I’m going to run with Estella’s idea and chat about the making of Hands On.

Hands On is a single author anthology with three stories about three female friends who all work blue collar jobs. I came up with the idea after watching the Blue Collar Comedy Tour (which I bought bec I wanted to see Chris Cagle singing in the video at the end *sad* I know just sad).

Anyway I got to thinking wouldn’t it be fun to write about blue collar WOMEN! Since I came up with the idea, I’ve done some research. More and more women are opting for blue collar jobs because the pay is so good, but being a woman in a blue collar world definitely has it’s downside. Namely sexual harrassment.

Names were a huge consideration for all three female leads, since I wanted all of them to have names that could have a male and a female nickname. So Monday through Friday Alexandra is Alex and on the weekends she’s Lexi. Melanie is Mel and then on the weekends she’s Lanie. Funny enough in the third story, Carlotta’s male nickname (Carl) didn’t come into play since she up and decided to quit her job on me! ;)

The first novella is about Alexandra Kimball, a female construction supervisor who has the hots for one of the crew supervisors. If ever a on-the-job fling was a no-no, it was for these two. Originaly the beginning was a short story written long ago and of course used for the novella. I have to give a huge shout out to Mik whose experience in construction was invaluable.

Melanie Daniels comes froma large Irish Catholic family and owns her own garage. She’s the proverbial red-headed step-child because she chose to go into the family business (and she’s successful). She’s also bisexual. And she knows she’s an outsider in her family. But you won’t catch her whining about it. Instead, she finds herself giving her brother Jackie, (get it? Jack Daniels? LOL yeah that was deliberate) the other outsider (and an ex-con), a job in her garage and a second chance at life. I have to be honest here, when I first wrote Mel’s story I didn’t like her and worse, I didn’t like the hero. Giving Mel a bigger part in Jackie’s life really helped redeam her for me. The hero? I had to find a new one. Opting to use one of her brother’s best friend’s was a bit cliche but Jeff Cash is hot!

Carlotta was the most interesting of all the stories for me since it was my first foray into BDSM (so please forgive the mistakes). I didn’t choose a BDSM theme because it’s hot and I thought it’d sell more books or for the titilation factor. I chose it because a) it fit and b) it’s fascinates me. Of all my hero’s I think Devon Fry is by far my favorite. He’s the epitomy of “still waters run deep”. Quite, unasuming and outwardly a beta male with a core of steel. *sigh* He could spank me anytime…….

(…With a tip o’ the hat to J.R. Ward, author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series…if you haven’t read them, none of this will make any sense…and if you have, my apologies…) 

I have occasionally done interviews with fictional characters on my blog.  I love it.  It gives me a chance to play. 

This time I went deep underground, to interview characters who don’t even EXIST—except in someone’s warped, twisted mind…

*  *  *

Today I’m interviewing Lhover, one of the members of The Black Dagger Half-Brothers, an offshoot of the original Brotherhood.  Welcome, Mr. Lhover—

“Lhover.  Just Lhover.  And let’s make this fast, alright?  I got a bitch in her needing time back at the crib.”

Alrighty then.  Lhover, why the separate group?  Why aren’t you all members of the Brotherhood?

“Well, we’re only half-vampire.  The old man got around, y’know?  So all of us bastard brothers got together to fight against the Messers.”

Messers? 

“Yeah.  The Messer-Uppers.  You know, crud-sucking, spineless-assed muthas.  They mess wit’ dis, mess wit’ dat.  Assholes like lawyers, HMO doctors, and politicians.  We kick a little ass, take a few names.  End of mess.”

And exactly who are the brothers in this Hood?

“Well, suffering from a severe shortage of sunshine, and being half-vamp, we got a lot of bros wit’ issues, ya feel me?  Like Brother Dizeeze.  Young buck’s just spent too much time helping too many ladies in their needing, ya feel me?  Kept telling him—ya lie down wit’ dogs, ya get up wit’ fleas, man.  Wouldn’t listen to me, or to Brother Khondom, a wise vamp, even if he is into that kinky latex shit.  And then there’s the one the Messers call Khandiman.  Into the controlled substance scene, y’know, though I think we’ve put a halt to his dealin’.  His real name is Brother Pezzz.  Then there’s Brother Ooozhee, Brother Buzzkhill, Brother—”

Never mind, I get the idea.  So basically, all you guys do is stir up shit and screw?

“Well…yeah.  I mean…yeah.  What else is there?”

Point made.  What about humans?  Are humans ever allowed in the inner circle?

“Just females.  We luv us some human females!  See, wit’ female vampires, the coochie gets a little elasta-sized after three to four hundred years o’ humpin’, okay?  And once it goes slack, it never goes back, baby.  So you betta believe we welcome a human ho once in a while.  Even a lil’ long-legged, finger-lickin’ Southern Fried Chica, if ya know what I mean.  Hell, I could kill an editor, even an agent or two for you.  They don’t call me Lhover for nothing.  A little Raine poon-tang…See?  I’m also a poet…yeaahhhhh…”

Sadly, thus did end this sad interview. 

And should you happen to hear about a rash of publishing-related murders in the vicinity of New York City—don’t be silly!  Maybe it had something to do with the lack of sunshine.

Ya feel me?

There’s a lot of new stuff going on my electronic world, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to do a little self promotion. Wicked of me, right? ;)

I have a new release! A BEND IN TIME is out on e-bookshelves and you can get it online at Samhain Publishing. Originally a serial with Inara Press, it’s been novelized.
Here’s the story:

A girl… a hit man… and a time machine. It’s time to get your adventure on.When hitman Dane Fortune was hired to kill the beautiful and sassy Skye Ransom, he never counted on her leading him on a game of cat and mouse through time…or that he’d just as soon kiss her as kill her.

TwoLips Reviews has given the book 4 1/2 lips (lol) and had this to say:

This is a very unique book and one that I had a bit of trouble mentally classifying. Dane is far from the typical romance hero, but Michelle Miles won me over with his characterization despite his violent acts and shady occupation. Skye’s emotions jumped off the page and the action is taut and well-plotted. The relationship between Dane and Skye was not rushed and felt very realistic. A Bend In Time is a wonderful action-adventure paranormal romance.

I’m particularly fond of this story. Skye and Dane are really the only two recurring characters throughout both books. The supporting cast are folks they meet along their time travels. And my all time favorite part of Book 1? The second half of the book – Dead of Winter – is really fun and reveals of lot of their characters. Skye has to learn to trust Dane despite what he’s done to her.

Book 2, A BREAK IN TIME, will be released with Samhain Publishing in Spring 2007. And just to whet your appetite for that one, here’s the blurb:

The adventure continues… but how much personal sacrifice will Skye and Dane face on their journey through time?Skye and Dane are stuck in the past at the mercy of a faulty time traveling device. All they can do is leap from one time to another, hoping the next leap will be the one home.

I also have a brand new redesigned website! I’m really proud of it. Dawn with Dagian Designs was kind enough to give my site a facelift and boy did she ever! I have her three things to go with to start building my site – the caricature of the girl and two words: fun and flirty. She delivered. And I love it. It’s perfect. So when you have a moment, please check it out.

Okay that’s all the self-promotion I’ll bore you with today. :) Tomorrow is Free Book Friday on my blog, so if you’d like to win a copy of A BEND IN TIME, stop by and play the Movie Quote Game. What, you didn’t think you’d get off so easy, did you? ;)

What do you think of when you hear: “You really need to pick up a craft book before you submit anything else.”

Go ahead - think about that for a minute, I’ll wait

…

I told my mother this was a comment on a contest entry I got back at the beginning of this year. She asked me, “Macramé or witch?” (seriously she did – you may think I am making this up…)

I sat dumbfounded for a moment. “Beg pardon?”

“You said craft book, I thought you meant…”

“No, mother, the contest judge was talking about a how-to-write book. Craft – the art of writing – book.” I knew what that person - though sorely mistaken - meant.

If you heard that, would you have known what I was talking about? Of course you would. You’d probably say did you use On Writing or some such. Not that the judge was in anyway correct about my entry – as I might have failed to mentioned, save a few typos – I write perfect prose, intelligent introspection, corruptible copulation and delectable dialogue – she must have been PMSing that day and couldn’t stand the competition from me (hehehehe – see, can I spin a fictitious tale or what?!?!?)

Which lends the question, do writes have a speak all their own?

Yep!

Tell me the last time you heard POV in a conversation. Voice. GMC. Or heard someone mention head-hopping that didn’t involve a heavily medicated dude in a pretty white jacket that latches in the back.

Give me your best writer’s speak that made someone tilt their head at you and step two paces away and I will pick one person to receive a nifty pair of chenille socks – oh you know the ones – there are warm and toasty and with the fall in full trip mode they will come in handy (or tootsie – HA!)

***(for those who regularly read my personal blog – thank you so very much and you may recognize this from last Spring – I apologize for the repeat but as I am in the throes of Nano, my brain has a limited function ability – but look at it this way – you get a chance to win a pair of socks for participating!)

I’m late….I’m late!! And what’s worse I have nothing to blog about!

Sorry ya’ll. I came in late after a bad night then had to jack with my co-workers computer (it’s why I get the big bucks *cough* so it’s not like I could say no) and just now got back to my desk and here it is lunch time.

So I’m going to leave it to you, our four or five blog readers. In the future is there anything you’d like to see us blog about here at Southern Fried Chicas?

PS……this weekend I watched The Wire and I’m hooked. Now I’ve got to get them on DVD and catch up.

I still have some Catherine Coulter books. Also if you like old Sandra Brown romances, hollar at me. I won’t list them but I’ve got tons.

THE BETROTHAL by Arnette Lamb (historical)
TIME AND AGAIN by Nora Roberts (actually 2 in 1 books and time travel)
THE TEXAN by Joan Johnston
HARD WOMEN by Barbara D’Amato (mystery)
WAITING FOR YOU by Kasey Micahels
THUNDER AND ROSES by Mary Jo Putney
PIRATES by Linda Lael Miller (hardcover)
and
I THEE WED by Amanda Quick

I have a confession to make.

When it was first released in theaters, I actually saw the original Raiders of the Lost Ark seventeen times. 

Now, before you think I’m a little crazy (yeah, I know, that ship has sailed, lol!), I should explain.  That was back in the day.  You could go to a theater, pay for your ticket, and stay to see the movie as long as you wanted.

For weeks in a row, I’d take my sister’s kids to that movie, and they thought it was glorious.  A little popcorn, water, fruit punch or Coke, a hotdog or two, and we had all-day entertainment that never seemed to get dull.  Of course, it wasn’t long before we could recite the sucker line-for-line, and since we were often the only ones in the theater, it was like being a part of the movie.  Great stuff! 

I think we often return to the films—and books—that make us feel good for whatever reason.  I know I have a few keeper-books that I’ll pick up and re-read when I’ve simply had it with ‘newer’ stuff that just isn’t doing it for me.

Now.  Confess.  (you can tell me…it’ll be just between us…)  

Whether it’s your favorite film, a particular novel, or series on DVD—whatever.  How many times have you gone back to it one more time?

**Postscript:**

If you haven’t already, drop in on the Chica’s Freebie Fiction site! 

In case you’ve been living under a rock, fellow Chicas and I have freebie fiction up and available for download. This is in answer to Paperback Writer’s e-book challenge.

And since I’m mentioning it, I thought I’d do an entry today on my short story, Eorwulf. It’s the story of a young girl writing in her journal, trying to capture her final memories of a man she can’t forget. After losing her powers of speech, she writes everything in her journal and waits for the inevitable.

The beginning of this story came to me one afternoon and I knew it had to be written. I remember clearly sitting down at the computer and writing. Once I started, I couldn’t stop and the first draft, Maggie’s Journal, was born. I’m not exactly sure what sparked the initial idea, only that I knew I had a main character who was writing in her journal of a long lost love she so desperately wanted.

From there, it evolved after several critiques. My faithful readers told me what worked and what didn’t and then I put my own spin on it. I wanted to give it an otherworldly feel and that’s where the fantasy element came in. Next I changed the characters names from Maggie to Meira. In the original version, he didn’t even have a name and it was apparent to me I needed to give him one.

Eorwulf was born. And yes, I’m very aware how close it is to Beowulf. ;)

So to entice you even further, I’m including a short excerpt from the story. You can get it for free at my website or by clicking the Chica Freebie Fiction link.

Happy reading. :)

***

It seems as though it has been years since I have seen him, though in truth only a few days have passed. Even so, I remember his last kiss and how his lips felt as if it was yesterday. I can still feel his scruffy cheeks under my palms, see his face in my mind?ruggedly handsome with an inherent strength, bronzed by wind and sun. I remember every detail of the color of his eyes, so dark-blue and mysterious, that I could get lost in their striking depths.

Or do I really remember this? Is it my feeble mind playing tricks on me? Has my imagination conjured this man? Part of me says yes. If it was not for the gold button in my bureau drawer, I would not have believed he existed.

Meira put down her quill and flexed her fingers. Her eyes drifted down the page along her careful script, not really seeing the words she had written. She gazed out the double windows into the waning afternoon, watching the grass wave in the wind and the sun blister the sky to dark pink.

Her illness had fully enveloped her and she knew it would soon take its toll, gripping her in a way from which she could never recover. She leaned heavily into the thick pillows, her breathing shallow and labored. Her fingers ached from writing, yet she knew she had to continue. Her writing and thoughts were her solace.