Can You Creat Under Pressure!

I'm under a tight deadline right now and something amazing is happening - I am writing a huge volume of words and I actually like what I've written! I never saw myself as someone who works well under pressure, so this comes as a huge surprise. I always thought, particularly with my writing that working under a deadline would stifle my creativity. Not so. What about you? Do you prefer to write as you want, when you want? Or do you prefer nail-biting pressure?

On another note, please check out my Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semi-final entry, A Little Help From my Friends at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011ZCARY

It's a first chapter free download. You can read it and post a review if you like. There are also many other chapters from all the other semi-finalist available for free. So head over to Amazon and check it out!

Writing Workshops

JANUARY 20-24
POLISHING A MANUSCRIPT FOR SUBMISSION
Get your manuscript looking sparkly fab and ready for submission to agents and editors. Gemma will go over common writing issues, mistakes and how to fix them, format and submission polices, and ways to catch an editor or agent's eye and stand out from the slush piles. If you've got a manuscript finished (or even just started!) come learn simple ways to push it from good to polished and published!

http://www.gemmahalliday.com/


Sophia Shaw is hosting a 3-day workshop on RD in the Class in Session forum from Jan 23 to 25. She's going to be discussing character development, so please bring all your questions!!

Visit her website at http://www.sophiashaw.com/ to learn more about her and her books!

A second helping of Dreams & Desires

It is almost time for the release of the second volume of the Dreams & Desires anthology - where all proceeds go to a women's shelter. This year's line-up is fantastic!

C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp. Jenna Bayley-Burke. Amanda Brice.
Shannon Canard. Sela Carsen. Rachelle Chase.
M.E. Ellis. Jenny Gardiner. Gemma Halliday.
Candace Havens. Zinnia Hope. Babe King. Susan Lyons.
Sarah Salway. Rhonda Stapleton. Bebe Thomas.
Emily Veinglory. Lois Winston. Shaunna Wolf


In conjunction with the February release of the charity anthology Dreams & Desires Vol.2 , Gemma Halliday is running an online Valentine’s Day Bachelor Auction, auctioning off a virtual date with one of 5 drooling hot romance cover models. All the proceeds from the auction go to help victims of domestic violence, so you can win a hot hunk for yourself while also supporting a great cause. Bidding is now open, so please feel free to come take a look at the man candy up for grabs!! http://www.gemmahalliday.com/contests

For Valentine's Day...

Harlequin has a Special Treat website with free reads, games, and book info.

You can even send an e-Valentine. Check it out!

2008 To-Be-Read Challenge

This could help Dara and the rest of us with our resolution to read ::
** Pick 12 books - one for each month of 2008 - that you've been wanting to read (that have been on your "To Be Read" list) for 6 months or longer, but haven't gotten around to.
** OPTIONAL: Create a list of 12 "Alternates" (books you could substitute for your challenge books, given that a particular one doesn't grab you at the time)
** Then, starting January 1, 2008, read one of these books from your list each month, ending December 31, 2008. :o)

TBR 2008

Driving Him Wild - Julie Cohen
One Night Before Marriage - Anne Oliver
The Rancher's Rules - Lucy Monroe
Return of the Rebel (At The Billionaire's Bidding) - Trish Wylie
Getting Down To Business - Ally Blake
Behind the Scenes - Trish Jensen
The Ex-Girlfriends' Club - Rhonda Nelson
Call Me Wicked - Jamie Sobrato
One Night Standards - Cathy Yardley
Innuendo - Crystal Green
Risking It All - Stephanie Tyler
Closer... - Jo Leigh

Alternates

Dream Job, Hot Boss - Robyn Grady
Bedded by Arrangement - Natalie Anderson
The Mile-High Club - Heidi Rice
My Tall, Dark Greek Boss - Anna Cleary
One Night, One Baby - Kate Hardy
The Marriage Experiment - Catherine Spencer
The Married Mistress - Kate Walker
The Ruthless Marriage Bid - Elizabeth Power
The Millionaire's Marriage Claim - Lindsay Armstrong
The Unexpected Pregnancy - Catherine George
A Wedding In Paris - Bretton, Ferrarella, Myers
Getting Real - Thompson, Leto, LaBrecque

Resolve to Read

With 2008 still in its diapers, I am concentrating on formulating my resolution strategies. Not the resolutions themselves - I did that in December. I am working on the implementation phase. Trying to figure out how exactly I will make my goals a reality.
Every goal has steps that take you toward it - ie: If your goal is to lose weight, those steps would be eat less, exercise more, etc.
My professional goal for this year is to be a better, more productive writer. The steps in my staircase? Read up on and take classes in self-editing, stop procrastinating by checking my email every hour, and the most fun step - READ MORE BOOKS. Now, being an author, you'd think I read plenty, but it's not enough. I read in bed before I go to sleep and more often than not, I start nodding off within an hour. So, no more half-asleep reading. As decadent as it seems, I am going to read during the day for a set period of time - every day. I exercise nearly every day. So why not exercise my brain a bit more. It's an investment in my career, after all. That's a step I will love.
So, what about you? What steps are you taking that are thoroughly enjoyable?