It's been a long time coming

I'm very happy to have a new book released with Loose Id. It's been over two years since my last book came out and I've missed the authors, the editors, and staff of Loose Id.

Ironically, the idea for the Poker Posse all started because Roscoe went and killed his plot bunny. The conversation exchanged introduced me to the concept of a group of Southern mamas determined to get their girls hooked up with men perfect for them. From there, I ended up talking to my mom (she's always been a firm supporter of my writing and she even reads my books...skipping over the "icky sticky" parts, of course) and she named the Poker Posse moms (Viola, Mabel, Raelene, Betty Jo, and Lucy).

Then there were the return-to-the-nest daughters (Rose, Mirabeth, Arabella, Norah, and Helena), all five of them living at home for various reasons and definitely cramping the styles of some of the moms

Rose loves her mom. She loves her candy and cake shop. And she definitely loves watching the sexy wine maker, Ibraham, in the shop next to hers. One of the many appealing things about her neighbor is his height. At six-six, he's one of the few men taller than she.

As a rather short person myself, I've had tall friends who've voiced their feelings about men with height issues (they either like a tall woman or are intent on being only with short women) so I tried to address some of those elements when I wrote about Rose. What I liked best was the fun I had with the kink that appeals most to Ibraham--exhibitionism.

I'm hoping readers will enjoy this new book and the new series.

Q

Series

The trouble with blogging is that you often belong to multiple blogs and end up having to post to a bunch of them around the same time. That's where I find myself today. I've posted to two blogs in the past week -- my own site and Fiction with Friction -- about writing series so that's what seems to be on my mine.

I'm currently working on the fourth book about Meg, Michael and Rudy in my Leashed series. Technically, it's the fifth book in the series, but one of them was about Meg's sister Noelle, not about Meg.

Leashed is one of my three mains series. In the past year, something momentous occurred in the other two. I finished them. Now, that's not to say that I won't ever write in those worlds again or won't write in those worlds. In the case of the Dark Elves, there's a whole fantasy world that I've invested a lot of time in so I probably will go back some day. In the case of Heaven Sent, I already have plans to include the guys as secondary characters in another series I plan, the Indigo Knights. But as far as the main arc of those two series goes, it's over. I've told what needed to be told and all the primary players -- and some of the secondary -- have found their HEA.

So what's next? That's the rub. I'm not sure. Other than the Knights, there's the world of Sursein Judgment to return to. Colt must have his story, after all. I've been asked to write a sequel to Just for You to find out what happens to Victor. But I really want to come up with something new. Another something I can turn into a series of books that works. That's what I like and that's what my readers seem to like as well. A series of stories that are their own thing but are part of a bigger whole. That's like life, isn't it?

When do you call it quits on a series?

Like so many authors here at LI, I have a series. Two, as a matter of fact. Each of them had a planned 3 books. One has reached 3, one has the third still to come.

So I find myself faced with a few problems. Originally I'd planned them as trilogies. But somewhere along the line, things got out of hand. Books I hadn't planned on when I first set my fingers on the keyboard have haunted my thoughts, niggling around in my backbrain, poking through the thin membrane of concept to emerge as fully realized scenes.

Writing what was supposed to be the third and final book in my medieval historical series has only led me to two short stories. Do they count as part of the series? Some of the same characters are in them, but they are novellas.

And in my contemporary paranormal series, fans keep asking "What's next?" And my feverishly creative brain answered them, all the while my calm cool brain replied, "That was supposed to be the end." And I do have the idea, the plot and the first chapter for the next one fully formed.

So much for the plans of mice, men and me.

But I'm faced with the question many professional atheletes, actors and TV shows have been faced with...Do I quit while I'm on top? Can what I do from this point in my series be as good, as funny, as emotional, as moving, as the last book?

Should I move on to the next project simmering on my back burner?

I think, for now, here's what I've decided. I'm writing those medieval novellas - the guys in them demand it of me and who am I to deny them? I might regret doing the fourth paranormal book, but what the hell, I'll just have to make sure it's really really good, that's all.

That's all.

Just keep getting better. Sure. No problem.

After all, it's what we, as writers, unconsciously do everytime we write a new story. Make it better than the last. Up our game. Stretch our writing chops.

So, continuing a series shouldn't be a problem, right? Only time, and sales, will tell.
Oh, and the readers. Yeah. They're definitely going to tell me if I didn't get it right.

Talk about pressure.



Lynn Lorenz

I HEART THAT CITY: Body Shots now available

Being an author can be a lonely business. Other than the characters in my head, I don't interact all that much. So when given the opportunity to participate in a multi-author series...it's a joy!

I HEART THAT CITY centers around a bar in Richmond, Virginia and will have books from the ever talenated Ally Blue, Willa Okati, Sierra Cartwright and Treva Harte. I'm rather excited to be a part of it. We had fun kicking around ideas and characters. You will find carryover of characters, especially those who work at the bar from book to book.


The blurb:

Joe and Daphne go to I Heart That City every Thursday night to celebrate being together one more week. They almost lost their marriage and themselves to a former lover, who only wanted Daphne.

When Amos sees the happy couple, he knows he must capture them on film. Only he really wants to capture them for himself. Inviting them to let him take pictures only makes his longing more intense. And he's not the only one feeling the sexual spark. Joe and Daphne find themselves attracted to the man who seems to find both of them desirable.

One problem: they've taken a break from threesomes. When they decide to try and see where things go, passions explode with body shots on camera, and on Daphne and Joe with tequila. But Daphne's past has her in its sights and it could ruin everything.

To read an adult excerpt.

I'm off to celebrate!

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com