Gave myself a heart attack this morning. I woke up to an email from one of my favourite publishers -- the editor expressing interest in a manuscript I recently sold to Loose Id. I responded with an apology, mentioning that I'd heard nothing but good things about "publisher name" and expressing my own interest in possibly submitting future works to them. All good stuff. Then, when staring at my inbox while trying to figure out if I wanted to start my writing for the day or procrastinate by emailing a few friends, I noticed that the email conversation I'd had with said publisher was listed under a different publisher's name -- one who had me offered a contract a week or so ago. Gasp! I'd mentioned the publisher's name in the email, only to now discover I'd either a) emailed the wrong people back, or b) put the wrong publisher's name in the email! Faceplant.

Then I realised, of course, that Gmail groups all similar conversations together, and that I'd done nothing wrong after all. Lesson of the day? Don't attempt professional correspondence  before my morning tea, because it will inevitably lead to confusion and panic and painful faceplanting. Bloody Gmail.

I'm going out of the country on Sunday for ten days, and I plan to have a full, submission-ready draft of my new M/M novel completed by the time I return. Really. Hopefully. Maybe? Fortunately I'll still have normal internet access while I'm away (the in-laws have indeed embraced the wireless way of life), so I'll be able to keep up with my obligations and whatnot. And burn loads of time chatting on MSN, not getting anything written at all... No, I'll finish it. I will! I have a goal, you see. Four M/M romances in 2010. Two down, two to go...

Hello! I've had a lot going on, but nothing I can really talk about yet. I finally finished a book I've been working on since last year, off and on. It's not erotic romance (it's YA), so I won't talk about it on this blog, but it was such a relief to finally write those two words all writers love. I'm going to put it aside for a while before starting the edits. I need the space. But, still. Yay!

I'm making good progress with the new M/M erotic romance, thanks to the advice of an acquaintance. She explained her method to me, how she manages to write so much in such a short amount of time, and I thought I would give it a go. So far it seems to be working out. I'm writing a lot more in a day than I used to, so happy days. Thanks, Lori!

On top of that, I've been making some extra money with DS. Anything to help pay the rent, right? And I've also agreed to write for an Irish lit magazine (a monthly feature) so that should be fun. What else? I think that's all I can really mention right now.

24 hours have passed, so it's time to take down the snippet. Stay tuned for more!

TTFN! :)

(Almost forgot! Check out my Guest Post over at Writer Revealed: Why I Write Erotic Romance.)

Okay. There's no hiding it. I suck hardcore at keeping a blog updated. I have no idea why I find it so difficult to keep a regular posting schedule -- it's just there always seems to be other things to do! Bah.

Anyway, onto some updates.

Have you ever had the feeling that you're writing some of your best work? I searched and searched for a new M/M novel-length idea that excited me enough to light that fire in me, the kind of passion that kept me up until 3am and had me scribbling down plot notes when I'm cooking, showering, negotiating my way across busy roads... Alas, I was running dry. So I called upon my writing partner/best friend and I said, "Writing partner! I fail!" And she promptly spewed out all manner of fabulous ideas, which is possibly why I love her so. But one idea she suggested was something very similar to an idea I had already been entertaining, and between the two of us we came up with the Epic Idea of all Ideas. It's awesome, and I'm mega-excited, and I've spent the past week banging out an outline and layering on the conflict and plot and angst and smexytimes. The snatches of scenes I've written really do feel like my best work, which pleases me muchly! I think it's going to be a huge book, though. Too long. So I will write it and consider it and see what I can cut, but I'm just going to have fun until then!

I adore this feeling.

Speaking of good feelings, I received three offers from different publishers after I signed with Loose Id! I have no regrets at all, but it's such an awesome feeling knowing it wasn't a fluke -- that the book is good enough to gain multiple offers. :D :D

In other news, a novella I thought was complete is getting the re-write treatment. A read-through made me realise I needed to go deeper into the POV. It's one of those intimate stories, where the character's feelings move the story along just as much as the action. The story feels very personal and I don't think I did it justice the first time around, so time for take two!

What else? I think that's it for now. Coming up: A rant on the lack of realistic sex and emotion in contemporary M/M erotica. I really need to say something about it, but I need to organise my thoughts first. That's not to say I haven't read some fantastic M/M, because I have -- I wouldn't be writing it if I didn't have faith in the market and genre. But I seem to have had a run of bad luck recently with the books I've chosen to read and I feel as though some people aren't taking enough care in making gay sex -- or the feelings related to homosexuality -- realistic. It's all a bit too... you know. Fantasy. But enough of that for now! Later.