Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Night Owl Reviews Spring Web Hunt is about to begin!!

From April 1st through May 15th you can gather the clues and enter to win some of the over 100 prizes up for grabs, 
including autographed copies of two of my books: Diablo Blanco Club: Unfair Advantage  and 
An Invitation: Ariel's Pet

Click on Web Hunts for rules and how to enter.

Come join the Spring Fling!!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Core Stories

I am an author of erotic romances and I tend to incorporate elements of the Dominant/submissive lifestyle into my stories. The choice isn't one based on popular trends, marketing, or monetary goals. It's organic to my characters and how they live.

I also spiral around a story. You know those cool shots in movies -- the kind that almost make you dizzy -- where the image is far away and the camera slowly zooms in as it circles around the person or spot. From all those angles and distances you can get a pretty good idea of where the person is standing, what direction they're headed for, and, if the shot is meant to foreshadow coming events, what obstacles the character is bound to face. That's how I work through problems. How I get to a story or an idea. I spiral in -- sometimes I spiral out -- but this often results in lots and lots of talking AROUND the problem instead of addressing it head on.

With that in mind I was discussing some issues I've run into with my writing with a friend of mine the other night. The subject of core stories came up. And when I say core I'm not talking the plot or genre, I'm talking about the type of story that is at the center of an author's work. Some examples -- and please keep in mind, I'm not touting myself as any expert of specific writing genres, this is merely my observation and opinion: If you look at the works of Shakespeare -- his tragedies are often about secrets and revenge; his comedies about mistaken or hidden identities and secret plans. Which means, at the core, his plays were focused around secrets. JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood primary focus (in my mind) is family and keeping it alive. Many of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories and poems were focused on death but deeper down you could say (again, my opinion) that he related in his stories the impact of death and grieving upon those around the victim and his/her killer (a lot of the stories I've read by him dealt with murders).

Keeping this in mind, I examined my own writing. At the core  I write about relationships. It doesn't matter if the characters indulge in the D/s lifestyle or not, their behaviors towards one another will tend to take on that mannerism based on who and what they are at their essence. I also discovered and accepted (and that was the hardest part -- the accepting) that I will always write erotic (unless I'm writing Young Adult) since the sex is a key communication device between my characters. By doing this, I've empowered myself to write what I want the way I want without feeling like I have to chase some elusive "style" or "subgenre" to gain an audience. If I stick with my core story and put on the page the story my characters tell me, I'm being true to the writer I am. And that's the most important thing, at least in my eyes.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Finally Feeling Better

And part of that return to health required I finish the handbag I cut out 2 weeks ago and never got around to. LOL






Same design as the last one but a little taller and I've added interior pockets on the main panels.


Let me know what you think.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Night Owl Live Chat Tonight At 8 pm EST

Well, I'm off to be a chatty person tonight. I'll be participating with other Midnight Seductions Authors at the Night Owl Live Chat tonight at 8 pm EST.


I'd love to see some readers--there's quite a few who show up and NOR (Night Owl Reviews) usually gives away books and other prizes just for attending.


Come ask questions about characters, stories, research, and have some fun!


See you there!


http://www.nightowlromance.com/nor/Pages/Chat.aspx

Sunday, March 13, 2011

So, What Do You Do When You're Bored?

I have to wonder, sometimes, what other people do when they're bored or find themselves with time on their hands?


Bag created for this year's
Brenda Novak Auction
Me, I do all kinds of things when the characters go quiet or are trying to figure out what to tell me next. I clean. I iron (I also do this when I'm stressed or trying to relax.) I take pictures. I do research. But of all the things I like to do when I'm waiting for the characters to talk, I like to sew.


Side One of the
newest bag
This has actually helped me in the past, because I ended up in a work-study program while I was studying for my Bachelor's Degree in the university's theater costume shop. That's where my addiction began. It's a good addiction -- of a sort. For the two years I helped out in the costume shop, I learned how to create some of the coolest costumes. 


Side Two of the
newest bag
That's where my problem finds its roots. I love -- I mean LOVE -- to sew costumes. And not just any old costumes. Nuh uh. I like period costumes. Medieval, Renaissance, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Western, Native American...all of the costumes I can get my hot little hands on. 


My dress dummy had to be left behind when I moved from Alaska to the Lower 48 and I haven't replaced it. At least not yet. But I have a feeling it'll be replaced very soon. 


Side view--ribbon
holds pocket closed
For right now, I'm focusing on little things. Like a neat pattern I have for handbags. 


A lady I know traded me some fabric for a few boxes of romance novels I gave her. Which put in my hands the perfect material for purses.


It will be very interesting to see what happens when I finish getting through this box of fabric. LOL. I figure, if the writing career takes a dive, I may be able to make a living making handbags and purses. 


Next on the agenda... Corsets!

Monday, March 7, 2011

It's Looking Like an Interesting Week

Well, this is becoming an interesting Monday morning. 

First up, fellow Midnight Seductions Author, Kissa Starling posted this morning on the MSA blog. Fetishes, Perverts, and eBooks, Oh My and the fact that this is Read an eBook week seem fated since the development and sale of eBooks came about because of the rising demand for erotic writings. Swing by the blog and leave a comment, just like me, Kissa likes to hear from readers about what types of books they're attracted to and why. Here's the link: 


Next is the very cool news that my latest book, Rite of First Claim has been nominated at The Romance Reviews for Best Erotic Romance (Non-Traditional Lifestyle) in 2010! I've got some stiff competition, but I have to admit, it's nice to have been included with the other nominees. Voting concludes on March 31st. Here's the link http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php if you'd like to vote.

Have a happy and wonderful Monday. I know I will.

Qwillia

Saturday, March 5, 2011

And Here's the New Me!

So, this is what I look like without hair. LOL Post-St. Baldricks Day.



(Told you I'd look like Groot's evil twin sister.)

And yes, that is a stuffed dragon and a sewing machine behind me. I am a Renaissance Woman, I have many talents. 


And here's another picture...this one is of the tattoo I have on the back of my neck and head. Now you can see it since my hair isn't in the way.




Have a great weekend.


Qwillia

Today is the Day!!

I'll be attending the St. Baldricks party in downtown Raleigh this afternoon. Along with over 150 participants, I'll be sitting in a chair and having my head shaved to show my support of children engaged in the fight for their life with childhood cancer.

I'm listed as a participant and am hoping to make my donation goal of $1000. I'm at $560 now, just $440 to go.

Here's the link if you are inclined to donate: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/participantid/426532

I'll make sure to post a picture of myself, post-shaving, for now, this is what I look like. (My hair hangs just below my shoulder blades so I'm having about 11 or 12 inches shaved off.)

I'm thinking when it's all over, I'll look a bit like Groot's (from Despicable Me) evil twin sister. LOL.

Have a great day.

Qwillia

PS: if you're interested in the location of the party, the one I'll be at is the Hibernian Pub, 311 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC. It'll start at noon, today (3/5/11)

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

A Little Bit About Me

For those who might be interested, I changed my Find Me page to About Me. 


I gave a little bit about my background and where I grew up as well as opened the floor to any questions my readers might have. As I stated on the page, I retain the right to refuse to answer any questions I deem too personal. Although, some people would say I'm pretty much an open book. LOL


Feel free to post questions here in the comments and I'll see about adding the information to the page. 


Now I'm off to work on getting the rest of my books listed on the "Other Books" page and maybe adding a references page with a list of books I've read and enjoyed using in my research on BDSM and Dominant/submissive lifestyles.


Have a great day!!


Qwillia