Love and Chocolate

Bound to Love - Free today and tomorrow!

2012-01-21T14:24:00.002Z

It was such a rush making Bound to Love free at the beginning of the month that I'm doing it again this weekend, so if you haven't got a copy for your Kindle, do pop over to Amazon and pick it up today or tomorrow!

Here are the links:

At Amazon.com http://amzn.to/wQKogJ

or, if you're in the UK....

At Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/wFH89E

With my last free giveaway, 19,000 copies were downloaded - wonder what will happen this time?

Happy weekend, everyone!

Update: Day one of two at free and over 8,000 giveaways! I'm currently #24 free in the kindle store, #3 in romantic suspense, and #5 in contemporary romance - woo!
And another update: Day two of free resulted in another 5,500 giveaways.

I need TV

2012-01-10T17:20:00.000Z

All my favourite shows are on a break, and I'm suffering withdrawl symptoms.

No Good Wife. No Greys. No Dr Who, Not even an Eureka....
I've been reduced to watching documentaries about the economy (and I live in Ireland, so that's not even remotely good news.)

All suggestions for 'new shows for me to watch' gratefully received. Because if I watch any more reruns I'll.....explode!

Review link

2012-01-09T16:22:00.001Z

Turning the Pages have just given a review today too Bound to Love. Amongst other lovely things, the review said:

Overall, a fun and exciting read. With vivid backgrounds, fiesty characters and a thrilling storyline, this is a story that I could actually see being made into a major motion picture.

You can read the full review here

Thanks again to everyone who's ever given me a review. I've been reading a lot of debate today which suggests that authors shouldn't comment on their reviews, so I won't be doing it in future, but would like to say that I appreciate them.

Result of Amazon Experiment - Awesome!

2012-01-06T11:05:00.001Z

Happy New Year!

In this, my first blog post of 2012, I'm reporting back on the results of making Bound to Love free on Amazon for 31 December and 1st January.

The amount of giveaways was...well, I'm speechless really! I had about 19,000 giveaways!

Bound to Love started back into paid on the afternoon of the 2nd January. Before it went free, I had sold 16 copies of Bound to Love in the US, good figures for me, and was feeling okay about everything. After...

Anyway, my rank when I came off being free was frighteningly depressing #263,827.
By Wednesday, I was at #133.
I got to #4 in fiction, and #1 in romance.

As at now, I've sold over 1,200 copies of Bound to Love, and my other book ranks are improving too.

Woo!

Free on Kindle Today and Tomorrow!

2011-12-31T10:06:00.000Z

Just to let everyone know, Bound to Love is free on Kindle today and tomorrow, and so is New Beginnings.

Here are the links:

Bound to Love - Amazon.com
Bound to Love - Amazon.co.uk

New Beginnings - Amazon.com
New Beginnings - Amazon.co.uk

Matthew Crawley in my stocking...

2011-12-21T09:43:00.000Z

(...not my stockings, that would be a whole other post!)
I'm a happily married woman. So actually having Matthew Crawley in my stocking for Christmas would be totally out of the question, but with Christmas almost upon us, I for one, am really looking forward to lying around full of Christmas cake and watching the Downton Abbey Christmas special.
I love Downton. In fact, I'd go as far as saying I'm completely addicted to the whole Downton experience. Beautiful scenery, fabulous interiors, delicious clothes, and best of all, the great characters written so well and with such depth that there's a character for every viewer to latch on to and root for.
Matthew Crawley is my favourite character, especially as he's grown so much during the present series. His experiences in war, his recent loss (no spoilers here for those who haven't discovered Downton yet!), and his medical problems, melding with the 'bubbling under the surface' pash he has for Lady Mary make him a totally captivating character for me.
So over Christmas, I'll be eagerly watching the Christmas special.
Will you? And who's your favourite Downton character?

Characterization V True Character (featuring Princess Fiona)

2011-12-05T23:49:00.000Z

When I'm writing a character, I'm not really one for character sheets. I tend instead to have a picture of my heroine, and a general impression of what she is inside, the things that have happened during her lifetime that influence her, and the beliefs and fears that have shaped her.

One of the most interesting characters out there, in my opinion, is Princess Fiona from Shrek. I love the original Shrek movie, because it turned the traditional fairy tale on its head. Let's look at Fiona through the lens of characterization. How does she appear on the outside?

At the beginning of the movie, Fiona is a princess in an ivory tower, protected by a fierce dragon. She's been locked up for years (poor thing) and has very definite ideas about what will happen when she's rescued. The man who saves her from her incarceration will be: A handsome prince. He'll give her 'true love's kiss'. They'll marry, and live happy ever after. And on receiving true love's kiss, she'll banish the ugly part of herself that appears each night.

She's gorgeous. Tall, slender, and pretty. She's princessy, haughty, and proud. She'd be your average fairytale princess if her deep character matched her characterization. But it doesn't. Princess Fiona (like an onion) has layers. And once those layers are revealed, she becomes much more than just a princess, she becomes real.

I love the movie Shrek, because not only can we see that Fiona is a deeper character than intitially thought, we can see it by her revealing her true self (spoiler alert: an ogress!!). But in her human form, she acts in many unexpected ways that tip us off to her true nature. She loves all sorts of inappropriate for a princess behaviour. Eating rats on skewers, calmly frying eggs when her singing causes the bird mother to explode, general farty and belchy behaviour, and joking around with Shrek, who she has a lot in common with. She's ashamed of her ogre transformation, hiding at night so that she can't be seen. She feels she cannot be loved for who she is, a trait she also shares with Shrek.

When Lord Farquar finally claims her as his bride, the opening shot of him climbing from his horse and being tiny is yet another disappointment to her. He hasn't battled the dragon and fought for her. He's not amusing, like Shrek. And, if she were in any doubt, Fiona realises that characterization is not true character. Farquar isn't her true prince. Who knew her prince would be an ogre?

So appearances are deceptive. What is inside matters far more than the externals. And only by accepting that, and learning to love her true nature, does Princess Fiona achieve true love.

And I think she looks gorgeous green!

Character name dilemma

2011-12-01T22:01:00.000Z

Well, my thoughts of taking a break from fiction writing lasted all of two days. I've a book due to come out early next year, 2 full subs in to various publishers, and I thought it might be time for a bit of a break.
Cue the insistent character knocking at my brain with useful ideas, snatches of dialogue, and the hints of a plot. (Sigh).
Anyhoo, this hero (for of course, it is a him) is the brother of one of my subbed stories. He's masterful, grouchy, and a fireman.
And what wonderful surname did I give him? The same as his sister of course.

BYRNE. Can I really get away with writing a fireman called BURN????

I'm sticking him on the back-burner (the back-byrner?) and telling him to go away, but that's just making him more determined to be written....
Oh, the difficulties of stories!

Spreading the word - Ben Hatch

2011-11-24T19:28:00.000Z

I'm delighted to host another of my twitter followers today, Ben Hatch is here with his new book, Are We Nearly There Yet? (which is a moan anyone with kids has definitely heard at least a hundred times while driving!) Ben is @BenHatch on twitter.

Here's some stuff about him...

Ben Hatch was born in London and grew up here and in Manchester and Buckinghamshire. His latest bestseller, Are We Nearly There Yet? 8000 Misguided Miles Round Britain in a Vauxhall Astra has been praised by John Cleese ("Ben Hatch makes me laugh"), Mumsnet ("I laughed outloud and cried") and the Daily Mail ("An absolutely wonderful book") although, unfortunately, not by his wife Dinah ("I do NOT drive like Mr Magoo, you bastard!") His first comic novel, The Lawnmower Celebrity, based loosely on his time as a chicken sandwich station monitor at Darlington McDonalds, was named one of the Radio 4's eight books of the year in 2000. The International Gooseberry about a hapless backpacker with a huge ungovernable toenail was published in 2001 and described as "hysterical and surprisingly sad" by the Daily Express. Ben Hatch was on the long-list of Granta's 2003 list of the most promising 20 young authors in the UK. In association with his wife Dinah, Ben has also written guidebooks for Frommer's. The guidebooks are a mixture of helpful and humorous tips on holidaying with children, quirky reviews of attractions, and incendiary arguments with his wife about, among other things, what is the best type of owl.

He's currently flying high on the Amazon bestseller ranking - Go Ben! with what appears to be a cracking read, just perfect as a Christmas present!

The book blurb says...

If you think writing a guidebook is easy, think again! 'A family's 8,000 miles round Britain in a Vauxhall Astra' they were bored, broke, burned out and turning 40, so when Ben and Dinah saw the advert looking for a husband and wife team with young kids to write a guidebook about family travel around Britain, they jumped at the chance. With naive visions of staring moodily across Coniston Water and savouring Cornish pasties, they embark on a mad-cap five-month trip with daughter Phoebe, four, and son Charlie, two, embracing the freedom of the open road with a spirit of discovery and an industrial supply of baby wipes.

Ben's book is available via Amazon.co.uk here

From Amazon.com here

(These are links to the paperbacks, but its also available at amazon for kindle)

And to finish, here's a lovely pic of him with his children.

Thanks for being here today, Ben, and best wishes for lots of lovely sales!

Update...

2011-11-22T21:14:00.000Z

So, I've been quiet again recently, because I'm working on another story, and have almost finished it ready to sub to a publisher. Target end November, so I anticipate being reasonably absent from twitter, blog etc until I'm happy with it. And then, it's into December - which for me is always a rather crazy month, dashing around trying to get things done in time for Christmas.

Do pop in on Friday, when I am featuring another of my twitter followers, Ben Hatch, and we can find out all about his latest book - Are We Nearly There Yet? (which is John Cleese's favourite), and sounds just the thing to giggle over for Christmas!

Spreading the word - Laura Wilkinson

2011-11-14T09:00:00.002Z

The second in my series of books by my twitter followers, is from Laura Wilkinson, whose twitter handle is @ScorpioScribble. A dip into Laura's amazon author page reveals...

Laura Wilkinson grew up in Wales and now lives in a never-to-be-chic area of Brighton. Recently, she's worked as a freelance writer, an editor and a copywriter.

She has been a finalist and shortlisted in a number of competitions including: the New Writer, Cinnamon Press, the Virginia Prize and Brit Writers' Award 2010. She has published short stories in magazines, an anthology, and digital media like Ether Books.
BloodMining is Laura's debut novel. Yvonne Roberts, award winning journalist and author describes it as: 'Lean, lyrical, topical and emotionally gripping. This book is about the issues that we care about most - with a twist. Read it and pass on the word!' In between raising two young boys and working Laura is completing her second novel. Read some of her work, and find out more about her here: http://laura-wilkinson.co.uk/

BloodMining sounds really compelling, and has a rash of rave reviews on Amazon.co.uk already - so here's some more about it...

Genre: Literary/General

Megan Evens appears to have it all: brains, beauty, a successful career. But deep down she is lonely and rootless. Pregnant, craving love but unable to trust after the destructive affair with her baby’s father, she returns to the security of her birthplace in Wales. When Megan’s son is later diagnosed with a terminal condition, a degenerative, hereditary disease, everything she believed to be true about her origins is thrown into question. To save her son Megan must unearth the truth; she must excavate family history and memory. Enlisting the help of former colleague Jack North, a man with a secret of his own, Megan embarks on a journey of self discovery and into the heart of what it means to be a parent.

BloodMining is available as a paperback as well as for the Kindle.
You can buy it here in paperback for the UK
Or here for the Kindle in the UK

Or here for paperback via Amazon.com
Or here for the Kindle via Amazon.com.

All the best with your novel, Laura!

So....November!

2011-11-05T18:25:00.001Z

Well I spent October polishing my M&B sub manuscript, and did no promo at all. I also raised the price of Bound to Love to 2.99.

As a result - I had a wonderfully creative month. But my sales suffered as a result, so I will have to strive to do better! First off, I've dropped Bound to Love in price to its usual 99c, which people seem to like buying it for.

And I'm half way through another book I'm loving writing, so I'm concentrating on that for November, while waiting for a cover, copy edits and a release date for Love On The Vine.

I'm NTAI the full I sent off last week, because stressing about it won't make any emails come at me any quicker.

And finally, I'm feeling a lovely, warm feeling in my heart regions at this review just in from Turning the Pages for my first book, Catch Me A Catch. Thank you, Lindsay!

Request for the full!

2011-11-01T20:53:00.000Z

I've been quiet during October. Mostly because I received an email at the beginning of October that rattled my timbers and left me quaking.
*Drumroll* for the first time ever, I received a request for the full from Mills & Boon!
SQUEE! That ear splitting sound was me being delighted, and terrified in equal measure!
Challenging Andie has now been polished to within an inch of its life, and this afternoon winged its way to Richmond.

Here's hoping....

Spreading the word - Jo Carroll

2011-10-28T22:15:00.000+01:00

I send out a tweet this month, inviting my twitter follower sto come on over to my blog and tell me about their books. In true tweet spirit, I wanted to know more, and to share the information with everyone, to help get the word about my followers books out there!

So here's the first one - drumroll - Jo Carroll, and details of her book, Over the Hill and Far Away.

Over the Hill and Far Away - One Grown-up Gap Year, by Jo Carroll

There must be something between the retirement party and buying a zimmer frame. JO CARROLL decided this was the time to revive her teenage dreams and go round the world. So she packed her rucksack, a round-the-world ticket, and a notebook. Not prepared, then, for being marooned on a beach in Australia with the tide rising and nothing but cliffs behind her; nor negotiating with a gunman who wanted to marry her in Lucknow. Let’s not think about the snakes and leeches in the jungles of Malaysia.

But could anything have prepared her for the drama that brought her home? Nor the kindness of strangers who kept her safe at that moment when she was least able to do it for herself.

Jo's book is available now on Amazon, here's the UK link
And also at Amazon.com here

You can find out more at her blog - which is here
And she's @jomcarroll on twitter!

Congratulations on your launch, Jo! And I wish you lots and lots of great reviews and sales!

Bligetastic

2011-10-15T10:45:00.000+01:00

I'm writing. And this is seeping through my earphones as I do...

Thought I'd share.

Isn't Mary J fantastic?

Out and about with Morgen Bailey

2011-10-12T11:49:00.000+01:00

Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog is full of writing advice and other goodies, and the lovely Morgen has posted an interview with me today - do pop over and say hello!

Here's the link:

http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/blog-interview-no-154-with-writer-sally-clements/

And now...a guest! Love and Chocolate welcomes Catherine Ryan Howard!

2011-10-10T08:30:00.002+01:00

I'm very excited today to have my blog buddy, Catherine Ryan Howard here today, who is taking over Love and Chocolate to talk a little bit about Self-Publishing, a subject she is totally expert in, and has written the definitive book to prove it. She's also written two books, Mousetrapped and Backpacked, which dominate the Amazon bestsellers lists, and her first novel, Results Not Typical, is out now too, more about that at the bottom of the post! So (drumroll) with no further ado, over to Catherine!

Self-Publishing: The Family and Friends Problem

One of the most annoying things about self-publishing is having to explain what it means – or doesn’t mean, rather – to your family, friends, colleagues, hairdresser, postwoman, etc.
No, your book won’t be in bookstores. No, you won’t be on The Late Late Show. No, you’re not surprised the guy at the counter in Waterstones had never heard of you or your book. No, it’s not quite like Cecilia Ahern. Yes, she is good, isn’t she? Yes, you’ll have to go buy it online. Yes, online. Amazon. The American one because the paperback isn’t available yet on Amazon.co.uk. No, they do ship to Ireland. Yes, I suppose it is a bit expensive. No, I understand. Don’t worry about it. No, really – don’t.
It’s easy to forget that although you and I may know exactly what it means to self-publish an e-book to Kindle or publish a paperback with CreateSpace, the average person on the street – even if they’re a book lover – doesn’t have the first clue. Your Twitter friends and Facebook fans may buy their books online just like you do and so won’t mind trusting Amazon to deliver yours, but that’s because (since they’re on Twitter and Facebook), they are comfortable online. The majority of people still buy books from shops, and don’t even realise that other books exist. When I told a relative of mine that I’d sold my 8,000th book, she said, “Yes... but are they all real books or are they the things you read on your computer?”, the implication being that “the things you read on your computer” didn’t count.
If you’ve previously expressed a desire to get published... well, good luck with that. Your decision to self-publish will be seen, in all likelihood, as a defeat; you couldn’t get the book published, so you decided to do it yourself. People outside of publishing won’t understand thinks like “niche market” or using e-books to pay for your coffee supplies while you write The Greatest Novel Ever. They’ll just assume you’ve given up. Or worse – they’ll think you’ve been published. I very nearly threw up a little bit when I overheard a friend of mine saying to someone, “I’m not sure who’s publishing her book ... I think maybe Harper Collins?” Um, no. Not quite.
But confusion isn’t the worst reaction you can illicit from family and friends – utter disinterest is. You assume, in your About-to-Self-Publish naiveté, that everyone you know is waiting, credit card at the ready, to add your book to their Amazon cart and then take up a position by the front room window from where they can stalk the postman until it arrives, when the reality is that most of them will rush to read it at a speed similar to that of evolution. Think about it: how often do you bolt to your nearest bookshop on the day a book is published? How often have you thought to yourself, I really want to read that book and then not get around to it for another year? And if you don’t like to bungee jump, would your best friend setting up a bungee jumping business change your mind? Don’t take offence if even your closest friends mutter something incoherent about when exactly they’re going to get around to reading your latest tome; if they never read, they’re hardly going to start now. Ask any who has had a book out there and they’ll tell you that they were surprised by the people who bought it and the people who didn’t.
So that’s my cautionary tale. Don’t say you weren’t warned...!
(Sally interjects at this point - 8,000th book? wowee!! good going, Catherine!!)

Results Not Typical on Amazon.co.uk: can be found here.
Results Not Typical on Amazon.com: can be found here.

And because Catherine is, as well as being a publishing powerhouse, also a very nice person, she's given me details of a fantabulous Goodreads Giveaway:

If your readers visit http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/14791-results-not-typical they can enter a giveaway to win one of five paperback copies of Results Not Typical. Open for entries from September 30th-October 31st. Open to all countries.

About Catherine:
Catherine Ryan Howard is a 29-year-old writer, blogger and enthusiastic coffee-drinker. She currently lives in Cork, Ireland, where she divides her time between her desk and the sofa. She blogs at http://www.catherineryanhoward.com/.

About Results Not Typical:

The Devil Wears Prada meets Weightwatchers and chick-lit meets corporate satire in the debut novel from Catherine Ryan Howard, author of the bestselling memoir Mousetrapped: A Year and A Bit in Orlando, Florida. Through their Ultimate Weight Loss Diet Solution Zone System, Slimmit International Global Incorporated claim they’re making the world a more attractive place one fatty at a time. Their slogans “Where You’re Fat and We Know It!” and “Where the Fat IS Your Fault!” are recognised around the globe, the counter in the lobby says five million slimmed and their share price is as high as their energy levels. But today the theft of their latest revolutionary product, Lipid Loser, will threaten to expose the real secret behind Slimmit’s success...The race is on to retrieve Lipid Loser and save Slimmit from total disaster. If their secrets get out, their competitors will put them out of business. If the government finds out, they’ll all go to jail. And if their clients find out… Well, as Slimmit’s Slimming Specialists know all too well, there’s only one thing worse than a hungry, sugar-crazed, carb addict – and that’s an angry one. Will the secret behind Slimmit’s success survive the day, or will their long-suffering slimmers finally discover the truth? Available now in paperback and e-book editions.

Thanks very much for blogging with me today, Catherine, and I wish your new book just as much, or even more success than your others!

Last chance for a bargain!

2011-10-06T09:53:00.000+01:00

My re-release of Bound to Love has been on sale for 99c in the Amazon Kindle Store for a couple of months now, and sales have been great - thank you for everyone who's bought it!
And for anyone who's thinking of it - here's a heads up - on the 16th October the price will be going up (not a lot, just enough to switch my percentage point from 35% to 70%). I was going to say buy it while it's hot, but it's still hot at a higher price, according to one of my Amazon reviewers who said:

It. Was. Hot.

I enjoyed it. It was fun. It was hot. It made me want to build a fire with my husband or jet of to Paris.

You can pick it up from Amazon.com here
Or, if in the UK, Amazon.co.uk here
It is also available for Nook, Apple devices, and all other formats via smashwords.

Lisdoonvarna & Six Sentence Sunday - Catch Me A Catch

2011-09-24T15:26:00.001+01:00

My first book, Catch Me A Catch is about a West of Ireland matchmaking festival, where the matchmaker is ill, and his daughter has to stand in as matchmaker during the festival.

My inspiration for Catch Me, was the Lisdoonvarna Festival, which is run in Lisdoonvarna, in County Clare during September every year. So in honour of the fact that it is September again, and love is in the Irish air (amongst the raindrops!) I thought it was only fitting to share an interview that Willie Daly, the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaker, gave to Sky News last year.

More info on the festival - here! http://matchmakerireland.com/

And if you want to read a romance set in Ireland about a fictional festival, do check out Catch Me A Catch.

For Six Sentence Sunday here are six sentences from Catch Me A Catch, where my heroine, Annie, catches first sight of Jack...

A dark shadow, cast by a tall figure in the pub’s doorway, blocked the murky sunlight. Annie’s gaze locked on the stranger, his darkened features in shadow though sunlight outlined his tall, rangy frame. He walked straight up to Niall.

“I’m looking for Devine.” His deep voice was husky, like he hadn’t used it for a while.
Her skin prickled, the hairs on her arms standing to attention.

If you don't know about Six Sentence Sunday, click this link.
To read more of Catch Me A Catch, you can read a sample or look inside at the links below:

Catch Me A Catch - Amazon UK
Catch Me A Catch - Amazon.com

Versatile Blogger Award - Woo!

2011-09-15T19:06:00.000+01:00

I'm doing the happy dance here today! Les Edgerton, talented writer and awesome writing teacher nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. This means a huge amount to me as I'm not only in awe of Les's talent, but a regular follower of his blog. I've mentioned in a past blog post how useful I found his book 'Hooked' to developing my writing craft, and his blog is full of really insightful information on the mechanics of writing well-an absolute must read!
My new book, Marrying Cade, was given a Best Read by Annie Acorn last week. Thank you, Annie! Amongst other nice things she said: The authors amongst you should read this tale, if for no other reason than to study a textbook example of how to draw your reader into your story. Sally Clements hooks you the minute you start reading, and she doesn’t let you go until you reach the very last word of her latest book. Which to me is just testament to how useful the advice in Les' Book Hooked (the full title of which is : Hooked: Write fiction that grabs readers at page one and never lets them go) has been to me! (It works, Les!)

And I'm very grateful to be included in his list because there are some other fabulous blogs there - many of which I read regularly already, but some new ones I'm going to be checking out pronto. Thank you for the nomination, Les!

Anyway: On to the Award. Apparently, there are four simple rules for The Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Post a link to the person who gave you the award.
2. Tell your readers seven random things about yourself.
3. Award 15 newly discovered blogs.
4. Send them a note letting them know you nominated them.

So, here are 7 random things about me:
1. I went to see Dolly Parton last night - she was great!
2. I'm writing a factual book based on a collection of recipes and household hints written in the early 1800's.
3. I also love writing mysteries - with lots of unexplained deaths....
4. I fall in love with my romantic heroes, and have trouble letting them go at the end of a book.
5. I'm a chocoholic.
6. I went to seven schools, growing up.
7. Even though I've lived in Ireland most of my life, I have no Irish blood - at all!

So now I have to award 15 newly discovered blogs...this is a real head melter, so I'm only doing ten!
1. A Newbie's Guide to Publishing. Joe Konrath's blog is an absolute must read for every author. I have to limit my time on this one, because it sucks you right in, but every minute spent reading on it is time well spent.
2. Catherine Caffeinated is Catherine Ryan Howard's blog, and is full of really interesting statistics and advice for self-publishing. And she's got a new book out!
3. Romance, Rumours and Rogues is romance author Nicola Marsh's blog. I love popping in here to see what Nic is up to...and she often posts really interesting links...
4. Lacey Devlin - romance author, and fellow Minx of Romance, gets a nomination from me for her great blog that once again is keeping all authors and readers abreast of things in the Mills and Boon, New Voices contest...
5. Romance Book Paradise is Nas Dean's blog, which is full of interesting interviews from Romance Authors and news of upcoming releases.
6. WG2E The Writer's Guide to E-Publishing. A really informative blog that I found via D.D. Scott on Kindleboards. Another 'suck you in, and keep you readin' blog like number one, packed full of stuff!
7. Kindle Nation Daily. Great advice, and lots of kindle stuff - a must read for every kindle owner!
8. Moviepitch is Bob Kosberg's one sentence pitch site...I dream of subbing the perfect one sentence to this one....
9. Help! I Need a Publisher! is Nicola Morgan's blog, (aka The Crabbit Old Bat). It's really stuffed full of interest, and updated really regularly - it's a must read.
10. Queryshark. If you want to see what works and what doesn't in creating a query that an agent or a publisher is going to find completely compelling, you need to know about Queryshark, Janet Reid's feedback site. You'll learn a huge amount just by seeing what other people have been doing, and reading Janet's pithy analyses.

Phew! Now I have to go and tell them all I mentioned them...think I might do that tomorrow!

Fab editing on-line course on next week!

2011-09-06T09:16:00.000+01:00

After completing Don McNair's excellent online class on editing, I sold my first book - Catch Me A Catch. I'm sure that the skills I learned with Don helped me to crack the final hurdle to publication, and gave me the tools to polish further manuscripts.

So, for those who are interested, I wanted to give a shout out. Don is running the class next week, and still has some places available. Here's the info:

Editor Proof that manuscript - By Don McNair - starts 12 September 2011 and runs for ten lessons plus an introduction, to be taught three times a week until finished. It costs $40 to enroll. Contact Don at don@mcnairedits.com to sign up. If you click on Don's link above, you'll can read more about him, and see examples of before and afters too.

Why did that editor reject your novel?

The sad truth? Editors reject most manuscripts after only glancing at their first chapter - often only the first page - and seeing mistakes seemingly lit with neon. This course, based on my forty years of writing and editing, will help you spot and fix those mistakes before you send the manuscript out.
You'll learn many things, including: How to use strong hooks... use the correct POV… turn info dumps into sparkling, vital prose... strengthen your work by eliminating backstories… make your scenes work harder... use character-specific words... develop conflict... increase sexual tension… and much, much more.
You'll use your manuscript's first chapter as your practice field for identifying and resolving your personal craft mistakes. After the class you'll apply your new editing knowledge to the total manuscript, to make it much more compelling and, hopefully, published!
The class starts Monday, September 12. To enroll, send your $40 enrollment fee by Paypal, and
I’ll invite you to join a Yahoo Group for the sessions.

Some of my favourite strong female characters in movies

2011-09-02T13:16:00.000+01:00

I've just finished (I hope!) edits on my new book - and am working on something new. And with each new romance I write, I find it more and more obvious that all my heroines have one thing in common.

They're strong women.

They may not wield power in the world.
They may not be rich.
But may be scared.
But they're strong, because they will fight what they believe in. And they know, deep down, their self worth.

I've blogged before about some of my favourite tv female characters, and my favourite female characters in books - so here's a follow up shout out to my favourite women playing strong female characters in movies.
I'm limiting each to 2 film roles - I know they've all done many more I could have used, but these are the ones I liked best.

Sigourney Weaver - Alien (of course). Her character Ripley is powerful and strong. But she rises above 'cardboard cutout' by showing her feminine compassion in her defense and relationship with the little girl in the movie. She cares, she isn't afraid to show it. Win! The other movie I love with her in is Copycat. Her character suffers from crippling agoraphobia - numbs herself against terrible memories with regular shots of whiskey - but when she's needed, she bravely tries to overcome it, to stop a killer. It's not easy, but she tries. Her spirit rises to the challenge. That makes her a strong woman for me.

Katherine Hepburn - Two favourites for me would have to be Rose, in The African Queen, playing against Humphrey Bogart, and Tracey Lord, playing against Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story. Once again, the characters learn and change when they have to. They show courage.

Jodie Foster - Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs, is one of my favourite characters. And the scared but determined mother in Panic Room was another unforgettable film role.

Susan Sarandon - I love Susan on film. She was great in both Thelma and Louise & Bull Durham.

Lauren Bacall - Her appearance as Slim in To Have and Have Not in 1944, established Lauren as the actress in the noir films of the period. She joined a huge group of strong female leads of the time, including Barbara Stanwyck.

Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were with totally lovely Robert Redford, and What's up, Doc? (who isn't really so much a strong woman, as a quirky one...but she gets what she wants in the end!)

But my favourite of the current crop of 'strong women' actresses, playing true and appealing characters, has got to be Sandra Bullock. So she gets three: Speed, Miss Congeniality, and The Lake House.

And I know I haven't mentioned loads of actresses & films here that I should have, but I ran out of room.
You can berate me through the comments box!

Voting for a 5 star sweetheart.....

2011-08-29T11:00:00.004+01:00

It's official. I love The Romance Studio. Not only have they just given me a fabulous 5 star review for Marrying Cade, but this is my third 5 star review for my work they've given me. They were also lovely enough to nominate me under their favourite author category last year.

And they've topped it all off by sending me this lovely badge to display on my blog today, as Marrying Cade has been nominated for this week's 5 Heart Sweetheart Vote beginning today.

Click here to read their review, and if you want to, you can vote for your favourite of today's selection of 5 star reviews (including mine, woo!) by clicking the badge above.

Thank you, TRS!

Lovely new review just in...

2011-08-24T22:32:00.000+01:00

A four star review on my Amazon.com Marrying Cade listing materialised today...

The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews said:

A palate cleanser in word form! This is an excellent, refreshing book just perfect for the dog days of summer. A well-written, entertaining novel to make you say "aah" when you reach the end.

The plot isn't a new one. Boy meets girl, girl falls in love with him, but she is too young. They meet up again at a wedding, and sparks fly. It's the details that keep this novel from being trite. The exotic Italian setting lent itself beautifully to wedding festivities and romantic moments. The family winemaking tradition also allowed for interesting plot twists and turns.

Our heroine is a lovely mix of modern femininity mixed with the "good" Italian daughter. Having a slightly misogynistic father who also happens to be very ill adds to her sense of duty as well as her desire to stand up for herself.

The hero, true to form, wishes to remain a bachelor, but has feelings for our heroine. His history with the family entwines him in the business controversy and his friendship with the groom causes the involvement in the wedding. His interest in Melo causes the story to become more interesting.

Be assured of some romantic tension, exotic locales, and a happily every after for all parties involved.

Grab your sunhat, lounge chair and an icy beverage - then kick back and enjoy this lovely romance!

Originally posted at the Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

I've been remiss in posting the reviews as they come in for Marrying Cade, this is the 13th - so if you'd like to read all of them, or download a sample for your Kindle, do pop over to Amazon and have a read.
The Amazon.com link is here
And the Amazon.co.uk link is here
There are only 4 reviews on the Amazon.co.uk site, so you'll have to visit Amazon.com link to read all 13 reviews!

Mills and Boon New Voices competition is back!

2011-08-19T10:16:00.000+01:00

And the Minxes of Romance have Anna Boatman visiting today to spill the beans...

A must read for anyone intending to enter - check it out here.

Writing Voice

2011-08-16T19:23:00.000+01:00

I wanted to do a piece on writing voice, because it's something I'm very aware of in the stories that I write.
There's of course, the writer's voice, their own, individual style that makes a story so distinctive, and has us all reaching for the next Nora Roberts or Jeffry Deaver.
But within the bounds of the story, there are each character's individual voices - and writing them properly is something that I think it's always worth focusing on.
When I'm writing romance, I write in third person pov, and write approximately half the manuscript in the heroine's pov, and half in the hero's. In movies, we're constrained by language. Everything that the character feels and thinks must be conveyed through action or dialogue, or lack of it! Wonderful actresses and actors who can convey the unspoken with a look can really make a film or a tv series - I've blogged before about the female characters in The Good Wife, who are definite masters, or should I say, mistresses in this.
When I'm writing, I need to remember that each character should have their own voice too.
Their voice is different to my author voice, although of course, my voice comes into it as I weave the threads.
Here's an example:
When I'm writing a hero, it's easy to keep his dialogue authentic. After all, it's the spoken word, and reading it aloud will usually tell me if I've done it right. But I have to carry that further, into his thoughts, his ruminations, and the narrative told in his viewpoint.
Say he's faced with a beautiful heroine. It's tempting to rave about the glints of sunlight in her hair, the deep azure of her eyes...to wax lyrical. And as a writer in love with words, I have to keep an eye on this, and make sure I don't do it.
He's much more likely to appreciate her in his own way...in thoughts that match his dialogue, express his feelings in a male way rather than a female one.
So how do I keep myself on track? At the end of the first draft (I don't stop when the flow is flowing!) I highlight all the text in the ms that's written in male pov, and read it. I try to think like my hero. Try to make sure everything rings true to the man he is, the way he thinks.
I find this really useful. It means my story has (hopefully!) more than one voice, and the hero's distinctive personality shines through.
What do you all think? Writers, do you do something similar? And readers, does a story jar if thoughts seem to be expressed in a way that is out of character?

Bound to Love...Again!

2011-08-10T13:38:00.000+01:00

New cover, new price, same Tempest....

I'm delighted to announce that Bound to Love had been re-released today. You can find it on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Smashwords now!
Bound to Love has a beautiful new cover (thank you, Heather Howland!), a new price of 99c, a new publisher (me) and a brand new life! Woo-hoo!

Lovely new review just in...

2011-08-10T00:33:00.000+01:00

For Marrying Cade - I just found this 5 star review on Amazon. Woo! Thank you!

Marrying Cade was an excellent romance story that had my heart yearning with each page turn. From the beautiful exotic location to the sparks igniting between Cade and Melo it was a page turner that was difficult to put down. If you're looking for a good romantic read Marrying Cade is the book for you! Praises for Sally Clements!

And I have some news I'm dying to reveal, but won't for a day or so...check back for my next blog post!

My guest! Ranae Rose

2011-08-05T09:53:00.000+01:00

I've mentioned on a previous blog post, the great gang of writers who were contracted to Embrace Books before they closed recently. I wanted to keep in touch, and find out what they were doing writing wise in the future, and I'm delighted to welcome Ranae Rose to Love and Chocolate to tell all! Ranae's book, Taken Hostage, is her smokin' hot debut...
Take it away, Ranae... (ooh! that rhymes! and, note to self, would make a good title...)

First off, thank you Sally for having me on your blog today to share the news about my new release, Taken Hostage. :)

Taken Hostage is actually my debut novella and the first of my two summer releases. It’s a contemporary romance tells the story of Tiffany, a small-town bank teller who’s taken hostage (bet you saw that coming, lol) by a gunman who robs the bank she works at. An ultra-sexy gunman. Being kidnapped turns out not to be as bad as she originally thought – in fact, she finds herself battling a growing attraction to her captor that began the moment they first met eyes in the bank parking lot. When it comes time for him to let her go, he also offers her another option – to stay. Here’s a brief excerpt:

She glared at him. ‘You want me to come with you as your partner?’ she asked incredulously. ‘Like Bonnie and Clyde or something?’

He shrugged. ‘Something like that.’

‘That’s ridiculous. Are you serious?’

‘Look,’ he said flatly. ‘There’s a reason I took you as my hostage instead of one of those bimbos you work with.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘Because you wanted to go. You wanted to get out of there. I could tell. And,’ he paused dramatically, ‘it seemed like there was a spark between us.’ He glared at her defiantly, daring her to deny his assertion.

She didn’t. Instead, she stared back at him, open-mouthed in her surprise.

‘You don’t have to go back,’ he murmured, his voice softer than before.

Her anger had slowly begun to seep away. Without it, her desire for him expanded and filled her to the extent that it scared her. What he was saying was crazy. But it was also true. She didn’t have to go back to her mundane life as a bank-teller in rural New York. She didn’t have to fill out another deposit ticket or listen to Alicia and Cindy’s incessant, shallow chatter ever again. She could leave all that behind and go with him, the impossibly handsome man she’d been fantasizing about since first seeing him on the bank steps. It wasn’t practical, but it was tempting.

Isn't Taken Hostage's cover fantastic?

Taken Hostage is available from Amazon.co.uk here,
And from Amazon.com here
And also available on Smashwords here.

Do pop in and visit Ranae at her blog where she's currently got an excerpt up of her new free read too!

Thanks so much for joining me here today, Ranae!

Creativity - Expressing the interior

2011-08-03T13:00:00.001+01:00

I've been thinking a lot today about creativity. As a fiction writer, I spend a lot of time living in worlds of my own creation, expressing them on the page and finally sharing them with people who read my books. It's been brought home to me recently what a powerful thing this can be, as I've had feedback from readers of my latest book, Marrying Cade, saying they'd love to visit the island where Marrying Cade is set - Isola dei Fiori.
I love it too. But it doesn't exist in reality, instead existing only as a manifestation from my mind. Does that make it any less real? The same is true of characters. The creations of many novelists live when shared with others. Sherlock Holmes, Mr Darcy, Harry Potter, all mean something deep and meaningful to the people who have read them, and their struggles and unique take on the world in which they live have made them transcend the 'cardboard cutout' and attain almost reality.
Our traditional view of reality is trammelled by science. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist. But I don't believe this - I can't believe it because my own experience is so different from this view. The locations and people I write about are very real to me. I know them, dream about them, and feel them in my heart and soul.
A lot of what I feel about writing and creativity is voiced here by the inspiring painter, John Bramblitt - who expresses himself by painting beautiful pictures from inside himself even though his eyes no longer see.
Watch the you tube of him at work - and be inspired.

Embrace Books closes

2011-07-29T10:36:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was a sad day for Embrace authors with the news of Embrace Books' closure. My book, Bound to Love, was one of the launch titles, along with a group of fabulous books from equally fabulous authors, launched on 14th Feb 2011.
The ebook has gone from Amazon - although some print copies are still listed. The rights have reverted to me, and I am letting it lie for a while, considering this book's future.

The best thing about being involved with Embrace is the wonderful writers I have become friends with on this short time together as Embrace authors. Published, unpublished and in edits stage, and those newly contracted - all these authors have bright careers ahead of them. I raise my glass to them. Good writing will prevail through challenging times.

As for me - I'm working on edits on my next book, and writing my wip.
The only way is up!

Something for the weekend?

2011-07-22T14:47:00.000+01:00

Bound to Love ebook is on sale at Kindle! $1.16 in Amazon.com, and less than a packet of biscuits in Amazon.co.uk! I have no idea how long this sale will last, so just wanted to give everyone a heads up, if they're looking for something for the weekend!

Reviewers say of Bound to Love:

Brilliant! My children have been ignored for the last two days while I've been reading.

Exciting, sizzling romance! a real page turner which will not disappoint any romance reader.

If you want a thrilling and romantic read, I do recommend Bound to Love.

What a great little summer fling! Oh la-la. What a steamy, dreamy thrill ride. It sure got my juices flowing. It. Was. Hot

Bound to Love is a fast-paced mystery that keeps you up half the night to find out how it ends.

Sally Clements pens another excellent tale. This makes two books in a row from this gifted author that I've adored.

Why not treat yourself? You're worth it!

Here's the links: Amazon.co.uk here
and Amazon.com here

A lovely new review for Marrying Cade

2011-07-22T01:05:00.001+01:00

Just in - a lovely new review for Marrying Cade at To Read, Perchance to Dream. You can read it and comment on their link here.

The reviewer, Maria said...

I honestly don't read romance novels much anymore, but Sally Clements' writing is always enjoyable. Her book are fun and easy to read. It's just like you come home from a long day at work and slip into something comfortable - a Sally Clements novel!

In Marrying Cade, you're off to a gorgeous island with cool breezes and sizzling heat between Melo and Cade. Melo is a strong, nurturing female character, with whom most women can relate today. Cade is that sexy, carefree bachelor women long to tame. The connection between the two will draw you in and keep you reading. (Flipping the pages also helps cool you off from the steamy romance developing between the two!) All the characters are unique and individual, so its a pleasure to get to know all of them.

This romance is an entertaining read. Give it a try! Also, I've had the pleasure of interviewing Sally Clements and reviewing another of her books, Bound to Love. Check them out after you've read Marrying Cade!

Maria gave Marrying Cade a 4 booksworms rating,
Marrying Cade available from amazon.com here and amazon.co.uk here

I'm having a difficult and challenging week, and reviews like this warm my heart, and cheer me up, so thank you, Maria!

What's the story?

2011-07-18T17:01:00.000+01:00

In all last week's excitement, I realise now I haven't given a run down of what my new book Marrying Cade is about! So - just for you, here's the inside track...

When half Irish, half Italian Melo Bellucci first met Cade West they were both teenagers.
Traumatised by his father's death, Cade is holidaying with a friend on the island she lives on, the idyllic Isola dei Fiori. The hours they spend together are balm for Cade's wounded soul - but he has no idea that Melo is infatuated. So much so, she confides to her sister, "When I grow up, I'm marrying Cade."
The story begins twelve years later, when Cade returns to the island as best man at Melo's sister's wedding. She's determined to show him she's grown up, and make him aware of her as a woman. Melo's caring nature means she's inherited the whole nightmare of planning her sister's wedding extravaganza - but when Cade catches sight of her, the gleam in his eyes warms her heart, and heats her blood.
Her mission has been accomplished - and how!
As they spend long days together, Melo realises the man is very different from the boy she'd fancied herself in love with once, long ago. Workaholic Cade had vowed to put business aside for his brief stay for the wedding, but when a chance comes his way to buy land on the island to site his new hotel, he has to take it.
He's used to casual romances - and guards his heart fiercely, but can't resist Melo...who could?

If only he'd known that beautiful Paradise Beach belonged to Melo...and there are two plans for Paradise...

Marrying Cade is a spicy, summer read available now: Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

What's in a name?

2011-07-16T14:04:00.002+01:00

I've been thinking about names today with the news that Kate Hudson has named her new baby Bingham Hawn, and Posh and Becks have called theirs Harper Seven. Celebrity baby names are nothing new - after Peaches, Pixie, Apple and Sparrow, it's almost a given that a celebrity might go with something unusual....

Contrasting it with fiction - JK Rowling of course has Harry, Hermione and Ron, as well as some wonderful wizardy names, and I like reading fiction with characters with real names, as it's less distracting!

What do you think? Weird or Trad?

Oh, and incidentally, I'm over at Romance at Random today, talking about Irish Romance. There's a chance for free books too.

#MarryingCadeWave Stop Ten – The final stop!

2011-07-13T14:50:00.002+01:00

(YAY! NOW WITH WORKING AMAZON LINKS!!!)
It’s launch day my new book, Marrying Cade, and to celebrate, I’m 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 Cole's Blog
Stop Five – Romy Sommer’ 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're here!
And to read a review from a reader who has read it... do visit,
Madeline Ash's blog.

Stop Ten’s excerpt…

Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips parted a miniscule amount. Her skin was perfect, soft and tanned without the addition of make-up. The curve of her neck led down to a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage.
Maybe this wedding wouldn’t be such a chore after all.

****

Melo swallowed and climbed into the driver’s seat. She’d been sure of her mission when she started out, but now, with the adult Cade in the seat next to her, her heart was doing the cha-cha, and she wasn’t sure she had the nerve to carry it out. He’d changed. His hair was long, brushing his shoulders, parted slightly off-centre, and long at the front too, pushed away from his face. He was as dark as ever, though. And his unshaven jaw was unbelievably sexy. He hadn’t needed to shave the last time she’d seen him. Her fingers still tingled with the memory of touching his stubble. What would it feel like under her tongue? Her nipples tightened into hard nubs under the lace of her bra.
He was taller too. A good couple of inches taller than Adam, who easily topped six two. When his warm lips had brushed her cheek, her eyes were just about level with his mouth. His shoulders too were wider, lean and muscled under the black shirt open at the neck, showcasing a faint dusting of dark hair. The last time he’d been on Isola dei Fiori they’d swum together in the sea every day. Swimming with him now would be a completely different experience. At the mere thought of an almost naked Cade, heat swept through her.
“Buckle up.” She spun the Mercedes in a spray of gravel, and sped away from The Fiori Hotel down the road to the villa.

I’d like to thank all my wonderful friends for letting me take over their blogs for the day with the #MarryingCadeWave!

For the Kindle:
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com

And in a variety of other ebook formats from The Wild Rose Press here
- in a variety of ebook formats - pdf,mobi,lit,html and epub.

Bound to Love cover up for an award!

2011-07-11T20:17:00.000+01:00

The lovely cover created by Chris at The Cover Factory is up for an award on Alternative Read.com .
Do go check it out, voting is now open, and there are ten great looking covers to choose from!

Marrying Cade launch day on Wednesday!

Sixteen years of a fabulous crime series - and counting!

2011-07-06T12:29:00.000+01:00

I really like crime series. I have the complete series of Ed McBain's Precinct novels, carefully tracked down in second hand bookshops all around Ireland in the 1980's. I also collect and read Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series, and Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series, just for starters!
There's something comforting about starting a new crime novel that's part of a series, the characters aren't strangers, but the situations they find themselves in is different, and there's a challenge, an excitement to be experienced. And through the story their relationships deepen with those they love (and hate) and more about the central character is carefully revealed.
My current favourite series is by that mistress of the written word, J.D. Robb (aka, Nora Roberts).

I'm talking about the In Death series, and if anyone out there has yet to discover these, I recommend you track down Naked In Death, the first book of the series, and get addicted!
I was initially reticent to try the In Death series (I know, I know!) because they're set in the future, and I don't generally go for futuristic books, but half way through the first chapter of Naked In Death, I realised my mistake!
The In Death series feature an absolutely FANTASTIC heroine, Eve Dallas. She's a cop. With a mysterious past, and a kick ass attitude. She's also vulnerable, caring and hard on herself. She's exactly the type of character I love to read, and love to write too.
To match her, enter the enigmatic Roarke, who has to be one of the most charismatic, sexy heroes to ever grace the page. He's mysterious, tremendously wealthy, with a dark past. He's not always 100% law abiding. He loves Eve Dallas with a ferocity that burns off the page. And he's Irish. Swoon.
J.D./Nora doesn't need me to tell her how great these books are. She's a bestselling author in whatever genre she attempts, after all, and an acknowledged mistress of her craft. And she started the In Death series in 1995, so this is no 'brand new release' thing. I just wanted to share my thoughts about it. And pass on the good news that after sixteen years, and 32 books, this series is still going strong. It's an awesome accomplishment!

The Good Wife

2011-06-29T11:08:00.000+01:00

In my opinion, The Good Wife is absolutely riveting, must watch TV, and I can't wait for Series 3. I know that both Series 1 and Series 2 are currently playing around the world, so won't give away any vital plot twists and turns in this post... except to say that there are plenty, and if you haven't seen them all, keep watching!

The series has won critical acclaim, both for the excellent writing by writing team Robert King and Michelle King, and by the fantastic acting by the entire cast. Ridley Scott and Tony Scott are amongst it's impressive executive producer team, and the attention to detail shows.

As I'm a writer - for me the icing on the cake is the strong writing - and the perfect portrayal of the characters by the talented actors. I could talk about them all day, but I'm going to focus on my two favorites in this post - two strong women characters - Alicia Florrick (played by Julianna Margulies) and Kalinda Sharma (played by Archie Panjabi).

Alicia FlorrickI've long been a fan of Julianna Margulies, from right back in the ER days, when she and gorgeous George were a couple-but in my opinion, Alicia Florrick is her most perfect role. Everyone has their own preconceptions about what they might do in her circumstances when the story starts-she's been publicly betrayed by her husband-and is thrust back into the workforce for the first time in 13 years. There was plenty of scope to treat such an emotive situation badly. But the character Alicia is stoic, brave and contained. No ranting at the unfairness of life for Alicia - rather a careful application to doing her best for herself and her children. The writing is masterful-a classic portrayal of the 'show don't tell' approach. Alicia is often hurt, in obvious emotional pain, but shows it by her expression, the subtle tightening of her mouth, and what she doesn't say. And each episode has it's own self contained storyline, with Alicia and the other's characters in the background building through each episode. It's done so sucessfully that I'm drawn in, week after week. And often surprised at what I learn about each character.

Kalinda Sharma
Archie Panjabi is a wonderful actress. And she has been gifted a great role, as Kalinda, a woman wreathed in secrets, unwilling to share anything of herself, who over time becomes Alicia's closest confidante and best friend. Once again, like Alicia, we know there is a hell of a lot going on below the surface. We wonder about her background, her lovers, what she cares about. And I for one enjoy the way she manipulates, investigates and earns the admiration of all who come in contact with her. She's a fantastic heroine, scarred and vulnerable in the peeks that we get of her character's inner journey.

In conclusion, I applaud all involved in the making of this terrific series. Alicia and Kalinda are real. Their actions are driven by their motivations, and as such they come across as believable characters because they act the way Alicia and Kalinda would in the circumstances they find themselves in. They are also strong heroines, living life on their terms. Facing adversity, feeling the pain, and dealing with it.
They're the sort of heroine's I love. the ones I try to write. And I can't wait for Series 3...

For a rundown of The Good Wife on Wikipedia, see here.

The Kissing Couple

2011-06-22T11:27:00.001+01:00

An iconic photograph flooded the internet this week of a couple kissing on the ground in the middle of a riot in Vancouver after the Stanley Cup final between ice hockey teams the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins. You can see the photograph and read the story here
Twitter is awash with the story – there’s a hashtag #kissingcouple, and a new twitter account (which may, or may not be them) @kissingcouple. Today, the Irish Examiner report that the couple have hired a PR firm Markson Sparks to handle their public relations in Australia, with Max Markson saying "It’s a $10 million branding exercise. If you had something he could endorse it would be amazing. It would be good if he drank Red Bull."

Like the thousands tweeting, this powerful picture touched me. It speaks directly to the heart–to the often unspoken desire of all of us to protect and comfort the one we love. This moment captured in time has touched so many because In the midst of chaos, the couple’s entire attention and focus is on each other.

In the secret heart of all of us, we want someone to care. Someone to offer comfort. Someone to love.

The moment in time that has thrust the kissing couple into the world spotlight may be exploited to endorse products in the future. But the deep emotions it sparked in those who see this photograph—and allow themselves to believe what they see—aren’t diminished by that. It strikes a worldwide nerve. Highlights a universal truth. In the midst of chaos, we all want someone to protect us. To care. To love.
I wish them all the best.

Fancy a visit to Isola dei Fiori? Reviewers wanted!

2011-06-15T20:00:00.000+01:00

There is almost a month to go to the release of my new book, Marrying Cade.
I'd love this book to launch with a few reviews on Amazon on it's launch week-Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com, whatever is your Amazon...
So - with the earnest plea that you review it after reading, I'd like to offer five of my blog readers the chance to journey to the Tuscan Isle, Isola dei Fiori (between the pages!) before everyone else can get their hands on it!
Any takers? Send me an email using my 'contact me' in the sidebar, and a pdf will be winging its way to the first five!
p.s. Warning - spicy!

Results from Kindle Nation Daily Sponsorship

2011-06-12T22:40:00.002+01:00

A quick post today to report on the sales results from my Kindle Nation Daily Sponsorship on the 10th...
via novelrank... 7 sales of BTL Amazon US, 2 sales of BTL Amazon UK, and 2 sales of CMAC.

Now, back to the wip! And here's what I'm listening to - a favourite that seems to make it onto every one of my writing playlists!

I have a release date!

2011-06-09T10:09:00.000+01:00

My new book, Marrying Cade, has a release date - 13 July!

Marrying Cade (with a spicy rating) will be released by The Wild Rose Press on this date - and will be available through their website and also on Amazon. I'll post links when I have 'em!

The first 10 pages were entered into Savvy Authors' Drive em Wilde contest last year which was judged by Samhain's Angela James, and was a runner-up.

Here's the blurb...I'll post an excerpt in early July.

Capable, financial advisor, Melo Bellucci always knew when it came to organising her sister’s wedding she’d in charge. After all, her sister, Rosa is notoriously scatterbrained. But there’s a silver lining in the form of the Best Man, Melo’s childhood crush, Cade West.

When Cade returns to the Tuscan island, Isola dei Fiori, he’s prepared to mix business with pleasure, especially when he meets Melo again. The confident, sexy woman is a world away from the lanky tomboy he remembers, and attraction burns between them instantly.
But when he discovers that the perfect site for his hotel. idyllic Paradise Beach, belongs to Melo, rather than her father, can their relationship survive, when there are two plans for Paradise?

Free kindle book anyone?

2011-06-08T17:45:00.001+01:00

I have a lovely new 5 star review just in from Geeky Girl Reviews for Catch Me A Catch which has put me in such a good mood, I have a free Kindle giveaway of Bound to Love for the first lucky commenter who tells me in the comment box that they'd like it!

Fingers on keyboards.....

Spending time with boys

2011-06-07T16:35:00.000+01:00

Romance writers love boys. Bad boys especially. It's an occupational hazard. And I'm editing at the moment, so I'm spending a lot of time with boys.

Anboys.

An boys? If you have no idea who I'm talking about; you may be a vile user (like myself) of one of the most heinous (apparently) crimes against grammar in the known universe.

Yes, I'm talking about the comma splice.

I love comma splices, I could use them all day, they're great!
But they're not allowed.

Comma splices (which sounds like coffee slices, which I guess is why I like them) are instances where two sentences are incorrectly joined with a comma.

And this is where the boys come in. Yup, the international grammar hit squad, the anboys, will eliminate these pesky splices in less time than it takes to say semi-colon.

AND
NOR
BUT
OR
YET
SO

Stick one of these fellas between your splices, and you're good to go!
Or use a .!?;. Your choice.

Back to the usual programming when I've got this manuscript debugged!

Getting published is only half the battle...

2011-06-03T10:39:00.000+01:00

As regular readers know, my first book, Catch Me A Catch came out in July 2010. Since then, I've learned quite a lot about the business that I really wasn't aware of up until that point.

The hard truth of the matter is that it isn't enough to have written a good book, scored a good cover, and have it available on Amazon. All these things are vital, but not enough! After all, there are thousands of books available on Kindle and other ebook platforms, and the only way to sell decent numbers is to make yourself stand out in a crowded marketplace. Everyone has heard of the great sales of good writers who are powering through the bestsellers lists - but what is often absent is the fact that they are great marketeers, who have worked hard to build awareness of their product.

I find this difficult - as I guess many writers do. After all, we spend most of our time in the cave, rather than blowing our own trumpets!

So... here are some tips I've learned and applied....

1. Make sure you have an online presence before you sell. That means a blog, twitter, facebook etc.
2. Reviews of your book on Amazon are vital - both UK and US. The US version of Amazon sells ebooks into many countries (including Ireland), so you need to have reviews in both. Also, its worth remembering that most review sites take time to review your book (if they review it at all) so ideally need to have your book before it goes on sale, so that the reviews are done when your book goes live.
3. Good tags on your Amazon entries - and ask people to agree with your tabs, which will advance you up in the amazon listings.
4. Being shy and reticent to promote yourself doesn't work. You need to let everyone know when your book is out - shout it everywhere. If a few people buy it at the same time, you will shoot up in the listings, and appear on more lists, and this means more people will see your name and cover. Remember you are not so much promoting yourself as your book, and giving it the best chance to fly. Check out Kindleboards, accept every invitation, and blog tour you can find. The last thing you want to do is bore the pants off all your internet friends, or even worse, irritate with constant self promotion - but you need to let new people know about your work - so expand out!

Here's something I'm trying... I'll blog about results when I have 'em!
On June 10th Bound to Love is the featured book on Kindle Daily Nation. This means it will be mentioned on the site, which is automatically forwarded to interested readers, who receive the KDN newsletter on their Kindles. I haven't tried this before, but I'm hoping it will have a bump in my sales. The most important thing before KDN sponsorship is to have reviews of your book, because then people can see what others thought of it, which will help them in their decision to buy. These reviews don't have to be from professional reviewers, they can be from anyone who has read your book and has an opinion about it. KDN links to your US Amazon page, and I have 5 reviews there presently, which is just about the bare minimum. If anyone has read BTL and has been putting off doing a review, doing one before the 10th of June would be nice!

I'll report back on this in the week following June 10th to let you all know how I got on!

In the meantime, if you want to know how the big sellers are doing it, here are some good links to check out...

JA Konrath
Talli Roland
Catherine Ryan Howard
Amanda Hocking

Brava's Writing with the stars contest!

2011-05-27T18:31:00.001+01:00

Around this time last year, I heard about Brava's Writing with the stars contest, and I'm pleased to share that it's back!

Here's the skinny...

This year, we’re looking for original romance novellas of 15,000 – 20,000 words rather than full-length books. Submissions in any sub- genre will be accepted, providing they’ve never been published in print or ebook form and have a sensuality level suitable for our Brava imprint. (You know just how hot that is, because you’re our most loyal readers.) So that means historical romance, contemporary, paranormal or romantic suspense. We need your submission by midnight of August 15, 2011 – plenty of time for you to write the winning novella or polish up one you’ve already begun.

Once again, Brava authors and editors will narrow down the entries to our top eight contestants, and each of the writers selected will be given a Brava mentor to help her navigate the four challenges ahead. Romantic Times readers will be voting each month to narrow the field, and the winner will be announced at the awards ceremony of the RT convention in April, 2012. Here’s your chance to work with professional writers, publicize your story and win a contract with a New York publisher.

Sounds exciting, doesn't it? I'm not sure if its open to all, last years contest was open to only unpublished or those published by e-book, so check back to see. (I sure will be!) The link is here and there will be updates, apparently.
Fingers on keyboards.....

Update just in - contest for unpublished authors only : this is what the organiser said:

After a lot of hard thought, we’ve decided to limit entries to authors who have not published in either ebook or print form. We’d be happy to consider your project as a regular Brava submission though.

Check out the minxes on Friday, where I'll be doing a post rounding up some competitions!

Back to life, back to reality...

2011-05-22T13:24:00.000+01:00

I had a great time last week at the RNA summer party - and the Joan Hessayon Awards. I didn't win, the trophy went to lovely Charlotte Betts, and I look forward to reading her book when it comes out later this year. But I had a fab time nonetheless, meeting for the first time Minx Lorraine, who took great photos of the event which you can see here, and Heidi Rice, writer fabuloso!, and a whole host of others who were all lovely and encouraging to both me, and my sister Fiona who came along for moral support.

I flew back on Thursday, and have been driving family here and there, supermarket shopping and catching up with the pile of washing ever since - ah, the glamour of it!

I also have edits in for the final third of Marrying Cade, which look completely do-able, although I need to rewrite one chapter....

So it's back to reality, and to work asap! Thanks for all the support and lovely comments through last week's excitement, everyone!

Houseswapping with The Queen

2011-05-17T08:41:00.000+01:00

Well, I'm getting packed and ready to fly over to England for the RNA summer party tomorrow. And the timing is quite good actually, because Her Majesty needed someone to mind her house for the two days that she's visiting Ireland, and so we're doing a house-swap.
It's not quite what she's used to...but her house is near to the party venue, and I'm very near to where she wants to be while in Dublin, so it seemed only sense.
I'm very excited, and dying to meet lots of blog friends finally, most especially lovely minx Lorraine.

I'll blog about it all when I get back.

In the meantime, there's an interview with me here, at To read, perchance to dream. Something I'll be doing a lot of tomorrow!

I have a cover!

2011-05-16T19:01:00.000+01:00

I just received my new cover, for Marrying Cade. What do you think?

Who knows anything about audio books?

2011-05-14T15:25:00.000+01:00

I don't listen to audio books. I guess I never really thought much about them, but today I've been listening to excerpts of romances read by a variety of people as teasers, and I noticed how different they can be.
I've also discovered that audio books can be unabridged or abridged. If they're unabridged, they are just as written, and if abridged sometimes 60% or as low as 30% of the story can be left after elements are tightened up, and in some cases, entire plot threads stripped away.
I'd love to know more from authors who've had experience in going through this process - I'm sure there are plus and minuses on both sides, and I find the whole thing rather interesting! If anyone's got anything to share, do comment!
On another note, I've had another lovely review just in for Bound to Love, this one from To Read, Perchance to Dream. You can read the entire here, or as usual, click on my reviews tab to read it.

Less than a week to go - and a lovely review from Novelicious

2011-05-12T08:27:00.000+01:00

Well I haven't go as far as packing my bag yet, but I have my party dress ready and my blue and gold kitten heels out.... Next Wednesday is Catch Me A Catch's spotlight at the RNA Summer Party, and I'm getting excited!

To cap it all, I have a lovely review over at Novelicious today. Thanks, Debs!

The review says, among other things:

This book starts with Jack battling through a storm in his boat and continues to keep the attention right though to the satisfying ending.

Do pop over and check it out!

Pink Fizzy time...

2011-05-09T19:07:00.000+01:00

I've just sold another book to Wild Rose, this time a story set on a Tuscan island, Isola dei Fiori.
Marrying Cade has been mentioned here before, (with pics of hero and heroine inspiration), and I'm delighted that it's found a home. It looks as though I'm in for a busy time - I'm just about to start edits on the book I sold a different editor in WR a month ago, and now here's a new one that I'll be working on with my first editor, Cindy Davis.
Woo-hoo!

A new blog award!

2011-05-06T21:51:00.000+01:00

I received a new blog award, from a brand, squeaky new blog friend a couple of posts back.
The award was the Versatile Blogger award, here are the rules:

The rules for this award are:

Thank and link to the person who nominated me.
Share seven random facts about myself.
Pass the award along to 10 new-found blogging buddies.
Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

Okay, so here goes! First up, thank you Diane! Here's a link to Diane's blog.

7 random facts about myself? Gosh it'll be difficult to think of ones I haven't revealed already...
1. I used to have 2 pairs of glasses, one to wear, and one to go around neck for reading. But I kept getting the neck ones squashed when getting hugged, so upgraded to varifocals. They're fab!
2. I absolutely hate the word 'moist'. (Please don't abuse this knowledge!)
3. I'm 5'2" and many of my heroines are similarly 'vertically challenged.'
4. I love pink champagne.
5. I'm suffering from a strange crush on McSteamy at the moment. Yes, I know it's wrong.
6. I find sleeping very useful for moving the plot of my story along, and always want to write when I wake up.
7. Last year I did a chilling voice-over in a radio play. Mwaaahaaa!

Next, 10 new found, blogging buddies.... hmm .... I've decided to link to resources rather than bloggers, so I haven't contact them. And I couldn't find ten, so I'm doing 5. Sorry!
1. WriteExpress - for help with rhyming, its addictive!
2. Cliche Finder - because you need to find them, to get rid of them!
3. ConfusingWords - because confusing trips me up sometimes.
4. National Punctuation Day - Why not?
5. BrainyQuote - Because it tells you stuff like: A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.(Thomas Carlyle).

So, because I haven't passed the Versatile Blogger on, if you're new to my blog, and follow, consider yourself 'gifted' and do pass it on! Or, heck, if you're a regular follower, and you want to be versatile, help yourself!

Out and about...

2011-05-02T15:11:00.001+01:00

I'm off visiting a lovely site today, Bookingly Yours.

Thanks for having me, Jenai!

Here's a picture of my bright pink peony, which has just come out.

In other important news, May is Birthday Month for the Minxes Blog! Yes, we've been bloggin for a whole year, doesn't time fly? To celebrate, we're offering a month full of prizes and fun over on the Minxes of Romance Blog. This week's Monday Prize is a minxy meerkat (its unbearably cute, pop in to see the pic!)

On Wednesdays we'll be offering book giveaways too, so do pop in, and hopefully bag yourself something nice!

They did it - and a new review...

2011-04-29T14:10:00.002+01:00

Well, I've watched the whole thing, and now I'm 'romanced out'. The royal wedding was fab, full of colour and emotion, and Kate's dress was dreamy. Congrats to the happy couple!

And, in other news, I've just had a lovely A rated review from Elsie Loves Fiction, click here to see the whole review on Elsie's site...

She said, among other things...

Oh la-la. What a steamy, dreamy, thrill ride. A romance, rated on the 'softer' side (meaning the details of the encounters between the main characters are juicy but not overly detailed ie erotica. Yes, I need to clarify--not everyone reads according to how many roses or hot peppers or whatever ratings the publisher uses). Well, it sure got my juices flowing. It. Was. Hot.

Thanks for the review, Elsie! As always, the review is posted in full as well on my reviews page using the link at the top.

And a quick 'ego-surf' reveals another review I wasn't aware of, this time from A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews, who gave Bound to Love 3.5 out of 5. I have posted the full review on my review page from the top tag, or you can click on the link here to go and read it.

Party, giveaways, freebies, virtual cake!

2011-04-27T14:01:00.006+01:00

The Wild Rose Press is 5 years old today!

To celebrate, they're having a party with $500 worth of giveaways.

The party will be going on for 5 days, so do click on the banner to go to the yahoo group where you can chat to authors, win goodies, and read excerpts. I'll be popping in to the loop in the mornings (for those in NY timezone) and after lunch for UK and Europe timezoners...

Do you care?

2011-04-25T20:35:00.000+01:00

When I’m watching a movie, or reading a book there’s one thing that totally turns me right off. It’s not outlandish plots, or even unlikely premises – after all, who thought that a film where the characters transfer their consciousness into large blue people to live in an alternate world (Avatar) or live in different timelines (The Lake House) would be big hits at the box office?

I can believe anything. If the writing is good enough. And, most crucially, if I care about the characters.

Avatar deals with the concepts of greed and spirituality, and the watcher really cares about what happens to the blue people, and the team of scientists who care about them. It is, essentially, Pocahontas, altered and updated for a 21st century audience. Of course, the fact that it is a James Cameron production ensures that from the moment the character’s enter their blue bodies, we are drawn in, and the strangeness of the world portrayed vanishes as the story takes over.
The Lake House is another film that makes the watcher care, as it follows two people separated by time, but united by one place, an atmospheric lake house. Like Avatar, there are special effects, but the star of the film is the connection through time between the characters.
So, when writing, I always ask myself – do I care? Do I care about the characters and their struggle, are they sympathetic? Because if I don’t, my readers won’t either. And no matter how gripping the plot, or steamy the sex scenes, if there isn’t a strong, true connection between my characters and their readers, it ain’t worth the paper it’s written on.
Have you a favourite film or book where you care hugely about the characters? Or how about one where you couldn’t care less?

Quakes in boots

2011-04-21T10:37:00.000+01:00

The Romantic Novelists Association announced the shortlist for the Joan Hessayon Award this morning.

Here's the link: http://romanticnovelistsassociationblog.blogspot.com/

And I'm on it!
'Quakes in boots!'

Ah, sunny California!

2011-04-18T13:40:00.000+01:00

I'm talking about Almendra, the location in sunny California for my new book, just sold to The Wild Rose press.
It features.... my first ever completely French hero, Etienne Durand, owner of The St Clair Durand Vineyard.
Do pop over for a sneak peek!

http://www.minxesofromance.blogspot.com/

100 quid from Asda - who's in?

2011-04-13T16:03:00.000+01:00

Just found out from Rachel Lyndhurst that her book, Storm's Heart and my Bound to Love are on UK Supermarket Asda's online site, and that they are offering the chance to score £100 for a review!

Can't take advantage of it, sadly, myself, we have no Asda's in Ireland - and after all, it would hardly be unbiased if I reviewed myself, but thought I'd spread the word to any UK readers who might be interested!

Here's the link for Bound to Love: http://www.asda-entertainment.co.uk/books/bound-to-love/10404508.html

And here's the link for Rachel's book, Storm's Heart: http://www.asda-entertainment.co.uk/books/storm-s-heart/10404450.html

And, hey, if you've gone to the trouble of writing a review for one or both books, why not post them on Amazon? We'd love you for it!

A lovely 5 out of 5 review!

2011-04-12T18:59:00.000+01:00

This review just in from Geeky Girl Reviews...

WOW!! What a awesome book. I couldn't put it down and ended up reading it all in one sitting.If you love Romantic Suspense novel then I suggest you try this one, I promise you will not regret it.

If you would like to purchase this book you can find it at amazon.com.

I give this 5 out of 5

Thank you, Chantale!

Having Coffee with Catherine...

2011-04-11T12:35:00.000+01:00

Today I'm out visiting Catherine Caffeinated, the blog of Irish writer Catherine Ryan Howard. Catherine is a whiz at how to self-publish, and has been doing very well on Amazon with her book, Mousetrapped.
Please do pop in and say hi!

SOLD!

2011-04-03T19:42:00.000+01:00

I'm delighted to share that I've just received a new contract from the Wild Rose Press for my book, Love On The Vine. Woo-hoo!

Love On The Vine will be part of The Flower Basket series in Wild Rose, which are all set in a town called Almendra in California.

My hero, Etienne Durand is the new owner of the St Clair Durand Vineyard, and has moved to Almendra from his family's vineyard in Provence. He needs the help of event planner, Bella St Clair to launch his new vintage, but of course it's never that easy is it? Bella's family have been in Almendra for generations, and are the previous owners of his vineyard, and there are definite problems ahead!

I'll be posting a blurb and an extract in the following weeks, and a cover when I have it!

April Challenge!

2011-04-01T14:59:00.001+01:00

So, the minxes are having a word count challenge for April, and everyone who wants to can sign up. Lovely Lacey Minx has designed these great graphics, and a word count meter. Thanks, Lacey!!

Woo-hoo! I've set myself a challenge to write 40,000 so better get writing! Once I have the word count meter up you can follow my progress on the right...

Could it be Tom Welling time?

2011-03-21T09:27:00.001Z

Everyone loves a Superman. And Tom Welling is certainly that. I'm thinking that Tom might be my perfect hero inspiration for my new book... starring as Ryan Armstrong, war correspondent. What do you think?
Here's some pictures of him in 'Ryan' mode...

I think so!

Visiting, a review and a yum yum

2011-03-20T15:35:00.000Z

First of all, I'm visiting Head above Water blog today, answering Alison Wells' questions about being both a writer and a mum - that's Here

And secondly, I have just received a new review for Bound to Love from Manic Readers. They gave me 4.5 stars, so thank you very much, Manic Readers! You can read more of that here.

And thirdly, I love the romantic comedies of the 1930's and 1940's. The women are so great, with dialogue to die for. So here's Barbara Stanwyck telling Gary Cooper a thing or two from Ball of Fire, made in 1941.

Hmm - what next?

2011-03-19T17:41:00.000Z

I've a couple of new story starts, but they aren't really gripping me. So I'm thinking, for the next while, about what to write next.
Every thought I have, I keep thinking, is this a good idea? then rejecting it.
I must admit that this is the moment I hate most. Storyless, and not gripped by the ideas I AM having.
I guess I'll just have to settle down, not panic, and let one come.
Sigh....

And the review train keeps on rollin.....

2011-03-11T09:30:00.000Z

A fabulous 5 star review hit my in-box this morning for Bound to Love from The Romance Studio. I'd like to thank Dee Dailey and The Romance Studio for such a fabulous review, I'm grinning like a fool here! (nothing new there, then).

Here it is:

Tempest MacKenzie is one happy girl. She just got a contract that will help get her out of debt and make her reputation as a jewelry designer. So what's she doing jumping into the fray when someone tries to abduct a total stranger? She ends up kidnapped along with Jake Forrester who doesn't know it yet but he's in the middle of a plot to take over his company. The two seem to live life with opposing goals. So when does that ever stop lust from guiding two people in a new direction?

Sally Clements pens another excellent tale. Tempest seems to live up to her name when there's trouble brewing. She's not the kind of girl to sit back and let life happen around her. Both she and Jake have been affected by the death of a parent. He's decided it's not worth taking chances. He takes every precaution he can and still ends up in the middle of a mess. Tempest's father probably would have lived through a mugging if even one person would have stopped to help him. Armed with her gift for precognition she does everything she can to stop trouble before it happens or jump in where others may fear to tread.

Strong heroines like this are a favorite kind of read for me. Great character building and a plot that keeps us on edge throughout helps make this an exceptional suspense. Dialogue helps build it and steamy romance sizzles in a good way. This makes two books in a row from this gifted author that I've adored. Hope to read many more in the future.

Overall rating: 5 hearts
Sensuality rating: Very sensual
Reviewer: Dee Dailey

March 10, 2011

New Review just in...

2011-03-09T19:34:00.000Z

For Catch Me A Catch from The Romance Reviews.

The reviewer, Danielle G, gave me a four star review, and said, amongst other things:

Fans of contemporary romances should definitely give CATCH ME A CATCH a read, as with a great plot and likable main characters, it can't be classed as anything but an excellent contemporary romance.

Read the whole review below at this link:

http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1807

Thank you, The Romance Reviews, and Danielle!

Dancing in Springtime

2011-03-08T10:06:00.000Z

My DD says I dance like a two-year old. I guess I do. I'm writing today, and this is one of the songs from my playlist, which is great to write to, and also has a video in which the hero dances rather like I do. No, not Carly Simon, unfortunately, who does quite a good job of it, but instead the bearded gentleman.
What can I say? I love dancing!

Paperback version of Bound to Love update!

2011-03-02T13:38:00.006Z

I've discovered that at the moment Amazon.co.uk are giving a lead time of within one to two months for delivery of the paperback version of Bound to Love. I'm not very happy about this, and am trying to sort it out, as I would hate to think of people having to wait so long for their copy! I notice WH Smith are stating a lead time of 4 or more weeks for it, whereas Waterstones are stating a couple of days, so if you are offered a ridiculously long lead time, shop around!

My advice in the meantime, is if you visit the Amazon.co.uk site and find that they are still suggesting a lead time of one to two months, that you buy it from Salt Publishing direct instead, as they have plenty of copies available for instant dispatch, and are offering a 20% discount on the cover price of £7.99 when you add it to the cart, altering the amount to £6.39.

Sorry about this everyone, and hopefully the situation at Amazon uk will be sorted soon! They have stock in Amazon.com and Salt will also ship worldwide with that 20% discount.

Here's a link for anyone needing it!

http://www.saltpublishing.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=9781844718474

In other news, I'm answering minxy questions on the minxes site today! http://www.minxesofromance.blogspot.com/

And an update update, now Amazon.co.uk are stating a 2-5 week delivery time, so it's getting better, but not quite good enough for me yet... watch this space!

Thank you, Romy!

2011-03-02T00:05:00.000Z

I went away for a few days, and discovered that fellow minx, Romy had been talking about one of my books! Luckily, she liked Catch Me A Catch, saying lovely things like:

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.

For more of Romy's Review, check it out on her blog, here.
And for Romy and anyone else who's read and enjoyed it, could you give me a review on Amazon? My review section is looking rather sparse, and I'd love a review or two!

Free kindle book giveaways!

2011-02-22T12:02:00.000Z

I've decided to celebrate the launch of Bound to Love, to give away ten Kindle copies of my book of short stories, New Beginnings to the first ten people to request one. Just contact me using the link to the right, and send me your email and one will be winging its way to you!

Seven Sassy Sisters visit

2011-02-21T10:52:00.002Z

Today I'm out visiting the Seven Sassy Sisters - partytime!

http://sevensassysisters.com/

Chillin'

2011-02-18T09:48:00.000Z

After the busyness of the past few days, today I'm just chillin.
Getting my head back into writing and getting ready for having family all home for half term holiday.
Thinking about gardening - and getting some potatoes chitting for planting.
Preparing to prune fruit trees, and do all the things I've been neglecting!
Ahhh (breathe out)

I'm visiting the Romantic Novelists Association today!

2011-02-16T11:46:00.001Z

I'm on the RNA blog, talking about an unusual Valentine's day gift given last year - do pop over and say hi!
http://romanticnovelistsassociationblog.blogspot.com/
x Sally

Also, on the left is a new snowdroppy cover, which is for another new release, this one a collection of 3 romantic short stories, which is available now for your kindle, and will be available for ipads, sonys etc in a week or so at all the usual online stores. Titled 'new beginnings' it features 3 short stories of new love, and I hope you like it! The link attached to the picture is for Amazon.com, but if you'd like to read more buy or try and excerpt, and you're in the UK, the link is here.

News from Donna Alward, and Bound to Love Release Day!

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001Z

Hi everyone. It's Bound to Love release day, in fact it's Embrace Books launch day! So I've got some info about the book, and an exclusive excerpt for you... It's available all over the place - but most notably here, at the Salt publishing sale site (this has the paperback version on 20% discount), and Amazon uk, and Amazon com.
I'm appearing all over the place today - On the RNA blog, On Joanna St James' blog, On Donna Alward's blog, On Talli Roland's blog, and on Rebecca Brown's blog. As well as being here. So if you happen to come across me somewhere, do please leave a hi in a comments box so I don't feel too friendless!

What it's about...
Jake Forrester, a controlled, self-reliant security expert scarred by his father’s murder is pursuing his goal of an independent life, relying on himself and logic, until he’s forced to accept the help of an impulsive, spirited goldsmith who follows her instincts, wherever they may lead.

When Tempest MacKenzie witnesses a gorgeous stranger being bundled into a van, she tries to help him, but becomes tangled in a complex web of intrigue. Tempest finds stubborn Jake attractive, compelling and infuriating, his logic the complete antithesis of her reliance on her instincts. And Jake is fascinated and attracted to the feisty redhead.
As they spend time together trying to thwart a heist at the British Museum, the attraction between them flares out of control. The thief has a grudge against Jake, and danger stalks their every move. Will Jake learn to trust Tempest’s intuition, before it’s too late?

An exclusive sneak peak!Tempest reached down and undid the belt that held her black raincoat in place, opening it slowly before unbuttoning the row of buttons that held it closed. Slowly, as if listening to her own private soundtrack she slid first one shoulder then the other from the coat, easing it from her body and letting it pool at her feet.
She’d had second thoughts about her crazy plan as she drove through the threatening storm, but the heated look in his eyes as they scanned her red lace bra and matching panties and the garter belt that held her stockings up proved her instincts were right on the money.
“Aw, Red. And it’s not even my birthday.” He grinned as she arched her back and reached both hands out to him. He nuzzled her ear. “You’re crazy, do you know that? What would have happened if you’d had a flat tyre?”
“I would have kept my coat on.”

And finally from me: today the winners of the CAPA's are announced, and whatever the outcome, I'd like to thank them for nominating me in the category of favourite author!
Now, my very special guest, Donna Alward is here to tell everyone about a fantastic valentine's day thing from her! Take it away, Donna (sorry I was hogging the blog).

I’m really thrilled to be hijacking Sally’s blog today! It’s a big day for both of us…and not just because it’s Valentine’s Day…

To be honest, the biggest hearts and flowers day of the year is pretty low key in our house after 20 years of them. LOL. We might splurge on a bottle of wine or a teensy bit of chocolate, but there’s usually not grand gestures of any sort. Which suits me okay – we are more the spontaneous kind of couple anyway. We might ignore official “occasions” and then out of the blue surprise each other with something.
But that doesn’t mean today’s not special. And for Sally and I – well, it’s also about new reads being available to our readers.
Mine’s an online read – so yay and Happy Valentine’s Day to you, it’s FREE! Head on over to http://www.eharlequin.com/ and look under “Extras”. It’s called Remember Me, Cowboy and it’s my first online read AND my first amnesia story. Or you could just click here.

I didn’t expect to write an amnesia story, actually. The offer came through for the online read and I e-mailed my critique partner very excited about the opportunity. “But what am I going to write about?” I asked.
She came back with: “You haven’t done an amnesia hook yet.”
I replied: “There’s a very good reason for that.”
Amnesia plots are not my faves. Mostly because I don’t find a lot of them believable. BUT my CP knows me very well. The gauntlet had been thrown. The challenge issued. And my brain started working – okay, a PLAUSIBLE amnesia plot resolved in 10,000 words.
Then there was a seed of an idea. And a few e-mails between myself and an ER doctor friend for medical deets. I came up with the way to link it to my current Romance release, Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle. And I was off to pair sexy cowboy Logan up with the wallflower, Carrie.
I hope you’ll come by and read the first chapter, which is posted today! Then look for the rest for the next three weeks on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Donna
http://www.donnaalward.com/

The Day of Lurrve? Or not?

2011-02-10T23:31:00.000Z

I'm blogging about Valentine's Day NOW, because I won't be blogging about it, THEN. Yup, on the 14th, I'll be welcoming a very special guest on to Love and Chocolate who'll be telling me all about what she's got going on on Valentine's Day, and bleating about my own news, the release of Bound to Love. (Which, for anyone who has a Kindle and likes to get a jump on things, can now be ordered on Amazon for delivery to your kindle on Valentine's Day, first thing!).

I've been thinking about the whole 'Day of Lurrve' and here are my thoughts. Warning - not particularly romantic!

Back in 1382, Geoffrey Chaucer in his poem, Parlement of Foules, first made mention of Valentine’s day when he wrote:

For this was seynt Volantynys day
Whan every byrd comyth there to chese his make.
Which apparently means ‘For this is Saint Valentine’s Day, When every bird cometh there to choose his mate.’

In 2011, the tradition has morphed into a huge money making industry, with over 190 million valentine cards sent each year in the US alone. Amazingly, over half of the cards sent are to family members who aren’t in a romantic relationship at all, mostly children.
Am I a bad mother for not sending valentine cards to my children? Looking at the figures, I guess I may be! (although I only know one family who send valentine’s to their kids, but maybe things are done differently in other countries!).
After experiencing many 14th Febs, I’ve come to a few conclusions about the day:
The first is that men universally dread it. No matter how organised a man, they always forget, causing a mad dash to the petrol station to see if there are any ‘red flowers’ left, and a battle through the scrum to grab a dog-eared card or the last, rather beaten up, box of chocolates. I’ve questioned the DH in great detail, and winkled out the truth. He’s sure women love Valentine’s Day. But in questioning my female friends I had my suspicions confirmed. Many of them hate it too.

For those in relationships, it’s mandatory to spend on something red, something chocolatey, or something overpriced. My local supermarket has extended its range to include Valentine’s day underwear, nighties, candles and toys. I almost fell over the large cardboard display holding cards on the way in. I feel like not buying. Just because I’m being forced into it. But if I don’t, what will DH say when asked what he got? Admitting he got nothing is bound to make him feel unloved.

And if I give nothing, I’m bound to receive nothing too.

And people ask. They want to see evidence of love. Bought in a shop. Proof that someone has braved the crowds to flick through millions of cards before finding the perfect one. If I say ‘I asked him not to get me anything, it’s over-commercialised,’ then I’ll be smiled at pityingly. Probably patted on the back with an ‘Ah never mind, have one of my chocolates.’

They say love can survive anything –

but can it survive Valentine’s Day?

Embracing on Valentine's Day...

2011-01-29T19:25:00.003Z

All that gold ... The Egyptians come to town!

2011-01-25T11:08:00.000Z

There's great excitement in Dublin with the news that Tutankhamun is visiting Dublin on February 14th - July 31 2011, and for me, the date of his arrival is particularly significant.

There's something strange going on here.
The Egyptian gold arrives in Dublin 14 February.
And Bound to Love, my next book, is launched on 14 February.

And a very important pair of artifacts feature large in Bound to Love.

These are them. The beautiful gold Rameses bracelets, from the reign of Rameses II (1290-1224 BC).

I'll be posting more about Bound to Love as the date approaches, but the story begins in the British Museum, where my heroine, Tempest MacKenzie is leaving a meeting. She's a master goldsmith, specialising in replicating ancient golden artifacts, who has been contracted to make detailed replicas of the above bracelets, which will remain in the British Museum after the Egyptian Gold Touring Exhibition leaves.

It's a romantic suspense, so I won't reveal any clues except to say that where's there's gold, there's trouble!!

But the perfect synchronicity of the golden Tutankhamun exhibition opening on the same day as my novel's launch?- Well that's priceless!

Itchy Fingers

2011-01-18T00:37:00.002Z

Thanks everyone for checking out Long and Short Romance Reviews - The lucky winner of the week was Judi Fennell whose book I dream of Genies sounds great fun, so congratulations to her!

My fingers are itching to start a new book, I'm trying to sketch it out, and really solidify internal conflicts, but its tugging at me to just dive in and start writing, so first thing tomorrow, that's my plan! When my muse taps on my shoulder, who am I to refuse him? And yes, he's a him. A tall, dark and handsome him. He's my muse, so he can be anything he wants!!

Finally, thanks to The Romance Studio, for the nomination I discovered yesterday - I've been entered in for the Cupid and Psyche Awards (the capas) under the category, Favorite Author.

Book of the week? - Voting now open!

2011-01-15T10:40:00.006Z

I got a lovely e-mail yesterday from Long and Short Reviews, telling me that Catch Me A Catch is a contender for book of the week. Now obviously this isn't a prize for the book itself, but rather the book that sounds the most enticing by the review.

They sent me a link to my review, which is here.

And a link to the poll here. This is a weekend poll only, starting Saturday and ending Sunday - so if you have a moment, do pop over there, have a read, and vote for the one that tickles your fancy.

The 3 R's.

2011-01-13T15:35:00.000Z

Readin? Riting? Rithmatic?

No. Not those three R's. Today I'm blogging about the past month. And my 3 R's were Revision, Rejection and Review.

Before I start - Happy Belated New Year to everyone - I've been in internet hell here for the past couple of weeks, with my connection breaking and then coming back, which has involved lots of men climbing poles (!), handsome hero digging up floors and pulling wires around, and swapping out routers struck by lightning. So I'm here. And hope to continue to stay here - for a while at least!! Sorry if I've missed anything!

In mid December I received my first R - Revisions for a story for The Wild Rose Press. I've done em, and sent them back for a re-read - fingers crossed!

On Christmas Eve I received my second R - A Rejection from M&B on a partial. I was very glad to get this before Christmas, and it was a good, helpful R which left me not so much gutted as revved up and determined to totally wow them with the next one.

This week, I received my third R - A lovely Review for Catch Me A Catch from Long and Short Romance Reviews. http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-11T04%3A03%3A00-05%3A00

You don't want to know about my revisions - I ate the rejection - but I print below the review in full, because I like it! Now off to scan everyone's blogs and see what I've missed!
***

Catch Me a Catch by Sally Clements
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (191 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4.5 books
Review by Snapdragon

She had the perfect life - and all she wanted was to escape it. Artisan chocolatier and reluctant matchmaker Annie Devine wants to survive the annual Durna Matchmaking Festival without messing up. She's useless at relationships, and the whole village know it. They've known ever since the day she was left at the altar in her wedding dress. When Jack Miller, charismatic head of Miller Advertising is forced to make an emergency stop on his transatlantic crossing, she mistakes him for a love-lorn bachelor, and sparks fly. Jack's in Ireland to discover his roots, while Annie's desperate to escape hers. Annie longs to win the coveted Chocolate Oscar competition, and claim the ultimate prize, her own shop in Dublin. But with the deadline for Jack's return to New York looming, is she making the right choice?

Immediate, heart-stopping action marks the start of Catch Me a Catch, by Sally Clements. Her fast-paced prose drops us into the center of storm and the struggles of sailor Jack Miller. He's just coincidentally sailing right into an Irish matchmaking festival, although fate has more in store for him than finding an easy match.

Annie Devine has sort of inherited this matchmaking gig, and she's determined to do a good job at it. Jack is plainly a challenge to her. Their initial conversation is hysterical -- partly because we suspect they aren't quite on the same page from the start! Clements shows a remarkably light touch with believable and sometimes cross-purposed dialogue, throughout.

In fact, each of our characters are more complex than they appear. This will be no straightforward, predictable romance. And all sorts of things from their lives keep butting in to complicate matters. Who knew that making the world's best almond praline truffle could pose such a conundrum? Although, certainly more important matters put Annie and Jack at loggerheads, as well. Is it alarming or merely stereotypical that they each reach for booze to cope with emotions? I'm not sure, but it cropped up often enough to be distracting.

Clever and subtle use of words and names (loved the pub named "The Maiden's Arms," Or even just Annie's own: the 'Devine' girl of his dreams, and similar) is fun and interesting, especially at the start. Now and again, action or a challenge seems to be resolved unconvincingly fast, but this indeed is a small complaint. Overall there was a nicely balanced blend of emotion, action and sizzling interaction. Annie's sense of being watched - indeed by the whole quaint community, adds so much to the charming Irish village backdrop.

The be there in-the-moment style of this dramatic narrative will grab your attention and keep it, cover-to-cover.

It's great to see this super story matched with such a perfect cover: Delightful, slightly whimsical, relates to story, and quirky enough to be eye catching. Kudos to the cover designer, too. This one belongs in the must-read pile!

Getting to grips with internal conflict

2010-12-28T13:51:00.001Z

For me, as all the minxes are painfully aware at this point, internal conflict is the most difficult element of creating a story. Maybe because I'm a private person, who tries to avoid looking at her own internal conflicts, maybe because it takes a lot out of me, or maybe because I know that its the heart of any romance, and I'm fearful of not getting it right.

I'm not very keen on therapy. My characters on the whole, tend not to be either. But I need to analyse them, empathise with them, and feel their inner pain in order to infuse my story with it. Its a struggle. But when I get it right nothing tops that feeling of achievement. Then a story has fulfilled its potential, and truly come to life.

So - in my eternal search to crack this most difficult of story elements, I read and constantly re-read the work of writers who HAVE got a handle on it. And one of the books I go back to again and again, is Hooked by Les Edgerton. I've blogged about this book before, and lauded Les's excellent writing blog. He somehow manages to elicit 'aha' moments from me every single pass that I take of Hooked. And his take on the 'story worthy problem' is both clear and concise. And a guaranteed aha.

On my most recent read, this is the kernel of truth that resonated. The difference between melodrama and drama. Now, I'm pretty good on melodrama. Mostly because I like plotting, and I like writing big, dramatic scenes. But the big dramatic scene can often be melodrama. The emotions it involkes are the true drama.
Take for example, the movie, Terminator.
The protagonist in Terminator is young Sarah Connor. She's 19, in college and working in a burger place in the evenings. She shares a flat with a girl called Ginger, and at the beginning we see her going out on a date with a guy she doesn't like very much. She's young, innocent, and we get the impression that not much has happened in her life, thus far.

As everyone knows, the two other main characters in Terminator are Terminator (played by Arnie) and Kyle Reese, sent from the future to save Sarah Connor, no matter what, because of the important role she will play in her future.

When her life is under threat, she can't believe her eyes as the Terminator relentlessly tracks her. Kyle explains that the Terminator is a Cyborg. Here's the section from James Cameron's treatment:

"I don't believe any of this," Sarah says. Frantic. She seems about to scream.
"Yeah, well that's OK. But that doesn't mean it isn't happening. You've got to accept and understand what this thing is. It can't be reasoned with, it can't be bargained with, it doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear...and it absolutely will not stop, ever, once it has been targeted. Unless it's destroyed."

Sarah is relentlessly pursued through the movie. She learns more about her future, and the importance of her as yet unconceived son, John Connor. She falls for Kyle. But she still doesn't fully comprehend the awful persistence of the Terminator. Until the where the relentless cyborg is caught in the flames of an exploding oil tanker. I could certainly write that with bells on. All licking flame and twisted metal. But the truth behind the scene isn't the explosion, but rather the response of the protagonist, Sarah Connor.

Here's James's treatment again:

An unbelievable fireball erupts skyward. The dumpster is enveloped by flames and is hurled, rolling on its casters, down the alley. Sarah falls before the blast as the forward trailer explodes and an ocean of fire rolls forward, almost reaching her. The dumpster tips over and Kyle rolls out.
In the center of the inferno Terminator struggles violently. His flesh fries and sizzles. He tears loose from the twisted wreckage and collapses to the ground. He sinks into a charred mass and stops moving.

Sarah crawls away from the intense heat and lies watching the motionless figure in the blaze. She staggers to her feet and circles around the building to find Kyle. She finds him lying near the dumpster, sheltered from the heat by its mass, and drags him away.
His head lolls. He opens his eyes. "Sarah."
"We got it, Kyle."
They embrace, silhouetted by the fire.

At this point Sarah feels a whole bunch of emotions, and they reflect in her eyes. Joy, that the man she loves is alive. Relief, that the terminator is finally dead. Elation, in triumphing against all odds. Fatigue, at the end (she thinks) of this horrible nightmare. The audience knows this, feels it with her. The struggles have changed Sarah, given her depth.
And the Terminator staggers out of the blaze behind them.

Sarah's emotions morph into terror.
In the struggle that follows, the Terminator and Kyle are both destroyed forever.

Sarah closes her eyes, letting the cool water bathe her, washing away blood and the fear.
Now that it's finally over, she can't believe it. The destruction of the cyborg and the loss of Kyle
neutralize each other, leaving a vacuum.

Sarah has survived. And her internal wounds now define her. She will live, because she is the mother of John Connor. The final image we have of her is of a woman, no longer a girl. The melodrama that she's been through give way to the drama that is uniquely hers. She now battles with a new confict, whether or not to reveal to her son that Kyle is his father:

"I'll always wonder," she continues, "Whether you should know about your father... whether that will change your decision to send him. Did you already know when you sent Kyle that you were his son... that you were sending him to his death? What an awful burden that was, or rather will be. Kyle was right... you can go crazy thinking about this stuff. Well, I'll do more later. I'm a bit tired... think I'll take a nap."

Sarah shuts off the cassette recorder and crosses her hands peacefully on her belly. Over her loose dress she wears a leather shoulder holster. The butt of a .38 revolver presses against her breast.

She is strong. Determined. We see this in the final image of her:

A serious, dark-complected woman brings her some tea. On the beach below a boy runs by and yells something to the woman in Spanish.
"What did he say, Maria?"
"There's a storm coming in."
Sarah gazes at the thunderheads way out there, rolling in. Heat lightning pulses in their depths. She sips her tea.
"Yes, I guess there is."

So despite the huge budget, impressive animatronics, and great special effects, the core of the story is Sarah Connor's internal transformation from innocent student to battle-weary veteran. She's known love, known death, and these experiences and her response to them are the truths that the audience takes with them. Things will be different for her in the future, because of the emotional scars that she'll bear from her past. These are the seeds of her deeply felt internal conflicts.

So what does this mean to me, writing romance?
That whatever has happened to my character in their past has formed a scar within their inner being. One they don't want to pick at. One they've most likely suppressed, and one they keep hidden. At the story beginning, they're managing fine without navel gazing on their inner scar, but when the story bursts into life, they find their scar start to itch. They're challenged to look closer at themselves, confront their inner demons, and battle with them. They can't avoid it, any more than they can ignore the Terminator. Not if they want to reach their happy ever after. They have to climb the ladder of change, and its going to be damn painful. What they want is within reach, if they can only realise that they have to face their fears and cut away the scar tissue. Internal conflict is the heart of romance. It's hard. For everyone. But here's hoping its worth it.

Snowed in!

2010-12-23T11:34:00.002Z

Well, very close to it. We had 8 inches of snowfall yesterday, and its still snowing....
These are pictures taken by my daughter yesterday - before today's snowfall. We're almost a mile from the road, so are relying on our 4x4 to get out. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Blog post bling winner!

2010-12-17T09:06:00.000Z

Well the Wild Rose Blog Tour is now over, and I'd like to thank my guest bloggers for getting me into the Christmas mood with their festive posts.

As promised, one lucky commenter has won a prize. The winner is.....(drumroll) rbooth43!

Please leave me a message using my contact link, and let me know which colour necklace and earring set you'd like, red or green, and I'll put it in the post pronto!

Roses Blog Tour - My final guest - Nana Malone

2010-12-15T09:00:00.002Z

So it's the last post of the Roses Blog Tour, and I'd like to thank Nana Malone for joining me today to share her Christmas tradition, while I'm off visiting Rachel Brimble's site. For the last chance to claim my prize, make sure you are following me, then leave a comment on Rachel's site under my blog post.

Caroling, Christmas Eve presents and Deep Frying Turkeys

Every family has their holiday traditions. My family always let us open one present on Christmas Eve. In Ghana before any talk of presents comes in, we do the tour of grandparents and uncles and aunties. And we eat ourselves into a stupor. Presents come after that. And of course there’s the partying and dancing. Ghanaians love a good party

One of my favorite traditions is actually an inherited one from my husband’s family. For every present, a note is written to accompany it. And you have to guess what the present is before you can open it. As you can imagine, this makes for a long present opening ceremony. You also have to start with the smallest present first. It’s nerve wracking, but actually a lot of fun.

It was a hard one to get used to, but it makes sure everyone puts thought into every present. I stepped up the tradition a couple of years ago and started folding my notes into Origami shapes. You should see my husband and I trying to outdo each other now.

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Now here's some info on Nana's book, Game, Set, Match.

Off the court, tennis star Jason Cartwright’s playboy image is taking a public beating. On the court, he’s down forty-love. A knee injury is shutting down his game, and the paparazzi are splashing his love life on every magazine. A comeback is in order, but the makeover he needs to save his faltering career is in the hands of the woman he loved and left fifteen years ago.

While single-mom, Izzy Connors, sees people for who they really are through the lens of her camera, even without it, she knows Jason isn’t the star he appears to be. Although his charm and good looks haven’t dimmed since he broke her heart, all she sees is his wasted talent and playboy lifestyle.

Can Izzy put the past behind her and help Jason get his game, and his image, back on track? Or will the click of her camera shatter his world as well as his heart?

Game, Set, Match is available from The Wild Rose Press
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/game-set-match-p-4214.html

From Amazon.com here

Nana's prize is TWRP gift vouchers so you can stock up on our books for the holiday season!

And you can read more about Nana and what she's got going on at her Blog:

Thanks so much for joining me here today, Nana, and have a Merry Christmas!

Belated Talli Roland blogsplash (secondary ripple) & a pic of bling prize!

2010-12-04T13:00:00.000Z

I missed Talli Roland's blogsplash on Wednesday, as I was hosting Caroline Clemmons and her wonderful chilli recipe, but here's the skinny...
Talli took on Amazon - and got to number 25 on Amazon.co.uk! Well done, Talli!
Her novel, The Hating Game can be found on Amazon.co.uk:

and Amazon.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 £200,000 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?

I'm still on blog tour for the next couple of Wednesdays, and am offering a prize to a lucky commenter who also follows my blog - and here's a picture of my prize Swarovski crystal necklace with silver plated clasp, and matching earrings ... you pick, red or green!

Wild Rose Blog Tour - Today's Guest - Caroline Clemmons!

2010-12-01T10:00:00.001Z

It's the second day of the Wild Rose Blog Tour, and today the writers taking part are sharing their favourite Christmas Recipes. I'm sharing my seasonal recipe for Spiced Beef over on Amy Corwin's blog, so to claim my prize of swarovski necklace and matching earrings in red or green, please join my blog and leave me a comment on my blogpost on Amy's site.

I'm delighted to welcome Caroline Clemmons to Love and Chocolate, to share her Christmas Eve recipe!

Do leave Caroline a comment, as she's offering a prize of a $15 gift certificate for the Wild Rose Press. Take it away, Caroline!

My favorite time of year is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Anticipation builds, preparations become hectic, the air cools, and I’m in the grip of nostalgia. Believe me, I am the world’s greatest sucker for decorations everywhere and tons of presents under the tree! Receiving cards and letters also thrill me, even the annoying bragging letters stuck in with a card. As you can tell by my, ahem, well-rounded figure, special foods are also a big part of tradition at our house. On Christmas Eve, we dine on TexMex foods—tamales, guacamole, tostitos, queso and chili con carne prior to my husband reading the Christmas story from the Book of Luke before we open our presents.
Perhaps anglos eating TexMex food on Christmas Eve sounds odd to anyone who doesn’t live in the Southwest, but this menu is a nice contrast to the sweets and dishes served on Christmas Day. Shhhh! If you promise to keep it to yourself, I’ll share my secret recipe for chili con carne with you. The hero of my latest release, THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, prepares this chili for the fandango he hosts for family, friends and neighbors. Isn’t it funny that his recipe is the same as mine?

Dallas McClintock’s Fandango Chili con Carne

From THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE
By Caroline Clemmons

5 lbs. Chili meat or ground beef, or a combination of 4lbs. Beef or Venison and 1 lb. Pork sausage (I use all beef)
1 15 0z. Tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can Stewed tomatoes
3 Tspn Chili powder [adjust to taste]
1 tspn. Ground comino [cumin]
1 tspn. Cayenne
1 tspn. Salt
1 tspn. Pepper
1 tspn. Paprika
I medium Onion, chopped
3-5 Garlic cloves, minced [or garlic salt].
¼ cup Brown sugar (my secret ingredient)

Sear meat in a large skillet, pouring off the excess grease as the meat cooks. As meat nears browning, add onions and garlic to let them brown also. Mix the remainder of the ingredients except brown sugar with the meat in a large heavy kettle or dutch oven. Bring to a boil and then quickly reduce the heat to simmer. Stir frequently. As the chili simmers slowly, more fat will reduce out and float to the surface. Skim off this fat each time before you stir the chili. Discard the fat. About fifteen or twenty minutes before serving, add brown sugar. This chili can be cooked in an hour, but the flavor is best if simmered very slowly for two or three hours.
Serve with cornbread or tortillas and pinto beans. Texans do not add beans to the chili con carne while it’s cooking. Chili is a favorite for entertaining at our house, and a special Christmas Eve dish accompanied by tortilla chips, grated cheese, minced spring onions, pinto beans, tamales, cornbread muffins, butter, and honey as well as sometimes serving potato salad and other chilled salads. Chili is one of the first dishes I learned to cook on my own, but this is a much better recipe than my original effort.
In my opinion, Chili Con Carne [usually shortened to Chili] is a traditional Southwest food that has gained popularity throughout the United States. Oh, my, now I am so hungry for a big bowl of chili!

And here's more about Caroline...
As long as I can remember, I've made up adventures. Okay, I admit the early creative stories featured me riding the range with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and saving the West. What a disappointment to learn that Roy was exclusively committed to Dale! Eventually, my best friend from across the street and I decided to become better detectives than Nancy Drew. We drove our parents and neighbors crazy sticking our pert little noses where they didn't belong. About that time I started writing down my adventures, but mostly I was a reader. Not until I read Nora Roberts' early novels did I decide to create my own romance manuscripts. My road to publishing was a lot slower than Nora's was. No surprise there! I still read Nora's books—as well as those of countless other authors—but now I write full time. Unless life interferes, that is.

My Hero and I live on a small acreage in the ranching and horse country of North Central Texas. Hero and our two grown daughters are supportive of my writing. Living with Hero and me now are Webster, our sweet black Shih Tzu, and our two shorthaired cats: Sebastian, a large black and white tuxedo who thinks he's our watchcat; and Bailey Erin, a shy apricot tabby. When I'm not writing, I love spending time with family, reading, traveling with Hero, browsing antique malls, and digging into family history and genealogy. Writing about strong heroes and heroines who overcome amazing obstacles to forge a meaningful life together is my passion.

Readers may check my website at http://www.carolineclemmons.com/ for additional recipes, reviews, and excerpts of my books. Please check my blog at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/ and sign up on the sidebar for my Mostly Monthly Newsletter that includes an exclusive free read each month, recipes, and news. I love hearing from readers and other writers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com.

THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, a western historical romance set in 1885:

Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas McClintock, but she agrees to wed handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the bully Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom Williams.

Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s wagon to be tended. He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything. Ah, but what is he to do with a wife and her wild Irish family?

Excerpt: G rated from THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE:

Dallas raised his gaze where Aoife directed. Four girls danced, but only one drew his attention. Shoulders straight and feet flying, Cenora met his glance, then broke away from the other dancers to perform only a few yards from him.
Catcalls sounded nearby. She ignored them but gave a toss of her head. Her hair had come unbound, and her act sent her fiery hair awhirl. Light from the blazing campfire cast an aura-like radiance around her. Lantern glow overhead reflected her eyes sparked with merriment, challenge, and something mysterious he couldn’t name.
No longer the delicate china doll, her wild beauty called to him, mesmerized him. He visualized her brilliant tresses spread across a pillow, her milky skin bared only for him. His body responded, and savage desire shot through him. Surprised at the depth of his reaction, he wondered if her performance in bed would parallel the unbridled nature of her dance.
Good Lord, could this glorious woman truly be his wife? And if so, heaven help him, what on earth was he to do with her?

The Texan's Irish Bride is available now from The Wild Rose Press Click on the link to purchase.

Sounds like a great book, Caroline, and what a lovely cover! Thank you very much for being my guest today, Caroline, Dying to try your recipe!

The core of the matter

2010-11-30T15:32:00.000Z

I've been distracted by Nanowrimo - and didn't make my wordcount.

I've been distracted by my cover.

And the fact that the Irish economy is imploding.

And book sales, and blogging, and twittering.

I almost forgot the most important thing. The core of the matter.

Just in time, my priorities reasserted themselves, and I'm happy to announce that I'm back on track.

All that matters is the writing.

Not if an editor loves it enough to want to read more.
Or people I don't know love reading it.

All that matters is the writing.
Writing from the heart.
Writing words that wring emotion out of me.
Scenes that resonate with truth, depth and emotion.
Writing deeper, better, stronger and more beautifully.
Writing my very best, then pushing it to write even better.

It's not about the volume, but rather about the quality.

Tomorrow my guest Caroline Clemmons will be here to give us her Christmas eve recipe.

And with that, dear reader, I'm back to the wip.

Wild Rose Blog Tour - Today's Guest - Maya Blake!

2010-11-24T09:30:00.000Z

Today is the first day of the Wild Rose Blog Tour - and I'm totally delighted to welcome author Maya Blake to my blog.

Hi, I’m Maya Blake, I’m a thirty-something romance writer whose life-long dream of writing finally came to true last year when my debut novel was published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m the fourth of five siblings and I live in Kent, England with my husband and two (sometimes, lol) adorable kids.

So, Maya, what's on your 'to be read' pile for the holidays?

What’s on my Christmas TBR Pile?

First off, the words Christmas and read always evoke such a warm, wonderful feeling. Christmas at my house (like most, I expect) involves too much eating, drinking mulled wine and flurry of present opening (no, I don’t wait until Boxing Day, lol).

But all through the merriment, I savour the thought of sneaking upstairs back to bed, diving under the covers and reaching for a book (my TBR pile is handily next to my bed). And since I read more than one book at a time, my bedside table always holds a treasure trove of brand spanking new novels waiting to be devoured.

So what’s on my Christmas TBR Pile? The one book I’ve been meaning to read is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Ironically, this was a Christmas present from my sister-in-law two years ago. I’ve deliberately not seen the movie because I want to read the book first but friends tell me it’s a brilliant book so I’m looking forward to it.

If family and friends and the general madness that comes with Christmas lets off a little, I also plan to read Clive Cussler’s Skeleton Coast. Clive has been an autobuy for me since I read my father’s copy of Atlantis Found years ago. Dirk Pitt, one of the main recurring characters in the Cussler novels is engaging and funny, even in the face of extreme danger so I know when I pick up a Cussler novel I won’t be disappointed.

Next on the list (and I’m straying into wish list TBR here) are a couple of Harlequin Presents novels – Bought For His Convenience of Pleasure? by Maggie Cox and Memoirs of a Millionaire’s Mistress by Anne Oliver. I say wish list here because four books in two weeks on top of personal writing deadlines is ambitious, but who knows, the phone might not ring with friends and relatives demanding attention, the kids may wash, cook, feed and entertain themselves, DH will decide not to pop in for a chat every few minutes or invite me to watch a move with him…yes, I can see ten lovely pigs flying past my window now.
Oh well, the mince pies and mulled wine will help things along splendidly, I’m sure.

What about you? What do you plan to read this holiday season?

Let me know and you’ll be in with a chance to win one of my prizes. You can win by commenting on this post and subscribing/following my blog, Tweeting about this post on my Twitter page or by becoming a fan on Facebook. For a full list of prizes to be won on this blog tour, click on this link.

Good luck and Happy Christmas!
Maya

Hostage to Love is available from The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.com as both e-book and paperback.

Crushed by betrayal, Belle Winkworth-Jones flees the shambles of her short-lived marriage, only to be kidnapped by a vicious rebel soldier determined to keep her for himself. Nick Andreakos mounts a ruthless rescue to save the wife who walked away from him, even though he's resentful Belle could dismiss their marriage so easily.

On Althea, their private Greek island where Belle recuperates, passion ignites, taking hold with relentless force. But in the shadows, danger lurks. The rebel soldier is determined to recapture Belle.

Can Belle and Nick set aside their differences in time to fight this threat and save their love, or will it be too late…?

Thank you so much for visiting today, Maya. I'm appearing today on Rae Summers blog, and will be offering a prize throughout the blog tour of some lovely sparkly bling (pictures coming soon -made by me!) in either festive red, or holly green, a necklace and matching earrings, so to be in for a chance to win, follow my blog, and comment after any of my blogposts at the sites I'm visiting over the next month.

I have a cover!

2010-11-22T15:01:00.000Z

Bound to Love my launch title for Embrace Books now has a cover! So here it is.
Bound to Love will be released on 14th Feb, available as ebook and print.... but for now, enjoy the cover!

I'm going on tour this week!

2010-11-22T12:14:00.000Z

Clicking on the new icon on the left will tell you all about the upcoming blog tour that I'm on over the next 4 Wednesdays.

While I'm off visiting, I'll be hosting other wonderful Wild Rose Authors - my guests will be Maya Blake, Caroline Clemmons, PL Parker, and Nana Malone.

All of the gals are offering great giveaways, click on the picture to find out more, and I'm offering a prize of a lovely sparkly swarovski bling necklace and matching earrings - made by me - in either red or dark green, to give the winner something to wear over Christmas.
To win my prize, just comment after any of my blog entries where I've been a visitor, I'm starting off visiting Rae Summers, then Amy Corwin, Amber Leigh Williams and Rachel Brimble. I'll introduce my visitors and put in a link to where I am, so follow the link and comment to claim the prize.

Also, I'm asking that commenters wishing to claim the prize follow me, so if you're not doing so already, remember to click the follow button on the sidebar and join in!

x Sally

Catch Me A Catch Giveaway!

2010-11-11T13:39:00.002Z

Read it for free!

If you'd like to read my book, Catch Me a Catch and haven't already done so, you'll be interested in this!
Just leave me a comment on this post, follow the blog (if you aren't already!) and tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm I'll put all the commenters in a hat and draw out three lucky posters and send them a Wild Rose Press gift certificate so they can own their own copy!

The only thing I'd like in return when you've read it, is a review on either Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or the Wild Rose Press site, I'll send details to the lucky winners.

Also, they'll be an opportunity to win some lovely swarovski bling later in the month - more on that later! It's only open to people who follow my blog though, so please follow!

Okay, and the competition is now closed. Joanna, Elissa and Leah, you've all won, so please read the comment below, and thank you so much for taking part!

Modern Heat - Why are they together?

2010-11-07T18:22:00.001Z

Well, there’s Mills and Boon Modern (aka Harlequin Presents) and Mills and Boon Modern Heat (aka Modern Extra).

The guidelines state that the difference between these two lines is that the Modern Heat hero is younger, maybe not so rich, but definitely powerful and charismatic. The heroines are feisty and modern. Guidelines are good, but there’s nothing like reading to see the differences – and to make it easier I’ve taken 24 modern heats, put them into a spreadsheet, and crunched em to see if there are any themes that repeat.

And guess what? There are!

She’s working for him                                       7

Help distract the paparazzi                               4

Wild affair required (by her or him)                    6

Ex’s                                                               5

Forced into business together                          2

Hero jobs? Tycoons, a title or two, millionaires and a couple of comfortably off, but not off the scale heroes too. Some of the millionaires aren’t obviously so.

So, if you’re putting a couple together in a modern heat environment, have a think. How could they be forced together? Any new ideas?

New Story Love

2010-11-01T10:34:00.000Z

It's the first of November, so don't expect to see much of me this month. For the ninth year in a row, I'm immersing myself in Nanowrimo, striving for 50,000 words in 30 days.
My approach is different to many others, I suspect. I love writing 'pantster style' which is writing by the seat of my pants, and November is the month when I toss out any ideas of writing to a plan, and just go for it.
I love what comes out of the ether - and this year is no exception. So last night, before nano started, all I had was a vague idea of a woman who pays attention to her daily horoscope, and acts on it.
An hour in, and she's told me her name (Portia Blake), and introduced me to the inciting incident, and all of her five sisters - all with lovely Shakespearean names.
I've got a working title of 'Written in the stars' (but I'm pretty sure that will change, it's not quite right).
And a tough, macho hero is stirring - Aidan Devlin (sorry Lacey, he says he's no relation).
It's a modern heat. And so far, I'm loving it.
Wish me luck in finding out Portia and Aidan's story by the month end!

Tales of the unexpected...

2010-10-23T18:39:00.000+01:00

I wrote a short vignette for wonderful photographer Benjamin Kanarek recently to illustrate one of his photographs taken for Harper's BAZAAR Hong-Kong.

The surreal photographs of Katie Fogarty for the piece titled 'Tales of the Unexpected' called out for stories, and Ben put a call out to authors to write them. I'm very happy to say that he liked my story illustrating the photograph above enough to print it - thank you, Ben!

To read the stories and the editorial, and see the rest of Ben's otherworldly pictures, please click here.

(Ben's picture used with permission.)

The RNA New Writer's Scheme

2010-10-22T10:39:00.000+01:00

Most romantic novelists know about the RNA, the Romantic Novelists Association - but new writers may not be aware of one of it's most useful schemes, the New Writer's Scheme, so I'm blogging here today about it to let you all know!

This year the RNA is celebrating it's first 50 years. You can become either a full or an associate member of the RNA if you are a published author, an agent, an editor or a publisher.

If you are unpublished, you can join under the New Writer's Scheme for £93 (£100.50 for non EU members), and for this fee you get a host of goodies, including the opportunity to take part in all RNA activities and also to submit a full-length manuscript for appraisal. This final option is what, for me, made the New Writer's Scheme so attractive. The chance to have my manuscript read and commented on by a reader who was familiar with my genre, and a publishing professional is solid gold to find out how I was getting on, and what areas needed work. In most cases, the reader also scribbles notes in your manuscript, showing areas that could do with tightening, and providing vital feedback that the newbie writer can use to improve their book.

The reason I'm blogging about the New Writer's Scheme now is twofold. The first is that there are only 250 places available, and if you're interested in joining for 2011, you need to be ready on the first of January to sign up, because these places go very very fast, and if you're not aware of it until February you might miss out - so check out the NWS link at the beginning of January!

And the second reason I'm blogging is to tell you that if you manage to achieve publication at a later date of a story submitted to the New Writer's Scheme, your first published work can be entered into the highly prestigious Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers at the RNA.

I've been a participant in the New Writer's Scheme twice. My first published romance, Catch Me A Catch (if you have a Kindle it's available here from Amazon.co.uk or here from Amazon.com) went through the NWS in 2009, and my second, Bound to Love (to be published in January 2011 as a launch title for Embrace Books) went through the NWS in 2008.

Catch Me A Catch has been entered for the Joan Hessayon Award, 2011, and I'll be going to the RNA Summer Party next summer where they announce the winner!

So if you haven't heard of the NWS scheme, and you write romance and haven't been published, check it out in 2011 - you don't have to have your entry in until mid-year, and it's a great resource for romance writers.

Writing Help

2010-10-17T13:21:00.000+01:00

Not from me, btw, I need it, not give it!
But from a professional, the wonderful Alexandra Sokoloff who is running a series on her blog at the moment to get everyone's brains sparking in preparation for NaNoWriMo. Even if you're not planning on putting yourself under crazy pressure this November, Alexandra's blog is a wonderful place to visit, full of great advice and in depth analyses of the writing process.
Just click here to go to her blog.... Enjoy!