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! 

I remember when Fridays meant something: two whole days off in a row. Time to sleep in, relax, read a book, watch a movie–all good stuff. Now, Fridays mostly mean I won’t have as much time to get things done for two days, because you know, I have a family. For some reason, my family likes spending time with me, so the want (and the guilt if I don’t) of spending time with them tends to supercede all of my best intentions to still put in full days on Saturdays and Sundays.

I’m not really complaining, though, because I love hanging with my kids. They’re funny, smart, and a lot of fun to be around. But for a gal who plans her schedule as a 7-day workweek instead of a 5-day workweek, weekends often mean I’m up later than normal in an attempt to get everything done. And then, naturally, I’m tired and grumpy the next morning.

But today, I’m excited! Tomorrow is my local RWA chapter meeting, and I love these monthly meetings (when I can actually go, that is). This month, I think I’ll be able to go, so I’m pleased. Of course, I also enjoy going out for lunch afterward and just chatting with my writing peers. So. Much. Fun. Really, it is that much fun. Partly because they all rock, and partly because I just don’t get out much.

But I still have a full schedule for the next two days, so wish me luck!

What about you? Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

Don’t Forget!

This week, The Novel Girls are slipping into the past by ten years. Stop in and see what each of us were doing 10 years ago!

I know, I know, we’re nearly three weeks past January 1, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about New Year’s Resolutions. Do you make resolutions? I normally don’t. This isn’t because I don’t have goals each year, but I sort of feel like if I should take on my goals as they come to me, rather than waiting for a specific time of year to do so.

However, that being said, there is something magical about beginning a new year. Possibilities, for one. Stepping across the threshold from one year into another, for two. But beyond that, a lot of folks really like to start their year off with a plan for the future. With goals. With a sense of purpose. And for the first time in a long time, I actually have a few resolutions that I want to keep my focus on all year.

Here they are:

• Write some sort of fiction almost every day, even when my current manuscript is complete and turned in. I want to prove to myself this year that I can actually do this, and while I’d love to promise myself I’ll write every single day, I know that will be impossible. I need breaks. I also have committed my time throughout the year that will make writing on some days highly unlikely. So, this year, I’m going for a five days out of seven sort of average, and we’ll see how that goes.
• Exercise more. While I’ve been sort of good about keeping up with physical activity, I really need to work harder at this. And, even more to the point, it really needs to happen before I’m even fully awake. Once I really wake up, I’m thinking about everything that has to be done that day, and far too often, it’s too easy to ignore the gym.
• Eat healthier. By this, I really mean more regularly. I’m horrible about skipping meals. Most days, I don’t think about food until I’m starving, which is usually a couple of hours before dinner time. If I eat then, I won’t eat dinner, so I end up having one meal a day on most days. This is not healthy for many reasons.
• Spend more time with my family. I’m specifically talking about family that doesn’t live in the house with me, as I spend lots of time with my kids already. But my grandmother, my parents, my brother, and my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I’d really like to see all of them more often than I do.
• Spend more time with my friends. One-on-one time, not phone time. Actually leave the house every now and then and meet up with a friend for coffee, a walk, lunch–something.

Hmm, I think that’s enough for this year. I have other goals, but they’re not really in my control, so maybe it would be better to call them “wishes” or “dreams.”

What about you? Have you made any resolutions (or goals) for 2010? If so, share if you’d like. Maybe we can keep each other on track!

Don’t Forget!

Over at The Novel Girls, we’re spilling the beans on what we were doing 10 years ago.  

This will be a quick one, as my Monday is already filled up with tons to do.

Every now and then, I’m taken by surprise when a new review pops up. This past week, a review for my first book, A TASTE OF MAGIC, showed up over at Bitten By Books. Not only did the reviewer (Mary) give A TASTE OF MAGIC 5 Tombstones (Bitten By Books highest review score), but she had some wonderful things to say about the story. I’m so pleased she enjoyed the book so much! 

As awesome as good reviews are (and trust me, they are awesome), I love getting reader e-mails even more. When a reader e-mail pops up in my box, it’s like a special present I can’t wait to open. I’m always stunned to realize anew that other folks are reading my words (I know, you’d think I’d be used to it by now), and that they thought strongly enough about the story to contact me. It really is a wonderful feeling, and I’m so grateful that I have readers who are thoughtful, nice, and enthusiastic about this series.

My response to my own reader e-mails has actually helped me step out of my shell a little and contact authors after I’ve read a book I’ve especially enjoyed…and no, this was not something I did before publishing. Mostly because I didn’t think about it. I didn’t realize how important this contact was. So, take my word for it, if you’ve read a book you’ve really loved, send the author a quick e-mail telling him or her so. You’ll totally make that author’s day.

Don’t Forget!

This week at The Novel Girls we’re taking a trip into the past. Our topic is “10 Years Ago, I…” Should be some interesting posts this week!

I’m a huge believer in filling the well of creativity. Often, after I finish writing a book, I’m completely drained–physically and creatively. In fact, I often come down with a cold or the flu within days of finishing a manuscript. It’s sort of become a very unwelcome tradition. Beyond that, though, I’m learning that it’s nearly impossible for me to jump from one story to another without some sort of a break in between.

They don’t have to be long breaks, but I need a little time to build myself back up. When I finished writing A BREATH OF MAGIC, I spent some time:

• Coloring in coloring books with my kids. I enjoyed this so much, I bought my own 96-pack of crayons (!) and a super size coloring book. Maybe it sounds silly, but coloring with crayons reminds me of childhood. From the scent of the crayons to the actual process of coloring in a picture, I’ve found that it’s a creative activity I love now just as much as I did when I was young.
• Catching up on TV shows and movies. When I’m in the middle of a writing a book, I don’t spend a lot of time doing anything else, so once the book is done, I can watch everything I missed and then some. It seems so decadant to put my feet up and watch hours of TV in one sitting, but it also is very relaxing. Even better, many of the shows I watch fire up my imagination.
• Reading books, of course. Again, when I’m crazy with writing, I don’t stop to read other author’s books that often, so I love having some time to just kick back and read. Not only do I try to catch up on some of favorite authors, but I usually pick out one or two new-to-me authors. I’ve found new favorites this way, and a good number of them end up on my must-buy list.
• Paint-by-Number kits. Yes, I love them. I’m not a natural artist, so I need the numbered variety to actually paint something recognizable. But just like with coloring, I find the activity to be inspiring and calming. Someday, I’d like to take an actual art class.
• Cooking, and I don’t mean the standard everyday fair just to get a meal on the table. I’ll watch the Food Network or skim through my cookbooks and pick out something that looks/sounds incredible and give it a try in my own kitchen.
• Going out and seeing/talking with friends. I’m a homebody by nature, and usually you have to pull, tug, and threaten me to leave my house, but I always find that when I do, I enjoy myself and wonder why I don’t do it more often. This is one of the reasons why I love my weekly coffee group with my writer friends. I just wish I could actually go each and every week!

So, there you have it, a few of the things I do to re-fill my creative well when it runs dry. I wish I could say I go to the museum or take long walks, but that would be lying since…well, I don’t do those things very often at all. What about you? Whether you’re a writer or not, how do you relax and regain your momentum after months of solid work?

Don’t Forget!

The Novel Girls have been sharing what our favorite books from 2009 are all week. Check in and say hi, and share yours with us!