tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65559709969785378062024-02-18T19:20:57.274-08:00Something Nebulous WithinFor struggling writers; the journey we all share is fraught with the unknown.Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-20262675020665438812012-06-24T07:58:00.000-07:002012-06-24T07:58:28.017-07:00The New Age<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When I began writing, believe me, you were at the mercy of publishers--no mater what you attempted to write and then get published, short stories, poems, articles, or novels.<br />
<br />
Of course, back then, there were "vanity" presses, which were exactly that. You gave them your manuscript and they would tell you how wonderful it was, and as long as you paid them $XXX., you would find your words between the covers of a physical book--and then be stuck with all the copies and you had to peddle them off yourself. It never would see light of day, otherwise.<br />
<br />
Some people were able to earn their money back. Many, no.<br />
<br />
I had sworn to never do this. I felt it was cheating the system. But then I turned 50. With no published book in existence, I felt enough was enough. I was sick of being rejected. I had no idea why I was rejected (because their writing "not for us" in the margins of the rejection slip is not enough of explanation for anyone!).<br />
<br />
I looked around for a P.O.D. publisher that would not take my life savings. Just a portion of it. I believed in my work, and felt that I could garner sales if I got enough friends to buy it and get a book signing or two. My husband was behind me 110%. He wanted to see me published too. My work would be on Amazon, as well as other places from this new Print-On-Demand publishing, I felt that their contract was honest, and fool proof. And it was. I had full rights to the book I chose to publish.<br />
<br />
That was in 2008. Today if you are able to figure out the formatting to self-publish at Amazon and so forth, and have the patients you can self-publish. I've decided to go this route with the book I sent to this publisher and have taken it out of their hands, and into mine. I intend on making edits first and then publish it as an e-book to bring the price way down. Let's face it. People are buying ebooks more because first the price difference is incredibly cheap. My original book, <em><strong>Spell of the Black Unicorn</strong></em> was put at $18.95. I had no control over how much they would price it at. I felt even at that time it was expensive. But I did manage to barely make back the $499. I paid to have this book available.<br />
<br />
Just this past week, I thought I would try and get a short story published. First of all, I had sent it into an anthology. It was a late entry, and probably had no chance of getting published. They had to reject many, they said. In the past the rejection would have devastated me. I wrote the story specifically for their altered history/horror anthology. But when they rejected it, I went to plan B. Plan B would probably net me more $, anyway, since I was only to get $20 flat from this publisher, and see no royalties at all.<br />
<br />
So, <em><strong>Holy Devil</strong></em> has had new life breathed into it. Self-publishing is not easy. I had trouble with it. I had someone format it and when I couldn't even get the thing to up-load, or my photo for cover to go in, I had this same friend do it for me.<br />
<br />
The difference in 20 or even 40 years ago, when I began writing, you had no choice. You were at the mercy of publishers and agents. If your work didn't hit them like a cold title wave, which ever way their whims took them at that moment, then too bad.<br />
<br />
Now, you can do it yourself. Should you? I think for the most part that there are good books and short stories out there. But hopefully the author has learned how to plot their story and write. Editing is a must. <br />
<br />
I do have a publisher for my Sabrina Strong Series. He was the first publisher who believed in my writing. As a micro publisher, he has done it right with the POD. He asks nothing up front. He publishes the book in both formats. Why do all these others ask for money, when they can get their cut the same way as my publisher does? I have no idea. Further more I don't have to format my work. They do that and find a wonderful cover for it.<br />
<br />
The new age in publishing. It's the best of both worlds, as far as I'm concerned.</div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-15447361721426208672012-06-20T05:13:00.000-07:002012-06-20T05:13:56.340-07:00Posting trouble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-26666909592502037012012-04-20T11:20:00.000-07:002012-04-20T11:20:56.213-07:00Changing Seasons & Change of Scenery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIpE7hIMLz3B9xvcm3L7hZr3ugejJx2FdZmvWC-X4iPRKAHjEWE75OEDhE-gCYVRG8xfEDR9577o8cDryreXDy9wkxa5RUOqfTnGpvfzt1JEGfev3JQS4LEehYFFaH1COgKZ-5IROD8Q/s1600/beautiful+entryway.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254px" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIpE7hIMLz3B9xvcm3L7hZr3ugejJx2FdZmvWC-X4iPRKAHjEWE75OEDhE-gCYVRG8xfEDR9577o8cDryreXDy9wkxa5RUOqfTnGpvfzt1JEGfev3JQS4LEehYFFaH1COgKZ-5IROD8Q/s320/beautiful+entryway.png" width="320px" /></a>I just thought I would do a little spring cleaning. I've found this place for free blog backgrounds called <a href="http://dottydotdotdesign1.blogspot.com/">Dotty Dot Dot</a> you should go and check this out, if you're tired of the old and want to bring in something bright and cheery. You will find a help section, and it was really easy. I only needed to use the HTML/java script to copy and paste the script onto my blog. You see the Dotty Dot Dot logo on my sidebar, and you can click on that if you want.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She has something for nearly every one. Even the vampire series isn't bad (under Twilight series), and I found one that I thought was pretty good and used on my <a href="http://lorelei-writersretreat.blogspot.com/">Vampire Writers Retreat</a>--you might want to take a look at that one too. On <a href="http://loreleibellsjournal.blogspot.com/">Lorelei's Writing Journal</a>, I used one called "Notebook" a very spring-like, light background that is more fitting for what this blog was to be about. As well as my main blog <a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/">Lorelei's Muse</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been very busy working on these changes. I hope you like them. And if you do, go and check Dotty's out. She even has free blinkies. I've got one here that is sort of nice. She has Halloween (and other holidays) blinkies and backgrounds and I'm thinking of using one for one of my blogs during the season. These are really cute!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My one warning is that you will find it aditctive. Hope your connection is faster than mine, it took me forever to get these pages up. But well worth my while.</div></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-78268424792817876522012-02-11T08:27:00.000-08:002012-02-11T08:27:46.644-08:00Winners Win, Losers... take another road<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpPIzu6OMnzpRTN6iE5iN8xc3xN-3d3eQHPcppXuFpLZwQ2ly8b1313aFvfIH-LcjLVnrdRrnWac2IkMPTJMcBhidOeZqZ36BhwREiZdY9E7O01LNb85JzoZcl4536-hAGMr5nX6rSXw/s1600/SG105381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpPIzu6OMnzpRTN6iE5iN8xc3xN-3d3eQHPcppXuFpLZwQ2ly8b1313aFvfIH-LcjLVnrdRrnWac2IkMPTJMcBhidOeZqZ36BhwREiZdY9E7O01LNb85JzoZcl4536-hAGMr5nX6rSXw/s320/SG105381.JPG" width="254px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorelei @ book signing for Vampire Ascending <br />
at BORDERS before it closed a few months later</td></tr>
</tbody></table>With my second book in the series I was apprehensive about securing a book signing with the <strong>OTHER</strong> bookstore. I knew what they would say, and it was that everyone who wanted a book at the book signing would have to pre-order and pre-pay for it. Which I thought was a tacky way of doing business in a big store. I felt tacky having to tell everyone this. "Hey, by the way, if you want one of my books to be at the bookstore the day of my book signing, you have to pre-order and pay for it right then." Because they don't want to order it and not have you show up--dear God they'd be out ten bucks (or whatever they paied for the copy)!<br />
<br />
But I put out the announcements, I sent off letters and emails explaining what needed to be done and all the other information such as when and what time etc. That was four or so weeks ago.<br />
<br />
Now come down to two weeks before the event, and I get an email from store personnel who was handling my book signing telling me that no orders have been made. No one has bought my book (pre-paid for it, that is). It didn't surprise me. And after I got over the news I mulled over what I should do.<br />
<br />
The thing is I wasn't angry at anyone but the store--the big greedy corporation who has made this decision to not allow anyone with a small print-on-demand book to take up room on their shelves and God forbid they might go under for ordering a dozen books for a damned book signing for a LOCAL author.<br />
<br />
I didn't tell my husband until the next morning. I hate hitting him with such news after a long day, so waited until this morning. I told him we'll just stay home that day. I was to be there from noon until 4 pm. I didn't like the idea of being held captive for so long in one place, but now I won't be.<br />
<br />
I didn't rant back at the person who was coordinating this book signing. I tried to keep it on a professional level. I did tell her I wouldn't be stepping into their store ever again. I felt as though I was treated unfairly. Actually, I felt as though I were treated like a beggar. <br />
<br />
I told them that I sold 20 copies of <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong> the night of my last book signing in Borders. <br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">20!</span></strong> That's pretty damned good for an unknown author. Julie, the bookstore manager of Borders absolutely loved me. I brought in people. Some walked out with 2 books, and one (my niece) bought 3! One for herself, one for her sister, and one for a friend.<br />
<br />
The thing is they think they've won. They haven't. Eventually this book store will go the way of Borders. I promise you, it will. Those people will be out of a job too. The e-books are here to stay. We who want books--the kind with real paper pages--will be forced to order on-line or buy at Walmart, or Target, or your local supermarket. <strong><em>Gak!</em></strong><br />
<br />
Since this isn't about ebooks, I'm not going to go into my opinion on them right now. What I will say is this: I'm glad that I got to enjoy at least 3 book signings in a real book store because it looks as though those days are gone. I will find places or ways to sell my books to those who want a physical copy. I haven't lost anything. I would make more money by selling the book hand to hand than through royalties, actually. And the bookstore is the real looser in the end.</div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-85258666441029379362011-12-31T11:07:00.000-08:002011-12-31T11:07:39.880-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3trUGY8mWkB2vA_iGhyphenhyphenHUxPRD2skQwsue3_qk7wSfbK78E5kLRsNuniUSIHn92VHj0WvBy6nSX-HTAoiZ5iJ4CU04mlphFOgaHMnsNZxvzYX8u4eRIi4N1idCSsv4dBX-nzLVFuBNM0/s1600/Happy+New+Year+everyone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3trUGY8mWkB2vA_iGhyphenhyphenHUxPRD2skQwsue3_qk7wSfbK78E5kLRsNuniUSIHn92VHj0WvBy6nSX-HTAoiZ5iJ4CU04mlphFOgaHMnsNZxvzYX8u4eRIi4N1idCSsv4dBX-nzLVFuBNM0/s400/Happy+New+Year+everyone.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS SOMETHING NEBULOUS WITHIN! HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE COMING YEAR! <br />
<br />
<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">2012</span></strong></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-19471891953344319592011-12-18T12:45:00.000-08:002011-12-18T12:45:54.719-08:00Looking Back... Looking ForwardI keep a journal--have bins filled with them--and once in a while I do like to look back to see where I've been, and how things have progressed. It's to help me see how I was, back, say five or ten years ago. It helps ground myself so that I'm not getting myself crazy about how I want things to go along more swiftly and be more successful than I am.<br />
<br />
In 2007 I was getting small things published in a small quarterly called "Weeds Corner". Ruth Brookshire was the editor and owner of the little magazine out of Indiana. She accepted my very first poem which saw the light of printing ink. After that, she accepted everything I sent her, and I was paid a few dollars for it. It wasn't much, but my words were getting out there and being read. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtERoDr3qHAd4P92JZhN1r2R-2RrV__RoiYi-U3ZzDTKQoevp6QlfcnHTL1d6fq7UmFaBjkvvH5Nit5-TbJ1y87NUmSyDhCZFSygCppS8VlC-kvkLFI0357BA72g7roS0GgN_TIbIJMo/s1600/517GdeUPjxL__SL160_SL120_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibtERoDr3qHAd4P92JZhN1r2R-2RrV__RoiYi-U3ZzDTKQoevp6QlfcnHTL1d6fq7UmFaBjkvvH5Nit5-TbJ1y87NUmSyDhCZFSygCppS8VlC-kvkLFI0357BA72g7roS0GgN_TIbIJMo/s1600/517GdeUPjxL__SL160_SL120_.jpg" /></a></div>I was working on my (eventually self-published), book <em><strong>Spell of the Black Unicorn</strong></em>. I didn't know what I would do with it, since I was getting rejection letters from everyone I sent it out to. I did what I swore I would not do. I self-published it. I didn't want to do this, but I had turned 50 and by God or high water I was going to damn well have a book published before I got too old to enjoy the thrill of doing so. I found a relatively cheep deal for this and I had to do all the formatting, but they were very helpful. I chose to go with Infinity Publishers. I payed my $400. and within a few short months I had a solid paperback book with my own designed cover and my own words inside and out. I sold a few dozen copies, had two book signings and had a ball. I still have about a dozen copies left in a box...<br />
<br />
And here I am, 2011, my second in the series vampire novel is out now. I'm not exactly rolling in dough. Not rolling very much, actually, but it takes time to get the word out to people who don't know about your book. Promoting a book is not easy. Especially when you have no money to help things along the way. But, at least I didn't have to self-publish these last two books. And I'm not saying I may not ever try to do something in Smashwords, or some such. I'm just saying right now I'm okay with doing things this way.<br />
<br />
The thing about getting the second book out is that you've made contacts with people on the first book, and now--because they loved the first one--they are willing to help promote it on their sites and with their efforts and so forth, other people eventually learn about both. It's like a tiny snowball, rolling down a hill. I think.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqoUt_9N-jtcK31SbaJj8Oc2SVRYIQAONKVAZCbMmJZwr7wpkrvDtytfeq4bTHbUsGT_zTkP_2Z7D5ZNYm7FLREdMagNlFwJ30U6ZXnzKFtFJjo0KMD4o2ZzSM99YNTUEF1s78sH1BcU/s1600/Vampires+DArk+Moon+issue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqoUt_9N-jtcK31SbaJj8Oc2SVRYIQAONKVAZCbMmJZwr7wpkrvDtytfeq4bTHbUsGT_zTkP_2Z7D5ZNYm7FLREdMagNlFwJ30U6ZXnzKFtFJjo0KMD4o2ZzSM99YNTUEF1s78sH1BcU/s200/Vampires+DArk+Moon+issue.jpg" width="132px" /></a></div>And I've also published an older short story--which never saw printers ink back about 9-10 years ago when I tried to get it into the pages of a magazine. But I re-wrote it and it was taken and now it is out there with a bunch of other writer's works.<br />
<br />
I'm now working on a novella, and hope to get it written by spring and see if I can't send it to the same publishers (Dark Moon), as they take the shorter works. They only take horror fiction. <br />
<br />
After that I hope to get the third book in the Sabrina Strong Series into the capable hands of my editor at Copperhill Media, and meanwhile I hope to begin a mystery series. I don't want to lean on just the one sort of genre. I'd like to stretch my writing abilities. I know I have a couple of stories in me and they have to be told in their specific genre.<br />
<br />
I write this with the realization that only a few short years ago I had no book published, and now I have 3. I have to pat myself on the back, but I also have to kick myself and work on those things I hope to publish next year.Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-63982958390072974162011-11-23T11:04:00.000-08:002011-11-23T11:04:23.973-08:00Thanksgiving 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnBjxo5gW4d02zMSjeOvQ1T8RoSDDFUxkswFruMcSYMvr0ri9IlXg4LBd1-7EptSmS5iB9Txmr8eWkIPS8NfcAF4mvroXVf2cWG6s1tZlKI6bI9h1tbsFKrZRLB2Ir94jMAkNq-BnnCE/s1600/VampireAscending_FrontCover-205x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnBjxo5gW4d02zMSjeOvQ1T8RoSDDFUxkswFruMcSYMvr0ri9IlXg4LBd1-7EptSmS5iB9Txmr8eWkIPS8NfcAF4mvroXVf2cWG6s1tZlKI6bI9h1tbsFKrZRLB2Ir94jMAkNq-BnnCE/s1600/VampireAscending_FrontCover-205x300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First book in the Sabrina Strong Series</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp71pNxY37wdaXkr7FI24_HYaOpXmZUqDouwrMo9ASdXq61bxCy5VX_W3L4JV16hY3Cfhjl3Eri5cpgcnKEwYrH5WRYkdhPx_H1wA5U0-BFMDBLebU9Awad-bnrzlrKNG-9kkcQPFhUTs/s1600/Vampire%2527s+Trill+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp71pNxY37wdaXkr7FI24_HYaOpXmZUqDouwrMo9ASdXq61bxCy5VX_W3L4JV16hY3Cfhjl3Eri5cpgcnKEwYrH5WRYkdhPx_H1wA5U0-BFMDBLebU9Awad-bnrzlrKNG-9kkcQPFhUTs/s320/Vampire%2527s+Trill+book+cover.jpg" width="215px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second book in the Sabrina Strong Series--soon to be released!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This blog was started by me early in 2010, and it was before I knew I was going to get Vampire Ascending published. I had tried with one publisher, but the editor seemed to be wanting to push a romance angle. I didn't write the book as a romance. Fortunately, I had another publisher who was interested in my book, and I had to wait until I was finished wrangling with the first publisher, before I could go with Copperhill Media.<br />
<br />
Well, here I am, another year is nearly gone by. I'm about to get the second book in the series out and I'm being told this book is even better. I'm encouraged by this, because I felt it was my best work. I'm hopeful that once I get this thing out there you--readers/fans--will have read the first book, Vampire Ascending, because you'll want to start with the first book, as the second one follows it close behind, and lots of things happen and you really don't want to miss any of it.<br />
<br />
For those of you who don't know, I've struggled with sending my book manuscripts out for years. More than three decades have passed since I've begun writing. And I was never able to get even a toe into a door. I was so desperate that I self-published my first fantasy book, "Spell of the Black Unicorn", as I felt that this would be my only way to see anything of mine in print. It wasn't something I wanted to do, at first, but after getting rejections for it, time and time again, and seeing that many authors were being admitted into this exclusive club, plus I had turned 50, all weighted in on my decision.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXDKsddU-TkYsj8HSY17Z5UL0npPrMw0gLcW569ppkQ9cgAq630yHYmUT5_gy-np6SOAixNmPZQUbwbtBABhfmn91Q7dOLVC9UiYFiCL5B8fdIHrfsv5Vo7UPmmFeH-9CuHtoSwMFkTU/s1600/0741450062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXDKsddU-TkYsj8HSY17Z5UL0npPrMw0gLcW569ppkQ9cgAq630yHYmUT5_gy-np6SOAixNmPZQUbwbtBABhfmn91Q7dOLVC9UiYFiCL5B8fdIHrfsv5Vo7UPmmFeH-9CuHtoSwMFkTU/s1600/0741450062.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spell of the Black Unicorn, my self-published light fantasy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I even did the front cover, since I am an artist as well. I thought it came out rather nicely. My aim was to make it look whimsical. It is a light fantasy for adults. If you are interested you might check it out at Amazon. Both books can be found there. Also, you may click the covers on the right side of my post to go to either book's site.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm looking back on a year that had some excitement in it, and I've made lots of friends here on the blogs and I'm still learning things. I'm attempting to get my name/works out into anthologies. I'm hoping to gain new readers, of course.<br />
<br />
It all takes time, and I get a little frustrated at how much work it is and I feel it's still too much of an up-hill battle.<br />
<br />
But I have to remind myself where I was two years ago. I've got a second book in a series coming out. I hope to work on a new mystery series, as my next two books for the Sabrina Strong series are written. They are nearly finished, and I just feel that I need to do something different.<br />
<br />
I'd also like to try to get a faster Internet and try my hand at placing a few works as an Indie. But, again, I'm thinking too far ahead. I feel like a racehorse waiting for the gate to kick open. I want to go!<br />
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Well, thanks for stopping in on my little chat. I hope it wasn't too boring. I simply wanted to look back and think about how far I've come, and remind many of you that you can get published, somehow, now. Back in the day, there was no such thing as Smashwords or other ways of getting your books published other than going through the grueling task of contacting an agent and waiting forever for a rejection letter. I'm done with those. I know of a couple of people who were going that route and now have self-published, because they want control over their work. It's a thought, isn't it?<br />
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Have a Happy Thanksgiving!Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-69182230917431553652011-11-12T13:13:00.000-08:002011-11-12T13:13:28.567-08:00Writing In The Crosshairs: MARK TWAIN DOES BATTLE WITH NaNoWriMo!<a href="http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2011/11/mark-twain-does-battle-with-nanowrimo.html?spref=bl">Writing In The Crosshairs: MARK TWAIN DOES BATTLE WITH NaNoWriMo!</a>: Children, I just passed old Hemingway. He was cussing up a storm. I asked why. He told me of NaNoWriMo or NoNoNanettes as he called it. ...Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-24444871673311893662011-11-06T14:13:00.000-08:002011-11-06T14:13:15.664-08:00I'm Still HereI've got so many blogs, it's a little difficult to keep up. But hey, I'm here now, and for those of you who do not check out my other blogs, this is the cover for my new book about to come out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPsEeiOvZtCBwNxsR8BuWsBDuYyNnJvpTUdHwZ7dZbX80r8AqV32X8y09Ti0oI61n-e1QKFvf9sxWM64DQzZ4RGQ7nwt0D3Ugl5zJUaxllDbdNRqt1sNoecnVTSKervITgRmsyXD_MFU/s1600/Vampire%2527s+Trill+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPsEeiOvZtCBwNxsR8BuWsBDuYyNnJvpTUdHwZ7dZbX80r8AqV32X8y09Ti0oI61n-e1QKFvf9sxWM64DQzZ4RGQ7nwt0D3Ugl5zJUaxllDbdNRqt1sNoecnVTSKervITgRmsyXD_MFU/s320/Vampire%2527s+Trill+book+cover.jpg" width="215px" /></a></div>I know. Creepy. Right?<br />
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My publisher tells me that they are going to send me the edits this week. Hope so. I so want to get things going here. I've already been contacting other blogs for host spots. And if you follow <a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/">Lorelei's Muse</a>, you'll be better able to learn when these events/interviews take place and might be able to win a book.<br />
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And on Tuesdays at Lorelei's Muse, I have been putting up "Teaser Tuesdays" portions of the book, to give you little tastes of what you can find inside.<br />
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As I write this today, I've been getting caught up on my blogger buds, and I've been working on the third book, as well as a short story. The short story I've taken a scene from my third book and written a short story and hope to send it off soon to (also hopefully) be published. I have not tried to publish anything short in a long while. And definitely have not had anything that would fit the bill (these places are often themed), and so I never considered it. But we shall see if I can find publication in an ezine.<br />
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Now that Halloween is over with, and a lot of people out there are doing the NaNo thing, I've got a relaxing time to concentrate on what I need to. Soon, it will be the edits. As soon as these are done, the eBook will come out shortly there after. It might be a spell before the paperback is out as well.<br />
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Last year at about this time, the first book was about to come out. Vampire Ascending arrived on Dec.3rd. I was so ecstatic about it. I'm equally excited about my second book. I've been told by my publisher that as good as they thought the first one was, this one is even better. But it should be. Or at least you hope as an author that you've become a better writer and each book does become a little better.Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-37790237745732666772011-10-19T16:52:00.000-07:002011-10-19T16:52:21.202-07:00Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/10/coffin-hop.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!</a>: I'm very excited about the Coffin Hop! It's the first blog hop I have ever been a part of. A bunch of horror fiction writers are particip...Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-83294171097448882952011-10-07T13:50:00.000-07:002011-10-07T13:50:12.676-07:00Lorelei's Muse: Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish ~ Dedication to Steve J...<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/10/stay-hungry-stay-foolish-dedication-to.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish ~ Dedication to Steve J...</a>: Hunks Thursday has been postponed for an Icon. 1955-2011 I've heard the news, just as all of you have that Steve Jobs has died. I didn...Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-20718713829157702282011-09-12T07:09:00.000-07:002011-09-12T07:09:06.216-07:00Lorelei's Muse: Interview with Heather McCorkle, Author of Secrets...<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/09/interview-with-heather-mccorkle-author.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: Interview with Heather McCorkle, Author of Secrets...</a>: Heather McCorkle Heather and I met on Author Nation blogsite, and we sort of meandered away and I followed Heather here t...Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-17538374827227030022011-09-03T11:45:00.000-07:002011-09-03T11:45:56.929-07:00Sabrina and Vasyl answer the UNDERWEAR CHALLENGE!<div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">The vampire appeared in my dining room, looking like something out of a virgin girl's dream. Long wavy black hair draped down his bare shoulders, down past the band of his tight, faded bluejeans. Large violet eyes going half lidded, he breathed, <i>“Mon cher,”</i> </span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">Of course he startled me. “Vasyl!” I put a hand to my chest. I hadn't expected him to pop in tonight. “Leave it to you to scare the pee out of me!”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pardon, </span><i>mon cherie</i>, but I whished to visit.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I rolled my eyes. “Okay. I just wish you'd come to the front door like everyone else.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why?” </span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's polite.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Very well, from now on I shall rap on the front door.” He paused to study me as I looked over a sheet of paper.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What are you doing, Cherie? What is that you have there?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It appears to be a questionnaire,” I said frowning at the page.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is it for?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lorelei sent it to me to answer for her blog.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who is this Lorelei, and what is a blog?” He sounded half-way peeved that something would take attention off of </span><i>him</i>.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lorelei is the woman who writes about my adventures—or mis-adventures—and a blog is something she writes on the Internet.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I do not know this Internet.” He gave the French shrug.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That's right you shun the modern world. Anyway, I have to answer these questions. They look hard.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ah. I shall help you, no?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You want to help?” I gave him a look as he moved closer to me. As he did the rich aroma of earth and horse blankets and straw distracted me.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oui.” He moved in closer, looking over my left shoulder a strand of his black hair snaked over my neck. His hair was possibly possessive as well.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, okay, if you want.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is the first question there?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><ol><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">What do you call your underwear/undergarments? Do you have any commonly used nicknames for them?</span></span></span></span></span></div></ol><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">Vasyl straightened and looked puzzled. “You have to name undergarments?”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's for fun.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But they already have a name.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Undergarments.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think they're looking for a common name. Like a person's name.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ah. Then do you have a name for them?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let us call them Debbie,” he said.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Debbie?” I looked back at him. “You mean, as a thousand year-old Frenchman, you could be that blas</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">é?</span>”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">He shrugged. “I like the name Debbie for your undergarments.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That was simple. What is this next question?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Have you ever had that supposedly common dream of being in a crowded place in only your underwear?</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">Vasyl straightened. “I do not dream. Usually. And when I do, <i>mon cher</i> it is only of you.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I snorted. “Yeah right.” I looked at the paper in my hands. “I'm going to go with no. I may have had visions while in a crowded place, but I had clothes on. So, I don't think it counts”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I agree. Next question.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">What is the worst thing you can think of to make underwear out of?</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wool,” he said.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I agree. That was simple.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">If you were a pair of panties what color would you be?</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">Vasyl threw back his head and laughed. “These are silly questions cherie!”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm going to go with white.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No-no-no! Black. If you were undergarment I would want you to be black silk.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oo-la-la,” I sang. His hands slid up my arms. He pulled me close, my back against his bare chest. This was actually the vampire feeding pose. With any other vampire, I would have been under his thrall, by now, except for one thing--I wore the mystic ring, which prevents vampire thrall completely. But also, Vasyl did not feed from me. He had sworn human blood off centuries ago. I'm not at liberty to tell you what animal blood he feeds on almost exclusively.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And I have yet to see your undergarments--please tell me you will wear only black and that they are silk,” he said low in my ear.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vasyl!” I turned my head to look at him, unable to help a silly smile. “You'll just have to wait to see,”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It makes me tingle with anticipation to see your Debies.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think we'd better continue with these or we'll never finish,” I said.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">Have you ever thrown your underwear at a rock star or celebrity? If so, which ones? If not, which ones?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I do not understand,” Vasyl said. “What is rock star?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Uh, they play music. Rock and roll, or other kinds of music. They play on a stage. Sometimes women throw underwear at the stage.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why? Do they need underwear?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No, silly, they throw them </span><i>their</i> underwear.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ah. Then it is to suggest they want to—” he made a suggestive noise in the back of his throat and encircled me with his arms. “This is giving me ideas, </span><i>mon cher.</i> Let me take you into the bed room, I will lick my bite, as you like that so much.” Vasyl had bitten me when I was young and any time he licked his bite it gave me a powerful orgasm.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I squealed with delight as he kissed along my neck. “Wait,” I panted, turned and pressed my hand to his creamy chest. My eyes fell to the black hair that arrowed down to the waistband. I pinched the hair between my fingers. “We have a few more questions to do.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They can wait.” He pulled me close and kissed me. My knees went first, and then my stomach did flip-flops. He may not be able to thrall me, vampire-wise, but man-wise it was no contest.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's only a few more. . .” I spoke through our kisses. </span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hurry then.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">You're out of underwear, what do you do?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">“Oh, bien.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I chuckled. “Since you don't wear shoes or socks, you probably don't wear underwear.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why should I?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">Are you old enough to remember Underoos? If so, did you have any? Which ones?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am old enough to remember the Bubonic Plague. And nearly all of the churches of Europe were built in my time as a human and then a vampire.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">“Right. Next question.”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.19in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">If you could have any message printed on your underwear,what would it be?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These questions are silly.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Play along—what are you doing?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kissing your palm.” His lips trailed up my inner wrist, working toward his bite.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I yanked my hand out of his and gave him a stern look.</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're not done yet!”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have told you, these are silly questions.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nevertheless I have to answer them!”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When you are through, then we shall retire to the bedroom.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;">I licked my lips. “Okay!”</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.49in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.49in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: red;">How many bloggers does it take to put panties on a goat?</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What are these people?Greek? Who would put panties on a goat?”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think it's a joke.”</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This whole questionnaire is a joke! But I'm not joking when I tell you I need to address this question of what color your underwear is.” He lifted me up into his arms and I squelched a screech. The paper with the questions went fluttering to the floor.</span></span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%;"><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;">Wait! We have to pass this on to a couple of people!</span></span></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let's pass this on to the men:</span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Roland Yeomans of <a href="http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/">Writing In The Crosshairs</a></span></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"></div><div align="left" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.02in; margin-right: 0.2in; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.47in;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">James Garcia Jr. of <a href="http://jamesgarciajr.blogspot.com/">Dancing On Fire</a></span></div><br />
Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-44594498490997204572011-08-27T11:20:00.000-07:002011-08-27T11:20:37.599-07:00Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/08/loreleis-birthday-bash-give-away.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!</a>: Hello! You made it! Welcome! Join us in the celebration! Here's a party hat and we're about to cut the cake. Mingle and make yourself comfor...
<br />Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-35742734214975655482011-08-26T15:21:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:21:37.398-07:00Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/08/give-away-announcement.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!</a>: Okay, so this girl is turning a year older, and I decided I would have a little party for those of you who follow, and/or are fans of my vam...
<br />Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-35232187633930829422011-08-04T07:23:00.000-07:002011-08-04T07:23:57.860-07:00Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-give-away.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!</a>: "I usually do Hunks Thursday, but I've something more important to do today. My friend Heather McCorkle is having a fantastic give away!!! ..."Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-31527628995855026222011-08-04T07:14:00.000-07:002011-08-04T07:14:17.322-07:00Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-give-away.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!</a>: "I usually do Hunks Thursday, but I've something more important to do today. My friend Heather McCorkle is having a fantastic give away!!! ..."Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-74360813741932433032011-06-12T11:25:00.000-07:002011-06-12T12:16:14.179-07:00Pivotal Moment<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0sc9zMdKnMhJ61Q2pN464Lg0OZ3v9_lt2EOJStmm2fP4JLcxTTLeTIIZOaJVJeZSpNFKfRDN-QbCYIYkeLno7HKcKRyqV2EuLWWBPuybyCPzaKFb8jUMMjc267-ePCvtpgLdL_DQR9g/s1600/gothic-elf.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617401658157203794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0sc9zMdKnMhJ61Q2pN464Lg0OZ3v9_lt2EOJStmm2fP4JLcxTTLeTIIZOaJVJeZSpNFKfRDN-QbCYIYkeLno7HKcKRyqV2EuLWWBPuybyCPzaKFb8jUMMjc267-ePCvtpgLdL_DQR9g/s320/gothic-elf.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Pivotal moments come in our fictional stories, but they also come in our real life.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Upon looking back a year ago, I see that I had yet to have my first vampire book published. But I was trying to get it published with an eBook publisher. I simply wasn't getting anywhere with them (I'll not name them, as other people have gone on to publish with them). I think my book wasn't quite right for them, but the editor simply wouldn't tell me. She kept stringing me along, for some reason, all summer long. I asked one more time if she wanted to see the rest of the book. After waiting five weeks and never heard back from her I gave up. Discouraged, but not quite down, I decided to go with Copperhill Media, who'd shown interest in my first chapter. I don't think I could have made a better choice. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, with <a href="http://vampireascending.copperhillmedia.com/"><strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong> </a>out, and the eBook doing really well, and my second book to be released in late Summer, I'm trying to appreciate where I've come from. A lot of well-known novelists don't do this. Those who have made a lot of money not only on their books--as they were published with the big-name publishers--but have had movies made of their books, seem to not be very happy with where they are, as though they're owed much more. I've seen too many interviews with authors who became too large too quickly, and don't think they've really "made it", and are "unavailable". (Of course there are a rare few who are not big-headed.) On the contrast, I've been able to contact other authors, and they've friended me on facebook. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I won't ever become big-headed. I've been struggling far too long to snub friends, followers and fans to do that. I'm not sure if I'll ever enjoy a six-figure check derived from book sales or maybe a movie deal, but I'll gladly take whatever may come. I'm told, or reminded, by my husband I deserve much more. Well, don't most of us, really? Suffering is part of the artist's life. The term "starving artist" isn't just a funny term.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Actually having people enjoying my book all over America, and maybe even the world (my blog, <a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/"><strong>Lorelei's Muse</strong> </a>is visited by more than 50 countries, and I seem to be pretty popular with Denmark, Latvia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia and Germany), is a big treat for me. It is because I've never had the privilege of such potential readers, fans or just the curious want to check out what I post here, or whatever I've published. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My first book which I self-published, <strong><em>Spell of the Black Unicorn</em></strong>, has suffered sales since the first year. Possibly because it's only in book form, is why, and I've had no idea of how to promote it. It is a fantasy tale I wanted to write, and spent five years doing so. I have a sequel to it, but I'm not willing to go the self-publishing route again. I did so because--again--I could get no where with agents. I'll just wait and see what happens with my vampire novels.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, the pivotal moment is now, I'd say, with my second in a series about to come out, <em><strong>Vampire's Trill</strong></em> picks up where <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong> leaves off, in the continuous story of my Touch Clairvoyant, Sabrina Strong. To have several people contact me via facebook who have read <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong> and tell me how much they loved it, and want to read the second book is, to me, the best ride so far I've ever had. I'm just happy to be able to say it will be coming out soon. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Meanwhile, I work on the third book.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-10208089647640073402011-05-21T12:28:00.000-07:002011-05-21T12:55:06.960-07:00May's Notations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G34y7hnBwv-yEejIzYMt5kwTOSzp6CTX_63wqeXxhf754eyGmpKCg6zuxvobqDWswB2gF5MriHt4KYaBYV-GR_wyAvYlF3GBQAnDRUEjWBfEzCc-PGaKwMt8al7kUxqcG8CLoEZd1Qo/s1600/tananger.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609253902513158722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 161px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G34y7hnBwv-yEejIzYMt5kwTOSzp6CTX_63wqeXxhf754eyGmpKCg6zuxvobqDWswB2gF5MriHt4KYaBYV-GR_wyAvYlF3GBQAnDRUEjWBfEzCc-PGaKwMt8al7kUxqcG8CLoEZd1Qo/s200/tananger.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>This month is slipping by. I'm on last pass through of my second book <strong><em>Vampire's Trill,</em></strong> and have been very busy on this. I'm about mid-way, I think. So, I've been busy working on it this month to hopefully have it out at some point this summer for all you people who are reading or have read (or want to read), the first book <em><strong><a href="http://vampireascending.copperhillmedia.com/">Vampire Ascending</a></strong></em>, and need the second one.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I don't mean to be amazed at myself, or where I'm at, but I am. I guess I should be, though, considering how long it took me to get to this place with my writing. This blog was set up as my spot to give a look back at where I've come from.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Oh, the bird in the tree is called a Scarlet Tanager. It has a bright red-orange body, sooty black wings and tail and it has an oriole-type song. I've yet to see one this spring, but my husband has seen it. But he works in the park and so it figures he sees one of the more rarer visitors to our neck of the woods.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I'm also working--partially--on the third book. I've gotten about half way done first draft. I want to finish my second book so that I can work on it this summer. I know what I want to write, I've just have had so little time to work on it. There is a complicated climax scene that I have to figure out and until I get this second one sent off to my wonderful publisher, I'm not going to have time to work on it in a continuous way. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We are also having our kitchen renovated. It's in its last stages. But we are itching to move completely back into the room with the table, chairs, refrigerator, and get curtains up and so forth--get the men out of the house! My husband has been having his lunch outside these past weeks (he says this is #7 week), because of all the hoopla that's going on.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>They are to replace a couple of doors, steps and a few other things as well. We just want the kitchen to be done this coming week. It would give a feel of accomplishment. This was something we asked the forest preserve to do several years ago. If I had not written a letter to the superintendent, I know this wouldn't have happened. Finally, I forced the issue and got the ball rolling. Going to the top doesn't hurt. Especially since we've been here--going on--our 17th year.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, this is where I'm at for now.</div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-36663697109936157702011-05-07T05:06:00.000-07:002011-05-07T05:35:52.472-07:00It's May!Raining this morning, but I think it's lifting off for now. Spring flowers are in full blossom, and many of the birds are back. My husband has become quite the birdwatcher, and watches them from the kitchen window. I'm called once in a while to identify one. He usually knows, but has to have my expert eye.<br /><br />Meanwhile I'm trying to get my second book finished, Vampire's Trill. A lot of thought and work has gone into this one. I have been going through it several times to make sure I have not repeated myself--which is hard to do with a fresh eye every time, but I think I've caught a number of repeated phrases. Its hard to do a series and not explain, briefly, some of the things that came in first book, because you want your readers to remember things from that first one. But I don't like to brow-beat, and I'm not going to start out explaining who Sabrina is. If you don't know who she is, then you'd better go get the first book and read it first. Right?<br /><br />Spring semester is nearly done--thank goddess!--at NIU. And usually I don't mind the summer's slower pace, but I still have to drive. My husband wishes I could just be home and write (and take walks to trim down), and just be at home doing my thing. Says he has not given up hope that something might come through. He's quite the believer.<br /><br />I am also lining up more appearances--of my first book <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong>. Anyone trekking over here from time to time might want to pay attention, and get on over to <a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/"><strong>Lorelei's Muse</strong></a> because I am going to be on another blog this coming Monday, and will announce it both on Sunday as to where, and on Monday I will give the link to it at Muse.<br /><br />If you are a Muse reader, you know I affectionately call those of you who come over there my "lurkers and stalkers", and I need you to continue to lurk and stalk because you are what makes my world rock. I also must tell you, since you are reading this at this blog, that I have been writing for over 30, and had always thought back when that it wouldn't be long before I'd be published. Little did I know it would take this long, and that it would be such a bumpy, unkind road. But I've finally made it. I did not give up. I wanted to a hundred times. I tried getting myself a publisher (first back when you could approach publishers), and then I tried agents. Whatever the reason, I wasn't their cup of tea.<br /><br />But, I learned eventually, that you--the readers--are the ones I have to care about. Not "them". You are the ones who put down the $$ for books to read books, and you are the ones who have convinced me that, yes, I am good enough. My readers have spoken. <a href="http://shellysnovicewritings.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-review-lorelei-bells-vampire.html"><strong>Shelly's Novice Writings</strong> </a>made a review on Vampire Ascending, and she did a great job. The only other place I would recommend to those of you unconvinced, other than the places I've been to to promote the book is the book's own website <a href="http://vampireascending.copperhillmedia.com/">Here</a>.<br /><br />And I've been placing certain hints here and there at Muse as well as Copperhill Media's own website <a href="http://frogenyozurt.com/2011/04/a-legend-of-the-sibyl-of-delphi-the-dagger-of-delphi/">FrogenYozert</a>, if you want to investigate some of the background I'm working on for the next book, which I hope to be done with soon so that I can sent it out and it might make a summer publication, if I work a little harder this week to finish. I hope. That's why I'm not blogging as much now, since all this really takes up my time. I can't visit other bloggers' as much as I'd like either.<br /><br />Hope you all have a good weekend!Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-82286778207388527102011-04-23T12:26:00.000-07:002011-04-23T12:45:52.231-07:00It's Been A While<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTr26x8Yd9xj0UAHH0woDPCk9gQPeUC7Na4l3r3xv_2rvDNeY_kproqKVsom1HxrYLZ5u-opyLMjr_P_nXhfwV3c2GecNNbJb4Ejssmlewv1YyzbHNCmkhOw9zmxp8U4u8bfkhLT-I8w/s1600/daffodil.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598866536620764098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTr26x8Yd9xj0UAHH0woDPCk9gQPeUC7Na4l3r3xv_2rvDNeY_kproqKVsom1HxrYLZ5u-opyLMjr_P_nXhfwV3c2GecNNbJb4Ejssmlewv1YyzbHNCmkhOw9zmxp8U4u8bfkhLT-I8w/s200/daffodil.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Spring is trying to spring around here. But it has been windy, rainy and cooler than normal in my neck of the woods.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>I'm not looking forward to summer, but I'd sure like a little bit of spring before the heat comes in.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Every once in a while I get a wonderful surprise. I'll get a nice review in a local paper, I'll go to Amazon and see that someone has bought a book or an eBook. That's always a wonderful thing to see. </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>This week was a new one that I didn't even expect. It came from my publisher, Copperhill Media, who made a special web page for my book <strong><em><a href="http://vampireascending.copperhillmedia.com/">Vampire Ascending</a></em></strong>. I've changed the link that anyone can reach when they click on the book's cover over on my side bar. I was staggered by this, when my publisher sent me the email and said I should go look this over. Wow! I thought it was fabulous. </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>I then learned that my publisher would take my second book, because the first one was doing so well. That's a load off my mind. He told me it wouldn't be available until summer. I said I didn't care, as long as those who read the first one and have been hounding me for the second one I can now tell them for sure that it will be out some time this summer.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Presently I'm nearly done tweaking the second book. The title is <em><strong>Vampire's Trill</strong></em>, and I have some teasing posts from this book over at <a href="http://loreleisarchives.blogspot.com/"><strong>Lorelei's Archives</strong></a><strong>,</strong> if you'd like to check those out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've also been working on the third one, and as if that weren't enough I've got some dialogue for the 4th one but undecided as to where this one will go, but that will come to me in time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>In the mean time, however, I am still promoting my first book. Next month I will be having another give away and will be hosted on <strong>Patricia's Vampire Notes</strong> blog. This is on <strong>May 9th</strong>.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So, those of you who missed the opportunity to either buy or win a book, here you go. Be sure to keep posted over on <strong>Lorelei's Muse</strong> for when it is up. I will be home that day to bring you the actual link when I know it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now I must go back to work. Tah!</div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-1704435269527318162011-04-10T07:26:00.000-07:002011-04-10T07:26:05.243-07:00Lorelei's Muse: Contest Time!<a href="http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/2011/04/contest-time.html?spref=bl">Lorelei's Muse: Contest Time!</a>: "Well, all of you who have been waiting for this, go to Fangtastic Books! Good Luck!"Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-91985937735147115682011-04-08T18:11:00.000-07:002011-04-08T18:48:36.169-07:00More Thoughts on Popularity ~ In The Real World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJF7mt4ClxehMP_lS4fJIv-oH02XhY80YfB6YFsxgF0fBGSo9SbAOfprVunH2FCPFnl4O8BjdJXYcpDjES5np7zSD_-0jKaD1BavdkTQ4ssmyGX3uBN6pgf8snzTDHQK3npoq4443nNs/s1600/thumbnail+of+VA+book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593394754580097714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJF7mt4ClxehMP_lS4fJIv-oH02XhY80YfB6YFsxgF0fBGSo9SbAOfprVunH2FCPFnl4O8BjdJXYcpDjES5np7zSD_-0jKaD1BavdkTQ4ssmyGX3uBN6pgf8snzTDHQK3npoq4443nNs/s200/thumbnail+of+VA+book.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div>Once your book is out there, it becomes very apparent that you have to work just as hard, maybe even harder, to get people to notice and buy it. Being shy, or not being aggressive will not help sales at all. Plus, you need to become a little creative in the finding places to get the word out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In my case my job almost gives me the best of both worlds. I work driving a bus for a college campus. Thus I've got a lot of riders who get to know me (or they see me) 5 days a week and 7 hours a day. Every college has a paper, and NIU is no different. The Northern Star is sent all over the country, and has won several awards over the years. Thus, getting myself in this paper has taken both savvy, and guts to approach people who I know will get a story about my book into this paper.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Tony Martin is a columnist for Northern Star, and he rides my bus. Can you believe I could have such a deal? It's like kismet! His column is featured more than once a week. He reviews bands, music, and such mainly. But when I approached him about my vampire book, he was a bit hesitant. I knew he was. He probably thought it was another copy-cat of the <strong><em>Twilight</em></strong> series. So, when I told him about it, and I sort of pressed him into reading it, I felt I'd done everything I could in the name of getting the book noticed. I have no idea how many vampire fans there could be in a campus this size, but I figured it might be one in maybe 50. I don't really know.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This week Tony's review on my book came out. He gave it a 4 1/2 out of 5 rating. That's pretty good. It's good, considering that he is an English major. He was happy to see that my book, <em><strong>Vampire Ascending</strong></em> is not anything like <em><strong>Twilight.</strong></em> He said it was "a breath of fresh air in a genre that will, at its apex, be remembered for birthing some sparkly British super model vampires who wants to save it for marriage . . ." He called my work more of a "gritty, violent, dark and sexual world of Anne Rice's vampires. . . " He liked that I was able to create a female protag that caught him by surprise when he decided he liked her. Sabrina Strong had real problems, and tried to deal with them, and only got in deeper and deeper. He also like that my story had vampires existing in "our reality, instead of some hypothetical alternate universe".</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There was a good reason for this. I didn't want to do a lot of back story. You get bogged down in that, as a reader, as well as a writer. But, it's a tough sell, as I told a young lady who had seen the article and started up a conversation about it while riding my bus the day the article came out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today, a day after the article came out, another young lady came on my bus saying "You've been keeping a secret!" she said, her cute dimples showing. I knew she meant that I'd kept it hidden that I was a writer. Well, you don't stop the bus and make the announcement, do you? But it's difficult to get the word out. I should wear a sign saying I have a book out there, maybe, as someone else suggested. One of those bill board things you wear. Yeah, that's a great idea. I also thought of chalking sidewalks, but my knees aren't what they used to be in my twenties.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Back to the lady with dimples. "I knew you were different, I just didn't know in what way." I had to laugh. I'm not sure if she meant the way I tried not to "look" like a bus driver, I try to wear suit coats once in a while, and just look nice. Author-ly, you might say.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Her name was Nicole, I found out, and she had been riding my bus for a few years, but I hadn't seen her in months. She is what I want to call an "absolute fan". She came up to me, began the conversation, and said she was interested in the book, and everything about it, so I gave her a book mark which gave places where to find the book, and I even jotted down my main blog. When I get people like this who don't have to be convinced to buy the book, that's what I call a fan. I want to hug them all. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Popularity with fans is more what I'm after. If I'm able to convince an English major who is more into zombies than vampires, that my book was worth his while, then, yeah. This is the fruit of my labor of throwing myself out there, getting the book noticed, and taking a chance that people will eventually find out about it. This is where my time and effort must go toward more now than trying to see how many new followers I can grab. My main blog, Lorelei's Muse is seen all over the world. Russia, Germany, Israel, Australia, Canada, Japan, Denmark. . .51 countries--some which I don't even know where they are. And when I begin seeing sales on Amazon--as I can track them--I know that somehow people are coming to find a new vampire book with grit, spice and things that some of those YA versions just don't have.</div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-73819678792716431242011-03-18T04:43:00.000-07:002011-03-27T06:17:44.206-07:00Popularity: What It Means For A Writer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYKgNYulbY6XnYg8kEf_Nc0RfgSvIeuoTrAq5yZI32HQCjMSHgEzEHESAgo5PZJGO2yJtRt4JtntwoGPVybhWai-T7vhjPxoq8D_FYU91JIWWIg75HXyZgbnOXWutFFc1C9EGmNpRtng/s1600/SG105395.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585402709034026738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 196px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYKgNYulbY6XnYg8kEf_Nc0RfgSvIeuoTrAq5yZI32HQCjMSHgEzEHESAgo5PZJGO2yJtRt4JtntwoGPVybhWai-T7vhjPxoq8D_FYU91JIWWIg75HXyZgbnOXWutFFc1C9EGmNpRtng/s200/SG105395.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><div>When I remember my childhood, even as I grew up and got through high school, the whole idea of being "popular" was not high on my list. Did I have friends? Sure. Do I have friends now? Of course. Do I get invitations from said friends? Not often. Do I get phone calls from them, birthday cards or emails out of the blue? Not really. But then, I don't send cards out, unless it's a thank you, call them, or email them too much either. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Does this bother me? Not really. </div><br /><div>It used to. I've become used to the idea that people like me for who I am, and it doesn't go beyond that. If I need something from someone, like a ride home, or even a dollar, for whatever the reason, I know that someone would gladly give it to me, and they want nothing back in return. They simply are the types of people who would do something nice for me. I seem to have some great friends.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Am I popular? I really don't know if "popular" would be the word. I have come to realize that people at work know who I am before I even know their name (there's a big turn-around rate at the bus company, being that every few years the college students who work there graduate and leave, and a new crop come in). I'm a likable person.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, let's take a look at popularity in the virtual world. </div><br /><div>Yesterday I was at the Writer's Digest site and I caught a discussion on how to get readers to your site. The operative word is READERS. Not just other writers. How does one do this? Well, first, I guess you have to get yourself a book, or something published in order to bring them to your blog. That blog has to be advertised someplace, of course. But also, you still have to get the notice of readers who want to stop by your blog, so you have to have some knowledge of what SEO's will work.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Now, granted, I'm not certain how this is done. Seems I learn something new all the time about blogging. Every blog I follow is posted by another writer. Well, almost nearly. There seems to be a trend now with a lot of "blog hopping", oh, and posting something every dang day! The whole idea behind it is to get other "writers" to your blog. Other writer friends are wonderful, don't get me wrong. We need our writer buds, we like feedback, we need their support. But at what point is this blog hopping too much? I think I've seen where a lot of writers who hold down jobs and have families, etc. & simply can't keep up this sort of blogging day to day. When do you say to yourself "I can't keep up with all this?" You almost have to, or you'll drive yourself to the nut farm, your husband (or wife), will threaten divorce, and your children will go unfed. Just joking, but I happen to know you can <strong>not</strong> have it all. You can <strong>not</strong> burn the candle at both ends and expect to survive, simply because you are trying to become "popular" get more followers, and so forth. You have to realize that type of popularity is okay, but will it get you actual "readers"?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I've simply no time to blog hop, or jump every time there is some sort of contest, or challenge in the blogging world. You have to leave comments, and then visit all the other blogs/links on a post of everyone who is doing this, and then go back to your blog and post something about it with all the other blogs links and so forth--when would I have time to do actual work on what I want to do? </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Slow modem aside, this would take me hours of time to invest. I do not have time for this. And I had to question the reason behind it all. Is it some sort of contest to get a lot of followers? To become "popular" like it was in high school? I'm not really sure. The real question is boils down to this: is popularity of this sort going to help me down the road? Will it pull in people who will buy my book? I'm not really sure. Maybe a few writers will buy and read it. I do know some who have bought my book, and I surely thank them for doing so. But what will hours a day spending it at every blog I follow do for the sales of my book? Maybe absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, my own writing suffers. Plus I work full-time to bring in money to pay the bills. When would I have time? Sure, possibly for some of you this is considered fun. But if you are a writer, you need to work on your writing.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The Writer's Digest discussion about what type of followers you wanted: writers vs. readers had gone back and forth until one person said that there was an author of science fiction who didn't write posts directed toward other writers, and wrote on various things that his readers would want to read about. Like things in the news, politics, and so forth. He's pretty popular, and I saw his blog. He simply has the knack for writing about things that make people--his readers--who want to read whatever he has to say about news, religion, politics and other everyday things. This works for him mainly because he cares about such things. Plus, obviously he has time to post blogs--sometimes twice in a day!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What works for one writer, might not work for another. Besides, keeping up with all the news in the world, or even around the country is neither in my interest, or something I can do. I simply don't have time to do this. Plus, I don't just have one blog to keep up, I have several. I have this one, <strong>Something Nebulous Within</strong>, which <em>is</em> aimed at other writers out there who are just starting out and need encouragement, and maybe keep them aware of certain new trends--when I know about them, and can post about them, of course. Here at <strong>Nebulous</strong>, I've also posted from my journal from years ago, allowing you all to see where I was at one time, and that basically, we've all been wannabe authors. </div><br /><div>I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUomNhqIeYWdLnzvPGildjytWWLcH3ArSct2PtzFvrJTDRZpF3XtoqfjvWWKsI_DN7oIbMqOBbdF6Xl-ioKk5iBMV2Re47vDqOcT-uEby45PPjroG1fYksW6fyTz3mXM_AHCBq1i41qM/s1600/blood-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585403838549613010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUomNhqIeYWdLnzvPGildjytWWLcH3ArSct2PtzFvrJTDRZpF3XtoqfjvWWKsI_DN7oIbMqOBbdF6Xl-ioKk5iBMV2Re47vDqOcT-uEby45PPjroG1fYksW6fyTz3mXM_AHCBq1i41qM/s200/blood-1.jpg" border="0" /></a>'ve just recently re-vamped (sorry), my other blog and renamed it <strong>Vampire Writer's Retreat</strong>. Here I will try and only post on things pertaining to vampires, whatever it might be.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>At <strong>Lorelei's Muse</strong>, since this is my official author's site, I will post there more often, and about whatever interests me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The fourth blog is called <strong>Lorelei's Archives</strong>, where I post only my writings--either from my books--ones which are published, and the ones I'm working on--and other things that I've written. I may post a portion of a chapter over at <strong>Muse</strong>, but I'll have the remainder over at <strong>Archives.</strong> I don't often post my poems, unless they've been published, and even those I don't like to share too often. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, this is where I am at this point. I've been blogging for about 3 years now. You will not find me blog-hopping. I might visit a few blogs every day, but I will not keep up a hectic pace, and I refuse to bend over backwards to receive any <em>"awards"</em> to post on my side bar, so please understand this, I do not have<strong><em> time</em></strong> to do the dance. You either like me for who I am, or you don't. If you want to follow me, wonderful! I'd love to have you along. I will come by your blog, if you have one, and especially if you stop and make a comment. If you're a "reader", stop in on face book. I have a face book fan page for my book, <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong>. I love comments at my posts, whichever blog you like to follow.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, have you ever thought about this? Are you in a quadry as to what is important to you? Do you really need 50 more followers, after sitting at your computer all day working on pinging back to other blogs, you have to ask yourself if it's all worth the effort and what you want to accomplish with your own writing. I've made my decision based on realistic values, my time, efforts and what I want to accomplish. It doesn't concern me much if I tick someone off because I didn't work my butt off to "earn"an award. I won't do that. I either earn an award because of what I've already done, or I'll refuse it. My time is mine to use as I wish and popularity contests are not my bag.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555970996978537806.post-25912949658359629262011-03-05T10:10:00.000-08:002011-03-05T13:09:03.196-08:00Turning Point<div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsa5gf-ACNjfnbRAHV_eDdjX2ch7kDM0mLzVSzDFw7rhqPNH8d6XFal3zY72v5nY2q7CHu8xw1JDOYUFsChYqeJjvcbvZPxEvzKxUgbhYyFmsWy5DSpFkfxEjGj81wlfFkRNTToaRJd4/s1600/All+Hallows+Eve.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580662885333731826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsa5gf-ACNjfnbRAHV_eDdjX2ch7kDM0mLzVSzDFw7rhqPNH8d6XFal3zY72v5nY2q7CHu8xw1JDOYUFsChYqeJjvcbvZPxEvzKxUgbhYyFmsWy5DSpFkfxEjGj81wlfFkRNTToaRJd4/s320/All+Hallows+Eve.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Possibly the one thing I can say when I compare my life now with ten years ago is that I'm able to say I'm published, and have two books out there, should anyone want to buy one.<br /><br />I happily cashed my check from my publisher today, went to Office Max and bought print ink and a surge protector--which I've needed forever--and now I don't have to unplug things when I leave. In fact I would have to unplug my phone modem every time I left the room in fear of having a surge or something like our lights merely going out for a few seconds would do my modem in. Now, I'm safe.<br /><br />I've been sending people out to buy the remaining copies of my book over at our local Borders store before they run out or close. I hate to see that store close. A lot of people liked it better, everyone I spoke to about it closing said the same thing, that it was more relaxing to sit in there, or browse.<br /><br />I've also been lucky in winning books at various blogs. I won <em><em><strong>All Hallows Blood</strong></em></em> by Raven Corinn Carluk, just a few weeks ago, and just today I found out I'd won Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's <strong><em>An Embarrassment of Riches</em></strong>. Now if only I could win the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes, I'd be set for the rest of my life! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWf4isFIggdfcdqlQxPBQVVeSZzTZ_NADn9bEgbqygT59M6pOF6H18hR64h3eW0OfyyNadYWhm-QKc_iAT-wImGuUCgjBdQB67dBxc21FN0JoD8xZpE8SmK0D34OqE9Mbpmxa-RMTOy0/s1600/anembarrassment_of_riches.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580662726626467922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWf4isFIggdfcdqlQxPBQVVeSZzTZ_NADn9bEgbqygT59M6pOF6H18hR64h3eW0OfyyNadYWhm-QKc_iAT-wImGuUCgjBdQB67dBxc21FN0JoD8xZpE8SmK0D34OqE9Mbpmxa-RMTOy0/s320/anembarrassment_of_riches.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But really, I remember struggling with my writing. Not knowing if my writing actually sucked, or why agents were not inclined to take me on. It got to a point in my life where I didn't have time to dawdle with waiting on replies that usually wound up in the negative. My first book to see print was a gamble. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1f5CX666gg15e9x7ah95xzeNjVBAbzeJzTckh5ZTkNuz34kQqnxq1EjlKcIn5PwHrZ73yLfLOcs4B_FFQC00rZsCKo00AexMv2o2b7RjPxlPATlkAfJ-iPA5_DhxHksxan_VymopZfI/s1600/517GdeUPjxL__SL160_SL120_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580705308333656770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 79px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 120px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1f5CX666gg15e9x7ah95xzeNjVBAbzeJzTckh5ZTkNuz34kQqnxq1EjlKcIn5PwHrZ73yLfLOcs4B_FFQC00rZsCKo00AexMv2o2b7RjPxlPATlkAfJ-iPA5_DhxHksxan_VymopZfI/s200/517GdeUPjxL__SL160_SL120_.jpg" border="0" /></a>Even though I knew it was good, I had no promotion behind it--being that it was a POD publisher who charged for everything I might want. And since it was mainly in a light fantasy category, I didn't really have a ready-made audience for it. I knew with <strong><em>Vampire Ascending</em></strong>, I had an audience ready <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zhCLnQzNNJKzm9WeMAqeasi8NfUiS2amNdH7kKZ3Rd1zNCWwJDU2h4BP99vayttKDj1cbVMECW8LrS2qLii5mn5F5S5cjLNIK7g0u085PYl9ICvTWLTS8CwEJcv70KAYfeQSrc5Tqko/s1600/thumbnail+of+VA+book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580705706168202194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 89px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zhCLnQzNNJKzm9WeMAqeasi8NfUiS2amNdH7kKZ3Rd1zNCWwJDU2h4BP99vayttKDj1cbVMECW8LrS2qLii5mn5F5S5cjLNIK7g0u085PYl9ICvTWLTS8CwEJcv70KAYfeQSrc5Tqko/s200/thumbnail+of+VA+book.jpg" border="0" /></a>and willing to buy--no matter what those people in New York say. People are still looking for another good vampire book, and I've got it. The publisher for this book has backed it and are doing a great job of promotions. I'm trying to help it by getting out there to people, either being spot lighted in various vampire blogs, or wherever I think it will do good.<br /><br />So, yeah, even a year ago I was trying to find a publisher, and even tried a couple of agents, just to make sure I wasn't wrong in trying to find another POD. I wasn't. And the one ebook publisher apparently didn't want it either, so I think I made a good choice.<br /><br />Now, I'd better get back to work.</div></div>Lorelei Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03294047277447613989noreply@blogger.com0