Under and Over with Denise Rossetti

No, no not that! Tsk, tsk. Anyone would think you read erotic romance…

This is what it feels like to achieve your heart’s desire, your greatest ambition.  Unpublished writers refer to it as “The Call”. And here’s my good friend, Tracey O’Hara, to share every heart-stopping, squeal-out-loud moment with you.

It doesn’t really matter if you couldn’t care less about seeing your name on the cover of a book in Borders. Because everyone has something they want very, very badly, so much so that achieving it would fill them to the absolute brim (and over) with joy and delight. I bet you do!

This is how it feels. Live vicariously, my friends. *smile* You go, Tracey girl!

From Gold to Spice to Sold: The Diary of a New Author by Tracey O’Hara

Well, what a roller coaster ride I have been on in the last couple of months! Mainly the downhill, adrenalin-pumping, hands in the air while you scream with giddy delight kind of ride.

First, my manuscript  Night’s Cold Kiss made the finals in the paranormal category of the Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® contest. I’ve had contest finals in the past - but this was the big one. The one I wanted to final in most of all. And hopefully my last contest. [This is a Humongous Big Hairy Deal, okay? DR]

So already on a high from my final, I sold my very first piece of writing in June -a  short story to Harlequin Spice Briefs that I wrote on a dare from my very good friend, Melissa Haack.  It was dark, it was scary and it was sexy with a capital SEX. Too dark, too sexy for Harlequin I thought, but I got my agent, Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Associates, to submit it anyway. What was they worst they could do - say no? Editor Susan Swinwood read it and LOVED it! She loved it so much she offered me a two Spice Brief deal.

[I’ve persuaded Tracey to  give us a tiny taste. This is from Tonight My Love, out May 2009, from Harlequin Spice Briefs. Oooh… DR]

Whitechapel, London 1888

Her eyes closed and a moan escaped as she slid down the leather seat, forcing him deeper inside.

“What did you say this place was called again?” she asked, her breath coming in pants.

“Whitechapel.” He worked two of his fingers in and out, varying the rhythm, playing her like a fine instrument.

“Such a pretty name for such a filthy place, don’t you think?” She screwed up her face and he couldn’t resist dropping a kiss on the tip of her button nose.

“But every now and then you can find a diamond in the dirt. Now choose, my love,” he said.

Isabelle leaned forward a little and sighed. The movement changed the angle of his penetration, trapping his fingers in her hot, wet quim. She pushed aside the red velvet curtains just enough to see while he bent to run his tongue over the swell of her breast before looking out the window himself. Outside the carriage mist swirled low to the ground, caressing the skirts of the whores peddling their bodies for a few meager pennies.

I will be publishing the Spice Briefs under the pseudonym of Tracie Sommers. [Watch for it - and them! DR] I’m saving my name for when I publish my single title novels.

Wow - my first sale! It was only a short story - but I sold it to Harlequin.  BIG TIME!

They welcomed me into the fold like any other HM&B author. I got to go the Harlequin party in San Francisco [at the RWA Conference. DR] - my first published author event. It was fantastic and wild and lots of fun. In fact, fun was very much on the agenda in San Francisco. I met new people, met up with people I had known both on and offline line. For a week I got to bask in the golden glow with my fellow finalists - the Pixie Chicks of 2008.

[Here’s Tracey (right) with Cathleen Ross, another great Aussie author published with Spice Briefs (left).  DR]

And I hugged. Romance writers are such huggers and I loved it. Everywhere I turned there was an Aussie or a Kiwi. It was fantastic. I even ran into our fabulous Ms Rossetti with her famous shoes a couple of times.

I didn’t take out the Golden Heart - but I was not in the least disappointed. The experience was beyond everything I had ever imagined. I got home feeling exhilarated, but only for a few days. When you are that high, you have to come down sometime. And I did - crashing to a real low about four days later, suffering from PCSD - Post Conference Stress Disorder.

 [Tracey with her “Golden Boot” Certificate - for Golden Heart finalists who are no longer eligible for the unpublished contest, because they got The Call. Happens often! DR]

It lasted for about three days - then I had the Australian conference in Melbourne to look forward too. This one I would be able to share with the Go-go girls (my critique group).

But after my first Harlequin dinner in Australia I sat up late drinking champagne with friends, courtesy of Robyn Grady, and crawled into bed at one in the morning. At 6.30 am I woke up and was talking to my roommate, Jo, about what we would be doing that day, and I was checking my emails on my phone at the same time. There were a number of emails marked Urgent from my agent and one that simply had “OFFER!!!” in the subject line.

And boy, what an offer! A three book deal from Eos Books (Harper Collins).

I screamed (I think). I scared Jo (I think) because she asked me what was wrong. Then I told her “I think I’ve sold!” We both got excited. I couldn’t tell people until the next day.

It was so hard trying to keep quiet. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do - well maybe not - but you get the picture. I wanted to scream it from the rooftops but was reduced to random bursts of squeeeeing! when in private.

Finally, the next day my agent said I could tell people. She’d accepted the offer on my behalf and I could tell whoever I wanted. Anne Gracie (President of RWAustralia)  announced it with the other first sales on the Saturday morning and I was able to go up to collect my first sale ribbon along with the rest of the girls. I was extremely happy to have been able to share it with all my writing friends. It really was the best place ever to receive The Call.

And now I get to publish under my own name.

Thanks, Tracey. So now you all know how it feels, huh? *grin*

Tracey writes dark, sensual paranormals - her books are shudderingly wonderful. You can keep up with all her doings  on her website and blog.

Join with me in congratulating Tracey on achieving her heart’s desire, and in asking all sorts of nosy questions. For example, I’d like to know what Tracey did for her own private celebration… *smirk* Oh, and ask her to tell you about her gorgeous tattoo. Perhaps she’ll even let slip a little more about Night’s Cold Kiss, the first in her three book series for Eos Books.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting. You will only see this message once, I promise!

What would you do if you had more money than God? More money than you could ever spend, no matter what you did with it? So much money that it just kept making more of itself?

What William Randolph Hearst did (among other things) was to build the house to end all houses, with every luxury imaginable (and more!). He then invited everyone entertaining, beautiful or important - Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Winston Churchill, Charles Lindbergh, Greta Garbo, Errol Flynn. Even George Bernard Shaw. And lots of others.

Hearst Castle is at San Simeon, near Cambria, overlooking the Big Sur coast of California. Hearst was one of the first great media moguls, but he also inherited a mining fortune. The film Citizen Kane, starring Orson Welles, was loosely based on his life.

First thing to say is - I’m not posting any pictures. Why? you may ask. It’s not permitted, that’s why. *sigh* But I found this short film on Youtube. Just spend a few moments with it. The weather we had was very similar. Or go to the official website for Hearst Castle. The Wikipedia entry is also excellent and it has a great photo gallery. (Scroll down.)

But just to give you some idea. The house/s took almost 30 years to build. Architect Julia Morgan (that’s right, a woman) travelled by train and car down to the site from San Francisco every weekend from the beginning. Casa Grande, the main house, was modelled on a Spanish cathedral. It has 38 bedrooms and 30 fireplaces. The whole concept (there are two guest houses as well) was intended to be Mediterranean Renaissance in feel. To this end, Hearst purchased antiquities like there was no tomorrow - there are coffered ceilings, medieval tapestries, paintings and statues ranging from classical Greek and Roman to Renaissance and Egyptian. Where you see gold gilding, it’s real gold. The gardens are exquisite and impeccably maintained.

I didn’t much care for the bedrooms, too heavy and dark for my taste. But I loved the two pools - the outdoor Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool. Johnny Weissmuller (probably the most famous Tarzan) is supposed to have swum laps there.

What my writerly mind found most intriguing was the insights into the character of William Randolph Hearst. He was a workaholic, a man of tremendous energy, vision and focus. He was involved in every facet of the building project, right down to the design of teeny-tiny tiles and his word was law. He also changed his mind a lot. Projects were continually modified and some abandoned.

He had very definite ideas of how he wanted his guests to behave. No drunkenness - and no bed-hopping either! Everyone was to be bright, happy and energetic - horse-riding, playing tennis, swimming etc. In the big dining room or refectory, where guests gathered for meals, was a long table. As you fell further from favour, or new guests arrived, your place card was moved further and further away from the centre of the table, where Hearst and his mistress, Marion Davies, sat. After a while, you realised it was time to go!

Immediately, I could see a character like that in a book, a strong, driving personality blessed with both money and power. Don’t you think someone like that would end up with an “emperor complex”? Imagine where that could take a character! Oooh, from good guy to villain, one slip at a time. A villain we could understand. Not psychotic, not a serial killer or a sociopath, but spoiled in a particular kind of way. Like Orson Welles, I’m inspired by the whole concept of a “Hearst” character.

In complete contrast, we visited the beach that afternoon and watched the adolescent elephant seals snoozing on the beach. Huge piles of mouldy blubber - they come at this time of year to moult and to practise their huffing and puffing.

You can see that this one hasn’t grown his nose properly yet. But they were already ginormous! And these were just the teenage boys! I couldn’t imagine the size of a full grown male. Sheesh! A dose of reality from Mother Nature.

So - what would you do if you had as much money as William Randolph Hearst? Build? Donate? Travel? Buy?

I know I’d love to travel and to have homes in several different places. Somewhere near Florence, in London, maybe Vancouver Island, here in Oz, of course. And I’d love to be able to donate to support the arts. I love glass and textile arts and I adore opera, but it’s such an expensive art form. Then there are literacy programs and libraries and education programs. Oh yes, and archaeological digs. And goddess, what about animals? And medical research? It would be totally involving. Plus, I admit I’d love to be able to afford handmade underwear and shoes. Ah…

What about you?

Okay, now I’m asking about newsletters, the kind that land in your inbox on a regular basis, maybe monthly. You know the sort - usually a Yahoo group you subscribe to. Your comments on the Great Bookmark Debate and the Care and Feeding of Books were incredibly helpful, so I thought I’d ask for your opinion again.

Lots of writers have newsletters, me included. They vary enormously, in content, in intent and in regularity. Mine’s here. If you’re curious but don’t want to commit, by all means subscribe, have a look and then unsubscribe. I’ll understand. Just ignore the pathetic farewell message. It’s designed to make you feel guilty. heh heh

All I know is that it takes a lot of time and energy for me to put my newsletter together, time I carve out from my other writing obligations, my family and my day job. Don’t get me wrong, I purely love doing it, but sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the hours I put in. Mine is announcement only, so it’s not a discussion loop in any sense, but I really do think of my newsletter readers as a kind of extended family. They’re very special to me.

So first - do you actually read the things? Perhaps you skim. ‘Fess up!

If you do read, beginning to end, what is it that gets you in? What makes you smile with anticipation when you see an author’s newsletter in your inbox?

Conversely, what turns you off? What doesn’t work? Hoo boy, I really want to know about this one!

Here’s a list of features to get you started. What works for you? Anything else you’d like to suggest? What sort of tone do you like?

• Sneak previews of upcoming books, excerpts
• Contests
• Freebies - like stories, or podcasts, or giveaways
• Personal info (but not too personal) about the author, some insight into their life/personality
• Photos of the author/family/holidays
• Photos of gorgeous men
• Book or movie reviews
• Articles and info about how to write/get published
• Exclusive rewards - eg special stories, pictures
• Being the first to know
• Regular features - eg a story, or a FAQ spot.
• Reviews of the author’s books

Would you prefer?

• A regular newsletter, say monthly
• A newsletter more like an occasional update, when there’s something important to say
• A blog, no newsletter

When I launched my newsletter, it was months ahead of the release date for my first book, GIFT OF THE GODDESS. I didn’t have anything to offer readers except entertainment. I certainly couldn’t afford to be handing out too many contest prizes. (I still can’t.) So I started a very silly, very sexy story.

Every month, I write a chapter of that ongoing story. The current one is called Rackety Kate and the Pirates. I’ve already finished The Amorous Adventures of Alice. Alice turned out to be the size of a decent novella, 30,000 words. Those are words I could have sold to a publisher, but I didn’t. I gave them away. Kate is meandering along the same way.

I try to make the story interactive by involving readers, asking them to vote on what happens next, or getting them to suggest a plot twist or a name for something. I leave every chapter dangling, like the Perils of Pauline. I don’t just write the thing off the cuff -I try to be funny, I try to be erotic. It takes time and concentration, not easy when I’m on a deadline.

I’ve also written an Epilogue for STRONGMAN, in which Griff turns the tables on Fort and thereby achieves his heart’s desire. I’m going to offer it exclusively to my newsgroup, a reward for loyalty and an inducement for new folk to sign up. Of course, they could bail out straight after they’ve read, but I have to gamble they’ll be entertained enough to stay.

Lora Leigh has over 60,000 people in her newsgroup. I think I have a way to go!

So, what do you think of author newsletters? Hmm? Am I wasting my time?

Not much time left! One lucky commenter in June will win an autographed copy of A Red Hot New Year, four sizzling stories to ring in the New Year, including my contribution, Coming on Strong!

Last week, I asked you all what you thought of bookmarks. The post was called The Care and Feeding of Books. The response was wonderful, everyone had an opinion to offer. Thanks so much to every single one of you. I found it fascinating, and it definitely helped to crystallise my thoughts.

So here’s a short summary, which I hope is helpful to writers thinking about promotion. Mind you, I’m not saying it’s particularly conclusive, but there was some interesting stuff…

First off, there was some correlation between using bookmarks and being careful with books. People seemed to split into two broad groups - the book trashers (raises a sheepish hand) who basically love their books to death and the sister-carers of the book who take such exquisite care of their books that one reader divorced a husband because he creased her Asimov collection and another buys a second copy if she intends to lend it out.

Beyond that, those who enjoyed bookmarks far outnumbered those who were indifferent - by a factor of 3 to 1, in fact. Okay, most of you like pretty bookmarks, but whether you use them - or whether they’re effective for name recognition is a different matter entirely. A few of readers are amazingly particular, displaying bookmarks on cork boards, or matching them to the book itself, but for the majority, it’s just a thing you grab to mark your place - anything would do as well, even an old credit card, a tissue or a receipt.

A couple of readers said they would notice a bookmark if it was from an author they already knew, which is good, but not so much the purpose of the exercise. Others wanted the bookmark to say something meaningful, to stand for something. Then there were suggestions for different types - magnetised, book thongs, with cut-out “lips” to slide over the page. One idea, which I thought was brilliant, was a “lending” bookmark, with a place to write your name and a stub you could detach and keep. Sadly, they sound expensive.

Here were the sites recommended. In the USA, http://www.westsky.com In Australia, http://www.stuckonyou.biz and http://www.worldwide.com.au Vistaprint don’t do bookmarks, but some folks put two on a standard postcard and cut it down the middle. Clever.

My conclusion?

It’s horses for courses - that is, whether you use or like or notice bookmarks is a completely personal matter. What? Did you think it was going to be easy?

But if you are going to use a bookmark, it needs to be both sturdy and glossy - hard, laminated card.

However, I do believe a bookmark can be another effective way of getting a writer’s name in front of readers. It boils down to expense and design smarts and whether you can be bothered, really. I don’t think they’re obligatory by any means. I know I like something a little wider. I tend to lose skinny things (which is why I still have My Beloved). A number of us agreed flight boarding passes are great. So, for the time being, I might stick to postcards of my covers. At least I know how to do them. And they’re cheap!

We did say during the discussion that marketing lore says you need to get the brand name in front of a consumer 8 to 10 times to make a connection, let alone a sale. Every way you can find to do that has got to help, right?

So, folks, there you have it! Any further wisdom to add? And once again, thanks for your input. It really did help!

One lucky commenter in June will win an autographed copy of A Red Hot New Year, four sizzling stories to ring in the New Year, including my contribution, Coming on Strong!

How precious are books to you? Yeah, yeah, I know you all love to read - I mean the book as a physical object. I blush to confess the container the story comes in isn’t terribly important to me. I’ve bought a lot of books second-hand in my time, maybe that’s why I’m so rough. I don’t do that any more, BTW, because now I truly understand about royalties!

Elaine, if you’re reading this, you’d better stop now. I can see you wincing from here. I was VERY careful with the books I borrowed from you. You know I was, ‘cos you made me promise and I was scared. But you were right to be so stern.

Books I own myself, though - I’ll shove them in my handbag, chuck them on the back seat of the car, drop them on the floor next to the bed, absent-mindedly put a cup of tea on top of them. I particularly like mass-market paperbacks, because they’re such a convenient size for shoving.

Oh - I’m VERY kind to the books I’ve written, of course. And Joey’s and Christine’s. Anyone else’s - yeah, well… Unless they’re autographed.

I know I’m awful, okay? So beat me (gently).

To mark my place I’ll dog-ear a page. Okay, OKAY, don’t all shriek at once! I said I know I’m awful. Most of the time I use a postcard of Mr Gorgeous. Big enough not to lose (well, he would be, wouldn’t he?) and pretty enough not to be careless with.

Or I’ll use a receipt or a petrol docket. I’m hopeless with normal bookmarks. I don’t know how it happens, but they just…disappear. I wouldn’t mind a bookmark like the one on the right, though. I wonder if he singes the pages?

Sometimes, I’ll get impatient and flatten a book out til the spine cracks so I can read while I’m eating. I’m a shocker. *sigh* But I never, ever tear or mutilate pages and those twits that write their own stupid corrections in books borrowed from the library drive me insane with rage.

On a parting note, I’ll leave you with two contrasting shelf arrangements ad a question. The first is my study (and you can see that tidiness is not a virtue I cherish, nor is flower arranging). But the novels are in alphabetical order by author, I have to give me that. And the reference books and files have their own sections.

Here we have an alternative scheme, books arranged by colour. Words fail me. I wish any room in my house looked so pretty… And don’t you love the rug? Not to mention the pug? *giggle*

So here’s my question. I have to think of ways of promoting my books that readers will enjoy and that won’t break the Rossetti bank, which is not a particularly flourishing institution. I’m thinking about getting bookmarks made, but I’m so hopeless with them myself, that I’m having doubts.

Help me out here, guys.

What do you think of bookmarks? Do you use them? Like them, collect them? Do they help you remember an author’s name? Have you ever, ever, checked out a writer because of her bookmarks?

If there are enough answers, I’ll write up a quick summary for any writers who drop by. (You know who you are!)

I’ll be announcing the winner of everything droolworthy as soon as I can get My Beloved to pick the name. Something different for June, I think…. Keep the comments coming!

I’ve just finished a copy edit, so I’ve been indulging myself with a little reading jag. Those of you who’ve been around a while may recall my problem with reading for pleasure - I’m the Picky Bitch from Hell. It takes something really special to make me rave and Shana Abe is it. Hell, I’ve gone beyond a mere rave, I’ve turned an exquisite shade of pea green. Geez, I wish I could write like that. And yes, I know that’s stupid, every writer has her own voice, but oh - the gorgeous, lush, lyrical prose! I absolutely relished it.

I love language, I love the beauty of words set like jewels. It’s very important to me that a writer be on top of her craft, an artist using words as her palette. That said, I have to have a cracking story too, or I lose interest. Fully-rounded characters, an intriguing plot, a new premise, loads of sensual tension. I’m a sensate person, I want to feel the velvet against my skin, smell the smoke of old London, hear the horses clop by.

In The Smoke Thief, Shana Abe delivers in spades. Her descriptions are so luscious, they’re almost edible. I’m halfway through The Dream Thief and she’s powering into the Carpathian mountains. Hasn’t missed a beat yet. There are sentences of such grace and power and felicity they just about brought tears to my eyes. Certainly, I’ve been sighing a lot as I read. Do you recall how certain of the Old Masters used light in their paintings? Was Rubens one? Her prose is like that to me.

The Smoke Thief has garnered numerous awards, among them Historical Book of the Year from Romantic Times. It’s magnificently cross-genre in a way that gives me great comfort, being a tad cross-genre myself. A combination historical-fantasy-paranormal-romance with dragons and magic and chills and thrills.

Her heroes are steely-eyed and delightfully dangerous, her heroines strong and resolute and flawed. But don’t take my word for it, there’s an excerpt here. Or click the covers for more information.

I won’t go on and on, there are plenty of scintillating clever reviews of Abe out there, except to say that if you enjoy fantasy romance, you really should try it.

Shana Abe has more than a touch of what is sometimes called “high fantasy”. Do you enjoy fantasy? Not everyone does. If so, what type? There’s quite a difference between Robert Jordan or Raymond Feist and Abe - or me.

I’ll be announcing the winner of everything droolworthy as soon as I can get My Beloved to pick the name. Something different for June, I think…. Keep the comments coming!

I’ve often giggled at my mother when she misplaces her glasses. “Wait a sec,” she’ll say. “I can’t hear you without my specs.” Meaning she can’t see my face, and my lips moving.

Facial expression is an absolutely essential part of human interaction. I was reminded of this very powerfully yesterday when I watched a colleague struggle to assist a woman wearing a full burqa, complete with the veil over the eyes. Because for us humans, it’s the eyes that really carry the conversation.

Think of the big deal writers make out of the colour and/or expression of a character’s eyes. Think of how irritated you become if a character’s eyes change colour (without explanation) part of the way through the book. (Well it drives me insane, but then we all know I’m the Picky Bitch from Hell.)

There are so many ways to describe eyes, and all of them carry a subtext to which the reader responds emotionally. For example, I have light brown eyes, a shade of khaki really. Extraordinarily ordinary. Certainly not especially romantic to my mind. But think of all the heroes who have “amber” eyes. Huh? Have you ever met anyone with eyes that are actually the golden-orange of amber, or the yellow of real gold ? It’s remotely possible, I guess, but I suspect we’re talking about the romantic version of my brown-khaki eyes, which do have a yellowish cast. Sounds revolting, doesn’t it?

For example, a man with dull, black eyes can’t be the hero! (Unless he’s miserable, or ill.) There’s a sort of code I think - something to do with the length of the lashes and the unusual eye colour. Brin, from GIFT OF THE GODDESS has black eyes, but they’re not just black, you know? They’re midnight eyes!

…fathomless. Midnight eyes, framed by inky lashes. The tiny part of her mind still functioning noted slashing cheekbones, a high-bridged nose and a firm, beautiful mouth. But she couldn’t drag her stare away from his, from the cool intelligence shining there, the adamantine will.

If Trey was warm, sweet fire, this man was night. Deepest, darkest, midnight and velvet. Beautiful.

And infinitely dangerous.

And a little later -

Without releasing her from his stare, he growled, “You’re the poet, Trey. Tell her about the goddess.” His eyes were enigmatic, compelling, sucking at her soul, her self-possession. Despising herself, she squared her shoulders and fought to keep her nerve.

Even though it’s a first impression, Brin’s eyes convey to Anje, and through her, to the reader, an enormous amount about his personality. In fact, I just counted and the word “eyes” occurs seventeen times in Chapter 1! It’s astonishing how much we look at each other!

Meet Grayson, Duke of Ombra, hero of THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW (Coming 4th November) -

She’d thought his eyes must be as dark as his hair, but this close, they were a clear, limpid gray. Long-lidded eyes, full of secrets, shielded with extravagant lashes, surely the gift of some besotted goddess. His brows were strongly marked, with an upward slant at the corners. They gave him a sardonic air that went well with his lithe, self-contained grace.

He’s a very different guy, nothing like Brin at all. If you like ‘em all dark and tortured and angsty, Gray’s your man! BTW, all heroes have wonderful eyelashes, it’s obligatory. Actually, most men do, ever noticed? My son has the best eyelashes in the family and the loveliest eyes - a vivid blue-green.

So, what sort of eyes stop you in your tracks? Either in reality, or in fiction?

I love the contrast between eyes and hair and skin. The so-called “Irish” colouring of blue, blue eyes and black hair makes me breathless every time. In fact, I always find the light eyes/darker skin combo stunning - Jason Momoa, for example. We talked about him and Stargate.

What are the most unusual eyes you’ve ever seen? (Contact lenses don’t count!)

I once knew a girl with reddish-brown eyes, fox colour. She had auburn hair. I guess the best description would be sherry-brown. Fledge in TAILSPIN has her eyes, but there’s no sherry on Phoenix sadly, so I settled for calling them russet. Then there was the school friend with the palest of pale gray eyes - they were truly silvery. She was blond. Definitely a bit disconcerting and I’ve never seen anything like them, before or since.

And just to get you in the mood, here’s a pair of extraordinarily expressive eyes to enjoy - I sure did!

Don’t forget - every month there’s a chance to win everything droolworthy - Tim Tams and hunkalicious postcards - including Mr Gorgeous . Check the Current Contest page and keep the comments coming!

I have a confession to make.

I can’t read any more. Or at least, not unless the author can make me feel safe. By that, I mean that I can relax and simply enjoy, be swept away by the story, knowing I can trust the author to provide a compelling experience. It has to be utterly compelling to hold my attention. Anything less, I lose interest, give up with a sigh. If it’s bad, I’ll throw the book at the wall.

You see, since I started writing, I don’t read in the same accepting, forgiving way I used to . It’s actually a great grief - and I’m not kidding. Books have always been my friends and my refuge, but these days I read hyper-critically, my internal editor poised to slash and sneer. Joey W. Hill and I even have a name for this persona - the Picky Bitch we call her, PB for short. When you’re critique partners, as Joey and I are, being a PB is greatly to be desired - provided you trust each other. And we do.

But reading for pleasure? Nu-uh. The PB is a definite drawback there. In fact, there are any number of authors who are huge in the romance market, whose books I can’t be bothered to finish. I’m not going to tell you who they are, because then I’ll be a plain Bitch, forget the Picky.

But…I’ve just read a book that shut the PB up completely. Anne Stuart has always been a “safe” author for me. I know I’m going to be swept away by her sheer storytelling ability. I’ve enjoyed her Ice series thus far, the first two were pretty damn good, but I’ve just finished Ice Blue - and I read every damn word! Yay!

Anne (Krissie) specialises in taking risks and this one really came off. The hero, the gorgeous part-Japanese Takashi O’Brien, is a cold-as-ice secret service type operative. What’s at stake is millions of lives and the life of one single innocent woman is nothing if it will save the world. He’s been ordered to kill her, and he does so - or very nearly and several times. Taka’s unemotional, deadly and completely engaging. I don’t know how Anne pulls off a hero who is potentially repellent, but she does, and in spades. She writes dark, fabulous men, and this time, the heroine is a great match for him.

Here’s the blurb. Click the cover for an excerpt.

Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value — until somebody tried to kill her for it.

The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs. It’s a desperate situation, and international operative Takashi O’Brien has received his directive: everybody is expendable. Everybody. Especially the woman who is getting dangerously under his skin as the lethal game crosses the Pacific to the remote and beautiful mountains of Japan, where the truth can be as seductive as it is deadly…

To top it off, Krissie is terrific in person. She came to the RWAustralia conference last year. Funny, down-to-earth and totally inspiring. Great lady.

Do you have “safe” authors? Go-to writers whose books you absolutely know you’ll enjoy? You don’t need to read the blurb or the reviews or even an excerpt. Some of my others are Emma Holly, Linda Howard, Jenny Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Philips. Also Joey W. Hill and Christine Wells, my critique partners - that goes without saying, otherwise they wouldn’t be my critique partners.

Don’t forget - every month there’s a chance to win everything droolworthy - Tim Tams and hunkalicious postcards - including Mr Gorgeous . Check the Current Contest page and keep the comments coming!

What do you say? I’d love to hear your snappy responses, because I’ve just about given up. Someone asks what you’re reading or what you like to read. Or what sort of books you write. The answer, of course, is “I read/write Romance.”

But the responses? Wow! I’ve lost count of the times I’ve damaged my molars because my jaw has clenched so hard. A dear friend of mine once referred to romances as “chewing gum for the mind”. I was so taken aback, I no longer recall what I said, except to say they weren’t. This is generally how it goes for me…

Them: “Oh, you mean like those Mills and Boons books?”

Me: “No, nothing like them at all. I couldn’t do that, it’s too difficult for me, like writing haiku.”

Them: “It can’t be that hard, isn’t there a formula?”

Me: “No, there are guidelines and you have to exceed them.” Deep breath. “I write erotic romance.”

Silence. If it’s a man, his eyes go all bright and beady and he checks me out. Happens every single time, believe me. If it’s a woman, she either changes the subject or her eyes get all bright and beady, but mercifully she doesn’t check me out that way. (Or not that I’ve noticed.)

Them: “Um, you don’t look like an erotic romance writer.”

Me: “What do you think an erotic romance writer should look like?” Presumably, their mental image resembles the woman on the right. Yep, that’s me for sure.

Silence. Holy shit, here it comes…

Them: “So, how do you do your research?” Big, cheesy grin.

Me: “Aaaargh!”

I’d like to say I’m in a menage relationship with two sexy guys with huge wings and tails or that I experience screaming ecstasy with a shaman who has a dragon tattooed on his bum or that I’m really a guy and I make it with a circus roustabout on a regular basis. But I don’t.

I just grit my teeth and go for the Mona Lisa smile. No one has yet offered to assist with said research, either because I look like I’m past it, or because I look like I’m capable of violence. I’m hoping it’s the latter.

Then there are the twits who think you must be made of money or that you write pornography or that you’re an intellectual lightweight, or that romances are worthless because they’re not real. I could go on and on… But over to you.

What reactions do you get to either reading or writing romance? And I’d be fascinated to hear about your responses, snappy or otherwise.

Don’t forget - every month there’s a chance to win everything droolworthy - Tim Tams and hunkalicious postcards - including Mr Gorgeous . Check the Current Contest page and keep the comments coming!

Word games are always interesting, but sometimes they’re not really about words - or not only about words.

Click the banner to go the Free Rice site where you can play a vocabulary game and donate rice to the hungry at the same time.

How does it work?

For every word you get right, FreeRice donates 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. Here are some facts from their FAQ.

FreeRice has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty. There are words appropriate for people just learning English and words that will challenge the most scholarly professors. In between are thousands of words for students, business people, homemakers, doctors, truck drivers, retired people… everyone!

FreeRice automatically adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, assigns you an approximate starting level. You then determine a more exact level for yourself as you play. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the “outer fringe” of your vocabulary, where learning can take place.

There are 55 levels in all, but it is rare for people to get much above level 48.

NOTE: I’ll say! I hovered for a few exciting minutes on the dizzying heights of 50 - and then I fell. Ker-lunk! On the other hand, I donated about 1500 grains of rice.

The interesting bit was how useful I found the Latin and Greek roots I did at school a million years ago. No longer part of the curriculum here. *sigh* Though I admit, I did do a bit more Latin and Greek at university. I wasn’t bad at Latin, but Greek? Hah! I was hopeless, something to do with the Greek alphabet I think..

Who pays for the donated rice?

The rice is paid for by the advertisers whose names you see on the bottom of your vocabulary screen. This is regular advertising for these companies, but it is also something more. Through their advertising at FreeRice, these companies support both learning (free vocabulary for everyone) and reducing hunger (free rice for the hungry).

Who distributes the donated rice?

The rice is distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The World Food Program is the world’s largest food aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75 countries. In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to support local farmers and the local economy. You can visit the United Nations World Food Program to learn more about their successful approach to ending hunger.

Will the rice I donate make a difference?

The rice you donate makes a huge difference to the person who receives it. According to the United Nations, about 25,000 people die each day from hunger or hunger-related causes, most of them children. To a mother or father watching a loved child die in their arms from hunger, the rice you donate is more precious than anything in the world.

Give it a go - you don’t have to tell us how you scored. Because it doesn’t matter really, does it? You’ve done something for world hunger and improved your vocabulary at the same time.

What was you favourite word? I became rather fond of azygous. Unfortunately, my brain is now so addled I can’t recall what it means. I’m sure you’ll do better.

Don’t forget - every month there’s a chance to win everything droolworthy - Tim Tams and hunkalicious postcards - including Mr Gorgeous . Check the Current Contest page and keep the comments coming!