Michelle Styles's Blog, page 50
February 12, 2010
Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife wins CataRomance Reviewers Award
I just found out that Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife won the Cataromance Reviewer's Choice Award 2009 for best M&B Historical! I am over the moon because as readers of this blog will know I really rate the reviewers at Cataromance. They read a lot of romance and try very hard to give interesting reviews. You can see the rest of the list here. Congratulations to all the other winners.
And thank you very much Donna, Ally and Julie. I am really honoured!!!!
A Noble Captive -- April 2010
I found out yesterday (via Amazon) that A Noble Captive will be released as a Harlequin Historical Direct for April 2010. It is the second book that I wrote for HMB, and so I am very proud of it.
I adore the cover which was especially commissioned for the book. I am hopeful that the inside front cover will be in the book as well. My editors gave me a copy of it when I went for my first author lunch and I have loved it ever since.Someday, I do hope to write a book that uses the inside front...
February 11, 2010
Do you have coffee with a canine?
Recently I discovered a wonderful quirky blog called Coffee with a Canine. It is all about authors and others and the dogs in their lives. Lots of lovely dog pictures. And it is addictive reading.
Anyway, my offering is up there now. So there are pictures of Tess, Hardy and Chile in the snow etc.
When is the best time to have coffee with a canine? Anytime!
And what drink would you have with a feline?
Heathcliff and Mr Darcy are shocking as they keep trying to drink my tea. The Very Bad Modem cats...
Anyway, my offering is up there now. So there are pictures of Tess, Hardy and Chile in the snow etc.
When is the best time to have coffee with a canine? Anytime!
And what drink would you have with a feline?
Heathcliff and Mr Darcy are shocking as they keep trying to drink my tea. The Very Bad Modem cats...
February 10, 2010
Recovering
I had forgotten or drawn a blissful veil over how much a shot takes out of you and then there is the whole question of antibiotics.
My finger is getting better but remains bruised. Mice have a severe bite.
The feed shed still needs to be cleaned out but the food is now safely stored in bins with tight fitting lids. So hopefully the mouse population will decrease significantly.
My revisions are coming on. I can see why they will make the book much stronger and more significantly I think I can se...
My finger is getting better but remains bruised. Mice have a severe bite.
The feed shed still needs to be cleaned out but the food is now safely stored in bins with tight fitting lids. So hopefully the mouse population will decrease significantly.
My revisions are coming on. I can see why they will make the book much stronger and more significantly I think I can se...
February 8, 2010
Mouse Wars: a new front
Yesterday, a mouse bit me.
I had already dispatched one large rodent (presumed mouse) from the dog food feed bin at dog feeding time. I captured that mouse and my youngest did the honours. As I let the dogs out for their night time ablutions, rustling resounded from the feed shed. Sure enough, another rodent (presumed mouse) was in the dog food bin -- looking for its mate or merely seeking to steal food? Who knows? Who cares? But I disliked the thought of my dogs eating mouse droppings.
I put ...
I had already dispatched one large rodent (presumed mouse) from the dog food feed bin at dog feeding time. I captured that mouse and my youngest did the honours. As I let the dogs out for their night time ablutions, rustling resounded from the feed shed. Sure enough, another rodent (presumed mouse) was in the dog food bin -- looking for its mate or merely seeking to steal food? Who knows? Who cares? But I disliked the thought of my dogs eating mouse droppings.
I put ...
February 5, 2010
Blogging at Borders True Romance
As the ever so lovely Sue Grimshaw visited the Pink Heart Society a few weeks ago, Sue invited the editors of the Pink Heart Society to visit the Borders True Romance blog. Our post is there today and Donna, Jenna and I would be delighted if people went along and commented about their favourite line or why they like series romance...
February 4, 2010
You can't argue with every reader
I am working through my revision notes. Some of it I can see and others I think why didn't she see? There again, I can not argue with every reader and it is my job to make certain things are clear and upfront. My editor highlights problems. It is up to me to solve them, not to argue her around to my way of thinking.
Various characters might miss things but the reader should not be confused.
It involves rethinking and sometimes approaching things from a different angle.
Oh and subtext is king. Th...
Various characters might miss things but the reader should not be confused.
It involves rethinking and sometimes approaching things from a different angle.
Oh and subtext is king. Th...
February 3, 2010
Revisons and a great review
First of all, Sold & Seduced has a wonderfully enthusiatic reivew from Enduring Romance. The overall evaluation was 93/100, so this was a great boast to my writing ego.
My editor burned the midnight oil and sent through 6 pages of revision notes for my revised manuscript. They are tweaks and the book will be much stronger once I have worked them through. Her thoughts also lead me to conclude that I am on the right track for pinpointing my problems after reading The Manuscript Makeover. Sometim...
My editor burned the midnight oil and sent through 6 pages of revision notes for my revised manuscript. They are tweaks and the book will be much stronger once I have worked them through. Her thoughts also lead me to conclude that I am on the right track for pinpointing my problems after reading The Manuscript Makeover. Sometim...
February 2, 2010
Subtext is all
If a scene is about what is on the surface, then I am in trouble. A scene needs to be about more.
And emotions need to shift and change during the scene. The characters cannot just travel full circle.
I am as you might guess deep into editing. The wip is getting better and the focus is getting stronger.
Has anyone read The Heroine's Journey? It is apparently what the vast majority of single title women's fiction is based around, particularly psychological novels. The reference in The Manuscript ...
And emotions need to shift and change during the scene. The characters cannot just travel full circle.
I am as you might guess deep into editing. The wip is getting better and the focus is getting stronger.
Has anyone read The Heroine's Journey? It is apparently what the vast majority of single title women's fiction is based around, particularly psychological novels. The reference in The Manuscript ...
January 31, 2010
Sold & Seduced contest winners
The first names out of the hat were Amy and Elaine. I have contacted them by email.
Many thanks to all who entered.
The next newsletter will come out sometime around Easter and will feature a contest for Compromising Miss Milton.
Manuscript Makeover is really making me think. It has solved several problems and provided enlightenment. For example, Lyon makes the note that often in first drafts etc, the protagonist seems flat. It is because the subtext etc is needed. You really do have to bring ou...
Many thanks to all who entered.
The next newsletter will come out sometime around Easter and will feature a contest for Compromising Miss Milton.
Manuscript Makeover is really making me think. It has solved several problems and provided enlightenment. For example, Lyon makes the note that often in first drafts etc, the protagonist seems flat. It is because the subtext etc is needed. You really do have to bring ou...
