Dream House : : Anne McAllister

I’ve just been writing a flashback scene in my book which has to do with a tree house.  My hero and heroine – adversaries from childhood – have been, in a rare moment of collaboration, building a tree house. 

And I’ve been thinking back to my own childhood – of dreams of tree houses, lavish and rustic at the same time and real tree houses (not an easy fit in a eucalyptus tree, let me tell you!).  And my fingers have been itching to get out the pencils and paper and draw them all over again.

They were my original dream houses.  I wanted them high, where I would have a room with a view, and sturdy, though with just enough sway to let me know I wasn’t on the ground anymore.  I wanted them wind-proof and water-proof and with lots of bookshelves (a girl can’t look out the window all the time!). Besides, this was my dream.

A couple of my sons built a tree house in the woods not far from our home.  It was drafty and teetery and I had visions of them plunging out of it when the least breeze came up. But I managed to shut my mouth and not voice my concerns. It was ‘their’ dream house – and boys have to have dreams, too.

I remember going to Disneyland when I was young and, as I recall, there was a sort of Swiss Family Robinson tree house there.  Or may be I dreamed it. But it was everything I thought I would want in my dream tree house. 

When I was looking for images to illustrate this piece, I found this one from the Disneyland at Hong Kong (or so it says). I didn’t even know there was a Disneyland at Hong Kong (I thought there was one in Japan).  It speaks to me, too. And I wouldn’t mind having it right on the edge of a river or lake like this one, either!

These images all resonate with me. Some are way more lavish than any kid could make. They are certainly more lavish than my hero and heroine are making.  They’re more lavish than I dared dream of as a child.

But they do two things – they prove to me that my dreams are shared by a lot of people, and that sometimes dreams can coincide with reality, even if in the instance of tree houses, mine didn’t.

They inspire me. They make remember childhood dreams and they make me dream still.

They also, honestly, make me want to go round up a few grandkids and watch Swiss Family Robinson again. 

Did you ever dream about making a fantastic tree house?  Did you make one?  Just how universal is my tree house dream house fantasy, anyway?

 

Attributions: Tree house 1: By http://flickr.com/photos/emdot/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdot/9672473/) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tree house 2: By Grandy02 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tree house 3: Stanley Howe [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tree house 4: By Dave Q from flickr.com - http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodspeed/ CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Curly v straight—the great debate - Kandy Shepherd

Do you have curly hair you wish was sleek and straight? Or straight hair you wish fell to your shoulders in glorious waves? And what about the color? Happy with your brown/blond/black/red? Or always wanting to change it?

Straight or curly - is anyone ever happy with their hair?

Personal observation and years working in womens magazines tells me there are many of us not happy with the hair nature gave us. I have dead straight hair that is healthy and easy to manage. But I’ve always fancied having wavy hair. Suffice to say, I can’t bear to look at the photos of the three disastrous perms I’ve had in misguided efforts to get that longed-for wavy hair! A friend has repeatedly told me: “If you ever get the urge to have a perm again, call me first.” For a curl-avoiding intervention.

I loathed my auburn (okay, ginger!) hair when I was young but it darkened as I got older and though I threatened to dye it black, I never actually did.

And then there are people with wavy hair who do anything they can to straighten it. Reverse perms. Straightening irons. Even real irons—one friend burned her ear while trying to iron her hair on an ironing board with a steam iron.

It takes work to turn curly hair into straight - and vice-versa. 

Harlequin Desire author Paula Roe, was blessed with naturally curly hair. But last month Paula decided to go straight for the first time in a sleek, sophisticated new look. “It’s surprising how different it looks,” says Paula. “I’m told I look younger and it definitely feels more swishy. But it’s temporary—I could never do away with my curls.” I think Paula looks gorgeous both ways!

Harlequin Desire author Paula Roe with naturally curly hair.

Here's Paula with her hair all  sleek and straight.

For years, my “day job” was as a womens magazine editor. One aspect of the role I particularly loved was working on reader makeovers—coordinating with hairdressers, makeup artists, fashion stylists and photographers to transform everyday women into their look-best selves. The experience inspired me to write about a girl who wants to reinvent herself and hopes a “me makeover” will help solve all her problems. (Of course real change takes more than new hair and makeup!)

One of my favorite makeover movies is The Princess Diaries - here the transformation process for the Anne Hathaway character starts with having her riotous curls tamed into sleekness.

Rose, the heroine of my new contemporary womens fiction release Reinventing Rose, starts the book with wild wavy locks, “the kind combs get lost in.” She feels “like an extra from The Lion King.” Rose jumps at the opportunity to have her hair permanently straightened for a magazine makeover. I had such fun taking Rose into the hairdresser and the studio for her makeover scenes. Especially when she meets a handsomer-than-handsome photographer who may or may not end up being her dream-come-true hero…

What about you? Are you happy with your hair the way it is? Any interesting/disastrous/fabulous hairdresser experiences to share? I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment for a chance to win a free download of Reinventing Rose. Don’t forget to include your email address if you want to be in the draw.

Kandy Shepherd writes fun, feel-good fiction.

Her new contemporary womens fiction e-book, Reinventing Rose, is available for $2.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble,  Smashwords, Kobo and other e-book retailers. Kandy’s romances include the Amazon bestseller The Castaway Bride, Something About Joe, and the award-winners Love is a Four-Legged Word and Home Is Where the Bark Is.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

Photos courtesy of

Blond model

© Siraragorn | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Ginger

http://designspiration.net/image/187546891805/

Brunette model

© Vedmochka | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Paula Roe 

© Disney Enterprises

More Ice Cream

I’m so excited to be able to finally talk about my latest book, Anything But Vanilla, which is being released in Harlequin’s exciting new KISS series in May (although like all HQ titles, it will be available on their website in April).

Kiss has been the most enormous success since its launch in February, regularly topping the bestseller chart at Harlequin. It has a really starry line-up with books across the range of “heat” but all with that flirty, sexy, modern feel to them. They are about modern young women, living real lives and having their HEA come up and smack them in the eye rather than hunting it down.

Anything But Vanilla is the second of my ice cream stories  - Tempted By Trouble was the first. It’s Sorrel’s story. She’s the Amery sister who plans to be a millionaire by the time she’s twenty-five. She’s expanded “Scoop!” to include high end events and things are looking up until the woman who makes her specialist ice creams disappears a day before a make-or-break reception.

Worse. There’s some man in her place with only one thing on his mind. Shutting the place down. Well, two… He’s taking a lot of interest in her legs.

I have twenty advanced reading downloads of Anything But Vanilla for those of you who enjoy fun, flirty romance and are prepared to post a review on Goodreads or Amazon, or on your blog or all of them. If that’s you, email me at liz at liz fielding dot com (no gaps) with ARC in the subject line and I’ll draw the names out of a hat next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

The 3 Ws of Being an Author by Jessica Lemmon

Wonder, Wait, and Write.

Or should that be Write, Wait, Wonder?

Either way, I think those three words sum up the life of an author. No matter what kind of author you are, your life will involve a whole lot of each of those.

WRITE

Writers write. Could there be a more obvious (and sometimes frustrating) statement? It’s like the great mystery of weight loss. When someone tells you to: Eat Less, Move More, you feel sorta duped. Shouldn’t it be more complicated than that?

So…what are writers writing? It could be the latest novel or it could be a blog post. Guest (like this one) or your own. I love blogging. Posting on my blog is a satisfying way to self-publish instantly. And my blog doubles as a journal. I can see just where I was at any moment in my life by looking back at those posts.

WAIT

Ah, the waiting. When I submitted books as an unpublished writer, the waiting was agonizing. That’s how I managed to have seven books under my belt in two years. I had to do something other than twiddle my thumbs while waiting to hear back from publishers! Rejections came, but they came slowly. Like, to the tune of 8-12 mos. later. :-(

But then you get the magical “call” and the wait is finally over!

Temporarily.

Publishing is a slow business. Even after those books are sold, your busy-busy-busy times will be bookmarked by times of WAITING. And waiting some more. Waiting to see what the sales numbers are, waiting for reviews to roll in, waiting to hear back on your next manuscript.

Tom Petty said it best: The waiting is the hardest part. It’s also the part that never stops. :-P

WONDER

This one, in my opinion, is harder than waiting! Being a fiction writer, I can concoct all sorts of scenarios that have no basis in reality. Depending on the day (or the hour or the moment) I could be speculating that I am awesome…or that my writing smells a lot like the kitchen trashcan at the end of the week.

But wondering is also a necessary part of the process.

In case you’re worried that the waiting and wondering may eat you alive, fear not! There is a cure for the dreaded wait and wonder.

Guess what it is?

C’mon. You know.

Yep.

WRITE.

An all-business billionaire. A sweet, sexy assistant. What could possibly go wrong?

"A smashing debut! Charming, sexy, and brimming with wit--you'll be adding Jessica Lemmon to your bookshelves for years to come!" (USA Today bestselling author Heidi Betts )

Jessica will be giving away two (2) copies of her fun, sexy debut novel Tempting the Billionaire to two lucky commenters! To enter, simply answer this question: Do you think the writing, waiting, or wondering is the hardest part? Why?

***Jessica's winners are Joye and Lory Lee! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information. Thanks!***

Gerry Bartlett: Keeping it Real In Your Unreal World

When I got the idea for Real Vampires Know Hips Happen, book 9 in the Real Vampires series, I realized Glory St. Clair, my somewhat chubby vampire heroine in all my books would chase her main squeeze all the way to Scotland. Jeremy Blade aka Jeremiah Campbell had turned Glory in 1604 and they’d been on-again, off-again lovers ever since. At the end of book 8, he’d taken off for the family castle, not happy with Glory’s recent behavior. Now she’s determined to get him back.

As I started writing, I wanted to see the real Castle Campbell. Luckily, a friend is married to a Brit whose family lives in Newcastle, just miles from the Scottish border. I accepted their invitation to fly over and we drove north to see the area for ourselves. The castle still stands, but barely. It is open for tours thanks to the National Trust. There’s even a tea room and gift shop. It a tough walk over a foot bridge and is just above the small town of Dollar, not too far from Edinburgh.

Just standing in the ancient castle and feeling the damp air ruin my hair filled my head with ideas. I knew immediately that my vampires would have to live under the castle. The story went on from there. It was a great experience and I learned that being on site is much better than a glimpse from Google Earth.

Have you ever visited a place that gave you a story idea? Comment here for a chance to win a copy of Real Vampires Know Hips Happen. 

***Gerry's winner is Connie! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information. Thanks!***

Realism in Romance – by Lauren Dane

Each time I start to write a book, I think about realism and what, how much, etc to put in any given story.

What I mean is there are things I will always include in a contemporary romance like condoms. Some readers hate that. They want the fantasy without that sort of reality intruding. And there are authors who feel the same so it works out.

Some of my books are light, some are darker for a host of reasons.

So when I started to sketch out LOST IN YOU, I knew both my main characters came to the story with some heavy backstory.

Beth Murphy grew up in a toxic, abusive household. But she’s gotten past it. She’s very close with her siblings, who all banded together to survive what they had growing up.  It’s made her stronger and given her an appreciation for family.

And Joe, well, Joe wasn’t a great son really. He got into a lot of trouble. Partied hard and ended up in Iraq as an army mechanic because he made a choice in a stupid, drunken moment.

Each of them has stuff to get past. Things to prove and Joe is back in Petal to handle his ailing father, to prove he is a good son. Because he loves his family and in that he and Beth are a great deal alike.

Petal is a small town filled with love. The Chases and the Murphys are a close knit, loving unit and that is at the heart of all the books. But each of the books in both series has dealt with real life issues. Class, race, body image, stalking, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental illness. Because while romance does have a HEA, the characters in the books don’t always have an easy time of it.

Real life isn’t always easy or smooth. And sometimes a book will have those bumps in the road for the characters to struggle through, just like we do in our lives.

There are some dark moments in LOST IN YOU, but Joe and Beth get through because of one another, because they’re stronger than they would be on their own. I hope you all enjoy reading their story!

Thanks for reading!  Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Lost In You!

Lauren

www.laurendane.com

Twitter: @laurendane

***Lauren's winner is Timitra! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information. Thanks!***

Finding Light in the Dark by Elisabeth Staab

In his famous TED Talk, comedian Chris Bliss talks about comedy as translation, and the ways comedy can help open people up to communicating on different wavelengths. Through laughter, comedy releases endorphins and lowers walls that many other emotions raise. I’m a big believer in all the ways that laughter can raise the enjoyment factor of story.

Thing is, I love a story full of dark, gritty, badass vampires. I love treachery and betrayal and forbidden enemies becoming lovers, and all that edgy stuff. Murder. Betrayal. A little steamy, erotic tension… You get the idea.

But I think we all need a little light with all that darkness. Call it a tension breaker. A breath of fresh air. Or like Mr. Bliss says, call it another way of opening the reader to what they’re taking in. Because for even those of us who like reading or writing dark, three hundred and fifty pages of gloom and doom is an awful lot to handle. A truly heavy story leaves me wanting to lie on my bed and listen to depressing music while I contemplate the life and times of Sylvia Plath.  For me, part of the fun is the emotional roller coaster.

Humor can be something subtle, like maybe a character delivers a line of snarky dialogue or a cliché that’s been twisted sideways. Or maybe something a little more obvious:

There were times in life when you just had to acknowledge the ridiculousness of a situation. She took form in a dark room, still reeling from the night’s events. Thad’s female and her just-barely former lover were in danger. The man who had said the sweetest words any male had ever spoken to her was apparently her sworn enemy; her body was shot to shit from trying to teleport while she was invisible; and she was catching her breath while leaning up against a rack of… waterproof vibrators?
--Tyra, King of Darkness

The above snippet by the way, occurs right before a big battle scene against the vampire enemies. Just a little moment for the reader, and one of the secondary characters, to catch their breath before the fight.

Choosing your moment is important. Putting funny in the wrong place can really throw a scene. Knowing your characters is important too. In an early draft of my latest release, Prince of Power, I had my hero telling a pop culture joke about I Love Lucy. The joke was quickly removed when I realized that a hero who’d been sequestered and tortured for a great deal of his existence probably would not have watched much I Love Lucy. Bummer.

I instead used his heroine’s comparative worldliness, along with the awkwardness that arose from the fact that they were supposed to be enemies as a means of creating a dynamic that sometimes took an unexpected left turn:

Their bodies melted together. Anton’s fingers traveled. They tangled in the springy curls at the nape of her neck, and at the same time his tongue probed and tasted. Ah, so that was the source of the apple scent: gum. It felt so right, so natural to be with her like this.

At least it did until Tyra flipped both of them over and kneed him in the balls.

-- Anton, Prince of Power

I love serious angst. I love books that make me grip my seat in anger and fear, and make me cry. But once in awhile if you make me laugh until I cry, that will win it for me every time.

What about you? Do you like funny with your fiction, and if so, what kind?  Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Prince of Power! 

ABOUT PRINCE OF POWER BY ELISABETH STAAB

Wizards and vampires have been mortal enemies since the beginning. Now Anton, son of the Wizard Master, has one last chance to steal the unique powers of the vampire king's beautiful sister, Tyra...and then kill her. But when he meets Tyra face-to-face, everything changes...

Tyra will stop at nothing to defeat the wizards, until Anton saves her life and she suddenly sees an opportunity she never could have imagined...

As the sparks ignite between them, together they could bring an end to the war that's decimating their people, but only if they can find a way to trust each other...

FIND IT: Amazon|B&N|Indiebound|Target|Walmart|Books On Board|Discover a New Love

Elisabeth Staab still lives with her nose in a book and at least one foot in an imaginary world. She believes that all kinds of safe and sane love should be celebrated but she adores the fantasy-filled realm of paranormal romance the best. She loves to spend time with good friends, good music, good beverages, and good books (when she isn't making characters fall in love, that is). She lives with her family and one big scaredy-cat in Northern Virginia. Find out more at ElisabethStaab.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

***Elisabeth's winner is Barbara E!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information. Thanks!***

Celebrating Mothers - with Kate Walker

Today is my mother's birthday.  She was born on 3rd March  in Clones County Monaghan, Ireland.  Sadly she died just before the publication of my first book - though she did know that it had been accepted and was about to be published. 

My mother was the first person to open the door into the enchantment of stories and that wonderful questions ‘what happened next?’ I was one of five daughters, all of different ages and interests but we all used to come together at bed time and listen to the stories Mother would read to us. She read so many stories – many I can’t remember – but there were the Brer Rabbit, Irish legends and folk tales, King Arthur and his Knights of The Round Table.  Or sometimes she would make up stories herself, with characters based around the  personalities of her five daughters, or perhaps some special toys who would come alive in those imaginary lands.  These were the best because we had no idea what was going to happen  and we had to wait until the next night to hear what was going on. I’m sure my mother had no idea of what was going to happen either and spent the next day frantically trying to think up what might be the next instalment in the plot she was making up as she went along.

Perhaps it was from her that I learned how to tell a story. How to add  in excitement and adventure, how to lead up to an intriguing moment and then leave it at a cliff-hangers , saying  ‘ and if you want to find out what happened . . .well I’ll tell you that tomorrow night.’  She certainly  taught me to love stories and to want to feed my imagination with these wonderful people, events and mysteries.  And when I was old enough to read for myself she fed that imagination with books – from second hand book sales, from trips to the library, and birthday and Christmas gifts.  One of the best things that was always guaranteed to be in our Christmas stocking was a brand new and unopened annual.  I know it was  put there for us to read so that we would keep quiet and  stay in bed a little while longer on Christmas morning so that she could get some sleep – and it worked!  But it was still such a treat.

Of course, sadly  I can't actually celebrate her day with her,  but I do want to mark today – for a couple of reasons.  One is obviously Mother’s birthday, another is the fact that I’ve just been sent the brand new cover of my upcoming Presents  title – A  Throne For The Taking.  (out in June) I’ll post it here so you can see what you think.

Here in the UK,  next weekend is also Mother’s Day, again something worth celebrating – so, although it’s not Mother’s Day in America until May, I think  mothers are really well worth celebrating – so to mark today, and this new cover – I’m offering a giveaway of one of my backlist books for someone to give to their mother. Tell me about your Mum – does she love reading? Or is there something else she’s really interested in?  Why would you like to give her one of my books? Just post a comment and I’ll get Charlie the Maine Coon to pick a name  so that someone can hopefully make their mother’s day with a little special gift.

Kate’s latest hero is Alexei Sarova, a black sheep prince who has to face up to a new and unexpected destiny. A Throne For the Taking will be published in the Royal and Ruthless miniseries (in UK) in June.

Other up to date news and details of all Kate’s books can be found on her web site and in her blog.

 

Katherine Garbera: The Art of Cooking From Love

Food is rooted for me in my memories of my maternal grandmother.  She died just a month before I turned 30 and I still miss her everyday.  She's the one who made me feel beautiful and special even though I know I wasn't.  She kept her hair dyed a vibrant red color and when she walked into a room everyone knew she was there.  I felt so special that she loved me when everyone clearly loved her.

When I started writing my "food" books for Blaze I thought of my grandmom and my mom as I wrote.  The main character Staci in SIZZLE learned to cook from her grandmother.  In my head this woman was a melding of my mom who didn't think we should eat anything with artificial ingredients and my grandmother who was always entertaining and cooking for everyone.  After my grandmother passed away and we went to clean out her house my mom, sisters and I gravitated to the kitchen instead of to her jewelry box.  We cherished her pots, pans, and cookbooks--those were the keepers not only of her memory for us but of the dishes and the love she'd had for us.

Here's a snippet from Sizzle:

“Maybe. You seem very comfortable surrounded by luxury,” she said.

“Do I?”

“Yes. This is probably the nicest car I’ve been in unless you count the limo I took to prom. I don’t think that’s the case with you.”

He laughed. “Who did you go to prom with?”

“A boy who thought he loved me,” she said.

“Why did the boy think he loved you?” Remy asked.

She was not about to start talking about her rocky past and the loves that might have been. “Don’t avoid the question.”

“What was the question?”

She frowned at him. “You’re difficult and cagey. What exactly are you hiding, Remy Stephens?”

“I believe that some things shouldn’t be spoken of. But you are right, I did grow up in a comfortable home financially. However, that’s not as interesting as a boy who thought he loved you. Didn’t you love him?”

“I’m not talking about that,” she said. She hadn’t al­lowed herself to really care about anyone when she’d been younger because she’d had big dreams of leaving California and going to Paris. She was going to be the next Julia Child.

I wanted to be Julia Child as well.  I had a few things from my grandmother that increased this longing.  One was her copy of Mastering The Art Of French Cooking.  The other is a post card book that my great-grandmother brought with her from Marseille when she immigrated to the US in the early 1900s.  I don't know if these things influenced me or not but I've always loved French cuisine and felt an affinity for France.

Do you have a tradition like that in your family?  Tell me something that links you to your past--it can be something that links you to it like cooking is for me or something that motivated you away from it.  I'm giving away e-copies of Sizzle today to three lucky blog participants.

Escape to an Island Romance - Annie West

Do you ever dream about getting away from it all somewhere secluded and romantic? Do you fantasise about a holiday somewhere warm and lush, where you can be pampered and carefree? Personally I couldn't resist the idea of an island getaway. There's something about the notion of being totally isolated from the world, linked only by phone or radio or boat, that appeals to the armchair adventurer in me. In real life I enjoy my comforts but as a kid I used to fantasise about a Swiss Family Robinson type existence and even now, the idea of an island getaway sounds so romantic to me.

So when I came to write my current book: CAPTIVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT I had enormous fun putting my two antagonists/soon-to-be lovers on an island. The story starts in Rome but shifts quickly to a private island of the south coast of Italy where the sunsets are glorious, the views fantastic and the temperature scorching - or maybe that's just Lucy and Domenico together.

It's not a tropical island but it does have lush gardens, plus a wilderness, some soft sand beaches and a pool to loll beside. There's a ruined castello and a luxury mansion. After all, if you want to hide away from the paparazzi, why not do it in style? After all, Domenico is from one of Italy's oldest and wealthiest families, so he'd have the best of everything at his fingertips. It takes a special woman to make him reassess the things he takes for granted to see another side to life.

Lucy, the woman who's just out of prison after a conviction for killing his brother, is that woman. Needless to say, falling for his brother's killer is not on Domenico's agenda. As for Lucy, the last person she wants to be with is this man who had no faith in her and abandoned her to the grinding legal system when she needed him most. You could say they have a lot to overcome - and you'd be right.

These photos of mine were both taken in sunny Queensland, Australia, but they give a feel for the lush luxury I imagine at the thought of an island escape. Lucy and Domenico's island looks a little different but has that some 'away from it all' air.

Does an island escape appeal to you? Have you ever visited an island and felt its magic? Maybe a tiny island just big enough for a lighthouse or a vast one like Sicily, brim-full of fascinating places and people. Is there an island destination you'd love to visit? 

Stop by tomorrow when I'll announce the winner of a free signed copy of one of my previously published titles to one person who leaves a comment.

Annie's CAPTIVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT is available now in North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Visit her website to read an excerpt or find out more about it. Here are a few links to buy: 

Amazon

Book Depository

Barns and Noble

Mills and Boon UK

Harlequin