Michelle Styles's Blog, page 14
November 27, 2012
2012 Harlequin Historical Authors Advent Calendar
Starts tomorrow!!! 
The Harlequin Historical Holiday Giveaway is back! In the spirit of an Advent calendar, we are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire (or equivalent tablet depending on your location). Play every day for more chances to win. Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. At the end of the month on December 24, one grand prize winner of the Kindle Fire will be randomly selected from all the days' entrants. The more days you visit, the better your chances! Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you. 
The Harlequin Historical Holiday Giveaway is back! In the spirit of an Advent calendar, we are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire (or equivalent tablet depending on your location). Play every day for more chances to win. Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. At the end of the month on December 24, one grand prize winner of the Kindle Fire will be randomly selected from all the days' entrants. The more days you visit, the better your chances! Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you. Click here for official rules and eligibility.
Participating Authors Marguerite Kaye - November 28 Annie Burrows - November 29 Michelle Styles - November 30 Michelle Willingham - December 3 Diane Gaston - December 4 Lucy Ashford - December 5 Joanna Fulford - December 6 Amanda McCabe - December 7 Sarah Mallory - December 10 Barbara Monajem - December 11 Julia Justiss - December 12 Terri Brisbin - December 13 Louise Allen - December 14 Jeannie Lin - December 17 Blythe Gifford - December 18 Ann Lethbridge - December 19 Bronwyn Scott - December 20 Elizabeth Beacon - December 21 Grand Prize Drawing - December 24
November 20, 2012
Tracy Anderson Method:360 Workouts completed
Since starting Tracy Anderson Metamorphisis Omni at the end of September 2011, I have officically dripped with sweat 360 times, conquered 36 different set of exercerises, particularly the challenging leg lifts (more of which later, mastered 4 different Dance cardio routine (aka Hippo dancing as my children call it).
My most hated levels were Meta L2,C1.1 L3, C1.2 L3 and C1.3 L7. I think of all of the hated levels, it was C1.1 L3 which I just wanted done. Could I get the coordination of the lunge? It took until D8.
But I did master them all.
I started out hating planks. Somewhere in Meta, I started to enjoy them which was good as some of them were fairly circus moves. The last crazy plank in Y1 is C1.2 L5. Then there was the balance moves. The key is balance, Tracy would I say and the problem is that I have none, I would mutter, tumbling over yet again. In C1.3, I started not minding the balance moves and I don't fall over that much...
A few exercises stand out: the headstand in C1.1 L8 (the trick was to make sure your elbow and supporting knee touched and you put your weight on your arms), C1.2 L3 the first balance both hands on a weight annd lift leg off the floor, and C1.2 L3 the crazy plank where you had to be coordinated with a controlled collaspe.
I learnt a lot about myself. I leanrt that I can do things that I thought I could never do.
My fexibility and balance have improved. I am not sure about my tempo.
I now love exercising. it has become a part of my life. I am in far better shape than I have ever been.
C1.3 has seen a massive improvement in my bum and thighs. There is something to strengthening the deep gluteal muscles so that your hamstrings naturally lengthen (something from pilates but of relevance here) as they no longer have to act as stabilising muscles. It really is all about balance and getting the correct balance between deep glutes, hip flexors and deep ab muscles so that the mobilising muscles don't have to act as stablising muscles. This is one of the reasons TAM takes time and why she doesn't really go after the inner thigh until mid way through Y2. Don't get me wrong -- my thighs are looking good but apparently lots of people have over developed quads etc and it is about effecting real change. I still have loose skin on my lower abs. But I have hope!
I have started the Dance Cardio 2.1 with her master trainers Stacey and Maria. They are taller than Tracy. I am beginning to get the hang of it. Having my own playlist helps.
I have previewed Y2 L1 for tomorrow. The chair comes into play. As do ankle weights. it is supposed to be a step up. I foresee a lot more sweating in my future.
In other news:
1. My writing on my current project is going well and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It remains to be seen if it is *pants* when I am done. It is a contemporary, rather than a historical...
2. As some of you may already know -- last Thursday we put our very elderly Lab to sleep. His race was run. the legs which had carried him on so many runs and walks had worn out. I will write something about him. I have been meaning to but keep tearing up. Most of the time though I am fine. The collies and the cat are adjusting.
3. Still waitng to hear if my editor likes my revisions but I am keeping busy (see above).
4. the Harlequin Historical Authors will be doing our annual Advent Calendar this year...watch this space.
My most hated levels were Meta L2,C1.1 L3, C1.2 L3 and C1.3 L7. I think of all of the hated levels, it was C1.1 L3 which I just wanted done. Could I get the coordination of the lunge? It took until D8.
But I did master them all.
I started out hating planks. Somewhere in Meta, I started to enjoy them which was good as some of them were fairly circus moves. The last crazy plank in Y1 is C1.2 L5. Then there was the balance moves. The key is balance, Tracy would I say and the problem is that I have none, I would mutter, tumbling over yet again. In C1.3, I started not minding the balance moves and I don't fall over that much...
A few exercises stand out: the headstand in C1.1 L8 (the trick was to make sure your elbow and supporting knee touched and you put your weight on your arms), C1.2 L3 the first balance both hands on a weight annd lift leg off the floor, and C1.2 L3 the crazy plank where you had to be coordinated with a controlled collaspe.
I learnt a lot about myself. I leanrt that I can do things that I thought I could never do.
My fexibility and balance have improved. I am not sure about my tempo.
I now love exercising. it has become a part of my life. I am in far better shape than I have ever been.
C1.3 has seen a massive improvement in my bum and thighs. There is something to strengthening the deep gluteal muscles so that your hamstrings naturally lengthen (something from pilates but of relevance here) as they no longer have to act as stabilising muscles. It really is all about balance and getting the correct balance between deep glutes, hip flexors and deep ab muscles so that the mobilising muscles don't have to act as stablising muscles. This is one of the reasons TAM takes time and why she doesn't really go after the inner thigh until mid way through Y2. Don't get me wrong -- my thighs are looking good but apparently lots of people have over developed quads etc and it is about effecting real change. I still have loose skin on my lower abs. But I have hope!
I have started the Dance Cardio 2.1 with her master trainers Stacey and Maria. They are taller than Tracy. I am beginning to get the hang of it. Having my own playlist helps.
I have previewed Y2 L1 for tomorrow. The chair comes into play. As do ankle weights. it is supposed to be a step up. I foresee a lot more sweating in my future.
In other news:
1. My writing on my current project is going well and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It remains to be seen if it is *pants* when I am done. It is a contemporary, rather than a historical...
2. As some of you may already know -- last Thursday we put our very elderly Lab to sleep. His race was run. the legs which had carried him on so many runs and walks had worn out. I will write something about him. I have been meaning to but keep tearing up. Most of the time though I am fine. The collies and the cat are adjusting.
3. Still waitng to hear if my editor likes my revisions but I am keeping busy (see above).
4. the Harlequin Historical Authors will be doing our annual Advent Calendar this year...watch this space.
November 14, 2012
The Next Big Thing
Katherine Garbera who writes Desire and is another American living in the UK (actually she lives in the same town as my in laws!) ask me to do this meme. You can read her answers from last week here. And her books are wonderful as well. Well worth a read.
What is the title of your next book?
An Ideal Husband? comes out in April 2013 in the UK and North America. I believe India as well and Australia/New Zealand follow in May 2013
Where did the idea for the book come from?
The idea for the first scene popped into my brain several years ago when I was trying to write a single title. Then I used it when I was crafting To Marry A Matchmaker as back story but last year my heroine, Sophie Ravel sat me down and said I had to write her story and that she knew I really wanted to.
What genre does your book fall under?
Warm, witty and intimate historical romance. It is set in the 1850s so it is an early Victorian. Some places it will get marketed as a Regency. It is very odd to me but Rengency in publishing is a very flexible term.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
A Keanu Reeves type from around his Point Break days for Richard and a Sally Pressman type for Sophie.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
These books are traditionally published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
I started about mid January 2012, and then had to change quite a lot after my editor had seen the first three chapters. I was explaining to a dear friend about the problem and she said the hero can’t be like that. Then suddenly everything was clear and I wrote the story (all 72 k) as I had to almost start from scratch in 3 weeks. It was great fun to write once I had everything clear.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypass and Georgette Heyer are all writers whose style I admire. I wanted to write a warm, witty and intimate romance which had a lot of accurate historical detail.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My daughter in addition to the Sophie character demanded I write Sophie’s story as she wanted to know what happened to her after To Marry A Matchmaker.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
It is a pretend engagement which develops into something more story. And there is a nod to PG Wodehouse with pigs. I adore PG Wodehouse.
I was going to tag various authors but they appear to have done this so if anyone wants to take up the baton, please do so and tell me where it is posted.
What is the title of your next book?
An Ideal Husband? comes out in April 2013 in the UK and North America. I believe India as well and Australia/New Zealand follow in May 2013
Where did the idea for the book come from?
The idea for the first scene popped into my brain several years ago when I was trying to write a single title. Then I used it when I was crafting To Marry A Matchmaker as back story but last year my heroine, Sophie Ravel sat me down and said I had to write her story and that she knew I really wanted to.
What genre does your book fall under?
Warm, witty and intimate historical romance. It is set in the 1850s so it is an early Victorian. Some places it will get marketed as a Regency. It is very odd to me but Rengency in publishing is a very flexible term.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
A Keanu Reeves type from around his Point Break days for Richard and a Sally Pressman type for Sophie.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
These books are traditionally published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
I started about mid January 2012, and then had to change quite a lot after my editor had seen the first three chapters. I was explaining to a dear friend about the problem and she said the hero can’t be like that. Then suddenly everything was clear and I wrote the story (all 72 k) as I had to almost start from scratch in 3 weeks. It was great fun to write once I had everything clear.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypass and Georgette Heyer are all writers whose style I admire. I wanted to write a warm, witty and intimate romance which had a lot of accurate historical detail.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My daughter in addition to the Sophie character demanded I write Sophie’s story as she wanted to know what happened to her after To Marry A Matchmaker.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
It is a pretend engagement which develops into something more story. And there is a nod to PG Wodehouse with pigs. I adore PG Wodehouse.
I was going to tag various authors but they appear to have done this so if anyone wants to take up the baton, please do so and tell me where it is posted.
November 10, 2012
11 November Remembrance Sunday
Today is the anniversary of the ending of World War I. It is a day to remember the fallen and injured from all the wars and know that they died to keep us safe and allowed our way of life to happen.
It is a day to thank the living who served and continue to serve, risking their lives so we can enjoy ours.
I wear my red poppy with pride because it does help to highlight the marvellous work the British Legion does with service families. It also shows that I do understand the sacrifice and am grateful for the sacrifices made.
Last night I watched the Festival of Remembrance on BBC 1. It does bring a lump to my throat. (There wasn't anything like it in the US when I was growing up) Anyway, one of the higlights for me is the Chelsea Pensioners. When I first watched it as a bride, there was a man who had served in the Boer War. Slowly the active memories of various wars fade as one by one people die, but it doesn't mean people should forget.
So hopefully people will take a moment today to remember and to be grateful.
It is a day to thank the living who served and continue to serve, risking their lives so we can enjoy ours.
I wear my red poppy with pride because it does help to highlight the marvellous work the British Legion does with service families. It also shows that I do understand the sacrifice and am grateful for the sacrifices made.
Last night I watched the Festival of Remembrance on BBC 1. It does bring a lump to my throat. (There wasn't anything like it in the US when I was growing up) Anyway, one of the higlights for me is the Chelsea Pensioners. When I first watched it as a bride, there was a man who had served in the Boer War. Slowly the active memories of various wars fade as one by one people die, but it doesn't mean people should forget.
So hopefully people will take a moment today to remember and to be grateful.
November 9, 2012
My poor neglected blog
It has been awhile.
My excuse is that my mother came over from the States and we did a whirlwind tour of the universites where my elder two are studying. And my revisions for The Return of The Viking Warrior hit.
My mother went back home last week but I wanted to get the revisions done as I have a New Editor. I found my New Editor''s thoughts really useful and hope she loves my manuscript now. I think it is far stronger but it is always a worrying time when you change editors. You never know quite how they will react or if you interpreted their thoughts correctly. On the plus, sometimes you get overly comfortable with your editor and know where her quirks and hot spots are and this can mean that you are not pushed. I couldn't do anything about the change and so am rolling with it. My new editor loves Vikings so this is good. She also knows how to pronouce the names correctly.
I did draw the name out of the hat from my newsletter and Tracy had her package sent off to her.
I am still doing my Tracy Anderson Method and have nearly finished the first year of my transformation (ie 360 workouts). And then comes Year 2 with the Chair and lots of challenges for my abs.
I will try to be better at keeping up with this blog but work and family have to come first.
My excuse is that my mother came over from the States and we did a whirlwind tour of the universites where my elder two are studying. And my revisions for The Return of The Viking Warrior hit.
My mother went back home last week but I wanted to get the revisions done as I have a New Editor. I found my New Editor''s thoughts really useful and hope she loves my manuscript now. I think it is far stronger but it is always a worrying time when you change editors. You never know quite how they will react or if you interpreted their thoughts correctly. On the plus, sometimes you get overly comfortable with your editor and know where her quirks and hot spots are and this can mean that you are not pushed. I couldn't do anything about the change and so am rolling with it. My new editor loves Vikings so this is good. She also knows how to pronouce the names correctly.
I did draw the name out of the hat from my newsletter and Tracy had her package sent off to her.
I am still doing my Tracy Anderson Method and have nearly finished the first year of my transformation (ie 360 workouts). And then comes Year 2 with the Chair and lots of challenges for my abs.
I will try to be better at keeping up with this blog but work and family have to come first.
October 25, 2012
Heathcliff or the cat who thinks he is an editor at work
I have had many cats in time. I love cats but Heathcliff (and to a cetain extent his brother Mr Darcy before he died) is the only one who actively takes an interest in my work.
After reading Alexandra Sokoloff I decided to try her index card method if I could discover what precisely was wrong with my current WIP (and indeed the one I am revising) so I went back to my bulletin board. It was great fun to do this. And we shall see on the finished product...
Anyway Heathcliff's reaction amused me so I took some photos and as my daughter wanted to see...here they are:
And then:
And finally as he spotted the precise plot point he didn't like...
After reading Alexandra Sokoloff I decided to try her index card method if I could discover what precisely was wrong with my current WIP (and indeed the one I am revising) so I went back to my bulletin board. It was great fun to do this. And we shall see on the finished product...
Anyway Heathcliff's reaction amused me so I took some photos and as my daughter wanted to see...here they are:
And then:
And finally as he spotted the precise plot point he didn't like...
October 20, 2012
Wicked Giveaway etc
I am participating in Reading Romance's Wicked Giveaway. There are 2 signed copies of Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match to be won.I was totally thrilled to learn that Hattie was the most requested prize in Reading Romance's last giveaway - Naughty or Nice!
You can enter here.
And my newsletter went out yesterday. There is a special giveaway on there for newsletter subscribers only.
Also the Goodreads Giveaway for Hattie continues...
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match by Michelle Styles Giveaway ends November 01, 2012. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
October 17, 2012
My new author photo
Courtesy of Mills &Boon, I have my new author photo:
It looks like me.
It is copyright Mills and Boon 2012.
It looks like me.It is copyright Mills and Boon 2012.
October 12, 2012
Editor changes
My editor is changing again. For a variety of reasons, various editors at Harlequin Mills and Boon are either on maternity leave or have left the company. This has meant that an unprecendented 3 mid-ranked editors have been making their farewells from the acquisitions team. One editor has just returned from maternity leave.
My editor has been promoted which is wonderful for her. But it also means she needs to rebalance her author stable so it is more in favour of the series where she is the new Associate Editor (Romance/Riva). The editor who has just returned is going to historical and needs more historical authors. She also loves the Viking period, apparently. So I get moved. Not all of my editor's historical authors will get moved. It just depends on a variety of factors.
Some day I will make good my threat and get a Pandora bracelet with a bead for each of my editors. I think I am up to 6 editors in the 7 years I have been a contracted author with HMB. Some authors only have one editor. Others get moved about for a variety of reasons. I think of all the changes the hardest was the first one. After that you know you can do it.
I have loved working with Flo Nicoll. She is a rising star among HMB editors and I can't wait to see how far she goes. I am very proud of the books we did together. And I do think my writing has improved under her. I will miss her insights very much. But I also am aware of why the change needs to be made.
A new editor always pushes you in directions you haven't thought about and makes you confront things. This can be a good thing as it is always about getting the strongest book.
At the moment with the current Viking, I get the benefit of both Flo and Suzy Clarke's eyes. After that, it will be Suzy.
It is good to be back with the Historical team as it were, and I know Suzy has a reputation for detailed revisions. My senior editor thinks we will get on very well and I do trust my senior editor very much -- she was my first editor after all...
If you can't stop change, you might as well embrace it and enjoy the ride.
My editor has been promoted which is wonderful for her. But it also means she needs to rebalance her author stable so it is more in favour of the series where she is the new Associate Editor (Romance/Riva). The editor who has just returned is going to historical and needs more historical authors. She also loves the Viking period, apparently. So I get moved. Not all of my editor's historical authors will get moved. It just depends on a variety of factors.
Some day I will make good my threat and get a Pandora bracelet with a bead for each of my editors. I think I am up to 6 editors in the 7 years I have been a contracted author with HMB. Some authors only have one editor. Others get moved about for a variety of reasons. I think of all the changes the hardest was the first one. After that you know you can do it.
I have loved working with Flo Nicoll. She is a rising star among HMB editors and I can't wait to see how far she goes. I am very proud of the books we did together. And I do think my writing has improved under her. I will miss her insights very much. But I also am aware of why the change needs to be made.
A new editor always pushes you in directions you haven't thought about and makes you confront things. This can be a good thing as it is always about getting the strongest book.
At the moment with the current Viking, I get the benefit of both Flo and Suzy Clarke's eyes. After that, it will be Suzy.
It is good to be back with the Historical team as it were, and I know Suzy has a reputation for detailed revisions. My senior editor thinks we will get on very well and I do trust my senior editor very much -- she was my first editor after all...
If you can't stop change, you might as well embrace it and enjoy the ride.
October 10, 2012
Revisiting old books: Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart
Because I had been reminded of Madam Will You Talk? which is set in Arles, I asked my youngest to get out from the Lit and Phil. Unfortunately it had been shelved wrong, so he returned home with another Mary Stewart -- Wildfire at Midnight. It was written in 1956 and set in 1953, during the coronation.
The heroine has the glamorous career of an in-store model and wants to escape the Coronation hoopla. When her mother suggests a hotel on Skye, Gianetta leaps at the chance. Unfortunately, the hotel is harbouring a murderer (the other inhabitants have been there for a few weeks) and Gianetta's ex.
I must have read this about 35 years ago as my school library was very good on Mary Stewart. What struck me this time was how many times people lit cigarettes. Practically every scene, the characters stop and light a cigarette. Yes I know people smoked but it was the sheer repetition of the gesture that got me. At one point, I expected the characters to get together and start discussing exactly how many tabs they had left and therefore how long they could hold before the mystery needed to be solved or one of them started to have withdrawal symptoms!
There is little sexual tension between Gianetta and her ex-husband or indeed between Gianetta and the villian of the piece. The ex husband is supposed to be jealous of the villain who turns out to be a mad man but who was trying to romance Gianetta. He did have a handy supply of cigerettes though....
Gianetta ends up with her ex. who snarls 'You bloody little fool.' before explaining everything, including the misunderstanding where she thought he was sleeping with an actress. No she was kissing him and he left. The actress was having an affair with another man.
There were several times when Gianetta deserved the Too Stupid to Live label and I didn't quite understand why the police would leave her in charge of a severely ill woman who was a potential witness in the case.
What Stewart does well is to provide a sense of the place. I may not have been to Skye but I have stayed in hotels in the Highlands as well as in Snowdonia and the Lake District. They do operate under their own rules.
It was interesting re-reading it but I can see novel writing, in particular romantic suspense has really moved on. But oh how I loved Mary Stewart once upon a time.
Georgette Heyer seems to wear better for some reason. Perhaps it is because she was writing a historical rather than a contemporary.
The heroine has the glamorous career of an in-store model and wants to escape the Coronation hoopla. When her mother suggests a hotel on Skye, Gianetta leaps at the chance. Unfortunately, the hotel is harbouring a murderer (the other inhabitants have been there for a few weeks) and Gianetta's ex.
I must have read this about 35 years ago as my school library was very good on Mary Stewart. What struck me this time was how many times people lit cigarettes. Practically every scene, the characters stop and light a cigarette. Yes I know people smoked but it was the sheer repetition of the gesture that got me. At one point, I expected the characters to get together and start discussing exactly how many tabs they had left and therefore how long they could hold before the mystery needed to be solved or one of them started to have withdrawal symptoms!
There is little sexual tension between Gianetta and her ex-husband or indeed between Gianetta and the villian of the piece. The ex husband is supposed to be jealous of the villain who turns out to be a mad man but who was trying to romance Gianetta. He did have a handy supply of cigerettes though....
Gianetta ends up with her ex. who snarls 'You bloody little fool.' before explaining everything, including the misunderstanding where she thought he was sleeping with an actress. No she was kissing him and he left. The actress was having an affair with another man.
There were several times when Gianetta deserved the Too Stupid to Live label and I didn't quite understand why the police would leave her in charge of a severely ill woman who was a potential witness in the case.
What Stewart does well is to provide a sense of the place. I may not have been to Skye but I have stayed in hotels in the Highlands as well as in Snowdonia and the Lake District. They do operate under their own rules.
It was interesting re-reading it but I can see novel writing, in particular romantic suspense has really moved on. But oh how I loved Mary Stewart once upon a time.
Georgette Heyer seems to wear better for some reason. Perhaps it is because she was writing a historical rather than a contemporary.
