Tag Archives: Books

First in a series…

dangeroustimes1sComing this Thursday Dangerous Times, is the first book of the C&M Security series. I’m very excited about this series, it’s my first one, and it’s also a slightly different take for me on a romantic story. It’s got mystery, it’s got danger, and it’s got some good old fashioned heat.

In book one we get to meet the delightfully adorable, Tamara Phillips. She’s a photographer who lives on her caffeinated beverages and hates mornings. Okay, I admit, those two traits are all me. Gotta put a little of yourself into your works, right? She meets up again with the sinfully sexy, Shawn Camden. He’s co-owner in C&M Security – the “C” if you need a hint as to how I came up with the name of his company.

I had a lot of fun writing this first book in the series. It was a great stretch of my abilities to try something new. Never having done anything with a bit of mystery behind it, and keeping the “big secret” actually a secret to the end, was definitely a challenge. So many times I caught myself giving something away that I knew would just ruin the effect I was attempting to create.

Thankfully my editor, the wonderfully talented Laurie Temple, was on my side of keeping the “secret” a secret. Normally not identifying a key character is a no-no, but in this case it was necessary to assist in leading the reader along just so. Then, at the end, WHAM! Big reveal. I also have to give a shout out to the talented cover artist who does all the Evernight Publishing covers, Sour Cherry Designs did a fantabulous job on the cover for this – so thanks!

That’s it for tonight I think, I have writing to do, characters to mess with, and a plot to twist up into knots. ~ Moira

Happily plotting

It’s Saturday, a bit overcast, but quite pleasantly warm. So I figured I’d set up out on my balcony to write for a while. Fresh air, sounds of the city around me, and just enough sun not to freeze to death. It was an awesome plan. Got a lot of writing done on the new C&M Security book. Book three for those keeping track. Got just over 3500 words down on the page and already my lead female character is in shit up to her eyeballs.

Unlike the other books so far in this series, this one my lead character is heading straight into danger, willingly I should mention. She’s a police detective so that’s kind of her gig. Unfortunately for my leading gal, no one actually has much of a clue as to just who they are going up against, who they are rescuing her from. Neither did she until it was too late. Much too late.

Muahahaha! Yeah, I’m evil. I just LOVE putting characters into precarious positions and then trying to figure out how to dig them out. I do a bit of plotting ahead of time, more or less enough to know what the bad guy is after -his ultimate goal- but let the characters guide the story for a good portion of it. I like seeing where they pull things, often it’s to places I never would have been able to think up sitting there staring at a blank word doc.

I’m not saying that where they pull me is always the best place. Hell no! For instance, in book two of this same series, my lead male character nearly had him and those he was with, doing something highly questionable, and very illegal. I had to kibosh that right quick. Can’t be having any of that, especially since that isn’t who they are at their core. While the staff of C&M Security might play a little loose and free with the law, they can’t break it. So, after a knuckle whack or three, I got them back on track with a slightly less dramatic, but much better for the overall storyline, path. They were happy, no criminal records or jail time, and I was happy, no supporting of illegal activities just because you can. Don’t need to be setting that sort of precedent.

Now, had I written about a thief, totally different standards there. I can’t write about a thief that never steals anything, that would go against who I was writing and the story I was creating. But these guys work with law enforcement so, bending a little is okay, outright breaking is very, very bad.

Well, that’s enough of a break, back to writing now. Need to see if I can make about 5k words before dinner. Have a good day everyone ~ Moira

Week’s going great

So far anyway, lol! Yesterday wasn’t too bad, except for the drenching I got as I dashed semi-quickly home from work. I was definitely more than just a little soggy by the time I got here. There was much squish-squish happening as I dripped my way to my place. I hate having wet shoes – nasty!

Plus side though, got my contract signed, and sent off for book 2 of the C&M Security series. As well as doing up the blurb/cover art sheet – that went back to Evernight Publishing as well. Did some writing and I think I may even have an idea for book 3 in this series. It’s vague right now so I’m just letting it rumble around in my head.

Stayed up a bit too late last night and then just couldn’t fall asleep. Not because my brain was spinning but because I honestly couldn’t get comfortable. Damnedest thing too. Especially given what I spent on my awesome mattress. Frickin’ thing cost nearly a very large mortgage payment – if I paid mortgage that is. But it was a Christmas gift so, in my humble opinion, well worth it. I love my bed. My bed is awesome! But last night we just weren’t in the groove together.

I had a LOT of coffee today to combat my need to sleep. That and I needed to try, I said “try”, to keep my wandering mind focused. I think I left my brain in bed this morning because I was seriously disorganized and mildly chaotic. I did, somehow, manage to get a lot of work done though. Not a fucking clue how! Really, I have no idea how the hell I managed it.

Well, that’s it for the moment. I think I’ll go hunt down something for dessert and vegetate in front of the TV and computer for a like. Have a good night ~ Moira

Just chillin’

Had a very relaxed day at work, huge shocker, but given the rather sunny conditions out of doors it was overly surprising. Pretty sure most of the city cleared out for camping this weekend. Happens rather regularly when the weather looks great – but this is Canada, that shit will change fast and you could very well wake up under six feet of snow trying to dig out of your tent. Yeah, that sounds like the bees knees of fun ways to spend a weekend. Not!

Working on a couple of stories right now. One may, may not, be a new series but I’m not overly concerned just yet. Still gotta write the damned thing LOL! The other one I’m still getting a feel for but it’s definitely of a paranormal vibe. Not my original thought but a new and decidedly odd one. It all started with a wayward thought, a TV show and Pepsi shooting out of my nose during a sneeze I shouldn’t have tried to stifle. It was NOT pretty around here for a bit after that.

It was the oddest thing too, it just kinda popped into my head. So off I went – after wiping down several surfaces to save them from the snorted pop – and jotted down my notes. It’s very rough, but most starter stories are. So we shall see what we shall see as this develops.

Well, I’m off to grab a hot bubbly bath and maybe something to drink. Night! ~ Moira

The return

To work after a long weekend sucks ass. It’s like a Monday times two. Only plus side to it all was the fact that it was damned quiet at work. It let me get in a couple of cat naps which I definitely needed. Tomorrow should be interesting though since I have family in town that I’m supposed to be meeting up with at some point. Not sure how we’re coordinating all this but I’m sure we’ll figure it out…eventually.

Did a crap load of writing on the weekend. Got a new WIP going strong at just over 13k on the word count and something else niggling in my head. No clue what it is yet and it’s really only coming to me in bits and pieces but it just might be something new. We’ll have to see how it plays out and where these new characters lead me. I’m betting it will be an interesting and likely a wild ride.

Got a bunch of reading done on the weekend too, just to let my poor brain relax in between bouts of writing. I find it’s a great relaxer to wipe the mind clean and let it restart and ramp back up again. Especially when it’s fun and great stories.

Well, since I’m starting to babble, I think it’s time to go and do something else. ~ Moira

Release Day!

FKOLIt’s here! It’s here! Oh my gawd, it’s here! Sadly I had to work through most of it but that’s okay, it kept my mind off the nerves I figure would have kicked in had I actually had any time to contemplate it all. And now that I’m home, I’m contemplating it and hello nerves LOL! I really hope this gets easier as I go along otherwise I may need to figure out how to expense a relaxation day at a spa or something.

On other fronts my second book for my series C&M Security is going very well. Been putting in some heavy duty time on it and it’s just trundling along amazingly well. I have reached a certain point in the book though where I’m trying to decide where to let the characters go. They are all screaming “let us break in!” while my head is going “that’s a bad, bad idea”. I’m leaning towards listening to my head on this one mainly because I’m not sure I want my poor characters to be *cough* criminals *cough* even for a good cause.

Sorry boys, no breaking and entering is in your future. Don’t need to let these guys set that sort of precedent. Who knows what else they’d talk me into in the future. Let your characters do one little break in and then they think they can do anything. Nope, not happening.

Well, I think that’s all I have for tonight. All the buy links have been added to the Forever Kind of Love page that are currently available. I’ll add more in as they go live. Have a wonderful night all ~ Moira

A sunny Sunday

What a lovely day! It’s gorgeous out there. I really should go out and enjoy some of that sunshine, it’s so rare these days that it’s a shame to waste it. And, besides all that, I really need to hit the store for a few things to make it through the coming week. Food people, get your minds out of the gutter. Although, I can’t blame you, mine would have gone there so fast the rest of ya’ll would have had whiplash lol!

In other news… Tax season is once again over in my household. GAH! I hate doing taxes. I really do. And it’s only going to get even more complicated now that I’ll have a second income coming in with my writing. Oh lord, maybe I should hit the liquor store while I’m out too, I may need it after that thought truly settles in.

Onto much happier thoughts though! I’ve created a Facebook group for my writing and the readers that will (hopefully) be anxiously awaiting the next book. Yes, I dream big, sue me. Actually, no, wait! Don’t sue me, I’m broke, I did mention just doing my taxes right? See, no money! Not a dime. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nary a penny to rub together – if I still had pennies that is.

Anyway, back into line brain, the group is called Moira’s Maidens. But really, anyone can join. The group address is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/297960527024072/ so feel free to join up and invite others to join. There will be behind the scenes information before my books come out, there will be special exclusive contests and, if I’m feeling really generous, I’ll even share my cookies too.

Well, that’s all I got today. So I am going to venture out into the sunlight and hopefully not blind anyone with my pasty winter flesh as the light hits it. Have a lovely Sunday ~ Moira

That wasn’t

Really so bad. The edits I mean, lol! A couple cups of coffee and a few minutes to read the editors notes and it went pretty smooth. There was really only a couple of times she, my editor, stumped me. One was over a word choice which, I admit, I had to dig the Thesaurus out to figure out what I wanted to use instead of the word in there. The second was something that was actually pretty easy to fix, once the caffeine kicked in.

So, I’ll give them one more read through and then shoot them back. Might as well. They gave me two weeks to get them done but it’s a really, really short story so I don’t think that time’s needed, at all. I will also admit to adding in a little note to my editor for being so kind to me for the first round. Laurie was an absolute doll and even put in a few amused comments about various parts. I even got a couple “I LOVE this!” out of her, woohoo! LOL! It’s nice to know that you can make your editor grin in between making her grind her teeth at your use of comma’s and stuff.

Yes, I admit I am an idiot when it comes to comma’s and, apparently, some issues with sentence structure. Again, that whole advice about “write how you speak” is coming back to bite me in the ass. But she was kind about it, thank goodness, and hopefully I will take something away from this. Like maybe a slightly better understanding of the English language structuring.

Likely not, but I hold out hope!

Whew! Now that that is out of the way and sent back in, I think I will switch over to something with a little more punch in the beverage department. That and figure out what I feel like cooking for dinner since about 99.999% of things are seriously frozen at the moment. Then I think I will dig out my latest WIP and see if I can’t beat some of these damned characters into some form of submission.

Until later everyone ~ Moira

Hello you gorgeous

Friday you! Long time no see. Where the hell have you been hiding you sexy beast? Guess it doesn’t really matter, you came back and, really, that’s what truly matters. And you brought your friend the weekend along with you! Perfect.

With it being the weekend I figure I’ll do a bunch of writing in between the usual household chores that are a must each week. And I think too, since I know my first release is coming up in the next month, that I shall turn my mind to what to do for this first release. It is epic, of course, firsts always are. So I will need to do something epic to memorialize it. Not the first clue yet what, but I will rack my brain and pick my friends too as she’s done this once or twice…or so.

So yeah, that’s where I’m at this slightly overcast and mildly chilly Friday evening. But, I have a bit of time yet – still have to see edits before I truly panic – so I will let the ideas mull around and go from there. Until then ~ Moira

Happy Easter!

Since I will be sans-computer this weekend (I know, it’s horrible!), I thought I would send this out now. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and gets to eat way too much chocolate. I plan on indulging, heavily, since I won’t have a computer (ARGH!) and am really hoping it helps to keep me from wigging out.

Not placing any bets there, but I’m hopeful. I will be with my family and, while I love them all, they drive me to drink. Often.

In other news, just sent off the cover form for my latest accepted book by Evernight. This is the one that will be out in June. It is (tentatively) titled: Dangerous Times, C&M Security. It is book one of a five book series I currently have planned. There will be four books and then a prequel that will come out either part way through the series or right at the end. Not sure how I plan on mucking up your reading list yet but I will do it in a way that has you twitching. Promise.

I think that’s about it. I have a few things yet to finish getting ready for my early morning (ugh!) departure. So I think I will go do that, veg in front of the TV for a little while and then hit the sack. Good night, have a marvellous weekend, and I’ll see you on the flip side. ~ Moira