Robin Kaye guestpost and contest

Robin Kaye has a new book out named Call me Wild, and today she is visiting my blog. Stay tuned for a giveaway at the end.

What advice, tips or tricks have you learned from your writing that you wish you had known when you wrote your first book?

1. How to write. There’s a book I recommend to everyone—especially people new to writing toward publication. ON WRITING WELL by William Zinsser. I read it once a year just for a brush up. But it changed my life. You learn how to write active, strong and succinct sentences—which is the direct opposite of what most English teachers teach.  

2. Get a good critique group. Ideally three to five people, writing different genres and at different points in their career. A great critique group is worth its weight in plutonium, but they’re not easy to find. You might have to try a few before you find one that fits. Still, they’re worth the work involved in finding a good one.

3. Make sure you have enough conflict (both internal and external—and yes, you do need both) to carry your book. It’s the biggest failing in both my early work, and the work I see in contests. If there’s not enough conflict, then you have a sagging middle and a black moment that’s more gray than black. 

4. Network. I’m a great networker. It comes natural to me, but that’s not saying it’s easy. I think that getting to conferences and being seen is a huge help. The editors and agents see you at conferences and know you’re invested in your career. When I’m at conferences, I purposely sit with people I don’t know every chance I get. By doing this, I’ve gotten to know so many incredible giving writers, editors, and agents. 

I go to spotlights on the publishers I’ve targeted, or editor/agent panels, and sit in the front row and make eye contact. I’m engaged and they always notice. Later, I’ll see them around the conference and they approach me thinking that they know me from somewhere. It’s a great way to form a relationship. I don’t hit them with a pitch, I’ll just chat about whatever... but more often then not they’ll ask what I’m working on, and then I’ll pitch to them. 

Always be positive and professional. People are watching.

5. Go to workshops or get RWA National CDs. I have five or six years of RWA Nationals workshops downloaded on my iPod and I listen to them over and over and over again. I’ve learned so much while I drive. 

I love Michael Hauge’s Six-Stage Plot Structure. I was a pantster and now I’m a planster because of Michael Hauge (storymastery.com). I’ve loosely plotted seven books using his method and it always works! It’s also the only plot structure that makes sense to me. I’ve seen him so many times, for a while he probably thought I was a stalker. Finally he came up to me and asked why I was there—after all, I’d heard it all before. I said yes I had, but every time I see him, I’m writing a different book and he sparks something wonderful.  

Margie Lawson’s on line classes (MargieLawson.com) do the same thing for me. When I take them, I’m relearning things I might have forgotten and my writing is fresher and sharper even if I’ve taken the class three times. Margie and Michael are the reasons I’m published and stayed published. They’re both amazing instructors.

6. Don’t be in a rush to submit because you only get one chance. Enter it into a few contests to get feedback, ask a few published authors if they have time to read the synopsis and the first three chapters. Get feedback from people who have been around the block a time or two. Once you submit, if it’s not ready, you’ll get a rejection and then you usually can’t resubmit the tweaked manuscript to that agent or editor. You’ll have to cross them off your list for that project at least. Don’t be in such a rush. That’s the biggest mistake I made and most of the other new writers I’ve seen.  

7. Writers write but they have to have a life to give them things to write about. Work on balancing your life, your family, your faith, and your passion for writing. 

–Yeah, I’m still working on this one. Once you’re published, things just get more difficult, you have deadlines (not only for the new book, but for revisions, copy edits, and galleys) and all of a sudden you’re supposed to be writing a new book while on a blog tour, and revising the book you’ve just finished. Once you’re doing it all, balance is hard to come by. Be careful what you wish for!

8. If writing isn’t a passion, if it’s not something you have to do, if your characters aren’t keeping you from sleep and you don’t have imaginary people whispering in your ear and driving you insane until you write about them then give it up. You’re not insane enough for this business. It’s a hard business, and there are countless ways to make money that are a hell of a lot easier. If writing is a choice and not a sickness, then I’d say run like hell. If it’s a sickness, then welcome to the club. 

Giveaway:

Call me Wild, 1 copy

1. US and Canada

2. Ends Sep 7th

3. Just go ahead and enter :)

Unemployed New York Times sports reporter, Jessica James gives up her big city life and moves into a borrowed house in Boise, Idaho. She's determined to become a great romance writer, and she only has one obstacle: she doesn't believe in love. Writing quickly becomes a challenge, so Jessica decides to go out and find some inspiration. She soon meets sexy, outdoorsy doctor Fisher Kincaid, who's more than happy to teach her all about love.

Visit Robin

Guestpost: Victoria Connelly - It's Magic

Today I have author Victoria Connelly over for a guestpost.

Welcome to Mur-y-Castell!

I’ve always loved the blend of romance and magic in fiction and I eagerly gobble up films like The Ghost and Mrs Muir, Just Like Heaven and Truly Madly Deeply. So it probably wasn’t surprising that I started to write my own version of the magical rom com, and my first attempt turned into a novel called Flights of Angels.  

Flights of Angels is a story about a young widow called Claudie who isn’t able to cope with the loss of her husband and turns to MGM musicals to help her through the tough times.  Her friends are deeply worried about her as she spends more and more time in the Technicolour worlds of Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.  But then something strange happens.  Claudie starts seeing tiny people on her desk at work.  Tiny people who tell her that they’re her guardian angels...

After finishing my novel, I got an agent to take me on.  She loved Flights of Angels but she couldn’t get a UK publisher to take a chance on it.  But then something unusual happened and I suddenly found that my book was in the middle of a bidding war – in Germany - where it was later published and then made into a film.  

Two more books followed – Unmasking Elena Montella about a woman who is given a magical Venetian mask which helps her choose which of her three (yes – three!) fiancés is the right one for her.  And Three Graces about a young woman who marries a duke and goes to live in his ancestral home only to find it’s haunted by a rather opinionated eighteenth-century ghost.

Now, these books are all available on Kindle in a collection called It’s Magic so, if you’d like to read about naughty guardian angels, beautiful Venetian masks that have to power to render their wearer invisible or a ghost that simply refuses to go away, pop it on your summer reading list.

I absolutely adored writing these books.  There’s something very special about magic and fantasy – the imagination can take you in all sorts of directions and you don’t have the pull of reality to hold you back.  For a writer, that’s very liberating and I hope it’s exciting for readers too and that they enjoy reading It’s Magic as much as I enjoyed writing it.

www.victoriaconnelly.com

Twitter: @VictoriaDarcy

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Thank you Victoria :)
And she will be stopping by today so if you have any questions just ask :)

Author guestpost: Anne Mendel and the Apocalypse

Anne Mendel is on my blog today with a guestpost about what to do when the apocalypse is over.

Etiquette for an Apocalypse, which Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell kindly reviewed and reviewed kindly, is a post-apocalyptic/ mystery/thriller/comedy. I had many reasons for writing a “harrowing and hilarious” (at least this is what some reviewers say) book. I wrote an apocalyptic book, not because I believe in any particular Apocalypse, but because 64% of Americans aren’t ready to deal with just a three-day emergency. So, not many people are ready to deal with long emergencies. And I do believe that we are headed towards some hard times. That’s why learning skills, like how to tie a good knot and plant a garden are so important now. And of course building personal resilience and making friends with your neighbors (remember to take them chocolate chip cookies today) are key.

Many of us have lost our survival instincts. I would probably last for two or three days in an apocalyptic scenario. It’s a kind of ‘do as I say, not as I do’, thing. I’m the Clark Kent that never figures out how to turn into Superman. My protagonist, Sophie, is my alter ego. She is street smart, practical and resilient. I do know how to waterproof matches and make a fire with pocket lint. I’ve learned how to shoot a gun. I’m very good at reading books on survival. Actually, writing books on survival. But no one, I mean no one, knows who they are until they are faced with a dire situation. The better you are prepared emotionally and physically, and the more flexible you are about working with other people, the more likely you can survive and possibly thrive, which I think my main character does.

Most of my main characters are women but I really think that men and women bring different strengths to a dire situation. It depends on the crisis. If it has to do with competition, violence and aggression I’ll probably choose a man. They have 50% more upper body strength than women and a mass of testosterone. I have a growing appreciation of that. But if we’re talking about compromise and negotiation, cunning and improvisation, I’ll take women. That’s not to say there aren’t remarkable men and women who can do all these things.

Hard times can push all of us to be our best or worst selves. Men, women, families and communities can bond or they can tear apart. That’s where learning resilience skills comes in. For example, I’m working on upping my tolerance for people who drive me crazy. I’m trying to grasp what puts certain people on the short list to extinction. Figure out the skills that make a person valuable in hard times. You know how we make fun on Basketweaving 101 and think Intro to Philosophy 101 is important. Knowing how to basketweave will bond you to your tribe—Knowing about Descartes and existentialism or being charming or beautiful, not so much.

And why did I make Etiquette for an Apocalypse a comedy in the middle of such tragedy. While not as important as clean water and gorp, laughter is a major component of resilience. Going back to bonding with your tribe…if you can make people laugh, they will keep you around, even if you can’t grow things or make a bug catcher for termite soup.  

You can read more about my take on emergency preparedness on my survival guide blog, annemendel.com

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Thanks Anne! I am pretty sure I will not do so well when disaster strikes.

Guestblog and giveaway: Carolyn Brown with Darn good cowboy Christmas

Today I have Carolyn Brown over with a guestblog and at the end you can win her new book Darn Good Cowboy Christmas :)

Hello everyone. Here in the US, Thanksgiving is officially over! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, spent the day with family and friends and made lovely memories. 

Thinking of the holidays reminds me of my newest holiday book, Darn Good Cowboy Christmas, that hit the shelves a few weeks back. Liz Hanson is the heroine and she’s been raised in a traveling carnival her whole life. Two things top her Christmas list every year—a house with no wheels and a sexy cowboy. Her Uncle Haskell has given her the house and Raylen O’Donnell could very well be the sexy cowboy if she plays her cards, or maybe does her belly dancing, just right. And let me tell you all, dear hearts, Raylen is one hot cowboy. Look at the cover picture one more time to verify that I’m tellin’ you the one hundred percent, guaranteed, unadulterated truth about his hotness.

Speaking of which, let’s talk about why cowboys are so hot!

In my opinion, it's because they capture all seven senses and hang on. Years ago only five senses had been identified but then cowboy romances hit the market and the powers that be had to add two more!

The first sense is sight. A cowboy walks into the room and every eye goes toward him, right? There's a lot to see and staring won't get you in trouble. Just look at that swagger, that smile and try not to get a case of hot flashes.

Excerpt: His hair was still a rich dark brown, almost black until the sunlight lit up the deep chestnut color. His eyes were exactly as she remembered: pale icy blue rimmed with dark brown lashes. It all added up to a heady combination, enough to make her want to tangle her hands up in all that dark hair and kiss him until she swooned like a heroine in one of those old castle romances she’d read since she was a teenager. Speaking of kissing, where in the hell was the mistletoe when a woman needed it, anyway? 

Hearing: Shut your eyes and imagine Raylen (look at the cover) whispering in your ear in a deep Texas drawl like he did Liz’s on many occasions. 

Excerpt: When she looked up his blue eyes were dreamy and scorching hot at the same time. She stretched enough to brush a kiss against each of his eyelids and he moaned. Until that moment she wasn’t aware that a man could groan in a Texas drawl or that it would turn her heat button up to high.

The third sense is touch. Think about when a cowboy traces a woman’s mouth with his fingertips before he kisses her with enough passion to burn down half the state of Texas. I'd bet my bottom dollar that in fifty years, she’ll touch her lips and remember his touch. 

Excerpt: She wasn’t a bit amazed at the gushy, warmth spreading all over her body when he took her hand. It was there every time he touched her. He didn’t even have to touch her; just catching him staring at her from across the yard or the room made her hotter’n a drop of water on the café griddle.

That brings us to the sense of smell. Cowboys smell like fresh snow, leather, boot polish, starched jeans and Stetson shaving lotion. Now imagine Raylen touching your hand, kissing you and hearing that deep drawl all at the same time. Swooning yet?

Excerpt: Raylen arrived early with a bottle of Austin’s watermelon wine. He was freshly shaven and smelled so good that Liz wanted to forget the lasagna, chicken parmesan and even the tiramisu for dessert, and take him straight to bed. He wore starched and creased Wranglers stacked up perfectly on top of polished boots. His baby blue ironed shirt matched his eyes and his big silver belt buckle was polished to a high shine.

And now the sense of taste. Oh, my! Liz could go all weak in the knees just thinking about Raylen’s kisses. 

Excerpt: It was a slow motion experience. The closer his mouth got to hers the hotter the liquid in the pits of her belly got. When his lips claimed hers in a hard kiss she kissed back with all the passion in her soul.  

And last there are the two add-on senses that are now listed with the original five.

Intuition: that moment when there is no doubt that the cowboy you are dancing with is the hottest thing this side of Hades and that he’s your cowboy. No excerpts because I couldn’t think of one without it being a spoiler. But believe me, Liz could tell you the very moment that her intuition said that Raylen was worth clipping her wings for.

And equilibrium: Cowboys knock a girl right off her feet with all their ability to cover every sense listed and a few that the powers-that-be haven’t even discussed yet. 

And that’s what makes a cowboy hot! At least in my opinion. Tell me what do you think makes cowboys so hot? 

Thank you Carolyn :D

GIVEAWAY

2 copies/2 winners of Darn Good Cowboy Christmas

1. Open to US and Canada

2. Ends December 11

3. Just enter, or answer Carolyn's question about why cowboys are hot.

Good luck!

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown—In Stores NOW!

He’s One Hot Cowboy

Raylen O’Donnell is one smokin’ hot cowboy. He could have any woman he wants, but he’s never been able to forget a certain dark-haired girl who disappeared from his life. So when she suddenly returns to the ranch nexct door, Raylen’s not fixing to let her get away again… 

And She’s Out for a Sizzlin’ Christmas

Raised in a traveling carnival, Lizelle Hanson thought all she wanted was a house that didn’t have wheels and a sexy cowboy for her very own. But settling down’s going to take some getting used to, and cathing Raylen, the hotter-than-hell cowboy next door, might just take a little holiday magic…  

About the Author

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than forty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma, where she is working on her next book, One Hot Cowboy Wedding, which will be in stores in April 2012. For more information, please visit http://carolynlbrown.com/. 

Blog Tour: Donna Grant with Shadow Magic + giveaway

Today Donna Grant is over with a guestpost about tortured heroes, and there is a giveaway too at the end. Open to all.

-------------------------------

Tortured Heroes and Mystical History

Thanks, Linda, for having me here. 

I get asked a lot why there are so many tortured heroes in romance novels.  First, as a writer, they’re some of the best characters to write.   You can put them in circumstances that seem impossible to get out of, or have them do things that would doom lesser men.  They can be good men, or bad men who are reformed (another one of my favorites).

But, I think it comes down to women.  We have an innate need to want to improve things.  What’s better than taking a man who feels there’s no turning back from who or what he is and showing him love to convince him there’s so much more if he’s willing to let go of the past?

Who wouldn’t want a piece of that? Lol.  Now, this isn’t changing a man – the inner person who a heroine falls in love with.  No, this is helping him overcome whatever obstacles he faces, even if its nothing more than saving said heroine. 

For me I get such a thrill when a hero is not only an alpha male, but who is so tortured even I wonder if there’s a way to save him.  Those are the most difficult to write, but the most rewarding.  I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted by the time I finish their stories, but they long stay my favorites.  Examples: Gabriel from A WARRIOR’S HEART (Shield series, to be re-released later), Cade from DANGEROUS MAGIC (third Sisters of Magic book), and Hayden from UNTAMED HIGHLANDER (Dark Sword).

It’s not just the tortured heroes that I love, its mixing magic with history.  Even my parents ask me all the time why I put paranormal aspects in my books.  I don’t set out to do it, it just happens.  I’ve always loved fantasy movies and books, and with my love of history it just seems so natural to do it.

When I first began writing it, there were so few historical paranormal or historical fantasy romance books out there that editors didn’t really know what to do with me.  The genre has grown, but still not as I’d like to see it.

Every author has a favorite genre or time period that they love to write in.  For me, its historical paranormals.  It’s so freeing to just let my imagination go and not have to be so confined to the restrictions of a certain time period.

There are no boundaries when writing paranormal or fantasy.  The canvas – or page for us authors – is as open and far-reaching as our imaginations.  I find it odd that contemporary readers gobble up paranormals, but that’s not the same with historical readers.  I’m hoping to slowly change that.  

So, do you like mixing magic with your history?

I’ll be giving away an ebook copy of DRAGONFYRE my fantasy romance I’ve recently re-released to one lucky commenter.

To learn more about me and my books, watch book trailers, sign up for my newsletter, and read excerpts, please visit www.DonnaGrant.com!

Hugs,

D

GIVEAWAY

Ecopy of Dragonfyre

1. Open too all, in all countries

2. Ends Nov 18th

3. Just enter, and you are also free to answer Donna's question :)

(So, do you like mixing magic with your history?)

She's the only one who can pull him from the darkness...


As Commander of the Fae army, Aimery is used to tracking evil and putting an end to it. When one of the rare and treasured blue dragons is killed and an egg stolen, Aimery is ordered to find the murderer. He never expects it to be one of his closest friends...


Kyndra is a priestess of the Dragon Order sworn to protect all dragons in the Realm of the Fae. She is sent by the high priestess to accompany Aimery and return the killer for execution. Aimery is instantly drawn to the sword-wielding priestess, but he knows he cannot have Kyndra. Her life is sworn to the dragons, to be touched by no man. Neither expects to find desire and unyielding passion in the other. Yet when they track the killer to another realm, Aimery's life is at stake and Kyndra gives herself to him and the love she cannot deny in order to save him...

 ---------------------------------------

Blurb and excerpt for SHADOW MAGIC:

With a past soaked in sin and darkness slowly closing in around him to claim his soul, Drogan only wants to live his life in solitude. Years in the king’s service and his numerous deeds directed by the crown have left Drogan with horrendous nightmares and immeasurable guilt...
Serena is a witch, cursed and forever alone. She accepts her future. Until she meets Drogan. With Drogan a passion deep and unyielding awakens inside her. She is willing to sacrifice herself for his love, but can he put his past to rest and embrace the future?

Excerpt

Hawthorne Castle
Central England, 1127

Jealousy, if left unbridled, could turn a good soul as black as Satan.

And so it was the first time Serena of Hawthorne saw Lord Drogan of Wolfglynn with another woman. The jealousy was instant and sharper than any needle that could pierce her skin. The fact that she hadn’t even met Drogan and so shouldn’t have noted the beautiful woman on his arm did not go unnoticed by Serena.

She was a bana-bhuidseach, a witch, cursed and forever alone. ‘Twas because of what she was, men rarely caught her attention. Except for Drogan.

Her always sure footed feet faltered and then stopped as the excessively crowded great hall allowed her an unobstructed view of Drogan for a heartbeat. But in that moment, his image would be etched in her memory for all time.

People teemed around her, but Serena didn’t notice. She closed her eyes and let her mind’s eye looked over Lord Drogan of Wolfglynn at her leisure. What she saw made her break into a sweat and her soul stirred for the first time.

Dark auburn hair fell straight and thick, with a slight curl at the end, to his broad shoulders. He had a high forehead with gently arching brows over eyes of a rich golden brown. His nose was straight and aristocratic, and his mouth wide and full.

He wore a brown leather jerkin over a deep green tunic that didn’t hide the rippling muscles in his arms and chest. Her eyes moved lower to his thick legs encased in tight leather. Boots, worn but well cared for, encased his feet and calves.

Serena caught of glimpse of something shiny from the top of his left boot, alluding to a hidden dirk. The broadsword and dagger strapped to his waist let all know he was a warrior.

She opened her eyes and found Drogan staring at her. For the briefest of moments, Serena found herself starting toward him before someone bumped into her. 'Twas all she needed to break away. She turned her back on Drogan and the longing in her heart.

Duty called.

Donna's website: http://www.donnagrant.com/
Book Info

Sisters of Magic, Book 1

Re-issued
ISBN 13: 978-1600883484
Release Date: Nov 2011


Order eBook
Kindle | Nook
Smashwords

Donna Grant is the award winning author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance – Scottish Medieval, historical, dark fantasy, time travel, erotic, and paranormal.

Donna was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica and Mexico. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna's Cajun side of the family taught her the "spicy" side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin' and bareback riding.

Guestpost and giveaway: Linda Poitevin - Sins of the Angels

Linda Poitevin is on my blog today with a guest blog and there is also a chance to win her new book Sins of the Angels.

Six reasons I write in a coffee shop

Believe it or not, my favorite place to write is my local coffee shop. While I can do many things from my home office (currently a corner of my dining room), getting deep into the creative mindset I need for the world-building behind The Grigori Legacy series isn’t one of them. You’d think that a public place would provide too many distractions, but in truth, it’s just the opposite. Here’s why:

1. There is no Internet connection and hence, no avoidance of work through Twitter, Facebook or (ahem) “research.”

2. I can’t see the piles of laundry, crumbs on the counter, dust-puppies running across the floor, overgrown garden, stack of bills to be paid, or any of the many, many other excuses for avoiding work (and trust me, when I hit a snag in writing, just about any excuse to wander away from my computer will do!).

3. No one there wants to know what’s for dinner, if I’ve seen his/her [insert misplaced item here], when I’m going to get groceries, or if I can drive him/her to the bus stop. In fact, if I have my iPod and my earbuds, no one speaks to me at all. This kind of anonymity when you’re a mother is a special bliss. J

4. There are no cats trying to climb onto my shoulder, sit on my keyboard, nuzzle my chin, or chew on the pencil with which I’m writing. Nor am I left dusting off my lap, computer, and desk after such a visit.

5. There are no dogs pacing the floor with squeaky toys (ee-eee, ee-eee, ee-eee), trying to talk me into a walk, chasing the above-mentioned cats, or hopefully dropping balls onto my desk (he’s a very tall dog). 

6. I’m less inclined to snack. At the coffee shop, I can’t just wander over to the fridge or cupboard whenever I like, and having to pay for every bite makes me a lot more discerning about how many bites I really need. Plus, fewer trips away from the computer makes for more words on the computer.

How about you? Are you able to work from home on whatever it is you do, or are you as easily distractible as I am? Any secrets you can share to lessen those distractions? 

Thank you Linda :)

GIVEAWAY:
Open to US &Canada and International winners

2 copies of Sins of the Angels

If you are located in the US or Canada you can choose between a print or a e-copy.

If you are International then you can either win a e-copy from netgalley, or tell me if you want to put your name down for a print copy. Linda will be picking 3 international winners to win print copies at the end of her blog tour.

1. Ends Nov 3rd

2. Just go ahead and enter :)
You can also answer Linda's question of course

The rest of the Blog Tour:
Tuesday, October 25                    Supernatural Snark
Wednesday, October 26              Fiction Vixen
Thursday, October 27                   Yummy Men & Kick-Ass
                                                                     Chicks
Friday, October 28                        Vampire Book Club
Monday, October 31                     The Book Pushers
Wednesday, November 2            Brooke Reviews
Thursday, November 3                 Magical Urban Fantasy
                                                                     Reviews
Monday, November 7                   I Smell Sheep
Tuesday, November 8                  Rabid Reads
Wednesday, November 9            Bitten Books

Thursday, November 10              A Tale of Many Reviews
Friday, November 11     Canadian Remembrance Day
                                                                  (no tour stop)
Saturday, November 12               Book Chick City


Linda's Webpage

Author Guestblog and Giveaway: Mary Lydon Simonsen - Mr Darcy's Bite

More Austen goodness coming up now, I have Mary Lydon Simonsen over for a guestpost and you can win her new book Mr Darcy's Bite.

Hi Linda. Thank you for having me at Book Girl. You asked that I write about superstition in Regency England and how I came to write a paranormal variation.

If someone had asked me if I would ever write a werewolf story, I would have shook my head and laughed. Even though my daughter reads every werewolf and vampire novel out there, I simply had no interest in either subject. However, two years ago, a story appeared on A Happy Assembly, a Jane Austen fan fiction site, where Mr. Darcy was a werewolf. I was really pulled in by the sinister atmosphere the author had created. With Halloween approaching, I decided to write a short story, “Mr. Darcy on the Eve of All Saints’ Day.” The story got so many hits and comments that I expanded it until it was the length of a novel, and much to my surprise, I had a good time doing it.

You asked about superstition in Regency England. Did people of that era believe in werewolves? Possibly. But they weren’t a real threat as wolves had been eradicated from England by the time of Alfred the Great (circa 900 A.D.). By early 19th century, old-growth forests had disappeared from the British Isles because of the need for fuel and housing as well as for the ships of the ever-expanding British Navy. (They needed those tall trees for their masts.) As a result, there was no place for a pack of wolves to hide from a population bent on their destruction. Although these creatures of the night would not have been seen looping about the English countryside, in the great forests of the Continent, there was still a belief that a man/beast existed, and such tales were told throughout Europe.

Even though there were no wolves or werewolves in England, that didn’t mean that an author with a good imagination couldn’t reintroduce them into the wild. In Mr. Darcy’s Bite, I do just that. As with wolves, who are hunt in packs, werewolves congregate near each other for protection. For the same reason, they usually marry another werewolf, and Darcy was preparing to do just that when he met Elizabeth Bennet. However, after the Meryton assembly, all thoughts of marrying another went out the window. But can Lizzy love a man who was also part beast? After his first transformation, Darcy wonders what Elizabeth will think about his dual nature and what information she would need to know before making her decision.

The question Darcy feared most was that Elizabeth would want a detailed description of his transformation. She would be repulsed by a vision of a man dropping to his knees as his arms became legs, followed quickly by the thickening of his neck, an emerging muzzle, and the change in his teeth that were designed to tear an animal apart. The metamorphosis was completed when his hair became fur. She would want to know all of that, and his stomach churned at the idea of speaking of such things to the woman he loved.

I hope you will want to read Mr. Darcy’s Bite to find out Elizabeth’s answer to Darcy’s second proposal. (You can probably guess.) Please keep in mind that this is primarily a love story.

So tell me, what would you do if you knew Mr. Darcy was a werewolf and he proposed marriage to you? I’d love to know. Thanks for stopping by.

Giveaway:

1 copy of Mr Darcy's Bite

1. Open to US and Canada

2. Ends October 27

3. Go ahead and enter :) As easy as that.

But be free to answer Mary's question if you want to :D

OUT NOW - Mr Darcy's Bite

In this fresh, original paranormal Jane Austen sequel by bestselling author Mary Lydon Simonson explores Mr. Darcy as the leader of a secret world of werewolves threatened with extinction.

Elizabeth comes to realize that she loves him in both his incarnations, and all his servants protect his secret. But then Elizabeth must confront a shocking danger to her beloved with every full moon, when Darcy is alone and exposed to those who hate wolves...

Mary's webpage 

Guest post and giveaway: Abigail Reynolds - Mr-Darcy's Undoing

Today I have Abigail Reynolds over for a guest post and she talks about Mr Darcy ;) There is also a giveaway at the end.

Why women love Mr. Darcy 

There’s no lack of reasons to love Mr. Darcy.  He’s handsome, wealthy, generous, honest to a fault, and he owns a beautiful estate.  What’s not to like?  But that doesn’t explain why generations of women have considered Mr. Darcy the perfect romantic hero.  There are other handsome, wealthy , honest and generous men in the world.  Why does this one man in particular hold such a fascination for women? To my mind it comes down to two things: his devotion to Elizabeth and his taste in choosing her.

Mr. Darcy is devoted to Elizabeth Bennet.  Once he falls in love with her, nothing can change  his affections – not her angry refusal of his proposal, not her family’s low connections, not his family’s disapprobation.  He loves her and he’ll always love her, no matter what.  That is the essence of Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy’s  loyalty and devotion aren’t limited to Elizabeth Bennet, which tells us that it is part of his character.  He’s devoted to his sister, his family, his friend Mr. Bingley’s happiness, his tenants’ well-being and his estate.  Jane Austen tells us that he gives offense wherever he goes, and there’s some evidence of that in his close friendship with Mr. Bingley whose good natured acceptance is well-known.  It’s an odd friendship from Darcy’s point of view, since Bingley wouldn’t be considered a particularly appropriate  candidate for a social connection.  Darcy is well above him in social station.  That always makes me wonder how many of Darcy’s social equals don’t care to spend time with him because of his tendency to give offense.  But what few friends Darcy makes, he keeps close to his heart, and we know the same will be true for his love for Elizabeth.  

Mr. Darcy doesn’t hold anything  back.  Disguise of every sort is his abhorrence.  Now, that can be a problem, since  his life would probably be easier if he’d learn to tell a few white lies, but in terms of his love for Elizabeth, it makes him more admirable.  We don’t worry about Darcy wondering if he could have done better for himself, or whether he has a hidden cruel streak or some grave character flaw.  If he did, he wouldn’t be able to hide it because he’s such a terrible liar.  We can trust his devotion for the same reason.  

Darcy’s choice of Elizabeth Bennet tells us a great deal about him.  In the normal course of affairs, we would expect a man of his stature to choose a fashionably languid lady with no opinions of her own.  Not Mr. Darcy, though – he chooses an unfashionably pert and energetic country girl.  Most importantly, he doesn’t fall in love with her for her beauty or her wit.   Austen tells us, “Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.” [italics are mine].  Note that it isn’t actually her fine eyes or the beautiful expression in them, but that they render her face uncommonly intelligent.  What a dream man!  In a world where women are constantly pressured to measure up to unattainable beauty and told in many subtle ways that their appearance is the most important measure of their worth to men, here we find the exception to the rule.  Mr. Darcy loves Elizabeth because she’s smart!  It’s the fantasy of every girl who feels she doesn’t measure up in one way or another to cultural expectations – that there’s a man out there who will value her primarily for her mind.  

Mr. Darcy is a true dream man.  He loves Elizabeth for her intelligence rather than her beauty, he is truly devoted to her, and she can trust him to be honest and loyal.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s rich and handsome,  but it’s in the nature of his love for Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy proves himself a most extraordinary man.  

Thank you Abigail :=)

GIVEAWAY

1 copy of Mr. Darcy's Undoing

1. Open to US and Canada

2. Ends October 27

3. Just enter :)

Or tell me why you think Mr. Darcy is so loved

OUT NOW  Mr. Darcy's Undoing

A passionate new Pride and Prejudice variation explores the unthinkable-Elizabeth accepts the proposal of a childhood friend before she meets Darcy again. When their paths cross, the devastated Mr. Darcy must decide how far he'll go to win the woman he loves. How can a man who prides himself on his honor ask the woman he loves to do something scandalous? And how can Elizabeth accept a loveless marriage when Mr. Darcy holds the key to her heart? As they confront family opposition and the ill-will of scandal-mongers, will Elizabeth prove to be Mr. Darcy's undoing?

Interview/Guestpost and giveaway: Heather Lynn Rigaud - Fitwilliam Darcy, rock star

It's Friday and today I have Heather Lynn Rigaud over and she talks about her new book, Fitzwilliam Darcy, rock star. And there is also a giveaway of a copy at the end.

Dear Blodeuedd,

Thanks for having me on your blog to talk about Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star. I'm looking forward to the chance to get to know your readers.

-    The idea of them as rockstars....

I was thinking about how to represent the prestige that Darcy had in P&P in the modern world. It's not enough to just be rich- in the Regency gentlemen had a social ranking that doesn't exist in the same way today. So I was discussing the problem with my friend Abigail Reynolds and we hit on the idea of Darcy being an artist. And from there, I went to him being a musician. Now, I could have made him a (strictly) classical musician, but frankly, there are plenty of romances out there with the hero as a classical musician, so I went in a different direction.

I thought about a rock star that's a gifted artist, but not a very outgoing, social one. One who was willing to let his music do the talking. From there, it was a short hop to Slurry.


- Is it hard to take this classic and set it in the modern world?

Yes and no. In some ways, it's easy, because the emotions the characters feel are timeless. We've all felt what Elizabeth feels: Proud of our own insights. Hurt from being snubbed. Angry at being wronged. Embarrassed by our companions. Ashamed at our ignorance. These things are universal and make Elizabeth and Darcy very accessible characters.

Also, the general plot of Pride & Prejudice is pretty classic: First they kinda don't like each other, then they really don't like each other, then they realize they were wrong and change, and finally they admit they love each other. This is familiar plot to anyone, so that was easy to adapt.

But at the same time, some of the specific situations of Pride & Prejudice don't carry over at all. A great example is Jane's illness at Netherfield. Austen used this device to get Darcy and Elizabeth together for snappy dialog, to present Caroline Bingley as an antagonist, and to let us know more about all of their motivations. Poor Jane basically disappears in her bedroom and we don't see her until she's ready to go home.

Nowadays the idea of someone being too sick to take a 3-mile trip home is crazy and not very believable. But the device of putting Darcy and Elizabeth together in a situation that neither can escape is really useful from a story telling point of view. Plus, there are clear story-markers in the P&P story that I needed to hit for it to be a P&P adaptation. In the end, there was no escaping it- Jane needed to go down. I took a cue from the news, and had her knocked out by a bottle being throw from the audience.

As a storyteller, this was golden. By putting everyone in a stressful situation, I got to explore Darcy and Elizabeth in a vulnerable state. I got to have Charles and Jane crystallize their feelings for each other but not able to act on them, due to her injury, and as an added bonus (which I didn't see coming) I ended up with one of the most popular and memorable scenes in the story when Richard Fitzwilliam and Charlotte Lucas get together.

-    How did the love for all things Jane Austen start?

I've got to be honest and say it all started with Bridget Jones's Diary. I'm a huge fan of comedies and the movie got me. I followed it with Helen Fielding's book,  (a fearless modern adaptation in itself) which led to Pride & Prejudice (1995) and from there to Jane Austen. Once I finished Pride & Prejudice, I followed it with Persuasion, then Emma, and then the rest. At any given time, I'm rereading one of her novels, kept on my bedside table. Jane Austen's talent constantly stuns me. She has an understanding of human nature that is genius and her use of language is so skillful she makes what is truly difficult look easy.

-    Who would  play them all in a movie...

I'm often asked this and I'm going to admit right off I have a hard time with Darcy and Elizabeth. I'm sure there are many talented actors who could play them, but I don't have a clear image of any specific person.

However, I do have some ideas for the other characters, and I freely admit I'm all over the map on these. Jane Bennet has always been based on Gwen Stefani. If you notice I even stole her wedding dress for Jane. Richard Fitzwilliam would be (very) well played by Chris Cornell who's the lead singer of Audioslave. As for Charles Bingley, you need someone very athletic, who can be really friendly and outgoing, as well as a little goofy. I'd love to see him played by Ryan Gosling. Finally, there's Charlotte Lucas, who's tricky because she needs to pull an 'Anne Elliot'. When we first see her, she's just a pair of arms flailing behind a drum kit. When we actually see her face, she's very plain and unremarkable. But as Richard (and the reader) slowly comes to know, and ultimately love her, she becomes physically much more interesting. Because I think she's got such an interesting storyline, I'd love to give her to Michelle Williams, who is an amazing chameleon.

Thanks! 

Giveaway:
1 copy of Fitzwilliam Darcy, rock star

1. US and Canada
2. Ends September 12
3. Just enter, or you could ask a question, or tell me what you think of Darcy as a rock star, or anything really :)

Out Now from Sourcebooks

Darcy's as hot as he is talented...

Fast music, powerful beats, and wild reputations-on and off stage-have made virtuoso guitarist Fitzwilliam Darcy's band into rock's newest bad boys. But they've lost their latest opening act, and their red-hot summer tour is on the fast track to disaster. Now Darcy and bandmates Charles Bingley and Richard Fitzwilliam are about to meet their match...

But she's about to rock his world...

Enter Elizabeth Bennet, fiercely independent star of girl-band Long Borne Suffering. Elizabeth, her sister Jane, and friend Charlotte Lucas have talent to spare and jump at the opening band slot. Elizabeth is sure she's seen the worst the music industry has to offer. But as the days and nights heat up, it becomes clear that everyone is in for a summer to remember.

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My flash fiction for this week

And I am guestblogging over at Escape in a book and talking about YA PNR

Blog Tour: Paradise 21 review and guest blog by Aubrie Dionne

First up is a guest blog by the author of Paradise 21, Aubrie Dionne.

Bad Guys in Sci fi and Why We Love Them

#1. Darth Vader

There are so many reasons to love and hate Darth Vader. At first we think he’s purely evil, but when we learn of the backstory in Episode three, we pity him. He has so much power, but nothing he can do can change Padme’s destiny. In the end, he does a complete one eighty and turns back to the good side. We don’t see this in every villain, and it’s hard to write in a character, but when Luke Skywalker is calling for his father’s help, and Darth Vader decides to turn good, we believe it. He is an excellent, three dimensional bad guy with reasons for his evilness.

#2. The Borg

The Borg in Star Trek the Next Generation really creeped me out. They were relentless, and the idea of losing your identity to join a collective mind is chilling. Not only do you buy into their hive mind philosophy, but you become one physically as well. Jean Luc Picard is taken by the Borg and assimilated. He still has nightmares of his time with them. They aren’t evil, they’re just another species trying to survive. They can’t make their own offspring, so they must assimilate those around them. Very scary, cool bad guys.

#3. Ra in Stargate

The coolest thing about this bad guy is that he’s actually an alien who has taken the form of a young boy. When he’s angry, his true colors shine through and you can see the alien eyes beaming out of his head. He isn’t evil, he’s just greedy and lazy. The last one of his kind, he’s found a way to live forever by mining a particular mineral. Only, he doesn’t want to do it himself, he want to enslave the people on Earth and make them mine the mineral for him.

#4. The Body Snatchers

The scariest thing about the body snatchers is that they look just like the people you love. They come from space and grow into giant pods. When you fall asleep next to one, they steal your body by creating another you, then go about living your life as an emotionless zombie. Pretty scary, and very cool if you ask me.

Who is your favorite sci fi bad guy? Have I left any great ones out? 

 

About the Author:

Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications, A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications.  Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school. 

http://www.authoraubrie.com
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

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Title: Paradise 21
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-02-2
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-03-9
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/paradise-21/

Book Trailer:

Ebook review copies available at NetGalley.com 

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans. When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price. The life of the man she loves.

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Review by Lis:

Don’t you just love Sci-Fi? It’s a genre where everything and anything is possible. Romans in space, killer mice which can travel the speed of light, alien invasions and so on. While not quite so drastic, Paradise 21 is interesting in that: ‘what-have-they-gone-and-done-now’ kinda way, cause let me tell you, if you think humans are stupid now, just wait what they are going to do in the nearby future.

With Paradise 21 Aubrey Dionne has created a setting where humans are big on genetic purity. So much so in fact that when they’ve offed earth they gathered the best and brightest – the best genetically predisposed humans (gah, writing this makes me ashamed of being human ;-)) – and put them on Noah’s ark – erh – space ship and set off for a habitable planet. They go a little further.  Aries, and no we’re not talking god of war here, is one of the lovely colonists aboard the ship. She is forced to marry whoever is best genetically compatible to her. Poor girl, especially because her best match is an overbearing, dictatorial and manipulative bastard to put it mildly. However, she doesn’t lie down and thinks of England or Earth or whatever and escapes and that is where the real story starts. 

She crash-lands on Sahara 354 a planet that rivals its contemporary counterpart where she encounters Strikers and oh so genetically impure but very very yummy human who is everything she shouldn’t want but likes very much. Did I mention he is a pirate? No? Well, he is! From there on out it’s all adventure, challenges and romance.

The above makes this book sounds a bit gloom and doom, but all is not as dire as I make it seem. The story is well written, but has a few of the romance traps. If you think Aries intended let’s her escape just slide, you got that wrong. So be aware the vengeful scorned partner to be. 

Aubrie Dionne created quite the story with Paradise 21. It’s a bit of Star Wars meets Pirates of the Caribbean if you look past the genetic holocaust. The characters are round and interesting, definitely not your stock romance characters. Aries is every bit the stubborn, independent, yet vulnerable woman. Striker is every bit the macho pirate who’s afraid to let a woman get close to him. Add to that some pretty interesting aliens and you got yourself a crew. Well sort of!

Despite me not really connecting to this story it was in no way a bad one. Objectively it’s good and it has everything you need for a fast-paced space romance.  All in all not a bad book to review. 

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PS from Blodeuedd. My flash fic for the week ;)