First, a little about me, as Brynna Curry I write light paranormal romance and suspense.  On the other side of the coin is my dark side, Brianna Roarke writing steamy dark paranormal romance.  I feed my love of books as a book reviewer for You Gotta Read Reviews.  I also judge several RWA writing contests a year, including the ‘Molly’, ’Gotcha’, Fab5 and Reveal Your Inner Vixen contests and I’m the forth member of the Frightening Journeys blog writers. I’m married to my high school sweetheart with three teenagers and by day I’m a secretary for a construction company.  

Earth Enchanted is the first in a series of five books featuring the Corrigans from Ireland, a family with a ancestry of mages.  Liv Corrigan, telepath and writer,visits her brother in the states only to find he’s neck deep in a diamond smuggling ring.  While there she meets ex-cop Jackson Roarke, a man with secrets still reeling from his wife’s death.  Here is a short blurb.

EARTH ENCHANTEDTAG: When telepath meets ex-cop, will it be death or diamondsBLURB: Writer Liv Corrigan has the worst luck with men — her telepathy tends to make them run for the hills. When she meets widower and ex-cop Jack Roarke, she decides to keep her talent hidden. Things are looking up until their third date crashes and burns as the man who murdered Jack’s wife turns out to be after him too.Injured, Jack retreats with Liv to his house under armed guard. But with Liv’s mysteries rapidly coming unraveled, a diamond-thief killer to stop and passion in the air, the safe house is anything but safe for their hearts!

After EE, To Take Up The Sword flash forwards to the end of the trial for Ashton Smythe, Gueraldi’s (the villian from EE) right hand man.  When Smythe is set free, Agent Spiller (EE), convinced Serena Roarke hid more diamonds there, goes back to Alabama in search of missing evidence that would have convicted her killer.  Leannan O’Neal, Serena’s sister, goes into the wind after the destruction of her home and threats on her life.  She meets up with Spiller and together they try to get the diamonds to safety before both are killed. There are a total of five books in this series. You can find out more about each book in the series by visiting my website and clicking the Elemental Magic tab.

My writing process is somewhat chaotic. Between work, three teenagers (one of whom is a cheerleader.  We are in the world of endless basketball season now.) a husband and the house I’m remodeling (Yes, I’m a DIY’er), I never know how long, when, or where I’ll find the time to write, but I always do.  If its something you love, you make time for it. As for the process itself, I just sit down at the computer, open up and listen to the characters and try to keep them going where I want them too.  Sometimes, I’ll go back and read the previous scenes or write the ending first.  That way I won’t rush the story.

Lastly, I’d like to lend some advice to new writers. Read. If you like to read a variety of genres, get into e-book reviewing. You’ll learn alot about house style and what works.  Write about what you know.  Write the best story you possibly can and then edit it. Then visit the Absolute Write Water Cooler and all the helpful folks there.  Join a critique group and find one whose not afraid to be brutal. Some good online yahoo groups are RWC, PNWriters and if you are a parent, ParentsInk or Momwriters.  Always do your research.

You can learn more about the Elemental Magic Series and Brynna’s other projects on her site or stop by one of her blogs and say hello.

Brynna- My site:  http://brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks.webs.com

My blog and co-blog:  http://brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks.blogspot.com

http://paranormalwriters.blogspot.com  “Frightening Journeys”

On Twitter as BrynnaCurry/On Facebook as Bethany Cagle

Yahoo Group- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks/?yguid=350630923

I hope you’ll drop by and visit with me!

Brynna 

The concert last night was a total blast. Jann Arden simply rocks! I’m glad my friend Tammy told me she was funny. All I can say is I’m glad I went to the bathroom first. Ms Arden has us in stitches.

She sang all my favourite songs. I have to confess that I can’t remember any of her titles, but once she gets singing I can easily sing along with her since I have all her CDs. I may be put in the category of worst Jann Arden fan as a result. As long as I get to listen to her fabulous music I’m cool with it.

It was truly a great way to end my vacation from my day job. Now I’m back at work and to my routine. So life resumes as normal.

With the exception of getting food poisoning and extending my drive back by 4 hours (2 hours into my drive I realized I left my computer at Hannah’s. I had to go back and get it. Better at 2 hours into it than at the end 7.5 hours) I had a blast at the writing retreat.

Hannah and I were asked by a few to keep them in mind when we did it again next year. Well we already started plotting next years retreat. We’d have one that is more structured with morning workshops to get everyone going and keep the evenings open for eating and gambling.

I’m already knee deep in washing my clothes and getting ready for work on Monday because tomorrow night I’m heading out with a friend to see the talented Jann Arden. I can’t wait.

Day 3 and the last day of our retreat hasn’t been as fun as I had hoped. I got up and completed the character chart for my killer. Boy I found out more about him than I ever thought I would. Will I use it in the book? Nope, most of it is back story that I need to know to write who is now.

Then I went to lunch and thought it was a wonderful meal until an hour later and I didn’t feel so good. Now hours later and a partial soup later I’m feeling just about the same. I’m just hoping I’ll feel better before we leave to go back to Hannah’s tomorrow.

The only positive thing about today is that I wrote 2 full pages. So far I have written 5 pages and discovered who my characters truly were. So all in all it was well worth it. Now I’ll just have to keep up the momentum between my two full time jobs once I get home.

On day 2 of our retreat we woke up late after spending a late night talking about politics (American ones for the most part) and history. Now the history part I thought was fabulous since I hadn’t learned what we talked about.

Today we did a workshop this afternoon (because none of us had any brain function until then) on Characterization. I still have an hour before we meet up with Judy’s friends for dinner where we’ll talk about writing and have a blast. Then I hope to get a little writing in before I call it a night.

So far we have had 3 people ask us to do it again next year and include them in the planning. This retreat looks like it might be an annual thing. Do I mind? Not one bit.

Today is day one of our retreat. Since we don’t have any set hours I woke up late. Well late for me and it felt wonderful. I’m on the end part of a cold, shhh don’t tell my roommates.

So here I am sitting down to start to write for a while before we hit the gym. I am starting on page 27. I’m hoping to hit pages 32 before Jessica Andersen shows up for dinner and a fun night of talking.

So I’m going to keep this short so I can get some writing done.

I spent a fabulous weekend at my friend Hannah’s. Her party was a blast and I was quite glad to be here to help her and husband get the last details organized. Yesterday I went shopping and bought tons of clothes on sale. Today Hannah and I are heading out to pick up our friend Judy for a writers retreat in Connecticut. I’m not going to say where we are staying because I don’t want to get spammed by other locations on this blog.

Last week I met my weekly writing goal. This week my writing goal is slightly different. I’m hoping to write 5 Lachesis manuscript pages per day. This will help me get closer to my deadline. I’ll keep you posted on my goals as the week goes by.

If you intend to go out keep warm!

Today is the 11^th day of Christmas, and according to the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, this day is all about eleven pipers piping. Well I’d like to think that those pipers are playing a few happy notes for me and my New York debut release, Kismet, which is available today. Getting to this place wasn’t an easy task. Rejections were numerous, not enough to paper a wall, but enough to make me want to quit a couple of times.

Writing is a solitary existence until the author puts their work out into the world and allows others to read it. It can be a tough transition going from solitary confinement into a world where readers either love or hate your book. And while a writer tries not to let a book become personal, it does. Some people often liken a book to a child. I’ve never viewed my work that way. I know not everyone is going to be wild about my books. But I admit that believing that doesn’t take the sting away when someone rejects the book. It’s like that individual has said I don’t like you. And it’s human nature to want people to like you. So a writer has to develop thick skin when it comes to rejection.

Although rejections aren’t pleasant things, writers do recover from them. Some better than others. Rejections just make me mad, and I develop a stereotypical reaction along the lines of “oh yeah? Well just you wait and see. I’ll show you.” Then I would turn around and work harder. A publisher never rejected Kismet, but my agent nixed the first draft. If you think it’s tough to have a publisher say no to a work, try having your agent say it to you. But Deidre did the right thing in telling me the initial draft of Kismet wasn’t up to par.

And it wasn’t. It was some of the worst writing I’ve ever done. It was cold, forced, and just difficult to wade through. But then Kismet is a book unlike any other I’ve ever written. Kismet isn’t a book of my heart. It’s a book of my soul. When I wrote this book, I did so in hopes of writing to a trend. When I was writing the book, erotic romance and erotica was pushing the envelope in so many ways. I saw a discussion about forced seduction and how it was a fantasy for some women.

I understood why some readers might find such a fantasy exciting to read. After all, the reader is in control during a fantasy read, they can put the book down and walk away. In reality, the survivor of such an act cannot walk away. We are left with scars that sometimes don’t break open for years. Wounds that you think are healed, but really aren’t. My attempt to write a forced seduction scene was a miserable failure. But there is always a positive in every negative experience. We can learn from our pain, and the initial draft of Kismet forced me look deep inside myself. It became a cathartic experience that enabled me to deal with demons I’d not dealt with for a very long time.

The initial draft of Kismet was so painful to write that when I was finished, I wanted to push it aside and never touch it again. I wanted to write it off completely. But I’ve never been one to give up on something. So almost a year later, I couldn’t stop thinking about the book. Despite the lousy writing, I loved the characters. I pulled the manuscript out again and forced myself to read through it (or at least parts of it). To my surprise, there was almost half a book that was salvageable.  Determined not to give up on the story, I rewrote the first half of Kismet. I turned it into my agent the second time then waited on pins and needles for her comments. Her initial reaction was “Taking off my agent hat and reading just for pleasure.” I could not have asked for a better review. I hope readers will have the same reaction to Kismet, because it truly is the book of my soul.

Tell me about something bad that’s happened to you and how you were able to turn things around—make lemonade from the lemons.

Kismet Details

It was a gamble she was born to make…
Raised in a brothel at a young age, Allegra Synnford quickly learned that survival meant taking charge of her destiny. Now, a renowned courtesan skilled in the pleasures of the flesh, she chooses her lovers carefully—vowing never to be vulnerable to any one man. Until a mesmerizing Sheikh strips that control from her… 

With a man who wasn’t used to losing.
Sheikh Shaheen of the Amazigh has been hiding from his past for a long time, but not enough to forget how another courtesan made him abandon his life as the Viscount Newcastle. It’s why the yearnings this dangerous temptress ignites within him are so troubling. Worse, thoughts of Allegra pervade every fantasy, threatening to undermine his cover. With old enemies circling, experience tells him he must resist her charms at all cost. In fact, he’s betting on it. That’s a risky wager when it comes to a woman of pleasure. But Allegra has her own reasons for playing games…with a man who can’t afford to lose.

What happens between them is Kismet…

What people are saying about Kismet

“This sizzling hot historical and its compelling characters will leave you panting for more! Monica Burns writes with sensitivity and panache. Don’t miss this one!”  — Sabrina Jeffries, NYT bestselling author

“Burns’ story is hotter than the desert sands! She succeeds with a classic captive/captor romance akin to a Johanna Lindsey classic. Relax and enjoy the sizzling show — complete with a lesson in bananas and seduction.”  — RTBOOKreviews

“After reading the bio posted on her website, I was afforded a deeper understanding into the wealth of emotions she poured into Kismet.   Tenacious, sassy heroines and strong, sexy heroes are her signature style and she’s boldly penned one of the best books I’ve read in years.” — TwoLipsReviews

Pick up your copy today at Amazon and BN

Well the holidays weren’t very productive, writing wise. Last week was the first week that I didn’t do any writing and didn’t meet my weekly goal. Not a good way to start the year. However I figure I had a right to take some time off for a little while.

Now I’m back and plan on meeting my goal before I leave on Friday. I’m headed down to visit my friend Hannah and will be going to Connecticut with her and my other friend Judy for a writing retreat for nearly a week. I’m hoping to write over 5 pages a day while I’m at the retreat, but we’ll have to see.

Happy New Year

May 2010 bring you everything you ever needed and dreamed of. So here’s hoping you have joy, patience, money and love in the coming year.

Bonne Annee!