The Candy Cane Dancer reaches 20,000 words

I know, a month and a half later than planned, but finally done. Now I just have to get the rest of it written. In the last excerpt you met Mayani, another of the Candy Cane’s dancers. In this one, Selene takes a good long look at one of the werewolves visiting the club:

The sight of him, made Selene’s body respond. This was one creature who could fuck her senseless and she wouldn’t care if he couldn’t dance a step. She was already imagining those big hands gliding over body, covering her breasts and squeezing as he breathed kisses on the back of her neck. She stifled a sigh and tried to focus on the task at hand.

Her mind rebelled and suggested what she might do if she had something else in her hand. That was one man she ached to lap dance for, the intensity of her body’s response catching her by surprise. After all, it wasn’t as if she was still in her first century. She was too old for the casual flings of old. No, this time if she gave herself to anyone, she wanted it to be more than just her body. This time she wanted to be able to give her heart, perhaps even a small part of her soul.

Next excerpt will be posted at 30,000 words, In the meantime, I’ll post an excerpt from Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat to celebrate when that tale reached the 20,000 word mark.

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Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat at 10,000 Words/The Candy Cane Dancer Update

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat reached 10,000 words before I went on hiatus, but in line with my new tradition I’ve put an excerpt for you below:

In the last excerpt, Kitty pondered her ex-boyfriend, Charles. In this one, she has followed Egyptian detective, Sera, through an archway into time and almost lost herself in the mists that cover the realm beyond. Sera has come to her rescue… if only he can make her be quiet.

Sera’s hand covered her mouth, muffling her squawk of protest. The arm encircling her, tightened, and his voice boomed out in the mist.

Try as she might, Kitty didn’t understand a word. The language might, she decided, be Egyptian. But it felt older and she could taste the magic rising around them. Color flared, and Sera roared in answer. Kitty glimpsed flower-scattered fields beneath an expanse of cerulean sky, not a single one a rose. She closed her eyes, burying her face in Sera’s broad chest, letting the spicy scent of his skin comfort her as the world exploded into chaos around them.

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The next excerpt will be to celebrate 20,000 words. Look for it around the end of the month.

Progress Report on The Candy Cane Dancer: The Candy Cane Dancer currently stands at 18,000 words; I didn’t quite make the 20,000 word mark last month. I’m working on it, but I’ve hit a sticky patch. Give me a fortnight to convince the story it wants to play.

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The Candy Cane Dancer Reaches 5,000 words

It’s been a slow couple of months, but The Candy Cane Dancer has reached 5,000 words. As this is a small milestone, I’ve decided to treat you to another excerpt.

In the last excerpt, Martinette, one of The Candy Cane’s dancers was dancing for the killer. In this excerpt, we have left her in the killer’s lair and returned to the club she dances for. Here we meet the heroine, who has learned of Martinette’s disappearance and arrived at the club to let the manager know before she starts her shift. When she gets there, it’s to find he’s attracted assistance from the local werewolf pack.

Selene squared her shoulders and headed towards the office. The club’s manager glanced in her direction and raised his eyebrows. His movement drew the attention of the wolf at his side and Selene found herself caught in the hunt captain’s gaze.

The weight of it was almost physical, like a touch that set her skin ablaze and kindled desire between her thighs. For an instant, Selene wondered what it would be like to capture that gaze in her bed. Would it devour her, or woo her? A small part of her mind, wondered how those eyes would widen if she wore nothing but a red hooded cape. Her body heated and she watched his nostrils flare.

The next excerpt will be to celebrate 10,000 words. Look for it around the end of the month.

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Candy Cane Dancer Update

Well, Chapter 1 is done – and it’s a hot one! Now moving onto Chapter 2 where things are a little cooler, but we meet the heroine and her hero. I know it’s more traditional to meet them in Chapter 1, but that’s where we meet another very important pair of characters and that scene just had to go first. It sets things up for the rest of this novella. I hope you like a little bit of criminal suspense with your romance, because The Candy Cane Dancer wouldn’t exist without it.

The Candy Cane dancer is on the move. Slowly but surely progress is being made.

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Personal Update

After a long break from writing, the good news is that I’m finally able to get back on the writing horse and start to make up some lost ground.

As an explanation for why I got off the horse in the first place, here’s a quick snapshot of the last three years:

• In 2009, I had a difficult and unexpected pregnancy, resulting in the early arrival of my youngest. (I really was ‘too old for this’ :-));
• Also in 2009 and for the first half of 2010
• I lost my ability to work as a temp due to lack of childcare facilities with the required flexibility;
• I saw a career path vanish from in front of me – some careers are just not baby friendly… oh well;
• I lost writing time due to being often sick, and to having a baby that just didn’t sleep.

• Mid-2010: I found a new career path and moved interstate, with all the kerfuffle that goes with that;
• End-2010: My husband found work and I found daycare.
• 1st half 2011: Spent settling in to the new job, new location, and new routines. A large chunk of time is lost getting over the flu as childcare assists us in building our resistance to childhood illnesses.
• NOW: Little one is bigger and needs me less. I can write again. New routines are established, writing slowly comes back on-line.

So now, I have a lot of ground to make up, but find myself once more with the time and ability to get back and finish those stories that have been clamoring in my cupboard. I’ll get back to it now, before there’s a riot. With the blog rebuilt, posts will slow down to every couple of days, but I’m looking forward to spending a bit more time here.

Current writing plans:

• Complete and submit the following by the end of the year, although not necessarily in this order:
• The Candy Cane Dancer: an erotic contemporary paranormal tale of romantic suspense involving shapeshifters, fairies and magic;
• Welcome to the Fruit Platter: an erotic contemporary paranormal tale of romantic suspense, involving shapeshifters, sorcerers, ménage and magic;
• Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat: an erotic contemporary paranormal tale of romantic suspense, involving shapeshifters, sorcerers, ancient Egyptians, modern detectives
• Work on the Madeleine Torr contemporary romances.

I think you’ll all agree that this should be more than enough to keep me busy, at least until I can work back up to normal speed.

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