Aaaaaaahhhhh.....

by Anna Campbell

If I'd been writing this a little over a month ago, that title would have been AAAAARRRRRGGGHHH as I shrieked with the pressure of getting my latest manuscript in. But right now, I'm taking a bit of a break. I'm still making an effort towards constructive activities, but I'm not stressing out. I'm taking my time, catching up on things like writing articles, answering emails that have dust on them and reading blogs and doing tax.

In between, I'm refilling the well. This is what a lot of writers call letting the mind wander, doing things that inspire, letting the emotions and the energy recover from the marathon effort of getting a book done to a deadline.

Because I write big, dark, passionate books, I always get to the end of a story feeling like a wrung-out rag. I go through all those tortured emotions with my characters! Many times as I write and rewrite!

In fact, I told a friend of mine I didn't have the energy to get out of the way of a charging bull if one was headed for me. Probably a slight exaggeration, but only slight! This period of recuperation and relaxation is necessary for me before I launch into the next Regency noir.

So what do I do to refill the well?

Writing is a fairly solitary occupation so after I finish a book, I try to see my friends and get out of the house to remind myself that there actually is a world away from my feverish imagination and my tortured characters. I also just spend time veging out doing nothing particularly constructive. One way I relax is to have a glass or two of red wine. I can feel all the troubles of the world drift away with that first sip.

I swim. I'm lucky with my deadline this year that the book finished and the summer arrived at the same time. I find drifting around in a swimming pool on a beautiful sunny day while the birds sing and the sky is a perfect blue dome above is ideal for relaxing the mind. By the way, sadly, this is NOT my swimming pool. It looks like something from a Harlequin Presents, doesn't it? I should alert my friend Annie West - I can see one of her Sheikhs powering up and down this pool!

And best of all, I've had a chance to catch up with some of the books weighing down my TBR pile. So far, there hasn't been a dud amongst them! On my website this month in My Favorite Things., I'm talking about some of the treasures I've found. So pop over and check it out if you get a chance - I'd recommend every single book I mention there!

Of course, the TBR pile still blocks out the moon. But I've learnt it always will. Once I take something off it, I put three more things on. It's so sad to be a reading addict!

So what do you do to relax?

IT'S ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS...

IT'S ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS...

And not just for our characters. But for us. And here are a few memories from my daughter's wedding, which took place on the pretty island of Guernsey just off the coast of France.

After just about the worst summer I can ever remember, the day dawned warm, fair and fine. with a cloudless blue sky.

Amy, her dad and I began the day with leisurely breakfast. Family began to arrive soon after -- including a ninety-three year old aunt who'd flown in for the occasion -- and there was time to look at old photographs my cousin had brought with him.

Then it was off to the hairdresser. Mine was a big guy with a lot of hair and tattoos -- very different from Rachel back home in Llandeilo -- and three times as expensive!

We seem to have missed lunch -- excellent breakfast at the Cobo Bay Hotel! -- and instead went off to have makeup done.

I got dressed then went to help Amy into her dress. It was the first time I'd seen it in all it's glory (we live two hundred miles apart) and it was just beautiful. Champagne lace with a fish tail train, little lace shrug and a gold sash. There was quite a battle with the endless buttons -- there was a moment when I thought they had me beaten! -- but we got the better of them. Then there was the debate whether or not Amy should wear the fingerless satin and lace gloves. Absolutely! They were the perfect finishing touch.

Amy's "borrowed" were the pearl earrings (the pearls came from the Sheikh of Bahrain's pearl beds) that her father had made for me when she was born. The final touch was the little pearl and diamante tiara. And then I took her down to her father.

Oh, proud man!

Unlike most brides, Amy arrived early at St James's Hall -- the Registrar was amused. "You're eager," she said. Of course she was. It was her show. She'd arranged the whole thing herself and everything ran like clockwork.

The photographer took some pictures, then I went inside, leaving her with her father. There was time to give the groom a big hug, kiss all the new family that has now joined ours before settling down. Then Pachebel's Canon faded and "All You Need is Love" burst out as the bride arrived on her father's arm. The groom, his best man and most of the guys around were all members of a rock band called Subliminal Girls, (as well as having the very necessary day jobs) so, as my ninety plus year old aunt remarked, it was all a little bit "rock and roll".

The civil ceremony was short, as these things are, but intensely moving. Afterwards, Alice, one of Amy's friends, gave a reading called "Love is Giving" which began:

Love is giving, not taking,
Mending, not breaking,
Trusting, believing,
Never deceiving ...

Then the groom's sister, Harriet, sang The Rose a cappella.

She's only sixteen but has the most beautiful voice and the last line nearly got me, but the mascara stayed intact. It was the most joyful occasion and despite being a "blubberer" of the first water, I was just too happy to even think about tears.

The ceremony was followed by loads of photographs outside St James's Hall before the bride, groom and all the younger element set off for the reception in a 40 seater bus, getting waves from children on their way home from school, as they drove across the island.

Dad gave a lovely, emotional speech that made us all laugh and -- Amy cry. He wrote every word of it himself, by the way. The cake was cut, and then there was that special first dance, but in minutes all the guys -- and the bride -- were lined up playing air guitar and the party began.

Finally, here's a photograph of the sunset over Cobo Bay just to show you where we were.

Liz Fielding's latest Harlequin Romance, WEDDED IN A WHIRLWIND is available this month in print and ebook form.

On The Move - Christina Hollis

For as long as I’ve been working as a writer full-time, I’ve kept a regular routine. I start work the minute I get in from the school run. Once the computer is up and running, I start on the work in progress, aiming for a thousand words. There’s a tea break at ten-thirty, helped along by a bit of cake or chocolate, of course! Then I work on until lunchtime. That’s generally around one o’clock. A quick read-through of what I’ve done during the day, and then I take a walk. Until this year that could be a ramble of up to three miles, finishing at the local school in time to meet my son for the walk home. Then in March this year I got cellulitis and reactive arthritis in quick succession. For a long time a walk of one hundred yards was practically impossible, much less the ten thousand steps I used to aim for each day. Stuck at home, what’s a woman to do? Trying to take my mind off the aches and pains, I spent more time sat at the computer. The harder I tried to work, the more difficult it became. So then I hit the comfort food in a big way. Oh, dear. The more cake and chocolate I ate, the faster my clothes shrank. I bought a new dress for the Mills and Boon Centenary party in February this year, and what a horrible shock when I came to try it on for the Authors’ London lunch in September! From being a little bit too big in spring, autumn found it rather, er, snug here and there.

That was a wake up call. Luckily Michelle Styles, who writes historical fiction for Mills and Boon, happened to say that her new rowing machine is a great aid to inspiration. Exercise helps her think. Then I got chatting to Carol Mortimer, who was so enthusiastic about her new project that she really inspired me. All it needed then was for Michelle Reed to tell me that when the work is going well she writes without a thought for time-tables or word counts. Now I’m feeling better, I’ve started walking again – power-walking this time, so it’s more like real exercise. That kick starts the inspiration, so by the time I get back to my desk in the morning I’m raring to go. And hooray - my waistband isn’t digging in quite so much today.

Let’s hope my new burst of enthusiasm can combat Gloucestershire’s dreary November weather, or it’ll be back to the comfort food!

Christina

www.christinahollis.com

Exhausted by the evil genius that is my son

I had planned to do a nice writerly blog about one of those nice writerly sorts of topics but to be honest I'm completely exhausted and it's all because I own a Scorpio son. You see this particular Scorpio is going to be six next week and to say he's excited about his birthday wouldn't really be doing it justice. Obsessed is probably a better word. For weeks he has been scheming what sort of presents he will get and by lieu of talking about it every minute of every day (think water torture without the water) we somehow found ourselves going to Toyworld and buying these presents on the strict understanding that he couldn't have them until next Friday.

Fools that we were.

Instead of getting some peace my son is now spending every minute of every day trying to negotiate a new contract so that he can get his hands on the presents sooner. I tell you that if the government really wanted to get information from enemies spies, all they need to do is give them a NeoShifter Energy Base and then send my son in after them. He would have them begging for mercy in no time at all. And oh how I wish I was joking.

The worst of it is that the minute the birthday is finished he'll start working on a Christmas campaign which will probably make his current assault look like something an amateur might do. In fact, I feel weak at the knees just thinking about it. The only consolation about having such an evil genius of a son is that every now and then he turns his scheming mind to my problems, like the other day when I was busy trying to come up with some cute things to put in my Zombie Survival Packs for when my new book, Zombie Queen of Newbury High comes out next year.




I had just about given up on trying to find anything cute and zombish to use when he suddenly asked why I didn't just use his favorite candy - yup, you guessed it - they're called Zombie Chews and I only buy him one every week from the corner shop. Mom zero. Genius son one. Oh, and of course when I went and bought twenty Zombie Chews guess who managed to get three for himself? Oh, to be so brilliant!

So, does anyone else have an evil genius and if so, any tips on how to stop them from fleecing you would be greatly appreciated!!

The Trouble with DIY

I'm taking a bit of a risk with this post. You're soon going to find out new things about me. Like I'm stubborn. Wait, you already knew that? Shoot. Or that I'm cheap (though I prefer the term frugal, or fiscally conservative). But there are times when a girl just has to be practical, weigh all the options, and do what she thinks is best. There are times when she has to look at the pocketbook and ponder. And there are times when it just seems to make more sense to Do It Yourself.

At this point, you, the reader, might be nodding sagely. Bless your frugal, practical heart. I'm with you. I really am. Or at least I was. For the most part.

Or you might be laughing your butt off at the moment and thinking "God girl, I've been there! You and your poor, deluded, traumatized self should have some chocolate. And a case of wine."

What started it all is something kind of exciting, to be honest. I am having a blast setting a series of books in a fictional town, yee haw! I created Larch Valley out of my favourite things to do with the Canadian West. My first book in Larch Valley, The Rancher's Runaway Princess, is coming out in January, which means that in less than a month, it'll be available on eharlequin and in the hands of Reader Service Subscribers.

I really wanted to do something special, not just for it, but a place to highlight all of my books set there. So I decided I should have an offshoot site from my main website. Great idea! Fab! Exciting!

Only my webdesigner wasn't able to help, a few other roadblocks popped up. I looked at the cost of having someone do a template for me - after all, content isn't my issue, it's the graphics and the html. (Just typing those letters, h-t-m-l, gave me an all over body shiver). I pondered, deliberated, debated. But circumstances being what they are at the moment, I thought in a moment of confident genius that THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN DO MYSELF. I'm smart. I've learned a lot about computers in the last few years. Easy peasy, right? Go for simple, clean, informative. No worries.

One day I worked 20 hours. On one page.

The next, I got up and started again only for code to go wonky, everything go sideways, me on short sleep cursing and crying, and in a moment of absolute weakness, a jammed keyboard tray. Oh, and my kids were home from school that day...who says education doesn't happen at home?

One screwdriver and fixed tray later, I soldiered on, and finished in time to cook dinner. Hooray.

Tonight my husband said, "you should go in and fix that. It's easy." After I shot him dead with a laser-beam glare, I almost wept just thinking about it.

All in all though, blood, sweat and definitely tears aside, I did it myself. To see the results, head on over to Larch Valley and take a look around.

And please remember...I write books for a living. Thank GOD!

Travel life lists

Last week, I was on the isle of Capri. It was a day excursion from where we were staying in Sorrento, and it was somewhere I had wanted to go for a long time. And yes it does have more than a whiff of glamour about it. Little expensive boutiques lined the narrow winding streets, and the villas cling to the hillsides. Apparently Gorky, Lenin and Stalin stayed on the island before the Russian revolution. The house Gorky had was truly magnificent.
Actually, the entire holiday in Sorrento included places where I had wanted to go for a long time, places that were on my travel life list -- Pompeii and Herculaneum chief amongst them. And having been there, I do understand why they feature on so many must-visit-this-place-in-my-lifetime lists. You can see photos from my trip on my blog... And when I went searching for links about the Villa of the Papryii, I discovered the Smithsonian life list -- 28 places to see before you die or they disappear.
Some of the destinations are on my list, and others are not. It is the thing about lists -- all down to personal preference and bias.
But the whole experience had me thinking about why and when I put things on my own personal list and whether or not I agreed with the list as both my husband and I are keen travellers. I find my list is far more bent towards history, than towards nature. My husband's list is more bent towards nature. We compromise...
The only problem with going to see somewhere that has been the top of your list is that then you have to find a new chart topper... I think in my case it is Venice. And yes, there is a definite Italian/Greek bent to my list. I blame extensive reading of Harlequin as a teenager...
So I wondered what tops other people's lists? Or is there anywhere people have gone that they thought -- oh I must tell people about this...

In other news: My Regency -- A Question of Impropriety is officially published in the UK tomorrow. So if you are interested in winning a sign copy. Please email me at Michelle@michellestyles.co.uk with the answer to the following question -- what book is the heroine reading when she drives her gig into the mud puddle at the start of the book? You can either click on the browse feature or find the extract on my website.
Please put tote bags contest in the subject line. I will draw the winner on 13 November. Good luck.

UPDATE: Laurie G was the first name out of the hat. I have also emailed Laurie. Many thanks to everyone who entered.

A Time To Reflect

Life is in a whirl at the moment.

I live and work in the Washington, D.C. area. And national events within the last 24 hours have dominated my world. How can I not be affected by the U.S. election experience?

My political persuasion doesn't matter. What matters is the democratic process that was used to build, develop, inspire a nation. An experience that occurred without warring factions, bloodshed, or threats of suppression.

Children and young adults were included by parents and relatives to bear witness to their civic responsibility. My children held mock elections at their schools. They were excited about the level of debate among their peers. My daughter had friends who didn't agree with her idealogies. But more importantly, they could still be friends.

I'm happy that as a woman, I can vote. I can be equal. I can be a romance writer without persecution.

I'm happy that as a mother, I can guide my daughter towards opportunities and choices of life.

Every four years, the election process underscores what America is all about. And simply, I love it.

Michelle Monkou

Sister, sister-what's in a name? - Ann Roth

My women's fiction novel, My Sisters, is out this month, so I'm focused on sisters. There are so many aspects to the relationship between sisters. I have been and will be blogging about some of them. You'll find a list of blog dates and links below.

What's in a nickname? Plenty if your sister coined it. Or your mom. Or anyone in the family, especially if everyone calls you by that name even now, when you're grown. A name is like a label. Someone calls you Miss Neaty-pants, you either toe the line and keep everything in your life spic-and-span, or rebel and live a cluttered, messy life.

Even if you don't have a nickname, you might be labeled, say this way: "She's a troublemaker." Chances are, you'll do what you can to live up (or should I say down) to the family expectation.

I won't tell you the labels that define Margaret, Rose and Quincy, the three heroines in My Sisters. But trust me, their nicknames have profoundly affected them.

Do you have a nickname for your sister (or someone else in the family)? Does she have one for you?

Looking forward to those nicknames, and thanks for stopping by.

Ann ("smart, with good common sense")
http://www.annroth.net/

For more blogs on sisters, check out the following:

http://www.noveltalkblog.blogspot.com/ (10/30)
http://www.loveisanexplodingcigar.com/ (11/6)
http://readerslounge.catanetwork.com/ (11/7)
http://www.toberead.wordpress.com/ (11/11)
www.ninc.com/blog (11/12)--
My Sisters, Zebra, November 2008

Talking in Circles - Isabel Swift

The first time I was asked to give a talk, I was totally terrified and utterly clueless! Luckily, scrolling back to 6th grade English saved me. Here are some insights & tips that should help you succeed if faced with a similar challenge. You do want to look good and not blather, don't you? Read on....

First, determine your subject! Then you need to take it somewhere…. Simple, eh? (Remember Topic Sentences?)

Tell your audience:
1) What you are going to say and why they are going to be glad they listened.
2) Say it.
3) Remind them what they have just learned, and why it is useful for them.

These points seem simple—and they are. But simple doesn't mean easy. Doing them takes actual thought—which doesn't make it easy, but does make it work.

Simply put, your listeners want to know why they are going on this journey with you, so you need to share their Destination, their Reason for going, and the Benefit of taking this trip with you. If you can make it fun, so much the better. But that I can’t teach—hey, I’m an editor, not a magician.

1) What are you going to say & why they are going to be glad they listened:

While presenting may seem to be all about YOUR knowledge, it’s actually all about your audience and THEIR needs. As you are mulling over what you know, your filter must always be 'why does my audience care?' (Well, I'd say it in a much ruder way, but you know what I'm getting at). You’ve been asked to speak because of your expertise & knowledge in an area of interest to the audience. Think about what the audience would want to walk away knowing or be inspired to do after listening to you.

Side advice: RESIST explaining why you’re not really qualified. Pull up your socks and fake it. No one wants to hear how stupid they are to be listening to you! They want to know they’re going to learn something that will be useful to them.

The good news with presentations is that people can't remember much more than three things they hear. Really. Think about the long talks you've listened to brimming with information and detail. How much actual knowledge did you really walk away with? If you're honest, it's just going to be a few points. So as a speaker, figure out the few (~3) key points that illustrate/explain/amplify the subject you’ve selected (and remember the subject needs to be interesting and relevant to your audience).

2) Say it:

So you've figured out what your audience is interested in & you've communicated why it's going to be worthwhile listening. Now do for each point what you're doing for the presentation as a whole.

Determine the key elements (~3) to point #1 of the three points you selected to explain the subject of your talk. As you go through each element, think of an illustrative example to make you point and ensure it comes alive.

Example: Say your Subject is that you are going to tell your audience "How to write a compelling story that will appeal to readers & sell. " Maybe your 3 Points are that they must:

A) Understand their strengths and weaknesses as writers
B) Research their idea and the market
C) Grab the reader's attention with their story

And (of course) you'll explain why all these points are going to deliver an increased chance of success and benefit your listeners.

A) Strengths and weaknesses could have three or so sub-categories illustrating a few techniques to judge what is working/not working in their writing:

i) Personal preferences
ii) External feedback
iii) Market alignment

You can then share a good and a bad story about Personal preferences to educate your audience about the pros and cons of that method of judging ones work (how it can lead them astray/how it can be on target).

Same drill for External feedback, same for Market alignment. Conclude with pulling it all together: remind your audience that these are the tools they have to work with to determine their A) Strengths/weaknesses are and help them select the kind of story/voice with their writing that they should be focusing on to best achieve their dream of "How to write a compelling story that will appeal to readers & sell."

B) Researching the market for salability. Same drill as A), pick three or so key elements and illustrate with examples to make them come alive. Pull it all together and remind readers how researching their idea and the market—along with focusing on their writing strengths—is going to help them "Write a compelling story that will appeal to readers & sell."

Guess what you do for C) ? You got it, pick about three key elements, illustrate them, pull it together.

The time you have to speak will change the number of points you choose to make & illustrate. The above could be a five minute top-line piece of advice with one or two illustrative stories. Or it could be an hour, with illuminating stories and details—but always connecting to your stated goal. Think of it like lovely scenic detours that add enjoyment and depth to the journey. But don't lose your direction or have your passengers feel they won’t reach the final destination with you!

3) Remind them what they have just learned, and why it is so useful.

Your closer—like classical music—recapitulates the theme, reminding your audience of the promise that you made: to tell them "How to write a compelling story that will appeal to readers & sell." You’ll remind them of the key elements that are needed to get there (A, B, C); why they're important; how they'll help your listeners achieve their dream.

That's how to create a presentation that will leave your audience with a sense that you're a coherent and compelling speaker--and that they've learned something useful. It's easy to get lost going down a lengthy path of linear information. Don't. Talk in circles…and arrive at your destination.

You can leave them with a quote that illustrates your point and alerts them that your presentation is over…and they may applaud!

…We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
T.S. Elliot
The Four Quartets/Little Gidding

Do you have tips to help with presentations?

Isabel Swift

http://isabelswift.blogspot.com/

EVERY BOOK HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY

I am peeping blearily out from the inside of the deadline cave – which seems to have become my permanent residence! – to ponder on the fact that books have personalities. At least during the writing stage.

I wish I was super-confident and full of self-belief. But I never have been, and even after ten Medicals, I still feel as scared as ever – if not more so – when I finish a book and wait in utter terror for my lovely editor's verdict. It doesn't get easier. In fact, it gets worse. For me, at least. I certainly don't take anything for granted and assume that just because I have had one ... or ten ... books accepted, that the next one is going to be a walk in the park. Sadly not! On the other hand, although the terror is horrible, it can also be a good thing. I think that if the day ever comes that I get complacent, don't care and don't keep trying to write the best book I possibly can, is the day that I should give up.

Right now I am on the final chapter of Med number eleven, the deadline is looming ever closer, and the fear that this is the one that ends up in the skip is increasing hourly. And one thing that this book has really brought home to me since the moment I sat down to write it, is that every book has its own character and personality.

It's been my experience to date that no two books are the same. I'm a pantser. And I'm character driven. Which means I set off on page one, my hero and heroine in my head and hopefully talking to me, with an idea of how it is going to end but less of an idea what is going to happen to get us there. I know the hero and heroine. I know their backstories. I know their fears, their motivations, their hopes and their dreams.

With some books, my hero, heroine and I are clearly on the same wavelength, and we set off on the exciting journey together, all heading in the same direction. But now and again, I'll come across one character who is as difficult as can be, who either goes walkabout and doesn't pay attention, or who throws a tantrum and makes life very difficult for all concerned. Annie was like that. She has appeared as a secondary character in a few books and was always lovely – a loyal friend and a terrific doctor. When the time came for her to tell her own story, (out next May and titled The Emergency Doctor Claims His Wife), she morphed into an awkward and feisty woman who really didn't want to be in the limelight and have her comfortable world turned upside down. She's happy now, of course, and glad that I nagged her into taking part, but she certainly didn't make it easy for me. Or for her hero, Nathan.

The current wip has fallen into a category all its own and one I have not encountered before. And hope I won't again, either!! From the first moment, my hero and heroine have been determined to do things their way. They are both independent, strong-minded people, who decided that the vague plans I had for their story were ridiculous and I could either bow to their wishes and go along for the ride, or I could get stuffed! They knew what they wanted, they would work things out for themselves, thank you very much, and they didn't need some half-wit author sticking her oar in and telling them what to do.

I sincerely hope that they know what they are doing – otherwise this book ending up in the skip and me being booted out of the door will turn into a reality rather than a nightmare. If only I can encourage them to the end of this last chapter ... They will get their happy-ever-after – and I will be biting my nails and worrying myself silly awaiting my editor's verdict.

And then I have to do it all over again! I have two further deadlines looming ahead for two more contracted stories, plus a host of other characters in my head who keep demanding that I hurry up and get round to them, and can't A&B nip in ahead of Y&Z because they are all ready to go. It's a wonderful problem to have, I know, but I just wish that they could all stop talking at once and/or that I could write faster!

In the meantime, I am in the lucky position of having two books out at the moment. My fifth Medical, Their Christmas Vows, was released in the UK last year in the Christmas Weddings anthology. I'm delighted to say that this anthology is now out in the shops in the US. It also contains a Modern/Presents by Carole Mortimer and a Romance by Shirley Jump, so this anthology, packed

with feel-good festive fare, warmth and emotion, will make an excellent stocking filler for all those who would like to snuggle up by the fire this Christmas.

Their Christmas Vows is a Strathlochan story that introduces paramedic Callie Grogan and flight doctor Frazer McInnes, both of whom work on the air ambulance. Callie has a difficult journey to make, not only due to her frightening brush with illness, but also because the impact of her past experiences make it hard for her to trust. She's heard about Frazer's reputation as a fun-loving Romeo and is not pleased to be assigned to his crew. Their first meeting only confirms her opinion of him. But Frazer is not as he seems. Neither is he daunted by Callie's touch-me-not façade. He's serious about his feisty, beautiful colleague and wants more than anything to make her his Christmas Bride. In Frazer, could Callie have found a man she can believe in? Can she trust him – and herself – and step towards a happy and loving future?

The second book, out in the UK in November and in Australia/New Zealand in December, is Dr Devereux's Proposal. This title is number 12 in the Brides of Penhally Bay series which has been running one book a month in Medicals this year as part of the celebrations for Mills & Boon's wonderful 100^th Anniversary. It was an honour to work on this series, and to be lucky enough to write two books, numbers 8 and 12, and a big responsibility to be asked to bring this exciting series to an end. Or is this just the beginning?! A thread is left hanging, so let's hope we can return to Penhally Bay again in the not too distant future!

In Dr Devereux's Proposal, gorgeous French doctor Gabriel Devereux arrives in Penhally Bay and sweeps popular physiotherapis Lauren Nightingale off her feet. Will their passionate affair lead to a happy-ever-after, or will issues from the past and worries of the present come between them and threaten their future together? I hope you will read it and find out. Gabriel & Lauren were fabulous to work with – I wish every hero and heroine were as co-operative! – and this was one of those welcome books that was a joy to write. It was also very emotional. Penhally Bay is a very special place ... a place where hearts are made whole.

(By the way, can I just reassure you that there has been no wife-swapping in Penhally! The covers on my books, 8 and 12 in the series, are gorgeous ... but should be round the other way! Chloe, in book 8, has dark hair and Lauren, in book 12, has blonde hair!)

Love,

Margaret

http://www.margaretmcdonagh.com/

What Do We Want From Our Heroes? - Melina Morel

In the courtly literature of the Middle Ages, the hero chose a lady to adore from afar and serve. No hugging, no kissing, no fooling around. It was a beautiful concept, the lady put on a pedestal and worshiped by a brave knight who lived to do her bidding, slay dragons, dispose of enemies and in general, make himself useful to his beloved while pining for some small token of her esteem. Love, with a capital L.

Fast forward to modern times. The heroine has a job, duties, responsibility, but still in her heart she yearns for a man who will make her feel like a princess. Even if she actually has a job that provides her with the cash to live like a princess, she wants her One and Only. Romantic love lives. But what does she want and who does she want?

Years ago, a friend of mine surprised me in the middle of the work day by remarking that the first time she saw her ex-husband roaring down her street on his motorcycle, long blond hair flying in the wind and a wicked gleam in his eye, she was hooked. They had quite a saga, with good times and bad, and enough drama to fill volumes, but the memory of that first glimpse of her man of action will never go stale, and will probably remain with her into the furthest reaches of old age, a dazzling memory of a time when all the world was theirs for the taking.

What kind of man puts a sparkle in your eye and makes you want to keep turning the pages? Do you like the flashy guy with the attitude who makes you want to take him down a peg until you find out he really has a heart of gold. Do you like the Take-Charge man who can solve any problem except the female mystery he encounters in the person of the heroine? Or do you like the untamed guy, revving his engine and daring the woman to come along for the ride, even though it’s going to be a wild one?

Tell me what kind of hero rocks your world.

Melina Morel

http://www.melinamorel.com/

Shop-O-Phobia

Shop-O-Phobia

Maybe being a writer allows me to be alone more than other people. Unlike most folk, I spend hours alone in my office imagining the world in different ways. I also blog everyday at Redroom.com, which keeps me from playing ball outside with the kids, too. However, I do have to go out into the world twice a week to teach three classes in person. I go to meetings. I do readings at book stores—currently I’m out and about with my new novel Intimate Beings.

So I don't think of myself as a misanthrope. I've seen the Moliere play, and I'm not as angry and irritated at the human race as the main character Alceste. I love people and am willing to be with people pretty much all the time. Sure, they piss me off on a regular basis, but I am always happy to give them another go because where else could I get such amazing entertainment? People crack me up. People are exciting. We are all so ridiculous and bizarre and strange. We say and do the most electrifying and funny things, and I want to be there to catch them.

But I do not like this: driving into a crowded parking lot on a hot Sunday afternoon, just barely finding a space, and then looking out across the thronging throng of cars and people, understanding that I have to get out and mingle with the masses. That I have to mix it up with all of them. Stand in line and buy a half pound of shrimp with them. Push, move, stand in line some more.

I don't want to do it. I don’t want to budge. And then, for god's sake, don't make me go into Long's and Trader Joe's, too. For the love of Mike or anyone else, could you let me stay in the car? But could you pick up some hair conditioner and tampons while you are there?
Maybe I have a very specific form of agoraphobia, the kind that strikes at Macy's, Whole Foods, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, strip malls, 4th Street in Berkeley. I have to gird my loins, force myself out, put on my invisible battle armor and go. Into the stores I forge, carrying patience and amnesia. I don't want to wait for anything, but I'm going to have to, so I want to forget it.

But some stores are too much of a threat, and I abdicate my responsibility of walking one inch in their doors. Berkeley Bowl—an immense, crowded, poorly aisled store--sends me into catatonia. I have been whapped my shopping carts in the thigh, shin, and elbows, while trying to find the apples and bread or waiting at the meat counter. No one seems to follow the rules of traffic there, and you know what? I’m not going in there unless forced to by hunger.

Costco gives me claustrophobia even though the ceilings are 100 feet high. Home Depot makes me want to wear a helmet and shoulder pads, so sure am I that a toilet will fall from the towering racks.

The problem is that I need things from these stores. I want the new sweater at Macy’s and the incredibly fresh produce and the glasses I can only find at Sur La Table. Somehow, in both of my long term relationships, I've found men who actually like to go into places like Costco and Home Depot and Sears. If I put things on the list, things magically appear.

Sometimes I did and do find myself having to go into the stores as well, but I try to do my "share" of the shopping at times when the throng is a thong instead of big girl panties. One-thirty pm, Whole Foods Oakland. Twenty parking spaces available on the lower lot. Perfection. Trader Joe's, Monday at 2 pm. I can park right in front of the store. Ideal.

No one whaps me with their shopping cart. The man behind the meat counter actually begs me to buy up something because he has nothing to do.

Online shopping cures my holiday list anxiety, and I have been buying already, knowing that between now and the end of December, I have four birthdays and two major religious holidays to deal with, one of which goes on for a number of days and involves more presents.
Shopping is a euphemism. I've been clicking. And imputing credit card numbers. And clicking some more.

I have my consumer capitalist hat on, even though I need to take it out and prepare for the apocalypse. But I'm not ready to stop yet, despite what my anarchist son Mitchell tells me. I want to buy things for people. And I want to enjoy living, and I want to enjoy people, just not in parking lots and packed stores. Instead, I want them all around my table eating the food I've bought at convenient times, and opening presents I've purchased online.

Jessica Barksdale Inclan

Find Betsy A Boyfriend - Monica Ferris

Betsy needs a boyfriend. She has had two romances in the course of this series. The first was Morrie Steffans, a retired police detective who wanted Betsy to sell her shop and move with him to Florida. When she refused, he moved away alone. Down there, he found a new girlfriend. But he could move back. He is tall, with a lantern jaw and jug ears. He admires her talent for detective work, and has gentle manners. A widower, compassionate and decent. (I really liked him, I don’t know why I let him get away.)

The second was Stan Omernic, a hard-working police detective. Good looking in an Eastern European way, very competent. In Sins and Needles he is married (but he could get or already be divorced) with children. Honest, not too cynical, tolerant.

The third? Well, invent someone, one of you. Or tell me why to bring back one of the above two.

Betsy is fifty-six, short, plump, intelligent, hard-working, funny, open-minded, a church-going Episcopalian. She is independently wealthy (though that may change if the economy keeps sliding). She owns her own business and sleuths on the side. She keeps a cat. She needs a boyfriend she can keep!

Because of my wide readership, I am offering a choice of prizes to the winner:

1) A hand-painted canvas by Peter Ashe called Winter Cottage, not stitched.2) A sampler pattern called “A Sampler for Merry Pat” from Blue Ribbon Designs.3) “The Long Thistle” cross stitch chart from Landmark Tapestries.4) An autographed ARC (Advance Review Copy – bound galleys) of Thai Die.5) An antique (around 1912) toy typewriter from Simplex.6) A skein of fuzzy yarn (mohair, wool, nylon blend, 50 grams, 122 yards) in fall colors from The Gourmet Collection, suitable for knit or crochet.

The rules of the contest: You have until November 15 to invent a fictional male boyfriend for my sleuth, Betsy Devonshire. He needs a name, a physical description, and a solid outline of his character. Add any details you like, such as how they meet – though that’s not necessary. Oh, I need to like him, too. Winner gets his/her choice of one of the five prizes – plus a copy of Blackwork (in which the new boyfriend will appear), suitably autographed.

Go to my web site, Monica-Ferris.com, and contact me through there. Thank you, and good luck!

Monica Ferris

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like. . . what?!

I just looked at the calendar and realized that Halloween is sneaking up on me in just a couple of days.

All Hallow’s Eve. . . Samhain. . . . The day when the veil that separates the world of humans from the world of the fae is at its thinnest and most vulnerable. . .

Lately, I’ve been overwhelmed with all things fae. I just read Karen Marie Moning’s latest book, FAEFEVER, and it ends (no spoiler here!) on Halloween. I’ve been researching the mythology and history of fairies for a new trilogy I’m working on for my first BRAVA release. I received an invitation from a friend to attend FAIRIE-CON in Philadelphia, where there will be fairies and costumes and social events and leading authors and everything I could possibly ever want to know under one roof.

So, I should be ready for Halloween….

But, then, it snowed today. It’s only October and it snowed here in the northeast! An actual Nor’easter formed off the coast yesterday, rained out the World Series last night and dumped some snow in PA and NJ today.

And snow always makes me think of. . . yep!. . . Christmas! I don’t know why that link is still live since my area in southern NJ hasn’t gotten a good Christmas snowstorm in decades and actually got very little snow at all these last couple of years. But, it still happens.

I already pulled out my matching snowman cups and plates in case I need to make hot chocolate. I went hunting for the little mouse that marks the days of December as we move closer to the holiday. I even found myself checking my Holiday card mailing list. And worse, my local grocery store has already shoved the Halloween candies to one side and begun setting up the Christmas items! Yikes!

So, now I’m getting ready to get ready for Christmas!

I am so confused! This is beginning to remind me of the routine in the Mel Brooks’ movie SPACEBALLS when Dark Helmet and his commander are watching the previous scenes of the movie IN the movie. And he keeps asking, “Is it now?” and the answer is always, “No, it’s not now, it’s then.” Or “When will it be now?” “Soon!”

So, tell me – is it now? Or are we waiting for then? Are you celebrating Halloween this week or have you already moved on to Christmas? And, ohmigosh!, when is Thanksgiving? Which is your favorite? Post a note and tell me and I’ll award a small prize to a random poster.


Terri is celebrating the release of her novella BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE in the Regency Christmas anthology ONE CANDLELIT CHRISTMAS, on shelves today, from Harlequin Historicals. Visit her website at www.terribrisbin.com for more info about her upcoming books and other events, both now and then!

Your Favorite Romance Cliches by Diana Holquist

I've been doing the last wave of revises on my next book, How to Tame a Modern Rogue.

One of the things I like to do in the last pass is to highlight all the cliches I can find, and then try to change them. I'm talking about cliched phrases like "her heart raced." Cliched actions like, "her breast heaved as she reached for his manhood" --

--wait--

--just kidding, I'd never write that one in the first place. And also cliched situations or characters (oh, shoot, the bimbo in scene one is blond and buxom! Scratch that!).

So, I was wondering--what are your favorite/least favorite romance novel cliches?

I'll pick my favorite from the comments to win a free copy of Hungry for More.

Have fun!

--Diana
win free chocolate!

Where do you get your ideas? - Helen Bianchin

One of the queries an author is asked is ... where do you get your ideas? From life is too simple an answer ... perhaps events that happen in life is more accurate. Taking an idea and giving it a twist, employing a reality fact and weaving it into fiction with a romance element. In the case of a Harlequin Presents, that involves a sexy romance!

Sometimes an item in the media will spark an idea, an event in a television series, a conversation ... anything, anytime, anywhere.

So how did the idea for the plot of Purchased: His Perfect Wife come about?

For me it was the result of a conversation I had with a friend. A conversation which began quite innocently and revolved around a recent (at the time) news item involving loan sharks. The kind who lend money very short term at exorbitant interest rates ... those whose mantra is "pay on time and you'll be fine. Don't, and you won't".

As often happens, this inspired a "what if" scenario. I needed a realistic plot, a situation that could happen. The how and where and why took some thinking and planning time, and just when I thought I had it, a more plausible approach sprang to mind.

What if the heroine in my story is a chef who co-owns a restaurant with a financial partner, and the partner clears out their bank account and absconds with the money leaving her in debt? Although she presses charges, the bank won't lend her any further money. Desperate, she borrows money from a dubious source on the basis her stepfather will transfer the necessary funds into her account ... except he's killed in a car crash before he can effect the transfer.

The backcover blurb says it all ... "Lara needs cash fast. Her business partner has duped her and her beloved restaurant is in crisis. Only Wolfe Alexander, her tall, dark, brooding stepbrother, can help. Wolfe needs to marry to meet the terms of his late father's will, and when beautiful Lara begs him for money he sees his opportunity. A Powerful attraction has always simmered between them and he'll help if she'll be his convenient wife! With no choice to to accept, Lara is soon swept into a world of high-society glamour, and passion beyond her wildest dreams. But where is her husband's love?"

I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed writing Lara and Wolfe's story.

I'd love to hear what ideas spark your imagination and prompt a reason for a story.

Regards to all,

Helen

The Immortals - Robin T. Popp

I’ve just spent the last year working on two new Immortals books. The first is Immortals: The Haunting, being released next week (Oct. 28) and the other is an anthology in Immortals: The Reckoning titled “Beyond the Mist” (March, 2009). The Immortals series began back in 2006 (released 2007) and the intent was to do four books. Jennifer Ashley – who came up with the initial concept – wrote the anchor books while Joy Nash and I were asked to write the two books in-between.

We had no idea the series would be so popular, though I’m thrilled it was. After getting to know the fifth Immortal warrior through the first four books, it seemed inevitable that he have his own story – and of course, it was logical that Jennifer write it. I never expected Joy and me to be asked to do another story in the series, much less two.

There were only five Immortal warriors and they’d each had their story and happy ending. What were we to write about? We had a clean slate.

I had two characters from my first book (Immortals: The Darkening) that had potential: Ricco the First Fang of the largest local vampire gang and Mai the wood nymph reporter. Having done the Night Slayer Series, I was in the mood to try something different, so I decided to write a story about Mai. But what? At the end of The Darkening, she and Ricco were dating. It’s no fun writing stories where the romance is over before the story begins. The fun is in the chase, not the catch.

Solution? They broke up. :)

Because Immortals: The Haunting was slated to come out in October, I wanted to do something spooky and what’s spookier than seeing things that aren’t there?

Immortals: The Haunting begins eighteen months after the big battle in Immortals: The Gathering. Mai has been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ever since. The hallucinations she’s been having have caused her to lose her job. Just as she tries to get back in the game as a freelance investigative reporter, she’s attacked in her apartment by a masked assailant who warns her off the story. He nearly beats her to death before he’s chased off by a handsome stranger, whose sexy voice and gentle touch soothe her injuries. Then he, too, disappears leaving her alone and bleeding. When she’s finally able to tend to her injuries, she’s shocked to discover she hasn’t any. There’s no blood, no bruises and no swollen eyes. In short, there was no attack. It was yet another horrific hallucination – and the handsome stranger, no more real than the attack.

Thinking a change of scenery is needed, she moves into a new apartment, not realizing it’s haunted. When one of her new neighbors mysteriously vanishes, Mai seeks help from spirit walker Nick Blackhawk. His ability to move about in the spiritual realms allows him to track missing persons when the police can’t.

What follows is a thrill ride through the streets of New York City and the shadowy realms of dreams and wishes. With a steamy attraction to one another to distract them, Mai and Nick soon find themselves in Trouble with a capital “T”.

Check out the video trailer for this book at http://www.robintpopp.com/ or go to http://www.immortals-series.com/ to see all the Immortals book video trailers.

To make sure I was in the right mood to write this story, I listened to a compilation of music that consisted of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (that great organ classic), Chopin’s Funeral March sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor, Op. 35, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana: O Fortuna, Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King (from “Peer Gynt Suite No. 1”), Overture (from “The Phantom of the Opera”) and for those who aren’t into classical music, #1 Crush (by Garbage). These make great Halloween Party tunes as well.

In March, look for the conclusion to the Immortals series with Immortals: The Reckoning. This books contains three anthologies by Jenn, Joy and myself.

"Blood Debt" by Joy Nash Jackson Cabot's bright future went dark in 1896 Paris, when he died and was turned vampire. After three decades of slavery in the service of Europe's brutal vampire master, Jackson discovered a secret that has allowed him to hoard power. Now, at last, his strength approaches that of his rival, and he exists solely to take vengeance on the two beings responsible for his eternal nightmare: the monster that turned him vampire -- and the beautiful Sidhe muse who killed him.

"Wolf Hunt" by Jennifer AshleyJeanne Fergusen was the lowest of the low in her werewolf pack, a captured wolf who could never rise in the pecking order. When she becomes the victim of demon wolf-hunters, she instinctively turns to the one man she trusts - Logan Wright.

"Beyond the Mist," by Robin T. PoppHaunted by her past and reeling from her sister's murder, Jenna Renfield takes a cruise hoping to have a little fun – and escape the company of sexy, but obnoxious spirit walker, Dave Runningbear. Almost from the start, the cruise turns out not to be what she expected – prickles of death magic, ghostly wailing in the night and an creepy albino stalker. When Jenna realizes her life might be in danger, she’s more than happy that Dave followed her on board the cruise ship and turns to him for help, hoping they can both escape with their lives when the ship carries them "Beyond the Mist."

My best to all and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Robin T. Popp

http://www.robintpopp.com/

You Can't Go Home Again...Or Can You?

That’s what they say, but I just realized something: I don’t believe that. In fact, I’m kind of obsessed lately with the idea of a “do over.” In my books, I love to send my characters back to a place they’d thought they’d left behind forever...and make them deal with the consequences. So far, I’ve sent a showgirl to her former hometown to claim an inheritance that’s under dispute by the local bad boy (Josie Day Is Coming Home. I’ve booted a down-on-her-luck fashion stylist from Hollywood and sent her to the snowy Midwest to deal with a hunky former pro-football player while she rebuilds her career (Home For The Holidays). And right now, I’m sending a runaway witch back to her old magical stomping grounds to learn about...whoops! That’s my work-in-progress, and it’s top secret until I turn in the manuscript.

Ahem. Moving on... In a similar vein, I’ve also reunited a few ex-lovers in my books (Reconsidering Riley, The Honeymoon Hoax, Her Best Man, My Best Friend's Baby). Because if you ask me, a lovers’ reunion is just another version of returning home again. After all, these people are truly meant for one another. What’s more of a homecoming than returning to the arms of someone you loved (and lost)? I’m crazy about the idea that everyone deserves a second chance...and would rise to the occasion if that second chance ever arrived.

Which is weird, actually. When I’m not wearing my author hat, I’m a very forward-looking person. If I could go back and change anything in my life, I wouldn’t do it. Period. I’m happy where I am now. But my poor characters don’t have that option! They have to go where I send them. And I have to admit...they cope admirably with the challenges they face, right up to their (much deserved) happily-ever-after endings. So why am I so obsessed with filling my stories with “do over” scenarios? It’s anyone’s guess. But as long as I keep finding interesting ways to refute Thomas Wolfe (at least some of the time), I think I’ll keep it up.

So... Do YOU believe in second chances? Would YOU like to have a “do over” of your own? Let’s discuss!

~Lisa

- - - - - - -
Bestselling author Lisa Plumley has written more than two dozen books for Zebra Books and Harlequin Historicals, including contemporary romances (Home For The Holidays, new!), western historical romances (Hallowe'en Husbands, in stores now!), and stories in romance anthologies (Santa Baby, reissued!). Her funny, warmhearted style has been likened to such reader favorites as Rachel Gibson, Jennifer Crusie, and LaVyrle Spencer, but her unique characterization is all her own. Please visit Lisa at www.lisaplumley.com, be her friend on MySpace or Facebook, or drop by her personal blog today!

Celebrating

As you probably know, this year is a very important year for Mills & Boon. 2008 marks the centenary of the date when Gerald Mills & Charles Boon established their publishing company in 1908, with a capital of just £1000. All through the year there have been events and parties, exhibitions and celebrations to mark this special event. And on a personal note I've been travelling here there and everywhere in the UK to take part in as many of these special events as I could.

Last week I was in Guildford, as part of the Guildford Book Festival, to mark the 100th Birthday yet again. In the afternoon I ran a workshop on writing romance - to mark the second edition of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance - and then in the evening I was on a panel to talk about writing romance and Mills & Boon's 100th birthday all ove again. I shared the evening with fellow M&B author Gill Sanderson who writes Medicals, romantic novelist Katie Fforde and romantic comedy writer Matt Dunn. We had a wonderful time talking about writing, sharing our enjoyment of romantic fiction, and asking 'what's wrong with a happy ending anyway?' )Answer from the audience- nothing!)

But the event was also very special for me because I was celebrating something rather lovely of my own. For the past week or so, I've been doing the Snoopy dance of joy and smiling a lot.
Because I discovered on the Romantic Times web site that not only have they give my new novel, Bedded By The Greek Billionaire 4.5 stars but they have also made it one of their Top Picks for November.

I am so thrilled by this. In fact I've achieved a long-held ambition. A l-o-n-g held ambition.
I've had some good reviews from RT, generally pretty respectable. And The Twelve Month Mistress was short-listed for Best Presents in 2005 but I've never achieved that elusive Top Pick for the month.

Now I've finally manged it and Bedded By The Greek Billionaire had a wonderful review as well. The reviews aren't up on the RT site yet, but my lovely friend Holly Jacobs (who got 4.5 stars herself with her fabulous Same Time Next Summer in August ) subscribes to the magazine and she was able to find the review and send it on to me so I can share it with you. (Thanks Hall!)

Seven years after he left in disgrace, Angelos Rousakis is back in London. He'd been attracted to Jessica Marshall but knew she was too young. But she wouldn't leave him alone and when her stepfather found them in what seemed to be a compromising position, Jessica placed the blame on him. Now Jessica's stepfather has died and she learns Angelos is now the owner of the estate. When Angelos sees Jessica he expects to feel triumphant but now wonders if his hate isn't masking something else. Kate Walker's Bedded by the Greek Billionaire (4.5) is a delicious melodrama full of dizzying emotions as the reader goes along with the highs and lows as this couple finds each other again. —Sandra Garcia-Myers

Great isn't it? Thank you RT - and Sandra Garcia Myers.

And then to cap it all, I found that over on We Write Romance they loved this book too. On that site too they've chosen this book as the Spotlighted Review - and given it 4 stars out of a possible 4.

And another review to lift my heart and make me smile all over again:

Looking for that book that can make your heart bump up to your throat with emotion...and stay there throughout the entire book? Well, then look no farther. Kate Walker's Bedded by the Greek Billionaire is just that emotional thrill ride you've been looking for in your next read. . . .

Jessica and Angelos' story is one full of emotional twists and turns. And though Jessica is not as emotionally mature as I would have liked, Angelos more than makes up for it. The two together are wonderful. This book was truly inspiring. It shows that as a teen we often make mistakes that can hurt others, but there are second chances in life that make it possible to make up for those mistakes. I would definitely recommend this book, but I would warn you not to start it unless you can stay up all night finishing it!

Times like this, when you realise that a book you've written has really succeeded and you;ve touched the hearts of readers and reviewers are what an author lives for. It means that the long hours spent on your own, creating imaginary worlds, imaginary characters, have all been worthwhile. And achieving a long held ambtion like getting a Top Pick just makes it all the more special.

So that's why I'm celebrating this week - and when I celebrate I like to share with my readers. At the workshop, I had some special Mills & Boon Centenary goodies to give out and I still have a few of them left. So I have two sets of special Centenary Goody giveaways to share. All you have to do is to tell me what you're celebrating - let's make this Good News week - and I'll get Sid the Cat to pick two names out of the comments and they'll win the special prizes.

I'll add in a copy of my own special Centenary publication, The Duke's Secret Wife which is part of the Centenary Collection this year.

Because good news is worth celebrating.