Plot Monkeys

First off: A fabulous announcement. Next Thursday, March 15 (beware the Ides of March!) our amazing editor Brenda Chin, of Harlequin, will be our special guest blogger. Mark your calendars–if there’s a more well-respected, successful editor in this business, I don’t know who it is. Brenda is our dear friend, and our treasured colleague and we’re all very excited that we’re going to have her here.

Now…back to my post…

It’s 11 o’clock Friday night and I have JUST remembered that we haven’t posted a Saturday Chit-Chat question for this week! For the past several weeks, we’ve had fun relating our “first sale” stories and Carly updated us on her Kelly Ripa story last week. It’s been a long time since we’ve just had an ask-and-answer question.

So I thought (being the industrious monkey that I am) that I’d post my own question, and my own answer, and invite Carly, Janelle and Julie to jump in and answer at their convenience.

Here’s the question…

What are you working on…and how’s it going? Give us the latest!

LK: This should be easy for me to answer since I asked the question! I am working on…nothing! Well, nothing that I’m contracted to deliver. I turned in my next Blaze, due out in September (it’s called OVEREXPOSED and it’s the next in my Santori family series.) Anyway, that was my final “contracted” book for now. I know I’ll be doing more Blazes, but it’s not exactly “official” at this moment. And I’m feeling pretty free…and pretty terrified. No contracted books = no deadlines…but it also = no income. :o

Anyway, while I await my next Blaze deal, I am working on a proposal for something completely different…a romantic suspense trilogy that the other monkeys helped me plot out during our Nashville retreat. It’s going well and I’m excited about it…I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out!

JD: I’m finishing up (FINALLY!) Joel Wilde’s story in BORN TO BE WILDE. With luck, I will be typing the end by Monday. The book will be released in September 2007. What’s up after that? Laundry, house cleaning, and lots of sleep!

CP: I’m writing HOT PROPERTY (Roper and Amy’s story). I’m actually revising the first quarter of the book for oh, about the fourth time. I had Brenda read and give me suggestions and now I’m going in and fixing. I hope once I nail this I can go forward for good. It seems this is my process. I always struggle in the beginning and have to keep going back and going back. The only good part about it is that each time I have to go in and add something, it gives me more pages!

JEL: Sorry I’m late with my post! I’d like to say I’m working on my tan, but did anyone mention it is cold in California this time of year? I sat by the pool day before yesterday in a long sleeved shirt, jeans, socks and I had a beach towel as a blanket! But while wrapped up, I did write quite a bit on the paranormal gypsy-curse book due in May. The book is coming along well, though I decided to concentrate on a secondary story line while I’m out here and I miss my hero and heroine! The book is currently titled PHANTOM LOVER and will be out next February. BTW, we went to Disneyland yesterday. As you all know, I’m a Disney freak, so the happiest place on earth made me the happiest woman in the world. And we saw Chuck Norris walking around the park with his adorable son and very pretty wife. Several times. I’ve always liked his movies and tv shows, so that was a thrill. (And no, we didn’t say anything to him…I think it’s rude to interrupt a celebrity’s day with his kid to act like a stupid fan, LOL!) I will say I’m wondering why we don’t have the Indiana Jones ride in one of the Florida parks (or do we…is it at MGM? I never go there!) because it was super-cool!