Wednesday Winner!
The lucky winner of Wednesday's giveaway with Paula Graves is Jo Gilliver. Congratulations, Jo! Please contact Paula directly at paulagraves@charter.net to claim your prize!
Monday
Coming up this week on the Minxes blog, we have a very special announcement tomorrow--come back to join us for the news. We've learnt everything we know about keeping our readers in suspense from the lovely ladies at Mills & Boon :-)
Wednesday
This week our author spotlights highlights Australia's Suzanne Brandyn, come by Wednesday to see Suzanne's answers to our Minxy questions and there's another giveaway!
Friday
A 'pot luck' posts from one of the Minxes.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Kate Hardy's Guide to the Joy of Research
First of all, thank you very much to the Minxes for inviting me back to talk about a subject dear to my heart – my favourite bit of writing a book.
Which is… (cue drum roll) research.
Why do I love research so much? I guess it’s because I’m a nerd who just loves learning new things. Better still is when I get to do location research and actually see the place I’m talking about - and it can be really important, because if I hadn't visited Venice earlier this year then I wouldn't have known that their stained glass is very different from English stained glass, and my book would have been completely wrong. (The eating of lots of ice cream in Venice was also research, albeit for a different book that I haven’t started yet and needs, um, another research trip.)
Actually doing the research is one thing; putting it into your book so it doesn’t show is quite another. It's quite tricky to walk the line between putting enough research into the book so that my readers get a flavour of the background (whether it's a place or a profession – or, in the case of my Medical romances, the patients’ illnesses and how to treat it), but not putting in so much that it's an infodump or drowns the romance. Although I’ve had plenty of readers tell me that one of the things they love about my books is that they learn something new, at the end of the day, I know that their main concern is the journey between the hero and heroine (and all the stuff I find absolutely fascinating gets in the way of said journey. I still need to know it before I write, though, because it does affect how my hero and heroine think).
My current release, Champagne with a Celebrity, has a parfumier as a hero. And you can't write a book about someone who develops new perfumes unless you know how it's done, can you? And when I discovered that there was a one-to-one course on designing your own perfume, literally 20 minutes d
own the road from me... Well, I just had to do it, didn’t I? I learned some really interesting things about perfume – and I did manage to work some of them into the book, when the hero guides the heroine through making her own perfume blend. (I would tell you more here, but then you wouldn’t learn something new when you read the book – and I couldn’t possibly disappoint you like that!) I also made my own bottle of fragrance; though I will admit that, despite my best intentions, it turned out to be a clone of my favourite perfume.
So my question to you is: research. Love it or hate it?
Kate Hardy’s latest book, Champagne with a Celebrity, is the second in a duo about the Lefèvre brothers. It’s available now at bookshops, Amazon or at the M&B website. Click here for the Amazon link
And in other news, we have an exciting Minx announcement here on the blog on Monday - Don't forget to pop in and read it!
Which is… (cue drum roll) research.
Why do I love research so much? I guess it’s because I’m a nerd who just loves learning new things. Better still is when I get to do location research and actually see the place I’m talking about - and it can be really important, because if I hadn't visited Venice earlier this year then I wouldn't have known that their stained glass is very different from English stained glass, and my book would have been completely wrong. (The eating of lots of ice cream in Venice was also research, albeit for a different book that I haven’t started yet and needs, um, another research trip.)
Actually doing the research is one thing; putting it into your book so it doesn’t show is quite another. It's quite tricky to walk the line between putting enough research into the book so that my readers get a flavour of the background (whether it's a place or a profession – or, in the case of my Medical romances, the patients’ illnesses and how to treat it), but not putting in so much that it's an infodump or drowns the romance. Although I’ve had plenty of readers tell me that one of the things they love about my books is that they learn something new, at the end of the day, I know that their main concern is the journey between the hero and heroine (and all the stuff I find absolutely fascinating gets in the way of said journey. I still need to know it before I write, though, because it does affect how my hero and heroine think).
My current release, Champagne with a Celebrity, has a parfumier as a hero. And you can't write a book about someone who develops new perfumes unless you know how it's done, can you? And when I discovered that there was a one-to-one course on designing your own perfume, literally 20 minutes d
own the road from me... Well, I just had to do it, didn’t I? I learned some really interesting things about perfume – and I did manage to work some of them into the book, when the hero guides the heroine through making her own perfume blend. (I would tell you more here, but then you wouldn’t learn something new when you read the book – and I couldn’t possibly disappoint you like that!) I also made my own bottle of fragrance; though I will admit that, despite my best intentions, it turned out to be a clone of my favourite perfume.So my question to you is: research. Love it or hate it?
Kate Hardy’s latest book, Champagne with a Celebrity, is the second in a duo about the Lefèvre brothers. It’s available now at bookshops, Amazon or at the M&B website. Click here for the Amazon link
And in other news, we have an exciting Minx announcement here on the blog on Monday - Don't forget to pop in and read it!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Author Spotlight - Paula Graves
Michelle Willingham's winners
Congratulations to Jackie Ashenden who wins a free download of "Pleasured by the Viking" and Jennifer Shirk who wins a copy of "Surrender to an Irish Warrior". Congrats, ladies! Please contact Michelle directly at michelle@michellewillingham.com to claim your prize.
Now over to Intrigue author and one of Eharlequin's best sub care cheerleaders Paula Graves. Links to Paula's recent releases are at the bottom of the page--both were given a whopping 4 and a half stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Here's Paula:
Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
I was waiting to hear if my Daphne du Maurier award entry would win at Nationals (it came in second) and wondering if I would ever sell a book.
Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
The series I'm writing at the moment, Cooper Justice, came out of a discussion I had with a friend. I was trying to come up with an idea for a series, and my friend, a big Harry Potter fan, said, "You know, I've always thought the Weasleys could have carried their own series." From there, I created the Cooper family--six brothers, one sister--and gave them their own world to inhabit. They're not really anything like the red-haired wizarding family, of course, except the number of siblings and their happily in love parents. The Burrow is actually a lakehouse in northeastern Alabama, and instead of wizards, the Coopers are either law-enforcement types or professional fishermen. Or both. The hero of ONE TOUGH MARINE, my August book, is Luke Cooper, a retired Marine who's working as a security consultant when his past comes back to haunt him in a big way. And the hero of September's BACHELOR SHERIFF is youngest brother Aaron Cooper, a sheriff's deputy who finds himself protecting the geeky girl he used to ignore in high school.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I hope to be writing exciting, passionate, scary books. I'd like to think I'll still be writing for Harlequin Intrigue, since it's been a fantastic experience over the past five years. I'm surrounded by some amazing authors at Intrigue, and I'm so pleased to be part of them. I may have a single title book or two in me, of course, and I may be doing that. But right now, I'm just focusing on telling the best stories I can.
Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
Kerry Connor's June 2008 Harlequin Intrigue, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT. Fantastic book full of twists, turns and really meaty drama. I couldn't put it down and every time something unexpected happened, I thought, "Darn, I wish I'd written that."
Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
The Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden books made me want to write mysteries, and Lilian Peake's Harlequin Romances made me want to write romance. When I discovered Harlequin Intrigue, and especially Gayle Wilson, I realized I really wanted to write romantic suspense. I loved Gayle Wilson's books and wanted to write like her--great stories written in an almost literary voice. Just lovely, lovely writing.
Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Definitely cringe-worthy. I'm a good Baptist girl and my mom beta-reads my books. Eek!
What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
Gosh, I don't know. My idea of romance seems to be so different from everybody else's. I think if a guy offered to change the litter box for me every day for a month, I might marry him on the spot.
What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?
I had been working at getting published so long by the time it finally happened, I think I was pretty much prepared for being a published author. I haven't really come across any unpleasant surprises. I am struck, however, by how wonderfully supportive fellow authors are. Okay, there's one other thing--I always put a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears into figuring how to write a synopsis before I was published. I still think it's a good skill to have, but even if you're terrible at synopses, the way I am, you can still sell a book.
What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
Start a scene as late as possible and end it as soon as possible. If you follow that rule of thumb, 99% of your pacing problems will be fixed.
Tell us about your latest release
I have two releases, back to back in August and September. August's book, ONE TOUGH MARINE, features a Marine widow with a young son who's confronted with her late husband's shadowy past in the form of ruthless men who want her to find something her husband hid. With no idea what she's looking for, the widow, Abby, must turn to her late husband's best friend, Luke Cooper, for help. They haven't seen each other in almost three years, and their last meeting was an explosion of grief and passion the night of her husband's funeral. What Luke doesn't know is that their lovemaking created a child--a son who's now a pawn in a very deadly game.
September's book, BACHELOR SHERIFF, features Aaron Cooper, a newly promoted investigator for the sheriff's department, who's called to look into a suspicious fire. He discovers the arson victim is an old high school classmate, Melissa Draper, who barely escaped the fire alive. Melissa was a geeky braniac, the kind of person a football star like Aaron had usually ignored in high school. But the deeper he looks into the suspicious circumstances of the fire, the more mysteries he uncovers. And all of them seem to revolve around Melissa, who is a far more interesting and complicated person than Aaron ever realized. When it's clear someone's trying to kill her, Aaron appoints himself her personal bodyguard. But is his interest in her strictly professional?
What’s next for you?
I have three more Cooper Justice books coming out April, May and June of 2011. Then in October 2011, I'll be the author of the fourth book of the six-book Daddy Corps continuity from Harlequin Intrigue. After that, I'm going to have to come up with a new project!
Thanks, Paula!
Paula has generously offered a $10 eGiftcard from the online bookseller of the winner's choice, winner to be picked from a random commenter so get busy commenting people :-) The winner will be announced on the blog at the weekend.
One Tough Marine is now available from Amazon and was rated a fabulous 4 and a half stars from Romantic Times. Bachelor Sheriff is also available at Amazon and also received a rating of 4 and a half stars from Romantic Times!
Congratulations to Jackie Ashenden who wins a free download of "Pleasured by the Viking" and Jennifer Shirk who wins a copy of "Surrender to an Irish Warrior". Congrats, ladies! Please contact Michelle directly at michelle@michellewillingham.com to claim your prize.
Now over to Intrigue author and one of Eharlequin's best sub care cheerleaders Paula Graves. Links to Paula's recent releases are at the bottom of the page--both were given a whopping 4 and a half stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Here's Paula:
Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
I was waiting to hear if my Daphne du Maurier award entry would win at Nationals (it came in second) and wondering if I would ever sell a book.
Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
The series I'm writing at the moment, Cooper Justice, came out of a discussion I had with a friend. I was trying to come up with an idea for a series, and my friend, a big Harry Potter fan, said, "You know, I've always thought the Weasleys could have carried their own series." From there, I created the Cooper family--six brothers, one sister--and gave them their own world to inhabit. They're not really anything like the red-haired wizarding family, of course, except the number of siblings and their happily in love parents. The Burrow is actually a lakehouse in northeastern Alabama, and instead of wizards, the Coopers are either law-enforcement types or professional fishermen. Or both. The hero of ONE TOUGH MARINE, my August book, is Luke Cooper, a retired Marine who's working as a security consultant when his past comes back to haunt him in a big way. And the hero of September's BACHELOR SHERIFF is youngest brother Aaron Cooper, a sheriff's deputy who finds himself protecting the geeky girl he used to ignore in high school.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I hope to be writing exciting, passionate, scary books. I'd like to think I'll still be writing for Harlequin Intrigue, since it's been a fantastic experience over the past five years. I'm surrounded by some amazing authors at Intrigue, and I'm so pleased to be part of them. I may have a single title book or two in me, of course, and I may be doing that. But right now, I'm just focusing on telling the best stories I can.
Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
Kerry Connor's June 2008 Harlequin Intrigue, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT. Fantastic book full of twists, turns and really meaty drama. I couldn't put it down and every time something unexpected happened, I thought, "Darn, I wish I'd written that."
Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
The Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden books made me want to write mysteries, and Lilian Peake's Harlequin Romances made me want to write romance. When I discovered Harlequin Intrigue, and especially Gayle Wilson, I realized I really wanted to write romantic suspense. I loved Gayle Wilson's books and wanted to write like her--great stories written in an almost literary voice. Just lovely, lovely writing.
Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Definitely cringe-worthy. I'm a good Baptist girl and my mom beta-reads my books. Eek!
What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
Gosh, I don't know. My idea of romance seems to be so different from everybody else's. I think if a guy offered to change the litter box for me every day for a month, I might marry him on the spot.
What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?
I had been working at getting published so long by the time it finally happened, I think I was pretty much prepared for being a published author. I haven't really come across any unpleasant surprises. I am struck, however, by how wonderfully supportive fellow authors are. Okay, there's one other thing--I always put a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears into figuring how to write a synopsis before I was published. I still think it's a good skill to have, but even if you're terrible at synopses, the way I am, you can still sell a book.
What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
Start a scene as late as possible and end it as soon as possible. If you follow that rule of thumb, 99% of your pacing problems will be fixed.
Tell us about your latest release
I have two releases, back to back in August and September. August's book, ONE TOUGH MARINE, features a Marine widow with a young son who's confronted with her late husband's shadowy past in the form of ruthless men who want her to find something her husband hid. With no idea what she's looking for, the widow, Abby, must turn to her late husband's best friend, Luke Cooper, for help. They haven't seen each other in almost three years, and their last meeting was an explosion of grief and passion the night of her husband's funeral. What Luke doesn't know is that their lovemaking created a child--a son who's now a pawn in a very deadly game.
September's book, BACHELOR SHERIFF, features Aaron Cooper, a newly promoted investigator for the sheriff's department, who's called to look into a suspicious fire. He discovers the arson victim is an old high school classmate, Melissa Draper, who barely escaped the fire alive. Melissa was a geeky braniac, the kind of person a football star like Aaron had usually ignored in high school. But the deeper he looks into the suspicious circumstances of the fire, the more mysteries he uncovers. And all of them seem to revolve around Melissa, who is a far more interesting and complicated person than Aaron ever realized. When it's clear someone's trying to kill her, Aaron appoints himself her personal bodyguard. But is his interest in her strictly professional?
What’s next for you?
I have three more Cooper Justice books coming out April, May and June of 2011. Then in October 2011, I'll be the author of the fourth book of the six-book Daddy Corps continuity from Harlequin Intrigue. After that, I'm going to have to come up with a new project!
Thanks, Paula!
Paula has generously offered a $10 eGiftcard from the online bookseller of the winner's choice, winner to be picked from a random commenter so get busy commenting people :-) The winner will be announced on the blog at the weekend.
One Tough Marine is now available from Amazon and was rated a fabulous 4 and a half stars from Romantic Times. Bachelor Sheriff is also available at Amazon and also received a rating of 4 and a half stars from Romantic Times!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Minxes' Favourite Childhood Books - Part 2
Following on from last Monday's post, here's a second meander down memory lane...
Growing up a little, it was the Naughtiest Girl in the School that was constantly under my pillow - what does that say about me I wonder? I haven't changed a bit!
Whizzing forward a few years, there are two books which I can't miss out.
The first arrived in our house in a bag destined for the jumble, and I snaffled it.
"The family nobody wanted," by Helen Doss is a true story about a couple who couldn't have children so decided to adopt one - or twelve, as it turned out in the end. It's a gorgeous heart warming story, one which I read to destruction and I was gutted when the book got lost over the years. I never forgot it though, and my lovely husband scored himself huge brownie points a couple of Christmases back by surprising me with a replacement copy. I still love it now.
And last but not least, one of my all time favourite books, 'My family and other animals' by Gerald Durrell. I love and adore this book, along with the others in the series. It makes me laugh out loud, and just completely enchants and comforts me every time I pick it up - which I still do, often.
Jo C:
I've read most of the books the others have mentioned, but no one has yet mentioned the wonderful Judy Blume. I spent hours reading her books, wondering what on earth it was Margaret was fiddling around with in "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" and back then there wasn't the internet so I could find out what was going on. Don't worry, I did manage to work it out in the end :-)
But the books I really remember and the ones who opened my eyes to romantic fiction were those early ones by Jilly Cooper. To begin with, I scoured our local library for all the 'single name' books such as "Harriet". I adored this book and still think it would've made a great M&B. I defy any woman not to identify totally with Harriet, she's such a 'real' character.
Jo. P: At the risk of being predictable, I have to mention two Enid Blyton books first - as very little girls, my sister and I had a beloved and dog eared copy of her fairy stories which we knew cover to cover. My sis still has it somewhere, covered in our childish scrawled notes to each other. Just looking at the cover makes me smile even now.
Growing up a little, it was the Naughtiest Girl in the School that was constantly under my pillow - what does that say about me I wonder? I haven't changed a bit!
Whizzing forward a few years, there are two books which I can't miss out.
The first arrived in our house in a bag destined for the jumble, and I snaffled it.
"The family nobody wanted," by Helen Doss is a true story about a couple who couldn't have children so decided to adopt one - or twelve, as it turned out in the end. It's a gorgeous heart warming story, one which I read to destruction and I was gutted when the book got lost over the years. I never forgot it though, and my lovely husband scored himself huge brownie points a couple of Christmases back by surprising me with a replacement copy. I still love it now.
And last but not least, one of my all time favourite books, 'My family and other animals' by Gerald Durrell. I love and adore this book, along with the others in the series. It makes me laugh out loud, and just completely enchants and comforts me every time I pick it up - which I still do, often.
Jo C:
I've read most of the books the others have mentioned, but no one has yet mentioned the wonderful Judy Blume. I spent hours reading her books, wondering what on earth it was Margaret was fiddling around with in "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" and back then there wasn't the internet so I could find out what was going on. Don't worry, I did manage to work it out in the end :-)Then I also read the very moving "Tiger Eyes" which followed a girl's journey after her father is violently killed.
I devoured "Forever" about a teenage couple who had sex for the first time. Judy Blume's books got me through more than one teenage drama of my own!
But the books I really remember and the ones who opened my eyes to romantic fiction were those early ones by Jilly Cooper. To begin with, I scoured our local library for all the 'single name' books such as "Harriet". I adored this book and still think it would've made a great M&B. I defy any woman not to identify totally with Harriet, she's such a 'real' character.But the series I blame totally for my addiction to the romance genre is the 'Riders' series. The glamour of the characters, the settings and the very (to me, anyway!) upmarket world of horses took me away from many a wet and windy northern England day.
I know he is the archetypical bad boy, but who could read the series without falling madly in love with Rupert Campbell-Black, the absolute ultimate in alpha men? I certainly couldn't. If you haven't already, I urge you to take a visit to the Cotswold countryside and enjoy the humour and wonderful storytelling ability that is pure Jilly Cooper.
And yes, I did read these books as a child (and enjoyed the TV series, too) and no, my mother had no clue what was between the pages :-)
Friday, September 24, 2010
The discipline of category romance
I was a relative late-comer to category romance. When I picked up a Mills & Boon romance for the first time, I was already an adult and living away from home. I spent one glorious, long English summer reading through the romances on my friend's bookshelf (there really was a summer in England in 1997, promise!) but it was only years later that I got truly hooked on reading category romances.
Now my reading habits have changed so much that I sometimes find longer length novels hard to read!
Why?
Because since I started writing myself, I've come to admire the craftsmanship of these 'little' books. Category romance novels pack a punch, and they require a very special set of writing skills. Every word counts in a 50,000 word novel. In a very short space of time you need to engage the reader, establish your setting, reveal your characters and unravel your plot. There is no place for rambling or huge chunks of narrative.
I wish all writers could do an apprenticeship in category before attempting to write longer works. It would teach them a discipline beyond writing for X number of hours per day, or delivering X number of books per year. Because what I've learned to appreciate in category romance is the way that these writers are able to take me on an emotional journey without ever diluting the story's focus.
Imagine a mighty oak tree. No matter how big it gets, or how dense the foliage, the tree's greatest asset is its trunk. Category romance novels are like that trunk. Given higher word counts these novels could be fleshed out certainly, with secondary characters and sub plots, but that tight central core is what makes the story great.
There are many longer, mainstream novels on the shelves that have all sorts of extra padding added but don't have that strong core. They become weeping willows rather than mighty oaks.
Now I need to get back to my WIP and make sure that I've planted an acorn.
Now my reading habits have changed so much that I sometimes find longer length novels hard to read!
Why?
Because since I started writing myself, I've come to admire the craftsmanship of these 'little' books. Category romance novels pack a punch, and they require a very special set of writing skills. Every word counts in a 50,000 word novel. In a very short space of time you need to engage the reader, establish your setting, reveal your characters and unravel your plot. There is no place for rambling or huge chunks of narrative.
I wish all writers could do an apprenticeship in category before attempting to write longer works. It would teach them a discipline beyond writing for X number of hours per day, or delivering X number of books per year. Because what I've learned to appreciate in category romance is the way that these writers are able to take me on an emotional journey without ever diluting the story's focus.
Imagine a mighty oak tree. No matter how big it gets, or how dense the foliage, the tree's greatest asset is its trunk. Category romance novels are like that trunk. Given higher word counts these novels could be fleshed out certainly, with secondary characters and sub plots, but that tight central core is what makes the story great.There are many longer, mainstream novels on the shelves that have all sorts of extra padding added but don't have that strong core. They become weeping willows rather than mighty oaks.
Now I need to get back to my WIP and make sure that I've planted an acorn.
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