"Steam Me Up, Rawley" and How to Build Your Own Author Steam!

 "Geek Girl Romance Writer" Angela Quarles

I hope she forgives my lateness. I was going to do and post this article last week for Writer Wednesday, but I ended up in the hospital for the day instead. So, here it goes- the new and quite steamy cover for "Steam Me Up, Rawley" by my critique partner this year, Angela Quarles.

Now I will be honest, Steampunk Adult Romance is not my specialty (I'm more of an action-thriller, sci-fi, urban fantasy, killer sort, with a side of heavy horsepower.) I do however, love a good story and I do love to write.  Angela, for who knows what perfectly good, sane-sounding reason, chose to be critique partners with me earlier this year at Savvy Authors.  She didn't even bat an eyelash when I said things like "Couldn't you just land the ballon in the middle of the party and start with the action first?"  Her skirts never got frumpled when I said things like "What's with the eyes, why do they keep staring at each other?"  And her brass never got tarnished when I said - "Jack the Ripper?!!!! Awesome! Bonus points if you can make the new guy, the dad, and the frien-enemy's husband (the main's ex-fiance), and her boss all suspects!"  I think she smiled quietly and sweetly, just like her picture, and stuck the occasional brass hair-pin in a southern, steampunk, voodoo doll (my hip still hurts!).

Moto-Tuesday, because Mondays Just aren't Enough!

I think Steve would be ok with even tweaking this to say- "Riding is life. Anything before or after is just waiting."

Quick Catch-up

No, I haven't forgotten you dear blog or blogmates, life just took a few unexpected turns over the last month.  Fall has been something else this year!  There have been multiple hospital trips for kidney stones (not mine thankfully), and most of a week off for zero lower back cooperation (yep, this one is me).

I've been gathering a bunch of thoughts and info, it will probably be best to split this into two articles.  So, I'll do this one as the fun one and then next one as the "mechanical stuff".

Over the last month, I'm pleased to say I have been able to ride in to work on two of the four Mondays.  My bike is currently in the garage shivering and together we are deciding if I'll get to ride on my birthday (this Friday), which I was able to do last year - it was cold, but clear, or If I need to pull the battery, and wrap her up for the season.  (I honestly don't feel that a snow blower is in ANY WAY a reasonable substitute for my bike!)

So, let's ride!
Quite appropriately I started with that picture of Steve McQueen. Now, I've always loved Steve McQueen - what's not to like, he loved fast motorcycles and fast cars.  He was even kicked out of art college at one point for driving his motorcycle through the student union or admin building.