In other news, I finished Meljean Brook’s THE IRON DUKE and was quite pleased. Go forth and read it!

My baby is six months and still not sleeping through the night. I read a book once that advocated writing before you’ve really woken up in the morning. The author said that you should write before you check email or read the newspaper or drink your coffee, that your creative mind is the most active when you are still half asleep. Perhaps this means I am in a constantly creative state these days, but all I feel is tired. I have stories buzzing around my head, but no energy to put fingers to keyboard.

Congrats to all the finalists, but especially my Greater Seattle RWA chapter mate Ann Charles, whose entry Nearly Departed in Deadwood is a finalist in the mainstream mystery suspense category.

In other news, my DABWAHA bracket is failing miserably. My friend Seattle Heather won round one and a lovely collection of historical romance novels. My mother (a doctor) has predicted that I will go into labor on the full moon, plus or minus two days, which is next monday. I think this is appropriate, as the hero of my novel is a werewolf. I expect a hairy, howling child. She will be cute.

It would be easy to become a contest whore–addicted to the rush of positive feedback. This is the third contest for Hearts of Darkness, and the third success. I wish there were contests that judged the whole book, not just the first 20-50 pages. If you know of one, please pass along the info!

You might assume the pin-up girl above is holding a love letter, but in our little world she’s showing off her winning manuscript.

In other news, Mr. Wonderful and I bought our first house and are madly packing for the movers to arrive tomorrow. I’d promise to blog more after the move, but that is a pie crust promise. There are 34 days left to prepare for our little bundle of joy. I’m working on making time to write book 2, which so far I like even better than HoD.

Off to pack…or take a “break” to read Nalini Singh’s ARCHANGEL’S KISS. I need lots of breaks.

This business has cyclical ups and downs, validations and rejections, so we learn to celebrate every success. Skål!

Ciara: What’s your story about?

Candi: My story STAY is a contemporary romance set in Maine.

My hero, Bracken Elliot is the Captain of the local Fire & Rescue team. He’s a bit cynical and lives with a deep seeded guilt over the deaths of his youngest son and wife in a tragic accident. Overcautious tends to be an understatement with Brack, and when his deaf sixteen year old son is kicked out of school, he’s got his hands full.

Candi: I first heard about the contest on the RWC loop. At first, I didn’t think about it too much. Just seemed like a strange way to write. When I read a few blog posts and visited the site, I was intrigued by the novelty of the idea. I registered, posted my first chapter – and I was hooked..

Ciara: What makes text novels different from regular novels?

Candi: I think what really sparked the text novel popularity is the emotion that’s contained in some of these novels. Short chapters might be daunting for those of us used to reading a huge portion at a time, being sucked into another world and reading for hours, but the intensity inherent in some of these small chapters is amazing. I truly believe that the power of the words in that small increment is what makes the readers come back for more.

Ciara: How do I read your story on my iPhone?

Candi: Textnovel is accessible through the browser of most cellphones. Just open your browser and go to textnovel.com to read through stories. Normal connection and data charges from your carrier apply.

Ciara: If you were stranded on a desert island, what five books would you bring?

Candi: This is an easy hard! Would I get a day at the bookstore before being stranded?

Ciara: Do you think you are the next Charles Dickens or the next Louisa May Alcott?

Candi: Absolutely not! I don’t even pretend to want to stand in the shoes of greatness. I want to write and be read. I want to know that somewhere, somehow, my words affected someone and made them smile, laugh, cry, or think.

HEARTS OF DARKNESS is a completed 101,000 word, apocalyptic paranormal romance set in a grisly Seattle where betrayal will unleash the demons of hell and only love can save the world from annihilation.

Aspiring Paranormal Authors can enter by visiting here and emailing RITBS. (All questions about the contest should be directed to RITBS, as I am only passing on the information.) For the rest of us, visit RITBS on October 1st to VOTE for your favorites.

Good Luck!