Hi, I hope 2009 is treating you kindly. I don't know about ya'll, but this time of year has always been my least favorite. Perhaps its the lack of color outside, or the end of holiday festivities. Or all the bills facing you after Christmas. I can't quite put my finger on it. January and February just kind of go by for me without much fanfare. But then I look at the positives of this time of year: more time to devote to writing, and better opportunities to watch what I eat since all the cookies and cakes are gone. Plus, after the cancer, each knew day is a blessing, so this year it hasn't been that much of a downer for me. I enjoy my life and I'm thankful for that.

Today I'm suffering from a cold and feel kinda blah, but I was able to sit down and spend a few hours writing on my current wip. (work in progress), Firefae. I finished its roughdraft and posted the last chapter up for critiques at the mudpuddle. And I got to thinking about some of the things that have inspired me to write through the years. I decided to share them with you. Some of them are odd and some of them aren't. It's amazing what sparks my creative juices to run. I never know when it will hit me, except for Jon Bon Jovi. He's the man. :) He surely doesn't surprise me. lol.
This old picture of him was one of Thorn's Embrace's inspirations. I even incorporated the crown of roses into one of the story's love scenes.

This is a cartoon character, Cloud Strife, from Final Fantasy, Advent Children. One look at him and my imagination soared. My future story, Snowden's Prisoner, was born.

One of my favorite artists is Brian Froud. Alot of his work has inspired fairy characters in my stories. His work is whimsical, mysterious and beautiful.

And last but not least, this is what inspired me to write my first novel:

"What?!" you ask.

Yes, the live action movie, Peter Pan, was one of the inspirations for me to write my first novel, Punished Desire back in 2001. A coworker/friend put the bug in my ear, but this little character and the story of Peter Pan & Tinkerbell, sparked my imagination and creativity. To this day, I have no idea why.

Drop me a comment and let me know what inspires you. I'd love to hear.

Life is strange sometimes,

Take care,

Deb

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Wow. I can't believe this year is almost gone. Where did it go? The past months have been a blur. I'm really getting into the holiday spirit this season since last year was such a dud with the cancer. I've got the baking fever and have already begun my christmas cookies. Nothing better than to bake some goodies for a Santa Baby like this guy I found on the web. ;) Love his, a-hem, ball, by-the-way. Could we lose some of that hay, though?

Tell me what kind of sweets you'd like to serve up to this hottie. And what you'd like to do with him.

Me? Dust him with powdered sugar and lick him off. :)

And last but not least, I got word that Saje will be released sometime in spring, 2009. Woooohooooo! I can't wait.

May this holiday season bring you joy and peace,

Deborah

Happy Halloween.

Now that's what I call a Jack-o-lantern. :) Hmmm. Yum.

I love Halloween. I don't know if its the fall colors, or the pumpkins, or what. I just love October. Always have. It's one of my favorite times of the year.

This time last year I was recovering from my mastectomy and my mother was staying with me, helping me to recover. I remember feeling rather crappy but wanting to see the Ghost Hunter's special on the Sci-Fi channel. I didn't make it through the 6 hour special. My mom kept telling me, "This is the most boring show I've ever seen. Nothing ever happens in it."

Of course I denied it. I happen to love the show but most of the time I do not watch it because I'm too busy. When I do, it spooks me. The kind of scared that leaves your imagination on hyper-drive. (was that a moving shadow I saw out of the corner of my eye?) That sort of thing. I love that feeling on Halloween night. It's so spooky. Unfortunately, we live in a rural area and have no trick-or-treaters. Also, are children are all grown and out of the house so we rely on some scary shows to entertain us on Halloween.

What's some of your favorite movies and tv shows to watch on all Hallow's Eve?

Leave a post and let me know. :)

Saje is coming soon from Wild Rose Press.

SAJE:

What could be worse than waking up lonely on May Day? Finding a naked male stranger with wings, standing in your home. That is exactly what Amanda discovers in her dining room when she stumbles from her bed to make her morning coffee. After she rouses from a faint, Amanda learns that her intruder is Saje, a trinket-hoarding, seed-spreading, bastard of a Woodland fairy, hell-bent on bringing her two May Day Baskets. Instead of fleeing for her life, Amanda feels drawn to Saje's scrumptous well-toned body and carefree spirit. They wind up involved in a sexcapade atop her dining room table, and then he will not leave.

Welcome to my little slice of the world. My name is Debbie and I love to write. But first, I am a recent breast cancer survivor. Cancer has changed me in ways that I could never have imagined. I am a stronger person and I take notice of the little blessings in life. Things I'd taken little note of before. Like the beauty of the sky. A butterfly. Not that I didn't notice them before, its just that I see the beauty in their creation. and I thank God for every new day he gives me. You can't help but alter your existance after you've had a surgeon inform you that if you do not have your breast removed and undergo chemo, you would only survive another year or two.

That happened to me and it now seems surreal in a weird kind of way. Do you know what was the first thing that popped into my mind after he told me that? I recall thinking, I can't die yet. I've got too many stories in my head that I haven't put down on paper yet. Yes, that was my first thought.

One of the benefits of my diagnosis is that it brought me closer to my family. You suddenly realize what's important in life. And cancer is a big aspect of my existance. One of my sisters is also suffering with this disease. Breast cancer affects the entire family. Right before I joined blogspot, I was sitting at my kitchen table tonight, filling out forms to have the cancer gene test. I'm doing this for my family's knowledge to help with their treatment to lessen their risk. Then tomorrow I go for a bone scan to make sure some minor pain I'm having is not metastized cancer. So, the fight doesn't end, but you have to keep that positive attitude. I must stay strong. I've got too many fairies and other character's wanting to be released from my mind. :)

Now on to the business of writing:

I've recently made my first sale to Wild Rose Press. Saje will be coming soon to their Scarlet Line. I'm so pumped and excited about this. I'll post updates often. :)

Take care and I'll talk to you soon.

Deb