Mistletoe Hop: 5 Reasons Why Newfoundland Rocks Christmas

Can you believe how close we are to Christmas now? It's time for all sorts of Christmas things, like last minute gift buying (books are always a great idea!), baking, or in the case of my house, the never-ending game of put the ornaments back on the tree after my toddler takes them all off. Again. 

I'm super happy to be part of the Mistletoe Blog Hop this year. I don't have a holiday book to promote but for those of you who don't know me, I am incredibly passionate about this place I call home. I set all of my books in Newfoundland, and I love to take every chance I can to introduce readers to some of our ways and customs. For this post, I'm going to share with you my top five reasons why there's no better place to celebrate Christmas! So let's go.

Top 5 Reasons Why Newfoundland Rocks Christmas

1. Mummers

Imagine a place where you can put your clothes on backwards, pull a pillowcase or sack over your face, and go around knocking on your neighbour's doors in hopes of being invited in to dance, and drink and eat! This is mummering in Newfoundland. It's mostly popular in the rural parts of the province where your neighbours tend to be family, but there's a huge mummering parade that happens in St. John's, our capital city, every year as well. Take a moment and check out this video from the '80s all about it! 

Original 1987 uncut TV broadcast. Newfoundland Christmas tradition inspired this hit Simani song. Subscribe to this channel. More Granite Planet vids being uploaded...

2. A Huge Sense of Family

There's about a half a million people that live in Newfoundland. But there are hundreds of thousands more that have moved away. As many as possibly can come home for Christmas. The feeling of happiness permeates the air, and there's just a general sense of love and joy and merrymaking everywhere you look. 

3. Tibbs Eve

If you like alcohol, Tibbs Eve is for you. Local folklore has it that it was taboo to drink during Advent, and Tibbs Eve (also known as Tippy Eve) emerged as an appropriate time to have a drink. It falls on December 23, the eve of Christmas Eve. I'm not saying everyone around here likes to drink. That's not true, and it is a terrible stereotype of Newfoundland. But for those who do like to make merry, Tibbs Eve is a great excuse to start your Christmas partying a little earlier. 

4. The 12 days of Christmas

We love us some Old Christmas Day here in Newfoundland. There are still many people, my mother included, who refuse to take down their trees until after January 6th. Christmas isn't a day here, it's an event. Doing things "over Christmas" goes well into the New Year. 

5. The potential for a rolling blackout, which leads to snuggling, impromptu family get-togethers and the opportunity to do one of our favourite things: Gripe about the government. 

This is a new tradition, that really has come to light over the past year or so. We're going through a bit of a power generation shortage right now, made worrisome because of the lack of backup power. Last January we were in the dark for a whole weekend. And the Christmas before that a blizzard knocked out power for a day or so. The moment the temperature starts to dip below minus 10 we're all waiting to find out if we are going to have to conserve electricity or face the consequences of a rolling blackout to prevent the entire island (which is about the size of California) from going dark. 

And there you have it! Five things about Christmas (kind of) that make Newfoundland extra special. Please be sure to visit the rest of the awesome authors and bloggers making up the Mistletoe Hop this year, and don't forever to add your name to the rafflecopter below for your chance to win a Kindle! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Geek Groom

Sometimes I need a swift kick in the pants to get something finished. Such is the case with Geek Groom. It's nearly finished. So what better way to ensure that I get it done than to show off the cover, and promise you that it will be available before the end of the month. 

I know. I"m nothing if not silly.

I wish I had a blurb to share with you, but alas, I'm too busy writing the book to write about the book. Instead, I thought I'd share a few of my favourite quotes with you.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, this is the continuation of Jillian and Evan's story that I started with Geek God. 

Finally, a huge thanks to my bestie, Crystal McLellan, for not only designing yet another amazing cover for me, but for letting me hang out with her in her studio while she did the photoshoot. The rings are hers. The dice are mine.

I hope you enjoy!

“When I was a little girl there were a lot of things I imagined I’d be doing in the months leading up to my wedding. Going for a mani-pedi. Check. Trying on a million gowns. Check. Choosing a china pattern. Check. Groping the hairy legs of what I hope are men while trying to determine which one is my clearly up-for-anything groom. Nope. That was most certainly not on the list. ”

— Jillian Carew, Geek Groom

“My love, your family would have to be pretty bad to stop me from wanting to spend the rest of my life with you. Like, lich-king bad. Demon-spawn bad. And even then, I could be swayed to the dark side because you’re a pretty fine temptress.”

— Evan Sharp, Geek Groom

“I know, girls. I know all too well that feeling that hits you in the stomach the first time you lay eyes on him. It doesn’t go away. Sometimes he’ll be putting milk in the fridge and I’ll look at the way his shirt pulls taut across his back. It’s swoon-worthy. But nothing, not his arms, his face, his hair—not even his ass—is as remarkable as the man he is inside. And he’s all mine.”

— Jillian, Geek Groom

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! 

Passionate Kisses: Sydney Holmes

Ugh. I hate it when the world conspires to set you back a bit. My apologies to the wonderful Sydney Holmes, who I know has been looking forward to seeing her post live in the world today. Better late than never, right? So without further mumble, let's get busy and check out some of the awesome images Sydney shared with me when talking about her contribution to the Passionate Kisses boxed set. (4 DAYS AWAY!!!)

Book?  Awakening

Inspiration? Two people so entwined nothing else matters

Ryan? Dark, handsome, mysterious

Nora? Standing on a precipice

Boundaries? Searching

Romance? Laughing, loving, tender with enough sparks to feed an inferno

Next? Awake

Sydney? There is nothing better than that first jolt of adrenaline one gets when soul mates touch for the first time. 

Click here to learn more about the elusive Sydney Holmes. 

Passionate Kisses: Allie Boniface

When I was approached about joining this awesome group of romance authors for the Passionate Kisses boxed set, I really had no idea just how many wonderful authors I was going to be working with.

Today I'm excited to have Allie Boniface here sharing some of the images that she thinks best sum of her work. And just like I have a bit of a fascination with icebergs, Allie loves lighthouses. That speaks to my Newfoundland heart. 

Book? Beacon of Love

Inspiration? Every lighthouse I've ever visited

Lindsey Point? Small coastal town with plenty of secrets...

Lucas? Hunky handyman

Sophie? Precocious news reporter 

Romance? Sensual to steamy

Next? Inferno of Love, book 2 in the series! 

Allie? Teacher, writer, music-lover, workout devotee and chocoholic 

Click on Allie's boots to learn more about her!

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! 

Announcing the Passionate Kisses Romance Box Set!

I've been dying to share this news with the world, but of course, had to wait until all the pieces were in place. But I can now tell you that Against Her Rules is part of an upcoming contemporary romance box set. You'll have to wait till June 23rd to get your hands on it, but hey, that gives us lots of time to talk about it!

We're calling our set Passionate Kisses: Ten Sizzling Contemporary Romances. I have to say that I'm in love with the cover. What do you think? 

I'm thrilled, and let's be honest, a little humbled, to be part of this set with so many awesome authors. In the meantime, if you're book blogger/reviewer and would like to get your hands on an ARC copy (we would want a review ready to go on launch day), we have a signup form here. I believe we're talking the first 100 registrants. 

So that's my news. It's been a wild couple of weeks full of planning, and I imagine the next month will be equally as busy. I'll be sure to pop on and share more news with you as we proceed, :) 

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! 

Daily words and other things

Wow, I'm a terrible blogger. I just came back from the Romance Writers of America conference in Atlanta, and there were all kinds of handy morsels of information handed out. One of those was, if you're not blogging regularly, don't blog. Well, I don't know about that. I like to use my blog to keep me accountable. Being a deadline oriented writer and all, it's very helpful for me to have a public forum to say "Here's what I need to accomplish, and here's how I'm doing." It didn't work so well for the Regency... yet... but it worked out great for Against Her Rules.  

So here's what I'm now holding myself accountable for.  

1. A daily word target of 5000 (this may change if I find I'm missing that target too often)
2. Three novels ready to come into the world in October. Yes, you read that correctly. THREE! In October. All the the Heart's Ease series.  
3. A Christmas themed novella (shorter novel) ready for a November release. 

So how am I going to do all of this? Well, I met some very inspirational self published authors at the RWA event, namely Bella Andre, Barbara Freethy, Liliana Hart, and Tina Folsom. They gave so many workshops and were willing to share their advice, followed by a "Go do what I say" warning. So I'm going to do what they say. And see if it works.  

Thanks ladies for the inspiration, and for sharing your wonderful knowledge. And thanks to those of you who read my blog, and my novels. There'll be a lot more Heart's Ease in our future.  

Let the writing begin

Now that Against Her Rules is out in the world, it's time to get back to work. I have several projects in the pot, as they say, and now just need to get cracking.  

First up, of course, is the second book in the Heart's Ease series. Daphne meets her match in this book, although I'm still trying to figure out who that might be. Aunt Ida will be front and centre again, and we'll get to see what happens when she finally takes her trip to Scotland.  

My second project is one that long-time blog followers know all about. I haven't given up on the regency romance. I'm contemplating giving it a read this week, and seeing if I'm inspired to move on. Part of me would love to have a draft of it complete before I head off to Georgia next month for the Romance Writer's of America national convention. 

And thirdly, I've recently pulled out an old manuscript that I'd submitted to Harlequin many many years ago... 2002 to be exact. I've given it a read through and think that with some modernization, it could be ready to go out pretty quickly. My big question with this one is if I should self-publish it like I did with Against Her Rules, or shop it around to some publishers. In today's market, it's hard to know what to do.  

The upside of self-publishing is that I'm in control of everything. The edits, the story, the cover, the marketing. My success or failure is all up to me. The downside of self-publishing is also that I'm in control of everything. It leaves a lot less time to just sit back and devote all my time to writing. Ah, the double-edged sword.  

Anyway, if you have any suggestions on which project you think I should be devoting the lion's share of my time to, feel free to comment. One thing I know I need to do is set myself a deadline. I accomplish nothing without a firm goal. I'd like to have book 2 in the Heart's Ease series out by October, but if one of the other two projects rises to the top, then you might see one of those instead. 

Don't you just love a vague future? I do!  

I'm going on tour—a Blog tour!

You know how in the movies about a writer they go on a whirlwind tour, hitting up lots of cities and visiting bookstores across the continent? Yea, well, that's not quite the life of a self-published author with an ebook. :) These days authors, whether they are traditionally published or have gone the independent route like me, tend to do what's known as a blog tour. 

Here's how it works. Other authors, reviewers, or people generally interested in reading that have a blog of their own host the author. Sometimes they interview them, other times they might invite the author to guest post, and sometimes they'll just review the book. Over the next month or so I'm lucky enough to have some great bloggers doing just that for me.  

The tour kicks off tomorrow when I'm interviewed by historical romance author Kate Robbins! I can't wait to see it, and I can't wait for you to check it out. Don't worry, I'll post a link for you.  

Let the tour begin!  

Oh my goodness...I'm a published author!

Less than 24 hours ago, my first novel went out into the world for all to see. It was much faster than I thought. When I uploaded it on Tuesday evening I thought it would be at least a week or so before I would get notification. And yet, yesterday afternoon I received notice of my first sale. (Great for me, not so great for my Mom, who wanted to buy the first copy.) 

I have so many emotions running through me right now. Excitement, of course, to have something I've worked so hard on be out there for you all to read. Then there's nervousness, especially about people like my parents and relatives reading the sexy bits! And one of my biggest emotions of the day is plain old-fashioned giddiness. I honestly don't know if I'm coming or going today. My brain is all-a-whirl. The lack of sleep isn't helping either. Even if I was able to sleep through the countless thoughts running through my head, we also have a dog living with us for the next few weeks. Between the dog, the baby, and the book, the last couple of nights have been rather draining.  

But let me say that I am so happy. If you've been reading my blog since the beginning you know what a journey this has been for me. I still can't wrap my head around the idea that my first novel is not my regency romance, as I'd planned so long ago, but rather a contemporary romance that I wrote in 11 days!  

I am so thankful for those of you who have already bought a copy of Against Her Rules. I hope you enjoy it. And I would love it if you shared your thoughts on the book.  

In the next couple of weeks some amazing writers and reviewers will be hosting me on their blogs, asking me questions about the novel. I hope you follow along with my blog tour.  

Now, I'm off to have a celebratory glass of wine with my biggest supporter, my dear husband Reg. It's a big week in our house! 

Cover reveal for Against Her Rules

I received a lot of really fantastic feedback from a lot of you when I asked you to help me choose my cover. In a democracy the cover with the highest number of votes would win. I guess I'm more of a despot, since I choose to incorporate the feedback from some of you that suggested I keep the title large, but change up the bottom image to be bolder, and thus more eye catching. After having my wonderful designer pal Crystal McLelland make that change, we both thought the result was fantastic. And so I present to you the official cover of Against Her Rules. ​

In other book news, I'm hoping to receive what I hope is the final edit from my good friend and editor Anne Cummings in the next day or so, and once I make her suggested edits, it should only be a matter of uploading the book and it will be ready for your reading pleasure... at least I hope pleasure it what you get from it! It would be terrible if it gave you reading hives or something! 

​In the next week or so I plan on blogging a bit more to share with you the publishing journey of Against Her Rules, and I'm hoping by early to mid-June to have the great joy of telling you how you can read this little contemporary romance of mine. Who knew when I set myself to the challenge of writing a novel in 11 days that this would be the end result? Exciting times ahead! 

PS: Can anyone tell me where the photo from the bottom of the cover came from? Here's a hint: I took it. ​

And the winner is...

Thanks so much to everyone who voted and gave feedback on my cover. I can't believe that 77 people were willing to give their input. Thanks so much. It was greatly appreciated. I also found all the comments to be very helpful. In the next few days I'll reveal the cover for Against Her Rules. 

And now I'm pleased to announce the winner of the contest for the free book. I used a very scientific and non-biased method of making this draw. For those of you that don't know, I play a lot of games with fancy multi-sided dice. I rolled for the winner!  ​

Congrats to Deanne Morgan. While this book will be coming out as an e-book at first, I do hope to have a paperback version available through Amazon. ​Deanne wants to wait for the paperback version. I'll have a post soon about why the e-book first. 

Once again, thanks so much for helping me out. ​Stay tuned in the next couple of days for the winning cover reveal!

CONTEST - Help me choose my cover!

OK. Serious business here now friends! I'm having cover dilemmas, and I need help. (More help than normal, that is.)

Who knew this would be so difficult? It's my first book, and there are so many things to think about. For example, what should be the larger print - my name or the title? Does it catch your attention? And because this will be marketed primarily as an e-book (don't worry, there will be an option to purchase a paperback version), you also need to think of the image small, on a computer screen. If you read e-books at all, you know what I mean. 

I've created a poll that I would love for you to participate in. And here's the great part. I'll take all the respondents, regardless of if I choose your cover, and at least one of you will win a copy of Against Her Rules when it comes out. I was hoping this poll tool I'm using records voters, but it doesn't so if  you want to enter the draw, just leave me a comment that tells me you've voted. ​

Thanks for your help! ​