Stumbling along the path to publication

Claytons. Was. Awesome.

2011-08-14T22:29:00.001+10:00

That is all, for now!

Books we don't like...

2011-08-01T10:45:00.002+10:00

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...

2011-05-30T08:42:00.003+10:00

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

2011-05-25T06:00:00.005+10:00

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...

2011-05-22T17:26:00.002+10:00

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

2011-04-20T06:00:00.003+10:00

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

2011-04-17T13:36:00.007+10:00

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

2011-04-13T10:57:00.012+10:00

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!

2011-03-16T11:15:00.006+11:00

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

2011-03-07T12:18:00.007+11:00

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!

2010-12-20T11:06:00.003+11:00

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

2010-10-17T18:26:00.007+11:00

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?

2010-10-07T06:00:00.002+11:00

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...

2010-10-05T11:24:00.004+11:00

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!

2010-09-20T10:20:00.007+10:00

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

2010-09-13T11:06:00.005+10:00

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!

2010-08-28T06:00:00.008+10:00

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!

2010-08-26T09:56:00.005+10:00

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.

2010-08-16T11:21:00.009+10:00

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?

2010-08-05T12:06:00.004+10:00

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

Useful Tips & RWA Conference

2010-07-27T07:53:00.009+10:00

On my iPod: Misery by Maroon Five

Found a very useful blog post I thought I'd share with you today. It's called 10 Steps to a Better Story, and seeing as I'm at the beginning of a new manuscript, it's quite appropriate for me right now. Check it out at The Blood-Red Pencil.

In other news, I'm gearing up for the conference and getting my wardrobe organised (including my outfit for the Harlequin Cocktail Party). I'm also working to help the Silver Lunch team with the Ovarian Cancer Foundation fundraiser on Sunday which should be amazing (the prizes are awesome). If you're coming to the conference, please make sure you bring lots of coins so you can buy heaps of raffle tickets. It's for a wonderful cause.

Have a great week,

:-) Mon

Quick Update, Plus a Dedication

2010-07-21T10:30:00.008+10:00

Just a quick update to say I've updated my blog with a new look, I'm preparing for the RWA conference, and I'm working on some new ideas for a couple of manuscripts. I'm actually brainstorming with my hubby on one particular ms, which is turning out to be an interesting experience. I'll tell you more about that as the project progresses...

I also wanted to share the news that I'm in another book dedication! Yay! It well and truly made my day to receive an autographed copy of Paula Roe's THE BILLIONAIRE BABY BOMBSHELL with my name on the dedication page (along with a number of other wonderful RWA members). I was surprised and really pleased. It couldn't have come at a better time (I was having a shocker of a week when it arrived).

Thank you, Paula, for being such a gem, and please, buy the book everyone! Check out the cover - the guy is veeery hunky, and the baby is just gorgeous.

Have a great week,

:-) Mon

Erin Grace's Book Launch & Hero of the Week

2010-05-17T09:53:00.007+10:00

I'm struggling today after a busy weekend of kid-related activities and social events. I have one of those whopping great headaches that just won't go away, but I'm determined to stumble through this blog post, damn it!

I wanted to tell you all about the fabulous book launch I attended for my writing pal, Erin Grace. I was a piratical night, in the spirit of Erin's newest Lyrical Press release, SERENADE (a cracker of a book with a gorgeous hero and a fabulous heroine - well worth a read. Visit http://www.eringrace.info/ to find out all about it).

When my hubby and rocked up at Erin's front door, we were greeted by a mannequin in pirate garb with a parrot on her shoulder which mimicked every noise we made. Very funny! Even more interesting was the pirate booty we found inside Erin's house, including chocolate coins and rum with the book cover stuck on the front (which we got to take home, and I swear, I haven't cracked open the bottle yet!).

We were fed, we were entertained and we had a great time. It was a really lovely event, and I was very pleased to be there to celebrate the release of such a wonderful book. Thanks for having us, EG, and best of luck with your future releases. I can only imagine what the mannequin will be wearing next time! :-)

Now... In keeping with my previous weekly posts, I'm introducing you to my hero of the week. Most of you will know him, many of you may love him, but the reason I picked him is not because I find him sexy, but because I find him charming, witty and likeable. He seems like a guy who'd be great company. I'm talking about... Nathan Fillion.

I'm a big fan of the TV show Castle. It's lots of fun, and the chemistry between Castle and Detective Beckett is fantastic. Stana Katic, who plays Kate Beckett, is just gorgeous (I plan on using her as inspiration for a future heroine of mine).

I think what I like most about the show is that Rick Castle is a writer, and writers can completely understand the way his mind works and how he behaves. We also dream of having his success (the man is rich thanks to his books, and they're making a movie based on his character, Nikki Heat) so it's fun to watch his 'writerly' moments, or hear his funny one-liners. And there are plenty of those.

One of my favourite things about they show is Rick's bulletproof vest. It's hilarious! I want to get my hands on one, even though I don't write crime fiction or anything like that. A vest in military colours would be nice for the RWA bootcampers, don't you think?

That's enough from me this week. Have fun, be good, and take care of yourselves.

:-) Mon

Writing Life on the RWA Blog

2010-05-14T09:19:00.002+10:00

Just doing a bit of promo for my current 'Writing Life' post on the RWA blog. This time it's with my lovely CP and buddy, Anita Joy.

Please check it out at http://www.romanceaustralia.wordpress.com/.

:-) Mon

Getting Myself Organised

2010-05-11T10:49:00.003+10:00

I'm very, very disorganised right now. It's extremely frustrating! I've tidied my study, which is a start, but I'm still all over the place at the moment. I really wish I could snap my fingers and it'll all sort itself out *sigh*.

Well, I have made progress and started to generate some new material for my Writing Life posts on the RWA. That's a relief. It's been bugging me for a while. Speaking of Writing Life, if anyone is interested in being interviewed for these posts, let me know (you don't need to be published to do it, just a member of the RWA).

So... down to the more important element of my post... I'd like to focus your attention to my hero of the week, Alex O'Loughlin. Yeah, he's been around for a while (fans of that fantastic vampire series, Moonlight, will know Alex for his sexy looks, PI skills and pointy fangs) but I've noticed he's been getting a lot of media lately due to his new movie. He stars with Jennifer Lopez in 'The Backup Plan' which apparently stinks to high heaven (sorry Alex) but it must be worth the ticket if he's in it. He is seriously delicious. No need for popcorn or choc tops!

Goooooorgeous. Don't you just want to ruffle his hair and make him smile? Just a little?! There are plenty of shirtless pics of him on the web, so if you feel the need to google, go right ahead. It's well worth the effort!

Have a great week,

:-) Mon

Sorta, kinda, maybe back... plus my hero of the week

2010-05-05T13:26:00.003+10:00

Yes, I'm back on my blog again. Hooray! (throwing my own private party here).

Not much to say at this stage except I've done a lot of reading during my time away, some editing and some comp judging. I've thought about the blog a lot, and I've decided to keep my eyes peeled for any hunky blokes who deserve the spotlight for their looks, talent, looks, nice personality, looks and other such important features, like looks, that are most inspiring to romance writers! And no, I'm not superficial, just appreciative of masculine beauty (I prefer visual aids to inspire my writing :-) )

Well, this week's hero in focus (sounds very serious and official) is Matthew Morrison. Now, if you are a Glee fan (or Gleek), you'll know who I'm talking about - he's the guy that plays the Glee club teacher. Very cute, (apparently) wholesome, talented (great actor, nice voice and a fab dancer), with a fabbo bod to boot (yep, he's actually rather buff under those tasteful clothes of his).

Me likes. Me like a lot.

Anyhoo, must dash so I can get myself organised for future posts on this blog as well as the RWA blog. May even squeeze in a spot of writing into the mix *grin*.

I'm glad to be back, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you all!

Take care,

Mon

Dropping off again...

2010-02-17T09:51:00.002+11:00

It seems to be a habit of mine of late, but I'll be disappearing from this blog for a while. I have lots of things going on at home leaving me little time for blogging.

I have, however, scheduled a number of 'Writing Life' interviews on the RWA blog at www.romanceaustralia.wordpress.com which will appear every Tuesday between now and the end of April. Hope you all enjoy them.

Sorry to be brief, but I must dash. If I get a chance to pop by and post something of some interest (to who, I have no idea!) I will.

Take care,
:-) Mon

Latest RWA Blog Post

2010-01-28T18:26:00.002+11:00

Having one of those weeks again (very busy, not much spare time) so wanted to point you in the direction of my most recent RWA blog post about Anna Jacobs http://romanceaustralia.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/a-day-in-the-writing-life-of-anna-jacobs/.

Next Tuesday I have another one scheduled, but haven't seen the final responses, so can't confirm it as yet.

Sorry this is brief, but it's chaos in the Wood house right now!

:-) Mon

I'm in a book dedication!

2010-01-21T08:52:00.007+11:00

Yesterday I received a parcel from the lovely Annie West. It contained her latest release 'Forgotten Mistress, Secret Love-Child', which was a brilliant (any writer/reader who gets a free book is usually over the moon!), but what was the best part was the note she wrote to me, and the fact I was one of the people she dedicated the book to!

A while back I helped her with some research into the region of Italy where my dad is from, but I certainly didn't expect anything in return. It really warms my heart to think she appreciated my help enough to put a dedication in there with the other people who helped (I recognise some of those names!), and I can't thank her enough for it.

It's almost, but not quite, like having my name it print! :-) Make sure you go out and buy a copy of the book that's due in February here in Australia (see http://www.annie-west.com/forgottenmistresssecretlovechild.html or http://www.millsandboon.com.au/product.asp?productid=1354&dest=%2Fcategory%2Easp%3Fbookcategoryid%3D25%26page%3D1). Get a load of that sexy male model on the cover. I'm an arm gal, and that muscly arm is pretty hot *drool*.

Oh, and different topic, I forgot to promote my Day in the Writing Life blog post on the RWA blog (you'd think I'd remember by now!). This week was Sandie Hudson. Check it out at http://romanceaustralia.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/a-day-in-the-writing-life-of-sandie-hudson/.

Cardinal Sin

2010-01-18T09:59:00.009+11:00

The title of this blog post is a little extreme. I did it just to lure you in *vbg*.

Well, I went on holidays and in the chaos of packing I forgot *gasp* to bring a book with me to read. That's almost (but not quite... well, not really!) a cardinal sin, but it was enough to make me panic and freak out a little when I arrived at our holiday destination.

By chance I found a second hand book store (I don't have one anywhere near my home, so it's been a while since I've been inside one) and I went completely mental buying a range of books to keep me occupied during the holiday. I left with enough books to last me the rest of the year (along with the ninety or so brand new books I have in my current TBR pile) so I'll be very busy this year. Oh, and I forgot I eBayed some other books which arrived whilst I was away. Yikes.

Anyway, the following are some panorama pics I took whilst I was on holiday. There's a gorgeous beach photo (we have the most stunning beaches in Oz, don't we?), as well as pics from the Hunter Valley Gardens which we visited on our way back home. I found myself very inspired - I must admit a few story ideas began to flow when I wandered around the various themed gardens. A lovely place to visit, if you get the chance.

Have a great week,

:-) Mon

Oops. Forgot to mention my latest RWA blog post!

2010-01-16T01:45:00.002+11:00

Just got back from a family holiday and realised I forgot to mention my new segment/feature (whatever you want to call it) on the RWA blog. Oops!

The segment/feature involves me poking and prodding members until they reveal all about their weird, wonderful or just mundane writing habits (I was hoping for odd stories like writing on papyrus with blood or hanging upside down when editing etc., but so far the responses I've received have been very civilised).

So, for those of you who missed it, my first post was earlier this week with Diane Curran http://romanceaustralia.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/a-day-in-the-writing-life-of-diane-curran/.

Happy reading/writing/procrastinating!

:-) Mon

Back in the Swing

2010-01-03T05:30:00.004+11:00

The New Year is here, and I'm back in the writing swing.

I've spent the last few months doing loads of critiquing for a few different people, and very little fresh writing of my own. Lots of ideas and a short synopsis for new work created, but nothing solid. Now it's time for me to get stuck into my own work and make something of it in 2010.

I've decided to resurrect a manuscript I started over a year ago (I call it my 'muso ms'), which was originally aimed at the Harlequin Romance/Sweet line, and I'm turning it into a Single Title ms with lashing of extra sexiness (a bit of a change from its original form!). It just doesn't suit the line I was aiming for, and it just doesn't fit neatly into the category niche, but I love it too much to let it go, and it's haunting me at night. So it'll be reworked and added to, and hopefully it will be complete for submission by the end of the year.

I guess my goal this year is to finish this ms and get it out there. If I finish early enough, I'll try the competition route, and then I'll start working on a Modern Heat ms. But I'm being realistic this year, so I'm not putting pressure on myself to do anything but one ms. I still have a lot going on in my personal life with limited time to spare, and I have spread myself a wee bit too thin for too long (probably the reason I've been sick a lot lately).

So my goal in 2010 is to finish one ms. That's it! Can't be too hard, right? :-)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-20T19:30:00.003+11:00

Popping in to visit my very quiet blog to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a spectacular New Year.

I hope to hear wonderful news about my writing buddies in 2010 - may you all be blessed with amazing plots, witty dialogue, awe-inspiring word counts and shiny new contracts for your brilliant manuscripts!

Take care, be safe, and make sure you check out the RWA blog when you get the chance. I should be blogging about our recent non-official Sydney RWA members' lunch soon.

xx Mon

RWA Blog interview: Michelle Beattie

2009-09-30T13:24:00.002+10:00

Posted another interview on the RWA blog. This time it's with Michelle Beattie www.romanceaustralia.wordpress.com

Btw, I'm taking a break from writing, so the blog will be a wee bit quiet for a while.

Happy writing and reading, everyone!

My Interview with Erin Grace

2009-09-23T08:44:00.001+10:00

Just posted another interview on the RWA blog. This time it's with Erin Grace, and includes a book giveaway.

Please check it out at www.romanceaustralia.wordpress.com.

My Interview with Michelle Douglas

2009-09-03T17:02:00.003+10:00

Forgot to post a link to the RWA blog where I interviewed Harlequin Romance author, Michelle Douglas. Such a lovely lady! Please check it out and make a comment.

Preschool plus a perve-fest (not related topics, and yes, it's a terrible blog post title)

2009-09-01T12:42:00.010+10:00

Today is the day my little miss started pre-school. She's not a bubba anymore, and I'm feeling both sad and happy that she's growing up *sob*.

Because she's at preschool I can catch up on all the things I haven't done for a while, such as blogging. I don't have much to share as I've been blogging at the RWA blog a lot, but I thought I'd share this cracker of a pic of Hugh "my eyebrows have a life of their own" Jackman, and Daniel "The mo' with the mostest" Craig.

They're performing in a Broadway show (which I expect would be awesome with women passing out and drooling all over the theatre). Must say Daniel's moustache is rather icky and needs to be removed ASAP, but Hugh looks luscious, as usual. Yummo.

Let's hope they bring the show to Sydney. What I'd pay to see them duke it out or run across the stage in board shorts *sigh*. A girl can dream :-)

Mon's Conference Highlights at the RWA Blog

2009-08-25T05:02:00.005+10:00

Just posted some highlights on the RWA blog. I have a different blog entry to post here on my personal blog (with more juicy bits *wink*), but I haven't had the time to finish it.

So go to romanceaustralia.wordpress.com to check it out. I've also blogged some pics at bootcampers109.blogspot.com if you haven't already seen them.

My Interview with Bronwyn Jameson

2009-08-07T09:38:00.002+10:00

Hey all,

Just popping in to let you know about my interview with the lovely Bronwyn Jameson. Please drop by, have a read, and make a comment to show your support of the RWA blog and our authors.

Go to http://romanceaustralia.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/author-spotlight-bronwyn-jameson/.

Thanks!

:-) Mon

A little pick-me-up for new writers

2009-07-30T18:01:00.002+10:00

Saw this blog post today, and had to share the link with you.

It was an interesting read now that I'm stuck in the middle of an ms that doesn't like being edited. I was going great guns yesterday, but today... well, it's not going so well.

There's always tomorrow *sigh*.

Btw, I just blogged over at the Bootcampers 109 blog, so please drop by for a visit.

Playing Catchup

2009-07-28T10:01:00.003+10:00

Hello everyone in the blogosphere!

The school holidays are finally over, so it's back to writing, editing, blogging, tweeting etc. I have SO MUCH to catch up on, it's not funny. I already have a headache today, so that can't be good. Where's a hunky hero to massage my neck when I need it?! Lol.

Anyway, just a quick post to let you all know about the new Romance Writers of Australia blog which I'm involved with. It's at www.romanceaustralia.wordpress.com. Please drop by and make a comment/share your thoughts and ideas, as we'd love to hear from RWA members (as well as non members who are interested in the romance genre).

Take care,
:-) Mon

Feedback from Judging the VPA

2009-07-21T12:18:00.003+10:00

Recently I was involved in judging the first round of the Valerie Parv Award. It was my first taste of judging (having entered a number of competitions), and it was an eye-opening experience.

I must say I was lucky enough to receive a broad selection of entries, each with their own strengths, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. The standard was extremely high, and I may very well volunteer to judge again next year (if I'm needed).

Well, yesterday I received a note in the mail from one of the entrants I judged. I was such a nice surprise to see the anonymous note from the writer thanking me for the feedback I gave. I won't go into detail about what else they said (just in case the entrant works out who I am!) but I was honoured to receive such a nice note. It made my day.

If you're given the opportunity to judge a competition, I highly recommend it. Not only do you learn a lot about your own writing, but you can share advice and encourage another writer to continue following their dream. We all need encouragement and constructive criticism, so to be able to do that for someone is worth the effort.

Have a great day,
:-) Mon

Editing Update

2009-07-16T20:58:00.002+10:00

Songs on my iPod: Magic by Olivia Newton-John (Xanadu Soundtrack) & Hopelessly Devoted to You by Olivia Newton-John (Grease Soundtrack)

I’ve been in a bit of an editing slump over the last week or so. You know, the kind where you can’t stand the sight of your manuscript, and no matter how much you try, you can’t get it look any better than a sheet of toilet paper (I won’t say whether I mean before or after use, but you get the drift).

Err… apologies for the bad imagery… anyway, I wasn’t getting very far. Going round and round in circles, words a big blur, blah, blah. Much like this blog post. ANYWAY, over the last couple of days, things have started to click. I’m suddenly starting to see things clearly, and what I’ve got isn’t half bad. It’s actually pretty good (if I do say so myself!), so I’m rather chuffed.

It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to have something workable that’s working well under the harsh cuts of editing. My biggest concern is that I’ve cut out a lot of back story, and I wonder whether I’ve chopped a little too much. I know the story, and the motivations of my characters. Will it translate well enough now I’ve sliced and diced the back story?

My hero is starting to appear more well rounded, and I’m not sure if my heroine still appears a little neurotic, but I’m working on her. I adore them both, and really want readers to do the same. If I can make that happen, I’ll have achieved my goal.

Btw, I must make a big confession. I can just picture the knowing looks on your faces as you read this, but having no internet connection for a large portion of the last couple of days has been a blessing. I haven’t been able to Google, Facebook, Twitter and do stupid quizzes like I usually do, giving me more writing time. Doesn’t mean I’ll give up those addictions now that Telstra have fixed the problem. Hell no! Procrastination rocks!

Take care everybody,

:-) Mon

Romance for Smart People

2009-07-15T12:34:00.003+10:00

Just popped into blogland to paste this link to a Romantic Times article http://www.romantictimes.com/2009/07/is-romance-for-smart-people.php. It's well worth a read for those of us who are sick of defending the genre and our need to read/write it.

Romance writers and readers are not fools. If only some people out there would stop treating us that way!

Happy reading, writing and editing to all my romance loving friends :-)

A Month Until the Conference...

2009-07-14T10:01:00.005+10:00

Today it's exactly a month until the Romance Writers of Australia's National conference. I just wrote a quick blog post about this at the Bootcampers 109 blog today http://bootcampers109.blogspot.com/2009/07/countdown-to-conference.html

Please check it out! Off to entertain the kids as it's school holidays...

:-) Mon

The correlation between writing and renovating

2009-07-07T13:03:00.002+10:00

As some of you may already know, I’m 18 months into a fairly major renovation of my home. It’s a massive job, and we're undertaking it as owner builders. We still live in the house with our two children as the work goes on around us, so you can imagine it’s a tad stressful (I’m sure my blood pressure would be high if they tested me right now!).

I was thinking about the connection between writing and building. I’m a pantser, so my planning is a bit sketchy when I start a manuscript, but many writers I know (such as my CP) like to create detailed plans prior to beginning a new manuscript. It’s rather like designing the architectural plans and doing research before construction – you need to know where you’re going before you start, and where you’d like to be at the end.

When it comes to constructing the story, writers must be aware of publisher guidelines so they can target the right lines or publisher. Similarly, when it comes to building, there are council rules builders need to be familiar with before work begins. There’s no point designing elaborate plans without a solid knowledge of what is actually allowed in the council area you reside. And budget limits – like word count limits – dictate how the project can progress.

Manuscripts also have a way of taking unexpected detours when ideas begin to flow, and story development begins. That’s when editing or revisions comes in to play – it can all be tidied up at a later date. Even the most organised of writers can’t prevent modifications to their plot as the story develops, so some flexibility is required. Once building/renovation begins, it can get rather messy as well. In order to create something brilliant, the work site can become overloaded, or problems arise, despite attempts to keep things orderly. Builders/homeowners need to accept changes may occur to the original designs, and there isn’t much they can do about it.

Once the writer begins to breathe life into the characters, things begin to click into place. The story unfolds in such a way that the picture begins clearer, and the bones of the story are fleshed out to the point it becomes interesting. Likewise, when the frame of a house goes up, and then the bricks (or similar façade) are added, you begin to see the potential of the home – the builder/architect/homeowner’s vision is being realised.

As writers, we are constantly told our ‘voice’ is what makes up unique. The way in which we express ourselves and tell our story is what makes us stand out from the rest – we can be inspired by others, but need to strive for our own style. Similarly, when it comes to building or decorating, homeowners can make their homes different and unique during the design, construction and fit out phases of the project. The result is their home is a statement of who they are and reflects their personality and tastes. Whether others like it or not is another matter entirely!

As you can see, there are many connections between writing and building/renovating. I’m sure there are more I haven’t considered, but I need to go off and confirm an order of cornices in preparation for the plasterers this week. Writing has to take a back seat at the moment, but I’m hoping next week will mean more time for editing my current WIP.

Ciao, for now!

:-) Mon

Hunky and a humanitarian!

2009-07-03T10:41:00.005+10:00

I've been very slack of late when it comes to reporting on the hunkalicious Hugh Jackman. I know I have a reputation to uphold when it comes to delivering news about Australia's hottest export, and I haven't been delivering. Naughty, naughty me!

Well, news just came in yesterday that Hugh is now joining the fight against poverty by becoming a representative for Australia at the UN. Hugh has pledged support for the Global Poverty Project, and people are being asked to make a pledge in the fight to end world poverty.

I'm fulfilling one of my pledges by letting you all know about this. So go ahead! Make a pledge :-)

Enthusiasm!

2009-07-01T18:46:00.005+10:00

I found this article on enthusiasm, and thought I'd share it with you all.

Nine Characteristics of Enthusiastic People

Author: Ineke Van Lint

Enthusiasm is passion. Enthusiasm is living your dream. Enthusiasm is a divine energy you will feel as a reward for pursuing your dreams and staying on your own path.

Someone who is earnestly looking for his mission, discovers it and lives it, will organize his entire life around this divine assignment. This person offers his talents to the world, betters his environment, adds his personal value to it, and ends up happy and satisfied.

The characteristics below help you recognize this person (or become one yourself!) :

1. Enthusiasm is the most obvious feature. This person lives live fully, enjoys every moment, and lives in the present, radiating a lot of self-confidence. He knows he is valid part of the universe and feels appreciated and guided.

2. This person possesses a special driving force that guides her through the roadblocks. He has access to an endless source of energy that lifts him above the masses. His energy level is much higher than average. People can notice he is being lifted up by a kind of light beam. He is very engaged, travels lightly and makes a delicate impression. He is convinced that any roadblocks can be overcome. Nothing stops him.

3. This person easily makes choices. There is something guiding the course of his life, namely his mission, which he uses as a road map to find out where to go next and with whom. He can tell good company from bad company, unimportant matters from important matters. He doesn’t lose himself in irrelevant details but remains focused on his mission. He is guided by his inner voice, his intuition.

4. He dares to take risks. He has the courage to finish the projects he started. He has the energy and wisdom to concretely manifest his ideas.

5. He possesses an extraordinary creativity, inspiring those people around him. He has the ability to create and produce. He is capable of manifesting his thoughts: what is an idea today will become real within a few months or even earlier. He makes full use of his resources. He fully realizes his psychological and spiritual potential.

6. This person has a mysterious charisma. People like to be near him, enjoy his high energy level and feel invigorated afterwards. People pick up some wisdom from him and feel better after meeting him.

7. He has an unwavering faith in the universe and in himself, as he too is part of this universe. He is aware of spiritual law and lives according to them, consciously or unconsciously. He understands how his dreams and passions are the engine of his evolution and he knows the universe is organized such that it meets his needs. First and foremost he listens to his heart and follows its directions with faith and conviction.

8. This person exhibits a high level of dedication, gets fully engaged, and knows the universe to be his biggest and best partner. He has a clear vision of his goal, does not get distracted, and uses his energy entirely towards the manifestation of his dreams. When he experiences fear, it does not paralyze him, but doubles his devotion. He knows fear is something you have to go through, he focuses on what is more important than his fear, and for this he can count on his inner strength and guidance.

9. He is original in his approach and experiences total freedom while fulfilling his mission. He is aware of the fact that he is the co-creator of his life. He is not being lived, not warming the bench, not being afraid of what’s going to hit him next. On the contrary, he reflects about his future and takes all necessary action to effectively realize his desired future.

Someone who has found his mission and takes it to heart is someone who has deciphered the secret code of the soul. And he receives the corresponding gifts: a great deal of enthusiasm, an extraordinary creativity and deep satisfaction. He accepts these gifts gracefully and gratefully, and generously offers them to other people who cross his path. He is a shining light in the life of those who are so happy to have met him.

Join the enthusiastics yourself! Become a person happy to get out of bed in the mroning, ready to go on with your mission. It’s all about finding your passion and living it out! Get out of this life of misery, do what you like, do what feels good, have faith and start finally living your real life!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/nine-characteristics-of-enthusiastic-people-106285.html

About the Author:
Written by Ineke Van Lint, psychologist. Find your passion and boost your life with enthusiasm. Live your life your way, full of joy and abundance . A brand new free ebook on htpp:// www.theenthusiasm.com

Perfection Personified

2009-06-29T11:59:00.009+10:00

Song on my iPod: Pretty Brown Eyes by Mint Condition

My current hero is quite a handsome devil (as most romantic heroes are). He's physically beautiful with a face made for GQ magazine, and body made for all sorts of naughty stuff *swoon*.

Although the package is perfect, he has internal flaws (of course). But I'm having a bit of dilemma. I'm wondering if I need to make him MORE flawed, and add a bit of a physical imperfection, otherwise he may be too perfect for readers.

I'm not talking a lump on his back like Quasimodo, but maybe a scar on his chest from throwing knives around in the boardroom? Or from a romp in the hay that went horribly wrong when he landed on a pitchfork? Maybe a stiletto was embedded in his chest after he ditched a lover, and now there's a dent in his rippling pectorals?

The question I ask is this: do you mind a physically perfect hero, with loads of internal scars/imperfections? Or do prefer a physically imperfect hero with battle scars, a whopping great tattoo or a third nipple?! Lol.

RIP Farrah and Michael

2009-06-26T10:34:00.013+10:00

Song on my iPod: PYT by Michael Jackson

I'm still busy editing, but had to blog about the passing of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

It was incredibly sad to hear the reports of Farrah's illness, and her slow demise. Farrah was best known for her role in Charlie's Angels (and for her fabulous locks!), but she was also a mother and the much loved partner of Ryan O'Neal. Apparently, Farrah and Ryan were to wed before she died, but it never came to be. How heartbreaking.

And what can I say about Michael Jackson? I must admit I was in quite a bit of shock this morning when I heard the news. I've been a big fan of Michael's since I was a child, and the first album I ever bought was Thriller. I also had a bit of a crush on him during the Thriller days before all that plastic surgery, and I regret never seeing him perform live.

My children are also fans of his songs, and my son enjoys watching Michael's dance moves and video clips on the web. I'm a little concerned about how he'll react to the news of his death, and hope he handles it well. It was a hot topic of discussion at the playground today, so who knows what will be said amongst the kids?

Michael's life was disturbing and tragic in parts, but his talent will be recognised and celebrated for many years to come. I'm also extremely sorry for his children, and hope their lives are less troubled than their father's.

RIP, Farrah and Michael.

Editing Update

2009-06-23T21:48:00.008+10:00

I'm in the process of editing my manuscript. It appears to involve painful amounts of chopping and rewriting (you know what I mean!).

I decided to do a bit of research into the most effective ways to self edit, and came up with the following links. Hope they're of use to you as well:

I apologise for being a bit lazy with my blogging of late, but I'm quite preoccupied with editing. Really struggling to wrestle my manuscript into some sort of decent shape, but I'm determined to tame it and make it shine :-)

Blogs/Website of interest...

2009-06-20T19:00:00.004+10:00

I'm having a very busy weekend this weekend, but popped in to post some links to two great blog posts and a website I've just looked at.

The first is from an agent, and talks about conferences http://www.thebentagency.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=60. Very timely info for those of us attending the RWAust conference, and for anyone pitching to an agent.

Jenny Hutton has again listed the hero character traits required for Harlequin lines. Check it out at http://www.iheartpresents.com/2009/06/mills-boon-editors-hero-checklist/.

Lastly, there's been some discussion on our loop with regards to the differences between the Harlequin lines. Someone posted this link to Ally Blake's website http://www.allyblake.com/writingtips-sexyvssweet.html which makes the differences between sweet/sexy/sexy sensation very clear. I wish I'd seen this before my e-pitch, but never mind!

Well, off I go to do some housework. Not very exciting, but much needed in the Wood house :-)

Enter The Parrot - Lock up your daughters, TF and Cedric are here!

2009-06-17T13:01:00.010+10:00

Song on my iPod: Sweet Dreams by Beyonce

I've just finished reading Kiki Lon's Enter the Parrot which will be released by the Wild Rose Press this Week. It's YA fiction, which isn't what I normally read (or write, for that matter), and I must say I was blown away by how brilliant it was!

It's a tale about Jade, a girl from a Chinese family. But there's a twist: she's white. Or as she puts it "I'm the white girl in the Wong family." The premise is funny, and it leads to a bit of chaos when Jade has to do some detective work on behalf of her grandfather. She deals with missing parrots, kung fu, mysterious messages, secret societies, cultural confusion and nasty high school students a long the way.

I loved the character, and thoroughly enjoyed reading about her escapades. Jade is tough yet sweet, and just trying to get through school unscathed. But her life isn't simple, especially when she has two hero hotties to choose from - TF, the bad boy, and Cedric, the golden boy. I can understand why she fancies both of them, and I imagine many young readers will fall in love with them as well.

The girls at the We Love Ya blog are discussing the book this week, so check it out at http://weloveya.wordpress.com/. And if you know of any teenage girls, make sure you get them a copy, because they'll love it!

I wish Kiki the best of luck with the book, and look forward to a sequel. Not that there's one planned, as far as I know. But the book has unresolved matters, so I'd really like to see how crazy Jade's life will become. Hint, hint, Kiki! :-)

'D' Day... as in 'Do it, Damn it!'

2009-06-10T09:10:00.004+10:00

Song on my iPod: Whenever You Feel Like it by Kylie Minogue

Today is the day I'm going to send in my e-pitch. It isn't due until tomorrow, but I'm starting to get sick of the sight of the thing!

I've been fiddling and mucking around with it so much that it barely resembles the original version. And there's a limit to what I can do right now with two sick kids at home, so making major changes isn't an option.

Yep, today is 'D' day. I'll do it today... at some stage. Maybe this afternoon after I've read it again about 100 times? Will I have the guts to press the 'send' button?!

Pitch Perfect... or Close.

2009-06-04T08:16:00.004+10:00

Song on my iPod: Love, Sex, Magic by Justin Timberlake and Ciara

A few days ago my CP and I received news we were amongst the 40 people to get an e-pitch with Harlequin.

For those of you who don't know, Harlequin aren't able to send an editor to Brisbane for the RWAust conference, so they're offering the e-pitch alternative to members who expressed an interest in pitching. This is a really big deal, and a great opportunity for us.

I'm trying to polish my pitch until it's perfect - but what is perfect? I know my pitch will be good, but whether it will be spectacular or even compare to the other pitches, I have no idea. It's rather like submitting to a competition and not having a clue what the standard will be. I'm sure the standard will be extremely high, because the talent of our members is amazing. I should be very, very nervous!

I won't lie, I AM nervous. Just writing this blog post makes me feel a bit sick. The butterflies are swirling around, and the thought of being ready by next week... well... it makes me want to pass out and/or vomit. Doing a direct pitch probably would have ended in disaster (can you imagine ?!) so doing it this way is a much better alternative.

I probably won't be blogging much for the next week as I have to polish, polish, polish! And to all the members who get the chance to pitch, I wish you the best of luck. Let's show Harlequin how much we Aussie authors have to offer!

Things that make you go 'Hmmm'

2009-06-02T09:20:00.005+10:00

Song on my iPod: Love Today by Mika

I was driving to an appointment yesterday, listening to the radio and minding my own business (should have been listening to my iPod) when I was verbally assaulted. No, not by some mad driver on the road, but by a radio advert.

It was advertising laser hair removal, and the gal promoting the clinic/product announced the service was the 'unhurtingest' laser hair removal out there. What the?! She may as well have reached through the radio and punched me in the ears. I'm sure I cringed and swerved as I heard the bold announcement using a non-existent word. Aaaargh!

What is it with advertisers, the media and companies using bad, bad, bad language? Or rather non-existent language which teaches kids it's okay to make up words, or better yet, these fictional words actually exist? There are people who don't comprehend these words are, in fact, made up by marketers to make people remember their stupid campaigns.

It's like those 'Un' ads with the NRMA. Grrr. They don't UNannoy me, or UNworry me. They make me very UNhappy. It's very poor English on the part of the marketers and, in my opinion, bad judgement by the NRMA.

Then there are companies that name themselves without any concept of grammar. Every time I drive past Fishing-R-Us (displayed in giant letters on the side of a building) I want to park my car, get out, and give them an earful. Yes, yes, it might be dramatic, but how dumb can these people be? Apart from trying to rip off the Toy-R-Us concept, they get it so VERY wrong.

I probably need to get off my high horse, but stuff like this drives me nuts. We all make mistakes, but these are unacceptable. I think crimes against language should result in punishment - in the form of a spanking using a dictionary and/or a thesaurus. The bigger and heavier the better! Lol.

Dulcis in fundo

2009-05-28T10:49:00.004+10:00

I've lost my voice, so all is peaceful in the Wood house. Doesn't mean I can't type - thank goodness!

So, Dulcis in fundo, you ask? It's connected to a conversation my father and I were having some months back. He's a very well-read person, interested in many subjects and topics, and I enjoy having chats with him (one day I plan on writing his biography because he has some wonderful stories to tell about his childhood and migrating to Australia, but that's another topic).

Anyway, on this particular occasion, my father used the term Dulcis in fundum or Dulcis in fundo. He's been known to pepper some conversations with the occasional Latin (thanks to his Italian education), and during this chat about a subject I can't quite recall, he used the phrase to indicate after trials and tribulations, there's often a sweet/happy end.

This struck me as a very appropriate phrase for romance writers. As authors, the idea is for us to set up our characters to have all sorts of issues/dramas/tension/conflict until they reach a 'black moment'. They think all is lost. They're at a very low point. But then there's a twist/happy turn of events. There is a sweet (dulcis) end, where you save the very best situation/scenario until last i.e. the couple have overcome their obstacles to achieve their 'happily ever after'.

I have a feeling I'll be sprouting Dulcis in fundo in future. Ask me any question, and that'll be the answer! Lol. It may have to become my motto on my blog, or a website in future. Anyone else have a motto or saying they favour, or one which is appropriate for romance writing?

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Sick of being sick...

2009-05-26T12:37:00.003+10:00

I've had a shocker health-wise in 2009. My body has been playing all sorts of tricks on me, and it aint funny. As I type this blog post I have a blurry eye so don't be surprised if I start repeating myself because I can't see properly. Don't be surprised if I start repeating myself because I can't see properly. Huh?

I've really struggled to get my foggy, tired, stressed, aching brain to focus on editing my manuscript, but I can't think straight. I LOVE editing, so to be unable to do it frustrates me. My back hates me right now, but I'm seeing a wonderful chiropracter who is bending me into all sorts of weird positions and cracking the bejeebers out of me. I feel great temporarily, and then the aches start again. Argh.

Anyway, back to the writing stuff, got some news regarding changes to the pitch sessions at our Brisbane conference. It looks like I won't be doing a direct pitch after all, but the good thing is I'll be able to relaaaax in Brisbane. That's not to say I'll be rocking up in shorts, plastic sandals and a Mexican hat, rather I don't have the added pressure of pitching.

I promise I'll start blogging with some sense and order soon. Well, I shouldn't promised, but I'll TRY and get myself sorted out.

I won ANOTHER prize!

2009-05-20T19:28:00.006+10:00

Yep, I was at it again recently, commenting on a blog post when I should have been writing. Can't help myself.

Well, it was certainly worth it as I won a prize during the Romance Bandits Second Anniversary Blowout! Woo hoo! I won based on the titles I made up using some images posted on the blog. My titles were:

1. Farmed Virgin, Ploughing Bachelor

2. Shoeless, Soggy and Shameless

3. The Deepest Darkness Desires of Desiree Desdemona

4. Resuscitate My Bosom, Beloved

I received an email today to say I won a book by Donna MacMeans, who I believe writes historical romance. I'm looking forward to reading my prize, and adding a new author to my 'must read' list.

Now, back to work...

Steam and Wolverine...

2009-05-18T12:03:00.007+10:00

Playing on my iPod: Whatta Man by Salt N Pepa & En Vogue

No, I wasn't generating steam whilst I watched the new X-Men Origins Wolverine (although I was damn close to doing so because of all the shirtless and nude scenes featuring HJ. Phwooooar).

Actually, Hubby and I spent hours steam cleaning our dirty carpets and upholstery (it's not a euphemism for something else, you filthy, filthy people) and we decided to reward ourselves with dinner and movie. Fortunately hubby was agreeable to seeing Wolverine as I was pretty keen to see it. Purely for the story/plot/characterisation etc., of course...

Well, I REALLY enjoyed the film, and love mutant Logan/Wolverine even more so after seeing it. It starts with Logan as a boy and progresses to show the development of the character as he struggles with the power he possesses and the animal within him, which are both a gift and a curse.

I felt so much sympathy for him. Despite his deeds, he is incredibly likeable and - dare I say - lovable. This is largely due to Hugh's sympathetic portrayal of the character. I won't lie to you, it's a massive part of the appeal, but the character is so powerful and complicated and angst ridden, you can't resist him. He's gorgeous, a badass, but also noble to the core.

If you're a fan of action flicks, you'll enjoy this movie. If you're a fan of sweet romantic comedies, you'll be a little disappointed (although the love between Logan/Wolverine and Kayla/Silverfox is touching). For those of you who have the hots for Hugh and want to see him in all of his glory, it's worth the price of the ticket. 'The Best Body on the Planet and the Universe' award definitely goes to Hugh Jackman. My goodness, he's ripped!

Oh, and watch out for 'barn' scene. Hugh can park his bike in my barn any time he likes (!). He he he he.

Does the car maketh the man?

2009-05-15T09:16:00.007+10:00

Playing on my iPod: Recipe for Love by Harry Connick Jnr

I've been pondering the question 'Does a car maketh the man?' about my current WIP. I know it may seem trivial, but I think the type of car the hero drives says a lot about the character.

My hero is an alpha male - wealthy, attractive, sophisticated, ambitious, did I say wealthy? etc. etc. He needs a hot car that says "I'm expensive to keep, but my owner has oodles of dosh so that's not an issue at all and too bad if you can't afford me, commoner." Just kidding. Well, in a way it's true, but reality bites and I'm trying to be gentle here ;-)

The car has an appearance in a scene, so you could say it's a minor character (it's relevant to the plot so it needs to be there). Originally I had the hero drive a BMW Z4 Roadster in black (have you seen the latest BMW ad with the car painting a giant pic using it's tyres? It's a bit like that), but I'm wondering whether it's flash enough. His car has to be stylish yet fun, but at the same time does it suggest my hero has... well, how should I put it... endowment issues?!

Should my hero have a Hummer or a Ferrari? Or a Lamborghini Diablo because the man is devilishly handsome (get it? Diablo? Devil. Yeah, okay). Or should he have a Volvo to show he's responsible and sensible on the road, even if he's ruthless in the boardroom/business/bedroom? Hmmm.

Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. What do you think? Does the car maketh the man, or do you think it doesn't matter at all? Or better yet, should he be so rich he wants a driver to take him around the place, even if it's a short trip?

Back on track...

2009-05-14T11:10:00.012+10:00

I've been absent from my blog for a little while. Life has been hectic (when isn't it?) and I haven't been able to focus much on writing. So today, I'm back on track, focused and keen and full of world-changing ideas (well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I can feign brilliance and enthusiasm!).

Today my plan is to catch up on blogging, do a bit of critiquing for my CP, and edit some of my work. I also have to create a list of questions for our Bootcamp session with author Amy Andrews. I'll let you know all about that after tonight's session.

I was also doing a bit of research into craft and found a bit more info about the Modern/Presents line I'm aiming for. This info below was posted by Jenny Hutton, Harlequin Editor on the Harlequin Community wesbite, and I thought I'd share as it's extremely useful to everyone writing for the line. Then again, it probably applies to many lines, so take the time to have a look at this.

WRITING FOR MODERN: the mistakes that are most frequently made

This tutorial was originally entitled Frequently Asked Questions. But when the Editors at Modern thought about those, they realised there was one question that is asked far more often than any other: what are the most common mistakes made by unpublished writers? So here goes with our Top Five:

· Using too much narrative and not enough dialogue.

This is really a symptom of something else – the writer ‘telling’ the story, instead of letting her characters speak for themselves. In certain types of fiction, a narrative approach is fair enough: readers are happy to enjoy a more leisurely journey and stop off for interludes of reflection and description. But category romance – and Modern Romance – is essentially a short, sharp emotional fix, so our audience want to get to know the characters as fast and experience their unfolding emotions as immediately as possible; use of dialogue is the best way to achieve this. A rule of thumb is sixty per cent narrative, forty per cent dialogue. Or, if you have gone for more than a page without a line of speech, it’s quite likely that your reader will have gone, too, to make herself a cup of reviving coffee…and maybe she won’t come back…

· Too many minor characters.

The hero and heroine’s relationship is paramount to every Modern Romance novel, so it must remain the primary focus all of the time. If you struggle to generate intensity in the central romance, it could be because you got carried away writing about the heroine’s best friend and her adorable little puppy. Limit your use of secondary characters to as few as you can and make sure that if and when they appear, they do nothing more than providing a step forward in the development of the romance. Children are especially dangerous territory in this respect: it’s so easy to enjoy creating a cute kid who ends up getting in the way of the hero and heroine getting it on …
Remember the wise old British saying: Children should be seen and not heard. Off to the nursery with them!

· Too much background detail.

A mistake very similar in nature to an abundance of minor characters, but one frequently made by new writers who have lots of research that they’re dying to include – memories of a fabulous trip to Venice, or all the information they’ve gleaned from an excellent website about Greece. But, though the armchair travelogue style used to be very popular in our books (along with plaid picnic rugs and thermos flasks), these days, long-haul travel and exotic destinations are within reach of almost anybody, so a mini-guidebook to the flora and fauna of a remote Pacific island, or a re-run of that Venetian tour you took no longer holds any mystery. We’ve been there too and we just need a little flavour and colour to bring it all back and make the romance sparkle!

Global Warming may force us to travel less and spur the return of the armchair experience and the picnic rug, but for now – concentrate on the romance!

· Lack of emotional depth.

We editors often come upon manuscript submissions where the writing is competent, the conversation between characters is pleasant, the tone remains even throughout and there is little or no build-up of emotional or physical tension between the main characters…and then suddenly, without any warning, there is an explicit sex scene! Believe me, it’s enough to make us choke on our lunchtime sandwiches!

Check out our earlier post on Generating Emotional Conflict. The most satisfying romances are the ones where the level of conflict is high, passions run deep and the sensuality is at boiling point! In other words, place your hero and heroine’s emotions at the forefront of your story and work at creating an ebb and flow between them that will tantalize and excite the reader while propelling her towards explosive semi and final climaxes. All relationships have emotional highs and lows and, as this is romantic fantasy, the reading experience needs to be heightened and feelings intense.

· Overuse of cliché.

This can present itself in a number of guises, for instance, the hero and heroine’s first meeting, characterization, language and even what the hero and heroine are wearing.
It’s very tempting as a new writer to reach for the familiar; you have published writers whose styles you find inspiring and, of course, with fifty thousand words at your disposal, you want to get the message across as quickly and easily as you can.

But don’t lose sight of your own voice – your own particular use of vocabulary and those quirky little observations and phrases that make you unique and entertaining as a writer.
Do you really want to open your novel with a car collision between the hero and heroine’s vehicles when you – and your reader – will have seen that done a thousand times before? Will your hero always be arrogant and flare his nostrils, or does he have a more complex reaction? Does your description of how he eventually makes love to the heroine contain lots of euphemisms about body parts – or can you convey to us how the heroine actually feels?

Source: http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/write-stuff/how-write-modern-romance

I find I often read about how to do things, but not what I shouldn't do, so this info will really help me with my rewrites this week. I need to go back to the drawing board on some things, especially my dialogue and narrative ratio.

Btw, happy belated Mother's Day to all the mums out there - I had a lovely time with my family, and got very spoilt by my hubby and kids! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend with their families.

:-) Mon

Reflecting on the past...

2009-05-07T10:04:00.017+10:00

I was over at the We Love YA blog the other day reading a great post about prom fashion and the eighties, and it made me think of my Year 12 Formal.

I graduated in the nineties, but big hair was still in fashion and my shoes were... well... chunky to say the least! The combo of hair and shoes made me look taller than my date who just happens to be my hubby now! (He's taller than me, btw, but you can't tell with all that hairspray on my head).

I remember I bought him a Ren and Stimpy tie to wear on the night. For those of you who don't know Ren and Stimpy, they were from a cartoon show and their catchphrase was "Happy, happy, joy, joy". My hubby really liked the show back then, but it appears to have disappeared into oblivion...

I also remember DH telling me, well before the formal, that he was going to wear a suit like Randy Watson from Sexual Chocolate, and I believed him (he delivers his humour straight faced, and it took me a while to realise he was kidding). Has anyone seen Coming to America? Well, here's Randy Watson, so you can imagine my horror when he told me he was wearing a blue suit with a ruffled shirt. Yikes.

Fortunately the formal was a success, and 15 years later we're still together. Awww. I love my leading man, and he looks so good in a suit! :-)

Random Thoughts for a Sunday

2009-05-03T18:21:00.010+10:00

Well, I was trying to think of something to blog about, but instead, came up some random thoughts. They're gripes, to be honest. Shall I share them? 'No!' I hear you scream, but I'm doing it anyway! You can't stop me. It's my blog. MINE, I tell you! *maniacal laughter*:

Numero Uno Gripe - I went to the butcher to buy chicken the other day, and the woman was wearing gloves. Sounds great, but not only did she pick up the raw chicken with those gloves, she took my money and gave me the change whilst wearing the dirty gloves. Yuck! That is just SO WRONG!

Numero Due Gripe - Why is it my parents, who retired this year, feel it's okay to travel overseas and not ring me to tell me they've arrived safely, causing me to call Vietnam and speak to someone who didn't understand a word I was saying?! Also, why is it okay for them to do this when they harass me to call them when I go on holidays, even when it's in the same state?!

Numero Tre Gripe - Why is it that biting the butt of a Lindt chocolate Easter bunny tastes so good when it should taste so revolting that I'm not tempted to eat the rest of it? And why is it I have put on a kilo by doing so? Why can't it make me thinner, my hair shinier, and my skin glow?! Dammit.
Numero Quattro Gripe - Why is it the weekends go so fast, and there are never enough hours in the day? And why is it there are endless words to write, characters demanding attention in my head, books to read, critiques to be done, comp entries to judge etc. *sigh*.

Soooooo, do you have any very special gripes? Anything that drives you crazy, bonkers, batty, loopy? Something that makes your blood boil or your temper flare?! Feel free to share them and we can whinge together! There's nothing more therapeutic than a good whinge :-)

Writing in the Waiting Room

2009-04-30T15:35:00.005+10:00

Yesterday I was stuck in a doctor's waiting room for just under 3 hours. Yep, a 3 HOUR WAIT for a consultation, even though my name was on a list. Not happy, Jan.

Anyway, the consolation was I had heaps of time to write some deep and meaningful ideas (i.e. terrible scribbles that look pretty stupid when you read them back the next day) in the non-comfort of a very firm plastic chair. It was a chance for me to brainstorm and build romantic scenarios whilst people coughed and spluttered around me. The words flowed freely like mucus... whoa, there. I'm not writing a Medical!

Back on track. Well, apparently I have two other tests and two other waiting rooms to entertain myself in next week, so my trusty pen and notepad will be with me. I'd like to take my ItelliPen (makes me look serious and scholarly and intelligent, as the name suggests) but I'm scared it'll break. It stays in the box, collecting dust to be brought out again at some stage... possibly at the conference!

So, have you written something prolific, mindblowingly brilliant, or just plain rubbish in a waiting room? Does the sound of other people's misery/sickness generate the kind of writing that will put you on the NYT best seller list?! Or does your inspiration come from solitude in a study filled with junk that should be put on eBay ASAP? *vbg*

Renovating and Writing Space

2009-04-28T12:52:00.012+10:00

As you may already know, I'm in the middle of a pretty major home renovation. It's quite disruptive, although hubby and I are trying very hard to keep life as normal as possible for the kids. They're used to it now, but I'm finding it difficult to get peace and quiet for all things writing-related.

We're planning my daughter's birthday in June, which means hubby has committed to finish certain parts of the renovation by then. Yippeee! I'm pretty relieved, but this means I have a lot of work (i.e. organising, tidying etc.) to do between now and June in preparation.

My situation made me think about my writing space. I have a study (which I'm sitting in as I type this gripping blog entry!), but most of the time I write in the lounge room. My study is a bit of a dumping ground/storage room at the moment, so I feel confined. It's not an environment conducive to writing, however I need to be patient. I can reorganise my current study, or I have the option of creating my writing space in a spare room upstairs when that area is finished.

I found this article about writing spaces and finding a room of one's own http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_tip.php?tip=100. It's an interesting article based on the experience of Vicki Lewis Thompson, and includes tips on how to make your own space. Well worth a read if you need some advice. I found her story amusing because I can relate to it, especially her comment that her writing career began 'in the closet'!

Happy writing, everyone!

I'm on the 'Top 50 Aussie Writers Blogs' List!

2009-04-23T20:51:00.004+10:00

I have no idea how I managed to get there, but for some reason I've made the list of Top 50 Aussie Writers Blogs. Woo hoo!! Well... I'm actually 109, but nevertheless, I got on the list (need to bump myself up a bit next time!)

I have to investigate how they calculate the list and let you know how it works. Here are the links below:

http://www.jonathancrossfield.com/blog/2009/04/top-50-aussie-writer-blogs-april-update.html

and

http://www.jonathancrossfield.com/blog/top-50-aussie-writer-blogs

Well, that was a nice surprise. And yay to my other writing buddies on the list! Go RWA members :-)

Crits, plus my hero on Hollywood Boulevard

2009-04-22T16:09:00.007+10:00

I've spent most of today working on a lengthy critique. My head hurts and my back aches, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ms I was working on.

I have another crit I need to start today. It'll take me a few days to complete it as I still have my son at home for the the school holidays, and he won't be back at school until next Wednesday. Writing has taken a back seat, and I'll focus on my current WIP next week.

I was cheered to see the news today that my fave hero now has a special place on Hollywood Boulevard. Hugh Jackman left his handprints and footprints on the pavement outside the Grauman Chinese Theatre, and next he'll be getting a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

Way to go, Hugh, you big hunk of manhood, you! Look at the size of those paws. What do they say about guys with big hands? Hmm.

Mud wrestling, anyone?! He he he he.

Wiggly good time. Why was I reminded of Star Trek?

2009-04-21T14:19:00.009+10:00

Yesterday my hubby and I took the kids to see the Wiggles at a community club. Apart from the parents who felt it was okay to stomp on us to get a great seat/spot (people go nuts when it's 'first in best dressed'), we had a fantastic time. Oh, and the kids did as well!

Whilst I was watching the show, I thought the Wiggly boys were looking a little Star Trek. The skivvies were tighter with these strip things on the arms - very 'beam me up, Scotty', in my opinion. I've seen the Wiggles perform about half a dozen times, and this is the first time I've ever noticed this. See what I mean?

The Wiggles - Shocked at the sight of a black hole filled with screaming children

The Star Trek team - Shocked at the sight of a black hole in space

Focus on Harlequin, and my thoughts on blogging...

2009-04-20T16:35:00.000+10:00

In the last week I've been doing a bit of reading about Harlequin. I'm aiming my current manuscript at their Sexy/Modern/Presents line, and have been trying to clarify their requirements so I'm fully prepared before I pitch. The lines have different names in different countries, which takes a little getting used to!

I came across a brilliant new community for Mills & Boon writers which offers a range of information for prospective Harlequin M&B writers. If you're interested in this publisher, join up to the community quick smart.

I also discovered the wonderful blog of author Kate Walker with a checklist for male characters in the lines. Wow. This list made me feel extremely relieved because my hero appears to be spot on for my line. Check. Check. Check. Yippee!

Finally, there's been some interesting media coverage on Harlequin. This video is pretty funny http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7329822 because it features some well known celebs reading from Harlequin books. Worth watching just for that!

On a final note, there's been some discussion in our Bootcamp loops regarding the necessity of blogging. Yes, it may be a time waster, but if you manage your time well, blogging can be an extremely useful tool. If it wasn't such a great way of communicating, many writers wouldn't bother! And it's thanks to a large number of blogs entries I've read from other people that I've learnt so much in such a short time. I'm an advocate for blogs. Blogs rock!

Happy blogging :-)

Just had to share...

2009-04-18T10:02:00.005+10:00

Ah, this made me laugh, and I had to share.

My favourite mutant hero is now promoting milk. If only I wasn't lactose intolerant! Mmm...

Finally received my Little Gems feedback...

2009-04-17T11:20:00.000+10:00

Finally received my Little Gems Anthology Contest feedback from a delivery driver today after complaining to Australia Post about the delay. Grrr, Australia Post!

Although I know I'm in the anthology (yay!), I have mixed feelings about the judges comments. On the whole, they made excellent comments, but there's always one judge who brings you down. With a thump.

On a positive note, here are a few of the comments I received from the judges:

This is a fun, original story with a twist at the end. Sexy and entertaining to read.

Quite an enjoyable read. I couldn't help feeling I was involved with a scene from a category romance {ahh, that's not a bad thing seeing as I'm a category writer! Lol}
Great read! You kept the 'mystery element' up well with well developed characters.

I wish I'd received all the comments before I sent my final version to the editor. There were elements they picked up on which I could've developed more, but there isn't much I can do about it now. I'm feeling very strange about the whole thing knowing it'll be in print, flaws and all, and the audience who reads it will be my fellow writers - new writers who'll be forgiving, and published writers with oodles of experience and the ability to see the bad bits from a mile away. My, oh, my... now I'm pertrified!

Oh, never mind. At least I can say it's my first short story in the genre, and it'll be published. I should be dancing around with glee. But the old 'naked, exposed and running through the streets' analogy keeps coming to mind. I think I need to work out a bit more!

Pitching and other interesting resources

2009-04-16T10:54:00.013+10:00

I was doing some research into pitching my manuscript (which I plan to do at the RWAust conference) and stumbled on this fantastic article 10 Tips For Pitching by Mary J Forbes.

As I read the website further I discovered a treasure trove of fantastic articles on writing which are relevant to romance writers. I've spent most of the morning sifting through the info, and it's fantastic. A few Aussie writers have contributed to the site which is wonderful.

There's also an AutoCrit tool you can purchase or you can use the free analysis tool. It's fun to play around with, so give it a go at!

Also found this great site from Laurie Campbell with tips on pitching. She shares some other information for would-be writers which is worth a look http://www.booklaurie.com/tips.php.

I'm officially a Twit-ter

2009-04-15T15:31:00.004+10:00

Yes, yes. I've finally succumbed to the lure of Twitter, and it's all because of a certain hunk who now has an account (how sad am I?!). Sandie and Diane may laugh at me, but I'm now officially addicted to Twitter like them!

It's another time waster like Facebook (which I don't use as much as I used to), but it's also a fun way to keep track of what people are doing in smaller, bite-sized doses.

So, if you happen to be on Twitter, hook up with moi http://twitter.com/MoniWood.

Happy Twittering! :-)

Meet my new Heroine and Hero!

2009-04-11T07:56:00.004+10:00

I'm still in the process of polishing up a manuscript (the one I'm pitching at the conference), but I'm about to begin a new one.

A group of us (The BootCats) will be working on a story concept I have as a Bootcamp exercise, and I feel fortunate to receive this opportunity. So, in preparation of this, I'd like to introduce you to my new Heroine and Hero, Rebecca and Mark!

Interior designer Rebecca McKenzie loves her job. It’s not until she meets builder, Mark Forrester, that she decides maybe she needs a career change...

I can't wait to see what's in stall for these two. Ooooh, the tension!

He came, we saw and we were most impressed... well I was, anyway!

2009-04-10T14:00:00.008+10:00

The man I consider ultimate hero material came home to Australia a few days ago for a brief visit. Hugh Jackman was promoting his upcoming film X-Men Origins: Wolverine and showed us why he's sizzling hot property at the moment.

During a previous post I had a nekkid butt shot of Hugh from the film, so this time I'm just posting a few photos of Hugh whilst he was on his promo tour. I wish I'd had the chance to meet him and squeeze a bicep or two, or some other muscle on his gorgeous bod, but alas, it wasn't to be. Instead I have these pics to stare at *sigh*

Anyway, enjoy!

Preparing for the RWA conference

2009-04-07T20:52:00.011+10:00

The RWAustralia's annual conference is in Brisbane this August, and I'm excited - I'll get to meet many of my writing buddies for the first time! There are some wonderful sessions available during the weekend, and I'm also planning to pitch (fingers crossed my stomach can handle it!).

I'm particularly keen to catch up with my butt-kicking Bootcamp buddies (to Hugh or not to Hugh? That is the question). The ROMAUS e-list dinner sounds like loads of fun, so I expect to be exhausted even before the conference starts.

I'm in the process of getting my costume together for Harlequin's Arabian Nights cocktail party. I found some great harem pants, a silk scarf for a veil and a few pieces of very nice costume jewellery. I'm not going overboard with the outfit, and I'm hoping I'll capture a bit of the genie vibe with my ensemble. Yahoo! How much fun will that be?

Sexy Writing Songs

2009-04-05T14:52:00.001+10:00

I was listening to my iPod the other day (which has over 3,000 songs in a range of styles) and was thinking about sexy songs to write to.

It may have had something to do with hearing Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" for the first time in ages (bring back the leg warmers!) and being quite surprised by the lyrics. I loved the song as a kid, but had no idea what it was actually about!

Let's reflect on some of the lyrics for a moment, shall we? Here we go:

I took you to an intimate restaurant,
then to a suggestive movie
There's nothin' left to talk about,
unless it's horizontally

Hello! Wasn't that a tad raunchy for eighties radio? Hooley dooley.

Then there's this:

I've been patient, I've been good,
tried to keep my hands on the table

It's gettin' hard this holdin' back,
if you know what I mean

I'm sure you'll understand my point of view,
we know each other mentally
You gotta know that you're bringin' out
the animal in me

Grrr. Well, if that isn't asking for after dinner activities, I don't know what is! Lol.

I'm also a HUGE Kylie Minogue fan. Many of her songs are filled with sexy lyrics, and I often like to write my heroines whilst listening to Ms Minogue. One song, Nu-di-ty, is pretty hot and definitely naughty scene material. You'll see what I mean below:

Hang your coat up, hang your coat up

Lock the doors up, lock the doors up

Let the steam rise in the spotlight (alright)

Are you ready to let it go tonight? (tonight)

Do your own thing with your own thing

Whoo, shake a hip, it's getting full swing

Ooh, ooh, guess who is watching now?
Look, looking, looking wow

Flash it in fashion with me

Skin to skin, body to body

Dare to bare, let me, let me see

Nu-di-ty

*Fans self* Now if that wasn't saucy enough, she goes on to sing:

Time to strip down

Just pop that zipper for me

And work that thing out

Just expose it

'Cause you know it's, alright (alright)

Are you ready to let it go tonight? (tonight)

Let it go, here we go
Just let it slip inside

That's right, here we go

One button at a time

Who cares who sees tonight?

Well, there's certainly no doubt about what she's singing about *vbg*. It paints an interesting picture, and it's even saucier with the music. Ooh la la!

So, the question is... is there a sexy song you like to write to? Maybe even a special song for certain moments in your ms? Do you write to music at all? The following link is a list of top ten sexy songs collated by CitySearch http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/music/1137617970788/Top+10+Sexy+Songs. See if you agree with it, or whether you can add a few different ones to the list...

Celebrating my 100th blog post

2009-04-04T20:23:00.003+11:00

Well, my 100th post needs to be memorable. So here's a celebratory pic of Wolverine, or rather Hugh Jackman's... well... you can see for yourselves! *wink*

Ahhh, I love the internet :-)

On the topic of retro...

2009-04-04T10:08:00.004+11:00

This isn't writing related, but I thought it was a fun topic seeing as my last post was about retro men.

My son and I were playing on the computer this morning, and discovered the makers of the Delorean are apparently re-releasing them on the market. Most of you won't care, but I'm a big Back to the Future fan (see post re Michael J Fox below), so this is very exciting news for moi! See http://redlightnaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/delorean-back-on-market/

Can you imagine having a shiny silver Delorean in your garage? How eighties is that?! Ah, the fun my kids and I would have pretending we were in a time machine...

Hmm, maybe I could have a hero who's a car collector and he just HAS to have one. There's an idea! :-)

Retro hunks and heroes

2009-03-21T16:17:00.011+11:00

Lately I've been watching the fantastic US TV show "Life on Mars" where a hunky cop from 2008 named Sam Tyler (played by Jason O'Mara), finds himself back in the seventies.

It's based on a British show of the same name. I'm not familiar with the British version, but I do find the whole concept intriguing. Can you imagine going back in time to when you were a kid, but as an adult instead? How bizarre would that be? What would you do with the knowledge you have of the future? What would you change about your past?

Channel 10 here in Australia have been running retro ads around the time the show airs, and many of these ads have brought back fond memories. It made me think about shows I used to watch when I was a kid, and all of the heroes/male characters I admired or thought were attractive back then. Amazing how time and experience can change your perspective! *grin*

So, who are your hunks and heroes of yesteryear? Would any of those guys be inspiration for your characters today?

Time wasters... gees, they're fun!

2009-03-19T10:24:00.009+11:00

I know, I know. I have better things to do than play around with my computer when I'm in the middle of a reno, but sometimes you need a break.

My pal Eleni Konstantine http://eleni-konstantine.blogspot.com/2009/03/they-call-this-procrastination.html found a FAB site where you can create your own comic book hero/heroine http://cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/. Very cool, indeed.

So here's my heroine. Do you think Wolverine would like Lasered Lash?! He he he he he.

Mr Darcy's wet shirt moment...

2009-03-16T11:18:00.006+11:00

I watched the final 'Lost in Austen' last night, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

For those of you who don't know anything about it, it's a British mini series where a modern lass gets stuck in the middle of 'Pride and Prejudice', and manages to stuff up the plot. She tries very hard to get it back on track, and even manages to get Mr Darcy to take a dip in a pond for her viewing pleasure! Lol.

It was a lot of fun, and apparently they're turning it into a movie for Hollywood. Hopefully they don't botch it up (which is usually what happens). I'd like to see them use the same cast, but I doubt they will. Can you imagine Hugh Jackman as Mr Darcy?! I'd have a heart attack, for sure! *swoon*

Elliot Cowan was surprisingly hunkalicious as Mr Darcy, capturing the brooding hero beautifully. Tom Mison as Mr Bingley was also rather yummy (if somewhat pitiful at times), and Tom Riley played an interesting and charismatic Mr Wickham. Basically, it was a feast for the eyes and wasn't an effort to watch at all!

I won't ruin the plot for those of you who haven't seen it, but here are a few of the Mr-Darcy-in-a-pond-and-rising-out-of-the-water-slowly moments, including Amanda's expression of sheer bliss at the sight! Pure genius, if you ask me. Wish I'd come up with the concept myself...

I made it into the Little Gems anthology!

2009-03-14T19:42:00.005+11:00

Oh, my. What a day!

I had swimming classes and two birthday parties today, and in between these events I tried to digest the news I made it into the Romance Writers of Australia's Little Gems Anthology.

I got quite a shock when I received the email. I was expecting some news about the results, but not news I'd finalled. No siree. I started squeeling like a piglet being chased around a pigpen. My son thought I was crazy, my daughter didn't seem to notice the fuss, and my hubby gave me a cuddle and told me he was so proud *sigh*.

Ah, I'm so relieved to have had such a positive response to my writing. It's certainly motivating. I reread my work and cringed a little at some of the mistakes I made, but I gather the judges enjoyed the story more and didn't care so much about those errors. It's amazing how Bootcamp has opened my eyes to the strengths and the weaknesses of my work, and I know I could improve the story with my newly-found skills.

Hubby ordered a Thai take-away meal to celebrate my news, which was lovely. We chatted about the RWA conference, and it looks like I now have a reason to go to Brissie in August. Whilst I'm there I can personally congratulate my fellow Bootcamper Fiona who will also be in the anthology. Yay, Fi!

Reflecting on my Emerald results...

2009-03-04T16:03:00.004+11:00

I finally received my Emerald comments in the post. I pored over the comments and saw there were heaps of positives, despite the fact I didn't final.

I knew my manuscript needed some fine tuning (it is my NaNoWriMo ms from last November, so it's still pretty fresh), but I'm happy I sent it off to the competition. It's given me the confidence to keep pursuing my writing.

Some of the really nice comments I received from the judges were:

Enjoyed the Australian feel. Language and style uniquely Australian.

Heroine had right characteristics - humour, self-depreciation, feistiness, speaks her mind. Physical attributes sound great too.

Hero sounds 'perfect' which is what I look for. He isn't a self assured rat bag either!

The chemistry between the couple is great (and the battle by heroine to tone it down).

Characters well written and believable.

A good story line. Good characterisation.

This author should continue to write as she has good potential, a good imagination, and has done her research.

I was drawn into story.

The writing was very clear and understandable.

I really enjoyed the hero.

Liked having the story from heroine's thoughts and then hero's inner thoughts. This was really appealing and broadened the story for me.

So, all in all I'm rather happy. I have lots of work to do on this ms, and my aim is to pitch it at the RWA Conference if I get there this year. If not, I may consider sending it to a publisher at the end of the year.

Whatever happens, I have my first finished manuscript, and that's something to grin about like the crazy horse above. Yay! Or should I say, neigh! :-)

Jokes for writers...

2009-03-03T16:05:00.003+11:00

I was looking for a bit of amusement and found this website with jokes about writers http://writersjokes.googlepages.com/jokesaboutwriters.

Hmmm. You tell me whether you think these are funny...

- - - - - - - - -

There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define great, he said, "I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!" He now works for Microsoft writing error messages.

- - - - - - - - -

Punctuation Parable

Dear John,
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy - will you let me be yours?
Gloria
***
Dear John,
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?
Yours,
Gloria

- - - - - - - - -

Ode to the Spell Check

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It cam with my pea seaIt plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew!

- - - - - - - - -

Losing the plot over a lost diamond...

2009-02-27T07:34:00.002+11:00

No, it's not a bad plot from my manuscript! Let me explain...

The last two days have been pretty crazy. I've been feeling unwell (like I've been rolled over by a truck repeatedly), and got incredibly lost whilst driving into town to do some research regarding my home renovations (picture hysterical woman stuck in peak hour traffic). When I got home I found a very large nut and bolt embedded in my tyre, so the tyre had to be repaired.

Then the next day I struggled out of bed with the intention of getting my house cleaning done, followed by some tile shopping for the renovation. For some reason I glanced at my wedding ring set and noticed the large diamond on my engagement ring was GONE. O-M-G. Hysterical woman of previous day had NOTHING on hysterical woman who lost diamond.

I went through a range of emotions as I crawled around the house on my hands and knees. I started yelling before I collapsed in a flood of tears. Weeping like a baby didn't help, but composed and calm hubby did - after meticulously searching downstairs, my wonderful DH found the diamond under a lounge cushion, sitting there sparkling at him. Talk about luck. We REALLY need to buy a lottery ticket!

So for now, I can't wear my wedding ring, but at least I don't have to call the insurance company. There's nothing like losing something which has sentimental value (we chose the diamond together and had the ring made to go with it when we got engaged).

I'm counting my lucky stars today. Honestly, I still feel unwell, but I'm certainly a lot more cheerful than I have been! Lol.

Wish I was Anne Hathaway or even Beyonce, just for a moment in time...

2009-02-23T19:02:00.006+11:00

I received news today I didn't make the Emerald final, so was looking for some cheering up. Well, cheering up came in the form of HJ, of course! Hugh did Australia proud with a gutsy, funny and downright sexy performance as host of the Oscars. I was in stitches after watching the opening of the show.

I was also soooo envious of Anne Hathaway who managed to not only get a leg up on Hugh, but warble the words "I love you" to him (all in the name of acting, of course!). Then Beyonce had Hugh dancing around her and up against her, and all over the place. Wow-ee. She looked like she was enjoying herself (so did he, for that matter! Lol).

Here are a few snaps from the show. Can't wait to watch it again tonight!

On a winning streak... I won a book from Bronwyn Jameson!

2009-02-21T09:35:00.002+11:00

Yesterday's entry was about winning a book from the delightful Anna Campbell. Well, I also received a bonus prize in the form of a Bestseller Collection from the wonderful Bronwyn Jameson! Woo hoo!

I love Aussie authors, and I'm sooooo excited about reading my two new books. Bronwyn's book takes my tbr pile to 44 books (or, is it 45 seeing as it's two books in one?). OMG!

Bronwyn's website is http://www.bronwynjameson.com/ and the desirabelles blog is http://desirabelles.wordpress.com/

Thanks, Bronwyn!

I won a book from Anna Campbell!

2009-02-20T19:40:00.002+11:00

I love blogging (you can probably tell!).

Recently I was at a blog celebrating the release of Anna Campbell's 'Tempt the Devil'. After making a comment, I won a book!

I already have 'Tempt the Devil' (looks fantastic, and is on my tbr pile of 42 books), so Anna kindly sent me 'Claiming the Courtesan' as a prize. She's so lovely - thanks Anna!! http://www.annacampbell.info

So, now I have 43 books to read. Yikes! Lol.

I've been LEMONADED!!!

2009-02-18T00:18:00.000+11:00

I was visiting the blog of the lovely Christina Phillips and discovered she lemonaded me! SPLAT! Sounds painful, but apparently it's meant to be a nice gesture (not meaning I-hate-you-suck-on-a-lemon) but rather "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade" Award.

So thank you to Christina http://christinaphillips.blogspot.com/ and now, it's time to toss the sour sucker to other people. If you've been hit, you need to:

1) Link back to the person you received the award from, and
2) Nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award.

So, my victims... err recipients are:

Ellanora Joy

Sandie Hudson

Diane Curran

Eleni Konstantine

Rhian Cahill

Nicola Marsh

Anne Whitfield

Erin Grace

Jess Anastasi

Natalie Hatch

Have fun spreading the juice, ladies! Lol. :-)

Preparing for Bootcamp

2009-02-17T12:02:00.004+11:00

I've had a hectic few weeks. The my son started school, home renovating is in full swing, I'm waiting for news on the Emerald results (currently polishing my ms), and RWA Bootcamp homework is rolling in.

I'm pretty excited about Bootcamp, but concerned about the week it's taking place. The Emerald results should be in during the Bootcamp, and the top 15 need to get their full mss in to the judges by the Monday after Bootcamp. Wowee! If I make it in the top 15, I'll be pulling my hair out, without a doubt!

Anyway, I've been feeling rather bad about my blogging (well, lack of blogging) so hopefully in about two weeks I'll be back on track.

Good luck to all the Emerald entrants, especially my fellow Bootcampers! Apologies to all the authors who've sent me books to read, but I haven't had time to read of late. I promise to make it up to you and to give reviews of your work as soon as I dig myself out of this hole I've buried myself in! Lol. :-)

When in doubt, blog about...

2009-02-13T22:12:00.002+11:00

...you know who! Here's the latest Oscar promo photo featuring the lovely Hugh. Perfect hero material (rather James Bond, actually).

I LOVE my IntelliPen!

2009-02-08T14:09:00.003+11:00

It was my birthday about a week ago. I got lots of lovely gifts, but one of my absolute faves was my IntelliPen. My hubby is a legend :-)

It's a digital pen that comes with a USB flash drive. You can write or draw on any type of paper (including lined paper), transfer the stuff to your PC, and it converts your work to put in a Word document.

It's veeeery cool. You need to 'train' it to learn your handwriting (doesn't take too long) and it sometimes misinterprets your words (my handwriting is appalling, after all), but since you also have a handwritten copy of your work, you can always edit it later.

The great thing about it is you can take it with you instead of lugging your laptop. I have visions of sitting in waiting rooms with my trusty notepad and pen, capturing all my brilliant thoughts and magical words *snort*. So far I've only used it when going to other people's houses (how antisocial am I?!), which means I haven't tested it in waiting rooms yet. I'll schedule an appointment next week so I can try it out. Lol.

For those of you live in Australia, the pens can be purchased at any Officeworks outlet. http://www.officeworks.com.au/whats-new/IPEN139159.shtml

Happy writing!

I've been MIA

2009-01-29T21:13:00.003+11:00

Haven't been blogging of late as I need to finish a manuscript, and I'm panicking a little.

Will be back at some stage... hope you're all well, and the writing is going strong :-)

Two of Australia's Best Exports - Happy Australia Day!

2009-01-25T00:29:00.002+11:00

Both delicious and edible. Need I say more?! Lol.

"Drop a dress at your desk" - yeah, right!

2009-01-22T21:10:00.003+11:00

Found this article the other day. It has a few suggestions on how to do exercise whilst sitting at a desk.

Seeing as I haven't made it to the gym this year (I'll use my sore foot as an excuse!), maybe these tips will help me stay in shape. Well... you decide if they're useful or not.

Deskercise!

A lunchtime workout is the perfect way to lose weight without losing your precious free time. If you don’t have time to make it to the gym in your break, gather a few colleagues and try these “deskercises”, devised by personal trainer, diet coach and fitness expert Kate McCracken.

1 Sculpted Shoulders with Overhead Press: Sitting on your chair, hold a full ream of printer paper with both hands. With elbows bent, extend arms overhead, then lower to shoulder height. Repeat 10-20 times. Try not to swing your arms above your head as this will cause your back to arch. Keep them slightly forward (of your head) on extension and don’t lock out the elbows completely – and keep them slightly bent at all times. As you get stronger, try adding another ream of paper.

2 Buff Bicep Curls: For this exercise, you’ll need two full 600ml water bottles. Sit on the edge of a chair with abs contracted and spine straight. Curl the bottles up towards shoulder height and slowly lower down. Repeat 10-20 times. Keep the elbows close to your sides/hips and control the upward and downward motion. Go slow!

3 Abs-Seating: Sit on the edge of a chair with arms extending in front. Keep your back straight, contract your abs and slowly lower your torso towards the back of the chair, making sure to keep your back straight and abs tight. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat three times. If you find this challenging, start with your arms crossed against your chest until you build up enough core strength to extend them.

4 Terrific Tricep Dips: Sit upright on a chair and place your hands on the seat, hip-width apart, with fingers pointing forward. Place yourfeet firmly on the floor. Slide glutes (butt muscles) off the chair with elbows slightly bent. Lower body by bending at 90-degree angles. Return to the start position and do about 10-15 repetitions.

5 Challenging Chair Squat: Sitting on your chair, clench your butt cheeks together. Lift your bum off the seat and hover in a squat position for around 10-15 seconds, then stand up. Repeat 2-3 times. For buns o’ steel, keep your butt cheeks clenched throughout!

Zero-kJ energy boosts

Suffering from the four o’clock slump? Before you make the four-metre walk to the office snack table, ask yourself if hunger is the real reason you’ve hit a wall. If not, try one of these guilt-free energising tricks to curb your cravings.

“I can’t concentrate”Take a walk outside in the fresh air for 10 minutes to clear your head. If you do this whenever your concentration wanes, your brain will eventually associate your desk with only work, which should help to improve your focus in the long run.

“I’m stressed!”Take a deep breath – it really helps. First, exhale deeply through your mouth while tightening your abdominal muscles and gently leaning forward. At the end of the breath, relax your abs and gently inhale through your nose as you sit back up. Repeat up to 10 times.
“I’m dead-tired”To help recharge your batteries, why not try these energising yoga moves?

1 Interlock your fingers and extend your arms outward in front of your shoulders, your palms facing forward. Slowly raise your hands overhead, stretching from the waist. Hold for 30 seconds. Relax.

2 Sit on a chair with your legs just wider than hip-width apart. Bend forward, drop your head and relax your neck. Focus on relaxing with each exhalation and sit up on the fourth inhalation.

“I’ve got a headache”Before you reach for the painkillers, drink a big glass of water. Office air-conditioning saps your body of moisture so this could be your body’s way of telling you to rehydrate. If your headache is due to tension, try gently massaging your temples with your middle fingers.

Source: http://www.cleo.com.au/drop_a_dress_at_your_desk.htm?page=1

Yes, It's old news, but I need to blog about something!

2009-01-20T08:19:00.005+11:00

RC was kind enough to send through a pic from the writers' lunch we had for Christmas last year. After some enhancement (not enough, mind you), here it is!

There's Anne http://annewhitfield.blogspot.com/, RC http://rhiancahill.wordpress.com/ and little ol' me.

I look tired, and NO, I wasn't drinking! Remind me never to wear my hair like that again or leave home without slapping on copious amounts of makeup. Or better yet, wear a paper bag when going out in public! Lol.

What's new with Hugh...

2009-01-19T19:31:00.002+11:00

Yep, struggling with the blogging here! I haven't had much time to blog lately, so here's my apology in the form of you-know-Hugh :-)

Stumbling along the path to publication

Claytons. Was. Awesome.

Books we don't like...

It's Clayton's for 2011...

Best Romance Novels Part 7

Just a quick one...

Best Romance Novels Part 6

Best Romance Novels Part 5

Best Romance Novels Part 4

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

Best Romance Novels Part 2

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Best Romance Novels Part 1

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

Not writing, but judging...

I've won something! Yay!

Technical Issues and Ice Tea

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

Horror! I'm not so original after all!

Conference is Over. Back to Reality.

Wouldn't it be nice to buy time?

Useful Tips & RWA Conference

Quick Update, Plus a Dedication

Erin Grace's Book Launch & Hero of the Week

Writing Life on the RWA Blog

Getting Myself Organised

Sorta, kinda, maybe back... plus my hero of the week

Dropping off again...

Latest RWA Blog Post

I'm in a book dedication!

Cardinal Sin

Oops. Forgot to mention my latest RWA blog post!

Back in the Swing

Merry Christmas!

RWA Blog interview: Michelle Beattie

My Interview with Erin Grace

My Interview with Michelle Douglas

Preschool plus a perve-fest (not related topics, and yes, it's a terrible blog post title)

Mon's Conference Highlights at the RWA Blog

My Interview with Bronwyn Jameson

A little pick-me-up for new writers

Playing Catchup

Feedback from Judging the VPA

Editing Update

Romance for Smart People

A Month Until the Conference...

The correlation between writing and renovating

Hunky and a humanitarian!

Enthusiasm!

Perfection Personified

RIP Farrah and Michael

Editing Update

Blogs/Website of interest...

Enter The Parrot - Lock up your daughters, TF and Cedric are here!

'D' Day... as in 'Do it, Damn it!'

Pitch Perfect... or Close.

Things that make you go 'Hmmm'

Dulcis in fundo

Sick of being sick...

I won ANOTHER prize!

Steam and Wolverine...

Does the car maketh the man?

Back on track...

Reflecting on the past...

Random Thoughts for a Sunday

Writing in the Waiting Room

Renovating and Writing Space

Top Read: Kate Walker's '12-Point Guide to Writing Romance'

I'm on the 'Top 50 Aussie Writers Blogs' List!

Crits, plus my hero on Hollywood Boulevard

Wiggly good time. Why was I reminded of Star Trek?

Focus on Harlequin, and my thoughts on blogging...

Just had to share...

Finally received my Little Gems feedback...

Pitching and other interesting resources

I'm officially a Twit-ter

Meet my new Heroine and Hero!

He came, we saw and we were most impressed... well I was, anyway!

Preparing for the RWA conference

Sexy Writing Songs