Werewolves and Hawks and Cougars, Oh, My!

August 6, 2011 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Alpha Force Nocturne, Harlequin Nocturne, Linda O. Johnston with 1 and 0

Home > Columns > Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston > Werewolves and Hawks and Cougars, Oh, My!

by Linda O Johnston

Iâ€™m just ending a spree of writing and/or editing three different stories in my Alpha Force miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne, all with deadlines within three weeks of one another. Not only that, but I was traveling in the middle of it all. Fun, but grueling at times!

What precipitated this? Well, I already had a deadline for my fourth Alpha Force full-length book pending at the beginning of August. Alpha Force is a covert military force of shapeshifters which I created for Nocturne–Harlequinâ€™s paranormal romance series. All of my full-length Alpha Force Nocturnes feature shapeshifters who are werewolves.

I also had two Alpha Force Nocturne Bites pending–what I refer to as e-novellas, since they are shorter than the full length Nocturnes and available only on line (except if later printed in an anthology like my first, CLAWS OF THE LYNX, was). In the Bites, I include shapeshifters who can change into other kinds of animals.

I had turned in the manuscript for my second Bites, HAWKâ€™S CHALLENGE, but since itâ€™s an October release my edits were pending… and I received initial ones the week before I left on a family vacation–a Caribbean cruise. The completed edits were sent while I was at sea, and although I had Internet access I wasnâ€™t able to download them. Fortunately, the additional changes didnâ€™t require much input, but I had to turn around the edits Iâ€™d already received in a dayâ€™s time–while onboard! I was happy to learn that, though I couldnâ€™t download attachments, my editor could download the ones I sent to her.

I had completed a manuscript for my next full-length Nocturne (title still pending) but needed to finish editing it to send it off soon after I returned home. As a result, I was still editing it on the trip.

And… I had an entire Bites to write while traveling! My deadline was supposed to have been next year. However, Harlequin is ending the Bites line and replacing it with the new Nocturne Cravings line. Iâ€™d learned that at RWA National but was initially told that my deadline wouldnâ€™t change. However, it did! My final Bites, COUGARâ€™S CONQUEST, is now scheduled for publication in November 2011, the month after HAWKâ€™S CHALLENGE.

So, yes, I was writing COUGARâ€™S CONQUEST while traveling. Since Bites arenâ€™t too long, I felt I could do it–but I hit a snag when I lost an entire chapter by accidentally saving something else over it. I rewrote it after dinner that same day… a very long day, I might add. Iâ€™m just about to send in that manuscript after completing and editing it.

Oh, and by the way–my third full-length Alpha Force Nocturne, GUARDIAN WOLF, just happens to be an August release…

Do deadlines sometimes drive you nuts? Do you enjoy them as much as I do anyway?

Linda O. Johnston
http://www.lindaojohnston.com/
http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/

Author Details

Linda O. Johnston

Author Details

Linda O. Johnston, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published 52 books so far, including mysteries and romantic novels. More than twenty-five of them are romances for Harlequin, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense and Harlequin Nocturne. Her latest release is Colton 911: Caught in the Crossfire, for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. She has also written several mystery series including the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries and Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink, and the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries and Pet Rescue Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Nearly all Linda’s current stories involve dogs! Linda enjoys hearing from readers.

http://www.LindaOJohnston.com

Linda O. Johnston

Linda O. Johnston Featured Author

September 21, 2023

Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
Linda O. Johnston Featured Author

September 14, 2023

Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs. A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books—so far.
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I finished a first draft of my upcoming fourth story in my Shelter of Secrets series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. It still needs some work, but it’s currently in the hands of my excellent beta reader.
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I’ve had a fun few weeks–including my usual writing. Plus, I heard that the Dog Writers Association of America, of which I’m a member, was looking for humorous articles for their upcoming issue of RUFF DRAFTS, their publication, so I of course had to submit a short article about how my puppy keeps me from concentrating on my writing by insisting that I play fetch with her while I’m sitting at the computer. Humorous?
This Year Continues – Fun!

June 6, 2023

I recently got word that my next Alaska Untamed Mystery, CRY WOLF, number two in the series, is now scheduled for publication on November 7. I love the cover! And the series is the first in which I’ve taken a pseudonym: Lark O. Jensen.

It’s not my only remaining book this year. I was already aware that my Coltons of New York book for Harlequin Romantic Suspense is also a November release. CSI COLTON AND THE WITNESS is officially out on November 27.

UNDERCOVER COWBOY DEFENDER

SHIELDING COLTON’S WITNESS

HOUNDS ABOUND

THE MORE THE TERRIER

BEAGLEMANIA

GUARDIAN K-9 ON CALL

BEAR WITNESS

UNDERCOVERING COLTON’S FAMILY SECRETS

HER UNDERCOVER REFUGE

COLTON FIRST RESPONDER (The Coltons of Mustang Valley)

THE SOLDIER’S K-9 MISSION

COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

FOR A GOOD PAWS

VISIONARY WOLF (Alpha Force)

TRAINED TO PROTECT

PROTECTOR WOLF

BAD TO THE BONE

COVERT ALLIANCE

TO CATCH A TREAT

PICK AND CHEWS

UNLUCKY CHARMS

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Anonymous says:

August 8, 2011 at 8:49 PM

The best way for me to write is with a deadline. So far they have been self-imposed deadlines but I cannot wait for the day when they are from a publisher. I'm not sure so many at a time would be fun but I'm glad to see that you made it through!

Maria