Weekend Wildcard: Nymphs and all that

Nocturne Author Stephanie Draven blogs about some of her favourite paranormal creatures


Thanks for having me here at The Pink Heart Society.

Nymphs are my favorite paranormal creatures because they’re an embodiment of the best and worst traits of the female gender. Amplified. They aren’t undead, they aren’t furry, and they’re almost immortal. Yet, they’re intensely attached to the world in which we live, and I find that very appealing.

But would I want to be a nymph? I’m pretty satisfied with being a mortal woman, but there are days I wish I had super powers, so I thought I’d make a list of paranormal creatures I’d want to be:



1. The Sexy Siren: I did alright with the gents even before I married my own personal romance hero, but if I could sing a little tune and make Tom Welling do my bidding, I wouldn’t object.

2. The Cat Whisperer: I’m told that I’m good with cats. After all, I’ve trained one of my furbutts to shake paws and perform other tricks. But sometimes, those kitties demand attention and simply won’t listen when I tell them to get down. I’d like to know the magic word that will lull them back into a state of sleepy contentment so I can write.

3. The Time Shifter: Wouldn’t it be fantastic if I could magically add a few more hours to my day? Or perhaps make time stop for the rest of the world, while I delved into my to-do list!

4. The Domestic Witch: I want the power to clean my entire house with the twitch of my nose

5. The Weight Watchers Demon (Also known as the Chocolate Wraith): I’d treasure the ability to transform chocolate cake into a delicious zero calorie food with the flick of my wrist.



So there you have it. Any of those paranormal creatures appeal to you? If not, which are your favorites?

You can find out more about Stephanie Draven and her books on her website.

Must Watch Friday: The Way We Were

Modern Heat author Heidi Rice props herself up on some satin cushions, unwraps a bar of Green and Black's Almond chocolate, pops open a bottle of Prosecco, keeps the Kleenex at the ready and prepares to enjoy one of those timeless romances that just keeps getting better with age...

All right, The Way We Were is one of those movies that you know about even if you've never managed to see it all the way through. Because, let's face it, watching this movie is a bit like living a lifetime. There's highs and lows, triumph and tragedy, first love, final chances, Bob Redford in navy whites and Babs Striesand going through about twenty different hairdos and crooning "Memories, may be beautiful and yet..." on the soundtrack. What more could any hopeless romantic want?

A happy ending perhaps? 

But you see, that's what I love the most about this film, it isn't just the story of a romance - although it is effortlessly romantic - it's the story of a marriage. In fact, it's actually the story of the breakdown of a marriage. And it's dealt with in such an emotionally intelligent way, that you can't help feeling for both the characters. There are no villains in this story, just two people who are drawn to each other by their differences, but once together, discover that those differences can't help but pull them apart.

They meet at college when Barbra Streisand's Katie is a working-class firebrand with principles and integrity who wants to change the world but has a hopeless crush on a man she wants to despise, Robert Redford's laid-back, privileged and effortlessly charming Hubble (and let's be honest only Bob could make that name sexy!!). Katie is drawn to Hubble because she sees something in him he doesn't see in himself. He is talented and intelligent and much more self-aware about himself than she had assumed — and also ridiculously good-looking, which never hurts. And Hubble is drawn to Katie for her drive and her ambition and for the courage of her convictions, something that he knows he lacks.

The sequence when she sees him again after years apart, completely drunk and heart-throbbingly handsome in his navy whites (all right, even I can be a sucker for a guy in uniform if it's the right guy) at a New York bar and takes him home to her flat is both sexy and sweet and yet achingly sad. They have sex for the first time and he doesn't even remember the next morning. She irons his uniform and he leaves both uncomfortable and confused by Katie's obvious vulnerability. Katie has admitted how much she likes him and Hubble hasn't even noticed.

Love, more sex (which Hubble remembers this time) and marriage follows because Katie is prepared to fight for what she wants. But his success as a Hollywood scriptwriter, the McCarthy witchhunts and the battle between Katie's principles and Hubble's vaccuous friends whom she hates, eventually tears them apart.

Until we are left with that fabulous final scene: Katie's had their baby, who is now a young girl who Hubble never sees, and is happily remarried. She spots him going into a hotel in New York with a woman on his arm much more suited to him than she ever was. But when he walks over to talk to her one last time, it's obvious that Katie still loves him - when she brushes his hair off his brow in a habitual gesture - but has come to terms with the fact that it could never work.




Both simple and complex, wonderfully romantic and yet hauntingly tragic. I give you The Way We Were, a weepie worth every kleenex in the box.

So could we, would we do it all again..? You betcha!!

So what's your favourite weepie? And why? I'm giving away a signed copy of my latest Modern Heat novel, Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger, to one lucky commentator. And you'll be glad to know, that one does have a happy ending!

Heidi's new Modern Heat novel, Surf, Sea and a Sexy Stranger, is out next month in the UK and in April in the US, and she's giving away another copy of it on her blog today. Her latest Presents Extra, Unfinished Business with the Duke, is out now in the US. 

Slushing Through : Conferences

The Pink Heart Society editor Jenna Bayley-Burke put on her big girl golashes and slushed through a regional conference. She's back, sharing the highs and lows with you.

Earlier this month I headed to my favorite writers conference - Emerald City in Bellevue, Washington. Every year the Greater Seattle chapter puts together a great collection of speakers, workshops, editors and agents. Plus kareoke.

Some came to socialize with their fellow authors, attend classes...some came just to try the signature the Bodice Ripper cocktail. Barbara Vey, Cherry Adair, Alyssa Day & Brenda Novak gave very inspiring speaches and there were enough raffle baskets to tempt anyone.

I came to give a workshop (The Mommies Guide to Writing Around Your Children) and to meet with the agents and editors. The evening before our pitch appointments, the industry professionals did a Q & A panel. One of the most interesting questions was about the slush pile.

None of the editors publish category romance, and only one of the agents represents it. But across the board ell the editors said they read agented material first, and usually respond within two weeks. They consider requests they make at conference a higher form of slush...made me think of agent submissions as snowballs - ready to be thrown back - and requested material as heavy, melting snow...and slush as just that.

We all know that, but it was still hard to hear. And made the chance to pitch even more important. Everyone had the option of 3 pitch appointments, where we give the basics of our story in under a minute and hope it sounds as great as we think. But, there were openings for every editor and agent, for an extra appointment all you have to do is ask. The same goes with changing appointments. I was originally assigned an agent who emphatically said she never r eps category. So, I switched to someone who did :) The people who organize these conferences are writers too, they want you to succeed. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need.

Pitching is nerve wracking. There you are, at a table surrounded by eight strangers and an editor who could either make or ruin your day. What makes up a pitch is different for everyone. Some work it down to two long sentences. For me, that's a stress in itself! Plus, I find the editor/agent has too many questions still about the story. So, I tend to use a paragraph, very similar to what I'd use in a query.

One thing to keep in mind - these people are just people. Those around the table are more interested in their own pitch than whether you stutter in yours. The editor hates that she makes you nervous. She wants what you want - to read a great story.

Conferences give writers a great advantage, but they are expensive. Giving workshops can help with costs, as can finding one close to home so you don't have to fly (and can maybe even carpool to save gas costs). Having a roomate is a good idea since there is so much to do, you really only use the room to sleep...so be sure to ask if your roomates snore!

If your favorite editor or dream agent will be taking appointments at a conference, and you have a completed project to pitch to them, it just might be worth the expense. But, if you're still working on your first book, spend that time and effort finishing the project.



Jenna Bayley-Burke is a best selling author recently featured on Good Morning America. Kinda. Compromising Positions made the best seller list for Kindle for a few weeks, and GMA did their daily top ten list of Kindle bestselling ebooks and Compromising Positions made the list. But doesn't it sound better the first way? Keep up with Jenna's spin on things on her website & blog.

The Road to Paradise

Okay what’s better than a visit to Santa’s Workshop but not quite as good as a stint working the towel rack at Paul Walker’s home gym? (Hotness!)

Well, we’ve probably all got our own take on that one, but for me (and likely any other writer that’s subbed to the Harlequin Mills & Boon, London office) it’s a trip to Paradise. Paradise Road that is. As in Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surry, TW9 1SR, England.

That address... It gives me chills.

You don’t even want to know how many times I pulled that first letter—the one thanking me for sending in my manuscript—from its file folder just to run my finger along the address line at the bottom. How often I stalked my mailbox, in search of an envelope with that return in the corner.

Paradise Road was where dreams came true. Where all those calls with my editor originated. Where international and exotic came together with smoldering romance beneath a glossy clinch cover.

And last month, courtesy of a six hour layover in London, I had the opportunity to visit.

Knee deep in the New Voices competition, my lovely editor was kind enough to set aside some time to meet with me. Miraculously, she survived the “Thank you for buying my book” hug I’d stored up for over a year, recovering enough to show me around the offices, introduce me to the incredible editorial staff, and explain a bit about how the operation worked.

The offices were open, cozy and comfortable. Cool over glamorous—not that I’d been expecting some kind of mirrored skyscraper out of a Presents or anything! But the space struck me as one easy to settle into. A book lover’s nook. The Eds were fun and welcoming, utterly relatable (one even had the same TWILIGHT calendar hanging on her wall that I have …my sister gave it to me, I swear!), and generous enough to take a few minutes out of their already straining schedules to chat with me. In short the Richmond office was the kind of place I would have dreamed of working, if my dreams hadn’t already been committed elsewhere.

The visit was over too quickly, but then the Eds had plenty of work to get back to…and I had another flight to catch. Another locale to discover. And while Provence was beautiful and inspiring enough that I brought home a spiral full of new story notes, Richmond was definitely the stop in Paradise.

Mira's second book, TABLOID AFFAIR, SECRETLY PREGNANT! as ebook from the Mills & Boon site now. (US release as FRONT PAGE AFFAIR in Jan 2011)

Come back next month to follow Mira through her fist year of publication with FIRST THINGS FIRST.

For more about Mira visit her www.miralynkelly.com or check out her blog at http://blog.miralynkelly.com

Temptation Tuesday - the Bath!

The Romans did it and so did the Minoans. Columnist Annie West understands the ancient Egyptians indulged too - bathing has been a favourite pastime for millennia. Goodness knows what sort of bath Cleopatra had filled with ass's milk but I've seen a hip bath at Knossos palace in Crete and believe me it looked rather tempting to a tired tourist - so long as I had someone to fetch the warm water for it!

To me bathing is one of the most wonderfully seductive temptations of all. Bear in mind I live in Australia where, though homes have bathtubs, it's generally the shower that gets more use. In a hurry to get to work or school or on a hot summer's day, there's nothing like a quick invigorating shower.

But a bath is a special place - to me it's a treat, an indulgence. A time to relax away from the stresses of the day and to avoid the voices asking what's for dinner or where something is. I think I began truly to appreciate the bath when I had my first child. My husband understood perfectly when I needed a bit of down time and occasionally escaped to the bathroom with some bubble bath and stayed there till my fingers turned pruney and I knew it was time to get out ready for the next feed.

After a day of hard work in the garden (we had to create our own in our first home) relaxing in a bath a mineral salts eased strained muscles and gave the body a chance to recover.

Then I discovered the joy of reading in the bath. I soon gave up trying to read magazines, but a small paperback was just the right size! Was it any wonder I lost track of time and that it was time to prepare dinner on the occasional nights I indulged in a long, relaxing bath?

Then of course there are the other things that go with a long, leisurely soak. Fat scented candles to lend ambience even if your bathroom isn't as luxurious as some of these (aren't they lovely?). Bath salts to scent the warm water and help you relax. I've discovered a marvellous concoction called Bulgarian Rose by Scullys of Berry which is guaranteed to make you feel pampered. A friend of mine used to make her own bath salts with rosemary and lavender and it was wonderful receiving her special bottled treats at Christmas.

And then of course there's the bubble bath. Terrific for kids, or for making grownups feel just that little bit special.

At a recent writers' conference a friend of mine mentioned that she gets her best ideas in the bath. Subsequently the keynote speaker referred to that and explained that the negative ions generated by falling water (bath taps or waterfalls) actually promoted creativity. I'm not questioning the theory, because I know it works for me too. There's something soothing yet stimulating about water. So maybe I can list it as an essential writer's tool?

I've included here a photo of a wonderful bath from a castle (Yes, a castle!) I visited in Europe a couple of years ago. The view from the tower where I stayed was fantastic, the massive bed, the whole ambience of the place just special. But one of the best things was lighting the chubby candles in the bathroom, using the gorgeous bath oils (complete with rose petals) and relaxing in that very long tub. Of course my thoughts wandered to daydreams about a gorgeous prince...

How about you? Is bathing a temptation? Do you like to relax with a glass of wine and a book, or perhaps some music? Do you linger at the end of a hard day or do you prefer short showers, or sea bathing? Or aren't you tempted by water at all?

I'm thrilled to say the fascinating prince I daydreamed about all those months ago has now appeared in my latest title PASSION, PURITY AND THE PRINCE. Alaric and Tamsin's story has already been out in the UK and appears next month in Australia and New Zealand. You can buy it here or read an excerpt on my website. Also, this month, CAPTIVATED BY THE SHEIKH is released in the UK (a by request edition that includes my title FOR THE SHEIKH'S PLEASURE).

Male on Monday: Sam Elliott

PHS Editor Donna Alward is known for writing cowboys. Today she takes a look at one of her favourite Hollywood cowboys - the man with the voice: Sam Elliot.

Sam Elliott has the ability to make me swoon. And it's all from the voice.  And maybe the mustache. I'm not generally a fan of mustaches, but I make an exception for Elliott.  He is in a class of his own. When he was Parade Marshal for the Calgary Stampede Parade a few years ago, I figured I'd get a better view of him watching the tv than I would on the parade route (and have a miss at the traffic).

Sam's perhaps a little...ahem....experienced for me (66 to my 38), but IMO that doesn't detract from his sexiness AT ALL.

Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training instructor mother and a father who worked for the Department of the Interior. He moved from California to Oregon with his family during his teenage years, where he graduated from David Douglas High School in Portland. He attended Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, where he completed a two-year program and was cast as one of the leads in "Guys and Dolls." The local newspaper suggested that Elliott should be a professional actor. Soon after, Elliott declared he was going to Hollywood to become a star.

Elliott began his career as a character actor, his appearance and bearing ideally suited for Westerns. One of his first film roles was as 'Card Player #2' in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

During 1970-71, Elliott starred as Doug Robert in the hit TV series Mission: Impossible, and played the lead character Sam Damon in Once an Eagle, an NBC miniseries during the 1976-77 season. In 1979 he played the oldest brother in the made-for-TV miniseries The Sacketts, also starring Tom Selleck, Ben Johnson, Slim Pickens, Glenn Ford, Ruth Roman, Mercedes McCambridge, Jack Elam, and Gilbert Roland, among others. He later played a wife killer in the miniseries Murder in Texas (1981) and A Death in California (1986). He has made guest appearances on shows such as Felony Squad, Gunsmoke, Lancer and Hawaii Five-O and has been featured in many TV movies; for instance, he played Wild Bill Hickock in Buffalo Girls (1995). In 1998, Elliot was named the grand marshall of the Calgary Stampede parade and rode in the procession before 300,000 spectators. He has also starred in ''Road House (1989) alongside Patrick Swayze and played Virgil Earp in Tombstone (1993), which starred Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.

Elliott has performed voice-over narration for various commercials. He has lent his voice to campaigns for Chevy, IBM, Union Pacific, and, most notably, the American Beef Council, succeeding Robert Mitchum. Since late 2007, Elliott has done voice-overs for Coors beer, bringing his deep, rich voice and "western" appeal to the brand brewed in Colorado. In 2010, Dodge hired Elliott to do the voice-over in their Ram Heavy Duty truck commercial. He is also the new voice for Smokey Bear ("Only YOU can prevent wildfires"). Coincidentally, Elliott and "Smokey" are the same age.

Elliott co-starred in We Were Soldiers, which is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young, portraying Sgt. Maj. Basil L. Plumley. He also played General John Buford in the 1993 film Gettysburg, which is based on the book Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.

In 2009, Elliott had a small role in Up In The Air, in which he portrayed the Captain of an American Airlines jet. Elliott had previously appeared in Thank You For Smoking which was also directed by Jason Reitman.

Elliott has been married to actress Katharine Ross since 1984. Although Ross starred in the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in which Elliott had a very small role, the two did not meet and begin dating until 1978 when they both starred with Roger Daltrey in The Legacy. He and Ross have a daughter, Cleo Rose, born September 17, 1984.

Personally, my favourite roles with Elliott is Virgil Earp in Tombstone, I cheered when he appeared in The Golden Compass, and he made a perfect exasperated father Ben the Bull in Barnyard. Of course Ben is voice only, but with Elliott sometimes that's all you need.

Donna's current release is Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle, out now in the UK and the Mills and Book Book of the Month. You can check out an excerpt on her website at www.donnaalward.com