Back online

Well that isn't entirely true since I never really went off-line in the first place but I'm back up posting again. As it turned out the deadline that I was working toward actually disappeared so I was able to get a little respite from the story and work on another that I'd been wanting to write for a little while.

I've just submitted my first actual science fiction story, I'm very excited about it because I really like the story-line and it just felt good putting it together. Before my amnesia Science Fiction was the only genre I used to write in and although I'd done some introduction to Science Fiction pieces in the English class I went to I'd never completed a story in that genre till now. Actually I've finished two but I've only submitted one the other will be typed up and edited once I get a moment. For now however I'm working on a special story that needs to be in before the end of the week (the call only came through on the weekend so I was very glad I didn't have my other deadline looking) I can't say anything more about it but I will do when I'm able. I'm loving the story and the characters and part of me really wants them to become characters that pop up time after time we'll see.

Anyway back to the writing!

Disapearing for a week

I've got a huge deadline coming up at the end of the week so I'll be ducking under the radar for a little while. However before I do I will be around at the Sexyreads chat 9-10pm EST tonight it was great fun last month so if you would like to pop over and talk to some of the authors of Phaze or just want to say hi and introduce yourself feel free to come along.

To get the chatroom you will have to become a Sexyreads member but it's free and everyone is very friendly. The chat room can be found here:

I hope to see all there and if I don't I'll see you next month. Have a great Samhain and Halloween if I don't speak to you all by then! I'll update once my work is done.

And so it begins.....again

Today is the start of the second 70 Days of Sweat (at least this year I'm unsure if they did it last year). It will carry on until the 15th of January and although that is actually 93 days when you take into account any holidays that are coming up you end up with roughly 70 days of writing time. This time the goal is to complete at least one manuscript and write over 60K.

Last time I wrote a good number of pieces on of which was contracted, another is currently being looked at whilst the rest are on the pile of things to be finished/polished/sent out again/edited. They will be sent out but they are not my main priority at the present moment in time. The way things have worked out it turns out that I have a deadline at the beginning of every month until February not including small little 2k pieces that I like to keep my hand at doing. All the main deadlines are for pieces of around 10k and I've only really begun one of them although I have a few ideas of the others but nothing I'm happy about currently.

By writing at least 1000 words a day I hope to get through all of the deadlines without much of a problem since theoretically I should have the pieces written in 10 days each leaving me plenty of time to expand write other things and continue to work on the other pieces. I enjoy doing the Seventy Days of Sweat because by having to sign in every few days it makes me personally accountable for my writing and after the week I've had I really need the boost that this challenge gives me.

I look forward to meeting and getting to know everyone in the challenge and I wish everyone good luck with their journey.

Two more rejections

I'm sure rejections work together to make sure they get sent at the same time. It's always a good idea to check up on submissions you've not heard anything from to find out if your submission has got lost in the spam. I have had two pieces out since March and decided to check up on them, one I've still not heard anything back from but the second one I got a rejection for. Also I had a short fiction piece rejected but with suggestions to make it better.

Still I've got work to concentrate one so I'm just working on that now. The piece of work I'm currently on is meant to have a top word count of 18K but I get the feeling that it's going to be much longer *sigh* still I'll end up with a story even if it's not for the same market I was hoping it would be for.

Anyway back to writing!

Sexyreads gives Summer of Fire 10 out of 10

SexyReads a great site for both authors and readers alike has recently reviewed Summer of Fire giving it ten out of ten. You can find the review here

Don't forget Summer of Fire is available here

Review:

You know that it would be untrue
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Girl, we couldn't get much higher
Come on baby, light my fire
Come on baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire

And that is exactly what Nicole Gestalt does with Summer of Fire, this is a novel
with a burning passion that really did put the heat in my sheets. The characters
are superbly brought to life with a desire and lust that you cannot help but lose
yourself too, thank goodness for the hunky firefighter on hand to rescue you

The challenges meet by Mark and Helen are real and well written, and you'll find yourself willing them onto the steamy climax, my only complaint is that I wanted more, but a little birdy tells me this might not be the last we see of Mark & Helen, and I for one cannot wait for another explosive union between the two..

More of a Too Hot to Handle Sheet than a Heat Sheet.. Buy it Now!

Would you recommend this Book? Yes | Rating: 10

Lots of writing

Although this month I'm meant to be concentrating on artwork I've been working on a number of writing projects that have inspired me. Since my non-writing holiday I've been writing almost non-stop and have been churning out over 1000 words a day which is great for me. The piece I'm presently working on was meant to be a short story but I've just hit five thousand words and only touched the surface so I'm not sure how long it's actually going to be.

I've also just signed up for the second 70 Days of Sweat. It starts on October 15th and ends January 15th (yes that is 93 days - they are allowing holidays etc...). I am hoping that it will keep me writing and I'm really looking forward to it since I have so many deadlines coming up!

4 Angels for Summer of Fire

This is the most recent review for Summer of Fire you can find the review here:

http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/2007/September/Scarlet-SummerOfFire.htm

Summer of Fire

Four alarm passion is the basis for Summer of Fire, part of the Phaze Force line. Nicole Gestalt sets a quick pace right away as an arsonist preys on the city.

Policewoman, Helen Montoya has had the hots for a sexy firefighter for a while now. At the latest arson fire, she is saved when he throws himself over her as explosions rip through the complex. When she notices the wedding band on his left hand, she is filled with despair. But Helen is not one to give up easily, she goes to the firehouse to invite him for coffee as thanks for saving her life; it’s the least she can do, right?

Firefighter, Mark, widowed when his wife Jenna was killed in a house fire five years previously; he became a firefighter for that reason. He still talks to her picture sometimes, but with Helen pushing her way into his life, he feels it is time to move forward with his life, perhaps with Helen.

From the opening scene, it is apparent the sexual chemistry between Mark and Helen is scorching. Both are intelligent and brave individuals who are not afraid to pursue what they want. A strong sense of duty is Mark’s most attractive feature, while the devotion to his wife is an emotional one. Helen is a self-possessed woman, passionate and loving. Her desire for Mark and the disappointment over his married state is palpable. The struggle to leave him alone is realistic and admirable. The culmination of their mutual desire is explosive, dramatically written, yet romantic as well. This is a fine story to spend an hour with; this reader’s only complaint is that it is so short; I would have liked to have more pages to devour. Nicole Gestalt has a gift for writing scorching love scenes, as evidenced in Summer of Fire.

Reviewed by: Scarlet

An impromptu chat with some of Phaze's amazing authors

A number of us over at Phaze have decided to have a bit of an impromptu group chat over at Phaze Chatters. We will be around all day (since we span a number of time zones) so feel free to pop over and say hi! It will be taking place this Wednesday (October 3rd) and we are hoping to make it a regular event.

The following authors are certainly attending but don't be surprised if some other Phaze authors pop by.

Aurora Black, Victoria Blisse, Jamie Hill, Sapphire Phelan, Selah March, Jude Mason, Derek Musgrave and myself (as Nicole Gestalt)

You will have to join if you aren't a member but that only takes a few moments and in return you will be able to see excerpts, and hear (well read) the latest news on all the different authors as well as being able to ask questions!

Hope to see you there!

If you can't see the link above for the group site it's here again:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhazeChatters/