Aisle...Isle...I'll....

First up, let me say I really am enjoying the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K Hamilton. I’m a big fan of Jean Claude…not so much of the werewolves she mixes with but then I’m a vamp girl.

Anyway, I was reading another instalment in the series today and a typo in the paperback was doing my head in. Yes, yes, I know typos abound in books especially ebooks and not every editor and final editor is going to pick them all up. But, I expect a reputable publisher and not a fly-by-nighter e-pubber to pick up something simple like the fact that ‘isle’ does not mean the same as ‘aisle.’ I read it three times, in three different places, in a short space of time, and I had to put the book down. The two words have two different meanings and neither is the slightest bit similar nor can it be blamed the whole UK versus USA spelling.

Hmmm…at least they didn’t use “I’ll”….

       

Mary Sue-ish my arse...

Mary Sue-ish.. Have you heard this term before? I'd heard it mentioned in an ambiguous way but wasn't that familiar with what it exactly meant. When my editor said she was afraid my character might be too Mary Sue-ish, I decided to do some researching. In a nutshell, the character is too perfect to be believable and the reader won't be able to relate. Okay, got that.

One of the suggestions, she made was to drop the XS size. Got that too. Although in defense of all the XS's out there, all it means is that you've got a small frame and won't have to worry about sag as you age:) Its one of those things you bemoan while you're young but appreciate as you get older:)
Besides losing the XS shirts, I also gave her size nine shoes and a total lack of understanding when it comes to chemistry. A bit of a blonde? Not at all, she's smart, just doesn't get chemistry. Is this enough to take away any Mary Sue-ish stigma...we'll see.

http://sandracox.blogspot.com/2011/11/mary-sue-ish.html

I find this interesting. Why can't we have a 'too good to be true,' petite, nice female character in a book? Why do we have to make her flawed or dumb her down or add some weight or make her feet too big? And tell me - would an editor want to make the 'perfect' male character with the good looks, flat abs, lean body and Mensa like intelligence less than all that? I think not. Women are hard on women and we have to bloody stop it. Who cares about shape or weight? I want a good read. I'm not pissed off if the heroine's arse is smaller than mine and her boobs are perky.

The bottom line to me is, no one can tell a writer how their character should be.

Male Me….

I am off doing some stuff for a couple of days. Back Thursday…maybe Wednesday. But before I wander off, Male Me is released Tuesday 5th August through Resplendence Publishing. What is it about? Its ménage romance and it based vaguely on a period in my own life. Which vague parts? Hmmm...well, have a read of it and make up your own mind and I’ll tell you if you are right or not. As always, you can click on the cover to buy.

I must thank my RP editor for her work on Male Me. It was her first exposure to my typos and Amarinda-isms and she handled it very well. But then I have been very lucky with my two editors. They are made of tough, unbreakable stuff. I have this theory though - they both edit completely differently. I believe there is a plot between them to drive me mad by making me uncertain of what style I should be writing in at any given moment. They have denied all knowledge of a plot. Sure, sure…

Male Me – the blurb…

After Delaware Brooks sends a silly email about what she would like the new boss to do to her, she is called into the boss's office. The punishment? Every hot, sexual craving she has ever had, fulfilled. But Templeton McAdam is not the only new man in her life. His best friend, Speed is invited to enjoy Delaware much to her surprise and excitement. Two men. One woman. Their only desire is to please her.

Intense pleasure is one thing, but is it wrong to enjoy both men? What would a good girl do? And should she be falling in love with them so fast? But sudden love is not the only problem Delaware has. Someone is watching her every move and planning on teaching her a lesson.

The excerpt – be warned - adult

Two men wanted her. It was the ultimate female fantasy. Delaware would have been lying to herself if she did not admit that turned her on. She was wet with need just thinking about it. But how could she? It was against every rule in the good girl handbook. Not that she knew where her copy was, but she was sure it was written there in black and white.
“I’m not that desperate.” Horny, she was sure, was different than desperate.
Speed moved in even closer, so their hips and thighs connected.
“So why are you here, princess?” His voice was low and deadly sexy.
Good question. What was the answer again? Who could think clearly with all this body heat surrounding her? Delaware knew the shiver that shot through her body could be felt by both of them.
“To show you I’m not scared of you.” She was trembling but it wasn’t in fright.
“Liar.” Under the table, Templeton’s hands moved up her thigh, his eyes never leaving hers while he sought what he was after.
“I am not.” Delaware jumped when she felt his hand push up the fabric of her skirt.
“I think you’re here because the idea of two men fucking you turns you on.” Templeton did not skip a beat in what he was doing. In fact, he made it look all perfectly normal.
“Stop that.” Delaware slapped at the hand that was now rapidly making its way into her knickers. She turned to look at Speed. He watched on in amusement.
“What?” Templeton’s hand slid under the lace barrier.
“Oh─that.” When his finger found her clit she bolted upright in shock. “Oh no, not here.” Before she could resist, Speed pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a passion that stunned her. His lips and tongue tasted so good against hers, and the pressure on her clit made her kiss him back feverishly. She felt like she was on fire.

www.amarindajones.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmarindaJonesNewsletter/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?

Don’t sleep in a subway darling….

Things we’re not supposed to do…

-don’t pull a face as the wind will change and you’ll stay that way
So if you continually pull faces and the wind continually changes, you could have a new look all the time. That's better than a makeover.
- Don’t speak your mind to those in authority or disagree with the general consensus
Yep, this is dangerous but very liberating. Try it.
- Don’t eat dessert first as you’ll spoil the main course
I think if you are calorie counting (boring) and you look at the dessert then the main and the dessert is more appealing then I say use the calorie count on the dessert
- Don’t drink, swear, smoke etc
Any thing to excess will kill you – not sure about swearing though unless you swear at the wrong people – anyway I think everyone should have a least one vice as it makes us human – Amarinda philosophy only.
- Don’t throw the job in, the man away etc as it/he may never come again
No, it/he may not but is there any point doing something you hate or being with someone you don’t like because you are scared of taking a risk?
- Don’t ask – wait until someone offers.
What if you’re never offered what you want? I believe in asking politely first as people are usually as so amazed they will give you whatever it is.
- Don’t be an individual in a group situation – be part of the team
If I hear one more there is no ‘I’ in team speech I will puke. As I have said before if I made up the English language I would have put an ‘I’ in team. The sheep mentality is overrated.
- Don’t lie
I think this depends on the situation. Arse saving – yours or a friend’s – lies are okay.
- Don’t have sex on the first date
Now, I’m not telling you to or not to – that’s up to the individual – but who comes up with these rules?
- Don’t waste you time writing e-books – write a real book.
Someone told me I should write a 600 page proper book. I said they should they should climb Mt Everest. They said they did not want to. I said exactly.

What rules don’t you follow? What rules to you go out of your way to break? I’m not advocating total anarchy but do you always follow the rules?

Hillary…

Okay, no surprise - I would like to see Hillary Clinton as President of the USA. I watched this kick arse speech she gave the other night about oil prices. Confidence is everything. We need more Hillarys for women to be inspired by. Agree or disagree as you will but I admire the woman.

Mea Culpa…

Quote - People are ‘who’ and not ‘that’ -- my editor
I have to repeat this 100 times. I am such a nuisance – and don’t get me started on my formatting technique. All I will say it sucks badly and my editor wants me to do penance by not eating Tim Tams. I have promised, of course, no Tims Tams will touch my lips. I’ll just swallow them whole. But really, I have no idea how editors put the airy fairy, half-arsed writing of their emotional writers into any form or shape at all without copious amounts of gin. I think I may have given my editor concussion last night as I know she was banging her head on the desk at my inability to ‘get’ formatting. Thank you H for persevering.

Anny is putting her characters under the microscope once more on www.annycook.blogspot.com. Kelly will no doubt have some dazzling quote for us all to ponder on www.kkirch.blogspot.com

I leave you with this peak from Silverhills by Sandra Cox. It is a damn good book. Check it out by clicking on the link below

A stubble-faced cowboy looked at the horse and then its young rider. He spit a brown stream of tobacco out of the corner of his mouth and guffawed, “Why, it ain’t nothing but a damn kid. Hey, sonny,” he bellowed, “better get off that stallion before you fall off. That’s a man’s horse if I ever saw one. Let a man show you how to ride him.”
The drover swaggered towards the stallion then took a hasty step back as Alexandria drew her six-gun. A loud click sounded as she pulled back the trigger. “I wouldn’t, mister.” Her voice was low and husky like that of the boy she was dressed to resemble in her four-button brown shirt and Duckins.
http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419912900

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?