Julia London in and around...London

Tantalizing Tuesday

Hello Everyone!  Today I bring Julia London to our corner of the web.  Of course, her traveling here can't hold a candle to the more exotic places she's been in her lifetime, but hopefully we can make it memorable enough for her today!  

If you've been to Julia's website, you've seen her sitting in a beautiful red velvet (or is it velour?) two seater, kicking back with what looks like a glass of red wine.  Very cool and comfortable setting. 

[Does Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem need something like that here, to make readers feel more at home?]

As many of you know, Julia writes historical novels, but she also writes contemporary fiction.  However, our focus will remain on the historical side of things today because well, that's our focus for this month, and the interview questions will reflect that.  

Q. Most of your historicals appear to take place during the 1800’s of British history, which equates to the Georgian Era. What is it about this time period that fascinates you? Why this time over others?

A. In the last few years I have written books set in both the Regency and the Georgian era. My latest series is set just before the Regency. I like that time period because it was prosperous and was ruled by civility. To me, it’s a very sexy time period because men where real men, but they were chivalrous, and women were beginning to emerge as capable in their own right. I also like the aesthetics of the period, with the costumes and big houses and furnishings, and ornate carriages, etc. It’s just fun for me personally to spend time there.

I wouldn’t mind writing in other time periods, but the truth is that I have written so many historical novels set in this time period that I am well-versed in the era’s society and politics and I have quite a lot of research materials for that time period. I’d need more time to research a new period. But I’d be up for it.

Q. How do you choose the settings for your books? How do you decide whether to use Scotland, London or some other British location?

A. It really comes down to my personal preference. If I’ve written a couple of books set in London, I want to write one in another part of Britain just for a change and a fresh location. I am writing a quartet of books for publication beginning next year that are set in a fictional village two hours south of London. I did it that way so I can build a close community, but go easily step into the London highlife. The best of both worlds!

Q. According to your website, you’ve traveled to many places. What experiences during your travels have contributed to your historical novels?

A. I think it helps me portray the places where I set my books. I have walked through many Georgian mansions, and I have driven all over the U.K., so I think I can describe the landscape. The other benefit is that when I go to some of these historical sites, you can often find obscure books or maps that I would never find in the United States, which help me add authentic details. But I guess the best part of traveling to the places I write about is just soaking up the atmosphere and hopefully transferring some of that onto the pages.

Q. Tell us about some of the exotic places that you’ve been to. Where was your favorite place to visit? Least favorite? Sexiest place? Details, details, we want details! Pictures too!

A. The most exotic place I have been is probably the Sultanate of Oman. That was many years ago, but it was such an experience. There is a modern society, but there is a society that still lives as they did dozens and dozens of years ago. I also visited a Bedouin tribe. I heard later that they named a camel for me. I have no idea why. I have traveled through Europe, as well, but it seems like we always end up in the U.K. again. I really love it there. I think I must have been a queen or something in a previous life.

The most romantic place is, of course, Paris. France in general. I don’t know why, but it just has the feel to it.

Let’s talk about the heroes.

Q. In your mind’s eye, what makes for a truly great hero? Which hero(es) of your books best illustrate this?

A. I think great heroes can take on a lot of characteristics, but at their core, they have to be the kind of guy who will do anything—absolutely anything—for the woman he loves. He has strength of character, he is loyal, he is noble, but he is a little dangerous. And he can be softened by the right woman.

I try to write heroes that have flaws and may act in ways that are not politically correct, but are redeemed by love. One that comes to mind is Adrian Spence in The Dangerous Gentleman, or Rhodrick Glendower in The Perils of Pursuing a Prince. Both men were isolated by their actions and prejudices from society and had to overcome some personal flaws before they could win the hearts of the women they fell in love with.

Q. Many writers have a picture of a real person in mind when they start creating a hero. What about you? Who inspired the heroes in your historical novels? What visuals did you use to help create them? Again, we want details and images please!

A. I am not generally inspired by real people (other than perhaps Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, who, as you know, wasn’t exactly real) when I create my heroes. They are truly created out of my imagination.

Q. Which was your favorite hero that you’ve written and why?

Oh man, that is a tough question. I don’t know if I can choose just one. I will always have a soft spot for Michael, my first hero, in The Devil’s Love. I also liked Rhodrick Glendower, just because he wasn’t a beautiful man. But I really like them all, and it’s hard to choose a favorite.

Now let’s talk about your heroines

Q. In your mind’s eye, what makes for a truly great heroine? Which heroine(s) of your books best illustrate this? Which ones least illustrate this? Why?

A. I like heroines who can pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they need to, and aren’t afraid to take men on. I like it when they have to dig deep, but I also like them to have some innocence in them, too. By that I mean I don’t think they have to know the reasons why they do what they do, but just react from some place that is all girl. In my very fist novel, Abby was very naïve at times, and she made some bad choices. But the girl knew what she wanted and went for it. In Book of Scandal, Evelyn had to overcome so very deep pain to find herself and her love for her husband again.

Q. Who or what was the underlying inspiration behind your heroines? What visuals did you use to help you create them?

A. The heroines I write are composites of women I have known or read about. I suppose they all have a little of me in them, too, although that part isn’t particularly inspiring, LOL. It’s just familiar.

Q. Which was your favorite heroine that you’ve written and why?

A. Like Michael, I have a soft spot for Abby in The Devil’s Love. I also like Lauren in Wicked Angel, and I really liked Claudia in The Ruthless Charmer. But like me heroes, I like all of my heroines for different reasons. I can’t choose a favorite. They all appeal to me.

Q. What new books can readers look forward to in the near future?

A. I have a lot of things in the works! In October 2009, the last book of my historical Scandalous Series, A Courtesan’s Scandal (following Book of Scandal, Highland Scandal) will be released. In that one, the Prince of Wales orders the Duke of Darlington to keep a secret for him the duke would rather not keep.

In 2010, One Season of Sunshine, another book set in Cedar Springs, Texas will be out, as well as the start of a new historical quartet, The Secrets of Hadley Green. That series is set in 1807, in the village of Hadley Green south of London. An old crime wreaks havoc in the lives of several people as they try to determine what truly happened all those years ago. In the course of discovering the truth, several secrets are revealed and unlikely pairings occur because of it. I have just started writing the series and I love it. It’s a little different than my other historicals because there is a bit of a mystery.

Any questions or comments for Julia? One lucky commenter will win a copy of Julia's historical Highland Scandal and another lucky commenter will win a copy of Julia's contemporary Summer of Two Wishes. According to my friends at Jack's Bar (Robyn Carr's Chat Group), Summer of Two Wishes makes for a pretty good read.

Remember, if you don't comment, you can't win the book (Please indicate if you have a preference)!

I want to thank Julia for joining us today and giving us some great answers!

Blindsided

Hi everyone. I know that I was supposed to have posted my second review. Reading this post should hopefully explain why.

I wish I could say that I am my bright and cheery self right, now, but I can't. During my review of Jay Asher's book a couple of Saturdays ago, I mentioned one of the major losses in my life due to suicide. What I didn't mention was the loss of my grandmother, my roots, nor did I mention the loss of a close friend.

During a time when I was supposed to be worried about grades and getting myself into college, like many others I knew, I was busy keeping my soul together with a shoestring. It worked, for awhile, but it didn't last. I have since replaced the shoestring with a stronger thread, but it doesn't seem to be doing its job, because the wounds still open and there are days where it just feels like everything is falling out from underneath me and I don't know how to make it stop.

Sure, I have my husband, and I am glad for that, but he just doesn't understand the truth of it, and I'm not sure he ever will. Besides, I lost two people who were integral to my soul within 6 months of each other and a third one one and a half years later, one week after my 19th birthday. That's three portions of my soul that died back then. You don't replace it, or heal it when part of your soul dies, you tie it off, connect the living parts, to make them stronger. My husband is only one person and he can't possibly fill the void that remains, even though he has tried.

What's worse about all of this is that I thought I had let go and I had been doing really well, until recently, when I looked at a printed calendar little over a week ago. I realized that it was the 19th anniversary of my friend's death. I thought by acknowledging it, saying and prayer and spending time remembering my friend would be enough to purge the demons, but it wasn't.

I have been doing a lot to avoid having to think about anything for the last week or so, and I understand why now, when I think about it. I didn't want to think because if I did, I would get upset and cry and feel the loss all over again.

Almost twenty years later and the pain of loss feels almost as strong today as it did back in 1990, the start of my senior year of high school. Looking at that picture, which can currently be seen by viewing my blogger profile or my facebook page, you wouldn't know I was hurting so badly. That's the thing with cameras and photos, you don't always see the truth. Even if you do, you find some reason to ignore it or explain it away.

I don't ignore the pain of loss or deny the tears, but in the last 19 years, the pain and tears don't seem to have lessened, not one iota.

The depression has been creeping up on me. I've felt it so many times before, you'd think I would be able to recognize it easily enough, but no. I was blindsided by the pain and sting of the loss. After 19 years, my heart still aches for the ones I lost. It doesn't make me sensitive. That's not why I am still struggling. I am struggling because all three of these people had accepted me for who I was, mistakes and all. When I lost all of them, I lost my roots, my sense of belonging and I have been wandering around ever since.

Looking for what?

I don't know.

I love my husband, and I think he is the only reason I stay in this state. I would love to move to a place where I don't have so many memories all the time, everywhere I go. Deep down, I know moving wouldn't help, that it would merely be running away, so I stay and struggle with the pain in my heart.

I also don't know how to keep the real fear I have of losing my husband at bay. I have real reasons to be concerned because he has genetic conditions. Sure, he's trying to do the best he can to take care of himself, but what if it isn't enough? What if, no matter what he does, it won't help? His uncle died when he was in his 40's. I know I should live in the now, but it's hard to do that, especially during these hard economic times when money is definitely a concern. He's becoming overworked, and I worry about the damage that kind of stress is doing to him.

I'm having a hard enough time dealing with things with him alive, how will I cope if the worst should happen? I know I shouldn't think about it, but when you're a survivor like I am, and have faced a few demons, you need to be prepared, or you'll find yourself right back in the pit.

Walking on the edge of the pit this last time, I got a glimpse into why some people cut themselves. They don't do it to get attention, at least it sure doesn't seem that way. I have a cut on my finger and it was pretty sore. When this wave of depression, pain and tears hit, I found myself gripping that finger so hard that it hurt. That pain distracted me from the pain in my soul long enough to get a grip on reality. It was in that instant that I could understand why people do it. Inflicting pain on your person doesn't just give you control, but it takes your mind off of the pain you can't handle (or don't want to handle) and let's you focus on the pain you can handle at that moment and gives you a temporary reprieve.

I do not condone someone cutting themselves because it really is a true sign of suffering, but I believe I have a much better understanding of it now. I wish I could say I am fine, but I can't. I've shed my tears and felt the loss, but I know this calm reprieve is merely temporary. I will fell it again over the holidays because my grandmother's birthday is December 23rd. I will feel it again in March because that's when my best friend's birthday was and that's when I lost the brother-in-law who was more like a real brother. I will feel it again in May because my grandmother died on Mother's Day. I will feel it again this time next year because I always do this time of year.

I wish I could reassure you that the pain of loss will lessen, but I can't. All I can say is that you just won't always notice it, but it will always be there, especially if the person was part of your soul. I hate the pain of loss and wish I didn't have this endless loop, but I just have to deal with it. All the medication in the world won't make it go away and if it can, it's only prolonging the inevitable.

Your soul needs you to feel the pain and acknowledge it from time to time. If you don't, deal with it each time it occurs, the backlash can be so much worse. I am really strong, most of the time. Sunday (today), just wasn't one of those days. I'll get through it, I always have and I always will.

I hope that those of you who read this are able to make some sense of this. If not, sorry about that!! I promise to get things straightened out this week!!!

YA Author Spotlight Saturday Presents... Fon James!!!

Hello there everyone!

Today I bring you YA Christian Fiction author Fon James. Fon James is a life-coach, speaker and author. Her first book, Back and Forth, discusses some heavy issues that many college students face relationships, sex, consequences and abstinence.  Through the use of Faith Walker and her friends, James helps the reader explore the joys of a caring relationship, the reality of the consequences of unprotected sex, dealing with those consequences and the sting of betrayal.  Back and Forth has a realistic view of the world and doesn't sugar coat the real problems that exist in universities that college students face everyday as they spread their wings and grow into adulthood.   While this book is marked as YA Fiction, it is definitely geared for the older section of the age group.  Her latest release, Forward March, continues Faith's story, picking up after she's had some time to settle in to her new surroundings and career.

Let's get to the interview!

Q.  You’re a life coach, a speaker and an author.  Do you find that you switch hats for different situations, or do you find that you wear a tri-cornered hat?  Are there ever times where it’s difficult to see things wearing just one hat?  

A.  Being all of those things is simply who I am. When you’re a life coach that skill set alone affects everything in your life. So when I am speaking or when I write, you’re definitely going to be getting the coaching side of me as well. My first book won’t have that side of me because I had not entered into coaching at the time, but the Fon James you encounter now is all of that…life coach, speaker, author. It’s all about encouragement to me, but through different formats.

Q.  Which came first, author, speaker, or life coach?

The author came first, but I truly believe that I have been a life coach most of my life, I just hadn’t identified it as such.

Q.  Tell us what brought you down the path of a life coach?  How did that come about? 

A.  As I mentioned, I believe that I have been a life coach all of my life. I’ve always enjoyed encouraging others and helping others reach their highest potential. The more I prayed about this gift, the more it was revealed to me that life coaching was the name for what I was doing. That led me to researching the industry and returning to school to get my certification as a life coach.

Q.  As a speaker, what topics do you generally speak about?

A.  There are three topics in particular that I speak about and they were derived from my fiction novels.

Forward March:

"How to get from where you are to where you really want to be."

Back and Forth:

"Don't straddle if you want him to fight your battle."

Lord, What Am I Supposed to Be Doing Because This Sho'Nuff Ain't It:

"Living On Purpose and Loving It."

Readers can get a more in depth description of these topics on my website. http://www.fonjames.com/8.html

Q.  How often do you find time for you?  What do you do when you need a break from everything?  What recharges you?     

A.  I find time for me by making time for me. In order for me to operate at my highest potential, it’s essential for me to take a Fon break and a lot of times I do that by just enjoying a relaxing time with my husband and one year old daughter. When we’re just hanging out, that relaxes me and it also recharges me. An occasional massage also gives me my necessary R&R.

Let’s go on to the author side of your life and your books:

Q.  Why inspirational novels and why YA Fiction?  What was the draw for you?

A.  When I was in college, there was a lot of temptation and as an avid reader I tended to feed my thoughts with things that went against what I believed and the life I truly want to live…a life of purity. It’s hard to read books that don’t inspire you to live the life you desire. It’s actually contrary and that can affect your thoughts and your thoughts affect your feelings and your feelings affect your actions (there’s that coaching coming out of me). LOL.

Q.  Will you continue to write YA Fiction or will you branch out into other inspirational fiction genres?  Will you stay within inspirational or will you venture away from that genre?

A.  Part of the reason I started writing YA Christian Fiction is because I felt there was a void. Now more and more people are writing in this industry, and that’s awesome. I plan to continue to focus on the college market (YA College) would be more in line with my niche market. I am currently working on a non-fiction idea that will target my niche. Stay tuned to my website for more details as that project comes to fruition.

Q.  How difficult is it to find time to write with all of the other things going on in your life?

A.  You have to make time to write. There are a lot of things going on, but we tend to find energy for those things we really want to do…right? Writing is something I really want to do, so I find the energy to do it.

Q.  What inspired you to write Back and Forth?  Is there a particular life experience that helped give you certain points of view? 

A.  I wrote Back and Forth because it’s a real situation that many face…the inability to make a decision. And yes I too faced times where I would make a decision but then go back and forth on my actions. In my writing Back and Forth, I wanted to show readers that you can’t keep going “back and forth,” you have to choose…you either are going backward or you are going forward. Only one choice.

Q.  What character can you most relate to and why?

A.  I can relate to all the characters because I birth them. Each character represents a part of me for that reason. I probably most relate to…all of them!!! LOL…I can’t pick one “baby” over the other.

Q.  With all of the other themes that tend to plague our teens, why did you specifically choose pregnancy, abortion, and cheating as the main themes of your story?

A.  Actually the main theme of my story is more about Faith’s struggle with celibacy. Out of that struggle comes the pregnancy and abortion. And to be honest the cheating came out of that struggle too because her inability to stand firm sent out mixed signals to her boyfriend Gavin.

Q.  Why did you choose to use Jackson State University, a Historically Black College and University, for your college setting?  Was there more to it than the fact that you are JSU alumni?

A.  I love my alma mater and that’s why I choose it, but readers from all walks of life have said this very story could have taken place on their campus anywhere in the world.

Q.  According to your website, you wrote Forward March, which has recently hit the market.  This is the sequel to Back and Forth and continues the story, with Faith Walker as the main character.  I know that at the end of Back and Forth, Faith gets a job in San Francisco, so it must be the setting for Forward March, but why choose there over New York, L.A. or even Miami as the setting for the next book? 

A.  Aha, great question! I chose it because I once lived in San Francisco and I loved it, so I wanted to take the story there. But please note, I am not Faith (LOL). I was familiar with San Fran and I thought it would be a great place for Faith to Forward March to. LOL.

Q.  For those of us who haven’t read it or knew that it was available, are there plans for another part of the story or do you feel that Forward March offers readers enough closure on all the characters? 

A.  Forward March is the finale of this series. But these characters will always be very much alive within me.

Q.  Are you currently working on any other manuscripts?  If so, what can you tell us about them?   

A.  I am currently working on a non-fiction project. This is my first, so I am looking forward to the challenge that it will bring as a first-timer. Please stay tuned to my website for updates. Would love to keep you updated through my e-newsletter, which you can also sign up for on the homepage of my website: www.fonjames.com

Another E-Publisher Out of Business

Like so many e-authors out there, I too have become a victim of my e-publisher closing its doors. Thankfully, she relinquished rights back to us and didn’t file bankruptcy leaving us all fighting for our rights. For that I am hugely thankful. My publishing house stated personal reasons for shutting the doors, but I have to admit, I wasn't at all surprised by the outcome. But it got me to thinking...What is the reason behind all the e-publishers shutting their doors, when other e-publishers starting up seem to thrive? What makes one e-publisher different than the next? Does it come down to simple business management and the quality of e-books published? What do you think?

Now, the process of figuring out what to do with my current, now unpublished e-book, The Devil's Den? It's received awesome reviews, all of which are posted on my website. (http://www.gracenmiller.com/) Do I publish it myself on one of the self-publishing sites? Or do I try to find another publishing house? Or just ditch the book completely, with the lessons learned motto?

After working with my editor (up to chapter six on Elfin Blood) at Noble Romance Publishing, I’m inclined to believe my book, The Devil’s Den, needs a lot of work. The Devil's Den certainly didn't receive this type of editorial detail. Whatever I do, I’ll have to commit some hard edits to it beforehand, which is almost suffocating to think about, especially when I’m neck deep in current edits, have another book submitted, am writing on two other books and am behind on my paralegal work, with a brief due in a month. GAH!

But there’s hope, Supernatural is back on Thursday nights, Sons of Anarchy started back two Tuesdays ago, and NCIS starts this coming Tuesday. Woot! :D

Have an awesome weekend everyone and if you’re in my area, figure out how to stay dry!

Mayhem and Mischief with Claudia Dain

Happy Thursday!

I happened to stumble upon Claudia Dain in the library and then again on the Internet, read a few excerpts, and I was hooked.  She has a way with her, and I can tell you, her characters can definitely misbehave, that's for sure.  Take the Courtesan's Daughter, for example. &nbssp; In this first book of Claudia's Courtesan Chronicles, Lady Caroline's mother was a courtesan before and married respectably to one of her clients before Caroline was born, so Caroline has all the right qualities for marriage, including a respectable dowry.  Well, Caroline feels like a social pariah and wonders if she just shouldn't follow into her mother's footsteps, so she tries to seduce her mother's lover while her mother is upstairs!  Talk about misbehaving!  If you think I told you a lot, that only takes you up to page 13!  How much more mischief Caroline will create before all is said and done?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

If you read Claudia's bio on her website, you'll find that she enjoys writing the kissing scenes, needs to write like the fish need water and she loves the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Here I thought I was the odd one out! Wow, look at that. The more authors I interview and the more I learn about, the more I find out that I was destined to be an author. How can I say that? Well, like Claudia, I really enjoy writing the kissing scenes, writing is as essential to breathing for me and I have always loved Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Leave it to a man to completely misinterpret a book! The movie was based off of a spoof of the legend of the Sabine Women, called Them Sobbin' Women. Enough from me.

Now, I give you Claudia Dain!  Take it away Claudia!   

People always ask writers where they get their ideas, and writers always give the same answer: everywhere.

It’s a good answer, a true answer, even if it doesn’t really answer the question. A better question might be, “Why did you write this book?” That’s a question I can answer, though I don’t think my answer is true for every writer.

I write because I have something to say. It’s not that there’s this story that I simply had to tell. It’s that there is something that I want to say, something I feel passionately about, and I create a character and place her in a setting where I can say it.

Yes, that’s right. I start with the theme. Scary, huh? People get scared when they hear the word, all those deer-in-the-headlights moments from high school English, the teacher picking you out of the pack, piercing you with her laser stare, “Sue? What is the THEME of the novel?”

Come on, it’s not that bad. I’m not going to give you a quiz or anything. Perish the thought. The theme is merely what the author is trying to tell you, why this story is being told in the first place (yes, I used to be a high school English teacher…and I have the laser stare to prove it).

I don’t know why I start with theme; it’s certainly not by choice, but that’s how the story comes to me. First the passion, then the perfect setting to bury the seed of passion in, then the perfect hero and heroine to bring that passion to flower. And very last, dead and cold last, is plot. The plot, at least for me, is the last thing I think about. In fact, I never do think about it. I let the characters worry about the plot. It’s their life, after all, and they’re going to make choices that take them places and result in specific actions and consequences. I just keep my fingers on the computer keys and let it all play out under the glowing sun of my theme.

It’s very scary. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. I’m the author. I should know! But I don’t. I hate admitting that, by the way. It’s embarrassing. Based on a very unscientific and informal survey (done without their knowledge or consent), most authors I know start with the setting and the plot, hand in hand, then create characters who will behave appropriately in that plot. I seem to create characters that behave inappropriately all over the place. It’s exhausting, but also exhilarating. But mostly exhausting.

So tell me, what do you think the theme is for How to Dazzle a Duke? There are no wrong answers, and there will not be a quiz. At least not today.

Thanks Claudia! While this may not be a quiz, there are prizes, so be sure and leave a comment today to enter your name into the drawing today!

Under the Weather

Hello, everyone. As I am feeling under the weather this week and can't come up with anything witty or brilliant for you to read today - or maybe even coherent, darn head cold/allergy/whatever you are - I am going to post a snippet of my Textnovel.com entry, The Jane Austen Society Pages, for you to read. Also, I open the floor to you to speculate on what you think may - or should - happen with Athena and Gabriel. Thanks, Margay.


Had he really said that to her? Gabriel chastised himself the moment the words left his mouth. “I feel as if I know you from somewhere.” Despite the fact that it was true, that he did sense something familiar about her, he couldn’t have sounded more trite if he’d asked her what her sun sign was. Or if she came there often Or why not, what’s a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this? He was the cliché he warned his students about. I feel as if I know you from somewhere, indeed. What a fool, what an utter fool. And it was clear from her reaction that she felt the same way for she laughed at him. Granted, it had a nervous edge to it, but it was a laugh just the same, and if he had any sense at all, he would turn around now and retreat to the bar to wait for his colleague.
But of course he didn’t. No, he just stood there like an idiot, waiting for her laughter to subside so he could – What? Encourage more by trying to cover up his gaffe? Or worse, offer an explanation for his statement? Yes, that would work. About as well as his opening line did. And yet he could not move away from the spot.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured when her laughter finally subsided. “I shouldn’t have bothered you. I just…well. I’m sorry.”
And now that you’ve secured your position as an idiot, you should just walk away now, he mentally coached himself.
“No!” she said in a voice husky from her mirth. She pressed a hand to her mouth, as if that delicate appendage could stop another bout of laughter. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I have a bad habit of laughing when I’m nervous.”
In a gesture that was becoming too habitual of late, Gabriel lifted a hand to rub at the grooves between his brows. A and W. Named for another colleague who was responsible for putting them there. Athena Willoughby. Who also had the habit of laughing when she was nervous. He should know; he made her laugh. A lot. Gabriel dropped his hand to his side as his sense of familiarity expanded. Either he was losing his mind or –
“I know someone like that,” he said as he leaned forward in an attempt to better gauge her reaction. If only it wasn’t so damned dark in here; he could barely see anything in this light – or dark, as it were. “A colleague, actually.”
“Really?” Her voice ended on a high note as the nervousness crept back in. Well, that was interesting. “And here I thought I was the only one.”
With his sense of sight impaired by the atmosphere, Gabriel attuned himself to every nuance of her voice. Her tone, her choice of words, even her speech pattern. Was there something familiar about that, too? Granted, it was deeper than…a certain other woman’s, but…it was there, just below the surface. Something, something…he just couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

If she didn’t distract him in the next five seconds he was going to figure it out, Athena fretted. They didn’t make him the dean of the college because he looked like he just stepped out of the pages of Pride and Prejudice, after all. No, he earned that spot. Earned it and took it very seriously. He wouldn’t take it well if he learned what she was doing to supplement her income. She already had several strikes against her already; this would be just what he needed to finally oust her from her position at the college. Some sort of ethics code, she was certain.
She couldn’t keep up this pretense much longer. Couldn’t keep pretending she was something she was not with him. It was difficult enough being herself in his presence; he didn’t like that much, either. Maybe it was just her, wig or no wig, she simply got on the man’s nerves. She couldn’t even pretend to be someone he’d like.
And she couldn’t keep pitching her voice this low without succumbing to a fit of coughing. Her vocal chords were actually beginning to ache from the effort of keeping her naturally melodic tone at bay. And that blasted nervous laughter! It was going to give her away. Didn’t she read somewhere that a person’s laugh was just as unique to them as their fingerprints?
Oh, lord, did he just say something to her? What was it? Did he figure it out?
“I’m sorry – what?” she asked, gesturing toward her ear. “The music. I didn’t hear you.”
He leaned down toward her, coming perilously close to the safe cocoon of shadows she’d gathered around herself. She resisted the urge to pull back even further as he answered her.
“I said you’re not the only one.”
“Oh.” All right, she didn’t know what to do with that, exactly. Should she make light of it? “Well, there goes my campaign for being unique.”
One corner of his lips curled up in a smile that triggered all of her attraction sensors, making her uncomfortably aware of the fact that he was a man. A charming man, virile – oh, lord, this is m boss! What am I doing?
“I think your campaign is quite safe,” he said, just before he took a step back from her. “I wish I could stay and talk with you longer, but the person I’m meeting here just arrived and I – “
“No, it’s all right. Go,” Athena encouraged, even as she tried to resist the urge to check out who he was meeting. “I wouldn’t want to keep you.”
With what appeared to be a regretful smile – to her, at least – he retreated from her table completely, weaving his way back to the bar. Without even asking for her name, she realized. Well, of all the – at least he could have feigned politeness by asking, even if he had no intention of pursuing her. Not that she would’ve given him her real name, of course. But still. What an insult that he didn’t even ask!
And why would he, she wondered as she finally gave in to her urge to look, when his companion for the evening looked like a starlet in the realm of Jennifer Aniston? It would’ve been a comfort if she had an IQ to match her shoe size, but she knew that face and it belonged to Elinor Moreton. Better known as Elle. Better known as the woman who wanted her ousted from the college.
Wonderful, Athena thought. It was bad enough when only the dean of the college was there and her job was at risk. Now the one person who wanted her gone more than Gabriel was there as well. With him.
Could the night get any worse?


For more, go here.

A Renegade and a Wild Woman

Happy Tuesday!

What is it about rebellious men and wild women?  Why do we love them?  From Cleopatra and Mark Antony to Bonnie and Clyde to Natalie Wood and James Dean, we have a fascination with them that stands the test of time and that fascination seems to continue with each new generation.  It's astounding.  Why are we so fascinated with them?

Because they are some of the true-to-life love stories, even though they didn't have their happily ever after.

Don't believe me?  Let's look at the opening lyrics of a popular country song from a couple of years ago:

I Wanna be Loved Like That by Shanendoah

Natalie Wood gave her heart to James Dean

The high school rebel and the teenage queen

Standin' together at an angry world

One boy fightin' for one girl

I wanna be loved like that, I wanna be loved like that

A promise you can't take back

If you're gonna love me

I wanna be loved like that

 

Sure, the song goes on, but it really nails it on the head right there, in those lyrics.  I want a promise you can't take back.  In fact, I'd almost have to say that this would be the song I would use to advertise the book Renegade by Sarah Parr. 

Why?

Well, throughout this book, I noticed that the heroine, Jaline, hesitated for quite some time from telling the hero, Jonathon, one thing: that she loved him.  To her the words were permanent, everlasting.  If she said them, she couldn't take it back.  She wanted to be sure that he knew the words were real to her and not just said out of a sense of obligation or lust and she seemed to struggle with finding the right time.  Of course, the inner demons she carried with her sure didn't help, and he had demons of his own that got in the way. 

Jonathon would be a Duke if he managed to regain the title that his father lost, and Jaline was anything but a proper lady and she certainly didn't have the breeding necessary for society's requirements of a Duchess and she knew the King would never approve of her.  How can you let someone care about you when you know they'll be forced to leave you in the end?  How can you tell someone that you love them knowing that your love can ruin the life they worked so hard to get back?

You'll have to read the book to find that out!  All and all, I found Renegade to be a pleasant story, especially for a debut novel.  I have had the pleasure to interview Sarah Parr.  She is a delightful person and a very talented author.  Be sure to stay tuned because there is a surprise for you at the end. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Q. Why historical over other romance novel genres? What’s the draw for you? What influenced your decision to choose historical?

A. I’m a history buff, have traveled and studied history all my life, so it is dear to me.

Q. Is this the beginning of a career in historical novels or do you plan on branching out into other genres? If so, which genres? If not, do you plan on expanding into other historical time periods?

A. Anything is possible.

Q. What authors have you read since you were a child and did any of them influence life choices that you’ve made?

A. I’ve read so many books, it is hard to say if any one has influenced me.

Q. At what age did you start reading romance novels?

A. Do fairy tales count? J, if so, then I was three.

Q. Here’s a question just for fun, do you now or have you ever had a pet of some sort? If so, what kinds were they and what are (were) their names? (It seems that many authors have pets, specifically cats and I’m just curious.)

A. I have many pets and live on a small horse farm. My horse is a Morgan named Tahoma, then there is Piper – a half blind rescue Paint, and Hermione – a tiny Welsh B pony. In the barn is a cat named Saffron who tends to pest control. In the house lives my Collie (Erin), Sheltie (Skye) and Pomeranian (Stitch), a Tonkinese (Mushu) and another rescue cat (Kisses).

Q. Why Kensington Press? Why Zebra Books?

A. It was a great match!

Q. Were you lucky enough to have your first manuscript accepted? If so, what’s your secret? If not, how many different manuscripts have you sent out? How many times were you rejected before you found that acceptance letter?

A. Yes – my first and second manuscripts are being published as RENEGADE and, well the second title hasn’t been released yet. My secret? I’m not sure there is a secret. What I would say to anyone is to write the best story you can and try to get it in the right hands. That is the best way for things to happen.

Q. With this being your first book, you must be on pins and needles constantly wondering what the outcome will be. What do you do, other than write, to keep your mind off of the current progress of Renegade?

A. What a great question! I am a big believer in living in the present – although it isn’t easy. Animals are one way I help that happen. Horses live in the moment. When riding, there is no hour from now, only this moment, this place. Tahoma and I have spent many hours meandering. In search of nothing, we find peace.

Q. In terms of promoting your book, what percentage would you say is up to you and how much is up to Kensington?

A. It is a partnership. Among other things Kensington created the package for my book including title and cover, gave it to their sales force, marketed it, placed it on their website. My contributions have included bookmarks, mailings, individual booksellers and the Internet.

Q. In terms of success, what measuring stick do you use? In other words, how will you determine the overall success of your book, or is it enough for you to be in print right now?

A. I view success when I have done best, pushed myself further, and worked as hard as I could.

Now let’s switch the focus to your book:

Q. Why did you pick the year 1762? Is there something special about the Georgian Era or the Ottoman time periods for you?

A. 1762 was just prior to the end of the Seven Year War in Europe (the French-Indian War in the US). Often thought of as the first world war because it encircled the entire globe, this war changed power everywhere, eras were ended and fortunes made. Rules and borders were in flux. As always happens at the end of the war, there are great shifts, making Jonathon and Jaline’s situation even more precarious. For the Ottomans, it is almost the end of an era. Russia is poised to invade – Catherine’s attempt to secure Russia a warm water port.

Q. Why did you decide to begin with Jaline already being a slave to Jonathon rather than starting with the situation of him in the position to win her or leave her?

A. Because once he had met her, there was no doubt he would own her. The story began from there.

Q. What elements of Jaline or Jonathon can you relate to and why? What, if any, aspects of either character were taken from personal experience? Please elaborate as best you can.

A. I can relate to their needs to prove themselves and yet be true to themselves, to want to fit in and yet remain apart.

Q. In your book, the hero and the heroine seem to get along well with each other and don’t really seem to have any actual friction. What made you decide to focus on personal demons over external forces to create the drama? What experiences or ideas inspired their creation?

A. It wasn’t a conscious decision. Jaline and Jonathon’s true story was about two people who are both quite capable, quite wonderful and yet more so when together. But being together brought forth much of what neither wanted to address. In other words to find their strength they had to fight for it, and much of that was fighting the walls they had constructed themselves.

Q. How much research did you have to do for this book? How long did the research take? Who was the inspiration for Comte? Was he a historical figure? Where did you get the idea for the alchemy goblets that seem to be causing Jonathon so much trouble? Why alchemy and not simply religious or ancient relics?

A. I did/do a lot of research and have traveled all around the Mediterranean and Europe, living there for a year. Comte was crafted from many bits of history and imagination. The alchemy goblet was based on an actual goblet from the Hapsburgs treasury in Vienna on display at the old palaces (now museums). I created the stories around the pieces. Why alchemy and not religious or ancient relics… I found the figure of Rudolph II fascinating. He believed it morally imperative he divide his resources equally amongst Science, Nature and Art. Alchemists were the scientists at the time and he commissioned many of them to work in Prague. What was interesting was the amount of money given to incredible works that that advanced scientific knowledge both forwards (with accurate planetary clocks) and backwards (clockwork movement automotons). Naturalia was also reviewed in detail (ie plants, animals, geography, etc). I took the leap and imagined some of these alchemists and their discoveries taking a logical path of study towards plants, their properties and eventually Soma.

Q. Will Jonathon’s brother, Edmond, get his own story in the future? He would make an interesting lead character…

A. It’s possible!!

Q. What can you tell us about your next manuscript (status, etc.)? (yeah, everyone's always wondering what you've got up your sleeve!)

A. My next manuscript is at Kensington. It will be released in July 2010 and is the story of Jonathon and Jaline’s son – Warrick. They do make a cameo!

Okay, sound interesting? Want the book? You have a chance to win a copy here! That's right, leave a comment here and you are entered into the drawing for a free copy of Renegade!

Third Book Review of The White Queen - Part 1

Happy Sunday!

The bulky nature and the fact that I am so far behind on my reading demand that I break my review into two parts.  I read, but I don't read as fast as I used to, and when you add poorly made glasses into the mix, things get even slower.  I'm really nearsighted to begin with, so my glasses are like magnifying glasses in the first place.  If I read without my glasses, everything has to be right in front of my face.  It's quite a nuisance, but it's just another fact of my life that I need to accept.

In reading the book jacket for The White Queen by Philippa Gregory, and the websites, you'll discover the main topic of the book: Elizabeth Woodville - aka, The White Queen (from the movies, I believe it was due to the white powder she would put on her face, but that is a guess at this point). This book has everything a good story needs, romance, marriage, children, scandal and intrigue. What makes it fascinating is that the intrigue and mystery are taken right out of the history books.

Yep, you heard me, a good old fashioned intrigue that came right from the pages of English History. This mystery has to do with the two sons of Queen Elizabeth Woodville. Her sons get embroiled in some sort of scandal and find themselves in the Tower of London. The problem is, no one knows what happened to them after they got there. That's right, not one, but two missing princes of England and heirs to the throne.

So, what happened to them? No one knows, and I mean no one knows. There is no written record to explain what actually happened to them after they were put into the Tower - which is where all criminals were placed to await trial and/or execution. Was it all a rouse to protect them and the crown? Were they disowned by their mother? Were they left in the Tower dungeons so long that others forgot their names and so did they? Who's to say. Without actual records, everything is at best just educated speculation.

Which is what Philippa Gregory is a master of, educated speculation. I listened to both The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance and found education as well as entertainment between the pages. She wove such great tales here, that it seemed so easy to see life in those times. It was as if she actually lived in those times and in those places. William Makepeace Thackeray wrote Vanity Fair as a living testament to the times he lived in. So, one could almost call Philippa the Thackeray of London's royalty!

I've babbled on enough for today. Please join me next week when I pick through some of the details a bit more thoroughly. I promise not to give anything crucial away!!!

Have I managed to intrigue you? Would you like to win a copy of this book? Well, to enter your name in the drawing, leave a comment at the post found by clicking here! Be sure to select the link that says, "Post a Comment" - Thanks!

YA Author Spotlight Saturday Presents... Carl Deuker!!!

Carl Deuker has been writing YA Sports Fiction for quite some time, with his first book having an initial printing date of 1989. Heart of a Champion was reprinted in 2007. For more on Carl Deuker [and he has a very thorough bio], check out his website.

Q. Why YA Fiction? What’s the draw for you?


A. For years I tried to write adult fiction with poor results. Then one day it struck me that, as a teacher, I spend my time with young adults. It also struck me that I constantly tell them to write about what they know. So, what did I know—teenagers and sports.

Q. Currently, I’ve listened to Heart of a Champion and enjoyed it very much and have just started Night Hoops and I’m already hooked. What is your target age range for your books and are you specifically targeting the male gender? If so, why?

A. I wrote On the Devil’s Court because I love the Faust legend and I thought it would be fun to do a sports twist on it. After that, I wrote a book geared toward girls—and it was rejected by the publisher. I returned to sports for Heart of a Champion, and it was accepted for publication. So, I guess I’d say that I’m a good writer with a limited range. I don’t specifically target boys, and many of my readers are girls, but I do seem to have more success with the reluctant male readers in middle school and in the early HS years than other authors.

[There's that term again, the reluctant reader. Hmmm. Maybe book content could be an issue....]

Q. Why sports?

A. I love sports; there is built in drama; people reveal themselves in games. As a boy, I ate up all sports books, so perhaps I’m writing for myself at 14.

Q. I just have to ask: In On the Devil’s Court, the main character is named Joe Faust. Why the name Faust? Was the novel Dante’s Inferno, by Faust, influential to your writing this particular book?

A. That comes from Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and from Goethe’s Faust. The publisher thought it might be too obvious a reference at first—I assured them that 8th graders in general aren’t up on their Christopher Marlowe.

Q. In Heart of a Champion, Seth’s father was a golfer, and I see that you golf. Do you plan on ever having golf as the main “driving” force of a story? Why or why not?

A. My golfing friend and I joke about it all the time. “John looked into his bag and then looked at the lake. Should he use his five iron or his six?” Not quite as compelling as basketball, though I do think there’s a golf/cheating story or book in me . . . somewhere.

Q. Extending the above question, are there any sports that you won’t use as a backdrop for a story? Why or why not?

A. I’d like to be able to use soccer, but I’ve never played the game. When I try to write the game scenes, I fumble around. I’ve read books where the author is clearly not comfortable with the game and they make me cringe. I don’t want to make the same mistake. So if I never played or coached the game, I won’t write about it.

Q. I realize that, like all of your other books, the name has an internal connection with the sport being played as well as the overall story conveyed. For those of us non-baseball players, can you please explain the connection of the title, Painting the Black, to baseball?

A. Home plate is white, but the rubber edge of the plate is black. “Painting the black” refers to throwing pitches over the black part of home plate and hoping the umpire calls the pitch a strike. In the book, one of the characters is always right there on the edge, hoping to get the call in his direction both on the baseball field and off. He’s “painting the black.”

Q. In Night Hoops, I noticed that the themes of a missing father (Trent Dawson) and divorce (Seth’s parents) resurface [I can’t vouch for On the Devil’s Court or Painting the Black]. Why have you chosen to make these characters suffer these kinds of problems? Do you feel that broken home situations are more prevalent than situations with both the mother and father in the home and happily married, and thus more relatable to today’s youth?

A. Definitely. As a teacher for nearly 30 years, the “absent father” is depressingly common. Consider, for example, the increase in prison population. Those men have children, and those children are in our schools. How must it feel when they are asked: What's your dad do?

Q. With Runner, you appear to leave the baseball diamond and the basketball court behind and delve more into the crime/thriller genre. Was this an intentional shift in focus, or did it just sort of happen?

A. Definitely intentional. I like writing sports novels, but I wanted to have another genre to work in as well. Runner was a self challenge==break out of the mold. The book I’m working on right now is also more thriller than sports.

Q. With the novel Gym Candy, you continue your hiatus from the baseball diamond and the basketball court but stroll onto the football field. Is there any particular reason that you chose football over baseball or basketball as the backdrop for this story?

A. Basically the same answer as for the previous question. I played football, but not with the passion or love that I played basketball and baseball. So writing a football book was a challenge.

Q. I know that alcohol, drugs, abuse and death can add depth to any story and/or character, but why do you use these themes so heavily in your writing?

A. Tolstoy said something like: All happy families are alike, all unhappy families are unique. The unhappy teenager is most likely to be facing problems with drugs, alcohol, a parent (father, usually) or pregnancy/fatherhood. All teenagers know kids facing these problems even if they themselves are not.

Q. Do you have any plans to write about female characters? Why or why not? If not, are there any current authors of sports fiction for girls that you could recommend to our readers?

A. There’s that line: Everybody has a postage stamp on which they don’t make a fool of themselves. Get off the postage stamp and you will make a fool of yourself. I’ll let female writers delve into the minds of female athletes. As far as recommending authors—I avoid reading YA sports books. I have my voice and when I read other people’s books, I invariably start thinking: “So that’s how you do it.” Then, I copy them and lose my own voice.

Q. On your site, you put up the first couple of sentences to your latest work. How is that coming? Is there a name to go with it yet? Where are you in the writing process with it?

A. Close to publishing I hope! What else are you working on? Details, details, we want details! Hopefully, the new book is finished and will be published pretty close to as is. It is with the editor, Ann Rider, right now. Titles: Fourth and Forever or Chasing Angel. I’ve started another book which I’m calling Swagger. It deals with a charismatic head coach and his relationship with his high school team.

Q. Would you be willing to provide with a bit on a longer excerpt than you currently have on your website? I know I’m curious!

A. The contract with the publisher specifically forbids any but the most limited publication of a new work. [bummer!]

Reluctant Reader Home

Guilty Pleasures....

Hi, everyone! I hope your week has been awesome. Mine has been filled with football, family chaos of seismic proportions I never want to repeat—ever…ever…ever again!—2nd and 6th grade homework, and family visiting from out of town…again!

So, my topic for the week…guilty pleasures, which is defined as: “A guilty pleasure is something one considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the ‘guilt’ involved is simply fear of others discovering one’s lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt. Fashion, music, and food (especially unhealthier foods high in sugar and/or fat) can be examples of guilty pleasures.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilty_pleasure


Song: Guilty Pleasures by Cobra Starship


I thought I’d do a countdown of my ten guilty pleasures:


10. Eating an entire box of chocolate glazed Krispy Kreme donuts. The thought is almost orgasmic! If only I wouldn’t gain an ounce. I gain at least five pounds when I drive by Krispy Kreme and by chance get a wisp of the sweet smell. I’m kind of like a blowfish that way. It’s so not fair.

9. Silky/lacy undergarments. I am a sucker for pretty panties and bras. If only I enjoyed actually wearing them. Strange, I know, but I wish I enjoyed wearing them as much as I enjoyed looking at them.

8. Starbucks Iced Mocha. Not decaf, not non-fat, but the real deal! I want all the sugar, carbs and fat! Mmmm….mmmm….lip-smacking good! Some sins are worth gaining a pound or two over.


7. Reading a romance book that turns me on. I believe that guilty pleasure needs no further comments.

6. Papa Roach’s song I Almost Told You That I Loved You. *hangs head in shame* I admit the first time I heard it on the Octane channel I laughed. It’s not an appropriate song for my children, but I so love this song and all its rude crudeness!

I Almost Told You That I Loved You by PapaRoach (Warning: Explicit)

5. Buying something I do not need, like a new garment, or make up, or new nail polish. *big grin* My newest nail color is blue. I love it and my husband hates it! LOL My sons like it though, so proof my husband *cough-Stick-In-The-Mud-cough* doesn’t have taste!

4. Singing at the top of my lungs to my Bon Jovi CD! Oh, Lord, the shame of that admission and how telling it is of my age! LOL That man makes my heart pitter-patter. *sighs*

3. When karma becomes a bitch for someone who deserves it. Does that make me mean or spiteful? Probably, but I don’t care. Some people just deserve to be bitch-slapped with karma.

2. Watching Nip/Tuck and Sons of Anarchy with my husband.

1. Lusting after Dean Winchester…er…Jensen Ackles…oh, whatever the hell his name is. He’s Dean Winchester on the television show Supernatural and that’s all I need to hear to thrust my mind into an unending erotic fantasy! I'm almost certain God wants me to have Dean Winchester for being such a good little girl. ;-) Hey, it's my fantasy, don't ruin it! :D



Tag! You're it!! Don’t be shy, we all have them, and now it's your turn to confess all your secrets…ahem…I mean guilty pleasures. ;-)


Have a great weekend!

Aspiring Author Joan Kayse!!!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Are you thinking, "Hey, that name sounds familiar!"  Well, it just might!  If you consider yourself a Romance Bandit, or have visited their site once, you will recognize her name.  That's where I found her in my search for historical romance authors.  Yes, no one corrected me then, but last week's guest, Christine Wells, is also a Romance Bandit.  

Why Joan Kayse, she's not published?  Well, that doesn't matter here because someday, she will be.  How do I know?  Read the excerpt on her website for The Barbarian's Soul and tell me she doesn't have talent and a future as a romance writer.  Personally, I don't think that you will.  She already knows how to get you hot and bothered and then, leave you hanging!  I can't wait to read the rest of it!   

Okay, okay, I'm getting to it.  I know, you want to meet her and see what she has to say, so without keeping you in suspense any longer, here's Joan Kayse!  Take it away Joan!  

First, I would like to thank Carrie for inviting me to visit the Moonlighters today.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

That, my friends has been my motto since the day I decided to get serious about all these stories flying around in my head. I’ve even considered having it tattooed somewhere on, er…my person.


My name is Joan and I write Roman historicals.

Kind of sounds like a 12 step program, doesn’t it? Well, it felt like it in 2001 when I began to explore the alternately astounding, energizing, frustrating, beat your head against the wall, raise your fist with fervor world of romance writing. That was the year I attended my first RWA conference in New Orleans. It was there that I met my first challenge in writing a non-Regency, non-Scottish historical. “I write Roman historicals” I stuttered, still not quite used to actually SAYING I was a writer. Oh, the looks of pity, the soothing “Oh, sweetie…really. Look at the market” responses. Would have withered some. Me? Just made me all the more determined to do just that.

Understand I was a baby writer then, having only been focusing on publication for a little over a year, after my mother passed away and I hit that “evaluate your life” phase of grieving. After all, she bestowed on me my creative mind and passion for the things I love. I grew up reading and loving romance, especially historical romance. Why not write one?

While I adore all types of history, Rome in all of its infamous, magnificent, decadent glory is my favorite period of all. I have no logical explanation for it. I mean the closest I got to studying it was taking two years of high school Latin. Substituting Latin words in the refrain of “Willie Go Round in Circles” was about all I took away from that. Oh, and a major crush on Mr. Powell the teacher J

But I KNEW from the first day I sat down to flesh out THE PATRICIAN’S DESIRE that I would be telling three heroes stories and they really, only could take place in Rome. Take a little bit of alpha, a touch of wounded (or in Bran’s case…a LOT of wounded) and a smidgen of an all consuming Empire that threatens their very existence. Throw in vibrant heroines that meet them toe to toe and voila….a series was born.

My fellow Banditas over at The Romance Bandits have created an elite contingent of gladiators. Demetrius, Lucien and Marcus are great guys (and mix a mean margharita) but there were more than gladiators and tribunes living and loving in 52 CE.

Jared. A merchant prince from Alexandria born of a Roman patrician father and a Hebrew merchant’s daughter whose very heritage damned him in both worlds. His salvation lies with the woman who betrayed him into slavery. (THE PATRICIAN’S DESIRE).

Damon. A Senatorial spy, subject to the will of others, betrayed and used his entire life from the moment his father sells him to pay a debt into adulthood when the machinations of a powerful government official leads to his near crucifixion. A woman with the face of a goddess stays the executioner’s hand only to throw him back into the intrigue and conspiracy ridden patrician world where he fights to keep her alive. (THE PATRICIAN’S FORTUNE)

Bran. Ex-gladiator fighting to retain his very soul after being forced to kill for the perverse pleasure of the Roman mob. He does not trust. He does not hope. He does not live. He only hates and endures and despises the Roman world until a raven haired beauty shatters the wall he’s built around his heart. (THE BARBARIAN’S SOUL)

Damon described my passion for the time period best:

They reached the bottom of the affluent Palatine neighborhood and turned toward the center of the city. Damon set a quick pace, navigating the twisting thoroughfares with ease. He knew this city like a man knows a lover. A boiling cauldron of arrogance, greed, and excess, Rome was the focal point of the civilized world, though Damon was certain a majority of the Empire’s conquered regions would hotly argue the point.

The crowds began to thicken as they continued down the Via Sacra and approached the two enormous pillars marking the entrance to the city center. Damon eyed the carved statues of Rome’s legendary founders, Romulus and Remus, circling their circumference. There were dozens of similar statues scattered around Rome, adorning public buildings, heralding a general’s successful campaign, an emperor’s benevolence, but this one had always been his favorite.

The famous twins faced each other, swords tightly clutched, expressions reflecting the stoicism of a conquering race, prepared to defend the nation they’d founded. Romulus’ free hand rested on the head of the legendary she-wolf who had suckled the abandoned infants. An omen the ill fated Remus, murdered by the brother who named an Empire, should have heeded. Take care who you trust. A lesson Damon had learned good and well. With Kaj flanking him, Damon stepped through the stone arch into the Forum.

The market was well designed. A large open area provided ample room for pedestrians and shoppers to go about their business. Weavers, jewelers, bakers, oil merchants, and pottery makers vied with tavernas and wine shops for their share of the citizens’ coin.

Street philosophers chalked their thoughts on the sides of buildings, some accompanied by unflattering drawings. Candidates for political offices spouted grand promises from stone block perches while those who had already been elected bustled about the business of government. Temples dedicated to one god or another stood wall to wall with brothels where, Damon mused, you were more likely to get your prayers answered than kneeling at an altar.

The city pulsed with life and Damon reveled in it. This was where he’d first experienced life after Jared had granted him his freedom. He closed his eyes for a moment, savored the sounds of bartering and badgering, inhaled the scent of spices and perfumes and—he cocked one eye open and looked at the painting of a pork hind gracing the side of a building—the butcher’s shop. The Patrician’s Fortune.
***
My manuscripts are making strides, finaling and winning many prestigious contests. THE PATRICIAN’S DESIRE was a 2006 Golden Heart finalist. Yes, you heard correctly. A Roman historical finaled in the Golden Heart. Jared also placed well in PASIC’S Book of Your Heart where booksellers and librarians granted him perfect scores. Damon has also done well winning the grand prize of the 2007 Suzannah against mixed sub-genres, pubbed and non. Most recently he won first place in Chicago North’s Fire & Ice. Bran, determined NOT to let those Romans get ahead just finaled in Georgia Romance Writer’s The Maggie. Not too shabby for a barbarian.

I don’t quote all these wins to brag though I am proud of every achievement…steps, tools, validation…but to reflect that there is room for variety in time periods in historical romance fiction. Yes, yes I still hear the “market” cliché, I hear that readers only buy the two popular time periods. Yes, the do…if that is all the selection offered to them. And hey, I don’t disagree. There are marvelous, new Regency historicals out there, among them my own fellow Banditas, Christine Wells and Anna Campbell. But variety IS the spice of life.

So, my fellow countrymen. Give me your rakes, your Scots, your dukes and marquis.

Give me a Roman.

So, what about you? What are your favorite time periods? Are you open to exploring new ones?

www.joankayse.com
www.romancebandits.blogspot.com

Happy About An Extra Hour a Day, by Nicolas Soergel

In lieu of my own blog today, I am going to use this post to highlight something so many of us could use: Time management skills. I don't know about you, but I never seem to have enough time to do everything I want to. Without further ado, here is our special guest:

About Happy About An Extra Hour a Day

Every day has exactly 1,440 minutes in it. Whether you work for a Fortune 500 company, run your own small business or are an independent freelancer, the way you spend those minutes helps or hinders the goals you want to achieve.

Nicolas Soergel, author of the new book Happy About An Extra Hour Everyday(Happy About, 2009) says anyone can create extra time in their life by increasing their efficiency. “If you can save one minute, 60 times a day, you can gain the extra hour needed to make your dreams happen,” says Soergel.

Throughout Happy About An Extra Hour Everyday the author offers easy to implement, time saving tips that he terms "quick wins".

About the Author -

Nicolas Soergel, was born in Germany in 1969. After completing his studies in business administration at the University of Cologne, he began his career in finance with Sony. Soergel later played a major role in setting up the German, Austrian and Swiss operations of the British vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson.

In 2000, Nicolas moved to Japan where at the age of 34 he became CEO of the Japanese subsidiary of T-Systems – a Deutsche Telekom group company. 3 years later he took over responsibility for the APAC region.

Throughout his professional career Nicolas has had the opportunity to meet and interview executives from around the world on the practical ideas they use to save time and get organized. You can read more at Nicolas’s blog: http://www.anextrahoureveryday.com/

Endorsements for the Book -

"Millions of people around the world are starving for one thing . . . TIME. Imagine what it would be like if right now you had one more hour each day to do just what you wanted. In this amazing book Nicolas Soergel provides an actionable blueprint for adding more time to your day. If you are among those who starve for more time you MUST read this book."

Jeb Blount, CEO of SalesGravy.com; Author of "Power Principles and 7 Rules For Outselling the Recession"

"'Happy About An Extra Hour Every Day' is an essential resource for all road warriors. As a 100,000 mile per year traveler, I am always looking for tips to make my trips easier and save some time. This book overflows with simple, easily adaptable ways to do just that. For me, just applying a couple of the tips makes my life easier. Well worth the price of admission!"

Rich Goldman, VP, Corporate Marketing & Strategic Alliances, Synopsys

"A global road warrior for many years, I thought I already was good at time management - but Nico made me think twice! Great reading, straight to the point."

Michael Hofmann, VP, Nokia Corporation

"Don't Procrastinate! Pay attention to the tips in the book that are relevant to you and make them work to save the time you need to get more done."

Vish Mishra, President, TiE [The Indus Entrepreneurs Network] Silicon Valley and Venture Director, Clearstone Venture Partners

"Easy to find - easy to read - Quick Wins for almost every situation. Winning an extra hour can be so easy."

Heinz Fischer, Managing Director, Loewe

"A must read for every assistant who needs to manage her own and other people's time."

Holger C. Johnson, CEO, ebuero.de

"A great guide to the little everyday things you can do at home, work and on the road to save both time and sanity."

Karen Leland, Bestselling Author of "Time Management In An Instant"