Elizabeth Boyle's Blog, page 27
March 26, 2012
Redefining a Classic
"It's a Brazen cover." You don't know how many times in my career I have heard another writer describe their cover, or someone else's as "a Brazen cover." The look is now iconic, but in 1996, the cover for Brazen Angel was a brand new take on covers–the tousled sheets, the tangled couple, the sexy pose. John DeSalvo in all his glory.
Oh, those had all been done, but not put together as it was for Brazen Angel. When I was shown an early version of the cover, my jaw dropped. The eye popping color, naked John DeSalvo. Have I mentioned John DeSalvo? I knew this cover wouldn't be easily forgotten, but never did I think it would become a classic.
Can I gush some more? I've loved the Brazen Angel cover from the first moment I saw it and I still love it. But when I got the rights back to Brazen Angel, they came without the cover. So it was time to find a new look for Brazen Angel.
Because I had seen a couple of covers that Su over at Earthly Charms had done, still just stops me–and it is "Brazen" after all–sheets and sexy pose!) I turned to her first. You might not know it, in fact you probably don't, but Su designs(this one for Robyn DeHart all my bookmarks so I knew she'd understand and get what I wanted.
What I definitely wanted was to keep the sexy feel of this story. This story is very sexy. Still is, even all these years later. Sophia and Giles are instantly attracted to each other and that tension and desire runs rampant through the story–which surprised me. But I'll talk about that unexpected revelation in an upcoming blog.
So we chatted back and forth about how to handle the sort of iconic qualities of these books (They also been known as the "red one", the "blue one" and the "green one.") and decided to at least give a nod to their old colors, keeping Brazen Angel branded with red, Brazen Heiress with blue and Brazen Temptress with green. And very quickly, these classic sexy books had a fresh new look:
I think the new Brazen Angel retains that sexy tension with this wonderful pose. I love the dress and all the red, and it has the feel of Sophia's deceptions and Gile's longing for her.
This cover for Brazen Heiress truly captures the long and almost too late realization that Wedd Dryden comes to–that the minx he once thought of as an annoying plague, is the woman of his dreams. There is a tenderness in this pose that is perfect for their love story. For while it is a dog fight to the death in some ways, once he makes that acknowledgement of his feelings, she is his for life.
I must confess that Brazen Temptress is my personal favorite of the three. Writing Julien and Maureen's story just about broke my heart. I had the unenviable task of writing their early love story and then ripping them apart. I cried buckets writing this story. LOL. The true challenge came figuring out how–after a horrible and wrenching betrayal, do you find the road back to trust and love? Doesn't this cover capture that moment perfectly. It just says, "I love you with all my heart."
What do you think? And to make it more fun, let's do a blog giveaway, so here it is:
Which cover is your favorite or which story is your favorite?
Comment below to enter this week's blog drawing.
The Rules:
1) Leave a comment below and let me know which of the covers or books you love:
and/or
2) Tweet the following: Enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn & an arc of @elizboyle's Along Came a Duke at http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2129 #BrazenContest
Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PDT, Saturday, March 31st to get your entries in.
Make sure to check back here Monday, April 2nd to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.
Last week's winner is: SharonA, who was poster #14 and made her comment on March 19, 2012 at 11:38 AM. Sharon, contact me with your address and I will send you your prize. You have a week to claim it.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 22, 2012
Five Things About Sophia Nash
I want to be Sophia Nash when I grow up. Lovely, elegant and gracious. I try, but she seems to do these things effortlessly. So please welcome my friend, Sophia Nash.
1. Did you have a nickname growing up? Only later in life… First, "Fear" from colleagues at WTVJ, not because I exhibited it or inspired it:)–but because someone had a funny accent at the station and pronounced my name "Sofear"–and then it took on a life of it's own! I also had a boss, the extraordinary Austin Kiplinger, who called me "Stretch!"
2. What is the very first romance book that you read? Sense and Sensibility.
3. Aside from being a writer, what is your favorite job? Being a Mom, except the cooking part.
EB: Isn't it a great job?! 'Cept when your newly minted teenager tells you he doesn't want to go The Hunger Games movie with you, he'd rather go with friends. Oh, and by the way, Mom, will you pay?
4. If you could choose any 3 people in history to meet, who would they be? Aside from dinner with God, I'd like to go to a week long house party with Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, and Mark Twain. And Einstein. And the former anthropology major in me would like to see an Australopithecus.
EB: Sophia, did you know I am related to Mark Twain?
5. Do you have a special writing place where you are most productive? In a tiny bedroom in France with the kids reading in the back yard, the neighbors mowing their lawn, and Coco La Dog biting my toes. That's where I wrote most of my March 27th release–The Art of Duke Hunting!
EB: And I thought the Burien Press was a cool spot. Like I said, I want to be Sophia when I grow up.
You can find out more about Sophia Nash and her back to back Regency romance releases, Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea (available now) and The Art of Duke Hunting (which releases next week), at her website SophiaNash.com.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 19, 2012
Philly Love
I have found a new favorite city. Philadelphia. For this self-confessed history geek, what is there not to love about a city that not only embraces its historical roots and significance but shows it off at every corner?
Love, love, love, Philadelphia!
I was there for the Public Library Association meeting (Check out the tweets via #PLA12 or #PLA2012–bless those librarians, they needed two hashtags to get it all in!) and had a blast.
The view from my hotel room of William Penn's backside.
Leaving Seattle at 0-Dark-30, (that is an official time–basically it is dark and no one in their right mind has any business being up), I arrived in Philadelphia many hours later to be greeted by the always delightful Nicole Burnham. We got caught up over Greek food, and agreed that Philadelphia was a perfect city for walking around. She regaled me with stories of her tours and sightseeing, which only jazzed me up for my plans on Friday. The airport shuttle driver had already whetted my appetite for sightseeing, as he'd spent the entire drive in pointing out places in this off-handed manner, like "Oh, yeah, and there's the Liberty Bell." The Liberty Bell! The actual, live and cracked, Liberty Bell? Be still my still beating heart.
But my desire to go all tourist and get out and see EVERYTHING had to wait. Work always comes first. Not that the work isn't just a kick in the pants.
Betsy Ross's House. Narrow? Well, houses were taxed by their width.
The next morning found Nicole and I, bright and early (which is akin to 0-Dark-Thirty, especially if you are a West coaster suddenly thrust onto East Coast time) on a panel with the lovely and enchanting Deanna Raybourn, Madeline Hunter, and Leanna Renee Hieber, talking about romance to a packed house of librarians. I was, of course, the rowdy one. But I don't think anyone minded as I discussed the significance of sex in romance novels–even first thing in the morning. The crowd of librarians were enthusiastic and excited, probably as much as we authors are appreciative of all they do for us–who among us hasn't just about died with delight when some superhero librarian finds that out-of-print, impossible-to-find research book via inter-library loan?
The day continued to get better when I went out to the panel signing and found that HarperCollins had sent boxes of advance copies of Along Came a Duke for me to sign and giveaway after the panel. So worth the early hours! The librarians who came to our panel scored a huge haul!
Elfreth's Alley-the oldest residential street in the US
Then it was a rush to do more signings–one at the RWA booth and another at the Harper booth, then off to a tea at the Four Seasons. No one does tea as nice as the Four Seasons. By the time I got back to my hotel, it was dark again and I was exhausted. Thrilled with the day, but exhausted.
Yet Friday dawned bright and lovely, and I was ready to explore. I went and saw Independence Hall, the portrait gallery in the 2nd Bank of the US, Betsy Ross's House, Elfreth's Alley and the Liberty Bell. Along the way, I geeked out on Twitter and gushed about the history that gave me goosebumps (Betsy Ross's actual signature!), laughs (the Starbucks located nearly across the street from Betsy's house), and the beauty of historical architecture where the details were done with such care. I realized I do know a lot about my country's history, but–and this is the cool part–I have a whole lot more to discover.
Loved this transom over one of the houses--who wouldn't love it--Books and a pen!
My thanks to PLA for inviting me to be part of their conference and my appreciation for them choosing such a perfect city to host their conference.
My question for this week's blog drawing is easy: What historical site would you LOVE to visit?
Comment below to enter this week's blog drawing.
The Rules:
1) Leave a comment below and let me know which historical site you would love to visit:
and/or
2) Tweet the following: Enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn and other author swag at http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2084 #contest
Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 24th to get your entries in.
Make sure to check back here Monday, March 26th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.
Last week's winner is: Sue K, who was poster #4 and made her comment on March 12, 2012 at 9:34 AM. Sue, contact me with your address and I will send you your prize. You have a week to claim it.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 15, 2012
Five Things About Lorraine Heath
Lorraine Heath is one of those authors who's books you curl up and devour, and adore. In real life, Lorraine is one of those gracious, treasured people that you want to have coffee with and just chat. She's kind and lovely and generous. And therefore, she needs to be included in the gallery of authors that is Five Things.
1. Did you have a nickname growing up? Lainie.
2. What is the very first romance book that you read? Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer.
EB: Sidenote: I met LaVyrle Spencer years ago–what a lovely woman and what a great book.
3. What new authors have you recently added to your TBR pile? Addison Fox, Lori Austin, Darynda Jones, not new but new to me: Loretta Chase.
EB: Obviously in the mood for sidenotes today: I LOVE it when authors answer this question because I always find someone new to read and adore.
4. If you could time travel, what time period would you most like to visit? Would love to visit the early Victorian period except that it was so dirty that I think I would be happier visiting the late Victorian period.
EB: My suspicion is that they would both be dirty, but it would be something to see, wouldn't it?
5. What are your top three favorite movies?
Casablanca
Gone With the Wind
Gladiator
EB: I knew Lorraine was a kindred spirit. I adore these movies as well.
Lorraine Heath's latest release, She Tempts the Duke, was a NY Times bestseller. Find out more about Lorraine and all her books at LorraineHeath.com.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 12, 2012
I Don't Make This Up
Some one asked me how I pick the winners for my blog contest and actually, I don't. I use Random.org to pick the winner–that is, after I add up the number of blog comments and tweets. Then the Random Number Generator does the honors, and a number pops up. Then, voila, we have a winner.
This week's winner is Alana, who left the first comment on the blog. There is always a moment when I enter all the information and hit the "generate" button that I feel like I am in my own personal Las Vegas.
Who is going to win??
And then when I have the number, I go back and hunt through the entries for that entry. When there is 127 and the winner is 87, I sort of groan and get to work counting. But it was easy this week because it popped up with #1, and I sort of did a double take, and then did the line from Staples.
Wow, that was easy.
So, Alana, contact me and I will get your prize packet of an autographed Julia Quinn, one of mine and a stash of author swag that I coerced my fellow Avon authors to cough up. Which also happens to be the prize packet for this week.
I'm off this week to Philadelphia for PLA, the public librarian conference. If I were answering last week's question of, who are your heroes, I would have to add my local librarians.
When I started writing in the late 80s, there was no internet, no Wikipedia, no immediate access to the countless people I have met via email over in England who have helped answer my countless questions about their villages, landmarks and history. I simply had my local library and the long wait of written questions sent via the post office to get my answers.
Weekly, I would go into my library and I swear the reference librarian would duck under her desk when she saw me coming. But I would give her my questions, and while I had a passing knowledge of Dewey–having worked in my hometown library all through high school–the librarians could always steer me in the right direction for hunting down answers or finding some obscure, out of print reference book that I had to get my hands on.
So when I get a chance to go speak to a room full of librarians, I always start with two simple words: Thank you.
That leads me to this week's question, which is similar but a little different to last week's question:
Who would you thank for helping you along that you might not have thanked? Comment below to enter this week's blog drawing.
The Rules:
1) Leave a comment below and let me know who you might owe a thank you to, but they don't know it:
and/or
2) Tweet the following: Who deserves your thanks? Tell the world and enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2061 #contest
Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 17th to get your entries in.
Make sure to check back here Monday, March 19th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 8, 2012
Five Things about Sarah MacLean
Hello and welcome to Sarah MacLean! She's one of these funny, bright, outrageous women that I love to meet and had to share with all of you. I think you will agree! So here are Five Things about Sarah MacLean:
1. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been? There's an island off the eastern edge of Puerto Rico called Vieques—it's largely untouched because the US Navy used to use the rainforest on the island for bombing drills (which isn't romantic, I know, but stick with me), so they've closed off 80% of the island to people, letting the whole thing grow wild.
It's a lovely, sleepy place, filled with gorgeous beaches and charming people . . . and it's the home to one of the largest bioluminescent bays in the world. Because of some combination of mangrove trees and fish and the tide, there's a specific kind of amoebae that lives in this bay that glows when it becomes agitated. At night, the bay is pitch black, but everything that moves—boats, fish, people—light up in the water. It's amazingly romantic, because swimming in the bay at night is like swimming in starlight.
2. How do you come up with the names for your Hero/Heroine? I'm terrible at names. They usually change three or four times during the writing of the book, and it's a total find and replace disaster. I've been known to ask friends, family and readers to name them, and I am not above using great names of people I know.
As for all those dukedoms and earldoms and marquessates? I have a large map of London in 1908 on the wall of my office, and I lift street names for titles. It's cheating, probably, but oh, do I loathe naming characters!
3. Where do you go for inspiration when the creativity well is running a little dry? I'm very lucky to live in New York City, so I have 8 million people and about a million and one places in which to find inspiration. But here are the go-tos:
1) Coney Island – The closest thing to a beach near me, filled with wacky carnival barkers and fabulous hotdogs and a pier that goes 100 yards out into the ocean. I like to go there on cold winter days and walk the boardwalk.
2) The Metropolitan Museum of Art – It's enormous. As big as you think? Bigger. And you can't see the entire collection in a day. In fact, I'm pretty certain that you can't see the entire collection in a month, because I always seem to find something new. I love the Greek & Roman Art rooms, but somehow always seem to get lost in American furniture.
3) The Top of the Empire State Building (at night) – Little known fact: The Empire State Building observation deck is open until 2am, and you haven't seen New York until you've seen it from the top of the ESB in the middle of the night. Another fun fact? The lines at 11:30pm are very short. Which is awesome.
4. What new authors have you recently added to your TBR pile? I loved Anna Randol's debut Regency-Constantinople-set A Secret in her Kiss, so I'm really looking forward to her next. I just started the Sookie Stackhouse novels (I know, I know, I've been under a rock, apparently, but gorgeous True Blood men have made me see the light), and I'm loving them.
5. What are your top three favorite movies? Ocean's Eleven – I am a sucker for a great heist movie, and this one is my favorite. I'll take either the original or the Clooney/Pitt version (although George Clooney in a tux is a particular pleasure).
When Harry Met Sally – I've loved this movie since the very first time I saw it, and now that I live in New York, it's even better. Every time we do anything that's Harry & Sally do . . . buy a Christmas tree, eat at Katz's deli, sing Surrey With the Fringe on Top at Sharper Image (what? It totally happens!), I get totally tingly. And start speaking like a Nora Ephron character.
300 – In which a classic Greek story gets mixed up with CGI effects and . . . oh, yeah. Gerard Butler & Michael Fassbender's CGI abs. Thank you very very much, Hollywood.
And thank you, Sarah, for dropping by! You can learn more about Sarah on her website. Her newest book, A Rogue by Any Other Name is available now.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 5, 2012
Hero Worthy
My husband asked me last week what I liked best about having my Brazen books back out. And the answer was immediate and easy: Because it gives me the chance to tell the story how my first book came to be published. It actually gives me a chance to tell the world what a thoughtful, wonderful man I married.
If you've never heard me tell the story and you want a good reason to get a little weepy and romantic on a Monday, there you need to read My Favorite Hero. Then once you've read the story, come back here and tell me: Who is hero worthy in your life?
And then you are entered in this week's drawing for an autographed copy of one of Julia Quinn's book, an autographed copy from my backlist, and some fun author swag to fill out the package.
The Rules ('cause apparently we have to have these):
1) Leave a comment below and let me know who you think is hero worthy in your life:
and/or
2) Tweet the following: Find out who is Hero Worthy from @ElizBoyle's Brazen Angel & enter to win a signed book by #JuliaQuinn! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2039 #contest
Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 10th to get your entries in.
Make sure to check back here Monday, March 13th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.
Last week's winner: Allison Edney, who was commentor #50 and commented on March 2, 2012 at 10:52 AM. Allison, you have a week to Contact me and claim your prize.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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March 1, 2012
Five Things About Katharine Ashe
I personally find Katharine Ashe a kick to hang out with. She's funny, wicked and smart, as well as an unapologetic lover of the genre. Those all count highly in my book. So I would like you to take a moment and enjoy the wit of Katharine Ashe, or as we now call her around here:
1. Did you have a nickname growing up? I went by Katie. My father and one of my sisters called me Kate, which I loved because it was special to them. Also, in second grade when I volunteered to pass out the juice for snack time, a nasty boy called me "Katie Katie the Paper Cup Lady" and it stuck, sometimes morphing to "Katie Katie the Big Fat Lady", neither of which I loved. Now, Elizabeth, please feel free to give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it.
EB: I can do one better and share this photo of you, Sophia Nash, Cathy Maxwell and moi goofing off at RT after copious amounts of cupcakes and whatever was in those bottles.
2. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been? Kauai in the Hawaiian islands. White sand beaches. Cerulean waves dancing with dolphins. Palm trees swooshing in the warm breeze. Tropical drink in my hand. Three days after wedding my Prince Charming.
3. Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what do you do? I drink champagne. I always drink champagne, so this isn't really unusual, but it's still fun! I also weep a little. I love finishing a book and I also hate it. Living through those declarations of love from my hero and heroine just sucks my heart out! (In a good heart-sucking way.) But then having to leave them… knowing I will miss them so much… that's horrible!!!
4. If you could go on a date with any superhero, who would you choose and why? This is a Very Hard Question. But probably Spiderman. He's brilliant, funny, and a sexy fighting menace who teases villains as he thrashes them. He pretends to be a big nerd to protect those he loves. He has a secret identity (I adore heroes with secret identities! which is why I write them), and he doesn't always make the right choices but he always makes up for it.
5. Most embarrassing song on your iPod? Every song Rick Springfield ever recorded. Does that count?
6. If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring. My husband, son, two dogs, and my laptop to write. Wait, do people and animals count as things? Because if I get to take my beloveds with me anyway, the other four things would be my e-reader all stocked with books, sunblock, chocolate, and warm socks.
Katharine Ashe is the author of four historical romances, including her just released, When a Scot Loves a Lady, the first in her new Falcon Club series. You can discover more about Katharine and her books at her website. Katharine can also be found over on The Ballroom Blog, where she and her fellow Ballroom gang spill Regency gossip about the dashing ladies and lords found in their books.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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February 27, 2012
The Inside Joke
I have a confession to make. I put inside jokes in all my books. I can't help myself. They amuse me. I am writing along and I put them in and then I spend a few minutes doing the "Do I? or Don't I?" back and forth.
And they usually always end up in the final book. I realized I have always done this as I was rereading and cleaning up my first three books ( Brazen Angel, Brazen Heiress and Brazen Temptress) for their digital re-release. I was reading Brazen Angel and came to the following lines, where my plucky heroine, Sophia is admiring a sword that one of her mark's owns. Lord Selmar makes the mistake of offering it to her to hold and admire.
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Sophia didn't need any urging. She slipped her hand into the hilt. To her surprise she found it fit. Balanced and deceptively lightweight, the blade molded to her grip as if it had been made for her. She twisted her arm back and forth, the sword moving gracefully like an extension of her arm.
Selmar grinned. "I thought you would find that amusing. It was made for a lady. A pirate of some note."
"A pirate's blade," Sophia repeated. She knew the rumors well enough to know better than to provoke Selmar, but she didn't have all night to view his collections. She had business to finish.
"Is it sharp?" she asked, eyeing the edge.
"Very," he cautioned. "I keep all the blades in my collection well-honed. Best you hand it back to me."
"Not just yet." She stepped back, pointing the deadly weapon at his chest.
Now this scene is to most anyone else, just another scene where the Brazen Angel is robbing another aristocratic, but not to me. Or my critique group. When I wrote this scene and brought it to my critique group at the time, they howled with laughter because they caught the joke.
You see, the first book I ever wrote (and which currently lives under my stairs) was a Restoration set swashbuckler, The Spanish Blade. Are you starting to see the joke? Yes, the sword Sophia is about to steal is my original Spanish Blade.
The joke still makes me smile.
Now something to make you smile that it is Monday. A blog contest. Over the next ten weeks, I'll be giving away prize packets of author swag as well as a signed book from the always wonderful, Julia Quinn. And I'll throw in an autographed copy of one of my books. That makes me smile and I hope it does you.
To enter:
1) Leave a comment below and let me know if you'd like to hear about more about the inside jokes from my books.
and/or
2) Tweet the following: Get the inside joke from @ElizBoyle's Brazen Angel & enter to win a signed book by Julia Quinn! No Joke! http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=2022
Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, March 3rd to get your entries in.
Make sure to check back here Monday, March 5th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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February 23, 2012
Five Things About Maya Rodale
I've known Maya for many years–have loved her books since her first one–and finally got a chance to meet her in person last summer. It was, no surprise, a delight. And now I want to share her with you and make sure you are reading her books. So with no further fanfare ('cause she needs very little), may I present, Five Things about Maya Rodale:
1. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been? Tanzania. The husband and I traveled there on our honeymoon, staying in a gorgeous, remote tented camp. The scenery and wildlife are just stunning. The whole experience was part of the inspiration behind the adventurous hero of The Tattooed Duke. It's impossible to explain how amazing it was, so I'm including a picture instead.
2. Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what you do? Absolutely! I treat myself to a hair cut, mani-pedi and night out to celebrate. But then it's back to catching up on everything else I ignored while on deadline: bills, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. Goodbye 1820, hello again 2012.
3. If you were not writing, what job would you have? Let's just say that I am like Monica from Friends when it comes to cleaning and organizing. I LOVE IT. So if I wasn't writing, I'd probably start my own business de-cluttering and organizing other people's stuff. Just me and my label maker and frequent trips to The Container Store. Joy.
4. Most embarrassing song on your iPod. Oh goodness, just one?! So as not to insult any artists or anyone's musical tastes, I'll say it's my own recordings that are probably the most embarrassing—especially as a few were recorded with a friend and bottle of wine. It's a good thing I switched my career path from rock star to romance writer.
5. Print or ebook? I confess: I am now a fairly devoted e-reader. I love the ease, convenience and lightness of it. Since I live in an NYC apartment with another very avid reader, it's also a matter of space at this point—we just don't have room for more books!
Maya Rodale is the author of numerous historical romance novels. She lives in New York City with a rogue of her own and their dog, Penelope. You can find her on the web at www.mayarodale.com, on Facebook and on Twitter. Her latest release, The Tattooed Duke, is available for order now and releases next Tuesday, February 28th.
©2012 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.
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