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Friday, October 12, 2007

FRIENDS AND BOOKS, OR, BOOKS AND FRIENDS?

I’m so happy to be blogging on Tote Bags and Blogs... thanks, Lee, for letting me join the gang!

Reading recent posts and thinking about what I was going to say in my inaugural Tote Bags and Blogs appearance I’m left sitting on the fence (anyone who knows me will recognise this favoured form of seating, the splinters... now they’re another story.)

On one side of the fence there is my wish to wax lyrical about the fellowship of good friends. Most of my very best friends are fellow writers and authors and, to be honest, they keep me sane (okay, ladies... sort of sane!) After all, who else can understand and appreciate the highs and lows of striving for your dream, achieving your dream and maintaining your dream, other than someone who is on the same road as you, or who has already trod that road and knows what you’re going through. And that’s something special, isn’t it? That incredible fellowship and support we give and receive on our journeys through life, no matter what we’re doing in our lives. No matter what stage we’re at, e.g. meeting new potential partners, embarking on a new job, overseas experience, dissolution of a relationship; it’s our friends that bolster us up along the way. Who else can we cry with, mourn with and, best of all, laugh and celebrate with, without fear of judgement, censure or lack of understanding.

And then there’s the other side of the fence. Books.
I love books. All books. I love to just pick them up sometimes and smell the paper (okay, I did say ‘sort of sane’ before), I love to turn the pages without breaking back the spine (and yes, I’ve been known to buy myself a new book after loaning one out and it’s come back spine broken) but best of all I love to read. Each book is a journey in itself, no matter what genre, although obviously my preference is for romance. So what do you do when you get to combine friends and books, aside from a really great time?

Well, in the case of twenty six authors from Australia and New Zealand you get Sizzle, Seduce & Simmer—a sinfully sweet collection of short stories and recipes from an ever growing group of friends, released by Harlequin in Australia as a MIRA in trade paperback. The brain child of a group of awesome romance authors in Melbourne and collated by the incredibly clever and lovely Marion Lennox the idea grew and expanded to include authors from further afield and on 1 November the book will be launched in the big wide world. Well, initially in Australia and New Zealand but hey, with the internet the world’s our oyster, right? And it’s the perfect combination which allows you to read while cooking! So, if you’re Down Under based, look out for it at your favourite bookstore from 1 November and if you’re Up Over based, try this site, or this one, to have it sent to you.


Bon Appetit!

Actually, I'm beginning to think that seduction is very definitely a part of my life now I'm writing full time, and who could complain about that? So, while I'm here I'd also like to bring your attention to my first UK release (of my first sale book, and the first in my New Zealand Knight's mini-series--Yay!) THE BOSS'S CHRISTMAS SEDUCTION. It's a November release in the omnibus SEDUCED BY CHRISTMAS together with the gorgeous and talented Sandra Marton. I can't believe I'm saying this in October... but Jingle Bells! Everyone!

Ooh, is that a splinter?

22 comments:

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Yvonne, great post! And welcome to Lee's blog. It's a fun place to be. Sort of like a huge party where you never know what interesting person you'll be talking to next.

Isn't the recipe book fab? I can't wait till it hits the shelves. I was one of the last minute appearances which means I've included a VERY fattening but rather delicious recipe for salmon pasta. Definitely comfort food!

Congratulations on the November release! Oh, and you look very fetching there up on the fence with the sun behind you!

Lily said...

I think it is a bit early for christmas!

Annie West said...

Hi Yvonne,

Welcome to Leena's terrific blog site.

Loved your post about the importance of good friends and of books! I couldn't agree more. Most of my best friends are romance writers and it's a wonderful, close knit, supportive group.

Good luck with the fabbo 'Christmas' release in the UK.

Annie

Yvonne Lindsay said...

Hey Anna, yep, I agree on the recipe book. Can't wait to actually get my hands on one!

Lily, You wouldn't believe it but our local stores are already promoting Christmas decorations and wrapping paper! Argh! Drives me bonkers. What I can't get used to, though, is hot cross buns in the supermarket at the end of January!

Annie! Thanks for the welcome. Yes, romance writers are a special bunch. ;-)

Robyn Grady said...

Yvonne, I so agree with you - on everything! Old friends and new, people you can rely on and share with under any and every circumstance are nothing short of treasures.

Congrats on the Recipe book and your fabulous double book with Sandra Marton! OMG. That's all so fabulous.

Robbie

Yvonne Lindsay said...

It's a roller coaster ride, that's for sure, Robbie! You must be finding that now too with all your exciting news. Makes all the hard work and waiting worthwhile, huh?

Fiona Lowe said...

Yvonne, the cover of your release is brilliant!
I can't wait to read all the short stories and Sizzle, Seduce and Simmer AND make the recipes.
I plan for this book to be under many trees this Christmas :-)

Cheers
Fiona

Amy Andrews said...

Hi Yvonne. What you say about friends is so true. I think, particularly for women, our friendship groups are such an integral part of us. And it is nice having other author friends as they're the ones who understand the whole voices-in-your-head-thing best.

Can't wait to get my author copies of SSS. I'm story # 2 with my MIL's Mulberry Pie.

Amy Andrews

Trish Morey said...

Great post, tall twin!

It's so true what you say about friends being so important and so wonderful. I'm still trying to work out though, what it is about romance writing that I have made so many friends along the way. In my working career, I'm used to having colleagues, the occasional person who makes it beyond that, but friends, good friends, special friends, friends who are there for the long haul - wow, there is truly something special about this romance writing gig. Or is it that romance writers are special?

Yeah. Why the hell not. Works for me:-))

Oh, and I can't wait for our Anthology to hit the shops too. Like Fiona, my Christmas shopping will be done in one fell swoop. And almost two months early instead of just two hours. That's a record for me. Mouthwatering Moussaka is my contribution - to accompany a short story - "Out of the Frying Pan"

Sandra Marton said...

Hi, Yvonne:

It's lovely to see you here! I agree, the cover of our Christmas release is absolutely beautiful--and finding a gift under the tree, so to speak, a bit early in the season is really a lot of fun.

Jingle bells right back at you!

Sandra

Karen H said...

Hi Yvonne,

The books sound great...gotta get me one (or both)!

And actually, it's not too early for Jingle Bells. I am almost done with my Christmas shopping.

Yvonne Lindsay said...

Hi Fiona, DUG and Trish!

Fiona I can see quite a few of these being wrapped for Chrissy pressies amongst my family and friends too :-)

Downundergal, I don't think I've ever seen a mulberry (although I've been known to sing a rhyme about them). I look forward to seeing that recipe!

Trish, my dad used to make a mean Moussaka, been years since I've enjoyed one. You'll have to make me one, one of these days.

Hi Sandra, it was great to receive authors copies this week. The cover is even more beautiful in real life. Thanks for dropping by!

Karen H, my goodness! You've done all your shopping already??? SWOON! We have two family birthdays to contend with (one in October and one late November) before I'll even think about Christmas shopping in any given year. Hence why it tends to be a mad dash for me. I really take my hat off to anyone who is as organised as you obviously are.

Bronwyn Jameson said...

Welcome to Tote Bags, Yvonne.

Fabulous post. Yes, romance writers make the best friends. I think it's not only the shared vision and understanding of the writing and the stories and the life, but also the empathy that's necessary to write the stories we do.

I LOVE the cover of yr UK release. Just gorgeous...which is fitting given the gorgeous stories inside.

And I'm loving being a part of the Sizzle, Seduce & Simmer anthology, too. My story is Breakfast At Timothy's with a Blueberry Pancakes breakfast recipe to go with!

Yvonne Lindsay said...

MMmmm... Pancakes... blueberry pancakes...

Oh Bron, you know I am sooo looking forward to this book.

Karen H said...

Hi Yvonne,

Well, yes, I'm done (almost) with Christmas shopping. We also have 3 birthdays to put up with (my own included) in the 2 months before Christmas. My son's birthday is Monday, the 15th. My daughter's birthday is Nov 18th and mine is Nov 11th. Lots of shopping to do all at once. I bless the internet coming to my aid everytime. LOL

Michele L. said...

Definitely friends and books! What a fantastic new book you have coming out! Sizzle, Seduce and Simmer sounds like a winning combination! Romance, food, recipes and more! I can't wait to by this one!

Reading all your comments has me drooling at the mouth at the recipes each one of you has submitted. ;-)

Congratulations to you all on a new number one book!

Michele

peggy said...

i like the cover.what a christmas gift.

Unknown said...

I'm a little late in seeing your post Yvonne but I just wanted to say, the cover is lovely and I'm hoping to somehow get my hands on a copy.

As for books and friends, I have met so many wonderful friends through the genre and the internet. I see a few of them here.....Trish, Sandra, Annie, hugs to all of you and I'm sure the book is going to be a "huge" success! Jingle, jingle!

Maureen said...

Congratulations on the new book. I can't believe that there are Christmas books in the store already. It comes so fast.

Yvonne Lindsay said...

Karen, I like your idea of internet shopping. We have two family birthdays before Christmas, it used to be four but we've lost a few in the past ten years.

Deseng, I sure hope the book turns out to be a winning combination and that it's picked up for the North American market too. Apparently Sydney already have no stock left in the warehouse, all out to bookstores, so fingers crossed!

Peggy, yes, this is definitely one of my absolute favourite covers.

Marilyn, lovely to see you here too. Thanks for stopping by!

Maureen, yes, I know. Christmas is enough to give me hives but oh well! Gotta roll with the punches, LOL.

Nathalie said...

your books sounds nice and the cover is just gorgeous :)

Yvonne Lindsay said...

Hi Nathalie, I think the powers that be in cover design have been very good to us!