Waldenbooks bestseller!

While I was sweating through the 43 degree heat late yesterday, the lovely Robyn Grady sent me an email, congratulating me on being on the Waldies this week.

Well, let me tell you, my fingers flew mighty fast over the keyboard and landed directly here.
And yep, there I am, sitting pretty on the WALDENBOOKS BESTSELLER list!!!
To say I'm thrilled would be an understatement!

So if you want to discover why THE BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA made the list (and is one of my favourite books) go grab your copy now!

THE WRITE WHISPER: Protecting the work

I've heard this phrase mentioned a few times lately...'protecting the work'.

You'd think it would have something to do with copyright but when I've heard it, I've skimmed past, yet managed to get the gist of it, I hope!

For me, protecting the work is about doing whatever it takes to ensure your writing comes first, your muse is fresh, your creativity flowing.

Now I'm not saying lock the kids away, tell hubby to vamoose and put the writing first (unless you're on deadline!)
What I am saying is be careful not to be swamped by other writing-associated things that your time is eaten away.

We all know what a distraction research on the Internet can be so I'm not going there.
But lately, I had a good chat with an author buddy who'd pulled back from every 'loop' she was on. Timely, considering I was about to do the same thing.

When I was first published, I joined every loop I was invited to join. I participated, I posted, I congratulated. Then along came the kids...and deadlines...and promotion...and my time is now limited. Extremely limited.

So this week, I've taken stock.
I'm on 45 loops. That's right, 45!
I'm in the process of paring that back to 5, unsubscribing to most of them by stealth.

I won't be missed but what I do know is that the few hours it takes me to check emails in the morning while toddler is napping (even skimming those loops where I'm on digest for most) will give me extra writing time.
And that's what counts.

'Protect the work', that's my 'write whisper' for today.

No translation required

I'm out in Holland at the moment, in a duo with Jessica Steele.

Cute cover!

What interested me was the title: PAPA IS DE BAAS.

I don't speak Dutch but I reckon I don't need a translator for this one, sounds like 'Father is the Boss'? (The story is my EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE so it's a spot-on translation.)

Cool, huh?

Lovely review!

My sexy archaeologist has received another lovely review, this time from ROMANCE READER AT HEART.

Here it is!

I’ve got to admit that I’m a Nicola Marsh fan. When I read one of her stories I know that the plot will be fast and fun, the characters smart and sexy and the writing flawless. Another thing I enjoy about her stories is the fact that they give a glimpse of exotic locations, something that adds to my reading pleasure. THE BOSS’S BEDROOM AGENDA did not disappoint on any of these points. Set in Melbourne, this is a tale of a woman whose shoe savvy is eclipsed only by her fear of finding—then losing—the one thing she truly wants.

From the first chapter, Beth is an endearing character. Her arrival for her first day as a museum tour guide late, and wearing a pair of Manolos instead of sensible shoes, sets the tone for her relationship with her new boss, drop-dead gorgeous Aidan Voss. He is an archeological whiz; she’s a metal sculptor. Together they bring more sizzle to the Melbourne Museum than any of its exhibits. The chemistry between the pair is obvious even at their first meeting, and as the story progresses it continues to grow. After a fund raiser their flirting takes a passionate turn, but even when Beth spells out exactly what she wants—what she needs—Aidan is determined to put in his time at the museum so he can get back to his archeological digs.

A story about compromises and commitment, THE BOSS’S BEDROOM AGENDA is both emotionally satisfying and entertaining. I enjoyed every minute of it, and look forward to more from this talented author.
(Kay James)

Thanks Kay!

THE WRITE WHISPER: Voice

Voice: we all have one.

It's as unique as our fingerprints, almost impossible to replicate and one of the many things I love about books: the author's voice.

Voice, style, flare, whatever you want to call it, every writer has a distinct way of getting their story across.

Voice is what makes certain authors auto-buys for me.
Voice keeps me turning pages deep into the night when I should be sleeping.
Voice can make me laugh, smile, even cry on the odd occasion.

Lately, I've been doing a fair amount of judging, hence the choice of topic.

Writers, take note: even if your plot has major holes, your conflict is weak and your characters need a good kick in the pants to make them head in the right direction, if your voice is strong and captivating, the rest can be fixed.

Plots can be strengthened, conflict tightened and characters placed firmly back on the straight and narrow, but you can't fix voice.

Here's a little story.
An old uni friend of mine, who I hadn't seen in years, contacted me after she read several of my books. She thoroughly enjoyed them but the thing that really struck me was when she said 'reading one of your books is like sitting across from you at the cafeteria table and hearing you tell stories.'
(Looks like I was a bit of a chatterbox even back then!)

That really hit home. It told me I have a voice. A voice I've been told is fun, flirty, witty and modern by various editors. A voice I stay true to, no matter what series I'm writing for.

Here's another little story.
An author recently said her voice had been diluted and weakened by a critique group she joined and it took her much longer to get published. She reworked a manuscript so much according to suggestions that her voice was lost. When she subbed the original manuscript years later, it sold. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing critique groups or partners in any way, but don't forget that each critique is one reader's opinion. And in the end, it's the editor's opinion that counts.

So the moral of these tales?

Stay true to your voice.
Work it. Hone it. Polish it.

That's my 'write whisper' for this week.