Author Spotlight - Aimee Duffy

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

Not much has changed since the last time you lovely ladies had me here (sadly). Still hammering away at the keyboard, abusing my delete button and spending too much money on shoes.

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

Published? Four if you include the short I had in a Christmas anthology last year. If you mean manuscript I have countless wips on my laptop, waiting to be fixed and submitted. Six new since the last time I was here.

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 isn’t easy to keep focused and I have no willpower at all. I pick shopping over writing any day. Thankfully I’m not minted so can’t afford to shop all the time. Instead, I make myself do something writing related every day. Even get up early to rack up the words. Still, Sundays are the most productive. I treat that as my main writing day now. I’m not satisfied until I have at least 5k down on a Sunday.

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

Promo is hard. I hate it. I feel like a serial spammer when I go at it. However, it’s necessary if you want to get the word out about your release, so it’s a must. I highly recommend booking a good blog tour, especially one who offers the hosts a chance to review your book. My latest find is Tasty Book Tours and Lisa is lovely to work with. She also has her own professional review site, Tasty Book Reviews.

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

It doesn’t, not now that work is crazy, but I make it. Whether I stay up until 1am or set my alarm a few hours early, I make a point of writing, revising, or promoting, every day.

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

I’m half way through a single title shifter story, and I’d like to breach the line into erotic romance (when I’m braver!).

7. Any craft books you recommend?

The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. Great for pointing out the difference between showing and telling. Plus it has a huge ‘dictionary’ of emotions, and instead of meanings, the book lists possible reactions to the emotion to help improve writing. It’s my new bible.

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

Sander’s mother is a movie star and his father is a director. They didn’t have time for him when he was growing up, so left him with a nanny. When he makes his ‘fake’ relationship with Chloe public, there’s a scene where his parents gate-crash a celebration dinner for Chloe in The Ivy and give the poor girl a hard time. I loved all the poison dripping out around the table. (What does that say about me?)

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

I could so easily be best friends with Chloe. She’s down to earth, real and has a heart of gold. Plus she has the same Barbour coat as me ;o).

10. At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?

I still don’t really. Yes, I write. Yup, I have three books published, but do I feel like an author? No. This all still feels like a hobby I love doing, which is fantastic, because who wants two jobs?

When pretend turns to desire, heartbreak is unavoidable.

Sander Chase needs a date for his ex-fiancée's engagement party, but he doesn't have time for a woman in his life. Between working on the TV show Do You Have What It Takes? and his band reforming, he's too busy for a relationship. What he needs is a pretend girlfriend. He thinks he may have found the perfect woman for the job, and the bribe he offers means she's sure to accept.

After losing her job in the film industry, breaking up with her movie star boyfriend, and finding out her mum has dementia, Chloe Butler returned to the UK determined to put her life back together. The last thing she needs is to parade around London on the arm of a celebrity, and after the heartbreak caused by her ex, she swore she'd never again date a star. But when Sander offers her a chance at her dream job, it's not something she can turn down.

As Chloe gets to know Sander she learns he's nothing like her scumbag ex. But she struggles to fight her attraction to him, knowing their relationship is only for show and their separation date is closing in fast.

Ignoring the insane chemistry between them should be easy for Sander, especially since he carries a secret that means there can be no future for them, but the more time he spends with Chloe, the harder it is to keep his hands to himself.

Content Warning: contains more denial than you'll find in a courtroom, more sexual tension than most people could handle, and explosive sex that some readers may find long overdue.


Never Say Never is available from Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks and Beachwalk Press.

Editor-Proof Your Writing

I'm a sucker for a few things. Licorice all-sorts, chocolate, music while I write, and craft books on writing. I've decided to feature some of my favorites over the next few blog posts from me here on the Minxes blog. Years ago I did a fantastic online course on editing by Don McNair in which he laid out 21 ways to eliminate foggy writing and clean up your manuscript. At this stage, I hadn't been published, but the first manuscript I ran through his system ended up being the first book I sold, Catch Me A Catch.

I'm delighted to say that Don has now put all that information into a book, called Editor-Proof Your Writing, and it's available for kindle and also in print (I've got a paperback version).

The thing I like best about this book is that you work on your own writing with it. Don encourages the reader to take the first chapter of your work in progress and apply each of his editing processes in turn to it. This means that instead of being a general 'book about editing', it is instead a powerful tool that you can apply to your words, your story, to strengthen it and strip away redundancies. Yes, it means 21 passes of the same material, but the insight into the way you write, the things you automatically do and shouldn't, is very powerful. Not everyone has the same weaknesses in writing, but using this book means that you quickly identify yours.

As an example here's one of my problems:

Use fewer -ing words.
She started walking toward the door.
Do we mean she got one foot into the air and stopped? No, you say? Well the author should have said this instead:
She walked toward the door.

The new sentence eliminates a word. One unit of fog. More importantly, it strengthens the action. She didn't just start something, she actually did it.

Another example:

Picking up a rock, she threw it at the dog.
This sentence defies logic. How can the girl do both simultaneously, which is implied? Mustn't she pick up the rock before she throws it? Let's say instead:
She picked up a rock and threw it at the dog.

Another great section for me is a section about superflous verbiage (another one of my problems).
Here are a couple of examples, the second line is the improvement:

Betty yawned and then made a casual comment about it being no big deal.
Betty yawned and said it was no big deal.

He looked toward the village, but with the mist so thick it was difficult to see it.
He looked toward the village, almost hidden by the thick mist.

Personally, when I'm writing I just write. I get the words onto the page, and don't worry too much about my stylistic errors, or foggy writing. But after I've finished a manuscript, I go through it and clean it up. Don's notes help me with that, and I'm glad I now have them all in one place in a book!

Undertaking Love

I'm so excited to be able to say that this time next week will be launch day for Undertaking Love!

It's a book that is very close to my heart. It seemed to take forever to write, and it is the book I wrote when I final realised that, much as I dearly wanted it to at the time, my style was never going to fit the guidelines for category romance.

When I started to write Undertaking Love I had no clue what the heck I was going to do with it, and it is only by luck that I posted the partial onto HarperCollins Authonomy website. That seems a long time ago now, and it has been an exciting ride (punctuated by those loooooooong nail-biting periods of silence that we are all accustomed to of course).

The book has changed title, I've changed pseudonym, and here we are at last, almost good to go. :O)

The amazon listing went live a couple of weeks ago for pre-order, and from there on in things really started to hot up. Review copies have gone out, and last week Undertaking Love featured in The Sun national newspaper as their e-book of the week!
That was a real thrill, as was the subsequent effect on the rankings. I'm already addicted to watching sales and rankings data from my Kitty French books, so this is my brand new baby to obsess over. :O)

I'm ridiculously excited already;  I think a tranquilizer dart might be required next week!

Kat xx

The official blurb for Undertaking Love from HarperCollins, and the links to Amazon UK & US.

The moment love-phobic Marla Jacobs discovers that the shop next to her Little White Wedding Chapel is to become a funeral parlour, she declares all-out war.

Marla’s chapel in the sleepy Shropshire countryside has become a nation-wide sensation, but the arrival of Funeral Director Gabriel Ryan threatens everything Marla has worked for. She can picture the scene: wedding limos fighting for space in the street with hearses; brides bumping into widows; bouquets being swapped for wreaths

Marla’s not going down without a fight. She enlists a motley crew of weird and wonderful local supporters, and the battle lines are drawn. But, as soon as Marla meets her nemesis, she realises just how much trouble she’s really in. His gypsy curls and Irish lilt make her stomach fizz – how is she supposed to concentrate on destroying him, when half the time she’s struggling not to rip the shirt off his back?

Funny, romantic, and dangerously sexy, UNDERTAKING LOVE is a delightful debut from an exciting new voice in Women’s fiction.

Click HERE for Undertaking Love on Amazon UK, available on pre-order now.

Click HERE for Undertaking Love on Amazon US, available on pre-order now. 

Thoughts and Prayers

In light of the events taking place just now at the Boston marathon, we've decided not to run our planned light hearted post today.

All of our thoughts and prayers are with those involved and their families at this horrible time.

The Minxes xx

Author Spotlight - Charlotte Phillips

Today we're pleased to welcome the fabulously minxy, Harlequin KISS/Riva author, Charlotte Phillips to the blog. You may remember Charlotte as one of the finalists from New Voices 2011. 

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I’ve been faffing about with writing since I was just a kid but it’s only in the last few years that I started taking it seriously. The turning point for me came when I entered a chapter in Mills & Boon’s New Voices competition in 2011. I ended up in the final four and after that I started throwing everything at my writing ambitions. All my achievements since have come from that moment. I squash my writing around family life, keeping two teenagers out of trouble and looking after a four-year old.

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

This is my second published book but it was the first one I wrote (if that makes sense!). I spent years picking it up, fiddling with it and shutting it back in the wardrobe before I eventually submitted it to Mills & Boon. It was initially rejected after major revisions but after I sold they asked to look at it again. It has a limited release in the UK only for now, although I hope it will get a full release further down the line. I’m so happy it will finally get out there as it really was my baby!

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 has its place! I definitely have times when writing is the best thing ever and the words seem to flow from my fingers, and then other times when it’s like pulling teeth. Forcing myself to keep writing at those times is the only thing that works for me. I set a target of 1k a day and make myself keep going until I reach it, even if I’m still messing about at 3pm and I think I’m writing dross. Some of the time it turns out not to be dross and even if it is, once the words are down they are far more fixable.

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

Not to get too bogged down by the promo! I’m on Twitter and Facebook and I try to blog at least once a month. I also think it’s important to have a website with good up-to-date information on your books, along with excerpts, blurbs, buying links etc. I’ve just discovered Goodreads (can’t believe it’s taken me so long) and I think that is a fabulous site. But all this stuff takes up a lot of time and the most important thing is to get the books done to the absolute best standard I can. I try to prioritise that.

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

Since my smallest daughter started school last September I’m much more time-rich than I used to be! I try to write from 9am-12pm on weekdays, longer if I haven’t hit my wordcount or if it’s flowing particularly well. In the afternoon I make notes or draft scenes by hand in between doing housework and running around after the kids. I have notebooks all over the place! Weekends are family time, but I still fit in the odd hour here and there, especially if I’m near a deadline.

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

I read from my article list on Blogger every day. I love the articles on Romance University, I always read the Minxes blog (of course!) and I especially like the craft posts that some of the authors I follow write – Maisey Yates does craft advice brilliantly, as does Fiona Harper.

7. Any craft books you recommend?

Liz Fielding’s Little Book Of Writing Romance is a brilliant pared-down craft book for keeping you on track while you write your first draft. It cuts through all the faff.
Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat! and Michael Hauge’s Writing Screenplays That Sell are invaluable to me. I’m a real planner and I’ve used both their approaches and found them so helpful.
And Stephen King’s On Writing for its pure kick-up-the-butt inspiration.

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

I feel like I’m best mates with all my heroines while I’m writing them. I always feel like I’m really living their journey and as a result I have to work really hard to make sure I don’t neglect the hero. I have to keep in mind that it’s a 50-50 story of two people with their own backgrounds and experiences that converges.

9. At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?

It’s all still a bit surreal, to be honest! I think when I received my first box of author copies. Seeing my name on the cover was a special moment.

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

I can write to any of these quite happily. I think the ability to tune sound out stems from all that time spent squeezing my writing in around a mad toddler. I still do a lot of writing by hand in notebooks with Disney films in the background or at the end of the table while my small one builds things from Lego. But I’m just as happy writing in total silence. Whatever works in the time I have!

The Proposal Plan

Click to buy from Amazon (UK release only, sadly)

How do you get the wedding you’ve always wanted?

Lucy Telford knows all about heartache – her teenage crush on her friend Gabriel Blake was a crash course in unrequited love – but these days she’s determined to make her own happy ending. If her boyfriend won’t get down on one knee, she’ll just have to ask him herself!

Step one is enlisting Gabriel’s help – as an absolute woman-magnet, surely he can give her some tips on becoming irresistible? But Lucy’s perfect plan goes awry when she starts wondering if she’s asking the right man to walk her down the aisle…

New Imprints, Submission Calls and News

This is an exciting time to be a writer, and most especially a romance writer. With romances doing so well on all the Best Seller lists, and new imprints opening up, the future has never looked so bright.

So today I thought I'd use my space on the Minxes blog to share the news of a few of these bright new opportunities.

First up, is the announcement of a new digital first imprint from Harper Collins, named Harper Impulse, led by Kimberly Young, former editorial director at Harlequin Mills & Boon and then Mira. Harper Impulse are open to unsolicited submissions, and are eagerly searching for new talent in the Romance and New Adult genres. More information is available on their Facebook page. [And while there, don't forget to vote for your favourite historical hero].

Harlequin are looking for short, sexy reads for their new Cosmo Red Hot Reads line, a tie-in with Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Entangled Publishing have recently put out a submission call for One Night In... They are looking for novellas featuring a one night stand in an exotic locale. Who doesn't love the idea of a holiday romance that ends in a Happy Ever After?

It's old news by now I know, but for those interested in writing New Adult, Carina Press have also put out a submission call for New Adult stories.

Our very own Kat French, more reputable alter ego of the best-selling Kitty French, has her debut novel available for pre-order on Amazon now. I was lucky enough to read this story before it was snapped up by Harper Collins for their Authonomy imprint, and I can guarantee this is a fun, sexy, humorous book that you can't fail to love. More on Undertaking Love here on this blog soon.

Finally, a little personal news from moi. Tomorrow I will be resuming my blog series on Behind the Scenes in the film business. If there's ever anything you wanted to know about how movies are made, what a Grip does, or who the heck a Gaffer is, then ask here. Added bonus: if you follow my blog, you'll be the first to hear my imminent exciting news.

Author Spotlight - Maya Blake

Today we have our very own Minx Maya Blake in the Spotlight. Maya's second Harlequin Presents novel, The Sinful Art of Revenge, is on sale at all Harlequin Mills & Boon stockists. Buy links for the eBook version are below.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I live in Southeast England, I’m married with two kids and I’ve been reading for far longer than I can remember doing anything else. I write for Modern/Harlequin Presents for Harlequin Mills & Boon and Romantic Suspense for Entangled Publishing.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th? (Nora Only)

200 – ha, I wish! This is No.2 with Harlequin Presents and it’s a story I was itching to write even before I sold. I’d always wanted to write a full or half Japanese hero/heroine and Reiko was just the perfect heroine for this story.

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

The reality of deadlines means I have no choice in the matter, which is a huge relief to a procrastinator like me, lol. That said, I’m finding out that writing a little, often, or if you’re lucky, a lot, often, really makes the words flow much faster and easier, so even when I’m not on deadline I like to practice a bit of bichok whenever I can! Of course, once the words are down, the credit card goes wild on those online shoe shops!

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

I have no hard and fast rule for promo. I firmly believe putting yourself in a position where you can interact generally with as many authors and readers as possible is the best way to promote yourself and your book. To that end, I maintain a Twitter, Facebook and blog through which I try to reach as many people as possible.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit around your writing?

Unfortunately, I’m not yet in a position to fit my day around writing as I still have a full-time day job. I have a non-rigid routine where I write after my kids are in bed until about midnight (or the word count has been achieved, whichever comes first).

Do you write every day?

I really wish I could say yes, but when I’m not on deadline, I allow myself the freedom of writing in big chunks three or four times a week. When I’m on a deadline, however, I have no choice but to set myself a daily word count and stick to it.

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

This will sound like a cop-out but I’m always dying to write my next book! I have several characters clamouring for their story and sometimes they don’t want to wait till the current book is finished, lol!

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

To summarise it in a few words, the pressure is 100% more intense but the rewards are so very worth it!

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

I’d love Reiko and Damion to return to Kyoto. It was a scene of a lot of angst for them but also a place where they each saw a different side to the other – for instance, Damion learned what a great dancer Reiko is when they went clubbing, so I’d love them to go dancing even as they laid a few ghosts to rest. I’m also sure Reiko would love to show her adopted and new child their very first cherry blossom season.

Have you written a hero you’d be happy to run off with?

Gosh, yes! I fall in love with each hero I write. But if I had to choose one I’d run off with, it’d have to be Rafael de Cervantes, the hero of my fourth book, who’s very impatiently awaiting his verdict on my editor’s desk. He’s cheeky, completely irreverent but with a wounded soul that makes me want to forgive him just about anything!

Book Blurb

Taking what is rightfully his

Endless tabloid coverage has left Reiko Kagawa with way too much information about art dealer Damion Fortier's legendary playboy exploits—everyone knows he's renowned for leaving a wake of broken hearts across Europe's most glamorous destinations!

Damion isn't used to beautiful women scorning his advances, so it's definitely time to turn his lethal charm up one last notch to ensure he gets exactly what he wants….

Reiko knows she has two things Damion wants: the first, a priceless painting and Fortier heirloom. The second, her seriously off-limits body! And she has no intention of giving him access to either.


The Sinful Art of Revenge is available now from Amazon and Amazon UK, and direct from Harlequin and Mills & Boon.

You can chat to Maya on her blog, via Pinterest or Twitter.

The Blank Page

I'm at that wonderful bug-eyed, exhausted-but-happy stage where I've finished writing a book (yippee :-) and have a lovely new idea bouncing around, begging me to write it.

Don't you just love that blank page waiting for the ideas to tumble onto it? I am a confirmed planner and have to say I love the whole spreadsheet/research stage. I also like the feeling that I have to write a story, I only hope it lasts well beyond chapter one.

How do you take this first stage? Any stellar planning tips you can share with us? I've started using Pinterest and love being able to pin pictures of lovely men onto my storyboards and be able to claim it's research! Click here if you'd like to see the storyboard for the book I've just finished.

I've stumbled across William Levy, sadly not literally ;-) I think he makes wonderful hero inspiration, what do you think?

Author Spotlight - Natalie Charles

I know I'm not the only one who remembers Natalie Charles' winning entry in the last New Voices contest, and who's been eagerly awaiting getting my hands on a copy. It's here at last and the Minxes are exceptionally pleased to be able to bring you an inside glimpse into the heart-pumping action and romance of The Seven-Day Target.

1. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

I'm a debut author for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and the winner of Mills & Boon's 2011 New Voices competition. When I'm not writing, I'm working as an attorney or a mom or a wife. Like so many women, I wear a lot of hats.

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

One and a half? When I won New Voices, I won the opportunity to have The Seven-Day Target published in the Mills & Boon Introduces anthology, which was released in October 2012 in the UK. When my manuscript was accepted for publication, Harlequin Romantic Suspense offered a contract to publish with the line in 2013. Because Harlequin Romantic Suspense was increasing its word limits for all books beginning in January, 2013, publication with the line meant I had to add 10 to 15k to my manuscript. Rather than adding scenes or chapters, I ended up rewriting the book almost entirely.

So, The Seven-Day Target is the same basic story line as the version I used when entering New Voices—same characters and same conflict—but almost completely re-imagined.

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?

To be quite honest, I've struggled with this lately because I'm expecting a second child in June and the fatigue has been unbelievable. Going to bed early has become an even greater temptation than shoe shopping! But when I'm feeling more myself, it's all about discipline and goal setting. I try to set weekly word count goals, and once I accomplish them, I reward myself by doing something fun, like reading or watching a television show I enjoy.

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

At this stage I'm such a newbie that I've yet to figure out what works on a personal level. But I can tell you that what doesn't work for me as a reader is endless tweeting about a book. My eyes glaze over when I see anything on Twitter resembling an advertisement.

I choose my books based on reviews, and not just five star reviews, either. I've never been deterred from a reading a book that interested me based on a bad review. I guess my top promo tip would be to get your books into the hands of readers who will review them honestly.

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

Since I work full time and police a toddler in the evenings, I usually end the day with writing. It sometimes feels like these are the only hours I have to devote to something entirely of my choosing, so in that way, it's a very special time. That said, I wish the rest of my day could fit around my writing, instead. Alas.

6. Any craft books you recommend?

Stephen King's On Writing. I keep it in my nightstand drawer and I return to it when I need a kick in the pants. As readers, we never see the sweat and tears that go into producing a phenomenal book – all we see is the end product. Unfortunately that lack of perspective can trick us into believing that we can't achieve a phenomenal book on our own, or that writing well should come easily. King always reminds me that there's nothing more to writing than hard work, and lots of it.

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

I'm not sure why, but the biggest surprise to me was that writing as a published author feels an awful lot like a job. It's much different to sit down and write because you feel moved by the muse than it is to sit down and write because you have a contractual deadline. Then there are things like revisions and line edits, and just when you think you're ready to move on to something else, AA's show up in your inbox. I received AA's for The Seven-Day Target on the same day I had an emergency appendectomy. My editor was lovely and very understanding when I explained the situation, but it's just an example of how total control flies out the window once you're writing for a publisher.

Don't get me wrong – I still find many joyful moments when writing, and those moments are what keep me going. I knew that deadlines and other business realities would come with the territory, but it's eye-opening nonetheless.

8. At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?

I always imagined that when I was a Real Writer, I would carry a stylish messenger bag and frequent urban coffee shops. It just seemed like something a Real Writer would do. I still don't have a stylish messenger bag, though, and it seems like such a luxury to be able to write any place that isn't my couch after nightfall, so I've had to rethink my fantasy.

It didn't happen when I got The Call, or even when I went through the many necessary steps to prepare The Seven-Day Target for publication. I really didn't even feel like a real writer when I held the anthology in my hands for the first time – knowing that my book would be on a shelf on a different continent felt much too abstract. I think I felt like a writer for the first time when I was invited to speak on a panel at a book conference. People were asking me questions about my writing process and looking for advice like I was an actual writer. That was surreal, and while I still feel like I may never achieve my fantasy Real Writer status, I definitely felt in that moment that maybe I was a writer, after all.

9. Writing snacks – what are your favourites?

Oh, chocolate, definitely. I also love to write with a big glass of red wine – not these days, for obvious reasons. If I'm writing earlier in the day, I also love coffee. Do coffee and wine count as snacks?

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

I'm a person who gets bogged down with details, and the more I focus on how to solve a problem, the more frustrated I can get. One of my best tips is to know when to walk away from a manuscript. Not forever, but for a few hours or a day or two. Take a walk, drive down a boring road, or take a shower. I find that my best ideas come to me during my morning commute, when I'm sitting in traffic and sort of on auto-pilot. I can be listening to a song on the radio and suddenly! I know what I need to do with my manuscript.

It's difficult to take those breaks. It feels lazy. But our creative mind is working its hardest when we daydream, so I'm a firm believer in taking smart, temporary breaks. For me, it's part of the process.

Thank you so much for hosting me today!

Love never dies, but can it kill?

He never meant to speak to her again. Back in Arbor Falls for a funeral, Special Agent Nick Foster has moved on. He has no plans to stay in his tiny hometown--or to reunite with the beautiful Libby Andrews. His onetime fiancée broke his heart, and what's past should stay buried.

Libby doesn't want his help. Her childhood sweetheart can never know the real reason she ended their engagement three years before. But when a serial killer targets her, she must team up with the rugged agent for her own safety. Something in her past has put her in danger, and the passion they've reignited puts their future in deadly jeopardy.

The Seven-Day Target is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Depository. In the UK it's available as a special release with two other debuts from Amazon UK and Mills & Boon.

Author Spotlight - Gina Rossi

Hello Minxes. It’s wonderful to be here as your guest blogger today. I’m looking forward to talking a little about my writing and my new book ‘Life After 6 Tequilas’, released on 6th March 2013 by ThornBerry Publishing.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Born in South Africa, I grew up there and moved to the UK as an adult. After a few years we tore ourselves away from the Cotswolds and moved again. These days, I’m lucky enough to live on the French Riviera, on the doorstep of Provence and close enough to Italy for regular forays. I’m a writer, but more importantly – and the list is long ‒ a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, in-law, aunt and friend – life is pretty full!

What number book is this?
‘Life After 6 Tequilas’ is my second traditionally published book. My first was an historical romance, ‘The Wild Heart’ (June 2012), and I have a third book, the self-published romantic novella, ‘To Hear You Smile’, a tribute to the London 2012 Paralympics.

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?
If you don’t treat writing like a regular job – boring bits and unpaid overtime included – you’ll never get a book written. Just as you would probably lose your day job if you downed tools and went shoe shopping every time you didn’t feel like doing it. Stick to the writing and keep shoe shopping for evenings and weekends, or, if you must, order online during coffee breaks!

What’s your top promo tip for other authors?
Write more books. Also, think very seriously about the time you spend on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blogs etc. Never use these platforms solely to promote – advertise – your work over and over. Readers and writers alike will be put off. Rather spend that time writing. Also, build support by being kind to aspiring writers. If you’re nice to people, they’ll buy your books and spread the word, so don’t brag about how you write 5000 pure, perfect words 24/7, in case the rest of us are having a ‘freezing garret’ day. Be empathetic, and approachable

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit around writing?
In the ideal world of normality and steady routine, ha ha, writing takes precedence all day, every day. Mornings are used for work i.e. research, typing up scenes I’ve scrawled on a paper serviette, social media, correspondence and chores. Afternoons are the clear water ahead for writing. If it’s Christmas, or time for family hols, I take a complete break. These are great times to turn your mind elsewhere and re-fill the well (so, always have a notebook handy).

Any craft books you recommend?
‘Writing Down the Bones’ by Natalie Goldberg
This amazing woman can save you a heap of grief by teaching you in the simplest way possible to clear the clamour in your head, open yourself to creativity and make a physical habit of writing.
‘On Writing’ by Stephen King
His simple analysis of writing as telepathy really did it for me.
‘Writing the Breakout Novel Handbook’ by Donald Maass
This is great for when your story is stuck on the page in an ordinary world. Maass will help you build plot layers, intensify conflict, and strengthen voice, point of view and character.

What was the most fun part of writing ‘Life After 6 Tequilas’?
‘Life After 6 Tequilas’ is set in London, in 2011, and some of the real-life events of that year shaped the story. It really focussed my mind and gave me direction in the most unexpected ways. I became a news junkie and kept notes on all the political and cultural events, most of which – you’ll be glad to know – I weeded out in the end.

Which of your characters would you like to be?
In this book, I’d have a go at being Lara Johnson. She’s a secondary character, and the heroine’s fearless mother. She’s a bit like a female Bear Grylls; a tall, bespectacled Audrey Hepburn-lookalike in combat gear, somehow always smelling of Chanel No 5. She’s a wildlife photographer, so ‒ hang on ‒ is frequently found wading in swamps, festooned with poisonous spiders, or freezing on rogue ice floes. Realistically, if I were Lara, I’d have to be carried, for the entire duration of whatever excursion, aloft, by bearers, because I don’t like stuff like cold water or snakes and all that goes with them. Oh, and I’d need dedicated, trustworthy bearers for my shoes and chocolate. Put it this way, I’d like to be Lara Johnson off-assignment.

Have you ever written a hero you’d like to run off with?
Ooh, yes, all of them, I’m afraid. I’m worried *pulls very concerned face* that if they’re not hot enough, my heroines won’t want them. They are tall, dark, handsome, courageous, loyal, impulsive, adventurous, intelligent and totally irresistible. What’s a girl to do? However, they’re all a tad young for me so I’ll stick with my real-life hero of several decades. He patiently reads every word I write, knows the exact moment when only wine will do, still knows what a date is, and lives by the motto ‘Keep Calm and Put Up With Gina’ – just four of the 901 407 reasons I love him!

Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a roadblock?
Yes, I change format. I stop the mad typing, pick up a notebook and pen and write longhand for a day. I write on the right-hand page and edit opposite, a few days later, on the left. For me, writing by hand changes the pace, shifts the creative process into a different gear. I find the flow between heart and brain, via the hand, onto the page, both soothing and productive. As the ideas gather, I speed up and it’s back to the keyboard.

*****

Thanks so much for having me here today. I’ve really enjoyed chatting to you today. I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and readers and writers are most welcome to join me there.

*****

‘Life After 6 Tequilas’ BLURB:

Beth Johnson, an upbeat, hardworking, single mum living in London takes the humorous challenges of life in her stride. Her career is fast-tracking but that’s secondary to baby Jacob – his care and development is paramount. When her impeccably-organized childcare routine implodes at the worst possible moment, she has no choice but to leave Jacob with unlikely ‘nanny’, Davit Kacharava, a Georgian migrant. Is she making an enormous mistake, letting this stranger into her comfortable world, even if he is gorgeous? She’s drawn to Davit but he resists, so why does she reveal to him the shocking secret that overshadows her life? And can she face the truth – do what’s right for herself, Jacob and Davit – before it’s too late?

Available now in ebook format (paperback coming soon from Amazon and Amazon UK.

It's a bling thing

As romance readers and writers, we often find ourselves escaping reality with alpha millionaires and their fabulous lifestyles.
I recently came across a website that's wonderful for research purposes ~ some of the things on there make the mind boggle!

Bornrich is my go-to website if you want to find the most expensive penthouses, jewellery and cars on the planet. It's strictly for lottery winners and day dreamers, but great fun for browsing none the less.

Fancy San Francisco Bay's finest home?  You'll need deep pockets to afford the $45 million dollar price tag.

There's some drop dead gorgeous things on the website, and some pretty darn random stuff on there, too.

Lets see... would you like to see an alpha hero who owned either of these things in your next romance read?

For his expensive car, the worlds most expensive care wax in a gold plated swarovski bottle? A snip at $97,000.

For his cleaner, the world most expensive 24 carat gold pated vacuum cleaner?

Or maybe he'd buy the heroine fancy lingerie, millionaire style of course, moulded out of 18 carat gold and encrusted with 500 carats of diamonds...

Doesn't look all that comfortable, does it? Personally, I think i'd rather stick with M&S!

I tell you what does make my heart beat faster though... THIS BABY.

It's a fridge, it's a freezer, it's a fresh coffee maker, it's an ice maker, it's a steam oven, it's a double pantry... it's heavenly, isn't it?

Ferrari's don't float my boat, but I'd marry a man for this kitchen equipment any day!

Author Spotlight - Michelle Smart

Today the Minxes welcome good friend Michelle Smart to talk about her debut book with Entangled Publishing. Michelle also has her debut Harlequin Presents to look forward to later this year. To find out more about Michelle and her books, please visit her website.

1.  Tell our readers a little bit about yourself

I’m a married mother of two with a serious book addiction and a serious allergy to housework.

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

This is my debut (although about the fifth book written – the others were all pants)

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 find supergluing my bottom to the seat works really well.

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

I'm a complete newbie so I have no idea!

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

Everything fits in around my writing. Everything. Apart from the school run. However, I’m currently working on a top secret plan to install a portal that links my house to the school. I’m also training my children to cook and clean.

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

I have plotted at least three non-romance books in my head. They’re all thrillers and who knows, one day I might actually get off my superglued bottom and write one of them!

7.  Any craft books you recommend?

Stephen King's On Writing

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

Absolutely. I climb the stairs in my house at least a dozen times a day.

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

I listen to music – I put my earphones in, stick iTunes on and off I go. Because I write books that are often so emotional, I mostly listen to love songs (not all sappy ones either!). As I’ve also downloaded a few tunes for my kids, it can be a little disconcerting when the shuffle suddenly switches from JealousGuy to Gangnam Style.

10.  Writing snacks – what are your favourites?

Twirls, Crunchies, Twixes, Nik Naks, Wotsits and Jelly Beans. I believe in a varied diet.

Socialite Pippa Rowantree has always provided excellent fodder for the UK’s gossip rags. After another unfortunate scandal sends the gossips into a feeding frenzy, her shamed family retaliates by forcing her into hiding at old family friend Marco Capello’s lush Caribbean estate—literally the last place on earth she wants to be.

As far as Marco’s concerned, wild child Pippa has ruined his life once and he’ll be damned if he lets her do it again. But it’s hard to reconcile the adolescent he knew with the mature, beautiful woman who stands before him. Soon he's questioning if everything the media is claiming about Pippa is the truth or if he should trust his heart.

Buy here: Amazon, Amazon UK, iBookstore

Nashville Watching

I already have a whole load of regular favourite TV series, but I've recently added a new one into the mix-Nashville, written by Thelma & Louise screenwriter Callie Khouri.

It's the story of Rayna Jaymes, a 40 year old Nashville superstar whose star is beginning to fade. Rayna wants to continue with her career and singing is her first love, but her husband Teddy is keen to run for Major, with her controlling rich father's support, and Rayna feels the pressure of having to support her family in the meantime. The need for money means she's being pressured from all sides, her agent wants her to do a tour with up-and-coming country singer Juliette Barnes (something she doesn't want to do) and her husband wants her to do a commercial. She's also torn between Teddy and her guitarist ex lover and songwriter Deacon Claybourne.

The two women clash when Juliette makes moves on Deacon. He's a fantastic songwriter, and she wants him to go  on tour with her, to write songs for her and she also fancies him rotten. The fact that he's devoted to Rayna is a thorn in her side, and her life is far from easy too. She's plagued by her addict mother, and her career is in jeapordy when she's filmed shoplifting.

If the two women, one man thing wasn't enough, there are an excellent side plot going on with Deacon's niece, Scarlett, who's stuck in a love triangle with her boyfriend and co-songwriter.

But what really makes Nashville compelling viewing for me is the music. The actors who play all the characters actually sing the songs in the series, most of which seem to have been comissioned for the show, and they are really great. So much so, that the album of songs from Nashville titled The Music of Nashville: Season one, Volume one sold 56,000 copies on it's first week of release.

If you haven't watched it yet, do!

Here's a sample from YouTube, Rayna and Deacon singing in a club. With Juliette casting daggers in the audience...

Author Spotlight - Georgia Hill

I’m so pleased to welcome the very lovely Georgia Hill to our blog today.

Hi, Georgia, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
Hi everyone! Thanks for having me. I’m Georgia Hill and I write contemporary romance. I taught for 20 years but am now a full-time writer and loving it. I live in Herefordshire with my long-suffering husband, 2 naughty spaniels and a ghost called Zoe.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
Love’s As Easy As ABC is book number 3 (the other 97 are still in my head!). It’s a sort-of sequel to my second, In a Class of His Own. Some of the characters reappear but it can be read as a standalone too. It’s the story of Laura who is trying to forget her troubled past and features my favourite hero. I absolutely loved writing it!

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 probably the world’s worst procrastinator, so not the best person to answer this! I drink lots of coffee, pace around a bit, write a few words down, put some washing in, write a bit more, take the washing out, make more coffee, do another chapter .You get the picture. Sometimes though, when you’re really not in the mood and the words simply won’t flow, it’s best to go and do that shoe shopping. Writing can be like pulling teeth sometimes!

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
I’m not sure I’ve been ‘at it’ long enough to give an answer to this one. The best thing I’ve done is make some supportive writing friends; they always come up with great ideas. I have a Facebook page, I’m on Twitter and have a website; the usual things. A tongue in cheek post or tweet can keep you in the public eye – and sell books.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
I’ve gradually got into a routine, which works for me. I do a bit of net-working stuff in the mornings, over breakfast. Walk the dogs, which tends to pep you up at this time of year (it was -3C this morning!), do a few chores and then get down to some writing 2 to 6, then 7 to 9pm. But – if the wonderful and all too rare Muse pays a visit, everything else is forgotten and I hammer away at the key-board oblivious to anything else I need to do.

Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?
I loved writing Simon and Laura. Laura was a challenge to write, as she’s very different to me, especially at the beginning of Love’s As Easy As ABC. Simon is a romantic man and very protective of Laura; I think he’d probably spoil her. Their next holiday is their honeymoon – maybe to the Scilly Isles or perhaps the Azores -  nowhere too obvious (and as far away from Margo as possible – she upstaged everyone, including the bride, at the wedding!)

Which of your characters would you like to be?
Ooh – I’d love to be Perdita from Pursued by Love. She’s a beautiful, talented actor, has a fabulous life-style – and ended up with Nick, who is dark, dangerous and gorgeous!

Could you be friends with any of your heroines?
I’d be friends with Nicky Hathaway out of In a Class of His Own. She’s feisty and confident and likes to party. She’d be great fun to have around.

Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?
This depends on what sort of writing I’m doing. I don’t often like complete silence and usually have Radio 2 on very quietly in the background. If have to concentrate hard, then it’s silence. If I’m writing a romantic scene, I’ll put something seductive on: Adele, Mathilde Santing, Fleet Foxes and Scott Matthews get played a lot. Kate Bush once provided me with the perfect line for a hero. There’s also a Julia Fordham track – Behind Closed Doors – which sums up heartbreak for me. Music’s important and can help create the mood I want to write.

Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?
I wish! Talking it through with supportive friends, super-gluing one’s bottom to the chair, gritting teeth and just getting on with it are all things I do. If I’m really stuck on a tricky bit, I play Mozart. Works every time – and no, I don’t know why either!

Here’s a little about Love’s As Easy As ABC:

All Laura wants to do is begin her teaching career and forget her troubled past. After what she’s been through, she wants little to do with men, especially charming but untrustworthy fellow teacher Miles. When his coolly confident older brother is taken on as Deputy Head however, Laura has to reassess who she is and what she really wants. Has she the strength of character to recover her lost confidence - and will she ever find true love with the right man?

Here’s the very striking cover:

And you can buy it here:
Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

www.georgiahill.co.uk
@georgiawrites

Thank you for visiting us today, Georgia. Love's As Easy As ABC sounds like a fab read.

Good News Monday: March

The Minxes thought it would be fun to use the first Monday of every month to celebrate our good news. We're also opening this up to all of our Minxy friends so anyone who has some good news they'd like to share, please email Catherine putting "Good News Monday" in the title or directly via Twitter. 

From the Minxes

Maya Blake has had her 3rd book accepted for the Mills & Boon Modern line. It's entitled Marriage Made of Secrets and scheduled for release in both the US and the UK in October. If that's too long to wait, don't forget you can pick up The Sinful Art of Revenge from the Mills & Boon site now!

Tara Pammi has received confirmation her first two books are to be released as a duet in the Mills & Boon Modern/Presents line in October & November of this year. Their tagline is The Sensational Stanton Sisters: Notoriety Has a Name and the October book is titled A Hint of Scandal! 

Kitty French's red hot smash hit Knight & Play is now available on Kobo, Nook and Apple.

From our friends

Michelle Smart's first release from Entangled is Tempted by Trouble and is scheduled for release next week!

And last but definitely not least, the wonderfully talented and immensely entertaining Amalie Berlin has sold to Harlequin M&B Medical!!!! 

And, finally, because everyone needs a good laugh on a Monday morning, here's a couple of videos that made the Minxes giggle this morning!

Author Spotlight – Phillipa Ashley

Today, I’m very pleased to welcome Phillipa Ashley to our blog.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I live in the Staffordshire village where the Anglo Saxon gold was found (not by me, sadly) and I write commercial copy for my day job as well as writing romantic fiction. When I’m not writing, I try to surf and fail miserably so I retreat to a cafe instead. I read all genres of romance from the sweet to the erotic – as long as they have warmth and heart.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
Well, Miranda’s Mount is my sixth book but I have number seven out in June and eight in October. Nine is underway.

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 go shoe shopping. Seriously, I *do* go shopping. I tend to have very creative periods that last for months or even years then I hit a wall of nothing when I have no inspiration or motivation. I don’t write books when I feel down or spent and have had as long as six months off. But I do have commercial work during that time, and I just trust my mojo will return.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
If I had one that worked I’d be a millionaire! I think that success has become increasingly random but I suspect that Amazon plays a huge role in making your novel visible. I have heard that if you can get your book bought alongside a best seller, that can be a huge boost to sales. Somtimes just having a similar cover or title can be enough – or happening to be in the right place in the market at the right time. How you achieve all these things, I don’t know. Unfortunately, I think price is vital in the UK too.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
I treat it like a day at the office, starting early and finishing around 4.30 – then I go to the gym or for a swim and do more work when I get back. I plan long term projects like books around the short term deadlines of my commercial work and it all works out in the end!

Is there a book you haven't written yet that you're dying to? What genre?
I’d wanted to write a red hot kinky romance for a few years now but never dared. After 50 Shades came out last year, and it became ‘normal’ to discuss BDSM romance, I realised I was crazy not to go for it: I sold that book last night and it will be published in October!

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
Yes! It may not look like it but I go to the health club 5 times a week, for a combo of gym/swim and spinning. Mainly I go to try and de-stress and because they gym staff are often the first humans I’ve seen all day, and they have an outdoor pool, Costa coffee and newspapers. I love going and it helps to keep writers’ bottom at bay and is good for your cardio system and back. Blimey, that sounds boring ... but I also like surfing and I couldn’t do that if I didn’t at least try to keep fit (and I’ve a big birthday this year so I need to work harder than ever!)

Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
All of them – unless I want to run off with them, there’s no point in creating him! I would never leave my gorgeous, patient husband, naturally and there’s a bit of him in all of them. If I said I’d run off with Alex from my October naughty book, you might worry about me (OK. Maybe just for a day, if he was *very* gentle with me.)

At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?
Relatively recently. Probably not until I sold two books to Piatkus Entice – my first ‘big’ mainstream romances. I had two offers from really good publishers for those and when Miranda’s Mount won the Festival of Romance, I thought: well, maybe I am a proper writer. I’ve finally started to feel I have more control over my craft – sometimes!

Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?
Radio or TV. I hate working in silence though I never hear a thing when I’m actually writing. They could announce the end of the world and I’d still be into my book when it all blew up!

And here’s a little about Miranda’s Mount, which you can buy from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic...

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect - some would say obsession - with other people's histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she's made St Merryn's Mount one of the UK's most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn't bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright.

Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation, Jago St Merryn not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she's forced to delve into painful memories she'd much rather keep hidden . . .

Thank you so much for joining us here today, Phillipa, it’s been lovely to learn more about you.

Dream a little dream...

I've been complaining to Minxes about my odd dreams. I hardly manage to close my eyes before they start. Always detailed and in colour – and sometimes in anime.

And they can be scary stuff.

In one, that has been recurring since I was about five, my family is taking tea on the elegant terrace of a large country house. We’re having a great time, when my sister suddenly transforms into a howling, snarling German Shepherd.

Not nice.

In another more recent one, I’m being hounded by a nameless, faceless monster. Chased into all manner of unsavoury corners of the world as this beast tried to derail me from my vital quest to buy a sink. Seriously. A sink. And, even though my task is of great importance, nobody will sell me one.

But that was better than the night I was going to a wedding. I spent ages finding the perfect outfit – a floor-length red dress which made me look stunning AND thin (I liked that bit of the dream). I was devastated, though, when I was told I couldn't wear it because it was exactly the same as a dress chosen by one of the bridesmaids. And nobody seemed to think it odd that the bridesmaid in question looked better in the dress than I did – even though he was a six foot tall, middle-aged man with a moustache.

Every morning I seem to wake with that uneasy feeling of something not quite right. And, even though I know it was all a dream, it’s very hard to regain a sense of normality. And I’m permanently exhausted.

I have no idea why this is happening because I try to never put anything bad in my head. I don’t watch creepy films or read scary books. And I always drift off to sleep thinking happy thoughts.

And these dreams are useless to a romance writer.

But could you imagine how lovely it would be to dream in romance novel style? New stories acted out by a dreamy cast; plot problems ironed out as you sleep; characters assembled and reviewed for suitability before you commit a single word to the page...

It would make writing so much easier.

So, what I want to know is, how do I turn my dreams around? How do I control these night-time mental images so I dream of handsome heroes and lovely love stories that I can type up as soon as I wake?

Author Spotlight - Jackie Ashenden

Welcome to Jackie Ashenden today. We're thrilled to help her celebrate her first release (although it is the first of MANY, so prepare yourselves for a treat :-)

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Well, I've been writing since I was 12 and my first stories were fantasies based on LOTR. They were not awesome. But I wrote my first romance at 14 and that was. Totally. I was hooked. So for the next 20 years I wrote romances just for myself and a friend. I'd always dreamed of getting published but I thought it would be for writing the Great New Zealand Novel and I worried terribly that I wasn't literary enough. And I wasn't and thank God for that! Because I'm much happier writing hot, tortured guys finding their HEAs with strong, stubborn quirky chicks, than writing dreary literary fiction!

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
This is my first book. But I've sold six others since then.

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?
Um, well, you're talking to the wrong woman here. I do like shoes but I LOVE writing. Yes, some days are harder than others, but I've never had a problem with forcing my butt in the chair. It's getting out of it that's hard.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
I seriously believe the best promo you can do is write another book. You can plaster yourself all over the internet but that won't guarantee you sales. The only sure guarantee of sales is by writing and getting more books out there for people to buy. Romance readers are voracious and once they love you, they want to buy EVERYTHING you've written. So sure, do some tweeting and blogging and FBing. But then get back in the chair and get writing.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
Definitely I'm a day fits around my writing kind of girl. My kids are at school and this is my day job – which makes me a very lucky girl.

Do you write every day?
Yes. I try to. I do take some days off now and then – especially after finishing something. But if I don't write I go insane and you wouldn't like to see me insane…

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
Pilates. At the moment I only go once a week but I need to get back into doing it at least twice. It's fabulous for back pain and relaxing your shoulders. And one session of Pilates totally cancels out all chocolate and wine for the whole week. Honest.

Just for fun: a year from the end of the book, where would your couple go on holiday?
They'd totally go snowboarding in Canada. Finn would teach Anna how to board and afterwards there'd be a hot tub….aaaand I'll leave it there. \

At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?
I've always felt like I was a writer. But I only felt it was my job since my first book was accepted – despite spending five years working towards publication full time. I guess you could call that my apprenticeship.

Do you have any tips, tricks or sacrificial rituals you do when you hit a story roadblock?
I walk. Or fold the washing. Or have a shower. Walking and showering in particular are awesome for helping me think my out of a tricky spot. Which would make walking in the rain doubly helpful!


When you’ve been burned, the heat of the moment is the scariest place to be.

Six months after a sexual assault, Anna Jameson has decided enough is enough. She’s sick of being a victim, of letting the experience have power over her. She wants her fear of physical intimacy gone, as in now.

In the quest to reclaim her sexuality, she needs a man. A man she trusts absolutely. A man like her best friend, Finn.

Finn Shaw is all about taking risks. He does it every week on his extreme sports TV show. But there’s one boundary he’s never pushed, and that’s his friendship with Anna. When his hyper-intellectual family kicked him to the curb over his dyslexia, Anna stuck by him.

Her request to become friends with benefits throws him for a loop. He can’t deny her anything, but this is a whole different ball game. Once they’re skin to skin, there will be no hiding the fact that he’s loved her for years.

When their chemistry burns out of control, Finn decides he’s the one who’s had enough. It’s time to break out of the friend box—and show Anna that risking her heart is a risk well worth taking. Even if it costs him her friendship.

Warning: This book contains a strong-willed heroine who knows what she wants, a daredevil hero intent on showing her how much more she could have, sexy love scenes that’ll melt your heart, and a grand gesture you’ll need a tissue for.


Thanks for visiting the Minxes blog Jackie. We wish you every success with this and your other releases :-)

VISIT JACKIE'S BLOG - http://jackieashenden.com 
BUY THE BOOK - click here

Write Right!

First of all I want to say a huge THANKS to all Minx followers for taking Blaze to Amazon.com Top 100 Free Best Sellers Rank: #37 this weekend as well as to #1 in Anthologies & #1 in Romance Short Stories :-)

I've blogged about the disadvantages of writing with a brain injury (see 'When words become enemies') but hadn't thought about the advantages before I attended a WordNerd workshop and met Rebecca Woodhead, who also has damage to the left side of her brain and hasn't let it hold her back. She noticed I spoke much more quickly and fluently when describing images (using the right, undamaged side of my brain) than when using the logical thinking left brain.
While some of what's written about right and left brain activity is over simplistic, some of it is most definitely true. I was reminded of what I'd been taught to do during rehab  - use images more to make up the shortfall (as my visual memory is unimpaired but my auditory memory shot to pieces).
But it never occurred to me that tapping into this more intuitive, image based way of writing could be an actual advantage. 

For instance I've just started using Pinterest to build storyboards and am loving it! And yes, I can use it when too ill to use 'words'. So if you see lots of Pinterest pinning on my Facebook timeline you can guess I'm having a bad health day!
Using voice to text software also leads to a different way of working, describing the story as I see it playing out in my mind without the tiring process of sending the language through my
fingertips.
So, I have a head start favouring this intuitive creativity but if, unlike me, you're hampered by a fully functioning left brain ;-) here are some exercises to help you deliberately use the right side of your brain more:

Writing prompts for the right brain
Exercise your right brain
For the arty among you there is a really interesting book called 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain' explaining how to deliberately use the right side of the brain for increased creativity.

For me, I'm determined to learn more how I can use this to my advantage. Huge thanks to Rebecca for helping me see how an 'impairment' doesn't have to be a disability but could actually enhance my creativity.
I have to say it does explain the huge boost to my creativity the brain injury has given me. I've never painted, drawn, sewn more prolifically in my life than in the past four years. At the moment I'm working on a lamp shade, PJ bottoms, a felt patchwork quilt (I worked out how to make the felt myself), a cross stitch landscape and an appliqué picture and this is actually a quiet phase for me craft-wise as I'm focusing on writing at the moment!

I didn't stumble back into the writing 'flow' until I wrote my story for Blaze (described in the blog post mentioned above) But now I'm determined to use that 'flow' whenever I feel stuck,  rather than trying to overthink my stories. 
Thinking visually will be less tiring for me and who knows, it may even result in better stories. 

Watch this space...