Zinnia Hope, author of multi-genres and erotic romances; also writing as J. Emberglass

2009-08-24T11:42:00.002-04:00

I hope you'll check out the blog post below this one for some nice news about some of my titles.

Also, I've retired the Zinnia Hope pen name. Once my current contracts run out, I will no longer be writing as Zinnia Hope--or J. Emberglass for that matter. I will be shutting this blog down for good in the weeks ahead. My agent represents most of my work, so watch for notices about Vivian Mars for my spicy material. So, if you'd like to keep up to date with my releases, you can find regular blogs at the following places or sign up for my author newsletter.

www.faithbicknellbrown.com/blog

www.myspace.com/zinniahope (got to figure out how to change that user ID, lol)

And I'm also on facebook as faithbicknellbrown

Follow me on twitter as faith_zinnia

Find me at my shared author group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SixDreamWeavers

I teach at Avoid Writers Hell http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Avoid_Writers_Hell

And lastly, here is my author newsletter http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bickbrownZHnewsletter

2009-08-24T11:41:00.001-04:00

It doesn’t take much to amuse me. And it certainly doesn’t take a lot to cheer me up anymore, lol.

Got a few li’l cheer-me-ups over the weekend.

Take a look at the #1 book on this publisher’s page of All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/category0.html?sortBy=bestSelling&searchBy=publisher&qString=Freya’s%20Bower (if the link doesn’t work copy and paste it into your browser search engine)

It’s a free read now but I don’t care, lol. It means readers are downloading it, so since it’s the prequel to the Daughters of Trinity Series, we’ll see what happens.

I also got one hell of a review for my last release. Click on Dark Diva’s Review graphic. It’ll take you straight to the review. http://faithbicknellbrown.com/books/atasteofecstasy A 5 rating AND a Recommended Read!

I discovered that Bedevilled is #2 today at fictionwise’s Freya’s Bower page too.

Oh, and Conspiracy of Angels got this: http://theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/conspiracyangelshope.htm

After the last 8 months of one crummy thing after another hitting me or my family, these li’l tidbits helped raise my spirits, so I just wanted to share.

I’ll blog again soon!

2009-03-12T12:28:00.001-04:00

I’m so sorry I haven’t been by to blog for so long! I’ve been working my ass off at my new job, then when I’m not there, I’m playing catch-up during the day or my days off on my editing projects, my writing, family stuff, errands, etc., plus my one dau is in hs softball now. It’s been nuts here on the Brown homefront!
I do, however, have some good news. One of my new titles debuted today. If you like humor with heat, and unusual life circumstances with spice, please take a moment to check out the following.

A TASTE OF ECSTASYZinnia Hope
Erotic Romance: ContemporaryISBN: 978-1-60435-303-7Cover Artist: EmilyEditor: Marguerite L. LemonsWord Count: 22,320Release Date: March 12, 2009

Humor with heat, are you up to it?
From a romance with Jack Frost to a star-lit rooftop to sex with an Elvis impersonator, A Touch of Ecstasy sizzles with hot sex, romance, happy endings, and even some unexpected humor.

LINK: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=420

How about a brief excerpt? And yes, I’ve written for UK editors, so here’s a bit of British flavor from the collection. I hope you enjoy it.

Can owning a bed-and-breakfast become a double entendre? Oh, yes, in more ways than one…

Cuppa Romp

Managing a B&B alone in Brighton had been hard. My husband died two years ago, and I had been so lonely that everything about life looked grey.
My life changed the morning Simon signed his name on the registry, took his key, and offered me an erotic smile that nearly ignited my knickers. I stood looking at him like a dumb cow, my mouth hanging open. I watched him ascend the staircase, admiring his firm bum. I have always loved a man with big rough hands and broad shoulders, and his arse looked great in his suede trousers!
“Mum, your gob is hanging open,” Lillian said.
Heat singed my cheeks. “No one could ever replace your father.”
“Who said anything about replacing Dad? You need a good shag.”
“He’s at least ten years younger than I am!”
“Who cares as long as he can make you come?” Lillian retorted.
“No young stud is going to want sex with a forty-year-old widow with a bum that you could park a lorry under.”
“Mum, you’re an attractive woman,” Lillian said. “You have big boobs and a bum that matches. You look positively voluptuous.”
I had been forlorn and celibate since Toby became sick, but I wasn’t about to fuck the first man who caught my eye!
Lillian retrieved her wallet and coat. “I’m off to do a bit of shopping,” she announced as she stepped out the front door.
I watched her go, a small pang of jealousy skewering my gut. I once looked like Lillian when I was her age. Her long chestnut hair, green eyes, and hourglass figure kept the men flocking around her. A knot of guilt settled in my belly. It was wrong to feel envious of my own daughter. Glancing down at the large bosoms straining against my dress front, I smoothed my hands over my too-wide womanly hips. A young man wouldn’t want a widow with too many miles on her body.
The following morning, I stood in the kitchen cleaning up the breakfast debris. The door opened softly behind me.
“G’morning, bird,” a male voice said. “Is there something left for breakfast? P’raps a few bangers?”
Turning, my heart stuttered. Simon looked wonderfully handsome in dark trousers and a jumper that matched the deep green of his eyes. He favored me with a wide, endearing smile that made my legs wobble as if someone had replaced my knees with lemon curd. Even so, a bit of anger flashed through me. Not so much at Simon as myself. I wasn’t a young girl any more. Guests were not permitted in the kitchen; a sign was even posted on the door. Most of all, I was angry at how I had let a young man, a good ten years my junior, rattle me sexually. I could almost see chemistry sparks flying off my body. Did Simon sense the effect he had upon me?
“I’m sorry, luv. Did I frighten you?”
Yes, he did frighten me. Not in the sense that I felt danger, but in how he made butterflies explode within me and how I couldn’t breathe when our gazes met. Again, my brain stopped functioning, and words refused to come out of my mouth.
Simon leaned close, looking over my shoulder. He smelled like fresh linen and musk, making my senses spin.
“I could use a cuppa,” he said close to my ear.
Those five words, spoken so softly fluttered upon my nape like a gentle wren. A fiery sensation swept through my body, and when I looked up at him, his mouth met mine. A small surprised exhalation escaped me, and standing rigidly as he explored my mouth, I wondered if my heart would explode, every nerve ending in my body going hugger-mugger.
Raising his head, he whispered, “There now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
I honestly don’t know what came over me. The next thing I knew, I grabbed him, pulling him toward me.
LINK: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=420

2008-12-09T14:48:00.003-05:00

Good night, Doreen! I woke up this morning, sat down at the pc, and have been going nuts ever since. Oh. Wait. That's normal. Never mind.

Okay, got lots of news on the writing/publishing front. Bear with me as I go through the info.

Anyway, One Touch, One Glance is released today. I edited this anthology, but I also have a story in it called Under the Christmas Stars, and a brief excerpt of my story follows. This is a collection of traditional romance stories and each one is totally different from the others.

This makes an excellent Christmas gift for those who love e-books, and why not send it to someone who's never read an e-book??? I think they'd be pleasantly surprised.

Look! Linkey!!! http://www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=149

BLURB: Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned romance? Remember reading about a man’s clothed physique, or how a fellow admired a woman in a pretty red dress? How about stories where couples fall in love with just one glance or that first gentle touch? Then open this anthology and enjoy 18 beautiful stories of love lost, love found, intrigue, heartache healed, the miracles of life, passionate admissions, and tearjerkers that make one sigh with longing. From best friends who find romance to time travel to a bit of Christmas magic, step into the realm of hearts on fire and love everlasting.

Authors: Gwen Hayes, M.E. Ellis, Maryann Miller, Adelle Laudan, K. Starling, Trinity Blacio, Debbie Gould, Ava James, Faith Bicknell-Brown, Savannah Chase, Lisa Alexander Griffin, Kensana Darnell, Brieanna Robertson, Nicolette Zamora, Kathleen MacIver, Missy Lyons, and Jambrea Jo Jones

Excerpt from Under the Christmas Stars:

Do two wrong guys and a pair of pink mittens spell doom for Lana’s love life, or will a kiss under the Christmas stars prove that love was right under her nose?

Midway through the party, Lana received her bonus and was extremely pleased with the amount. Alone, she stood in a corner, sipping spiked punch and nibbling a sugar-sprinkled cookie. What was keeping Derek? It was time to leave for the skating pond; several co-workers had already left the party. A few stragglers by the door debated about the stock market during Christmas, and, clustered round the Christmas tree, the wallflowers discussed something about plans for New Year’s. Worried and sensing the worst, Lana grabbed her things and hurried out to the smoker’s area to see if Derek had left the building.

Cars pulled out of the icy parking lot. Down the street, the traffic light blinked from red to green and back again. Lana picked her way across the pavement toward Derek’s Mustang. A filigree of frost had spread across the windshield and the passenger’s side. She checked the driver’s door and found it unlocked. Maybe she’d get lucky and find the keys in it too. That way, she could listen to music with the heater on while she waited for Derek and Melody to come out. Surely they would realize she wasn’t in the office and come looking for her.

Sliding behind the steering wheel, Lana shut the door. Damn. No keys. Come to think of it, she recalled Derek slipping them into his coat pocket. Headlights swept the Mustang’s interior. A disturbing thought flittered through her brain, and Lana twisted to look out the rearview window. Many of the employees had carpooled to the farm and would pick up their vehicles later. She hoped that Derek and Melody hadn’t carpooled to the farm without her.

She started to get out of the car, but something in the backseat caught her attention.

Her mouth dropped open. Pain stabbed her gut.

A pair of fuzzy, pink mittens.

Oh, no. Not again.

“I can’t seem to find my pink mittens anywhere. I just wore them yesterday.”

Furious, she stepped out of the car and slammed the door-hard. How could she be so stupid again?

Determined to find Derek and confront him, Lana stormed across the parking lot. As she passed the side entrance to the building, a giggle erupted from the breezeway where the janitors had curtained it off to keep the wind from drifting snow there. She paused and backtracked. Dread pooled in her heart. She peeped around the edge of the tarpaulin, sensing the worst.

***

And one of the anth authors is running a nice li'l contest that you can check out here: http://www.kathleen maciver.com/ contest.shtml

For all the new friends and readers here, you can sign up for my newsletter here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vZ3JvdXBzLnlhaG9vLmNvbS9ncm91cC9iaWNrYnJvd25aSG5ld3NsZXR0ZXI= There you can find out what's going on with my agented work, be privy to contests for just subscribers and thensome. Also, check out my website below. Freebies on the Cool Stuff page, excerpts of my other works...!

www.faithbicknellbrown.com

2008-12-04T13:14:00.001-05:00

What has Lizzy in a tizzy?

Check it out.

2008-11-21T13:50:00.001-05:00

Oh, so you think you have a difficult muse? Hehehehe...go meet mine over at Four Strong Women. She wields a bullwhip.

Four Strong Women

2008-10-28T22:37:00.002-04:00

Hey gang.

If you enjoy my story Moonlight Invitation (less than 600 words), would you place your vote for it? Mine's entry #3.

Both the link to the entries and the voting is here: http://playgroundmystique.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/462/

www.faithbicknellbrown.com

2008-10-21T16:11:00.001-04:00

For those of you who have been waiting to get your copies of Luneyville, USA: Sheeba's Revelation and AWH 4, today is the official release day of both.

Sheeba: http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=81&products_id=250&zenid=b4438e3b0a89f6bad0f89cf9cb743ca7

AWH 4: http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=251

Also, I have a new contract. If you like scorching hot erotica and erotic romance, my collection of shorts A TASTE OF ECSTASY is now with Red Rose Publishing. Tonight, I hope to post a couple of brief, but very hot excerpts of it too @ The Romance Bistro.

Come meet with me at 8 PM eastern time at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_Bistro! The chat is only for an hour. Lastly, stop by my new website and click on BLOG. The latest writing tips entry also has a contest. Winner of this contest will be announced at tonight's chat. While there, click on over to the Cool Stuff page and grab your free PDF downloads.

www.faithbicknellbrown.com

2008-10-17T19:38:00.001-04:00

Grab some writing tips and enter an easy contest. For details go to www.faithbicknellbrown.com and click on BLOG. Read my lastest blog entry.

2008-10-14T09:01:00.001-04:00

Check out my official author website! It's a combination of classy and paranormal with a dash of eroticism. I love it!

On the Cool Stuff page, you can download free PDFs. Leave a message through the contact page and let me know you stopped by!

www.faithbicknellbrown.com

2008-10-09T12:23:00.000-04:00

2008-09-22T07:21:00.001-04:00

A Discovery

My FIL died last October. The man loved to read. He'd read anything, but westerns were his favorite. He even read my unpublished novels, lol.

Charlie lived in a camper, the same camper that I now have in my backyard as my office. Yesterday, the girls and I were working on a good clean-up inside it. I told Jade that I wanted to go through the boxes of books that were under the eating table. There were about 6 of them, boxes that held 6 to 8 paperbacks each. He'd joined Harlequin's book club, which cracked me up when I found out, but he said his mother had read them too and belonged to H's book club years ago; he'd read almost all of her books that she'd got over the years too.

I seldom read H's books, including Silhouette, Blaze, Nocturne, etc. I will, however, read an occassional Steeple Hills that they now publish because they seem to be written better than the others.

Well, if you've ever owned a camper then you know that campers have all sorts of storage hidey holes in them. My daughters spent a lot of time visiting Charlie, so they knew where all the hidey holes were. They showed me two that I didn't know about.

In one that reached all the way to the floor were more books! Historicals two inches thick, suspense, more H books such as superromances, etc.

Ivory opened a closet and pulled open the "floor" of it, and voila! More books!

I bet there are $400 or more paperbacks in that li'l camper! Most were read, but they're like brand new. There are about 4 boxes that he hadn't read yet, though.

I don't read H books, so I thought they'd make nice prizes for my newsletter or a chat.

"I read 'em," Charlie would say, "but they're not like they used to be when my mother belonged to the club, and some are so stupid that I can't finish 'em." LOLOL! But what really got me is when he'd say, "I dunno why it's so hard for you to get someone to publish your novels, Faith. I guess you write too well because your stuff runs circles around these books."

Charlie and I couldn't get along that well, so when he'd say something like that, it meant a lot.

When I went out to the camper the other day to write in peace, I cleaned up my stuff, shut my laptop and said, "Charlie, this is my office now. When Matthew takes the camper back to the house, you're welcome to stay here and help me write. If you're here, leave something on the table for me."

As I left, I made a note of what was on the table: a candle and an empty box of Rosebud matches.

Friday, Matthew hooked up the camper and towed it back here. I helped him position it beneath the maple, and once he had it parked, I looked inside. On the floor lay the candle where it had slid off the tabletop. The empty box of matches was still there, but a coffee cup sat in the middle of the table.

"Matthew?" I said. "Did you put that coffee cup on the table?"

"What coffee cup?"

I took him to the door, and he looked in. "No, I didn't do that. I stepped in and checked the camper to make sure nothing was out that would fall off and break when I towed the camper back." (our lane has some really rough spots where rain washed it out and rutted it) He added, "You didn't put it there?"

"No," I said. "Why?"

"Because there wasn't anything on the table 'cept that candle that's now on the floor and that empty box of matches."

I told him what I'd said to his dad that day.

Charlie drank coffee like it was going out of style.

2008-08-12T15:12:00.001-04:00

I'm now doing the occasional review. For the first review and for details on how I review and what I might be reviewing (the next post below the top one), visit my publishing blog.

http://bicknell-brown.blogspot.com

Please leave a comment so I know you've visited and/or read something.

2008-07-25T11:43:00.001-04:00

It's 11:45 as I type this.

In thirty minutes, I'll be over at The Romance Bistro (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_Bistro) for my big writing/publishing discussion bash. It runs until 7-ish eastern time, so please stop in if you can today. Ask a question about writing, publishing, my work, anything!

Faith Bicknell-Brown, Author and Editor
A.K.A. author Zinnia Hope

2008-07-12T12:31:00.001-04:00

Many of you have read posts and blogs about the first book in my Daughters of Trinity Series called THORN OF EBON. This novella turned into a category length novel. At a touch over 40K, Thorn of Ebon is erotic high fantasy with a very unusual romance between Princess Loilati, who kicks ass when provoked, and Sir Greensleeve, a very erotic Gloaming Elf.

Like dragons? Well, this book has a dragon that's going to rock cyberspace!

And throw in some gods and goddesses who like to meddle in Mortal and Fae affairs, a dwarf and his war pony who provide comedic relief, and several other unique characters and you have a wild ride through one magical world into another and another.

Here's an excerpt from Thorn of Ebon. Watch for it August 1st at www.freyasbower.com

~*~*~*~

A falcon called from high above them. It circled and soared towards the west.

“I don’t have a good feeling about that bird,” said Loilati. “A falcon means—”

“Riders!” Dikartha yelled.

“By the Underworld,” Hestbone said. “Those aren’t just any riders. Those are Southlanders bent on battle or...slaughter.”

“But they came from the west.” Dikartha urged her horse over next to Hoggr.

Enroh shook his head, his braids swinging from side to side. “The Southlanders know Loilati is coming. They have skirted to the west to surprise us.”

A note of panic tinged Lady Evanesce’s voice. “What do we do?”

Dimly, the pounding of hooves across the plains reached Loilati’s ears and matched the pace of her heart.

The Gloaming Elf asked, “Does anyone possess magic that will thwart them?”
“I’m but a seer,” said Beron.

Everyone else stared back at Sir Greensleeve, their gazes wide, and shook their heads.

The thunder of hooves grew louder, and Loilati wished she could do more than blend with flora and fauna, wield a sword, or joust in holiday tournaments.

“Then we flee,” said Enroh. “Back to the Great Wood. If we can make it there, we might be able to lose them.”

“There’s too many,” said Beron.

“We have no other choice,” the dwarf shouted. “Now go. Run!”

Dikartha and the lady spun their horses about and kicked their flanks. With tails high, the steeds galloped full speed back the way they had come. Kaedric nudged his steed into action and raced off after them.

Hoggr raised his head high, his nostrils flaring. Prancing to one side, he shook his head up and down.

“What’s wrong with him?” Beron asked, his fingers digging into Loilati’s sides as he held on.

“He’s a warhorse,” answered Loilati. “He’s bred to fight.”

“Well, let me ride with someone else,” her brother cried. “I’m bred to flee.”

“Ach, get ye to the woods, Princess.” The dwarf turned his pony around and heeled his sides hard. The pony shrieked and pounded after the women and Kaedric as fast as his stout legs would allow.

“Flee!” Enroh bellowed as his horse charged past her.

“Hoggr run!” Loilati yanked on his reins. “Please!” She imbedded her boot heels into his flanks. The horse half reared, shook his head, and pulled against the bit. Behind her, Beron hissed his surprise and nearly cut off her air as he clamped his arms around her middle to hold on.

“Loilati, hurry!” someone called.

She glanced towards the others. Enroh had stopped his horse and turned it sideways. He motioned for her follow.

“Hoggr won’t move,” she shouted back. “He wants to fight.”

“You are his mistress. Convince him to flee.”

Loilati looked to the west. The riders rode enormous warhorses. Although not as large as Hoggr, they still presented a frightening image advancing towards her in a blot of black, brown, sorrel, and gray, their hoofbeats growing louder with each passing second. Horned helmets adorned each rider’s head; some of the marauders held swords in the air, others spears. One rider in the front carried a long pole with the Southlander’s banner atop it. A gust of wind pointed the flag due east. The South’s emblem, a red falcon with talons and wings outstretched, presented a bold image against a black background. The wind continued to bluster across the plains, as if heralding their arrival. The faint aroma of filthy, sweaty men and hot horseflesh offended Loilati’s nose.

She looked back at Enroh. Beyond him, the women and Kaedric kept riding, their capes whipping out behind them, forms growing smaller until they passed over the farthest rise. Between them and Enroh, the dwarf had somehow realized that she and the elf were not behind him. He whirled his pony around and charged back towards them.

“Beron, get off the horse,” said Loilati.

“Are you serious?”

“Get off of Hoggr!”

“Nay, Loilati. Father sent me to—”

With her elbow, Loilati jabbed backwards. Air rushed out of her brother’s lungs, stirring the hair on one side of her face. She turned in the saddle and shoved him off Hoggr’s back. Beron’s eyes widened an instant before he plummeted over the side and landed in a heap of long arms, legs, and tan cape in the tall grass.

“Freya went to Thor to get you,” Loilati addressed her steed. “I suppose you shall protect me...yes?”

Somehow, the horse understood her words. Hoggr danced to one side, his great hooves sounding hollow on the ground.

Scrambling away, Beron stared up at her, his eyes full of shock. “Have you taken leave of your senses, Sister?”

“I’m the reckless one, the favorite.”

“The insane!”

“Perhaps.”

Enroh and Sir Hestbone pounded towards her. “Princess, what are you doing?” the dwarf’s gruff voice reached her, but she ignored his query.

“Attack!” Loilati yelled.

The great steed lunged forward nearly unseating her. The wind screamed through Loilati’s ears as Hoggr raced over a rise and down the other side. The reins and her fingers tangled in his mane. She squeezed her knees as hard as she could to keep from falling off. Although huge in size, riding such a large animal felt like she was careening down a hill in an empty, run-away wagon, each jolt so hard she feared her teeth would fall out.

“I pray you know what you are doing,” she screamed, but the wind ripped her words away.
The band of riders drew closer. Upon seeing the colossal horse barreling towards them, they halted. Perhaps they were uncertain, or perhaps merely stunned that only one rider raged across the plains.
“Freya, hear me,” said Loilati. The wind stung her eyes, and tears trickled from their corners. “I know not what to do.”

Hoggr thundered straight for the Southlanders. The men urged their steeds into action again, and faintly, a battle cry fell upon her ears.

2008-07-06T15:57:00.000-04:00

In my latest newsletter, I offered a free PDF to subscribers. I've decided that I'd like to offer it to some of the groups I belong to as well. The free e-book I'm offering is called Without Camouflage.

Genre: magic realism

Length: about 4,000 words

BLURB: Fran's on the run from a murderous ex-husband. Securing herself in a mountain cabin, she makes friends with her neighbor, Charlotte, a nature artist. Charlotte relays some Native American legends and leaves Fran one of her paintings as a gift, but when Fran's ex finds her, it takes more than a legend to save her life.

If you'd like a copy of Without Camouflage, just send an email to fbicknellbrown@ gmail.com (close the space) and put FREE PDF in the subject. I will email a copy of the story to you. The lovely Jambrea of my Avoid Writers' Hell group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Avoid_Writers_Hell) created a cover for it on very short notice. Thank you so much Jambrea! If you'd like to visit her, the ebook includes her info.

Also, I hope that some of you will sign up for my newsletter. I'll be offering free reads, excerpts, and contests, but I work very hard at publishing material in it that is unique from the traditional newsletters. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bickbrownZHnewsletter

NOTE: Be sure to set your membership to individual emails and to set your email to allow html coding should you like to see the graphics included in it.

Summer blessings going your way,

Faith Bicknell-Brown a.k.a. Zinnia Hope

Managing Editor of WildChildPublishing.com/Freyasbower.com

Books 4 Writers http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/content/blogcategory/64/212/

Author newsletter http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bickbrownZHnewsletter

2008-06-22T17:40:00.001-04:00

Well, gang, I just saw my new header for my new, combined newsletter. I have to say that I'm speechless. It is one of the most mystical, magical, beautiful things I've ever seen. M.E. "Emmy" Ellis' cover-artist hubby has spoiled me so badly, LOL!

I have loads of great news and cool stuff to put in the "new" newsletter. I'm even including a recipe for zuke pickles that's a no fail and takes care of the gazillions of zukes you get from just one or two plants.

I'm running behind schedule, too, but hoping to possibly get the newsletter out tonight or tomorrow.

Also, the new cover for Avoid Writers' Hell 4 will go up on the AWH site (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Avoid_Writers_Hell) as soon as I can muster the time to put it up and change things to match it.

Anyway, to keep track of my work as Faith, Zinnia Hope, and the occasional J. Emberglass title, I hope you'll follow the link and sign up!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bickbrownZHnewsletter

2008-06-19T21:38:00.001-04:00

Contest
Avoid Writers' Hell: Volume IV

For anyone who purchases Tennessee Waltz in the Park and/or Honeysuckle and Wild Roses, you will go into a drawing for the Avoid Writers' Hell book of your choice, including... mwahahaha. ...volume four: The Query-Go-Round!

All you have to do is send me an email with CONTEST in the subject with your name, which title or both that you purchased and your email address, and I'll enter you into the drawing. If you buy both "Tennessee" and "Honeysuckle" that's two entries! ***Purchases will be verified through Marci G. Baun at WC/FB. Deadline to enter is July 2, 2008. (See bottom for non-purchase entries.)

Already got AWH books 1 through 3? No problem! Should your name be drawn, I will send you a copy of AWH 4 when it is released late summer, early fall.

So what are Tennessee Waltz in the Park and Honeysuckle and Wild Roses about? Check out the following links for blurbs and excerpts!

Tennessee Waltz in the Park: GO HERE

Since Thorn of Ebon is the first book in the Daughters of Trinity Series and Honeysuckle and Wild Roses is the prequel to the series, I thought it would be nice to re-introduce it to my newest readers.

Honeysuckle and Wild Roses : GO HERE

My newsletter will go out in a few days, so be sure to sign up and catch the freebies, how-to tips, excerpts, new release info, and much more.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bickbrownZHnewsletter

For non-purchase entries, send a postcard or index card with your name, age (due to the sexual content in Honeysuckle and Wild Roses), and your email address to the following address:

CONTEST
c/o Faith Bicknell-Brown
PO Box 36
Beallsville, Ohio 43716

And check out my new title at Red Rose Publishing called Mr. Delicious! Combine a sexy man, a very unique woman, and a naughty-as-hell pet dragon and you have a hilarious and sensual romp through a sci-fi world! Here's the link with the blurb and info, plus $1.99 for a 10K-word ebook is a steal!

A nice excerpt is available on the page too!

GO HERE

2008-05-24T18:08:00.001-04:00

Announcement

Go HERE for a special announcement.

2008-05-18T12:25:00.001-04:00

If you like to read, Freya's Bower.com has a great deal right now. Sign up for their newsletter and get a code for 20% off of your purchase of over $3.25 or more. This is good on the print books too.

AND

This coupon code is good for ALL of May!!!

My romantic sci-fi mystery, The Red Storm, is on the home page. Cocktail Reviews gave my novel an entire champagne bottle! You can find a great excerpt on my blog http://blog.myspace.com/zinniahope for a taste of The Red Storm. Go to www.freyasbower.com and sign up for the newsletter, then go shopping for great literature!

And if you want to keep update on my latest releases, contests, how-to tips, and more, take a moment and sign up for my newsletter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zhnesletter

Have a beautiful, amazing Sunday, my friends!

2008-05-13T07:38:00.003-04:00

Available today, May 13, 2008!

Revised and Updated!

Inspired by her deceased grandmother Arianna, Jordanne Saunders achieves the position of admiral of The Red Storm. Her maiden voyage is to transport top government officials for a meeting of countries, but due to her family name and her meteoric rise to admiral, crewmembers would just love to see Jordanne fall flat on her face.

When she's given her grandmother's journal, Jordanne learns that Arianna's demise was not an accident, and expert Delph hunter, Wesley Cofferdrake, aids her in piecing the enigma together. As the voyage progresses, disease and hysteria plague the ship, but through a strange twist of events that nearly costs Wesley his life, Jordanne discovers that Arianna's murderer has been right under their noses the entire time!

Rating: Tangy
Book Length: Novel
Price: $5.75
Genre: Science Fiction

Read excerpt.

Buy now!

2008-04-26T17:54:00.001-04:00

Re-releasing on

May 13th at

Freya's Bower.com!

A romantic sci-fi mystery. Sensual, fast-paced, & full of twists and turns!

When she’s given her grandmother's journal, Jordanne learns that Arianna's demise was not an accident, and expert Delph hunter, Wesley Cofferdrake, aids her in piecing the enigma together. As the voyage progresses, disease and hysteria plague the ship, but through a strange twist of events that nearly costs Wesley his life, Jordanne discovers that Arianna’s murderer has been right under their nose the entire time!

2008-04-20T12:50:00.004-04:00

Winners, new covers, new stuff, new news...!

And the winners are...

Thanks to all who entered my postcard contest for my youngest daughter. Winners from first prize to third are as follows:

1st Place: Joy a.k.a. JWIsley. You will receive a print copy of Conspiracy of Angels in the mail! Congrats, Joy!

2nd Place: Saroya Poirier. You will receive an e-copy of Conspiracy of Angels. Congratulations, Saroya!

And 3rd Place goes to: Steve Martin! Steve, you fell in love with Honeysuckle and Wild Roses, the pre-quel to the Daughters of Trinity Series, so as soon as Thorn of Ebon is completed and debuts, you will receive a complimentary copy.

I wish that my darn printer was fully compatible with my new pc, but it's not. Windows Vista won't allow me to scan anything into my pc, so I can't post the winning cards and postcards.

First prize is a tiny greeting card of an adorable kitten. It's a painting, and the kitten is in a basket of roses.

The second postcard is photo of a beautiful Harbor Seal Pup from the Pacific Northwest.

Thir choice is a collage of photos from Solvang California that has windmills, cobbled streets, and horse-drawn carriages.

New Cover

Since Lavender Isis Press closed its doors and turned into a writers' resource site, I received the rights back for The Red Storm. Freya's Bower contracted it, so now I have a cool cover. The novel should debute again about mid May.

Also, I have the updated cover for Thorn of Ebon, the first book in the Daughters of Trinity series. The prequel, Honeysuckle and Wild Roses, sets the base for this trilogy. Thorn of Ebon, I'm hoping, will be available sometime in May.

Next, my new IR sci-fi romance, MR. DELICIOUS, has been contracted by Red Rose Publishing. It should debut June/July.

And lastly, the April edition of my author newsletter is now live. I've made an announcement regarding the newsletter, posted excerpts, and other new news, so I hope you sign up! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zhnewsletter

2008-03-18T10:01:00.002-04:00

THIS WEEK!

I have author days at my yahoo group. This Friday, March 21st, come meet author Linda Sole. Ask her questions about her books, chat with the nearly 200 members in my group, and have fun!

www.lindasole.co.uk
Romance, saga, crime

You must be a member to participate. It's free.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zinniahope

AND...

Love at a flea market? Are you kidding? Despite Cassie's bad luck with men, love and romance is exactly what she finds.

Rating: Sweet

Book Length: Short, short story

Price: FREE

Genre: Contemporary

Download it here:
http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/370/1/

2008-03-12T17:40:00.006-04:00

Win a signed copy of Conspiracy of Angels! Send My Little Girl a Postcard!!

I’m sure you’ve seen my promos for Conspiracy of Angels somewhere on the Yahoo Groups, my website or MySpace. This is a contemporary novel that’s both mystical, romantic, and has a slight inspirational flair. (Think miracles of life, not churchy.) However, Conspiracy of Angels is a bit controversial too.

Just how controversial is it? Watch the following one-minute trailer HERE

Blurb and more info is HERE Also, you can find Conspiracy of Angels at amazon.com by just typing in my name.

So, how can you win a copy?

My youngest daughter loves to collect postcards and greeting cards. She has a scrapbook where she places the ones that captures her attention the most and loves to see what states and countries they come from. So I thought of an interesting contest.

1. Send me a postcard or greeting card to:

Zinnia Hope

PO Box 36

Beallsville, Ohio 43716

United States

2. On the postcard or in the greeting card, you must tell me one fact that you know about either my published titles or excerpts that you’ve read or something about my myspace. For example, your favorite line from my fiction or a character I’ve written that you really liked. Or maybe name a specific graphic that you like on my MYSPACE page Include your email address in the event that you are the winner.

3. First prize for the most unique or unusual postcard or greeting card will win a signed print copy of Conspiracy of Angels. Second prize will be an electronic copy of the same title. Third prize, will be an electronic copy of Thorn of Ebon, the first in my Daughters of Trinity series when it debuts this spring. (Find Honeysuckle and Wild Roses, the prequel HERE)

4. NOTE: my daughter will help me judge card entries. Please do not send anything on a card that you wouldn’t want your own children to see. HINT: we both love anything magical-like, animals, and unusual sceneries/places. J

Contest runs from March 12^th until April 15^th. Winner will be announced on all my sites and the April edition of my author newsletter. If you have any questions, email me: zinnia_hope @ sbcglobal.net

2008-03-11T14:06:00.003-04:00

Check out my myspace for my J. Emberglass titles. www.myspace.com/emberglass

Also, my March newsletter will be out around mid-month. You can sign up HERE

I'm buried in work right now, so I'll post again soon. You can visit me at www.myspace.com/zinniahope were I haunt the most!

2008-02-25T12:40:00.000-05:00

Since so many new members have joined my zinniahope group the past two days and due to my J. Emberglass Yahoo Group being so small, I've invited members there to join my Z Group. I thought it would be a good idea to post this here, too, to clear up any confusion that might arise. I've updated the initial announcement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been thinking about this for a while, so I thought our weekend chat would be a nice place and time to announce my news.

As some of you know, I've been trying to get out of writing the sizzling erotic romance titles that I'm so well known for. However, it hasn't been easy. I've had different readers email and tell me not to stop writing the sizzling material. Frankly, the sizzling sex scenes bore me to tears, lol. I wrote for men's magazines for years, and still do sometimes for money, but I don't enjoy writing about sex. There are only so many ways one can say insert tab A into slot B without sounding redundant and, as I said, getting bored (me, lol) with that sort of writing.

Still, I hate to let my Z fans down, so what I did instead was experiment with something.

There is a huge readership for m/m, so I penned a *mild* m/m series; if you've read any m/m titles, you'll understand what I mean when I say they're very graphic, so the one I wrote is truly mild in comparison. In this series called BEDEVILLED, there are only two m/m scenes. This series also launched a pen name for me to shift my sizzling material over to so that I can concentrate on the genres I truly enjoy writing such as paranormal sub-genres, soft sci-fi, fantasy, mainstream, etc.

So, my dear readers, if you want my scorching erotic romances, you'll have to look for the name of J. Emberglass for 90% of them. All other genres that I write will be as Zinnia Hope.

Well, I take that back. The Daughters of Trinity Series will be under Zinnia Hope. Also, I might use my name for Moss Rose Mansion that I'm working on, too, but beyond that, the really hot-hot-hot erotic romances will be under J. Emberglass.

That said, there are excerpts from the BEDEVILLED series published with Freya's Bower that I sent through during our two-day chat we just had. Bedevilled is contemporary fantasy loaded with research into faerie lore.

Did anyone faint? LOL!

Oh, btw, I do have a myspace for J. Emberglass. www.myspace.com/emberglass

2008-02-18T12:34:00.002-05:00

This Friday, February 22nd, and Saturday, February 23rd, I'm hosting a huge two-day chat at my ZinniaHope Yahoo Group. I've invited authors M.E. Ellis and Adelle Laudan to chat with me so that there is a Genre to Suit Every Taste.

IR Romance

Erotic Romance (sizzling)

Traditional Romance

Horror

Sci-fi

Mystery

Psychological Thrillers

Chick Lit

Inspirational and Inspirational Romance

Contemporary

Biker Fiction

And even a little literary/mainstream!

Also, we have some AMAZING prizes in store for those who join us at the chat. A list with photo links to some of the prizes is available on the site page. Plus, if you promo our chat somewhere and place the link to your promo in the LINKS section of my group, you'll be entered to win not one, not two, but THREE e-books, one from each of us!

You don't want to miss this chat! Who knows? You might win a beautiful lilac candle, a print book, a tee shirt, etc!

Come on over, sign up, and chat away with us this weekend. You can always unsubscribe from the group later. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zinniahope

Zinnia Hope

www.zinniahope.com

Z's Author Newsletter

2008-02-08T16:57:00.000-05:00

The day that my new title, Tennessee Waltz in the Park, debuted, Steve rushed over to www.wildchildpublishing.com and purchased a copy, bless him.

I just found another one of his amazing, well-written, entertaining reviews. He puts much heart and soul into his thoughtful reviews, so stop by and take a minute to read what he had to say about my two-story volume. Befriend him, but at least leave a comment on his blog.

READ STEVE'S REVIEW

2008-02-05T13:54:00.000-05:00

Tennessee Waltz in the Park and Visiting Donna Dee

by Zinnia Hope

These two distinct stories compliment one another and reveal the wonders of the heart, the unique magic of life, and the mysterious mechanics of the universe.

Tennessee Waltz in the Park

Lily's father convinces her that Jason left her for another woman. Over a century later, Lily finds herself wandering the frigid streets of a lonely town only to bump into an elderly Jason...but what power has allowed them to live for so long and why?

Visiting Donna Dee

Arnold Cuttshaver is released from prison after serving 50 years for murder. But is he really guilty? And what about Regina, who manages the bookstore where he works and lives? Is she really his Donna Dee from 50 years ago, or did the universe play a cruel trick on them too?

Photo for cover courtesy of Luis Roquette Valdez

Genre: Literary
Book Length: Short Story
Price: $3.25

Read excerpt.

BUY HERE!

2008-02-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

Coming February 12th to Wild Child Publishing!

Unofficial blurb:

These two distinct stories compliment one another and reveal the wonders of the heart, the unique magic of life, and the mysterious mechanics of the universe.

In Tennesee Waltz in the Park, Lily's father convinces her that Jason left her for another woman. Over a century later, Lily finds herself wandering the frigid streets of a lonely town only to bump into an elderly Jason...but what power has allowed them to live for so long and why?

In the second story, Visiting Donna Dee, Arnold Cuttshaver is released from prison after serving 50 years for murder. But is he really guilty? And what about Regina, who manages the bookstore where he works and lives? Is she really his Donna Dee from 50 years ago, or did the universe play a cruel trick on them too?

Zinnia

Z's Author Newsletter

2008-01-16T08:54:00.000-05:00

I don't normally do online chats for my fiction. I have my own group, my newsletter, and I try really hard to comment on blogs that I read, myspace pages, and myspace blogs to connect with readers and show that I truly care and appreciate everyone.

Since branching out from print magazines into e-book publishing, I've learned much about the cyber publishing scene. There's some very ugly sides to it, but there's also the amazing easiness of promoting and getting one's work out there for all to see. However, writers are a dime a dozen nowadays, especially since the home computer hit the market and the Internet makes it so easy to make yourself known. What do I mean? That everyone thinks he or she can write (we've all read some major stinker titles out there. Come on, you know you have!).

After several chats, both live rooms and loops through the Yahoo Groups, I just don't feel that they help sell my work all that much.

However, I am holding one on my group that's going to be different. Here's the first, albeit brief, promo that's posted on my group's site:

Starting early Friday February 22, 2008, authors Zinnia Hope, Adelle Laudan, and M.E. Ellis will be chatting throughout Saturday the 23rd until whenever they decide to stop the party.

Prizes will be given away, excerpts posted, and they will chat about their writing, their ideas, their new releases, past titles, and answer questions about their careers in publishing.

Tell your friends, co-workers, relatives, fellow authors, and anyone else who loves a wide variety of reading material both erotic and non-erotic.

You can go HERE to check out the group, and if you're an author, I've opened it to promos but ONLY on the days designated on the group's calendar. If you should join and want to promo, be sure to check the calendar on a regular basis. Promos that are sent through on non-promo days will be deleted unless prior permission is given to post them. I have to do this; otherwise, the nice group that I have where we discuss publishing, writing, and many other things would be polluted with drive-by ads for authors' titles.

Anyway...it's been...jeez, probably 8 or 10 months since the last chat I truly had or even particpated in and that was at Romance Erotica Connection's Yahoo Group. I try to help fellow authors whose work impresses me, so I've asked M.E. Ellis and Adelle Laudan to join me in a chat called A Genre to Suit Every Taste.

M.E. primarily writes psychological thrillers and crime fiction for Wild Child Publishing. Her books Pervalism, Quits 1 and Quits 2 kept me turning pages. She also writes some hilarious chicklit such as All About Brenda available (along with others she's written) at Freya's Bower.com.

Adelle introduced me to a niche genre I never knew existed: biker fiction. She has Ironhorse Rider available at Wild Child Publishing.com and Smiling Eyes at Freya's Bower. The genre shows the lifestyle of bikers (motorcyclists) and how they often get a bad reputation.

You can find reviews of some of their titles on my "Reviews" page at my website.

As for me, you'll get a taste of the novels that I'm working on for my agent as well as my published e-titles and e-novels contracted or in progress.

Oh, and there will be some nice prices awarded during those two chat days too.

I'll remind everyone from time to time, but if you're interested now, sign up at my group and keep your eye on the posts and the calendar there.

Also, scroll down and check out the new contest. Entries are coming in, so if you're in the U.S. the prize is 6 brand new paperback romances. If you're overseas, it's a gift certificate from Freya's Bower.com. See two entries down for the rules and details.

More later! I need to get back to work and manage some more word count on Thorn of Ebon.

2008-01-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

My January newsletter just went live.

If you've been watching for more info about Thorn of Ebon, this month's newsletter has an excerpt of the opening scene.

A new contest has been launched too. Lots of news!

http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/zhnewsletter

www.zinniahope.com

2008-01-06T16:19:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Stacia Helpman! She wins a copy of When It Comes to Sex published by www.aphroditeunlaced.com!

Thanks for entering, Stacia. I hope you enjoy your prize!

2008-01-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

The Predators and Editors poll for best author, best e-book, etc is now live. I'm a bit startled to find my name and one of my titles on there.

For author of 2007 go here: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml I'm at the bottom of the list alphabetically by first name.

Also, my novel, The Red Storm, was nominated for 2007! http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novel.shtml If you've read this or are familiar with my work, I'd appreciate your vote.

And a huge thank you to the person who nominated me and one of my novels!

2007-12-30T12:51:00.000-05:00

For the past few days when I've had reading time, I've been enjoying a novel called Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter. I won this from a review site called Strictly Romance Reviews. Now, first of all, I was thrilled to win a book because I'm one of those souls who seldom, if ever, win anything. Secondly, I have my reservations about books written in first person present tense. That's where the author tells the story as it's unfolding as if you're there with him/her in their head. Instead of 'I walked across the room' it's 'I walk across the room.'

Only one author has ever impressed me with first person present tense and that's M.E. Ellis (you can find her books at http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/ and http://www.freyasbower.com/ I highly recommend Pervalism and both Quits novels!!!) because it comes naturally to her. However, as I began reading Odd Mom Out, the novel sucked me into it. Last night, I had some time to myself and I read the last half of the novel save for the 40 pages or so. This is a 408-page novel!

If you're a man, I recommend this book so that you can understand what women in general and especially single moms go through in contemporary life. If you're a mom and especially a single working mom, you will connect with so much in this book that you'll be speechless.

And let me tell you, folks, I am a hard sell when it comes to fiction. I've worked with editors of huge glossy magazines, dealt with some top literary agents, so I see fiction in all sorts of forms. A book that's all telling instead of showing will make me toss it aside. A book full of was/were usage and pet words like as will do the same. Not this novel. This book had me sobbing in one scene. Tears poured down my face. My husband's looking at me like I've lost my mind, and two of my kids walked into the room, performed U-turns, and promptly left, LOL.

Having had similar incidents in my life, this scene pushed me back in time, but living it through someone else's eyes. I had to put the book down, wipe my eyes, and go blow my nose!

Get this book and read it!

Onwards and upwards....

For the past week, I've been working on Thorn of Ebon. This is the first in the Daughters of Trinity Series. Honeysuckle and Wild Roses is the prequel to the series. Thorn of Ebon involves the Goddess Freya's trickery to eradicate the mortal race through intermarrying with the Fae or through war with Man, whichever comes first. The fraternal triplet daughters of Queen Honey and King Roahre are the ones who must solve the mystery of each novel and, in doing so, avoid Freya's vengeful wrath.

Thorn of Ebon involves a love triangle and one pissed off jet-black dragon. Oh, and let's not forget the sex, baby!

I also have two stories coming out in one volume with Wild Child Publishing.com called Tennessee Waltz In the Park. No word yet on a release date or what the cover will be like.

Also, if you missed my last post, scroll below and read about my latest contest.

Enjoy New Year's but make it a safe one! Also, check out the new contest below the champagne bottle!

Buy ANY of my Freya's Bower titles....

The Sexual Science of Witchery

Free Spirits

Conspiracy of Angels

Honeysuckle and Wild Roses

And you will go into a drawing!

First prize: wins an e-copy of When It Comes to Sex from Aphrodite Unlaced.com AND a gift certificate from Freya's Bower.com for a Bites of his or her choice.

Second prize recieves a gift certificate from Freya's Bower worth $5 and an autographed book plate of the Zinnia title cover of your choice.

Rules:

1. Purchases must be made between December 29th and January 6th.

2. A copy of the purchase receipt or a forwarded purchase receipt must be sent to zinnia_hope @sbcglobal.net with the letters "WICTS" in the subject line.

3. Winners will be announced on January 7th 2008 on my blogs, my Zinnia Hope Group, MySpace, and my author newsletter.

4. If you purchase more than one of my titles, each purchase counts as an additional entry.

Pass this along to any avid reader!

www.zinniahope.com

2007-12-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

I was thinking about the titles that I have available right now and it occurred to me that many readers might think that Conspiracy of Angels is religious.

This novel is not religious at all. It's about a woman, Lizzy, who's sick of dealing with her Bible-beating grandmother, that even the most pious person can have skeletons in his or her closet, and that Christians make mistakes, have sex, point fingers at others, and need to look at their own hearts too. And wow does Lizzy and the local minister NOT get along!

Conspiracy of Angels is about forbidden love, learning to forgive yourself, and that sometimes we all need a bit of Heavenly intervention. It's about redemption, the process of healing the heart, and that there is always hope.

I've received several emails about how this novel has surprised the reader and kept them turning pages. Thank you to all who have purchased and read it.

You can find it at www.freyasbower.com and www.amazon.com

Merry Christmas!

My author newsletter http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zhnewsletter

2007-12-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

Sign Up!

Hi everyone. My newsletter for December went live a couple of days ago. It has several updates and even some easy, economical recipes that will help during the Holiday Season.

My Newsletter

Also, gift the gift of literature during the holidays. The Red Storm will not be available after the New Year due to the publisher going on indefinite hiatus. This is the novel that prompted my new agent to call and sign me as his client. I'm going to write book two while my agent peddles my werewolf novel and later The Red Storm, so why not have one of the original print copies?

And until December 25th, Conspiracy of Angels is $5 off the retail price but only at Freya's Bower.

If you go to my website http://www.zinniahope.com/ and click on "e-books" you can find the links to both the print and electronic versions of my work.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-12T10:53:00.000-05:00

Congratulations!

KeatonKat won the Christmas Angel Contest!

Thanks to all of those who entered!

2007-12-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't you know it. Just when I think I'll have one more thing off of my shoulders, I'm put on pause mode.

Since my agent was at a conference and returned midweek from it, I took the extra three days and read through my novel again, fixed a few typos, trimmed a few words. (Btw, the word count on this one is 89,565.) So, yesterday, I printed it out, packaged it in a manuscript box, addressed it, got up this morning intending on going to the PO, and...drumroll...discovered that school is canceled.

I looked out the window and what did my wandering eyes see? (Gotta love those literal sentences, eh? Whose eyes pop out of their heads to wander around? Take note writers! Avoid literal sentences...eh...I'll shut up now. I'm wandering off topic!)

Where was I? Oh, yeah. And what did my wandering eyes see?

Snow and sleet mixed with things icing over.

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

I'm in a piss poor mood anyway. The husband is laid off until after the first of the year. Now, here we are with a house full of kids and Christmas right around the corner. It irks me to no end when companies wait until the month of December to lay off employees. Oh sure, there's unemployment, but even when one signs up for it, the benefits take a while to start.

Trust me, I've been kicking a lot of chickens of late. An indignant squawk-squawk here and a cluck-cluck there does wonders for the soul. One, two, three--punt! And Z scores!

Nah, that doesn't even improve my mood. (Looks out the window, sees the hens ice skating on the roof of the van.) Well, if groceries get low, we have plenty of venison and chicken!

Btw, gang, I'll announce the winner of the Christmas angel on the 10th. There's still time if you want to check it out.

CONTEST PAGE

Later taters!

2007-11-27T15:26:00.000-05:00

Deer Hunting PMS Humor

I've been down to the final strings of the werewolf novel for several days now. The trouble is that it's gun season, and deer hunters are jacked up on high levels of testoterone, hopes to shoot a trophy buck, and enough beer and junk food to give someone high choleterol just by breathing on them.

I dread this time of year. As Thanksgiving approaches, my dread turns into whimpers of despair. My home is overrun with friends and family who are hunters. Men stomp through the house in 2-inch treaded clod hopper boots, trailing enough mud to build another Great Wall of China, and all the water, leaves and sticks to mix the mortar. They consume beer with mass doses of beef stew, beef jerky, vinegar and salt tater chips, pickled eggs, Doritos, and anything else that might calm their pre-hunting jitters.

As this weekend drew to a close, my house and my nostrils had been bombarded with beer-and-junk-food farts that could melt asphalt and peel the paint off of a vehicle from 100 feet away. I've listened to doe and buck grunt calls that sounded like the constipated wails of someone who doesn't understand the concept of fiber, and I have been abused with re-runs of re-runs of Monster Buck videos and DVDs.

This is day 2 of deer season. It ends this weekend. I already warned everyone that this is PMS week and if one more person interrupts my writing to ask me another stupid question such as where are the spoons (Hello? Ever heard of the friggin' silverware drawer???), someone may leave this house with one of their grunt calls stuffed up his ass.

So, after a nice lunch, I plan on returning to the novel in hopes that I can finish it today or tomorrow.

Come on weekend!

2007-11-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

I have some great news!

For the past couple of weeks, I've been promoting my Christmas Angel Contest which features three of my titles--two print books and one e-book.

Today, I was notified by Freya's Bower that my novel, Conspiracy of Angels, is part of a Christmas sale! For a limited time, you can buy Conspiracy of Angels for $10.99!

This gives you a 5-dollar savings and you can still enter the Christmas Angel Contest. Just go HERE for the rules and info and to see a photo of the angel.

Hurry because the price will only be $10.99 for a limited time. If you love to read, to give books as Christmas gifts, or have a list of avid readers to buy for, this is a perfect opportunity to purchase a beautiful, glossy title(s), get it for $5 off the retail price, AND enter the angel contest.

***This book rivals the quality of trade paperbacks that you buy in bookstores. Readers who have bought it have emailed me about how beautiful it is. Jump on the sale bandwagon and get your copy during this amazing Christmas sale!

NOTE: The $10.99 price is ONLY available at the Freya's Bower site. Amazon.com is NOT a participant in this Christmas sale.

A direct link to the book's purchase page is HERE, but be sure to follow the link above to my contest page if you want to enter the contest for the Christmas angel.

Also, I have 4 copies of Conspiracy of Angels that I can sign. Just let the publisher know when you buy a copy or copies that you'd like x amount autographed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In addition to the news of this Christmas sale, I wanted to let everyone know about a special newsletter subscription drive.

Everyone loves freebies or the chance to win something without spending money or putting much effort into it, lol. The number of subscribers is steadily climbing for my author newsletter. To celebrate Christmas and the near completion of my werewolf novel (paranormal romance), I'd love to see the total subscribers number hit 200 or above.

I have three more chapters to write on this novel. It should be done this weekend, then I'm going to do a "final" revision and mailing it to my literary agent. I'm so excited! It won't be long before he starts querying NYC publishers about this work. Why not forward this notice to those co-workers, friends, relatives, online pals, etc. who love to read? The 200th subscriber will win a 5-dollar Amazon.com gift certificate to apply to Christmas purchases or even a little something for him or herself.

Z's Author Newsletter

December's newsletter will have details about the paranormal romance werewolf novel, news about my latest works-in-progress, and the winners of the Christmas Angel Contest and the newsletter subscription drive.

Now starts the Holiday rush! Enjoy the days leading up to Christmas, and if you join my newsletter, I'll be in touch around the 15th with December's edition.

Happy Holidays!

http://www.zinniahope.com/

2007-10-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

All the entries for The Red Storm Personality Quiz Contest were printed out, cut into individual slips that were folded tightly, and put into a bowl. My husband drew an entry and the winner is....

Amy Toohey!!!

Congratulations, Amy, you have won the electronic copy of The Red Storm!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the quiz/contest!

Z's Author Newsletter

2007-10-20T16:17:00.000-04:00

NEW AND EASY CONTEST!!!

How would you like to find out which character you are from my novel, The Red Storm? In doing so, you will be entered to win a free e-copy of this novel that netted me my newest literary agent!

What do you have to do? Well, read on!

I've set up a quiz at quiztron.com. The wonderfully talented Rachel Lindley created the graphics to go with my quiz.

1. Answer the six questions, choosing answers that best suit your personality.

2. Paste your code into a myspace email to me OR paste the answer coding into the comments of the corresponding quiz blog on my myspace. Lastly, you can also email your answer coding to zinnia_hope @ sbcglobal.net and put "TRS QUIZ" in the subject heading.

3. On October 31, Halloween, I will randomly select one person's answer. That participant will win a complimentary electronic version of The Red Storm.

4. Just a little favor to boot! Once you've read The Red Storm--and I hope the winner loves it--please post about it, pass the info along to fellow readers, friends, co-workers, relatives, and encourage them to buy an e-copy or the print version available at lulu.com and lavenderisis.com.

***Winner will be announced on my blogs, in my author newsletter, and through a MySpace bulletin.

That's it! So what are you waiting for? Go take the QUIZ! Have fun!

For more on contests and the latest fiction, sign up for my NEWSLETTER

2007-10-17T11:20:00.000-04:00

Hi all.

I just wanted to let those of you who subscribe to my newsletter know that it's going to be a little late this month. I'm hoping to have it written, coded, and sent out sometime on the 20th.

With a family member terminally ill, and my house in total pandemonium, I haven't had much time to think clearly let alone anything else.

One thing that you can look forward to in the October issue is a cool little contest that I feel is unique, fun, and it's super easy too. The wonderfully talented Rachel Lindley created the graphics for it! Watch for details!

If you don't subscribe and would like to, you can find the newsletter HERE

http://www.zinniahope.com/

5 Roses from Windrain, reviewer for Sensual Reads.net--"Zinnia Hope really knows how to capture your heart... Honeysuckle and Wild Roses is full of deception and decision with passionate love scenes... You will be swept away." Buy it!

2007-10-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

WOWZERS!

Check out this customer review on my book at Amazon.com!

Blew me away! It's the current top review on the page.

READ IT HERE

2007-10-05T13:17:00.001-04:00

It takes a lot to shock me, but when something does, it's often the little things that impress me. I popped into a myspace site today and found one of my e-book covers posted alongside Laurel K. Hamilton's. Wigged me out.

GO HERE TO SEE

Now if only others would take a moment to read my work too. Perhaps that will happen when my agent sells my werewolf novel, lol.

2007-09-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, as I cleaned up around my corner office, I picked up the box that had contained my shipment full of Conspiracy of Angels copies. Something slid around in the bottom of it. I set it down, pulled all the packing paper out, and ta-da! There lay another colorful print copy gleaming in the bottom of the box that I missed.

So, now I have an unexpected extra copy to autograph.

I don't need this extra copy. If you're interested in buying a copy of C of A, whether for yourself or as a gift for someone, this is the last-last (lol) autographed copy I will offer until I arrange my first booksigning gig.

You can find out all that you need to know HERE in regards to the book's plot, the price, etc. Email me here zinnia_hope @ sbcglobal.net with the words "LAST COPY" in the subject if you want the copy. First come, first serve.

http://www.zinniahope.com/

Z's Author Newsletter

2007-09-02T13:21:00.000-04:00

Jordanne hung her robe on a hook by the closet door and stepped inside. The sensors detected her presence, and a soft green illumination filled the narrow unit. Cloying warm mist drifted down from the ceiling and up from the floor. Within seconds, moisture coated Jordanne's hair and body, the pungent aroma of the antibacterial agent assailed her nostrils and stung her eyes. As the mist accumulated and intensified in the closet, tiny rivulets of moisture coursed down her body.

In the next closet, she heard the door open and close, followed by the soft swishing sound of the misters kicking on. Moments passed. Finally, Jordanne heard a soft rapping on the wall dividing their units. Again, the repetitious rap sounded on the divider. Morse code. She chuckled softly. He wants to enter my misting closet.

A hot thrill pierced her belly and wandered into her loins. Should she allow him to step into her closet? Did she dare trust him? For that matter, did she trust herself?

The pattern sounded on the wall a third time. Hesitantly, Jordanne raised her fist to rap back, but paused and placed her hand on the thin material that composed the divider. Feeling the warmth of his hand flat against it as he waited for her answer, she rapped back.

Admittance granted.

She dropped her hand to her side and opened her eyes slightly to peer through the green illuminated mist. The dividing wall slid back. Wesley stepped inside, his broad shoulders and brilliant tattoo overwhelming the narrow closet.

"I see you recall how to use Morse," he said, his voice low.

The misting closet shut off, but the fog still hung heavily in the interior. Dimly, Jordanne heard the faint computerized beeps of the timer on the outside wall. Finally able to fully open her eyes, she stepped back slightly and looked up into Wesley's face.

"Ev—every sailor has to learn it in case of severe emergencies," she replied. By the lightning gods, she placed one hand against her heart and stepped back so that her bare bottom pressed tightly against the opposite divider, I think my heart is going to burst out of my chest. Even with the mist clinging to him, he's absolutely beautiful.

"Morse is one of the few tools from Wasteland Earth that we use," he said, his voice soft as a caress. "After learning it, most forget it."

"I like how you read the vibration on the wall. You're very clever." She gulped, her heart rate increasing until she thought she might faint. A tremor began in the soles of her feet. It traveled throughout her body until every nerve ending vibrated.

He leaned over her and rapped gently on the wall behind her.

"That's simple S.O.S," she said, cursing the waver in her voice. Blood pounded in her ears. Sister Hell, it's getting hot in here! Jordanne took a deep breath and forced the nervousness out of her voice. "What sort of help do you need?" she asked, her voice failing her.

He offered her a wicked grin. "I need you to relieve a terrible ache," he said, his lips brushing her ear.

A wave of goose flesh passed over her entire body. She drew in a sharp breath and almost sputtered on a mouthful of mist. Heat flared in her abdomen, the warmth flashing into her crotch. A throbbing began in her loins. Jordanne turned her head in search of his lips and gasped softly upon finding them. Eagerly, he kissed her, hands slipping around her waist. "I don't know what it is about you," he breathed against her mouth, "but you're utterly intoxicating."

"This changes nothing between us." She placed her hands flat against his chest, and for a brief moment, she let her gaze wander over the brightly colored wing that inked one dark shoulder and the pectoral muscle. Slowly, her gaze moved back to his handsome face. Condensation dripped through his raven-black hair, the odd green illumination giving it an almost ethereal aura. Firmly, she said, "I'm still admiral, and you're still a contracted expert for the journey."

His perfect white teeth flashed in a wicked smile. "And your point is?" he asked, dipping his head to nuzzle her ear.

She pulled his head up so that he looked at her. "That you won't use sex as a means to manipulate me."

"The only thing I want to manipulate," Wesley pulled free from her grasp and tasted the base of her neck, "is your body. I want you to beg for me to stop, and at the same time, cry out for me to continue."

Print and e-book!

I want to read more!

2007-08-20T13:19:00.000-04:00

At long last, lol, my podcast author interview is online! This goes out to over 300,000 podcast subscribers with the potential of reaching over 2 million once their mergers with other similar sites are complete.

I'm very pleased with my interview and so thrilled to be able to share it with you. I get to talk about my writing career, and you get to hear my Appalachian drawl, rofl!

Podcast Interview--So Cool!

2007-08-16T10:12:00.000-04:00

As things often do, paths cross at the oddest times. My August newsletter went out on the 13th this time, and last night, I received an email that my new release, When It Comes to Sex, is officially online.

I just opened my contributor's PDF and am very surprised at how lovely it is. The PDF is full of color, the prose looks like it's been typed on parchment, and there are some romantic illustrations that portray the publisher, Aphrodite Unlaced. Seriously, this is the most beautiful e-book I've every seen in regards to format and style.

Anyway, dear readers, you can find the title at Aphrodite Unlaced. Just follow the link and look for this cover.

Mountain smiles,

Zinnia

www.zinniahope.com

2007-08-14T10:12:00.000-04:00

Two lucky subscribers were randomly chosen to receive a couple bookmarks each. Who were they?

My hot-hot-hot new release is announced and, along with the steamy cover, there's even an erotic excerpt! Like fantasy? Why not sign up to get a taste of the sexiness and discover what legendary character visits Naomi during a snow-filled winter season?

Are you an aspiring author? Do you know what a compound adjective is? This month's how-to tip shows you how to recognize them so that your prose shines.

And what other cool tidbits are included? You won't know unless you sign up!

Also, a hearty thank you to all the new subscribers!

Mountain magic going your way,

Zinnia

2007-08-09T13:52:00.000-04:00

Big Publisher? Little Publisher?

My dad, who is the stereotypical proud papa, loaned a copy of my novel, The Red Storm, to their long-time neighbor. A couple weeks later, he drove over there to retrieve it.

(Bear in mind that my mother is babbling this to me over the telephone.)

The neighbor went to get the book and return it to my dad, but discovered her adult daughter reading it. She asked for the book, a mother-daughter argument ensued. The daughter wasn't giving up the book until she'd finished it. She'd picked it up, started reading, and couldn't put it down.

This tickled my father to no end, so he allowed her to keep it a couple more days and said he'd be back to get his copy then. However, he made sure that my mother called me to relay the story.

Okay, I have to admit that this little bit of news was a great ego booster. However, the disconcerting part of this is that so many people thumb their noses at small press releases, but yet, this woman wasn't about to give up my novel. I'm not saying I'm the most wonderful writer in the world. Oh, no. What I am stating is that there is this ugly smudge that seems to land on small presses and their authors because they don't have the fame, the glory, the big bucks to flaunt that says, "Look! I'm a big name in the publishing world!"

Let me tell you folks, there is a virtual cornucopia of beautiful, riveting fiction offered to the world through small presses. Personally, I'll read a small press book before I will something from a well-known name on the cover. Much of today's fiction churned out of NYC makes me groan and toss the book into the yard-sale pile.

Last weekend, I took a couple of my kids shopping for school clothes. I stopped in at a store that sells some things on consignment and spoke to the owner about possibly putting my books on display in her shop. The moment she found out that my two print books were currently with small presses, she snarled--yes, snarled--her nose up at me and stated that she wanted nothing to do with those kind of books.

Now let me tell you something, I normally have a quick comeback and most things don't bother me in the publishing business; I've been writing professionally far too long to worry about smartassed comments and nasty criticism. However, this woman's attitude really offended me.

The Red Storm is the novel that inspired a phone call to me one sunny afternoon from my new literary agent, an agent who is ascending the sales ladder with lightning speed. The Red Storm caused an argument between a mother and daughter because the daughter wanted to finish the book before relinquishing it. The Red Storm also caused another person to set her college studies aside because she, too, had to finish it.

Conspiracy of Angels is another of my novels that has garnered similar results. One of which is a review from a Kensington Books author who read it. This book and its publisher, Freya's Bower, has netted me an Internet radio interview that will go out to...gulp...millions of listeners.

So why do people diss small presses? I have to say that I feel it's because of the lack of big bucks involved.

I actually had an acquaintence ask me who I am published with, and when I told him, he frowned and said, "Never heard of them. Let me know when you're with a big publisher like Daw or Tor and I'll buy your book."

Whoops! Sorry, buddy! You just pushed Z's hot button!

Look, any small press author or aspiring writer can tell you the time, blood, sweat, and soulful tears that goes into their prose. Just because a big New York City publisher doesn't have its name and ensigna on the cover or inside pages does not mean that the work doesn't have merit or doesn't suck the reader into an incredible new world.

E-books are dissed even more than small press, but times are changing, trees are an issue nowadays, and everything is slowly turning electronic.

One day, I'll be with a big, traditional publisher, but it doesn't make any difference whether one of my novels sells only ten copies or ten million, I put just as much time, imagination, know-how, knowledge, dedication, and love into every frickin' word regardless.

Why not take a chance on something great to read? It doesn't even have to be mine. There are thousands of wonderful writers out there.

The Red Storm
Conspiracy of Angels or at AMAZON
Z's Website
Z's Newsletter

And here are a few recommendations for fellow small press authors' work.
Pervalism...an utterly frightening read.

Ironhorse Rider...unique and a nice taste of biker fiction.

Dreams of Forever...pure romance

American Messiah

Mining Evermore

2007-07-24T20:00:00.001-04:00

Squee!

I don't squee often, but I am now!

One of my novels is on Amazon.com! Check it out HERE!

2007-07-20T14:27:00.000-04:00

OMG, the print version is friggin' unbelievably GORGEOUS!!!

Trust me, if you order a copy of Conspiracy of Angels, you won't be sorry. This surpasses many of the other trade paperback versions I've purchased in bookstores and I'm not fibbing! I am in awe of the quality of this book!!!

If anyone wants a copy of Conspiracy of Angels that's signed and numbered, be sure to check it out at THIS LINK .

2007-07-18T09:19:00.001-04:00

There are so many projects I need to finish, contracts I need to sign, writing that needs completed, and so many net friends and fans to keep up with that it overwhelms me.

The easiest way I've found to keep in touch with all my news is through my monthly newsletter. Please take a moment to sign up.

Who knows? Maybe you'll be the fan who gets a shout-out in one issue or win a cool prize. Perhaps you'll read a free short story that makes you crack up laughing or cry because you relate to the main character. If you're an aspiring writer, maybe you'll find a how-to tip that will save you a few rejections and effort.

It's free. It's easy. It's monthly.

Z's Newsletter

2007-07-09T16:52:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who participated and lurked at the Freya's Bower Author Chat Weekend Loop Chat. We had a huge turn out, and from what I heard, over 800 messages that went through.

Wow!

If you missed it, there were some amazing excerpts and a few nice, nice prizes given away. Also, thanks to those who signed up for my author newsletter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two New Intriguing Releases That Make Me Wanna Buy!

Item: K.M. Frontain has a new release on Freya's Bower.
Link: http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/212/100/

Item: J. Emberglass has a new release on Freya's Bower.
Link: http://www.freyasbower.com/content/view/206/86/

2007-07-08T17:07:00.000-04:00

Chatting is still going on at Freya's Bower Author Chat. Prizes are still up for grabs. I'm giving away a lovely head scarf. Hurry and sign up before the night's over!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freyasbower_authorchat/

2007-07-05T15:04:00.000-04:00

(Emmy, I borrowed from your site.)

Promote Your Ass Off Loop Chat

Come and join Freya's Bower this coming weekend at our Yahoo author chat group. This will be an entire weekend of FB authors. We will have some fun giveaways, Q&As, and just plain old good times with fast and furious conversation mixed in. Be sure to join early as new members to FB's author chat group are subject to approval.

We will also be hosting a live chat on Sunday, July 8. Time TBA and will be held at http://kmfrontain.cbox.ws/. To secure your name, register by clicking the "profile" link.

Other news, Freya's Bower is starting free reads. We will be offering a new free download through our store once a month. Sometimes, the story will be as long as a novella; other times, it will be a short story. The first two chapters of this month's free read are only available through Freya's Bower store newsletter, which you can join once you register in the store, and will be available starting next week.

If you are already a member, you are in luck. If you aren't, all you have to do is sign up for the FB newsletter by becoming a member of our store and checking the box to receive our newsletter. None of your information will ever sold or used for anything other than the newsletter. The rest of the novella will be available for download absolutely free. No purchase is necessary!

2007-07-03T14:58:00.001-04:00

Ya know, the busier one becomes, the harder it is to keep up with things that one enjoys. I've always liked writing and posting my zany chicken stories here, relaying the latest goofy, dumbass events of my boys, and various other things.

Right now, I'm dealing with gardens and the vegetables that are beginning to ripen and I'm writing, writing writing.

Since signing with my new agent, it seems like the work load has jumped again too. It also seems like I need to find new places to haunt and particpate. It's amazing just out catty some of the groups and forums are. It's sad because I've found a handful of gem-like friends through such circles.

If you don't see me on the groups much anymore, it's a combo of some nastiness I've enountered in cyberspace and the fact that I just don't have the time to post and participate as much. Managing a farm and a big family is a full time job, but so is writing. A delicate balance is needed.

My novel Conspiracy of Angels will be available in print very soon. If you pre-order a copy, I'll number and sign it for you.

PRE-ORDER NOW

And if you want to keep track of what I'm doing and what's to come in my writing, check out the post below.

2007-06-30T13:07:00.000-04:00

Love so poignant that tears stain the pages. Horror that makes you sleep with the light on. Science-fiction that leaves one in wonder. Mystery that keeps you guessing, and fantasy where you believe in faeries and unicorns again...

You never know what you'll discover within the pages of my fiction. My work is on its rounds to NYC publishers as well as the novels and novellas already published with e-publishers in e-book and print formats. What are waiting for?

Monthly. Fun. Laughs. Prizes. How-tos...and glimpses into what's to come whether it's print or e-book.

Zinnia Hope Author Newsletter

2007-06-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

As many of you know from my posts and blogs, we raise produce every year. It's been worrisome this year because it's been so dry. It's rained enough from thunder showers to keep our gardens green, but they've still been denied that good drink that gardens need. Watering can only be done so much, you know? And there's just something about a good rain that does wonders despite regular watering. The above pic is of the zucchini plants in one of our five garden plots. The blooms tripled over night due to a wonderful rain. (Altho you can't see all of them in this pic, click on it for a close up.)Finally!

I'm signing off to write on my new novel this afternoon. Please check out the post below too!

2007-06-25T09:02:00.001-04:00

If you love contemporary romance that's sensual and has a mystical flair, print copies of my novel, Conspiracy of Angels, can now be pre-ordered!!!

Why not be one of the first readers to own a numbered and signed copy of Conspiracy of Angels? That's right. I'm numbering and signing a certain amount of these books. To pre-order it and reserve your copy visit the link below!

http://www.freyasbower.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=69

2007-06-18T13:02:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share my good news. Two weeks ago, I signed with TriadaUS Literary Agency. (Huge contented sigh) Now I can quit peddling my work and just concentrate on writing! Whahoo!!!

Next, the print release of Conspiracy of Angels has been moved to July 10th. I announced the winner of C of A goodies gift back contest on my website and in my newsletter. Anyway, there were some problems with the printing, so the date was moved back. You can purchase my novel on the Freya's Bower.com website, then as the book enters the publisher's system, C of A will be available at Amazon.com, Borders, Ingrams, etc.

Lastly, I've been concentrating a lot on my myspace and my newsletter. With all the work I have ahead of me in the coming months,I do try to go around various sites and visit when I can, but those two places are the best way to keep in touch with me. Please sign up for my newsletter for all the latest publishing news, excerpts, tips, humor and contests. (Be sure to set your membership for "individual emails".)

Click to join ZHnewsletter

2007-06-04T10:02:00.001-04:00

In honor of Conspiracy of Angels appearing in print format June 16th, I will announce the winner of the Conspiracy of Angels Contest on Monday, the 18th.

You still have time to enter. Stop by my website for details. Click the "CONTEST" tab for information.

http://www.zinniahope.com/

2007-05-31T11:10:00.001-04:00

Important News!!!

The Red Storm is now available in print!

If you love fast paced fiction, romance, mystery, and science-fiction, check out the following link.

Here's the direct link to the product page:

http://www.lulu.com/content/838415

2007-05-19T13:46:00.000-04:00

Good news about The Red Storm!

Many of you have asked when the print version of this novel will be available. On May 26th, you can buy the paperback from Lulu.com! Whoohoo!!! I'm so excited! In addition to this, the publishers of Lavender Isis.com , Melissa Wathington and Rachel Lindley, have encouraged me to submit The Red Storm to some bigger publishers such as IUniverse, Baen Books, and Ace Books. Yesterday, after a lovely phone conversation, these two incredible women have assured me of the rights returning to me should a publisher express interest in The Red Storm. I am stunned and very humbled at their belief in me as a person and a writer. Their thoughts about my fiction totally blew me away and made me truly realize that the readership out there does, indeed, desire books that are plot driven and character oriented. If you're a dedicated writer and need some writing resources, support, or want to submit something to their magazine, The Oasis, please visit http://www.lavenderisis.com/ and take a look around.

Since I've never queried publishers or agents with something that has been previously published electronically and in print format, I will be working with Rachel and Melissa on a query letter to send out. As some of you know, I have an agent considering one of my other novels, so I'll need to contact her with the update. I'm positively escatic to be able to test the publishing waters (no pun intended if you've read this novel, rofl!) with The Red Storm and will publish updates in my following newsletters.

2007-05-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

I will announce the winner of this $80 bloodgem pendant/necklace this week! Hurry to enter!

http://lavenderisis.com/theredstormbuy.html

2007-05-10T22:42:00.000-04:00

I have some material posted at www.blog.myspace.com/zinniahope if you want to read and visit me. I've been posting imagees that inspire me at my regular myspace page too www.myspace.com/zinniahope

Add me as a friend and leave a comment to let me know you were there.

2007-05-09T15:43:00.001-04:00

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN JORDANNE'S BLOODGEM PENDANT, GO TO

http://lavenderisis.com/theredstormbuy.html

In six days, the winner for the bloodgem pendant will be announced. Hurry and visit the above link for details. The necklace and pendant are sterling silver and the one-caret garnet is genuine. Prize pkg is worth $80! Own a piece of The Red Storm's mythology!

BLURB

2007-05-01T17:16:00.000-04:00

A special invitation to all avid readers and dedicated writers:

Since I have a few days of leisure time between writing projects, I’ve been brainstorming. (Yeah, I smell smoke too!) Promoting on the Internet is a pain in the tushy. I hate it and many authors whether published by big NYC houses or small e-publishers have told me they hate it too. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to extend an invitation to something special for all avid readers and dedicated writers.

I’ve been working in the professional fiction magazine market for quite some time. I’ve had that big NYC literary agent and I’ve dealt with overseas publications, faced the nasty, abusive editors, and had my work boomerang at me as well as the experience of cashing those big paychecks. From the time this special invitation reaches you until sometime Saturday evening, May 7, there will be a special loop chat going on at my Zinnia Hope Yahoo Group.

What do I mean by special?

I’m inviting you to discuss serious publishing issues. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a seasoned one, stop in this week, ask questions, and submit brief excerpts to me for critique—although NOT all submitted material will receive a critique. More will be discussed about this at my Yahoo Group.

Some things that may be discussed
• How to write a query letter
• The pros and cons of writing for the erotic markets
• Pet words and cluttered prose
• The ups and downs of using the Net to promote
• And much more!

Then, all day Saturday, authors are permitted to post two promos each with a 500-word excerpt (that’s the maximum so don’t cheat!) along with your cover and the blurb. This is Saturday ONLY.

As many of you know, The Red Storm debuted last Saturday at Lavender Isis Press. I want to promote, but I just can’t bring myself to pi** with Yahoo Groups and I don’t really feel that banner ads and the like do that much. By bringing in readers and authors to my group, I’d like to get some good discussion going about fiction and publishing, and in the process, show the quality of my material too.

Time: From now until the chatter stops on Saturday, May 7.

Upon joining the group (you can always unsubscribe later), a file will be sent to you about receiving a possible critique and the usual stuff about group etiquette.

So, stop by for good discussions, camaraderie, find out how goofy I am, lol, and from time to time, enjoy an excerpt from The Red Storm and my up-and-coming titles.

And if you know someone who might enjoy this, send them the information to join the fun.

Click to join zinniahope

My Official Author Newsletter

Click to join ZHnewsletter

Rules for Critiques

1. All material submitted during this special chat will NOT receive a critique. I’m doing these at my leisure throughout the day or evening.
2. I will post your critique with your title in the FILES section of my group UNLESS you tell me in your email that you’d rather I send it to you direct.
3. I am very thorough and honest. If you can’t take criticism—I’m not mean, but will point out the good as well as the bad—don’t ask for a crit.
4. Don’t be upset with me if I don’t crit your material. See rule number 1.
5. Whether the material is from a short story, novella or novel, choose 800 words from a section that is giving you problems. Leeway is given for the sake of a scene, but please don’t abuse this and send me 1500 words when the gist of what is going on can really be finished in 900. I’m sure you get the idea. If you have a question email me at zinnia_hope@sbcglobal.net

Rules of Conduct

1. Respect others participating in the discussions. We may not agree, but don’t be nasty or rude. If you want your opinion respected, then please exercise the same respect for those you are communicating with.
2. NO PROMOS except on Saturday May 7. Promos are blurbs, excerpts, covers, chat announcements, etc.
3. Signatures to your blogs or websites ARE permitted.

2007-04-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

Own a piece of The Red Storm's Mythology! Follow the link for all the details!

http://lavenderisis.com/theredstormbuy.html

2007-04-27T10:41:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, I'll be at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lavenderisisoasis/ for the big debut of The Red Storm. I've even been told that there are readers who have emailed to find out when it will go online. So cool! I hope you'll stop by the group for the big debut day. The following is a brief excerpt of my romantic sci-fi mystery novel.

Wesley jumped from the missile platform. Jogging towards a locker, he opened it and withdrew the modified 3.75 rocket launcher Jordanne had seen him use the very first time he'd killed a Delph. He loaded it and aimed at the creature. It flopped towards him, its anchor-like tail slamming, reminiscent of a Cyclops's spiked war mace. A first sun tried to leap out of its way, but the Delph's tail bashed her against a nearby lazarette where she landed in a heap and lay without moving.

A bright flash followed an explosion. The top of the Delph's head exploded as the missile punched through it and shot safely through the air to penetrate the starboard waves. Blood and brains splattered everyone and everything. Ocean water surged across the rails, and the gore washed away.

"The storm's nearly on us," said Jordanne. "Everyone go below. We're not going to suffer through another Level 3P in this tower again."

"Are you sure, Admiral?" asked Helmsman Manners.

Jordanne pointed at both doors. "We'll secure the tower as best as we can. You put in our coordinates, Manners, and we're out of here until this one blows itself out." She pushed Dot towards the steps. Or until we all go down with The Red Storm.

Everyone filed out of the tower and down the stairs. The wind snatched at their hair and clothes. Lightning sizzled through the sky, the sound reminiscent of frying meat. Jordanne followed them, her hands gripping the railing, her gaze trained on Dot. One by one, they turned the corner at the bottom and entered the hatch leading into the ship.

Pausing, Jordanne motioned towards Wesley and the gunnery crew. "Get below," she shouted, but the wind ripped her words away.

Regardless, Wesley understood and indicated that everyone reach the nearest stairway and go below. Jordanne watched one of them grab the motionless sailor still sprawled by the lazarette. He looked at Jordanne, shook his head, turned and disappeared below.

Sadly, she stepped inside and pulled the hatch closed. Dot waited there and helped her secure it.

Everyone hurried to their quarters. Taking Dot by the hand, Jordanne helped her down the corridor to her cabin. She found herself climbing the hall, and just as abruptly, she and Dot slid downhill on the slick hard floor, bypassing her admiral's cabin. They hit the deadend wall in a jumble of arms and legs.

"I think this one's going to be worse than the last L3P," Dot panted out and stood up. She grabbed Jordanne's hands and helped her stand up.

"I don't have a good feeling about this one at all, Dot, so we need to prepare for the worst."

"I've already been there, Admiral."

Smiling, Jordanne nodded. "Indeed you have. Maybe you can lend me some of your courage."

"After what I saw you do in the control tower," Dot beamed at her, "you have plenty of courage."

Laughing, Jordanne patted Dot on the back. "Maybe you're right."

"Let's go back to my—"

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered the Wastelander locked in her quarters. I need to release her in case the ship is damaged and sinks. That way she'll have a chance—albeit a very slim one—of getting to a lifeboat and surviving. At least she won't drown in her cabin." Jordanne gently pushed Dot away, but the ship tipped again and they both grasped the edges of a nearby doorway until it righted itself. "Go to my quarters and wait there." She handed her an emergency data stick from her belt. "Put this in the backside of the knob. It'll open the door for you."

"What about you?" asked Dot, her blue eyes huge.

"I'll bring the Wastelander to my quarters," she answered. "Just wait for me in my cabin so I know where you are in case something should happen."

"Yes, Admiral," the girl replied. She braced herself against the wall as the ship dipped one way followed by the other. "Be careful."

2007-04-25T22:13:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, The Red Storm debuts on Saturday. An advance reader's copy was sent to Cocktail Reviews. Tonight, I received an email from their site telling me the review of my novel is complete and online.

I was crying, shouting, jumping up and down...

Top rating is an entire champagne bottle. The Red Storm was awarded the entire bottle AND an extra glass to sup from!!!

http://cocktailreviews.wordpress.com/tag/lavender-isis-press/

2007-04-24T21:30:00.000-04:00

BLURB

Through her Grandmother Arianna's example, Jordanne Saunders becomes the admiral of The Red Storm. Her maiden voyage is to transport top government officials for a meeting of countries, but crewmembers would just love to see Jordanne fall flat on her face.

When she’s given her grandmother's journal, Jordanne learns that Arianna's demise was not an accident, and expert Delph hunter, Wesley Cofferdrake, aids her in piecing the enigma together. As the voyage progresses, disease and hysteria plague the ship, but through a strange twist of events that nearly costs Wesley his life, Jordanne discovers that Arianna’s murderer has been right under their nose the entire time!

AVAILABLE this Saturday 4/28/07 at http://www.lavenderisis.com/ourbooks.html as e-book and print in July!

2007-04-14T17:05:00.000-04:00

Two of my titles, Visiting Donna Dee and also Honeysuckle and Wild Roses are both up for book of the month at Sensual Reads. Please take a moment to vote for my work on their monthly poll. Vote HERE.

2007-04-10T15:17:00.000-04:00

M.E. Ellis and I have become good cyber friends and often have some long and rather uh...unusual conversations. So, we decided we'd post our latest conversation for her readers and mine who may wonder what authors/writers discuss. (And just so you know, I fell miserably short of my writing goal for Easter weekend. I'm ready to hang some kids on a nail somewhere!)Okay, the correspondence between M.E. and myself follows, but you've been warned--ROFLMAO!!!

M.E: Z? I want you to answer me honestly here, you know, give me some idea if I really should have been born a bloke or not. Do you fart? Like, loud and freely? Or are you more the reserved kind. Guff on the quiet?

Z: Good grief, what a question! I’m just going to wait until I’m 120 and explode. Seems more economical in the long run. I get enough of the SBDs in the van while driving with one or all of my boys. Noxious fumes in a closed up vehicle with the heater blasting just isn’t my idea of good health. I figure they rip ‘em off enough for everyone so why add to the surplus of methane building up and destroying the ozone layer, ya know?

But that doesn’t mean I won’t blast off from time to time either. Got to let some pressure off the valve, right? Did that the other day while typing at my pc and my middle boy just happened to be standing in the doorway. He flipped. Gawd, you’d’ve thought that I’d just discovered the next X Box or something. He took off running through the house shouting, “Mom ripped off a huge fart! You should’ve heard it!” The door slammed on the patio, and outside, I heard: “You won’t believe this, but Mom ripped off a fart so forceful it blew the fur off the cat!”

I couldn’t help but crack up at that, but then he’s raised by a goofy mother, so what else should I expect?

M.E: LMAO @ image of hairless cat!

So you do blow off then. Good. I mean, I do it all the time. Mine unfortunately sound like the bark of a dog or more like, ‘WAH!’ Like those armpit fart things kids do. I never was able to do armpit farts. Used to be secretly envious of those kids who could. And what about back-of-the-knee farts? I tried it at home once, but it just didn’t work. You know, sat upstairs in my room all alone, trying to squelch one out. If I’d’ve thought about it properly back then, I could have let off a real fart while pretending to do one with my armpit and no one would have been any the wiser. Apart from the smell.

What about farts in the assembly hall. Now there’s an embarrassment. Bloody sound of them used to ricochet off the wooden floor and everyone would know it was you. I curse my speaking arse sometimes.

Z: No. Absolutely not. I may be a nutter as you call me, but I’m not one for farting in public. Now, the husband and the boys can clear a stadium in 2.2 seconds flat. Hell, the husband startled me out of a deep sleep one night. I thought a shotgun had discharged in the room. And no, I’m not trying to be funny. That’s what it REALLY sounded like. The cat even hissed and jumped off the bed to tear out of the bdrm.

M.E: LOL! I’ve done that to CV before. Poor fucker. He always wonders how come I don’t rip a second arsehole the force mine come out. TMI, Z. Sorry.

Z: Well, I like to write such hilarious scenes into my fiction. It makes the characters and setting seem so much more life like. It’s one of the reasons I like Stephen King’s fiction. One such line that I always recall is in IT where Eddie Kasprak’s fat mother rolls over and farts in her sleep. King describes the sound as the sound of a wounded French horn—or something like that. Cracked me up!

M.E: HA! See, I’ve only read one King book, The Green Mile. Can’t seem to get into them. I often wonder if his books will be something that will appeal to me later on in my life, when I have more time to read and delve into his plots. What’s his appeal to you?

Z: I think you’d really like King’s material, especially Misery, It, Gerald’s Game, and Dreamcatcher. King writes people as they really are. No super model heroines or Greek god heroes. They fart, belch, lie, cheat, and smile while doing it. They’re average, everyday people, plus throwing in some paranormal and horror doesn’t hurt anything either. King has a knack for nailing human nature and blending it with horror in such a way that it comes across as very realistic. I don’t like all his novels, but the ones I do are sitting on my bookshelf in beautiful hard covers.

M.E: Hmmm. I watched a bit of the movie, Misery, and got bored. I wondered how a whole film could revolve around some bloke in a bed and stay interesting. CV likes the film, but I think it’s one of those instances where the book would be better. More description of the weirdo woman’s emotions. Just guessing though. But then I prefer books over films any day.

You got any instances where a book was far better than the film and vice versa? As I hardly watch movies I haven’t really got anything to base it on, except for The Green Mile, and I liked both. The voice in TGM book was one of the best I’ve read, and the visual of John Coffee was better in the film than the book. For me anyway.

Z: Holy spotted milk cows on a Popsicle stick! I can’t believe you didn’t finish watching Misery! You’re right about the movie missing a lot of scenes, but they would’ve been very disturbing and gory had the producers put those into the movie. One involved the character Annie running a cop over with a lawn mower. Despite his broken legs, the hero of the story, Sheldon, finds ways to get around the house to nibshit whenever Annie would leave the house, and you’re on the edge of your seat screaming at the screen for him to make it back into bed before she discovers he’s found a way to leave his room, let alone his bed. It’s a story that involves a battle of wits too. Who’s the most devious? Annie in her nutty psychosis, or Sheldon who’s desperate to keep her from killing him and being rescued.

Anyway, I adored both The Green Mile books and the movie. I wailed like a damn baby when Coffee was executed. Blubbered my way through about ten tissues and I’m not kidding! And Percy(sp?) was such a little shit that I wished I could step into the book while reading and kick his ass up around his ears. That’s what I mean about King having a knack for making his characters so realistic.

Let’s see…book better than the film…? King’s Dreamcatcher was much better than the film. I’m not saying that the film wasn’t good—it was excellent and the producers/directors did a fine job of capturing the plot and essence of the story, but there was so much involved in the book that I was disappointed the movie wasn’t turned into one of those 6-hour series like The North and the South or Lonesome Dove. The novel IT was done as a television movie, and imho, it sucked canal water.

One movie that will make you laugh like a loon and sob like a baby is Where the Heart Is. It has such actresses as Natalie Portman and Stockard Channing in it. I could NOT put the book down (Billie Letts is the author) and the movie was almost exactly like the novel. Another one…well, hell. Must’ve farted and lost my train of thought because I forget what the movie and book was now.

M.E: Hhahahahah @ farted. Z farts! Z farts!

Oh yeah, I cried snot bucketfuls at Green Mile. And I swear, that bloke that played Percy, I reckon people would have actually attacked that poor effer in the street because he played him so well.

Where the Heart is, sounds like this shitty programme we have over here. Think it’s about farm life or something. Prolly not the same as the film you’re on about HA!

Z? Have you ever written while drunk. Really drunk? It’s cool because your brain doesn’t do the ‘stop and think’ thing.

Z: No, this Where the Heart Is novel starts out with a young girl who’s crappy looking-for-fame boyfriend abandons her at a Walmart store and she’s 9 months pregnant. She lives in the store at night, leaving IOUs in the store for things that she uses, and during the day, she wanders the Oklahoma town she’s been dumped at. She’s there for a couple weeks, then one night, she goes into labor, and the local librarian, a bit of an eccentric man for good reason, crashes through a plate glass window because he hears her screams. The story snowballs from there. It’s about the odd quirks of life, the people that walk in and out of a person’s life, love (without dwelling on the sex), and how no matter how hard you try, you really can’t plan how your life works out.

Me? Write while drunk? While buzzed, yes. Drunk, no. I’m one of those people who gets silly and very relaxed if I drink too much, followed by very unlady like snoring, lol. I have been known to try to push myself while exhausted or sick and not remember one damn thing I wrote, email or otherwise, during those times. Two winters ago, I came down sick with one of those bugs where you vomit until you nearly turn inside out and are so weak you can’t hold your head up. I had so much Nyquil and cold meds in me that I eventually didn’t feel a thing. I was desperate to make the aches from my fever stop.

Somehow, I queried about 20 literary agents and I don’t remember a damn thing about it. The following days, reply after reply started arriving in my inbox as I was recuperating, and I’m thinking, “what the hell? I never queried these agents.” I looked through my query journal, and sure enough, I had them written down. That scared me, though. Never want to be that sick again.

M.E: Ooooh fugging hell! I’d fair shit me knicks if I did that.

I did a ‘write while drunk’ exercise a couple of times. First time was gibberish but the second time some really emotional stuff came out. And it was surprisingly error free too! Weird.

I know I’ve been online in my old crit group while sloshed. Had a great laugh on this limericks thread. Everyone wrote a limerick about one another, and it seemed we were all on there at the same time. So, when we posted our own limerick, we had to go back and read about 6 others. I cried with laughter that night.

Useless info, but ho hum!

See, with that preggo in Walmart scenario, surely, after all the stuff went missing and she started leaving notes, the store manager would have made sure the shop was searched before it closed each night so she couldn’t hide again?

This is why I don’t watch TV much or movies. I’m the one who always says stuff like, ‘Oh that just wouldn’t happen in real life!’

CV always says, ‘But it’s a moooovie!’

And I say, ‘But just cos it’s a mooovie doesn’t mean it should make us watchers feel dumb!’

Z: Well, I should’ve explained myself more. I didn’t mean that she left IOUs lying around, but kept a notebook full of them for when she finally left the store. That way, once she got a job and a home for her and her baby, she could go back and give the Walmart store the money for everything in the IOU notebook she kept. You should find the book and read it, M.E. I think you’ll fall in love with it. The author really took the time to make every detail perfect.

I do, however, find a lot of e-books and print books with plot holes, though. If I spot such problems, you’d think that most editors would catch them too, but they don’t.

M.E: Yes, I’ve found the same thing. One plot hole was so large I could have sat my arse in it. I think many people would have read at least one book where something didn’t add up.

I’m a bugger for spotting (when I do actually watch films and TV) things that don’t add up scene-wise. Like say, a woman could have put her bag down on the counter and put her hand on it. The scene flicks for one second to the man and back to the woman. And her bag’s gone! Or it’s round her neck. What the hell? Same with books. ‘She closed her eyes’ in one line. Two lines down she’s looking at something. I’m thinking, ‘What, with her eyes closed?’ I know as writers we shouldn’t do a blow-by-blow account of every movement, but stuff like closed eyes stick out for me.

Z: Yup. I do the same thing. I catch a lot of these things in the work newer or just-starting-out authors ask me to crit for them. I don’t crit so much anymore because of lack of time, but when I do, it seems to amaze the writers that I’m so nit picky. It’s not being picky, it’s being thorough. Like you said, if a character has her eyes closed in line one and two lines down she’s looking at something, it goes against the laws of physics unless she has clear or paper thin eyelids, LOL!

M.E: That’d be cool. Paper thin eyelids has just given me a damn cool plot idea. I’ve got stabbings and all sorts going on in my head! Disturbing to be so excited about that. HA! I’m working on a scene for Quits 2. Really creepy. It’s going really well. I’ve written 30K in three and a half days. Yay me! I plan to get it done by tomorrow night.

I’ve just been into town and got a new casserole dish. I only went and smashed the effing thing just now on the doorstep. How like Brenda in AAB could I get?

Hey, and I just got some King books. Hearts in Atlantis. The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon, and Bag of Bones.

Z: I’m curious to know what you think of GIRL. I only got half way through it and stopped. Haven’t read HEARTS but own a copy, plus I’ve read Bag of Bones and really enjoyed it. Good look into King’s life through that one. If you can get a copy of On Writing by King, you’ll like it too.

M.E: Well today I picked up Rose Madder and Dreamcatcher for a QUID! I’m still enjoying Hearts, read when I’m in bed. Trouble is, I don’t want to stop reading even when my eyes are tired and wake up in the middle of the night and pick the bloody thing up again.

I dyed my hair today. I finally have it back to the blonde it used to be before I had a phase of being dark haired. Took a few sets of highlighting sessions to bring it back to normal but I quite like it.

Z: I need to go back to my natural color. I colored mine from its usual dark auburn to a dark coffee color. I. Do. Not. Like. It. The dark coffee color shows the silver that’s growing out. The husband says I should be happy that I have bright silver instead of gray or white. I told him to shut the hell up. I’m too young to have any signs of aging. He said that premature aging is fine, that it just shows that I’ve earned every silver hair that’s appearing—like running a race car too hard and the engine starts to go. “Oh, is that so?” I said. “I guess for a man that premature ejaculation is similar, then? So when it happens it just means the engine's been revved too long.”

That shut him up—and fast.

Are you wiping coffee off the monitor? Good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, that's how it is between me and M.E., lol. Might be more information than you were looking for, though, LOL! You can visit M.E. Ellis or check out her novels. The graphic is of her latest called All About Brenda. I haven't read it yet, but it's in my e-book folder to read and review. I've read a couple reviews that say it's hilarious, and judging by her emails, I believe it!

2007-04-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

Free Countdown Clocks at WishAFriend.com

I had to ask for The Red Storm's deadline of April 14th to be moved to later in the month. Since I have four days to myself (well, I have kids in the house as usual, but they're under strict instructions to leave me the hell alone, lolol...), I plan on finishing up the rough draft by Monday night, Wednesday the 11th at the latest. This will give me time to revise and get it proofed before turning it in.

Wish me luck!

2007-03-24T14:23:00.000-04:00

Isn't the graphic below lovely? I found this through my myspace page. Sometimes myspace users will leave graphics as comments for me and I'll follow the links to find some amazing pictures. This one, though, really took my fancy. Maybe it's the purply goodness involved in it? LOL!

Marci, the wonderful owner and chief editor of WCP and FB is creating a newsletter template for me. Thank you, Marci. She's html savvy, and offered to create something simple but stylish for my author newsletter involving my colors and my themes. I am thrilled beyond words. Having such a template is going to cut one more thing off my to-do list each month.

Let's see...what else?

Oh, yeah. Mr. Big Pecker is seeking revenge for the rotten egg. I have to admit, with all the stress I've had of late, the deadlines, and the kid chaos that is beyond the norm the past few weeks, I'm not as on top of things as I'd normally be. I paid for it too.

The other day, we had an unseasonably warm day for March. I tugged one of my patio chairs out of the storage bin and set it up to enjoy the balmy wind and sunshine for a while. The chickens strutted their stuff on the other side of the lawn just beyond the back gate, so I figured I was safe and that they were busy scrounging for the early spring bugs and worms.

Oh wait. I forgot to get my laptop and my fresh cup of coffee. Hurrying inside, I quickly poured a coffee. Something white an fluffy caught my attention. I turned to find Miss Sassy flapping her wings in front of the kitchen window and bouncing off the glass. Again, she sailed up from the patio, flapping like mad, and bounced off the windowpane.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Cleat! Cleat!" she squawked.

"Cleat?"

"Cleat!" Miss Sassy squawked again and banged against the window.

Frowning, I waggled my finger at her. "I already fed you and the rest of the flock early this morning. You've had plenty to eat."

This time she landed on the ledge and beat her pecker against the glass. "Cleat!" she said, ruffling her feathers.

I turned away and walked into my office, grabbed my laptop, and thought about how well Ms. Sassy's drumsticks would taste with plenty of butter and garlic and maybe some ranch dressing mashed potatoes on the side. Seemed like all that hen wanted to do any more was eat and scrounge for bugs.

In the kitchen, I grabbed my coffee cup on the way out the patio door. I placed my cup on a flagstone by my chair and turned to find Miss Sassy regarding me with a weird gleam in her beady little eyes.

"Cleat!" she squawked.

"I told you no more food today," I snapped and sat down.

CRUNCH!

Something wet penetrated my jeans and a putrid odor assailed my nostrils.

CLEAT...seat? Damn chickenese! If they're going to be American chicken why can't they just learn to speak English??? Miss Sassy didn't want to eat, she had been warning me that something had been placed in my seat!

I jumped up out of the chair and set my laptop down. Egg shell and goo dripped off my back porch swing and splatted on the stones between my feet. Whirling, I spotted Mr. Big Pecker's pecker sticking out from behind the big flower pot on the patio's corner.

"You pecker head," I screamed.

The rooster took off like the cliche`d bat out of Hell. I looked around for the nearest weapon. There, next to the back porch, lay a boot scraper. Heavy, yes, but I was pissed. I snatched it up, held it in my hand like shot put and let it fly.

Mr. Big Pecker didn't know what hit him.

My good jeans are ruined.

I scrubbed my ass three times with Irish Spring soap.

And Mr. Big Pecker looked damn fine as last Sunday dinner's centerpiece.

2007-03-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

Good Post Coming Soon!

I apologize for my absence and the promo posts of late. I have so much going on, planting season is about to start, and I'm exhausted. I just got over being really sick too. Four days of fever and blech just about did me in.

I'll post soon and fill all my devoted readers in on the latest. I promise. Just bear with me.

2007-03-14T17:28:00.000-04:00

March has been a chaotic month so far at the Hope Farm. I panicked when I realized that tomorrow was the 15th and I hadn't created this month's newsletter yet. I just spent 2 1/2 hours working on it, lol, so it's live.

In this month's issue:

The newest developments for my fiction such as upcoming novels, etc.
An excerpt from The Red Storm.
A name tip for writers
New Reviews
A couple easy contests
When Conspiracy of Angels goes into print production.
A couple interviews
A thank you

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZHnewsletter

2007-03-13T20:36:00.000-04:00

WOOT!

Check out my revamped website www.zinniahope.com

Lazy Daisy Designs has updated it for me, given me a new header, some buttons, etc. It totally rocks!!! If you're looking for a great web designer that is reasonable, contact Lazy Daisy Designs. She is amazing.

2007-03-09T19:14:00.000-05:00

For everyone who stopped at my chat at Romance Erotica Connection, thank you. The chat was a huge success! I gave away nice bookmarks, some brand new Harlequin romances and laughed like a loon at some of the great jokes and silliness that we shared.

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much lately. I have so much work to catch up on and keep up with. Btw, All Romance Ebooks interviewed me for their newsletter called Wildfire. It should go out to the masses on March 16th.

Click to join ZHnewsletter

2007-03-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

HURRY!

From Noon to 6 PM EST!

As I post this, it's almost 10:35 AM. I'll be at Romance_Erotica_Connection today discussing publishing, chatting with readers, posting excerpts of works in progress as well as new releases, answering questions... My work isn't all erotic romance, so stop in and learn about the other genres I write from horror to interracial romance.

Prizes are:

Beautiful, autographed bookmarks
A couple e-books
A brand new paper back romance from Silhouette Romance
A nice gift from Henry Fields.com (or another site should someone overseas win and HF won't ship there.) to celebrate spring.

I've worked really hard on this, so I hope to see you there. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romance_erotica_connection

2007-02-28T12:04:00.000-05:00

TONIGHT!

The following is a great way to learn about a new up-and-coming publisher. My novel The Red Storm is with Lavender Isis, so stop by and check them out. The editors are super cool ladies.

Lavendar Isis Press chat

Date: Wednesday February 28, 2007
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST
Location: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wildchildpublishingchat/

2007-02-26T15:30:00.000-05:00

I'm a little slow about getting around to posting this and I do apologize. I had a challenge on my Z Group and asked the following question:

Can you guess who wrote these novels? Hint: they're older romance novels and one of the titles is on my blog too.

Winner gets a chicken graphic. I'll announce the winner on my blog where you can also pick up the graphic.

The Flame and the Flower
The Wolf and the Dove
Shanna
Ashes in the Wind
A Rose in Winter

Marci G. Baun answered correctly first: The author is Kathleen Woodiwiss. But Mahaira's answer came in about 30 seconds later, so I'm announcing her as a winner too (plus she even emailed a link for the author's work).

Congrats on winning, ladies. Here's the graphic. I thought it was hilarious.

2007-02-22T16:23:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Thought I'd post the links to a couple of the autographed bookmarks I'm giving away as prizes on March 3. They're 10 1/2 by 3 inches, glossy and very nice. Link ONE and link TWO.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey everyone!

On Saturday, March 3, I'll be at Romance_Erotica_Connection for my first Cocktail Chat from 12 noon until 6 PM. I'm gong to be giving away some cute prizes and some free e-books. The REC Group is a lot of fun and the members there are super nice and chatty.

Stop by and talk with me and the others there. I think you'll really enjoy yourself.

I'll post a reminder here and send out a promo later. Yes, you must be a member to participate, but it's easy to unsubscribe to such groups after you're done chatting. (I have to do the same to manage all the chat groups too.)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romance_erotica_connection/

2007-02-15T21:02:00.000-05:00

Here's my official cover for my science-fiction novel due out from Lavender Isis Press this spring. I love that red lightning! It's a huge part of the setting in this novel.

Blurb:
Through her Grandmother Arianna's example, Jordanne Saunders becomes the admiral of The Red Storm. Her maiden voyage is to transport top government officials for a meeting of countries, but crewmembers would love to see Jordanne fall flat on her face.

When she’s given her grandmother's journal, Jordanne learns that Arianna's demise was not an accident, and expert Delph hunter, Wesley Cofferdrake, aids her in piecing the enigma together. As the voyage progresses, disease and hysteria plague the ship, but through a strange twist of events that nearly costs Wesley his life, Jordanne discovers that Arianna’s murderer has been right under their nose the entire time!

2007-02-15T13:12:00.000-05:00

I've been interviewed!!! You can read it HERE.

February's newsletter went live this morning. I have some excerpts of a contracted WIP and my Freya's Bower Dreams and Desires Charity Anth story as well as chicken antics, new releases, a contest/freebie, agent news, ad swaps and lots more!

Click NEWSLETTER

Wow, that was fast!

The newsletter has only been live since about 11 AM, but a big congratulations goes to Mahaira, who's a member of my Z Group and a newsletter subscriber. Hers was the first entry to win an the autographed Freya's Bower bookmark. There's only one more to give away for the February newsletter, so hurry and send in your entries!

2007-02-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

It has gone live today. If you pre-ordered, you can use your certificate now. If you go HERE, all the info you need is on this page along with one of the new reviews.

2007-02-09T12:54:00.000-05:00

My newsletter this month will have a how-to writing article, an excerpt from The Red Storm due out this spring from Lavender Isis Press, an excerpt from my story in the Dreams and Desires charity anthology, the remainder of the chicken story posted below and much more. Please sign up so I can stay in touch with all my fans and blog readers.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZHnewsletter/

Congrats to Judy Cox on my Z Group for winning a Freya's Bower bookmark with my autograph!!!

If you'd like to see the photo side of the bookmark, go HERE. The back has the lovely script about Freya that's seen on the FB homepage header. These are top professional quality, large, glossy bookmarks.

Okay, sorry for the short post, but I need to get back to work.

Besides, the chickens are spying on me through the window and peck like mad on the glass if they think I'm procrastinating! The little peckerheads!

2007-02-02T13:07:00.000-05:00

Mr. Big Pecker has been spotted lurking by the back patio again. He denies it, of course, but he has the biggest pecker tracks around, so I know it's him. When the ground is snow covered, anything that crosses the yard leaves tracks.

Actually, he's a bit pissed at me, so now he's trying to keep tabs on me to devise his next method of attack.

The other day, I walked out on the patio into a layer of fresh snow to find a suspicious, white-covered lump. Well, I just had to poke at it. Big mistake, I know. It turned out to be a big pile of chicken shit.

Mr. Big Pecker shot out from behind the nearby maple tree cackling up a storm.

It could have been worse. If I hadn't been paying attention I might've stepped in it and possibly brought it into the house on the bottom of my snowboot.

However, I only made matters worse, I suppose. I've been saving something especially for Mr. Big Pecker. Little does he know that one of the hens is pissed at him for taking up with that hussy hen with the big white breasts. Miss Sassy brought me a rotten egg and explained her situation. I deposited the egg in a tightly sealed box just inside the door. As Mr. Big Pecker raced across the snow (and let's face it, there is no dignified way for a chicken to run no matter how hard it might try.), I whipped open the door and grabbed the container...

To see how this chicken escapade ends, go HERE. (Yes, I'm wicked, but what can I say?)

2007-01-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

Due to popular demand, lol, I have a couple pictures of the snowmen. When the boys were finished, there were three, but two were flattened by the UPS man when he arrived. But I guess if I saw a giant blue pecker coming toward me, I'd probably wreck too, rofl!

If you missed the initial post read the one below.

2007-01-22T11:47:00.000-05:00

WV, OH, TN, KY (No, not the jelly! Sheesh!) received snow and freezing rain. I've been watching the Weather Channel and know several cyber pals who have been dealing with that nastiness. All the warm temps and rain we had is now following in the Midwest's footsteps.

So...

School was cancelled today.

My boys are outside right now building snowmen...snowomen...uh...snow-he/shes...? Hell, I don't know what to call them. I bundled myself, walked outside--slipping and sliding across the entire yard, while the chickens watched and clucked in hilarity, the little peckerheads!--and finally reached the main snowman to admire their work.

Heheheheh...

Know what I found? A king-size pecker sticking straight out from about waist high on the snowman. All with a nice set of gonads too!

Oh, and let's not forget the set of hooters: size double D's.

"What do you think mom?"

"I think you made a snowman with a pecker--and boobs." I looked at the boys, trying very hard not to laugh. I mean, they know I write erotic material, but I don't even allow the oldest, who's 18, to read any of it! No way, no how. I wasn't sure if they were building the snowman/woman/snow-its (I said ITs, not tits! Get your brain out of the gutter, I'm struggling to keep it together here, lol...) to rattle my cage or if they're just being their usual highly ornery selves.

My husband's young cousin is here too today. (His mother dropped him off on her way to work. Lord help me if she notices the mammoth size snowthing in the front yard with the giant pecker when she picks him up tonight!) He grinned and said, "Yeah, but isn't it cool?"

Uh...yeah, especially since they mixed up blue food coloring and put it in a spray bottle and uh...gave the snowthing a few accents, including blue nipples.

"It looks like Mr. Snowman Thing has been out in the elements a bit long," I said.

"Yeah!" My oldest boy crowed. "That's the point!"

"Why does it have boobs too?" I asked.

They all looked at one another and shrugged. "Seemed like the cool thing to do at the time," the next to the oldest replied.

Sheesh. Looks like the chickens have another perch to roost on--at least until the temperature rises.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Thank God we live back a long, long drive away from the main road.

(If you missed the excerpt, see below.)

2007-01-20T19:09:00.000-05:00

Dedicated to my green gemstone whose belief in me never wavers and who has been with me through all the chaos and misery. We made it, sweetie, and now the wounds heal.

Prologue

Seven years ago in New York City.

Beauty and bliss visited for a while.

Shock arrived, and for a few moments, the reality of what she’d committed took a backseat. Slowly, awareness finally returned, but shame slammed into her like an unexpected hit-and-run vehicle.

Rustling fabric and footsteps permeated the haze in her brain. She managed to raise her head and look up at the man looming over her. He shrugged into a jacket and grinned.

“It’s been great, but I don’t want the baggage that comes with you.” He scooped up a few tiny tablets on the coffee table with one hand and pulled a set of car keys from his designer slacks with the other. Without a backward glance, he dismissed her, and shut the door quietly.

She raised her head, her gaze sweeping the immediate area. The room lay in ruin from their lovemaking. Her clothing hung from lampshades and the backs of chairs. Throw pillows lay helter-skelter on the sofa and carpet. Scattered magazines from the coffee table rested on the large area. One corner of the room held the shattered remains of a ceramic vase and its silk peonies.

A baby’s cry erupted from her bedroom gradually transforming into a sweet chant, but to her, it might as well have been a fire siren intensified one thousand times.

“Ma-ma-ma-ma.”

She had to get up, but her head weighed a ton. She pressed her cheek to the cool hardwood floor and listened to the neighbor’s party upstairs. Pain bloomed in her head, an unfurling mushroom cloud of torture. The misery in her skull continued to crest until it matched the bass that boomed from above her apartment. Her roommates had gone to the party hours ago.

If only she had accepted their invitation, she wouldn’t be on the floor now, feeling as though a tractor-trailer had just smashed into her, sounds heightened to mind blasting proportions.

Deep down, she knew she was lying to herself. She had been so eager to please him, so intent on keeping him. He’d played upon her fears and insecurities, forcing her to give in to him.

She should have ended the relationship weeks ago.

How could I be so weak?

“Ma-ma-ma-ma.”

She groaned at the noise. It grew quiet in the bedroom, and when she didn’t appear, the infant began to fuss.

God, if you haven’t abandoned me, I need your help. I’ve really made a horrible mess of things, but Alex needs me right now.

Finally, naked and dizzy, she struggled to her feet and stumbled to her bedroom. A chubby, dark-haired boy angel stared back at her with innocent blue eyes. He pulled himself up by the crib bars and pointed at a bottle of juice on the floor.

“Mmph.” He grinned. One lonely bottom tooth glimmered in the light.

She retrieved the bottle, her senses spinning as if she had just stepped off of an amusement ride. Carefully, she laid her baby down and placed the bottle in his fat little hands.

He sucked greedily; his eyelids fluttered and closed.

She staggered out into the hall and wobbled along to the bathroom, one hand on the smooth beige plaster to steady herself. Upon reaching the doorway, she lunged for the toilet and spewed the remains of her chicken-fried rice and Lambrusco supper into the porcelain bowl. She’d heard that sometimes people experienced bizarre reactions to Ecstasy, and prayed the physical repercussions didn’t worsen.

Satisfied that her belly wouldn’t rebel anymore, she nearly fell into the shower and fumbled to turn on the water. She knew he’d been rougher with her than she would have preferred, but his cruel hands seemed loving and gentle despite what her common sense had told her. As the water slid over the bruises on her breasts, arms and thighs, she realized that the drug had disguised nightmarish pain as pleasure.

An idea arose from the steam.

Luckily, her grandmother was gone for the weekend, and their roommates wouldn’t be home until late. She would clean up the room before anyone returned to the apartment, sweep up all the glass, and develop an acceptable excuse for the broken vase.

No one would ever know.

For more info CLICKEY! The chickens are waiting on the side with tar and feathers if you don't. (Well, in their case they're using synthetic feathers, but the idea's the same, lol.)

Z's author newsletter CLICKEY!

2007-01-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak preview of the first edition of my official author newsletter. I hope you decide to sign up. Things are really heating up for me on the writing front and I'm scrambling to keep up with blogs, forums, and my online fanbase.

My newsletter is simple but nice and in a real newsletter format instead of plain text. (You'll need to enable html in your email if you opt to receive it in that manner, otherwise, you won't be able to see the graphics and colors.) You won't have to worry about graphics that make your eyes bleed (lol) or constant bombardment of promos, group messages, or anything else like that. My newsletter will be once a month. I had thought about bi-monthly or quarterly, but there's too much news of late to combine into one volume and I like to keep in touch with everyone on a regular basis.

Newsletter issues will not only have writing news and the latest releases, but my chicken saga will be included as well as freebies for subscribers, contests, how-to writing articles and much, much more!

Click to join ZHnewsletter

Mountain Greetings!

Thank you for signing up for my newsletter. I have to say that not knowing html has really made me appreciate those who do. I’ve banged my head on my keyboard so much I have the imprint of the keys on my forehead.

Since this is the beta version, bear with me as I tinker with the coding of subsequent newsletters until I find what I want to use. I haven’t yet decided if my newsletter with be bi-monthly or quarterly. It will, however, be full of the latest writing news, humor, articles, contests and free stuff for subscribers.

Many of you know me from my erotic romances that I write for www.freyasbower.com. There are a lot of changes for me in the coming year. Although Freya’s Bower is my main e-book/print publisher, I’m branching out to other publishers too for my non-erotic romances. I’ve also been asked to write material for a new publisher that’s launching in the near future. (Details to come.) So, for those of you who choose to follow me on my journey, I welcome you.

2007-01-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

2007-01-10T16:55:00.000-05:00

I've sold a new title to Amira Press!!!

Blurb:
When Regina’s boss gives an ex-con a job at the bookstore and an apartment across the hall from hers, she expects the worst. Arnold has served 50 years for murder, but Regina isn’t so sure he’s guilty.

Over the course of a week, and throughout the torrential downpours of hurricane rains, Regina and Arnold discover that age and time has no bearing on true love.

Purchase Link: http://amirapress.com/donnadee.htm

The excerpt isn't available on the site yet, so I'm posting the opening scene here.

Excerpt

Visiting Donna Dee
by
Zinnia Hope

Regina hated rain.

The radio droned on about Hurricane Ivan's impending arrival to the Ohio Valley that September weekend. Gazing through a plate glass window, Regina studied the expanse of cornflower blue stretched over New Martinsville, West Virginia.

She glanced at the clock. The man was late. She still couldn't believe her employer, Mr. Todd, had agreed to house and employ an ex-inmate, a Mr. Arnold Cuttshaver. Her boss had said little about the man. Her only instructions were to show Mr. Cuttshaver around the store, train him, and settle him upstairs in his efficiency apartment.

Legends In Print enjoyed good business, but Mondays were the slowest day of the week. At noon, Regina locked the door and hung the OUT TO LUNCH sign before accessing the stairs to her apartment. She made a sandwich and grabbed a can of Diet Coke before moseying back downstairs. She locked the door again and sat down behind the counter.

The cold, fizzy Coke refreshed Regina’s mouth. She closed her eyes as she gulped. Upon opening them again, an elderly man stood inside the vestibule, his forehead pressed against the glass, hands cupped around his eyes.

They stared at one another.

"We're not open for another forty minutes," Regina announced.

"I'm Arnold Cuttshaver," he called through the glass. "I'm supposed to meet a young woman here by the name Regina."

She studied the old man, her mind scrambling to re-assemble the mental picture she had constructed of him. Where was the forty-something guy with a long ponytail, acid rock insignia tee shirt, hole-riddled jeans and deviant smile?

The fellow stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked up at the Legends In Print sign over the door. Brown trousers a size too large for him hung upon narrow, bony hips; clownish wing tip shoes peeked out from the cuffs of his pants. A black leather belt kept his shirt tucked neatly in his waistband; the shirt’s blue material gleamed dully in the afternoon sunshine giving the impression of cheap, over-pressed polyester. He peered up at the awning, a brown fedora shading his eyes.

Nodding, he stepped into the foyer and pressed his face to the glass again, his large nose creating a flat oval, and asked, "Is Regina here today?"

She grabbed her keys and walked to the door, unlocking it. "Come in. I'm Regina. Regina Mayse."

He held out a large, gnarled hand. "Arnold Cuttshaver."

Regina placed her hand in his warm, dry one. He gripped it snugly, and a strange sense of familiarity soughed through her like a summer breeze. Her gaze flew up to meet his blue eyes.

“How old are you?” he asked abruptly.

“I just turned nineteen a couple weeks ago—why?”

“No reason. You just look terribly young to be managing a bookstore.”

Not sure whether or not she should be offended, Regina studied him for a moment and said, “Well, I’m attending Wheeling Jesuit University two nights a week for my business degree. Besides, Mr. Todd gave me a trial period and was impressed with my management ideas and how well I work with the customers.”

Arnold nodded. “Well, let’s get this show on the road.”

It took Arnold a couple minutes to navigate the staircase leading to the upstairs apartments. At the top, waiting patiently, Regina wondered how an elderly inmate had ended up here. Slightly winded, Arnold reached the landing and his pale blue gaze met hers. She saw doubt in his eyes wrapped in a blanket of despair, and in the center of it all, a profound sadness that pricked Regina's heart. Regardless of his past imprisonment, she saw volumes of history archived in Arnold's eyes. She smiled nervously, feeling a bit of her own uncertainty.

"Your apartment is on the left," she said. "It's not fancy, but it's clean, and there’s lots of shelving and cabinet space."

"I have nothing to fill it with," Arnold stated.

Embarrassment washed over Regina. “I’m sorry. Do we need to call someone to bring things that you might have in storage?”

“I’ve been behind prison walls for fifty years,” the old man replied. “Everything I own is hanging on my bony frame.

"Then maybe you'll enjoy filling your room with new things," Regina added in an attempt to soothe the tension.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won’t."

~*~*~*~

Visiting Donna Dee is available now for pre-ordering. The grand re-opening of Amira Press is Valentine's Day, and right now, if you pre-order one title, you get a second title of your choice for half off between the dates of 2/14/07 and 2/28/07.

Visiting Donna Dee is priced at $5 on the purchase page, but that is an error. The title is only $3 and it WILL be only $3 should you click to pre-order it.

PRE-ORDER NOW

~*~*~*~

If you missed yesterday's post, contest update and joke, you can find them in the post below.

2007-01-09T09:48:00.000-05:00

Good morning all!

I'm in the middle of writing like mad on a new novel, so please don't give up on checking in here for funny posts and madness with the chickens. I want to make an ammendment about something, then I'll post something that had me laughing so hard I was actually crying and holding my belly.

I have discovered that people are sending in guesses on my Conspiracy of Angels contest. I'm a bit hurt and miffed over this, but luckily, out of the handful of entries I've received so far, no one has answered correctly. So I'm ammending the contest to be fair to those who actually do buy and read the novel. {And thank you to all those who have purchased it. An unbelievable amount of time and headache went into writing that novel.}

Ammended Contest Rules for Conspiracy of Angels:

The prize is a nice collection of goodies. There will be a menagerie of things in it from books to writing supplies to greeting cards to jewelry to whatever else I decide to throw in. (***Overseas entries will receive an Amazon.com gift certificate for the approximate value of the goodies.***) All you have to do is tell me what color the carnation is that the mysterious man (angel) gives to Elizabeth AND what does the carnation turn into. Yup, that’s it. Email your answer to zinnia_hope@sbcglobal.net with the words "Conspiracy Contest" in the subject line. I’m not sure how long I’ll run this contest, but I’ll post the occasional reminder and notify everyone a couple days before I decide to draw the winning answer. You can find the novel HERE.

Correct answers will go into a "hat" and one of my boys will draw the winner.

Funny Stuff

A while ago, I received the following from a friend and saved it because it's so hilarious--well, to me, anyway, lol. Some of you may have read this somewhere already, but for those of you who haven't, I hope you enjoy it. It gives me good ideas on how to torment the chickens...lmao...

All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax.
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom. It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough tofigure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each otherstuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in soI get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ”Cold wax," ( yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Holdthe skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the bestfeeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longereludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinary. With my next wax strip I move
north.

After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the
ultimate hair fighting championship.Idrop my panties and place one foot
on the toilet. Using the same procedure, I apply the was strip across the right sideof my bikini line, covering the right half of my vagina and stretchingdown to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) Iinhale deeply and brace myself....RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip.
CRAP!!!

Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly andspotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...Do I hearcrashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal.I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has causedme so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revelin the glory that is my triumph over body hair.

I hold up the strip!

There's no hair on it.

Where is the hair???

WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I seethe hair. The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax.CRAP! I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, whichis now covered in cold wax and matted hair.Then I make the next BIG
mistake...remember my foot is still propped upon the toilet?

I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down. DANG!!!!!!!!

I hear the slamming of a cell door.

Vagina? Sealed shut! Butt?? Sealed shut!

I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do andthink to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head maypop off!" What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water meltswax!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in,immerse the wax covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gentlywipe it off, right??? WRONG!!!!!!!I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit.

Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had
convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!!I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has somesecret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter-"So, my butt and who-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!"

There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removalbut she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to knowexactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or hole or who-ha?" She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night. While we go through various solutions.

I resort to scraping the waxoff with a razor. Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, my dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post Traumatic Stress counseling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, l but I really don't care.

"IT WORKS!! It works!!"

I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. To my grief and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb bynow. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color......

2007-01-04T18:03:00.000-05:00

There are times that I’m in a serious mood. (Gasp!) Everyone online and off knows me for my zaniness, my rapier tongue (that often gets me in trouble), and lol, my chicken stories. I think most of my readers visit my blog for those poultry tales, but I’ve got to tell you, Z gets tired and runs out of things to write about just like anyone else.

I admire my fellow author M.E. Ellis for her ability to always have something funny and or unique to blog about, but my brain has slipped into neutral of late and I can’t seem to kick it into gear. No, I’m not suffering writer’s block, it’s just that the chickens aren’t always on the warpath and I’m not always kicking field goals with them either. So, I’ve been working on a couple new novels.

I’m looking forward to 2007. No, I’m not going to blog about my writing goals. And no, I don’t set resolutions, just goals. I do believe that positive thinking aids good energy to flowing the right way, so I’m focusing on blessings for the New Year. 2006—hell, 2005, ’03 and ’02 for that matter—were all rough years. One bright spot is that the husband and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary just before Christmas. (Our house full of boys and the new addition is a blended family.)

Charity Anthology Update

I’ve spoken with Faith and Marci about the FB Charity Anthology, Dreams and Desires, as well has chatting briefly through email with several of the authors in this collection. Marci has sent out many press release packages to TV and radio stations as well as newspapers. I’m very pleased to be a part of this anthology, and it’s for such a good cause too. Do you realize that people donate three times more money to animal shelters than they do to help their fellow man??? All time, editing, stories and promotions have been donated for this anthology and all monies earned go to help a battered women’s shelter in Florida. For more information on e-book, print or hardback copies, you can find it HERE.

Other Things

There are going to be some changes for me over the next few months, so I’d like to invite you to my Z Group as well as Dreaming the Words, which is a group for writers and authors to find writerly support no matter what the issue. I’m very pleased with the group so far, plus we’ve had some amazing discussions.

Also, Conspiracy of Angels was released December 19th. I want to thank all the authors and readers who read and/or participated at my all day loop chat. I have a little contest that I’m going to run on my blogs and a few of the places I frequent. The prize is a nice collection of goodies. There will be a menagerie of things in it from books to writing supplies to greeting cards to jewelry to whatever else I decide to throw in. (***Overseas entries will receive an Amazon.com gift certificate for the approximate value of the goodies.***)

All you have to do is tell me what color the carnation is that the mysterious man (angel) gives to Elizabeth AND what does the carnation turn into. Yup, that’s it. Email your answer to zinnia_hope@sbcglobal.net. I’m not sure how long I’ll run this contest, but I’ll post the occasional reminder and notify everyone a couple days before I decide to draw the winning answer. You can find the novel HERE.

That said, the natives are restless, so I better get supper on the table before there’s a mutiny.