Sensual Romance by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

2012-01-29T13:26:00.000-05:00

Stream of Consciousness Sunday is posted at A Walk With Words. Sorry for the switching of links but for some reason I have a problem commenting with Google. What's up with that, Google? Thanks for understanding.

Full Day of Revisions Ahead

2012-01-29T11:11:00.001-05:00

I've neglected any manuscript all week. No editing and no revising. Wrote a couple blog posts concerning Visions of Enchantment, but I've done nothing to move it along. Today will put an end to that. I plan on a full day of revisions right after writing a five minute, unedited meme for All Things Fadra called Stream of Consciousness Sunday. It's called a brain dump for 5 minutes. Then after breakfast and making Weight Watcher's Vegetable soup, my head will be in my document. I'm about to pat myself on the back in advance for a job well done. Now, that's what I call positive thinking.

Enjoy your Sunday. Hope you're doing something fun. I will.

Thirteen Things About my Novel Hero (Thursday Thirteen)

2012-01-26T15:31:00.005-05:00

Uriah Prescot from Visions of Enchantment at his finest. (And quotes from the novel to prove it)

1. Tall-- Standing as he did with his broad shoulders leaning forward it seemed he tried to hide his height.

2. Handsome --She gazed into his amber colored orbs, and out of habit pushed his long hair behind an ear. His jaw line, model-type square, called for her touch.

3. Hunky-- He stood straight and tall with his legs apart and arms folded in front of him. His blond hair hung loose the way Eryn liked it. His black shirt fit loose and opened nearly to his waist and was tucked into his tight black breeches. The leather boots he wore were nearly to his knees. With the sun behind him, his hair shone like gold.

4. Sexy--“You’re luscious, woman,” he said with a leering grin. "I desire you; every part of me desires every part of you."

5. Strong-willed--The sound of a fist against a chin rang out in the stillness. “Damn you, I told you to take your crazy brother the hell away from here. I should have killed him…and you! If I hadn’t got there when I did you’d be standing at his grave right now.”

6. Protective-- Uriah fell back pulling her on top of him. He quickly rolled over her, shielding her body but they were both in the open with no protection.

7. Knowledgeable-- When he felt in the mood he would sell hard wood to a hungry lumber company, but only a little at a time and he always insisted they replant, for he didn’t want his forest depleted.Yes…they would live comfortably either now, or…in the other time.

8. Secretive-- Back on the street the townspeople danced in the road to a band contest. He pulled his baseball cap over his eyes and continued on.

9. Loving-- He helped her kneel down while she threw water on her face. Uriah soaked a rag and cleaned the cut on her forehead.

10. Intelligent--Who would know he would be able to live quite comfortably from the never-ending, small well of black gold. Anthracite coal and iron ore were but a few of the minerals on his land that were sought after, and occasionally he would allow mining.

11. Arrogant—“Not until I can make you understand. There’s no need to try anything with me because I will surely win.” He reached for her hand and lifted her to a standing position. “I asked you to come upstairs with me.”

12. Sincere-- He touched the face of the beautiful, intelligent, submissive woman he loved.

13. Weak (when it comes to Eryn)-- Uriah Prescot leaned against the wall when he left her room. Thankfully, it was there to hold his quivering, lean frame. Yes, she had grown into the beautiful woman he knew she would. And he loved her as much as he did on the day she left.

Oh, I’m still swooning over my hero.

I haven’t talked about this novel for quite sometime. Now, I have the publishing rights back and I’m ready to re-issue it on Kindle and other eBook publishers. More information to follow as I’m working on revisions now. Visions of Enchantment is the first book in the Enchantment series.

To see what my version of Uriah is, go to A Walk With Words and read an interview I did with C.J. Hollenbach. In my mind, he looks like Uriah.

To do your own Thursday Thirteen follow these directions:

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Re-Post The End of the Story, Remember Red Writing Prompt

2012-01-24T10:16:00.007-05:00

Remember Red Prompt from Write on Edge. This week is PERSONIFICATION. The dictionary defines personification as “the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.”
This week, tell a piece of your story from the point of view of an object who bore witness-- 400 words or less. For your own prompt and link up visit: Write on Edge, Remember Red.
~~
Here I sit in the cold again. I’ve seen it all –cold, heat, sun, rain, and snow. But I don’t even care. You see, I’m just an old yard pump now. Oh, in my day they depended on me for water. Really, I’m that old. After the grandma sold the farm I went with her family to the next house and they only used me for my looks. The middle son, Ernie, took care of me after awhile because his mother thought I would look nice in his flower bed. She was right, for I looked grand. Ernie painted me blue. Nice! When he pained me yellow, I felt like a ray of sunshine all year long.

I sat in his flower bed for a lot of years in two different homes. The family reminisced about grandma and the farm house when they sat in the lawn chairs looking at me standing there like a yard guard. Then came grandsons. They played with my handle, up and down till I thought that part of me would break. Boys will be boys. Ernie would toss small fireworks in my direction at least once a year. Being a hard piece of metal I guess they thought I could take it. Wrong!

After awhile I didn’t see Ernie much. His kids were grown and the grandkids didn’t play with my handle anymore. One day a big black car pulled into his driveway and I never saw him again. His daughter, Mary, pulled me out of the ground and I landed in her yard right beside the garage. Often she’d sit on her porch and look at me. She cried sometimes. Without warning a few years later, I didn’t see her anymore, and I was pulled out of the ground and laid on my side for a long time.

One day she appeared again and took me on a long ride. Lo and behold I was stuck in another yard. Mary had a gigantic dog at that house. Whew, I’m glad it was a female! Then Mary disappeared and something bad must have happened in the house because everything got moved out. What would become of me? Almost a year later she came back for me. Happy! I’m with Mary and somehow I know she is a part of Ernie, and I know that Ernie is a part of Grandma who started it all.
~~~
Thanks for stopping by to read this. This is not the same writing piece I started out with. My first one was not the correct prompt for the correct day. If you notice some of the comments don’t match this topic, that’s why. Hope it’s not too confusing. The title is for the other piece I wrote, but it sort of fits. And yes, the photo is the same pump now painted white. I feel like it’s a part of me.

This post has been re-posted from my other blog, A Walk With Words. I would love if you visited.I re-post here because sometimes my WordPress ID doesn't go through on a comment so I use my Google ID.

Update and More--

2012-01-23T23:00:00.000-05:00

Come on over to my other blog, A Walk With Words and see what's going on with my Healthy Eating or Bust post. Seems I spend more time there, but I like having this blog open.

In the meantime, I'm still revising Visions of Enchantment. So far I haven't made a lot of changes, and I never intended to make any major changes. You know sometimes something didn't fit or feel right in the book, but it kind of had to be there? Well, that's the type of thing I'm revising. There were a few things that bugged me in the book, but I still love every moment of the story, every word. I love every tear I cried while writing it, and every word I had to edit out. Now, I'm motivated to get this novel rolling again. This is still my baby, my number one, and it's about to be re-born. Won't you come on this journey with me and Eryn, my heroine? Next time I'll tell a little bit about her. She's close to my heart and her story is an awesome one.

Seeking the Perfect Cover

2012-01-18T16:53:00.000-05:00

Looking for a premade book cover, or even photos to have one customized is so time consuming. I'm supposed to be writing not looking. But who knows better what I want on a cover? Getting who I want and what I want is too different things. I know who I want, and the same person I wanted when I first published the book. Shh, tell ya later if you don't already know. Then while looking on a popular cover website, I found one almost perfect for my book, premade and ready to go. Problem. I would have to do a major make-over of my hero. Not sure I want to but I'm considering it.

I still have plenty of time since I'm still revising Visions of Enchantment. I still love this story. I'm making a few changes but not enough to take anything away from the characters or storyline. So, in my spare time I'll get back to looking at pictures for a cover. I'm not giving up on the cover model I want for Uriah Prescot though. My dilemma continues . . .

Publishing Rights Returned

2012-01-08T17:20:00.003-05:00

Publishing rights to Visions of Enchantment have reverted back to me. This book is all mine again. Look for some big changes for this book and the series. I’m doing some revisions and I might make it shorter, but that means cutting. I’m not sure if I want too cut anything because everything is important to the story line.

The twins, Alyce and Avis will have their own story in book three, which is untitled at this time. Remember their beaus? Cole Dawes the friendly handyman at the Enchanted Inn, and chemical engineering student who fell madly in love with Alyce when he first saw her. Oh, yeah, he returns. See a new side of him in book three. Don’t forget Travis Van Tine who’s had the hot’s for Avis probably forever. How does Avis feel about him now? I think you'll be pleased. She is quite often.

I’m waiting for the rights for the second book, Enchantment’s Embrace. I love the second book. It picks up a year after the first ended. I’m so excited to think of all three of these books sitting side by side on someone’s Kindle and other e-readers. This series has always been special to me and I’m inspired all over again to bring it back to life. More updates will follow soon.

In the meantime, I’ll be at my computer lost in that little log cabin in the Allegheny Mountains where this series all began. Not literally of course since I no longer have that cabin. But, mentally and creatively I will be.

Repost: Playlist for 2011 Year in Song

2012-01-02T19:32:00.003-05:00

Have you ever made a playlist for 12 months of your life? I came across the idea somewhere and I started compiling ideas. I came up with songs that in one way or another, fit my last year. Please accept the invitation to listen to any of your favorite songs on my list of songs for a year in my life. If you ever made one for yourself I’d love to listen. Farewell 2011. Thanks, but I don't want a replay.

January    My Immortal Evanescence
February Hallelujah K.D. Lang
March    Haven’t Seen the Last of Me Cher (from Burlesque)
April    Here Comes the Sun George Harrison
May         Reflections of Passion Yanni
June Schools out for Summer Alice Cooper ( Retirement)
July    Exhale Whitney Houston (Ignore the intro commercial if you can)
August Change in my Life Leap of Faith (Praise God!)
September Peace Train Cat Stevens
October    November Rain Guns N’ Roses -- I have to repeat a song here for October. My Immortal
November The Climb Miley Cyrus
December Gonna Fly Now Bill Conti

Good-bye 2011

Excitement for Today!

2011-12-28T18:14:00.002-05:00

Repost from my blog at Word Press.

Today I’m excited! I’m about to get my publishing rights back to Visions of Enchantment. When it’s finalized I plan on revising the first edition to make it shorter. My goal is to become a Kindle author and eventually get the publishing rights to the second book. In the meantime, I’ve let the 3rd book in the Enchantment series sit until I knew what would become of the first two in the series. I hope my readers will enjoy having all three books in one place. Which means, of course, I need to get busy and finish the third and final book.

When I first started this series I intended to write four books. The chance of this happening is slim, but not impossible. For now, I’m planning on book three being last. With my previous plan for the fourth book, it can still be completed with radical changes to the story line. For one thing, when my characters met in 1882, they fell madly in love and of course their relationship turned sexual. One problem. My heroine was only seventeen years old. None of this is actually in the first book because it picked up way after any of this happened, but if you read the Prologue you’ll understand. My plan for the fourth book is a prequel. How can I do a prequel which of course will lead up to my heroine and hero meeting. No publisher will allow underage sex. (under age 18) If I publish it myself, I don’t know if it matters; probably not. I’ll use a cliché’ when I say, “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” Either way, I’m happy to be getting control over my own book. It’s always been the most special book to me that I’ve written and to be able to see it start over again overwhelms me with gladness. I can’t wait!

Graphic from: glitter-graphics.com

13 Things--

2011-12-01T14:52:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it again. I posted my Thursday Thirteen at Word Press. One reason I post a link here also is because sometimes when I'm commenting, this blog address comes up and I want to share with everyone. I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience.

A Walk With Words 13 Things I'm Absolutely Sure About.

Thanksgiving for U.S.

2011-11-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

Our American Holiday

I’d like to wish all my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving. If you’re not an American celebrating this holiday, I wish you a wonderful day and a great weekend. Black Friday sales start as early as midnight in a lot of stores, and I can just see a lot of Thanksgiving dinners rushed through and dishes all cleaned up, and dessert hurried so some can get to power napping, so they’re rested and raring to go for the big shopping night. And just think, shortly after the midnight hour, new stores will open at 4:00 a.m. then even more at 5:30 a.m. I’m not one of them; you won’t see me going out to crowded stores tomorrow, but I might see what I can find online and have it delivered to my door, or to my local store. I’ve never been one to take in Black Friday sales. I know I’m the minority in this.

Are you an early riser, power shopper? I’d love to know your experiences.It’s really awful when I have to warn you to be careful. People have been injured and even killed trying to get a bargain– stampedes at store entrances, others waiting to do a dirty deed in parking lots. So, please, be careful.

Enjoy your holiday my American friends. Be safe this weekend, and come back here and let us know what your shopping experience was like. Be filled with turkey and all the trimmings, eat lots of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, take the necessary nap, and don’t forget the football games. Me, I’ll be watching the Lions, who happened to just lose, so I’ll be switching to Christmas movies on Lifetime and Hallmark channels. Happy Thanksgiving 2011.

Cheerios is Sending CHEER to Military Families SOCSunday

2011-11-13T12:05:00.002-05:00

Today I'm choosing to do a brain dump for a good cause. A great cause actually so this might be more than 5 minutes. Cheerios is teaming up with the USO and sending CHEER to military families with something as simple as a post card you cut from a Cheerios box. Please follow my links to see what I'm talking about. All it will cost you is a box of Cheerios and a postage stamp. This is important and I'd like to spread the word. I was watching The Talk on TV the other day. I don't usually watch TV this time of day but I needed a break from NaNoWriMo writing and I turned it on. I'm glad I did. The show had a spokesperson from the USO and there was a military family on the show, minus their dad. Please watch the VIDEO for the show that day. I think it will touch your heart. Everyone in the audience had a CHEER card filled out to be sent to a military family. So, Cheerios is sending cheer to military families during the holidays. Cheerios is forwarding post cards that you send to them for military families on bases and to the USO. Did you know the USO still existed? You don't hear much about it anymore.

Buy a box of Cheerios and cut out the post card around the word CHEER in CHEERIOS then write a message, put a stamp on it and send it on. It's preaddressed so no worries about where to send it. I think this is important this time of year for these military families to find cheer in any way they can, and I don't know about you, but it makes me feel good to know I can make a lonely child, wife or husband, or parent smile.

Please check out the pages through the links I'm including. Again, all it's going to cost you is a box of Cheerios and a postage stamp, but it will mean a whole lot more to people who have to make sacrifices this time of year and all year long.

Forgive me if this isn’t considered a brain dump. Hope this counts.
This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post below. ALL THINGS FADRA
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Now…
1. Grab the button
2. Write your post.
3. Link up here– All Things Fadra

I'm double posting this today here and at my Walk With Words Blog because this is important to me.

Check my Thursday 13 at A Walk With Words

2011-11-03T08:53:00.001-04:00

I did it again. I posted Thursday 13 over at my other blog A Walk With Words. If you'd like to see what I've done with NaNoWriMo in two days, hop on over there via this LINK. Thanks!

You can always come back here and sign up for updates! Sign up at A Walk With Words while you're at it. It would be appreciated by yours truly.

1. First list item starts here…

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

True Love Never Dies

2011-10-30T13:45:00.002-04:00

I wrote a short story called True Love Never Dies for Triond, a writing site I use for random writings. They posted it here-- AUTHSPOT

I'll tell you what inspired this story. When I lived in Belleville, Michigan in an apartment,there was a ghost. He was about 19 years old, and wore a baseball cap cocked to the side. My roommate at the time saw him, but I never did. He spoke to me one night, saying, "Mary are you awake?" It was my roommate's voice!  He worked the midnight shift, and this was in the wee hour of the morning, so I thought he had come
home. I was asleep on the couch, and jumped up. No one was there. Talk about freaky.
Another time, I was at work, and the roomy was asleep.   The ghost spoke to him. He said, in my voice, "Wake up, it's time to get up!" Well, I was at work, and when he woke up and saw the ghost guy standing in the doorway. He called me at work right away. He was totally spooked.

When I was alone, I could sense him near me.   At night I would pretend to be asleep, but I knew he was there. Sometimes he would stand right beside the couch in the dark. I think if I had reached out I could have touched him. He'd bump against the back or side of the couch. (The back faced the dining room, so you could walk around the couch.) When I slept in the bedroom, there was a master bath that I could see from the bed, and I know he was there in the hallway, watching. I was never so frightened, so often, as I was when I lived there. Only one time did my fear scare me away. I had to leave the apartment, and it was broad daylight. It was such an eerie, scary feeling I had the one day I had to leave.

Before we moved, I told him to find his peace and go to where he was supposed to be. I hope he did. So, this brings me back to the story I wrote. Some of it is true, like the young couple with the infant who sub-let the apartment to us. The traffic noise NEVER stopped; this was real. Terribly loud ALL the time. I let my imagination run away a little with this, and I could expand on it if I wanted to, but I don't know yet if I will. I had to make the decision for my character to stay with her husband or go with the ghost. I'm satisfied with my decision. I'll go back through it to see if there's more to tell. Come back to see what I decided.

FEAR-- for Red Writing Hood Prompt

2011-10-21T16:23:00.002-04:00

For this week’s Red Writing Hood prompt, we’re inviting you to truly scare us.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Compose a post in the form of a text–160 characters.
Your text must elicit or express fear.
Though this initially looks like more of a fiction prompt, we challenge our non-fiction writers to take a stab at it as well. (Stab! Scary!)
Come back on Friday, October 21st, to link up.

Here is mine:

I looked through the peep-hole just in time to see him place his bloody thumb over it. My breath caught when the door knob turned and I saw it was unlocked.

Red Writing Hood is our writing meme. It can be fiction or non-fiction, and unless otherwise noted, the word limit is 600.
The prompt is on our site Tuesday and the link-up is Friday.

For some of my other Write on Edge prompts as well as Stream of Consciousness Sunday thoughts, go to my blog A Walk With Words. Don't be afraid to join in.

If You Love a Writer--

2011-10-20T19:36:00.003-04:00

If You Love a Writer --

I started writing this in 1^st person then decided to change it. If I've offended other writers by grouping us all together, please forgive me, because I know it doesn't pertain to all writers. It's mostly my opinion of what I've observed from people who don't understand how a writer's mind and life works.

You need to Read This --

This is what we do. This is who we are. We create scenarios with made up people and circumstances, and sometimes far out, unimaginable settings that can only exist in a creative mind.

Often, our mind drifts to some scene or setting; whereas we might whip out some paper and write down notes while someone is trying to talk to us, or while we're watching TV, or even reading. We are still listening to you; we hear you and aren't ignoring you.

If using our laptop when you talk to us, we can still type what is on our mind while talking and listening to you. In some way our fingers have a direct connection to the part of the brain that works on story ideas. We don't have to be looking at what we're doing, or at you. Part of our brain is constantly at work on an idea, plot, or character, whether it be a work in progress, or something not even started yet. Sometimes we might think of books already written. It's like a movie on an endless reel. Sometimes we might not know that part is always at work till suddenly something pops up for a story or character that just wouldn't fit before; then it's clear, but we're still listening to you.

Ideas can be floating around in our head for a book that we might not start for a year from now. Language and dialog are like a history lesson, listening to the way a person does this or that, inflections, words. It's not something we can help. It's the writer that lives inside. My writer living inside controls me more than I control it.

Maybe you go outside of the house to work, which of course makes you better than us because we're at home sitting at a desktop or laptop, writing, doing our job. Often times you might not see it that way. We've been called lazy for sitting on our butt all day. Is that what it is to you? Creative minds need to be allowed to create. Do you say we should use our physical body to go out and bring home the bacon for you, before you can acknowledge what we do is real work?

Allowing your writer to have quiet time now and again doesn't make it right; you think giving us permission is okay? Don't try to take our tools away, and don't try to dictate our writing schedule. Do you think we can't make up stories by being kept away from the computer? Back up a few sentences and reread the part about a story always floating around, and I repeat, always. You can't stop us from being creative. Take away our quiet, take away the media we use to document those ideas, and take away our time, but you can't take away our stories. Accept this if you love us.

Remember at first how cool it was when you learned of our writing ability? To know a real writer was exciting to you. To see an actual book with our name on it? Did you brag to your family and friends? You can try to take away our time, but you can't take our thoughts and ideas, because I can tell you honestly, they will be here longer than you will. This is what we do. This is who we are. Creativity is here and belongs to us; all we ask is you understand this gift, and leave us to it when it calls.

After rereading this a gazillion times, I realize it's not only for people who love writers. It can be carried over to photography and art in many forms that take us away and into our own minds for a few hours at a time. So, if you love us, then deal with it. And be proud, yes; please be proud because it is harder work than you know.

This was inspired when a friend said to me, "Can't you stop writing all the time and email me?"

2011-10-10T17:51:00.002-04:00

News and Updates October 2011

2011-10-08T13:28:00.003-04:00

Oh, brother, talk about life changing events. There have been many, and something I hope to be able to talk about later. Writing has been up and down. Last year when I did NaNoWriMo I had hoped the novel would be around 60,000 words in its entirety. Well, now it's 95,000. The end is near, and I never intended it to be this long. When I finish, I'll see where it ends up after revisions. It's a good story though and I feel like it needs exactly every word there. Of course this isn't reality.

On the back burner, still or again, is my holiday story. That novel in itself has gone through so many changes, that I decided to put it away and forget about it till who knows when. After all, Christmas only comes once a year and it is about Christmas. It started as an erotic romance to be written under a pen name. Then I started to shorten it for a submission asking for only 8,000 words-- too impossible without removing most of the story. Then I revised it to sensual romance instead of erotic. See what I mean? Yes, this novel is put away for now.

I'm beginning NaNoWriMo in November 2011. My novel in a month is plotted out and outlined, sort of. I have enough information for me to get started and quite far into the story. We all know a novel is more than 50,000 words, so during this month at least 50,000 words are met. My current WIP should be complete by the time Nano begins and will be put aside for a month while I write 50,000 words in 30 days. I think going back to it after a month will help with revisions.

This is it for updates for awhile. Thank you for stopping by.
glitter-graphics.com

NaNoWriMo Stream of Consciousness SUNDAY

2011-10-02T10:40:00.005-04:00

NaNoWriMo is less than a month away. Last year was my first year to participate. I was a winner! Doing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days wasn't easy, but it was what I needed to do at the time. I had just began life on my own, moved into a rental room and needed something BIG for a distraction to help get me through the first month. So, keeping myself busy for the first 30 days helped. Yes, Nano is hard and I didn't know all the tips to get word count when I started. I began on November 1^st just like the rules state. Then on November 7^th I moved. Being busy with that for at least 3 days, and trying to work at the same time, got me behind for almost four days.

I had to catch up fast, meaning I had to write almost double the words of what I should have been writing. Each waking moment was spent writing, but of course there was work. If I had any free minute I'd write, at lunch and send it home in an email, or use Google Documents. When I could, I'd be scratching out words with pen and paper. This year I have already brainstormed my novel. Hah, I only came up with my idea last night and tried to do an outline. I feel ready to start when NaNoWriMo comes in less than a month. Look out November because I'll be after you with 1,667 words daily (I hope). I was given a website with a breakdown of how many words to write depending on if you write daily, a few times a week, or only on weekends. It's too hard to catch up if you get behind. My advice is to write as much as you can when you can. If you go over the daily word count, it's good for the days you can't get it. So, once again, here I come NaNoWriMo.

The novel wasn't complete at the end of Nano 2010,although I went over the 50,000 words, and I'm still working on it and planning on publishing it. It's over 90,000 now and nearly finished.

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post below.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Now…
1. Grab the button

(it’s over in the sidebar)

2. Write your post.
3. Link up here. All Things Fadra

Help! In a Balance--Pen Name Dilemma

2011-07-20T12:15:00.003-04:00

I'm in a writing dilemma right now. Recently, I finished a holiday story and I'm preparing to submit it. My dilemma lies in what name to publish it in. It's an erotic romance and I've never published erotic content in my name. I've written another novel that's nearly finished as well, plus started another one, all erotic romance novels written especially for my pen name's erotic romance line. Nothing submitted.
In the past I didn't want to submit in my name due to my job. Now, with no job to worry about, I only have me and my new career as full time writer. My family doesn't read what I write; they're not an issue. Friends won't care. Okay, my best friend will. Even she doesn't know that side of me. A pen name has been created already and she has her own website, blog, and facebook account separate from me.
I do have writer friends with secret pen names. It's a way to separate the two styles of writing. Authors have pen names for many reasons—family, career outside of writing, to separate the writing styles, and many other reasons. Some authors don't keep their pen names secret or separate. Take Nora Roberts, a popular bestselling author who uses J.D. Robb as a pen name, and if you look up Nora Roberts you automatically find J.D. Robb. Her website has a link to her pen name. Nora created a pen name because she wanted a new challenge and wanted to reach a new audience. Many authors don't link to their 'secret' pen names. I'm not sure if I would. Do you?
My name is known for sensual romance, and my platform has been built around sensual writing. My name will be changing soon and I could submit my erotic work under my new name, but in order to continue with what I've built all these years, I intend to keep my current last name in the background so readers can find me. See my dilemma? Did I answer my own question?
If you’re a reader, (I know writers are readers too) how do you feel about reading different genres or styles from the same writer (same name)? Is it important to you to have a writer use different names to separate their writing styles?

Are you an author with a pen name or secret pen name? If you are using a secret pen name, please use email to contact me so you don't have to give it away here, or comment with both names.

Thank you and I'm curious to hear your thoughts and ideas on this. In the meantime, I’m holding a balance and waiting to see which side drops first—Mary or Insert Pen name here.

Thanks for reading!

Technorati Tags: pen name,mary j mccoy dressel,auhor,writer,sensual romance,erotic romance,work in progress,novel writing,readers, nora roberts, jd robb

Childhood Memories

2011-07-08T15:49:00.003-04:00

Do you remember Marshal Dillon and Miss Kitty? I can still see the tall marshal strut into the saloon where Miss Kitty served him up a cold one of his choice. For some reason my dad always told me they were really drinking ginger ale. Yes, this old family TV show takes me back to a large four bedroom home in Detroit, Michigan. This was a home I loved dearly; mainly because of Grandma whom I loved without end. This beautiful old home belonged to her.

It was every Saturday evening when my family gathered for Gunsmoke. My brother Chuck is younger than me, and we would climb on top of our mom and dad's bed and get ready for the popular western TV show. My mom would make snacks of sliced veggies and cheese and crackers, or sometimes popcorn and bring them upstairs. Mom and Dad would be sitting with pillows leaning against the headboard and we kids would sit Indian style in the center with our cowboy and Indian jammies. I was a tomboy so no frills and lace for me back then, although I did have a beautiful dress full of multicolored butterflies I loved. (I wrote an oxymoron in one sentence.)

Many times Chuck and I fell asleep long before the show was over and we probably got carried to bed or hustled off in our semi-sleep without even knowing it. Thinking of those Saturday nights leaves me with great warmth. The closeness we had on some nights showed a typical happy family-- the Cleavers incognito. Grandma was in the other room beside my parents but she would be falling asleep while listening to WJR Radio.

I'm not sure when we stopped watching Gunsmoke as a family, but we moved before it ran its course on TV which was from 1955-1975. Thinking back now, I am remembering my first two-wheel bicycle with training wheels, even remembering the day I got it. You have no idea how much I loved that bike! When I learned to ride it without training wheels I thought I conquered the world. Memories of Grandma seep into my thoughts as I think of living in that house with her. All this comes from digging up the thoughts from my favorite TV show as a child which was the prompt for Remember Red from theRed Dress Club Blog.

You can watch full episodes of Gunsmoke at TV Land TV.

Go there now and dig out your own memories!

A short tribute to Gunsmoke on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPj0xFBcLZc&feature=related

My Take on Red Writing Hood Prompt for June 28

2011-06-30T12:47:00.005-04:00

This post is from a prompt on The Red Dress Club website.

You or your character find a forgotten letter or card from someone important in your life--whether good or bad. What does it say? How does it affect you or your character? What is done with it?

This is my first post for a prompt on The Red Dress Club. Trust me 600 words was a challenge. I would love to go further with this. A lot of fiction with a little fact. It's written through the eyes of Sarah, a character who is just divorced from a short marriage and preparing to move. And a true love she never forgot . . .

~~

The old box of cards and letters stood out among the newly packed tubs and cardboard boxes. Moving again. How many times does this make? If only there was more time to look inside. The box called to her. She knew the box was filled with memories of her past, memories from people long gone, and a past love who broke her heart. She would never forget Jake or the heartbreak. After forty years she still thought of him. Sarah busied herself trying to ignore the box. Her short marriage of six years finally came to an end. A happy life lay ahead. Another glance at the box and it screamed-- Open me!

The call was too strong. Slowly, she ripped the duct tape. Sarah opened the flaps. She flipped through the cards, knowing some of them would be painful to look at. The greeting cards practically told her whole life. There were cards from her parents. She took out a birthday card from her dad, another from her oldest son, college graduation, cards for the birth of both children.

Beneath the cards were letters. One in particular was from her first love; the one that called to her from the depths of the cardboard prison. The letter he sent to tell her good-by. All those years ago, but a part of her heart still mourned. Too difficult to look at again, she set it on the stack of cards. Beneath another anniversary card from her ex-husband, she saw the unopened letter. The memory of receiving it was fresh in her mind. Sarah remembered when the mailman handed it to her. "Another letter from Jake!" He was so jolly, for he didn't know. Why? Did he want to open the wound, let more blood drip from her heart, tell her again in case she didn't read it in the first letter? She didn't open it, never could. Now, the yellowed envelope called—OPEN ME! She traced the lettering, words written by his own hand. She turned over the envelope. S.W.A.K. was neatly printed. A message on each letter they wrote to one another. Why now? She ripped it open. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded it.

My Dearest, Sarah,

I don't know what got into me when I sent the last letter. You have no idea what it's like here and at times when I think I might not make it home, I think of you and realize how much I'm cheating you of a life. I didn't mean it when I said, "We're over, I don't want to do this anymore. Let's just stop here." Please Sarah, my love, disregard that letter. I love you and want to come home to you. Please, forgive me for the things I said in the previous letter. I love you, I want you. I will be waiting to hear from you. Sarah, you're my world, my life. Without you, I don't know if I can survive in this horrid place. I'm waiting, Sarah. I'm waiting my love . . .

Sarah dropped the letter. She logged into facebook. Searching his name, she found him on the third page of people with that name. It was him! He looked the same, plus about forty years. Marital status—single. Email wasn't private. Please Jake, remember me. Please? Oh, God, please let him reply. Please let him understand? She clicked on the message button.

Dear Jake,

Oh, Jake, I never opened the second letter until now. Jake, I have always loved you, never stopped. Please forgive me. Let's talk if you can forgive me. Jake—I'm sorry.

Watching the Corn Grow and Other Writing Rambles

2011-06-22T20:44:00.001-04:00

Here I sit. The corn is growing by golly! Pretty soon I'll look out and won't be able to see across the field. Again, here I sit, full-time writer here talking to you. Full time writer. Heck, every summer I'm a full time writer, but I must admit the last seven years stole a lot of words that could have been down on the keyboard. My true test for no longer working will come in September when everyone else will be going back to work and I won't be. I might get up at 5:00 a.m and go back to bed, just because I can. I wouldn't dare rub it in though.

This week I've written a blog about my dad. I wrote a blog for my Michigan Moment as well, but it's not ready to post yet. And now I'm writing this blog. Yesterday I wrote 885 words in my current work in progress so that is coming together. Today, I did a lot of editing on it. Really only on two chapters. Needing an opinion, right now, I sent some chapters to my best friend to read. Don't they say never send your work to best friends if you want an honest opinion? It's not the whole novel, only a couple chapters. One night recently my ~muse woke me with a brainstorm. She gets her hours mixed up sometimes. Now I have to decide on my beginning possibly starting with Chapter Two instead of where it begins now. Which of course my whole Chapter One will have to be fit in as I go along to fill in backstory. Look at my muse sitting there so smug. Can't you just see attitude I put up with? And I remembered tomorrow is Thursday so maybe I can get her off of her high horse for awhile to help me with Thursday's Thirteen. I post Thursday 13 on my blog at A Walk With Words. Stop by to see if I came up with anything.

I read a great article about backstory just yesterday. That really got my wheels spinning and since my ~muse woke me up to tell me also, this must mean something. I'm looking for something to grab the editor, reader, and anyone who picks it up. Even me! So, I'll wait and see what my friend says. More to follow with my journey to full time writer.

Full Time Writer Is My New Title

2011-06-15T10:46:00.001-04:00

It's official! Today is the first day I become a full time writer. Part of me is so excited. I'd normally be off work for the summer now anyway, but the sad part is because I won't be going back to work. Retirement awaits even though I haven't filed for retirement yet. Soon. This is the first step to my long term goal. I'm happy about that.

Being a full time writer will take some self-discipline on my part. Making a plan will be helpful and important. One of my fears is falling into a trap of sitting and playing online, or worse, doing nothing. I know the first step is to make a schedule and turn off social networking. My plan already. Setting a word count goal will help as well. I know I can do it because I wrote over 50,000 words in one month with NaNoWriMo in November and I had a full time job then. Oh, and coffee. Yes, coffee and some dark chocolate on occasion for my muse. No excuses allowed when I won't have a job. Other things are going on in my life at this moment and it will be difficult to keep them away from my muse. One can only try. No excuses!

Won't you come along with me on this journey of being a full time writer? Now the opportunity is in front of me, it seems frightening. Why? I don't know the answer yet. Failure? Maybe. Depression? I write great poetry when I'm depressed, although my goal is fiction and finishing all my WIP's. Still, I know I'm the one in control now and what I write and when I write is all up to me. Maybe the scary part is because I know I'm in control and the responsibility is all mine. Time will tell. Not everyone gets the chance to make their dreams come true. One of mine just did.

Mary

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Should I Quiet My Inner Editor?

2011-05-30T17:07:00.001-04:00

I've been editing my current work in progress the last four days. Okay, three days because I've hardly opened my word processor today, and that was to check out another work in progress I started a long time ago. My goal is to finish my current work. The reason I'm trying to quiet my inner editor right now is because it takes time away from actually writing. In trying to get closer to my characters and plot, I began at the beginning on Friday and started reading through, editing along the way.

There came a time yesterday when I tweeted about my inner editor, I realized how it stole my writing time. In November, most of you know I began a 50,000 word novel and NaNoWriMo constantly told us not to listen to our inner editor and write instead of edit as we went along. That killed me!. Note to self: Write, don't edit as you go. Don't edit as you go?

Editing was for December. It's very good advice, but there are writers who have to edit as they go along. I'm one of them. Whether it's right or wrong, I haven't decided yet. It kills me if I'm writing and I know I spelled a word wrong, or there's another word I don't like and I have to look it up. There are times when I stop writing to research something and that ends my thought process and I wasted what
might have been good ideas for writing. But, on the other hand, when I edit as I go, it's much less work at the end. I can put my manuscript away for a few days without looking at it, and come back and realize it's still a manuscript, a novel and not something cut into pieces. I do this with all my books. Of course that doesn't mean its the right thing to do. I've tried, really I have. I guess I've answered my own question. It's who I am, so I probably will not quiet my inner editor as I write. How about you?

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Finally Spring and Other Musings

2011-05-14T15:47:00.002-04:00

Here it is the second week of May and I can finally say it feels like spring. The air smells fresh, the sky is blue, and colorful Tulips are popping up everywhere. In fact, the Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan is wrapping up on May 14, 2011. Finally, after a long, cold, snowy winter~ Spring!

Do you have a favorite thing to do in springtime? I like to walk and look at tree buds, notice the grass is turning greener by the day, smell the fresh air after a soft rain, and listen to the birds lazily chirping and singing. Another thing I do this time of year, as well as other co-workers, is start to count down to the end of school. This year's different, and I'm not counting down. Summer this year will be different, but through it all I hope I can finish a couple books. Yes, that's right. A COUPLE books. I don't want to stop at only one. The contemporary I'm working on is my priority, but I am finished writing a Christmas themed romance. It's in the editing process. I can't wait to get back to it. It's a doozy, romantic, sexy, with a hot hero who likes to treat his heroine right. Not sure what to do with either one yet. Maybe Kindle, Smashwords, or I might submit to eBook publishers. Either way, my goal is to finish them this summer since I will have nothing but time. Summer work isn't out of the question, but come on, this is Michigan and we all know what this economy is like. In between the books and editing, I am going to write a short article about my trip to Mackinac Island about seven or eight years ago. It was memorable fun. Obviously, if I still want to write about it, let alone remember it!

Close to 300!

2011-04-30T14:59:00.007-04:00

My current work in progress is close to 300 pages. I like the story, love the characters, and excited with the romance! I'm at a turning point now and on a down hill run with it.

I was at the point of trying to get my rights back to Visions of Enchantment and Enchantment's Embrace, but the publisher won't budge. So, those books are still available in their original print format. They could go to Kindle and Nook in the near future. Book Three is on hold temporarily.

Updated Interview with Cover Model, C.J. Hollenbach

2011-02-17T16:58:00.002-05:00

Come over to my other blog A Walk With Words and read the updated version of my interview with the legendary C.J. Hollenbach, cover model and fantasy hunk. Don't delay. Until midnight tonight February 17th, 2011 you can get in a drawing for a signed photo of hot and hunky C.J. by leaving a question or comment.

Fifteen Inches and More, Updates

2011-02-04T16:05:00.005-05:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance

Whew! Survived Blizzard 2011, the biggest snow storm I've seen in a long time. The total in my city was fifteen inches, but in the driveway there was about three feet between me and my vehicle. A guardian angel came out of nowhere and plowed the driveway. You see, a car got stuck in front of where I live, and when they called people to come help them, one of them plowed the driveway with a tractor and blade attached. He must have felt sorry to see two women shoveling snow almost deeper than we were. My landlady and I did our best, but it would have taken forever. Prayers do get answered. My back isn't strong enough to shovel that much. After being off work for six months in the past with two ruptured disks, there's no way I want to hurt it again.

Good news! This Valentine's Day I'll be re-posting my interview with Cover Model hunk, C.J. Hollenbach. I've updated some of the questions, and he willingly answered once again. C.J. is one of the sweetest guys! He also sent me new photos to post with his updated interview. I'm excited for you to see them. His interview on my blog, A Walk With Words still gets lot's of hits. Wait till you see his new book covers! So, people you'll have to check back for Valentine's Day to see my new information on C.J. Hollenbach.

Writing News: With two full snow days I did a lot of editing on my current work in progress. I'm trying to quiet my inner editor and continue writing, but when I didn't write for two weeks, I had to go back and get familiar with my characters again, so why not edit as I went along. I'm at a good point now, and ready to keep writing. I'll find a way to quiet that editor and let my muse go where it will. And that's exactly what I'm going to do now! Remember to contact me if you are interested in either or both of my books in the Enchantment series, or with comments or questions. I love communicating with my readers and friends. Enjoy your weekend.

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News and Writing Updates Week One, 2011

2011-01-09T19:44:00.002-05:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance
glitter-graphics.com

We made it through the first whole week of 2011. Did you find it to be a tough week? I sure did. Were you off for a long break over Christmas and New Years? I was which is the reason for my tough first week back. This week should be better, but getting up at 5:00 A.M. is not any easier whether I was off on break or not.

My writing life has suffered this week. It was all I could do to get up and go to the day job. This week I will be adamant about working on my current work in progress. That work is the story I started during my NaNoWriMo. You know, that 50,000 word novel writing in 30 days. After some severe editing I ended up dropping below 50,000 words, but I'm sure that's to be expected since there was so many extra words added to be sure of reaching the goal. Adjective, Adverbs, oh yeah there were lots of them. Not to mention boring, drawn out descriptions. But, I've cut and wrote more and am over 51,000 words now. Even though I took out words, I still added good words.

My current work in progress is a contemporary romance with a higher level of
sensuality. That's all I'm saying. You know I don't give a lot away in a current work. But, I will say I plan on making this an eBook, either by self-publishing on Kindle, or submitting and praying for a contract. I already have a cover for it which means there's a good chance I will self publish through Kindle. That's not carved in stone.

Book three is going nowhere right now. I'm sad for leaving it, but since I want my rights back to Visions of Enchantment and Enchantment's Embrace, I don't see the reason to finish the third installment in the Enchantment series.I'm taking one day at a time on this matter. I wish there was more to tell you, and I apologize to my readers. Of course both books are still available for sale if you are interested. One minute my publisher will grant me the rights back, for a fee to remove them from Amazon and every other book seller where they are listed, and the next minute they won't. I think this is a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. I'm not going to dwell on these two books right now, because there are new books to be written and write new books I will. I moved two months ago so it took awhile to settle into a new life. More on this at a later time.

Remember,CONTACT me by using the contact button at the top right of the page, or visit my website . Have a great week!

Mary

Goals and Resolutions

2011-01-08T18:01:00.001-05:00

Today I posted a blog at my other rambling blog, A Walk With Words. I use that blog for my anything blog. Do you prefer goals or resolutions? I suppose by now you've touched on every type of blog, tweet, or facebook post there is. So, why not take a click over to A Walk With Words and see if I choose to set goals or resolutions. I'd love comments on how you do it.

More information about my writing to follow. After all, this is my writing blog!

From My House to Yours

2010-12-14T20:56:00.001-05:00

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November Rain

2010-11-05T16:41:00.000-04:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance
glitter-graphics.com

Summer Updates

2010-08-29T23:55:00.001-04:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance

It's hard to believe there's only a week of my summer vacation left. It seems I was just writing a post about Summer Romance Writing. I didn't get as much finished as I wanted to. I did finish my Christmas Themed Novel though, and I'm going through another edit on it now.

The last couple weeks I've been visiting my youngest son and had a great surprise when my oldest son told me he was going to be visiting from California. He left yesterday to return home. As a matter of fact I'm waiting to hear about his flight. He flew to southern California first to visit with a friend and he's catching a flight home just about now as we speak.

Needless to say I didn't do a lot of editing while here. Tomorrow I have to go home. Back to the job that pays my bills. I'll get back to editing then. This coming week, my last week of vacation, I do have to report to work for Professional Development two days for a few hours. I know this next week will go by so quickly. What can I do to make it last? Does anyone have any magic spell? Yeah, retirement! I could have done that but decided to work another year. I wrote an article in college about Returning to School. It still fits today. I'll enclose the link at the end of this post.

When I get back to my work routine I'll be back to finishing my other novel. The Holiday themed story will be submitted soon. Until the next time, enjoy the rest of your summer.

Enjoy my article: Fears of Returning to School

Summer Time by Sam Cooke. Enjoy!

2010-08-13T23:57:00.000-04:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance
glitter-graphics.com

Summer Romance Writing

2010-06-24T11:35:00.001-04:00

glitter-graphics.comMary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance

It's finally summer vacation! I made it through another school year. The year hasn't been easy for me; there's been changes everywhere. Changes at work, changes at home, changes in me. One thing that hasn't changed is writing. Wait! I guess that has changed a little, since I am now writing in another genre. Still romance, but a lot more than sensual; not like my Enchantment Series. I've been very busy trying to finish up three new books. My priority now is a holiday romance. Good news, because it's nearly finished in the first draft. Actually it's probably more like the 50th draft! I am the kind of writer who does some editing as I go. For one reason, I was away from that story for six months so I had to go back and reread it. I did some editing then. I usually go back and edit what I wrote the night before, somewhat. It's nothing like a final edit or revision because I'll do that when I finish the whole thing. I'm on Chapter Nineteen, and there will probably be twenty chapters.

In the meantime, I have not been working on the third book in the Enchantment Series. I hope I haven't lost my faithful readers who are waiting. Like I said, I have other writing priorities now. I will get to it, I promise! There is always so much to write, and it always feels like there will never be enough time. Darn day job! But, I do need that day job... For now, I'm on summer vacation until after Labor Day. My goal is for books to get finished, and make some changes in my own life. Stress is not good for a woman's heart; therefore, I need to think of me for a change. It's now time for me to get back to the holiday story. There are deadlines for holiday works! Till the next time, I wish you all a beautiful summer.

Just Another Monday

2010-05-10T21:02:00.000-04:00

Mary J. Dressel Author of Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance

Well, Monday turned out to be Monday. It started last night actually when I didn't get much sleep. So, when 5:00 AM came around it was hard to get up. Then, a co-worker was sick so I had to cover one of her jobs, which was okay, but I had to change my schedule around. That worked out though. The day was busy; and the rest of the school year will be. From here on, everyone will be busy. We're testing, scheduling, changing this, changing that, etc. Teachers have new assignments for next year, which never goes over well. It kind of defeats the purpose when you have to be pulled away from what you've trained to do for a year or more, then start all over with a new grade and a new curriculum. But, teachers are flexible, otherwise it would never work.

Enough of that personal stuff.

I'm ready to sit down and do some writing and move Book three along a little more. Once I get back to it, it will be finished soon. First draft, that is. Then finding a publisher is a whole new game in itself. I'm going to look for a new publisher for this book. Also, I have some other writing that I am thinking about publishing in eBook format. More on that. So, it's getting late for me now, and nearly time to settle in. It's only late because it's a work night, but if it was Friday, it would be early and I'd be ready to roll instead of sleep. Till next time, happy reading.

Visions of Enchantment

Enchantment's embrace

Contact me for more information on my books.

Travel Adventures, Part One. Where can you find it?

2010-04-29T20:00:00.004-04:00

Today is a beautiful day, but a little more wind than I'd like. It actually reached 71 degrees, but there was frost on the windows this morning. Quite a variation in temperature I'd say.

I haven't been writing on my novels much, but I've been writing some other things. Some years ago I used to travel a lot, and I've started writing about that. If you click the link you can read about My Travel Adventures, Part One that is about a trip to the upper peninsula of Michigan. Most of my travel experiences back then were a lot of fun. One of my works in progress revolves around a lighthouse, so my travels and love of lighthouses has contributed to that story. I do plan on writing more travel stories. Remember, not long ago one of my articles was the first ever to appear in the Pure Michigan Connect Blog. I can really get into this travel writing stuff! If you go to TRIOND you will find all the articles I've written and where they are published on various websites. Some of my poetry is also on Triond and other sites. You will find a few of my photographs that are on different photography sights, also. Go ahead, kill some time and get to know another side of me!

If you've never been to Michigan, check out some stats on Wikipedia. I don't usually use Wikipedia a lot, but they offer some good things on Michigan. Not every state can hold up their hand and point to where they live. Michigan looks like a mitten in case you don't know that fact about my state!

My Travel Adventures, Part One | Trifter

2010-03-27T12:44:00.002-04:00

My Travel Adventures, Part One | Trifter

Posted using ShareThis

I had a little extra time so thought I'd write about a pleasant memory. If you like to travel, and if you like lighthouses, you will enjoy this article.

2010-02-07T12:28:00.005-05:00

glitter-graphics.com
Valentine's Day is next week. Today is Super Bowl Sunday. It's almost like one weekend is for him and the other weekend is for her. Not true though. Many women love football. I'm one of them, I should know. And some men love Valentine's Day because it gives them an excuse to be romantic. Yes, I think some men do need an excuse, and maybe some women do, too.

I've always loved Valentine's Day, and even more now that I actually write stories about people in love. It's a given with me to want to share love on that day. I usually do it with my words, since that's really the only way I can do it now. Another thing I love, and always have is roses and hearts. Maybe it was meant to be for me to write romance. Roses and hearts signify love and romance. It does to me. How about you?

For the Superbowl game today, I'm not taking sides openly. There won't be tons of football food here, and it will be like any other football Sunday. Which side will you be rooting for at kick-off?

I'm in the process of writing my Valentine's Day Newsletter to post at Love's Enchantment. I'll post when it's ready, but you can go there now and read previous newsletters. You will also find some interesting interviews I have done. This year I am interviewing erotic romance writer, Jade Rose Madison. I'll let you know when it is completed and posted.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T11:47:00.001-05:00

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Wishing You a Wonderful New Year!

2010

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-19T18:47:00.001-05:00

I've updated my NEWSLETTER. Stop by and take a look. You might see something that interests you.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year!

News and Updates

2009-09-10T21:05:00.004-04:00

Back to work now. That leaves less time for working on my current works in progress, including book three. It is moving along slowly but surely. I've been busy working on another romance, but there will be more details about that later. Getting back to work this week has been difficult since I love to be a nightowl, and when you have to get up to a buzzing alarm at 5:00 A.M. you can't do that. Well, I could, but no one would want to be around me, including myself! I'm grown attached to my coffee pot! Well, I always have been so that's not really news.

This summer I added a couple new chapters to the third book, plus I mapped out some more ideas. It's so strange how new characters can just pop into the story! I have no idea where they come from, but that's the joy of writing; the not knowing part that just happens. This book has little- bit parts- by new characters to the series, but you won't see much of them. They do have to be there though, even though their parts are small.

You can start looking for my newsletter to come out soon. Just let me take a deep breath and relax for a minute or two...

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Absence is to love What wind is to fire; It extinguishes the small, It enkindles the great

ROGER DE BUSSY-RABUTIN

2009-07-29T13:40:00.003-04:00

Sale is over, but you can still purchase my books

at the publisher's, or through me.

Visions of Enchantment-- $6.99

Enchantment's Embrace -- $8. 99

Available for a limited time only!
Check back often because there might be another great sale.
Or
Ask me!

Capture the Moment | Quazen

2009-07-28T10:58:00.003-04:00

Please check out my latest article about Photography. Thank you!

Capture the Moment Quazen

Posted using ShareThis

Update for Enchantment Series, and Other Info

2009-07-22T12:08:00.003-04:00

This month is almost over, and I have been writing a little bit in my series. My goal is to finish the first draft by time I go back to work at the end of August, or whenever it is I start back. Kids start back after Labor Day, but I start back before that for meetings and such. So, that means I have a ways to go on my book. I'm on chapter 27 now, and Part 2 in the book.

I had a brainstorm for this section, and it gave me new direction. As it stands now, Part 1 is titled, Accidently, and Part 2 is titled On Purpose. I've never broken any of the books up into parts, so this is different. Maybe it won't even stay this way, but for now, it is in parts.

To make sure I keep myself busy writing, I am now a member of NaBloPoMo! Do you know what that means? You might have heard of National Novel Writing Month... Well, this is National blog Posting Month, and it's to write a daily blog for the month. Actually, I think they do it each month. I didn't keep the goal. :-( I was away from home and didn't have the address to go back to it, so it say a few days without any post. But, yesterday I made my first post. You can join me too, at http://nablopomo.ning.com/ It's fun, and it will help you to keep writing. You know a writer needs to write each day! So, come on and join me at this new Ning Network. If you already have a Ning Login, then you can sign up with your Ning ID. Too bad I didn't know that! I made a new login before I realized it was a Ning Network. Oh, well, it's still me!

I have written my first post in my Ning Blog, but I also copied it to my Wordpress Blog. Anywhere I can stick my name, and my book titles, I will! So, feel free to check out my posts, and think about starting your own daily blog. Hope to see you there, and if you do sign up, be sure to be my friend, so I can follow your blog posts too!

Enjoy your day...

Book Three Update

2009-07-09T21:27:00.003-04:00

I just started chapter 24 in this third book, and it's over 44,000 words. It's moving along well, and just started into Part 2. My goal is to finish the first draft before I return to work in September. It has a ways to go so that means I need to be very busy with it, writing in most of my spare time. I've been staying up late to do some work on it when it's quiet, and then afternoons.

In the mean time, there is new information from my publisher, saying that my books have become available in HARDCOVER. I can't wait to get my hands on them. When I got published, it was a dream to see my books in hardcover, but at the time, my publisher didn't do hardcover books, but now they do! Please contact me if you're interested.

I wrote a new blog post over at my other blogging place. Most of that is rambling writing, stating opinions and having fun with writing. Click on the link if you want to go there. My latest entry is called: If You Could Live One Special Day Over, What Would It Be? I think you'll like it.

Wishing You a Happy Fourth of July

2009-07-03T10:21:00.004-04:00

glitter-graphics.com

Sounds of Saturday

2009-05-30T11:15:00.001-04:00

I'm sitting here in my recliner with my laptop on my lap. I hear a lawnmower from the neighbor across the street, or next door. One lone bird is chirpping. I'm not sure what kind. At 5:00 A.M. there were too many chirpping. The TV is on in the background to the Animal channel.

For five days a week, I get up to peace and quiet,and alone while I drink a cup of coffee. On Saturday it's calm chaos. A small airport is nearby, and on occasion you can hear a small training aircraft, or a huge military jet. But, for now, it's just the lawnmower and more birds. I hear a Cardinal at times, whilstling for it's mate, or protecting its babies. If the dogs were out next door, they would be barking, because they always do when they're out. My own dog is in the kitchen breathing deeply, and that could turn into a snore at any time. She snores loudly when she does, and the floor vibrates. Once in awhile a noisy car will drive down the street. If it was a winter morning, it would be quiet outside, but the inside sounds would be the same except the furnace would be making its own sound.

Soon, it will be summer The sounds outside will be different. How does it know? There may be sounds of kids playing, although there aren't many on this block. There will be more birds, or at least seem like it. More traffic will be out, and I don't know why. During spring, summer, and fall, there will always be the sound of a lawnmower if you live in the suburbs. Sometimes teenagers walk by talking on their cell phone; I can hear conversations. Other times they are listening to their radio.

All in all, Saturday is a wonderful morning to wake up to. Sunday will start it all over again. Listen to the sounds in your area. Are they the same? Are you waking up to a busy city morning, or a quiet farm community? Do you wake up at the shimmering lake and hear sputtering boat motors, kids playing in the water, waves splashing, etc? Enjoy your Saturday no matter what you wake up to.

Writing Time

2009-04-18T10:15:00.007-04:00

Last week was my spring break. I was off work for over a week counting the weekends. There wasn't much sleeping in. People in my house don' t sleep much. Therefore, it's hard to sleep in. It was still okay to get up and not have to do anything, like get ready, decide what to take for lunch, etc, etc.

Writing and visiting my youngest son were my priority for that week. I did both. Mostly, I started typing into the computer from notebooks. That's how I started my erotic contemporary because I could take that with me before I had a laptop. It's nearly all in the computer now. Another contemporary novella is barely started, and I did some reviewing and editing on that. I usually do editing as I go, not like some writers, who wait till the end. It's also my way of getting back into a story I've been away from. And last but not least, I did some writing in Book Three in the Enchantment series. Last night I lost a whole page. I dont' know how. I was doing something else at the time, and I think I hit the back space key. When I clicked on Undelete, it took me back too far, then I hit, undelete what I just deleted. Anyway, I ended up losing a page. It wasn't something I wanted to lose, and I suppose I can write it again, but it's just so frustrating. Once again, I became lax, and didn't save it like I should have. Maybe it's backed up somewhere, but I'll probably find it too late, if I do find it. It's only a page, about 250 words. Ugh, sometimes it's hard to come up with 250 words! I'll quit whinning, and replace it. It's my fault for not paying attention.

So, at this point in time, I'm working on three WIP. (works in progress) I usually write that way these days. I want them all to be finished, so when the mood comes for one of them, I work on that one. When I wrote the very first book, that was all I worked on. I was all consumed with it. But, since I've started working on more than one thing at a time, that's what I do now. It might change.

Last night I watched Twilight. I loved it. I did read the book. Loved that too. I've heard a lot of people say they didn't like Bella. I did. I think she looked sad and sort of depressed, but come on, she should have. But, when she was with Edward, I think she looked so in love. They looked at each other the way many couples dream of. In my world it only happnes in my writing, and it was pleasant to watch them be in love. I am reading New Moon, and you know that movie will be out this November, 2009. I hope all the same characters come back. Except for James!! You know why. If you haven't read the book, or seen the movie, I won't give it away.

It's Saturday. I worked my first whole week in a few weeks. The week before Easter was only 4 1/2 days, so that was a short week. Then off a week, now back full time. We are back until Memorial Day. I shouldn't complain, because I know a lot of you don't get all the time off that I do. When you work in a school, you get a week off more than once a year. I started this job because when my kids were young I could be off when they were. I am not in the same district because I moved five years ago, but still in a school district. I do love my job. Talk of pink slips is circulating again, so I have to wait to see what happens there.

Today I will do some more writing on my erotic contemporary. I have a title for it, but if you know me, you know I don't release my titles until I have a contract. I love the title, and it fits the book well. The story, and writing erotica is different for me. I didn't know I could do it. It seems to flow along. Hmm... :-) It also involves royalty, and I have to do some research for it. I don't know all that much about royalty. See, maybe the word "ROYALTY" needs to start with a capital letter. I don't know! But when I get done, you won't know that I didn't know because that'ls the reason for the research! A good tip for you writers. Research till your fingers fall off, then throw half of it away! You can't have enough to look at, just don't use it all.

More updates as my writing continues...

glitter-graphics.com

Stay at Home Spouse

2009-01-25T11:06:00.006-05:00

I made a vow to myself that I was going to do better in updating my blogs. It's nearly the end of the month, and I haven't done that yet. So, starting now, I am going to decide on a topic and write about it. Today's topic is going to be about living with a spouse who is home.

glitter-graphics.com

As I look around my house, I see dust and clutter. When did this start? I ask myself. If I try to follow my memory back, I must say it started January 2007. The day my husband had surgery, and everything concerning his health went downhill. He has had a disease for 13 years, one without a cure. It effects bone marrow, but is not Leukemia, although it can turn into Leukemia, and falls into the Leukemia catagory.

He had to go on disability. Therefore, he is home 24 hours a day. I understand that he is sick, and what he can do is limited. That's the part that makes it easy to accept him being here throughout the day. After all, I love him and have always looked forward to our time together. But on the other hand, since he's here throughout the day, it is very hard to work around him as he watches television, or sits at the computer. I find it very hard to use the vacuum or mop, or try to dust the house when he continues to look agitated as he looks around me as I move around the furniture. I'm sure it's this way with a retired spouse, too.

Mostly, I find myself waiting until he has to leave for the store or to pick his daughter up from school before I can turn on the vacuum, or start dusting. I feel more comfortable when I am doing this at home alone. Of course there's no problem doing laundry, or cooking because that's a different area of the house. Unfortunately, I find myself sitting with him, with my own laptop until I can find a quick minute to start cleaning the room. He tells me to go ahead, and do what I need to do. But, then again, like I said, he looks at me, turns the TV up, and moves his eyes back and forth around me to see what is on TV.

I know this might sound like I'm being disrespectful to him, but that's not it at all. I think that no one can understand what I mean unless they are living with someone who is always there. It's not like I'm wishing he wasn't here, because I love that he doesn't have to work when he's so sick. He gets to spend more time than ever with his daughter; actually every day now. This is a very good thing, because it makes him happy when she's here. He's not happy a lot of the time, so that does help. On occassion, he will do the laundry, and he's even learned to cook a few dishes. This is a feat he overcame because he never used to cook anything that didn't go "Ding."

So, my reason for writing this is because sometimes I just have to know that others are going through this, too. I am not regretting that he is here because, as I said, I'm glad that he doesn't have to work when he's sick. That would be impossible because some of his days are very bad; especially for a couple days after he gets his Interferon injection. Yes, I'm glad that he can spend his days in a warm house in the winter, and a cool house in the summer while he feels so miserable.

So, for my topic today, feel free to comment. I'd like to know how others are coping, and working around, a spouse that is home. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Visit the Leukemia Foundation of Michigan for Children and Adults.

Excerpts Information

2008-11-07T17:27:00.003-05:00

Just below this post, I posted the first excerpt for my newest free read just for you. It's original title was The Accident. I've since changed it to something I like better, so now it's called, True Love Never Dies. I've tossed this story around, wondering if I wanted to leave it as is, or add to it. For now, I'll leave it as it is.

Now, one more thing. This story has some adult content to it, more than a PG-13 rating, I think. So, sometimes Blogger will mark a blog as Adult Rated, and I don't want that to happen since most of my work here isn't adult rated. What I'm doing with the rest of the story is to direct you to read it on my website. One simple click will take you there! Click! It's the second story on that page, with a link at the top of the page. I hope you take the time to click. The inspiration for that story follows the story.

Enjoy!

I would love to hear your comments. Have a wonderful day!

"It's My Turn to Talk"

2008-10-24T06:33:00.003-04:00

Well, it's happened. My character and hero of the Enchantment series finally has his say. At the blog, My Turn to Talk, you can read the interview I did with him. Did you ever wonder why a character does what he or she does? Stop by and experience this unique idea of interviewing book characters.

Also, some more new information. I decided to make a Halloween page on my website, and I wrote a ghost story then posted it as a free read. You won't want to miss it. So, get in the spirit, and visit my website now. Have a great day!

Spotlight at Sister Writers Blog October 19th.

2008-10-18T11:53:00.004-04:00

I’d love if you’d stop by Sister Writers Blog on Sunday, October 19th. The Blog moderators have asked questions about me, my books, and advice to new writers. Come on over that way all day tomorrow

and see what I have to say.

I’d love to see you there!

glitter-graphics.com

Blogging/ Interviewing All Week

2008-10-07T19:15:00.003-04:00

I'm over at INTERVIEWING AUTHORS Blog all week and I'd love to hear from you. Stop by and say hello!

Week of October 6, 2008

http://interviewswithauthors.blogspot.com/2008/10/mary-dressel.html

For Love?

2008-09-28T11:48:00.008-04:00

I watched The Notebook the other night. It's based on the book by the same name written by Nicholas Sparks. While I sat with tears in my eyes, I wondered what it would be like to have the man/woman you loved take care of you when you could no longer take care of yourself. Then I wondered what I would do for love.

I submitted the rest of this article to Triond, where I post a lot of my writing. It was just approved and posted. My article is called What Would You Do For Love. This is a serious article and question. It really made me think. I hope you will take the time to click on the link and ask yourself the questions in this article.

https://www.triond.com/users/Mary+J+Dressel

Scroll down on the page then click on the title.

While there, please see some of my other writings.

glitter-graphics.com

Goings On

2008-08-25T10:45:00.007-04:00

glitter-graphics.com

I'm going to start scheduling some book signings for the holidays, beginning with some small coffee shops and book stores in the area. I still have some books on hand so if I don't sell them before my signings, I'll go ahead and use them for that. Remember, if you're interested in purchasing one of my books, this might be a good time for you because I can offer you a discount due to my own discount from my publisher. So, feel free to contact me at my email address for more information. I'll be setting up Blog tours with spotlights and guest spots, too. I'll post information as it comes up. My next blog spot will be on September 23rd at http://rainedelight.wordpress.com/ I'll be answering questions from Raine Delight herself! More updates later.

Don't forget to add my blog to your blogroll, or your bookmark. I update regularly, so check back for news and updates.

dresselmj@aol.com

Book three is moving along, and I love where it's going. Remember Eryn and Uriah being separated by the confines of time. Well, you can start wondering who will be separated, or not, in book three. I have a tentative title in my head, but not real sure about it. Remember last time, I went back and forth for three weeks on a title for Enchantment's Embrace. Since it's the Enchantment series, of course, it has to have Enchantment somewhere in the title.

I'll be going back to work next week. I was recalled from lay-off to the same middle school, but different position. I've very happy about that since this position is more stable. Shh, I shouldn't say that since I've been laid off three times in three years with jobs I thought were stable. I'll be taking one day at a time until the end of the school year, and holding my breath when May comes along when we start hearing talk of lay-offs.

Enjoy your week!

After Blogging at Paranormal Universe

2008-08-16T19:30:00.007-04:00

It was a lot of fun blogging at Paranormality on Wednesday. I had some great comments and questions about my ghost, and my time-travel series. The ghost and time travel series aren't related, only two things I blogged about. So, now I'll post that post here for all to read that couldn't stop by that day.

I’m Mary J. Dressel, and I write Historical, Paranormal, and Contemporary Romance. My most recent published works are part of a romantic time-travel series– the Enchantment series. The idea for this series came from a little Victorian town I used to drive through to my vacation property in Pennsylvania. I started wondering what it would be like to live in this quaint little town a century ago. So, one night I sat down in my little cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, and I created my own idea of what it could have been like.

No matter what I’m writing it seems that paranormal thoughts and ideas always want to come out and take over the story. For instance, my most recent contemporary work in progress is gnawing at me to do something out of the ordinary. I had to give in, adding a spirit that floated around a couple times! Another work in progress is a Vampyre romance, once again the paranormal called to me. Two more works in progress are also tumbling around in my head and soul, asking me to consider either time traveling or a something ghostly.

It will be easy for me to write something ghostly since I had first hand experience with a ghost who lived in my apartment with me. I can’t say I liked the idea and it was frightening at times, although he never tried to hurt me or my roommate. Sometimes it felt like he was trying to cause trouble between us, and I can’t even explain how that all played out because it was so gradual. He was a young man about 19 years old. He wore a baseball cap cocked sideways on his head. He could speak in my voice, or my roommate’s voice, and he did this on occasion. One night I woke from a dead sleep to the sound of my roommate asking if I was awake. It wasn’t my roommate! He called me by the nickname that no one used but my roommate. That was spooky! Then one day he told my roommate it was time to get up, using my voice. I wasn’t home! That’s when he woke up and saw him standing in the bedroom at the doorway. Really, it was freaky. I could feel him standing near me while I pretended to be asleep, or he would bump into the side of the couch where I fell asleep sometimes. Once, I left the apartment because I was just too scared to be there. When we moved I told him it would be okay for him to find rest, and go where he was supposed to be. I hope he found peace. Unless you’ve experienced something like this, you don’t know what it feels like. So, I would say I have to add some ghostly spirit to something I write!

I didn’t even know I could write paranormal stuff ‘till I sat down and wrote paranormal stuff! My first series of books are about time-travel. I suppose I write it because I’ve always loved the concept of time travel, but more into going back in time over forward. In my current series, my heroine leaves the past year of 1882, going through a Portal to the present time leaving her with no memory of a past time, of her family, or of the man she was betrothed to. Little did she know that Uriah followed her to the present time, waiting 20 years for her, twenty years plus a whole century, until a fateful foggy night brought her back to a town and man she didn’t remember. Picture this: You happen upon a quaint little Victorian town with a beautiful Queen Anne home called The Enchanted Inn. You need to spend the night to get in out of the fog because you’re terrified of it for some unknown reason. Okay, you know this could really happen. Right? But you walk in and the inn’s owner is familiar to you. Turns out you actually dreamed of someone with beautiful amber brown eyes, just like his, for the past 20 years.

Through the past years this man never forgot, and still felt 100% in love just as if it were the same day you left. Eventually he tries to convince you that you loved him a century ago. Would you believe him? Would you believe him if his touch brought back memories of a past time you knew nothing about? And if you did believe him– what would you do about it? Visions of Enchantment and Enchantment’s Embrace tells the story of what could happen. If I had a handsome hero telling me things he told Eryn, and the visions and touch spoke the same, I sure would like a chance to see for myself if what he was saying was, indeed, true. I’m not sure I could take the chance of passing up the opportunity to take a trip back to the 1800's!

Think about the questions I asked above, and feel free to leave a comment or question yourself. Would you time-travel if you could? Would you believe a handsome hunk/ beautiful heroine who told you, you loved them a century ago? How much time would you give him/her to convince you? What lengths would you go to, to convince the one you loved that he/she was from a different time period?

I always answer my emails so if you would like further information about my Enchantment series, or other works in progress, please contact me at my email address or website. Or, if you want to ask about my 19 year old ghostly spirit with my voice! I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Happy traveling, no matter where you go....

Mary

Official Website
http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com/

Email:
Dresselmj@aol.com

Newsletters (email me with subscribe in the subject line)
http://www.maryjdresselsnewsletters.blogspot.com/

MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/maryjdresselbooks

You can leave a comment here if you'd like.

Spotlight Today, August 14th

2008-08-14T09:29:00.006-04:00

Come on over and say hello at the Paranormality Universe Blog. I'll be spotlighted all day. You can learn about Enchantment series. Plus, I'll be talking about the ghost that lived in my apartment a few years ago. One lucky person commenting will receive a pdf copy of either of my books. Hope to see you there.

glitter-graphics.com

Summer Newsletter Available Now

2008-07-25T10:57:00.002-04:00

Just to let you know, my Summer Newsletter, Love's Enchantment, is ready!You can view it at--

http://www.maryjdresselsnewsletters.blogspot.com/

Comments are always welcome.

Have a wonderful day!

Mary J. Dressel Books

Book Signing/ Presentation

2008-07-20T12:59:00.005-04:00

On August 12th, I'll be making an appearance in Wayne, Michigan, my hometown! I'll be at the Wayne Public Library at 7:00 pm until 9:00. The last time I talked about Visions of Enchantment, but this time I'll be introducing Enchantment's Embrace, the second book in the Enchantment series. Both books will be available for purchase. Everyone loves to receive a signed copy of a book, so if you're in the area on August 12th, I'd love to see you there!

More details will be on my website.
http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com/

Appearance

2008-06-27T11:25:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, June 28th, I'll be doing a Reading/ Presentation at the Delton Public Library at 10:30 a.m.

There will be several local authors there. Stop by if you're in the area, and get a chance.

The whole seminar is from 9:00 a.m. till 12:00 noon.

I'll be talking about the Enchantment series,

and reading some excerpts.

glitter-graphics.com

Interview with Shiela Stewart

2008-06-24T15:39:00.005-04:00

One of my friends is an erotic romance writer. You can read the interview on my website or newsletter. She has a new series coming out soon, and we'll hear a little about it, as well as her current works. Maybe she'll give us a sneak peak! Don't forget to check it out.

By the way, while I'm here. I have a new MySpace page. Come by!

http://www.myspace.com/maryjdresselbooks

glitter-graphics.com

Catching Up...

2008-06-12T20:06:00.006-04:00

I've been busy working on two writing projects. One is my novella, which has turned into a novel now. Somehow this has turned into a light erotic romance. I guess some of my author friends are rubbing off on me. I can tell you that writing this is a lot of fun. It's awesome to just let my imagination run away. Maybe I'm in a point in my life where I have to sit back and let this happen. It's my escape for sure.

My other project is the 3rd book in my Enchantment series. That has some twists and turns that even surprise me. I'm on chapter six now! I've written two chapters in two days.

My June Newsletter will have an interview with an Erotic Romance Author. She's been an author friend for awhile now, and I figured that June is hot, and so is she and her writings. I'm reading one of her books now. Kind of like for research, you know! ;-) Sorry, but I'm not releasing her name until I finish the interview with her. I think you'll be pleased.

Work is done for this school semester. Work is done for me at this school. I was only hired for this year. Things always change in school districts, so I could get called back in September. Unfortunately, I'm getting used to this. Three lay-offs in three years. No wonder I write romance. Something good has to happen in my life! Even if I make it up...

Weekly Update

2008-05-02T21:46:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone had a chance to take advantage of my publisher's discount on my books by 50%! That special is over now, but you can still purchase either Visions of Enchantment or Enchantment's Embrace for $19.95, which is still 20% off the retail price. For this special price go to their website and put my last name (dressel) into the search box on the right side of the page. Both books will come up.

I've been working diligently on my novella. I'm loving this one. It contemporary, and different for me. It's more than sensual, probably erotic, but more on the mild side of erotic...maybe. I'm not sure yet since it's still in the draft stage. This is fun writing! I am really letting myself go with this one. I still need to do some research since this story involves British Royalty. I don't know anything about British Royalty other than they have a Queen! But, when I get done, you'll think I do!

Book Three has some more pages added to it, too! Remember how I said that my writing calls to me? Well, it called to me, and I ran away with it, and now it's on chapter four. My goal is to have it finished sometime in the summer. I would love to have it published in 2008. That way, two in the Enchantment series would be published in one year. We'll see what happens. It's too soon to tell right now.

I'm looking for a publisher for a friend, for an article he wrote about baseball. It's non-fiction, and a great article. Any suggestions? He was a student in my creative writing class. I'm also working on another project for him. Something that is also non-fiction, and a very big deal. If we can find the right place for this, it might just change a lot of children's lives. He is a retired medical doctor-- a pediatrician-- and he's seen much too much horror. His concern is about live in boyfriends killing their girlfriend's kids. You read about this in the paper too often. He is adamant on doing something about this, and his paper is superb. We're looking for someone in Sociology or Psychology to get involved with this. If you know of anyone who might want to explore this, please contact me at dresselm @ aol.com (no spaces).

2008-04-28T19:00:00.002-04:00

I've been Tagged
Okay, so my Erotic Romance Author friend, Shiela Stewart has Tagged me. So I'm playing along! I guess I'm supposed to tell you seven random or interesting things about me. Hmm, are you ready for this? Just so you know, I'm not going down alone. I'm inviting five blog buddies like the rules say. So, watch out, it might be you!

The rules: Tell seven random and/or interesting things about myself. Get five blog buddies to play, too and link to their blogs. Don't forget to post the rules.

#1. I raised my boys, then got a divorce, and for a time was as free as the wind. Then, I married a man with three daughters, one being only 8 years old when I met her, and as my age reaches retirement, I find myself with a young child again, plus 3 grandchildren! What a change.

#2. I went to about 13 different schools before finally quitting in 11th grade.

#3. It was 12 years later that I went back to school, graduated from Continuing Education as an adult, then got a college degree.

#4. I am the only daughter out of a family of four brothers. Two brothers died as infants. One brother recently died.

#5. When I was about four years old, I found my baby brother dead in his bassinette when he was a month old.

#6. I love long hair on men! Did I say, I LOVE long hair on men?

#7. As an older adult, I discovered a fetish I didn't know I had. (or didn't think I knew!)

Ok, I'm tagging---

Barbara Watkins

Cindy Bauer

Shelagh Watkins

Rowena Cherry

Carol Burge

New Review for Enchantment's Embrace Four Cups!

2008-04-14T16:47:00.003-04:00

Four Cups from Coffee Time Romance

ENCHANTMENT'S EMBRACE: BOOK 2 OF THE ENCHANTMENT SERIES
MARY J. DRESSEL
ISBN# 1-60441-798-6
February 18, 2008
Publish America
111 E. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Paperback $24.95 327 Pages
Romance/Time-TravelRating: 4 Cups

Eryn Sterling reminisces of time gone by after laying her great-grandfather to rest. Her mind carries her into a past surrounding a portal that can be good and bad. She had no idea the portal would become a part of her life.

Uriah Prescott runs the Enchanted Inn. He loves Eryn and if necessary will to go to the ends of the earth for her. After learning about the portal, years of their life seem to change in a heartbeat.

Eryn is content with Uriah, but remembering things about her parents make her wish to cross the portal. She recalls how things changed when she lost her parents. The portal is her way of stepping into the past. Nothing told her the man she married in the past would be her true love once she found the escape again to the present. Uriah promises never to forget Eryn whether he steps into the portal to the past or future. When the two are able to connect with each other, they not only find happiness in each other's arms, but a tinge of danger along the way. Both must battle their way through the past again to make things right for their future.

Enchantment’s Embrace is a story that is distinctive in its own way as the reader feels as if they, too, have stepped into the portal, fresh into a fantasy to meet their true love. I enjoyed reading about Eryn and Uriah and their conquest. In all, it was a good book and I could tell Ms. Dressel put a lot of hard work into the settings and time-travel. She allows the reader to share in the connection of Uriah and Eryn and the love he feels for the only woman he wishes in his life. I liked how Uriah and Eryn were able to help and share their life with many in the past and present.

Cherokee Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen

Find Out About New Books

April Newsletter

2008-04-09T10:24:00.003-04:00

My April Newsletter is now available. Have you ever wondered what the steps were to designing a book cover? I had the opportunity to interview a book cover designer. You'll find it in my newsletter, plus you'll find some interesting 'National' days in April. Follow this link to view it now-- http://www.maryjdresselsnewsletters.blogspot.com

Thanks!

Enchantment's Embrace Won Best Book Cover Art Award!

2008-04-03T21:12:00.003-04:00

This is so exciting for me! Thanks to all who voted...

My April Newsletter will have an interview with the designer who designed Enchantment's Embrace, Anthony Saavedra. Coming soon!

Five Star Review for Visions of Enchantment

2008-03-28T19:37:00.003-04:00

Five Star Review of Visions of Enchantment
Meloni Cassidy, Author Everlasting Journey

~1882
Two young souls who loved more than ever thought possible...separated and lost to each other beyond all concepts of time....

~Present day
Eryn Sterling is a woman abused and twice shy. Taking her daughter to a college in the town of Enchantment, a routine trip to a bookstore will set her life in a backward motion in ways she never thought possible. Uriah Prescot is a man fueled by nothing less than desperation and determination. He uses methods some may consider quite underhanded to claim the woman who left him more than a lifetime ago...a woman who remembers nothing of him or his claim of their undying love. Eryn is too busy worrying about the disappearance of her less-than-worthy husband to give Mr. Prescot a second thought. Her body, however, betrays her with remembrances of its own. She does not understand the visions that plague her...visions of a time long past. Eryn wonders...could it be? What should be? Is Uriah a rogue or my salvation?

And what of her husband? A man she has spent nineteen years with is not so easily dismissed.

Husband or no- it is not long before Eryn becomes bewitched by Uriah's captivating spell. She softens toward him despite her unwillingness to believe the unbelievable. Uriah remains frustrated that she will not accept him at face value, but continues his patient "courtship", knowing full well that her devotion in the end can be more precious than the value of any gems....if only she would listen to her heart and trust. As memories slowly return to Eryn, she eventually must make a choice. A choice of a life with a man from the past she loved beyond all comprehension many years ago, or a choice in the here and now that includes her best friend, and her two daughters-people she dearly loves and could never leave. Not even if they wonder if Eryn might have taken a ride too many on the Looney Express. Not to mention that nasty husband of hers... Where was he?

The truth of the matter of the deadbeat husband and the consequences of Uriah’s desperate actions has finally caught up with them, and threaten to tear them apart. Can their newfound love withstand such dire state of affairs? All the while~embers of passion are never far from the surface and threaten to explode between Uriah and the love of his life. Eryn, despite her better judgment, sets out to seek the truth, an end to their story. The end she seeks will bring their lives~a century and twenty years worth~ full circle. Neither Eryn, nor Uriah expect the maelstrom of events that will unfold from her timeless quest. Will these events bind them together for all time, or cause them to pay the ultimate price? At the end of this extraordinary, passionate trek, where will they remain for always? Will it be in the times of Internet, Chevrolets, and fast food? Or will it be in the times of a handshake and simplicity? Will they ever truly find their way home?

As a reader, I am extremely particular about what I read. Out of the next fifty books I will purchase, perhaps only about ten will fulfill my expectations. Mary J. Dressel not only met my expectations, she has exceeded them with her novel “Visions of Enchantment”. Where do I begin? Her fascinating prose and detail took my breath away. A simple touch, smile, or tear made me feel Eryn and Uriah’s passion, joy, and melancholy. Mary has written sensuality in a way where no one can deny the power of physical attraction. Believe me, I have read countless time travel romance novels, and it is a rare occasion when I find a novel that mesmerized me as much as Ms. Dressel’s.

“Visions of Enchantment” will make you sit up and take notice. Her characters come to life more with each turn of the page. So realistic they are; you may find yourself getting up to look out the window with high expectations of your own Uriah coming to find you! Kudos to you, Mary J Dressel, for a book well written! You have no problem whatsoever finding the heart and soul of romance. On a scale of 1-5, I give you five full bottles of Dr. Pepper! Needless to say, I love Dr. Pepper.

Meloni Cassidy
Author of “Everlasting Journey”
www.freewebs.com/afinerosesheis
(scroll down for a Five Star Review for Enchantment's Embrace)

Near End to Another Week

2008-03-20T17:59:00.004-04:00

Okay, it's only Thursday but I'm looking forward to the weekend. It feels like it's been a long week at work this week. The kids are ready for a break as much as I am.

I've been busy with my creative writing class. I am having such a good time, especially being in a room with so many talented writers. They don't know their talent yet, but I am trying to teach them some things they need to know, to realize their ability as writers. They are well on their way to becoming the writer they always dreamed of. I can relate to them in every way. At first, a new writer feels lost, and like they are the only ones who think their writing is good. Sometimes they don't even believe that, though. There is a variety of writers in my class, from poets, to song writers, to journaling, to sci-fi, to commentaries. They make up a wonderful mix of writers. I'm pleased to be their teacher. We're getting down to the end of the classes now, and it seems there is just not enough time to teach what I want them to know, to get them the basics they need.

Off to another subject-- My newsletter... I'll be getting it out soon, and I'm doing another interview. It's tentative now, but I put together some questions for a book cover designer! I always wondered what the steps were that a designer had to go through to make a beautiful book cover. The book cover is so important, it's the first thing a reader sees when looking for a book. I'm excited about this interview because I will learn some things myself. Did I mention that this cover designer designed the covers for my two published books? Even more exciting because I'm familiar with his work. More details will follow about the newsletter.

I haven't been doing much of my own writing these past few weeks, and I feel bad about it. That pesky day job of mine keeps me away all day! I'd retire tomorrow if I could, and write full time. Ah, every writer's dream! But, even if I'm not actually writing, the ideas and thoughts are always there tumbling around in the back of my mind. Yes, a part of the story is always there. It's like these characters demand to be heard, and I know it won't take long before I HAVE to sit down and write, to continue with the story to calm down the imagination. I love when this happens, though. When the characters call me, when an idea won't let me rest.

Some more news is that I'm trying to set up book signings and presentations. I'll post any new information as it comes along. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and wonderful weekend. Take care, and keep reading!

Don't forget, you can still vote for my book cover art until March 31st. How 'bout clicking on this link now, and vote for Enchantment's Embrace for Best Book Cover Art for March!

http://www.talauthors.com/TAL/BestCoverArt.htm Thanks!

New Beginnings, Again

2008-03-09T12:37:00.005-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post called New Beginnings. I was all excited about having a new idea for one of my works in progress; book three, actually. Well, I couldn't wait until I got home from work so I could get into the story with my new beginning. Guess what? The beginning wasn't all that different! It was very similar. I wonder why it seemed so different when I thought of it that morning. Maybe it was the fact that I was half awake, or, I had forgotten what I wrote, or maybe I already changed it, that's why the thought was there that morning! My beginnings are so important. Okay, not just my beginnings, but all writers' beginnings. That's old news. I thought I had a new hook, but it was already there. It was a good thing, though, because if I thought of it twice, it must be what I want.

Of course, there will be more changes as the book progresses, and what is the beginning now, may not be the beginning later. Like in book one, Visions of Enchantment, actually started out with Chapter One. (don't laugh) Later on I made a whole new beginning which is now the Prologue. With the second book, Enchantment's Embrace, the very first sentence remained the same 'very first sentence' all the way through, and it is still the very 'first' sentence! Funny how that works. So, for now the first thought for my beginning remains as it was. Writing is so much fun! You get all these surprises, and never expected them!

The Author's Lounge Best Book Cover Art Awards

2008-03-01T17:31:00.004-05:00

ENCHANTMENT'S EMBRACE is up for TAL's Best Book Cover Awards for March. Please visit their website and vote for my cover. Here is the link:

http://www.talauthors.com/TAL/BestCoverArt.htm

Thanks in advance...

New Beginnings

2008-02-25T12:15:00.005-05:00

I woke up this morning, and before I even finished my coffee, which means I was half awake, a thought came into my head about a new beginning for book three. It just happened. I wasn't even thinking about it, it just popped in. It first appeared like a movie going on, then the words started to appear. I knew if I didn't write it down right then, I'd lose it, but since I wasn't awake, I tried to talk myself out of it. But, my logical side won, and I got out my AlphaSmart Keyboard, and started typing. Later, I can put that into my document. Do you know what an AlphaSmart is? It's a little keyboard with eight files, with each file holding 100 pages. Sometimes, when I'm not at my computer, I use that, then hook it up via a USB cord. It is wonderful since I don't have a laptop.

Don't forget to scroll down and see the link to my newsletter, and read my interview with C.J. Hollenbach, plus my other news. It's well worth clicking a couple links to get there. That is if you like long haired hunks. He's the spitting image of my hero, Uriah.

My husband's birthday is this week. I wonder how I can surprise him! Oh, well, I'll think of something, so for now, I bid you all farewell for now. At least it didn't snow last night, but tonight we're supposed to get six to nine inches. Yikes, I hope not again!

Have a great week.

CJ Hollenbach Interview Info

2008-02-12T23:39:00.008-05:00

As promised earlier, my special Valentine's Day Newsletter is ready to view. Don't miss this awesome Edition, with an interview with C.J. Hollenbach, Romance Cover Model, and Fantasy Hunk of the Year 2001. Read it here--A new and updated interview with CJ Hollenbach can now be found at A Walk With Words blog. Please click the link and follow C.J.'s updated interview.

Now, scroll down to My Muse, and read the sensual little 'writing' I promised! But, only if you're over 17.

My Muse

2008-02-12T23:10:00.012-05:00

Beware!

This post is rated 'NC-17' for adult content.

FORBIDDEN, My Muse

I see him often at Midnight. Does he know? The way he moves is so sensual, and serene at the same time. To know even the slightest touch from his warm fingers, would be so erotic against my heated skin. Does he know? Does he sense me in the shadows? Does he smell my perfume, dream of my sweet full lips? I dream of his lips, titillating and tempting they are. I smell his scent, so masculine, and belonging to only him when he walks by– while I stand in the shadows, watching, feeling, inhaling, and dreaming of his touch. One day I will step out, and show that I yearn for him, lust for him. Will he know? Will he lust? Will he love?

My lonely fingers want to smooth his dark hair, push it behind his ears, breathe sensuous words into his psyche. My eyes of blue can only stare upon his beautiful brown orbs from the shadows. Oh! He comes so close at times. Watching his form walk past, seeing his broad shoulders; what a wonderful place to rest my head. Those legs, long and firm, could walk me to a field filled with white clover, and lie me down. His complete body could lie atop me, and drive me to ecstasy, to forbidden places that only live in my mind. His fingers could touch places in my body that no man ever knew, and I would scream words I would usually never say. My lips would do things he asked of me, my tongue flick his forbidden spots, make him feel sensations he didn’t know existed within himself. Yes, when I walk out of the shadows, I will go to him, walk up behind him, put my hands right on his shoulders...and–

He will be spellbound as he inhales my womanly scent, reeking, dripping, calling from my most feminine places. He will quiver when my fingernails, painted with screaming red polish, undo the buttons on his shirt, then rake across his chest, pulling at the wispy hairs there. He will suck in his breath as I slip my fingers inside the waistband of his jeans, sliding my hands against his abdomen, reaching lower to feel the warmth of his swollen forbidden length of manly pride. I’ll watch him toss his head back against me. I’ll place my heated lips against his ear, smooth his hair back away from his face, then turn him around to look at my lustful gaze. Looking into my eyes, he will melt with desire, grasp my shoulders and slide his hand across my buttocks, lower his lips to my plump breasts, tantalizing my taunt nippled peaks with his heated tongue. Will he lust? Yes! Will he smell my fragrance? He will! Will he dream of my sweet lips? Yes! He will walk me to fields filled with white clover...Yes...and lie me down, covering me with his complete body. He will, when I come out of the shadows...

But wait!

Do I see the lights come on? Is it a part of my muse? Am I correct when I look into his forbidden eyes? He can see my eyes of blue with the lights on. I will know in 30 seconds, for in this forbidden room, there are no more shadows to hide behind. And he is standing inches away with his back to me. Only two steps is all it will take.

But wait! My hands are reaching for his shoulders!

He is raising his head, sniffing my scent, knowing what it calls for. Yes, his head is leaning back against me, savoring the feel of my hands crawl over his chest. Is that a moan escaping from his lips as I entangle his hair between my fingers? A sigh as my fingers slip lower? Yes! With the shadows gone can he look into my eyes of blue...? Yes– he can see, feel, inhale.... Yes, he will smell my perfume, taste my lips, full of sweet. Are his hands on my shoulders? His lips against my neck? His arms pressing me against his body? Oh, yes, I smell his scent, feel his hands slipping down inside my waistband? This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. But, yes, he’s leading me out the door. I see fields filled with white clover. His smile, tempting, his hand in mine, leading me to...to...

Oh! Mmmmm....Ahhhh... Yes...

Coming Soon, A Very Special Newsletter!

2008-01-29T21:26:00.001-05:00

My February Newsletter will be a special Valentine's Day Edition, and you'll find it right here on Blogger. Come on over to my Newsletter Blog, and join me around February 12th or 13th.

Romance is my Genre, and Love is in my heart, so it will be filled with Romance and Love, plus a special interview you won't want to miss...

If you're interested in subscribing, send me a message at my personal email at-- dresselmj @ aol.com (no spaces, please) Thanks!

mj

Not February, yet...but--

2008-01-22T17:38:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to February this year! My second book is coming out, I'm teaching a Creative Writing Basics class, and doing a booksigning. Of course, I can't forget Valentine's Day! Being a writer of romance, I love... well, I love, love...and there's no day like Valentine's Day for love. I think to honor it, I will write a short little love story, and post it here, for you to read for free! So, bookmark and come back.

One more thing about February-- I'm putting a newsletter out around cupid's day, and I have a special addition to it this time. Look for it next month. Ladies, you'll expecially love it. Not only that, but February will be my first year of newsletters. Yes, my first newsletter was written last February, 2007. You can see my newsletter archive at my Official Website at http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com/ Now, I do my newsletters right here on Blogger at http://maryjdresselsnewsletters.blogspot.com/ The last two newsletters are posted there now. I invite you to check them out!

Don't forget to scroll down after reading this so you can see the first review for Enchantment's Embrace. It's FIVE STARS, so it's well worth looking at!

Now, back to this month. Twenty-two days into the new year. I guess that phrase, "new year" is out by now. Nothing out of the ordinary to write about here, other than the weather is icy cold, and it snowed again last night. The drive to work was very 'white knuckled' this morning. It snowed all day, too, but the roads were clear after work. See what you are missing if you don't live in this kind of weather. My son lives in Northern California, and it even snowed there! He had to send pictures to prove it. It's not that unusual there, but rare. Did that make sense?

Don't forget to scroll down, and also save this blog so you can come back anytime!

Happy Winter time to you...

First Review for Enchantment's Embrace

2008-01-18T18:37:00.000-05:00

Ghostwriter Literary Reviews, review of

Enchantment's Embrace--

Enchantment’s Embrace

AUTHOR: Mary J. Dressel

Uriah Prescot loved his sweet Eryn in a time passed and a world to come. Twenty years of love traveled from a century and decade only to secure a future with a woman that drove him beyond lust, love and passion. Eryn Rae had a way of turning her blond beguiler inside-out with the slightest touch. But, she loved him just as much. This love took him to a place that many knew not of, that many wouldn’t begin to comprehend; and where some needed to stay, permanently. After the death of her parents, Eryn’s great-great grandfather, Emmet McDanil, did what he thought would be best for her; and it was, so he thought. But Uriah had to close the portal that took the love of his life away once before, and threatened to take her again. Dalton Vecshaw and Taylor Sterling were the threats. They were determined to destroy the man who took the only woman they loved, and using the portal, was the sure way to accomplish this.

As I read this story, I fell in love with the fantasy of time travel. Having your beau, your soul-mate love you beyond and before, makes the heart flutter in love. Time travel has a complexity in its own, and for one to totally comprehend how it all works, would be somewhat difficult. But I totally enjoyed the way the author made it happen and befitting of the story. She made me fall in love with Uriah Prescot, myself. Oh! How I loved the way he loved his sweet Eryn. The passion and spiritual connection between them sent my heart racing.

Reviewer: Wanda

Five Stars

http://ghostwriterreviews.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_254_268&products_id=259

2008-01-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

Today my Author Copies Arrived! My book looks absolutely beautiful... Hats off to Anthony who designed the cover!

Release Date

2007-12-20T07:20:00.000-05:00

Enchantment's Embrace has a release date!

February 18, 2008

Watch for the exciting romantic time-travel with compelling characters and intriguing plot! If you haven't read the book that started it all, Visions of Enchantment, be sure to pick up a copy soon!

Remember the romance lover in your family, and purchase Visions of Enchantment through my website, and I'll personally autograph it for you!

http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com

New Book Cover is Here!

2007-12-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

Oh, my gosh, it seems like such a long time coming. I wrote Enchantment's Embrace so long ago, after I finished Visions of Enchantment, then put it away. Last year I brought it back out, and finished it. Whew, were those characters happy! Thus, this is the continuing story of Eryn and Uriah, a love that came through the confines of time. Will that same Portal that brought them together in book one, put them at risk to lose their love once again?

But now, when I look at my cover, and realize it's really a book now, all I can say is, Oh, my Gosh, and take a deep refreshing breath! It's a feeling of accomplishment, of self-pride, and the feeling of thankfulness, in that of appreciating my gift. I'm so glad that I can do this for others to enjoy. I remember all the times that I read books, and there were many of them, and upon completing one, feeling satisfaction, love, and gladness. But, always thanking the author for giving me that escape. This is what I want to do for all of you. In the "old" days, I couldn't just go to a computer and type in the author's name, and send an email to say hello, I loved your book, but now it's possible, and I urge you to contact me to say hello. After all, I write for you to enjoy. Of course, I do write for me, too, because I can't live without writing something, for it does call to me.

Okay, I think I'm getting sappy here, so I should just say, "Oh, my Gosh, my book cover is here!" Please stop by my website, and say hello. While there, check out my other works in progress.

2007-12-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

We woke up to snow this morning, again. A winter storm watch is out. We weren't supposed to get it until tonight, so it prevented family from visiting. They were coming from another state. It's the second time this happened when they were coming. Weird.

I shouldn't tell yet, but I CAN'T hold it in any longer! My book cover came yesterday. Yes, how exciting! I am going to ask for a few changes, so I don't want to show it yet. I don't know if I even can show it yet, without it all being confirmed, and I get the final. One thing I can say is that the characters on the cover look exactly as I had them pictured in my mind. It's like they walked out of my imagination, right on that book cover! How awesome is that? I think it's the same models from Visions of Enchantment, book one. I asked that they could make the characters the same. And, the same designer did it! I am so pleased that I could scream. I'll show it as soon as I can. I can't wait!

I kind of redesigned my Blog. Hope you like it!

http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com

Dark Side

2007-12-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my paranormal romance. I'm kind of at a stand-still. I know where it's going, but have a block right now. I have a way to solve that, so I'm not worried. But, while writing this the other day, I realized that it was taking on a dark side. Which means my dark side is coming out. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but it feels like what I have to do with this story. My vampirus, has stumbled into a situation that even she is unsure of. She doesn't understand her feelings, and yes, this fang baring vixen has feelings, and enjoys, or I should say enjoyed what she won't let herself experience anymore. My heart is already pounding thinking of the possibilities of where this can go. The thing is, and I like this, is that you, the reader, didn't even know about this little fetish, until she announced it to you. At this point in time, you don't get to see her go through it, unless I go back and change it during revisions. I just mentioned the dark side to my husband, saying I might have to use a pen name for this one. On the other hand, it still falls into the genre I write, which is romance. My romantic time travel series, is a paranormal, but different, not dark. When I say dark, I guess I mean dabbling in fetishes, leather, and dungeons. Doing things and going places just a little outside the realm of normal. I'm not sure where this is going to go yet, but I think it's going to be fun. I'll keep you posted, because right now, this is news to even me!

Rambling

2007-12-07T21:30:00.001-05:00

It seems like a long week. My second full week of work since I started my new job four weeks ago. Now, only nine days to work till Christmas Vacation. Two weeks off...

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I hope everyone is getting caught up on Christmas shopping! Guess I probably should have started myself, but I haven't done anything yet! I work well under pressure. We've had snow all week, which means it was a white-knuckle drive to work most days. Well, okay three out of five days of bad roads. It looks pretty, and looks like Christmas. Is your tree up? Did you decorate? I love Christmas lights! But, I'm still not listening to Christmas music. Does that make me a scrooge? I love Christmas music, but not for weeks, and now months at a time. One local station started playing it the beginning of November. I will start listening soon!

A friend of mine just opened a new hair salon, and it may seem out of the ordinary, but I'm going to have a book signing there! She has to check with the building owners. Her place is so cool! Believe it or not, it used to be the last 12 rows of a bowling alley. They turned it into twenty-six suites, mainly for hair and nails. Some are double so two people can share a suite, but most are single suites. It's decorated so nicely, it's like walking down a city street, and having rows of cute little shops. It is the neatest thing! Anyway, she will host a book signing. I walked in to see her tonight, and she was reading my book! That was an awesome sight. She likes it. I always get nervous when someone I know reads it.

I was spotlighted at Historical Romance Club. Check it out here. I was also spotlighted in author, Cindy Bauer's Newsletter. I've been spotlighted about four times in the last few months. I thank them for the opportunity to share my book and life with the world!

I'm putting together a December Newsletter, so watch for that. My newsletter will have a new name. I am now calling it Love's Enchantment Newsletter!

I wish you all luck and fun with the rest of your Christmas shopping. The countdown for me begins! Take care, all...

Cover Design Department

2007-12-01T17:08:00.000-05:00

My proofs were sent back as you know, and my publisher contacted me and told me Enchantment's Embrace is in the Cover Design Department now. I'm really getting excited. It will go to print next. I really doubt it will be out before Christmas. I'm still thinking about that after Christmas sale on both books!

glitter-graphics.com

On a personal note, my oldest brother passed away this past Tuesday. I've been in contact with family members, but there was no service for him. I will get his ashes. I wonder how you can have closure when you don't actually have a service. I guess it's something I will find out. We've been estranged from each other for some years, but now it seems all those years have been forgotten, and I know I'll miss him.

2007-11-27T16:03:00.001-05:00

Well, one holiday over, another not far off. I hope everyone had a great holiday whichever way you celebrate! I didn't hit the stores Friday. I don't do the day after Christmas either. I used to, but just don't seem to like it anymore. I've become a last minute shopper! But, my book, Visions of Enchantment can be purchased now for you whom shop early, and are looking for a wonderful Christmas gift that can remain in the memories of your loved one for years to come. Especially, after they love the first story so much, they will want book two, Enchantment's Embrace. That book probably won't be available before Christmas. I can always have an after Christmas sale! I'll have to come up with something special for the purchase of both books.

I'm so excited about book two. I can't wait for it to come out, and for you to have the opportunity to read it. I don't have any new updates to report about it. I know the publisher has the page proofs now, and are taking care of the edits. Then I will get the proofs back to check the edits. Cover design will be very soon. I just know that one day I'll open my mailbox, and there it will be. I requested the same designer I had for the first book. For those of you who know who C. J. Hollingbach is, I so wanted him to be the hero on my book cover, but my publisher uses their own models. If you don't know who he is, then check out my website under the Romance Links. The tall, lean blond!

Off they Go!

2007-11-21T15:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, only a day away from deadline, and the page proofs are off! I sent them a little while ago. Now, it's exciting because one day I know I'll open my email and find my cover art. Oh, jeez, I can barely wait now! I'm already contacting places for book signings. I started writing my press release. Yep, I'm excited now!

Page Proof Update

2007-11-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

The pages proofs for Enchantment's Embrace should be sent in, in a couple days. I have only forty-seven pages to go through. Thursday is the deadline, but it will be in before that. It looks like there's a good chance of having the same cover art designer do this book, that did Visions of Enchantment. I requested him, and received a reply back. Personally, I loved my cover, and have confidence that he will do a great job again.

Oh, some new news! In the spring I'll be teaching a creative writing class at a local college. I'm looking forward to it!

2007-11-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

I have seventy-five pages left to review, then my approval will go back to the publisher. Just a few more days!

2007-11-13T15:58:00.000-05:00

I've been going through my page proofs, and I'm on page 135 out of 327 pages. Sounds good. I found out it might be possible for the same cover designer to design the cover for this book too! That would be great because I loved the job he did on the first book. I sent in a suggestion for the cover, and I'm waiting patiently to see what happens with that. I'm working diligently to make the November 22nd deadline. I'll make it!

Next Stage of Production

2007-11-08T20:19:00.000-05:00

Today, is one step closer to my book's production! I received my page proofs, or galleys, and I have a deadline of November 22 to turn them back in after going through them. Going through them means that I read the whole thing, word for word, checking spelling, punctuation, and formatting. I do love doing this, but it's not good to find errors. I mean, after all, what does that say about my perfected manuscript I already sent to the publisher!? But, it's necessary, that's why I don't mind reading it again. I did write it, so I love the story!

The next stage is Cover Design! Oh, my goodness, I'm so excited to see that...

Soon~~~

How Much is Too Much Promotion?

2007-11-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

As I sit here on a daily basis, updating all my writing pages and BLOGS, I have to ask myself how much is too much. At the present time, I have nine, yes, nine writing pages and items to keep updated. Three are blogs, including this one, another writing blog, a blog I share with other authors, and that doesn't include a personal blog to keep family informed of my husband's health. Then, I found myself filling out a profile on Facebook. I'm still rebelling against MySpace because my site got hacked there. Then, there's Shoutlife, and I can't forget Published Authors Ning profile. One of my favorites, by the way. Oh, there is also a page at Nothing Binding. Don't forget Squidoo!

Of course, there is my Official Website, where you can find just about everything you need to know about me and my writing-- New books, published books, short stories, poetry, the list goes on, so if you haven't been there, feel free to visit me anytime, for it's open all night. Did I mention a profile page on Amazon for my readers to learn more about my books? Did I also mention my 360 on Yahoo? That's probably more than nine, right? I think I've lost count. I just thought of one more-- it's a paying site (I get paid) that I can write on for online publication called Triond. I had a photo published through them.

One of the bad things about keeping so many sites and pages up, is that it takes time away from writing the real stuff that I want published. On the other hand, when I'm keeping up these sites, it helps to stay focused on my goals. It's great to be able to see in writing, what I want to do, and since I've posted it for the world to see, than I have to do it, right? So, in my world of websites, blogs, and social networking sites, it might look like I'm just sitting and wasting time, but in reality, it's all part of my plan-- which is to promote and market what I write, which at the moment is my debut novel, Visions of Enchantment, available now, and also my upcoming novel, Enchanatment's Embrace. If it takes all this extra writing to help with this, than I have reaced my goal of helping to promote my work! That can't be all bad at the end of the day.

Halloween and stuff

2007-10-31T07:34:00.000-04:00

Well, today is Halloween. How can it be this late in the year all ready? So, to sum up what has been happening, not much concerning Enchantment's Embrace, other than it's in text editing now. I'll hear from that department soon. A lot of information is in my newest newsletter at http://www.maryjdresselsnewsletters.blogspot.com I'm trying a different kind of newsletter now. To subscribe, just send me an email, or leave a comment. Or, go to my website and sign up there! Thanks. I put so much information in that newsletter, that I don't want to repeat myself here.

My stepdaughter is going to be a pirate for Halloween. She's excited about that! This past Saturday she had a Halloween fun show at her riding stable, and she went in jeans and was a 'casual rider'. Usually, she's dressed in her English riding clothes. She won five ribbons, second and third place.

Last night I was editing my paranormal romance. I do like that story a lot. I started it awhile ago, and I see changes in my writing since then. I believe I have grown as an author, and that's exciting!

Have fun with Halloween, and keep the kids safe!

Today's the day

2007-10-22T10:47:00.001-04:00

Okay, Enchanatment's Embrace, and everything else needed for my publisher, goes in today. That means when they receive it, it goes to production! First, the next step is them sending me the page proofs for me for review. Whew, writing the back of book blurb and bio was harder than writing the whole book! It took me four or five days! Well, it took longer than that to write the book, but the characters helped with that!

I can't wait for you to read it!

Sent Second Book for First Review!

2007-10-16T15:25:00.000-04:00

Hello

I just sent my manuscript-- Enchantment's Embrace-- for it's first review. I sent it to the same reviewer who reviewed Visions of Enchantment. I hope she loves this one as much. She gave Visions a FIVE STAR REVIEW.

She is a reviewer at Romance Book Cafe, but is no longer keeping up that site due to some personal issues. To see that review, please visit my official website at--

http://www.maryjdresselbooks.com/reviewsinterviews.htm

Have a great day, and God bless!

~~Mary~~

Edit and Revise

2007-10-15T15:18:00.000-04:00

I'm up to page 168 in my manuscript. Remember, I'm going through it for last minute editing and revising before I send it back to the publisher for publication? They will send it back to me two more times to check. Once, to make sure it's laid out correctly, and nothing major happened in the process of them turning it into book format. Then, they will send it again so I can do a last minute look before it goes to print. These are called 'page proofs.' They come in pdf format, and looks just like it will look in book form. It's so emotional when they send it to me the first time, so I see it as a book, minus the cover art, of course. Anyway, it's still very exciting, and there are so many emotions. Even this second time around, it's still emotional, still exciting!

I wrote the author bio for the back cover. I'm still working on the back cover blurb. That's the hard part. It's very hard. Trying to put a complete book into a few short paragraphs, something that will make someone read the book, is not an easy task. But, I guess that's why I'm a writer. I never said it was easy. It's fun as heck, but I never said it was easy.

Pre-Production

2007-10-12T11:04:00.000-04:00

I got news from the pre-production department yesterday! They sent the author questionaire, and info they need for the next phase. This means that now I have 14 days to get the info in, fill out the questionaire, go through and make sure my manuscript is perfect, have photos taken, and write the back of the book blurb and bio. Writing the blurb is harder than writing the whole book. I've been writing drafts of it, and am within the word limit, but it sure is hard. This is all very exciting though. More updates later...

Bottom Line-- Enchantment's Embrace has moved into the next phase!

Promoting

2007-10-09T10:35:00.000-04:00

It's time to start calling some more book stores, etc to set up some book signings. Hopefully, since everyone is adhering to the fall weather, it might make them want to READ! Do you feel like getting those books out and picking up where you left off? I do-- both writing and reading.

Last night I got back into writing one of the short stories. It's going to be a good old short story, but it may turn into a novella instead. I think that's what I want it to be. It is a contemporary romance. It seems like there is a lot to say in this little story. My characters are developing and getting attached to each other. Marlee, my heroine, is beginning to heat up where her hero is concerned. There's a ways to go in their story, but it's getting interesting and fun! I prefer not to say much about it right now though. I'm touchy about my writing before they get finished, and then actually get picked up by a publisher. I'm thinking of making this one a little longer, novella length because I would like to submit this one as an ebook. Do you know about ebooks? I don't know a whole lot about them myself, but I do know you have to download a reader to read them. I'm pretty sure it's free, and I think it's from Adobe. I guess I should check before saying this. I will...

Okay, here we go. http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/

Microsoft has one too. http://www.microsoft.com/Reader/default.mspx

I have a lot of new author friends who publish their work through e-publishing, and it sounds pretty good to me. So, I am going to try my hand at it. I can recommend one in particular that I know of, and it's Red Rose Publishing. They publish erotic and mainsream romance. Check it out. Stay tuned for future writings by me, published through an e-publisher. It sounds like the way to go for some of my shorter works. I'd like to know what you think about this idea. Please email me at dresselmj@aol.com, or leave a comment here. Thanks!

Have a good one...

UPDATE ON EBOOK READERS

Apparently, there are three types of readers--

MobiPocket Reader
Adobe eBook Reader
Microsoft Reader

2007-10-08T14:58:00.001-04:00

Talk about a lazy weekend! Football, Baseball and Nascar was about the only thing that got any attention this weekend. My comfy recliner kept me in it. My husband had dibbs on the couch! I didn't even get on the computer yesterday, which is very unusual for a Sunday. Had no phone calls since I was getting a new one, and it was to be delivered today. Great about getting a new phone, but bad because they de-activated mine on Friday night, apparently when they activated the new one. Funny, how you miss a phone when you just know you can't use it. Same with a computer, but it's worse with a computer.

I'd like to say hello to my best friend who just had a root canal today, and she was really freaked out. She's all better now, it went well, and she's home with Tylenol #3!

I hope you get a chance to read a little about the sequel to Visions of Enchantment. On the other hand, READ VISIONS OF ENCHANTMENT! You should really read the first, first. There are surprises in book one, that you just need to read about before going to book two. I'll have to make some kind of deal on two books.

Well, until the next time... Take care, and if you keep reading... I'll keep writing!