BDSM in the Mainstream

If you haven’t heard, an erotica book about BDSM is topping the bestseller charts and the author has even sold the movie rights to Universal Pictures and Focus Features.  Apparently there were ten different studios bidding for those rights.  Of course, I’m talking about Fifty Shades of Grey.

It was interesting to see the reader reviews on sites like Amazon say things like “I couldn’t stand the hero, but I couldn’t put the book down.”  To me, that means the author drew them into the story and evoked strong emotional reactions.

It is also interesting to see the controversy around these books.  A friend of mine sent me an email one day in shock because she’d just heard that Dr. Drew was doing a segment on erotic romance and the teaser line was “Erotic romance: fantasy or violence?”  Wow.  Here’s a link to that segment if you’d like to check it out:

http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2012/03/dr-drew-gets-schooled-on-el-james-fifty-shades-of-grey?WT.mc_id=10108

I’ve been writing BDSM for years.  In my books, it’s part of fantasy role playing my characters are involved in.  When my book SECRET TIES came out in 2009, I was a little nervous about what people’s reactions would be.  I was delighted when Amara, a reviewer at Publisher’s Weekly, said ” It’s fun to read erotica with a believable and engaging plot. As a feminist, I appreciate the fact that Summer and Max directly approach and then satisfactorily resolve the question of whether it’s politically correct to engage in S & M in an era of gender equality.”

So why would a strong, modern woman partake in a Dominant-submissive role?  Summer, my heroine in Secret Ties, asks exactly that.

“Are we making you uncomfortable, Summer?” Tanya asked.

Summer’s gaze jerked to her friend’s face.  “Uh… no, I just… don’t really get it.”

As much as the discussion triggered thoughts of hot illicit sex with Max, she was sure that was more because of his strong masculine aura.

“Why would any woman want to be submissive to a man when we’ve fought so long to be recognized as strong and independent? 

“Summer, come here.”

At Max’s tone, Summer’s gaze flew to his face.  His dark eyes cut through her uncertainty as he spoke again.  “Stand up and come over here.”

His commanding tone was totally irresistible.  She stood up and stepped toward him before she realized what she was doing.

She stopped in front of him, feeling a bit foolish, yet a part of her wanted to obey him.  He seemed so utterly masculine and that thrilled her.

“Fill my glass with champagne.”

She drew in a deep breath, realizing she’d been worried—yet excited at the prospect—that he would order her to do something… illicit… even if just a kiss.

She turned toward the table and picked up the cold, black bottle and filled Max’s glass.”

“Now Tanya’s,” Max commanded.

She filled it, then stood there holding the bottle.

“Now put the bottle down and return to your seat.”

She replaced the bottle on the table.  Why had she waited for him to tell her to do that?  She’d stood there holding it like a mindless idiot.  It was as if she’d gone into a mode where she just waited for his commands, with no mind of her own.

She returned to her seat.

“You were just a submissive,” Max said.

She nodded, not risking saying anything, afraid her voice would quaver.

“The Dominant-submissive relationship is all about the exchange of power.  The submissive chooses to be controlled by the Dominant.  The Dominant does not take away the rights of the submissive, she gives them freely.

“A submissive never has to do anything she doesn’t want to do.  You could have chosen at any time not to follow my commands.”

If your interest in BDSM has been piqued, I have a few books, shown here, you could try.

What do you think about BDSM?  Does the idea of a big strong man taking control get your heart thumping?  Or would you prefer to be the one in control?  Do you prefer BDSM in books rather than the bedroom?  Or would you prefer to avoid it altogether?  Share your thoughts.

Three lucky commenters will win a copy of either Slaves of Love or Virtual Love, their choice.  (Both are ebook format only.)  Good luck! 

***Opal's winners are - Anne, Shelley B., and Chrisbails!  Ladies, please email me at totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info.  Thank you!***

Joys of a Sunday Drive - Annie West

Recently I rediscovered one of my favourite pleasures. Not chocolates or fantastic romance novels or movies or chatting with friends. I'm talking about the simple Sunday drive. The chance to escape from the normal routine and get out somewhere different and picturesque.

I know it doesn't sound thrilling or exotic but I realised recently how hectic my life has become. Even weekends seem fully booked with a range of commitments, including writing, and taking a whole afternoon off just to enjoy myself is a real treat.

I grew up in a family who loved getting out in the bush to walk, camp, picnic or just drive and find out what was around the next curve on some quiet dirt road in the country. I always loved the sense of exploration, of being somewhere tantalisingly new, and still have memories stored of forgotten valleys and homesteads glimpsed on a weekend jaunt, which seemed romantic and alluring in the late afternoon sun.

Recently a dear friend, Anna Campbell, came to visit from interstate and we spent a Sunday afternoon driving up to the Hunter Valley of New South Wales (Eastern Australia for those not familiar with it). It was a perfect autumn afternoon and we were pleased with ourselves as we'd worked hard over the weekend and felt we deserved the treat of an afternoon escape.

The Hunter Valley is renowned for its vineyards, its coal and its horse breeding. We focused on the vineyards but no, we didn't stagger from vineyard to vineyard, tasting all afternoon. We were far too busy soaking up the gorgeous day and the terrific scenery. These top two pictures are the view from Tyrell's Vineyard towards the Brokenback Range and then from the Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard, not far away.

We managed to fit in a scrumptious late lunch at a local cafe, and it was wonderful not to cook or clean up afterwards (one of my fave things about a country drive). After all, if you're having the afternoon relaxing from the usual range of chores, time in the kitchen can't be a priority. Isn't this a lovely setting for a meal? Needless to say, we didn't want to move.

One of the things I enjoyed about our drive was the chance to see some of my fave places in the area. We only tried the wine at one vineyard and I chose Tyrrells. It's impossible to choose one 'best' as there are so many terrific producers in the area. But from here there are marvellous views and I've got a soft spot for the old vineyard, one of the oldest in the area. Instead of being all polished and new, the buildings are old and weathered. When you enter the area where the vats and barrels are stored you walk on old hard-packed dirt floor. It's unpretentious and down to earth and about the reality of wine-producing, not just the glamour.


To finish the afternoon we drove to the sleepy hamlet of Wollombi, one of the oldest in the area. We drove along a scenic river valley, past the cave where ages ago a bushranger (outlaw) had hidden from the police. There's not much of
Wollombi to see but the old buildings are worth a look and so is the gorgeous, peaceful old cemetery where some of the first European settlers to the area are buried.

Returning home very late in the day we were tired but satisfied and best of all, someone else did the cooking! Wonderful. We got fresh air, terrific scenery, some delicious wine, great conversation and a glimpse into the past in some wonderfully peaceful valleys. We felt refreshed and ready to tackle the work of another week.

How about you? Do you enjoy the pleasures of a Sunday drive? Are you a picnicker? Camper? Do you seek out markets or craft stores or antique shops? Or do you prefer to stay at home to relax? What is your favourite place to escape on a weekend?

This month my new release UNDONE BY HIS TOUCH is released in the UK (Australia in May and North America in June). To celebrate I'll give away a copy of UNDONE to one person who leaves a comment. You can read about it or read an excerpt on my website or here at Amazon.

Naked Man on Main Street!!! (Story at Eleven ;-)

I wanted to give you a little preview of my soon-to-be released collection of essays, titled NAKED MAN ON MAIN STREET. Hoping I'll have it available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com and iBookstore within the next week or so so please look for it!

Years ago when I worked as a publicist on Capitol Hill, my overlords were always blathering on about how, as an assistant press secretary to a United States Senator, I was one of an elite group of only one hundred such people in the world — as if to impress upon me the gravity of my position (when in fact I think it was more like they were rationalizing why the pay sucked so much, as in: “There are a lot of people in line for your job, sister, so stop bugging us for a living wage!”).

This is how I’m choosing to view my experience witnessing a stark naked dude quite literally on Main Street, bent over nonchalantly trying to tie his beat-up Converse chucks: I’m among the elite few ever to have been granted such a unique opportunity. I mean how many people have actually found themselves in this bizarre position (shy of someone living on an obscure island in the South Pacific where everyone might wander around naked)?

As a writer I’m an obsessive observer. Some might just chalk this up to ADD, as I’m perpetually distracted from the probably-more-important by whatever far-more-irrelevant is happening around me: quirky behavior, peculiar mode of dress, and other generally weird stuff. My family mantra as it refers to me is: Look! A butterfly! Usually said in my direction accompanied by a pronounced eye roll. No one thinks I’m paying attention; I am, just maybe not to what I should be. So perhaps I’m just more likely to notice the naked man while I’m driving, rather then the car in front of me (though in my defense, the bus blocking my way inevitably led me to gaze off to my right just in time for that perfect epiphanic moment), but I seem to encounter this sort of weirdness in my life more often than others, and frankly I can’t help but write about them. Material, as they say.

So…Naked man on Main Street. Really? This really happened?, you ask. Yep, it did. One of those strange but true things I’ve stumbled upon over the years, something so bizarrely unexpected, I couldn’t help but write about it. Because that’s what I do. I write about stuff. I don’t write epic narratives about great men. I don’t write compendiums of literary discourse that will issue Pen-Faulkner awards my way. I write about nothing. And why not? It worked for Jerry Seinfeld.

I’ve always found that nothing makes the most interesting subject matter. The stuff we all deal with, the day-to-day experiences that have a universality to them that make them fun to share and to empathize with and to just feel better knowing others have dealt with that same nonsense as well. Not that you’ve all encountered a naked man bent over tying his sneakers at ten in the morning while tooling along a city road as I was so lucky to have done, but still.

Once at a writers’ conference I shared a panel with two illustrious literary fiction writers. Their books had received rave reviews from the New York Times, the Washington Post, and a host of other highbrow vetters of all things important in the world of letters. My novel was titled Sleeping with Ward Cleaver. You can imagine how many such publications chose not to review my book. A reader in the audience asked a question about our choosing to write on the panel’s particular subject matter, marriage. I responded that I like to write on themes of universality and like to share this with others, thus I presume (hopefully not wrongly) that others like to share their experiences and impressions as well. One of my fellow panelists, an MFA professor at an elite private university, scoffed at writing to the universal, making a point of saying that he teaches his students not to do this.
Meh…whatever. It works for me.

So about that nude dude. I’d left a morning meeting and was headed home. The little local university bus was virtually parked smack in front of me on the main road. I couldn’t drive around him illegally to the left without risking powering into oncoming cars. I’d hoped to slip to his right but a parked car blocked my egress. So instead I sat in the road cooling my heels, wanting to get home and not wanting to suck in exhaust from the idling bus before me. Out of boredom I glanced over to the sidewalk. It was then that I saw him: pasty white beer gut and other appendages just out there for all to not admire. I wrestled with whether or not to continue seeing him: it’s sort of creepy to stare at a person without any clothes under such circumstances (then again, when isn’t it creepy to stare at a naked person, really?!). But stare I did. While wrestling with whether to whip out my iPhone and snap a picture and immediately upload it to Twitter and Facebook. I didn’t. But I chose, however, lock my car doors, stuck as I was right there, a mere ten feet away from the guy. I sort of regretted not having captured the image for posterity (his posterior! For posterity!); it would’ve been great for a laugh over drinks with friends. But out of respect for the mentally ill, which I presumed he was (because who else would drop trou like that? Granted I live in a college town, and maybe at three in the morning after a wild weekend you might see a thoroughly snookered frat boy doing something so stupid, but aside from that, nada). But oh, the amusing conversations I didn’t get to capitalize on via Twitter and Facebook with that one.

But I did sorta stare. Well, more like peek. How could you not? If you think I might stare a little longer at a dreadlocked guy at the gym contorting himself into bizarre bodily poses dressed in street clothes covered with paint (yes, he’s a regular), or at a woman whose entire visible part of her body is tattooed right up to her chin, well, you can rest assured I couldn’t easily remove my eyes from naked man, if only for the shock factor. Besides, the bus driver hadn’t taken it upon himself to get a move on either; likely he and his passengers were equally transfixed. But I looked around me and realized that only the riders of that bus and me were witnesses to this event, so I figured I might just wanna keep an eye on things, just in case…

Nudey stood tall, a middle-aged man with straggly mouse-brown curly hair (and here you thought my gaze was fixed downward!). He sort of wandered in a circle as if doing the hokey pokey, right in front of a closed restaurant. It was like he didn’t know what to do now that he’d denuded himself of his exterior layer. But then it came to him — his aha! moment: tie your shoes. So he bent down to do just that, mooning me to my chagrin, while he better affixed his ratty black hightops to his feet. As if at that point adorning any part of his body with protection and/or adornment mattered. Once securely fastened to his feet, he stood and paced like an expectant father waiting for the verdict on the sex of his child.

I wondered if I should call the police. But assumed surely the bus driver must’ve already done so — why else would he be stuck in park right there? I wanted to share my weird experience with someone, but how do you do that without actually videotaping it? I wanted to be sure he didn’t have a gun (and felt relief in realizing he had nowhere to hide it under the circumstances). But then I wanted to leave. Because there is only so much you can do when an unstable middle-aged man decides that the best thing to do on a Tuesday morning is to be unclothed in public. So when the bus finally started moving onward, I had no choice but to follow suit. By then someone who’d come out of a nearby bakery was coercing the guy to don his garb.

I tried to imagine how the arresting police officer would handle this: being particularly careful of where he grabbed the guy as he tried to cuff him. Did he line the back seat of the police car with a blanket, protecting the sanitary integrity of the thing? Or did he have to actually dress the guy, down on this knees, front and center, zipping him up like you would a small child? It made me especially glad I wasn’t a cop. Or someone tasked with talking a naked man off the ledge, figuratively. Life’s complicated enough without adding that into the mix.

I hope as you read these selected essays you’ll get a few laughs, find something interesting, maybe even something that reminds you of your own life experiences. Enjoy!










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Deserving of His Diamonds?

Have you ever made a terrible error of judgment about someone? Have you ever made a mistake you desperately wish you could undo?

I think we all live with the odd regret. There are always things we would do differently if we had our time again. I think it would be an unusual person indeed (or a very lucky or blessed one) who didn’t have something in their past they wish they had done differently or better.

One of my favourite books is Atonement by Ian McEwan. It’s a powerfully moving story about a young girl who makes a mistake that has costly outcomes for others. I don’t want to spoil it for you if you haven’t read it, but McEwan skillfully poses the question of whether or not you can atone for mistakes made in the past.

But I’m not here to talk about Ian McEwan’s fabulous book. I’m here to tell you about mine! Deserving of His Diamonds? is a tale of love lost due to a mistake made in the past.

Emilio Andreoni cut his bride-to-be Gisele Carter from his life just days before their wedding when a sex tape scandal erupts with her at the centre of it.

Gisele had always claimed her innocence even though the girl in the tape looked and sounded exactly the same as her.

When the truth finally comes out that Gisele has a long lost identical twin she has never met before now, Emilio has some serious apologising to do!

But is a simple apology going to be enough? How can he right the wrongs and return to the relationship they had before their break up?

A lot has happened to Gisele in the two years since they broke up. But she hasn’t told Emilio all the heart-wrenching details. When she finally reveals just what his lack of trust has done to her, will there be any hope of finding happiness together?

I hope you enjoy reading my take on the atonement issue. I found this to be one of the most emotionally charged books I have written so far. I guess there are some things in life for which sorry is never going to be enough, even when it is heartfelt and genuine.

Let’s hope you and I don’t have to learn that the hard way as Emilio does.

Best wishes,

Melanie Milburne

p.s. Stay tuned for Gisele’s twin’s sister Sienna’s story coming soon!

Laura Griffin: Twisted

I’m thrilled to announce the release of TWISTED! It is the fifth book in my Tracers series, which focuses on an elite team of forensic scientists who help homicide cops and cold case detectives solve the most unsolvable crimes.

TWISTED is the story of detective Allison Doyle, who is brand-new to the job when she gets the case that will make her career… if it doesn’t get her killed first. And as if Allison doesn’t have enough to handle, she finds herself falling for the FBI agent who arrives in town to help with the investigation.

Here is a glimpse of TWISTED:

Motive, opportunity, and no alibi—it seems close to a slam-dunk. But while rookie detective Allison Doyle’s department has ID’d a suspect in a young woman’s vicious murder, she is uneasy. Then legendary FBI profiler Mark Wolfe shows up with a startling theory: if he’s right, the real murderer is an elusive psychopath just days away from another kill.

Using Allison’s contacts at the Delphi Center crime lab, Wolfe is finally in striking distance of the monster he’s pursued for ten years. Except that as they work together, Wolfe finds the ambitious, stubborn woman a tempting distraction. And with this brutal predator, every thread of evidence can make the difference between being the hunter . . . and the prey.

As I reader, I know it’s not fun to jump into a series and feel lost, so I wrote each Tracers story with a stand-alone mystery plot. Also, each story focuses on a different romantic couple. So feel free to dive right into the series!

I’ve been so happy with early reviews for TWISTED, including a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.

Read an excerpt here: http://www.lauragriffin.com/books/twisted.php#excerpt

I’m giving away a signed copy of TWISTED. Comment here for a chance to win!


***Laura's winner is Dina!  Dina, please email me at totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info.  Thank you!***

What is it about Secret Identities?

I have to confess something:  I have a weakness for secret identities.  I’m not kidding – any book featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel, any Batman movie (even the Val Kilmer one) any TV show about CIA agents that can’t tell their families what they do for a living, and I will consume it with total rapt adoration.  Is it any wonder that my affinity for secret identities has led me to put one into my books?

The Blue Raven in the mysterious British spy known for his exploits for King and Country during the Peninsular War.  He first popped up in Revealed, hell bent on taking down a French rival that survived Napoleon’s defeat.  But he’s been pretty quiet since then.  That is of, course until If I Fall.

In If I Fall, the Blue Raven is an object of fascination to the heroine, and has been since she was a child.  He was her crush, her idol, the stories in the papers of his acts of derring-do fueled her young imagination.  Is it any wonder that when she meets with him in a darkened cupboard, she accepts his kisses without hesitation?

Sarah’s complete and total worship of the Blue Raven got me thinking about secret identities, and why they hold such appeal, such sway over me… er, I mean us?  And I think I’ve nailed it down to two material points.

1.     They are SECRET.

Who doesn’t like to be in on a secret?  To know what no one else knows, to have this morsel of information that can change the course of history?  We all want to be singled out as special enough to have this knowledge.  To be trusted with it, be in the know.  To be in on the secret gives you a intimacy with the one with the secret… even if you have never met them before.

When Sarah Forrester meets the Blue Raven, it is in a darkened cupboard.  She knows instantly it is him by his signature black feather.  Even though she does not know who he is under the mask, just that bush with him, his existence, sets her off on a quest to find out everything about him

2.     They are IDENTITIES.

Identities are the very essence of ourselves.  They are the core of our being.  So, this isn’t some little secret, about how you forgot to lock the car, or how you sometimes sneak into movie theaters.  (not that I’ve ever done either of these things).  This secret is for all the marbles.  It is the making and undoing of the one who holds it.  If Gotham found out that Bruce Wayne was Batman, he could never be Bruce Wayne again, if not worse.  If the Scarlet Pimpernel was ever found out, well… it would have been much worse. 

It the Blue Raven is ever found out by Sarah Forrester, he could lose he most important thing of all – he could lose her.  For you see, the Blue Raven that met with Sarah in a crowded cupboard, is actually not the Blue Raven at all – instead, it is her lifelong friend, Lieutenant Jackson Fletcher, recently returned from sea.  If she ever found out he was posing as the Blue Raven – and if she ever found out why – it would be the end of their friendship.  And lord knows, Jack feels more than friendship for Sarah.  But Sarah… she feels more than friendship for only the Blue Raven.

Perhaps these reasons seem like an over-simplification as to why Secret Identities are such a lure in our literature and culture.  But maybe it really is that simple.  Maybe we all wish we were in on the secret, the biggest secret of all.  Heck, maybe sometimes, we wish the secret was ours, and that we had this whole other side to ourselves, a side filled with mystery and adventure, and walking the tightrope between the ordinary and the extraordinary.  But for whatever reason, the Secret Identity is here to stay.

So, you tell me!  Do you love a good secret identity story, and if so, why? 

Kate

http://www.katenoble.com 

Lisa Dale: April Showers

This year has seen one of the driest springs on record. Last week, fires were breaking out all over New Jersey. One fire, in the meadowlands, set the fragmites on fire like piles of crumpled paper and sent huge black plumes into the sky.

It's very odd for spring to be so rainless. The flowers are blooming. The trees are working hard to turn green...but where's the rain?

Here's a Langston Hughes poem that felt particularly relevant:

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

Langston Hughes

Wishing you a happy April.

Lisa Dale

P.S. A bit of good news... I'm honored this year to be among the RITA nominees! Slow Dancing on Price's Pier is up for best single title contemporary. Talk about thrilling!

Michelle Styles: Uncovering An Author's Inspiration -- Elizabeth Peters and Flinders Petrie

I have been a fan of Elizabeth Peters  and her Amelia Peabody stories ever since the first one came out back in the late 1970s. I discovered her because one of the librarians at my local library wrote to various authors asking recommendations. Phyliss Whitney wrote back suggesting both Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters. In blue ink, the librarian scrawled I wonder if she knows that they are the same person. As I already liked Barbara Michaels, I figured to give Elizabeth Peters a go and was not disappointed.

Through out the intervening years, I sometimes wondered where Elizabeth Peters had the kernel of her story from, but then a couple of weeks ago, the BBC showed a documentary on Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie aka  Flinders Petrie,  the man who founded Modern Egyptology and indeed modern archaeology and I knew I had found at least one of her inspirations.  In her other life, Peters is the Egyptologist Barbara Mertz and indeed her first published book was not a romance, mystery or gothic but a book on The Daily Life in Ancient Egypt.

Petrie was wonderfully eccentric. Despite having no formal education, he was the first man to accurately measure the pyramids. Born in 1853, he first became interested in Egypt after reading a book on the Great Pyramid. In 1880 he first went to Egypt to survey the pyramids. Because it was hot and to keep the curious away, he wore his faded red long underwear. Apparently it looked like he was naked — dreadfully shocking to the Victorians who flocked to Egypt’s many monuments. His research still provides most of the basic data for pyramid study today.

When he returned to England, he came under the patronage of Amelia Peters, a novelist,  journalist and patron of The Egypt Exploration Fund now known as the Egypt Exploration Society. After her death in 1892, he became a professor at the University College of London as she had endowed a chair of Egyptology.  He developed the systematic approach to archaeology and applied stratification or seriation to the subject. Stratification was pioneered by William “Strata” Smith  who noticed layers of sedimentary rock followed the same pattern. Petrie reasoned rightly that objects found in the same layer belonged to the same time period, and if you can date the pottery shards, you can date the entire layer. He was also the first person to really apply the notion of context to an archaeological dig  — everything was important, including where and how the object was found. One of his most famous pupils was Howard Carter who found King Tut. Excavating in both Egypt and Palestine, he is responsible for more major discoveries than practically any archaeologist. Unfortunately he was also a believer in eugenics and it is this distasteful part of his personality which means that he remains a hugely controversial figure. He married a former UCL pupil in 1896.

But I was tremendously fascinated to learn about Amelia Peters and Flinders Petrie because of Elizabeth Peters’ books and the echoes with her characters. I find it truly interesting the various bits of inspirations  other authors might have. If you have not read any of the Amelia Peabody books and are interested in intelligent and strong late Victorian heroines, I really recommend them.  They do withstand the test of time.

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty, and intimate historical romance for Harlequin Historical. Her next novel His Unsuitable Viscountess will be published in August 2012. One of her inspirations for her heroine Eleanor was  the great Regency businesswoman Eleanor Coade. You can read more about Michelle’s books on www.michellestyles.co.uk

90 Books—What I’ve Learned

This month marks the publication of my 90^th book, The Baby Dilemma, the eighth entry in my Safe Harbor Medical series for Harlequin American Romance. As you can imagine, I’ve learned a lot about writing since my earliest books.

In revising older titles prior to releasing them as ebooks, I knew I’d need to update the technology (such as cell phones) and cultural references. But along the way, I discovered how much my writing skills have grown. Here’s a sample of the changes I’ve made.

A Lady’s Point of View. This Regency romance (set in the era of Jane Austen) was first published by Harlequin in 1989. The story involves a nearsighted young lady who gets on the wrong carriage and is mistaken for a governess—and decides she prefers that role to rusticating at home. I tell my writing students not to head-hop, or switch back and forth in viewpoint. Imagine my dismay on discovering I’d done exactly that in several scenes, and in a book that has the term Point of View in the title! Of course I rewrote those scenes. By the way, I’ve priced this ebook at 99 cents to introduce readers to my half-dozen Regencies.

By Leaps and Bounds. This 1990 story focuses on an injured ballerina striving for a comeback while falling in love with the policeman father of one of her students. Harlequin liked it so much they reprinted it in 2010. I figured all it needed for the ebook edition was a little updating. But when I reached the ending, I wanted more emotional impact, so I rewrote the last scene.

Unlikely Partners. I still love the premise of this 1987 romantic comedy. Shy librarian Sarah Farentino gets involved in solving a mystery with the handsome fiancé of a missing heiress and fears she’s losing her heart to a man who loves someone else. In revising it and the sequel, Capers and Rainbows (the story of the heiress herself), I made the writing much funnier. My comic timing and voice have improved more than I realized.

Some ebooks required only minor changes. These include the paranormal romantic thriller Touch Me in the Dark, my mysteries Danger Music and The Eyes of a Stranger, and my fantasy Shadowlight.  

By contrast, I decided not to reissue half a dozen other titles at all, because the premises seemed either out of date or just not exciting enough. If you’re curious, you’ll find a list of these titles at www.jacquelinediamond.com/books.

I now teach writing through LongRidgeWritersGroup.com, and have gathered my accumulated wisdom in the ebook How to Write a Novel in One (Not-so-easy) Lesson. But I learn something new with each book, and I hope that never stops!

The author of 90 published novels, Jacqueline Diamond writes the Safe Harbor Medical miniseries for Harlequin American Romance. A former Associated Press TV columnist and recipient of a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine, Jackie has put together writing tips in the ebook How to Write a Novel in One (Not-so-easy) Lesson. Please visit her website, www.jacquelinediamond.com, and follow her on Twitter @jacquediamond.

The Saga of the Family Mackenzie

My current release, THE DUKE’S PERFECT WIFE, is the fourth book in the Mackenzies series, which features (thus far), four brothers who are very close (so close they drive each other crazy). DUKE’s is Hart’s story (the oldest brother)

I’m thrilled that the book hit the USA Today and New York Times list its first week out. I keep saying that the arrogant Hart would think this appropriate. No one has laughed so far, but that’s OK; Hart and I enjoy the joke.

I’m often asked about my inspiration for this series:

The family Mackenzie just walked into my head. I remember sitting on the sofa staring out at my backyard, and seeing these guys in kilts tearing up Victorian London. The Mackenzies are bad, bad boys, decadent, in every scandal sheet--and they don't care.

I always pictured four: Hart, the leader; Cameron, the dangerous; Mac, the charmer; and Ian, the “mad” man.

I couldn’t get these brothers out of my head. They stayed with me, waking and sleeping. I reasoned that if I couldn't stop thinking about them, maybe readers wouldn’t' be able to either.

Coming up with the heroines was much harder. Isabella was always there--the woman who loved the Mackenzies but marriage to Mac nearly drove her insane. Eleanor was always there too--things didn't work out for her and Hart at first, but she's always loved him, and she is the only person to whom Hart has ever been able to open up.

Beth and Ainsley, on the other hand . . . It took me forever to find them! I wrote four different heroines for Ian, before he told me that Beth was the right one; and two for Cameron, before I settled on Ainsley (Cameron made me figure that one out by myself—he just snarls).

I’m also asked about what disorder Ian Mackenzie (the youngest brother from THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE). Ian has Asperger’s Syndrome, which is considered high-functioning autism.

I always knew, as soon as the Mackenzies took over my life, that Ian was "mad," or at least different from his brothers. I realized after watching him a while that he had Asperger's. I then did a lot of research on Asperger's, talking to people with it, or who had children with it, and reading many books, blogs, and articles about it.

I incorporated much that I learned about AS into Ian's characteristics. I wanted to explore how those in the Victorian world would react to Ian, when AS and autism weren't yet recognized. Ian turned into a wonderful character that many people love.

In Ian’s story, Hart, the oldest brother, clashes with Ian and his heroine, mostly because Hart worries about Ian. Hart appointed himself long ago as the person who keeps Ian safe.

In THE DUKE’S PERFECT WIFE, Hart comes to terms with his relationship with Ian—everything that he’s done for Ian, and everything Ian has done for him. The book is as much about Hart and Ian as Hart and Eleanor.

Hart had picked out Eleanor to be his perfect bride when he was young and ambitious—she had the right connections, the right social background, and so forth. He wooed and won her. Eleanor fell in love with the young and wild Hart, but he never admitted to himself his feelings for her. She broke it off with him, and he, young, arrogant, and angry, pretended to the world that he didn’t care (later marrying another young woman with the right connections and social background).

Now, years later, Hart again needs the perfect wife to stand at his side while he rules the country. He decides to draw Eleanor, still unwed, back into his life.

Eleanor, however, isn’t (and never was), a biddable, obedient young woman. Hart has his hands full with her, her absent-minded father, his own brothers and children, and danger to himself and his family.

Much is revealed in this book about Hart and why he’s done what he’s done over the years. It’s as much a family saga as a romance between Eleanor and Hart.

I’m also asked—What’s coming up next? Is this the end of the Mackenzies?

I reply: NO! There will be more.

The next book in the series is THE SEDUCTION OF ELLIOT MCBRIDE. Elliot is the brother of Ainsley from The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. Elliot has had a rough time of it--he was a wild young man who went to Afghanistan and India, and found a way to make money at being a wild adventurer. He was captured and imprisoned for a long time, and he's back in Scotland trying to recover.

Elliot discovers on his return that the girl he had a crush on as a boy is now getting married. He arrives at the church in time to see her left at the altar, and she, distraught, asks him for a big favor . . .

I call Elliot "The Untamed McBride". He is definitely a sexy, tortured hero. He battles the PTSD-like problems at the same time he tries to figure out how to be a proper Scottish laird. Juliana, his heroine, is never sure from day to day what's going to happen!

But Elliot's very hot and loves running around in his kilt (only).

Daniel Mackenzie, the son of Cameron, will have his story told in THE WICKED DEEDS OF DANIEL MACKENZIE. Motherless Daniel was raised alone by his father Cameron and three Mackenzie uncles, so he’s as decadent as they are. I fast forward ten years so he’ll be about twenty-eight in his book, and find the woman of his dreams.

There you have it! The Mackenzie saga. I hope everyone enjoys it. My website has a special section for the Mackenzies, including excerpts, character bios, and family trees. (See http://www.jennifersromances.com and click “Mackenzies” from the right-hand menu.)

Do you enjoy reading historical romances?  If so, what do you love most about them?  One commenter will win a signed hardback copy (Rhapsody edition) of The Duke's Perfect Wife!  

Jennifer


***Jennifer's winner is Maureen! Maureen, please email me at totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info.  Thank you!***

My Hero Nora Roberts by Debra Mullins

I read today that Nora Roberts is releasing her 200^th novel this month. I’ve been reading her all my life, and I actually own original copies of her books, including the first one, Irish Thoroughbred. She is truly one of my all-time favorite authors, both as Nora and as her alter ego J.D. Robb.

While she’s known for her wonderful contemporary romances and gritty Eve Dallas murder mysteries, did you know she also wrote two historicals? One is Rebellion, Harlequin Historical #4, which is a story about the MacGregors. And the other is Harlequin Historical #21, Lawless, a Western historical.

Lawless was a first published in May 1989, and for me it has set a standard for Western historicals. When I closed the book, I truly felt as if it had all the elements to make the perfect Western: a half-Apache gunslinging hero, a spunky heroine from back east who proves her mettle as she tries to learn about the late father she never knew, Indian attacks, a mean-spirited madam, a gold mine, the works.

To add to the fun, Nora Roberts referenced Lawless in a couple of her other books. In Loving Jack (Silhouette Special Edition #499), the heroine Jack (short for Jacqueline) is housesitting while writing the novel that is Lawless. In The Last Honest Woman (Silhouette Special Edition #451), the first of the O’Hurley series, Abby’s children mention how much they enjoy one of their Aunt Chantel’s early movies—Lawless.

Another tidbit of trivia about The Last Honest Woman—Nora Roberts herself posed for the cover!

Every time I sit down to write a book, I try to create something special, like Nora has. Every writer I know wants to be as prolific as Nora Roberts. Imagine—two hundred books in just over thirty years, and every single one of them is good. She is truly a master storyteller, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

One thing Nora does well is connected books about families. I’ve followed in her footsteps with my Calhoun sisters series: Donovan’s Bed and The Lawman’s Surrender.  Both these Western historicals have recently been re-released in digital format from Samhain Retro Romance. Donovan’s Bed, nominated for a RITA award back in its day, came out in February and tells the story of Sarah Calhoun and Jack Donovan. The Lawman’s Surrender follows this month with the adventures of Susannah Calhoun and U.S. Marshal Jedidiah Brown.

When Susannah is arrested for the murder of the brother of  a U.S. Senator, the congressman demands she be transferred to Denver to stand trial. A U.S. Marshal is summoned to escort her. That marshal is Jedidiah Brown, a man with whom she once shared a flirtation and a kiss before Jedidiah left town without a word. She never forgave him, and he never forgot her. But now he’s her only chance to escape the lynch mob pursuing her in their race to find the witness who can prove her innocence before time runs out and she has to face the judge in Denver. You can check out an excerpt at http://store.samhainpublishing.com/lawmans-surrender-p-6774.html.

Are you a fan of Nora Roberts? What is your favorite Nora or J.D. Robb book? One commenter will win a copy of The Lawman’s Surrender (ebook or paperback).


***Debra's winner is Leni! Leni, please email me at totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info.  Thank you!***

Oven Lovin'

by Anna Campbell

Are you a baker?

I am!

Even more, I'm a carnivore from way back. I grew up in a farming family and farming families tend to go heavy on the protein because of all the hard physical work involved in running the property. And meat loves being roasted in an oven. All that dripping, roasty goodness? YUM!

As a consequence, I've always made great use of the ovens in the houses I've lived in. I've seen rental properties where it's clear nobody has ever touched the oven since it was installed. That would not be moi!

Nothing beats a roast chicken or a leg of lamb. And what says 'home' more loudly (or more fragrantly) than a casserole? And I love to bake treats as well. Especially biscuits and desserts. For some reason, I've never had great luck with cakes. I find doing a big tray of deliciousness in the oven is a great stress-beater and it gives you pretty instant gratification unlike other activities like, you know, WRITING! Not only that, baking makes you popular when you share the goodness around.

So you can imagine my horror six months ago, when in the middle of baking a chicken for my birthday dinner, my oven died. Picture shrieking and tearing of hair and running around like a loon! It wasn't pretty! But then nor was half-raw chicken, sadly.

A couple of weeks ago, some lovely men with hammers and screwdrivers installed a brand-new oven in my kitchen. It turns out ovens have changed size in the 20 years since the last one went in so there was cabinetry involved as well as electrical know-how. But I am now the proud possessor of a lovely oven and a half. Watch out, neighbors! You are about to be barraged with biscuits (or cookies for my American friends).

And, Oven, welcome to my house. I promise to love and care and treat you with respect... Ah, who am I kidding? I'm going to work this baby into the ground. Now where's that potato peeler? I can feel a roasty coming on!

So are you a carnivore? A baking fiend? Just a fiend, perhaps? What's your favorite thing to cook? Where do you do most of your cooking?

Call it coincidence – by Kandy Shepherd

Coincidence? Wish fulfillment? Who knows—but fictional incidents I create for my novels have a habit of actually happening in my own life!

DREAM HOUSE COME TRUE

In my contemporary romance, Something About Joe, my heroine Allison Bradley lives in a charming little terrace house (row house) in McMahons Point, a harborside suburb of Sydney, Australia, ten minutes from the city center where she works.

At the time I wrote the story, I lived in an outer suburb, considerably more than ten minutes from where I worked. In fact, to get into the city for my “day job”, I had to get up at the crack of dawn (I’m an “owl” and loathe getting up early) and dress my daughter while she was still asleep to get her to daycare and me to the office on time.

I wove my yearning for a closer-to-town home into the story, living it vicariously through the house I created for Allison. Who would have imagined some years later we would find a decrepit, uninhabitable little house in McMahons Point, spend several years renovating it, and move in.

A house something like the one I created for Allison in SOMETHING ABOUT JOE

Yes, it was every bit as convenient to live there for me as it was for Alison.

No, a hot handsome hunk of a babysitter like my hero Joe Martin never came knocking on my door!

(If there are any more dream houses going to come true for me, there’s the most perfect house in Sausalito, California, I created for my hero in Home Is Where the Bark Is… )

HARBORSIDE PLAYGROUND

In Something About Joe, two pivotal scenes take place in a small harborside park in McMahon’s Point. There’s a park bench there and in my mind’s eye, I can see my fictional characters Joe and Allison sitting there together.

The view of Sydney Harbour Joe and Allison see from the park

Long after the book was written I found myself spending happy hours right near that bench teaching my daughter to jump rope (or skipping rope as it’s called in Australia) with magnificent Sydney Harbour as our backdrop and backyard substitute. I could never have imagined that! 

MORE NIGHTMARE THAN DREAM

Spoiler alert! There’s a scene in Something About Joe where Allison’s eighteen-month old son Mitchell suffers a febrile convulsion and ends up in the emergency room at the local hospital.

I thoroughly researched the symptoms and the hospital procedure. Lucky I did, because several years after writing the scene with Mitchell, a high fever triggered a terrifying series of convulsions in my daughter (long after the age my research told me was usual) and I knew exactly what to do. I also got all the details of what happens at the hospital right, though to tell you the truth I wasn't thinking about my story when I was there with my daughter! (She was fine, with no after effects at all, thank heaven.)

No febrile convulsions for this happy baby!

Has anything quite unexpectedly come true for you? Something you dreamed about, longed for, read in a book or saw in a movie, heard about from someone else?

Leave a comment to win a free download of my new e-book Something About Joe. Be sure to include your email address.

Something About Joe is available for just $0.99c at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and other e-retailers.

Kandy Shepherd writes fun, feel-good fiction.
www.kandyshepherd.com

Sydney Harbour Bridge photo © Deb22 http://www.stockfreeimages.com

Baby photo © Melkinghttp://www.stockfreeimages.com