Winter is coming...

Winter is coming, the clocks have gone back and now the nights are longer I have a yearning for a new hobby. Something to get excited about.

I used to sew but my eyes really aren’t good enough these days and I do sometimes get out the knitting needles but I have arthritis in my thumbs and I can’t keep it up for long. I know – I’m falling to bits.

I do read. A lot. Sometimes obsessively when I’m glomming a new author, but it’s a bit antisocial.

It’s all the dh’s fault. We went to the Tank Museum at Bovingdon back in the summer – it’s huge, they even loaned tanks to the makers of the film Fury — and now he’s having the best fun imaginable building model tanks and then turning them into rusty wrecks for his battle dioramas. Or maybe it’s the browsing on the internet for a gazillion shades of paint, 1:35 scale barbed wire, flora and the thousand and one bits of essential stuff that I envy.

If I had a hobby I could do that…

So I’m looking for ideas, inspiration. How do you fill the long winter evenings when the television is rubbish? I want a hobby that I can seriously shop for!

Meanwhile, here’s what I can do for you. If you’re looking for something free to download to your ebook, Old Desires is free at Smashwords – where you can download for any device, including the Kindle — iBooks, Barnes and  Noble and Amazon will catch up in a few days.

And this basket of goodies including three books of the winners choice, a must-have Rosie tote bag, a pair of snowflake socks to keep your toes warm while you’re reading, a Lindt chocolate Santa sleigh, an ice cream cosmetic bag, an ice lolly keyring and a tartan heart to hang on the tree will be going to one of my newsletter subscribers at the end of November. You have to be in it to win it so if you’re not already signed up to my newsletter do it now on my website

Addison Fox: Something Handmade

As a writer, I spend quite a bit of time in my head. More than that, I like my quiet moments – walks with the dog, an afternoon curled up on the couch with a book or an hour of yoga – interspersed with the craziness of life. I find in those moments I recharge, refresh and process the world around me.

In keeping with my love of a stretch of quiet, recently I decided I wanted to crochet a blanket. I’ve done crochet on and off through the years, but my skills extended to some very neat rows. So I did what any modern woman does…I decided to go on YouTube and found out how to do granny squares.

While I am definitely looking forward to doing some standard granny square blankets – those colorful blankets that have such a wonderful symmetry – I was more interested in learning the technique and then seeing what I might do with it.

If I do say so myself….I’m incredibly pleased with the outcome! More important, I am proud of the fact that I wanted to learn something and set out to do it. I don’t know that we do that as often as we should as we age. When we’re young, our whole lives are about learning. But as we age, our lives become more about routine instead of embracing something new. It was fun to turn back the clock and get excited about mastering a new skill.

What’s also been fun about the project is how refreshed I’ve been coming back to my writing. While working on my squares, I’ve had a chance to work through plot points, consider characterization and focus on where I want my story to go. It was like a creative 2-for-1, if you will!

So what about you?  Is there a project you’ve been wanting to tackle or something new you’d like to learn? If so, definitely go for it! You never know what you might create!!

Thanks for joining me today!

XO,

Addison

Despite early ambitions of being a diver, a drummer or a doctor, Addison Fox happily discovered she was more suited to life as a writer. She lives in Dallas and - thankfully - doesn't have to operate on anyone. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com. Her latest book, THE PROFESSIONAL, will be out October 6th from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com

C. J. Carmichael: The First Sentence Matching Game

In every book I write, no sentence gets as much attention from me as the opening line. If I spent as much time on every sentence I wrote, I’d be finishing my first book...oh, about six months from now. Why is that opening so important? Well, I want to hook the reader into buying the book. But I also want to be true to my characters and the setting, and hopefully hint about the conflict about to unfold.

The best book covers have the same objectives as the first sentence, only using a title and a picture as tools to attract the reader’s attention while giving them an idea of the characters, setting and type of story.

So, theoretically, a good opening line should match the cover of the book, right?

To test this theory I came up with a matching game for my 6 book Carrigans of the Circle C series. Can you match the following opening lines to the correct book cover? (Note: I’ve substituted my name—Carla—whenever the heroine is named in the first line.)

Opening Lines: A, B, C, D, E, F

Book Covers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Share your answers below and on November 6^th I will pick two random commenters to receive an ebook of their choice from me (provided they contact me with their email address by November 8^th). You can shop for your prize here: http://cjcarmichael.com.

One more thing...this month I’m running a contest for a Kobo Glo HD. Wouldn’t you, or someone on your Christmas list, love a new ereader? Enter here: http://cjcarmichael.com/connect.php

It’s snowing in Calgary while I write this, thick, slow-falling flakes that are the true markers of a changing season. Winter is here. Happy Reading!

C. J. Carmichael

Lucy Monroe Recommends: Mediterranean Men

The Mediterranean is on my mind as I am heading out for a three week writing retreat and research trip to Sicily where I will be visiting my niece and her Navy husband.  We'll be taking them on a much needed Mediterranean Cruise.  (Yes, travel is absolutely necessary for realism in my books, thank you very much.)  The beauty of the area (and the men!) makes it a perfect setting for a great romance and I am excited to recommend a few great reads for you while I'm gone.

 

Tara Pammi is known for writing passionate stories that showcase strong willed and somewhat arrogant Alpha males, who change their way of being when they meet even stronger willed women.  I know a few of us out there have had daydreams of trying to tame a Mediterranean man… or two.

Tara’s most recent release, BOUGHT FOR HER INNOCENCE, tells the story of Jasmine Douglas who is forced to put her virginity up for sale and can only rely on a man she hates, Greek Tycoon Dmitri Karegas, for help in deciding what her future holds.  The passion between these two dynamic characters is sure to leave you enthralled for each turn of the page.

 

The Mediterranean man featured in Caitlin Crews' newest book, UNWRAPPING THE CASTELLI SECRET, has the protagonist, Lily Holloway, so desperate to deny her passion for him that she claims amnesia.  The love affair between her and her Italian stepbrother, Rafael Castelli, is something that she so badly wants to block but the attraction between them still holds her in its clutches.

“The rebuilding of their relationship is written in a way that draws you in and you fall in love with both of them. Every emotion is felt here, hurt, sadness , heartbreak and joy and best of all forgiveness. Enjoy how he tries to convince her that she knows him , Another fantastic book by Ms. Crews as always.”-Amazon Reviewer

Romance author icon and personal hero, Carole Mortimer was born in the United Kingdom and has written almost two hundred contemporary and Regency romance novels.  She is a USA Today Bestselling author and was recently granted the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, so it is no surprise that she has a novel on my recommended reads list.

DEVIL LOVER (this month's flashback) tells the story of a powerful Greek magnate named Andreas Vatis.  After a car accident, his wife was seduced and, in a turn of events, the man’s daughter that took Andreas’ wife is hired as a governess in Andreas’ household.  Once he realizes who she is and who her father is, Andreas demands she repays what her father took from him by becoming his wife. 

 

Scarlet Wilson lives in Scotland and has spent the last twenty years working in health services.  She has trained and worked as a nurse, a health visitor and now works in the public health.  She has been writing since she was a child and once she found the medical romance genre, she was hooked!

In HIS LOST-AND-FOUND BRIDE, Scarlet tells the story of Lucia Moretti’s return back to Tuscany after being away for twelve years.  The usually cool, calm, and collected Lucia feels a rush of emotions she is not used to once she lays eyes upon her ex-lover, architect Logan Cascini.  They both begin to learn how to let the past go and discover what the future holds in store for them.

 

On November 16th, my TAMING THE BILLIONAIRE Box Set from Harlequin is going to be released and has a couple of great Mediterranean heroes for you.  In the Box Set is ONE NIGHT HEIR, PRINCE OF SECRETS, THE SHY BRIDE, and THE GREEK'S PREGNANT LOVER. 

In ONE NIGHT HEIR, you get the opportunity to meet Crown Prince Maksim.  He is determined to give his country a much needed an heir and soon discovers his lover, Gillian Harris, is unable to conceive.  That is until he spends one last night in her bed and she becomes pregnant!

 

PRINCE OF SECRETS showcases Prince Demyan who is willing to do whatever is needed to protect his country, even if that means seducing Chanel Tanner into marriage.  His discovery that she is a virgin brings about an even bigger shock to himself....he has a conscience!

 

What is the thought of a Mediterranean man without the thought of seduction?  Greek tycoon Neo Stamos wants Cass with a desire he has never felt before, even though Cass is a sweet and very shy woman.  With some master seduction techniques, will Neo get what he wants in THE SHY BRIDE?

 

In THE GREEK'S PREGNANT LOVER, billionaire Zephyr Nikos has come a long way from where he came, the streets of Athens, but his dark hearted nature still portrays his past.  He has never promised or delivered Piper Madison his love, but what will he do when her pregnancy test comes back positive?

 

With more than 7 million copies of her books in print worldwide, award winning and USA Today bestseller  Lucy Monroe has published over 60 books and had her stories translated for sale all over the world.  While she writes multiple subgenres of romance, all of her books are sexy, deeply emotional and adhere to the concept that love will conquer all.  A passionate devotee of romance, she adores sharing her love for the genre with her readers.

Visit her on the web:
Website
Personal Blog
Book Blog
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Susan Sands: Teen Girls. Need I Say More?

She is beautiful. She owns my whole heart. She used to think I was the most wonderful person on the planet and called me "Mommy."

Things have changed in my household since then. My daughter is sixteen. She is driving. She is dating a little. She doesn't think I'm nearly as smart or wonderful as she did when she was in diapers, or preschool, for that matter.  I'm the constant heavy. I'm wholly embarrassing to her in front of her friends. I question her choices, I warn her about everything from traffic safety to watching her cup at every possible social event. I'm infinitely less fun than I was when I planned her birthday parties at venues like Build-a-Bear and the pottery painting studio.

I love her to the moon and beyond. Oh, but I worry about her coming of age in this society where things are so much the same, and so very different than they were when I was her age. Boys are still highly motivated and will say anything to have sex with girls. That hasn't changed. Communicating that fact is still a challenge without taking all the excitement and thrill out of the first blush of young romance. Does it still exist for more than a date or two these days?

They text and snapchat rather than talk to one another now. Communication between the sexes seems to be dwindling. It's easier to hide behind devices rather than get to know someone's heart. Technology is etching away social skills and manners with its abbreviated form of conversation-making. The wall between people is building, one slow brick at a time because of it.

I wonder about this upcoming teen generation and the complexities of their lives. Life has always been complex, but this added component truly worries me, as it will affect these kids as nothing has before.

I teach my kids manners, respect, and to make good choices. They make mistakes, learn lessons and move forward with hope for the future. So far, so good. Tonight is her first homecoming dance and I'm having a day of excitement mixed with worry. What will happen at the party after the dance? Will the kids make good choices? Not just mine, but all of them. Some will, and some, not so much, I suppose.

I just received a text with an apology from her for leaving her things in a huge mess as she dashed out the door, my strong words ringing in her ears. It's a hard thing...apologizing, for both of us. Neither wants to admit we're wrong.

She's getting her nails done.  I'm heading out to pick up boutonnieres. There will be lots of pictures. Wish us both luck on this exciting and big "first."

I'll be the mom (one of many, most likely) waiting for the text saying she got there safely and that all is well.

Best to all the mommies and daddies! It's truly the hardest job I've ever loved!

Susan Sands
Author of AGAIN, ALABAMA
The Tule Publishing Group

Susan Sands grew up in a tiny town in North Louisiana and graduated with a degree in education from Northwestern State University.   She and her husband, Doug, an Alpharetta dentist, live in Johns Creek with their three nearly grown children. Her debut novel, AGAIN, ALABAMA is a Southern small-town coming home story filled with fun, nutty family, and lots of heart and humor. Grey and Cammie show us that it’s never too late for second chances and healing old wounds. 

"AGAIN, ALABAMA full of Southern charm and beauty pageants, coiffed hair and pecan pie competitions. The story keeps the reader turning pages.” ~Library Journal

Susan loves to connect with readers! She can be found at the following fun places:

snsands@gmail.com

Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/susannsandsauthor

Twitter:  @SusanNoelSands

Blog:  Sweet Home Alpharetta at: http://susansands.com

Sophia Knightly: Kissed By You

One of the most rewarding things about being a writer is the ability to honor a loved one in a book. Georgiana Kincaid, the heroine in Kissed by You, is facing her first Christmas without her beloved Grandma Emmy. Her grandmother is patterned after my mother, Emilia, who passed away this year after a long and full life at ninety-six.

Emilia drew people like a magnet with her irrepressible wit and charm. As a child, I marveled that my mother’s hands were never idle, never empty. She was always sewing or making jewelry or decorating the home she loved so much. A whirlwind of creativity, she was an extrovert who loved people and drew energy from being with them. I admired how resilient she was in facing many challenges with grace and how she managed to bounce back with renewed purpose and vigor.

She was my champion and my hero. Including her as a secondary character in Kissed by You was heart wrenching yet wonderful because it brought back beautiful memories of my mother and Mr. Woods, the man she married late in life, who romanced her and was her devoted dance partner at country club dances when they were well into their eighties.

Kissed by You is about Georgiana Kincaid and Dr. Alex Cortes, and how fate brings them together on one magical Christmas Eve. Alex is mourning the death of his parents five years ago on Christmas Eve and a painful, unresolved issue with his mother. Georgiana is reeling from a series of disappointing events and heartache that shatter her belief in a happily ever after.

Kissed by You is dedicated to all the believers in Christmas miracles and the magic of romance because Alex and Georgiana’s self-discovery and unforeseen awakening of love are nothing short of a miracle. 

What lovely memory do you have of your grandmother?  Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Tropical Heat Series Box Set!

Kissed by You is available for .99 cents until October 30th!

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/1Esgclk
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1LP5vLS
iBooks: http://apple.co/1UrEwp4
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1NVzSQv
Nook: http://bit.ly/1hy5oHs

I love connecting with readers and invite you to sign up for my Book News & Giveaways Newsletter and read an excerpt of KISSED BY YOU here:  http://www.sophiaknightly.net/newsletter-sign-up.html

Style for Characters

By Joanne Rock

My small town series

You know the saying that a reader lives a thousand lives? Well, a writer writes a thousand lives, it seems. And there are a lot of fun perks to that. Not the least of which is dressing and housing my characters.

As a long time subscriber to magazines like InStyle and Southern Living, I’ve spent a lot of hours daydreaming over beautiful clothes, homes and landscaping. But no one person could possibly emulate all those styles of fashion or interior decorating. Much as I like Mexican Rustic furnishings, I don’t necessarily have a place to put pieces like that in my home. Lucky for me, every character is a blank slate for my stylist’s eye. Every home an opportunity to either Design on a Dime or pretend I’m decorating a Million Dollar Listing.

Dress your character!

One of my first inspirations for my characters’ wardrobes came from this adorable mini book called Fashion Astrology . I might not have any idea about the star sign of my heroine, but in thumbing through this book, I could choose a whole wardrobe aesthetic for her. Did her closet look like that of an uptown sophisticate? Or was she more of an eclectic, vintage store shopper? I dressed plenty of characters using this as a springboard and my most recent issue of InStyle for a specific outfit or two. I might not be able to afford some of those designers, but who’s to say my heroines were on the same budget? Or  maybe they were just better shoppers than me. Either way, I let them wear what they liked.

Bungalow in my Superromance

Houses were equally fun to dream up. From Central Park West apartments to California coast bungalows, it’s always fun to think about where a character might choose to live. And better still, how they might decorate. Some characters are Spartan, never acquiring too much. Others are collectors, with snippets of their past all around them. I like seeing what the surroundings tell me about their personality. Recently, I underscored my heroine Heather Finley’s backstory (from Dances Under the Harvest Moon) by having her live in a converted bungalow on her parents’ expansive farm property. Sure, she had some space between her and her mother. But she’d never left her hometown and her home reflected that. I did make it charming though, with a small porch for a swing and an airy loft bedroom.

Marchesa for Desire heroine

Recently I started writing for Harlequin’s Desire line, and this series allows me to really push the boundaries on wardrobes and decorating. There is no budget in the Desire world of wealth and privilege! Now, I can shop on Net a Porter and find gorgeous designer gowns to send my heroines to elegant charity fundraisers. I find it funny that after I “shop” for a while, my Facebook feed fills up with ads for other clothes I can’t afford, continually asking if I want that Marchesa gown or Louboutin shoes. Well… maybe not today. I already gave them to a lucky secretary swept off her feet by her wealthy boss.

***Are you addicted to HGTV or fashion magazines? Do you have a favorite store to browse through—online or in real life—looking at things you aren’t prepared to buy but just love to look at? Share with me in the comments and I’ll give one random poster a copy of my Harlequin Blaze, MY SECRET FANTASIES.

Eve Gaddy: Writers' Magic

Writers are a fun group. When we get together, be it at a conference or a retreat, or just lunch with friends, we talk. Sure, we talk about our families and what's going on in the real world, but we talk about our books. A lot. No one understands a writer better than another writer.

My family is used to me by now, but my daughter is still amused to hear my friends and me talking about our characters as if they are real. To us they are. Otherwise they wouldn't be nearly as much fun to write about.

I think there is something in the air at a writers conference that promotes creativity. Perhaps it's being able to plot and talk in person. As my friends know, I have to talk about my books before the story gels for me. Unlike some of my friends--you know who you are--I like talking on the phone. I like FaceTime a lot too. But nothing beats talking in person. The creative sparks fly, ideas flow and sometimes, especially if we're tired, we come up with the craziest stories.

Plotting on airplanes is fun. You have to be careful, though. Once I was plotting Just One Night aka 'the bomb book' on an airplane with my friend and writer buddy, Lenora Worth.

The heroine is a bomb unit detective, the hero her prime suspect in a bombing. Since we were on the plane we couldn't say the word 'bomb'. We finally came up with 'that big thing that happened.'

Another time my writer buddy, Julia Justiss, and I plotted an entire Regency Urban Fantasy series on the way home from a conference. That's a series I can't wait for Julia to write.

The last two conferences I went to were RWA --Romance Writers of America-- in New York City and Novelists Inc.--Ninc--in St. Pete Beach in Florida. I'm writing a new Romantic Suspense series and I talked about it at both conferences. I still don't have it figured out. I think I'm just going to have to start writing and hope there's a little magic left over from the conferences to help me along.

My most recent release is The Billionaire's Charade, Book 5 of the Amalfi Night Billionaires series. (I love this cover.:)

I plotted some of that with two of the other authors of the series, Nancy Robards Thompson and Mimi Wells. At Junior's Restaurant in NYC. (Junior's has the most incredible cheesecake, which I'm positive lends greatly to creativity. And adds to the waistline, alas.) It is also loud. Extremely loud. Which made discussing books interesting.

Check out all the books in the series.

The Billionaire's Temptation (Book 1) by Katherine Garbera

The Billionaire's Deception (Book 2) by Mimi Wells

The Billionaire's Betrayal (Book 3) by Nancy Robards Thompson

The Billionaire's Secret (Book 4) by Kathleen O'Brien

The Billionaire's Charade (Book 5) by Eve Gaddy

A Hero From the Wrong Side of the Tracks - Annie West

I've written a few romances now. Well, okay, more than a few. More than twenty five published ones, in fact. (Yay!) And I'm in the process of deciding what story to write next as I've just handed a book in to my editor. The world is my oyster as I let my imagination run free to come up with a romance I'm burning to write. I'm also in the lovely position of having a book out now, called SEDUCING HIS ENEMY'S DAUGHTER so you can see there are some exciting things happening right now.

 

As a result, my mind has been drawn again and again to the sort of hero I'd like to write next. He'll be strong, I know that, and determined. Will he be tortured by a difficult past, or maybe happy with his lot in the world?

 

I confess that, because SEDUCING HIS ENEMY'S DAUGHTER is currently receiving reader feedback (positive, I'm glad to say), I've been thinking a lot about Donato, my hero in that story. He's a classic rags to riches hero. Born to poverty, he'd lived most of his childhood in places most parents would fight to keep their kids away from. To say he came from the wrong side of the tracks is an understatement. He understood the seamier side of life while still young, but a series of events which could have broken a lesser spirit, instead make him determined to succeed and make something positive of himself.

 

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about Donato was that he'd got where he was (with wealth, confidence and success) on his own merits. He didn't get a head start from his family but worked against the odds to succeed. That takes courage, determination and energy. I think too that appeals to the part of me that enjoys seeing the underdog win. He turned his life around after an early brush with the law and incarceration, which made him see the two different directions his life could take in stark detail.

 

So now I'm wondering if my next hero should be a hero with a dark past, from the wrong side of the tracks and past actions that have made him the man he is today. Or perhaps someone born to privilege, who's known success and has a golden touch.

 

What do you think? Do you enjoy seeing the underdog come out on top?  Or stories about a reformed bad boy? Or do you prefer stories (like the sheikh stories I enjoy) where the hero was born knowing he carried the weight of duty as well as privilege on his shoulders.

If you're interested in checking out SEDUCING HIS ENEMY'S DAUGHTER here's a taste

Donato Salazar can’t forget his tragic past and he has no intention of forgiving the man responsible. Jilting his enemy’s daughter will be the icing on the cake of his revenge, and beautiful Ella Sanderson is certainly sweet enough.

Except Ella isn’t the vacuous socialite he expected and she refuses to marry him! Her rebelliousness only makes Donato want her more, so he’ll have to persuade her…touch by breathtaking touch.

But soon Donato finds himself enthralled by their magnetic connection. As their fake wedding day approaches, one question weighs heavily on Donato’s mind: to love, honor…and betray?

and a few links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Harlequin
Annie's Website