HB3 Update!

Hell’s Belle fans will be happy to hear that I made terrific headway on my pre-outline outline for Book 3. 

I know, weird, right? A pre-outline outline?

This is basically where I decide the major plot points, as well as identify the characters I need to carry the these plot points forward. It looks like our favorite surviving characters are back: Nina, Frankie, and Max, of course. Darcy and Matty return, and Casper too. Chuck will probably turn up a time or two, simply because the Beta Vamp really grew on me. Dr. O returns in this book, but we probably won’t catch much of him until the end. And, of course, our favorite demon Ami Bertrand is back pulling everyone’s strings. 

Plus, I am introducing a new, pivotal character. He’s a doozy, and I am crazy excited to write him. 

Nina and Casper are going to go through a major upheaval in this one. I know, how much more crap can I throw at Nina? But just like I needed to off a certain character in Tainted Blood so that Nina could grow as a character, this is the next step in her development.

Action lovers will be happy to hear that it looks like the action sequences are back in line with the original Hell's Belle. The crew knows exactly what's going on and what they need to do. So this time, it's all in the execution. 

Here's a playlist of music kept me going while I worked it all out.  Let me know how you feel about the tunes! 

Soul Storm mix tape

I am thrilled to have Ann Gimple back on the blog today; this time she's sharing a folk- inflected mixtape for Soul Storm, her series of three apocalyptic novels. Psychologist Dr. Lara McInnis has an uncanny ability to read the future. Trevor Denoble is the drop-dead gorgeous Brit (with powers of his own) who loves her. With the world as they know it on the brink of anarchy, they'll need all of their power, and the trust of each other, to stay alive.

Ann explains:

My taste in music is eclectic, but I’m an old folkie at heart. Love the old rock and roll too, like the Rolling Stones and The Band and Jerry Garcia. I picked the above songs for two reasons: Lara and Trevor’s love is a lynchpin for the series, and the series takes place in a precarious pre-apocalyptic world that’s rapidly sliding into anarchy.
I just knew all those old protest songs would come in handy someday, and here we are!

Indeed! It's a great mix of songs--go on and give it a listen!

You can hang with Ann on The Internets over at her website, blog, and on Facebook.

Author Mix Tape: Ashlynne Laynne's Progeny Playlist

Music is a huge part of my writing—songs can inspire a mood or a scene or even a character. So I love learning about what other writers are listening to. 

Last month, Ashlynne Laynne introduced us to her Progeny series. I am thrilled she came back to share a Progeny mix tape for the release of the Blood Bewitched, the fifth book in the series. She gives us the scoop on the music that inspires her writing. 

Today I am beyond thrilled to share some of the songs that have both influenced and inspired me while I’ve been writing my Progeny Series. My musical choices are much like most things in my life—eclectic and varied. I was a songwriter and poet before I ever got the inclination to write a novel. I have written lyrics for pop, rock, and crossover country music. Yes, I said country.

*Shauna Rousseau fun fact: Shauna’s favorite singer is Adele.

1. Collide by Howie Day. This is Ascher and Shauna’s song. I first allude to it in The Progeny the first time the couple makes love. Ascher despises most things contemporary, but he is learning to bend. Having a young wife has been good for him. They share their first ever dance to this song in Blood Bonds. It was also mentioned in Blood Bewitched.

2. Bring Me to Life by Evanescence. This is one of my favorite songs and it really speaks to the way Shauna brings Ascher out of himself. The poor guy was engaged seal to a full-blooded vampire that he abhorred. It was only after he met Shauna that he felt his heart and really began to live a fulfilled existence.

*Ascher Rousseau fun fact: Ascher’s favorite musical decade is the 80s.    

3. These Are the Days by Van Morrison. There is a very touching scene in Blood Promise where both Ascher and Shauna sing this song. Shauna listened to this type of music growing up when she visited her grandmother Amy, and Ascher, of course, was a man when it was made. It was a unique scene to me because it shows that even though there are decades of age difference between the two of these characters, they still connect on a deep, spiritual level that has absolutely nothing to do with a physical attraction.

4. Justify My Love by Madonna, S&M by Rihanna. I actually listened to both of these songs on a continuous loop while writing this hot scene from Blood Promise. Mr. and Mrs. Rousseau have quite the naughty time while Madonna is playing. I love steam with my romance and enjoyed writing this scene between the couple. Besides the obvious, this scene also had significance. It was the beginning of a power shift in the couple’s relationship and the start of Shauna’s journey into the next phase of her life. Those who have read the books will know exactly what I mean.

*Ashlynne fun fact: I love Bruno Mars. He appears on every playlist. His music is new but harkens back to an earlier time when things were a bit simpler. His voice can be raw and gritty, but also incredibly soft and sweet. This mix of tones makes his sound truly unique.

5. You Can Leave Your Hat On by Joe Cocker. This song was an inspiration to me while writing Ascher’s little striptease scene in Blood Bewitched. I have loved this song since I saw it on 9 ½ Weeks. It always elicits thoughts of someone stripping for the person they love.

6. Gorilla by Bruno Mars, Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack. There is a really heated hot scene between our hero and heroine in Blood Bewitched, and I listened to a loop of these songs while writing it. As I mentioned above, Bruno Mars songs are either rough and raw or smooth and soft. Gorilla is primitive and primal with the drum beats and naughty lyrics. My iPod is full of Mr. Mars and his wonderful music. I first heard Unfinished Sympathy in the movie Sliver with Billy Baldwin and Sharon Stone. Again, this song screams uninhibited sex and wild abandon. I’m sweatin’ just thinking about it.