My Writing Process Blog Tour!

Welcome to My Writing Process Blog Tour!  I was invited to play along by my wonderful friend Elyzabeth M. VaLey.  She did this very thing last week and you can find her post here: http://www.elyzabethmvaley.com/. At the end you will see the other authors that I invited to participate after me.  I was supposed to pick three…but as always I had to go above a little and I picked four!

 

So follow me into the way my crazy Muse works: I was asked four important questions: 

1)     What am I working on?

 2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?  

 3)     Why do I write what I do?

  4)     How does your writing process work?

Okay for the first question of what am I working on.  To answer that I’d have to say what am I not working on!  Whew!  I am constantly working on stories.  I love writing and since getting my first contract in March 2012 I have been writing like mad and will continue to do so.  I write contemporary, paranormal right now and have plans to go into other genres. I like to see women that resemble me so I write Interracial romances. Though that doesn’t mean I haven’t done other combinations besides bw/wm.  I have written f/f, m/f, m/m/f etc but no matter the gender combinations or racial combinations it all boils down to love.
Second question is how does my work differ from others in the genre?  Hmm that’s a toughie.  I mean if you really think about it in any genre there is an overflow of talent running around.  For myself personally I like to write the things that I like to see. I try to be different by I try to take a usual plot and make it my own through my characters.
Third question is why do I write what I do?  I love romance, but most importantly I love it when I can create characters and their worlds in which they have problems and that problem is overcome because of their love for one another.
Hmm now the fourth question is a bit of a tough one.  My writing process varies as I have a full time job, two kids who are still little, a eight year old and a ten year old.  I have to write where and when I can. I can multitask with the best of them. Meaning I can write while there is a ton of stuff going on in the background. Kids,music,television…you name it, doesn’t bother me. There are the times though, that I need absolute quiet to write.  This is few and far between for me but it does happen.  I sometimes get images of the characters and name them and build from that. Other times I get the title first or a story idea.  It’s never the same process but it does have the same end result.
Plain and simply put…I LOVE WRITING!
Now for introductions of my fellow authors I’ve chosen to follow in My Writing Process footsteps:
Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud omnisexual / bi-woman whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life. Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America® and Rainbow Romance Writers. Learn more about Tempeste and her writing at http://tempesteoriley.com.
Seraphina Donavan is a hopeless romantic with a wicked & oh-so-dirty mind! Those things, combined with her love of writing, prompted her to take the leap and transform those fantasies into written words on a page. As a curvy girl herself, Seraphina has made it a point to celebrate those women with delicious curves with her work through writing and the hot men who love them.
She currently has 17 published books & is working on many more..
Living in Central Kentucky, Seraphina spends her time rescuing stray animals, working for a non-profit agency and dreaming of becoming a best-selling author. She lives in a home that has more character than working parts and enjoys spending time with her fur babies. Feel free to contact her with any questions or thoughts on your mind.. She loves connecting with her readers & hearing from anyone! You can find her here: seraphinadonavan.blogspot.com
Brandi has wanted to write since she was a kid. She went from fairytales to romance. When she isn’t writing she is caring for her nephews, gaming or drawing. Brandi has an obsession with music and constantly has some sort playing. If she’s writing she is known to have tea or soda and candy or chips by her and music blasting in the background. 
My blog link:http://bgillilan.blogspot.com/

Jessica Jayne: I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I got my law degree (and license) and also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure.

I love to read and write… obviously! I’m a huge sports fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes!  Go Steelers!  Go Rays! Go Lightning! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. Did I say I love to travel? I love to drink coffee in the morning and tea at night! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a founding member of that crazy group!  J  I love hanging out with my family and my friends!  Music makes me happy. I’m a mix between country girl and city chic. But I love nothing more than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw or Eric Church belt it out!  I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat! J

Favorite quote:  “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

www.jessicajayneauthor.com

Take it away my girls!

 

Book Spotlight & Excerpt: Alpha’s Claim Anthology

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alphas-claime1mAbout Alpha’s Claim:

Strength. Power. Domination. 

The shifters in our Alpha’s Claim anthology have one thing in common – they won’t take “no” for an answer. Whether they lead packs of their own, or whether they walk a solitary path, these alphas won’t let anyone stop them from claiming their women.

Lose yourself in these ten sinfully delicious love stories. After all, who could deny an Alpha’s claim?

“Panther Ridge” by Jessica Jayne

Panther Ridge Blurb:

Nathan Thorne is many things. Confident. Proud. Strong. Ruggedly good-looking. And a firefighter. But what really makes him different from most men is that he’s part animal… literally…he shifts into a Florida panther. Nate has spent most of his life a loner, finding satisfaction in random women and roaming his one hundred fifty acres of Florida flatlands in Panther Ridge that his mother left him. He was content. But when Ciara Black enters Nate’s favorite hangout he doesn’t know what hit him. She’s everything he’s ever desired and he knows without a doubt that she’s his mate.

Ciara is on the run trying to escape her father and step-brother’s attempts to steal her Momma’s money. Life is hard and full of disappointments until she meets Nate Thorne. He turns her inside out with just a few words and a smile.

When someone threatens Ciara, Nate can’t do anything but protect what’s his. Can Ciara love him and the animal within?

Buy Links:

Evernight |  Amazon |  Are  |  Bookstrand

 

Excerpt:

“What brought you to town, Ciara?” Nate asked. His gaze wandered over her face. Her nose dipped just slightly giving her a delicate look. Her lips were full and pouty, perfect for wrapping around his cock. Fuck! I need to get my head on straight. It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been laid. But it had been that long since he’d wanted so desperately to be laid by a particular female. In fact, this may have been the only time he could remember feeling only one female could bring him the release he needed, and that female was her. Every ounce of him, body and soul, told him Ciara was his mate.

“A change,” she said, softly, finally looking away from him.

“A change from what?” he pushed.

“A change from my family,” she said, opening the cooler and apparently checking the stock.

“What’s wrong with your family?” Nate asked. “Jack’s a great guy.” Shutting the cooler door, she turned to face him. Placing her hands on the counter, she leaned in closer to him. Her scent enveloped him and he had to bite his lower lip to keep from growling.

“Uncle Jack’s not the problem. He’s the reason I stayed in Florida. Otherwise, I’d have headed out west to get clear of my money-grubbing father and stepbrother,” she said, looking him straight in the eye. “You’re quite the nibby-nose!”

“Just like to know who’s pouring my beer,” he said with a smirk.

“Are you going to look at me all night like you want to eat me alive?”

Nate’s hands shot out to grasp her wrist in such a quick fashion that Ciara looked stunned. Being a panther shifter made him more agile than most normal men. His quickness had saved his life on more than one occasion, but it also benefitted him in situations like this one where he wanted to make a point and catch someone off guard.  The feel of her skin against his was more than he could take, and the growl that he had been trying to stifle escaped.

“I am going to eat you alive,” he whispered, tightening his grip on her wrists. Her blue eyes widened. Though there was a hint of fear in her eyes, he also saw the desire, and that made him continue. “I’m going to bury my tongue in that sweet little pussy of yours until you come all over my face. I can’t wait to taste you.” She inhaled sharply at his words.

Buy Links:

Evernight |  Amazon |  Are  |  Bookstrand

Author Bio:

100_8255Jessica Jayne

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I got my law degree (and license) and also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure.

I love to read and write… obviously! I’m a huge sports fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes!  Go Steelers!  Go Rays! Go Lightning! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. Did I say I love to travel? I love to drink coffee in the morning and tea at night! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a founding member of that crazy group!  J I love hanging out with my family and my friends!  Music makes me happy. I’m a mix between country girl and city chic. But I love nothing more than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw or Eric Church belt it out!  I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat!  J

Favorite quote:  “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

 

 

Board Stiff by Jessica Jayne

Board Stiff – Taking Advantage, Book 1 by Jessica Jayne

Romance on the Go – Evernight Publishing

SKU:978-1-77130-477-1

ASIN: B00DUPVIWG

Blurb:

John Dorsey’s life is good. He is the owner of Dorsey Construction. He’s the youngest person on the board of directors for Advantage Insurance Company. He lives on the beach. And he knows he can have any woman he wants. John’s got the world at his fingertips… except he’s yet to find a woman that stimulates both his body and mind.

Elizabeth Wright worked hard in a large Tampa law firm making a name for herself, but it came at the expense of her personal life. When Advantage Insurance Company offers her a job as corporate counsel, Elizabeth cannot turn it down. The thought that she can have a successful legal career and a life excites and intimidates her.

But when their worlds collide one day in the Advantage board room, neither Elizabeth nor John knows what’s hit them. All they know is they can’t stay away from each other.

Excerpt:

“Are you seeing anyone? Sleeping with anyone?” he asked further.

“What?” she said, standing up from her chair. Her face was incapable of hiding her shock at his questions. Her green eyes were wide. Her lips parted. “What sort of questions are these?” John’s stride made short use of the distance between them. He stood directly in front of her, cornering her behind her desk. He looked down into her green eyes. They were gorgeous… she was gorgeous. And he had every intention of claiming her.

“Answer my questions, Elizabeth. Are you seeing anyone?” He watched as her eyes widened even further with shock at his determination to get answers to his questions. Nervousness flittered across her face, but her breath came out in short pants as if his close proximity affected her. He watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath. God, he wanted to feel her body against his. He just knew she would feel perfect against him… in his arms.

“Your questions are inappropriate,” she replied sharply. Despite her body giving her attraction away, she held firm. He liked that. He liked a woman that wasn’t too easy of a catch.

“I agree,” he said, impatiently. “They are inappropriate. I need the answers nonetheless.”

“Why?” she asked. Her gaze scanned his face as if looking for the answer to her question.

“Answer me,” he demanded. His hand reached out and caressed her cheek as if to soothe the harshness of his words.

“You are way out of line, Mr. Dorsey,” Elizabeth said.

“Yes, I know,” he said a little softer this time. His fingers tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. His gaze dropped to her bared neck. He had to fight the urge to nuzzle the spot just below her ear. “But I need to know if there are any obstacles to making you mine. Are you seeing anyone?”

“No,” she whispered. “I’m not seeing anyone.” Her lips parted for a moment before she bit down on her lower lip. That was almost his undoing.

“Are you fucking anyone?” he asked. She released her bottom lip and sucked in a breath when he asked that question. Her gaze fell from his eyes to his lips and then to her hands. He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to meet his gaze again. He wanted to see her eyes when she answered him. There was heat in her gaze, and that thrilled him.

“No, Mr. Dorsey, I’m not fucking anyone at the moment,” she said. Her voice was hard, but he heard the desire in it and that snapped his restraint. His hand weaved into her hair until his palm gripped the back of her head, pulling her into him. His mouth slammed down on hers. Her full lips were soft and pliable, and his tongue flicked out over her lips to taste her. She tasted so sweet…like candy.

Buy Links:

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/board-stiff-by-jessica-jayne/

http://www.amazon.com/Board-Stiff-Taking-Advantage-ebook/dp/B00DUPVIWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373457913&sr=8-1&keywords=board+stiff+by+jessica+jayne

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Board-Stiff-Taking-Advantage-ebook/dp/B00DUPVIWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373458648&sr=8-1&keywords=board+stiff+by+jessica+jayne

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-boardstiff-1228873-149.html

http://www.bookstrand.com/board-stiff-mf

Author Bio:

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.

My favorites: I love to read and write… obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! Go Steelers! Go Rays! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that!  I love hanging out with my family and my friends! Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out! I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat! 

Where you can find me:

http://www.jessicajayneauthor.com

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6545547.Jessica_Jayne

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Author-Jessica-Jayne/388268367912903

Twitter: @JessicaJayne13

http://pinterest.com/thejessicajayne/boards/

In Flames by Jessica Jayne

Gracelyn Riley married a firefighter. She knew that came with risks. But she never imagined herself widowed in her early thirties with two children to care for on her own.

As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed. He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.

The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt. They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times. With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support. They find it in each other’s arms (and bed). Will their desire for each other consume them? Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?

 

“He wasn’t the perfect husband,” Gracelyn said. “I learned about the women. I was so angry with him. So angry. He risked our marriage and our family for a few hot fucks. One of the hardest things I ever did was tell him to leave our home… that I needed to separate from him so I could sort it out on my own. And then, a week later he is gone… for good. I felt so guilty. I loved him. I really did. And he was a great father. I miss him.” Tears started to flow down her face.

“I miss him too,” Matt said. He gave her hand a squeeze. “Gracey, I know you loved him. He knew you loved him. I know he made mistakes in your relationship, but he did love you… a lot… even if he didn’t always show it properly. And he was going to work his ass off to save your marriage.” Matt wiped her tears away with the back of his hand.

“This is just so hard, Matty. Raising Jenna and Josh on my own. It’s a big responsibility when both parents are around, but on my own… I feel like I am screwing everything up,” she cried. “Shit around the house that he would normally take care of sometimes falls by the way side because I forget about it… like the trash. And then I see it sitting there and get mad that he isn’t here to take the trash out or mow the lawn or help the kids with their math homework. He was always better with math than I was. Not to mention, I feel so damn alone.” She looked up at him. Her blue eyes sparkled through her tears.

“You know you can always count on me,” Matt said. He put his arms around her and cradled her. “I’ll help with Jenna and Josh as much as I can. And you know Mom and Pop will always be here to help too. And when I don’t have Brian on the weekend, I can be here to do whatever you need…like I have been.”

“I can’t ask you to do more than you already do,” she said. “You already do so much… too much. You attend the kids’ events and games. You help take care of the yard… fix the little things around the house… make sure my car is always up and running. You need to have a life. You can’t spend your free time taking care of your brother’s widow all the time.”

“Gracey, you are more than just Chad’s widow. You’re family. And you have always been a friend. You’ve been a tremendous support for me. I wouldn’t have made it through this last year without you. I will do whatever I can to help you. You know that. We’ve helped each other through this last year and I’m not abandoning you now. I’ll always be here for you.”

“I just don’t want to be alone anymore,” she cried into his shoulder. Her hands gripped his t-shirt desperately. Matt held her tight. Tears welled in his own eyes. The past year had been difficult for everyone, especially Gracelyn. But she’d always stayed strong…whether for the kids, for everyone else or for herself.

They had shared tears together over the last year, but he had only witnessed her completely break down twice. First, when she found out about the accident. Matt wouldn’t let anyone else break the news to her. He had been at the scene when the accident happened. Several firefighters had to restrain him to keep him from rushing back into the collapsing building to get to his brother. The fire chief wanted to tell Gracelyn about Chad’s death, but Matt refused that as an option. He and Gracelyn were close and he did not want her to find out from anyone other than him, so he rode with the chief to her house. She knew the minute she opened the front door and saw him standing in his turnout pants, t-shirt and suspenders with his face all smudged black from the smoke and his own tears. She collapsed in his arms when he confirmed it. And then when they buried Chad, Gracelyn broke down for the last time… at least in front of anyone else. Maybe she sobbed every night in the shower or lying in bed by herself. But he had not seen it. The sight of her in his arms now… it just broke his heart.

Gracelyn lifted her head and looked at him through her tears. Matt gently touched her face with the back of his hand, in an attempt to wipe away her tears and soothe her. Leaning into him, she pressed her lips to his. At first, Matt didn’t comprehend what was happening. Her lips were soft against his, yet she kissed him so confidently. Her fresh strawberry scent enveloped him… so sweet… so intoxicating. She smelled like summer despite it being the end of September.

Matt’s mind told him to stop the kiss. Stop it before it went any farther. But her tongue slid against the seam of his lips and his head jumbled with a mix of thoughts—none of which were coherent.

Buylinks:

 

About the Author:

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!
In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.
My favorites: I love to read and write… obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! Go Steelers! Go Rays! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that! J I love hanging out with my family and my friends! Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out! I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat! J

Favorite quote: “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

hhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6545547.Jessica_Jayne

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Author-Jessica-Jayne/388268367912903

www.jessicajayneauthor.com