Sarina Rhoads's Blog

Some may not know, but Drawn Through You began as a humble, little web serial. A short story I wrote in installments on a whim, with no idea where it would go. Upon delving deeper into the world of two imaginary cities, set in the beautiful state of Ohio, Mason and Sweetwater introduced me to new and interesting characters. Several with stories to tell.

To celebrate the holiday season and my forthcoming Mason Sweetwater Series, I’m hosting a fun giveaway!

This week’s Keyword is: SWEETWATER.

December will kick off my first venture into the world of quarterly newsletters. I’m excited to share what I’m currently up to, my latest adult bevie concoction, and most importantly, details on the fun winter giveaway I have planned. I might even throw in a deleted scene from Drawn Through You.
To sweeten the deal, I’m giving away a $15 Amazon gift card to one random subscriber. The winner will be announced in my Winter Newsletter.
Click here to subscribe!

NaNoWriMo take…

Honestly I can’t be sure, but I think this year will be my fourth attempt at the ever elusive NaNoWriMo crown. My Eleanor. My unicorn. For anyone who hasn’t seen the movie Gone in 60 Seconds starring Nicholas Cage, NaNoWriMo is akin to a “mythological creature. Totally unattainable”.

In all fairness, prior years of missed opportunitieshave had their fair share of complications. Lack of time, means, and yes, even electricity. But they’ve also been justified by empty excuses. Wr...

What if the brooding billionaire wore pencil skirts and Louboutins?

What if the impressionable intern was a small-town carpenter with boyish charm?

Cole Jacobson always thought he would take after his father and pursue his dreams. But when the family business falters and he’s forced to accept his uncle’s help, Cole is summoned to the big city for a job he never wanted.

Priorities become obscured when Cole finds himself working for Shaun Wright, the powerful, intimidating, and ruthlessly attr...

November is over and nope, I didn’t win NaNoWriMo. But that’s okay. I was able to get a huge chunk of my first draft down on paper and further solidify a writing process that really works for me. Probably the greatest accomplishment of all.
I’m still learning about the main characters of my story and that, evidently was a huge factor in my struggle. Who are these people and why do I want to write about them?
As with anything, the deeper in I get, the more familiar I become, in turn making the...

How do you Post-it Plot? The answer is simple. Any way you want.

I first learned about Post-it plotting two years ago at a small, intimate writer/reader conference. Two wonderful authors described how they both used sticky notes on a presentation board, mappingout the twists and turns of their storylines while keeping tabs on all loose ends that needed tying off. Feeling determined on my ride home, I stopped at my local Staples, purchasing a presentation board and a plethora of Post-its. Then...

It’s Friday and I’m excited to say I experienced a pretty winning week, both personally and professionally. My greatest accomplishment was finishing the revisions for my first book, releasing in the Spring. Needless to say, I promptly channeled my inner Julie Andrews, spinning in circles, with arms outstretched, until I wanted to vomit.
I won’t lie, there were times when I needed my editor and friends to talk me down from the harrowing cliff of self-doubt, the dark abyss at the bottom, threat...

In order to establish yourself as a writer, you must— well, write. Sometimes finding a process that consistently works is a far greater challenge than putting actual words on a page. I have a day job Monday through Friday and often squeeze valuable writing time in between. My brain seems to focus best when my butt is parked in that office chair. Go figure! I don’t have access to my digital manuscript files while at work, therefore I do a good chunk of my writing old school. Translation: pen a...

I had perched myself on a comfortable fence regarding an attempt at NaNoWriMo this year and with good reason. I’m a repeat quitter. I would jump through the gate running and writing, determined to sprint on through the finish line, only to lose momentum and stamina long before I reached anywhere near my goal. After receiving Sara Megibow’s – NaNoWriMo Cheerleader article in my email from Romance University this morning, I decided to give National Novel Writing Month another try, but with a di...

It all started with a tweet…

Thanks to the lovely and talented Phoebe Chase, I made a connection that would change my journey as a writer considerably. I’m now in the process of revising my web serial known as Arch Intrigue, in preparation for publication with Tryst Books. I can’t even begin to convey my excitement in words and hope readers will join in on the fun as the date of my debut release draws nearer. Stay tuned for more details regarding pre-orders, teasers and giveaways. Until then,...