Rachael Ruddick's Blog
August 22, 2014
The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel
I am 40 books into the year and looking at my reads so far ‘The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel’ series by Jennifer Bernard stood prominently amongst my favorite for the year and so I wanted to write a short shout out for it.
I will admit that a few years ago I made a decision that I would only read book series (and watch tv series) that had concluded so that I could binge on the whole thing at once and get some closure on it all. Not to mention that most goldfish have far better memories than me so it was a way of being able to get the full benefit of a series by being able to remember all of the characters, the back stories and the setting between books. The last book (the sixth) in the Firemen of San Gabriel series is actually due out next month (September 2014) so I feel a little better that I am not here breaking my own rule as I type up this recommendation.
So yes the series has 6 full length books and 2 novellas in it. They are all set in a firehouse in San Gabriel, California. The characters are immediately likable, distinct and a real pleasure to read. The stories are hot (excuse the pun) and I recommend you add them to your reading list a.s.a.p.
I would love to know what books you have read this year and what you are looking forward to.
RWA 2014 Conference Report
Early this month I attended the Romance Writer’s of Australia annual conference in Sydney. This was my third conference and I felt a little bit more confident going in.
The first two that I had attended a few years ago now I had absolutely loved but when I had returned home I became totally overwhelmed with all of the tools, methods, new ideas and how-to knowledge that I felt like I shouldn’t do anything more until I felt like I was doing it write. Until I could put EVERYTHING I had learned in to practice. So of course I did nothing at all. For a whole year after the first conference I did not write a single word.
This year I was more mindful going in about what my strengths and weaknesses were, what areas I wanted to focus in on and to try and look for a few key nuggets of wisdom to apply to my writing that I had not had before. I was taking a more step-by-step, long-term and gradual approach to growing my writing. Have I written anything since I got back. YES! Do I feel like I learnt something. YES! What was that exactly… Well let me tell you my key take aways.
1 – JAMES SCOTT BELL & CHERRY ADAIR – ‘Enter the scene late and leave early’. I knew this on a sub conscious level, but plan to apply this more vigorously from now on. Basically it means to cut out all that boring stuff. We don’t need to know that the character heard the door bell, wondered who was at the door, thought about how the door bell was a bit quiet, then walked to the door and then opened it. Can the scene start with them opening the door?
2 – JAMES SCOTT BELL – ‘Start from the middle’ – Basically it is about finding that critical point in the story. The point when the character realizes that things need to be done and they need to change from their old way of thinking to their new way of thinking and step up to the plate. This is the point of the story that should be really clearly in your head. From there you can go backward and work out where they started from and how they got to this point and then go forward and work out the resolution and the ending. It helps you to understand the crux of your story, to understand the underlying and prevalent point of it all.
3 – GENERAL IMPRESSIONS – There really is every type of setting and story imaginable in romance, but it is up to you to discover what you are most interested in writing (and reading), what you are good at writing and what you what to get out of it all. You should set goals and not be swayed by what other people believe is the right path or the right aims in writing and publishing. Do what works for you and do it with intent. Know where you want to go and work out how you plan to get there.
December 26, 2013
My Romance Reading List of 2013
I set a resolution to read 52 books this year, one a week. I managed to get up to 61 in the end with 52 romance and 9 non-fiction.
I didn’t keep a rating on all of my books, only those that I absolutely loved or really hated. If I hated a book it was most likely to do with either some obnoxious over-the-top sexism (a.k.a. Sara Orwig’s Deep in a Texan’s Heart) or that I just didn’t believe the situation would work in the long term (cue Jaci Burton’s One Sweet Ride).
For the books I loved, well that is harder to pin down, obviously the characters and the story line engaged me right from beginning to end and I most likely read the book within one or two days. For all those in between, the majority of the time I really enjoyed them, I just didn’t love them to bits.
With my kindle voucher I received for christmas I already have a growing reading list ready to go. Here are some of the books I am looking forward to in 2014:
Jill Shalvis’ Animal Magnetism series,
Toni Aleo’s Assassin’s (ice hockey) series,
Jaci Burton’s Hope series and the continuation of her Play by Play series and
Jennifer Bernard’s The Bachelor Fireman of San Gabriel series.
On a final note I read a book during the ‘So You Think You Can Write’ annual Harlequin competition online. It was called ‘Here Comes the Bridesmaid’ by Avril Tremayne. I absolutely enjoyed it and found out it will be published by Harlequin KISS sometime in 2014. So that is one to look out for too.
So happy reading in 2014 and I would love any recommendations from other readers on what to add to my reading list. I get the majority of them from the Contemporary Romance group on Goodreads and am always on the lookout for new authors and great reads.
11 FAVORITE ROMANCE READS OF 2013:
Stealing Home (Diamonds and Dugouts, #1)
Seasons, Jennifer
Close Enough to Touch (Jackson, #1)
Dahl, Victoria
Bet Me
Crusie, Jennifer *
Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family, #1)
Stacey, Shannon *
Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys, #2)
James, Lorelei
The Winning Season
Packard, Alison *
All Out of Love (Cupid, Texas, #2)
Wilde, Lori *
Crazy Thing Called Love (Crooked Creek Ranch, #3)
O’Keefe, Molly *
Too Hot to Handle (Jackson, #2)
Dahl, Victoria
The One Who Changed Everything
Darcy, Lilian*
Rescue Me (Lovett, Texas, #3)
Gibson, Rachel
7 LEAST FAVORITE ROMANCE READS OF 2013:
The Reluctant Bride
Duquette, Anne Marie
One Sweet Ride (Play by Play, #6)
Burton, Jaci*
Finding Justice
Brimble, Rachel *
Play
Roberts, Holly S. *
Her Last Line of Defense (Harlequin Blaze, #493)(Harlequin Blaze, #493) (Uniformly Hot!, #9)
Donovan, Marie
Holiday Games (Play by Play, #6.5)
Burton, Jaci*
Deep in a Texan’s Heart
Orwig, Sara *
MY FULL LIST OF ROMANCE BOOKS FOR 2013 (By author):
Some Like It Hot (Razor Bay, #2)
Andersen, Susan *
Strike Zone (Richmond Rogues, #3)
Angell, Kate
Curveball (Richmond Rogues, #2)
Angell, Kate
Sliding Home (Richmond Rogues, #4)
Angell, Kate
A Prior Engagement
Bliss, Karina*
Finding Justice
Brimble, Rachel *
Holiday Games (Play by Play, #6.5)
Burton, Jaci*
One Sweet Ride (Play by Play, #6)
Burton, Jaci*
The Best Thing (Kent Brothers, #3)
Burton, Jaci*
Thrown by a Curve (Play by Play, #5)
Burton, Jaci*
Bet Me
Crusie, Jennifer *
Start Me Up (Tumble Creek, #2)
Dahl, Victoria
So Tough to Tame (Jackson, #3)
Dahl, Victoria
Talk Me Down (Tumble Creek, #1)
Dahl, Victoria
Close Enough to Touch (Jackson, #1)
Dahl, Victoria
Lead Me On (Tumble Creek, #3)
Dahl, Victoria
Too Hot to Handle (Jackson, #2)
Dahl, Victoria
The One Who Changed Everything
Darcy, Lilian*
Pitch Perfect (Boys of Summer, #1)
Dean, Sierra*
Her Last Line of Defense (Harlequin Blaze, #493)(Harlequin Blaze, #493) (Uniformly Hot!, #9)
Donovan, Marie
The Reluctant Bride
Duquette, Anne Marie
Crazy On You (Lovett, Texas, #2)
Gibson, Rachel
Rescue Me (Lovett, Texas, #3)
Gibson, Rachel
Catch of the Day
Higgins, Kristan *
Love Irresistibly (FBI / US Attorney, #4)
James, Julie*
Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys, #2)
James, Lorelei
Waking Up Married
Kelly, Mira Lyn *
Flirting with Texas (Deep in the Heart of Texas #5)
Lane, Katie *
Wedding Date With The Best Man
McClone, Melissa *
Christmas Magic on the Mountain
McClone, Melissa *
After Hours
McKenna, Cara *
Big Sky Country (Parable, Montana, #1)
Miller, Linda Lael
Big Sky Mountain (Parable, Montana, #2)
Miller, Linda Lael
When Summer Comes (Whiskey Creek, #3)
Novak, Brenda *
Crazy Thing Called Love (Crooked Creek Ranch, #3)
O’Keefe, Molly *
Her Not-So-Secret Diary
Oliver, Anne
Deep in a Texan’s Heart
Orwig, Sara *
The Winning Season
Packard, Alison *
Brazen
Phillips, Carly *
Play
Roberts, Holly S. *
Stealing Home (Diamonds and Dugouts, #1)
Seasons, Jennifer
At Last (Lucky Harbor, #5)
Shalvis, Jill *
Head Over Heels (Lucky Harbor, #3)
Shalvis, Jill *
Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1)
Shalvis, Jill *
Lucky in Love (Lucky Harbor, #4)
Shalvis, Jill *
The Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor, #2)
Shalvis, Jill *
In Too Deep
Shay, Kathryn
Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family, #1)
Stacey, Shannon *
Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family, #2)
Stacey, Shannon *
Offside (The Barker Triplets, #1)
Stone, Juliana *
Love at First Sight (Cupid, Texas, #1)
Wilde, Lori *
All Out of Love (Cupid, Texas, #2)
Wilde, Lori *
October 22, 2013
Which Comes First: The Setting or the Romance?
Written By Heidi McCahan
As a reader of contemporary romance novels, the setting heavily influences my decision to read a particular book. While I am a loyal reader and eagerly anticipate the release of a favorite author’s newest book, I’ve noticed some consistent preferences in my recent selections. Is it clever marketing on the part of the publisher? Do they know what the reading population wants? Am I just like every other warm-blooded female who wants to read as a means to escape reality for a little while?
CC – NASA
Growing up in rural Alaska in the 80’s, entertainment options were limited, to say the least. By the time I had access to television and movies, I was already a voracious reader. Although my parents made sure my options were age-appropriate, I read anything I could get my hands on. Once I graduated from Nancy Drew and Judy Blume, my first exposure to ‘romance’ in a novel was Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High series. The beautiful twin sisters driving their convertible to school, hanging out on the beach with their friends, and Elizabeth’s hunky boyfriend, Todd, set me on the path toward seeking swoon-worthy romance set in interesting locations.
Although my tastes are a bit more sophisticated now, I’m still drawn to contemporary romances set in close knit communities, both in the general market and some in the inspirational market, as well. Let’s face it: cowboys and a ranch, with a city-slicker heroine reels me in every time. New York Times Bestselling author Linda Lael Miller and her Big Sky series, set in Parable, Montana are all enjoyable. In the inspirational market, Denise Hunter does a fabulous job of crafting phenomenal characters in a variety of small-town settings, but her Big Sky romance series set in Montana is one of my favorites. As readers of contemporary romance, we want to become engrossed in the story, experiencing the emotions of the characters. Denise Hunter’s novels do that for me every single time.
CC Papalars
In addition to cowboys and one-horse towns, I’m instantly drawn to a contemporary romance set in a coastal location. Dorothea Benton Frank, Patti Callahan Henry, Mary Alice Monroe and Karen White are four authors that write enjoyable novels set in small, southeastern US coastal communities. This is the ultimate example of escapism for me. Everything about the coast is relaxing and romantic, in my opinion. Slap some sand and surf on the cover of a novel and I’m sold.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my latest fave, the contemporary ‘sports’ romance. I hadn’t given this sub-genre much consideration until I saw two different publishers mention an interest in acquiring manuscripts with a sports romance. So I decided to write one. A quick search on Goodreads indicates that baseball players and hockey players are the ones women want in these novels. I think setting is a bit trickier here. While the novel might revolve around a stadium or an ice rink, the intimacy and chemistry that occurs off the playing field drives the readers’ interest. At least this reader, anyway.
All About Heidi
Here’s the scoop: Heidi was raised in Alaska, but recently migrated to the South, where she’s cultivating a writing career in the midst of mothering three fabulous boys. When she’s not stepping on Legos, chauffeuring the fellas around suburbia or folding laundry, Heidi likes nothing more than to curl up with a great cup of coffee and a compelling contemporary romance. She blogs about motherhood and writing at heidimccahan.com.
CC Photoeverywhere
I met up with Heidi through Harlequin’s 2013 So You Think You Can Write Contest. I loved her entry, a sports romance set in Tokyo. Check it out when you get the opportunity
http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/manuscripts-sytycw-2013/love-finds-you-in-tokyo/
October 1, 2013
So You Think You Can Write 2013
I have been working hard on my current work in progress and have submitted my first chapter to Harlequin’s annual ‘So You Think You Can Write’ contest.
The contest is an opportunity for new writers in the romance genre to showcase their work and get some feedback. So head over and check out the website, you never know, you might find a new author to look out for in the future.
Happy reading!
*Oh they also do a workshop each year a week before the contest opens, so if you are am aspiring writer it is definitely worth checking it out.
So You Think You Can Write Website
April 3, 2013
A First Kiss
This week was particularly exciting for me as I wrote the ‘first kiss’ scene of my current book. I’ll admit to you that originally this scene didn’t occur till nearly the very end of the book. Why is that? Because it appears sometimes I forget that I am writing a romance book.
Yep, here is my confession. I didn’t date many men before my husband and sometimes I feel like it is an almost impossible barrier to break. That the first kiss is momentous. Of course that isn’t true, there are probably thousands of first kisses happening every day, but I hope you understand what I am getting at.
Whether it is as momentous as I say, or isn’t, it is still important to know when exactly your characters are ready to take that next step.
In my case the first kiss was hanging in the air, it was amazing I didn’t notice it earlier. The atmosphere was intimate, a late night party in a field around a bonfire. Both characters were elated after finishing a big race. He escorted her to her car at the end of the night, away from everyone else. These are the sort of circumstances where I believe many people have shared their first kiss. As a teenager every party I went to, I always wondered if it would be a special night for just this reason, if this was what would bring me and my current crush together.
For this reason this scene suddenly reminded me of my own history and it just felt so right to be where my two characters also experienced their first kiss.
I hope you all remember your first kisses as these momentous shifts, and that they too carry fond memories.
January 28, 2013
WARNING Do Not Try This At Home: Jealousy Is Only Sexy In Romance.
My critique partner and I meet up monthly at the Pancake Parlour to discuss our writing and talk about the romance genre. It was at one of these sessions that I discovered she was fascinated by story lines with jealousy as a major theme. She has kindly written this weeks blog article on the topic. Happy reading.
_____________________________________________________________________
“Why don’t you want me to marry that London boy?” she asked.
Robin brought his fist down on the table with a crash that set all the china leaping.
“Because you are going to marry me,” he shouted. “Do you hear, Maria? You are going to marry me.”
The above seems like a passage from a romance novel, does it not? It’s actually from the 1946 low fantasy children’s book The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. These characters are about twelve years old. And this is the exact moment when I became fascinated by jealousy in romance novels. I reread it over and over again, trying to pinpoint what had just happened. Why was Robin so angry? And why did Maria delight in his fury, deliberately taunting him until he exploded?
Ever since reading that scene, I became a jealousy-junkie. I could just eat jealousy for breakfast. I reread. I savour. I feel a delicious, dark pleasure knowing that the intensity of emotion has caused a temporary explosion.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire was a guilty pleasure for me. The book isn’t entirely great, although I do admire the author’s way of building up this intense, almost certainly unhealthy co-dependency in a way that was addictive reading. There’s a scene where Travis drags Abby’s date from the car during a goodnight kiss. It was like that scene in Forrest Gump, except the guy doing the dragging was a gorgeous, tattooed bare-knuckle boxer who was so in love with Abby but she couldn’t- or wouldn’t- acknowledge it. It’s acceptable to the reader because we know Travis is the guy for her.
Another moment I loved was in JD Robb’s (aka Nora Roberts) Judgement In Death when Roarke beats Don Webster for making a play for his wife, Eve. Furniture is smashed, they are described as charging rams, and the following sex scene is probably one of the most intense, possessive and primal things Nora Roberts has ever written. It was saved from being disturbing because Eve goes as completely cavewoman as well. And it is awesome.
So what does my love of jealousy in books say about me? Would Freud have a field day?
This kind of jealousy is an intense emotion that many of us experience during the early stages of a romantic relationship, and it stems from perceiving a threat to a valued (prospective or existing) relationship. The underlying motivation is to ensure that our genetics prevail, not our rival’s. Hey, you. That’s my woman/man, not yours. Back off. I want them.
It seems to infect a person with madness; they would do anything to claim the affections and fidelity of their beloved. It blurs judgement. It’s painful, irrational, often destructive, and usually not enjoyable for the person suffering from it. It might flatter and delight the recipient.
I think jealousy is definitely one thing that we can file under “better in fiction than in real life”. Like all strong emotions, jealousy makes for entertaining reading. We get all the voyeuristic thrill with none of the personal anguish. When we read, we can remember a time that we felt that way, and we identify with that character.
I don’t mean to confuse jealousy with possession. I am referring to jealousy in romance novels as a spontaneous reaction to an event or threat, whereas possession is more of an attempt to gain ongoing control, and often there is no specific threat to the romantic relationship. The supernatural genre, now full of vampires, werewolves and shifters usually have highly alpha males who ‘claim’ the woman as theirs, usually instantly. The word mine gets used a lot. They don’t follow human social codes and so the reader can suspend their disbelief. Otherwise, you’d be yelling for help!
An outburst of jealousy is usually the moment in a novel the writer “shows” rather than “tells” the reader about the jealous character’s true feelings and motivations, and is often the trigger for some soul searching. A romance novel is often a battle of wills, or a situation where we cannot possibly see how these two people can be together. We know they will, but it’s the journey that’s so enjoyable. One character is often withholding themselves, and might need a bit of a push. Imminent danger, threat of separation or realisation that an earlier assumption was incorrect are some common devices used to trigger an emotional change. Jealousy is another.
Jane Austen’s Emma is an example. When Emma believes that Mr Knightley may have feelings for her friend Harriet Smith, she becomes deeply distressed but cannot imagine why. She likes both Harriet and Knightley and only wants happiness for each. Readers love feeling clever, and in those moments where Emma grows more agitated, we smile smugly, knowing she is on the verge of realising that: “It darted through her with the speed of an arrow that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!” The jealousy prompts her to be honest with him, and they get their happily ever after. But had there been no Harriet Smith? Who knows, Emma and Knightley may have remained just friends into old age.
If you’re a romance writer, you almost certainly need to consider planning a specific incidence of jealousy into your plot to demonstrate the depth of your character’s feelings. As long as it moves their relationship forward, is not a threat of violence to the female character and blows over without any lingering possession that could trigger that this character is unstable, it is an incredibly effective technique in demonstrating romantic love. And so much fun to write! I bet it will be a scene long remembered by your reader, and often reread.
Please feel free to comment below with some of your favourite moments of jealousy in books!
By Sally L.
December 26, 2012
Romance Books Are Not Porn For Women
It is true, well 95% of the time anyway.
First of all let me clarify that in the romance genre there are many different ‘heat levels’. So some books may contain nothing more than hand holding or kissing. First base kind of stuff. The next level, the PG version, may go further, but it is all ‘behind doors’. this means the scene ends, but it is implied that things went further.
The next ‘heat’ level would likely involve some sex, but it would generally be short and sweet, and not particularly graphic. These books may only have one or two scenes in the entire book. In all honesty the vast majority of romance novels fall within these first three heat levels, especially the category books published by Harlequin, Mills & Boon.
Next up are books that contain either more sex, or more descriptive sex scenes. In this case they may go over several pages and go beyond missionary sex. So there may be more of an emphasis on foreplay including oral sex, characters may talk throughout the scene which takes place both in and outside of the bedroom. The sex can also be between characters that are not yet in an established and exclusive relationship. I consider most contemporary romance books to fall in this category and in my opinion this reflects current relationship conduct.
The hottest level is a no holding back anything you could possibly imagine. A book may revolve almost entirely around the physical aspects of the relationship, although this is not always the case. This heat level is generally classified as ‘Romantic Erotica’. The difference between this and straight up Erotica, is that it still must hold up to the number one rule of the genre, a.k.a. ‘the happy ending’. No the characters don’t have to be married by the end, but they should be in some sort of relationship that both are satisfied with by the last page. There are certainly many romance books sold with this heat level, but they by no means represent the entire market.
So now that we’ve cleared up that a large portion of books in the romance genre are in fact very sedate in the bedroom, lets look at the other important aspect that separates romance books from porn.
Romance stories are first and foremost about relationships. Yep believe it or not most avid readers would still keep on reading if there were no sex scenes at all, that is because they are more interested in what is happening between the characters, than between the sheets.
In my book Rapid Hearts I have a few sex scenes and they fall under the heat level below what I would consider erotica. The reason I have included fairly descriptive sex scenes is because I believe that sex is a part of relationships and is a good indicator of relationship health and development. It shows the level of trust and how open the communication is. It also demonstrates the tone of the relationship (dominance, friendliness, playfulness, etc.) and how each person views the status of the relationship. What I am getting at is that sex scenes in romance books drive the story and characters forward. They show the strong and weak points in a relationship, and bring it all to the surface.
I also believe these scenes are more reflective of what actually happens in current relationships and sadly there are very few places where people can read/discuss sex where not everything/body is perfect, realities like protection are covered, and it isn’t a performance. With each book I write I hope to write better and better stories, with sex scenes that really contribute to the relationship development between the characters. From these scenes, and indeed the whole stories, I hope people are able to reflect on their own attitudes, behaviours and experiences in relationships, including their sex lives.
December 20, 2012
This really could be applied to anything in life. I am ...
This really could be applied to anything in life. I am reblogging it because it is in essence what I am talking about in each of my posts. What do I think about the Contemporary Romance Genre, and what do I want it to say?
I write well. Therefore I must be a writer.
No, that’s not enough.
Those of us who may still be young enough to think about our career approach towards writing and bold enough to believe that we can make a livelihood out of it (or at least a life by which I mean derive satisfaction in or find a vocation through writing) need to focus on our writing persona as early on as possible.
It’s not enough to believe we can write and have some proof that others enjoy what we write. Being able to entertain or inform others is a great sign of encouragement no doubt and certainly helps us along on the path to good writing. But we all know what an uphill battle it is from the point we find out we are good to the point where others are willing to take us seriously.
We need…
View original post 764 more words
This really could be applied to anything in life. I am r...
This really could be applied to anything in life. I am reblogging it because it is in essence what I am talking about in each of my posts. What do I think about the Contemporary Romance Genre, and what do I want it to say?
I write well. Therefore I must be a writer.
No, that’s not enough.
Those of us who may still be young enough to think about our career approach towards writing and bold enough to believe that we can make a livelihood out of it (or at least a life by which I mean derive satisfaction in or find a vocation through writing) need to focus on our writing persona as early on as possible.
It’s not enough to believe we can write and have some proof that others enjoy what we write. Being able to entertain or inform others is a great sign of encouragement no doubt and certainly helps us along on the path to good writing. But we all know what an uphill battle it is from the point we find out we are good to the point where others are willing to take us seriously.
We need…
View original post 764 more words
