Romance Writers Weekly: April 26, 2016

Fun question on the blog hop today by my dear friend Jenna Da Sie. She's asking us:

If you inherited a bunch of undeveloped land, what would you do with it?  

Well, Jenna, what a timely question. Hubby and I are always talking about what we'd do with land. We have many idea, which run the gamut from building our own Heart's Ease Inn (yea, Elsie's inn in my Heart's Ease series) to starting a tiny house community for all our friends. 

However, those both seem like ideas that would require not only the inheritance of a lot of land, but a ton of cash to go with it. 

Right now we are looking for land to do the following:

Build an eco friendly home that's as low energy as possible

This is not the home we would have, but maybe I could turn this into my writing cabin? Hmmm.... 

Start a fruit tree farm with apples, plums, and cherries 

via GIPHY

Have several honeybee hives around to help with pollination and of course, sustaining our honey craving

via GIPHY

We think two or three acres could do this for us. So if you happen to live in Newfoundland and know of some land for sale that doesn't cost an arm and leg, let us know. ;)

So that's my answer. Since there's only four of us on the hop today I'm going to share links to all of them, because I adore my RWW peeps. :) Brenda Margriet , Jenna Da Sie , Leslie Hachtel

And of course, feel free to tell me your answer to the question in the comments below. 

Romance Writers Weekly: January 26, 2016

We’re getting personal on the blog hop this week. It’s my turn to get the bloggers thinking and I asked:

If your life was a romance novel, what subgenre would it be, and why would your hero be amazing? Also, what would you call it? Can you write a blurb for it?

 

The problem with asking this question is that I now have to answer it. So here we go. (And my apologies to my husband for making him the star of this week's post!)

When we break up – A romantic comedy

The first time he called her his girlfriend, she nearly drove off the road.

The first time he met her parents, she hustled him out of the house.

And the first time it dawned on her she might be falling in love, she thought it was time to break up.

Vicki doesn’t want a boyfriend. And she certainly doesn’t want one who remains friends with his exes. “When we break up” becomes her catch phrase to him, warning him that good things do come to an end. So imagine her shock when one night she says, “If we break up.” For ever-patient, ever-loving Reg, that one little word becomes a sign that nothing is inevitable, and maybe, just maybe, he has a chance of keeping the kooky woman who’s playing with his heart from giving up on a once-in-a-lifetime love. 

******

And because I’m a romantic, I’ve made a cover out of our engagement photo. Yes. This is the actual moment that my darling husband, the most supportive fan I have in life, asked me to marry him. 

Oh, and the final question. Why is Reg an amazing romance hero? Well, he’s cute, of course. Don’t get me started on his blue eyes. But more importantly, he believes in me. Find me a woman who doesn’t love a man who has 100 per cent faith in her dreams and is willing to support them, and I’ll eat my words. But there’s nothing sexier about a man than his willingness to help the woman he loves make her dreams come true. 

Now let’s go see what the wonderful Kathryn Renard has to share with us! I can’t wait to visit everyone on today’s blog hop!!! 

Romance Writers Weekly: January 12, 2016

Third times a charm right? Because this is my third time writing this post today and if my computer crashes again, then there will be no post. 

Bah. I started this blog today so happy and full of optimism for 2016. And now I'm just raging against technology. 

Deep breath. Phew. Okay. 

Happy New Year everyone! 

This week Brenda Margriet is asking us to share a first with you. And I have the pleasure of sharing a "first" with you that happened just this very morning. 

Here's photographic evidence!

Here I am at Flanker Press, signing copies of Against Her Rules and Hard As Ice! While I've signed books in the past, this is the first time I've had a publisher, and the first time they've asked me to sign over 240 books to distribute across Newfoundland and Labrador. To say I'm excited is a wee bit of an understatement. 

Oh! Contest idea! I'm going to give a book (signed print book if you're in Canada, ebook if you're anywhere else in the world) to the first person to come close to telling me how long it took me to sign 6 cases of books.  

Just leave your answer in the comments below. And then be sure to hop on over to the wonderful Ms. Xio Axelrod's page to see what she has to share. 

Romance Writers Weekly: July 14, 2015

I'm so not into sports, however, I love being motivated by music, so I think I can manage today's question with ease. Susan Scott Shelley asks:

A player's walk-up song (aka Entrance Theme), whether he's heading to the pitcher's mound or the batter's box, can tell a lot about him. What song would you choose for yours?

I honestly can't imagine me "walking up" to any place that requires music (I've already gotten married so that's taken care of). So I'm doing a little creative interpretation of the question. Because for me, "walking up" in the professional sense means sitting at my keyboard and feeling the groove to write. 

Alas, this means multiple songs, because I'm very much inspired by music. But it depends on the piece I'm working on. I'm currently working on several projects but the two that seem to be the most greatly impacted by music are Alpha Wars and the fifth book in my Heart's Ease series. So that's what I'm sharing today. 

Alpha Wars

First up, my alter ego, Hannah Hunter. I'm loving this series about Irish shifters, especially the bad boys. I'm a die hard traditional music fan, so when I started thinking about the Faoladh and the Conroicht, I had no trouble imagining big burly men who love to lift a pint and sing sad Irish songs. Here's a song I've listened to a lot while writing this one, sung by The Navigators, one of my favourite Newfoundland bands. 

 

Book 5 of Heart's Ease

I'm positive I've posted this before, however, nothing has changed. I was driving one morning listening to Newfoundland's own Tom Power who graces our national radio program, CBC's Radio 2 Morning. And on comes this song by Whitehorse. Bam. My hero came to life as I listened. I mean, come on.  "I'd don't have much, but I've got the good stuff." That lyric sums Will Walsh up to a T! It's my power anthem for this book, without a doubt. 

And because this book is starting to take up a lot of my headspace, it gets two songs! "I don't know where and I don't know when, but I know  we'll be lovers again." Atta boy, Passenger. This is Will's softer side. The side no one sees but our heroine. 

So there you have it. My "walk-up" songs. Now let's go see what my friend Betty Bolte has chosen. I'm always stoked about musical posts. I mean, come on. Romance writing and music? What a perfect combination. 

Also, if you've read something by me and think you know a song that sums up the feeling or mood or whatever, feel free to share it in the comments.

Romance Writers Weekly: October 28, 2014

This week we are telling ghost stories, real or true. And boy, do I have a tale for you. We were instructed to keep it to under 300 words, so I apologize for skimping on the truly creepy stuff. I could write thousands of words about this tale. 

True story: 

I lived in a haunted house.

The cream house in the centre housed four apartments. I lived on the top floor for a terrifying 8 months. I took this image from Google Earth street view.

The first indication was a huge fight between my sister and I. She claimed my drunken friends and I had nothing better to do that keep climbing up to the 3rd story apartment I was renting and trying to scare her. I told her drunk gals in their early 20s have better things to do with their time than scare baby sisters.

Next indication, my roommate called me frantically one evening to tell me there were about 50 people gathered outside the old victorian house that was now home to several apartments and they were all pointing up at our windows. Turned out it was the local Haunted Hike. What the heck?

Over the eight months we lived there, doors inexplicably opened, the grate in front of the fireplace would often be found on the other side of the room, footsteps lurked outside our door, odd electrical things would happen (my electric piano came on one evening when it wasn’t plugged in), my roommate claimed he was attacked by a hag that tried to choke him, and our cats were freaked out all the time.

But the worst, and most common haunting, was the cries of the babies. Yea. We’d wake to what sounded like babies crying in our chimney. No one in that house had children, let alone babies. Then one day my dad was talking to a retired cop who told a tale of a woman who murdered two babies in an apartment downtown. She burned their wee bodies in the fireplace. The apartment? Mine. I still get chills when I think about it. The only thing that makes me feel better is knowing she was caught. Was she the evil presence that attacked my roomie? 

Have you ever had a ghostly experience? 

Share it in the comments!

Now, pop on over to S.C. Mitchell and see how he's going to scare the bejebus out of us. I'm anticipating a terrifying piece of fiction from him. 

Romance Weekly: October 21, 2014

Hope everyone is enjoying their autumn. This week's challenge has a little bit of seasonal wonderfulness to it, at least in word choice. The creative Ms. Mishka Jenkins came up with this week's challenge: Write a love letter. (Let’s go with 400 words or less). Has to include the words- Sweet, Pumpkin, and Brush. I can't wait to see what the other authors in this group come up with. I wish I could say I was surprised by the direction my letter took, but now that I read it again, I know I'm not. This is a real love letter, to one of the two loves of my life. 

---

Hello my sweet boy,

Maybe one of these days you’ll be sorting through the archaic archives of my website and come across this letter. Perhaps it will be a surprise for you. Or perhaps I’ll have told you all about it at some point. If you’re a grown man by now and I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of your life for this long you likely know that your mother is terrible at keeping secrets.

I think this challenge was supposed to be fiction, but as I sat down this morning, all I could think about was you and the little person I watch you becoming. Right now you have the most angelic face. You also have the most evil laugh. Dancing, singing and drumming seem to be your favourite things this week. And you still hate getting your hair washed. When I come near you with a brush you’d think I was about to chop your head off. I love your little blonde curls, but if this keeps up, I might have to go against my own wishes and get your hair cut.

It’s October here and Halloween is just ten days away. As usual, I’m behind schedule and have no costume for you. If you ever stumble upon pictures of you dressed as a two-year-old Aristotle, you’ll know mommy and daddy wrapped you in a bed sheet at the last minute and tried to pass you off as a philosopher. Man, I hope I don’t end up doing that to you. But in case I do, I’m sorry!

My head is always full of ideas of great and wonderful things for us to do. Roast pumpkin seeds, rake all the leaves into a big jumping pile (this failed not only because of my lack of initiative, but because Hurricane Gonzalo blew them all away), go to the museum… but our days seem to get lost in long snuggly naps and never-ending games of chase and “One more book!”

Every day you surprise me with something new, and I think it’s fair of me to speak for Daddy too when I say that watching you grow and learn and become a little person with will and thought and purpose astounds us. We love you. We love how you change. And we look forward to a lifetime of watching you blow our minds.

Love always,

Mommy

---

I can't wait to read the letters everyone else wrote this week. I wonder how many will be fiction, and how many real? I love seeing the way we can all start at the same place and end up in so many different places. Let's start with Leslie Hachtel and see what kind of love letter she has for us. 

This is the face that I wake up to each day. :) 

Romance Weekly: October 14, 2014

This week we're talking dates. Bad dates. Dare we even say disaster dates? Collette Cameron wants us to share our stories, or if we've been blessed to only have had great dates in our lives, make one up. I wish I had to make one up. But nope. I've had my share of stinkers. But here's the worst.

In case this is your first time reading a blog post by me, there's something you should know. I live in Newfoundland, which is an island off the east coast of Canada. There's only a half a million people on this island even though we're about as big as California and we have some very remote villages with nothing around for hours other than equally small villages. Point is, you don't have a lot of options for date destinations. 

So it's the early 90s. I'm 16 and a guy I'd had a crush on for years had asked if I wanted to go for a drive with him. He didn't call it a date. I don't think anyone used the word date in that community. But when a seventeen year old boy asks a girl to go for a drive, and there's no other friends coming along, that's a date. 

I was so excited. I mean, I think I first dreamed of marrying him when I was eight. And finally, I was getting my chance. I had visions of him driving us to a spot overlooking the ocean. Maybe we'd listen to the radio. Maybe we'd kiss. Heck, maybe we'd even get out of the car and go for a romantic walk hand-in-hand in the moonlight, the sound of the water gently crashing along the rocks. Yea, I was a romantic even then. 

When he turned off the highway onto a dirt road in the opposite direction of the water I wondered where we were going. And then I saw the sign. Provincial landfill site. More commonly known as the dump. Yes, friends. His idea of a great romantic evening out was parking at the local dump where we would, if we were lucky, get front row seats to the black bears feasting on the garbage. 

I'd read plenty of Sweet Valley High and Harlequin books by then, and no where did the guy ever say "Hey baby, I've got a romantic night of bear watching planned for us up at the dump tonight." 

Did we kiss? No. Did my years long crush float away on the stench-infused wind that blew over the dump that summer night? Hell yea. And did we see bears? Oh yes we did. Right until I demanded we leave when one looked like it was about to walk on top of the car. 

Ah. Teen romance. Some guys just don't get it. Now let's hop over to the always wonderful Sarah Hegger who is sharing a disaster date from a work-in-progress. 

Had it been daylight, this is the sort of romantic backdrop I would have been witness to. 

Romance Weekly: September 30, 2014

As we say here in Newfoundland, "I'm smudderin' with the cold" so if there are typos out the wazoo today, please forgive me. My head feels like it's in a vice and there's a thunder storm in my ears. So without any preamble, here we go. I don't know who to thank for this weeks questions. I could do some internet digging but my head won't abide it. 

1.) Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were going to become a writer? If so, what was it?

I don't think so. I've always written stories and believed that one of these days I would have a book in print. I guess that's the optimist in me. My first short story was published when I was in grade six, so I suppose I had an over-inflated ego after that. lol. Seriously though, I think any writer knows somewhere deep inside that they have a story to tell that begs to be written. I think just by sitting down to get those words on paper makes us a writer. Now an author, that's a whole different question. Maybe someone will ask that in the months ahead. 

2.) When you write a story do you see it unfold as one big picture, or do you add layering in subsequent drafts?

It unfolds in one big picture for me. Editing is where I take out the nonsense, or add some more substance. But the story is the story. 

3.) How many drafts do you usually write before you send your work to your editor?

One, maybe one and a half. Quite often my editor gets a draft at the same time my crit partners do. On Geek God I waited until I'd heard back from all my crit partners before sending it to her. I should check with her and see which approach she prefers. :) 

Blah. I've done my duty. Now I"m going to send you off to visit Dani Jace and I'm going to go make some honey lemon tea and steam my head. See you next week when I'm hopefully feeling much better. 

Romance Weekly: September 9, 2014

We're back to three questions time here on the good old RW blog hop. Thanks to Beth Carter for this week's gems. I think I'm most interested in seeing everyone's answer to the third question this week. If you've landed here from Collette Cameron's blog, you've seen hers and I wish I'd come up with that answer myself. Ah well. Let's get going, shall we, and see what I can come up with.

1. What’s your favorite aspect of novel writing? Dialogue? Setting? Conflict? Narration? Explain.

This is easy. Dialogue. I love the banter between characters. Maybe it's because I talk a lot myself, (and to myself!) but I think so much character is revealed through what they say. And what they choose not to say. So I suppose what I like writing best is dialogue both spoken and in the mind. Here's an example of what I mean from my current WIP, Geek God (available for pre-order I might add!) 

_______

“Oh. What’s up tonight?” Please let that have sounded casual. Just because my head is screaming: What? You’re not staying?

“Dungeons & Dragons.”

You know when your face reacts before you have a chance to get your shit together? That’s what’s happening right now. I think my eyes might have even bulged. I want to sound cool, but I can’t help myself.

“Adults play D&D?”

“Plenty of us do. What do you think happens to the kids who played it in their parents’ basements when they grow up?”

“They grow up?” My cousin played that game when he was a teenager. He and a group of his nerdy friends all hanging around a table rolling dice and talking about orcs and not letting girls play. Nerds. Geeks. Whatever. I wondered now if he still played.

“And how is it any different than still playing video games?”

“It’s totally different.”

“It’s not. It’s way more social than hanging out home alone with just a TV and console. I’m hanging out with people, talking, eating, drinking and having fun.”

What’s curious in this discussion is that he’s not getting angry or embarrassed. He seems to have no problem with admitting that he does this.

“How does it work?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your game. How does it work?”

I don’t know if I’m asking because I want to know, or if I’m just trying to keep him here a bit longer. One thing is certain. It’s clear that he’s not interested in me that way. If going and playing a geek game with his geek friends seems better than hanging out with a woman who’d done her damnedest to look as sexy as she can, then I’ve already lost this battle.

He might look like God’s gift to women, but clearly there’s a very good reason why he’s single.

What if he’s gay? Maybe Dungeons & Dragons is code for an all-male orgy.

_____

2.How do you choose the setting for your plot? Are they always similar settings or does it vary? (i.e., small town, big city, castle, etc.)

There's no secret about my setting. It's always Newfoundland in some way. Even if I have my characters travel a lot (like Jack and Daphne in Hard As Ice) my books are Newfoundland stories. I mean, look at this. How can I NOT write about this setting? 

3.I’m a big six-word memoir fan. (Hemingway even wrote one.) Describe your writing day using just six words.

“Moments of insanity. Hours of despair.”

And there you have it. Another week here and gone. Be sure to pop over and see Carolyn Spear's answers. Her six word answer is also very very true. Also, I think her website is beautiful! If you think so, you should tell her. 

Romance Weekly: August 12, 2014

Welcome friends to another week of Romance Weekly. I love Tuesdays. Why? Because I love popping around to see what all my fellow RW pals are saying. I also love the comments they leave. And I love having the push to blog, because let's face it, I suck at it most of the time. If you're popping over from Meggan Connors' blog, what do you think of her alien encounter at Starbucks idea? I think it's great! 

Now, on to our questions of the week! 

1. Does humour help or hinder you in your creative process?

I try not to think about it. I like it when readers say they laugh while reading my books, but I honestly don't try to set out to write funny things. Certain situations or phases might strike one reader as funny, while another might laugh at something else. I like that there's humour in my writing, but it's not deliberate. If I had to think about being funny, it would definitely hinder my process. Plus, I'm not funny in real life. At all. I'm much better with the written word than the spoken. Trust me. 

2. What is a favorite go-to book or movie you use to unblock a problem in your writing?

It depends on the piece I'm working on. When I was stuck on Asher's story in 21 Century Rake, I listened to Sean McCann's "Help Yourself" album a lot. With Geek God, I got a bit obsessed with The Mindy Project (and I'm now in love with Danny Castellano), which helped because it showed me that even smart girls can be stund (that's a Newfoundland word ya today!) sometimes. But for the most part, I don't go in search of things to help. Rather, I talk it out with my fellow writers or hubby. And I just keep writing scenes until something makes sense to me. 

3. What’s the most inspiring book you’ve read this week or month that’s generated a new idea?

LOL. My last inspiration came from the Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook. Seriously. Cause I play it weekly, and one night as I lay in bed wondering why I was stumped with a WIP, a new idea came to mind. And it's totally based on my real-life geek existence, and D&D. That's where the Forever Geek trilogy idea came from. 

Admittedly, my answers this week are kinda blah. Great questions, I just didn't have earth shattering answers. Still, I love my Tuesday blogging and the pals that go with it so instead of skipping out because of lack-lusted answers, I just barrel on. :)

See you all next week. And in the meantime, pop over to one of the newest members of the Romance Weekly clan, Xio Axelrod, and see her answers to these questions. I think this might be her very first week blog hopping with us! Yay Xio! 

Romance Weekly: July 29, 2014

I've missed the last few weeks because I was on holiday in Ireland. But what a great week to come back. Today we're doing things a little differently. Instead of answering three questions, we're just tackling one great one. 

What are your top ten romances of all time?

I'm going to keep my answers to books, because if I were to incorporate movies and real life and plays etc, my list would go on forever. So here they are in no particular order because I can't refine my mind that much!

The Time Traveler's Wife

By Audrey Niffenegger

Buy on Amazon

Gone with the Wind

By Margaret Mitchell

Buy on Amazon

Ten Things I Love About You

By Julia Quinn

Buy on Amazon

A Duke of Her Own (Desperate Duchesses)

By Eloisa James

Buy on Amazon

Rules of an Engagement

By Suzanne Enoch

Buy on Amazon

Outlander

By Diana Gabaldon

Buy on Amazon

Into the Wilderness

By Sara Donati

Buy on Amazon

Forever Amber (Rediscovered Classics)

By Kathleen Winsor

Buy on Amazon

The Hazards of Hunting a Duke (Desperate Debutantes)

By Julia London

Buy on Amazon

The Parson's Daughter

By Catherine Cookson

Buy on Amazon

As I was making this list, I was amazed with how easy these titles popped to mind. And I know why. There's a trend with all of these romances. Each and every one of them was recommended to me by my grandmother, my muse and mentor in all things related to romance novels. She's why I write. She's why I read. And she's why there's still a gaping hole in my heart whenever I think of her. I write using my real name because I'm proud of what I write. But if I ever do need a pseudonym, it will be her name I use. 

Now, enough of my emotional ramblings. I sure didn't think I was going to get sappy making a list. I think I'll pop on over to the brilliant and lovely Brenda Margriet now the once and see what fabulous list she concocted for us. 

Romance Weekly: June 24, 2014

Thanks to Collette Cameron for this weeks questions, and thanks to Jo Richardson for linking to me this week. At the time of writing this post, her post wasn't live yet so I can't give you any insight on her answers (in case you didn't land here from her blog!) but I'm sure they are awesome? Why so sure? Because while here on the blog you get to know us authors, we are also getting to know each other pretty well, and I'm thrilled to say that the Romance Weekly group of writers are turning into some pretty great pals. So yay for that. And now, on to this weeks questions: 

1. How do you respond to someone calling your writing smut or demeaning your work in some other way?

Luckily, no one has dared call my work smut to my face. If they think it, then in all likelihood they haven't even read my books. There's a difference in demeaning the genre, which happens (see this post) and demeaning my work in particular. The most I've had happen is well-meaning people ask me when I'm going to write "a real book." That hurts a bit. My books are real books. I know they mean when are you going to write the historical fiction that you've been thinking about for years. But what they don't realize is that even those books are romances. I just smile, try and educate them on the romance genre, and move on. 

2. When critiquing or beta reading, do you ever find the voice of the other author creeping into your writing?

Not really. I wish I had a longer answer here, but I don't. 

3. What’s one quirky thing you do or must have around you while writing?

I make faces and touch myself. NOT that way! Geesh. Dirty minds! ;) But I find I'm mimicking the actions of my characters to see how it feels, how to describe it, etc. I also wiggle in my chair a lot and wiggle my fingers above the keyboard as I think. I'm a bit of public show when I'm writing in a coffee shop, I bet! 

And now, let's head over to Veronica Forand to see how she's answered these questions. She's new to the group so she'll likely have a fresh new take on these questions. AND a big congrats to Veronica, who just signed a three novel contract with Entangled Publishing! Well done you! I'll be pimping her books when they come out, you can be sure of that! 

Speaking of pimping, just a tiny reminder about the Passionate Kisses Boxed Set, just .99 cents right now for 10 novels. 

And Collette Cameron's The Vicount's Vow is also on sale for .99 cents. You should get both of them. :) 

Romance Weekly: June 3, 2014

This week's questions come from... ME! Who knew when I created them several months ago that it would coincide with a very important discussion in the romance community, namely, the respect, or lack thereof, that is often associated with our genre. If you have a chance you should check out this awesome interview on this topic by one of my favourite authors, NYT Bestselling superstar Eloisa James.

Anyway, on to our questions!

1. Have you always written romance?

Yes, along with other things. But when I look at my earliest stories, they are definitely romantic. I like romance. I like the idea of people falling in love, of exploring what attracts them, and keeps them apart. No matter the genre, most stories have a romantic element. The different with romance is that you know you'll be rewarded for sticking with the tale with a satisfying happily ever after. I like that. A lot. The notion that romances are formulaic is wrong. The only thing formulaic about our books is that you know the hero and heroine will overcome. The rest of the story, the plot, the conflicts, it's left to the author's wild imagination. 

2. How do you deal with critiques about the romance genre?

I try and put on a pro-active face. I like to tell the naysayers to read some romances before making blanket statements. I'm not going to go out and say—hmmm. issue. I was going to talk about a certain type of book that isn't my cup of tea, but I just realized I'll read anything.— Ok. Revision. What right do I have to criticize someone else's preferred style of writing or reading? I have no problem with people dissing a specific book, or author, because they didn't like it, but to apply a broad statement of inferiority over one genre based on personal preference smacks of intolerance to me. I'm not a fan of Rap music. Am I out there telling the world that Rap is a terrible form of music? Heck no. Because there are a few rap songs I really enjoy. And even if there weren't, it's not up to me to be the music police. 

Anyway, the question was about how I deal with it. I tell people that romance novels make up the largest fiction sales in the world. Romance readers come from all socio-economic groups the world over. Even men read romance. And it's a valid form of artistic expression. In the end, if someone really wants to argue with me about it, I just walk away. I don't have time to waste on negativity.  

3. What's the one thing about our genre you'd like people to know?

There are many, many damn fine romance novels in the world. We are writers just as any other writer. We obsess about story, and character development, and dialogue, and plotting just like any other author out there. This notion that all romance novels are the same is false. There's no us and they when it comes to writing. There is just a community of authors. Sure, I get excited to meet other writers who are publishing romance, but I also love my author pals who write literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, kids, mystery, thriller, erotica, etc etc. In fact, I belong to an awesome local writers group (Shout out to my fellow Scribe Wenches) that are made up of many genres. We support each other, share each others joys and frustrations, and regardless of genre, we respect each others work. Trust me. The same issues that keep a romance author up at night are keeping literary authors and historical fiction authors and fantasy authors up at night as well. Stop dissing us because we love a bit of love. ;)

Why not show Ms. Amy Jarecki some love now and pop over to her blog to see her responses? Also, she has a brand spankin' new book out. Click on the cover here and you'll go right to her Amazon link. 

And hey, here's another reason to love romance novels! The covers make you very very happy. Yes indeed.

Romance Weekly: May 27, 2014

Many thanks to my awesome historical romance pal Kate Robbins for asking this week's questions. Also, you'll see more of Kate in my blogging in the weeks to come as she launches Book 2 in her Highland Chiefs series. She's my gal, and my crit partner, so I have to make sure I show her lots of love. Now, enough Kate gushing. Time for her questions. 

1. How much of yourself do you write into your characters? Or do you write characters completely opposite to you?

I think all my characters, even the secondary and male characters, have a bit of me in them. It's not planned, but if I'm creating them, delving into their thoughts, making them speak, then I think it's inevitable that a bit of me comes through. I've never set out to create a character that is representative of me, but I think I can find elements of myself in all my heroines. Elsie Walsh has my height complex. Daphne Scott has my reading addiction. Fiona Nolan struggled with her weight and loves folk music. And Grace Nolan is a regency romance reading, Dungeons and Dragons playing geek. Still, they are their own characters. I work hard to make them as well rounded as I can. And there's plenty in their lives that holds no reflection to me. Still, the one thing they all have in common is that I'd like to be their friend. 

2. Has your writing helped you see events in your own life clearer?

My novels haven't, but some of my short fiction (all unpublished) has. I like using short stories and essays to help figure out my past. Maybe that's why they're all unpublished. I don't journal. But I write poetry and short stories as a means to contemplate the complexities of life. Funny story. A little off topic, but I'll keep it short. Before meeting the man that would become my husband, I wrote all kinds of poetry. Deep, soul searching, wacky stuff. And then I fell in love. And all of the poetry I tried to write was full of love and joy and beauty, I hate those poems to this day. I met my husband 11 years ago and it's no coincidence that I haven't written any poetry in 11 years. 

3. Have you written a character with more of your personal characteristics than any other? What are they?

Oh. I should have paid attention to all the questions before I started writing, since I sort of answered this in question one. Still, no one character is more me than any other. In fact, I work to make sure that no character is too like me. So far. Although I have an idea for another series of contemporary novels that the character is much like me. Who knows when I'll write those though. ;) 

Thanks Kate for this week's questions. And thanks to all 24 Romance Weekly authors who are posting this week. Now click click click your way over to Mishka Jenkins' page to see how she answered these questions! 

Sarah Hegger: The Bride Gift

The lovely Sarah Hegger

A huge welcome to Sarah Hegger today. Sarah is one of the awesome authors responsible for the Romance Weekly blog I do each week, and she's just released her debut novel, The Bride Gift. 

I had a chance to sit down with Sarah this week and ask her about her awesome historical romance. Why not take a look at our conversation!

Click on this cover to go to Amazon.com 

Welcome Sarah! Can you tell us about “The Bride Gift” in two or three sentences? (I love this question because it forces us to get to the heart of the story.)

The Bride Gift is essentially about a woman trying to control her destiny in impossible circumstances. She finds her champion in just the sort of man she swore she would never marry. She learns that life does not always give you what you want, but with a bit of courage, you can get what you need.

Tell us a bit about your hero, Guy. Is there anyone you could compare him to?

Guy of Helston was a great character to write. Totally non-verbal, he’s big and bad and a total warrior on the surface. Beneath that is a man of honor and integrity who will do anything for those he loves. I suppose he is most like Wolverine from The X-Men.

Who would you cast to play him in the movie version?

It’s a bit predictable, but Hugh Jackman comes the closest.

Yum! Although I think your hero on the cover looks like Jake Gyllenhaal. What is it about him that stirs Helena, your heroine?

His sheer alpha maleness gets to her at first. And then she discovers the gentle man beneath that and she’s a goner.

What do you like best about your heroine?

I like the contrasts. Demure on the outside, but she has a mouth on her like a soldier. She looks like a damsel in distress, but has the heart of a true warrior. 

Who would you cast to play her?

Kate Hudson, only with long, long, long hair.

Was there anything in this book that surprised you when you were writing it?

I’m such a planner that I don’t often get surprised by my books as I write them. But the ending, and I’m not going to give away too much. I had an entirely different idea planned, but Helena wouldn’t go there.

This is your first novel. Can you tell us a bit about how it came to life?

It started years ago as a novel called Forgotten Bride. I never managed to finish it and last year, I was clearing through old files and discovered it again. It has changed a lot from that first draft. In Forgotten Bride, Helena was just that. She was married at a young age to a man who put her in a castle and went on with his life. When he decided it was time to discover her again, Helena was not happy and barred him from his own castle. That was the seed and the rest of it germinated from there.

This is how it ended up:

It’s 1153 in the period dubbed ‘The Anarchy’, King Stephen and Empress Maud are not the only ones embroiled in a fierce battle of the sexes.

Determined to control her own destiny, willful Helena of Lystanwold has chosen just the husband to suit her purposes. But, when her banished guardian uncle attempts to secure her future and climbs through her bedroom window with a new husband by a proxy marriage, she understandably balks. Notorious warrior Guy of Helston is everything Helena swore she would never marry; a man who lives by the sword, like the man who murdered her sister.

This marriage finally brings Guy close to his lifetime dream of gaining lands and a title. He is not about to let his feisty bride stand in his way. A master strategist, Guy sets out to woo and conquer his lady.

Against a backdrop of vengeance, war and betrayal, Guy and Helena must learn to forge a united front or risk losing everything.

What’s the allure of the early 12th century for you?

I write both historical and contemporary. What I like about the historical writing is that fantasy element. There is something unashamedly romantic about knights and ladies. The reality was very different, but that’s why I write romance. I get to build the fantasy.

Who is Sarah Hegger and what can we expect next from you?

I have another medieval coming out in September this year called Sweet Bea. It’s the first in the Sir Arthur’s Legacy Series. Next year, my three contemporary novels, The Willow Park Romances, will hit the shelves. There is more detail on all of these on my website.

This is the official bio and it’s pretty much who I am.

Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.

Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.

She currently lives in Draper, Utah with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.

She is always delighted to hear from you. Sarah can be reached at any and all of the following places:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

I’m a big fan of dialogue. Can you share a quick snippet of one of your favourite dialogue passages with us?

This passage is right in the first chapter and is how Helena discovers she is married.

Her shoulders slumped suddenly, as if the weight became too much to bear. All the fight seemed to rush out of her on a sigh. “I have been so worried about you. I thought you might be dead.”

Her voice quavered on that last sentence, and Guy’s guts tightened. Sweet Jesu. Please, no tears. He couldn’t abide the tears.

“There now, sweet Nell.” Roger lowered himself onto the bed beside her. He gathered the girl into his arms. “Whist now, Nell. All is not lost and I came as fast as I could. Hush now, sweeting.”

Guy shifted his weight, uncomfortable at witnessing such a private scene.

Her eyes flew to him. Her mouth dropped open. “Who are you?”

Guy would as lief be strung up by his toes than answer her question. This was Roger’s idea, not his.

“Er, Nell.” Roger drew back from her gently. “May I present Guy of Helston?”

“The ‘Scourge of Faringdon?’”

Guy clenched his fists. The name was like a curse he never escaped.

“Nell,” Roger admonished, “he does not like to be called such.”

“Then he should not have earned it,” the lady snapped. “What is he doing in my bedchamber?”

“He is your . . . husband.”

 Where can we buy The Bride Gift?

The Bride Gift is available now on Amazon.

Thanks so much Sarah for stopping by! I can't wait to see your next book out in the world!

Romance Weekly: May 20, 2014

I can't believe this is my first blog for for May. Not sure how things went off the rails, but here I am, back again and ready to join those awesome authors who make up Romance Weekly. This group of romance authors have been so helpful to me, not only in getting me to blog, but in all the support they offer. So a big shout out to you all today. Also, thanks to Carolyn Spear for today's questions! 

1. If someone could observe you writing without you knowing they were there, what strange practices would they catch you doing?

First of all, stop creeping around and watching me work! If I'm in public, it's fair game, but if I'm working in my car, as I often am, then you're either peeping in my window, or worse, lurking in my backseat! Just stop! Okay. Now that I've got that off my chest, here's what they'd see. I make faces when I'm writing so that I can describe my characters. I also tend to play with my hair a lot. I spent too much time online looking at pretty clothes and underwear so my characters can look nice. And I bite my lips. 

2. Other than a creative outlet, how does writing benefit you?

It keeps me sane. I wonder what I'd do if I didn't write? There are so many stories and voices in my head that if I didn't let them out on paper, who knows what I'd be like. Perhaps I'd walk around talking to myself all the time. I love writing, and my style of writing (Pantser) comes from me creating a form of self-entertainment. I'm always surprised by what my characters are saying and doing, and it keeps me interested. When I was a teenager and writing teen romances, I wasn't writing them for my friends. I wrote them for me. Because I wanted to read the story I was writing. It might be cliche to say that if I didn't write, I wouldn't be me, but I think it's true. 

3. How do you feed your muse?

I live life. It's that simple for me. I do what I always do. Hang out with friends, talk to people, pay attention to the world around me, escape to books and movies. I have sad moments and happy moments. And all of that messy business of life gives me the experiences and motivations to develop characters that are real and stories that are surreal. 

So there we have it. Another week is done. Now pop on over to see how the lovely J.J. Devine answered these questions (and check out her book right here!) 

Romance Weekly: April 29, 2014

1. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done in the name of research while writing your book?

The most unusual thing I've ever googled while writing was "Can you have sex while suffering from a concussion." Turns out the answer is yes. My google search history is full of crazy things. Because I write contemporary romance, I haven't really had to do anything too odd. It's my search history that gets most of the oddities. Other fun searches have included "Best songs to strip too" and I also google a lot of fashion things since I'm not really a stylish gal myself. 

2. Name a non-fiction book you've read for research that you wouldn't have read otherwise (not including writing craft books.)

I've read a lot of history books in general for grad and undergrad school. When I started working on my regency novel, I had a pretty good grasp on a lot of things since that was the period I studied. But I did order an awesome book called What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew. The title still bothers me, but I won't get into it now. It was a useful book to really get into the day-to-day life of the eighteenth century.

3. If you could travel anywhere to do research on a book, including back in time, where would you go?

Without a doubt I'd go back to 1815. I'd start in London, try and weasel my way into a ball, finagle an invite to a country house gathering and then book passage on a ship and make my way to Newfoundland. 

Click on the cover to go to Amazon. :)

Fun questions this week thanks to Dani Jace. And I'm super excited to pass the blog hopping torch this week to Collette Cameron. You know I'm a sucker for a good regency. Here's another book now to add to my TBR pile. :)

Romance Weekly: April 22, 2014

1. What  ages are your characters?

Depends on the book. Sometimes they're in their 20s, others their 30s. It depends on the story, honestly. And then there's my current work-in-progress about Aunt Ida, which takes place on her 98th birthday. In Play Me we have a romance between an 85 and 82 year old, even though it's not the primary story. I think characters come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Everyone has a compelling story to tell.

2. What special things or places inspire you to write?

The obvious place is Newfoundland, of course. But conceptually, the act of falling in love inspires me. The subtle things that transform attraction into something deeper. I find it interesting when people fall in love with surprising partners. Maybe it's because my husband, who I now know is my ideal match, is so far off the kind of guy I was attracted to in my early 20s. I find it interesting that our soul mate can be so far removed from what our brain, and libido, ever imagined. And yet, there's that moment when something deep in your soul goes "BING!" the moment you meet them. That's what inspires me. Finding that moment. 

3. What is the one message you hope women will receive when they read your stories?

That romance doesn't have to be over the top gestures, although it can be that too. Romance can be the way a man holds your hand. It can be that joke he tells that only you find funny. It can be a simple gift of candy, or a lavish display of chivalry. Romance is what speaks to your heart, whether it's simple or complex. Sometimes I think we're all expecting flowers and chocolate and fancy dinners and jewellery as the ultimate "romantic" gestures. I know I do, when it comes to flowers and fancy dinners. But I've learned over time that there's more to love, and romance, that just those things. And I hope my characters show my readers just that.

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Now, how about clicking this link here and going to visit Katherine Givens to see how she's answered these questions. And don't stop there. Follow the whole Romance Weekly gang and show them so love. :)  By the way, isn't her book cover beautiful??? If you click the book cover, you'll go to Amazon's page where you can buy her book. I haven't read it yet but I'm about to pick it up. I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover. 

Romance Weekly: April 15, 2014

It's that time again. Thanks to all the Romance Weekly authors for making this a reason to blog. I haven't blogged this faithfully ever. The main reason why I do it is because I love these questions. :) So without further adieu, let's begin.

1. Who is your favourite character you've written, and why? 

Ohhhh. That's a hard one. I love Aunt Ida. Love her. She's a combination of so many strong elderly people I've had the privilege to know in my lifetime. But I think Asher is my favourite main character to date. When I imagined him while writing Against Her Rules he was going to be the bad guy. The one you cringe reading about. But a funny thing happened in that first scene, where he was lying naked on the bed totally wounded. Instead of coming off as a creep, I took pity on him. By the time he appeared in the next scene, I was giving him more story than I'd planned. And when that book was over, I knew that he'd get a book of his own. Oh, not the next book. He had some reforming to do first. But when Against Her Rules ended I knew just what kind of girl he'd end up falling for. Now that Asher has had his own book, I don't know what I'll do about him. He'll have cameos for sure. But maybe, just maybe, he and Grace will get a novella of their own at some point. (In case you're wondering, Asher is the same character from last week's post that I posted all those dreamy pictures of!)

2. Do you prefer to write your hero or heroine?

I have no preference, honestly. I enjoy all my characters. If I wasn't enjoying writing them, then that would be a sign to me that there was something wrong with them. Daphne from Hard As Ice had a moment where I was tempted to just toss her out. But a bit of story storming with my crit partner and we found out what my block was so I could move on. And I'm glad I kept her. She's awesome. :)

3. What are the three things you can't write without?

Hmmmm. There was a time when I thought I needed an environment to write. I needed coffee, or the sun or a certain chair. But honestly, now that writing is my career, my needs for writing are much more practical. 

1. My laptop or iPad: I wish I was a pen and paper writer, but I'm not. I'm a typing kinda gal. So without the tools, there's no writing happening.
2. A babysitter: If there's no one around to watch the wee one, then there's no writing happening. Period. I'm eagerly awaiting the day when the sight of Mommy at the computer doesn't induce meltdowns. But we're not there yet. 
3. Focus: Sounds silly, doesn't it? But there are times when I have items one and two, and still don't produce a thing. Why? Because my mind isn't focused. I'm thinking about blogs, or the news, or the conversation happening at the table next to me. Until I can find my inner-focus, nothing happens. 

And there you have it. Another week, another insight, I suppose. Now hope on over and visit the delightful J.J. Devine and see how she answered this week's questions. And if you have the time, follow the whole blog hop (all 21 of us this week).

Romance Weekly: February 18, 2014

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all..... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

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This week's three questions are great. I've decided to use Against Her Rules for this post, since it's the only novel that's currently out in the world. But no worries, I'll talk about the others soon. 

How did you get the idea for your book?

Against Her Rules was a mad-dash Nanowrimo creation that came to life in it's first draft in just eleven days. Because I write by the seat of my pants, I had no idea when I sat down to write it just what was going to come to life. The only thing I knew for certain was that it was going to be set in Newfoundland, and my hero was going to be a hot Scotsman. In fact, when I first started writing Cam worked in the oil industry. But from the moment he popped onto the page, I knew he had the soul of an artist. How could I made him a tycoon? Plus, I didn't think Elsie would fall for an oil baron. Still, as I dug into the novel, I realized that this was going to be a series. I couldn't create a town like Heart's Ease, and a place like Elsie's Inn and just give it one book. I knew as I wrote certain characters that I was creating people that I would revisit time and time again.

How did you decide on the title?

With great difficulty. Sometimes titles pop into my head before I even start writing. And other times, the book is alive for eons and has no name. In the beginning I was going to call it Heart's Ease. I think that's the title I used in my pitch to the publisher. Then, once I'd decided it was going to be a series, I started playing around with different Heart's options. I think for a while Heart's Temptation was on the table. But once Crystal (my cover designer) and I started working on the cover, it came to me. I just looked at the picture of the couple, imagined that I was watching Cam and Elsie kiss for the first time, and it just made sense. Against Her Rules was born that day in May. 

What motivated you to get the book completed and published?

Rejection. When I heard back from the publisher I'd pitched it to, and they weren't interested, I was dejected. And then I started to learn more about self-publishing. After a sleepless night spent reading and researching this new publishing opportunity, I made up my mind. I was going to publish it myself. Why? Because I believe in my stories. And I believe others will enjoy them. And perhaps most of all, it was finally a way to fulfill another of my life's ambitions. It's amazing what having a infant that you want to spend as much time with as possible will motivate you to do. And for me, it was made possible by awesome friends, and the most supportive husband a gal could wish for.

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So there you have it. My answers for this week's Romance Weekly. Now I'd strongly encourage you to pop on over to LaNora Mangano's blog to see how she answered these same three questions. It never ceases to amaze me how every author has travelled a different road to get to our common destination. 

See you next week!