It is a truth universally acknowledged that a romance writer under threat of a deadline, must be in need of chocolate.
And the closer the deadline, the bigger the need.
My next deadline is… tomorrow. Fortunately it’s been fundraising time at my son’s kindergarten and I’ve had a whole, huge box of chocolate to sell – to myself! Then, as that supply inevitably ran low, hubby returned from a timely jaunt overseas with a couple of fat tubes of duty free Toblerone…
You get the idea right? I’m an addict.
Can you imagine then, how terrible it was when I was in the midst of writing His Mistress by Arrangement and I had to go cold turkey – chocolate free. I had book two jitters and it was due barely four months after I’d sold my first book and given birth to my twins in the same week.
I’ll be honest. Chocolate had gotten me through many of those long, long nights with teeny, tiny, frequent waking babies and crazy plot conundrums. At one point I was scoffing a big block a day. Not surprisingly, for the babies benefit and mine, I had to lay off. But oh, the withdrawal! J
So I did like any writer would – projected my fantasies onto the page – and passed my addiction to my leading lady. With great vicarious pleasure I gave Emma as much of the sweet stuff as I couldn’t have. At the time I had a big caramel thing going – so that’s her favourite too. But I must confess that these days I go for one we have here in New Zealand called Crunch – it has bits of broken up bits of hokey pokey in it. Don’t know what hokey pokey is? Then come on over to my blog and find out – you might even win some!
Remember, a block a day helps you work, rest and… write romance!
So what about you? In times of stress is it the power of the cacao bean that saves you? And if so, which sort – are you a dark and bitter fan, or that white stuff that’s so milky and mild it just about can’t be called chocolate?
Do you like hard or soft centres? Or perhaps you like none at all, preferring to let the chocolate speak for itself?
Just as there is a category line for every reader, so there is a chocolate for every appetite…
So while I sit up all night tonight, scoffing choccie and checking my book, tell me which is your favourite?
Two of Natalie’s Modern Heat/Presents books are out in June: http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=">His Mistress By Arrangement is on the shelves in the US, while http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=">Pleasured by the Secret Millionaire is on the shelves in the UK!
10 comments:
I like milk chocolate with toffee bits, caramel, and/or nuts. However lately, they trigger migraines so I've had to slow my reach for them. But under times of stress, a soy milk toffee nut latte soothes me.
Michelle
I like dark chocolate and it can be filled or not. But I'll eat almost any chocolate that comes my way unless it has coconut in it. I don't like coconut!
Sad to say, I am a diabetic, which
cuts back in a major, major way the
amount of chocolate that I ingest!
HAPPY TO SAY, hooray for sugar-free
chocolate!! Dove Milk Chocolate is my most favorite chocolate in the
world. Sugar-free is not in any way on the same level, but is better than not having any
chocolate at all. The Hersey and Russell Stover companies put out
a very good version which keeps me reasonably satisfies on the
chocolate front!!
Pat Cochran
I like milk chocolate with caramel in the center. I just started eating dark chocolate, too. I was surprised at the great taste. I had always assumed it would be very bitter, but it's not as bad as I thought.
A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine :). I like milk chocolate best, and as Pat said, the sugar free isn't the best chocolate on the planet, but it beats total deprevation.
All chocolate is good but I like milk chocolate the best.
Oh - you all have me needing some - I've finished the book (this version anyway) and sent it off - consumed huge amounts over choccie over the weekend to help tho! ;)
I'm a milk chocolate girl too - but I'll do coconut tho - Bounty bars = yum!
Hooray for sugar free - I'm sure its just as good for you, and anyway that's how they used to have it in ancient South America wasn't it? It was some French guy who added the sugar only a couple of hundred years ago I think...
Happy indulgences anyway!!!
~Natalie
Ooo...I love chocolate that has a gooey caramel center! Yum! I love Fannie May candies, especially the assortment boxes! Don't get me started because I absolutely love chocolates and the gooier, creamier, the better!
Melis L.
Hi Natalie:
Do you know when 'Pleasured by the Secret Millionaire' will be released in the US?
Karen - I am SO sorry I missed your question!!!! I hope you stumble across my reply sometime - at this stage, PLEASURED BY THE ESECRET MILLIONAIRE isn't scheduled for a US release (but you can get it online from Amazon.co.uk) - however, I've two releases coming out in the US soon-ish - BOUGHT; ONE NIGHT, ONE MARRIAGE is out in December and MISTRESS UNDER CONTRACT is out in March 09.
Thanks and apologies again!
~Natalie
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