A.S. Fenichel is sick and tire of the cold. She wants to know our favorite vacation spot. I love this topic – so many to choose from! If you joined me from Xio Axelrod, welcome! When I think about my favourite vacations spots, I realize there is a common thread – water. I’m sure I’m not alone in this – there is just something about water that adds to the romance and beauty of a place. I live about 8 hours drive from the coast, but my area is blessed with many beautiful lakes. While I enjoy a vacation exploring the tidal pools at the ocean’s edge, I also love camping next to the calm, quiet waters of an inland lake. Vacations aren’t only for relaxing. They can also be exploring new, exciting worlds. A couple of years ago, we went to the Azores, a tiny group of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic. My husband’s parents emigrated from there to Canada in the 1950’s, and the whole family went back to learn about their heritage, see where they had come from. Now, I love to read books set in places I have been. And I had never read a book set in the Azores. So I decided to write my own! In “No Life But This,” my third completed manuscript, Abigail Garsson is trapped in her safe, boring, conventional life. Desperate for an exciting escape, she signs up for an adventure vacation on the Portuguese island of San Miguel, Azores. That’s where she meets Santos Carregado, a handsome, confident tour guide. A holiday fling becomes something more for both of them, until the realities of Abigail's life reach across the ocean to shatter her holiday daydream. My time for daydreaming about holidays is over. Outside the window the snow is piled high, and inside writing awaits. Why not head over to Kim Handysides now and see where she likes to vacation. I’m pretty sure it might have something to do with sand and surf! But before you go, I invite you to come back to my blog tomorrow as my Romance Writer Weekly friend, A.S. Fenichel, is stopping by to reveal the cover for her new paranormal historical “Deception”. And then on Friday, I’ll have another cover reveal for another RWW pal, Jo Richardson, and her contemporary romantic comedy, “Cookie Cutter”!
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We all love a bit of romance at Christmastime! This week on our blog hop, we've been challenged to tell our favorite Christmas story—whether a book, a movie or a true-life romance.
If you're joining me from Elizabeth Janette, welcome! I have real trouble with these “favourite” assignments. As you may have noticed last week, I cheated a bit, by giving my newest favourite Christmas song. How is it possible to choose from all the great music out there? I feel the same way this week. And so I'm going to cheat again. If you're expecting a romance story, sorry. Although the potential was definitely there, given slightly different circumstances (hmmm – that has me thinking about how to work this in to my next book...) My parents live just outside of town, in a house overlooking a small lake. This particular winter, about ten years ago or so, cold weather hit hard and fast, and there was very little snow. As a result, the entire lake froze solid so quickly that the surface was almost as smooth as a manicured ice rink. And with no blanket of snow, you could skate anywhere you wanted without trouble. That Christmas Eve, my husband and I with our three children headed to Gramma and Grampa's for dinner. Afterward, we all donned our skates and set out across the lake. The ice was so clear you could actually see through it—at least four feet down. Cracks and fissures were visible, but the ice was solid as concrete. Every once in a while a thundering boom would rumble under our feet, giving us a special, spooky thrill. The air was crisp and biting, not too cold, and the stars sparkled overhead. We skated right out to the middle, the scrape of blades on ice cutting through winter's dark silence. When we began our return, the twinkle of Christmas lights on the houses lining the shore beckoned us home. Back at my parents, we warmed up with hot chocolate then made our way to Midnight Mass, already steeped in the wonder of the season. It truly was one of my most memorable Christmas ever. Maybe J.J. Devine has something a little more romantic for you. Head on over and see! Welcome back to the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop! This week, Sarah Hegger has challenged us to name our three favorite book boyfriends and why. My only problem with this assignment – only three? If you joined me from Andrea Mansue, welcome. As soon as I read this week's blog topic, I immediately thought of Gilbert Blythe. The romantic lead in the Anne of Green Gables series has everything a red-blooded Canadian girl could want – intelligence, good looks, loyalty. While I know it was fated that he end up with Anne, I was certainly willing to take her place if she didn't realize what a wonderful man he was. And he becomes a doctor - what's not to love? Then there's my ongoing crush on Aragorn, from Lord of the Rings. Even before Viggo Mortensen played him in the movies, the dark, brooding Ranger was definitely on my book boyfriend list. His mysterious reveal at The Prancing Pony, his skill with a sword, and his long-denied love for Arwen had my heart fluttering. The last of my top three is Steven Scott, from High Stakes by Dick Francis. I've always enjoyed thrillers and mysteries, and the novels with a strong romance subplot always were my favourites. Steven is a modern day toy maker, whose made millions and now own race horses. And he's British, so he has an accent! Like almost all Dick Francis heroes, he finds himself involved in dirty dealings through no fault of his own, and must use his guts, smarts and strength to survive. Definitely someone you could count on to look after you for the rest of your life. Time for you to share! Who are your top three book boyfriends? Why not think about it as you continue along our blog hop. Next up, J.J. Devine! Today's the day! Happy 6 Month Anniversary to the Romance Writer's Weekly! Head over to our Facebook Page and join in the fun!
But before you do, our blog hop this week is all about our favourite romances. We're supposed to list our top ten – be they books, movies, songs, or anything else. If you've joined me from Victoria Barbour, welcome! Here's mine, in no particular order... Pride and Prejudice I'm sure this is going to show up on a lot of lists, but I'm sorry, it has to be here. Romances are all about relationships (the sexy stuff is fun, too, but it doesn't have to be on the page) and Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have two of the all time greatest character arcs ever. And the BBC miniseries is the best book adaptation I've ever seen Sabrina The original movie, with Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. This is honestly one of the only movies I've seen where I've felt the connection between the characters so strongly. Again, very little sexy stuff, but such amazing chemistry. The Pina Colada Song I know, it's cheesy as hell. But I love the thought of people falling in love with each other for the second time. Claire and Jamie Fraser These are two of the strongest, most realistic characters to ever have a series woven about them. They argue and annoy each other, they are baffled by each others actions, and yet their love and commitment to each other is unquestionable. This Heart of Mine I've blogged about this Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel before. Utterly heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. My favourite SEP for sure. Anything (almost) by Nora Roberts No list of top 10 romances would be complete without LaNora. But there is no way to narrow down which one of her books I love the best. Although if someone threatened to pull out my fingernails unless I answered, I'd have to go with “New York to Dallas” (yes, I know, it's JD Robb. Same diff') Unraveled No one does complicated heroes like Courtney Milan. And Smite Turner, who survived an abusive mother, is one of her most bewildering and lovable characters The Princess Bride Falling into both the book and movie categories, this is one of my all time favourite non-traditional romances. “As – you – wish.....” The elderly couple I saw holding hands Connections are so important. Holding hands is one of the simplest ways to say “I'm here.” And when the couple is well into their later years, shuffling slowly down the sidewalk, its a powerful statement. Taking out the garbage Doesn't sound very romantic, does it? But romance isn't only the big grand gestures. It's getting up to rock the baby in the middle of the night. It's folding the laundry even though it's not “his job.” It's doing things you don't want to do, because you know your partner doesn't want to do it either. Now, hop on over to see what Jeanne McDonald lists for her top ten favourite romances! If you like to read romance novels of all genres, join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all...about our writing, of course! Every week we'll answer the same questions. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions or make comments.
There are only a few weeks left before our blog tour will be six months old. On July 29th, join us as we celebrate our first milestone, and give back some of the love. We have incredible prizes on offer, including a Kindle Fire and multiple romance libraries. Enter for free HERE! If you're joined me from Carrie Elks , welcome! Here are today's questions. How often do you write? The Catholic guilt answer to this question is “Not as often as I should.” But the I-have-a-family-and-a-full-time-job-and-need-some-down-time-too answer is “As close to every day as I can.” It's so easy to find excuses not to write. But if I do that too often, I get cranky. I start to berate myself and get down on myself and generally wonder why I ever thought I could do this writing thing in the first place. Which makes it even easier to not write. So I do my best to write every day, even if it is only a couple hundred words. My daily goal is only 500 words, so once I get about half way there I can usually flog myself into finishing. If I can write 6 days a week, I am happy. Do you think it’s important to your craft to write as much as you can, and as often as you can? The more practice, the better, of course. That's why I try to write every day. But everyone needs a break. Saturday I spend most of the day driving (we're on a short holiday right now) and while I didn't write, I did manage to work out what was wrong with the pacing in one section of my work in progress, so I was happy with that. Sometimes you need to step back and just look. And besides – while most people consider writing the act of putting words on paper, those words wouldn't be worth much if we didn't do the thinking and plotting and planning part, too. So really you could say I write almost 24 hours a day (wink-wink). What is your opinion on the saying “if you don’t write every day, you’re not a writer"? Can't say I've ever heard anyone say that. Can't say I agree with it, though. I suppose it depends on your definition of writer. Some say you're not a writer if you're not published. Some say you're not a writer if you write romance. To all those, I say – blehhhh (imagine me sticking out my tongue). One of my favourite writing books is “Telling Lies for Fun and Profit” by Lawrence Block. One of the chapters is titled “Sunday Writers” (or something like that – I don't have it in front of me right now) where he discusses why amateur painters and sculptors and crafters are often proud to share their work, while amateur writers shove their work in a drawer (it's an old book – now we just hide in on our hard drives) and don't tell anyone they've even attempted to write. Maybe it has something to do with how words communicate our thoughts in a way other artistic endeavours don't. But we should be encouraging anyone brave enough to give this writing gig a try, whether it's for cash or creativity Now head on over to visit Sarah Hegger! If you like to read romance novels of all genres, join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all...about our writing, of course! Every week we'll answer the same questions. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions or make comments.
Our blog tour will six months old on July 29th. To celebrate our first milestone, the authors of Romance Weekly are giving back some of the love. We have incredible prizes on offer, including a Kindle Fire and multiple romance libraries. Enter for free by CLICKING HERE! If you've joined me from Mischka Jenkin's blog, welcome! 1. How much of yourself do you write into your characters? Or do you write characters completely opposite to you? I think the only answer I can give to this is “a little bit of both.” I can only write from my own perspective as a person, so no matter what, my characters will be coloured by my personality. But that certainly doesn't mean I write clones of myself (for one – I'm not a guy). If I look back on the four heroines I've written (or am writing) I can certainly see some similarities, but a lot of differences. For example, June (MOUNTAIN FIRE) is very athletic and comfortable spending time alone in the wilderness. Definitely NOT me. 2. Has your writing helped you see events in your own life clearer? Not in the sense that I've written a scene and then realized I'd written something that happened to me, but from a different angle. What writing has done (and what I am consciously, continuously working on) is made me SEE my life. It's so easy to let each day blur together, without taking the time to experience it. I'm a pretty focused person – when I'm going somewhere, I'm going there, and often forget to pay attention to the journey. To bring my stories to life, I have to pay more attention to my own life, in order to include the details and emotions that make good writing great. 3. Have you written a character with more of your personal characteristics than any other? Who are they? I'd have to say Jemma from my upcoming release, CHEF D'AMOUR, is pretty close. If I had her background, her situation, I think I'd react very similarly. She is fiercely loyal to her family, smart and a hard worker. She is also sarcastic, doesn't accept fools gladly and while she has dreams, often puts them aside in order to deal with “real life.” Now it's time to move on to J.J. Devine. Have fun! ...I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Twenty-three years ago today, I married a handsome young man I had met at work three and a half years earlier. He's still handsome and we still work together. Back then, he was my best friend. If there is a level above best friend, that's what he is now. I started writing romance because I'm fascinated by how people meet, fall in love, and stay in love. My husband and I have wonderful examples in our own parents (57 and 47 years for his and mine, respectively). And while being there for one another for all those years has a special magic, it's those first moments - the first look, the first touch, the first kiss - that captivates me. When I'm writing about those firsts, I often close my eyes and remember what it felt like for me. It's a wonderful way to remind myself of why I said 'yes' when he asked me all those years ago. My second novel, a contemporary romance titled CHEF D'AMOUR, will be released by The Wild Rose Press on Friday, August 29, 2014!! The blurb is here, and an excerpt here. When MOUNTAIN FIRE came out about a year and a half ago, I was starting from scratch. Loyal friends and family supported me, and it was an amazing thrill when someone I didn't know posted a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Over the last few months I slowly built up my Facebook Author Page, worked hard on this blog, and most recently, joined the Romance Weekly Writers on their Tuesday blog hop. I'm hoping all of this will help launch CHEF D'AMOUR, and by connection MOUNTAIN FIRE, even higher. I have blogged before about the theory that true success rarely happens until Book #3. It makes a lot of sense to me, so I'm not holding out for a National Bestseller, but a girl can dream, can't she? After all, having one book published was a dream that, for years, I thought would never come true. On the eve of launching Book #2, my goals have grown, along with my skills and experience. Can't wait for what the future will bring! Do you like to read romance novels? Would you like to meet new authors, and learn more about your favorites? Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all...about our writing, of course! Every week we'll answer the same questions. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Feel free to ask more questions or make comments as you travel the rounds. as yo
If you've linked here from Sarah Hegger, welcome! Let's get right to the questions. A Hollywood producer is interested in your book. Can you come up with an enticing logline (plot summary of 25 words or less)? Okay, I cheated a bit (it's 28 words) but here is the logline for my upcoming release CHEF D'AMOUR (date TBA). A production assistant on a romance reality program falls for the show's bachelor. But that behind-the-scenes love jeopardizes her job – and the security of her ailing grandmother. I use a modified version of the Snowflake Method to plot my books, and the first thing you do is come up with a sentence like the above to encapsulate your novel. It usually changes by the end of the process, but it is a great exercise to get to the nucleus of your story. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Going strictly by her face, I'd choose Keira Knightley to play my heroine. Jemma Hedge is described by my hero, Paul Almeida, as a wicked fairy. Keira Knightley's sharp cheekbones, dark eyes and pointed chin fit really well. Also, she looks fabulous with a short hair cut, and Jemma's signature look is short at the nape, with long bangs tipped in fuschia pink for a bit of pizzazz. As for Paul, that's harder for me. He's Portuguese, dark and handsome, with dimples that slash his cheeks when he smiles. Patrick Dempsey comes to mind, except he's not the right age. I'd have to study up on this. How horrible can it be, searching the 'net for good-looking guys? :) Does the storyline of your novel compare with any films out there? I'm not a huge movie watcher, so I'd have to say not that I know of. However, the novel takes place on the set of a television romance reality show called “Reservations for Two”. Think “Iron Chef” meets the “The Bachelor.” Thirteen women are given a cooking challenge. Then the Chef d'Amour, Paul, chooses the best and worst dish. He goes on a date with the woman who created the best dish, and then can either send her home (if he didn't enjoy the date) or eliminate the woman whose dish was the worst. So while it's not based on a movie, it certainly is based on the public's love of reality programming! Now skip on over to visit Josie Malone and see what she has to say about this week's questions! Do you like to read romance novels? Would you like to meet new authors, and learn more about your favorites? Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all...about our writing of course! Every week we'll answer the same questions. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Feel free to ask more questions or make comments.
If you've linked here from Ronnie Allen's blog, welcome! How do you find the appropriate setting for the story, or does it find you? For my first novel, MOUNTAIN FIRE, I figured I'd have enough trouble with the mechanics of writing and plotting, and didn't want to add to my struggles by using an unfamiliar setting. So I plunked that novel right in my hometown and the surrounding area. CHEF D'AMOUR (contracted, release date TBA – whee!!!) takes place on the set of a reality show in Vancouver, BC. Again, I am familiar enough with Vancouver to be comfortable writing about it, and my television background made the behind-the-scenes fun. NO LIFE BUT THIS (completed, but lying fallow) takes place mainly in the Azores, a small group of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic. My husband's family is from there, and we were lucky enough to visit in July 2013. It seemed the perfect location to set a story about a young woman breaking out of her shell and learning to live adventurously. Manuscript #4 is once again set in my hometown. I guess what all that means is I prefer to write about settings that I know! What is your support system for your writing? Family, friends, other writers? All of the above! My husband is my greatest support. He is the one who bought my laptop so I would quit whining about writing and actually sit down and finish something. He has read all my manuscripts, and when he says he likes something I trust him, because we've worked together for more than 25 years and we have no problem telling each other the truth. My oldest daughter is also a writer, and she loves to help me plot, especially early in the process. My parents are so proud of what I've done, they tell any and all who ask about my books. It can be hard to meet other writers, especially in my relatively small town. But the Internet is a wonderful resource, and through that I've met all sorts of writers willing to provide support – including those of Romance Weekly! What is the worst writing advice you ever received and how did you deal with it? I really can't say I've had bad advice. Of course, maybe I just don't know it yet, because the results of the advice haven't come home to roost, but I don't think that's the case. All advice needs to be taken with a grain of salt. What worked for one writer isn't necessarily going to work for me. I love discussions and case studies and examples, and I think if you do enough research, learn enough craft, you'll be able to discern bad advice from the good. Thanks for joining me on Romance Weekly. I invite you to visit Dani Jace and see what she has to say this week! |