Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 77

Guest Interview - Susan Andersen

Thanks Susan for visiting with us today! We look forward to learning more about you!

Susan Andersen writes contemporary romance with touch of suspense and comedy to keep things interesting.

Her books have garnered two Reviewers Choice Awards from Romantic Times Bookclub magazine, spent many weeks on the USAToday and the New York Times extended bestseller lists, and have twice been included in RWA's Top Ten Favorite Books Of The Year.

She's a native of the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and "The Boys"--her cats Boo and Mojo.



1. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing? I have several fave things. I like walking with my brothers and (on Wednesdays) with my friend Joey. Love hanging with my husband, son and friends—and Girls Nights with my BFF. Enjoy seeing stage plays with girlfriends. I always adore reading and enjoy catching up on a few shows on TV. And I love to dance.



2. What books are sitting in your TBR pile right now? What book are you currently reading?

My TBR pile has gotten crazy out of hand, so there are too many to list. But a few I'm particularly excited to read are Susan Sey's Money Shot, Julie Anne Long's I Kissed An Earl, Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches, Robyn Carr's Angle Peak (I discovered her late and am happily making my way through her back list) and Suzanne Brockmann's Breaking The Rules.

I'm currently reading a ms for a quote but have barely gotten into it—I mean, I've literally just started it, so I don't have a clue yet if I'll love it or not. I hope so, as I adore discovering new (to me) writers.



3. Please, share something you found most interesting or fun that you did to research for a book.

I based my plotline for Dirty around the idea of inserting Cade back into Ava's life through a documentary he was making about the mansion she and BFFs Poppy and Jane had inherited from Agnes Wolcott--their eccentric benefactress and friend--and the old mystery surrounding the murder of Agnes' man of business and theft of the Wolcott Suite of diamonds back in the 80s. It wasn't until I started writing the book that I realized, hel-lo--I know nothing about that industry. My favorite research is talking to people in the industry I'm writing about, as they give the best information. I'll go to library or Internet research in a pinch. But in this instance I knew no one and didn't find much about how to make a documentary (at least not on a professional level) through my usual channels.

I was just thinking What have I gotten myself into when I remembered Virginia Bogert. Virginia was the wife of my husband's boss at a company where the soul mate worked about 20 years ago. At the time she was a production coordinator for a local Seattle movie company and she and I hit it off at company get togethers. We'd long lost touch but I took a chance and called the old number I had for her. I left a message that basically said, "I'm sure you don't remember me but". . .and laid out my hope that she might know a documentary producer in the area I could interview. She left me a message (thank God for message machines) saying she did remember me and as it happened she was now a documentary producer. Now fortuitous was that? We got together and she gave me the best information! She told me stuff that shaped several scenes and she was generous beyond belief in my many follow up inquiries.

Sometimes karma is actually kind.

4. How did you come up with names - or - setting - or - character occupations - or - plot, etc. for Playing Dirty?



The setting for the entire Sisterhood Diaries Trilogy (Cutting Loose, Bending The Rules and Playing Dirty) was so fun for me, because I brought it on home. I'm a Seattle woman, born and raised, and I had a blast setting these books in my home town. Seattle is a city of neighborhoods, each of which has its own flavor and eccentricities, and I got the opportunity to showcase a small portion of them.

The occupations were also fun to do as all three heroines were creative in their own way. Jane is the more buttoned up of the three, but as a junior curator at the fictitious Metropolitan, which I loosely fashioned after the Seattle Art Museum, she expresses her inner creative bent through the exhibits she puts son. Poppy is a child of former hippies and the true artist of the three, but her real passion is bringing art to disadvantaged kids. And Ava is a personal concierge. She likes taking care of people, loves making their lives easier. I got a great deal of pleasure out of exploring all three occupations.



5. Action adventure or romantic comedy? What is your favorite movie lately?

I very rarely get to the movies, but two I am dying to see are The Help (loved the book) and Hysteria, because it looks, well, hysterical.

Humpday Hottie!

Sigh! Just a little mid-week pick me up! Enjoy!

Contest Prizes for this Week's Give Away!

Prizes for this week's blog give away! I'm giving away two books a day from blog comments. Weekly winners will be posted on Sunday.
Monday:For Duty's SakeLucy MonroeANDThe River DevilDiane Whiteside
Tuesday:Ready (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDSouthern ExposureKaren Kelley
Wednesday:Desert Sheikh's Innocent Queen (includes a re-release of Hired:The Sheikh's Secretary Mistress)Lucy MonroeANDNaked TruthAllison Kent

Thursday:Willing (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDThe Southern DevilDiane Whiteside
Friday:Deal With This (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDWho Wants to be a Sexy Goddess?Gemma Bruce

Saturday:And Able (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDOut of ControlShannon Mckenna

Writing Better...Lessons we can learn from books that annoy us.

Artist: Henry (O'Hare) Clive
I was going to title this blog, pet peeves, but realized that's way too negative.  Not my thing.


Instead, I got to thinking, why not do a series on writing since a lot of my blog visitors are authors as well as readers?  Where do the pet peeves come in you may ask?  Well, nowhere, 'cuz honestly I don't want to focus on what we don't like.  But some books that are otherwise wonderful can be really annoying and usually there is a "craft of writing" reason why.  I didn't use to think so, but I'm such an analyzer, I've come to see a whole lot of patterns.


So, once a month?  Articles on the craft of what I love to do.


And trust me, I'm not immune to my own analysis.  In fact, the whole reason I decided to write this series of posts/articles is that every time I recognize this pattern, I go looking for it in my own books in an attempt to improve my own writing.




From Chemistryland
This time, I'm going to focus on the "Character Revelation."  It's this amazing moment when you are writing and your character reveals something about her or himself that you didn't know before, but makes so much sense and makes elements of the story work even better.  I adore this moment and practically do the party dance around my office when it happens.  It's like a major case of "Eureka!" and other cool idioms like that to evince happy shock.


The downside?  When the author does not go back to the beginning of the book with her editing pencil to make sure that new revelation is reflected in the character's reactions, dialogue and relationships.  I'll be reading happily along and suddenly, I'm witnessing the author's moment of "Eureka!" only I shouldn't be.  I shouldn't know this is the moment she realized this particular thing about this character because the rest of the book should fit, but it doesn't.


And not to put too fine a point on it, but I want to tear my hair out and toss what otherwise could have ended up being a favorite book.


I may have jarred my readers a time or two with this one - without realizing as I'm sure most of us do.  But several years ago, Debbie Macomber gave me a piece of advice about revisions.  She said that when making revisions for an editor, it was best to do a whole book edit, rather than focus on only the area needing the change.  I've tried to apply that to my own edits as well and my "character revelations".  It makes for a more cohesive book, I think. :)


But deadlines put time constraints on us all and we can't always do the whole book revision - just, please...if your character gives you a revelation, don't let me tell from reading the book the moment it came to you. :)


Hugs and happy reading and writing!
Lucy


This week's question for discussion:  what's the newest book in your TBR pile (folder)? What's the oldest and why is it still there?

Contest Winners!

Congratulations to the following people for winning this week's contest! Please be sure to Email me! with your name and mailing information so you can get your prizes!



Monday:  Booklover1335Tuesday:  LornaWednesday:  krisgils33Thursday:  LeniFriday:  MarieeSaturday:  Anne
Please Note: Although Lucy is happy to ship internationally, there have been some customs issues in Africa and Asia, therefore she would like to offer winners in those locations a free ebook. Please provide your email and we will send you a pdf. file.

For Duty't Sake - read an excerpt!

For Duty's SakeMass Market PaperbackHarlequin Presents #2993 - June 2011ISBN - 10:0373129939 ISBN -13: 978-0373129935

Angele has longed for her betrothal to Crown Prince Zahir to be consummated within wedlock. She naively hoped her promised husband would wait for her, as she would him—but compromising paparazzi photos have dashed those youthful dreams....

She cannot become Zahir's wife out of duty and endure a loveless union; she must let him go free...but on one condition. Without taking Angele's hand in marriage, will the proud sheikh agree to give her the wedding night she has long dreamed of?



Buy: Borders ~ B&N ~ Chapters ~ Books-a-Million ~ Amazon

Read an excerpt below:

Angele slid around the partially opened door to Zahir's office. He had disappeared from the wedding feast and she'd known she would find him here.

"Shirking your duty, Prince Zahir?" Her arms crossed over the sweetheart neckline of her short-short Juicy Couture original. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What would your father say?"

The room was very much like Zahir, masculine, rich and imposing. And yet there was something in the artwork and the old world furnishings that reflected more, something special — an appreciation for beauty that she knew few were aware of.

But while Zahir didn't pay her any particular attention, she had watched him closely and probably knew more about the real man than most. She still wondered at her ignorance of the secret revealed short months ago.

She'd decided it was willful blindness on her part, but that had not made her feel any better. Only mind-numbingly stupid.

She was a twenty-three year old virgin with no prospects and she knew she was to blame for that fact and no one else. She had clung to hopes and fairytales that never came true in the real world. Her parents' marriage should have made her realize that.

Zahir looked up from some papers on his desk, his grey eyes widening a fraction at the sight of her. He quickly stood to his full, imposing six-feet, four-inches. He wore the traditional robes and head covering of a crown sheikh over a tailored Armani suit that did nothing but make him look mouth-wateringly attractive to her.

Not that he was even remotely aware of the effect he had on her. She would have to be on his radar as an actual woman for that to happen.

Click here to read more of Chapter 1

A Review & a Recommended Read

Did you know that For Duty's Sake got 4 stars from RT Book Club?  I didn't.  The review was released right around everything with Mom and it completely passed me by, so it was kind of nice to find it online later. :)


I know that reader reaction was similar to that for The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress ...either readers "got it" and loved the story or they so didn't.  I'm kinda glad I didn't know that when all the discussion was happening, but getting a strong response is a good thing because it means readers are reacting to the passion with which I write more stories.


This love story is sure to please, and the "wedding night" is super hot! ~ 4 Stars, RT Book Reviews


And my recommended read?  A new Brava author from Down Under, Bronwen Evans saw her first historical release, Invitation to Ruin , in February.  



Invitation to Ruin 
by Bronwen EvansKensington Brava
One Good Lady is About to Go Bad...
The only thing Miss Melissa Goodly has ever wanted out of a marriage is love. But any hope of that dissolves one wild night, when she loses herself in the arms of the most irresistible-and unobtainable-man in all of England. For when they are discovered in a position as compromising as it is pleasurable, she has no choice but to accept his proposal.
Avowed bachelor Anthony Craven, Earl of Wickham, never meant to seduce an innocent like Melissa. Yet now that the damage is done, it does seem like she'd make a very convenient wife. After all, she is so naive he won't have to worry about ever being tempted. Or so he thinks, until the vows are spoken and they are left alone-and his new bride reveals a streak just as brazen and unrestrained as his own... 
Read an excerpt ~ Buy the Book

Humpday Hottie!

Sexy and Intelligent? What more can a girl ask for?

Contest Prizes for this Week's Give Away!

Prizes for this week's blog give away! I'm giving away two books a day from blog comments. Weekly winners will be posted on Sunday.
Monday:[image error]Willing (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDImmortal Bad BoysRosemary Laurey, Karen Kelley, Dianne Castell

Tuesday:The Greeks' Bought Brides (includes re-release of Bought: The Greek's Bride)Lucy Monroe
ANDKisses Like A DevilDiane Whiteside

Wednesday:And Able (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDNot Just For TonightSusan Johnson, Katherine O'neal, Diane Whiteside

Thursday:Deal With ThisLucy MonroeANDReturn to MeShannon Mckenna

Friday:Moon BurningLucy MonroeANDThe Perfect StrangerAllison Kent

Saturday:Ready (Mass Market)Lucy MonroeANDSun, Sand, SexLinda Lael Miller, Jennifer Apodaca, Shelly Laurenston

Stuff We Do to Make a Difference

I've always believed in the "power of one".  My mom taught us that we could make a difference if we chose to - being one more body at a rally for something we believed in, voting with one voice that could tip the scales, reaching out to someone in need, giving even $1 to a cause we can get behind, sponsoring one child through World Vision, or the like...we can make a difference.  Mom's gone now, but her legacy of giving is still alive and strong.


September is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and with close family members and friends that are breast cancer survivors, I want to do my part to raise awareness and fight breast cancer.  


I hope you'll join me and my team!A Passion for the CureSponsored by Lucy Monroe LLC

This September 18, 2011, we will join more than 40,000 runners, walkers and volunteers for the 20th Annual Komen Portland Race for the Cure. As one person in a crowd of thousands, I am accepting a challenge to make a difference.

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. When I stop to think of the friends, aunts, neighbors, mothers and grandmothers in my life, I can easily think of eight women. And I do not want to see a single one suffer from this terrible disease.

I want to make a difference for our children, so they may have the promise of a full life.
It's clear that Komen has made a difference in the last 20 years. 20 years ago, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer diagnosed at its earliest stage was 74%. Now we celebrate that it is 98%. But, until no one fears a diagnosis of breast cancer, we still have a lot of work to do.
For the first 100 people that join my team (hey...if you don't live locally, or can't make the race, you can SLEEP IN for thecure...really) and/or donate (suggested gift - $20 or more), I will personally donate $10 to the Race for the Cure and *send you a signed copy of one of my books (title TBD by my admin).
*To receive a signed copy of one of my books, email your name and address to my admin  after  joining the team and/or making your donation at the above link(s).


It's your turn: let's share some positive stuff and do our best to live by Mom's motto of making a difference once person at a time.  What is your favorite charity or cause to support?  If you've got a link, share it so others can join you. :)