j. rose allister

Thursday, January 26, 2017

My First Blog Post Ever - Throwback Thursday

On select Thursdays, I like to share a throwback to past writing, book trailers, or randomness about me and/or writing life.

I've been around the blogosphere for a while now-I'm in my thirteenth year, to be exact. By the time I began, I already felt like I was quite late to the party. In the time since, I've launched or taken part in something like ten different blogs (not counting dozens of guest spots).

To everything there is a humble beginning, and I thought I'd share mine. Here's my first blog post, written December 21, 2004.

Blogging 101
Lisa Logan

Welcome to my learning process! I've finally managed to take the deep dark plunge into the whirlpool of blogging. Yes, I realize this places me a bit too far behind the knife to consider myself on the cutting edge. You know what they say about the plumber having the worst plumbing in town? Well, the same holds true for this web designer--my own sites are always the last to get updated.

Yesterday's live radio interview with KIC Internet Radio was great fun! Kelli was a wonderful host and I enjoyed reading my story The Christmas Present. Doing the live read this way took me back to the days of the old radio serial dramas. Thanks to all the listeners who Emailed in from around the country during the broadcast with questions and comments. I had a great time.

That was my one and only post for 2004. 2005 saw a grand total of 4 posts from me. I didn't begin blogging regularly until 2007. The above post mentions me being a web designer, which is something I did on the side for years. I designed author web sites until I decided to get serious about writing myself. The radio interview was one of two I've ever done, this one part of the prize for winning a short story contest with my first romantic urban fantasy, The Christmas Present. It was conducted via a large microphone plugged into my old dinosaur computer.

This year marks the tenth anniversary since I began blogging seriously, and I still love it! Here's to ten more, then ten after that...

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I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over thirty books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

# Throwback Thursday

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Far Too Familiar -Snippet Sunday

J 12:00 AM 29 Comments

It's Snippet Sunday, a Weekend Writing Warriors' blog hop!

I'm alternating snippets between this blog and my mainstream romance pen name. This week, my snippet is a sly disguise for a question! The book is Compromising Connections, a contemporary erotic romance released some time back. It fell by the wayside during the decline and closure of the publisher. I'm trying to decide whether to resurrect it.

Quick synopsis: When Gillian receives an erotic striptease video text meant for someone else, she winds up in a sizzling cell phone romance unlike anything she ever dreamed of. Kent stirs things inside her that are too good to be true. Then she gets a company transfer…and Kent turns out to be her new boss.

She wants to show him she’ll take any position he offers, but his one hard, fast rule is no company fraternization—a policy he won’t even bend for her. Lonely nights are destined to return for them both unless there’s a way to steam up the boardroom without jeopardizing their careers.

Setup for the snippet...
(Edited from the original to fit the snippet format)
Gillian arrives at her new job location after the company transfer only to find out the boss is refusing to see her. The secretary confesses that he didn't even check her paperwork. He got one look at Gillian and informed his secretary not to let her in. Angry, Gillian refuses to accept this and pushes past the hapless woman...

Gillian stormed the closed door, half prepared to break it down if she were to find it locked.

“Wait!” the secretary shouted, but Gillian ignored her and pushed her way in to a wood-paneled office.

“I’m sorry, sir,” the secretary said toward the large, tan chair that was turned away from them. “I told her you couldn't see her.”

“It’s all right. Close the door on your way out, please.”

Something in the tone prickled against the back of her neck, and the woman did as she was asked while Gillian approached his desk.

“You can’t be here, Gillian,” the faceless voice said in a tone that was far too personal, far too…familiar.

When the chair swiveled to face her, the mouth already open to spit out a reply dropped wider. “You?”

...Now for my question. Should this book be given a new lease on life? I primarily write paranormal /urban fantasy, and the only other contemporary I still have in publication is a menage, not MF. So I can't decide whether to just let this one slip away into oblivion. Thanks for your input!

For more awesome snippets, check out

Weekend Writing Warriors!

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I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over thirty-five books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

A Typical Day in the Writing Life

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

On Select Wednesdays, I post tips and strategies about the writing process.

A DAY IN MY WRITING LIFE
by J. Rose Allister

People often ask me about my writing process. While I do hear a fair number of questions on where I get story ideas and that sort of thing, the thing people want to know most is how I find time to write. So I thought I'd do a "day in the life" post to share a bit about my routine. The schedule has shifted around over the years to best fit my lifestyle, and this is what I've found works for me currently.

6:30 AM

My alarm goes off at 6:30 AM seven days per week. Usually, I'll start off with some kind of daily affirmation video on YouTube to help me get into a productive mindset. Admittedly, there are occasions when I might shut the alarm off and allow an extra hour or so of sleep, most likely on a Saturday I'm not at the day job. Otherwise, it's rise and shine time while the rest of the household is still snoozing.

7:00 AM

If it's a weekday, after I've washed up and made some coffee, I sit down to set up my daughter's homeschool books and write the assignments on the white board. On weekends, I review the school week, make sure records are updated, and ready the following week's work before switching to my writer's hat.

I grab my laptop and do a quick email check and social media drive-by. I try not to linger, focusing on time sensitive mail or people who have reached out personally on social media. Then it's time to get it in gear. Four days per week, this means writing or revising new work. Day 5 is strictly editing and promotion (though I do slide in small bits of this on other days). Day 6 is specifically for blog writing. I take the 7th day off or use it to catch up on odds and ends of writer biz that didn't get finished that week.

9:00-2PM

I take a break for a short walk (thinking about my latest scene or story ideas) and to grab some breakfast. On school days, my daughter starts in on her assignments. I'm nearby to answer questions, check work, and teach new concepts as needed. I'll finish off my daily word count, hopefully, get showered and dressed either in every day wear or, on work days (4 days a week), I put on my uniform scrubs and pack a lunch. Every hour or so I get up and move around, stretch, grab a drink of water, etc.

I'll check in again with email and social media at some point to connect with readers. Any leftover time between now and work is spent reading, doing household chores, helping my daughter with school, or adding more word count to a book project, if I'm on a roll or am on a tight deadline.

2:00PM

On workdays, it's time to head for my other job, where I'll be until I get home around 11:15PM or so. On lunch breaks there, I read or listen to author podcasts.

On days off, the family has lunch together and maybe spends some time playing card games, going to the movies, or shopping. If the writing iron is hot and we aren't in the mood for group adventures, I might slip in some more word count.

EVENINGS

On workdays, I come home and wash up, get into comfies, grab a bite to eat while chatting to my husband about our days, and then settle in for a final sweep of author biz before reading or catching a TV show. On days off, the family either hangs out or we spend time on our own personal hobbies. For me, that means reading, movies/TV, and from time to time, video games. Wednesdays is also our dedicated "date" night.

Come sleep time, I put on more affirmations and meditation videos from YouTube to help keep me in a productive author mindset. I'm usually off to sleep by 1 or 2 in the morning.

So by and large, I'm putting in anywhere from an 8 to 18 hour workday between my author career and my day job, seven days per week, making sure the family gets priority time in the mix. It's a busy schedule, but satisfying, productive, and includes just enough "me" time to keep me somewhat sane.

~*~*~*~

For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than thirty books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night.

# On Writing # Post

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Chicken Adobo

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

When my husband and I were newly married, he got a hankering for a favorite recipe from his childhood. His grandmother made large pots of adobo, a Filipino dish, frequently for the family. I got on the phone to acquire the recipe, and we've been having this on occasion ever since.

Adobo is a savory, vinegar-based meat dish that's wonderful served over rice. You can adjust the amount of vinegar according to taste. We like ours pretty tangy! Coke, honey, or broth can cut the vinegar if you've gone a bit heavy on it. You can also make this with cubed beef or pork.

Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (cut into eighths)
1 whole garlic, chopped
Oil for frying (I use olive or coconut oil)
1 tsp pepper
4 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup vinegar

Directions

Wash chicken and pat dry, season with salt. Heat oil in a large, deep fry pan or a heavy pot pot (which is what I prefer) and saute garlic until golden, about 1 minute. Add chicken to hot oil in batches to sear both sides, removing from pan to a bowl while the rest are being seared. Return all pieces to pan, including drippings from bowl, and add pepper, cloves, bay leaves, soy sauce, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is done.

Taste and adjust to suit. This should be tangy!

Serve over cooked rice.

Serves 3-4.

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# Post # Recipes

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Closer than He Should Permit -Snippet Sunday

J 12:00 AM 23 Comments

It's Snippet Sunday, a Weekend Writing Warriors' blog hop!

My first snippet of the New Year! I'm trying something new for 2017: I'll be alternating snippets between this blog and over on the blog for my mainstream romance pen name. To kick things off, I thought I'd share a bit from Dominus: God of Yule in honor of its new cover and permafree status.

Quick synopsis: Dominus, god of the sabbat, has spent half a year preparing the latest light bearer for a ritual to return Yule light to the world. Months of visiting Lorayna in secret, present only in whispers, has sparked a yearning inside of him that he cannot shake.

Lorayna has felt herself drawn to the presence she has been unable to resist. When she discovers her “holiday spirit” is in fact a sexy god, she’s ready for whatever ritual he wants. When something goes wrong, however, Dominus is forced to give into his urges before the Yule power consumes her. He will defy his father, Herne, as well as his own calling to follow his heart and prove to Lorayna that she was not just another ritual partner, and the ripples of their passion would alter many sabbat unions to come.

For this week's snippet...

Keeping himself invisible, Dominus goes to Lorayna and prepares to engage Lorayna for the Yule ritual. He finds her in the bathroom and is mesmerized...
(Edited slightly for length/content)

He moved down the hall, following the aroma of spiced wassail along with Lorayna’s own sweet scent, to the bathroom. Lorayna, who was still fully clothed, was brushing out her long, dark hair. He came up behind her, his image in the mirror visible only to him. His own immortal light burned brighter these days, it seemed, or perhaps it was only by proximity to her. Either way, their auras shimmered like sparkling crystal in the looking glass.

She paused, holding the brush over her crown without stroking it, when he drew near. He was so close now, closer than he should permit, close enough for her to feel that immortal life energy pulsing off him. Close enough for him to feel her heat as well, and he basked in the light she could no longer fully contain within her lush body. Her hand slowly lowered to her side, and she was staring at herself while he moved in closer still, smelling her hair, relishing in the feel of his body responding to hers. But he did not touch her, for it was forbidden until the bearer was ready.

...What do you think?

Read Dominus: God of Yule for free--and follow the link inside the book to get Sons of Herne 2 free as well.
GET IT NOW

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For more awesome snippets, check out

Weekend Writing Warriors!

~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~

# Post # Snippet Sunday

Monday, January 2, 2017

New Year, New Plans, and Name Juggling

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

On (usually) the first Monday of the month I gab about what's going on with me, my writing, and life in general.

Welcome to my first post of 2017! Fitting that this winds up being my monthly update post.

New Year

Happy New Year, everyone!

I've heard a lot of people talk about how happy they are to cast off 2016 and usher in a fresh, new year. I've been eager for this as well, but not so much because I couldn't wait to see 2016 in my rear view mirror. As the year's writing and personal goals wound down for me, I naturally began looking forward to what I want to achieve in the coming year.

I don't know about you, but I'm a calendar freak. Not so much the wall-hanging type that my husband is hooked on (he uses as many as three or four at a time to keep things straight). But the idea of a fresh, spanking new planner or online calendar makes me smile--and makes me want to fill it in with the magical routine that will make my days productive and organized. I keep my calendar in a 3-ring binder. Purple, of course, since that's my favorite color.

My planner is ready to go!

New Plans

Some time back, I mentioned that I swear by the Passion Planner to help me organize my days. I printed a new one for 2017 and have been hard at work on making a master to-do list so I can fill it in. Basically, the list is a free write/mind map of everything I can think of that I want to achieve in the coming year. Then I'll prioritize, set up a time frame for each, and plug them into the calendar accordingly.

What's on deck for writing? I'm excited to say I'll be spiffing up some free reads to tie in with each of my series. Sons of Herne already has Books 1 and 2 as freebies, and I confess I've gotten hooked. So for urban fantasy fans, I'll be doing a bonus Sons of Herne tale for the box set. As for other freebies, I'll be re-releasing Their Secret Paradise, the urban fantasy that inspired my Immortal Paradise series. And for werewolf/cowboy fans, I've got a Lone Wolves of Shay Falls tie-in planned.

In other writing, I'll be completing work on Bound to Her Master, my urban fantasy/erotic bondage romance saga. And on top of this, I'm hard at work on some mainstream contemporary romance for a new pen name.

Name Juggling

The biggest challenge I anticipate in rolling out the new plan for 2017 is the launch of my new mainstream pen name. I had a mainstream name when I first started writing, but when I began focusing on my spicier J. Rose books, I found it difficult to give proper attention to two different names. After much soul searching, the original pen fell by the wayside.

Name juggling has been perhaps my toughest challenge as an author. I know it doesn't sound hard to slap a different name on a book cover, and many authors I know juggle multiple names. But me, well, it's proven a difficult concept to master. Picture building a carefully constructed schedule to fit in a writing career, full-time day job, being a wife and mom, homeschooling, etc. Then wake up one day and decide to shoehorn in double the work in the writing column. Sure, I could write the same number of books as before and simply divide them between the two. But it's still twice the work to manage the business and online presence aspects. Double the Twitter/FB, double websites, double the blogs,etc. That's where the problem came in before, and I've no doubt it'll be a challenge again. But this time, I've got my handy dandy passion planner to help keep me on track.

What are your goals for 2017? And what tools do you like to use to keep organized?

~*~*~*~

On select Mondays, I like to gab about whatever's going on with me. For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night.

# Mild-Mannered Mondays # Monday Musings

Thursday, January 26, 2017

My First Blog Post Ever - Throwback Thursday

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Far Too Familiar -Snippet Sunday

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

A Typical Day in the Writing Life

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Chicken Adobo

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Closer than He Should Permit -Snippet Sunday

Monday, January 2, 2017

New Year, New Plans, and Name Juggling

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