Weekend Wildcard: Conference Season

This week Biddy Coady is somewhere in the North of England suffering for her art.

In the Northern Hemisphere the days are long and the temperature is rising. In the Southern Hemisphere the days are short and the temperature is falling. But on both sides of the world it is the same season. Conference Season!
And as The Pink Heart Society is worldwide and always ready for a good time we have intrepid reporters at conferences on pretty much every continent (except Antarctica... I'm not sure they have a Romance Writer's of Antarctica just yet.)
This week happens to be the two big Northern Hemisphere conferences. In fact I am writing this while sitting in my room at The University of Cumbria in Penrith where this years Romantic Novelists Association conference is being held. From Friday to Sunday evening the great and the good of British romantic novelists will be here giving and taking seminars, having agent and editor interviews and drinking and talking, and drinking and talking a bit more. I'll be blogging early next week about all the hijinks but if you want to head over to the RNA's Blog for more info please do.





Then on Tuesday the party moves west to Washington DC. This years Romance Writers of America is in the US capitol city and I'm hoping it can survive! There is a huge gang of PHS regulars in attendance, in fact a few have skipped the RNA conference just so they can party Stateside! Shocking!


In August the Romance Conference spotlight moves down under. From 14th to 16th August Brisbane will be in the grip of the Romance Writers of Australia when they hit town for their annual conference. We are hoping that the Aussie crew will be bringing us some great updates of their shenanigans (and whether Hugh was in attendance!)





And then from 21st to 23rd August there is 'A Romantic Retreat', the great new name for the annual conference of the Romance Writers of New Zealand, in Auckland. Calling all Kiwis going! Let us know how it goes!

It makes me smile to realise what a truly global form the romance novel is. All over the world writers and readers are fired up and passionate about these stories.

I hope you'll pop in next week for updates from the RNA weekend and the gang at RWA. I will be Twittering when I can and you can follow me on my twitter account

Biddy is now off to the bar to 'network' and talk sensibly about writing... that is until she has a little too much wine and talks insensibly about writing. She'll be back on Monday and Tuesday with highlights and photos from the RNA.

Must Watch Friday: Last of the Mohicans

Our columnist Annie West revisits a classic adventure romance from 1992 – THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.

Daniel Day-Lewis fans will already know this film and will be drooling at the mention of it, but I know it’s still a new film for many.

Despite the title, the film is only very loosely based on James Fenimore Cooper’s book of the same name. Thank goodness! For me, this version is so much stronger. It has one of the most memorable love stories in modern film. Expect action, passion, stoicism, adventure and poignancy. Be warned though, the story takes place in wartime so there’s violence too.

It’s set in America in the 1700s. Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her sister Alice (Jodhi May) have just arrived in the colonies and are to be escorted to their father Colonel Munro (Maurice Roeves). They head away from ‘civilisation’ with their escort of soldiers and into wild territory far removed from their previous experience. From the moment you see them in their lovely gowns and sunhats, moving through the forest, you realise their lives are about to change dramatically.

Settlers along the frontier aren’t safe as native American war parties side with either British or French troops who vie for control of the territory. The British enlist the help of local militia men who are reluctant to leave their families unprotected, and with good reason.

Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a trapper, the adopted brother of Uncas (Eric Schweig) and son of Chingachgook (Russell Means), the last of the Mohican tribe. These three refuse to assist the British and head instead towards Kentucky. On the way, they come across the Munro girls and Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington), and save them from ambush. The ambush was set by Magua (Wes Studi), a native American obsessed with killing Colonel Munro and his children, in revenge for the loss of his own family. Magua’s fixation on his goal is chilling and he’s one of the best movie villains.

Hawkeye promises to take the girls to their father, despite Magua’s relentless pursuit. On the way Cora and Hawkeye fall in love. Poor Duncan, who’d aimed to marry Cora, finds himself out of his depth in the wildnerness. But once at the fort there’s no safety to be found. The British are outnumbered and face terrible bombardment. Nor is Hawkeye welcomed, despite saving the girls.

Cora: He saved us. We’re alive only because of him.
Colonel Munro: The man encouraged the colonials to desert in this very room and in my presence! Sir! He is guilty of sedition. He must be tried and hanged like any other criminal, regardless of what he did for my children.
Cora: But he knew the consequences and he stayed. Are those the actions of a criminal?

These are two people who are not meant to fall in love. The odds are against them, However, Hawkeye refuses to save himself by escaping.

Cora: They're going to hang you. Why didn't you leave when you had the chance?

Hawkeye: Because what I'm interested in is right here.

Hawkeye’s single-minded focus on Cora, teemed with his laconic ease in the worst of situations works for me! He favours actions not words. He’s his own man and determined to get what he wants (Cora), rather than be distracted by the political power struggle around him. For instance:

Duncan: There is a war on. How is it you are headed west?

Hawkeye: Well, we kinda face to the north and real sudden-like turn left.

Fortunately for Hawkeye and Cora, the execution at dawn doesn’t happen but too soon the small group are again in the wilderness being tracked by Magua and his war party. When they’re finally cornered the only way to survive is for Hawkeye and his family to escape, in the hope they’ll be able to pursue the girls and Duncan once they’re captured. Their parting is poignant and tense:

Hawkeye: No, you submit, do you hear? You be strong, you survive... You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you.
And we have no doubt at all that he will find them. The intensity of this scene has to be seen to be believed.

I won’t tell you any more of the story, so you can experience it for yourself. Suffice to say it’s full of heroism, passion and tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The budding romance between Uncas and Alice is completely understated and yet so moving. The story of Hawkeye's adopted family is strong and moving. The performances are terrific plus the setting and the music make the film worth watching for their own sake.

If you want a story on a grand scale, about lovers fighting the biggest odds to be together, this is one for you. Their passion is beautifully shown, not in naked love scenes, but with a quiet intensity that just sizzles on the screen. This is classic romance and a great film.

Annie’s own latest romance is THE SAVAKIS MISTRESS, on sale this month in the UK and next month in Australia and New Zealand, while THE GREEK'S CONVENIENT MISTRESS is still available in online. Visit Annie's website to read excerpts or even better, celebrate her birthday this month by ordering one of her books!

Thursday 13 :: How Disney Messed Me UP!

Life is FAR too serious for me at the moment, so I thought I'd do something fun. I've found a strong correlation between romance readers and fairy tale fanatics. And who gave us our first dose of happily ever after? Disney!

13 Ways Disney Skewed (or skewered) my reality...

1. The Princesses :: I've never managed a luscious 'do without flyaways.



2. The Princesses part deux :: No one can manage those waist proportions and breathe.



3. Beauty and the Beast :: The bookish girl gets the prince



4. Beauty and the Beast part deux :: If you love him enough, he'll change from a horrid beast into a prince.



5. Robin Hood :: "He's as handsome as in his reward poster." Of course a felon must have a good reason for his larceny.



6. The Little Mermaid :: Give up what you love most, and when he loves you enough you'll get it back.



7. Sleeping Beauty :: If you wait long enough, your prince will come to you, no matter the walls you put up.



8. Cinderella :: He'll figure out from your shoes.



9. Aristocats :: He can save you



10. 101 Dalmations :: He can save you and your children



11. Pocohantas :: He needs you, even when he thinks he doesn't



12. Mulan :: You can be anything you want, as long as no one knows who you are



13. Peter Pan :: Sometimes, even magic can't turn his head

See...it's a good thing my grandma had all those romance novels. Romance sets the bar MUCH higher for its heroes.

Jenna is not writing much of anything, and won't be for a few months. In the meantime, Compromising Positions is available with chocolate, Kama Sutra yoga, a decade old crush and a steady addiction to sugar. To find out what Jenna is up to now...check out her website or blog.

Writer's Wednesday: A Debut Author talks about Emotional Punch

Debut Author Nina Harrington talks about drinking at the emotional punch bowl.

Okay. I confess.
My name is Nina Harrington and I am a total writing craft junkie. Can’t get enough of it. I NEED THOSE TOOLS! [And a stylish tool belt of course]
I am a brand new author to Harlequin Mills and Boon, and although I completed ten single title novels before I submitted my Romance Line story, I do feel that I am still on a steep learning curve.


I need those Craft tools to make my work as compelling as possible for the reader!
And I am also a trained scientist who has now taken a change in direction to create fiction full time. Put the two together and you have a checklist queen extraordinaire.
Yes. I really do have several key checklists which I use at various stages of the writing process. Nice Lists. Lists can be your friends.
As an example, I am now in the strange world of ‘Re-Write Land’ for my third book.
One of the key elements that I am working on is ‘Emotional Punch’ – that hard to define concept that makes Romance Fiction so unique, compelling and entertaining.
Here are some of the questions I have come up with, to try and convince myself that I am not a complete duffer, and I can create Internal Conflict and Emotional Development for my hero and heroine. These are personal to me, so it would be interesting to know if other authors ask themselves similar questions.
I recognise that I am a newbie – but here goes.

Emotional Punch: Nina’s Ten Questions during Revision
What draws the Hero and Heroine together?
What will keep the Hero and Heroine apart?
What are the complications within the relationship which are making it difficult for this couple to be together?
Why do they feel that they cannot be together? Or cannot be?
How will they get around this?
Have I created believable and gripping obstacles to the romance what will keep the reader turning the pages and staying awake to read what happens next? Is the pacing right to keep the readers interested?
Why should a reader care about my Heroine?
Have I made her sympathetic? Empathetic? Likeable?
Is her motivation crystal clear and believable so a reader can relate to her situation and want her to succeed? Can a reader identify with my heroine?
What does my heroine want – passionately?
What is stopping her from having it?
How is my heroine unique and still relevant to the modern woman and what her aspirations are in the world?
Why should a reader care about my Hero?
Have I made him aspirational? Admirable? Likeable?
Is his motivation crystal clear and believable?
IS HE HEROIC? Would I want him to knock on my door and ask me out?
Have I revealed these characters through their actions, interaction with other characters and reader insight? Action not just reaction?
Have I revealed his and her backstory through a moment of great emotional tension, rather than just telling it as narrative?
Have I used exposition as ammunition?
Does each scene have an emotional turning point, and not just a plot turning point, to move the story AND the relationship forward, while telling the reader something new about that character?
What does my hero want – passionately?
What is stopping him from having it?
What beliefs and values (both good and bad) has the hero learned throughout his life and how do they impact his relationship with the heroine?
Which of his beliefs and values will he have to change as he battles both inner demons and outside conflicts, as he continues to grow toward a resolution that has him living happily ever after with the heroine?
What is my hero’s some inner torment?
Is he vulnerable? What is his weakness?
What would happen to these two people if they did NOT commit to each other? What difference would it make to their lives?
Have I created a real and believable struggle for my couple, that will end in an emotional catharsis for them – and a reader- when they commit at the end?

I find it useful to think about these points, while reclining in my boudoir eating bonbons.
With a blanket over my head.
Now all I have to do is put all of this good advice into practice. GULP!
Here is a little piece of fat free chocolate substitute to keep me on track.










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And VERY EXCITING – July marks the release of Nina’s first published book and her debut for the Mills and Boon Romance Line - Seven years after taking a career break from her work as a professional scientist!


‘Always the Bridesmaid’ is out NOW in North America, reader service in the UK and Online.
To find out more about ‘Always the Bridesmaid’ and read an abstract , visit her website at http://www.ninaharrington.com/
Nina’s second book for the line, ‘Hired: Sassy Assistant’ will be released in January 2010 and she is currently working on book three. Set in an Italian Bistro. Do we see a common theme here?

Travelling Tuesday : : The Tour de France

Anne McAllister is in that lovely place called "between books" which means she is refilling the well of creativity, pitting cherries and making pies, reading books that are not about sailing, welcoming yet another new grandson, feeling a bit despondent that Andy Roddick didn't win at Wimbledon, and watching the Tour de France.

July at our house means that we watch stealth bombers fly four feet above the house on the 3rd of the month because where we live we don't get the air show on the 4th (presumably big cities get them then). It means one of the dogs huddles nervously in the basement because she hates fireworks. It means the appropriatedly aged grandkids come to attend sports camp at the local college.

And -- this is the part I really like the best -- it means that for most of the month I get to ogle extremely fit, muscular men in skin tight lycra pedalling their way around some of the most gorgeous places in France .

I call it research. Most people call it watching the Tour de France.

This year I'm finding it particularly interesting because 7 time winner Lance Armstrong has come out of retirement to ride again in an effort to create global awareness and involvement in his campaign to combat cancer.

Will he win an unprecedented eighth time? Who knows? As I write this, he's in the top 10. He has a chance. But he's nearly 38 years old. On the first day he posted, "Kreuziger just moved into 2nd. I raced with his dad!"

But whether he wins or not, he's making it interesting this year. And if you aren't already following him on Twitter, check it out.

His pre-or-post race videos are definitely a quick inside look at the tour from a racer's perspective.

The tour has been around a long time. It began in 1903, as a publicity stunt for a sports newspaper called L'Auto. It covered a distance of 2428 km, taking place over 19 days in six stages and rankings were based on the cumulative time over the course of the tour. It attracted sixty tough gutsy cyclists then. It's been attracting the world's toughest gutsiest cyclists ever since, and has been raced since that time except for the years spanning World War I and World War II.

Originally a race by individuals, it is now raced by teams -- usually around 20 -- with nine members apiece, selected for their particular strengths. Some are time trial experts, some are mountain climbers, some are good teammates who ride well in support. The winners tend to be those who can endure the mountains and still prove themselves fast on time trials.

The teams are no longer 'national' teams in general, but sponsored teams, who may have a 'national' sponsor as well as commercial sponsors. And the riders for any given team may come from all over the world.

Armstrong's Team Astana is sponsored by the nation of Kazakhstan. The riders are from the Kazakhstan (Dmitriy Muravyev), USA (Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Spain (Alberto Contador, Haimar Zubeldia), Germany (Andreas Kloden), Ukraine (Yaroslav Popovych), Switzerland (Gregory Rast), and Portugal (Sergio Paulinho). So if you're looking for international hero material, here's a good place to start.

And if you want to watch men endure, this is the place to do it, too. The race takes place over 23 days and covers over 3,500 km (2200 mi). There are two 'rest' days which are often spent moving from one place in France to another. Most of the stages are raced in France, though stages may begin or end or pass through a neighboring country.

This year's tour, for example, began in Monaco. It will end, as all the recent tours have, on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Because it's a little tricky to tell who's actually 'leading' when well over a hundred cyclists are whizzing past, the tour makes it a bit easier for the folks on the sidelines -- as well as those watching on television -- by awarding the 'yellow jersey' to the over-all leader of the race.

The 'green jersey' is awarded for sprint points. At the end of each stage, points are earned by the riders who finish first, second, etc. Sprints are more likely on the flat stages and more points are awarded for those.

The 'polka dot jersey' is worn by the "King of the Mountains" or the rider who has the best times in the mountain stages.

The rider under 25 who has the best time wears the 'white jersey.' The 'combativity prize' goes to the rider who attacks the most any given day, thus animating the race and challenging the other riders. There's also a 'team prize' but it doesn't have a jersey to go with it.

Lots of jerseys to keep an eye on, in other words. And lots of great scenery -- besides the guys on bikes -- as well.

If you're not travelling yourself this July, consider taking a trip around France with the men of the peloton. You might find it as inspiring as I do.

Do you have favorite sporting events? Which? What do you particularly like about them?


Anne McAllister's most recent book, Savas' Defiant Mistress, can still be had through online bookstores. She's waiting with bated breath to see the cover of her next release, One-Night Mistress, Convenient Wife, which is coming in November from Harlequin Presents and HM&B Modern. If you see it before she does (always a possibility) drop by her blog and tell her where to find it!

Also consider dropping by her website to participate in her new contest in honor of most recent grandson, Sol. You could win lots of books and other goodies (including chocolate because there is no such thing as a contest without chocolate).

Male on Monday :: THE "LIST"

Today is Ally Blake's birthday so she's giving herself a pressie. not one but five guys worthy of hero inspiration who make up her "list".
You've all heard of the "list" right? That's the top five celeb guys you're allowed to have an affair with without any repercussions from your hubby.

Those of you Friends lovers out there might remember Ross had one when he was going out with Rachel. Isabella Rossellini was on that list. After much thought he eventually took her off the list, laminated his 'final' list, and then, wouldn't you know, met Isabella Rossellini!!! Foiled!!! And hilarious...



Anyhoo, considering I am at home with a toddler and a newborn, my "list" is currently on haitus ;), so instead I'm going to give you my top five guys I have yet to use as hero inspiration, what I like about them, and why I haven't used them yet.

JOSH HARTNETT

Why do I adore him? Cause he's hot! Super, duper, yummy, dark hair dark eyes, great voice, yummylicious hot. So heart-achingingly adopring in Pearl Harbor. So darkly dark in his tiny part in Sin City. And ohy my did he break my teenaged heart when I first saw in in The Virgin Suicides.

Why am I yet to use him? Too young. That's the only reason I can think of. Or maybe he's just too beautiful. A scar, a broken nose, something needs to roughen the guy up a bit. This picture shows he's on his way!

EDDIE CIBRIAN

Why do I adore him? Ummm, just look at the guy! If anyone can rival Hugh in a towel, he's it. He was super empathetic and fabulous in the execllent night time soap Third Watch. Gorgeous in his memorbale though blink and you'll miss them spots on Dirty Sexy Money and Samantha Who?.

Why am I yet to use him? Maybe because I haven't seen him in anything in ages. When casting a hero it absolutely helps if they are current. Any new little angle, or expression can create a lightbulb moment for any new hero.

DAVID DUCHOVNY

Why do I adore him? The guy makes for a brilliant romantic hero. Please tell me you've ALL seen his turn in Bonnie Hunt's beeeeautiful "Return to Me". I think of him as the thinking woman's crumpet. But he also has a delicions dark side - see the delicious Californication. Likable, warm, shady, naughty, funny, quirky and with a voice like melted chocolate.

Why haven't I used him? Have yet to find the right vehicle.


PAUL NEWMAN

Why do I adore him? To name a few reasons I'd go with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The Hudsucker Proxy. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Sting. He's pure class. He had one of the great Hollywood romances. He was self-deprecating and funny. Oh, yeah, and he had the face of a Roman god.

Why haven't I used him? I have a book in mind, I just haven't been quite ready to write it as yet.


HUGH JACKMAN



Why do I adore him? He's 6'5", has a smile as wide as Australia, is madly in love with his wife, has the kind of magnetism that makes women love him and men go out and see his movies in droves. This choice is a total no brainer. Yet, in 20 odd books I've yet to use him as inspiration for a romance hero!

Why haven't I used him? I know! I know! He's the absolute prince of romance novelist hero inspiration, right? I've tried. Really I have. But each and every time it just hasn 't worked. The casting has been all wrong, and when I've finally found the right guy for the job the work has become a thousand times easier. That said, I'm not giving up. The dozens of pictures of the guy in my "Heroes" folder in my computer will not go to waste ;).

Now come to think of it, if I had to give you a list like Ross's in Friends, the above would have come pretty close.

So now, I have a question for you... Which five guys would be on your list? Hero inspiration or as per Ross's instructions - your choice!

Give Ally a birthday pressie by checking out her current releases!!!


Meet Cameron Kelly in Dating the Rebel Tycoon, out now in the UK and North America as a Harlequin Romance. then check out his brother Dylan Kelly in Getting Red-Hot with the Rogue, out now through Modern Heat in the UK, and come November as a Harlequin Presents in North America.

Find out more at Ally's website.

THE KELLYS OF BRISBANE

They're rich, they're powerful, they've always had everything they've ever wanted. Is there hope for them yet?