Best Seller (As Written from an AlphaSmart 3000)

Hello , love loves. I am typing this to you from a new machine I “rediscovered” thanks to Mur Lafferty’s podcast and her interview with with the terrific Max Gladstone. I remember hearing about this several years ago when i was writing-curious, but really had no motivation to write let alone buy it. At the time I thought these machines were very expensive.

Now, “What is this gadget?” you may ask. Why, it’s  the AlphaSmart 3000. It’s a keyboard with a little LCD screen. Remember those, loves? I’d call it a small, old word processor. I must say I am in love with it and can’t get enough of it. The keyboard is full sized. The battery life is incredible and it is cheap, cheap, cheap. Susie D. loves a good deal. Since you can't do anything thing else on it but type, type, type-- it is perfect for writing.

After you are finished with your piece, like I will be when I am finished with this post, you just hook it up to your computer via a USB cord, the kind you would use for a printer and it quickly throws all of your text onto the screen in whatever typing program you are using! How great is that?

My model is about 13 years old and it still works as if it is brand new. Honestly, I’m sad I didn’t get one sooner. It would have been a great companion as I wrote Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes.

Speaking of my little novel, this past weekend it hit #23 on Amazon Best Sellers! Well I was thrilled, but more thrilled that I saw people  purchased it from the UK, Denmark, Brazil and even Japan! It was international. The thought off people in far-flung places reading my novella is a dream. I wish I could go to all of the countries listed above, especially Japan. Hey, after a 16.5 hour flight to Hong Kong, I think I can fly anywhere-- as long as they have white wine on the plane!

Thank you all for making my little novella a success, I realize that Amazon charts are as fickle as Susan Darrow, but I really appreciate all of the love and reviews.

Now, if someone could teach me how to use Goodreads, I’d be set for life. Seriously, I may be old(er) but that site is so confusing. Or is it not? I love the concept and have lurked in some forums. The community appears to be thriving; I’d just like to figure out how to be a part of it. Send help!

Kisses and Kegels,

Susan 

@DarrowSusan

My Book is Out! (Freaking Out)

"The time has come," the walrus said.

I'm the walrus and here to let you know, dear readers, my erotic novella/cookbook Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes is here. It's part E.L. James, part Ina Garten.

 Here is a little about the story:

Sondra’s life is a drama of errors-- a lousy job, and low self-esteem with only a commemorative plate collection to her name.

Eduardo is living a fantasy-- a beautiful house and an envy-inducing job as a photographer. But he is crippled by loneliness and his penchant for sleeping around.

A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Spain will set the pair on course toward each other; but not without betrayal, accidents and the occasional ménage à trois.

Will it be love at first sight? Can they help satisfy each other's needs? What should they eat?

We all hunger for sex, and of course, food; Sondra and Eduardo are no different.

Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes is a scorchingly funny and sexy story with a foodie twist. Combining prose and recipes, this novella is not a parody but an erotic adventure that will have you laughing-- then running to the kitchen (to cook, make love or maybe both).

Finally, a hot, sexy romance with some really great recipes.

You can find it on Amazon.

I'm so very excited.

Kisses and kegels,
Susan

Adversity Panacea (or the Joys of Drinking White Wine)

Let me tell you something, love loves. This past year has been a doozy-- illness, hospitals, loss of loved ones and loss of loved things. People are always stopping me on the streets and saying, "Hey, Susan. How do you stay so upbeat when you are dealing with the most miserable, slimy, festering, absurd deck of cards unseen since the Old Testament? How do you manage to look good and feel so good?"  I'm paraphrasing, but not by much. I just smile and tell them the truth: I volunteer. I travel. I focus on my work. And I drink copious amounts of Sauvignon Blanc.

That, my darlings, is how you overcome anything.

Busy yourself with whatever it is you love. I love writing and eating so much I combined the two in my erotic novella-cum-cookbook (no pun intended) -- Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes.

Make sure you are always doing something and enjoying everything. Look at art or read  gorgeous novella with cooking tips. Numb your mind with the minutia of cleaning or writing a blog post. Create! Most importantly, DRINK and be merry. At best, drink and be sleepy, which is my favorite thing to do.

Remember to not drink if you can't and never drink and drive! I live in Manhattan so I do not drive even when I'm as sober as stone. I just hail a cab and am spirited home for under twenty dollars including tip.

Everything will always be better tomorrow, just deal with today as it comes.

Kisses & Kegels,
Susan

Rewarding the Writer (aka greedy, old YOU)

Sometimes I feel like a rapacious little dog. I'm always yapping at myself for another reward or treat.

I got to my word count goal today!
I took yet another look over my final copy of Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes!
I brushed my teeth!

Treat, treat, treat, treat! Candy, cakes, vacations, sweaters, makeup, baths or a good meal - all treats I've given myself for doing the most spectacular or mundane thing you can imagine.

The more mundane, the better the reward. I bought myself a trip to Paris after I remembered to buy toilet paper once!

But I was thinking, what if the reward is doing good work? You know, being able to look back and say, "I did a good job." That would be great.

I'm going to have a glass of white wine because I wrote this post.

Yours,
Susan

Book Release: March 25, 2014

My romance (read: erotic) novella/ cookbook will be available for purchase on 3/25. How wonderful. Love loves, it's a fun romp in gorgeous locales with gorgeous people. 

Sex, betrayal, more sex and some really great recipes for the whole family. I think you'll find it funny and hot. 

Maybe you'll even be inspired to spice things up in the bedroom and the kitchen. 

Please check back here for more information about me, my travels and my book:

Yours,

Susan

Editor's Block: My Affair with Distraction

Sure. We've all had writer's block. You know, that monster which makes us turn on the television, spend hours hating ourselves, play Candy Crush or take up clay pot cooking (but only after extensive research). It's horrible. Even writing a humble blog post like this sometimes takes an excruciating amount of...

One moment, be right back. I think the tikka masala is finished.

It's not.

Anyway, what I was saying again? Oh yes, writer's block is awful. Do you want to know what is worse?

I call it editor's block. You've finished the "hard work" of writing your article, blog post, novel or novella (as I did with Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes). Pour yourself a glass of white wine and drink it; because now you have to read over the damned thing!

This is always the hardest part for me for many reasons: I write quickly and lose all sense of grammar and spelling. I feel like I am finished and dread having to do more work. And...

The tikka masala still is not finished.

And everything else is so much more interesting, especially the smell of my soon-to-be devoured Indian dish. Add to all of this the fact that I miss mistakes easily and editing is the WORST THING EVER!

Still, it must be done. Although I have an editor, I must make it the best it can be before she sees it.

What are your tips for staying on the editing wagon? I'd love to know feel free to email me susandarrowwriter (at) gmail (dot) com or post in the comments. Thanks, love loves!

Yours always,
Susan

P.S- The tikka is fantastic with a glass of Sav Blanc!

Hong Kong

I've been here for almost a week! Hong Kong is a beautiful, fast and frustrating city if there ever was one. There is so much to do! And so much to see. The views are extraordinary. Just look...

Truly breathtaking. I gasped on the way up in the  tram. The whole cabin did! What a dynamite city.

Once I return to my beloved NYC,  I'll be prepping for the release of my novella/cookbook-- Mouth Full: Rendezvous & Recipes. 

I'm very excited for all of you to read it. You can find me drinking wine and fretting until then. 

The book has humor, sex sex sex and some great recipes you can cook with the whole family. 

The terrific cover art was done by a dear friend (she is actually from Hong Kong). 

Love loves, I'm so excited for the release! Look here on the blog for more info.

With love and from Hong Kong,

Susan Darrow