Thursday, April 26, 2007

Ever want to see your name in a book?

Have you read dedications in novels and thought "gee, that would be so kewl to see my name there"? or read a character and know their name and some of their personality traits were based on you?

Well now is your chance!

My current work in process is my very first fantasy and I'm stumped. I need to create some fictional creatures but the ones I have so far are based on myths. You know, vampires, werewolves, that sort of thing. I need some creatures that can be villians but the criteria are: there must be a specific way to kill them (i.e. stake through vampire heart, silver bullet werewolf etc.) They need to have some nasty personal habits, (blood suckers, tazor sharp clawa they love to slash victims with). I have looked up mythological creatures and have found a few, but none that completely work for me. So I want you to come up with an obscure legend, a myth, or even pull something out of the air! And if you can't name it, as long as I have a character I can find a name. The best entry will see their name in the dedication AND I will name a character (good or evil if you prefer) in my book after you. I want all entries sent to donica_covey@sbcglobal.net In the entry put your name, email addy, your creatures description and the name of the creature. In my novel creatures that have already been used are: Dragons, Unicorns, Windigos, men eating plants, flesh eating rats, mannanggallas, so anything else is pretty much fair game!

I hope there will be a ton of entries! Thanks y'all!
Donica

Friday, April 20, 2007

RWA National Conference

RWA National Conference

I'm so very excited to tell you I'M GOING TO DALLAS TEXAS in July!!! Now, so you all know, I'm a woman who never goes anywhere. It's not because I don't want to, but because I am dirt poor. I've been married for almost 22 years, and the first ever trip my husband and I took out of state was last year when we went to South Carolina. It was so much fun. Anyway, thanks to my friend in Texas whose husband doesn't use his earned free flyer miles, I have my flight taken care of. WOO-HOO! Of course, I'm still scraping the bottom of the barrel to save for my hotel room. I'll be rooming with another lady in my RWA Chapter, but it's still going to cost me $500 just for the room (for 5 nights).

Here's my question. Since I'm dirt poor (and yes, very cheap) what can I buy to help with my meals? The luncheons are paid for by the conference, but I still have to eat breakfast and dinner. My roomie and I will be getting a small fridge to go in our room, which will help, but I'm trying to think of what cheap items we could buy for our meals (my roomie is cheap, too). Any suggestions?

I am digging through my many unpublished manuscripts to see whichs ones I can tweak and polish to get them ready for publication. I want to pitch to a Harlequin editor, but at the same time, I REALLY want to get with an Avon editor, too.

Decisions...decisions...

Also, I get an agent appointment, but that's not as hard as picking the editor. Now...I just have to decide which story to pitch to whom.

I know the conference isn't until July, but these thoughts have been plauging me lately. Plus the fact that I'll be traveling on an airplane BY MYSELF!!! Like I mentioned before, I usually don't go anywhere. LOL

~~Phyllis~~

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Champagne AWARDS!

Whoo Hoo! The Mavens rock. Three of us have work published by Champagne Books. Phyllis Campbell, Becka Goings and I were all nominated for numerous awards. It's a huge honor just to be nominated so that was exciting in itself. Here's the line-up for nominations:

Novel Of The Year
Celestial Dragon
Dawn of Love
Braless in the Buick
Holding Out For A Hero

Author Of The Year
Phyllis Campbell
Rebecca Goings
Jenna Leigh
Lori Derby Bingley

Bestselling Novel of the Year
Mine For Keeps
Celestial Dragon
Braless in the Buick
The B*E*A*S*T* Within

Bestselling Author of the Year
Ciara Gold
Rebecca Goings
Jenna Leigh
Sara Fitzgerald

I won in two of the three that I was nominated for. I was bestselling author of the year and Celestial Dragon was the bestselling novel of the year. Becka won Author of the year! So - here's a round of applause to all those that were nominated and those that won. Champagne all around!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Golden Rose

The golden Rose award winners were announced today. If you will remember each Maven was nominated for Golden Rose Awards. Today we learned that Rebecca received Honorable Mention for her book The B*E*A*S*T Within and I received Honorable Mention for her Inspirational novella Do Overs. Pardon me while I congratulate both of us! Next year we'll all get the gold!

Huggles!
Donica

Sunday, April 08, 2007

A Noble Sacrifice is now Available!

So far, you can buy your copy through Coffeetime Romance Bookstore or MobiPocket. Fictionwise should have it loaded to the their site sometime this week. Way cool!

To help celebrate, I've got a contest running on the Champagne Toast Loop. Just come chat and from April 1 - April 14, I'll draw a number from all of the posts and the winner will receive a free download of ANS. And - you don't even have to talk to me. Just chat with whomever happens to be around. Here's how to join if you aren't already a member;
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/achampagnetoast/join

And mark your calendar for April 10. The coffeetime chatroom will host a birthday party for Champagne Books at 9:00 EST (I think that's the right time).

Blurb:

Can a stranger from a distant planet breach Yalfar’s strict laws to save a nation from doom and rescue one lone woman from the errors of her way?

Fen Tared Charst has betrayed his brother, and his people. To right the wrongs he’s done, he suffers the horrors of the zeel pits only to find himself a captive of the Temi tribe. In Yalfar, he discovers that leading the Temi princess and her warriors from their dying world is the key to his redemption. But losing his heart to Princess Joyella will be the key to saving his soul.

Princess Joyella Denue has broken a sacred law and for that, she is exiled from Yalfar. To regain her honor, she agrees to lead a convoy topside to escape the collapsing city, but she can’t make the journey alone. She needs Tared, but can she overlook her convictions to accept a man not of her tribe?

http://www.ciaragold.com/
Available now, A Noble Sacrifice
Available now in print, Best selling Celestial Dragon
Available now, CAPA nominated Sarah's Brass Token

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Check out my new cover!!!!


I couldn't be more happy with this cover. A Noble Sacrifice is a sequel to Celestial Dragon and releases very, very soon. Though at present, I don't have exact date, I'm hoping it will go live on the Champagne site this coming week. Everything is done, edits, cover, everything.
Blurb: Can a stranger from a distant planet breach Yalfar’s strict laws to save a nation from doom and rescue one lone woman from the errors of her way?

Fen Tared Charst has betrayed his brother, and his people. To right the wrongs he’s done, he suffers the horrors of the zeel pits only to find himself a captive of the Temi tribe. In Yalfar, he discovers that leading the Temi princess and her warriors from their dying world is the key to his redemption. But losing his heart to Princess Joyella will be the key to saving his soul.

Princess Joyella Denue has broken a sacred law and for that, she is exiled from Yalfar. To regain her honor, she agrees to lead a convoy topside to escape the collapsing city, but she can’t make the journey alone. She needs Tared, but can she overlook her convictions to accept a man not of her tribe?