Which scene has stuck with you the most? What did you think of the writing? Are there any standout sentences? Did reading the book impact your mood? If yes, how so? What surprised you most about the book? How did your opinion of the book change as you read it? Did this book remind you of any other books? Did the book strike you as original? Now, here are a few questions specific to Turn the Next Page. Don’t worry – none of them will spoil the story for you if you haven’t read it yet. Aubrey and Phillip marry straight out of high school but the marriage doesn’t last. What do you think of second chance romances? Would you ever consider reconnecting with an ex-boyfriend/husband? Aubrey discovers her father has been keeping a secret all her life. It rocks her to her core. What would you do if you discovered your father had hidden important information from you? Phillip has had a good life, yet he is feeling restless and unsettled. Have you ever regretted doing—or not doing—something? Have you ever felt like you were in a rut? If you have read Turn the Next Page, I'd love to read your answers to any of these questions. Comment below! Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie to see what questions she chose.
0 Comments
Facebook is full of writers’ groups, but it can be difficult to find one that matches your attitudes and goals. I was so lucky to stumble upon The Romance Writers Weekly Group more than ten years ago. Members have come and gone but it has been and continues to be a source of support and camaraderie. In the spring of 2020 I discovered The Creative Academy for Writers through a social media post that another author friend shared. Since them I’ve enjoyed monthly Zoom meetings with other romance writers, taken part in virtual book launch celebrations, and so much more. It is a wonderful community! This weekend, however, I am giving myself a treat. I am attending the Surrey International Writers Conference in person for the first time in ten years. I can’t wait to listen to keynote speakers, attend workshops and presentations, and generally soak in the atmosphere. I am so looking forward to it!! Next in the hop is PG Forte. Click through to find out how she stays connected.
First off, a nod to Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer. I preordered their Liz Danger books as I’ve been jonesing for a new Cruise for years now. The trilogy did not disappoint! While there were several copy-editing issues with Book One, those decreased dramatically in Books Two and Three, and they were mere pebbles on the road to my enjoyment of this witty, sarcastic, action-packed, thrilling, and sexy series. I was also delighted in a book that I took a complete chance on. “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray is a very clever cozy mystery. The author brings together all the couples from Jane Austen’s books and traps them (by a severe rainstorm) at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Knightley…with Mr. Wickham as an uninvited and very unwelcome guest. The author chose a chronology for Austen’s books and extrapolated the ages of the characters from that. For example, Darcy and Elizabeth have a twenty-year-old son, and yet other couples are newly married. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking for the next book in the series. What about you? What books have you read recently? Care to share your thoughts? Then be sure to hop over to Leslie Hachtel for her book review.
We went there in June 2017 and lived for a few days in a small walled village called Vallabregues, just outside of Avignon. We rented a car and drove all over the area – to Nimes and Gordes and Arles and Saint-Remy-de-Provence and all the way to the Mediterranean. What amazed me most was how many ancient constructions are still in daily use. We passed by a Roman amphitheatres that had just hosted a rock concert and walked across the Pont-du-Gard, a more than 2000 year old Roman aqueduct. Castles of all shapes and sizes are used as event venues and bridges that are hundreds of years old carry modern traffic. I would love to have more time to explore the area and soak in the atmosphere. Being a resident, not a visitor, would be a whole new experience. What about you? Is there somewhere you would like to live for a year? Let me know, and then hop over to see where Leslie Hachtel would love to live!
What about you? What do you do to cheer yourself up? Comment below, then hop over to Jill Haymaker for her take on this topic.
This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop… What is the one dish or treat you can't do without during the holiday season? If you make it yourself, share the recipe. This topic is right on schedule! Last year, my mother, two daughters, two grandchildren, and I gathered for a Christmas baking day. We each did one recipe and then we all took some of everything home. It was so much fun we decided to make it a tradition. This Saturday, it will be my mother, two daughters, my son’s girlfriend, three grandchildren, and I getting together. I love how our family is growing. I am not much of a baker, but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without butter tarts and chocolate haystacks. Those treats are staples from my side of the family. But on my husband’s side, a Portuguese sweet bread called massa is the treat that must be made. Now, yeast and I have never got along very well, but I took over this task a few years ago. It requires patience (which I don’t have in much abundance) to wait long enough for the dough to rise properly. Now I go for a dog walk or do some other longish task to take my mind off it, LOL! Below is the recipe I’ve adapted. Since I only make this at Christmas and Easter, I’ve laid it out really clearly so I don’t forget anything! And be sure to hop over to PG Forte for another holiday recipe! Massa (Portuguese Sweet Bread) 1 c. milk Zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp yeast ¼ c. warm water 1 c. sugar 1 tsp salt 3 eggs 3 c. flour* (total of 5 – 6 c. needed) ½ c. butter, softened 2-3 c. flour* 1 egg Warm milk and lemon zest, being careful not to bring to a boil. Set aside. In a LARGE bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. While milk is cooling, let yeast start to work. Once milk is cool, add to yeast mixture. Stir in sugar, eggs, salt, butter and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it is double in size (about 3 hours). Punch down dough and divide into 10 “bun” size pieces. Grease round pans and arrange in in a flower pattern (5 to a pan). Cover and let rise until double (another 2 to 3 hours). The longer you let rise at this stage, the lighter the bread will be. Beat remaining egg and brush over tops of loaves. Bake in 300F oven until golden brown, about 50 - 60 minutes. What readers are saying about Turn the Next Page... "I love reading about seasoned characters and this author writes real people. A cozy, second chance romance set in a friendly town." Tracey - 5 Stars "What I’m Starry-Eyed Over: Second-chance romance—but make it a double. Unique and interesting meet again. Fun & spunky older generation." Leigh-Ann - 4 Stars Get it now before the price goes up! Only One Week to go! Her love will light up his night. If they can both survive that long. Heather is having the worst Christmas ever! Or, at least, the worst Christmas since she was forced to become a vampire. Her sire's distracted, her nestmates have forgotten her, weirdos have taken over the lair. The only bright spot in her life right now is Drew--who didn't even used to like her! She knows he's fond of her now, but that's not good enough. She wants more. She wants everything. She wants him. And she's not giving up. Drew Geiger gave up on love a long time ago. Such tender emotions have no place in a vampire's heart. But, somehow, the girl he once described as a "feral kitten" has got her claws in him, and she's not letting go. That would be fine, if only someone didn't want her dead--and if her sire didn't recall that it was Drew who once suggested that maybe she'd be better off that way. Light Up the Night Releases December 13! Pre Order Now! Did you know that authors don’t just want reviews for their books…they need them? Many retailers (especially Amazon) will decide what books to promote based on the number of reviews it has. And reviews don't have to be long...a simple sentence or two saying what you liked is all that's needed! This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’ve been asked to share one of our favorite reviews for one of our books. Every review is special, because it means a reader took the time to share their thoughts. Even the less than stellar ones (because every author gets them) mean the reader was moved to express their opinions. It truly is a humbling experience. Choosing my favourite review would be like choosing my favourite food or favourite drink. So I decided to share a few short snippets from early reviews for Loving Between the Lines, which comes out this Friday! “Brenda Margriet has a way with writing about the lives, loves and losses of the more mature relationships. Her stories have a certain quality that leaves you feeling loved and fulfilled.” Fun Under the Covers (Carol Seymour) “Another heartwarming read from this author. The characters are engaging and realistic.” Tracey’s Vampy and Racy Book Blog “The pacing, her style of writing, the characterisation and flow were all lovely. But what I liked most about this story is the people she’s written.” Ankita Kaul, Advance Reader “Both Lynn and Benjamin have the depth of character that keeps you engaged in their story, wanting the best for both!” Kym, Advance Reader “The pacing was excellent, the twists of the plot surprised me and the ending satisfied. I highly recommend this steamy romance!” Diane, Advance Reader Now hop over to Jill Haymaker to read some of her favourite reviews!
A couple weeks ago, I was reading (as one does) and I came up with a great idea for the blog hop. I decided to ask: What’s your favourite book that “no one” has heard of? That’s a tongue in cheek way of asking you to name your favourite book that isn’t a classic or by an author that consistently sits on the best seller lists. It can be fiction or non-fiction. I blithely added the topic to the list, and promptly forgot it. So when it came up in rotation, I had a bit of a panic attack. Luckily enough, I remembered the book I wanted to mention! Whew! If you joined me from, A.S. Fenichel, welcome (BTW, Andrea has several books on sale if you are looking for new reading material during your self-isolating). I know of dozens of romance writers whose books haven’t hit any bestseller lists but who write engaging, wonderful stories. But I’d hate to miss anyone, so I’m going to mention two non-romance books to avoid making a faux pas. The book I was reading when I came up with the topic was SOCIAL CRIMES by Jane Stanton Hitchcock. When her husband dies, New York socialite Jo Slater is shocked to learn that he left his sizable estate to a mysterious French countess. Obsessed with recovering her place as queen of New York, Jo concocts an audacious scheme of revenge. Can she pull it off? When it was first released it hit the bestseller lists, but I was unfamiliar with Hitchcock’s work. It’s hard to pin down genre-wise—it has a women’s fiction vibe, but is wrapped around in a mysterious plot. All in all, I enjoyed it enough to mention here, though I wouldn’t say it is my favourite in this category. That distinction goes to WORD NERD by Susin Nielsen. Twelve-year-old Ambrose is a glass-half-full kind of guy. A self-described “friendless nerd,” he moves from place to place every couple of years with his overprotective mother, Irene. When some bullies at his new school almost kill him by slipping a peanut into his sandwich — even though they know he has a deathly allergy — Ambrose is philosophical. Irene, however, is not and decides that Ambrose will be home-schooled. Alone in the evenings when Irene goes to work, Ambrose pesters Cosmo, the twenty-five-year-old son of the Greek landlords who live upstairs. Cosmo has just been released from jail for breaking and entering to support a drug habit. Quite by accident, Ambrose discovers that they share a love of Scrabble and coerces Cosmo into taking him to the West Side Scrabble Club, where Cosmo falls for Amanda, the club director. Posing as Ambrose’s Big Brother to impress her, Cosmo is motivated to take Ambrose to the weekly meetings and to give him lessons in self-defense. Cosmo, Amanda, and Ambrose soon form an unlikely alliance and, for the first time in his life, Ambrose blossoms. The characters at the Scrabble Club come to embrace Ambrose for who he is and for their shared love of words. There’s only one problem: Irene has no idea what Ambrose is up to. I met Susin at the Surrey International Writers Conference a few years ago. This in no way influences how much I enjoyed this book. It is juvenile fiction at its best—clever and witty and uncondescending. I strongly encourage you to check it out. Now it’s time to move on to Jenna Da Sie and see what her favourite “unknown” book is! Having a new release can be a scary, overwhelming event, and it's best when you don't have to go it alone. So Carrie and I became "release buddies" this week, since my new romance, When Time Falls Still, just came out Monday, and Carrie's Canada Square releases today! Please welcome Carrie to the blog, and show her some love. (BTW, I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy. You can see my review on Goodreads here.) Inspiration!Inspiration can strike a writer in many ways. A news story can grow in your mind, two people arguing in the street can become characters in your book. A beautiful vacation can make the perfect location for your novel. For me, I find inspiration everywhere I look, and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to write it all down! Take my latest release, Canada Square. In my previous job I recruited interns for our business, and one day I was looking at them and thinking how alike they all were. What if you weren’t like them, I thought, how would that make you feel? What if you were older, less well-off, went to a college that wasn’t as good as theirs? That was the inspiration for Amy Cartwright, the heroine of Canada Square. She’s a girl that comes from the wrong side of the tracks, but in spite of her hardships she’s pulled herself up by her boot strings and achieved a lot in her life. But from the first day in her new internship she stands out, and is different, and that’s a hard thing for anybody to take. It made me think of my own school and college years, when there was a desperate pressure to fit in. I see it in my own children, now. They wear the same clothes, like the same things, talk the same way as their friends. To be different is to be shunned. But it’s only when we try new things, and accept our differences that we can really begin to grow. In the end it’s our differences that make us unique and special – allowing us to become the people we want to be. Amy discovers this in the course of the book, as she shrugs off her old life and finally grows to become accomplished woman, one that’s attractive, successful and ultimately happy. Funny to think that story came from watching others, and yet that’s how most of my stories evolve. That’s why getting out in the world and observing is as much a part of the writer’s role as putting words on paper is. So right now I’m going to put my laptop away, pull on my shoes and get out there. Who knows what I might find! Secrets have a way of coming out... Amy Cartwright isn't sure who she's supposed to be anymore. Her family thinks she's flighty, her ex believes she's a walkover (the bastard) and her friends think she's plain crazy. But there's a different side to her that nobody sees, nobody but the cool, sexy Scotsman who just happens to be her boss. Callum Ferguson isn't looking for excitement; he's had that and it almost ruined him. He likes things calm and predictable – everything that his new PA turns out not to be. But from the moment she walks through his office door it's as though the light has come back into his life, and he can't get her out of his mind. Fighting against the inevitable, they both try to ignore the attraction, but the flame of desire is too bright. They're soon drawn into a steamy love affair that they have to hide from everybody, knowing the revelation could cost them everything they’ve worked so hard for, including each other. Author note: Canada Square is the third in the Love in London series, but can be read as a standalone book. 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 and tell all...about our writing of course! Every week we'll all 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 Nina Mason's blog, welcome! Here are my answers to this week's questions: How does your writing impact your inner life? Writing makes me happy. I always enjoy the process of putting words on paper in a pleasing order, although sometimes plotting can make me tear my hair out. When life gets in the way and I fall behind on my word count I try not to be too hard on myself. But every once in a while I don't write because I'm lazy, or I can't bear the thought of the blank page. On those days my conscience berates me. It's what I imagine skipping school (not that I ever did that) feels like. You can't enjoy playing hooky because you know what you should be doing. I guess it boils down to this—I am happier at least trying to write than I am if I don't do it at all. How do you hope your books affect your readers? I want my readers to enjoy my books. It's that simple. I read for fun and entertainment—I want my readers to feel that way as well. Every once in a great while I will read a book that is supposed to challenge me, or make me a better person, or help me see the world in a different way. While it is also possible to enjoy reading those kinds of books, more often than not they make me feel inept, incompetent and insensitive. I am not writing to change the world. But I am writing to change one person's mood on any given day. Hopefully reading my book(s) will make that person feel just a bit better on a bad day, or reaffirm their enjoyment of life on a good day. Has anyone ever told you your book changed their life? If so, how? Short answer – no. But reader comments have changed my life. A man at work read MOUNTAIN FIRE and sent me a lovely note praising my determination and commitment in writing it. I thought it was fabulous that he could see the work that went into simply completing a manuscript. My sister sent me a text after reading it, saying how proud she was of me. And my editor for CHEF D'AMOUR commented on one short scene where my heroine's grandmother is talking about her late husband. My editor's husband passed away recently, and she said I had described it perfectly. That really touched me. Thanks for joining me on Romance Weekly. I invite you to visit J.J. Devine and see what she has to say this week! |