C. Margery Kempe's Blog: Lady Smut, page 189

Rough Crossing

My galpal Miss Wendy and I tried to do the overnight B&B trip to Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. We got up early Tuesday to go get our tickets for the ferry and make arrangements. The woman at the ticket office said the crew were making a decision at 9. They decided not to go that day.

More timid folk would have decided then and there not to make a crossing in January.

Miss Wendy and I, however, were determined, so we went back yesterday and sure enough, the ferry would be sailing so we got our bus & ferry tickets, but decided not to do the whole B&B thing, which ended up being just as well. Remote islands in the Atlantic in January, it turns out, do not offer experiences conducive to relaxed enjoyment. Imagine our surprise.

We found ourselves back in Connemara on the bus, which took a bit longer than we had anticipated to get to the ferry terminal. Miss Wendy used to work at the Coast Guard Academy and has been on whaling trips and whatnot. My family used to have its own boat and I've been on ocean ferries before.

I have never been in water that wild! Miss Wendy said she understood now why Poseidon was the patron of horses as well as the sea as we plunged up and down in the waves. Arm rests have other uses than just resting arms, I discovered. I was trying not to think of things like The Poseidon Adventure and just roll with the waves. Even as I write this, I feel that strange sensation again. I didn't feel ill at all, just nervous.

Very very nervous.

It didn't help that all the islanders we met that day said, "Rough crossing?" and then proceeded to regale us with their own decisions not to take the ferry that week. The woman in the stone shop showed off her arm brace and said how she was supposed to go to her doctor on the mainland, "But I'll leave it until next week."

Our tour around the island brought us to seals (which I don't think either of us could make out) and lots of sea birds, which Miss Wendy found in her guide book (she's an avid bird watcher). The ruins of the 8th century monastery and its cemetery were quite lovely and picturesque, living history. You could easily see this rugged island as a terrific setting for a romance, so yes, I have ideas.

 

The beauties of Dun Aengus were considerable but there was a bit of a problem; as the woman in the heritage office told us, "Be careful by the cliffs." What she might have said was, "The opening to the ring fort creates a kind of wind tunnel that combined with gale force wind will knock you off your feet." We discovered that for ourselves. Some dramatic footage of the cliffs. I was pleased to have it featured on the official Aran Islands Facebook page.

The cafe where we warmed up before the hike up to the fort gave a lovely warm glow from the turf fire and the delicious food. The pub at the end of the tour proved a welcome sight as we tried to steel our resolve for the journey back. By the time we walked to the pier, the wind howled and the rain assaulted us. We got on board, but they warned us they were changing us to another boat. After about a quarter of an hour, we all decamped for the smaller, less swank ferry.

A few people had told us the journey back would be better, but coincidences added to our nerves. In the pub the telly showed a Raging Nature program on people dying in blizzards detailing how it feels to freeze to death and the woman sitting across the aisle from Wendy read a novel Dead Tomorrow! or something like that. I think we both blanched when one of the sailors, after staring out the fore window for a time intently, reached up to the row of life jackets hanging on a shelf above our heads. However, he was just retrieving his newspaper which he'd put up there. So we plunged on through the sea in the dark this time, rolling and pitching, rising to meet the waves and it was a bit better but still nerve-wracking, so we were glad to reach shore.

You can see all the Inishmore pictures at the end of the Ireland album. I think we're going to treat ourselves to a spa day today. I expect I may be back to visit the Aran Islands.

Critters Poll: still time to vote for me for best romance short DRAGGER ELLA; you can also vote for the lovely QoE's artwork as cover artist.

Filed under: C. Margery Kempe, courage, erotic romance, Girls Night Out, inspiration, Kit Marlowe, romance, Romantic Places, Warrior women, What inspires you?, Writer's Life

An Unexpected Visitor by Gerri Brousseau

Wow, it is 2012!  What happened to 2011?  Well, Happy New Year to you, my dear readers.  After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's time to take a deep breath and have a look at my goals for the coming year.  Deep sigh.  Ok, so … I haven't written a single word in a month.  What's up with that?  (Cheeks burning as deep feelings of shame and embarrassment flood me).  I find myself sitting now at the computer, looking at a blank screen.  And, I got nothin'!  When suddenely, an unexpected visitor arrives.  The dreaded doubt monster creeps up behind me and I feel the chill of his frosty breath upon my neck as he peers over my shoulder.  I can almost hear the rumble of his laughter as he stares at the blank screen on my laptop.  "You're joking … right?  You really think you're ever going to be a writer?"  He hisses in my ear.  "I am a writer … see … I'm writing.  Actual sentences are appearing on the screen," my mind screams in reply as my fingers rush across the keyboard.  Help!  I'm under attack and he seems larger than I remember him being last time I saw him.  Yes, here we are at the start of 2012 and after only a few short weeks of not writing, the dreaded doubt monster has taken up residence in my head.

I pace back and forth trying to come up with a viable plot line and characters that will make that story come to life.  Still nothin'.  The monster's laughter fills my head.  "I'll fix you, you … you Monster, you.  I'm going to submit one of my novels to a publisher."  I sneer at him as he rolls around on the floor, laughing his butt off.  As I press "Send" I glance in his direction and he's not laughing.  In fact, he looks smaller than I remember him being the last time I saw him.  Is that a flicker of fear in his eye?  Is the corner of his lip quivering … could he be … afraid?

As I press "Send" again, his laughter has diminished to a whimper and turns to silence.  The room is filled with the sound of computer keys clicking away as words appear in rapid fire across the screen.  Again, I press "Send" and when I turn in his direction, I find … he's gone.  He's taken his miserable self off to haunt someone else; someone who believes his every word and doesn't have the courage to hit "send" and submit their work to a publisher, agent or editor.

Now, where was I before that evil beast crept into my world?  Oh yes, 2012 goals.  Perhaps since I have submitted to five or six publishers in order to vanquish that dreaded doubt monster, I just might manage to get published!  Yes, I'm going to move forward as if I knew I could not fail.  Someone once told me, "Shoot for the moon.  If you don't make it to the moon, you will still land among the stars."  In my thinking, that's not such a bad place to be.

What are you shooting for in 2012?  What would you do if you knew you could not fail?  No worries … right?  Now all we have to worry about is whether or not those darn Mayan's are right about 12/21/12.

Filed under: romance

The 12th Day of Christmas with Laura Moore by Gerri Brousseau

Welcome to Nights of Passion.  We're so excited to have Laura Moore here with us today.

LM: Thank you, Gerri and hi, everyone! Happy New Year to you all! I hope you're enjoying the Twelve Days of Christmas as much as I am. It's a great time of year.

NOP:  Please tell our readers about the Rosewood Trilogy.

LM: You're hitting me with the tough questions already! I'm terrible at talking about my books in any kind of succinct fashion. Here's my best shot: The trilogy is about three sisters, Jordan, Margot and Jade Radcliffe, who grow up on a large horse farm in Virginia. After their parents' tragic deaths, they discover that their father's ruinous financial investments have left Rosewood teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. The sisters, who are all leading very different lives, have to come together to save the grand old estate, Rosewood and the family's horse breeding business, a heritage that none of them is willing to let go. Each sister has her own story and in it, she overcomes personal challenge and also has to find the courage within her heart to love.

That's the gist of it, but I think the books are much better than my attempts at back cover copy!

NOP:  What inspired you to write a trilogy?

LM: Lots of things, really. I think I knew when I started thinking about the first book, Remember Me, that this was going to be a bigger a bigger scale story than my previous single, stand-alone titles. I already knew enough about Margot and her sisters to recognize that they were characters who could develop in really interesting ways over the course of a number of years and I wanted to be able to give them that. I also liked the idea of weaving subplots into the trilogy that wouldn't necessarily be wrapped up neatly until the final book's end. I think I made a good decision because I really enjoyed writing about my three heroines—not only as strong women but as sisters, too. I also really loved introducing them to some great guys!

NOP:  "Remember Me," the first in your trilogy, has won many awards.  Would you share an excerpt from the book with our readers?

LM: I'm really pleased Remember Me has done so well with its readers. It being the first story in the first-ever trilogy I'd attempted, I was a bit nervous about how it would be received. I'd love to share a brief excerpt from Remember Me with you.

In this scene, my heroine Margot is eighteen and is a pretty confused and unhappy adolescent. Her family is hosting its annual party and so far events aren't proceeding well at all. She's already had another in a seemingly endless series of ugly confrontations with her father and stepmother, and she hasn't been able to find Travis Maher and dazzle him with her new sophisticated and sexy look. Other men are interested in her–her father's guests and the shaggy-haired photographer who told her she should give modeling a shot. But she couldn't care less what they think. The only man she desires is Travis…

She found Travis in the tack room, in the midst of cleaning a bridle with a damp sponge and an amber cake of glycerin soap, worn to a sliver from use. The dusty old boom box sitting on the worktable was playing Springsteen's "Born to Run." Travis's boot tapped the cement floor in rhythm. For a moment she hovered near the threshold looking at him. Just looking. His dark brown hair was in its customary stubby ponytail. Sometimes, when he was currying a horse, for instance, a thick lock would come loose of the rubber band and it would hang, an inky J against his cheek, until he tucked it absently behind his ear. Lord, he was so handsome. With his high, slanting cheekbones, deep- set gray eyes, and leanly muscled body, he was all thrilling, sexy, dangerous male. A real bad boy. Give him a Harley to straddle and he'd be Springsteen's song incarnate… except that, strangely enough, this bad boy had been born to ride horses. Stranger still and infinitely more frustrating, he seemed completely blind to the come- hither glances she'd recently been sending his way. But that was about to change.

She spoke, partly because she didn't want to be caught staring at him, but also because she wanted to gauge his reaction when he saw her. Had he ever seen her dressed like this?

"Hey, Travis." Margot was sure she detected a silver flash of surprise in his eyes. But any triumph was fleeting. Travis looked away, fixing his attention on the throat latch he was cleaning. She told herself that he was just being his usual self, cool and distant, like Clint Eastwood in those old Westerns, and that he wasn't truly more interested in a dirty strip of leather than in her.

She mustered an air of nonchalance. "Everyone's up at the house. The caterers are going to start serving dinner any minute. You haven't even changed yet." Privately she thought Travis in his dusty work boots, jeans, and faded Pearl Jam T-shirt was a million times better-looking than any other man. "What are you still doing here?"

He paused in the middle of soaping the sponge. "Funny you should ask, Princess. Recognize this bridle?" His left brow rose, a dark mocking line that underscored his question.

"It's Killarney's. The one you couldn't be bothered to clean. I already did your saddle."

Her gaze flew to the row of saddles on the wall. There on the rack with the small brass plate engraved with her initials was her saddle. Its leather gleamed. She flushed remembering how she hadn't even bothered to put away her tack after she'd cooled Killarney down, but merely propped the saddle and bridle outside the gelding's box stall. She'd been in a hurry, afraid she'd miss her appointment at the local beauty salon. She slipped her hands behind her back, hiding her brand- new manicure.

"You didn't have to do that. I'd have cleaned them tomorrow."

"Sure, you would." His tone was so bland Margot knew he didn't believe her. Once more she wished she hadn't played the role of Miss Fancy- Pants- Princess- of- the- Barn so often, except that those were the only times when she had Travis's full attention. He was so good at ignoring her.

Right now was a perfect example. He'd gone back to cleaning the bridle, as if he considered their conversation over. He was running the sponge over the braided reins. When she rode Killarney tomorrow the leather would feel soft and supple between her fingers.

Seconds ticked by.

What was wrong with her? Here she was, dressed, primped, and perfumed, and still Travis acted as though she were invisible. Did he truly find her so unappealing that he couldn't be bothered to check out her legs or her breasts?

Perhaps she was too far away. That must be it, she decided. Travis was hardly about to sweep her into his arms if she were on the other side of the tack room. At the click of her heels on the concrete floor, Travis went still, his hands curved around the metal mouth of the snaffle, his dark head lowered. She stared at his angled head in frustration. Why wouldn't he look up so he could see how her heart was pounding against the fabric of her dress? Why couldn't he see how much she cared?

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

LM: That's easy. I'm going to pick my hero and heroine from Trouble Me, the third book in the trilogy, which is due out on March 27, 1202—just around the corner and available for pre-order! Rob and Jade would spend Christmas with their extended family. On Christmas Eve they would attend the afternoon Christmas mass with all the younger generation. They'd sing carols at nightfall with Owen Gage (who is now the husband of Jordan, Jade's oldest sister) accompanying them on the baby grand piano. Afterwards, they'd check the horses in the barns and then sit down to a lovely and somewhat chaotic Christmas Eve dinner in the huge dining room at Rosewood. Once the little kids were put to bed, there'd be champagne and perhaps some last minute wrapping for everyone but Jordan (who's incredibly efficient) and then Jade and Rob would go off to celebrate in a more private manner.

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

LM: I'm going to pick Rob Cooper, the hero from Trouble Me for this question. I think I'd have Jade buy him a pair of suede chaps (no fringe). He's the only one in the family (make that clan) who has yet to take up riding but she knows that breeches and field boots aren't necessarily his style. Knowing Jade she won't be able to wait for him to model the chaps for her; she might get him to open that present on Christmas Eve.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

LM: Read, write, and find a good critique partner or group.

It's really important to read as much as you can in your genre so you know what other authors are doing, but I think you should also read as widely as possible. You never know where that incredible idea for your next book may come. Many of mine have their origins in newspaper or magazine articles that got me thinking about a possible story line or character.

Try to write every day. Writing's a discipline and if you want to be successful you have to work at your craft.

Find someone who's willing to read your work carefully and be honest (without being cruel) about where your story is weak, your characters' motivations implausible, or where your grasp of grammar has all but disappeared. This isn't advice that only rookie writer should follow, it's something all of us need to remember.

Those are the fundamentals, I think. Right now it's the crystal ball about where publishing is going is fairly murky but one thing seems to be clear: there's tremendous opportunity in the e-publishing world. The downside to e-publishing is that it takes more hustling and entrepreneurial spirit on the writer's part, which is not for everyone. But if you need an excellent primer on marketing and self-promoting and advice that pertains to all types of publishing, I recommend you read Jennifer Fusco's Market or Die books. They're really useful and easy to understand.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

LM: I also teach English the Rhode Island School of Design and have previously taught art and art history and worked as a museum educator so those would all be alternate careers I'd consider. If I were to make a more radical life change, I'd love to go back to working with horses full time.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

LM: Feed it brownies? Unfortunately that's less of a joke than I'd like it to be. When I'm filled with self-doubts I usually reach for the chocolate. I wish I could say I were a stronger person and never had a moment's uncertainty about my abilities as a writer but unfortunately self-doubt is pretty much a constant in my life. Good thing I love chocolate, huh?

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

LM: Yes, I have gotten blocked and it's a pretty awful experience. There was a period when I just had too many personal crises unfolding at once. I'd sit down at the computer and try to write but I just couldn't concentrate on the characters or the plot. I simply couldn't. Getting to the end of a sentence was like running a marathon.

One thing I tried that helped with the block was to be a bit nicer to myself. If I managed to write even a little bit that day, I'd give myself a pat on the back. Literally. It sounds stupid, doesn't it, but at that point in my life I was having to assume the role of a personal coach for myself. Any effort at writing had to be rewarded and encouraged (without chocolate entering the picture too frequently). Eventually my life calmed down and I was able to get back to writing and feeling fairly good about it—as good as someone who's riddled with self-doubt can be.

One last thing: the writing I did when I was blocked? Ninety-eight percent of it was utter junk. But at least I had something on the page to fix and once I figured out what the two percent of okay material was, I worked from there.

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

LM: I'd choose Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee because of his brave stance on social and racial injustice. And I love what he says to Scout: "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

LM: Jane Austen. I'm lucky to be able to teach her and no matter how many times I read her I continue to learn and be entertained.

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

LM: Pride and Prejudice

NOP:  What's next for you?

LM: I'm writing a new series! It's set in California on a working guest ranch. I'm still really in the early stages of the first book so all I can tell you is that my heroine, Tess Casari, is a widow who's come to the Silver Creek Ranch to escape unhappy memories. She's made a vow never to fall in love again and leave herself vulnerable to heartbreak. Ward Knowles, the eldest son of the family that owns and runs Silver Creek, has made much the same promise…I think I'm going to have fun getting them to change their minds and give love another chance.

If you would like to know more about Laura and her writing, here is some contact information.

Website: www.lauramoorebooks.com

Readers can contact her at: laura@lauramoorebooks.com

Places to buy her books–both paper and ebooks:

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.indiebound.org

In keeping with our 12-Days of Christmas giveaway, and because it is the 12th day, Laura has agreed to give one lucky reader a copy of not only the first book in her Rosewood Trilogy, Remember Me, but also the second, Believe in Me.  In order to qualify, somewhere in your comment, you must write the words, "I want twelve drummers drumming."  Best of luck to all who enter.

Filed under: romance

The 11th Day of Christmas with Adam Dodd by Gerri Brousseau

Welcome to Nights of Passion.  We're so excited to have Adam Dodd here with us today.

NOP:  Please tell our readers about Daydream Terminal.

Daydream Terminal is an existential treatise on the human condition. It follows an untitled narrator through a world where reality manifests through peoples subconscious. Whatever your hang-ups, fears, passions, or doubts are that is the world you are faced with. When ideas think for themselves and personalities can spread like viruses nothing is as it seems. The protagonist is in a struggle for a sense of truth and identity in a world where ego and self-image can warp even the basest of notions. He is on a search for the woman he left behind before the Change in attempt to fix the biggest regret of his life, letting her go. But before he can save anyone else he must face the darkness and self-doubt that haunts his own psyche.

NOP:  What inspired you to write Daydream Terminal?

I have always been fascinated with the sublime ease that we bleed from one dream to the next with in the course of a night and how they always feel so sincere while you are in them. Coupled with Freud and Jung's view that dreams are manifestations of what our subconscious holds on to, I wondered what it would be like if both of those elements were brought to waking life and the repercussions that would follow.

NOP: Of all the characters you have created, do you have a favorite?  If so, who is it and why is he/she your favorite?

Although the protagonist of Daydream Terminal is near to my heart as a lot of his life mirrors my own. The most fun I had in writing for a character was in my other work, Ad Infinitum. The character Sallos Paimon is the quintessential adversary, I even love his name. He is the slimiest manipulator imaginable. He is more than just evil, he is arrogant and vain, and his greed is unparalleled. An aging man, he is of no physical concern but it is in his ability to deceive and tell those around him what they want to hear that makes him dangerous. He is the ultimate manipulator and his plans are like intricate mechanisms, labyrinths you are unaware you have walked into until it is far too late.  He's a bit Moriarty, Benjamin Linus, Randall Flagg, and a Dickensian robber baron all rolled into one.

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

There is no hero in Daydream Terminal, just a man like many of us struggling to find who he is a world that in more and more alienating. But I imagine he would try to ignore the holiday entirely. Not because he is a Grinch, but the difficulty in his world is that the stronger an idea is the more real it becomes. An idea such as Christmas is incredibly powerful and well-spread, if he wasn't careful he would find himself surrounded by elves and freezing in a world as cold as the North Pole. That being said, imagine how out of hand Halloween could get!

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

A stack of comic books. Little things like that from his childhood would keep his spirits up.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

You have to first write and hone your craft before you worry about publishing. More than likely your first book will be rather mediocre when you look back on it. It is supposed to. The only way you can excel is by practice. You'll get a sense of your own style and figure out what works for you this way. Never be too attached to a work that you refuse to acknowledge that you can do better. But once you do feel satisfied, I suggest you take it in your own hands and go to sites like lulu.com. There you can make your book on a print to order basis and sell and promote it as you see fit. Also, send letters to publishers and literary agents (there's hundreds); just make sure you know their submission guidelines. Be relentless in this and never get discouraged when you get a rejection letter. Believe me, you'll get plenty.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

Scary thought. I'm a moderately talented illustrator. So imagine if I didn't write my focus would be centered on comic book penciling and trying to get into that industry, which I still may.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

Being a practitioner of Chaos Magic has given me a sense of self-reliance and faith. But I am always my worst critic and full of potential self-sabotage. The best bet to beat the demon of doubt is to simply ignore it. We all are haunted by it; it's just a way of life. But we are the ones who give it its power. Just muscle through and stay in the moment. I'm reminded of the advice from the sage Baba Ram Dass, "Be here now". That's all we can hope to do.

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

Not necessarily a block, more like a lull where I am no longer inspired. When the fun is gone so is the magic. That said, I usually have several projects going on at once, so if I get a lull in one I shift over to something else as a refresher. Also, taking a five minute break to do some exercises, sit ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc, helps get the blood flowing to the brain. Oh, and it helps to have eaten something. When I'm hungry I can't concentrate at all.

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

Who wouldn't want to be Tyler Durden from Fight Club? He is, by definition, everything you want to be.

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

A lot of people dismiss comic writers as hacks, and although some are, Grant Morrison never fails to blow my mind. His ideas are big and they always gets me to think in new perspectives. I can't recommend his series The Invisibles enough. Also, Chuck Phalniuk really speaks to my jaded side. Aldous Huxley is near to my heart as well as Phillip K. Dick.

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

Geez, just one? Let's see…Lord of the Flies, The Stand, and 1984 all define my teenage years.

NOP:  What's next for you?

You can follow all my projects and updates at http://www.adamdodd.net I'm currently writing a new work entitled Parapsyche which, without giving anything away, is an insane sci-fi romp across time, space, and all possible planes of existence. I am also looking for an illustrator to collaborate with to pitch some ideas to Image comics. I'll take on the art detail if I have to but I would rather form a partnership with someone who also wants to break into comics. Any  takers?

Adam has agreed to give away a copy of Daydream Terminal to one lucky reader.  In order to qualify, you MUST put the words "I want 11 Pipers Pipping" into your comment.  Let's show Adam how excited we are about his work by filling his post with comments. Good luck to all.

Filed under: romance

The Tenth Day of Christmas with Alicia Rasley by Gerri Brousseau

Welcome to Nights of Passion.  Today we're excited to have Alicia Rasley with us.

Alicia, please tell our readers about Poetic Justice. 

Alicia:  This is the sequel to my earlier Regency Romance, Royal Renegade.  The cool, felonious Captain Dryden, the smugger in the first book, as become respectable, commissioned as art dealer for the Prince Regent, even elected to the stuffy Royal Society for Antiquaries. But there's one bastion he hasn't overcome, the marriage-minded young ladies, or rather their suspicious guardians.  He doesn't care, until he meets Jessica Seton and realizes that in the library that will come to her if she marries appropriately contains the prize of a century—a playscript written partly in Shakespeare's own hand.

To win her and the prize, John must battle an evil librarian, the entrenched snobbery of the upper classes, his own alienation, and Jessica herself, who demands nothing more or less than the one thing he can't give—a passionate love, not just a convenient marriage.  It's poetic justice when he has to choose between her love, and his prize.

NOP:  What inspired you to write Poetic Justice?

Alicia:  I wanted to deal again with the first book's characters (Captain Dryden, his half-brother Michael, and Michael's own princess bride).  But also I'd been reading a biography of Shakespeare that mentioned that a lost play (found around the Regency period) bore the unmistakeable handwriting of Shakespeare himself (thus proving that he, not that upstart Francis Bacon, really wrote). I wanted to play with this great puzzle and solution, so I moved that manuscript to a derelict family library in London, where John can find it.

NOP: Of all the characters you have created, do you have a favorite?  If so, who is it and why is he/she your favorite?

Alicia:  There's one Royal Navy captain, Tressilian, who is the hero of The Reluctant Lady.  He's so adorable, I keep using him in other books to flirt with the heroine and make the hero jealous! I think he's my favorite because he's so charming and so silly, and that's so at odds with his satanically handsome looks.

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

Alicia:  Well, to tell you the truth, they are both into antique books, so they've traveled to Rome this Christmas on the invitation of the murderous curator of the Vatican library. So they'll probably spend the holiday in the dusty confines of the library, sharing kisses and discoveries, and trying to stay alive here in the lair of the silkily violent curator.

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

Alicia:  I'd give him a Kindle and a few months free wi-fi, and tell him that now all those ancient books he spent his life and fortune collecting can be had for free on the Web.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

Alicia:  Read my editing blog: www.edittorrent.blogspot.com.   Oh, actually, write the absolute best book you can, put it away for awhile, and when you've learned more, take it out and rewrite it. You'll have the passion of the early "book of your heart," and the precision that comes from learning your craft.

Also, it's a small industry, and it's easy to get to know those who make decisions (editors).  If you can afford to go to conferences, go and meet some editors and invite them for a drink. No hard sell—just get to know them. If you can't afford that, do it online. Most editors and publishers have blogs or Facebook pages. Be a pleasant and courteous commenter on their blogs, and use your own name or penname.

Then when you submit to that editor, you can say, "We've met. I am (blog commenter name) (or We met at X conference)."  Familiarity won't get the editor to buy your book, but it'll probably get her to read it.

And—I'm a teacher, so I can't help saying this—you should be improving your craft (especially scene design!) with every chapter you write. Your second book should be much better than your first. Your third should be better than the first two combined. If you aren't improving, try harder to learn from the books you read, the authors you know, the editors and agents who have blogs.  Writing maybe can't be taught, but it sure can be learned!

Finally, and this will be controversial I know, agents are becoming less essential in the new publishing era. A good agent (like, say, JK Rowling's!) can still be helpful, but an average agent isn't likely to be much help.  If you don't get an agent in a few months of trying, shrug and give up that quest and work on getting to know editors in person or online.  If you still want an agent when an editor sends you a contract, you can start up the quest again.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

Alicia:  I'm also a college English teacher, so I expect I'd still do that. But I would hope I would have gone on to get a PhD and a "real job" so that I could teach Shakespeare to a handful of upper level students, and write literary analysis in my ivy-covered office building.  My parents were professors, so I grew up in college towns, and still long for the hushed halls and verdant campuses.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

Alicia:  I'm absurdly self-confident, up until the moment I get a bad review or even a mediocre one. Then I'm sure I'm a huge fake and no one will come to my funeral.  I haven't really figured out how to deal with this doubt.  But since I have another profession (teaching), I tend to switch to that for a couple weeks as I know I do that pretty well. When I am restored to my usual confidence, I go back to writing, or rather obsessively checking my reviews on Amazon.

One thing I've decided is – Karma's a bitch. I decided never to leave a really bad review. If I don't like it, I don't review it.  I don't want to get the Review Gods mad at me.

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

Alicia:  I get writer's block all the time. I use www.writeordie.com to force myself to write, even for 10 minutes a day.  Also I lie in bed late in the morning, because the semi-conscious state is most creative for me. Really. That's why I sleep late!

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

Alicia:  I think I'd be Nicholas in the Dorothy Dunnett series of historical novels. He had a bad habit of ignoring women who loved him and going after ones who didn't. So if I got to be him, I'd pump up the old self-esteem and realize I deserved to be well-loved.

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

Alicia:  I love Dorothy Dunnett, Patrick O'Brian, Laura Kinsale, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. A new favorite is Jane Gardam, who wrote a lovely, quiet pair of novels. The first is Old Filth.

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

Alicia:  Probably Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I love most of the books in his long series, but the first was special for me. It's like falling in love at first sight. I knew he and I were going to be together a long time!

NOP:  What's next for you?

Alicia:  I'm working on getting my backlist up on Kindle and Smashwords. This involves many mistakes and a lot of computer-cussing, but it's fun to read and edit my old books. I'm going back to writing Regencies, and have started a Regency mystery romance series. The hero is a physician who examines the murdered bodies and figures out how they were killed, so I might call it CSI: Regency.

I also have started a book no one so far thinks is a good idea. It's kind of a cozy mystery with a heroine who delivers Meals on Wheels (as I do). For some reason, no one who has heard this thinks is a future wild bestseller. But see, as she delivers meals to old people, she gets drawn into mysteries. See, I told you no one appreciates it.

Alicia has agreed to give one of her books to a lucky reader.  To qualify to win, you must put the words "I want Ten Lords a Leaping" in your comment.  Best of luck to you.

Filed under: romance

Something Old and Something New

I'd like to start off by wishing you all a very Happy New Year. There is nothing like a fresh beginning and we are fortunate that we get one with each year, but my topic for today's blog is really about bringing the old from past years into the New Year. Specifically, what we as writers and readers will bring.

A tradition in many weddings is to wear something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue.  In each day we make efforts to avoid pitfalls by learning from our old mistakes. And Julie Andrews sang it best when she mentioned a few of her favorite things—things she had previously experienced.

So what are the favorite, old things that we will bring into the New Year? As time goes by for us, so does it pass for our heroes and heroines. Not only do we read about our favorite Scottish Lairds or Scandalous Dukes but we also read about take-charge women and men with extraordinary powers (or vice versa). Time has changed but when referring to the "old" and "favorite" things, what we really mean to say are the timeless elements of writing.

I personally have always loved the underdog male protagonist. It doesn't matter if he was born during the beginnings of the Roman Empire or far into the future. As long as an author can spin in some sort of "come from nothing" storyline that type of hero will most likely be my favorite in any book. I also tend to prefer stronger heroines. I can't be bothered with criers (unless they have a reason to cry or they transition into a different type of person) or those who can't think for themselves.

So what is timeless to you? Are you a glutton for a damsel in distress? Or perhaps a hero in distress? Or maybe you can't resist stories set in the Midwest. What favorites of yours are you going to bring in with the New Year, either as a writer or a reader?

Happy Writing, All!

Filed under: Toni Kelly, Writer's Life, Writing Topics

The Ninth Day of Christmas with Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey by Gerri Brousseau

Welcome.  We're so excited to have Chris Almeida and Cecilia Aubrey here with us today on Nights of Passion blog.

NOP:  Please tell our readers about Countermeasure.

Countermeasure is our latest body of work. It is the first of a series involving Trevor Bauer and Cassandra James. In this first novel, Trevor Bauer, an NSA analyst is on the hunt for clues to his parent's disappearance. Following a lead throws him in the path of Cassandra James, an ex CIA officer turned security assurance agent, who is on the trail of an infiltrator who stole a formula she was safeguarding. Thinking Trevor is her thief, she confronts him. Their meeting sets them on a course across the ocean and into a world of data espionage, murder, and romance.

NOP:  What inspired you to write Countermeasure?

The inspiration was a dream that Chris had melding technology, intrigue and romance. It was the spark to the story we began to role play. From that little spark we created the characters, their backstory and past long before their story took shape. They were (and are) a living extension of us. We took the story to a role playing environment as a test to find out if they could compete against the paranormal groups that ruled the role playing world. Surprisingly, we found a loyal following once we began to play their story. We had readers hounding us for the next chapters. It was during the posting of the story that eventually became To Russia with Love, that we realized we had to write the book about how they met and  the events that led them to begin a life of adventure together and Countermeasure was born.

NOP: Of all the characters you have created, do you have a favorite?  If so, who is it and why is he/she your favorite?

Trevor and Cassie are our favorites. The characters from our Countermeasure novel, while not 100% based on us, do have some of our background— Chris's geekiness and my military upbringing—and both have our humor mixed in.

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

Quiet evening at home surrounded by friends enjoying good food, great music and lots of laughter.

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

His own mini-super computer. He lives for that kind of stuff. Of course Cassie would have to drag him up for air with her own special allure.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

Read everything you can get your hands on and more importantly write a lot. Stand tall for your own style, make it even more personable, and gather a group of friends and followers behind you as a support group. Do not let strong critics influence your voice or story in a way that you don't like or approve of in the end. Use a critique group to keep you grounded, as a guidance tool, but do not let it change the core of what makes you and your story unique.

We have also found that there are a lot of resources available. Join an organization like the Romance Writers of America (RWA) group and a local chapter. They have a number of workshops and resources to help guide veteran and newbie writers alike. Research writer blogs, and know your genre. Learn to self-promote and to manage your career. Join social networks such as Twitter and  take advantage of what other authors, agents and publishers post and blog on.  There is a wealth of information within those pieces.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

Chris ~ I am a programmer by trade so I would just continue doing what I do since I do it for the love of technology.

Cecilia ~ I am a Marketing Program Manager at my day job, however, if I could choose something else it would be to manage a vineyard in the Napa Valley.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

We go paranoid from time to time like everyone else but we have a strong circle of friends who ground us. We also have each other to slap one or the other upside the head as a reality check. But at the end of the day we strongly believe in our story and that's wha pulls us through.

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

We do, usually when we are close to major stepping stone. We turn to friends, laughter, music, reading and research to distract us and usually we end up back on track. The key is to not fight it.

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

Cecilia ~ It would have to be Cassandra. Her independent but passionate nature intrigues me. I love that once she committed herself to Trevor she went let loose and jumped in with both feet and never looked back. In some ways I already feel like her.

Chris ~I would definitely be Trevor. His life since meeting Cassandra had gone from 0 to 100 in 5 seconds. The many adventures they get into while handling the recovery of data is what I would consider a hell of a ride.

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

We don't really have just one favorite author, they are many. Karen Marie Moning, J.R. Ward, Lara Adrian, Laurel Hamilton, J.D. Robb, Katie McKalister, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Bernard Shaw, Yeats, Wilde and more…

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

Cecilia ~ Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Chris ~ The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde

NOP:  What's next for you?

We are working on our next to books in the Series, To Russia with Love, and Alternate Connection. To Russia With Love already has a tentative release date set to Summer of 2012.

NOP:  Where can readers find you on the web?

Chris is the ultimate geek so we are everywhere! You can find us through the following links:

Websites:

CA Duo Books – http://caduobooks.com

Countermeasureseries – http://countermeasureseries.com

GoodReads Author Pages:

http://goodreads.com/chrisalmeida

http://goodreads.com/ceciliaaubrey

Amazon Author Pages:

http://amazon.com/author/chrisalmeida

http://amazon.com/author/ceciliaaubrey

Chris and Cecilia have agreed to give one of our lucky readers a copy of their book.  To qualify you must type the words. "I want Nine Ladies Dancing" into your comment.  Good luck to all who comment.

Filed under: romance

The Eighth Day of Christmas with Leanna Renee Hieber by Gerri Brousseau

Today we are excited to welcome award winning, bestselling Gothic Victorian Fantasy writer, Leanna Renee Hieber to Nights of Passion.  We're so excited to have you here with us today, Leanna.

NOP:  Please tell our readers about A MIDWINTER FANTASY.

Leanna:  I'm very glad to be here, thanks for the welcome! My most recent release is a venture into Young Adult with DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, but I'm here to talk about a holiday anthology that released in November, A MIDWINTER FANTASY, featuring Headmistress Rebecca Thompson and Vicar Michael Carroll of the Strangely Beautiful saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels. The year is 1888 and Michael has loved Rebecca since childhood, when they were called forth to be arbiters between mortal Victorian London and the world of the dead. But Rebecca has always loved another; a man who is unattainable and recently married to another. Three spirits conspire to shake two dear friends into their best and most loving selves. Two hearts were never more perfect for one another and at long, long last those hearts find their home, with the help of spirits- and maybe angels- on their side. This is a perfect Christmas read if I do say so myself.

NOP:  What inspired you to write A MIDWINTER FANTASY?

Leanna:  Readers kept asking about the side characters. That's the greatest compliment; to have readers invested in your world and your characters, this was a way to tell the much-needed story of two of my most beloved secondary characters and fulfill reader requests at the same time.

NOP: Of all the characters you have created, do you have a favorite?  If so, who is it and why is he/she your favorite?

Leanna:  That's like picking a favorite child. Miss Percy Parker, star of the Strangely Beautiful series, will always be most dear to me, as she's the reason I wanted to publish my work in the first place. Percy is sweet, adorable and passionate. I'm also rather fond of Natalie Stewart, heroine of the Magic Most Foul series because she's keeping me writing at the moment with her stubborn and feisty ways, and I'll always be in love with Strangely Beautiful's hero, the brooding, gothic, intense Professor Rychman. *swoon*

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

Leanna:  After braving the spirit world, Headmistress Thompson and Vicar Carroll, two long-suffering friends who have finally realized they're meant for one another after all, spend a passionate Christmas together by the fire with a cup of mulled wine, parish bells tolling nearby.

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

Leanna:  My gift to Professor Rychman would be his favorite fine sherry, to Vicar Michael Carroll, who stars in this novella, since he is a charming and wonderful host, I'd replenish his supply of wine and spices as all of the Strangely Beautiful characters come to his home to partake of his particularly delicious recipe.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

Leanna:  Just keep writing and keep submitting. I know it sounds simple but it's the ONLY way you'll break through. Persistence is all. Listen to critiques from people you respect and implement them to always make your work better. Always keep learning. You have to want the goal more than you fear the rejection.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

Leanna:  My first career and great love has been theatre, and I spent years as a professional actress, particularly in classical repertoire. I'd go back to that. I miss it, at times, but work in film and television inNew Yorkso at least I still work in the industry. And with the first Strangely Beautiful novel being turned into a musical, theatre has come knocking on my door again.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

Leanna:  Much like how I dealt with the pain of rejection; I want to be a working writer more than I let doubt stop me. Your faith has to be stronger than your fear. Yes, I pray a lot too.

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

Leanna:  Sure. Keep writing through it. You have to be as persistent with keeping writing as publishing in the first place. We all hit walls, you just can't let a snag stop you. I always skip ahead away from the problem scene and go back to it at a later date. I'm a very non-linear writer.

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

Leanna:  Miss Percy Parker, so I could waltz with my beloved Professor in the moonlit foyer of Athens Academy.

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

Leanna:  Again, like choosing a child, but if I could only pick one, Edgar Allan Poe.

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

Leanna:  Truly impossible for me to pick one. So here's three: The Collected Works of Poe, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Harry Potter series.

NOP:  What's next for you?

Leanna:  The next in the MAGIC MOST FOUL saga! And the last Strangely Beautiful novel. AND Strangely Beautiful, the musical (there's a musical adaptation currently in development of the first novel in the Strangely Beautiful saga, it's very exciting). Keep posted via http://leannareneehieber.com and on FB http://facebook.com/lrhieber and Twitter http://twitter.com/leannarenee  – Blessings, thanks NOP and Happy Holidays and New Year to all!

Thank you so much Leanna for being with us today.  Leanna has agreed to give one lucky winner a copy of her book.  In order to qualify you must type the words "I want Eight Maids a Milking" in your comment.  Best of luck to you, readers.

Filed under: romance

The Seventh Day of Christmas with Kate Rothwell by Gerri Brousseau

Nights of Passion is so excited to have Kate Rothwell here with us today.

NOP:  Please tell our readers about (name your latest work).

Kate Rothwell:  I had a book out early December, Unnatural Calamities. I'll have another, very different sort of book out January, 17 The Psychic and the Sleuth. That'll be a historical male/male – my fifth co-written with Bonnie Dee.  Both of those ebooks are with Samhain and released under the name Summer Devon although they are different in tone and feel, not just setting. I'll tell you about Unnatural Calamities because I'm always annoyed when someone tells me about a book that I can't buy immediately.  Delayed gratification doesn't work for me.

Fresh Fiction said  "Unnatural Calamities is an engaging story full of romantic and family complications. Janey and Christopher confront many unexpected and entertaining obstacles along the way to their happily ever after."

Romantic Times said  "If you're looking for a light read to breeze through that will leave you energized and smiling, Unnatural Calamities is the ticket!"

Those descriptions are fine with me. By the way, I don't try to be funny—that always ends up feeling clunky and self-conscious.

NOP:  What inspired you to write Unnatural Calamities?

Kate Rothwell:  UC is an old book, started as an exercise. I'd read a fun Harlequin Presents that contained a millionaire, a woman living under a false identity, and a secret baby. It felt like a challenge—how many tropes can be shoved into one story? I thought of as many clichés as I could: identical twins, mistaken identity, secret baby, amnesia,  kidnapping, rich gorgeous guys, a fish out of water. But my goal was to make the whole thing believable and with appealing, real characters.

A couple of chapters in, after I'd introduced the "bad boy with the bizarre power to attract women,"  Toph and Janey turned into real people for me and I wanted to make sure they got a fair shake. I still managed to work in a bunch of romance standards, but their story became most important, which is how it should be in a romance.

NOP: Of all the characters you have created, do you have a favorite?  If so, who is it and why is he/she your favorite?

Kate Rothwell:  I like Mick, the hero of Somebody Wonderful because a lot of other people did too. The hero of Thank You, Mrs. M. , Ben, is my current favorite for a lot of reasons. He's a strong person who did what had to be done to hold his little family together. Also he stays sane by focusing on his hunger for knowledge. That part of him is inspired by the character of Judy in the old novel Daddy Long Legs. He's also based on some of the students my husband the professor describes—self-motivated and tough, but open to new ideas. By the way, I made Ben interested in molecular biology so I could use Mike, my husband and in-house resource.

No doubt Ben's also my favorite because that's the book I'm working on this morning. I got the rights back for it and will self-publish it.

NOP: How would your hero and heroine have spent Christmas?

Kate Rothwell:  Janey and Toph would have a traditional Christmas, no doubt about it. They'd have a huge tree, lots of food, many people stopping by—even uninvited. Their tree might lean a little, but it would remain standing.

NOP: If you were to give a Christmas gift to your hero, what would it be and why?

Kate Rothwell:  He's surprisingly uninterested in gifts—probably because life's been easy for him and he's always received everything he wanted.  He'd want Janey for Christmas—a date with her alone.

NOP: What advice do you have for new writers who are striving to get published?

Kate Rothwell:  If you'd asked me that five years ago, I would have had a long answer, but the game is changing and I'm not sure I'd trust anyone who says they know The Big Secret to publication in New York. I know a couple of editors there and they're feeling slightly panicky or excited—or both. If you're going for self-publication, my advice is get help. Hire an editor—at least one—and listen to her.

NOP: If you were unable to write, what other profession would be of interest to you?

Kate Rothwell:  I spent a number of years teaching English to refugees. I suppose I'd go into ESOL, although I was never formally trained for that.

NOP: How do you deal with the dreaded "doubt monster"?

Kate Rothwell:  I turn up the music and write.  If it's really bad, I stay off the internet—where most of my doubts originate—and exercise.

NOP:  Do you ever get writer's block and if so, how do you deal with it?

Kate Rothwell:  Almost every day. I deal with it by whining a lot and then getting to work. Writing is a job—one that I love, but still. A job.

NOP: If you could be any fictional character, who would that be and why?

Kate Rothwell:  I think I'd pick someone who can fly and has great powers but is rarely asked to use them. I wouldn't want to spend all my time fighting demons. I can't think of anyone who's written that book because it would be boring. If I had to pick from the stock of human characters, I think I'd choose a Harlequin heroine. They always end up with true love and a fulfilling career.

NOP:  Who is your favorite author?

Kate Rothwell:  I have far too many to pick one. I just finished a Jenny Crusie book, so she's on the list.  Also on my list: Diane Farr, Terry Pratchett, Michael Connelly, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Edith Layton, Chuck Palahniuk, Christopher Moore, Loretta Chase, Bronwyn Parry, K.A. Mitchell, J.L. Langley, Alex Beecroft, Bonnie Dee, A.M. Riley, Lois McMaster Bujold, P.G. Wodehouse, Jane Austen….I know I'll think of another dozen easily and then feel upset because I left off a real favorite.

NOP: What is your favorite novel?

Kate Rothwell:  No way. I can't even begin to pick a favorite. What I want to read depends on my mood. When I'm feeling gloomy, something fluffy, like a Barbara Metzger Regency. I've held onto all of my Metzgers and reread them when I'm down. If I'm cheerful, anything goes; in fact I make an effort to find new authors.  Perhaps that's why I write so many different types of books. I can't be happy reading just one type of book; I can't be happy writing just one either. All of the books I create are romance, so that's a branding, sort of.

NOP:  What's next for you?

Kate Rothwell:  More of the same, I hope, only better paying. I love writing stories and want to do it for as long as I can.

Kate has agreed to give away a copy of Unnatural Calamities to one lucky reader.  In order to qualify to win, you must comment … and the words "I want Seven Swans a'swimming" must appear in your comment.  Best of luck to you.

Filed under: romance

Hogmanay

Happy New Year! If you're in Scotland, you would be celebrating Hogmanay and first-footing — the first person to cross your threshold in the new year will determine the luck of the year. A tall dark man seems to be the best omen! Imagine that. It's especially so if he brings salt, coal, whisky or a black bun.

According to Wikipedia, the term's origin is a matter of debate, possibly French, possibly Goidelic, but I of course want to believe it's Norse:

Some authors reject both the French and Goidelic theories and instead suggest that the ultimate source both for the Norman French, Scots and Goidelic variants of this word are to be found in a common Norse root.[11] It is suggested that the full formula Hoginanaye-Trollalay/Hogman aye, Troll a lay (with a Manx cognate Hop-tu-Naa, Trolla-laa) invokes the hill-men (Icelandic haugmenn, cf Anglo-Saxon hoghmen) or "elves" and banishes the trolls into the sea (Norse á læ "into the sea").[11][12] Repp furthermore makes a link between Trollalay/Trolla-laa and the rhyme recorded in Percy's Relics Trolle on away, trolle on awaye. Synge heave and howe rombelowe trolle on away which he reads as a straight-forward invocation of troll-banning.[12][13]

This is where we get the wide-spread tradition of singing Robert Burns' "Auld Lang Syne" at the birth of the new year. Around Scotland there are other traditions varying by area. Apparently in Dundee they decorate herring (o_O) while in Fife they lead a procession of torches into the hills. In Edinburgh, they have music and pipers and parades and then, fireworks!

However you welcome in the new year, may it bring you great joy.

P.S. If you want to vote for me for best short story (Dragger Ella) or for my cover artist S. L. Johnson in the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll, I'd be delighted!

Filed under: C. Margery Kempe, erotic romance, fantasy romance, Gothic, inspiration, Kit Marlowe, Marketing, Noble Romance, paranormal, What inspires you?, Writer's Life, Writing Topics