Old Dogs, New Tricks? ~ Anne McAllister

I've been writing romance novels for thirty years. Well, actually, my first one was published thirty years ago, so I've been writing them a bit longer than that.

It wasn't exactly the dark ages still . . . but can you say the word: "typewriter?"  Yes, me, too.  Also "white-out" and "cut-and-paste" (the real scissors and tape event, not the virtual less messy stuff we do now) and "change the ribbon."  Also, "carbon paper." Yikes.

I was on my sixth book when I got a computer.  And I had actually finished the first/second/third/umpteenth draft of the book when I got it.  I stared at it and wondered how I would compose on it.  I didn't.

I taught myself how to use it by typing the entire manuscript into the computer (black screen with orange printing. Who remembers that?  It felt like every day was Halloween).  Later  -- when that book was gone -- I would learn to compose.

But first I printed out a draft of book # six, then took it to the post office and mailed it.

Unlike now, it didn't come winging back after lunch with a revision letter attached.  I actually had a couple of weeks to breathe and to even start a new book.

But I digress. What I'm getting at is that the way we work on books has changed -- at least those of us who have been around years and years and years.

I still use my Word Perfect software in a newer incarnation because I can't live without "reveal codes."  But I convert it to .rtf for those who can't deal with Word Perfect.  And I do my edits and revisions online in Word, which I have learned to work with in self-defense.

So, I'm good at learning some things, better at others, not good at all at a particularly daunting few.  But usually I can work something out -- or work around it.

The time has come, however, to make -- or try to make -- another leap.

I've had enough people tell me that Scrivener is a great way to work on a manuscript to be eager to give it a try.  I'm particularly interested in it because I'm in the throes of working out the logistics of a four book series which needs some inter-locking moments rather than being totally sequential.

Scrivener looks as if it can help me accomplish that. IF (and it's a pretty big if) I can come to terms with it. I've done an online course in it, I've read a book or two about it. And I have some books I want to e-pub that I thought I might dump into Scrivener like I did my sixth book with the computer to sort of figure things out while I don't have to be creative at the same time.

So . . . I need advice. If you are familiar with Scrivener, what's your opinion?  What is the best approach to take to learning how to use it? What tips and tricks to dealing with it can you suggest?

Do you love it? Do you hate it?  Do you have a better idea?  It looks pretty do-able, so far, but then I start "doing" and I get stuck and I want to tear my hair.  Then again, sometimes  when I actually begin writing in the program, I forget all the bells and whistles and screens I don't know what to do with, and I actually write and it's effortless -- just me and the story.

Those moments make me think I'll get there some day.

So, here I am -- old dog looking to master a new trick, or at least, for me, a new software program.  I'd welcome all the help I can get!

And since this is the last time I'll be here this month, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Happy Kwanza, or the goodness of the season.  Thanks for sharing your comments and views throughout this past year.  Hope to see you here next year as well!

photos: 
dog -- mine
typewriter: By Oliver Kurmis (Self-photographed) [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
Scrivener -- logo from my purchased copy of their downloadable version.

Hot Christmas nights - Kandy Shepherd

Christmas Down Under falls in summer. It’s hot. Sometimes very hot. Sometimes so hot the thought of cooking dinner in a sweltering kitchen becomes untenable and Aussies head to the barbecue to cook the festive feast. (Except in my English heritage family where anything other than the full-on traditional Christmas dinner is non-negotiable!)

A summer Christmas Down Under also means vacation—our summer vacation is when school and university have their long break. Holiday time runs from late December all the way through to the end of January. It means for people living on the coast time on the beach, for those inland on rivers and lakes and mountains.

With all the sun, the heat, the relaxing the holiday season is a great time for romance. I’ve had a lot of fun collaborating with a fabulous group of Down Under authors to produce a boxed set of seven brand new, never published before novellas around the theme of Hot Christmas Nights, which launched on December 1.

Wonderful, original novellas by Rachel Bailey, Michelle Douglas, Louisa George, Helen Lacey, Stefanie London,  Jennifer St George and me. What fine company I'm in!

Best selling, award-winning and rising start authors all contributed stories for this collection. They live in Australia or New Zealand but their novels, published by international publishers, go all around the world. They’re a really nice bunch of people and working with them was a great delight. The stories in Hot Christmas Nights range from sweet to super steamy and all “hot” in terms of romance!

My novella Millionaire Under the Mistletoe is a reunion romance—one of my favorite types of stories to write. There’s something that really appeals to me about giving a second chance at love to two people who so obviously should be together but made mistakes that tore them apart. With the magic of Christmas, and a little help from a cat named Morris, in Millionaire Under the Mistletoe, two lovely young people find their way to the happy-ever-after they deserve.

“London-based chef Carly de Luca and Sydney millionaire Dylan Burke broke each other’s hearts four years ago—but old feelings reignite when she makes a surprise visit home for Christmas. Can Carly and Dylan let go of past hurts and take a second chance on love?”

I couldn’t pick a favorite from the six other stories in the collection. Each is sensual, emotional and beautifully written. The glowing reviews we’re already getting are gratifying!

Hot Christmas Nights is available at Amazon for the bargain price of $0.99.

For my December post I would like to wish everyone a very happy festive season and holiday—to those who celebrate Christmas and those who don’t.

And a very special wish and thank you to Lee Hyatt for hosting me at Tote Bags 'n' Blogs. I look forward to seeing everyone next year!

What's your ideal Christmas? I'd love to hear about it! Make a comment if you'd like to be in the draw for one of two e-book copies of Hot Christmas Nights  Please include you email address and whether you'd prefer mobi or epub download.

Kandy Shepherd is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

Connect with Kandy on Facebook and Twitter

Katherine Garbera: A Cowboy For Christmas

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season as much as I am. I'm baking and eating lots of cookies, watching holiday movies each night and reading lots of holiday books.  Are you like me? Do you reread certain books at different times of the year?



One of my favorites is a novella that Linda Howard wrote many years ago called Mackenzie's Magic.  Possibly because I have loved all the Mackenzie books starting with Mackenzie's Mountain.  I'm sure I'm not the first person to have mentioned these stories by Linda Howard but she was writing prolifically for Silhouette (now Harlequin) when I was in high school and her books were part of the reason I wanted to become a writer.  You can check out the story here.






I am also reading a new release by one of my best friends Nancy Robards Thompson called His Texas Christmas Bride.  The story is heartwarming and I love it.  This story is part of Nancy's Celebrations series for Special Edition.  Check it out here.







My holiday story A Cowboy For Christmas is on sale starting today for .99.  If you haven't had a chance to check out the Scott Brothers or this story, please check it out.

What's your favorite holiday read/movie/song? Tell me to be entered to win the e-book of A Cowboy For Christmas, Cowboy, It's Cold Outside and a Cheryl's Cookie card.

Liz Fielding: What I'm reading this month...

It's December, definitely time to read all those brilliant Christmas romances on the shelves and I confess I'm a bit ahead of myself here so I'm sharing my best so far.

First up is the last of Sarah Morgan's Puffin Island trilogy - Christmas Ever After. It's time for Skylar to dump the horrible bloke she'd been stuck with in the last two books and find True Love. It has to be said that Alex would not have been her first choice. He wouldn't even have been on the list, but if you've been reading this fabulous trilogy you'll know that they've been sniping at one another for months and that's only ever going to end in one place. Totally delicious!

Another fabulous read is Jane Porter's Christmas at Copper Moiuntain, one of the Montana Born Christmas boxset stories. A grouchy widower, a woman whose heart is in bits and two kids who need a cuddle really badly. I took my Kindle to bed for an early night and read this from beginning to end. And when I'd finished I had to turn my pillow over because is was soaking wet with tears. Just the loveliest Christmas story. And I still have all those others to go!

And still waiting on my Kindle I have Donna Alward's Christmas at Evergreen Inn - the last in her Jewell Cove series. Can't wait to get into that.

And The Runaway Christmas Bride by Scarlet Wilson

Finally, I've just downloaded Hot Christmas Nights - a Lovecats Down Under box set including books by Michelle Douglas, Louisa George and Kandy Shepherd (who I had the joy of sitting next to at an author lunch back in September).

Last and very much not least, since this is my post of the year I want to wish you all (in no particular order) readers, writers, bloggers, reviewers, the very happiest Christmas you can imagine and a New Year filled with peace and joy.

Addison Fox: Something New

While I’ve always considered myself a creative person – especially as writing is such a large part of my life - over the past year I’ve begun finding additional ways to channel my creativity. From crochet to cooking, I’ve made a concerted effort to try my hand at new things.

The funny thing about trying something new is that it stretches the mind in ways you don’t expect. Can I double that recipe? Will that pattern work with that yarn? Even more enjoyable, the time I spend on other projects pays dividends when I return to my writing work. I see new possibilities or the words flow a bit faster when I come back to my work in progress.

I’m a big fan of the TV program America’s Test Kitchen and a few weeks ago they made Julia Child’s French apple tart recipe. Inspired after watching the program, I set out to do the same. In full disclosure, here were the results:

On the plus side:

·         A gorgeous-looking tart I texted to pretty much every person in my phone

·         Two hours of preparation and cooking, all spent gabbing with my mother (which is ALWAYS time well spent!)

On the not-so-plus side…

·         I didn’t make the crust correctly. My tart pan was larger than the recipe so I attempted to double the ingredients and made a miscalculation somewhere with the butter

·         About two solid sink-fulls of dishes as this sucker takes some serious prep work

I bring this up because trying something new doesn’t always provide the results we hope for. I was incredibly excited to serve this after Thanksgiving dinner and the crust was pretty much inedible (which is probably a good thing as it had enough butter to sink a ship!) That said, I figured out where I went wrong and know the next time around will be better.

In this day and age of gorgeous photos on Pinterest and well-curated tales on social media, it’s easy to think everyone else has got this life thing down. They can whip up a dinner party or keep a garden or kick the snot out of every task they attempt. It can make trying new things scary and intimidating – after all, we humans love our bragging rights (I did gleefully text that photo!)

But the thing is, reality is often far different. Trying something new doesn’t always bear a perfect result. Things don’t always come out as we plan, even when we have a recipe, a pattern or a map.

While my attempts might not always be perfect (or edible!), what my foray into broadening my creativity and trying new things has taught me is that I don’t have to get it right on the first try. Part of the fun is figuring out how to do something and then working to make it better the next time.

Thanks for joining me today. I’d love to hear about your holiday cooking and what worked (or what didn’t.) J

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy new year!

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 next book, COLTON’S SURPRISE HEIR, will be out in February from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com

ROMANCING CHRISTMAS

By Kim Boykin

The holidays are all about togetherness and food and family and FOOD! And love and

FOOD! It is not lost on me that every story I’ve ever written is bound together with passion and food. In many cases, the hero or heroine uses a delicious dish to say, "I love you, I care about you." Just like in my holiday romance, Just In Time For Christmas.

Set in Magnolia Bay, a fabulous little Lowcountry town with its own unique twist on the holidays, Just in Time for Christmas is the story of smoking hot Logan Mauldin

and Miranda Hamilton, a sassy Southern woman who is bit obsessed about making the holidays perfect for her guests at her historic B&B.

Growing up my mom was a master at saying I FREAKING LOVE YOU (of course she NEVER said freaking, but it felt like it ;-) with dishes she made that were to die for. Especially on Christmas morning, when she always made a special breakfast for us to savor after we tore into our gifts.

Sometimes this breakfast was huge, elaborate, and most decidedly Southern. Bacon, grits, eggs, sausages. Chocolate pancakes. Other times it was just a few yummy finger foods. Sausage balls. Tiny quiches. Date nut balls. Carrying that tradition forward, breakfast on Christmas morning at my house can be anything from crab cakes and grits to a festive breakfast casserole.

Food. Love. Holidays. They all go hand-in-hand, especially in the South. So, mosey on

down the page to a few recipes from Miranda’s kitchen, from my mother’s, and from mine, including my recipe for the prefect turkey. All of this comes with my warmest wishes for you and your family to have wonderful and blessed holiday season.

And here’s a little taste of Just in Time for Christmas--

Nobody does Christmas likr Miranda Hamilton, and now that she finally has her chance to chair Magnolia Bay's tree lighting and the cotillion, which benefits her late mother’s breast cancer

foundation, this Christmas is shaping up to be the best ever. That is until her childhood nemesis Logan Mauldin buys his way on her committee and starts making plans of his own.

Logan Mauldin loves to get under Miranda's very sexy skin, and it's only fair. She's

been getting under his since long before their first kiss at 13. Logan’s the last man

interested in co-chairing a Christmas committee or participating in a sexy bachelor

auction, but since that night he interrupted Miranda on a date and cornered her under the mistletoe, he can't stop thinking about her

Christmas cheer isn’t the only thing that heats up between the Miranda and Logan, but, thanks to a lie that is as much her fault as it is his, he loses the woman he’s loved since forever. Logan will need a Christmas miracle for Miranda to forgive him. A grand gesture to melt her heart and win her back just in time for Christmas.

FABULOUS HOLIDAY RECIPES !!!

From Just in Time for Christmas and Miranda’s kitchen, Red Velvet Pancakes!

1 can cream cheese frosting

1 cup whole pecans toasted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons red food coloring

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the flour, white sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt together in a

bowl until evenly blended; set aside. Beat the eggs in a separate mixing bowl until

smooth. Whisk in 1/4 cup milk with the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,

vinegar, and food coloring. Stir in the flour mixture until moistened. Drizzle in the

melted butter, and stir until the butter has incorporated and small lumps of flour

remain.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls

onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook

until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter. Top with syrup and

pecans (and an optional dollop cream cheese icing) to serve.

From my mom’s Kitchen Easy Peasy Sausage Balls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 cups of Bisquick

1 pound of pork sausage

1 pound extra sharp cheddar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like them spicy!)

Mix all ingredients until blended together and form into walnut size balls. Bake for

20-25 minutes until cooked through. Experiment with the doneness and do not over

cook as they will be dry.

From my kitchen, Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

This dish is vegetarian, but I’ve pan seared a mixture of sweet and spicy sausages

together and served them on top of the casserole and it was delicious!

Ingredients

6-8 eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or other hot chili sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced red sweet pepper

3 cups grated zucchini (from 2-3 fresh zucchinis)

1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (from 4-5 fresh tomatoes),

1/2 cup sliced fresh basil (from about 20 leaves)*

4 cups cubed day-old bread (from about 4 slices) I use the flavored artisan

breads. If you can find jalapeno cheese bread, it’s fabulous!

Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add the ricotta and beat until

smooth. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the vegetables and bread. Once you chop the tomatoes, squeeze excess

moisture out of them by pressing them in a sieve, or wrapping in paper towels and

squeezing. Add the tomatoes, basil, and zucchini to the egg mixture. Moisten the

bread cubes with a little water then squeeze out any excess moisture using paper

towels. Mix the bread cubes into the egg mixture.

3 Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish generously with olive oil. Pour the

egg vegetable mixture into the baking pan and even it out in the pan. Sprinkle the

red peppers over the top and press lightly into the mixture to dampen. Place in the

middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. The casserole should puff up

and brown lightly. If it hasn't after 30 minutes at 350, increase the heat to 425° and

cook for 5-10 minutes further. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10

minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

C.J. Carmichael: A Sweet Christmas Reading List

Just imagine if Santa became an online shopper. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he filled your e-reader with sweet holiday romances? I’ve got just the book list for him! If you could pick only one of the following stories, which would you choose? 

I’ll play Santa and grant your wish—but only  to one randomly chosen winner. Comment below with your choice to enter and check back here tomorrow to see if your name was chosen. (Winner is responsible for contacting me with their email address.)

Happy Holidays everyone, from C. J. Carmichael

(And here is the list of sweet Christmas romances for you to pick from:)

A Christmas Homecoming by Melissa McClone

"Bah, humbug" tech billionaire, Josiah Whittaker, refuses to bask in the spirit of the season at the Bar V5 dude ranch so housekeeper Ellie Smith decides give her geek-to-gorgeous guest a Christmas he’ll never forget. With a little help from mistletoe, special cookies, and Santa, she just might succeed! Amazon  iBooks Kobo Nook Google Play

A Christmas Miracle in Pajaro Bay by Barbara Cool Lee

Matt and Lori DiPietro are celebrating their first Christmas as caretakers of the Pajaro Bay Lighthouse. But a danger from Matt's undercover agent past is headed their way. If they survive until morning, it will be A Christmas Miracle in Pajaro Bay. Amazon: 

Venetian Tangle by Beate Boeker

An unexpected meeting with a ghost leads Lorena to Venice this Christmas. Amazon: US:  Amazon: UK Kobo

A Bramble House Christmas by CJ Carmichael

He's followed her to a bed and breakfast in a small town in Montana...but will he find the answers he's looking for? Amazon:   Nook iBooks:  Kobo

Holiday Gifts (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance) by Elena Aiken

There is nothing more romantic than celebrating Christmas in the mountains, except for falling in love there.

Ryan and Julie have both given up on the possibility of falling in love, but when a spunky teenage girl makes it her mission to open their eyes, anything is possible.

Maybe it’s just the magic of the season…but one thing is certain—love might be the best present of all.

Amazon  iBooks Kobo Google Play

A Romance for Christmas by Kayelle Allen

It's Christmas Eve, and the end of a year in which everything Dara loves was lost. Everything but her little girl and a fierce determination to survive. When a cop brings Christmas to her door, he brings another gift she never expected to get. Amazon  Nook  Kobo  iBooks  Smashwords 

Peace & Goodwill by Lee Strauss

Belle gets the best Christmas present ever, a man in uniform! Ian is a soldier home on leave. Neither of them have any idea how good it will feel to fall in love or how hard it will be to say good-bye.
Anna is spending the holidays alone again with only her faithful dog Angel to keep her company. She can't afford to pay the rent and her landlord is threatening to kick her out. At least she's finished with her chemo treatments. She can be thankful for that. Plus, there's Rhys, the handsome visitor with kind eyes.
One fateful, cold and snowy night a chance encounter changes everything. Love is lost. Love is found. Life will never be the same. Amazon

Pamela Kelley by Mistletoe in Montana

Traci just ended a serious relationship and jumping into a new one is not on her mind at all. She'd prefer to focus on getting ready for Christmas--her favorite time of year. Dan is stuck in Montana recuperating from a broken leg and hates everything to do with the holidays, for good reason. But is interested in Traci--will she ever be interested in a Scrooge like him? Amazon