Romy Sommer

The Writers' Excuse Book - 101 excuses you've heard before

2012-02-13T11:30:00.000+02:00

I've heard a lot of excuses from wannabe writers about why they don't write. There's not enough time. Life is too hectic. The day job is too demanding. I need to do house-work. I don't have space. I'm too young. I'm too old.

The excuses are usually followed by 'when'. I'll write when I have more time. I'll write when the kids start school. I'll write when the kids leave school. I'll write when the house alterations are done, or when I have my own desk.

If you're really looking for all 101 excuses, you'll have to find another blog. I'm bored already.

The thing is, excuses are not the real problem. They're just symptoms.

It's like when you're stressed at work but won't admit it, so instead you get headaches, stomach aches, the common cold. And no matter how many antibiotic prescriptions you get, you still stay sick. Why? Because you're not dealing with the core issue, which is whatever is causing your stress.

Do you really want to be permanently sick, or tired, or depressed? Or do you want to be successful?
You can't have both.

Do you want to be a writer or an aspiring writer? We move from being the latter to being the former jthe moment we stop with the excuses and start with the writing.

Ane here's how we can do it: right here, right now I want us to stop everything and take a moment to examine WHY you're making excuses. What are we afraid of?

Take your time. I'll wait.

So any ideas yet? And don't give me that 'fear of failure' or 'fear of success' nonsense. That's an easy answer. I want you to dig deeper.

Are you afraid people will laugh at you? Are you afraid of pissing off your family by taking time for yourself?
They won't. Because they love you and they want you to succeed every bit as much as you do. [And if they don't, they're not people you want to know anyhow]

Are you avoiding your mansucript because you think it'll bite you? Or because you think your story sucks? (Of course it sucks - because you haven't actually written it!)

In the interests of transparency, I'll admit that my usual excuse is that I'm too tired. And usually by the time I sit down to write, I am. Because by that time I've wasted precious time doing everything else BUT writing. Why? Probably because laziness is one of my worst qualities, and I'm afrid of work. And until I actually get back into writing, I forget that it feels less like work and more like fun.

Okay, so now we've worked out what excuses you're making. And we understand why we're making them. And I bet anything we're now sitting there looking at our excuses and thinking "That's just daft?"

I hope so, because now we can get back to doing what we love: writing.

PS: On Friday I blogged over at The Minxes about my new guru Kristen Lamb. She has even more butt-kicking blog posts along these lines, which you can read here and here.

The art of being selfish

2012-02-09T11:30:00.001+02:00

Those Victorians have a lot to answer for. Their determination that every member of society should walk the 'straight and narrow path' (while a noble attempt to raise us all to the moral high ground) has left most of us in the western world with a damaged psyche.

Strong words, I know. After all, why shouldn't we have higher morals and strive for a better world?
Well, of course we should.

But not at the expense of our own selves.

More than a hundred years after Queen Victoria died, we still feel guilty if we put ourselves ahead of others.

I'm here to tell you right here and now that this guilt is CRAP. Yes, I just swore. That's how strongly I feel about this.

We can't look after others if we don't first look after ourselves. We can't give strength to others, if we aren't first strong in ourselves. You can't give financial aid to others, unless we first pay our own bills.

And we can't teach our children how to be whole, confident, successful individuals if we give up our own selves, our hobbies and our passions, to serve them. I have two daughters. The best lesson I can teach them is that they need to give me space to be who I am.

Yes, it's selfish. But how else am I going to teach my daughters to reach for their dreams if I don't reach for mine?

I spend quality time with them. But when I close my door and sit down at my laptop to write, that's when I get quality time with ME. They have to respect that. I have to respect that. Because if I don't, then I'm teaching them it's okay to let other people trample over my dreams. I would be teaching them that I am not as worthy of my own time as they are. And in turn, I'm showing them by example not to value themsleves, because I don't value myself.

It's been a hard lesson for me to learn, but I've learned it. I'm selfish, and I'm not ashamed to say it out loud.

We are the generation that can break those ties to our Victotian ancestors. We can let go the ropes that moor us to the earth, and we can soar. And continuing the analogy, we are the generation that can reach the stars, and enable those who follow to fly even further, beyond our wildest dreams.

Being selfish isn't bad. It's a beginning. Because once we have selfishly built ourselves up, we can build up others. We can raise our entire community and society to that high ground the Victorians so valued, a place where all of our dreams can come true. (Who knows, maybe even the dream of world peace might come true?)

So what are you teaching your children about following their dreams? Do you want them to do what you do, or only what you say? Show versus tell?
Do your children respect your ME time? Do you?

A doorway to endless possibilities

2012-02-06T11:30:00.000+02:00

Following last week's rather heavy (but hopefully inspirational) post on changing your reality, this week we're going to do something fun - it's Endless Possibilities, our inspiration game.

This month's doorway comes courtesy of www.favim.com, a wonderful online source of inspiring photographs.

So what do you think: Where is this door? Where does it lead? And who might open the door if we knock?

There are no right or wrong answers, and no prizes for guessing. Just a lot of fun, and maybe you'll get the spark of an idea for a whole new story.

The joys of the day job

2012-02-02T13:29:00.002+02:00

Those who've known me a while might be wondering what I've been smoking to title my blog post about "the joys" of the day job. Because anyone who knows me knows that I would love nothing more than to give up the day job to become a full-time writer.

But I'm growing to appreciate there are a lot of aspects (more than just the pay check!) that make this job worth doing. Most days I work at a desk in a bright office, with an always-on, pretty decent internet connection. I can't (or don't) write on day job time, but I do get the benefit of quiet periods in the office when I can keep up with emails, do research, or write blog posts.

And then there are those days when I get to leave the office. Days when we do film shoots or recces, and I get to visit unusual places. Yes, many of those days also involve 4am wake-up calls, since directors invariably love the light at sunrise and want to be up and shooting the moment the sun hits the horizon. But then there are days like yesterday.

Spending a delightful summer's afternoon on the back of a game viewing vehicle being driven around a private game farm, and calling it work.

I still want to be a full-time writer, but in the spirit of The Secret, I'm learning to appreciate what I have. What do you appreciate most about the life you're currently living, or are you already living your dream?

Deep Stuff - but give me a moment and I'll get to the point

2012-01-30T11:30:00.000+02:00

Back in my mis-spent youth I spent half a year drifting through university before I dropped out and went to Film School instead. From those few months there's only one thing that stuck with me: the idea that life is all in our imagination.

I took a course in Philosophy which started with the earliest of Western Philosophy thinkers, Rene Descartes. You may not know the name, but I'm sure you've all heard of his famous line cogito ergo sum: "I think, therefore I am." The grand idea behind that sentence is that, since we experience everything through our own senses which are highly subjective, we cannot know for certain whether anything beyond our own minds is real or imaginary.

Can we prove without doubt that the world we know, and the people in it, aren't just constructs of our imagination? The quick answer is No.
For all we know, we might be nothing more than the nucleus of a single atom, believing ourselves to be flesh and blood people living on the third rock from this little sun, surrounded by people just like us.

A whole bunch of movies have explored this idea, like The Matrix (1999) and eXistenZ (also 1999 - wonder if the cusp of the new millennium had people questioning their reality or something?) and more recently Inception (2010) which had me thinking about the ending for ages afterwards. Have any of you seen Inception, and if so, what did you think of that ending? Or the whole movie, for that matter?

But my point (yes, I do have one!) is this: if the entire world is nothing more than a trick of our perception, then we can change that world.

If we feel like losers who aren't succeeding while others around us are, or if we feel like we're not coping with everything that Real Life dumps on us, then we should consider this: It might not even be Real!

Just by changing how we perceive the world, we can change how that world really is. In fact, I vote that 2012 be declared Make Your Own Reality Year.

In my brave new world, I am a successful multi-published author, Super Mom, and a calm, confident and super-happy person. I have enough time to achieve everything I want to do. Anyone who says any different is clearly just a construct of my sub-conscious, and my conscious brain has the power to send that imaginary person into oblivion.

Okay, that's the end of the deep stuff. Now it's your turn to share how you're going to change your reality this year. [Or you're welcome to shoot me down with deeper philosophical arguments. I just won't promise to understand them.]

The Slippery Slope

2012-01-26T11:30:00.000+02:00

More than any other revolution in the course of human history, the digital revolution is changing the fabric of society.

Here in South Africa, we had a dramatic government change in 1995. Regime changes are major society changing events but even so the changes on the ground were not immediate. It took at least a decade for the changes at the top to change how we live our everyday lives.

The digital revolution, on the other hand, has started on the ground and is filtering upwards in a reverse direction - and the changes are immediate. As one of my favourite bloggers, Bob Mayer, has been banging on about for some time now, you either lead, follow or get out of the way.
Adapt or die.

This was driven home for me by the recent news that Eastman Kodak has filed for bankruptcy. Their demise signals the end of an era in film-making.

Just two years ago almost every television commercial I worked on was shot on film, using Kodak film stock. 2011? Not one.Two years ago, we still insured Arri 16mm SR3 cameras for millions. Today, you can buy them online used for $10,000. That’s two years from hero to zero.

Every industry affected in any way by the digital revolution needs to sit up and take stock. [Psst ... that means all of us]. For those of us in publishing, from the authors on the ground to the big publishing houses at the top, we have to adapt or die. Publishing is by nature slower moving than the film industry, so the publishing giants - and us authors - might be slower to topple than Kodak, but if we do not adapt, we will die.

The writing is on the wall.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. For those who lead the way (Amazon, anyone?) the future is very bright indeed.

Arri has manufactured film cameras since 1924, but even though film cameras are no longer in frequent use, they’re not filing for bankruptcy. Why? I’m no expert, but I see two reasons: first, they diversified. They not only manufacture cameras, they also manufacture film lights. Second, they adapted. Their Arri Alexa digital camera is now our most popular choice for shooting TV ads.

We authors also need to take stock and decide whether these changes in society are going to affect us, and if so, what are we going to do about it? Will it help us to diversify? How can we adapt?

A year ago I would not have encouraged anyone to self-publish without long, hard thought. Today, I’m considering it myself.

But we also need to take care that we don’t throw out the good with the bad. Self-publishing doesn’t mean we need to stop traditional publishing. Arri didn’t stop making film equipment. They continued to sell lights and cameras, but they worked out which of their product range was no longer in demand, and they changed those products to suit their customers' needs. The Alexa’s popularity is because its images so closely resemble film quality. They took what they knew, and adapted it. And most importantly, they made the changes in enough time that they were ready with the new product just as it was needed. They lead.

Diversity might not be for everyone. Budweiser still only makes beer. Making chocolate isn’t on their agenda. We don’t have to change what we’re doing, just find ways to ensure our product still sells.

As long as readers are still buying printed books, eBooks aren't the only way to go (Here in South Africa print books still vastly outweigh eBooks in popularity). As long as traditional publishers are still buying and successfully selling books, we shouldn't wish them away. They still have a valid place in the publishing eco-system. But diversity means investigating all avenues. eBooks and print, traditional and self-publishing, and probably dozens of other permutations I haven't mentioned.

Which brings me to my final point: the last lesson we creative types can learn from Big Industry: we mustn’t stagnate. Do you think Arri is sitting back and enjoying a well-deserved rest now that the Alexa is on the market? No, you can bet they’re already developing the next generation of cutting edge film cameras and lights, and they’re finding new ways to market what they already manufacture.

In the same way, we (a global ‘we’ including authors and publishers) need to constantly up our game. We need to develop new and better content, and find better ways to deliver that content to our customers, the readers... because they are the ones ultimately driving the changes.

So what can we authors take from this? And would you buy Budweiser chocolate? Share your thoughts (and arguments, if you have them) in the comments section.

Eye Candy

2012-01-23T12:30:00.000+02:00

Ages ago, a writer friend of mine complained about a dearth of fresh eye candy. She'd been looking for inspiration in order to do an eye candy post for a website.
"What about TV shows?" I asked, hoping to jog her muse. "What have you been watching lately?"
She rattled off the names of a few current TV shows, ending with CSI.
"How can you not have found inspiration from CSI? What about Eddie Cibrian, the gorgeous newcomer in CSI Miami?"
She got all excited and hurried off to do her 'research' - and proceeded to do a web page about Andrés Velencoso Segura instead.

So to make it up to poor Eddie, I've decided to do this completely gratuitous post. If you really want to find out more about him, you can try Wikipedia and IMDB. Alternatively, just scroll down ....

Anybody sensing the theme here yet?
Okay, okay, I'll throw in just one image with a fully dressed Eddie. But only because you asked so nicely.

A Discovery of Witches

2012-01-19T11:30:00.000+02:00

I discovered this book through Goodreads, and checked it out because I liked the title. When I read the blurb and realised it was set in Oxford, where my brother and SIL both received their doctorates, it became an autobuy. And I'm so glad I bought it!

Deborah Harkness' book gripped me from beginning to end (and cost me two whole nights' sleep!). It might be a paranormal, but A Discovery of Witches is no teeny bopper romance. This is an intelligent story with an adult heroine and hero (who just happen to be a witch and vampire respectively). The mix of realism and magic was skillfully woven, and I loved the varied settings - from the dreaming spires of Oxford, to the richness of the Auvergne countryside, to the homeliness of New England.

A Discovery of Witches reminded me a great deal of AS Byatt's Possession, and it's even easier to read. The author's knowledge never feels forced or like a lecture. She threads history, biology, science and philosophy so seamlessly into the story that it doesn't feel like you're learning anything, but trust me, you will. I suspect that every reader will take away something different from this story.

I eagerly await the next book in this Trilogy. I hope I've caught up on some sleep by then, so I'm ready!

If you've read this book, please share your opinion in the comments. If not, check out this really detailed and informative review by Bibliophile Jen. And if we've convinced you to try the book, you can find it here on Amazon for Kindle and as a paperback.

Inspiring Women

2012-01-16T11:30:00.000+02:00

It's Monday morning and not only is it Back to Work day, but it's also the first day I start The Great Commute to take my daughters to their new school across town. Far from letting any of this get me down, I'm cheering. Because for 2012 Mondays are Inspiration days here on my blog.

Last week I posted this picture, and opened a brainstorming session, asking blog readers to share their inspiration of what lay behind the door. If you haven't yet had your say, please leave a comment.

This week I'd like to pay tribute to women. To all of us, because we are incredible.

We are stronger than we think. We hold down demanding jobs, raise children, run households (and sorting insurances, car service, grocery shopping, and general maintenance is a full time job. Ask my PA. Ha-ha.) We support each other, not just our friends and families, but sometimes strangers too.

We are often faced with really tough situations that aren't of our own making. And it amazes me again and again ust how strong and resilient women can be. My fellow Wild Rose Press author Kellie Kamryn is hosting a series on her blog, featuring women who've survived abusive marriages and come out the other side.

Far from being depressing, these are stories of brave women, starting with Kellie herself, who are survivors and examples to us all of just how amazing we women are. Please visit Kellie's blog to read both her story and this first post in the series. Thanks Kellie, for offering support and encouragement to the women who need it most.

We can do it!

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000+02:00

My good friend Mandy and I are planning to start teaching novel-writing writing courses soon. Here in South Africa there's a dearth of courses aimed at writers (or aspiring writers) of commercial fiction. Here, if you're a poet or write literary fiction dripping in political angst, you've got it made. Write commercial fiction? Not so much.

Another reason I see a huge need to pass on what I've learned over the last few years is that I really believe anyone can write a novel. (Can anyone publish? Well, that's a whole other blog post.)

But I very strongly believe that anyone who wants to write a novel can - and should.

We all started at that place where we said "I want to write a novel one day". Some of us did it because we had the discipline and focus to make ourselves sit down and write. Some of us needed a bit of a shove from friends or family. All of us discovered along the way that we had a helluva lot to learn. And hopefully, like me, most of us discovered that the learning is just as fun as the writing.

I'd particularly like our courses to be for those who need that nudge. I would absolutely hate for people to never follow their dream and end up regretting that they didn't do it, when all they needed was that little shove in the right direction.

Some people start with greater advantages and get there a little quicker. Some of us take a little longer to get there. But no matter how long it takes, we can all get there if we learn and we persevere. Don't believe me? Check out author Helen Lacey's call story.

The next part of why I want to pass on what I've learned the long, slow, hard way is, in Bob Mayer's words to "Write it forward". If I can help speed up someone else's journey just a little, I'll be happy.

So now I'd like to learn more about you. Were you a self-starter, or did you need a nudge to follow your dreams? Or are you still in need of a shove?

My own little stairway to heaven

2012-01-09T14:00:00.000+02:00

A couple of days before Christmas I spotted a painting in the window of a picture frame shop that really intrigued me. The painting showed a wide stairway between buildings in what looked like Paris. Half way up the stairs curved, disappearing out of sight, and in the curve stood a doorway.

Hours afterwards I was still thinking about that painting, so I phoned the store to ask for the artist's name - and was told the owner had already collected the painting, and they knew nothing.

So I hit Google. I still haven't found that particular picture, but I found dozens of others along the way, and finally uncovered why I'm so attracted to doors and stairways. It's their potential.

Anything could lie behind that door or at the top of the stairs. They suggest possibilities, but leave those possibilities up to our imaginations.

The idea so enthralled me that I've decided that each month on this blog I'm going to post a picture of a door or a stairway, and I'm going to ask you to tell me what you think lies beyond the door. Where is this? Who lives here? Why? And what is their story?

Starting right now with this one, from artist David Villec.

How NOT to make new year resolutions

2012-01-02T11:25:00.000+02:00

There are a few basic rules to making resolutions at the start of the new year. This isn't ground breaking stuff, I know, but I need to remind myself.

1. Don't keep them to yourself, as no-one will keep you accountable unless they know what you want to achieve.
DO make your aims public.

2. Don't make resolutions that rely on other people making things happen (eg. my publisher of choice will request a full within the next 3 months. Yeah right.)
DO list things you can do yourself.

3. Don't be too general. "Write more" might be an achievable goal, but it's also very broad.
DO make your goals specific.

4. Don't aim low. I have a sign at my bedroom door that says "Aim for the moon. Even if you fail, you fall among the stars."
DO push yourself with your new year's resolutions.

Susan Meier has done a really wonderful series of blog posts on goal setting which you can read here. She points out four more important elements for effective goal setting: they should be "1) clear, 2) specific, 3) measurable, and 4) time bound."

So in that spirit, here are my resolutions for 2012. It's quite a list this year!

Complete both my current WIPs by 1st March (thanks lovely Twitter friends for giving me a date and a swift kick in the derriere)
Submit a partial of When September Ends to at least 4 of my A-list agents before the end of April.
Write at least one full category-length manuscript aimed at RIVA between March and December.
Write The Orchard, my next novella-length 1920s story, between March and December.
Keep up with my blog(s) all year!
Get my new German passport sorted before April
Promote the pants off Dear Julia when it releases in June
Attend the RNA conference in Penrith in July
My friend Mandy and I are planning to start teaching courses together. I'd like to get the first underway no later than March.
Go to the gym at least twice a month this year. Every month.
And finally, I have a few friends I've neglected terribly this last year. In 2012 I'm going to make a conscious effort to stay more in touch.

It's do-able, and if I achieve all of that I'll be a very happy bunny.

Have you made any resolutions?

Best wishes for 2012!

2012-01-01T09:30:00.000+02:00

This image is taken from the fireworks display in Vienna last night. For more stunning images of new year celebrations the world around, click on the picture above. Happy New Year!

Another take on Kasey Kahne and the BF debate

2011-12-29T12:21:00.005+02:00

Just in case you missed it, Nascar driver Kasey Kahne made a bit of a booby of himself in public yesterday when he tweeted a comment about a woman he'd seen breastfeeding in public, making it clear he found it disgusting. His supporters joined in, lambasting breastfeeding mothers, but one brave woman (@KnittingRad) stood up in their defense - and Kasey and his supporters turned on her. Mr Famous Nascar Driver even went o far as to call ehr a "dumb bitch" (exposing further ignorance with incorrect grammar too!)

Since then, there's been no apology in sight from Mr Kahne for his comments, but he did try to remove them. Too late. The whole thing went viral, and thanks to the lovely ladies at Smart Bitches, women around the world came out on twitter to support @KnittingRad.

Having followed the storm on Twitter for several hours I went to bed thinking about this and just knew I had to write this post and add my two cents. I don't normally discuss contentious issues on this blog, but I feel strongly enough about this one to get vocal.

While I am definitely in the "Breast is best" camp, I am always Pro Choice. So if a woman tells me she's chosen to bottle feed because breast feeding is uncomfortable, or because it better suits her lifestyle, I'll defend her right to make that choice.

By the same token, if a mother chooses to do what she feels is best for her child and opts to breast feed, then she shouldn't be placed under house arrest. She has every right to do the grocery shopping, to visit friends, and to appear in public. When the baby is hungry, tired and screaming, she has the right to feed him in the way she has chosen. Should she be forced to use a bottle to avoid offending an ignorant minority such as Mr Kahne and his followers? Does anyone have the right to deny both her and her baby their freedom of choice? Only in nations where women live in oppression.

Perhaps Mr Kahne would have preferred a stressed out mom who hasn't had a decent's night's sleep in months, and a screaming baby. I'm pretty sure that most of the other shoppers around them preferred a mom unobtrusively feeding her baby. Even if it is in public. And thank heavens, people like that are in the majority in our free, civilised western culture.

Motherhood is natural. Birth and breastfeeding are natural. If Kasey Kahne takes offense at that, then that says more about him than about anyone else.

And if he had real balls and brains, he wouldn't be driving in Nascar. He'd be driving in F1.

Peace on earth - I'll have me some of that!

2011-12-24T11:00:00.000+02:00

Discovery Channel ran a documentary this week on that famous First World War incident where a truce was called on Christmas Day and both sides joined in a game of football. What I found especially interesting was the comment that after that day the officers in HQ struggled to come up with a way to get the soldiers fighting again. Because after they'd spent a day getting to know one another, they were loathe to fire on each other. Fancy that.

So that's my wish for this lovely little planet of ours this festive season. That we all use this time to reach out to others and make peace, even if it's just for one day. Whether it's individuals reaching out to family and friends, or nations reaching out to one another, that single day of ceasing hostilities can make all the difference.

Here's wishing peace and joy to you all.

Thought for the Day

2011-11-29T09:14:00.001+02:00

I'm hectic on the day job again (a KFC shoot next week) so I'm going to leave you with this thought from The Secret:

Happiness is a choice.

"Once Upon a Time" Inspiration

2011-11-10T14:30:00.000+02:00

My daughters have a delightful CD of Princess songs from the Disney movies which I've stolen away, and which I now keep on constant loop as I'm writing Once Upon a Time. One of my favourite songs, the one which resonates most with my heroine, Katie, is this song from Hercules. Enjoy!

Thank you, Mills & Boon

2011-11-07T15:30:00.000+02:00

The Mills & Boon editors have posted a crit of my New Voices entry, Once Upon a Time, on the NV site. You can read it here.

Both writing this entry and the editors' feedback, have given me an ah-hah moment regarding cliches (the art of using and avoiding them) which I've blogged about over at The Minxes' blog today.

To all the editors and other worker bees at Harlequin Mills & Boon thank you for running this contest, and thank you for taking the time to give feedback.

What happened to October?

2011-10-28T10:56:00.000+02:00

The roller coaster ride that was New Voices is nearly over, and the carriage is slowing as it enters the station. And thank heavens! I've never been good with roller coasters, since every high has an inevitable accompanying low.

October has been a month of mixed blessings. I didn't make the NV Top 21, but I did get a great deal of valuable feedback, and a massive injection of new hope. If you haven't already read my entry, I'd still appreciate comments on Once Upon a Time.

My twin, Rae Summers, also had an emotional month, with both a sale and a form rejection. She's whipping up a fresh batch of champagne cocktails as I type, so please feel free to take a glass and raise it with me in celebration of October's demise. The champagne will keep flowing to sustain us through the slog that is November, and this virtual bubbly has the advantage of no calories and no alcohol so you can have as much as you like.

I'm not doing Nanowrimo this year, but I'll be right there alongside those of you who do, as I have two half-finished novels that I'm desperate to type 'The End' on. See you on the other side!

Final September Challenge update

2011-10-03T12:12:00.001+02:00

In the remaining few days of the September Challenge, I wrote an additional 2,169 words, bringing my grand total (if I calculated correctly!) to about 21,425 words.

Not too shabby, and better than none at all, but I really am quite cross with myself. I'm not going to use the day job or reading too many books as as an excuse, even though I did more reading this last month than I usually do, and the day job has been busy. Because life is always busy. And because life was busy in August too, yet somehow I managed to write just as many, if not more words then.

So here's hoping that October, without pressuring myself to meet any challenges, will be a prolific month.

On the plus side, I have two chapters and a pivotal moment, as well as a detailed synopsis, completed for Once Upon a Time, and When September Ends is now at 66k words, with only about another 20k to go to completion.

Thank you very much to Rachael, and everyone else who did the September Challenge, for helping me achieve this much.

September challenge progress update

2011-09-29T17:52:00.000+02:00

The end is in sight, and I'm nowhere near 30k, but here are my word counts for the week following my last update (in the hopes some accountability will be propel me towards a massive quantity of words before tomorrow night!)

Day 19: 160
Day 20: 0
Day 21: 1,353
Day 22: 931
Day 23: 234
Day 24: 2,282
Day 25: 2,130

Final totals to be posted on the weekend ...

Exciting Moments

2011-09-26T13:19:00.000+02:00

I'll publish my September Challenge update here tomorrow, but in the meantime I thought I'd share one of my favourite writing moments with you. It's that moment when something just 'clicks' in a story, taking you in a whole new, exciting direction.

I've been struggling with a scene in my ST novel in which my heroine, Vivian, goes out on a boating trip with one of the heroes. I've written this scene in three different ways, placed it in different places in the manuscript, and still it wasn't quite working. I know this scene still has its place, but it needed something more.

That something more happened at about 11pm last night. Suddenly my heroine did something that took me completely by surprise, and everything just clicked into place. I won't give details as I'd hate to spoil the surprise before this story is even published, but clearly Vivian has a way better grasp on this story than I do, and knew exactly what was missing!

The boating scene, now nicely slotting in after this new plot twist, no longer feels like it's lacking.

Has this happened to you?

Progress Update

2011-09-19T09:29:00.003+02:00

Isn't it bizarre how the words flow some days and on others it's like sweating blood? In August, I averaged more than 1,000 words a day. That's because I was writing about 1,000 words an hour.

In September, having signed up to do 30k in 30 days, I'm managing about 250 words an hour. It doesn't take a mathematician to work out it's taking me a whole lot more hours to get new words down. Sometimes hours I don't have.

So with a sigh, I have to admit that my total for Days 8 - 18 is a whopping low 6,066. Falling ever behind, but hopeful that this week will be the week I start to move forward again.

September Challenge progress update

2011-09-09T14:55:00.000+02:00

I got off to a slow start on this challenge, and have been slow to catch up, but at least I'm getting words down. Roll on this weekend!

Day 1 - 0
Day 2 - 565
Day 3 - 0
Day 4 - 1,924
Day 5 - 395
Day 6 - 1,711
Day 7 - 1,520

Which gives me a grand total for the first week of 6,115 (behind by 885 words).

The awesomeness that is The Secret

2011-09-02T16:20:00.000+02:00

Since I've been suffering eye strain lately, I've been investigating e-readers. Only the el cheapo Chinese variety are readily available in SA, the one I want (Nook) is not available in SA& downloads from B&N are impossible, and the Sony has got quite a bit of bad press. So I sort of settled on a Kindle. I never really gave much thought to how I was going to pay for it, I just knew I wanted one.

Then this week I checked my royalty statement from TWRP and did a double take. I emailed them a query on why my Kindle royalties are calculated on $3, when the book is listed on Amazon as $5. I got a very nice reply from them yesterday explaining that they regularly get this complaint from Non-US authors. Apparently Amazon loads a surcharge for buyers outside the US. Neither the publisher nor author sees a cent of this!

Grrr to the Amazon monopoly and the fact that they restrict you to buying from them (though I gather there are ways around this).So I fired back an email saying "thanks, but that just put the nail in the coffin. I won't buy a Kindle and support Amazon if they're going to charge me extra for every purchase".

Last night at dinner with my writing group, and again at work this morning, I spouted off about the evils of Amazon and how I plan to boycott them.

Then at lunch time, as I headed out to fetch the kids from school, I bumped into my director in the car park. He has just arrived back from a holiday in New York. I said "thanks for the gift" - meaning the miniature statue of the Empire State Building I found on my desk this morning - and he says "no, that's not your real gift" and hands me a Kindle.

I'm in love! Not with my director, of course, but with my shiny new e-reader. (Though Dean is definitely a super special person for being so generous).

And this is how The Secret works. You put out the intention, you don't think too much about it ... and voila.
One e-reader and one ecstatically happy Romy.

Spring Energy

2011-09-01T14:39:00.003+02:00

It's Spring Day in the southern hemisphere and I can definitely feel a bright, new energy sweeping through. Here in Johannesburg the sun is shining, the buds are blossoming, and it's divinely warm.

Today has also been designated Spring-bok day. The lousy pun is in honour of our national rugby team, the Boks, who are being given a great big send-off today as they head to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. May they do as well in this world cup as they did in the last.

In honour of this new energy, I've signed up to do Rachael Johns' September Challenge. The aim is to write 1,000 words a day to achieve a total of 30,000 words by the end of the month. It's very do-able without intruding too much onto regular life, and since it's what I've been managing the last couple of weeks, I'm hoping this challenge keeps my momentum going and sweeps me through to the end of When September Ends.

Spring is when the famous Namaqualand daisies make their appearance in the usually arid Karoo area of South Africa. This stunning image comes courtesy of the blog Namaqualand Spring Flowers. Visit their site for more stunning pictures.

Top 10 reasons to become a writer

2011-08-30T13:27:00.000+02:00

How have I never heard of Kristen Lamb before?

Thanks to Rachael Johns, I just read the funniest blog post on the Top 10 Reasons to Become a Writer. Some of the blog comments are pretty funny too. Though I think I'll go with #11 - the desire to be rich and famous, and having no other skills than words to achieve it with.

I'm so glad I've discovered Kristen. Not only does she have a wicked sense of humour, but she has some very useful advice for writers on her blog. Kristen is the author of We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It's me, Writer, both published by Who Dares Wins Publishing.

Which brings me back to: how have I never heard of Kristen Lamb before, when I devotedly follow Bob Mayer, self-publishing guru, warrior writer extraordinaire and the power behind Who Dares Wins? I'm off now to correct the mistake, and follow Kristen on Twitter.

And May the Pants be with you.

Another riveting RIVA

2011-08-24T15:10:00.000+02:00

Since I've run out of shelf space for my TBR pile, I'm forcing myself to take a little time off writing and catch up on some reading instead.

First up was Nikki Logan's Rapunzel in New York. This made it to the top of the pile for two reasons: I loved her Shipwrecked with Mr Wrong, and the title was just too gorgeous to resist. While Rapunzel was never my favourite fairy tale growing up, it's my daughters' absolute fave. [If you haven't seen Barbie's new twist on the old tale, then you should].

Nikki Logan has put another completely unique spin on the Rapunzel story. This story sucked me in straight away. I loved the characters, and the conflict, though not entirely new, felt fresh. I never once had the feeling "I've read something similar before" (which is becoming Nikki's trademark, I think. No-one would ever call Nikki's books predictable!).

Best of all, the story was jam-packed with emotions - the kind of believable emotions that sweep you along, right up to the final page. And I'll guarantee you'll be smiling when you get to the end.
This book is staying on my keeper shelf.

If I'd known then ...

2011-08-15T15:40:00.000+02:00

If I'd known that I was going to be coming home to yet another cold front, I'd have stayed away on holiday!

Last week I took my girls down to Durban, my home town, and the sunshine capital of South Africa. Okay, so there are probably many other places in SA that can prove they deserve that title, but for me it's always sunny in Durban. And did I mention ... it's WARM?

Though the holiday was sandwiched between two very long drives, it was well worth it. We built sand castles on the beach, watched the dolphin and seal shows at the aquarium, lunched at an old train station (now converted into a restaurant) and the girls got to milk cows at a fun farmyard.

And when they collapsed into bed at night, exhausted, I burnt the midnight oil working on Dear Julia, a 1920s novella I was invited to write by The Wild Rose Press' historical department. So not much of a break for me, but the feeling of triumph and accomplishment I felt as I hit send last night (mere hours before the deadline!) was incredible.

Keeping my head down

2011-07-31T13:02:00.000+02:00

About this time last year I started a blog post "another week, another shoot." The sentiment is just as apt now as it was then. I've been rolling from one film shoot to the next, without a break between, hence my disappearance from the virtual world.

I'm also desperately trying to steal moments to finish a novella for a TWRP anthology, the deadline for which is less than 2 weeks away. So I'm keeping my head down, and working hard.

What are the rest of you up to?

#MarryingCadeWave - Stop 5

2011-07-13T16:00:00.002+02:00

It’s launch day for Sally Clements’ new book, Marrying Cade, and to celebrate, she’s having a Mexican wave of excerpts! You can keep up with the wave’s progress on the twitter hashtag #MarryingCadeWave – and add a tweet with the hashtag to chat with everyone else who’s reading along!

Here’s how to do it…these are the stops, just call in to these blogs to read each excerpt (they start at stop one, and finish at stop ten). Alternatively, start wherever, and click on the next stop link at the bottom of the excerpt. Or just click on the buy link, to get your own copy of Marrying Cade!

Stop One – Talli Roland’s blog
Stop Two – Maya Blake’s blog
Stop Three – Nas Dean’s blog
Stop Four – Joanne Coles’ blog
Stop Five – Romy Sommer's blog
Stop Six – Lorraine Wilson’s blog
Stop Seven – Joanne Pibworth’s blog
Stop Eight – Suzanne Jones’ blog
Stop Nine – Lacey Devlin’s blog
Stop Ten – Sally Clements’ blog

You can also read a review of Marrying Cade at Madeline Ash's blog.

Stop Five’s excerpt

     She must be meeting her lover. Women didn’t dress like that unless they were meeting a man. Cade glanced at his watch, wondering if he’d have to rescue Adam from the hotel’s owner, just as Adam arrived with a plateful of antipasti. He wasn’t alone. The bombshell with the killer curves walked next to him, right up to the table. Cade pushed back the chair, and stood up.
   “Hey, Cade. Our ride is here. I’ve persuaded her to join us for a drink and a snack before we go back to the house.” Adam eyed him carefully. “You remember Melo?”
   Melo? Cade rubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw.
     She slipped off her glasses, and stowed them in her bag.
   Could this really be Rosa’s sister? The tall, boyish tomboy he’d spent the summer with, so many years ago? She’d been gangly, awkward. Barely in her teens. The woman who stood in front of him bore no comparison.

* * *

Marrying Cade is available from Amazon, Amazon UK and The Wild Rose Press.

Before you go on to Stop Six, do click the tweet button below to help get the wave going! Now, continue on to Stop Six here: http://lorraine-wilson.blogspot.com/

Where I work - some of the time

2011-07-04T15:34:00.000+02:00

My apologies that I've been AWOL for so long. I've been rolling over from one film shoot onto the next, and as I've said over on the Minxes blog today, I'm currently on Day 3 of a 5 day shoot.

Which makes this the perfect time to show you where I work when I'm not at a desk ... this is today's office:

Usually my office is a camp chair in the VT tent (known as the Video Village on larger shoots), and usually set up in some cow field or on a sidewalk:

but on my previous shoot I had a rather more civilised set up in a professional ballet studio. At least it was out of the elements!

But sometimes being on set offers real challenges ... this is my production co-ordinator (and former book editor) Ceridwen Morris on the Santam shoot I worked on in Cape Town earlier this year. Can you believe anyone would give up working with books to do this?

If you'd like to see the Santam commercial, click here.

Happy Winter Solstice

2011-06-21T21:53:00.000+02:00

Tonight is the longest night of the year here in the southern hemisphere, which makes it a wonderful night. Tomorrow our days start to get longer again - Yay!

For those of you in the northern hemisphere ... enjoy the warmth while you can, because we're ready to take it back!

* * *

The Shortest Day

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.

- Susan Cooper
Author of The Dark is Rising novels

Thank you!

2011-06-13T13:02:00.000+02:00

Thank you so much to everyone who sent me birthday wishes via Facebook and email. Having all those messages streaming into my inbox really made me feel special and was the cherry on the top of a very pleasant day.

Where I work - Part 2

2011-06-07T10:40:00.000+02:00

This is the office where I spend most of my days. I don't get much writing done on the day job, but this is where I read blogs, do my research and email endlessly to all my wonderful writing friends.

I'm in the building on the left:

The offices are glass boxes with screeded concrete floors, so not the most pleasant place to be mid-winter!

And my current desk (we tend to play musical chairs, depending on which project we're working on at any given moment).

Where I work

2011-05-30T16:59:00.000+02:00

Here's a little sneak peek into my life. This is where most of my writing happens: my home office.

The room is not very big, but it contains everything I need: desk, bed, cupboards. The books, naturally, have an entire room of their own in the house!

And yes, those beautiful landscapes and gorgeous heroes on the desk are inspiration, not reality. The heroes (notice, the plural) of my WIP, When September Ends, are right at the top of the board.
Any guesses who they might be?

#1k1hr

2011-05-24T18:03:00.000+02:00

For those of you not (yet!) on Twitter, this is the hash tag used by writers for a writing challenge in which writers challenge each other to write a thousand words in one hour. I started doing these a week ago, and in one week I've gone from an hourly average of 450 words to around 1,200 words an hour!

The nice thing about a challenge like this is that you're not alone, you're forced to unplug from the net for an hour, and at the end of the hour you report back to the writers you've done the challenge with, so there's accountability! And everyone's a winner, no matter how many words they achieve.

In the last week I've added about 8,000 words to my 'Just For Fun' manuscript, now titled When September Ends. And I've also done a film shoot in between and worked some really stupid hours!

But sometimes you also just need to take a breather. I discovered, doing Nanowrimo three years running, that just pushing out words doesn't really work for me, unless I have a really clear idea where I'm going with a story. Since this 'Just for Fun' story had no clear destination, I was starting to write scenes that really didn't fit the bigger picture.The literary equivalent of scenes that end up on the cutting room floor.

Since just adding words isn't enough to write a publishable novel, I sat for an hour this morning and made a list of all the key scenes I envisage for this story. Yes, it's the plotter in me rearing her ugly head. Now I'm armed with my bullet pointed list, my road map of where I'm headed, I'm ready for the next challenge.

So who is going to join me on my next #1k1hr?

Loads of prizes up for grabs!

2011-05-23T11:45:00.002+02:00

This week is the final week of the Minxes' Birthday Bash. Up for grabs this week are a copy of Sally Clements' Catch Me a Catch, which was shortlisted for the RNA's Joan Hessayon award, and also a RIVA! bag made by Minx Lorraine.

Grand Prix Contest

In order to enter the Grand Prix contest, you'll need to be a follower of the Minxes Blog, and the question you need to answer is simple: How old is Minxes of Romance?

The first prize will include:

A signed copy of Sally Clements' Bound to Love
A "Careful or you'll end up in my novel" t-shirt
A personalised Minxy notebook courtesy of Minx Jo P
An Amazon gift voucher valued at $10 courtesy of Minx Sri

One runner-up will also win the following:

Claire Robyns' historical novel Betrayed
An Amazon gift voucher valued at $10 courtesy of Minx Maya

This contest will close on Sunday 29th May, and the winners will be announced on Monday 30th May.
And where is all of this happening? http://minxesofromance.blogspot.com

RNA's Joan Hessayon Award

2011-05-18T22:45:00.001+02:00

I was hoping to be hot off the press with congratulating the winner of the Joan Hessayon Award at the RNA's Summer Party this evening, but sadly I'm still waiting. (Come on ladies, enough with the champagne now ... spill the good news).

The reason I'm on tenter hooks is that Sally Minx is one of the five nominees for this distinguished award. GO SALLY!

As it's now nearly 11pm here in South Africa, and as I have a tech recce starting at the crack of dawn tomorrow, I'm going to have to try to sleep without news. But I'll be online tomorrow as soon as I possibly can to share the joy with you - and the shoes.

PS: Sadly (for the Minxes) Sally Minx did not win. The JHA trophy went to Charlotte Betts. Congratulations, Charlotte!

A copy of my novella is up for grabs!

2011-05-11T17:13:00.000+02:00

As part of the Minxy Birthday Bash, I'm offering one commenter on today's blog post a chance to win a copy of my 1920s novella, Let's Misbehave. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on Maureen Child's interview here.

Each week in May we're running two contests, and there is also a Grand Prix contest that runs all month. You can find out more about how to enter these contests here.

Happy birthday Minxes!

And back again

2011-05-05T11:14:00.000+02:00

A week or so back I blogged at Nocturnal Nights about a struggle I was having with my current 1920s WIP. I'd written a dramatic scene of a re-enactment that takes place in the Italian town of Positano every year, but during my research I stumbled across YouTube footage of the modern day re-enactment and discovered that the reality is nowhere near as dramatic as what I'd written.

So I rewrote the chapter, much more authentic, and adding in a new and rather more personal drama to make up for the lack. Then when I did a Google search yesterday for the YouTube clip (which I'd neglected to bookmark) I stumbled over yet more new information - suggesting my original version was more correct for the period!

Back to the drawing board again. This time to take both scenes to try and merge the best of both into a coherent whole that fits the rest of the manuscript.

[Wails] And I was so close to finally being done with this story!

This scene isn't Positano, but it gives an idea of how the scene will appear in the book (I hope!).

The April Challenge

2011-05-03T13:34:00.000+02:00

Okay, so I failed rather spectacularly at this challenge. It's not like I set myself an impossible goal or anything (20,000 words should be do-able in the best of months, let alone one as filled with holidays as April had!)

The plan was to add about 6,000 words to Innocent Abroad, finish editing and polishing it, then start a new novella for The Wild Rose Press.

I may have added about that many words to Innocent Abroad, however since I also cut a great many, and the edits still aren't done, that's a FAIL.

As for the new novella? Nada. Zip. Zero. What I did do was about 5,000 words on a single title that I really hadn't planned to write, which has no plot or direction, and which is not part of my Master Plan. (Yes, I have a plan, not that it might seem like it most of the time!)

On the plus side, I am writing again, and I am really happy with how Innocent Abroad is finally shaping up. My original goal of submitting it no later than mid April has long gone, but my new goal is to send it out into the big wide world by the end of this week? Wish me luck!

And yet another Royal Wedding blog post

2011-04-29T17:56:00.000+02:00

Just in case you hadn't heard (yea, right!) it's Will and Kate's big day. I've cracked open the champagne on their behalf, so apologies if this post is full of spelling mistakes!

We've all seen The Wedding Dress (and wasn't it beautiful?) and there's nothing more that I can add to the many, many blog posts of the day, so I thought I'd dedicate a blog post to recent royal wedding dresses. There have been so many stunning dresses in the last decade or so, that Catherine Middleton really had a tough act to follow.

On the English royalty side:

Lady Davina Windsor, married in 2004 to New Zealand carpenter Gary Lewis

Her sister, Lady Rose Windsor, married in 2008 to Peter Gilman


Canadian Autumn Kelly, the Canadian who maried another grandson of the Queen, Peter Phillips

Then a few European royals:


Maxima Zorreguieta, the South American bride of Crown Prince Willem Alexander of the Netherlands

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, the single mum who married the crown prince of Norway

Letizia Ortiz, a former journalist and now the Crown Princess of Spain

Aussie Mary Donaldson, who married one of Europe's best looking Crown Princes, Frederik of Denmark.

And the most recent Royal bride:

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

Today's star:

The new Duchess of Cambridge

But for me, the award for best dressed woman at today's wedding goes to ...Pippa Middleton.

(wish I had the figure for a dress like that!)

The Wild Rose Press' 5th Birthday Bash

2011-04-27T14:00:00.002+02:00

Today sees the start of a 5 day birthday bash at The Wild Rose Press as they celebrate their 5th birthday. Sadly, I'm away on holiday this week, so I won't be popping in, but I urge you to drop by their Yahoo reader loops to see what's happening. There will be lots of prizes for anyone who gets involved, including gift certificates.

You can find the two reader loops here:
The Wild Rose Press for romance readers
The Wilder Roses for erotic romance

Have fun, and I hope you all win lots of goodies (then you can buy my novella!)

Celebrate Earth Day today!

2011-04-22T09:00:00.004+02:00

How are you celebrating Earth Day today?

I'm going to plant a tree with my daughters. It might not be much in the big scheme of things, but I'd like to teach them about the value of trees - and they really need to replace the massive Delicious Monster in my mother's garden which they destroyed by using it as a jungle gym.

If you're not sure how you can help to save our planet, I have a few suggestions over on my Rae Summers blog.

Let's make every day Earth Day!

Shipwrecked with Mr Wrong

2011-04-18T13:21:00.000+02:00

This week over on the Minxes blog we're hosting Australian author Nikki Logan, whose book Shipwrecked with Mr Wrong is an April Riva release. Though I've stopped reviewing every Riva book I read, this one deserves special mention.

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I call this an emotional tour de force. It is not a rollercoaster of emotions, but rather a very gentle, very poignant story that is sure to bring a lump to your throat, as it did to mine.

Shipwrecked is a fresh, unique spin on the age-old marooned on a desert island story. The hero and heroine are modern, identifiable people cast away on a tropical island paradise, and naturally they just happen to be the two worst people to be stranded together, the two who strike the most sparks off one another ...

Though I noticed that there were no fully consummated sex scenes (for those who like your Rivas on the steamier, Modern Heat side!) I didn't feel the lack of them. The sensual tension between this hero and heroine was exactly right for who they are. The heroine enforced her boundaries, and the hero respected them. But the chemistry sizzled all the more because of the emotional conflict causing those boundaries.

It's hard to review this book without spoilers, so I'm just going to suggest you read the book, as well as Nikki's interview on Wednesday over at the Minxes blog which will give some special insights into the story.

Yet another reason to love The Vampire Diaries

2011-04-14T17:28:00.000+02:00

If you follow our group blog at Minxes of Romance, then you probably already know that I'm completely addicted to The Vampire Diaries. (And if you don't, feel free to drop by there and read my series of posts on what writers can learn from the incredible writing in this TV series).

But today I want to thank the creators of The Vampire Diaries for more than just great writing, some really hot young men, and for keeping me on the edge of my seat. I want to thank them for introducing me to some incredible new music.

Last year I blogged about how I was getting myself out of a music rut and starting to listen to new performers. This year, I truly am. There is some really glorious music out there that I'm only just discovering, courtesy of this TV show. Among them: Sara Bareilles, Matt Nathanson, Plumb, Mat Kearney...

I'm going to leave you with just one of the new songs I've discovered, this one by Tyrone Wells:

A Head Full of Cotton Wool

2011-04-07T16:56:00.000+02:00

Not the title of a new novel, but my state of being. Thanks to the changeable weather in Cape Town, and returning to a very wet and chilly Johannesburg, I now have a cold. Actually, it's not a very serious cold, except that my head feels ... well, full of cotton wool!

While I dose myself full of Vicks Medinite and sleep it off, I'll leave you with a few images of one of our film locations from last week: the beach at Noordhoek, not unsurprisingly known as Long Beach.

PS: Sadly I took no pictures of my own, so I owe thanks to Google Search for all these pictures.

Quick Quote

2011-04-02T20:36:00.000+02:00

Characters bring emotion to story, and emotion is what attaches readers to books.
- Bob Mayer, Write It Forward

Where am I now?

2011-03-23T21:56:00.000+02:00

This isn't a deep and meaningful question. For ten sleeps I'm away from home, preparing for a three day film shoot next week. Since the day job is consuming every waking moment, I'm filling up the blog with a few pictures of the city where I'm currently living and working.

Can you guess where I am?

Incidentally, the stadium front and centre in the above picture was built specially for ast year's soccer world cup, and the hotel where I stayed the last two nights is in front of it.

Hostage to Love

2011-03-15T11:54:00.000+02:00

I now have a brand new laptop courtesy of my employers and spent yesterday re-installing my life. The only thing I didn’t have on it last night was an internet connection, so I made good use of the time and ... no, I didn’t write ... I read.

The book was the next one on my eBook TBR pile: my crit partner Maya Blake’s Hostage to Love.

This novel starts in a fictional African country, where the heroine is among a group of aid workers taken hostage by a rebel group. The opening pages are edge-of-the-seat stuff, and yet Maya has got the pace just right, not too relentless to feel rushed but just right to keep the pages turning quickly.

Then the action moves to a quiet, idyllic Greek island. Since the Greek islands are my idea of paradise on earth, the book couldn’t get much better. Here the pace slowed and the suspense plot receded, allowing the fraught relationship between hero and heroine to unravel before the reader. This is also where Maya’s real strength comes to the fore: she writes hot incredibly well. Read the book and you’ll understand.

People who know me will know that I'm not overly fond of arrogant, dominating heroes. Matched with the wrong heroine, they can come across as simply abusive. Maya has managed the perfect balance. With Belle, she has created a heroine well able to stand up to the supremely alpha male, Nick. Not once did I want to punch his lights out, because I knew Belle would bring him to his knees.

The book rises to a dramatic, gripping climax and a very satisfactory ending.
What more can anyone ask of a romance novel?

The Blues

2011-03-11T18:07:00.000+02:00

I'm not talking about music or Oxford's rowing team, I'm talking my mood.

My laptop crashed rather spectacularly this last week (and it wasn't even 2 years old yet!) so I am now internet-less, document-less, and if it weren't for my trusty Nokia cell phone I'd also be email-less.

So my apologies if I'm not around for a while. I'm catching up on sleep in the meantime, and I'll be back online as soon as I have a replacement up and running.

I'm missing you all!

Quick Quote

2011-03-03T11:30:00.002+02:00

"There is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and you keep and hold that picture there long enough you will soon become exactly as you have been thinking."
- William James

Catch Me a Catch

2011-02-25T15:30:00.002+02:00

The second of my amazing crit partners to be published was Sally Clements. Though Sally wrote Catch Me a Catch before we formed the Minxes of Romance, I was there when she made this first sale, and it was a memorable moment for us all.

Catch Me a Catch was released by The Wild Rose Press in July last year and I was quick to buy a copy. Not so quick to read it. Bad, bad Minx. Sally has my full permission to wield the Big Minxy Stick (usually reserved for slaying the crows of doubt, and other Minxy foes).

Sally, please accept my deepest apologies. I didn’t know what I was missing.

So that no-one else can use this excuse, I’m now going to tell you all what you’ve been missing if you haven’t yet read Catch Me a Catch.

A hunky hero. A little ruffled at first, but he cleans up real well.
A really likeable heroine who makes chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but those really fancy ones that make your mouth water and your senses come alive.
A gorgeous setting. I would love to read more romances set in Ireland. Windswept beaches, pubs and ceilis, glamorous hotels and Grafton Street... what more could any reader want?
A supporting cast of well developed, fascinating secondary characters.

At first, the story seems light-hearted and frothy. While Sally keeps this delightful, light tone going throughout, don’t be misled. This book may be centred around a Match Making Festival, but this story is not a comedy. It’s a romance with a great deal of depth, covering some truly heartfelt issues. You might laugh as you read this book, but you also might cry.

Finally, a private note of thanks from me to Sally: It has been a very long time since I visited Dublin. This novel helped me re-live some wonderful memories. I’d completely forgotten about Bewley’s! Your novel brought back all the sights and sounds of Dublin to me. Thank you, and I cannot wait to read your next novel, Bound to Love. This time, I’m definitely not going to wait so long!

Catch Me a Catch is available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Amazon UK and All Romance eBooks.

Yuletide Fire

2011-02-22T15:00:00.002+02:00

I’m finally clearing my teetering TBR pile. Top of the eBook pile are the novels published by a few of my amazing crit partners, the Minxes of Romance.

First up was Yuletide Fire by Nyla Rose, which I read (unsurprisingly) in the run-up to Christmas. This story was full of heat, and I’m not just talking the eggnog and blazing Yule log variety. It was a wonderful read, with really great characters and an edge of the seat quality that kept me turning the pages.

I’ll be honest and admit that because I know Nyla, and admire her, I would have read this book cover to cover regardless of whether I enjoyed it or not. The fact that I read it cover to cover in a single sitting, on my laptop, at a very uncomfortable desk, might give you an indication of just how much I enjoyed this story.

Yuletide Fire is excellent reading for any time of the year. While the setting might involve Christmas parties and mistletoe, the characters and their conflicts are universal, and let’s face it, a great romance is a pleasure to read at any time of the year!

This book is available from Cobblestone Press and All Romance eBooks.

Juggling Briefcase and Baby

2011-02-17T17:29:00.000+02:00

I loved Jessica Hart’s Oh-So Sensible Secretary, so I had high expectations for this linked ‘sequel’. Juggling Briefcase and Baby did not disappoint. Together, these two novels are the best examples of office romances I’ve ever read. They set a very high bench mark.

What really excited me about this book was that the heroine shared my name. I can honestly say that I have never read a novel with a character called Romy before! But what started out as a novelty became the only thing that disconcerted me about this novel. I’m not sure how readers with less unusual names handle it, but it was a little jarring to read love scenes (no matter how short!) or emotionally-charged scenes in which the heroine is addressed by my name!

I have just one more Riva launch novel to read (Nicola Marsh’s) but I can’t believe it’s mid February already and the next four are already piled up on my TBR pile. At this rate, I suspect I’m not going to be reading much else this year other than Riva!

I did it!

2011-02-11T15:37:00.002+02:00

I hit send yesterday evening and the partial of Beneath the Ionian Sun is now hopefully, finally, sitting in the editor's inbox. And not in her spam filter. Or email heaven. Or the hundred and one other places lost submissions go. Me, anxious?

Please help Egyptian author Olivia Gates

2011-02-04T12:43:00.001+02:00

It's been a big week for Harlequin Desire & Medical author Olivia Gates. Her latest book launched on 1st February, and since she lives in Egypt this has been somewhat over-shadowed by recent events there. Her friends have put out an internet call for readers to help Olivia promote her book, since her access to the internet has been seriously curtailed by the drama on her doorstep.

Please spread the word - and better yet, go out and but a copy in support of Olivia. You can also buy the book online from Harlequin and Amazon.

Blurb

He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family's rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom...and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn't resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart's greatest mistake...but she feared it was already too late....

You can find out more about Olivia Gates at her website, and if you've been living in a cave and aren't quite sure what's been happening in Egypt, here's an interesting article.

Chapter Three

2011-02-01T14:28:00.001+02:00

I’ve been toiling away at polishing Chapters 2 and 3 of Beneath the Ionian Sun for what feels like weeks now, in anticipation of finally getting another submission out there. The reason for the toiling was because I just couldn’t get Chapter 3 to sparkle.

This is the all-important end point the editor is going to read up to, so of course I want this chapter to end on a high note. Except that the sparkly dialogue and pivotal decision were sitting at the end of Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 was more of a bridging chapter.

Re-write after re-write just hasn’t worked, so in pursuit of a solution I re-read the third chapters of all my favourite category novels. Without exception, every single one had a pivotal point in which the stakes were raised.

It took me until just a few days ago to realise what I had to do: swap the chapters around.

So simple! Why couldn’t I have figured that out weeks ago?

Now I’ve cut and pasted sentences all over the place, rewritten so that the chapters flow nicely and Voila! It works. Chapter 2 now bridges the gap, as the characters get to know one another better. Chapter 3 has them facing a major decision and ends on a high point.

Expect news of a submission in the near future.

With This Fling

2011-01-27T16:03:00.000+02:00

If you haven’t already read my Kelly Hunter fan girl moment, you can find it here.

Misbehaving with the Magnate was the first book of Kelly’s I read. It was a fun read and remains on my keeper shelf, but it was her Bennett series that turned me into her biggest fan.

Kelly just seems to go from strength to strength, with each book better than the last. Her latest, With This Fling (a launch title for Mills & Boon’s new Riva imprint) is without a doubt my favourite so far. You can read the blurb, and find out how the book was inspired, over at the Minxes blog.

There was a lot to love about With This Fling: a fast-paced story-line, sparkly banter, a to-die-for hero, and a lovely setting. But for me the best thing about this novel was the heroine. Kelly Hunter has an amazing ability to write heroines who are completely original and utterly engaging.

Charlotte Featherstone is quirky, self-assured, socially skilled, intelligent and just a little ditsy. I often identify with the heroines in novels, but it’s not often I want to BE her.

Though With This Fling is fun and flirty, fulfilling the promise of the line, it also has poignant moments. My eyes were very wet when I read the scene involving a contact card. You’ll have to read the story to find out why.

Riva has arrived!

2011-01-16T16:18:00.000+02:00

Over at the Minxes Blog, we're celebrating the launch of Mills & Boon's new Riva imprint this month, with interviews with four Riva authors.

Last weekend I bought all four Riva launch titles, and then I was faced with a dilemma: which to read first?
Since all the blurbs sounded so enticing, I finally settled on reading them in order they appear in the Minxy spotlight, starting with Kimberly Lang's Girl's Guide to Flirting with Danger. And all I can say is that if the others all measure up to this one, Riva is going to be a hit!

Girl's Guide is everything you'd expect from what was previously known as Modern Heat. It's packed with snappy dialogue (look out for the radio scene in chapter 3!), some laugh-inducing moments, and a great deal of sizzling sensuality. It's a reunion story, with two lovable characters. And it's FUN! Read it.

Too Stupid To Live

2011-01-12T17:47:00.000+02:00

This post includes spoilers for several best-selling paranormal YA novels. So if you don’t want to know how they pan out, stop reading here.

* * *

The heroine is a young girl, living in a place she really doesn’t want to be. She meets the hero at her new school, and is instantly attracted to him, though he seems to take an instant dislike to her. Then they get to know each other, and it turns out that he is more than he seems. She unearths the secret of what he really is. He admits that he can’t resist her any longer, and that she is the great love of his life. They are blissfully happy together, though they can’t get too passionate as it’ll be too dangerous for her. Then her life is threatened and he has to come to her rescue in a dramatic finale which involves a great deal of flying glass and an entourage of superhuman beings.

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight? Actually no, I’m talking about Lauren Kate’s Fallen.
So far so good. It’s a winning recipe that works well for both books.

Their sequels are also remarkably similar:
For her own good, the hero separates himself from the heroine. In his absence, she undertakes a series of dangerous adventures. She meets another boy, one who seems a great deal more normal and warm and considerate, and who becomes her closest friend. Though his interest in her is obvious, she doesn’t love him as she loves her One True Love.

The difference between these two books is that in New Moon, though the heroine’s depression at losing her love is a tad annoying and you’d like to slap her upside the head with a wet fish, she isn’t Too Stupid To Live. Whereas Luce, the heroine of Lauren Kate’s Torment, is.

Maybe I’m dating myself here when I say that Luce comes across like a spoilt, whiny teenager. Yes, I know she is a teenager, and yes I know it’s possible a lot of teenagers behave like that, but seriously, this is fiction. The heroine is the person whose head the reader is going to have to spend hours and hours inside. And having her whine on about how everyone treats her like a baby and doesn’t tell her anything is enough to make the reader want to put the book down.

Chicky, I counted at least three people telling you not to leave the safety of the school grounds before you left the safety of the school grounds. And you know what? Claiming afterwards that you didn’t know it was dangerous because nobody tells you anything is TOO STUPID TO LIVE.

Luckily for Lauren Kate’s next book, I still hear Mrs Steen’s voice in my head. She was my primary school library teacher, and the one thing she ingrained in me was that you had to read the book before you could decide whether you liked it or not.

I’m looking forward to Passion, due out in 2011.

My favourite non-fiction book of all time

2011-01-06T10:00:00.001+02:00

Confession time: I was a geeky kid who used to sit and read the Encyclopedia Brittanica for fun. Really.
I spent many hours in my teen years, in front of the TV with an encycopedia open on my lap, sometimes just browsing, sometimes jumping from article to article. Actually not much different from the way I surf the internet these days!

I find most non-fiction very dry to read. You have to be interested in the subject matter (or be truly bored!) to persevere. But there is one non-fiction book that I have read over and over. I know the stories contained in its pages intimately, but sometimes I'll just dip into it and read a few pages just for pleasure.

I was still in my early teens when I bought the book second hand in a tiny independent bookstore, and its fabric cover still smelled of the previous owner's pipe tobacco. My whole reason for buying it was because it contained a picture of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, nicknamed Sissi, a role played by the actress I was named for, Romy Schneider.

The book is Dorothy Gies McGuigan's The Habsburgs. It covers over five hundred years of European history, focussing on one of the most influential dynasties of all time: the Habsburgs, who came out of obscurity in central Europe (Austria) to conquer most of Europe through marriage. First The Netherlands, then Spain and Hungary, vast tracts of Italy and the title of Holy Roman Emperor into the bargain.

But what I love most about this book aren't the stories of power and politics, which is what most non-fiction books would dwell on. It's the small personal stories that the writer tells with such emotion that the reader can't help but be drawn in. Stories like that of Juana the Mad, queen of Castile, obsessively in love with her Habsburg husband, who is known to history as Philip the Handsome. After his death, she decided to have his body moved to the royal crypt at Granada:

She started southward in a great funeral cortege, the coffin on an open bier before her carriage, journeying only at night by the light of torches, for, she said, "A widow who has lost the sun of her own soul should never expose herself to the light of day."

Is it just me, or is that really moving?

If you ever stumble across this book, give it a read. And if you're a romance writer then like me, you might just find inspiration within its pages.

Willkommen 2011

2011-01-02T00:01:00.000+02:00

My parents gave me a gift in my early teens, a poster of a beautiful ballet dancer that hung on the back of my bedroom door for many years. Beneath the picture were these wise words from William Arthur Ward:

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.
If you can dream it, you can become it.

I have no idea what happened to that poster, but those words will stay with me for life.

This is my resolution for the new year, and my hope for all of you; that we will all dream big. But remember: you need to believe in the dream for it to come true.

Quick quote

2010-12-27T11:30:00.003+02:00

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.
- Joseph Campbell

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T11:00:00.001+02:00

Here's a sprinkling of fairy dust to make all your wishes come true. Have a blessed holiday season!

Christmas Reading

2010-12-22T15:23:00.000+02:00

This wasn't on my Christmas reading list, since I already have a teetering pile of books to read and this was the newest addition to the pile. But I'm so glad I did. This book was an even better way to spend an evening than a feast of red wine and dark chocolate!

India Grey's newest book, Her Last Night of Innocence, was an incredible read, packed full of intense emotions and believable characters. The story is set against the backdrop of F1 motor racing, of which I'm a huge fan, and I loved the way in which India handled the motor racing scenes.

There are far better book reviews out there, but a few of the things I loved ...

* * * Spoiler Alert * * *

Apart from being an excellent read, there were moments when I had to laugh out loud at India Grey's cleverness. Like the line where she uses words typical of purple prose but in a completely unique combination:
"Cristiano’s eyelids flickered for a second as beneath the water she took hold of his throbbing erection and held it for a quivering moment ..."

And then there's the delightful moment when a minor character, Nurse Parks, is reading a romance novel while on duty: “She’d just reached a really good bit, where the heroine had vowed she’d rather die than let the gorgeous Italian hero know about the child she was carrying. That was all very well in books …” then the gorgeous Italian hero walks into the ward to claim his secret love child!

Finally, and I'm note sure whether this was accidental or intentional, but all the book's character have the surnames of known racing drivers: Maresca (US driver Mario Maresca), Edwards (US driver John Edwards), Hill (Graham & Damon Hill), Fournier (Henri Fournier, early 1900s), Watson (former Irish racer John Watson) and Parks (1960s Paul Parks, drag racer Wally Parks & 60s Ferrari driver Michael Parkes).

I had only one gripe with this book. Much though I love the new M&B covers, this is one book where the designers got it very, very wrong. The only evening gown the heroine wears in this novel is blue, not gold. She's blonde, not brunette. And apart from a couple of scenes set in Monaco, this book has nothing to do with gambling or card games - unless you count the hero gambling with his life on the race track.

But don't let the cover stop you. You owe it to yourself to read this book.

Winner announcement

2010-12-20T10:54:00.000+02:00

I've announced the winners over at my Rae Summers blog. Congratulations to Jennifer Mathis and Rachel Lyndhurst. They both win Christmas tree decorations courtesy of The Rainforest Site.

The Rainforest Site is offering all Christmas ornaments at half price, so check out the sale!

Interesting quotation

2010-12-09T14:00:00.007+02:00

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart and soul.
- From Bernard Baruch (courtesy of a Huletts sugar packet)

Whew!

2010-12-06T18:20:00.000+02:00

The day job just got really busy. Since I've had a quiet run for the last two months I've almost forgotten how to do the job! I'll be absent for the next week or so until I get on top of the workload. Have fun while I'm gone!

Take on Amazon Web Splash

2010-12-01T12:08:00.000+02:00

Author Talli Roland is conducting an interesting experiment. She's using social media to take on Amazon today, and would appreciate our support.

* * *

Help Talli's debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by spreading the word today. Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.

No Kindle? Download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more.

Coming soon in paperback. Keep up with the latest at www.talliroland.com.

About THE HATING GAME:

When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £2000,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?

* * *

Reviews & Tags

If you do buy The Hating Game and you like it, a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated! If you don't have an Amazon account, you can also post reviews on Goodreads. Thank you!

If you are on Amazon and in a clicking sort of mood, it would be fantastic if you could click on a few tags ('Tags Customers Associate with this Product' - located underneath the Product Description). Cheers!

NaNo Days 24 - what day is this?

2010-11-29T18:01:00.001+02:00

Want to hear my excuses? They're really good.

1 x blog tour
2 x sick kids
3 x glasses of wine at the company Thanksgiving party
4 x blogs to run
And the day job turned suddenly manic

On the plus side - I have been thinking about this story a great deal and realised some amendments need to be made to the basic internal conflict. So not in the spirit of NaNo to go back in the edit but now that I've come to terms that I won't be proudly displaying a winner certificate on my wall for the next year, I'm okay with that. I'd rather have a really great story!

If you haven't already Sally Clements over on my other blog, please do. And don't forget that I'm running a tour contest over there. Finally, I'm blogging today at Minxes of Romance - check out the yummy pictures.

Wild Roses Christmas Blog Tour

2010-11-24T21:13:00.000+02:00

My alter ego (Rae Summers) is participating in a blog tour with nine other authors from The Wild Rose Press for the next four Wednesdays. Please visit my other blog and support me on the tour. Today I'm hosting my lovely crit partner, Sally Clements.

The tour is Christmas-themed so you'll be able to get holiday ideas, recipes, as well as pick up some new holiday reads. Each blog is also running a tour contest, which means that you have ten chances to win!

For more information on the participating authors, the prizes they're offering, and who is visiting where and when, click here: http://rosestour.blogspot.com/

To find out more about the contest I'm running, click here, and to see what I have to say about my TBR pile, drop by PL Parker's blog.

NaNo Days 22-23

2010-11-24T16:44:00.001+02:00

Plodding along ...
Day 22: 308 words
Day 23: 1245 words

NaNo Days 19-21 and a Realisation

2010-11-22T12:37:00.000+02:00

What a lovely week-end! Warm, sunny weather. Spending the days lazing in the garden with the kids. Reading Mira Lynn Kelly's Wild Fling or Wedding Ring. Getting nine hours sleep a night.

The only thing that didn't happen was writing. Of any kind. My laptop didn't even get switched on until Sunday night. So my word counts are now so drastically behind that the chances of me winning at NaNo are disappearing into the distance. And I'm okay with that.

I've stopped beating myself up over it. I've realised that my circumstances this year are a little different from last year. Last year I hadn't just moved house, my kids weren't as unsettled, I didn't have to deal with the loss of any pets, let alone two (don't ask!) and last year, before I started NaNo, I'd had a delightful holiday in Greece, so I was well-rested and relaxed.

But the biggest realisation I had this week-end came courtesy of the amazing Bob Mayer. Yesterday I re-read the notes I took in his Warrior Writer course. He talks about understanding the WHY of everything you do. Why are you writing this novel?

Last year's WHY was simple: I wanted to finish the novel I'd entered into the Presents 2009 contest in case I got a request for more. I succeeded; I finished a draft. And though that story didn't get a request, the opening chapter (which I'd finessed before NaNo even started) won the interest of an editor. Thank heavens she didn't ask for more because looking back that first draft was truly awful. I might have made the NaNo word count, but a lot of it is unusable.

This year's WHY is a little different. A word count isn't enough. I want to send a partial and synopsis to the editor who requested more of my work. I need to have the draft complete before I send. But it is also far more important to me that this partial be polished to a high sheen, and that the story as a whole works. After a year of indifferent responses, I need a positive response from the editor, so I want this book to grab her attention. And that is not going to happen with the kind of rough writing that I achieve through NaNoWriMo. I'm not saying that Nano's not for me, I'm just saying that NaNo is not for me this year.

I'm not officially giving up. I'm going to keep up the routine I've established this month, but I'm going to spend a little more time crafting what I write. Even though I won't be proudly boasting a NaNo winner's badge this year, I'm hoping that before the year is done I'll have a completed draft that I'm happy with. And my win will be a submission I can hit send on with a smidgeon of hope that it'll achieve what I want.

Jenni Holbrook-Talty has written this on Bob Mayer's Write it Forward blog. Thanks Jenni for putting my feelings into words.

But with every good news thing in writing, there is a bad news thing attached. The good news is, you’ve got a draft. The bad news: Is the writing the ugly raw writing? Or something else? It’s the something else that worries me when a writer is solely focused on word-count. Its tunnel vision. Yes, we have to write through things and get to the end, but we also have to make sure we’re moving toward something. Words for the sake of words doesn’t create a page turning novel. Having written a book during NaNoWriMo I can tell you fixing bad story telling is harder than fixing up the words on the page and making the story and characters stronger.

Some of the best writing I have ever done has come from slowing down, taking a step back, taking a deep breath and looking at where the story has been, where it is now, and where it is going.

In some ways I wish NaNo was every month. I love watching writers post their goals and their progress. I love the energy it creates. I hope everyone who is participating feels good about their successes, even if they didn’t complete the word count. Keep writing. Keep pushing yourself.

NaNo Day 18 and a Treat

2010-11-19T15:40:00.001+02:00

Woohoo - another 1,545 words added to the word count. Not enough to keep up, let alone catch up, so unless someone drops a miracle ten hours in my lap, I will not be winning any NaNo awards. But I think the story is starting to coalesce rather than congeal, which has got to be good. But just in case, like me, you're feeling in need of a pick-me-up, here's a suggestion for how to spend your Friday night:

I wonder how much chocolate is required?

NaNo Day 17

2010-11-18T16:59:00.003+02:00

1,500 words. On the dot. The symmetry was so perfect I had to stop right there.
And that's today's post.

NaNo Day 16 and Royal Weddings

2010-11-17T17:17:00.001+02:00

I'll admit it, I'm a royalist at heart. Other writers have fond memories of reading their grandmothers' Harlequin romance novels. I have fond memories of reading my Omi's German magazines.

Judging from those magazines, the Germans love royalty. I grew up on stories about the princes and princesses of Denmark, Sweden and Spain, and of course their far more famous British counterparts. My pocket money was spent on Royalty and Majesty magazines, which were only available in a couple of specialist shops in Durban in those long distant days before the internet and Amazon. (I still have all those magazines too, though I stopped collecting them at about the same time my parents stopped giving me pocket money!)

So in spite of all their bad press over the last decade or so, and the realisation that royals have feet of clay like the rest of us, news of a royal wedding is enough to put a smile on my face. We've had a few over the last few years, each and every one a fairy tale come true, but the news yesterday that Wills and Kate will be tying the knot really touched me. Because it gave me a reason to smile after a few really difficult days.

The romance writer in me, the eternal optimist who hopes that every single person out there will find their Happy Ever After, hopes that this couple will be blessed with an abundance of joy and a very long and happy marriage. I'll even go so far as to hope they get a little privacy too.

On the NaNo front, I wrote 1,796 words on 16th.

NaNo Day 15

2010-11-16T10:41:00.001+02:00

That's better! Just over 1,400 words before breakfast (and a long day in the office) and I cracked 2,158 words by midnight. Which makes my half way total 19,955, so I'm only 5,045 words behind.
Now if I can just keep this up for another two weeks ...

Thanks so much to everyone who has left comments: to Lacey, Susan (yay on those revisions!), Rachel, Joanne, Elissa, Amy and Wendy (especially for the reminder that my deadline is self-imposed and not as scary as yours!) - and anyone else I may have neglected. Your support and encouragement is very much appreciated.

NaNo Days 12 - 14

2010-11-15T12:58:00.001+02:00

I've completely depressed myself by checking my word counts from last year's NaNo. By the end of Day 13 last year, I had 25,000 words. Same day this year? 16,000.

This weekend has been a rollercoaster. I won't go into details, but personal trauma, burying myself in Gena Showalter's The Darkest Pleasure, and taking the daughters to a matinee of "Mamma Mia", have all interfered with my writing this week-end.

Here's hoping that the coming week sees a massive upswing in those word counts!

NaNo Day 11

2010-11-12T15:11:00.001+02:00

As you can see from the new little word counter widget on the right of this blog, Patrick and Emily' story is coming along at a pace. Beneath the Ionian Sun has ground to a temporary halt. Let's see what tomorrow brings ...

In other news, if it can be called that, I've still had no news on my NWS manuscript. Is the critique already in the mail winging its way back to me, or does no news mean good news?

NaNo Day 10

2010-11-11T13:17:00.001+02:00

The NaNo police will not be happy with me.

Not only did I take a complete holiday from my WIP last night, putting me even further behind on my word counts, but when I woke this morning I had a whole new hero in my head. How can I write Enzo's story, when Patrick is the one demanding to be heard?

And Patrick's story isn't even a romance. It's a present tense narrative, with paranormal elements, and I have no clue where the story is going. It's not the story I signed up to write for NaNo, but at least it's words on paper. That must count for something, right?

NaNo Day 9

2010-11-10T13:18:00.001+02:00

Only just a third of the way into Nano and I'm flagging. Yesterday I managed only 1200 words (on the dot!)

I'm exhausted and it's taking me three times longer than it should to make my daily word counts. So I'm voting today a holiday. A glass of wine and a full night's sleep tonight and maybe tomorrow I can make a little headway into the ever-increasing back log.

How are the rest of you coping? Are you achieving your Nano word counts and still getting enough sleep? Or are you just working at your normal pace and laughing at us Nano-ers?

NaNo Days 7 & 8

2010-11-09T18:00:00.001+02:00

Sunday (Day 7) was an incredible day for me. Even though I had a lazy day, going out to lunch with my parents and whiling away an afternoon enjoying the summer sunshine and the swimming pool, I still achieved 1,981 words before I crawled into bed.

Day 8 was not so good. I wrote 1,263 words early in the morning, before heading to the day job, but in the evening I fell asleep next to my daughters while trying to get them to sleep (more than an hour after their scheduled bed time. Is it just me who has to fight my kids to get them to sleep?!).
Needless to say, no more got written.

So far I've written nothing today (Day 9) but I'll keep you posted on tonight's progress ...

NaNo Days 5 & 6

2010-11-07T10:15:00.001+02:00

For the last month or so I've only had sporadic internet outside of working hours. It used to be annoying, now it's a blessing since my word counts are finally starting to climb. On Day 6 (Saturday) I finally managed to make a dent in my backlog with 2,364 words. Which brings me to a total of 8096 NaNo words to date.

Not where I should be, but I have a confession: I'm doing the teensiest bit of re-reading and editing as I go. Since I want to submit the partial quite soon in December, I need this manuscript a little more polished than the typical NaNo novel.

Disconnecting now for Sunday lunch then another long session on the laptop. Have a lovely weekend all, and I'm thinking of you, Maya.

NaNo Day 4

2010-11-04T17:46:00.001+02:00

The day started with my hero and heroine cavorting in the waves on an idyllic Greek Island, and in just over an hour I managed 1,127 words. Tonight is still going to need a marathon writing session to catch up though, since my word counts the last two days have been abysmal.

On a happy note, I spent a little time last night visiting with my brother (who's making a flying visit to Southern Africa between moving from England to India) and I also attended the SYTYCW webinar. And finished my tax return. Woohoo!

To celebrate, here's a little inspiration. This is the beach at Paleokastritsa where Melissa and Enzo are currently cavorting.

And this is where they'll be dining tonight:

Don't you just love doing internet research?!

NaNo Day 3 and Hero

2010-11-03T18:12:00.001+02:00

How are you all doing? Still feeling motivated or are your characters already developing minds of their own and frustrating you? And what are you doing blog surfing here when you should be writing?!

It's tax return season so instead of working on those word counts, I've been buried knee deep in boring financial-type papers - but at least the few words that I've put down feel like they're working now.

For all those non-NaNoers out there, I'd like to introduce you to Hero. She's named for the heroine in Much Ado About Nothing, and she came into our lives last week when one of the moms at the kindergarten my children attend found her wandering lost at the side of the road. As her husband is allergic, I kindly offered a home to this little ball of fluff. The vet assures me she's a girl (and in supremely good health) but I deliberately chose a name that could go either way so we don't have the same re-naming issue we had last time around.

My favourite line in The Sound of Music has always been "Wherever God closes a door, he opens a window". Hero reminds me of these words every time I look at her. Luke is not forgotten, but we are so grateful we now have Hero to love.

PS: Her eyes really are equal size. She just looks odd here because we were trying to hold her still long enough to photograph her!

NaNo Day 2

2010-11-02T15:36:00.000+02:00

Today did not start well. Where yesterday I managed over 1,200 words in just over an hour and a half, in the same time this morning I only just managed 600. And they were a painful 600. Bitty, all over the place, the characters thinking one thing then doing the complete opposite.

Then I got stuck in the mother of all traffic jams on the way to work. The only positive thing about gridlock is that it gives you time to think. And I realised that the reason my scene wasn't working was because my heroine was saying 'yes, I'll go with you' to the hero when she wanted to say 'no'. Why? Because if she doesn't go traipsing around with the hero there's no story. That's me speaking. The author.

Then happily, when I should have been working, I clicked the link from the Harlequin Blog through to the list of critique winners on the eHarl community site and lo and behold - I was one of the chosen five!
A real, live HMB editor read and commented on my opening page. And in a few simple words she caught the essence of my entire opening chapter: We get the sense that she's a loner, that she longs for human companionship, but that after everything she's been through, she can't handle getting to know people or being around them.

And there's the answer. Melissa just wouldn't say 'yes'. The hero's going to have to work a whole lot harder to win her over. And I'm going to have to work a whole lot harder to get her to the point where she'll say 'yes'.

So guess what I'm doing tonight?

The rest of the editor's crit is here: http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/write-stuff/so-you-think-you-can-write/day-one/harlequin-editor-week-challenges/challenge-on-1

More Days Like These

2010-11-01T15:25:00.000+02:00

The sun is shining, the work load is light, I wrote 1,250 words before the kids even woke up this morning, and they didn't fight all the way to school. Then I was taken out for lunch by an attractive young man (my little brother, but he still counts!). What more could a girl want?

Just one thing: another 1,000 words before bedtime.

Why?

Because it's NaNoWriMo!

Here's a little something for all you writers out there who started the month of madness today. I suspect we'll all be needing it soon enough.

A Single to Rome

2010-10-20T13:52:00.000+02:00

As soon as I discovered this book, I had to have it. Firstly, because it's written by Sarah Duncan, whose talk at the RNA conference in July was my favourite of the whole conference. Secondly, because it's set in Rome, and as followers of this blog know, I had a brief sojourn in Rome after said conference.

Sarah Duncan began her RNA talk by asking the audience if any of us had ever had a Shirley Valentine moment. You know, that moment when you're on holiday in an amazing place and you think "I could chuck it all in and just stay here for the rest of my life". Most of us stood. She then asked everyone to sit, unless they'd actually done it. Only a handful of people remained standing. Those are the people readers want to read about, she said. The people who not only want to change their live, but who do.

A Single to Rome is the story of a woman who changes her life. However, the story doesn't start at the moment of change (where Natalie loses her job and arrives in Rome). It starts about 5 or 6 chapters before that, and I'll admit those opening chapters did not grab me.

My other very clear memory from Sarah's RNA talk was her telling us that readers invest not only money but (more importantly) their time in our books, and in order to ensure they want to spend their time on our stories, we should imagine being stuck in a lift with our characters. Is this character someone we'd want to be stuck in a lift with?

My answer to Natalie in the opening chapters of this novel was a resounding 'No!'. She spends the first few chapters alternately crying for or cringingly chasing the boyfriend who has dumped her. Happily, Natalie not only grew on me, to the point where I really sympathised with her, but two thirds through the book I suddenly realised: Natalie is me!

Okay, so I didn't run away to live in Rome because my boyfriend dumped me and I'd lost my job. But my brief trip to Rome changed me in similar ways to how it changed Natalie.

In the beginning of the story, Natalie has a good job. She's successful, respected, good at what she does, and she earns good money. That could be me. But through the story [Spoiler alert!] Natalie discovers that material success isn't enough. It is more important to love the work you do, and to find meaning in it.

This is the challenge I've faced this year. I no longer believe in what I do. I want my work to have greater meaning. And though this feeling has been slowly building over many months, it was in those few precious days in Rome that this truth dawned on me. Like Natalie, I discovered the meaning of my life in Rome. I discovered that friends and family are more important than any lifestyle, and that being true to yourself and your principles is more important than any pay cheque. (Though I'm not so far gone that I don't realise life can be bleak without a decent income!).

Aspiring writers are usually told to bring the hero and heroine together as early as possible in the story. And in most romances it's pretty clear from the start who the hero is. Sarah Duncan keeps the reader guessing until mere pages from the end of the book. Which man does Natalie end up with?
You'll have to read the book yourself to find out.

I still think that every single thing that Sarah Duncan shared in her talk is valid. But here's another truth I've now learned from her: as long as you can get your characters to resonate with the readers, you can break any rule. Yes, the heroine started out heartsick and a little pathetic. Yes, the story started at a slow point rather than at the moment of change. But none of that matters, because this book is firmly staying on my keeper shelf and I anticipate reading it many more times before it finally falls apart.

So in the end my only real complaint about this book is that it ended. I quite literally turned the last page, saw that the page ended half way down and I wanted to cry out "I'm not ready for this to end! I want more!" Which has got to be the best compliment any reader can give a book.

Now just in case I haven't already made it clear: Read this book!

Thank you to New Voices

2010-10-14T14:51:00.000+02:00

I'll admit to feeling a tad disappointed when I saw The List on the New Voices contest site and not only did I not make it, but none of my CPs or online friends did either. (And by the way, you were all fantastic!)

On the plus side, this contest has been an awesome experience for me, because it introduced me to a whole new bunch of aspiring South African authors. For more information on the South African entrants and other entries set in Africa or with South African characters, you can view the list here: http://saromancewriters.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-voices-entries.html

Our country is a little backward when it comes to genre fiction, and until now most romance writers battle away quietly on their own while lots of fuss gets made about literary authors and poets. So we're not going to win any Booker or Nobel prizes (which have both incidentally been awarded this last week, in case you've missed the news) but we are steadily growing in numbers and in strength.

Just watch this space: we South African romance writers are going to take on the world!

Finally, I'd like to congratulate the Top 10 New Voices Finalists. Their second chapters are currently up at www.romanceisnotdead.com, and there is still time to vote, so please head on over and support these new writers. Good luck to all of them!

I've read all ten and voted, and I'll admit it was a tough choice. There were some really good entries. I would, however, like to do a shout out here for my friend Leah Ashton, who has broken the mould with her very yummy bartender hero.

To sub or not to sub

2010-10-07T22:24:00.000+02:00

While over 800 aspirant writers anxiously await The List (for those who aren't as obssessed by the New Voices contest as I am, this is the list HMB have promised us of entries they want to see more of), I have a question to pose:

If HMB does not request your contest entry, do you plan to stick it in a bottom drawer or to sub this story elsewhere?

Of course, I'm one of the 814 hoping this is not a situation I'll have to face, but even so I know exactly what I'd do: the bottom drawer.

Why?
Because when I do sell to HMB one day (and I'm determined to!) I want to have a whole bunch of manuscripts ready to be re-worked and re-submitted. I'm hoping that by then I'll be more experienced and know how to 'fix' them, so that instead of making just the one sale, I'll be able to sell a whole bunch more to my dream publisher!

But I also realise that there are times when submitting to A.N. Other publisher might be a better option for a manuscript. If you know the story doesn't really fit the targeted HMB line but it'd break your heart to change it to fit, then you need to follow your heart.

There are also times when the validation of having an editor say "I love this and I want to buy it" is more important than sticking to the longer term dream.

So if Harlequin Mills & Boon is your dream, what would you do?

New Voices Winners Announced

2010-09-27T10:44:00.001+02:00

The winners have been announced over at: http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/News/23-The-Top-Ten-Announcement

To the Top Ten: Massive congratulations to all of you. I can't wait to read your next chapters.

To all those who didn't final: I share your disappointment, but don't let you get it down. Take note of the comments you received, learn from the chapters you most enjoyed, polish your partials and send them in via the traditional route. You haven't lost anything by entering. In fact, you may not know it yet, but you've gained so much. You deserve your medals of bravery. Incidentally, if you haven't yet picked up your badges: pop on over to Lacey Devlin's blog and collect one now!

In Memoriam

2010-09-26T21:54:00.000+02:00

Last night our family cat was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

The coward must have been driving at quite a speed not to be able to stop for a cat who had large white patches and would have been easily visible in this well-lit residential street. Our road is short and leads nowhere, so whoever thought this quiet street would make a nice race track should be hung, drawn and quartered.

Luke was born in our garden earlier this year to a wild cat who roams the neighbourhood. This was the second litter she'd birthed in the safety of our garden. After the events of last night I'm really glad we haven't managed to catch her yet to get her to the vet to be spayed.

As a kitten, when he was just old enough to be weaned, we brought him inside. He slept on my pillow and in no time at all he'd become the perfect house cat. Though his mother and sisters remain wild, eating our food but refusing to be touched, Luke (or Lucy as he was known for most of his life - until he developed irrefutable evidence that he was a boy!) was a gentle creature. He adored being cuddled, would brush up against our legs, and never got fed up with my daughters no matter how often they disturbed his sleep to pick him up or play with him. He'd sleep on their beds during the day, and between his catnaps he'd play happily with them. They dressed him up, carried him all over the house as young children do, and he never once raised a paw to them.

In less than a year he grew larger than any of his siblings, and though we gave him the freedom to rove, he always came back to us. We usually left him outdoors at night, to go hunting with his family, but just yesterday he learned to come in through the window. Less than an hour after I'd commented that he would soon be sleeping on the bed with me again, he was dead.

I won't bore you all with the gory stuff. I am immensely grateful to the good samaritans who rang our gate bell to tell us there was a cat injured in the street. They sat with me, stroking him and holding him down as he fought through such terrible pain. I'm not good with blood. I just have to see blood and I pass out. So to sit in the middle of the steet watching my beloved cat cough up blood was traumatic. The nameless couple who'd stopped to help were calm and understanding and thanks to them I managed to stay calm and collected. And thanks to them my children weren't the first to discover Luke's body this morning.

Sadly, in his short life the only pictures I have of Luke are a few blurry ones taken in twilight when he was a kitten. They're too awful to show here, but this image of his older siblings as kittens gives you some idea what he looked like. (He was very like the white-faced one on the right).

It appears that Luke's mommy is pregnant once again. As she now seems to know us and trust us, I hope she will once again entrust us to love and care for her babies. Though none will ever be able to replace Luke.

While we wait ...

2010-09-24T22:49:00.000+02:00

So it seems that we may be waiting a little longer than expected for the announcement of the Top 10 finalists in the New Voices contest. Hardly surprising since the editors and judges have 824 entries to read this weekend, and among them are a whole lot of fantastic chapters.

So while we wait, please check out the SA Romance Writers blog for a list of South African entrants, and show your support for the burgeoning talent from this southern-most tip of Africa. I've been really thrilled to find so many entries featuring Africa or South Africans.

Over at Minxes of Romance are links to the New Voices entries by me and my crit partners, and in the most recent post you can also find out what writing romance and trees have in common.

And last, but not least, on my Rae Summers blog I'm starting a new series of posts: Cocktail Fridays. On the Friday closest to pay day each month (25th) I'll be bringing you a new cocktail recipe from the 1920s. Kicking off the series is my personal favourite: the mojito.

Reverse Casting

2010-09-20T09:21:00.003+02:00

Today is D-Day. Before I go to sleep tonight I will upload my entry to the New Voices competition. All I need now is a title.

In the meantime, here is a little inside look into my new WIP. I'd like to introduce you to Sylvie and Valentino.

Not sure if you can tell from her picture, but Sylvie is a little uptight. She's going to drive easy-going Valentino more than a little crazy before they realise just how perfect they are for each other. I hope you enjoy their ride!

Post Script: The first chapter of Valentino's Angel is now up for the world to read and comment on: http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/632-Valentinos-Angel

Blogfest and New Voices

2010-09-10T10:50:00.000+02:00

This weekend my other half (literally!) is participating in Blogfest 2010 over at http://raesummers.wordpress.com. There are prizes galore for blog visitors, and Rae is also giving away a DVD to one lucky folllower.

Congratulations to the 160 brave people who have already submitted their contest entries to New Voices. It's becoming very addictive reading! I'd also like to shout out "well done!" to Lorraine Wilson, the first Minx to enter so far. You can read Lorraine's fab entry, In Too Deep, here.

Promotion for Authors

2010-09-06T21:35:00.000+02:00

My alter ego, Rae Summers, is hosting author Caroline Clemmons today. She's talking about how writers can promote themselves. Please drop by and share your own tips on promotion. http://raesummers.wordpress.com

Happy Spring Day!

2010-09-01T12:56:00.000+02:00

Here in South Africa it is officially the first day of spring. Though our seasonal rains have yet to start and the ground is still parched, the air has warmed up sufficiently for buds to be appearing everywhere. Summer is my season, but who can deny the attraction of spring? All those flowers and the green fuzz on the trees - and finally shedding all those layers of winter clothes!

I cannot believe it's only five weeks since I got back from my amazing trip to England. So much has happened that my life has quite literally been turned inside out. I won't bore you with the details, but there have been funerals, home changes, job changes, and the day job has carried on pretty much as it has all year ... manic. (Next week I'll be doing my fourth film shoot since I got back!)

My alter ego, Rae Summers, has completed her August blog tour, the winners have been announced, and I would like to thank everyone who voted for the Let's Misbehave trailer at You Gotta Read Videos. You put me in third place so my book trailer got another posting!

An Innocent Abroad, my next 1920s novella, is now completed and has been sent to the RNA's New Writers' Scheme (just in the nick of time), and I've now started on an entry for the New Voices contest. But best of all, I'm feeling ready to face whatever life is going to throw at me next. I'm embracing the changes and saying "bring it on!" to the universe. That must be the spirit of spring in the air!

So what is your favourite season, and why?

You Gotta Read Videos

2010-08-21T11:13:00.000+02:00

Voting is now open for the book trailer for Let's Misbehave. Please click through and vote for me at http://yougottareadvideos.blogspot.com/2010/08/august-2010-entry-16-lets-misbehave.html.
I'd also be grateful for comments and feedback, so don't be shy!

And because I'm not above a little bribery and corruption, here's cyber chocolate for everyone who votes. There's plenty for everyone, so take as many as you like ....