Write Here, Write Now

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker. ** Zellor. Sounds a bit like a place where Hobbits might live, but no. It's actually my home town in Cornwall. It's pretty, very picturesque, the kind of place people think of when they imagine a traditional English village, with cottages and narrow, winding roads. It's a nice place to retire, but it's not a good place for young people. I spent much of my childhood playing in my friends' back gardens, because there were no parks to go to, so we had to make do with what we had. It was a lot of fun, it meant we could stretch our imaginations and make up magical worlds to keep ourselves entertained. It was when I hit my teens that Zellor became a nightmare. Hanging out at a shopping centre wasn't an option. In Zellor, there is one street where there are a few shops, and that's it. It has everything a

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker. ** I don't really like to talk too much about my youth because ... it was really, really dull. The town I grew up in was boring, and there was nothing much to do for the kids who lived there. The nearest cinema was a 20 minute bus ride away, the nearest nightclub, a 30 minute bus ride.  That made it quite hard to get up to any of the normal teenage mischief. Well, that's not completely true. I did the usual thing of saying I was staying at my friend's house, while her parents thought she was at mine so we could sneak out and be rebellious but even with the best of imaginations, there wasn't much we could do. My childhood wasn't terrible or anything, but one of the reasons I was so desperate to get away from my tiny Cornish town was so that, if I am lucky enough to have children one day, they will grow up in a

I am having a mini nervous breakdown trying to understand the tax information for non U.S publishers on Amazon. Is there anyone out there who has dealt with it who can give me an idiot's guide to what it all means please? Is it as complicated as it looks, or am I just really, really stupid? LOL! Any help would be muchly appreciated, thanks1

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Radleigh McCoy. ** I sleep with a lot of women, but I don't have a lot of ex-girlfriends. I can't see any good reason to date a girl unless she's really worth spending time with. When I was in school, I had a couple of girlfriends, mostly short term. I don't think I dated any of them for more than a year. My longest relationship was with Jen. She was every guy's dream. I met her just after I signed with the Warriors, and she really turned the boys' heads. God, she was perfect. Great body, beautiful face, amazing legs. Too bad she was a bitch. She had one of those messed up personalities, turning on the charm when she wanted something, but once she got it, she was cold. I put up with it for two years because we looked good together, but as it turned out, she was sleeping with one of my teammates. I gave her everything

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Freya Phillips. ** I like to think I've been pretty lucky with my friends. There have been a few girls who wanted to be my friend just because I work with sexy soccer players, but for the most part, my friends are genuine. Will is my best friend. I've known him for just over three years, and working with him has made my job one of the best I've ever had. He's funny, often unintentionally when he's stressing about some tiny thing that's out of place in his organised little world. He likes to be organised. But he makes me laugh every day. The thing I like the most about him is that he's loyal. He would literally do anything for his friends, and if someone crosses them ... well, it's not pretty. Let's just say I'd rather have him on my side than against me! He's not violent, or scary or anything. Bu

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker. ** I like to think I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to men. I can tolerate most annoying habits in a relationship, but there are two things I will never put up with. Cheating is the first, the second is violence. I've been single for a long time, I've barely even gone out on a date let alone been in a relationship in the last few years. The last guy I was with was a control freak. I couldn't even sneeze without him wanting to know why! But as I said, I'm easy going enough to deal with that. Looking back, I should have run away screaming before he gave me a black eye. If you've ever been hit by anyone, you'll know it stings. But when the guy is a huge rugby player, it's like being knocked down by a truck. The shock of it was almost more painful than the slap at first, but when the haze lifted

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Will Carter. ** Isn't it weird when someone from your past unexpectedly makes contact? Yesterday, I got an email from my ex-girlfriend, Heather. We dated in high school, and through a little bit of college until we realised being far away from each other wasn't going to work out. We both met other people, we lost contact, and I haven't seen her in fourteen years. She's been living in Seattle, but she's moving back to L.A because she's just got divorced, and she was curious to know if I still live here. I think she wants to meet up when she gets back in month or two. I don't know how I feel about that. She was my first love, so it's weird to think about seeing her again. I haven't even thought about her in a long time. I hope she doesn't want to give things another try because going backwards is always

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Jesse Shaw. ** I know it's pretty uncool for a guy to openly talk about being in love, but I'm okay with that because my girlfriend is worth me looking uncool for. I met Taylor when I was new to Westberg. I was so nervous about messing up my soccer career before it had really begun, I used to get to work early and sit in the cafe opposite the training ground, drinking soda and forcing myself to relax.  Taylor was there some mornings. I noticed her because, well, what 18-year-old doesn't notice when there's a pretty girl in the room? Pretty isn't really the right word. She's beautiful. She started talking to me, asking me why I always looked so nervous and when I explained, she was so sweet. She knew all the right things to say to make me feel better, and I looked forward to seeing her every day. When I eventually as

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Radleigh McCoy. ** Oh come on, you give me the letter "S," where did you think I was gonna go with that? Women spend a lot of time bitching about their weight, and how they wish their butt/nose/earlobes were smaller. Men don't care about this. Well, we do like it if a woman is naturally smokin' hot, but if she doesn't have the confidence to back it up, it's a waste of good looks. I work with some hot ass women. Take Freya, for example. She's pretty much what every guy thinks of when they picture a gorgeous woman. And Bree Collinson? Holy hell, Jude's lucky to have her. There are very good reasons why I don't go after those girls. First of all, Freya and Will have been in love with each other for years, and nobody else stands a chance. But that's not why I don't go after her. Pretty as she is, s

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker.  ** I've worked in a lot of places, but I've never had a boss like Richard Bailey. He's a dream. If there's something you need, he'll go out of his way to help you, and it wouldn't even occur to him to ask for anything in return. His passion for his team is like nothing I've ever seen before, and it's amazing to be a part of something so special. When I first met him, I was terrified. I really thought he'd be a scary manager, like the ones you see on TV, screaming at players whenever they do the smallest thing wrong. Richard doesn't work that way. He's laid back, and it earns him a lot of respect. You'd think that being so easy going would mean the players walked all over him, but instead, they work harder. Richard sort of ... adopted me when I joined the team. I think he feels pr

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Freya Phillips. ** Living alone was something I always loved. Having somewhere quiet to go at the end of the day is something I really need after coaching sweaty, noisy soccer players all day. When Richard suggested Leah move in with me, I was a little nervous about sharing my space with a stranger. But when I met her, right away, I could tell she'd be an ideal person to live with. She's actually quieter than me, so for once, I feel like the loud one! I'm not unsociable or anything, far from it, I love to party and be with my friends. But some days I just need to chill out on the balcony, looking out at the ocean. Leah loves to do that too, and what's really awesome about her is that we can just sit out there for hours and be completely comfortable. I can't bear people who feel the need to fill every single silence with

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Radleigh McCoy. ** I've gotten into a lot of trouble because, sometimes, Richard doesn't think I am professional enough. I think that's bullshit. Okay, occasionally I break the rules of the game, but it happens in the heat of the moment, when I'm trying to get that ball in the net so we can win. And maybe sometimes I yell at the ref because he made a bad decision, but it's passion. I don't want to be sent off the field because he made a bad call and ruined the match for the team. I'm late for training sometimes too, but that's usually only when a hot woman has kept me awake all night. Heh. Most of the time, I am professional. I'm professional because I love soccer. There's nothing else I would ever want to do. My dad was one of the best in his day, and he taught me everything I know. Not about rule br

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Will Carter.  ** Some people might consider me to have severe OCD (does it drive anyone else crazy that those letters aren't in alphabetical order? I kid, I kid!). And by "people," I mean Freya. I guess that's because she knows me best. I'm really not that bad. So I like to have my clothes neatly ironed, and keep my CDs in alphabetical order, and arrange my socks by colour. Okay, when you lay it out like that, I sound a little obsessive, but I like to call it "organised." Being organised is what I have to be at work. My job is to help Richard coach the team, and that requires me to always keep track of matches, sort out flights for away games, know which players have injuries and how long they'll be out for. Freya laughs at my quirks, but I know she doesn't mind them really. If she did, we wouldn

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Richard Bailey. ** Number One. That's what my team are. The number one soccer team in America, with some of the best players in the world. The reason we're number one? Passion. That might sound a little bit cliche but that's what it comes down to. I see all those young faces looking up at me, asking me how they can be the best. It's hard work, it's commitment, it's team work. The team isn't quite as young as it used to be. The average age is around twenty-seven, but our latest addition is the youngest player I've ever signed. Jesse Shaw, eighteen years old. That boy can do things with a ball I've never seen, and his dedication is incredible. In spite of his skill, he doesn't have even a shred of arrogance. He wants to learn more, he wants to practice more and he wants to be recognised with the likes o

A Sunday post? Very unusual, I know, but I have a very special guest today, and he just couldn't wait any longer to give his thoughts on friendships! Sebastian, from Nyrae Dawn's awesome book What A Boy Wants, is a guy who values his friendships above all the other things in his life. As such, he wanted to talk to you all about his friends, and explain why he loves them so much. Without further ado, I will hand you over to Bastian! ** First, I have to say, I think I could get pretty used to this guest post gig. What’s not to like about popping up at blogs all over the place and sharing my expertise with the world? I mean, if I know my shit, I might as well share it, right?  *dodges Aspen’s pillow attack* *blocks Pris’s punch* *bumps fists with Jaden* Yeah, at least my boy knows to give props when props are due. ANYWAY, as I was saying before they interrupted me, Kyra asked me to talk about friendships and when it comes to that, I def know what I

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker. ** I haven't had a boyfriend in five years, but I used that time to grow out of my bad boy phase. I really did grow out of it. Then I met McCoy. I actually hate him. The idea of having a fling with someone whose criteria for a date is boobs and a pulse makes me feel sick. But he is so ridiculously hot. I don't usually like men with enormous muscles - I'm small, I'm scared of getting squished - but it's not really about the muscles. It's his face. His eyes are ice blue, and at times they can look really cold, except when he's smiling. Then they sparkle (not like Edward Cullen, might I add). His lips infuriate me. His smirk makes me want to punch him, really hard, in the face. But his lips are incredible. They're full, and they look soft and when he's talking, I can't stop looking at them,

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Miguel Vega. ** Today was my last day at work before I go on leave for three weeks. My Grandma's really sick, so I'm flying to  Portugal with my family first thing in the morning so we can all say goodbye to her. Portugal has been my second home my whole life. I grew up in L.A but my summers were always spent in Portugal with my Grandma. She's the last of our family who still lives there, so this trip is going to be tough. Saying goodbye to her, and having our last moments there with her. I feel okay about it. She's ninety-five years old, and led an incredible life, so even though I hate that we're losing her, I know that every day of her life was filled with love and happiness. It's hard to be sad about that. Maybe it's really lame for a thirty-five year old man to admit this, but I want a life just like hers

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Jesse Shaw. ** Kid. I'm eighteen years old, but my parents still treat me like a kid. I know they're worried that I'm going to grow up too fast, or I'm going to miss out on my college education, but this is what I want. Soccer. Los Angeles. I don't think there is a better education for me than learning from some of the best players in the world. Bryce Warren, Cody Rivera and my hero, Radleigh McCoy. He's my idol. My inspiration and the reason I wanted to play the game. Every day, I learn something new from these guys. I know my parents are proud of me, but they're afraid too. They think I'll get sucked into the celebrity thing, and end up whacked out on drugs, only to spend the rest of my life in and out of rehab. I don't care about any of that. Well, I'm not gonna lie, a kick-ass car is the first

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Bree Collinson. ** I am so lucky to have my husband. He's handsome, and strong, and fun, and did I mention handsome? He doesn't say much, but that's okay, I talk enough for both of us. If I was single, I might have to deal with skeezy men like Radleigh McCoy. He is such a jackass! I've seen the way he thinks he can get any woman he wants, and he usually does. He's kinda hot, but I hate the way he's treating Leah. She is so not into him, but he won't leave her alone! This morning, Leah and I went for a swim at the training ground before work, and he said he'd like to get a few lengths in with her! I mean, that's not even cute, it's just kinda gross. McCoy needs to find someone new to hit on. Or maybe if he stopped being such an asshat, she might start to like him. Actually, they might make a cute coupl

Good morning, everyone! I am taking a quick break from my A-Z blog challenge theme today for two reasons. Firstly, I have something to say in my own voice, and secondly, I couldn't think of a single "I" word that suited my characters! :p I came up with the idea to use my A-Z posts as diary entries from my WIP characters at the very last minute. I wasn't sure how it would go down, and whether I had enough voice in me for all those characters, to give them life and something interesting to say. What I've found, thanks to all of you wonderful people who have been reading and commenting, is that I CAN do it. This realisation has given me the inspiration to get my WIP moving so I can have it finished and ready for you to read (if you still want to!). Friends inspire me, readers inspire me and feeling that I am doing it right inspires me. I can't even explain how much I appreciate hearing your thoughts, but I hope you know how much they mean to me. This is a

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker. ** There is a very good reason I only phone home once every two weeks, and it's nothing to do with the price of the calls to my Skype-allergic parents. Every conversation starts out with grand declarations about how much we miss each other, and it's true - I miss my family like crazy. But by the time the call is almost over, I remember every reason I moved so far away. The problem with my mother is that she thinks everyone should be oh-so-grateful to live in such a beautiful part of the world. I am. I was. But I was never the girl who wanted to stay in a dead-end town with no opportunities just to please my parents. So, I have to deal with the guilt trips. Among my mother's favourite lines are: "I suppose England is too boring for you to visit now you live in big ol' Los Angeles." "The childr

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Freya Phillips. ** Working for a soccer team sure limits my social circle. I spend most of my time with the team, and chances to make new friends depend on whether or not we're due any new staff members. It sounds weird when I lay it out that way. The opportunities should be endless with all the travelling and the endless supply of soccer fans. I know I sound like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. Coaching one of the top teams in America is a dream, and I get to work with my best friend, Will. I love Will! In a strictly platonic way, of course. Okay, he is tall, dark and handsome, but he's also uptight, occasionally pretentious and if he spots a crease in his clothes, it ruins his day. I am too laid back to deal with that kind of drama! But now I have a new friend, Leah. She just became the new physiotherapist, and more t

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Radleigh McCoy. ** I love women, I really do, but some of them just can't take a hint. This is why I've spent years figuring out my exit strategies. Let's say I pick up a woman on a night out in L.A. Not only is it important to always go back to her place so she doesn't find out where I live, it's also important not to fall asleep there. If you do, she's gonna expect a marriage proposal, or at least dinner. I don't have time for that. I get in, I get out. Occasionally, she might just be hot enough to warrant a second date, but then she'll want my number and that's a whole other problem. I fixed that too. I have my real cellphone, and my backup cellphone. I always give my back up cellphone number, which is always turned off. Every few weeks, I turn it on and listen to a bunch of hysterical women screaming

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Leah Walker.  ** I had the misfortune of meeting LA's answer to Don Juan yesterday, except he has far less charm and an infinitely bigger ego. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, he's a horny caveman. He tried to club me over the head (offered me large amounts of wine) and drag me back to his lair (offered to shag my brains out), and when I refused, he told me I was playing hard to get! Granted, a few years ago, a bit of harmless fun with an attractive guy is something I would have considered, but now? Now I am twenty-six years old and know better. McCoy thinks I am in denial about how much I want him, which is funny, because I am pretty certain that I don't want him at all. Knowing he has rolled around on top of half the women in America isn't appealing to me, and besides, he is WAY off limits if I want to keep my job

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Bree Collinson.  **   I love, love, love making new friends! My hubby, Jude, thinks I have more than enough already, but like I told him, a girl can never have too many friends, clothes or shoes. I mean, what if I left that perfect pair of Jimmy Choos in the shop, then needed them later to go with my new Alberta Ferretti? Disaster, right? Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, right, new friends! A couple weeks ago, I met Taylor. She's dating Westberg's latest cutie pie, Jesse Shaw, and she is SO MUCH FUN! It's cool to have someone real close to my own age around. I don't know if we'll be swapping secrets or anything, but she knows how to have a good time, and that's what I like! Today, I made another friend, her name's Leah and she's the new physiotherapist. She couldn't help me fix my broken nail, but she did m

My plan for the A - Z Challenge is to write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. Today's post comes from Radleigh McCoy. **  I really thought Bailey had learned his lesson about hiring pretty girls. Sooner or later, they will end up in my bed, and then he has to start all over again, finding someone new once they get fired for breaking the rules. Must be exhausting. The latest one arrived today. She's British, which right away, makes her interesting. I've slept with British girls before, and they're usually kinda ... reserved. Not this one. She's got fire in her eyes. She's tiny, only a little over five feet, I'd say. And smart. She didn't crumble like all the others when I spouted all the usual lines that make women forget their morals and drop their panties, so I guess she earned my respect. I'm not fooled though, I've never met a woman I couldn't charm. They're all the same, really. Throw around som

Up until 5 minutes ago, my A - Z experience didn't have a theme. Now it does! My plan is write every post as if it were a diary entry by a character from my WIP. This could be a spectacular failure, or the smartest thing I've ever done. Let's see! Today's post comes from my MC, Leah.     ** Holy hell, I've only gone and done it! I got the job! In two weeks, I'll be leaving Boston behind and going to L.A to work with the Westberg Warriors! Oh yeah, you heard me right. Boston was a blast, but come on, who wouldn't want to rub the gigantic muscles of America's top soccer team? I know, I know. Professionalism. I didn't get into physiotherapy just so I could get my hands on hunky men, but every job has to have some perks. This is mine! I feel weird. I can't wait to get on that plane and start work, but it will be sad to leave my old friends behind. Stacey cried when I told her I was leaving. She was happy for me, of course, but now she has to