Halloween isn't celebrated much in Australia.
Very rarely when I was growing up.
Then we've had a few 'trick or treater's knock on our door the last few years.
Now this.
Went grocery shopping earlier this week and was absolutely amazed at the range of Halloween paraphernalia on sale. Front and centre store displays. Aisles of the stuff.
First time ever I've seen that here...shops taking advantage of an increasing commercial angle to a festival we Aussies know little about?
I could google Halloween to discover its true meaning, but am very busy, so going to be lazy and hand over to all of you.
What is Halloween all about?
Why should we celebrate it?
Any special traditions associated with it?
Guess the cynic is me is a little creeped out by the fact we spend so much time instilling 'stranger danger' into our kids, and the dangers of taking lollies from strangers, yet this festival involves sending kids out to doorknock strangers asking for lollies?
Maybe I'm the Halloween grinch?
Please enlighten me. :)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Putting in some serious overtime
The excerpt for OVERTIME IN THE BOSS'S BED (May 2010) won't be up on my website until next week, so thought I'd give you a little preview here.
The bronze god was naked.
Gloriously, eye-poppingly naked, every muscle flexing and bunching and glistening as he carried a tray laden with cocktails and champagne flutes through the crowd.
“You can close your jaw now, before it hits the floor.”
Starr Merriday blinked once, twice, the spell broken as she tore her reluctant gaze away from the waiter and frowned at her best friend Kit.
“It’s your fault. You brought me to this den of inequity.”
Kit wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, her chuckles positively wicked. “Yeah, and you’re loving every minute of it.”
“It does have its benefits.”
Starr’s gaze strayed to the ripped waiter again, lingered on his pecs, the light smattering of dark hair across his broad chest, dipped to his navel, at the arrowing of hair beneath it…
“Jeez, what does a girl have to do to get a drink in this place?”
Kit smirked. “Bit hot under the collar?”
“More like hot all over,” she muttered, thankful the waiters were clothed from the waist down, beyond thankful Kit had chosen one of her entrepreneurial mother’s infamous cocktail parties for her farewell.
Nothing like a roomful of semi-naked guys to get a girl’s mind off the fact she was jobless, homeless and penniless.
“Don’t look now but I think he’s checking me out.”
Kit’s subtle head jerk towards Mr. Pecs had her darting a quick glance in his direction, in time to see him stumble, the tray skating on his palms like a penguin on ice, sloshing cocktails everywhere, the bulk of it landing on the guy next to him.
Sympathy warred with mirth as she watched the waiter try to mop up his mess, the guy in the suit waving him away with a frown.
The cocktail-wearing-recipient looked out of place, suited and buttoned up in a roomful of semi-naked guys and she grinned as he fiddled with the knot on his tie, straightening it, aiming for cool despite having several Mojitos and a magnum of champagne dumped on his Armani duds.
“Yeah, he was definitely checking me out. Just one look and the guy does that. Back soon, hun. Off to mingle, find me a less clumsy one.”
Kit headed for the bar—and a tempting conglomeration of buffed waiters—while she found her gaze drawn back to the suit.
She’d been too busy ogling the waiters to notice the other guys in the room but now she had…slick guys in suits weren’t her thing but there was something about this guy…the way he stood, tall, proud, indomitable despite a cocktail dousing, his class obvious, his imperious gaze scanning the crowd…clashing with hers.
Startled, she dropped her gaze, surprised by the lick of heat lapping her skin after their momentary eye lock.
The smart thing to do would be to quickstep out of here. Considering the shambles her life was at the moment, she hadn’t done the smart thing in ages.
I love the dance theme woven throughout this book. I had an absolute ball writing it!
The bronze god was naked.
Gloriously, eye-poppingly naked, every muscle flexing and bunching and glistening as he carried a tray laden with cocktails and champagne flutes through the crowd.
“You can close your jaw now, before it hits the floor.”
Starr Merriday blinked once, twice, the spell broken as she tore her reluctant gaze away from the waiter and frowned at her best friend Kit.
“It’s your fault. You brought me to this den of inequity.”
Kit wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, her chuckles positively wicked. “Yeah, and you’re loving every minute of it.”
“It does have its benefits.”
Starr’s gaze strayed to the ripped waiter again, lingered on his pecs, the light smattering of dark hair across his broad chest, dipped to his navel, at the arrowing of hair beneath it…
“Jeez, what does a girl have to do to get a drink in this place?”
Kit smirked. “Bit hot under the collar?”
“More like hot all over,” she muttered, thankful the waiters were clothed from the waist down, beyond thankful Kit had chosen one of her entrepreneurial mother’s infamous cocktail parties for her farewell.
Nothing like a roomful of semi-naked guys to get a girl’s mind off the fact she was jobless, homeless and penniless.
“Don’t look now but I think he’s checking me out.”
Kit’s subtle head jerk towards Mr. Pecs had her darting a quick glance in his direction, in time to see him stumble, the tray skating on his palms like a penguin on ice, sloshing cocktails everywhere, the bulk of it landing on the guy next to him.
Sympathy warred with mirth as she watched the waiter try to mop up his mess, the guy in the suit waving him away with a frown.
The cocktail-wearing-recipient looked out of place, suited and buttoned up in a roomful of semi-naked guys and she grinned as he fiddled with the knot on his tie, straightening it, aiming for cool despite having several Mojitos and a magnum of champagne dumped on his Armani duds.
“Yeah, he was definitely checking me out. Just one look and the guy does that. Back soon, hun. Off to mingle, find me a less clumsy one.”
Kit headed for the bar—and a tempting conglomeration of buffed waiters—while she found her gaze drawn back to the suit.
She’d been too busy ogling the waiters to notice the other guys in the room but now she had…slick guys in suits weren’t her thing but there was something about this guy…the way he stood, tall, proud, indomitable despite a cocktail dousing, his class obvious, his imperious gaze scanning the crowd…clashing with hers.
Startled, she dropped her gaze, surprised by the lick of heat lapping her skin after their momentary eye lock.
The smart thing to do would be to quickstep out of here. Considering the shambles her life was at the moment, she hadn’t done the smart thing in ages.
I love the dance theme woven throughout this book. I had an absolute ball writing it!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Do blondes have more fun?
That's an interesting question, considering Britt, my heroine in MARRIAGE: FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? has undergone a radical hair dye job for the US cover (out in Feb 2010.)
In the book, Britt is quite clearly a redhead. Nick, the hero, has nicknamed her Red since they were teenagers. And that is clearly depicted on the UK cover.
Now don't get me wrong, I love this US cover, it's gorgeous!
But why the hair colour change?
Hmm...guess it must be true. In the States, blondes do have more fun. :)
In the book, Britt is quite clearly a redhead. Nick, the hero, has nicknamed her Red since they were teenagers. And that is clearly depicted on the UK cover.
Now don't get me wrong, I love this US cover, it's gorgeous!
But why the hair colour change?
Hmm...guess it must be true. In the States, blondes do have more fun. :)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Diary of a multi-tasker
My week has been crazy but lovely with the extra anthology deadline.
Now add some more craziness to the mix.
Remember the last book I revised and handed in a month ago, THE TYCOON'S LIVE-IN LOVE?
Well, heard from my lovely ed requesting a final tweak, which is fine...except the book is scheduled for May 2010 and needs to be at the copyeditors ASAP!
So this needs to a be a priority.
Thus yesterday looked like this:
5.45am. Roll out of bed, stumble to computer, scan emails, write 1000 words on Rom Com.
6.45am. Shower, rouse the troups, brekkie, make school lunch, peak hour drive to school.
8.45am. Indulge stressed self in favourite brekkie at fave cafe, shop for 2 hours for birthday presents, grab a Max Brenner Italian milk hot chocolate to go.
11am. Warm up PC to start work when toddler naps. See email from editor, requesting urgent tweaks. Eeek! Swoon, have mini panic attack before printing out email and knuckling down.
Midday. Toddler naps. I work for an hour before falling into bed for more 'plotting' time (see yesterday's post.)
2.00pm. Rise and shine, get cracking for next school run.
4pm. Boys playing at my feet, I speed write short story for as long as they let me. 1000 words done.
5-8pm. Dinner rush starts. Cook, eat, clean, make hubby's lunch for tomorrow, bath time, read books.
8-10.30 pm. Start work, tweaks on last book, 60 pages in, eyes closing...
I'll need to follow this diary for the next week.
Nothing like 3 short deadlines to get the creative juices flowing!
Now add some more craziness to the mix.
Remember the last book I revised and handed in a month ago, THE TYCOON'S LIVE-IN LOVE?
Well, heard from my lovely ed requesting a final tweak, which is fine...except the book is scheduled for May 2010 and needs to be at the copyeditors ASAP!
So this needs to a be a priority.
Thus yesterday looked like this:
5.45am. Roll out of bed, stumble to computer, scan emails, write 1000 words on Rom Com.
6.45am. Shower, rouse the troups, brekkie, make school lunch, peak hour drive to school.
8.45am. Indulge stressed self in favourite brekkie at fave cafe, shop for 2 hours for birthday presents, grab a Max Brenner Italian milk hot chocolate to go.
11am. Warm up PC to start work when toddler naps. See email from editor, requesting urgent tweaks. Eeek! Swoon, have mini panic attack before printing out email and knuckling down.
Midday. Toddler naps. I work for an hour before falling into bed for more 'plotting' time (see yesterday's post.)
2.00pm. Rise and shine, get cracking for next school run.
4pm. Boys playing at my feet, I speed write short story for as long as they let me. 1000 words done.
5-8pm. Dinner rush starts. Cook, eat, clean, make hubby's lunch for tomorrow, bath time, read books.
8-10.30 pm. Start work, tweaks on last book, 60 pages in, eyes closing...
I'll need to follow this diary for the next week.
Nothing like 3 short deadlines to get the creative juices flowing!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
When opportunity knocks
I could've put this post under the 'Write Whisper' series for maintaining a current, professional website...but I'm too excited and just want to blab so here goes!
Was checking inbox at 6am yesterday when a very interesting email lobbed in, from an editor asking if I'd be interested in contributing to this.
Considering I'd be included among award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors for this short story anthology, you bet I was interested!
This all came about via my Navy SEAL in PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE, and the editor checking out my website/excerpts (hence the importance of always having a current site).
I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of it!
The downside?
A very short deadline.
2 weeks! Eeek!
Minimum word count is 6500, so doable, right?
Luckily doc gave me antibiotics for my tonsillitis yesterday.
With two tight deadlines, I'm going to need all the health I can get!
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