dragons coming out of the woodwork

Last year, I got excited about an idea I'd had spinning in my head for some time, revolving around a dragon coming to this world, turning into a sexy human, and falling in love with a heroine. I mulled plot ideas for a long time, at last wrote a proposal, sent it to my agent, and sold it to Berkley a couple months ago.

Now, all the sudden, dragons are everywhere! Gena Showalter just came out with a dragon book. Of course, Katie Mac's series, and now Sherrilyn Kenyon's latest book revolves around a dragonslayer.

I swear I had no idea any of these writers had planned these books!. Weird how so many people can have the same idea at the same time. I held back writing mine a long time, because I thought, a dragon? No one will go for that!

LOL. I sold it, I'm writing it, it's coming out sometime next year from Berkley Sensation. More details as I go. Now I must read everyone's dragon books to 1. entertain myself; 2. make sure I'm not writing the same thing (don't think so, from the blurbs; I think mine's quite different).

Am writing a paranormal historical for Dorchester at the same time. This should be interesting.

Jennifer
www.jennifersromances.com

tiling done

Finally. Took two days longer than scheduled, and the installers didn't even show up the first day. Now dh and I are sealing grout and cleaning up. Bleh.

Christmas Cards from the Edge, the anthology with me, Lisa Cache, and Naomi Neale should be appearing in stores this week. Three fun stories to get you ready for Christmas!

Christmas?? Already?? Argh!! It's still 104 degrees. I guess it's fall in some places, but I wouldn't know. Time for me to go to the mountains, so I can see fall colors.

Jennifer
www.jennifersromances.com

tiling madness

Husband and I have been working for the last two weekends to pull out linoleum, scrape up the floor and prepare our kitching for tiling tomorrow. The refrigerator is in the living room now and everything's a big mess. Looking forward to getting the floor in so we can clean up. This afternoon, it's getting everything out of the kitchen and doing some painting.

Writing-wise, am trying to decide whether to scrap the first couple chapters of Mad, Bad Duke. I rewrote the opening, starting in a different setting and was happy with it yesterday, but not today. So I have two versions of chapters 1 and 2, not sure if I want to use either. The problem is the introduction of the hero, Alexander, who is a complicated person--intense, sexual, driven, ruthless, but he also has nightmares about his past, is trying to get over the loss of his wife, and wants a good life for his son. How to draw the reader into this character is tricky. I might just forget about the first two chapters, go on with the story and come back to the intro. Gah. Tiling is easier.

For fun, another highlander, courtesy of CJ.

scotsmen

Ok, so I found some Scotsmen. :) Thanks to Karen over at RBL for the horse.






www.jennifersromances.com

outpouring

Yesterday, I planned to take stuff to the Salvation Army collection center for the NO refugees who arrived in my city. But I was so busy, I didn't get there in time, so gave up for the day. This morning, I opened the newspaper and saw that so many people took supplies, clothes, etc. down to the pickup point that they had to wait in a 45 minute line to donate. Dang! That's a lot of people coming out to give. Two semi-truckloads of clothes, toys, toiletries, and so forth went to the coleseum to the refugees, and more is coming.

I was happy to see that so many people across the city leapt into their cars and hurried down to donate things. Wow. I am so happy to see the outpouring of caring and generosity that the average person has shown to their fellow human beings. It's heartening.

Work-wise, I got minor revisions to Penelope and Prince Charming done and sent to my editor. There's a character in this book, Egan MacDonald, known as The Mad Highlander, who will get his own book. Reading the ms. again after a step back, I really like Egan! A sexy highlander, a war hero, kind of unpolished, likes whiskey and women, and has a kind heart. I can't wait to write this man's story!

I don't have any good hunky Scotsman pictures, darn it. I'll look for some. :)

Jennifer
www.jennifersromances.com

disaster relief

A lot of readers and authors want to help out the hurricane victims of New Orleans and the Mississippi/Alabama coast. Below is a link with several options for giving. There are other efforts going on: RWA chapters are raising money to send to RWA chapters in beleaguered areas (in the New Orleans chapter, 2/3 of its members have lost their homes). All About Romance is going to start a book auction, to which I will be donating some of my books--I'll post the link to it whenever they get started.

The link below will take you to places such the Red Cross, Mercy Corps, and others.

http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hurricanes/?source=YAHOO&cmpgn=NEWS

My heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones, homes, and a sense of peace. You are in my prayers.

Jennifer Ashley