Sorry I’ve been so absent of late. I’m in the writing cave finishing up my polish on No Reservations - mine and Megan’s next joint project. I should finish with it today in fact and then it’s on to Fallen, or what was Fallen but is not notFallen and we’re in the process of finding a new title.

notFallen is set in the same world as Undercover but isn’t a sequel. It’s a push/pull sort of story with major opposites so the scenes should be hella fun to write.

No Reservations takes up six months after Taking Care of Business and features the same two couples. Only this time Leah and Kate go to Las Vegas only to be followed by Brandon and Dix. Megan and I have been plotting the story and I think this one is going to be as fun as TCOB to write.

Anyway, I’ve got to get back to it. Plus, hello ANTS! They got in through a side wall, I’m not sure how, but I have to deal with them now. I cleaned up this morning (they love to invade when it’s not quite raining outside, gah!) And then back to Dix and Kate, currently in bed. heh.

Oh and I made my Sven target this weekend! This was the hardest challenge of the three for me but I did it so yay!

Filed under: Just Life, Lauren | No Comments »

So. It’s Monday. And I’m Megan.

Today I’m editing. I had a book that was about 150,000 words long. Yeah, that was long. I was really proud of that book, though, because hey, it took me a hella long time to write and stuff. But you know what? Every word I write isn’t gold, and if I can sell a book at 120K but not at 150K, guess what I’m going to do?

Yeah. I’m going to cut it. Slash-a-rama, baby!

Some things are easy — He’ll instead of he will. Getting rid of excess description. But I also cut two fairly large scenes. In the end, the book could do without them. Did they add something to the story? Sure. But ultimately, did I *need* them? I guess not, since I cut them and the book didn’t fall apart.

It’s a good lesson to learn, even on books that aren’t 30,000 words too long.

Sometimes, less really is more.

M

Filed under: Megan, Sparkles, Writing | 1 Comment »

I’m over at Julie K. Rose’s Blog being interviewed about music soundtracks! You can listen to it here and read the full transcript here at Julie’s Writer Soundtrack blog.

And tomorrow/Wednesday the 30th, I’m doing an Author Day at the Raven (Mandy and Michelle’s place!) from noon to three eastern/nine to twelve pacific. I’ll be talking about Stripped, my story in the What Happens in Vegas anthology as well as Celebration for the Dead and my upcoming release, Fated from Samhain. Come by and hang out for a while, say hello and hopefully win something too!

Filed under: Lauren, New Release | No Comments »

I see Anya has posted below but I’ll post too - double the fun!

So Vegas is now shipping from both Barnes and Noble and Amazon!

Behind closed doors, the real games begin…

Winning it big.

That’s the name of the game at Las Vegas’s Liege Hotel and Casino, where the hottest fantasies hinge on a roll of the dice…and the tantalizing knowledge that anything could happen before sunrise.

Cocktail waitress Carinna wants a man to tie her up, not tie her down. Little does she know that her most willing partner yet has something else planned for this fiery Latina bombshell.

Dahlia is a burlesque dancer with a brain for business and a bod for sin. Her latest admirer may be a sweet-talking Casanova, but despite what he thinks she’s not giving anything away free.

Meanwhile, Amy has the perfect plan to rob the Liege Casino blind…until the intimidating owner catches her red-handed. Now she knows she’s going to pay… with both pleasure and pain.

Professional shill Cassidy is ready to experience a breathless rendezvous with her “friend with benefits.” But when he proposes five delicious nights of sexy blackjack, the stakes have never been so high.

My story is Stripped. I came up with the idea while, not so surprisingly, I was on a trip with my husband to Las Vegas and we went to Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce - a fabulous old style burlesque show/lounge in the Mandalay Bay. I came back, ready to write the book and my agent called and asked if I’d be interested in being part of a Vegas themed anthology pitch. I think for me, it was meant to happen and I’m glad it did.

Anyway - an excerpt of Stripped exists right behind the cut!

Read more »

Filed under: Lauren, New Release | 1 Comment »

What Happens in Vegas is now shipping from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. I don’t think it will likely start showing up on the shelves until May 1st, but if you’re itching for your copy you can get one now.

Yay!

I’m so excited about this anthology. Be warned, it’s very, very hot!!!

Read more »

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So on day one there was the Hollywood Glamour Party -

Megan Hart, Lauren Dane and Jennifer Dunne

The very lovely Anya Bast

Me and Gennita Low

The dress I had was really lovely. I will definitely wear it again but the pretty silver stilettos not so much. I thought my toes would fall off! After dancing we all hung out talking until very late but it was nice to catch up with people I haven’t seen since last year.

Day two was the Under the Sea party and it was SOOOO much fun! We did miss Anya and her lovely husband but it was fabulous to have dinner with them beforehand along with Gennita Low and Jeri Smith Ready.

Megan, the lovely Laura Bradford and me before the dancing started.

Me looking dorky and Ann Aguirre (have you read Grimspace yet? If not, get to it!)

The absolutely gorgeous Patrice Michelle and me

Day three:

Reader Party!!! A big thank you to all the wonderful readers who showed up and spent part of their morning with us. And even more thanks to Anya’s husband who went way above and beyond in helping us set up, stuff bags and haul huge amounts of stuff everywhere. Also to Laura Bradford who was awoken early (by me) and came to help and stayed to take pictures and hand out bags and prizes.

Karaoke with the fabulous Carolan Ivey

More from the party!

Club RT with Megan Hart, Anya Bast and me

Lauren, Anya and her husband James at dinner (and I won’t tell you where because the place had the most atrocious service ever, I’d never go back there in a million years but the company was fabulous)

And I’m off to the vampire ball. More later!!!

Filed under: Lauren | 2 Comments »

Okay, hold on…I’ve got lots to say.

It’s almost RT time!! Because of RT and because I’m soon to have house guests, I’ve been madly preparing…and not blogging. Maybe you have noticed the not-blogging part. I apologize, if so. Will you be RT? Say hi, okay? I’m super friendly, so don’t be shy. I will have my camera with me at RT and will try to blog from there. Sometimes I can manage this, sometimes not. I’ll certainly try, though!

Live in PA? I’ll be participating in a booksigning with Megan Hart and Lauren Dane on Monday April 14 from 6 - 8 pm at the Borders/Waldenbooks at the Lebanon Valley Mall in Lebanon Pennsylvania. I hope to see you there!

Witch Blood received a Top Pick review from Romance Reader at Heart!

Shannon says in part, “I love WITCH BLOOD! With its fantastic characters, complex plot and super hot scenes, this is most certainly a slam dunk Top Pick. Great writing, sci-fi scenery, witchery, crazed demons and so much more, WITCH BLOOD is a read that I cannot stop thinking about. I enjoyed every minute of it…. WITCH BLOOD is a read you do NOT want to miss.”

Thank you, Shannon!

~*~

A New Release…..

Magical Seduction, an anthology with stories from Mandy Roth, Cathryn Fox and me is now shipping from online retailers. It should be stocked on your local bookshelves next week. I admire these authors so much and I’m totally thrilled to be in this anthology with them both!

Witches, werewolves, things that bump in the night…And three arousing tales of sexual delight.

CATHRYN FOX
Web of Desire

Good witch Ally gets naughty when she discovers her long-lost high school sweetheart caught — literally — in a web of lust and seduction.

MANDY M. ROTH
Solo Tu

When Francy shows up after five years of separation to tell her beloved Dante, a werewolf, that she’s engaged to a vampire, he seduces her with a steamy surprise of his own.

ANYA BAST
Tempted by Two

Not only did Miranda just learn that she’s a half-blood fae, but she’s also got two — two! — deliciously muscular mates. She’d better adjust to all the sexy attention before a vengeful goblin tries to get in on the threesome….

You can order this title from Amazon.com or any other online retailer.

~*~

A Contest!

To celebrate the upcoming release of What Happens in Vegas…. (May 1st, 2008), I want to give away an ARC! Have you taken a trip to Vegas? If so, tell me about it in the comments. What was your impression of the city? if you haven’t been to Vegas, tell me about another thrilling place you’ve visited. When I return from RT, I’ll draw a name and announce a winner.

Good luck!!

Behind closed doors, the real games begin…

Winning it big.

That’s the name of the game at Las Vegas’s Liege Hotel and Casino, where the hottest fantasies hinge on a roll of the dice…and the tantalizing knowledge that anything could happen before sunrise.

Cocktail waitress Carinna wants a man to tie her up, not tie her down. Little does she know that her most willing partner yet has something else planned for this fiery Latina bombshell.

Dahlia is a burlesque dancer with a brain for business and a bod for sin. Her latest admirer may be a sweet-talking Casanova, but despite what he thinks she’s not giving anything away free.

Meanwhile, Amy has the perfect plan to rob the Liege Casino blind…until the intimidating owner catches her red-handed. Now she knows she’s going to pay… with both pleasure and pain.

Professional shill Cassidy is ready to experience a breathless rendezvous with her “friend with benefits.” But when he proposes five delicious nights of sexy blackjack, the stakes have never been so high.

Filed under: Anya | 3 Comments »