The Devil and Lillian Holmes Released!

I’m so excited she’s back! I’ve been away, too, but I’m happy to be here as well.

Here’s the Amazon link!

At the cusp of the twentieth century, an heiress-turned-vampire and her maker seek her stolen daughter and find themselves caught up in a world of darkness, danger, and mystery.

“I AM NOT A GOOD VAMPIRE.”
She had not been a good mortal, either. Half-broken by a terrible secret, Lillian Holmes retreated into a fantasy world where the great detective Sherlock was her uncle and she could solve any mystery. Except, she had not yet found her parents. She had not yet rescued her stolen daughter. She was addicted to morphine, was still broken. And now she was bound to blood and to the caresses of the beautiful monster who sought to change for her, who had literally changed her to save her life.

But for how long had George saved her? Lillian could feel safety and sanity slipping away. Devils prowled Baltimore. Some were allies, others lustful gluttons waiting to consume every last drop of goodness. Some came from far-off lands, mercurial, unknowable, unstoppable. Others lurked closer still—in the hearts of herself and her beloved.

Missing my characters

Oh my, I’ve a bit of post partum whatnot. I wrote and revised and fell into my characters’ world, and now I can’t get out. Has that ever happened to you? I miss my characters. Things were just heating up as I ended my Steampunk Romance (name withheld for a very paranoid reason). The guys and gals were on their way West, with important developments and thrilling adventures around each corner.

I’ve never encountered this, but I think I need to start working on the next book in the series immediately. Because I want to. Yikes! I haven’t sold the first book yet. Perhaps I’ve been mesmerized by Miss Annalise Pettigrew, psychic and prognosticator, or hypnotized by Jasper Corwin aka Screw, magician to royalty. Or maybe I belong in the Jersey asylum with Dr. House.

Steampunk Watch Parts!

Things, wonderful things! I’ve dug out from under writing long enough to comb through my seemingly endless pile of watch parts for steampunk and altered art. They are listed on eBay under REALLY GOOD WATCH GUTS — if you enter that in search, you’ll see them. This is fun for me, and I hope you find the low priced stuff you need to make your beautiful art!

Verily, I sucketh

Want to know what you think about your own writing? Hit send. The book you loved an hour earlier becomes the biggest piece of shite in the universe–it’s about to take out Hubble.

I remember a few years ago when I really loved a book, I kissed envelopes and put stamps on upside down and did secret pagan naked dances around a fire under a full moon to MAKE IT HAPPEN. That book’s contract expired recently at a small press.

Now, older, wiser, and understanding just where I’m swimming in this pool of the unwashed masses, I plop my package in the mailbox without so much as a backward glance. Did I throw it in the trash instead? Eh, who cares. Did I proofread that email that accompanied the full? Why bother. Because I sucketh. If I keep saying that, then it won’t hurt when I get the rejection.

No? Wait a second. I must have put my copy of the Secret somewhere around here. Here’s the truth–the most pain comes when you aren’t in touch with reality. That’s one psychological theory, anyway. You probably aren’t the worst writer who ever lived, and if you’re reading this, you sure as hell aren’t the best.

So how do you, dear reader, armor yourself for rejection, or do you? Building a thick skin, we’re all told, is one of the foundations of craft (I still hate that word: craft). Tell me your method, and if it actually works for you.

Winners!

Thanks to those who entered for a chance to win a print copy of Mayan Secrets! The winners (picked at random) are Karin and LaughingWolf. Email me at ciar@ciarcullen.com with your snail mail addresses, please!

Win a Print Book! Mayan Secrets

Want to win a copy of Mayan Secrets, signed, with a cool beaded bookmark? Sure you do! It’s easy to enter. Add a note below telling me what you think of my trailer, and I’ll put your name in a hat. TWO copies are up for grabs. If you already have a copy, I’ll substitute one of my ebooks. Contest closes Friday 12 pm EST.

Steampunk Watch Parts — coming soon

Finally got around to the next batches of watch parts. This is messy business. I’m glad my characters are the ones creating and making this stuff! Look here in the next few days for the buy links :o)

Romance Snopes

I’ve tried to cut back on my surfing time lately, as I’m playing beat the clock on a reworking of a manuscript. Plus work, plus family–you know.

Also, as a dutiful wannabe better author, trying to keep up with the things that matter or should matter to me. Promotion, goings on, electronic whatnots and publishing whosits.

I did get sucked into looking at twitter posts on the Romantic Times convention and the Princeton Romance convention (the latter I even visited). I’m sure regarding the former, there are a hundred rumors I’ll never hear. But I’m hearing a few.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a Romance Snopes site? At least once a week I have to point to Snopes for a coworker who thinks Al Quaeda operatives are going to blow up her car at the gas station or gangs are going to flash their car lights and surround her. She doesn’t drink Coke because she’s convinced it can cook a pork chop.

What would you ask a Romancesnopes to cover? My husband is convinced Nora Roberts is too prolific to have written all of her own books. I wouldn’t mind a list of authors who are also publishers or editors. I don’t think any of the current romance blogs is impartial enough to qualify.

What would you ask RomanceSnopes?

Fantasy? Romance? Urban whatnot?

What’s your genre? Simple question, and if you write, you should be able to answer it. So, help me. Tell me the differences between a romantic fantasy, an urban fantasy, a fantasy romance, an urban fantasy romance?

Cause, there are two type of agents, editors, and bookshelves. Those who want fantasy and those who want romance. And you gots to know which you’re writing. What are your definitions???

Left home

I hate conference season. This year everyone is twittering about the Romantic Times convention, as opposed to blogging about it. Net effect is the same–pouting. Here’s the odd part–I don’t really want to go. I don’t think it’s my style or time. I don’t drink, I go to bed ridiculously early, I don’t have anything I want to pitch (well, nothing I can talk about), and I surely don’t want to dress up like a fairy and pet male models.

Then why do I feel like the last kid picked for dodge ball? Anyone else feel that way? Every year, I’m happy when it all dies down. Maybe next year…when I’m famous. ;o)