Michelle Styles's Blog, page 19
May 9, 2012
Sophie Accepted
My editor emailed yesterday to say that she liked what I had done to Sophie and Richard and the manuscript was now accepted. Sophie was featured in To Marry A Matchmaker. She was the ward of the hero who had found recourse to apply a frying pan to the head of her would-be seducer. I had great fun writing it.
It was the last book in the current contract, so my editor offered me another one. This time I get to concentrate on Vikings. My Vikings are proving popular and so I get to write some more. Always good.
It was the last book in the current contract, so my editor offered me another one. This time I get to concentrate on Vikings. My Vikings are proving popular and so I get to write some more. Always good.
May 5, 2012
Coping
Yesterday passed and it was tough.
The hardest thing now is listening to Heathcliff meow for his brother to come and play, knowing that his brother can't come. Sometimes hegets this happy look on his face and rushes off to investigate a spot where he thinks his brother must be hiding, only for his face to fall. Heathcliff has an expressive face for a cat...
We have decided that Heathcliff will be the solitary cat in the household. We learnt from our long ago expereince when Marmalade died and thought Treacle would need a playmate so quickly got 2 kittens. Treacle disliked the kittens intensely, turning the house into WW3.
Then when Joss the border collie died and we got Tess and Hardy, Chile was not overly pleased. Ironically we got two dogs because we were certain Chile would soon go. 3 years later, Chile is older and grumpier than ever but very much around. It took him about 6 months to used to Hardy and Tess.
The two who are off at uni thought we must be calling about him when we called about Mr Darcy.
Sometimes, if it is your time, it is just your time and if it isn't, it isn't.
Being an author means that I will remember the emotions. Am I being selfish in hoping that I have done enough grief for awhile? But grief is the price we pay for loving animals and the love and joy we get is worth the pain.
The hardest thing now is listening to Heathcliff meow for his brother to come and play, knowing that his brother can't come. Sometimes hegets this happy look on his face and rushes off to investigate a spot where he thinks his brother must be hiding, only for his face to fall. Heathcliff has an expressive face for a cat...We have decided that Heathcliff will be the solitary cat in the household. We learnt from our long ago expereince when Marmalade died and thought Treacle would need a playmate so quickly got 2 kittens. Treacle disliked the kittens intensely, turning the house into WW3.
Then when Joss the border collie died and we got Tess and Hardy, Chile was not overly pleased. Ironically we got two dogs because we were certain Chile would soon go. 3 years later, Chile is older and grumpier than ever but very much around. It took him about 6 months to used to Hardy and Tess.
The two who are off at uni thought we must be calling about him when we called about Mr Darcy.
Sometimes, if it is your time, it is just your time and if it isn't, it isn't.
Being an author means that I will remember the emotions. Am I being selfish in hoping that I have done enough grief for awhile? But grief is the price we pay for loving animals and the love and joy we get is worth the pain.
May 3, 2012
Rest In Peace Mr Darcy
Suddenly and without warning last night, Mr Darcy collasped and died.I put him to bed (the animals sleep in the kitchen and if allowed up at night the cats wake us up) and went back upstairs to get his brother who decided to hide under my bed. Getting Heathcliff out from under a bed can involve giving blood. I then went into the kitchen to see if I could entice Heathcliff with food, but instead I discovered Mr Darcy collasped in a heap on the floor. No vomiting. No warning. He seemed perfectly healthy before this.
He died in my arms a few minutes later.
I am not sure of the cause. He could have fallen and broken his neck. Why? How? He hated jumping sometimes and was cautious. All I know is that he died.
All the humans are devastated. Mr Darcy was a particular favourite of my husband's.
He was a fantastic character who brightened our lives for a few years and now is gone. On balance I'd have rather had him in my life than not and that is really all you can say. Love hurts but it is so worthwhile.
The cover for His Unsuitable Viscountess
This is the cover for my August release. I love and adore the dress. Imagine wearing those sleeves! And the model they used for Eleanor does have the look I wanted -- a dancer's type build.
I hope other people like it.
I shall have to get the excerpt up and on to my website now.
May 2, 2012
The Bees and the garden
I haven't updated on my bees recently.
The hive survived the winter. Hooray. I am not sure what happened in March when we had a few good days. Anyway, it would seem like we now have a new queen and the colony is building. My youngest paniced a bit when he couldn't see the queen in mid April but reported that there is now a healthy amount of brood. Because it is a small colony, I had him put in an entrance block -- this makes it easier for the bees to defend the hive against intruders, including mice.
The big problem is the cold and rain. Wettest April for 100 years and May seems now better. However there are plenty of flowers out in the garden....when they can fly. Bees don't fly in the rain.
One of the big problems for bees can be when gardens become green deserts -- few flowering plants and lots of evergreen or grass. Bees need flowers.
Speaking of flowers, I was really pleased to discover a trillium in the winter garden. We had planted trillium bulbs years ago but nothing happpened. Then suddenly this year, we have 3 delicate flowers. Patience can be a virtue in gardening.
The apple blossom is almost out in back paddock. This morning a male and female bullfinch were busy snacking on the blossom. They missed the damson blossom but they are endangered so I can't get cross about the apple blossom. Plus they were snacking on the tree which had a lot of apples last year.
The hive survived the winter. Hooray. I am not sure what happened in March when we had a few good days. Anyway, it would seem like we now have a new queen and the colony is building. My youngest paniced a bit when he couldn't see the queen in mid April but reported that there is now a healthy amount of brood. Because it is a small colony, I had him put in an entrance block -- this makes it easier for the bees to defend the hive against intruders, including mice.
The big problem is the cold and rain. Wettest April for 100 years and May seems now better. However there are plenty of flowers out in the garden....when they can fly. Bees don't fly in the rain.
One of the big problems for bees can be when gardens become green deserts -- few flowering plants and lots of evergreen or grass. Bees need flowers.
Speaking of flowers, I was really pleased to discover a trillium in the winter garden. We had planted trillium bulbs years ago but nothing happpened. Then suddenly this year, we have 3 delicate flowers. Patience can be a virtue in gardening.
The apple blossom is almost out in back paddock. This morning a male and female bullfinch were busy snacking on the blossom. They missed the damson blossom but they are endangered so I can't get cross about the apple blossom. Plus they were snacking on the tree which had a lot of apples last year.
May 1, 2012
Sometimes a hero walks in...
I sent my revisions off to my editor yesterday. She just emailed to say that she has it.
I think the manauscript is now far stronger. I hope the motivations are now on the page instead of in my head.
I knew what I was planning to write next. HOWEVER, I had a hero pop into my head and refuse to leave. From past experience, I know his story will be next. Trying to deviate won't really work.
SOmetimes I wish there was a logic to my process but there isn't.
Let's hope this story is relatively straight forward to write. Powerful heroes can be hard to control.
I think the manauscript is now far stronger. I hope the motivations are now on the page instead of in my head.
I knew what I was planning to write next. HOWEVER, I had a hero pop into my head and refuse to leave. From past experience, I know his story will be next. Trying to deviate won't really work.
SOmetimes I wish there was a logic to my process but there isn't.
Let's hope this story is relatively straight forward to write. Powerful heroes can be hard to control.
April 24, 2012
His Unsuitable Viscountess -- blurb
My editor sent over the blurb for His Unsuitable Viscountess (published August 2012) . No cover yet but I like the blurb.
From hard-headed businesswoman…
A lifetime of living in a man’s world has given sword-making factory owner Eleanor Blackwell some very definite opinions – particularly about the duplicity of men!
…to blushing bride?
Benjamin Grayson, Viscount Whittonstall, seems to be cut from a different cloth—Eleanor responds to his touch with a passion normally only reserved for fencing! She may be spectacularly unsuited for aristocracy, but Ben has different ideas when he plans to safeguard her business with a very convenient proposal...
As you can see from the blurb Eleanor Blackwell is not your typical Regency heroine! It was so much fun to do research on Regency businesswoman. It was hard as there are very few proper biographies of these ladies, read I couldn't find one, just brief mentions in other non fiction books.
Of course Georgette Heyer did not approve of women working so she did not have any in her books. Jane Austen did have a few but generally they were not protrayed as pleasant individuals. Jane Austen's model for Mrs Norris was reputedly a businesswoman -Sarah Rice who inherited her bank from her husband.
The Regency period had more businesswomen than the Victorian period. I suspect that this is because of the way business changed and went more towards being limited companies and stocks. If you are a sole partnership, you do have to be more hands on.
From hard-headed businesswoman…
A lifetime of living in a man’s world has given sword-making factory owner Eleanor Blackwell some very definite opinions – particularly about the duplicity of men!
…to blushing bride?
Benjamin Grayson, Viscount Whittonstall, seems to be cut from a different cloth—Eleanor responds to his touch with a passion normally only reserved for fencing! She may be spectacularly unsuited for aristocracy, but Ben has different ideas when he plans to safeguard her business with a very convenient proposal...
As you can see from the blurb Eleanor Blackwell is not your typical Regency heroine! It was so much fun to do research on Regency businesswoman. It was hard as there are very few proper biographies of these ladies, read I couldn't find one, just brief mentions in other non fiction books.
Of course Georgette Heyer did not approve of women working so she did not have any in her books. Jane Austen did have a few but generally they were not protrayed as pleasant individuals. Jane Austen's model for Mrs Norris was reputedly a businesswoman -Sarah Rice who inherited her bank from her husband.
The Regency period had more businesswomen than the Victorian period. I suspect that this is because of the way business changed and went more towards being limited companies and stocks. If you are a sole partnership, you do have to be more hands on.
April 18, 2012
It is all in how you take the camera angles
I do love my editor. She took time over two days to chat with me about my manuscript -- what was working and what wasn't. Where she thought things could be improved and why. One of my problems was that I had tried to tie up all story threads in a neat bow and sometimes the endings are best implied, rather than spelt out.
It is going to be 2 weeks of hard work. I have refocus the manuscript and make sure that certain things aneed to be moved to the forefront, rather than hidden in the shadow. As someone once said to me a long time ago -- think like you are a director -- what do you want the shot to show?
I have cut about 7k but it needed to go to free up the words for better use.
It is going to be 2 weeks of hard work. I have refocus the manuscript and make sure that certain things aneed to be moved to the forefront, rather than hidden in the shadow. As someone once said to me a long time ago -- think like you are a director -- what do you want the shot to show?
I have cut about 7k but it needed to go to free up the words for better use.
April 17, 2012
Revisions hit
After Edith and Brand, I knew that I would not get an easy set of revisions again. The world doesn't work like that. I am actually more comfortable with more revisions.
These revisions will take some thinking about but the story will be better for it. I need to speak to my editor to fully understand what she is seeing and where I need to tease various threads out.
In many ways this story is closer to my heart than the Viking was. Is it because I do have extensive revisions on it? Am I contrarywise person and apt to love the more difficult stories more?
In Tracy Anderson Method News I am on Level 9 of the Continuity C1.1, so day 175. I have started to transition in the new Dance Cardio. I am looking forward to starting the next part of Continuity C1.2 next week. Back the free weights and standing abs! My body continues to improve. I will post a new picture next week. This part of C1.1 has seen consolidation more than anything.
There is an article in Hello Magazine about Tracy along with a few exercises to try.Tracy does do what she says. I do love her workouts.
These revisions will take some thinking about but the story will be better for it. I need to speak to my editor to fully understand what she is seeing and where I need to tease various threads out.
In many ways this story is closer to my heart than the Viking was. Is it because I do have extensive revisions on it? Am I contrarywise person and apt to love the more difficult stories more?
In Tracy Anderson Method News I am on Level 9 of the Continuity C1.1, so day 175. I have started to transition in the new Dance Cardio. I am looking forward to starting the next part of Continuity C1.2 next week. Back the free weights and standing abs! My body continues to improve. I will post a new picture next week. This part of C1.1 has seen consolidation more than anything.
There is an article in Hello Magazine about Tracy along with a few exercises to try.Tracy does do what she says. I do love her workouts.
April 13, 2012
Lucky 7 meme
As Kate Hardy tagged me.
The meme goes like this. Take your latest work, go page 77, seven lines down and give the next seven lines. Then tag 7 other writers and hope they do the same.
‘Once a waltz starts, you can come and find me if you wish to speak to them,’ Sophie said brightly. ‘There is no need to introduce me. There are a number of other people I need to speak to.’ Sophie silently prayed the waltz would be soon. Otherwise it was going to be torture waiting to speak to him and hoping that they had their story correct. But staying close to him was also torture of another sort.
It needs a little polishing but I am waiting for my editor's thoughts. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Seven other people:
Kate Walker
Anne McAllister
Donna Alward
Cheryl St John
Marguerite Kaye
Hazel Osmond
Fiona Lowe
Let me know if you do it.
The meme goes like this. Take your latest work, go page 77, seven lines down and give the next seven lines. Then tag 7 other writers and hope they do the same.
‘Once a waltz starts, you can come and find me if you wish to speak to them,’ Sophie said brightly. ‘There is no need to introduce me. There are a number of other people I need to speak to.’ Sophie silently prayed the waltz would be soon. Otherwise it was going to be torture waiting to speak to him and hoping that they had their story correct. But staying close to him was also torture of another sort.
It needs a little polishing but I am waiting for my editor's thoughts. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Seven other people:
Kate Walker
Anne McAllister
Donna Alward
Cheryl St John
Marguerite Kaye
Hazel Osmond
Fiona Lowe
Let me know if you do it.
