The Laundry List

One For the Money: The Movie

2012-01-27T09:32:00.001-08:00

Grade B+
So I just got back from the all new One For The Money movie, staring Katherine Heigl, as Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, bail enforcement agent with Jersey girl attitude. As a die hard fan of these books I was initially upset with the casting choices, you just don't look at Katherine Heigl and think Jersey Girl. But the movie took so long to come out that I had time to adjust to the idea. Heigl's big screen movies have been mediocre at best, lacking substance but I thought she was an excellent addition to both Roswell and Grey's Anatomy, so I went with few expectations other than to have a day date with the husband.

Overall the movie was enjoyable, surprisingly so. The story in One For The Money followed along very closely with the book, with only a few scenes added, like Stephanie and Ranger at the shooting range. Ranger was probably the biggest disappointment in the movie, there was no chemistry no magnetism and he seemed like filler, not the great force for justice that made the heart speed up when he said babe.

On the other hand Jason O'Mara portraying Joe Morelli really grew on me throughout the movie. Obviously this guy is not the Italian Stallion the book Morelli was, and I've always been more of a Babe than a Cupcake but after seeing those intense blue eyes and his bad boy smile, I might have to rethink my position. O'Mara and Heigl had excellent chemistry, sparing and lusting and waring and one-uping each other.

Debbie Reynolds played her role perfectly as Stephanie's Grandma Mazur. Vincent Plum was also a win, Patrick Fischler had that creepy ferret guy thing down to an almost freaky degree.

Misses included the way the movie was toned down, making it a little softer. Lulu was beaten but not raped, not quiet so much stalking with Benito Ramirez and the climax was a jumbled up mess complete with the villain's unasked for soliloquy as to how and why. No Joe or Stephanie putting the pieces together, solving the mystery.

These were the books that inspired me to write mystery, character driven mystery not just the same old whodunits. And after seeing the book come to life, I'd say that if I were Janet Evanovich, I'd have been proud of the result.

New Year's Resolution and ebooks

2011-12-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

With the chaos that is Christmas at my house safely behind me, it's time to move on to the upcoming new year. 2012, can you believe it? I'm starting to understand how my grandmother felt looking down the barrel of another new year, incredulous, grateful and full of hope.

Normally at this time of year I make a resolution in regards to my writing. This year I'm aiming for something different. As any reader is well aware, the landscape of publishing is changing at an alarming rate. Ebooks are taking over, ereaders are everywhere and I have to say the trend has been a boon for my career. I got a best seller out of the book no one wanted Who Needs A Hero? and have received reviews to the tune of "Jennifer L. Hart, where have you been hiding all these years?" and other such ego inflating words of praise.

Yes, ebooks are taking over and I actually need to take time off from thinking about my career and just write. So to honor the ebook here's my resolution.

In 2012, I will not buy any new print books!

That's right, no more Amazon Prime for me! Other than one or two preorders I was gifted and whatever I bring home for free from conferences, it's ebooks all the way! My tired, sagging bookshelves will thank me. And what better way to reward a writing goal achieved than an instant download onto my kindle of a brand new ebook?

So tell me, what have you been reading lately? What's on your TBR pile? How about resolutions? I'll giveaway one PDF of Who Needs A Hero? to one random commenter. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you!

Borrow Stellar and Laundry Hag1 Free on Kindle

2011-12-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

Are you an Amazon Prime customer? If so, you can borrow either Stellar Timing or The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag: Skeletons in the Closet for free for your kindle reading device! Do you like the snazzy new cover I did up for Stellar? Yeah, it was time so I got up at 5:30 this morning to do it up right. Spread the word to all of your friends and family because I'd like a few new readers for Christmas!

Another New Cover for the Hag

2011-11-19T05:54:00.001-08:00

Ah cover design. A year ago I knew nothing about it beyond that a book needs one and ugly covers don't sell worth beans. I've had my share of ugly covers and the hits just keep on coming. So I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Easier said than done. Photoshop and I are NOT friends. I have come to the conclusion that I am just too stubborn and forgetful to use that program. Then my fabulous friend and co-blogger on Writers Gone Wild, Maree Anderson, introduced me to the wonders of Gimp. From there I was able to design the cover for Who Needs A Hero? And the rest is history.

Obviously I'm no savant when it comes to cover design. But I know what feel I want my books to have. Well, usually. The rerelease of Laundry Hag 1 gave me headaches. I mean, the book is good old fashioned screwball fun, with a few deep moments tossed in. The cover I settled for in July gave that feel, you know the one I'm talking about, the aqua with the fishnets. Maggie was snickering about the fishnets nonstop. What do you take me for, the Laundry Ho?

So I kept plugging away at it, searching out the right model and behold, the fruits of my labors. It's campy as all get-out, but Something about it makes me smile. And at the end of the day, I think that's what a good cover design should do, allude to the read within.

What are your thoughts on cover design? Does a cover make or break a book?

Creating the perfect playlist

2011-11-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

Not all of my books have playlists beforehand. I don't usually listen to music while writing, I'm an only child who grew up in a rural area, quiet is my preferred working enviornment. But every now and then a story screams at me to make a playlist, and this one demanded it, no substitutions, exchanges or refunds. It is a snazzy playlist, if I do say so myself. Piper, my new mystery heroine is absolutely thrilled, because her song choices are in there along with Mama Rosetti's and Nona's. Being third generation Italian babalicious pasta shop owner is kind of like being wallpaper, she's present but is oftentimes overlooked in favor of the more colorful scenery.

I'm not above bribery to get her to talk to me.

What About B.O.B?

2011-10-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Jennifer L. Hart for Writers Gone Wild.

So, you know we creative types, we're sprightly creatures full of dreams and whimsy. And sometimes, just sometimes, the practical stuff gets missed. I have been recently made aware of a rather big whoopsie daisy type gaffe in my bestselling book (seriously, that will NEVER get old ;-) Who Needs A Hero?

*****************SPOILERS AHEAD. SERIOUSLY, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!!!*******************************************************

The set up: Maggie, the nanny heroine, is all alone on her birthday. Neil, our hero/ mental train wreck, is off being super SEAL, the children are asleep and she's throwing a very festive pity party, table for one. Enter Leo, the neighbor who cooks like an angel and cusses like a sailor and has brought Maggie a special birthday present.

A vibrator, A.K.A a battery operated boyfriend. Or B.O.B for short.

So there is my sweet little former bible thumping heroine is, trying to come up with a polite way to decline said awesome gift, and her go-to excuse is "it's just not sanitary". Leo insists that B.O.B is dishwasher safe, top rack only, and then proceeds to plop it in the dishwasher between the sippy cups.

And the front door opens. Uh oh, Neil's back. Wouldn't do to be caught with the gay neighbor and a sex toy by the boss man. So Maggie slams the dishwasher and the next morning when she checks, B.O.B has disappeared and Maggie and Neil have bigger issues.

So....what happened to B.O.B?

No, I did not forget that he was M.I.A. Somehow, in the stretching the book from 67 to 80 thousand words, the ending changed entirely and the fact that B.O.B never made a cameo at the end got missed. Nothing worse than setting up for a joke and never giving the punch line.

"Daddy, Daddy, come see my sword!" One of Neil's eyebrows rose in a speculative arch. Setting down his seabag he looked over at me for an answer. I didn't have the foggiest and shook my head. Though I might not be the world's greatest nanny, even Marty knew better than to let the boys play with sharp pointy objects. "Let's see, buddy." Neil called out. Josh marched in, a giant grin on his face, a dish towel draped across his slim shoulders and B.O.B gripped in his small fists, wielded aloft like a big phallic beacon for all the world to see.

This was actually the original ending to the book, instead of the wedding on the beach. The romantic horse outpaced the comedian in this particular race, but I am sorry I missed this rather big (giggle) edit.

I will remedy in all electronic versions ASAP.

For My Readers

2011-10-18T13:55:00.001-07:00

My sincerest thanks,

To those of you who have taken the time to read and review one (or more than one!) of my books. Thanks to those who asked for a kindlegraph, I'm all caught up but if you want a personalized note just ask! Love technology, when I'm not making it explode.

To those who want more! More Maggie and Neil, more contemporary romances, just MORE of my writing. Wow, I am so blown away and grateful that you are spending your time with my crew of characters.

Your feedback is what keeps me going, especially while wrestling with the current monster that is my work in progress. I'd love to tell you all that it's going well...but I'd be lying. Writing effortlessly is anything but!

There has been some category confusion. Probably because I'm a genre hopping nutjob. But if the straightjacket fits.... Anyway here's a list of my books divided up by sub category.

Contemporary Romance:

~River Rats (also found in romantic suspense)
~Redeeming Characters
~Who Needs A Hero?
~Worth the Wait (Short story)

Mystery:

~Jackson Corners (soon to be rereleased in ebook)
~The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag 1: Skletons in the Closet
~The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag 2: Swept Under the Rug

Science Fiction Romance:

~Stellar Timing

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-08-14T02:48:00.000-07:00

Have you heard? Who Needs A Hero? is a bestseller on ARe in both romantic comedy AND statuesque. Victory for awesome books and girls who love Navy SEALs as much as cheesecake! Now, on with our six!

The ring had been cleansed in the ocean, a materialistic baptism which wiped the remaining vestiges of sentiment from my mind. I saw it now not as a reminder of The Jackass, but as the means to a fresh start. The gorgeous merman had known this, and had given me a new chance.

“Thank you,” I whispered at number 517. I touched the door, but jumped when I heard footsteps inside. I ran and only Merv Griffin knew how fast.

Who Needs A Hero? is a bestseller!

2011-08-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

This just in, Who Needs A Hero? is a bestselling book! All Romance ebooks has listed hero as a bestseller in the romantic comedy category! Three cheers for Maggie and Neil. Click on the cover to see the listing on the ARe site and be sure to note the little silver star!

You can bet your sweet Aunt Fanny that I'm scurrying all over the Internet to change my status to "Bestselling author" today. Would appreciate it if you gave me a shout that I missed one!

I love my readers!

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-07-31T01:41:00.000-07:00

He flashed me a whiter than Vanna White smile, which only succeeded in making me feel like dweeby Pat Sajak. I guess that meant God was Merv Griffin and He was laughing His ass off. The handsome stranger held his hand out to me and for some bizarre reason, I took it.

He pulled me to my feet and then turned to walk away. I stared at his backside, wondering if I had hit my head at some point, sure this couldn’t be real because Merv Griffin only knows—actual people weren’t so glorious.

Now Available for Kindle and Nook and PDF download from All Romance ebooks.

New Cover, New Price, Same Hag

2011-07-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

I have re-released the first Laundry Hag mystery. Skeletons in the Closet for Kindle and Nook. Available now only 2.99!

The best call I ever made

2011-07-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

I could not be more proud of Who Needs A Hero? or of myself for making it happen. The book looks glorious, both in print and ebook versions and it is the story I wanted to tell, not neutered to fit some conventionally accepted mold. It's my best seller on both Kindle and Nook within two weeks of its release.

The decision to self-publish is never an easy one for me. I obsess over details and even though I have some fantastic beta readers and the best critique partner ever to live, but the final product is all on my shoulders. That's a lot of weight. Could I find a small or e-press that would be willing to take on my story? Yes, but probably not without significant edits. Sometimes editing is just what a book needs, cleaning up ideas to paint a better picture and slashing useless drivel that makes the story drag like a government job. And sometimes it hurts the product, and the writer, in the process.

This book is my baby, my love letter to my all-time favorite couple. If there was ever a time to put on my stubborn bitch hat, now is it. It took a lot to brush off all the dismissals this book received. Took even more to figure out how to turn the story I loved into a story all readers could. Will there be negative reviews? Of course, there always are but will I listen, or regret my decision?

Never. Not on this one. Not for a second.

RELEASE DAY!!

2011-07-12T02:53:00.000-07:00

Buy it now $2.99 on KINDLE or NOOK

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-07-10T02:58:00.000-07:00

Feels like forever since my last Six Sentence Sunday post! Good to be back and squee with me because my all time favorite couple is gearing up for a new release!

Available Tuesday, 7/12/2011
A sneak peak into Maggie's head. Watch out for the brambles, crime scene tape and shards of broken glass!

He’s married, for the love of Pete!

“Maggie,” Neil whispered.

I couldn’t say anything, wanting so much to leap at him and tell him everything, spill all my crazy secrets in his lap, even though it wasn’t fair to Neil, he hadn’t signed on to be my object of lust/therapist. God alone knew which I needed more desperately.

“Blink if you’re all right.”

Snap out of it before you start to drool, moron!

Be sure to stop back on Tuesday for ebook buy links, fun snippets and more hagtasticness. I know, I'm just making up words at this point. And click on the banner for more Six Sentence Sunday goodness!

Goodreads Giveaway for Who Needs A Hero?

2011-06-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how gratifying this is. My goodreads giveaway for Who Needs A Hero? went live yesterday evening. So far eighty people have signed up for a chance to win a hard copy of his book!

I just ordered my proof copy to review and I plan on taking it to New York with me to check for errors and any last minute typos. If it looks good, I'll pass it along to the Reading Reviewer, Mary Grimlich.

It's going to be a very busy week for me, my first ever RWA national conference. I'm looking forward to seeing the Sanibel Divas who are attending and meeting up with members of the sci-fi romance brigade. I've already packed my Star Trek: The Next Generation communicator pin to wear to The Gathering and after some clever packing, have plenty of room in my suitcase for books!

And I promise, as soon as I get back I'll be back to work, preparing for the Who Needs A Hero? release and maybe even writing on Laundry Hag 3: All Washed Up.

One thing at a time though. ;-)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Who Needs A Hero?

by Jennifer L. Hart

Giveaway ends August 31, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-06-19T02:31:00.000-07:00

From my July ebook release, Who Needs A Hero?

“Hi, you’ve reached the Phillips residence….” The same automated message I had heard that morning, so I decided not to monkey with it. Amber would get to it when she felt like it. I had bigger problems.

“Joshua?” I called again over the machine, wondering where the kid had gone.

I’d been in charge for five minutes and the house looked like hell, the baby remained diaper-less, the toddler was UA, and my dress had been soaked in pee. The fryer at McDonalds was looking better and better.

Coming July 12 for Kindle and Nook

2011-06-17T06:08:00.000-07:00

The long awaited story of how the Laundry Hag nabbed her SEAL. I'm self-publishing this one as well and if everything goes according to plan, I will have it available for Kindle and Nook on July 12. Look for a snippet this weekend on Six Sentence Sunday!

A Heroine in Distress...

In the span of one afternoon, Maggie Sampson lost everything—her job, her fiancé and her inheritance. The thing she’ll miss most though is her mind. What else could explain her vision of the handsome and enigmatic stranger who retrieved her engagement ring when she hurled the rock into the Atlantic Ocean? Normal people just don’t do things like that. Sometimes fantasy is better than reality.

A Hero Who Needed Saving...

To the rest of the world, Neil Phillips is a decorated war hero, a Navy SEAL who has what it takes to get the job done. In private he is a raw wound with two boys, a broken marriage and a nasty case of PTSD, but despite his personal struggles he helped Maggie when she needed it most. Now, Maggie is on a mission and she’s not going anywhere until she returns the favor—with interest.

Who Needs A Hero?

A warrior with a broken heart, a woman with nothing to lose—there are no victims here, only courageous souls, both in need of rescue.

Expectations

2011-06-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Scott and I have been re watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, one of my all time favorite series. I grew up on this show and sitting through a few episodes is a very comforting way to unwind for me.

In one of the latest episodes, Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg. dispatched a snippet of her brilliant bartender wisdom to Geordie who was sulking about a relationship that wasn't goingthe way he wanted. "She did the worst thing a one human being can do to another; she didn't live up to your expectations."

And Geordie being Georgie, sat back and you could almost see the wheels start turning. If there was a little thought bubble over his head it would have read oops, my bad. It's not her, it's me. Oh to be those well adjusted self-actualized people of the UFP.

I've been thinking about this quiet a bit lately, especially how it relates to books, writers and readers. As a reader, I know what it's like to pick up a book, look forward to a terrific story by an author I love and be severely disappointed with the outcome. The book just didn't "do it," for me, there was no sizzle of connection. But is that the writer's fault? It obviously worked for her, and probably others as well, an editor, a literary agent, critique partners and all the reviews that gave the book great ratings. Just not me.

As a writer, I'm supposed to give romance and mystery and science fiction readers what they want. In order to be a successful writer I have to give an editor, an agent a host of reviewers what they want. And if I don't deliver, what happens? Some people are disappointed. But is it my bad? I don't think so, I wrote the best book I could. The readers are free to voice what did or didn't work for him or her and I will take it under advisement but there is just no way I can please all the people all the time. That's not my job.

The arena of disappointed expectations is expanding. Mary Gramlich, the reading reviewer, has received some serious flack on Amazon.com lately because her reviews do not live up to someone else's expectations. Mary refuses to write negative reviews, ie review books she would give less than a four or five star rating. Some people claim it is her obligation as a reviewer to write reviews on books she didn't enjoy. Why? She isn't under any obligation to do this. No one is paying her to review what they want reviewed. She receives free ARC (advanced reader copies) of books and then donates them to SOS Aloha, a non profit that enables romance readers to support military families. That's the gig she signed on for, nothing else.

If you don't like her reviews, no one is forcing you to read them. If you don't like the book I wrote, feel free to leave a critical review. I'm a big girl, I can take it. But forcing your expectations on someone else is childish and unrealistic. And the only one who will truly be disappointed at the end of the day is you.

First Review for Stellar Timing!

2011-06-09T03:36:00.001-07:00

And believe me, it's a huge sigh of relief! Mary Gramlich, the Reading Reviewer, is the first back with the verdict on Stellar.
"Creating paranormal universes and characters that are detailed but not complicated is a very tight rope to write. Jennifer Hart shows she has the mettle to write it, get you to read it and absolutely love it. This story takes you to a place that you believe exists and worth fighting for to keep with characters that win you over with a sense of humor and kick in the pants spunk. Bravo!"

You can read her entire review HERE.

This is a big turnaround from the last time I self-published one of my books. No matter how much I believe in a story, I can never take my own opinion to the bank. And I know Mary isn't a big science fiction reader, which makes the victory that much sweeter! Because that's my aim, to entertain both die hard sci-fi fans and romance readers alike. And putting out a quality product always makes me happy.

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

This week's offering comes from my brand spanking new ebook, Stellar Timing. I love this story, my first place winner in the 2010 On the Far Side Contest, science fiction/ futuristic category. This snippet is the first encounter between my heroine, Ellie, and her space prince. If I've hooked you, feel free to click the cover to buy from Amazon for $2.99!

Sweat and what appeared to be blood matted his hair into clumps and so much ash stuck in the shoulder length strands, the color was impossible to decipher. More blood coated the plates of metal covering every inch of his giant frame. He removed his hand from her trembling lips.

“What do you want?” Ellie whispered, more afraid than she’d ever been.

“Sanctuary,” he rasped before those midnight eyes rolled back and he crashed at her feet.

The zero dollar experiment

2011-05-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

In the interest of diversifying my writer portfolio, I have chosen to hop aboard the epublishing bandwagon. And what better project to use as a springboard than my 2010 On the Far Side Contest first place futuristic story, Stellar Timing.

Let's see how much money really matters with ebooks. I haven't put a cent into this story. Literally, after winning the contest the FF&P chapter reimbursed my entry fee. The cover is my own design, and I uploaded the story to both Nook and Kindle all by my lonesome. Major credit goes to my critique partner, Saranna DeWylde, who invested quite a bit of time helping me spiff this baby up.

So because I don't charge by the hour (anymore ;-) it's being listed at $ 2.99 For a 94 thousand word ebook, I doubt you will find a better value. From me the writer to you the consumer, ENJOY!

On Sale now for Amazon Kindle and Coming Soon from Nook!

When a man wearing blood-soaked armor begs her for sanctuary, Ellie McIntyre is sure her mind has snapped like a dry twig. In the year 2059, poverty and stress have done much worse. What else could explain her ability to hear animals talk and the knack for communing with the wounded warrior inside her head? One thing’s for sure, she needs to eject this sexy figment from her life, stat.

Betrayed by those closest to him, Prince Brennigan was banished to the universal Hotel California, the penal colony called Earth. The only way to escape this fate worse than death is to befriend a portal-maker, a sorci who can open a gateway through time and space and return him to his home planet. Getting along with the magically inclined is not his forte—magic is the prevalent fungus at the root of his problems.

Now the hope for his people, and his heart, lies with Ellie. Can an ignorant witch best an evil sorceress before this medieval times space opera’s final curtain?

Stellar Timing on Kindle

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-05-14T04:09:00.000-07:00

Back to my foodie mystery, Country Fried City Gal. This is the first six sentence of the novel. Would greatly appreciate it if you would tell me whether or not you think it's a compelling start. Would you want to keep reading?

“Come on, come on,” My thumbs drummed impatiently against the leather covered steering wheel as I waited for the jerk driving in the mammoth SUV to accelerate to the fifty five mile per hour speed limit. Branches extended over the back road like gnarled fingers, reaching out to grab hold and squeeze the life out of me. Or maybe that was just my internal panic mode hitting DEFCON 2. With some effort, I refocused on the vehicle ahead of me. Apparently it wasn’t enough for the driver to cut me off at the city limits of Beaverton, N.C , but he also felt the need to meander along like a constipated mule. Skippy.

Be sure to check out more stellar snippets at the six sentence Sunday blog!

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-05-01T04:01:00.000-07:00

You know how when you start down a path it seems like the right course of action, a quick fix for a small problem. But the solution leads to another problem. Then you go a little farther and a little farther until all of a sudden someone else is giving you the WTF were you thinking look? Welcome to the realm of the Laundry Hag.

“Um, maybe I should take the shirt off first.”

Leo shook his head. “This material has some spandex in it and it needs to be stretched the way it’s going to be worn or it won’t look right. Now hold still.”

I held my breath while Leo carefully colored my boob.

“Hey, Maggie, do you know the timer is….” Neil came to a full stop in the hallway, both in movement and in speech.

Be sure to check out more Six Sentence Sunday Fun!

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-04-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Dakota Whitmore is not the world's best traveler. And Drue, her snarky assistant, won't let her forget it! Is it true they only tease you when they like you?

Drue continued to ask for the annoyance factor, but Dakota really did look terrible post-flight, kinda like a cross between someone waiting for a heart transplant and a crash-test dummy on the wrong side of an accident. “Maybe you should have skipped the last four rum and sodas and saved your liver the aggravation.”

“It wasn’t that much! I’m a nervous flier and a dram or two helps to sooth my tension.”

“I could tell by the white-knuckled grip-of-death you had on the armrest. Real Zen-like.”

Click on the above link to buy a print copy of Redeeming Characters from Amazon for $6.64! (Kindle version also available.)

And don't forget to check out all the other stellar Six Sentence Sunday offerings!

Six Sentence Sunday

2011-04-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

From my WIP, new mystery series Country Fried City Girl. My heroine, Andy, has a full plate dealing with her aging and extremely stubborn grandfather.

“Stop talking like that. You’re an educated man, for cripes sakes. And yes, you are going to church because I want to make sure God doesn’t put you on his shit list. Good Christians go to church after they find dead bodies in their houses.”

Pops sent me a skeptical look and muttered, “Pretty sure that ain’t in the Bible.”

“Well since you were there when it was written, you would know.”

Government Shutdown? Let Me at 'em!

2011-04-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you know how every so often you feel as though you could do someone else's job better than they do it? They're too slow, too inept, too wasteful. Fess up, we ALL have felt this way, even if we don't admit to it.

Well right now I'm feeling it BIG TIME over our weenie bureaucrats here in the US. They could learn so much from a writer, any writer at any stage in the game. Here are a few lessons I'd love to teach those tools on Capitol Hill. And in classic Laundry Hag style, we'll do it in list form.

1.) You work for the love of it, not for what it can get you.
Public service is just that, a service you provide for the public. I'm not the history buff my husband is but I do know that back in the day the founding fathers worked other jobs, farms and the like. The money they received while in office was meant to re-compensate them for their time, like jury duty, not to be a sole income. Fame, or notoriety in some cases, is a byproduct. You want to be on TV? Go spin the Wheel of Fortune or try out for American Idol.

2.) Inaction has consequences.
Congress, just like a writer, needs to work on a deadline. The budget is due every single frigging year. That is your deadline, the point in time in which your product, in this case the budget has to be delivered. What would happen if I stopped turning my manuscripts in on time? There would be no book! And no book means I have not done my job. And if I have not done my job, I have to fire myself and go put in an application at the local gas-n-sip.
Yes, shit happens, people need extensions for work, for their taxes, ect. They've already had one and now it's almost up. I don't get to go promote the book I haven't written for six months while the manuscript languishes unfinished.

3.) Get your priorities straight.

How badly do I want to make a name for myself in the publishing industry? What am I willing to sacrifice to meet that goal? Answer, other than the health and well-being of my immediate family, anything. I have no social life offline. I work, in some form or another, seven days a week. At the same time I cook and do mountains of laundry, help my children with their school work, take them to activities, doctor's appointments and lessons. I could go get a real job with a real steady paycheck, but we've always been able to scrape by with one. I won't do that until I absolutely have to. Why is it wrong to expect the same level of dedication from my government representatives? I really hate that he who has the most money on the campaign trail usually wins. Money does not equal desire to serve.

4.) Compromise is necessary.

When I start a book, I have an idea of how I want it to go. More often than not, it does not go that way, either because the characters have a different agenda or possibly because my critique partner, beta readers, literary agent or editor will explain that what I want just isn't working. So do I cross my arms over my chest and pout? Refuse? Well, I have and it got me nowhere. Now I'm smarter.

I don't believe all politicians are innately evil. I bet a large portion of them once had an idealistic vision of he /she wanted everything to be. Sunshine and rainbows, falala. Then reality bitch slaps said public servant, like she often does. The country doesn't have the resources to make the vision spring forth like Athena from Zeus' s head. It will take time and work. You don't like it? There's the door. Take your toys and go home.

Hagtastic Interview!

2011-04-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Dishing about Maggie, Neil, the Hag series all all sorts of other writerly type stuff. Check out my interview at Wild Child Publishing, HERE!

TRS Treasure Hunt

2011-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Clue: Passion in Print writer Jennifer L. Hart believes in torturing her characters in the fires of hell before they are allowed a happily ever after. In her latest release, Drue redeemed himself by working as an assistant to Dakota Whitmore, the woman he believes to be a thief. What does Drue think she stole from him?

Blurb: Animals may bite, but people always suck, is Drue’s motto; his only goal to disappear into the wild with nary a nitwit to be seen. Yet, when he discovers an old friend has published the book he helped create, a new plan surfaces. Revenge.

Author Dakota Whitmore is in a slump. Maybe what she needs is a little help, a beta reader who will tell her that her work hasn't turned into a steaming cow pie. How about Drue, the man who helped her pen her first—and only, bestseller? Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?

One random commenter will receive a free PDF of Redeeming Characters. Please be sure to leave your email address in the comments. Thanks for playing and good luck on collecting your clues!

Redeeming Characters is a Joyfully Recommended Read!

2011-03-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

"Redeeming Characters by Jennifer L. Hart is a book I simply could not put down. I finished it in a matter of two days! The premise of the book was unconventional and unique but as the story progressed everything made sense. Normally, I would quibble over the length of a book however I felt that every page was necessary. I finished the story well satisfied. The mutual friendship and love between the two characters was incredibly realistic. I loved the building of trust considering that both characters carried severe baggage caused by painful betrayals. What made this such a lovely story was that these characters needed each other – it wasn’t just about what they both wanted. Dakota had been searching for her soulmate for such a long time and Drue was looking for a family and a place to belong. Together these two complete each other’s dreams. If you love realistic characters with snarky attitudes and beautifully detailed scenery then this story is for you. Kudos to Ms. Hart on magnificent world building and character development! I would not hesitate to pick up another of Ms. Hart’s works as she definitely made me with one book a lifelong fan."

I am glowing with happiness! Or it might be fever since other members in my household have a stomach bug...I'll stick with happiness.

You can read the entire review HERE.

More Maggie

2011-02-17T10:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you all get to spend some quality time with the ones you love today! Speaking of which...Happy reading!

Camaro incident aside, I enjoyed a very typical childhood. My father managed a small hardware store outside of Richmond, which did a brisk business in the days before Home Depot. My mother worked as lunch lady at our school, which gave her summers off and allowed her the freedom to see my brother Marty and I on and of the bus every day.

Marty and I were constantly at war, the way in which only truly devoted siblings can be. I saran-wrapped the toilet seats in the boys locker room and pinned the blame on him. He set loose a flock of monarch butterflies, which my fourth grade class had been studying, and pointed the finger at me. I was punished for both offenses because no one believed a lowly second grader could pull off either stunt without being caught.

Of course, if anyone else ever messed with my bratty little brother they invoked my wrath. When Marty was in fourth grade he had a series of run-ins with a bully, a dour-faced fifth grader named Dexter, who stole the little kids’ lunch money to buy dirty magazines and cigarettes at his uncle’s convenience store. Understandably, Marty didn’t want to involve Mom in the mix because Mom’s stern finger shaking lectures to the other kids were a source of torment to both of us. And of course, she knew if he didn’t buy lunch since she was front and center for the check out line every stinking day. So, after several weeks of lending him my allowance, I took it upon myself to thwart the fiend. Since I didn’t want Marty to be known as the kid whose sister had to fight his battles, I traded my purple Pegasus My Little Pony for a favor from Ruthie.

“Hey, Dexter!” Ruthie confronted the bully during second lunch. We had each taken bathroom passes from our teachers and sneaked down to the blacktopped courtyard which served as a playground. Dexter stood beneath one of the two net less basketball hoops, surrounded by his group of cronies who had do you want fries with that imprinted on their DNA.

From my hiding spot behind the trash can, I watched Dexter turn pale as he faced Toothy Ruthie. No prepubescent boy wanted to be seen with Ruthie. Her record for the most wedgies given in a school year still stands. Nothing can shatter a fragile male ego like being beaten up by a girl, especially a butt-ugly girl.

Ruthie stopped in front of Dexter and stared him down through her lank brown hair. “I hear you’ve been collecting money from some of the other kids. Good job.”

Dexter squinted at her, his expression wary. He had the presence of mind to ignore her compliment. Ruthie could take him in point five seconds and he knew it, so he kept his mouth shut. She looped her arm around his neck and I saw him wince as he discovered that Ruthie’s mom didn’t believe in wasting her pole-dancing money on deodorant.

“I admire your initiative, Dexter, but you see this here is my turf. Now maybe if I take a liking to you I’ll leave you my empire when I move on to Junior High, but for now I need to enforce a few taxes.”

“Taxes?” Dexter’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his turkey neck.

“Yup, ya see Dexter, this here’s my school yard and I’m entritled to forty two percent of whatever you collect.”

Other than Ruthie’s word confusion over entitled, she was putting on an Oscar worthy performance. Dexter shuffled his feet and even from my perch behind the garbage can, I could sense his nervousness. It was obvious he didn’t want to lose face in front of his pockmarked posse, but he didn’t want to tangle with Ruthie either.

“Who died and made you Darth Vader?” he asked in a last attempt at bravado.

Ruthie, who could smell weakness like a dog could smell a ham bone, went in for the kill. “I guess I could cut you a break if you gave me a kiss.”

All the color drained from Dexter’s already sallow complexion.

“No way!”

“Come on, you know you want to.” Ruthie’s sing song tone and the age old challenge of peer pressure spurred Dexter to react.

“I’d rather kiss the lunch lady than your crusty face, toothy Ruthie!”

Since the lunch lady was my mom, I couldn’t say I blamed him.

Ruthie curled her lip, exposing the buck teeth which had inspired her nickname. Dexter’s bravado melted under her black scowl.

“Then I’ll see you at the corner of Oak Summit drive and Fifth at three.”

There was a subtle change in the air pressure as Dexter’s gang sucked in a collective breath. The corner of Oak Summit and Fifth was our elementary school version of Thunder Road. Every now and then, some stupid fool would try to usurp the queen of crap and Ruthie would challenge the offender. Instead of street racing though, Ruthie beat the snot out of whoever was on her shit list that week. It was a very successful way to maintain the balance of power.

Dexter’s face crumbled. His older brother Mark had once had a run in with Ruthie, who towered over every boy in the elementary school. Ruthie’s power lay in the fact that she was a girl and as mean as a rabid badger. She gleefully abused the notion that the boys were reluctant to hit her and went for the family jewels.

Dexter pulled out a crumpled wad of bills and held it out to Ruthie.

“Nice doing business with you, Dexter.” Ruthie stalked off to the lunchroom, the tatters of Dexter’s pride bouncing across the blacktop in her wake.

Rules of the school yard, Dexter was never taken seriously after that. He’d been had by Toothy Ruthie. Marty was inexplicably grateful, and promised he would save up his allowance to buy me a new Pegasus, but then he got into baseball cards so that was the end of it. I didn’t mind, he was my brother, and besides I stole Pegasus back from Ruthie at the next sleepover after she ran my underpants up the neighbor’s flag pole. I wasn’t afraid to hit her.

I've recieved a stylish blogger award!

2011-02-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

Wahoo! I'm hip, I'm with it....ducka ducka ducka...

Props to any who recognize the quote. ;-)

Kay, so now I have to tell you seven things about me.

1. I'm a total introvert offline. Talking to strangers makes me sick to my stomach.

2. I named my beagle after my Laundry Hag heroine.

3. I was awarded most dramatic in highschool even though I was never in a play.

4. My favorite show of all time is Firefly.

5. My music taste is eclectic, I listen to country, metal, classical and blues. But I'm also picky, unlike my audiofile husband.

6. I've moved ten times in my life, five since I got married in 2001.

7. I once caravaned across the US with my husband and 18 month old son from California to Florida and then up the coast to New York in less than a week.

Thanks to Laurie Green and Spacefreighters Lounge for the award! Now, to pay it forward!

What Would Magnum P.I. Do?

2011-02-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

Continued from the earlier Maggie story. What would Magnum P.I. do?

Two distorted shapes were visible through the tinted windows. I moved off to the side and found a huge stick. Ducking beneath the windows, I held the stick over my head then reached for the door handle. The door was heavy, but the adrenaline pumping through my plump form gave me superhuman strength.

As I flung the door back I closed my eyes and shouted, “Get outta here varmint or I’ll string you up by your lily-livered hide!”

“What the fuck!”

I jumped and dropped my stick as I beheld the naked backside of the car’s owner. My mouth hung open and if I swallowed a few flies, I wouldn’t be surprised. I looked from him to the equally bare front of his partner in crime. Her wide eyes held a mixture of shock and mortification while his face was red from exertion and fury.

“Get the hell out of here, you stupid blob!” he roared at me.

I knew I should have listened, shut the door and run away, but I was in shock. I stood there with my fly-catcher open for business while my mind wrestled with what I beheld.

The Jackass was busy trying to pull up his pants and muttering something about blue balls. I discreetly looked through the interior of the car, afraid he was going to throw one of those blue balls at me, but there wasn’t a ball to be found, blue or otherwise.

“What the hell is the matter with you, Bad Year Blimp? Are you as stupid as you are ugly?”

The naturally blonde girl pulled her shirt over her head and chastised him. “Leave her alone, she’s just a kid.”

“She Shamu’s pervert cousin,” he shot back.

They continued to bicker until he managed to zip his jeans then the half dressed and completely livid jackass grabbed my arm and dragged me behind the house.

“Now listen here. You better not tell anyone what you saw.”

“Why?” I still didn’t understand what I had witnessed.

“Because Lizzy’s boyfriend will have my nuts in a vice. Just keep your mouth shut or I’ll make sure everyone knows what a pervert you are.”

My voice had returned but my brain was still on vacation. “What were you doing to her?”

“Son of a bitch!” He swiped at his bare upper lip. “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

He may have phrased it as a question, but it really wasn’t. The defiant part of my brain kicked in at his insult, even while my better judgment was still out to pasture.

“I am not! I’m on the high honor roll and I have more Girl Scout badges than anyone else in the troop!”

He shook his head. “You know something? You are pathetic. You’re fat, ugly and a geek. I can promise you, you’ll never find out what Lizzy and I were doing.” He smirked at me. “At least not firsthand.”

The rest of the evening was a blur. The Jackass stalked back to the car then took off, gravel flying in his wake. T.V. tag had long since been abandoned for regular T.V. and I declined Justine’s invitation to sleep over. My mom came to pick me up and if she noticed I was upset, she didn’t say anything.

I never told anyone about the incident with the bouncing Camaro, although I did look up both pervert and pathetic in the dictionary. Maybe it was who the insult was coming from, but both stayed with me long after corroded.

Tidbits

2011-02-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'm buried up to my armpits in my new mystery. The way I write is somewhat...unusual. I don't adhere to a strict outline, I don't always know what's going to happen next and sometimes I write scenes to nowhere.

But just because they don't have much to do with the current story doesn't mean I dislike them. I always wonder what to do with these extra little tidbits. And hey, what do you know, I have a blog!

So for all you Maggie fans out there, thought you might like a glimpse of her childhood. I'll be posting some of these snippets over the next few weeks, just so you don't forget about me while I'm busy crafting!

Chapter 1:- Ahhh, the good ol days...

A long time ago in a commonwealth far far away…

I, Maggie Phillips, was engaged to a jackass. For the sake of discretion I will only refer to him as The Jackass, or in more magnanimous moments, that rat bastard. Said jackass was the older brother of my childhood BFF, Justine. She’s the type of friend who was not only privy to my most embarrassing and awkward adolescent moments, but torments me with those memories. I still call her once a month to keep myself humble.

Justine’s father traveled for business and from first grade on, we would have sleepovers at her house while her mother drank herself into oblivion in the privacy of her bedroom closet. My parents never knew Justine and I were left to our own devices, mostly because during daylight hours, Justine’s mom acted the perfect soccer mom, complete with minivan and PTA authority. The Jackass had no one to answer to and usually stumbled in around two a.m. smelling of beer, cigarette smoke and a few other things most eight year olds can’t identify. I admit I had a crush on him, mostly because he had everything I lacked—good looks, popularity and a huge amount of personal freedom.

One evening in the spring of 1983, Justine invited me and a few other girls from school over for an impromptu party. The weather cooperated and we frolicked in a game of T.V. tag, while Justine’s mom sipped a mixed drink on the screened-in porch.

The rules for T.V. tag are simple. The game’s pretty much like regular tag except instead of running for home base, you squat on the ground and shout out the name of a T.V. show. If you repeat a show someone else already said you receive a punch in the arm and you are it.

“Three’s Company!” I called out as I squatted behind a hydrangea.

Our friend Ruthie—who we didn’t especially like because she punched extra hard and called us corroded if we cried— was it, having repeated Different Strokes and received a punch from yours truly.

Ruthie scowled at me, kicked some dirt in my direction, and stalked around the side of the house. Since I happened to be a heavy-set child and not much of an athlete, I needed to be up on all of the television shows and I studied the T.V. Guide the way some girls studied YM’s make-up tips. In retrospect, my time would have been better spent riding my bike or playing basketball, but what’s done is done.

I waited until Ruthie disappeared from sight before I stood and circled the house. Ruthie would be after me and my Mary Janes pinched my growing feet. I hated Mary Janes, none of the other girls wore them and matched with my shapeless corduroy pants—my mother didn’t believe in jeans— I looked like a complete doofus. I won’t even torture you with the story of my pixie haircut. I was a fashion don’t, even in the 1980’s.

Justine’s family lived on a cul-de-sac in the same subdivision as my parents, but had infinitely more property. Large pine trees masked the circular drive from the rest of suburbia and the growing season took off to a hearty start. I waved at Justine’s mom, suspended in a hammock and she responded with a snore. Cherry blossoms scented the air and made me think of Bambi and the feeling of being twitterpated.

I spotted his car— a 1982 Camaro with tinted windows and a sleek black finish—behind a copse of fir trees, where the vehicle was hidden from both the house and the road. I figured he’d be getting ready to go out, since the sun descended in the west and he kept the hours of a vampire.

Don’t ask me why I stood there and stared at the car, I can’t explain my actions, even now. Perhaps I had some bizarre need to understand more about The Jackass, why he always seemed to have someplace to go, even though he wasn’t a nice person. My mother use to shake her head when he would roar by the church potluck, making the stained glass windows shake in time to his base.

“That is not a nice boy, Margaret. A nice boy would be at home helping his poor mama. You find yourself a nice boy, one who goes to church and knows how to treat a lady.”

I didn’t want to tell my mother, but there weren’t too many nice boys in our town. The curiosity I experienced as I stared at the Camaro was an innocent child’s natural inquisitiveness about what went on between older boys and girls. They didn’t seem interested in playing T.V. tag.

The sun set and turned the sky a similar shade of pink to my peony nail polish. I shifted my weight and chewed on a nail as the car started to rock like one of those space shuttle rides outside the Jamesway that my little brother went on all the time. I moved closer and cast a glance back at the house and wondering if anyone else would come out to check on his car.

Why would the car rock? Was someone trying to steal his car? I crept closer and reached the driver’s side door when a loud moan accompanied the squeaking of metal on shocks and the slimy sensation in my belly told me something bad was afoot. Maybe a vagrant had kidnapped him and tied him up in the car. Now the vagrant was going to steal his car, then kill him. Never mind I didn’t have a notion of what a vagrant might be, but I was determined to catch him, but my stomach cramped and my palms sweated profusely. I nibbled the nail on my index finger down to the quick as I debated what to do.

What would Magnum P.I. do?

New Mystery Series Playlist

2011-01-14T12:43:00.000-08:00

Just a little something to help keep me in the mood of my new mystery series heroine. She's totally aces in my book, even if she did just rear-end an SUV with her recently restored Mustang Convertible.
In her defense, Jones has that effect on women.

Another Contest Placement

2011-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

Who Needs A Hero? took third place in the Hot Prospects Contest, contemporary single title category! Yeah for all you Maggie and Neil fans out there, since this takes

place before the Laundry Hag series and is the story of how they met and fell in love. It is one of my all time favorites. Honestly, who wouldn't love Neil? He's NEIL!

A Heroine in Distress....

A Hero Who Needed Saving...

To the rest of the world, Neil Phillips is a decorated war hero, a Navy SEAL who has what it takes to get the job done. In private he is a walking raw wound with two boys, a broken marriage and a nasty case of PTSD, but despite his personal struggles h

e helped Maggie when she needed it most. Now, Maggie is on a mission and she’s not going anywhere until she returns the favor—with interest.

Who Needs A Hero?

A warrior with a wounded heart, a woman with nothing to lose—there are no victims here, only courageous souls, both in need of rescue.

Lusha has kept me busy over the past few weeks but I wanted to let you know I am planning out a new mystery series, something similar to my Laundry Hag books. This cold and wet winter has been perfect for writing and hopefully I'll have good news to share by spring!

Happy reading all!

News

2010-12-17T08:08:00.001-08:00

I know, I've been quiet this week. Had lots of writing to catch up on after last week's blog tour.

First, some big, fat, happy-happy joy-joy news!

Stellar Timing took first place in the On The Far Side contest, sci fi futuristic category! Yeah for Brennigan and Ellie!

Still searching for the right home for the stellerverse, but I'll be sure to keep you posted!

I was thinking about posting the first chapter or two here on the laundry list. I'll paste the blurb below, for anyone who hasn't read it.

Next up, I have another interview and a Redeeming Characters book giveaway going on over at Lady Scribes. Last shot at a free Drue this year, so stop by and say hi!

Back to work for me, I'm within 5 K of finishing another short and feel the need to hop to it.

Stellar Timing

When a man wearing blood-soaked armor begs her for sanctuary, Ellie MacIntyre is sure her mind has snapped like a dry twig. In the year 2059, poverty and stress have done much worse. What else could explain her ability to hear animals talk and the knack for communing with the wounded warrior inside her head? One thing’s for sure, she needs to eject this sexy figment from her life, stat.

Now the hope for his people, and his heart, lies with Ellie. Can an ignorant

witch best an evil sorceress before this medieval times space opera’s final

curtain?

The Moment You've All Been Waiting For...

2010-12-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

But first, a few points of interest. (I know, thirty lashes with a wet noodle.)

While this marks the official end of the Redeeming Characters blog tour, I have another interview next week at
Lady Scribes, courtesy of author Samantha Grace and there will be another print book giveaway.

Still waiting to hear from my fab Friday hosts who won the autographed print copies from Friday's blog stops. I'll post it as soon as I know.

Speaking of winners...And the winner of the totebag from yesterday's post is....GAIL HART!!! Gail, I'll be sending that to you ASAP! Congrats!

Almost done...The week of Dec 21 voting opens on You Gotta Read Videos and the Redeeming Characters video is entry #9 this month. Votes would be most appreciated!

Thank you all so much for making this a truly special week for me. I am humbled and honored that you all took time out of your busy lives to follow me around and read whatever I happened to spew out. You have my gratitude and appreciation, (And some have my swag!). How I wish I had Oprah's fathomless resources and could shower you all with prizes galore but for this particular blog tour, in the end, there can be only one.

And the winner of the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card is....

HEATHER COX!!!!

Heather, email me at jlhart79 at (@) gmail dot (.) com so I can get your prize to you, ASAP! Congratulations!

Again, a million thanks to all of you and enjoy the rest of this year! I'm off to finish at least one more WIP, so we can do this again in 2011!

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour LAST DAY!

2010-12-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, since it is my mission in life to hog as much cyberspace as possible,
here's the interview with Drue from Wednesday. If your comment did not show up on the other blog, here's a second chance to comment for the win.

Instead of the typical author Q&A session, I’ve brought my hero from Redeeming Characters, Drue along so you can get to know him better. Drue, you’ve been called the antihero by some. Any thoughts on that?

Drue:

Its no skin off my a—

Jenn: Keep it PG, bucko, okay? Why do you suppose you’ve been dubbed with this title?

Drue: Well, it probably has to do with my smart mouth and general attitude problem.

Jenn:

Do you consider yourself an alpha male?

Drue: I’m more of a lone wolf—tend to avoid the pissing contests if I can help it. But I’m not going to let anyone boss me around either.

Jenn: I’ve always wondered why you worked in retail, specifically bookstores. Your personality doesn’t exactly scream customer service.

Drue : Couple of reasons. First, no degree required. The whole college thing was so not my scene. Second, discounts rock and I get to meet some pretty talented people, who only later turn out to be the root of all evil. Third, those jobs tend to be thick on the ground during the time of year when I need them, specifically winter.

Jenn: Tell us about what you do in the summers.

Drue: Hike, camp, gather no moss, that sort of thing. Love hiking and even dabbled with some mountain climbing, though that’s not an activity I’d recommend doing solo.

Jenn: Out of all the places you’ve been what is your favorite?

Drue: The Grand Tetons. There’s something majestic in that place. Because it’s a national park, it hasn’t been commercialized to death like Aspen or Vail. They have a facebook page for anyone interested. I almost considered applying for a job with the National Park Service, just so I could get pad to stay there.

Jenn: Let’s get a little more personal here. What kind of books do you like to read?

Drue: Anything supernatural. Horror, Sci-fi, fantasy, especially epic tales. I got sucked into Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series many moons ago. Would love to worldbuild on that scale.

Jenn: How about other forms of media? Music?

Drue: Aerosmith, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, AC/DC.

Jenn: Any guilty pleasures?

Drue: *Cough* Huey Lewis and the News & The Police. It’s a nostalgia thing.

Jenn: Hey, it’s great stuff. So, what are some of your turn ons?

Drue: (Groaning.) Do we have to go there?

Jenn:*toe tapping with impatience.* We must. Treat it like a Band-Aid, just rip that sucker off.

Drue: Fine. Italian food, halfway decent conversation, sci-fi movies.

Jenn: Turn offs?

Drue: Liars and sneaks. Been there, done that, got the crappy T-shirt. Also extreme clinginess. Let’s face facts—anyone who thinks I’m a stellar catch has probably got mad issues. I’m grouchy, sullen, and disillusioned. What sicko would cling to that?

Jenn: You’re also a terrific cook, crazy talented and have a big heart under all that bluster.

Drue: Shhh, you’ll ruin my street creds!

Jenn: We wouldn’t want that. Okay one more and we’ll call it a day.

Drue: Hit me.

Jenn: Describe your perfect woman.

Drue: Ugh, you don’t pull any punches, do you? I want to say mute but I know you’ll give me grief over it. And it would be a lie. The sexiest part of a woman is her mind. I want someone I can verbally spar with, who’ll give as good as she gets. Not the overly sensitive weepy type either because I play dirty. And one that doesn’t pry—who understands that personal space does not mean I’m hiding stuff from her. I believe when you meet that perfect person, there should be nothing that you can’t share with the other.

Jenn: See, you are a hero, way, way, way deep down…

Drue: Yeah, yeah, just keep it to yourself.

Jenn: Between you, me and the blogosphere. What happens online, stays online. For more Drue, check out Redeeming Characters, now available from Passion in Print Press from Amazon.com in print and wherever ebooks are sold.

All righty then. Are you all caught up? Have you commented on every blog? I'll be picking the winner from the list of eligible followers later today. Gotta take the birthday boy down to Discovery Place for the day. I'll pick the gift card winner and post the announcement tonight.
Good luck to you all and thank you so much for hanging with me this week, it's been the highlight of my online career!

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour Day 5

2010-12-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Last tour day folks! You know how some musicians are better on tour than on an album? I'm starting to feel as though my mad showman ship skills have been undervalued in the past. Blog touring is hard, exhausting work but oh so much fun. I get such a rush communicating with readers. I haven't even thought about a real in person signing, think I would feel like a big old tool sitting in a bookstore while shoppers strolled on by. But if it was half as much fun as this... Maybe I will venture out and try to set up a book signing in the spring.

Anyhow, Lusha has spoken and the winner of the ebook PDF is.... VAL! Congrats, Val! email me at jlhart79at (@) gmail dot (.) com and let me know which PDF you want!

Today is another twofer blog hop day.
First, we have my pal Candi who is also giving away a top slot for Agent Shop this coming Sunday to anyone who leaves the word REDEEMING in the comments.

Blog: Musetracks
Host: Candi Wall
Prize: Autographed copy of Redeeming Characters!
Link: Musetracks

AND

Blog: SOS Aloha
Host: Kim in Hawaii
Prize: Autographed Copy of Redeeming Characters!
Link: (Coming Soon.) Kim had a family emergency and is without internet access but she will post today and I'll link us up as soon as she does!

Here, SOS is up Live right now!

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour Day 4

2010-12-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Okay, so that last blog stop was kind of a bust. I tried leaving a comment on it myself and as of 6:48 AM, this morning...nada.

Here's what we'll do. I'm going to post the same interview with Drue and the same prize here, on the Laundry List, on Saturday. That will be the one we count toward the blog tour winner. If you did leave a comment on yesterday's post, thank you for following but if I can't see it, I can't count it.

As of right now, Thursday morning, I've sent out all the prizes through Tuesday. In the event the comments DO show up on the other blog, I guess I'll be giving out two totebags. But remember, the Saturday interview with Drue here is a MUST if you want to win the Amazon Gift Card. I don't grade on curves.

And speaking of harsh task mistresses...welcome to today's main event. This is an adult blog, just FYI, Lusha Lovelace Writes Erotica. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Blog: No Limits
Host: Lusha Lovelace
Prize: A PDF file from my backlist
Link:
http://lushalovelace.blogspot.com/?zx=1abeeb289d9a1eb5

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour Day 3

2010-12-06T10:28:00.001-08:00

Happy Hump Day readers!
Kay, winners to catch up on:
The ebook winner from Reading, Writing, and Ranting Blog is...

MS. HEATHER! You get a PDF copy of any story from my back list! Congrats! Just tell me which one you want!

And the Winner of the $15.00 iTunes giftcard from Writers Gone Wild is...

PARANORMAL QUEEN! Congrats!

Winners, please email your address to jlhart79 at (@) gmail dot (.) com.

Let's face it, I've been promoting like a demoness and even though I'm have a terrific time with all of you I'm running out of new stuff to say. And I'll bet you're getting tired of the all about Jen show, right? So instead of another blog about me, myself and I, today we're blogging with Drue.

And since he's such a burden, the giveaway prize is a totebag!

Without further ado, I give you Wednesday's blog stop,

Blog: Love, Romance and More

Host: Dawn Roberto

Topic: Interview with the hero of Redeeming Characters, Drue.

Prize: One canvas totebag with Redeeming Characters cover

Link: Love, Romances & More

http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/2010/12/guest-author-day-with-jennifer-l.html

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour Day 2

2010-12-06T10:15:00.001-08:00

Well, day one was a success IMHO. I love giving stuff away, warms my heart and makes me giddy. Winner for the keychain is Kerri and as soon as I get the verdict in from Kym, I'll post the PDF book winner here too.

Winners (or anyone who wants to) can email me
jlhart79 at (@)gmail dot (.) com

But enough about me, let's talk about you. Have you commented on yesterday's posts, entered yourself into the running for the Amazon giftcard? No? Well, why not? It's free, and you can win stuff. Don't you want stuff? The drawing is on Saturday so if you couldn't make it yesterday, you can revisit Monday's blog stops and leave a comment. Doesn't have to be brilliant, a "Hey," with your name will suffice.

Well, speaking of stuff.... on to today's blog.!Just one, but an important one.

Blog: Writers Gone Wild

Host: Me

Topic: Music

Prize: 15.00 iTunes giftcard

Link:
http://writersgonewild.blogspot.com/2010/12/do-you-have-theme-song-win-15-itunes.html

See you over there!

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour Day 1

2010-12-06T03:13:00.000-08:00

Okay gang, remember the deal is comment on every blog for every day with your name to win the Amazon giftcard! Here's the direct links for today's blogs.

Blog: The Suspense is killing me
Host: Cheryl K Tardif
Topic: Turning the snarky sidekick into an Alpha hero

Prize: Redeeming Characters keychain

Link:

http://cherylktardif.blogspot.com/2010/12/redeeming-characters-blog-tour-turning.html

AND

Blog: Reading, Writing and Ranting

Host: Kym Lucas

Topic: It's What You Say and how you say it
Prize: PDF version of Redeeming Characters OR another book from my backlist including The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag: Skeletons in the Closet, Worth the Wait, River Rats or Hag 2 Swept Under the Rug!

Link:
http://kymlucas.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/and-now-he-eres-jenny/

See you there!

Redeeming Characters Blog Tour

2010-11-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all my friends and readers! I'm super jazzed to start off this holiday season here on the Laundry List with a bang.(Dirty!) Starting today, I'm going to be hopping all over the net like a slap-happy rabbit promoting my recent release, Redeeming Characters. At every stop, there will be a prize, chosen by either me or the host of the blog and at the end of the week I'll take note of anyone who comments on all my posts and enter their names in a drawing for the grand prize...

A fifty dollar giftcard Amazon.com!

Rules: You have to leave a comment under the same name at EVERY blog stop on the list to be entered in the grand prize drawing. You must leave the same name in the comments to qualify. If you happen to win that blog prize and don't want whatever the prize is, simply say no thanks and you're still in the running for the gift card.

Here's the list of sites I will be visiting. I will update the Laundry List with the direct site links when my spot is posted, so put me on your feed, stop by and say hi for your chance at the big prize!

Monday December 6:http://cherylktardif.blogspot.com/ Prize: Redeeming Characters key chain.

AND

Reading, Writing, and Ranting http://kymlucas.wordpress.com/ Prize: Any PDF from my backlist, winner's choice

Tuesday December 7 : My usual haunt http://writersgonewild.blogspot.com/ Prize: $15.00 gift card for iTunes!

Wednesday December 8: http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/ Prize: Redeeming Characters tote bag!

Thursday December 9: http://lushalovelace.blogspot.com/ Prize: Any PDF version of one of my books!

Friday December 10: http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/ Prize: Autographed copy of Redeeming Characters!

AND

http://musetracks.wordpress.com/ Prize: Autographed copy of Redeeming Characters!

Saturday: Right back here at http://www.jenniferlhart.com/ for the 50.00 Amazon.com winner!

Best of luck!

Review for Redeeming Characters

2010-10-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

"Jennifer L. Hart gives readers a contemporary love story constructed by two achingly real main characters. I personally love Drue's snide comments as I have a fondness for men who are sarcastically witty and I love the fact that Dakota can definitely hold her own and even dish back some superb one-liners. Watching Drue discover aspects of his own personality, while helping Dakota and her family, was very rewarding and enjoyable for me. He reminds us that you need to look beyond appearances and get to the heart of someone before you can truly understand or judge them. The setting adds to the reader's understanding of the characters and the subtlety of it is well done. I usually enjoy my romances a little more on the fairy tale side of things but I was definitely entertained by this realistic love story, instead of glossing over the fact that we all come with baggage, it focuses on the fact that it can be overcome, that we all can have love and happiness. I am looking forward to more fascinating characters in this author's future releases."

You can read the entire review HERE.

Stellar Timing is a Finalist!

2010-10-24T04:41:00.001-07:00

Some stellar news on the stellarverse! Seems Brennigan and Ellie have stormed the gate over at the RWA's FF&P contest and firmly entrenched themselves in the finals!

From here the first twenty pages of the manuscript goes to an editor at Pocket Books, who will then decide the winner for the futuristic category. Frankly, I'm hoping for more, as in a request by said editor to see the full manuscript. I love this multiversal world, love the characters and next to Maggie and Neil, don't think I've ever created a better set-up for a series.

In other news, I'm still planning to Nano, even if my alter ego, Lusha Lovelace, is whining that we can do another short in the next week. I learned my lesson last year, and this time I'm setting up a rough outline and world building before tackling the project.

And yes, this is going to b a full length Lusha novel because if anyone can get into thirty days and nights of literary abandon, she sure can!

Now if only I could come up with a title!

Decisions, decisions

2010-10-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have so many ideas they are leaking out my ears. But ideas do not make for interesting reading.

Here are my choices for my National Novel Writing Month (Nov,) Help me pick!

1)Drue and Dakota's WIP --Currently untitled

This started off as a dream which I could turn into a sexy 50 K book. Basically, the future earth where sex for sale is the hot new homeopathic treatment. The evil Illustra corporation has enslaved alien empaths, draining their natural gifts for profit.

Pro: This one has Lucia Lovelace (My new erotic persona) all over it. When in doubt, someone get's naked.

Con: It's barely more than a wisp of an idea. I don't have fully fleshed out characters or setinng so I need to do plenty of research and planning ahead of time.

2) For A Reason

Another contemporary, started the same time as Redeeming Characters. It's rich boy, blue collar girl, banter, bicker kiss and make up stuff. Originally I thought to set it in Upstate New York, but I've been toying with moving it to Sanibel, maybe even making it part of the spirit guide series (Which would then be a magical instead of a contemporary romance)

Pro: If I keep the setting i n upstate NY, I've got the world down pat and the first several chapters outlined. The characters, Bailey and Keith, are vivid in my mind.

Con: I've been moving away from the contemporaries of late, so getting back into that groove might prove difficult, especially since I don't know if I have enough conflict for a full novel. If I did decide to change the setting and incorporate the spirit guide shifter element, it wouldn't be the same story anymore.

3) Law of the Jungle

This is a fantasy I've started to outline, told in the same first person POV as the Hag books. Basically a paranormal reality TV show which is a cover fr underworld conspiracies. Heroine is classic, wrong time and place girl.

Pros: This has potential to bloom into another series. My voice is strongest in first person.

Cons: The world building, ugh. It's what slowed me down on Stellar last year.

So tell me, which would you most want to read?

Redeeming Characters Now Available!

2010-10-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

And here it is, a year out after THE CONTEST THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED, available for download in its entirety. Edited and spiffed up by the staff at Passion in Print press until Drue is as shiny as he's ever gonna be!

Come enjoy the antics of the anti-hero and look for my Redeeming Characters blog tour the first week in December! Already stocking up on prizes and planning to have giant piles of fun. (Because all good things ought to come in giant piles ;-)

Buy Now from Passion in Print Press

"Read this book and you will remember what it felt like to fall in love"
The Reading Reviewer on Redeeming Characters

Interview with romantic suspense author Cherish D'Angelo

2010-10-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

How long have you been writing, Cherish?

Ever since I was a child. I started with short stories, mainly for school assignments, but then progressed to doing them on my own, plus writing poetry. I've been writing novels―as a published author―since 2003.

Do you have a day job?

No. I write full time. I decided to give up my last job back in 2003 when I discovered how well Whale Song was selling. I knew I could do even better if I dedicated myself to marketing and writing full time. Not everyone is in the position to be able to do this, but thankfully I was. Writing is my full-time day job. More than that, it's my passion.

What's one thing about yourself that very few people know?

Many years ago, I painted a huge Noah's Arc wall mural in the Millwoods Presbyterian Church nursery in Edmonton, and as far as I know it's still there. It has a male and female killer whale on it, plus several other couples, including skunks, bluebirds, elephants, angel fish and more.

What is your favorite punctuation mark? Why?

The em-dash―I'm the "em-dash queen". It's great for adding asides and for creating drama.

What's your idea of a romantic night out?

Every night out with my husband Marc is a romantic night out. Dinner and a movie works for me. We're movie addicts, though Marc prefers to stay at home and watch the big screen TV rather than fight crowds in a theatre. Romance doesn't have to be roses, candlelight, chocolate dipped strawberries and a steaming bubble bath. Though I sure wouldn't argue if Marc decided to do all that.

What did you like best about competing in the Dorchester Publishing "Next Best Celler" contest hosted by Textnovel?

Besides meeting some great writers like you, I really enjoyed the interaction with readers. I loved that they were able to vote and leave comments on Lancelot's Lady. That's how I knew I was on the right track and that I had something.

What do you like most about Lancelot's Lady―the characters or the plot? Why?

I'd like to say both, but if I have to choose I'd say the characters. They're very unique and, I'm hoping, memorable. Rhianna, Jonathan, JT, Winston, and some great secondary characters, were so much fun to develop.

What's one thing your female protagonist does in Lancelot's Lady that you wish she hadn't done?

Waited so long to kiss Jonathan. Sigh...

What's the one scene in Lancelot's Lady that will make readers laugh?

The scene where Rhianna slips in the mud by the pool. But it's what happens afterward that'll really make you laugh.

Why should readers read Lancelot's Lady?

Readers should read Lancelot's Lady if they enjoy adventure, suspense and romance, especially with a tropical twist. I really believe this novel is for anyone, male or female who enjoys a story about secrets, connections and the yearning of the heart to find a soul mate.

Lancelot's Lady ~ A Bahamas holiday from dying billionaire JT Lance, a man with a dark secret, leads palliative nurse Rhianna McLeod to Jonathan, a man with his own troubled past, and Rhianna finds herself drawn to the handsome recluse, while unbeknownst to her, someone with a horrific plan is hunting her down.

Lancelot's Lady is available in ebook edition at KoboBooks, Amazon's Kindle Store, Smashwords and other ebook retailers. Help me celebrate by picking up a copy today and "Cherish the romance..."

You can learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at http://www.cherishdangelo.com and http://www.cherylktardif.blogspot.com. Follow Cherish from September 27 to October 10 on her Cherish the Romance Virtual Book Tour and win prizes.

What's holding you back from doing what you love?

Leave a comment here, with email address, to be entered into the prize draws. You're guaranteed to receive at least 1 free ebook just for doing so. Plus you'll be entered to win a Kobo ereader. Winners will be announced after October 10th.

Redeeming Characters Book Giveaway!

2010-10-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

I have no control over the outcome of this giveaway, other than ship the prize to the winner. Good luck!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Redeeming Characters

by Jennifer L. Hart

Giveaway ends December 06, 2010.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Book Trailer for Redeeming Characters

2010-09-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Sunset on Sanibel Island

2010-09-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

So I'm back from my first vacation sans family in over a decade. It was without a doubt one of the best weeks in my adult life. And to think, I was nervous as all get-out before I went.

Here's the scoop. The uber fabulous Liane Gentry Skye set up a writing retreat to Sanibel Island. Along with fellow Next Best Celler contestants Saranna DeWylde and Gail Reinhart I traveled to Ft. Myers, FL where Liane picked us up in a BIG BLACK TRUCK.

On my laundry list for the week was to finish my WIP, H.U.B.B.A, which has been the bane of my existence for the last three months. I actually wrote 1000 words in the airport and thought I'd be off to a fantastic start. What I didn't count on was the lure of the island and the temptation to just chat with the divas until our brains shut down from exhaustion. See, I'm more of a listener, except for the storytelling, and the occasional nervous babble or P'o"ed rant, so never would I have expected that I'd spend so much time running off at the mouth with a smile on my face. Then it hit me, I don't have the opportunity to talk at home, not without getting THOSE looks. You know the "are you ever gonna shut your yap about that?" squinty-eyed stare. It didn't register in my mind that I had become obsessed with churning out chapters and lost sight of why I wanted to in the first place.

We didn't just talk either. We wrote, planned, laughed-- OMG did we laugh. And while I'm not yet finished with H.U.B.B.A, I actually want to work on it now. There is something truly infectious about other people being excited by your novel concept. The whole positive enforcement thing is foreign to me but as addictive as Rosa Regale and dark chocolate and long walks on a shell covered beach. The attitude adjustment I got from this trip was just what the doctor would have ordered, at least in the days before HMO's.

It also hit home that if I'm miserable and stressed about writing, I might as well go out and get a job that at least comes with a regular paycheck and less rejection. I don't know how or why, but it is so damn easy in the search to be published to lose sight of the fact that we started down this path because we loved it. Sure there is pressure and paperwork but that's not what really matters. Sure we set goals for the coming year, milestones we all want to reach, but at the end of the day I want to get lost in my stories as often as possible because that is what truly make me happy.

Laugh out loud today, you'll be surprised by how great it can make you feel!