1. I'm knee-deep in copy edits for STOLEN HEAT. So this is going to be a short, catch-up post.

2. I have HAD it with Adobe. They have, without a doubt, the WORST customer service on the planet. It's a wonder I have any eyebrows left.

and...

3. I need some help for a workshop I'm giving next week. If you are a published author (and want some free promo in front of a roomful of 200 writers), send me a .jpg of your cover and answers to the following questions by Friday, 1.30.09 to elisabeth (at) elisabethnaughton (dot) com:

(a) How long did you write before you sold your first book? How many manuscripts did you write before selling? If you haven't sold yet, what keeps you motivated to write?

(b) What would you say is your biggest distraction to writing right now (biggest time stealer)?

(c) What's your best strategy for writing when you don't feel like it or don't have time (what do you do to get the words in)?

(d) Do you have another job besides writing? If so, what is it?

(e) Are you married/single, kids/no kids?

(f) What advice would you give writers who are struggling with finding time to write?

Ciao!!

In case you missed it, Gemma Halliday put together a fabulous auction full of autographed books, agent/editor/author critiques, gifts, portrait packages, website packages, etc. and all proceeds are going to help a mother-daughter duo down on their luck. The auction runs from January 19--January 26.

Katy is a sixteen year old avid reader and aspiring author and illustrator who has won local awards for her artwork. Just before Christmas, Katy and her mother became homeless. They were evicted from their apartment and have been living in hotel rooms (when they've been lucky) or their car (when they've not been so lucky) since then.

Katy has been blogging about life on the streets, and you can read all about how this incredibly sweet mother and daughter ended up in this situation here: http://destinationanywherebuthere.blogspot.com/ As Katy states on her blog, "Homelessness has many faces. And sometimes it happens to have a computer." Both Katy and her mother seem to have very positive outlooks, but it's clear they're in some real trouble.

That's where this auction comes in. All proceeds will go toward helping Katy and her mother get back on their feet. This is a pair that are actively looking for ways to improve their situation, and just need a little push to help them get there. So, please bid generously and know that you're doing a wonderful thing to help two wonderful people.

Here is the link to the auction page: http://romanticinks.com/auction/

Apologies for not posting these yesterday. I had a crazy day on top of a computer that is driving me wonky. BUT, you don't want to hear about all that. What you want to know is who won!

BIG THANKS to everyone who entered my FORTUNE & GLORY Contest and spread the word about the release of STOLEN FURY. The contest was a blast and it seems everyone had a fun time playing along. Even though the drawing is officially closed, I'm going to leave the FORTUNE & GLORY Game up on my website, so if you're in the mood for another adventure, hop on over and play (again!).

So, without further adieu....

The winner are:

$100 VISA Gift Card Winner - Lea!

Movie winner #1 (Choice of Indiana Jones #4 or Romancing the Stone) - Melissa Keith

Movie Winner #2 (other movie) - Brandy Jones

Ladies, I'll be sending you an email with directions on how to claim your prizes. (Winners names will also be posted on my website.)

Congratulations!!!!

I'm super excited to announce I have an official release date for the first book in my new paranormal series, currently titled MARKED. It will release March 2010, with the second book following closely behind. Today I'm over at the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA blog chatting about the series and taking title suggestions. Hop on over for a chance to win a free book!

Also, Beth Kery's interviewing me today at her blog. We're talking about STOLEN FURY, writing and my new series. Stop by for a peek. (And be sure to read Beth's steamy hot excerpt for WICKED BURN in the post just below my interview! Yowza. It's on fire!!!!)

And finally, don't forget there are only two days left to enter my Fortune & Glory Contest!!!

Today I'm the guest of honor (bug under the microscope???) over at Trish Milburn's blog. She's started what she calls The Thursday Three. Three simple questions that, as I found out, can get one in lots of trouble. Head over and peek. We're talking about anything you may want to know.

Also, only three more days to enter my Fortune & Glory Contest. Enter and play before it's too late!

Today I'm over at the Jaunty Quills, talking about writing and the half marathon I ran last Sunday (my second!). Hop over and comment for a chance to win a free book!

And don't forget to enter my Fortune & Glory Contest before it's too late!

My Fortune & Glory Contest is in it's last week. If you haven't yet gone and played...GO DO SO!!! Remember, you can enter more than once, just be sure you send me a separate link showing where you advertised the contest (has to be a different location from the first - or second - entry you sent).

Seeking Fortune & Glory? Then enter and play!
Embark on your very own quest, partner up with a sexy treasure hunting guide and enter to win a $100 VISA gift card!



Also...another article about me in a local paper. This one the Keizer Times.

And finally...they're still taking comments this weekend on my interview over at Much Cheaper Than Therapy . If you comment, your name goes in a drawing for an autographed copy of STOLEN FURY!

Happy Saturday!

Have I complained about technology lately? No? Okay, here goes...

Technology is wonderful when it works. When it doesn't, I want to rip my eyebrows out one by one. I won't go into the nightmare that was my computer life most of December when I had computer issues. But I will tell you the simplest way to fix the darn thing was to wipe the hard drive. Irritating, okay, yeah, but not the horror it was the last time I had problems as I backed up all my work first this time. So I've been in the process of reloading programs over the last month and I have one program I need, which I can't get to load! I'm so frustrated with this darn thing. I've tried everything...downloading the sample from their website, uploading the CD I bought...nothing works! The darn thing keeps freezing up. Gah!

In addition to that, Blogger is driving me nuts. For some reason it keeps uploading pictures as, like, negative images. Not sure what I mean? Check out Much Cheaper than Therapy today where I'm a guest. I sent them my cover and it's uploaded the image as a negative. Blogger was doing this last week when I tried to post the new cover for STOLEN HEAT here. I ended up having to go through a separate hosting site to get the image right rather than simply uploading straight through Blogger, and it happened when I was guest blogging over at Something Wicked This Way Comes on release day last week.

In GOOD news, however, Barbara Vey over at the Beyond Her Book Blog on the Publisher's Weekly site blogged about STOLEN FURY today, so that was very cool. I love hearing that locations come alive in a book. Especially mine. ;) Hop over and check it out if you haven't already. And like I mentioned above, I'm at Much Cheaper Than Therapy today, and I'm giving away an autographed copy of STOLEN FURY, so go over and comment!

And if that isn't enough for you...the fabulous Ann Aguirre is also giving away a copy of STOLEN FURY on her blog. So stop by and see Ann as well!

How about you...any technology woes you want to lay out on the table this morning? Save my eyebrows and share you're frustrations.

Okay, first off I have to say, I have no voice left. Part of that is the fact I'm still recovering from a week of laryngitis, part of it is I think I talked more last night than I have in a month. Wow. What a night!

For those of you who couldn't make it to the launch of my debut, STOLEN FURY, I'll give a little recap:

The event was quite fun and a big success. The Blue Pepper is a really quaint little coffee house/internet cafe that also serves beer and wine. Antique old tables, brick walls, couches and generally just a comfy place to relax. When I got there I found a giant floral bouquet on the table from a friend of mine, Kristina McMorris, who couldn't make the event. I was so touched, and started the night with a big smile on my face because of her. The local Borders bookseller ordered the books and showed up last night to sell them for the launch. My hubby was quite impressed with the way she displayed all 100 books on her table. She had this cool pyramid-type thing going. She had told me - and a good friend of mine, on different occasions - that she was afraid she'd ordered too many books. At the end of the night I think there were only 8 books left, which she had me sign for her store, so she made good sales for the night. (This is in addition to the 10 she sold in her store yesterday before the event.) There was food - appetizers and coffee - and a friend who manages the bakeries for all the local Safeways in the area had a cake made out of my book cover. The Blue Pepper sold lots of beer and wine, and people hung around and chatted while the signing was going on, which is what I wanted to have happen.

I didn't read aloud from the book. The manager had called me before the event and asked if I needed a microphone. My gut reaction was, "What for?" For those of you who don't know me personally, let me just say, reading aloud from my own book is akin to my own personal version of hell. I have a hard time being in the same room as someone who's reading my book...can't imagine reading it aloud to anyone. Honestly though, I have no idea when we would have had time to read aloud as I started signing right at 6pm and didn't get out of the Blue Pepper until well after 9:30 and they close at 9pm.

I was thrilled and elated with how many people showed up. The place was packed. I was also very surprised with how many people came because they saw the article the local paper wrote about me. You can find that article here if you're interested. When I got there at 5:30 to set up, a woman was sitting at one of the tables drinking a glass of wine and reading my book. She was about 3/4 way through it, and from the "local author" sticker on the front, I knew she'd picked the book up at the other local Borders store. My hubby kept nudging me to go over and talk to her, and I did (eventually...it was a very strange moment for me...the first 'non-family/friend' I've met reading my book), and she was very nice. She'd seen the article in the paper, rushed over to Borders and got their last copy, then came to the signing. Turns out she lives near me and loves to support local authors. And the best part was that she said she was really enjoying the book, which was a plus.

There were lots of family and friends there, lots of people I'd never met before. One of the highlights, though, was seeing two girls I went to high school with. We were all on the rally squad our senior year together (yes, I was a cheerleader...basketball only) and I hadn't seen them in probably 18 yrs. I was so happy they came. They also saw the article in the paper, and one actually teaches English and mythology at our Alma mater. She asked if I'd come speak to her class sometime about being an author. Now that will be a strange moment...going back to my old high school (which I haven't stepped foot in since graduating) to talk about writing.

My hubby said people were congratulating him all night long. He laughed and told me later, "It was weird because I didn't do anything to deserve congrats...you did!" He played hostess-with-the-mostess and mingled because I couldn't. My dear, sweet friend Becky emailed me this morning and said I didn't look nervous at all, but rather content through the whole thing, and after thinking back, yeah, I guess I was. I wasn't nervous at all, which, for me, is a big deal. I thought I'd really hate the entire signing process, but it was actually very fun.

Below are some photos from the night:


Dan and I before the signing.

The books.

Signing

With my first readers - Rita & Tonia and Tonia's adorable baby, Hope. These gorgeous women have been reading my work since long before I got published. Rita even delayed her trip to Palm Springs so she could be with me on launch night.

With fellow MWV RWA member, Jane LaMunyon.

Afterwards...celebrating.

Today I'm back to a raspy voice, which is just fine with me now that the whole thing is over. Big thanks to everyone who came, who sent me congrats and well-wishes and those of you who've bought the book so far. I'm thrilled it seems to be doing so well.

Okay, off to drink tea to soothe my voice and clean up the pit that has become my house over the last week.

For those of you in the local area, tonight is my launch party!

Where: The Blue Pepper Cafe, 241 Commercial NE, Salem, OR
When: 6-9 PM
Who: Open to the public

Join me in celebration of the release of my debut romantic suspense, STOLEN FURY. Refreshments provided, beer & wine available for purchase. The local Borders bookseller will be there selling copies of STOLEN FURY and I'll be signing! Food, drinks and good books. What could possibly be better than that!


Also, I'm over on Cythnia Eden's blog today talking about...well, lots of stuff. Stop by and say hi!

My editor sent me the final cover for STOLEN HEAT (book 2 in the Stolen series) this morning.



Antiquities dealer Peter Kauffman walked a fine line between clean and corrupt for years. And then he met the woman who changed his life—Egyptologist Katherine Meyer. Their love affair burned white-hot in Egypt, until the day Pete’s lies and half-truths caught up with him. After that, their relationship imploded, Kat walked out, and before Pete could find her to make things right, he heard she’d died in a car bomb.

Six years later, the woman Pete thought he’d lost for good is suddenly back. The lies this time aren’t just his, though. The only way he and Kat will find the truth and evade a killer out for revenge is to work together—as long as they don’t find themselves burned by the heat each thought was stolen long ago…

AVAILABLE FROM DORCHESTER LOVE SPELL - AUGUST 2009

And today I'm blogging over at I Do Not Want To Wait about books following popular movie genres. Stop by and say hi!

Home Again, Home Again

Happy 2009 to everyone!

I'm home now from a week in the mountains with friends, celebrating the release of STOLEN FURY and the New Year Holiday. We had a great time hanging out, playing games, going sledding with the kids and overall just relaxing. I was able to blog in a few places to promote STOLEN FURY, but mainly it was good just to get away and unwind from the stress of the last month - kids home, holidays, book promo, etc. Unfortunately, I contracted some kind of weird cold virus last weekend, which I thought I was on my way to getting rid of when we left Tuesday, but somehow I managed to lose my voice while we were gone and today it's even worse than it was before. I literally HAVE no voice now. Physically I feel fine, I just can't talk. So it makes for an interesting time here. My hubby and kids are thrilled (I'm the yeller in the house). Me? Not so much. I'm just hoping my voice decides to return sometime before Wednesday and my big book launch party.

So in case you're interested in my happenings, I blogged today at Killer Fiction. I wasn't able to post about it until now because we just got home from the mountains, but the post is up if you're interested. Tomorrow the Statesman Journal is running the article about me and my book in their Sunday edition (I'm told it'll be on page D5 for those of you in the area), but for those of you outside Oregon, you can find it on their online page.

My launch party is all set for Wednesday night, 1.07.09. Aside from my voice not cooperating, everything else is good to go. I think we're going to have a HUGE turnout, too. Everyone I've talked to about it is coming, and I keep getting emails and comments from people telling me they're bringing friends and that their friends are bringing friends. I honestly had no idea people would be so excited about it, but they are. I'm a little worried the bookseller isn't going to have enough books, but I guess that's out of my hands. (She told me she was ordering at least 100, maybe more).

In good news, I've been hearing from people who are seeing my book all over, and places where it's already sold out. That's pretty cool to hear. And though I really wasn't stressing too much about where the book is at, a friend has fixed that for me. Here's a snippet of our conversation:

Him: "So people all over can buy your book? Like, all over the country?"

Me: "Well, actually, all over the English speaking world. I know from some emails I got that stores in Australia already have it. And it'll be sold in Canada soon if it isn't already."

Him (very shocked): "Wow. That's just...woooow. How do you sleep at night knowing it's EVERYWHERE?"

Me (suddenly very nervous): "Oh boy. I was sleeping fine because I hadn't thought of it that way. Thanks for adding to my stress level!!!"

Tomorrow is a down day for us - packing up all the Christmas decorations, getting the kids ready for school on Monday (Hallelujah!!!!). I'm very much looking forward to the return of normal life. And I'm so itching to get back to writing. I miss it.

How was your New Year's Holiday? Do anything extra-special?