Weekend Wind-Down - Walking

This weekend Donna Alward talks about one of her biggest pleasures in an otherwise busy life - walking.

One of the things I've always enjoyed is walking. I'm not a power walker, I'm a stroller. I know, maybe not as good for me as a brisk, heart-rate jumping go-round with the pavement, but as a de-stresser and a mood booster, it can't be beat. I tie up my runners and away I go.

This is also my favourite time of year for walking. I love fall. I love the blue of the sky, the crisp cool in the air, the smell of the leaves. I don't like walking in the city - at the very least I need to find a park. So one of the things I truly love about where we've moved to is that I can walk our neighbourhood. The leaves are changing but the grass is still so green. Now that we've added the mutt to our family, I walk twice a day most days. I listen to the birds and try to distinguish their calls. I smell the air and let everything soak in.

I'm an open air girl...so as a "treat" when my husband was off this week and the kids were in school, we packed up the dog and drove a mere 10 minutes away to a local provincial park. The roads within are paved, but right now it's completely gated. Walkers park their vehicles outside the gates and enjoy the park without worrying about cars and crowds. We saw one vehicle and no people on our walk. We did see lots of birds and squirrels. And the lake is gorgeous right now.

Last week, we had company and instead of heading to the forest and lakes, we went to the shore and watched surfers on the beach in Lawrencetown. The wind was cold and my hair was a tangle, my lips tasted like salt and it was wild and glorious.

The days are getting shorter, the nights cooler and frosty. Before too long it will be cold and snowy and walking will be a bit different, so for now I'm determined to enjoy it as much as I can. Now I'm off for a walk - what about you?

Donna's upcoming release is THE RANCHER'S RUNAWAY PRINCESS...available from amazon in hardback starting in November.

Now it's that time again - A Book With Biddy is back with a new, improved Brigid!

The bounce is back in Biddy’s step after last month’s small meltdown. Thank you for all your wonderful advice, it was noted and some even acted on.

And yes… I am still doing revisions; although they should really be called ‘the first draft of the end of the book’. All the changing of conflict and motivation has rendered the first ending (or rather the whole second part) pretty much useless. I am hoping to salvage a pretty hot love scene just before the black moment but as I must learn to kill my babies to make a better book it could still be for the chop!

And these revisions are teaching me a lot. A WHOLE LOT! More than I ever thought I would learn. New insights into structure, pace and conflict are happening every time I open the file and get down to it. Now that I have stopped trying to polish everything and am now digging deep to make this story the best it can be I realise how flimsy the original draft was. So thin if it were on paper it would be tracing paper and you could see right through it.

In terms of structure I have been reading Blake Snyder’s ‘Save The Cat’ and ‘Save The Cat Goes To The Movies’. I heard him speak at the RWA Nationals and was keen to read the book that went with it. Ok so it is about screenwriting rather than novel writing but what it deals with is the structure of telling a story. And man do I need to learn how to do that! It also discusses it in terms of movies which I find easier to deal with sometimes than books. I know that sounds odd but it just works that way at the moment. It seems to have pointed out to me that I have missed a few key ingredients out or have them in the wrong place.

With pace it was a little harder to figure out but as I hit the saggy middle (where I am still wallowing) I realised that if I, the writer, was wallowing here then how on earth would I get the reader past the bog! And why was it so boggy anyway? I have begun to realise that I haven’t been evil enough to my characters; I keep resolving things too easily or having them tell things instead of show things. Also hopping between heads and generally not being a very good writer! And as a result the pace has fallen from rompish to funereal… hmmmm I’m still struggling with this but I WILL succeed (even if it kills me)

Ahhh and the joy that is conflict!! Now it would have been easier to revise this… this… book if I had actually had any conflict or at least had a better articulated conflict at the start. But I didn’t. The challenge has been to

a) Articulate the conflict in my own head
b) Get that down on paper
c) Weave it through the whole book

It has been a headache of monumental proportions, even more tricky for me than the structure. If I was feeling richer I would have thrown my Mac out the window on numerous occasions! But I think I now have the conflict articulated and most of it is on paper it is just the weaving bit that is outstanding.

All in all this past month has been one of taking a step back, going back to basics and working on the fundamentals. I have seen the path in front of me stretch even further into the clouds; it is much longer than I thought this time last year when I had hit my first milestone of finishing a draft. But all the ups and downs have made me realise that every little step forwards and every huge stumble backwards is making me a better writer.

Friday Film Night: At the Midnight Hour

This week’s Friday flick is the latest in the Harlequin Mills & Boon series, reviewed by Bronwyn Jameson.

A very cool coincidence with my choice of movie this time around. I chose At the Midnight Hour from those remaining in the HM&B series based on the DVD blurb. It was only after I’d watched and was researching for this review that I realised it was based on an Alicia Scott book. She now writes mainstream suspense as Lisa Gardner and I happened to be reading her latest hardcover, Say Goodbye, at the same time. Complete coincidence.

At the Midnight Hour, published in Aug 1995 by Silhouette Intimate Moments, is the first in a five-book series flagged as The Guiness Gang. It was reprinted in June 2008 as a Silhouette Special Release “Safe Haven”. Here is the book’s blurb:

“Elizabeth Guiness had her work cut out for her. Her precocious young charge quoted morbid statistics twenty-four hours a day, desperately seeking just one ounce of his father's affection. But brilliant scientist Richard Keaton seemed incapable of love -- specially after the murder that had left Andrew motherless and Richard the prime suspect....

Though everyone believed Richard to be guilty Liz knew she couldn't blindly trust either the rumors or her attraction to her intensely private employer. But she was hell-bent on unlocking his heart's demons and reuniting his fractured family--until she realized that getting involved just might get her killed....”

Although I haven’t read the book, the movie is very true to that blurb. It is Liz’s story, and apart from a brief prologue of her husband’s death, starts with her arrival at a fortified estate and her first meeting with the forbidding Richard Keaton. An air of gothic mystery pervades the story from start to finish. At one point, Liz is reading Jane Eyre. The poor wife: she fell to her death from the east tower of the castle-like mansion. And the boy she is employed to nanny believes his mother’s ghost haunts the halls.

Patsy Kensit plays a very likeable heroine, warm and genuine and believable as she works her magic on Richard’s son, and then on the emotionally-closed Richard. Simon MacCorkindale is less convincing in this role; although perhaps because of limited screen time. Tis hard to develop a complex character arc and a believable romance from first meet to resolution in a handful of short scenes. I think his son, Andrew, had more memorable and engaging scenes with Liz.

Complications--and questions--arise with the arrival of Richard’s brother, Blaine, who describes himself as the black sheep of the family, and his girlfriend Jillian. Are they really a couple or is she in love with Richard? Was Blaine having an affair with Richard’s wife; whose son is Andrew; and who was responsible for Alycia’s death?

When it becomes clear that Liz, unlike the previous nannies, is making inroads into both Andrew’s and Richard’s hearts, several attempts are made on her life. Richard tries to force her to leave but she stands her ground. I loved her quiet grit. She’d lost one man she loved and she’s not about to lose another.

The resolution, romantic and plot-wise, was a little neat and easy, but overall I enjoyed this movie’s homage to the gothic classics. On the HM&B moviemeter: 7 out of 10.

No mystery as to why Bronwyn Jameson enjoyed this film’s gothic overtones; she lists Jane Eyre as one of her teenage favourites. Australian readers can catch up with her first 2 books, In Bed With the Boss’s Daughter and Addicted to Nick, in a Bestsellers Collection available now from eHarlequin Australia.

Thursday Talk Time - The ABG's of Hot Heroes!

Today, Fiona Harper opens a can of worms by asking you to choose between hot men! Do you love the alphas or the betas, or even the gammas? Confused? Then come with Fiona while she chats As, Bs and Gs…

We all love a romantic hero – he’s the man of our dreams, Mr Perfect. But the more I talk to readers and writers, the more I discover a divide over which type of hero is the most melt-worthy. Although every hero is different, some people place them broadly into one of three camps:

A is for Arrogant, Autocratic and absolutely Alpha

He’s that charismatic animal whom you just can’t tear your eyes from when he walks into the room. Female hearts flutter, pulse rates rise. He’s charismatic and strong. And, whether he’s a leader, a guardian, a rebel or a bad boy, he’s definitely in charge. In other words, he’s exciting! (Think James Bond, Mr Darcy or Han Solo).

However, while I like my alpha men in my fiction, I’m not sure I could live with one. I reckon I’d be sorely tempted to give him a good slap and tell him to get over his sweet self. But then, I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for a Beta…

B is for anything-but-boring Beta

The Beta guy is the sweet guy next door who is sensitive to your needs and interested in your thoughts and feelings. He’s more likely to cook you an exquisite dinner than snap his fingers to order one. He’s the keeper you’d want to be your partner in life and the father of your children. I do love a Nice Guy… He’s sweet, quirky, imaginative, maybe just a little shy or insecure, but that just adds to his charm. Sigh. (Think Jack, the nice brother in ‘While You Were Sleeping’ or anything with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in it.)

G is for Gorgeous, Gallant and gloriously Gamma

So rare is this animal, some people say, that they’re not even sure he exists! Some say he’s just an alpha relabelled to make him more palatable. Others say he’s a magical mix of the Alpha and the Beta. Full of charm and charisma, he’s sure of himself and strong without being overbearing. Hmm. Gonna go get myself some binoculars and see if I can find myself one of these…

One good way of deciding which is your favourite flavour of romantic hero is to think about popular films and TV shows. Which character appeals to you the most? House or Dr Watson? (I love to watch House as a character, but I’d probably smother him in his sleep if I had to live with him – hence, I’d plump for the Nice Guy this time around.)

What about the men in Pride and Prejudice? Would you marry amiable, cheerful Mr Bingley or would you hunt down the delicious Mr Darcy? They're both rich, not bad looking. Bingley would never look at another woman and he'd never do the macho I-know-I'm-wrong-but-I'll-argue-til-I'm-blue-in-the-face-rather-than-admit-it thing. Sign. Still no contest, is there? I’d thought I’d choose the Betas every time, but I just can’t abandon the fantasy of Mr Darcy. One-all so far, then…

Okay, how about the heroes in Sweet Home Alabama? You’ve got slick – and let’s face it – rather yummy Patrick Dempsey as Reece Witherspoon’s new fiancé, versus Josh Lucas as Jake, her seemingly non-ambitious soon-to-be ex-husband. But then it turns out that Jake has the soul of an artist and is so romantic under that rough exterior that it makes me want to melt. Hmm. Hard choice. Can’t I just have both, please?

And then there’s Grey’s Anatomy. McSteamy? AKA Dr Mark Sloan… (No! Not the Dick Van Dyke Dr Mark Sloan! Will you please just keep up?) Where was I? Oh, yes. McSteamy…No prizes for guessing which category he falls into. Irrisistible Alpha all the way. And I was going to label McDreamy as a Beta, but then I thought of George, who’s the real Nice Guy of the piece. He’s so sweet and sensitive he’s almost a girl, for heaven’s sake! So, (gasp), maybe McDreamy is one of the rare Gammas – he is a brain surgeon, after all. And he has his moments of pig-headedness, but – oh my goodness – he is just so….well, DREAMY!

Well, after starting to write this post thinking I was going to plump for Betas and Gammas all the way, I’ve surprised myself. Seems it’s a tie between all three types. Never mind. They say variety is the spice of life, after all. And you can never have enough hot heroes can you?

But enough about me… What about you? What hero type do you find most appealing and why?

Fiona's next release, Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses, is out in the UK and North America in November, and Australia and New Zealand in December.

Three wishes for Christmas…

It’s taken all of Louise Thornton’s courage to start again with her young son. This will be a different life, one away from the paparazzi – and her cheating celebrity husband! Louise is determined to make this Christmas perfect for her son. But it’s not until she meets Ben Oliver that she starts to sparkle again. When Ben catches Louise under the mistletoe, he realises only he can make Louise’s wishes come true…

Fiona Harper's Christmas Wishes, Mistletoe Kisses (4.5 stars) pairs a simple plot with complex characters, to marvelous effect. It's both moving and amusing. Romantic Times

Writers' Wednesday - Reviews

This Wednesday Abby Green talks about reviews, good and bad, and how to survive them.

After the heady rush of having your first manuscript bought, and realising that you are now a ‘proper’ writer, reality sets in. Dealing with your first deadline can be like a gentle slap in the face - a little sting of, Oh! Ok…you mean I have to really work now?!

And then we get revisions, the slap of which again might be quite gentle, but which more often than not results in a resounding clatter which can be heard on the next continent. I’ve had a few of them.

And then, once your first little baby and subsequently more babies go out into the big bad world, comes the extremely harsh reality of…THE REVIEWER, cue scary music because invariably, it drowns out the more bland elevator type music that accompanies good reviews.

Now a review - unless you know the reviewer well, or have paid a family member to wax lyrical - may come back to hit you with a hefty whack across the arse. And you have to be prepared for that. The simple fact is this; no-one is going to have as much invested in your book as you do. Not everyone is going to like the genre, never mind your book.

Who knows what prompts someone to pick up say, a Harlequin Presents after not having read one for years only to have your book reaffirm all over again why they stopped reading them? It’s harsh but very possible.

Reviews are entirely the product of a very subjective opinion. They are at the whim of the person who may be having a terrible day and your story pushes them over the edge, or equally, saves them. They could be at the whim of a deranged lunatic who has access to your website and email. Beware the curse of the amazon reviewer, they can be the most vitriolic. There’s nothing so seductive (and cowardly) as the protection of a generic name and the ability to hide your identity to incite people to review-rage.

Then obviously there is the holy sanctity of the good review. Hallelujah. The lovely review, which gives you a smile on your face, renews your zest for life and reaffirms your choice to go into this sometimes lonely and frustrating profession.

The good reviews are great, and you’ll always have good reviews because the very fact that you’ve been bought by a major publisher is proof that you can write. There are also a lot of review sites that champion series fiction and review very favourably, and there’s nothing wrong with that in a world where many deride the romantic fiction genre, and especially the series end of it.

Thereafter though, and favourable reviewers aside, your choice of storyline, hero and heroine are open to interpretation by the masses. And they will interpret.

When your book goes out into the big bad world, shiny and sparkling with its title and gorgeous couple in their close embrace – you have to let it go, much in the same way a parent lets go of a grown child. These books are more robust than they look. They’ve been thoroughly vetted by our Editors who know what they’re doing and have their eye on the bigger picture.

What we have to come to terms with is this - by putting them out there, they, and us by proxy, are going to be judged and it’s not always going to be very nice. It’s hard not to take someone’s criticism personally but it’s essential to learn how, for the sake of our sanity, and those around us.

Here is my advice for what it’s worth on how to take reviews. Both good and bad have their merits and pitfalls. The good – read them over and over, relish them, show them to everyone, stick them up on a board. They should be used to bolster your self confidence and restore your faith in what you do.

The bad should certainly be taken on board but not taken to heart. And having said that, neither should the good. They are just reviews; guides; one person’s opinion whether solicited or not, on your story. One story. On that particular day.

If someone has given you a one star review on amazon then that person took the precious time out of their day to sit down and write a few (albeit insulting) words about your book.

In this day and age where our culture lurches from apathy to the quick fix reality buzz right now, isn’t that amazing that someone took the time to tell the world how much they hated your book?! Passion, even when negative is still passion. One reviewer on Amazon was so incensed by one of my books that they threw it across the room, I have to admit to being secretly pleased that it roused them to such violence.

If you get a bad review why not print it out and ceremonially burn it while sending the best of wishes to that random person who felt compelled to vent their spleen? Perhaps writing that bad review made them a nicer person for the people around them?

At the end of the day, you have to remember that it is so much harder to sit down, create and subsequently sell an original story. And it’s ridiculously easy to come along and tear it down.

Chuckle lightly (if a little manically) in the face of the next bad review you get, and then with renewed vigour go forth, write prolifically and may we all benefit from both the good and the bad!

Abby's latest release is ‘The Spaniard’s Marriage Bargain’ , available right now in the UK.

Temptation Tuesday - The Lure of the Dark

This Tuesday catch up with Nocturne author Vivi Anna as she reveals a bit of her dark side....

I love the dark. When I was younger I was a night-owl. I had a job working till late at night, eleven or twelve o’clock, and when I got off work that was when I really came alive. I would often stay up well into the morning, finally crawling into bed at 4 a.m. and sleeping until one or two in the afternoon. I loved how prowling around in the night made me feel. Dangerous and mysterious and hidden. I could be anyone at anytime. It was empowering.

Now that I’m older and circumstances have changed, I don’t work late at night. I have to get up in the morning and do what needs to be done. And now I’m asleep my eleven. I miss those late nights when the dark was so alive with adventure and possibilities and those that crept through the shadows. But now I get write about them.

I love to write about the creatures that lurk in the dark. Those beings that would haunt our nightmares, hide in the closets, or scratch at our windows on a full moon night. Oo, I get shivers just thinking about it. I enjoy writing about vampires, and werewolves, and witches. I love making them human like we are. With dreams and goals and regrets and love. Love that universal leveler. Even ghouls need love at some point in their lives.

Although I’m not one of the creatures prowling the night anymore, I still submerse myself in their worlds. I read books and watch shows about them. One of my favorites is Supernatural. Of course it doesn’t hurt in the least that Dean and Sam are soooooo sexy. I’m a Dean girl all the way. Although Sam has his moments, Dean is all about the bad boy delicious. Another show I’m loving True Blood on HBO. The show is based on Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books. And I love the dark flavor of the show.

The lure of the dark is powerful. It calls to me every night. But I have to decline because I’m not that young anymore and 7 a.m. comes too soon. So I’ll stick to my books and my shows and let the creatures of the night play without me.

At least for now…

Vivi's latest releases are a Nocturne BITE, Mahina's Storm, and the third in her Necropolis series, VEILED TRUTH.