Amy Ruttan

I just had to share this with you all. I got a FABULOUS review from Fallen Angels Reviews for Masque of Desire!!.

You can read the whole review here

But the part that had me covered in goose pimples and ready to kiss just about anyone who walked in was what Kara T. had to say:

Masque of Desire is a short story packed with mouthwatering sex, a “to die for” masked man, and a ghost to top it off. I enjoyed Miranda’s attitude of going after and getting what she wants, and what she wants is the sexy hunk behind the black silk mask. The passion between them is intense and explosive. It is a tale of a love that stands the test of time. Amy Ruttan has burst onto the writing scene with a debut novel that rocks! Her attention to detail, strong characters, and a clever, well-written plot makes this story a must read. I look forward to many more winners from this fantastic author.

SQUEE!!!!!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and / or Happy Holidays. :D  Hope Santa baby was good to you. He was good to me, Santa didn’t buy me a duplex but he gave me a Legend of Zelda Triforce version of Nintendo DS with The Legend of Zelda and the Phantom Hourglass. As well as My Word Coach which trains your brain 30 minutes a day to learn new words, grammar yadda yadda, Mario GoKart and Tetris for DS.

So I play*giggle* such another excuse to procrastinate. I have been writing though. My two Beta readers read over Journey to the Peak of Desire and helped me with layering. Upon that end I have been layering my historical over the holidays. Getting back into the mind set of these characters, and with this new found layering their faces became more clearer when I put together a visual board of what they look like.  (Thanks for inspiring me Joely. )

Here’s my characters. Thought I would share them with you while I take this minor break. I finished the layering (which for some reason I have to do long hand) and I am going to start inputing the changes.

This is Willa Ashbury. The heroine. Her twin brother Avery is lost in the Himalayas and she has to travel half way around the world to find him.

Sir Clive Hillary, a friend of Avery, sent by Avery to bring his twin sister to him. He’s Australian and yes … he happens to look like Gerard Butler. I’m sure you’re all surprised. LOL!

Tashi, a Sherpa guide that accompanied Sir Clive to London. He is Avery’s most trusted companion. He owes Avery his life.

Avery Ashbury, Willa’s twin. We don’t meet him until the end … he was injured in the Himalayas and it was not an accident. Someone is trying to kill him. I’m already planning his book. He gets one of his own.

Wylie … yes named after on of my close friends. She owns a bordello in Kathmandu and aids our heroes. There’s a book being planned about her too! I mean hey there’s got to be a story of an American woman owning a brothel in Nepal during the 1850’s right??

So of course we need bad guys:

Joshua Mattison. The step brother to the Ashbury’s, he’s pilfered away his inheritance on a dirty Opium trade that has gone wrong. There a thugs out to get him and he needs Avery’s share of the shipping line. He’s out to kill Avery and take Willa as his wife … whether she wants to or not.

Every bad guy needs a sidekick. Tiye is just that. He loves violence and follows Joshua anywhere. Kind of has a thing for his “master” but I don’t really explore that in the book.

And last gullible pawn in the game. Charles Westerby. Wants Willa to be the perfect trophy right to impress the right people in the British Raj in India. Hoping a beautiful well bred wife will advance his career in the East India Trading Company. A pawn easily discarded once his purpose is served.

So I hope to have this all done and read through by my two Beta readers so I can submit sometime in the new year. What have you been up to during your holidays?

In case I’m not on often … and I doubt that I will be since my schedule will be go go go until Christmas I want to wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza … am I forgetting anything? Happy Holidays everyone!

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Hey all, I’ve been on a TT hiatus but had to do a special one for CHRISTMAS!!! These are 13 of my FAVORITE Holiday Movies. NOT SPECIALS!!! These are movies. There are so many Christmas Specials I couldn’t narrow down … but I could for Christmas Movies. These Christmas Movies I cannot miss every year.

The first National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.This is hilarious. I love it all the mayhem of family descending (you know don’t you Christine *winkwink*). He tries so hard to have a perfect old fashioned Christmas. My favorite line still is “We’re going have a happ happ happy Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny F**King Kaye!”

Speaking of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye:

I’m dreaming of a White Christmas. Can’t do without this SPECTACULAR Irving Berlin Musical, where a couple of old army buddies bring their popular musical to their old general’s failing Vermont Inn to just show the General how much they appreciate him and bring him lots of business too. “Just say we’re doing it for an old pal from the army, at ease!”

Okay unorthodox, it works both Halloween and Christmas but Ghostbusters 2 does take place around Christmas and New Years. Dana Barrett’s baby Oscar has been chosen as the vessel to house and nasty wizard by the name of Viggo and there’s only one band of fearless guys who can save them … so who you gonna call?

  Speaking about a Halloween/Christmas movie The Nightmare Before Christmas is another example of a good crossover movie. My two favorite scores is This is Halloween and What’s This when Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town. And excellent animation. I am a huge fan of Tim Burton. I think the man is brilliant.

Based on the Book  In God We Trust All Other’s Pay Cash by Jean Sheperd is The Christmas Story is about Ralphie who wanted “Official Red Rider BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time,” “No you’ll shoot your eye out.” “OMG I shot my eye out,”

Who could forget Home Alone the movie that epitomized Macauley Caulkin screaming. The story of a boy who gets left at home and has to fend off two would be robbers known as the WET Bandits. You’re saying sticky but that’s not until HA 2.

Speaking of Home Alone 2 …

Home Alone 2 Lost in New York … the MacAllister Family Travel Tradition (We never loose our luggage) has gone to the Big Apple … this time the newly escaped Sticky Bandits (Formerly the Wet Bandits) are going to steal the money intended for the Children’s Hospital … not is Kevin has anything to say about it. Gratuitous walk on from Trump!

  Ah the Brits. I love the Brits … especially Richard Curtis. Love Actually is a very touching movie. I love Emma Thompson asking Alan Rickman which little doll should they give to their daughter’s friends. “The little dominatrix or the transexual,” LOL!! Liam Neeson’s character makes me cry, Colin Firth’s character trying to communicate with his maid who doesn’t speak english makes me swoon and Hugh Grant’s character makes me laugh my brains out. So does Bill Knight’s rock star character. Damn that was funny. “Christmas is all around me,”

Another set of franchise movies I can’t not watch. The Santa Clause … at the hay day of Tim Allen. Poor Scott Calvin inadvertently becomes Santa by putting on the red suit and thereby entering the Santa Claus the CLAUSE.  My favorite part (and it makes me cry) is at the end when Santa is leaving and everyone see’s him and he gives his ex wife the Mystery Date game and her doubting husband the Oscar Meyer Weinie Whistle. “My Weinie whistle,”

Number two in the Santa Clause series. It’s years later and something weird is happening to Santa he’s desantifying. He missed a clause in his contract he has to get married by Christmas or he won’t be Santa anymore. The elves duplicate a toy Santa to run the North pole while good old Scott woos his son’s principal. Things go wrong when the toy Santa turns into a dictator and decides that the world’s children deserves coal. So Scott has to save the North Pole and Christmas as well as get married.

  The third in the series. Married Santa and his Mrs. are expecting a bundle and the in laws are coming to Christmas … except they think Scott is a toy maker in Canada. The stress is getting to Santa and Jack Frost (who always thought he got the raw end of the deal) tricks Santa into giving up Christmas. Scott races through time to gain back his position as Santa and learns the true meaning of Family. Just in time for his special “Christmas” delivery. The only part that  bothered me was the way Tim Allen pronounced Canada. He pronounced is “Kahnada.”

Mixed Nuts and helpline for suicide gets stuck at the office for Christmas on the eve of getting evicted and there’s a beach side strangler out murdering people. My favorite part the Christmas tree roller bladers who get so pissed their tree keeps getting destroyed they destroy Steve Martin’s Christmas tree which happens to contain the body of their landlord whom they accidentally killed.

The newest movie to my collection is The Holiday. This was a charming movie. I absolutely adored Jack Black’s musician character. Especially when he was in the movie store doing theme songs and he did Mrs. Robinson from the Graduate and Dustin Hoffman (playing himself) was renting a movie and just shook his head in disgust.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie? Not special (which includes Rudolph and Frosty) I mean movie.

Here’s my interpretation of the Night before Christmas. I have a twisted mind I think.

Twas two nights before Christmas, when all through this place

Not a creature was stirring, there was no space;

All the boxes were packed, all over my floor

In the hopes that the DH would send a maid to my door;

The children were hepped up on candies and sweets

And bouncing and jumping on top of my feet;

And me in plaid knickers and him in some boxers

Dream of the days when we played “doctor”;

When out in the back there was such a sound

I peered from my coverlet wondering what was around;

I shook my DH awake at the hint of the sound

He grumbled and groaned and snarled “No ones around” ;

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave thoughts of the hours of shoveling to go;

Then what to wondering eyes should appear

Gerard Butler as Spartan, with a big long spear

And then from behind another a cheap trick

I realized I was in a dream I am such a twit

Then the dream turned into nothing and I woke with a snort

The DH was snoring and whistling of course

“Now roll over ninny your snoring in my ear,

Roll over silly, your giving me nightmares I fear.”

I shook him and shook him, I gave it my all

He just kept on snoring and I took a small fall

I got up from bed and stepped on a toy

Brianna’s freaking Dora who sang out with joy

Sumo woke up and screamed out my name

I knew that now there would be no sleep for this dame

And as I stumbled for my glasses in this pitch black night

Goofy DH woke up and screamed out in fright

My mother who was sleeping with Dad downstairs

Banged on the ceiling and told us to “Be quiet up there,”

“What’s going on?” my DH said with a peep

“Your snores woke me up, you big stupid creep!”

So DH gets up and tucks me back in.

“I’m sorry I woke you with my terrible din.”

He calms down Sumo, I settle back to sleep

Until a cold hand under my shirt creeps.

I swat it away and I ask “Are you crazy?”

The answer I get is “The kids are asleep, come on baby.”

I bat him away and tell him “Not on your life!”

And he grumbles and groans and turns out the light.

And then I sigh and I feel quite guilty

So then I begin to act a little filthy.

He plays Santa and I play his elf

And it’s over and done with before you can yell HELP!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled up my stocking; then turned with a jerk,

I go back to sleep hoping he’s got me something nice

He assures me that he has, as I’m such a loving wife.

I stress that I’ve got him some very nice toys

He flicks on the lights and says “Oh boy oh boy,”

Then I knew he forgot something, when I tell him the stores are open late

He might be forgetful but I love him the big ape.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove down the road,

“Happy Christmas to all, my credit so big, my card might explode”

I almost forgot (such is the state of my brain) that the Six Degrees of Sexy Gals Robin L. Rotham, Renee Field, Wylie Kinson, Red Garnier, Christine D’abo and myself are co-hosting a List Mom Day with the Deliciously Naughty Gals.

So head on over to the Ellora’s Cave Chat Group at Yahoo to chat with us. We’ll have some great stuff going down I’m sure.

I’m running out to the craft store to get some items I ran out for some “presents” I made. Sssshhh, can’t say anymore.

My WIP Dragon’s Mate (which was supposed to be a Quickie or aimed at Quickies) is turning into  a novel. It’s taken on a life of it’s own. I swear. There’s also a Red Dress story I’m working on for an anthology that is really fun to write. Then I was chatting with Ms. D’abo … which is bad when you’re already working on 2 stories. Somehow we’re like respective squash courts for ideas. We bounce ideas off each other and then get inspired. If we could only get Wylie Kinson on board then that will be a EXPLOSIVE combo. That’s a hint btw Wylie to get online at night.

Now, I’m working out how to redeem a minor bad guy from Fox’s Bride to give him his own story. He wants his own story, he’s been bitching at me that I gave him the raw end of the deal. I don’t know exactly how I am going to redeem him, make him good, but I’m thinking that I am going to have him injured. Like injured in a way that society may not value him anymore. The story is after all set in the early 1700’s.

So that’s what I am up to this weekend. I’m not letting myself out of my cave, but I will be around more.

What are you up to this weekend?

I posted at Six Degrees of Sexy today. I did an interview with author Marguerite Arotin.

So go on and check it out here.

Not much going on. Still working in the cave, hence I’m forgoing the Thursday Thirteen this week. I can’t believe I have only 3 days of work left next week (since I’m part time at the EDJ) and it’s Christmas Holidays for mois. I can’t believe Christmas is almost here. YIKES!!!

I’m also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my critique partners newest package. Kelley is having her baby tomorrow, and I am going to be thinking about her CONSTANTLY tomorrow. I think mothers do that.

Anyways I’m heading back into my cave. My dragon story, and now TWO other stories won’t leave me ALONE! ARGHHHH.

Would I like a break? Would I like to be able to put my feet up and relax? This picture says it all:

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So I pulled out Journey, that Epic historical I wrote that takes place in India, Nepal and Tibet during the 1850’s. The thing that occupied my LIFE this past year. Thought I would spiff it up and have it Beta read by Christine D’abo.

So I thought this picture was appropriate for my mood:

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So I’m working hard. Working very hard. It’s also Christmas season so family life has me crazy busy. So how about you? How’s your Christmas prep going?