I think this week’s Blog Hop is going to be more speculation than fact. I'll try not to be boring. :) Clair Brett asks: What are your hobbies, or what is a hobby you would like to start. Why do these interest you, and how does it make you happy? I really don’t have a hobby. I have lots of interests that may someday turn into hobbies, I suppose. But up until now life was pretty busy with working full-time and writing in the evenings so I haven't really developed anything you might formally call a hobby. As a child I learned how to crochet, and I putzed around with that off and on for awhile, though I never really achieved anything. I also did latch-hooking and macramé (does anyone do those anymore?), as they were less fiddly. I macramed an owl wall-hanging once – I wonder where that ended up…. If I do anything currently that I could see turning into a hobby it would be photography. I love to compose the frame, work with lighting, try different angles. When we go on holidays, I usually take hundreds of shots. The beauty of digital cameras is it doesn’t cost you anything to do that. Then I enjoy going through those shots and choosing the best ones. I would like to find something that I can do while watching TV in the evenings, especially in the winter. Since I now do my writing and publishing in the daytime, I am finding the after-dinner hours wide open. I may have to get back into crocheting this fall. How about you? What kind of hobbies do you have? I love to hear from you in the comments, and I’ll be sure to reply to you. Now, hop over to the instigator of this topic, Clair Brett and see what her hobbies are! Clair's Regency romance, WINN'S FALL, on sale for a limited tie! Click here to find it on your favourite retailer! Lord, Winthrop Burton will die on his own terms. A family curse says that will be by the time he turns thirty years old. He will not leave a young wife and a child behind like his father did to him. When childhood friend Miss Zoe Chase returns to stay with his sister and find a husband, Winn's plans are thrown into chaos. Not only is the once gangly, awkward girl he remembers now everything that tempts him, the accidents that once plagued his life are happening to her. He must keep her safe, but how can he do that when ravaging her is all he can consider? Or perhaps the curse isn't a curse after all. Will Winn die, or will he fall?
0 Comments
Leslie Hachtel has set us quite the challenge this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop. She says: Name five fun things to do while staying at home. If you joined me from Clair Brett, welcome! I have a sneaking suspicion that if we had done this exact topic in 2019, our lists might be completely different. But since it is 2020 and we are spending a lot of time at home those days, here’s my slightly tongue-in-cheek list of things to do while staying at home.
Spinster and poor relation Dorothea Hindley is in London for one reason: to help launch her cousin into society, something that would be a great deal easier if Dorothea’s aunt hadn’t revived a long-standing feud with the mother of a viscount. In trying to keep her family from becoming the laughingstocks of London, Dorothea finds a surprising ally in the son of her aunt’s rival. Marrying a viscount never entered Dorothea’s head. But a moonlit kiss could lead to a scandal neither of them can afford. Can the accidental viscountess and her unexpected husband get their families to stop feuding long enough to save both the monarchy and their marriage? http://carokinkead.com/the-accidental-viscountess/ We’re having fun this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop! A.S. Fenichel says: Leap Year! This is it folks - you get an entire extra day to do with as you wish. We’re always wanting more time and this year we actually get it. I got married on Leap Day in 2008, so this year I get a “real” anniversary. What will you do with your extra day? If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! Leap Year has always had a special fascination for me. For one thing, I am AMAZED that hundreds of years ago someone figured out we needed to do this, in order to keep a completely arbitrary set of numbers (which make up the calendar we use today) on track. Talk about paying attention to your sun and moon! As for the extra day that we get this year, I look on it as “found money.” My mother always says that any money you find on the street (I have a vague memory she discovered a $20 bill in the gutter once) MUST be spent on something frivolous. In the case of Leap Day, that means it can’t be used to catch up on chores or get ahead on the tax return. It should be spent doing something you love that you haven’t had time for recently – and NOT feeling guilty about it! For me, that would probably be a day of reading, curled up on the couch with tea (or a glass of wine later in the afternoon). Yes, I read every day. But to “waste” a whole day doing nothing but that would be like a beach vacation for me. The other way to spend the extra day would be to do something completely out of the usual. I was talking with a cousin of mine yesterday and she and her husband have recently started going to the local climbing wall. For someone that dislikes heights as much as I do, I’ve always wanted to give rock climbing (in a controlled environment, LOL!) a try. That would also be a great way to celebrate Leap Day - doing something totally out of character! What about you? What are you going to do with your extra day? Leave a note in the comments, then move on to AJ Andersen to see how she’s using her bonus 24 hours! The middle of February in Northern British Columbia is about the time I have to start reminding myself that winter will not last forever. When the ground is covered in four feet of snow it can be hard to remember was grass looks like. So, when it was my time to set the topic for the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, is it any wondering this is what I came up with? Do you get the winter doldrums? How do you deal with cabin fever? If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! The good news is we’ve been having a very mild February, so getting out and about hasn’t been too difficult, and true cabin fever hasn’t set in. There have been years when all we can see outside our ground floor windows is a narrow strip of sky because, between the snow on the ground and the snow that slid off the roof, it is piled so high it blocks our view. I’m lucky that I love to read for many reasons, but in the depths of winter it is truly a blessing. I can escape to Regency England or Australia or outer space whenever I want. When I do get too twitchy to just sit and read, jigsaw puzzles are a good option. Usually we only do them in December and early January, but we have been known to bring them out to get through the final dregs of winter. Now that I’ve left my career in broadcasting and am focusing on my writing, I think I may have to come up a few alternate activities. With no day job to go to, there is no reason to get out of the house some days, and when the weather is bad even less incentive to do so. Luckily we have a dog that requires daily walks, and cold and snow doesn’t seem to bother her at all. Bundling up and getting out into the fresh air (even if it does crisp your nose hairs) is always a good way to blow out the cobwebs. How about you? What time of year gets you down the most, and how do you get through it? Be sure to continue your hop with Clair Brett! Clair and I each have a contest you might be interested in joining! I’ve teamed up with 80 fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Contemporary Romances to 2 lucky winners. The Grand Prize winner also gets a BRAND NEW eReader! You could win my novel, ALLEGRO COURT, plus books from authors like Lorelei James, Piper Rayne, Mia Kayla, and more. Enter the giveaway by clicking here! Clair is also taking part in a BookSweeps Giveaway with other historical authors. That means you have another chance to win another eReader and more than 55 historical romances. Check it out by clicking here! Welcome to 2020, and another year of the Romance Weekly Blog Hop. This week, Elizabeth Schechter rather creatively asks: “New Year, Who Dis?” Obviously, she wants to know about our New Year’s plans and resolutions LOL! If you joined me from Clair Brett, welcome! I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions, or, to be honest, in any kind of goal setting. Most of my life I worked in a job that had firmly defined deadlines, so I am more used to working to a specific date than an overarching result. That’s going to change this year. As of January 1, 2020, I am no longer working for anyone else – I am working for me. I’m focusing on my writing and trying to make this author gig pay for itself – and maybe a few other bills, too! Here are a few of my goals and intentions (not resolutions) for this year:
I signed my first contract with a publisher in February 2012. Since then I’ve released seven books, which, considering I also had a full-time job and a busy family, I am very proud of. But those two things have also been excuses (reasonable ones, of course, but still excuses) for not doing more with my writing career. Well, now that all my children are grown and I no longer have another job, there are no excuses. 2020 is my year to see if I can do this thing I love and make it pay. What about you? Do you have big goals this year? Let me know below (I'll be sure to reply to your comment). Then hop over to AJ Andersen Author and see what plans she has for 2020! Mountain Fire is 99 cents for a limited time! Later this month, Mountain Fire is moving to Kindle Unlimited. Right now, it is available for just 99 cents at all retailers. After January 15, it will no longer be available anywhere except Amazon, so if you haven't picked up your copy yet now is a great time to do so. You can read an excerpt here, or all buylinks are here. This was my first ever published book. When I re-published it in 2017, I added scenes and made a few minor revisions. I hope you enjoy it! This is our last Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop of 2019. We’ll be taking the next couple of weeks off and then get back at it in the new year. This week, Leslie Hachtel asks: What do you really want for Christmas? It seems very selfish to want anything for myself this Christmas. I have a wonderful family, good health, and financial security. Really, what more can I ask for? On the other hand, wishing for a perfect world seems so naïve. Peace in the world, no hungry children, and equality for all are awesome goals, but only actions will get us there, not wishes. That being said, all great achievements start with small steps. So this Christmas, I’m wishing for patience (to deal with the normal frustrations of life gracefully), generosity (to help those who need it quietly and sincerely), and understanding (to take each person as they are). And to become a New York Times bestselling author. 😊 Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! Now hop over to A.S. Fenichel to see what she really wants for Christmas. This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, A.S. Fenichel says: Tomorrow, September 11, is my birthday. I know, things got terrible on this day in 2001. Where were you that day? What do you remember? What stood out to you? What was your “silver lining” takeaway? A lot of people who don’t read romance dismiss it because they think it is goopy and melodramatic. What they don’t realize is that the best romances reaffirm the goodness of life in even the worst circumstances. The first I remember learning of the attacks was coming downstairs to find my three-year-old son watching TV as the second plane hit the World Trade Centre. I’m still not sure what he was watching before then, but as the coverage took over the airwaves it was impossible to avoid. I work at a broadcast centre with two radio and one television stations, and even though we were thousands of kilometres away from the events, it took over our day. I spent the morning stuffing envelopes for a sales presentation we were planning for the next week while watching the horrifying images coming from New York, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon. It was so disorienting, to keep doing regular, ordinary things while the world was changing before our eyes. But life does go on, as the victims of war and violence and plain-old bad luck have learned for thousands of years. And the tragedy of that day has inspired many in unexpected ways. There are lots of books written that involve the events of 9-11 – both fiction and non-fiction. I can still remember my reaction to “Sex, Straight Up” by Kathleen O’Reilly. A Harlequin Romance published in 2008, this story treated the subject with grace, humour and understanding. The hero’s wife died in 9-11, and it is one of the most wonderful romances I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it. And then there’s “Come From Away.” Many of you will have heard the story of the little town of Gander, Newfoundland which was flooded with thousands of people when commercial airliners were forced to land there after American airspace was closed because of the attacks. Even in a country as friendly as Canada, Newfoundlanders are famous for their hospitality – but this put them to the test. Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the musical "Come From Away" is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the story of the residents and stranded travellers. 12 actors portray multiple characters, and the sparse set is transformed from airliners to school bus to Tim Horton’s coffee shop to school gymnasium as needed. I was privileged to see the production on Broadway, and I can honestly say I have never seen anything so moving, so hilarious, and so emotionally stunning as this show. It is now in production all around the world, and if you get a chance, you must see it. Click here to get just a taste of the awesomeness. And don’t forget to visit Jenna Da Sie next! Welcome to this week’s Blog Hop! This week’s topic is presented by—well, actually, I don’t know, because they didn’t give their name. But here you go! I love daily mantras, they get me through the day and almost always gets me through tough times. What gets you over the hump of a really bad day? I don’t think I’ve ever recited a mantra in my life. I can understand their usefulness—having something to focus on can certainly centre you and help calm your soul. But I’m more of a “do something” person. When something is going wrong or I’m having a bad day, I like to take action to make it better. That’s not to say I don’t have some sayings that I use to remind myself to just breathe when the going gets tough. One of my best bosses used to deal with issues by saying “As long as it’s not our fault.” He wanted us to know that, as long as we’d done our best and hadn’t been the cause of the issue, not to sweat it. If it was our fault, we were expected to own up to it, of course, but it is easy when you are leading a team to take all the blame onto your own shoulders, and that way lies madness. My favourite saying, though, when things go awry, is “nobody died.” I mean no disrespect to people who have gone through the horrible loss a loved one, but I use it to bring things into perspective. When I make a mistake or a client is angry or a job doesn’t get done on time, I take a deep breath and remember what’s really important. Usually that’s enough to get me off the ledge and handle the problem without becoming too emotionally involved. What about you? What helps you get through a bad day? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Then be sure to hop over to Jenna Da Sie and see how she copes with life.
On the Romance Writers Weekly blog, we like to talk about a lot of different things. This week, A.S. Fenichel asks: What’s the best part of being a writer? What’s the worst? If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! The quote “I hate to write, love having written” is usually attributed to Dorothy Parker, but I think most writers share the sentiment. Sometimes, writing is an absolute chore—especially in the dreaded middle of a book, when nothing seems to be working and you begin to doubt your sanity. That to me is the worst part—that inner editor who can sometimes paralyze me from putting anything on the page. The best part is the joy of completing a new story against all odds (or at least that's what it can seem like), and that feeling beats out all the negative emotions, at least for me. I love that I can write anywhere. Right now, I am sitting in my backyard, listening to our pond’s waterfall, feeling the warm breeze, and smelling the flowers we just planted this morning. I get a special thrill out of working outdoors. I’ve also written at at airport gate, on a boat, in our holiday trailer, and on a rocky river bank. It’s so portable! I love knowing people are reading my words and enjoying them. Writing is communicating, and while I would still write even if no one was reading, it is certainly a lot nicer to know others are completing the conversation by reading what I’ve put down. I love the thrill I get when I find exactly the right way to express a character’s thoughts or actions. Sometimes a sentence simply isn’t ‘right’ and when I finally figure out how to fix what’s bothering me, it is a huge satisfaction. Writing for me is something I have to do. Even on the bad days, I feel better when I do something, even if it is just a few words, than if I do nothing. What about you? Is there something you do that is vital to your being, but that you share with others when given the chance? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Then be sure to hop over to the instigator of this topic, A.S. Fenichel! I’ve been MIA on the blogging front the last couple of weeks. I usually prep my blog on Sundays, and the last couple of weekends have been busy with Easter, and then something called QuizMe. My “pay-the-bills” job is TV production manager, and one of the programs we do is a Jeopardy-style quiz show for Grade 7 students in our area. We record 15 half-hour episodes in three days, and those three days were last week. That being said, I was a tad bit busy. If you’re interested in seeing what it looks like, the previous season is available to view online here. Anyway – enough of that! Time to move on to this week’s Blog Hop! J.J. Devine set the topic. One of my favorite sayings is, “Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite.” Tell me your favorite love story. Wow – that’s a doozy of a topic! It’s like asking who is my favourite character, or choosing one book to bring to a desert island. One of the reasons I write romantic fiction is that I love to hear how people came to together. I know of so many just from my own friends and family:
There are so many wonderful love stories. Tell me yours in the comments below, and then move on to Leslie Hachtel to read more. |