Labels: holiday

My wondamus Samhain editor, Tera, is hosting a contest on her blog. You could win a Kindle to start the Holidays off right.

But what do I need to do?

First, start by going here, to read the rules.

You went and looked, right? See, easy-peasy!

Good Luck!

Labels: contest

Labels: books in print, Denise Belinda McDonald, Denise McDonald, Paintbrush Series, print release, Second Chances

GHOST OF A CHANCE

ISBN: 978-1-60088-481-8

Date: October 30, 2009

Price: $5.99

Haunted by her past, Ruth-Ann Ryan tries to maintain the estate she inherited from a dear friend. Harry Troutman comes back to Texas with one goal in mind, to rid his familial home of one duplicitous gold digger.

Ruth-Ann and Harry fight each other, fight their growing attraction and fight an unknown assailant as they try to hash out the mess left in the wake of a will.

Throw in interference from Ruth-Ann’s long dead sister, another resident ghost as well as the manor’s aging butler and the couple will either drive each other crazy or fall madly in love.

Read an Excerpt

Labels: book news, Denise Belinda McDonald, Denise McDonald, Ghost of a Chance, new book, new release, writing

Ghost of a Chance is slated to release from Cobblestone Press on Oct. 30

and Second Chances: Book 1 of the Paintbrush Series (print version) is set to release from Samhain Publishing on Nov. 1

Double the chances of a good time.

Labels: book news, books in print, Ghost of a Chance, new books, Paintbrush Series, print release, Second Chances

Ghost of a Chance is up on the coming soon pages of Cobblestone Press's website ... WOOT!

I haven't gotten the "official" release date yet, though a fellow CP author saw it on a loop (that I'm not on yet) and it's listed as an October 30th release. How fitting having my ghost story release the day before Halloween. I cannot wait.

Labels: book news, Ghost of a Chance, new book

I received my art package. Here's my new cover (no date yet, will post it ASAP):

Labels: Ghost of a Chance, new book, new cover

Mind out of the gutter folks. I’m talking about your characters. I have started and stopped so many stories I could line every bird cage in Fort Worth with my half-way there, not close to done WIPs. When asked if I’m a panster or a plotter I always answer: yes. Because truth be told, I do both—even in the same story. Both have their drawback and both have tried and true methods. And you can get stuck with either. I can’t tell you how many times I have plotted a book out, I know where it’s going and who the bad guy is and then in the course of writing the thing, I learn, he didn’t really do it, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I’m stuck staring at my screen trying to figure out who really did it.

Sometimes when this happens, I add it to the bird cage pile. But others, it makes the story stronger—even more fun to write. It’s a challenge. It lights that fire of creativity under my bum. If I can work myself out of the proverbial corner—because I didn’t see it coming—the reader will (hopefully) be more entertained because they didn’t see it coming either.

Still, once I am in that corner, I have to get out. But how? There are ways to jar the story in another direction—to open a doorway, or pop in a ladder, in that corner. Where does the ladder/doorway come from, you may ask.

Some writers will toss in another dead body (maybe even the person they thought did it to begin with—talk about a monkey wrench for the whodunit). Some writers will ignite a bomb and send the world into chaos for all the characters (right, Geri). Think about this: what is the worst thing that can happen at that moment? Make it happen.

If you’re not writing a suspense novel, it could be an ex unexpectedly showing up—maybe even with a baby in tow. A long lost family member who has secrets the H/H doesn’t want revealed. Again, what’s the worst thing for one of the characters? How can you really make them sweat? Something that will throw the H/H’s world off kilter from what you already thought you knew. And as an added bonus, it will pull the reader along for the ride.

Whatever works to drag the story from the corner, go for it. It can be quite the adventure.

Labels: craft of writing, writing

I have sold my seventh book.

A contemporary/romantic-suspense/paranormal: GHOST OF A CHANCE will come out from Cobblestone Press. I don't have the dates yet, but will post them as soon as I get them.



I am excited!



And never fear, I am still working on Book 2 of the Paintbrush series (95% done w/ the first draft. Intensive edits shall start soon). I have also started work on a new project. I will give more details as it gets closer to looking like a whole book.

Always, always plugging away :)

Labels: book news, new book

Out of the 6 goals:

~ Finish two books. (I have well over 20 open WIPs to choose from so it’s not like I have a lack of ideas to choose from) Did this! Yes, got two open WIPs done!

~ Submit two finished books (they kinda go hand-in-hand y’know) Did this, but um, well... one several times over now... DOH!

~ Start and finish a new book from start to finish (but not until I have finished the afore mentioned two books) check and check.

~ Submit brand spanking new book (you see the pattern here right, this is supposed to be how it works–rather than staring the WIP and making 42 save copies of it and stopping around page 90 and thinking it’s crappy and watching a week of Lifetime and finishing two quarts of Chunky Monkey to appease the pain and doubt . . . . wheshew . . . . I guess I needed to get that off my chest!) It's outta my hands now

~ Look for an agent (I won’t be so bold as to put find an agent–a lot depends on that other person too) look below

~ Write every week (I know me, every day ain’t gonna happen–but if I do better, like two three days a week, I will have gotten so much more done!) I made myself do this even on days when CSI or Golden Girls beckoned

I have completed all but one... I haven't been actively seeking an agent--okay I haven't done it AT ALL. Yeah, I knowI shoulda but well... I just haven't. And hey, I still have a few months left. Let's bump that up to the top of my to-do list now and well see what shakes loose in December!

Labels: goals

TwoLips reviews is celebrating their third anniversary and is hosting a scavenger hunt featuring prizes from multi-author/vendors. The contest begins July 31st and ends August 31st.

There are tons of prizes you can win. Enter today.

(hint: on my site... What's new with you?)

ONLY SIX DAYS LEFT!

Labels: authors, hunt, prizes

Today is the release day for my sixth book: THE COWBOY PLAN

“The Cowboy Plan” by Denise Belinda McDonald

Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Western Romance

ISBN: 978-1-60504-651-8
Length: Novel
Price: 5.50
Publication Date: August 18, 2009
Cover art by Tuesday Dube

Big girls don’t cry over a spilled chocolate milkshake—they run like crazy.

Alex Barrett’s all too “real life” sentence is almost over. She’s spent years being a parent to her siblings—and her flaky mother. What was her reward, other than an empty bed? Nothing. And now that she’s almost free, nothing’s exactly what she plans to do. Except have fun.

One minute she’s one of thousands of panting female fans at hotter-than-hot Drew Hartford’s concert. The next, she’s all wet—and so is he. Okay, so it’s only because she dumped a milkshake all over him.

Drew’s meteoric rise to the top of the country charts is fueled by the swooning women who throw themselves at his feet. Alex? She’s different. When their icy paths cross, she doesn’t throw her panties, she beats a hasty retreat. There’s only one way to keep this intriguing lady around long enough to charm her out of those panties: offer her a job she can’t refuse.

Drew may be every female’s definition of a fantasy man, but a paycheck and a roll in the hay do not a relationship make. Besides, Alex is tired of living 24/7 for someone else. Even a someone who’s offering her dreams of happily ever after…

Warning: Hot and heavy loving; stuff country songs are made of.

Read An Excerpt Online

Labels: book release, Denise Belinda McDonald, Denise McDonald, new books, release day, The Cowboy Plan

TwoLips reviews is celebrating their third anniversary and is hosting a scavenger hunt featuring prizes from multi-author/vendors. The contest begins July 31st and ends August 31st.

There are tons of prizes you can win. Enter today.

(hint: on my site... What's new with you?)

Labels: authors, hunt, prizes

Two weeks from today THE COWBOY PLAN will be released... WAHOO!

If you have ever had a celebrity crush--even a crush of any kind--if you have ever been tongue-tied, star-struck or butterfingers, you can relate to Alex Barrett and her dilemma when instead of heaping praises on Country Crooner Drew Hartford, she heaps a large frosty shake on the man.

If people only want you for what you are, not who you are, you know Drew Hartford's plight. When he meets an uber-hot woman who can't get away fast enough, he is intrigued to point of acting like a love-struck teen.

Find out if the pair can meet on common ground and find something neither knew they were looking for ... true love.

Labels: book news, Denise McDonald, new books, The Cowboy Plan

TwoLips reviews is celebrating their third anniversary and is hosting a scavenger hunt featuring prizes from multi-author/vendors. The contest begins July 31st and ends August 31st.

There are tons of prizes you can win. Enter today.

(hint: on my site... What's new with you?)

Labels: authors, hunt, prizes