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Thursday 13: I Have a Cold

Published August 22, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

I haven’t had a real cold in almost two years. I have asthma and sinus troubles so even a mild cold can go bad very quickly for me. This started on Monday afternoon and it has already escalated past the usual misery. Here are 13 things I’m dealing with right now:

1. Headache. Enough said, right?

2. Tiredness. We’re on overtime at work and I really want the money. Yesterday I worked from 6:30am to 5:23 pm. Considering how lousy I feel right now, that may have been a mistake.  I may have to kiss any overtime on the check good-bye cuz if I feel like this tomorrow I’m staying home.

3. Plugged nose. Either it’s swollen shut on the inside or it’s running like a faucet.

4. Raw skin between my nose and upper lip from constantly blowing. The last time this happened to me I was 8 years old. I’d forgotten how unpleasant it is.

5. Coughing. Deep, barking coughs that hurt both my chest and my head.

6. Can’t sleep. See #3 and #5, which results in #2.

7. Aches. My arms feel like over-ripe tomatoes. You know, where the only thing holding them together is the skin, and if you poke it, the tomato might burst and the insides will ooze all over.  Even my finger joints hurt.

8. Burning in my chest. Every breath that is even slightly deep hurts and results in a coughing fit.

9. Sneezing. This isn’t unusual for me. I sneeze all the time anyway because of my allergy to dust.

10. Watery eyes. See #9 above.

11. Piles of wadded up kleenex overflowing every wastebasket in my vicinity.

12. Temperature. It’s a little over 100 F right now.

13. Uncertain appetite. One minute I’m starving, the next nothing appeals to me.

 

On Monday afternoon, this might have been a summer cold. I strongly suspect we’ve raced right past that. I think it’s the flu. This may push the goal for Eddie’s Prize further out. Gosh darn it.

 

Posted in Thursday Thirteen | 7 Comments

Tuesday Truth: I’m Not Cleaning For a Month!

Published August 21, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Both at the day job and with my writing, I am on overtime. I am bound and determined to finish the rough draft of Eddie’s Prize by September 4. I’m not a fast writer. I can’t tell you how much I envy those authors who can write an excellent book in 10 weeks. I can point at all kinds of things in my life that steal my writing time (*cough* Facebook. *cough* knitting) but we all need our hobbies to keep us sane, right? And of course, I work a full-time job for Medicare where we’re all on overtime from today through October 5.

I can do it. I can gt this book written. I just need to watch my time, not volunteer for other things, and concentrate on writing when I get home from work. It also gives me an excuse to not clean for a month. 😀

Posted in Tuesday Truth & Teasers | 1 Comment

Love’s A Beach Blog Hop!

Published August 16, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Welcome to Maddy Barone’s stop on the Just Romance Me’s Love’s A Beach Blog Hop. If you want to go on the hop or you’ve fallen off the tour bus, you can get on by clicking here.

 

My current series takes place in Nebraska, in a dystopia-like future where women are scarce and wives are often taken by the winner of a Bride Fight.  Not a lot of beaches in Nebraska 🙂 But the idea behind beaches is relaxation, right? Maybe some hot lovemaking? Here is a scene from Eddie’s Prize, the 4th book in the After the Crash series, which I am hoping to have submitted by September 30. Eddie is a blond hunk who won Lisa in a Bride Fight. With so few women, there is no one to fool around with, so on his wedding night Eddie was a virgin. Lisa was a famous model before her plane jumped fifty years into the future. She is definitely NOT a virgin. This scene is the morning after.

Eddie leaned up with his head propped on one hand and his fingers of his free hand tracing invisible patterns over her collar bones. “It gets better every time, doesn’t it?”

Lisa stretched lazily. “I’m not sure it can get better than that. But if you want to try, I won’t complain.”

“It can be better. This time I didn’t kiss you, or suck your nipples, or barely taste your clit.”

“That’s true,” his wife agreed with a naughty smile. “And I didn’t get to suck you either.”

Eddie shuddered slightly when she ran a finger over his cock lying limp against his thigh. He caught her hand to bring it to his lips to kiss. “We have plenty of time to play. This is our honeymoon, remember?”

Her beautiful smile curved her lips. “Right. I need a bathroom, and then breakfast.”

Eddie returned the smile. “I think it’s closer to lunch now. You get dressed and go use the facilities, and I’ll see what we have in the cold box for breakfast.”

Lisa’s smooth brow folded in a frown. “The only clothes I have are what I was wearing on the plane. They’re pretty beat up.”

Eddie remembered that their clothes were currently scattered from the bedroom to the kitchen. “My mom and sister put a robe and nightgown in the closet for you.” He couldn’t keep his smile back. “I guess you didn’t get a chance to wear the nightgown. Tomorrow we’ll go downtown and order some new clothes for you.”

“Thank you!” Lisa gave him a big, smacking kiss. “I love new clothes!”

She jumped out of bed and flashed him a smile when he leered at her naked body in an exaggerated way. She took her time opening the closet and putting on the robe. She fumbled for the boots he had pried off her last night. She stamped her feet into them and shook her head to free her hair from the robe.

“A chenille robe and high-heeled Ferragamo boots. How sexy.”

He leered again. “I think so.”

She added an extra sway to her hips as she left the bedroom to go out to the outhouse. Eddie whistled at the show, enjoying teasing her. After he heard the door close behind her, his face lost the smile. Sitting up, he put his feet on the floor and his head in his hands. How long could he keep his secret from her?

Eddie got up and didn’t bother dressing before picking up their scattered clothes. Lisa was right. Her sweater was ruined, and her jeans weren’t much better. He folded the clothes and laid them on top of the dresser in the bedroom. He paused to smile at the rumpled sheets and blankets. No sense making the bed. He planned to be back in it not long after breakfast, with his wife beside him. Or under him, or on top of him. His smile grew, resembling a cat contemplating a bowl of foamy cream.

 

I am offering a download of Book 3: Wolf Tracker, which will be drawn by the Blog Hop organizers on Sunday. I am also offering a download of any of my books to a commenter on my blog. If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment. Also, those who receive my newsletter are automatically added twice to the drawing. I will draw a name by 10pm Central Time, Sunday night, and notify the winner then.

Have fun on the hop, and good luck in the Prize Winning Department!

 

Posted in After the Crash, Excerpts, Promos | 43 Comments

Tuesday Truth: blog hop ahead!

Published August 14, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Hey, everyone, summer’s coming to a close. For parents, that might mean that money is tight after buying school clothes and supplies. Can’t afford new reading material? Don’t fret. Go on the Love’s A Beach Blog Hop this weekend. There will be lots and lots of cool prizes to win like books! And out grand prize of a Nook Glo-Light!

And be like my mom. Put the flag out on the first day of school. With 8 of us, mom always said the first day of school ought to be a national holiday. 🙂

Posted in Promos, Tuesday Truth & Teasers | 1 Comment

Sheep To Shawl Competition

Published August 11, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Do you know what that is? That is when a group of fiber artists take nice fluffy wool that has been sheared from a sheep, and dye it, spin in into yarn, and then weave it into a shawl. Some teams are sponsored by local farms, or yarn shops, but the team that I am part of, Arachne’s Handmaidens,  is independent. This is the third year I have taken part in this fiber event, and the past two years my team has won. Sadly, we were disqualified because we did not finish our shawl within the alloted time. Still, it was a fun day and I had a blast with the other gals. I’m exhausted after spinning and plying for six hours, but it was so much fun. The shawl that did win was absolutely gorgeous. I still need to remove the waste and add the fringe so the shawl can go on display for the second day of the Fargo Fiber Fest.

 

 

 

Posted in Sewing/Arts & Crafts | Leave a comment

Tuesday Teaser: A Tidbit From Sky & Rose’s Story

Published August 6, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Right now, this is in Eddie’s Prize, but my editor may have me delete it since it really isn’t about Lisa or Eddie. So I thought you might like to read it. This takes place during the first night that Rose spends at the den after Sky has rescued her from Two Bears.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

        Lisa slept quite well in one of the double beds in the room Carla had ordered cleared out for Rose to live in. She was disoriented when she woken by soft sobs from the other bed. She lay in the dark, comfortably warm under the stack of quilts and blankets that Carla had heaped on the beds for she and Rose, debating whether Rose would welcome comfort or be embarrassed by it. The choice was taken out of her hands when the door opened quietly and someone came in on silent feet. Lisa strained to see who it was, wondering if whichever of the men who’d had this room before had forgotten something when he’d moved out. It was too dark to see, but a rustle came from Rose’s bed.
        “Rose,” whispered Sky. “Are you alright? Don’t cry, please.”
        Lisa froze, wondering if she should say something or pretend to be a sleep.
        “Sky, you’re not supposed to be in here,” came Rose’s hiss.
        “I heard you crying.”
        “How could you hear me crying? I’m not being that loud!”
        “Sh, Rose, don’t wake anybody up. I just wanted to be sure you were alright.”
        Lisa quickly closed her eyes and tried to breathe slowly as if she were still asleep.
        “I’m fine.”
        That disagreeable tone didn’t put Sky off. “Could I hold you for a little while?” he pleaded. “Just two minutes and I’ll leave you alone, I promise.”
        Rose muttered something that Lisa couldn’t catch, but she didn’t hear Sky leave.  There was a faint creak from the bed and then silence. Lisa knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but what else could she do? Of course, she probably didn’t need to strain so hard to try to hear what might be going on.
        “I think it’s been more than two minutes,” Rose hissed.
        “Okay.” There was soft sound of a kiss, and the meaty thud of a fist punching skin and muscle. “Ow, you didn’t need to do that.”
        “Get out, Sky!”
        A moment later Lisa heard the door open and close. Out of the dark, Rose’s voice was a hissed whisper. “Ms. Anton, are you awake?”
        Lisa sighed and shifted on the feather mattress. “Mrs. Madison,” she corrected. “Oh, just call me Lisa. And yes, I did hear. Sorry for listening in.”
        “That’s okay.” Humor touched the teenager’s voice. “I don’t think you had much choice. You don’t need to mention this to Mrs. Wolfe, do you? Sky did save me this morning. I don‘t want to get him in trouble.”
        “I won’t say a word,” Lisa promised.
        As she settled herself back down to sleep, she wondered what would come of Sky and Rose.
Posted in Excerpts, Tuesday Truth & Teasers | 1 Comment

How To Choose a Pen Name

Published August 5, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Many authors, especially those who write romance, elect to use a pseudonym or a nom de plume. How does one go about choosing a pen name? I’ve been in this writing game for a few years now, and I have a few suggestions. These are only my opinions, not written in some Author Handbook. You may disagree with me or have other suggestions. If so, feel free to leave a comment so others can benefit from your thoughts.

In no particular order:

1. Choose something that anybody could spell. If a reader wants to search you out on the internet or on the shelves of their local bookstore, they may have a hard time if they are looking for Jessica Diamond but you spell it Jezika Dymynd.

2. An easy-to-remember name is a plus. Maybe you really like Maria Maddalena da Monreale-Baroncelli, but will a reader remember that name? Besides that, how would it look on the cover of a book?

3. Do an internet search to see if the name you want is already being used. Sure, you probably know not to call yourself Nora Roberts, but there are a LOT of authors out there, especially with the advent of self publishing. Be sure you aren’t taking someone else’s name. And I’m not just talking about other writers’ names. Check for musicians, actresses, sports stars, etc.

4. Also, don’t choose a name that is too similar to other authors. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see a book by someone I thought was a long time favorite of mine. Imagine my disappointment (and irritation) to find out it wasn’t my favorite author, just someone with a very similar name.

5. Be sure you can spell it and write it easily. This is the name you will be signing when readers ask you to autograph their book. Practice writing it over and over. Is it comfortable for you? If not, look for something else.

6. Pick something you can answer to. How embarrassing to have a reader call, “Ms. Barone! Maddy!” while you stroll obliviously past her because you don’t realize she is talking to you. She thinks you’re rude and you missed an opportunity to chat with someone who (hopefully) enjoys your books.

7. Check to see if the domain for your pen name is available. Even if there is not another writer/public figure out there with the name you want, if you can’t use www (dot)yourname(dot)com it may be difficult for readers to find your website. And you want readers to be able to find you.

There, 7 suggestions to help you decide on a pen name. As I said, these are only suggestions. Your mileage may vary. 🙂

Posted in Writing | Leave a comment

U Need To Write!

Published July 31, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Do you remember my post from a few weeks ago? My rescue kitty LIttle Bit (Masuku) is camera-shy, but I finally got a good pic of her a few nights ago. I was frittering away my writing time playing games on Facebook, and this is what she had to say about it:

Posted in Writing | Leave a comment

Tuesday Teaser: Eddie’s Prize again

Published July 30, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

A teeny snippet from the work in progress. Lisa and Eddie in bed, near the end of their honeymoon.

Through teeth clenched with effort, Eddie said, “We’re done talking about this. Your past is in the past. Right now, from this point, we’re starting fresh. Okay? You don’t talk to men any more than you have to, and I’ll control the beast. The jealousy, I mean.”

“Yes, but—“

To shut her up before the beast tore away from his control, Eddie kissed her almost violently. At last, the beast stopped fighting him and Eddie let himself sink into the warmth of Lisa’s mouth. He’d thought he was too tired to make love again tonight, but he was wrong.

Posted in Excerpts, Tuesday Truth & Teasers | Leave a comment

Tuesday Truth: I love Baen Books!

Published July 23, 2012 | By Maddy Barone

Do you ever feel like the big publishing houses care a lot more about dollars than their customers? It’s sort of frustrating when an ebook costs more than the paper copy! That is NOT to say that I think all ebooks should be $0.99. Publishers (even self-publishing authors) still have to pay the art department, the editors and, of course, the author. Publishers deserve to make a profit. If they don’t, they’ll close shop and then where will we get our books?

One publisher that I think does it right is Baen books. If you enjoy fantasy and science fiction but don’t know about Baen’s ebooks, you’re missing out. What does Baen offer? Here are three reasons I love Baen:

  1. They have a FREE library. Yep, hundreds of their bestselling authors are absolutely free in the format of your choice. I’m not talking about duds that no one has ever heard of. They have Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, Lois Bujold McMasters, Jacqueline Carey, David Weber, etc. etc.  I give them huge kudos for offering great books for free. 
  2. They offer eARC (advanced readers copies) months before the book is actually out. You pay for it. ARCs run about $15.00. But sometimes, when you’re jonesing for the next book in a series, $15 is a cheap price to pay.
  3. They sell ebooks that are in hardcover in books stores for $6.00. That’s right, that great new book that costs $24.99 in hardcover in the store (and $12.99-$14.99 in e-format at digital sellers) cost only $6.00 when you buy it from Baen.

How can you go wrong? Head over to Baen. Whenever possible I give them my business as a way to say “Thank You” for remembering that their customers are readers who love stories, not just wallets to squeeze.

Posted in Tuesday Truth & Teasers | Leave a comment
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