Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve had my website updated. The company I used to use closed their doors and it took me a while to settle on a new company. I’m happy to say that True North Web Designs has done a terrific job in completing my updates quickly, accurately, and professionally. Yay! I’m thrilled. More than I can say.

So, when you have the chance, check out the changes. While small, they’re pretty (oooh, pretty!) and informative. I finally have the cover and cover copy for A BREATH OF MAGIC on the books page, and I’ve updated the information on the home page. Good on both accounts! As soon as the “browse the book” feature is available for A Breath of Magic, I’ll have that added to the books page, as well.

It’s crazy how relieved I am to have this administrative task handled. I hated the feeling of having my hands tied. Something I probably should have thought about when I had the website designed. I admit that I would love to be able to handle the updates myself, so that’s something I’m going to have to look into really soon. But for now, I’m happy-happy-happy that I’ve found a reliable company that gets it right the first time around.

I know this post is probably pretty boring (sorry), but seriously–I’m that happy.

Don’t Forget!

This week at The Novel Girls, we’re celebrating another Novel Girls release! That’s right, Jillian Cantor’s The Life of Glass is available this week and we’re having a party. Come on over and check out the festivities and enter to win a signed copy of The Life of Glass!

I’ll have another excerpt of my May release, A BREATH OF MAGIC, posted this Friday! Check back to see what happens next!

I promised last week that I’d post another excerpt from A BREATH OF MAGIC this week.

Last week’s excerpt was the first scene in Chapter One. If you missed it and want to catch up before reading the next scene, you can find that post here: A BREATH OF MAGIC, Chapter One, Scene One

In the first scene, Chloe is attempting to talk her magical cousin (and the heroine from book one: A TASTE OF MAGIC) into using her magic to help Chloe convince her boyfriend Kyle into accepting her marriage proposal. At first, Elizabeth is hesitant (to say the least), but Chloe manages to somehow convince her to agree.

This week I’m sharing the rest of Chapter One by posting scene two, which begins shortly after scene one ends. Excuse me for a minute while I put on my soap opera announcer voice:

Will Chloe feed Kyle the magical cake? If so, will she follow through with a proposal? If she does, will Kyle say yes? All those answers (plus some additional questions) can be found in the following scene:

 

A BREATH OF MAGIC

By Tracy Madison

Available May 2010 from Leisure Paranormal Romance

ISBN 10: 0505528363 / ISBN 13: 978-0505528360

 

Chapter One: Scene Two

 

I ignored the cake as best I could while cleaning up after dinner. It sat there on my counter, in all its chocolaty goodness, taunting me to slice it, to move ahead with my plan. Only, the prospect of feeding the magical dessert to Kyle was wigging me out. Just a little. But not because I’d changed my mind, because I hadn’t. Nope, what bothered me was the possibility that he’d still say no, even with the help of Elizabeth’s magic. If that happened, we’d have to break up. Again. And honestly, it had taken me years to get over Kyle the first go-around. I wasn’t eager to go down that path again. But the idea of waiting for my life—our life—to begin thrilled me even less.

Drying my hands on a dish towel, I pushed the kitchen door open with one shoulder and peeked around the corner into my living room. Kyle was sprawled on the couch, TV remote in hand, clicking through the channels. My nervousness ramped up another notch. He wouldn’t say no, would he? We’d been together almost constantly for the past eleven months, and he seemed content. Happy, even. But was that enough? And did that mean he loved me? A voice inside my head countered with Are you sure you love him?

“Of course I love him,” I whispered. Love could mean a zillion different things, and really, what wasn’t there to love? He made me laugh, he was easy to be around, and being with him was far better than being alone. That last thought strengthened my resolve. I was ready.

“Kyle? Do you want dessert? We have chocolate cake.” A tingle sped down my spine. I was really going to do this.

He groaned and rubbed his hand over his stomach. “I’m stuffed. How about we start the movie and have dessert later?”

“Um, sure. Later is fine.” Kyle always stayed over on the weekends. Eventually, he’d eat a slice. Even if it was for breakfast. I’d waited this long for my happy ending, what did a few more hours matter?

I joined him on the couch and his arms came around me. I settled against him, nestling my head against his chest. Comfort eased in, and I began to relax. Yes, I could definitely see us spending the next many years curled up on the sofa together.

He’d already put the DVD into the player, and with a few clicks the action movie I’d rented began to play. I spent the first fifteen minutes obsessing over the cake in the next room, however, and the next hour or so debating with myself over how to pop the question. You’d think I’d have given more thought to the actual proposal, but most of my concentration had gone into convincing Elizabeth.

Kyle didn’t go for grand romantic gestures, so anything too mushy would likely undo any of the good Liz’s magic managed to accomplish. Okay then, so reciting a poem or serenading him would fall flat. I’d just say it straight out. Simple and direct. Easy enough. But how long to wait after he’d eaten the cake? Would the magic take effect immediately? Or should I give it an hour or two? God. I wished I’d asked Elizabeth for more details on how her specific brand of magic worked. I’d just have to wing it and hope for the best.

Sliding to the side, out of Kyle’s grasp, I took stock of my potential husband-to-be. His denim-covered legs were outstretched and crossed at the ankles, and his slim shoulders were slumped forward. The faint wrinkles in his shirt, along with the tiny hole in the heel of his right sock, brought a grin to my face. They were proof he found the same comfort with me that I found with him. And weird or not, that realization made me feel a heck of a lot better. We were good together.

As if he heard my thoughts, he turned, his amber eyes meeting mine. I waited for him to say something, to offer me a grin or to pull me toward him. He ran his hand through his already mussed brown hair and returned his attention to the screen. Fighting frustration, I leaned back against the couch.

When the credits finally rolled, I grabbed the remote and clicked the television off. I wanted to work in a little romance, maybe a kiss or two, before serving the cake. Silly, maybe, but even with the magic, the night I became engaged should be special, something to be remembered and cherished.

Making my voice bright, I said, “That was a fun movie!”

His lips quirked. “If you call kidnapping and murder fun, then sure.”

Kidnapping? Murder? I should have paid closer attention. Going on a hunch, I said, “There was a chase scene! Those are fun!”

“I’ve seen better.” He scooted forward, grabbing his shoes from where he’d kicked them off. “It was a nice evening, though.”

I processed his flat tone and slow, purposeful movements. Moisture beaded on my forehead. “Are you going somewhere?” My voice shook, just a little, and that ticked me off.

He stopped and looked at me. Really looked at me. Another blast of uneasiness rose to the surface. All through dinner I’d chatted nonstop, but Kyle hadn’t. That was unusual for him, but I’d passed it off as nothing more than hypersensitivity on my part. Now I wondered if there was something bothering him.

As quickly as the thought came, it flitted away. Nah…it had to be me—and everything I’d planned for this night. “Kyle? Are you leaving?” I asked again.

He shook his head. “I wasn’t thinking, Chloe. Of course I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good. I like it when you stay.”

“I like staying over, too.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me to him. “You’re sweet for making dinner tonight. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I smoothed his hair back with one hand and leaned forward, giving him a soft kiss on his lips.

His arm tightened around me as he deepened the kiss. I waited for a spark, still hoping it would reappear, that it would be as strong and hot as when we first met. Prodding my mouth wider with his tongue, he moaned when it slipped inside. Warmth seeped in, and it was nice. Reassuring, even. But it didn’t speed my pulse up, and it didn’t turn my insides to jelly. Leaning into him, into the kiss, a whisper of doubt crept in, but I set it aside. There was no reason the fire couldn’t be there. Pushing my fingers into his hair, I pulled his head closer and kissed him with everything I had.

A noise, more of a gurgle than a groan, erupted from Kyle’s throat, and he twisted his body in an attempt to pull away. I squeezed in closer, my only goal to prolong the kiss. No way was I giving up; a little perseverance would bring out the desire. Only Kyle moved his hands to my shoulders and gently pushed.

As we separated, his fingers went to his lips and he grinned. “You’re a vixen tonight. You drew blood,” he said with a small laugh, wiping at his mouth.

“What? I bit you?” My cheeks burned when he nodded. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Before he could respond, a series of loud knocks echoed through my apartment. Startled, I looked at the clock. When I saw the time, my heart slammed in my chest so hard that Kyle probably heard. Unexpected company after ten tended to mean trouble. I started to rise, but Kyle put his hand on my leg. “Let me get that,” he said.

Sweet, right? Yep, but I couldn’t just sit on the couch and wait, so I followed him to the door, hanging back slightly when he swung it open. A gaggle of voices—female voices—sounded, and a petite elderly woman dressed in hot pink and lime green appeared. She pushed her way inside, and her faded blue eyes landed on me, laced with worry. Right behind her came her granddaughter, my best friend Alice, who didn’t appear worried so much as murderous.

Crap! Double crap with five million exclamation points. Elizabeth had ratted me out. Awesome. Just what I needed.

I sucked in a breath, my brain rapidly going through possible routes to defuse the situation. “Um. Hi? What are you two doing here?”

Grandma Verda pointed at me. “Where’s the cake?”

“Grandma!” Alice said, flipping her head toward Kyle. At least I could count on her for some modicum of privacy. Grandma Verda? Not so much.

“What? I think the boy should know.”

Kyle’s back stiffened, and he glanced from Verda to Alice, and then to me. “Know what?”

“Know how good Elizabeth’s cake is,” I blurted. “They know I asked her to bake it special. Because chocolate is your favorite.” Ugh. On the plus side, I hadn’t lied. I shot a fierce look in the general direction of my surprise visitors. “You two didn’t have to come all the way over to share dessert with us. Especially without calling first.”

Alice blinked. “That’s the best you have? Really?” She separated her legs into an offensive stance—as if she was about to clobber me—and crossed her arms. “We need to talk. Now.”

“Uh…what’s going on here?” Kyle inched a few steps back, away from the craziness. Who could blame him? Sweat trickled down my neck.

“This is a terrible mistake, young lady! Are we too late?” Verda’s eyes scanned my living room, probably looking for signs of cake consumption.

“Too late for what?” asked Kyle, his voice an octave higher than normal. Without a clue as to what all the fuss was about, he obviously felt the tension emanating throughout the room. I needed to get him out of there. Fast.

“Dessert. No, we haven’t eaten it yet.” I smiled sweetly. “And when is chocolate ever a mistake?”

Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Chloe? I’d really like to chat with you for a few minutes.” She spoke calmly, but steel threaded every word.

Fine. We’d talk. But not with Kyle in the room. I turned my attention to him. “Could you wrap up a few slices for them to take home? Seeing that’s the reason they came over in the first place?”

“Um. Sure. No problem.” He tossed one last look of confusion at us before making his escape. As soon as the kitchen door swung closed, my chest loosened until I was able to breathe again. Thank God.

“Are you crazy?” Alice asked, unknowingly echoing her sister. “What do you think you’re doing? And how in the hell did you get Liz to agree?”

I countered her question with one of my own. “Why did Elizabeth tell you? I thought I could trust her to keep this between us.”

“Because she came to her senses. That’s why,” Verda interjected. “And she hoped we could stop you. Have we?”

“No. All you’ve done is delay the moment. Kyle isn’t going anywhere, and my decision is firm.”

Alice huffed out a breath. “Damn it, Chloe! Using magic like this is wrong, and I’d think you’d know that better than most people.”

She referred to the fact that I own and operate a New Age store. Well, that, and my general beliefs tend to expand beyond what one can merely see. But she was wrong. The magic she and Elizabeth have is a gift, and gifts are meant to be used. I kept my gaze glued on the kitchen door. “Fate brought me and Kyle back together. All I’m doing is speeding things along a little.”

“Fate? You believe that you and Kyle are fated for each other? When did you decide that, and why haven’t I heard about it?” Alice situated herself in front of me, and because she’s eight inches taller than my five-foot height, doing so broke my eye contact with the door.

Her chestnut-colored hair was up in a ponytail, and if it weren’t for the fire in her eyes, I’d have said she looked cute. I lifted my chin. “Why would I tell you? You don’t like Kyle. You never have.” I mean, yeah, Alice is my closest friend, and normally we share everything. But when it came to Kyle? Well, let’s just say she had a sore spot. Possibly leftover protection from the past, as she’d been the person who’d been there when he’d dumped me for another woman.

“That’s not true, but that’s beside the point. If you’d told me—” She broke off, biting her lip. A whisper of intuition sneaked into my senses, surprising me. Maybe even scaring me a little.

“What?” Even as I asked, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to hear.

Her face held an emotion I couldn’t identify. My fear increased. “Kyle is not the man you’re supposed to end up with. That’s what,” she said without a trace of doubt.

“You can’t know that,” I snapped.

“I do know that.”

“How?” I demanded.

Her jaw opened, and then she jerked it shut. With a shrug, she reached into her purse and retrieved a folded piece of paper. Wordlessly, she held it out.

“What is that?”

“Proof that Kyle isn’t your happily-ever-after.”

Comprehension twisted in my stomach. I felt the blood drain from my face, and while I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t want to grab the paper and open it, most of me had never been so afraid. Where Elizabeth’s power is in her baking, Alice’s magic exists in her artwork. She has the ability to see glimpses of the future through her sketches and paintings. She’d drawn herself with her soul mate—now her husband—before they ever dated, and she’d drawn a picture of Elizabeth and Nate’s wedding day before he even proposed. So yeah, whatever existed on that page scared the crap out of me.

“Tell me what you drew.”

“Take it. See for yourself.”

Without thought, I reached for the page, my fingers barely brushing the smooth texture of the paper before Kyle sauntered out of the kitchen. He carried a plate holding a half-eaten slice of Elizabeth’s cake in one hand and a fork in the other. Every nerve in my body seemed to pulsate. Static electricity danced in the air, saturating the room—and me—with an uncomfortable buzz.

“You’re right. This is damn good cake.” He took another bite. “Want some?”

Alice gasped. “Don’t do it,” she whispered. “Trust me on this.”

I looked into her eyes, then down at the page I hadn’t fully grasped, and finally, back to Kyle. What should I do? Stick with my plan, or toss it away over the unknown?

Even with her magic, Alice’s path to Ethan hadn’t been easy. Whatever that paper held, it wasn’t anything real. It couldn’t hold me at night while I slept, it couldn’t bring forth a chuckle after a bad day at work, and it certainly couldn’t bring me the family I craved. Kyle could. My decision was really that simple. I dropped my hand away from the paper, away from the unknown. “Kyle, will you marry me?” I asked.

He coughed, and for a second I worried he might choke. Panic clouded his eyes and the muscles in his arms tensed. He worked his jaw but didn’t actually say anything. His body stiff, he set his plate on the dining room table and just stared at me.

Crap. Either the magic hadn’t taken hold yet, or it had and he didn’t love me, didn’t want to be with me. Both scenarios sucked. Everything inside me hollowed out, and the ache of loneliness I’d barely kept at bay returned with a vengeance.

“Chloe, honey,” Alice said. “It’s okay. Really.”

Ignoring her, I focused all of my energy on him. “What do you say, Kyle?” Say yes. Please. The hollow ache disappeared, and as if all of my hopes, wants and dreams channeled together, my body flooded with warmth.

“Yes,” Kyle said. “I’ll marry you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Forget!

This week, The Novel Girls are talking about our favorite recipes. Pop in and say hi!.

Next Friday, I’ll post another scene! Check back then to read the first scene of Chapter Two of A BREATH OF MAGIC. 

A BREATH OF MAGIC is availble for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, and Powells Books. 

So, I have some fantastic friends. And some of those fantastic friends have amazing, talented, and creative daughters. One such friend has such a daughter, and this lovely teenager took time out of her schedule to make me a book trailer for A STROKE OF MAGIC. Katelynn Phillips–thank you so much! I LOVE the trailer.

Isn’t it wonderful! I grin hugely every time I watch it. I’m hoping she’ll make one for A BREATH OF MAGIC too.

Don’t Forget!

We’re sharing our favorite recipes over at The Novel Girls this week!

And on Friday, I’ll post another excerpt from A BREATH OF MAGIC! 

Doing any of the following:

• Writing
• Working
• Cleaning (especially my desk!)
• Reading my RITA books
• Grocery Shopping (The kids are getting really tired of peanut butter…)
• Or any number of other useful things.

What I am doing instead is thinking about the TV show LOST. Season Six begins tomorrow, a scant day and a half away, and I am on the edge of my seat in anticipation. I’ve avoided spoilers this year because I really want to be drawn into the last season as fully as possible. I don’t want to know what’s going to happen before it happens.

There have been (and currently, are) other shows that I really enjoy. Shows that entertain me enough that I look forward to each new episode, but I have to say that there has never been a show that has completely captivated me qute in the same way that LOST has. I didn’t start watching LOST the year it premiered, or even the following year. I heard the fuss, but wasn’t interested in trying to catch up.

Until, that is, a friend bought me season one sometime in the middle of season four, and I watched it. And I was hooked. So (naturally) I had to buy season two, and then I had to buy season three, and then I had to buy episodes on ITunes to catch up with season four. And then I had to deal with the fact that my instant gratification for watching LOST pretty much one episode after another couldn’t be fulfilled–because I had to WAIT for season five.

I’ve actually watched all of season one through five at least twice, and some episodes three or four or more times. Yes, I’m addicted. Yes, I am suffering from major LOST withdrawal. Less than two days away and season six begins. I hope I make it…

Here are a couple of official promos for the upcoming (and final) season of LOST:

I am so impatient! But alas, I really need to get to some of those items on my list of what I should be doing. Wish me luck!

Don’t Forget!

This week, we’re sharing our favorite recipes at The Novel Girls. I’m sharing my mother’s enchilada recipe, which is a family favorite.

This Friday, I’ll share the second scene from Chapter One from A BREATH OF MAGIC, so be sure to check in. Next Friday, the first scene from Chapter Two will be posted, and the following Friday, the second scene from Chapter Two.  

Happy Friday!

I’ve been getting so many reader emails lately (which I love!) asking about A BREATH OF MAGIC, that I thought it was the perfect time to share another excerpt.

The timing is about right, as we’re nearly three months from release (April 27th!), and the Browse the Book widget should be available in about a month. As soon as it is, I’ll get it on my web site, as well as posting it here. But until then, I wanted to give readers a peek of what’s to come in book three. I’m very proud of this story, even if it was a bear to write.

If you’ll recall, the last excerpt I posted was hardly anything: just the first few paragraphs of the first scene. I’m going to do better today. In fact, I’m posting the entire first scene!

For the next three weeks, I’ll post another scene each Friday (which will equal the first two chapters), so for those who can’t wait to dig in, you’ll have a nice start on the book. Here you go! 

 

A BREATH OF MAGIC

By Tracy Madison

Available May 2010 from Leisure Paranormal Romance

ISBN 10: 0505528363 / ISBN 13: 978-0505528360

 

Chapter One: Scene One

 

“Let me get this straight. You want to magically coerce your boyfriend into marrying you? Are you crazy?” My cousin Elizabeth gaped at me as if I’d suddenly sprouted a set of horns. Or maybe a third eye.

“I can’t magically coerce anyone. And no, that isn’t what I want. Not exactly, anyway.” We were ensconced in her office at A Taste of Magic, and while I’d known before arriving at the bakery that gaining her approval would be difficult, I’d hoped, at the very least, for her understanding. “It’s more that I want to use magic to take away Kyle’s reservations about commitment.”

Her brown eyes darkened to the same shade as her hair, either in anger or disbelief. Or maybe both. “There isn’t much distinction between the two, Chloe. Besides, do you really want to marry a man who wouldn’t say yes on his own?”

That same question had been bobbing around in my head for weeks, and my answer changed repeatedly. I inhaled a quick breath, hoping to smother the uneasiness that knotted my stomach. Instead, the thick, buttery, almost too-sweet scent of the bakery assailed my senses, adding queasiness to the mix. “We’ve been dating for nearly a year. Marriage is the obvious next step.”

“But why the hurry? Just let your relationship progress naturally, and you’ll end up where you’re supposed to.”

Her logic, right or wrong, made me want to scream. Of course, I didn’t. Doing so would only paint me as an emotional basket case. And I wasn’t. Okay, maybe I was slightly emotional, but my reasons for going forward were sound. Fidgeting in my seat, I offered, “It’s almost like we’re already married. He just needs…a little shove to make it official.”

“And you think I’m that shove?”

“Well, it’s not like I can do it myself!” After a few more breaths, I reined in the quick temper that accompanied my red hair. “I’m sorry, but you’re the only one who can do this.”

Compassion replaced Elizabeth’s disapproval. She reached across her desk to grasp my hand. “Is that what this is about? We all believe the magic will find you. Both Alice and I have gifted it to you several times, but maybe you’re not in the right place to receive your power yet. Be patient, sweetie. It will come.”

Yeah, right. Patient. I’d been best friends with Alice, Elizabeth’s sister, long before I discovered we were related, so at first I’d been pleased to learn we were cousins. Now…well, the blood relation should have been enough for me to claim the family’s Gypsy magic. But so far? Nada. The bluebird of patience had long since flown the coop. Worse, instead of feeling closer to my newfound relatives, I’d never felt more alone.

Except for Kyle.

I pulled my hand away. “I’ve given up on receiving the magic, Liz. So to answer your question, no, that’s not what this is about.” I counted to three and then gave my request another go. “What I’m asking for is simple.”

She tilted her head, staring into my eyes. “Maybe I misunderstood you. Please ask again.”

No way had she misunderstood, but I’d ask again. Heck, I’d ask one hundred more times if it worked. I wanted to become Chloe Ackers instead of Chloe Nichols so badly, it still surprised me. I didn’t understand the urgency, but I trusted it. Straightening my shoulders, I said, “I’d like you to bake something special I can serve tonight, because I plan on proposing.”

“And ‘special’ means what, exactly?”

Liz probably figured that by forcing me to say in detail what I wanted, I’d decide the idea was ludicrous. Of course, she had no way of knowing that I’d been contemplating this for the past six weeks and had long since gotten over my qualms. Well, most of them. “Just bake me a cake with the wish that Kyle’s fears about commitment vanish. That’s it. After he eats the cake, I can propose. If he says no then, I’ll know the reason is because he doesn’t love me, and I can live with that. But if I ask him without your magic, I’ll never know if his rejection is because his feelings for me aren’t strong enough, or if it’s because he’s too afraid of marrying anyone.”

With a sigh, Elizabeth tucked a stray strand of hair back in place. “It’s not a good idea, Chloe. It isn’t fair to Kyle, and it isn’t fair to you, either. You deserve a man who wants to be with you because of you—a man who loves you so much, he’d never need a spell to push him along. Don’t you want that?”

I heard her words, and the sentiment behind them, and a sudden longing for exactly that pulled at me. But I knew better. Other than with Kyle, I’d never had a relationship last more than a few months. Besides, Kyle was my high-school sweetheart, my first love, and after years of separation we were a couple again. That had to mean something. Otherwise, why had fate bothered to bring us back together?

“Not everyone is as lucky as you and Alice,” I said softly.

She snorted. “We weren’t always so lucky in love—or are you forgetting that? What we have now isn’t luck. Sometimes, it takes a while. But trust me, the wait is worth it.”

Maybe. If I believed that what she’d found with Nate, and what Alice found with Ethan, would happen for me, then maybe the wait would be worthwhile. But I didn’t. “I’ve never asked you to use your magic for me before. I swear, Liz, if you do this…I’ll never ask again.”

“Why is this so important to you now?” She gasped. “Are you pregnant?”

“No!” Not that I hadn’t thought of going that route, because I had. For about three seconds flat. Trapping Kyle, no matter what Elizabeth thought, was not my intention. “Besides, if I were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“We wouldn’t?”

Exasperation curled in my chest. I freed it with a loud sigh. “You know Kyle. If I told him he was going to be a father, what do you think he’d do?”

“Run for the hills?”

“And no amount of magic would get him back.” I shook my head. “No, this is the only way.”

Liz picked up a stray pen from her desk, fiddled with it for a minute and then plopped it back down. “And yet, you want to marry him.”

“Just because he isn’t ready for kids doesn’t mean he won’t ever be. And we have to start somewhere.” I stared at Elizabeth, trying to find the right words to get her to agree. “You used your magic for Alice,” I pointed out.

“Uh-huh, to help her find Ethan. Not to compel him to be with her.” Elizabeth stood and paced the small area in front of her office door.

“But we are together, so I’m not trying to force him to be with me. Why are you opposed to this? It’s not a big deal. Not really.”

She stopped. Turning to face me, she planted both hands on her hips. “Don’t ever say that to me again, Chloe. Altering Kyle’s perception so he’ll agree to something he normally wouldn’t is a huge deal. Massive. And the result—good or bad—would rest on my shoulders.”

My bottom lip twitched. My stomach somersaulted. I opened my mouth to argue, to tell her all the things I’d already said, but I couldn’t find my voice. The seconds ticked by with neither of us speaking. She was waiting for me to back down so she wouldn’t have to say no. But I couldn’t. Not for this. “Please,” I implored.

Disappointment flashed over her features. “I can’t—won’t—help you make a mistake of such magnitude.”

“No? You’re saying no? There isn’t anything I can say that will change your mind?”

She approached me and then knelt down so we were eye to eye. “I don’t know what’s going on inside of you, but I don’t believe you really want to marry Kyle Ackers. Not with everything Alice has shared with me, and not with what I’ve seen for myself. What’s really going on here, Chloe?”

Mentally, I searched for an avenue I hadn’t yet tried, for something—anything—that would change the direction of this conversation, and therefore her decision. I wanted exactly what I’d said. I didn’t have a hidden agenda. And even though I stood behind my belief, that relaxing Kyle’s fears was not the same as forcing him into marriage, I understood where Elizabeth was coming from. I just didn’t agree with her.

As we stared at each other, I saw the conviction of her answer in her gaze, and my desperation—my want to finally be a part of something I’d never truly experienced: a family—crawled through me. The feeling swirled inside, swelling until I almost gasped in agony. But I held my breath and instead wished with every part of my being that Elizabeth would change her mind, that she’d do this one small favor for me. Seriously, if I could have bent her will at that moment, I would have. Even knowing how wrong that was.

Putting my hands on her shoulders, I worked to keep my voice steady so she wouldn’t hear my anxiety, my desperation. “I need this, Liz. I’m just trying to find my own happy ending.”

She blinked. Not once or twice, but three times. The air shifted around us, somehow the weight of the tension easing as it did. Shivers danced and rippled along my skin.

After a long breath, she covered my hands with hers. “Okay, Chloe. If this is truly that important to you, I’ll cast your wish.”

And–ah–that’s it until next week! Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek, and hopefully the spacing and font isn’t all wonky on your end. Have a great weekend!

Don’t Forget!

This week, The Novel Girls are talking about winter activities. Pop in and say hi…and share your favorite or least favorite winter activies with us.

Next Friday, I’ll post the remainder of Chapter One from A BREATH OF MAGIC.

A BREATH OF MAGIC is availble for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Powells Books.

I’m in the process of working on three different projects right now. The first is, naturally, the fourth book in my Magic series with Dorchester Publishing, which, by the way, has a tentative title (though I’m going to wait a bit longer before announcing it to make sure it sticks) AND a release date (December 2010). Yay!

The second is a project I’ve been working on slowly for a while now, and expect to finally finish up by the end of the week. It’s been slow going all the way around, and not only because my time is limited. I love the characters, and the story is emotional and uplifting (and, of course, romantic), but it’s taken me longer than I expected to really dig in. But it’s finally just about there, and I’m pleased with it overall.

And the third is a project that literally came out of nowhere. I was up late one night, unable to sleep due to stress, and this idea filtered in. So I figured, why not play with it for an hour or so, since I couldn’t sleep anyway? Well, that hour turned into an entire night, and by the next morning I knew I had something special. Now, this particular story is different than anything I’ve ever done in one regard, but fits me and my writing voice like a glove in another regard. And the dang thing is pouring out of me.

I love when this happens. This story is electrifying me, igniting my creativity, and the pages are coming out very close to perfect. Sure, I expect at the end, I’ll have editing to do–because every book can be made better–but right now, it feels right, and it’s flowing fast. I’m not sure exactly where this book will fit in the market when I’m done, but I have to write it. I don’t really have a choice.

And, in a wonderful way, my other projects are benefitting from the surge of creativity that this third, unexpected project is giving me. All in all, I’m in a really great writing place at the moment. Fingers crossed that this continues!

With A BREATH OF MAGIC, the writing faltered. The story was very slow to evolve. I knew what I wanted to do, but wasn’t entirey sure how I was going to do it, and that made my progress even slower. I wrote the majority of that book in a six-week time frame, finishing literally days before my deadline. It was hard. Easily the hardest book (published and unpublished) I’ve written, but at the end, I so loved the story. In fact, out of the first three books in the series (number four isn’t done yet, so I can’t comment), A BREATH OF MAGIC is my favorite.  

Sometimes, writing is slow and even somewhat tedious. Sometimes, it feels like pulling yourself through hip-high mud. That doesn’t mean the writing suffers, it just means the story needs more time to percolate. Sometimes, though, the writing pours.

I love it when it pours.

Don’t Forget!

Stop in at The Novel Girls to hear about our favorite (or least favorite) winter activities!

I’m pretty much an expert at procrastination. Somehow, I still manage to get things done, but often my procrastination techniques will add another couple of hours onto my day. And–cough–sometimes I procrastinate so well, that I say goodbye to the kids in the morning and I’m actually surprised when they walk in the door at 3:15 in the afternoon and I realize I’ve gotten very little real work done.

What are my favorite procrastination techniques? Well, depending on the day and my level of laziness, if I don’t want to work, or am mentally unprepared to work (for whatever reason), you might find me doing any of the following:

1. Laundry. Yes, I’m a little geeky here, but I almost don’t feel as if I’m procrastinating if I’m sorting, washing, drying, and folding. Because I have four kids, and someone has to do the laundry–right? Right. It’s a positive procrastination method, because something that needs to get done gets done. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I’m frantically searching the house for articles of clothing, towels, curtains, etc., that “need” to be washed…
2. Computer Games. I have Scrabble, Risk, Monopoly, several types of Solitaire, and a few time management (cooking games, in particular) on my PC. I also have Sims 3, but have found to open that game in the morning is like admitting straight off I don’t intend to work for the day, whereas the other games, I can fool myself that I’m only going to play for 30 minutes or so. I went through a Risk stage right after Christmas, but lately, I’m back to playing Scrabble. I figure it has something to do with writing because I have to create actual words. Right? Right.
3. Netflix. Oh, Dear God, is Netflix wonderful. And horrible. And wonderful. I’m specifically speaking of the ability to watch TV shows, movies, and documentaries online with just a click of the mouse. Lately, I’ve been watching The Office and 30Rock, but I’ve also spent time watching any number of riveting documentaries. Such as one about professional Scrabble players (Hey! It really was riveting!) and there was also this very interesting biography on Queen Noor. Netflix, how do you compel me so? Sigh…
4. Research. Um, yeah, this sounds like actual work, doesn’t it? After all, I am a writer, so why wouldn’t research be a part of my working day? Mostly because the stuff I research isn’t actually information I need for my fiction. Oh, no. You see, it normally goes like this: My kids and I have a conversation where some type of question is raised. This question could be political, it could be about a celebrity, or perhaps something that happened hundreds of years ago. No one will know the answer, so the question(s) will hang in my brain until the moment I’m supposed to be working (it’s like magic, I tell ya), and suddenly, I have to know the answer. So of course, I must research it that second. Naturally. And then, when the kids come home or show up in my office again, I can spend more time procrastinating by telling them the answer. After all, I’m sure the question was hanging around in their heads too.
5. Creating Lists. This could be new to-do lists, grocery lists, title lists (still need a title for book 4, btw), books I’d like to read, movies I’d like to watch, Christmas lists (it’s never too easy to start planning!), or anything else that can essentially be boiled down to a numbered list. I love lists. So. Very. Much.
6. Vacuuming. Yep, vacuuming. Sometimes, I’ve been known to vacuum the same room several times in the same day. Seriously. And really, why? It’s not like vacuuming is a fun way to spend a bit of time, and it’s also not an activity that takes overly long in a house that has multiple rooms with wood floors. Though, I will admit that this method of putting off work, along with doing laundry (especially folding) has given me some excellent brainstorming time.
7. Coloring and/or Painting. I mentioned a few weeks back that I like coloring books and paint-by-number kits. For some reason, if I want to procrastinate AND I’m feeling the need to be creative, one of these is almost always my choice. They also happen to be soothing, so if I’m stressed for some reason then out comes the 96-pack of crayons and one of my coloring books. 
8. Reading. Well, doh. I’m a massive book-lover, and pretty much addicted to reading. I read almost every chance I get (unless Netflix is compelling me….there is this documentary on professional bowlers I’ve had my eye on…), and if a book is exceptionally good at holding my attention, then I have to put it somewhere difficult to get to otherwise I’ll just curl up all day until the dang thing is finished. Okay, nowhere in this house is particularly difficult to get to, but I do have my lazy days, so if my book is upstairs or tucked away in a drawer in another room, and I don’t feel like moving to get it, then maybe I’ll focus on MY story. Maybe.
9. Phone Calls. Now, I don’t necessarily think that calling a friend is always procrastination, but plenty of my friends read this blog, so if I didn’t mention phone calls as one of my procrasatination techniques, then I’m quite sure one of them would pop in and mention it. But hey, it’s important to let your friends know that you care about them, right? Right. Therefore, calling one or two or however many in one day is perfectly acceptable. (Hey, if I can be a good friend and procrastinate, then how is that bad?????) 
10. Blogs. I can spend hours reading blogs. Seriously. I have a favorited list of links I check each day, regardless, but if I’m seriously in procrastination mode and none of the above activities are calling my name, then I’ve been known to make random visits to other blogs (normally those linked on the blogs I religiously read). The great thing about this is that if I find I like the new-to-me blog, then I have a new one to add to my daily list. There are also other industry blogs that I don’t read regularly, but will check up on here and there and read like a month of posts in one sitting.  

So, there you have it, my top ten favorite procrastination techniques. Notice that “exercise” is not one of them. I sure wish it was…

What about you? What are some of your favorite procrastination methods? Maybe next year I can have a top twenty list!

Don’t Forget!

This week over at The Novel Girls, we’re talking about winter activities. Come on over and say hi!