Christmas in July contest

For a chance to win a print copy of Aztec Security name all the couples in the book, then post them and your e-mail address here and I’ll choose a winner by next weekend.

Here is a link to the blurb that will give you the answer.

 http://samhainpublishing.com/print/aztec-security-print

Jerri

THE WINNER IS BETTY! I’LL GET THE BOOK OFF TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN. THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERING.

Another Birthday rolls by, and Christmas in July!

So I had another birthday yesterday and it was wonderful. All my children, plus Emma were here and that’s a blessing in itself. What got me was the cake my hubby brought home. Done at Sam’s Club on Lemay Ferry Rd in St. Louis where my hubby works. DH came up with the idea. I totally loved it!

So, a number of romance suspense authors will be chatting on the Samhain Loop Sunday from 4 to 5. Come on over. I’ll be giving away a copy of one of my books.

Working on revisions right now, but I did finish chapter 2 of Hook, Line, Murder.

Have a great Thursday!

Jerri

I have a release date!

Yep, Grace Under Fire has a release date. Digital release is 11-18-09. Print date, tentatively 11-18-09. It could change. But I’m very excited because I thought it wouldn’t be released until next year. I’m really going to work hard to get the word out with this book. Cord is a great tortured hero and deserves that much.

I finally worked up the nerve to send my submission to Harlequin. Now the waiting begins. I pray they’ll ask for the full of Going Once, Going Twice, Dead.

Hook, Line, Murder is moving along nicely. I have about a scene left to finish chapter 2. I really like it so far and that’s not easy for me to say since I’m so critical of my work, but I think it’s my best work yet.

Emma. What can I say. I simply adore her. She weighs 10 pounds, 3 ounces now. She is growing so fast.

Anyway, I’ll talk to you all later. Have a great weekend!

Jerri

Story nothing like I’d planned!

So I was three pages into the second book in my Denver Homicide series and something didn’t feel right. I knew that, but I didn’t know what until the next morning when my furbabies woke me up at 2 0′clock in the a.m. That is when I realized that Steve doesn’t belong to Laurie. Laurie’s husband does, but we’ll talk about that next book.  I deleted everything I wrote and started over. The first scene in the book gave me my title. Yes, that’s how I roll. LOL. Anyway. I’m half done with the first chapter. Introduced my hero and heroine to the story, with just a hint of their backstories–hopefully just enough to keep the reader wanting to know more.

Hero–Steve Morgan of course. My image for him in my head is Simon Baker.

Heroine–Whitney McAllister. I don’t have an image for her yet but she has a three-year-old girl named Kylie. She worked in housekeeping at the lodge where Steve was sent on a forced vacation.

“Hook, Line, Murder”

Chapter One

Steve Morgan heaved a sigh of frustration and again cast his line into the water. His goal that day had been to relax and enjoy an afternoon of fishing at Beaver Lake, even though he’d been forced into this little impromptu vacation to Marble, Colorado by his commanding officer. His blood still boiled about that and would until he was allowed to return to work.
He plopped onto a deteriorating fallen tree on the bank and watched his bobber move listlessly through the current. It reminded him of his emotions–up and down since the accident.
Shaking the thought, he reeled the line in a few feet. He hadn’t caught one damned trout since he’d arrived at Beaver lodge. Maybe he’d bought the wrong bait. The Salmon eggs the guy at the fish and tackle shop suggested might have worked better.
Then again, maybe his heart wasn’t in this particular leisurely activity. But then, what else did one do in a po dunk town, population less than a thousand–at a resort touted the best for rest and relaxation with its hiking trails and small, scenic cabins featuring all the amenities. Too bad he barely knew how to boil water.
Nope. This was not for him.  He was like Ava on Green Acres. He loved city life—preferably the hustle and bustle of Denver.
Steve cranked the spindle on the reel, thinking it was a waste of time trying to catch a fish that he couldn’t cook anyway. As his line neared the bank, it snagged on something in the water.
Great. If he broke the nylon string, he’d have to pay for the rented equipment.
He rose and waded into the water. If this was relaxing, he’d have a coronary by the time he left.
A foot or two into the muddy backwash his boot bumped into something on the bottom.
He looked down. What the hell was it?
He worked his boot alongside the thing. It didn’t feel all that solid.
Steve reeled the line in further and leaned toward the surface, literally feeling all blood drain from his face. Under the water, caught on his twelve-pound test line, was a hand and he guessed the rest of the body nested against his foot.

Copyrights©jerridrennenJuly2009

Do you want to keep reading?

Jerri

 

Is it a sign?

I was printing out my partial to send to Harlequin when I ran out of ink. Maybe it’s a sign that I shouldn’t send it. What do you think? Do you believe in such things? Or am I thinking this because I’m scared? You don’t have to answer. I know which. Seriously I do, but I’m still trying to come up with an excuse to chicken out. I never used to be like this. I need to suck it up and mail the darn thing and then try and forget about it.  I’m almost done with all the revisions for the book. By the time I hear something on it, it should be all shiny and ready to go.

This morning, I watched Along Came a Spider. That story had a lot of twists and turns and I’m thinking I could write something like that. I just need to add romance to it–just because I love romance. I have an idea spinning for my second book in my Denver Homicide Series. Steve Morgan will be the hero. I think I’ll have a woman with a small child or a pregnant woman as my heroine. I’ve only written one other story where my heroine had a child and that was The Morgan Charm, my second book in my National Security Series. I may have to bring my boys back into this book. Flint and Robert Morgan were so fun to write.  Right now the story is coming to me. I think Laurie is going to be my herione–Simone’s best-friend. She shocked Simone at the end of Going Once, Going Twice, Dead. Now I know why? She just told me and I have the premise for book two. I’m off to get started. Maybe by the end of the day I’ll even have a title.

Have a productive Thursday!

Jerri