If you are a fan of horror you’ll be sure to enjoy the collection of short stories by Steve Barber. In Blob and the Sous-Chef you’ll get a taste of it all…ghosts, monsters, aliens, even vampire.
Author Steve Barber’s unique take on relationships, life, death, and human nature are explored in this collection of short stories. He looks into our memories, our fears, even our deepest secrets. Reflected in a cracked mirror, you may see the woman down the street, whose son seems just a little off, the literary writer who let his rejections get to him a bit too much, the young man whose turn it is to take over a terrible family obligation, or the celebrated chef whose gambling gets him in way more trouble than he thought possible. Or you just may find your own secret self hiding among the pages.
The beginning of the school year is another chance for you to start anew with your writing dreams. In order to get your aspirations off the ground you need to work SMART. Teachers learn about goal setting in their classrooms. TSWBAT stands for The Student Will Be Able To…and then an achievable, concrete goal is developed, one that has a measurable outcome.
We can take this concept and apply it to our writing using the acronym SMART.
S-is the goal specific? Is it designed to stretch your abilities? I will be able to write 500 words a day five days a week is specific.
M-is the goal meaningful to you as a writer? Will the above goal get you to your over arching goal-that of completing a story or novel?
A- is the goal achievable? Can you measure your progress? Is the goal too easy, or too difficult? A goal should stretch you but not discourage you. It may take a bit of trial and error to refine an achievable goal.
R-Is it realistic? If your goal is achievable, do you have a plan for getting there? If you set a goal of 5,000 words a day, have you exercised your writing muscles enough to get there or do you have to work up to it? if you’ve never written a word before 5,000 words is not going to be realistic.
T-is your goal timely? Do you have an end date you are aiming for? Will the goal you’ve set be something you can accomplish by the end date? Do you need to rethink either the goal or the date you’d like it to be finished by? Do a little math. If you have a goal to write a 60,000 word novel by the end of the year, how many words do you need to write in a week? How many days of a week are you willing to write?
If you are SMART you can set stretchable, achievable goals and look forward to a bevy of accomplishments.
I love shifter books. The raw, primal feeling these guys and gals have amid the pages really has me glued to the book, flipping the pages so fast it looks like I am a NASCAR race. My favorite shifter book has to be by Deborah Cooke. Her Dragonfire novels are one spellbinding story from start to finish. When I sit down with one of her books, I am blown away by the way she created this world and populated with shape-shifting dragons. Now who doesn’t like a good dragon story? I love them. In my Devon Falls book, Fiery Magic, I got the idea to make one of the characters a dragon and the heroine called him “pretty”. Now tell me, are dragons “Pretty”? To me they are wild, primal and pure fun as in the case of Smokey from Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series. Each author makes the shifter, be it dragon, wolves, tigers or, heck, even ferrets, their own and they each incorporate something that will have the reader clamoring for more.
In Fiery Magic, we met the Dracon twins; one is a dragon shifter, the other a wolf shifter; one family-many generations- who are shifters of some kind. I made my shifters a bit different, where each person in this large family, is something different. They didn’t get bit by the animal; case in point a werewolf, but were born as a shifter of some kind. It is the magic in their blood that defines what they become. Eventually we will meet a cousin of Rod and Damien Dracon- a woman who, in this large family of shifters, has no shifter powers what so ever. What do you do if you have no powers but what god/goddess gave you? That is the question I will ask her and her hero………eventually.
My next Devon Falls book introduces a new character in Michael Barnes, who is a rare white tiger shifter who is all alone with no pride. He roams from place to place and is friends with Damien Dracon, who tries to get him to Devon Falls to no avail in years before. He was an interesting character to write about. Here you have a lonely, quiet man who has no place to call “Home”. He longs for mate, hearth and kits of his own but knows that with no pride; he is limited in his choices…….or so he thinks. We meet the woman who will knock him flat on his back and show him that home is where the heart is in Moonlight & Magic.
Shifters are a world where readers and authors can explore with pure enjoyment. I love reading them and hope to eventually expand on shifters as an author to include Kitsunes and others that fire the imagination. In the meantime, I am going to sit with my dragons and explore their world because Ms. Cooke and Ms.Galenorn are calling me from the bookcases. So what are your favorite shifters to enjoy?
Raine Delight is the author of Devon Falls series at Aspen Mountain Press and the next two books, Moonlight & Magic and Yuletide Magic, are coming respectively October and December 2010. More information on Raine’s books, check out her website and blog for more information, book news and more.
Welcome to the Aspen Mountain Press blog (stop#2) via the 1RomanceEbooks.com Happy Anniversary contest and the last blog you visited at Cherie De Sues.
When my husband, Jeff, started 1RomanceEbooks a little more than a year ago, he worked hard, trying to make a re-seller site as user friendly as possible for both publishers and readers.
He would know.
He helped build the Aspen Mountain Press web site and saw first hand the successes and frustrations that I experienced as a publisher.He took all the lessons I could give him from Aspen Mountain Press and applied it to 1RomanceEbooks persevering against the road blocks and hurdles set before him. When giving up would have been easier, he stayed the course.When sales were low in the beginning, he created plans to encourage readers to find 1Romance and buy stories from to fill the need for romance in our lives.
Now on the eve of our 24th wedding anniversary, the 4th anniversary of Aspen Mountain Press and the 1st anniversary of 1RomanceEbooks Jeff’s hard work is paying off.I’ve never been more proud to be associated with a man of integrity, honesty and honor.A man who understands good customer service, a man who works tirelessly to provide a good experience for all those who visit the site and one who supports a future and a vision for eBooks.
To celebrate the myriad events occurring this summer Aspen Mountain Press is proud to give one lucky winner a signed print copy of DEAD Done Right, a contemporary vampire romance by Lizzie T. Leaf.The book includes two great stories available NOW as eBooks at Aspen Mountain Press.
In Waking Up DEADDeb Stein wakes up to the scent of pine and the discovery that her life has changed forever.Now instead of the glare of paparazzi flashbulbs, she’s in the spotlight as Lovey Divine who takes it off for a room full of lusting strangers, her one goal to seek revenge on the man who turned her into one of the undead.
And, as a vampire what could possibly be worse than fainting at the sight of blood?Yet that is precisely what happens in the novella DEAD Faintwhen Billie Joyce comes to New York City only to be turned into a vampire .
The Aspen Mountain Press blog also has information regarding the upcoming Aspen Mountain Press anniversary bash in which we will be giving away an eReader, gold aspen leaf jewelry, beautiful picture frames, keepsake boxes and more.In order to win a prize, you must be a member of our newsletter where you will receive more information about how you can win these fabulous gifts.
To win a copy of DEAD Done Right, be sure to leave a valid comment about this post or any others here, along with your participant number and an answer to the following: name one other Lizzie T. Leaf title now available at Aspen Mountain Press other than the ones mentioned in this post.
The next stop of this blog tour will be #3 with Teresa D’Amario.
Congratulations to the man I love and the wonderful company he is building. May there be many, many more anniversary celebrations.
Well, it’s time to start getting ready for our fantastic fourth anniversary–especially for all of you, our readers. The great thing about our birthday is that you get all the presents. In order to be eligible for our big prizes, the gift baskets or the Nook e-reader, you’ll need to keep track of the contest here on our blog, on our Facebook fan page or group page and our newsletter. You can join the newsletter at https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:Join/signupId:1400893/acctId:1400720
The celebration kicks off on July 23, with the sneak peek into AMP’s new imprint, Aurora Regency. Aside from the three books we’re releasing that day, we’ll be hosting a chat event that evening at the AMP Community Yahoo loop–http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AMP_Community/ with our authors and editors. You’ll have a chance to meet the authors, read some excerpts and win some prizes.
July 24th we’ll be focusing on our Del Fantasma line. On the 25th, we’ll be spending time with our horror, mystery and thriller writers. On the 26th, we’ll spend the entire day with our m/m books. The 27th will be devoted to the Cougar Club line and authors, while on the 28th we’ll take a look at our paranormal and sci fi stories. The 29th will be centered around our erotica genres. The 30th will be devoted to Vamps, shapeshifters and fantasy while the 31st will showcase our new authors, the up and coming writers of Aspen Mountain Press.
Stay tuned to the blog–we’ll be announcing different locations and sites for each day’s events. Take the opportunity now to join the AMP Community loop or friend us on Facebook, so you’ll know where to be every day to meet your favorite AMP authors and have a chance to win some of our fabulous prize packages!
Finally, on the first of August, we’ll have our final big birthday bash. That evening on the AMP Community loop, you can chat with AMP authors, win lots of wonderful prizes, find out what’s in the future for Aspen Mountain Press and just have a lot of fun. We’ll be announcing our grand prize winners that evening as well.
We really hope you all enjoy the special events we’re planning as you help us celebrate four years of Aspen Mountain Press!
Aspen Mountain Press’ fourth anniversary is coming up in July and we’ve got lots of presents for you, the AMP loyal reader.
Have you been looking for historical fiction and traditional Regency romances? Well, Aurora Regency and Aurora Regency Historicals is the e-publisher for you. We’re bringing high quality historical novels and novellas to you in the convenience of electronic formats! And on July 23, we’re offering you a sneak peek into the line and the fabulous books we are offering there.
The first Aurora Regency release is Compromising Prudence, by Marguerite Butler. A wonderful madcap Regency in the grand traditions of Georgette Heyer, Compromising Prudence is the first book of her Regency series.
Prudence Wemberly is desperate. Her reputation has been damaged by a cowardly suitor and her overbearing father will disown her when he finds out about it. She musters her courage and flees to the house of the most notorious courtesan in London. If she’s ruined, why not become a courtesan herself and have a little fun for a change? It sounds like a reasonable idea—after she has her third glass of sherry.
Charles Hatterly only wants to pursue his passion for ornithology, but his family expects him to marry and manage the family estates. He needs to find a well-behaved girl who will be content to marry him—and then leave him alone.
For a gentleman scientist in need of a wife and a ruined miss in need of a future, there is an obvious solution. If Prudence and Charles can make it to the altar despite their meddling families, unscrupulous rakes and the brewing scandal that has the ton talking, they just might find more than they bargained for. Can true love bloom amid the catastrophes that arise from compromising Prudence?
The second Aurora Regency release is The Dangerous Duke, by Arabella Sheraton. If you love the lovely, delicate heroines of Barbara Cartland and the Byronic hero, you’ll really enjoy this amazing return to the emotional oceans of serious Regency romance.
When the beautiful but impoverished Fenella Hawke takes up the position of Companion to the elderly Dowager Duchess of Wyndlesham, she is unprepared for the hostile attitude of the current Duke. The handsome and arrogant Devlin Deverel suspects Fenella has secrets to hide. From the moment they meet, Devlin and Fenella experience an overpowering and frightening attraction.
They try to fight their growing arousal, but find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. However, when Lady Penelope Vane, Devlin’s extremely jealous mistress, discovers that Devlin’s attentions are wandering, she sets in motion a ruthless plot to discredit Fenella, with the help of her ally, the rakish Sir Marcus Solesby.
The first Aurora Regency Historicals release is The Pursuit by Kimberly Nee. A sweeping story set as the first book of a grand family saga in early America, The Pursuit takes the reader into the involved and sensual realms of historical fictions–reminiscent of both Stephanie Laurens and John Jakes in scope.
Born into privilege, Katherine Bainbridge never thought the day would come when she would be happy to find work as a maid. But having fled London to avoid being tried, convicted and hanged for murder, she will take whatever work she can get, even if the offer comes from the most beautiful man she has ever seen.
Garrett McKenzie needs to staff his new home, but when he sees Katherine, the position that comes to mind does not involve mops and buckets. Determined to woo his lovely new maid into his bed, he will do whatever necessary to keep her there.
But when Katherine’s past comes back to haunt her, Garrett will do whatever he has to in order to prove to her that she can trust him with her life, as well as with her love.
I’ve been very excited working with these three talented authors–and even more excited about other authors who will be coming on board the Aurora imprints as the year progresses. Our grand launch is slated for October 15, 2010–with another traditional Regency romance from Marguerite Butler–Becoming Mr. Brooking–and an incredible surprise for our readers as well.
I am delighted and thrilled to announce Author Jennifer Horsman, the popular and beloved writer of Crimson Rapture and A Kiss In The Night, has signed with Aurora Regency and will reissue her popular and beloved novels from the 1980s and 1990s in e-publishing formats. Ms. Horsman, who published with Kensington/Zebra and Avon, is not only a pleasure to work with but an absolute doll to know. Her first reissue, Magic Embrace, will be released upon our grand launch on October 15, followed by A Kiss In The Night in November. We will release one of Ms. Horsman’s novels every 4-6 weeks, bringing her fans the comfort of these familiar and revered books to meet the convenience and ease of the e-reader, the i-pad, and the computer.
So keep an eye on Aurora Regency and Aurora Regency Historicals! Now only are we bringing you the writers of the future in historical romance but we’re reacquainting you with the pillars of the genre–one book at a time! In the coming weeks, we’ll have introductory interviews with the new AR/ARH authors, guest blogs, blurbs, excerpts and all sorts of fun. On July 15th, the Aurora authors and I have taken over the Love Romances and More e-cafe all day, where we’ll be discussing the new imprint and giving away lots of great things.
And happy fourth anniversary from Aspen Mountain Press! Stay tuned to this blog for more details on other presents we’re giving out for our anniversary–presents for YOU.
The attendees at this year’s Romantic Times Booklovers convention held in the convention center of Columbus, Ohio were treated to some beautiful covers on some of our Aspen Mountain Press stories.
An 8 foot long display featured Bride of Death by Celina Summers and Cover Me by L.B. Gregg.
Celina wasn’t content with the 1 foot square space allocated by RT for placing promotional items (although, the apportionment of the space was well done and kept things organized on the tables), so she built up. Great idea Celina!
Look for more innovative displays for next year’s Romantic Times Convention held at the Bonaventure in L.A.
I’m writing this from the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus, Ohio where the Romantic Book Times convention is going on.
After a tiring travel day Tuesday, the RT Convention started off with several emotional, heart felt tributes to editor Kate Duffey.
AMP author, Celina Summers finaled in a comepetition that could garner her manuscript a review by an agent with the possibility of representation. You go girl!
A beautiful poster featuring the covers for Bride of Death by Celina Summers and Cover Me by L.B. Gregg adorn a large column in the 2nd floor bar that nearly everyone has to pass through to get into the main convention area.
Authors ZA Maxfield, Celina Summers, Laura Baumbach, Helen Hardt, Sam Cheever, Lizzie T. Leaf, Lucynda Storey, and Cynthia Vespia have all represented Aspen Mountain Press at this event and have been a delight to hang out with.
Finally, I am tickled beyond belief that a stranger felt comfortable approaching Cynthia, Celina and I (later joined by Laura) in asking us how to make the most of his RT experience. The stranger, is no longer a stranger but a friend who introduced us to two more of his friends. We are thrilled to have added to our list of compadres Brett Battles, Robert Gregory Browne and James Scott Bell. They’ve shared with us their zany sense of humor and a little bit about the world of thriller writing.
We are already making plans to be at RT next year where it will be held at the Westin Bonaventure in L.A.
Mythos 1: Bride of Death has been released by Aspen Mountain Press! This is the first book in my Mythos series, a collection of Greco-Roman myths retold with a modern narrative voice. I remain true to the original classical sources, which means reinjecting these stories with the original sensual context of the stories. Most mythologies are of a sexual nature, and despite centuries of vanilla-izing still have those erotic overtones. The story behind Bride of Death is the myth of Hades, the god of the Underworld, and his wife, Persephone, the personification of the spring maiden. The story of their relationship was meant to explain the changing of the seasons–while the spring maiden is on earth with her mother, the world thrives and bears fruit. But, when she is in the Underworld with her husband, winter descends upon the planet as Demeter grieves for her daughter. Persephone is an early personification of sexual power–in the end, her allure is intense enough to bring Death himself to his knees.
Synopsis:When the mischievous god of love targets Hades, the god of death falls hopelessly in love with the spring maiden Persephone, the one immortal most ill-suited for his dark domain. Her mother Demeter will never allow the Lord of the Underworld to court her beloved daughter. The king of the gods proposes an unconventional solution: Hades may kidnap Persephone and take her to the Underworld to woo her. If Persephone agrees to marry Hades, Zeus will support the match.
But neither god has reckoned on Demeter’s inconsolable grief at the loss of her daughter. If Persephone is not returned to her, the goddess has vowed to destroy all life. Can Hades win Persephone’s heart before her mother discovers who has taken her? Or will Persephone make her own wishes known as the intended bride of death? Even in the world of immortals, time is not on Hades’ side.
Aspen Mountain Press will launch its new Aurora Regency imprint on July 21, 2010! Aurora Regency at Aspen Mountain Press is a line devoted to Regency romance. Traditional Regency romances, as exemplified by Georgette Heyer’s work, are first and foremost historical fiction about a very specific (and short) era. So what are we looking for? Hopefully, this will answer any questions you might have about Aurora Regency’s guidelines.
1) We expect historical accuracy. This includes language, clothing, customs, etiquette, events and places. Your book should have rich detail, the appropriate language and slang and an understanding of life in Regency England or, if set outside of England, according to the customs of the country. That includes behavior appropriate to a character’s life, position and social situation. (For example: divorce was notan option in Regency England so no new divorcées gallivanting at Almack’s in competition with the Season’s loveliest debutantes.) Historical accuracy will be a consideration in the acceptance of manuscripts and an integral part of the editing process. If your manuscript has several historical errors, you may be asked to revise and resubmit.
2) We hope for novel plotlines or exciting new twists on old themes. We are open to paranormal or Gothic themes as long as these elements do not compromise the Regency romance genre. So if your impoverished but well-born governess falls in love with the lord of the manor that’s fine. Just make it interesting.
3) We expect romance—oh, loads of it! Every kind of hero is fair game in a Regency romance and our heroines should be head over heels in love with them. But remember—this is a Regency romance. Spice is okay; jalapeno salsa is not. In an era were even the smallest infractions would lead to social ruin, well brought up young heroines were virgins on the wedding night. {However, if your Regency is about a member of the demimonde (a courtesan) and is erotic in nature, please indicate this in your query letter.} And, naturally, a HEA is the conclusion of choice.
4) Great dialogue. In the Regency romance, conversation is well-crafted and engaging. Half of the process of falling in love occurs when the hero and heroine engage in a battle of wits. Repartee is an art form; conversation is seduction. Anachronistic sayings or language are strongly discouraged.
5) Society. Society rules these characters’ lives. The Season is capitalized for a reason. As Jane Austen said in Pride and Prejudice, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Society dictates that universal truth, and in a Regency romance Society is where the bridal hunt is carried out. It can be London or Bath or Brighton or even a simple country parsonage involved in county society—but society (either capitalized or not) is as big a character as any human being.
6) Fun. Above all, Regency romances are fun—both to read and to write. The more adventures your madcap heroine has, the better. Paranormal Regencies are acceptable as are the more intricate Regency murder mysteries. Even the darker side of the Regency world is fun.
So, do you think your Regency romance fits the bill? Then submit to us! The Aurora Regency line is published by Aspen Mountain Press, a royalty-paying e-publishing company. We do not charge fees for set up or charge for editing your story once it has been accepted for publication. Our contracts request rights to the contracted work, including digital and print formats as we will provide some of our titles in print later this year.
Aurora Regency is looking for well-researched Regency romances between 35,000 and 70,000 words, although we will bend on the upper word limit if the story merits it. Please submit exactly and only the following if you wish your manuscript to receive serious consideration:A query letter in the body of an email with:
Your legal name, pseudonym if applicable and contact email.
Working Title
Manuscript Length
General story description in two paragraphs
Writing Credentials
Include the first chapter (or first twenty pages, whichever is shorter) embedded in the body of the email. We will not open attachments. If we like what we see, we will request the rest of the manuscript.
If this is a simultaneous submission, please inform us of this in your query letter. We will consider only COMPLETED manuscripts. Aspen Mountain Press does not accept proposals from writers unknown to us. Aurora Regency at Aspen Mountain Press will open for submissions on February 15, 2010. Please send all questions and submissions to AuroraRegency@gmail.com. We accept ONLY e-submissions. Initial response times are anticipated to be no longer than 2 weeks.
Aspen Mountain Press is a sole-proprietor ebook publisher based out of Aurora, Colorado. Although Aspen Mountain Press uses multiple distributors for its ebooks, it is not affiliated with and does not share ownership or control of any of those distributors or websites nor do they share any ownership or control of Aspen Mountain Press.
This site is intended for individuals over the age of eighteen (18). By navigating throughout this website you are confirming that you are legally an adult in your country of origin.
If you are a fan of horror you’ll be sure to enjoy the collection of short stories by Steve Barber. In Blob and the Sous-Chef you’ll get a taste of it all…ghosts, monsters, aliens, even vampire.
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