I'm BACK--and with STUFF to talk about

Hey guys :) I know it's been quite a while since I've been consistent with blogging, and I mean to rectify that! But first, there are a few things to chat about. :)

Firstly, I hope everyone had super holidays and a wonderful entry into 2010! It's so busy around the holidays, and then they zoom right by! I LOATHE Post-holiday aftershocks. Lets just say it was the LAST weekend in January before my dry, dead, brittly Frasier Fir Christmas tree was undecorated and hauled out side. YIKES! Truly a sad moment (and a serious fire hazard!). Needles everywhere! I'm still finding them!

Okay, down to the STUFF. I've had many, many wonderful readers email asking about my next project, and I so very much appreciate how interested you are in my stories. I LOVE my stories, the characters, and it makes me so happy to know there are those who've enjoyed them just as much as I. I've got a stack of ideas for characters/their stories that one day I truly hope to write one day. But here's the thing: The Market. Right now, dark, sexy paranormal romances and urban fantasies are HOT and flying off the shelves. It's what the majority of the public demands. My books are light paranormal, and overall the light stuff's sales are "soft". So for now, I'm sorry to say, my stories are on hold, and I say On Hold because I hope the market eventually swings back in the light paranormal's favor. Don't get me wrong--I love the dark stuff too. But the truth is many, many people, due to economy and etc., either check out books in the library or buy books used. Unfortunately, neither of those methods work in an author's favor as far as keeping the books on the shelf, or their books continuing, or further contracts from the publisher. If an author's book isn't bought new, they don't get "credit" for that sale. The publishers have no idea who checks out books at the library, or who purchases used books. So therefor, the author's sales don't speak a whole truth as to how many readers and fans they really have. I know because I get super emails nearly every day from you guys! And I LOVE them. THANK YOU! Bottom line is this, unfortunately: if you have a favorite author and you want to see his/her books continue, buy the books new if possible. I am NOT a salesman (I couldn't even sell Girl Scout cookies well!) and I don't like bringing business into it, but some people have no clue that a used sale doesn't give the author and his/her book count credit. I know times are tough economy-wise, but if it's possible, buy the books new.

WHAT I'M DOING ABOUT IT: First off, I'm persistent, if anything. It took me 8 years to make my first book sale. It took me 4 times to pass my nursing state boards exam (what a stinker!). So its just not in me to give up. I have story ideas for 2 guys in particular: Jason and Captain Justin Catesby. I think I could write a story for almost all of my secondary characters--I love them all! But Jason has always been one of my favorites, and Justin fast became one! :) When the market does a turn-around for light paranormals, those two will be my first stories pitched.

Until then, I can only say this: I am excitedly working on a new contract and have to be totally mute about it until the first book releases. YIKES! I honestly can't even breathe a peep about it! But I PROMISE, as soon as I'm given the OK, I will share it in its entirety. The full deal. The skinny. The low-down. LOL! I will tell you this--you'll hear about it before this year is up. :) They will be written under another pen name so keep checking back and I SWEAR, I'll update you ASAP! :)

Other stuff I'm doing: I do have a short story in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romances entitled Nia and the Beast of Killarny Wood. :) Check out the cover at the right! :) That was a fun story to write--but it has no links to any of my previous books. I'm just sayin'! :)

I'm also working on some Young Adult ideas, and actually I may very well work Jason's story in as a Young Adult. I mean, he IS young. :) I need the perfect heroine for him, though, so my mind is working in that direction. I'm really excited about this other young adult project I've been working on, and if I make the sale (I'm working on edits right now) you guys will be the FIRST to know! :) I may even use Cindy Miles instead of taking a pen name.

I've really had a hard time deciding how to come out and say all this without SAYING all this. LOL! But it started making me avoid the blog, and I didn't like that at all. So I'm BACK, this is what I can tell you about it, and I hope you guys keep coming by! While I'm sad that I don't have any more Cindy Miles books on the way in the near future, I am VERY excited about the new stuff, and I can't wait to share it with you all! I will start back my blogs here--you know me, mostly I just chat about movies and trips and new books and stuff. But I promise--I'm not going ANYWHERE! :) I will be doing some book signings and conferences/workshops throughout the year, as well as some guest blogs, so I'll post them all on my News page once I get them organized. :) Okay! So that's all the heavy STUFF--now onto some fun stuff! :)

Erin Hart http://www.erinhart.com/: My pal Leah Brown (she is a wonderful writer of French historicals and has a super-great blog: http://leahmariebrown.blogspot.com/ )turned me onto this author years ago when her debut book, HAUNTED GROUND, released. It is one of my all-time favorite books to date. Her second novel, a continuation of Haunted Ground, soon followed: LAKE OF SORROWS. Now, several years later, (well, a few) her third and continuation novel has just released: FALSE MERMAID. I am ON my way to get that book! I've been waiting and waiting for it and FINALLY! It's here! Erin's books are these phenomenal crime/mysteries with a speck of romance set in IRELAND, and she does Ireland PERFECTLY! I was SO hooked! If you've never read any of the books before, and you'd love to sink your teeth into some kinda good Irish mysteries, start with HAUNTED GROUND. You have to read them in order!

MOVIES: Oh my lucky stars, the movies! I've squeezed in TWO that I absolutely had to watch on the big screen: The Wolfman and Shutter Island. GOOD LAWD, they were both FANTASTIC!!!! Benecio Del Toro is SO COOL as the wolfman! :) I'd honestly never watched him work before, but man--he's superb in this movie! A remake of the 1941 version, it has that Old Hollywood feel with today's modern cinemetography. So freaking awesome! I loved loved loved it! Here's something funny--my best pal, NAL Author Kim Lenox http://kimlenox.com/, looks JUST LIKE (to me!) the heroine, Emily Blunt. (Kim has a new book releasing in April: Darker than Night, the third installment in her Shadow Guard series set in Victorian London!) :) Both Kim and Emily are GORGEOUS! :) And of course, Sir Anthony Hopkins was kick-butt in it as well!! :)

SHUTTER ISLAND: Oh my word, that Leo DiCaprio just gets better and better looking as the years tick by! He was cute in Titanic. I mean CUTE! With that adorable floppy hair darling smile. :) Now? Good sweet Muther! Hot! I said HOT! Blood Diamonds, hello? EEK! Well he really outdoes himself in Shutter Island! If you 've not read the book the movie is going to shock the pants off you! (so wear clean undies with no holes please!) Me and my daughter BAWLED! Oops--don't want to give anything away, but come on--if you're a Leo fan you KNOW he always bumps into tragedy! And he does it so WELL!!!! :) I will be buying both of those movies when they come out!

I also want to see Alice in Wonderland (helllloooo, Johnny Depp!!), Percy Jackson and the Olympians, CLASH OF THE TITANS! (woohooo!) and of COURSE, the Bounty Hunter! (WOOOP! Gerry Butler!!!) Those are all next on my list!

Okay, guys! I know that was a load to dump on ya! Trust me--I've been fighting with how to say it without being down or gloomy. All I can say is I truly love my Cindy Miles books, settings, characters, and stories. I will not give up! :) And I hope, once I'm able to announce the new stuff, you might give it a shot, too!

Have fun at the movies, check out Erin's books, Kim's new release, and Leah's blog! FUN! And I'll see ya here again soon! :)

XOXOXOXXO!!!!!