Author: Author Missy Jane

The voices in my head make me write their stories.

WWWW: It Makes Me Ill…

There are many subjects I’m passionate about and willing to argue over with anyone. Sometimes I agree with the opposing opinion and can be swayed, sometimes not. However, there is one subject that is my major hot button. I will never agree that it is in any way okay or excusable to cheat. Infidelity is such a serious issue in my mind, it makes me ill to even read about it in fiction. Seriously, physically ill. So, this week’s WWWW finding is one I could barely stomach. By now I’m sure ya’ll have heard of the White House intern who fucked the president…oh I mean the newest one. According to Mimi Alford, she had an affair with JFK, starting with losing her virginity in (gag) his wife’s bed! Honestly, I’ve never cared one way or the other about JFK. I haven’t studied enough of his political history to know if the world would have been a better place without the infamous bullet that took off the back of his head. But now that this has come to light I definitely have a strong opinion of the man, and it isn’t a good one. 
Could she be lying? Of course, but why? After all these years surely there’s another subject she could have written about if this wasn’t true and all she wanted was a book deal. I would think just being an intern during JFK’s reign would be enough. Does it really matter? Well, probably not to most of my generation. However, the ones who can recall exactly where they were and what they were doing when news of his death hit them may be struck again by this news. He has become more than a political figure. He is the icon of a generation.
To me this news is devastating not because of who he was, but because of what he represents to the world. Here is yet another American politician who simply refused to hold to the sanctity of marriage. Yes, it’s a personal issue that has nothing to do with their job as a politician, but what about their integrity? What about the trust we as the American public place in these bastards who can’t even remember the sacred vows they made to the most important person in their lives? If the President of the United States is willing to overlook his promise to his wife, why the hell would he care about promises made to complete strangers? 

My New Writing Cave…In There Somewhere

If you’re following me on Twitter or reading my Facebook posts, you may have already seen a couple of these shots. This, ladies and gentlemen, is my new writing cave! To say I’m excited would be a bit of an understatement. I’m fucking ecstatic!

It took a bit of work to get moved into our new house, but it’s definitely worth it to have my own office space…finally! This was originally dubbed the sitting room to the master bedroom.

It took almost a full week to unpack my 20+ boxes of books because I also cataloged them into my Collectorz software at the same time. With reference books and religious tomes, I have over 900 books.

I was surprised to see Stephen King is not the only author who needed his own shelf. I also have acquired a lot of Lora Leigh, Clive Barker and Sherrilyn Kenyon. Not to mention I have full collections of Kerrelyn Sparks’ and Lynsay Sands’ vampire series.

I also found quite a few books I don’t even remember buying, including many older than me. Now I have to figure out where I can put another shelf to prepare for the Houston Library system’s annual book sale in April.
Believe it or not, there is a computer hidden in there somewhere. 😉

Friday WTF?: A Prostitute by Any Other Name…

And here’s another attempt at me trying to do a weekly blog thing. So, every Friday I’ll come up with something that completely boggles my mind for Friday WTF?
I have over a thousand followers on Twitter but they always come to me slowly. Because of that, I’m able to wade through them one at a time and check them out before deciding on whether to follow back. One of my most recent followers brought to light something I hadn’t really thought about before. In this day and age do men really still have to pay for sex? I ask this because if even a quarter of the spam I receive is based in any type of reality, there are plenty of people out there willing to have sex with total strangers at a moment’s notice…for free.
The follower I speak of lists herself as an International Escort and Elite Companion. Oookay. Now, I’m not knocking her gig. Hell, if I could charge the prices she has listed just for the initial meet and greet, I’d do it in a heartbeat. What gets me is, Why? Why would any man, obviously rich by her price lists, be willing to pay a woman for her time knowing it’s nothing more than that? I mean, I can understand the whole business transaction – no emotional attachment aspect to a point, but come on. Today’s women are a hell of a lot more in the know about sex, sexual freedom, and what men really want than we were a decade and more ago. In my opinion, it’s easier for a businessman to meet a woman and be up front about wanting a sexually based relationship, that might go nowhere, today than it was in the past. Am I wrong? Am I being totally naive about how women think? I’ve been in a committed relationship for sixteen years. That means I was never a single “adult”. My late teen years were lonesome but not much, so I’ve never really had to swim through the dating pool.
She also mentions men spending time away from their lives of things like being a husband to be with her. Really? Is an affair really worth thousands of dollars right out of the gate? That not only appalls but completely mystifies me. I’m thinking it would be cheaper to get a divorce and find the woman you actually want to have sex with rather than meet this chic, who is also meeting God knows how many others, from time to time. But that’s just my female logical brain working here.

WWWW: Child Molesters Beware

The above video was brought to my attention by an article about music genres. Now, I’ll admit I’d never heard of Skrillex before, nor do I know how they should or want to be classified. But all that aside, what an awesome fucking video! I absolutely love this one and think it should be made into a full length movie. Yes, there is definitely a good horror novel in there somewhere.

Maureen O. Betita’s Winner!

And the winner of the soon to be released ebook, The Pirate Circus, is….
(drumroll)
………………………… Sorcha!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Look out for an email from Maureen. You’ll receive your ebook as soon as it’s released.
Thank you everyone for reading and leaving your comments for Maureen. Be sure to go buy the first two books in her series so you’re ready when this one is released!

WWWW: A Sign of the Times?

I’ve decided to try some semblance of a schedule on my blog. So, for now we’re going to begin with World Wide Web Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I’ll post something funny, crazy, or interesting I’ve found on the web. You’ve been warned. 


Those of us who have lived in a large city our whole lives aren’t necessarily surprised to learn of drug deals happening on busy street corners late at night. But, what if they’re advertised? This sign, posted in the Houston Chronicle, almost looks like an ad right? I’m sure it is in fact an angry neighborhood resident sick of the lack of response from HPD about this known spot. Heck, I can drive around the city and point out where to buy drugs and pick up hookers too, but I don’t think helping the uninformed is the way to go.

Meet Maureen O. Betita!

Today I have a special treat for you! One of my first writing buddies is a wonderful lady I met at the RT convention back in 2008. We were both aspiring back then and she has been such a font of encouragement for me throughout the whole journey. I’m absolutely delighted to let ya’ll know about her book series dedicated to the pirate world she loves. Please welcome Maureen O. Betita! She’s also generous enough to offer a prize to one lucky comment left on today’s post. Good luck!
What is Your Impression Worth?

I really believe in friendship, for the characters I write and for all those around me. And I’ve been blessed to find some awesome people in my life the last few years. The type of friends who listen to my woes and come up with solutions. Who send me delightful little things in the mail and those who post on my Facebook page, sharing photos and so many things that simply make me laugh.
We all need to laugh more and FB is so good for that!
As are friends. I recently worked on a 3 minute video, introducing myself, for a project I’m hoping to be part of… I know nothing about recording video. I knew my Dell had a camera thingy, but had no idea how to use it. Friends to the rescue!
With instructions, encouragements and eventually…reviews…😉
There is nothing like hearing how good you look, how your hair is fabulous and I did a fabulous job! And “my, how great you look since you lost weight!” Considering this impression was far different…
Impressions are tricky, especially first impressions. And I’m working on setting a good impression with my video…
In my new release, The Pirate Circus, a little boy arrives in Tortuga, open-hearted and ready for adventure. His father? Well, he’s ready for something, but is it adventure? Love? Certainly wasn’t a pirate! But you never know what you will get in The Kraken’s Caribbean! And first impressions or preconceptions? They aren’t worth much…

Blurb
Bosun Janey knows who and what she is. A pirate. And a damned good one at that. Living a life of excitement, adventure, and sailing the seas of the Kraken’s Caribbean is enough for her. But when the Quill is stuck in dry dock, Janey is left to search for distraction along Tortuga’s waterfront. How does a pirate occupy herself? Certainly not by making friends with a six-year-old boy or mooning after the boy’s father. That’s not how a pirate behaves!
Widower Benjamin Silvestri arrived in Tortuga seeking a fresh start. At first, the pirate haven doesn’t seem like a safe sanctuary for second chances, but life is full of surprises. The sun breathes life into his little boy, and new freedoms help his errant niece embrace her true nature. And then there’s Janey. A pirate and most unconventional woman, she stirs feelings in Benjamin that are far from proper.
But who’s to say what is proper in Tortuga? Before he and Janey can explore the possibilities, Benjamin’s son and niece disappear onto the high seas. Together, the couple set out to rescue them—because only a loving father and a cut-throat pirate stand a chance against the dangers of The Pirate Circus. 

The Pirate Circus is the third book in my Kraken’s Caribbean series. A world where anything can happen, and usually does!
Impressions, first or third…are they to be trusted? Not to mention preconceptions!
Maureen O. Betita is an author living along the Monterey Coast. She has an interest in steampunk, pirates, scifi/fantasy, and, of course, kraken. You can find her and play with her, explore the Kraken’s Caribbean at her website, www.maureenobetita.com She’s also on FB at Maureen O. Betita Author, is on twitter as Maureen O. Betita and has a newsletter you can sign up for on her website.
The Pirate Circus is available on February 3rd, from Decadent Publishing and other e-book outlets.
One lucky comment today will win a copy of The Pirate Circus!

Switching Heads

I’ve decided to do something I’ve never done before, and to be honest I’m a little nervous. I’m writing the sequel to Day Shift (tentatively titled Blood Rush) from the hero’s POV rather than the heroine. First person certainly isn’t new for me but writing from a man’s perspective is. I’ve considered it a few times, and written third person stories where part of the story is from the guy’s frame of mind (Resignation), but writing totally in Greg’s head is very…different. So far I’m just over 3,000 words in and I think it’s going well. So, here’s a little teaser. Let me know what you think.

Prologue
The sound of flesh striking flesh woke me before the stinging slap burned my cheek. I gasped in a lungful of air that made me cough it right back out. I was dying, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, considering. I’d had a good run, saved a few lives, pissed off a few people and left as little damage behind as possible. Collateral damage they called it, but complete and total fuckery is what it really amounted to. In my line of work, losing an innocent kid to the sick fucks currently beating the shit out of me had happened on occasion. I’d be damned if I let it happen again.
“You awake, sheep fucker?”
Oh yeah. It had happened again and now I was stuck with the assholes responsible.
“Fuck you,” I croaked back.
I didn’t even recognize my own broken voice. They’d starved and beaten me, left me without water or blood for days, then beat me again.
The vampire before me was a big, beefy fucker with meat-cleaver hands. They hurt like fuck when he hit me but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of flinching.
“No thanks. I heard you like to fuck sheep. No telling what I might catch.”
He thought that was not only clever, but fucking hilarious. I watched through swollen eyes as he laughed and reared back to swing again.
“Enough, Marco. We don’t wish him dead…at this time.”
The cultured voice that cut off Marco’s fun belonged to the biggest sick fuck of them all, the man I’d been sent in to watch. Some days I wished I wasn’t a cop so I could do more than watch men like him.
“Yes, sir,” Marco said before stepping back.
His boss, the leader of the Blood Martyr’s southern division, Jonathan Crosby, stepped forward into the ring of light given off by a single harsh bulb hanging from the ceiling.
“You have no idea what you have done, stepping into the hornet’s nest, Mr. Parsons.”
“Detective…Parsons…you sick…fuck.”
He smirked before throwing a glance over his shoulder at Marco.
“He does have a mouth on him. Perhaps it’s time we did something about that.”
Marco chuckled as Crosby stepped back into the shadows again. They had already whipped me, burned me, shocked me and tried to drown me. What the fuck could they possibly do next?
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind when the most glorious scent filled my nostrils. Sweet and fresh, like newly baked bread, I inhaled greedily despite the pain n my chest.
“Ah yeah, lookit, boss. He’s getting hungry.”
I knew the joy in Marco’s voice couldn’t be a good thing, but I’d been too long without human food or blood to care. I was hungry, fucking starving to be honest, and whatever they had brought into the room smelled like heaven.
“We’ll see how long this hungry sheep-lover can resist a little human sustenance.”
And then I knew what they’d brought.
Marco moved back into the shadows with Crosby, pushing a bundle of cloth towards the chair I was strapped into. I looked down at the trembling blanket, inhaling its sweet scent no matter how hard I fought it. My fangs ached and my stomach growled, I wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Crosby leaned forward and snatched back the cloth to reveal a pretty little human girl with bright red hair. Her face was puffy from crying and her eyes were tightly shut.
“There you are, Parsons,” Crosby said. “I know you’re hungry and I know you want to prove your loyalty to the Martyrs. Here’s your chance to satisfy both.”
Hunger crawled through my gut like a snake full of venom until all I could think about was how sweet the first drop of warm blood would taste. I shook my head and breathed through my mouth to escape her enticing scent.
She’s only four and her name is Libby.
I repeated her information in my mind like a mantra as I continued to shake my head back and forth.
“No? No?” Now Crosby was pissed. “How about we make a deal then, hmm? I’ll take this little sheep back to her parents and bring you a bigger catch. Oh, but there’s just one thing. The other treat I have in store isn’t human.”
He cackled like a B-movie villain as the door swung open again. A gasp sounded like a gunshot in the room, but even that brief sound had the hair rising on my arms.
“No. No! Motherfuckers! That better not be my sister, Crosby, or I’ll—“
“You’ll what, Parsons? Run back to the chief of police? Tell the media?” he laughed. “Don’t be an idiot. You’ll drink from one of these offerings to prove your loyalty or your sister dies. It’s that simple.”
I closed my eyes though they’d barely been open from the swelling of the numerous beatings over the past few days. My sister sniffed, the scent of her tears acrid in my nose. I had no choice. All I could really do was make it as quick and painless for the little human girl as possible. I straightened against the hardwood chair and looked up at Crosby.
“Give her to me.”
He smiled, showing dried blood on his teeth, and that image followed me into years of nightmares.

Changing of the WIPs

So I got a response to the email I sent my editor that I hadn’t told anyone about. To be honest, I was trying not to think about it too much myself over the past few days. But, unfortunately, the response means a change to my writing schedule and therefore requires an explanation to ya’ll. In short, I asked if the sequel to They Call Me Death could still be submitted once I finished re-revising it. By the way, it’s been re-titled from Much More Than Human to Releasing the Animal Within. While I was asking, I also mentioned my first Archangel story that I had previously submitted for an anthology call. The answer to both was a heartbreaking NO.
What does this mean exactly? Well, it means I had to decide on whether to finish these to manuscripts now, when I already have file upon file of other submittable work, or move on. To be honest, I need to move on…for now. I am in no way giving up on either Emily or Zerachial (my Archangel). However, I’m going to shelve both for a little while. I’ve decided I need to concentrate on books I can actually submit to one of my publishers so they might make it to your waiting hands. You may wonder, why not just try another publisher or self-publish? I am actually looking into a couple of other publishers where I think I can be happy. I’m VERY picky when it comes to publishers and to be honest, Samhain and EC have spoiled me for quite a few others.
As for the self-publishing thing, well…I keep going back and forth on that but for now am still not seriously considering it. So in short, I do plan to write my ass off every chance I get this year, but am moving on from what I’ve been working on for the past couple of months. If you were hoping for another shifter story don’t worry. Next up is Kotori’s book and it’s going well. I haven’t finished it yet but will post regular updates on my progress.

Where I’m at This Week

In 2012 I hope to be better about posting writing updates on this blog. So here goes the first of the year. Right now I have four manuscripts actively in my WIP file that I go between when the writing mood strikes me. I was in the midst of Archangels when Emily Olavson (Andor’s daughter from They Call Me Death) started talking to me again. 

This isn’t an odd occurrence for me. I often have to tell other characters to shut the hell up so I can get anything done. Anyway, Emily started talking and I know better than not to listen to her. I started reworking my MS and decided the title just didn’t fit her story. After all, she is half human/half shifter, but this story is about her shifter side emerging. Therefore, I changed it from Much More Than Human to Releasing the Animal Within. 

Of course, I couldn’t let a good title go to waste. So now Kotori’s story will be Much More than Human…because he is. 
As I said, I was in the midst of my first Archangel story and I’m very happy with the changes so far. It was actually completed last year but then rejected by my chosen publisher. 

I decided to give it another look to see what could be fixed/changed. I’m basically adding more sexual tension between the main characters and possibly more details about the secondary characters. We shall see. I’m hoping to sub it sometime in February but haven’t settled on a publisher yet.

On the erotic romance front, I have one sub in with my editor and am waiting for word on whether she will accept it. Cross your fingers. If you enjoyed my first Ellora’s Cave release, Two Week Trial, then hopefully you’ll like this one too, as it is a sequel. It’s Sean’s story, in which his atrocious behavior is redeemed.

That’s all for now folks. Outside of writing I’ll be struggling to finish reading the final Harry Potter book and the Stephen King anthology I began last year. I’m also packing up my household and moving into a larger house where I’ll get an office! WOOT!!