So, I thought I was feeling slightly better and decided to go to the post office (mail & packages had been piling up for 3 weeks, after all). After loading the packages into the car and then toting them up the stairs into the house, I’m right back where I started the day my back went out. So, if it’s okay with everyone, I’m going to spend the rest of the week in bed and I’ll get to all my many responsibilities this weekend. If I owe you something, don’t throw things, please?

Wow, now I’m rhyming, that can’t be a good sign.

Anyway, I’m still stuck in the bed with my silly back out, so I’m running way behind on *everything*. By tomorrow I’ll try to reply to any emails I’ve missed, and post 2 past Tuesday TMIs, a Thursday Thirteen I missed and the Free Book Friday book for this month.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

So, once again, my back is out (woke up Tuesday morning unable to move) and I’m walking around like a hunched up old crone. This doesn’t bode well for my later years, let me tell you, since I’m not even 30 yet and I’m already hunched up. What the heck am I going to be like when I’m 90? Anyway, this isn’t something new, it’s happened periodically the past ten or so years. It usually means two weeks of excruciating pain at the slightest movement. It also means my muse snatches up my characters and they all head for Jamaica. Lucky them. They aren’t the ones who need to finish this novella up by March 20th. I honestly can’t string two words together that sound even halfway decent, so I’m giving up for the night. I’m hobbling off to bed, where my Passionate Plume entries are waiting to inspire me. I feel Sven breathing down my neck. I’m hovering just this side of 5,000 words and I can tell he won’t be a happy camper until I get back to work!

I skipped a TMI Tuesday this week, but I’ll travel back in time in the next couple of days and post it. I’ll also get to Thursday Thirteen later today.

Held my first author chat on Wednesday night at Fallen Angels Reviews. Only 3 people showed up (haha!), but it was fun anyway. Definitely need to figure out a better way to promo the next one!

Remember to check back tomorrow when I’ll be posting this month’s Free Book Friday.

THE WAY TO OLYMPIA
Whispers Publishing
Available Today!

Two wounded hearts,
one ancient mystery,
and a love that’s more
powerful than tragedy.

After the tragic murders of her entire family, Olympia Abbott vows to continue their generations-long search for The Statue of Zeus. There are only two problems standing in her way—she’s run out of money, and she’s lost the willpower to deny her feelings for her long-term research partner, Lucas Cole.

Lucas Cole is no stranger to vows. When his best friend, Troy Abbott, was brutally murdered, he had to swear to keep his hands off Troy’s sister. There’s only one problem with that—he can’t seem to fight his feelings for her any longer. He’s wanted her for too long, has loved her even longer.

With the discovery of the Statue of Zeus drawing near, they’re both running out of time. Who will make the first move, and what will it cost?

Try It! | Buy It!

This book introduces characters I intend to visit in several upcoming stories.

I held the drawing for all the prizes at 11:55PM CST.  Here are the winners:

A $25 Amazon Gift Certificate - Candace Estes
An e-copy of Demolishing Mr. Perfect by Ashlyn Chase - Debra Guyette
An e-copy of Deep Encounter by Mikala Ash - Michelle Lauren
And 3 e-copies of my new release, The Way To Olympia - Laura K, Tamara Bennington, Eva S.

I’ll be contacting everyone on Saturday to find out which formats you’d prefer.  Congrats to the winners!  And everyone else keep checking back, since you never know when I’ll give away something else!

Tomorrow I’m starting the 70 Days of Sweat Challenge, in which I’ll try to write 90,000ish words (3 stories) in 70 days. I’ll be posting about my progress each day from here to the end. I’d love it if you stopped by and offered encouragement as I go along!

13 Interesting Things About Leap Year (Day)

01. In the English speaking part of the world, it is traditional that women may propose marriage only during leap years. [Source: WikiPedia]
02. In Greece it is believed that marrying during a leap year is bad luck. [Source WikiPedia]
03. A person born on February 29th is known as a leapling. During Common Years (years without the extra day in February), they can celebrate their birthday on February 28th or March 1st. [Source WikiPedia]
04. Hattie McDaniel won an academy award on February 29th of 1940 for her role as Mammy in Gone With The Wind (my favorite movie!).
05. On Leap Day in 1996, novelist Joan Collins was awarded $1 Million dollars for a breach of contract by Random House.
06. In the Gilbert & Sullvian play, The Pirates of Penzance, Frederic, born on February 29th, is apprenticed out to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday, which when based on counting only his leap year birthdays, wouldn’t occur until he was 84.
07. On Leap Day in 1968, Leif-Martin Henriksen was born. He was the 3rd of 3 siblings all born on consecutive Leap Days.
08.  The next Leap Year will occur in 2012.
09.  During the next Leap Year the population of Earth will likely reach 7 billion people.
10.  According to the Mayan calendar, 2012 will be a year of major world-changing events.
11.  In Leap Year 2020, the Yahoo! Time Capsule will be opened.
12.  My first book, The Way To Olympia, hits the cyber-shelves on Leap Day 2008.
13.  Which means I’ll only really get to celebrate my published-anniversary every 4 years.

01. What do you consider the greatest thing you’ve ever done for yourself? I’d have to say joining The Romance Writers Of America. Not only did it make me take my writing seriously for the first time in my life, I’ve learned so many things by being a member that my writing has grown by leaps and bounds these past two years.
02. Which part of your life do you think you could have done better and why? If I had it to do over again, I’d finish college.
03. Do you have that one person whom you consider to be the wind beneath your wings? That’s definitely a tie between my Mom and Dad.
04. Tell us about your longest relationship. My longest relationship lasted about a year during my junior/senior years in high school. I thought he was THE ONE. He thought it was okay to sleep with another girl while we were together. I wasn’t too keen on the idea, so I told him to hit the road.
05. In a relationship, when do you get to that point that enough is enough? Honestly it’s been so long since I’ve dated that I don’t even think I’m qualified to answer this question anymore. I write about relationships, I just don’t have them for myself.

Feel free to answer these questions in the comments section, if you’d like to share. I’d love to hear what everyone’s opinion is. This is great research for stories!

You can win a copy of the first book in the Seven Wonders of the World series, Deep Encounter, just by being a subscriber of my Newsletter group! Drawing held on the last day of the month.

There’s also still time to enter my blog re-launch contest. Click Here for details. You could win a $25 Amazon gift certificate! Contest ends on February 29th!

13 TV Shows that suck time out of my writing schedule.

01. Supernatural. I am so addicted to the Winchester boys. Could be why the hero in my 1st release looks just like Jared Padelecki.
02. Smallville. I’ve been a Superman junkie for years and even though I don’t agree with most of the decisions the writers have made, I still can’t stop watching.
03. Kyle XY. Again, it goes back to my whole superhero addiction. Plus, the cast of this show is just fabulous.
04. Flash Gordon. Yes, I love it. No, I’m not ashamed (as I’ve said before!). Yes, I’m crossing my fingers and toes that it gets picked up for a 2nd season.
05. Dexter. When I heard the premise for the show, I have to admit I found it hard to believe that a serial killer could be drawn in a sympathetic light. I was wrong. I love this show!
06. The Tudors. I’m a history nut. I’m counting the days until this show comes back.
07. Moonlight. Vampires & Jason Dohring. Enough said.
08. Saving Grace. Grace is such a compelling, damaged character that I’m riveted to the screen.
09. Dirty Jobs. Mike Rowe isn’t just super sexy, he’s possibly the funniest man I’ve ever watched.
10. Bones. Such a great cast all around. But I’ll admit to throwing things at the screen because Bones & Booth won’t just get together already!
11. The Sarah Conner Chronicles. It’s new, yes, but I’m already addicted.
12. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. It’s been canceled for years, but I still can’t get enough of this show. The chemistry, the romance. I’m just crazy about it.
13. American Idol. What can I say? I’m a sucker for the show.

I was just checking my email, thinking nothing really special was going to happen tonight (except I’m going to hit the 7Kish mark on my WIP), when I saw an email from the EIC of Whispers. My author copies just arrived!

Okay, this may be the giddiest moment I’ve had in the whole process. My book is really here. And it’s all pretty! And now I can start sending it out for reviews (*shudder*)!

Next up: Release Day! Only 9 more days!

You can win a copy of the first book in the Seven Wonders of the World series, Deep Encounter, just by being a subscriber of my Newsletter group!

There’s also still time to enter my blog re-launch contest. Click Here for details. You could win a $25 Amazon gift certificate!

Just found a new Meme that I thought would be fun. So, here’s my first TMI Tuesday:

01. Which turns you on more: ink or piercing? Why? When done tastefully, they both get me going pretty equally.
02. What ink do you have? If none, what would you get and where? I don’t have anything, yet. I intend to get something writing related if I ever hit the NY Times Bestseller list (ha ha! There’s a long shot!).
03. What piercing do you have? If none, what you get and where? I have two holes in both ears.
04. Any other adornments you like to do for your lover or have them do for you? Not that I can think of off hand.
05. Of all of the above is there anything that is an immediate turn off? Not at all. I think it’s all very sexy!

Feel free to answer these questions in the comments section, if you’d like to share. I’d love to hear what everyone’s opinion is. This is great research for stories!

You can win a copy of the first book in the Seven Wonders of the World series, Deep Encounter, just by being a subscriber of my Newsletter group!

There’s also still time to enter my blog re-launch contest. Click Here for details. You could win a $25 Amazon gift certificate!

The official blurb for my story just came in! Each little thing makes it all seem more real. It’s less than 2 weeks until release day!

The Way To Olympia
February 29, 2008
Whispers Publishing

Two wounded hearts,
one ancient mystery,
and a love that’s more powerful than tragedy

After the tragic murders of her entire family, Olympia Abbott vows to continue their generations-long search for The Statue of Zeus. There are only two problems standing in her way–she’s run out of money, and she’s lost the willpower to deny her feelings for her long-term research partner, Lucas Cole.

Lucas Cole is no stranger to vows. When his best friend, Troy Abbott, was brutally murdered, he had to swear to keep his hands off Troy’s sister. There’s only one problem with that–he can’t seem to fight his feelings for her any longer. He’s wanted her for too long, has loved her even longer.

With the discovery of the Statue of Zeus drawing near, they’re both running out of time. Who will make the first move, and what will it cost?

You can win a copy of the first book in the Seven Wonders of the World series, Deep Encounter, just by being a subscriber of my Newsletter group!

There’s also still time to enter my blog re-launch contest. Click Here for details. You could win a $25 Amazon gift certificate!