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AppearancesCheck out my chat loop and publisher loops! Nothing "officially" scheduled. Other InfoBooks available from Changeling Press Books available from Ellora's Cave Books available from Samhain Publishing To subscribe to my monthly newsletter please send an email or visit my newsletter page for alternative methods of joining. To subscribe to my chat loop please send an email or visit the group site.
Reviews"The storyline was pure reading heaven..." - Talia Ricci, Joyfully Reviewed, for Riding Partner "This
novella is an erotic romance and delivers on both counts - it is quite romantic
and is full of some hot bed play." Marina, Cupid's Library Reviews for Revealing
Photos " UNDER HER SKIN is so much more than a wonderful romance, it’s
a lesson in love and acceptance. It is an experience not to be missed."
Recent Posts
Writing Wednesday: Scruff your inner editor Sexy Feet - Some Thoughts on Cover Art Writing Without Distractions Writing Wednesday: Is it really work? Marketing Monday: Code Everything You Send Finding Your Bliss...Bears? Writing Wednesday: Writer's Organizations Make A Difference Monday: Get out of the Box My March 2008 newsletter is out! New Release - Mission: Carnal (Live Action Hero 1)
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 With the holidays over (to the cookie winners, because of dealing with a feral kitten this weekend, I didn't get to bake them, but I will next weekend, I promise.), I'd like to get back to my regular blog schedule. Since this is Monday, it's Make a Difference Monday. Today, I'm going to talk about feral cats. Not strays, which were once pets, but have lost their way from their home (or been dumped), though those kitties need help too. No, I'm talking about truly feral cats, born and raised in the wild. These guys need help too!! One great organization that helps feral cats is Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycatallies.org). They operate and believe in TNR - Trap Neuter Release. This allows truly wild cats to stay wild, which may be the best thing for them. For the younger kitties; however, they can be brought inside and tamed down into adoptable kittens (like the little guy above, who joined our household this weekend). So today's make a difference Monday is about feral and stray kitties. If you can support a TNR program, please do. If you can support your local humane society please do.  
 His Magical Student genre: fantasy length: novella ISBN# electronic: 978-1-419913914 Price $4.45 download
A mage's bastard daughter, Jendaya Carinella is shunned by her village—the very village she's sworn to protect. Untrained, she nearly dies in battle, and blames the mage who should have been protecting her people. But as Teryn introduces her to a world of magical training and her powers grow, so too does her desire for Teryn.
 Twelve Days of Christmas - Thank you! Day 12 winner: Sharon Berger Please email me with your address. Note: Cookies may take 7-10 days to be baked and mailed. I hope to get that done next weekend. :) I just want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who entered my contest. I had fun coming up with the questions, and the prizes. I sure hope you had fun participating. If you're celebrating a holiday today -- Merry Christmas. Otherwise... if not, please enjoy your day! Take care!!!!!!!!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 12 Day 11 winner: Dena (no Last name given) Please email me with your address. Note: Cookies may take 7-10 days to be baked and mailed. I hope to get that done next weekend. :) Today's Prize: Another dozen cookies!!!!! You have your choice. Please indicate choice when you send in your question... 1. leaded or weight watchers/diabetic friendly (either one is ok and I have tons of WW recipies. My family is diabetic, so I totally understand.) 2. chocolate chip or peanut butter (if you win, please give me about a week or so to get them baked and mailed to you. I mail cookies out at this time of year every year so I know how to mail them so they don't break. Or at least I try. :) ) Question: Today's question is easy. Which one of my books have you most enjoyed and why? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 12 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 11 Day 10 winner: Amber Young Today's Prize: As promised, today's prize is a dozen cookies that I bake for you. :) You have your choice. Please indicate choice when you send in your question... 1. leaded or weight watchers/diabetic friendly (either one is ok and I have tons of WW recipies. My family is diabetic, so I totally understand.) 2. chocolate chip or peanut butter (if you win, please give me about a week or so to get them baked and mailed to you. I mail cookies out at this time of year every year so I know how to mail them so they don't break. Or at least I try. :) ) Question: Today's question is a two-parter. 1) Tell me why I should bake you cookies. 2) If you could be a heroine in any of my books (or hero if you're a gentleman), who would you be and why? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 11 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 10 Day 9 winner: Jennifer Yates- Today's Prize: An EC Massager, a sex toy (no batteries requred), some sensual bath gel.... Question: What is your favorite sex scene from one of Mary's books? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 10 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 9 Day 7 winner: Kimberly Sutton- I only had a few right answers. The answer to yesterday's question was GHOST TOUCH. Sage and Teri's story was my first published novel, though it only recently came out in paperback. Note: Winners need to email me (unless address was provided in the email) to claim their prize. You have until December 26 to claim your prize! I am still waiting to hear back from a couple of people. Today's Prize: A beautiful blank journal and who knows what else I may find. :) Question: Mary recently found out that her M/M novel Cowboy Up will release from Ellora's Cave on April 30. Name one of her other M/M novels (either forthcoming or already released). Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 9 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 8 Day 7 winner: Deb Frischkorn - I already have your address so I'll get your package out to you. Note: If you are a winner and you haven't emailed me please do so to claim your prize. (See Day #2) Today's Prize: Two paperback book covers. One a nice bright sunflower print, the other red and blue fishes. :) Question: Which one of Mary's paperback books was also her first published book with Ellora's Cave? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 8 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 7 Day 6 winner: Donna Padgett - I already have your address so I'll get your package out to you. Note: If you are a winner and you haven't emailed me please do so to claim your prize. (See Day #2) Today's Prize: A 2008 horse calendar set (large and small) and a horse mousepad. Question: What is the name of Mary's horse? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 7 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 6 Day 5 winner: Gayle Oreluk - I already have your address so I'll get your package out to you. Note: If you are a winner and you haven't emailed me please do so to claim your prize. (See Day #2) Today's Prize: A CD incense pack of Sea Scape incense and a six pack of cinnamon tea lights. Question: What is the name of Mary's December EC release? (12/26 release date!) Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 6 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 5 First off, I want to thank everyone for their patience. Mother Nature, once again, played with our plans and we couldn't go out of town yesterday. We went today instead. So, with that, today's contest will go until MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT (I.e. stop at 12:01 am Tue. morning) Day 3 winner: Jody Faltys - I already have your address so I'll get your package out to you. Note: If you are a winner and you haven't emailed me please do so to claim your prize. (See Day #2) Today's Prize: A gorgeous horse journal/blank book Question: Name one of Mary's books that has horses in it. Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 5 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 4 Day 3 winner: Jolene Fehr- I already have your address so I'll get your package out to you. Note: If you are a winner and you haven't emailed me please do so to claim your prize. (See Day #2) Today's Prize: EC swag! I have an EC massager (very nice, my sweetie uses one of these on me), and THREE decks of EC playing cards. 2006 and both 2007 decks. Other items possible... And, of course, a bag full of goodies! Question: What are the titles of Mary's last two releases with Ellora's Cave? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 4 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck! NOTE: THERE WILL NOT BE A QUESTION TOMORROW. I'll be out of town. Day 5 will be posted on SUNDAY!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 3 Day 2 winner: Lois Merritt- Please email me with your address. Congrats!!!! Today's Prize: A signed (by me) trade paperback of Sultry Summer Fun Question: What is the name of Mary Winter's online new age store that she runs? Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 3 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 2 Day 1 winner: Amelia Richard - Please email me with your address. Congrats!!!! Today's Prize: A paperback of Wired by Liz Maverick and a paperback of Touch the Night by Susan Spencer Paul, plus a deck of 2006 RT playing cards. And, of course, the goody bag to the left! Today's question has to do with my partner. He's a huge Star Trek fan. In fact, it's a joke around the house that he can watch five seconds of an original trek episode and tell you the name, the season, and what it was about. So for today... Question: When going on an away team mission with Kirk & Spock, what color shirts do you NOT want to wear? (Hint - they're the ones who die first) Email your answer to contests@marywinter.com with DAY 2 in the subject line. Again, you have until MIDNIGHT CST to enter! Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
Twelve Days of Christmas - Day 1 Welcome to my Twelve Days of Christmas promotion. One of the great things my family does is a Twelve Days celebration. We open up little presents: one a day for twelve days. Though they may be small things like a box of popcorn or a box of Kleenex it's the thought that counts. These packages are wrapped with love and shared. That's what I'm doing here. Every day I'll give away one of these cute little bags. The mugs are filled with candy (and yes, chocolate), a little bear in a tree and a winter-themed rubber duck. In addition, I'll add items to it every day. Today's prize: One of these bags, a package of Tranquility CD incense (A CD case filled with incense and a holder), and a six-pack of tea lights (coffee mocha scent). How to win: Email your answer to a trivia question to contests@marywinter.com. Make sure you have DAY 1 in the subject line. Question: In Elemental Elves 1: Horse Play, Clarice runs a farm for therapeutic riding. What is the name of the North American organization for therapeutic riding? Extra Credit! Subscribe to my newsletter, either by sending an email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or at the Yahoo!group - http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/marywinternews/ Good luck!
United Hollywood is reporting (here: http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/12/tomorrow-is-trek-day.html) that today is Trek Day on the picket lines. My partner grew up watching reruns of original Star Trek. I loved Next Gen and DS9. For many, these television shows were an introduction into realms of science fiction and fantasy. Though I always was a book fan, I still remember watching the Enterprise swoop across the television. So why am I posting this on Make a Difference Monday? Because the writer's guild strike is not over. Not by a long shot. And the truth of the matter is, writers should get paid. Downloads, DVD sales, syndication, writers should get paid for their work. So ask if I support the writers, I'll say HELL YEAH! I did a podcast with Nikki Alton/Genie Davis who used to write for movies and television. It's hard work! It's scary work! And I applaud the people who do it. So today's "Make a Difference Monday" is simply a shout out of support to those hard working writers. And a reminder that they're still on strike and they still need our support.
Big numbers. Little numbers. Royalty statements that tell me how many books I sold and how much I made. Expense statements that tell me that I can deduct things from my taxes. It's filing day here at my house, and it's a good day for it too. The weather person, who really sounded as if she didn't know what was happening anyway, was wrong. The sleet started about 10, not the 4pm that they were promising. And either way, my trip to Iowa City was (once again!) cancelled. Next weekend. I swear. Well, since I'd been procrastinating on my filing, decided to take care of that today. For the writers out there wondering how to organize income and expenses, I use Quick Books simple start edition. It's free. I can put up to twenty "vendors" in it, which means my four publishers, plus categories for things like "usps" "TRS Membership" "online classes" etc. Then, I use their sales receipts function every time I get a royalty check/statement. And I record expenses paid by cash (even if I used a credit card), to record expenses. Viola! Instant P&L statement, and it's rumored that it'll even print out a Schedule C for me. Hooray!!!! No more sitting at my desk with mountains of papers and receipts come tax time. I also have an excel spreadsheet on which I track every month's sales # wise and royalty wise. This is good. Not only do I have a running total of numbers of books sold over the year, but also over the life of the book. I can tell you that Bjorn's Mate is my hottest selling title by far and that makes me really happy because I love my polar bears and just as soon as I finish the next StarMyst book, which in my mind is WAY overdue, I'll be starting on Kjell's story. So why am I telling you this? Besides the fact that I'm a Capricorn and working with numbers in this fashion makes me really happy? Yes, I'm a spreadsheet ho. LOL!!! Because, with tax time being around the corner, I don't want you to be like me last year, frantically checking and rechecking numbers trying to make it right. There must be an easier way, I thought. And I found it. Plus, I find this all fascinating and hope you do too!!!!
 This review from Paige Lovett at Reader Views really means a lot to me. I'm a reiki practitioner, too, and I tried to put my own spiritual views and reiki knowledge into this book about healing. So I am tickled that she enjoyed the book. You can read the full review here: http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewWinterAuNatural.html snippet: “Au Naturel” is a great romantic story. In spite of her health crisis, and the tragedy of losing her career, Reba is able to spiritually develop in ways that she wouldn’t have been able to if everything hadn’t happened. Todd’s role in her life is really special. Using his spiritual beliefs, Todd helps Reba to discover the core of who she really is and what is important to her. As a Reiki master myself, I was absolutely thrilled to read my first fictional story involving Reiki. This was a real treat to me. The sensual scenes between Reba and Todd are incredibly well written and also filled with emotion. Having the two have real feelings for each other gives the erotic scenes so much more depth. Don’t miss out on “Au Naturel.” And if you know a Reiki practitioner that enjoys a great romance, surprise her with this one! Thank you again!!!!! Labels: Au Naturel, reiki, reviews
One of my fondest memories as a child was going to the garage and helping my dad or my uncle work on cars. Mostly I handed him tools or read a book, but even though the hours were long, I really cherish those memories. Revising a book is a bit like ripping out the guts of a car to put them all back together again. You see, I'm working on my BDFN (big damn fantasy novel), which came in at 150K. Most publishers won't accept novels that long, and I'd been told to tighten up the pacing. So, as I was going through, shaving it down to about 128K, I realized at chapter twenty-eight, I had to gut the ending and redo it completely. In car terms, I was yanking the tranny and realigning the ass-end. It's kind of exciting work. I have some distance from the manuscript. So I could look at it, know my heroine could not run away for a THIRD time, and needed to fix. When I took that out, a lot of the things made sense. So, now, I can go back, cut out everything I wanted to cut, smooth over the transitions, and I'll have a much better novel for it. Sometimes in writing you have to make big changes to yield big results. I can't wait to see how this novel ends up and what future it holds.
 Aquatic Alliance By Mary Winter Undersea/underwater fantasy novella from Loose Id $4.99 BUY: http://www.loose-id.com/detail.aspx?ID=609 If marrying Egeus of the Silverfin clan helps Herma learn about her aunt's disappearance years before, then she'll endure their arranged marriage. Especially since by marrying Egeus, she'd help to join the Silverfin and Shimmertail clans in an important alliance. Herma counts herself lucky Egeus is handsome and nice. That's more than she has a right to hope from a state marriage. Egeus is of a different opinion. In fact, ever since he first laid eyes on Herma, Egeus wanted her. When it came time to arrange a marriage, he would join with no one but Herma of the Shimmertail clan. Now, in Herma he's found a sensually responsive mate, and he's determined to show her all the wonders of his undersea world...starting with making love. Because at some point, Herma is going to learn the truth about the past. And when she finds out, she'll have to make a choice -- the aunt she loved, or her mate, and Egeus refuses to give her up. He'll use whatever bonds he can forge to keep Herma for himself. Enjoy excerpts in my December newsletter: http://www.marywinter.com/newsletter.htm or at the website http://www.marywinter.com/book_aquatic_alliance.htm
 December 1 had been marked down on my calendar for weeks. Although my personal running training took a hiatus as the month of November swept me away with mom's move and other projects, I vowed to run (or at least walk-run) in the Wondergirl 5K on Dec 1. This event benefited the Johnson County, IA chapter of Girls on the run, and not only did I register, I joined as a Team Tiara member to raise money. And with your help, raise money we did! Although the ice storm prevented me from driving to Iowa City that day to actually run, I did turn in all my funds on Saturday. We raised $265! Thank you!!!!! That just exceeded my goal of $262.00, and I couldn't have done it without you. For a small chapter like that, the fund raising was a huge success, and I'm sure the money will be put to a good cause. So today, on this Make a Difference Monday, I just want to say thank you! Because of your generosity, we will have made a difference in the lives of young Iowans. Thank you!
My December Newsletter is Now Available!!!! Mary Winter is pleased to announce her December 2007 newsletter has just been posted. Not only can you read a fascinating interview with fellow author, Margaret Carter, but you can also get the inside scoop on her Twelve Days of Christmas promotion. Learn about her latest releases, see the new website design, and more! Read the newsletter online at www.marywinter.com/newsletter.htm. Subscribers get extra entries in her December contest!
After a hiatus while I switched podcast hosting companies, I'm pleased to announce that the archives of my podcasts are available again. I am hoping after the first of the year to start doing podcasts once more. Thanks so much for your patience, and I'm thrilled to bring these back to you. Click here to get your own player.
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