Elizabeth Boyle's Blog, page 30

Five Things about Niki Burnham

I've known Niki Burnham for a long time. I'm not going to say how long–but its been long enough that I can call her one of my dearest friends and best writing buddies. We've spoken on panels, collaborated on goals, traveled abroad together, and she's one of my fav friends to hit a baseball game with.

Niki is a solid, go-to friend who is also a dang good writer. While I miss her adult contemporaries (The Knight's Kiss, anyone?), her YAs are awesome. Just ask all her teenaged fans who LOVE her books.

So while I could have probably filled this out for her (save the answer to Number 1–I mean, you think you know a person and then they confess THAT!), I give you Niki Burnham. Ah, the power of Five Things:

1. Did you have a nickname growing up?

Pumpkinhead. The name did not serve as a boy magnet, which was perhaps intentional on the part of my parents.

2. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been?
Rome. People seem to love it or hate it, but I'm firmly in the love it camp. I like the people, the mix of old and new, the decadent food and wine, the museums, the twisting passageways, the fact you can watch kids playing soccer games in the streets using open doorways as a goal at the same time someone serves you a fantastic meal at a candlelit table…I could go on and on. There's so much history to the city, I feel I can never fully experience it all. It's not a bad spot for gelato, either.
3. If you could go on a date with any superhero, who would you choose and why?
Batman. He may not be the sexiest superhero (I'm looking your way, Spidey), but I'm fascinated by the fact that–despite being a superhero–he has no superpowers. He can't fly, doesn't wield a magic hammer, can't speak to animals or make himself invisible. Every tool in his crime-fighting arsenal is something he built (or Alfred built) and he's compelled to use his wits to survive.
4. Most embarrassing song on your iPod:
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (though Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby is a close second.)
5. If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring?

Sunscreen (because I am beyond pale)
Sunglasses
An ereader (loaded with as many books as it could fit)
A good knife
The most durable swimsuit I could find.
If I could bring a sixth item, it'd have to be a tube of Medicated ChapStick. It's the duct tape of the cosmetic world.

Niki Burnham's most recent YA release is Shot Through the Heart, a perfect title for that hard to buy for teenaged reader. Learn more about Niki at her website, www.nikiburnham.com

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Starting off Right

I have nothing pithy to say this morning. I spent all weekend buried in revisions for Along Came a Duke. (Before you ask, it is coming out the end of May.) I will say the changes my wonderful editor asked for were rather minimal, but you still have to go through a story with a fine tooth comb before the copy editor gets her hands on it.

(Insert the boo-hiss here.)

Poor copy editors. They are much maligned and so very necessary, but they are the bane of a writer's life. So I like to make sure there is hardly anything for them to do.

So as such, I am out of words this morning and want to giveaway last week's box of books without too much ado.

And the winner is: Cassie M. who left comment #41. Cassie, please contact me with your name and address and I will ship your box off to you.

With the holiday next week, I am holding off any more giveaways until after Thanksgiving. I don't want anyone to miss out on winning because they are out of town or away from their computer. But keep reading this week and next as I share some of my "Cooking Thanksgiving" tips, as well as two wonderful authors who have agreed to spill Five Things.

Are you cooking this year? What are your favorite things to make? Or better, eat?

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Five Things about Eileen Dreyer

Eileen Dreyer, who has also written as Kathleen Korbel, and I have bumped into each other for years. At teas and conferences and always take the chance to catch up on our shared love of travel, Ireland and Broadways shows. So I knew if you didn't know Eileen yet, you needed to meet her. She's in one word a "hoot!" Here are Five Things about Eileen Dreyer:

1. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been
Wow. So many in the world, but I'd have to say Venice. I've dreamed of going there my whole life, and we were lucky enough to stay at a Palazzo built in the mid 1400s with a balcony over the Canereggio Canal. I could have sat there all day watching the gondolas, the sunlight washing the wedding cake houses, the ever-changing water and sky, listening to the church bells and music, the water lapping against the pilings and the chatter in the narrow streets and bridges. I ate pasta out in small piazzas and bought a shameful amount of beautiful scarves, Murano glass, and ceramics. I wandered everywhere, and lit candles at every church I could find(and that was a lot). And then at the end of the evening, we retired to our balcony to watch the moon gleam off the water, and listen to the church bells. When I think of Italy, I think of church bells. They were like a symphony of joy.
2. Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what you do?
I celebrate the end of a deadline by reading every book and watching every movie I've saved up during deadline. Then I do my ritual office-cleaning of all of the research, notes, candy wrappers, empty cups and various trash that's gathered in my office during deadline. Then my critique partner Karyn Witmer and I go out to lunch. Very satisfying.
3. If you were not writing, what job would you have?
I would actually go back to either being a trauma nurse, or become a death investigator. I'm fascinated by forensics. What would I wish I could do? Specialized travel agent for individual trips off the beaten track (after my answer to 1, I'm sure it's no surprise). For instance, instead of staying in Florence, Italy, we stayed in Sienna and took the train over. Sienna is smaller, cheaper, and to me, far more intimate, a walled medieval city that just reeks of charm. We never stay at chain hotels, or go on big tours. In India I found a place to stay at the Ranthambhore Tiger Sanctuary that had luxury tents for rooms. Incredibly cool. I love it when I find a great deal in an interesting place. (You can follow my travels on my website, where I have a Travel for Fun page).
4. If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring.

Ipod

Ipad

Generator….do I need anything else?

Probably sunscreen or a hat, but that's boring.

My husband and a Swiss army knife(he says you can do anything with a Swiss army knife).



5. Print or ebook?
Print. I'm probably getting something like a Nook for long airplane rides, but when I can, I love the feel, smell and romance of a book. Some of my earliest memories are walking into a library, and there is just a smell that makes me excited and anxious, as if magic is hiding around the corner. I'm page bender, for the places I want to go back to, and an underliner for great lines or research information (I just finished Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier about women who were early amateur paleontologists, and I've marked it up to point to more research on the subject, since I have a character in an upcoming book who is a fossil hunter). There's also just something about a book, a glass of wine and a hot bath that makes my life better.

EB: That combination will make anyone's life better!

Looking for a great read to curl up in the tub with? Try Eileen's new book, Always a Temptress, available now. To discover more about Eileen Dryer, her travels/adventures and her wonderful books, visit her site, www.EileenDreyer.com

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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How Would You Answer This?

So I've got a brand new round of Five Things in motion–lots of new authors dropping by on Thursdays to spill five things you might not know about them. I came up with the questions after I polled you all a while back and asked you: what questions would you ask future authors. You can find that post here.

And thus was born a brand spanking new list of questions that I send authors and ask them to answer five of them, their choice. What are the questions that I picked up from your comments and now ask them to choose from?

Did you have a nickname growing up?

Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been?

Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what you do?

What new authors have you recently added to your TBR pile?

If you could go on a date with any superhero, who would you choose and why?

What blogs do you visit?

If you were not writing, what job would you have?

Most embarrassing song on your iPod.

If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring.

Print or ebook?

You all came up with some awesome questions. And I am not even done using them. Have a list of about 30 from your posts and will cycle them through over the next year.

So to say thanks and this being Monday, let's make things fun. Up for grabs? One lucky poster will win a box of books–including an autographed book from Julia Quinn!– and lots of fun goodies.

To enter:

1) Leave a comment below and answer one or up to five of these questions.

and/or

2) Tweet the following: @ElizBoyle hopes one of you can take home this box of books. http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=1660

Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, November 12th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday November 14th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.

Last weeks winner? Sara M, aka commenter #35, you have until November 14th to contact me with your name and address. Otherwise, your prize will go back into the prize closet.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Five Things about Lauren Willig

I've enjoyed Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series for years, so I was a little starstruck to meet her this summer in New York and all-too-thrilled that she wanted to be a part of Five Things. So without further ado, Five Things About Lauren Willig:

1. Did you have a nickname growing up?
In college, one of my best guy friends used to call me "Emma", because of my tendency to meddle (constructively!) in peoples' love lives. Well, at least it was mostly constructive. Some of my best match-making has been done by misdirection. I had a particular talent for accidentally setting people up with their future spouses while trying to set them up with someone else.

I'd say this was great training for writing romantic fiction. I play the same "will they work? Won't they work?" game of trial and error with my characters. The only difference? In this scenario, I get to craft both sides of the dialogue.
2. Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been?
Okay, I know this is going to sound counter intuitive, but… Wales. I went on vacation to Wales this past summer. The general reaction of most of the hoteliers and restaurant staff we encountered was "Really? You came here for fun?" Yes, yes, we did. And I loved it. Wales was gorgeous: crumbling old castles, amazing natural scenery, an absurdity of photogenic sheep dotting the fields. My favorite spot was a cliff in Snowdonia with heather turning the hills purple all around and a river and an old abbey lying way down below.
3. Do you celebrate when you finish a book and what you do?
Er, sleep? While I write my books, I print them out chapter by chapter, keeping the growing pile of pages on my ancient Walmart kitchen cart so I can actually see my progress as I go. It's one thing to know, intellectually, that you're up to three hundred pages; it's another thing to actually see that pile and think, wow, that's a lot of paper! Even better, once I've finished the book and send it off to my editor, I take the whole huge, unwieldy pile of paper and dump it with a great big whump into my recycling bin. There's nothing more satisfying than that whumping noise. To me, that's the feeling of DONE. Not to mention that there's then an empty spot on my kitchen cart which needs to be filled with a new proto-page pile….
4. What new authors have you recently added to your TBR pile?
My TBR pile has grown exponentially recently, thanks to a Friday feature on my website called Weekly Reading Round-Up, where my readers pop in and talk about what they're reading. Through them, I found Rhys Bowen's Lady Georgiana mystery series and Kate Morton's compelling historical novels. Also recently added to my TBR pile via Weekly Reading Round-Up is A Brief History of Montmaray, which I've been assured is just like I Capture the Castle. I also have Loretta Chase's Silk is for Seduction, which I've been using as a personal bribe. I don't get to read it until I finish my latest manuscript.
EB: Great! Now my TBR is overflowing.

5. If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring.

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A supersized tube of SPF 85 sunscreen—I burn just by being in the vicinity of sunshine. We're talking full-on lobster red. My skin doesn't seem to have grasped the concept of "tan", although it has "burn", "peel", and "freckle" down to an art.

An ipod, programmed by my little sister—she's a genius at mixing peppy 80's music, mellow girl music like Vienna Tang and the Weepies, folk music of the Judy Collins persuasion, and Broadway tracks. Perfect for a week (or several weeks) at the beach.

A kindle with lots and lots of books! (Is that cheating?)

A copy of Gone With the Wind, since I can re-read that an infinite number of times.

My netbook (or, if there's no power, lots of notebooks), for working on a new novel….

This week saw the paperback release of The Mischief of the Mistletoe, which by the way, won the 2011 RITA for Best Regency Historical Romance. To learn more about Lauren and her wonderful Pink Carnation series, visit her website:

www.laurenwillig.com.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Blog Monday Drawings are Back!

While at the Emerald City Writer's Conference Booksigning (Good heavens! Is that a mouthful or what?) I conned my friend Shannon McKelden into going around for me and buying books. I was trapped signing but she wasn't signing this year, so I gave her my parameters: books my blog readers would love, and sent her on her merry way.

I am happy to report, she came through for you in perfect form!

I have books. A big fat bag of autographed books to give away. Plus I have some great Avon bookbags to add to the stash. And bookbags from Chapters that I got up in Canada. Plus I got a huge bag of goodies/swag at the conference. Which all makes for a very full prize closet. I'm guessing a good four weeks worth of drawings. So get ready to play.

This week's drawing (in honor of Halloween!) is for a Chapters bookbag of paranormal books and swag! At least one of the books is autographed, and there is a bunch of cool bookmarks and goodies from all kinds of spooky authors.

This is how you enter for a chance to win:

1) Leave a comment below and tell me what is your favorite Halloween candy. If you are reading this on Facebook, you can only enter at my actual blog. http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=1642. Facebook does not allow contests via their site.

and/or

2) Tweet the following: @ElizBoyle hopes one of you can take home this box of spooky books. http://elizabethboyle.com/blog/?p=1642

Do both and you are entered twice! I'll give you all until midnight, PT, Saturday, November 5th to get your entries in.

Make sure to check back here Monday November 7th to find out if you won. You'll have a week to claim your prize.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Five Things about Elizabeth Hoyt

Last April at RT, I finally truly met Elizabeth Hoyt. She will tease me about this, but I know we had met before, but I had an actual chance to get to know her–mostly because I was pea-green with envy over the wonderful promo pieces she had done for her wonderful Maiden Lane series. (Which I gave away here all last spring!)

Probably because I fawned enough at RT, I was able, all these months later, to lure her over to my blog to let all of you know Five Things about Elizabeth Hoyt:

1) Did you have a nickname growing up?

Pookie. Yes, really. Apparently I threw a fit at the age of three and a half over this unfortunate nickname and demanded to be called "'Liz-a-beff." So don't go trying to call me Pookie now!

EB: As a fellow Elizabeth, where the nicknames are endless, be thankful you didn't grow up with my "Elizabeth" nickname. Which will not be mentioned.

2) Where is the most beautiful/romantic place you've ever been?

I once stood on Hadrian's Wall and watched a red pony gallop across a misty blue-green field.

3) Most embarrassing song on your iPod?

Dude! This is a toss-up as according to my Offspring most of the songs on my iPod are embarrassing. You've got a choice of Meatloaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" (which I play when writing sad love scenes) Wings' "Live and Let Die" (good for action scenes) and the Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men"—no explanation necessary.

4) If you were going to an island for a long time, name 5 things you would bring?

My iPad (loaded with books!)
Some kind of battery to charge the darn iPad
Coffee
Canned evaporated milk for the coffee
And a dog

5) Print or ebook?

Ebook so I can enlarge the print. Also it's great for reading in bed after Mr. Hoyt turns off the light.

Have you read Elizabeth Hoyt's brand new book, Scandalous Desires? It is on sale now and sure to become your new favorite to load onto your ereader for that trip to the deserted island. To find out more about Elizabeth, please visit her website, www.elizabethhoyt.com.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Best Conference Evah!

When you go to a conference, in my case, The Surrey International Writers' Conference, you never expect to arrive and have to undergo four security checks by RCMP just to get into the hotel, dodge past a couple hundred protesters, as well as having been pre-screened by the Secret Service.

View from inside the hotel. Once I got inside.

Nothing like a friendly, "Welcome to Canada" arrival with the hotel surrounded by RCMP.

All because former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are speaking at the conference hotel that day for a separate economic meeting. And even with all this security you discover a few days later, one attendee arrived with an ax in a garbage bag and blithely walked into the hotel with it. But that is an entirely different story.

Meanwhile, as I settled in, protesters took over an intersection:

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The lively view from my room.

Aside from all the hullabaloo that welcomed me, I have to say this was the best conference, evah. Truly. I had so much fun. Met so many truly interesting and talented writers (Ivan Coyote, Micheal Slade (here-forthwith known as, Man with an Axe), Eileen Cook, Susanna Kearsley, Margaret George (Yes, I got to meet Margaret George!) and Anne Perry, whose opening address was in a word: breathtaking.)

Had a total fangirl moment with Margaret George, where I was gushing over how much I loved the Autobiography of King Henry the VIIth to several other writers, only to discover Margaret George was standing right beside me. I was completely embarrassed and in total awe. I read that book when I was like 20 and was mesmerized by it. I recently reread it and it still, 20 some years later, her writing holds the same power.

What is it about Canadians and sharp, deadly objects?

The amazing part of the Surrey International Writers' Conference is the tremendous draw it possesses. Writers of all genres, bloggers, poets, artists, wordsmiths, humorists, you name it, you will find them. And you will find inspiration in their love of words. A deep abiding love of the power of writing. It was like stumbling upon a big family reunion wherein everyone spoke that unique language that whispers to you. As a writer, you spend so much time alone writing you forget that others hear those words as well. But here, the language of storytelling was alive and well.

Loved it.

My advice: If you love writing, go next year for their 20th anniversary conference. And if you go and you meet a wild crew of women from Calgary, hang with those chicks. They are too much fun.

And then sit next to Mary Robinette Kowal, and ask her about Sting. Or about Sleeping Beauty. Either story is wonderful. Or do what I did, download her book, Shades of Milk and Honey.

RCMP. Hero material if ever there was one.

And yes, I did bid on a Mountie. At least I tried to bid on one. But that again, is another story.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Too Much!

I cannot believe how swamped I am. I finished my book, for goodness sakes, I should have a life. But ever since I hit the send button I have been in frantic catch up mode.

'Cept with this blog. And since I am off to the Surrey International Writer's conference in Surrey, BC (I think it sounds so cool to be able to say, "I am going out of the country," even if it is only two hours north of my house). I am not making any promises that I won't go all fan girl on Elizabeth George–whose writing I have admired for years. And I always love hearing what Donald Maass has to say. And I am going to sneak in and listen to what Bob Mayer because everyone says his workshops are incredible.

I hardly ever get to "go" to a conference and since writing is a craft, I never turn down an opportunity to refine my own–that and I just love learning–especially when it comes from writers I truly admire and respect.

And then I have to speak, which is probably why I've been so frantic. I have to give two talks, sit on a panel, and take part in Blue Pencil chats. Have no idea what those are, but as long as we don't have to pick sides and use hockey sticks, I'm game!

Will try to post pics over on Facebook and will be making reports all weekend long via Twitter. 'Cause I am totally addicted and it is like having a gossipy BFF at your side 24/7. Have a great week and a fun weekend.

E the Adventure Bound.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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We Interrupt This Blog

Yes, yes, I've been a wee bit slow in posting. Only because I am trying to get my book done and it is consuming all my time. All My Time. But I had a quick few minutes between shuffling kids to school, so I thought I would remind folks that I have several Events coming up in the next few weeks.

[image error]I'll be in Surrey, British Columbia, up in Canada in two weeks and then at the Emerald City Writer's Conference (Bellevue, Washington) the last weekend of the month. Both conferences have booksignings that are open to the public and the details for all this including links are on my Events page.

And 2012 is shaping up to be the year of the travel. Just don't tell my husband. I am hoping to get at least three,

[image error] four months in before he notices I am jetting off every single month. I'm coming to Los Angeles in February, Philidelphia in March, Hawaii and Baltimore in April, Denver in June, and Anaheim in July. Then I might take a breath and stay home for a bit. You know, and do that writing thing. Okay, don't tell my husband OR my editor.

Speaking of which, I need to get kids on bus and me back here and finishing up Along Came a Duke. I left my heroine in a bit of a spot and need to nudge the hero to go save her.

So where else am I missing in my travels? Shout out your "Elizabeth, you should come visit ___________!" spot.

©2011 Elizabeth Boyle Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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