Lise Fuller's Writing Adventures

Coming Soon!

2008-02-12T09:05:00.001-07:00

Hi, all. Letting everyone know I'm redoing my website and will restart the blogs at that time! Looking for a March launch date. Take care and many blessings. Thanks for sticking with me and see you then!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year; Best Newsletter Article of the Year for 2006-Colorado Romance Writers

~On Danger's Edge, available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Love Your Workouts! Er, not....

2007-05-21T08:02:00.000-06:00

If you've been reading me a while, you know there's a local sportswriter that I love to read. He's a an article every Monday in the Gazette and his name is Milo Bryant. Today he had an article in there called "You don't like your workout? That's tough." I LOVE it! It's so true.

Now, Milo is a no-holds-barred person, which I really admire. He tells it like it is. In today's post, he talks about people complaining about being hot, sweaty, etc. and that it's the basis of the world's ills. Yet, they STILL want to look--as he states-- "fantabulous". He talks about a 'funny' line he'd gotten--"If I was supposed to be buff, I would not have been born so soft." But he has a rebuttal to those complaining who still want to look great -- "Tough poopoo for you." LOL!

His point? There is no written rule that says your workout has to be fun or that you have to enjoy it. And I agree. We've been spoiled a lot in like, having things come easy. But being in great shape takes work, and no magic pill or overnight diet will do that for you.

Another great point he makes is that when you work out, you're pushing your body beyond its normal limits to establish a new baseline and you're stepping out of your comfort zone, which is

typically unpleasant. But as he says, if you're performing your work right, it's never easy, and it's rarely fun. One thing I can say though--when you've achieved something you didn't know you could, or even thought it was beyond you, it's an incredible feeling of accomplishment.

Now, Milo gives some advise to make things easier: "Understand." See the benefits of what you are doing, add some music to pump you up, get your family involved and make a game out of it.

If you'd like to read more, here's the link: http://www.gazette.com/articles/working_22649___article.html/fitness_supposed.html

And you can email Milo at milo.bryant@gazette.com. He has another fitness challenge he's ready to do with someone as well, so if you're in the area, check it out.

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance? Lise Fuller, http://www.lisefuller.com/, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year, Colorado Romance Writers Newletter Article Award for 2006
~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/

Don't Spill The Coffee!

2007-05-21T07:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally did it. Split coffee on my laptop keyboard. So I'll be offline a while until this gets fixed. However, one must love the the break. I've been thinking I've been too attached to the internet as it it. And I can still write--the old fashioned way. With pen and paper. Hey, whatever works!

Now ya'll take care until I get back.

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance? Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year ~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Recovering From RT!

2007-05-03T09:22:00.000-06:00

Stuffing Bags for Moulin Rouge =>

Wow! What a high-energy conference! I've never been to a Romantic Times conference before and for my first conference I have to say--fantastic! But, geez, I wish my fellow authors would have warned this RT Virgin a bit more!

But I'm jumping ahead--first, we worked. (And let me apologize for the photo quality. I'd forgotten my camera and had to use an instamatic!) Here's the set up in the Imperial Ball room where we stuff over 800 bags with goodies for the attendees of Ellora's Cave Moulin Rouge party. And it was the first awesome experience I had. First, meeting all these wonderful ladies -- and Rod, the first Prince of EC -- was so much fun. You know, you see people on line, but then meeting them in person is such a treat. What a wonderful group. And the EC staff -- Kelly, Jeania, Patty and Cindy -- we're so kind and sweet. I love these gals and they're the reason I love being a Jasmine-Jade author.

Well, when we finished stuffing the bags, the calendar 'boys' were outside signing the EC calendars. They lined up from January to December and they were awesome and so nice! I got 5 calendars--one for each of my critique partners (sshhhh, don't tell them, it's a surprise) and each one of them personalized each calendars. The funniest thing was, when I got to John (the cowboy), there was a break in the tables. So I needed to shuffle the calendars over a few at a time. Anyway, when I got to him, in a panic I said, "I've got five coming." He turns to the others and said, "Look out guys, we got a stalker!" I blushed. Didn't know what to say. But everyone laughed. Anyway, I was known as the stalker after that.

<= The Calendar Boys=>

(John is first on the right in this picture =>)

Now you would think that after being tagged like that the party should have been a breeze. No way! Omigod. I never expected. First we were escorted over the stage and down the stairs. Thank goodness those handsome hunks held onto our arms tight and held us close because while trying to walk down those rickety stairs in spiked heels,I know some of us would have tripped. Anyway, one of the hunks (I won't mention who--ahem) after the ceremonies came up, took my hands and put them on his pecs. Omigod! I never expected that! And, even being a very happily married woman, I have to say--Damn, did that feel good! Then Ash, my roommate and I, asked Ryan if he'd take a picture with us. Well, when he whispered in my ear in that oh-so-sexy voice of his "Lift your leg, sweetheart", how could I resist? (Ahem.)

<= Ryan & Me at the Moulin Rouge Party Okay, so I'm only human, but that's as wild as I got--promise! Anyway, we had a nice chat and he's a really nice guy (plus, he feels incredible.) Ok, enough of that. Besides, I had my own incredible hunk at home (and he feels even better! Better yet, he's all mine! Yeah!)

Well, the party was great--and yes, I danced but behaved myself! Still, the next day was just as busy if not more. (Got my workout in though!) And guess what? Came down stairs and found both John and Rodney practicing body building poses. I asked if they were competing and John told me he was trying to get ready for a show in July. They let me take some shots, so I'll share them here with you.

And here's a few more. In the one that looks like 'just John', look again. Rodney is actually behind him! John is a big man!

And for the LAST pose I took of them -- I have to admit, this is my fav! THANK YOU KIM LOWE FOR TAKING THE PIC! (Yes, it's me! Look how small I look!)

Well, then at the Vampire Ball, guess what, the most romantic thing happened. My own PERSONAL hunk showed and surprised me in his dress blues! Yowzer! And before you say it, he REALLY did just show up to support me. Plus, he'll be gone for awhile sooner than what we thought. Besides, we hadn't had a weekend, much less a night, alone since before 2001. So there you have it. It was a stitch. The next morning, I redressed in my previous night's clothes, carried my heels, and had to explain to two women at the elevator I was really with my husband! Then when I got to my 'other' room--the one I shared with Ash, she has the nerve to say "It's about time young lady!" LOL! I felt like a twenty year old on a one-night stand. What a fantasy come true!

Captain Tom (my real hero and the model for all my book's heroes) & I at the Vampire Ball

Another of the funniest things was, I continued the fantasy of 'picking up a sexy military guy' at the SOS Soiree, a gathering for those supporting the military, and snuck up behind him, saying something like, "Hey, sexy, I'd like to take you home." Two women next to him that he'd been talking to were ready to jump up and protect his honor! But before they could, Tom told them I was his wife. We all had a good laugh. They were both military spouses (one an ex-MP) and were going to tell them "HE'S MARRIED!" LOL! What a week!

Then we had the signing. It was wonderful and I was honored to meet all those in person I've meet online on myspace and on the loops as well as reviewers whom I love. Ya'll rock! Oh, and some guy who's doing a video blog interviewed me. It was awesome.

<= Thanks to Lillian Feisty for this Pic!

Well, that's it for now. Thanks for joining me and to all, many blessings! You rock!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Signing At RT!

2007-04-23T12:04:00.000-06:00

For those of you coming to RT, I'll be signing On Danger's Edge (the book nominated for one of this year's RT Reviewers Choice Awards) and Cutting Loose at the book fair on Sat! Come by and see me, even if it's just to chat!
~ Lise
How much danger would you face for the perfect romance? Lise Fuller, http://www.lisefuller.com/, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/

New Review For Intimate Deceptions!

2007-04-17T10:40:00.000-06:00

Hi, all! The book that got Coffee Time's FIRST Recommended Read award and a Recommended read from Joyfully Reviewed got another 5 HEARTS from Love Romances and more and I had to celebrate! Woohoo!

Here's part of the review:

"There is nothing better than a story you just can’t seem to put down and Lise Fuller’s INTIMATE DECEPTIONS definitely fits this description. Elena and Brodie’s story is action, suspense and strong emotion from first page to last. Fuller keeps readers on the edge of their seats trying to figure out what is going to happen next to these two very passionate characters as they work their way back together as lies and secrets try equally hard to keep them apart.

The storyline flows so very nicely from one shocking surprise to the next. It would be difficult indeed not to feel for Elena and Brodie after the way fate has treated them both. The emotions these characters produce are very real. When this reader found herself crying over the story’s villain, Ms. Fuller cemented her spot as a “must have” author for a coveted place on an already overflowing bookcase of exceptional authors."

If you're interested, check out the blurb and excerpt at this link! http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=1-4199-0787-5

Thanks for helping me celebrate!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, www.myspace.com/lisefuller, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Writing On

2007-03-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

Hey, all, glad you're here. I've been writing -- and writing and writing -- working on my new manuscript. It's coming along and is about a women who's concept of her sexuality has been challenged over the years. The hero is her first lover--who hurt her by denying how deep his feelings ran for her. I'm really loving this. The working title is Night Maneuvers. Here's an uneditted snippet.

Thunder rumbled in the distance over the Colorado mountains. Tucked away in his family’s seldom used villa, Rick Hansen’s eyes fluttered open with uneasy thoughts. He stared out the window at the pitch black sky, thinking, knowing the visions in his mind were even bleaker. He pressed his lids shut. He needed sleep, yet his tired mind remained in that weird place between awake and total oblivion.

They were on point, he and his best friend Chas. Sweat coated Rick’s armpits. Without mercy, the Afghan sun beat hot against his body, the wind from the rugged, barren mountains around them burning his face.

“Yeah,” Chas Branford said walking next to him, his mouth cocked in that shit-eating grin he wore when he was pleased with himself, “the girl was a great piece of ass. Dark, smooth skin...whew.”

Rick snickered, smoldering under his Kevlar helmet and body armor, then nodded, not really liking the way Chas talked about women. But after so many years as friends, he found the banter easier to take if he agreed.

“You need to come with me next time.” His prep school buddy punched him in the arm. Rick eyed him through his peripheral vision wondering why he’d stayed friends with him for so long. He and Chas were nothing alike.

Chas droned next to him as Rick studied the sandy landscape of the valley they patrolled, ever vigilant. The enemy was out there, somewhere, and he didn’t want to get blown to hell by some rusty Russian IED that had long been forgotten after the Taliban’s victory over the old Soviet Union, a victory that could only be won with the help of the CIA. Rick snorted in contempt, wondering why we ever supported the same radicals that shook America’s eastern seaboard.

Then he grimaced, remembering the damage he’d seen from a hidden explosive when they’d first arrived. The guy had just made sergeant. Was his daughter’s birthday. He’d been yakking about his little girl when he stepped on the damn thing. Not pretty.

“Keep your eyes peeled, Chas. You don’t know what fucked up crap is out here.”

“Sheeeeiiittt. I’m doing that, man.” He removed his helmet and ran a hand through his short hair. When the platoon sergeant yelled at Chas, he plopped the Dome of Obedience back on his head and cussed. “Hell, I don’t know what we’re doing here.”

Rick snorted. “You mean what we’re doing tramping in the high desert looking for the enemy, or why we joined the army and came to Afghanistan?”

“Both,” Chas growled.

Rick cut his eyes toward his childhood friend. “Your father, remember?” Never one to suffer, Chas had quickly gotten sick of the army’s stark routine but Chas’ ego wouldn’t let them back out, even when Rick’s dad offered to pull some strings to get them released.

For a moment, Chas’ eyes grew cold and distant. Then he snorted and came back to reality. “Yeah, I know. But I wish I had the real bastards behind this shit. I’d put an IED up their a-holes instead of burning the hell out of my feet marching around the fucking desert after stupid rag-head grunts.”

Rick knew Chas thought they were too good for this. After all, the two of them came from money and good breeding. Rick huffed to emphasize his point. “Those guys’ are such assholes their butts are too huge for an explosive to stay in. That’s why we find the shit buried in the sand so often. They fall out.”

Chas laughed. His normally smooth patrician features crinkled in the sun-reddened skin around his eyes and mouth. “Yeah.” His voice dropped as he looked away and walked on. When the sergeant told them to keep their eyes peeled and spread out, Chas moved a few feet farther away. Rick kept tabs on him from the corner of his eye. He knew Chas dwelt too much on the events that brought them here. Right now, his friend’s mind wasn’t really in the game.

The deep rumblings of the storm in the far distance interrupted Rick’s sleep-induced vision like static on the radio. He tossed and covered his head with the pillow then fell back into his Morphean state, hoping to find sleep sometime tonight. Slumber eluded him lately—the deadened state where he didn’t have to remember grew fewer and farther between.
He closed his eyes as another flash lit the night sky.

Chas snorted again, loudly this time. “Hey, I wonder what Flabby Tabby is doing these days. Damn girl was ugly as sin, especially with those coke bottles on her eyes, but she was a smart one. She always had a thing for you.”

Rick bit the inside of his cheek before he said something that would make Chas take aim at their childhood friend, cutting her in absentia with his caustic remarks. A year younger than him, Rick swallowed thinking of the tomboy he and his buddies had grown up with. “Tab” she liked to be called. After all, Tabitha was too foo-foo sounding for a boy. Rick smirked, remembering. She’d been his best friend until high school and a damn good shortstop. Tab’s father, an ex-navy seal, had been the family bodyguard. The man raised Tab himself after her mother died. Too young at the time to remember Mrs. Wellbourne, Rick had come to respect Nolan, Tab’s dad. The man was like a second father to him. Something he needed, especially with his own father gone so often on business. Nolan Wellbourne taught Rick everything he knew about surviving in the wilderness and how to defend himself—how to be a man. In turn, Rick’s mother kind of took Tab under her wing, trying to teach her to appreciate the finer aspects of being feminine. He remembered his mother, after finding Tab crying from a skinned knee, teaching her to play the piano. Rick recalled many an occasion finding Tabitha alone in the music room playing. Caught, she’d insisted her practicing was only to please his mother. But she grew good at it.

He smiled. He could still see the intense look on Tabitha’s face when she played. Closing his eyes a brief moment, he imagined the lilting sound of the Moonlight Sonata in the background.

A sudden blast deafened Rick and yanked him from his musings. He grabbed his head as a sharp pain lanced through his eardrums. Warm blood dripped down the side of his face from the soft flesh that pelted him. A sick feeling twisted his gut.

He opened his eyes and stared where Chas had stood. Chas’ blue eyes glared back at him a few feet away. His friend’s chest rose from his mangled torso as he sucked in a breath.

Smirking, Chas huffed. “Tell...mom...I’m sorry.”

His head dropped in the sand. His eyes dead to the world.

A boom cracked near the window. Rick bolted up, his nude body drenched in sweat. The light flashed. He stood and wiped a hand over his face to get his bearings. It was just the storm. Inhaling, he worked to steady his breathing as he shoved the curtain aside to peer out the windowpanes, reassuring himself he was still in the family getaway between Snowmass and Aspen.

In the courtyard to the untended garden outback, someone jumped from the hot tub. Someone naked. The sinewed, willowy body wrapped a towel around herself then stared at the three-quarters length window where he stood.

It was her. Tabitha. How did she get here? Or was he dreaming?
The ethereal form stared a moment longer then dashed into the rain.
Rick shoved the window open and yelled for her but in moments the vision vanished into the mists.

Cold wind and rain buffeted him. Rick straightened and ran a hand through his hair. He had sworn that was her. But she’d looked so different. Sleek instead of full-figured. Yet, she had to have recognized him. Was it her? Or was he still dreaming?

He shook his head. His mind played tricks on him again. That had to be it. Damn, the dreams were getting worse. He rubbed his temples. Thank God, his team finally got to rest. He needed a break to recover.

Closing the window, he eased under the sheets, thinking as his body shivered from the cold. The new housekeeper that had greeted him on his arrival had told him no one else was here. In fact, the only reason the housekeeper had been there was to ready the place for his parents arrival. There was a lot to do. His dad, too busy to rest, had closed the house years ago, but since Rick was stateside for a while, his parents had decided to do a family get-together in a few weeks. So no one else should be there. Yet he’d seen someone—a female, of that he was sure.

And it wasn’t the housekeeper.

Uneasy with his thoughts, he decided on the only thing he could. Tomorrow he would search the house and find out for himself. He was too tired to do it now. He needed rest. But he also needed to reassure himself. If the intruder was Tab, he’d want to know why she ran from him. If it was someone else, he wanted to know what the hell the woman was doing here.

Closing his eyes, he felt his sex harden at the sensual site he’d witnessed. He’d seen the woman’s fully exposed body, the small, darkened patch of hair at the junction of her legs emphasizing her sex. He’d just come back from another mission to Afghanistan, part of the rotation all the Special Forces teams were taking, even though his team generally worked in South America. He hadn’t had a woman in a while. Swallowing, he tossed onto his side and shoved a pillow between his knees, hoping to still the need for someone to hold. Unbidden, the memories of taking Tab in his arms, feeling her lush body under his, haunted him. He forced the thoughts away, knowing that after the embarrassment he let her suffer for his ego years ago, he had permanently alienated her.

Mumbling a curse at the stupidity of his past, he punched the pillow to hollow out a hole then let his head drop against it.

Soon, he fell into an uneasy slumber, the storm punctuating his nightmares.

On Balance

2007-02-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Trying to write is a fulltime occupation. However, real life gets in the way--or does it? If we want to write we have to prioritize. Put it first in things, set goals and go for it. You'll never know until you try. Read a good article in Writers Mag yesterday which talked to the fear of not having a perfect manuscript. I related. I think every writer faces a blank page with horror and trepidation--wondering what the heck will be on it at some point.

Thing is, the more I do the better I get. So, off I go.

Keep writing.

Talk to you soon and remember to check out my fitness blog at www.lisestips.blogspot.com

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?
Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Balancing Act--Help, I'm Falling!

2007-02-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have to admit to having problems balancing my time lately. I want to compete this Spring in a body building contest, I have a book to write, my teenage son needs some help with English--especially his writing skills! (Yes, I'm aghast.)--AND I have two books coming in print, one in March and one in April, that I need to do promo for. On top of that, looks like my brother may have Parkinson and my sister and I are dealing with that. Plus with hubby's new job, life has, to say the least, been interesting.

So, the old prioritization skills have been coming into play--which is why you haven't heard from me as frequently as I would like. And I'm so sorry! But, once things are prioritized everything else seems to fall into place. One must ask, what is the MOST important thing that needs to be done at the moment? For me, family always comes first. Son's writing skills are improving. Brother seems to be taking better care of self. Now, to get down to writing. I've been balancing the promo and writing time, but writing seems to suffer. So what did I do? Signed myself up for a book-in-a-month writing spree with my local romance writers chapter. Pressure? Yeah, but sometimes yuh just gotta do it.

So here I go. Hope ya'll have a blessed month! Oh, and wish my luck on the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards! On Danger's Edge is in the Small Press category! I'm praying about it. I love everyone who's in it, but is it too selfish to want to win? Hope not. Love you all!

Many blessings!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, http://www.lisefuller.com/, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times

~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed

~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/

Walter Cronkite Speaks

2007-02-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

There was an interesting article in today's local paper--in the business section. Walter Cronkite, an icon from my youth, one respected for his news prowess, addressed Columbia University. He stated that pressures by the media companies to generate profits threatened the freedom of the nation was built upon.

I can't help thinking about this. We live in an uncertain world--but then again, the world has always been uncertain. Yet, in our country, we have enjoyed certains freedoms, especially the freedom of speech. This viewpoint, albeit insightful and most certainly true, is disturbing--disturbing to my sense of well-being, my sense of honor, my perception of my enjoyed freedoms and my sense of what it means to be an American. According to the article, Cronkite states that "today's journalists face greater challenges than those from his generation. No longer can journalists count on their employers to provide the necessary resources...to 'expose truths that powerful politicians and special interests often did not want exposed.... Instead they face rounds and rounds of job cuts and cost cuts that require them to do ever more with ever less."

Yet, according to Walter, "In this information age and the very complicated world in which we live today, the need for high-quality reporting is greater than ever... It's not just the journalist job at risk here. It's American democracy."

A very scary situation.

Cronkite is reported to have said that news accuracy (something we as the average person rely on) has declined "because of consolidations and closures that have left most U.S. towns with only one newspaper. And as broadcasters cut budgets and air time for news, he said, 'we're all left with a sound bite culture that turns political campaigns into political theater.'"

The article also stated that Michael Copps, a commissioner with the FCC, later said that "looser broadcast regulations--such as those that had required stations to regularly prove they serve the public interest--have resulted in less local coverage, less diversity of opinion and fewer jobs for journalists over the past quarter of a century."

To me, this is a scary state of our country. One of our basic rights is freedom of speech, but what happens when that can't, or simply isn't, just given because of economic consequences, or worse, poor policies? Our world is changing, but as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

It is the RIGHT of the people to do something. Yet, how many of us are informed enough to know what to do? And how can we be, when the basis of most of our political/government knowledge is from the media to which Cronkite refers? For me, I hardly watch the news anymore because I could care less about entertainment type news. Even our reporters, any more, have to meet some beauty-type requirement. What ever happened to intellence in reporting?

Ok, enough of my gripes. If anyone has some similar fears, hey, contact me. I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say. For me, yes, change is inevitable and it's important for the country to grow and change, but not with the loss of my inalienable rights--such as the right to be informed.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?
Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Writing While Sick

2007-02-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

You know, writing while sick can be an interesting experience. Your perception's a bit off, especially when you have a head cold like mine. Then there's the drugs you take to try and knock it out. They make you sleepy enough.

Yeah, I put some words on the page today. I'll edit them later but at least I did it. It made me feel productive, which is more than I can say about this cold. My eyes itch as I write this.

However, it did give me an idea. I have a female hit woman in my book. Perhaps I shall give her a cold....

Everyone take care and have a great week. Perhaps it's all the good news I've gotten lately? Maybe I just need a break.

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times

~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed

~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Hot Tubs!!! (Ad words?)

2007-02-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hey, did that catch your attention? Someone recently posted on one of the loops I'm on about a site that listed the best ad words and hot tubs was one of them! Now, all us Internet savvy folks know that ad words help drive traffic to your site. When you're an e-book author like me, that can be important. I was really surprised; however, that sex wasn't on the list!

Regardless, driving people to your site or where your books are sold is very important and its hard to compete on the internet these days. There are so many out there. However, from what I understand, use of well-placed ad words always help. So, if you're interested, here's the link. See what you can do with them!

http://adkeywords.blogspot.com/2007_02_03_archive.html

Enjoy!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, http://www.lisefuller.com/, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Writer of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times

~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed

~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/

Intimate Deceptions-First Recipient of the CTR Reviewer Recommend Award

2007-02-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone. Wow, what good news I've gotten these days. After a bad spell from last year, hubby in Afghanistan and Mother passing, this year has hit me with a bang! I found out late last night that I received the very first Coffee Time Romance Reviewer Recommend Award!

Here's part of what they had to say:

"I am proud and please and more than honored to let you know that you are the very first author to be presented with the CTRR Award from Coffee Time Romance for your book Intimate Deceptions.

The CTRR (Coffee Time Reviewer Recommend) is a special honor that we hope you will proud to put on your site with your book Intimate Deceptions. This award is given to 1 book every 3 months out of all the books that our reviewers read during the 3 month period."

And they have it up at this link: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/CTRRAwards.html. Here's a piece from it:

"Author Lise Fuller & Intimate Deceptions

We at Coffee Time Romance & More are dancing in our seats to present our First Reviewer's Awards to Lise Fuller! Congratulations!!! Job Well Done!
Lise Fuller's work has the unique style that grabs and holds the reader's very own realm. Transforming their world into one that the next line could make them slip into the characters life.. Myself while reading her stories found it impossible to put the books down until the last page. Thank you Lise for the magic you have brought to us."

Thanks for letting me share! Many blessings to you all and havea great day!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, http://www.lisefuller.com/, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE, 2007; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Writer of the Year

~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times

~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed

~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/

Practice What You Preach

2007-01-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning, everyone! Yeah, it's a Friday! And family and I are off to the wilds of Colorado to play in the snow. Yep, we're going on an adventure. Hubby and son are signed up to snowboard and I'm going to go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing to get the feel for it as research for my new story. Right now it has a tentative title of Night Maneuvers, which I really like, but I think the title Fault Lines, fits better. Anyway, been doing some research on avalanches--not that I want to experience one, but thought it would fit in the book. We'll be around Winter Park this weekend, but the book takes place around Aspen where my hero, Rick Hansen, and the heroine, Tab Wellbourne run from a small group of terrorists (who want to nab Tab for her chemist knowledge) into a coming blizzard. They are not prepared for the storm, as neither of them expected the kidnappers! But being trained by Tab's father, an ex-Navy Seal, and with Rick's skills as a Special Forces operative, they made do--and find, again, that they love each other.

Yep, I believe in experiencing your research as much as possible! So here I go into the snow. Wish me luck!

Oh, and when you get a minute, check out my fitness blog--www.lisestips.blogspot.com. I'll be talking about the time I had when I come back!

~ Lise

The Keyboard Crash!

2007-01-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

Hi, all! No, this isn't a new dance and please forgive me for not posting much earlier. My keyboard crashed! And it's fixed now, so here's my first post with my new computer. Yes, computers and writing these days seem inseparable however I was able to get some work on my new manuscript done by actually using pen and paper. Fortunately, I'd printed it before the whole thing went south so I had something to work off of. However, trying to respond to email and post things like a blog were difficult. I switched from my old Dell, which I loved, to my new Lenova, which I'm trying to get used to. Fingerprint ID access? Ok, haven't figured that one yet, but I'll get there.

How many of you have these problems? LOL! Yeah, it's funny how when you get good news, like On Danger's Edge being nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice awards, that then something else happens! Yeah, it's life and part of our wonderful adventures. Hey, if we didn't have obstacles, how interesting would our lives be?

In that light, I've decided I'm going to RT. I'm going to go sign up now. Just wanted to say hi to all and hope to see you at the conference!

~ Lise

Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards

2007-01-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! And I have exciting news. ON DANGER'S EDGE (available at Cerridwen Press) has been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards for 2006 for Small Presses! It'll be in the MARCH 2007 issue!

Here's a blurb ~

On Dangers Edge By Lise Fuller
Fear be damned…

…is the code photojournalist Rorie Lindsay lives by. Free of her abusive ex-husband, she celebrates her divorce with a one-night stand then heads to her next photo shoot in the Panamanian jungles, thirsting for adventure. Finally sensing her life is her own, Rorie relishes her autonomy until guerillas take her small troupe captive. Now, in order to survive, she must match wits with the soldier who came to save her—Chief Warrant Officer Tom MacCallum, the same stranger she'd spent one incredible night with.

Tom couldn't forget the passionate brunette he'd bedded—a vain attempt to assuage his guilt over a comrade's death. Like his father several years before, Tom had been unable to save his friend. Driven in his Special Forces missions, the failures haunt his private life. Because loved ones die, he's refused to commit himself to a woman. Still, he longed for something with Rorie. Unable to find her again, he's encouraged when he sees she's in the party he's rescuing—until the rescue effort goes awry and he finds the terrorists hot on their trail. Now, both their lives and their destinies are…

…On Danger's Edge.

And you can read an excerpt by clicking here: Excerpt for ON DANGER'S EDGE.

This is a biggie, especially for an up- and coming author like me! Please help me celebrate! And if your interested in the book, click the link above or see me and my other books at the author site they have for me: Lise Fuller.

Thanks for reading and many blessings to you all!

~ Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
http://www.myspace.com/lisefuller
Blogs: Lise Fuller's Writing Adventures, http://lisefuller.blogspot.com/
Lise's Fitness Tips, http://lisestips.blogspot.com/
~ "Intimate Deceptions", 11/30/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com, RECOMMENDED READ from Joyfully Reviewed
~ "On Danger's Edge", 12/8/ 05, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com -- 4 1/2 STARS FROM RT!
~ "Cutting Loose", 2/9/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Internet Marketing for Writers

2007-01-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! And YIKES, I can't believe it's the 15th already. So, I better tell you what I've been up to. I've been doing a lot of research on how to market yourself over the internet. Why? Because it's generally cheap, and as authors, we don't make a lot generally. So, as a businesswomen, I've been researching the various avenues, making databases, looking at info on how to do a marketing plan. I'll blog on these later on as I get going. Anyway, stay posted. Hope you all have been well.

Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

5 CUPS for INTIMATE DECEPTIONS from Coffeetime Romance

2007-01-11T00:33:00.000-07:00

Hi, all!

Wanted to share that Coffee Time Romance gave INTIMATE DECEPTIONS 5 cups, their Number One Rating! Here's an excerpt from the review:

"Ms. Fuller has proven that she can write suspense and keep a reader interested. The story is riveting to say the least, and you feel for Brodie and Elena. This book will keep you guessing the entire time, never knowing what lay in store for Brodie and Elena. Ms. Fuller has done her research well and the story flows with a smoothness that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I loved the book for the flow of the story and the characters discovering what they thought was lost. The emotions are real and the scenarios are very convincing. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well written suspense mixed with passion."

To check out a blurb and an excerpt, click here ~ INTIMATE DECEPTIONS.

Thanks for listening!

Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
http://www.myspace.com/lisefuller
Blogs: Lise Fuller's Writing Adventures, http://lisefuller.blogspot.com/
Lise's Fitness Tips, http://lisestips.blogspot.com/
~ "Intimate Deceptions", to be released 11/30/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com
~ "On Danger's Edge", 12/8/ 05, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com -- 4 1/2 STARS FROM RT!
~ "Cutting Loose", 2/9/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Getting Reviews

2007-01-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

First, I want to welcome everyone back from the holidays! Hope you had a good one.

I thought I'd blog on reviews today. When you write a book, they can become very important. Good reviews can be used to promote your book. I've used this approach several times. For instance, INTIMATE DECEPTIONS, my newest e-book out has so far gotten 5 cups from Coffeetime Romance and has been given a recommended read from Joyfully Reviewed (click on the link to see the reviews.) However, even a mediocre, or God forbid, a bad review can still be better than nothing. At least one person has read your book. No, you can't use those to help you forward but you can look at them in comparison to the others and see if this reviewer is worth going to again, or whether they honestly have something to say. You never know what information on your writing you can pick up.

Also, especially if this an online reviewer, the good thing is it'll show up when people google your title. Hey, it's promo, and that's what you need. Many people buy because of name recognition. You can be a fabulous author, but if you don't get your name out there, you're only making yourself depressed with the idea people aren't reading your work. The whole point is you have to work on the promo side and one way to do that is to get reviews. There are many online promo sites for Romance Authors, some specialize more in women's erotica, but they still read. Google these names: Joyfully Reviewed, Coffeetime, Fallen Angels, The Romance Studio, the Romance Junkies and Romance Reviews Today, and of course, there's always the biggie, Romantic Times. I'm sure there are even more than I've named here, however, I don't know them. That doesn't mean they aren't good.

So another note, if you're sending reviews out for yourself, instead of your publisher, check them out with someone you trust. So, here's the deal--

Get as many reviews as you can upfront.
If you're sending out reviews yourself, check the reviewer with someone you can trust.
Use the reviews to promote your work in as many avenues as you can!

That's it for now. Have a great year.

Blessings,

Lise

How much danger would you face for the perfect romance?

Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Author of the Year
http://www.myspace.com/lisefuller
Blogs: Lise Fuller's Writing Adventures, http://lisefuller.blogspot.com/
Lise's Fitness Tips, http://lisestips.blogspot.com/
~ "Intimate Deceptions", to be released 11/30/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com
~ "On Danger's Edge", 12/8/ 05, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com -- 4 1/2 STARS FROM RT!
~ "Cutting Loose", 2/9/06, Cerridwen Press, www.cerridwenpress.com

Story Ideas--The Germination

2006-12-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome back and I hope everyone had a great holiday! You know, many times, people ask where do you get your ideas? I tell them, for me, it's really quite simple. I dreamed them. Either in a day dream or some semi-unconscious early morning thoughts. Or I get inspired, from my husband or articles I've read. Thing is, I think the most important part is simply to tap into this aspect of you. Most everyone dreams. Remember these and putting them into a form is the hardest part, and the part that I work on the most. Idea generation, for me, really isn't a problem.

Think about it. What do you dream about? What are your loves, what stirs you more than anything? What are your fears? These are things that grip you and get you in the crux of your story. What's your motivation for something? When you figure this out, then you'll have an idea where your stories should be. You should write what you love. And sometimes that may be hard. In On Danger's Edge, I wrote about a heroine with fears of height and fleeing from an abusive marriage. The hard part of this was feeling what she was feeling, emoting with her. Those sense hurt, but if you're going to write it, I think you need to feel it. I also believe this is what makes writing an in-depth evil bad guy hard. You need to relate to this character somehow. And sometimes that's painful.

So, there's the short answer for me. Here's to all our dreams that bring peace, prosperity and love to our lives!

Many blessings,

~Lise

Eight Maids A-Moaning

2006-12-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

I'll be hosting the Ellora's Cave Chat group today in their series of promos. Today is Eight Maids A-Moaning day, so only those over 18 please! Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ellorascavechat.

See you there!

~ Lise

The Promise of Hope

2006-12-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hi, all! Ok, here's the post I promised. I apologize this took so long!

The Promise of Hope:

The other night, my family and I went to see the TransSiberian Orchestra. For those of you who don't know them, it's an eclectic play of music by different types of musicians all pointed to telling a specific story. The group's concerts, to date, have all had a Christmas theme and the albums follow along this line, except one. I've heard them all and adore every one of them.

But the other night, here we were, in the largest arena in our area, listening to this group of musicians and performers. The light show and pyrotechnics were fabulous, the sound top-notch. It was an awesome performance.

But I remember when the group was new, when I'd first heard of them and heard their album. They played at the smallest place in town. My, what a difference a few years made.

They were still in the struggling phase at this point. Many were already established musicians but this was a new sound, a blending of types of music for the purpose of telling a story. There's speaking parts as well, vocals, instrumentals, classical arrangements blended with rock or jazz--the combinations stir the soul. Yet, this was new. And after the performance, the artists came out in the hallway and mingled with their guests. And I say guests, as that's how we felt. I will never forget the experience. And it's something they do to this day. Even at this last performance, they stated they would be in the halls, talking with whom they could.

I remember at one performance (as after the first, we try to go to all of them when they come), getting a poster of "Beethoven's Last Night", their only non-Christmas work. When we approached the man whose organized this group, Paul O'Neill (a group of singers, the local orchestra, rock musicians, etc.), he signed the poster and we had the coolest chat. I could only smile. As he autographed the poster he wrote, "To Lise, Great taste in music, but 100% perfect taste in husbands (Tom)." Yes, he actually put Tom's name in the message. He really personalized it and I remember that lesson even today. As I mentioned in a previous post, he treated me like I was already a customer, a fan--a personal one. I paid over twenty times more for the frame than I did the poster. And it hangs over our piano even today.

And what does this have to do with hope? We'll you see, they started small, yet believed in themselves. And they seemed, to me, to treat everyone special. And you can see their love of their work. It shines through. I imagine, although I don't know, that they questioned many times what they did--yet, Paul especially, pursued the dream. Now, they're a big production. And you can tell they still love their work. But how did this happen? Well, how does success happen for you? Yes, hard work. And luck. Knowing the right things to do and sometimes the right people. But, to me, this happens and will happen to you, by focusing on the promise, the promise of hope. There's a real power in this. One that opens your mind to endless possibilities. And makes you see that you make your opportunities. And in that promise--in that twinkle of light in the far distance--our dreams lie. What a wonder they are!

Yes, I believe everyone should have dreams, thoughts of what they want their lives to be ~ and then pursue them with every ounce of strength you possess. What is your dream? What is your promise of hope!

Only you can define it. And it is your treasure. Don't let the negatives in this world take the promise away from it. Just remember, you're the only one who could let them, as the faith you hold in the dream is a personal thing only you can possess.

The power is in your mind, your spirit, in your promise of hope. Always let the light shine.

Many blessings to you all this season, and may we reach our dreams, our hopes together.

Lise

See Me On The To Be Read Blog!

2006-12-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hi, all. I blogged on the To Be Read Blog today, but, alas, instead of the one about hope's power and reposted my Research ~ Using actual experiences. Please forgive! I've been sick and just haven't made the time. But! I promise to post on it this weekend here, so stay tuned!

Thanks for your patience!

Lise

Motivated By Music--Using the Senses

2006-12-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

Hi, all. Tonight my family and myself went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. If you've never heard of them, google them and check them out. They are an awesome group that tells a story with words and music. Several of the musicians you might know by name as they are rock musicians, but much of the music is eclectic and some members of the Colorado Springs Orchestra were also a part.

But I regress, as I mentioned, they tell a story with words and music. They use classical, jazzy renditions, etc., but my point here is everything is set up to detail the story, make you feel it from the inside out. Everything. The music, the lighting, the songs, the words. In their presentation, it starts with some background music but in the beginning there is a narrator of the story, who interjects at key times within the "symphony", detailing points to bridge the music, the songs, and the visuals. It's a beautiful and very well done show, one that grips you and brings you in. You can't help but feel the emotions, from the depths that they take you to--battlefields, cold dark nights--from the black moments to the intense point of the story -- hope.

The poignant part of this, as a writer, is that each sensation is touched in some way (albeit some as an affect of the wonder of the concert). Each sense was stroked with sadness and beauty, contentment and love, then escalated to the final hour where the angel that was sent finds what was searched for--hope. In writing a book, you do not have the same opportunity as this band to stroke these senses in the same way; however, watching them is motivating. And it reminds you that each sense -- hearing, smell (there were the smell of the pyrotechnics and the popcorn!), touch (my husband's hand in mine, our nods at each other when we appreciated the joy our son had at being there--you could even feel the heat from the colored flames), sight (the band, my family, the arena) and taste (my husband's kisses--and the popcorn, of course)--are important in their own way. They make the experience real for your reader, and deepen the reader's commitment to your story.

I know many authors take out much of their sensate detail because they're told it is pretty but not needed. However, I think sometimes this is a mistake. In your gut, I think you know it is needed, you, however, have not related it directly to the story. I believe we need to fix this by making the relationship more obvious instead of cutting out the senses, because, as for me, I love my senses stroked.

Thanks, all, for your time. This Friday I'll be posting on the TO BE READ loop (http://toberead.blogspot.com/) talking about the Magical power of hope. See you there!

Blessings,

Lise

No Woman Is an Island

2006-12-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

This may be a no-brainer, but I thought I'd talk about the subject today anyway. I doubt any one of us will have gotten where we are without the support and help of someone else. Thing is, life gets so busy, we often forget to thank those who have helped us. I hate to do that. So, today, I'm proposing we all go out and thank someone who's been instrumental in our lives. Make a conscious effort. Why? Because I know, they won't be expecting it, and, with the season of giving just around the corner, what better gift to give than a thank you? It's a recognition to that person of how important they have been to you.

And thank yous go a long way. People remember them. Even to someone who you don't think is your friend, if you've gotten something from them, some lesson of some kind, what better gift is there? And it says something about you. What better way to work on a relationship that may be rocky by starting with those two powerful words?

Thank you.

I know most authors, including myself, are introverts. We love people but we don't necessarily like to be in the limelight like movie stars or shout and socialize at the highest hills like those of the rich and famous. We're private people, people who sometimes like to think we live on an island. Logically, we know that isn't the case, however, technically, we can operate very well like that, only letting those closest to us in our protective shell.

Often, that's to our advantage as we need this for world-building, etc. But sometimes it is not. There are times where we've doubted or fallen into the depths of despair, especially with our writing, but somehow we've trudged on--many times because of a simple word from a friend or mentor. So recognizing those who've given us gifts through the years is an important part, in my mind, of reaching out. I suppose it's part of the "do unto others" creed, a moral statement I truly believe in. But more importantly, it helps both of you.

Now, you may be wondering, why in heck is she talking about that? Well, I'm certainly no preacher and never intend to be. But perhaps it's because I'm grateful today for those people in my life. Yesterday, I went to the annual holiday party of one of the writer's groups I belong to--Pikes Peak Romance Writers (PPRW). I've belonged for years and it was the first, most-active group I'd been a part of. Yesterday, they most graciously awarded me the "Author of the Year" award. I never expected to receive this. There are many, much more experienced and talented in our group; however, God love 'em, they did. Thing is, as I sat and thought about it, it wasn't just my award--it was everyone's who helped me along the way--my writer's groups, my readers, other writing professionals, my friends and past co-workers who believed in me, my family, and especially my husband--my number one fan. No, I accepted the award, but the thanks from my heart belongs to all of them.

So, to all who read this, accept my thanks for being here with me. Without your support, I wouldn't be where I am. And to those who don't read this who've been a part of my life, I thank you deeply.

Many blessing to all this season. And may you recognize those who have blessed you this season.

Lise

Research ~ Using Actual Experiences In Your Writing

2006-12-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

<= Book Cover

Picture of Guatemala landscape taken by author=>

I think people sometimes wonder how writers come up with the things they do, especially when they're not real experts about certain subjects. I mean how many of us have been cops or CIA operatives? Very few. However, there are several methods one can use. You can talk to an expert, do research in various libraries, etc -- or online. There's an incredible amount of information you can find online, however, beware that you should verify the source and whether or not its dated.

But there is also this method. Do it and figure it out for yourself.

Now I write romantic action/adventure. A lot of my stories have military heroes or some CIA connection. Right now, the series I'm working on, Dangerous Encounters, of which On Danger's Edge is the first book, has each of these elements as well as terrorists trying to infiltrate the US. Yes, I have guns, bombs, and other things for which I have no experience. And yes, I did a lot of research, especially using my husband's military background, when I wrote the book. I feel very confident in my resources. And when I write my books, I try to make them as true to life as I can, because I believe when you do that as a writer, you get people to buy more easily into the fiction aspect.

Monkey Stelle,
Guatemala

Now, On Danger's Edge takes you into the jungle ~ it's kind of a "Romancing The Stone" (an old movie) with a military hero. When I drafted it, I really only had my husband's military jungle experiences to base it on. (He was in the area of the story ~ Panama ~ at one time.) But I wanted to "feel" this for myself as well. So what did I do? I had the opportunity to go down to Guatemala a year ago and work on a new Mayan dig. It was fascinating, but more importantly, I really got the feel for the place and the people. We were located in a very small "finca", a farm area that had been a coffee plantation at one time. This plantation had been established and run by the Germans who built a watering system that still exists and is used heavily today. It still even powers the steam equipment in the old manufacturing plant and in the coffee processing plant. And everything--the plantation house, the factories, etc. was built in the mid 1870's ~ a definite statement to advanced engineering for the time.

Factory Equipment still in use.

So here we were, in the middle of these really old 'advanced' engineering things, sifting dirt to find even older mayan pottery, watering systems and other treasures, in a VERY small village with people who didn't speak any English, and in a country where some of these people fought on either side of the ethnic purging war they had only a decade ago and where touristas like us could go missing in a heartbeat, AND in an area where volcanoes are very prevalent. It's a harsh existence these people live, at least by our standards. You hear the stories of people who have left, trying to get to the US, and their families haven't heard from them in years. Water was rationed. There were times we didn't get any aqua to bathe after a filthy day in the dirt and all the water we DRANK had to be purified. You couldn't even brush your teeth without purified water. (But no worries on the bathing! It rained every afternoon as we were down during the wet season, so we took advantage of the FREEZING COLD water and bathed outside our one room living quarters.) It was an amazing trip, and I could go on and on about it.

Volcano that spewed regularly near the town
where we stayed

But the point is, sometimes, when you make the opportunity, you CAN experience exactly what you're having your characters go through. Right now, I'm working on the third book in the series. It takes place in Colorado and guess what? A freakish snow storm hits and traps our hero and heroine. Now, I live in Colorado...oh yeah, see where I'm going?

They say you should write what you know. Now frankly, knowing some things with personal experience is impossible. However, not always! So make the opportunities when you can.

Many blessings and thanks for reading, and as always, enjoy the adventure!

Lise

From Looker to Reader

2006-11-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

I've been getting general emails from places like about.com on marketing. After all, writing, if you're trying to publish, is a business. So I'm a businesswoman. Even with my years of experience in business, my MBA/CPA combo didn't really tell me how to market myself. When you're a writer, that's what you're really selling -- yourself. So I read this article in about.com, "From Prospect to Client in Thirty Seconds." Now, that doesn't really seems to indicate that this would apply to writing, however, looks can be deceiving. The gem of wisdom I found from this article was this:

Treat those prospects as if they were already your clients -- they just haven't paid you yet. Imagine what it would be like to treat every prospective client you encounter as if you were already working together.

Sounds simple. More importantly, it is. The article doesn't promote giving away the farm or 'free reads' as we'd put it. But it does suggest to "be a service" instead of "selling a service." As a writer, how do we do this? The article suggests every time you meet with the client, you give them a suggestion, article, or something to walk away with. As a writer, how about an excerpt, a quote of something they're interested in, or a resource of something you both have an interest in? None of these would cost you a thing except time. And in doing so, you become more real to them, over and above other writers. So when they see your name in the midst of others, who will they recognize and pick out? In ANY business, name recognition sells. And if you don't think so, just pick a item you want to buy. What company do YOU gravitate to? The unknown newbie, or the one known. Think about it. You're book is laying next to Nora Roberts. Who is the reader going to buy? Hmmmm??? So what we need to do is garner our name recognition with the public and reach out and touch someone. I believe in grassroots campaigns. The public has elected more than one person that way. Time consuming? Yes. Worth the investment? Priceless.

As the article states: "The fastest way to turn a prospect into a client may be simply to change how you think about them."

As simple as that.

If you're interested in reading more, here's the link: Client in 30 Seconds

Blessings,

Lise

Life's Balance

2006-11-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Holidays tend to throw off our routine, giving us opportunities to experience something new. Yet, there are daily things--kids, dogs, spouses, etc.--that tend to do the same thing. Yet, I find myself never getting to the end of my daily list. Yet, these 'other' things are so important. So how to balance?

I find for myself I need to prioritize. Note that I'm a strange one. I'll tend to clean out a closet first then get to the parts everyone sees, only so I don't forget to clean the closet. But when it comes to a balanced life, this isn't necessarily the best method. I mean, who else cares about the closet? Again, priorities....

I suspect I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive, a talent which probably makes me good in what I do. I want to make sure my written words are right. (When I was an accountant, my numbers had to balance.) However, there comes a point when too much editing or self-judgment is pointless. Or spending too much time on a project for that last little bit of perfection...

Again, balance. So what do the balance in my life and in my writing have to do with each other?

Methods, ways of thinking. I keep a 'to do' list for all my activities, even if it's just in my head. But still, there are times when I throw the balance in my life off because I haven't properly prioritized my time and opportunities. How to fix this? For me, I look at my list--everything I have to do for the day. First, did I put EVERYTHING on it, especially my writing time? Second, how much is each one "worth" to me. I've learn to put values to these so that when I've spend a certain amount of time, and/or gotten to a certain level, I can judge whether to send this one to some other place on the list.

And here's where I tend to variate from the standard "to do". Yes, we can say "this one is THE most important", but if we don't put a value on it, then we aren't telling ourselves how much time to spend on it.

How valuable is YOUR time. Write me and let me know.

Many blessings,

Lise

In Love with Online Journaling

2006-11-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Being new to "blogging" I have to admit falling in love with it. It's really online journaling, letting others know your thoughts. But other than posting your ideas to the world, it does something more for me -- it keeps me focused. I have two major blogs. The first for writing (this one) and one for fitness (see Lise's Fitness Tips). Every time I blog in these two, it reminds me why I'm doing what I'm doing. One, the writing, which I love. Two, the fitness, which I also love. And both my goals work together. It's a symbiotic relationship.

For those of you who read, why do you like blogs so much?

For those of you who write them, do you feel the same way?

Write me. Let me know.

Many blessings,

Lise

Borat, or just bored?

2006-11-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

I did something very foolish on my birthday. I thought my family and I could enjoy a comedy so we went to the movies. The number one selling movie for the last three weeks had been this comedy -- Borat, rated "R". And it got an "A" from our local reviewer. Now, I'd seen the previews at the theater. It looked like a spoof on American culture. But I'd been mislead. This was no comedy. It was a sad attempt at "shock-jockism" that left me and my family appalled. We left in the middle of the movie, after a scene where this guy's buddy was getting friendly with his own male anatomy while looking at a girly picture. Now, I ask you, does that sound like comedy to you? Does it even sound "R" rated?

Remember I told you I took my family. This included my 14-year old who was the one who had the sense enough to say - "Let's go." I have been very apologetic to my family ever since. My husband had a good long talk with our son, since the scenes included references to having sex with his sister and mother-in-law as well as some gay and Jewish references. The movie was simply a disgust and I was upset with myself for having been duped.

The next day I was still fuming about it. My husband asked me why, since it was over and done with (male logic for you.) After thinking on it, though, I realize the things that upset me the most was:

I was duped by the rating, the reviewer, the general public (I mean, how could such a movie be the number one seller in the country for three weeks, outdoing movies like "Flags of our Fathers" and "Santa Claus III"?), and the previews I'd seen.
I was very concerned what this says about the state of our country.
It made me think -- which is probably the best thing about the event. I know there's a great couple from my church who's 8th grade son got in trouble last year from mooning two girls. JUST mooning. The guys on this movie did worse than that. They showed their males parts and other disgusting acts. Now, this child, if the girl's parents had wanted to, could have pressed charges. Luckily for the boy, they didn't and let the school handle it. HOWEVER, if they had, the boy would have had a sexual molestation record which could have NEVER been expunged.

What double standards are we teaching our children? Granted, I write hot, graphic sex, but each scene has a purpose and in my books it's evident what they're about. The book and scenes are not set up to deceive. I mean, I'm as artistic as the next person, but the scenes in this movie had no purpose but to BE disgusting. So I'm curious, has anyone else seen this movie? Do they feel like me? HAVE you been deceived by the artistic community with some act or scene that has you feeling like you'd been raped?

If so, please let me know. At minimum, I want to protest the movie's rating and if you have any ideas where to do this, let me know. I'll take you up on it. "Borat" should have been rated a triple X.

Many blessings,

Lise

Writing Blind--My Fear of Losing Something I Love

2006-11-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

"Three blind mice, three blind mice,See how they run, see how they run..."

We all remember that old song, don't we? However, it never hit me when I was younger how hard it is to run when you can't see. Now, I always had great vision, could see better in the distance than most people, but nowadays, with age, my eyes falter. I can't see up close without reading glasses. And I should have prescription bifocals, except I won't wear them. Maybe someday, but not while I can still see fairly well in the distance. False pride? Maybe, but I just can't stand wearing glasses. Even worse, I'm afraid someday I'll go blind.

But what does that have to do with mice? Or writing for that matter? Well, it hit me, those mice were either pretty scared or really brave to run blinded--or both. I mean, look at what happened to them!

"They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,"

Now as a writer, my eyes are sacred. I can't loose my vision. After all, how can I write without seeing? It's as if my tail was cut off -- or worse, my world. At the very least, my career would be 'cut short' and at an 'end', wouldn't it?

"Did you ever see such a thing in your life, As three blind mice?"

No, I haven't. But the thought of writing blind... Could I if I had to?

After pondering this I googled the poem ~

"The 'three blind mice' were three noblemen who adhered to the Protestant faith who were convicted of plotting against the Queen - she did not have them dismembered and blinded as inferred in Three blind mice - but she did have them burnt at the stake! " ~ from rhymes.org.uk

Ah, so these were brave men. They stood for what they believed in. Why couldn't I do the same? I mean I'd lose my vision not my ability to create. Then it hit me of the number of people I'd known of who still pursued their dreams, no matter what adversity they faced. Beethoven wrote while deaf. To the very end, Christopher Reeve was superman, staunch in his work to help others. Even in my community, I know of a girl who is blind who swims within milliseconds of Olympic times. There's a bell that tells her when she's near the wall. Then she makes this beautiful turn...

As I think on this I realize, no matter what, I could do the same. I'd find a way to do what I loved, as you don't stop loving something when you lose the ability to do it as you always have. You find a way to keep that love next to your heart.

Many Blessings,

Lise

Joe Jobbed! Electronic STDs

2006-11-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

"Suuurrreee," you ask, "this is a joke, right?"

No joke. Here I am, a pleasant little-known romance author with a dinky website thinking I'm safe with all the controls I wield on my little laptop. NO WAY I would get something like "Joe Jobbed". I mean, heck, Ive been with the same man for seventeen years! THAT wouldn't happen to me. No really! I mean, what hacker would bother with me? They only go for the big guys, right?

Oh, was I sooooooo wrong.

Now I know you're sitting there reading this and asking, "What ARE you talking about?"

Now, stay with me here.... "Joe Jobbed," I reply calmly, a term I learned on the radio program I was on last Sat., Online Tonight with David Lawrence. No, this isn't an STD, not really. However, as is true about any 'thing' you pick up from the web from any hacking malcontent out there, it isn't something you want to catch.

Let me explain. Here I am, tooling along with my little website, and ALL OF A SUDDEN I'm hit with all these weird emails from various servers rejecting some email I purportedly put out. "FLAK JACKET!!!" I cry, grabbing my husband's kelvar helmet and body armor them slamming my protection on.

To no avail. "Oh, no..." What to do?

"Ah, I know..." My brain engages. I waggle my finger in the air. "I'll contact my server! They'll protect me. They'll give me air cover!" I did. When I finally got someone, they were slow to help. After they figured out what was going on, they told me there was nothing they could do.

"What?", I screamed. "Nothing?"

"Nothing." As I sat in shock, the customer service person came on again. "Don't worry. You only get smacked for a short period of time and then the spoofer moves on."

Spoofer? Great, I thought. Feels like unrequested sex to me. Meanwhile, my inbox filled up so fast it was all I could do to keep it empty.

"Ouch!" you say as you read this, "but what exactly is Joe Jobbed?"

Well, I'll tell you. I believe some evil minion from the overlord of the dark side of the land of Virtual Reality sits down and searches for helpless websites. Then they do to it what they did to me--use the website url -- in my case, www.lisefuller.com -- and put many someone's name in the front. (Ex. - JoeSmoe@lisefuller.com.) Then, they hit send and a wicked laugh--haaaaaa!!!--resounds over the net waves!

Let me tell you, this is the pits. Here I was getting an electronic STD and there was no electronic condom for it. (Hey, I always keep my spamkillers, virus protection and ultimo spamblockers up to date...) Anyway, from the broadcast on Sat. (you can download this at www.onlinetonight.com --look for the 11/12 broadcast about promoting your e-book) I found out what this is and how this happened. Thing is, as they said, this supposedly only hits people's sites who are bigtime.... Hey, wait a minute, maybe I'm famous! (Hmmm, ok, Lise, check again, you might be IN Virtual Reality, you're mind may be in a Neo type state here, ....)

Anyway, here's a definition and what to do if/when it happens to you. I got this from SearchCIO. com. Go ahead and access this to get more info.

- A Joe job is an e-mail spoofing exploit in which someone sends out huge volumes of spam that appear to be from someone other than the actual source. A Joe job is sometimes conducted as an act of revenge on someone who reports a spammer to their Internet service provider (ISP) or publicly advocates anti-spam legislation. The perpetrator is said to be Joeing the legitimate owner of the e-mail address they use. The Joe job is one of the oldest spamming operations in existence, and one of the simplest ones to carry out: the spammer may not have to do anything more than change the "Reply To" address in their e-mail program.

NOW, when/if this happens to you, contact your email provider post haste! See what they can do. If anything, you're notifying them that you aren't the cause and it could save you the headache of having them cut you off!

That's it for now. Blessings and remember the force! And safe intercourse on the Virtual Net to you all! Nanu, nanu!

~ Lise

Intimate Deceptions

2006-11-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! I got my cover art for Intimate Deceptions, to be released in e-book by Cerridwen Press November 30th! Here's a blurb ~
________________________

Trapped in a world of suspicion and lies, love was the only way out.

Spurned by Brodie Crawford years ago, Elena Alvarez Ramirez couldn’t hate the man more. Yet when the Special Forces Army Sergeant comes to her aid to help rescue her daughter, repressed desires for Brodie flare and Elena wonders if he has any idea that Janie is his child.

Brodie Crawford wanted only one woman in his life – Elena. But when he came home eight years ago and found her married to his best friend, her betrayal was more than he could stand. Now the bastard that took Elena from him has killed a man and fled across the border with the child. Compelled by an emotion he refuses to name, Brodie leaves to help Elena rescue her daughter and finds that they have fallen into an even bigger game of deceit, one with lethal consequences.

Embroiled in a world of danger and intrigue, Brodie prays they’ll get out alive.

_________________________________________________________

(Note, this is the second book in the Dangerous Encounters series, the first being On Danger's Edge which received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times!)

Enjoy!

~ Lise

Remind me to Google...

2006-11-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ever Google yourself?? Try it. When I first did this months ago, I found out there was another Lise Fuller out there who was a homeopathy practitioner. Now, however, with all the books and publicity I've put out, I've found places where I've been posted that I either forgot about or never heard of. For example, this site http://lisefuller.pbwiki.com, which is associated with Amazon.com. Yep, I listed myself with Amazon Connect, and am still learning how to use this, but my profile, which this displays, is shown as the 5th main entry. Another find was an article I posted at Author's Den, the same which I put on this blog about Caveman Sex & Hot Chocolate. I'd forgotten I put it there, but in "Googling" it reminded me I probably need to post more articles. Remember, Google is a search engine -- an extremely important tool for people looking for various things -- perhaps even something you wrote about so how your searches are listed is important. Remember, you are also selling yourself.

Another reason to Google yourself, as an author, is to check to see what everyone else will find when you do. Mine, I think, looked okay. The first listing was my webpage. The next two were about my blogs and the fourth was my Amazon. com listing. Now, one point here. Make sure you check the links. My Amazon link went to my booklist wish page. As a writer, do I really want people connecting with what I want to read? Not! I want them to connect, at minimum, with my profile at Amazon (if I have no print books) and, maximum, to connect with my Amazon promo pages and with my print books and how to order! Better yet, somehow I'll have to find how to get the Cerridwen (my publisher) order site up near the top of the Google search. After all, I'm trying to sell books, right? And I'm guessing I'm like most people. I rarely look past the first page on Google. And there are some other sites and articles I wrote that I'd rather have near the top. Ok, so I find there's some work to do. And studying. I need to learn how to make the search engines work for me and list things in order of what I think is important (note to self--talk to an expert about this....)

Another thing to do is to check various book and article titles you've written. For example, I Googled "Caveman Sex" and my article "Caveman Sex & Hot Chocolate" was the third entry. Not bad (Yeah, Google this and read the rest of the entries...well, maybe not.) But I certainly found out what company I was keeping. When I Googled "On Danger's Edge", my first book, the Amazon entry was the second major listing. Cool. I can live with that.

So now I know I have more work to do. Ah, the honing of promo skills in authors today.

Blessings all, and thanks for visiting me!

~ Lise

4 1/2 Stars from RT for On Danger's Edge`

2006-07-06T22:15:00.000-06:00

Woohoo!!! I received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times for On Danger's Edge, the first book in my Dangerous Encounters series! They don't give out 5's anymore I understand but the best you can do is 4 1/2g. For my first book, I AM PSYCHED! Help me celebrate everyone! The next book, Intimate Deceptions, is now in the hands of my editor and I'll be starting on the third book soon!

~ Lise

Caveman Sex & Hot Chocolate

2006-06-14T09:24:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd share an article I wrote for my local writer's group. ~Lise

Caveman Sex & Hot Chocolate

Ever have a writer’s block for a particular thing? Like hot sex? Well, I have and I don’t think I’m alone. However writer’s, I believe I’ve found a cure and I’d like to share.
Picture this with me. Your lips are moist, your fingers arched at the keyboard ready to caress the words onto the page. You’ve built the setting. Your characters are panting for each other, poised to get it on hot and heavy because they can’t not do it.

It’s time. Time for steam.

A phone call interrupts you, the kids scream in the background. You grit your teeth, complaining about coitus interruptus and handle each crisis with aplomb then saunter back to the computer, ready to make whoopie! But when you hover over the keyboard again, all of a sudden the words fade, you go frigid, wordless. What happened?

Uh, huh. I bet the big “S” word—stress. Is it time to find the Dr. Ruth of the writing world?

Perhaps not. You see, I have this gut inclination. A women not interested in sex when the right situation presents itself, is a woman overloaded with other things—or stressed. However, get a man who feels the “S” word and all they want is sex. Now keep in mind, this is a rationalization of my own experiences; however in my theory I blame it on our genetic patterning. Think about our caveman ancestors. Ugh. Man, hunter, protector of tribe. War and hunting is his business. The warrior’s tension levels are high because he thinks, hey, I might get killed! Time to procreate. So he does. As often as he can. (Today we called that survival of the species.)
Woman on the other hand, doesn’t have these worries. If the guy comes home with a bounty, hey, great. It means they eat. If, on the other hand, he’s empty handed, there’s a drought or the locust are eating the farm crops, then she is stressed. Why? Because there is no food. How is she going to feed the kids? Again, for survival of the species, she’s ain’t interested in mattress gymnastics. They can’t afford another mouth to feed.

So, what does this have to do with writing? Again, a theory~

I think I’m not alone in saying that when I write, I have to be in the character’s head. I get so involved sometimes that I’m even acting it out emotionally in the confines of my gray matter. So what happens when the manuscript must have a hot sex scene and I’m stressed? (Now, take a leap of faith with me here.) I can’t write! Oh, yeah, I admit it. I go frigid. So, what to do?
The only logical step for those of us who are genetic ancestors of prehistoric females, females who developed farming and the wheel, is this—get de-stressed. No, we don’t have fields to plow or locust to kill that may cause us to freeze and kick our guys out of the bedroom, but we do have laundry, a job, soccer mom, transportation duties, and a myriad of other things we manage in our lives. What can be more stressful than that?

“Okay, we have stress in our lives,” you say, “but how does one de-stress to write s-s-sex?” Well, to the Maya, cocoa was the drink of the Gods—and for a reason. For us cacao lovers, we understand well the magical sensual properties of chocolate. To prove my point, how many times have you heard of chocolate and sex reference to each other? Whether one is better than another has been a lengthy argument which is still up for debate. So, what better strategy than to take the time to brew the water, or heat the milk if you want it the old-fashioned way, to make hot cocoa and kick back to smell the steamy richness of its warmth? The beverage is hot, it’s sexy, it has theobromine in it which is a stimulant.

It works magic.

And it makes you relax enough to enjoy and feel your writing of that sex. Now, as a proviso, if you don’t like hot chocolate, then by all means, find something else—anything else that will make you relax and put you in the mood. You know yourself better than anyone. Use whatever will count—but relax and your sex will come. After all, writers, isn’t that what we’re after? So grab your cup, pull up a chair and sip a cup on me.

Enjoy ~ Lise Fuller

Onward and Forward

2006-06-03T17:56:00.000-06:00

Whew! After a long stint and some beautiful recovery I finally have my website back up. Three cheers to the designers! Now, as some of you know, I'm currently working on another book in the series "Dangerous Encounters." Book Two -- Intimate Deceptions -- is now in the hands of my editor! And I will be working on Book Three -- Night Maneuvers -- Rick Hansen's story. Also, check out my website at www.lisefuller.com, particularly my fitness page. I hope to have a blog on that soon and share fitness finds with everyone I can.

To everyone, have an excellent day!

~Lise