Along the way, though, I plan to release box sets of both my completed series. “Taking His Measure: The complete Bendixon Sisters Series” may come out as early at next month, while I plan to launch the box set of the Silverberry Seduction Series this fall. So don’t worry – you’ll still be hearing from me this year! PG Forte has a special release coming next week, so you know she’s on the job. Hop over to her blog to see what else she has planned for 2024!
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We’re opening the cupboard door on deep dark secrets today on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop… What's the weirdest thing you've ever Googled in the name of research for your writing? Okay, maybe not too deep and dark, LOL! It’s not like I write murder mysteries or horror, so my Googling isn’t too macabre. I do honestly wonder how writers did it before the internet, though! I find myself searching for all sorts of things, from big to small. I recently used a business name generator to come up with a name for the motorcycle shop in my work-in-progress (Book 5 in the Silverberry series, Too Good for Words). And I frequently use an online thesaurus. Whenever my stories take me away from my hometown (where most of them are set), I spend a lot of time using Google Streetview to get the little details what bring location and setting to life. For After Words, I searched for videos of a tidal bore in Nova Scotia so I could give a credible description. I’ve studied black bear poaching (Mountain Fire) and university tenure qualifications (When Time Falls Still). I took a free online course to learn basic computer coding (Gateway Crescent) and looked up what it felt like to do a polar bear dip (The Promise of Frost). I spent a lot of time reading about the Barkerville Gold Rush (Richly Deserved), cancer diagnostic procedures (Secrets Under the Covers) and DNA testing (Turn the Next Page). I’ve even used Vancouver’s public transit website to get a character where she needed to go (Reservations of the Heart). Even though I write fiction, I like the details to be correct, even if most readers won't know (or maybe even care!). I also greatly enjoy learning new things and always have. Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she's researched! Pre Order Turn the Next Page here! Only two more days until you can read Aubrey and Phillip's sexy second chance love story. They haven't seen each other for thirty years...but the attraction that burned between them in high school hasn't dimmed over the decades. Fifty+ year-old character Steamy open-door sex Silver fox Divorce Adoption Strong woman alpharoll hero Search for family The Dream Dancer The Lady Bryce has a gift. She can enter dreams and persuade. It has served her well, especially in eliminating unsatisfactory suitors of her father's choosing. When she encounters Lord Rowland, she knows he is a man who likes women. Bryce decides to visit him in his sleep and make him desire her above all others. When she has driven Rowland to the edge of longing, she extracts a promise that he will marry her. She goes to Court to ensure he keeps his word. When he finally agrees to honor his word, Bryce is consumed with guilt. She knows she has extracted his promise unfairly and tried to demur. But he insists and they are wed. But what will happen when he finds out the truth? We have been enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures this last week in Northern British Columbia. And by enjoying I mean wallowing, bathing, and soaking in the sunshine. We had a lovely winter, but nothing beats those first hot days of spring. That being said, this week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, Leslie Hachtel asks: What is your favorite spring flower and why? Is it the scent? A memory? If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! The first sign of spring where I live is the appearance of pussy willows. While not the most vibrant of blooms, these tough, furry, grey blossoms are a sure indicator the weather is warming up. When it comes to cultivated flowers, hardy bulbs like crocuses are next. While they have no scent, they are definitely cheery and bright! Because these are the first to appear, they rank as my favourite spring flowers. However, I am always thrilled when my clematis begins to sprout. While it will be months before we see the blooms fully open, knowing this rapid-growing vine is ready to grow is one of my great delights. What about you? What are your favourite spring flowers? Feel free to share below, then hop over to the instigator of this topic, Leslie Hachtel. When the last time you took a stroll around my website (other than this blog, of course)? You might be interested to see some changes, especially here. I'll give you a minute to go look...
What do you think? I love these new covers! I'm going to be celebrating by giving away a copy of each book. But you need to be a subscriber to my newsletter to end. You can do that here. I hope you'll join us! I love this week’s topic! A.S. Fenichel asks: How do you choose your characters’ names? Do you have a system, a book, an app or is it random? If you joined me from Caro Kinkead, welcome! When I was pregnant with our first child, I thought picking a name would be fun and exciting. I had no idea how stressful it would be. Names are powerful and can evoke strong emotions. If someone treated you poorly as a child, that name is often tainted for the rest of your life. If you liked a person, that name is attractive to you. When it comes to character names, I feel the same pressure. As I’m brainstorming a new story, I’ll make lists of names, trying them on to see how they fit. But I don’t always get it right the first time. I’ve actually changed names part way through writing because the one I started with just never sat right. For my main characters, I want names that are unique and interesting, but not so unusual they distract the reader. I think my most unusual name was Justice in WHEN TIME FALLS STILL. I saw a sign advertising Justice Motorcycle Repair and almost immediately the idea for the character popped into my head—although he had nothing to do with motorcycles. ? Minor characters are often the hardest to name. If he or she is only appearing in a scene or two, I often don’t bother, because I don’t want the reader to think they are more important than they are. But if they are necessary to the plot, they need a name, so I have to spend some time thinking about it.No Life But This - Excerpt Anne Bishop (if you haven’t read her, you really should. I love her The Others series) uses the names of people she knows, and then acknowledges those people in an Author’s Note. I did this for a minor character in NO LIFE BUT THIS, but am going to consider doing that more often. For my upcoming new release (sorry, no title or date yet!) I ran a contest where readers could submit their own names to be one of two minor characters. That was a fun and stress-free way to come up with a name! When I come across a name that sparks my imagination, I make a note of it, because chances are I won’t remember it when I need it! I also scroll through baby name lists on the internet (I like the ones that are listed gender neutral so I don’t have a preconceived notion of the person it is meant for). While I’ve used random name generators (the program I write my first draft on, Scrivener, has one built it), I find those names often feel as if they are trying too hard. In my current work in progress, I had to come up with a name for an art conservator. I was already using the name of a real museum, so I checked the staff list on their website, chose a first and a last name from two different people, and voila—a character was born! If I am making up a name, I immediately do a Google search to see who else might have it. That has saved me some embarrassment when it turns out it already belongs to a well-known person - sometimes even one I've heard of (there was a reason it sounded good)! Now hop on over to the originator of this topic, A.S. Fenichel , to see how she comes up with names for her characters!
Today's an exciting day for me! It's the release of the last in the Bendixon Sisters Series, CROSSROADS CORNER! If you preordered it should already be on your ereader, but if you haven't, be sure to buy soon, as the price will be going up in a few days! More information is below this week's blog post. And speaking of which... The saying goes “Never judge a book by its cover,” but be honest - you have, right? This week on the Romance Writers’ Weekly Blog Hop, we’ve been asked to share a couple of our favourite book covers - whether our own or someone else’s - and explain what it is that draws us to them. If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! I have a couple of major preferences when it comes to book covers. I generally don’t like to see people’s faces, and if it is part of a series, I want all the covers to have strong commonalities. As a reader, while the cover of a book definitely has influenced my buying decision, what I’m mostly looking for (especially in a indie book) is professional design. If it looks good on the outside, I’m hopeful it is written well on the inside. Some of Susanna Kearsley’s books are linked, although I wouldn’t call them part of a series. Her covers, though, are immediately recognizable as being from her world. I think they are wonderful, reflecting the magic and mystery that all her stories have. Diana Gabaldon’s books have been released with numerous covers, but I love this look the best. It is simple yet striking, and let’s the story stand for itself. Courtney Milan does write books in series, but no matter what series it is she has a distinctive style. For her historicals, a woman in a jewel-toned gown on each cover. I read once she designs her own, which is awesome, too!
CROSSROADS CORNER, Book Three in the Bendixon Sisters Series, is now available!
I’m back with the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop! Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. Middle Child (or Daughter #2) got married on July 27, and things were a little busy. 😊 But it was a wonderful ceremony (the rain held off just long enough!) and a great weekend all round. This week on the hop, Dani Jace asks: I am entering the “dog days” of summer in my area. Do you have pets? What type and how many? Do you write pets into your stories? Summer in my part of Northern BC has been cool and rainy (is it possible to have Seasonal Affective Disorder in the summer? I. Am. So. Tired. Of. Rain.) so I’m so glad this topic is about something that makes me feel good – pets! There’s something different about a house where pets live. It feels warmer and friendlier to me. Since Mr. C and I were married, we've always had at least one furry critter around. We currently have Gilligan, our eighteen-year old Calico cat. She wasn’t doing well over the winter, but since spring seems to have a new lease on life. Then there’s Aspen, our first foray into puppydom. We had one dog before her, but adopted Kasey at five-years old, so had never lived through the puppy stage. Once we’d survived those first months, she’s been great. I do a little agility with her, and she loves the boat. As as Beagle/Spaniel mix, she can’t really be trusted when she gets her nose to the ground, so we have to keep an eye on her at all times! We also have a pond in the backyard, and have populated it with feeder goldfish over the years. I’d hate to count how many we’ve gone through (survival is not guaranteed!) but right now we have eleven happily swimming around. Not all my books have animals, but I do like to write them. Chaucer is a Bernese Mountain dog in WHEN TIME FALLS STILL and is the one of the catalysts that bring Charlotte and Justice together. Mutt, in GATEWAY CRESCENT, also plays a role in clarifying Luke’s feelings for Jo. In NO LIFE BUT THIS, Abigail does battle with a hired horse – definitely not a pet, but it was a fun scene to write! What about you? Are you a pet person? If so, what kind? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Then be sure to hop over to Leslie Hachtel to find out about her pets. Well, you wouldn’t know it by the temperature as I write this, but it is technically summer. May often tempts us with hot, sunny weather, but it isn’t unusual for June in Northern BC to be cooler and rainier. Not unusual, but still disappointing! This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop, we’re talking summer: The official start of summer has begun and romance is in the air. What tales of summer love do any of your character have to share? If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! I’m quite fascinated by how seasons can affect a storyline. A romantic day outside is completely different in summer than winter. In WHEN TIME FALLS STILL, Justice takes Charlotte to his cabin in the depths of winter. They cozy up next to a fireplace and take a trek across a frozen lake. Still romantic – but not the same as skinny-dipping on a hot August evening! Tomorrow, Book Two in my Bendixon Sisters Series releases. GATEWAY CRESCENT takes place in late June and July. Luke is an outdoorsy kind of guy, although he doesn’t have a many opportunities to take advantage of the beautiful Northern BC region as he would like. In one scene, however, he takes Jo canoeing. In real life, the lake they explore is one of our favourites—Purden Lake. I won’t give any spoilers, but let’s just say the location is a powerful influence on their emotions on that day. What do you think of when you think of summer love? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Then be sure to hop over to A. S. Fenichel and see what her tale of summer love is.
This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Dani Jace set the challenge – and a true challenge it was, for me at least! We’re one day away from Halloween. Have you ever seen a ghost or witnessed something paranormal? Received a sign from a loved one in the hereafter? If not, share the oddest thing that’s ever happened to you that you can’t explain. My life must be very boring. I cannot think of one thing that fits this topic! And it’s not that I’m a complete skeptic, either. While I don’t 100% believe in ghosts or parapsychology, I don’t totally discount it, either. There is too much that cannot be fully explained by the knowledge the world holds at this moment. So, because I can’t really participate in this blog hop, I’m offering a giveaway! After you’ve taken part, don’t forget to head over to A.S. Fenichel, whose next on our hop! GIVEAWAY! I will give you one of my books for FREE, simply by doing the following: In the comments below, tell me about a time where you experienced something unexplainable. Or, if you’re like me and don’t have that story to share, tell me whether you believe in the supernatural or not. There are no wrong answers! Once you’ve told your story, let me know which one of my books you’d like to receive: Mountain Fire, Chef d’Amour, When Time Falls Still or No Life But This. I will send it to the email you use to comment with. Then, I have only one more request. Today is my birthday – so while I’m giving you a gift, I’d love if you could give me one in return. Once you’ve read the book I send you, please leave an honest review at your ebook retailer or Goodreads – or better yet share it on Facebook or Twitter! I look forward to reading your comments! Happy Halloween! This week’s topic on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop seems very timely. A.S. Fenichel says: Let’s talk about book covers. Pick three of your covers and tell us: what was your thought process for the design or, if you’re traditionally published, tell us what you thought the first time you saw your shiny new cover. If you have a great story about your cover(s) please share. If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome! The reason I say this topic is timely is because, just last week, a Canadian artist who designed more than 500 Harlequin romance covers, was awarded his very own stamp, based on one of his covers. Check out the full story here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/he-designed-over-500-harlequin-romance-covers-now-there-s-a-canada-post-stamp-in-his-honour-1.4607014 As for my own covers, I’ve been very involved in their creation. My first two books were published by a small press, but I was able to give them a very clear idea of what I was hoping for, and I think they did a great job. I have to say, though, the cover of my first self-published book is my all-time favourite. When Time Falls Still was actually a finalist as Best Cover in the 2017 RONE Awards. Thanks so much to my cover designer, Steven Cote, for making it look so wonderful! The second cover above is the first publication of Mountain Fire. It will always hold a special place in my heart, since it was my first published book. Just last year I revised it and self-published it with a new, extremely dramatic cover (second from right). Not everyone can see it at first, but there is a silhouette of a couple kissing above the fiery treeline. Can you see it? What do you think?
And the last is No Life But This. It may seem odd that a romance novel doesn’t have a couple on the cover, but this image spoke so clearly to me about Abigail’s journey in the story that I had to use it. Now it’s time to hop over the instigator of this blog, A. S. Fenichel. What cover is her favourite? Check it out here! This week on Romance Writers Weekly, we're searching for inspiration from the kitchen! Leslie Hachtel asks: Is there any particular food that sparks your creativity? Why do you think it does? Is it associated with something like a memory? As I write this is it Sunday morning, and Mr. C. is frying up bacon for a big brunch we will be having later. Now, I can't say that bacon necessarily makes me more creative, but that delicious scent certainly gets some juices going! Coffee, wine and chocolate are often the go-to foods for writers, especially romance writers, it seems. But I can't say that I use any food at all as a prompt for my writing. Usually I sit down to my keyboard in the evening after dinner, and as I'm not much of 'snacker' my eating is done for the day. But that's not to say that food doesn't influence my writing. Setting scenes around a meal can be a great way to set mood and tone. Robert B. Parker often wrote about food in his Spenser novels, whether it was a gourmet meal whipped up by his gritty hero or one shared with Susan and Hawk at a favourite restaurant. Meals can be tense and surly or warm and welcoming, and even the choice of food served can reveal layers of a character's psyche. Smells (whether from food or other sources) are also an often forgotten part of description that can evoke deep emotions. Friendly smells like apple pie and fresh cut grass…seductive scents like a woman's perfume or a man's healthy sweat…grim odors like rotting flesh or discarded refuse. All of these help bring a scene to life in evocative ways. When I am revising my work, I often find myself adding scents to add that extra pop of description. Does A.S. Fenichel use food to kickstart her writing time? Find out here! As I mentioned last week, WHEN TIME FALLS STILL has been nominated for a RONE Award - one of the most prestigious competitions for independent authors. In order to make it to the next stage, Justice and Charlotte need your votes! If you enjoyed their story, please go to www.indtale.com and log in to vote. Thank you! |