New Cover for DIAMONDS ~ Loving it!

I got a present today from my publisher, and I love it...(will be released January 18th, 2012)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

Tonight I'm sitting in bed with a tummy and back ache. Both were self-inflicted. First, I ate too much at our office luncheon party (corn and crab bisque. Yum!), then I came home and wrapped gifts for several hours straight.

As I look around my bedroom, I realize it looks like a tornado hit or like my daughter switched rooms with me. lol

Boxes, bags, wrapping paper, tissue, name tags, and gifts are everywhere. It took me 10 minutes just to clear off the bed so I could get in. Insane I tell ya.

And what is even more insane is getting my 2nd round edits today. It shouldn't be a real problem though because it doesn't appear to be much. However, the holidays are here, and we are having Christmas at our house this year. It will work out - it always does.

Okay, eyes are closing. I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday!
Hoping you find some really awesome books to read or a sweet contract!

Dawn
Not An Angel, Out now! (Amazon)
Diamonds, Jan 2012 (Siren Bookstrand)

Preternatura: From the ROYAL STREET Photo Album: Christmas at Tu...

Preternatura: From the ROYAL STREET Photo Album: Christmas at Tu...: Before I head to New Orleans, a quick note: Over at the Booksake blog, Jessica is featuring Royal Street as her Waiting on Wednesday feat...

FANTASY ON THE BAYOU (FF&P CONFERENCE) March 2-4, 2012

FANTASY ON THE BAYOU – NEW ORLEANS, LA
THE FIRST FF&P CONFERENCE – MARCH 2-4, 2012

FEATURING
KAREN M. MONING, KEYNOTE SPEAKER
BOB MAYER
KRISTEN PAINTER
LEANNA RENEE HIEBER
Plus many more amazing authors…

AGENTS
BECCA STUMPF – PROSPECT AGENCY
ELAINE SPENCER – THE KNIGHT AGENCY
MICHELLE BROWER – FOLIO LITERARY
PAUL LUCAS – JANKLOW & NESBIT
SARA MEGIBOW – NELSON AGENCY (VIRTUAL PITCHES)

EDITORS
ANGELA JAMES, CARINA PRESS
MELISSA SINGER - TOR
LIZ PELLETIER – ENTANGLED PUBLISHING
G.G. ROYALE – LOOSE ID
DONNA O’BRIEN – CRESCENT MOON PRESS (VIRTUAL PITCHES)
RENEE ROCCO – LYRICAL PRESS (VIRTUAL PITCHES)

A FEW FESTIVITIES YOU CAN DO IN THE BIG EASY: (MORE TO COME)
PITCHES, LOADS OF WORKSHOPS, LUNCH, DINNER, GOODY BAGS, GHOST/VAMPIRE TOUR, SCAVENGER HUNT, BOOKFAIR/AUTOGRAPHS, NETWORKING, AND IF YOU ARE UP TO IT, PARTYING ON BOURBON STREET AND TAKING IN THE CRAZY SIGHTS!

HOTEL INFO ON WEBSITE: NEW ORLEANS MARRIOTT – 555 CANAL STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LA.

FOR QUESTIONS & PROMO OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: STACI MCGLOTHLIN – MCGLOTS @ GMAIL.COM OR DAWN CHARTIER – DAWN @ DAWNCHARTIER.COM
OR CONFERENCE @ ROMANCE-FFP.COM (no spaces in the email names)

$250 FF&P MEMBER
$300 GENERAL
$250 MEDIA

REGISTER HERE: http://www.romance-ffp.com/2012Conference/index.cfm
WEBSITE: WWW.ROMANCE-FFP.COM
(The above list is subject to change)

PLEASE SHARE THIS CONFERENCE INFO WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO WRITES! IT'S GOING TO BE AN AMAZING CONFERENCE....

Great Goal Setting article by Theresa Meyer's

I found this article this morning over at Savvy Authors. It's a must read for those who are getting in their own way of getting published.

2012 Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FF&P) Conference

Thought I'd share a wonderful conference coming to New Orleans in March 2012. Writers/Authors/Agents/Editors of every genre' are welcome to join us!

CLICK THIS LINK AND IT WILL BRING YOU TO THE REGISTRATION PAGE:
FANTASY, FUTURISTIC AND PARANORMAL - 2012 FANTASY ON THE BAYOU CONFERENCE

.99 cents vampire romance e-book sale!

In honor of the holidays I cut the price of NOT AN ANGEL to .99 cents...

The price will go back to $2.99 once the holidays are over.

Happy Holidays,
Dawn
Not An Angel, Amazon Kindle, ARe
DIAMONDS, coming Jan. 2012, Sire BookStrand

Thanksgiving already? No!

I don't know about you, but I'm not ready for the holidays.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a scrooge are anything, but this year has flown by and all my goals weren't met. Bummer dude!

I did reach a few goals, such as I lost 20 pounds,(great to get back in my old jeans) and I sold another book, (Yay! Diamonds will be out in January 2012, with Siren BookStrand) but I still haven't completed my "Buried Magic" book, and you know what? That's okay with me.

Why is this book so much harder than the rest of them? Well, I think it's because I had an idea, and wrote the book based on that idea. It wasn't plotted out very well & the characters were so-so. Okay, it sucked!

I knew I had a good unique twist with my idea. I even had a couple of top notch agents request it and read it, but they saw through the holes, but at least they were kind enough to request the revised copy once it was done. (Thank you Kevan and Daniel)

Now...I'm on my third draft, and with the help of three wonderful crit buddies,(buddies who have wonderful talents) my characters are finally taking on a "real life" of their own. And I'm finally getting somewhere, and even though it's not done, and won't be done for 2011, I will have it finished in 2012. It will be the story editors and agents want. Buried Magic is my new goal for 2012. I will get er' done! lol

Now my next little goal is to make a Thanksgiving food list. This shouldn't be hard, right?

What about you? Have any goals you know you won't reach this year, but your willing to take it to next 2012 and not give up?

Author Signing and Luncheon, Baton Rouge, LA

This Saturday I'll be at HeartLa's Reader Luncheon in Baton Rouge along with some wonderful authors and friends. C'mon and join the fun! I've got some cool looking Romance Trading Cards to give away. If you don't know what RTC's are google them...lol

Luncheon/Signing Location:

Juban's
3739 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808
Itinerary (Saturday, November 5, 2011)
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. - Check-in and mingling
11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Luncheon
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Book signings and more mingling

Authors scheduled to appear:

Sabrina Jeffries (speaker)
Melanie Atkins
Christee Atwood
Nancy S. Brandt
Laura Burks
Dawn Chartier
Eleanor Cocreham
Cheré Coen
Barbara Colley
Claudette Conn writing as Claudy Conn
Kimberly Frost
Deborah LeBlanc
Rhonda McKey writing as Rhonda Leah
Arlene Messa writing as Anne Clayre Mason
Farrah Rochon
June Shaw
Carla Hostetter writing as Lynn Shurr
Josephine Templeton
Robin Wells
Ursula Whistler

Website: http://www.heartla.com/luncheon/index.htm

Interview at Earth's Book Nook... Come join me...

http://www.earthsbooknook.blogspot.com/

On Wednesday (11/2/11) find me over at Earth's Book Nook.

Halloween Blog -

If your looking to read some great stories for Halloween and maybe find a few new authors too, check out http://goddessfishparty.blogspot.com/

I'll be there sharing my freaking ghost story again, so if you missed it over at Rachel's blog, come on over to The Goddess Fish Halloween Party!

Tomorrow I'll be in a writers workshop all day long, then I have a Halloween wedding to go to, so if I don't reply to your comment on the Goddess Fish blog, I'll do my best to check in along the way.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Cover Questionnaire (Check!)

Who would have thought filling out a Cover Questionnaire would be so darn hard. I scrolled through tons of pictures on several photo sites.

I couldn't find my hero and heroine anywhere. Finally, I found this website (Deviantart.com) that had some really interesting pictures, and their they (my Holly and Drake) were. Only thing I didn't like were the tattoo's and flowers. Don't get me wrong, tattoo's are fine, just not on Holly Charleston. This is the couple (picture) I want, I'm not saying this is the picture the publisher will get, but a girl can hope right?

After finding a beach photo and diamond photo, I also had to write a 25 word blurb, a 50 word blurb, and a 150 word blurb. You think this is easy? Not. The 25 word was the hardest, but I did it.

Anyway, let me know what you think of this couple. Do you think they will make a sexy book cover? (minus the flowers and tats)

Dawn Chartier
DIAMONDS, releasing Jan. 2012, Siren BookStrand

Yay! A book offer for DIAMONDS!

I already spread the wonderful news on FB and Twitter, but I haven't shared it here yet.

Anyway, I got an offer for DIAMONDS, a contemporary erotic romance story set in Destiny, Florida. DIAMONDS is the first novella in a 3 book series. The series is called, The Stiletto Millionaire Club.

What's that? Well, it's about 3 women (actually 4 best friends) who are very financially secure. (for now) But why would anyone want to read about rich women you ask? Because they have loads of problems just like everyone else. Problems that money can't fix, and they deserve to find out like the rest of us that money can't buy love. All these ladies want is true love, and a strong man who will stand up for them if needed. It doesn't matter if he's the guy cutting their grass or the UPS delivery guy, or a sexy masked thief. (hint hint) As long as his heart is in the right place, magic will happen. (not they paranormal kind of magic. The magic of love.) If you want paranormal magic, read NOT AN ANGEL.

DIAMONDS, is scheduled for release around Jan. 2012, but I have a feeling with the holidays, it might be closer to Feb. 2012, but who knows. Siren might be the publisher to get er' done quick.

I hope readers will enjoy DIAMONDS, Book #1 in The Stiletto Millionaire Club Series. I had soooo much fun writing it.

Thanks for stopping by,
Dawn
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW! (PARANORMAL ROMANCE)
DIAMONDS, COMING JAN. 2012, SIREN BOOK-STRAND
PEARLS, PLOTTING STAGE
BURIED MAGIC, (WITCH ~ PARANORMAL ROMANCE) REVISION STAGE

Free Book - Suzanne Johnson's Interviewing me at her blog today!

Hey y'all!

Tor Author, Suzanne Johnson is inteviewing me over at her blog today. Swing by for a chance to win a free book!

And if you are not a follower of Suzanne's --- you should be. She gives away so many books on her blog, she also reviews books, interviews authors, she does it all! lol --- Plus she has a new Wizard series coming out on April 10, 2012. (yes, I read it already, and I loved it!)

Happy reading,
Dawn
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!
DIAMONDS, COMING JAN. 2012

Spooky Stories over at Rachel's blog --- Including mine....

Author Rachel Firasek is sharing some spooky stories on her blog...Swing by and get the chills...

http://www.rachelfirasek.com/2011/10/12/entry-5-voices-in-the-shadow/


http

Preternatura: New Releases Oct. 8-14 and Reader's Choice Contest...

Suzanne Johnson has a lot more books to give away. (some really awesome books, too!)

You might be a lucky winner! Good luck...

Dawn Chartier

Preternatura: New Releases Oct. 8-14 and Reader's Choice Contest...: Are you still reeling from the fifty new releases last week? Me too! My wish list is now officially ridiculous. We have a much calme...

Preternatura: Meet Author Shona Husk and win The Goblin King

Preternatura: Meet Author Shona Husk and win The Goblin King: If, like me, your image of goblins was formed by too much Harry Potter, you think of them as dark, ugly and dangerous...

Today you can find out some crazy things about me!

I had the pleasure of being interviewed over at 2 blogs today. Didn't realize they were both going up today. Oops.

www.smellsheep.blogspot.com

and also here,

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/p/author-interviews-guest-posts.html?zx=9797ae5812c2076f
(in the author interview section)

Hope you come by for a chance to win my book, Not An Angel!

Dawn

Join me at Lisasworldofbooks.net

On Friday I'm a guest blogger over at www.Lisasworldofbooks.net - I would love for to drop for a chance to win Not An Angel.

See you there.

Dawn

Self-publish update and Sola meeting recap....

The sales are doing better than I expected, so that's a good thing. But the only thing I hadn't thought about was promo. How would I get the word out that I self-published a book that had been previously published with another publisher?

Well, I spoke to a few friends and they are willing to give me a hand and put me on their blogs and such. A few friends are doing shout out's for me too. I love my buddies! Thank you!

Now, lets talk about Sola. The meeting today was pretty interesting. We had a panel of speakers talk about the things they got out of RWA National. The highlights, their favorite class or workshop, or panel, and a lot of other things. The main thing I wanted to know was was it worth the money? Especially in NY. They all said yes. So, there you go. If you are thinking about going next year, our panel said it was worth it. Next year I think it's in California. I'm not sure if I'm going to go or not yet, but I am attending the first FFandP Conference (Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal) in March 2012 in New Orleans!

The FFandP conference will be amazing. Karen M. Moning will be there and also, Diana Rowland and many many many more authors. And this trip will be much cheaper than RWA. They will have editors and agents as well! It's going to be great!

That's about all. Oh, I'll be adding several blogs were I'll be dropping by, and I hope you'll come and say hello. I'll be giving away a free copy of NOT AN ANGEL on each blog.

Or if you'd rather purchase it, that's cool too. It's available at Amazon Kindle for only $2.99

Hugs,
Dawn

So how's that self-pubbing going you ask...hmm...

Well, NOT AN ANGEL just went live and I'm happy to say it's going much better than I expected. I sold about a dozen books (within a little over 24 hrs.), and I think that is pretty darn good numbers. The only problem is, I'm addicted to checking those numbers all day long. lol I gotta stop the madness!

If you buy NOT AN ANGEL,(available at amazon.com/kindlebooks) please feel free to contact me. I love hearing from readers, so give me a shout out. dawn@dawnchartier.com

Now off to write the next Poryria book.

Dawn Chartier

Just released!!! NOT AN ANGEL, out now!

If you missed your chance to purchase NOT AN ANGEL with my former publisher, the e-book is back for sale on Amazon.com for $2.99

I hope you enjoy!
Dawn Chartier

New Cover ~ Not An Angel

Just wanted to share my new cover for Not An Angel. Why is there a new cover you ask? And what happened to the other one?

Well, I couldn't use the same one the publisher had used, and because I got the rights back, I needed a new design for when I self-publish. I'm so excited leaping into the self-publishing world with Trace & Kira's story. I see this as an adventure. And I'm curious to know what you think of the new Trace too.

I'm hoping to have Not An Angel uploaded to Amazon & B&N before the end of the month.

Hurricane ready? Things they don't tell you to prepare...

Living in New Orleans I always considered myself being hurricane ready, until the big one came. I don't have to say her name do I?



Anyway, you think to pack for the weekend and you'll be back home in no time.
This is not always the case and I don't want you to be like me, unprepared for the worse. Prepare now! Here is a list I wish I would have had while planning to evacuate at the last minute. (meaning don't wait until the last minute)

1.) Bring more than 3 days worth of clothes. Pack for a week if you have room.
2.) I would have gone to the pharmacy and filled all our prescriptions.
3.) I would have taken a lot more money.
4.) I would have reserved a room a long time before it was time to evacuate, esp. with the dogs. Only a hand full of hotels would take dogs, so we ended up in a horror movie type motel. Yuck! But I bless them for taking us in.
5.) I would have learned how to TEXT on my cell. The cell phones don't work at all. The systems were down and I couldn't reach 1/2 my family.
6.) Which brings me to #6. Get info on all your family and friends on where they are going. Stay together if you can.
7.) Buy lots and lots of water, batteries, candles, can food, breakfast bars, drinks, etc. (bring some with you, and leave some behind)
8.) Turn your refrigerator to the coldest temp. Your food might last a little longer.
9.) When you are gone, buy tons of ice & food before you come back. (bring ice chest with you when you evacuate.) Oh and don't forget your favorite coffee. Other states may not have what you like. You'll need it if you are staying up driving all night or if you are holed up in a stinky hotel room for days glued to the TV.
10.) Fill up as soon as you know there is a storm coming. The gas lines will be insane!
11.) While away buy several gas containers and fill them. (if you have a trailer, put them on the trailer and not in your car.)
12.) If you can buy a generator before the storm, great! If not, buy one while you are evacuated. (like I said before, buy a small trailer to put behind your vehicle if you can for the gas and generator).
13.) If you have time, get your car oil checked and changed. Check your tires too. Don't want to end up stranded on side the road.
14.) Find a place for your pets way in advance if you can.
15.) Talk with children's schools and see if they have a place online to hear updates about schools. Bring kids books and uniforms.
16.) Did I say bring all important papers such as, insurance, bank info, bills, etc.
17.) Grab your photo albums & keepsake stuff.
18.) Back up your computers on a jump drive. Bring laptop if you can or raise your CPU off the floor. Raise all important things off the floor or put in ziplock bags.
19.) Bring all chargers. Cell phone, etc.
20.) If you have a gun, bring it. I wish we would have. Things got a little crazy coming back to NOLA after Katrina.
21.) Grab one of your phone books from home. If you pretty much know you'll have damage before you get home, call a contractor now and book them before you have to wait in line of a hundred other people. (my hubby is a contractor, so we didn't need this one, but all our friends and clients did.)
22.) Get your elderly loved ones out of harms way. They can't help themselves. Help a neighbor too if you can. Exchange #'s with your neighbors, they might be home before you and can call you or vice versa.
23.) And people, tape does not work, it is useless. Board up instead.
24.) Leave if you can before everyone else leaves. The grid-lock will be hell! (esp. with kids, elderly and animals)

I know I'm missing so many things, but this is enough to get you started. Good luck! I'll keep y'all in my prayers and hope Irene or whatever storm comes your way dies down before reaching you.

There was one good thing that came out of Katrina (oh, I said her name)and that was I started writing, and then became published. She taught me to stop putting life on hold, and grab your dreams and go for it.

Dawn Chartier

Erica Spindler, Sola-Writers August 2011 Speaker

Sola-Writers speaker for August 20th.

Presentation: Erica's 5 Must Have Elements For A Killer Thriller

Erica Spindler is an International and New York Times bestselling author of 28 novels. Her latest thriller, WATCH ME DIE, is in stores now. Published in 25 countries, her work has been lauded as "terrific twisted tales" "packed with authentic detail" and "must-reads for suspense fans." Erica lives just outside of New Orleans with her husband and her two sons.



The meeting is this Saturday, August 20th, beginning at 10am. We meet at the east bank branch of the Jefferson Parish Library in Metairie.

Review: ROYAL STREET by Suzanne Johnson

Royal Street. What can I say? I loved it. Wonderful characters, a great plot and plenty of conflict. Not to mention sexy shape-shifters and pirates.

Drusilla Jaco, known as DJ, is a Green Wizard and a Sentinel in New Orleans. Her boss, Gerry gives her an assignment to capture and send the famous pirate, Jean Lafitte back to the Beyond. Lafitte threatens payback, but she sends him on his way. Then hurricane Katrina comes along, and DJ is ordered to evacuate. We all know what happens to New Orleans after Katrina - it flooded. DJ can’t locate her boss, Gerry, and she’s afraid he’s dead, but she tries to hold on to hope that he’s not. The Elder’s, however, believe Gerry is hiding, and that Gerry betrayed them.

Now DJ’s in charge of the New Orleans area, and her assignments are to send the dead back to the Beyond and plug all the breaches from where they came. Plus she's not giving up hunting for Gerry. Her new partner, Alex Warin is an Enforcer for the Elders, but that’s not all he is – he’s HOT! Alex and DJ spend a lot of time together helping each other along the way. They run into all sorts of problems such as Voodoo and National Guard killings.

I can’t give too many details or I’ll ruin this wonderful story for you. And take it from a reader who’s been hunting for a book such as this one, I don’t want to give anything away. I rarely read novels in one sitting, but I just couldn't stop reading Royal Street. I was fascinated by DJ, Jean Lafitte, her delicious partner, Alex and his sexy cousin, Jake. Oh, I forgot to mention, Louis Armstrong, he’s in there too. As well as a famous restaurateur. Hurricane Katrina has a major role as well.

I’m local to the New Orleans area, and the author couldn't’t have done a better job on creating the suspense and raw emotions of Katrina and the after-math. I remember it well. The book brought tears to my eyes in some scenes and I laughed my butt off in others. Suzanne Johnson is one to watch out for. I don’t care if you love romances, paranormals or urban fantasy books, Royal Street has it all. A perfect blend for everyone, just like a spicy New Orleans gumbo. It’s all in there.

Royal Street will be out in April 2012, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon so you don't forget this one. The next book in this series is called River Road.

Rights returned for NOT AN ANGEL...

Dear Readers,

If you were wondering what happened to my book, Not An Angel, I requested my rights back due to the contract coming up for renewal. I plan to put the book back on Amazon & other e-book stores (at a *cheaper* price) as soon as I can, but first I need to make a few changes & add a new cover.

Check back in a week or so. ;-)

Note: Reviewer's please contact me at dawn @ dawnchartier.com (no spaces)

Thanks,
Dawn Chartier

Night Walker - Lisa Kessler (Contest)

I just bought Night Walker by Lisa Kessler, but if you would like to win a copy, head on over to author, Suzanne Johnson's blog for a chance to win.

Suzanne Johnson holds lots of contest, a great blog to follow! Good luck!

Dawn

The Centurion's Prize by Harper Bennett

Introducing a fellow Savvy Author member, Harper Bennett...

The Centurion’s Prize by Harper Bennett
Genre(s): Historical Romance
Digital ISBN: 9781937325039
Publication Date: July 18, 2011
Formats: pdf (for Adobe Reader), lit (for Microsoft Reader), mobi (for Mobi and Kindle), epub (for Nook), and html.
Price: $3.99




Blurb:

To save their way of life, enemies must become allies.

In the final days of the Roman Empire, the Celtic princess Nara, daughter of a tribal king, has discovered a secret that will shatter the lives of the people and tribes she holds most dear. Once a sworn enemy of the Centurion Corvinus Aelius Martialis, she must now look to him for help. The Roman’s very presence ignites a powerful and consuming passion within her, one that Nara knows is dangerous and could cost them both their lives…but is she strong enough to resist the Centurion’s all-consuming kiss?

Never one to trust a Celt, let alone a woman, Corvin is taken aback by the bold princess’s bargain. He knows her father is the puppeteer of a very dangerous game involving a rogue band of Rome’s sworn enemies, and he can’t be certain—did the apple fall far from the ambitious, traitorous tree? Or will he claim the fiery princess, body and soul, for his very own?

Set against ancient druidic forests amidst political intrigue and violent betrayal, The Centurion’s Prize is a tale of a love that could save two worlds—or destroy everything in its path.




Bio:




Harper Bennett has her own happily ever after going on in the wilds of Alaska with her husband and children. Earning her MFA in creative writing in 2002 taught her nothing more than student loans were inherently evil and that her passion would never lie in the tomes of literary fiction. Her stories will always require a “happily ever after” with plenty of sweaty lust thrown in for good measure.

Along the way, Harper has been everything from an overnight radio disc jockey to a professional MMA fighter and has learned that no matter the circumstances, life is always one big adventure waiting to be had.

You can find her at http://www.harperbennett.com/ and on Twitter (http://twitter.com/HarperWrites). She also checks her e-mail obsessively and would love to hear from you: harper.bennett@gmail.com.


Excerpt:


“You are not in danger as long as you are under my protection,” he said when they were clear of the gate. “Do not fear my soldiers.”

“I’ll keep that in mind the next time I am rendered unconscious,” she whispered.

Her hand was soft and warm in his. Try as he might to concentrate on the short journey to the magistrate’s home, Corvin’s thoughts centered on the skin-to-skin contact between them. Nara’s hand was not limp. It was not passive. Corvin could not help but notice she grasped his hand with a strong grip and held tight.

The walk was short—too short. Soon, the dark sky that melded with the darkness of the trees and the cover of branches gave way to paths lined with braziers leading Cadeyrn’s palace. In the distance, he could see the Celtic soldiers patrolling the front entrance.

“How did you manage to get past four guards?”

“There are nine, actually,” Nara corrected him. “Three additional circle the grounds and two more travel in the opposite direction that you did not notice.”

Corvin gave Nara an incredulous look.

Who was this girl?

She was no mere princess, that much was certain. A coddled, sheltered normal female would not have made it three paces out of her own bed chamber without being spooked back inside…and Nara managed to get herself all the way to the garrison’s gate before being detected.

The moon had moved in the sky, out from the barrier of the foliage canopy to shine on Nara’s face as she looked up at him from beneath her hood. She smiled.

“The guards are fools and think only of wine and women,” she said. “And the forest guides me.”

Corvin frowned, confused by the cryptic statement but let it pass, as his mind was also focused solely on women—one woman in particular. Slowly, he reached for her cheek, hoping Nara would not flinch at his touch. When she closed her eyes in response, he quickly moved forward and kissed her.

Foolish, yes, but when her mouth opened against his, his primal, male instincts took over and he swept his tongue past her teeth, exploring the sweet taste of her. Nara moaned softly.

His other hand grasped her waist, and he continued the gentle, probing kiss. He was in no hurry, and he did not want to frighten her. God above, but she tasted good, and as she pushed back into him, urging him on, it took every last ounce of discipline and willpower in his body to break the kiss.

“I will see you again soon, Celt,” he said with a half-smile.

“If you are lucky, Roman,” Nara said. She trotted off into the night and Corvin watched as she disappeared into the shadows. She moved toward the back of the structure until she was out of view.

Corvin stood motionless for a few moments, the taste of this enigmatic Celtic princess still on his tongue. His Celtic princess.

Sola Writer events update....

Updates for you writers out there:

The last day to enter the Dixie Kane writers contest is August 1st.

Sola's 4th Annual Writers Retreat is August 5th & 6th.

Mary Buckham's All Day Writers Workshop (From Thought to Plot) is Oct. 29th 2011 $75 Sola / $80 Non-Sola. (I hear great things about Mary's classes)

Erica Spindler will be the speaker for Sola's August meeting.

Also, there is Heather Graham's writers conference in New Orleans for Labor Day weekend. (www.writersforneworleans.com)

If you are looking for a great place on-line for writers classes, try out www.savvyauthors.com - Classes galore there...(there is one class I'm taking soon called Quilting 101 by Suzanne Johnson. Looking forward to this one!)


I will be participating in all of these events. I hope you join us.

Sexsomnia? Parasomnia? Have you heard of this?

Last month I was writing a short contemporary erotic romance story and plotting ideas with a good friend. I told my sprint buddy that my character was having issues with sleep-sex. My character is single in the beginning, and she's not happy about having this problem and won't talk to anyone, but it gets worse when she finally meets someone she'd like to be with.

Anyway, my friend said she'd recently read an article about sleep-sex and that in fact this was a real issue. Wow! I had no idea. It's sometimes called Parasomnia as well.

So I went home after our sprint session and researched Sexsomnia for my book. Once I understood what it was I knew I had to share this knowledge with others. Maybe someone you know has this and never knew it was a real problem.

Here is the definition of Sexsomnia in case you were still wondering what the heck. lol

~~~~~~

Sexsomnia is a newly identified and a rare medical condition where the sufferers engage in sexual behavior during their sleep. Sexsomnia is a discrete alternative of sleepwalking also known as sleep-sex that includes behaviors of sexual arousal with autonomic activation (e.g. erection and orgasms). Sexual Behaviors in sleep, sleep-sex, sexual behavior in sleep and sexsomnia all refer to sexual behaviors that occur during sleep.

Sometimes people who suffer of sexsomnia are aware of their problem and don't seek help. The complication is that it often goes unreported because of shame and embarrassment. Furthermore, little is known about this condition's demographics and clinical features. Persons who are romantically involved with those prone to sexsomnia are often aware of their partners' strange behavior.

Definition from: www.sexsomnia.info

~~~~~~

Wow! Can you imagine the complications this could create? Well I could imagine so I wrote the story DIAMONDS and it's being reviewed by a publisher right now. (crossing fingers)

Credit for the definition above goes to www.sexsomnia.info - Where you can learn more about this topic.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Sex class is now over... :-)

Dawn
www.dawnchartier.com

Interview with Rita Finalist, Robin Wells...

When author Robin Wells got the call from RWA, she had no clue who she was nominated along side of in the Contemporary Romance Single title. I'll give you a hint, her initials are: N.R.

Check out my interview with Robin at Southern Fried Gothic.


Dawn Chartier
Rebuilding New Orleans, one witch at a time...
Buried Magic (WIP)

Checking in....Update...

Hey y'all,

It's been a while, and yes of course I'm still writing. lol

So what's been happening with everyone? Good things I hope.

Me? I took a little time away from my witch novel, giving it room to breathe, then I'll pick it back up and work on it with fresh eyes. But while Buried Magic is relaxing, I started a new novella and finished writing it. I'm in the critique mode right now, it's only 20k so it won't take long. Maybe a week.

I'm also reading books again, which I neglected to do while writing Buried Magic. You gotta keep reading - that is a must.

Anyway, just wanted to shout out to my friends that I'm still alive. (a little sick with Sinus problems, but alive.)

Oh, and I'm not going to RWA this year. (boo-hoo) Yes, I'll be at Heather Graham's workshop (www.writersforneworleans.com) and yes, I'll be at Mary Buckham's one-day workshop in NOLA as well. (www.solawriters.org) Looking forward to both of those writers workshops. Oh, and don't forget the Dixie Kane writing contest is going on now. That is on the Sola website too.

Happy Summer y'all!
Dawn
Not An Angel, out now!

Deciding not to blog & hang out on social websites anymore ---- Unless I have something great to share! (or I'm stuck on a plot)

The world out there has gone socially nuts. They say you need a Facebook page, and now a "fan" Facebook page, you need to tweet, you need to blog, you need a website, you need to blog on other peoples blogs, and need to have people come blog on your blog. Geesh. This is sooooo not me. I just want to get back to MY writing world, and leave all that mess behind. (at least for now until I can get this book done)

And...that is what I'm going to do. Yep. I may post something once in a blue moon, but you won't see much of me playing anymore. If you do, that must mean I'm stuck on a idea or plot. Just yell at my ass to get back to work. (seriously)

My goal in life (other than happiness) is to write wonderful books, and I can't do that if I'm playing on all those social websites.

I'm going to spend more time working on my stories. Feel free to send me an email if you like, but I won't be hanging out on the blogs/loops as much as I used to.

Now I'm off to work on Buried Magic (Witch Book #1) novel. An editor gave me some wonderful advice yesterday (2 pages & 2.5 hr. phone call worth), and now I'm off to work my arse off revising the novel to the best it can be.

See you later,
Dawn
www.dawnchartier.com
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW! (FREE excerpt posted on my website)

Thought to Plot with Mary Buckham ~ Workshop

This day long workshop sounds great. I signed up all ready. Wanna join me?

The Southern Louisiana Romance Writers invite writers of all genres to join them for a day long workshop with Mary Buckham on October 29th, 2011. Take your THOUGHT TO PLOT with this award-winning author.

When: October 29, 2011

Time: 8am-4pm, lunch included

Place: Hilton Garden Inn, 4535 Williams, Blvd, Kenner, LA

Cost: $75 SOLA members, $80 all others.

Registration Deadline: September 30, 2011

FROM THOUGHT TO PLOT

In the full-day THOUGHT TO PLOT writing craft workshop, national writing instructor, Mary Buckham will show you how to develop a budding idea BEFORE you begin to plot. This is a brainstorming workshop where she will show you where a story and characters break down before you get to the point of plotting. The backbone of a strong story begins with developing these critical points in the early stages of brainstorming so that you aren’t trying to “shore” up your story later.

Most stories fall apart because once a writer has invested a significant amount of work in a story it’s much harder to back up and make changes so they press ahead, shoving support wherever they can. For this reason, come to this workshop with a “NEW” idea you have not fully developed to the point where the idea of making any change is stressful. This workshop is to show you how to take ideas and spin them to be fresh and different, yet with a strong plot infrastructure.

We are a chapter of RWA, but this workshop is suitable for all genres.

Mary Buckham
Mary Buckham is an award-winning romantic-suspense author who, before becoming published in book-length fiction was a freelance article writer, selling hundreds of articles to local, regional, and national publications. In addition, she’s been an editor of a regional magazine. She is also co-author of Break Into Fiction™: 11 Steps to Building a Story That Sells. Mary is a sought-after speaker and writing craft teacher for both online and in live presentations throughout the United States and Canada. For more on Mary go to www.MaryBuckham.com or www.BreakIntoFiction.com

To sign up go to WWW.SOLAWRITERS.COM Find the workshop register button on the right side.

I'll see you in October!

Dawn Chartier

More advice on How to Hook An Agent w/ Sara Megibow

ON MY MIND by Sara Megibow

Whether you are looking for an agent to sell your book or planning to self publish a book, the ability to pitch your story is vitally important!

I'm in the middle of a whirlwind three-conference tour, so pitching is on my mind. Knowing how to condense your story into an engaging one-sentence pitch is a skill. It's an important skill and it's a difficult one! Here are five times this skill comes into play in publishing and, not to scare you, but each one of these times can be a career-influencing moment.

1) The best query letters include an engaging, unique, powerful pitch sentence. For example, "the kingdom's hero is tricked into drinking poison just days before the queen is kidnapped" is a more powerful pitch than "the kingdom's hero must go on many adventures to save the kidnapped queen." We would ask for sample pages for the first example and pass on reading sample pages for the second example.

2) A one-sentence pitch is how you would communicate to an agent, editor or fellow writer what your story is about. Meeting someone in person? Attending a pitch session at a conference? It's super important to be able to answer the question, "so what do you write?"

3) You may or may not know this, but as an agent I may take that pitch right out of your query and send it to editors when I put a book on submission. (Often I tweak it but the core of the pitch is from the query.) The editor reads your pitch and takes it to the sales meeting to decide if they will make an offer; the sales director takes that pitch to the sales team to decide how they will market the book to book buyers. The book buyers read the pitch and decide how many (if any) copies they want to acquire for their stores. Last but not least, the reader reads your pitch (aka the back cover copy) and decides whether or not to buy and read your book. This is, of course, a bit of an oversimplification, but you get the idea. Publishing is not about putting books on shelves; it's about readers buying books and reading them. Your pitch is the hook that ultimately results in readers.

4) We are seeing tremendous amounts of press right now regarding self-publishing. This explosive publishing model has its pros and cons (as does the traditional publishing model, to be fair). Writers excited to pursue self-publishing will need to know how to pitch! In fact, it will rest even more heavily on the writer to craft a compelling hook. The term "discoverability" is vital to standing out in the crowd, and learning how to communicate convincingly about your work is key.

5) Finally (maybe because I've been yapping about pitching so much on twitter recently), I've been invited to teach an online webinar for Writer's Digest this month. The workshop is called "How to Hook an Agent with your Query Letter" and will be taught on Thursday, May 26 at 1:00 EST (yes, you can still access the workshop even if you are unavailable at that particular time). For those writers interested in attending, I am looking forward to this webinar very much! I will have lots of juicy details to help those interested in pursuing traditional publishing and those interested in self-publishing. See details here:

http://www.writersdigestshop.com/product/how-to-hook-an-agent-with-your-query-letter/?r=sara
Master the pitch as this skill is the key to so many aspects of publishing!

Happy writing,
Sara

(Thanks for allowing me to share, Sara.)

Dawn Chartier
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!
WWW.DAWNCHARTIER.COM

Writing a series....and what you like or don't like when you read them.

Do you enjoy series? I do too. I love them, but sometimes I find that after book 6 or maybe 7 I stop reading them. Am I the only reader out there that feels this way?

I don't blame the author. I think it's just because I'm bored with the character and their world. Okay, maybe it's the author. Don't know. Maybe it's my mood. I might want to read something fresh and new. I do get bored easily.



Usually this happens when it's a series surrounding one main character. (like I said around the 6th or 7th book) However, if the series has different main characters for each book, then I can usually read them all. Usually.



So, now that I'm planning my Vieux Carre' witch series, I want to make sure each book stand on their own, and have threads that are completely different, but they will still keep the same theme, and you will see each sister in all the books. But only the main character will have the camera on them, and their journey.

I can't wait until Saturday. I'll be taking notes on Barbara's, Candace's and Pam's advice. I want to know what to watch out for, like writing yourself into a corner and not being able to change things in the next book or getting stuck with something maybe you would have done differently - like not killing someone off. lol

Happy reading y'all!
Dawn

Sola's April meeting presenters are - Candice Proctor (C S Harris), Agent Pam Ahearn & Barbara Colley

When our regular speaker had to cancel due to a conflict in her schedule, my co-program partner, Pamela Kopfler went to work right away and found a wonderful speaker or shall I say speaker(s) for Sola's April meeting. It's going to be fab!

Candace Proctor (w/a C.S. Harris), Agent Pam Ahearn, and Barbara Colley all agreed to be on a panel to discuss, WRITING A SERIES. This couldn't be better timing for me because I'm about to dive into my second book in my Vieux Carre' Witch Series. (which I'm already plotting) So thank you, Pamela!

Show up early because space is limited. April 16th @ 10:00am
For more info, click on this link: Solawriters.org

I hope to see you there,
Dawn Chartier
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!

Today I'm pimping a reader's blog...

An avid reader of paranormal romance is hosting Author Month in April over at Were Vamps Romance blog. A “few” of her guests for April are - Gena Showalter, Cynthia Eden, Dianna Love, Carly Phillips, Sherriyln Kenyon, Nicole Peeler, etc. and then there is little ole’ me. (I’m up today. Yay!) lol. Other than author interviews, prizes, and reviews – Melissa is just super sweet and refreshing. (I made her sound like a soft drink. lol) Come on by and comment.

http://werevampsromance.blogspot.com/

See y'all there,
Dawn Chartier
www.dawnchartier.com
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!
Visit: The Wild Rose Press. com

New publisher in town - Entangled Publishing

Just wanted to spread the word about a new publisher in town. Entangled Publishing.

If you made the rounds submitting or not - don't give up. Check out Entangled.

Good luck!
Dawn

Sola's Guest Speaker ~ Agent, Laura Bradford

On March 19th SOLA-RWA'S (New Orleans Romance Writers Group) Guest Speaker is agent, Laura Bradford. Ms. Bradford will give the presentation, "How To Catch Flies: On Professionalism & Choosing Your Own Business Reputation." (See her bio below.)

Laura Bradford established the Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets. The mission of Bradford Literary Agency is to form true partnerships with their clients and build long-term relationships that extend from writing the first draft through the length of the author’s career. Her recent sales include books placed with Berkley, Grand Central, Harlequin/Silhouette, Kensington, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, Sourcebooks, Hyperion, Flux, Macmillan, Adams Media and Mira Books.

She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction.

She is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR) and Romance Writers of America and she is an RWA-recognized agent.

This is going to be a great presentation and I hope you can attend.

For more information on time and place, please visit www.solawriters.org

Dawn
www.dawnchartier.com

DFW Writers Conference - Learning and Pitching

Yep. I'm going to a writers conference in Dallas this weekend. Why? Well, because I've plenty to learn. (Always learn) You are already published - you say.
Sure. But I want to be published again and again.

This weekend I'm pitching my paranormal romance novel, BURIED MAGIC. I need to find an agent that will hear my voice in this story, and someone who will share the same dreams as I do. That dream is to have a long career with the same agent, and write plenty of books and make plenty of people happy...I want to give those readers a great escape.

So wish me luck. If anything, at least I'll come back with some new friends and more knowledge...I'll be back next week to give an update.

Hugs,
Dawn
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!
WWW.DAWNCHARTIER.COM

Sola's next guest is VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON

I'm pleased to announce that Sola's next speaker is the great, Vicki Lewis Thompson.

As always - the 3rd Saturday of each month @ the East Jefferson Parish Library. Board meeting starts @ 10am and speaker starts @ 11-12.

Just a note...Last month our speaker Shirley Jump filled the house! The library turned people away (so sorry if that was you), but they have State Fire Marshal rules and gave us a capacity limit after the fact. Our little secret of a great writing group leaked out in the Times Picayune and tons of writers came out of the woodwork. (We loved having everyone and hope they join us again!!!)

So if you want to see Vicki - don't be late.



Thanks,
Dawn

Free read by Suzanne Johnson --- Loved it!

I know most of my followers live in Louisiana, and for those who do you - must read this little short story from author Suzanne Johnson. The story took on a unique twist I hadn't seen coming...(loved it)...And if you are not from Louisiana you'll get a good glimpse of it through Suzanne's eyes...she couldn't have written it better.

Free read: "Chenoire," an urban fantasy/paranormal novelette by Suzanne Johnson set in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, in the world of Royal Street--a new series beginning April 2012 from Tor Books. http://suzanne- johnson.blogspot .com

(To find the rest of this short story you have to go to Suzanne's website, which I think it listed on her blog.)

Enjoy. I know I did.

Dawn

LEARNING THE CRAFT OF WRITING and my thoughts on Shadowfever...

Today I wanna talk about 1.) Shadowfever by Karen M Moning, and 2.) Writing.

First, if you haven't read Shadowfever, don't worry I won't give any spoilers here. I'd die if someone did that to me. I just want to prepare you that you won't get all the answers you are looking for when you read it. Second, I loved the book, I loved the series. My favorite to date. I wish I could write like her. But this last book left me feeling incomplete. Which was probably what the author intended to do so we will die waiting for her next series to come out - the series she hasn't written yet. Bites nails. Yes. I know she deserves a vacation. I know. I know.
But when you read it - comment here on what you think about it. No bashing her, because I love her books and she's a great lady. But what would you have done differently? Would you leave it as is? Maybe you figured out answers to things I'm confused about.

Now on to writing. After some really good feedback from agents I queried, I decided to revise my opening and tweek lots in the book. My characters will no longer be Psychics. They will be witches. I'm doing some research, but basically they are going to be unique to me and my world. I'm not writing non-fiction, so don't worry bout' it. lol

Now on to the craft of writing. As I write this I'll be perfectly honest. I'm a story teller at heart - not a true writer. I don't have great skills. My grammar lacks. But I am who I am. A story teller. So, now that the cats out of the bag I will tell you this - I've been taking several classes this year, and have a few more lined up. My head is going to explode with all this new knowledge. lol. But this is what I needed. I'm crossing my fingers all this educating myself pays off. (At least that's the plan) I can feel myself getting closer and closer to that contract. The contract that says "I want the entire series!" Oh-Yeah!

So, have you ever felt like you were almost there and did something that completely took your book from good to great? If so, what was that thing? I can say one thing I've done is take a class from Angela James and Shirley Jump. These class will help you polish up things that editors look for. Sure they look for a great story, but they look at the errors too. Errors that they may not have time to fix to get your great story out there. (Like mine.)

I hope everyone is having a great reading or writing day. Happy Friday, y'all...

Dawn
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT RIGHT NOW! LOL

P.S. SOLA'S FEBRUARY SPEAKER IS AUTHOR, VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON!

Spreading yourself too thin? Me. Me. Me.

After cooking dinner tonight I sat at the computer and headed straight to the Savvy Authors website where I'm taking two classes this month. It didn't surprise me that I have assignments to do in both of them tonight. While one assignment from Angela James is fairly simple (thank God!) because we are just beginning; the other editing class called "Editpalooza" is kicking my ass. Seriously. They want you to read your novel and go through everything. Plot, Theme, Character, Structure, and on and on...


I had no clue what I signed up for. I even asked Liz, the group owner if I should do both classes, and she said SURE. Laugh's on me, Liz...I know. I know. I'll be a better writer after it's over. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. (grin)

I am learning a lot, so I'm sure it will be all worth it in the end, that is if I make it to the end. I have a huge assignment due in a few days and guess what? This weekend is our monthly local RWA chapter meeting, and I'm the Co-Program Director which means I'm responsible for the speakers. This month our speaker is coming from Ohio and her name is Shirley Jump. After I took a few on-line classes from her I knew I had to book her for our local Sola group. She's awesome and I love her books. So, on Friday she arrives at the airport, Saturday is our class and then she flies out on Sunday.

Mean while another fab. author comes to New Orleans this weekend as well. Karen M. Moning. She is launching her latest Shadowfever book on Monday or Tuesday and she'll be in New Orleans for her Fevercon event. Yep. I'm attending that as well. (Vampire and Ghost tours, along with breakfast at Brennan's Restaurant, book signings and a book chat with readers) Can't wait to get my hands on my reserved signed copy of the latest Fever book. Moning left us on a very nasty cliff hanger. Not nice!

And last but not least I signed up for a brand new Candace Havens class. With all these classes I should be selling books by the dozen. (grin) I also agreed to do a book review, judge the Golden Heart, do a few interviews and blogs for a few authors, etc.

Plus I have to find time to write, edit and make time for the hubby, kids and day job. So do you think I'm spreading myself too thin? Are you doing the same this year? How do you manage to stay sane?

Sola Writers January speaker is Shirley Jump.

Come and visit Sola's next author speaker on January 15th 2011 @ 10am:





New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump spends her days writing women’s fiction and romantic comedies (Vegas Pregnancy Surprise, July 2010) to feed her shoe addiction and avoid cleaning the toilets. As AJ Whitten (www.ajwhitten.com), she also writes horror young adult novels for Houghton Mifflin’s Graphia imprint with her daughter (The Well, September 2009). She cleverly finds writing time by feeding her kids junk food, allowing them to dress in the clothes they find on the floor and encouraging the dogs to double as vacuum cleaners. Visit her website at www.shirleyjump.com or read recipes and life adventures at www.shirleyjump.blogspot.com.

For info on location please visit: www.solawriters.org

Thanks and I hope to see you there.
Dawn Chartier
www.dawnchartier.com