Slacking off

Now Bryce is just kicking around having fun at the beach...

Well, no, he's not actually doing that in THE DATING DILEMMA, but he looks like he's slacking off in this pic so thought I'd throw it in just for fun.

This is the first chance I've had to log on all day.

Busy making Easter bonnets and baby food and running around doing a host of stuff.

The Easter bonnet was rather spectacular, even if I do say so myself. I'm having too much fun with this kinder caper! :)

Will post a pic so you can all laugh at my craft prowess...

Meet Robyn Grady

Want to win a signed copy of this fabulous book? Plus books from Fiona Lowe and moi?

Check out our competition running via our websites! In the meantime, here's short interview with the fabulous Robyn Grady.

So...what event/situation inspired this book?

An unmarried friend of my eldest daughter had just fallen pregnant. It inspired me to write a marriage of convenience story with an ultra modern twist. There is, of course, a happily-ever- after, but the HEA a 21st century mother-to-be deserves, not merely feels she needs to accept.

Was it a book that flew from your fingers or gave you grief?

It did fly from my fingers! In about three weeks, actually. The characters were very real to me, and I was barracking for the heroine, Sophie Gruebella 100% all the way. The ending, when I wrote it, seemed so right for them both.

Who inspired the hero?

The latest James Bond...although Cooper Smith doesn’t look at all like Daniel Craig. However, he does possess the same “I’m dangerous but too sexy to resist” air about him.

Has it had more than one title?

It started out “Accidentally In Love”. But this title, well, it really says it all!

Where has it been released and where might it be released?

In the UK in April – available now. In Australia/NZ in June, and in US as a Presents, ‘The Australian Millionaire’s Love Child’, in July .

How did you celebrate the sale?

My husband brought home a bottle of imported champagne. He knows me so well :)

Thanks Robyn. Can' wait to read it! (and I drool over that cover every time I see it!)

Can I still do this?

It's the same every book.

I may have just finished one book, may have just finished revisions, taken a bit of time off to wind down/relax/whatever...then comes the time to start the next book.

Time to write something fresh.

And this is when the inevitable question pops up: can I still do this?

It's the weirdest thing but that little question can put a major dent in one's self confidence. What's even stranger this time around is that I'd already started THE DATING DILEMMA. I'd written the first chapter before revisions on 2 books came in so I went into hiatus.

So you'd think I wouldn't feel nervous, right?

Wrong!

Over the weekend I immersed myself in the characters, jotted down a few key scenes on paper, got a feel for Bryce and Eve again.

Then it happened.

The buzz. The flicker of excitement that accompanies a new book, any book really, when I feel the urge to sit at the keyboard and let those words flow.

So I did. Sat down last night and wrote 3000 words without realising it. Felt the immense satisfaction, the rush that accompanies those words and the knowledge I can still do this.

I love a new book. And I promise to share the low down on Bryce and Eve every step of the way.

Here's their collage for a start.

Do you get a feel for what they're like from the pics?

Win more books!

No, I'm not giving away a stack of books this high this time (though come later in the year, stay tuned for another monster book giveaway!)

Starting Monday, I'm teaming up with the talented duo of Fiona Lowe (Harlequin Medical) and Robyn Grady (Harlequin Modern Heat & Silhouette Desire) in a competition to win our latest releases. So pop back then and join the fun :)

Oh, and I'm guest blogging over at Lucy Monroe's blog this weekend.

Number 16 sold!

Beth and Aidan's story has sold!

The BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA, featuring archaeologist Aidan Voss (who does a stint as CEO of Melbourne Museum) and metal sculptor Beth Walker, is my 5th Modern Heat title and will be released later this year (will confirm the dates tomorrow.)

Beth is one of my new favourite heroines! She's fun, flirty and has a serious shoe obsession! Throw in the fact she makes a mean lasagne (about the only thing she can cook), draws a mean bath (Aidan's first bath ever and boy, does it get steamy in there...) and hums an appropriate song for every occasion (Madonna's Immaculate Collection, Abba Gold, Prince and Pink all get a good workout in the book) and you can get an inkling of why I love her :)

Aidan is...well, Aidan is just seriously sexy.

My mouse batteries are about to die so I'll upload the brand new excerpt and all the behind the scenes 'Under the Cover' action to my website tonight.

Now, I have to attend to one very cute baby who has woken up at 6am today!

COVER TO COVER: Keeping the faith

Yes, the COVER TO COVER series is still going, following COURTING CUPID from its inception hopefully to its sale!

For a quick recap, this is a Harlequin Romance. I finished it last year, handed in to my editor but have had a few editor changes since so it was recently read.
My editor loved Blane, my laid back hero, but thought Camryn, my cynical heroine, needed some work!

So what did I do?
Revamped the whole story!

I went back to my original title, WISH UPON A VALENTINE and changed it back to a Valentine's Day story.
Not only that, I changed the whole plot!
From 2 strangers meeting, it became a second-chance marriage story.
Blane is still utterly gorgeous and now, Camryn is a softer heroine willing to take a chance on love again.

I worked really hard at this story and finished it Friday. I am thrilled with the results and I hope my editor is too!
So why am I rambling on about this?
To encourage you to keep the faith.

If a story isn't working for you, don't be afraid to change it. Maybe a character, maybe the whole plot! It's often difficult to slash words/scenes/chapters but if the story is stronger as a result, go for it!

If a character isn't working as you'd like, perhaps reconsider their motivation.
Are they behaving to type?
Are they truly likeable?
Will a reader want to support this person no matter what?
If their motivation is true, all their actions will be believable so don't be afraid to shake things up a little if your character isn't doing what you want.

If you can see the end of the story but the scenes leading up to it are a blur, resort to my old favourite: plotting on paper. Even a single sentence outlining the next scene/chapter can work wonders.

And as with any revisions, jot down the key points to look out for. I do this before I start the revisions, after the first read through, even the second, because it's amazing the things you miss.

So that's Blane and Camryn's rewrite.
I'll keep you posted!

Whetting your appetite

Here's a new review for MISTRESS TO THE TYCOON just in!

ROMANCE READER AT HEART'S THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

MISTRESS TO THE TYCOON by Nicola Marsh is a great sizzling romance from beginning to end.

Gallery owner Ariel Wallace has promised her aunt that she will keep the gallery afloat, one way or another. If that includes painting nudes, then so be it. But when Cooper Vance, a property developer, walks into the studio, she's not certain she can go through with the plan. Ariel brews tea while Cooper undresses. Thus, the two embark on a journey that has its share of paintable moments.

I thought Ariel and Cooper were a perfect match, despite their worlds being so dissimilar. Beneath the surface of the artist and below the money belt they were just two people who deserve love. I especially liked the way Ariel's emotions were a source for her painting. I could see the brushstrokes on canvas as she worked through her issues with Cooper and the gallery. And Cooper, despite his repeatedly telling himself that his connection to Ariel was only business, became more endearing with each kiss.

4 roses for this one. Nice :)

Characterisation

I've had a lovely review for EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE which I want to discuss further once you've read it.

One Night in Singapore leads to a career girl's nightmare...but will it also lead to love?
Kristen Lewis TV producer sits in a Singapore bar, stood up by a co-worker buddy in favor of a young temp worker. Hard working to the max and driven, Kristen knows the loneliness of hotels and bars. When she eyes the handsome Nate, dark and morose but ever so sexy, she feels like she has met a kindred soul. As the CEO for his own company, Nate seems to understand her long hours and her passion for work. Together they share a fabulous night. Months later, Kristen walks into her first day of work at a new job. Called in to meet her new boss, Nathan boyd, Kristen is shocked to see the face of her Singapore Nate, the man she cannot get out of her heart. Both driven professionals, Kristen and Nate decide to keep things on a professional level --- but their decision chafes at their very hearts. Then the worst thing possible happens to this sigle-minded, focused career girl --- not only is she pregnant but she is pregnant with Nate's baby!
This is my first Nicola Marsh read. Besides being a wonderful light read, interspersed with some tense moments, several areas drew my attention. Nicola Marsh has a lot of skill in setting a scene so that when she writes about the characters, the reader is drawn to them and understands them behind the exterior. Her style is quick, sharp and focused --- in just a few well-chosen descriptions, the reader is right there on the scene an in the hearts of her characters. I also very much enjoyed the way she wrote dialogue --- fun, witty and dynamic. But more, as Nate and Kristen encounter each other and spend time together in Australia, one feels them become more and more comfortable with one another through their dialogue. Interesting hero. As with most HR heroes, a good guy with past hurts. I really do love the way these HR authors write their heroes.
In general and on a personal level, I am less of a fan of baby romances than other kinds of romances but I was very impressed with how Nicola Marsh wrote this one. She added several very done well details that made me understand her and how she could end up in the situation she did and still be an intelligent woman. I grew up when women's lib was gaining ground and the one thing parents drove into their children was don't get pregnant and work hard to be successful in your own right. Some dramatic moments here, especially towards the end. She writes drama well --- quick plot with precise details, allowing the story itself to tell the drama.

Pros: excellent characterization and scene setting, humorous and dramatic
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: A great choice in short light romance reads. Brilliant characterization and scene setting. Emotionally moving

A huge thanks to Merri from Merrimon Book Reviews for this insightful review. (Check out her website, she has loads of fabulous reviews!)

Now, I'm not just saying that because she loved me book :) I'm saying it's insightful because she really understood what I was trying to do with Nate and Kristen's story.

While I was writing the book I wanted to show the character development of Nate, how he struggles with his past grief and is finally able to open his heart again. And with Kris, how a 35 year old career woman comes to terms with impending motherhood, something she never dreamed possible for her. I really concentrated on developing the emotion with both these rather intense characters and I'm absolutely thrilled it came through.

Speaking of emotion, I sniffled for the first time ever writing one of my own books last night.
The Harlequin Romance I'm revising (which ended up having a fairly major rewrite) is a story of second chance love and the hero Blane is to die for.
He's the one who made me cry just a little...how can Camryn resist? :)

Bookscan Top 100!!!

I'm doing a little happy dance around the house.

PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE has made Bookscan's Top 100 in its first 5 days on the shelf. Woo hoo!!!!!

It's an absolute buzz to be alongside names like Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs, Jayne Ann Krentz, Fern Michaels, Christina Dodd, Stephanie Laurens...I could go on but I think you understand how stoked I am :)

Thanks to everyone who has bought my Navy SEAL Tyler James. I knew I loved this guy for a reason :)

I've just sent out my Feb newsletter late last night so if you're interested in entering the exclusive newsletter-only comp, drop me an email and I'll subscribe you.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. La-la-la, I'm off to do some more dancing :)

To finish your manuscript...or not?

Yesterday I trotted off for another library talk and I was absolutely thrilled to have a few writers in the audience, in particular a lovely lady who is targetting Mills and Boon Modern Heat! (Waving madly to Joanne!!!)

During question time, Joanne asked a really interesting question: should you finish the manuscript you're working on before submitting the partial?

I know most people would answer a resounding yes. Why? It's easier to edit and tighten once you know where the story is going, your story may not fit the synopsis and change as you go along and if you're like me when I first started writing, you can get caught out, thinking it's going to take months and months to hear back let alone get a request for a full manuscript only to find it all happens a lot quicker than you anticipated!

So I answered Joanne's question in the affirmative. Before I remembered what it was like with my first manuscript.

The absolute rush of getting words down.
The sheer joy of actually writing rather than thinking about it forever.
The thrill of completing those magical first three chapters.
The buzz from sending that partial in the post and all the accompanying excitement/angst/nail biting that goes with it.

And I changed my response to Joanne!
I advised her to go for it! Send that baby off with a kiss on the envelope and write like mad while waiting for a response.

I've just handed in my 16th manuscript and the nail-biting doesn't end, let me tell you. How do I cope? By getting stuck into the next! After some much needed down-time tonight, that is :)

Now, check this out!
This is my next Harlequin Presents cover in a special Modern Love series which goes direct to US readers.
Gorgeous, huh?

Blind date

No, I'm not trying to play matchmaker with my friends.

This is further to my goss on library talks. The fabulous librarian at Dandenong, as part of Library Lovers month in Feb, used a great concept to introduce people to the wonderful world of romance: Blind

Date with a book!

She'd wrapped up romance novels in snazzy gold and silver paper, tied them with lovely coloured ribbons and laid them out with the displays.

The idea is you take home the book, unwrap and enjoy. Cool, huh?

In other book news, I hit the shelves in France and Germany again this month. Nice covers, huh?

Very romantic...

COVER TO COVER: Out with the old, in with the new

I could title this post Revisions: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, for it's a follow-on to my last revision post.
Which was all good.
This one will be brutally honest.

Remember how I said revisions tighten the story, make it so much better, make the book really sparkle and shine?
Well, all that still stands. But what if the revisions seem so huge you have nowhere to go? What if the story you wrote needs a total revamp and not just the occasional tweak here and there?

With my Modern Heat TOYING WITH THE BILLIONAIRE BOSS I revised all of last week, the revisions were clear. I could see exactly what needed to be done. Here's a brief summary:

The plot device bringing Beth and Aidan into contact wasn't wholly believable. She's standing in for a her cousin as curator at Melbourne Museum. This had to be tweaked. Easy.

Aidan had to struggle more with getting involved with an employee. Done.

Beth needed to tone down her personality. She was coming across as a bit too confident, too flirty. Done.

Plus, as what usually happens, once a few changes are made here and there, I ended up layering in a few more lovely dialogue exchanges, ramping up the sexual tension in one scene in particular.

So that was Beth and Aidan done and dusted.

Now, onto COURTING CUPID, my Harlequin Romance.
These revisions aren't so easy.
My lovely new ed adores the hero Blane. He's delish.
But the heroine Camryn is another matter entirely!

She's cynical. I deliberately wrote her like that. But in trying to create a character so opposite to the hero, I've gone too far. I've made the reader wonder why Blane persists with someone like her. Ouch!

In order to make this story work, it will require some major changes.
Camryn's personality stems from her conflict...which also requires major changes.

So I sat down and posed the 'What if' question.
What if Camryn does A instead of B?
What if Camryn had A happen to her in the past instead of B?

The first scenarios I came up with were close to my original plot...and my ed said they still weren't working. She posed loads of questions of her own which made me realise the plot as I had it wouldn't work.
Or more specifically, the heroine as I had her wouldn't work.

So back to the drawing board.
This time, when I posed the 'what if' questions, I let my imagination really take flight.
And came up with a scenario I wouldn't have contemplated first time around. This plot wouldn't have entered my head but I really didn't want to ditch Blane the way he is so thought around 'what would make this heroine take a chance on a guy like this?'

Now, it's a totally new plot. Blane will remain unchanged. Many of the scenes will stay.
But boy, will they have a major overhaul.
Because now, Camryn has a whole new conflict. She will be softer. More vulnerable. More likeable.
Which will make the story fly. Hopefully :)

I guess the moral of this story is never get too attached to your plot or characters.
If they aren't working, and you want to make your story the best it can be, you may need to do some major slashing.
I'm about to.
Let's hope it works. Stay tuned...

New discoveries

Now, this is exactly why I asked that question in the last post and thankfully, Caitlyn posted a response about her favourite new crush.
The guy's name is Sakis Rouvas. I've never heard of him. So I had to do a very quick google image search and whoa...go check it out for yourself!!!
This one's definitely going in my hero folder for future inspiration.

And speaking of heroes...I'm hearing about Richard Armitage all over the place. Everywhere I turn, someone's talking about him.
I'll be honest. My fellow PHS ed Natasha Oakley has raved about this guy many times but I've either been too busy or too tired (bub, you hear that? You should be sleeping through by now!!) or too absorbed in my latest WIP to take much notice.
So with all this talk of crushes, while I was googling Savis, I plugged in Richard.
And I admit it.
He has 'something'. The word enigmatic springs to mind. I'm intrigued enough to want to know more. I've heard rave reviews about North and South so must get my hands on it.
I'm hooked.
I want to be a new recruit.
Where do I sign up for the Armitage Army?

On my first bestseller list!

Here's the thing.

I was doing revisions last night. Had made it to page 56 with eyes drooping, my bed calling out to me (alternating with bub calling out to me!) when I hear that EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE is on the Top 10 Bestsellers list for ebooks over at eharlequin.

No way! Scooted over, checked it out and there I was.
Did a little happy dance right on into the nursery before falling into bed.

So thanks to all of you who couldn't wait till this book hits the shelves to snap it up ;)

This list changes every day and I know I'll probably be gone by tomorrow but hey, I'm making the most if it today :)

As for the revisions, they're coming along nicely. Will blog further about them during the week.
For now, off to organise a feast for some friends coming over for brunch.

Reviewers' Choice Award!

Woke to lovely news that one of my Modern Extra releases last year has won a CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award!

TWO-WEEK MISTRESS was so much fun to write.

Bo Bradford was the reclusive children's author, Tahnee Lewis was the breezy heroine, and Wally the Wombat featured on his blog...loads of fun!

Rather timely, as Kristen Lewis, the last of the Lewis sisters, has her own story coming up in EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE, my Harlequin Romance out in Feb.

So thanks to all the reviewers at CataRomance :)

For a full list of winners, check here.

Pre-preparation

Margaret wants to know:

Collage, interview with characters. I'd be interested to hear how much preparation you do, Nicola, before you start to write? Do you plot your story out in detail or write into the mist? I know you write very quickly so I guess you must have some idea of how it's going to pan out.

I used to be a confirmed plotter.

Yes, I had an idea of key scenes (though not the whole book.)

Yes, I'd jot down one or two lines per chapter (though this tended to happen more when I got a bit stuck in the 'sagging middle')

And yes, I'd start with a 2 page proposal (with pics of hero and heroine) having some idea where the book was heading.

Then after a mid-07 chat with my last ed, I've changed how I work.

My books were plot driven.

She suggested I go with character, hence the change in my preparation. For my last 2 books, I started with character: did the interviews, knew them inside out before starting.

So how did that work out? Well, I'm waiting to hear back from new ed on both those books so I'll let you know ;)

The collaging is fun and gives me a 'mood' for the book, so I've done a collage for my last 4 books.

The character preparation is way more time consuming than anything I used to do (I spent hours last night, on top of previous hours!) but I now feel confident to tackle THE DATING DILEMMA, knowing Bryce and Eve are going to leap off the page.

I hope!

So do I plot in detail? No.

But rest assured, once I start this one and the thrill of the first few chapters has faded, I'll be jotting down that brief chapter by chapter outline, whether I stick to it or not. :)

So how do you do it? Are you a plotter or a pantser or a little of both?

Cover girl

In all the excitement of the New Year, I completely forgot to blog about this.

Late last year, I was interviewed by Harry MacLure, chief editor for AITW, an international magazine for Anglo Indians. When he said I'd be on the front cover of the Christmas issue, as well as being the feature article, I was delighted!
I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive but last night, I had an email from a lovely lady in Montreal. She said she used to read Mills and Boon romance in the 60s when she was a teenager and after reading my interview, she was going to start reading them again and catch up on the romance that got sidelined in her busy life.
Isn't that fabulous?

The magazine is distributed to thousands of people world-wide and it's jam-packed with great articles. If you're interested, check out details here.

I'm off to enjoy my fifteen seconds of fame :)

Bonjour! Und auf Wiedersehen

INHERITED: BABY is out in both France and Germany this month.

This was my Melbourne Cup book, with horse-strapper Maya Edison doing it tough as a single mum when along comes the dashing Riley Bourke to lend a helping hand.

I can translate the French cover pretty easily: A Baby for Riley.

I'm not even going to try the German one!

Check this out!

Oooooh....check this out!

Cover flats arrived in the mail yesterday and they're gorgeous.

I've cropped this, but the back cover has more of that lovely deep red embossed with black roses all over it, very striking.

Modern Love only goes direct in the USA but if you'd like your very own cover flat, I'll be giving them away as extras in the Valentine's competition in Feb so stay tuned!

Want to read the book and can't wait till PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE hits the shelves?

Pick up your copy this very minute online!

Now, don't mind me. I'm off to drool a bit more (before coming back down to earth and feeding bub mashed banana with multi-grain cereal!)

Romantic Times

Reviews are subjective.

A book I might absolutely adore you might hate.

(Some RITA winners can vouch for the fact that books which were canned by reviewers went on to win the RITA!)

And as many authors will tell you, lap up the great reviews and kinda ignore the bad ;)

With that in mind, I'm going to shout the news from the rooftops that my first Harlequin Presents, PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE, out in Feb 08, has just rated 4 stars from Romantic Times.

Here's what Cindy Himler had to say:

Kate Hayden and Tyler James were lovers years ago. Now a magazine writer, Kate sees Tyler at a bachelor auction and, on a bet, bids for his attention for a week. When she wins, Kate has no idea what to do. Then her retiring editor offers Kate his job if she writes about her week with Tyler, so she throws herself on Tyler's mercy. What follows is an enjoyable story about the rocky road to love. Kate and Tyler are likable characters, and the side story of Tyler's friend, Mary, and her work at an orphanage makes a nice addition to the main plot in Nicola Marsh's Purchased for Pleasure (4)

COVER TO COVER: As time goes by.

In an earlier COVER TO COVER post, I talked about "Letting your manuscript stew."

At that point, I'd just finished writing my last Harlequin Romance and had forced myself to walk away from it for a week before getting back into the layering and editing process.

It's tough walking away from your story.

At least, it is for me.

The minute I finish I want to go back over it, read it again, see how far my characters have come, refresh my memory of plot points I may have missed or loopholes that need to be closed.

But I don't. I let it stew. Fresh eyes are essential for picking up all sorts of bit and pieces.

So imagine how surprised I was when I recently re-read my next Modern Heat, TOYING WITH THE BILLIONAIRE BOSS. Why surprised?

Well, I finished this one in August and it was one of those lovely books that flew off my fingertips.

I thought it was pretty special at the time.

Then deadlines changed and this one is getting to sit a while longer so I threw myself into writing my next Romance, secure in the knowledge I had a first draft sitting there just waiting for me.

Well, 4 months definitely brings perspective, more than I could've ever thought possible.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the story and think it's pretty spot on but on the first read through, quite a few things leapt out at me.

I needed to layer much more.

I needed to alpha up the hero in a few places to be consistent with his behaviour in the rest of the book.

I needed to qualify the heroine's crazy scheme which is the crux of the book.

It all seems so crystal clear with the benefit of time, even the perfect words falling into place to replace my green highlighted ones.

It's rare to get this much time if you're published, as deadlines loom consistently for all of us. But here's a tip if you're on the road to publication.

Make a pitstop. The longer the better.

Leave your manuscript for as long as you can. (Work on your next while you wait!)

Trust me, you'll see it in a new light with time on your side.

In the beginning...

Margaret Mayo got me thinking about beginnings yesterday.

How we first started writing...what we knew or didn't know...who helped us on the road to publication...

So continuing with that theme, I'll tell you a bit about the first romance I ever wrote.
It was a Harlequin Medical, with a doctor hero and a physiotherapist heroine.
Working as a physiotherapist at the time, I thought it would be easy (and no! It wasn't based on real life experience!) 'Write what you know' and all that...

Well, that book is the only one I've never finished. It sits languishing at around 25K words.
So what happened?

Apparently, working in the medical profession and writing about it were TOO close for me! I started to get bored. I didn't want to write about what I knew. I wanted to escape from all that, from the everyday reality of patients and orthopaedics and cardiac rehab and hydrotherapy.
I wanted to let my imagination roam free.
So I did.
And started writing plots I wanted to write, plots that came to me while mulling over yet another report, while flicking through a magazine at lunch time (my first book, THE TYCOON'S DATING DEAL, was born from a magazine article on speed dating while I was on a short lunch between patients).

So how did you all get started?
What inspired you to write?
Who inspired you to write?
Would love to hear your stories.
And there's a book in it for a randomly chosen response (numbered responses with a bit of scrunched paper picked out by my preschooler!), just because it's Christmas and I'm getting into the swing of the giving thing. :)

A kindness never forgotten

When I first started writing, I joined the Melbourne Romance Writers Guild.
I had no clue about publishing.
I didn't know what a synopsis or a partial was.
All I knew was that I wanted to write a book.

So after plugging 'Melbourne' and 'Romance writing' into google, I came up with MRWG, contacted them and traipsed off to my first meeting feeling like an absolute fraud. And very nervous. It was like my first day at school all over again.
I wouldn't know anyone.
I knew next to nothing about the main reason I was attending.

At this first meeting, I sat next to a lady who made me very welcome. She chatted to me, she encouraged me and as I couldn't help but stare at her arthritic-riddled hands and wonder how she penned so many novellas, I admired her.
This lady was Joan Hunt, who has just passed away.
I've never forgotten her kindness to me when I took the first step along my road to publication.
RIP Joan.
And as a fellow MRWG member said, "may you write in peace, every author's dream."

For career mums out there...

Paperbacks arrived for EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE and here's the back blurb:

From employee to mommy-to-be...

Career-girl Kristen Lewis is at the top of her field.
She's driven, sensible-and her spur-of-the-moment decision to have one perfect night with sexy Nate was totally out of character! She puts it behind her...until she's faced with two shocks: she's pregnant...with her boss's baby!

Nathan Boyd, one of Australia's leading entrepeneurs, buries himself in work to forget his private torment. But now he's faced with a dilemma: the first woman to tempt him in a long time is his employee.

For readers who enjoyed Carissa's story in WIFE AND MOTHER WANTED, and Tahnee's story in TWO-WEEK MISTRESS, Kristen's story rounds off the Lewis sisters' trilogy.
I loved placing a 35 year old career woman in a situation she thought she'd never find herself in.
And Nate is the kind of hero we'd all like to have around...

Hope you enjoy it :)
It's out in Feb though will be available online in 2 weeks.

Good news & bad news

The bad news first...
if you're trying to buy my latest Sexy Sensation release in OZ, PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE, and it has sold out on the shelves, you won't be able to buy it online at eharlequin.com.au anymore.
TPTB tell me it sold out online very quickly, and when they tried to locate extra copies from other areas, they couldn't, as all sold out there too. So the links to Purchased for Pleasure have vanished from the OZ eharlequin site and I'll update all of mine asap.

The good news is you can buy it online here!

Or enter my current website comp to win a copy.

And speaking of comps, you only have a few more days to sign up for my newsletter and be in the running to win the 'Aussie special' 4 book pack!

The Black Moment

Kirsty asked:

I am about to write my first Black Moment and would be grateful for any advice you have.I'm happy with how it's progressing so far. Both characters have GMCs that have lead them to this crossroads so it (hopefully!) doesn't seem contrived. But I would love to hear any hints you have for making these scenes impact the reader.

Okay, when I said you could ask questions, I didn’t mean tough questions!! ;)
Just kidding…

In fact, I’m not a very good ‘how to’ writer (which means I just sit down and write instinctively without getting caught up with characters arcs and acts and the general technical side of things.)
It also explains why I've recently spent a month doing loads of research on characterisation and ordered 4 'how to' books. Writing instinctively is good to a point but if you want to take your writing to the next level, it pays to put in the hard yards and check out the technical stuff. Which means I'll probably post more technical blogs too. Scary!

So answering these questions is really making me think. Which is a good thing, trust me!

Kirsty, it sounds like you’re right on track. With both characters’ goals, motivations and conflicts leading them to the BLACK MOMENT, you’ve got them to the point of no return.

So, how to make an impact at the black moment?

Ensure the black moment is when the stakes are highest for your characters. This scene should be the point where all seems lost and their goals cannot be achieved.

Everything should hang in the balance, make it seem like your hero and heroine can’t ever work things out.

At this point the danger (most often to the characters’ peace of mind) is at its worst.

Make the characters draw on new strengths or lessons learned. This plays into the characters’ growth arcs and how they’ve grown/changed during the story. For maximum impact, it helps to make this growth/change occur due to the relationship between hero and heroine.

Does that help oomph up the BM scenes a bit? Hope so. :)

I really must get my act together and put up a series of articles on my website. When I get a spare second…ahem…!

Last but not least, thanks to Mary who said this about PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE:

"BTW, I live in the U.S. but I ordered Purchased for Pleasure when it was released in the U.K. (a patient girl I am not!) For those awaiting the U.S. release, let me just say, you don't want to miss this one! Tyler is to die for!"

Awww....thanks Mary :)

Instant seduction!

Ever dreamed of writing for Harlequin Presents?

Well, here's your big chance!

Harlequin is running a fabulous competition so here's the goss:

INSTANT SEDUCTION

A brand new writing competition from the world’s best-selling romance series is about to hit the blogosphere!

It’s an exciting time for Harlequin Presents: from January 2008, there will be 12 of our intensely passionate romances available every month. And with this increase of titles comes a great opportunity for aspiring authors – we will be looking to buy more books for publication!

The old saying goes that first impressions are lasting impressions – and when it comes to reading a Harlequin Presents, that certainly holds true. If the first chapter doesn’t immediately grip the reader with its pace, passion and intensity, then she won’t continue to turn the pages.

So Presents is inviting unpublished writers to show us how they can grab the attention of our readership with first chapters that really sizzle. The INSTANT SEDUCTION competition offers prizes that are chances of a lifetime for the lucky winner and runners-up:
*First prize – win yourself an editor for a year!
*Two runners-up will be given editorial critiques of their first chapter entries and also a personal telephone consultation about their writing!

Visit the Iheartpresents.com blogsite for full details of the competition – and the chance to prepare for publication with an exclusive series of writing tutorials prepared by the editorial team at Harlequin Presents, including advice on First Chapters, How to Write a Synopsis, Loving the Alpha Male and Generating Emotional Conflict.

Entries for the competition will be accepted as on-line submissions only from 1st January until 14th February 2008.
Entries should comprise of the first chapter and a synopsis of a previously unpublished/unsubmitted novel aimed at Harlequin Presents.
Address for entries: instantseduction@hmb.co.uk

Sounds great, huh?

For more info and for loads of writing tips direct from the Mills and Boon editors, visit www.iheartpresents.com regularly.

And good luck!

Book giveaway!

This month, I'm running a special book giveaway comp exclusive to my newsletter readers only.

It's an Aussie special, where I'm giving away 4 brand spanking new books: Barbara Hannay's Claiming Her Family (her 2007 RITA winner), Melanie Milburne's Bought for the Marriage Bed, Fiona Lowe's Pregnancy on Arrival and Two-Week Mistress by moi :)

To be in the running, sign up for my newsletter by emailing me with 'newsletter' in the subject and I'll forward you a copy so you can enter. Easy-peasy.

The comp closes on Dec 16th, so hurry. And remember, you have to be in it to win it!

On Aussie/NZ shelves this week

I have a frantic week of appointments for the kidlets ahead, so thought I'd do a quick reminder of what's about to hit the shelves cos you never know when I'll make it back here!!

PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE, my sexy SEAL book, will hit Aussie and New Zealand shelves later this week so make sure you rush out and grab a copy of my 3rd Sexy Sensation. Are you rushing yet? ;)

(And no, Ty isn't a teenager or doesn't have long hair, as we've already established in a previous discussion :) )

For US readers, this book will be my first Harlequin Presents on sale from Jan 28th so not long to go now...

The award I forgot about

Breaking news!!!
I've placed 3rd in the Laurel Wreath 2008 with WIFE AND MOTHER WANTED.
This award is judged by booksellers all over America so I'm thrilled.

And the best bit?
It's in the Short Contemporary category, which means the book went up against Harlequin Presents, Americans, Medicals and Silhouette Desires (and other publishers)

So it's a win for me and for the Harlequin Romance line! Yay!
Will give more details once I get them.

Funny thing, I'd forgotten I'd even entered this comp so it was a lovely email to wake up to this morning. :)

An addiction

I'd like to pose the question: do all writers have a stationery addiction?

I do, and I know several others who do too.
Let me loose in an Officeworks and I'm in heaven!
I can never leave the place with the one item I need.
Oh no, uh-uh. Instead, I come out with a whole range of stuff I'll use 'one day'.

I can't help myself.

I love all those brightly coloured hard back notebooks (yes, I have several gorgeous ones just waiting to be used.)
I love those free-flowing pens.
I love the coloured note blocks.
Those gorgeous storage boxes...filing credenzas...labels...I could go on and on but you get the picture!

The other day I ran in there for a few envelopes and came out with a purple binder and matching notebook, which I'm about to put to good use with the new Harlequin Romance I'll start shortly. I tend to have my notes for a novel shoved into a clear plastic sleeve so this is definitely a step up. Tidy mind makes tidy work? We'll see!
Also picked up way too many envelopes, manila folders, a mini-ruler, stickers and a penguin stamp (my preschooler tossed those last 3 into the basket. A writer in the making, perhaps?) :)

Any other stationery addicts out there?
Come on, 'fess up. You know you want to.

COVER TO COVER: How much is too much

Rach asked a great question in response to my layering/editing post:

Just wondering about how long your mss are when you finish your first draft! And whether that means adding words or taking them away.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so my first draft is pretty much close to the finished product.
What I mean by this is that I write the book consecutively, from start to finish, without jumping around to various scenes.
I try to make it the best it can be, without getting stuck on the exact word or making sure a description is spot on.
For these, I highlight in bright green so when I start the layering and editing process, my eyes are instantly drawn to the word that needs to be tweaked or the paragraph that needs more description.
Then I go through a rough mental checklist (many of the points I listed in the previous post) to really tighten the story.

So my first draft tends to be pretty much spot on with word count. And it usually means adding words with the layering.

Please remember this is only one person's viewpoint.
I know authors who move from scene to scene, who might write the end of the book before the middle, who get inspired by a particular scene and will write that first before the beginning.

I'm a bit of a plotter and like to have the book roughly outlined while I'm writing, sometimes before I start (see earlier Cover to Cover post) so for me, writing in chronological order and having the book pretty close to my outline tends to make the book flow and not need a lot of tweaking.

Whether you have to cut words or add them to your first draft, it doesn't matter. Making the story the best it can be is what it's all about :)

New cover

I've been waiting for my hardback copies of my next Romance EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE to arrive for a few weeks...and nada!

Well, thanks to Trish who pointed me towards Barnes and Noble today, I now have the cover :)

What do you think?

Nate and Kristen are both very business oriented in this book, and Kris is an older heroine who never thought she'd have kids so the cover is pretty spot on.
I wish it could be a little more romantic though...both Trish Wylie and Fiona Harper have books out in Feb too and their covers are absolutely gorgeous!!!

Baby is sick again so my intentions to do a Cover to Cover post have been delayed again. Sorry! I'll finish editing COURTING CUPID tonight and will pop the post up here tomorrow. Hopefully...

Mouse problems!

I'm thankful to say, they aren't real mice, thank goodness but my PC mouse went kaput yesterday. My second in the last year!
So had to troup to PC shop, buy new mouse and keyboard, wait whole day for it to charge...and here I am.

Loads has happened.
My baby post the other morning must've got things moving for my bud Ally, as later that day I got a text message saying she's had a baby girl!
Congrats Ally, I'm thrilled for you!!!! And can't wait to meet the gorgeous girl :)
I have over 170 emails to get through.
I have a book to finish editing.
I have a Cover to Cover post to do here.
I have to participate in an online course which I signed up for but haven't got the time to make full use of yet.
I have to send off an interview I've done for that magazine I mentioned a while back.
I have to tidy house for fab writing friends to descend on Sat morning (our first meeting in months!)
Life is busy.

And they're off!

Today is the running of the Melbourne Cup, the race that stops a nation.

Over one hundred thousand will flock to Flemington racecourse, frocked and suited up, to socialise and have a flutter or two.

The Spring Racing Carnival has become a huge social event in Melbourne, so much so it inspired a book around this time 2 years ago: INHERITED: BABY, featuring my horse strapper heroine and set at Flemington. If you haven't read it, check it out (enter the comp on my website and you can win your choice of a book from my backlist!)

Speaking of babies, can you believe my bub is 6 months old now?
Time has flown.
There is so much to love about him...
-his gorgeous sweet milky smell
-his loud chuckles when I snuggle my nose into his neck
-his loud chattering...even in the middle of the night!
-his good morning smile
-his hands reaching up to explore my face
-his screwed up expression when tasting food for the first time yesterday
-his wide-eyed amazement when his brother does something new

I could go on...and on...and on...
Being a mum is the greatest gift in the world. :)

Writing-wise, started editing COURTING CUPID last night. Very nice surprise to find I'm 69 pages in and the book is a lot tighter than I anticipated. Looks like all my research on characterisation paid off! Will blog about it towards end of the week.

It's official: book 15 sold!

I now have a title and release date for my 4th Modern Heat (and 15th book!)

HOT NIGHTS WITH THE PLAYBOY will be released in June 08 (yes, another simultaneous release, as my Harlequin Romance THE DESERT PRINCE'S PROPOSAL also hits the shelves in June!)

The title is spot on: Judd Calloway is a photographer who has spent the last 8 years travelling the world (and has a teensy weensy playboy reputation) and when he meets up with his best friend, Abby Weiss on a Whitsunday island, there's plenty of steam, loads of hot nights...

When I get a spare minute (ha!) I'll be popping the usual excerpt and 'under the covers' (behind the scenes goss) on my website.

Hopefully some time this weekend...or not...

Will try, promise!

The launch!

The book launch for SIZZLE, SEDUCE & SIMMER last night was absolutely fantastic!!

Dymocks bookshop in the heart of Melbourne is huge and the perfect venue for a launch.

About 100 people turned out for this event and it was fabulous to be surrounded by so many author friends who contributed to the book.

As Marion Lennox says in the intro, this is a friendship book.

It started from the regular lunches we have as a group and developed from there.

It's truly satisfying to see our collective work in one, fantastic book. And the recipes are yummy! I've already tried the Sinfully Delicious Seed Slice...twice!!

(Pity in my rush to bundle baby and sick mum out the door and into the car last night I left the slice in the fridge rather than taking it to the launch where it was supposed to be!!)

A great evening was had by all. And I had my first taste of a book signing on a larger scale...was great fun!!

Here are some of the talented, wonderful authors who feature in this book: (from left to right) Fiona MacArthur, moi, Bronwyn Jameson, Fiona Lowe, Amy Andrews, Valerie Parv, Marion Lennox, Anne Gracie, Stephanie Laurens, Trish Morey, Carol Marinelli and Keri Arthur.

Aren't the pinafores cute?

I'm so proud to be a part of this book.

Thanks to everyone who turned out last night (and who bought copies of the book as gifts for their friends.) Remember, it would make a fabulous Christmas present: romance and recipes in one book, what more could you ask for? :)

(Pop back tomorrow for news of my 15th book. The title is fab!!)

Where am I today?

The start of another month...and how many days till Christmas? Sheesh! Where has this year got to?

I'm blogging at the PHS society about why I love the Harlequin Modern Heat series. And yes, there will be the usual sexy hero pics. Need you ask? ;)

Tonight, I'm off to my very first book launch at Dymocks in the city, at Australia on Collins.

I was thrilled to be a part of SIZZLE, SEDUCE & SIMMER, the fabulous short story and recipe anthology collated by Marion Lennox.

Hope to see you there! If you can't make it, pick up your copy here. It will make a great Chrissie present!

COVER TO COVER: Life Happens

I should be busy trying to get this guy, Blane Andrews, and this girl, Camryn Henderson, together.

Well, okay, they are together considering I've finished the first draft of COURTING CUPID but in my mind, they won't officially be together till the book is polished, edited, done, dusted and sitting in my editor's inbox waiting for a read!

I had grand plans to start the layering process this week.

But like all grand plans, they suffer setbacks when life gets in the way...

I have a household of sick boys (and yes, including hubby in this because I think men tend to regress to boys when they're sick...not being mean here, just truthful!!)

Boys who are coughing all night, boys who need their noses blown, boys who are teething and scratching because their eczema is out of control...yes, I love my boys but right now, I could do with a moment (or ten!) to myself.

The interesting thing when 'life happens' is that writing is my saviour.

Writing keeps me sane.

Writing keeps me focussed.

Writing gives me a distraction from the everyday stuff.

Writing gives me an escape.

And life does happen.

No matter how well you plan, how much time you set aside for your writing, something will always pop up.

So deal with it.

But keep your mind fine tuned by thinking about your characters/story/next plot.

Jot down a word or two between baby feeds and nose blowing.

Look forward to that peaceful hour next week when you can dive back into your story.

Most of all, dose up on Vitamin C and garlic.

Those boys have a happy habit of sharing their germs around ;)

The Lurgy is back

Yes, the dreaded cold lurgy has hit our house again with a vengeance.
Kidlet 1's b'day on Saturday a fizzer, as he was too sick to want to do anything.
Bub has caught it too, so very disgruntled and clingy and generally unwell.
Hubby coming down with it.
As usual, Mum is the last one standing... ;)

Must admit, this is the reason I push myself when I have a deadline to meet. With kids, you never know what's around the corner and I'd hate to feel extra pressure with a book to finish and kids to nurse.

That said, I have to get back to editing COURTING CUPID. Maybe a little later than I first anticipated!

New release dates!

For readers in the USA, I've got some great news.

Release dates for my first 2 Harlequin Presents have been moved forward.

PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE, previously scheduled for April, will now be out in February 08 (the same month as my next Harlequin Romance, EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE)

And MISTRESS TO THE TYCOON (titled BIG-SHOT BACHELOR in the UK) will be released the month after in March rather than July.

Looks like a few bumper months of releases coming in early 2008! And I'll post the new covers as soon as I get them.

In other lovely news, I found a wonderful 5 star review for Purchased for Pleasure on Amazon by Marilyn Shoemaker.

Here's a snippet:

Kate's character is smart, sexy, charming and very spirited. She gives as good as she gets but she does not want to loose her heart again....Have a box of tissues ready, there are times you will need them. However, this charming couple will have you laughing with their banter, sexy smiles and their journey at rekindling their love; it is absolutely an incredible love story, one you will not want to miss! Tyler James has two secrets you will learn and they both will tug at your heart. This sexy Seal loves to tease but underneath, he is tough and does not want to loose his heart again to Kate. She is like a magnet but he is determined to leave at the weeks end and not break Kate's heart.......wrong, he shatters it! Kate and Tyler's journey is up and down and at times you will want to knock their heads together. However, you will come away realizing what a talent Nicola Marsh has with spinning and weaving her sensual story in such a way, you will want to read more. Personally, I cannot wait for Nicola's next book!

Thanks Marilyn :)

COVER TO COVER: Letting your manuscript stew

Take one first draft.
Well done.
Leave to stew for a week, minimum.
Then take one pair of fresh eyes, one pair of eager hands with itchy fingers to type and a fresh perspective, re-open and start the editing process.
Sounds easy enough, right?
Wrong! If you're like me, it's hard to walk away from a manuscript, especially one just finished. Though exhausted, your mind is still buzzing with ideas, you're still in the characters' heads, the setting is still vivid and you want to get this baby off to your editor ASAP.
Instead, let it stew. The longer the better. There's nothing like tackling a first draft with a completely fresh outlook, and with the benefit of time away from the story.
It's too easy to get caught up in your plot or too close to your characters and after a while you can't see the pitfalls, the holes and the glaring mistakes. This is why time away is essential, especially if you don't have a critique partner to pick up a lot of this stuff for you in later drafts.
Fresh eyes brings fresh perspective, an eagerness to layer, and the all important clarity to make your story the best it can be.
So do what I do. Immerse yourself in the rest of your life. Keep busy. (You can give the sleepless nights a miss!) Read. Have fun.
And then take those itching fingers back to the keyboard and start the writing process all over again!!
(More on layering next week, when I actually get stuck back into COURTING CUPID.)

Book launch!

In everything that is going on here, I'd totally forgotten to post this invite here!

SIZZLE, SEDUCE AND SIMMER is a fabulous short story & recipe book anthology I was lucky enough to be a part of and it's officially being launched on November 1st at Dymock's in Melbourne.

All details on the invite above. Please book directly with the bookstore.

Hope to see you all there!

The book would make a great Christmas gift so if you can't make the launch, buy online here.

Will bring you more info about my contribution on my website and here early November :)

COVER TO COVER: Reaching 'The End'

With the bulk of my books, once I'm heading towards the end scene, the words are tumbling out so fast my fingers can barely keep up.
My characters are aching to get their happily-ever-after.
They need resolution.
And I want to tie up all those niggly loose ends I've created throughout the book.

So what's happening with COURTING CUPID?
Strangely enough, after writing half the book in a fortnight, the end is coming slowly. Very slowly. Try 2500 words all week when I usually write that in a night.
Now I'll explain why.

Ever had that feeling right before an important exam where you've studied your heart out, know everything there is to know, yet just before you enter the exam hall or turn the exam over, your mind goes blank?
Well, that's what has happened to me this week.

I've been so wrapped up in maintaining tension throughout this book, upping the stakes with each scene, that now I've reached the end and Blane and Camryn have the opportunity to resolve their differences, my mind has blanked.
There is so much that needs to be tied up all nice and tidily in one neat book that my brain is refusing to co-operate.
So how to get around it?

Step 1: Write.
May sound simplistic but that's exactly what I have to do: write. Let the words flow. Do what I've done for the rest of the book. I can always go back and fix and layer later. Can't fix a blank page, huh?

Step 2: Focus on obvious resolution.
Work on one problem at a time. Don't stress about tying up the rest of the loose ends. Leave this for the first revision pass, where you can jot down the threads that need tying as you re-read the book and follow up at the end.

Step 3: Think happy thoughts.
My characters have waited all book for this, all 50 000 words to get their HEA. Don't cheat them. Make this scene a cracker so you leave your readers craving more (and rushing out to the bookstore when your next release hits the shelves!)

Step 4: The fantasy of romance.
We all love sigh-worthy romantic endings but if you've had a strong conflict throughout the book, resolving differences isn't always easy. Therefore, concentrate on making this final scene real. If all can be solved with a simple conversation, then the odds are your conflict throughout the book hasn't been strong enough. Hence my difficulty in getting Blane and Camryn on the same page here...a good thing with regards to conflict, a frustrating thing when I want this book finished!

Step 5: Finish at all costs.
I like my books to flow in one, cohesive block. I don't jump around from scene to scene (though many writers do.) I write the first draft in one go then go back and layer.
With COURTING CUPID, now that I'm a tad 'stuck', I want to go back and read the whole lot again before finishing the book, but I won't. Why?

I want the ending to be instinctive, like the rest of the book has been. I want it flow on from the last scene, and not be contrived from something I've written earlier. I want it to be a natural resolution of everything that has happened before.
Plenty of time to tweak later.

Hoping to put all this into practice and finish the book tonight. But don't worry, that's not the end of this series. Plenty more to come!

COVER TO COVER: Reality versus imagination

In this series I've already done a post on setting, so consider this an adjunct to it.

In COURTING CUPID, Blane takes a leave of absence from his high flying career to build his own house.

He wants a sea change. It's the first step in his dream.

I needed a small town about an hour or so drive from Melbourne(essential to tying in with city girl Camryn's conflict) and it had to be coastal.

My initial choice was Torquay, closely followed by Cape Schank, then Inverloch.

As fate would have it, I couldn't book accommodation at any of those places so I did a search on quickbeds and came up with Barwon Heads.

I knew Barwon Heads was down near Torquay somewhere so it would be perfect. (Little did I know how exactly right it would be!)

Now, I won't bore you with the details of a nightmare trip down there yesterday which took 4 hours instead of 1.5 (babies with eczema do NOT travel well!!!) or how totally drained I was when we finally arrived, but the place was perfect.

Stayed in a condo on a golf course but did the bulk of the research this morning in town...snapped many mental images, got a feel for what Camryn and Blane see, took a drive along the ocean coastal road, immersed myself in the ambience...perfect for the layering process I will commence in the next few weeks.

So my point behind all this?

When I was having accommodation hassles ages ago, I almost gave up and decided I could always create a fictitious coastal town. (After creating a fictitious Arabian desert country Adhara in THE DESERT PRINCE'S PROPOSAL out June 08, I knew how much fun it can be!)

While using creative licence is fabulous (just ask the great paranormal authors out there at the moment, or the talented authors creating wonderful sheikh and royalty books), in some cases nothing beats placing yourself in the setting of your book.

For me, the setting is interwoven with the conflict so I really needed to make it a focal point of the book, therefore walking a mile in my heroine/hero's shoes was crucial and very productive. I'm pleased to say that Barwon Heads proved a gold mine and my characters will be eternally grateful!

And the spooky bit?

After I booked the condo and checked out the town on line, I learned it was the place where they filmed the TV show...Seachange!

Had to be fate that Blane chose it for his very own seachange...

COVER TO COVER: Staying motivated

Marcy asked a great question in answer to my previous post on Motivation.

How do you keep motivated when you hit a section that is just not working for you?

This is when staying motivated is crucial to finishing the book.

We all know the feeling well: the first chapters fly, maybe the whole first half of the book, then we get hit by the sagging middle (and no, I'm not just talking about my post-baby belly!!)
So how do you stay on top of it?
How do you get past the roadblock to creativity?

For me, I focus on that last word: creativity.
I sit with a blank sheet of paper and pen, and let the ideas flow.

Where can my characters go from here?
What can up the stakes?
Why are they behaving this way?
What will propel them towards the happily-ever-after they deserve?
Who has the most to lose?
What events can conspire against them?
What events can bring them closer together and up the tension?

These are just a few ideas to get you thinking.

I always find pen and paper extremely useful for 'unblocking'.
When I use this method, I also tend to end up outlining the rest of the book, even if it's only a line or two for each chapter and you'd be amazed how much easier it is to finish the book with something solid to refer to when your mind (or characters!) start wandering again.

Hope this helps get you past those mini blocks :)

The great cover...up!

Take a look at the cover for PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE on your right.

In the UK version currently on the shelves, Navy SEAL Tyler James is gorgeous, with the broad (bare!) chest I credited him with.

And SEALs have short back and sides.

And Ty is 6 ft 4".

And in his 30s.

Now take a look at the Aussie cover for the same book(out here in December.)

Is it just me or do these two look like a couple of teenagers? As for that hair...

I'm not going to say anymore.

I'll leave the comments up to you!

(For Aussie readers, this is one of my favourite books of all time so don't let the cover fool you...It really is a very mature story!!)

New website launch!

We have lift-off!

A new website is born…yes, the Modern Extra authors have banded our sassy butts together to create a new group website and its fabulous!

Want to know about ‘a day in the life’ of an author?
Maybe a… ssshhh…a secret or two?
How about booklists, bios and hot guys?

You’ll find all that and more over at SENSATIONAL ROMANCE so check it out!

And stay tuned for a monster book giveaway…

By the way, in case you haven’t heard, from January 08 Modern Extra will become Modern Heat in the UK, and will be released monthly as Harlequin Presents in the US. Great news, huh?

Working in waves

I'm working in waves at the moment.
One day I write like a maniac, the next I'm procrastinating.
Of course, it may have something to do with the sheer volume of stuff I have to do over the next month or two, mostly involving family and the kidlets, that my mind tends to wander all over the place.

This is where paper plotting comes in handy. No matter how rough, even if you've jotted down one or two lines as to what's happening in the next chapter, you can easily pick up the thread of the story.

I've got a lot of writing stuff on my plate too over the next few weeks: I'm being interviewed for an international magazine feature (and I'm going to be on the cover!), the short story and recipe anthology I'm involved in for MIRA is being launched, I've been approached to write a short story by an American magazine, several libraries have contacted me via my website for talks, I've got loads of Harlequin news to blog about...hectic, huh? Of course, that's with a deadline looming in there too...

Promise to give you all the goss about the stuff mentioned above as it happens!

COVER TO COVER: Research

You’ve plotted your book.
Developed the characters.
Devised a rock-solid conflict.
Identified key scenes.
Now what?

Research!

This is the fun part where you can get to be as creative as you like, from a one-on-one personal interview with an expert in their field (wish I’d done this for my Navy SEAL!) to using the Internet.
Google will bring answers to your fingertips in a jiffy and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your desk.
Though if you’re like me and need to get a feel for a place if using it in a story, you schedule a visit.

The bulk of my books have been set in Melbourne (and yes, I’ve already raved about how it’s such a vibrant, cosmopolitan city in an earlier post) so doing first-hand research is enjoyable, accessible and fun.

With COURTING CUPID, I set the book in New Quay, Docklands, the newest hip precinct in Melbourne-and somewhere I hadn’t been yet! The Internet provided a veritable feast of information and pictures, so I had a pretty good idea of my book’s setting before I started.

However, I wanted to walk in my heroine’s shoes.

I wanted to feel what it’s like for her on a blustery Melbourne spring day as she looks out of her apartment, what would she see, what would be on her left and right as she strolled down the boardwalk.

So I made the trip into the city on Sunday. (Nice that it doubled as a family day out too!) Had breakfast in a swank hotel, followed up by a short drive to New Quay where we strolled, had a leisurely latte and soaked up the atmosphere.

(Should've taken a few more water shots!! I'm sure you'd rather see that than moi!! Was too busy snapping hubby and kids in front of the great water views.)

I have my book pretty much plotted on paper, rough as it may be, but it’s amazing how a simple stroll can spark off a fresh scene, a different point of view and best of all, give depth to the setting.
It’s all about perception, and recreating the feel of a place for the reader with words and doing first-hand research can enhance your layering, bringing your story alive.

When setting your story, it’s worth considering what’s closest to home. We often crave exotic locations or write about some place we’d like to visit when in fact, taking a look in our own backyard (figuratively!) can open up a host of research possibilities you never imagined.

(Note: I tend to do a lot of first hand research in Melbourne, especially restaurants and cafés!!)


And remember, if none of the above works for you, inventing your own stuff is part of the fun of being a writer :)