Maya Rodale's Blog: Maya Rodale's Blog, page 31

My favorite things about Fall

I am a big believer in finding something to love in each season. Even Winter. And even though Summer is totally my favorite. Here in New York City, the temperatures are still pretty warm (joy) but  the leaves are turning and everyone has adopted the Fall Fashion Uniform. And I've started indulging in my favorite cool-weather stuff.

Here's what I love about Fall:

Back to school shopping. This might have been a factor in my decision to go to grad school (ridiculous, I know). Even though I am no longer a student, I still love the the mini-fresh start that comes with a new year of school: a wardrobe refresh, a new notebook, new pens….

Fall Fashions. Sweaters! Boots! Cute jackets! I just pulled the sweaters out of storage. I do love my cashmere (this is where I splurge) and about this time every year I start hankering for a new pair of boots, particularly Uggs. They're perfect for plodding around the house or slipping on for those late night dog walks (this is not a favorite thing, much as I love Miss Penny).

Hot Apple Cider. I concocted a special version, and I call it "Sassy Hot Cider." The recipe is over at my momma's blog.

The food. After months of light, cold fare I welcome some really hearty recipes back into rotation. Soups, long slow roasts (in part to heat up the apartment), and baking. This is a great season to be cooking.

Ok, weird question: Do you say Autumn or Fall?

What do you love about this season?

I've got an assortment of coverflats for one random commenter!

Caption this cute puppy photo!

Well hello there, Kittens. That little dog, Penelope, here. Otherwise known as Her Serene Royal Highness, The Furry Princess of Manhattanlandia. I got my paws on Milady's blog today. In fact, I also got my paws on her latest and greatest, The Tattooed Duke. As you can see, of course. Methinks it needs a caption. But look, I have to dash off on my morning walk and make sure all is Right and Good in the neighborhood. So, kittens, caption this photo! One lucky winner, selected at random, will get a signed cover flat! Milady will sign it and I promise not to lick it

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Caption this picture, Kittens! Extra points if you make me lol!

 

Celebrity Gossip Pop Quiz!

Welcome to this month's celebrity gossip pop quiz in which your knowledge of the salacious, mundane and utterly frivious details of famous people's lives is tested. This month's prize is special, kittens! I have coverflats of The Tattooed Duke and a signed copy of Sarah MacLean's epically titled Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. The rules are as usual: all entries posted by the stroke of midnight tonight and I'll randomly select a winner from those with perfect scores.

Are you ready? Get set…Go!

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1. Shocking allegations! Lawsuits! Illicit relations! What scandal rocked this fellow?

2. His woman is reportedly standing by her man. Who is she?

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3.  These two were married for ______ days.

4. The bride wore ____ Vera Wang dresses on her wedding day.

5. The Kardashian sisters have a novel coming out soon! It's about three sisters. What's the title? (You can find a clue here).

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6. Beyonce Bump Watch! I just wrote those keywords so that I might lure unsuspecting googlers to this very website. The real question is this, and it's multiple choice: According to Kelly Rowland, Beyonce's baby is

a) a girl

b) a boy

c) twins

d) fake

A writer's Monday

One of those mornings in which I have an epic list of things on the agenda, including BLOG. Gah. What, oh, what to discuss? A sneak peek? A carriage ride? The coverflats for The Tattooed Duke or this evenings Lady Jane's Salon? Well if you ask me, the answer is always d) all of the above.

So here's what's on the list today–and let me just preface this by saying this is not a normal day.

Coffee and writing on the couch. Fancy a super sneak peek? This morning I wrote a little scene featuring Annabelle and Knightly on the terrace at a ball with lots of moonlight, shivers and sparks, etc. etc. Had to walk Penelope before the kissing started. Alas.
Perusing the headlines, including one of my favorite blogs, Unwrapping Romance. And let me just say, today's blog post featuring moi-self was a lovely way to start the week and an awesome motivation to keep writing books and blogs. Y'all, make sure to check out Unwrapping Romance, including the blogs not about me
Carriage ride through Central Park with my sis-in-law who is in town. Because what better way to spend a gorgeous Autumn day? And, you know, it's research.
Ladies Lunch with sis. In which I hope we discuss embarrassing stories of the husband with which I might blackmail him or extract suppression fees, which is when Ye Olde Newspapers would charge someone not to run some really salacious gossip about them.
Stroll about the neighborhood with Penelope and say hello or quite possibly snarl at other dogs. Penelope, that is. Not me.
Make sure to add coverflats of The Tattooed Duke in handbag!!!
Rendezvous with some real life Writing Girls at  Lady Jane's Salon. Nice line up tonight:  Addison Fox, Isabo Kelly and Jeanine McAdam.

Anything exciting happening to y'all today? This week? 

Fancy a GROOM of your own?

This month, my darling publisher Avon and I have a special for you! A Groom Of One's Own–the story that kicked off the Writing Girls series–will be available for just $2.99. For those that have e-readers. If you don't, this may be the reason you've been waiting for.

How can you resist?!

Some other reasons to enjoy A Groom Of One's Own:

It might be my favorite book. Maybe. Definitely top three.
The heroine suffers one of my worst nightmares. In chapter one.
The hero loves to make lists. Like me.
 There is a love quadrangle.

Order your super special version:

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Must read romances

Some of these are new-ish releases. Some of them are not. It's merely a collection of the GREAT romances I've read lately. Like, laugh out loud and couldn't put it down GREAT.

I Love the Earl by Caroline Linden

I love, Love, LOVE this novella. Exquisitely written story featuring a fortune hunting hero and spinster recently turned heiress. It was lines like this that had me laughing: "It irked Margaret how much she liked his voice. He even sounded as she imagined a Barbary pirate would sound, just before he ravished a maiden." That's the heroine thinking of the hero, of course.

The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton by Miranda Neville

I'm a fan of any heroine that will tell the amnesiac hero that he's her betrothed–especially after he ruined her in society with a comment likening her to a particular vegetable. Plus it begins with the line, "Take off your clothes." After that commences some partially attired wanderings across Scotland with the memory-less hero, plus a mystery. Totally delightful.

Lord and Lady Spy by Shana Galen

Funny moment: my friend and I discovered we were both in the midst of reading this book, after each discovering it on our own. I loved this book's twist on the typical spy story: the two agents, tensely working together on a mission, are man and wife. If you like super sexy spy novels, this is one for you.

What was the last book great book you read? 

A surprise appearance from Lady Somerset

I was just in London for the weekend (which I have to say because it sounds rawther fabulous). The husband and I flew over for a friend's wedding (congratulations to the bride and groom!). You might image that I am a bit indisposed after all the excitement, champagne and jet lag. But I just had to share this picture of the road we just happened to stroll by…[image error]

The significance is that one of my favorite heroines of mine just happens to be a Lady Somerset who has no relation to this Lady Somerset (of the virgin/divorce scandal) or that Lady Somerset (philanthropist and temperance leader). Mine appears in A Tale Of Two Lovers and she is haughty and brazen and a hundred different kinds of trouble. But that's not the point. I really just love these little moments of serendipity.  And when people name roads after my characters. Thank you, London!

Might want to get the dictionary….

When I first began reading romance novels, I noticed that heroines were always standing "with arms akimbo," usually when they were in some sort of stubborn, defiant mood. Usually when irritated by some stubborn, defiant-ness from the hero. Naturally, when I began to write my own novels, I made sure to have my heroine stand with arms akimbo at least once.

And then…

The husband and my dearest friend were rehearsing their reading from A Tale of Two Lovers for Lady Jane's Salon. And then my dearest friend informed me that arms akimbo didn't mean what I thought it meant. She flung her arms wildly above her head to demonstrate. While reading a Serious Scene. My entire writing career thus far flashed before my eyes. Mortification ensued.

Then I consulted my dictionary. It so happens that she and I were both right:

akimbo |əˈkimbō|

adverb

• with hands on the hips and elbows turned outward: she stood with arms akimbo, frowning at the small boy.

• (of other limbs) flung out widely or haphazardly.

Any other Regency words/slang you've always wondered about? 

Best Ever Halloween Costumes

I usually dress in costume for Halloween, and as a Grown Up it feels odd to write that. It just so happens that every year there is a Halloween costume party that I must attend. In Costume. Or Else!!! I do like the romance novel masquerade-ball aspect of it all…once I have the costume on and I have arrived at the party (Not that New Yorkers bat an eyelash at people walking around in all sorts of strange attire at any point in the year).

My least favorite part is those Halloween Costume Adventure stores because are MOBBED and they give me extremely violent urges. Just to avoid it, I dressed as a cowgirl last year because because my day to day wardrobe consists of cowboy boots and plaid. But otherwise, I've had some pretty decent costumes. Such as…

Holly Golightly from Breakfast At Tiffany's

[image error]*I'm wearing fake eyelashes! It's really weird! Oh, and that's a candy cigarette. That my mom bought for me.

The husband and I as The Princess Bride & The Man in Black

[image error]*Note it's the same tiara each year! The moral of that story is that every gal should have a tiara on hand.

But my all time favorite costume belongs to my friends, who went as

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

[image error]*Sorry the photo is so dark. But costume parties aren't known for being well lit, now are they?

What is your Best Ever Halloween costume?

What's your bookshelf style?

As you might imagine, the husband and I own a lot of books. Given that we live in New York City, you might also imagine that we don't have a lot of space for them. On top of that, we are awaiting some construction that means 1) my books are stacked on the floor and 2) we are considering what proper shelves to install once the construction is complete.

Here's all my books, stacked on the floor. To make it pretty, I color coordinated them. This does not often facilitate finding a particular title–unless you remember what the cover is–or pulling it out from the stack without causing an avalanche.

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Color-coordinated for your viewing pleasure.

The husband has shelves like these. They are pretty cool.

The husband and I are still fiercely debating the style of our new bookshelves. For inspiration, I love this gallery of great bookshelves. Lots of great ideas and endless possibilities, but none are as a fabulous as my all-time favorite library, the one from Disney's Beauty And The Beast.

What's your bookshelf situation? Any suggestions for us or great library pics to share?