This March I accidentally challenged myself to do something I’ve never done before. To write, revise and polish to submitting in less than one month. To be accurate, in eighteen days.

Why you might ask, would I want to complete this feat. Well, it certainly wasn’t intentional (see the heading ;D). As I’ve mentioned in several previous blogs, I’m really good at getting ideas for submission calls very close to the due date. Well that happened again. I got in idea for an anthology request that was due on March 1st. To complicate the issue further, I promised Owned Forever, the sequel to my Christmas release, Owned for Christmas, to my editor by 1/31. Which gave me only a month to get this new story written and submitted. The shortest timeframe I’ve even had to work in before. But I decided, if I want to be a fulltime writer, I probably have to work in this kind of time frame every month, so I ned dot learn how to do it.

Well, as you might have guessed, my revisions for Owned Forever took longer than I anticipated. I ended up rewriting two whole scenes, delaying when I could start this new story by ten days. But I was determined to try. So I vanished into my writing cave to make this happen.

The good news: I did it (or at least I will). It’s February 27th and I have every confidence I can finish this work in the next two days. I’m through writing and the first revision (which is always the hardest for me). I just have to finish the second revision and one more read through and it will be ready to submit.

The bad news: It’s about 6k larger than the submission call asks for, and on rereading the request I don’t think it really fits what they are asking for.

Not that either of those bits of news are really lemons, but I’m going to make lemonade with them anyway. I’ve decided I’m going to double, or triple, this challenge by turning this story into a series. And I plan to write one book each month for the next few months.

Many of you may know I’m not great at writing series. I love starting them, but then a shiny idea distracts me and it takes me months to get back to it. It took me three years to write all five books of the Naughty Holiday list series, and there was almost a year between the two published Snowedin Fantasy stories (and believe me I have plenty more to write). I haven’t even finished the next book in the Fairytales bound series.

In order to prevent another series full of lag time I’m going to dedicate the next three months to writing this whole series, or at least making a good dent towards it. I’m going to write one book a month, giving each the deadline of the 1st. I know myself well enough that if I try to write them all at once, I won’t end up finishing any of them. Not to mention, revising three works at once (or even one right after another) might send me over the edge.

This weekend I’m going to focus on coming up with outlines for the first three or four books, to make sure they all make sense together, and we’ll see where we go from there.

I’ll keep you guys in the loop as to how I’m doing on this challenge. I really believe if I want to work towards writing fulltime I need to work on producing more better works for all of you out there, and this is a great first step.

I hope you’ll follow me on this journey, and get ready to spend a few nights with the Hot Tamales.

I’ve been quiet for a little while. There just been a lot going on lately, and I haven’t been able to make my way over here.

A part of my silence has just been exhaustion. I put out three releases in the last five months, one of which had the most extensive edits I’ve ever done, and one with the quickest edits I’ve ever done. Between the edits, releases and promotion, I have been just plum tuckered out. I needed some time to rest and recuperate. To get my creative juices going again.

Which is another reason why I’ve been quiet, I’ve been busily writing away. I’m hoping to get a new BDSM book in this month, which is tentatively titled Working for Him. And I’m working towards getting Dirty Work and the next Snowedin Fantasy book, Second Chance at a Cheerleader, in within the next few months. All of these works are either completed or close to completed their first draft. Which means lots of revision time in the near future, far from my favorite writing time. 

But the biggest reason I’ve been so quiet is that I’ve had a major change happen in my non-writing life. I got a new day job that I’m so excited about. For the last year or so my day job has been extremely volatile. I haven’t mentioned much about it to anyone in my writing life, wanting my writing space to stay my safe haven, but over a year ago my boss came to me and told me they didn’t have any space for me. That I was going to be let go in three months. It was devastating to me. This was my first real job, and I’d been there—at this point—almost four years, and they were letting me go just like that.

Well, it didn’t prove to be just like that. My end date was extended by three months, and then another three months, and then another three months. I was given the official end date of the end of the year 2012, and I’d come to accept that, after a very long emotional roller coaster of self-doubt and why mes. But then, again I was extended, this time by six months. It was starting to feel like I was on a very shaky ride that I wasn’t getting off unless I took the steps to do it myself.

Then miracle of miracles, after over a year of looking and just after my five year anniversary with my current job, I found a new day job. A great new opportunity that has growth potential and more opportunities for me than my previous day job. 

While my end goal is to write fulltime, right now I just don’t have the sales to support myself. But this new job will give me the ability and opportunities to take care of my bills, without some of the headaches of my previous job, like long hours and travel. I really think this is a great step for me. And it will free up a ton of time that I’ve spent for the last fifteen months looking for a new job, and the emotional energy this upheaval has caused. Hopefully I can put all that energy and time back into my writing, and push myself that one step closer to writing fulltime.

 But as a result the last few weeks have been a little chaotic, training someone on my old job and getting ready for my new one. And the next few weeks will probably be a little chaotic too. Getting used to the new job, and into a new routine, I’m really shaky at that. I haven’t had to start over in five years, and I can’t even remember what it’s like to not know the dos and don’ts of the office.  So you’ll have to bear with me a little bit, while I work through this change and figure out how to manage everything. But I think, in the end, it’s going to be a great change for me and my writing. My old day job certainly inspired a few of my stories, a few I haven’t even gotten around to writing yet, and hopefully my new job will offer just as much creative fodder.

But until then, here are the first few paragraphs of my BDSM short novella, Working for Him. Hope it keeps your appetite whet for a few more weeks until I have more juicy news for you.

***This snippet is a first draft and subject to change and revisions***          

Larry continued, filling in the awkward gap. “I was just telling Ms. Carter, since we’re in Vegas, she had to at least play a few slots. She should have a little bit of fun.”
 
Mr. Barrett shifted his gaze to her, and heart picked up speed. There was something about this man, something about the power or the determination in his eyes that always called to a very deep part of her, a part she kept hidden from the rest of the world. The submissive part of her.
 
Pinned beneath his laser stare, unable to hide any of herself from him, Serena shifted uncomfortably. Her stomach fluttered and she pressed her thighs together in the hopes of keeping the throb between her legs at bay. The hum that had her panties wet and the impulse to press her face into his chest and breathe in his deep male smell sounding like a great idea, even in front of the entire company.
 
“What do you think Ms. Carter? Are you inclined to play the slots?”
 
She looked up at him, blinking through her lashes. “No, Mr. Barrett.  That’s not the kind of play I enjoy.” 
 
His eyes darkened just a bit at the breathy quality of her voice, exactly the reaction she’d been aiming for. His hand slid along the bar next to her, until his fingers bumped against hers. Just the briefest touch, but it still set her heart bounding and pussy dripping. She knew all too well what amazing things he could do with those big hands. How rough and how gentle he could be, all at the same time.
 
His fingers moved back, leaving behind a plastic key card. His room key. She reached out, quickly enveloping the flat plastic beneath her shaking fingers. Her entire body heated as she touched the key. It had been
another long year, a year of waiting, of dreaming, and now it was finally here. 

She’d once again be in his bed, beneath those firm hands.
 
She cast her eyes up to meet his. His dark gaze was focused on her, pinning her beneath his stare. She gripped the bar for support, her ears buzzing and her stomach knotting. But there was no where she’d rather be. She could drown in those dark eyes, be taken over, conquered by him, and never complain for a second. 
 
The corner of his mouth turned up, a motion so small anyone not focused on him would never have seen it. He knew what hold he had over her. And
he liked it.

I’ve got a little bit of writing news this week. First of all, it looks like Foolish Desire will be released on November 8th, mark your calendar now.

All this week I’ve been working diligently on revising my MMF ménage. I even came up with a new title that I like, thanks to a few other great writers that were willing to chat up ideas with me. It’s now titled Reunion Makes Three. I’ve been thrilled this week, because the revisions have been going well—way better then they usually do. I planned to submit it by the end of the month, but since my revisions have gone so well I think I’ll get it out this weekend at the latest.  I’m a little nervous about this one, since its written very directed for this submission request, but I’m hoping they’ll love it and make it a part of their family.

This week I’ve also been dealing with a hard decision at the day job. It’s interesting that, oppose to three years ago, now my writing factors into my decisions. When a new opportunity arose at work, it was on my list of reason why to not take the job. The limit of time to my writing. Three years ago I would have jumped at the job, I would have thrown myself into it with gusto, but now I’m not so enthusiastic. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a lot more changes in three years than just the start of my writing career, including how I’m being treated at my day job and how I feel about the company in general, but those are different elements. 

I’ve dreamed of being a writer my entire life, and I’m not willing to jeopardize the success I’ve had so far and the momentum I’ve started for just any old job.

It reminded me of a blog post my Joely Sue Burkhart wrote one time, about protecting your work. She says one of the jobs of writers is to protect their work, whatever that means for them. For some people it means not reading reviews (I’ve heard a lot of people say this, that they can’t read their own reviews because they’ll upset them for weeks), for Joely it was not reading certain blogs. Well, it appears for me, protecting my work means not taking job opportunities that will take all my time from writing. 

It’s one of the things that truly bothers me about how companies are structured now. We’ve cut so many jobs at my company that everyone is
working 50 to 60 hour weeks. There’s no other option. 

I don’t know how long I’ll be able to maintain this stance against over bearing jobs, and pay my bills. But for the time being I’ve decided to protect my work and pass on this opportunity. Because the opportunity to write, and live out my lifelong ambition, is far more important to me than some job.

Writing wise this year has been great, I already have three releases, another contract, and my first print book and first audio book releasing this month. My writing life is going great. But the real world, specifically my EDJ, has been rough.

In January, I was told me my position was being eliminated. The date of when that would happen has changed several times over the last months, from June 1st, to September and finally December 31st. I know they’re doing it to help me, and they really don’t want to have to lose me, which is why the date has been extended as long as possible, but it’s made me feel rather helpless. I’ve worked hard for this company. I’ve changed jobs and taken on new responsibilities for them. I’m a value to their organization, and they’re going to let me go just like that. Not because they have too (we recorded our highest profits last year in the company’s history) but because they think it just make sense to down size people to keep those high profits.

All of this has led me to really think about some things I haven’t had to before, like what I want from the future. Even the company I work for knows I’m not passionate about what I do there. They know about my writing, but I’d been okay going to work there, doing my job, working hard, and that’s it. But shouldn’t I want more? Shouldn’t I want to wake up every day passionate about what I do?

As I thought more about it, they only thing I feel passionate about is my writing. Sure I have other things I enjoy, I love my furry babies, my family, I like to help people and enjoy books. But every morning I wake up the first thing I think about my characters, my stories, and all I want to do is write. So finally a few months ago I decided to make a plan to write fulltime. It’s a combination of financial goals, like pay off my home and save money for the what ifs of life, and writing goals, like publish a certain number of books. I call it my Freedom plan, and so far I’m sticking to it, though it’s only been a few months.

This new plan gives me hope, that one day I’ll be able to control my own future, that I will really be free of the whims of companies and business. I am so thankful for my writing and the freedom that it offers me, and that I live in a country where I can do what I want, even write smutty novels. And that I can build a future on what I love is a real gift. So I am very thankful for this day and the freedom that we all have in this country.

This fourth means something extra special to me, because I can now understand and appreciate the pursuit of happiness all the better. And now I’m actively working towards my own happiness for the first time.

Happy Fourth of July everyone!!! I hope it’s filled with family, friends, BBQs and your own happy times.