It's done! DIAMONDS IN THE SNOW is finished and off to my editor...finally. I've come to the conclusion that life during May and June makes it difficult to write with the family needing my attention. But once July got here, the story just flew!

Of course, I'm bringing it in for the big finish this week, tying up all the loose ends and watching the characters fall deeper into love...and the two of them decide they want one more sex scene before the end! So here I am, thinking I'm done, and the characters have other ideas...again. Yes, if you're wondering, I gave them the scene they wanted.

But now it's done and I can turn my attention towards the next story... I'll spend a few days looking over the several stories I have started and see if inspiration strikes with any of those. If not, I'll generate a new start and see where it goes.

But the family and I are taking a well-deserved break and going to visit the Land of the Mouse in Florida for several days...and while Disney inspires me in many ways, I'm not sure an erotic romance fits with the Disney image. LOL So I don't really expect to start something new until we get back.

Remember to play safe, sane and consensual...and have fun!
Diana

One of the problems every writer faces is the rut of well-used phrases. The first book is the easiest...every turn of phrase is brand new...nothing hackneyed or old allowed. As a writer, you have something new to offer the world and life is good.

But by the fifth book, I'm finding I run the risk of falling into "habit words." Words or phrases I've used in past books that worked really, really well...and I want to use them again. Only now they're NOT new...and certainly not fresh.

For example...in my current work, DIAMONDS IN THE SNOW, the characters just had sex in the shower. Now let's face it...that setting has been used before...about a million times. And I had a shower scene in SECRET SUBMISSION. Believe me, I had no intention of writing a shower scene in this current book, but the two characters had other opinions/desires. In other words, they got randy and took matters into their own hands!

What they leave me with is hard work. Now that the scene is written, it is up to me, not the characters, to go back and find a way to make it fresh and new, hot and sexy. This first draft through, I will admit, I used my old "habit words" far too often. But I know they are there and in succeeding drafts will rework the phrasing so the reader is turned on by what the characters are doing. The LAST thing I want is for a reader to say, "She wrote this exact same scene in her other book...can't she think of anything new????"

YES! I can! It takes work and much thought, but yes...this scene will sparkle and titillate along with the best of them by the time I'm done. I will climb out of the rut (there's a pun here, someplace), and readers will end up loving this scene above all!

Now...where did I put the thesaurus....?

Diana

I've spent the last month struggling to find time to write. Thought once the summer was here I'd have plenty of time, but then there's the closet that needs cleaning out...and the garage that needs MAJOR hoeing...and the basement that needs cleaning...you get the picture!

Besides which, the characters surprised me. For those of you familiar with my books, well, I'm sure you won't be surprised. I thought this one (DIAMONDS IN THE SNOW) to be a nice little Valentine's story with some cute vanilla sex and a happy ending. Well, the happy ending is there...and almost written. But not so the vanilla sex.

Seems both Paul and Carolyn (the two protagonists) are into D/s...only she's all for it and he's ashamed of what he calls his 'cave man' mentality. Makes for some very interesting conversations...and sex, of course.

I hope to have it finished by the end of next week; it is my priority this week ... forget the garage; it'll still be there when the story's done. The end is in sight!

Oh! I have been working on webpage updates and gathering reviews for TABLE FOR FOUR. Some are already posted both on the website and in the "Files" section of the newsletter Yahoo!Group, but I have more to go. Also, check out the links... Adult Group Gold contacted me and requested a reciprocal link. Cool!

Play safe,
Diana