August already?

Tell me how we're in AUGUST already?
Seems like I just blinked after Christmas and here we are.

August promises to be an exciting month!

I can't wait for my online read, ONE INDIAN SUMMER, to launch at eharlequin on August 24th. I may not be attending the RWAus conference in Brisbane this year (have had loads of people ask me!) but I'll be online daily, chatting with everyone.

And if you can't wait for the release of A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON and TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED, both are available right now online. Click on the titles, you'll go straight to the respective pages. Both have 'special offer' tags, the price is a steal!

In Spain, I have the release of THE BILLIONAIRE'S BABY.

Before I dash off for the day, a quick adjunct to my weekend post on proposals.

Usually, publishers/agents/editors want to see a synopsis, which encompasses all the details of a proposal but in a free-flowing format.

I wouldn't call what I posted a synopsis. I'll try and scrounge up one of mine and post it here so you can see the difference.

Yes, published authors can get away with stuff like the proposal I use. In fact, I'd love to hear what other authors use to sway their editors to let them write the book they really, really want to write! :)

THE WRITE WHISPER: Proposals

In the comments to my last post, Lacey asked a pertinent question: how long are my synopses/proposals?

So to give you an idea how I work, I'm posting the proposal for my recent release, THE BILLIONAIRE'S BABY (Harlequin Romance, May 09.)



HEROINE: Camryn Henderson fled her old life in a small country town to start afresh in Melbourne and is finally living the life she always dreamed of, as a city girl running her own café in Melbourne’s hippest new precinct. Thanks to the love of her life deserting her, she’s a cynic when it comes to romance and Valentine’s Day is the worst day of the year. However, this Valentine's Day promises to give her a shake up she never anticipated.



HERO: Blane Andrews is a wealthy CEO of his own construction company. It has taken him six years to get where he is today and now he’s successful, stable and has something to offer, he’s back in Melbourne…to claim his wife!
STORYLINE:
Camryn grew up in Rainbow Creek, a small country town. While working in her parents’ coffee shop straight after leaving high school, she dreams of leaving town to run her own café in Melbourne. She’s always craved the excitement of city life.

When the gorgeous Blane breezes into town on a building job, she’s smitten. For the sheltered 19 year old, her life has been sedate, mundane and she’s always done what was expected of her playing the dutiful daughter until the 21 year old nomad rocks into town, she falls for him and the two elope. However, the marriage doesn’t last long when Blane leaves town after 3 months and Cam revamps her life by quitting her job and purchasing a café in Melbourne, something she’s always dreamed of doing.

(Another reason why she leaves town and doesn’t look back: her grandmother died, left her money in a trust fund her parents said wouldn’t mature till she was 21, but she discovers they lied and she was entitled to the money at 18. When she learns she’s legally entitled to the money, she uses it to purchase her café and start a new life in the city.)

She adores Melbourne’s vibe and sets about making her café one of the hippest places to be, throwing herself into work, not caring about her lack of social life. She tries to locate Blane to serve divorce papers but soon tires after a year of not being able to find him.

Through her failed marriage she has become a cynic where romance is concerned and has a particular dislike of Valentine's Day in all its commercial kitsch.

This year, she has worked hard the entire day and is tired of seeing all the lovey-dovey couples, reminding her of what she once had all too briefly. All she wants to do is head home to her apartment and eat chocolate when in walks a builder, a scruffy handsome guy, who happens to be her husband!

Blane is a man on a mission: to win back his wife.

He fell head over heels for Camryn when they first met but believes he was selfish in marrying her (a fact reinforced to him by her parents. They thought she was too young and didn’t want her to leave town, he wanted to take her on the road with him wherever he got building work.) She adored him but he couldn’t help but think he took advantage of her age and naivety, and when she shared her dreams of settling in Melbourne and running her own café, he knew he had to let her go. He didn’t want her giving up her dreams for his.
Also, the more they got to know one another, he wondered if she really loved him or was he her escape route out of Rainbow Creek, a way to rebel against her parents? Sure, they had passion but was it the young, intense love that inevitably changes with time?

Now, Blane is CEO of his own construction company. He has a lot to offer and when he discovers Camryn has pursued her own dream, he knows it’s time to set about winning her back.

When Camryn meets Blane again, she’s thrown by how he’s still the same guy she fell in love with yet so different. He’s mature, responsible and settled, and is relentless in his goal: to reunite.

Camryn doesn’t want to take a risk on Blane again. What if she opens her heart to this wonderful, amazing man second time around and he leaves her again?

Blane wants to woo his wife, to show her how good they could be together given half a chance. He proves he’s committed to their reunion by showing her the house he’s building for them. He has dreams of them being a couple, a family, with kids in their future.

Camryn has had problems with pelvic inflammatory disease over the last few years and is unsure whether she can conceive or not. The docs advised her it would be difficult.

They discuss the ramifications of this, of what it could mean for their future and Blane says it doesn’t matter she’s all the family he needs. But Camryn sees how he is with his nieces and nephews, she sees how much he loves kids and she returns the favour he gave her all those years earlier (he has told her why he left): she will set him free to follow his dream, of kids and a family with someone who can give him that.

CONFLICT/MOTIVATION:

Camryn’s greatest fear? Taking a risk on love again.

She loved Blane and he left her. She’s happy in her life now: confident, career-focussed, successful. If losing him the first time left her heartbroken, she’s too scared to contemplate what losing him this time will do to her. He’s so much more charming, addictive and compelling now. He has been honest in why he left first time around and seems genuine now but can she trust him not to leave again? Especially if she can’t give him the kids that are a part of his happily-ever-after scenario?

Blane’s greatest fear? Regret.

While Blane has ridden the pinnacle of success in his business, emotionally his life isn’t complete. While his motives for leaving Camryn six years earlier were genuine, he has regretted it since. When he discovers she has followed her dreams he sets about reuniting with Camryn. He wants a proper marriage. He wants the whole package. He comes from one, big happy family and that’s what he wants for them. When Camryn says she loves him, has never really stopped, he’s the happiest man on the planet. And when she tells him she may not be able to have kids, he’s ready to face that too.
But can he convince her to take another chance on him? He won’t live with regret again. He’s going to give this his best shot.

Camryn is cynical, career-focussed, content yet vulnerable…to Blane.
Blane is confident, laid-back, protective and romantic.

Camryn craves the fulfilment running her café once brought her…until Blane showed up and made her want more.
Blane craves a life with no regrets, a life he’s always dreamed of…with his wife.

Camryn is reluctant to take a chance on marriage again.
Blane wants his wife back.

SETTING:

New Quay, Docklands, Melbourne.

This is a snapshot of what I give my editor for every book: a basic outline of 3-4 pages, based on the heroine, the hero, the storyline, the conflict and the setting.

Every author has a unique way of presenting a proposal, and what I've posted here isn't necessarily 'the' way to do it, it's one way of doing it.

It works for me.
Do what works for you.

Romantic Times double!

I'm stoked!

Both my September releases have done well with stellar reviews from Romantic Times.

My favourite, A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON, was awarded 4 1/2 stars!

Here's what Catherine Witmer had to say:

A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON (4.5) by Nicola Marsh: Looking for a fresh start, widowed food critic Tamara Rayne takes the trip to India she'd once planned with her deceased mother. It's supposed to be a solo journey, but restaurateur Ethan Brooks, a friend of Tamara's late husband, decides to go along, allegedly on business. Ethan's wanted Tamara for years, and now that she's free, he's determined to win her. But Tamara's still nursing wounds inflicted by her verbally abusive and unfaithful husband ... wounds that Ethan's unaware of.

Sterling characters, an exotic setting and crackling sexual tension make for a great read. The realistically paced romance is also refreshing.

And Sandra Garcia-Myers had this to say about TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED:

TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED (4) by Nicola Marsh: After Lana Walker is passed over for a major promotion, she takes a two-week cruise to get away and let it all hang out, so to speak. Shipping tycoon Zac McCoy, who's undercover as the PR director, is on board to catch a culprit who's been causing trouble on different trips. But it's Lana who catches his eye. When the flirting starts, Lana throws caution to the wind. After all, what could happen in two weeks?

This fun and flirty shipboard romance features an entertaining twosome who will charm readers.

Don't you just want to run out and grab both books right now? :)

Hot in Germany

I love discovering foreign translations of my books, especially when they arrive in the mail.

Yesterday, I received copies of my current French release of THE BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA, German copies of PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE and German copies of HOT NIGHTS WITH A PLAYBOY.

Set on a Whitsunday island, I thought the cover was perfect!

And I'm featured here. Wish I could read it!

THE WRITE WHISPER: Tricks of the trade

These days, there are so many resources available for writers, it can be confusing.

What works?

What doesn't?

And what works for one person might be another person's version of personal hell?

Lately, I've been doing a glut of online courses (my personal favourite for learning new techniques...but that's another upcoming post entirely!) and during one of these courses, the use of recording data came up.

There are loads of fancy software programs out there (Writersblock, Powerstructure are examples) but what got me really interested was the use of spreadsheets.

Some people use them religiously for every book, plotting anything from word count per chapter, who appears in that chapter, to precise details like weapons used, animals, supporting characters, time, day, season, etc...)

Some use them as a rough plotting device while some use them while writing, filling in as they write the book (eg. at the end of each chapter) so that they can tell at a glance what has happened in their story and what needs to be filled in.

I've never used one but am intrigued.

For a mainstream book, I think I could be tempted, keeping track of all those extra characters and places and events...

Have you used anything like this with your writing?

Care to share?

Calling all unpublished writers!

Harlequin Mills and Boon have just launched a new writing competition.
Details below.
Good luck!

Have you always dreamed of writing for Mills & Boon Modern Romance?

Do you feel you have a passionate story to tell, with characters that leap off the page, and emotional conflicts, drama and excitement that will keep the reader turning the pages?

Then we have the perfect competition for you!

The Mills & Boon ModernTM Writing Competition for first chapters is your chance to win an editor for a year!
For those of you who are familiar with our previous contests Instant Seduction and Feel the Heat, you will know that we have had a high calibre of entries in the past.
So high in fact, that we have since bought our two winners: Lynne Raye Harris and Lucy King! Lynne won the Instant Seduction competition and her winning entry, and debut novel, Spanish Magnate, Red-Hot Revenge is published in Mills & Boon Modern, August 2009.

Lucy King won our second competition Feel the Heat, aimed at Modern Heat editorial. Her winning entry and debut novel Bought: Damsel in Distress will be available from Modern Heat in October 2009.
But the successes do not stop there! Earlier this year, we were thrilled to buy another talented new author, Tina Duncan, who first caught our eye when she entered the Instant Seduction competition in 2008. Although she didn’t win,or even place as a runner-up, Editorial saw her potential and kept working with her until we finally bought her book, Da Silva’s Mistress, which will be published in December 2009, in Mills & Boon Modern. Could you be our next competition winner or catch our editors’ eyes as a potential new writer?

Details:
This competition will be run from 1st July as The Mills & Boon Modern Writing Competition 2009 in the UK and The Harlequin Presents Writing Competition 2009 in North America

You can enter online at millsandboon.co.uk or iheartpresents.com

The competition entry must consist of either the first chapter and synopsis of a Modern or Modern Heat novel

The WINNER receives an editor for a year

TWO RUNNERS-UP will be given critiques of their first chapter entries and an editorial telephone consultation

The competition will close on 2nd November 2009 and the winner will be announced in December 2009 on this page of the website and www.iheartpresents.com where you will also be able to find full details and terms and conditions of the competition.

The competition will be supported by blogs on I Heart Presents by previous winners, authors and editors

Ooh la la!

One of my favourite books, THE BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA, is out in Italy and France this month.

Aren't those covers something?

Pleasure in Germany

My sexy Navy SEAL is out now in Germany!

PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE is available online here.

Hot cover, huh?

I love receiving translations of my books in the mail (apparently Princess Australia is out in Manga too, so I'm dying to see that!) and checking out the covers is half the fun.

I've been lucky with PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE. Every cover depicting Ty has been super hot!

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 :)

THE WRITE WHISPER: By hook or by crook

At some stage in the not too distant future, I'm going to do a post about hook themes in category romance.

Today, I'm talking about hooks of a different nature: how to hook your reader and keep them turning the pages. Or not as the case may be in my following example.

I'm a huge fan of the Keifer Sutherland show '24'.

Have watched every series religiously.

And while I don't find Keifer remotely sexy, there's just something about his sheer dogged alpha-ness (with loads of underlying vulnerability) that makes him more attractive with each series.

In the current series, there has been the usual non stop spills and thrills, with every episode ending on a fabulous hook.

It's what I try to do at the end of each chapter: give the reader a reason, a darn good one if you can, to keep turning the pages in the desperate need to discover what happens next.

The writers of 24 are good at doing this and I'm usually left sitting on the edge of my seat at the end of an episode, waiting for the next.

Then we arrive at this week's episode.

Jack, the hero, has been infected with a bioweapon that has no cure, he will die.

Tony, a lifelong friend and co worker for many of the early series, was a baddie at the start of this series, then we discovered he was working undercover with secret organisation of goodies to capture baddies.

We are so entrenched in this belief, as the writers have done a stellar job in showing us through his actions how good he is.

We're hooked on his character, hooked on his motivations.

Which makes the abrupt about-face of this character so unbelievable.

*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT*

At the end of last night's episode, Tony has stolen a bio weapon canister, tried to blow up and kill loads of FBI agents (after killing with his bare hands one of the main FBI characters the week before) and is standing over Jack, watching him die by depriving him of a treatment.

All this time, because of what the show's writers achieved in entrenching Tony's goodness into me, I keep expecting him to be doing all this to try and get the ultimate baddies.

But having him watch his close friend potentially die isn't a good hook.

If I wasn't such a fan of the show, it would've lost me, because Tony's abrupt change has me questioning the believability of everything he has done in the show.

His motivations are now questionable.

I have doubts, big doubts, as to plausibility.

And the writers have thus lost me.

In our writing, we can't afford to do this.

I guess it all stems back to my initial post in this series about motivation, and making your characters motivation real and believable.

So keeping your readers turning the pages is great.

But in your efforts to use brilliant hooks, be careful not to lose readers along the way.

For we may want to know what happens next, but only if we care enough about the characters and believe in them.

Opinions?

The Harlequin Mills and Boon Romance covers are getting a revamp in the UK, starting August.

And 4 books per month are being released as 2-in-1s.

My 'A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON' is out in September and here's the brand spanking new cover.

I have my opinion but I'd love to hear yours (then I'll share!)

So come on, 'fess up. What do you think? Honestly?

THE WRITE WHISPER: The Colour of Money

Have you ever asked anyone you've just met 'how much do you earn?'

No? Well, I haven't either but you'd be surprised how many people feel it's okay to ask an author how much he/she earns. Crazy, huh?

In society, it's impolite to discuss wages. We just don't do it.

But I'm here to give you a bit of an idea about author wages, for I believe it's a burning question for unpublished writers and newly published trying to work out whether they should give up their day job to pursue their art.

In a nutshell, asking how much an author earns is like asking how long is a piece of string.

The variables are many: author (Joe Bloggs might write 2 books a year, Nic Nac might write 4), publishers, advances, available slots, extra opportunities (eg. anthologies, novellas, short stories), reserves, returns, exchange rates (Joe might get paid in US dollars, Nic in UK), distribution, print runs, countries published, translations...

Getting the general idea?

It's impossible to compare all these variables between any two authors.

So here's my brief rundown of an author who started writing for Harlequin Romance.

You get paid an advance (Brenda Hiatt does a feature on 'Show me the Money' where the average advance for different publishers/series is outlined.)

An advance is exactly that: an advance on money the publisher needs to earn back before you get paid royalties.
So if your advance is $4000 for Book A, you need to sell X number of copies before you start earning money on that book.
Your advance may be paid in increments: on signing the contract, on acceptance, on publication.

Once your advance is earned back and Book A continues to sell, you start earning royalties.

In my first year (2004) I had 3 books on the shelf. The first one in March, the next August, the next Oct.

I didn't see any royalties for the first period (Jan-June 04) and that's normal.
Your publisher will wait to see the number of returns on a book, will hold money in reserve, money you will get in your next royalty statement.

With Harlequin and the extensive translation and distribution into overseas markets, you can receive royalties on books years later. I'm still receiving royalties on my first book, 5 years later.
But remember, every author is different and you can't bank on royalties (no pun intended!)
Royalties are nebulous, can be fabulous, can be downright depressing and being paid twice a year, you need to budget. Well.

So back to the eternal question...should I give up my day job?

Speaking from experience, it took a few years and continually producing 2-3-4 books a year for a steady, regular income to kick in.
I need to work.
I need to pay bills and school fees and mortgage.

Other writers may have the luxury of only needing a part time income, in which case you can give up your day job sooner.
You may have one of those billionaire playboys I write about helping to support your household, in which case, ditto.

Know your budget.
Know your earning potential (eg. how many books a year can you produce realistically, building in holiday/sick/family time?)
Know how much you need to earn to maintain the lifestyle to which you're accustomed.

Then go for it!

I hope this has helped a little.
Feel free to fire off questions...as long as it's not 'how much money do you make?' ;)

Keeping the passion

Quick drop in at the folks to post this because I'm still on a high.

Library talks give me a buzz.
Enthusiastic readers and writers eager to hear about romance writing make me smile and I love discussing my passion.

Especially exciting when there are writers targeting M&B in the group and last night, I had the pleasure of meeting a lady targeting M&B Sexy. We discussed loads and she thanked me for the helplful writing articles on my website.

Really hit home how much shared knowledge means to people.

So if you're out there and reading this and have a burning question to ask me, fire away (in email if you're shy.)

I might eventually get to respond when I'm back online!

The cover fairies have been kind

In all my computer angst, I've discovered the cover for my Indian book up on Amazon.

Isn't it GORGEOUS?

Absolutely my favourite cover in encapsulating some major scenes in the book. I'd hoped for the Taj Mahal on the cover and looks like the cover fairies have granted my wish.

And Tamara looks spot on, half Indian half Australian.

Ethan isn't exactly like Hugh Jackman but a gal can't have everything, right? ;)

Babies and romance

Remember this cover?

Well, this month all the books in Harlequin Romance are baby focussed and it got me thinking...are babies romantic in fiction?

To check out my thoughts, visit the Harlequin Romance Authors blog today.

Foiled

Today's post should've been named men being contrary rather than yesterday.
Or should be 'boys being contrary' more to the point.

Last night was a mums' night out from school, our first dinner for the year.
I don't get out much. Can't think of the last time I went out without the kids. So was looking forward to it.
Felt a bit bad leaving toddler, who has my awful cold but he was happy enough. Prep kid had a mild rash on his cheek but was otherwise okay.

So what happens?
I'd barely set foot in the restaurant when the phone rings. Prep kid's rash has spread to his back and chest and he can't stop itching.
I issued instructions to head off to chemist for an antihistamine (obviously an allergic reaction to something, we haven't figured what yet) and to keep me posted.
But I couldn't do it, sit there in the restaurant and chatter while worried about kidlet.
So I left, after ten minutes.

I always put my kids first and never begrudge being with them 24/7.
But as the wonderful Barbara Samuel told me during a chat at last year's RWAus conference, I need to refill my well, take some me-time. I don't do it often enough.
I'm aiming to change all that.

Reviews are in

Hot off the press, the latest reviews for THE BILLIONAIRE'S BABY.

"The supremely talented Nicola Marsh has written a wonderful heartwarming story that had me laughing and crying in equal measure. Fast-paced, romantic and thought-provoking, once you read the first page of The Billionaire’s Baby, you soon realize that putting the book down is not an option! Tender, emotional and true to life, poignant romance does not get any better than this!"
(CataRomance)

"Heartwarming, emotional and believable, The Billionaire’s Baby is the latest page-turner by talented Mills and Boon Romance author, Nicola Marsh!...The Billionaire’s Baby is just a wonderful story of second chances, new beginnings and the sheer strength of the human spirit. Nicola Marsh writes wonderful stories about modern women who know what they want and smart and sexy heroes her readers cannot resist falling in love. Romantic, engrossing and realistic, The Billionaire’s Baby shines with pathos, charm and heart and readers looking for a story they can lose themselves in shall certainly not be disappointed."
(PHS Reviews)

Now doesn't that make you want to snap up a copy right this very minute? ;)

Chuffed

I'm thrilled to announce my Harlequin Romance EXECUTIVE MOTHER-TO-BE is a finalist in the Best Traditional Romance category for the 2009 Golden Quill Awards.

This is the book that begins with a one night stand...highly unusual for one of my books and for the hero and heroine.

Nate is brooding...enigmatic...grieving.

Kristen is a 35 year old career woman at the top of her game.

Needless to say, an unplanned pregnancy shakes up both their worlds.

I'm thrilled the judges loved this book. Apparently it is an extremely close contest with the slimmest of margins between books and many judges commented on how hard it was to choose their favorites.

I know two finalists are fellow Romance authors Fiona Harper and Donna Alward, waiting to hear the other finalists. Tough field!

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.

My blog in the Top 50!

I've discovered my blog is in the Top 50 Aussie Writing Blogs, as determined by Jonathan Crossfield, Marketing Manager of NetRegistry.

He used figures from Technorati, Google Page Rank and Alexa, plugged them into a formula, and there I am, sitting pretty in the Top 50!

Mind you, I can't understand a word of all that gobbledygook, but I guess I just keep doing what I'm doing. Post daily, interact with you fabulous followers and keep it interesting.

Which brings me to my next question. If there's anything you want covered here, just shoot me an email and I'll try to do a post on it.
Reminds me...I'm due for another 'Write Whisper' post too...

'Those titles'.

A snippet of a recent review got me thinking about titles.

"As a reader, I tend to cringe when I see titles such as The Billionaire's Baby. I like series romances, but in recent years I've been reading them in spite of their titles, not because of them. Still, that being said, once I got past the ridiculous title, I found a mostly entertaining and heartwarming story."

When I give talks, one of the things I mention is the fact authors don't usually choose their own titles or covers and people are surprised.

Harlequin Mills and Boon titles are chosen with the hook of the book in mind.
So that a reader knows at a glance what the book is about.
The marketing department are highly skilled at their job and know what sells so next time you see a title with too many hooks, don't be put off. Bet the story between the pages is fabulous!

Blowing off steam

Had a lovely Easter, a really enjoyable family day.

So with kidlets in bed last night, thought I'd do a bit of research for current WIP.

Before I started, I whizzed through my emails to clear my inbox and discovered a nasty snake curled up there...in the form of a Google Alert for my latest Harlequin Presents.

What's so bad about that?

'The Boss's Bedroom Agenda' was freely available on an illegal download site!

A reader had uploaded it last week and the book had been viewed 248 times already.

As you know from my posts here, a lot goes into writing a book. Loads of blood, sweat and tears. If you enjoy my books, I'd hope you'd shout it to the world: tell your friends/family/dentist/grocer/librarian/everyone to go out and buy copies of my books. Lend them to friends. Spread the word.

What I'd hope you wouldn't do after enjoying one of my books is upload to a site where hundreds of people can download it for free.

As Trish Wylie succinctly put it in her post here, it's stealing.

Our books are copyrighted.

When I lose out on sales, my sales figures go down.

My sales figures continue to go down, my publisher doesn't want to buy any more of my books and you don't get to read any.

That's the way it goes.

This blatant disregard for respecting authors' work makes me mad.

Yes, I spend a small fortune on books but I want to keep reading my favourite authors.

As for the steam coming out of my ears...every time I find one of my books being illegally downloaded from the Net, I have to report it to Harlequin.

It's a pain.

It's time-consuming.

And I'd much rather be writing.

Wish these darn download sites would disappear into cyberspace forever...

THE WRITE WHISPER: Mind Maps

I stumbled across Mind Maps when I did a creative writing course years ago. It was at a time where the first stirrings of my itchy fingers started, when I wanted to pick up pen and paper and start writing.

I can't remember much of the course other than the teacher bringing in weird and wonderful objects each week and asking us to write a short story about them. Stories I recently re-read when I stumbled across the folder from the course, stories I'm sure won't ever see the light of day!

An interesting aside caught my attention as I flicked through this folder.

Mind maps.

I'd done one for each story, done one for my current release TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED (though I didn't know it at the time!)

Stupidly, I threw them all out, otherwise I could've scanned one for you to see here. And the mind map I created in Word last night especially for this blog won't upload (so if anyone wants a copy of it, you can email me at nicola@nicolamarsh.com and I'll forward it to you.) I'll try and describe it for you now.

Mind mapping is basically concept planning.

You take a central theme and collect ideas in different categories around it.
I guess you can say it's a diagramatic form of brainstorming.

Possible elements of a story map include:

Central theme/title
Characters
Setting
Time period
Uses of theme
Useful catch phrases/symbology/etc...

To create your own mind map, go into Word, click on 'Insert', then 'Diagram', then choose 'Radial Diagram'.
You'll end up with a central circle and loads of circles branching off from this like tentacles.

Then you can start having fun!

With the book I'm currently plotting, I had the heroine's job as the central theme because it's highly unusual. From there, my branches included: brief emotional descriptions of hero and heroine, secondary characters, setting, time period. Basically, you can include anything!
I used colourful crayons too, just for something different and it was strangely liberating.

So get those minds mapping.
You never know what gem of an idea may pop up.

Overseas

I have 2 foreign releases this month.

My desert prince from THE DESERT PRINCE'S PROPOSAL is out in France, available here.

And my Navy SEAL in PURCHASED FOR PLEASURE is out in Brazil.

(I adore the French cover, much sexier than the original!)

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 ;)

THE WRITE WHISPER: A gem of an idea

One of the most common questions I'm asked as an author is 'where do you get your ideas?'

The answer?

Everywhere! A glance, a couple holding hands, a newspaper headline, a magazine article or often in that strange half-awake/half-asleep state where I scramble frantically for a pen and pad in the dark and scribble down that nebulous idea/opening line/title before it fades (I'm always scared I'll forget it by morning if I don't write it down!)

Right, so you have your idea.
Where do you start?

Last year, I wrote an article for Romance Writers of Australia's monthly journal on 'What Drives Your Story?'

The article revolved around plot driven stories versus character driven stories.
For me, I'd come up with an idea and immediately dive into the plot, imagining what my characters would do in such a scenario.
For others, the characters strut into their mind larger than life and a plot develops from there.

As writers, we all have tried and true ways of doing things. You'll know if you're a plot or character driven writer; it's what comes easiest to you. That is, after you come up with an idea, which do you find easier, coming up with a plot or the characters?

So what happens when we shake things up a little?

Next time you have a gem of an idea, try this:

If you're a plot driven writer, let your characters drive the story.

If you're a character driven writer, play around with the plot first.

You'll be amazed at how a fresh approach can inject a bit of 'oomph' into your writing.
And we're always learning, right?

Ideally, every story we write needs to be character driven.
We want to create believable, real, compelling characters that keep readers turning pages long into the night.
And that comes back to motivation, mentioned in an earlier post.

Whether you're a plot or character driven writer, motivation is what drives our characters, what keeps them believable, what makes them leap of the page and into the readers' hearts.

But in the early stages, when that new, nebulous idea has shimmered into your mind, play around, shake things up and see where your gem can take you.

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

Free books!

To celebrate Harlequin's 60th birthday, the company is giving away free books.
16 of them to be precise!
How fabulous is that?

Here's the list:

Harlequin American Romance, Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren
Harlequin Blaze, Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Historical, His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls
Harlequin Intrigue, Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels
Harlequin Presents, Price of Passion by Susan Napier
Harlequin Romance, The Bride’s Baby by Liz Fielding
Harlequin Superromance, Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson

Silhouette Desire, Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child
Silhouette Nocturne, Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace
Silhouette Special Edition, Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne

Love Inspired, A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight
Love Inspired Historical, Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
Love Inspired Suspense, Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry

Kimani Romance, Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson

Nascar, Speed Dating by Nancy Warren

The titles are available as PDF or in all ebook formats.
Check out here.
And enjoy!

Waldenbooks bestseller!

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

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

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

THE WRITE WHISPER: Protecting the work

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No translation required

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

Cute cover!

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

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

Cool, huh?

Lovely review!

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

Here it is!

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

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

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

Thanks Kay!

THE WRITE WHISPER: Voice

Voice: we all have one.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So the moral of these tales?

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

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

Pressies all round

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas.

I'm still playing with all the fab toys Santa brought our littlies. Fun!

I had a few nice pressies on Christmas Eve.

My fab editor informed me that my upcoming Modern Heat, TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE'S BED (UK, March) will be out in the US in September as a Harlequin Presents. Yay!

The other was a great 4 star review from Romantic Times for THE BOSS'S BEDROOM AGENDA.

Here t'is!

"To help finance her career as a metal sculptor, Beth Walker takes a temporary job as a museum tour guide. She's not too happy about it, until she meets the temporary CEO, Aidan Voss. The attraction between them is immediate and electric, but Aiden is an archeologist who wants to go on digs around the world, and Beth wants to stay in one place and put down roots. Can they meet halfway? From the moment these two meet, the attraction simmers until it finally explodes. What a nice change of pace that these two start out as equals on a journey that's filled with emotional twists and turns."

THE WRITE WHISPER: Romance PR

If you read or write romance, I want you to go outside right now, stand in the middle of your street, fling your arms in the air and shout "I love romance!" Shout it loud and proud. Make sure every person for miles hears you.

Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating but as romance lovers, I think that's what we have to do.

We have to be proud of the romance genre.
We have to hold our head up and meet gazes head on when people ask what we do and we respond 'romance writing.'
We have to proudly display that cover of a bare-chested hero in a steamy embrace with a gorgeous heroine while we're reading on the train.

We are romance ambassadors, every single one of us.

Last night, I was interviewed by several journalists in India to coincide with Harlequin Mills and Boon's 100th anniversary and the writing competition they've just launched there (more about that on Monday.)
The interviews went for 50 minutes total with a wide array of questions and the one thing that struck me, that has struck me repeatedly when I've done library talks or been a guest speaker elsewhere, is how fabulous romance is and how lucky I am to be part of it.

It's a genre that generated $1.375 billion dollars last year, with the biggest seller being contemporary series romance (Mills and Boon series romances), with 25.7% of the romance pie, followed by contemporary romance 21.8%, historical romance 16%, paranormal 11.8%, inspirational 7.1%, romantic suspense 4.7% with other subgenres to follow.

Harlequin sold 130 million books worldwide, equating to 1 book every 4 seconds and is the biggest romance publisher in the world.

These are statistics to be proud of.
These are statistics we should know as romance ambassadors.

Say it loud and say it proud.

"I love romance!"

That's my 'write not-so-whisper' for the day.

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 WRITE WHISPER: Making your readers care

Welcome to a new series of writing tips, discussion and general blatherings as I traverse the wonderful world of publishing.

I'm hoping to make this a weekly weekend series though in all likelihood, I can see it featuring fortnightly...or maybe longer, we'll see how we go!

(And if you miss out on a post, you can see the lot in the sidebar link and on my website.)

So, how do we make our readers care?

The idea for this series was sparked while I was watching Prison Break this week.
This series is the best yet, with the writers giving every character motivation for their actions, no matter how nefarious.
But what really struck home was when I choked up over a former bad guy dying.
How did the writers do that?
How did they make me care enough about a 'baddie' to feel sorrow when he died?

Motivation.
It all comes down to this.
If you give your characters sufficient, believable motivation for their actions, readers will be behind them all the way.

How many times are you reading a book or watching a movie and enjoying it, only to be jolted out of the suspended reality by the character doing something completely out of character?
It jars.
It takes us out of the story.
It ruins our suspension of disbelief and makes us question everything about the remainder of the book/movie.

You don't want to do this to your readers.
You want them swept along in the story, so caught up in the characters' lives they absolutely must keep turning pages until they reach 'the end'...and leave them wanting more, particularly your next book!

A strong, real, believable motivation is gold.

That's my 'write whisper' for today.

Fan moment

I love hearing from readers.
Receiving emails discussing my books or saying how much they're enjoyed never fails to bring a smile to my face.

The funny thing? I never thought of writing to my favourite authors to thank them for their brilliant books.

Adele Parks was the first author I emailed and her response was lovely.
So imagine how stoked I was when she commented on my 'glomming' post over at the PHS last week. I had a distinct fan moment!

Now her latest book is hitting the shelves and I can't wait.
Hers are keepers for me.

Who's on your keeper shelf these days?

Guest speaker extraordinaire

Okay, that may be taking things a tad too far but I did it!

I actually got up in front of 200 plus people and discussed the life of a romance author and the wonderful world of Mills and Boon.

From the number of people who came up to me afterwards and said it was fantastic and inspiring and fabulous, I reckon I did okay ;)

The day was all the better because I got to catch up with a bunch of old friends.
I nattered almost the whole way of the longish drive with my oldest school friend (she was meant to do the talking so I could save my voice but somehow-as usual apparently!-I ended up doing most of the talking. Jenny said I always liked to tell a good story at school...)

When I arrived, I was interviewed by the Great Southern Star newspaper with loads of happy snaps and caught up with Mel, a writing buddy from way back.
Then onto lunch where a bunch of my uni mates formed a table to support me. How great is that?

So more nattering with Teresa (who roped me into this in the first place, thanks T!), Mary and Leanne, before I did my thing on the stage, followed by devouring the cakes. Oh boy, the cakes...quite simply, a highlight of the day!

I signed books, chatted some more, was barrel girl for the raffle and was presented with a stunning box of flowers and a L'Oreal gift pack (the sponsors of the day.)

There were Victoria and Melbourne representatives of the MS society at the lunch and I'm sure they would've been blown away by the attendance.

A great time was had by all (oh, and the frock and shoes were a hit too!)

Bon jour

The 1st of November?

Can someone tell me where the year went, please?

While I use every distraction technique known to man to stop from thinking about speaking in front of that crowd this afternoon (including rushing around last night to doctors and such because kinder kid came down with conjunctivitis completely out of the blue) my books are popping up overseas.

Executive Mother-To-Be is out now in France, available here.

(Don't you love the French covers? They're beautiful.)

While The Desert Prince's Proposal is out now in Spain, available here.

I'll be back Monday with all the goss from the charity luncheon.

Happy birthday Mum!

"For all the times you gently picked me up,
When I fell down,
For all the times you tied my shoes
And tucked me into bed,
Or needed something
But put me first instead.
For everything we shared,
The dreams, the laughter,
And the tears,
I love you with a "Special Love"
That deepens every year..."

I stumbled across this poem a while back (author unknown) and it really struck a chord.

My mum is amazing.
She's warm, vivacious, energetic, optimistic, caring and has raised me to be the person I am.
Until I had my own kids, I didn't realise the extent of a mother's love: how utterly overwhelming and amazing and never-ending it is. It's something I know I've taken for granted at times over the years.

So happy birthday Mum!
Thanks for the being the wonderful person you are.
I love you.

Juggling spinning plates

My editor has read 'Journey of the Heart' and loves it, but my hero Ethan is too nice!
I need to alpha him up.

That's the trouble with using Hugh Jackman as hero inspiration. He's a genuinely nice guy and it's difficult to make him otherwise.
So going to be busy the next few weeks wrestling him into shape.

Not to mention the countless parties: tonight, 2 on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, the following Saturday and Monday.

October is a crazy month.
And don't those revisions always land at the hectic times?

For now, Britt and Nick will have to wait...considering where I left them last, I doubt they'll be complaining!

Ooh la la!

Ooh, the excitement of a new cover, nothing like it!

And this one's extra special because it's my first Harlequin Presents!

Yes, I had 2 Harlequin Presents Extra releases earlier this year but this one's my first straight Presents and I can't wait for it to hit US shelves. So look out for my sexy boss coming to you in Feb!

And a quick wave to all the ladies who attended my talk at Kew library. It was a fabulous turn out, with at least 8-10 writers in the group of 30-odd.
Question time went almost as long as the talk and it's great to see so many people interested in writing for Mills and Boon, and in romance in general.

Now, if only I could banish the thought of speaking in front of 200 people in 3 weeks, I'd be feeling a lot better...

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!

Another brilliant read

Another brilliant read by Barbara Samuel (who now has equal status as my favourite author alongside Susan Elizabeth Phillips.)

A PIECE OF HEAVEN features an American Indian hero, complete with acne scars and paunch, and she makes him sexier than sexy!
Luna, the heroine, is an alcoholic.

The way Barbara weaves a beautiful tale around these characters (along with a host of fabulous secondary characters) made me never want to put this book down.

If you haven't read Barbara, you absolutely have to.
The way she layers emotion and brings characters to life is nothing short of brilliant.

Fancy some hot nights?

Want to win a copy of this book?

I'm giving away a signed copy over at THE ROMANCE STUDIO today.

This book isn't scheduled for US release so it may be your only chance to get your hands on a copy.

Though I'm giving away several copies of HOT NIGHTS WITH A PLAYBOY in my newsletter contest coming up this week so if you want to be in it, sign up by emailing me.

Zo-Zo

Happy first birthday to my darling little god-daughter and niece, Zoe.

This is at her christening many months ago.

Isn't she a doll?

Glomming

Remember how I raved about Barbara Samuel's NO PLACE LIKE HOME last week?

Well, I've devoured 2 more of her books since then, MADAME MIRABOU'S SCHOOL OF LOVE and LADY LUCK'S MAP OF VEGAS.

She's a fabulous author.

If you love books packed with emotion, with real characters that will make you laugh and cry, grab her books.

I hadn't heard the term 'glomming' till recently (where you devour an author's backlist) and I'm proud to say I'm now a glommer of Barbara Samuel.

Best-laid plans

Yesterday was a disaster.
The date didn't happen.

I was so excited, got all dressed up, bub down for a long nap and happily watched by grandpa, and headed off in the car.
Not 10 kms up the road, a slow moving truck flicks up a rock and puts a chip in my windscreen the size of a 10 cent piece. Ka-ching! Moula to fix when we got home.

It was only a minor blip but I instantly thought, 'what else is going to go wrong today?'
Well, we were on the freeway, almost to the city, when we got a call from DS1's kinder. There had been an incident. We had to get there asap.
So cue the exit off the freeway, get back on, in the opposite direction.

The exquisite lunch we had booked never happened.
Our first date in goodness knows how long...nada.
But the kids are all right and that's the main thing.
And after being quoted $200 to fix the windscreen (my hubby got this on the first phone call!) I rang around and got someone to come out and fix it for $65. That first mob is famous and first port of call for most people...robbery!

The highlight of my day?
Curling up and finishing Barbara Samuel's NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

I met Barbara at the recent RWAus conference and was blown away. She's my idol.
So I rushed home that night and bought her entire backlist.

'No Place Like Home' is the first book I read...and oh my...she's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
I cried and I never cry with books. Movies, yes. Books, rarely.

Here's what it's about.


Sometimes a wrong turn is the only way home. . .
No Place Like Home tells the unforgettable story of a family bound together by tradition-and the emotional journey of an estranged daughter risking everything for a second chance at life and love.
Twenty-one years ago Jewel Sabatino left her childhood behind and never looked back. After a magical taste of fame, she found herself alone with a son to raise and not much else. She survived with the help of Michael, her one true friend. But now Michael is too sick to care for himself, and Jewel has run out of options. She leaves New York for the hills of Colorado, unsure if the family she ran from will welcome her back.
For Jewel, coming home is falling back into a world that smells of Italian restaurants and home-baked pies. It is the laughter of sisters preparing for a summer wedding, and the peaceful haven for a treasured soul mate's last days. It also means facing the unforgiving eyes of a father betrayed by his favorite child-and letting go of a son who is ready to become a man. But most of all, it is the love she discovers in her own wary heart when Michael's brother Malachi unexpectedly arrives on her doorstep.

I will be devouring the rest of the books.
In fact, I'm already half way through MADAME MIRABOU'S SCHOOL OF LOVE and I only started in last night!
I want to be Barbara when I grow up. :)

My hero

This is one of my favourite pics of Hugh Jackman.
Unfortunately, I can't use it to fuel a scene in the book as Ethan isn't a motorbike kind of guy. But I'm generous. Thought you might enjoy this over the weekend.
Writing-wise, I managed 13000 words this week. I'm just over half way and the story is still flowing beautifully.
The downside? Have woken with a sore throat again. So can't push myself over the next 5 days. Must be healthy for conference. Will resort to Alphie during the day and trying to get to bed earlier at night. That's my battle plan to attack this super bug doing the rounds of Melbourne at the moment.
I will be in glossy, glam author mode next week. I will, I will, I will!

Hints for Sexy Writers

Remember I recently mentioned the FEEL THE HEAT competition for writers targetting Harlequin Modern Heat (Sexy Sensation in OZ)?

Well, if you want a few hints on how to create Mod Heat characters, I've posted an article at the Harlequin Presents Blog.

Hope it helps :)

Double release!

If you're in Australia and New Zealand, I have 2 books hitting the shelves today!

HOT NIGHTS WITH A PLAYBOY (Sexy Sensation) and THE DESERT PRINCE'S PROPOSAL (Sweet) are OUT NOW!

Remember what a few reviewers had to say:

"fast, wonderfully well-written read, it rekindles every fantasy about Prince Charming, exotic desert lands and being swept off my feet I ever had. Ms. Marsh's characters are quick-witted, intelligent and definitely have chemistry enough to make the romance sizzle. The setting is wonderful, with plenty of details to make it all come to life. THE DESERT PRINCE'S PROPOSAL is a great, bite-sized romance! Well done!" (Romance Reader at Heart)

"Forget about Sex and the City:The Movie, if it's fresh, flirty and feel-good you're after then pick up Nicola Marsh's latest Modern Heat: Hot Nights with a Playboy!...a steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance that sparkles with glamour, humour, sophistication, passion and plenty of style!...a fast-paced sizzler by a writer who writes deliciously sensual contemporary romances that pack plenty of emotional punch! Don't miss it!" (CataRomance)

Looking forward to hearing more reader reviews :)