Well, MSW’ers….the time has come for me to mosey along down the trail…so this will be my last post for Murder She Writes.

Why? Did I win the lottery and I’m giving up writing forever to run my own cattle ranch in Hawaii? Umm, no. It’s a factor of time – which seems to be in short supply in my life of late, and that my focus in the world of publishing isn’t as much on writing murder these days as it for me penning books about hot cowboys. But never fear, these wonderful women who write the most kick ass suspense books in the industry will have some cool news coming up about changes to this blog.

It was a hard decision to make because this has been such a great run the last 2 1/2 years. I’ve made lifelong friends with the amazing women on this blog and I admire all of them so much. They’ve been a source of strength for me, we’ve shared joys, sorrows, triumphs and pitfalls, not only with the crazy world of publishing, but with our personal lives too.

Saying goodbye isn’t easy…so I won’t drag it out. And who knows, I might pop in and say howdy once in a while 🙂

Thanks to everyone who made my time here something I’ll never forget.

Lori/Lorelei~

PS – for my last contest I’ll give away a copy of LOVE IS MURDER, an anthology which releases next week that includes a Mercy Gunderson short story, as well as short stories by MSW superstars Allison Brennan, Laura Griffin, Deb Webb, Toni Causey and Roxanne St. Claire —

***NOTE FROM LORELEI- ADDED AT 9:00 MST – ALL comments seem to be going into the freakin’ spam folder – I have no idea how to fix this, but I am checking the folder periodically, while trying to write – when you leave a comment I PROMISE you will be entered in to win, even if your comment doesn’t immediately show up****

To win it before you can buy it?

Yes, I’m talking about a personally signed copy of CHASIN’ EIGHT! I got my author copies before RT and I”m just now thinking…hmm…maybe I should give away a copy! Ooh, and the cover is so so purty, especially since the publisher added “New York Times Bestselling author” because this was my first book to hit the NY Times!

Also interesting tidbit about the cover models…they are a couple in real life. I was told their names, but they will always be Chase and Ava to me.

I’m am way way way deep in the throes of multiple deadlines, so I’ve pretty much checked out of online society until I catch up, catch my breath, or catch hell…most likely the later. I won’t be able to comment back today 🙁 but I’m sure you’d all rather have me writing so I don’t miss another deadline.

Today’s question: do you buy a book you really want in ebook and in paper? Leave a comment for a chance to win this:

She wants it. He’s got it. And the chase is on.

Bull rider Chase McKay has finally landed in a pile too big to charm his way out of. Caught with his pants down, he finds himself bucked right off the PBR tour until he can get his act together.

Hollywood actress Ava Cooper became the tabloids’ favorite target when her longtime boyfriend was outed as gay. She needs a place to lay low and a chance to prove to herself that she can satisfy a red-blooded man between the sheets. The sexy, rugged cowboy she finds holed up in her Wyoming hideaway seems like the answer to her every fantasy.

But Chase has sworn off women. Forever. Or at least a month. Whichever comes first.

When they take to the road to get Chase more hands-on bull riding experience, they have every intention of keeping their hands off each other. But the two headstrong stars quickly end up riding a hot and heady rodeo circuit all their own—until the press gets wind of their affair. When the dust clears and the lights of the paparazzi fade, are they ready to give up chasing the dream for a chance of finding forever?

Warning: Strap in, another hot McKay is about to bust out of the gate and this bull rider knows a thing or two about riding hard…

Hey gang, I’m in Chicago for the Romantic Times conference this week. I’m looking forward to seeing Sylvia, Rocki, Karin and Deb! Should be a fun time.

I don’t have much to say, and I won’t have time to check back for comments, so I’m going to leave you with the cover to my next Rough Riders book, KISSIN’ TELL, which releases on June 26th. We just finalized the cover last week. Check it out.

This book features Tell McKay and his lady…Georgia Hotchkiss 🙂

Have a great week everyone!

Hey gang, I’m in Chicago for the Romantic Times conference this week. I’m looking forward to seeing Sylvia, Rocki, Karin and Deb! Should be a fun time.

I don’t have much to say, and I won’t have time to check back for comments, so I’m going to leave you with the cover to my next Rough Riders book, KISSIN’ TELL, which releases on June 26th. We just finalized the cover last week. Check it out.

This book features Tell McKay and his lady…Georgia Hotchkiss 🙂

Have a great week everyone!

Is this me?

Yes, it is. I’m sure you’re dying to know why, right? Because it’s bound to be an awe-inspiring tale.

I’ll give you a minute to catch your breath from that bout of hilarity.

So what has Lori Armstrong and Lorelei James been up to in the last two weeks? I’ve nixed several covers, I finished a proposal, sent in a round of final copy edits, I’m working on round two edits for another book, and I’m slaving on a book — NONE of which are the same project. So yeah, I’m a little scattered. Add in a FULL kitchen remodel, even while we speak hammering going on all damn day, getting promo ready for Romantic Times in Chicago in two weeks, and my brain? Looks like that – this is your brain on drugs ad from the 1980s.

So maybe I’m filling up this blog with pictures because I have nothing to blog about today. Who wants cookies?

No? How about peanut butter M&Ms?

Seriously. I have a confession. I like posting fun stuff on here. So much of my writing has a dark theme, if you will, that it’s quite refreshing just to write whatever strikes my fancy. One week it’s about vacation, another week it’s gushing about…cookies. My idea of a “meaty” blog post? Talking about…different types of meat I like to eat. I know, I’m literal girl, right?

And here’s another confession. I’ll probably never write a post about the craft of writing. For several reasons. Wanna hear them? You’re sure? Okay then. Bear in mind these are MY opinions and not those of MSW 🙂

One: I don’t always know how a book comes together in the end and dissecting it might ruin the magic. That is no joke.

Two: I don’t feel comfortable telling people how to write. Or what to write. Or how to fix what they’ve written that is wrong. Or sharing that my editor gushed about my last book and I had absolutely ZERO edits on it, it was so freakin’ perfect (HAHAHA, um, that’s NEVER happened to me) You’ll also probably never see me leading a class or a workshop about writing. I’m a writer, not a teacher. I have no problem being on a themed panel at a conference, or no problem talking one on one with aspiring writers, but even after 30-some finished published works, I don’t feel I know enough about writing — to tell other people how to do it.

Three: I’m superstitious. I don’t talk about works in progress in public. I’ll talk to my editor or my husband — that’s it. Oh, I might complain a little that the book is taking a different turn, or my male character needs his butt whupped, but besides that? Nope. <Shrugs> That’s my issue, I own it, and I don’t apologize for it.

Four: I’m still in the honeymoon phase of my career, stunned people pay hard-earned money to buy and read the books I write. It’s humbling.  The more I talk about myself and the writing “process” the less interesting the books become.  I’d rather readers knew little about my personal life and writing struggles and everything about the books.

Five:  In my experience, most readers don’t want to know about writing process anyway. They want to know about the characters. They want to know what’s coming up next. They want to know if I’ve done some of the kinky things I’ve written about 🙂

I’ve been serious enough today, so tell me something fun about you. If you own anything with rhinestones on it, what’s your favorite type of cookie, and I’ll toss out TEN $15 GIFT CARDS!!!!!!!!! ***

Tell your friends! Retweet this! Ooh, and follow me on twitter please, I’m not feeling the love –

@loreleijames  — and — @lorigarmstrong

***and please people, check back on this site to see if you’ve won, I’ve got a TON of unclaimed gift cards that I’m now offering up as part of today’s prize package!***