In Remembrance

Here in South Africa we're approaching 11am, on the 11th of November 2011. 11-11-11-11.

As a child I still remember wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day. That tradition has long since fallen out of  fashion, and slowly out of memory too. I find this sad, as I think we need more days where we're urged to think of peace in our world, rather than less.

Why this day?

On 11th November 1918, at 11am, the armistice agreement was signed, ending the first (and what many hoped was the last) world war. Sadly, we now know better. War is still all around us, perhaps even more than ever, and certainly we're more aware of it thanks to media and the diminishing size of our world.

Why the poppy?

In the surprisingly evocative words of Wikipedia: "These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war." As far back as the Egyptians, the poppy signified life and fertility, and for its sedative medicinal qualities it's also the flower of sleep. Life and death all rolled into one simple flower.

So today, I'd like to ask our blog readers to consider the significance of this day and to suggest ways in which we might each be able to bring a little more peace and a little less war into our world.

My suggestion, to get the ball rolling: teach the next generation to revere life.

Author Spotlight - Heidi Rice

Today the Minxes are super pleased to welcome back Minx special friend, best selling author and all around media darling, Heidi Rice.


What is your writing process?

Unfortunately completely haphazard. I wish it wasn’t quite so unpredictable. I’m a total panster (or seat of your pants) writer in that I don’t tend to write stuff down. That said I spend a lot of time imaging scenes and conversations not just between my characters but also in their pasts, in their childhoods, etc, before I start writing (and when I’m writing a story in any downtime I have), so it’s not totally unplanned. I would not recommend this method to anyone though, as it tends to lead you up blind alleys without a paddle a lot and also has your kids telling you that you’re completely mad on occasion.

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy—what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping? 

Honestly, once I start writing I rarely have a problem keeping at it—because I enjoy being with my characters so much (unless of course they are not cooperating). For me the biggest hurdle is stopping all the procrastination I get up to before I start writing. You know, the endless checking of emails, or your Amazon ranking, or aimless Tweetage. I know I’m essentially a person who is not particularly focussed or driven or hard-working – I’d much rather prat about. (Sheesh, I hope my editor isn’t reading this!) So I have to force myself to stop pratting about and get on with it. But once I have I can write lots very quickly (if the muse is with me it might actually be useable). And on those occasions when I am really stuck—and that has happened—I might just try and write a different scene, or stop and figure out where I’ve gone wrong, because if there’s a blockage, that’s usually the reason why.

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

I live in London and cycle pretty much everywhere. I’m also a member of a fabulously cheap and cheerful local women’s gym so I try and do 40 mins on the crosstrainer there a couple of days a week. And I also play on a netball team every Monday night (I’m crap at netball, consequently we lose quite a lot!). I find the kick of endorphins is great for my mental as well as my physical health. But I do still hate that fricking crosstrainer with a passion.

Do you believe in writer's block?

Being the daughter of an Irishman, I’m not about to tempt fate and say ‘No’. And there have been a few times, usually when a deadline is looming and something has gone wrong with my story, that I have gone into panic mode, and then it’s terribly hard to write. And what I do write is invariably crap. And of course the harder it is, and the more crap it is, the more panicked I become. But having said that, I do believe that if that happens the one thing you must not do is stop. And saying you have writer’s block to yourself, is an excuse to take that easy way out.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

I’ve used a lot of inspiration from real life, but they’re usually just snippets that have sparked ideas. Like the time my sister and I were sitting on a Cornish beach in the rain and watched a lifeguard rescue, which gave me the idea for the opening scene in Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger. Or when I was cut up driving down Holloway Road by a gorgeous looking guy in a sports car and I envisioned the opening scene for Cupcakes and Killer Heels (while cursing at him profusely). But I’ve never used a whole real incident, simply because it’s the characters ultimately that drive the plot and so they have to determine what happens. If you tried to shoehorn them into a ready-made scenario, it wouldn’t work.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?

Well, I’m nowhere near as rich as I thought I’d be… You know, everyone assumes they’ll get published one day and the next they’ll be earning as much as JK Rowling. Um, not quite! It’s also really hard work keeping your career going. You have to keep producing books, keep getting those sparks of inspiration, keep falling in love with new characters, keep re-inventing the wheel basically. Getting published isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning of loads more hard work. That said, I seriously believe that the more you’ve had to work and the more you’ve learned to achieve publication the better prepared you are to make a viable career out of it afterwards. So when you’re racking up those rejections, it’s good to remember that.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

I have a blog, a Facebook page and I’m on Twitter (at @HeidiRomRice) and I’ve just recently invested in having a proper professional website designed (because before that it was a bit naff). I also love to do guest blogs, Library Workshops and any media opportunities I’m offered. But really I do all of those things because I enjoy them (and I’m a bit of a media tart). Personally I would say if you don’t enjoy it, though, don’t do it… And frankly I think I enjoy it a bit too much, because it can be a total timesuck if I’m not careful (see answer to second question!).

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Write the best stories you can and keep writing them. I know it sounds a bit corny, but that really is the best way to reach readers and keep them interested. If you enjoy doing promo then go ahead, but don’t let it interfere with your writing, because that’s the real gold as far as your readers are concerned. Put it this way, I’d much rather Nora Roberts wrote four books a year, than spent her time blogging and tweeting, because I want to read her books much more than I want to read her blogs or tweets.

What did you learn while writing this book?

That sometimes the conflict can be much subtler than you expect. This was really the first book I’ve written where during so much of the story the hero and heroine were getting on really well… They connected pretty much instantly and despite a few ripples early on I did worry at first that there wasn’t really enough of a conflict, but actually it was there all along, just hidden underneath all the fun and ‘really amazing sex’ these two were having.

What was the most fun part of writing this book?

What, apart from writing about all ‘the really amazing sex’ you mean? LOL. Actually probably the most fun, apart from watching my characters grow and their relationship evolve, which is the thing I enjoy the most about every book I write, was getting to set the story in London at Christmastime – and write about all the marvellous things there are to do in the city at my favourite time of year. Like going for a skating session at the rink in Somerset House, or swallowing your own tongue on the Power Tower at the Winter Wonderland funfair in Hyde Park or even just hibernating in a luxury hotel suite or looking at the window displays in the department stores along Oxford Street. The city’s at it’s most romantic at Christmastime and I enjoyed reflecting that.


What have the changes to the current Harlequin lines and branding meant to you? Have they affected your writing process?

I love the new branding for Riva books, and especially the move away from those fairly ridiculous titles, which were all about pigeon-holing the books according to themes and not selling them as individual stories. That said though, it hasn’t affected my writing process though, because the branding of a book, even the title is an afterthought for me. I’m quite happy to let Harlequin/M&B brand the stories however they like, as long as it get lots of people to pick up the books and read them. Then their job is done and mine begins…

What do you think makes a Riva book Riva? 

It’s all about that sassy, sparky attitude that is part and parcel of the Riva experience. To deliver that an author has to have a strong, vivid and captivating voice that is unique to them. All the Riva books are sold on the basis of that ‘voice’ which is why writing for the line is both immensely challenging and also very exciting. I think we’re all striving to provide something a little bit different, a little bit new with every book we write – we’re pushing against M&B’s traditional boundaries and having fun with our characters, while at the same time providing strong sexy alpha heroes, strikingly contemporary heroines, and the compelling conflict driven romance that is part of the M&B promise. It’s a bloody tough job, but I love it!


And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?

Hmm, well I think Jace is definitely an urbanite, so I think he’d choose somewhere metropolitan. And as he lives in New York… And he’s just spent Christmas in London, so my guess would be somewhere like Paris or Barcelona, in a luxury hotel penthouse suite of course, where Cassie and he could lock themselves away from the world if they wanted too, but also enjoy all the cosmopolitan delights of city living right on their doorstep.

On The First Night of Christmas

Cassie’s tips for the Perfect Christmas Fling!

1. ’Tis the season to be daring: Find the perfect Mr Right Now (extra points for a bad-boy-turned-billionaire) and be brave about getting him – even if that means jumping straight into sexy Jace Ryan’s car!

2. Enjoy the ride: Once you’ve chosen your flingee, get swept away by the moment! For once, Cassie’s determined to stop worrying about the future. But she must remember one thing…

3. This fling is just for Christmas: Jace Ryan’s a seasonal special. Do not start falling for him, Cassie. No matter how perfect the package or how much you’ve enjoyed unwrapping it…

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Mills & Boon

Give me the same thing ... only different

The Minxes would like to congratulate Natalie Charles, winner of New Voices 2011. Even if you don’t normally read romantic suspense, read this one. The story will grab you.

If you’ve followed the New Voices contest (as I have - devotedly!) you’ll have heard the editors’ advice to avoid cliché. This is just a re-statement of what the editors have been saying at conferences for the last few years. 2010’s buzz words were ‘innovate, don’t imitate’ and this year it was ‘unpredictability’. But really these are all just different ways of saying the same thing: avoid cliché.

In the immortal words of Blake Snyder in Save the Cat: “You can be near the cliché, you can dance around it, you can run right up to it, and almost embrace it. But at the last second you must turn away.”

I was extremely fortunate to get feedback on my NV entry (see here) and one of the comments the editors made was that my set-up has been used often before and I need to be careful that it doesn’t slip into cliché.
Clearly the use of cliché isn’t an issue for them, since they praised my very clichéd opening (Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there lived a princess.) but it’s what you do with the cliché that’s important. My next lines show that I’m going to turn the cliché on its head: She wasn’t like any of the princesses in other stories. She didn’t sweep floors, or wash dishes, or sing with the birds.

The day after the editors posted the feedback, I re-read Blake Snyder’s chapter of Save the Cat, entitled ‘Give me the same thing ... only different’, an entire chapter devoted to avoiding cliché, and he sums it up with these words:
“In every aspect of creation - from the idea, to the way characters speak, to the scenes themselves - putting a fresh spin on it (whatever “it” is) is what we do every day. But to know how to avoid the cliché, to know what tradition you are pushing forward, begins with knowing what that tradition is.”

Yes, it really is that easy. Once you’ve studied your genre, when you’ve read enough books that are similar to what you want to write, when you’ve examined the movies in that genre, you’ll start to spot the clichés: secret babies, marriages of convenience, certain type of hero or heroine, certain turns of phrase. That doesn’t mean you can’t use these elements, just that you need to tread carefully when you use them.

“When it feels like a cliché - give it a twist. When you think it’s familiar - it probably is, so you’ve got to find a new way. But at least understand why you’re tempted to use the cliché and the familiar story. .... True originality can’t begin until you know what you’re breaking away from.” - Blake Snyder

Man of the Month poll - The Rugby League heroes

Last month it was my pleasure to research the rugby union players who were then scrapping it out for the Rugby World Cup. This month it's the turn of the rugby league players who are currently playing for the Four Nations Cup. For those who are confused--rugby union has 15 players a side, league only 13. There are lots of line outs and general dropping of the ball in union that I don't really understand. In league, the boys are men who hold the ball in their hands and run at their opponents ;-}

First up are the current holders of the Four Nations, New Zealand. This rather pensive looking guy is Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Google him-amazing family background!

Next is Adam Blair.

And finally, a line up of Kiwi rugby league players wouldn't be complete, in my opinion, without the fabulous Isaac Luke {right}. I had a conversation on Twitter last week with some ladies who also appreciate his marvellous Haka skills! Such a shame his top got ripped from his body, huh?

The Australians are also strong in this contest and this year is no exception. First up is Billy Slater.

So sorry the only really great picture of Cooper Cronk I could find was him frolicking in the sea ;-}

I will now admit to cheating. And totally using my blog writing power for purely selfish. I have no idea at all as to why Jarryd Hayne is not in the Australian squad but thought I would lead a protest to the Australian selectors by including him in my blog poll. It's wrong. He should be playing. And preferably in one of those ripped tops ;-}

Wales are also included this year {previously the Four Nations was a 3 Nations}. Apologies to the Welsh readers there may be but your squad needs some prettifying up for next year. Of course I totally understand that the players get picked for their rugby skills and not for how they look in their tops {or without them} but still ... Lloyd White is the pick of the squad.

Finally we move onto the English players. Again, very slim pickings this year :-{ I've chosen Jon Wilkin {left}. And last but definitely not least, Kirk Yeaman rocking his pink charity shirt!

It's not the first time the best looking English players come from my home town :-} And I definitely can't be biased because Jon Wilkin hasn't played for a Hull club for years!!

In case anyone would like to see any of these guys in action, you can see Wales v New Zealand at 12.30{including the amazing Haka skills of Isaac Luke!!} tomorrow on Sky Sports 1 and England v Australia on BBC1 at 3 pm.

Finally the winner of last month's poll, very fittingly given the Kiwis won the World Cup, was Sonny Bill Williams who played professional rugby league before switching codes :-}

Author Spotlight - India Grey

The Minxes are super excited to welcome the wonderful, warm and witty India Grey to be featured under our spotlight for the day. We're loving India's answers, particularly the one about promo!! Don't forget to leave comments for a chance of winning both books in the Fitzroy Legacy duet!

What is your writing process?

I suppose it’s best summed up as long periods of procrastination followed by intense bursts of obsessive reclusedom (if that’s a proper word). I’ve realised recently that I pretty much hate the prospect of writing and will do almost anything to put it off, but once I’ve tidied the airing cupboard/filed my nails/searched the internet for hero inspiration and have run out of work-avoidance strategies, it only takes about five minutes before I’m lost in the story again and loving it. My dream is to be able to do a quick first draft, but alas I seem to be doomed to a slow and painstaking process in which I need to feel I’ve got one bit right before I can move on. The upside of this is that I don’t tend to have big revisions; the downside is I don’t sleep much as deadlines loom.

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?

The methods I use depend on the nearness of the deadline. If it’s getting close, sheer panic keeps me chained to my desk, but when there’s a bit more breathing space I guess it’s reminding myself how lucky I am to be doing a job I love. And that No Words = No More Shopping. (Although I’m definitely guilty of the odd online splurge to keep morale up when I’m flagging!)

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

Oooh, I’m so tempted to say I do Zumba three times a week and swim every morning, but sadly one look at the size of my behind would reveal that to be a Great Big Lie. For about a year I went running with a friend twice a week, but used to wake up with a horrible sinking feeling on running mornings that really wasn’t worth the two millimetres I lost on my waist. The only forms of exercise I actually enjoy are walking and dancing, so I do both whenever the opportunity presents itself – often to the embarrassment of my children.

Do you believe in writer's block?

I think it’s a convenient catch-all term for a problem that can stem from a wide variety of causes and manifest itself in a number of ways. At one end of the spectrum it’s what happens when your story grinds to a halt, when the words dry up, you’re absolutely at a loss as to how to take it forward and days or weeks pass without any progress being made. At the other end of the scale it’s when outside forces sap your time, your self-confidence, your ability to focus and writing a sentence seems as likely as drawing down the moon. I think this is a particular issue for women, who tend to shoulder more responsibility for caring for sick children and elderly parents, remembering birthdays, putting the bins out, making sure the fridge is full, cleaning the bath and paying the milkman. Sometimes writing can be a blessed escape from Real Life, but there’s also a great danger that Real Life can take up so much headspace that there’s not enough room for fiction to flourish.

 Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

I use all sorts of random snippets from my life in my books, but sadly they’re mostly just mildly embarrassing – putting pizza in the oven with the plastic disc still on, forgetting which side of the road to drive on in France, neglecting to pack underwear for a weekend away - rather than salacious enough to get me into trouble.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?

I think I assumed that if I ever got published it would all become suddenly easier; that stories would organise themselves more efficiently in my head, my desk would look more professional (instead of like the Lost Property Department of the local bus depot) and I’d suddenly master the art of Time Management. In reality it’s just as chaotic and messy as before, but with deadlines.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

I have to admit that I feel the same way about promotion as I do about exercise: I know it’s necessary but I’d do absolutely anything to avoid it. Maybe it’s something to do with being British, or having my infant teacher’s voice in my head saying ‘nobody likes a show off’, but the principle of promotion is something that makes me squirm inside. However, reaching out to readers individually is something that I love, and it’s always wonderful to receive emails and comments on my blog, and meet people at library events and things.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Don’t do any. At all. Ever. (And then my pitiful efforts will look energetic and innovative.) (Haha - cunning, eh?)

What did you learn while writing this book?

The brilliant thing about writing for M&B is that through researching the setting and the characters’ background you learn something new for every book. Writing The Fitzroy Legacy (which is actually two books, the second one a continuation of the first story) I learned about life on the front line in modern conflict and the psychological aftermath. I guess like everyone I’m used to seeing bits of footage on the news and seeing the photographs of servicemen and women who’ve lost their lives, but writing these books gave me a reason to look beyond the headlines. It was eye-opening, inspiring and frightening.

What was the most fun part of writing this book?

Staying with the characters for twice as long, getting to know them really well and seeing where the story would take them. I really had no clue where the second book would go when I came up with the idea for the first, so it really was a like travelling with Kit and Sophie (in the manner of a great big invisible gooseberry.)

And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?

Good question… I think that as Kit and Sophie get married in the depths of an English winter, and live on the windswept North East coast, he’d probably want to whisk her off somewhere warm. However, he’d definitely be in no hurry to go back to anywhere remotely desert-like, so I’m thinking he’d choose a villa on the beach in Thailand. As long as there were no spiders. Sophie hates spiders.

The FITZROY LEGACY Wedlocked to the aristocratic Fitzroy family – where shocking secrets lead to scandalous seduction

Craving the Forbidden

The wrong Fitzroy brother?

Ticket-dodging in a First Class train carriage is not how bubbly Sophie Greenham envisaged meeting Kit Fitzroy, fearless army hero and brother of her friend Jasper. The smouldering

heat between her and Kit is an unwelcome shock – especially as Sophie’s masquerading as Jasper’s girlfriend all holiday! Although Kit’s bravery is legendary, he’s dreading the return to his bleak ancestral home. But Sophie’s vibrancy dispels the shadows in his tortured soul, consuming Kit with a potent desire for the one woman he’s forbidden to touch…

In Bed with a Stranger

The ticking time bomb of their marriage

Sophie Greenham whirled into army officer Kit Fitzroy’s life like a red-headed tornado, smashing through the walls surrounding his heart and changing his life for ever. Leaving his bubbly fiancée to return to the front line disposing of bombs was the hardest thing Kit had ever done… When he returns home, their reunion is raw and intoxicating. But the man Sophie loves is now a virtual stranger. Tormented, and determined to keep his distance, he can only truly connect with her in the bedroom… But they’ll need more than passion to survive the challenges ahead unscathed…

Craving the Forbidden and In Bed with a Stranger are available at Mills&Boon, Amazon UK

The first book will be out in the US later this month, followed by the second one in December.

By freaky co-incidence I’ve just had a box of advance copies of In Bed with a Stranger delivered, so can now offer both books together as a giveaway to one commenter. Thanks for having me, Minxes!