A Feeling You Never Get Accustomed To

    I wonder if my favorite authors, like Brad Thor, James Rollins, Mark Dawson and more get the same feeling? One that never leaves you, and one you never get accustomed to. Maybe it's what  mothers feel when a new baby enters the picture, I don't know. I do know 'Known & Wanted' is my new baby, and the cover sprites at Decadent Publishing again did an amazing job with the cover. And, that feeling - another book being released.

 
 'K&W' is my seventh book with Decadent. And, I've had some gorgeous covers, but right now, at this moment, this one is my favorite.
   
You can preorder, 'K&W' now, or wait until Monday, April 20th when it's 'officially' released.
   
I would be terribly remiss if I didn't plug my writing-partner-in-crime, Deanna Wadsworth's, companion story, 'Braving the Deep End.' Deanna and I have a habit of swiping each other's 'minor' characters and telling their stories as well.

So, thank you in advance for your purchase.

I'm off to bask in the thought of 'hey, I'm really a published author!'

     
  When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television.  She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. 

Between Apathy and Frustration

Sounds like a great book title, doesn't it? That's where I am right now and have been since my last book was published two years ago. 

As my friends know, there are dozens upon dozens of 'people in my head' and laptop waiting to be unleashed into the world -- but although I stand outside their cage with key in hand, looking at them daily, for some reason I just turn my back and walk away. (I can even see their arms thrust through the bars, reaching, voices straining, yelling at me "Come back!" But I just keep walking.)

It's not fair to them, it's not fair to me, because I love them and want to set them free - but at the end of the day, it just doesn't happen.

It's not writer's block - I KNOW where the stories are going, I know what these people want to say. If I could 'mind meld' with my laptop, I'd have at least a half dozen stories off to the publisher, at which point I'd be waiting for them to be returned, torn apart by an editor, 'Only to make them better,' I'm told. It IS true...but when someone beats up on your baby -- you know how that is! 

The "Sheriff"

The "Cowboy"

So, where does this leave me? Right now in my head/laptop, there are at least dozen folks waiting to 'finish the act' - two retirees, a sheriff, a television producer (not ME, the character), a police detective, a DEA agent, (geez, there's a pattern here!), a country singer, a photographer from Chicago, a NASCAR driver & pit crew person, a model/nurse, a baseball player, a cowboy and more. That's TEN books waiting to be completed, and every day another one pops into my head. Yes...I must be crazy.

Maybe just writing this blog is a catharsis of some sort - writing for the act of writing -- and not the writing I do while I'm working. I hope this is some sort of kick start, (read that kick in the ass!)  All I can say is, 'we'll see.'

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West.Find her books at Decadent Publishing, Amazon and other reputable e-book retailers.

Whey "They" Come From

     It's a question asked a lot of authors--where does the story, the characters come from?

     "Andy" in my latest work Safe At Home from Decadent Publishing was born when I booked this young man on the television show I produce. Drew Baldridge showed up, talented, sweet, and cute as a button--and while I was trying to time a show and listen to him sing, my mind kept calling him "Andy" and filling in his back story.

Drew Baldridge

  It took about a year (remember, I have two other jobs) to finish off his story, and in the meantime Drew released a CD and it just so happened nearly every song on the album reflected a part of "Andy's" and "Charly's" relationship.
     Safe At Home is the baseball story I've been waiting to get published. While it's not the 300,000-word book I penned when I first started seriously writing (which, by the way, hasn't been published -- way too much head hopping, misplaced modifiers, and enough new-writer mistakes that would make an editor tear out his or her hair), it is an ode to that effort.
     And, I love baseball,
     Safe At Home is ready to order now for delivery to your device on October 25th. Hope you enjoy it! Oh, and thanks, Drew!

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. 

Safe At Home excerpt:

Ten minutes later, two little girls were both dry and asleep. And, as Breanna insisted, in their parents’ bed. Charly rested her head against her husband’s. “Sorry, hon.”

“About what?”

She looked around the bed. “The interruption. My irritation. Too little of you know what these days, and then….”

“Hey.” His warm fingertip lifted her chin. “I love you.” Kissing her gently, he promised, “There’s always tomorrow.” He winked at her in the darkened room. “And I’ll make sure you get off like you’ve never gotten off before.” He stopped for a moment, cuddling a daughter. “Anyway, this is almost as good.”

“I guess we need to put a lock on that door.”

“What for? That would ruin all the excitement!”

Quietly, as to not wake their girls, they laughed together.

The thoughts that had darted to the front of her brain earlier in the evening, returned. A question spilled from her mouth before she had any chance to stop it. “So, this trade,” she began.

“Yes, Charlotte.”

No, not my given first name, this is not going to be good. “You know, don’t you?”

“I didn’t want to upset, you Char.”

So you were keeping me in the dark! “Just tell me, Andy.”

“New….”

“No….” With the utterance of that one word, she knew. A city she loathed, a metropolis that had emotionally chewed her up and spit her out. She hadn’t been to The City in more than a decade, and it would take some doing to get her to return.

“…York, the Bronx.”

Swallowing hard, she blocked the tears. A defeated, disgusted sigh left her. “No, Andy, not New York, not the Titans.” Cuddling Chloe closer, she turned her face from her husband and cried herself to sleep.

 

 

Two weeks later, the spring baseball rituals began. As much as she hated it, still Charly put on a happy face. If this were any other year, the girls would’ve been outfitted in little Milwaukee Breakers shirts, but mentally holding her nose, she honored her husband by dressing them in tiny Titans jerseys. They sat atop their father’s carry-on at the front door.

Charly watched as he squatted in front of them.

“Daddy’s going to miss you.” He clutched them tightly, smooching them wetly on the cheeks.

“Daddy going to Forida,” Bree mentioned.

“Florida, baby.”

“When he rose to meet Charly, there were tears in his eyes.

“What, Andy?”

Taking her into his arms and holding her tightly, he whispered, “This gets harder all the time.”

Knowing that, she didn’t let on how much his leaving affected her as well, especially since in Florida, there’d be no familiar faces to hang with, no women who understood her and she them. She’d be with strangers. “But, it’s what you do, honey.” She hugged him in return, kissing his cheek. “We’ll see you in a week or two.” His hold tightened about her.

His voice quiet, nearly apologetic, he confessed, “I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to ‘get busy’ lately, Charly. You know how much I’m going to miss that.” He kissed her ear, his voice even more quiet, secretive, “I’ll ask Mom to come to Florida with you. We can get a little alone time then.” His took her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers for a long, deep, gotta-make-it-last kiss.

When the car service driver rang the doorbell, a not so pretty chapter in their lives began.

And then there were five...

     Friday, September 6th -- another big day for me. My fifth story with Decadent Publishing will be released. As you can see by the banner, it's another 1NightStand story. Although, I would love someday to finish and release a full length novel, for some reason, these intense short stories seem to flow out of my head.

    FOR ME may hit a mark with some of you dear readers, especially if you're of the fuller-figure variety. I'll be honest, I've battled my weight and self-consciousness because of my weight, all my life. Sure, I was a size 8 for a year and a half --but it was a fairly unhappy, overly-obsessed- with-the-scale 18 months. I was a knock-out, but at what cost? I only wish I had the healthy attitude my character, Abby, does about her size. Thankfully, I have a husband, who like her date, Casey, accepts her as she is and more importantly who she is on the inside. Sure, it sounds very hokey and cliche, but his want of her, and their collective acceptance of beauty--inner and outer -- has been terribly maligned over the years. What are we teaching our children through the media's slanted, photo-shopped images of people?

     But, I didn't want to get too serious with this blog--rather PUSH a book! 

     Here's a little taste of what's between the (electronic) covers of FOR ME:

Welcome, Dr. Lewis.

I hope you are finding the Castillo Retreat relaxing and delightful. 1Night Stand takes into consideration both parties requests and appetites when designing their encounter.

Your date will arrive shortly. Please get comfortable by undressing and wearing the robe provided and relax on the massage table in the spa room. He expressed on his application that he has great hands. If you are accepting, he would like to begin the evening with a massage.

Despite knowing you’re a physician, your date is slightly self-conscious about his appearance, so by having you wear the blindfold provided, he’ll feel more comfortable. You may have some concern having one sense taken from you. I suggest you and your partner decide on a safe word. Should either of you feel uneasy at any time, with any action, use the agreed-upon word to stop the encounter.

Have a wonderful evening.

Madame Eve

“What the hell? He’s self-conscious? I’m the one bare-ass naked under nothing but a robe”

Staring at the envelope, she waited for the words to change even slightly. They didn’t. Dammit. With a grunt of irritation, she tossed the paperwork on the table and headed for the spa room.

He’s self-conscious. “Hmmm.” Disfigured from some accident, deformed at birth, marred by a bad case of adolescent acne? “Quit being so ridiculous, Abigail!”

She began to undress and caught a glimpse in the full-length mirror and sighed. She shouldn’t be disgusted—she had a beautiful, round figure, or so her mother told her all through high school, with well-defined arms and shoulders from her love of kayaking and canoeing. Hours in the medical center’s private pool helped as well. Regardless, an evil, self-destructive thought crossed her mind; He’ll wonder who delivered the cow then demand his money back.

Covering with the cozy bathrobe provided for her doused the notion. She lay down on her back on the towel-wrapped table and as directed, slipped the small blindfold over her eyes.

The world went dark. Not a frightening dark, but a deep, restful absence of light, a peaceful black.

Under the blindfold, she closed her eyes to the world. So quiet. She dozed, she had no idea how long, until the closing of the door brought her around.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Dr. Lewis. Or may I call you Abigail?”

“Abby is fine.” She turned her head, following the deep, satiny voice of a man. Quiet steps moved behind her head. He stopped. Fingering the knot of her robe, she tightened it, covering herself, hoping to ward off the odd sensation of him studying her shape.

The lonely spot between her legs pulsed when a heavy hand lit on her shoulder.

His breath fell warm and solicitous on her ear. “What would you like rubbed first?”

     With this story, a 'collaboration' of sorts with dear friend and fellow DP author Deanna Wadsworth, has come to an end. FOR ME is the sixth in the series of a half dozen DW and I have written with overlapping characters.

     And, how are all these books 'related,' well: the furry guy (John) BEAR IT ALL's cover is the brother of the lovely woman (Grace) on my THE ONE HE CHOSE. The cute blond (Martin) on Deanna's ACCIDENTALLY BEAUTIFUL is the concierge at a Castillo hotel where Grace stayed in her story. Martin is an old high school friend of the strapping, kilt-clad Scot (Ian) from HASTE YEAR BACK. The young lady (Bryn) on that same cover is neighbors with the t-shirted guy (Jason) THE BEST EVER, and he's the brother of the woman (Abby) on the cover of my FOR ME.

     (Deanna and I would be thrilled if you read them in order as they appear above. Despite getting a deep sense of the characters in each individual book, their on-going interaction gives even more understanding of their 'situations.')

     So, dear friends, thanks for reading. I hope you'll pick up and enjoy FOR ME!

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and three fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. 

     

Bad, Wendy,bad!

I'm a bad, bad person -- yes, more than six months since I've updated this page. It should be obvious by now, that I'm not much of an updater, and for that I apologize.

So, without further ado, here's the latest bookcover!  Edits are taking place now, with a possible release date later this month (July).

 What's it about? Well, maybe Hunter Hayes and Charlie Worsham can help with that.

In my non-writing life, I spend part of my day on the air at a local country station (1077 The Wolf if you must know) and sometime songs just 'speak' to me as a writer.

Hunter Hayes' 'Wanted' is the perfect song for Dr. Abby Lewis -- her 'date' assuring her she'll '...always be wanted...' especially after so many years of scrutiny by men who thought someone less than a size four wasn't capable of being beautiful.

I first heard of Charlie Worsham during a long-weekend trip to Nashville. It was our first 'vacation' after spending three-plus years using our off-time driving to and from Wisconsin on nearly a weekly basis to care for my brother. Charlie was one of the many acts at the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman the night we attended. He played with two other people on stage, no drums, no electronics -- just pure stringed music and vocals. 'Could It Be' stuck with me since then, and I'm thrilled it's now in rotation at the station....but I digress... 'Could It Be' is Casey's song -- he's '...finally holding what I've been hoping for...'

So, as soon as I'm through all the edits and the Decadent Publishing gurus deem my story properly shined -- I'll let you know a release date. I'm sure many of you fine readers will be able to identify n some small way with Abby's internal outlook.

Thanks for reading -- and being so incredibly patient!

W