New Site!

Hey, guys! =) This will be my last post here. All new posts and info will be over at ChristyTrujillo.com =) Hop over and check it out!

Read More

Once Upon a Twilight!: Exclusive Cover & Excerpt Reveal: Playing with Fir...

Once Upon a Twilight!: Exclusive Cover & Excerpt Reveal: Playing with Fir...: Today we are thrilled to share the cover reveal for PLAYING WITH FIRE written by Christy Trujillo. This is Trujillo's first book ...

Read More

Early New Year/2013 Muse Online Writers Conference

It’s 5:28 am and I’m supposed to be working on my WIP, which I am, I just have a little more to say to you right now than Lea does to Philip.

First, I need to tell you that I’m hosting a workshop at the 2013 Muse Online Writers Conference about the editing process. You should totally come and tell everyone you know to do the same! Registration is free, but you do have to be registered to participate in the forums. So, go get registered! http://themuseonlinewritersconference.com/

Okay, no, It’s not new year’s or anything, but I kinda feel like it is. We decided last night that we’re moving to this cute little (huge) house over in this quiet neighborhood closer to civilization. (See photo to the right) I have no idea if anyone reads these or keeps up with this, but if you do you probably know that around this time last year is when we lost our house. It affected me greatly. I never liked this house that we moved to, everyone was rushing me to pick something and this ended up being it. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. Not here, not with my life, not with anything. Sometimes life, fate…whatever you want to call it, gives you a kick in the butt and you remember what you have and what you’d be nothing without. I’ve spent the last seven months fighting to keep my family together, in this house that now we all hate. So, no, it’s not new year’s but I feel like it is for us. A new house, a new start, a new chance at happy. It’s never too late to live happily ever after.

Again, I have no idea who follows this, but if you know about us losing our house, you probably also know that I found out in January I would be published in hard copy by Crescent Moon Press. Something they don’t tell you: IT TAKES FOREVER! I haven’t even seen my cover yet. Edits took months, just because it was a back and forth process and you can’t rush those things. During that time, you really start to doubt yourself. Is it even good enough? Do I want lots of people to read it because then they’ll review it and what if they hate it, of course they’ll hate it because it’s shit! So that’s a fun mantra to have running through your head all the time. Is there such a thing as a confident writer?

Well anywho, here we are October 2 and things are looking up. Hope your year has been better than mine and next year is even better for both of us.

Read More

One Turtle at a Time

So a rabbit, a squirrel and a turtle are on the side of the road. Yes, I know this sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but it’s really the sight my son and I came across the other morning. Since it’s summer (I believe I've already expressed my disdain for this time of year), my son stays with my mom some days. They live on a golf course and have all sorts of wildlife, so it’s not like this was a complete shock. It was odd though, especially since the squirrel almost ran in front of my car and then thought better of it but the turtle took a shaky step onto the road, just in time for me to veer around him. I'll have to stop on the way back, I thought as I drove but to my surprise, I didn’t. A car was pulled off to the side and a teenage boy was walking the turtle to the safety of the grass where it belonged. And I don't mean picking it up and traumatizing the poor thing. I mean walking very slowly behind it, encouraging it to not give up and making sure it got where it was going. The boy’s mother and I made eye contact as I passed by and I gave her the nod and a smile. I was hoping to convey ‘you've got a good kid there, lady’ with that smile and nod. I hope I did.

If you've held more than a five-minute conversation with me, you've likely heard me declare that I hate people. I do. We're wretched for the most part and a plague on this planet. I get so upset when I watch the news that I either cry or curse. Someone stealing from someone, killing someone, hurting someone, it’s a continuous cycle of disgusting behavior and I get more and more sickened by it the older I get…and then there’s this kid, saving the life of a turtle and his obviously late for work mom watching on with a smile.  I want to believe in us. I want to believe we can do better, be better. So I shall try to see the better side of things, one turtle at a time.

Read More

Savannah / Inspiration

You may be aware that I have my first book in print coming out in December. If you don’t, shame on you, but now you know. The book is called Playing With Fire and, for the most part, takes place in the city of Savannah, GA. I myself am in Jacksonville, FL so I’ve been to Savannah a time or two with my family and then more recently on Saint Patrick’s Day for my friend Izzy’s bachelorette party. I love the city, it’s like New York – but you know with trees and nice people…okay so, not much like New York except for the architecture and layout of buildings - everything is built upwards instead of outwards the way it is around here. There are also at least three levels to most places, which is cool considering our proximity to sea level. My husband took me there this past weekend for my bday and we went by all these spots from my book. Overall it was an awesome trip. Our hotel was awful; damn near $400 a night and no pool, horrible beds, bland surroundings and rowdy neighbors. I wouldn’t recommend The Bohemian Hotel to anyone. As for the rest of the trip, I thought I’d share some of the memories with you, along with some excerpts from the story that go with them. Hope you enjoy.

 Chippewa Square

There are about 38438974398 squares in Savannah. They all have a statue of someone but my absolute favorite is the one in Chippewa.

There’s a statue in Savannah of some general from a war the humans fought a few hundred years ago. It stands high atop a concrete podium, surrounded by miniature lions and tucked neatly in the center of a cobblestone courtyard. Large oak trees grow, their branches hanging low creating a canopy of shade around him.  If you sat on the statue long enough, every soul in the city would pass by. Some living, some lost, all wandering in the general direction of their ultimate destination but allowing distractions to veer them off course.

Vic’s On the River

Fabulous restaurant that I have yet to eat at. It’s very lovely though, don’t you think?

On River Street there’s a restaurant called Vic’s. When I was younger I would wander the city, watching normal people go about their lives. Anytime I would pass by Vic’s, I always stopped to peer inside the windows at the pristine linen tablecloths and napkins. And the floors of course, they had beautiful hardwood floors.

River Street

Pretty much the hub of the city, there are so many shops and places to eat you could spend days on end here and not experience everything. You can also see the port from here. My dad (entire family) is a member of the ILA local 1593 and I used to go with him to District meetings in Savannah when I was little.

We were quiet for a while as we watched a container boat full to the brim approach the docks in the distance. The Longshoremen called to each other, moving like a well-oiled machine to tie it off once it docked. I enjoyed watching them work together to dominate the enormous vessel. Humans could do anything if they put their minds to it, they just so rarely bothered putting their minds to anything other than war or obtaining wealth. Sometimes I wondered if the Rogues had the right idea all along and we were the ones grasping at slippery straws.

S.C.A.D. (Savannah College of Art and Design)

Just because I love it and am completely jealous of anyone who actually knows what they want to be when they grow up right after high school.

He (Philip) taught a class at SCAD – that’s the Savannah College of Art and Design in case you’re wondering- and would be doing so throughout the duration of the summer and hoped to go full time with them at the conclusion of his temporary contract.

Last, but most certainly NOT least,

Mellow Mushroom

Lea’s favorite restaurant with her favorite pizza. We ate there and I’ll be damned if our waitress didn’t have silver hair. I asked her if it was okay if I took a pic with her. =)

Tinsley waited in a restaurant two blocks away that served my favorite pizza ever in the history of ever. She’d already ordered and the white margarita delicacy sat in the center of the table, delicious steam wafting into the air. 

While this isn’t in the book, I might have to work it in to the follow up. The Davenport House Ghost Cat was mentioned to me on the tour we took the night before we left so I begged my husband to take me there on our way home. I swear to you on my father’s life, as we were coming back in the house from the garden I heard a cat meow. I ended up buying Cameron this little beanie baby looking thing with ‘Davenport Ghost Cat’ embroidered on the side. Look, you can see me taking the pic in the mirror! lol I’m a sucker for stuff like that.

If you haven’t been, I suggest you do so. They have all sorts of historical and ghost tours (May I recommend the ‘America’s Most Haunted City’ walking tour? Ask for Carey.) you can take. Perhaps one day someone will say, "And here is where one of Christy Trujillo’s first books found its inspiration." You never know, stranger things have happened. 

Read More

CMP's Summer Lovin' Blog Hop with prizes!!!

My fellow authors and I have combined to give you: 

CMP's Summer Lovin' Blog Hop! 


There is a link at the bottom of the post where you can click to win some pretty cool prizes including:

Grand Prize: A Kindle Paperwhite & some of our eBooks to read on it!

1st Prize: A $20 Amazon gift card, and a Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, more eBooks, bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, and more!

We are supposed to be writing about summer and why we love it, or how we fell in love during it. Yeah. So... I hate summer. My bday is June 18th, so I'm a summer baby. You'd think summer lovin' would be in my blood. It's not. I hate everything about it. I'm in good 'old Florida (AKA Hell) and all summer means is mowing the grass every week and being so sweaty after the walk from your car to the front door of your office building that you have to take deodorant with you and reapply before you get to your desk. For the record, I sweat in very unfortunate places for a girl. It's not pretty. 

The kids are out of school and 'camp' is one more expense you didn't have in the fall that you don't really need in the summer, but you can't leave the little crazies at home by themselves - dear, God! Do you remember what we did when our parents left us home by ourselves? Umm humm. So off to $150.00 a week camp they go to learn about dinosaurs or some other cool yet unimportant to their general development, kind of thing.

Winter - now there's a season I can really get behind. Cool, crisp air. All-day school. Christmas spirit. Fenway under the Christmas tree eating the bows! =)

Yes, give me winter and comfy sweaters over summer and skimpy shorts any day. For all of you summer lovin' fools; may your days be long, the sand be nice and warm and the water be perfectly cool. I'll see you in the fall! ;)

Leave a comment and click the link below to enter the Giveaway!  Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

Drop by the blogs below between June 14 & 17 and enter at each stop! Just leave a comment and enter the Rafflecopter!

Shawna Romkey Author blog    
Constance Phillips, A Writer's Musings
Katie O'Sullivan    
Summer Lovin' - On Olympus...    
Kate's Blog    
Kary Rader    
Lindsey R. Loucks    
Summer Lovin', postcards, and maybe bookmarks    
Jody A Kessler Summer Lovin' Mountain Style    
Official Website of Maer Wilson    
Author Jean Murray ~ Wicked Romance Blog    
Summer Lovin' Heat    
Hildie McQueen's Author Site    
Loni Lynne's Blog Site    
Author Avery Olive Blog    
Wendy S. Russo    
Cindy Young-Turner    
Michelle Clay - The Darkside of Romance    
the Marvelous Misadventures of Mrs. t    
Shannon Eckrich

Read More

New Hair

I cut my hair. I look older, which is fitting since I'll be older in a few days. 34. o.O Oh well. Anyway, hope you're having a nice weekend.

Love,me

Read More

Save the Date: Crescent Moon Press, Summer Lovin’ Blog Hop

Crescent Moon Press authors are ready for summer! We'll be blogging about our summer loves, our romances, and how much we love summer! Have you ever had a summer fling? Do you have a favorite book about summer? What's on your summer reading list? What are some great beach reads? We're blogging about all of it!

Visit our blogs below and enter to win some great prizes between June 14 -17.

Grand Prize: A Kindle Paperwhite & some of our eBooks to read on it!

1st Prize: A $20 Amazon gift card, and a Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, more eBooks, bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, and more!

Drop by our blogs between June 14 & 17 and enter the rafflecopter!

Good luck & hope to see you there!

Shawna Romkey Author blog

Constance Phillips, A Writer's Musings

Katie O'Sullivan

Summer Lovin' - On Olympus...

Kate's Blog

Kary Rader

Lindsey R. Loucks

Summer Lovin', postcards, and maybe bookmarks

Jody A Kessler Summer Lovin' Mountain Style

Official Website of Maer Wilson

Author Jean Murray ~ Wicked Romance Blog

Summer Lovin' Heat

Hildie McQueen's Author Site

Loni Lynne's Blog Site

Author Avery Olive Blog

Wendy S. Russo

Cindy Young-Turner

Michelle Clay - The Darkside of Romance

the Marvelous Misadventures of Mrs. t

Shannon Eckrich

Read More

Book Review: Where It Began

Where It Began

by Ann Redisch Stampler

Book Review

So, this isn’t a review site. Duh. But it is my site to discuss things that are important to me and this book is going to fall into that category. It was one of those books that when you finish you look the author up because you want to see the face of the person who wrote such beautiful words. Her name is Ann, just FYI. I wish I knew her. I wish I could call her on the phone and just talk to her. The way she writes makes me feel like I’m laid out on a hammock at my granny and papa’s, swinging back and forth in a cool breeze. Whatever the character is feeling, Ann has a way of pulling us right along with them and not necessarily by the words they say but how they say them and when. Love her writing.

The book itself chronicles the recovery of a teen named Gabby who has been in a horrific car accident. She lives in LA and while she herself has money, goes to school with kids who have way more than she does and gets caught up with the ‘in crowd’ when her mom decides it’s time for a makeover. The story itself isn’t earth shattering. It’s good, I like the point behind it and the characters but what blew me away was the writing. I mean, what else would you expect from a woman who says something like: “That folk tales last forever because they're so good, and that with great simplicity and wisdom, the best ones map the human heart.” on her Amazon page? Genius, I tell you. The woman is a genius.

Go read the book.

That is all.

See! Doesn't she look so nice?? Here are her links if you want to check her out, which you do.
http://www.goodreads.com/AnnStampler 
http://www.annredischstampler.com/

Read More

Some Kind of Beautiful

There is a certain kind of beautiful that I know I'll never be. You know, the kind of beautiful that stops people mid-sentence and people write songs about. It’s the kind of beautiful that never has to be qualified, like 'oh you have such lovely eyes' or 'what a pretty face you have.' Just lovely. Just pretty. That is the kind of beautiful that I'll never be. I struggle with this on a daily basis, bombarded by images of women who are airbrushed and photoshoped and have nothing to do but workout and focus on themselves. To be clear, I don’t blame the women. If you have a god-given talent (mine is writing, some people have their face) then you should use it. I blame the media and society for allowing these things to continue on and perpetuate this notion of how women should be. I’m sure it’s possible to walk right past these images and not allow them to bother you in the least and I can do that on a good day. Today is not a good day. Being a woman is hard. Being honest with yourself is even harder.

So, hi, BTW. I’ve been gone for a while. No, I’m not dead – just working on my life. Smack in the middle of edits of Playing With Fire, it is a much more strenuous process this time and I’m very glad for it. My editor, her name is Farrah, is super calm and understanding. I’m like, flipping out and she’s like, ‘All is well, Christy.’ LOL The book is up on Goodreads and here is the link should you be so inclined to add it to your TBR list:

                 

                        

I’m excited for this one. I want to redo my website and throw some PR around. Have you heard that saying: you have to have money to make money? That is a true saying. I don’t really have any upfront capital to invest, nor do I have any willing investors, so promoting will come down to me, my laptop, and some long nights begging for blog tours and praying for reviews. It will be worth it though, in the end. I can feel it in my bones.

I promise not to stay away so long next time.

Read More

Standing Still

Some folks spend their whole lives standing still. They look at what life has dropped in their laps, say thank you very much, and hold it until their bodies shrivel with old age and they once again belong to the very earth on which they stood. I don’t know if I should feel sorry for these people or just envy the hell out of them. Honestly, I feel a little of both.


I look at people standing in their spot, happily holding their lives and think, “Run, you fool! Run before you’re stuck there so deep a MAC truck couldn’t tow your ass out!” How can they just accept what’s been given to them, what’s expected of them, what life says they ‘must’ do? Don’t they know there’s more out there, more for them to learn and know? More books to read and people to meet? I feel sorry for them and the fact that they don’t want more.

I look at people standing in their spot, happily holding their lives and think, “My God, that must feel good; to be content. That must be wonderful.” What peace they must have to know that everything they could ever want is right there in their hands. Everything they could ever need is within their reach and there’s nothing to worry about or strive for or fail at, because they’ve already found their way. They’ve already found their place. I envy them and the fact that they don’t want more.

There are two sides to every story, well, three if you’re my granny: ‘Your side, My side and The Damn Truth.’ There’s always more than one way to look at a situation and more than one choice to make. I suppose a case could be made for either way, standing still or wanting more, and at the end of the day we just have to find out what’s right for ourselves and pray like hell that we figure it out before the end of our days.

Let me know if you come up with anything because I sure as shit aint got a thing.

Read More

Passion

There was a time when I thought love was the most powerful emotion one could experience. I still feel this way, that it is truly a force tearing its way through the human race, pulling us apart and pushing us back together at its will. Though, lately, I see love as a delicate and beautiful thing who has a lover herself and his name is passion. Love is steady, a heartbeat of comfort. Passion is what pushes love forward. Passion is what moves people out of their own little worlds. Only when someone is truly passionate about a cause can they become involved. Only when someone is passionate about their work, will they achieve the level of success they wish. Passion is erratic and moves in unexplained patterns, pulling love along for the ride.

I think passion and love are often confused, especially between a man and a woman. Love is built over time; again, a steady heartbeat you can set the rhythm of your life to. But passion is something entirely different. Now, I’m not talking about lust. Lust is the immediate desire to intimately know someone; a kneejerk reaction of a chemical shift in our brains when our prehistoric anatomy finds another to reproduce with. Passion builds on itself, growing and shifting over time the more you know a person. The more you recognize their mind and their desires and how they match your own. Passion can make your body tingle and your mind wander to places you never meant for it to go.

Passion between a man and woman may not always lead to love and it doesn’t have to; he can stand alone confident in his nature and he is strong enough to keep two people bonded together. But by God you cannot love someone without passion. Without passion, love is meek and may or may not be able to sustain itself indefinitely. I love you. What does that even mean if there isn’t any passion to back it up? Nothing. It means nothing. It means we have a life here, we own things together, we have a routine. It doesn’t have anything to do with happiness or satisfaction and if you say you don’t want those things either you’re lying to me or you’ve been lying to yourself for a long time. For your sake, I hope you’re just lying to me. 

I have been told that my ability to feel passion is greater than most, and I am inclined to agree. When I want something, when I believe in something, when something moves me…and I mean to my core, I will have it. I will move heaven and earth until they crash together; until the raging fire inside of me has been tamed and only the embers remain, though they threaten to ignite at any moment. I’m often scolded for this in my life, by those around me who in fact lack passion for anything and don’t know how to categorize the emotion when they come across it. I used to feel bad, feel like I was the one who had something wrong with her, but you know what? Fuck that and fuck you. As my granny said, "If you can’t take this heat, baby - get your ass out of my kitchen."

Read More

Cover Reveal! - Speak of the Devil

My fellow CM Press author, Shawna's cover reveal is today and holy majoly, is it a treat! Hot angels with smoldering eyes and sexy hair? Yes, please. I can't wait to read this book! What's it about? So glad you asked:

 

 

What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.

Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?

Without further ado, I present the cover for Speak of the Devil!

For more info about Shawna, hop on over to her site. She's a cool chick and a hell of a writer!

Fall in love. Fall to pieces. Fall from grace.
Shawna Romkey, YA Paranormal Author
http://www.shawnaromkey.com/

Read More

Best.Day.Ever.

I’m happy to announce that I’ve signed a contract with Crescent Moon Press (www.crescentmoonpress.com) to publish my new novel, Playing With Fire. While this will be my sixth published novel, it will be my first in hard copy so the process is all new for me this time around. My release is set for early 2014 and I can't wait to get started with the process. I mean, I’m sure I’ll drag Eleanore with me to Lady K’s desk and cry that my editor hates me or call my sister and sob into the phone at some point, but I’m excited nonetheless. 

Playing With Fire is a New Adult, Urban Fantasy that blends history and fiction, creating an epic tale through one family’s path to forgiveness and one race’s desire to chose unity over extinction. Look for more about the book as we get closer to publication. I’ll release the blurb and cover when I have permission from CMP. For now you should check out the links below, like and follow accordingly, and spread the word! If all goes well, two books will follow this one – but only time will tell.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crescent-Moon-Press-Inc/210977012269127

http://twitter.com/CM_Press

You guys. YOU GUYS. I’m going to be in print. I had some back and forth discussion with CMP before signing; asking questions and whatnot and finally I just had to ask, ‘Are you sure?’ Because…really? Me? You want to publish – in print – something I’ve written? Her response?  

‘Lol. Yes. We loved it. You have a fantastic voice.’  

I do? I mean…yeah, I do! ;) Over the moon doesn’t describe how I feel in my heart. Thank you all for sticking with me and I hope you will enjoy Playing With Fire knowing I couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you.

For everyone still working at it; still struggling with the first draft of their first novel, do not give up. Turn the world off and write for you. Write the story that’s in your heart and know that someone, somewhere needs it in their heart too.

Love,

Christy

Read More