Claytons. Was. Awesome.

That is all, for now!

Books we don't like...

I was just curious to find out what people do with books they don't like.

I have a pile of books I've bought and read, and despite really, really, REALLY wanting to like them, I just can't. I've paid for them, after all, and I can't get the money back. I refuse to add these books to my bookshelf because I don't want the good books to be mixed with the terrible ones (as if they'll be tainted, or something! Ba ha ha ha).

What do you do with the books you don't want? I donate them to charity, and feel awful because I'm giving away bad books (like I'm inflicting punishment on others) but I'm not sure what to do. Should I put them in the recycle bin? Should these books be mashed into a pulp and turned into something more useful? Should I light a bonfire to ward off bad characters and terrible plot lines?

Your thoughts?

:-) Mon

It's Clayton's for 2011...

I'm very sad to say I won't be attending the Romance Writers of Australia conference in August this year. It's such an amazing event - I've been very fortunate to attend the conference two years in a row.

As I can't make the Melbourne event, I'll be participating in the Clayton's Conference online. I've heard positive feedback about Clayton's and the activities/workshops/speakers on offer, so I'm quite excited. It's great to catch up with other writers and discuss what's new and exciting in the romance writing world, even if it isn't in person.

Who will be joining me for Clayton's, I wonder? Hmm...

Best Romance Novels Part 7

Currently on on my iPod: Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga

Okay, so I've been a bit slack lately in my quest to research the best romance novels of all time. I've been reading, but I'm getting side-tracked by other things. It's a very hectic time for me right now.

Well, the latest book I've read in my 'investigation' is Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels. I'm actually ashamed to say I've never read a Loretta Chase novel, and I'm appalled that I've waited so long to so, as she is BRILLIANT.

Lord of Scoundrels had me laughing and completely hooked from the beginning to the end. Every aspect of this novel appealed to me, from the characters to the dialogue (which is witty and sharp). The hero is sinful and described in very unflattering terms, but the heroine sees beyond this and can't help falling for 'the Devil's spawn'. The heroine is very funny, and possesses the strength of character to make this bad boy fall hard... and boy, does he fall!

It is, without a doubt, one of the best romance novels I've ever read. It was so good that I went and ordered about half a dozen other Loretta Chase novels to discover other characters she's created. I've already read Don't Tempt Me, which is excellent, and I'm in the process of reading Your Scandalous Ways, which is also very good. She is a fantastic author, and I'd have to say she's now on my list of all-time fave romance authors.

If you haven't checked out Lord of Scoundrels, you MUST grab a copy. It's a keeper, without a doubt.

Until next time,

Mon

Just a quick one...

Wanted to quickly mention I received three 'Thank you' notes from entrants in a contest I recently judged. I was so pleased to see they appreciated my feedback (and I always give constructive feedback), and were prepared to take the the time to thank me for it.

I really hope these entrants are published one day. Fingers crossed for them, and also to everyone else who puts the time and effort into achieving their dream. It's a long road, but it's nice to have the help and support of others along the way.

:-) Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 6

The last book I reviewed on my blog was fun, contemporary yet touching. Now the 6th book on my list of the most popular romances is very different - it's Laura Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm.

Now, this book isn't what I expected it to be at all. When I mentioned in a previous post about the most flawed hero I'd ever come across in the genre, I hadn't met the hero in Flowers from the Storm. The Duke of Jervaulx is the typical rake of his time period, but something tragic happens to him, and it's up to the heroine, the quiet Quaker, Maddy Timms, to save him.

Now, when I mention the word 'flawed', I'm speaking about the illness that takes over the Duke's life. He has a stroke/hemorrhage that leads his family to believe he's now insane (or as his mother believes, his condition is like God's punishment for his debauched life). The heroine believes God has sent her a sign to help the Duke, and an unlikely romance develops.

I must say, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book, but the unusual scenario and the interesting characters got me hooked. I felt so much compassion for the hero as he struggled to recover from his illness, and the heroine was inspiring and well matched to the hero despite her modest upbringing and strong religious views.

Don't be put off by the religious tone of what I've just mentioned - it's not a religious story in any way, and it's a fantastic, beautiful love story about dealing with illness and triumphing over tragedy. A fabulous book, and well deserving of it's much-loved status.

See you next time...

:-) Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 5

Just finished reading the fifth book in my TBR pile of the best romance novels ever written, and I think I've finally found one that rings all of my bells. It's Susan Elizabeth Phillips' It Had to Be You.

It's a contemporary romance, and although the subject matter isn't something that would normally capture my attention (it's set in the world of American football), the characters are so much fun. The hero is an ex-football player who is now the coach of a team the heroine inherits. She doesn't have a clue about football (I can identify with this!), and the two clash from the get go. There's loads of sexual tension, and SEP's ability to create vivid and likable characters is truly impressive. The dialogue, the descriptions... everything is sooo good in this book.

Despite her 'va va voom' qualities, I really, really liked the heroine. The hero had moments where I questioned his sanity (there's one scene early on where he's having a dalliance with someone that had me shaking my head, until I realised what the hell was going on), but he came through in the end.

I'm not a big fan on sports stars as heroes, but Susan Elizabeth Phillips has the ability to make it work so well. What a fabulous, funny, and romantic story It Had to Be You was!

I can completely understand why this is a favourite amongst romance readers. Well worth grabbing a copy if you haven't already read it.

Happy reading,

:-) Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 4

Okay, so now I'm up to my fourth book in my quest to research the most loved romance novels of all time. It's the delightful Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas.

The heroine is another thoroughly modern one - initially I did have some reservations about how modern she was, especially as she's a modest/sweet/innocent/well-bred etc. writer who delves into the world of gambling and prostitution through her writing. Didn't entirely sound plausible to me at first due to the time period. I grew to like her as the story progressed, and was hoping she'd get her HEA at the end, especially as she was a writer of fiction (every fiction writer deserves a happily ever after!).

As for the hero... wow! He'd have to be the most flawed hero I've ever come across in the genre. He is very dark and very scarred (physically and emotionally) and you can't help being both appalled and saddened for him. Again, I grew to love him as the story progressed, and was overjoyed when he realised his feeling for the heroine - he truly deserved to find happiness at the end.

I really enjoyed this story, and would recommend it to avid readers of the genre. It has all of the elements you'd expect from a true romance novel. Definitely a keeper.

Let me know if you've read it before, and what you think.

Bye for now,

:-) Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 3, Plus Inaccurate Covers and the Neosexual Man!

Before I get stuck into book three on my list of 'best romance novels of all time', I had to mention a couple of things.

Firstly, I've just finished reading a Harlequin romance, and the cover model was a brunette when the heroine is, quite distinctly, blonde. Every time I looked at the cover, it irritated me. I found myself picturing the heroine as the cover model, then being rudely reminded of how wrong I was when the author referred to her as a 'tall blonde' *growl*. Ever had this experience? How hard is it to get a cover right? Did it ruin the book for you?

Secondly, there was an article in Ralph Magazine (such a reliable and news-worthy source!) about the 'neosexual male'. Basically it's a new term someone has coined for a man who can sing and dance, yet be also a hunter/gatherer type as well. They've used my fave hero as an example, so it's well worth thinking about *wink*.

Okay, so the third book I've decided to look at which romance readers apparently adore, is Julie Garwood's The Secret. I've never read Julie Garwood before, but I do have another book of hers that readers rave about, and that's The Bride, which I'll look at another time.

Anyway, The Secret is set in Scotland in the 12th century. English Lady, Judith Hampton, is to attend the birth of her Scottish friend's first child, and the Laird, Iain Maitland, is to escort her safely from England to the Highland home of his sister-in-law (Judith's friend). Of course, romance develops, but there's a big secret - Judith is the daughter of Laird Maclean, an enemy of Iain Maitland and his clan.

It's beautifully written and an engaging tale, although I did have trouble believing some elements of the story/some dialogue because of the time period. I'm no expert on 12th century Britain, but there was certainly a modern feel to the story.

The hero and heroine were great characters. The heroine had guts and determination, and the hero was gorgeous, despite being a bit surly at times. The romance between them was believable, the author was quite humorous throughout, and I was really pleased by the ending.

I'm looking forward to reading The Bride, and I can understand why Julie Garwood is so popular. The Secret is a great book, but not necessarily one I'd consider as an all time favourite. I enjoyed it, but it didn't make my heart sing as much as I'd hoped it would. I will, however, be putting it on my 'keepers' shelf, and hopefully I'll be adding more of Julie's collection in the future.

Anyone else a Julie Garwood fan? What do you think of The Secret?

Have a great week,

:-) Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 2

Hi everyone!

Yeah, it's been a while since I've blogged. I've been busy reading craft books, making notes about an idea I'm working on and marking contest entries. I've also been enjoying my life and family, and taking the time to read as much as I can.

Previously, I wrote a blog post about the best romance novels of all time. I've made it my mission to get my hands on the books people rate as they best of the genre, and so far I've accumulated about ten books from the 'best of' lists I've found on the web. I'm still waiting for some book orders to arrive, and I'm so excited to read them to see if there's something the writer in me can learn from these treasured novels.

Last time I talked about Outlander. I'm up to book five in the series, and I now understand why people love Diana Gabaldon. But today I'm looking at a different time-travel novel that appears to be adored by readers, and that's Jude Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor.

I'm a fan of Jude's, and have read her books before. I've never read this book, though, and I will admit it was a struggle to read this initially as the heroine appeared to be a bit of a doormat (I won't ruin the story, but her boyfriend isn't nice, to put it mildly). It's not until she cries on the tomb of the hero, who is from the sixteenth-century, and brings him to the twentieth century, that she develops some backbone.

When you read the letter from Jude at the back of the book explaining why she wrote the heroine the way she did it becomes clearer. Essentially, the heroine is supposed to rise up against an abusive relationship, and through her love of the hero, discover her strength. It all makes sense, and once you get to know the hero and the heroine, you learn to love them. The heroine redeems herself, and the the hero is just so sexy, I'd happily travel through time for him!

I had some issues with the way the book was written early on. It seemed a little clunky, but it gets better/smoother as it progresses. The twists will keep you hooked, and you will either be a bit sad or thoroughly delighted by the end. I'm teetering between the two. Either way, I can completely understand why readers love this book, and it'll be one of my keepers. I already miss reading about the hero!

I'll be back again with the next book in my search for the best romance novels of all time. Not sure when, but hopefully soon.

Bye for now,

:-) Mon

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Haven't blogged for such a long time. My goodness, it's been ages!

Just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2011 be a year full of inspiration and productivity!

Hugs,
Mon

Best Romance Novels Part 1

I've decided to start my research into the best romance novels with Outlander (as it's known in the US) or Cross Stitch (as it's known in the UK and Aus) by Diana Gabaldon. It's on lots of 'best of' lists for romance novels, so I thought it would be a great one to start with, especially as most readers/reviewers seem to love and treasure it.

Now, it's not a typical romance novel, or certainly not what I would consider typical. It's a real mix of history with time travel and a slow building romance. There are also two heroes which will may be a bit strange for readers (I will admit I had a bit of an issue with this initially), and the connection between Frank and his rather creepy ancestor lends a kind of oddness to the story (for me, anyway!).

The detail is amazing, and it's obvious Diana did a lot of research into the Scottish time period she set the majority of the book in. I love history, but as I was after romance, I found myself getting a little tired of waiting for some action in that area. Once the romance really began, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and found Claire to be an interesting heroine. Jamie, her highlander lover, possesses the wonderful qualities of a romantic hero - attractive, brave, loyal, loving and dedicated to the heroine.

Diana can certainly tell a wonderful story, and knows how to suck a reader into the world she has created. Although I can understand why people love this book (and I will HAVE to buy the rest of the series as I need to know how it all plays out!), I don't know whether I'd consider this one of my favourite romance novels of all time. It's partly to do with my issue with Claire's relationship with Frank being unresolved/rather murky. I won't explain further as this will ruin it for readers who haven't read the book, but if you have, you'll know what I mean. I'm interested to see if people have an issue with this at all, but I felt Claire didn't pine after her husband enough, in my opinion.

All in all, it's a fantastic book and well worth reading, but if you are after a classic romance, this may not quite fit the bill. As I've mentioned before, I'll definitely get the rest of the series, however I won't have the expectation that it'll pan out like a typical romance with a HEA. I could be wrong, but I look forward to finding out if I am.

Happy reading,

:-) Mon

I have a voucher to spend - can you help me shop?

Thought the title of this blog post might suck you in. Nope, I'm not sharing my booty with you (how slack am I?) but rather I'm asking for your advice on what to buy.

I have $100 to spend on books, and I'd like to purchase some of the BEST romance novels of all time. I don't care if they're from a particular sub genre/line/series/author/publisher, whatever, I just want to know what YOU think is the best romance novel EVER. If there's more than one on your list, then please tell me what they are - I'll read the blurbs, see if they tickle my fancy, and then I'll spend up big time!

I've started reading lists on the web, and have discovered a few of the books in my library are on there. I consider it research to see what truly appeals to romance readers, and if I can read the books that readers/writers believe are the best of the genre, I can (hopefully) discover the necessary ingredients to make my own work shine. I'll also review some of the books as the months progress for those of you who are interested.

Thanks in advance!

:-) Mon

QUICK POST UPDATE: Just wanted to mention that today is R U OK? Day in Australia, and my fave hero, Hugh Jackman, is an ambassador. It's all about suicide prevention, which is a fantastic cause, so if you know someone who may be a bit down, maybe ask them if they're okay? Check out the video, plus there's also Hugh's interview about his World Vision trip to Ethiopia and his appearance at the United Nations. Aw, what a nice guy!

Not writing, but judging...

Haven't had a spare moment to myself of late, so no writing. It's rather sad, actually. I am, however, judging a writing contest at the moment, so it's not like I'm doing nothing at all (that's what I keep telling myself).

Hope all of you in the writing blogosphere are making more progress than I am at the moment!

:-) Mon

I've won something! Yay!

On my iPod: Only Girl in the World by Rihanna

Hey all,

Have had a week of tech dramas and ill health, but I'm back online and feeling a wee bit better. Not 100%, but I'm getting there.

Found out that I was the winner of the Name the Conference competition for the RWA's 2011 Conference in Melbourne. YAY!!! It's the 20th anniversary of the RWA conference, and although I didn't pick the exact wording 'From Here to Eternity' I was the closest to what the conference committee were aiming for (possibly had something to do with the fact I gave them 40 different ideas, many with a similar theme!). Very pleased about my win, and thank you to the committee for choosing me (pity I won't be in Melbourne to celebrate next year).

I haven't made a lot of progress with my wip this last week, but I did want to mention a wonderful book that I won at this year's conference which is helping me a lot. It's called The Plot Thickens by Noah Lukeman. I'm finding it very useful in the process of breaking down my characters, and I'm reading every page so I can get the most out of it. I'm not one to pore over craft books or to plot excessively (people who know me know it's a bit against my nature) but I'm trying REALLY hard!

Off to work on my 'to do' list. Have a great day,

:-) Mon

Technical Issues and Ice Tea

On my iPod: DJ's Got us Fallin' In Love by Usher

Just a quick post to say I'm having computer issues. No, I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth, been abducted by aliens, or kidnapped by some handsome pirate (pity). Will be back to blogging properly by the end of the week. I hope. Fingers crossed.

Wanted to post about how I was driving along a motorway on the weekend listening to the Shrek soundtrack (my kids were in the backseat and mummy caters to their musical tastes!) when 'Holding out for a Hero' came on. Remember the scene where the Fairy Godmother, voiced by Jennifer Saunders, writhes around on the piano and Shrek comes and saves Princess Fiona from Prince Charming? Well, I was singing loudly and bopping along to the tune, when I looked up and saw a billboard of his Hughliness advertising Lipton Ice Tea *swoon*. I thought it was fitting that I was singing the song, and my ultimate fantasy hero was smiling back at me. Put me in a very good mood despite the traffic chaos *vbg*. Also made me thirsty for an Ice Tea, and I don't even like the stuff!

Off to do some more plotting for my current wip. Hope you all have a wonderful week,

:-) Mon

Money Matters, Bootcamp 109 PLUS I'm Jumping on the Christina Phillips New Release Bandwagon!

Found an interesting article recently about how much money a writer can make. It made me realise what a tough business this is, and how money can't be the only driving force for a writer - you really need passion for, and dedication to, your craft. Check out the post at The Rejector blog.

On a brigher note, I've done a quick revamp/update of the Bootcamp 109 blog (some of us were those crazy people at the conference Silver Lunch!), so check out our new look blog.

And... I'm following a bit of trend here by doing some promo for the very lovely Christina Phillips who I FINALLY got to meet at the conference (I may have hugged the poor woman about half a dozen times!).

To help celebrate the release of Forbidden, Christina Phillips's debut Roman/Druid Ancient Historical Romance from Berkley Heat, she's holding a launch party with lots of amazing authors and fabulous giveaways! In addition, Christina's giving away a signed copy of Forbidden to one lucky person who helps spread the love. All you have to do is mention the party (you can copy and paste this blurb), being held from 1st to 6th September at http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com. You can Tweet about it, blog, Facebook, MySpace or anything! And then drop her an email at ChristinapPh @ gmail dot com (no spaces) to let her know. Please put Forbidden Launch Party (or something similar) in the subject line. The winner will be drawn for that on Monday 6th September. Check out the fabulous Trailer!

Bye for now,

:-) Mon

Horror! I'm not so original after all!

On my iPod: Love the Fall by Michael Paynter

Have you ever had one of those moments where you've been working on your brilliant *ahem* manuscript, when you discover your idea is already out there in the big wide world?

Yesterday I had a moment of panic when I realised I wasn't so original after all. Heavens above, how could that be?! *rolls eyes*. I'd been soooo good, fighting my pantser ways (very hard thing for me to do), and committed to plotting, planning, working on characterisation etc. on this ms (yep, taking what I learnt at the conference and actually applying it rather than stuffing it into a drawer for later use), when I made my horrifying discovery *pulls hair out*.

What the hell do I do now? Do I keep working on the ms and put my own mark on a similar plot/storyline/concept? Do I hope that, by the time my ms is published (if ever) the world will have forgotten the other one? *looks hopeful*. Or is it a case of scrap all that hard work and start again?

Well, in order to cheer myself up, I'll have to pick a hero of the week. Who shall it be? Can't think of anyone off hand (apart from trusty, but I haven't found any good new pics of him lately). Any ideas? I'm looking for some new inspiration, and will happily take any suggestions!

:-) Mon

Conference is Over. Back to Reality.

On my iPod: Get Outta My Way by Kylie Minogue

Just a quick post about the RWA conference this year. It was pretty hectic, and I'm rather glad to be home and back in the swing of my normal day-to-day duties (I can't believe I said that!).

Highlights of the conference included the GMC talk with Deb Dixon, as well as the brilliant Deep POV session with Denise Rossetti (if you get the chance to do a course with her, it's well worth it). Melanie Milburne was also a fab presenter, and Erica Hayes managed to make me understand what what a synopsis really requires (and I hate synopses with a passion, so it helped a lot).

Also proud of the Bootcampers who worked hard on the Silver Lunch for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. We managed to make just over $5,000 (Military Marilyns rock!), and Harlequin threw in $5,000 on top. How awesome!

All in all it was a busy and fun weekend. I'm absolutely buggered today, just as I'm sure everyone else who attended is. Wanted to say a special thanks to Paula Roe again for the fantastic prize of craft books I won during the raffle because I need all the help I can get! Lol.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in organising the conference. You did a fantastic job, and should be very proud of yourselves.

:-) Mon

Wouldn't it be nice to buy time?

On my iPod: If I Had You by Adam Lambert

Having one of those weeks where there aren't enough hours to do everything I need to do. I'm sure you all know what I mean, especially those of you packing/preparing for the RWA conference!

I'm currently compiling lists and menu selections for the E-List Dinner (if you're on ROMAUS you need to check the messages and get back to me if you want to come) as well as sorting my outfits for next weekend. I'm having a hard time deciding what to wear for the cocktail party, so I may resort to pulling out one of my well-worn dress-up costumes.

Anyway, wanted to share a really interesting link to Kate Walker's blog where she's been discussing conflict in writing. It appears she's been discussing the topic for quite some time, but I missed the previous posts. Go to http://www.kate-walker.blogspot.com/ and read through the posts on the topic. She makes some really good points, and as multi published Harlequin author, she knows what she's talking about.

Oh, and forgot my hero of the week is Mike Rowe from the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs program. He has a great voice, is a bit rough around the edges, and extremely likeable. Looks pretty good without a shirt on (added bonus!) but don't tell my hubby I said that!

Off to sort out my wardrobe,
:-) Mon