New Beginnings

New years always bring new beginnings. Of course they do, you say. It's new! And it's both exciting and just a little bit scary at the same time too. So, what new beginnings am I looking at so far this year.

1. The launch of the Diamonds Down Under continuity with Silhouette Desire. The first book in the continuity, VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM, by Bronwyn Jameson, is out now and sets the scene for our awesome series. For more information about the series, the books and the authors involved visit our website and bookmark our blog so you can be in to win some amazing prizes including diamonds, editor and agent critiques and more!

2. My new release in February, very appropriately titled, TYCOON'S VALENTINE VENDETTA! We had a wee hiccup with the back cover and inside copy where a name change for the hero didn't quite make it to production but hey, it doesn't affect the story, right? And ooh-la-la! Don't you just love this cover! I know I do and it's perfect for the characters and the story. And, in even more fun, if you visit Harlequin's Valentine's Day website you'll get to see the cover in a spot the differences game.

3. New authors for me to read. I'm sitting here typing this and looking at my TBR pile and smiling happily at the thought of tucking into these wonderful books. It's always fun to read new authors along with my old favourites. Since I'm between contracts right now I have plenty of time to read and I'm making the most of it!

So, as we head into a new year with new challenges and special moments to look forward to what is it that you're looking forward to the most right now?

Yvonne Lindsay is currently sweltering in the New Zealand summer heat and thinks lying around and reading a book is the perfect way not to raise a sweat! For more information about Yvonne, visit her website http://www.yvonnelindsay.com/ or check out her blog http://yvonnelindsay.wordpress.com/

January, by Bronwyn Jameson

January has always been one of my favourite months, from way back in my childhood. It's a given, really, when our Australian school year ended in December and resumed in early February. I grew up on a farm and harvest, the busiest time of year by far, also finished in December. January stretched before us, a whole month with no school and no chores. Hooray!!!

If we went on family vacation, then January was the month. Some years we went to our cousins' in the city but I loved our beach holidays the best. Often we stayed with relatives in Avalon, a suburb on Sydney's northern beaches, and it was quiet and safe and we walked to the beach or down to the corner store. I loved the beach, the water, building elaborate sandcastles and collecting shells. Simple things like wearing rubber thongs (flip-flops) or going bare-footed which were absolute no-no's on the farm.

When our sons were younger we followed the tradition, taking them on beach holidays where I could revisit my childhood love of sand construction under the guise of "playing with the kids." I also got to borrow their boogie boards. Hated when they whined "but it's mine, Mum, give it back!" My husband isn't a big fan of the beach (I love him despite this blemish), so we mixed it up with holidays in the cooler high country and driving trips to Tasmania and along the Great Ocean Road.

I'm sure my memories of those happy summer holidays still colour my impression of January as the number one month. Now we tend to travel at different times of the year but January is still a relaxed time. It's also like a rebirth, the start of a new year, where you can put disappointments and droughts behind and say, "THIS year will be better." In January anything is possible in the twelve months ahead.

On December 31 I took time to clean up my office and to think about my writing year ahead. I have 3 books to write. I've booked my flights for the Romance Writers of America conference in San Francisco in July. Before then I have a writers' retreat to look forward to as well as two books coming out, both of which have special significance to me.

The first should be making its appearance in North American bookstores right about now. VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM is my 13th published book and my biggest challenge to date. As part of a continuity series -- DIAMONDS DOWN UNDER -- conceived and developed by the six authors involved, it took at least twice as long to write as any previous book. That's because of the work involved in putting together the whole series arc, the continuity threads, the backstory, research, and cross-checking everything with the other authors to make sure we were all on the same page.

Now the first book is out, the website has launched, our blog is running and I think I'm as thrilled and proud as when my first book came out. I guess there's nothing left to do but kick off my shoes and walk barefoot through the summer excitement.

What does January represent to you? Do you have a favourite month, and is that coloured by your childhood memories?

VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM is set in Sydney in January, although there is little relaxing for Kimberley Blackstone and Ric Perrini as they battle to overcome old misunderstandings and mistrust -- and to secure the future of Blackstone Diamonds -- in the wake of a shocking accident. Visit the Diamonds Down Under website for the goss on the series, to read excerpts, and for a chance to win some awesome prizes. Diamonds, anyone?

Reading One's Own Books -- Bronwyn Jameson

There of many joys in being an author; near the top of my list is the arrival of author copies of a soon-to-be-released book. These are the complimentary copies sent by the publisher, and opening the box and seeing the actual book for the first time never fails to delight me. There's something almost decadent about seeing so many copies of one's book in the one place.

This week I received my author's copies of VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM, and this one delighted me even more than usual. The lovely cover looks even better wrapped around the book. The back cover blurb sets the ideal tone for the story. I opened a book and read the Dear Reader letter and the dedication, as I do with each new book, and I thought about all the work that went into getting from original idea to printed book and the people who helped me get there. In this case that involved a lot more work and time and people than usual, because this is the first book in Diamonds Down Under, an author-led continuity series.

I think I can safely say that none of the six authors had any idea just how much work would be involved when we embarked on this project. But now that the hard work is over and the series is close to kick-off, we share an extra degree of pride in the accomplishment and an extra spark of excitement in seeing the finished product. Which brings me to the point of this post....

Usually I don't read my books, for several reasons. Firstly, I'm afraid of finding typos or printing errors and being something of a perfectionist that just stresses me out. Secondly, I've read the manuscript enough times through edits and proofs that I really don't need to do so again. There are so many other wonderful books out there to read -- I never have enough time to read them all, so why waste time on my own? Thirdly, there's the little niggling concern that the story might not be as good as I want it to be.

But this time I surprised myself by reading Vows & A Vengeful Groom from cover to cover, and it wasn't nearly as painful as I imagined. Who knew? *g*

So, authors, do you read your own books when your author copies arrive? And readers, do you (like me, the perfectionist!) notice typos and errors in printed books? Do they irritate you or can you read right by them with scarcely a blink?

Vows & A Vengeful Groom is my 13th published novel and a January 2008 release from Silhouette Desire. Visit my website to read an excerpt and the lowdown on how the Diamonds Down Under series came about.