get this language?”

“The Internet. Because thinking on an objective level I have to say”—she pretended to picture it, letting out a low whistle—“lucky Sidney.”

“Don’t go getting any ideas. I’m finding I’m a lot more possessive than Drew.”

Lana felt giddy because he was possessive of her. She’d told him not to act this way but he couldn’t help himself. “Are you sure? Because if Jake Gyllenhaal’s available, maybe I could be persuaded.”

She's a cheeky one that Lana. But what's with Jake? Is there any woman in Hollywood he hasn't 'dated'? Reese, Kirsten, now he's been linked to Taylor Swift. Is this all true? Is Jake Hollywood's biggest man slut? Does it turn me off him? Not really :)

Anyway deleted two whole scenes this weekend so can't post all that. One was a sex scene too. What? Erotic romance author cuts sex scene? Alert the media.

Here's today's deleted snippet:

Instantly he was lost in the ripe feel of her lips moving beneath his, the sweet taste of wine on her tongue. Her hand shot out to connect with his bicep, as though she had to steady herself. She moaned with the kind of blissful satisfaction women often reserved for restaurant quality chocolate mousse and fed on his mouth as though it were her last meal.

Corey had been kissed before, by women who weren’t afraid to take control. He liked it. He wasn’t one of those guys who had to have the upper hand in every exchange with the opposite sex. But this was different. Erica’s kiss was desperate, aggressive even, but it wasn’t about her taking control. It was about her losing it.

Well maybe I'll find a spot for that last sentence.

Sami

I Did Good

2010-12-02T22:32:00.001+10:00

I didn't write 50,000wds, but then I never said I would :). My novel/novella, whatever it is (okay it's a novella, I'm going to cut it down I swear), is currently 39,879wds, but I haven't written the ending. I'm going back through the whole thing first to revise and edit, as is my custom. When it's all said and done I imagine I'll end up with something around the 40,000-45,000wd mark. Hey, that's what I said all along! Sticking to my guns here, take a picture.

Anyway, the slash and burn is on now, and I've added as much as I've taken out (again, one of my editing customs). Today I had to let a paragraph go that I always liked. But hell, I just don't need it. Being ruthless here. So sadly cut from the ms today:

Nice one Griff. Way to make a fool of yourself.

At thirty-six, Griff was a good ten years older than Corey and Erica looked to be around Wachawski’s age. Griff had one divorce and a string of messy relationships behind him, listened to classic Springsteen instead of Lady Freakin Gaga and this morning he’d found a grey hair poking out amongst the smattering of light brown ones on his chest. A grey bloody hair!

Lusting after the busty young redhead was a bad look for a man with Griff’s relatively advanced life experience.

I was fond of the Lady Freakin' Gaga bit :) Oh well.

Sami

Hanging On

2010-11-24T22:43:00.000+10:00

A much slower week writing-wise than last week, but I still managed to get 1200 added to the ms tonight, after a long days work, shopping and all the etc. that pops up. A short post to say I'm still going on this no nano nano thing. I have maybe 10-12,000 to write before the end of the month to finish draft 2 of Erica's Choice. I don't like the title, BTW, but I'll worry about that later. For now I thought I'd motivate everyone with five of the best (de)motivational gems I scored off 101 reasons to stop writing (note: the last breaking news update on this site is dated Sept. 2009. Perhaps he stopped blogging too?)

Happy final week nanoers!

Sami

The Cave

2010-11-14T21:32:00.000+10:00

Posts have been a little lazy on Sami's Scribbles of late, I admit. I've been busy whoring around the place, posting at the Divas and The Romantix weekly (nearly every week). I'd usually have plenty to say here too (oh, yeah, I'm full of things to say), but I've actually been getting some writing done.

Halle-fucking-lujah. Is that blasphemy?

Anyway, I've been in the cave, otherwise known as glued to the laptop. I got something like 8-9000 words typed over the past 4 days. Doesn't sound like much to some people (looking at you Rhian Cahill, with your 'thought I'd get a few k done before bed' talk), but for me? With my recent track record? This is bloody brilliant. And yes, technically this is supposed to be a second draft because I'm copying the words from my rough notebook version... but I've changed basically everything and haven't even glanced at the notebook. You knew I would. So I'm counting them as brand new words. Dancing the happy dance tonight and going to sleep well, because I actually love this book at the moment. Yipee.

So if I do a few more lazy posts over the next couple of weeks, forgive me. I'm sort of doing my own version on Nano. I haven't signed up and neither have I any intention of writing 50000k. But I do aim to get the second draft of this novella (I see it's going to end up around 35-40000 at least), down by the end of the month. I don't want to risk stopping to think about what I'm doing and hence inviting the ol' writer's anxiety back in. No way.

And if there are any spelling mistakes in this post, it's because I ain't gonna spell check it for ya.

'Night,

Sami

The Romantix: If I Only Had a Heart

2010-11-12T12:13:00.000+10:00

Have spilled my guts a bit over at the Romantix. Feel free to pop on over and clean up.

The Romantix: If I Only Had a Heart

Cheers,
Sami

Why am I not yet sick of this silly song?

2010-11-08T20:47:00.000+10:00

Poor Cherub!

2010-10-31T21:17:00.001+10:00

I was feeling a little proud of myself this evening. After an eventful day taking the kids to Underwater World I actually remembered it was Halloween. Now, I've been very anti-Halloween since basically the beginning of time and having kids hasn't changed that. The day I send them out to ask strangers for lollies is the day the memory of all those stranger danger talks I sat through when I was little is completely wiped. I've never given out any treats before, I'm too stubborn. a) it's primarily an American tradition they're trying to introduce here so we will buy more crappy witches hats that were made in China and we'll be lulled into the sense that a freakin' pumpkin is suddenly worth ten times what it was last week b) no kid I've ever asked (and I do) understands the meaning of it c) I don't find scaring people funny. Call me humourless d) it's extortion, plain and simple. Give me the goods or I'll do something horrible to you. Way to train the youngsters for a life of criminal activity.

But then earlier today I decided I would adopt a new attitude to Halloween. I am published by a company named after the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which is believed to be responsible for starting this whole business. And as for adopting American traditions, well, why not? That's pretty much what the country's all about. We're so laid back and accepting we're happy to meld the cultures of many into our own. Lord knows we'd have no decent Italian restaurants if it weren't for our inclusive attitude toward immigrants and the luuverly food they've brought us over the years. I'm fully addicted to my local kebab shop, I adore a good curry, and I can hardly walk by one of those takeaway sushi joints without stopping for just one (I do know there's more to multi-culturalism than food, but I can't help where my interests lie).

So I decided I could be more cheerful about handing out sweets to little Godfathers in the making. I had a whole bunch of sugary stuff leftover from all the birthday parties Princess has been to, because I don't let her eat from her own party bags (I'm the cruelest mum in the world). I put on some classic Prince, tossed a dash of Wild Turkey into my Pepsi Max (I'm nothing if not classy) and prepared myself for battle. My first trick or treaters arrived, I went to the kitchen for the goods... and Cherub ran to answer the front door before I could stop her.

So a scream really can curdle the blood.

Poor baby was probably expecting someone nice, like Daddy or her grandmother. Perhaps a nice door-to-door salesperson--she always enjoys watching Mummy gleefully dispatch of them. But no. She was contronted by Halloween masks and glow sticks, three kids going 'Booooooo' in the dark because I'd forgotten to turn on the outside light. Things only got worse when the geriatric sausage dog started barking. Bear in mind he's deaf as a post, with arthritis too. He probably wouldn't get off his donna for an earthquake these days, so it was probably the first time Cherub had heard him bark. The terrified squeals and exclamations of 'scary me! at door! at door! SCARY ME!' made the kids terribly apologetic, so hubby gave them some lollypops anyway.

Cherub, however, took a while to get over it. This after a day spent with her face buried in my leg or my neck because sharks and stingrays look a lot bigger in real life than they to on TV.

Scarred. For. Life.

Sami

Found this in the inbox

2010-10-28T20:27:00.000+10:00

I had a rough weekend. Between my back spasms and then a bout of what I think was food poisoning (thankyou supermarket deli ham), I got stuff all done as far as writing, housework or general living is concerned. Work was its usual thrill a minute, but it pays the bills so whaddyagonnado?

Then this morning I opened my inbox to find this great message:
Dear Sami Lee,

EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Coalition™ (www.epicauthors.com) is delighted to announce that your entry, Sunset Knight, is a finalist in the Contemporary Erotic Romance Category of the 2011 EPIC eBook Awards Competition™.

Well yay! I entered the comp when I was searching around for something writing related to do that would excuse me from doing any actual writing, and yippee I'm a finalist. There were around 62 entries this year so I'm quite chuffed. Yes, I'm saying chuffed like a Brittish person.

Now I'm invited to an awards dinner at historical Williamsburg, Virginia. Anyone got a private plane?

Sami

What a Difference a Week Makes

2010-10-19T21:01:00.000+10:00

Last week...

This week...

Finally got to hang out a load of washing. Funny the things we get excited about.

Uh-oh, I think I can see my undies hanging up there...

Sami

Random Weekly Update and Hot Man Pic

2010-10-10T20:52:00.001+10:00

The weather in sunny Queensland has not been living up to its name this week... this month actually. So much bloody rain, even I'm getting sick of it. I usually like rain, especially in spring because all that water drowns the little pollen thingies that make me sneeze. No I cannot be bothered looking up precisely what a pollen thingy is.

I was going to do a lengthy blog because I have a lot to say. Or at least I think I have a lot to say, but maybe I simply have a lot I'm thinking about--most of it good, for a change. The muse has made a couple of tentative visits, I'm doing a bit to change my bad habits and my head is starting to clear on this whole writing thing. I hope. I'm not getting ahead of myself yet, but things feel promising for the first time in a long time.

Speaking of promising...

... am drafting a menage about firemen. Hel--lo honies. Oh so many potential light my fire/how big is your hose/you make me hot baby remarks. Juicy, juicy stuff.

Enjoy yourself with that until I have the mental acuity to write a more thoughtful blog post.

Cheers

Sami

Available in the Flesh

2010-10-06T19:51:00.000+10:00

I do so love coming up with provocative blog titles. Overnight/this morning Sunset Knight was released as a trade paperback edition. Yes, it's arrived and you can get your hands on it in the flesh, so to speak. This is another excuse to shamelessly post the cover, which is totally scrummy.

It's available wherever quality books are sold... isn't that what they always say? They must sell crap books at A & R then because you can't get it there :). The usual places that cater to the left of centre romance tastes will stock it though, and of course you can get anything online.

My Bookstore and More

The Book Depository

Or just follow any of the links from the book page at Samhain.

I'm posting all this here because I can't see myself updating the website tonight. It's on tomorrow's list.

Cheers,
Sami

Romance Heroes

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000+10:00

I've blogged over at the Divas today about romance heroes and their jobs--love vampire cowboys or hate 'em? Would love to hear your thoughts on that.

I'll be updating here soon too, should have time tomorrow. I'm reading a very engrossing writing craft book at the moment and will probably give it plug. Am also writing some. Trying to initiate some changes in my habits, based partly on said writing craft book.

Now I'm off to make myself a coffee.

Talk soon,
Sami

I Wanna be a Cupcake

2010-09-27T19:54:00.000+10:00

Suzi Love posted this on her blog and I just had to share the link.

http://bauergriffinonline.com/2010/09/keanu-reeves-eats-a-cupcake.php?bfm_index=0&bfm_page=0

Made my night.

Sami

Kisses and Giveaways

2010-09-25T10:57:00.000+10:00

I'm over at the Samhain Cafe chatting about myself (shouldn't take long eh?). I'll be talking first kisses and anything else that comes up. Come over and join me and you could win a book or a gift voucher, or you could just have a good time. Why don't you find out.

Also, I've blogged over at the Divas about movie kiss scenes, with pics and all. I was going to load them here to my blogger started having a heart attack of some sort and time is short here today. Kids are occupied with Dora, but who knows how long that'll last?

If you want to go in the draw to win a copy or any of my backlist titles or a $10 gift certificate from My Bookstore and More (that’s two separate prizes) all you have to do is leave a comment here or at The Divas. Vote for your favorite kiss or tell me the one you wish was on the list and you’ll go into the draw... or just say hi. It’s that simple.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sami