IWSG - The once and future writer

Way back in 2003 I signed my first publishing contract. It was 9:00 PM when the email came in and I screamed loud enough to make my partner jump out of his chair and come back the hall to the computer room (as we called it in those days).

No, I didn't see a mouse, dear. Someone is actually going to publish The Skies of Mahdis. 

And so it began. I had a very successful writing career up until the Triskelion Publishing debacle. Excuse me. They called it bankruptcy. RAYNE calls it a debacle. Same damn difference.

The debacle happened at the end of a very trying personal time. My beloved partner had, we prayed, been successfully treated for cancer. It's an insidious disease. Even after almost nine years we panic if he gets a cold or some weird symptom. Anyway, I was already mentally and emotionally exhausted and the debacle was pretty much the last straw.

I shifted gears and took on a new name and a new genre. Was it a "cut and run?" Yes, it was. I needed to write and I needed the stress free environment of anonymity. It's been a successful cut and run, though. I started over without telling anyone other than author Brenda Williamson what I was doing. I submitted the first story and it was immediately accepted.

Huh. Maybe I really do have some small talent at this writing stuff. But the world has turned.

Publishing isn't what it once was. Going indie is no-longer the kiss of death to the serious writer. Yet even as indie authors bask in the new freedoms, the screw tightens to control them. Amazon, the land of indie opportunity, keeps changing the game. Our, ahem, illustrious, government does nothing to control piracy.

I have a nice collection of completed stories sitting on my hard drive. I've already re-edited a few, learned some basic photoshop techniques, created a few simple covers, and indie published them. I might even indie publish The Skies of Mahdis and come full circle. 

It's daunting to be effectively starting over yet again. I question if, knowing so much more about the publishing industry, I can do it. 

Will I be as successful (or at least my definition of the word) in 2015 and forward as I was a decade ago? I don't know. Do I need it to be to be happy? Probably not. I simply know that as the once and future writer, I'll figure it out as I go. 

That's what all of us do, one step at a time. 

Thanks for stopping in here at Twenty-six Keys as part of the IWSG blog hop. 

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

#MSS102 - Rayne Forrest's Mischief at Midnight

Welcome to another My Sexy Saturday. My Sexy Saturday is a blog hop for romance fiction where authors showcase seven sexy words, sentences or paragraphs from one of their works. Today, I have seven sexy paragraphs from Mischief at Midnight.

Madelyn thinks she's hired a service drone for the evening to help with a dinner party - and more - but it really Dallas, the drone creator whose come to her aid. 

Enjoy!

*_*_*_*

Chivalry died. He’d just killed it. His last opportunity to confess his deception looked him square in the eye and he let it slide away.It wasn’t that he lacked female companionship. Dallas had plenty of women falling at his size eleven feet.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the size of his feet that attracted all those women, it was the size of his bankroll. He had the distinct impression Madelyn had a bankroll of her own, a definite plus for a man with his wealth, and maybe part of the reason why she would consider a night with a personal pleasure drone. She probably had more than a few men looking at her bankroll, too. She wiggled her toes against his palm.

"Tell me, Dallas, how extensive is your intimate programming?"

A shiver ran up his spine quickly followed by the breakout of sweat on his back. “Extensive enough, however, I am not programmed for extreme fetishes."

Madelyn blinked coyly. “I’m not programmed for fetishes, extreme or otherwise, either, so we’re even, although that wasn’t what I was asking. No matter.” She pulled her foot out of his grasp and rolled to her feet. Dallas stood up promptly, ready to follow her, or run, he didn’t know which.

Yes, he did. The mix of facial expressions that had come and gone, and come again, as she waged her internal war would haunt him if he walked away. All the unasked, unanswered questions he had, his unbridled curiosity about this good-looking woman who seemed part kitten, part tigress, part shy, part bold, would not allow him to walk away. If she needed company for tonight, she would have it.

Never had he courted such disaster. It was thrilling, invigorating even.

_*_*_*_*_

MISCHIEF AT MIDNIGHT is available now at Amazon. 

More about Mischief at Midnight:

Madelyn Murphy isn’t your typical spoiled rich girl. Self-sufficient, Madelyn maintains only one household drone to help out. She even does her own cooking, something virtually unheard of for a woman of 2115.

Triple D Drones’ owner, Dallas Dyson, has made a fortune in the service drone industry. He’ll even lend a helping hand himself if someone’s in a pinch.

When Madelyn’s service drone breaks just before a dinner party, she calls Triple Drones for help. When the new Dallas "prototype" shows up to lend a hand, Madelyn discovers a bit of a deception. It's not the latest drone lending a hand - it's a flesh and blood man. Madelyn has but one question - What's a guy like Dallas Dyson doing impersonating a drone?

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

Visit all the My Sexy Saturday blogs on the list below for more great romance!

Dragonflies

I've had several blogs over the years in several blogging platforms. Having reached a point where there were just too many old, broken links to update, a few years ago I started over here at Twenty-Six Keys. This left me with a multitude of old blogs about my life in the woods in the files. Some of them are as relevant now as they were then. Today I want to share with you one of those old blogs. - RF

Blog notes

August 6, 2005        

Dragonflies

Every year brings something different to my little fishpond. One year it was a large garden spider, resplendent in her black and yellow garb and skilled in her spinning. One year it was a tiny garter snake that, thankfully, didn’t stay around long enough for me to be forced to remove him by any means at my disposal. Many years it has been frogs. This year it has been dragonflies, or maybe the damselfly. I'll call them dragonflies because I like that better. 

I much prefer the dragonflies to everything else that has been attracted by the sound of trickling water. The spider was fascinating; seldom do you see such as her around here. But she was a spider, and we weren’t friendly. Same with the little snake. I was accepting only up to a point. I pay property tax and they don’t.

We installed the pond over a Memorial Day weekend. I got ten “feeder” goldfish to start the nitrogen cycle. The fellow at the pet store advised against the feeders, saying they would never live. Aye. Right. Like they would live long after he sold them to someone to feed their Caymans. At least in my pond they’d have a few good months before winter hit. Those ten “worthless” little goldfish are now eight years old, and even spawned their own addition to the ranks. They aren’t so little anymore, either.

The first spring, a frog came. I’ve long had toads and salamanders about the garden so what was another amphibian or two? Well, I quickly found out I like snakes better than frogs. Snakes are quiet. Snakes are clean. Frogs are not.

A happy frog with his own freshwater pond wants a girlfriend. How does he attract one? He sings. He sings loudly and all night long, night after night after night until he’s finally caught in a bucket and safely transported to the nearest creek. 

Maybe the lack of frogs is why the dragonflies arrived in such numbers this year. The first one appeared in early June, hovering on shiny blue wings to check out the place. It wasn’t long before a second one appeared. Then more. They move too fast in their intricate flights to count. The number present doesn’t really matter but there are a lot of them. One was joyful and many are delightful.

Dragonflies are quiet - seen and not heard. They are clean except for the occasional shed wing floating on the surface of the pond. This surprised me at first but I quickly learned they shed old wings as they grow. The dragonflies entertain with their aerial acrobatics. We sit on the patio and watch them instead of doing our chores. Yes, they are a good addition to my backyard. I hope they return for many years to come.

Rayne

http://www.rayneforrest.com

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

My Sexy Saturday #100 - Across Time by Rayne Forrest

Welcome to my corner of the 100th edition of the My Sexy Saturday blog hop. My Sexy Saturday is a group of authors each posting seven sexy sentences or paragraphs from one of their works. To celebrate MSS#100, I'm going back to Across Time.

Across Time was the very first book I every published and holds a special place in my heart. It wasn't the first book I wrote, but that's the way this business works. 

So without more rambling, here are seven sexy paragraphs from Across Time.

* * * *

Corri wished he’d stop smiling at her. She was very aware of their isolation and the fact she suddenly wished he’d stop talking and kiss her. It had been five long, lonely years since he’d kissed her. She couldn’t give in to her emotions. She had a job to do. “You’re not that Irish, and you’re certainly not that funny.” She turned on her heel and stalked off.

Devin quickly caught up to her and fell into step beside her. “We found a cave. Or, I suppose I should say, a cavern. We’ve not explored it beyond the entrance. We’re not equipped.”

Corri snorted. He sounded like it hurt to admit his lack of equipment.  “Did you touch anything, Tremaine? Disturb anything?” God help them if he had. Winston’s head would probably explode if Devin’s crew had moved even a grain of sand.

“No and no. There’s evidence that some large carnivore used the area for a den. We didn’t linger for dinner.” He shot her a wry glance.

Corri tried to look disgusted with him. Devin thought he was funny. And charming. Of course, he really was. Therein lie the problem.

“How big is it?” she asked, instantly regretting her choice of words.

His blue eyes gleamed at her with amusement. “Come on, Dunn. I didn’t whip out my tape measure and check it.”

* * * *

ACROSS TIME is available now at Amber Quill Press.
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1954-Across-Time.aspx

More about 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.

Rayne Forrest
www.rayneforrest.com

It's a blog hop! Be sure to check out the list below for more sexy excerpts.

Being Crafty

Years ago I published a monthly newsletter. While it was a lot of work, I enjoyed putting it together and including various writing tidbits, crafts and recipes. Like everything else in life, it ran its course and I let it go. Being a sort of digital hoarder, I kept all the editions. 

This time of year each evening we're spending time on the patio. With the bugs. The kind of bugs that suck your blood. We don't like the bugs. And because we don't like the bugs, we burn a lot of incense, which the bugs don't like. IMHO, keeping them at bay is better than killing them after they've taken a chunk out of one's ankle. 

Back in July 2008, I included an article in my newsletter, Forrest Whispers, on how to make an incense burner out of a wine bottle. Mine is a simple affair, for a simple country girl, but crafty people can get all sorts of ideas on Pinterest on how to create something fancier. 

Here's the entire article from the old newsletter.

= = = = = 

BEING CRAFTY

My honey and I enjoy early summer mornings and lazy summer evenings on our patio. One thing we’ve discovered is that mosquitoes do not like the smoke from incense. Our incense burner is a wine bottle, which looks very cool as it “smokes”. Here’s what you do.

Take an empty, clean wine bottle. How you get the bottle empty is entirely up to you. I know how I do it.

Using a special drill bit for glass, drill a small hole about an inch or so up from the bottom. Ask someone to do this for you if you don’t have the tools. Then find an old metal key ring larger than the opening in the top of the wine bottle to anchor the incense stick.

Slip the base end of the incense stick through sleeve of the key ring, light the incense and drop it into the bottle. The key ring will stand on end and hold the stick in place as it burns.

Wondering how to store the incense sticks close at hand and yet keep them from drawing moisture? Take a clear wine bottle (washed and dried inside, of course), drop in the incense sticks and cork it. Get several fragrances of incense and your storage bottle will be quite a colorful addition to your patio space.

Drill a few bottles and mate with storage bottles for gifts for your friends to take home to their patios.  

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So there you have it. Some fragrant bug control for backyard living. 

Rayne
www.rayneforrest.com