Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Weekend Book Club: How to Bake a Perfect Life
Barbara O'Neal is my favourite women's fiction author.
Her books are lush, evocative and so beautifully written the pages turn themselves.
She has an incredible gift for tapping into human emotion, then bringing that alive between the pages of her books.
Her latest, HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE, is no exception.
Filled with food and recipes and real characters and romance, you absolutely must read it.
She's the only author who is guaranteed to make me cry and I never, ever cry when I read.
Do yourself a favour and read this book.
Then glom her backlist.
You'll thank me.
What are you reading this week?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Finding time to write
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
I'm back!
Must write about 35K words in the next week.
Plus school starts end of this week.
And I'm going away to the beach over the weekend.
Plus another million and one other things that must be done.
Promise to fill you in on all the holiday goss...when I get a minute to breathe!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Twitter buddies
I love the briefness of it.
I love the immediacy.
I love it so much I wrote a book featuring it.
But most of all I love how I've connected with so many people world-wide I would never have known otherwise.
Joan Swan is one of those people and I was thrilled when I received an email from her, including me in her mega New Year book giveaway.
For every day in January, she's giving away latest releases by writers who've enriched her writing life.
To find out the whole list and how to win a copy of my book today, visit here.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Weekend Book Club: Red-Hot Renegade
If you've never read category romance before, you should start with this book.
Kelly Hunter's RED-HOT RENEGADE bears her trademark rich, vibrant, emotionally complex characters that have you turning pages at a rapid rate.
Here's the blurb:
Can she keep her hands off her super-sexy ex? In desperate need of protection, Jianne Xang-Bennett reluctantly turns to her estranged husband, martial arts expert Jacob Bennett, for help. But there are problems: they’ve been separated for twelve years and cannot be in the same room together without arguing or ripping each other’s clothes off – sometimes at the same time! But Jacob will go to extremes for those he loves, and Jianne is the only woman who can bring this honourable warrior to his knees. Can they delve beneath their red-hot desire and blazing anger to find the love that has always been hiding?
I loved everything about this book: the Singapore setting, the dojo, the hint of suspense, the secondary characters who've all had their stories told in previous books, the Asian heroine but most of all, I loved the martial arts hero.
Jake is superb. And the sexual tension between him and Ji...phew! Pages burn!
I can't recommend this book highly enough.
What are you reading this week?
Friday, January 21, 2011
But somebody's gotta do it
The bulk of my book takes place at the Gold Coast's PALAZZO VERSACE, so it's only fair I do some first hand research for authenticity's sake.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
It's a hard life
I had to do first hand research to check it out, swimming late at night on the 27th floor, with the incredible view.
Staying a night at the Crown Metropol in Melbourne was not a hardship.
Come back tomorrow and see where I've been staying earlier this week, all in the name of research.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
New cover alert
This will hit Aussie & NZ shelves next week.
What do you think?
That island and ocean look mighty tempting...
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
AWOL
Here.
I took this pic of Queensland's sunny Gold Coast 5 years ago, the last time I had a proper holiday.
Considering the recent deluge they've had, I'm hopeful for this kind of weather. Doubtful, but hopeful.
First 2 days is research, the rest is blissful, fun family time.
I've preloaded a bunch of posts here to keep you occupied while I'm away.
Bet you won't even miss me!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Weekend Book Club: Clockwork Angel
Book 1 in the Infernal Devices trilogy (a prequel to her bestselling Mortal Instruments series), I got sucked into her Victorian steampunk world so swiftly the pages practically turned themselves.
I've heard the 'steampunk' label bandied around for a while as the next 'hot' thing and with this being my first foray into steampunk it certainly won't be my last. (Eagerly awaiting the release of Clockwork Prince later this year!)
So what's it about?
Magic is dangerous - but love is more dangerous still... When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by - and torn between - two best friends, and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
Go ahead and enter the Downworld.
A cracking good read awaits!
What are you reading this week?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Stranded with your fantasy
Friday, January 07, 2011
Agent looking for adult fiction
For the lowdown, check here.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
The company we keep
People come and go in our lives.
We can make friends in the most unlikely places and find friends we've known for years drift out of our lives for unknown reasons.
I've given up trying to analyse people's motivations (unless it's my characters!)
Instead, I prefer to surround myself with friends who want to be there: friends who make me dream and laugh and natter like there's no tomorrow.
Friends who rejoice in my success and are happy for me.
Friends who will be there for me no matter what.
And this applies doubly to my writing.
If you're a writer, surround yourself with positive people.
You'll have enough of the other sort, the ones who snicker behind your back, the ones who rubbish what you write while smiling to your face, the ones who are condescending and superior and jealous. Nix these.
Creativity needs to be nurtured and negativity is an emotional time-suck.
As one wise sporting company once promoted: "life's short, play hard."
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Cool down in summer
Remember Rhys, who cameo'd in OVERTIME IN THE BOSS'S BED last year?
Well, the younger Cartwright brother has his own story to tell so go check it out (and yes, Callum does put in an appearance or two!)
(Also for those eagle eyes who've spotted the change on this cover, yes, the Sexy Sensations in OZ/NZ are now straight Harlequin Sexy. Now I'm Sweet & Sexy!)
Monday, January 03, 2011
New year, new releases!
I'm thrilled that my DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX is one of the launch titles, alongside the fabulous Jessica Hart, Kelly Hunter & Kimberly Lang.
Go check out these wonderful books.
And to clear up any confusion, as of this month in the UK, all my books will be released under the Riva series.
So if you're a previous fan of my M&B Romances, you'll find my books in Riva.
You'll also find my Modern Heat books in Riva, which is basically my Romance voice...with sex!
If in any doubt, or if you prefer the 'sweeter' side of Nicola Marsh, check my website for clear delineation between titles.
Tomorrow, my latest OZ/NZ release...