Off to the Woods!!

Yes, I'm off to go camping tomorrow!!! WOO HOO!!! Six whole days of fresh air, lots of sunshine (hopefully!) and great outdoor food, fun, and exercise. But never fear, the hardcore author in me wouldn't dream of wasting all that quiet time on smores and swimming :)

Since my darling publisher has just contracted my last completed novel--I'm at a wonderful, creative stage to begin brand new works! So, I will be brainstorming, scene crafting, and getting ready to write up a storm when I get back, which will be an AWESOME endeavor because all three kidlets will be back to school. Very cool!!!

Here's what I've got going:

The Lockwood Legacy:

Six books based ons six sisters who happen to be the daughters of a natural witch gardner and a father who attracts bad magic like bees to pollen. Each book will have one very mean monster villain and will take place in a fictional small town very much like the one I live in :) I intend to make these very fun, yet very dramatic, along the Harry Potter vien, perhaps. We'll see what the brainstorming brings ;)

My follow-up book to Racing the Moon (soon to be released from Echelon Press!) The Lucy Book--of course, that's a working title ;) I'll be plotting the scenes and events surrounding the story of twin sisters who are harvested by the government to become remote-veiwers in an advanced spy program using nanotechnology brain implants. Should be an exciting adventure!!! And ther research has been FABULOUS so far ;)

Okay, shhhhh... this is the first EVER I've revealed this 'secret' anywhere, but I'm in the middle of crafting an erotica!! Oh boy! I'm working on a novella (maybe, not sure how long it will go) about a Genie who is full of chick-lit snark and has great fun becoming completely jaded with metrosexuals and goes looking for a hunka-hunka-burning brawn. This should be a LOT of fun to write as it's completely fantasy and filled with humor.

My 13yr.old and I are also going to work on brainstorming a series of chapter books for his age group. I don't know who will end up writing them (or if the Lockwood books will end up being those) or how this will turn out--but I'm super excited to work with him. He's been creating his own comics for a while now, using a set of original characters, and I'm thrilled that he's so interested in collaborating with me. He's such a great guy ;)

Okay, I'm off to commune with nature and my inner muse. Thank goodness hubby is coming along--I get to sneak off and be creative while he does the parenting!!! :)

I'll let y'all know how it went when I get back!!

Warmly,
Jenny:)

Writing A Bio

My wonderful, adorable, lovely and terrificly awesome publisher asked me for an 'updated' bio for my next release, "Silent Knight" coming out this fall.

Blech.

*Grin*

Of all the things I really hate to write, this is right up there with press releases and synopses. Do y'all know how tricky it is to not come off as some pompous ass, or worse--an air head that no one would want to know, let alone buy a book from? It's difficult to be informative, yet still allow your personality to shine.

Like, should I say I'm an award winning author? (Well, of course. ) But should I say which awards so no one thinks I've been given a Pulitzer for best 'action adventure'? LOL! Or should I mention my family and location? Or should I just keep it strictly about my career?

I know as a reader I really, really enjoy two things when I read those little bios in the back of the book: finding out about the author's 'daily' life--like family, home, other interests, etc. and why they love to write, what drives their passion.

Like, did the writer start out in H.S. with comic books? Or are they coming in later to the game after a fabulous career as a CIA agent, or an international pilot, or as a supermodel?

So, when it comes to writing up my bio, I get sweaty palms, trying to figure out how much is too much, how little is too little, how much snark is too much snark--you get the picture.

Try it yourself :) See how you can distill your entire being into one paragraph while letting your personality shine through. It's tough!! Especially when you want to include loved ones who are so important to you that you would rather pluck out an eye (okay, ewww... gross, maybe just lose a tooth?) than see them suffer. Then the bio becomes about you AND all those you love, like hubby and kids ;)

All in one paragraph . . .

Isn't the power of words amazing?

Share your bio in the comments section if you feel like it ;) I'd !!!LOVE!!! to get to know y'all a little better too ;)

Guess What?

I just typed "THE END" on My Biker Bodyguard!! Woo Hoo!! I'm so thrilled with the way this book ended--but I'm not gonna give away any details, only to say--someone dies in the end :)

Very FUN book to write. Totally loved drawing from all my experience with bikers and tattoists and incorporating it into one heckuva a romantic suspense!!

Can't wait to see the cover for this one!! ;)

Here's my 'blurby' for it:

"Keeping Jess Owen's ex-con father and their hodgepodge family of bikers out of trouble is a tough job, but one she's managed for ten years. Until bodyguard Mitch Conner brings danger and romance to her doorstep. After Jess's mother was shot by an assassin, Mitch vowed to protect her secret daughter. But when the FBI suspect Mitch contracted the hit himself and is now seducing the next in line to inherit the family fortune, his attraction to the fiery Jess may burn him in more ways than one."

Wanna read the first chapter? It's here: My Biker Bodyguard Exerpt

Enjoy!!!
Jenny:)

WooHoo!! GREAT News!!

Echelon will be E-publishing Loving Lillie--my first ever novel, and an historical romance--AND Racing the Moon--the best book I believe I've ever written--an action thriller. (The one about werewolves in Alaska, for those of you who have been following my career. It won Thunder and Roses first chapter contest:) )

I can't believe how wonderful this year is turning out to be :) I was sort of bummed on the 1st of the year when my last years goal were all met--save one--getting an agent. My hope is that I can enter Racing the Moon in the Eppies this year (if I still qualify, I think I do, but I'll have to check) and any other contests that support e-book submissions. And then, hopefully, with a little luck (well maybe a LOT of luck) I'll be able to use that information to get an agent.

Of course since I've sent ALL my finished novels off to Echelon now, I'm definitely gonna have to buckle down and get those other books finished that I've been *dreaming* of writing!

But with my youngest starting school this fall (Major WOO HOO!!!) I should have plenty of time to hammer out those books :) And to make matters EVEN better, I'm at the stage now where I'm not struggling with the craft of writing anymore. My struggles (if you can call them struggles because they're such great FUN!) are now in the areas of story-crafting. I want my ideas to move people, to really SING on the page--and that's my new goal.

Gosh, life is GRAND!

I've got a six-day camping trip coming up in about two weeks and I can't wait to get there. Six days of nothing but scene selection, story crafting, and plotting. I hope to come home with at least one notebook full of scene outlines for my upcoming book adventures!!

2006 ROCKS! I can't wait to see what will happen next year ;)

Here are the titles Echelon will be releasing:

(Click on a title to read an excerpt)

Silent Knight
Racing the Moon
My Biker Bodyguard
Loving Lillie (excerpt coming soon!)

Ones Echelon already has released:

Stark Knight
The Knight Before
Bulletproof Bride

SEVEN titles! And no telling what I'll pull out of my sleeve next :)

Last Day of My Give Away

If you don't subscribe to my newsletter, you should :) Every single newsletter has a free prize y'all can win. Check out what I offered this month--and if you hurry, you could still get a chance to win! :)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jrturner/

Today is the last day subscribers can receive a free Book Thong and be entered into the drawing to win an awesome pair of Readers/Writers gloves! These wonderful, fingerless gloves are hand knit by me and come in a variety of beautiful shades, yarns, and decorative finishes.

To receive your free Book Thong and be entered to win the Readers/Writers gloves send your snail mail address to prize@jennifer-turner.com by midnight tonight.

*You must be a subscriber to claim your free prize and be entered to win the gloves :)

All my best to y’all!
Warmly,
Jenny :)

P.S. My publisher, Echelon Press is hosting a give away at http://romancing-the-reader.blogspot.com so go check it out if you’re interested!


Bulletproof Bride by J.R. Turner
Something old, something new, and a Kevlar vest too . . .
available at http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook39330.htm