Research . . . ah, research! : : Anne McAllister

I’m off to New York City in early December to do research for the Christmas book I’m supposed to be writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon in 2012. 

It is, admittedly, a little late to be doing research. But the story of my life this year can be summed up in the words “a little late.”  So . . . I’m going. 

And when could I have done it earlier, anyway?  It wasn’t Christmas back in July when I first started thinking about this book.

So . . . I’m asking for your help, you New Yorkers. And you people who would like to be in New York at Christmas or who have been in New York at Christmas. 

I’ve been there most other times of the year, but only in NYC at what might loosely be called “Christmas” for a couple of days shortly after Thanksgiving nearly 20 years ago. 

I need a refresher course.  I have some things I want to take a look at again.  I’m heading for Rockefeller Center and the ice skating rink.  I’m checking out a museum on 5th Avenue, but I haven’t decided which one yet. The Frick beckons. I haven’t been there is a long time.

But if you have a better idea, especially for Christmas, speak up.

I want a wander around the department stores – Macy’s, Saks, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales.  I’m thinking maybe a quick visit to the Plaza for a pre-Christmas tea. And maybe a look in at FAO Schwartz while I’m over there.

I’m taking in Hugh Jackman’s one man show while I’m there. No one said research had to be painful.  And I’m thinking another show would be good. Suggestions? 

Holiday walking tours?  Roast chestnuts?  I’m open for all your best NYC-related ideas. 

I can’t promise they’ll make it in the book, but I can assure you I’ll take them all to heart and see which ones I can make happen.  And we’ll go from there.

Oh, and I promise to report back about what I did when I write next time (provided I’m back and not still there.) 

I don’t know what I’ll be able to write about Hugh.  There are times when words fail me. I suspect that will be one of them.

For her most recent book, The Night that Changed Everything, (Nov. Harlequin Presents Extra) Anne proved she could go home again, as she went back to Santa Barbara where she spent six wonderful years long long ago.  It was great fun – even if she kept getting lost. 

She discovered that lots has changed, except married student housing. It is EXACTLY the same.  She is not surprised.

Lisa Dale: Couponing Grows Up

I was at a baby shower recently in my hometown when a woman piped up.

“I remember you,” she said. She was looking at me. Her eyes were bright. “I was your preschool teacher!”

I laughed. I remembered her too—not her face or her hair, but a general “her-ness.”

She went on: “You’re that kid who used to cut coupons out of the newspaper all the time.”

I laughed. “Yes that was me.”

My favorite thing to do the year before I went to kindergarten was to cut coupons out of the paper. God knows why. And if there were no coupons, I cut out the classifieds ads because they looked like coupons. I said it was for my mom. Really, I just liked to feel helpful. The woman used to pull me out of class so that I could sit with her and cut coupons while she read the paper. I’m thinking she must have been on her break.

The woman said, “You were the weirdest kid I ever met!” At which point, there was a round of laughter and I’m sure my face turned red.

Flash forward, oh, a couple dozen years. After preschool, I got bored with coupons. As an adult, I’ve never been a couponing person. I run to the store, grab what I need, and flee. Actually, I’ve been known to throw coupons away. Too much of a hassle to save thirty cents.

But TLC’s couponing show, Extreme Couponing, really got me thinking.

What if I just gave this coupon thing a try?

Well guess what?

My first trip out, I saved $42! Talk about awesome. And since that first trip about a week ago, I’ve saved about $150 more. Just yesterday I picked up a $100 super duper electric toothbrush for just $30! That’s seventy bucks saved! That’s a nice dinner with my husband. That’s a trip to a theme park. That’s a whole lotta books!

Granted, I’ve had to get organized. Dedicate a bit of time. I have to buy things now and store them until later. No more shopping on the fly. Plus, I’ve had to go to multiple stores to do my shopping, whereas before, I was one and done.

But so far it’s really been worth it. The key, apparently, isn’t just cutting coupons from the Sunday paper. It’s pairing those coupons with retailer deals. Actually, you can get quite a lot of stuff for free when you combine them.

I suspect the people featured on Extreme Couponing area bit showy for the cameras (seriously, how could a person physically use 60 bottles of allergy medication before they expire? You'd die trying!). But still…there are rewards.

QUESTION: Are you on the coupon train? Too much hassle? Or worth the while?

Best,

Lisa Dale

P.S. Comment on my new blog post to be entered to win my LOVE TO READERS prize (which is a gift card of your choice to a book retailer)!

Here's to A Lady Who Lunched: Evelyn Lauder

You probably have heard of her famous mother-in-law, Estee but Evelyn Lauder touched millions of women's lives in a highly significant way. Evelyn Lauder was the driving force behind the creation of Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer campaign. A breast cancer survivor (she was diagonosed in 1989), Evelyn created the Breast Cancer  Research Foundation in 1993 after a lunch at the 21 Club in 1992 where she decided to do more for women who suffered from breast cancer and to raise awareness of the condition. In all the Breast Cancer Research Foundation has raised more than $330 million of which $50 million Evelyn was personally responsible for.
She used her contacts and Estee Lauder muscle to help promote the campaign, badgering beauty and fashion editors to do pieces for example.The   Estee Lauder  Company also contributed by making a special Pink Ribbon lipstick and blusher as well as Berry Kiss pink lipstick where a portion of the sales went towards Breast Cancer Research. In short she got people talking about the disease.  Apparently she knew the campaign was a success when a stewardess looked at the pink ribbon she was wearing and said -- I know that is for Breast Cancer. And it is through her efforts and determination that the US Congress declared October to be Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Evelyn Lauder was born in Vienna in 1936 and her parents fled Austria because of the rise Hitler and the Nazis. Suffering great deprivation, she and her parents eventually made their way to New York City. She met her future husband on a blind date and fell in love, despite the approval of her father. Evelyn joined her mother-in-law's company and was responsible for among other things the creation of the Clinque product range. The firm continues to have family involvement but her true legacy is not its success but the success of her wonderful campaign and the countless lives it has saved.
Evelyn Lauder was one of those very rare unsung heroes who did leave the world a better place.
Evelyn Lauder died on 12 November 2011.
Wear your Pink Ribbon with pride and remember that all it takes is one very determined person to get things done.

In other news:
The Harlequin Historical Authors are once again doing an advent calendar -- starting 29 November. Win a Kindle Fire! The Harlequin Historical Authors Holiday Giveaway is back. In the spirit of an Advent calendar, the authors are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire. Play every day for more chances to win.

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romance for Harlequin Historical. You can read more about Michelle's books at her website www.michellestyles.co.uk.

A Little Retail Therapy - Sharon Ashwood

Halloween has barely cooled its pumpkins but, when I was tearing around the streets of the downtown on my lunch hour, I noticed Christmas decorations. I was about to go into a huff about it being far, far too early for such things and then realized we’re pushing into the middle of November. Christmas Eve is six weeks away! For once, it’s not the retailers who are ahead of themselves; I’m just out of touch with the calendar.

I easily succumb to glitter. I like shiny. I like snow (in small doses) and turn to sentimental goo at the sound of carols.  In other words, I’m a merchandiser’s dream around this time of year. The catch is that when I go shopping, I turn out to carry home as many parcels for me as for everyone else because this is the time of year all the really cool stuff comes into the stores.

I’ll throw in a disclaimer here:  I actually buy a lot of presents at craft fairs because the money goes straight to the artisans and I can find really unique items that aren’t otherwise advertised. Here, though, I’m posting about things you can get through the web, because what’s the point if you can’t share the fun?

So here we go:  Sharon’s shopping picks, 2011

If you know any folks who do work at home, this might be a hit. I know I want one! This is a heavy vinyl mat that will take an office chair rolling back and forth – and yet it looks like a Persian carpet. This is definitely on my Christmas list because my place is small, so my office is in my living room. I need to get a chair mat to protect the carpet, but most are so ugly that I’ve been stalling. This would go a long way to a compromise between practical and pretty.

Speaking of pretty ... one of my very favourite craftspeople is Melissa Caron, who does amazing silver work. I love the organic feel of her designs. Click on the ring to visit her Etsy store and I guarantee that you’ll spend a lot of money, at least in your imagination!  I came across her booth at a local craft fair last year and one of her rings followed me home.

Speaking of Etsy, drop by the Steamworkshop to check out these decorative USB drives. They are both practical (they work for real—I have one from this seller) and fun—and could probably survive an airship crash. Just about everyone uses jump drives, so it might be the ticket for a hard-to-buy-for. I like having a bunch of different USB drives to keep my novels-in-progress separate.  The more unique-looking, the better for telling them apart.

Please keep in mind that while I’ve had good experiences with the Etsy retailers listed, it’s always buyer beware out there in the land of on-line shopping. This is not a paid advertisement nor is it a guarantee. However, I’ve had good service and a lot of pleasure out my purchases.

So, what nifty items are out there that you know about?  Care to share?

***

Just to get us in the right winter mood, I’ll offer a copy of Frostbound: the Dark Forgotten to a commenter!  And, just because I’ve been asked about this by so many people—the entire series is now available as ebooks.

Every dog might have his day, but the hellhound guards the night . . .

As a snowstorm locks down the city, more than the roads are getting iced. Someone's beheaded the wrong girl, and vampire-on-the-lam Talia Rostova thinks it was meant to be her. Now she's the prime suspect in her own botched murder—and the prisoner of her smoking-hot neighbor.

Lore is a hellhound, bred to serve and protect, so he's not freeing Talia until he's sure that she's the prey and not the hunter. You'd think a beautiful woman in his bedroom would be a good thing, but trouble-prone Talia has run afoul of someone more sinister than your average lunatic killer. An ancient Undead is wreaking vengeance on the city—and on her—and Lore will have to go far beyond a stake to put him back in his grave . . .

www.SharonAshwood.com

Read an excerpt:  http://www.sharonashwood.com/frostbound-excerpt.php

The Start Of Something Big?

Despite having the same number of days as April, June and September, November always feels like a very short month to me. Here in the UK, we've left summer far behind but it still seems too early to start thinking about Christmas. And yet...do you remember how short the summer holidays seemed when you were at school? Then you find time passing even faster, when you get out in the big wide world, with all its distractions. Six weeks ago we were basking in a warm, sunlit Indian summer. In exactly six weeks' time, it will be Christmas Day! It's pretty frightening when you look at it like that. I've decided that this year, I'm going to make the most of November. I've found it's a good time to start a new project - bringing a final burst of creativity to finish the year. 

November is National Novel Writing Month. Are you part of NaNoWriMo?http://www.nanowrimo.org/ If you want to write a novel, encouragement is almost as important as inspiration. The NaNoWriMo website is a great place to find help and support - their forums are a fund of useful information and encouragement.

For the past few weeks I've been doing a big blog tour (see http://rbpp-ch.blogspot.com/, which has involved writing a lot of short pieces over and above the daily word count target for my current WIP. That means a lot of time spent sitting at the computer, which will only only increase as the days shorten and the weather closes in. It was while we were snowed in last winter that I wrote my current release for Harlequin Mills and Boon, Weight of the Crown. I decided then that I needed something I could do indoors during my non-writing time that involved more moving about. It's taken me this long to do anything about it, but I've finally sent my ancient sewing machine off to be cannibalised for spares, and bought myself a new model. It's pretty basic as all I usually do is repairs and make curtains, but after blogging about my urge to do something creative, lots of people commented with suggestions for craft sites. So far, I've managed to make fleecy hats for each of my triplet nephews (and resisted the temptation to embroider them with the names Huey, Dewey and Louie!) and I'm in the process of making draught excluders for our exterior doors. Sewing still involves a fair bit of sitting at a machine, but there are also breaks for measuring up and fabric shopping. That means trips to town,  which is a great excuse for meeting up with friends for coffee and cake....I can see the time is going to go faster than ever this November! 

How are you planning to spend the run up to the holiday season?

Christina Hollis writes Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon Ltd. You can catch up with her on her website, http://www.christinahollis.com, read her blog at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com and on Twitter, where she tweets as @christinabooks.

The Look of Love

by Anna Campbell

The 60s rule today on Tote Bags!

Because I'm working madly on a deadline, I'm trying to follow the dicates of Dorothea Brande in her wonderful BECOMING A WRITER (great book on creativity if you don't know it) and keep myself fresh and focused during the long hours at the computer.

One thing she suggests is doing something that is NOT involved with words because as writers we can overuse that part of our mind and like any muscle under too much strain, it gets tired. She suggests gardening or walking or playing a musical instrument or something crafty like knitting. Sadly, I'm utterly hopeless with crafts, can't even cut a straight line, but I've made an attempt to do some gardening and some walking every day.

What I want to talk about today is the music bit. I've played the piano all my life (off and on) but lately I've made a concentrated effort to play every day. I really think it's helped my work on the book whose deadline is looming.

Two pieces that have recently joined my repertoire are by Burt Bacharach, the beautiful love songs This Guy's in Love with You and The Look of Love.

I chose this cover to the right as an illustration because in fact I've discovered it's NOT easy to play Burt B. Perhaps if you're a bit more rhythmical than I am, you might have a better time of it (pun intended). But he rarely writes a note on the beat which means as I play, I have to count aloud to get the complicated syncopations right.

By the way, is that the scariest picture you've ever seen or what? Eeeeek!

It's worth it because the songs are just so pretty - although they're inclined to become earworms. The Look of Love is from the soundtrack of the rather silly James Bond film with David Niven called CASINO ROYALE. Great music, though. And isn't that poster for the movies just the 60s with bells on?

Speaking of pictures, there's not enough posters of men wearing big fluffy jumpers these days, are there? Snicker! Although at least Burt looks considerably less scary in his woolly incarnation.

I remember Burt Bacharach songs as part of my very early childhood on the car radio when we'd go driving as a family. But I think the first time in my maturity that I really sat up and paid attention to them was when I stayed in a house by the sea with some friends and there was a CD player with some CDs. One of them was the marvelous Dionne Warwick's greatest hits, most of which were songs by BB and his lyricist Hal David.

My poor friends! I got a bit of a craze on this CD and it was rarely off rotation over the week we were there. Needless to say, none of my housemates were quite as enamoured with this music as I was. And by the way, nobody ever told me the way to San Jose! Even though I asked and asked, I was stuck 24 hours from Tulsa.

Burt Bacharach went through a stage of being hopelessly uncool although he's had a bit of renaissance in recent years. I remember seeing him with Elvis Costello in a funny scene in the first AUSTEN POWERS movie. In fact, I think that very song may have been The Look of Love.

The songs are beautifully constructed and have wonderful haunting (although syncopated, sheesh!) melodies. Just think of Anyone Who Had a Heart or What's New, Pussycat? or Walk on By.

So let's talk about old school music. Are you a Burt Bacharach fan? Do you have a favorite Burt Bacharach song? Any particular memories that go along with that favorite song? Would you look as good tie-dyed as the girl in the CASINO ROYALE poster?

Magic or madness? - Kandy Shepherd

Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. 

The night I first met my husband I knew straight away he was “The One”. Luckily, he felt the same about me. I can still remember what he was wearing, his smile, how my heart started pounding erratically, how I couldn’t sleep that night for the excitement and anticipation of seeing him next evening for our first date. Just days later we talked about spending our lives together. Ten months later we were married—and we would have done it sooner if we’d been able to arrange it. Twenty-three years later we’re still together. Yes, I believe in love at first sight. It worked for me!

Allie and Noah fell in love at first sight--the start of a love that endured in The Notebook.

And I believe in it on the pages of romance novels and in romantic movies, too. In fact, one of the joys for a romance reader is that the hero and heroine meet, fall in love (maybe make love) and commit (to some degree or another) all within the pages of the story. Sigh! Don’t you just love that happy-ever-after ending? It’s what keeps me reading (and writing!) romance novels.

Cupid's Span at Rincon Park in San Francisco, just near Tom's fictional
apartment in Love is  a Four-Legged Word

You can tell already that I’m not among the critics who query the speed at which our romance heroes and heroines fall in love. Or the cynics who say you can’t base happiness on instant attraction. Heck, this man-woman falling head-over-heels thing has been going on for a long time!


The Ancient Greeks called it theia mania—madness of the gods. Then there’s the Cupid’s Bow scenario—love coming with the swiftness of an arrow to the heart. The medieval European tradition of courtly love purported the source of the love dart to be a woman’s eyes. At college, studying drama, I played Rosalind in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. I was obviously very influenced by the quote: “Who ever lov’d that lov’d not at first sight?”


  

It's all about the eyes when we're falling in love

 Scientists put what the French call coup de foudre down to hormones and chemicals and even use MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to study the physical changes in the brain that take place when lovers are in close proximity. (Can you imagine what a turn-off that would be, kissing your man while doctors take an MRI?) But I’m not arguing with this, don’t we often put down that source of instant attraction as “chemistry”?

They're budgies, not lovebirds, but the feeling is the same!

 Of course we know that initial heart-stopping attraction won’t last without what psychologist Dr Gordon Livingstone, in his book How to Love, calls the ten "essential virtues"— kindness, optimism, courage, loyalty, tolerance, flexibility, beauty, humor, honesty and intelligence.

Our romance heroines aren’t silly, they’re looking for those “virtues”, too. And it’s up to us authors to make sure we give our characters a hefty helping of those qualities—along with the lust-inspiring ones, too. That way we can happily believe that their love will endure.
 
  

 In my The Castaway Bride, lone sailor Matt and runaway bride Cristy are shipwrecked on a tropical island for just four days—and it’s more than long enough for them to fall first in lust and then in love. 

In Love is a Four-Legged Word, Maddy and Tom have 21 days to ensure the millionaire mutt Brutus gets to keep his inheritance. And it’s more than long enough for Maddy and Tom to fall in love. I love this review from a new reader on Goodreads: “To have a dog, money and find love in 21 days makes for a good book.”

On page 85 of Love is a Four-Legged Word, Maddy and Tom have just kissed for the first time but Maddy is cynical about the concept of forever love. “Maddy couldn’t look at him; she couldn’t trust herself not to reach up and kiss him again. She looked down to the sidewalk, noting where a youthful hand had chalked a red heart with ‘K & J forever’ entwined within it.”



That chalked red heart is a little tribute in my book to my own real-life romance with my husband, whose initial is, of course, J.

What about you? Do you believe in love at first sight? Or think it’s something that only exists in romance novels and movies? Do you have your own real-life love story to share?

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a signed trade paperback copy of Home Is Where the Bark Is. Please include your email address if you want to be in the draw.

I’m also giving away a free e-book of The Castaway Bride to anyone who comments here over the next five days via a coupon for Smashwords where you can download the book in a format to suit any e-reader or PC. Be sure to leave your email address if you would like the free download.

Author Kandy Shepherd
http://www.kandyshepherd.com

(Photo of Cupid's Span courtesy of freefotos.com )

  

Donna Alward: It's sports season again

My first deadline is met, my next is in progress and it's sport season again in my house. Sport season translates into volleyball - and before I go further, may I just say how in awe I am of the commitment so many parents put into sports like hockey and swimming that happens at ungodly hours, and of those of you who do all the league play. Y'all are way better than I am at this stuff.

My eldest plays volleyball on the school team, which at least means practices are after school and games are in the metro area (which means within a 40-45 min drive at most). I admit it does mean I have to be creative about dinner time some evenings but I do like going rather than having her travel with someone else and me miss it. The funny thing is I always take my e-reader or a book in my purse, but I never get more than a few pages read.

I played sports when I was in school. Unfortunately my mom didn't enjoy them as I did (and do) and so I often caught a ride with friends. And volleyball was my favourite sport. So this past summer I shared driving with another mom while my eldest did a volleyball camp at the university, and I cheered her on when she went for tryouts again this year. Now I get to watch her play and I love it. I get so invested in the game, proud for the efforts of the team, deflated when it doesn't go as well as they'd like. I love watching her make a good play! The worst thing is I think I make her a little nervous. I don't think she gets that I know sometimes you make a bad play and that it's okay. You shake it off, and move on.

That's life.

And that's what sports can teach us. Playing with a team, trying our best, the great feeling of coming out on top, the let down of loss, the pride in playing a good game no matter what the score, and pushing yourself to achieve more than you did before. The days of me playing competitive sports are long gone, but I do feel some of those same things in my daily workouts (especially pushing through when you don't wanna!).

My youngest is hoping to play this year in an afterschool club, so that when she switches schools next year, she too might get a chance to play.

And hey, when Christmas break is over, badminton starts. And my nerves will be shot once again!

Did you play sports as a kid? Do you now? Do you have kids in sports?

You can check out my latest releases and excerpts and all that jazz on my website at www.donnaalward.com.

"Old School" Romance and "Today's" Romance -- Susanna Carr

I'm noticing a trend on author blogs and social media that annoys me. Lately authors have been quick to point out that their books are not "your mother's/grandmother's romance," "old-school" or "80's bodice-rippers." (Don't even get me started on the bodice-ripper term.) Maybe this is annoying me more lately because I have a birthday coming up and I realized I'm the generation they're talking about, but I have to wonder if these authors have read a romance from the 1980s. How many romance books have they read that were written twenty or thirty years ago?

I read my first Harlequin romance in 1980 and was immediately hooked. These stories were tightly focused on a romantic relationship between two people I could care about. I still have quite a few of those books on my shelves and revisit the stories once in a while. There are none of the controversial elements in these stories that many claim were in all of the "old school" books.

I agree that there were some romance novels in the past that had objectionable content. And I would point out that there are some romance novels now that have objectionable content. But I would never claim that all the books being published today have the same content.

Now I see that a few publishers are launching digital only romance lines and bringing back some romance books that have been out of print. Books from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Many of the books that will be re-released are from bestselling superstars, but quite a few of them are from little-known authors. The publishers know that these books will find an audience despite the fact they were written decades ago.

And isn't that what authors want? To write a book that will sell for years and years? And don't readers want to find a book they love so much they share it with their mothers, aunts and grandmothers? How many readers can't wait to share the books on their keeper shelf with their daughters and granddaughters? I'm sure there are many.

So enough of drawing the line between "old school" romances and "today's" romances. Let's focus on telling a story that will be enjoyed for generations.

When You're Not Reading Romance

I've had a bit of an enforced break from writing,  working on  the keyboard, looking at the screen, just recently.  It wasn't what I wanted but it's been necessary and I hope  it will be doing me some good. A few health problems have  meant that I'm having to follow doctor's orders to 'pace myself' and one of  the  things I'm supposed to 'pace' - or in this case 'ration' is my time at the computer screen. A series of bad headaches that have a nasty tendency to turn into flashing migraines if I over do it means that I need to restricrt the time I spend at the computer and do other things.

It's slightly scary how much 'extra' time I have when I'm not  able to work or blog  - or even email. (If you've been expecting an email from  me then  please accept this as my excuse!)  I've done some gardening, cleared out a coiple of cupboards, planned a new kitchen . . . ready for work to begin next year.
And I've read. Reading doesn't give me migraines - the print doesn't flash in my eyes, and I can focus on the page for much longer than a screen.

But because I'm not supposed to work too much   then reading romance  hasn't been so enjoyable as usual - if I read romance, I immediately want to write it. I see how someone has dealt with a plot point in their story and it makes me want to work on a  similar problem in mine. Or a character fascinates me and I want to  go away and work on my hero or heroine and make them as interesting and give them added depth - but I'm not supposed to!

So I've been changing my reading habits around and grabbing books from my TBR pile that are not romance and so don't tempt me in this way -   and I've really been enjoying it.

It's sort of refreshing to read stories  that aren't romances and I've been gobbling up books at a surprising rate. I think it's because I'm deliberately reading something differernt and so it's refreshing and new.

So what's  movedfrom my TBR pile to the HBR (has been read) shelf?

A couple of great thrillers.  Last year my son and I discovered  Linwood Barclay at the same time and now we both read the new book as soon as we can. My son gave me Never  Look Away and last week I  started this   knowing what would happen. It grabbed me, as  Barclay's books always do, and I stayed up late at night to finish it.

Back in February I taught my usual Fsihguard Writing  Weekend  - where I teach the advanced course in Romance Writing - and one of my 'students' was a published novelist called Susan Moody -  she wanted to learn how to put more romance into her stories - though personally I'm not sure she needed to. She has a new book out this year Losing Nicola, a story about the way that finding out the truth about the past can affect the present - and solve the mystery of a long ago murder.  I lost myself in this one.

Or how about Second-Hand Heart? If you've seen the film Pay it Forward then you'll  know  the work of Catherine Ryan Hyde. I've been fascinated by stories  of  the way that heart transplant patients seem to take on some of the characteristics of their donors and this fascinating book deals with that - and then what happened wheh the heroine  who has received the heart meets up with the widower of the donor. . . .

I have  more non romance books on my TBR -  the story of  The Princes in the Tower - and whether one escaped - a biography of Billy Joel  . . . The story of the murder(?) of Amy Robsart in 1560 . . . all  very different from the romance I usually read and write.  And I'm having a great time - I feel refreshed, stimulated - keen to get back to what I'm reading. I think taking a break has renewed my interest in books and sparked off new ideas . .

The only trouble is that now I want to put those new ideas into writing my own books - and 'pacing' myself isn't easy!

What about you? If you're not reading romance - what do you read? Have you tried anything new,  discovered any great new authors recently? I don't really need anything now on my TBR pile - but I'm always open to suggestions.

And as Charlie the Maine Coon hasn't picked any winners lately, he'll be glad to know that I'm celebrating.  I just heard this week that my  Presents Extra title The Proud Wife has been nominated for Best Presents Extra Reviewer's Choice Award   2011 in Romantic Times.  You may remember that The Konstantos Marriage Demand won this  award in 2010. This was one really great email I read in the time I was allowed to look at the screen!

So I'm offering a copy of The Proud Wife as a giveaway to someone who comments today - or a copy of The Konstantos Marriage Demand if you've already got TPW. I love sharing celebrations with everyone.
This post is the latest stop in my Big Blog Tour that is still going on. (you can find the details here)   So I hope you’ll join me as I visit lots of different blogs all over the world. There are posts, writing advice – and lots of giveaways. 

Kate Walker’s The Return of the Stranger is out in Presents Extra in America or Sexy Romance in Australia. You can find out more details over on Kate's Web site – with all the most up to date news on her blog.

And Charlie has just picked the winner (s) He's greedy and he's picked two so
Brunette Librarian and
Di please email me with your postal addresses and I'll get the prizes in the mail to you!
Hope to see everyone else along the way on my blog tour - there will be more giveaways then

Monica Burns: Black Leather

Black leather. What is it about a man wearing it that makes them so damn sexy? When I think about that question, I immediately visualize a bad boy. Why? Because only the bad boys wear black leather and look different from what society deems “ordinary.” It’s one of the reasons why I put my Sicari heroes AND heroines in black leather. The material just speaks to me. It says hot, sleek, and sexy. When you combine it with a group of Italians who are like a covert Justice League who can trace their lineage back to ancient Rome, you’ve got a recipe for paranormal adventure, swords, and hawt romance.

Leather is just one small piece of fabric I use to create my Sicari world. All authors have trade tools they wield with the same expertise as brilliant swordsmen when they’re building a world for their characters. In my Sicari world, every detail I include is critical because it doesn’t just enhance the atmosphere and ambience of the books, it’s vital for a reader’s understanding of the characters. For instance, if I just dropped a sword into a character’s hand and made them use it without explaining to the reader the why of it, something’s lost in the translation. There’s nothing to ground the reader. BUT, if they’re given bits and pieces of fabric from the Sicari world, they understand exactly why it is that the Sicari use swords as opposed to other types of weapons.

Other remnants of fabric I use are things like the levels of abilities of different people in the Sicari world. Then there’s the motto they use when they’re ready to charge into battle. Bis vivit qui bene moritur. He lives twice who dies well. Just that one tidbit alone is enough to tell a reader exactly what kind of heroes and heroines there are in the book. That saying clarifies that the Sicari are proud warriors who believe that there is honor in death when it comes to protecting the innocent and righting wrongs.

Like a multi-colored, layered quilt, authors use different pieces of information to weave a strong fabric that makes up the world that our characters live in. With each little kernel that’s added to that world, readers can accurately visualize the book’s world. The world essentially is its own character, and an author uses that inanimate character to enhance the overall flavor of the book.

In some ways it’s like being the chef in a restaurant. The author is the chef concocting a familiar recipe with each book, but altering it slightly to fit the current work.  Sometimes the world evolves smoothly and naturally. At other times, it’s a struggle to bring the world together in a way that readers will understand. Through it all, writers sew all these minor facts together in a book’s world, to create a familiar setting for the reader. It can be a challenge, but it’s one of the things that makes my job as an author totally rawk. And it sure doesn’t hurt when I have to think about hawt sexy heroes in black leather.

Read the first three chapters of Inferno’s Kiss
http://www.monicaburns.com/BookshelfInfernoKissExcerpt.htm

An award-winning author of erotic romance, Monica Burns penned her first short romance story at the age of nine when she selected the pseudonym she uses today. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica believes it’s possible for the good guy to win if they work hard enough.

Fiona Lowe: Roses & Romance

 I have a large garden and I am the custodian of 80 rose bushes. Yep, you read right, 80! I inherited them from the previous owner of the house who was tree-phobic, but loved a rose. I have standard  roses, I have tea bush roses and I have massive rambling climbing roses. Right now in a 'Down Under' Aussie spring, I am living in a perfumed paradise and loving having freshly cut roses in vases all around the house. How do such thorny beasts create the most beautiful and fragrant flowers?



Mr. Lincoln

Roses are part of our psyche. They are associated with medicine, romance, art, perfume and jam!

Rose hips are used in jam and tea, and have a small amount of Vitamin C in them. Rosa chinensis is used in Chinese herbal medicine and there are current studies for it controlling cancer.

When my seventeen-year-old son walked into the kitchen last week he said, 'It smells like Turkish Delight!' It was the fragrance from my glorious Mr. Lincoln roses and he's correct because rose water is an ingredient of Turkish Delight. I dry the petals and make potpourri.

Renoir painted them, as I am sure did many other artists. They are ancient symbols of love and beauty.  In ancient Rome, a wild rose would be placed outside a door to indicate secret business was being discussed. It is the national flower of England and in 1986 it was made the floral emblem of the United States. I did not know this until now! Red roses are also associated with a declaration of love.

Talking of love, my wonderful father, bless him, gifts me his pruning skills every July (our winter). My husband shovels mushroom compost every autumn so I get a great display of blooms and I deadhead all the suckers after the flowers have blown. This gives us three flowerings: spring, summer and autumn.

When I lived in Wisconsin, I was amazed that roses grew in the snow. They are as tough as old boots, roses, because they are related to the black berry family and almost nothing kills blackberries!  Do I mention roses in my books? They do come up now and then :-)

Fiona Lowe is an award-winning, multi-published author with Harlequin and Carina Press. Whether her books are set in outback Australia or in the mid-west of the USA, they feature small towns with big hearts, and warm, likeable characters that make you fall in love. When she's not writing stories, she's a weekend wife, mother of two 'ginger' teenage boys, guardian of 80 rose bushes and often found collapsed on the couch. A current RT Book Reviwers' Choice Award nominee, you  can find her at her website, facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Boomerang Bride is available now from Carina Press, Amazon Kindle, Nook and all other online book stores.

Virginia Kantra: Real Life Hero or Fictional Favorite?

The north east is slammed with snow. At some stores, Christmas decorations went up before the Halloween displays came down. It seems every year the holidays rush on us faster and faster with an endless To Do list.

Which makes it even more important that we catch our breath and count our blessings. This time of year reminds me how grateful I am for...

Guys.

Real life heroes who can check the oil in your car or figure a tip, who think it would be a great idea to grill the turkey in the back yard or drop it in a garbage can full of boiling oil on the driveway. (I mean, seriously, what woman would come up with that idea?)

I’m thankful for guys who play football in the front yard or yell at the game on TV, those wonderful men who fix the toilet when company’s coming, who put up with your relatives at one more holiday dinner and swear your pie is as good as their mom’s.  I’m thankful for guys who haul the extra chairs into the dining room and raid the refrigerator for leftovers, who rake leaves and shovel snow over the long Thanksgiving weekend.  (Yes, boys, I’m talking to you!)

I’m grateful, too, for the fantasy guys, the ones who fire our imaginations and libidos, the heroes of our books.

When the power is out or you can’t stand one more minute at the mall, nothing takes the edge off like curling up in bed with...a Christmas story. Some of the first romances I read were the Signet Regency Christmas collections. So when my editor asked if I would consider doing a Christmas story, my answer was a resounding "yes!!!". I'd planned on expanding the world of my Children of the Sea to include more about the fallen Children of Air. Christmas and angels? What could be more perfect? But my love of those Regency romances, with their house parties and kissing boughs and Christmas bells, snuck into my contemporary paranormal world. The result is "Upon a Midnight Clear" in TIED WITH A BOW, with disillusioned angel Lucien Hartfell as its hero.

So, tell me.  Who are the guys you’d most like to find under the tree this year? Real life hero or fictional favorite?  Do you go for the stand up guy, the sexy bad boy, the battered knight in rusty armor?

One commenter will receive a copy of TIED WITH A BOW.

Do You Craft? Annie West

I have a new book out this month - YAY! The Savakis Merger features a hero and heroine who reached out and grabbed me immediately. I was thinking about Callie and what makes her so interesting and was surprised to discover that for me one of her appealing traits was the fact that beneath the high-gloss glamour and designer gowns she's a woman who loves to work with her hands.

Callie has a dream she's kept to herself for years - to open her own business - not to make a million dollars, but for the satisfaction of succeeding on her own merits. Connected to that is her love of sewing - not high fashion clothes, but applique and emroidery.

Maybe because I grew up with a mum who could sew clothes, crochet, knit and embroider as well paint china, plus whip up jams, soups and pickles in between running a household, but I have enormous respect for people who make things. I love seeing the gorgeous, useful things other people make and I know first hand the joy that comes from creating something yourself. There's something pleasing and at the same time soothing about working away at something that takes a while to complete but is something you made yourself!

OK, I admit it freely, I'm not terribly crafty. I can't sew a dress to save myself and I've forgotten my mum's patient lessons on knitting. I'd love to be able to paint or make things in wood. The most 'crafty' thing I've done in recent years is try my hand at making Christmas cards with the kids which was lots of fun but they didn't exactly have a professional finish. I have however, done a bit of decorative sewing along the way, and have pasted a couple of pics here to show it. When I was a teen a neighbour introduced me to tapestry. Here's one of the results. Imagine my surprise when I went to the British Museum and found the original stone wall carving from Babylon that this was based on!

Later I took to cross stitch and here's some detail of a medieval design I've had half finished for far too long. I keep trying to find time to get back to it, but I find what used to be my free time has been eaten away by my writing.

Looking at these pics makes me realise how much I'd like to get back into doing something crafty, even just a little bit and very occasionally. Somehow it's easier to unwind after a long day if I'm counting stitches or checking colours or watching a design appear before my eyes. I'm sure doing craft of some sort must be good for the blood pressure too!

And then there are all those crafts I've never had time to try. The ones I see at fairs and fetes and wish I had the energy to embark on.

How about you? Do you have favourite crafts? Do you do patchwork or ceramics? Do you paint or do you leave your creating to the garden? If you're not 'handy' is there a craft you admire, or maybe one you've tried and decided isn't for you?

Annie's book THE SAVAKIS MERGER, is on sale now from Harlequin and in stores this month. It features a sexy, dangerous hero and a heroine who fights enormous odds to stay true to herself. To read more about the book and enjoy an excerpt, check out Annie's website. Annie's also running a big end of year contest there with plenty of books on offer.

Anita Clenney - Turning the Ordinary into Paranormal – A Genre-Shifting Story

Embrace the Highland Warrior, the second book in my Scottish paranormal series is officially released. It follows Awaken the Highland Warrior, the first book, a USA Today best seller which was released in May. 

The series is about Secret Warriors, Ancient Evil,  and Destined Love.  Part of a secret society of warriors ordered by Michael the Archangel, these warriors are all that stand between humans and the demons set on destroying the world. These warriors exist all over the world, but this series focuses on the Scottish warriors and their destined mates. The stories are set in the ordinary world, but there are things happening that aren’t quite ordinary.

Originally, Embrace the Highland Warrior started as a romantic suspense, the first book I ever wrote. About six month into writing, I got the idea for Awaken the Highland Warrior, so for a while I was writing two stories, the romantic suspense and the paranormal. When I met my wonderful agent, she said the paranormal would be the book to sell. So I put the first book aside and focused on Awaken.

Right away, I knew this had to be a series. I couldn’t tell the whole thing in one story, and as I thought about what the second book in the series would be, I realized I already had it. My romantic suspense, the first book, belonged in the series. It had all the ingredients I needed, at least the skeleton was there, I just had to make it paranormal. So my romantic suspense shifted into a paranormal.

But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Any writers reading this will know how difficult it is when you make one small change to a manuscript. It took a LOT of work. In fact, I think it took me longer to revise the manuscript than if I’d just written something new from scratch. I had to add in the paranormal elements and change scenes, add new plot threads and work in all my returning secondary characters. But I really felt that the story belonged as part of the series. In the end, it was worth the work.

Even though the book has demons and fierce battles, this isn’t a dark paranormal. It blends genres, mixing lots of mystery and suspense with adventure, humor and sizzling romance.

My publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, will give away a copy of Embrace the Highland Warrior to one commenter, US and Canada only please. My question is do you like paranormal stories, and if so, how dark?

New York Times best selling author, Anita Clenney grew up an avid reader, devouring Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books before moving on to mysteries and romance. After working as a secretary, a Realtor, teacher’s assistant, booking agent for Aztec Fire Dancers, and a brief stint in a pickle factory (picture Lucy and Ethel--lasted half a day)…she realized she'd missed the fork in the road that led to her destiny. Now she spends her days writing mysteries and paranormal romantic suspense  about Secret Warriors, Ancient Evil and Destined Love. Anita lives in suburban Virginia, outside Washington DC, with her husband and two kids.

You can find out more about Anita and her books at:

http://www.anitaclenney.com

http://www.facebook.com/anitaclenneyAUTHOR

http://www.twitter.com/anitaclenney

 

We’ll leave you with an excerpt from Embrace:

Cody sighed. Might as well get it over with. He removed the shackles, returned them, and bent over her. “Shay, wake up.”

Her eyes flew open. She planted both hands against his chest and shoved, knocking him on his back, then sprang on top of him. “How dare you handcuff me to a bed?” she yelled, punctuating each word with a shake that rattled his brain. He didn’t fight back. She had to get it out of her system, and he didn’t blame her. He’d be more than pissed if someone shackled him.

She landed a fist into his stomach, and the breath rushed out of him. Okay, enough was enough. He captured her hands and rolled, trapping her under him.

“Get off me, you oaf.”

“I’ll get off when you stop beating the snot out of me.”

She let out a war cry and lunged for his throat, teeth bared. Intrigued, he hesitated a second too long, and she sank her teeth into his neck. A jolt of desire shot straight to his groin. He’d never been one for the rough stuff, but damn! He pulled back before she could do more than leave a bruise. He trapped her legs with his and held her hands above her head, letting his full weight press her into the soft mattress. She still struggled but could move only enough to get him excited.

“I’m sorry, Shay. I had to do it. It was too dangerous to let you go traipsing through the woods. I had to keep you safe.”

“What if he was hiding in one of the other bedrooms and sneaked in here while I was handcuffed to the bed? You left me so I couldn’t even protect myself.”

“Lach heard him out in the woods, but that’s why I locked the door, just in case. If this guy had broken it down to get to you, you would’ve screamed, and I would’ve come running. I was never far from the house.” He’d heard every name she called him.

Her eyes still flashed fire, but her breath was steadier, and she kept glancing at his mouth. He thought that was a good thing. He wondered if she’d calmed enough not to hit him, because he should move. She had to notice the effect all the wiggling around was having on him. He felt her hips push against his, and he groaned. He relaxed his grip and lowered his head, letting his lips touch her chin. He kissed his way to her mouth, and she head butted him in the nose.

While the stars exploded in his head, she shoved him aside and bolted out the door. He jumped up and went after her as she pounded down the stairs. He caught up with her outside. She was swinging her purse like a whip, headed for the car.

“Where are you going?” he demanded.

“Get away from me.”

“You can’t leave.”

“Watch me.” She opened the door. “I’m tired of people hiding things from me. I thought you were going to stop. Now you’re handcuffing me to the bed.”

“I explained it to you.”

“Don’t touch me,” she said, jerking away when he grabbed her arm.

“You’re not leaving.”

Shay straightened her shoulders. “You can’t stop me.”

He grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, kicked the car door shut, and stomped up the steps.

“Put me down!” Shay kicked and twisted, cursing at him. He dumped her on her feet inside the door.

She blew her hair out of her face, and as soon as she could see, she threw a punch at his chin. He deflected it and grabbed her arm. “Stop hitting me.”

“How dare you throw me over your shoulder like some kind of caveman,” she spat, trying to wrench her arm free. It didn’t work, so she used her knee.

“Ah, not there.” Cody trapped her knee. “I made the mistake of letting you leave here nine years ago without listening to me. By God, I won’t do it again. You’ll listen if I have to sit on you,” he growled.

She drew back her other arm, and before she could throw the punch, he had her on the floor and was sitting astride her, pinning her wrists to the floor. She bucked and twisted, but he held her down. “We can do this all night if you want, but you’re going to listen to me this time.”

“Listen to more lies? You’re still hiding things from me. Like the fact that you have Nina’s entire house under surveillance. Like the fact that you’ve got a Bat Cave in your basement. Like the fact that you were in Scotland when the stalking started.”

“You think I’m your stalker?” he yelled. “Me! I’m trying to keep you alive. We’re all trying to keep you alive. That’s what the clan’s been doing your whole damned life, trying to keep you alive! And just like always, you’re making it hard as hell. Your father wasn’t a bloody spy, and that thing in your living room wasn’t a man!”