Wild Card Weekend - The Highland Games!

What do you do when a friend calls and offers to share her VIP ticket to The Highland Games? If you're having a year of adventure like Pink Heart Society editor Jenna Bayley-Burke, you say yes and thank you.

Hmm, maybe I should have reversed the order? Ah, well.

Lucy Monroe and I giggled like schoolgirls about how amazing it is that as a writer, having fun is part of your job responsibilities! She's working on a Scottish midieval right now, so she was giddy for the history of everything. I'm a contemporary girl, so dreamed up a couple different scenarios (including a stunning YA idea for anyone who wants it), and voila - another day at the office.

Lucy's husband joined in on the fun, when he wasn't chaffering us to and from and lugging bags and coats to the car. Such a good sport. And it got even better when he got caught up in the festivities and bought a kilt. (Read about that here.)

The festivities stretched over the Mt Hood Community College campus. We explored the clan tents first, mesmerized by how many people wore kilts or their clan tartan in some other way (ties, scarves, baby wraps). Close to two dozen clans brought displays to share their history and heritage. The maps were fascinating, as were the knives everyone seemed to have tucked into their long wool socks!

One field showcased the athletic competitions, from shinty (kind of like polo without the horse) to strong man competitions (for men, women & children). I've seen the strongman competitions on ESPN, but live is so much better. When you're standing there, you realize how dangerous these feats are and it ratchets the excitement up.

In weight for height the competitor tosses a 50+ pound bucket-looking thing over their head where a limbo-type bar is perched. Clearing the bar means they can try it even higher. I still am not sure how they manage to toss it without it coming down on their head!

I couldn't get any good pictures of them throwing the Scottish Hammer...it was just too dangerous to have a good angle! The Scottish Hammer is a 20 pound ball on the end of a stick! The whirl around and when they have enough momentum they release it. See what I mean about dangerous?

Portland even has it's own signature event...The Portland Stone. Stone is really a misnomer...this is a 100 pound boulder! With a clean-and-jerk motion, the athletes get the boulder over their head, run, and with a might bellow toss it as far as they can. I really started to feel bad for the ground, which was left with quite the dent from every toss.

Weight for Distance is a bit like the Olympic discus...except they throw a ball and chain! Again, not something you want to get in the way of. Open Stone resembles shot-put...but with a rock.

The Kilted Mile attracted men and women of all ages. Everyone cheers, especially for those in their clan. At the end I missed the highlight of the whole thing...one miler flipped up his kilt to show what was underneath (joke boxers, but still). And I missed it. Totally. I think me missing it (of all people) made Lucy laugh harder than the actual flashing!

The final sporting event was the Caber Toss. The throw a telephone pole into the air, trying to get it to cartwheel. The world champion was one of the competitors, so we got to see this quite a bit. We also got to see what happens when they lose their grip or can't balance the 19-foot log correctly. Talk about scary! I was so chicken, I stood on the stage to take pictures.

In addition to the athletics were bands and dancing. I loved watching the Scottish dancers of all ages. The smaller kids were adorable, and the older performers so precise. In her research, Lucy learned the dances began as ways to train boys for battle, kind of like martial arts. Now they're artisic and fun, but I can imagine they once were quite serious.

The pipe bands were amazing. I'm not sure my ear is tuned enough to be able to tell one song from another, but I loved watching them. I enjoyed the band competitions as well, fascinated by the different formations they would take to perform. The drummers had quite a bit of flair.

The food was perfectly Scottish. The VIP tent had a spread of bangers, mashed potatoes, bangers and mash, grain mustard, crudite and fresh fruit - with MacTarnahan's Ale flowing as well. We had afternoon tea in the Brittish tea tent. You could smell the butter in their home-baked goodies.

And the shopping...phenomenal. I had no idea there would be so many amazing things! Of course there were kilt sellers and kilt makers (both tradition and modern), but there were capes (I got Babygirl a red one so she can be little red riding hood), books, jewelry (I found amazing lapis earrings), hair accessories (leather hair ties and metal twists), and weaponry.

Oh, the weapons. There were ornate knives, perfect for tucking in one's sock as the Scotts are wont to do. But there were serious broadswords as well. Chain metal and shields. Axes and whips. Mace and spears. It was equal parts scary and fascinating to have them there to handle. Those things were heavy, and if the ax blade touches anything the vibration moves down your arms like a tuning fork. Talk about hands on research!

I think I'll go again. It really got my creative side running. With as popular as Scottish historicals have become, maybe I can figure out a way to blend that into contemporary. Who knows...I won't have time to find out until I finish the next three stories!

Jenna's dealing with line edits, waiting to hear back on a new story, and finishing the road trip book right now. Until it's ready, be sure to check out her latest. Private Scandal is ripe with secrets, sass, and sensational sex. Keep up with Jenna's spin on things on her website & blog

Must Watch Friday - The Adjustment Bureau

Today, Fiona Harper tells about a film she watched on the plane to New York en route to the RWA national conference, and why she was surprised and intrigued enough to watch it again when she got home...



The Ajustment Bureau takes its plot from a Phillip K. Dick short story with an interesting premise: what if what we think is free will is just an illusion? What if some unseen force works in the background of our lives, making our bigger decisions for us? As one of the suited, trilby-hatted adjustment bureau staff says to senator-to-be David Norris (Matt Damon): "People spill their coffee or their internet connection goes down or they lose their keys. Sometimes it's chance, but sometimes it's us."

Sometimes the tiniest events in our lives can have far-reaching consequences - a man gets stuck in traffic and is late for a date. His date won't have anything to do with him after that and instead of falling in love and getting married, they both end up going their seperate ways and meeting completely different people. All because of a traffic jam. But is that traffic jam a quirk of fate, or someone upstairs making sure we end up living our lives the way they are supposed to be lived?

While this is an interesting idea, The Adjustment Bureau is more than an exploration of an idea; at its heart it's a love story. Golden-boy politician David Norris meets Elise (Emily Blunt), a free-spirited dancer, int he men's bathroom at the Waldorf on the night of his biggest political defeat. (She's hiding from security because she crashed a wedding). Their short inspires him to make a speech that changes his life, and afterwards he can't stop thinking about her.

In a traditional love story, fate wants the hero and heroine to be together - we know they're meant for each other - but circumstances, and even the characters themselves, get in the way of what is supposed to be. But what if you've found that perfect person for you, the one who makes you feel alive, the one who prompts you to be your better self, yet fate has decreed you shouldn't be together? What then? And this is where The Adjustment Bureau gets interesting.

I'm not sure I totally bought into the fantasy aspect of the film. There were times it worked for me and times it didn't. But the love story? That, I bought into wholeheartedly. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt give great performances and there is definite chemistry between them. I believed they right for each other from the moment they met. And this is where a lot of love stories fall down - the hero and heroine sometimes only seem that they are together because they've been cast as the two central figures in a film or a book. What's harder is to show why this man is right for this woman. How do they reach each other in a way no one else can? And this is where The Adjustment Bureau succeeds. Worth a watch, just for that, I reckon.

Fiona's latest book, Swept Off Her Stillettos, will be out in August in the UK (Mills & Boon RIVA) and September in North America (Harlequin Romance)

Clothing connoisseur Coreen Fraser's film-star style never leaves her wanting for male attention! But sourcing for a 1930s murder-mystery weekend stops being fun when she discovers she has to wear a tweed suit and sensible shoes!

Meanwhile Coreen's best friend Adam Conrad has his own plans for the weekend... And one moonlit kiss later Coreen's blinkers fall from her eyes. Adam is the only man who knows the girl underneath the skyscraper heels and scarlet lipstick. But is she brave enough to invite him to kiss it off any time he likes...?

Thursday 13 :: Romance Novels Make Me Wanna...

Romance novels have inspired many things. Husbands everywhere should stop and thank a romance author for brightening their evenings. But beyond the bedroom, romance novels spark great adventures. Some of my favorites have been ::

1. HORSEBACK RIDING - I'm not really referring to save a horse, ride a cowboy - honest! I haven't been on a horse since I was a kid, and this made me want to get back into it. A well-muscled cowboy giving lessons would be a plus.

2. RIDE IN A LIMO - I hate driving. I think the last time I was in a limo was when Trish Wylie & I piled into one with a dozen other romance authors at the Dallas conference. I'd like to try it when it's less crowded. Ahem.

3. TRAVEL TO SCOTLAND - I haven't managed it yet, but my Highland Games adventure last weekend has got me thinking about it again. The castles, the kilts, the brogue. Yes, I must go.

4. SURF! I tried, back in the days I could still pull off a bikini. But, after a couple attempts I was cranky and tired and gave up. I'd like to try it now that I have more patience. What? I do so have more patience! 

5. MAKE A BUCKET LIST - Having a good long think about what you want is a great way to shorten the distance between here and there. So is hiring a babysitter. My girlfriends and I promised one another adventures for our birthdays. So far, we've had makeovers, walking tours, pole dancing, zip-lining...with rafting and a Vegas trip in the works!

6. EAT CAKE - As the cupcake bakeries have popped up I think most domestic goddesses have thought - hey, I could do that. Or, that carrot cake is awful. Whichever.

7. TOUR A WINERY - Before we were breeders, Hubba Bubba and I used to find ourselves at a wine tasting nearly every summer weekend.

8. SEE THE OPALS IN AUSTRALIA - Kelly Hunter did an amazing job of bringing the rugged beauty of Australia and fire of opals to life in Priceless...which was renamed Bedded For Diamonds in the North American market. I'm not sure why they renamed it that either!

9. BE AN EXTRA ON A FILM SET - I'd love to experience how films and television are made, see all the different jobs that go into making it possible for actors to entertain us.

10. HAVE GAME-SHOW WORTHY ADVENTURES - I love Survivor, but I'm not cut out to camp for 40 days, or do any of those challenges where you have to eat bugs. Same with Amazing Race. I'd love it, until I got frustrated trying to perfect some native dance. But some of the things they do? I'd love to do some afternoon, and then return to my hotel. 

11. ATTEND A BALL - complete with the Cinderella treatment. I think this is how some women see their wedding, but I got married at a park, to a man who hates to dance. I want the elegance, the music, the dress, the shoes...

12. WEAR PROVOCATIVE T-SHIRTS - I have to buy shirts around my...um...assets, so all those cute phrase ones aren't in my closet. But I do love a good rude shirt.

13. BE AN UNDERCOVER AGENT - For the weekend, not for a lifetime. The excitement would be epic, but I wouldn't want to keep it up long term. I mean...when would I have time to read my books?

WHAT HAVE ROMANCE NOVELS MADE YOU WANT TO DO?

Jenna's dealing with line edits, waiting to hear back on a new story, and finishing the road trip book right now. Until it's ready, be sure to check out her latest. Private Scandal is ripe with secrets, sass, and sensational sex. Keep up with Jenna's spin on things on her website & blog

Writers Wednesday: Emotional Memories

Historical Romance author and PHS Editor Michelle Styles examines one of the most valuable resources for any writer of ficition -- emotional memory

Romance writing is all about emotion. One of the common reasons for rejection is lack of emotional punch. And much of writing is about getting the emotion you feel down on the page, because 90% of the readers will get about 10% of the emotion you feel. Also readers will not necessarily get the same emotion as they are reading for different reasons.
So how do you get the emotion and have it ring true for a variety of characters? Particularly if you have never directly experienced what they are about to go through?
As a historical author, I write about times that I have never experienced by definition. It means my characters do a wide variety of things that I don't normally do. They have different backgrounds to me. Luckily times and experiences may change but emotional reactions and the capacity for human beings to feel stays the same. So where can I get the emotions?
I can go to primary sources and read about the emotions but sometimes that is putting window between me and the characters. Would my characters actually experienced that emotion? How does it feel? Is it just one emotion or are there shades?
I can also attempt some of the tasks.Some things like being a debutante I have actually experienced (including the pain of being a wall flower) and others I can learn -- the frustration of spinning springs to mind. But still others like experiencing a Viking raid are a little bit harder.  With Viking raids, to make matters worse, the primary sources tend to record the bare facts rather than the emotions. So how to do it?
One way is to sift through your memory and find a time that is roughly analogous to the emotion you want the character to experience.  For example,  when I wrote the Viking raid at Lindisfarne, there had just been an incident where a drunk had  tried to accost my youngest son. My absolute rage helped power me through. I also used the experience I had when a mentally disturbed man tried to extract money for a catalogue from me and started hammering on the door. My children were little. The catalogue was thrown out and I had never asked for it. You don't have to pay money for junk mail!  Luckily the police were aware of the man and did come out. But the experience of crouching in the kitchen with my children, waiting and hoping for the police to arrive has stayed with me for a long time and played a part when I wrote my Viking books.
However, the situations don't have to be dramatic. Ordinary memory can be used to get in touch with extraordinary emotions.  Brandilyn Collins in Getting Into Character mentions if you have ever killed a fly or an ant in a deliberate move, you know what it is like to plan a murder.
What about writing about widows who have loved and lost and are about to love again?  Or a widow who gets intensely irritated at people trying to set her up? Thankfully, my husband is alive and well but I do know what it is like to lose someone close to you and then take a risk on someone new. Losing a beloved pet and then falling in love with another animal means you go through some of the same emotions. Grief is grief and the intensity may vary. Some people swear that they feel more emotion at losing a beloved pet than losing an elderly relative.  And sometimes you are ready straight away to get a new pet and at others you want to wait. There is a bitter sweetness to seeing other people with their pets etc. The realisation that you don't love your old pet less but your heart can grow and accommodate.
It is about taking the real emotions you have felt can be used as a spring board for harvesting the emotions that your characters might feel in a given situation.  It can enable you to add the appropriate shading that allows the reader into the emotions your characters are feeling. This is why when writing, living is an important part of doing research.
So when you are stuck, think back into your memory and find a situation that is roughly analogous and harvest those emotions. It will make your work richer and more immediate. It can help you add emotional punch to your writing.
Any questions?

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon. Her latest release was To Marry A Matchmaker (July 2011). You can read more about her books on her website www.michellestyles.co.uk

Deadline Recipes - Winnie Griggs

Love Inspired author Winnie Griggs joins us today with a deadline recipe that has our mouths watering!

Ground beef dishes - whether cooked up in a casserole, tacos, chili or spaghetti - are favorites around my house.  However, I’ve always found having to deal with browning and draining the meat itself to be time consuming and something of a hassle, especially when I’m on deadline or during the weekdays when coming in from a taxing day at work.  So a long time ago I got in the habit of getting that prep work out of the way ahead of time, during one of my not-too-frequent down times. 

This is what I do. 

·         Place 5 lbs of lean ground beef and 1 lb of ground pork in a large pot and brown until done

·         Drain and rinse to remove fat, then return to pot with a little water or stock

·         Add seasonings such as chopped onions, green onions, peppers and celery - this varies based on what I have on hand and what mood I’m in.

·         Continue cooking, adding liquid as needed, until seasonings are tender and flavors are well blended.

·         Remove from heat and allow to cool

·         Separate into six 1 lb portions, place in freezer bags or containers and freeze until ready to use in your favorite recipe

Now, here’s one of my own favorite quick and easy recipe using the above prepared meat mix

Meal-In-A-Loaf

Ingredients

·         1 unsliced French or Italian bread loaf

·         1 lb meat mixture, thawed

·         1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted 

·         1/2 cup grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese

Directions

·         Heat meat and soup together in a saucepan

·         Slice bread lengthwise, leaving a slightly larger portion on bottom than on top

·         Scoop out both halves of loaf, leaving about a 3/4 inch shell

·         Break 1/2 of scooped-out bread into bite-sized portions and stir into meat mixture.

·         Spoon meat mixture into bread bowl, allowing to ‘mound’ above top of bowl

·         Sprinkle with shredded cheese

·         Cover with top portion of bread shell

·         Wrap loosely in foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

To serve, unwrap and cut in slices.  Makes 8-10 servings, depending on size of loaf and thickness of slices.

That’s it - Enjoy! 

And if you have any other quick and easy recipes that would utilize this pre-cooked meat mix, share!

Winnie’s latest release is Second Chance Family, the third book in her Knotty Pine, Texas series. Learn more about these and others of her books at her website www.winniegriggs.com.

Take one sheriff who is convinced marriage is absolutely not for him and one widow who is all about the importance of family, then add two mistreated orphans desperate for a loving home and a busybody neighbor determined to send them packing, and you have all the makings of a head-butting confrontation set to rock the sleepy town of Knotty Pine, Texas. 

Mitch Hammond is a man of his word.  And for Cora Beth Collins that’s a problem.  The honorable sheriff has vowed never to love again, for fear of wounding someone else.  The most he can offer is marriage in name only, which is not at all to Cora Beth’s liking.  But with no other way to adopt two runaway orphans, she accepts.

Despite his intentions, however, Mitch is starting to want more from Cora Beth...and from himself.  For in her trusting eyes he sees everything he hopes to be - as a lawman, a father and a husband.

Male on Monday : : Gael Garcia Bernal

Anne McAllister is flying back home from Washington DC even as this is posted, so she hopes it gets online. If it doesn't, she apologizes and will go back to the drawing board as soon as she lands.


I first saw Gael Garcia Bernal in Y Tu Mama Tambien about seven years ago. I have remembered him ever since.

The Mexican actor/director began his career as a child, and by the time he was a teenager was a regular -- and increasingly, a heartthrob -- in Mexican telenovelas or soap operas.

At age 19, however, he left television to attend The Central School of Speech and Drama in London after a year at Mexico's national university studying philosophy.
According to one interview he considers his time in London "life-forming," but hadn't seriously thought of acting as more than an "odd-job profession" until he was cast in Amores Perros by Mexican director, Alejandro González Iñárritu and several subsequent films.

He has also worked in theatre, including in London, where in 2005 he was in Bodas de Sangre by Federica Garcia Lorca.

He's played Che Guevara twice, once in a television mini-series about Fidel Castro, and later in the film, The Motorcycle Diaries, based on a diary written by the young revolutionary about his travels in South America. He was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role in the latter film.

Besides his acting, he began to direct in 2007 with a film called Deficit. In 2010 he co-directed a series of four short film documentaries about migrants from Central America which are available on the Amnesty International website.

Not confining his creative contributions to acting roles and directing, he has also contributed vocals to a Devendra Banhart album, has co-produced documentaries and done narrations. So . . . obviously multi-talented.

He chooses his films on the strength of the script and the issues they tackle. He doesn't shy away from the tough ones.

"I see it as my social duty," he says. "I am a person of the world - that is something I should do regardless if I am an actor or not. You have to be able to lead the life you are asking for; you have to show with example."

As a "person of the world" he speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese fluently, and is working toward fluency in French and Italian, which he says are coming along.

The 32 year old actor and girlfriend, Argentine actress, Dolores Fonzi, are the parents of two children, a son, Lázaro, and a daughter, Libertad.

He has recently finished filming Casa de Mi Padre and The Loneliest Planet is in post-production. He will be working on Hands of Stone and Silence in the coming year.
Keep an eye out for him -- you may find not just a compelling, intense, perennially watchable actor, but films that will make you stop and think as well.

Anne is sitting in an airport trying to remember when her next book, The Night That Changed Everything is coming out. She thinks it's an October Mills & Boon Modern in UK and a Presents Extra in November in the US. But she's not sure. She does remember that it's about the night that Demetrios Savas and his princess bride Anny got married. But they've already had their book. This one is about his cousin, Nick, and what happens when he meets the woman who changes not only one night but his whole life.