Tag Archive | urban fantasy romance

Cougar’s Mate and the Near Catastrophe

Mar1

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Doesn’t that sound like the title of a book?

If I just told you that I wrote the story and then it was ready to go and then it was ready to read, that wouldn’t be any fun at all, would it? Stories need conflict.

So I put ten hours into proofing it one more time, and then… get an error message when I saved it. Now, I’ve gotten them before, no problem. Not this time. I saved it under a couple of different files I would need and then went to send a copy to myself, just as a precaution, and guess what? Instead of 526K of story, I had 0K. Nothing. Zero. Nada.

I don’t have panic attacks except over losing a book I just wrote!!! I can lose half a page I’ve written and be upset. Fire in the kitchen? I can deal with it. First snake in the house, no problem. Second snake in the house…it was biting at me, so, okay, that was giving me a slight amount of angst.

But lose a book I’ve just written? That’s the reason to have a panic attack. And I had lost an entire book, years ago when I had nothing else to save on but a CD disk, and I still wish I had a way to get it back!

After a couple of hours of searching on the internet for a solution, not wanting to shut down Word or the computer,  I had planned on uploading the finished manuscript to bookselling sites right after saving it, I hadn’t figured out the problem.

I called my daughter, but I’d already tried everything she suggested. And my mss was sitting there, right before my eyes. And yet? I couldn’t save it. I have to say that I did have earlier copies of it, but not the one I just spent 10 hours working on.

Well, she suggested I save the mss on a thumb drive and then try it on my laptop. I did. And it opened fine. Then I emailed myself a copy.

And then with a whole lot of trepidation, I was going to turn off my computer and restart it. So I began shutting everything down, including Word and it said there was some kind of glitch. Did I want to restart it?

So I was like, yes!!!

And once Word restarted, all my work was there. Plus, like 10 copies of the mss in various forms of distress. I had copy and pasted some into notepad which makes them lose all their formatting.

The happily ever after is that, the mss was fine, uploaded to the sites last night, and I have it saved everywhere! If you ever have trouble with something you’ve written and you save it and it shows you have 0K, maybe you can do what I did to recover it. At least for me and for this time, it worked.

But I just thought you should know that sometimes what seems like a smooth process can be anything but, and that’s perfect for a story, don’t you think?

daffodil fun 500

I had to take another picture of the daffodils as they’re doing a beautiful job of blooming, and though I didn’t think it would ever happen here, they are multiplying! So I’m excited about that!

I’m taking the weekend off from writing to catch up on working on bear orders and such. 3 Matheson Clan bears, 1 Campbell Clan bear, and 1 MacPherson Clan bear. See? Even Highland bears are hot! 🙂

Are you having a fun weekend?

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male!”
www.terryspear.com

Cougar’s Mate is Available!

Feb28

a28c5-cougarsmate3d11292013copy

Cougar’s Mate: Instinct told her to run…

Shannon Rafferty learns that hanging out with the bad boys could be a dangerous business, but hooking up with a cop is even worse. Now she’s on the run, trying to avoid being murdered by his cougar shifter brothers and uncle. If that isn’t bad enough, a deputy sheriff hunts her down while she’s running as a cougar and trying to survive in the Colorado wilderness. He vows to protect her no matter what she’s done. With three dead boyfriends to her name, she’s sure she will be the death of Chase Buchanan before either of them can prevent it. No matter how much she knows she has to run again, he soon holds her heart hostage. But will that be enough to keep them both alive?

Chase Buchanan—as wilderness cabin resort owner, former US Army Special Forces, and part time deputy of the small town of Yuma, Colorado that boasts a love of cougars—is tasked to track down a cougar reported to be hunting human prey. Chase soon learns she’s a shifter, not a full-time cougar, and she’s on the run. When he takes her in, he vows to protect her. After losing his wife and baby to the human kind of predator years earlier, he’s not letting Shannon’s hunters kill her, too. But how is he going to hold onto the wild-cat woman, who is unpredictable at every turn, without losing his heart to her, and then losing her as well?

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ARe Books

Smashwords

This is one of the joys of writing!!! Sharing the story with the world! One of the problems I had with figuring a title is that I wanted to use the “Cougar” in the title, rather than Mountain Lion, too long, Catamount, that some wouldn’t know what it was, Puma, too soft. Cougar is perfect–hard, short, recognizable. ONLY the problem is that cougar now also means an older woman who dates younger men. 🙂 Which is fine, BUT, that’s not my storyline. These are cougar shifters, so I wanted to make that clear. On searches, if I put in Cougar Love, it could sound like an older woman scenario, rather than a shifter. 🙂 I bet you didn’t know that there was that much thinking that even went into a title, did you?

So I chose Cougar’s Mate, because most don’t think of their significant other as mate. And the next, Call of the Cougar, because it reminds me of Call of the Wild, and because you don’t think of a call from an older woman to a younger man,  hopefully, but the wild call of a cougar. You see, there truly is method to my madness. Bonnie gave me the idea for another title: Crouching Cougar. I love it!

So I’m off to let the world know–I have cougar shifters on board.

And here is a parting picture of a nifty bird nest. It looks big enough for an eagle! I’m keeping my on it to see what really nests there. 🙂

bird's nest pinhole (640x614)

Have a lovely Friday, TGIF! My post got away from me before I realized it and was published. 🙂

Are  you planning anything fun for the weekend???

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male!”
www.terryspear.com

Eau de… Skunk

Feb19

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With the coming of spring, so too come the skunks. In my shifter series, my jaguars, cougars, and wolves have a better sense of smell than humans do. But there’s one thing that humans can smell very well without the enhanced abilities of their wilder halves and that is–skunk. And this morning, I woke to its overwhelming fragrance.

http://singledatingdiva.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/pepe-le-pew.jpg

I think of Pepe Le Pew: “Ah! This leetle one wishes to commit suicide to prove her love for me. What a sweet gesture. Never-the-less, I must prevent eet!”

And I admit, I hated that he was so in love and they were the typical star crossed lovers. I always wanted him to find a REAL skunk to fall in love with.

 I ran into one in the side yard one time at night when I went to turn off my water, and it immediately hid behind a sheet of plywood my dad had leaning against the house, have no idea why, but I had to wait until the next morning to turn off the water, AND move that piece of plywood to get rid of the “cute” little skunk’s hiding place.

When my parents were a newly married couple, they had to get the first prerequisite child–a boxer puppy, and once when they were boating on a Texas lake when she was about a year old, the dog got skunked while they were on shore, so rather than let her in the boat for a while, they made her swim after the boat. Suffice it to say, the dog was still wearing eau de skunk until they could scrub her down later.

So when we think of spring flowers and the new green leaves appearing on the trees, we also have the reminder that Pepe Le Pew is on his way looking for that purrrrfect mate. So… get out of his way!

spring flowers 001 (640x637)

Has Pepe Le Pew visited you, too???

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male!”
www.terryspear.com

Cougar’s Mate–The End!!!

Feb17

a28c5-cougarsmate3d11292013copy

Cougar’s Mate: Instinct told her to run…

 

Shannon Rafferty learns that hanging out with the bad boys could be a dangerous business, but hooking up with a cop is even worse. Now she’s on the run, trying to avoid being murdered by his cougar shifter brothers and uncle. If that isn’t bad enough, a deputy sheriff hunts her down while she’s running as a cougar and trying to survive in the Colorado wilderness. He vows to protect her no matter what she’s done. With three dead boyfriends to her name, she’s sure she will be the death of Chase Buchanan before either of them can prevent it. No matter how much she knows she has to run again, he soon holds her heart hostage. But will that be enough to keep them both alive?

Chase Buchanan—as wilderness cabin resort owner, former US Army Special Forces, and part time deputy of the small town of Yuma, Colorado that boasts a love of cougars—is tasked to track down a cougar reported to be hunting human prey. Chase soon learns she’s a shifter, not a full-time cougar, and she’s on the run. When he takes her in, he vows to protect her. After losing his wife and baby to the human kind of predator years earlier, he’s not letting Shannon’s hunters kill her, too. But how is he going to hold onto the wild-cat woman, who is unpredictable at every turn, without losing his heart to her, and then losing her as well?

***

One of the joys of writing books is writing The End. I have a TON of books I’ve started and are still works in progress, some that I’ve finished that still need a lot of revisions, but there is nothing like the thrill of writing a book from beginning to end!

I’m currently rereading Cougar’s Mate and catching mistakes. Here are a couple that I thought you might enjoy: He’s gone to bed and he’s on his laptop when he gets a call from the sheriff and learns who Shannon is. So he has to talk with her about what they’re going to do about the trouble she’s in.

The mistake in the scene? He went to bed naked. He’s a shifter, what can I say? And he’s alone. But…. he didn’t throw anything on before he went to talk to her. 🙂

I love writing. 🙂  Sometimes the mistakes we catch are just as much fun!

Another: He’s wounded, has to locate his phone. His police phone is outside. She had used his personal phone in his bedroom as the bad guys are trying to reach her. She drops the phone and shifts and heads out through his window. He realizes she has to have left the phone in the bedroom and he desperately needs it to call for help. So he goes into the bedroom, and sure enough, it’s there. Wait. The door was locked to keep the bad guys out. 🙂

Hopefully after it’s reviewed thoroughly, it will be ready in a couple of weeks. So yesterday after writing the end, I took a break to proof the first 17 chapters of the audio book for The Highlander. And today, I’m rereading the last half of Cougar’s Mate. And I already started rereading the first 12,000 words of The Viking’s Highland Lass so I can get to writing on it again. Then I have to write A SEAL Wolf for Sale.

Wait! Shouldn’t I have had a celebration in there for finishing another book this year?????

I will when I see my daughter and SIL and we’re going to do lots of fun things. So for now, I’m trying to get as much done before that happens! 🙂

This book was a lot of fun. But then, I always have fun writing them! 🙂 As with all my shifter books, I based a lot of the animal on the real animal–so I always enjoy researching about the animal and its characteristics and behavior while I’m writing. Jaguars love the water and love to swim. I never really thought of cougars caring for the water. But I was looking for references to this and found one where a cougar was swimming after a fishing boat! They caught it on Youtube. And then another was a photographer’s beautiful pictures of a cougar jumping up and into the water to rescue her cub that had fallen into the stream. He caught a picture of the leap, and then of her with the dripping wet cub in her mouth. Really cute.

I’m off to read and then write.

Ready for some cougar shifters?

Have a lovely Monday!!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male!”
www.terryspear.com

Interesting Doors…

Oct27

Weird things fascinate me. These doors were in Savannah, Georgia. I was having a discussion about doors with my daughter yesterday, and she was telling me that they put temporary doors on the homes they’re constructing because thieves steal the doors. Huh? Who would have ever thought it.

Okay, so maybe doors are more of a precious commodity than I thought. But unique doors fascinate me.

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This one was at the Cotton Exchange.
Cotton Exchange (533x800)

And these were taken in Salado, Texas. These doors might look like ordinary doors, but they were only about 5 feet tall, if that? Little tiny doors. And very narrow.

tiny inside doors (533x800)

I found it fascinating on the doors of this period in all of the old houses redone as shops and how many of them had windows above.

door with window above (533x800)

Back to writing! Reached 55,000 last night, but still 5,000 short for the week on A Highland Wolf Christmas. *sigh* With the holidays coming up, I’m running out of time! But I remind myself when I started this venture, I had Chapter 1 written. As in the heading: Chapter 1. Not the whole chapter. So 25,000 to go! Much better than 25,000 done and 55,000 to go!

Oh, and while I was talking to my daughter about Halloween and how some have over a 1,000 trick-or-treaters at their door–wow, she was telling me how she had one girl show up in a bra and panties–about 14. Who let her out of the house dressed like that???

Have a super Sunday!!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality.”
www.terryspear.com

Sunset in Texas & the North Star and the Moon

Oct9

Oct sunset, moon, north star (800x748)

Note there are other specks of stars surrounding the moon and North Star.  The sky is filled with stars this morning and I tried to capture them with my camera but it’s only showing blackness. But I loved seeing the Dippers in the early morning darkness. Ever go star gazing?

What do you see?

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality.”
www.terryspear.com

The Wolf Pack has Gathered!

Sep25

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Wolves work in packs–team work, as long is it isn’t a lone wolf. I was reading about one that wanted to join a pack, but the pack leaders wouldn’t let him join. Kind of like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, right?

But he was persistent. Kept staying on the outskirts of the pack when they gathered for anything. Every once in a while, the male pack leader chased him off. And he’d run away because wolves protecting their territory can kill other wolves.

He wasn’t giving up. Which makes you think of what? He was pretty much an alpha in his own right. Yet…he wanted to live with the pack. So one day, the alpha male and female welcomed him. And he was finally part of the pack.

Don’t you love HEA? 🙂

If you picked up A SEAL Wolf Christmas, hope you are enjoying it!!!
Buy links:
Amazon
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Indie Bound
Powell’s Books
Books-A-Million 

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality.”
www.terryspear.com

 

A SEAL Wolf Christmas–Reduced Paperback Price BEFORE Release!

Sep18
A SEAL Wolf Christmas is only $4.79 at Amazon in paperback!!! I’ve NEVER seen them drop the price on a paperback, and especially on a pre-order. But here ’tis!!! Thanks, Bonnie!!! Feel free to share the love of the hot SEAL wolves!!! http://www.amazon.com/SEAL-Wolf-Christmas-Terry-Spear/dp/140228408X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379515997&sr=8-1&keywords=a+seal+wolf%27s+christmas

And I forgot to mention:

Bound by Danger

He’s got a mission only it’s become much more than that…

 

Bound by Danger just came out on audio book format! 🙂 http://www.amazon.com/Bound-by-Danger/dp/B00F9B8Z0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379458418&sr=8-1&keywords=bound+by+danger+audio+book

Okay, back to researching Scotland! 🙂 Terry

Have You Got Your Eye on Christmas???

Sep14

Eye SEAL

I really AM writing! 🙂

fashion eye

Okay, well, you know there’s always got to be one in the crowd who’s different!

Eye Silence pinker blend

And really, back to writing! 🙂 Enough having fun with eyes on wolves!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy IS reality.”
www.terryspear.com