K is for K-cup Koffee

We’ve made it to the halfway point of the A to Z Blogging Challenge! And we’ll need more K-cups to make it to the end.

It’s only in the last decade or so I’ve become a coffee devotee. Sure, I’d have a cup now and then. I’d occasionally stop at the local convenience store in the mornings, but I rarely brewed a pot at home even though I only had a 4-cup brewer. All that changed when I was introduced to the K-cup.

A perfect individual cup of coffee or tea on demand? What’s not to like? It’s not the motor oil my parent’s generation drank, that’s for sure. Having each and every cup brewed fresh is a modern day miracle.

Now I know those individual cups can get expensive so I reuse them. I hear you saying not possible, but oh yes you can. Just peel the top off, fill it, and put the whole thing inside the auxiliary pod. I can get four or five brews from one k-cup before the filter gives out.

So K is for K-cups. Everyone needs at least one vice. The K-cup is mine.

Rayne

http://rayneforrest.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/rayneforrest
http://kckendricks.com/RayneForrest_bookshelf.html

G is for Good Grief! ( 2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge)

It’s a little strange that the familiar saying “good grief” is a censored form of “good God.” I suppose it dates back to when 1) saying “good God” could get you staked for blasphemy and 2) the times when folks believed God punished us with grief. 

And then there’s poor Charlie Brown. I like Charlie. He’s one of the good guys. On the surface nothing seems to go his way, yet in the end, he makes it through. When Charlie gets annoyed over the stupidity of his friends, he declares, “good grief” and he keeps chugging onward.

That became one of my writing rules. When annoyed by my own stupidity, or that of others, I simply say “good grief” and keep moving on. 

And on. And on…..

Rayne

http://rayneforrest.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

B is for Because you can (2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge)

2016 A to Z Blogging Challenge

* * *

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

      Listen to the DON'TS

      Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT'S

      Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me-

      Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.

Shel Silverstein

What wonderful words to have whispered in your ear! Yes, you should listen to everyone and hear what they say, then listen to the truer words of “anything can be.”

“Because you can” is implicit in those words. Because you can do it, anything is possible. Even a woman from a backwater town, a scant two generations from the Apple Jack operation, can become anyone she wants to be, even a published writer.

I’m sure I’m not alone in that I used to hate hearing my elders say “because I say so” without explanation. Those words sink long talons into memory. Unawares, they hold you back. They lurk in the dark recesses and cause doubt. You don’t even know it’s happening because it’s so ingrained.

Cast off the bonds of  “because I say so” and try this:

“Yes, I will. Because I can.”

Rayne

www.rayneforrest.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

Raindrops on the pond

I’m not sure why, but I’ve been a bit ‘scattered’ this week. I feel like raindrops hitting the pond. All my energy ripples out from the center and is gone. 

Maybe it’s an awareness of all the things I need to accomplish over the next few weeks, or perhaps it’s just the end of a long, hard winter. Whatever the culprit, my concentration is non-existent.

Part of the problem may be that I’m physically tired. With the sudden fluctuations in the temperature, I’m not sleeping well. It’s too warm for blankets, and too cold to open a window and let some fresh air in the bedroom. 

Tired or not, the break in the weather means it’s time to start walking again. I’ve not been able to get outside on my lunch breaks since Christmas. We had a freakin' blizzard in January, you know. Thirty inches of snow. I wasn't impressed as I peered out the window. 

If you’re wondering what that has to do with writing, well, here’s the thing. If I’m going to ever go to writing full-time, I’ve got to have a good exercise regimen firmly established. I refuse to channel Jabba the Hut as I sit at my keyboard. A better me means better writing, or so I firmly believe.

So what’s up with the writing this week? I’m scattered. My alter ego is coming up on the end of a story, and the floodgate of new ideas has opened. Pick one. Pick one. PICK ONE! It’s always difficult to narrow it down to the most complete idea and forge ahead. The sooner I do, the sooner I can get back to another project.  Right? 

Rayne Forrest

rayneforrest.blogspot.com

The Curiosity Shoppe by Rayne Forrest

Welcome to the 120th week of the My Sexy Saturday blog hop! This week's theme is A Sexy Galaxy and I've got a few. I love writing science-fiction. It's such fun to create a universe where you're the one who makes the rules. Today it's about an alien named Semele who broke the rules and traveled a long way to find her man. And Zeb's glad she did! 

Here are seven sexy paragraphs from The Curiosity Shoppe.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“We are not married. Marriage can be dissolved. The bonding cannot. I am yours, Zebadiah. It remains to be seen if you will become mine.” She pressed her bottom down into his lap again. His eyes crossed.

She jerked upright, her spine straight. She blinked wide green eyes at him. “Have I misunderstood that …” she looked at the pronounced bulge he sported, “that is an indication of desire to mate in a human male?”

“Oh, jeez.” What had he gotten himself into? He tapped her nose lightly with his index finger. “Now listen, wife.”

She treated him to that wide-eyed blink again.

“I’m going to try to survive kissing you again. No talking. No sending me subliminal messages. No reading my mind. No hands on my crotch. Got it?”

She blinked several times. Then she smiled.

            Not a welcoming, friendly, pleased, happy smile - oh no. Not a smile of compliance - not her. She smiled like the cat who just ate the canary in the old nursery rhyme his gran had told him. “I understand, Zebadiah. You must lead.”

THE CURIOSITY SHOPPE
Available now at All Romance eBooks
www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thecuriosityshoppe-1913989-340.html

 More about The Curiosity Shoppe:

Cajun Zebadiah LaCroy is a long way from home. Infected with a bad case of wanderlust, Zeb’s been working on an intergalactic merchant ship. He’s seen all manner of strange worlds and stranger beings. When his ship docks at Station Janus, Zeb searches for a gift for his sister back home and finds more than he bargained for. Come and see, a female voice calls telepathically to him. Never one to be able to deny his innate curiosity, Zeb can’t resist. He’s caught in her spell.

When he finally sees her, hears her say his name, Zeb knows Semele is telling him the truth. They are bonding exclusively to each other. For the bonding to be complete, they must mate. The only thing is, she’s not quite human.

Rayne Forrest
www.rayneforrest.com
http://rayneforrest.blogspot.com
twitter.com/rayneforrest

Be sure to check out all the My Sexy Saturday blogs using the link below.

Simple country pleasures - the tufted titmouse

It's Thanksgiving morning and meal preparations are well underway. We've fixed a few turkey dinners so the division of labor is established. We're not quite a "well-oiled machine" but we do okay. This Thanksgiving morning, we have a flock of distractions. That is to say there is a flock of Tufted Titmouse birds in the backyard. 

Enter the cat. 

The cat is very interested in the birds. He's stalking them, as a matter of fact. The birds are, so far, alert to his presence and he's not getting very far with his little cat mission. This is a good thing. 

The bad thing is I'd love to feed the birds so they and other species hang out here over the winter, but I'm not sure if I should. I'm sure the CAT would love it, but I don't like it when he kills small critters. I know it's just his nature. My grandma used to say, "a cat's a cat and that's that." She was correct. 

So maybe I will scatter feed for the birds this year. The way of nature is the old and weak fall, not the young and healthy. I think I can be content for the birds to be birds and the cat to be a cat. 

But as for today, it looks like the cat will have to settle for enjoying a few tidbits of turkey and be satisfied with that. 

Rayne
rayneforrest.blogspot.com
twitter.com/rayneforrest

Of insistent muses - she said "blog" and here I am

Ah, the insidious little voice. You know the one. That persistent, annoying whisper only you can hear. We all have one. Call it the devil on your shoulder or your muse. Call it worse than that if you want. Heck, I won’t stop you. I generally refer to mine as my muse and she’s such a whiner! For 2015 she's been prattling on about blogging more regularly until I gave in and said I would try. 

It was basically a lie to myself, but here I am. Searching for something to blog about. 

I’m not sure what my topic should be today, although this past week certainly provided fodder. Everywhere I turn there's something going on. From the atrocity in Paris to Matt Kenseth standing his ground (yea!), news abounds. But this is supposed to be a blog about the writing and the author behind it. 

I’ve been busy writing this past week. Very busy. My alter ego finished a manuscript and turned it in - WITH the forms. That's not a small feat. I needed to get that finished and clear the decks for Thanksgiving. This year, I'm fixing both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for us and my mother and stepfather. It's not a hardship. I have a plan, and my beloved is onboard to help. 

Today is the last NASCAR race of the 2015 season, and I plan to watch most of it. It's Jeff Gordon's last race, and while I'm not precisely a Gordon fan, I have no trouble admitting he's had a stellar career. While the race is on, my partner and I will finalize the game plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas cooking. Christmas is easier because I have the day before off work, but all will be fine. 

So here it is. I’ve completed my exercise in self-discipline and blogged on schedule. Thankfully, the muse didn't insist my blogging be cohesive, or even on point. See ya next time around. Have a great day! 

Rayne Forrest

http://rayneforrest.blogspot.com

twitter.com/rayneforrest

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Forgotten gems

After several lifetimes, I have a new work in progress. And having something new to work on inevitably leads me to the "pause" stage, or the halfway point. This is where I step back and re-read from the beginning before setting the outline for the rest of the story. 

That doesn't mean I'm sitting on my hands doing nothing. A few days ago I opened the folder for Money Back Guarantee. It got some great reviews - 5 Kisses from the old Two Lips Reviews. I gave it a read and was amazed at how clean the old manuscript is, a true forgotten gem. 

It didn't take much to go through it and tighten up a few passages. Then the search for stock for the cover ensued. I've been looking at this for two evenings and I think it's going to be a go as soon as I skip on over to iStock and buy the kissing couple. I like to do a mock-up and look at it a bit before I plunk down my money. I think it makes sense. 

While reading Money Back Guarantee, it struck me what a jewel the story truly is. Our hero is a strong man, but not a chest-thumping Neanderthal. Our heroine is mentally tough and all lady until it's time to not be a lady. They never question that they are equals and they never treat each other as anything else. 

This gem deserves to shine again. I'll be back in a few days with the real cover, an excerpt, and purchase information. Check back!

Rayne
rayneforrest.blogspot.com
twitter.com/rayneforrest

Rayne's Ramblings: What camp will you be in?

Blogs are strange beasts, each as individual as the blogger themselves. You can’t run a Google search without finding a blog on your chosen topic. Blogs are freedom of speech at its best – and sometimes, worst.

With Google alerts set on a variety of topics, I’m treated to a handful of new blogs every day. Some days I simply can’t take the time to read any of them, but I generally look at one or two when I have a quiet moment. Lately I’ve noticed an uncomfortable trend in blogs – bashing.

The Internet is populated by only twelve people and eleven of them have a gzillion screen names each.  I wouldn’t kid you about that. It has to be. I must be the only person who represents myself as only the writer and the “real me.” That’s all the multiple personality disorder I can do. The other eleven people are taking over all the bandwidths.

Okay. I’m being silly. My point is that the Internet provides a never before enjoyed anonymity to everyone. So…does our anonymity give us permission to post truly hurtful things about another person? I think not.

Things blogged about today will live on for no one knows how long. The Internet grows new storage every day. Five years. Fifteen? Fifty? It’s anyone’s guess how big the cloud will grow. The dregs of thought and spirit, and the enlightened and wonderful reside side-by-side. In a hundred years, what will future generations decide most realistically reflects those of us blogging today?  The nasty or the delightful?

I can’t speak for you, but I know which camp I want to be in.

Rayne Forrest

http://www.rayneforrest.com

http://www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

I like happy endings

Not being a person with a natural leaning toward politics, some of the goings-on in the world of writing baffle me. I’m confused why a love story can’t just be a love story. You know…a story about two people meeting, discovering each other, and attempting to join their paths on their journey through this life. Must every story make a political statement?

I guess I’m a big disappointment to the folks that answer, ‘yes’. 

I like happy endings. I thought I had one, but maybe I don’t. Fifteen years ago, I was sure I had it, and if I’d ended my life story there, it would have been with the time honored HEA. Would that have made the last decade, with all its trials and tribulations invalid somehow? Does a firm belief in the happily ever after taint my all future tomorrows? Depends on how jaded you are.

To those of us with long-term partners, we’re privileged to see them at their worst. Yes, privileged. When my mate acts like an ass, I see someone no one else ever does. It’s a singular honor bestowed in complete trust that I will not withdraw my love and affection over some meaningless behavior. If you don’t get that about your partner – grow up. You’re not so perfect either.

The stories he could tell on me….but that’s another blog. NOT.

In the quest to write a love story with honest, believable characters, a writer draws on all of life’s experiences. We know shy people who walk around with a chip on their shoulder to cover up the shyness, and people who hide their inner fear, and pain, with outward bravado. And we know kind, caring people with the patience of Job that no amount of stress seems to affect. I bet their partners could tell stories, too. 

We are all made unique, thank God. So instead of trying to make political statements with my stories, I choose to make people statements. I hope I portray them with all their bad behaviors, contradictions, and shining moments.  Good side, bad side, and human side. Mature, immature, perfect and imperfect all rolled together into one person. 

Just like you and me. 

Rayne

www.rayneforrest.com

"I never promised you a rose garden..."

I beg your pardon… I never promised you a rose garden…

Have you ever had a bit of a song get stuck in your head? Of course you have. You know what I'm talking about. That annoying line that plays over and over in your head until you're ready to slip into madness. Yeah, you know all about it. This morning what do I get? Anne Murray.

Now I like Anne Murray. She has a wonderful voice that has become richer with the years. There's something to be said for someone who continues to improve and grow regardless of natural talent.

But this (great) old song? Why not something more current? Why not something with a driving beat that would make me fly through my work and enable me  to get to the fun stuff -writing? No, no. Not Dragula (talk about a driving beat!).  Why not Elton John? You know.. The Bitch is Back. No? 

I know… Beautiful Day! I like U2. So why not Beautiful Day?

I beg your pardon… I never promised you a rose garden…

So I'm wondering what in my subconscious needs to hear Anne Murray. It may remain a mystery and sometimes the mystery is one of the joys of life. 

Rayne
www.rayneforrest.com

My Sexy Saturday - Across Time

Welcome to my corner of the My Sexy Saturday Blog Hop! I'd like to thank the organizer, Lynn Crain, for hosting the hop. I generally follow along even if I don't submit a blog post. And considering the situation with my backlist, I won't be joining in every week. It gets a bit boring to have the same book on the blog hop time after time after time and I like lively better. 

Across Time - not the first book I wrote but the first book that was published and available out in the world. It's been a long journey to here but a good one. Here's seven sexy paragraphs from Across Time.

=======

It didn’t take long for the call from the Avery McKenna to come. Rose had followed protocol to notify other orbiting ships of a shuttle launch and that a ship’s captain was onboard. Devin grinned wolfishly as Corri’s voice filled the shuttle.

“What do you think you’re doing, Tremaine?”

“Well, hello, Corrine. Fancy meeting you way out here.”

“Listen, you son of a bitch. You land that shuttle on Adhara VII and I will personally take you into custody.”

He didn’t think he’d mind that too very much, especially if she used handcuffs.

“Your momma needs to go get her money back from that fancy finishing school she sent you to. Tsk, tsk. Such language.”

“You are not funny. Park that shuttle anywhere but back on that piece of garbage you fly and I’ll have to arrest you.”

ACROSS TIME
available at Amber Quill, All Romance eBooks, and Amazon.

Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 

Rayne
http://www.rayneforrest.com
http://twitter.com/rayneforrest

Across Time is now in paperback

Across Time is now available in paperback and digital download at Amazon. This was a long time coming and it's a waiting process every author goes through at some point in their career. When you know you have a story that's really good (the old Two Lips Reviews did give it a Recommended Read) all you can do is persevere until you find the right publisher.

Now in its third edition, Across Time is better than ever with added scenes. It was a joy to revisit the story and see how much I've grown as a writer since it was originally written. I have a few more old manuscripts on the hard drive and I think it's time to dust them off and get them back out into the world, too. 

I hope you'll enjoy Across Time. Find it at here at Amazon. 

About the book:

Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 


An excerpt:

Oh hell! He was walking toward her. Corri was aware of her crewmembers behind her in the meadow. It couldn’t be helped. If she walked over the rim and out of sight her security people would come running. She had to stand her ground.

He wasn’t even breathing hard when he stopped about six feet away. He took off his sunglasses to look her up and down.

Her heart pounded in her chest but she kept her tone cool. “Do I pass inspection?”

“You always did, Dunn. Congratulations on getting the Avery McKenna.”

“Thank you.” She’d had the ship three years. “What are you doing here, Tremaine? And don’t try and weasel out of telling me the truth.”

“We all take orders. Mine said come here. Didn’t yours?”

“We can stand here and verbally spar all day and get nowhere. But I’d rather have some answers. Wouldn’t you?”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh, Dunn?”

“Is that what you are? My enemy?”

“It’s not what I want to be. It’s what you made me.” His gaze warred with hers.

“That’s not true,” she denied, moving away from him. She wasn’t ready for this conversation. In truth, maybe she had made him the enemy.

“Look, Dunn, let’s wave the white flag.”

Corri fought the urge to fidget under the calculating look Devin gave her. In that instant she knew with a certainty she didn’t question that he knew more about why they were here at Adhara VII than she did.

“I can’t, Tremaine. It’s as simple as that. I have a job to do here.”

“Do you, now? Part of the job ramming your ship’s titanium nose up my fuel vents?”

She flashed him her best smile. “Afraid to tap the braking thrusters, were you?”

“What did you hope to accomplish? A star UFPA captain dropping into orbit and the first thing she does is break the regs. I’m disappointed.”

“So deal with it. Your people made the proper adjustment.”

“My people should not have been required to do so.”

“I’ll instruct my flight crew to be more precise in their measurements.”

Devin paused and looked her up and down again. She clamped her teeth firmly together and struggled to remain silent under his perusal.

“Well, Dunn. You know where to find me should you reconsider that white flag.” He turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at her. “Nice job getting here in four days. New engines?”

Corri looked at him and saw the boyish interest in more speed, more power and having his toys be bigger and better than the other kids.

“Oh yeah, Tremaine,” she replied smoothly. “They’re amazing. Too bad you’ll never get a look at them.”

He flashed that ear-to-ear grin of his, transforming his face. It made her flush warm with memories of him, of them together. She pushed them away, knowing she couldn’t go back.

“Maybe before we pull out of here, you’ll change your mind,” he said softly, a touch of Irish lilt in his voice.

“No. I won’t.” She turned and headed down the hillside to her landing site and refused to look back.

ACROSS TIME

erotic science fiction romance

Rayne

http://www.rayneforrest.com

Across Time by Rayne Forrest

Across Time is now available at Amber Heat
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1954-Across-Time.aspx

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past and present, and threaten a future fast unraveling unless Corri and Devin take a leap of faith – across time.  

Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her. 

EXCERPT:

Oh hell! He was walking toward her. Corri was aware of her crewmembers behind her in the meadow. It couldn’t be helped. If she walked over the rim and out of sight her security people would come running. She had to stand her ground.

He wasn’t even breathing hard when he stopped about six feet away. He took off his sunglasses to look her up and down.

Her heart pounded in her chest but she kept her tone cool. “Do I pass inspection?”

“You always did, Dunn. Congratulations on getting the Avery McKenna.”

“Thank you.” She’d had the ship three years. “What are you doing here, Tremaine? And don’t try and weasel out of telling me the truth.”

“We all take orders. Mine said come here. Didn’t yours?”

“We can stand here and verbally spar all day and get nowhere. But I’d rather have some answers. Wouldn’t you?”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh, Dunn?”

“Is that what you are? My enemy?”

“It’s not what I want to be. It’s what you made me.” His gaze warred with hers.

“That’s not true,” she denied, moving away from him. She wasn’t ready for this conversation. In truth, maybe she had made him the enemy.

“Look, Dunn, let’s wave the white flag.”

Corri fought the urge to fidget under the calculating look Devin gave her. In that instant she knew with a certainty she didn’t question that he knew more about why they were here at Adhara VII than she did.

“I can’t, Tremaine. It’s as simple as that. I have a job to do here.”

“Do you, now? Part of the job ramming your ship’s titanium nose up my fuel vents?”

She flashed him her best smile. “Afraid to tap the braking thrusters, were you?”

“What did you hope to accomplish? A star UFPA captain dropping into orbit and the first thing she does is break the regs. I’m disappointed.”

“So deal with it. Your people made the proper adjustment.”

“My people should not have been required to do so.”

“I’ll instruct my flight crew to be more precise in their measurements.”

Devin paused and looked her up and down again. She clamped her teeth firmly together and struggled to remain silent under his perusal.

“Well, Dunn. You know where to find me should you reconsider that white flag.” He turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at her. “Nice job getting here in four days. New engines?”

Corri looked at him and saw the boyish interest in more speed, more power and having his toys be bigger and better than the other kids.

“Oh yeah, Tremaine,” she replied smoothly. “They’re amazing. Too bad you’ll never get a look at them.”

He flashed that ear-to-ear grin of his, transforming his face. It made her flush warm with memories of him, of them together. She pushed them away, knowing she couldn’t go back.

“Maybe before we pull out of here, you’ll change your mind,” he said softly, a touch of Irish lilt in his voice.

“No. I won’t.” She turned and headed down the hillside to her landing site and refused to look back.

= = = = =

Across Time

sci-fi romance from author Rayne Forrest

available now at Amber Heat, an imprint of Amber Quill Press

http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1954-Across-Time.aspx

New cover reveal - Across Time

Corri Dunn’s mission to distant Adhara VII begins on a downhill slide. Not only have her superiors withheld vital information, but Devin Tremaine knows what it is. Corri must face Devin, and what happened between them five years ago, or lose her command. Confronting the truth means facing the fact she still loves Devin. She wants him back in her life, and her bed, but she has to complete her assignment first.

Devin Tremaine made one big mistake in his life – he lost Corri Dunn when she needed his understanding and he couldn’t give it. Now they’re both at Adhara VII, caught in a web of deceit – and renewed passion. Corri’s been sent into a trap and he’s the only one who can save her.

The secrets of Adhara VII unlock their past, present and a future fast unraveling. To survive, Corri and Devin must make a leap of faith – across time. 

*****

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be with Amber Quill Press and to have them publish Across Time. While I write both contemporary and sci-fi, I actually enjoy writing sci-fi a bit better. It's fun to build a world where all the rules are mine. I suppose that says something about me, but there is it. Veritas. 

Interviewers ask the question, "What inspired the story?" all the time. I think it's a prerequisite for an interview. Across Time developed from a scene in a television show where the hero was white water rafting. I thought it would be cool to have our hero and heroine stuck together on a raft. So then I had to create a planet with a river and a couple of space ships to get them to the planet. Yes, it was fun! 

The title Across Time has myriad meaning. It references love surviving across time, both the love between our main characters and the love of fellow man. Then there's that pesky temporal shift business of moving between time lines that the characters have to sort out to stop the bad guys from going back in time to wreak havoc.

I do wish the cover had our main characters Devin Tremaine and Corri Dunn on the it in some sort of sexy pose, but when I saw the picture of the city on the mound, it was too perfect to the city in the story. The coin flip went in favor of the city. You'll just have to believe me when I say the romance is in the story and Devin and Corri do like to get busy. Besides, finding pictures of couples in 24th century fashions isn't easy, even with google. 


To read an excerpt from Across Time, please visit my website at http://www.rayneforrest.com/AcrossTime.html

Rayne 
www.rayneforrest.com
www.twitter.com/rayneforrest

Beautiful Light

It's a common problem, I'm sure. We love digital pictures. We collect them from everywhere - our phones, email, the Internet, old-fashioned cameras. One little click and they're saved on the hard drive for posterity. And then what? 

They're stored on the hard drive for posterity and they're in one big messy folder marked with some series of numbers instead of when we took the photo and what it's supposed to be.

Maybe it's just me who does that. 

It's a beautiful late September evening here so I strolled around my corner of the world. In mere days the leaves will change and summer will truly be gone. The light was just right and I had a moment of deja vu, that it had been that way before and I'd captured the image. I came inside and started to look through my photos. (I really need to do some organizing!) I found the image of beautiful light and thought I'd share it with you. 

Rayne
website

A new contract - it's been awhile

Life moves at a pace we have little control over. Oh, we think we do. We make plans and we scurry about, but in the end, it all unfolds much as the universe pleases. I've come too far in life to believe I'm in the driver's seat. There are times you just know everything has come together as it was meant to and your actions were all part of a bigger plan. 

I'm very pleased to announce that I've signed a contract with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid to publish One Summer. I don't know the release date yet, but I'll pass that along as soon as it becomes available. 

It feels pretty good to get moving in this direction again. Being older and wiser, I'm more relaxed and certainly more capable. I think that's a good mix. Heck, I might even have to resurrect my Twitter account! 

Rayne

website: http://www.rayneforrest.com