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?

Mills & Boon goes modern

Mills and Boon have launched new covers across their series in the UK.

They're modern, snappy and eye catching.
Check them out here.

I never get tired of seeing my covers so couldn't wait for my first 'new' one.

Here it is!
WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS is out in December in the UK.
What do you think?

Seeing as the book is set in Alaska, with a sexy scene in front of an open fire, the cover has got it right!

I just love the boldness of the new covers, the modern edge.

(If you're in the US, the covers will remain unchanged.)

Flexing my revision muscle

Revisions landed on Saturday morning for the book I recently completed, Learning the Ropes (Harlequin Modern Heat.)

Charli and Luca have plenty of sizzle at the start of the book but when they get it together, some of that fades out, so revisions consist of:

-maintaining & building on the emotional & sensual tension between Charli and Luca.

-digging deeper into their conflicts.

-reworking Luca's conflict/back story to make it 100% relevant

-lose the pregnancy

-build on the rock star angle of the plot

There you have it.
No prizes for guessing what I'll be busy doing over the next week or so...

Boo boo?

Okay, so here's the thing.

I'm a tad overworked at the moment, juggling several projects at once, school holidays, hubby's business stuff so I totally missed this.

In yesterday's post, I was super excited about my new cover for my May release OVERTIME IN THE BOSS'S BED. The fact it was different from my USA cover didn't matter, as sometimes covers change. Didn't even register that this hasn't happened for a while...

So this morning the lovely Mira Lyn Kelly, my shelf buddy in May with her first book, points out our covers have been swapped.

I took a look. Duh! They sure have.

I do have part of my book set in the Whitsundays when the boss and his PA take a little 'business' trip so the beach scene on the UK cover of mine seemed to fit. I'm hoping my cover fits into Mira's story too.

Lucky I love both covers!

Hot stuff

UK copies of OVERTIME IN THE BOSS'S BED haven't arrived yet so imagine my delight when I stumbled across the UK cover last night (Google Alerts is a wonderful thing!)

How hot is this?

Definitely my hottest Mod Heat cover yet.

I love it.

The cover fairies have waved their magic wands again!

While Callum's story is soon to hit shelves, I've heard back on his brother Rhys' story. My editor absolutely loved the revisions, going as far as to say it's one of my strongest Mod Heats yet. Emotional depth, sexual chemistry, strength, all there (why is it the books we find the toughest to write as authors and don't like as much as others always seem to grab attention?)

Just a few tiny tweaks and I should have a release date for you.

Stay tuned!

Working through the process

This man has left the building for a second time (and as much as I love my rebel ranger Rhys, I hope I don't see him back until GETTING WILD WITH THE BOSS is in print!)

Yep, finished revisions late last night, always satisfying.
During the last fortnight I added over 5000 words in new scenes: tightening conflict, layering more emotion, getting inside Rhys and Jade's heads more.

I love how editors can pick up on key points from a scene, make a suggestion or two to get a writer's imagination ticking over and off we go.

This happened with my glacier.

It became a pivotal part of the book after just being a scene before. Good one.

Writers revise in many different way, using different processes.

How do you revise?

When opportunity knocks

When revisions on GETTING WILD WITH THE BOSS arrived late last week, I dived straight in.

Currently, I sit at around 60 pages with the meaty stuff (new scenes to write and a stronger conflict to layer) coming up.

Once that book is done, I'll probably only have 5 weeks until my next Romance is due. That book currently stands at 20000 words.

Could've all been done at a pinch.

Now we get to the interesting part.

Saturday morning, I received an email from editor inviting me to be part of an exciting project. And it is exciting. Hugely exciting!

Opportunity knocked and I was more than ready to open the door...

Can't wait to tell you all the news but for now, I need a Modern Heat heroine in a hurry (for a synopsis due ASAP.)

Suggestions please?

A fab review to start the New Year

On the heels of my Romantic Times Top Pick for MARRIAGE: FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? comes another lovely review, this time from Susan Barton (a first time reviewer for my books) at ROMANCE READER AT HEART.

Marsh is a master at expressing emotions...

Marsh beautifully decorates her idyllic beach resort setting with fantasy rooms in Nick's hotel...

The brutal realities of Brit's emotional and physical abuse by her father are offset by the tender re-awakening of love and desire between Nick and Brittany. So many emotional landscapes are covered in this way too short story. I would love a longer version exploring more of Noosa, Nick, and Brittany.

Though MARRIAGE: FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? is a fairly quick read, it really packs an emotional punch and my tears came often as I experienced Nick and Brittany's passion and pain.

Lovely.

And if that wasn't exciting enough, this book hits Aussie/NZ shores in Feb, but is currently NUMBER ONE on this month's Top 10 Books on the Mills and Boon OZ site.

Double yay!

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!

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. :)

Switching POV

Another interesting tip while revising your manuscript: switching point of view can make all the difference.

During the black moment of THE TYCOON'S LIVE-IN LOVE, I had Starr seeing red and losing her cool with Callum.

In the revised version, I need Callum to push her away so rather than slashing the scene, I changed POV.

Amazing how powerful it can still remain with just a few tweaks, adding new dialogue, changing things around a bit.

So before you cut that scene you love completely, see if it works in an alternate POV. You may be surprised with the results.

New cover

I love getting a first glimpse of my covers.

Here's the UK version of MARRIAGE: FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?

Britt is spot on with the red hair, Italian Nick is sexy, and the room is perfect (the French Suite in Nick's hotel which features prominently in several scenes!)

Nice, huh?

Areas to concentrate on

While tweaking Starr and Callum's story, here are the 3 main areas my editor wants me to focus on:

1. Characterisation and emotional conflicts (so the reader can follow their motivations and behaviour every step of the way.)

2. Reworking the plot so that it showcases their personalities in the most exciting, pacy, intense way possible.

3. Upping the sensuality levels-steam up the page at every opportunity.

I posted these because it's amazing how as a writer, you may think you have everything covered, yet all it takes is one, small change (in Callum's instance, changing who died in his past and his role in their death) and the rest of the book needs an overhaul.

I revised 4 chapters last night, nothing major. The nitty-gritty stuff is about to start.
Changing his motivation has changed quite a bit.
And that sensuality stuff? They've been too good, keeping their hands off each other.
All about to change...

Going Dutch

My 'HOT NIGHTS WITH A PLAYBOY' (Modern Heat, June 08) is out now in Holland.

Or you can buy it online here.

(I still think this is one of my hottest covers ever!)

And apologies about my website.
With the new PC, the web program I use is refusing to cooperate so my updates for June won't load.
I'm working on it, hoping to resume normal broadcasting shortly :)

My 20th book!

I'm still pinching myself about that...my 20th book!

I swear it feels like I only just sold yesterday...but 5 years passes mighty quickly when you have 2 babies in that time!

This Modern Heat was slotted into December 09 a while ago but I've been waiting on the title and now I have it!

MARRIAGE: FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?

This book features my Italian bad boy, Nick Mancini and career-oriented London gal Brittany Lloyd.

Considering they were teenage sweethearts, you can imagine the sparks flying when they reunite ten years later...and Nick has a proposal for Britt that blows her mind!

I've tried to upload an excerpt to my webpage but after that part of my PC got fried in the lightning strike, it's refusing to work.

Much gnashing of teeth will ensue, I fear.

It's all fiction, I tell you!

Here's my 'Dear Reader' letter for TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED.

Dear Reader,

There's something about cruising...the choice to do everything or nothing, the delicious food, the excitement of sailing the seven seas (maybe indulging the odd pirate fantasy or two?), the brilliant eye candy factor with all those guys in uniform...
Ahem, where was I?

Can you blame a girl for having her head turned by a strong, sexy sailor? The type of guy to sweep you off your feet, to romance you in the style you deserve?

Lana Walker doesn't know what hits her when suave shipping magnate Zac McCoy does exactly that, turning on the charm until the shy curator doesn't know whether to succumb or jump ship and swim for shore.

What would you do? Give into a spellbinding romance no matter how brief or settle for the safe option?
I've been in this position and believe me, taking the romance was worth every magical second!

I hope you get swept away by Lana and Zac's enchanting romance too.

Happy reading,

Nicola

Now, after baring my soul and making that comment about taking the magical romance onboard a ship, I wonder how many people are going to wonder how much of this book is autobiographical?

Well, let me tell you, categorically, right here and now, there is only one scene loosely based on fact.
The first person to correctly pick the scene definitely deserves a prize ;)

Almost there...

This man...

has followed this woman...

From here...

To here...

Okay, Nick hasn't exactly followed Brittany from Noosa to Oxford Circus but he is in London after stopping in the Caribbean along the way.

They're in Chelsea, in a dilapidated house, smack bang in the final scene.

Fireworks are going off...now she's crying...and I'm too tired to write any more so I shall finish this book tomorrow!

Just busting to tell you...

Two posts in the same day, highly unusual, I know, but I absolutely must tell you about 2 things.

First up, an author who is a new auto-buy for me.
I've just finished reading Richard Montanari's "The Skin Gods" and it was brilliant! Started it yesterday, couldn't put it down (and yes, I'm on deadline and trying to get this book done!) but here I sit at my computer with my word doc opened and my nose buried in this book desperate to finish it.

Harlan Coben and Tess Gerritsen are auto-buys for me, Richard Montanari is now part of that list. If you enjoy thrillers, grab his books!
I recently glommed Barbara Samuel and I'm off to glom the rest of this fabulous author's books too.

The other thing I had to share is the new cover for my next Modern Heat (March 09 in the UK).
I thought my Navy SEAL was hot in 'Purchased for Pleasure' but boy, does this guy rival him or what!!!

Right, you won't hear from me tomorrow.
I'm trying to finish this book!

The Boss's Bedroom Agenda

Today, my sexy archaeologist and shoe crazy metal sculptor hit UK shelves.

If you like your heroes commanding and your heroines quirky, sassy and sweet, you'll love THE BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA.

Here's a snippet to whet your appetite:

“Don’t worry, Professor, I’ll look after you.”
She raised her cranberry martini in his direction, her hand jerking when she registered the shocked look on his face meant she’d let that little gem slip out.
“What did you just call me?”
“Professor,” she mumbled into her drink, using the glass to shield her burgeoning smile at the frown creasing his brow and making him look more professor-ish than ever.
“Why?”
She waved away his question, sloshing some of her drink onto his leg in the process.
“Oops, sorry.”
She grabbed at the napkin serving as a coaster on the table and dabbed at the spreading gin stain on his pants.
“Leave it, it’s fine,” he snapped, stilling her frantic hand while she tried not to yank hers out from under his.
If she thought he looked hot it had nothing on the effect he had on her body when he touched her.
It had taken all her willpower back in his office not to lean into him when he’d taken hold of her arms in a purely reflex gesture, the type of rescuing gesture a guy like him would make.
He was a gentleman, no two ways about it, so what was she doing here flirting with her boss?
This was madness. What had she been thinking?
She hadn’t thought as usual, caught up in living for the moment, flying by the seat of her pants.
Story of her life, really.
“You didn’t answer my question.” He released her hand before taking a healthy slug of his boutique beer. “Why professor?”
“It’s a term of endearment.”
She raised her martini glass in his direction before draining the rest of her drink. Better to scull and appear a lush than accidentally upend it over his chest.
Though if she got a chance to dab at that broad expanse of muscle because of it…

You can also buy here!

Calling all sexy writers!

Harlequin Mills and Boon are running another fabulous contest to discover new authors and this time it's for the Modern Heat/Presents series (Sexy Sensation in Australia), one of the fab series I write for.

So if you like writing sexy, have a fun, fresh, flirty voice and would love to be published in this series, why not give it a go?

All details for the FEEL THE HEAT contest are here.

Good luck!