Top Ten Writing Snacks

One of the questions in my Minxy interview was to do with writing snacks. I named a few, but really, I have many, many favourites...

Here are my current top ten:

1. Violet Creams
2. Thornton's Fruit Creams
3. Orange Matchmakers
4. Chocolate Raisins (these are great - eat enough and they can count towards your five-a-day)
5. Milky Bar White Chocolate Buttons
6. Cadbury's Chocolate Buttons
7. Thornton's Vanilla Truffles
8. M&S Ginger Chocolate Biscuits
9. Fry's Chocolate Cream
10.Sour Cream and Chive Pringles

Fry's Chocolate Cream would have been at the top, but you need two hands to handle the wrapper and break bits off - one-handed snacks are much more conducive to fast typing.

Do you agree with my choices? What's your own favourite keyboard snack?

Author Spotlight - Suzanna Ross

More Minx success? Hey, why not? I'm delighted to welcome another minx to the author spotlight spot today, yes, it's lovely Suz, also known as Suzanne Jones/Suzanna Ross Jones! Suz's new release, Trust in Me, has had a paper release as a My Weekly pocket novel in the summer, and is now available on Amazon as an ebook!

Now, straight on to the questions:
Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I’ve written for as long as I can remember, but only started to be published regularly a few years ago. Funnily enough, around the time I met the Minxes. I wonder if there’s a connection.
I write short stories, articles...anything, really, but my first love is romance.
I live in Scotland, not far from Edinburgh. With dramatic hills, mysterious lochs and romantic castles on my doorstep, I can’t help but be inspired.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
First book published. Nth written. I honestly can’t remember how many manuscripts I’ve finished – I have a submissions book that goes back a number of years, but I know there were at least a couple before I started keeping records.

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?
I’m never tempted to buy shoes – I have horrible feet. Honestly. I was so disappointed not to get a part in the new Hobbit film because they wouldn’t have needed make-up (although, thankfully, they’re not hairy). You’re right, though, it is very difficult to write some days and I find ideas need to stew: I can’t force a story and I have to let it form in its own time

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
I’m afraid I don’t have any tips for promo – I’m still trying to find my own way. If anyone has any advice for me I’d be very grateful.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
Between a two-hour-a-day school run and the day job, writing has to fit in around me at the moment. I dream of a time I can sit at home in lounging pyjamas and please myself – which would mean I’d write – but I suspect that’s a long way off.

Do you write every day?I think about my wip every day. And that’s sort of writing, isn’t it? I did start a spreadsheet at the beginning of the year, to keep a note of my daily totals. There are gaps for days where I haven’t actually increased my word count, but I’ve managed just over 140,000 words since 1st January. And they’re mostly redrafted, ready to go/sold words, so I’m happy with that.

What was the most fun part of writing this book? 
Finishing it. I don’t know who said ‘I don’t like writing, but I like having written,’ but that’s much how I feel at times. Actually, forget that, the fun moments have to be when I got the covers. And I’m very lucky that this particular book will have three covers in total: The My Weekly Pocket Novel cover, the E-scape e-version cover – and, sometime next year, the large print cover. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the thrill of seeing a cover with my name on it for the first time. Is that sad?

Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
Yes, my Biker Boy, Nick Rudd. Even though he’s way too young and he’s spoken for. Well, actually, I wouldn’t do that to his lovely heroine, Emma. But, if he was free, I’d run off with him in a heartbeat. He’ll be hitting the shelves in the pages of a My Weekly/Bridges&Knight Caress novel in January. And I hope to have him online at some point after that. Although I’m a little worried people won’t love him as much as I do.

Writing snacks – what are your favourites?
Today, my writing snack of choice is a big bag of Starburst. Normally it would be something chocolate. And, if anyone’s offering, I’m in the mood to accept a box of violet creams. (And then I wonder why I’m fat.)

Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?
If I’m really stuck, I’ll put the story to one side and work on something else. Short stories, normally. The subconscious is generally wonderful and I find that if I don’t fret about the problem, the answer will arrive as if by magic.

Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s odd being on this side of things, but it’s been fun, too.
You can find out more:
On my own blog: here 

When faced with the prospect of being thrown out her home by a handsome stranger, Rosie Farnham's solution is to refuse to budge. Never mind that multi-millionaire Theo has every right to demand vacant possession - or that he's as gorgeous as sin - she will not leave her home just because he's brandishing ownership papers.

As Rosie refused to move out of the Manor, Theo decides he'll move in. This is no great hardship - even though she's prickly as a hedgehog, there's something about Rosie he finds intriguing.

Can the undeniable attraction between them bring their lives into a new stage?

Trust In Me is available from: Amazon.co.uk , Amazon.com

An Innocent Abroad - A Minxy Release & Giveaway

We're thrilled to announce a new Minx release!

An Innocent Abroad is the latest release by our very own, very talented Minx, Rae Summers (aka Romy Sommer), and we know you're going to love it as much as we do! With every copy you get a super sexy Italian hero.

Blurb
An Innocent Abroad is a coming of age story set on the Amalfi coast of Italy in the early 1920s.

Fresh from finishing school, Isobel Harrington is sent to spend the summer in Italy with cousins in order to catch the eye of the eligible Hon. Christopher Barrett. But rather than Christopher, it is enigmatic Italian Stefano who awakens Isobel's sensuality, and who introduces her to the daring new idea that anything is possible, if only you want it enough.

An Innocent Abroad is the third novella by Rae Summers (aka Romy Minx) set in the 1920s.

Buy Links
Available from The Wild Rose Press, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Amazon and Amazon UK.

If you'd like to join in the Minxy celebration and be in the running to win a copy of An Innocent Abroad all you need to do is leave a comment below and share something about your own first love. The best story wins a copy of Romy's latest release and there are bonus points for anyone who's first love was either a dashing Italian or occurred during a vacation in Italy.

Congratulations, Romy!

Author Spotlight - Gwen Kirkwood

Today we welcome UK author and RNA member Gwen Kirkwood into the Minxy Spotlight.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I have always loved reading and with a vivid imagination writing seemed a natural progression, although I did not write for publication until my children were at secondary school in the 1980’s. I entered a competition in Woman’s Weekly. I didn’t win but I received welcome encouragement from their fiction editor. My books all have a Scottish farming background because I have been connected with farming all my life. I had a six year gap from writing when my husband died suddenly. I am supposedly retired now that my son runs the farm and my daughter runs her own farm ice cream parlour. You can read more details on my website at www.gwenkirkwood.co.uk

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora only!)
My twenty second novel will be published in May 2013.

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?
I try to stop writing at a point when it will be easier to carry on the story. Sometimes this may be only a few words jotted down to jog my memory and keep the thread going for the next chapter or passage. If this does not work or if I have had a break for a few days I go back and read the last couple of chapters or so and then I am usually eager to keep on writing.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
I am not good at marketing or promoting my own books. I am trying to accept invitations to other blogs, like this today. I keep appointments to talk to groups, even though they may not have much interest in writing. Usually some of them are keen readers. I have had a website for some time and more recently a blog of my own. I have also formatted ten of my early books and uploaded them to Amazon and Smashwords but I should try harder with promotion.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
When I first began writing family and farm life was hectic and had to come first so writing was fitted in when I could snatch time and peace. That did not stop my brain working on the plot or characters though. When ironing, or other tasks I dislike, my mind created the bad characters and I always had a notebook and pencil handy. Often passages would come to me when I lay in bed ready to sleep. These days I am supposed to be retired and I have more time but not as much energy as I would like so I write in the mornings, and perhaps read through or add extras in the late afternoon.

Do you write every day?
I try to write a little everyday even if it is only a couple of paragraphs, or even a sentence, but there is usually at least one day in the week when life intervenes. I would not want it to be any other way because we all need friends and family and other interests or both life and writing could become dull.

Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?
I would quite like to write a book for children 6 to 9 year olds. I did try once before I began writing for adults. It had animals which talked and at the time Walker Books considered that old fashioned. As with everything fashions change. Consider all the popular talking animal programs on television now.

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
I don’t have a fitness programme but I am careful not to sit too long at a stretch as I have two chipped vertebrae and once suffered badly from RSI. I moved my office upstairs so I have to run up and down. I enjoy gardening and that helps keep me fit in summer (see my blog www.gwenkirkwood.blogspot.com)

I used to walk a lot and ought to do more. On the principle that every little helps I park the car in one place and walk to all the shops, rather than moving it from one end of town to the other (ours is a small town!). My grandchildren live near and also keep me active.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?
It has taken me a long time to feel that I am a writer and I really believed that all I had to do was let my imagination run riot and write. In reality there are so many restrictions or demands. Some publishers will only take certain genres, or they may have set lengths, or other demands and deadlines. Most writers need an agent but that means less direct communication with the publisher. I do understand that publishing is a commercial business and I believe it is more difficult than it used to be, but it is also worse from a writer’s point of view when there are fewer publishers. On the other hand times are changing yet again with digital books and self- publishing. Whatever route we take we are expected to market our products. I had not bargained for that when I began writing and it is the aspect I dislike most.

Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
Yes, at least I should hope so since I created them. One of my favourites is Sarah in the Fairlyden series. We see her through all the stages of life from a child in book1 to a grandparent in book 4. Although she is not the main heroine in all of them we see her as a young woman falling in love in book 2, and later dealing with the frustrations of an absent, unsettled husband and the temptations which follow. She is kind and wise, but with human frailties and she has great strength of character.

Another Home - Another Love

Rosemary Palmer-Farr loves farming and animals and has spent much of her childhood at Bengairney Farm with her dearest friends, the Carafords. Now, as a young woman, she wants to prove herself a good business woman by running the gardens of her father's dwindling estate. Her mother, Catherine, is not impressed and wants her to make a good marriage. She looks down on the Carafords because they are only tenant farmers.

When childhood friendship deepens into love Catherine takes action and extracts a promise from Sam Caraford, calculated to keep them apart, even if it costs their happiness. She throws Rosemary into the company of eligible young gentlemen but Rosemary despises their attitudes and yearns for Sam's love.

Another Home-Another Love by Gwen Kirkwood is published in hard back by Robert Hale Ltd (ISBN 978-0-7090-9630-6). It is available from Amazon, libraries and local book shops price £19.99. It will be available as an E-reader by the end of November 2012

Trust In Me - a Minxy release!

We are exceptionally proud to announce a new Minxy arrival!

Trust in Me, written by our very own Suzanna Ross (aka Suzanne Ross Jones) was first published in print by DC Thompson's My Weekly Pocket Novels, and makes its eBook debut through E-scape Press today.

Trust in Me

When faced with the prospect of being thrown out her home by a handsome stranger, Rosie Farnham's solution is to refuse to budge. Never mind that multi-millionaire Theo has every right to demand vacant possession - or that he's as gorgeous as sin - she will not leave her home just because he's brandishing ownership papers.

As Rosie refused to move out of the Manor, Theo decides he'll move in. This is no great hardship - even though she's prickly as a hedgehog, there's something about Rosie he finds intriguing.

Can the undeniable attraction between them bring their lives into a new stage?

Trust in Me is available from Amazon and Amazon UK.


Please join the Minxes in a great big "Woohooo!!" for Suz. 


We just know you're going to love this book as much as we do, and watch this space, because there's more to come from the lady we affectionately refer to as Prolific Minx. (Though this is her first full-length release, Suz has had more sales than all the other Minxes put together!)

Hot news straight from the press ... Suzanna Ross has sold another book to DC Thompson, which will be available in UK stores in early 2013. You heard it here first.

Again, well done, Suz. We love you!

Author Spotlight - Sue Moorcroft

The Minxes are delighted to welcome Sue Moorcroft into our Spotlight today. Sue is published by UK-based publisher Choc Lit and is very supportive of aspiring writers both through her blog and her book Love Writing.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I write romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes, which are the kind of books I love to read, too. I also write short stories, serials, columns, articles, courses and writing ‘how to’. I’m a competition judge and a creative writing tutor. My book, Love & Freedom won the Best Romantic Read Award 2011 and I’m a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner.

I’m English, born in Germany and have lived in Cyprus and Malta. I’m a Formula 1 bore, learn the piano slowly and love Zumba and yoga. And reading, obviously. Obviously.

2. What number book is Dream a Little Dream? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)

This is amazingly difficult to answer. There are some things I’ve written that became books but began as serials, some that have been novels for all of their lives, one that has had different titles for the hardback and the paperback and one that’s non-fiction. Six novels and several other things, anyway.

3. 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?

I need to earn a living, so that’s quite motivating. I also have deadlines and there has to be a very good reason for me to miss one of those. I do like writing, which helps. If something’s going badly, I turn to something else. There’s always a column or something needs starting.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Be involved with social networking. Readers like writers, and Twitter and Facebook make contact easy. You can tell them when you have good reviews or if you have a new book out or whatever news comes your way. They can tell you if they like your books and I feel privileged when they do, which is happening every week. It’s a joy.

Readers recommend your books to their friends and followers, too. If you’re published in ebook form some ereaders have a facility to ‘share’ when your book’s been bought or read or reviewed.

Don’t hold back from following me on Twitter (@suemoorcroft) or befriending me on Facebook (sue.moorcroft.3)

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

As well as writing, my career includes things to do with writing – judging, tutoring or critiquing. Loosely, I do the latter three in the mornings and write in the afternoons. This allows me to keep on top of assignments/entries but also ‘keep my head in my book’, which is the most effective way of writing, for me. Promo and the business side of things are squashed in as and when. When I have a new book out (like now!) I do more promo than at other times. I work long hours.

6. Any craft books you recommend?

Cough – may I recommend my own? It’s Love Writing – How to Make Money Writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction. It brings together my skills as a writer and a tutor and contains tips and input from many other writers. (Maybe in the question about a promo tip for authors, above, I ought to have said be shameless in your self promotion …)

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

Yeah! I am a Zumba addict (yeah, yeah, wiggle wiggle clap clap). I’ve always loved to dance and my yoga instructor is also a Zumba instructor. I wanted a Zumba instructor in Love & Freedom so I went along to one of her classes – and nearly died, I was so unfit. Months later, when I was trying to lose weight, I gave it another go and I absolutely adored it. I do three classes a week, now, plus two of yoga, and I’ve lost about 10% of my body weight. And I’m waaaay fitter. As a crucial side benefit, I’ve made a circle of gym bunny friends to share a quick cuppa with after class and they’re good for my wellbeing.

Dancing is good for my emotional and mental health, as well as bodily health, to be honest. No matter how upset/worried I am when I go in, following a routine and dancing makes me feel better.

8. What was the most fun part of writing this book?

Oh, the research. I became such a research junkie. I’ve told everyone else about it so I might as well tell you. My hero, Dominic Christy, has a rare sleep disorder, narcolepsy. I got really into the subject but felt that my sources weren’t personal enough. So I posted on the message board of Narcolepsy UK that my character was called Dominic, was in his thirties and had narcolepsy. And I got a reply from a real Dominic in his thirties who has narcolepsy. He offered to help me, so long as I told it as it is – people with narcolepsy get tired of their disability being treated as a joke because it really isn’t funny at all – which was my intention, big time, anyway. And he’s been really great, telling me all the stuff about Dominic Christy that I didn’t yet know.

Also, I had to (yes, absolutely had to) have some reflexology treatments, a fish pedicure, learn to drive a 28-foot river cruiser and spend time in the air traffic control tower of Stansted airport. This book has been a blast.

9. Which of your characters would you like to be?

Liza. Dominic Christy makes love to her.

10. Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?

Often, to music. It depends what I’m writing whether the music is rocking, lyrical or instrumental. I can’t listen to really good lyricists like Damien Rice, Newton Faulkner, Frank Turner or Regina Spektor when I’m writing, sometimes, because their words are so good that they distract me from mine. If I can ‘zone out’ from the music then I’m working well, which means I sometimes play the same album ten times. This sends other people in the house nuts.

What would you give to make your dreams come true?

Liza Reece has a dream. Working as a reflexologist for a troubled holistic centre isn't enough. When the opportunity arises to take over the Centre she jumps at it. Problem is, she needs funds, and fast, as she's not the only one interested.

Dominic Christy has dreams of his own. Diagnosed as suffering from a rare sleep disorder, dumped by his live-in girlfriend and discharged from the job he adored as an Air Traffic Controller, he's single-minded in his aims. He has money, and plans for the Centre that don't include Liza and her team.

But dreams have a way of shifting and changing and Dominic's growing fascination with Liza threatens to reshape his. And then it's time to wake up to the truth ...


Dream a Little Dream is available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Love & Freedom is availble from Amazon and Amazon UK.

Love Writing is available from Amazon and Amazon UK.

You can follow Sue on Twitter, on Facebook or on her blog.

Guest post - Evie Hunter

Today we have a guest post from Evie Hunter. Evie is actually two romance writers, Caroline McCall and Eileen Gormley, and their erotic romance, The Pleasures of Winter, has just been released by Penguin.

Things I discovered since I started writing Erotica

There are a lot of kinky people out there. Some of your neighbours do stuff that would curl your hair.

I used to think that all kinky relationships were the same, with a master who told the slave what to do, but I’ve learned that there are huge differences. There are lifestyle D/s (Domination/submission) relationships, which are similar to Amish marriages where the man makes all the decisions, the woman caters to him and does what she’s told.
Then there’s sessional D/s, where the couple is normal most of the time, but during a session, he’s the Dom and she’s the sub. Occasionally, a sessional couple will switch, so he’s the boss one day and she is next time.
There is a big difference in what turns individual women on. Some like submission, the feeling of being controlled and directed, while others like pain. There are a lot of women who want to be spanked or cropped or have rough sex, but only submit as far as necessary to get the spanking etc. If the Dom doesn’t understand what his sub wants, things won’t work.
A spanking should be a good one. A half-assed spanking is more frustrating and disappointing than none at all.  It takes time and patience and effort. The six spanks so popular in literature are a joke. In order to be effective, arnica is likely to be required the following day. A few swats are not use to anyone.
A good Dom has to pay a lot of attention to find out what the sub needs, whether it's submission or pain or control or a combination, and what her kinks and limits are. There should be an element of pushing the limits, but only in a way that the sub needs. Basically, it's not about being a bully or a bastard. There is a big question of who is really in charge, since it's the sub's needs which dictate the scene.
Within that, they can get as creative as they like, with nipple clamps, nettles in her panties or ginger in her ass.
Some subs like to be controlled, to be told what colour panties to wear, what time to go to bed and how long they are allowed to spend on-line. Others
just want an hour or two of spanking and challenges.
Bratting, deliberately misbehaving to get more attention and punishment, is very common.
D/s relationships have three stages:
Forming - coffee, chatting, establishing interests, boundaries, limits and building trust.
Storming - where the relationship starts and both of them are finding out how it works. Often includes bratting where the sub pushes the Dom to see how he will react.
Norming - when the balance is established and both of them are happy with it.
One of the questions all women want to know: can a Dom look at you and tell if you are submissive or not? Well, sort of. A good Dom is an expert at reading body language and picking up subtle cues. But a handy technique is simply to talk to the woman and ask her to do something. When he looks to see how she reacts. Does she do it without thinking, or does she ignore him, or does she complain that he asked her?

Thanks for guesting here today, Evie!

Find The Pleasures of Winter on Amazon.com here

On Amazon dot co uk here 

 

An accompanying short is also available on Amazon as a free read - today is the last day free:

A Touch of Winter on Amazon.com here

On Amazon dot co uk here

Evie's website:

http://www.eviehunter.com

Evie on Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/eviehunterbooks

Evie on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/eviehunterbooks

 

Author Spotlight - Rachel Lyndhurst

This isn't Rachel's first Author Spotlight for the Minxes, but she's answering different questions! We're delighted to have her here today, to tell us all about her latest release for Entangled's Indulgence line (and answer the questions of course!).

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I’ve been a full-time writer since my first book ‘sold’ a couple of years ago, well as full-time as I can be with two school age children! I have a law degree and am a fully qualified accountant. I’ve had day jobs in the space industry, pharmaceuticals, insurance, a supermarket, a bus station, a railway depot, and a lingerie department.
I live with my daughter, son and The Exec in Fareham, Hampshire, on the south coast of England and can sometimes smell the sea from my back garden. Hobbies have sort of gone out of the window right now as I’m so busy, but I do love a solitary visit to a hushed and dusty old antiques shop when I get the chance. Apart from that, wine and expensive lipstick keeps me happy.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
The Spanish Billionaire’s Hired Bride is my third published novel.

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?
Sheer terror is about the only thing that will force me to write if I really don’t want to – something like a screaming deadline will do the trick!  Fortunately, not wanting to write doesn’t happen very often and it’s probably a sign that I should have a break anyway. Not having a nine- to- five job gives me flexibility, but it also means I find it very hard to stop. So shoe shopping now and then really is a kind of therapy.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

It’s hard, but try your best not to do the equivalent of saying ‘buy my book’. Think longer term and interact with as many people as you can in real life and on social networks, and that means anybody because you never know who’ll be interested in you and your book. If people like you, there’s a good chance they’ll consider buying your work. Here’s an exclusive revelation for the Minxes: I once unknowingly sold a book to our local Police chief in the school playground – I had no idea that was his job! He said he enjoyed it …

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
As I mentioned above, I have school age children, so I have to fit my writing around that routine, but I try to be disciplined as it’s my ‘day job’ now. After the school run, at nine o’clock the laptop goes on, maybe an hour for lunch and jobettes during the day, and then by three o’clock I fetch the children.  So, I have about six hours maximum alone and then throughout the evening I’ll do housework, scribble in notebooks, deal with US emails and maybe get some Facebook or Twitter in. I do wish I had more hours in the day …

Do you write every day?

Pretty much, even if it’s just a scribble on a notepad while I’m tethered to the kitchen sink! I can’t help it …

Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?

There is. It’s one third written and breaks a lot of genre rules, which means it will probably never see the light of day, but it feels so right. It’s a romcom, bonkbuster, with dark parochial prejudice and a little mystery thrown in.  Think Bridget Jones, meets A Casual Vacancy, meets Fifty Sheds. So if any adventurous London-based agents are reading …

Any craft books you recommend?
·      Goal Motivation and Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction by Debra Dixon.
·        Got High Concept: The Key to Dynamic Fiction that Sells! By Lori Wilde.
·        Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler.
·        On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells by Leigh Michaels.

Which of your characters would you like to be?

I’d quite like to be any of my heroines. Even though they have things tough in the beginning – they go to places I’ve never been, experience the ultimate in luxury and always get their super-hot man in the end. I’d be quite happy to live in their fantasy world – one without two baskets of dirty laundry a day!

Writing snacks – what are your favourites?
Oh dear, it’s not vegetable crudités and hummus that often.  Cough. If it’s bad for you, it’s probably in my top ten. My son keeps making me buy those new Walkers deep ridged potato chips, so it’s not really my fault … But I do like very posh olives!  Is red wine a snack?

And now, here's some info about Rachel's latest release, The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride:

He bought her with cold, hard cash, but can she stop him from stealing her heart?Blackmailed to marry against his will, Ricardo Almanza needs a wife before he’s thirty, and time is running out. A notorious playboy, marriage is the last thing he wants, but his stepmother’s sexy, debt-ridden personal assistant is the perfect solution. He makes her a business deal she can’t refuse—one million euros for three months as his wife. He might even enjoy being married to her … if she doesn’t kick the crap out of him again.
Helen Marshall can’t believe she’s considering Almanza’s outrageous proposal, but she must help clear her parents’ debts or they face financial ruin. The small print on the marriage contract changes to read three months as his wife in every way—including in the bedroom. Has she gotten in too deep, or will she need a new contract addendum, extending their marriage forever?

The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride is available now from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Barnes and Noble.
And you can find out more about Rachel and her books at her blog, facebook, goodreads and she's @RachelLyndhurst on twitter.

"Proper" Books versus E-readers

I recently said to someone, “Oh, I’m not a gadget person, but I’m thinking of getting another Kindle”. They asked which gadgets I owned other than my older Kindle. I started to list them and I realised…err…oops!

Shortly thereafter, I came across a debate on “proper” books versus e-readers. To summarise, one person was adamant they would NEVER get an e-reader because it’s “just not the real thing”. I smiled to myself because I was in the exact position not too long ago, when the idea of reading on anything other than paper was anathema to me.

Fast-forward a mere two years and I’m now surrounding with so much choice, I’m like a kid in a candy store…and I want Santa to bring me more.

Specifically…(hope you’re listening, Santa!)…I want the Kindle Fire…

Or the new iPad Mini…(hmm, isn’t it pretty?)

But if Santa’s busy and sends his elf and they somehow get it wrong and get me a Kindle Paperwhite…

I’ll still say yes, please and thank you.

So what if it’ll bring my gadget total to….no, let’s not count them. In my defence, I still read my “proper” books, often and I don’t think I’ll ever stop.

What about you, where do you stand on E-readers versus “Proper” books”?

Author Spotlight - Liz Fielding

I've been a fan of Liz's since I first started reading Mills & Boon Romances (which wasn't as long ago as that might seem!) Her books consistently manage to move me both to tears and laughter. So I am especially delighted to host her here in our Spotlight today. Welcome. Liz.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

My first romance, An Image of You, was published in December 1992, so this year marks the twentieth anniversary of my career as a published romance writer. The changes during that time have been extraordinary. Where I once sat in isolation, writing stories for people who would occasionally put pen to paper and tell me how much they appreciated them, I now chat daily with a supportive coterie of authors and readers in a worldwide community of romance lovers.

In my real world, I’ve been married for 40 years to the same man, have two fabulous grown-up children, two lovely granddaughters and I live in the mystical south-west of England within the triangle of Stonehenge, Glastonbury and my favourite city, the Regency playground of Bath.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)

The Last Woman He’d Ever Date is my sixty-first for Harlequin Mills and Boon – my sixty-fourth in all.

3. 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?

It’s discipline. It’s my job. Shoe shopping is for the weekends.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

That is just so hard. You create a website that showcases your work. If you’re happy blogging, then keep it short and interesting. Treat your followers on twitter and facebook like people, not just a sales opportunity. And remember that none of it works if you spend so much time on social network that you’re not producing the books.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

I get up early – around six o’clock and work until lunchtime. The afternoon is for research, housework (aka thinking time) and gardening.

6. Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?

I get asked this so often and yes, I have a romcom/crime book — a cross between Katie Fforde and Jennifer Crusie on my back burner. It’s about time I stopped talking about it and got writing!

7. Any craft books you recommend?

Kate Walker’s 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance is brilliant. And I’d also recommend Save the Cat by Blake Snyder – it’s a screen writing book, but full of great stuff.

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

No, and that has to change. My hips complain if I ask too much of them, but we have swimming pool quite near and my plan is to cut down on the carbs and take to the water.

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

I’m sure most unpublished writers think that getting published is the end. That you have arrived and after that it’s going to be easy. It’s not, it’s just the beginning. I went to hear Ben Kane and Val McDermid talk at our local library a couple of weeks ago and they both said the same. Each book is like the first. You’re back to square one. The technique gets stronger, but your standard gets higher and achieving the vision of the story in your head is always at the end of the rainbow.

10. Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?

Italy. Claire would want to see the fabulous gardens, Hal would want to indulge her. And after all that walking they’d spend some time in one of those steep little villages on the coast to relax in the sun, drink wonderful wine and eat the fabulous food.

11. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?

I hope I write characters that my readers would want as a best friend but if I had to choose I’d want Amy Jones in The Bachelor’s Baby (and a bit player in several other books) as a best friend. And Belle in Reunited: Marriage in a Million.

Tall, dark and brooding — and back for good!

Claire Thackery: Hardworking single mom, working for the local newspaper. Hoping for the inside scoop on sexy billionaire Hal North, aka her teenage crush, to get her career back on track.
Most wary of: Gorgeous men who set hr heart racing. (Been there — using the T-shirt as a duster — and has the baby to prove it.)

Hal North: Bad boy made good. Back in his hometown as new owner of the Cranbrook Park estate, with some scores to settle.
Most wary of: Journalists — especially pretty ones, like his new tenant, Claire Thackeray.


The Last Woman He'd Ever Date is available from Amazon, Amazon UK and direct from Mills & Boon / Harlequin.


You can follow Liz on her blog and on Twitter.

Going paperback with Createspace

I wasn't sure what to blog about today. I really wanted to blog about Skyfall, because I really love James Bond, and the prospect of a new one had me totally excited, but as it isn't out yet, I haven't much to say about it, so decided to save that for another post.
So instead, I decided to do a little post about getting a paperback out there, because I'm on the final stages of getting my third paperback out, Bound to Love. I reckon many writers are now totally up to speed with how to get a kindle version self published (if not, leave me a comment, and I'll cover the basics in another blog post) but may be wondering about paperback. So here it is!

The interior: The first thing you need to do is decide what size your book is going to be - I go 5 x 8, which is the same size that The Wild Rose Press and Samhain use. Next, you need to look at a book you like, choose a font for your book, and a style for the layout. Make sure you have a copyright page (including a couple of lines where your isbn will go), your dedication, and break pages with page breaks, not loads of returns! Print out a few sample pages to make sure that it looks right. Get a book with the same dimensions, and check to make sure it all looks as good as the pages in the printed book. Add in page numbers, and alternate headings, one with your name, and the facing page with your title. You'll be using facing pages, so you'll have inside and outside margins. Make the inside margins bigger than .75 and the outside margins bigger than .25. I've found that Createspace can be very fiddly about this, so don't make it exactly at this measurement, but add a little extra in there, just to make sure. When it's all hunky dory, save this file as a pdf, and make a note of the number of pages, because you'll need this later. I use Quark Xpress for page layout, but you can use anything.

The cover: The most important thing about the cover is that you need to know the page count first, so that the designer can make the spine the right width. Once you have the interior finished, talk to your cover designer, give her the details, and ask her to use the template that createspace provide. This will make it easier for him/her to get the cover perfect, incorporating bleeds etc.

Get a blurb ready. If you've published for Kindle, use that. Otherwise, write a fab blurb which will compell people to buy your book!

From there, you're ready to go!
In Amazon, scroll down to the bottom and choose 'independently publish with us'. This brings you to a page where you can create a createspace account. You can read more here, and when you're ready, choose 'get started'. You set up a createspace account, and then when you're in there, you choose my account, and start a new project.

 

 

 

Type in your name, choose paperback, and choose the guided option, which will talk you through it.

 

After choosing what type of paper, size, and black or white for your interior or colour, You'll be asked to upload your contents in pdf, and the program will grind away and check to make sure that the interior fits properly. If it doesn't you can keep going back and re-uploading the pdf file until it does.

Then it's on to the cover, upload the pdf, and once again the program grinds away, making sure that your book cover and contents are right. When it's finished, you have the opportunity to preview the entire thing in Createspace's digital proofer.

 

 

Down the right hand side, you can see all the pages in the document, and click on them to make sure that every single page looks good. One thing I always forget, is to check that pages after the end of the document (which in my case contain a list of my other books) don't have page numbers or headers on them...

The other elements that need to be done before you get a book in your hot little hand are setting up a bank account to send the money to, or if you're not in the US, an address to send the cheques. You also have the chance here to go for expanded distribution for $25 dollars. This is worth buying, because it means that your books will be distributed to places other than Amazon, such as Barnes and Noble etc.  Setting the price (Createspace won't allow you to set a price below what it costs them to print it up), and ordering a proof copy. It's always worth ordering a proof copy, because you want to see what the final version looks like printed up before you 'publish' which puts your book into Amazon, ready to sell.

This is just a quick peek at what is required to get your paperback out there on Amazon. Once it's done, you'll be able to order 'author copies' at a discount, which will be useful as giveaways etc. If you want a step by step how to - the best place to go is to Catherine Ryan Howard's website. Her book 'Self Printed' walks you through it, as well as walking through the process of getting a kindle version up there, and is well worth buying!



Author Spotlight - Aimee Duffy

I'm pleased to welcome the very lovely Aimee Duffy to our blog today.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

Writing has always been my first love, but even as a teenager who thought I knew it all, I wasn’t naïve enough to believe I could have an instant career out of it. My love of Ally McBeal took me down a different road and I now have two jobs I love (although working as a private client/conveyancing paralegal is way less fun than being a civil court lawyer!).

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora only!)

This is my second completed full length category. I started many others and ditched them half-way through. I also played around with a few novellas (none of which will ever see the light of day!).

3. 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?

Shoe shopping tends to win out over most things, but luckily my limited budget keeps me away from the shops—the weekend after payday is touch and go.

I tend to write more before I go to work, which means waking up ridiculously early, but after my first coffee the words seem to flow easier. At night I get far too distracted.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

I have absolutely no idea what works yet! If anyone has any tips, let me know. My lovely publisher booked me on a blog tour this month and next, which I think is a good idea. It gets your name in front of people who wouldn’t have heard about you otherwise.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

I have to write every day. If I don’t, I feel wrong. Even if what I’m putting down is gobbledygook, I’m addicted to making some progress. That said, some days it’s hard and the most I can do is go back to the beginning of the chapter and edit. I tell myself it’s better than nothing, which I suppose it is. I always try and put aside at least an hour for writing.

6. Which blog(s) do you read regularly?

The Minxes’ of course! I also follow a ton, but the ones I find extremely helpful are Jackie Ashenden’s, Maisey Yates’, Writer Beware and Incy Black’s. Also Suzanne Jones’ and her sock phobia gives me a good chuckle :)

7. Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?

For some inexplicable reason I really want to finish the Assassin’s Creed books. I read the first, and was hooked. Plus I’m a bit of a geek and like the games (I blame this on my teenage brother).

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

I’m not a fan of the gym. I prefer the outdoors, love hillwalking, but in Scotland you have about three weeks of decent weather to do it. The last time I was up The Law, it was a mud bath and I fell on my backside a few times. Now the winter has settled in, I think exercise is out the window for another year.

9. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?

I could be friends with them all! Annabelle from The Monster of Fame was really easy to connect with. She’s good right to the core.

10. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?

Most of them ;) But if I had to choose, I’d pick Jake from Isle of Sensuality. He’s cheeky, charming and hot. Plenty going there to keep me occupied for a while.

Can the voice of an angel heal a tortured soul?

Annabelle MacIntosh enters a reality singing contest to save her family from their mounting debt. Miles Oliver, celebrity judge and the owner of the biggest record company in the UK, doesn’t think she has what it takes. She sings like an angel, but when she performs all he can focus on is the terror in her eyes. It’s a look he knows only too well. After the pressure of fame destroyed his wife, Miles swore he’d never let the same thing happen to anyone else. Driven by the guilt he’s carried for years, Miles tries everything in his power to make sure Annabelle doesn’t succeed, because he doesn’t believe she’ll survive it.

Annabelle needs that prize money, and she’s determined to win it. As she fights to make it through each round of the contest, an attraction begins to develop between the two adversaries. The longer Annabelle remains in the competition, the deeper her attraction grows to the man who’s trying to prevent her from reaching her goal. Can she convince Miles she’s strong enough to fight the fame monster and win?

You can buy The Monster Of Fame from the following:

Amazon UK Amazon US Barnes & Noble

And you can find Aimee on her blog, twitter and Facebook.

Balance...

It's been exactly four weeks since I received the call, (are you sick of me mentioning it yet) and it's been a whirlwind of activity, in mostly a good way. I'm working on book #2 which will be a work in progress for some time to come. There are also big changes on the home front with the hubster accepting a new job which means moving to a new city.
So with keeping the house tidy for prospective buyers, to day job and a deadline for book 2, and kids, something's going to give.

So, I'm throwing the question out there....

How do you find balance in your life? What are the things you're willing to let go and what can never slip?

Author Spotlight - Kathy Bosman

Woohoo - South African romance authors are on a roll! I am pleased to welcome yet another SA writer into the spotlight: Kathy Bosman.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I’m a home-schooling mom of three children and write while they work and any spare moment I can find when not cooking (and I cook almost everything from scratch – silly really,) and tackling piles of laundry and dishes. I think that I always wanted to write – even as a kid, I used to read ferociously and dream about being an author one day. I rediscovered my passion for writing when I was living up in Zambia where there wasn’t much technology or anything to do to occupy the mind. So, I started writing children’s books because I’ve always enjoyed working with children. They weren’t the best, but they were fun to write at the time. Years later, I decided to try an adult novel and it turned out to be a romance. That’s when I realised I wanted to write romance. After years of perfecting my craft, I’ve finally found a genre that works for me – sweet, contemporary.

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)

First traditionally published!

3. 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?

I don’t know if I’m too good at that! I’m a terrible procrastinator. The best way for me is just to sit down and write whatever comes. I can’t analyse what comes out too deeply else it won’t get done. That’s for the editing stage later. Reading good romance books helps to inspire me to write, so sometimes I take a break and read a good book or do something totally mindless like knitting or washing curtains or something. Shoe shopping is not my favourite pastime as I have such small feet and I absolutely despise wearing high heel shoes. Maybe a new pair of running shoes or flip-flops could be a temptation when I earn some good royalties.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

I’ve been doing some promotion with my book, but it would be very hard to say which of those things have caused sales or not. I think the best thing is to write good books and to connect with your readers through facebook, blog posts and word of mouth. I would say, a bit of everything works – you can’t go wrong, but don’t be too pushy. Just connect in a fun, interesting way. And make sure you’ve got a decent website – you don’t have to pay for one –there are lots of free blogging options available. Find the one that best fits your style. The hardest part is keeping it current.

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

Unfortunately, during the school term, writing has to fit into my day. There are moments when my kids have to read their literature books or science, and then I have some quiet minutes without their many questions, to work on my books. I also try to write in the evenings when I get a chance. The school holidays are usually my best times when I can get some decent word count done. I can’t wait for the long summer holiday! But, many times, writing takes precedence, i.e. I’d rather write than watch TV or do gardening, car-washing or anything to do with combatting dust.

6. Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?

One day, I want to write an Edgy Inspirational Novel – basically it’s inspirational that pushes all the boundaries and can be controversial in some circles. I want to write a book that changes someone’s life and touches them in a deep way.

7. Any craft books you recommend?

I would definitely recommend these grammar books – Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style and My Grammar and I (Or should that be ‘Me’?) by Caroline Taggart and J.A. Wines.

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

I honestly thought a lot of the angst would go, but it’s still there. At times it’s been even worse, yet other times I can see my confidence level has risen significantly. I also didn’t realise how much extra work goes into editing and promotions, but I do enjoy that part too.

9. Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?

I think if I had a silent home, I may be able to tolerate some music, but at the moment, silence is rare, so music just adds to the distractions. I can write while the family watches TV though, but I wouldn’t say at my best.

10. Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?

Take a break and do something else for a while – it should come to you while you’re doing something mundane. If not, the break alone should clear your mind so when you sit down, it will probably come to you. If it doesn’t, there’s something that needs to be changed earlier on – the conflict possibly or maybe your characters are acting out of character.
Another thing I do is go back and read the whole book from the beginning to get a feel for the story because with all the interruptions of life, I sometimes lose a feel for my characters.
There’s nothing like a deadline though to force you to finish.

BLURB:

Kienna loves dressing up her clients in beautiful gowns at the bridal shop where she works but she doesn't believe in fairy-tale weddings or happily ever afters. After all, her prince turned out to be a frog, and her divorce broke her heart. So when she realizes one of her brides doesn't love her groom, she tries to warn him. If only he would listen, she could help him avoid her same fate.

Blake is sure Rachelle loves him but she leaves him at the altar. He should have listened to the wedding gown girl's warning. He should have been hurt, but instead he's only relieved--and in pursuit of the woman who tried to save him from a broken heart. If only she'd trust him not to be like her ex. Doesn't she know that when he says he loves her, it means forever?


Wedding Gown Girl is available from Astraea Press, Amazon, Amazon UK and Smashwords.

The Romance of Fiction

Sometimes the line between fiction and reality can become blurred and for me that's always something to celebrate. I don't know how many of you are familiar with 'The Children of Greene Knowe'? It was one of my favourite books as a child - the stories of the past very much alive in the present. "I like this house," said Tolly. "It's like living in a book that keeps coming true". The stories captured my imagination and when I found out the house Lucy Boston based the books on was nearby I couldn't wait to visit it. However there was one snag, visits had to be booked in advance. I decided just to see the gardens and the house from outside but when approaching the house was stopped by Diana, Lucy Boston's daughter in law. This was when things began to get strange...

Diana: "Ah, there you are, I've been waiting for you."
Me: "Sorry, I haven't booked to see the house."
Diana (looking puzzled): "But you're Lorraine, right?"
Me: "Er, yes."
Diana: "And you've been looking forward to seeing the house for ages and love patchwork?"
Me: "Well yes that is actually all true, but..."
Diana: "Well I've been hanging on for you, come along."

I was hardly going to complain as I was swept into the guided tour of the house, feeling an affinity with Lucy Boston while viewing her famous quilts and touching the hundreds of years old toys featured in the books as the toys of the ghost children.
During the tour she suddenly turned to me and said "Strange how I knew you were going to come, isn't it? But then the house does do very strange things..."

This was the sentiment often repeated in the books and also in the film based on "The Chimneys of Greene Knowe" starring Maggie Smith, titled "From Time to Time". The house (Hemingford Grey Manor) is one of the oldest occupied houses in England and used to be known as the poltergeist house. Locals refused to walk along the tow path beside it at night. I felt no uneasiness but did feel a strong connection - to Lucy Boston and to her stories as I touched the objects featured in the books.

I should add there was no rational explanation for Diana knowing I was coming (and no other Lorraine turned up after me!). The visit touched me and made me think about how great a part of my life fiction is. I'd thought being mostly restricted to audiobooks after my brain injury would be limiting but didn't envisage how listening to fiction for most of the day (and often night too if it's a painful one) as I carry out other tasks would make fiction more a part of my life than ever.

In each story I feel connected to the mind of the writer and he/she has connected to me, albeit in a small way. I've probably read many of the same stories you've read or even written. We're all connected by this complex, ever-expanding venn diagram of words and ideas. We visit the same fictional worlds like literary tourists and are connected by them. Maybe this is a fanciful, romantic notion but what more can you expect from a romance minx ;-) ?

Author Spotlight - Rachel Brimble

Today's Spotlight is the first with our re-vamped, New Look questions, and the author who gets the honour of breaking them in is English novelist Rachel Brimble.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I’m a Brit living near the famous Georgian city of Bath, England. I’m married with two young daughters and my canine son, a black Lab called Max. When I’m not writing, you will find me reading, walking the countryside, socializing or watching too much TV.
Favourite drink is a glass of crisp, dry white wine. Favourite food, scallops!

2. What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th (Nora only!)?

This is book number 8 – I’ve had 6 novels and 2 novellas published so far.

3. 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 only way I know how – I treat it like a job. It doesn’t matter that I work from home and lucky enough to be a full time mom. When my kids are at school or out with friends, I write. Simple. Housework, TV, shopping and everything else can be done with them there – writing can’t.

4. What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Lord, if only I knew! I have none except talk about your work as much as humanly possible. Blog, interview, visit book stores, tell friends and family, attend conferences and author signings. People are always happy to meet a ‘real’ writer!

5. How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?

Writing fits around my day, definitely – apart from my kids’ well-being, writing comes first! 

6. Do you write every day?

Yes – every SINGLE day apart from mine, my husband’s or kids’ birthdays and Christmas Day. Seriously. Sounds very sad but I make myself do it. Even 500 words is better than nothing. The trick I use is I write the first draft from start to finish without looking back. It’s amazing how much you can achieve when you shut off the ‘internal editor’.

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

No, and it’s starting to show, lol! I’m very lucky that my mum and dad have blessed me with genes where I have always been naturally slim, but as I approach 40, I can see the ‘muffin top’ emerging. A gym membership may well be on the horizon…she says ;)

8. Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?

Brighton, England – as far as I can tell from my research of the Victorian era, Brighton was the place to go. Some people say it still is!

9. Could you be friends with any of your heroines?

Yes! All of them. I don’t think a writer, especially a romance writer, could create a heroine she wouldn’t be willing spend a lot of time with if she was real. These characters become real people to us who we might spend six months to a year (sometimes longer!) with, so we have to like and understand them. Plus, there’s a little of me in all my heroines and I’m kind of a nice person to be around. I hope!

10. Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?

Again, all of them! I create heroes that I genuinely fall in love with over the course of writing their story. I understand their issues, think they’re justified and take huge pleasure in watching them change and grow. My heroes tend to be Beta heroes, with big hearts and a love of family and the desire of a shared future with one woman. Who wouldn’t love a guy like that? 

Blurb for “Love’s Debt” available now from The Wild Rose Press:

To keep herself from the depths of poverty, Milly Shepherd needs to be appointed manager of the Red Lion Tavern. The elderly owner is in failing health and has promised her the job permanently if no one more suitable applies. Milly will fight with her entire being to make the job her own.

Joseph Jacobs needs to supplement his income to pay off his father’s creditors and save him from debtor’s prison. Though the job as manager of the local tavern looks promising, Milly is favored by both the owner and customers. Instead, Joseph swallows his pride and agrees to tend bar.

As they work together, their attraction grows, their goals cross, and both Millie and Joseph find they must face their fears …the question is whether they face them alone or together?

Love's debt is available direct from The Wild Rose Press, and also on Amazon and Amazon UK.

You can find Rachel on her website, her blog, Facebook and on Twitter.